the wife they didn't know about (and the captain who kept stealing her)
Pairing: Hoshina Soshiro x Reader
Genre: Fluff, comedy, chaotic domestic energy
Warning: None. Just Hoshina being a dramatic husband and Mina being a menace.
The first time the Third Division finds out Vice Captain Hoshina is married, it's an accident.
Kafka had asked, offhandedly, "Anyone special in your life, Vice Captain?" while they were eating lunch. Hoshina had grunted, pulled out his phone, and showed a photo.
A photo of you. Smiling. Wearing his jacket. Holding a cat.
"Wife," he said. "Three years."
Kafka choked on his rice. Reno dropped his chopsticks. Kikoru's eye twitched.
"You're MARRIED?!"
Hoshina blinked. "Did I not mention it?"
NO. HE DID NOT MENTION IT. FOR THREE YEARS.
The second time is when you show up to bring him lunch.
You'd texted: "Forgot your bento again. Outside."
He meets you at the gate. Takes the bag. Kisses your forehead. Says, "Thanks, love," and walks back inside.
You wave. Leave.
The entire division watched from the windows.
"WHO WAS THAT?!" Kafka screamed.
"My wife," Hoshina said, already opening the bento. "She makes excellent tamagoyaki."
"YOU HAVE A WIFE?!"
"I literally just told you."
"THAT WAS TWO HOURS AGO. I DIDN'T THINK YOU WERE SERIOUS."
But here's the thing everyone at Division 3 thinks they know.
They think Hoshina has a thing for Captain Ashiro.
Why? Because he's loyal to her. Defers to her in battle. Followed her since the beginning. There are rumors. Whispers. The kind of gossip that sprouts in any workplace where two attractive, competent people work closely together.
Hoshina knows about the rumors. He doesn't care.
Mina knows about the rumors. She finds them deeply annoying.
You know about the rumors. You think they're hilarious.
The truth is far more chaotic.
Mina Ashiro, Captain of the Third Division, fearsome kaiju killer, ice queen extraordinaire, has one weakness.
Your cooking.
It started innocently. You made extra portions one night and told Hoshina to share with his team. He brought some to Mina. She took one bite. Her eyes widened.
"Who made this?"
"My wife."
"Bring more tomorrow."
And because Mina Ashiro does not ask—she commands—you suddenly had a standing Tuesday meal prep for the Captain.
Then Wednesday.
Then Friday.
Then Mina started texting you directly.
"Name. What's for dinner?"
"Captain. You can't just—"
"I'm not asking."
You sighed. Sent her your schedule. She showed up at your door that evening with groceries and a bottle of wine.
Hoshina came home to find his wife and his captain in the kitchen, drinking, laughing, and absolutely destroying a pot of curry.
"What," he said, "is happening."
"Your wife is teaching me to make katsu," Mina said, not looking up. "Sit down or leave."
He sat down.
He had no choice.
This becomes a pattern.
Mina starts "borrowing" you on your days off.
"Captain, I have plans—"
"Cancelled. We're making mochi."
"But—"
"That's an order."
You'd show up at the base with Mina, both of you covered in flour, and the division would stare.
"Is that... the Vice Captain's wife?"
"With Captain Ashiro?"
"Why are they holding grocery bags?"
"They look... happy?"
Reno, the only sensible one, squinted. "I think Captain Ashiro is stealing his wife."
Hoshina confronts her.
"Mina. Stop stealing my wife."
"I'm not stealing her. She chooses to spend time with me."
"Because you ORDER her to."
"I order her to cook. She chooses to stay because she likes me." Mina took a sip of tea. "Your wife told me you leave your socks on the floor. Honestly, Soshiro, she deserves better."
Hoshina sputtered. "She—that's—we're MARRIED."
"And I'm her favorite captain."
"YOU'RE MY CAPTAIN."
"I'm everyone's favorite captain."
The division watches this argument happen in real time.
Kafka: "Are they... fighting about his wife?"
Kikoru: "Captain Ashiro is definitely flirting."
Reno: "With the WIFE. She's flirting with the WIFE."
Mina: "Y/N is coming over again tonight. We're making dumplings. You're not invited, Soshiro."
Hoshina: "SHE'S MY WIFE."
Mina: "Then learn to cook."
The rumor mill goes into overdrive.
"Hoshina has a thing for Captain Ashiro!"
"No, Captain Ashiro has a thing for his WIFE!"
"Is this a love triangle?"
"It's a love SQUARE at this point. Who's the fourth?"
"Kafka. It's always Kafka."
Kafka, who is just trying to eat his lunch: "WHY AM I INVOLVED?!"
You, meanwhile, are blissfully unaware of the chaos.
You're just happy to have friends. Mina is intense but kind. She doesn't treat you like "the Vice Captain's wife"—she treats you like you. She asks about your day. Remembers your favorite tea. Defends you when Hoshina forgets to do the dishes.
"She called me a menace," Hoshina complains one night.
"Because you are a menace."
"I'm your HUSBAND."
"And I love you. But you're still a menace. Mina thinks so too."
"Stop agreeing with Mina."
"Stop giving her reasons to agree with."
He groans. Falls face-first onto the couch. You pat his head.
"I married a traitor," he mumbles into the cushion.
"You married the woman who makes you tamagoyaki. Be grateful."
The final straw happens at a division banquet.
Everyone is there. Officers from other divisions. Important people. Mina is looking stunning in her dress uniform. Hoshina is looming protectively next to you.
An officer from Division 2 approaches. Looks at Hoshina. Looks at Mina. Leans in.
"So, Hoshina. When are you and Captain Ashiro going to—"
"She's my WIFE," Hoshina snaps, grabbing your hand and shoving it in the officer's face. Your wedding ring catches the light.
The officer blinks.
"I'm married. To HER. Not Mina. MY WIFE. HER." He points at you. Then at Mina. "And Mina keeps STEALING her to MAKE DUMPLINGS."
Mina, from across the room: "The dumplings were excellent, by the way."
You wave. "Thanks, Captain!"
"You're welcome, Y/N."
Hoshina makes a sound like a dying animal.
The officer backs away slowly.
Later that night, you're sitting on the couch. Hoshina's head is in your lap. You're running your fingers through his hair.
"They really thought you and Mina had a thing?" you ask.
"It's the worst rumor I've ever faced."
"Worse than the time they thought you and Kafka—"
"We don't speak of that."
You laugh. He cracks one eye open.
"You're not jealous?"
"Nope."
"Not even a little?"
"You come home to me every night. You hold my hand in public. You tell everyone I'm your wife." You lean down and kiss his forehead. "Why would I be jealous?"
He grumbles. But his ears are red.
"...Mina says you deserve better."
"I have you. That's already better."
He goes very still. Then he sits up, cups your face, and kisses you properly.
"I love you," he says. "Even if you keep cooking for my captain."
"Your captain who outranks you and can order me around?"
"Don't remind me."
You grin. "I'm making dumplings for her tomorrow. Want to come?"
He sighs. "Fine. But I'm eating most of them."
"Deal."
The next day, the division walks into the break room to find Hoshina, you, and Mina sitting around a table, making dumplings. Hoshina has flour on his nose. You're laughing. Mina is critiquing his folding technique ("Too much filling, Soshiro. Your wife taught you better.").
Kafka stares.
Reno takes a photo.
Kikoru whispers, "I'm so confused."
And Mina looks up, deadpan: "He's still terrible at dumplings. But his wife is wonderful. I'm keeping her."
Ok, this is probably just me overthinking it. But like, Izuru says he suits him to arrive late in the No breaths from hell chapter, right?
You know who else also arrives late to every (well there's only two but still) fight he's in? Rose!
Pretty sure this is an anime original line, but he does express that he arrived late on purpose to the Stark fight here.
He also waits for Kensei to make an opening for him before really joining the fight against Mask.
Now, Izuru definitely has a bit of a dramatic streak to him already. He likes poetry and literature, enough so that he writes it himself. And his speach about despair as well as referring to himself as a dead man aren't not dramatic.
Idk, I guess I like to think that working with Rose for 12+ years has made Izuru embrace his pre-existing flare for the dramatic a bit. (Even if it might not be the most strategic and sane way to approach combat.)
Kaiju No. 8 Light Novel: Closely Observed! Unit 3 [Translate]
This is an UNOFFICIAL TRANSLATION of the Light Novel Kaiju No. 8. The translation and proofreading were done by me. Since my bias is Hoshina, I only plan to translate his story.
Hoshina's chapter is split into six parts. The following post includes my translation of parts 1 and 2.
***The translation that follows is not translated from the original Japanese, but rather from Vietnamese to English. Since this is my first attempt translating literature and English is not my first language, if there are any parts that seem unnatural or out-of-place please feel free to point them out. I’m open for feedback!👾
***There are some segments that I've referenced from the translation of Kaiju No. 8: B-Side posted on the Mangaplus website.
***Word count: 2725
Chapter 3: Vice-captain Soshiro Hoshina
[PART 1/6]
“Phew, alright…”
With a soft thud, Hoshina set the stack of papers down on the table and took a deep breath. In his hand was the report on Kikoru’s match from the day before. He was evaluating it, through the lens of a vice-captain.
“Who would’ve thought it’d take this long, huh.”
Finishing off the last sip of his now-cold coffee, Hoshina made his way out of the room. Although work hours were over, he still had other plans await. As he strode down the corridor, he spotted the Metro TV crew heading towards him.
“Director! How’s the filming coming along?
The director nodded in return, “It went pretty well, everyone has been very cooperative after all. Mr. Hoshina, would you mind if we get a few words from you?”
“Me? But I’ve already been around the block though.”
“Ha ha ha. No, I just wanted to ask about the rookies. All of the officers this year are really something. The performance that Officer Shinomiya did yesterday was truly remarkable.”
“Well, that’s ‘cause the West Tokyo entry exam was way tougher this year, probably the hardest we’ve ever had. Plus, there were way more standout talents than usual this time around."
“I see. But now I’m more curious.”
“Curious ‘bout what?”
“It’s about Officer Kafka Hibino. Compared to the others, his basic physical strength seems pretty lacking. Would you mind telling us why he’s accepted to the Defense Force?”
The director couldn't help but wonder; it was no surprise at all. For days Kafka had shown no significant improvement to the crew. Whether it was marksmanship or obstacle courses, he consistently ranked last.
“Of course, we don’t just recruit folks based on combat abilities, y’know? We take a lot of other factors into account too. One of the reasons we accepted Kafka Hibino is…
“Is…?”
“Comic relief!” Hoshina smirked.
“C, comic relief, sir?” Hearing such a response, the director’s eyes widened.
“Novelty, y’know? He’s entertaining does he not? The impulsiveness and silliness and all. I’ve never seen anyone with an unleashed combat power of 0% before, and despite being physically weak, he’s bursting with energy. Not to mention he’s completely oblivious to his true potential, so he kept ended up running around like a headless chicken on the field.”
“T, That’s quite the harsh evaluation…”
“But I don’t dislike dummies like him.”
“And why is that?”
“Back in the day…” Hoshina scratched his cheek. "I met someone who was just like that. This idiot was constantly told to give up on bein’ a member of the Defense Force, yet he just kept throwin’ himself into it, no matter what.”
“So there really was a recruit like that? What’s that officer doing now?”
“Beats me. He’s likely assigned to some other unit.” Hoshina flashed a brief smile as he started to walk off. “Oh right, I’m about to hold a private training session at the dojo. The rookies will be there too, you could drop by if you’re interested.”
⁂ ⁂ ⁂
“Yaaaah!”
The soldiers’ exhort resonated throughout the wooden dojo. Apart from the outdoor training area, the Defense Force base also featured an indoor training room. Many officers would come here to train after dinner.
“My, my... It’s so crowded even during break time.” The director mumbled in admiration.
“This year’s rookies are really proactive.”
Hoshina was scanning around the dojo when he saw two individuals, both wearing armour(1), fighting intensely near the entrance. One of them caught an opening and leaped forward, swinging his bamboo sword(2) and striking his opponent. The victor removed his mask, revealing none other than Haruichi Izumo.
“Not bad Reno. Have you done kendo before?”
“I picked up a bit during middle school… But I couldn’t see that last strike of yours coming at all.” Reno, Haruichi’s opponent, also lifted off his mask and let out a sigh.
“Nah, you almost had me there too, man.” Haruichi smiled gently.
Nearby, a match took place between two individuals with distinctly different builds. One was a kendo expert senior, yet he was outmatched by his bulkier opponent who launched many heavy knocks from overhead.
“Woah that officer is really impressive. Is he a rookie too?”
“Maybe it’s hard for you to tell with a mask on like that, but it’s ‘she,’ not ‘he’, and yes she’s a rookie, her name is Hakua Igarashi.” Hoshina shook his head and replied to the director.
“Igarashi… Oh, is she the younger sister of Officer Jura from the Second Division?”
Igarashi Hakua is a promising rookie and Kikoru’s close friend.
As Hoshina looked around, a male officer approached. This young man had a muscular physique, piercing eyes, and tanned skin. He’s Aoi Kaguragi, a former member of Japan Ground Self-Defense Force.
“Vice-captain Hoshina, would you mind having a sparring match with me?”
“Sure thing, let’s have a match.”
Once clad in his armour, Hoshina got into a ready stance, facing Aoi. As the referee signalled to start the match, a palpable tension filled the air. Others instinctively paused, as their attention was drawn to the two of them as well.
The fight began with two swords sharply clashing. Attacking first was Aoi.
“Ha-yaaa!” Aoi shouted as he charged forward, instantly closing the gap. He moved with a speed that left amateurs struggling to keep pace.
Hoshina skillfully parried with his bamboo sword and countered back. Aoi’s attack was neutralised. The two returned to a standoff, maintaining their distance once again.
Hoshina took the initiative this time. In response, Aoi swung his sword, attempting to strike first. Seizing the opportunity, Hoshina deftly flicked Aoi's sword upward, breaching his defence. A loud “thud” rang out as Hoshina landed a perfect hit onto Aoi’s mask.
“Men strike! (3)” (Face hit)
The referee’s voice rang out. The two exchanged bows at each other as the match ended. Once their mask was removed, Aoi’s face was glistening with sweat, in stark contrast to Hoshina, who remained calm and composed.
“Thank you, sir… I will strive to improve even more.” Aoi said, earnestly bowing his head.
“Nah, you did great! You’ve got some serious talent, y’know.” Hoshina complimented. Aoi was a rising star in the Ground Self-Defense Force, with relatively good kendo skills; he could even be ranked among the top in the Third Division.
(The rookies this year sure are outstanding.)
Applause sprang out as people enjoyed the duel between two formidable figures. Meanwhile, at the dojo entrance, an entirely different kind of match was unfolding.
“Heeeyaaah!!”
A man stumbled forward, ferociously swinging his bamboo sword. His wide, sweeping motions were all over the place, making it easy for his opponent to dodge, counter, and raise his sword high before slamming it down with force.
“Gack!!??”
The hit landed with such power that the mask seemed as though it was about to shatter. The man dropped to one knee on the floor.
“Sure-kill attack: Iharu Blade! How’d you like the power of my strike, old man!?”
“W, why you! Take it easy on me, won’t ya!?” Kafka stood up, removing his mask.
“That was me going easy. Seriously, why are you so ‘green,’ old man?” Iharu tilted his head.
“Well duh, I’ve never practised kendo once in my entire life. So, everyone else has, even Ichikawa huh… I guess all the Defense Force recruits are pros at this stuff…”
“Since you have zero experience in kendo, I assume you chose judo instead, yes?” Reno approached, striking up a conversation with Kafka.
“Hm? Nope, I don’t know judo either.”
“Huh? You weren’t required to take any martial arts class?”
“What martial arts?”
“Didn’t they require you to take either judo or kendo in middle school?”
“What’re you talking about?”
As the conversation drifted off course, Hoshina tucked his mask under his arm and walked toward them.
“Martial arts were made mandatory after the curriculum reform, which is why y’see nearly all of our rookies this year have some sort of experience—except you, Kafka.
“What, is that how it is!? Grk, even this has a generation gap!” Kafka stood up abruptly, clenching his fists. “Damn it, that means I need to train way harder. Vice-captain Hoshina, could you please instruct me as well? Let’s have a match!”
“Vice-captain, could I request the same for myself?”
“Hey Reno! Tryin’ to one-up me, aren’t ya!? Count me in too, sir!”
“Iharu, that wasn’t my intention.”
Seeing the rookies got all excited, Hoshina nodded, “Alright then. I’ll take y’all on—line up!”
A sharp "Thwack!" echoed through the air.
“Gack!”
A sharp "Thwack!" echoed through the air.
“Gurk!”
A sharp "Thwack!" echoed through the air.
“Agh!”
“All righty practice over. Y’all need to work on your basic skills.”
Upon the dojo floor, three members of Kafka lay scattered, their skill levels markedly inferior to Hoshina’s. After a lengthy observation of the scene, the director made his way toward them.
“Impressive! It’s clear that no one can even come close to your skill with the blade, sir. I wouldn’t expect anything less from someone hailing from one of the most renowned kaiju-slaying families in Kansai. Speaking of which, when you first enlisted, you weren’t here, were you? You were in Kansai, right sir?”
“Yeah, I got promoted by Captain Ashiro and transferred here.”
“I see! You must have been making a name for yourself since your early days then.”
“... That’s not the case at all.” Hoshina chuckled, looking a bit flustered.
This hesitancy of his somewhat confused the director.
“Vice-captain Hoshina.”
Hoshina shifted his attention when he heard a voice ring behind him. Kikoru stood there in her armour, her stern gaze peering through the mask.
“May I spar with you next, sir?”
“... ‘course.”
Raising her sword, Kikoru formed a ready stance. Judging by her form, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that her kendo technique was exceptionally polished. One could confidently assert that her skill was on par with Aoi’s.
(She's skilled in both firearms and swordplay. Truly astounding—a complete contrast from me.)
As Hoshina gazed at the rookies before him, memories of his own early days came flooding back—days before he joined the Third Division.
❅───✧❅✦❅✧───❅••❅───✧❅
*NOTE:
(1) Here, they are wearing a type of protective gear specifically used in kendo known as bōgu (防具) or kendōgu (剣道具). Since I saw most Western websites tend to use the terms “bogu” or “kendo armour,” I decided to simply use the word “armour” here for a smoother reading.
(2) Similar to that, I’ve chosen to use the “bamboo sword” here to make it easier to understand even though the proper term for it is shinai (竹刀).
(3) Men strike (面打ち) in Kendo is one of the most fundamental and commonly used attacks aimed at the opponent’s head. Other primary strikes include kote (wrist), dō (torso), and tsuki (throat thrust).
❅───✧❅✦❅✧───❅••❅───✧❅
[PART 2/6]
Hoshina was usually stationed in Kansai. However, on that day, he travelled to Tokyo for a meeting about a friendly kendo match with the Third Division, which was set to occur in a month. The kendo instructor of the Third Division was someone his father greatly respected, and a figure Hoshina had known since childhood.
“Sir, I’m glad to see you’re still doing well.”
“Not at all! I’m not as sharp as I used to be nowadays. I’ve been planning on stepping down as an instructor soon. So what do you say, Soshiro? Do you want to come and carry on my work?”
“Ha ha ha, I’ll consider it, sir.” Hoshina chuckled, quickly changing the subject.
Hoshina had received countless recommendations to become an instructor. Everyone in the Defense Force recognised his exceptional swordsmanship, yet they all believed it wasn’t suitable for practical combat. His father, superiors—everyone urged him to take on the role of a kendo instructor, suggesting he withdraw from the battlefield. Despite this, he still longed to remain on the front lines.
(I’m well aware… that my desires are selfish and stubborn.)
The meeting ended, and just as Hoshina was about to leave, he received a call from the general affairs office, informing him that the captain of the Third Division wanted to see him in the office.
(The captain? Wants to meet me?)
Even though Hoshina was completely perplexed, he had no choice but to go. Anxiously, he knocked on the captain’s office door.
“Come in,” a calm female voice replied.
As he opened the door and stepped inside, Hoshina was greeted by the sight of a young woman seated at the desk. It was Mina Ashiro, who had become the captain of the Third Division at a remarkably young age. The two were not far apart in age. He had seen her before, during the joint training sessions, but this was their first opportunity to talk directly.
“I apologize for interrupting you during your busy schedule. Soshiro Hoshina, at your service, ma’am.” Hoshina straightened his back and saluted to the captain.
“Third Division Captain, Mina Ashiro. I appreciate you stopping by.”
“Happy to do it, I have time to spare after all. I was planning to take a look around Tokyo for a bit before returning to base. Now then, what was it that you need me for, Captain?”
Ashiro turned her back, her gaze drifting toward the sombre sky beyond the window.
“I’ve seen you in joint training before. Even from a distance, I can tell that your swordsmanship is exceptional.”
“Oh, thank you captain…”
(Why is she bringing that up all of a sudden?)
Hoshina couldn’t help but feel sceptical.
“Soshiro Hoshina, I heard that you’re a sword specialist.”
“Yes, that is correct.”
Hoshina could already sense what Ashiro was about to say. He let out a small sigh.
(Here it comes. She’s definitely going to tell me to give it up…)
The Third Division was in dire need of a new sword instructor during this time. It seemed that Ashiro would soon suggest that he leave the front lines and take on that role.
“I need your abilities. Will you join my force, Hoshina?” Ashiro said as she gently turned back to face him.
The gloomy sky gradually dispersed, and shafts of sunlight entered the room. Her gleaming eyes gazed directly into Hoshina’s.
“Huh…?” Caught off guard by the unexpected proposal, Hoshina felt as though his mind had gone blank.
“We cannot overlook the possibility that more powerful miniatured-size kaiju might emerge in the future. Also, unlike you, I’m awful with bladed weaponry. I wouldn’t even want to pick up a kitchen knife.”
(Okay but isn’t kitchen knives are a complete different matter…)
“When I pierce through the enemies, will you clear a path for me?”
“...”
No one had ever spoken to Hoshina like that, not even his father. He felt his heart racing intensely, unable to suppress the thought that, just by serving under her, maybe…
(No, stop…)
Hoshina took a breath and exhaled slowly. He quickly regained his composure, and his heartbeat returned to a steady rhythm.
(Don’t take it seriously; it’s just lip service. If I accept the offer, I’ll only become a laughingstock.)
Since they were being courteous, one ought to return their gesture. That’s just how things should be done.
“I am truly honoured, but…”
Right after that, the shrill wail of the alarm echoed through the hallway.
“Excuse me, captain!” The door swung open as a bald officer rushed in. “We’ve received reports of a kaiju attack in Oume City. Miniature class, but there are large numbers of them, and over a dozen civilians were reported dead. About the details...”
Listening to the report, Ashiro nodded. “Understood. Ebina, rally the entire team, including those off-duty.”
“Roger!” Ebina responded promptly to the order. “Man, we’re still in the middle of restructuring the division and issues just kept cropping up.”
“We’re againsting the kaiju, they wouldn’t care less about our situation.”
Ashiro picked up the phone from the table and quickly issued orders. However, as she had just recently been promoted to captain, the chain of command was still in disarray. If they were to engage Kaiju, her unit would probably face a severe troop shortage. That was why she could stolidly make such a proposal.
“Captain Ashiro, I could head to the site as well if you will.”
“Wha!? You’re the guy who’s here for a business trip, right? You’re from a different division is it not?” Ebina frowned.
“I carried my suit and weapons. I can at least help with disposing of the yoju.”
“Yeah, but even so…”
Ashiro cut Ebina off. “Hoshina, as the captain of the Third Division, I’m asking for your aid. I’ll make sure to run it by your division as well.”
“Captain, are you sure about this!?” Ebina raised his voice. “Based on the kaiju’s estimated fortitude, this operation is going to be extremely dangerous.”
“He’s a close-combat specialist; he can definitely be able to help us a great deal. Isn’t that right, Hoshina?”
"Right." Hoshina nodded. "I'm the best there is when it comes to neutralising miniature kaiju."
"I want you right here by my side, cuz' I'm dying to see your face. You act like it's something to hideaway,"
----------------------------
A soft squelching caught your attention
A few ‘thuds’ of shoes hitting the ground followed, and without hesitating, you had swiped your lab coat from your rolling chair before following suit.
You could feel your hand slowly travel up to the collar of the lab coat, attempting to smooth out any wrinkles and making sure you looked decent before approaching. The sight of kaiju mush and thick kaiju skin was nothing new to you, having done many practices before; this came in handy.
You were somewhat of a forensic pathologist, not for humans but for kaiju, so you dealt with the aftermath of what happened to those unlucky, blasted kaiju that met their demise with the officers. A soft shudder ran up your spine at the thought of meeting such a fate with those blasted weapons. But kaiju were monsters who just ravaged cities and took the lives of innocent people, so you weren’t exactly pitying them.
Your hands moved quicker than your brain, already shoving themselves into the cabinets in search of a mask to mask the odd odor emitted from the decimated kaiju. Once the mask was secured behind your ears and adjusted, you pulled your hair back to avoid it falling into your face. Your hands reached behind you to find a cap and protect your hair from any impromptu kaiju fluid.
Your fingers slipped into the blue latex gloves, the edges slapping against your wrists as you stumbled forward to where some cleaners dropped off samples of what was left over of the kaiju.
Now it was time to get to work.
At least your department had a dedicated section just for this; it made avoiding the others easier, and you have room to breathe when it came to your work. While ignoring the continued hectic rustling outside from the attack, you were deciding which sample you wanted to test. It was basically impossible for the kaiju cleaners to take back a whole kaiju- they were enormous in size, so it wasn’t rare for lil ‘ol you to venture out to the sight and research the kaiju there.
Though… judging by the size of what you have in your palm, there wasn’t much left.
With the enthusiasm of a child on Christmas, you carried the jar of mush and skin back to your workspace. A soft ‘screech!’ echoed from the way you nudged your chair to the side; it was always easier to work standing up.
“Welcome to Mama,” a giddiness erupted from you as you examined the jar, seeing the way the muscles in the jar slightly twitched. Without wasting a second, you set up your cam recorder. It was one issued by the JAKDF; it was either that or having an actual notebook with hand-written notes and sketches. You opted not even bother sketching or writing; you clearly weren’t an artist, and messes were always guaranteed.
Recording made it easy to talk and explain your findings, plus you could always use the videos to look back in case anything was missed.
Now that the red blinking light greeted you, you held up the jar with enthusiasm. “This is-” you stated your full government name and employee ID before continuing, “-today is August third, the year twenty-twenty.” The jar was held closer to the cam recorder, showing off the leftovers given to you. “The kaiju that was preserved is a classic honju; not much was left over from Captain Ashiro.”
Now you plucked out some skin tissue using a pair of tweezers, and you placed it down on the tray in front of you. Once again, you continued, “So far, the skin is perfectly intact. The muscles are still twitching, most likely trying to mimic regeneration despite the core being destroyed.” The tweezers held up the thick muscle and skin towards the cam recorder, showing off the subtle twitching.
Eventually, you found your rhythm as your scalpel slices pieces of the skin, and you explained how the tough exterior of the skin made it hard to pierce with the regular guns recruits used. “Unless they have an impressive combat power,” you nudged the skin with your scalpel to show how stubborn the skin was, “... there’s no getting through,”
It was almost impressive how easily your mouth moved along with your findings; there was nothing new yet again, but the repetitive practice made it so everything was like muscle memory.
Once every piece of the kaiju in front of you was thoroughly examined, you set your tools down, and you placed the kaiju bits back into the jar. While you securely fastened the lid, you concluded your examination.
“Nothing out of the ordinary, the question of how to stop the kaiju permanently remains a mystery.” Your gloves slid off into the trash bag labeled “Waste Hazard,” and then you grabbed a secured piece of tape and made sure to tape the lid shut, signaling this kaiju had been examined. “... This concludes the sample for today.” Without knowing how to end it, you simply leaned forward and cut the recording.
A small reflection of your expression stared back at you from the lens of the cam recorder, so with a heavy sigh of disappointment at the lack of exciting findings, you shuffled over to the rolling cart and placed the jar on top.
With your other coworkers either continuing to work or heading back to their rooms within the housing of the base, you decided there was nothing else to do.
A good shower would probably do you good, considering some kaiju fluids trickled ontoyour clothes despite the caution and scrubs provided.
While quietly sliding the door closed behind you, your head turned side to side to make sure no one would spot you with your hair slightly frazzled and your face bearing the red marks of the mask and goggles, you probably even smelled like strong chemicals and kaiju in general. Not that any other person in this building cared, but small talk and conversations in general made your skin crawl.
“This is fine,” you tried so hard to convince yourself as you tugged your lab coat closer to your body. “...fine…”
So far, the journey to the housing section was fine.
Your shoes occasionally squeaked against the polished tiled floor as you quickly rushed through the halls. You decided that it would be in your best interest to take the stairs down to avoid any interactions with the officers who could have been wandering around from the recent events in the elevators.
A few nods of greetings and smiles came your way. Most of the time, though, you were just ignored.
That's how you liked it.
Once you reached the hallway that led down to the rooms, you took a moment to rub your face with your hands from the sudden itch you felt.
What you didn't appreciate was colliding with a wall.
Did you suddenly forget how to navigate the world?
….
It wasn't a wall,
But a man...a really strong man.
While stumbling back, your hands flailed out a bit as you dropped the printed results and your cam recorder.
You thanked yourself for buying that damn thing a case.
Your back made contact with the actual wall this time, and your hands were plastered flat against the wall to stabilize yourself from the impact. A small noise left your throat as the person stumbled back only a few steps. You snapped your head up and squinted instinctively to see who you bumped into.
The first notable thing was the violet hair that was shaped into a decent bowl cut, and his eyes- they were violet as well. It would’ve been beautiful if you hadn’t just walked straight into him.
"Yer alright?" Was the first thing the vice captain asked after the initial shock washed away.
You blanked out.
After a few seconds of staring with your mouth open, you jerked your head into a nod.
"...yeah…I’m so sorry- " you were quick to apologize while dropping to your knees to pick up the paper you printed along with your cam recorder. You could feel your face burning and sweat accumulating on the tip of your nose. You leaned onto the wall for support to pick yourself up. "I’m sorry for the bother. Please have a good day," You bowed your head for a moment to avoid the intense staring, and you were already ducking your head to swerve past him.
"Aye," he called out. He found the clumsy girl to be amusing and almost adorable in the way you seemed to try to duck away from him. "Thanks... take care, Miss-" the way he drawled out your name was enough to make your chest tighten. Seriously- when did you start to enjoy the little accents? Maybe it was because he was so attractive...?
You didn’t even think to question how he knew your name, but it was obvious by the awkward jingle of your employee tag with your photo ID and name pinned to your breast pocket.
Your response was just a small squeak; it's like you tried to hum, but it came out too high-pitched, so you just sped up your pace and shut the door once you reached the end of the hall. You wanted to just collapse and curl up until you disappeared from the face of the earth, and you prayed you would never have to see his face again and that your schedule would never align again.
That's how it's been for the past while, so this should never happen again.
You failed to realize the vice captain, looking back over his shoulder as you left, a small smirk making its way onto his lips as he vowed he would corner you again. As a good vice captain, he should know his colleagues well, right?
