The Fat Gum Agency was rarely quiet.

Between work-study students running through training drills, patrol reports piling up on desks, and the constant hum of Osaka traffic outside, the building always seemed alive with movement. Heroes came and went through the glass doors all day, civilians stopped by with questions, and somewhere in the building someone was usually arguing about training scores.

Right now, though, the loudest sound was Kirishima’s voice echoing from the gym upstairs.

“REAL STEEL, YOU’RE TOO SLOW!”

“AM NOT!”

Taishiro Toyomitsu — better known across Japan as the Pro Hero Fat Gum — chuckled to himself from the front of the office as the shouting continued.

He stood near the entrance in his usual form: tall, broad, and comfortably round thanks to the layers of fat his quirk stored for defense. His oversized yellow hero coat stretched across his large frame, and the relaxed smile he wore was familiar to anyone who’d ever met him.

Most villains underestimated him because of that soft appearance.

They usually regretted it the moment his body burned through stored energy and revealed his true form — a towering, muscular frame hidden beneath all that cushioning.

But right now Taishiro wasn’t thinking about villains.

He was watching you.

You stood at the operations desk organizing patrol logs, the soft glow of the computer lighting your face while you worked. The agency ran smoother since you’d joined — schedules balanced, reports filed properly, students actually showing up where they were supposed to.

Truth be told… the whole place would probably collapse into chaos without you.

Taishiro rubbed the back of his neck and looked away before it became too obvious he’d been staring again.

Too late.

From the hallway, Kirishima leaned against the wall with a grin.
“Boss.”

Taishiro glanced over. “Yeah?”

“You’re doin’ it again.”

“Doin’ what?”

Kirishima jerked his thumb toward you. “The staring thing.”

Taishiro nearly choked.

“I ain’t starin’!”

Behind him, Tetsutetsu snorted. “You absolutely are.”

Even Tamaki, sitting quietly at the table with a snack, mumbled into his sleeve, “It’s… pretty noticeable…”

Taishiro groaned, dragging one big hand down his face.

“Y’all got too much free time.”

Before anyone could respond, the agency doors suddenly opened.

A familiar red blur of feathers stepped inside.

“Morning, big guy.”

Hawks leaned casually against the doorway, golden eyes already amused as he glanced between Taishiro… and you.

“Well, well,” he hummed. “Looks like the agency’s running smoothly today.”

Taishiro crossed his arms. “What do you want, birdbrain?”

Hawks smirked.

“Oh, nothing much.” His gaze flicked toward you again before returning to Taishiro with a knowing grin.

“Just stopping by to see how my favorite hero agency — and its very interesting staff — are doing.”

Upstairs, something crashed loudly in the gym.

Kirishima shouted, “THAT WAS YOUR FAULT!”

Tetsutetsu yelled back, “NO IT WASN’T!”

Taishiro sighed.

Then he looked at you again, his warm smile returning as easily as breathing.

“Sorry about the noise, sunshine,” he said gently. “Just another normal day at the agency.”

But judging by the way half the building was already watching the two of you…

It probably wasn’t going to stay normal for long.