Author's Note: Posted a day early! Thank you for reading. I loved exploring the TodoBaku friendship in this chapter, which will set the stage for future chapters.
Chapter One
"Look, I know you're in there."
Bakugou clenches his fists and stares at the door. His hopes for turning in early and putting this miserable day to an end are gone. Even if the person on the other side decides to leave, he knows there's no way he can fall asleep now. Can't he just have one peaceful night? Is that a lot to ask?
"Bakugou, I can feel you glaring behind the door." The voice is followed by a few (unsuccessful) turns on the knob. For a moment Bakugou thinks he'll barge into his apartment by force, but nothing happens for what feels like a long time.
"Katsuki."
Bakugou doesn't realize that he's been holding his breath until he lets out a deep, defeated sigh. A lump forms in his throat as his hand reaches for the lock.
"I brought dinner."
The door opens and Todoroki stands there holding up a takeout bag.
Bakugou rolls his eyes. "You should have led with that, you idiot."
Todoroki offers a small smile, something Bakugou knows doesn't come easy for the No. 2 Hero. In the ten years they've known each other, "expressive" isn't a term Bakugou would ever use to describe his two-quirk colleague. As such, early criticism from the media were quick to label him as an overpowered, emotionless pro riding on the coattails of his father.
"Are you just going to stand there and take their bullshit?" Bakugou demanded.
"Kacchan, we're being filmed and broadcast constantly. What do you want him to - "
"Shut up, nerd, I wasn't talking to you! Look, you Half and Half Bastard, they called you "toneless" and "passionless" and you're just going to let them?!"
"You've called me worse," Todoroki pointed out.
"I'M SUPERIOR AND CAN CALL YOU WHATEVER THE HELL I WANT!"
"I think what Bakugou is trying to say is that he doesn't want the press to discredit the amazing Hero you are," offered Kirishima. "Hey, it doesn't hurt anyone if we all smiled once in a while, right? Isn't that what All Might would say?"
Bakugou clutches the front of his shirt feeling his heart ache at the memory. He turns around quickly. "I get all the spring rolls though."
"Deal." Todoroki slips off his shoes and into a pair of slippers. He takes off his blue trench coat and hands it to Bakugou. "It's really good to see you."
"Sure," he replies, hanging the coat in a nearby closet.
"Have you been drinking?"
Bakugou groans. "Argh, stop smothering me. It's annoying."
Todoroki follows him into the kitchen. His eyes sweep the common spaces. To his relief, he doesn't spot any empty liquor bottles or beer cans; no lingering smell of alcohol either. The furniture has been moved around since the last time he visited. Granted, it's been months since they've seen each other. Todoroki's commute from here is over an hour and rarely do they get called to team up on jobs, even if they are the No. 1 and 2 Heroes.
"You did some rearranging?"
"I didn't like my back facing the windows."
In case villains (or worse, the paparazzi) decide to cause trouble, Todoroki muses. "You work today?"
"Of course," Bakugou answers. He outstretches a hand and Todoroki hands over the takeout he picked up on his way over. "Why would I miss work? Don't tell me you were slacking off."
"No, I just thought today -"
"Don't be stupid," Bakugou cuts him off. "I'm not going to call in sick every year because of a really shitty thing that happened a long time ago."
Todoroki flinches as he takes a seat on a counter stool. He has to remind himself that this is just how his friend deals with hurt. He gives him a knowing look. "You're allowed to take it easy once in a while," he says plainly.
"Don't tell me what to do!" Bakugou snaps. He's tempted to throw a plate at him, but settles for shoving it in his face. He gestures to the far side of the kitchen. "I moved the utensils to that drawer over there."
Todoroki takes the plate and smirks. "Your emotional intelligence has improved."
"WHAT THE HELL?!" Bakugou refrains from exploding completely and breaking every dish in the house. "Do you want to die? Why do you say that?!"
"I only say that because I've been here five minutes and you haven't called me one insulting nickname or tried to attack me."
"The night's still young, Icy Hot."
Todoroki laughs, which takes them both by surprise. Against his will, Bakugou is comforted by Todoroki's unfamiliar laughter and begrudgingly gives him a smile. He feels the weight he's been carrying all day sauntering off his shoulders replaced by something...safe.
The heavenly aroma of food overwhelms them and they both load their plates with a variety of hot appetizers, steamed jasmine rice, braised pork, and garlicky peapod stems. The pair sits across from each other at the dining table and engage in small talk. Todoroki shares about his day, his encounters with villains, and the mountain of paperwork he has to tend to while Bakugou shovels food down his throat and replies from time to time with snarky comments.
It almost feels no different from the dinners they had at the UA dorms all those long years ago. Except this time Bakugou is less apt to kill someone and Todoroki is more talkative.
"I saw on the news that you hired another sidekick," Todoroki says with curiosity, casually stealing a spring roll from his friend's plate.
"I see you," Bakugou points out, but does nothing. "She's on a 3-month probationary period. I wasn't really looking to add anyone to the agency."
"I didn't realize how soft you've gotten."
"Shut up, that denim-donning devil put me up to it."
"You mean Best Jeanist?"
"Yeah, that bastard. Anyway, she's fine. She's a ray of fucking sunshine all the time, but I'll beat that out of her." He catches Todoroki raising an eyebrow. "I mean figuratively." He takes a long swig of barley tea. "Maybe."
"I think you love it."
"Love what?"
"The optimism. The positivity." Todoroki braces himself for the words that follow. "It reminds you of Kirishima."
Bakugou looks down, suddenly taking interest in the tiles on the floor. There's silence between them. Todoroki goes stiff. He knew it would get awkward, but he had to bring it up. Todoroki noticed less photographs of the two when he walked in. In fact, most of Riot's memorabilia is gone. The only trace of Kirishima is an old photo of the couple on the fridge.
Todoroki turns his head back to Bakugou, who is now looking straight at him. He can see the stony pair of crimson eyes laden with so much pain.
Todoroki pushes his plate away. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have brought him - "
"What took you so long?" Bakugou interjects softly, hoarsely. Tears start to trail the length of his cheeks, down to his chin, along his neck. He grits his teeth in an attempt to stifle the sobs that longs for an escape from his lips. He closes his eyes and furiously wipes his face with the back of his hands.
His friend watches him, his heartbeat quickening. The sudden outburst of vulnerability startles him. From the moment Bakugou opened that door, Todoroki knew the No. 1 Hero was holding back. He's probably been bottling it up all day, he tells himself. Especially if he went to work. He probably prepared himself for all sorts of questions from his team, the media, friends, family.
"I'm sorry," repeats Todoroki. "I'm not so good with emotions."
"Obviously."
"Sorry," he repeats. "But, now that we're here, what do you want to do?"
Bakugou lets out a low growl. "Honestly? I want to get sloshed."
Todoroki shivers at the distant flashbacks replaying quickly in his mind: sobering Bakugou up when he blacked out at hotel bars; cleaning his house and making him dinner when he couldn't get out of bed; covering his ass when the media caught the Hero doing something utterly stupid.
They're both startled when the doorbell rings. The pair exchanges confused looks.
"Who the hell could that be?"
Todoroki glances at the clock. "It's pretty late. Are you expecting someone?"
"Do you even know me?" Bakugou asks irritably. He stands and wipes the last of his tears with his shirt. He heads toward the foyer.
"No one's home," the Hero barks.
"Bakugou, we know how to be stubborn, too," a voice says on the other side. "We just have more composure than you."
"God dammit," mutters Bokugo. He raises his voice again. "Who's we, Dunce Face?"
"We is me, Uraraka, Iida, and Yaoyorozu."
"Mother fucker." Bakugou looks over his shoulder to Todoroki, who's walking over, likely to calm him down. He mouths "Kill them" to which his friend responds with a vigorous head shake.
"Is this a bad time to tell you we also have Midoriya on video call?" Kaminari asks innocently.
Bakugou emits small crackling sparks from his palms. "ARGHHH, GO AWAY!"
"Bakugou, please." It's Uraraka's voice this time. "Please, just five minutes?"
"I don't need consoling!"
Bakugou feels Todoroki's hand on his back. He bites his bottom lip and he can feel him trembling ever so slightly under Todoroki's touch. He wants to move, but his feet are planted firmly on the floor. Todoroki whispers, "It's going to be okay" and opens the door.
"Oh, Shoto," says Yaoyorozu. "We're glad you made it. I guess it's not surprising you would be here."
"Good to see you, Momo. Iida," replies Todoroki. Bakugou takes note of the Yaoyorozu and Iida's adjoined hands.
Uraraka says to Todoroki, "We tried calling and texting you."
"Yeah, sorry. My phone died a while ago."
"Want me to charge it for you?" Kaminari jokes.
"No, that's fine." Todoroki gestures Uraraka's phone. "Is that Midoriya?"
"Oh my gosh, I almost forgot." She holds up her cell for Bakugou, who tries not to look her in the eye. "Deku wanted to - "
"Actually, it might be best if I talk to him. Is that okay?" Todoroki turns to Bakugou and mouths "deep breaths." He steps aside to let them in. "You all can go right in. He won't object anymore."
"Don't tell me what to do, DAMN YOU!" Bakugou yells instinctively.
"There's the Lord Explosion Murder we all fear and love!" exclaims Kaminari, kicking off his shoes and throwing an arm around him. "How are you holding up?"
"Terrible," he mutters, trying to shrug him off.
"Yeah, I know what you mean. I kept seeing his face everywhere while I was on patrol. It was kind of freaky."
"You too?" asks Iida.
Bakugou goes cold as Todoroki excuses himself and walks outside, closing the door behind him. Thanks for leaving me, Icy Hot.
Author's Note: Thank you for reading! Please leave comments and let me know what you think. I'm going to try to get this fic updated every Fridays and Tuesdays. I appreciate your support!