Author Notes: IMPORTANT!!!! BEFORE anything else. I've had a few comments/replies/reviews ask if this story is connected or tied to my other fanfic "Forever, With You".
The short answer: Yes.
But these two stories are also different, that's as much as I can say without spoiling both stories...
And while on the topic of my other fanfic... "Forever, With You" chapter 2 is being written as I type this! Unfortunately, I cannot give a date on which it'll be released. The reason I'm giving dates for "Peace" is because the story is complete and finished. "Forever, With You" will take time to complete.
I don't have any other updates other than March 12th (03/12/2024) is the release date for Chapter 4!
Tell me what you think of this chapter! I love reading your comments/reviews and I try to respond to all that I can!
Enough rambling, please enjoy!
Saitama x Tatsumaki
Peace
- Chapter 3 -
Please, Stay
City A: July 28, 2023 – 7:52 AM
He woke up first.
It was the crack of dawn; the sun was just setting in – he could see it through the window and in all its beauty. It was warm, wholesome, and cozy. It made him relax, although he knew it wouldn't be a good idea since he'd just laze about.
But he didn't get much sleep.
He groaned slightly when he felt Rover's tongue lick his face. He tended to do that sometimes. He didn't hate it... he just didn't like having to clean himself afterwards, too much of a hassle.
He scratched and petted Rover's chin, leaning into his touch and wagging his tail in excitement.
The weird monkey with the white face was still sound asleep. It was probably best he didn't wake him up, he was annoying.
He strolled to the kitchen in the hopes there was any food in the fridge. He doubted Genos would mind if he rummaged through his fridge.
He had a massive, big ol' steak, more than likely for Rover. Had some chicken (for the afternoon). Rice and some eggs.
Man... he knew that Genos was rich, like, really rich... or extremely well off.
The idea of him taking on his habits because he, himself, refused to look for a job for three years is depressing. It's super helpful. And it's a trait that Genos is good at. He's giving him the idea that living like a bum makes you 'enlightened'.
But his friend needs to become more independent of him. It's the reason why he's not currently his roommate in his new apartment (and also because it's legitimately too small for the both of them).
No... he was just an extremely bad teacher, and very bad with his finances.
Even now, he still tippytoed about teaching Genos. And his own wealth of course. And yep, very in the red.
He shook his head. He would pay back his disciple (at a later time, and in some way). It was the least he could do for all the things he's done for him. Also since he was rummaging through his stuff to eat and not use up his own (limited) supply.
Oh, right.
The shorty, Tatsumaki.
He thought for a long while...
'She's still hurt,' he thought. She didn't have any visible open wounds, but she was pale (at least, paler than usual). And he didn't know if she could–
He groaned.
'She literally can't cook,' he sighed. He just recalled that – she told him about it.
And that means if she tries to cook in his kitchen, she might blow it up...
...
'Eh, whatever.' He smiled. He was still going to cook for her regardless. She was still hurt, and his mom taught him to be respectful to guests, even if they were terrible company, like many people he knew, not all the time of course.
Her not knowing how to cook was just an added precaution to get her out of his kitchen.
Something caught his eye. At the very back of the fridge.
GASP!
'Oh my god...' he was astonished, shocked, amazed!
'Bacon!' he was so ecstatic!
'I could kiss you right now Genos!' Platonically of course. And in a friendly manner, lest it be super weird.
And it was enough for him and the shorty!
All trepidation washed away; life is good!
He exited Genos' apartment with a smile, right after he gave Rover that large premium meat, and separated a bit for the other one.
~
She yawned, but it came out more like a mewl than anything.
She slept soundly. And the futon was extremely soft and cozy. It had a foreign smell, but she didn't hate it. She took one deep whiff and exhaled contently.
Then her eyes opened wide.
It almost felt like a nightmare or a really twisted dream. Like some sick twisted visions of torture and serenity that she went through.
A man-turned-monster tried to kill her for the shortcomings and his vendetta. He fought her over circumstances she had no power over.
And the connection she built with a bald man... who was just as stoic and nonresponsive as she was.
She had faced off against someone in a death battle. A schemer who spent six years of his life preparing himself to fight her. He had almost killed her too. And in so, she had to face demons that she had been pushing into the deepest part of her mind.
Death stared directly into her eyes, and she won, barely, however.
Then out came the baldest of all men she knew. He came to her of his own volition. Because he was worried.
He confirmed to her that he was confident she could have handled it. Despite that, he sought her out and scooped her up and aided her from having to deal with a terrible situation... and then proceeded to treat her like his wife.
That made her face turn scarlet.
The way he spoke to her, with a hint of softness and understanding. Yet he also didn't shy away when he needed to. Putting his foot down when something needed to go a certain way.
The way he caressed her hair. He was careful when doing so. She had prolonged it by constantly asking questions and turning around to check his expressions... even when she had a mirror that allowed her to see.
But he never complained... not necessarily. It was always her that brought it up first. He was patient with her and answered her truthfully and without deceit.
It was the first time she had ever had a heart-to-heart with anyone. It was an overwhelming feeling.
They talked for hours; it was about 10 PM when she entered his house and started washing her hair. So they talked for over two hours, and that wasn't including the conversation they had, while he was running towards his apartment. She couldn't even remember what they even spoke about, all of it was just a blur.
Yet, with him, she shared so much.
Something that she had bottled up for close to eighteen years of her life. And when she couldn't contain it, he held her in his arms. He told her his past, it wasn't much – but he shared it nonetheless. And when she shared hers as well (as much as she could reasonably tell), he listened and empathized.
She cried in his arms, and he comforted her.
There was a sense of dread that overcame her at this very moment.
It all felt surreal. Too good to be true. She has never been, this at pea-
'Tatsumaki.'
The voice of Hermes returned to her mind.
The phantom man appeared in her mind, coated in grotesque veins.
'You will never find peace.'
She cringed at the memory and tried to silence it.
It was then that she realized that she wasn't home. And that memory could only be real if she had to battle someone in mortal combat.
That also means that...
She jolted herself up from the futon, cursing herself as she felt her body ache terribly.
When she finally steeled herself... She looked down and noticed she was still wearing the Baldy's god-awful 'Oppai' jacket.
She blushed hard but for two different reasons.
The most obvious one is that she was donning such a terrible fashion design, and it was legitimately insulting to her.
The other was that everything that transpired that night was real.
'Carry me?' her voice soft, she saw him visibly react to her, and it made her heart soar.
She blushed again and shook her head. She wished she hadn't done that, because now she had a headache.
She was still far from better. She tested her powers... she felt them, but they were still faint. It was more than enough to deal with a Demon-level threat. Anything even slightly above would be too much.
Maybe by the end of the day, they would return to her. But right now, she was just as weak as half the S-Class. And that notion was terrible for her.
She heard a small ruckus from the kitchen, and her heart skipped a beat. Unsure whether or not she should take a peak and look.
Curiosity got the best of her, and she moved her head to see Saitama cooking.
Her eyes widened when he quickly turned to her as if he knew he was being stared at. Too fast for her to turn away, she was unsure what to do.
Until he smiled.
"Morning Tats.
'C'mon Tats,' he pleaded.
She tried to hide the grin that crept up her face, and she tried. But it was no use.
She stood up, slowly, and trotted her way towards him. He gave her a confused look but otherwise said nothing.
She stepped into the kitchen – he had a few things out. With two frying pans, he was cooking rice, it seemed almost ready. The eggs were still uncracked.
"Eggs with rice again?" she quirked an eyebrow.
"Yep," he said in his monotonous voice, slowly moving around the rice in the pan.
She stared, not even bothering to ask if he needed help. She would just ruin it.
Still. "Why the rice first?"
"Hmm?" he looked at her, "Oh, it's because it's faster to cook and easier to manage. Actually," he lowered the heat to where it was almost just a small wave of blue flames. "I think it's about done – just gonna let it heat up just a bit more." He moved to grab a bowl and grabbed an egg.
Until he took notice of her. She had been staring at his movements, and she looked up to him when he stopped. She looked away.
He kept staring at her for a few more seconds.
His dumb stare was starting to annoy her, and she could feel her temper rising. "What?"
He didn't reply for a few seconds.
"Want to help?"
Her eyes widened. She stared into his amber eyes. He meant it, inviting. Soft, and with that grin – it was unfair for her to say no.
But she couldn't cook. Eighteen years and she still couldn't.
"I... I can't." she ignored the fact that she stuttered. But it was true. She stared directly at the floor, not wanting to meet his gaze.
Admitting to failures was not something she was used to. She loathed it.
"Heh," she heard his soft laugh. And her initial refusal turned to her looking directly at him. He smiled at her, again – with such inviting soft amber eyes. His smile made her feel anxious, though a welcomed one.
"Everyone can learn with the right practice." he looked off. Staring at his window, the beautiful golden sun was visible. A beautiful sight. "If someone like me knows how – then anyone can." It was a self-deprecating joke.
But he didn't have, or at least didn't show any hint of depressive undertones... then again – he seemed to talk monotonously.
Though... it did seem like it showed a little more than a toneless voice.
"Want me to teach you?"
Her eyes widened.
He snickered.
"You're just like a cat," he mused. He flashed her a smirk.
She shook her shock and pouted at him. She hit his hip. Though it hurt her more than it did him.
"What do you mean by that!?" she growled.
He rolled his eyes, "C'mon," he ushered. "Lemme teach you how to cook. Don't wanna burn the rice."
"No..." she looked away, "It's fine, I'll just ruin."
"Nope!" he said.
He handed her the bowl and the eggs. "Know how to scramble them?"
She stared into his eyes.
Insistent.
It wasn't a command. He wasn't telling her to do it. She could just stay in place and he'd be forced to do it on his own so the rice wouldn't burn.
But...
She grabbed the bowl and pouted. "Yes of course."
He smiled, and she looked away.
She cracked all four eggs into the bowl. She then grabbed a fork and started to mix it.
Saitama looked in her direction and frowned slightly.
"No, Tats. That's now how you do it."
She sneered. "I know how to do it!"
"Sure, I mean – the way you're doing it does mix it." He started. "Actually," he paused. "Let me."
"Tch, asshole." She stepped away, this was a terrible idea. Now she was getting heated. Stupid ass baldy! Why ask her to help if he was going to do it himself!?
Until she felt him behind her.
Her whole body turned scarlet. And froze up.
He moved her back into the bowl. Grabbing both her hands with his own.
"Let me guide you." He said as he leaned in, his head on her shoulders. Her brain short-circuited another time.
He waited for her to get out of her funk. Her breaths were labored now that he was close. He was unaffected.
Did he not know what he was doing?! She gave him a side-eye to see his reaction. No, he probably didn't even know what he was doing. He was incredibly dense, just like Fubuki said.
She turned her head to see his. Her blush rose in heat at how close he was.
Their lips were a few centimeters away from locking in.
She quickly turned back to the bowl and eggs, knowing that whatever could happen – she'd rather not have to deal with it.
"So," he started. "The way you do it is by twisting your right hand, your right-handed right?" he asked.
She wanted to look back, but she knew where her lips would be. "I'm ambidextrous," she admitted.
"Oh? Is that your surname? That's pretty cool," he noted. However, that didn't answer his question.
"No, stupid!" She wanted to laugh, but her blushing face hurt her too much. "It means both my hands are the dominant ones!"
"Ah... okay, so with your right," she rolled her eyes but otherwise listened, he shifted her right hand. "You twist it like this." Then he started to move her hand. "And whisk like this." He then picked up the pace. "See? Easy."
He let her go, and she continued to mix the eggs in the way he showed her.
...
It did feel easier. And she was doing it faster than she'd done for years.
...
Hmph!
She begrudgingly had to give it to him.
When she was done scrambling the eggs. She gently handed him the bowl.
He shook his head.
"What now?" her eyes narrowed.
"You're gonna cook the eggs," he smiled.
She faltered. "No, I'm going to ruin it." She looked to her right.
"You're almost done," he reassured. "Don't worry, I can step in if it's burning up okay?" he leaned forward so she could see his face. He gave her a reassuring nod.
It was hard to say no to him while he was snuggling so close to her.
He was not getting away with this. She just wasn't sure how she was going to work around this little prank of his.
He let go of her, and she internally let out a sigh of relief.
He placed a couple of bacon strips into the pan without any butter, oil... or anything.
"You forgot the butter... or oil." She tried to correct him.
He shook his head.
"Mom taught me that bacon has lots of fat deposits. And it has water inside it too... and with heat..." he paused as he motioned her to watch the bacon sizzle a bit and expel what seemed to be oil. "It produces its own oil!" When he said that with such glee, she turned to see him grin widely.
She smiled. It was like watching a kid get gifted a toy on Christmas, or when a kid goes to eat out at his favorite restaurant.
She turned her head back to the pan, not wanting to meet his gaze.
"So what now?"
He hummed, "Wait until the bacon expels all its oil." He said as he turned to turn the heat for the rice off. "We get the bacon out of the way to cook the eggs."
"You're doing the eggs." She said.
"Hmmm... Nope!" he said so cheery, the last word with an audible 'pop.' "You're almost at the finish line, don't give up now," he said so nonchalantly.
She wanted to sneer but also found herself smiling. "Fine Baldy." She huffed. "And for the record," she smacked him with her hand. "I NEVER give up! Got that?!"
He smiled at her frown, "Ay, that you do."
Her displeasure washed away, and she found herself smiling. She disguised it with a haughty huff and looked back at the pan. Occasionally moving around the bacon.
She was starting to get nervous, at this point it would've burned by now right?
"It's almost done, just needs a few more seconds." He grabbed a separate plate and a plastic tong. He lifted the bacon and placed it on the plate. He then looked at her, "alright, pour the eggs onto the pan." He handed her a large spoon.
She hesitated, but she did so.
The eggs bubbled and she started to panic.
He got behind her again and joined his hands with hers. "Here, I'll make things easier."
His touch was warm. The anxious feeling that she felt, in her hands and her chest, faded. She let him guide her.
"See the edges of the pan?" he asked, and she took notice. "You see the egg forming no?" she nodded. "Alright, we're gonna lift it. And the cooked parts we set in the middle, so we can get the rest of the egg cooked nice and well."
She did as he suggested. "Let's lift the pan a bit."
"Why?" she looked up.
"The heat will overcook the egg if we're not careful," he explained. "We gotta be in control of what we're cooking, lest it gets burned."
She nodded, and she allowed herself to be guided again. He set the pan on the stove. And he would gesture for her to lift certain sections of the egg.
She repeated the process a few more times.
"Do you think it's ready?" he asked.
She looked at her scrambled egg. It was a bit golden – but she didn't know... was it a no?
"Yes?" she doubted herself.
"Yep, you're right! Finished."
He flicked the stove off, and the fire died.
She stared at the pan for a good second.
"Congratulations!" he flashed her a toothy grin.
She heard him. And she was still in disbelief.
She managed to cook without burning anything.
She did the bacon (with his help). She learned the Baldy's 'secret' life hack using bacon.
She cooked eggs and bacon. She learned how to whisk and move it. Learned to lift the pan if she felt like it was heating up fast. She learned to control the tempo. And it was thanks to him.
The first time that something didn't burn on her.
"I..." her voice trailed off. "I cooked a meal." It was almost too good to be true.
"Yep," he responded. He ruffled her hair softly. She subconsciously leaned into the touch. "That you did." He grabbed another plate and served the two of them.
She felt her breath become more erratic.
All her life, she had never been able to properly prepare a meal.
Memories of her stealing from the school cafeteria. She had to rely on thievery to survive alone with Fubuki.
Her terrible job as a barista barely paid her enough to rent out an apartment. She hated the cramped spaces. And the shame that came when her younger sister knew how to cook better than her. There was no greater shame than having to rely on your younger sibling.
It pained her as a kid, and it pained her as an adult.
Then.
Out came this Baldy.
He came back because he wanted to eat with her.
He could've just stayed in the Demon Cyborg's apartment and cooked there.
But no, he decided to join her for breakfast.
And he gave her another helping hand, in teaching her how to do the one thing she could never manage to do.
She could have never reached out to anyone for advice on cooking. She was too prideful, and she didn't trust a soul.
She knew she'd never learn if she didn't ask for help, but asking for help was beneath her.
He just straight-up showed her. And by the time she realized it now, the meal was done.
He asked for nothing in return, he guided her on how to do it on her own.
But even with a few nudges. He made sure that she was the one in control, that she was the one that was cooking.
And she succeeded.
"Hey Tats, the food's gonna get cold." He called out.
She turned to him, with misty eyes and a beautiful smile.
Haah?
He saw it. And once again, he was left breathless.
The sun that was rising was reflecting light onto her hair, it glimmered and detailed every lock of her hair. The tufts, the curls, the twists. He marveled all of it, and it rested to the half-moon curls on her forehead.
Her emerald eyes were really pretty and shined like stars.
And when her smile turned into a small grin.
An unknown feeling pulsed in his soul.
"Thank you," she said sincerely.
He let out another sigh, and he felt himself gulp.
"Uh..." he was left speechless. "Yeah, no problem." His face felt pretty heated. Was he getting sick? "Let's eat."
She nodded. "Yeah."
~
Breakfast was uneventful.
And it was delicious.
She'd never eaten bacon before. And combined with the egg and rice. It made her mouth water.
It was all the more exciting when she was the one who cooked the eggs and bacon, with the egghead guiding her.
Sure, he heated the rice. But in the few moments they conversed, he said that he had no doubt she could cook it right.
That made her heart soar.
It was still weird, to be praised for things she was not naturally attuned to. People praised her for her power, her abilities, and when she saved them.
He complimented her on things that she never took much notice of.
She can't overstate how ecstatic she is at properly cooking for the first time! She's never such giddiness while eating! It felt like the first time trying your favorite dish.
And she finally let out a content sigh. For what it was, it was a normal breakfast – she'd never tried bacon, but she knew it was fairly common. She liked it, though it wouldn't be something she'd continuously add to her eggs.
But to her, for this instance, because it was her that made it: it was the best dish she'd ever eaten.
A cough from him jolted her out of her thoughts.
He stood up and grabbed both their plates, and she stopped him. Grabbing him by his wrist.
She stared deep into his eyes. He stared back. His eyebrows quirked up.
"I'm cleaning the dishes." Her eyes narrowed.
It wasn't a suggestion, but rather a command.
He stared at her for a few moments before nodding. "Okay," she let go of his wrist. "I'm gonna take a shower," he said. "Genos didn't have any soap or body wash..."
Her face scrunched up. "Gross."
"He's a robot cyborg," he defended. "It's not like he needs to take showers."
She guessed that was true, but still, she rolled her eyes.
"Yeah, go... do that," she waved him off. At least he didn't smell bad, he was practically snug behind her in the kitchen.
...
She let out a massive sigh, she felt her cheeks become radioactive. She should have worded that better in her head.
"Hmm? You okay?" His voice surprised her, she didn't even need to turn around to know what face he'd make. She nonetheless did. Quirked eyebrow, confused expression.
"Yep Badly, go shower – you stink," she said with a smirk.
She watched him grumble and walk into the bathroom with a few articles of clothing and a towel.
She watched him close the door. She grabbed the plates and turned. She slightly winced at the turn.
She was still hurt, but she could manage cleaning the dishes. There was no way she would mope around and do nothing. The last thing she wanted him to tell her was that she was a bum for not helping out.
She didn't need to, and it wasn't her obligation. She'd be leaving, after all. She'd make sure of that – and her pride would not allow her to be coddled up. Yesterday was an exception. And it was something that would never be repeated.
She stopped. Letting the faucet run, water hitting the sink.
Fubuki had told her that she had been obsessing over the Baldy – Saitama... for weeks now.
And now that she finally had the chance to meet him again... she felt an icy and warm feeling course through her body. It was a foreign feeling, and she didn't know how to take it in.
She was confused because of these two differing feelings...
Terrified her.
She didn't know anymore if this 'second test' was worth it anymore.
What he had done for her today warmed her heart.
That scared her.
How can this stupid man make her feel like this? He made it look so easy! She's never flirted with anyone in her life. But she knew what flirting was or what it looked like. People of all kinds wanted to be around her, wanted to know her, be with her.
She even got a letter from some random calling her a Goddess and professed his love to her. Reading that letter made her skin crawl, but that was beside the point.
The poor, the middle class, the rich, heroes. The opposite sex, same sex. Everyone. She wasn't immune to romance, she just didn't care about it.
If she wanted to be with someone, she would have dated during her middle or high school years. Hell, when she became an adult she could've dated anyone she wanted.
But she didn't.
No one understood her, and she couldn't let anyone try.
But with this egghead dumbass...
She knew what this feeling was, she wasn't stupid.
Maybe it took eight hours of sleep for her to catch up to reality, but the revelation was extremely obvious.
It was...
She shook her head. 'No... No, I don't!'
She repeated in her mind. She repeated that as many times as she needed.
Maybe if she kept repeating that in her mind she'd believe it.
But it felt like her mind rejected that notion.
He confused her. He made her feel things that she's never felt before, to anyone.
But again, she wasn't stupid, oblivious, or blind.
She just didn't want to say it.
She breathed again, taking in the air.
She decided this was the last time she'd see him.
Whatever just happened, yesterday, and today... cannot be repeated.
She didn't trust him... no... it was more like she didn't trust herself around him.
Was that too harsh? Yes, yes, it was. But it was for the best. For both of them.
...
He was too good for someone like her.
Plus, she didn't even know if he felt the same way. She could ask now and say he's not interested. And it'd be the end of that.
But... Did she want that...?
Her mind was wandering to things she had no control over. A bubbling feeling was rising in her stomach. She didn't know what it was but it was upsetting. So she decided to distract herself.
When she finished washing and drying the dishes. She reached for his phone on the counter. She pattered to the bathroom door and knocked. "Hey! I'm gonna borrow your phone and make a call! Password?" she yelled loud enough.
She pressed her ears onto the door.
"1997!" he yelled back.
"Okay!" she responded and pressed the numbers on the screen. Once open, she noticed that he had the default wallpaper. He either was too lazy to change it or he had no creativity.
She opened up the phone app and fired off one of the HA's office workers. The personal number of the assistant, she couldn't remember her name.
The phone rang and kept ringing. Sent to voice mail.
She 'tsked,' in response and tried again.
The phone rang and rang. Didn't respond.
She was getting annoyed now.
Again, the phone rang... Caller responded.
'Hello?' the voice sounded miffed.
"It's me, Tatsumaki." She huffed.
She heard the caller stammer, 'Miss Tornado! I didn't know this was you! What um – seems to be the occasion? And why–'
"Cut the chitchat," she interrupted. "You saw the news last night. Everyone did." She didn't, but a massive subdivision getting wiped from the map and a nuke mushroom cloud the size of two mountains stacked on top of each other was impossible to miss.
She heard the caller gulp, 'Yes. We tried contacting you but–'
"My house was destroyed, along with my phone, and you couldn't find me," she listed off. Waving her hands in a hurry. "Yeah, yeah. I don't care. The monster was dealt with. It was a Dragon-level threat. I'm fine. Get Metal Knight to restore my home." She paused. "And get me a restock on my hero attire. With heels."
'Is there anything else?' the young girl's voice was hesitant.
She thought for a moment.
"Yes, make sure he finishes by today. I don't care if I pay extra, dock it from my upcoming check." She paused. "And renew my black card. It got destroyed too."
The young girl on the call hummed in confirmation. 'Um,' the HA assistant started. 'Is the threat completely neutralized Miss Tornado?'
She was about to reprimand the worker for insinuating she didn't finish the job, but she didn't – she stopped herself in time.
Because the threat wasn't fully over.
City Q. 'An underground sector, near area code 55-A,' she repeated, and gold tinted windows.
"No, the threats are not over. Not yet."
She could feel the girl's eyes bug out through her end. "Potential evil organization, akin to that of the Monster Association..." she paused, "maybe." She tapped the left side of her hip. "Have that passed to Stich."
The assistant was silent for a long while. 'Do you want me to set up a meeting with all the S-Class heroes?' she asked.
"Absolutely not!" she commanded. "There is no hostage, no anything to hold me back!" she gritted her teeth. "The heroes will just get in my way like the last time! I will deal with this myself, you got that!?"
She heard the girl stutter on the line.
"Forward that to Stich," she bridge the edges of her nose together. She was already getting frustrated. "Tell him that there's a threat looming. But I'M going to resolve it alone! Understood!?"
The girl let out a sigh, 'understood.' Tatsumaki rolled her eyes and ended the call.
All she had to do now was wait.
...
An anxious feeling in her stomach arose. And she didn't know why. She knew what she was going to do, and planned to do. She intended to raid Tsukuyomi and end them once and for all.
Then it'll all be over.
Finally.
The psychological and physical torture had ended long ago, yet their evils never stopped. She didn't know how they were still active. She figured Blast had dealt with them permanently. But of course, that wasn't the case.
She could end it, once and for all. No one had to be tortured anymore. No one had to undergo experiments, no one would live in fear of their reach, of what they could do. No one had to worry ever again.
He was still alive. And more than likely controlling things. She'd kill him, and...
Everything will be at pea–
'Tatsumaki.'
She cringed. 'No!'
'You will never find peace.'
She clutched her head and massaged it. The phantom image of Hermes' covered in veiny flesh appeared in her head, even with her eyes closed. She tried hard to shut the memories down, but nothing came of it. The battle she had with Hermes, and his words continued to haunt her.
His words had gotten to her. Maybe it was his way of screwing up her mind. Toying with her psyche.
She had robbed him of his opportunity to take down Tsukuyomi.
And each, and every one of them would pay.
Down to the last–
Her thoughts were interrupted when the Baldy came out of the bathroom clean and skippy. He let out a content sigh.
She hadn't noticed it until now, but the room somehow had become brighter. And it wasn't the egghead's head this time. The light wasn't shining on it.
As if she had been surrounded by curtains, unveiled, seeing him her vision brightened.
She subconsciously twirled a locket of her hair and bridged it behind her ear.
"Hey," he called. "Who were you on the phone with?" he extended his arm.
She reached in and handed him his phone.
"Hero Association," she murmured. "I tasked them to rebuild my home."
"Hmm..." he raised an eyebrow. "Anything else? I could kinda hear yelling."
She huffed haughtily, "None of your concern, egghead."
He furrowed his brow. "If you say so." He stepped closer and waved his hand at her slightly. Signaling her to let him pass.
She did, and she managed to catch a whiff of his scent.
Lavender and teakwood?
Typical, generic, simple. Men...
And all the while, she was drawn to it.
Who cares if it's simple if it smells nice?
"So," his voice surprised her. Knocking her out of her thoughts. "I'm thinking of making chicken with rice – I know rice, I know. But, with chicken chopped as the main course." He added that so matter-of-factly. "And add some sweet chili sauce," he turned to her. His eyes gazed at her confusedly, tilting his head. "Something wrong?"
She didn't respond immediately, but she shook her head in response.
"No, it's just," she paused to think of a way to express herself. How could she tell him she wasn't joining him? Why was this so hard?
"Don't like chicken?" He lowered his head.
"What?" she looked at him perplexed, "No." she took a moment to think things thoroughly.
"Ah good... had me worried, that's all I got for now." He chuckled. She did as well, nervously.
Around him, she felt weird. Not a bad kind, or creepy feeling. And she had an inkling she knew what she felt.
She couldn't do that to herself, and him by extension. She had never thought about such closeness in her entire life. Hell, her entire life she had shunned away the thought period. An example had to be made for Fubuki, they only needed each other. And it had always been the case, as kids, to know as adults and heroes to the people.
But around him, and in just a single day... she started to doubt.
His touch...
When he had gripped her wrist, his hands were rough. But when he head patted her, all she could feel was the softness of his touch. His fingers caressing her hair with tender care. And loathed as she might, she ended up leaning into his hand. He had caught her doing that at least once, and just the thought alone was absolutely embarrassing.
She could tell what this feeling was, and the more she thought about it. The more her mind entertained the idea. It became as clear as glass.
She liked him, romantically. Attracted to him.
And it was absolutely stupid.
L...L... The L-word, at first sight? The sparks of passion? Soulmates?
Preposterous.
So what if he saved her from near death, from ridicule? Cared for her while hurt...? Or treating her with kindness.... Their talks, his understanding, empathy...
She shook her head. None of it meant anything if she never saw him again.
None of this meant anything if he didn't reciprocate. Could he l...love? Fubuki told her he's mute to most emotions.
She knew she was the most desirable woman on the planet. It came directly with her status as a celebrity and the undisputed strongest woman. And potentially the strongest person, not counting Blast.
But even as early as their first meeting in the Hero Association where he confused her for a kid.
She shut her eyes. 'Heh,' she couldn't help but chuckle. 'Asshole.'
He was a hero with value, a good man. Sure he was an asshole, not perfect, bald. But he was strong, and he held values that she couldn't deny were attractive to her.
She was right, he was too good for someone like her.
Who could l...love - the monster of Tsukuyomi?
And even if he did... Did he deserve to shoulder that burden?
"You okay? Did I say something funny?" his voice rang in her ears, it soothed her.
Her eyes slowly lid themselves halfway, the orange sun rays finally lighting up his small apartment.
It contrasted well with the gorgeous glimmer her eyes displayed.
And in return, the amber fire in his dull eyes rose. An inferno of passion, hoping for the fire to consume everything.
Visages of their old passion rung true. Images of them, nonetheless, completely open for each other to see.
He couldn't look away.
She couldn't either.
And if they could, they didn't want to.
He took the first step forward. He looked like he was on autopilot. It was faint, but his palms were sweating and shaking slightly. His face betrayed everything. The normally dull and expressionless bald man had intrigue and worry riddled all over his face.
Her face was flushed, and her heart was beating at a rapid pace. Her palms were starting to sweat, and a spike in pressure could be felt traveling through her arms and hands.
He took another step forward and started to lean down.
His face was dangerously close to hers.
And try as she might, even though she had fought herself the entire morning that she'd never see him again. That he was better off without her, that he deserved better. That he shouldn't be burdened with a faulty tool like her.
She closed her eyes and puckered her lips.
-FLICK-
Out of the sensations she could've felt. The last thing she would've expected was a stinging pain on her forehead.
"Ow!" she clutched her head with her hands.
"Sorry about that, you were starting to worry me." He said as he scratched his chin. He shared with her an uncomfortable laugh, an unnatural laugh. "You just stood there, looking at me for like fifteen seconds – and then when you laughed I got really worried." He looked away, "I thought you might have gone crazy."
"Crazy!?" she growled. Even if she couldn't use much of her powers, but... "I'll show you fucking crazy!" She reached for the first thing she could throw at him.
It was a lamp.
"Oi! No! Don't start breaking things in my house!"
But his cries went unheard, with her telekinetic powers she threw the lamp at him at a fast speed.
He grabbed it right before it could land on his head.
His face was then hit with the wet towel he used to clean himself. He almost dropped the lamp due to the knockback, but he righted himself before it could drop.
He pulled the towel out of his face and was met with a frying pan. The pan comically denting it entirely in the shape of his face.
He reached to grab it, but it floated out of his grasp. He had a confused expression as it levitated above him and struck the top of his head.
He had trouble grabbing it, as every time he tried, Tatsumaki would pull it away, just so she could lower it and strike him with it again. Every time he barely missed the pan.
The pan struck his head ten more times before he had enough.
In a quick burst of speed: he let go of the lamp and grabbed the pan. All while catching the lamp he just let go of... before it started descending.
He had a big frown on his face, as he was once again with a wet towel.
He would have stayed mad if he hadn't heard Tatsumaki laughing hysterically.
Though high-pitched, there was a sweetness in her voice that made him stop to hear. When they first met, and even during their fight she thought her voice was shrilly and annoying.
Hearing her laugh felt different, he'd heard it a few times yesterday... and every time he stopped to listen.
He had managed to hear the real her a few times. She guarded herself well, but stuff like this was impossible to hide.
Her tone was not filled with anger or distrust, the real her, presumably – sounded really cute.
And her laugh was infectious, he couldn't help but laugh as well. Even if he was the butt of the joke at the moment.
The feeling of delight filled him, and he found himself gasping for air. It didn't hurt, but it was a feeling he was unfamiliar with.
A feeling...
Feeling...
Being with Genos, Bang, and King has been doing wonders for himself.
Genos was his best friend; he wasn't obtuse enough to admit that. In the three or four months he'd known him, he had made him care deeply about him.
Bang was a good fellow. He had wisdom he shared, very respectful and patient with pretty much everyone. He had also given him his gratitude for helping save some guy named Garou... couldn't recall exactly who he was at the moment.
King was also a good friend. Yeah, he was a bit smug with how he played, and he could swear he was cheating at times... but he was also great. He had bonded with him over video games and shared his perspective on life as a civilian. It was humbling knowing him.
But they all wanted or needed something from him.
Bang was desperate to teach him his martial arts. And even though right now he's busy doing something with his students. It was annoying that every time they met it was an invitation or a challenge to train under him. Learning Martial Arts looked cool, but it otherwise would sorta make him stronger? He didn't need that; he was plenty strong as he was, unfortunately. But he was good, just eccentric in his wants. He won't say he's missing the old man's pestering, but he would find it odd if he suddenly stopped asking.
King needed his protection.
He held his title, his wealth, fame, glory, everything. But he could not match the perception the world has of him.
He was glad he was bettering himself, wanting to get stronger. But he still wanted to maintain his position in the S-Class... he was still deceiving the world. He understood it, he was comfortable with the pay, and the mostly added safety, and he enjoyed the respect his peers gave him.
It was odd... he didn't know what he'd do if their roles were reversed.
If he was the weak one and King was the strong one. His mind told him that he would have given up his title and given it back to King... it was his gifts and strength after all, he was just reaping the benefits of it.
But he legitimately didn't know – maybe he'd do the same thing King was doing. But in the end, he'd never know what it'd be like in his shoes. It sounded stupid in his mind... and it probably was. But it wasn't like he was interested in all the glory, he'd probably grow to hate it, to be honest.
King was the symbol the world needed, he couldn't and wouldn't cry about it. What's done is done – and his friend was bettering himself to be the symbol the world expects him to be.
Genos wanted to get stronger no matter what the cost was. His need for revenge is blinding him of his growth, and he doesn't know how to tackle that issue at all. He was afraid he would become a stereotypical edgy shonen protagonist (or was it a rival?) where they get so hellbent on revenge they lose sight of themselves... only this was real life, and nothing ever gets done as planned.
Revenge would ruin Genos, but he didn't think he could get through to him. He certainly couldn't last time.
He hoped that by making Genos more independent of him, it would give him a way to clear his mind. But he remains stuck to him. He was glad that right now he was probably with his doctor, but it would probably just be another power boost that he felt he was undeserved of.
And honestly, it was also hard to get Genos away from him. Life was just easier and enjoyable around him. It was more fun. He sometimes played video games with Genos, although just like with King he would lose... and it also annoyed him when he did win. Because he knew that Genos was going easy on him and throwing games on purpose.
But it was fun, he was enjoying himself... not all the time, but it was more than what could have ever imagined.
And as much as he respected all of them, they were all flawed. They all needed something from him. Wanted something for their own closure.
He knew that she was looking for him for over two weeks. He hadn't been actively avoiding her, but he wasn't thrilled about meeting with her either. He sorta just expected something similar to Genos and he really wasn't feeling it.
He thought she wanted something from him... everyone did.
When he went to go look for her, he was legitimately worried. That much devastation was something he'd expect from only himself. And seeing her on the ground, victorious, yet hurt. He did what he thought was the right thing to do.
What he didn't expect was to get along with her so well.
But if she wanted something from him... He hoped she didn't want or need something from him...
But he needed to know.
"Hey," his voice had command to it. "Why have you been looking for me these past few weeks? Is it just to 'test' me?"
She looked at him weirdly, "what other reason would I?"
Saitama didn't respond, he closed his eyes. "Why did you want to test me?"
She gazed towards the ceiling, deep in thought. "I wanted to see."
"See what?" he pressed.
"If my perception of you was real, or if you were a fraud."
His eyes quivered upwards. As if waiting for her to further explain.
"I don't think it's necessary anymore." She explained. "I wanted to see if what I saw was true." She paused. "You inserted yourself into a problem that wasn't yours and you fought for my sister's right to freedom..." another pause, "even when you weren't friends with her."
"You did that just to stop me from hurting her group right?"
"... yeah." He admitted.
She analyzed his facial expression but found it pointless with how unemotive he was. She continued, "Our fight..." she trailed off, heat rising to her cheeks. "you showed me something there that I fully grasped initially... and I needed to know if you were legit. That's why I kept looking for you. You know that right?"
She didn't see his reaction, but she knew he nodded.
She turned to him, with a determined expression. "And you are. You're the real deal."
Haah?
He lost his breath again, and this time he was left speechless.
He wasn't sure what he was feeling, but there was a heat that was rising. An unknown sensation was bubbling in his stomach, and his chest felt tight.
His palms were sweating, and he felt like his breathing became harder to control.
He didn't know what this was.
"Um..." he looked away from her, not trusting himself. "Thank you... I wasn't expecting that. Honestly." He started to scratch his head.
She smiled.
But her smile dropped when he took a peek at her again and noticed his worried face. Her face showed confusion, with her right eyebrow quirking upwards.
"Your nose is bleeding."
She raised her right hand to her face and touched her nose. She felt a hot wet liquid meet her fingers. And she looked down to see her palm.
Blood.
And she felt nauseous and light-headed.
She wasn't sure if she would have fallen or stumbled, but somehow he was already next to her. With his left hand wrapped around her hip and a napkin in the other. He had that in hand? Or-
"Here," he handed.
Her face was red, with his hand wrapped around her... and how close his face was to hers – her mind was going haywire.
She accepted the napkin and tested her footing. She was firm and balanced and didn't need him to hold her.
She didn't reject it, however.
His touch was warm, and she felt at ease with him holding her. Much like when he held her close to his chest. She liked this.
She wiped away the blood on her nose. And while she felt warm having him hold her, she was heating up dangerously and placed her unoccupied hand on his chest. "I'm fine, thank you."
He nodded and stepped back. "Was that because you used your psychic powers?"
She huffed and nodded, "I overdid it alright?" she looked away. "Don't worry about it."
He was silent, but his worried expression was still there.
She cupped his face with her hands, his cheeks were soft.
And her hands were soft on his face. He let out a deep sigh, "Okay." He said.
It was silent for the both of them, his worry was heartwarming. She tried her best to fight off the heat, but being around him weakened her resolve.
Her heart was fighting her mind, and she didn't know which side she was on.
"So..." he called, she gave him her attention. "Wanna help me cook chicken for dinner?"
Her eyes widened. But softened and gave him a soft smile.
"Sure." She broke her promise to never see him again after this... 'But...' she defended...
She had time.
~
City A: July 28, 2023 – 3:12 PM
The morning was just as heartfelt as yesterday. With heavy feelings and confused emotions. For her, she was battling with the idea of being enamored with this bald man. The L-word, was not how she would describe this tension they had... but 'liking,' was definitely closer to what she felt... or maybe she was still in shock from her death battle. And this was her way of coping with things.
"Okay... so you cut the chicken into pieces, like this," Saitama motioned his hands in a cutting manner. He didn't have a second knife, so he was 'holding' an imaginary one. While she was tasked with actually cutting the chicken.
"Like this?" she questioned, her hands fidgeted.
"Yep! You got it," he grinned. She grinned back and continued to cut, her motions becoming much faster, confident.
She had noticed how much he had smiled, grinned, and laughed. They talked for a long while.
It was mostly nonsense, and she had honestly forgotten a lot of what they were talking about... Oh! She recalled one of the few things! Something about how Bees shouldn't be able to fly but they still do so because they're awesome... the actual answer was much more in-depth than his explanation. But how he said it legitimately made her laugh loudly.
Some other useless facts as well, she input that it's impossible to breathe and swallow at the same time.
And seeing the baldy try it was honestly the funniest thing she'd ever seen him try. He somehow managed to make his dopey uninteresting face even dumber.
Another dumb fact is that only like five percent of the world could type their names with their phones upside down. Naturally, she nailed it. He didn't of course.
This went on for another four to five hours of talking. Little bits and pieces of fun facts and topics that just passed the time for both.
It was refreshing, alleviating, and nice. She enjoyed it.
"You let the eggs boil for about ten minutes," he said as placed them in a boiling pot. He then opened his fridge and pulled out napa cabbage. "Hey," he called. "This kind of looks like you!"
"What!?" she shrilled. "At least I have hair! Unlike you," she then pointed towards the pot. "Well, you like these eggs!"
"Pfft– Hahaha!" he laughed loudly.
Hearing him laugh like that made her heart soar, the genuine lively emotion she saw him express had her wanting to see it again. She laughed along with him, not to poke fun at him but to laugh alongside him.
Just like her own heart fluttered every time she boasted and laughed. She hadn't done so in such a long time, it almost felt alien to her. But with him, cracking jokes and roasting one another – sure it sometimes got annoying, but she was genuinely having fun.
And what surprised her, was how casual and comfortable she felt. She's only known him for at most, a day.
Being around him scared her, but she wasn't afraid of him. He made her feel anxious and made her palms sweat.
He was a thrill that she wanted to keep experiencing... and that very notion scared her.
"Okay, okay," he tried to calm his laughter. "I'll cut the cabbage. The rice is cooking." He hummed. "How much time it says is left for the eggs?" he asked, she tapped his phone (which he handed to her in case she got a call from HQ).
"Eight minutes... Seven."
"Right," he said as he grabbed a half-cut tomato and a few slices of onion. "Oh boy," he sighed. "The last thing on my fridge."
He still had popcorn... like four bags left.
She mused, "Running low?"
"Yeah... gotta wait three more days till payday I suppose." He visibly deflated.
"... You know," she started, though when their gazes met, she was the first to break eye contact. "I could buy you some groceries..." she huffed. "It's the least I can do for all the hospitality."
She turned when she saw movement, he was waving her off. "No need Tats, I'm completely fine."
"What?" visibly perplexed. "You just said you're out! You're not fine!"
He stared at her dumbly. Before she could retort, he responded. "What kind of hero would I be if I couldn't solve my own problems?"
Ah...
There it was again, the wisdom that appears when least expected. She gazed deep into his amber eyes, and this time – he was the one who looked away.
"I appreciate the helping hand." He walked towards her and ruffled her hair, "I mean it."
She inadvertently leaned into his touch. And smacked his hand away, though softly.
"Whatever Baldy..." she huffed.
His smile grew wider, and she didn't know why.
"Funny, like a cat."
Her eyes gazed at him with a sharpened glint, "what do you mean by that?"
"You purr when you're touched, you know?" he gave her a smirk.
Her eyes bugged out in shock. And her first instinct was to punch his chest as hard as she could.
"You didn't say anything when you were caressing my hair, you creep!" her face was scarlet red and she kept uselessly punching his chest.
"Hey! I'm no creep!" he defended. "It's not my fault you do that. Jeez..." he frowned. 'Shouldn't have brought it up.'
She huffed and hit him one final time before returning to the food. "Stupid egghead!"
"Green goblin..."
She felt a comical vein bulge in her temple. She grabbed the pot from the handle. "I will hurl this boiling water at you with these eggs if you say that again!"
The prospect of losing food struck fear into the heart of the strongest man. Saitama backed down.
"Hmph! That's what I thought!" she turned and set the pot back on the stove.
Regardless of what just transpired, she couldn't help but grin widely.
And he shared the same sentiment.
A minute passed before Saitama called to her, "Okay Tats. Do you want me to cook the chicken or would you rather I teach you how?"
She paused, unsure of her answer.
She'd been doing fine. But granted, she'd been doing simple stuff. Cutting chicken, separating rice, and hard-boiling eggs.
This time she'd be cooking, and not just assisting with side dishes. This would be the main course.
But she didn't have time to fully answer, as the Baldy once again got behind her and guided her to the pan that had tomato, onion, and pieces of cabbage all mixed.
He handed her the cutting board that had the sliced pieces of chicken lying there. He nodded at her, and she let the chicken fall into the pan.
It immediately started to sizzle, and she panicked.
Thankfully, she was reminded that Saitama was behind her and guided her hands. His hands on top of hers, he had made her lift the frying pan away from the stove.
Just like how he had suggested it with the eggs so they wouldn't stick to the pan.
"Just like before," his voice was soft and soothing. "You got this Tats."
She gulped but otherwise nodded. His voice echoed in her ears, calming her down.
Minutes passed, and she noticed it started to sport a golden color. She turned to Saitama, and he simply nodded with a thumbs up.
She sighed; she was doing fine.
She swirled and spun the chicken a couple of times. She heard Saitama's phone ring, the alarm for the eggs. He turned the knob to the other direction and the flame died out. He grabbed the pot and dumped the water into the sink, washing his hands in the process as well.
She watched him slowly peel away the shell with tender care.
She shook her head and returned to her task.
A few more minutes passed, and she noticed that the chicken was now a full golden color. Not wanting to mess things up, she switched the knob over and the flames from the stove died out. She let out a sigh of relief.
She watched everything in there simmering. And when Saitama finally turned to her.
"Nice job Tats!" he congratulated. "Didn't even need my help that time, you got it."
She huffed haughtily but couldn't wipe away the gorgeous smile she had.
Everything else was already finished. The eggs, the chicken, and the rice. The sliced tomatoes, onions, and cabbage.
She felt elevated. Her second dish was made. All she had to do was taste-test it.
He grabbed two plates and served them equally. Setting the plates onto his little table. They both sat cross-legged.
Saitama pulled out a small bottle. 'Sweet Chili,' she read.
"Now to make all of this come to life!" he grinned. He poured the sauce straight into the chicken and rice. Then he handed her the bottle.
She took it, though unsure if she should. Saitama took a single bite, and she watched him melt. "Oh man," he paused to savor the taste. "Amazing, sweet and spicy. With hints of salt. Yep," he grinned. "Thank you Tats."
Her cheeks went full-blown pink, unable to handle that much praise. She knew it was owed to him as well. She was a blushing mess and it made her heart beat faster.
This was entirely alien to her, and she was unable to coherently give him a response. Just a jumbled mess of words that ultimately sounded like nothing. She found herself inadvertently swooning.
"Thank you... you helped as well."
He hummed but grinned, "I guess. But most of it was all you, be proud of that at least."
She felt if she heard another of his praise she would spontaneously combust. So she calmed herself and poured the sauce on her food the same way he did. And tried it.
And yes, she melted as well.
He was right.
The sweet with salt, the spice with the texture of rice and cabbage. The tomato melted in her mouth while the onion provided a crunchy texture. The rice turned sweet, combined with the egg and chicken.
Absolute perfection.
She had never tasted something so delicious in her life. No five-star restaurant could ever compete.
What she made today, with his help... made her tear up in joy.
"Soo good!" she mewled, unable to contain it anymore.
"Yep," he agreed.
They ate in silence, with smiles on their faces. With a bit of cheeky jokes here and there, and wholesome laughter followed after.
~
Saitama sighed contently as he finished up his dinner. It was good, by far the best he's eaten. The only thing that has ever come close was the first time he ever had hotpot... with his family.
And the last time too.
He shook his head and tossed the thought aside, no need to be wallow. The food was great, and the company as well.
He'd take back anything bad he's ever said about the esper. She was great company (when she wasn't angry).
It just reminded him of simpler times, of better times... and he couldn't help but compare them.
His mouth watered the moment the sweet combination of chicken and rice dipped in sweet chili, with the soft and rough texture of tomatoes and onions respectively was out of this world.
It was a shame such a dish was much more expensive than a hotpot... and two people seemed to be the max you can serve unless you buy more ingredients. 'So yeah, more expensive than a hotpot.'
But he was satisfied, maybe because he wasn't the one who did it? He helped... But she technically cooked it.
He turned around to see Tatsumaki cleaning the dishes. She volunteered to do so. He would've done it, but she refused to be 'pampered as a guest,' her words.
He was alright with that, so he relented.
His eyes were drawn to her hair, the tufts, and curls. Her hair was honestly captivating to see. Even when he first met her on the tower when the alien invasion struck, it was the first thing he took notice of... the second was her small stature.
With every odd movement she made; the curls would bounce lightly on her head. The soft bouncy motions had his full attention drawn. And it was hard to look away.
But when he found the will to do so, he was drawn to her eyes.
There had always been a hostile fierceness that he wasn't fond of. That look of absolute hatred and disgust bothered him deeply. It reminded him of his years as a kid, being bullied and tossed around.
And when he tried to fight back, they just hit harder. He never backed down, but those fierce gazes had haunted him as a kid, he feared getting punched... but he refused to be walked all over (even when that was always the result).
He thought... if giving her his attention and placing his interest in her was all it took for her to return such... pretty...? Expressions?
After their fight, the face she made of adoration was seemingly stuck in his head. Along with the commercial that he saw.
He snickered. He'll bring that up later in the day.
And throughout the entire night he was catering to her, she never gave him another one of those fierce disdainful looks.
Her eyes, when half-lid made his heart skip a beat.
And an unknown fire was wishing to be set ablaze.
He wasn't fully sure what any of that meant. But it was the best way he could describe what he was feeling.
He just... was okay with this.
This felt good, at peac–
*Vrrrrr* *Vrrrrr*
He grabbed his phone from his pocket, his finger had clicked on the 'call' button before he could check who it was, he simply lifted his phone up to his ear.
"He–"
'Miss Tatsumaki,' a woman answered. 'I wanted to let you know that Metal Knight has completed the reconstruction of your home.' There was a delighted tone to the woman, she continued, 'Your sister also tried to contact you, but she couldn't reach you.'
Ah, that was probably his fault. His phone was on vibrate. Didn't like the ringtone and couldn't be bothered to change it.
'In addition, we didn't tell her anything about the new potential threat you told us about.'
... What?
Was this something he was supposed to hear? Should he say anything–
'Just like you said, I talked to Stich and told him you wanted to keep this secret... and that you wanted to take down this new threat on your own. Oh, and we restocked your wardrobe with not only your hero dress but other clothes. And other necessities.'
...
'Hello?' the woman called.
Saitama simply walked towards Tatsumaki who was still cleaning and handed her the phone.
"A call from the Hero Association."
He saw her eyes widen.
And he could hear and feel the horror that enveloped the woman over the phone.
Tatsumaki dried her hands as fast as possible and snatched it. "What did they tell you?"
He looked deep into her eyes. "Something about a threat."
He didn't lie to her.
It was admirable. But she otherwise was beyond mad.
"Don't take it out on the poor girl," he suggested, almost like a half-plea. "She didn't know."
"She should have asked, or been more careful!" her voice was starting to raise.
He simply petted her head. Her eyes twitched sporadically, unprepared for it.
She also found herself leaning again, she still swatted his hand away.
"Chill," he said. "Whatever this new threat is, you can handle it."
She went silent for a few good seconds, before huffing and placing her hands on her hips. "Hmph! Of course I can handle it Baldy. I can do anything!"
He smiled, "Ay, that you can."
He walked back to the living room to tidy up.
She gazed at his back, she found her cheeks feeling hot. Shaking her head, she placed the phone on her ear.
"Incompetent," she said.
'M-miss Tatsumaki–'
"Not another word from you!" she hissed. But she calmed her mind, "Be thankful I'm not going to chew your ear out! Update. Now."
The young lady timidly recounted everything that she had told Saitama. She ended the call after that.
Tatsumaki held back a frustrated groan. She didn't plan on telling anyone other than Stich what she was planning to do.
This was her fight after all. She had to end it. She was the only one who could end it. This was her revenge, and she be damned with someone took that from her.
At least Stich also doesn't know where Tsukuyomi was residing. She was glad she didn't share that information. Stich may be the only other person she could potentially trust with confidential information. But the word 'trust' in air quotes... was also a massive stretch.
Could she trust this bald man?
She hadn't trusted anyone since Blast. As much as she loved her sister, it was hard trusting her judgment. And she never confided anything with her.
But she has with him, this dopey, monotone, unattractive Baldy.
He already knew, even if what he did know was limited.
She watched him turn on the TV, grabbing two multi-colored controllers. He then turned to her.
"Hey, wanna play a game?"
She was knocked back from her thoughts and was surprised by his question. And her heart churned.
She smiled softly. "Sorry, I don't think I can."
"Hmm?" he tilted his head. "You scared to lose?"
A comical red vein appeared at her temple. "No! I can kick your ass in any videogame!" she huffed and calmed down. "I have to go, you know..." she paused. "You heard; my house has been reconstructed."
All good things must come to an end. Especially for her.
"It's been fun Saitama." She looked away; she didn't trust herself... for the first time. "But I have to go... I'll return the hoodie and your trunks when I can."
His silence was unnerving. And she didn't want to turn to him, lest she change her mind.
She heard him get up from his sitting position and walked towards her.
She couldn't look away anymore, and she looked into his eyes.
Worry.
His expression wasn't just a mute worry with eyebrows curled up, he legitimately looked hurt.
It was unfair.
"You're hurt though," he replied.
Please... "I'm fine."
"No you're not, you had a nosebleed when you used your powers," he responded.
Please stop... "I said I'm fine."
"What if you end up running into a super robot bear?" he asked.
She chuckled, "Then I'll just destroy it."
"What if they fail you?" he sounded desperate.
"They won't! Why do you care?" she huffed, and she desperately tried to look away.
His insistence was wearing her down. This had been her opening to return to her life. The feelings that were bubbling in her mind were tormenting her. Because she was genuinely having fun. But this was undeserved. For who she is, what she's done, and what the world requires her to be... she could not drag this man along with her.
She didn't even know if he liked her. But she can say in confidence that she did for him. And he would be better off with someone with less baggage than she did.
He deserved better.
So why did he make this so difficult for her?
Would acting insufferable, angry, and intolerant make him leave? Make him doubt? Make him stop? Her legs were growing weaker with every passing second... and she wasn't sure if it was because of the situation she was in or because she was still hurt.
"Please," he called to her, and she felt his fingers touch hers.
She timidly looked back.
"Stay," he pleaded.
...
...
"Okay."
When Saitama looked down to see her face. He found his cheeks feeling a tint of heat.
Her bouncy curly hair, her half-lid eyes that shined bright, the pink shade on her cheeks, the softness of her smile...
It made his heart...
*Ba-dum* *Ba-dum*
Skip a beat.
He found himself smiling as well.
-End of Chapter-
Author's Notes: Not much to add other than to see all of y'all on March 12th (03/12/2024). Oh! I haven't forgotten those who have been readers of my old adopted Pokemon fanfic "Kanto's Champion" (Please don't read that, I'm ashamed of my mistakes). I know it's been a long while and I did promise I'll give "Kanto's Champion" its final send-off. And I still plan to. Just give me more time, thank you for your patience.
Thank you for reading! Appreciate every person who leaves a comment/review! I try my best to respond to all of it!
I truly appreciate you all.