CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE – A TENSE TRUCE
Shigaraki slammed the door to the bathroom stall closed behind him and immediately dropped down to his knees, doubled over the toilet. He coughed and heaved, throwing up his well-earned lunch in a series of violent convulsions.
He had been feeling fine just a few minutes ago, a little exhausted after a strenuous period of training, sure, but hungry enough to eat an entire plate of pork cutlet with a large side of rice. He had even considered a second round before all that consumed food wanted to come right back up again.
The sudden onset sickness only lasted a few seconds. Though to Shigaraki, it felt like he had just completed a hundred sit-ups in a single minute. His abdomen was hurting badly, painful from the force of the retching. This was the third day in a row where he was having difficulties keeping any food down and he would almost be happy about the coincidental mid-body workout if not for the lack of energy that came along with it. Not to mention all that wasted money spent on food that refused to stay inside his body.
He groaned and spat the lingering sourness from his mouth before dropping his forehead down against his arm, which was laying obscenely against the edge of the toilet seat. He knew it was unseemly to use the toilet as a pillow but at that moment hygiene was far from his mind. Actually, almost anything and everything beyond concentrating on breathing and keeping whatever remained in his stomach intact had been pushed aside.
A minute passed. And then another. The nauseous feeling had almost subsided but was unfortunately replaced with a splitting headache when the door to stall was kicked open with an inappropriate amount of physical energy - for how meager and superficial it was. It banged against the wall right beside Shigaraki's hunched body causing him to reel back in shock.
"Jesus." Takami sneered. "You don't look so hot there, Shigaraki."
"Oh. Fuck me." Shigaraki whispered to himself and reluctantly lifted his head, glaring up at the golden bird boy whose aura was just too bright for Shigaraki to handle right at that moment. Anyone but him.
"You trying to lose some weight?" Takami joked, crossing his arms over his chest while he studied his downcast classmate.
"Please go away." Shigaraki replied, propping his back against the wall and closing his eyes.
Of course, Takami ignored his request to leave him be and continued blocking his only escape route out of the bathroom.
"You know, bulimia is a real bad disorder. You should get some help."
"That's not funny."
"I'm serious." Takami chirped, squatting down so he was eye level with Shigaraki, "I just watched you eat a meal big enough for like three people and then hurl it all up."
"I'm not bulimic, Takami." Shigaraki snapped. "Back off."
"Okay, okay. Geez." He stood back up and stretched out his arms, his wings blocked out the light from above, casting a shadow down over Shigaraki. "I'm just concerned about your state of health.
"No you're not." Shigaraki breathed and then dragged his knees up to his chest.`He wrapped his arms around them and dropped his face against his knees.
"Here." Takami thrust out his arm to Shigaraki, offering his hand to help him up from the dirty bathroom floor.
Shigaraki subtly glanced sideways and scowled before he turned away again, he was not going to accept any help from Takami - the idiot bird was the last person he would accept help from. Maybe that was immature but getting into an altercation with Takami was not on Shigaraki's to-do list - especially not at that moment. In all likelihood, Takami would say something stupid or insult him and Shigaraki would have not choice but to defend himself.
There was a pattern of history there.
"Stop being stubborn. You need to get up."
Shigaraki eyed Takami with curiosity, peeking up at him. Amazingly, his cocky-classmate didn't seem to be trying to provoke him or mock him at all. He wasn't laughing or grinning in his usual impudent way either. His mouth was a hard line, serious.
"Come on."
Shigaraki huffed, putting his pride and dislike for the bird-boy aside for a moment, and reluctantly took the hand being held out to him. Takami smirked in victory, like he had just beaten Shigaraki in a prized fight and yanked him up to his feet. As soon as he was vertical, Shigaraki`s head began to spin. He blinked through blurred vision, the bathroom in front of him becoming a way haze for a moment before things became clearer.
"You good?"
"Yeah. I'm fine." He pushed Takami aside and headed straight for one of the sinks.
"You're welcome by the way."
Shigaraki glared at him through the mirror as he turned the faucet on, running his fingers through the stream of water to make sure it was cold. Takami joined him at the sink, hopping up on the counter to sit right next to him. His legs dangled over the edge, feet slowly kicking back and forth as they hung just above the ground.
"You need me to get someone?"
"No."
"Not even Dabi?" He asked, grinning slightly and arching one brow.
"I said i'm fine."
"Well, you don't look fine." Takami said, leaning closer to Shigaraki. He scrunched up his nose and then reclined back again. "Maybe you should go see a nurse."
"Why are you here, Takami?" Shigaraki asked, his voice laced with a warning that showed in his annoyed red gaze. "What do you want?"
"Nothing. Just good timing is all." He shrugged his shoulders. "I saw you running in here and followed."
"Why are you being nice to me?"
Takami lifted his hand and placed it against his chest pretending to be offended by Shigaraki's statement that he wasn't always the good-natured, pleasant and sociable friend to Shigaraki that he was to everyone else.
"What? I'm always nice."
Shigaraki scoffed and then scooped up some cold water into his hands. He splashed his face and then rinsed his mouth. Instantly, he felt better. Except for the pounding in his head that was quickly becoming louder as Takami continued to remain in his presence. He leaned further over the sink, washing out his mouth again and cooling his face with the running water.
Takami's look of sincerity slowly turned into a smirk as he watched Shigaraki.
"What?"
"I was just thinking-"
"Amazing." Shigaraki interjected.
"Let me finish." He requested.
Shigaraki glared again.
"Do you think that maybe it's time we put our differences aside?" He asked, studying his black painted nails - like the idea of a treaty was that simple.
"And why would I want to do that now?"
"For, like, Dabi obviously."
Shigaraki laughed. Hard. He shook his head. The movement hurt equally as much as the sound itself - ringing in his ears. But he couldn't help it. The notion, it was ridiculous.
"What's so funny?"
"Did he put you up to this?"
"Not exactly."
"So… yes." Shigaraki wiped his face with a paper towel and then tossed it into a nearby bin. "Don't bother."
"Look." Takami shook his head, his blonde hair swaying with the movement. "Let's be honest with each other for a second," Takami started, handing Shigaraki another paper towel so he could dry his hands. "Us actually becoming friends is probably unrealistic."
"Agreed." Shigaraki replied without an ounce of hesitation.
"But Dabi is my best-friend, and I miss him. So if we can at least tolerate each other, you know just enough to share a table at lunch without any nasty insults or the chronic threat of losing a wing, I would appreciate it."
"Would you?" Shigaraki glowered, considering Takami's proposal.
On a surface level the picture of them getting along seemed like an extremely practical idea. There would be no more animosity or fighting - in theory. And, most importantly, it would make Dabi happy if he could simultaneously spend time with his boyfriend and his best-friend.
But deep down Shigaraki had this resistant and adverse gut feeling about a peace-pact with Takami - it told him not to trust the golden bird boy. And that instinct was not unfounded either. Takami was absolutely the kind of person who would smile and wrap an arm around your shoulder while the other hand stabbed a knife into your back.
For Dabi though, would he let his guard down and allow Takami into his life? Even if it was so little? That little had the potential of blowing up in his face. Big time. But he supposed Takami was taking the same calculated risk, so did the same feeling go on the other side? Or was Takami just deploying his usual bag of tricks so he could fool Shigaraki into a sense of complacency before the treachery came? That was a more likely scenario.
"So?" Takami prompted a response, jumping off the counter and idling up close to Shigaraki. "How about a truce?"
Shigaraki inhaled and was about to snap and tell the bird boy to give him some space when above them the bell signalling their lunch break coming to an end rang, shrill. Shigaraki sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose, knowing Takami wouldn't let things go without a definitive answer. Shigaraki just wanted to get out of the bathroom and away from the lingering sickness - the walls felt like they were caving in on him and he needed some fresh air.
"Fine."
Takami grinned and held out his hand to seal their peaceful solution, like the gesture would bind the amnesty, justly.
"I'm not going to shake your hand."
"Oh, right. Yeah. A decayed limb would be a terrible way to start off our new friendship." Takami chuckled, smiling widely and flashing Shigaraki a set of perfectly straight white teeth.
Shigaraki shot daggers at his "new friend" and before Takami could comprehend what was happening, Shigaraki had gripped the collar of his shirt and tugged him up real close.
"You watch your mouth and maybe I can uphold my end of the deal." Shigaraki warned and then released the material, pushing Takami out of his personal space.
"Sorry, geez. I wasn't trying to insult you. I was just joking around. You know, friend to friend." Takami said with warm red cheeks. He brushed his hands down his uniform, making sure everything was set right and then grinned again, anxiously.
"We're not friends."
"Well, not yet." Takami looked into the mirror and began to preen, running his hands through his thick blonde locks. "Who knows, maybe we'll become the best of friends."
"Tch." Shigaraki rolled his eyes and then turned, ready to escape the bathroom.
"Hang on!" Takami jogged after him as he exited out into the hallway, "Let's walk together."
Shigaraki internally cringed and began walking faster, his head down as Takami skipped along with him. It was all very surreal. His stress-induced puking had resulted in an unwanted friend. He couldn't have predicted that. Not in a million years and still wasn't entirely comfortable with the alliance he had made with Takami.
Outside their classroom, Dabi was waiting for him. He pushed away from his lax position against the wall and tucked his phone away as Shigaraki approached - Takami clinging to his side. Soon afterward, his grin shifted into a more worried line.
"Hey." Shigaraki grumbled as he met his boyfriend at the doorway.
Dabi instinctually slipped an arm around Shigaraki's waist and leaned in for a kiss which Shigaraki denied, tipping his chin down and away - he still felt a little nauseous and didn't want to subject Dabi to the sourness that still lingered in his mouth.
"We should go in." Shigaraki muttered dryly, trying to subtly slip away.
"What's wrong?" Dabi asked, keeping his arm locked securely around Shigaraki's waist. He shot a brief glance over at Takami suspecting his boyfriend's standoffish behaviour had something to do with him.
"Nothing. Just don't want to be late."
Unrelenting, Dabi bussed Shigaraki's turned cheek and then kissed his temple. Shigaraki didn't reject him then but did smile somewhat awkwardly before slipping away into the classroom without another word.
"What the-" Dabi turned his attention over to his best friend, "What did you say to him?" He cursed.
"I didn't say anything." Takami claimed, smirking, "Isn't he always like that?"
"No. Usually only after he butts heads with you. Did you two have another fight?"
"I don't like your accusations, Dabs." He sniffled in derision and then pushed past Dabi into the classroom.
Dabi followed, of course, searching for his boyfriend at the back of the room as they headed over to their desks. Shigaraki looked a little more cheerful now that he was back with his friends, though, beneath his smile Dabi could tell there was something off with him. Shigaraki looked a little bit paler than usual, and pieces of his light hair were sticking to his forehead, like he had been or was currently sweating despite it being a comfortable temperature inside the room.
When they sat down at their seats, Takami spun around to face Dabi, inclining forward so his elbows were on Dabi's desk.
"So, Shigaraki and I mutually decided to be friends." Takami divulged, grinning - extremely proud of himself.
"Bullshit."
"Seriously. I followed him into the bathroom and we-" He paused, trying to find the right words. "Talked things out."
"You cornered him."
"No." Takami scoffed. "Well, I mean, he did try and get away. And he did threaten me too. But eventually we agreed to be more tolerant of each other."
"That must've been hard for you."
"Torturous."
Dabi's initial anger and annoyance slowly subsided. He looked back over his shoulder at his boyfriend, smiling fondly before returning his gaze to Takami.
"I did it for you." He lifted his hand and laid his palm over Dabi's forearm, his golden gaze glancing to Shigaraki. Takami could tell he was trying to ignore them, but his red eyes did seem to glow a little brighter as he watched Takami move in on his boyfriend. He was paying attention.
"We can go back to how things were." Takami added, his hand sliding over Dabi's shoulder. "We can hang out together between class and at lunch again."
"Is Shigaraki really okay with that?"
"Mhm." One corner of Takami's mouth kicked up into a charming, though completely, wicked grin. "No insults, no violent physical threats. That's the deal."
Dabi looked puzzled. He wasn't sure whether to believe Takami or not. History would suggest this would go wrong, or that Takami was being dishonest in some way. Only time would tell if what he was saying was true.
"You don't believe me?" Takami pouted.
"You can't blame me for being skeptical, bird brain."
"Just wait and see."