Quarantined (BakuDeku AU)

0010

Voice activation.

That's right, you heard me. Bakugo's microwave is activated via voice command. What a god damn flex. Learning this information made me both angry and exasperated. Firstly, why? Secondly, how would this even be a helpful feature on a microwave? I am still thoroughly flabbergasted.

The television remote? Same thing. Voice activated. I don't know why this feature is so popular, but I guess I should start to expect it now that I'm living in a place surrounded by unnecessarily fanciful technology.

Bakugo had the most smug look on his face after showing me the microwave. You can only imagine how increasingly complacent the look became when he saw my jaw drop in shocked frustration as he gave voice instructions to the remote.

Infuriating technology aside, the two of us made a bowl of buttery popcorn and were now sat comfortably in the living room on one of the plush white couches. We kept our usual distance, which was about one large couch cushion, apart.

"You said it was on Netflix?" Bakugo asks me, his bored gaze attached to the massive wall sized TV screen.

I look up from my phone, tearing my eyes away from a particularly outlandish meme I had been sent from Kaminari. "Should be." I respond, eyes flicking back to my own screen. I drag a lazy stripe up the illuminated surface with my thumb, eyes glued to my Instagram feed.

"Are we watching a movie or fucking not, dumb ass?" Bakugo snaps loudly at me, causing me to break my trance of mindless scrolling. I must have been overly absorbed in the stream of meme content on the device and not noticed Bakugo asking me a question because the dude seemed angrier than he did a minute ago. I bite my tongue and don't point it out.

"Oh sorry man." I apologize, locking my phone and tossing it to the side. Netflix has opened on the giant screen, and Bakugo looks at me expectantly.

"Well?" he presses impatiently.

"Oh, right. I think the movie is called Hereditary?" I say, unsure of myself. Bakugo rolls his eyes at the lacking confidence in my answer, but voice commands the remote to bring up the film regardless.

"This the one?" he questions, glancing over at me and gesturing to the screen with the remote.

The unsettling image of a screaming woman fills the screen, simple white lettering spelling out the title.

"Yeah that definitely seems like it." I tell him with a slow nod.

"Play." Bakugo murmurs to the remote and without further ado, ambient, stereotypical horror move music fills the living room, setting the mood for the viewing.

Bakugo crosses the room to turn out the lights, encasing us in darkness, before he settles back onto the couch next to me. Near me... Whatever.

The awkward tension of experiencing a movie with a person you're barely acquainted with hung thick in the air. I felt very aware of the blond's presence next to me, as we both sat unusually still, eyes pointed at the screen. I had to do my best to just ignore him and focus on the beginning film.

I didn't have to worry about the awkward feeling for long, as the movie hooked me nearly immediately. The eerie silences, and initial spooky scenes were thrilling, drawing me in and investing me in the characters. I barely even notice Bakugo next me, tapping his finger against his thigh restlessly. Barely.

Around half an hour into the movie the first incident occurs. A little girl is brutally beheaded in a freak accident. When the camera pans to her detached head I can't help but move a hand to cover my mouth. The flies buzzing around her rotting skull make my stomach twist uncomfortably. Bakugo's fingers halt their drumming and curl into a tight fist.