Chapter Text
He told himself over and over that he could do this. That it wouldn’t be a problem. But…it was a huge problem. Why did his father have to partner with another company? Just when he was about to get his own department to manage, he was told he would have to partner up instead. This is not what I signed up for.
Shigaraki glared at the elevator waiting. It was already past ten in the morning and he still hadn’t shown up for work. He’s always late! Not to mention he leaves early and sometimes he runs off in the middle of the damn day! How the hell are we supposed to get any work done?! I’m not doing my job and his!
“Everything okay?” Shigaraki turned and looked at one of the office workers. He couldn’t remember her name even though he had been here for two months already.
“Just fine.” He bit out and pulled his phone out dialing the number once again. They were supposed to have a meeting this morning to prepare for the conference in a week so where the hell was he? The phone rang three times and finally it was picked up on the fourth ring.
“I’m on the way right now to pick up everything. I’m going to be working from home for a few days.” The voice came through the phone and Shigaraki felt his rage boil.
“What the hell Chisaki?!” He demanded as he slammed his office door. “We had a meeting this morning in case you forgot!”
“I know.”
The way he responded so casually like it didn’t matter to him irked Shigaraki. “What? If you know then why the hell aren’t you here? I swear when I see you, I’m going to bash your face in.”
“Likewise.” The phone line went dead and Shigaraki tossed his phone onto the desk letting out an exasperated sigh.
How was he supposed to work with someone like this? Three months ago, when he found out he was going to partner up with someone for the department he tried to keep a cool head about it. They even met prior to working together, had coffee, and immediately they did not click. They had nothing in common, their views were completely different, but at least he had seemed like a hard worker. What is this shit?!
One hour later Chisaki finally walked into the office and Shigaraki charged at him. He could hear the gasps as he grabbed him by the shirt ready to let loose on him. He action was greeted by a hand on his tie yanking him forward cold eyes glaring at him.
“If you don’t like how I work then talk to your father about it.” Chisaki hissed.
God he wanted to punch him. He wanted to hurt him so badly right now. “You’re right. I’ll do just that.” Shigaraki released Chisaki and stormed off to his office calling the head office requesting to speak to his father.
“I can’t work with him. I’m done.” Shigaraki announced as soon as he entered the phone call.
“Then you won’t have a job with me.”
“What?” Shigaraki was taken aback, his father always took his side, why not now?
“Learn to deal with it, stop being such a child. I’ve given you a house and a job. Do you think you would have any of this without my help?”
“Actually, yeah I do, I did place first in my classes and I graduated with honors!” Shigaraki bit back. “I get offers for other offices all the time!”
“Well if that’s the case feel free to resign from mine. Either work together and deal with your issues or quit. I have to go.” The line went dead and Shigaraki stared at the phone in shock.
“Why the hell is he defending him?! He doesn’t even like his father! What is this?!” Shigaraki groaned. A knock on his door surprised him and he stood up walking over to open it.
“I’ve got everything I need to do my work from home so I’ll be leaving now.”
“What? Why? Is it that bad working with me?” Shigaraki laughed in his face.
“No, I just have other priorities I’m having to learn how to manage at the moment.” Chisaki told him. “I’m just as stressed as you, everything was just dropped on me and I didn’t plan for so many life changes.”
“Whatever, do whatever the hell you want.” Shigaraki slammed the door in his face. He couldn’t deal with this today. He had work to do and he wasn’t going to fail at it.
One more month passed and it still wasn’t any better with Chisaki. When he was in the office they were at each other’s throats and when he was at home Shigaraki couldn’t concentrate in anger of having to call him when they needed to discuss matters.
“You do realize that no one is going to respect you here if you never show face, right?” Shigaraki asked one day as they had their meeting over the phone.
“I’m trying to fix things so I can alright? I’m trying.”
“What is so hard about walking into an office? Didn’t you do that at your old office?!”
“I did but…I had other options there.”
“Other options?”
“I had help when I was there alright? Look if you need my signature, you’ll have to bring the document to me. I really can’t leave my house right now. I’ll give you the doctors note if you want it.”
“Doctors note?”
“Yes, I have a note so you can read it over if you like.”
“You’ve been sick for two weeks?” That was last time Chisaki had been in the office, two weeks ago.
“Not…me. Look just bring me the documents and I’ll sign them.” He quickly hung up and Shigaraki stared at his phone baffled. Was Chisaki in bad health? Or was he taking care of someone? He didn’t understand.
Once five hit Shigaraki closed down the office and packed up everything he would need to finish from home after he got the signature from Chisaki. He had to message him for an address and he winded up waiting ten minutes for a response. It infuriated him.
By the time he arrived there he had lost some of the heat and walked up to the door in the most professional manner he could muster before knocking. It was a nice house, it reminded him of his father’s house. Two stories, probably three bedrooms and two baths from what he could tell outside. The house he lived in was nice but not that nice.
“You brought the papers?” Chisaki questioned as he opened the door slightly.
“In here.” Shigaraki held up the briefcase. “And no, I’m not standing out here while you sign them. You made me come here the least you can do is let me inside.”
“…fine.” Chisaki opened the door all the way and walked away further into the house leaving Shigaraki to find his way around.
“Asshole.” He muttered as he kicked his shoes off, he didn’t want to be rude and walk around in his shoes. He didn’t even do that in his own house.
“What’s…asshole?” A small quiet voice sounded and Shigaraki felt a chill go down his spine as he slowly turned to look at where the voice had come from.
A little girl was standing at the doorway to what he guessed was the living room, peaking around the corner at him.
“Uh…” Shigaraki didn’t know what to say, he hadn’t had any experience with children. He was only twenty and never had siblings, never babysat, he knew nothing on the matter of kids.
“Eri get back in here now.” He heard Chisaki’s booming voice and watched her flinch quickly running away into another room.
Shigaraki slowly followed and found himself in the kitchen. Chisaki was standing at the counter pouring something in a cup. The little girl had been placed on the counter a thermometer in her mouth. “Um…” Shigaraki wasn’t sure what to say as he stood there watching as Chisaki took the thermometer from her mouth and handed her the cup.
“Drink.” He instructed and she did. “You can get the papers out and stop gawking at me.” He shot Shigaraki a glare.
“Uh sure.” Shigaraki walked over to the table and set the briefcase down pulling out all the documents. He saw the paper in the middle of the table from a doctor stating that someone named Eri was sick with the flu. “I didn’t know you had…a kid.” Shigaraki spoke and looked over seeing Chisaki had now picked her up walking over to him with her in his arms. Her cheeks were flushed and her eyes slowly closed.
“If you don’t mind, I’m going to go lay her down and then I’ll look over the papers.” Chisaki informed him and left the kitchen. Shigaraki just nodded more to himself since Chisaki was already gone and looked around.
There were kid snacks on the table, Pedialyte, sippy cups, and some kid plates in the sink. When he turned to the fridge it was lined with drawings from a child.
“Let me see them.” Chisaki had appeared again and reached out for the papers looking them over.
“This is why you haven’t been at work?”
“Correct.” He motioned to the doctors note. “She is taking a while to get over this, we went for a checkup today and she was given another dose of medicine.”
“How…old is she?”
“She’s four almost five.” Chisaki sighed and looked up from the papers. “Is this interrogate Kai day?”
“Sorry I wasn’t trying to pry but honestly…you do owe me an explanation. When we first met you talked about how you were always in the office doing your job but ever since we teamed up, you’re never there and this is the reason why? What did you do before when this happened?”
“Not that it’s any of your business but she had a sitter when I worked in my father’s main office.” Chisaki let out a sigh. “Once it was announced I would be transferring and he had become bed ridden now to work from home, he quickly stripped away everything I had and used it for himself, since he’s the boss. The sitter was through our company, she became his personal assistant.”
“I see.” Shigaraki frowned and looked towards the living room wondering if she was laying on the couch or if she was in a bedroom upstairs. “So…you had her four years ago?”
“She’s not my biological daughter.” Chisaki shook his head. “But I am her legal guardian. When she was nine months old her mother passed away, my father’s biological kid, meaning Eri is his granddaughter. I was taken in by my father as a child as well and he raised me, worked me up through the company. Once her mother passed, he wanted a stable figure in her life and I was deemed worthy of that. He didn’t want to become her legal guardian because of his illness…at the time I felt it would make him take more of a liking to me…give me more praise. I don’t know why I agreed…if I knew it was going to happen like this I would have—”
“Daddy?” Eri was standing in the doorway now shivering. “It’s cold.” She cried.
“Why are you out of bed?” Chisaki let out a frustrated sigh. “I told you I have to work.”
“But…it’s cold.” She sank to her knees crying.
“Damn it.” He hissed and walked over picking her up. “Shh calm down.” He rubbed her back trying to rock her back to sleep.
Shigaraki stood there and watched. Chisaki talked as if he didn’t want Eri but his actions showed otherwise. He was missing a great deal of work and had even attempting to work from home, staying up late into the night to get his work done, all for the sake of watching her. Not to mention…she called him daddy. He doesn’t want other people to see his soft side I bet…because then people might not take him seriously and think he’s a pushover. That’s the kind of mindset I see him having.
“I can wait as long as you need.” Shigaraki finally spoke. “Go on and take care of her…I brought some work stuff with anyway so I can keep busy.”
Chisaki turned and looked over at him. It shocked Shigaraki seeing how his eyes were filled with gratitude and he quickly gave a nod walking away again. Shigaraki let out a sigh and sat down at the table pulling out some of the other papers he had to review. An hour passed by slowly and finally Chisaki was back in the kitchen sitting at the table across from Shigaraki.
“Sorry about that.”
“It’s fine.” Shigaraki shrugged. “I…never really dealt with kids before so…you do what you need to do.”
“What do I need to sign?” Chisaki picked up the papers scanning them.
“Have you not thought about hiring a nanny or something? Someone to watch her while you work? Or even an afterschool program?”
“I tried preschool but…it just didn’t work out. Not to mention she gets out a little after noon and it just doesn’t work with my work schedule. Nothing does.” He let out a long sigh. “I’ve tried to find a nanny to stay at home, do work with her, cook her meals but…everyone I spoke to seemed…I didn’t like them. I don’t trust them.”
“Ah…protective dad I guess?” Shigaraki joked a little.
“No.” Chisaki narrowed his eyes at him.
“It’s okay Chisaki, you can let your guard down around me, I’m not going to tell anyone.” Shigaraki shook his head. “But…I might be able to help you out.”
“Help me out?” Chisaki questioned.
“Yeah see…I have someone that I deem very trustworthy that has worked with kids before, she’s in college but takes online classes so it shouldn’t interfere much. She only has to go to the school once a week. I think she would be perfect for the job.”
“I…don’t know.” Chisaki looked like he was considering it though and that’s all Shigaraki needed.
“Look I don’t know why you didn’t just ask for help to begin with but we can work this out easily. If you can go into work at nine every day you can leave by two if you need to, and if you hire this girl I know, you can leave right at five and I’ll stay over to finish everything up. I’ll just come in later in the morning unless there’s a meeting. We can split the work, it’s not as complicated as you’re trying to make it.”
“Pretty much what you’re saying is…I open and you close everything out.” Chisaki said thoughtfully.
“Yes. That’s exactly what I’m saying. Would you like me to call my friend?”
“This late?” Chisaki looked at his watch it was a little past seven.
“She’ll be awake and trust me she would jump at the idea of having a job again.”
“You could have easily provided her with a job you know.”
“She doesn’t want an office job.” Shigaraki shook his head and pulled his phone out. “I’ll call her over. You can at least meet her and take the week to decide.” He didn’t wait for a response and hit the button calling his friend.
Two months later and finally everything was as it should be. Shigaraki had never felt so relieved in his life. Chisaki came in at nine every day and left at five. He himself showed up between ten and noon and stayed till six sometimes seven if he was running behind. They started to get weird looks from their lack of arguing and head bashing. But Shigaraki didn’t care, he was happy. Happy and content the office was finally running smoothly. Soon he would be able to start hiring his own people. He couldn’t be more ecstatic.
“Thanks Tomura.” Chisaki let out a sigh of relief as Shigaraki pulled the chicken out of the oven. He had no idea why they started doing this. Once or twice a week Shigaraki would have dinner with the two of them and there were somedays he would even watch Eri. She had started to take a liking to him and constantly wanted to talk to him.
“Tomura!” Eri ran over to him and hugged him around the waist. “Are you coming to see me tomorrow morning? Daddy said you were!”
“I am.” He nodded. “I’ll watch you until Himiko gets done with her doctors appointment but then I’ll have to go to work.”
“Oh.” Eri frowned. “But…I want daddy to stay here too.”
“I have to work Eri, you have to get used to this again. I’ll be home for dinner.” Chisaki shook his head.
“But…” She sniffled.
This…was the only downside. From the time Chisaki had spent trying to balance work and Eri, constantly being by her side, she suddenly developed a fear of him leaving. The first day he left for work after Himiko arrived she had cried for three hours straight nonstop no matter what Himiko did. If he stayed over and was late getting home, she cried, if he had to go in on the weekend even just for an hour she cried. It would take some time for her to adjust and get used to him having to go into work again.
Chisaki had told Shigaraki even when he worked at the other office, Eri was there too, and she could walk to see him whenever she wanted. The distance from him was new and difficult for her. He had even tried to take her to school to start kindergarten in the last few weeks but she wouldn’t stop crying. He had to leave work an hour later and go pick her up.
“She can start next year the teacher told me. She said to give it time and let her adjust to her new home life without me constantly being around.” Chisaki had explained to Shigaraki. “I guess…I fucked up.”
“You didn’t.” Shigaraki assured him. “It was the only option presented to you at the time. You were young and stupid.” Shigaraki joked.
“Not funny, it’s not like I went out and knocked someone up, she doesn’t belong to me.”
“She does.” Shigaraki shook his head. “Whether you want to admit or not Chisaki you’ve grown attached to her. Hell, you raised her. Don’t worry she’ll adjust. Himiko said she’s already getting better and only crying for twenty minutes after you leave in the morning now. Soon it’ll be five seconds and she’ll forget all about you.”
Chisaki just grunted as he clicked around on his computer. “Can you get your feet off my desk?”
“Why? Does it bother you?”
“Yes. Germs asshole.”
“You and fucking germs. Were you always like this or was it because Eri got so sick that you became afraid of germs?”
“I was always this way thank you.” Chisaki smirked.
“Oh by the way in two months I’m going to start trying to hire people, form my own team. I got the okay from my dad.”
Chisaki’s face paled but he nodded. “Do I get a say in who will be working in this office?”
“I mean…you could have an input if you want. I’ll show you the application if I decide to hire them. But honestly…it’ll be my team so no?”
“I see.” Chisaki shook his head. “Guess I need to clear it with my dad as well to see if I can start hiring for my own team.”
“You should.” Shigaraki agreed. “Anyway, I’ll see you later tonight. Dinner at your place, right?”
“Correct.”
“Alright back to work then.” Shigaraki got up and cracked his knuckles as he walked away. Hopefully soon he would stumble across an application that grabbed his attention. Everyone seemed so boring and honestly…he wanted some chaos in the office. He wanted to find lively people. It would keep him entertained and he wouldn’t be bored out of his mind here. Soon…I hope.