Summary: In all ways but physical, Kai found your kind disgusting. What was it about you that made him spare your life? What was it about you that made him want to tear apart the very fibres of this filthy world, simply to drag his pale, gloveless hand down the valley between your breasts? Ripping out your heart wouldn’t cut it. He wanted more than a meaningless trophy. He wanted a conquest.
Pairing: Vampire!Overhaul x Hunter!Reader.
Warning: 18+ (minors dni), bloodletting, breeding kink, creampie, death (undeath?), dirty talk, hate sex, mysophobia, needles, noncon, sexism, slapping, slut-shaming, somnophilia (or is it necrophilia?), threatening, vampirisim, yandere behaviour.
The first batch of pre-orders are still currently in transit to me~! Let’s wait together during lockdown ✨
A lot of Dabi lovers are interested in a batch 2 since Dabi sold out, so batch 2 of pre-orders are open
EndHawks dolls are also super low on stock so please get ‘em while you can! EndHawks dolls will also have batch 2 of pre-orders for those who missed the dolls the first time
After a chance encounter at your town’s Summer’s End Carnival, you hook up with a hottie.
Only to find out he’s your English teacher.
Just a reminder that this fic displays a teacher/student relationship, where the reader is 17. This sort of relationship is NEVER okay, especially given the power difference between a teacher and student. This is a clear abuse of power. So if this is a topic/trope that greatly bothers you, I would suggest seeking other fics out.
The first week of school flew by, and you somehow managed to act normally around Kai in class. The two of you had planned out your first date, and he was set to pick you up at noon to drive over to the next town. Thankfully, your parents always were out on Saturdays to run errands, leaving you alone to your own devices.
You took your time getting ready, braiding your hair away from your face and applying light makeup. You settled on a floral print blouse with a low cut paired with some jeans and white sneakers. As the clock ticked and approached noon, nervousness immediately flooded your senses. You walked back and forth along your living room as you waited, eyes flicking over to the clock above the television.
Five minutes before noon, your phone began to buzz in your pocket. Jumping, you snatched it out before fumbling and dropping it on the ground. You quietly cursed to yourself as you picked it up and hit “answer.”
“Hi angel, I’m down the street. I hope that’s okay.”
“I’ll be right there!”
Kai had reminded you yesterday that you both needed to be discreet, and you assured him that he could rely on you. Sucking in a breath, you grabbed your bag, locking the door behind you before you rushed off down the street. Parked underneath a wide tree, Kai sat in the driver seat of the familiar Audi. Flashes of your first night together played in your head and you secretly hoped you could recreate the magic of that night. Smiling, you opened the passenger door and slid inside.
“Hi angel.”
You felt your breath catch in your throat at the sight of Kai. He was dressed casually, which was a sharp contrast to his business casual garb at school. He wore a black T shirt tucked into a pair of dark jeans, accentuating the toned muscles of his arms and thighs.
“Hi,” you greeted him shyly.
He leaned across the center console to kiss you, his lips pulling up into a smile as he moved away.
“We best be off.”
Starting the car, he typed the directions of the bookstore into his GPS before pulling slowly into the street. His hand reached for yours, interlacing them atop your thigh. The affectionate gesture had butterflies fluttering in your stomach, and you bashfully looked away out the window.
The car ride was silent except for the music playing quietly in the background. Your nerves were preventing you from starting a conversation, and you hoped the calm atmosphere of the bookstore would help. The GPS stated it would be a twenty minute drive, so you began coming up with conversation starters in your head.
The bookstore was located on a quiet street, a sign haphazardly hanging off that read FRESH COFFEE blinking slowly. He pulled into a parking spot on the street, turning off the car before turning to look at you. Smiling, he gave you another quick peck before slipping out of the car. You swiftly followed, scrambling to his side and giving him a soft smile. He returned it before grabbing your hand and leading you inside.
The coffee shop was on the first floor, with a broad staircase leading to the second and third floors that contained the bookstore. You two surveyed the menu before swiftly ordering and settling at a table in the corner. Smiling, he leaned on his elbows as he studied your face.
“Are you as nervous as I am?”
You laughed, feeling the tension immediately leave your body. It was a relief to know he was just on edge as you were, and you suddenly felt silly at your previous behavior.
“Yeah, I thought it was just me.”
“It’s been a while since I’ve been on a date.”
“Oh?”
A sharp pang of jealousy struck you at the thought of Kai being with other girls. It was stupid, you knew, but the thought just didn’t sit well with you.
“I’ve had one serious girlfriend. We dated the first two years of college. But things didn’t work out, and I haven’t been on a date since.”
“Wow, that’s quite a long time,” you remarked.
A worker came and dropped off your drinks before assuring you your food would be coming in a few minutes. They scuttled off, leaving you two alone again.
“I’m sure you’ve been on a few dates, being beautiful and all,” he said.
You laughed.
“I’ve never been on a date. I guess that makes this my first one.”
His brows shot up in surprise.
“Oh? I would assume the boys in your class would be all over you.”
Bakugo’s face flickered in your mind and you grimaced.
“… I wouldn’t quite say that.”
Noticing your expression, Kai figured it would be best to change the topic.
“Are there any books you want to grab while you’re here?”
You sat up, babbling on and on about your current Good Reads list and what books had caught your attention. He listened attentively the entire time, even as the food was brought and you continued to talk during the meal. Another worker came to clear your plates, and the two of you began making your way up the stairs. Your eyes went wide upon seeing the endless rows of books, with various signs pointing to the different genres. Kai slipped his hand into yours, giving it a light squeeze. You squeezed it back before dragging him down the rows.
The afternoon was spent stacking books for you to read and sneaking kisses in dim corners. He held your giant stack, continuing to be focused on you as you talked about each book you had grabbed and why you had decided to read it. He didn’t argue with you on why you shouldn’t buy a giant stack and, instead, offered to pay for the books. The two of you bickered over him paying, but he assured you he wanted to do it.
You ended up leaving with five new books courtesy of Kai. His only condition was that you let him borrow any of the books if he wanted, and you had happily agreed. As you walked back to his car, you realized you didn’t want the day to end and that you wanted to spend all your time with him. He opened the back seat, gently placing your books down before slipping into the driver’s seat.
“Do you want to go back to my place for a little while?”
Your previous thought of wanting to recreate your passionate night fluttered briefly and you eagerly nodded. Chuckling, he started the car before driving back to your town. The closer you got, the more your nervousness from before returned. Even though you had slept with him already, you were still self conscious and nervous that you wouldn’t be able to please him.
Kai drove past your street and headed towards the “Downtown” part of your town, where the majority of the businesses were. All of the apartment buildings were located there, and it was tradition that everyone would move to one after graduating high school and getting a job. He drove past a few of them before slowing down near a four story building with VIDA written on the front. Pulling down his sun visor, he clicked his garage clicker, waiting for the gate to open before driving into an underground garage.
After exiting the car, he led you up the stairs and into the courtyard. It was hip and neat, with comfortable outdoor furniture scattered about underneath bright umbrellas. A few people were sitting on some lawn chairs, dozing off in the late afternoon sun. He walked past a pool before opening the door to a building and holding it open for you. The hallway was silent as you continued to walk before he stopped at a door marked 120.
When you stepped inside, you felt your mouth drop. His apartment was incredibly posh. The living room was immediately when you walked in and was adorned with expensive looking furniture. On the patio, a hammock chair was on one side overlooking the courtyard. The kitchen was to your left, with the fridge and cabinets all a deep, gray color. The dining room was to your right, an exquisite chandelier hanging over a round dining table with four chairs.
Kai cleared his throat, causing you to jump. He removed his shoes and gestured for you to do the same.
“Sorry, I just like keeping my place clean.”
You swiftly untied your sneakers before removing them and stepping onto the plush carpet. Kai walked over to the kitchen, opening the fridge and pulling out a water bottle. He brushed past you and walked past the dining table into what you assumed was the bedroom. Sucking in a breath, you gathered some courage and padded after him.
He was already sitting on the edge of a large four poster bed, legs crossed neatly. A large walk-in closet was off to the side, with a large bathroom nearby. Kai patted the spot beside him and you walked over before sinking down beside him.
“Wow, your place is really nice.”
Embarrassed, he reached up to rub the back of his neck.
“My old man left me quite a bit of money. He paid for this place, and I couldn’t quite refuse him.”
“I would thank him if I were you. This is reallynice.”
An awkward silence settled over the two of you. You were suddenly enthralled with the hem of your top, fiddling with it nervously as Kai quietly appraised you. He gave a quiet hum, which caused you to look up at him curiously.
He pressed his lips against yours, a hand coming up to settle on your cheek gently. You began falling backwards slowly, one hand reaching out behind to help you stay up. His tongue swiped out to lick your bottom lip before biting on it, pulling it back. You let out a moan, hands reaching up to pull on his hair.
“Lay back, angel, relax.”
Complying, you laid back, relishing in the feeling of his soft comforter. Kai was quick to hover over you, his hands settling on either side of your head. He was glancing at you with an affectionate look, pupils dilated in the soft light of the room. His hand reached down, tracing down your body until it settled at the bottom of your floral blouse.
“Is this okay, angel?” he breathed out.
You nodded, head bobbing quickly as he slowly tugged it over your chest and, eventually, over your head. His eyes grazed over your bare torso, stopping on your lace bra before he untucked his T shirt and yanked it over his head.
It was your turn to appreciate his figure, eyes focusing on his toned chest and abs before tracing lower to his hips and V lines. Noticing your gaze, his hands moved down to his jeans and swiftly unbuttoning them before pulling them down his legs. He was quick to work on your jeans next, removing them just as smoothly, leaving you in just your undergarments.
“Beautiful. Simply beautiful, angel,” he smiled.
He leaned down to kiss you tenderly, lips moving slowly against yours. His hands once again settled beside your head, his hips low as he slowly began to grind against your core. Whines bubbled deep in your throat, tumbling out and getting sucked into his mouth. A low chuckle rumbled from within him, and Kai slowly pulled away, one hand moving to your hip.
“Is this still okay?” he asked, finger hovering over your panties.
You nodded, and he slid them off, tossing them towards his clothes.
“Those are mine now,” he whispered, pressing a kiss to your navel.
Shivering, you closed your eyes, relishing in the feeling of his lips on your skin. He slowly kissed lower, his lips dragging down towards your core. Anxiety began to build in your chest as you realized this was going to be the first time someone went down on you. Endless worrying thoughts filled your head (did you smell okay? Did you look okay? Would it taste okay?) as he got lower, pressing kisses and nipping lightly at your inner thighs.
Without any warning, you felt his tongue poke your clit. You immediately saw stars behind your eyelids, hips bucking up off their own accord. Kai gave another low chuckle, hands coming to hold your hips down.
“So reactive, angel. But I’m going to ask you to relax so I can please you properly.”
With that, he dove in, tongue circling your clit slowly while he slowly pushed in a finger. The sudden feeling of being filled while also having your clit stimulated was overwhelming, and your hips tried to buck up again. Kai’s hands were stronger, keeping your hips down as he continued with his ministrations. His tongue picked up the pace, its speed increasing until you felt an orgasm building within you.
“I’m c-close, Kai,” you gasped out, throwing an arm over your eyes.
“Come for me, angel,” he muttered against you. “I want to feel you cum on my finger.”
His words had you spiraling, an orgasm ripping through you as you moaned his name loudly. Your hips bucked up, thighs clenching around him to keep him trapped, licking and pumping into you. He kept on until your orgasm ended, your body collapsing onto the sheets. You were panting, arm still over your eyes as you tried to catch your breath.
“Angel, you okay?”
You gave a weak nod, uttering a quiet mmhm while he chuckled. With your eyes shut, you heard the sound of shuffling before you felt his hand gently touch your hips.
“I’m going to turn you around, angel. Can you do that?”
Nodding, you turned around until you were on your stomach.
“Good girl. Now, can you get on your hands and knees?”
Shit. He still had to fuck you.
Although you were spent you obeyed him, clambering onto your hands and knees. You felt the bed dip behind you as Kai knelt, slowly coming towards you. His hands came up to grab your hips, giving them a light squeeze.
“Are you ready?” he asked, and you nodded eagerly.
The initial stretch this time wasn’t as painful, but the new position had you slightly aching. He would push in, stopping to let you adjust as he breathed through his teeth. Once he was fully in you, he warned you he was about to start moving.
He started off slow, his hips snapping against your ass cheeks. You let out little gasps, hands clenching on to the bedsheets to help keep you upright. It didn’t take long before his thrusts picked up, snapping sharply against you. His hands remained on your hips, keeping you in pace as he fucked into you from behind. Low grunts and moans of your name fell from his mouth, and you responded with high pitched moans and slurred syllables of his name. One hand reached up to twist in your hair, pulling your head back to peer back at him.
“I’m going to cum into your sweet little pussy,” he panted. “You going to let me, Princess?”
“Y-yes, Kai,” you stuttered out, giving him a smile at how good he was fucking you.
He released your hair, hand going down to grip your hip again. His hands were gripping them tightly as he fucked into you faster, your ass hurting from the constant impact of his hips smacking against it. You reached between your legs to rub at your clit, but he slapped it away and did it himself.
It didn’t take long for your second orgasm to build, and you came together, moaning and uttering each other’s name. Your arms, exhausted from holding you up the entire time, collapsed under you, sending you face first onto the bed. Kai fell with you, his front pressed against your sweaty backside. You felt his breath against the back of your neck, panting as he tried to calm himself down.
“Sorry, let me get you cleaned up,” he said, voice tired.
You didn’t even respond, body exhausted from the whole ordeal. You didn’t register when he returned with a wet washcloth to wipe you up, and by the time he returned with a water bottle, you had already fallen asleep.
A/N: Here is your reward for enduring last week lmao. This one is a bit long, but cutting it up just didn’t seem as gratifying so I hope you guys enjoy.
Also, thank you so much for all the kudos, comments and bookmarks on AO3 and FFN– you guys are too kind :’). I’ll try posting more regularly on Tumblr too if ppl wanna read it here. Let me know what y'all think~
There was darkness, then flickers of lights and the occasional overwhelming flow of noises before it ebbed to silence and darkness yet again. First, she felt she was on a hard surface like concrete, then cold metal, then something cushion-like… a bed? Her thoughts were incoherent, presenting more as disjointed words and feelings. Anger, regret, hurt, with a sprinkle of sadness on top. Her body was heavy, every limb feeling as though the blood had been replaced with lead. Her head lolled and she heard someone suddenly shift at her side, the bed dipping under the pressure of said someone leaning on it and over her but was too out of it to open her eyes. Acquiescing, she fell back into unconsciousness.
An indefinite amount of time passed while she was in the darkness before her senses began to return fully. She heard typing, now able to feel a presence nearby. She wanted to open her eyes, but the task seemed too daunting still, simply listening would have to be enough for now.
“I can stand watch for now, if you’d like.” One voice offered, softly.
“What I’d like is to be left alone.” The other replied curtly.
“I see. We’re going to leave in the next few hours, I’ll get everyone ready.”
“You do that.”
Well this guy sounds like a treat… Nanami thought, her sarcasm unsurprisingly returning before the rest of her senses and memories. There were footsteps and then a soft thud, like a door being carefully shut. A couple moments passed before she heard what sounded like a laptop being closed, then footsteps coming towards her, and then silence. She desperately wanted to wake up, but her body refused to cooperate, causing her eyes to flutter behind her eyelids as she struggled in vain to move. She could sense the presence hadn’t left and she felt anxious as to what might happen next before hearing a sigh. She felt a sheet being pulled up to cover her arms, where goosebumps had been forming from the draft in wherever she was.
“I’ll deal with you when I get back.” The voice said with a hint of annoyance, though it was betrayed by its gentle tone. Hearing footsteps growing fainter, a door opened and closed once more. The words themselves were threatening but the way they were spoken, she felt oddly comforted. Falling back into the darkness, she decided to cultivate her energy and try her luck at waking up again later.
Emerging from the darkness again, the pain began immediately. Her head throbbed and she reflexively tried to groan but found her mouth and throat painfully full. Instantly recognizing the feeling, panic set in, the only other thing she could perceive being the desperate need for it to stop. She grabbed the tube, disassembling and reassembling it outside her body. The large obstruction dropped unceremoniously to the floor and she coughed, glad to be rid of it.
“Don’t be so rough with the equipment.”
She rolled her head to the direction of the voice, a bright light hitting her eyes as she struggled to open them for the first time since… Damn. It all came rushing back to her at once, the voice no longer a mystery. Her vision focused and she found herself looking at Overhaul as he sat at her bedside. His mask was on as he stared at her blankly. She stared back for a beat, not knowing how to begin speaking about what brought them to this point. Deciding she should be fully awake and rested for that conversation, she mentally tabled it, opting for their usual banter instead.
“It’s still intact isn’t it?” She cleared her throat, massaging it as she continued, “How long was I out?”
“Three days.”
“THREE DAYS?” Her eyes shot wide, another coughing fit beginning as she raised her voice after not speaking for days.
“Yes, that’s what I said.” He grimaced, moving back a bit at her sudden outburst, “Cough in the other direction.”
“No surprise that your bedside manner could use some work.” She sighed as she adjusted to raise herself up, wincing as her sore muscles tried their best to comply. He promptly rose, putting a pillow behind her as she sat up, his expression blank yet attentive, “Thanks.”
He nodded as he took his seat again and the silence continued, painfully. It felt like their first meeting all over again, neither knowing how to broach the awkward topic. Looking back, Nanami was angry at how insufferably rude he could be but couldn’t ignore her own part in this. A pang of guilt sat heavily in her chest when she remembered how easily she let her emotions get the best of her; she hadn’t told someone off like that in ages. In her mind, it in no way absolved him, but to say it was all his fault would be a lie. In that moment of rage, she… What did I do anyway? She glanced down, now more confused than anything, her brows furrowing before looking at him.
“Let’s chat.”
He readjusted in his chair, leaning back as he crossed his legs and folded his arms across his chest, “Let’s.”
His body language oozed condescension as though she was about to be scolded like a child and she hated it, “Why’d you attack me. Again.”
His eyes narrowed, displeased with how she was beginning their talk,” That was going to be my question to you. I thought we had a deal.”
“What are you talking about? We did—we do—I did not attack you.” she defended. Nanami knew they were both wrong for getting so worked up, but she wouldn’t stoop that low over an argument. “I was wrong, we both were for getting so heated, but I wouldn’t just start throwing hands like that. So again, why did you attack me? I thought… I thought we got passed all that.”
His brow furrowed at the implication, his jaw clenching uncomfortably at the hurt in her voice, “We are. We’re far passed all of that.” He intoned with a level of sincerity that seemed foreign to him. Having spent the past three days chastising himself for putting her in this position, wishing the exchange could be taken back, it was difficult to sound detached. He’d been angry, but harming her had been something he’d put out of his mind some time ago, “I didn’t attack you either…”
They both shared a moment of sincere confusion. Overhaul hadn’t come out unscathed either, having to heal his own head injury as well as a cracked vertebra from the impact once he came to. “Then what the hell happened?” Nanami asked, speaking the question they were both wrestling with. She looked around the room for her bag at the same time Overhaul reached for his laptop.
“We should run tests.” They said in unison. He handed her her notebook from the bag and a pen as they began noting exactly what happened leading up to the explosion. As she recalled the events, there were a number of theories that came to mind, as well as ideas on how to safely perform reenactments of what transpired, but she also remembered the argument beforehand. He was somehow even more quiet than usual, and she could tell his gears were turning that morning, but the hostility seemed so out of the blue. Putting down her pen, he glanced up at her, noticing the sound of her writing had stopped and she was staring down thoughtfully.
“Did you think of something?”
“…Yeah. I did. Why’d you pick a fight with me that day?”
He looked back down at his keyboard and continued typing, “I don’t know what you mean. That little tiff was a joint effort.”
“No, no, no. It may have ended up that way, but you blew up at me after an entire week of solid teamwork. I expect the snide comments and the general air of grumpiness, but that was different… What happened?” He made the mistake of making eye contact with her. She didn’t look angry, just hurt.
Taken aback, all he could manage was “… I don’t know.” He wasn’t sure how to respond to that “emotion” nor did he have any plans to discuss feelings. If he was being honest, he wasn’t even sure why he did it himself. Perhaps it was self-sabotage and he was pushing her away, but to accept that would mean acknowledging they had gotten close; that he had, at some point, made the subconscious decision to stop viewing her as a pawn or even just a colleague, and to indulge the need for far more than their formal arrangement. He wasn’t ready to come to terms with the possible loss of his objectivity when it came to whatever went on between them, but he knew he’d have to confront the undercurrents of their relationship at some point. Right now, they had discovered a possible breakthrough in their research and there was no room for delay. With a ghost of a plan in mind for how to move forward with Nanami, he decided it would be more logical to smooth things over in the immediate moment with Dr. Watanabe; separating the two identities giving him the illusion of control. He continued” But I do know it won’t happen again. That was…unprofessional. How is your head?”
She bit her lip and exhaled, seeing the switch flick in his eyes knowing the wall had been put back up. “It’s… it’s fine. Just a little—no, really sore.” She confirmed with herself, rubbing her hand over the source of the pain to find stiches. Why wouldn’t he just overhaul this? “So, you decided to fix this the old-fashioned way, huh? The stitchwork is impeccable, but why go through the trouble? You could have just—”
“I didn’t want to touch you.”
“… Ouch.” She winced, glancing away as the abrupt response hurt a bit more than she expected.
Realizing it hadn’t been received how he planned, he clarified,” I meant I…didn’t want to use it on you. I was under the impression we had somehow attacked each other and assumed you might not find the prospect of me handling you in that way all that appealing.”
“…Oh. Well, thank you… I don’t mind if you touch me now” he rose a brow at this, “—I mean like to heal or—Oh you know what I mean.” She rolled her eyes before crossing her arms and continuing, “Just… just do it, please.” The last word tacked on with a mumble.
Letting out an amused breath, he rose, motioning her to turn so her back faced him as he removed his gloves. She quickly brushed her hair to the side, missing a few strands. She tensed as he was much closer than she was prepared for, feeling the warmth of his hands against the nape of her neck as he gently gathered the stray hairs and handed them to her to gather in front. Smoothing down the part, he leisurely ran his hands through her hair, losing himself for a second before noticing the tops of her ears had reddened and her breath had quickened at his ministrations. Refocusing, he disassembled the stitches before immediately healing the wound knowing even a millisecond of delay would prove very painful. “Done.”
Cracking her neck and rolling her shoulders, she felt normal again and ready to get out of bed as her muscles had been unused for the better part of three days. Checking the time on her phone on the nightstand she saw it was only 6 am, “So, you wanna go for a run?”
“That’s not funny.”
“Fine, fine. But on a serious note, I think we should head to the lab. I know the deal was 2 weeks bu—”
“You don’t have to bargain. Get cleaned up, I’ll start preparations for testing tomorrow.”
She turned to him, brows raised in surprise, “Well okay then. I’ll see you back at the house.”
“See you there.” He said before exiting her room, shutting the door softly.
After a thorough scrubbing and stretching, she felt ready to get back to her remaining paperwork, putting on her favorite chunky turtleneck and sweatpants effectively pulling off the lazy-but-still-fashionable look. Brewing herself a cup of tea and pulling out her workbag, she thought it best to not dwell on all the Feels ™ that had continuously threatened to surface, which was undoubtedly exacerbated by their current living situation.
She was woman enough to admit she stared just a little too long, smiled just a bit too enthusiastically, and was way too excited by even the smallest bits of physical contact with him… But it’s just a crush. She lied to herself as though he hadn’t been the most intellectually stimulating person she’d had the pleasure of talking to. As though she’d ever felt silence more comfortable than their time in the lab or simply sharing meals together. As though— Girl if you don’t concentrate… She chastised herself before attempting to neatly compartmentalize her feelings, refusing to acknowledge just how much more difficult keeping them in check had become. It’s just because you’re all up under each other, it’ll pass.
Refocusing on the task at hand, she opened her laptop and pulled out a well-worn file folder, her gaze turning somber as her fingers traced the bend of it; evidence of the many nights she’d revisited it only to close it when the answers didn’t come. In the past month she’d taken on a patient who seemingly had nowhere to go. Many of her colleagues had turned him away, seemingly too jaded to go through the trouble of dealing with such a case. Nanami herself was puzzled when she reviewed his file, but she knew there was no other option; she had to at least try.
Kenta was a very jovial, large person with a personality to match. Built much like a strongman with tusks not unlike a walrus, he was hard to miss. Before he became her patient, she’d see him making small talk with the other patients, encouraging them though he himself was on the way to chemotherapy, his weight dwindling by the day. The previous doctors told him that he had osteosarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer. It was seemingly exacerbated by his quirk that gave him dense bones; they were perfect for diving, but apparently came at this very high price. The treatment had shown mild success, but her predecessors had decided his condition was becoming too advanced and an amputation was in order. After that visit, he attempted to keep his jovial nature, but his physical appearance continued to deteriorate, the medication and tests taking their toll. Full-hardy laughs were interrupted by coughing fits, round cheeks flexed into a habitual smile were replaced with gaunt hollows. Nanami couldn’t help but feel was cruel to be given such great power and still be unable to solve this problem.
She agonized, sincerely perplexed as to why someone as healthy and active as Kenta could have developed such an aggressive and rare form of cancer so quickly. It didn’t helped that after the first doctor’s diagnosis, the subsequent three doctors took little to no efforts to confirm said diagnosis, so she remained thoroughly unconvinced. She was a prodigy in her own right, but that alone couldn’t negate seniority. To go against the other doctors, she would need substantial proof of her theory—and also a theory to begin with.
Nanami was stirred from her thoughts by the sound of the silo being activated, as Overhaul stepped out. It had been hours since she had last gotten up as day turned into late night, too engrossed in her task. She glanced up for a moment, giving an absent-minded “hey” before returning to her work. It was unlike her to brush him off so quickly, and he assumed there were still hard feelings from earlier. Approaching her, he was about to speak before he caught a glimpse of her screen and notes, the file folder and its contents now haphazardly splayed on the coffee table, a few with drops of moisture on them.
“Didn’t I tell you no drinking in the living roo—” he stopped short, hearing a small sniffle escape her, before she attempted to cover it up by clearing her throat.
“Sorry, yeah, no drinking in the living room.” She laughed emptily, gathering the papers that were stained.
Seeing people cry was usually… uninspiring to him, to say the least; he couldn’t understand it, the need for such dramatic displays as an adult. But he found himself making exceptions more and more; she wasn’t one to throw herself on the floor in a tantrum—at least not seriously. Her tears were stifled, indignant, and his curiosity—yes, we’ll call it “curiosity”— got the better of him.
“What are you doing? Crying?”
“No!… Maybe.” She stubbornly corrected, further averting her gaze, hoping to use her hair as a curtain to obscure her face. Pausing for a beat, his attention turned to what he presumed was the source. He read over it as she attempted to fix her face. His brow furrowed, and Nanami turned back to see what he was doing. “Why do you care?”
“Osteosarcoma seems like an odd diagnosis for someone with his age and history.” He noted, choosing not to answer her question.
“That’s what I said!” she instinctually replied before remembering herself, “I mean quit snooping, this is patient-doctor information. It’s illegal to share.”
“Yet you brought it outside your office, to a yakuza base.” He deadpanned, pointing out the hypocrisy, taking a seat next to her on the couch. She pursed her lips, continuing to mull over theories, assuming he’d get bored and leave her be. “If not osteosarcoma, what do you think it could be?”
Knowing discretion was one of his strong suits, she decided to humor him. “I’m not sure. The tumor grew extremely fast and they began chemo almost immediately, so I didn’t get the benefit of a fresh diagnosis. He’d been perfectly healthy otherwise and his line of work kept him pretty active.”
“What’s his occupation?”
“He’s a commercial diver, it’s pretty fitting since his quirk gives him a lot of walrus-like qualities.”
“Sounds hazardous.”
“You’re one to talk. He’s practically made for it so drowning or being crushed under the pressure is near-impossible for him.”
“I was referring to all of the equipment. The fact that he’s kept all of his limbs up to this point is impressive.”
Slowly turning to him, a tired look on her face, she replied “… Your compliments are so very strange.”
Shrugging he continued, “It’s not that odd. The number of divers and sailors I’ve seen at port with mutilated legs is not small.”
Nanami was mid eye-roll when an epiphany struck her. Her eyes went wide, and she began frantically rummaging through the paperwork. “Shit– wait, online!” grabbing her laptop, she began typing in a frenzy as Overhaul watched calmly. Finding Kenta’s online records in the hospital database, she read a file from a month before his diagnosis stating he had been in a diving accident that severely fractured his leg where his tumor now was. She let out a shaky breath of excitement, “MO. It’s fucking Myositis Ossificans! This explains why the ‘tumor’ grew so quickly. It’s because it wasn’t even really a tumor, just his body’s response to a traumatic injury– This is amazing!"
He felt the corner of his mouth tug upward, as she practically wiggled in genuine excitement. “That diagnosis sounds much more appropriate.”
Facing him on the couch, she reflexively grabbed him by his shoulders, lost in excitement, before realizing what she was doing. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to just grab you like that,” she hurriedly removed her hands before he waved it off. “It’s just… I’ve been poring over this since I got this case but hadn’t thought to make that connection since he never mentioned the injury.” Thinking back for a moment, it dawned on her, “… how did you know to ask?”
“What do you mean?”
“Don’t play dumb, it doesn’t suit you.”
Smiling, he rose, walking to the kitchen, “Would you like a cup?”
Very aware he was evading her question, she rolled her eyes smiling in kind “Sure. Of what?” She wrote down her final notes before putting away the files, tucking them and her laptop away as she waited for an answer.
Bringing over two cups of sake and the bottle, he sat next her with his own before sliding over her cup. She gave him a look and he sighed, “Consider it your reward for your work today. But don’t get used to it, my living room consumption rule still stands.”
She raised her hands in surrender, chuckling before taking a sip. “Oh! Let’s play a game.”
His brows furrowed as he continued to face forward still enjoying his drink,” Do I seem like a man who plays games?”
“Well, judging by the shogi board, I’d say yes.”
“… Just set the board.”
They sat in comfortable silence for a bit before starting the odd conversation, chatting and playing until they were on their fourth cup. Nanami was admittedly tipsy by this point and decided to ask something that had been on her mind for a while now with the aid of her liquid courage. If ever there was an opportunity, it was now, “Hey, why didn’t you ever become a doctor?” The question caught him off guard as he stopped drinking and peered off into the distance thoughtfully. His lips parting for a moment to speak before closing again to consider his answer.
“It would be difficult to treat people you can’t touch.”
“Hm… sounds like a copout. I wear gloves on the job at least 80% of the time and a lot of the non-surgical work that requires touching could easily be done by a nurse. So, what’s the real reason?”
“Well, you’re awfully bold tonight.”
“Eh, it’s your fault anyway,” she reminded him, toying with the sake glass. “So, are you gonna tell me or not?”
He considered her for a second before answering, “Win this game and I’ll tell you.”
“Easy.” She shot back before considering another outcome, “and what if I lose?”
He smiled easily, her stomach flipping as a glint of mischief was evident in his eyes, “Just try your best to win.”
Nanami was determined, or at least she convinced herself she was, not wanting to confront her curiosity at what he would do if she lost … or what he would do to me… Ok, let me put down this sake before I get a life sentence to horny jail. Recomposing herself a bit, she observed the board, stifling a smirk when she saw her path to victory. It was a moderately long game, but the outcome was in her favor as she took his king. Raising the piece betwixt her fingers, she smirked, “Now spill the beans.”
He stared into the proverbial abyss, slightly peeved at the loss, priding himself as a more-than proficient player before tonight. “Give me a moment.” He said casually raising a finger as he cleared his throat. Taking a measured sip from his cup before locking eyes with her, “I have a duty.” Nanami shot him an unsatisfactory look before he clarified, continuing, “Pops took me in when I had nothing to offer. This,” he began as he leered at his hands, recalling the destruction they regularly wrought, “is what I was meant to become in order to repay him. Bringing the yakuza back to their former glory and carrying on his legacy are my primary objectives. My time is limited since he’s not as young as he used to be. The years of schooling it would take to reap the benefits he deserves would prove much too long. Indulging in a dream like that is not in my nature, even if I did have the time. That is why.”
Her smile dulled as she processed his response. She wasn’t self-righteous enough to impose her own ideals on him, but it seemed like such a waste. His leading questions tonight were just one of many examples of his expertise. Even without the formal schooling he had a level of mastery that could easily earn him a degree, and coupled with his research skills, he could do a world of good. But instead here he was, content with just the opportunity to pay his debts. For someone so arrogant, he thought surprisingly little of his own nature. Maybe someday someone could convince him he didn’t have to carry around this weight all the time. Still very tipsy, she responded,” Well, if it’s a dream of yours to begin with, your nature can’t be all that bad now can it?” At this he knitted his brows, trying to accept the possibility. Seeing his hesitation, she continued, “You can do both, you know. Give yourself some more credit, bird brain.” She slurred the last insult, finishing her sake off with a gulp, not wanting to sound too soft. Feeling the consequences of her actions, she swayed sleepily in her seat before closing her eyes.
The next thing she knew, she felt herself being nudged awake, “Come on, get up. You need to get into bed.”
“But it’s sooo comfy here. Why are you being such a buzzkill, Kai?” she whined as he grasped her forearms, encouraging her to rise from her seat.
Stopping in his tracks, he asked a bit taken aback, “Where did you hear that name?”
“Your Poppy Pops told me” She almost sang, a grin plastered on her face.
“…Do not ever use the phrase ‘Poppy Pops’ again. Also, if couches were meant for sleeping, beds wouldn’t exist.” He responded irritated, though he handled her like porcelain, still remembering how unpleasant the last three days had been. Guiding Nanami to her room, he finally got her to lay down after tuning out a slew of other ridiculous nickname proposals, the drowsiness setting in as soon as her head hit the pillow. Knowing it would be too much work convincing a now drunk Nanami to get under the covers, he begrudgingly put a spare blanket over her. Before leaving, he looked back at her sleepy form. As much as they could grate each other’s nerves, no one had ever thought to encourage him or challenge his own thinking besides his father. He had never been a warm or sentimental person, having to try thrice as hard to grasp emotions that came so naturally to others, but she had planted a seed of doubt. Having always been so confident in his own lacking, he found a part of himself excited to be proven wrong for the first time. Before closing the door softly, he spoke “Thank you, Nanami.”
Her back ached as she hunched over her keyboard, only moving to grab the odd paper and examine it. Straightening up for the first time in hours she glanced at the clock on the wall that read 10:45pm, realizing she’d neglected two out of three meals today. Once Overhaul had left, she decided to catch up on paperwork and hadn’t gotten up since, except to go to the bathroom and grab a glass of water. On her visit to the fridge, she was unsurprised to find nothing but water and condiments. Of all the ways to be a normal bachelor, he chooses this one… she bemoaned, trying to formulate a dinner strategy while on house arrest. After a beat, she made a couple calls,confident she’d found a loophole.
An hour or so later, the smell of lemon and herbs filled the kitchen as she checked between dishes. After going through her mental list of recipes, she decided chicken picatta with a side of rice would be easiest while also sating her growing hunger. Smelling the sauce, she grabbed a spoon to gauge if the seasoning was up to snuff. Closing her eyes, she considered the flavor.
“What are you doing?”
“Aggh!” She clutched her chest, almost choking on the sauce. Catching her breath, she shot him a ghastly look before continuing, “I know this is your house and all, but could you please not use the ~hitman stealth~ walk while I’m here?”
“No. You should just be more alert. Now answer my question: what are you doing?”
“Ah, well I know by your sad fridge you may not be familiar with the concept, but this is called ‘cooking’.” She piped in her best kindergarten teacher voice.
“Do not start with me tonight.” He looked genuinely angry as he took a step forward, “Where did you get the ingredients? I specifically asked you not to leave and yo—”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa. Chill out, Joe Goldberg, I stayed in the box. ”
“What?”
“Ugh, if you watched TV like a normal person that would have been a great joke—anyway, what I’m saying is I didn’t leave.”
“Elaborate.”
“Well it’s this show about a guy who traps a gi—”
“Dammit I mean about how you got the ingredients without leaving.”
“Oh yes, well I texted Kurono to call one of the guys who then called another dude who ordered it on Mostpates who then went back through the chain of communication until it was delivered to the door by one of your subordinates—with whom I had zero contact with—and now here I am. Still very much isolated from the outside world. Happy?”
He paused, his eyes narrowed in suspicion as he towered over her. She deadpanned back until he relented, rolling his eyes and sighing; irritated with her consistent sass, but relieved Nanami was safe. Relieved a valuable ally was uncompromised, he sternly corrected as though to convince himself. Try as he may, the frequency of his little “unprofessional slips” when it came to her kept increasing. He reasoned that introducing her to Pop—the Boss, was simply strategic and necessary as she became more involved in their organization. These faux pas where he’d praise her behind her back to the Boss during their weekly dinners or lapse into these fantasies, he wouldn’t dare speak aloud were merely obstacles he’d need to overcome. At some point. She’s just an ally. He lied to himself yet again, before addressing her, “Don’t do that without informing me first next time.”
“Yes s— I mean, you bet.” She said nervously clearing her throat before turning back to the stove. She would’ve continued indulging in her favorite pastime of getting on his nerves, but decided not to after getting a good look at him in the light. He looked tired and her sympathy won out over her need to continue poking the bear. Deciding it would be more sensible to make nice with her new roommate, she took a chance. “You know, I made a lot more than I was expecting if you wan—”
“I don’t need anything from you,” he reflexively shot back.
“Fine. Suit yourself.” she shrugged turning back to the stove. One step forward, fifteen steps back. What do I even expect?
*grooowwwlll*
Her head slowly swiveled to him; her brows raised. She took the sauce off the heat, drizzling the aromatic cream over the steaming rice and herb-crusted chicken. She confidently maintained eye contact for dramatic effect, though she was quite surprised she didn’t spill anything. A staring contest ensued, though they both knew the winner was the one who already possessed the literal chicken dinner. “Care to rethink your answer?”
“… If I get food poisoning it’ll be your end.” He acquiesced.
“Yeah, yeah, yeah. Let’s just hurry before it gets cold.”
They sat down at the table across from each other, setting their places. Forgetting to get utensils, Nanami got back up and headed to the kitchen to retrieve them. “You can start without me, I forgot something,” she said with her back turned as she found the drawer she was looking for. Looking at the pans, she decided it would be much less of a pain to put them in the sink now instead of after her self-induced food coma. As she reached for the pan, she heard a faint rustling and a hushed “Thanks for the food” coming from the table. She went wide-eyed for a split second at the realization, Well, guess you can’t eat through a mask… gulping at the thought of finally seeing his face, she shooed the feelings away as mere curiosity, to no avail. Suddenly it felt too nerve-wracking to turn around as she continued to overthink, her utensils having been found long ago.
“If you leave your plate out any longer, I’m going to throw it away.”
“What? That makes zero sen—” she turned to reflexively bicker but stopped short. After seeing someone masked for so long it felt strangely intimate to see his face. He was still facing forward, calmly devouring the meal as she studied his profile, his features catching the warm light above the dining table. Nanami hadn’t known what she’d expected to see, but it wasn’t this. It might have been less surprising if he had some maniacal countenance or monstrous face, but he just looked… Normal… Normal…and really fucking cute. Shit. Her conflicted look of disgust with herself and fascination with him was promptly misinterpreted as he turned to see why she’d stopped grimaced back at her as she continued her appraisal, finding his full expressions, instead of just eyes, to still be a jarring sight.
“Do you have something to say?”
“N-No, just getting some eating sticks! I mean utensils. Eating. Utensils.” She cleared her throat, exuding awkwardness.
“…Right.”
Exhaling, she hurriedly made her way back to the table, trying to carry on normally. She began eating, her hunger taking her mind off the previous blunder. Looking up to grab the pitcher of water to refill her glass, she inadvertently caught his gaze. Certain this would be a rare occurrence, she decided if she wanted to gawk, it would have to be now. Today she’d gotten a face and a name, and suddenly he seemed a lot more… human.
“You have a staring problem, and I’m going to fix it in a very unpleasant way if you don’t stop.”
Nevermind. “Says the guy that’s blinked all of 3 times in the past 4 months.” She scoffed,“ I don’t have a 'staring problem,’ I was just… surprised to see your face is all.”
He paused before continuing eating, but she could tell he was still thinking, “… what’s surprising about it?”
Now able to fully evaluate his expressions, Nanami could tell he was a mixture of indignant, but curious. I can work with that. “Hm? Oh nothing, nothing at all… Except…” she leaned forward across the table, her eyes heavy-lidded as they travelled from his eyes to his mouth, committing the pleasant features to memory.
He was focused now. “Except?” the word came out softer than intended, as she was close enough for him to catch the scent of lavender, the t-shirt she wore forming an almost dangerously revealing dip as she leaned forward. His jaw clenched as he fought to maintain eye contact, trying not to blatantly appreciate her suggestive positioning. The walls of the room felt as though they were shifting closer together as he waited with bated breath for her answer, or action.
“Except…You have rice on it,” she tapped on her own face to show him where, grinning at his look of exasperation as she plopped back down to finish her last bite of food, missing how he briefly deflated. “So, how was it?”
“I don’t feel any early signs of food poisoning,” he began “but we’ll see how the rest of the night goes.”
Now feeling the sleepiness beginning to take over, she was too tired to give a quality retort. Sighing, she got up, grabbing her dish as she made her way back to the kitchen to clean up, the day finally catching up to her. She placed her dish in the sink and began searching for the gloves to start washing. Before she could locate them, she heard footsteps behind her.
“Move.”
“Really? I share my food and then you insult it—surprise, surprise—and now I can’t even clean up in peace” She began, but stopped as she turned to see him, his hands already clad in the yellow latex. His face was expressionless as he moved in her place and began tidying up. Taking it as her cue to leave, she dragged herself to her room to get ready for bed before he called back to her.
“Thank you for the food. It wasn’t bad at all.” He said, his back still turned as he continued cleaning.
She stopped, a half-smile appearing on her face as she could see he was trying to make nice, though he was obviously still not used to it, “…You’re welcome. Hey, Overhaul?”
“Yes?”
“You should get some rest.”
“Don’t need it. Per our conversation earlier, I have unlimited stamina.”
“Sure, but you can’t overhaul your mind, now can you?”
“Ok, Dr. Phil.” He mocked and her eyes shot wide. Before she could respond he continued, “And no, I will not answer further questions about that reference or how I know it. Goodnight.”
Stifling a laugh, she turned to walk back to her room, “Goodnight.”
The next week went by without incident and they began to form a routine. At 5:30 they’d get up to get ready for their jog. Nanami could tell she was on schedule by the sound of footsteps and water running next door that mirrored her own. Once finished, they’d convene in the front room, put on their shoes and head outside to stretch. Very few words if any were spoken, but Nanami enjoyed the comfortable silence. At work it was always expected that she’d be overtly personable and chatty, but she knew he had no such expectations. She could zone out and just exist and that was alrigh—
“Ahem”, he cleared his throat as he waited expectantly for her to start their morning run. His hands bare for the first time in ages as one of his subordinates ordered the wrong brand, and he swore he’d break into hives if he used them. Both of them were sure they wouldn’t need to touch any public surfaces on their run so the rarity of the occasion was dismissed.
“Oops, coming.”
Without another word they began, Nanami putting her headphones in. After their third run, he was satisfied that he could handle an ambush as they gathered more intel about the Okamura, and she could indulge in her music while they ran. One of her favorite songs came on and she began stepping to the rhythm as her shoulders started to roll and her head bobbed to the beat, soon after she began mouthing the words.
“Every time I comb my hair
Thoughts of you get in my eyes
You’re a sinner, I don’t care
I just want your creamy thighs”
All the while she didn’t realize her erratic movements and lip-syncing had caught Overhaul’s attention as he watched from the corner of his eye. A few months ago, he wouldn’t have been able to stomach the thought of sharing his home and free time with someone else without breaking out in hives, but now it felt… comfortable. It was comforting to come home to someone, to work with them and not be annoyed to the point of homicide (for him it was more rare than most), it was comforting knowing that someone was her.
She looked so carefree, so happy in the midst of everything while he felt the weight of the world had made permanent indentions on his shoulders. She didn’t fit in this world; she didn’t belong here. Or to anyone. The thought crossing his mind bitterly as his inner monologue took a familiar, pessimistic turn. Just looking at her brought that sickening warmth to his chest he coveted but didn’t recognize as something he was capable of… that is until a couple of months ago. Now he found it showing up more and more, clouding his judgment. It was distracting. He had an objective and she was an important variable in achieving said objective—nothing more. How dare she make him… feel or even question if he was able to. It was disgusting.
Now able to recognize the feeling of being silently judged by him, Nanami looked up to meet his gaze. “Weren’t you just lecturing me the other day about having a 'staring problem’?”
“I’m not staring, I’m just wondering why you’re carrying on like this in public.”
“Pssh, enjoying music—the great music of the illustrious Prince, nonetheless—is totally grounds for 'carrying on in public.’ Being carefree every now and again isn’t a sin, you know.”
“There are enough frivolous people in the world. Why should I have to indulge them?”
“You call it frivolous; I call it taking happy moments when they come. You should just let people enjoy things and stop being such a stick in the mud. You never know, maybe you’ll do something ~*wild*~ like enjoy yourself for once.”
“Not all of us have the luxury of being empty-headed and self-indulgent.”
At this she stopped running, the words sounding more like a personal attack than broad commentary. “What, so I’m a careless idiot just because I don’t brood about my self-induced problems all the time?”
Their similarities began to surface as he took her comment in like fashion, both of them now offended at scenarios they’d created in their own heads. “'Self-induced’? You know nothing about my perceived 'problems’ or how they came about. Nothing.” His irritation quickly morphed into anger the more he thought about the implication that he’d chosen this life.
“And you don’t know anything about my problems either. Just because I choose to be happy every blue moon and my issues usually don’t involve me snuffing people out on the regular doesn’t mean they aren’t also really shitty.”
“Oh, so you accidently blow up one kid and now it’s a trauma you get to use as a crutch?”
Upon saying this, her posture straightened, and she looked at him evenly, a cold rage emanating from her. “So, you think that’s all there is to me? I’m just some spoiled brat who’s always had her way and now that I’m exposed to your big, scary reality, my little traumas don’t compare? My tender little world is being shattered by the brutality and violence of your 'real’ one? If anything is self-indulgent it’s your narcissistic assumption that you’re sob story is somehow worse than everyone else’s” she said, venom dripping from her words.
He hadn’t seen her like this before. They say when telling a person’s age, that wrinkles and proportions are the best tells. In truth, there’s a certain “look” that begins to form over time, one’s experiences flash behind their eyes, an amalgamation of memories; they've seen things, their innocence eroding with every visage adding years to even the most verdant skin. As Nanami spoke, he saw an age in her eyes that didn’t match her face. There was a certainty in her gaze that only came from seeing the grotesque with one’s own eyes and deciding to keep looking. Her words were telling, but her stare was what filled the pages of the novel being written between them. Ever obsessed with purity, he assumed he’d be repulsed by the revelation, but it only made her seem closer. Her presumed naivety that he thought separated them was being chipped away. He wanted to know more, to become closer.
He was entranced as she seemingly riled herself up, “I’ve been through more than you could ev—” She stopped short, shaking her head as she bit her lip, looking off into the distance at something only she could see.
“What do you mean?” He coaxed her to finish her thought, now hopeful.
“No. I think I’ve told you enough. You’ve made your judgment and I’ll have to live with the fact that I made a mistake, as will you.”
“What? This conversation isn’t ov—”
“You don’t get to decide that,” she snapped. “I’m heading back, and I suggest you take the long way around.”
A grave look came across his face at being commanded, “That’s not how this works, and you will not cut me off again, or I’ll-”
“Or you’ll what?” She was back in his face, a familiar defiance in her eyes. If she was poking the bear before, this was an entire stabbing.
“You don’t want this.” He warned.
“You have no idea what I want.”
As things boiled over, they were much too close, a static in the air building between them, fingers pointed as they continued to argue. They were ultimately too close, for no more than a millisecond, but that small error was all it took for the reaction that followed. In that brief moment, they made contact, a blast followed that sent them both flying in opposite directions. Nanami hit one of the walls that lined the streets with a sickening thud. She slumped, unconscious, a stream of red dying her silver hair.
Yang:*Stretches arms above head, draws classmates attention* So…anybody know why tall, blonde and goofy looks so chill up there?
Pyrrha:*Crosses arms* I’m…uncertain. Jaune was quite instrumental in our takedown of the Grimm at initiation and I have no doubt he’ll impress us here as well, but…well perhaps–
Weiss:*Scoffs* Well if he ‘flirts’ *sarcastic airquotes* as well as he does fight then at least we won’t have to wait long for that Winchester oaf to end this.
Pyrrha:*Glares but says nothing*
Ruby: I-I don’t really wanna agree with Weiss on this one, but she might be right. Jaune doesn’t even carry a weapon.
*Weiss throws up her hands and scowls*
Pyrrha:*Trying to defend Jaune* Even still, Jaune showed a good grasp of group tactics. *Uncertain* Maybe he fights differently than us?
Yang:*Immediately bored* Oh yay. So he’s gonna talk his way to a win.
Blake:*Eyes on the stage as Glynda explains*Thereismore than one way to win a battle, Yang. And to be fair, he doesn’t look like he’s even remotely worried. *Eyes narrow* He almost looks bored. *To Nora and Ren* Did you two see how he fought in initiation?
Nora:*Grins* Nope! Way too busy crushing Grimm into paste and flyin’ around!
Weiss:*Looking really grouchy* Lovely. How interesting–
Ren:*Quietly* He’s fast.
Weiss:*Snaps at him* What?
Ren:Jaune. He was fast. Not as fast as Ruby but when the Deathstalker tried to get him with its stinger, Jaune only saw it about two seconds before it would have killed him and he dodged it and directed Pyrrha towards the stinger. *Looks back at the stage* The reflexes, reaction time and speed to pull that off is a bit unnerving, even for a future Huntsman, but it also suggests Jaune knows how to fight.
*The two teams are now quiet, even Weiss who is now actually looking at Jaune*
Cardin:*Sneers* Don’t worry too much, Jauney boy. I can’t make this painless but it’ll definitely be quick. *RDL laughs nearby*
Jaune:*Says nothing, just stands there in his jeans and his bunny hoodie with a long sleeved orange shirt beneath it and white surgical gloves covering his hands, a white surgical mask over his face*
Glynda: –with that said, are there any questions from our combatants?
Jaune:*When Cardin remains silent* Is this an assessment of our skill or a display?
Glynda:*A bit taken aback at the blunt tone* Excuse me?
Jaune:*Sighs tiredly, puts dull blue eyes on Glynda* This fight.
Glynda:*Perturbed* Both, Mr. Arc. But we do not expect to see the full scope of your capabilities as a Huntsman in just one fight, if that’s what you’re asking.
Jaune:*Just looks back at Cardin, removes his right glove and holds it it in his other hand*
Glynda:If that is all *steps back* then begin!
Cardin:*Shoots forward*Don’t worry, bunny boy, I’m sure next fight you’ll get to show off all that 'skill’ of yours!
*Despite being only a foot away and about to bring his mace down, Cardin isn’t fast enough*
Jaune:*Inside only a second or two, Jaune crouches down and moves forward in the same instant and places two fingers on Cardin’s neck*
Cardin:The fuck was tha–GGGKKKKKKKKKK!!!!! *Trails off into a scream as his flesh seems to suddenly grow large goosebumps, which rapidly become large bubbles*
*Shocked screams from the audience*
Cardin:*Explodes into a massive shower of gore, his upper half missing and leaving only his legs*
Glynda: *So shocked that she just stares in horror as the students start panicking*
Random Student: Oh gods, h-he killedhim!
Random Student #2: Somebody call the headmaster, no the police!
Jaune:*Deeply irritated* Calm down. *People gape and Jaune sighs, leans forward and touches Cardin’s blood*
*Instead of frantic screams of terror, disgust and anger there is now dead silence as Cardin brutally reforms and gasps, pales and falls on his ass, crabwalking backwards and beginning to hyperventilate while staring at Jaune*
Jaune:*Melancholy*Still so disgusting. *Puts on glove, to Glynda* That’s my win. *Walks off*
Cardin:*Scampers closer to Glynda who’s staring at her scroll and then at Cardin, Cardin is suddenly almost polite* T-the hell was that, Arc?
Jaune:*Shoulders slumped* My semblance. It’s matter manipulation. Anything I touch I can disassemble or reassemble into anything I want. If I want to destroy, I destroy. If I want to create, I create. If I want to reshape matter into something else, the sky’s the limit. *Stops before a pale Pyrrha, a solemn looking Ren with widened eyes and a fidgeting, nervous Nora* Or if I want to revive the dead, I revive the dead. *Shrugs* Family was attacked when I was young. I was hurt. Mother unlocked my aura just in time for me to see some White Fang asshole pulp her skull with his mace. When you’re 6 years old and just watched your mother die, the only thing your soul wants is to save her.
*Blake shifts uneasily, looking away while Yang has an arm around a stunned, terrified Ruby’s shoulders with a complicated look on her face and Weiss can’t stop staring at the boy she dismissed, a hand over her mouth since she was close to vomiting*
Jaune:*Sighs again* Do whatever you want with that information. It makes no difference to me. I’m used to Overhaul.
Weiss:*Shakily*O-Overhaul?
Jaune:*Slouches into a seat* My semblance. It’s called Overhaul.
——————————————————————————
One final post for the day. I like the idea of different semblances and the impact they would have on a character. For those unaware, this is a quirk from My Hero Academia called Overhaul, used by a character of the same name.
I’m well aware it doesn’t really work as a semblance since semblances don’t really work the same way as quirks; but this is just for fun.
And in this case, I think if Jaune hadOverhaul as his semblance, his behavior makes sense. This would be a Jaune who’s seen his mother die at a young age, revived her and then since his semblance is tied to his soul and his emotions can effect that (Yang getting angry and activating Burn), he’s probably accidentally killed a lot of people, possibly including his family (hence the gloves). So he’s just kind of depressed, a bit done with everything, has never really faced any challenges and is a little bit adverse to the messes he makes (I can’t imagine getting blood in your mouth being a pleasant experience).
He’s no Overhaul, but he’s not a fan of the germs. He’s also flippant, cold and aloof not to mention big with the reflexes/RT/speed and would be hard to get along with, I think, even if he’s the same lovable goof he is in canon beneath layers of trauma.
I could picture either either Nora or Ruby really being the one to help Jaune the most, although I think Yang could be a good enough of a friend after a time to do the same.
Mirio, your eyes are somehow difficult to draw. It took me several tries to make him look at Overhaul directly cause Mirio’s eyes are almost “locked” to only look straight in front of him.
Anyway, I’m very excited for Season 4! Can’t wait for October.
Man, I really like drawing Chisaki…he’s just such a cool character and so messed up in his ideals, plus his JPN voiceactor is SO GOOD HIS VOCAL FRY MAKES ME ASCEND
