This Time

Chapter 32

My phone rang bright and early the next morning, jerking me from my happy slumber and I rolled over with a groan to paw blindly at the bedside table. "What?" I growled sleepily into the receiver. Very few people had my new number since I replaced my phone, so I wasn't too worried about my rude greeting.

"Well thank fuck you're alive!" an annoyed voice snipped back. Toshinori shifted against my back, and I knew he could probably hear the voice on the other end of the phone.

"Ankoku, what time is it?" I groaned. "You normally sleep 'till noon. Why are you calling me so early?"

"Maybe because I was up all night worrying when you didn't come home!" he replied exasperated.

Shit, I really should have told him, I thought a little guiltily. "Well, I'm not dead and I'm not in jail, so you can rest easy," I sighed, scrubbing a hand over my face to chase the sleep away.

"Well thanks for telling me. Really appreciate you considering the emotions of your dear old pal here," he drawled sarcastically. He paused for a moment though, but then gasped. "Wait, does this mean you saw All Might when you went to Yūei?" he asked, and Toshi jumped slightly.

I cleared my throat, not turning my head to look at the man beside me. "Ah, yeah. Yeah, I did."

"Did you tell him you're sorry you're an insufferable dumbass?"

Toshinori snorted and clammed a hand over his mouth to muffle his coughing. I glanced at him quickly, concern turning to indignation when I saw the corners of his eyes were crinkled with silent mirth. "Not in those exact words," I growled back into the phone.

"Did you get laid? Is that why you didn't come home?" he asked excitedly, making the hero's shoulder shake harder with both laughter and coughing.

"Jesus, dude! Get your own sex life and stop worrying about mine!"

"That wasn't a no!" he crowed on the other end.

There was a blood-stained smirk on Toshinori's lips when lowered his hand from his mouth. Holding out his palm, he raised a brow in a silent question.

Oh, this should be good, I thought as a smile tugged at the corner of my lip as well, and I passed the phone his way.

"Hello!" he said cheerfully in his best All Might voice, making me snicker as I heard Ankoku yelp in surprise. "I am here because Mei gave me the phone! Your friend is in good hands young man, no worries!"

"Holy shit! It's actually you!" I could still hear my friend's voice, and Toshinori chuckled.

"Yes, it's me. You're the friend who's looked out for Mei since she escaped All for One, aren't you?"

"Uh, yeah... Your's truly. Chiba Ankoku at your service," he replied hesitantly.

"Thank you." It melted my heart the way the hero smiled when he said it - the guy really was a big softy.

"Wha-? Ah, you're welcome, I guess," my friend said awkwardly, and I could imagine the look on his face as he probably sat there baffled and confused.

"Okay, okay, that's enough - give it back," I said, chuckling and holding out my hand for the phone. "Listen, Ankoku, I gotta go. But I'll drop by and get my things from your place either today or tomorrow, okay? Thanks for putting up with me, but I won't need the couch bed anymore."

The laugh on the other end still sounded bewildered. "Yeah, whatever kid. Just let me know if you need anything."

"Can do. Talk to ya later, numb nuts."

"Adios, dipshit," he replied lazily, followed by the click of the call ending.

I tossed my cell phone back on the bedside table and turned to Toshinori with a half-serious grimace. "He's been convinced that I was sleeping with you since the end of April," I told him with an eye roll. "I mean, he didn't know you were All Might back then - I only told him I was staying with a pro - but the man somehow knew I liked you before I even knew I liked you," I said, shaking my head in amusement.