"Sometimes the brothers that you need in life are fosters."
Cold, sadistic, and a hint of crazy describes the pyromaniac perfectly. Never choosing to settle down and only taking risky and high paying guild requests and a passion for gambling to surv...
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When Captain Tatsuo led me into the main residency of the compound, we had to stop as we were welcomed by the sight of an intense staring match between two men.
The taller of them was a teenager, about 16 maybe, with a scar on his chin and his auburn hair tied into a knot on the back of his head. His face was determined as he held a camera behind his back. He was wearing the standard black haori, however a large red, braided rope looped over his torso and set on his left shoulder.
The other was fairly short, falling on the smaller side of the average range for a man in his early 20s. He was clean shaven, with long wet black hair tied up into a towel. Unlike the other, he was shirtless which allowed me to see his toned and hairless body, save for his waist which also had a towel wrapped around it, a clear sign that he just got out of the shower and judging by the water still dripping from his skin, in a rush too. He was the first one to speak, his appearance cold and stoic with his voice holding a level of deep agitation.
"You really got me good last year, but did you think I wouldn't notice!?"
"They are all waiting, everyone, for the perfect picture of a man who embodies strength and the ability to protect everyone," the other spoke, his voice deep for a teenager and unwavering in his conviction, "The men, the women, the masses have all unanimously agreed that there is only one man of our generation who lives up to that title here in Himura."
The taller grabbed the shorter by the shoulders and pulled him, forcibly butting their heads together as his voice resounded around the room, "You have to do this, Akihiko!"
Seconds of tense silence passed before the shorter, Akihiko, started to climb the tall teenager in an attempt to grab the camera by force from the teen who tried to push him off and keep the camera away from him.
"Give me the damn camera, Taiyo!"
"Stop screwing around, get off of me!"
"Delete the photo!"
"It has to be you, Aki! As a man, you should get it, right!? It's for the ladies! The ladies!"
"You just want the money, you little weasel!"
From beside me, Tatsuo chuckled quietly to himself.
"I suppose it is that time of year."
"W-What is happening, exactly?"
"The yearly calendars featuring the hottest people in the brigade. It's a way for us to raise money alongside the newspaper to help provide funds for charities. Vice-Captain Aki is one of the most desired bachelors in Himura, and is always a favourite when he's in the calendar. However, he's a little camera shy so it means getting a picture comes with a high paying reward from the newspaper."
