Suzumi's brothers had been rowdy growing up, as much as any other teenage boys. Suzumi had seen more than her fair share of fights and wasn't afraid to throw herself in to break them apart. They'd all grown up of course, but still, Suzumi was familiar with the natural friction that accompanied being surrounded by men.

This was proving to test her confidence.

When Kamamoto had kicked open the door with Yata slung over his shoulder, she almost dropped the glass she was holding.

In an instant Shouhei was there, helping carry Yata over to the couch.

"What happened?" Totsuka asked, hurrying over and looking at the chestnut-haired boy in concern.

"Scepter 4," Kamamoto growled, and Suzumi felt confusion flood her. Was that a gang or something?

Her eyes fell to the wound steadily seeping blood on Yata's shoulder.

"Is that a stab wound?"

Izumo, who had been just about to duck under the bar to go to the teen, paused, looking back at the red-head.

"Suzumi-chan, don't worry, we've got everything under control."

Yata let out a curse as Totsuka began prodding at his shoulder, and it seemed to snap Suzumi out of her daze.

"Where's your first aid kit?" she asked the bartender.

Izumo crouched to see into the cabinet by his knees, coming up with a small white plastic box. Suzumi snatched it from him, popping the lid and looking at what she had available to her as she ducked out from behind the bar and hurried to the couch.

"Give me some room Totsuka-san."

Tatara looked up in surprise as Suzumi appeared by his shoulder, critic eyes already looking at Yata's injury. She seemed surprisingly unfazed by the blood, and as she pulled a sterile pad and a small bottle of rubbing alcohol out, she brought a tone of authority to her voice.

"Take your sweater off Yata-san."

The brunette stuttered, but Tatara took the initiative and pulled his top layer off. Yata yelped as the motion jarred his shoulder, but his focus was quickly redirected to the red-head beginning to poke at his shoulder.

Suzumi let out a breath of relief. Now that she was closer, she could see that the wound was not a stab, just a slash that actually wasn't very deep, just bleeding a lot.

"I can fix this," she smiled, soaking the pad in the rubbing alcohol.

"You can?" Yata blinked in surprise.

"Yup," she nodded as she carefully cleared the blood away from around the cut before soaking a new pad to clean inside the wound, "my mom's a nurse. She taught me a lot of basic first aid skills."

"Thank god you don't need stitches though," she chuckled, "I'm still pretty awful at those."

In just a few minutes Yata's shoulder was clean and slathered in a disinfectant cream, and Suzumi pressed a pad over the now only slightly bleeding cut as she shook out a roll of bandages.

"Totsuka-san, if you don't mind, please keep pressure on Yata's shoulder while I start wrapping it."

"Okay," the blond nodded, replacing Suzumi's hands.

"You're really good at that Suzumi-chan," Izumo said as she began carefully wrapping the bandages around Yata's shoulder.

"I patched up a lot of cuts growing up," she chuckled.

"And there we go, good as new!" she rocked back on her heels, taking in the neat bandages with approval.

"Yokoyama."

Suzumi stiffened, looking back over her shoulder at Mikoto. His eyes were focused on Yata's bandaged shoulder, but slowly they moved over to meet hers. Her gave her a slight nod, "Thank you."

Suzumi felt the blush creeping up the back of her neck, but she resolutely ignored it, "No problem, Suoh-san."

"If I can just ask though," she started, and everyone stiffened as concern and no small amount of confusion filled her face, "What happened? And what's Scepter 4?"

Kusanagi stiffened. He'd really hoped he could keep her out of it, but clearly there was no way she could work at the bar without becoming privy to their real operation.

"Suzumi-chan," he winced slightly, "what do you know about clans?"

"Clans?" she blinked, "like gangs?"

"Not exactly," he sighed.

Suzumi, who had been squatting in front of Yata with her weight balanced on the balls of her feet, fell backwards as bright red flames suddenly erupted from her boss's hand.

"K-Kusanagi-san!"

"We're all followers of the Red King."

At that, his eyes slid to Mikoto, who's amber eyes watched her intently for her reaction.

Now, Suzumi had heard of a gang called HOMRA. A gang gifted with unnatural powers as a result of pledging themselves to the mysterious Red King. She'd just never figured these men, who had been sweet to her and walked her home after work and made her snacks while she studied, were them. HOMRA was supposed to be a bunch of thugs who threw their powers around for shits and giggles and didn't give a damn about anyone outside their ranks. The men looking down at her with varying amounts of concern did not fit that idea.

"So all the stories," she finally breathed, "they're all true?"

"And Suoh-san," her large blue eyes swung up to his, "you're a..."

She couldn't even finish her sentence, but the red head nodded at her none the less.

Well shit.

Suzumi took a deep breath, pushing herself to her feet.

"I can't say I'm not surprised," she admitted, brushing imaginary dust off the seat of her jeans, "but I also can't say you've ever given me any reason to think you're not good guys."

She shrugged, a smile on her lips, "If I put more faith into rumors than I do my actual experiences with you I'd be one hell of an asshole."

Kusanagi let out a breath he hadn't even realized he'd been holding, an answering smile rising to his face.

"I'm happy to hear it Suzumi-chan."

She gave him a wink, "Just no body set me on fire or anything."

Kamamoto let out a booming laugh at that, and Suzumi ran a hand through her hair as she felt the tension drain from the air.

"I take it Scepter 4 is another clan or something like that then?"

Shouhei nodded, stepping up and ruffling her hair affectionately, "Yeah, but don't worry about those assholes Suzumi-chan. We've got it under control."

She swatted his hand away irritatedly, but shot him a grin none the less, "I don't doubt it Shouhei-san."

Anything else she was going to say was cut off by her phone ringing, and Suzumi pulled her PDA out of her back pocket.

Her brow furrowed in irritation, "I've got to take this. Sorry, just give me a minute."

She turned sharply and headed off to the side door.

"What the hell do you want Ryota?"

The side door clicked closed behind her, and the rest of her conversation was cut off.

After taking a second to shake off his surprise at Suzumi's sudden departure, Tatara turned his eyes back to Yata.

"Are you alright Yata-chan?" he asked, worry swimming in his eyes.

"I'm fine," Yata brushed him off, eyes still locked on the side door with a slight gleam in them.

Outside, Suzumi kicked the toe of her sneaker into the asphalt, fighting the urge to throw her phone at the wall

"Ryota, I already told you I don't have to keep you updated on my course work. You're not my freaking father."

"No, I'm just your big brother, who wants to stay up to date on what's going on in his baby sister's life."

"You mean nose around his baby sister's business," she growled.

Ryota clucked his tongue, and she could practically hear him rolling his eyes from the other end of the call, "I know I know I'm the big bad boogey man who gives a damn about you. Really Suzumi you're so dramatic. Now I'll be there to pick you up at 8."

Suzumi didn't have a chance to tell him one, she didn't get off at 8, and two that she did not want him to pick her up from work but the line went dead before she could form a single sound.

Suzumi bit the inside of her cheek to keep from shrieking in irritation, settling instead on pulling at a chunk of her hair harshly.

When she pushed the door to the bar back open, everyone had scattered around the room doing various activities.

"All okay on your call, Suzumi-chan?" Izumo called, raising a brow at her tight expression.

"Yes yes, but if it's alright with you Kusanagi-san I need to leave a little early tonight. Family thing."

Izumo's other brow rose in concern, "Of course."

She gave him a small but grateful smile before straightening her shoulders, "I'll go finish inventory."

The peace lasted until 8 o'clock, and Suzumi sighed as she finished putting all her things back into her bag. She'd been planning on meeting up with a few friends for drinks tonight, but now she was stuck giving her oldest brother a full run down of her current academic standing.

She made sure there was no trace of her inner irritation as she turned to Kusanagi, giving him a smile.

"Alright Kusanagi-san I'm going to head out now, I'll be here tomorrow by-"

She was cut off by a blaring siren going off outside, nearly jumping out of her skin at the sound.

"The fuck is that?" Dewa shouted, and Chitose, who was closest to the front window, peaked out the window.

"It's a cop!"

"Why the hell is there a cop?!"

"What the fuck is going on?"

In the midst of all the chaos, Suzumi stood there seething. Of all the jackass moves he could have-

Chitose let out a cry of surprise as Suzumi pulled him away from the window with a hand on the back of his shirt.

"Wait, Suzumi-chan, don't-"

Suzumi threw the bar door open, a menacing look on her face.

"Ryota you son of a bitch, turn that off right now!"

The siren stopped blaring, but the red and blue lights on the top of the squad car continued to flash as the driver's door opened and a tall man stepped out.

His neatly trimmed brown hair, sharp jaw, and crisp uniform all screamed authoritarian, but his familiar blue eyes and even more familiar smirk revealed a hint of mischief.

"Hello Suzumi-chan."

"One day I'm going to smother you in your sleep, dumbass."

"Did you just threaten an officer of the law?" he drawled, a goading look on his face, "Hurry up and get your stuff, I don't have all night you know."

Suzumi was ready to launch herself at her oldest sibling, but a hand on her shoulder diverted her attention. The irritation drained from her face at the look of concern on Izumo's face.

"What's going on Suzumi-chan?" he asked.

"Nothing," she sighed, "that's just the family thing I have to deal with tonight."

Izumo's eyes flew back up to the cop leaning against the side of his squad car, giving him a look that could peel paint. Izumo wanted to give him an equally harsh look but held back, realizing this was probably one of Suzumi's troop of brothers she'd mentioned before.

"God I'm so sorry Kusanagi-san, just let me grab my bag and I'll get him out of here."

The red-head ducked back into the bar, and he could see through the window as she brushed off the questions of the other HOMRA boys, ducking behind the bar to retrieve her fallen bag.

"Hey."

Izumo looked back at her brother.

"You watch yourself around my sister, got it?"

The sound of Suzumi pushing open the door stopped his smart remark, and instead Izumo settled on a nod. Suzumi gave him a questioning look, but didn't comment.

"I'll be here tomorrow before the lunch rush, Kusanagi-san."

"I'll see you then," he inclined his head, and Suzumi gave him a tight smile before starting down the steps.

"Hey, civilians have to ride in the back."

"Not a chance in hell," she hissed, pulling open the front passenger door and getting in with a huff.

Izumo re-entered the bar with a scowl on his face, making Tatara raise a brow.

"What was that all about?"

"That," Izumo picked his pack of cigarettes up off the bar top, taking one out and lighting it with a snap of his fingers, "was one of Suzumi's brothers."

"Wait," Chitose yelped from his spot in one of the booths, "her brother is a cop?"

Izumo nodded, and the color drained from Chitose's face, "I'm never hitting on her again."

Dewa let out a snort from his seat across from the brunette, "Yeah right."

Ahaha, poor Chitose. I've noticed a definite drop in feed back the last few chapters, so lets see if we can get some momentum going again! I've got the next few chapters ready, but I'm going to wait to post more until I get at least a couple of reviews. Can't wait to hear your thoughts!