Communication is Key... Most of the Time

"Let's chat, Kacchan. Isn't that why you're here?" Deku questioned Bakugou, closing the heavy door that led to the alleyway with a quick push.

Bakugou looked around quickly, trying to figure out different exits if shit hit the fan. Not like it already has, a small snide voice in his head reminds him bitterly. They were out in the open, the busy city life on one side of the dark alley that they stood in. "Uh," nice way to start confidently, Katsuki, "yeah, I just… What, uh— what happened?"

Midoriya smiles, his lips a loopy, shaky line as he tries to hold back… laughter? Bakugou feels confused when Deku snorts and giggles. He continues even as Bakugou tries to give him a serious face, no matter how serious or how possibly fatal your stupid idea is, laughter is always contagious. "Kacchan, I don't really care if this sounds cheesy, but life happened."

Bakugou blinked. For a split second he remembered Deku never presenting a quirk, already weird enough before that to already be left out from social groups and parties. It didn't help much that his own actions with his goony friends added to his lonely torment. He swallowed, feeling guilty for his own actions in the past that lead up to that moment.

"Yeah, life as a kid is fun and shit, but after everyone got their quirks, and… and— I just thought everyone was out to get me. Life was out to get me. 'Natural selection' type bullshit," not only did his distasteful tone emphasize the phrase, so did his air quotes. "I just… gave up? The day I disappeared… I wasn't in the right mental state to talk myself outta suicide."

Above them, a window cracked open, courtesy of Toga wanting to snoop. Mustard and Twice were at her two sides, as Dabi was peering over her head, all of them watching the interaction below them. Mustard was only there because Twice took away the Switch he was currently playing on and Toga threatened him with a couple colorful pocket knives.

"And so… the little angry Pomeranian confronts our sweet Bunny. How will this play out? Will Bunny resort to cutting the puppy up? Will the Pomeranian blow up our little Bunny? Dabi, what's your take? What do you think will happen?"

Dabi sighed, "We shouldn't even be watching, you ass."

"But you like listening in on Bunny's conversations between him and your little bro," Twice added. Dabi smacked him upside the head, causing Twice's head to bang against the window pane.

The four froze when the two boys looked up at their window, Bakugou frowning and Midoriya annoyed. "Hey shit-heads! I didn't say I wanted sports commentary! Go the fuck away!" He stuck up both his middle fingers as Toga stuck her tongue out at him, closing the window but still plastering her face on the glass, insanely curious about their exchange.

"She looks annoying," Bakugou commented, lowering his face as he heard the window lock click shut.

"She's definitely a piece of work. I wouldn't say 'annoying'… but definitely unique," Midoriya smiled at the ground. "Anyways, where were we?"

"Didn't kill yourself and the League found you. We saw each other at the USJ. What's next?"

"Hm… Well, I met Shouto before UA's Sport's Festival. That was fun to watch, everyone's so talented…," he sighed, the sound was so tired and lethargic; Bakugou wondered if he's slept recently. "We went on a little date thing, then Stain happened! Too bad he's locked up… I would've loved to talk to him more about his own paralysis quirk. I did see Shouto and I'm guessing a classmate of yours? He was yelling some BS about Ingenium?"

Bakugou shuffled his feet, kicking some invisible rocks. "Yeah, that's his older brother. He was really worked up at the time. I think he learned his lesson… So did Todoroki."

"Oh! So he's an Iida too? They did have similar costumes… That makes sense," Midoriya went quiet, his mind trying to store the information for later. "And I saw Shou-chan when he found his little bleeding friend… That's what he was asking me about when we were all at the arcade! Funny how things work out, right?"

"You saw them with Stain… But you didn't help Todoroki at least? What the fuck?" Bakugou growled out. After the whole ordeal and when everyone was back in class, both boys were quiet, Iida not even correcting his other classmates for talking during class or not sitting correctly in their desks. Todoroki closed in more than how he was in the beginning of the year… The pair didn't even interact with each other up until recently.

"I couldn't lose my friends!!" Midoriya yelled back with the same force. "I didn't want to lose people that haven't judged me 'cause I'm a useless piece of shit! Todoroki's just one person, but compared to the whole League? Of course I chose the villains!!" His eyes collected tears, threatening to spill as he continued to unload. "If I chose the heroes, what would've happened?! I helped the villains! I live with them for fuck's sake!

I can't go back with Mom because what would I tell her?! 'Oh, hey, Mom. I've just disappeared from sight only to pop up with the villains that want to kill All Might. Everything's cool, yeah.'" His tears rolled down his face at the mention of Inko, "Would she send me away? Have me sent to jail?! I didn't tell her about my problems because she's so fragile already without my fucking father! She didn't need to know about the only other man in her life walking out because of his own selfish feelings!"

"She knows," Bakugou mumbled out. He watched his old childhood friend unload years of problems and feelings, the fat, wet tears rolling down his face fast.

Midoriya choked back a pitiful sob. "'She knows', what? That I'm alive and well?" Midoriya scoffs when Bakugou nods. "Well that's just amazing. Does she know about all this? Between us, the USJ, all that shit?"

"I only went to talk to her after USJ… I haven't seen her since. I think the old hag talks to her sometimes on the phone, trying to get her to take a break from work and shit to come over for dinner." Although Bakugou didn't really want to see Inko after their last talk, he knew she was cooped up in her apartment all day or overworking herself. Both aren't healthy, he's learned. "She knows you live with the villains. I don't think anyone else knows, adult-wise."

Midoriya huffed. Then he sighed, feeling exhausted after yelling out his feelings. "If you, uh… If Mom asks about me— Just… Tell her I'm okay. Truly." Midoriya slumps forward, moving to sit down against the brick wall and leaning against it. "I can say all the horrible shit about everyone… But I do miss her sometimes. She always did try her best on her own. Definitely hero material in my eyes."

Bakugou stood in front of the green-haired teen, feeling awkward after their conversation. Swallowing deeply, he moved to sit parallel to Deku, his legs touching the cold cement as he adjusted his position. "Yeah, Auntie needs a break."

Deku smiled softly, "She was always my top three heroes. Even now… Me being quirkless isn't her fault, not my dad's fault either. It just happens I guess."

"I'm—," Bakugou starts after a silent minute, "I'm so fucking sorry about how I treated you as kids. I know I can't take back the burns and shit… But I'm different than how I was before. That's as much as I can promise."

Deku stayed quiet, humming as he leaned his head against the wall to look up.