pacifisting | dynamight

From:

Nope.

[ He's too tired to sound smug.

The problem is, Midoriya doesn't want to fall asleep. That clock keeps counting down in the back of his mind and any moment he can stay awake with Bakugou is one he wants to be aware for. Sleeping is good, sleeping is great but it's not the same as being able to actually be with him which means he's fighting sleep tooth and nail and Midoriya is nothing if not fiercely determined and practiced at fighting against his own body. ]

I have a lot of things I love about you, you'll just have to deal with it, Kacchan.

[ The only thing about fighting his body is that eventually, exhaustion is going to win out. Midoriya's last few words are slurred with sleep and despite his best efforts, he's drowsing off entirely. The hand in his hair goes lax and limp and settles at the nape of Bakugou's neck, the other one sliding down limp against the bed as his breathing evens out. ]

From:

dynamight

[It's fine, in the end. Bakugou is much the same for all the aroused fuss he had been putting up. Midoriya is warm and firm and fits him almost perfectly it seems, and he can't resist the sharp, continuous pull of sleep. Not with Midoriya breathing deep and gentle beneath him, siphoning out all of the will to be grouchy and growly and irritable.

For a little while, he sleeps, tangled up in all of Midoriya's limbs. But his schedule is a disaster, and he wakes up, goes back to sleep, wakes up again. Carefully, as gently as possible, he unravels himself from Midoriya and the bed. Sits for a bit on the edge to try to wake himself up. He feels like garbage, having napped this way, for this long, this comfortable.

It had only been an hour and a half, judging by his phone. He slides off, gathers some of his things. Ends up piddling a minute or so in the bathroom until he figures out how to work the shower. Thankfully not a penniless hotel with a bath and shower together. But it is odd to have a full, separate shower and then a ridiculous bathtub even if he just needs to rinse off for now.

But when he comes back out, he leaves without waking Midoriya. The dog had scritched the door until he let her in, and "Barkugou" had flopped on the rug and waited before following him out once more. Here, with no one looking, he picks the dog up and gives it some attention, lets it lick his face. Then he puts it back down and goes out.

Not to explore, but maybe to explore. The tower he's still pretending to be unimpressed about, and he's more suspicious than anything else. It's business. It's meeting Pepper and being taking from one techie to another, three altogether, having his fingerprints (hates it) taken, his photo (doubly hates it) taken, and a hard, thinly metal badge made in the five minutes it takes the seventy-thousand dollar 3D printer to spit it out.

Chipped and chained.

He tries not to be rude, about as gruff as he can be with Uraraka or the other girls, with Kirishima. A bitter shot of vodka they decide to chase with patience. And then Midoriya gets a text:]

Floor 11
Phillycheese steak
I'll eat you if you don't hurry tf up.

From:

pacifisting

[ He stirs briefly when Bakugou rises but doesn't do much more than roll over into the warm spot on the bed, starfishing out. When he wakes, the apartment is empty. He stumbles blurrily around, confused, feeding the dog and fighting what feels like a sleep hangover. Bakugou's here, he didn't dream that; he's probably just exploring.

Bakugou's bags are settled by the closet and sets aside a bunch of hangers for him to hang his clothes up later, shifting some things in the dresser to make room there, too. Clothing he'd stolen from Bakugou is arranged for him to grab for later if he wants to take back; Midoriya kind of hopes that he'll be able to take some of what he brought and steal it for later but that's a bridge to cross later.

Right now, he fumbles until he can find his phone but there's nothing in his texts so he hauls himself into the shower and comes out to a text message that explains where he is. ]

Promise? :) Be there soon

[ He gives his hair a cursory blow-dry to get the dampness out, shoves some product into his hair. He dresses and then tosses a hoodie over it because it gets cool with the air conditioning and he's still not used to the way that the back of his neck gets cold with the haircut. Mr. Bakugou has been added as a registered guest to the Tower roster, JARVIS points out helpfully. The elevator dings cheerfully at the eleventh floor and then he meanders out into the chaos, finding Bakugou's spiky blond hair. He wants to come up and hug him, but he holds back instead bumping their shoulders together. ]

Hey, Kacchan. I didn't even hear you get up, I'm sorry. JARVIS mentioned you got added to the list for the Tower, though, so you should have access to everywhere.

Edited Date: 2018-12-01 04:47 am (UTC)

From:

dynamight

[The worst part about the building is it's brimming with curious, nosy Americans, and all of them keep occasionally trying to talk to him in English while he waits for Midoriya in the corridor outside one of the smaller food courts.

Mostly, they get one-word responses: "Japan," "Tokyo," since Musutafu won't mean much to silly Americans he thinks, "Nitroglycerin," which he has to repeat as simply, "Explode," because his accent butchers the other word.

Hilariously, Midoriya is a thankful deterrent, and Bakugou is banking on the other man being a decent verbal translator until he gets use to the weird English dialects here. Everyone speaks English so differently in this ridiculous melting pot of cultures. Hate.] I didn't want you to hear me. [His hands don't come out of his pockets, but he at least turns halfway toward Midoriya in acknowledgment.] I've got access to more than you think, damn nerd.

[The card comes out pinches between two fingers. He doesn't offer it to Midoriya so much as flash it, though Midoriya can probably snatch it to some mild grumbling. It's heavy, weighted. Metallic and professional, and not unlike Midoriya's probably. The only thing missing is what's being waited on for the small, outlined square in one corner. A flimsy guerrilla glue sticker infused with high tech coding the Stark needs to sign off on.]

Tell your shitty boss to hurry up and give me my damn rank access. I'm not gonna be stuck in this hellhole for the next six months with you without being able to do shit on the field.

[Maybe he should have done this when they got back to the room. Midoriya is going to end up crying in front of everyone.]

From:

pacifisting

[ He's a little sleep hungover and groggy and kind of humming with this perpetual want for Bakugou that he doesn't really want to address right now. He wants to drag him up to bed and to take him apart bit by bit, piece by piece after they get something to eat but instead of any of that he's staring at Bakugou like a fucking idiot. ]

I'm sorry, you're- what?

[ He has to have misheard. Mr. Stark would have told him. Ms. Potts would have told him. Maybe she did; she's been smiling and secretive this whole time like she knew something he didn't and Midoriya had just sort of assumed that he was getting another gauntlet upgrade which would be cool. Not that his boyfriend was going to be moving across the world to come live and work with him and that apparently more than one person had been in on it.

If Bakugou's here then he's going to need a room here and Ms. Potts probably already took care of that. He'll also need a tour of the tower and they'll be on patrol together and he's going to get to meet everyone and yeah. Yeah, he's tearing up and throwing himself against Bakugou in a ridiculously hard hug, arms tossed around his shoulders, mashing his face into Bakugou's throat. ]

Kacchaaaaaan!

From:

dynamight

[The card barely gets into his pocket before Midoriya is jumping him. He grunts, parts his arms and glances hastily around. A few people are coming and going, but no one is really hanging around, and no one is really staring.]

Dammit, cut out the fucking waterworks. You always do this shit when we're in front of everyone.

[Both hands fold over the curve of Midoriya's back, holding. There's crying, but Bakugou feels good. Pleased in a very different way than he use to feel making Midoriya cry. This crying means he did something that he was supposed to do. Not bullying, not abuse. This is happy, relieved crying, and he guesses he can't shame that exactly.]

It's not like I did it for you or anything, dumbass. [His voice is a whisper by Midoriya's ear which probably means it's one of the biggest lies he could tell.] It looks good on a pro resume. [But he wouldn't be here if it wasn't for Midoriya.

Even being a sidekick, he might not have taken pro advice to go overseas, so this is definitely all because of Midoriya. One hundred percent.] I'm leaving when you leave. Don't make me fucking regret it.

[He doesn't need another room. He said he didn't. Pepper had only looked mildly confused. "There's only one bed," she had told him. And he had just stared at her, long and hard, without answering or explaining or making excuses, and she probably understood because she didn't question it. Only gave him the okay.]

From:

pacifisting

[ The older he gets the more he starts to really realize that being number one is more a perception than anything else. There's plenty of heroes who exist on the top fifty list who make a good living, who save tons of people, who do right by the word "hero." With Endeavor holding the number one spot for so long, there's a part of him that thinks, well. It's not tainted but it certainly needs to be given to someone who actually deserves it. The culture about heroes here is different, too. Number one means something different.

Nothing has changed about what Midoriya wants; he still wants to be number one, wants to be the kind of hero that people can look at and feel relieved, can smile when they see but it's more than that. He wants to be able to be that for everyone, not just in Japan. Going here, a new place and learning from new people was the right choice a thousand times over because he feels more like he's got a handle on what it means to be a hero both to different heroes and to different civilians.

That Bakugou is going to stay here and finish out the last half of a year with him is a relief because he's been lonely, sure, but also because he feels like he is a better hero and it isn't fair if Bakugou doesn't get the same taste of all of this. This is what's fair, this is what will keep them on even ground going in. He should have known the moment he saw the card but he'd been distracted. ] You won't. I promise.

[ It takes a few minutes to get himself under control, laughing wetly into the curve of Bakugou's throat. He swipes his cheeks and dabs uselessly at Bakugou's skin with the cuffs of his hoodie to mop up tears and then swipes at his cheeks again. ]

Okay. I'm hungry and if I am you must be, so let's go get food and then you're going to tell me exactly how you ended up getting a job here.

From:

dynamight

[For a moment or two, he waits, and then, trying to hide it between them, he reaches up to swipe his thumb over one of the round, freckled cheeks to get rid of the dampness.]

There's nothing to tell, idiot. I called and told them I better have a job when I got there. Quit cryin'. I had enough of that shit from stupid hair when I left Japan.

[Honestly, it was less demanding and more a mutual kind of exchange. A request to be given a slot like Midoriya since they had been childhood friends--he used the word "friend" reluctantly, but he will never tell Midoriya this--and then U.A. classmates and graduates, and then... close semi-pro heroes.

Reviewing his work, his grades, it hadn't been difficult to get them to say yes, and he's glad he didn't have to beg the Japanese way (ass kissing) to be brought on.] Come on.

Stop blubbering and let's get something to eat. Are you eating out here with these losers or are you taking it back to the room?

From:

pacifisting

[ Bakugou's going to stay here. It's such a silly little thing but he feels a thousand times better just considering it. While everyone here was wonderful and he appreciated how kind they had been to him there's still a piece of him that wanted to be back home with all of his friends, somewhere familiar. Having just a piece of that is endlessly appreciated but having that piece be Bakugou is something he doesn't have words for.

It's not just that: this can't be easy for Bakugou. Midoriya had offered him to come and he hadn't seemed enthused so he wouldn't press the matter. Out of the two of them, he sort of assumed Bakugou wouldn't want to come, not really. Not when there was so much to do back home. Now, they don't have to do skype calls together trying to line up schedules or try to coordinate around work in order to talk to each other. Making a big deal out of it in public isn't the right choice, though, so Midoriya grabs his arm gently and resists the urge to grab his hand and hold it. ] Stop making me cry and I will.

[ His cheeks puff in mock-irritation before he drags Bakugou into the thick of it, people milling about. Some are from the Tower, some are business people occupying the other floors; Midoriya seems to know a shocking amount of them, beaming and saying hello, though he doesn't force Bakugou into socializing. ]

Let's bring it up, if that's alright? Maybe it's greedy but I don't really want to share you right now.

From:

dynamight

[Without putting up a fuss or a fight, Bakugou goes along with Midoriya through the food court. He's still craving one of the phillycheese steaks, and that's probably what he'll get.

There is an Asianesque booth, but a cursory glance only brings him dissatisfaction. It's all... Americanized. There's not any ramen, any soba, and the sushi--not even sashimi--ends up being "California roll," and "tuna roll," and "spicy salmon roll," and that's it. Damn.]

Fine. I'd rather go back anyway. [Maybe he'll ease into being able to eat in a cafeteria setting in another country with people he doesn't know, but he prefers the quiet with Midoriya and, begrudgingly, the dog.] I'm getting one of these fucking cheese and steak things.

But tomorrow, you're going to find me a fucking place that serves something authentic. I know this shithole has to have something. Tonkatsu, or soba, or omurice. This is atrocious.

[His red eyes zip from person to person who Midoriya greets, practically giving them a scrutinizing once over. There's no indication he wants to attack, but more he wants to learn customs, how they react to Midoriya, if they say anything he should remember, or anything he can pick out.

Midoriya's English has become better, too. Fuck. He has so much catching up to do. He should have just come from the start. There's no way he can let this nerd get ahead of him.]

From:

pacifisting

[ Truthfully, Midoriya will almost always eat what's put in front of him at this point. He needs to eat an absurd amount to keep building on what All Might started with his training regimen. It has the benefit of letting him be able to eat almost anything knowing he'll be able to burn the calories using One For All and the negative impact on his wallet. At least food sponsorships would be easy, he supposes. Glancing over the menu options provided, he goes with Bakugou's choice mostly because he hasn't tried it and it looks like a trainwreck. He's in.

In between standing and line and the greetings, Midoiya whispers little comments to Bakugou in Japanese. Most of them are charitable but a few he makes a face over and mouths later. ]

You'll get swarmed if we stay.

[ There's a vaguely apologetic note to his voice as he says it, eyeing the menu as they get into line. It takes everything in him not to grab Bakugou into another hug again and to keep from smiling like a lunatic but he can feel his cheeks hurting as he grins, cheeks warm, ducking his head every so often when someone passes by and greets them. Much as he wants his friends here to meet him, that's probably best not during a food rush and right when he's landed. Baby steps. ]

I'll ask for recommendations. I mostly cook if I want something really familiar.

[ He cooked before, but it's more frequent now, because Bakugou's right. Everything is Americanized and the few times he's tried things they haven't tasted quite right. Never outright bad, but it wasn't the same and homesickness was already something he had to deal with. ]

From:

dynamight

[Waiting is only painful because he can feel Midoriya wanting to be affectionate when they can’t, because he wants to reciprocate the affection when he can’t and when he’s too emotionally constipated to do it at all. Hell on earth.

All he can do is stand close, elbows touching, arms sometimes brushing, the weight of each other caught in their own gravity, neither drifting apart or crashing together. It’s a harmony he has never accepted until All Might told him the two of them could become the greatest heroes by filling the spots they lack. Now he struggles to be the best and to support Midoriya’s too.

It’s something he’s still working on.]

As long as they have the fucking ingredients around here. Fine. [He’s take their own cooking even over supposedly authentic restaurant food any day. No offense to ethnic-owned establishments. He just hates people equally.] This looks disgusting as hell. [But so delicious. The picture may be better than the actual sandwich.]

That thing. [He points at the wide expanse of the cheesesteak on the board in the back. Even if he’s having a hard time, he’ll be damn if he’ll let a language barrier get the best of him. All Might did it. He can too.] Philly cheesesteak. [The English sounds rough in his mouth, staggered by the inability to pronounce the Ls they don’t have and the Us they pepper in out of habit.] Three. [He holds up three fingers for thr cashier then points to the board. It takes him a moment to remember the word he’s looking for.]

Combination. [That’s not right, is it.] Combo. [There.]

From:

pacifisting

[ He's the equivalent of a big, fluffy puppy who was told to sit and will sit because he knows how to behave but it's absolutely killing him staying still. The big eyes Midoriya gives him when he orders in english don't help, but he's this weird mix of proud and charmed and warm down to his toes with how much he loves Bakugou that it's ridiculous. The worker, however, is not as charmed; she gives Midoriya a long stare when he doesn't immediately follow with his order. ]

I'll have that and two drinks, please. Thank you!

[ If Bakugou goes for his wallet, Midoriya bats his hands away and slides his card, getting it back, scribbling. ]

I'm going to take you out for dinner anyway tomorrow, but they're, um, very enthusiastic about checking in on you at restaurants here.

[ It was something he got used to relatively fast but people quickly approaching from behind and in some cases touching him on the shoulder always made him jump a little bit, and he's not sure how Bakugou is going to take the first asshole who decides to spit curses at them vs a handsy waitress. Their receipt has their and Midoiya leads them off to the side, shamelessly pressing their shoulders together as he leans against Bakugou and the wall faintly. ]

I can't believe you didn't tell me. When did you tell the others? I can't believe they didn't tell me.

[ Their friends are the worst!! at keeping secrets!! He's impressed unless it was Bakugou telling them a few days before, which is also a real possibility. ]

From:

dynamight

[Midoriya... isn’t wrong to think that.] It’s hard for you to keep your damn mouth shut, but not for me. [Pushing his hands into his pockets, he settles back with Midoriya to wait on their food.]

I told them a week before I was supposed to fly out. You think they’d be able to keep their shitty mouth shut? Uraraka? Kirishima? Tch. I ain’t gonna let them spill my surprise before I can even get my fucking flights bought.

[Though he’s listening to Midoriya, talking, his red eyes are clinically jumping around the food court. Watching people, seeing how they act. Where they are coming from, where they’re going. It’s interesting. Americans are different than the Japanese... and yet... they are similar in a lot of ways, too. All human. Protecting that isn’t wrong.

Being a hero that will be a hero for everyone in the world, not unlike All Might.

When he’s here, he’ll keep that in mind hopefully. He’ll fall back on being a hero for the planet and not just for Japan. It will take a bit maybe. Bakugou is going to be another person when he goes back. Sort of like his growing stint in U.A.] Do you actually fucking like it here, Deku?

The city. This place. Would you go somewhere else if you could change it?

From:

pacifisting

A week? Kacchan that's expensive!

[Wait, when did he decide to do this?

His communication with Bakugou is much more haphazard than with some of the others but there's still a consistency to it. Todoroki and Iida both like having calls scheduled in advance. Uraraka will text him intermittently throughout the week. The group chat will be busy for a few hours and then dead until someone says something and Midoriya's phone blows up again.

Midoriya wasn't going to forget him, and he made sure to have some kind of contact at least once a day. Sometimes it was just a picture, a pet he met on patrol, some cool graffiti, food, and sometimes it was a call at an odd hour when Midoriya wanted to hear his voice. Now, he laughs quietly at the response and fiddles with his zipper fond. He can show Bakugou all of those places and things. They'll get stronger together. ]

It's not home, but I like it. [ He actually gives thought to the question, not sure if Bakugou wants to know whether or not he wishes he'd picked a different city, or if he wishes he hadn't left Japan entirely. ] I won't ever know if I would have liked somewhere else more than here, but I'm glad I came here. I don't regret it.

[ Their number comes up and two bags are placed; Midoriya snipes both of them and gestures to soda machines. He fills his with coke,
no ice, offering Bakugou his own cup to fill. ]

All Might was right. I've learned so much so fast that I never even considered would help. I might pick somewhere warmer if I were going to do it again? Maybe.

Edited Date: 2018-12-02 04:56 am (UTC)

From:

dynamight

[Honestly, it’s the answer he wanted. It doesn’t matter whether or not the city turned out to be shitty. He doesn’t want Midoriya to regret anything, and he doesn’t want the desire to be the best, Number One, to diminish. He’s relieved. It wasn’t a mistake coming here after all.

Following Midoriya, he takes the offered cup. Dr. Pepper because he wants to taste the “spice” of it. A small amount of ice because he enjoys having something to bust with his teeth even if he hates when the drink is watered down. He’ll have to chomp the ice before that happens.] Alright.

Come on. Let’s get the hell out of here.

[In the future, they can go somewhere else. Somewhere in the heart of Scandinavia, lost in the woods and the snow and the pinch of sunlight lasting the whole day. The edge of India maybe, right at the crook of meeting Asia, the other side where it runs into the Middle East. France, maybe, or Spain. Greece. Turkey. Germany. The places he never considered because he was too full of nationalism.]

I still have to meet that Stark fuck. And everyone else, I guess. Who am I supposed to be worrying about? [His gaze falls completely onto Midoriya.] Oi. Who’s the strongest hero in their arsenal?

I wanna know.

From:

pacifisting

[ There are some things that he wants to talk to UA's teachers about because they could do with things like exchange students. More than that, getting other teachers looped in from other schools. There was a school here too, one that could exchange students and teachers and they'd both benefit from it. There were schools all over. Maybe it wasn't for everyone but All Might was absolutely right about this being something that would broaden his horizons as a hero. ]

It took me a few weeks to actually get a chance to talk to him. He's a little...abrasive sometimes? I mean, he's incredible and a genius and the Ironman suit is incredible but he's also... well, he's getting better! He actually didn't hire us either, Ms. Potts did, and you'll see her a whole lot more.

[ Her quirk is putting up with Mr. Stark is what she jokes; she hasn't stated what hers is, smiling it off every time Midoriya asks.

Back in the elevators, he takes a long pull off the soda and sniffs the bag. Fake cheese, he loves fake cheese it's so gross and perfect. ] It really depends what you think of as strong? There is someone who can channel electricity like Kaminari can. It's amazing, so long as he has something that's basically a focus for his quirk he's able to manipulate electricity and can even generate. He doesn't end up getting hit with it when he uses it, so I suggested to Kaminari that he tries doing something like that. He's also extremely strong; I haven't beaten him in an arm-wrestling match yet.

They're all amazing though.

From:

dynamight

Damn...

[The Americans had as much of an arsenal of heroes as they had in Japan. Now he has standards to look into. See how they all fit into his own, the ones he's use to seeing and following.

He's not sure if he can take Midoriya's words from the last several months. Not when Midoriya goes bonkers over literally every hero. It's one thing to save everyone, like Midoriya. It's another to win. Are they victorious? He'd like to know.

With the straw in his mouth worried between his teeth but not drinking, he watches Midoriya smell the bag of food. It wasn't terribly aromatic, like pizza, but enough to give the elevator a lingering scent of god-awful American congestive heart failure.]

Tch. With your shitty, shrimpy arms? [Which are not at all shrimpy? Bakugou.] Yeah, I can see why you lost. I'll take him later. [He'll at least put up a decent fight...

The real problem is he's an extremely sore loser unless they're giving it their all.]

From:

pacifisting

My arms aren't shrimpy!

[ Another ding, and then he's heading out of the elevator, flexing defensively. His arms are not in fact, small at all. The tshirt he dragged on underneath the hoodie stretches with him but barely, even if Bakugou can't appreciate it. Midoriya's fingers go against the hand scanner and the door whooshes open for them, Barkugou skittering to meet them. ]

If you do end up sparring I want to watch.

[ Partially because it's always incredible to see Bakugou fight and partially because Midoriya himself could barely lay a finger on Thor the first time. Maybe Bakugou would do better.

His food is settled onto the countertop and on his way to get plates, he scoops up his dog, murmuring nonsense to her as her tail wags excitedly. Plates are brought down, along with forks and knives just in case, and then he brings the whole paper towel roll over because they'll probably need it. ]

Kacchan, what made you decide to come here?

From:

dynamight

[Following Midoriya inside, Bakugou does the same with his own bag and drink, plopping them on the counter. The dog gets a cursory glance. The dog and Midoriya together get a longer cursory glance, but he waits.

Patient, up until the dog is again returned to the floor and decides to finally trot over to see what he's up to doing. For a moment, he seems undecided. A look at Midoriya, a look at the dog. To hell with it. He's tired of wasting his time trying to hide the bit of affection he's got for the damn thing.

Bending down, he scoops her up in one arm and lets her rest against his chest and shoulder. He gives what he hopes is a scratching to her chest, but he's not sure with all the soft fluffy, and then he scritches on up to the head and ears before he puts her down.]

I told you already. It looks good on a pro resume.

[It's easy to say when he has his back turned while washing his hands at the sink. Midoriya knows him too well (he knows this), and there's obviously more to him coming than simply the good look of having a background in overseas hero work. One of the reasons is standing right here beside him.

Slowly, he casts a glance over his shoulder to see if Midoriya is giving him a knowing, skeptical look, to see if Midoriya is even looking at all.]

From:

pacifisting

[ Barkugou is significantly more social and people-friendly than her namesake, which means he's pretty sure she'll be easy to get adopted. Part of him hates the idea of it, but that's why he's fostering after all. It means shorter times with the animals, but they go to good homes and he gets the benefit of a pet without having to worry about things much. Once she's settled down and Bakugou's scooped her up, he putters around a few moments, doing his best not to stare at Bakugou in his kitchen, nonchalant like he belongs there.

He does belong there, though. ]

So does one in Japan.

[ He's not going to let it go that easily. While Bakugou washes his hands Midoriya comes over to do the same, looking up at him like if he just stares long enough he'll wear Bakugou down and get him to talk. ]

Are you staying in here or did they give you your own room?

[ A kinder version of the question he really wants to ask: is Bakugou staying with him, or does he need his own space? The apartments are massive, and the little office area that Midoriya's been using could probably fit a bed if they wanted but he's hoping...well. He knows what he's hoping for, but it depends on what Bakugou wants. ]

From:

dynamight

[Pressing him goes better than it would have if he were younger. Pressing him in a different way is better than pressing him in general. He makes room for Midoriya when he moves to dry his hands on a paper towel.

He's quiet for the time it takes him to throw the paper towel away.]

I'm staying here unless you annoy the shit out of me and give me a reason to get my own room.

[He can't!! just say!! it nicely, can he!! What a giant TURD. Midoriya doesn't deserve him, yet here they are. Awful.] Doing some runs in America looks better on paper than some shit work in Japan.

Besides... [He won't look at Midoriya as he digs into his bag to get the cheesesteak out, flattening the bag when he puts it on top. Stares at the thing like it's got a head and moos.] Someone has to make sure you don't fucking kill yourself trying to be a hero.

And you left without it, and I came to give it back to you because I told you I was tired of hauling it around. That woman, she...

[But he doesn't continue or clarify, instead cutting himself off by shoveling a bite of the cheesesteak he's sure will kill him into his mouth.]

From:

pacifisting

Okay.

[ He'll press here and there but knows better than to go too far. His hands are wiped mostly dry, meaning it's all the easier to press his hand up underneath the back of Bakugou's shirt, stroking over the small of his back. It's not a lingering touch, just idle affection as he passes by to start unpacking the rest of the way. He digs into the first one carefully, forgoing the fork and knife to try and take a massive bite out of one part of it to make it a little less of a disaster with limited success. ]

She what?

[ That's interesting. Midoriya had wondered if the more he used it the more he would contact the...well, 'ghosts' doesn't seem quite right but that's probably the closest approximation of what they were. Did he see All Might? It's a question he's dying to ask but knows better than to try, so instead he stuffs his face. The first one he kills in just a few bites. The second, he eats a little more sedately, giving up on wiping his fingers halfway through. ]

What do you think? I haven't had one before, but I had nachos when some of us went to the movies and they were actually pretty great. [ They're garbage. He loves them. ]

From:

dynamight

[The detour gives him time to think about what he wants to say, or, more importantly, how he wants to say it. Not often has he really given the two of them a chance to communicate decently... about anything. His fault entirely. Midoriya was and has always been more than willing to talk.

But being away for so long--even with the phone calls, the texts (easier), the video calls--has made him just a tad more bold. Or he thinks he can be bold. Being alone with One For All helped a little, too.]

It's disgusting. [He's eating it without really stopping much.] It reminds me of all the awful food back home at the festivals. [Therefore... not entirely bad even if it's horrible for you.]

That woman... [Again, he pauses, looking over the last remnants of the cheesesteak, taking a sip of the drink.] She said I should probably give it back. There's no reason someone as fucking young as you should be giving it up like that. [He doesn't say if this is what the woman told him, too, or if this is his own addition.]

I'm tired of seeing that weird shit. Especially when I'm trying to sleep.

[He wants to be Number One, but he never wanted the burden of having one of the best quirks in the world.]

From:

pacifisting

[ They weren't particularly thrilled with his idea but they hadn't hassled him about it. Its purpose was still alive and it was a backup plan. It was more or less the only indication that Midoriya had given he might feel any sort of nervousness about leaving but he would never say that and blessedly Bakugou would avoid certain uncomfortable situations for the most part if he did pick up on it. [

I'll take it back whenever you want.

[ It's the least he can do. Especially since Bakugou's here, living and breathing and within reach instead of thousands of miles away. The idea is a little useless at this point, but Midroiya's still relieved he did it. It doesn't sound like it was ever necessary, but that's good. ]

Did you ship anything here?

[ It's an almost abrupt turn of conversation as he realizes that Bakugou had the backpack and the suitcase, sure, but Midoriya had shipped a few boxes to himself when he moved: decorations, extra clothes, a winter jacket, that kind of thing. It's 50/50 on whether or not Bakugou would send them or go between "don't need it" and "fuck it, I can buy it." ]