A/N: *sighs in exasperation with the fact that I'm writing another fanfic for another fandom without updating the other ones* Well, hello! I had a bad day at the office last week and out of irritation, I posted something on my Tumblr that goes "Heh, I'll definitely make a TodoBaku fic in the future. I can more or less portray Bakugou's character with how much I want to burn the entire humankind right now" that earned 15 likes, which is something for me. I was having a hard time thinking of a good plot (I was in such a bad temper that day and the outburst wasn't serious) when one morning, after seeing my FB newsfeed being bombarded by a friend's posts (she's nurse) as usual, an idea magically popped out of my head.
So, here you are, as promised. And before I forget, let's say thanks to atutsie for this whimsical fanfiction XD
Shouto honestly wanted to come along with Midoriya and others that day to the mall.
Not that he badly wanted it, of course. He just thought that it could be fun, even just a little, but his mother comes first. He had just begun visiting her in the hospital and she was happy with about it, and between making up to her after a long time of being in bad terms and shopping with friends on the weekend, there was no contest.
"So, you and your classmates are going to a summer camp this coming week, I see," her mother gave him a warm smile, she looked a bit older than her age when he saw her on his first ever visit. But as days came by, she started to smile frequently, and it made her look somehow younger, happier. It pained him to see how much sadness it must have caused her just because of his immaturity and stubbornness that lasted unnecessarily long. Regret wouldn't do any good by now, he mused. What mattered was what he could do to make up to her. He was even glad that his news of finally using his fire power which he expected to be a source of dread and unease to her drew a light and serene smile instead. Perhaps she was feeling that way because she believed that despite him embracing the side that he inherited from his father, he wouldn't be like him. And she could count on that.
"That's why I won't be able to visit you on my next off. I'm sorry, Mom."
"Don't be, it's absolutely fine. In fact, I'm glad to know that you get to have fun with your classmates and friends now, unlike before. So, how about preparations? Have you packed up? Oh, I suddenly missed preparing your things for school when you were a kid. Guess you don't need it anymore for how much of a young man you have become now. Sorry for babbling like this, I just suddenly feel a bit lonely to realize that I didn't get to watch over you as you grow up..."
"Mom," Shouto didn't want to see her that full of longing and regret but at the same time, he didn't want to stop her to feel that way. She was a mother, after all. It was her right to miss her children and role. To that, he could only reassure her. "It doesn't matter right now anymore. At least this time around, you can see us. You can see that we've grown strong, and watch over us as we surpass him someday. I'll get you out of here, I swear. I'll give Father a piece of my mind when the time comes."
Her mother chuckled, "Maybe you didn't inherit his selfish thirst of being the number one, but certainly the stubbornness is there. You changed a lot, Shouto. I wonder what kind of magic UA has got to culminate you to what you are now. You seemed to be happier. Is there a girl behind this?"
"No, Mom. I have no time for that. Most of my classmates are the same. I made some friends, actually. Good ones, they even invited me to go shopping today to buy things for the summer camp. I just declined because I've got all I need."
"Or because you have to visit me?"
"Also that."
"Oh, come on, Shouto. Give yourself a break. You deserve it."
"It's fine. We'll be going to a summer camp, anyway. I'll be spending my entire summer break with them so I might as well spend some with you, too."
"Oh, dear. I'd like to meet these friends of yours someday. I owe them some thanks for taking care of you."
"Todoroki-san?" A voice of a woman called from the door. It was the resident nurse, Atutsie-san. She had a bright, bubblegum pink, Bob cut hair and slim built. There were distinct lines under her eyes, signs of inadequate sleep. She was wearing a very bubbly smile despite being obviously tired and sleepless. "It's time for your meds."
As if on cue, Shouto stood from his seat to give room to the nurse as she placed the medicines on her mother's bedside table. "And you are here again, Todoroki-kun? This is so nice! This should help your mom recover faster. Y'know, ever since you started visiting, Todoroki-san seemed to improve a lot. I hope you keep this up."
"I will," Shouto replied, privately feeling so relieved.
"Atutsie-san! Atutsie-san! Where is Atutsie-san?" Another female voice, a frantic one, called from the hall.
"I'm here!" Atutsie-san called back.
A nurse peeked inside the room and looked straight at Atutsie-san. "Ah! Please come with me to Room 4016, we need your help!"
"Coming," she hastily said and marched outside the room to follow her co-worker.
"There must be someone going hysterical again," her mother mumbled.
"What do you mean, Mom?"
"Ah, Atutsie-san. She has a quirk that could make the patients behave when she touch them."
Wow, that was one interesting quirk. Suitable for being a hero. Shouto wondered why she decided to become an over-fatigued nurse instead of using her useful quirk for some other work. Though it perfectly suited her chosen profession, too.
Her mother took the pills given to her and later on, Atutsie-san was back to get the small tray where she put the medicines.
"A girl freaked out during her first needle and her telekinetic quirk came into action. Good thing I managed to pat her in time, or else the entire building would have gone into flames," she mumbled with a tired, small sigh escaping her lips.
"You have an ability to tame a person by just touching them, Atutsie-san?" Shouto couldn't help but ask.
"Uhh, not exactly like that. I can... force the kindness out of a person when I give him or her a pat on the head that can last for a day, depending on the degree of the person's natural goodness in heart. The more wicked, the more it easily wears off. I have a limit of 5 patients a day so I make sure to use it wisely."
"I see, that sounds cool," Shouto complimented. "That could somehow be useful in combat against villains."
Atutsie-san lightly laughed. "I'm often told by that. However, I must admit that I'm not that capable in fighting. I'm not into violence and exposure, too. Call me a bit of an introvert. But hey, that doesn't mean I can't be a hero in my own way. Right, Todoroki-san?
"Yes, of course," his mother smiled as well.
"So, if you'll excuse me," Atutsie-san waved the small tray then left with a yawn and a discreet stretch. Shouto watched her as she reached the door, wondering how long she had been awake, and how heroic that act was in more ways than one.
Shouto bid goodbye to his mother an hour before the visiting hours ended. He was on his way out of the main entrance, when he caught a familiar figure of a boy his age, his back turned to him. He was standing next to a woman who was sitting on the seat in the receiving area of the hospital lounge, one arm nestled across her abdomen. Shouto had an inkling of who he was, and who presumably the woman was, too. He was curious but not to the point that he wanted to confirm his identity, and intended to leave when a booming and irritated by default voice of a boy rose up, catching the attention of the other patients waiting along with them.
"What the fuck is taking them so long to call the goddamned queue numbers? We've been waiting here for like fucking eternity! I'm getting tired of this shitty service!"
Ah, Shouto was right. Katsuki Bakugou was the only person he knew that could lace each of his sentences with a swear word or two, consecutively, wherever he go and whoever he was talking to. Shouto would bet that the woman, presumably his patient, was his mother. By the looks of it, she was more than used to his son condemning the world indiscriminately, for how chill she was taking it.
"For God's sake, Katsuki. You go home if you want to. You're making my tummy ache worse. I'm tired of hearing complains," she replied, seemingly more pissed off about her child than her ailment.
"And what, to be told to return here by the old man? Are you fucking making fun out of me?"
"Then SIT AND SHUT UP! You're disturbing the other patients!"
"Hell yeah, like I'll spend another second waiting here for nothing. That fucking machine changes number in 10 minutes interval. What kind of interview are they giving before admitting patients? I'm not gonna waste my time any more than I already fucking had—"
"
Shouto wasn't interested to hear any more of Bakugou's bickering, he wouldn't waste the remaining time of his off to listen to profanities every five seconds, when he noticed a nurse approached him, closed in to his back, and patted his head.
Bubble pink hair, a clipboard in her arm, and a very disapproving scowl. For Atutsie-san to use her quirk that she said she used wisely due to the limited time of use, this meant that either she judged that Bakugou was the patient or he was pissing the hell out of her. Either way... this looked pretty interesting.
Shouto stepped closer to them. Hmm, it wouldn't hurt to see if Bakugou indeed possessed a natural goodness in the heart, and how long it would last if there actually was.
"Atutsie-san," Shouto called. "I don't think your quirk is going to work on him. That's a human grenade you are petting right now."
"Oh, Todoroki-kun? You know this loud and rude prick here?" Atutsie-san turned and faced him after ruffling Bakugou's hair.
"A classmate. He's got hate in the world running through his veins that I don't think you could force any kindness out of him."
With that, Atutsie-san removed her hand from Bakugou's head and stepped back, face looking amused and confident at the same time. "I think I remember him. That arrogant boy you fought against with in the UA sports festival. Well hello, Mr. Number One."
Shouto expected to see Bakugou's face etched with utter distaste of being touched, with hands sparking and crackling out of sheer anger, only to catch himself holding his breath at the sight of Bakugou looking like the kindest boy in town. The current soft tone in his eyes could even be compared to Midoriya's friendly and approachable ones.
"Todoroki?" Oh god, even the voice was calm. "Hey, what are you doing here? Ah, hello, Nurse. I'm sorry to disturb you, but I'd like to ask why the queue number calling is getting pretty long. My mom here isn't feeling very well so I'm worried. We could just go to other clinic if this goes on..."
And that was the first ever paragraph Shouto heard from him that had no 'fuck,' 'shit,' or 'damn' in it.
"We apologize, sir. There are many patients today and most of the doctors are on rounds so I'm afraid you'll have to wait a little longer. With what I can see from your mom, she doesn't look that bad. Some patients over there are clinging to their lives with only a sliver of hope, and they have to be prioritized. Please bear it for a little while."
"Yeah. He's just overreacting because he's getting bored. We'll just wait, thank you and sorry. Oh, and may I know what you did you do to his little bastard here?" Bakugou's mom chipped in.
"Ah, I just calmed him down, is all. See, Todoroki-kun? It's not that I'm confident with the precision of my quirk. My quirk works on everyone because we all have kindness in heart; it only differs in volume and density. He's okay, Ma'am. But please keep him quiet and behave as to not disrupt the other patients."
"Damn! Awesome quirk you've got! I need that for a frequent peace of mind when dealing with this boy. Ah, I'll try my best, just hope that your quirk last a little longer. It's been a while since the last time I saw him that nice."
"Glad to be of service. And by the way, you young man," Atutsie-san turned to Bakugou. "You can never learn how to respect other people if you can't even respect your own mom. We don't need a hero who doesn't even know how to wait. Do you understand?"
Bakugou's cheek reddened just a bit. "I understand. Thank you and I'm sorry for the trouble."
Thank you. I'm Sorry. Two sets of words that weren't supposed to exist in Bakugou's vocabulary in fact spilled out of his mouth with voice sounding really apologetic.
"You are an angel, Ma'am. Thanks!" Bakugou's mom chirped happily, then Atutsie-san left and said goodbye.
"Hello, Todoroki-kun," Bakugou's mom turned to him. "It's nice to finally meet you. I'm Mitsuki Bakugou."
Shouto dipped his head a little. "Shouto Todoroki."
"Hey, Todoroki," Bakugou looked at him. "You going for a check-up, too?" There was no smile on his face, but no hostility either.
"No, I visited someone. How about you?"
"Mom here got stomach ache. She must have eaten something bad or whatever, but I hope it's not something like a baby. Who are you visiting?"
Shouto then forgot to ask Atutsie-san a detail about her quirk. Would the patient remember everything he or she did as being nice once the quirk wore out? He didn't like to tell him about his mom, but there was really nothing bad about it. After a short hesitation, he answered. "My mother. I'm about to go home, too. The visiting hours is going to end."
"Okay. Ah, Mom. I'm really getting bored here. I wanna go visit your mom. Do you mind?"
... And what was the extent of the kindness she could pluck out of her patients. This was beyond unbelievable. "Why?"
"Just want to say hi. You did it with mine. It's okay if you mind, I won't insist. You're a private prick anyway," Bakugou shrugged.
"Please take him with you, Todoroki-kun. It's not every day that we get to see my son having interest to meet people and say hi. There are remaining 15 minutes before the end of the visiting hours and really, it'd be a big relief for me to be rid of that brat for a short while. I hope it's not too much of a trouble."
Bakugou must have gotten his way of words from his mother, just that his version was nastier. There was something about Bakugou's mom that screamed persistent. Then again, Shouto was admittedly curious as to what this good boy Katsuki Bakugou was up to. Depending on the outcome of his interaction with his mom, he might tell this to his classmates. It guaranteed a good laugh or two. "Okay, then. But do me a favour and behave, will you?"
"Sure," Bakugou timidly agreed. Shouto was holding back a laugh. This was really amusing.
Shouto excused himself and sauntered back to the hallway for the elevator, Bakugou trailing behind. In normal situation, Bakugou would be even make a big deal about who was walking ahead and behind. As it turned out, they stepped into the elevator in silence, Bakugou had both of his hands inside his pants pocket, standing next to him. The usual scowl was absent in his face, replaced with a carefree one, waiting for the elevator door to open. Heck, he was so behave Shouto was starting to freak out a little.
They arrived at the floor where his mom's room was located. Shouto walked ahead, turning his head to the back along the way to see if Bakugou was following or if Atutsie-san's quirk unfortunately lifted already.
He was still following, one brow raised up as if in question of Shouto's behaviour. Shouto shrugged and moved on.
"Ah, Shouto. I knew you're coming back. You forgot your phone..." his mother had his phone on her hand and was about to give it to him when her voice lowered, apparently surprised that he had somebody with him.
"Oh, I didn't realize. Thanks, mom," Shouto took his phone. "I'd like you to meet my classmate from UA. This is Katsuki Bakugou. I bumped into him downstairs," he vaguely introduced him, wanting to see how Bakugou would do the rest.
To his surprise, Bakugou bowed his head ever so slightly. "Good day. I'm Bakugou. I now see where you got your ice side, Todoroki."
"Wow, nice to meet you too, Bakugou-kun," his mom accommodatingly smiled to him. "Thank you for taking care of my son."
"Heh, this nitwit knows how to take good care of himself so it's not needed. In fact, he's good at kicking ass of others, though not as good as I do."
"Pardon, Mom. This bastard is literally a walking grenade and has a bad case of megalomania and brash ways with words. He annoyed Atutsie-san at the lounge and she gave him some lesson. She's impressive, as expected," he explained.
"I see," his mom lightly laughed. "Well, I'm glad to hear that. You guys sound like you're having fun."
"Not—" Bakugou was about to answer when Shouto elbowed his side, signalling him to watch his words. "—Uhh, you can say that. Have you watched our fight at the UA Sport Festival?"
"You fought against each other in the sport festival? I'm sorry, but we don't have our own television in here so I wasn't able watch. Shouto only mentioned that he reached the finals but lost in the end."
"This Half 'N Half bastard didn't want to go all out with me for some fucking reason I don't know, so I won. But it was not that bad. Not that good either, though."
As Shouto worried about her becoming uncomfortable with Bakugou's profanities, she gave another hearty laugh, and it was genuine. Bakugou sat on the other end of his mom's bed uninvited, seemingly ready for some more conversation.
"Not that I care about that reason, of course. He's secretive in school and all like acting so cool and shit, but the thing is I want a good fight and real victory, y'know. Would you tell this bastard that? He won't do as I say. It's pissing me off."
"Shouto, your friend is pretty hilarious! He knows many things about you, huh."
"He's not my friend. He's a tight rival, in fact."
"And you're a fuckwipe just like that useless Deku. He has this 'friend' in the school, the other ass he beat before I beat his. He used his fire power against that fucker and not against me."
"Ah, I know those bits. He told me about this Midoriya and Iida. Are they your friends, too? I have to apologize about that, though. My son has some issues about his fire power but he's working on it now. So, I take it that you're the one Shouto told me who could use fire power as well in his class."
"You told her shit about me?"
"A little. Bakugou, you do realize we're inside the hospital, don't you? Reduce the brash words. You're disturbing the other patients."
"Fuck yeah, let them be."
"Excuse me, Todoroki-san. It's your food ration for today," a man pushing a food trolley handed a tray to Shouto which he took and placed on the table next to the bed with a 'thanks'.
When the man walked out of the room to distribute the remaining trays, Bakugou eyed his mom's dinner for the night, face contorted in distaste. "Ugh, what the hell is that? Is this even considered dinner? Do you have some stomach disorder or something?"
"Ah, no. It's just that hospital food is normally made bland for the patient's health," his mom said, looking at the pitiful tray that contained a piece of banana, a cup of rice, curry and fried tempura.
"Well, it looks pathetic."
"It is really is."
"I bet you are getting tired of this hospital's shitty service."
"Not really, the medical assistance is good and all, but the food scheme is depressing."
"I can make a better and more decent meal than that, fuck it."
"Really?"
Shouto listened to them chat, secretly amused. It was like he was not there. It was hard to believe, but his mom sure was having fun talking with her visitor.
"Yeah. Unlike who fucking ever cooked this. Mom's specialty is curry and I cook it better than her. She's bitter about that. I can bring you some next time in case we have to go back for a check-up or something, I just hope I remember."
Whoa, whoa, whoa. Okay. That was absolutely weird. "Hey, you're not serious, are you?"
"Do I look like I'm fucking joking? You're not my friend, you said it didn't you? Why would I kid with you? And I'm talking to your mom here. I can make a simple curry, I ain't an idiot."
"I bet. I'm sure you're not gonna do it once the nurse's quirk wears off."
"Shut up, prick."
"I will look forward to it, Bakugou-kun," her mother happily grinned. She looked excited.
"But Mom," he meant to tell her not to hope, but there was something in her eyes that looked grateful. It was weird. He was so used of Bakugou being a source of dispute and chaos, not hope and happiness. But as it was unfolding before his eyes, his mom was enjoying Bakugou's company.
"It's okay, Shouto. I don't mind whether he worked on it or not. The fact that he wants to bother himself just to do my dinner justice is enough to make me happy. You have good friends, my son. Take good care of them."
Shouto instinctively looked at Bakugou, and Bakugou looked back at him. Bakugou was wearing a baffled face, but his eyes gave off the feeling of understanding. "Whatever you say. I don't turn back to my words though I don't care whether you believe it or not, you little shit."
Strange. He found it believable.
A nurse poked her head in the room's door. "Excuse me, but the visiting hours is over. You may now leave the patients so they can rest."
"Tsk. I need to go back to my mom, it must be her turn for the check-up. It's nice to meet you, ma'am. Get well soon," Bakugou stood up and once again, uncharacteristically, bowed his head a bit.
"Thank you for visiting me, it's so nice to meet you, too."
"We've got to go, Mom. I'll go straight here once we got back from the summer camp."
"Okay. Take care on your way home, the two of you."
They left and walked to the elevator, this time Bakugou was walking ahead of him. Once they stepped inside it, Bakugou suddenly mumbled. "You mother is nice, though she looks sad. What's her deal? Does she have critical disease?"
"It's complicated," was only Shouto responded.
"Whatever," then Shouto realized it. Bakugou was rude and uncaring on the outside, but maybe deep inside, he cared. Even just a bit. He wouldn't ask him that, wouldn't promise to make curry for her mom, and wouldn't trouble himself to waste time to just greet and talk to her if he was completely devoid of consideration to others. He was just... unable to show it openly, he guessed. After all, Atutsie-san's quirk didn't reinforce goodness into a person. It forced the goodness out of the person.
The elevator descended quietly. Perhaps internally, Bakugou was squirming in a mixture of annoyance, anger and embarrassment with what Atutsie-san's quirk made him do. Shouto was a bit disappointed, just very little, because he liked this version of Bakugou. It'd be nice if he was like this every day. Midoriya would surely be relieved.
"Just in time, Katsuki. My number's next," his mom called as they closed in. "How did it go, Todoroki-kun?"
"He was... harmless. So far, so good."
She laughed out loud. "Oh god. Do you happen to know what that nurse's name is? I'm willing to pay her periodically just to tame this wild Pom," the world saw Katsuki Bakugou as a roaring lion but his mom just took him as a Pomeranian. Guess all mothers tended to treat their child as baby no matter how old they got.
"She uses it only for her patients in emergency cases so I doubt if she'll agree to it."
"Ahh, what a bummer. Anyway, thanks for putting up with my request. It must have been hard to introduce this brat to your mom."
"It's okay, I had my fun."
"Oi, you guys talk like I'm not here at all. I can hear you loud and clear y'know," Bakugou chirped.
"The quirk is starting to wear off, that's fast. I will go ahead, then," Shouto bowed. "See you tomorrow at school, Bakugou."
"Yeah yeah. See you. Take care on your way home," Bakugou now looked more than happy that Shouto was about to leave, but if he wished him to get home safely despite that, it seemed he wasn't as bad as everyone perceived him to be.
Shouto was seeing him in a new light now, and he couldn't tell if that was good or not.
"I'M GONNA FUCKING KILL THAT BITCH OF A NURSE WHEN I GO BACK TO THAT SHITTY HOSPITAL!" Katsuki grounded out with all his might, hands crackling in utter irritation and infuriation with how much bullshit he had to put up back then at the hospital. He wanted to kill that nurse. He wanted to kill Todoroki for playing along and having fun at that. He wanted to fucking kill now, anyone would do!
He didn't understand what happened that day. When they got home, he was still acting strangely obedient and nice that his parents took advantage of it and made him do the chores. His mom repeatedly patted and ruffled his head like he was a dog and she kept saying that she was having fun and she loved that nice version of him. The quirk completely lifted roughly the next morning, while he was taking a bath, and finally, he was able to scream out shit that he was forcibly keep since yesterday. And it felt great. This would be complete if he could boom right into Half N Half bastard's face. He would definitely do that later at school, just wait.
Though... goddamnit, he made a fucking promise to his mom. Why did he even do that!? What was wrong with him? No, wrong question. What was with that nurse's quirk? Did she forced him to be goody two shoes? What a terrifying quirk. Not as terrifying as his, of course. But still, he should be careful with that.
Argh. What should he do with that compromise he did? He could easily dismiss it and just consider it as a bad side effect of the bitch's quirk, but he never turned his back to his words. Damn it. God fucking damn it. 'Screw you, bastard. I'm never gonna go back to the hospital. The next time I do, I'll be in a body bag. Who cares about your sick mom!'
Not giving any room for these useless thoughts, he hurriedly prepared for school. His mom gave a heavy, grumpy sigh of discontent when she learned that her bad Katsuki was back.
P.S.: ... And that was a fun write! I hope you enjoyed this little story as much as I did. Feel free to leave a kudos or comment, they are much appreciated!