[Hiyori is thick headed. Stubborn and stupid in certain things. Bakugo's not afraid to call him out on it. They have a choice what to believe here, since no one has the real answer. Even if someone comes back from being a statue and says they remember shit happening, who the hell knows if it's nothing more than the resort implanting those memories to make it seem like they were trapped? Keeping the illusion of "fear" and "threat" to encourage them even further into playing the shitty game. Wildcards during those "trial periods" never left statues behind, so it's not concrete fact.
Trusting anything the resort says or does 100% implicitly is a fucking surrender he doesn't want to give. Hell, he hardly trusts winning Game 52 means they'll have their wish honored. Someone had to have won before and wished the resort gone. It obviously didn't grant such a thing.]
Aa. This fucking place keeps changing up its own damn rules. [He accepts people have clashing evidence and different experiences. They won't agree. He's had his own convictions shaken a while ago, but Hiyori's reaffirmed them for him with a compelling proof here and now.] We won't know 100% for sure until we tear it apart or force it into complying.
But- [He looks at the statue.] -this thing isn't Jun. The resort created copies of us with our own memories and their own lives. Those assholes weren't "us" no matter what went through their damn heads.
[Why should a statue be any different? Their minds could be reprogrammed, memories taken out, implanted, changed, all to suit whatever story best fit the house's advantage. Hell, the "them" in the resort aren't even the "them" back in their own world. People from his world would've been gone while they were here in his own memories and they weren't. At best, they're copies made from a certain time and place in their worlds and brought here.]
It's your call. [Bakugo wouldn't want anyone else he didn't know coming around statues of people he was close to. Breaking them, abusing them, whatever. They didn't deserve to be stuck in the hotel like some damn trophy. It makes a little difference when they're with someone who cares about them. (Yeah, it's also kind of creepy, but fuck off. No different than a figurine or action figure or doll if you think about it.) He took in the two from his own world for a time until situations changed.
He glances at Hiyori, knowing what kinds of wheels twist and turn in his mind. Trying to figure out where to go from here. What happens now? Bakugo felt similar when he realized he was left in the resort with only two villains from his world, the rest gone. Then again, he's never had his classmates show up here-- thank fuck --so he's never had the experience of being around his friends in the resort.]
All right. [He's glad Hiyori agreed, but won't admit it for now. Letting the guy stay by the statue, he heads out of the courts and procures the loaded-up cart from the hall. Blankets, cushions, bubble wrap, rope, and tape.] You're gonna break a sweat today, so deal with it.
[He blinks a bit at the second thing Bakugo says, the mention of their copies. He hadn't thought to compare the Spades doppelgangers to the statues, yet didn't he and Bakugo talk about the possibilities of being "copies" once? And what was his conclusion then, when he considered the idea that he was just a "copy" of the self who existed at home?
That even a copy wants to live. That was his conclusion.
But the first words also nag at him. They hit his ears strangely, throwing his uncertainties into stark relief. "We won't know for sure.""Until we tear it apart." That's how Bakugo phrases himself, but is that "we" correct? Will he, Hiyori Tomoe, be around someday to see the end of the resort? And does he want to stick around for that, to help "tear it apart," when Jun is elsewhere and the others from home are gone, too?
Those questions swirl around in his head, creating a dark vortex. He's uncharacteristically silent as Bakugo talks, and silent still as he leaves to go get the cart. He's still absorbed in his thoughts. If he looks inside himself, he knows what the answer is: Bakugo may be a hero, but he's not. For all his frivolous talk about how heroes and idols are similar, he's no savior. He wants everyone to be freed, and he cares about the people he's met here. But more than justice or freedom for all, what he wants is to be with the people he loves: his family, his unit, his partner. But Jun's somewhere unreachable, so how does he...]
...
[It hits him suddenly, the thing he could do to escape. The one thing that might reunite him with Jun. Apart from completing his deck, which is harder and more time-consuming and relies on the staff granting his Wish. That's not a sure thing. If he wants to end up in the same place Jun ended up, then...
When Bakugo returns, he'll find Hiyori staring into space (though it could be mistaken for staring at Jun's statue). It takes a moment to get his attention, for him to slowly turn, and when he shows his face, his eyes are somewhere far away. His mind is elsewhere. He's slipping.]
[He manages to sound casual. Manages, even, to smile. Whatever he does next—whether he does what he just thought of, whether he follows in Jun's footsteps—he's here now. And while he's still here, he doesn't want to worry Bakugo any more than he already has. He'll pull his weight when it comes to moving Jun's statue, he won't break down in tears again, and he won't share what he was just thinking for now.]
First we have to cushion it, right? I can take some of that.
[And then he reaches into the cart for some bubble wrap.]
[Their painting selves were their own persons despite sharing their memories, appearances, and abilities. Bakugo faced himself from his future, other people he knew dealt with themselves from younger pasts. Yet each of them had their own lives and feelings, especially the ones which wanted to stay outside the paintings and replace their lives with the "them" existing outside in the resort. Did that make them their own people too? Whether they ended up fading away in acceptance of their lives or trapped in permanent vengeful natures inside the painting again, they had their ending. Is it any different than the statues? Hell if he knows. Doesn't particularly care right now.
Bakugo still believes the "them" in the resorts are little more than copies of their real selves back home. If the people here had really been taken from his world, he would've noticed their disappearance or they would've said something about the experience. And if people excuse vanishing and memories with "oh the resort handled it" then it makes no difference in the end whether they're copies or nothing more than a millisecond's fraction poof from their own world which changes absolutely nothing in the real world's timeline existence. No damn butterfly effect here.
Which is harder to believe? Which is easier to accept?
He can't offer any real words to Hiyori's whirlwind thoughts. Whether the idol's still here when the resort is finally put to the coals or if he's long-since gone home, Bakugo has no control over. Leaving him alone with his mulling, he takes more time than needed to get the cart and supplies. Giving him a moment by himself to think. Something in his stomach twists, ominous feelings slide over his shoulders like fingers spilling down his skin. A choice being made. One he has no bearing on.
Bakugo cants his head slightly as he stops the cart beside the other man. Spaced out and staring into nothing. Gears turning, all mental synapses firing. He hasn't seen Hiyori lost in thought before. Kinda creepy.]
Oy. [And bumps the idol in the hip with his cart's edge. Wake up, Parrot. Once Hiyori comes to, he realizes the guy's chosen... something. Not his business to dig. They have to move the statue.] Aa. Take this- [Hiyori's already grabbing for the sheets of bubble wrap and each rustling plastic foot spills out with his pull. Around and around it goes, Bakugo directs smaller sections around the statue's limbs, torso, and head. Then enshrouds the entire piece in more bubbling swaddling.]
[Hiyori can follow directions. Slowly but steadily, they get the statue covered up. By the end, he can no longer see that familiar face staring back at him. It's both a relief and a little unsettling.
It's not the only thing unsettling him. As they begin the process of lowering the statue into the cart (with Bakugo needing to do more of the heavy lifting than Hiyori, natch), different thoughts flit through his head. He wonders how strange it'll feel to be greeted by that statue every morning in his suite. Then he thinks about how this isn't even the first time he's seen Bakugo with a statue in a cart. Bakugo has lost people from his world before. Hawks, for one, although he came back. And then Till disappeared recently. And if he disappears...
His chest constricts, and his heart giving a sudden, painful lurch. Just moments ago, he'd been thinking about following in Jun's footsteps. But if he does that—if he lets himself turn to stone—will Bakugo do this with his statue?
The thought is disquieting. It hurts a bit, makes his chest ache and his stomach squirm. Not just from pain or loneliness, but also with guilt. Hiyori doesn't want to burden Bakugo by talking about his feelings or the decision he has to make, so he won't. But...]
Thanks for all your help.
[Once they're done loading up the statue, he says it. Smiling gratefully, showing his appreciation. That's all he needs to do: thank Bakugo for his kindness. But as they make their way out of the tennis courts with the statue in tow, he finds himself saying:]
... you've had to do this a lot, huh?
[Bakugo had all the stuff on hand: the cart, the rope, the bubble wrap. This wasn't his first rodeo.]
[Cushions work between limbs and tuck under any extended part of the statue. Keeping everything as safe as possible before they get to tilting anything. He's well aware of how unnerving it is to see the face of someone you know vanishing behind swaddling. Even if it's nothing more than a carved replica.
Bakugo takes the lion's share of the heavy lifting, focusing on the statue's shoulders and upper back while Hiyori manages keeping it at least balanced at the cart's level. Once the top half is on, he trades place, letting the idol take the cart's handles while Bakugo carefully slides the statue further onto the cart via its legs. When he had Hawks and Endeavor's statues in his room, it was pretty fucking weird and creepy at first. But at the same time, he grew up with action figures of All Might in his room, life-sized cardboard cutouts, and posters of his idolized hero. He got used to the statues in his room soon enough until they found new homes with people more fitting them.
Doesn't matter who disappears, whoever's left behind-- if they care about them --should take the statues and keep them safe in their rooms. Fuck the resort and its occupants; they don't care about keeping statues safe. In a way, it's both respecting what was, and flicking off the resort's sick games.
Hiyori should know Bakugo well enough by now to answer his own question already. One the blonde has no hint towards as he finishes getting Jun's statue settled on the cart. Straps of nylon weave, bungee cords, sturdy rope, and a secure harness spill out from the cart's underside. Bakugo begins hooking them together and to the card, lashing the stone figure with all the security of a straight jacket gone mad. This thing isn't gonna fucking budge even if the cart tips over. More blankets are interwoven with the straps as well, covering it along with the cart. Secure as fuck.]
Aa. [Answering both Hiyori's gratitude and his comment. Several times. Both for himself and others in the resort. He would've done it for the friends who vanished recently, but their two remaining friends currently opted to leave the statues were they were. He respected their wishes and stayed his hand.
He takes control of the carts handle and begins driving it forward, letting Hiyori walk in front to guide, protect, and clear the path.] This place can go to hell before I let it have the last word.
["Aa," he says. A simple affirmative. Hiyori accepts that answer without asking how many times, or for any names. But he assumes he's seen a lot of people leave.
As Bakugo pushes the cart with Jun's statue, doing all the grunt work while Hiyori walks in front, guilt sits heavy in his chest. Bakugo would he fine without him; of that, Hiyori is sure. He's a strong boy, after all, and he has other friends here. Yet it seems a poor way to repay him for him for everything he's done, for everything he continues to do. Giving him one more statue to haul away.
But "Aa" isn't all Bakugo says. He also says that other thing, about getting the last word in, about how the resort can go to hell. It's very Bakugo-like, spiteful but ringing with a fierce determination, and a well-timed reminder of his strength. Bakugo really will be fine, whatever he decides.]
... mm!
[He hums in agreement. Hoping, sincerely, for a storybook ending where Bakugo does get the last word, where the "hero" wins at the end. And then, still walking, he turns and flashes a smile back over his shoulder, eyes soft and sympathetic.]
We should do something fun together. Not right now, of course, but one of these days. We've both had a rough time recently, which means we both deserve it.
[After he's decided for sure, but before it's time to really say goodbye, he'd like to do something nice for him.]
[He wouldn't give times or names. Plenty. People leave, their statues remain, a garish trophy of who was here previously and managed to escape the hotel's clutches. He chooses to see it that way rather than the depressing option others seem to bow their heads under. Careful through the doors, he avoids any walls or frames trying to bump into the statue's body. Whatever pose Jun's figurine stands in, he's already memorized it and works on navigating the cart and its load through halls and entrances. Hiyori has to get doors and watch out for whatever's in front of them.
There will be more statues. There'll be more people leave. Who knows. One day, he might be among the departed. There are people here he would hate to leave behind, those he cares about and wants to protect and be with. But do any of them have a choice when they come or go? Ignoring those who dig their heels in and refuse to comply until the resort finally grows exasperated and kicks their asses out.
Brave people. Part of him's disgusted with himself he isn't willing to take that stand. The other part scoffs at himself for even considering being so cowardly and giving up when there are others here would could use his help. Their worlds aren't affected without them. His presence here means shit to his real life.
Besides, he wants to be around when all of this blows the fuck up.]
What're you thinking about?
[Narrowed eyes level on Hiyori's charming smile. Their versions of "fun" are vastly divergent. Coming up with something both of them will agree on... is gonna be hard.]
[What look? This is how he usually looks! Bakugo turns the corner with their payload, clicking his tongue in annoyance as they shed the hall and emerge into a more open area. He'll stick closer to the wall so only one side has to deal with passing extras.]
I've been slaughtering the arcade since I got here! You'll be paste compared to my scores!
[Though he's partial to a few things Hiyori listed. Sushi's good, the conservatory isn't a bad idea, ping pong will be killer.]
Oy, someone asked me about the birds in the Vale. Do they have raptors? Hawks, falcons, owls.
He heads into the open area, striding along like this just a normal walk. He did tailor his list somewhat (he knew better than to suggest they hit the beauty salon), but the activities he mentioned are all things he wouldn't mind doing. He likes to have fun! As for whether they'll see raptors:]
There's only one way to find out! ♪
[But he knows that's a cop-out answer, so he adds:]
I spend more time with my birds than I do birdwatching, but they have all kinds there. You're more likely to see owls at night though. But if you go at night, the Vale is all lit up by lanterns! Which is such good ambience~♪
Then why the hell did you ask!? [Now he's making them both waste their breath! Even if Bakugo does like bragging. Metal shifts slightly as he directs the cart into a clear area away from people. Minding seats and plants along the wall, Bakugo skirts perimeters with a generous berth, red eyes sharply skewering anyone who dares come near the cart. This place should have more "backroad" hallways for clandestine efforts.]
You've never seen one the entire time you've been there? [Then again, having raptors in the aviary would end up with attacks on other birds. Unless the resort somehow makes those special "gifts" somehow unappealing to birds of prey. Can't have random hawks taking out a couple's precious love bird.]
To invite you! Not everyone gets to spend a whole day with me just doing fun stuff, so you should be flattered instead of questioning me!
[Now it's a whole day, apparently.
It's times like these when he's thankful for Bakugo's death glare. Everyone's giving them a wide berth, and the cart moves easily through the hall. The cart, and with it, Jun's statue.
... it still doesn't quite feel real. But talking about birds provides a distraction, anyway.]
I'm not saying there aren't any. I think the different kinds of birds might stick to different areas, though. Which is fortunate, since I wouldn't want my birds getting attacked!
[Maybe there's some kind of magical barrier in place to prevent the exact issue Bakugo just thought of...?]
Yep, they probably hunt away from the lanterns! But since you're so curious, why not go there carrying binoculars? You can say hi to Hina-chan. And Hiro-kun! I'm sure he'll be delighted to see the person who named him.
Don't flatter yourself! If I feel like it, I'll come by, Parrot!
[Both of them know he'll come by regardless of grumbles or anticipation. Cause he gives a shit about Hiyori, even if he won't say it. Still, they're going to have to fight a compromise out on which person's "fun" will be had for the next hour or two each time the venue changes.
He's walked this same path and action before, carting a statue from one place to another. Something about it feels like giving the hotel a middle finger. Refusing to allow it's sick parading of past victims in public places. Letting someone who actually cares about the person the statue represents have their missing companion close by where they're safe.]
Hmph. Doesn't sound like there are any in that case. [Not like the Vale's reported sightings of wolves or tigers or fucking dragons crawling around attacking people out for a nature stroll. Bakugo hasn't even seen a fox while out on his morning jogs or occasional hikes.] Maybe the Vale doesn't have predators.
[Outside the human-shaped variety...]
Haa?! I go there twice a week for jogs or hikes! [He hasn't even seen a hawk flying in the air!]
["If I feel like it." What a wishy-washy answer. But it's Bakugo, so he'll take it for the grumpy-sounding yes it is!]
Great! Then "when I feel like" it, I'll challenge you to a dance-off! They have that one dancing game at the arcade. Dance Dance Revelation! ♪
[It's Dance Dance Revolution... (Though at night it becomes Lap Dance Revolution.)
Jun liked the arcade here. Hiyori remembers the first time they went there together, shortly after discovering their suit tattoos. Having marks added to their body without their consent was greatly upsetting for them both, so he'd suggested a trip to the arcade in order to distract themselves. They went and won each other plushies, plushies Hiyori still has in his suite.
It's been a while since then. So much has changed and so much hasn't changed. It hurts his heart a little now, remembering those days while listening to the cart groan beneath the weight of Jun's statue. But as he walks along ahead of it, he also thinks: "I've made so many memories with Jun-kun." They spent so much time together in this place, got so much closer than he ever thought possible. For all that he hates how the resort is run, he remembers more good times with his partner than bad. And that's how he wants it to be with Bakugo and his remaining friends, too.
He hopes they remember the good times. Not just the Hiyori Tomoe who cried, but the one who smiled.]
Perhaps not, but it is the month of Halloween. So if any monsters appear in the Vale, I'll rely on your heroics to protect me! ♪ And my self-defense training, but that goes without saying.
[Even his birds can put up a fight, as he witnessed last year. But rather than share that anecdote, he gets distracted by the last thing Bakugo says.]
Oh? Does that mean you have been meeting up with them? I had no clue! If you and Hiro-kun are good friends now, you should've said so earlier!
[Would he rather Bakugo snap off a "Like hell I will!" instead?! Hiyori's learning how to handle this guy and it'll pay off for him well. Lips curve in a scowl, bristling across his shoulders, yet he isn't rebuffing so far. Getting straight up challenged earns the idol a scoff as he lifts his chin in a cocky smirk.]
You think you can beat me at that? I'll slaughter you.
[Oh now this is haughty. A rough and tough hero challenging a professional idol to a dance off? Or more accepting said challenge. Of course he is! He's not gonna let Hiyori peck at him for being a coward and not taking his gauntlet throw down! (And Bakugo avoids the arcade at night, thank you.) He usually attends the arcade in the mornings to win high scores and cash in on the food, groceries, and clothing vouchers, but less so now thanks to being an Ace. He still has a fairly large cache of those vouchers...
For as much as he hates the resort and how it holds them all captive, Bakugo's not immune to feelings and bonds. There are people here he's grown close to, grown to care about, and doesn't want to lose. He wants to help them all get back home if he can, or at least have the option to come and go as they please. Hiyori needn't worry about how Bakugo remembers him. All the grumpy reactions and taunting won't have a chance to dull the illustrious shine of Hiyori Tomoe from his memories. He'll remember him as a brilliant idol, full of light and happiness, with his own sharp edges like fine emerald and cut peridot.
Bakugo won't forget him. Or his smile. Ever.]
Che! I can take out anything the Vale throws at me. [Zero lack of confidence in his skills there. He nods when Hiyori brings up his training. He's come a long way since the blonde first met him. Another turn and he guides the cart into a quieter area for easy travel.]
Haa? No, I haven't! They're your birds! [So he may have gone a few times and they were on the way... and he might have fed them or let them perch. But it's not regular. And Hiyori doesn't need to know. Hmph.] You need to train that greedy one to stop stealing shit.
[Those prideful competitive types are so predictable. Still he does add:]
Just remember who it is you're dealing with. I'm not merely "someone who likes to dance," but an idol! The leader of Eve, the "sun" of Eden, and someone who diligently practices even here. ♪
[He says that all while smiling a beaming smile. Even now, after so many months in a sex resort, and even while separated from his unit and his fans, he's still an idol. That's who he is, and it's who he'll always be.
Of course DDR isn't just a test of one's dancing skills, and in fact bears little resemblance to the kind of dancing he did onstage back home (or here occasionally at House Finch). He lacks Bakugo's degree of athleticism too, so there may be no obvious winner. But that just makes the prospect of competition even more exciting, right? For a hyper-competitive, eager-to-prove-himself boy like Bakugo, that's what it should do.
He gives the cart a wider berth as they round the corner, still smiling as Bakugo gives a predictable denial. Can he trust that denial, though...? It's hard to tell if Bakugo really hasn't seen his birds, or if he has been hanging out with them and doesn't want to admit it! Especially when he says that last thing, showing he remembers Hiro-kun well.]
"That greedy one" has a name, you know. [One that Bakugo gave him!] And I don't disagree with you, but it's easier said than done. Kids that age can be so troublesome. Especially that one, who inherited his greed from Rinne-senpai.
[Rinne, who loved gambling at the casino and dreamed of hitting the jackpot. It's no wonder Hiro impossible to discipline, given how hard-to-control Rinne was, how much trouble he caused back home. Ah, but maybe if he and Bakugo worked together—
The thought dies before he can give voice to it. If he does what he was thinking of, he won't be around to care for his birds. Indeed, he likely won't see them again. Of course he knew that's always what would happen if he got the chance to go back home, if he somehow got his Wish or if Esikko succeeded in opening up pathways, but he hardly ever thinks about it. He feels a pinprick inside his heart, and his stomach gives another squirm.
Saying goodbye really is difficult.]
Anyway, since Baku-kun's familiar with the Vale, and he's not afraid of anything, we should definitely go birdwatching after our trip to the arcade! I can try to discipline Hiro-kun, and Baku-kun can also say hello to him. Sound good?
[His tone is cheery, but his smile perhaps is a touch sadder. He's still walking a bit ahead, though, so Bakugo surely won't notice. ... right?]
Shut up. [If he's so damn predictable, they don't have to keep talking! Bakugo scoffs against Hiyori's warning and eases up on the cart's speed. Not taking a corner fast with this cargo.] Uh-huh. How often have you practiced on the DDR machine? It's not the same thing as dancing.
[There are plenty of people who play the game who've never danced a step in their life! Does he feel safe challenging Hiyori to a match? Hell yes! He trusts his own speed, reflexes, and athletic skills to see him through the idol's experience in dance moves. Not like Bakugo hasn't beaten the shit out of whack a mole and other hand-eye coordination rhythm games in the arcade. Still, Hiyori's refusal to question his own ability is heartening. He'd have dropped this guy a long time ago if he ended up cowering away from himself. But despite everything the resort's thrown at him, including this, he continues shining on. Even if Hiyori leaves, nothing less than a comet's trail, brilliant and present, will remain after him. Anything beneath that wouldn't be the idol he's come to know and care about.]
Still fucking greedy. [As much as it should amuse him the bird comes back with people's chips or glittering baubles which he's pretty damn sure the owner's going to want back.] Don't make excuses for him! Tch. You should've trained him better.
[He was one part of the bird's parental figure, so the onus falls on Hiyori to be the better parent! Bakugo takes another hall, narrowing his eyes on the eternal opponent rising into the air at the end: elevator. Not the first time he's deposited a statue behind those sliding double doors and sent it to the destination floor without his direct presence. It usually has someone inside with it, the person he's making the trek for. But does he want to leave Hiyori alone during this trip? It's only a few floors...]
Hmph. Fine. They have binoculars for rent near the aviary. [How does he know this?] We can get something to eat after the Vale.
[But not a lot. So yes, Bakugo might cream him. Doesn't mean he won't put up a fight, or perhaps perform better than expected. He has good control over his movements, but then so does Bakugo. (He'd also gladly watch him play Whack-a-Mole, especially if it involves Bakugo telling each plastic mole to "Die!" as he smacks it. That's a recipe for amusement if he's ever heard one.)]
You're not wrong, but he's a magpie, so it's sort of expected that he'd like shiny things! [Said in response to the comment about Hiro being greedy. Those Hearts game birds are some weirdass magpies, though.] I did take his coins back when I found them, but then he just started hiding them under blankets and even beneath floorboards. He's a real crafty sort.
[Again, like Rinne. Bakugo is welcome to try to discipline him if he wants, though it may just end with Hiro making a nest of his spiky hair. Despite his disapproval of Hiyori's parenting skills, though, Bakugo shows willingness to visit the Vale and his birds, even suggesting they get food afterwards. Hiyori smiles.]
Great! Then it's settled.
[He'll just shelve all those complicated feelings about leaving his birds behind for now, to be examined more closely later. And now here they are at the elevator.
Hiyori remembers what happened with Hawks' statue. Bakugo refused to get inside with it. Hiyori was going to guard the statue himself, but then he noticed the portrait ladies' eyes glittering mischievously, so he opted to leave it and take the stairs too. It was bad luck, but that sort of thing doesn't happen all the time, as he told Esikko recently. And while he doubts anything bad will happen if they do send Jun's statue up alone, he doesn't want to risk it if he can. Doesn't want it to get stolen or sent to the wrong floor, or somehow disappeared into the ether. That thing isn't Jun, but...
Hmph. I'll demolish you. [Hiyori's lucky; normally Bakugo wouldn't bother facing someone he didn't think was a challenge to him. Put up as best a fight as possible, and he might not get pissed at the idol for wasting his time. Or he'll be pleasantly surprised and really enjoy pounding Hiyori into the ground. (Hey, if he wants to see Bakugo beat the shit out of whack-a-mole, imply he can't get a high score, or ask him to get one, and it'll happen. "Die!" included.)]
How many damn hiding places does he remember? [Bakugo thought most of the Vale animals stayed in the damn Vale. Otherwise they'd have squirrels, birds, and whatever else is in there coming out to explore the casino. And making a mess in a place which likes keeping itself "clean" to the scrutinizing eye.
Is Bakugo going to try disciplining the bird? Unlikely. He'll leave him just the way he is out of respect for Hiyori. Minus Hiro trying to next in his hair. That'll get him a yell. He can stick on the blonde's shoulder if he wants to hitch a ride while Bakugo's hiking the trails.]
Aa. [Though he could stay with Hiyori and make a one-time exception for his rule... this is also the guy who warned Bakugo about the elevators. Sticking around now would break his unbroken streak since that day. Stubbornness wins out. He sees Hiyori inside the elevator, letting him hold the door while Bakugo carefully works the statue-laden cart into the metal room. He makes sure to keep a leg outside so it can't pull a fast one and lock them in there together. Once he's satisfied with the cart's position and security, he steps back out -- but not before smacking the 2 button on the wall.]
Second floor.
[With that, he waits for the doors to close, then heads to the stairs. A quick BOOM! blasts him to the next floor and he's outside the door once the elevator opens up to reveal Hiyori and the statue safe inside.
Damn right he's going to do this floor by floor to prevent any resort bullshit along the wall. If an elevator issue wants to make trouble for Hiyori, it's gonna get found out in seconds and obliterated.]
Knew you'd say that, too! [Obnoxious.] But sounds fun! May the best dancer win~♪
[If Bakugo does win, though, Hiyori won't actually be ceding the title of "best dancer" to him. He's not very competitive in general, but he does have his pride as an idol.]
The Vale's a big area, so there's plenty of room to hide something as small as a coin. The bigger question is where he gets them all from. I'm almost tempted to think he flies outside and steals from the casino at night. That or he has a metal detector!
[It's true, the animals probably don't leave the Vale and the Conservatory, or at least they shouldn't be. (Rinne did deliberately release some birds from the Vale on purpose once, just to piss of the staff.) So where does the seemingly neverending supply of gold coins come from? It truly is a mystery! One he's all too happy to focus on in lieu of thinking about sad things, like Jun's statuefication or his impending departure.
But it can't last forever. They reach the elevators and he gets inside, holding the door open with his arm so Bakugo can push the cart in. It's fine: the statue's going to be stored in his room from now on. He can handle riding with it in an elevator. He reaches to press the button for the eighth floor—
And then he blinks.]
Hm?
[But the doors shut on him before he can get an explanation. After a moment's pause, he does as he's told and hits the second button—figuring, after everything, that he can trust Bakugo enough to follow along.
Once they're at the next floor and he sees Bakugo outside the doors, he realizes what's going on—that Bakugo plans to do this every floor, just as he did with Hawks' statue that time. It seems excessive. And yet, that diligent attitude of his is something Hiyori can't help but admire. It gives him no time alone with the statue, no time to brood—and that, too, is fine, since he'll have more than enough time for that later. He smiles, and then keeps smiling until they've reached his floor.]
All safe! Thanks to someone watching over us~♪
[It's out of the elevator and off to his room, now. He hovers by the door for a moment before unlocking with his keycard. So many times—he's unlocked this door so many times. He's been living in this room for so long, and with Jun for most of it. But all things come to an end.]
It's a bit messy, but there should be some space, anyway.
[And true to his word, they should be able to wheel the cart inside suite without much difficulty. With the cart, the sitting area is a bit cramped, and Hiyori's description of the suite as "messy" isn't inaccurate: lots of items lay strewn about the surfaces, many of them Hiyori's, but several of them Jun's. Jun's slippers, Jun's exercise equipment, Jun's sweatclothes and snacks: this was his suite as much as it was Hiyori's. The table has a dirty dish sitting on it, and the couch has some pillows and a bunched-up blanket. It looks like it's been slept on recently.]
[Bakugo's pretty damn sure the bird manages to get out into the casino for his pilfering activities. Even if the Vale manages to keep most of its menagerie within limited bounds, people go in and out regardless. What's stopping a bird from hitching a ride through the entrance or swooping through the doorway? As long as the little pest returns back to his roost afterwards, there won't be a problem. "Problem" meaning Bakugo having to look for him.
The other option is stealing from people in the Vale itself. He's pretty sure some idiots count chips or toss sparkly things around in the place. Being the only area within the resort with "natural" sunlight. Thoughts taking up the hero's mind as he traverses each floor. Hiyori's kept safe (relatively) and Bakugo gets a workout with each bounding blast hooking up to the floor above. If anything in the elevator thinks it's safe from a revenge-filled explosion because Hiyori and the statue are within the confines, they have no fucking clue how fast the hero's reaction speed and Quirk actually are. This is the guy who stole back credit cards, purses, wallets, and other belongings from the thieves he was simultaneously blowing up. Not a scratch on them.
It's not excessive! It's effective!
With a final 'ding' glowing through space, the elevator finishes its trek and Bakugo helps maneuver the cart and statue through golden doors and softly wheeling onto carpeted surface once more. Hiyori takes the lead and he follows like some weird hospital orderly making delivery through rich halls. Bakugo gives him his due outside the room, but makes sure the door's open wide enough he can safely pass the statue and cart through without dint or clunk. Like hell is he going to trip at the finish line.]
What the hell!? Didn't you learn how to clean up after yourself?! [Hiyori walks around perfectly coifed and sparkling, but he's living in a damn pig stye! He parks the statue (in cart) by the wall and steps away, scowling around the room with a disgusted curl on his lip.] Your fans would be appalled.
[Excessive and effective. Or effective because it's excessive, perhaps. Either way it gets the job done, and Bakugo won't hear any complaints from Hiyori's lips once the statue's arrived safely at his suite.
He does, evidently, have his own complaints, though, about the state of Hiyori's room. Hiyori frowns a bit at that—he could shoot back that Bakugo's suite was in an even worse state when he saw it the other month, but that was destruction rather than slobbiness. And he also knows full well why it was in such a state, so he won't comment.]
I know how to clean! My dorm room at home was always in great shape, even though I shared with Rinne-senpai and Kanata-kun! But some of these things are Jun-kun's, so cleaning those up makes me feel a bit...
[He trails off, then shrugs.]
Anyway, I have to move some things to fit the statue, so first I'll do that. And then I suppose I should water the plants, too.
[He looks over at his sunflowers.
There are about six of them sitting on the table that separates the sitting area from the bed and bath. Three are incredibly tall, while three are dwarfs. But all of them are vibrant, somehow thriving indoors without any natural sunlight.
Or at least they were thriving. The three tall ones are starting to look a bit wilted, and almost... dejected? But as Hiyori turns and takes half a step towards them, something funny happens: they seem to perk up. The flowers move incrementally as though lifting their heads. Almost like they're sentient beings with souls!
Noticing this, Hiyori says:]
Actually, I'll do that first!
[And then he skips on over, the sunflowers perking up even more visibly as they "watch" him approach.]
[Ugh, people who live in a mess... Can't fucking understand them. Why would you wanna root around under strewn clothes and kick aside weird possessions while trying to find one specific thing? Or clean the same utensil each time you eat? Machines exist to help people get jobs done! Drawers and dressers keep shit out of the way and together! Use the fucking benefits! Reminds him of U.A. and the other extras in his dorm. Most of them were good with keeping shit clean; some of them sucked at it.]
Tch. You can at least get them organized. [Without looking like a trade market exploded in the living room. Bakugo already notes whether Hiyori's got things in some organized state, keeping shirts and pants together while socks and drawers go alongside each other. He knows how hard it is to go through a lost one's possessions. Letting someone else without the attachment can help.
While Hiyori waters his plants and figures out where to put the statue, Bakugo begins straightening up the clutter. Jun's shirts folded and tiled down one row of the couch, his pants soon alongside in the same pattern. Efficiently and meticulously scraping across the area consolidating and cleaning without leaving any one piece out of Hiyori's sight.]
Oy, what the hell's with those flowers? [They're obviously alive, but they're moving like they're living noticing creatures!]
[He's not a total slob! He knows how to pick up after himself! Though he is used to Jun doing that for him (and before Jun, the household servants at his rich family home). The bigger issue was grief. Ever since Jun disappeared, his energy has been depleted, and he really didn't want to go through Jun's possessions. Didn't want to go through any possessions, really: most items in the suite were shared, since they lived together. The bed, the tea kettle, the bath products... even the knitted green blanket on the couch. That was handmade by Jun and gifted to Hiyori on his birthday last year. Everything had memories attached to it, and everything reminded him of Jun.
Now, however, the despair is less potent. He's still lonely, seeing Jun's things, but he no longer feels hopeless. Jun isn't frozen in stone forever; he's elsewhere, somewhere outside the resort. Which means Hiyori can see him again, as long as he gets to where Jun is. It might be easier said than done, leaving the resort, but if he follows in Jun's footsteps, then...
Well, anyway. First thing's first. He should be able to clean up the suite now that he's no longer consumed by despair. But he prioritizes the flowers: those are living things (very living, as Bakugo is soon to find out), and he feels bad for neglecting them these past few days. Time to water the plants!
By which he means the dwarf sunflowers. The other, taller ones require a different kind of watering. He takes care of the dwarfs first, which only makes the tall sunflowers even antsier, something Bakugo notices from his end of the room. Hiyori turns around and says:]
You mean these? I guess this is your first meeting.
[He brushes his fingers against one tall sunflower's petals. Subtly, the sunflower bends its stalk and seems to bow its head, almost, as though leaning ever-so-slightly into the touch. Is it cute, or just creepy? Hiyori seems to find it cute, anyway, and looks at the plant fondly, and maybe a tad apologetically. He's sorry he neglected it even for a day.
It also didn't escape his notice that Bakugo has started to clean up. All that griping, but he still took it upon himself to help out even though Hiyori never asked. He's a good boy, as usual, and Hiyori's eyes crinkle fondly at the corners as he looks back at him. As always, he's grateful, whether he says so or not.]
All six of these were gifts, but the tall ones are special. They were developed by a person we both know, and they don't need sunlight as long as they get one thing from me. Rather than explain, it might be faster to just show you, so why don't you stop cleaning and watch? All attention on me, please! ♪
[He's addressing Bakugo, but also the sunflowers. They seem to be waiting, hanging on his next words... as strange as that probably still seems.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 10/23/25 15:11 (UTC)Trusting anything the resort says or does 100% implicitly is a fucking surrender he doesn't want to give. Hell, he hardly trusts winning Game 52 means they'll have their wish honored. Someone had to have won before and wished the resort gone. It obviously didn't grant such a thing.]
Aa. This fucking place keeps changing up its own damn rules. [He accepts people have clashing evidence and different experiences. They won't agree. He's had his own convictions shaken a while ago, but Hiyori's reaffirmed them for him with a compelling proof here and now.] We won't know 100% for sure until we tear it apart or force it into complying.
But- [He looks at the statue.] -this thing isn't Jun. The resort created copies of us with our own memories and their own lives. Those assholes weren't "us" no matter what went through their damn heads.
[Why should a statue be any different? Their minds could be reprogrammed, memories taken out, implanted, changed, all to suit whatever story best fit the house's advantage. Hell, the "them" in the resort aren't even the "them" back in their own world. People from his world would've been gone while they were here in his own memories and they weren't. At best, they're copies made from a certain time and place in their worlds and brought here.]
It's your call. [Bakugo wouldn't want anyone else he didn't know coming around statues of people he was close to. Breaking them, abusing them, whatever. They didn't deserve to be stuck in the hotel like some damn trophy. It makes a little difference when they're with someone who cares about them. (Yeah, it's also kind of creepy, but fuck off. No different than a figurine or action figure or doll if you think about it.) He took in the two from his own world for a time until situations changed.
He glances at Hiyori, knowing what kinds of wheels twist and turn in his mind. Trying to figure out where to go from here. What happens now? Bakugo felt similar when he realized he was left in the resort with only two villains from his world, the rest gone. Then again, he's never had his classmates show up here-- thank fuck --so he's never had the experience of being around his friends in the resort.]
All right. [He's glad Hiyori agreed, but won't admit it for now. Letting the guy stay by the statue, he heads out of the courts and procures the loaded-up cart from the hall. Blankets, cushions, bubble wrap, rope, and tape.] You're gonna break a sweat today, so deal with it.
1/2
Date: 10/25/25 01:53 (UTC)That even a copy wants to live. That was his conclusion.
But the first words also nag at him. They hit his ears strangely, throwing his uncertainties into stark relief. "We won't know for sure." "Until we tear it apart." That's how Bakugo phrases himself, but is that "we" correct? Will he, Hiyori Tomoe, be around someday to see the end of the resort? And does he want to stick around for that, to help "tear it apart," when Jun is elsewhere and the others from home are gone, too?
Those questions swirl around in his head, creating a dark vortex. He's uncharacteristically silent as Bakugo talks, and silent still as he leaves to go get the cart. He's still absorbed in his thoughts. If he looks inside himself, he knows what the answer is: Bakugo may be a hero, but he's not. For all his frivolous talk about how heroes and idols are similar, he's no savior. He wants everyone to be freed, and he cares about the people he's met here. But more than justice or freedom for all, what he wants is to be with the people he loves: his family, his unit, his partner. But Jun's somewhere unreachable, so how does he...]
...
[It hits him suddenly, the thing he could do to escape. The one thing that might reunite him with Jun. Apart from completing his deck, which is harder and more time-consuming and relies on the staff granting his Wish. That's not a sure thing. If he wants to end up in the same place Jun ended up, then...
When Bakugo returns, he'll find Hiyori staring into space (though it could be mistaken for staring at Jun's statue). It takes a moment to get his attention, for him to slowly turn, and when he shows his face, his eyes are somewhere far away. His mind is elsewhere. He's slipping.]
2/2
Date: 10/25/25 01:55 (UTC)That's fine. We are at the gym, so...
[He manages to sound casual. Manages, even, to smile. Whatever he does next—whether he does what he just thought of, whether he follows in Jun's footsteps—he's here now. And while he's still here, he doesn't want to worry Bakugo any more than he already has. He'll pull his weight when it comes to moving Jun's statue, he won't break down in tears again, and he won't share what he was just thinking for now.]
First we have to cushion it, right? I can take some of that.
[And then he reaches into the cart for some bubble wrap.]
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Date: 10/26/25 01:21 (UTC)Bakugo still believes the "them" in the resorts are little more than copies of their real selves back home. If the people here had really been taken from his world, he would've noticed their disappearance or they would've said something about the experience. And if people excuse vanishing and memories with "oh the resort handled it" then it makes no difference in the end whether they're copies or nothing more than a millisecond's fraction poof from their own world which changes absolutely nothing in the real world's timeline existence. No damn butterfly effect here.
Which is harder to believe? Which is easier to accept?
He can't offer any real words to Hiyori's whirlwind thoughts. Whether the idol's still here when the resort is finally put to the coals or if he's long-since gone home, Bakugo has no control over. Leaving him alone with his mulling, he takes more time than needed to get the cart and supplies. Giving him a moment by himself to think. Something in his stomach twists, ominous feelings slide over his shoulders like fingers spilling down his skin. A choice being made. One he has no bearing on.
Bakugo cants his head slightly as he stops the cart beside the other man. Spaced out and staring into nothing. Gears turning, all mental synapses firing. He hasn't seen Hiyori lost in thought before. Kinda creepy.]
Oy. [And bumps the idol in the hip with his cart's edge. Wake up, Parrot. Once Hiyori comes to, he realizes the guy's chosen... something. Not his business to dig. They have to move the statue.] Aa. Take this- [Hiyori's already grabbing for the sheets of bubble wrap and each rustling plastic foot spills out with his pull. Around and around it goes, Bakugo directs smaller sections around the statue's limbs, torso, and head. Then enshrouds the entire piece in more bubbling swaddling.]
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Date: 10/27/25 02:18 (UTC)It's not the only thing unsettling him. As they begin the process of lowering the statue into the cart (with Bakugo needing to do more of the heavy lifting than Hiyori, natch), different thoughts flit through his head. He wonders how strange it'll feel to be greeted by that statue every morning in his suite. Then he thinks about how this isn't even the first time he's seen Bakugo with a statue in a cart. Bakugo has lost people from his world before. Hawks, for one, although he came back. And then Till disappeared recently. And if he disappears...
His chest constricts, and his heart giving a sudden, painful lurch. Just moments ago, he'd been thinking about following in Jun's footsteps. But if he does that—if he lets himself turn to stone—will Bakugo do this with his statue?
The thought is disquieting. It hurts a bit, makes his chest ache and his stomach squirm. Not just from pain or loneliness, but also with guilt. Hiyori doesn't want to burden Bakugo by talking about his feelings or the decision he has to make, so he won't. But...]
Thanks for all your help.
[Once they're done loading up the statue, he says it. Smiling gratefully, showing his appreciation. That's all he needs to do: thank Bakugo for his kindness. But as they make their way out of the tennis courts with the statue in tow, he finds himself saying:]
... you've had to do this a lot, huh?
[Bakugo had all the stuff on hand: the cart, the rope, the bubble wrap. This wasn't his first rodeo.]
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Date: 10/27/25 04:52 (UTC)Bakugo takes the lion's share of the heavy lifting, focusing on the statue's shoulders and upper back while Hiyori manages keeping it at least balanced at the cart's level. Once the top half is on, he trades place, letting the idol take the cart's handles while Bakugo carefully slides the statue further onto the cart via its legs. When he had Hawks and Endeavor's statues in his room, it was pretty fucking weird and creepy at first. But at the same time, he grew up with action figures of All Might in his room, life-sized cardboard cutouts, and posters of his idolized hero. He got used to the statues in his room soon enough until they found new homes with people more fitting them.
Doesn't matter who disappears, whoever's left behind-- if they care about them --should take the statues and keep them safe in their rooms. Fuck the resort and its occupants; they don't care about keeping statues safe. In a way, it's both respecting what was, and flicking off the resort's sick games.
Hiyori should know Bakugo well enough by now to answer his own question already. One the blonde has no hint towards as he finishes getting Jun's statue settled on the cart. Straps of nylon weave, bungee cords, sturdy rope, and a secure harness spill out from the cart's underside. Bakugo begins hooking them together and to the card, lashing the stone figure with all the security of a straight jacket gone mad. This thing isn't gonna fucking budge even if the cart tips over. More blankets are interwoven with the straps as well, covering it along with the cart. Secure as fuck.]
Aa. [Answering both Hiyori's gratitude and his comment. Several times. Both for himself and others in the resort. He would've done it for the friends who vanished recently, but their two remaining friends currently opted to leave the statues were they were. He respected their wishes and stayed his hand.
He takes control of the carts handle and begins driving it forward, letting Hiyori walk in front to guide, protect, and clear the path.] This place can go to hell before I let it have the last word.
no subject
Date: 10/28/25 16:50 (UTC)As Bakugo pushes the cart with Jun's statue, doing all the grunt work while Hiyori walks in front, guilt sits heavy in his chest. Bakugo would he fine without him; of that, Hiyori is sure. He's a strong boy, after all, and he has other friends here. Yet it seems a poor way to repay him for him for everything he's done, for everything he continues to do. Giving him one more statue to haul away.
But "Aa" isn't all Bakugo says. He also says that other thing, about getting the last word in, about how the resort can go to hell. It's very Bakugo-like, spiteful but ringing with a fierce determination, and a well-timed reminder of his strength. Bakugo really will be fine, whatever he decides.]
... mm!
[He hums in agreement. Hoping, sincerely, for a storybook ending where Bakugo does get the last word, where the "hero" wins at the end. And then, still walking, he turns and flashes a smile back over his shoulder, eyes soft and sympathetic.]
We should do something fun together. Not right now, of course, but one of these days. We've both had a rough time recently, which means we both deserve it.
[After he's decided for sure, but before it's time to really say goodbye, he'd like to do something nice for him.]
no subject
Date: 10/29/25 02:55 (UTC)There will be more statues. There'll be more people leave. Who knows. One day, he might be among the departed. There are people here he would hate to leave behind, those he cares about and wants to protect and be with. But do any of them have a choice when they come or go? Ignoring those who dig their heels in and refuse to comply until the resort finally grows exasperated and kicks their asses out.
Brave people. Part of him's disgusted with himself he isn't willing to take that stand. The other part scoffs at himself for even considering being so cowardly and giving up when there are others here would could use his help. Their worlds aren't affected without them. His presence here means shit to his real life.
Besides, he wants to be around when all of this blows the fuck up.]
What're you thinking about?
[Narrowed eyes level on Hiyori's charming smile. Their versions of "fun" are vastly divergent. Coming up with something both of them will agree on... is gonna be hard.]
no subject
Date: 10/30/25 01:23 (UTC)All sorts of stuff! We could go shopping, sing karaoke, pet animals in the conservatory, eat premium sushi...
[He wags a finger and adds,]
... go dancing, play ping pong, go to the arcade... you must like arcades, right? I bet Baku-kun's the type who gets all competitive.
no subject
Date: 10/30/25 05:24 (UTC)I've been slaughtering the arcade since I got here! You'll be paste compared to my scores!
[Though he's partial to a few things Hiyori listed. Sushi's good, the conservatory isn't a bad idea, ping pong will be killer.]
Oy, someone asked me about the birds in the Vale. Do they have raptors? Hawks, falcons, owls.
no subject
Date: 10/30/25 16:23 (UTC)[Bakugo is so predictable sometimes.
He heads into the open area, striding along like this just a normal walk. He did tailor his list somewhat (he knew better than to suggest they hit the beauty salon), but the activities he mentioned are all things he wouldn't mind doing. He likes to have fun! As for whether they'll see raptors:]
There's only one way to find out! ♪
[But he knows that's a cop-out answer, so he adds:]
I spend more time with my birds than I do birdwatching, but they have all kinds there. You're more likely to see owls at night though. But if you go at night, the Vale is all lit up by lanterns! Which is such good ambience~♪
no subject
Date: 10/31/25 01:28 (UTC)You've never seen one the entire time you've been there? [Then again, having raptors in the aviary would end up with attacks on other birds. Unless the resort somehow makes those special "gifts" somehow unappealing to birds of prey. Can't have random hawks taking out a couple's precious love bird.]
Owls aren't going to hunt near lanterns...
no subject
Date: 10/31/25 23:03 (UTC)[Now it's a whole day, apparently.
It's times like these when he's thankful for Bakugo's death glare. Everyone's giving them a wide berth, and the cart moves easily through the hall. The cart, and with it, Jun's statue.
... it still doesn't quite feel real. But talking about birds provides a distraction, anyway.]
I'm not saying there aren't any. I think the different kinds of birds might stick to different areas, though. Which is fortunate, since I wouldn't want my birds getting attacked!
[Maybe there's some kind of magical barrier in place to prevent the exact issue Bakugo just thought of...?]
Yep, they probably hunt away from the lanterns! But since you're so curious, why not go there carrying binoculars? You can say hi to Hina-chan. And Hiro-kun! I'm sure he'll be delighted to see the person who named him.
no subject
Date: 11/1/25 15:48 (UTC)[Both of them know he'll come by regardless of grumbles or anticipation. Cause he gives a shit about Hiyori, even if he won't say it. Still, they're going to have to fight a compromise out on which person's "fun" will be had for the next hour or two each time the venue changes.
He's walked this same path and action before, carting a statue from one place to another. Something about it feels like giving the hotel a middle finger. Refusing to allow it's sick parading of past victims in public places. Letting someone who actually cares about the person the statue represents have their missing companion close by where they're safe.]
Hmph. Doesn't sound like there are any in that case. [Not like the Vale's reported sightings of wolves or tigers or fucking dragons crawling around attacking people out for a nature stroll. Bakugo hasn't even seen a fox while out on his morning jogs or occasional hikes.] Maybe the Vale doesn't have predators.
[Outside the human-shaped variety...]
Haa?! I go there twice a week for jogs or hikes! [He hasn't even seen a hawk flying in the air!]
no subject
Date: 11/2/25 16:41 (UTC)Great! Then "when I feel like" it, I'll challenge you to a dance-off! They have that one dancing game at the arcade. Dance Dance Revelation! ♪
[It's Dance Dance Revolution... (Though at night it becomes Lap Dance Revolution.)
Jun liked the arcade here. Hiyori remembers the first time they went there together, shortly after discovering their suit tattoos. Having marks added to their body without their consent was greatly upsetting for them both, so he'd suggested a trip to the arcade in order to distract themselves. They went and won each other plushies, plushies Hiyori still has in his suite.
It's been a while since then. So much has changed and so much hasn't changed. It hurts his heart a little now, remembering those days while listening to the cart groan beneath the weight of Jun's statue. But as he walks along ahead of it, he also thinks: "I've made so many memories with Jun-kun." They spent so much time together in this place, got so much closer than he ever thought possible. For all that he hates how the resort is run, he remembers more good times with his partner than bad. And that's how he wants it to be with Bakugo and his remaining friends, too.
He hopes they remember the good times. Not just the Hiyori Tomoe who cried, but the one who smiled.]
Perhaps not, but it is the month of Halloween. So if any monsters appear in the Vale, I'll rely on your heroics to protect me! ♪ And my self-defense training, but that goes without saying.
[Even his birds can put up a fight, as he witnessed last year. But rather than share that anecdote, he gets distracted by the last thing Bakugo says.]
Oh? Does that mean you have been meeting up with them? I had no clue! If you and Hiro-kun are good friends now, you should've said so earlier!
no subject
Date: 11/3/25 03:04 (UTC)You think you can beat me at that? I'll slaughter you.
[Oh now this is haughty. A rough and tough hero challenging a professional idol to a dance off? Or more accepting said challenge. Of course he is! He's not gonna let Hiyori peck at him for being a coward and not taking his gauntlet throw down! (And Bakugo avoids the arcade at night, thank you.) He usually attends the arcade in the mornings to win high scores and cash in on the food, groceries, and clothing vouchers, but less so now thanks to being an Ace. He still has a fairly large cache of those vouchers...
For as much as he hates the resort and how it holds them all captive, Bakugo's not immune to feelings and bonds. There are people here he's grown close to, grown to care about, and doesn't want to lose. He wants to help them all get back home if he can, or at least have the option to come and go as they please. Hiyori needn't worry about how Bakugo remembers him. All the grumpy reactions and taunting won't have a chance to dull the illustrious shine of Hiyori Tomoe from his memories. He'll remember him as a brilliant idol, full of light and happiness, with his own sharp edges like fine emerald and cut peridot.
Bakugo won't forget him. Or his smile. Ever.]
Che! I can take out anything the Vale throws at me. [Zero lack of confidence in his skills there. He nods when Hiyori brings up his training. He's come a long way since the blonde first met him. Another turn and he guides the cart into a quieter area for easy travel.]
Haa? No, I haven't! They're your birds! [So he may have gone a few times and they were on the way... and he might have fed them or let them perch. But it's not regular. And Hiyori doesn't need to know. Hmph.] You need to train that greedy one to stop stealing shit.
no subject
Date: 11/4/25 16:00 (UTC)I knew you'd say that, too!
[Those prideful competitive types are so predictable. Still he does add:]
Just remember who it is you're dealing with. I'm not merely "someone who likes to dance," but an idol! The leader of Eve, the "sun" of Eden, and someone who diligently practices even here. ♪
[He says that all while smiling a beaming smile. Even now, after so many months in a sex resort, and even while separated from his unit and his fans, he's still an idol. That's who he is, and it's who he'll always be.
Of course DDR isn't just a test of one's dancing skills, and in fact bears little resemblance to the kind of dancing he did onstage back home (or here occasionally at House Finch). He lacks Bakugo's degree of athleticism too, so there may be no obvious winner. But that just makes the prospect of competition even more exciting, right? For a hyper-competitive, eager-to-prove-himself boy like Bakugo, that's what it should do.
He gives the cart a wider berth as they round the corner, still smiling as Bakugo gives a predictable denial. Can he trust that denial, though...? It's hard to tell if Bakugo really hasn't seen his birds, or if he has been hanging out with them and doesn't want to admit it! Especially when he says that last thing, showing he remembers Hiro-kun well.]
"That greedy one" has a name, you know. [One that Bakugo gave him!] And I don't disagree with you, but it's easier said than done. Kids that age can be so troublesome. Especially that one, who inherited his greed from Rinne-senpai.
[Rinne, who loved gambling at the casino and dreamed of hitting the jackpot. It's no wonder Hiro impossible to discipline, given how hard-to-control Rinne was, how much trouble he caused back home. Ah, but maybe if he and Bakugo worked together—
The thought dies before he can give voice to it. If he does what he was thinking of, he won't be around to care for his birds. Indeed, he likely won't see them again. Of course he knew that's always what would happen if he got the chance to go back home, if he somehow got his Wish or if Esikko succeeded in opening up pathways, but he hardly ever thinks about it. He feels a pinprick inside his heart, and his stomach gives another squirm.
Saying goodbye really is difficult.]
Anyway, since Baku-kun's familiar with the Vale, and he's not afraid of anything, we should definitely go birdwatching after our trip to the arcade! I can try to discipline Hiro-kun, and Baku-kun can also say hello to him. Sound good?
[His tone is cheery, but his smile perhaps is a touch sadder. He's still walking a bit ahead, though, so Bakugo surely won't notice. ... right?]
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Date: 11/6/25 03:42 (UTC)[There are plenty of people who play the game who've never danced a step in their life! Does he feel safe challenging Hiyori to a match? Hell yes! He trusts his own speed, reflexes, and athletic skills to see him through the idol's experience in dance moves. Not like Bakugo hasn't beaten the shit out of whack a mole and other hand-eye coordination rhythm games in the arcade. Still, Hiyori's refusal to question his own ability is heartening. He'd have dropped this guy a long time ago if he ended up cowering away from himself. But despite everything the resort's thrown at him, including this, he continues shining on. Even if Hiyori leaves, nothing less than a comet's trail, brilliant and present, will remain after him. Anything beneath that wouldn't be the idol he's come to know and care about.]
Still fucking greedy. [As much as it should amuse him the bird comes back with people's chips or glittering baubles which he's pretty damn sure the owner's going to want back.] Don't make excuses for him! Tch. You should've trained him better.
[He was one part of the bird's parental figure, so the onus falls on Hiyori to be the better parent! Bakugo takes another hall, narrowing his eyes on the eternal opponent rising into the air at the end: elevator. Not the first time he's deposited a statue behind those sliding double doors and sent it to the destination floor without his direct presence. It usually has someone inside with it, the person he's making the trek for. But does he want to leave Hiyori alone during this trip? It's only a few floors...]
Hmph. Fine. They have binoculars for rent near the aviary. [How does he know this?] We can get something to eat after the Vale.
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Date: 11/7/25 18:18 (UTC)[But not a lot. So yes, Bakugo might cream him. Doesn't mean he won't put up a fight, or perhaps perform better than expected. He has good control over his movements, but then so does Bakugo. (He'd also gladly watch him play Whack-a-Mole, especially if it involves Bakugo telling each plastic mole to "Die!" as he smacks it. That's a recipe for amusement if he's ever heard one.)]
You're not wrong, but he's a magpie, so it's sort of expected that he'd like shiny things! [Said in response to the comment about Hiro being greedy. Those Hearts game birds are some weirdass magpies, though.] I did take his coins back when I found them, but then he just started hiding them under blankets and even beneath floorboards. He's a real crafty sort.
[Again, like Rinne. Bakugo is welcome to try to discipline him if he wants, though it may just end with Hiro making a nest of his spiky hair. Despite his disapproval of Hiyori's parenting skills, though, Bakugo shows willingness to visit the Vale and his birds, even suggesting they get food afterwards. Hiyori smiles.]
Great! Then it's settled.
[He'll just shelve all those complicated feelings about leaving his birds behind for now, to be examined more closely later. And now here they are at the elevator.
Hiyori remembers what happened with Hawks' statue. Bakugo refused to get inside with it. Hiyori was going to guard the statue himself, but then he noticed the portrait ladies' eyes glittering mischievously, so he opted to leave it and take the stairs too. It was bad luck, but that sort of thing doesn't happen all the time, as he told Esikko recently. And while he doubts anything bad will happen if they do send Jun's statue up alone, he doesn't want to risk it if he can. Doesn't want it to get stolen or sent to the wrong floor, or somehow disappeared into the ether. That thing isn't Jun, but...
He looks at Bakugo.]
Meet you on the eighth floor.
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Date: 11/11/25 04:54 (UTC)How many damn hiding places does he remember? [Bakugo thought most of the Vale animals stayed in the damn Vale. Otherwise they'd have squirrels, birds, and whatever else is in there coming out to explore the casino. And making a mess in a place which likes keeping itself "clean" to the scrutinizing eye.
Is Bakugo going to try disciplining the bird? Unlikely. He'll leave him just the way he is out of respect for Hiyori. Minus Hiro trying to next in his hair. That'll get him a yell. He can stick on the blonde's shoulder if he wants to hitch a ride while Bakugo's hiking the trails.]
Aa. [Though he could stay with Hiyori and make a one-time exception for his rule... this is also the guy who warned Bakugo about the elevators. Sticking around now would break his unbroken streak since that day. Stubbornness wins out. He sees Hiyori inside the elevator, letting him hold the door while Bakugo carefully works the statue-laden cart into the metal room. He makes sure to keep a leg outside so it can't pull a fast one and lock them in there together. Once he's satisfied with the cart's position and security, he steps back out -- but not before smacking the 2 button on the wall.]
Second floor.
[With that, he waits for the doors to close, then heads to the stairs. A quick BOOM! blasts him to the next floor and he's outside the door once the elevator opens up to reveal Hiyori and the statue safe inside.
Damn right he's going to do this floor by floor to prevent any resort bullshit along the wall. If an elevator issue wants to make trouble for Hiyori, it's gonna get found out in seconds and obliterated.]
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Date: 11/13/25 04:28 (UTC)[If Bakugo does win, though, Hiyori won't actually be ceding the title of "best dancer" to him. He's not very competitive in general, but he does have his pride as an idol.]
The Vale's a big area, so there's plenty of room to hide something as small as a coin. The bigger question is where he gets them all from. I'm almost tempted to think he flies outside and steals from the casino at night. That or he has a metal detector!
[It's true, the animals probably don't leave the Vale and the Conservatory, or at least they shouldn't be. (Rinne did deliberately release some birds from the Vale on purpose once, just to piss of the staff.) So where does the seemingly neverending supply of gold coins come from? It truly is a mystery! One he's all too happy to focus on in lieu of thinking about sad things, like Jun's statuefication or his impending departure.
But it can't last forever. They reach the elevators and he gets inside, holding the door open with his arm so Bakugo can push the cart in. It's fine: the statue's going to be stored in his room from now on. He can handle riding with it in an elevator. He reaches to press the button for the eighth floor—
And then he blinks.]
Hm?
[But the doors shut on him before he can get an explanation. After a moment's pause, he does as he's told and hits the second button—figuring, after everything, that he can trust Bakugo enough to follow along.
Once they're at the next floor and he sees Bakugo outside the doors, he realizes what's going on—that Bakugo plans to do this every floor, just as he did with Hawks' statue that time. It seems excessive. And yet, that diligent attitude of his is something Hiyori can't help but admire. It gives him no time alone with the statue, no time to brood—and that, too, is fine, since he'll have more than enough time for that later. He smiles, and then keeps smiling until they've reached his floor.]
All safe! Thanks to someone watching over us~♪
[It's out of the elevator and off to his room, now. He hovers by the door for a moment before unlocking with his keycard. So many times—he's unlocked this door so many times. He's been living in this room for so long, and with Jun for most of it. But all things come to an end.]
It's a bit messy, but there should be some space, anyway.
[And true to his word, they should be able to wheel the cart inside suite without much difficulty. With the cart, the sitting area is a bit cramped, and Hiyori's description of the suite as "messy" isn't inaccurate: lots of items lay strewn about the surfaces, many of them Hiyori's, but several of them Jun's. Jun's slippers, Jun's exercise equipment, Jun's sweatclothes and snacks: this was his suite as much as it was Hiyori's. The table has a dirty dish sitting on it, and the couch has some pillows and a bunched-up blanket. It looks like it's been slept on recently.]
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Date: 11/17/25 02:24 (UTC)The other option is stealing from people in the Vale itself. He's pretty sure some idiots count chips or toss sparkly things around in the place. Being the only area within the resort with "natural" sunlight. Thoughts taking up the hero's mind as he traverses each floor. Hiyori's kept safe (relatively) and Bakugo gets a workout with each bounding blast hooking up to the floor above. If anything in the elevator thinks it's safe from a revenge-filled explosion because Hiyori and the statue are within the confines, they have no fucking clue how fast the hero's reaction speed and Quirk actually are. This is the guy who stole back credit cards, purses, wallets, and other belongings from the thieves he was simultaneously blowing up. Not a scratch on them.
It's not excessive! It's effective!
With a final 'ding' glowing through space, the elevator finishes its trek and Bakugo helps maneuver the cart and statue through golden doors and softly wheeling onto carpeted surface once more. Hiyori takes the lead and he follows like some weird hospital orderly making delivery through rich halls. Bakugo gives him his due outside the room, but makes sure the door's open wide enough he can safely pass the statue and cart through without dint or clunk. Like hell is he going to trip at the finish line.]
What the hell!? Didn't you learn how to clean up after yourself?! [Hiyori walks around perfectly coifed and sparkling, but he's living in a damn pig stye! He parks the statue (in cart) by the wall and steps away, scowling around the room with a disgusted curl on his lip.] Your fans would be appalled.
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Date: 12/5/25 16:53 (UTC)He does, evidently, have his own complaints, though, about the state of Hiyori's room. Hiyori frowns a bit at that—he could shoot back that Bakugo's suite was in an even worse state when he saw it the other month, but that was destruction rather than slobbiness. And he also knows full well why it was in such a state, so he won't comment.]
I know how to clean! My dorm room at home was always in great shape, even though I shared with Rinne-senpai and Kanata-kun! But some of these things are Jun-kun's, so cleaning those up makes me feel a bit...
[He trails off, then shrugs.]
Anyway, I have to move some things to fit the statue, so first I'll do that. And then I suppose I should water the plants, too.
[He looks over at his sunflowers.
There are about six of them sitting on the table that separates the sitting area from the bed and bath. Three are incredibly tall, while three are dwarfs. But all of them are vibrant, somehow thriving indoors without any natural sunlight.
Or at least they were thriving. The three tall ones are starting to look a bit wilted, and almost... dejected? But as Hiyori turns and takes half a step towards them, something funny happens: they seem to perk up. The flowers move incrementally as though lifting their heads. Almost like they're sentient beings with souls!
Noticing this, Hiyori says:]
Actually, I'll do that first!
[And then he skips on over, the sunflowers perking up even more visibly as they "watch" him approach.]
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Date: 12/6/25 01:56 (UTC)Tch. You can at least get them organized. [Without looking like a trade market exploded in the living room. Bakugo already notes whether Hiyori's got things in some organized state, keeping shirts and pants together while socks and drawers go alongside each other. He knows how hard it is to go through a lost one's possessions. Letting someone else without the attachment can help.
While Hiyori waters his plants and figures out where to put the statue, Bakugo begins straightening up the clutter. Jun's shirts folded and tiled down one row of the couch, his pants soon alongside in the same pattern. Efficiently and meticulously scraping across the area consolidating and cleaning without leaving any one piece out of Hiyori's sight.]
Oy, what the hell's with those flowers? [They're obviously alive, but they're moving like they're living noticing creatures!]
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Date: 12/8/25 17:36 (UTC)Now, however, the despair is less potent. He's still lonely, seeing Jun's things, but he no longer feels hopeless. Jun isn't frozen in stone forever; he's elsewhere, somewhere outside the resort. Which means Hiyori can see him again, as long as he gets to where Jun is. It might be easier said than done, leaving the resort, but if he follows in Jun's footsteps, then...
Well, anyway. First thing's first. He should be able to clean up the suite now that he's no longer consumed by despair. But he prioritizes the flowers: those are living things (very living, as Bakugo is soon to find out), and he feels bad for neglecting them these past few days. Time to water the plants!
By which he means the dwarf sunflowers. The other, taller ones require a different kind of watering. He takes care of the dwarfs first, which only makes the tall sunflowers even antsier, something Bakugo notices from his end of the room. Hiyori turns around and says:]
You mean these? I guess this is your first meeting.
[He brushes his fingers against one tall sunflower's petals. Subtly, the sunflower bends its stalk and seems to bow its head, almost, as though leaning ever-so-slightly into the touch. Is it cute, or just creepy? Hiyori seems to find it cute, anyway, and looks at the plant fondly, and maybe a tad apologetically. He's sorry he neglected it even for a day.
It also didn't escape his notice that Bakugo has started to clean up. All that griping, but he still took it upon himself to help out even though Hiyori never asked. He's a good boy, as usual, and Hiyori's eyes crinkle fondly at the corners as he looks back at him. As always, he's grateful, whether he says so or not.]
All six of these were gifts, but the tall ones are special. They were developed by a person we both know, and they don't need sunlight as long as they get one thing from me. Rather than explain, it might be faster to just show you, so why don't you stop cleaning and watch? All attention on me, please! ♪
[He's addressing Bakugo, but also the sunflowers. They seem to be waiting, hanging on his next words... as strange as that probably still seems.]
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