2 辛かったろうに…‼︎ つらかったろうに…‼︎ tsurakattarou ni…!! “It must have been rough…!”
3 それでも…やってのけた…！ sore demo…yatte noketa…! “But still…he pulled it off…!”
4 あの子が‼︎ あのこが‼︎ ano ko ga!! “That kid!!”
5 蒼炎をやった‼︎ そうえんをやった‼︎ souen wo yatta!! “He got the blue flames!!” (Note: Colloquially, they’re basically saying “Shouto got him!”)
6 ショート‼︎ SHOOTO!! “Shouto!!”
7 ショートに続け‼︎ ショートにつづけ‼︎ SHOOTO ni tsudzuke!! “Continue on for Shouto!!”
8 残るはコイツだけだ‼︎ のこるはコイツだけだ‼︎ nokoru wa KOITSU dake da!! “This is the only one remaining!!”
9 物量で押せ‼︎ ぶつりょうでおせ‼︎ butsuryou de ose!! “Push him back with sheer numbers!”
10 数は既に逆転してんだ‼︎ かずはすでにぎゃくてんしてんだ‼︎ kazu wa sude ni gyakuten shitenda!! “Our numbers are already reversing* it!!” (Note: This means something like “turning the tide” in a fight.)
1 このブロックは"福引"運が良かったからなァ…！ このブロックは"ふくびき"うんがよかったからなァ…！ kono BUROKKU wa “fukubiki” un ga yokatta kara naA…! “It’s because this block’s ‘luck of the draw’ was good…!”
2 「KUNIEDA」や「ギャシュリー」ーーー… 「クニエダ」や「ギャシュリー」ーーー… 「KUNIEDA」ya 「GYASHURII」—… “Like Kunieda and Ghastly—…”
3 タルタロス出が入ってたら分からなかった‼︎ タルタロスでがはいってたらわからなかった‼︎ TARUTAROSU de ga haittetara wakaranakatta!! “I didn’t know if those Tartarus-escapees went in!!”
4 ツイてた奴ぁ運分け与えて平さねぇとな‼︎ ツイてたやつぁうんわけあたえてならさねぇとな‼︎ TSUIteta yatsua un wakeataete narasanee to na!! “Those crazy bastards need to hand out the luck!!”
5 神野区・グラウンドゼロからの報告は カミノく・グラウンドゼロからのほうこくは KAMINO-ku GURAUNDO ZERO kara no houkoku wa The report from Kamino Ward - Ground Zero
6 塚内らのいる指令部へと届き つかうちらのいるしれいぶへととどき Tsukauchi-ra no iru shireibu he to todoki reaches HQ where Tsukauchi and the others are
8 緑谷くんの転送の件はあるが… みどりやくんのてんそうのけんはあるが… Midoriya-kun no tensou no ken wa aru ga… “There is the case of Midoriya-kun’s transfer, but…”
9 とりあえずは幸先の良い一勝だ とりあえずはさいさきのいいいっしょうだ toriaezu wa saisaki no ii isshou da “for the time being, this is an auspicious win.” (Note: There is some nuance here. Tsukauchi is saying this is a single victory in the grand scheme of things, but it’s a good sign for what’s to come in the remaining battles.)
10 君が伝えろオールマイト！ きみがつたえろオールマイト！ kimi ga tsutaero OORU MAITO! “You tell them [the news], All Might!”
1 蛇腔病院跡・ギガントマキア拘束施設前 じゃくうびょういんあと・ギガントマキアこうそくしせつまえ Jakuu byouin ato ・ GIGANTOMAKIA kousokushi setsumae The ruins of Jakuu Hospital - in front of the restraint facility for Gigantomachia
2 各戦場に伝達される！ かくせんじょうにでんたつされる！ kakusenjou ni dentatsu sareru! Communicated to each battlefield!
3 轟頑張ったって‼︎ とどろきがんばったって‼︎ Todoroki ganbatta tte!! “They say Todoroki did his best!!”
1 ボヤッボヤしてるから心配だったけど杞憂だったね！好きだわ！ ボヤッボヤしてるからしんぱいだったけどきゆうだったね！すきだわ！ BOYABBOYA shiteru kara shinpai datta kedo kiyuu datta ne! suki da wa! “Because he’s so spacey I was worried, but it was needless anxiety! I like him!” (Note: Colloquially, in English this means “I was worried over nothing!” Also, Mt. Lady’s last sentence is likely a reference to how she liked Shouto’s airheadedness at the mock interviews. She had an inner monologue about liking Shouto. This is not an overtly perverted comment–though this is shounen manga so it’s not out of the question–but is more likely about how she likes Shouto’s vibe, his style, his persona, his hero…je ne sais quoi.)
2 完全に奇襲だったのに！何でこいつらここに居るんだ⁉︎ かんぜんにきしゅうだったのに！なんでこいつらここにいるんだ⁉︎ kanzen ni kishuu datta noni! nande koitsura koko ni irunda!? “It was a complete surprise attack! So why are these guys here!?”
3 散っていたように見せかけその実 ちっていたようにみせかけそのじつ chitte ita you ni misekake sono jitsu “They faked being scattered around, but in truth”
4 数十人のヒーローが予めこの地を防衛できるよう配置されていた すうじゅうにんのヒーローがあらかじめこのちをぼうえいできるようはいちされていた suujuunin no HIIROO ga arakajime kono chi wo bouei dekiru you haichi sarete ita “dozens of heroes were being placed in advance to be able to defend this land.”
5 我々別働隊の"戦力奪還"同時展開は読まれていたわけだ われわれべつどうたいの"せんりょくだっかん"どうじてんかいはよまれていたわけだ wareware betsudoutai no “senryoku dakkan” douji tenkai wa yomarete ita wake da “Looks like our simultaneous deployment of another squad to recover our forces was being read.” (Note: “Was being read” colloquially means something like “was seen through.”)
6 だが daga “However,”
7 人材の徒遣 じんざいのあだづかい jinzai no adadzukai “it’s a waste of human resources.”
8 これよりは解放の時代…虛妄を吐き散らす人間は蹂躙されるのみ これよりはかいほうのじだい…こもうをはきちらすにんげんはじゅうりんされるのみ kore yori wa kaihou no jidai…komou wo haki chirasu ningen wa juurin sareru nomi “From here on is an era of liberation…humans who spit out delusions will only be overrun”
9 あの雄英教師のようにな あのゆうえいきょうしのようにな ano yuuei kyoushi no you ni na “just like that UA teacher.”
3 "護衛"は無事完了した‼︎ピンキィ‼︎ "ごえい"はぶじかんりょうした‼︎ピンキィ‼︎ “goei” wa buji kanryou shita!! PINKII!! “The escort was safely completed!! Pinky!!”
4 皆‼︎やるぜ‼︎ みんな‼︎やるぜ‼︎ minna!! yaru ze!! “Everyone!! Let’s do this!!”
5 A組の轟が漢ぉ見せたんだ‼︎ ウチのとどろきがおとこぉみせたんだ‼︎ UCHI (kanji: EE-gumi) no Todoroi ga otokoo misetanda!! “Our (read as: Class A) Todoroki showed us his honor*!” (Note: Insert your Kirishima-flavored term of choice i.e. manliness, chivalry, etc.)
6 この防衛線絶対守り切る‼︎ このぼうえいせんぜってーまもりきる‼︎ kono boueisen zettee mamori kiru!! “We will completely protect this line of defense!!”
1 国立多古場競技場 こくりつたこばきょうぎじょう kokuritsu Takoba kyougijou National Takoba Stadium
2 この戦いが終わったら労わねえとな！ このたたかいがおわったらねぎらねえとな！ kono tatakai ga owattara negiranee to na! “When this battle is over, we’ll have to thank/reward him!”
3 レベルが違いすぎたって言われたの思い出すわ…！ レベルがちがいすぎたっていわれたのおもいだすわ…！ REBERU ga chigai sugita tte iwareta no omoi dasu wa…! “I seem to remember being told [by him] that our levels were too different…!”
4 …
5 空 そら sora The sky
6 雄英校舎 ゆうえいこうしゃ yuuei kousha The UA school building
7 ったりめーだよ ttari mee da yo “’Course ya did it.” (Note: This is an idiom said after someone states or does the obvious. It has a “Saw that coming,” sort of vibe to it. It’s also slangy as all hell, so you know what? Go nuts with your preferred translations here. “Well naturally.” “Right on.” “Kickass.” “Duh.” Whatever you want.)
8 轟 とどろき Todoroki “Todoroki” (Note: [gasp] Keep this up and people will start to think you actually do know their names, Gremlin!)
1 この相性を見るに このあいしょうをみるに kono aishou wo miru ni “Looking at this compatibility,” (Note: He means that he’s comparing the strength of the remaining quirks against each other in battle.)
2 先刻の檻は主要戦力の分断を最優先にしたものであり せんこくのおりはしゅうようせんりょくのぶんだんをさいゆうせんにしたものであり senkoku no ori wa shuuyou senryoku no bundan wo saiyuusen ni shita mono de ari “the previous cages were for the top priority of dividing our main forces.”
3 「その他」の対応については 「そのた」のたいおうについては 「sono ta」 no taiou ni tsuite wa “Regarding dealing with the ‘remainders,’“
4 現場対処というわけですね げんばたいしょというわけですね genba taisho to iu wake desu ne “[you’re using] field tactics, right?”
5 その根底にあるものは そのこんていにあるものは sono kontei ni aru mono wa “What’s underlying that is”
6 "信頼” “しんらい” “shinrai” “trust”
7 或いは"希望"？ あるいは"きぼう"？ arui wa “kibou”? “or perhaps hope?”
8 「見えぬものこそ」 「みえぬものこそ」 「mienu mono koso」 “Precisely things you cannot see.”
9 この星を覆う湿った被膜そのものです このほしをおおうしめったひまくそのものです kono hoshi wo oou shimetta himaku sono mono desu “It’s the wet coating that covers this planet, that thing.”
1 何宇宙人なん自分？ なにうちゅうじんなんじぶん？ nani uchuujin nan jibun? “What are you, an alien?”
small text この星て このほして kono hoshi te “‘This planet…’”
2 実利と実害の話です じつりとじつがいのはなしです jitsuri to jitsugai no hanashi desu “It’s a story of realized gains and losses.”
3 過去あの男を欺いた者は かこあのおとこをあざむいたものは kako ano otoko wo azamuita mono wa “In the past, of those who deceived that man,”
4 誰一人生きてはいない だれひとりいきてはいない dare hitori ikite wa inai “not one of them survived.”
5 例外を生むことは許されない れいがいをうむことはゆるされない reigai wo umu koto wa yurusarenai “To give rise to an exception would be unacceptable.”
6 ディクテイターの失態により番が回って来なかった故 ディクテイターのしったいによりばんがまわってこなかったゆえ DIKUTEITAA no shittai ni yori ban ga mawatte konakatta yue “Due to Dictator’s failure, my turn never came around.”
7-8 “AFOの刺客"その実利ここより果たして見せましょう "オール・フォー・ワンのしかく"そのじつりここよりはたしてみせましょう “OORU FOO WAN no shikaku” sono jitsuri koko yori hatashite misemashou “[As] AFO’s assassin, from here let me actually show you that realized gain.”
10 全ての「その他」が君を狙い続ける すべての「そのた」がきみをねらいつづける subete no 「sono ta」 ga kimi wo nerai tsudzukeru “All those ‘remainders’ will continue to target you,”
11 "イソップ蝙蝠"青山優雅氏！ "イソップこうもり"あおやまゆうがし！ “ISOPPU koumori” Aoyama Yuuga shi! “Mr. Yuuga Aoyama, Aesop’s bat!” (Protip: Look up Aesop’s “The Bat, Birds, and the Beasts.”)
12 メルスィ MERUSUI “Merci.”
1 ショート‼︎ SHOOTO!! “Shouto!!”
2 荼毘確保ォ‼︎ だびかくほォ‼︎ Dabi kakuhoO!! “Dabi is secured!!”
3 残酷な柵にーー ざんこくなしがらみにーー zankoku na shigarami ni— “Those harsh bonds of obligation”
4 あいつは真正面から立ち向かった…！ あいつはましょうめんからたちむかった…！ aitsu wa mashoumen kara tachi mukatta…! “He faced them head-on…!”
5 荼毘が負ケタ…？ だびがまケタ…？ Dabi ga maKETA…? “Dabi loST…?”
1 要るわけねーだろ いるわけねーだろ iru wake nee darou “No way I’d need that.”
2 アイつは全てを持ッテいル アイつはすべてをもッテいル AItsu wa subete wo moTTEiRU “THAt guy hAD everything.”
3 生きル意味モ目的モーー いきルいみモもくてきモーー ikiRU imi MO mokuteki MO– “A reason to liVE AND a purpose–”
4 力も ちからも chikara mo “and power.”
5 俺に無イモの おれになイモの ore ni naI MONO “Things I don’t have.”
6 あいつの執念が あいつのしゅうねんが aitsu no shuunen ga “That guy’s obsession”
7 全テ すべテ subeTE “EverythING”
8 負けルハズがなイだロウ⁉︎ まけルハズがなイだロウ⁉︎ makeRU HAZU ga naI daROU!? “therE’S NO WAY it coULD loSE!?”
1 鹵獲された黒霧を奪還シロ‼︎ ろかくされたくろぎりをだっかんシロ‼︎ rokaku sareta Kurogiri wo dakkan SHIRO!! “RECAPTURE the seized Kurogiri!!”
2 現在ヲ壊す為に‼︎ いまヲこわすために‼︎ ima WO kowasu tame ni!! “In order to destroy tHE present!!” (Note: The kanji I translated as “present” means “current,” and the furigana means “now.”)
3 死柄木と俺たちの為に‼︎ しがらきとおれたちのために‼︎ Shigaraki to ore-tachi no tame ni!! “For Shigaraki’s and our sakes!!”
4 俺たちを虐げてきた全てをブッ壊す為に‼︎ おれたちをしいたげてきたすべてをブッこわすために‼︎ ore-tachi wo shiitagete kita subete wo BUkkowasu tame ni!! “In order to smash everything that has oppressed us!!”
5 轟 とどろき Todoroki “Todoroki”
6 おまえと同じクラスになれた事を俺は誇りに思う おまえとおなじクラスになれたことをおれはほこりにおもう omae to onaji KURASU ni nareta koto wo ore wa houri ni omou “I am proud that I could be in the same class as you.”
2 …何で君が…… …なんできみが…… …nande kimi ga…… “…why are you……”
3 謝るんだ…！ あやまるんだ…！ ayamarunda…! “apologizing…!”
4 どうしてこれでまだ息があるんだよ… どうしてこれでまだいきがあるんだよ… doushitekore de mada iki ga arunda yo… “How is he still breathing in this state…”
1 そして当然 そしてとうぜん soshite touzen And of course
2 ここにも届くーー ここにもとどくーー koko ni mo todoku– it reaches here too–
3 群訝山荘跡 ぐんがさんそうあと Gunga Sansou Ato The ruins of Gunga Mountain Villa
4 その顔は何だ？ そのかおはなんだ？ sono kao wa nanda? “What is that face?”
5 愛しみか かなしみか kanashimi ka “Is it love?”
6 悲しみか かなしみか kanashimi ka “Or is it sadness?” (Note: These two words are pronounced the same, making this banter a set of puns.)
7 来る…！ くる…！ kuru…! Here it comes…!
8 聞いちゃダメですからねエンデヴァーさん！ きいちゃダメですからねエンデヴァーさん！ kiicha DAME desu kara ne ENDEVAA-san! “Don’t listen to him, Endeavor-san!”
1 燈矢くんを見ず焦凍くんに押しつけた！君の選択だろう⁉︎ とうやくんをみずしょうとくんにおしつけた！きみのせんたくだろう⁉︎ Touya-kun wo mizu Shouto-kun ni oshitsuketa! kimi no sentaku darou!? “Without seeing Touya-kun, you forced it all on Shouto-kun! Was that your choice!?”
2 どうせこうやって正当化しているんだろう⁉︎ どうせこうやってせいとうかしているんだろう⁉︎ douse kou yatte seitouka shite irundarou!? “This was how you justified it, isn’t it!?”
3 "ヒーロー守るモノが多い"って！ "ヒーローまおるモノがおおい"って！ “HIIRO mamoru MONO ga ooi” tte! “Heroes have many things to protect.”
4 口撃が始まった！ こうげきがはじまった！ kougeki ga hajimatta! “The verbal attacks have begun!”
5 だから負けるんだぜNo.1！ だからまけるんだぜナンバーワン！ dakara makerunda ze NANBAA WAN! “That’s why you will lose, Number One!”
tagline 依然ー…泰然‼︎ いぜんー…たいぜん‼︎ Just as ever–…calm and composed!!
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.”
“I’ve tried as hard as I physically can– nothing. I just can’t replicate it.” Nanami let out, frustrated after hours of trying in vain. “Any progress on your end?”
He didn’t meet her gaze, but she could tell by the far-off look in his eyes he wasn’t having much luck either. After running some analysis on their fluid samples from the day before, they found the protein-encased mystery particles from before seemed to be reacting in time with their quirk activation. They surmised it had to be connected to overhaul, but to what end they still weren’t sure. It also wasn’t helpful that whenever they attempted to isolate the particles from the sample fluids, they immediately disintegrated. Nanami felt they were hitting a wall and decided to try something risky. The suggestion had popped into her head an hour or so ago upon reviewing the final footage with Kurono, but hoped they’d figure out an alternative before resorting to testing it out. Sighing, she began, “…I ha—"
“ve an idea.” They spoke simultaneously, though what was a look of apprehension in Nanami’s eyes was one of mischief in Overhaul’s.
Yup, don’t like that.
“Don’t look so worried, we’ll be careful about this, just like last time. I don’t want a repeat of that morning as much as you do.” He said rubbing the back of his head upon remembering how very unpleasant it was cracking his skull and having to anxiously wait by her bedside for days.
“… Fine. But for the record, I do not endorse this, but desperate times…”
“Your apprehension has been noted.” He sighed annoyed, “After you, doctor.”
++++++++++++++++++++
They entered the testing arena followed by Kurono, Rappa and Mimic who were hauling in various plastics from the lab. They placed them neatly against the wall as Nanami took stock of the varying kinds and shapes she had to work with. Overhaul stood nearby taking down the room conditions and making markings on the floor while the last of the plastic was brought in. The pile was large, stretching at least six feet tall. Looking back at him, Nanami confirmed, “You sure about this?”
“Are you questioning him?” Mimic screeched as Nanami’s eyes reflexively rolled the second noise came from his mouth.
“Was I talking to yo—"
“Mimic.” Overhaul chided; his expression bored. Mimic scoffed, folding his arms, but remained silent nonetheless as Overhaul continued, “Yes, I am sure. I trust you.” He replied to her question simply.
If a pin had dropped in that moment, the sound would have been deafening as the three Precepts froze, staring in shock at what they’d heard. Nanami shared in their surprise before promptly looking away, feeling his gaze to be a bit too intense at the declaration. It was common knowledge that the only person he truly trusted was himself, and to state otherwise, in front of an audience no less, was no small matter. There wasn’t a hint of the sarcasm in his voice or features at his reply to her, no air of manipulation. It felt sincere and she was confronted with the possibility that the games had ended, and they’d truly stepped into new territory that sent her heart racing. A simple ‘yes’ would have sufficed. Nanami thought, annoyed at how easily he got a rise out of her, heat rising to her cheeks.
Satisfied with her reaction, he resumed, his gaze still fixed on her, “Now, if you all value your eyes, you’ll leave us to our work. Or did any of you have something to say?”
“Nope, I’m good.” Rappa replied, turning on his heel and out of the room as the rest of them followed suit, Kurono’s face a bit too smug for Nanami’s liking.
Now alone in the room, Nanami spoke, still refusing to make eye contact, “L-let’s just get started.” She knelt down to the pile, examining it for a beat before transforming it into a large span of padding that covered a quarter of the room, the density thickest towards the center. The plastics made great raw materials for make-shift poly-fil, the padding essentially being a giant pillow to soften the impact she anticipated.
He strode over to her, disposing of his gloves, “We’ve tried a myriad of different ways to recreate the blast from the experiment on our lonesome with… depressing results. By the footage we can confirm that the air is what reacted to our quirk. I say we try again, together this time.”
“It’s gonna be pretty hard since I know we’re supposed to get riled up. It’d be kind of contrived to do it the same way as last time, don’t you think?”
“Agreed, but I don’t think that will be necessary. I’d like to try it as though we’re using overhaul normally, without any significant stressors.” He reasoned before motioning to the lines drawn on the floor as guides, “If we adhere to the diagram, we should be able to perform this with minimal risk.”
She chewed the inside of her mouth before acquiescing, “Alright, let’s line up and on the count of three, we’ll give it a shot.”
Nodding the went to their designated markers, both focusing intently on the target placed on the other side of the room. Standing side-by-side, each extended an arm outward, aiming towards the marker a few yards away. Taking a centering breath, Overhaul began, “One… two… three…”
“…”
“…”
“… Okay, now we just look constipated.” Nanami exasperated, frustrated by their lack of progress.
“Be serious.”
“I am. I just don’t know how this is supposed to work. Obviously, air is matter, but it’s… different. I can’t see it…”
“…But we can feel it.” They looked to each other, sharing a eureka moment. Early on in their research, they discovered what seemed to be a heightened sensitivity in their hands which was unsurprising as they were their primary quirk factors ( Nanami also discovered their feet could serve as secondary factors, but the idea of feet in general grossed Overhaul out so the discovery was promptly archived).
Closing her eyes, Nanami focused on her hands, feeling for every whisp of air that caressed her fingertips as she slowly moved them through the air. She was sure it looked like she was having a very boring acid trip, but ultimately the movements worked to help visualize the air particles to the best of her ability. With renewed vigor, she opened her eyes to see her lab partner doing a similar exercise, though his movements were more akin to lazier version of jazz hands. Stifling a giggle at the sight, she cleared her throat to gain his attention, “Ready to try again?”
“On three.” He confirmed, with a nod, his eyes focused on the target in the distance once more. “One… two… thre—"
The second the last syllable ended, a chain of explosions cascaded across the room, obliterating the target in an instant. The blast sent them careening backwards towards the padding on the wall and across the room and Nanami found herself eternally grateful they’d taken the time to reinforce it. Dizzied by the recoil, she hazily peered in the direction of the target, brushing a stray hair from her face. Blinking her vision into focus, it was clear that the target was gone… As well as the wall behind it… And the wall behind that one as well. Rebar and blocks of concrete fell pathetically from the rim of the gaping hole left behind, though the sound was muffled by the ringing in her right ear.
It worked. Nanami thought awestruck at her quirk. She could acknowledge its usefulness in a general sense, but for whatever reason, this moment reminded her of the sublime, and she felt Herculean for the first time in her life. It became easier for her to imagine how this feeling would leave others drunk with power, the possibility for creation and destruction growing more vast by the day, but her resolve remained unwavering. In the same moment that she was in awe of the destruction, there was a marked guilt at the thought of someone being in the way of a blast like that. Her quirk felt like a cruel metaphor for her life; constantly building to mitigate the equally constant destruction, both of which she was responsible for. I…have really got to stop depressing myself like this. She thought, shaking herself out of the mini-existential crisis.
Readjusting herself on the padding where she landed, there was a warmth on her back, then small, rhythmic breathes. She looked to either side of her to see familiar slack-clad legs caging her in. Connecting the dots, her eyes shot wide, realizing she was sitting in her partner’s lap. Trying to ignore a slew of unprofessional thoughts, she turned carefully, a small part of her hoping he’d been knocked out, simply to avoid any embarrassment. Still a bit sore, she steadied herself, absentmindedly putting a hand on his chest, the other pressing against the padding before looking to his face. Much to her chagrin, he was fully conscious. He gazed down at her with an expression she couldn’t read, though it certainly wasn’t blank. Hyperaware of their positioning she attempted to steady her breath before speaking, feeling the familiar tension between them growing more potent. Move! Say something, do something! Literally anything! Instead her breath hitched as he unsubtly glanced down at her lips before returning to her eyes, the fact that he’d made no efforts to change their position now weighing heavily on her. It was becoming too much for Nanami as it became clearer by the moment what the tension would amount to if left unchecked. The scariest part of it all being that she wouldn’t stop him if he decided to act on whatever ideas were dancing behind those eyes. Panicked by her own willingness, she blurted out the first thing that came to mind, an awestruck look still in her eyes as she appreciated seeing him this close.
“That… was a bigass explosion.”
Truly insightful observation, Dr.Watanabe. Just put that as the title of the research paper: The Methodology and Phenomena of Bigass Explosions. She thought, inwardly rolling her eyes at herself.
She could feel his chest jerk at her comment in a stifled chuckle, his face that of disbelief and amusement, “You’re not wrong… Would you care to join me in getting up and surveying the results? This position isn’t ideal, for labwork that is.” He spoke the last part a bit too suggestively and Nanami was convinced her face would be stuck in a permanent state of blush.
“O-oh yeah, of course! Sorry about that,” She stammered, hopping to her feet before instinctively extending her hand to help him up. She almost immediately remembered how silly the gesture was, but before she could withdraw the palm, he grasped it firmly, accepted the lift. She pulled him up, struggling for a beat as he was heavier than he looked, trying her best to hide a look of shock as he held her hand longer than necessary.
As they surveyed the damage from a distance, there was a glint in his eye, that left her equally excited and concerned. They hadn’t realized it yet, but what appeared to be a breakthrough dragged behind it a deluge of questions they might soon regret asking.
Translation is always tricky, but I remember this slightly different:
Figs were an imported delicacy at the time, and the donkey just managed to eat them (without being given any on purpose). Seeing a donkey eating several times their own value in figs, the philosopher looked to his servant who might have been standing there either in shock, despair, or both, and said something along the lines of “Oh don’t just stand there. Get him some (undiluted) wine to wash the figs down with”. With (undiluted) wine also being an expensive drink.
I feel like that context makes it funnier. Basically like standing in front of your burning mansion with a butler, meeting their eyes, and telling them that you still feel a little chilly and ask them if they could put on an extra log or two.
idk what’s funnier, the burning house situation, or being the butler as you watch your master laugh so hard at his own joke that he fully fucking dies.
