The Two Types of Wingmen [Bakawks] - Part 2

[Click for Ch1] 


“Will you shut up?”  Katsuki insisted. “I don’t want to talk about this shit with you, damn halfie!”

“What shit?” Shouto asked calmly. “Is something wrong? Are you sick?”

“No! Fuck off!”

“What is it, then? There was nothing particularly unusual going on, other than Hawks being there. We didn’t do anything physical to wear you out. Have you not been eating properly?”

“Of course I’ve been fuckin’ eating properly! I always eat properly!”

“Then what could have caused you to faint? Did you see a ghost?”

“Haah?!”

“I’ve heard people faint sometimes when they see ghosts. Or extreme emotion, but you get angry a lot and that doesn’t make you faint. Unless it was a new emotion. Were you overcome with happiness? What made you so happy? Were you that excited to have Hawks there?”

Shouto clearly hadn’t expected anything to come of the conversation, but when Katsuki burned bright red, his jaw dropped – he might have been an oblivious idiot, but he had a habit of working things out in the worst possible moments.

“You actually were,” he said, tone riddled with disbelief. “You fainted because you were happy to see Hawks?”

“Shut up.”

“Do you look up to him, or something? I thought All Might was the only one you respected that much.”

“Which part of shut up do you not fuckin’ understand?”

“Do you like him?”

Katsuki froze, the little giggle behind him only making matters worse. Trust Deku and his inability to conceal his emotions to show up at exactly the wrong moment and rat him out.

“Oh,” Shouto said simply. “I didn’t know you liked men.”

“Fuck off!”

“Hmm. Interesting. Well, I guess I understand. You wouldn’t be able to like someone less talented than you, it would frustrate you, so it’s best to go for someone much more capable than you.”

“What the fuck is that supposed to mean?!”

“Is that why you followed All Might’s career so deeply, too? Do you like my father?”

“Haah?! Fuck off you damn imbecile! Like I’d ever have a thing for a shitty old man!”

“Ah, just Hawks, then.”

“Fuck off!”

He shoved his way past, ignoring the sympathetic green eyes he could feel burning into his back and the amused look Shouto was still pointing at him, but as he reached for the door to the stairwell, he stopped.

“I swear to God if you say a damn word to anyone-”

“I wouldn’t,” Shouto assured him. “You’ve kept plenty of secrets for me. I didn’t actually stop you to find out your personal feelings, it was because my sister invited you to dinner.”

“Haah?”

“She’s planning to make the tofu you like this weekend, when I visit, and she thought of you and asked after you, then told me to bring you over for dinner. My father will be working still, and I think my brother too, so it’ll just be a small group. Should I tell her you’ll be there?”

“Ugh. Fine, I guess. Tell her thanks, or whatever.”

“She’ll be pleased. Have a good night, Bakugou.”

“Whatever. Keep your mouth shut.”

“Will do.”

He stormed off to his bedroom, cursing his complexion for the damn stupid blush that still remained on his face. He’d done such a good job of keeping it covered up, and now two people had caught him out. He really needed to get better at lying – he hated to do it, but maybe this was the one time it would save his ass and keep his dignity intact.  

Ugh.

At least he’d get a good meal out of it.

─────

When Saturday rolled around, Katsuki found himself a little more relaxed. He’d thrown on a decent pair of jeans, braved the train ride with Shouto to his home, and the moment his sister had welcomed them in, he’d finally softened a little. She really was good at making him feel wanted – in that way she reminded him of his father, a little. He wouldn’t say that out loud, certain it would sound like an insult, but his father was maybe the only person he felt properly comfortable around, most days, so at least in his mind it was a good thing.  

She served up a hearty helping of the amazing mapo tofu he enjoyed so much, the recipe that had somehow tasted nowhere near as good when he made it himself, and in a quiet, peaceful home, they sat down to eat.

He even found himself talking, when she prompted conversation. About class, about his friends and family, about his plans for after the graduation that was approaching way too quickly. She was so free from judgment, so encouraging, and even the halfie had somehow become more tolerable throughout it.

When the front door swung open, Katsuki thought nothing of it – no doubt it was Natsuo getting home from his new job, Shouto had said he was due soon enough. He barely even looked up from his meal, just nodded slightly as Fuyumi excused herself to dish out leftovers – at least, until he heard that voice.

“You’re too good to me,” it gushed, accepting gratefully when Fuyumi offered him a bowl. “Your cooking is always amazing. Oh, mapo tofu? Is Shouto home this weekend?”

Katsuki immediately turned a glare on Shouto, expecting some kind of apology or something, but to his disbelief he was met with a smirk of all things.

“Oh! Hello!” Hawks grinned, joining them at the table. “I didn’t expect to see you here, Bakugou. I didn’t know you and Shouto were so close.”

“We’re best friends,” Shouto informed him solemnly. “I am very pleased.”

“Shut the hell up,” Katsuki growled. “We’re not friends, asshole. I came for the tofu and you know it.”

“Bakugou is a lovely boy,” Fuyumi smiled, joining them again with Endeavor not far behind. “We exchange recipes sometimes, when Shouto said he was coming for dinner I had to make his favourite.”

“Ah, you like spicy food?” Hawks asked. “I wonder if it comes with the quirks. Fire, explosions, same kind of thing. Do you like spice, Shouto?”

“Half of me does,” Shouto answered, with no hesitation. “So your theory makes sense.”

Hawks chuckled, and Katsuki could only shake his head in disbelief, shoving food in his mouth to keep from having to answer.

“I like your shirt, by the way, Bakugou. Very cool.”

Katsuki’s eyes shot open wide in horror, excuses already waiting on his lips, mouth opening to spit out some nonsense about laundry day or mixed up with Deku’s shit. Thankfully he took a moment to glance down first, relieved to see that no, he was not, in fact, wearing his Hawks shirt. Thank fucking Christ.

“Um, thanks,” he stumbled, later than would really have been considered normal. “It’s uh, comfortable, so… Yeah.”

“I have to get all my stuff made to fit the wings,” Hawks grinned. “I envy the way you guys can just go out and buy whatever looks cool.”

“Oh. Yeah. I… never thought about that.”

Shouto smiled to himself as he continued eating, giving his sister a look that he hoped expressed some kind of “look at these two” sentiment, though he wasn’t sure if she entirely caught on. At least Katsuki missed it, though, in his flustered state.

“I always patrol near Endeavor on Saturdays,” Hawks was explaining, when Shouto tuned back in. “I try to chat with him and just end up following him home. Fuyumi has taken to feeding me, it’s the one time I get a decent meal in the week.”

“You don’t even cook for yourself?” Katsuki huffed, finding a little composure finally and managing to produce coherent strings of words. “How are you a top hero if you can’t even cook?”

“Luck?”

“Yeah right,” Katsuki snorted, looking away to avoid the amused gaze. “No one gets there by luck.”

“Isn’t getting a good quirk a form of luck?”

“Only if you know how to use it.”

“Hmm. I guess so. Luck and teachers who knew what they were doing, then.”

“Ugh.”

Hawks laughed at him brightly, shaking his head faintly.

“Of course I cook for myself. It’s just not nearly as good as Fuyumi’s cooking! Plus, well, heroes don’t exactly get much time to make friends, you know? I thought maybe I could convince Endeavor to be my friend, but it turns out his children are a lot closer to my age, so now I have these guys to hang out with! It’s nice to talk with people who aren’t twice my age.”

“You didn’t have classmates or some shit who became heroes with you?”

“Hmm… No, not really. You guys are lucky, in that sense. There are some younger heroes coming in now, so that’s cool, but for a long time I was the one of the youngest.”

“That’s cool though,” Katsuki mumbled, face burning. “Being able to say you’re the youngest in the top ten, and stuff. Shows everyone how good you are. Or whatever.”

“Yeah,” Hawks smiled faintly. “I guess it does. I don’t think of it that way very often. Thank you.”

“But I was still faster than you that damn day.”

“Of course you were, buddy.”

By the time Katsuki was ready to head home, he felt like he’d made a lot of progress – he’d held an actual conversation with the guy without getting stupidly flustered, he’d actually continued the topic instead of just answering questions, and the damn halfie had been… actually kind of helpful, if he was honest. He didn’t rat Katsuki out, didn’t tease or anything, just steadily helped the conversation along, even when his father joined them and made things slightly less relaxed.

When Fuyumi held out a plastic container, Katsuki just stared for a moment, eyes darting from the food, to the smiling face, and back again.

“Enjoy it, okay?” she insisted, pushing the leftovers into his hands. “And come visit again! I’m glad you and Shouto are getting along, and it’s so nice to see you! I always make plenty on the weekends, so come by with Shouto any time you feel like it!”

“Th-Thank you,” he stumbled, bowing awkwardly. “It’s uh, my favourite, so- So thanks, I’ll really enjoy it.”

“I’m glad! Maybe I’ll see you next week?”

“Ah, y-yeah, maybe. Thanks.”

“Let’s walk to the station together,” Hawks offered, when Katsuki reached the front door. “It’s dark out.”

“I’m a hero,” Katsuki huffed. “I don’t need you to protect me, and you certainly don’t need me.”

“Provisional hero,” Hawks teased. “I’m heading out anyway. Thank you, Fuyumi, it was delicious as always. I’ll see you next week!”

“I’ll be looking forward to it!”

Katsuki didn’t complain when Hawks followed him outside, didn’t even speak for fear of saying something stupid, but Hawks just smiled at him, that infuriatingly cool and relaxed and cute smile.

No, wait, cute? Where did that even come from?

“How are you feeling?” Hawks asked, as they reached the street. “No more fainting?”

“I’m fine, it was no big deal.”

“I’m glad. Maybe next time we’ll do a sparring class, I can see first-hand how much you’ve improved.”

“Are you taunting me?”

“Taunting is such a mean word,” Hawks laughed, flashing him a grin. “Teasing, maybe.”

“Ugh.”

“Can you blame me?” he continued, laughing to himself. “You get all stubborn and pouty every time, it’s hilarious.”

“Shut up,” Katsuki huffed. “I don’t pout.”

“Uh-huh, okay. Really though, I hear a lot about you. Sports festivals, internships, other heroes – some of it good, some of it less good but also really damn funny. You’re obviously a talented guy, even if people don’t always appreciate your attitude.”

“Being a hero isn’t about pandering to some idiots who want me to smile and be pretty or whatever.”

“It’s about making citizens trust you, though.”

“It’s about making them feel safe,” Katsuki argued. “I don’t need to be nice for that, I just need to do my job. It’s not like Endeavor panders to their shit, and he’s the top hero right now.”

“Granted, but do you really want to be a hero like Endeavor?”

“No,” Katsuki admitted. “But you know what I mean.”

“I thought it was All Might you looked up to, like Shouto. He said a few of you did. You don’t want to save people with a smile?”

“God no. He was just the strongest.”

“Hmm. A new type of hero, then. A hero like Bakugou.”

Katsuki hated to admit how much he liked the sound of that, even if it was just teasing.

“I like how honest you are,” Hawks continued. “You say all the things the rest of us want to say but can’t. Lying is so much effort, I’d much rather avoid it, but sometimes I have to just keep my mouth closed, you know?”

“Yeah.”

“Keeping secrets is the worst part of the job. I’m sure you’ll find that out, too.”

“I have,” Katsuki answered quietly. “I’m sure it’ll get worse, as time goes on.”

“Probably,” Hawks agreed. “But hey, you can always show up for mapo tofu and lament it all with me and the Todorokis, so that’s cool.”

“Yeah,” Katsuki nodded, stopping when Hawks did, taking a moment to realise they’d reached the station doors. “Maybe next week, then.”

“Looking forward to it!” Hawks grinned, raising one hand in a wave. “I’ll see you then!”

With that, he took off into the air, and for a moment Katsuki just stared after him stupidly.

Of course Hawks didn’t take the damn trains, why had he ever thought that made sense? Damn the hero and his stupid protective streak.  

Next week he would refuse the escort.

Yeah, that’d show him!


[Click for Ch3]