There's Truth in Them Cards

Bakudeku

Imagine being bored one day all cooped up in the dorms till somebody suggests a twist to the game of UNO. Truth or Dare. Sounds like all fun and games, till one player let's his attitude get the better of him. What is Bakugou's problem with Midoriya anyways, why does he hate the poor man so much? Can a real truth finally set them free? Players: Mina, Bakugou, Kirishima, Midoriya, Ochako, Jiro, Tsuyu, Momo, Todoroki, Iida, Kaminari, Mineta. 5k words. *Note, this story totally got away from me lol, totally went from potential comedy to angst to happy ending sort of. It was loosely inspired by this fan artwork: post/190162835105/has-this-been-done-yet-twitter-instagram

The Spring rain was coming down in blinding sheets, whipped by tropical storm force winds against the dorm building. It was a miserably cold weekend and the students trapped inside were growing bored. A few holed up in their rooms upstairs, while others milled in the common area downstairs, a television on here, music heard over there. Nothing seemed to satiate anyone, and things were looking bad if video games weren't even keeping their attention. A couple of the girls suggest a board game or maybe cards, but no one seemed interested in the same old games.

"What if we mix it up," Mina suggests to the group of classmates currently molded to the couches. She pulls out a deck of Uno cards, holding it up with a grin. "Truth or Dare Uno!"

Groans spring up around the room at those three first words. Truth or dare? Weren't they too old to be playing this childish game? Or maybe those groans were from fear? A lot of crazy things could happen because of that game, and they sure didn't need to be getting into any trouble.

"Aww, come on guys!" she waves the pack around, "it's not like any of us has anything better to do!"

"Exactly how do you work Truth or Dare into Uno?" Iida questions the girl.

"Well I'm glad ya ask," Mina's smirk builds in intensity. "Each deck has eight Draw cards, two for every suit. We write either a truth or a dare on the card. Whoever pulls it will then have two options, either do as it says, or draw the number of cards listed. Oh, and just to add to the excitement, you can change the amount of draws up to 25 cards… if you really want to be mean."

"Woman, you're nuts," Bakugou growls.

"Or you're scared," she chirps back unfazed. "So, who's interested?"

For a few moments, those in the room mumble between each other, debating whether to play along or go back to doing the nothing they had been doing. Realizing this could get interesting, slowly one by one, everyone pipes up. They'll play.

"I got a suggestion though," Kirishima states, "how about we add a couple more decks since twelve of us want to play? It'll make the game last longer."

Mina thinks for a second, "oh that would be perfect! Everyone will get 2 Draw cards to write on. That way it's fair, no one can say they didn't get to contribute something."

While some of the boys help with pushing two dining tables together, others grab chairs, and the extra decks of Uno cards. The girls find some snacks in the kitchen, paper plates, drinks, and throw on music. It was turning into a party scene with all the laughing and chatter going on, and they hadn't even started the game yet. Mina looks around the room, this is going to be fun! She was even surprised that Bakugou had agreed to play since he didn't like participating in anything they did. He must be really bored, she reasoned.

With the three decks in hand, Mina with the help of Ochako sort out the twenty-four Draw cards and hands each player two. The twelve people playing sit down around the table, taking a few minutes to come up with their idea and write them down. Little chuckles and giggles, whispers, pepper the table.

"Hey, remember nothing too crazy guys, this is still all in fun," Mina reminds them.

"Yeah, no streaking dares or eating weird shit," Kirishima adds with a shiver. "I better not get anything gross." He sees Mineta quietly crossing something off a card and rolls his eyes.

A few more whispers and nods, cards completed and turned over waiting. Once everyone is finished, they pass the cards over to Mina who shuffles the large deck. It takes help, but they manage to get it mixed, and she hands out 7 cards to each player, placing the rest in the middle to draw from. Mina gives everyone a minute to prepare the cards in their hands before turning over the first one on the pile. Red 2.

"We'll start left of the dealer, so Kiri, you're up."

Green 2.

Bakugou- Green 8.

Jiro- Blue 8.

Kaminari- Red 8.

Mineta- Red Draw 5, "Kiss the person to your left."

Todoroki looks at the card, looks to the snickering Mineta with a glare, then turns to the person sitting to his left. Yaoyorozu's cheeks were bright pink in anticipation. He didn't want to embarrass the poor girl, but he didn't want to pick up any cards either. "My apologies," he whispers with a slight tinge of blush of his own, as he places a quick peck on her cheek.

Yaoyorozu straightens out and waves her hand, "it's all in fun," she smiles before placing a Red skip down, skipping Tsuyu's turn. There was no need to broadcast the fact she was giddy inside over getting a kiss from her crush.

Ochako- Red 4.

Midoriya- Yellow 4.

Iida- Yellow 7.

Mina- Yellow Reverse.

Round and round the game continues for several rounds as the classmates get more and more into it. Skips, reverses, pick-ups because someone doesn't have the right color or number in their hand to throw, but so far everyone chooses to play along with the truth or dare instead of draw. How ironic when most of them had hesitated to play because of it. Every draw card that had come out so far have been harmless or silly. Sing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. Admit a middle school crush. Post a silly selfie. Did you wet the bed as a child? And other answers that had the group laughing or giggling, just having a great time.

The cycle had turned left, right, but now it was back to the left again. Over two hours had passed and Bakugou was down to only one card in his hand. He was so close to winning, but this was exactly the moment Kirishima was waiting for. Kiri's plan was set into motion the moment he'd pulled a specific card from the deck. Oh, this was just too good to pass up! Kirishima grins internally and throws down a Blue Draw card. Draw 25 or Be nice to Deku.

As soon as he sees the card, Bakugou growls, slamming his fist on the table as the whole table gasps with silence, and all eyes turning to the hot-headed man. "You bastard!" he screams at his friend. "What the fuck shitty hair?!"

"It's the only blue card I had," the man shrugs. Kirishima wanted to laugh at his friend's internal turmoil. He could practically see the gears turning in Bakugou's mind or the steam rising from his head. But when he looks over at Midoriya, the poor boy's face had turned a beet-red shade rivaling Todoroki's hair, and probably just as heated. What will his friend choose, give up his lead or draw the twenty-five cards?

Bakugou chooses to draw the cards.

An audible gasp from the entire group permeates the air. Bakugou was fuming as he slowly picks card after card from the draw pile, while Midoriya looked as if he wanted to crawl in a hole and die. Others on the table felt sorry for the poor boy. The most competitive man in their class just gave up his lead to spite him, that had to hurt.

"Wow," Tsuyu finally breaks the buzzing silence, uncaring of political correctness. "You really hate Midoriya."

"Tch," Bakugou ignores the girl's comment. He didn't hate the man, it was… complicated. "Let's just get this damn game over with!" Everyone else had low numbers in their hands, maybe 3-4 cards tops on average. He knew he could never win now and just wanted to finish this.

The rest of the game moves on in an awkward silence. Each person taking their turn based on the cards dealt without saying a word. Any truth or dare was run through quickly, the fun long since taken out it. Kirishima was kicking himself now for pulling that stunt. He didn't know who had written the card, but it seemed funny at the time to torture Bakugou. Maybe he should have thought it through. It only takes a half dozen more rounds for a winner to be declared. But by the time Kaminari mumbles Uno, no one on the table felt very festive. Everyone congratulates him with half-hearted smiles then move like zombies to clean up and call it a night.

Midoriya doesn't even stick around to help. The normally positive man had felt the sting of Bakugou's rejection for years, and maybe because of the weather, he wasn't sure, this time it just felt worse. Ochako and Iida offer to hang out with him upstairs, but he cracks a weak smile and waves them off feigning being tired. Several pairs of eyes watch the man trudge away towards the stairs.

"Would it kill you to be nice to Midoriya?" Todoroki questions Bakugou.

"I don't need your judgment Half 'n Half! So, fuck off!"

Bakugou storms away as well towards the upper floors. He had his reasons, damn it, and they didn't need to know them. As he walks past Midoriya's room, he hears sniffles coming from within. Most wouldn't be surprised to hear it, not after he'd just ruined the whole night and sucker punched the guy so to speak. Besides, Midoriya was never shy to crying. But this was a different sound. He stops, pausing in front of the door. In all the years he's known Midoriya, there was only one time he'd ever heard this mournful dirge. It felt like being stabbed in the chest.

He sneers at himself, turning away from the door with an annoyed huff. So, what if the dumbass was feeling hurt. Wasn't the first and it isn't going to be the last. Deku should've been used to this by now considering he's been a prick to him for what, over a dozen years. But the pang in Bakugou's chest didn't lessen at his defensive thoughts, instead feeling like sharp claws dragging across his heart, keeping him from moving away from the door. He clenches his jaw. Fucking Deku.

"What the fuck!" Bakugou jumps when something touches his shoulder. He whips around, fist clenched and raised to see Kirishima retracting his hand.

"Whoa!" Kirishima raises his hands as a white flag. "Didn't mean to startle you."

"What the fuck do you want?" Bakugou whispers angrily through a clenched jaw.

Kirishima's eyes flit to Midoriya's closed door, picking up on his friends strange silencing tone. He keeps his voice low as well. "I just… saw you standing here. Do you need to talk?"

"No."

"Might help."

"No."

"Look… I've always wondered, why are you so mean to Midoriya, like what did he do to you that made you hate him so much?"

"I don't fucking hate him. I wish people would stop assuming…"

"Then why don't you try explaining it to me, cause that's what it looks like."

Suddenly, Bakugou grabs Kirishima by the front of the shirt and drags him further down the hallway. He's seething but keeping his voice low. "Keep your damn voice down shitty hair!" He growls, "Why the hell do you care so much about this?"

"Cause you're both my friend Baku bro, and I don't like seeing you guys fight with each other."

"Tch!" He shoves his friend away and crosses his arms. "Maybe I just like being an asshole."

"Oh, there's no doubt you can be a real ass to deal with, but I know you've got a heart, or you wouldn't care about being a hero. You're hiding something. Maybe even from yourself, I don't know, but you should really figure out what that is. I agree Midoriya can be annoying, but he doesn't deserve to be treated like how you treat a villain."

The sharp claws just dug a little deeper into his heart at Kirishima's biting words, making Bakugou flinch.

"And you once told me you hated feeling like he looked down at you. Well I hate to be the one to break it to you, but no one has seen that attitude from the nerd except you. Being helped when you're down isn't weakness, and not accepting it, isn't strength, its just... stupid. That man just cares so damn much about everyone, he can't not try to help someone in need, including the asshole who's made his life hell since they were kids."

Turn of the knife. Bakugou felt that one down to his soul. Kirishima… no one except maybe his mother has ever put him in his place like this. He wanted to scream! But he couldn't, the bitter pill lodging in his throat. His fists clench and he drops his gaze to the ground, feeling like that small child again.

"Look bro," Kirishima brazenly places a hand on his friend's shoulder. "I'm not trying to judge ya or tell ya what to do. Just… I see that Midoriya doesn't look down on you. Frankly," he chuckles, "the guy looks up to you. And you don't need to be a saint either, but maybe cut him some slack sometimes. Think about it."

Bakugou watches Kiri walk away through his peripheral vision, but he refuses to look or act like he acknowledges anything the man has just said to him. He stalks into his room and throws himself onto the bed, giving it a few good punches to let out his frustration. "Argh!" They just didn't understand! The long-ago moment, that day in the stream when Midoriya stood with his hand held out to him… and the look on his face…. He hated feeling pitied! But that wasn't the only reason. Midoriya wasn't the first or last to help him… remembering Kirishima's outstretched hand during One for All's battle. For years he'd convinced himself that's all it was, but it wasn't true. There was another reason he threw a wall around his heart where Midoriya was concerned.

He flips over and puts his arms above his head to stare at the dark ceiling. They were barely 3 years old when his mother had received a call from Midoriya's mom asking if she could come over. Bakugou closes his eyes. Such an old memory, who even has memories of such a young age? But this one had burned in. The two women had been friends from before they were born. Such an odd friendship considering his mother was wild and Midoriya's a timid creature. She'd dragged him along, convinced that their sons should be friends too. He was too young to know any better. Back then he tolerated Midoriya, probably cause the boy would let him do whatever he wanted with his toys, he wasn't sure, and they both obsessed over All Might.

They were playing in Midoriya's room when they first heard the sounds of crying coming from the living room. Curious, as any small children would be, they venture out, peering around the corner to see his mom consoling Midoriya's. Once Midoriya saw that his mom was crying, he'd raced out in tears too, 'mommy what's wrong?'

And that's when they'd found out the truth about Midoriya's father's absence….

He'd never seen Midoriya cry like he had that day before or since… until now, but now he was the cause of it. He was no different than that bastard father who'd left his family high and dry. A mother to raise a child on her own, while he got to go home to both of his. Within the year, he had gained his quirk while Midoriya was left quirkless. Another cruel destiny thrown into a sad child's life. But then the day in the stream happened, and here this kid who was given one shaft after another by life could still be such a positive person! So helpful and caring about others even though in his own world, it seemed the gods had left him out of their favor. This quirkless mouse was trying to help him?!

The stupid, wounded pride of a child gifted with a powerful quirk was not going to accept help from anyone, let alone a weakling! But it didn't end there. All these years, he kept watching Midoriya be rejected because of his lack of a quirk, shunned for being a fatherless child, ignored because he was this gangly weak kid, who was weird, and mumbled, and kept to himself, yet still be the first to help a person in need. That day with the sludge villain only reinforced the anger he felt for Midoriya. Damn quirkless nobody jumped in and risked his life to save him! Him! The one with the powerful quirk!

He thought he was going to be rid of Midoriya once he'd gotten into UA. How ironic that the incident that reinforced his anger was the one that led to All Might's relationship with Midoriya. A normal person would be happy for the guy. He had a father figure now, a quirk, and the respect of those around him. Bakugou didn't necessarily care that his childhood friend had gained a quirk, but it did piss him off that he was now a rival for power. He wanted to become the #1 hero, and if that meant stepping on Midoriya to get there so be it!

But why did that thought send daggers through his heart?

"The guy looks up to you…" Their classmates only knew Midoriya since they'd come to UA, so Kirishima was making this judgment based on what he's seen for himself. After everything, and despite having a power to rival his, if Midoriya still looked up to him….

That meant he was the biggest fool.

"Tch." Bakugou sits up. He was an asshole to everyone, that's just his personality. But okay, fine, so he's not always so mean to everyone. Obviously, he has friends because he has his moments of being a decent person. "Cut him some slack sometimes…" "Would it kill you to be nice to Midoriya?" No, it wouldn't kill him.

He runs a hand down his face in frustration, bet Kirishima would tell him to be the bigger man and apologize. Stupid Uno game just had to open up Pandora Box…

A few minutes later, Bakugou raps on Midoriya's door. "Oi," he grumps, "open up Deku."

"J-Just go away Kaachan."

"Fuck no, just open the damn door."

"Kaachan, I don't want to see you."

"Yeah, well you got no choice." Bakugou jiggles the knob and finds it locked. "Open it, or I melt the damn thing."

Midoriya knew if Bakugou says something, he means it. He hesitates, but opens the door, doesn't push it open, just unlocks it and goes back to his bed.

When Bakugou enters the dark room, the only source of light was the faint orange glow of the sidewalk lamps below the dorms that litter the campus. He could see Midoriya's outline on the bed. The man was sitting with his knees up, arms wrapped around his legs, and his head resting on them. He sneers and turns his head away. Fucking Deku. Why did they affect each other so much? What was it that All Might once said to them? Something about each having what the other needed. Fate has kept them together for a reason, not that Bakugou believes in such nonsense, but there was something to the fact he could never get away from Midoriya.

The tense air grew heavier and stifling as he stood there. The usually talkative Midoriya, silent as the grave, not even a whisper of the crying he'd heard earlier. Bakugou grabs the desk chair, flips it around and takes a seat in front of the man, letting his arms and chin rest on the backing. He watches Midoriya, looking for an opening. Nothing. No acknowledgement, no movement, no sound. Just nothing. The man fronting him was simply, broken.

"You really hate Midoriya."

But he doesn't! Not hate, just… it's just… Bakugou sighs aloud. Maybe jealousy.

He feared nothing and everything at the same time. His brash attitude built up over years, a magnificent wall of bullshit that's simply become a part of him. He knows no differently than to be that asshole that everyone believes him to be. Looked up to. Feared. Proud. Everyone around him has always just seen the parts he's shown them, but Midoriya was different. Midoriya looked past the anger and saw… him. And that scared the hell out of Bakugou. No, no, he wanted to be the biggest, baddest, hero around! He was never scared… or nervous… or felt fear… like that day in the stream. How did Midoriya do it?! Live all the time like a scared mouse and yet when duty calls, runs head long into trouble without a second thought.

"Did you just come here to stare at me? Cause I'd rather be alone right now."

"Want me to call your mom and tell her you're talking mean to me?"

"Excuse me!" Midoriya's head pops up, furious and glaring. "I could call your mom and tell her how you're always a prick to me! I've hid that from her all the times she's asked me how we were getting along, but maybe I should just tell her everything!"

"Tch." That pulls a grin to Bakugou's face. He had a feeling that would get the boy to finally look at him. Anger was something easier for him to understand and deal with. He sits up straighter, cocking his head to the side. "That's better. Go ahead Deku, unload on me," he opens his arms, raising them up, "I'm right here. Get out all your anger."

"No," Midoriya looks away before placing his head back down. "Don't want to fight anymore… never wanted to fight with you Kaachan… just be your friend. But I give up, okay. You win. So please," he shifts to lay down, turning towards the wall and curling into a semi-fetal position, "leave me alone."

"What?!" This isn't the way it's supposed to happen. Bakugou knows there must be anger brewing in Midoriya right now. He's fielded the punches before when they'd gone after one another. Anger he can understand and deal with, but why isn't Midoriya reacting? He just gave Deku a chance to let it all out on him, and the man didn't take it? He doesn't understand! Deku snaps at him, he sucks it up and snaps at Deku the truth, that was his plan. Bullshit!

Bakugou rips the chair out from under him, flinging it across the room, where it crashes against the adjacent wall. Hearing the loud commotion, Midoriya starts to turn, but without warning, Bakugou is on him! He straddles the wide-eyed man, pinning his legs and wrists above his head so fast, there was no time to react.

"Kaachan what are you doing?!" He fights against Bakugou's hold, but the man just sinks his hips deeper onto his thighs, and grips tighter to his wrist, using all his weight to hold the smaller man down. A fierce blush dashes across his face from such an intimate distance. "What are you doing to me?!"

"I came here to talk and we're gonna god damn talk!" Bakugou lowers his face mere inches away from Midoriya's. "Got it?!" Midoriya nods fervently.

This level of anger was different. Why was Kaachan so adamant to fix things between them? He thought the man hated him. Everyone thought he hated him. He's never tried to "make-up" with him before after the teasing or fighting. Midoriya gulps slowly, did it mean something else? Bakugou's face was so close to his face, he could feel each breath fan over him, and it was making him feel weird. Why was Kaachan still hovering? Did he want to… He shifts his body and moves his face closer, "K-Kach…" bad idea. Bakugou readjusts at the same time to counter Midoriya's and their heads knock right into each other.

"Tss! Idiot! Don't freaking move!"

"I thought maybe…." He shakes his head, realizing he'd mis-read the cues, "but you're hurting me Kaachan." His wrists were getting sore from being squeezed so tightly. Bakugou let's off some pressure around Midoriya's wrists but doesn't let go. "O-Okay, fine so you wanted to talk, so talk."

"You first. I know you gotta be pissed with me Deku, tell me the truth."

That's what he wants to know?! "Of course, I'm pissed with you! You've always been so mean to me and I have no idea why! All I've ever tried to do was be nice and your friend, but you spite me at every turn!"

"Yeah, I figured, but why did tonight seem like you took it worse?"

"I don't know," Midoriya turns his head away with a sigh. "For you to give up winning just to spite me again was…"

He didn't need to finish his sentence, Bakugou knew where he was going. The last straw.

"Oi."

"What?" Midoriya responds but refuses to look at him.

"I may be mean to ya… but I ain't your dad."

"Sorry, what?" that gets Midoriya to look again. "Of course, you're not…"

"You was cryin' just like that night you learnt he wasn't comin' home."

Midoriya blinks, "H-how do you remember that?!"

"I was there idiot. Don't you remember?"

Honestly, he'd pushed those memories down for so long, he couldn't remember much details when he tried to recall them. But still, what did that have to do with this? "I still don't see the correlation…"

"I'm still here dumbass. I pick on ya, but I ain't leavin, so I don't see why you'd be cryin' the same as that time…"

Seriously?! Midoriya grits his teeth and thrashes at his bindings, green fire back lighting his eyes like a raging hell storm, with a wall of rain coming towards you. "If you're gonna keep picking on me, I'd rather you leave! I can't take being hurt by you anymore! It fucking hurts too much! I don't care about my dad! I went from a quirkless nobody to having a pseudo father, quirk, and new life." Midoriya pulls as hard as he can, lifting himself until his face is an inch away from Bakugou's surprised one. His voice lowers and eyes narrow, "I looked up to you Kaachan. You and All Might are the two people I looked up to in this whole world. I wanted to be strong and fearless like you, emulate you… a real hero… not a useless nerd, and I have everything now except the one other thing I've wished for since we were kids… your friendship. So, tell me… why do you hate me so much?!"

Bakugou doesn't even flinch. He'd been ready for an explosive Midoriya, it was what he was waiting for. He glares right back, and if he moves any closer, their noses would be touching. "Because you saw me when I was weak, that's why. You say you looked up to me as the strong one…. You dumbass! You've always been strong! Everything I watched happen to you and yet you still had this positive fucking attitude that I could never understand! I had to pretend to be a tough guy for so long that it's all I know. But you saw me that day… you've always seen through my bullshit… so, I pushed you away! Because, because… I was…"

A brief stand-off ensues when Bakugou can't loosen those last few words from his tongue. He stares at Midoriya as Midoriya stares back at him. Deadlocked red and green eyes bore into each other's hearts for the first real time. They each had what the other wanted… or already had what they'd wanted all along and never realized it. Heat swirls around them in the cold room, their close proximity and body heat stifling the air. Bakugou is struck mute that the man beneath him has always been the only one who could rile him up. All these years, in a way Midoriya drove his passion and made him crave for more! He didn't hate him, he…

Crashes his mouth over Midoriya's, ending the stalemate once and for all. The sudden intrusion cools the rage, and Midoriya relaxes immediately. Bakugou slips down along with him back onto the bed, letting go of his wrists, and coveting his face instead. What was he doing, what was he thinking? Bakugou's mind screams, but all he knew was that his body told him to shut up and give in. He kisses Midoriya with the same hot-headed fervor he applies to everything in his life, molding their mouths together, slipping his tongue through, and dominating the smaller man who was breathless and powerless to stop him.

"Kaachan?" Midoriya whimpers, once Bakugou pulls away and sits up, still straddling the man's legs. His mind was even more confused than when this whole thing started. What did the kiss mean? It felt strange and exciting yet arousing and nauseating. He wanted more, but it scared him to even say a word. Why did Bakugou have to go and add a new element to this whole situation?

Bakugou averts his eyes, slightly embarrassed. "Don't ask," he mumbles once he sees all the question marks looming behind Midoriya's gaze. "Because I don't know why. Just did what I felt like doing." He climbs off and stands with his back to Midoriya, "you should know me by now, I ain't a nice guy... But... I'll start treating ya like I do everyone else… maybe a little better." He turns around, "And don't tell anyone what just happened!"

Midoriya sits up, nodding, "I-I won't."

"Good." Bakugou opens the door, pauses, then walks back to Midoriya. The man stares up confused with a 'what did he want now look'. Baku grins, grips the man's chin, tilting it up and places a rough, covetous kiss on his lips. Without another word, but with a new smirk on his face, he finally leaves the room after that, leaving Midoriya still flustered, but at least no longer upset.

As Bakugou walks past Kirishima's room, he finds the man leaning against his door jamb. "Everything okay now, between you two?" Kiri questions him. "I heard a loud bang earlier on the wall, and here you are an hour later with a grin on your face."

"It's none of your damn business shitty hair," Bakugou quips back, "but yeah the damn Uno shit is settled."

"You gonna be nicer now?"

"Tch." Bakugou doesn't answer and simply walks away. They'll see for themselves in time, but for now, his smirk returns, it'll stay between he and Deku where it belongs.