Tornadoes For Sighs
-Chapter 10-
Have You Eaten?
TATSUMAKI WANTED TO GET REVENGE.
The shoot was finished fifteen years later erstwhile Tatsumaki was angry at Dr. Gray. No one she liked… liked her. It didn't matter if she did horrible shit. Dr. Gray's opinion couldn't get worse. So, her predilection for hurting others will come out now.
Despite wanting to go home, Tatsumaki felt like confronting Dr. Gray more. She made a perfect, pure and passive-aggressive plan. He needed to get balls, so she planned on throwing Bubble Tea pearls at his face with the icy beverage. Ha.
Tatsumaki landed on his balcony and settled her bags down.
Huh? His cactus was there, oddly accompanied by a smaller one. Was that the one she chucked across the Ghost Town? Why has he been taking care of it?
Anyway, Tatsumaki wanted revenge now rather than waiting to nationally defame him. It would be more satisfying on this late Thursday afternoon. They last spoke on Sunday and he probably didn't expect her to throw the drink, start a fight then win. Tatsumaki always won.
However, Tatsumaki's palms got hot when she held twin cups of matcha and green tea flavoured bubble tea. She wanted to put him in his place, so why the hell did she get something he'd like? She bounced on her toes, nervously for some reason. There wasn't anger, ire or acrimony, just nervousness.
Before she had a pep talk to curse away these nerves, the balcony door opened with a gritty slide of sound. She needed to barge in then talk. She didn't even look at him, for some reason.
Annoyed, he yelped, "Oi, oi, you can't just barge into my house—"
"I bet your ass I can. Don't tell me what to do!" Tatsumaki's charged forward without noticing him intercepting her purposeful stride.
Tatsumaki's bubble tea exploded over his chest and down the washboard abs of his… tanned… beautiful torso.
Tatsumaki's mind blanked while she forgot about the drinks. Her eyes drank in the details of his titan's shoulders, chiselled bod and iron muscles. All those muscles. So close. So warm. She witnessed the flex of power, the thrum of his body's dynamics.
This hid under his shirt?! What the hell?!
How is that possible, to be rippled with brawn, like an ocean during a storm— Dr. Gray was shirtless. Oh god. Oh, GOD. That was unexpected and pleasant and looked good.
NO! He didn't look good. NEVER! Why can't she stop staring? Why was there warmth seeping into her bones, making her light?
Tatsumaki finally registered the chill splash on her ankles. Tatsumaki didn't feel that cold— was it hot for everyone else? Why did his skin burn hers? Why was he so hot. Actually, his skin wasn't warm, she was!
And— and her bubble tea was on the ground. "I-I I didn't mean to waste—" Tatsumaki's hands hovered over him.
"Waste— is this bubble tea?" he asked, gesticulating to the mess.
"Why- Why would I get bubble tea for you! It's boba tea!"
"That doesn't make a difference, they're the same thing."
"WHO CARES!" Tatsumaki shrieked, trying to wave away the problem like a shitty magician. Some bubble tea flew.
"What are you, a sprinkler?" Dr. Gray deadpanned, wiping away bubble tea from his face.
Was Tatsumaki so flustered that she used her telekinesis unconsciously because of a guy? Tatsumaki was horrified. That hasn't happened since she was twenty. She will never live this down. Tatsumaki will die! But first, she had to get it all off of him then leave.
Dr. Gray cleared his throat, which was weird. Tatsumaki reflexively ignored him.
"Uh," he said.
"What?" she glanced at him.
"You were a sprinkler, yeah but you don't need to be a towel too, Zuzu."
Huh? Tatsumaki gawked dumbly. "I don't follow."
"Dude, your hand is soft but I don't think you're one of those girls—"
What did that have to do with anything? Tatsumaki's brain finally connected and peeled away a hand from warmth… Warmth?!
"You're a— oh my god, I'm not supposed to be a towel!" Tatsumaki jumped away. FUCK!
Tatsumaki wiped away the slush from his body. She touched him, spoke meekly while close to him— the whole nine yards. And his torso was so wide. So much abdomen to clean. The problem was much bigger than that small detail. Tatsumaki's plan was destroyed. Now she had to live with this nonsense hanging over her head.
"I'll— I'll just go," Tatsumaki announced, ignoring how her hand still burned.
"Thanks, I have to take another shower. Again…" he mentioned unhappily. "Goodbye, don't be a door stopper too—"
"Wait," Tatsumaki called out.
Why she did get embarrassed? Even his matcha bubble tea was fine. Unspilled. Unwiped. Unwi— she will die. But first, she could technically just invite him to Hero Appreciation Day and get her revenge. She had to be nice.
Tatsumaki eyed the tall bubble tea drink. "Since you got the abs, you should have the balls too." She jutted her arm out. "Here."
"You got that for me?" he asked Tatsumaki.
"No."
"No?"
"Yes! Take it now," she ordered, her tone getting sharp. "Just take it, baldy."
He crossed his arms, accentuating the certain bulges and shadows over his biceps. Why did he have to do that? Why was he so distracting?
"Did you bring the other one to dump on my chest?" he questioned.
"No, I purchased it specifically to dump it on your face." she threw back.
"Still not cool, dude."
"Whatever. I paid for it, just drink it and shut your damned pie hole!" ordered Tatsumaki.
He paused, stopped being a damned detective then nodded. "Okay."
Tatsumaki nodded. "Just drink it now. I'll never have to see you again."
"Again?" He eyed his drink dubiously. "What, why?"
"I gotta make sure you won't throw out my goodwill," Tatsumaki puffed out her cheeks. "Accept it."
"That wasn't what I was talking about." He narrowed his eyes. "What type of goodwill is throwing a drink in someone's face?"
"Oh, shut up— And put on a shirt. One that covers all— all that." She looked away, face burning. "I have to go. But first, let me just say that this is a message of war—"
"Hold on," he said, wiping off some ice from his abs. "That's not supposed to be there," he muttered. "Now I gotta hose down my balcony."
"Whatever! You interrupt me again, I swear to fucking fuck, I'm going to poison your bubble tea."
"I thought it was boba tea. You're not a very good liar. You can't keep your story straight," he said, amused.
"I— am a great liar. I lie all the time! Like—" She looked away. "That doesn't matter. I hope you slip and fall when cleaning up my fallen drink."
Dr. Gray looked affronted. "Eh, you were the one who caused this accident. Stay and clean it."
"I am never helping you ever again."
"But it's your fault. Where's your sense of responsibility?" he frowned.
She watched him with guarded eyes. "Fuck if I cared. I shouldn't have wasted it on you. All that free goodness wasted!" she growled.
He looked like Christmas came early. "It's free, yeah?"
Tatsumaki stepped away from his delighted expression. "Yeah? I got it for you." She rolled her eyes then met his gaze. "I…"
He straightened his spine, expression softening. "Oh."
Oh? Tatsumaki gasped. That didn't come out right. "Listen here, I-I just gave it to you because I felt like it. Not because I was thinking of you. Get it right. Don't be dumb, dummy!" She lifted her chin.
He brightened up. "You're giving me something. That's neat."
Tatsumaki stomped her foot. "NO! That's not why I am here! I just remembered not wanting to see your face because I wanted to talk—"
"You do like doing that," he interjected.
"Like you don't love it," she smirked.
"I don't. I don't even like it," he explained plainly.
Tatsumaki didn't know if he was joking. Tatsumaki checked his expression. He was serious. Very serious. He's up in her space, touching her buttons and hating her voice. Yeah. He really did not care for her at all.
The atmosphere turned to ice.
Why couldn't she just recommit to being neutral instead of partaking in this vendetta stuff? Maybe she's too arrogant to be drawn to someone… Why couldn't she stick with her survival tactic?
"I forgot that you really sucked with bullshit words and bullshit wisdom." Tatsumaki hissed, stepping backwards to fly home. "You suck and never listen!"
"Ay. What's with these daggers?" Dr. Gray raised an eyebrow. "I thought we were cool." He held up the bubble tea.
"We aren't! It's nothing. Would you even listen, 'cause my words are too shrill to comprehend, huh?" Tatsumaki demanded. "It's just me with an annoying voice and annoying yell and annoying talk. No, an annoying, shrill talk."
And there she went again. Confiding in losers. She cursed. Her sentimental waxing wasn't meant for him to hear. His dark eyes roamed her expression for a few seconds while she glowered.
"Man, just wait in the living room 'til I'm done," he announced. Tatsumaki gave him a testy glare, arms folded around her chest.
"What makes you think I want to go inside?" she questioned.
"I dunno. You came here with drinks. We'll table that conversation," he called out, handing her his bubble tea.
Huh? Now they had to discuss feelings? She'd rather jump off this balcony.
"Just hold onto it until I'm back," he said while ignoring her objections.
With a groan, Tatsumaki put the bubble tea on the table and settled down in the cramped, unlikeable apartment. Sitting here while idling was like a surrender…
Tatsumaki spat acid at him and he didn't like her but he told her to stay and she stayed. They hated each other! Were their brains slow on the uptake? Thinking about it did nothing but make her more confused.
A cheesy romcom played on the TV, filling the space with distractions. The gossip channels had Tatsumaki and Dr. Gray. The Disaster Channel had Agoni propaganda. Other channels had Amai Mask's movies, commercials from Tank-Top Master and Zombieman. Bang also released a martial arts documentary (which no one watched, let's be real).
Looking around, Dr. Gray was a slob, as usual. Manga and snacks were strewn about and Tatsumaki ignored the urge to tidy up. It would turn her thoughts away from him and her. It was strange to have someone take a shower around her. Different. Someone who wasn't family. She's used to solitude while helpless, domestic stuff went on in the background. Could this be what made mornings gentle—
"Oi. I finished my shower." Dr. Gray emerged from a wall of mist, his bald head shinier than usual.
He wore a graphic t-shirt and black shorts, looking awfully solid for a goofy guy. Her heart stopped beating normally, pounding fast and she asked the damn thing to slow. The muscles from earlier were still there. Just less visible. She didn't imagine them!
How could he have that impressive body? He didn't look like a noodle. He looked like a damn pasta dish that could impress an Italian lover. Dr. Gray's plain white shirt with the word "Keep-kun". A keep-kun was a boyfriend to have until someone better shows up. Was he the keep-kun? He hunkered down like a bag of rice with an old-man sigh. The shiny table was between them. He glanced at his drink then at her decidedly bare half of the table.
"You want tea?" he offered.
Tatsumaki shook her head. It was awkward for a few moments. They were at the table. What was he waiting for?!
After more seconds of her grimace, he jumped up. "I'll take that as a yes." he whistled, off to the kitchen.
I always put up roadblocks for myself. I know I am an obstacle rather than an opening. I didn't get much better but I'd like to bring a certain levity to everyone. It's like I give them the urge to yell, run away or yell while running away, Tatsumaki thought. Just like now. He waited on the electric kettle just to avoid her.
He returned with a cup of hot, aromatic matcha. He was careful until a little bit spilled. He carelessly wiped away the boiling tea with his palm. The redness was nothing. He didn't even flinch. Maybe he was a hero if that didn't bother him.
"Ha, ha, usually you start talking by now. Y'know, you share everything. Too much. You're always sharing your ideas over and over." he said.
Tatsumaki shot him a dry look. Did she want to be infected with bad conduct if she stayed here? He hurriedly snatched up his bubble tea drink while she occupied herself with glaring.
"Want your hot tea? My bubble tea's gettin' hot. It's not equal if you don't drink anything." he gestured to the drinks.
She quirked a brow up at the cup beside her arm. Huh? "Your mouth could be lonely," he answered.
Tatsumaki pushed the drink further away from her personal space.
His eye twitched. "So spiteful."
Tatsumaki stood. "I don't like wasting my time—"
"So…" he started, indifferent as ever. "About what I said the other day, you seem bothered."
Tatsumaki stiffened but sank to her knees and sat. She was about to cuss him out or relocate his house. Why was he talking about that incident?
"If it didn't bother you, it bothered me," he revealed between sips. "I see it's the stray dogs who bark loudly. They're alone, they have to be earsores for personal protection."
Tatsumaki grimaced. That's what she waited for?
"Some folk and mutts have this confidence. Not the brazen ability to say, "I'm great."... They got an ease, a quiet feeling that anything's possible." He shrugged. "I didn't say your voice was annoying. You're just loud and rude." he finished off.
He was doing so, so great but he stopped singing an opera of logic. She knew she was mean and loud. She subconsciously tore people down and put a firewall between them.
"Most people feel okay enough to come down a few pegs. I get why you brag but not the frequency." he reasoned.
Okay, he's horrible at apologizing.
"You get snarky but not insecure 'til now despite how much you brag, which is bizarre. Rooftops don't know how strong I am. I don't like sitting on rooftops, much less yelling on 'em. My sashimi gets sacrificed at a high altitude. I'm a bit clumsy." He chewed on his straw like a child, mourning all those sashimi slices. "You should jump wherever I'm eating, you know?"
What does that mean? Tatsumaki opened her mouth to ask but he stared at her dead in the eye. "You could go have some karaoke turns if you're insecure about your voice. Everyone is predestined to suck so you'd fit in." he offered amicably.
That cracked her. Everyone does suck at karaoke and singing in general. He actually understood her plight; the plight of not liking singing. She laughed a bit. Someone finally understands. Her laugh took to the air as a gull takes to the wind. Her chest kind of hurt but she felt lighter.
"Why're you laughing so hard?" he inquired.
Tatsumaki killed off her laugh after a couple of attempts. "No. Reason." Tatsumaki cleared her throat. "I'd push you off the stage when we go together… You probably have a better bond with gravity than most," she said quietly.
"You actually do, since you're so tiny. Egotistical kids appreciate that type of closeness."
"Asshole," Tatsumaki slammed her hands onto the table. "You could have said that all 20 words or less. You're really bad at helping people. And I'm not a dog!"
"I wasn't calling you that— were you listening to me—"
"You always say the wrong things," she said. Why should I listen? His words so were so foul they ate shit. Now I'm stuck here with a shitty man, a shitty house and shitty words, Tatsumaki face-palmed.
Dr. Gray scratched his bald head. "Eh, I said the wrong things?"
"You're impossible! You're so dumb you don't know how to apologize."
"Apologize for what? You could have gotten someone else to take your anger out on. Why'd you even come to see me?"
"I…" Tatsumaki looked down, calming her burning cheeks. "Just wanted…"
Her papers, her answers, a conversation with someone about… normal stuff. Not family. Not Hero Appreciation Day. Just actually speak to someone. Did she have to fight? She could just talk.
"You know, I caused earthquakes the first time I met you. In City F." she said instead.
Dr. Gray looked at her inquisitively.
Tatsumaki nodded. "Yeah. That's how great and seismic I am. That's how I angry I was. The world shook. I'm just strong like that. I don't hide, you know. You hid like a depressing shadow while you target me for being praised and noticed for my efforts. It makes no sense!"
"I wasn't doing that. You're simply really arrogant. You let it get to your head like a big head." he said.
"W-What did you mean bigheads?" Tatsumaki clapped her hands to her forehead.
Was that why he always tapped her forehead? He was just proving she was a bighead… That hurt.
"Bigheads don't take anything in and don't listen. The more problems they got with others are the problems they got with themselves. Arrogant bigheads are insecure."
Tatsumaki squinted. "I'm strong. The weak are supposed to be forgotten."
"Why do you get mad at others for being weak?" he questioned.
"They're incompetent and low. They aren't strong like me—"
"So what? Being strong, that strong is annoying."
"I accept that part. I still deserve to be dipped in gold when the rest are useless charcoal." she huffed.
"Do you attack others because you're afraid you're really charcoal? Some giants are really small." he shrugged.
"Tch. You're so difficult to talk to and that's all I wanna do!" Tatsumaki groaned, sinking like a capsized ship.
Tatsumaki laid back on the floor. Her brain still hurt. He's too troublesome to work with. He's useless too. If he's so great, why didn't he help more people? City Z was rampant with mysterious beings and she saw him doing jack shit.
"Are you seriously sad about what I said and you won't admit it?" he questioned.
"Do not cheer me up. I will make you go extinct." Tatsumaki covered her face.
"I'm shocked you're sensitive about that. You're strong everywhere else," he murmured.
He admitted she was strong. Tatsumaki actually lowered her guard a bit. Maybe she gave out that reputation. She didn't like weak people and she didn't like it when she was weak herself. He was trying to appeal to Tatsumaki's ego, in addition to her heart. Heat sprang to her cheeks, flushing with faint colours. Were those the hard-fought-for, hard-won words?
"Whatever." Tatsumaki dismissed.
"You know… you're… difficult to talk to as well," he admitted then slurped her hot tea. She blinked. He's drinking her tea. Whatever. "I know I am, too." he finished.
"Yay me for my hard work." she winced, all sarcastic.
"Good job," he shot back, just as sarcastic.
Tatsumaki made a noise to show she was listening. There was a moment of acknowledgement that they were both hard to talk to. Sure he was easy going but that's because he didn't care about anything. He was blunt and honest. And yeah it was hard work.
It wasn't an awkward silence and no one was too angry. It was easier to tell the truth without looking at him.
"Wait— did you sweep?" Tatsumaki asked. She didn't want to lie there with dead skin cells making her sneeze.
"Yeah. So don't go lifting my furniture." Dr. Gray warned.
"Shut up. Your ceiling's weird," she commented. "Sweep your ceiling."
"You mean 'dusting'? It's too much work to dust."
Tatsumaki grimaced. "So gross. I think everyone's bad breath would rise and make the ceiling black at the karaoke place." She shuddered. "Gross!"
He cleared his throat, shedding himself of the shocked sound he made earlier. "Have you… never actually been to a karaoke bar with friends?" he asked slowly.
"No. Why would I?" she snickered. "People were useless parasites."
"That's… That's just…" He cleared his throat. "That doesn't happen. People in City Z have clean teeth."
"Ha. Do you polish your teeth as much as your polish your bald, barren head?" she chuckled which earned a small protest. "You know the fact we're fake engaged?" Tatsumaki brought up.
"Oh yeah, the problem you started." he groaned a bit.
"It's not all my fault. I was trying to escape Lover Boy, the creep and I ran into another one. It's getting more real. You're no bento boy but everyone thinks so." she finished gravely. "We're beloveds. We're still really real to them."
Tatsumaki can't believe this fake relationship snowballed— forget snowballs, it was Mount Fuji.
"What d'you mean?" he asked, sounding quite concerned now.
"It's been a week from hell. Everyone is so lame. My family wants to meet you. TV stations want me to do interviews. A game show with knowledge about you—" she paused, realizing she was telling him about her problems.
She shouldn't be. Usually, people check out or blame her for her problems… And she never bothered to listen to others. Tatsumaki, you never ask, you just assume you're not bothering people with your words, Fubuki's words bounced around her mind.
"Actually, am I bothering you by speaking… with my words?" she asked, trying to get an excuse to back out.
There was a long pause. Too long.
Tatsumaki sat up. "Oh my god! You have to tell me to get out of your face. I don't like people who don't tell me what they think. I don't care to guess. Just tell me if it's annoying!" she ranted with a red hot scowl.
"You don't listen to people—"
"Fine. Whatever! I'll do it now but you have to return the favour of saying something of use! Like "Get OUT OF MY FACE!". So, am I bothering you by speaking?"
"Nah," he said after a moment. "But if you're tired… then go home. Shoo…"
"I don't play hard to get, I play hard to get rid of," she said, unapologetically nonchalant.
His eyebrow twitched. "I-I can tell. Eh, I'm in the game."
"Ha, ha, you… are. I chose you. When it seems impossible to hold on, hold on." Tatsumaki let a small breath of relief. "Well, the game show wants me to know stuff about you, the lamest person I know."
"Easy. Lie to them," he said simply.
"I don't wanna!"
His eyeballs nearly jumped out of his face. "Huh? You're willing to rule like a tyrant and yell like a siren but you don't lie? It's easy to lie in public."
"Can't I just be a true hero? You say kindness is also part of being strong. What about being truthful? Hn. Hypocrite." she jeered, sitting straight up.
He groaned. "You're still a sassy brat. Not to mention you have a perm. My dad gets a perm."
"You're such a guy." she rolled her eyes. "My hair is normally lightly curled, it's not a fucking perm. It's naturally suited for my heroine epithet. Tornado of Terror. People lie and say that's where my twisted personality physically manifests."
"Yeah, Zuzu," he hummed, all certain. "Checks out."
"You're not supposed to agree! Stop calling me Zuzu! It's Tornado of Terror-sama! Don't forget it." she barked.
"You shouldn't get mad at me since you frequently forget everyone else's names." Dr. Gray retorted.
"They're idiots." she eyed him warily. "You lost your privilege to call me anything but. It's like calling God dude."
"But God is a dude. Right?"
"That's not… what I meant," she sighed, face-palming. "I'll have you know, I'm the one with the burden of keeping your stupid answers. I'm the one on live television making sense of your idiocy. I'd be surprised if my brain just didn't suddenly combust—"
"I get it," he interrupted.
She smirked. "We'll be forgotten and absorbed into the earth below in a city of cement and thousands of guilts. The day turns to night and you're alone. Don't you want to know everything? It gives you superiority. The senior title."
Dr. Gray shook his head. "I don't care about the senior title. I'd work like a rookie for the rest of my life."
"Huh? Don't us seniors do all the work?" she scowled.
"Something's hardest when you start it. A rookie hasn't established themselves. They can't do much but they're still doing a lot," he supplied.
Tatsumaki was a top dog with an expression that could bite out at someone at all times. She was a top dog but wanted those below her to work hard. Getting better was always good. It would be sad if they just stagnated. But he made it seem like she, a senior, was nothing great.
"Yo… I like my superiority. Even if it's useless. It tastes good. It's my taste." She shrugged.
"Why should I care about your tastes?" he asked then drank his tea.
Yeah. He really didn't care. Tatsumaki hesitated. He wanted to kill her, huh? She just wanted to figure him out. She had so many questions. One part of her was appalled that she wanted to know but the other didn't care.
"Some questions I want to know about you," Tatsumaki started. "I… Where did you grow up? Or… how?"
He was startled at the light question then recovered. "Normal family. Normal house. I moved to City Z for job hunting when my parents cut me off. I had the zipper blues but was satisfied with cheap housing. I played video games, failed quizzes and collected manga."
Tatsumaki's body tensed. He told shit she already knew. "Okay. Let's try again. Do you leave the windows open or closed at night? Do you like City Z in the daytime or at night? Do you go to the 24-hour shops? Do you shower in the morning or night? Do you ever vote? Which chocolate do you like? What's your go-to drink?"
He blinked at her, all somnolent and noceur-like. "I can't focus. I'm hungry because you're talking about chocolate and drinks."
"Well okay, do you want a cat or a dog? Did you go to college? What's your favourite season— what's your astrological sign? Do you like social media or are you a light sleeper?"
Tatsumaki caught him in another yawn. He didn't apologize. "Baldy! What the heck?"
"I'm a bit tired now," he exclaimed like it was an excuse.
"Oh my god, if you're strong, couldn't you make your brain cells focus? I'm trying to get to know you!" she claimed, slamming her hands on the table.
"You're asking too many questions."
"Seriously?! That's how you get to know someone. I need this information." she insisted. "Just. Give. It."
"Go to a goukon and find someone else or participate in a nanpa." he offered.
"If the public sees me with someone else, they'll think I'm cheating."
He gave her a bland look. "Just lie. I don't want people knowing my information. Do any of them really care about "us" as a couple?
"You hate me. Fine. But this is my work! Yeah, it's weird and shallow and kind of makes me feel like a host but this," Tatsumaki gestured between them, "this matters to some people. We have relationships with them, through media. It matters. I know it's superficial."
"Mhm. They have too much free time." he sighed.
"Free time? What about you?! If you did jackshit in the city then you see the victim's wounded gazes steeped in 'I can't handle this'…" Tatsumaki clenched her fist. "Some heroes are shit and they use their powers to fuel their celebrity status. They're all eyesores. I'm the queen of eyesores to you but offering my information like this is kind."
He leaned forward. "How?"
"Their obsession isn't with us, it's about feeling better. They need a pause. They need someone with useless superiority. They don't think I'm the God of plagues. I am the lucky beacon of hope. I'm their lucky charm."
"You said you weren't lucky," he mumbled.
"Oh yeah, whatever." Tatsumaki thought back to the umbrella incident, grinding her teeth. "You're like giving a coin a cat."
He perked up. "What does that mean?"
"You give a gift to someone who can't appreciate it. Just like an animal who sees cashmere. They don't care or think it's great. I'm giving my precious time and attention and you're acting like this." she sighed.
Fine! Fine. I'll just lie, Tatsumaki resigned herself to that. She didn't like hurling words from high and then lying about it. She likes to do what she says she'll do. The world was too dumb to refine anyway. Any grace and compassion she sent in other people's ways never worked. This was why she stayed like this, distant because it was difficult to get pulled in or to step in when others don't want it. She didn't think she recognized when she took something too far… even with those who she tolerated. After all, with all her heart, it seems, "I tolerate you," or "I care about you," doesn't appear on her expression.
"Cats can totally appreciate gifts," he said, the words soft against the hard lines of his mouth. "Anything free is game."
###
Dr. Gray's lips were pursed, eyes half opened as he used a lazy walk to meander her way. For the first time, she's seen him do something active. Well, not really. With odd insistence from him, they walked around the Ghost Town whilst looking for a cat to give a coin to. Her coin, of course, but he had chicken in his fridge. Good chicken that he swore would lure out any cat. Tatsumaki bought three apples from Beano's store and fireworks from Hatch, the employee. She mindlessly chewed as she watched him run around, smelling like a barbecue. He smelled like beef and chicken, which she didn't eat or like.
"This is horrid. Why'd you bring me out here?" she groaned. "You know that cats are deathly afraid of monsters! Cats will be afraid of the quiet type and the distant reckless type taking on the world. They'll notice the chaos and run away." She shook her head. "This is worthless."
"Why did you buy fireworks, then?" he accused.
Beano's Store employees sell everything to the point where it was illegal and sketchy. She thought she'd give them some money but mostly, "To celebrate that I was right." she said.
"We don't know that." he chirped.
"Right."
"There you go, you understand."
Did he think she's one to throw bricks and hide her hands? Whatever, she went big or went home. Why throw bricks when she could throw the city? She can acknowledge when she's wrong. Well, now. At least— yeah, when she realized she was kind of off (not wrong in any way because she can't admit defeat to a bald motherfucker) she decided to lie. He's trying to challenge that.
"Just admit you don't care." she rolled her eyes. "Do it. I'll be right while you don't care."
He turned away, ignoring her words. "If we get onto a building, we might see more."
It was creepy near this empty park. The rusty red and copper green made her sad. Parks were meant to be played on. Kids were supposed to be here, not two idiots with no interpersonal skills. She got a lonely, abandoned sense from the creaks of the slight breeze pushing the swing set. A vague sense of tragedy loomed in the background. At the top of the side, there sat a huge teddy bear between the iron handles. It was half her size, its faded colour brought on by the weather. The teddy was big and had a dog tag hidden under a camouflage-styled bandana. Its stuffing bursting out of its broken seams. It still shielded a smaller pristinely white bear. That wasn't fair.
These two didn't need to suffer like this. No one needed to be stranded in the rain.
In the distance, Dr. Gray called out, "You ready to go? It's this way."
"I memorized the streets of City Z! You do not need to direct me." Tatsumaki crabbed back. "Why don't you read the signs?"
"Ah, you need a footstool to read the signs with directions?" he asked teasingly.
"How about you go and eat your own foot then the footstool, yeah?" Tatsumaki suggested. "Just shut up and wait. You've been waiting for your hair to grow, this is a small thing."
"Tsk." he ground his teeth. "You brat."
Tatsumaki stuck out her tongue and pulled down her eyelid. "Sucks to suck!"
Tatsumaki remembered seeing an umbrella slumping against a tree trunk like an elderly man wanting a rest. It was a dusted pink, a bit oversized but all good. Getting old with thin iron cords, Tatsumaki twisted the filaments so the umbrella shielded the teddy bear, fixed to the metal bars.
Tatsumaki adjusted the umbrella so it was just perfect. Tatsumaki got beside the slide, floating to rid the bear of dirt and other compounds. Tatsumaki redid the bow that came undone on the bigger bear while fixing his posture. He nearly fell.
"No matter how much you slouched, you hadn't fallen down, serving until the end." Tatsumaki saluted, smiling lightly. "I'm proud, soldier."
"Soldier?" Something said close to her ear.
Tatsumaki yelped, swinging blindly at the source of the voice. The moment her hand made contact, she nearly whimpered. Dr. Gray! She near jumped out of her skin! Her hand hurts. God.
"God. Don't do that," Tatsumaki growled, jumping away. He was close enough to breathe her presence. "You tryin' to break my hand?"
Her hand was fine but still, couldn't he have asked? Instead of apologizing, he looked past her. At the slide. How teddy bears were happy under the umbrella.
"Why… Why did you do that?" he questioned. Not judging, mean or rude, just curious.
"I hate the rain," Tatsumaki explained defensively. "I'd never leave my house in May but they needed to be saved, yeah? Even these two."
Dr. Gray smiled and she didn't know what to do for five seconds this time.
"Your salute was cute," he said, voice like the morning sun. Like the weeds, like the wildflowers, his voice was like the morning sun. Her face felt like a flare gun.
Tatsumaki spun away. "Let's g-go find a building, idiot bean bag." she pointed in a random direction. "That one! There are a lot of rats running by. Stray cats love that."
Out of the corner of her eye, he gave a salute to the teddy bears. She denied every smiling.
They got onto the roof of a building with four stories. Rows of monoliths and half-moons of glittering street lights looked like stars falling to earth. The geometric tall urban shadows and taffeta curtains opposed to the stumbling structures and sinking streets made her quite feel conflicted.
Standing here made her feel like the king of the world and utterly insignificant.
Everything good she used to have, it's like smoke in the air. Toxic, everywhere but not really present. Fubuki, Atlas and Tatsumaki used to talk a lot about the future. Again, the future was here but they're not. Tatsumaki sighed. Does her calm hide a storm? Was her ambition a mask? And killing the monsters in City Z was getting harder. They found out about a "green schoolgirl" that killed monsters by spinning them. First off, she wasn't a schoolgirl and the rumour mill worked for monsters, too? Second of all, she really wasn't a school girl!
Nothing ever happened. It was pretty sad.
"This Ghost Town gets boring, you bored all the time?" she asked neutrally.
"Yeah. I also get bullied, too," he said, looking at her pointedly.
"Seems tough." she snarled, teeth bared. "Real tough."
"It is," he murmured. "I think she's really—" Dr. Gray suddenly sneezed.
Tatsumaki smirked. "Oh, you thinking of me?"
"That's not how it works. It's the weather."
Dr. Gray thought fools couldn't catch colds? Idiots were lucky and lacked depth. She heard that God watched over idiots and drunks. Dr. Gray couldn't even give satisfactory answers. He averted his gaze. He did look good when smiling— no, no, no, not good. Just picturing it made her feel warm, in her face, in her nose—
There was a build-up of itchy tingles in her nostril and they both sneezed. They shared an alarmed, accusing glare.
Was he thinking of me? Tatsumaki wondered.
They looked away from the other with a huff. Tatsumaki peered up when the clouds in the sky were interrupted by one sole, huge hole. Again? Dr. Gray was fucking weird/ only gods disturb the sky.
"You sure you wanna get to know me? You might wanna know if I've eaten today..." he said with minimal eye contact. "The gameshow doesn't have to know I like seaweed, cabbage and hot pot..."
"Ha. If I skipped out on these public performances, my bosses will kill me. Or my fans would… with affection," she muttered, thinking of how tightly Matsuri — choked and gripped— hugged her.
"Why are you enjoying your increased lifespan with me?" he joked.
"Hmph. Who said I was enjoying it with you?" she scoffed.
Tatsumaki hated funerals and people always gave her flowers. What about the cemeteries, the people she hadn't saved? Don't they need flowers? It was always there— the guilt because she couldn't save them and take them to their backyard garden.
"You ever think about those you can't save?" she asked quietly.
"Always. I'll never get used to it." He leaned on the railing. "You pray often?"
Tatsumaki shook her head.
"Yeah, I don't either but some of the people who passed on did. Isn't that more satisfying... to focus on? Praying's all we could do for them." he sighed, full of grief and disenchantment. "We gotta smile more."
"They're dead. Why do we get to smile? They're dead!" she demanded.
"They lived, too. I like to leave tomorrow's issues to tomorrow's me but the dead me… I'd like a nationwide 99% off everything sale."
"You think you're gonna haunt all 26 cities after you get cremated and eat all the bananas?" she challenged.
"I wouldn't haunt them. I'd want them to be happy that I made a difference, not that I died."
Hm. Tatsumaki's never seen death like that. She still didn't but it was interesting. When they looked at City Z like this, it resembled City D. All the houses were useless.
"You know... Civilians always say 'thank you' though their houses are broken and their bruises are blue. Their house is ruined and the city collapsed." Tatsumaki said.
"People are selfish. At the end of the day, they care more about their livelihood rather than their ruined house or their collapsed city," he mumbled.
"The Hero Association offers to pay for a new one but... still," she argued.
"Ah. I wouldn't mind that. A mortgage is expensive and it takes a while to pay off a house."
Tatsumaki scowled. "Why do you live like an unemployed, frugal, twentysomething-year-old?"
"I am an unemployed, frugal, twentysomething-year-old," he said like it was obvious.
"What are you saving for?" she questioned skeptically. Please don't be weird, she begged in her mind.
"I'm responsible," he said. "At the end of the day, all the savings, discounts, deals, coupons, birthday money, Christmas money that I save won't go to dumb stuff like lawyer fees for a manga I didn't return in third grade." he finished nervously.
A smile curled her lips. "Did you?"
"That's not important." he pulled on his collar. She stared at him pointedly. "It's on my shelf," he admitted, breaking.
"Was it a good manga?"
"The best I've ever read." he nodded. "If Izuna-sensei comes looking for it, I'll be ready for the library fee."
She laughed. The saving up thing… That's the first adult thing she's heard him say. The things coming from inside him were usually hopeless. She couldn't treat him with the respect meant for kids.A book from the third grade? Tatsumaki laughed again, the act splitting her sides. He stressed about random stuff. He would get mad at the lost tax benefits when he got divorced. And his partner would leave him broke, so double loss.
Were childhood and love a coupon on lawyer fees? Now he's got her thinking about marriage. Unwitting and affected. She gasped. No, life that was the coupon!
"What are you thinking about?" he stepped back.
Tatsumaki schooled her expression into flint and stone. "Hopeless, hapless losers everywhere avoid me, all the time. So I don't worry about buying a booth at the bar and splitting the check and movie night and karaoke night. Their loss, really." she snickered. "Losers."
"Huh? You claim something and latch on. It's hard to avoid. You put people's names on bullets and chase."
"It's not a coincidence. Don't talk about me like I'm a nasty ass tick." she looked down. "And I save the citizens' asses. Well, 'thank you' is warranted but it doesn't seem like enough, I can't fix their houses. They always thank me."
"Heroes deem nothing traumatic. Big attacks happen on slow days. Real slow days." He shot her an imploring look. "Have you thanked someone for surviving?"
She didn't like being amenable but she answered his question. "I thanked Pig God for saving orphans. I got him burgers."
How could Tatsumaki thank anyone? Tatsumaki's social responsibility was to be conducive to humanity's defences against monsters. She would charge in like a war god. She did all the fighting and got all the praise. How did one thank the mundane population for surviving something extreme like monster attacks?
Besides, the real war god last Sunday was Dr. Gray. Dr. Gray who saved City D. Had he ever gotten thanked? He was a humble idiot.
Tatsumaki smiled a bit. "You're bald. Younger than me. You make fun of me. You're an unholy pain in the ass. Your 1000 good impressions hasn't begun. I want your life's insurance money, too. And you're so plain—"
"Hey! What's with this laundry list of faults?!" he protested.
"Despite your many faults, in the view of a Hero Association professional badass," Tatsumaki looked up, cutting herself off. "I say… you did somewhat well in City D. The people would thank you and give you many bananas even though you're… you."
She looked to the left, the colour on her cheeks wild and fluorescent. She was very angry to admit this. She wanted to… She wanted to taste something in her mouth, blood, her lip, anxiety. She's always having a dull time with hero work.
And he kept on eyeing her. She could tell.
"Yo, is that a 'thank you'? From you?" he questioned, mildly impressed.
"Never, bald kneecap," she snapped but couldn't reciprocate his gaze. "Ever!"
He laid off. "I expect that. For such a small girl, I'm not surprised that you're shy when it comes to compliments," he reasoned.
Tatsumaki twisted to look at him, lifting her bowed head. "Bah— What? I'm not f-fucking shy! Listen here, you little shit, I'm not shy!"
"Yeah, yeah," Dr. Gray dismissed her with a slothful wave.
"I'm gonna cRUSH you the next time you interfere with my work again. I love my work, not you. You'll never ever, ever eat my food or use my shampoo or be my kotatsu or have half of my wardrobe on your floor— WHY ARE YOU L-LAUGHING?"
His gaze zeroed in on her cheeks. "You're getting a sunburn again." he chortled.
Sunburn? Sunburn. Shut up! The sun's down! Tatsumaki's smacked his arm, pretending not to feel the sting. Her rage put her in a chokehold.
"I'm not talking big game, I'll send you to space. I'll prove you wrong," she promised. She held up a ryo. "I'll always prove you wrong."
Composing himself, he snatched the coin and dove over the ledge. He landed with the grace of an experienced gymnast. She just forgot how… strong he was.
"OI! I found the cat." he let out a triumphant whoop.
Tatsumaki floated onto the asphalt, now cracked and heated with urgency. Looking at this, she wondered how his apartment survived. Mumbling softly, she went past a couple of blocks to meet the sight of Dr. Gray, crouched behind a building corner.
"You gotta get down," he said. "Just wait. Stay here."
Tatsumaki just wanted to eat her apples and watch funny videos online, not sit here. "I don't wanna sit here." She stomped a heel.
"Sorry. I forgot your booster seat."
Tatsumaki let out a gasp of indignation. "You asshole. There isn't anything waiting for you here. Cats don't take coins and you smell like a kid's lunchbox. It won't happen."
"There was a cat. I've seen that cat way too many times. It always judged me like cats do."
"There's a lot to judge. I can't believe you didn't have a hair-raising encounter. Do you even have any hair?" she questioned.
"That's inappropriate to tell you." he hissed back.
Tatsumaki grimaced. "Don't be gross! My Bearded Worker has a beard that can keep us all safe. I bet you can't even shave." She pondered for a moment. "I've never seen you with stubble. Not even the process of the slow-growing hair. Can you even grow a beard like Bearded Worker?"
"My training schedule makes it all fall out," he confessed moodily, rubbing twitching fingers on his empty jaw.
"Bullshit. Your ancestors— no your forefathers must be disappointed." she chuckled.
He rubbed his chin, all wounded and moany. "You're mean and cold."
"Yeah, it'll be even colder when I put you six feet under." she winked. "Stop pouting like a duck. I'm happy. You're wrong, I'm right. It's not twisted like a herbivore's intestines."
"Is that right, sunburn girl Zuzu?" he tilted his head.
Looking up, realizing she's gotten bitten many times by mosquitoes and junebugs hadn't come out. For everything one gives, no one gives back. She's reckless, spiteful and oh-so guilty of something she couldn't name.
"Oh yeah, I wasted my time. Don't answer my questions. They matter not." Tatsumaki looked away. "If your intention is for me to leave you alone, do it all the way. And I don't want to be the shit that trails behind a goldfish when it's constipated. You know, a waist bag."
"You…"
"I'll walk you home," Tatsumaki said. "You don't have a beard that could shield you. And I have stuff to pick up at your place. There are better things to taste. I'll leave you be, you're obviously tired of being forced."
He gave her a blank look. Dr. Gray suddenly sped off and she had half the mind to close her eyes. It was too dusty to play those games. He returned mere minutes later. The bulges in his pockets were gone. The coin, too.
"Was what that all about?" she demanded.
"I saw a cat. I left the tomcat beef and chicken. It actually does like coins." he shrugged.
Would he lie about that? Purposely, for her? No one would do anything for her. Not even him. Tatsumaki eyed him. He's too apathetic to work with.
Even though the moment passed her by, she didn't look away. "You probably salted the meat wrong. Shame," she said, tone sour. "You probably pocketed the money."
"I don't need it. Cats get greedy, yeah," he said, passing her by to walk down the melancholy streets.
It was all quiet. Even the shadows listened to him and his words.
Say I need a booster seat, be annoying, make fun of me. Know you'd make fun of me and make my mood sour, she thought. Dr. Gray wasn't impressive nor did he look good. At this angle, he was still plain and bothersome. But he kept up and sort of was willing to talk to her after everything she's done.
"Why are you pulling such a dissatisfied face for?" he questioned.
"You're really lame. Did it scratch you? Was it gray?" she asked.
"I'm not sure." he shrugged. "But I ate rice with wakame today," he announced.
Tatsumaki looked in the other direction. "What does that matt—"
"I also ate natto beans, Oyakodon without eggs and I stole some persimmons from a park near a preschool. I also ate miso soup and the ginger wasn't good with it. You wanna get to know me, you might wanna know if I've eaten today?" he said.
She actually did want to know. Sort of. And he gave the cat the coin (probably not). Was he making an attempt at... being with her? He was casual with it, too, standing under that streetlight. So, she ignored her suspicions and brushed off the good feelings.
She gave him a lily-sweet but mocking smile. "You are the rice alone with wakame bits. No side dishes? You don't know but I'm secretly judging you. Looking at you stupidly."
"Right back at ya, sunburns take a while to recover from." he winked.
Tch. Loser. She growled.
"C'mon. Hurry up those pegs— I mean legs." he corrected himself.
"Yeah. Genetics led me here. Genetics made you bald and stupid." she spat. "Dr. Gray," Tatsumaki called out. You're sort of forgiven. She was about to say it but he looked too dumb and she didn't feel like being honest.
"So now you decide to use my "name", huh," he noted.
"Whatever," Tatsumaki hurried over to him so they walked beside each other. "Don't ever take me to that persimmon tree. I'm not your partner in crime." she tsked.
"You don't like persimmons? Fresh ones are good. Sometimes I go hunting for stuff I can't find in stores."
"Hunting... like an old man?"
"Yeah but not like an old man. I doubt old men could move, let alone hunt."
"Oh-kay." Tatsumaki blinked. "Huh. That came out of the left field."
"It's in the range of common sense." he countered.
"Genetics really fucked you over, huh," Tatsumaki commented in awe. "Don't go hunting. You don't even have a beard. Plus you hunt when you can't find your preferred groceries. You looking for long-lost diseases?"
"I can't get sick. Plus, you'd scare all the animals if you came with me."
"Ha. I scare you so I think that's true."
"Oi! Don't call me an animal!"
"Act a little less perfect and I'll believe it," she told him.
They got quiet, the gravel crunching beneath their feet. She finished her last apple and the whole world was quiet, the stars' light lending a pretty glow. Ghost Town was their room for common ground. The cracked windows, dirty asphalt, rotting boards and doors hanging on threads didn't bother them. Well, her.
The ambience of walking down the street in barely functioning lights and smooth concrete was strange. She felt like drinking Suntory peach-flavoured beer or having the mouth melting Nama chocolate.
"I actually like coins. If I am that animal," he said, looking forward.
"Oh." Tatsumaki nodded. "If you are that animal, then okay. I have a lot of coins."
"And I am the head of the animal, not the tail," he assured.
"Sure." Tatsumaki laughed.
And they bickered halfway towards his house. He just realized then that her hair wasn't always curled. Idiot. She went to a hotel after that, too bothered by the mosquitoes and noises he'd make. He didn't even compliment her!
She will continue speaking to him, even if he doesn't like her. She needs to know why she can't lift him.
Yeah, he'd make fun of her and make her mood so sour but a sugar melt coated her mouth when she got back to a hotel. It was too late and mosquitoes were everywhere. She needed the rest, yeah. She ended up dreaming about the woods and hunting yellow lemons with a cat.
###
-End Chapter-
A/N- Ovidae here. Heyo. This is my fav chapter so far, aside from Yugen (You again?). Now we get to the second episode, the Tatsumaki version. I much like this chapter. The misunderstandings are great. -Cue the heaven music. Now I get to fuck shit up! Woohoo! All the mistakes are mine. I will be editing.
Vocab/Notes
*Bento boys are men who prepare their own bento and have the cultural connotation of being ready in terms of marriageability.
*Goukon is a small singles get together. 2-3 friends meet up with another 2-3 people and go to have drinks, to meet new people or a potential partner.
*Nanpa is talking to strangers on the street and inviting them for dinner/drinks.
That's why Tatsumaki didn't want to be seen talking to other men at goukon or nanpa. City A would tear her to shreds. Hahaha.