This Time

Chapter 27

For villains, the League was surprisingly accommodating - I actually woke up on a bed (of sorts) and it seemed like someone had tended my injuries too. It was hard to tell what time it was when I awoke, and I sat up feeling slightly dazed as I looked around the room.

"Bakugo?" I asked groggily, recognizing the spiky blonde hair sulking against the far wall. "Are we... in a storage closet?"

The boy looked up at me, and I noticed for the first time the shackles encasing his hands, not unlike the ones they'd used to restrain him at the sports festival. "Well look who finally decided to wake up," he said, scowling.

I was laying on a pallet on the floor, and Bakugo sat on a similar one where he leaned against the wall. "Huh, why didn't they put any of those on me?" I wondered, gesturing to the metal cage-like cuffs.

"Tch. Obviously because I'm the bigger threat," Bakugo replied, rolling his eyes.

I groaned - of course I'd ended up being kidnapped with this kid. "You're already making me wish I was unconscious again. Can we just drop the edgy, anger-management-issues thing for a bit and figure out a strategy like normal people?" I asked.

"I don't need your help to get out of here," he growled.

"Obviously," I drawled. "Go on and tell me your plan then."

"You think I'm dumb enough to say my plan out loud when they might be listening? Don't be an idiot," he replied, looking away.

I sighed and decided to go for a change in topic. "How long was I out? Have they said or done anything?"

"It's been about a day, I think, and no one's come to talk to me yet. They were probably waiting for you to wake up," he informed me, surprisingly civil. "Did you know you mumble in your sleep by the way? It's really fucking annoying," he continued, instantly shattering my previous illusion of a near-affable conversation.

I actually chuckled, though. Toshinori had mentioned it once, back when we'd started bed sharing before the sports festival. At the time, he'd acted like it was no big deal as I apologized in mortification. "I've been told, actually." Scrubbing a hand over my face I let the smile fall. "How are you doing, Bakugo? Seriously," I asked and I meant it, even knowing the boy probably wouldn't answer honestly.

"I'm pissed off," he gritted out.

"That's not what I meant. Are you hurt? How are you holding up with the whole 'being kidnapped' thing?"

"What is this, Twenty Questions?" he replied in annoyance.

"Stop being a dick and just talk to me, Bakugo. I'm not trying to have some sort of pissing contest with you, I'm just trying not to get murdered by the villains who literally have taken us hostage. If you want to be the number one hero someday, then for the love of god, learn how to communicate!" By now I should have known better than to try and reason with the child, and while his scowled deepened and he ground his teeth, Bakugo actually stayed quiet for a moment.

"No, I'm not hurt. And how do you think I'm doing? These bastards turned me into a fucking marble, kidnapped me, and shoved me in this goddamn closet with you," he growled finally. "I'm not exactly having a great time here."

"No, I wouldn't expect you to be. But I'm sure by now you're figured out why they took us though, right?" I asked, watching him closely. I may not know the violent-minded boy well, but I was fairly certain he wouldn't defect to the League of Villains easily. He was reckless and aggressive, sure, but he wasn't a bad kid. Bakugo had a drive comparable to Midoriya's, which was probably why the two were rivals to begin with. The blonde was crazy smart, but he also tended to oversimplify things. In some cases, this was a strength and in others a weakness. Right now though, that mindset would serve him well - to him this was probably whittled down to a contest between good and bad, and Bakugo wasn't so foolish as to walk that dark path. He had a much better shot than I had at his age.