Darkside (BkDK)

~~** Baby steps. **~~

Exhausted from hours of hard training and acting cautiously as to not accidentally provoke another match, Aizawa's small freckled problem child flopped rather ungracefully onto the grass covered ground. Looking straight up, he laid flat on his back with his limbs splayed out like a specimen waiting to be dissected. He was completely spent but at the same time he was somehow pleased about it. His companion was quite versed in the language of Midoriya and knew this signal well.

They were done with today's activities.

Sitting down slightly smoother than the faux cadaver beside him, the explosion quirk user of class 1A turned to face the person that had once upon a time been his best friend. Taking a moment, he closed his ruby colored eyes and focused on regaining his breath before addressing the other. "You're getting better Deku. Soon you might even be an actual challenge for me. Tch" A smirk pulled at the corners of his mouth as the crimson-eyed youth saw his partner flash one of his signature dazzling smiles in response to the rare, mostly, positive comment.

"Thanks Kacchan! That actually means quite a lot coming from you, ya know? But now I'm huuuuuuuuuuuungry!" With a sudden and quite surprising amount of energy, the presumed corpse of All Might's successor jumped to his feet before grabbing the hand of his opposite and tugging on it like a small child begging their parents for a toy at the store. "Come oooooooon~ lets go clean up so we can get something to eat!" The smaller male continued to pull the other until the taller teen finally relented with a firm grunt.

It wasn't that Bakugo was opposed to the idea of a meal. Quite the opposite, he was also quite hungry after the intense session they just completed. No, he just couldn't help but give the Nerd a hard time whenever possible. Call it a hobby.

As they made their way across campus and back to the dorns, the calmer half of the 'Wonder Duo' became lost in thought. Without realizing it, Midoriya began to mumble about different options for a late lunch before being interrupted with a slightly unexpected offer. "I'll make us something if it will shut you up, but you for sure reek. So no food till you shower." The muted yet enthusiastic nods he received in response set emerald colored curls bouncing almost violently.

As they walked back towards Heights Alliance the pair kept up a relaxed and playful banter. Occasionally one would punch the other in the arm. Or not-so-subtly bump into them in an unconcealed effort to force them off the path. Just like when they were younger.

Bakugo Katsuki may still very much be the hard headed egotistical asshole he had been for most of his life, but he HAD learned to recognize when his choices hurt those around him. People that he most definitely had NOT come to care about over the last several months.

Damn extras.

No longer did he go out of his way to target Izuku with harsh comments unless the idiot did something truly worthy. Like trying to microwave fucking tinfoil.

He also didn't blow up metaphorically or physically at his unwanted crew of definitely not-friends nearly as often these days. Much to their collective appreciation. Tutoring didn't count. Only a fucking saint could get thruough an hour trying to teach those idiots maths without swearing. OR seriously considering un-aliveing them.

He had also learned the value in teamwork vs dictatorship and demonstrated it in a cross class mock battle. Ok, so he was maybe still working on that.

Though his biggest milestone to date was when he apologized to Deku for his past treatment in a heartfelt afternoon a few weeks ago after his breakdown over All Might's retirement. He had done something completely out of his comfort zone and been brutally honest with the curly haired boy from his childhood. It was like swollowing fucking glass, but he was man enough to know it was the right thing to do. The damn Nerd never deserved to be treated how he was. Especially not for something he had no control over. The blonde would never be what he described as soft but what kind of asshole would he truly be if he couldn't change in the face of his own (shortcomings) revelations?