Tabula Rasa (BakuDeku)

26

Then Denki lets go.

All the static focuses on the target and fires, the buzz of electricity filling his body. As all the energy's released, Denki feels his body slip into a comfortable warmth, a blurry feeling. His ears stuff with cotton to the brim like a poorly made teddy bear, and everything is slower than usual as he stands up. The people in front of him are fuzzy and he can't quite tell what they're saying, but he gives everyone a great big thumbs up, so they know he's okay. He sees the blur of a villain passed out on the ground, and smiles as he lets sleep overcome him.

When Denki wakes up, he tries to make it as peaceful as possible. His alarm is so calming it lulls him back to sleep, and he took a pair of his mom's silk sheets that stay cold all night. He placed wind chimes in front of his windows, he even has a diffuser that changes color! He takes his mornings very seriously.

So when he wakes up, he's immensely disappointed when he wakes up on a hard floor. Then his hearing decides to finally join the party, too many sounds of feet against carpet and skin against wall. And the explosions.

Wait, the explosions?

Denki scrambles up to see a handful of pro heroes fighting Moonfish and Spinner. So he didn't take him out then, damn.

"Fucking watch where you're going, Pikachu." An angry voice says on his right, and he sees Bakugou sitting up against a wall. Bakugou must see the confusion on his face, because he answers for him, "Cracked my fucking skull. Close your shitty mouth before someone shoves their dick in it." Denki shuts his jaw.

"So, someone managed to subdue the Great Katsuki Bakugou, huh?" he teases, pointing to the bandage wrapped around Bakugou's hairline. It earns in a slap him upside the head, worsening his headache. Denki laughs it off, "Other than The Mighty Izuku Midoriya, of course." The nicknames are annoyingly cheesy, just like Denki loves. And just like Bakugou hates.

"Wha-The fuck, Pikachu? Shitty Deku doesn't fucking own me!" Denki smiles, his side quest to get Bakugou riled up for his own personal enjoyment is a success.

"Okay, whatever you say Baku-bro!" He gives his friend a cheesy smile and a thumbs up and watches the pitcher overflow.

Bakugou slaps his hand away, "Dick," Steam might as well puff from his nose like an angry dragon. It's clear he's trying to hide the genuine fear behind the anger though. Denki feels kinda bad.

"So, how's operation, 'Deny my feelings for Midoriya until I die,' going for ya?"

Denki watches Bakugou's walls build themselves higher, body tense and shoulders raised, "W-What? How the fu-" Did he know?

Denki places a finger on the others lips, which is slapped away by a steaming hand, "I'm literally a master wingman. I notice all."

Bakugou's walls collapse completely, and he deflates against the wall like a balloon, "Fucking terrible," Denki snorts, "I hate it."

"Well...would you like to talk about it?" He leans in encouragingly, but the ash blond scoots away.

"No."

Denki throws himself toward the angsty teen, "Please? I promise I'll keep my lips shut!" He zips his lips and throws the invisible key over his shoulder. Done.

But Bakugou shakes his head anyway.

"Bakugou," Denki says in all seriousness, placing a comforting hand on the ash blond's shoulder that's surprisingly not pushed off, "You can't bottle up your feelings like this! Or you'll end up being an angry grinch forever."

Bakugou crosses his arms, but his eyes remain trained on the ground, "Better to be an angry grinch than an overemotional bitch."

"Those who show their emotions are the strongest," Denki quotes, "If you attack your issues head on, it'll be easier to deal with them in the future."

Bakugou blows a raspberry, lips fluttering, "Or, I don't deal with them at all and live a great life," His stubbornness is borderline annoying, and if Denki can't talk the sense into him he might have to beat it. Maybe.

So he settles for a flick to the forehead, "Stop being a dumb ass." Burning red eyes stare at him with what he sweats is a tangible force. His electric yellow eyes stare back. Challenging.

Bakugou breaks away first, "I don't...enjoy feeling like this," he begins. He pauses, but Denki doesn't push him, "But at the same time I fucking love it."

"Okay, feeling like what?"

"Like...I like him." Bakugou's face and ears are burning red, but Denki doesn't understand the issue. He already knows that.

"Well yeah, but like how'd you know?"

"That I like him?"

"Yeah." Denki takes a deep breath through his nose to keep himself from yelling at Katsuki to stop stalling.

Bakugou shrugs, "I dunno. I think I always have," A pause, "Since I could remember, at least."

"Since when is that?"

"Stop asking fucking questions!" Bakugou snaps, whole face and neck beet red.

Denki rubs the back of his head sheepishly, "Guess I am pushing a little far, huh? Sorry, I'm just not used to you being so...open."

Bakugou eyes him wearily, but relaxes against the wall anyway, "It's...whatever."

Denki nods, and lets his head lean on the wall behind him too. The fights pretty much over, Mr. Aizawa and Midnight are loading the last of the criminals into the van.

"Kacchan!" Midoriya bounces over with Eijirou in toe, "We won. I'm not used to winning." Bakugou stands up from the floor, but Midoriya's hands rush to his shoulders, "Why are you standing? You're hurt-"

Bakugou groans loudly, "Deku, Recovery Girl just-"

"I don't care what that old woman says," Midoriya stomps, "You aren't walking anywhere." Eijirou and Denki share the same look: Are you seeing what I'm seeing?

"Then how the fuck am I supposed to get to my room, huh?"

"I'll...I'll carry you!" The greenette sticks his tongue out.

Bakugou narrows his eyes, and then looks at Denki. The electric teen gives him two supportive thumbs up, and he turns back to Midoriya, "Fucking fine. But if your legs give out on you it's not my damn problem."

Midoriya looks shocked that Bakugou actually said yes, and turns so his back is facing them, "C'mon Kacchan, hop on."

The ash blond sighs and runs a hand over his face, "I can't believe I'm fucking doing this..." But he hops on anyway, and Denki watches Midoriya half sprint to the dorms with an embarrassed Bakugou bouncing on his back. The sunset filters through the buildings, painting the plaza in a velvety orange gold.

"You think they're gonna last?" Eijirou appears behind him, hand in his pockets.

"Yeah," the duo turn the corner, finally gone from his line of sight. Denki smiles, "They will."