This Thing A Quiet Madness Made

Chapter 50

"Says who?!"

"Says you!" Her laugh bubbled around the room, arms wrapping around his neck, and she squeezed him tight.

"Alright, alright, get off me already." He pinched at her hip, unhideable smile hidden against her hair. "Your phone was lighting up all night, by the way."

"Oh, really?" She glanced behind her for a second, pulling herself away and rolling towards the nightstand.

As if to prove a point, the screen lit up with an incoming call the moment she touched the device.

"H-"

"Where have you been?! I've been trying to call you all night! Why would you just disappear like that?!"

"Sorry, sorry, my phone was off and I didn't hear-"

"Where are you?! You can't just run off without telling anyone! HQ has been hounding me about why your location is off and I'm about to lose my mind!"

"I know, I-"

"You know how many reports I already have to file thanks to this trip! I really don't think I can even stand the thought of one more! And now this is a whole other problem I have to explain to them!"

"I get it, but-"

"And security back home is already throwing a fit with how long you've been missing! The director is going to hear about this if I can't tell them where you are literally right now, and if he hears about this then that's a whole other load of work I have to-"

"Ok, Lillian! Listen to me, ok? I'll call them and let them know what happened, you just let everyone here know I'm fine. Just tell them to stop worrying, alright? And I told you before, I'll deal with the paperwork, so you just forget about all that and worry about your meetings today, got it?"

"As if I could let you do your own paperwork! That would be like you don't even need me!"

"Oh, you know that's not true!"

"Of course it's not! Look, I know you haven't been back here in forever, and you probably have a lot of... personal things to take care of, but at least let me know before you disappear for the night, ok?"

"I know, I know, you're right. Don't worry about those hawks back home- I'll deal with them. And if they keep pestering you, just tell them to save the questions for me once we get back."

"...fine, we'll do it your way, but you better be ready for the fight of your life."

"It's almost like you don't know me. Oh, and by the way, my location is going to stay off for a while longer."

"What?! Why?! You can't just-!"

"Ok thanks bye!"

The line dropped and Naoko sighed quietly, tossing her phone back onto the nightstand. She ran a hand through her hair, silently apologizing to her future self for the inevitable firestorm she had certainly doomed her to.

"Who was that?"

She glanced over to Bakugo who had gotten up somewhere along the line and begun getting dressed.

"My handler. She's the one in charge of all the boring parts of my life," she mused, eyes trailing down his back where well-defined muscles flexed with every movement.

"Like a manager or something?"

"Same idea."

"What's with all the talk about paperwork?"