Fire Force fanfic (the OC/Benimaru)

Chapter 1

Asakusa, Tokyo, Solar Year 198

"Too sweet," Benimaru said to himself as he took a bite on the daifuku piled up neatly beside him.

Just then Ouka showed up at Company 7's door. She beamed a smile and gave the daifuku an approving look. "Heh... Konro told me the old hag made us daifuku, so I'm here to have my share."

Hinata and Hikage came running to welcome her. "Good job, Ouka!" They greeted her cheerfully.

"Thank you Hina, Hika," Ouka replied happily. She sat next to the serving of daifuku and grabbed a piece.

Benimaru stole a glance at Ouka's kagura suzu, which she placed behind her on the ground. "I guess the funeral went well then." He was referring to Kantaro's funeral—the ostentatious old man he put to rest after becoming an Infernal.

Ouka opened her mouth to speak but the 8th squad came through the door. They just returned from Kantaro's funeral and was surprised to see her in 7th's HQ, since they saw her at the funeral before. And they didn't see her with anyone from the 7th. Yet here she was casually eating daifuku with the hikeshi captain as if they were best friends. Well, they weren't that close but had known each other for more than a decade.

Benimaru took this opportunity to introduce the 8th squad to Ouka. "Oh yes. You were at the shrine all this time. These people from Company 8 are paying us a visit to investigate the Evangelist thing."

Ouka got on her feet and saluted the 8th squad. Her action took the latter by surprise, knowing that the 7th is a team of proto-nationalist hikeshi. They returned the salute anyway.

"Homare Ouka from Company 7."

"Captain Obi from Company 8," Obi spoke on behalf of his team. "This is Lieutenant Hinawa, Maki, Tamaki, Shinra and Arthur." He gestured to each of them.

Ouka gave them a quick smile, then sat back to enjoy her daifuku. She offered the daifuku to them, but they politely declined.

"We saw you at Kantaro san's funeral just now," Obi asked. "Is it some sort of ritual? Well, the way you moved around with the kagura suzu."

Yes," Ouka replied with a full mouth. She swallowed the daifuku and went on, "You see, nobody chooses to be an Infernal. When one turns into Infernals, he/she suffers not by their own will. Asakusa citizens offer buildings to the Infernal, Benimaru put the Infernal to rest."

Ouka grabbed her kagura suzu and showed it at the 8th squad. "I offer my ritual dances to get rid of any bad energy during an Infernal's funeral."

"Fufu... Ouka also kick asses with her dances. Bad people don't stand a chance against her," Hina and Hika acclaimed playfully.

Ouka thanked the twins with a small grin. Then she stood up to make her leave. "Now, the boys would be busy with repair works soon. I should head to the kitchen and see what I can make for everyone's dinner." She stopped halfway to ask her captain, "Are we going to serve Company 8 too, Benimaru?"

"Yeah."

Later that evening, Ouka went shopping for groceries. Benimaru, who was keeping watch over the repair work, saw her by chance and decided to help her carry the goods.

Ouka started the conversation first. "Don't you think the 8th is a bunch of pleasant people? Unlike the rest of the Special Fire Force." Her tone dropped into a scorn as she said the last sentence.

"That's what Konro thinks too." Benimaru uttered in agreement.

"We can always trust Konro." Ouka added with a reassuring smile.

A short "Hm." escaped from Benimaru's mouth as his mind began to wander somewhere else.

Ouka looked at him deliberately. "Getting worried again?" Benimaru cast a sideways glance at her, causing her to sigh silently and shifted her eyes to the sky. "Well, can't say that I'm not worried either. Konro's been working hard all this time, even after that incident. But you shouldn't worry all the time, Benimaru. After all—"

She trailed off as she noticed a small crowd at the roadside. Benimaru followed her gaze and immediately recognized the people huddled together. They were people from Company 7. Unlike Ouka who approached the crowd out of curiosity, he simply stayed at his spot waiting for her.

What Ouka saw at the center of attention was a blonde teenager with blue plasma blazing on the tip of his finger. She recalled him being a part of Company 8. "Whoa," she whispered as she observed him welded a metal pipe with his blue plasma.

"I'm amazing, alright," Arthur shot her a smug grin, blowing imaginary smoke off his finger. "Nothing that this Hero Knight can't fix."

"Eh... That's cool." Ouka stifled a giggle and headed back to where Benimaru waited for her. "Good job, everyone! You guys are getting a feast tonight." She waved at the crowd, who waved back at her, including Arthur from the 8th.

Benimaru talked to her as they walked again. "You got your attention on that kid, don't you? Is it because of his blue flame?"

Ouka shrugged her shoulders. "Birds of a feather flock together."

"Did you tell him about yours?'

"I barely know him. Why would I babble about myself right after we speak for the first time?"

"Sometimes you get carried away while talking." Benimaru got a dirty look from Ouka, so he added with the faintest teasing smile, "What? I'm just stating a fact."

"Only with certain people," Ouka retorted. "It's normal to feel comfortable talking to people I've known for a long time."

Her mouth curved into a cheeky smile. "Well, you should feel lucky to be one of those certain people."

Benimaru showed his disgruntled face at her. "I never asked for a loquacious person like you to be born in the same town as me."

"Sometimes I want to whack your head like how we often did when we were kids," Ouka fired back with her own disgruntled expression.

"Then do it."

"No, I can't. The Demolishing King of Asakusa would beat me to a pulp."

Benimaru looked away with a resigned sigh. "For God's sake, don't call me that."

She tilted her head at him for a second. "But you are the strongest. Everybody admires and respects you for it, including me." This time she flashed a genuine smile at him.

"Asakusa would do better with Konro and you, rather than a beast like me." Benimaru stared into the distance as he measured the possibilities in his words.