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[callmekacchan]

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un: Thermodynamics

[heir_conditioned]

Bakugo, what are you doing in two days?

[callmekacchan]

Katsuki thinks nothing of the text. It's completely innocuous.

Yeah, I'm free.
Why?

[heir_conditioned]

Do you want to go on a date?

[callmekacchan]

...huh.

Well.

Actually...


Yeah.
Sure.
Where?

[heir_conditioned]

Good, that was the answer I wanted.

It will be at the Casino. I'll be putting together the itinerary and send it to you closer to the day. I promise they're a really nice person. People on the internet show how petty and cruel they can be, but the first thing they showed me was how kind they were.

[callmekacchan]

Casino is fine. Itinerary raises no red flags. But then he's reading 'they're a really nice person' and 'on the internet'.

Oh no.

What the fuck do you mean??
What does some random from the internet have to do with this??

[heir_conditioned]

For your date. I set it up two days from now. They say they'll be there. Since you don't know what each other looks like, that's why I'm making an itinerary.

[callmekacchan]

You set me up on a date with some weirdo you met online?
Why the hell did you do that?

This man is full of surprises. Katsuki isn't sure what to do with this one. Todoroki logic takes him some time to sort through.

[heir_conditioned]

Yes. I'm not sure he's weird but I did meet him online.
I did it because he's sincere about how he feels about people and I think you two would get along.

Anyway, I'll tell him you'll be there.

[callmekacchan]

Then why the hell don't you take him out?
Why me?
I didn't agree to this!

I mean he did. He just didn't know what he was agreeing to.

[heir_conditioned]

There are typing indicators.
A few.
Over, and over again. Type, delete, type, delete.

You did agree. It's a date not marriage, but if you'd rather I message him back and tell him that you don't want to, then alright. Why would you agree if you didn't want to?

[callmekacchan]

*You* asked me on a date.
I agreed to a date with *you*.
You didn't say anything about a stranger until after I agreed.

[heir_conditioned]

No, I asked you if you wanted to go on a date. I was very clear.

One second, he's thinking.

You agreed because you thought I was asking for myself?

[callmekacchan]

You were about as clear as a solid piece of steel.

Why... why is he attracted to stupid men? W h y? Why is his type just... absolute dumbass?

Absolutely nobody would have assumed you meant a date with someone other than yourself.

Which is an answer but also not an answer? He's not repeating himself now that he's embarrassed.

[heir_conditioned]

The chiding he's used to when he learns something new about everything.

Don't obfuscate. Answer my question.

[callmekacchan]

Don't ask me stupid questions with obvious answers.

He's wants to throw his phone.

He doesn't throw his phone.

But he wants to.

I already said yes when I thought you were asking.
Why the hell do I need to repeat it?

[heir_conditioned]

My mistake, I thought we were being honest with each other from now on. I didn't realize that it was only in that moment. I'll infer my answer.

I will contact you in a day and a half with the itinerary. I hope you have fun, you deserve fun. You deserve happiness. Talk to you soon.

[callmekacchan]

Katsuki... knows he fucked up with that one. Sometimes he overdoes it and he knows that. It's a balancing act at times to learn where the lines are.

But he won't text back for now.

He will, however, be going on that date. He probably at least owes Todoroki that much.

text: u/heroicfanboy

[depressku]

[ A text sometime during when Bakugo is out with his date. ]

Hi Kacchan, how are you? Are you doing anything?

1/2

[callmekacchan]

[Read: 2:34pm]

2/2

[callmekacchan]

[And then, about fifteen minutes later a picture comes through. Katsuki with his arm slung around Toge's shoulders as they sit together at a table in the amusement park. Both smiling. And alongside it...]

Look what I found.

[depressku]

Is this your friend?

[callmekacchan]

[After his date ends he checks his phone. And he has something to handle. But he does spare a moment to reply, quickly.]

My date.
That pic was meant for Shoto.
Disregard it.

[depressku]

[ Izuku inner voice: Oh! Thats good, he is moving on! ]

Oh, okay.

I hope it was fun!

[callmekacchan]

[It takes him a while to read it. He had something important to handle. But when he reads it, it's very late. Well past his usual bedtime.]

Yeah, actually.
It was.
We went to the amusement park.

[depressku]

[ Izuku on the other hand, responds immediately. He may be tired and sad, but he is happy to hear that Bakugo had fun. If anything, he wants to know more. ]

What ride did you go on? I haven't gone to one in a while; I should go though, since one is always open here. Might be fun!

[callmekacchan]

[He hates reading Izuku's encouraging words. He has a million feelings all mixing together and he doesn't know where to begin sorting them.

He just wants to stop wanting anything at all, honestly. He was happier when he didn't feel anything for anyone, thanks.]

I did it because Shoto set it up for me.
And it was fun.
But going forward I wanna get to work figuring out why we're here and what we need to do.

[depressku]

[ Well, at this point, he is going through the motions of figuring out how to feel still. He is settling on the fact of the matter: He isn't his Deku - at least, he isn't the one that Bakugo right in front of him dated, but he will still always be Izuku in the end.

He starts wondering if that means something... Is it wrong for him to wonder what it was like, when the other version of himself got to spend so much time with Katsuki Bakugo?

What did they get to do together?

Did they get to do everything together he dreamed of when they were kids?

Izuku wants to imagine it, but there's a pain in his heart that tells him no. Tells him... He is undeserving, and that those moments are not for him to think about.

He's thinking.... Instead, Maybe.... Maybe he can help Renuite Bakugo with the other version of himself? The one who has those memories they shared, and the one he apparently fell -
in love with?

Izuku would want that if it was him.

Izuku's face became flushed, and he has to hide his face behind his hands. Trying to peel away the shame that he feels. Not because it disgusts him, but because he can't believe that Bakugo and another version of him were dating. That Bakugo would want someone plain and weak like him. He tries to stop himself from thinking too hard on it, and instead, starts thinking about how to make the impossible seem possible...

How can they reunite the two of them so they can be with each other? ]

He did? That was really nice of him.

I also have plans to work on stuff myself; I want to see what I can discover about other Universes and how to travel into them. Currently, I have plans to do things with Hawks at the Cathedral. Do you want to work together too?

[callmekacchan]

[He doesn't. Honestly? He wants to work by himself and not engage with anyone at all until he sorts through all this nonsense in his head and heart.

These memories have him nauseous at this point.]

Sure.
Was thinking about doing some asking around to see if any of the locals know anything.
The books around here seem like they have spells on them to keep us figuring them out too.
Bet some of them have some useful information in them.

[depressku]

I noticed that, too, the last time I was there. I still want to keep checking, make sure that there isn't a book in there waiting for us to read!

I think talking to some of the people here would be a great idea; I can join you while you do that if you want. It might be best to investigate with partners until we understand more about this place.

[ Normalacy - somewhat. He will grab onto it and learn whatever he can for the sake of Bakugo and the others. ]

[callmekacchan]

I think someone is hiding something.
When all the books are like that, it comes across like it was done to make it hard for us to tell what's important and what's not.

[depressku]

I tried to talk to the Librarian myself, but they didn't seem to want to talk much. It was really hard to grab her attention... Maybe there is someone else somewhere who knows more?

[callmekacchan]

Maybe.
Can't hurt to do some digging.
I might toss up something on that forum for everyone to keep track of what we find.
There's more people than just us that got dragged into this.

[depressku]

That sounds like a good idea. Is it going to be a forum for the public or just us?

[callmekacchan]

For everyone.
If it's just us, I'll make a group chat.

[depressku]

Happy to hear it, I just was wondering. You know there are some really interesting people here as well. I am excited to hear more about their worlds and about what their abilities are, can you believe they don't know anything about Quirks?

[callmekacchan]

[This isn't Katsuki's first experience with other worlds and people who don't know what quirks are. But he doesn't want to ruin Izuku's excitement.]

Guess it makes sense there would be worlds that work a lot differently from ours.
Bet you'll be taking notes about it, huh?

[depressku]

Yeah I have already! Maybe there are things we can learn about their world that we can bring back home in the end? Anyway, you don't want to hear my blab. Sorry about that. Was the rest of your day okay overall?

[callmekacchan]

I was the one who started the conversation.

[He didn't want to talk about his day.]

But it's late.
I'm going to bed.
You should too.

[depressku]

Okay Kacchan, I'll let you sleep.

Have a good night. Thanks for chatting with me.

[ Izuku looks at his phone, attempting to figure out how to word what comes next. he wants to... Show interest in Bakugo, but not sound - weird? His mind thinks back on his conversation with Shoto and how he should delicately handle this situation going forward. ]

If you go on a date again, let me know how it goes?

[ Izuku wants to know if Bakugo can be happy, wants to know if there is some way he can help... ]

[callmekacchan]

[Katsuki has tried so hard to get away from the date conversation. He wishes he hadn't misfired the text. Or hadn't engaged at all with the question it brought.]

Unlikely to happen.
Got more important shit to do than go on dates.

[depressku]

[ A while passes, Izuku is laying on his bed looking at the photo of Katsuki in the frog shirt. He decides to finally send a text through his blearily erratic and confused thoughts. ]

Kacchan, what are your thoughts on wanting to focus on happiness while you are trying to be a Hero?

[callmekacchan]

[Katsuki is still awake, well after his usual bedtime. Staring at the ceiling when his phone lights up so he picks it back up to read the text.

Happiness while being a hero, huh?

Right now he's feeling heart broken and jaded and that part of him wants to be cynical and scathing.

He closes his eyes for a few moments instead and lets himself calm his racing thoughts.]

No reason for us to ignore our own needs to be a hero.
Being a hero makes me happy.

[Or it did. Back when it was still a challenge. When it was something to really strive for. He's secretly fine with being here. He can make change here. A difference.

The world they know probably won't need guys like him much longer...]

But I still make time for other shit too.

[depressku]

[Does it make him happy? It's the only thing that makes him happy? Izuku has so many more questions that he wants to ask Katsuki. Except they all die before he can even type them out. ]

Kacchan you're amazing as always, good night.

[callmekacchan]

[Katsuki lays there holding the phone, staring at the last reply.

"Kacchan, sugoi!"

He rolls on his side with the phone in his hand.

There are a million things he wants to say to the man on the other side of the phone. But he doesn't know where to start or if it would make things better or... worse.]

Goodnight.