I'm so sorry, groveled Deku on his knees, I messed it up. I rolled my eyes with a huff.
Stop fucking apologizing nerd, I told him, it's fine.
You keep saying that but first I change the way you look-
Hardly, I cut in with a scoff.
And now I mess up with Kirishima. He's going to think something's weird, his watery green eyes raised to look up to me and I frowned back at him.
Something already is weird. Now get up already and quit apologizing, alright? I reached down to grab Deku's hand and pulled him back up, giving him another teasing eye roll and smirking at him. He sniffled back but a small smile crossed his lips and I leaned forward to land a quick kiss on them. That was enough to dampen most of his misery in an instant and my smirk grew.
Better? I asked.
Better, he replied.
After that little mishap in the gym we kept our body swapping – I guess consciousness swapping was more accurate but sounded lamer – practice to the bedroom where Deku mastered how to take control when he wanted to, eventually reaching a point where he didn't have to close his eyes and lean in to make contact with me each time. And I figured out how to regain control in an instant when I wanted to. As a rule of thumb, he couldn't take over unless I let down some kind of mental wall to allow him to do it and he had to do the same to give me back the steering wheel. Seemed stupid, I know, considering it was my body and all but theoretically if Deku resisted, I would have to fight to regain control. Not that he had any desire to keep it from me.
While I saw this as a chance for him to experience life for real through me, he was hesitant which threw me off to begin with. He found the idea of him wandering around in my body and interacting with others uncomfortable, not only because he was afraid of messing up again seeing as our personalities and behaviorisms were almost polar opposites but also because he felt he was taking something away from me. Didn't matter how much I insisted it was fine as long as he could pass acting as me, his discomfort never truly went away.
After a week of practice we had it down pat to the point that my physical body wouldn't shudder or sway when we changed, becoming more seamless. On the second week we kept it simple, Deku only swapping out with me during some classes when I insisted. Once he started doing it though, he relaxed some more. In class was the perfect time to do it. No talking. No interactions. And Deku radiated happiness at the simple task of being able to glance up at the teacher and board when he wanted and taking notes with his own hands. Even his handwriting was his and not mine despite being with my own hands.
While I was in the back seat I tried to see how Deku experienced things, being able to block out physical sensations from my body and focusing my senses to pick up the rest of the world around me. Deku made it look easy and seamless, meanwhile I felt like I could only focus one sense on the outside world at a time while the rest remained on a base level. On the other hand, I felt I could perceive things that I physically couldn't before. The Deku-dar was something else, like a weird sixth sense that I couldn't put into words but with it I could feel Pink Cheek's eyes boring into the back of me. Deku picked up on what I was noticing and he turned to glance over his shoulder. Pink Cheeks glanced away in a hurry that left Deku confused and blinking back down at the notebook.
I thought we resolved things with her, he brought up with a concerned frown.
Yeah, well so did I, I crossed my arms and huffed back.
Maybe we should talk to her, he suggested.
Hell no, I spat, If she's got a problem she can suck it up. I ain't wasting time on some damn extra.
Kacchan! She's our friend, Deku frowned at me with annoyance.
No. She's your friend, I retorted and poked a finger into Deku's chest, she is not my problem. I could feel the concern radiating from him but I had no doubt that whatever the hell it was bothering Pink Cheek's this time that she would approach me again. I wasn't about to start pretending I cared enough to reach out to her. And sure enough I was right.
The next night she approached us.
"Bakugo" I had just come in through the front door from after-class training and hadn't even shucked off my shoes when she was on me. I groaned and rolled my eyes.
"What?" I practically hissed at her but she stood her ground with squared shoulders and a determined look. Nothing like before. I narrowed my eyes at her, knowing she meant business. Deku had his full attention on her and I could feel the warmth in his chest towards her mixed with nerves. I knew the idiot still had some feelings for her despite everything, but it hardly irritated me. I had known that he had liked her long before he was with me and why would I let it get to me when he was already mine.
"Can we talk?" she asked strongly.
"I don't have time to waste chatting with you" I hissed back and kicked off my shoes and moved to step past her. She reached out, grabbing my forearm tightly. I turned to scowl at her but she didn't flinch away.
"Then spar with me" she pushed. I yanked my arm from her grip and we stared at each other for a long time. She didn't back down.
"Fine" I huffed and shoved my hands in my pockets, passed her to slip my shoes back on and walked out the front door again with her following quietly behind. She was silent until we reached the gym and stopped, facing each other, on the soft sparring mats.
"Alright, what's this about Pink Cheeks?" I asked while I stretched my arms over my head. I had a horrible feeling I already knew her answer. I lowered into a squat to work my legs.
"Deku" she replied.
"What the hell is it about him that has you so fucking hung up?" I asked with an angry eye roll as I stood straight again, "he's gone"
"But he's not really is he?" she asked and had the balls to narrow her brown eyes at me. I glared back to her while Deku practically held his breath. I could feel the tension building inside him.
"I saw the green sparks at the pool," she continued firmly.
"Why should I care about what you think you saw?" I scoffed back. Deku's tense green gaze turned to me and I shot him back my own concerned look.
"I always thought that out of all of us, you would be the one to take the longest to recover after Deku died" she continued with a determined gaze. I clenched my jaw, wondering if everyone else in the class had been so observant or if it was only her. She had been the only one to see any sign of Deku at the pool a second before his energy had faded away.
Kacchan, Deku whined but before he could continue I launched myself forward to tackle her. I already knew she could be plenty formidable in close combat with all the martial arts training she had been doing and I hadn't much experience sparring with her but that didn't mean I wasn't observant either.
She stepped to the side to avoid me before stepping back in to reach for me from behind. I planted a foot forward and used the momentum to turn myself back to face her before pushing off again. This time I lowered myself, tackling her at her waist and pushing her down. The moment her back hit the ground she rolled. I tried to keep the momentum up to come out on top but after another roll she wrapped a leg around mine, entangling it and forcing it as straight as she could, dampening my roll. She was on top of me and I moved to throw her off when my body froze up. Deku. I snarled at him, his eyes wide and pleading. I clicked my tongue at him with annoyance.
"What is it the hell you want Pink Cheeks?" I sneered up at her as she held me down with her palms to my shoulders and her weight on me. I stopped resisting and just laid there, but she didn't let her guard down. Smart.
"I want the truth" she proclaimed back with stern eyes.
"The truth? Fine" I scoffed back, "Deku is dead. You're an idiot. Now get the hell off me before I blow you to hell" I sneered.
"I know what I saw" she dared to hiss back to me, even going as far as bearing her weight down on my shoulders further. I glared back with burning eyes. I did not like being below anyone.
"You don't know shit" I hissed back through clenched, bared teeth and lifted my head to lean closer to hers. Deku still had a hold on me, keeping me from retaliating, but I could feel his unease at the situation. I could feel his want to be honest, to let her know that he was here.
Telling her would mean revealing One For All, I warned him with a stern look. He took a deep breath and faced me with drawn eyebrows, sad eyes and a frown.
She's not going to drop this, he replied with worry, surely there's a way to tell her without revealing the quirk.
Oh yeah, and what's your plan then idiot? I hissed, what the fuck could you possible tell her that could be believable? She saw you using your quirk with my body! Deku glanced away for a moment before turning back to me with determination.
I want to tell her the truth, he stated boldly.
You've got to be fucking kidding me!, I threw up my arms at him, It's supposed to be a secret dumbass, remember? I only found out because of you're fuck up after our first practical exercise. What the fuck will All Might think? I was pacing around him now. I knew this discussion was important to Deku but the more we discussed it the longer I wasn't focusing on the outside world.
Just let me fucking deal with this.
Let me do it, pushed Deku after I turned away. I glanced back over my shoulder at him.
Like hell I'm going to do that. You'll just tell her, I spat.
Yes I will, he admitted and I glared at him, but listen Kacchan, he pleaded as he moved to stand in front of me.
She won't let this go otherwise. I know that look. She will keep hassling you and staring at you and watching us so closely, he paused, his green eyes searching mine, I trust her. I know she can keep our secret. He placed a hand over his heart, pleading his sincerity. I clenched my jaw. Part of me wanted to change the subject to him still having some feelings for her, but I knew now was not the time for that. I reminded myself that he was mine and she could never truly have him so I didn't need to worry.
Fuck! Fine, I grunted. Deku broke into a wide smile.
But first –
I had been still for a while, Pink Cheeks and I just glaring at each other when I suddenly shot up, Deku no longer holding me back. I pushed her off of me and sprung to my feet but I didn't move to attack. I stood straight and stared her down as she rose to her own feet, ready for the fight to continue. I didn't move and neither did she. I closed my eyes only for Deku to be the one to open them.
"Uraraka" he spoke softly but she still flinched, her glare vanishing and her eyes opening wide with shock. Deku offered her a small warm smile, his eyes narrowing slightly with emotion.
"D-deku?" she whispered in return. Deku nodded gently and she tentatively stepped closer. There was a moment of stillness before she launched herself at Deku. He saw it coming and braced himself, opening his arms to catch her and taking a step back to take the impact.
"Oh my god Deku," she was in tears already, burying her face into my shoulder, "I thought…I thought"
"I know" he whispered in return and held her tightly. She squeezed him back. I clicked my tongue and rolled my eyes at the interaction but I couldn't hide the warmth growing inside my gut from the happiness blooming inside Deku. It felt kind of nice. Like Auntie's hugs. I narrowed my eyes at that. Deku's feelings were….complicated. But right now all I received from him was joy and nerves.
"How?" sniffled Pink Cheeks as she pushed herself off of Deku, blinking up and down and taking in that fact that it was my body she had hugged. She brought her hands back to herself.
"It's complicated" Deku offered in return, a hint of a smile lifting the corner of his mouth. His eyes were still glued to her and sad. He was watching her reactions closely, gauging how best to handle the subject. For now, she nodded and didn't push the subject.
"But," she began, "why Bakugo?" I glared at her at hard as I could and Deku's lips turned up in a smile.
"He was the last person I was in contact with. I assume that's why" he replied a little sheepishly.
"Oh, so you don't even know how this happened?" she looked to him with wide questioning eyes. Deku shook his head. I had to admit, he was handling this better than I had thought possible. I had expected him to just gush out the secret of One For All to her just to get it off his chest, but he was handling the discussion delicately. Playing his cards where he could. He knew her far better than I did. Pink Cheeks glanced down and fiddled with her fingers for a moment before lifting her head again with more damn questions.
"You've been with Bakugo this whole time?"
Deku nodded.
"And you've been alright with him?" she asked tentatively. Deku smiled more widely, warmth finally reaching his currently red eyes.
"I've been fine" he told her. I knew from feeling alone that he felt far better than just fine about it.
"You don't fight all the time?" she asked. Deku finally parted his lips to show teeth with a small laugh of air.
"No," he smiled to her warmly, "we get along a lot better now than we used to"
Don't tell her that, I huffed at him. He looked to me with love in his eyes and I turned away with crossed arms before he made me melt.
"T-that's good" she replied with a weak smile, "It's, uh, kinda weird talking to you like this" she gestured up and down the length of my body and Deku's smile widened again.
"I think I look pretty good" Deku chuckled and he dared to smirk at me. Pervert.
"It's just strange with Bakugo's voice and body and all" she commented and Deku chuckled more softly.
"Sorry, I can't do much about that"
"Oh no, no, it's fine" she raised her hands, not meaning any offence. Offence taken lady. She hid her gaze again for a moment before looking back to Deku, taking him, my body, us, in.
"You," she took a step closer, "you make his eyes look softer" she commented. Deku blinked at her with a lopsided smile. When Deku didn't move to say anything – I could feel he was nervous and a little lost for words under the calm bravado he wore with my skin – she opened her mouth to speak again.
"What about Bakugo?" she asked quietly, stepping closer still.
"He's still here. Listening" he told her.
"Do you control his body often?"
"No, this is still new to both of us" he replied and he smiled to her, getting a smile in return as she seemed to melt before him.
"Can you stay like this for long?" she asked again. I was growing tired of her continued questions. This was another reason to not let anyone know. I didn't want to deal with their constant stream of damn questions. This was annoying enough. Just imagining if the entire class knew made me grind my teeth.
Deku shook his head in reply to her question and that brought my attention back to him. Deku had never spent long enough as the pilot of my body to know if there was an actual limit to the amount of time he could do it for. He didn't feel tired from being in control whereas before when he had used his quirk with my already exhausted body. I narrowed my eyes to him in question and he gave me a small smile in return.
"It's exhausting" he told Pink Cheeks and while she looked saddened by it she nodded slowly in understanding.
"I should probably go as it is," he spoke up again, Pink Cheeks snapping her eyes back to his – mine.
"W-will I be able to speak to you again?" she spoke up with a hint of panic. Her hands clutched at her chest like she was worried Deku was going to fade right before her eyes. Deku smiled and nodded to her.
"I'm sure we can sometime," he offered, "but, don't go bothering Kacchan about it. He'll only get annoyed" I huffed. He wasn't wrong but I didn't like him talking about me like I wasn't there. Pink Cheeks nodded again and Deku's smile widened.
"It was nice being able to talk to you again Uraraka" he smiled and with a slow blink, he returned control to me and when I opened my eyes again I narrowed my eyes to the girl before me, the smile gone.
"There, happy?" I asked her gruffly and crossed my arms. She tensed a little when she realized I was myself again. I expected that to be the end of that and turned away from her to leave.
"When can I speak to him again?" she called after me.
"When I fucking feel like it. You tell anyone about this and you're dead" I warned her.
"Bakugo!" she called and with an eye roll hard enough to see my own brain and stopped and turned back to face her with a snarl.
"What?" I spat.
"Thank you!" she called with a warm smile. I narrowed my eyes and turned away.