“Octaviano, non è la tua posizione per domandare cosa puo—"

With a deep sigh, Octo hung up the call and put his phone on the table. Ever since his father told him what would he inherit, their relationship had been strained. His father was adamant that he continued the family mafia operation, contrary to his wish to continue the family restaurant. It had always been his dream.

When he grew up, he wanted to continue the family restaurant, like how his father inherited it from his grandfather who in turn inherited it from his great-grandfather. The panther knew that at some point, he still was to continue the family restaurant. He might need to do some other jobs first before his father thought he was ready, but he was prepared for that.

Instead, his father wanted him to continue the operation first. The first time—and last time—he went to its Barrowislander headquarter, he was already disgusted at what were they doing. Now he was to take care of it all?

No. Simply no.

He looked at his phone as his father's word ringed inside his mind. It's not your position to ask.

But it was his position to decide what he wanted and did not want!

“Argh!"

He punched the wall in front of him, feeling disgusted at himself, at his family. Everything had been perfect; everything had been as it had always been. He had been following what he was told. He had been patiently waiting for when he was to be given something he would actually enjoy. Then this came and ruined everything.

No, I'm an adult. He stared at the crack he made in the wall. I decide my life.

He took his phone again and sent a text to his father.

“È la mia posizione per decidere cosa fare della mia vita."

Richard was a punctual man. He might be late sometimes, but it was because his men did not do what he told them to do. Like right now, he had to carry this month's supplies to his office after a meeting, one thing he told his men to do last week because he wasn't available.

Next time he saw his underlings, he would make them do his job for a week.

The spotted hyena almost stumbled forward. Ugh, the box was heavy. It contained several smaller boxes of paper and utensils. When he was at his door, he tried to grab the handle to no avail. He tried again several times, but he still couldn't.

“Argh!"

He gave up trying and just used his tail to pull the handle. It took far longer than he wanted, but whatever. When he was inside, he closed the door behind him and dropped the box on the floor with a thud, then gasped for air. “Fuck!"

“Heavy box, I take it?"

He instantly tensed up and looked around. “Who the fuck was that?!"

A chuckle. “It's just me."

He looked at the window and saw a panther looking at him with an amused smile. The panther's arms were in his pockets, and that smile pissed him off. However, just when Richard was about to tell him to piss off, he remembered who this panther was. “A-apologies, sir! I didn't know you were here!" He straightened up and closed his mouth. “I'm sorry."

The panther only waved his hand dismissively. “It's okay. It's my fault for coming without telling anyone anyway." Then he walked to the box and crouched down. “Grab the other side."

“S-sir?"

“Grab the other side, let's get this thing to the table."

Dumbfounded, he only obeyed and grabbed the other side. They then lifted the box to the table pretty easily. Whoa, the panther was strong. The box now only felt like a fraction of its weight.

“That does it."

Richard scratched his ear. “Uh, t-thanks, sir. You really don't need to."

The panther chuckled a little. “You yelled 'fuck' and dropped the box. I'm sure you need help."

“Um, y-yeah, sorry."

He only answered with another chuckle.

The hyena wanted to sit on his seat and continue his paperwork, but he felt like it would be disrespectful to the panther. Really, he was a no-one, but why did the panther choose to meet him? In his room and waited for him nonetheless?

His back hurt a little, but he couldn't sit down if the panther didn't. Ugh, he was going to punish his men extra hard when he met them.

Instead, he leant on the table, trying not to seem as though he was trying to sit on it. The panther seemed to be nice… well, tolerating. Just like Rodrigo when his mood was good. “S-so, uh, Signore Zoccarato, w-what brings you here, sir? If you don't mind me asking."

“Just want to check, that's all." The panther looked at the window, at the crates being loaded to the trucks. “You can just call me Octo."

“But, sir, uh…"

The panther turned to him.

“Right, uh, Octo, sir." He said nervously, trying to push the fact away that he was most probably talking to the man who owned the entire operation. But really, for a man who owned the entire operation, he looked quite young. Fit and young.

The panther, Octo, only chuckled and gave his shoulder a pat. “It's okay. I'm not here for official business; I'm just checking in." He then pointed at the sofa. “May I sit down?"

Did he just ask him if he could sit down? “Er, yes, sir?"

“Thank you." Octo sat on the sofa, making him realise just how big and defined he actually was. He was taking almost two seats! He didn't know if it was because of the lighting or something else that made him look normal-sized when standing earlier.

D-did this mean he could sit now?

Octo looked at him, then raised his brows in confusion. “It's okay to sit down. This is your office, after all."

“R-right, yes, uh…" Where should he sit? He couldn't sit on his seat, that would signify that he was higher than the panther! He couldn't sit on the sofa because that would be too close to him!

Letting out a sigh, Octo stood up and walked towards the water dispenser. “May I take some water?"

“Y-yes?" What was happening? Why was he so damn polite? Was he in trouble?

The panther filled two cups of water, then gave one to Richard who just accepted it in confusion. “T-thank you, sir."

Sitting down on the regular chair in front of the desk, Octo looked at him with an amused smile as he took a gulp from his cup. “Sit down. It's okay, you're not in trouble if that's what you're thinking."

Fuck, he was big.

The hyena sat on the chair next to him, feeling uncomfortable being this close to such a high-ranking member of the operation. Why was he here? Why wasn't he in Big Boss' office? Why did he give him a cup of water? Why did he ask permission to sit?

“So, any news since I last came here?"

He reached out to scratch his ear but pulled his hand down. “Er, n-no. Not really. Everything's been good."

“I see. How about Operation Red Wolf?"

Ah, that. Richard took a deep breath and looked away as he prepared himself to reopen a fresh wound. It felt like yesterday, him walking in that cursed alleyway amongst dead bodies. Blood was everywhere, and no matter which direction, all he could see were corpses.

“It… didn't end well." He really, really wanted to just give the panther the report for him to read, but he was being directly asked. “We didn't meet the objective."

“Were there any casualties?"

“Yes." He held his cup tight. “All."

The panther didn't answer straight away. He imagined he was surprised, just like him when he heard the news for the first time.

“I… My deepest condolences." He heard the panther say in a low voice. “My deepest condolences."

It still escaped him how a bloody university student managed to take down fifteen of them. Maybe he had help? He did not know, and those who knew were dead. He dared look up at the panther. Why did Signore Octo feel sorry? He wasn't there to see them.

Richard then looked away. No, Octo did not seem like Big Boss. The bear might lament the loss of his 15 men, but it was because of pragmatic reasons. There had been no pity or sorry in his voice. Octo, though, seemed like he meant those words. He still sounded reserved, but at least there was rue in his voice.

“Were there any of your men?"

“No, sir. It was Rodrigo's men plus some more."

The panther put his cup softly on the table. It sounded so loud in the otherwise silent room. Richard wanted to ask why did he care, but he held back.

“Where did it happen?" asked Octo again.

The hyena put his cup on the table and looked at it. It had been too long. Funny how time worked. “In Hallstead district, near the old factories across the river. The alleyway is now closed to the public."

They went quiet, but when he heard Octo say, he sounded dead-surprised. “In… Hallstead… you say?"

“Yes."

Um, was the panther going to just walk away from his room like last time?

Apparently not. Wiping his face with his hand, Octo sighed heavily. “Hallstead…" He then stood up and refilled his cup. “Hallstead…"

“Is… there something, sir?"

The panther's shoulder sagged, tail going limp. “No. Just surprised, that's all."

Richard didn't answer.

Octo sat back down on the chair. He let out a sigh, then looked at him. “Enough about it. Tell me about yourself."

That hit Richard by surprise. He nervously looked up and scratched his ear. “Uh, y-yes, sir?"

“How old are you?"

His tail waved around in nervousness. “I... I'm 24."

The panther smiled. “Heh, I thought you're older."

Richard just let out a dry chuckle. Did he look that old? Yeah, his fur shade was a tad darker than most hyenas and he had almost black hair, but did that make him look older? He looked up at the panther, debating whether to ask back how old was he… though maybe it wasn't the politest thing to do.

Octo took a gulp from his cup. “You have a girlfriend?"

That made the hyena almost drop his cup. Why did he have to ask him that? “Er… no… don't have one."

“Eh, it's okay."

Well, bye cup. It fell to the floor.

He stood up and took it, then walked to the water dispenser to take another one. “Are you… married, sir?"

The panther laughed softly. He decided that for someone who looked like he could kill someone with his glare, his laughter sounded nice. “No, not yet. I'm still too young for that."

“How old are you, sir?" He said as he sat back down, but then he froze when he realised what he had said. Crap, it just went out. Richard wanted to apologise, but he caught sight of the panther just smiling at him.

Octo then ruffled his hair softly. “Let's just keep that a secret, yeah?"

Thunderstruck, he just let him ruffle his hair. He wanted to be offended at that; he was not a child whose hair someone could just ruffle, but instead, it felt… somewhat nice. The panther didn't smirk or grin, he just smiled as if he were his father.

Richard just looked away, partially offended and embarrassed.

Letting him go, Octo just leant forward on the table and gave a sigh. “Do you have anything to do, Richard? It's fine, just do it. Don't let me stop you."

He blinked. “Ah… um, if you don't mind, sir?"

The panther's phone rang, and he took it. Richard looked away to give him some privacy; it didn't concern him after all. He also doubted he wanted to know what kind of things the panther did.

“Unfortunately, it seems my time is up here." Octo let out a sigh and stood up. “Thank you for the update." He politely nodded at him.

Not knowing what to do, he just nodded back at him rather awkwardly. “N-no, sir, thank you."

Octo smiled, then turned away to walk towards the door. Before he opened it, he spoke. “Oh, also, do not tell anyone that I was here, okay?"

“Yes, sir."

With a wave of his tail, the panther went out of the room and closed the door behind him.

That was… what was that? Richard stared at the door, wondering about what happened. Did the man of the entire operation just spend some time here, in his office? Talking with him?

Maybe?

He looked at the cup of water, then drank it and discarded the cups into the bin. Signore Octo seemed friendly, and he said he wasn't in trouble. So, he just came here just for a report and a talk? Did he… did he want to get to know him?

Richard sat on his seat with a huff and stared at the ceilings, then at the box on the table. Why would he? Richard was a no-one in this operation.

Letting out a sigh, the hyena stood back up and opened the box, then set to put the supplies in his office, pushing all that happened earlier away. Hopefully, the next time Signore Octo came here, he went to Big Boss' room.

Notes:

“Octaviano, non è la tua posizione per domandare cosa puo—" = Octaviano, it's not your position to ask what ca—

“È la mia posizione per decidere cosa fare della mia vita." = It's my position to decide what to do with my life.

To be honest I'm not really happy with how this chapter comes out, like there's something missing. It's why I'm also late to update tbh (sorry!). Maybe I'll revise this chapter in the future.