Professor Paradox

Chapter 17: Promises

...

"Didn't you say they were small fries?"
Midoriya asked, provoking Bakugo to get him talking. He grabbed a seat beside him and sat down.

"They were."
Bakugo hissed, turning his head over to face Midoriya. He fell quiet after seeing his face, cold and concerned at once. A face that held guilt for what happened.
Bakugo, realizing Midoriya wasn't speaking with the intent to anger him, calmed down.

"How did you sustain those injuries?"
Midoriya asked.

"One of the bastards had blades for arms. He managed to land a couple strikes on me.
But I was surrounded by those thugs, if it was just me and him he'd be minced meat!"
Bakugo replied, a bit defensive.

"and I assume the burns came from your own quirk?"

"yeah cause of that stupid smokey warp bastard"

"enough use of the word bastard."

"whatever"
Bakugo replied flippantly.

Midoriya sighed, about to speak once more when he was instead asked questions.

"How did you fight that beast thing..??"
Bakugo asked.

"It wasn't as strong as it looked, all quirk"
Midoriya replied.

"if you didn't have your regeneration ability, how injured would you be?"

"hm.
Id probably have a couple bruises. "

"...that's it?"

"I wasn't allowing for people or that creature to land strikes on me.
I may be able to regenerate but it still taxes my energy"

"...what was that creature?"

"a Nomu.
Human loaded with quirks and experimented on to be mutated like that.
It's muscle enhancements and disfigured look came from the experiments. But it only had two quirks, shock absorption and super regeneration. "
Midoriya explained.

"....was this AFO's doing...?"

Midoriya let out a sharp breath, standing up. "yes it was."

"Didn't you say I'd have some time before id actually have to deal with him... Or be found out at that...?"
Bakugo said, worry encroaching on his mind.

"I did. But it appears that this time around he doesn't want to give me time to prepare the new successor.
But don't worry about it, considering he failed today he won't attack again for a while"

"how do you know?"

"he's my brother, I'd know."

Silence filled the air afterwards, both had many things on their minds.
But before Midoriya could leave to do what he had to do, he had to ask an important question.

"Bakugo.
I tried to call your parents on my way to the hospital"
Midoriya said, pausing to regain Bakugo's attention.
Instead he noticed an odd shift in Bakugo's face, one of clear discomfort.
"There was no number for your dad and your mom didn't pick up."

Bakugo looked away, clearly uncomfortable with the mention.

"I'm not going to pry into your personal life but all I ask is- do you have a way of getting home?"
Midoriya asked.

"My mom is probably busy working... I'll just take myself home"

"I cannot have you go home without an adult."

"Why? I'll be fine!"
Bakugo said, getting a bit more defensive.

"You've sustained injuries that make you vulnerable to attack and it's almost nightfall. You really think this wouldn't be a golden opportunity to attack?"