It's not something that can be worked on fast. For one, I'm still recovering, and it's not a good idea to cut me open again so soon.
[ Her immune system was weak and she could just get an infection from it. ]
Then culturing a graft in the lab will take time too.
[ And if she were honest? Part of her wondered if maybe it was time to retire, because she was getting older, and the younger generation was getting stronger...
But then she looked at supposedly retired heroes like All Might and Gran Torino and realized that she had to keep going until she couldn't anymore. She was compelled to by her conscience and by the knowledge that this was the life she chose.
There was also more she wanted to say to Dabi. She wanted to tell him that he should be getting treatment too. But they'd already discussed that, and that kind of treatment wasn't readily available to him. ]
As if you don't have any registered cell regen Quirk users. I can name a couple of the top'a my head.
[He finally looks up at her with a slight glare, but it isn't her fault. It's his, and he knows that. Still, with the resources the pro-heroes have, he knows that if they're working on it, it won't be long till they figure it out. It's nothing like the creepy, hack doctors the League has to work with.]
Anyways, you'll be fine. It ain't like you're on the front lines anyways.
That's true, but... to be honest, I don't mind waiting. There are other patients who need skin grafts more urgently than me.
[ She realized while in the hospital that burn patients were pretty common. She didn't think she had priority over them just because she was a Pro Hero.
Nemuri usually was part of the first wave of attacks whenever heroes conducted an operation because of the nature of Somnambulist, but Dabi was right in that at the moment, she certainly wasn't anywhere among said lines. ]
Sounds like ya kinda just wanna take a break from it all, even if ya got options.
[Head wouldn't blame her at all. Leaving everything behind always sounds tempting, though he knows she never would. Not completely. Therefore a break would probably be the only way.
Or maybe he's just trying to make himself feel better.]
Ya know, ya don't always gotta make it about everyone else. It can just be about you sometimes.
[But he knows it won't ever be. He realizes that she's the kind of hero that Stain always talked about. The kind that really is a hero with nothing else attached. It makes him uncomfortable in a way, because he's never wanted to give anyone that title, not after knowing how pro-heroes really can be, but... she is.]
Sittin' around sucks, huh. Bet Sushi's glad to have ya around, though.
[He pets the cat, but doesn't have the heart to move him just yet.]
[ She gave Dabi a small, if somewhat bittersweet smile. She believed in self-care and viewed it as a necessity in their line of work to avoid burnout... but between caring for herself and others, she'd easily prioritize others.
Besides, it was precisely because of people prioritizing themselves that others like Dabi were hurt and pushed aside. If only Endeavor had put his children first instead of his own ambitions... ]
Thank you. [ She meant it. For Dabi to say those things was poignant.
Sushi let out a "mrrr" when Dabi mentioned his name, and he lifted his head up to enjoy the pets. ]
[He imagined it would be vastly different if she took some time to care for herself as opposed to what Endeavor always did, and he wouldn't ever even dream of comparing the two.... which says a lot, considering he lumps most pro-heroes together.]
I can make a mean dish with leftovers, ya know.
[He hasn't thought, not in a very long time. But he'd be willing to give it a try.]
[ Another thing she'd learned about Dabi was that he never did anything that he didn't want to. If he was offering again, it meant that he really wanted to make something for her.
He was kinder than he realized.
She gave him another small, grateful smile. ]
Okay. Let's see what we've got in the fridge to work with.
[ She stood up to make her way to the kitchen. She had some leftover rotisserie chicken and her usual stock of vegetables. A lot of milk and eggs. Some old pizza because cooking had not been easy. ]
[ she pays more attention to him than he thinks she does, but maybe over time he'll realize that as well. he's had so many walls up, trying to keep anything that could hurt him anymore far out, but since spending more time with Nemuri, he's starting to realize other things as well.
As for him being kind, he wouldn't agree with that either, especially not after what he did to her.
But for now he can put that aside, along with Sushi, who he finally lifts out of his lap and sets on the floor as he gets up. He has a feeling Sushi will follow anyway, with both of them heading to the kitchen.
He opens the fridge and starts taking a few things out, setting them on the counter. He finds a carton of rice as well, holding it up. ]
[ She'd been burned getting to know him (literally and figuratively), but she'd decided after he visited her at the hospital that it was worth it after all. What had happened had been her doing, and she should have known better - and now she did.
Sushi did indeed follow Dabi after he headed to the kitchen, jumping playfully at his heels. ]
Yeah, should still be.
[ Nemuri watched him curiously as she readied the electric kettle. ]
[ he knows he isn't worth this. not her time or her forgiveness. he wants to take the pro-heroes down because he's angry at the society they've thrust upon everyone, and what Endeavor had done to him- but she doesn't deserve his wrath. he knows it.
and yet, if she'd turn her back on him, he knows he'd spiral even further down, and there would be no hope left for him at all. not that he's looking for hope... but having something like this, like her, it helps. ]
Tea. Thanks.
[ he can more or less figure out where she keeps everything he needs to cook with, but doesn't mind looking around either. she has a nice kitchen, and it's easy to work around in it.]
It's been a while so it might taste like shit, but at least I ain't startin' from scratch.
[ She set up the kettle and got some green tea ready for him. She had a ton of it; it was funny how a lot of Christmas and Teacher's Day presents for her were usually tea. Even from Shouto-kun, who'd gotten her one of the most expensive types...
Finding the tin that it came in, she prepared that blend specifically for Dabi, opening it up for the first time. It smelled heavenly. ]
I'm sure it'll be great. After all, food is best with good company.
[ She placed his teacup on the counter in front of him. ]
[ Good company. Maybe that's why he hasn't cooked in so long. He has no one to do it for, and he doesn't bother to do it for himself. Money is also hard to come by, so he doesn't exactly do grocery runs. It's easier to steal from the combini, or threaten a restaurant owner into giving him a cheap bowl of ramen.
But he has what he needs here, even if some of it is leftovers. He chops up some vegetables and the chicken, and starts warming up the rice. It really feels like second nature once he's back at it again.
The green tea smells good and familiar, and even before she sets it down in front of him, he glances over and sees the equally familiar looking tin and completely stills for a moment, before trying to cover up his reaction. ]
[ And that's why she was happy to share a meal with him. He'd already told her that he thought he had an awful personality, but how much of that was just because he was deprived of normality?
Nemuri hadn't had much of an appetite these past few weeks, but she found that she was looking forward to the food. ]
It was a gift from last Christmas.
[ And in a way, giving some to Dabi was a gesture of her connecting him with his younger brother, who probably had no idea that somewhere, Dabi was always thinking of the family that he missed. ]
[ She sounds like she really means it though, and he supposes he can't argue it much right now. They're standing in the kitchen together and he doesn't feel weird about it at all.
he takes a moment to taste the tea while he cooks, and it's just the right kind of blend, comforting and warming in a different way than his quirk always warms him up. ]
I used to drink this kind. Not for a long time, though. That shit's expensive.
[ Nemuri poured a cup for herself as well, enjoying its fragrance as she sat at the kitchen table. ]
It already smells really luxurious...
[ She took a sip, closing her eyes and savoring the flavor. First class tea was really a world away, and she silently thanked Shouto for such a precious gift. ]
I'm happy that we're drinking it today, then.
[ If she drank it alone or at another time, it wouldn't have had the same meaning as it did now. ]
[ All of this starts to feel very surreal. Kind of like a blast from the past, but in a slightly different way than he's used to. It reminds him of a long time ago, and that would usually make him angry, but it doesn't feel so bad right now.
He watches her when she closes her eyes and savors the tea, and he realizes he hasn't felt this safe in a long time- if ever. Sure, everything around them is still a disaster, and it probably won't last, but it's lasted this long, and that's definitely something. ]
Tea's one'a those things I forgot I used to like so much. Now a days I just reach for a beer when I wanna relax, but it really ain't the same.
[ Nemuri knew the feel of kicking back and unwinding after a long day with a can of beer. Or a glass of wine or sake, for that matter. However, she rarely had that opportunity because Pro Heroes didn't drink much, simply because one never knew when disaster would strike. Plus, now that she was recovering, alcohol was a bad idea.
In fact, Dabi drinking as much as he seemed to (or at all) probably wasn't good for him, what with the condition of his skin and the painkillers that he took... but again, Nemuri couldn't blame him, because it wasn't as if he was able to do anything more long-term to deal with the pain of his grafts. ]
Yeah... alcohol and tea bring a different kind of peace, don't they? One numbs your emotions and the other calms them.
You want the tin? I've got a ton of tea and I'd be happy to share. I get a year's supply every year from all the Teacher's Day and Christmas gifts.
[He knows he drinks too much, but it isn't exactly something he cares about. It's a fix for when he's in pain, or when he wants to be numb, which is quite often. Tea wouldn't do the trick, but there are times like this when he doesn't really feel the need to drown everything out.
It's a rather new feeling, actually.]
Calming 'em doesnt usually work. I always need somethin' stronger... but this is good.
[It's nice. She did tell him once that she wanted him to have nice things.]
...You sure? I wasn't kiddin' when I said this was expensive stuff.
[ In fact, she wanted Dabi to have it. For him, it was much more than tea. That in itself meant that its value was wasted on her, and that he deserved to have it.
She was only sad that she couldn't give him more nice things. ]
[ She gave him a genuine smile. That meant that he was planning to visit more often.
As much as Nemuri wished she could save him from the life that he led, she knew she couldn't until he'd settled his grudge against his Endeavor. At least here, in her apartment, maybe he could have a reprieve, even for just a meal or however long he stayed. ]
[ he smirks softly, but he takes her offer seriously. it's why he's here now, when he's supposed to be laying low and hiding away. he trusts her, despite how much he's tried not to.
he makes a sauce to add onto the dish he's making and then he looks around for plates, grabbing two when he finds them. ]
[ Truth be told, Nemuri was accustomed to people offering to do things for her. A lot of men and women would've loved to cook for her, or to run errands for her, or to just be her personal assistant in any shape or form. But they never offered because she was Nemuri, but rather because she was Midnight.
Dabi was the opposite and would rather eat his own boots than do anything for a Pro Hero, and so to offer to do these things for her meant that he was doing so to Nemuri, and not to Midnight. That made it 100 times more valuable. ]
I am. Itadakimasu!
[ Hearing the familiar phrase, Sushi jumped up onto a chair to see what food was going to be served. ]
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zvi and
no subject
Date: 2020-10-03 02:54 pm (UTC)[ Her immune system was weak and she could just get an infection from it. ]
Then culturing a graft in the lab will take time too.
[ And if she were honest? Part of her wondered if maybe it was time to retire, because she was getting older, and the younger generation was getting stronger...
But then she looked at supposedly retired heroes like All Might and Gran Torino and realized that she had to keep going until she couldn't anymore. She was compelled to by her conscience and by the knowledge that this was the life she chose.
There was also more she wanted to say to Dabi. She wanted to tell him that he should be getting treatment too. But they'd already discussed that, and that kind of treatment wasn't readily available to him. ]
no subject
Date: 2020-10-03 03:00 pm (UTC)[He finally looks up at her with a slight glare, but it isn't her fault. It's his, and he knows that. Still, with the resources the pro-heroes have, he knows that if they're working on it, it won't be long till they figure it out. It's nothing like the creepy, hack doctors the League has to work with.]
Anyways, you'll be fine. It ain't like you're on the front lines anyways.
no subject
Date: 2020-10-03 03:10 pm (UTC)[ She realized while in the hospital that burn patients were pretty common. She didn't think she had priority over them just because she was a Pro Hero.
Nemuri usually was part of the first wave of attacks whenever heroes conducted an operation because of the nature of Somnambulist, but Dabi was right in that at the moment, she certainly wasn't anywhere among said lines. ]
Mmm. Yes. I'll be fine.
no subject
Date: 2020-10-04 01:11 am (UTC)[Head wouldn't blame her at all. Leaving everything behind always sounds tempting, though he knows she never would. Not completely. Therefore a break would probably be the only way.
Or maybe he's just trying to make himself feel better.]
What've ya been doin' in the meantime?
no subject
Date: 2020-10-04 05:17 am (UTC)[ She was very lucky in that her job paid well and thus she'd saved a lot over the years. ]
But a break, even if just for a while... yeah. I probably need that too.
Nothing much. Just ordering takeout and spending time with Sushi.
[ Upon hearing his name, the cat's ears swiveled toward her. ]
There's some food in the fridge if you're hungry.
no subject
Date: 2020-10-04 04:49 pm (UTC)[But he knows it won't ever be. He realizes that she's the kind of hero that Stain always talked about. The kind that really is a hero with nothing else attached. It makes him uncomfortable in a way, because he's never wanted to give anyone that title, not after knowing how pro-heroes really can be, but... she is.]
Sittin' around sucks, huh. Bet Sushi's glad to have ya around, though.
[He pets the cat, but doesn't have the heart to move him just yet.]
I can fix ya up some dinner too if ya want.
no subject
Date: 2020-10-05 12:54 pm (UTC)Besides, it was precisely because of people prioritizing themselves that others like Dabi were hurt and pushed aside. If only Endeavor had put his children first instead of his own ambitions... ]
Thank you. [ She meant it. For Dabi to say those things was poignant.
Sushi let out a "mrrr" when Dabi mentioned his name, and he lifted his head up to enjoy the pets. ]
You don't have to. Let's just both relax today.
no subject
Date: 2020-10-05 02:11 pm (UTC)I can make a mean dish with leftovers, ya know.
[He hasn't thought, not in a very long time. But he'd be willing to give it a try.]
Maybe it'll be relaxing for both of us.
no subject
Date: 2020-10-05 02:42 pm (UTC)He was kinder than he realized.
She gave him another small, grateful smile. ]
Okay. Let's see what we've got in the fridge to work with.
[ She stood up to make her way to the kitchen. She had some leftover rotisserie chicken and her usual stock of vegetables. A lot of milk and eggs. Some old pizza because cooking had not been easy. ]
no subject
Date: 2020-10-05 10:58 pm (UTC)As for him being kind, he wouldn't agree with that either, especially not after what he did to her.
But for now he can put that aside, along with Sushi, who he finally lifts out of his lap and sets on the floor as he gets up. He has a feeling Sushi will follow anyway, with both of them heading to the kitchen.
He opens the fridge and starts taking a few things out, setting them on the counter. He finds a carton of rice as well, holding it up. ]
This still good?
no subject
Date: 2020-10-06 05:46 am (UTC)Sushi did indeed follow Dabi after he headed to the kitchen, jumping playfully at his heels. ]
Yeah, should still be.
[ Nemuri watched him curiously as she readied the electric kettle. ]
You want coffee or tea?
no subject
Date: 2020-10-06 09:23 pm (UTC)and yet, if she'd turn her back on him, he knows he'd spiral even further down, and there would be no hope left for him at all. not that he's looking for hope... but having something like this, like her, it helps. ]
Tea. Thanks.
[ he can more or less figure out where she keeps everything he needs to cook with, but doesn't mind looking around either. she has a nice kitchen, and it's easy to work around in it.]
It's been a while so it might taste like shit, but at least I ain't startin' from scratch.
no subject
Date: 2020-10-07 01:08 pm (UTC)Finding the tin that it came in, she prepared that blend specifically for Dabi, opening it up for the first time. It smelled heavenly. ]
I'm sure it'll be great. After all, food is best with good company.
[ She placed his teacup on the counter in front of him. ]
Here you go.
no subject
Date: 2020-10-08 12:32 am (UTC)[ Good company. Maybe that's why he hasn't cooked in so long. He has no one to do it for, and he doesn't bother to do it for himself. Money is also hard to come by, so he doesn't exactly do grocery runs. It's easier to steal from the combini, or threaten a restaurant owner into giving him a cheap bowl of ramen.
But he has what he needs here, even if some of it is leftovers. He chops up some vegetables and the chicken, and starts warming up the rice. It really feels like second nature once he's back at it again.
The green tea smells good and familiar, and even before she sets it down in front of him, he glances over and sees the equally familiar looking tin and completely stills for a moment, before trying to cover up his reaction. ]
Where'd you get this tea from?
no subject
Date: 2020-10-08 02:59 pm (UTC)[ And that's why she was happy to share a meal with him. He'd already told her that he thought he had an awful personality, but how much of that was just because he was deprived of normality?
Nemuri hadn't had much of an appetite these past few weeks, but she found that she was looking forward to the food. ]
It was a gift from last Christmas.
[ And in a way, giving some to Dabi was a gesture of her connecting him with his younger brother, who probably had no idea that somewhere, Dabi was always thinking of the family that he missed. ]
no subject
Date: 2020-10-09 12:24 am (UTC)[ She sounds like she really means it though, and he supposes he can't argue it much right now. They're standing in the kitchen together and he doesn't feel weird about it at all.
he takes a moment to taste the tea while he cooks, and it's just the right kind of blend, comforting and warming in a different way than his quirk always warms him up. ]
I used to drink this kind. Not for a long time, though. That shit's expensive.
no subject
Date: 2020-10-10 01:46 pm (UTC)It already smells really luxurious...
[ She took a sip, closing her eyes and savoring the flavor. First class tea was really a world away, and she silently thanked Shouto for such a precious gift. ]
I'm happy that we're drinking it today, then.
[ If she drank it alone or at another time, it wouldn't have had the same meaning as it did now. ]
no subject
Date: 2020-10-10 07:33 pm (UTC)He watches her when she closes her eyes and savors the tea, and he realizes he hasn't felt this safe in a long time- if ever. Sure, everything around them is still a disaster, and it probably won't last, but it's lasted this long, and that's definitely something. ]
Tea's one'a those things I forgot I used to like so much. Now a days I just reach for a beer when I wanna relax, but it really ain't the same.
no subject
Date: 2020-10-11 03:52 pm (UTC)In fact, Dabi drinking as much as he seemed to (or at all) probably wasn't good for him, what with the condition of his skin and the painkillers that he took... but again, Nemuri couldn't blame him, because it wasn't as if he was able to do anything more long-term to deal with the pain of his grafts. ]
Yeah... alcohol and tea bring a different kind of peace, don't they? One numbs your emotions and the other calms them.
You want the tin? I've got a ton of tea and I'd be happy to share. I get a year's supply every year from all the Teacher's Day and Christmas gifts.
no subject
Date: 2020-10-11 04:03 pm (UTC)It's a rather new feeling, actually.]
Calming 'em doesnt usually work. I always need somethin' stronger... but this is good.
[It's nice. She did tell him once that she wanted him to have nice things.]
...You sure? I wasn't kiddin' when I said this was expensive stuff.
no subject
Date: 2020-10-11 04:37 pm (UTC)[ In fact, she wanted Dabi to have it. For him, it was much more than tea. That in itself meant that its value was wasted on her, and that he deserved to have it.
She was only sad that she couldn't give him more nice things. ]
no subject
Date: 2020-10-11 04:44 pm (UTC)Alright. But... maybe it's better if I keep it here. I move around a lot. Wouldn't wanna accidentally leave it behind or somethin'.
[ he's had to leave some places pretty quickly. besides, he doesn't even have a tea kettle. ]
Anyways, it's nicer to drink with someone.
no subject
Date: 2020-10-13 06:12 am (UTC)[ She gave him a genuine smile. That meant that he was planning to visit more often.
As much as Nemuri wished she could save him from the life that he led, she knew she couldn't until he'd settled his grudge against his Endeavor. At least here, in her apartment, maybe he could have a reprieve, even for just a meal or however long he stayed. ]
You're free to come by anytime.
no subject
Date: 2020-10-14 12:32 am (UTC)[ he smirks softly, but he takes her offer seriously. it's why he's here now, when he's supposed to be laying low and hiding away. he trusts her, despite how much he's tried not to.
he makes a sauce to add onto the dish he's making and then he looks around for plates, grabbing two when he finds them. ]
Okay, ya ready to be amazed?
no subject
Date: 2020-10-14 04:16 pm (UTC)[ Truth be told, Nemuri was accustomed to people offering to do things for her. A lot of men and women would've loved to cook for her, or to run errands for her, or to just be her personal assistant in any shape or form. But they never offered because she was Nemuri, but rather because she was Midnight.
Dabi was the opposite and would rather eat his own boots than do anything for a Pro Hero, and so to offer to do these things for her meant that he was doing so to Nemuri, and not to Midnight. That made it 100 times more valuable. ]
I am. Itadakimasu!
[ Hearing the familiar phrase, Sushi jumped up onto a chair to see what food was going to be served. ]