Darkside (BkDK)

~~** You come here often? **~~

By the end of June the third round of interning sessions for UA's Hero course year three students was coming to an end and most were going rather well. Currently at Jeanist Offices, Ash was talking with a local law enforcement officer about the bank robbery he and Dynamight had stopped only twenty minutes earlier while the latter watched. The orangette reminded Bakugo so much of Deku when it came to talking to the public that he couldn't help but think of how lucky he was to have someone so bright as his future partner. Especially considering everything that happened over the last year,

The 'Wonder Duo' had talked about their future plans after graduation only a handful of times since the night Katsuki first told Izuku about changing agencies for their last year of internships. Each time the topic came up between them the freckled teen insisted he still wanted the partnership when the two were ready no matter how long that took.

The problem for Katsuki was that regardless of his progress with Hound Dog, he couldn't help but have lingering doubts. Wouldn't the future Symbol of Peace find it easier to work alone or with ANYONE else? Why would he want to be burdened by the scarlet-eyed youth's social (challenges) (struggles) ineptitude? He had no choice but to take the curly haired youth at his word, but that was easier said than done. Turns out all the self loathing thoughts unearthed by the Darkside attack were rather firmly planted in the strong-willed male's mind. Amplified by lingering guilt of how he acted in middle school was making it a hard habit to break.

Having been lost in his own spiraling thoughts, the somewhat gloomy Hero in training failed to notice when his current partner finished his conversation and returned to stand in front of the distracted blonde. Blinking, Bakugo startled and stumbled back a step as a pair of luminescent green eyes appeared right before his face. Another feature that unconsciously reminded him of Deku.

The throaty chuckle coming from the Pro who was only twenty, just two years his senior, rankled the teen's mood further but having gotten to know the ash quirk user well enough over the last two months he opted to let it go. Engaging the lighthearted man would be the equivalent of arguing with Mina. Frustrating and ultimately pointless.

Throwing his arm over his marginally taller intern's shoulders Dai pulled the other closer so he could whisper in the boy's ear without being overheard by the lingering officers around them. "Come on Cutie, it can't be all that bad having my handsome face so close. Can it?"

This was a part of the amber haired male's personality that his intern could definitely do without. Until recently Bakugo was never sure if the little comments and obvious flirting on his liaison's part were serious or just his playful personality. In truth though, that wasn't the real issue. It was Dynamight's reaction to the little advances that bothered the ruby-eyed student more. The blush that claimed his cheeks at the proximity of the other's face was well concealed by the flush of summer heat but he could feel it, and he hated it.

"Fuck off Firefly." Shaking the arm from his shoulder, Katsuki began walking towards the agency. It was late and they had caught the robbery in progress as they were finishing their last patrol of the day. He wanted to get back and pack so he could head back to AU on the last train for the night.

While the deceptively studious teen worked almost non-stop the whole two weeks he was in Tokyo he always took the last possible train from Musutafu Sunday evening for his arrival and the first one Friday evening to head back to campus. The 'Star Class' third seat student was by far not the only member of the class 3A to do the same, but Dynamight's reasons were not in line with his peers. While the other Extras just wanted to maximize their off weekends, the Hero Course's resident Pomeranian wanted to maximize his time with a certain greenette. Even if they were not going to be together the way they were before Midoriya went missing, he still enjoyed spending time with the Nerd. It had nothing at all to do with the return of certain early morning laundry sessions caused by certain dreams starring the same jade-eyed boy.

Not at all.

It also made his Saturday morning language class easier if he didn't need to contend with the twins as much. Bakugo had so far managed to not let onto his Squad nor his partners, present or future, as to the specific language he was studying and if possible he would keep it that way. He had chosen it based on his own wants rather than to advance his career the way everyone else did and might have been the tiniest bit embarrassed about that.

The full impact of Darkside's quirk on the feisty male revealed a fear he was only aware of on a surface level. Months of more intensive talks with the gruff UA therapist revealed the full depth of WHY the possibility of losing his hearing was such a big deal to the boy. Yes, he could wear hearing aids if need be, but that was a half measure. Devices failed, accessories were lost, batteries died. What if one or more of those things happened in the middle of a mission? Or worse, in a battle with a Villain and he was not able to communicate with Deku? He decided a backup plan was in order so when the human Megaphone and Xanax mentioned the optional language classes on offer this year he made sure to check. An odd sense of relief washed over him when he saw JSL was one of the options and signed up without a second thought. If he learned it well enough maybe he could teach Izuku when they were a pro pair.

Worries for future Katsuki.

Returning to UA in the next few hours might also grant him a good excuse to avoid the invitation to have dinner the following evening courtesy of the smiling idiot next to him.

"Awww come on Cutie, what's the big hurry? Won't you stay the weekend and have that dinner with me tomorrow? I promise to leave you alone while you do your class. I won't even try to see what language you're taking! I found this great little place that specializes in Szechuan style spicy food just for you! Pretty sure I'M gonna lose my taste buds in the process but I know YOU like that crazy stuff. Can't I even get a pity date?" The pouting lip on the grown man's face was somehow adorable making it even more infuriating to the blonde.

Why is this fucker so damn good looking even when he's making that shitty puppy face? If the asshole was ugly avoiding his constant bullshit would be easier. Why the hell did fucking Pyro have to tell me his ass was serious? It was fine when I thought he was damn joking. Now it's just weird. "Stop calling me that. Cute is for chicks." And Deku. "What part of 'fuck off' is not sinking into that thick ass skull of yours? I already told Sleeping Beauty I'd be back tonight so I'm leaving. End of."

If this situation were to have happened before he discovered his own hidden feelings for the Nerd the explosive youth might have taken the fiery male up on his offer. He was everything Dynamight would seek in a companion, if he ever bothered to actually look. Very fit. Easy on the eyes. Sassy but not bratty. Great sense of humor. A good Hero. Accepting of the blonde's developing personality. The whole package.

So why not take him up on his offer of a first date now that he and Deku were no longer together? Simple: the idea of being with somebody else felt like he would be cheating on the greenette. Yes, Katsuki knew they had officially broken up, but that did not change how he felt about the freckled inheritor of OFA. That was painfully obvious night after night as his dreams were filled with emerald colored hair and a smile that could outshine the sun.

Not the dirty dreams. Okay well not JUST the dirty ones, but the ones where they were fighting Villains together. Or where they were reliving moments at UA and times with their friends. But most of his nights were filled with wishful thinking where his subconscious rewrote their middle school years together. In the best dreams he was the Nerd's protector rather than his bully and every morning when he woke up and reality washed over him the ruby-eyed teen felt nauseous with guilt.

So much so that he almost, almost, preferred the mornings when he woke up with a need to start the day with laundry and a cold shower. According to Hound Dog in their now monthly sessions, the guilty dreams of the past showed that he had not recovered fully from the Darkside attack. That little fact was the rationale behind why he was ordered to continue his dopamine replacement medication. Bakugo was unsure what the gruff Pro's thoughts were on his spicier night thoughts as he had so far failed to share their existence. Some shit is private, damnit!