I've been meaning to release this and never found the time to. Well, now it's here. I needed a break from Cosmic Rivalry lol
It's freeform & gen for a reason. Enjoy
Oneshot: Hello?
Ring
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Ring
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Ring
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Ri–
Click.
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"Midoriya speaking."
"..."
"Um... is anyone there?"
"...'
"Okay... I think you got the wrong number? I think I'll just– end the call... Ah, wait! Is this someone I know?"
"..."
"Oh, um, if it is, I'm sorry? I know I should be keeping track of people's numbers and their names– and I do, really! It's just that work becomes hectic and then there's a chance that my phone becomes a security risk if some villain manages to get a hold of it. Or if, hopefully not, a fan gets a hold of it, then that's–"
"Oi."
"..."
"Tsk, gone all quiet, huh. Don't know if that's better or worse than your stupid mumbling."
"..."
"Say something, Deku."
"..Kacchan?"
"No shit."
"Oh."
"..."
"..."
"That's fucking it? Oh? That's all you can say?"
"Ha... how'd you get my number, Kacchan?"
"Take a wild guess, dipshit."
"I'd rather not. Just tell me, Kacchan."
"..."
"Of course you won't. Ha... What did I even expect?"
"..."
"I'm hanging up, Kacchan."
"No! Fuck, wait, goddammit."
"Why?"
"Huh?"
"Why should I wait? I'm busy, Kacchan."
"What the hell? Just wait, shitty nerd!"
"Ha... I'm hanging up if that's all you're going to say in this conversation, Kacchan."
"How is this a fucking conversation, stupid Deku? We're just going back and forth on me begging for you not to hang up and you sighing like shit."
"...Then answer my question. How'd you get my number, Kacchan?"
"..."
"See? Don't blame me if it isn't becoming a conversation. You're the one who's keeping his mouth shut."
"I...!"
"Yes?"
"Fuck... I got it from Half and Half. There, happy?"
"Sh–Shoto gave it to you?"
"That's what I fucking said."
"Why did Shoto give you, of all people, my number?"
"What the fuck's that supposed to mean, Deku?"
"You're the genius, aren't you, Kacchan? Take a wild fucking guess."
"...Ha."
"What's so funny?"
"You... you said 'fuck'. Ha, shit, Auntie's gonna have a field day if she hears about this."
"Oh my god, what are you, five? Damn."
"Ha, there it is again. Wow, you're on a roll, Deku."
"Don't."
"What?"
"Don't call me Deku."
"...Why not? That's your hero name, right?"
"But you're not calling me as the hero, are you, Kacchan? You're calling Midoriya Izuku right now, not Hero Deku."
"Then what the fuck does his royal highness want me to call him?"
"..."
"See? Even you don't know what else I can call you because I've been fucking calling you that for half our lives, dipshit. And you suddenly expect me to drop that, ha?!"
"I don't know, Kacchan. I didn't expect you to be on the other end of the line today, either."
"..."
"I–"
"Don't fucking say, you'll hang up. Just... don't."
"Ka–"
"Please.. Izuku."
"...Okay, Kacchan."
"..."
"..."
"How've you been?"
"..What? I– what?"
"Is the connection shitty or something? Go to the fucking roof, asshole."
"No, uh, the connection's fine. Um... I just didn't expect that."
"That I'd try for a conversation like a normal person, you mean?"
"That's not what I– Yeah, actually. It just.. took me by surprise."
"Well if you're done being surprised, like you always fucking are, then answer the question, nerd."
"I'm... good."
"Wow, way to kill a conversation. No wonder interviewers look fucking pained when they talk to you."
"You watch my interviews, Kacchan?"
"...No."
"Hm, okay."
"I don't."
"Sure."
"Fucking– I don't! You just happens to be on the news all the fucking time 'cuz we're heroes, asshole!"
"Huh."
"Fucking what."
"You know I never expected you to say that. That 'we're heroes'. At most I... Well, if middle school me could hear us now, he'd be freaking out, that's for sure."
"..."
"Kacchan? Are you sti– was that a bark?"
"Shit, you annoying waste of space, stop– Oi, De–nerd, don't you fucking dare hang up on me. Just gotta feed this useless slobbery furball."
"Oh, um, okay."
"...Stop staring at me, dammit! There! Go eat it, bitch. Christ, 's not like I don't feed you..."
"Pfft. Ha. Ah, Kacchan's cute."
"I'm fucking what?"
"...Nothing. I said nothing."
"Tsk, whatever. You still there?"
"I literally just responded, Kacchan. Of course I'm still here. Unless you didn't hear me? Ah, is the connection not working?"
"Shut up, idiot. Connection's fine."
"Oh, okay."
"..."
"So, how'd you get my number from Shoto?"
"Fucking knew you wouldn't let that go."
"Well, it's just.. weird? You two aren't really friends."
"What the hell do you know about me and him being friends, ha?! Stop assuming crap and get your head out of your ass."
"Sorry, the whole friends thing is still new to me.. You of all people should know that."
"..."
"After all, I did spend a whole decade of my life without having one."
"..."
"Heh, cat– or should I say, dog got your tongue, Kacchan?"
"Fuck you. That expression doesn't work if it's a dog, nerd."
"Well, I think it works purrfectly."
"..I want to hang up in your face, asshole, but I can't."
"...Why not? No one's stopping you."
"I just can't."
"..."
"..."
"You know I–"
"I'm sorry."
"I– What? Kacchan? What did you say?"
"Fuck, you did that on purpose didn't you? You son of a bitch."
"Don't call my mom a bitch. Anyway, no, I– Kacchan, please. What did you say?"
"..."
"Kacchan. Katsuki."
"I said I'm fucking sorry. There. Drill that into your head, nerd."
"...Shit."
"You're on a roll today with the eloquent responses, huh."
"No, you, I... Shut up."
"Asshole, who are you to tell me to–"
"Shut the hell up, Bakugou Katsuki."
"..."
"Ha... shit, fuck. This isn't happening."
"..."
"This isn't real, Izuku. You're obviously dreaming. You're actually sleeping on the couch right now, with a half-eaten bowl of instant noodles on your chest. You fell asleep halfway into watching that new drama that Ochako recommended you, and now it's the time to wake. the. hell. up."
"..."
"Come on, come on. Why the hell aren't I waking up?"
"..."
"..."
"You done?"
"Ha... Holy crap. This is real."
"More real than what you just fucking narrated over the phone, dumbass. Just– what the fuck was that?"
"Uh... nothing?"
"...You slapped yourself, didn't you."
"..."
"You fucking idiot."
"'M not an idiot, Kacchan."
"Yeah? How's that cheek faring, shitty Deku?"
"I told you not to call me that."
"You told me a lot of things today."
"So did you."
"..."
"Were you serious? Or did you just say that to make conversation?"
"Fuck you."
"Kacchan."
"Do you really think I'm the sort of asshole who'll do that?"
"Do you want me to answer that with the truth, Kacchan?"
"The fuck's that supposed to mea–"
"You bullied me, Kacchan."
"..."
"I spent every waking moment since people called me quirkless beating myself up. And I was only, ha... I was only a kid, Kacchan. I was a kid with big dreams and hopes, and you, my best friend, was at the forefront of tearing them down."
"De–"
"Don't call me that!"
"..."
"Fuck... just, don't, Kacchan. You started this. You were the one who called out of nowhere and just dropped this on me, no warning at all. So, shut. the. hell. up."
"..."
"Ha..."
"..."
"You hurt me, Kacchan. More than you'll ever know. Or maybe you do know, I... I'm not sure anymore. You– When I fall asleep, I can sometimes still hear you and your lackeys, you know? Those nights are the worst. Because I wake up, and I have to turn on the goddamn TV or call one of my friends to confirm that this whole thing was real. That I was– am really a hero."
"..."
"Kacchan, you know you... you were my hero. I admired and looked up and followed after you even when you pushed me away or ignored me. You shone like the sun– you were my pillar of hope, my idol. I... I looked up to you more than I did All Might. So when you started pushing me down stairs, shoving me aside in the hallways, and leaving burns I had to tend to quietly at home, I... I thought I deserved it."
"Izuku..."
"Then you started telling me I didn't deserve to have dreams."
"..."
"You told me I couldn't become a hero, that I was a waste of space just because I was quirkless. That I– that I should end my life and be done with this painful, miserable existence. And you know what was worse, Kacchan?"
"..."
"For a second... for a goddamn second, I believed you. You, Bakugou Katsuki, made me, a fucking kid, believe that I was really worthless. You made me believe that I should just take that step off the roof and be done with everything– because you were right. Everyone was. I was nothing without a quirk."
"..."
"..."
"...You done?"
"Ha... I can't believe you."
"..."
"Then again, when it comes to you, Kacchan, I can't stop feeling hope. I... I thought I was dreaming earlier because this whole– ha, this whole situation was too unrealistic. I guess it still is."
"No."
"N–no? What do you–"
"Fuck you, nerd. I won't let you have the goddamn last say in this. I won't let you keep assuming the shit out of what this whole thing is about so listen the hell up."
"Wai–"
"Shut up."
"..."
"..My earliest memory of you was at the forest. You know the shitty stream and the tree bridge? Fuckin' remembered dragging you extras there."
"..."
"My earliest memory of you was you reaching your hand towards me, looking so fucking concerned and crap as you looked down on me. And I remembered hating you so much, De–nerd. I hated how you offered me help– you, a quirkless motherfucker who thought I was so weak that I needed help."
"That's not–"
"I know! I fucking know that wasn't it, goddammit. But you gotta fucking know, nerd, that the me back then– even until now, was molded to grow into being the best. It's fucked up, but it's who I am."
"..."
"I ain't pinning the blame on my old man and hag or anyone else who showered me with praise. I ain't pinning it on me being a kid, either. I..."
"...Kacchan?"
"Shit, I..."
"Kacchan, it's... you don't have to..."
"Shut up, of course I do. Just– just give me a minute, alright? Fuck."
"...Okay."
"..."
"..."
"When I told you to take a swan dive off the roof... I'd be lying if I said I didn't mean it."
"..."
"You know how I felt whenever I pushed you? You want to know what I thought whenever I shoved you in lockers and isolated you from everyone, making sure no one became friends with the quirkless loser?
"...Yes."
"I felt happy."
"..."
"I was on fucking cloud nine, nerd. I was exhilarated when I saw you with bruises and burns that our teachers didn't even give a second glance to. Every time I saw you try and talk with others, with your stupid ass fuck smile cracking like a vase when they practically ran away, all I could think was, 'ha, serves the quirkless piece of shit right.'"
"...Stop."
"Every word I spat at you, I fucking meant."
"Stop."
"Every jab, every insult was meant to tear you down until you finally realized that you were nothing but dirt under my shoe– under everyone."
"Kacchan, please, please, just–"
"Then I wake up crying too."
"...What?"
"Izuku, I... I fucking wake up crying because I keep dreaming about you, god fucking dammit. You, believing me and jumping of the school roof was– is my nightmare."
"..."
"Then I wake up and everything I ever felt– every feeling of happiness and elation when I saw you breaking and cracking turns on me. It makes me.. fuck, it makes me sick."
"Kacchan..."
"I remember every smug thought, every thought about you being a waste of fucking space and not worthy to have dreams or be treated like a human being making me want to–"
"..."
"...Making me want to burn my own face off. To tear out my goddamn tongue. To go back in fucking time and beat the shit out of myself, because everything I fucking did to you was not right. And maybe everyone was right about me too, Izuku. I was nothing without my quirk.. nothing but a filthy villain."
"Kacchan. Katsuki, that's not true–"
"You were just a kid, Izuku, and I– I..."
"...You were just a kid too, Kacchan."
"..."
"Kacchan..."
"I'm sorry. Izuku, I... I'm so sorry."
"..."
"..."
"I..."
"Shit, are you– are you crying? What the hell, nerd?"
"What, I– No, I'm not! You are, Kacchan!"
"Shut up! Even my dog can hear your shitty crying."
"Well, my neighbors can hear your sobbing, Kacchan."
"I told you, I'm not fucking crying!"
"So am I!"
"Liar!"
"Says the one who's still sniffling."
"You– Ha."
"Ha, heh."
"..."
"..."
"We're a fucking mess, huh, nerd?"
"Heh, why'd you think Aizawa-sensei called us problem children?"
"Oi! Don't lump me in together with you, dick. 'M pretty sure he was referring to you."
"50% of the time."
"90."
"65."
"70."
"..Yeah, alright, it was mostly me."
"'Course it was you. You and the infirmary might as well have been married."
"Same for you and hot sauce, huh."
"...Bitch."
"..."
"...Do you..."
"Do I...?"
"..."
"Kac– Katsuki?"
"Do you forgive me?"
"Oh."
"Ah."
"Um, Kacchan, I–"
"No, uh, fuck, it's... it's fine. You– you don't have to say anything."
"I don't have to, but I think I need to, Kacchan. For both our sake's."
"I... shit, okay. Okay."
"Okay?"
"..."
"I'm... Pro-Hero Deku. I've been climbing the charts at the fastest pace than any rookie in recorded history of Japan, and some say I'll make a breakthrough at Top 10 any day now."
"Nerd, what the hell–"
"I'm the Symbol of Hope, Kacchan. I know All Might told me to take up his mantle, but no one can, not really. I can't guarantee peace, but I can give hope– to civilians, villains... and even to heroes."
"Izuku..."
"Do I forgive you, Kacchan? I... I don't know."
"Oh."
"I don't know because everything's messed up, Kacchan. It... fuck, it feels like I've been living suspended in the air and I've just been dropped to the cold, hard ground when you called."
"Just– Izuku, just fucking tell me outright if you don't want to forgive me, because I can fucking take it."
"I am tellingyou, Kacchan. I'm telling you that I need to think. I need to, ha... I need to think, Kacchan."
"..."
"So, I don't know if I can give you a clear-cut answer right this second because I can't. Not if you want the truth. Not if you want me to be sincere, Kacchan."
"...Okay."
"What I can tell you is that... I'm willing to try. That if I find out that I haven't forgiven you even after all this time... even after all you've done to make up for it, then I– I'm willing to try, Kacchan. For you. For us."
"..."
"Kacchan... Are you...?"
"Don't, I– That's the dog. The stupid thing's got allergies and is crying like a little bitch."
"...Okay, Kacchan. Can I ask the dog one thing, then?"
"..."
"You– the dog asked me if I forgive them, but... Kacchan, do you think you– do you think they forgive themselves?"
"Ha... not until they die."
"Oh. That's... oh."
"No shit."
"..."
"..."
"Is your dog done crying?"
"...Yeah."
"..."
"..."
"Kacchan?"
"What?"
"..."
"What is it, nerd? Spit it out."
"..Do you want to.."
"To?"
"Ha... Kacchan, do you want to try together? Forgiving, I mean. Not that I'm forcing you or anything! Just, um... yeah."
"..."
"Actually, you know what, forget–"
"Okay."
"...Okay?"
"Let's... goddamit. Fuck, let's try together, Izuku. I'll try for you... For us."
"Okay, Kacchan... Together."
.
.
and thus both of them gets a phone bill that has too many zeroes. The End (joke)
I initially plotted this out as a gen fic and wrote it as such, since I focused on bkdk's friendship. It didn't feel right to try push a romantic element in this fic. Though if you want, you can squint and imagine something.
I'm not sure if I managed to pin down a decent bakugou apology, but then again, I probably never will. Their dynamic's complex and I've only begun to skim the top of it.