Chapter Text
Hold on.
Its the only thing she can tell herself as she tries her hardest to tighten her grip on the support beam…or rusted pipe or whatever she was hanging off of. Her ears are ringing. Her hands burn with the effort to hold herself there. Her body feels sore, her head is still spinning and her vision is blurred with the settling debris and smoke of the fire below. Her lungs burn as she looks around, panic setting in.
Hold on.
She feels her hold slip in the slightest and she is quick to tighten it again, a sharp gasp leaving her lips. Any other noise dies off before she can make it. Distantly, and muffled to her ears, she hears what sounds like helicopters hovering nearby, the breeze is harsh but too warm to discern whether they are close by or not. There’s screaming from below and for the slightest moment, she wonders why of all days she thought it would be a great idea to just walk around her apartment wearing Kenji's jersey, a spare he had given her when he played for the Dodgers. And her underwear. Nothing else, save a sports bra below the jersey.
Gods…hold on.
Maybe, she thought Ultraman would spot her, would help her before she fell to her death. Maybe, a rescue copter would appear with someone repelling down to get her to safety. Maybe…it would be fast-
She re-tightens her hold, breath heavy and uneven, eyes burning with tears from the smoke and from the idea that this is how she would spend her last moments, if these were her last moments. Not knowing if Kenji was safe. Not knowing if she would be saved. Not knowing if…perhaps the last time he’ll see her is at a funeral, possibly uneven able to do that. Would she still look enough like herself-
“H…he…” The word dies off in her throat, a sob ripping free from her lips. “H…Help!”
She wasn’t sure if over all the noise, all the commotion, anyone heard her. She wouldn’t fault them if they didn’t. Too noisy. Too much to do. Too many to save on time. She was sure of one thing, she wouldn’t fault anyone for not being able to save her.
“Help!”
That one is a little louder, her voice a little more winded as she struggles to breathe. She makes the mistake of looking down for the briefest moment, seeing people peppered below, barricades already up and emergency services surrounding the area, spread thin by the collateral destruction of the battle. Her heart drops because, my gods…if she slipped, all those people would…
There’s a strong gust, a light clears the way towards her and for the briefest moment, she swears she sees her parents in the faces of the rescue crew. She swears they are there, the world around her muffling further. A pass of the helicopter blade, and its panicked gazes, growing higher and…oh…
She blinks, the wind is rushing around her over the sounds of screams below. The pipe she had been holding onto is growing tiny, eventually hidden by the smoke that blows around it. She closes her eyes, expects everything to just go dark around her. She expects…she doesn’t know what she expects, really. Maybe nothing at all, maybe to just…cease?
But instead, she feels the cool rush of air in her face. She feels the soft spray of an ocean breeze. She feels…still warm sand along her exposed skin.
Opening her eyes, she finds herself looking up at the night sky, clearer than the one she had been keeping her eyes trained on the moment she caught…whatever she had been holding onto. The stars are out in full effect, the moon bright and low in the sky, a perfect crescent. Waves crash to her right, and she’s almost scared to look that way. Was this…a memory in the last moments of brain activity? A way for her brain to cope with dying? A way to keep her calm as her heart slows and her lungs collapse?
She hesitantly turns, and to her surprise…the coast is just…there. A familiar one. A memory invades her mind then.
“Kenji! Don’t be mean!” Warryn pouts, her sand castle laying destroyed by a rather massive water balloon.
“Not being mean! I told you I was playing with water balloons in this spot!” He argues.
“Easy there, you two. Why don’t you two go play together instead. That way you’re both happy?” His mother tries to appease both, sitting beneath an umbrella as she watches them play on the hot summer day.
“No! He ruined my castle! How will Princess Ultraman become queen now?” Warryn huffs, plopping down on the warm wet sand, holding the poseable action figure she had put a Barbie dress on. She’s quiet, sniffling and genuinely just wanting to go home at this point. She’s only four, two years younger than Kenji, and rightfully so, still childish. Until, that is, she hears a splash near her. She thinks, for a moment, that Kenji is still being mean. That he’s tried throwing a water balloon at her and missed, but when she looks up, ready to unleash a torrent of tantrum-y exasperation, she stops. Her eyes are a little wider, what she’d thought he was doing not meeting the reality of what he was doing.
He sits ahead of her, on the other side of the wet sand, sitting atop his legs as he pushes wet sand into the castle shaped mold bucket. He flips it, concentration creasing his slightly sweaty brow. He removes it slowly, a bit clumsily really, and gives an awkward laugh when the splotchy wet sand castle crumbles slightly despite his effort to be careful.
“It’s not perfect…but I think Princess Ultraman can fix it…don’t you?”
Warryn blinks slowly, still numb. She was…on the beach they visited every summer. A full half hour from her apartment near the stadium…and close by.
She isn’t sure how she manages, but she’s standing, arms and legs covered in dry sand that slowly but surely blows off of her skin with the soft breeze. Beneath that sand is soot, scrapes that she is sure burn with the sand on her, and bruises that are beginning to mottle her skin in hues of blues, purples and yellows. But it's not what's on her mind, it's the familiar figure that has caused her so much grief standing yards away. Small, barely 40 inches in height. Soft yellow sundress and straw hat atop her head, shielding the soft black locks that she had curled for her the day they left LA. She starts to walk away and she follows, not even sure if she’s breathing, or if this was the hallucinating effects of hypoxia playing tricks on her mind.
But she follows.
Her steps are staggered, she likely looks like a crazy person on the streets, but she can’t find a way to care. Image be damned.
The figure looks back, a soft giggle echoes in her ears before she takes off, Warryn following close after, but never getting any closer. Even when she comes upon a familiar street. When the child stops just before a driveway she knows all too well. The figure never gets close enough to discern other features, just a smile.
“Hoshi…”
Her eyes burn and she blinks. When she opens her eyes again, she’s alone in the driveway. Heart beating wildly. Her eyes fall on the door. She wasn’t well. She could feel it. Something was wrong, something was…different. And if she were met with silence upon knocking…then she would rest assured the security system would call for help, as it had when she had passed out from dehydration months back at the beginning of his move here. She knocks twice. It’s all she finds herself able to do.
What happens after, she isn't sure. She swears she sees Kenji. Or maybe its still hypoxia playing tricks on her, she could have the wrong house after all, but just the thought of it possibly being him…it eases her mind.
Chapter 2: Chapter 2: This Could Be A Dream
Summary:
Might end up calling it "Giving Into The Love", since that song, "Everything Matters", and "Dangerous Thing" by AURORA inspired most of what I've written for this fic/drabble. Whether I'll be able to scoop up enough braincells to finish this is up to chance. As for the part about her being an unrelated Ultra, it won't really matter much to the plot, it's just something I tossed in there, don't know why, but i did.
(Dunno if it matters, but she's a singer by career, with some modeling under her belt)
[EDIT: She is no longer an unrelated Ultra, but the actual Mother of all Kaiju, which is how she knows so much about them, but doesn't know that yet. Also, she reincarnates every hundred years or so, the last time being two years after Kenji's birth.]
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
It’s the sounds of waves crashing distantly in the background that wake her. The cool texture of something against her back causing a shiver to go down her spine. The moment her eyes open, it's like everything rushes back to her. Sound, memories of falling, the fast beating of her heart and the sudden panicked gasp that leaves her feeling breathless. It's like she’s still falling, the sensation of it alone ripping a screaming cry from her lips. It's like her senses are on high alert then, every ache, or sore spot, the cool air against her skin, everything, she feels it like her senses are dialed up to a million. The feeling so horrible that the moment something wraps around her arms tightly, she jumps, startled into sobs as the feeling tightens around her.
Until it begins to ease away.
There’s soft reassurances whispered in her ear, what could be a hand gently smoothing her hair down, a soothing action as the hold starts to feel protective. As if on some baser level instinct, some primal need for comfort, she clings to the form that holds her, sobs racking her body as she slowly realizes she’s safe. The person holding her is Kenji, and she’s in his living room, still half dressed and on his couch. Nothing else crosses her mind, just the need to get closer to him, to not leave his comfort, or this spot on his couch for anything. It's like a fear that has rooted her to that spot now.
“H-hey it's ok! You’re safe now!” His voice becomes a little clearer to her now, but everything still leaves her jumpy. “Mina! Get her a sedative! Something to calm her, anything!”
The prick she feels on her arm is startlingly not something she really registers until she starts to feel her heart rate slow, her breathing evening out a little and her brain stops racing the way it had been. It still takes a while, she's not sure how long really, but she feels like it's hours from how used to his hold on her she's grown used to. Or rather, aware of.
She moved first, hesitant as she slightly inched away. She feels her heart rate spike a little, but he eases her into it, keeping his hands on her arms, to keep at least some contact with her, afraid if he lets go…well, who knows what he might be thinking would happen if he lets her go. She only knows it feels like she'll continue to fall, like she'll slip through this version of events and go right back to falling from her complex.
“K-Kenji?”
“Y-yeah-, it's me, Warryn.” He affirms, hand moving to her cheek to keep her looking at him, more of a way to reassure himself that she isn't gravely hurt. “I…what…do you remember what happened? You showed up at my door, injured and…you were rambling about Gigantron, and Ultraman, and…you brought up Hoshi…”
He trails off after that, looking at her expression for anything that seems like a glimmer of recognition. Her eyes water at the thought and he seems to regret that, moving to tell her something, until she blurts out what she remembers.
“i-I was watching the game, and saw that Gigantron attacked the stadium, so I called you, but you didn't answer. I watched Ultraman and Gigantron fight over the stadium, and then her beam hit the floor above my apartment, and my window shattered, and the building tipped and I was hanging from something, and I fell and…I don't remember what happened after..I…fell and I…am I dead? Did we die? Is this just…a version of heaven for us? For me?”
She continues to ramble on, about the beach, and how she doesn't know how she got there. About Hoshi and how she followed her here. He stops her midway through it all, noting the panic in her voice.
“Hold on, you fell?! You were hanging from something out your window, and you fell?”
She furrowed her brows, remembering the window as it shattered all too clearly. She remembered having moved towards it, it’s a direct overlook to the stadium a two blocks or so away, watching the cracks form as it shattered, as if in slowmo. She recalls tripping over herself as the building was rocked by the force of an explosion above her apartment. She remembers frantically reaching for something, anything. The next thing she remembered after that was hanging there, struggling to hold on before she fell.
“Y…yes…I…was trying to call you, but…you wouldn’t answer and I thought…” Her words die off then. She doesn’t want to say it, she’s still on the fence about whether or not she was still alive. “And then Ultraman showed up to deflect Gigantron’s ray, and I guess…that’s what hit above my apartment…”
There’s a mix of emotions that pass over his face, none she had seen before in…well, such a long time really. She’s gotten so used to his expression being cocky, bored, prideful and sometimes angry. There is something, an emotion she does immediately know on his face, always used around her when he thought she wasn’t looking.
Worry.
And that morphs to something she can only think is…guilt?
“Why…didn’t you answer? I was so worried…”
His hands fall to hers now, no words coming to mind. Like he’s trying to find the right ones, but can’t come up with a single one. He holds her hands gently, thumbing over the bandages he wrapped them in, the idea of her being hurt enough to need them seeming to cause him hurt.
“Ken?”
He seems to break off of a trance of some sorts, looking back up at her with that same look. Distantly, she recalls his younger self, that expression being there when he did something he shouldn’t have, or snuck her a cookie when her mom said not to. Maybe…it was guilt? Maybe it was something new she just couldn’t clock?
“I…”
She doesn’t realize she’s holding a breath until he speaks, a soft questioning sound leaving her lips with a quiet hum. “Hm?”
“I didn’t have my phone on me…and I guess when the stadium shook, it broke in my locker…” He sounds off, like he’s trying to sound sure that that was the case, or maybe trying to convince himself that was true? “I just…rode straight here before it got too bad, I guess…I didn’t even think that you’d be in danger…I thought…but the fight didn’t hit anywhere near your apartment? Aren’t you still living near To-oh University?”
She shakes her head. “No…I moved closer to the Stadium, remember? …Get to watch the games for free now…”
In truth, it was so that she was closer to him in some way. Yeah, they talked everyday, yeah, they went out on random little adventures when they each had the time, or when they both had something they wanted to see. They were thick as thieves, but she’d planned to stop by while he was practicing on the field, maybe get some inspiration for her work, both of them seeming to have hit a bit of a slump, though her more so as she was thinking of taking a hiatus.
“Free ga…Ryn…I can get you into any game you want, you just have to ask…you don't need to move that close to the Stadium, especially with the sudden influx of Kaiju, it's dangerous right now…”
“Ken, it’s always dangerous, anywhere here. The fights between the KDF and the Kaiju, and throwing Ultraman in the mix, it’s just, something is always bound to happen.” She attempts to point out, not wanting to admit the reality of what she wanted. She didn’t want to ruin a friendship this old after all. “And it was closer to my studio…” She offers.
“I get it, I really do, but…”
He doesn’t even finish what he’s saying, likely unable to come up with anything after the studio part of her answer. He simply sighs, brushing back the stray dusty hair from her face, something he catches himself doing as he pulls his hand away, clearing his throat.
“I…I left some spare clothes on the counter of my bathroom…why don’t you get cleaned up? I’m not a medical professional and we should get you checked out…ok?”
She’s still holding onto his free hand, trying to let go, but finding herself unable to. Seeing this, he whispers something reassuring to her, she can’t really hear what he said, trying to figure out why she can’t let go of his hand.
“I…um…could you…help me get there?”
She doesn’t really need the help, but she needs the time to let his hand go. Her only guess so far is that it is a fear response, or a response to something like…her need to find something real to hold onto. He nods and, while she’s a bit shaky on her feet, she manages to walk with him to his bedroom, to the door of his bathroom inside. Taking a shaky breath, she feels her fingers slowly unclasp from his. It’s only then she’s realized just how tight she was holding onto him, her hand pulling away to hold onto the frame of his door.
“Sorry I…I got it from here, thanks…”
His hand seems to chase after hers, like even he is afraid to let go, but he catches himself again, unsure of what to do with his hands now that he isn’t holding onto hers.
“O-oh…ok…I… Mina! Start the shower for her please! Warm please!”
It takes her a moment to recall the name belongs to his ai assistant that he’s built into the house. Sure enough, the water starts on its own, already falling warm, the perfect temperature. She takes a step in and finds he did in fact leave spare clothes out for her. She looks back at him, hand on the knob and he’s staring at her, assessing, as if still making sure she is actually alright, something he genuinely hopes the doctors at the emergency room would confirm.
“I…Is it ok if I leave the door open a little?”
His face turns a little red in hue, not a lot, she doesn’t expect it to or hope it really does, but it is something she notices. He nods quickly, flustered as he minions to the bed. “I was actually gonna…I was gonna keep an ear out from the bed…” He says sheepishly.
She doesn't know where she musters the courage for it, only having done so once or twice in her lifetime of knowing him, but she gets on her tiptoes, lips hesitantly pressing against his cheek, her own cheeks matching the hue of red his turn.
“Thank you for caring about me…”
She leaves the door slightly open, glad the mirrors are fogged over. She wipes the adjacent ones on the other wall to get a look at the state of herself, and her breath catches. The bruises are darker, the scrapes angry and inflamed. Her hair is a mess, tangled and feeling like there was still sand in it. There’s gauze bandaged to her cheek, a little clumsily might she add, but covering something beneath it. She pulls it off gently and feels her eyes water at the sight of a dark purple bruise along her jaw. It’s almost the size of her fist, and she faintly recalls her head hitting something while she tumbled out the window.
She’s acutely aware of just how sore she is as she removes the bandages on her hands, and thighs, the one a little more tender to the touch being on her stomach.
Clean up.
She wipes the tears from her eyes gingerly, trying to avoid the aching bruise. She takes the dirty clothes off, and steps in, flinching slightly when the water runs over her injuries. The weight of everything that happened finally crashing down on her. The reality of her situation makes it a thousand times worse. All her things, personal papers, important ones, her computer, her guitars, her clothes…all of it, it’s gone, burned or trapped in a building she knows too well won’t be cleared to get into until the structural integrity is assured to be safe enough to do so. The tears mix with the water as she stays under it for what feels like hours, but is likely only a few minutes. Her hair clings to her face and shoulders, still tangled, probably tangling further. She takes a moment to compose herself, trying to control her breathing. She doesn’t want to worry Kenji further after all. She was an adult, she could deal with things like this herself. Not necessarily alone, but herself.
By the time she steps out of the shower, her eyes feel dry, but she at least feels cleaner. The sand out of her hair, the dust and soot cleared off her skin, though still in her nose and throat when she finds her nose is running with a watery mucus speckled with soot. She looks at the clothes he’s left her, a black t-shirt that's entirely too big for her, his sweatpants, and almost embarrassingly enough, a pair of unused boxers, still rolled up and kept that way by a tiny strip of tape. Carefully, she throws the clothes on, noting her dirty clothes aren’t on the ground in a corner anymore. Had he come in to collect it to wash? Had Mina done so? She steps out, half expecting to find Kenji staring the door down with worry, but finding him missing, and…something making a screeching noise very close by.
Was it another Kaiju? It doesn’t sound like one she knows personally, but it's loud, and close. Panic fills her mind then. Where was he? Was he ok?
“K-Ken?”
Her voice squeaks out, her throat suddenly dry as she quickly leaves his room. Maybe…maybe the basement? He has the cars downstairs, maybe he doesn’t even hear how close the kaiju is? Maybe he’s getting a car to take her to the hospital?
Without thinking of even asking Mina about where he is, she’s already in the elevator, her thumbprint allowing her access as she had come to find out months before. It starts its way down, and she would gladly admit that the moment she realized the sound of the kaiju screeching and chirping was actually getting louder, and sounding closer, freaked her out more. But not as much as the sight of Ultraman dropping a half ton of fish down into a large glass…containment unit…in Kenji’s basement. The scream she lets out is involuntary, the sight of a massive pink…baby kaiju in the glass unit startling her.
Ultraman’s head whips around, the color timer on his chest flickering almost aggressively as he suddenly shrunk and transformed, leaving her head spinning.
It was Kenji standing there. Not just a human sized Ultraman or something. Just… a frazzled and panicked Kenji, on his ass, looking at her likely equally startled.
“I-I can explain!”
Notes:
Quick notes style:
Warryn Braddock is the reincarnation of the Mother of All Kaiju. She is two years younger than Kenji, found 20 years ago during the fight between Ultra Dad and Gigantron. Kenji's dad's friends, an American retired soldier and his wife, adopt her and their families are close friends. She grew up with Kenji, and both families, barring Professor Hayao who stayed behind as Ultraman. She goes by Ryn professionally.
Chapter 3: Chapter 3:
Summary:
You find out Kenji is Ultraman...you also find out he's now the proud father of a baby kaiju...reluctant, proud father. But hey, for your troubles to come, you get sunflowers. Lots of em.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Warryn sits on the steps as Kenji paces in front of her, still in the lower room of his house, which now houses his large collection of pretty cars…and a baby Kaiju. She has given up on worrying about the infant monster behind her because, well, it seems to like her voice, attentive to whatever she does and whatever she says. Looking at her like she looks at Kenji when he was speaking, now just tracking him as he paces.
“You…”
He stops, looks up at her and she takes a breath, her words dying off then, and he returns to pacing. What could either of them say, anyway? He had a baby Kaiju and was Ultraman, and she…well, for once today, her focus isn't on what she's gonna do about her own situation.
“This…is a baby Kaiju…”
He hesitates to look up then, she winces at the slight pain in her waist when she stands. “And you are…Ultraman…your dad was…Ultraman…Ultradad…whatever.”
“You really cannot tell anyone about this, who knows what they'll do to me, let alone her. The KDF were-”
“Hunting her down…yeah, I, uh…I know all too well actually…”
Now he looks confused. “How…”
“I am…my degrees are, aside from masters in arts and other similar ones, also in Kaiju biology…They didn’t know half as much then as we do now. Your parents, my parents and even me were and are considered their top researchers. I mean, I give Ted Talks on the subject twice a year, my papers are peer reviewed and accredited.” She reminds him.
“Then do you…happen to know anything about Kaiju Island? Or what these things need?”
At that she cocks her head. It's kind of obvious really.
“Ken, this thing here, is a baby. Kaiju or not, it's an infant. They need food, sleep, stimulation, talking, singing, playing. They need a good schedule to stick to. Everything a normal baby would need.”
“But she's not a normal baby!” He groans, pacing away.
“She isn't, but she is a baby, and she's…ngh…in danger…”
Warryn coughs, hand going to her stomach, brows pinching together at the sudden wave of pain again. He’s at her side in moments, keeping her on her feet as she coughs into her hand, the baby Kaiju suddenly worried, chirping as quietly as she could. Before she even realizes what's happening, she's in the car beside him, her breathing a bit shallow now. It's a bit harder to breathe again, likely to do with the smoke she inhaled the night before. Her chest feels tight, like there's something heavy on it, and she swears she can hear her heart in her ears. She blinks, a bit dazed then, and she finds herself looking up at those god awful fluorescents she's always hated. She's tired, and sore still, and still so dazed, she barely even realizes that Kenji is seated at her side, hand holding hers. He looks like he hasn't slept in days, bags under his eyes heavy and dark. Her eyes feel heavy again, and the next time they open, she feels a little more there. Kenji's not there this time, but there's hints he stopped by. Loads of sunflowers line the wall by the window, curtain drawn up to let natural light in. Cards attached to each vase. There's little cat plushies here and there, one holding a box of chocolates, the other little fake sunflowers. Draped over her hospital blanket is her favorite throw that she was sure had been left abandoned in her apartment.
“Well look who's awake,” She blinks, looking over at the door to find her personal doctor, her uncle on her dads side. “You gave your friend quite the scare, ya know.”
“P…plea…se tell me you gu…guys tried to kick him out to make h..im rest?” Her voice is hoarse, mouth dry and carrying a strange taste she isn’t sure of.
He chuckles at that and nods, grabbing your chart as he scribbles some things down. “Of course, but try not to speak too much, your throat is still a bit inflamed from the smoke inhalation.” He hands her a cup of water, condensation already starting to form on the outside of the cup.
She takes small sips, practically coughing on the first sip from just how dry her mouth feels.
“I know you wouldn't want him to worry too much. Though. I must admit, knowing you two from such a young age, he’s still worrying.”
“I know, but at least it's from his place and not an uncomfortable chair in the room. Don’t think they’ve changed since he got his tonsils out.”
“We use them to dissuade late time visitors.” He shrugs, setting the chart aside. “Now, shall we get down to business? Unfortunately, due to the nature of your injuries, and the situation that caused them, reports had to be filed.” He gives her a minute to take that in. “We did have to do a minor surgery to stop some internal bleeding. It all went fine and you seem to be healing quite well actually.”
She moves her hand to her stomach, taking a guess that that had been the sudden sharp pain when she was still at Kenji’s. She takes this in stride though. It’s a fixed problem, one of very few in her opinion, but fixed nonetheless.
“His publicist and Seishu are already on the same page, Kenji explained everything he knew.”
“You guys are life savers, really…how is she fairing?”
“Seishu worries, you two have been close friends almost as long as you and Kenji. However, she is, as always, dealing with it in her own way.” He informs her, going through the motions in checking her vitals, the state of her injuries and what not. He puts in some orders as he goes.
“You are on the luckier side of all this mess that the fight between Ultraman and Gigantron caused.”
“That’s one way of putting a positive spin on a traumatic experience.”
He hums softly at that, taking a moment, after he is done, to simply look at her. She immediately clocks his own worry.
“I’m fine…really, Uncle Kei.” She reassures. “It was…scary, and for a moment, I thought…but I’m fine. I’m here, in good hands, and…I’ll figure something out.”
“Doesn’t mean I can’t worry about my niece.” He says placing a hand atop her head, much how like he used to do to her and her sister when she was younger. “A nurse will be by to change the dressings on your wounds and the surgical site in a moment, and administer the antibiotics when she’s done. My home is always open if you need a place to stay while you get things sorted out.”
She nods, watching him roll the computer to the corner of the room, then leave.
It doesn't take too long, much to her worry, for Kenji to show up, a new vase of sunflowers in hand as he eyes it worriedly, like he doesn't know if he should, or as if he's wondering if this is already one too many.
“Those for me?”
He’s rightfully startled by her voice, still a bit hoarse, but sounding closer to normal now that she was able to drink a little better.
“You're awake…”
Notes:
Do you guys ever think that after the whole 'papa dayo' scene, the citizens start to think Ultraman is the pink baby kaiju's father? Like biologically? What if they start a theory about Ultra's carrying offspring like seahorses? maybe that's why Ultraman disappeared for a little bit and came back looking different?
Chapter 4: Kenji Needs Some TLC (They both have some stress thoughts)
Chapter Text
Four weeks.
That was how long she had been stuck in the hospital room, an I.V. stuck in her arm, constant bandage changes, and blood tests being run. Well…technically, it was actually two weeks in the hospital, two weeks since she's been staying at Kenji’s. The surgery had been minimally invasive. Thankfully, this hospital security was the best, and even more thankfully, Kenji didn't stay around as much as he wanted to. Whether he was ushered out by nurses or her uncle when he came to check in on her between patients, or even called to his house by Mina because of his current schedule he has taking care of the baby Kaiju. Not to mention the part where he's effectively already mid season, has to be at practice games, meetings, press conferences and the like.
It's why she hadn't particularly wanted him to have to worry about her as well. Hence why she insists he leaves for the night to rest, to take care of the baby Kaiju. That he goes to his practices and just does what he can, to block out the press and just be himself. But like always, he bites off more than he can chew, even going as far as to not admit it. First at taking on the challenges of Ultraman and getting himself traded and signed to the Yomiuri Giants, then the baby Kaiju smashing his cars up in his secret basement hideout, and now this.
Warryn sits in the recliner Kenji has bought for his living room, specially for her he had tiredly admitted when he helped her through the door of his home mid yawn. He’s fast asleep on the couch, classic severely tired Kenji style, ass up face smushed sideways into the cushion as he drools. His back is gonna hurt in the morning, but at least she knows he'll be even just a little recharged for the next day. Her restrictions aren't too much, other than don't push/pull/lift anything 10 lbs or more, no driving for one more week and no sitting up straight, she's able to at least do something simple for him, seeing as he's already doing so much for her.
Even though she'd told him it was unnecessary.
“Mina, did you have the groceries delivered?”
‘Yes, Miss Warryn, they're in the fridge and freezer. However, might I remind you, Dr. Keisuke explicitly told you to keep movement to a minimum.’
“I will, after I make him his favorite for lunch. You want him to be well rested and fed, right Mina? Healthy body, healthy mind? Plus, he definitely needs some normalcy right now, he’s burning himself out and doesn't even want to see that he can't handle it. Let me at least do this for him, yeah?”
‘I will handle the frying. You can prepare the meat at the table, and remember to sit in a way that won't cause you discomfort.’
“Yes, ma'am.” She playfully salutes. “And don’t forget, Warryn is too formal for me too. You call me Ryn or Ri, ok?”
“Ok, Ryn.”
By the time he wakes, it's to the sound of his stomach growling. Something so beautifully familiar wafting past his nose as he slowly, and painfully, sits up, stretching, nose following the smell in the process. He follows it to the kitchen, where he worriedly sees her, hair pinned up and out of her face as she leans, propped up against the counter, shoulders shaking silently. His first thought is that she had strained herself, that she was in pain now because she was probably off her pain meds already.
Shit, how long did he sleep?
He’s at her side in moments, not wanting to touch her in fear that he'd hurt her more, only to see her tip her head back, a teary smile spread across her slightly less bruised face. A deep belly laugh, albeit pained, leaving her lips.
Now he's thoroughly confused.
That is, until he sees what she was looking at, Mina projecting an image of…the baby Kaiju and himself as Ultraman, fast asleep in the same position. Butt up, face squished to the side on the floor, drool pooling around their cheeks.
“Ahaha-o-oh shi..H-hey, Ken…” she tries and fails to hold back a snort at his somewhat worried, somewhat tiredly disgruntled face. “Made lunch for ya with Mina. And don't you worry your little head ‘bout everything else. We’ve got the baby taken care of, I’ve taken my meds, with Mina’s help cos I needed a reminder or two, and you, deserved a good nap.”
He wants to be angry because, honestly, what the hell? They told her not to move too much and here she was cooking for him? Then again, how can he be angry? He’s starving, still a little tired and-
He closes his eyes, inhaling softly, the smell going straight to his empty tummy, mouth watering what feels like instantly. He looks over to the island counter, and sure enough, there's a tray with food on it, pork katsu, with a small side of steamed rice, and a small bowl of miso.
College Day Friday .
It's what they called this set up. It's pretty normal in most cases, but when the budget was tight, and neither wanted to tell their parents, they'd sneak down to the kitchen to throw it together with a quick Walmart trip of groceries they got just for it. Funny how typically it was actually a Tuesday they'd run out of money yet named it for the Friday they got their allowance.
“College day Friday?”
“Better ingredients from the Walmart ones, but I made due, I think.” She smiles softly, taking the seat Mina had pulled up at some point. “And like I told Mina, a cheat day won't kill anyone. You need something hearty, something good that can help you relax while I, as best as I can, help take a load off your shoulders, ok?”
He seems a little hesitant at that and she reassures him she's fine.
“These are my last three days of recovery and then I’ll be on full time for the baby, ok? That way it's two things off your shoulders and all you'd really have to worry about is kicking ass in the next game.”
He knows what she's doing, they did the same thing in college where they played off what they were going through at the time to help the other, but he can't stop himself when he sighs and tells her ok. He feels awful about it, but it's just three days until his next game, where hopefully he can get out of this slump, and hopefully find Kaiju Island to take the baby home. He doesn't like asking for help, it's evident when he had to call Ami to ask about how to deal with it all, while subsequently bribing her not to let the media know what was going on with Warryn, after he accidentally spilled to her that she'd been hurt the day of the fight with Gigantron and Ultraman.
But he was just so tired.
“Just…until the game, ok? Then I want you there, in the stands. I wanna be able to make sure you're ok at least. Mina can handle her for a game.”
“I will do what I can, Ken.” Mina readily agrees, knowing Ken all too well. “As for you, Ryn, it is time for bed. Your uncle has asked us to keep you on a strict schedule to promote healthy rehabilitation.”
Warryn snorts in reply at her words, but doesn't reject the idea, slowly getting up to go to the spare bedroom he's already nicknamed her room.
“Rehabilitation? What am I? An injured animal?” She snickers as Mina follows after and ahead of her.
“Technically, yes.” His robot assistant responds almost cheekily.
“Oh, woah, hey, why are you picking on an injured person? Have some mercy, Mina.”
He watches as they disappear into the elevator and he can't help the tired chuckle that leaves his lips. He's worried, gods is he worried, but he's tired, and hungry still as the food looks back at him. He really, truly just needs one thing to go good for him. Like Mina finding Kaiju Island, or him getting out of this slump he's in, even just the media presence leaving him alone for a bit.
Gods, he’d give anything to just have the paparazzi leave him be for a couple hours at least.
He picks at the food absentmindedly for a moment. Even just getting this weight he's had on his chest for years now, so deeply rooted into his soul at this point, off for just a moment before it's filled with whatever reaction would be given. Even if it was just that, he'd take it.
Just one thing. It's all he needs right now.
He eats his food, enjoying it thoroughly while it was hot, and feeling ravenous enough for seconds, which she had so graciously set aside for him as well, prettily plated like the other one had been, a simple mason jar labeled ‘bone broth’ set aside for herself. She can eat some solids already, having been given the greenlight for it, but this would have been entirely too heavy for her. He makes a mental note to take her for something light that she can eat before the game. And maybe for breakfast tomorrow after some much needed rest.
He heads up the stairs, walking past the hallway bathroom and to her room to check in on her before he goes to bed. Her room door is slightly ajar, something he's noticed she does now, as she used to be pretty adamant that her room door stay closed and locked when they shared the apartment in LA. From where he peeks in, he can see her hair, now cut significantly shorter, on the pillow, just barely covering her face. The covers are pulled over her shoulders and judging by the missing pillow, it's likely propping one of her legs up a little to alleviate strain in the surgical site.
That and he recalls from living room sleep overs that she was more comfortable sleeping like that.
He listens for a moment and there's a relief that floods his senses when he hears her soft breathing, quieter than a mouse, but there. Fast asleep, her own dark bags under her eyes. Maybe Mina was right, and he should take a break from…everything. Even if just a week, a weekend even. He could rent a cabin for the three of them…or, if he asked him… no , he could rent one. In an isolated area, just for them to relax now that the baby Kaiju was more adapted to them. Sleeping through the night, in some instances, not too much vomiting, he knows what fish to stay away from now, and how much he should be giving her, and she loved interacting with Warryn like h-
He steps out of her room, shaking his head before heading to his room a little further down the hall. Every time he feels the closest to saying it, even just thinking of it, he chickens out. He wonders if he ever will. He’s tried numerous other things before so he didn’t ruin what they had with his own feelings, but even dating didn’t work for him, flings were…dry or just plain boring. And then there was her. She hadn’t ever, as far as he knew at least, been with anyone romantically. To be honest, the way they told each other everything, or at least, almost everything, he would have known if she had ever even looked at anyone that way.
Sometimes, if he was far enough into the delusion his mind tries to throw him into, he thinks she looks at him like he wishes she would. That maybe, just maybe, she does like him, but says nothing because of how hectic both their lives are. She does, after all, work tirelessly on her music, and the same goes with her research, from what he’s found out after reading the several books she’s written about the Kaiju.
With a sigh, he flops back onto his bed. He’s tired enough to sleep, but finds himself staring at the dark ceiling long enough to probably know every detail on its paint (which is none at all, despite his mind telling him otherwise). By the time Mina comes by to look for him, he is fast asleep, three full hours after he had gone to lay down by her count. She makes sure he’s covered up then, heading over to check on Warryn, who is already awake, her gaze fixed on the horizon she has a rather spectacular view of. She seems half asleep still, but she doesn’t look away until Mina calls to her a second time.
“Ryn!”
She gives a slightly startled gasp, looking behind herself to see the robotic assistant floating there, holding her medicine bottle and a glass of water in her little robotic arms.
“It is time for your medication. And the infant is waking if you would like to see her.”
She smiles at her before taking her meds, nodding and heading downstairs. Sure enough, the moment the giant pink lizard baby sees her, she’s standing up, chirping and screeching excitedly, contentedly even.
“Hiya, baby girl, had a good nap?” She coos to the infant, having actually taken to the baby kaiju during her two weeks of recovery here, despite, of course, Kenji’s worry that the baby would hurt her unintentionally.
The baby Kaiju chirps, changing color as she looks around, a slight disappointment in her gaze when she sees she’s alone. She takes note of that immediately.
“Lookin’ for daddy?” The baby kaiju glances at her, a softer chirp leaving her, like a trill. “He’s sleepin’ sweetie pie, can we let him have his night-night time for a bit longer?”
And maybe she understands her, maybe she just decides that she alone would do for now, she’s not entirely sure and she’s willing to spend the next few hours figuring it out with her as she goes.
Lunam_Rosa on Chapter 1 Wed 17 Jul 2024 07:35AM UTC
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miaavriil on Chapter 1 Fri 09 Aug 2024 04:42AM UTC
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Lunam_Rosa on Chapter 2 Wed 17 Jul 2024 08:01AM UTC
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