Broken Silence

Chapter 8

Summary:

Things start to heat up as the League of Villains gains new members. Meanwhile, Bakugou finds out he's not as alone in this as he thought.

Notes:

Disclaimer: Don't own BNHA or any of its characters.

Hey! Back with a new chapter! Big thanks to Memequeen for betaing this chapter. Also shoutout to all the lovely people who have done fanart and spinoffs of this series. Another thank you for all the kudos, reviews and bookmarks. I'm glad so many people resonate with this story and I hope you enjoy the new chapter!

The heaviness of the drink leaves him lightheaded. A part of him feels melancholic for something he could not remember but could see just out of the corner of his eye, ghosts of a time before he became Kurogiri. His finger clicks against the glass. Now, Kurogiri ordinarily avoids drinking during work hours. Someone has to be on top of things in the League's headquarters and that someone is him.

Most of the alcohol was reserved for Sensei and his clientele, their preferences memorized by Kurogiri as per his Master's instructions. Someone has to keep the bar in one piece and with Shigaraki's tendency to destroy things, that job falls onto him. Kurogiri prides himself in his work—always punctual, never once taking a sick day, ready to work overtime at a moment's notice—all for Sensei and Shigaraki's sake.

Today is not like every other day, however. Kurogiri leans against the countertop as he nurses his Blue Hawaiian, inwardly cursing the fates for his midlife crisis. He steers his attention to the subject of said crisis, diligently cleaning the floors and barstools as he'd instructed. His gaze softens. Though Kuro limped from table to table he didn't complain once, only stopping to rest every few minutes to regain his strength.

Kurogiri looks away before the boy could take notice. A knot of anxiety has arisen since the night Stain came through, growing in size with each passing day. It happened before, back when Shigaraki was younger and he still needed frequent trips to the Doctor. His unseen lips thinned as the grim reality takes hold. The discovery of this emerging emotional attachment distresses him, its foreign yet somehow familiar. Kurogiri is well-versed in concealing how he feels on most days, but as time goes on he finds his strength wavering.

He knows he should see the Doctor again, that these feelings could potentially impair his reasoning skills. His duty to Sensei is above all else. And yet...Strangely, he finds he is disinterested in doing so. Going to the Doctor would mean days if not weeks of testing and fine-tuning, something Kurogiri greatly loathes with all his being. His neckbrace burns against his collarbone as he recalls being forced apart and put together over and over again. No, Shigaraki needs his help in forming his new League and he wouldn't dare leave both boys alone without supervision.

Taking a long sip of his drink, he makes his decision. So long as it didn't affect his performance, he would keep his growing attachment to the children under wraps. That shouldn't be too hard.

The door chime signals him to return to work once more. Kurogiri quickly places his drink behind the bar, gesturing for Kuro to put away his cleaning supplies. The deafening spin of the fan does nothing to hide from the summer heat or the guest's presence, heralded by the man of the hour: Kagero Okuta, although these days he preferred to go by Giren.

The informant smiles cheekily at the bar, giving the room a once over before walking further inside. While he lacks a fighter's build, the man more than makes up for it with his mind and good business sense. Kurogiri prefers Giren out of all of Sensei's informants, but one could never trust one completely. Information can go both ways after all.