(Sin)namon Rolls

Chapter 10: Big Brain Time

     A day went by and I came up with nothing. When I asked myself what a believable explanation for a teenager going missing for four years would have been, the best answer I could conjure up was college.
     I woke up in an empty bed that morning. When I rubbed my hand over my eyes, the edge of a sticky note sliced the side of my index finger. I shook out my injured hand and pulled the note off my forehead. I held it up in front of my face and squinted at the message scribbled on it in black ink.
     Bitch,
     Morons fucked with a bad guy.
     If you watch Nailed It again, it's no dick for a week.
    See you tonight, boyfriend.
     ...'Tonight.'
     I turned my head to look at the digital clock on the nightstand.
    It wasn't even eleven o'clock yet. I had plenty of time.
    And a call to make.
•••
    As much joy as 'Nailed It!' brought me, I had to prioritize my sex life. In the middle of my search for a replacement show, the knock I'd been anticipating sounded at the door.
   The person I'd called was Shoto. I expected him to be on the other side of the door, not Uraraka - especially not Uraraka and Iida. I'd specifically chosen to dial Shoto's number because he seemed the least likely to mock me for my lack of independent-thinking skills. He used to scare me almost as much as Uraraka did. Now, though... I wouldn't say there was anyone in the League I felt comfortable around, but my stress levels were comparatively lower in his presence. Staring Iida and Uraraka in the face, my heart rate was already rising.
     "What happened to Shoto? Is he unavailable?" I asked.
     "I'm afraid so. Besides, Ocha and I have a topic to brief you on."
    "Other than the one I called about?"
    "In addition to that," Uraraka replied.
    I stepped aside. They walked into the house. I locked the door behind them. We headed to the living room. I sat down. They didn't - to avoid leaving behind traceable evidence of their visit.
    Uraraka and Iida stood before me like parents about to lecture a disobedient child.
    "Did you formulate a cover?" I asked.
    "We'll get to that," Uraraka said.
     I looked between them. Neither of them appeared angry. They definitely weren't happy, either. It was never easy to read those two, though, so I hadn't a clue as to what they were thinking.
    "A few of our members have raised concerns about your participation in this operation," Iida said.
    "Why is that?"
    "Some suspect you may have developed a personal interest in the mission," Uraraka answered.
    "Well, yeah. Bakugo bullied me for years, right? Personally, I'd like to see him dead."
    "That's not what we're referring to, Deku," she said. "Your mission updates are infrequent; scattered. Involvement with 50C takes precedent over communication with us. So we're asking you now, have you been compromised?"
    I stared at her in perplexity.
    "No," I said.
    "I suggest you think that over more carefully," Iida warned.
    "I don't need to. I don't have genuine feelings for him. He repulses me. If you were led to believe otherwise, that just means I'm doing my job well."
    "If you're lying to us... there will be consequences," Iida said.
    "Then it's a good thing I'm telling the truth."
    They studied my face. I gazed back with hard eyes. Uraraka and Iida looked at one another, then evidently deemed my response acceptable.
    "Now that that's been dealt with, we can discuss the other matter at hand. Ocha, you're the mastermind - the floor is yours."
     Uraraka nodded at Iida and inhaled slowly.
    The plan she devised was insane. At least it would have been if anyone other than her had come up with it. But, originating from Uraraka's mind, it was unquestionably brilliant.
•••
    "I'm gonna tell the truth," I murmured to Bakugo later that night. "I'm gonna tell them what happened to me."
    I lifted my head to look at his face. It was dark in the bedroom. I couldn't make out his expression very well. His fingers were still trailing up and down my spine. He wasn't hugging me any less tightly. He may have been unfazed, or he may have been asleep, I wasn't sure.
    "Okay," he sighed.
    "Okay?"
    "That's what I said."
    He was tired. Too tired to argue with me.
   ...Too tired to lie to me.
    "You're cute when you're sleepy," I said.
    "You're cute when you're... doing... anything."
    "Anything? That can't be true."
    "It is."
    He kissed the top of my head. I snuggled in closer to him.
    "You're perfect. Always," he said.
    After that statement, he was out like a light.
    I wished I was able to go to sleep as easily as he had.
    The feeling that sentence engendered in me left me with too many unsettling thoughts regarding the issue Uraraka and Iida had brought to my attention earlier in the day. Disquietude about Uraraka's plan was growing in my mind.
    "Stop worrying," Bakugo whispered.
    Guess he wasn't asleep after all.
    "How do you know I'm worried? Your eyes are closed."
    "You think I need to see you to know what you're thinking?"
    "Sorry. I'll stop."
    "You better."