As far as Bakugo Katsuki is concerned, the building underneath the 'Takesushi' sign doesn't look like much. He really doesn't get the appeal.
Unfortunately, the teen at his side doesn't seem undeterred.
"Bakubro, trust me" Kirishima insists, throwing open the door. "This, was worth the trip."
"It better be, Shitty Hair" he replies. "I'm fucking starving."
The redhead strides in the door with a grin, and Bakugo's disdain continues as he follows.
If he's being completely, 100% honest with himself, Bakugo's actually grateful Kirishima offered to bring him to the restaurant. At this point it's started to become something of a legend amongst students, just due to how much their teachers seem to get spotted here. Present Mic all but rents a fucking room at this point, and he's heard a good chunk of the class talk about coming for a group meal in the future. Bakugo wanted to check it out himself – but really didn't want to appear as if he listened to hype. Kirishima having to 'convince' him to go gave him an easy out.
It certainly doesn't look like the kind of place Bakugo would visit on a whim. While the interior isn't exactly old fashioned, it's lacking any real modern features – he probably can't even get Wi-Fi in here, and yet, it's comforting. Like some kind of marketable mix between home comfort and hole-in-the-wall eatery. Also, it's not too busy given that it's the early afternoon – there's only two tables seated, and only one waiter attend...huh.
Bakugo's eyebrows raise when he takes in the teen setting down a plate and grinning at the guests. The only uniform consists of an short apron around his waist, and he's wearing a slightly too-tight shirt announcing PLUS ULTRA! Not that uncommon around the UA neighbourhood, but the waiter is startlingly well built. Those are some impressive muscles under that that shirt – not that Bakugo's out of shape, but this guy could probably give Deku's abs a run for their money.
"Sasagawa!" Kirishima yells out, resulting in the teen looking up, and Bakugo rolls his eyes as the redhead gets bowled over by the waiter, who has at least half a foot on him, hair included.
"Kirishima!" Sasagawa hollers. "It is extremely good to see you!"
"Right back at ya!" Kirishima cheers. "So, this is my buddy I told you about, Bakugo Katsuki. Bakubro, this is Sasagawa Ryohei, future boxing champion, to the extreme!"
"To the extreme?" Bakugo repeats in disbelief, while Sasagawa's grin goes impossibly wide.
"You're Bakugo? Kirishima has told me all about you to the extreme. I hear you're quite the extreme guy."
"I think I'm already 'extremely' annoyed at that verbal tic" Bakugo snaps right back. Sasagawa however, doesn't appear to hear him, slinging an arm around both teen's shoulders. Bakugo has just enough time to bristle before Sasagawa starts pushing them towards a booth, frustratingly strong even if Bakugo's reluctance is mostly for show.
"I'll have Yamamoto make you the special, on the house" he offers. "Kirishima told me about the attack on your class. We should celebrate your survival to the extreme!"
"You don't have to go that far Sasagawa" Kirishima insists. "We can pay-"
"Oi, Shitty Hair, don't go passing up free food" Bakugo snaps, breaking an arm free to punch him in the side. This just makes Sasagawa grin again, escorting them to a booth in the back.
"The two of you are clearly extremely good friends" he says. "You remind me of Takeshi and Octopus Head, always fighting and laughing, to the extreme."
"Who?" Bakugo snaps, taking a seat. Octopus Head? Is that some lame low level hero he doesn't know about that also visits?"
"Ah, you'll see later, for now, relax!" Sasagawa insists. "It'll be a feast to the extreme!"
As he spins on one foot and heads for the kitchen. Bakugo shakes his head in disbelief.
"Did that guy hit his head when he was a baby?" Bakugo asks. "He's nuts."
"No way, Sasagawa's awesome" Kirishima insists. "He might not be a hero, but he's one of the manliest guys I know."
"How the hell did you two meet?" Bakugo mutters and Kirishima grins.
"It was about a month before the entry exam, and I was freaking out, you know? I'd been working out, trying to get myself ready, but I was all over the place. So I thought I'd check out the gyms closer to UA, see if I couldn't spot some older students and steal some tips. I didn't, but I did run into Sasagawa, and wow!"
Kirishima throws his hands up.
"I'd never had a work out like it! It was so...extremely manly! I hurt in places I didn't know you could hurt. He really knows how to push a body to his limits."
His hands drop and run through his hair.
"At the start I even had to use my quirk to stop myself collapsing, but by the exam it was a last resort. To be honest, I'm not even sure I'd have scored as high as I did in the entrance exam if he hadn't been pushing me in the last few weeks."
"That's nonsense to the extreme!" Sasagawa announces as he drops a plate on the table, making Bakugo jerk in surprise. How the hell was someone so loud that quiet?
"You were already an extreme hero Kirishima" he continues. "Don't look down on your accomplishments, to the extreme."
Kirishima's blushing now, stuttering out thank yous and 'no, you're the manliest one!' and Bakugo rolls his eyes, grabbing chopsticks and grabbing a piece of sushi from the dropped plate to ignore the compliment contest happening beside him. He barely notices them taper off as they notice him tuck in, and his face winces as he bites down.
...Oh goddammit. It was good.
Not that he'd really suspected otherwise. There is now way Aizawa-sensei would be seen here that often if the food wasn't good enough to lure him away from those liquid packets, Present Mic or no Present Mic. And bad hair and questionable fashion choices aside, Kirishima generally has good taste - Bakugo wouldn't tolerate him if he didn't – but it did mean he had to check himself or risk getting kicked out. He learned a long time ago that restaurants generally don't like teens that scream profanities – he can't wait for when he's a hero and nobody will want to call him on it.
Both of them are staring at him though, looking for feedback, and he points his chopsticks at them and glares.
"It's fine okay? You don't need to look so goddamn smitten."
"That's Bakugo for 'I love it, thank you so much'" Kirishima translates, looking up and grinning at Sasagawa. The older teen laughs.
"I extremely thought so. I'm getting fluent in violent-profanity-laden-teen."
Yeah...Bakugo's not even touching that.
"So, you trained this idiot before the exam?" Bakugo asks, stabbing another piece of sushi. "What, you a hero dropout or something."
Sasagawa grins and rubs the back of his head.
"Ah, no, nothing like that. I like fighting, but my sister was afraid I'd get hurt, so I became a boxer, to the extreme."
Bakugo frowns. He could be wrong, but he was pretty sure boxing was one of the most dangerous sports there was. Sasagawa clearly saw his confusion, and continued.
"Street fighting" he explains, while his hand goes to rub the scar on the side of his face. "Lots of older kids wanted to fight me, and Kyoko got scared for me, so I tried to stay out of unofficial fights now. I'm too old for hero school anyway, but boxing is just as much fun."
And given that the guy doesn't seem like a thinker, it's not like he'll lose much with the multiple concussions coming his way, Bakugo snickers to himself.
"Your quirk good for fighting" he asks, giving Sasagawa another eye over, trying to figure out what the teen can do. There's no obvious tells, so it can't be a mutation. If he drew in fights, probably some kind of strength quirk?
Sasagawa however, just gives a non-committal shrug.
"My coach is still debating with officials over that" he admits. "It doesn't really turn off, but it's not a huge advantage compared to most, so they're still arguing over whether I should be competing in the quirk or non-quirk leagues. I say let me fight anyone who wants to meet me in the ring, to the extreme!"
That's...a really weird answer. And very vague. Before he can question it more though, Kirishima's already changing the subject.
"Even if he wasn't training to be a hero, his work outs are really useful" Kirishima insists. "It's all about pushing your body to it's limits and beyond. Extreme Plus Ultra."
Sasagawa nods sagely. "Kirishima was an excellent student. I would have asked him to join my boxing club if I was still at school."
"Hey, speaking of, think you can fit in some more training time soon?" Kirishima asks. "The sports tournament is coming up. I could use the extra workout."
"I'd be honoured to train with you, to the extreme!" Sasagawa yells. "I've even found some excellent new training grounds with Tsuna's help, but he extremely won't train with me. Says he doesn't see the point in 'killing himself for no good reason,' to the extreme.
"Excellent!" Kirishima replies. "Consider me your new training buddy. Whatever you need!"
"Perfect!" Sasagawa says. "My new regime will have you at the front of the class in no time, to the extreme!"
Bakugo slams a hand on the table, although he's grinning as he adds-
"Oi, you'll still have to get past me, Shitty Hair" he warns. "Scarface is going to have to put you through the ringer if you're going to have a hope of taking my spot."
Kirishima grins back in challenge, and Sasagawa starts positively beaming.
"Youthful competition is so extreme!" he says. "I shall do my best to help Kirishima in his quest."
"Put me through everything you ever did" Kirishima adds. "No exceptions."
At that, Sasagawa's smile fades.
"Ah, that might be difficult. I haven't been able to get bears" Sasagawa admits.
Both students pause.
"...Bears?"
Sasagawa nods. "They're very extreme. Reborn used to drop them on Tsuna for training. And they're a lot better at arcade games than you'd think."
Just. What?
Bakugo's pretty sure he felt his IQ drop at that statement. Unfortunately, Kirishima's clearly a lost cause, because he's looking at Sasagawa as if he just announced the meaning of life.
"To be honest, I should probably put you through some of Tsuna's training" Sasagawa continues. "He's the most extreme guy I know."
"Oh yeah, I still can't believe I haven't met him" Kirishima adds. "You talk about him and your other brothers so much. Did he really train by climbing cliffs?"
"Climbing cliffs?" Bakugo repeats. "That's not really-"
"Barehanded" Kirishima amends. "With no equipment and unable to use his quirk."
Bakugo gawks.
"Yosh, it's true" Sasagawa replies. "Reborn was an extreme teacher. Must like Master PaoPao, and Colonello. "Thanks to all his training, Tsuna has become an extreme opponent. Even Hibari loved to fight him, to the extreme."
"Who the fuck are any of those people?" Bakugo snaps, and Sasagawa blinks, staring at him in confusion, before bursting into laughter.
"I apologise to the extreme!" he says, once he's recovered. "It was the most extreme time of my life, but one shouldn't live in the past, to the extreme."
His head cocks to the side, glancing away from the table, before turning to look at them apologetically.
"Ah, I have to get back to work. Please enjoy the rest of the sushi. I'll bring you another plate in a few minutes."
He gives a short bow, and heads over to another occupied table, who all grin at his exuberant attitude. Bakugo watches him leave, before turning to stare at Kirishima with something akin to horror.
"That, is not human" he states. "That is a shaved monkey raised on a drip feed of energy drinks and comic book speech bubbles."
"Hey, he's not that bad" Kirishima insists. "He's just very happy about who he is."
"Who he is, is insane" Bakugo snaps.
Kirishima grins. "Okay, that's probably true. Part of me wants to introduce him to Midoriya, but I'm kind of scared they'd kill each other in the worlds most terrifying work out session."
"Even Deku's not stupid enough to climb cliffs and fight bears!" Bakugo snarls – although there's a little voice in his head running commentary that the green idiot totally would if someone gave him the idea.
Kirishima just gestures towards the waiter and his obvious physique.
"Hey, you know what they say. If it's stupid and it works..."
Bakugo growls, but gets distracted when the door to the restaurant opens, revealing two teens, one gesturing wildly and speaking a mile a minute.
"-ince I got out of school. Anything could have happened to him!"
"Mah, mah, calm down Dera" his companion replies, as the two of them make their way over to the private area by the kitchen. "I'm sure Tsuna's fine."
"Takeshi! Octopus Head!" Sasagawa yells in greeting, plates in hand. "Welcome home!"
The taller one waves, while the frantic one gives an absent nod before continuing with their conversation. Despite himself, Bakugo leans forward to keep eavesdropping. Judging from the way Kirishima is inching out of his seat, he's no the only one interested.
"He was supposed to meet up with Kyoko and Fuuta almost an hour ago!" 'Dera' snaps back, stopping by the door "He'd never leave her waiting that long, and he's not answering his phone. Something clearly happened, Baseball-Idiot."
"It'll just be the sports clubs trying to pressure him again" Takeshi replies. "Which, yeah, isn't great. But he can handle it."
"You can't know that" Dera growls. "It could be a ruse."
The other teen sighs, while Dera starts to pale.
"What if they figured it out? What if they figured out a way to take us back-"
"Hayato," Takeshi snaps, with more authority than Bakugo thought the mellow looking teen could possible have. "Tsuna. is. Fine."
"-But."
"There's no way they could take him by surprise. We would see the fight, you know th-"
The kitchen door slams open, and the chef is glaring at the two of them.
"Takeshi, Gokudera. Please, have this particular conversation a little louder, and slightly more public, would you?"
Takeshi blushes, and Gokudera drops his head.
"Ah, sorry, Dad" Takeshi offers, and the chef's glare softens.
"And for your information, Tsuna called fifteen minutes ago from a friend's mobile. There were issues with his phone and he got turned around avoiding some of the team managers again, but he's free now and heading over to the cafe to meet Kyoko, so stop panicking."
Gokudera all but melts, half falling into Takeshi in relief, while the taller teen laughs at the sight. In the kitchen, the phone starts ringing, and the chef smiles before heading to answer it.
Crisis over, Bakugo leans back and glances at Kirishima.
"Do you know that double act?" he asks, though Sasagawa's earlier comment is running through his head and making him bristle. He is nowhere near as dramatic as that silver haired moron.
"Not personally" Kirishima tells him, eyes flickering between Bakugo and the two new teens who headed into the kitchen for aprons. "But Sasagawa's told me enough about his family to guess. The tall one's Yamamoto Takeshi – he's Tsuyoshi's, the chefs, actual son. And the other one is Gokudera Hayato. Supposedly he's pretty smart, but he's got a temper problem.
"Mah, mah, someone's talking about us?"
Bakugo barely chokes down the squawk of surprise when Yamamoto Takeshi pops out of fucking nowhere to lean on the booth. What the hell is with these waiters and their stealth skills?
Kirishima, the goddamn traitor, doesn't seem phased at all.
"Hi there" he greets, giving the teen a quick wave. "I'm Kirishima Eijiro, Sasagawa's extreme student."
Yamamoto's eyes light up.
"Oh, right. I remember him talking about you. He was so sad he couldn't talk you into a boxing career."
"That idiot still keeps telling us to join the one at Seirin" Gokudera mutters, walking past the table with a tray.
"He's really gung ho about his boxing" Kirishima agrees. "It's too bad he didn't want to be a hero. With his passion and commitment, he could have been amaz-"
"She's WHAT?"
The entire restaurant slides to a standstill as Tsuyoshi's voice echoes through the building, every head snapping to attention to watch him. Bakugo can just about see him over the bar, clenching the phone in his hand so tight Bakugo's almost surprised it hasn't cracked.
"No, no...I understand" he continues, though his grip doesn't loosen. "I'll be there right away."
He drops the call with shaky hands, and turns to the dining area, as if just remembering they exist, walking on shaky legs out of the kitchen to his guests.
"Sorry, but we need to close early for a family emergency" Tsuyoshi explains to the three tables. "You can have your earlier orders on the house."
"Yamamoto, is something wrong to the extreme?" Sasagawa asks, and Tsuyoshi nods as he heads to their table.
"It's Chrome. She's been taken to hospital. Apparently her...quirk, stopped working earlier."
Bakugo frowns as all three of the teens working at the restaurant go pale, Sasagawa's eyes going almost impossibly wide.
"What! But that's extremely impossible!"
"What happened!" the Gokudera yelps.
"I don't know" Tsuyoshi replied. "But right now I need you to close the restaurant. Takeshi, you're in charge."
The black haired one nods, and the chef starts ushering the other two tables out, offering apologies all the way, before heading out the door himself. The customers seem pleasant enough about it though, even offering their own platitudes about hoping 'Chrome' isn't in any danger.
Gokudera immediately takes out his phone, typing furiously into the search function, while Takeshi glances at the table with the UA teens and smiles.
"Given that you're Sasagawa's friends, you can stay a little longer" he offers. "Sorry we can't give you the full meal Sasagawa promised."
Sasagawa smiles.
"I promise next time you come with be a lot more extreme" he offers, sliding into the booth next to Kirishima, who just waves his hand in the air.
"Hey, s'cool. Maybe I can bring some more of my classmates next time. What do you think Bakubro?"
Bakugo growls, but grabs the last piece of sushi on the plate.
"It's free right? Why not?"
His friend grins.
"That's Bakugo for, 'I'd love to! Takesushi is awesome!'"
"It is not!" Bakugo growls. "Stop putting words in my mouth, Shitty Hair!"
Yamamoto laughs, and digs an elbow in the pouting silver haired teen by his side.
"Hey, I'm getting deja vu" he says. "Remind you of anything Hayato?"
The other teen scowls, looking up from his phone just long enough to glare at his friend.
"Even you were never that chipper" he snaps.
"But you were definitely that short tempered" Yamamoto replies right back.
"Can we focus please?" Gokudera growls. "Tsuna's been on the run all afternoon and Chrome's down. I looks like there was a villain attack not far from the shopping centre she mentioned she was going to. Aren't you worried at all?"
"Nope" Yamamoto replies. "It'll all work out."
This apparently isn't the answer the teen wants to hear, because his face goes through a multitude of emotions – the same collection Bakugo often goes through when Deku is being particularly 'Deku' - and reaches for something in his jacket. Yamamoto however, grabs the wrist before it can make contact.
"Uh uh" he warns, though he's still smiling. Gokudera however, pulls away and continues reaching, digging out a cigarette.
"Relax would you?" he snaps. "I don't bring bombs into the restaurant."
Bakugo freezes.
Bombs?
Kirishima looks confused, but by his side, Sasagawa raises his eyebrows.
"Um-"
"Any more!" Gokudera howls. "Would you just drop it?"
"Sorry, sorry" Yamamoto replies. "Just...remembering the teething problems. And Dad'll get mad if you blow up anything again."
"I haven't thrown an explosive in weeks, Baseball-idiot!"
Bakugo's eyes narrow.
Explosives?
"Only because Tsuna's been watching you" Takeshi teases. "You're a getting a reputation. Again."
Gokudera throws up his hands, and Bakugo watches him.
Pale Haired. And definitely looks at least a little bit foreign...
"It's. Not. Illegal!" Gokudera insists, oblivious to the time bomb generating in the booth. "It's one of my favourite things about this place. Explosives in self defence are perfectly acceptable, so fuck you and your self righteous wooden bat right in the-"
"It's you!"
All conversation grinds to a halt as Bakugo slams his hands on the table, glaring at Gokudera.
"You bastard!" he howls. "You're my copycat?"
"Hah?" Gokudera mutters, eyes scanning Bakugo and not making the connection. "Whose a copycat?"
"Oh boy..." Kirishima mutters, inching further back into the booth. "This isn't going to end well."
Bakugo ignores him, all but jumping out of the booth to glare in Gokudera's face. He's the taller of the two, so he takes immense satisfaction on looking down on the asshole that nearly ruined his perfect record.
"You are" he growls. "The damn cops came to UA after you blew up the neighbourhood and blamed me! I could have been suspended because of you!"
He'd thought about this moment for weeks. What he'd do when the culprit finally showed himself. Bakugo had been learning tact and empathy, so if his copycat acted correctly – submissive and apologetic for causing damage to Bakugo's reputation, maybe he could let it go.
However- Gokudera's only reaction to Bakugo's announcement was the slight raising on his eyebrows.
"Oh, right. That hero came in complaining with the cop" he says. "Law enforcement are real idiots in this country – you don't look anything like me, and I wasn't exactly subtle."
Yamamoto laughs. "True. That has never been a trait in your skill set."
Bakugo's palms are starting to smoke.
"Don't you have anything to say to me?"
Gokudera frowns, and cocks his head, taking in the blonde in front of him.
"...You're welcome?" he offers. "You should be grateful your quirk was associated with my bombs. I'm no slouch."
"Oh god" Kirishima moans, thudding his head on the table, while Bakugo, rather predictably, explodes.
"GRATEFUL?" he roars, punching a fist into his hand to cause an explosion. "I WANT A FUCKING APOLOGY YOU LITTLE SHIT! You're just a damn extra who should know his place!?
Gokudera watches the explosion with care, and his eyes narrow at the screaming.
"Know my place huh?" he growls. "Heard that one before. And from much, much scarier than a self-absorbed Pomeranian that hasn't been toilet trained yet."
Bakugo snarls and lunges for the Copycat.
Screw tact, this extra is going out the door on the nitroglycerin express.
But before he could make contact, his opponent was yanked out of the way, and Bakugo has just enough time to draw back before he feels a vice-like grip slam over his neck, pinning him to a muscled chest.
"What the fuck-"
"NO FIGHTING IN THE RESTAURANT TO THE EXTREME!" Sasagawa yells to the two teens currently bound in ridiculously tight headlocks. "Yamamoto's rules are absolute, to the extreme!"
Sasagawa then starts dragging them towards the front door. Bakugo even tries a small explosion on the teens side to loosen the grip, but the boxer acts like he didn't even feel it.
"Hey! Let me go you fucker!" he howls.
"Competitive rivalry is good, to the extreme, but not indoors" Sasagawa insists, ignoring the squawks on both sides. "Take it outside, Octopus head."
"Turf-Top, let go of me right now or I swear to god-"
On the opposite side of Bakugo, Gokudera is twisting around like a wet cat, but the boxer barely even flinches, kicking the front door open, and throwing them both out the door.
"Come back when you have settled your differences like men, to the extreme!" he insists, slamming the door shut. Moments later, they hear the tell tale sound of a door being locked.
"Damn asshole" the Copycat growls, getting to his feet. Bakugo immediately scrambles up to face him, and glares back at him.
"What the fuck is his quirk, invulnerability?" he snaps, and Gokudera huffs.
"Not exactly. I think he's just too dumb to feel pain."
In any other situation, Bakugo would have grinned at the jab. But all it does is remind him of who he's really pissed at.
"Hey, we going to settle this or what?" he snaps, and Gokudera glares right back, before dropping his shoulders.
"Oh why the fuck not?" he snaps. "I could use a guilt-free target right about now. Follow me."
He follows the Copycat out of the street and down an alley Bakugo didn't even know existed, coming out on a quieter street. A few minutes later, they come across a wooden building in disrepair, but surrounded by a vibrant green lawn. Considering how busy this part of town is, Bakugo's astounded it hasn't been knocked down yet.
"Yamamoto leased this place last month" Gokudera explains when Bakugo voices the thought. "Had sentimental value to the owner and he couldn't bring himself to knock it down. When he learned Yamamoto was looking to rent out a dojo, he promised a good rate so long as he brought it back up to code."
He stops on the grass and smirks at his opponent.
"Haven't had time to start rebuilding, but we really just need an open field, right?"
Bakugo grins with vicious glee.
"Fucking right. You're going to submit and cower like the low level trash you are."
To his frustration, the copycat just laughed.
"God, it's like someone gave Xanxus a bad bleach job," he mocks. "And dropped his killing intent by about 1000."
"Stop fucking mocking me!" Bakugo howls. "You're the bad guy in this! Stop acting like you're so high and goddamn mighty!"
"Hah. Sorry to break it to you, but neither of us is exactly the good guy here" Gokudera snaps, hand gesturing between Bakugo and himself. "I'm barely passable as a civilian on a good day, and you? You want to be a hero, but you're blaming me for the police making an assumption. If anyone should be taking the higher ground, it's you."
He grins. It's not a pretty expression.
"Let me guess. Anger and violence is the only way you know how to express yourself" Gokudera offers. "Even when you know you shouldn't, which only makes you madder."
"You don't know anything about me!" Bakugo snaps.
"Maybe, but I can make a few educated guesses" Gokudera snaps back. "You reek of over compensation. Let me guess, went from a big fish in a small pond to a guppy in the fucking ocean and you don't know how to handle it."
"At least I'm in the fucking ocean" Bakugo growls. "I'm a hero student. Best of the best. You're just a delinquent nobody who never even tried."
Gokudera starts reaching into his jacket.
"So it'll be pretty bad if the 'best of the best' gets creamed by a nobody huh?" he asks. "Challenge accepted asshole."
Bakugo howls.
"DIE!"
Half an hour later, Bakugo's gasping for breath, lying spread eagled on the ground, utterly exhausted and palms dry. The only saving grace is that his opponent is on the ground too.
"Damn it, guess you're not all talk" Copycat mutters. "I've really let myself go, but that was more effort than I expected."
"Back at ya" Bakugo admits. "Where the fuck do you keep all those bombs?"
"Trade secret" Copycat quickly replies, pushing himself to his feet. "God, but I needed that. The Baseball-Idiot's right, I really need to stop stressing myself out."
He wanders over and holds out a hand.
"Thanks for the stress relief, you crazy Pomeranian."
Bakugo tries to scowl, but the edges of his mouth keep twitching upwards as he reaches for the hand.
"Anytime, Copycat."
Fuck it. If he must have a doppelgänger, at least the guy can put his money where his mouth is. Sure, if Bakugo could have fully utilised his quirk it would have been over a lot sooner, but damn if Copycat can't hold his own. Bakugo can respect that. Suddenly being mistaken for this guy in a fight doesn't seem like such a trial.
Plus, he has a feeling Gokudera was somewhat handicapped too. He might have enough explosives on him to make a terrorist cell weep, but throughout the fight he kept reaching for his belt, only for his hand to twitch and fall back. As if instinctively reaching for something only to remember he wasn't wearing it.
Part of him wants to ask about it, right up until he spots the police car screeching to a halt on the street just outside the lawn, and suddenly becomes acutely aware of the smoke in the air and the holes in the ground.
Ohhh crap.
An officer gets out of the car, taking in the potholes in the grass and frowning.
"There were reports of noise disturbance coming from this property. What seems to be the-oh, you."
The officer is already scowling at Bakugo's former opponent, who returns the expression with a smirk.
"Howdy Obunaga" Copycat quips. "Have you lost weight?"
"That's Officer Obunaga, Gokudera" Obunaga snaps. "Do you want a career of nothing but community service? What have you been told about explosions?"
At that, the Copycat glances over, and Bakugo feels a chill go down his spine. While he'd never used an explosion worse than anything he'd set on Deku pre-UA in the fight, it was still quirk use.
Shit. He's gotten so used to being allowed to train his quirk that he'd forgotten this wasn't UA grounds – Gokudera fights with the talent of a UA student, not some random bum, and his quirk compensated appropriately. There are explosions everywhere – and after Copycats previous actions the precincts know what his quirk is. Two words and Bakugo is screwed – all Gokudera has to utter is the phrase 'Self defence.'
Yet, when Gokudera's eyes slide back, his mouth stays firmly closed, and he gives a lazy shrug.
"We're landscaping," he offers, and Obunaga stares at the two teens, covered in burns and torn clothing, and starts pulling at his hair.
"Where's Sawada?" he moans. "Doesn't he usually keep you from doing shit like this?"
That just gets him another shrug. "Hey, this is technically private grounds so, again, not really illegal. Yamamoto wants to plant some trees so we saved him some time."
Obunaga releases his scalp to glare at him.
"You really think that's going to work? I'm writing you up."
Gokudera smirks.
"Fantastic. Hey, if I get two more, the next one's free, right?"
Bakugo chokes down the laugh as the officer mutters something Gokudera's way and shoves a piece of paper in the teen's face before storming off. Bakugo waits until the man is a safe difference away, and then walks over.
"Why didn't you report my quirk use?" Bakugo asks, partly in suspicion. "You could have screwed me over."
The Copycat snorts.
"I wasn't raised to spill my opponents secrets so easily" he replies. "And I kind of pushed you into it. Tsuna would get get upset if I messed up your dreams just because I needed an outlet."
"Whose the fuck is this Tsuna?" Bakugo asks. "That the Sawada guy that officer asshole was going on about? You and Scarface talk about him like he's your fucking Boss-"
He immediately jerks back as the Copycat swings round and looms into his personal space, the glare on his face far more lethal than anything he'd worn during the fight.
"I'm gonna say this just once Jackass" he growls. "You don't talk shit about Tsuna. I get that you have a mouth that can give me competition, but one insult and you'll be pulling dynamite out of your ass till you retire."
Bakugo rolls his eyes, but as Gokudera starts stumbling away and back towards the restaurant, he tags along.
"I wasn't fucking insulting him" he mutters. "It's...look, he's an idiot but clearly Scarface knows how to fight. And you're obviously no slouch, so who is this Tsuna to have both of you so loyal."
Gokudera's mouth twitches its way into a grin.
"Heh, trust me, if Tsuna wanted to, he could take all of us in a fight" he replies. "He'd hate every minute of it, but in a no holds barred beat down, Sawada Tsunayoshi is the strongest opponent you'll ever face."
Bakugo grins back.
"Sounds impressive. I can understand that."
"Oh you really don't" Gokudera laughs. "Because even if he was the weakest guy on the planet I'd still stay by his side."
"Wait, what?" Bakugo snaps, grin vanishing. "That doesn't make any sense."
"It does when you realise strength isn't all that important in the grand scheme of things" Gokudera replies. "Yeah, it gets you stuff, and maybe it can help save people, but it's nothing compared to the things that really matter."
One of Gokudera's bombs must have hit closer to Bakugo's head than he thought, because he is not getting this, at all. Gokudera must see it on his face, because he scowls and sighs.
"Fine, let me dumb it down for you" he snaps. "You want to be a hero because you want to be the best right? You're definitely not the type who got into it because he wants to spend his life serving others."
Bakugo huffs, but doesn't reply. They both already know the answer.
Gokudera grins. "Not that there's anything wrong with that. You're clearly someone who likes being the strongest asshole in the room. Met more than my fair share, but me? I don't care about that. I'm a follower."
"A...follower?" Bakugo asks. "Like, a sidekick or some shit?"
"If you keep going by the hero analogy, sure. I'm a lifelong sidekick" Gokudera agrees. "Some people are made to lead. And some people just want to support the leaders. I'm the latter – I found the guy I want to support. Whatever he chooses to do, I'm going to be right by his side helping him achieve it.
I can be strong" Gokudera continues. "And I'm used to being the smartest guy in the room. But I can't...care, the way he can. I can't see the beauty in the smaller things. Appreciate what I have rather than what I could get. It probably sounds stupid to you, but before I met Tsuna, I didn't realise just how much of my life I was missing by valuing strength and duty over everything else."
He's right, Bakugo thinks. It does sound stupid.
"What a waste of a life."
Gokudera bursts into laughter. "Yeah, a moron like you would see it that way."
He shakes his head.
"Look. I tried the whole lone wolf thing. And you know what? It fucking sucked. Tsuna saved my life, in more ways than one, no matter how much he denies it, and being by his side is everything I needed."
He smiles at him, challenge in his eyes.
"Don't get me wrong, I've still got dreams. Things I'm going to do to make my mark on the world. I'm just not intending on ending up alone on a podium as an untouchable figurehead any more than Tsuna is. Between me, the Baseball-Idiot, Turf-top, the girls and Fuuta? We're gonna succeed together or not at all."
It's such a strange concept to Bakugo. He's been reaching for the top for as long as he knew such a thing existed. The idea that success could be something achieved by a group rather than someone alone is...alien. How someone as strong as Gokudera – someone who probably could achieve his dreams solo – would choose not to, doesn't compute to him.
When they make it back to the street, Bakugo sends Kirishima a text, and the other teen walks out the door just as they reach the building.
"So, how'd it go, Bakubro?" Kirishima asks.
Bakugo smirks.
"How do you think?"
The door opens and the younger Yamamoto pokes his head out.
"Hey Hayato, you finish destroying your doppelgänger?"
Bakugo squawks, and Kirishima's face falls.
"Wha-HE'S THE DOPPELGÄNGER!"
"Why, Yamamoto? They only just calmed down!"
Yamamoto just grins, and glances at the now glowering Gokudera.
"By the way, Tsuna's back and upstairs," he tells him.
Bakugo has just enough time to see Gokudera's eyes widen before the teen is flying in the door, hollering, "thanksforthefightandsorryaboutthemixupI'llmakesureitdoesn'thappenagain."
"What the fuck?" Bakugo mutters, ire deflating. "He couldn't have just opened with that!"
"Nope" Yamamoto tells him with a grin. "That would have been far too easy. Have a good night!"
Bakugo stares in disbelief as the door closes, and turns to Kirishima.
"You have the dumbest taste in food. And friends" he tells him.
"Oh admit it, you had fun" Kirishima teases. "And we've got another free meal on the table."
Which, yeah, would totally be worth showing up again for, Bakugo admits, as the two of them start walking down the street.
"Maybe next time, we'll finally catch sight of the infamous 'Tsuna'" Bakugo mutters. "I kind of want to meet a guy who can run herd on Copycat and Scarface."
"At this point he seems almost too good to be true" Kirishima admits. "But then I guess some guy's are just manly enough to earn loyalty like that."
"Yeah but still, he's got to be-"
Bakugo stops, and stares at Kirishima, who frowns.
"Bakubro?"
'Some people are made to lead. And some people just want to support the leaders.'
Gokudera's words echo through his head, and Bakugo's eyes widen.
"Eh, what is it Bakubro?"
"I'm the latter – I found the guy I want to support."
Bakugo feels his cheeks flush, and his temper snaps.
"You're a fucking idiot, you know that!" he yells, and storms off down the street.
"Wha-I didn't even do anything!" Kirishima yells back, quickly giving chase.
"That's the fucking point!" Bakugo hollers, refusing to turn back.
His face is red enough as is.
Minor note, since people kept asking - HIbari, Mukuro, Lambo and Haru didn't come with the rest of the the Vongola. HIbari chose Namimori, Mukuro chose world domination (now so much easier with Tsuna and Chrome out of the firing line), Lambo stayed with Nana, and Haru still had a loving family and would have found it the easiest to escape mafia life.