Chapter Text
The door slammed shut, followed by the consecutive clicking of low-heeled shoes, hard and familiar against the wooden floor. They stomped past the couch, click click, then slowly faded in the direction of the kitchen. Shinsou opened one eye, but not too much; only half sliding an eyelid open to observe the light pouring into the room. The sitting room was still a bit orange, though he could see a hazy grey already starting to leak in from the shadows. He fumbled around for his phone, and lifted it to his eyes. The time read half past five, and then blinked thirty one.
Shinsou hummed.
The heels came back again. Click click, then the clicks stopped. Thud, thud. Shinsou opened his other eye, and sidled his pupils to the floor.
“Shoes off the carpet.”
He was ignored, as a heavy weight settled on his feet. He dug his feet out of under Izuku’s butt and sent a heavy kick to his hip.
“Owww.”
“Ow to you too, shithead.” Shinsou mumbled, and shut his eyes again. “You can’t stay.”
“Why not?”
“It’s a Friday night.”
“And?”
“And, I’ve got plans. Plans that would be awkward if you stick around.” He tried to focus on the darkness, but he could still see economic supply/demand graphs in his vision, green triangles and red perforated lines. Pulling all-day study sessions wasn’t doing any favours for him, but who was to blame for that? As if in answer to his question, a flash of yellow crossed his mind. yellow hair, then sundial eyes that could be as sweet as a sunflower and as sabertoothed as a tiger if you pushed the wrong button, a detemined but kind smile… he held this image in his head for a moment and physically felt his muscles relax, the tension uncoiling from the warmth in his heart. And then, a price/quantity equation bammed, right in his pretty face. “You’ve got five minutes, before I start cleaning up.”
“Fine.” Izuku’s voice sounded… crunchy.
He sighed, and opened his eyes. Izuku had his hands inside a packet of cereal in his hand, and shovelling it into his mouth, straight from the box. “What’s wrong with you?”
“The usual.” Izuku crushed the donut-shaped bits between his teeth.
“What happened?” he asked, automatically.
To be honest, Shinsou wasn’t in the mood to be his friend’s therapist. Not when he had his own problems. But looking around, all he saw was his study books, strewn around the table open to topics he should have done three weeks ago. And any thought of doing anything else brought on a heavy feeling of guilt in his bones. At least with this, he could blame his procrastination on Izuku. His heart could take that just fine, apparently. When it came to someone else, it tended to just… make up excuses.
“I’ll show you.”
A hand freckled with crumbs reached for the TV-remote, and Shinsou bit back his annoyed reaction. It was his apartment. He paid rent for it. Was it too much to ask for no shoes on his carpet, no food on the couch, no cereal on his remote?
He turned to watch the video instead. “Did you seriously come here to get your boyfriend’s Youtube views up?”
The familiar Lord Explosion Murder channel into had started, bass tunes blasting the room, and Bakugou’s annoying voice saying; Welcome back to the chaos . Okay, he wasn’t annoying. Shinsou was just irritated, so everything around him was annoying.
He watched the video start, and then his eyes widened when he saw Bakugou, dancing in the club.
Except he wasn’t dancing. More like, someone else was dancing on him.
A girl had her back to him, ass sticking out, and grinding against his torso as Bakugou laughed. He threw a yikes glance to the camera and then swiped a hand against his throat, motioning for the camera man to cut it.
The video cut to a video of him, arm around the same girl’s shoulder. She stood a few good inches shorter than him, and had her arm around his waist. Bakugou said: “Deku, this is Camie. She gets a little crazy like that, but it isn’t like that. I love you.”
Camie said: “I’m a huge fan of your reactions, Izuku. I couldn’t miss the chance to bring another one out of you. I promise it was all in good fun. Lots of love!”
And then it cut to him with videos and videos and videos of other girls, all shoulder hugged, all saying they loved Izuku and super keen to see his reaction to this one.
Shinsou sat up, jaw-slacked. “He didn’t.”
“Yeah. He did.” Izuku crushed the forward button under his thumb, and then stopped to when Bakugou started talking, sitting on his bedroom floor, rubbing his head.
Video Bakugou said: “This is the worst one yet.” But then he grinned, teeth flashing. “But who am I if I don’t provide fucking quality content.”
And the opening credits rose on the screen in big black letters: Cheating On My Boyfriend Prank. Thought He Was Going to Go Apeshit.
Shinsou’s eyes slid over to his best friend’s from the side of his face. Izuku didn’t look apeshit, right now. His eyes were trained onto the screen, blank and dull. His mouth went up and down rhythmically, grinding down the cereal in the usual motions. The only indicator that he was upset was the blue veins visible in his left hand, plump from how hard he gripped the remote.
“When did this happen?”
Izuku fast-forwarded the video, skipping over Bakugou’s introduction in the middle. In a cool voice he summarised the details; “He posted all those videos in his Snapchat last night. For the full illusion, you know. I saw them around two this morning, and bombed his messages for hours and he didn’t reply to them.”
He stopped the play forward at the next scene. Bakugou was throwing clothes around his living room; pants on the door, his jacket on the table, a lacy denim jacket was carefully placed under his couch, peeking out just enough. A couple of paper cups were laid on the floor, one lying down. To the camera he winked and pointed somewhere out of shot: “A surprise tool that we will use for later.”
There was a knock on the door. Bakugou looked at his wrist and raised his brows: “Yikes. He’s here a bit early. Um…”
Video Bakugou looked around, and then clicked his fingers. Yelling at the top of his voice, he said: “Look, you got to go! Use the back door.”
And then he walked off camera, and the sound of a door slamming was heard. Walking back in shot, he lifted the camera and brought it to his face. His blonde hair was wet and he looked like he’d just come from the shower: “Okay, shit, I’m doing everything fast but basically, I’m pretending someone just left the apartment. I didn’t realise Deku was going to be here this early. Buses usually don’t come this early to mine and he usually walks, unless I come pick him up. Fuck… I didn’t plan this… so mostly just freestyling this from now on.” He hurried to put the camera on a higher ledge, giving full view of the room.
“Above his TV,” Izuku murmured. “New hiding place, I think. Usually he covers it with a pillow or something, but I figured that out the last time.”
In the video, Shinsou heard Izuku call: “Open this damn door, Kacchan, or I swear to G—”
Bakugou: “I’m coming! I was in the shower.” He blew a kiss to the camera. “Okay, improv. Improv usually makes me harsher, so I apologise in advance to you, babe. Love you.”
He hurried out of the living room, with one more cheeky grin to the screen, and out of shot. There was the swing of a door opening, a hey you, and then the door slamming shut again.
Off camera: “What were you doing last night?”
“Where’s my kiss?”
“Don’t touch me. What did you do last night?”
“Woah. What’s going on?”
“What. Did. You. Do?”
“Is everything fucking okay? You look like… you just woke up. Hey, where are you going?”
Clicks clicked against Bakugou’s porcelain apartment floor, and then Izuku emerged in the doorway. His hair was sticking up, he was still dressed in his silk pyjamas and on his feet were his fluffy sloth house shoes. He paused on the doorway and took in the scene in the living room.
At this the video forwarded again. Shinsou blinked towards Izuku, surprised to find out that he’d leaned forward in anticipation. He sat back. “Wait, don’t skip the good bits.”
There was a grim set to Izuku’s lips again. “Don’t like this part.”
Shinsou felt like an asshole. “But it’s the good part.”
“I knew you would say that. Everyone does.”
They both watched the screen flash the events quickly. Izuku running his hands through his hair, taking a deep breath. Bakugou appearing behind him. Izuku turning and saying something to him. Bakugou shrugging. Izuku pointing to the denim jacket on the floor. Bakugou walking over to the denim jacket, and then turning around, whilst kicking it under the couch with the heel of his foot.
Izuku paused the video then. The camera had zoomed into his face, and his left eye was twitching. It resumed again in normal speed.
“I saw that.”
“It’s my jacket. Stop freaking out.”
“Since when did you start wearing lacy denim?”
“Since I started liking lacy denim? I can wear what I want. Did you seriously walk here like that, just to come argue with me?”
Izuku’s eyes both started twitching. He took a deep breath, and crossed his arms. “You don’t look hungover.”
“Um… maybe because I didn’t get drunk last night? What are you doing?”
“So, you were full sober when you posted those snaps last night?”
Bakugou’s eyes darted away, locking with the camera. “What snaps?”
Izuku’s fists clenched, where they rested against his arms. “The snaps you posted last night. When you thought I was asleep?”
“I have no idea what you are talking about.”
Bakugou reached into his pants, digging for his phone, but stopped when Izuku walked up to him, right into his face. “Are you seriously starting to gaslight me?”
“Look, Kirishima knows my password. He probably took some shitsnaps last night. I’m just trying to check. What’s your problem?”
“Kirishima? You said you were hanging out with Mina last night.”
Bakugou raised a brow. “I was? Kirishima came over? Is he not allowed to do that, now?”
Izuku’s voice sounded flat with anger. “You said you were going to play video games.”
“And we did?”
“So tell me why you went to Old Mates, Grandma’s Bar and Bar 83 and danced with every bloody woman in there?!”
“What?”
The video started going fast again, and Shinsou bit his lips again. Izuku summarised: “A bit more gaslighting. He finally admits he did it, when he pulls out the phone.”
“Izuku, look. I’m not sure how you are feeling right now, but the best part about these videos is how you react.”
“The best part about this video is this.”
The video resumed in slower speed again. They were now standing quite close together, Bakugou looking down at Izuku with a frown on his face, whilst Izuku glared up at him. Their voices had picked up.
“Do you think I’m stupid?!”
“I think you aren’t saying what you mean! What exactly am I being accused of? So what the plans changed, and yes, the girls got a little handsy. But I never danced back!”
“Who were you talking to when I was at the door?”
Bakugou slapped a hand to his face. “What are you on, now?”
“I heard your voice, Kacchan. I swear to…” Izuku took another deep breath. “I heard the back door slam. Who left the apartment?”
Bakugou glanced to an area below the camera shot and pointed, “The TV was on. You heard that.”
“Oh, so you were on the TV?”
“I have a youtube channel. You probably heard me yell in it, or something.”
“Screw. You.”
Izuku pushed him away, and walked out of the living room to a room out of shot. Bakugou glanced at the camera, and sent a yikes to it. He mouthed, and the words appeared in white subtitles at the bottom of the screens: Fuuuuck. I’m overdoing it.
Video Izuku walked back into shot.
Shinsou started, jaw slacked open. He tilted his whole body forward, and gripped his knees.
On on-screen Izuku’s finger, a bra dangled to the floor. Black, with a pink butterfly in the centre.
It was… oddly familiar. Shinsou furrowed his brows, much like Bakugou in the video. They both stared at it, one in shock, the other in feign surprise and an Oscar-worthy look of guilt.
The door ding-donged. Izuku paused the video, and raised a brow at Shinsou. He stood up, a little dazed and walked slowly to it.
Opening the door, he was overpowered by his number-one studying distraction. Kaminari bounced into his arms, and wrapped his dainty hands around his neck, and brought his lips down to meet him.
“Time apart didn’t work, idiot,” he said, grinning against his mouth. “Ask me what I did today?”
“What did you do today?”
Kaminari pressed another kiss. “I sat down to read on gene modification, wrote the title, and copied the textbook right into my notes.”
Shinsou’s arms wrapped around his waist. “Better than nothing.”
“Funny thing is, the textbook only had your name in it.”
They both laughed, and kissed again. But before he could deepen it, Kaminari pulled away. “And what did you do, today?”
Shinsou thought about it. “I found out that your bra’s Youtube famous.”
Kaminari laughed again, crinkling his forehead in confusion. Then he peered over his shoulder, and his face bloomed into the colour of an overripe rose. Quickly stepping away from Shinsou. He waved to Izuku.
“Oh hi, Izu.” His eyes pulled to the left and his flush grew impossibly deeper with comprehension. “Ooohh. He’s already posted it!”
Shinsou turned to see Izuku nodding, fisting another load of cereal. “Gave him the go ahead one hour ago.”
“Wasn’t that this morning?”
“Youtube’s algorithm encourages consistent updates,” Izuku mumbled. “Same time, every week.”
“Oh.” Kaminari looked at Shinsou. “Is he okay?”
“I think so,” Shinsou whispered back. “This is just how he gets when he’s planning revenge.”
“I thought it was a bit too far,” Kaminari whispered, guiltily. “But his reactions… they really are the best. It’s what really makes the channel.”
“If he approved of the video, then he’s probably alright,” Shinsou said, though a bit uncertainly. “He’s calculating something in his head, that’s all. He’s not always so… quiet.”
“Are you guys coming in, or what? It’s about to end.”
Shinsou closed the door, and shuffled in with Kaminari, guiding him with a hand on his back. They sat down, Kaminari a little stiffly, eyeing Izuku with one eye, and Shinsou tried to soothe his fears by rubbing a hand down his thigh.
The video resumed.
“There was no one here, right?” Video Izuku threw the bra down. “Then whose , the fuck , is that ?”
“Don’t swear.” Bakugou raised two hands placatingly. “Okay, that was shitty to say. I meant to say, I can explain.”
“You have. Ten. Seconds.”
“It’s… obviously not mine.”
“Nine.”
“I’ve never seen it before?”
“Eight.”
“Never seen it before in my life.”
“So, you woke up and just happened to walk past the obviously-not-yours bra right on your bedroom floor? Seven.”
“Magic?”
“ Six .”
“Okay, okay… what happened was… we went to the club.”
Izuku’s lips trembled, and for a moment he stood as still as a statue. “Five.”
“And I met this chick who recognised my videos, and she was crying because her boss did the “I’m firing you from your job, prank” but never told her it was a joke.”
“You are really funny, Bakugou . Really funny. Four.”
“And her boyfriend did the “I’m breaking up with you prank” and it was also… not a joke.”
“Laughed the first time. I’m laughing now. Three.”
Bakugou allowed himself to laugh. “That was really good, come on.”
“Two.”
“What’s wrong with you, today? You look tired.”
“One. Fucking, one.”
“Okay, okay. She needed a place to stay and I said she could stay here for the night, and get herself sorted out. That’s all.”
Izuku ran his hands through his hair. “And you… you said yes?”
“It was the right thing to do!”
“Are you actually fu…” Izuku took a deep breath, and flexed his fingers. “Are you insane? Do you think I’m stupid?”
“I couldn’t just leave her there!”
“And out of every one there, you were the best option?”
“She only knew me. And I couldn’t just let a random stranger take her home!”
“Did anything happen?”
Bakugou went silent. And then looked down. Izuku’s jaw dropped. And then realigned, his mouth a thin, flat line. His fists clenched. Tears beaded his eyes like a pearl necklace. “Did. Anything. Happen.”
“Don’t swear.” Bakugou covered his hands in his face. On screen, you could see a little smile peeking out, but he quickly hid it in a sigh. “We got home and she said… this is just a prank.”
“How dar—” Izuku faltered. “W-what?”
Bakugou turned around and walked to the camera. He pulled it off, the tv’s worldview tilting for a minute before refocusing on Izuku’s face. Anger was still clouding his eyes, but his face was contorting into a familiar look of disbelief.
Bakugou laughed. To Shinsou’s ears, it sounded a little uneasy, but he couldn’t have known what it felt like to Izuku, whose lips pulled into a snarl.
“It was a prank?”
“I was just joking with you.” The camera waved around again. “This has been on the entire time.”
Izuku closed his mouth. And opened it. And closed it again. And opened it: “WHY DID YOU THINK THAT WAS FUNNY?!”
“Oh my gosh, your reaction.” A hand popped into the frame, and tried to grab for Izuku’s hand. It was slapped back. “Baby, I’m sorry. I took it too far, I know, but I just had to.”
“You had to? I couldn’t sleep last night, Kacchan. What were you thinking?”
“You didn’t sleep? Baby… you know I would never do that!”
“ Urrgh !” Izuku walked away, walking back into the bedroom. He flopped onto the bed, and lay down, covering his face. Bakugou followed him into the bedroom. “You are so messed up!”
“Sorry, sorry… it was inappropriate, I know.”
“You are lying!” Izuku sat up. “You saw the snaps, and now you are just trying to get out of it!”
“You know that’s not true.”
“You were talking to someone.”
“I was talking to myself.”
“Whose denim jacket is that?”
“I bought it.”
“And the bra?”
“Shoutout to Kaminari @pikachulover103 on Insta.”
“And all those girls…”
“Fellow youtuber friends I connected with.”
“HOW DOES ANYONE SIT DOWN AND FUCKING PLAN THAT?!”
“It took a lot of work, but I did it.” Bakugou set the camera down somewhere. And then he slid onto the bed, grinning as he pulled Izuku closer by the waist. “You have to admit, it’s kind of funny.”
Izuku pulled away, grumbling. “It felt so real… what’s wrong with you?”
“I’m just the best at what I do.” Bakugou gave him a kiss on the cheek. “I’m sorry.”
Izuku’s left eye was twitching. He pulled away and stomped out of the room. “It’s messed up! You are so messed up!”
The video cut to Bakugou cleaning the room and picking up things as he started to narrate to his viewers what happened after the fallout. Izuku stopped the video.
“Well?” Shinsou demanded. “What happened after?”
Izuku leaned back in his seat. He pushed the box of cereal away and began wiping at his mouth. “Well, things were a bit frosty after that. But I went to take a shower, and napped after, and felt a lot better after it.”
“I mean, then why are you eating cereal out of the box in my apartment?”
Izuku tilted his head to the side, thinking. Then he ignored the question, and turned to Kaminari. “What did you think of the prank?”
“Um…” He glanced at Shinsou for help. “To be honest, it was kind of harsh.”
“Sure, you say that. But why did you give him the bra?”
Shinsou rubbed his thigh. “He didn’t do it with bad intentions.”
“I never said that,” Izuku responded coolly. “I just want to know what he said to you, when he asked for it.”
Kaminari swallowed. He took a deep breath before replying. “It’s okay. I think I owe you that.”
“Well?”
“The other pranks weren’t working anymore. You kept finding the cameras early, and your reaction was muted. And usually he doesn’t plan them out as fully as that, but it was all our idea really. Me, Kirishima, Hagakure… Mina…”
Shinsou couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “You didn’t tell me?”
“He wasn’t meant to be tipped off. Last time Bakugou did the ‘Asking for A Sex Tape Vid’, you hinted at it and he,” a thumb to Izuku, “flipped the switch.” Kaminari patted Shinsou's knee. “Bakugou wanted a total win, this time. You know how he’s the worst at getting pranked back.”
Shinsou recalled the video. For someone who gained total glee from pulling someone’s leg, Bakugou had a bad record of reactions when it came to the table being pulled out from under him. He got uncharacteristically quiet, didn’t laugh as much and it took him double the time for him to accept defeat. He was a sore loser. A loveable one, Izuku tried to defend, but still a sore loser.
“He just wanted to up the game a little bit. So, you wouldn’t see it coming,” Kaminari concluded.
“So, he decided to pull the emotional punch.” Izuku hummed. He glanced at his watch. “I’ve overstayed. I’ll leave you guys to it.”
He stood up and wiped his shoes on the carpet.
“Izuku!” Shinsou snapped.
“You are going to rewatch the video again, aren’t you?” Izuku’s smile lifted at the corners, like a Serif font. “After I leave? Every moment?”
“I don’t see how that’s exactly equal to a dry-cleaning bill.”
“If you are comfortable with my dirt all over the internet, Shinsou, you can get over a little dust.”
Izuku hugged Kaminari. And then he walked to the door.
Shinsou called after him. “Where are you going now?”
Izuku stopped at the door. “I’m going to buy a big paper bag.”
And then he walked out of the apartment, closing the door behind him.