Capsaicin

Emergency Contact

I have these thoughts, so often I ought

To replace that slot with what I once bought

'Cause somebody stole my car radio

And now I just sit in silence

Car Radio, Twenty One Pilots

* * *

The apartment was silent but for the simmering of peppers.

Not that this was unusual. The space was quiet as a rule. Break it at your own peril.

(No one ever did. Not anymore.)

The walls were quiet, too, in their own way. Nothing to show. Nothing to say. Barren. Bare, but for the small nail holes left behind. Evidence of another time. But it was quiet now. Timid. Even the rice steamed discreetly on the back burner.

Which is why the sudden ringing of his phone was completely offensive.

Bakugou glared at the screen.

Fat Gum (Personal Office), it read.

Fuck.

The last time he'd gotten a call from that number...

He swallowed.

It'd be easy not to answer. It'd be normal even, for him.

He let it ring.

It didn't matter, anyway. There was nothing that man could say that would change anything of consequence. Nothing he couldn't listen to later on voicemail. Or not.

He let it ring.

And besides, the only topic he could be calling about wasn't really Bakugou's business anymore. If it was, this call would have come to his agency instead of his personal number. It would have come during regular business hours.

He let it ring.

Don't pick up. Don't do this to yourself.

He scrubbed his face, turned down the stove and accepted the call.

"Yeah?"

"Oh. Bakugou! I didn't think you were going to-nevermind-are you aware you're still Kirishima's emergency contact?"

Bakugou flinched. "No. Are you serious? Because that seems like a big fucking oversight."

"Agreed. I'll be sure to-"

"Is he okay?"

There was a moment of hesitation. "He's fine. He's going to be fine. This is just a courtesy-"

"What happened? Where is he?"

"Esuha General. He's fine, really. No need to worry. I'm only contacting you because I'm literally legally obligated to."

"Then you're legally obligated to answer my questions. So what happ-"

"Why the fuck do you care?"

It was a different voice. Younger. Female.

"Keiko-" Fat Gum sounded like he was covering the phone now, talking to someone else on his end.

"Who the fuck is that!?" Bakugou returned. He did not have the patience to deal with this right now. (He didn't ever, really. But that was beside the point.)