The bathroom's fluorescent lights flickered overhead for a few moments as the slime boy took in Bakugo's words. "...ground rules?" Midoriya Izuku thought in puzzlement. He knew what the words meant, but why would Bakugo say those particular words at this particular time unless...no, he's crazy for even thinking such delusions. There's no way that someone actually cared about him. Bakugo probably...Bakugo probably used the wrong words and actually meant to say something along the lines of, "I want you off my fucking body!" There's no way that someone he had met earlier today genuinely wanted to help him just to help him. Such thoughts were ludicrous...

Right?

"Oi, nerd, we need to talk," Bakugo commanded as he walked over to the bathroom door before locking it, not wanting to be disturbed. He then sat down on the toilet lid, throwing in as an afterthought, "Sit in front of me or whatever."

Izuku took in a metaphorical deep breath within his temporary(?) host's body as he steeled his nerves, trying to prepare himself for yet another sad day as his hopes and dreams would surely be destroyed in two minutes time. Midoriya (begrudgingly) oozed out of his host's left forearm, specifically through the pores of his skin, and onto the porcelain floor below, the slime that composed his body shuddering as it painfully reminded him of the sudden hunger spike as the two separated.

It was funny, if he really thought about it. Just earlier on today, Izuku felt an ungodly amount of hunger pain lift off of his mind when he saved his friend from certain death. It was as if the fog of pain that normally clouded over his mind cleared for the first time in ages; allowing him to not feel feral since...ever. Not having hunger trying to control each and every action of his was heavenly, and Izuku relished it for as long as he could. The simple fact that he could actually look at someone and not have to restrain himself from latching onto them practically brought tears to Midoriya's gooey eyes. It was indescribable contentment/joy when he first latched onto Bakugo, as he would usually have to go so long on the streets without a host, without food.

And now he had to get off.

A small part of Midoriya started to whisper in the back of his mind that he didn't have to, that he could just stay attached forever and ever and ever. The whisper, now a shout, was yelling at him that detaching meant death, that detaching meant purposeful torture, and that detachment would mean no more food. The shout, now a cry of desperation, screamed and wailed and sobbed at him for his foolish actions. Why shouldn't he just stay on forever? Why shouldn't he allow his instincts inside of him to make the decision to stay onto Bakugo Katsuki?! It would keep him alive! That's what mattered, right?! It didn't matter that Bakugo Katsuki was...

That he was the one person who had shown him kindness (in his own way).

That he was the one person who wasn't disgusted by his Quirk, even calling an application of it 'awesome'.

That he was the one person, the first person, Midoriya could confidently even call...a friend?

Before the guilt could set in, Izuku realized that he hadn't moved an inch in the past minute, just being a puddle of slime on the floor.

The blonde-haired explosive teen was not known for his patience. So having to wait an ungodly amount of time (one minute) for the 'parasite' to get his shit together (quite literally) was as fucking monotonous as it could get. Finally, the slimefuck reconstructed his body from the feet up in a flash. Midoriya had this weird guilty look on his slimy face as he smoothly stuttered out, "I-I-I, um...what's up?" giving out an awkward smile at the end.

"The fuck took ya so long?!" Bakugo growled out, a vein on his forehead popping out in agitation. "I've got something to say, so sit your slimy ass down," he commanded as he pointed at the edge of his family's bathroom tub. Midoriya hesitated for a second, as if daring to defy him, before he melted himself to the floor; only to slither over to where Bakugo pointed and rebuilt himself.

"I have a name, you know..." Izuku meekly muttered out, staring very deeply at the floor as if it fascinated him.

"The fuck's his problem?" Bakugo thought, narrowing his red eyes in suspicion. "Oi! My eyes are up here, Slimefuck."

Nervously, Midoriya lifted his head to look at his former host's fierce eyes. "S-s-sorry...wait, what did you call me?!"

Bakugo tched before he said, "It doesn't matter. Pay attention," the blonde announced as he gave Izuku a look to shut up, before his eyes softened microscopically. "Look, do you have a place to go? Folks to take care of you?" he asked, staring intensely at his friend acquaintance with a fiery gaze.

"I-uh, no? I mean, no. I don't really have a home, I just go place to place," Midoriya admitted as he scratched the back of his neck. While he never had gotten itchy once in his life, he had to admit that his nervous tic did relieve some discomfort. "Uh, why do you ask?" the slime questioned, "Is...this about the 'ground rules'?"

"Kind of," Bakugo vaguely responded, crossing his legs as he leaned back against the toilet. He locked eyes with Izuku before he boldly declared, "I want a partnership," exuding a kind of confidence that would make a narcissist blush.

...

...

...

Silence filled the atmosphere. For a while, Midoriya Izuku said nothing, his brain trying to come up with a reply to that left hook of an offer. "What do you mean 'partnership'?" Izuku asked unbelievably, looking at his the boy with confusion.

Bakugo rolled his red eyes, "Use your nerd brain, you dumb fuck," replied as he tapped the other's gooey forehead. "How does a partnership work?" Katsuki asked simply, waiting for a response.

"I, uh...a partnership works b-because both parties have mutual interests?" Izuku guessed, getting an approving nod from Katsuki.

"Took ya fucking long enough, but what would a partnership give to both of us?" Bakugo pressed, hoping that he didn't have to spell out everything. After watching the head of his friend acquaintance mumble at lightspeed, Bakugo had to hold back a small chuckle of laughter when he saw a literal gooey exclamation point spring out of the nerd's head.

"If we had a partnership, I'd be able to heal you..."

"Hell yeah! And in return, you'll never have to go fucking hungry again," Bakugo finished with a smirk, clearly proud of his own genius.

"B-b-but this is s-so sudden!" Izuku whisper-shouted as his expression changed to a nervous wreck, his mind desperately trying to wrap his mind around such a...tantalizing offer. He wouldn't have to go hungry anymore, he wouldn't ever have to deal with hunger pain ever again. But the rational side of Midoriya, the one that kept him from snatching people off the street when he was starving, asked two very important questions, "How do I know you're not l-lying to me? That you're not trying to u-use me?"

Bakugo paused for a brief moment, trying to think of something to say that could convince the slime. While uncharacteristic, this was one moment he could not fuck up, as talking to this sentient lime Jell-O could make or break his hero career. After another moment of not knowing what to say he simply said, "You're right, you don't know if I'm lying to you."

"Then-then how am I supposed to t-trust you?!"

"Beats me," Bakugo replied back tersely, shrugging as he 'patiently' waited for an answer.

"A-and what about the using me part?!" Izuku asked frantically, his non-existent brain short-circuiting from Katsuki's replies. "Shouldn't he be defending himself or something?!"

"Why are you even worried about that, you fucking moron?" Katsuki asked, exasperated from the argument. Why couldn't things be more simple?

"Well, what if you try and make me do s-something I don't want?!" Midoriya argued back, making a good point in his eyes.

Bakugo facepalmed in absolute disbelief. The blond wanted to do nothing more than berate his potential business partner for his sheer idiocy. Bakugo imagined to himself all the ways that Izuku could make him a prisoner in a single second and felt rage boiling inside of him; knowing that he couldn't stop the slime even if he tried. He sighed as he rubbed the bridge of his nose in frustration. Trying to keep even a little shred of pride Bakugo flippantly replied, "Then you can say no or whatever!" he huffed out, taking in angry breaths. "Look in the mirror, Slimefuck," Bakugo gestured to said object, "earlier today you were nothing but skin and bones! I bet you wake up every day just trying to survive. Right now, you're too nice for your own good, when you could do whatever you wanted. You have potential, but your dumb ass is wasting it," Bakugo bluntly critiqued before mentally bracing himself for the inevitable cry of indigna-

"...I h-have p-potential?" Midoriya repeated, his eyes in wide saucers at the 'praise' he was given.

"Well, not as much as me obviously," Bakugo thought arrogantly before saying, "Yeah, of course you do, you dumb shit! You could be one of the top five Pro Heroes," he half-lied, not mentioning that Midoriya probably couldn't be if by his lonesome.

"I...I could be like All Might?" Izuku asked, his voice so quiet and thick with hope it was honestly depressing.

"A bit of a stretch," the blonde thought in his mind critically. With a confident smile that could only be made by years of approval from others, Katsuki nodded, "Just like All Might," he reaffirmed.

Bakugo watched Midoriya, seeing the gears turn in his gelatinous head. After a full minute of silence had passed, the slime finally spoke up and asked, "I-if...and this is only if I say y-yes...how would the p-partnership work?"

"Simple: You help me, I help you. You keep me at my fucking best, I make sure you never go hungry and that you'll always have a roof over ya head. We'll train our Quirks together and some shit too probably, or whatever.

"So, partners?" Bakugo replied with a manic smile as he held out his free hand for a handshake.