Gran Torino and The Wolverine: p.7
Spider-Man, Captain Britain, and all associated characters, are property of Marvel. My Hero Academia and all related characters are property of Kohei Horikoshi
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Gran stomped to his next meeting with Logan, clutching the three arrows Logan used to relay the location in his hands. The ninja thing was cute, but now it was getting out of hand. Honestly, who the hell used a bow and arrow in this day and age?
Their meet-up was a demolition site in Minato—a parking garage heavily damaged from a Villain attack, close to midnight. Logan would be at the top of the structure. Gran wondered if the property had already been bought up for something else, or if the structure was just going to be remade from the ground up. Either way, construction and real estate was booming. If he wasn't already so deep in Hero business, he might have started his own construction company for a piece of that pie.
When the parking garage came into sight, something out of the corner of his eye caught his attention. He turned for a better look, frowning as he took in the dilapidated shrine built inside a wall. It was overrun with weeds, cobwebs, and bits of rubble. The cobwebs and weeds were expected—no one cared for shrine maintenance anymore. But the rubble? That was just rude.
Gran eyed the parking garage in the distance, then turned back to the shrine…He could spare a few minutes. He put the arrows in his back pocket, and lifted his feet the blast away the dust and cobwebs clinging to the shrine—he was glad he paid the extra money to have all his shoes specially made to accommodate his Quirk. Made his life so much easier.
With the dust and cobwebs floating off into the air, he crouched down and started cleaning up the rest of the mess.
As he was cleaning, his mind flashed back to his childhood, when he'd help clean up the shrines in his neighborhood every weekend. He wasn't particularly spiritual or anything, even now that he knew that Yokai and other spirits were real, he just thought that you should respect the original care that went into making the things.
He heard heavy footsteps coming in from his left. He took a quick peek, and upon seeing it was just Logan, returned to his task.
Logan stood over Gran's shoulder, staring down at him. Eventually, his friend said, "Is this place special to you?"
"Not particularly."
Logan gestured to the shrine. "Then…why?"
Gran shrugged, brushing some cobwebs off the main part of the shrine. The statue to whatever spirit it venerated was worn down with time, but Gran just wanted to pretty the place up, not restore it. "My ancestors spent years of their lives maintaining shrines like this. Just because people don't agree with the Yokai doesn't mean we should spit in the face of their devotion."
Logan chuckled, leaning against the wall next to the shrine. "How sweet of you."
Gran ignored the teasing tone in his voice. Instead, he paused his cleaning to take out the folder of information he had for Logan. "It's getting harder to dig these guys up," he said.
"Oh?" Logan tucked the folder in his waistline. "Really digging underground, huh?
"Well actually almost everyone involved in Mariko's murder's now dead."
Logan grunted. "Really?" Gran paused, looking up at him with a cocked brow. "Hey, until we started this little relationship, I wasn't really planning things out. Just seeking out the dozens upon dozens of scents I remember from the wedding."
"And that worked?" Gran huffed. "What am I saying, I know damn well how good that nose of yours is."
"Yeah." Logan's lips curled into a smug smirk. He tapped the side of his nose. "This thing's saved my life more times than I—!" Logan froze, nostrils twitching, eyes widening to dinnerplate proportions.
"Logan?" Gran shot up to his feet, whirling around. "Talk to me, what's happening?" The street was deserted, the streetlights flickering as insects crowded around them. "Pros? Yakuza?" He spared another glance at Logan. His face was pinched in disbelief, and he muttered something about…forgetting the date?
"Dammit man!" Gran growled, taking a deep breath and hovering a few feet in the air. "What's going on?"
"Run." Logan finally said.
Gran stalled in the air. "What?"
Logan grabbed Gran's arm, pulling him behind him. "Get out of here. Now." There was a nervous tremor in Logan's voice, something Gran didn't think was possible. "Don't fight me on this!" Logan snarled before Gran could reply. "Please just—!" Logan stilled once more, before sharply turning his head to the side.
Seconds later, a low, whistling tune filtered into Gran's ears. Some sort of song that Gran was sure he'd heard at least once. He followed the sound, and a figure, a man, approached under one of the flickering lights.
The first thing that came to mind was that this mystery man was huge, his muscles bulging beneath his shirt and jeans. He was as big as Toshinori—no, maybe even bigger—with so much hair on his head and face that it looked like a lion's mane. The man stopped whistling, lips spreading into a wide smile. His teeth—fangs—gleamed in the light. And his eyes…Gran had come across a lot of people in his time, come to know all sorts of people. And he could tell from the mad, bloodthirsty gleam of this guy's eyes that he was an animal wearing human skin.
"Happy Birthday, Logan," the man said in absolutely immaculate Japanese. Not even a hint of a foreign accent.
"Victor." Logan's growl was harsher, and openly scornful. "Been a while."
"Yes, too long." The now-named Victor raised a hand to scratch his chin. His nails—following the animal-thing he had going on—looked like claws. But they shone like they were made of metal. The same metal as Logan's claws.
"Logan," Gran whispered. "Who is this guy?"
"No one you need to concern yourself with." Logan spat. "And I told you to go!"
"Yes, leave." Victor dismissively waved a hand at Gran. "This is a private matter—you could almost call it familial. Ah." He placed his hand over his heart. "I heard about your dearly departed wife. Such a terrible shame." His lips curled into a wide, mocking smile. "I had such a wonderful gift planned for the two of you." He held his hand out, clenching it into a fist. "Her beating heart, plucked fresh from her chest."
SNKT
Logan's claws popped out in the blink of an eye, and with a harsh, guttural roar, he charged at Victor. Victor responded in kind, running on all fours to meet Logan.
Gran let loose a groan, rocketing forward. He dove between Logan and Victor just before they clashed. Both men stared down at him in confusion. Gran braced himself on the ground, planting his feet on Victor's chest. He forced as much air out of his feet as possible, the blast rattling his bones as Victor was thrown down the street, crashing headfirst through a wall.
Logan goggled at Gran. Gran slapped Logan—and bit back as curse as his palm struck metal. "What the fuck are you doing?! You can't afford to brawl with some asshole in the middle of the street!"
Logan returned to his senses, face twisting into a snarl. "Victor isn't just 'some asshole'! He's…personal. Like All for One is to you."
Cold shivers ran down Gran's spine. "You're kidding."
"Well, maybe not to the same scale."
A series of harsh snarls followed by shattering concrete diverted their attention back to Victor. He burst out of the ruined wall, running his lips over his fangs as he stalked forward. "Found yourself another hanger-on, eh Logan? Suppose I can just give you his heart instead!"
Logan settled into a crouch; eyes locked in a fierce glare at Victor. "I guess you're not planning on leaving, huh?"
Gran eyed the parking structure just a bit away. "Not unless you plan on following me."
Logan snorted. "Fine, you stubborn idiot. Fair warning, Victor's got pretty much the exact same powers I do. Including the metal skeleton and super-healing."
Gran managed to keep his shoulders from sagging. "On top of literally being as big as the two of us put together?"
"Yup. You can still run away. I won't hold it against you."
"Yeah, but I would," Gran said with a sigh. Even if Logan wasn't at any real risk of dying, he wouldn't just leave him alone to fight a monster in human flesh. Couldn't. Not after Nana.
In his next breath, he shot up in the air, angling towards the demolition site. Logan and Victor roared at each other once more, but Gran didn't pay it any mind, landing at the base of the parking structure. He turned on the generator, nodding as the lights hanging off the walls came to life.
He flew into the structure, following the path upwards. He made note of the piles of broken rebar and concrete on each floor—thank god they hadn't cleaned up yet. Gran made it to the top of the structure, perching on the edge towards where he left Logan. The sound of their grew louder by the second. They darted in-and-out of the lights on the street, Logan slowly but surely, leading Victor towards the structure.
Gran grabbed two pieces of broken rebar, tossing them in his hands. Someone out there had to have heard Logan and Victor by now. Gran's only goal right now was holding out long enough for the cops and other Pros to get here. It'd be chaos, but the more people on their side the better.
Finally, Logan and Victor were at the base of the structure. Their clothes were torn, bloody messes. A small river of blood followed the two, and terrifyingly enough, it looked like more was coming from Logan than Victor.
Victor snarled, pouncing at Logan. Logan roared in turn, standing his ground. Victor sank one hand in Logan's neck, the other deep in his right side, as Logan stabbed his claws through Victor's torso.
Gran took a deep breath, leaping off the structure and rocketing to the ground. Victor jolted, jerking his head up. Just in time to see Gran stab two pieces of rebar through his calves.
Victor let Logan go, head tilted up as he howled in pain. Logan tore his claws out of Victor's torso—pulling out bits of organs in the process—and followed Gran as he flew inside the structure.
"Heard a couple shrieks while me and Victor were gutting each other," Logan said. He leapt onto a pillar, using his claws to climb to the higher floors. "Thinking we got ten, twenty minutes to take Victor down."
"Don't you mean 'till we get help?"
Logan shook his head, face twisted into a grave frown. "Unless someone that can control metal, has access to adamantium or carbonadium, or can atomize you with a look, Victor'll tear through them like paper." Gran wanted to ask what the hell ada- and carb-whatever were but kept quiet when Victor's rage-fueled roar echoed through the parking structure.
Gran and Logan exchanged determined glares, Logan leaping off the column and disappearing into the structure, Gran flying out and around it. He grabbed a large chunk of concrete and a piece of rebar on his way out, keeping an ear out for Victor.
He heard him and Logan again, on the second floor. He found them, Victor raising Logan over his head, arms trapped to his side, poised to slam him headfirst into the ground.
Gran shot forward like a bullet, shoving the rebar through Victor's gut and crushing the concrete against his face. The attack gave Logan enough space to break free from Victor's grip and slash at his face. He tore deep gouges in Victor's flesh, but not as deep as Gran would have thought. In fact, his claws pretty much stopped at Victor's skull, which, as Logan said, was metal. It even sparked a bit as Logan's claws swiped against his chin.
Victor lurched backward, swinging his clawed hands wildly and he gained distance. But Gran and Logan had already disappeared before Victor took even three steps.
They did this three more times, Logan keeping Victor in place, Gran flying by and distracting Victor with some rebar or concrete, and then Logan dealing an otherwise fatal blow on Victor before they both vanished to try again.
But all good things had to come to an end.
On their fourth pass, Gran flew in from Victor's back, two pieces of rebar primed to stab through his legs. But then Logan shouted something, and quick as a flash Victor turned on his heel, hurling Logan at Gran.
Gran tried to dodge, but Logan still slammed full force into his left arm. Gran let out a pained gasp at the impact, his bones easily breaking under his friend's metal skeleton. Thankfully, he didn't land on his broken arm, but his back did slam against a concrete pillar.
He saw Logan rise to his feet, only for Victor to come rushing in, grabbing Logan by his head and slamming him into the ground. Victor then stabbed several pieces of rebar through Logan's body and limbs, pinning him to the ground. Victor stomped on Logan's head, lips spread into a fierce grin as he leaned down and snarled, "Stings, doesn't it, runt?"
Gran sucked in a breath through his teeth, rising to his knees. He wasn't stupid, he had to get out of here. Logan, obviously, would live. But Gran didn't stand a chance in hell against Victor on his own. It sucked, leaving Logan to suffer a madman's sadistic desires, but he didn't have any other choice.
But just as Gran felt air flowing through the soles of his feet, Victor was on him, his large hand clamped around his neck. "Oh no, no, no." Victor chuckled. "You're not getting away." He held up his right hands, claws shining in the light. "I still haven't given Logan his birthday gift!"
"F-Fuck you!" Gran choked out, futilely trying to pry Victor's grip loose.
"Hm?" Victor tilted his head to the side, lips curled into a mocking smile. "Sorry, couldn't hear you. Want to try again?"
"I said—" Gran let his hand fall to his back pocket "—Fuck you!" Quick as a flash, Gran grabbed two of the arrows in his pocket, jamming them both into Victor's left ear.
Victor howled in pain, dropping Gran and clutching at the arrows. Gran grabbed the last arrow, aiming for Victor's crotch. But the beast of a man kicked his leg out, slamming Gran into the pillar once more and knocking out whatever fight he had left in him.
Victor violently tore the arrows out of ears, and Gran got a gruesome, close-up look at how his flesh knit itself back together amid the blood and dangling skin and cartilage. "Got a lot of fight in you, don't ya?" Victor snarled. Quick as a flash, he shot his hand forward, claws easily piercing Gran's chest. Gran couldn't even gasp in pain. Victor easily tore through his sternum, and pierced at least one lung.
Victor leaned close, his hot breath sending shivers down Gran's spine. "You know, the human body can survive a surprisingly long time without the heart—assuming it's pulled out cleanly enough. I think I'll make you watch as I force-feed yours down Logan's throat!" Victor laughed cruelly, repositioning his arm ever-so-slightly to bring his threat to reality.
Against his wishes, Gran started to cry. This was really it; he was going to die. He'd failed. He let Nana down. And Toshinori, god, Toshinori. He'd be devastated. And he knew the boy, he'd swear vengeance on Victor, want him dead along with All for One. Toshinori would be consumed by vengeance, the only thing Gran would leave him.
Beep Beep…Beep Beep…Beep Beep
Victor frowned when a series of beeps sounded from his neck. He reached into his completely ruined shirt, pulling out some sort of necklace. "Oh, damn it! It's tomorrow. And it was just getting good." Victor roughly removed his hand from Gran's chest, letting him fall to the ground.
Victor didn't spare Gran a second glance as he turned to Logan, who was frantically pulling his body through the rebar pinning him to the ground. "See you next year, runt!" Victor said before leisurely walking away.
Gran tried to follow Victor, but the man quickly found his way into some shadows. No wait, those weren't shadows, it was his own vision, growing darker. Shit, he was dying.
"GRAGH!" Logan roared, pushing himself into the air, bits of his flesh and organs still impaled through the rebar. His wounds healing over made for an absolutely disgusting sight as he stumbled over to Gran.
Logan turned Gran over, holding his left hand in his own. "Hold on buddy, you're gonna be fine."
Gran could have scoffed. He wouldn't. Still, even if Gran hated himself for dying, he could at least say that he did so in defense of a friend. He didn't run away like he had with Nana…Nana…Toshinori!
"Logan," Gran gasped. "Listen."
"No, no." Logan darted his head to the side. "Save your strength. I'll cobble something together and—"
"My kid," Gran cut his friend off. "My kid he's…he needs…"
"Don't tell me about him!" Logan screamed. "I don't need to know about him, cause you're gonna be there for him, you hear me? You're gonna…" Logan trailed off, reality finally sinking in.
Gran managed a shaky smile. "His…His name is Yagi…Yagi Toshinori. He's gonna…gonna be the greatest Hero to…ever live. But he needs…Needs help." He just always thought he'd be the one giving it.
Gran's vision was really fading away now. He couldn't even feel his wounds anymore. But he could still feel Logan's hand gripping his own. Well, at least he wasn't dying alone—hell, he had an actual friend by his side!
"…'s there?!"
Gran felt Logan's grip tighten, but his voice was so far away.
"…k…ou?"
"…nd…ve...fe." Gran frowned—at least, he tried to—at this new voice. Did Victor come back?
Suddenly, Logan let go of Gran's hand, and he wasn't ashamed to admit that he missed it. But then he felt something on what he assumed to be his face. It was…prying it open? A little late for mouth-to-mouth.
Gran heard something else—like air being forced through a thin tube—and felt something go down his throat. It was pretty big, and soft. Some sort of pill to make his death faster? Might as well have just stabbed him through the—!
"Gah!" Gran shot up as an enormous well of energy burst to life inside him. His vision returned in splotches, but he quickly regained focus. Logan was to his right staring at him in no small amount of relief and bewilderment. And to his left was…a cat?
"Oh good," the cat said in a deep, gravelly voice Gran had only heard come out of the worst kind of smokers. "Was worried I was too late."
Gran's first thought was that he'd died and was in some weird sort of afterlife. His second thought was much more grounded. "You're a Nekomata?"
"Yup." The Yokai replied.
"Connected to that shrine I fixed up?"
"Yup."
Gran smacked his lips. The inside of his mouth felt slimy and rough at the same time. "What the hell—"
"You don't wanna know," the Yokai cut him off with a smile.
"…Fine." Gran shrugged. "But…why heal me?" Gran looked down at his chest, patting it down. There weren't even any scars. "Fixing up your shrine wouldn't have been enough to practically bring me back from the dead."
"Maybe not for the average human," the Nekomata admitted. "But you're Gran Torino. You've done a lot for my kind."
Gran stared down at his hands. A lot? Yeah right. "I didn't do much," he said.
The cat shrugged. "Still more than the average human, at least. Enough to get this old cat off his ass." The Yokai tilted its head to the side. "…You two better leave. Police will be here any minute." It stretched, letting out a low meow. "Enjoy life, Gran Torino." It spun on its heel, darting for the shadow of a pillar, sinking into it.
Gran stared down at his chest once more, patting it down. He thumped hard against his sternum, wincing at the impact. Nope, not dreaming.
Logan laughed at his side. He clapped a heavy hand on Gran's shoulder. "And I thought I left this magic shit behind in the States!" He helped Gran to his feet. "C'mon, let's get out of here. You good to fly?"
Gran took a deep breath, only to cough. "No."
Logan clicked his tongue, leading Gran forward. "Alright, stick close. I'll get you out of here."
"Seriously though"—Gran coughed once more—"what the hell did the Nekomata give me?"
"You don't wanna know." Logan held a hand up before Gran could start speaking. "I'm serious. I wish I didn't know, and because we're friends, I'm gonna do you a big favor, and not tell you. Ever. Now shut up and follow."
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Logan found a quiet stretch of dock on the waterfront. The seawater was murky, but it cleaned the blood off them well enough. Logan's clothes were unsalvageable, but at least he had enough of his pants left to cover his ass.
They sat down on the edge of the pier, legs swinging above the water. Gran took a deep breath of sea air. He could feel the carbon dioxide flow from his lungs down to his feet, little puffs of air bursting out from his soles.
To his left, Logan held up his right hand, clenched into a fist towards him. "Well, welcome to the 'I should be dead but was revived by some random bullshit' club."
Gran chuckled, fist bumping his friend. "You got jackets?"
"Nah." Logan stared out at the sea. "Just trauma."
"Fun." Gran lay down at the pier, staring up at the stars. "…Logan. About Tosh—"
"I thought I told you," his friend said, not looking away from the sea. "I don't need to hear about him, cause you're gonna be there for him."
Gran stared at his friend, lips curling into a soft smile. "Thanks, Logan." Logan just shrugged, leaning back on his arms and taking a deep breath. Gran stared back up at the night sky. He had a lot of questions, but right now, he was fine with just relaxing, a good friend at his side.
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A/N: Sabretooth is an unrepentant dick. That's the bare bones of his character and I am all for it.