Wild Cards (JJBA Villains x Reader)

9- The Truth Shall Set You Free

Kira did not forget, and perhaps that would be your undoing. 

The moment the hour hit the end of his shift, the door to your office shuddered with a knock, and you bid your visitor permission to enter. In walked Kira, naturally, as you half-expected him to.

He's a bit too perceptive for his own good. However, that quirk could prove to be either very useful, or very troublesome-- and so far, it's only been the latter.

"Welcome. I see you're excited about our upcoming conversation." You spoke, dropping the files in your hands to give him your attention. 

Kira scoffed, helping himself to the nearest chair. "I'm not excited."

"But aren't you? Came to my office first thing, and you're not excited?" 

"Not a bit. Just curious."

"Of course. I'm sure you have some questions, so ask away."

He sat in ongoing silence as he stared, albeit rather blankly, at you, maybe trying to first work it out in his head, before he found the nerve to ask, "How do you do it?"

"You'll need to be more specific, my dear. I won't answer a question I'm not given the details of."

"Fine then. How do you mess with our heads? What is it called, suggestive hypnosis? Is that what you do?"

"Ah, no, nothing of the sort." You said, fiddling with the rim of your glove. "Actually, it is you that decides if you're even affected by them."

"I'm afraid I do understand."

"I give you a command, and you follow. Whether or not you follow is determined by how easily you're influenced. You, Kira, are not easy to influence. You're cautious, aware of all around you, so it was not easy for my suggestions to get through. However, because of my authority over you, an authority you happen to respect, your guard was let down enough for me to have some handle on you, and small suggestions could be made."

"What is it you make me do when you do succeed? I ask for I never have a recollection when you do."

"Trivial things. Dishes, cleaning, breaking up fights. You'd snap out of it before I could give you bigger tasks." You waved your hands around almost frustratingly as you spoke, tossing them in vague, exaggerated directions. "The worst part is, you come off to me as a very trustworthy and reliable person, but not someone who would do anything for anyone other than himself."

"I could do things for others. I just don't see why it's necessary, most times, when it's not my business."

"You see? I could easily hand you a higher position with no regret if that mindset of yours would change."

"It's not going to change anytime soon. But perhaps it would, if you didn't control me like a puppet on strings. Did it ever occur to you that maybe we would be willing to do more for you if you earned our trust and respect, rather than force us along?"

"I tried that." You said, correcting him. "There were those that came before you, and someone said the exact same thing. I tried it. It didn't work."

"But we're not them." Kira leaned back into his chair. "We're your new employees, not them."

"You're not, because you all are worse. At least those ones could pay me half the mind to do as I ask without putting up a fight."

"But Doppio doesn't behave as horrible as the rest of it-- why feel it necessary to control him, too?"

"Because he is easy to control. He's far too easily influenced, at first I thought I was controlling a child. Naïve and eager to please, he was simply too perfect to pass up." Your face resembled something close to a wicked amusement, the slight of a smile appearing as you spoke. "Sometimes he's so quick to do as I say, I can't tell if I still affect him or not."

"You need to stop. Whatever it is you're doing, it's enough." He sighed. "This will not end well if you keep going. I will not do anything about it other than talk, but the others, given they find out, will be more trouble than before."

"I'm sure they will. So I will keep them at bay, and have them keep working like my good little pets, until their debt is paid." You replied. "They won't even remember half of it, and I consider that a blessing."

"You are lying to them. They want to be able to enjoy it here, but what you are doing is only making it more miserable."

"These lies, they are a kindness. People would not stand me otherwise."

"And I wonder why that is, Mx. (Y/n). You are, in every definition, removing their bodily autonomy. We are not worker ants, we're people, and you'll get the respectful, hard-working employees you want when you start treating us like such."

Your smile was gone. And while it was not present on the face, anger crept beneath the skin, and Kira could sense the growing threat of doom near. 

"You've gotten awfully bold, Mister Kira, making demands of me like you are in charge. Have you forgotten? I hold the leash to your collar, and you are to obey like a good dog. If you behave, then you get a treat, and I decide what it'll be, whether it be the right to even move on your own accord, or a simple break. You will make no demand of me."

"Then, I will not demand anything of you, but rather make a bet." Kira proposed, shifting in his chair so that he leaned onto his knees. "It's what you're best at, yes? Taking gambles?"

Your irritation, the dangerous cool of your tone, softened a bit, as curiosity took hold with the idea of what he might've had in mind. "Where are you going with this?"

"I'm just asking, are you willing to make a bet with one of your own 'dogs'?"

"Spit it out. What do you want."

"Take your 'suggestive influence' off of the other employees. All of it. Watch how much more human they become. Be honest, open, and more interactive with them. They'll appreciate it, and do more than your ability could ever hope to accomplish with its limitations. If things go south, you can put us right back on our strings, and go back to the puppet show."

"I don't see how this is beneficial for either of us." You hummed, standing from your seat and watching him follow. 

"I just told you how it works in your favor. Authentic connection does plenty more than fabricated obedience. Your ability doesn't even work on some of us, so how much power would you even have over them given you try?"

"I would have enough. I could erase your memory and send you marching out of this room right now if I wished." You snap, staring down at him. "But your little game intrigues me, so I'll play along. You have a week to prove your theory. If not, I'll be putting a real collar on you."

Surely you jest, he thought, and stepped forward to shake your hand. "Deal. A week may not be enough, but I'm sure you'll come around."

He overestimates your compliance to even go along with what he asked, but that's no concern as of right now. 

As his palm touches your own, and his grip locks around your hand, something goes wrong. His skin begins to burn, and his nerves are set alight, as you stare into his very being with a hideous green gaze. 

He can't let go. Even as he squirms and jolts his arm back, its like his bones had been wrapped in iron, steeled into place. He notices, through the thin of his shirt, writing being scrawled onto his arm. With a long line scarred into the bottom, and an unmistakable signature burned along it, he regrettably realized what he just done just a moment too late.

He has, for lack of better wording, made a deal with a devil, and the contract stained into his arm is every bit of evidence. Only the following week would tell how this would end.