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There'd been people coming in before, thanking him for helping, expressing their sympathies, all sorts. But this one hadn't been with any of those groups. Kendo, Bakugo knew, Tokoyami's friend from 1-B. "What do you want?" Bakugo asked of her after she'd been standing beside the bedside space for what felt like ten minutes to him.
"Help," Kendo said.
Well at least you're not whining about it or begging or doing that weird small-voice some people do when they want something but don't want to ask. "I'm 1-A," Bakugo said. "Since when do you 1-B kids want our help?" And why me? There's over a dozen people in 1-A who didn't get their asses handed to them or captured. What brings you here, to ask the exception and not the class heroes?
"I don't want 1-A's help. I want your help."
"Me?"
"Yes."
"You want my help?"
Kendo sighed. "If this is how badly those villains damaged your cognitive centers, then I suppose not," and started to turn away.
"Don't You Frakking Move!" Bakugo snapped at her. Way too many people get away. I couldn't stop them - I can stop her.
Aand there's the guy I came here to talk to. Facing him once more, "Ready to help?" she asked him.
"Help what?"
"Help me recover Fumikage."
"Look, I know he's your friend, but -" and stopped himself when he realized how much he sounded like the other kids, the ones who wanted to let the teachers handle everything. Wait a second, is she..just a little, a bit, but its definately there. "Boyfriend?" Bakugo asked.
Kendo smirked. "You guys really don't notice anything thats not grading you or punching you. Then again, it took Fu a while to realize our patrol had turned into a date."
"NOT TRUE! WE NOTICE -- Fu?" Bakugo repeated. "What the hell nickname is that?" because if people get away with stupid nicknames to my classmates, I've failed them. Again! No more! No way will I let it happen more! he thought, squeezing his hands.
Kendo replied firmly, "So, you going to help me get him out of that hive of scum and villainy, or is this a one-woman job?"
"I'm in," no question 'bout it. "One question."
"Shoot."
Funny. Real funny. "Why me?" Bakugo asked.
She enlarged one hand slightly, ticking off fingers, "Whether or not he's your friend, he's your classmate." He got taken even when you got rescued. "Don't you do these sort of things for fun?"
Bakugo looked at her hand and one itching pinky finger waiting its turn to either be counted or scratch something. She put her middle finger down without saying anything - flipping me off, or keeping that reason for herself? Keep your secrets. I don't want them.
"So...still in, after hearing that?" Kendo asked, putting her counting hand back to normal and at her side.
"Hell yeah. Wanna see his face when I call him Fu."
"Go for it," Kendo said. Dark Shadow might not like it, though.
FLASHBACK:
"Fu," Dark shadow said, looking at her standing beside his human.
"Fu?" Kendo asked. "Me?" Their long walk had been, unofficially a patrol without incident this evening, and less unofficially, a bit of light exercise to loosen their calves and thighs from and for the next school-related exercise or gym bout. Such walks tried to happen at least once a week, schedules permitting.
The shadow nodded, something mostly visible thanks to the glass in the background and the overhead lights across the street.
She took his hand to assure him that it was okay. Even with that, he was going on about how, "In my youth, in an effort to rein in Dark Shadow, I studied the various guardian entities of the world. Powers of protection, power and loyalty, care... The latter of which including the Fu Dogs."
"Ah," Kendo said.
"I realize that Dark Shadow has overextended itself socially," for perhaps the first time. "Please accept my - Itsuki?"
She wiped away the start of a tear from her eye, and was really trying not to chuckle; not more than a ha-ha brevity, anyway. "Way, way better than the Hero Name I'd come up with for myself," and it ranks right up there with the alias I coined as a kid. "Next time I need a name, I'm going to ask Dark Shadow, if you don't mind."
"Why would I mind?"
A long and shared smile ensued.
"Fu," Dark Shadow repeated, pleased.
"Fu and Fumikage," Tokoyami said.
"The dynamic trio," Kendo seconded.
Dark Shadow smiled. They gonna kiss. Definately.