That's fair. You'll get used to your new life after. And I'm here to help anyway I can.
[Mike knows his connection to Bakugo can be useful here. He whispers a spell to himself for the knowledge of change with Bakugo. Being a death mage was nice for learning things like that.]
[There's a noticeable amount of time that passes, without a reply from the boy. Because Mike guessed (found out) his birthday perfectly, and of course it's freaking him out a little!!! Is he that obvious..??]
I hate my birthday. And I hate parties. And I have a feeling if word got out SOMEONE here might throw something stupid thinking they're doing me a favour.
[Probably Rinku... she seems like someone who loves to throw a good party.]
I used to like it. But when I was ten my mom decided I was too old to celebrate anymore. And she made me feel stupid for being sad because there was no party by calling me names. At TEN!!
[Katsuki never needed bullies at school because he had his mom!!!!!]
Plus, I hate that kind of attention now that I'm older. The idea of people singing while I blow out candles makes me want to puke.
I have no idea what her problem is. She's a crazy old hag. One minute she'll be nice and sweet and act like a normal mom and then the next she'll be swearing at me and smacking me because I forgot to put my shoes away. I can never guess what mood she'll be in and it drives me nuts.
As for attention I actually like? I like fans. I like people praising me. Worshipping me. Obsessing over me. I love hearing people cheer my name. Scream for me.
[Mike knocking just a couple of seconds after that text has the blonde boy jump in his seat. And for a second he freezes, worried about some stranger being at his door rather than the man he expected.
But then he remembers that Mike can do just about anything. It's more likely to be him than some random douchebag wanting something to do with Katsuki. So he gets up to his feet, and crosses the livingroom to the door. Opening it a crack, just to humor his paranoia and double check that it's Mike, before opening it the rest of the way.
Stepping aside so Mike can come in.]
Can you let me know you're gonna teleport in front of my door next time? You scared the shit outta me.
[Mike will notice immediately that Katsuki's decorating taste is... exactly expected. Skulls adorn posters, pillows and throws, and cooking utensils. Just about anything that could have a skull on it does. There's a few paintings of explosions hanging on his walls, as well. Some he's done in his spare time to get used to his left arm being the dominant one, at the suggestion of a few different people.
The floor is also interesting, as it's covered in cat toys that lead mostly to his bedroom. Where a tortoiseshell scottish fold lays on his bed, looking at the two curiously but not wanting to leave the comfort of the room.]
[Mike says as he enters the apartment. His eyes scan the decor, the paintings, and then the toys. His eyes see the cat and he waves at the cute cat. He snaps his fingers and some treats appear on the bed by the cute little cat. He turns and looks at Bakugo. His fingers twitch as he casts one more quick spell on the apartment.]
There. I added the soundproofing spell I did on the castle on your apartment. I can remove it if you want. Just in case.
So. I'll jump to the first concern I have. Your mom. Has she always been violent with you?
[Katsuki is as curious as he is starting to feel anxious at Mike's demeanor. He was so serious, even when waving at Deku (his cat's name) and giving the kitty treats... and then he's suddenly soundproofing the apartment? What could he want to talk about that's so--
Oh.]
...violent?
[Katsuki had talked about this with Shoto a bit, when they were forced to accept truths about themselves that they didn't quite want to. And back then it felt just awkward. A little uncomfortable. But with Mike? Who he looks up to quite a bit and has already established a father-like relationship with? He's not so sure how he wants to talk about this with him... it suddenly feels much more serious than before.]
Ah.. y-yeah. Since my Quirk developed.
[The blonde reaches up to rub the back of his neck, having a hard time looking at Mike. He was four when his Quirk first started to develop, and he used to go around exploding everything in sight until his mom started to punish him for it with smacks to the back of his head. But then that made him start defending himself against her, and by the time he was fourteen they would have fights that destroyed their whole livingroom....]
But-- but I hit her back! All the time! It's not like it was all her... and she still treated me like a mom despite it!
[He defends her a little bit, feeling guilty to have made Mike worry like this.]
[Mike listens. The question threw him off. The way he hesitates and it comes back to his Quirk. The controlled explosions with his hands. It's painting a more clear picture of some of it. Still, Mike doesn't like the sound of a lot of it. It's too similar, hits a little too close to home.]
Hm. Alright. But she told you you were too old to celebrate your birthday with your friends at ten. And now the thought of it makes you want to puke.
You want adulation. You want celebrity. Before we talked about romance, you were never interested in anything like that.
Do you know why you want that instead of birthday parties and things like that?
[There is an issue here and he wants to address it. Bakugo craves a certain kind of attention. One that, despite everything that comes with it, can be safer in some ways than close personal relationships, romantic or platonic. He wonders if the young man knows why or if he only knows he wants it.]
[Katsuki listens to what Mike says, and asks. But it's a bit hard for him to follow, when to him it sounds perfectly fine and normal. Why wouldn't he want things like being a celebrity instead of a dinky birthday party? Wouldn't.. anyone..?]
...i-it's just a preference.
[He doesn't know why, but he feels guarded. Unsure if he likes the prodding that Mike is doing about him and his past and the way he thinks.]
It is. ...But you can have both. You can quite literally have your cake and eat it too.
[Mike sighs and moves to sit somewhere. He runs his hand through his hair.]
Not wanting a birthday party is totally normal. Not everyone likes parties like that. Wanting instead a part to celebrate you being, Best Hero of All Time, is also normal. I'm not trying to say; hey, you're doing it wrong. But...only chasing the adulation? The celebrity? Wanting to be worshipped and adored and obsessed over might also feel safer. People then care about you without having to actually know or care about them. You don't need to. They just need to give you their adulation and praise and attention.
But there is a dangerous path to that road if you don't temper it. A path where you need more and more. That's how things like a cult of personality can be formed, even without you realizing it. Or you do realize and you like it so much, you keep going. Because it gets you more and more.
I've seen what that path looks like. What worst possible outcome it can lead to. ...That's how my mother operates. The people who follow and obey her do it because they worship her as a god. They do anything she commands because she gives them power, money, access to things they couldn't do themselves. She asks for praise, worship, and absolute loyalty.
Maybe I'm reading too much into it with you I just...want to make sure you aren't about to walk a path you can't come back from. A path many might not be able to walk with you either.
[Katsuki is silent when he listens to Mike speak. Finally turning his gaze to watch as the older man takes a seat and runs a hand through his hair. He looks stressed as he's explaining to Katsuki that he's worried about the boy taking a certain path. A path where obsession turns into something more. Something cultish. Dangerous.
The mention of it has a thick lump form in his throat, and he tries to swallow it away. Because he absolutely understands what Mike is saying. He used to live life close to something like that. He used to have students practically kiss the ground he walked on, and who would do absolutely anything he said. It went to his head. Big time. And he became the worst version of himself, because of it. And he still has fragments of that version inside of him, that peek out now and then. He wonders... was it happening now?
Quietly, he moves to take a seat next to Mike. To show him that he's not upset with Mike's assumption that he might go down a similar path.]
...I get it. I sound insane when I say shit like I want people to "worship" me, or "obsess" over me. It sounds like I just want people to think of me as a God. To put me on some kind of pedestal.
[It doesn't help that his Hero Name has "God" in it...]
But I promise it's not... like that. I don't mean it. Not that much.
[It's hard to admit when he's just saying stuff to sound cool, or tough. He hates letting other people in like this... he hates letting them know that he's maybe a bit softer on the inside than he lets on. But Mike was worried, genuinely. So he wants to let him know.]
I used to. Growing up... I used to think of myself as the best person on the planet. And I had a lot of people around me who treated me like it, too. My teachers, my classmates, my friends-- they all told me all the time how great I was. How cool and powerful my Quirk was. How I was going to grow up and be the best Hero ever. It went to my head.. way too much.
[He starts to explain about himself a bit more. About his past. Letting his gaze stick to the floor as he speaks.]
At the same time, my mom would do the opposite and try to knock my ego down a few pegs by insulting me whenever she could or hitting me over stupid shit. But as I said, she wasn't doing it all on her own. I was a real piece of shit. I would call her really horrible things myself, and throw stuff at her. Blow up her favourite things to get back at her for grounding me.
[Katsuki can feel his face heat up when he admits this. How awful he was to her in return. Yeah, it's not right for a mom to react to her son with violence but he really couldn't blame her at the same time, sometimes.]
And I... I even had a group of friends who would follow me around and bully or beat up anyone who looked at me weird. They'd act like I was this untouchable star who could do anything, and who's future was so bright and set ahead of him. And because of that... I believed them. And I let them harass the other kids. And I even joined in.
I hurt a lot of people for no reason... everyone was terrified of me. Even the teachers.
[He won't even get into the stuff with Izuku. His best friend who he relentlessly harassed for their entire lives. That would.. take way too long.]
It took going to a high school made for pros for me to snap out of it. I had to physically see that there were people just as strong-- and even stronger than me to realize that I wasn't so untouchable after all. I've grown a lot, too.
[Very hesitantly, he reaches out with his left hand to gently pat at Mike's back. Reassuringly.]
And I refuse to go back to how I used to be. So... don't worry so much about me.
[This time it is Mike's turn to listen. He watches the young man as he explains things about himself and his past. Not the whole story but one that Mike can follow. An ego stroked by those around him, by a world and culture who favors such strong Quirks. That obsesses over their power. It would be hard for anyone to not grow a huge head with so much praise.
He is glad Bakugo sits next to him and pats him on the back. That speaks volumes. Mike smiles softly and nods.]
I won't tell anyone that some of the things you say is you being a try hard. And I'll remind myself of that too.
It takes a lot to admit that kind of stuff, that kind of change.
If your mom ever shows up, I'm definitely going to talk to her still. But parents make mistake. What's important is if they learn from them and help their child heal and understand they were mistakes.
I'm glad I don't need to worry about you so much there then. Makes me proud to know that you've already overcome some of that in yourself. And are keeping it in check. That's good work, Bakugo. Keep it up.
[Katsuki smiles, a little bit, when Mike praises him and tells him that he's proud of the work that Katsuki has done on himself. It makes him feel proud of himself in return. He knows he's going on the right path, by being more open and kind to others. And the more praise he gets for it, the easier it makes it.]
...thanks. I've really been trying.
[It's been so hard. Beating that awful version of himself down, and allowing himself to be a person that his past self would have laughed at.]
And... I appreciate you looking out for me. Especially in regards to my mom. I know it's not right that she hits me, and I probably shouldn't defend her over it. But... she's still my mom. It's not like she hates me. Like you said, it's just... mistakes.
[Katsuki hopes she never arrives to this place. One: because he's uncomfortable with the idea of his family members getting mixed up in anything even remotely dangerous. And two: she does N O T need super powers that can actually harm other people. If she had something that could rival Katsuki's explosions? Oh god.. he doesn't want to think of it.]
I dunno how well she'd react to some guy telling her how to raise her kid. But... maybe if I was nicer to her, she'd learn to be nicer back.
[Mike nods. It isn't okay for his mom to hit him or him to hit her back. Clearly though, Bakugo loves his mother. And that's good. Great, honestly. Love means a relationship can mend into something healthier in the long run. With time and encouragement.]
I'm sensitive to it, I guess. Given my own mother.
I'm not going to give her a lecture or hand her a Parenting Guide for Dummies book or anything. I'm going to just touch base. Tell her what a great kid she has and maybe less smacks and more constructive criticism would go a long way. That's all.
[Katsuki's still pretty sure his mother would react poorly to something like that... but maybe not. Maybe if it's from another parent she'd actually listen.]
I'm still not sure if she'd listen or not... but if she ever arrives here, I'll make sure to introduce you.
[He'd also like to see him talk to his dad, too. Maybe his dad just needs his own father figure to learn from?? Who knows.]
And... if you wanna talk about your mom. You can. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little curious... especially with what I've heard about her so far.
[A villain who is also the Queen of Magic... sounds very intense.]
My mother has found a few...different means of immortality.
Her first one was drinking vampire blood. It halts the aging process but creates an issue of a bond to the one you drink from. And killing too many vampires draws attention.
So she turned her attention to finding new bodies. Other mages who were strong. And she would steal their bodies and consume their souls.
She did that for centuries. Over and over again, growing more and more powerful. Until she mastered every sphere of magic except Death. She never touched that one. Never has, never will. She won't risk it.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
[Mike knows his connection to Bakugo can be useful here. He whispers a spell to himself for the knowledge of change with Bakugo. Being a death mage was nice for learning things like that.]
lol. Your birthday is on April 20th, right kid?
no subject
No.
[Yes. After a moment, he'll relent:]
How the fuck did you guess that?
no subject
Magic.
[There is a pause.]
I won't tell anyone if you don't want me to.
no subject
Yeah. Please don't.
I hate my birthday. And I hate parties. And I have a feeling if word got out SOMEONE here might throw something stupid thinking they're doing me a favour.
[Probably Rinku... she seems like someone who loves to throw a good party.]
no subject
I know a couple people who would do just that.
[Definitely Rinku.]
No parties. Why do you hate your birthday though? There a story there?
no subject
[Katsuki never needed bullies at school because he had his mom!!!!!]
Plus, I hate that kind of attention now that I'm older. The idea of people singing while I blow out candles makes me want to puke.
no subject
Okay question. What kind of attention do you enjoy?
no subject
As for attention I actually like? I like fans. I like people praising me. Worshipping me. Obsessing over me. I love hearing people cheer my name. Scream for me.
[he's such a weirdo!!]
no subject
Can I come visit you, by chance? I want to ask some things and frankly text I think is gonna take too long.
no subject
Visit? Sure, I guess.
[He's a little confused, but he sends his apartment's address anyway. Why would Mike have so much to ask?? He answered his question perfectly fine!!]
Am I about to get a dad lesson again?
no subject
[Mike texts and less than a minute later, there is a knock at Bakugo's door. That was fast. Magic is awesome.]
no subject
But then he remembers that Mike can do just about anything. It's more likely to be him than some random douchebag wanting something to do with Katsuki. So he gets up to his feet, and crosses the livingroom to the door. Opening it a crack, just to humor his paranoia and double check that it's Mike, before opening it the rest of the way.
Stepping aside so Mike can come in.]
Can you let me know you're gonna teleport in front of my door next time? You scared the shit outta me.
[Mike will notice immediately that Katsuki's decorating taste is... exactly expected. Skulls adorn posters, pillows and throws, and cooking utensils. Just about anything that could have a skull on it does. There's a few paintings of explosions hanging on his walls, as well. Some he's done in his spare time to get used to his left arm being the dominant one, at the suggestion of a few different people.
The floor is also interesting, as it's covered in cat toys that lead mostly to his bedroom. Where a tortoiseshell scottish fold lays on his bed, looking at the two curiously but not wanting to leave the comfort of the room.]
no subject
[Mike says as he enters the apartment. His eyes scan the decor, the paintings, and then the toys. His eyes see the cat and he waves at the cute cat. He snaps his fingers and some treats appear on the bed by the cute little cat. He turns and looks at Bakugo. His fingers twitch as he casts one more quick spell on the apartment.]
There. I added the soundproofing spell I did on the castle on your apartment. I can remove it if you want. Just in case.
So. I'll jump to the first concern I have. Your mom. Has she always been violent with you?
no subject
Oh.]
...violent?
[Katsuki had talked about this with Shoto a bit, when they were forced to accept truths about themselves that they didn't quite want to. And back then it felt just awkward. A little uncomfortable. But with Mike? Who he looks up to quite a bit and has already established a father-like relationship with? He's not so sure how he wants to talk about this with him... it suddenly feels much more serious than before.]
Ah.. y-yeah. Since my Quirk developed.
[The blonde reaches up to rub the back of his neck, having a hard time looking at Mike. He was four when his Quirk first started to develop, and he used to go around exploding everything in sight until his mom started to punish him for it with smacks to the back of his head. But then that made him start defending himself against her, and by the time he was fourteen they would have fights that destroyed their whole livingroom....]
But-- but I hit her back! All the time! It's not like it was all her... and she still treated me like a mom despite it!
[He defends her a little bit, feeling guilty to have made Mike worry like this.]
no subject
Hm. Alright. But she told you you were too old to celebrate your birthday with your friends at ten. And now the thought of it makes you want to puke.
You want adulation. You want celebrity. Before we talked about romance, you were never interested in anything like that.
Do you know why you want that instead of birthday parties and things like that?
[There is an issue here and he wants to address it. Bakugo craves a certain kind of attention. One that, despite everything that comes with it, can be safer in some ways than close personal relationships, romantic or platonic. He wonders if the young man knows why or if he only knows he wants it.]
no subject
[Katsuki listens to what Mike says, and asks. But it's a bit hard for him to follow, when to him it sounds perfectly fine and normal. Why wouldn't he want things like being a celebrity instead of a dinky birthday party? Wouldn't.. anyone..?]
...i-it's just a preference.
[He doesn't know why, but he feels guarded. Unsure if he likes the prodding that Mike is doing about him and his past and the way he thinks.]
no subject
[Mike sighs and moves to sit somewhere. He runs his hand through his hair.]
Not wanting a birthday party is totally normal. Not everyone likes parties like that. Wanting instead a part to celebrate you being, Best Hero of All Time, is also normal. I'm not trying to say; hey, you're doing it wrong. But...only chasing the adulation? The celebrity? Wanting to be worshipped and adored and obsessed over might also feel safer. People then care about you without having to actually know or care about them. You don't need to. They just need to give you their adulation and praise and attention.
But there is a dangerous path to that road if you don't temper it. A path where you need more and more. That's how things like a cult of personality can be formed, even without you realizing it. Or you do realize and you like it so much, you keep going. Because it gets you more and more.
I've seen what that path looks like. What worst possible outcome it can lead to. ...That's how my mother operates. The people who follow and obey her do it because they worship her as a god. They do anything she commands because she gives them power, money, access to things they couldn't do themselves. She asks for praise, worship, and absolute loyalty.
Maybe I'm reading too much into it with you I just...want to make sure you aren't about to walk a path you can't come back from. A path many might not be able to walk with you either.
no subject
The mention of it has a thick lump form in his throat, and he tries to swallow it away. Because he absolutely understands what Mike is saying. He used to live life close to something like that. He used to have students practically kiss the ground he walked on, and who would do absolutely anything he said. It went to his head. Big time. And he became the worst version of himself, because of it. And he still has fragments of that version inside of him, that peek out now and then. He wonders... was it happening now?
Quietly, he moves to take a seat next to Mike. To show him that he's not upset with Mike's assumption that he might go down a similar path.]
...I get it. I sound insane when I say shit like I want people to "worship" me, or "obsess" over me. It sounds like I just want people to think of me as a God. To put me on some kind of pedestal.
[It doesn't help that his Hero Name has "God" in it...]
But I promise it's not... like that. I don't mean it. Not that much.
[It's hard to admit when he's just saying stuff to sound cool, or tough. He hates letting other people in like this... he hates letting them know that he's maybe a bit softer on the inside than he lets on. But Mike was worried, genuinely. So he wants to let him know.]
I used to. Growing up... I used to think of myself as the best person on the planet. And I had a lot of people around me who treated me like it, too. My teachers, my classmates, my friends-- they all told me all the time how great I was. How cool and powerful my Quirk was. How I was going to grow up and be the best Hero ever. It went to my head.. way too much.
[He starts to explain about himself a bit more. About his past. Letting his gaze stick to the floor as he speaks.]
At the same time, my mom would do the opposite and try to knock my ego down a few pegs by insulting me whenever she could or hitting me over stupid shit. But as I said, she wasn't doing it all on her own. I was a real piece of shit. I would call her really horrible things myself, and throw stuff at her. Blow up her favourite things to get back at her for grounding me.
[Katsuki can feel his face heat up when he admits this. How awful he was to her in return. Yeah, it's not right for a mom to react to her son with violence but he really couldn't blame her at the same time, sometimes.]
And I... I even had a group of friends who would follow me around and bully or beat up anyone who looked at me weird. They'd act like I was this untouchable star who could do anything, and who's future was so bright and set ahead of him. And because of that... I believed them. And I let them harass the other kids. And I even joined in.
I hurt a lot of people for no reason... everyone was terrified of me. Even the teachers.
[He won't even get into the stuff with Izuku. His best friend who he relentlessly harassed for their entire lives. That would.. take way too long.]
It took going to a high school made for pros for me to snap out of it. I had to physically see that there were people just as strong-- and even stronger than me to realize that I wasn't so untouchable after all. I've grown a lot, too.
[Very hesitantly, he reaches out with his left hand to gently pat at Mike's back. Reassuringly.]
And I refuse to go back to how I used to be. So... don't worry so much about me.
no subject
He is glad Bakugo sits next to him and pats him on the back. That speaks volumes. Mike smiles softly and nods.]
I won't tell anyone that some of the things you say is you being a try hard. And I'll remind myself of that too.
It takes a lot to admit that kind of stuff, that kind of change.
If your mom ever shows up, I'm definitely going to talk to her still. But parents make mistake. What's important is if they learn from them and help their child heal and understand they were mistakes.
I'm glad I don't need to worry about you so much there then. Makes me proud to know that you've already overcome some of that in yourself. And are keeping it in check. That's good work, Bakugo. Keep it up.
no subject
...thanks. I've really been trying.
[It's been so hard. Beating that awful version of himself down, and allowing himself to be a person that his past self would have laughed at.]
And... I appreciate you looking out for me. Especially in regards to my mom. I know it's not right that she hits me, and I probably shouldn't defend her over it. But... she's still my mom. It's not like she hates me. Like you said, it's just... mistakes.
[Katsuki hopes she never arrives to this place. One: because he's uncomfortable with the idea of his family members getting mixed up in anything even remotely dangerous. And two: she does N O T need super powers that can actually harm other people. If she had something that could rival Katsuki's explosions? Oh god.. he doesn't want to think of it.]
I dunno how well she'd react to some guy telling her how to raise her kid. But... maybe if I was nicer to her, she'd learn to be nicer back.
no subject
I'm sensitive to it, I guess. Given my own mother.
I'm not going to give her a lecture or hand her a Parenting Guide for Dummies book or anything. I'm going to just touch base. Tell her what a great kid she has and maybe less smacks and more constructive criticism would go a long way. That's all.
no subject
I'm still not sure if she'd listen or not... but if she ever arrives here, I'll make sure to introduce you.
[He'd also like to see him talk to his dad, too. Maybe his dad just needs his own father figure to learn from?? Who knows.]
And... if you wanna talk about your mom. You can. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little curious... especially with what I've heard about her so far.
[A villain who is also the Queen of Magic... sounds very intense.]
no subject
I suppose I can. I'd be more surprised if you weren't curious.
Hm. I guess the best place to start is the beginning. My mother is old. And I mean very very old. She was there when Atlantis sank into the ocean.
no subject
[THAT LONG AGO?? Katsuki can't hide his surprise, eyes wide. How could someone be that old?]
Is she still alive?
no subject
[Mike nods because oh yeah. She's alive.]
My mother has found a few...different means of immortality.
Her first one was drinking vampire blood. It halts the aging process but creates an issue of a bond to the one you drink from. And killing too many vampires draws attention.
So she turned her attention to finding new bodies. Other mages who were strong. And she would steal their bodies and consume their souls.
She did that for centuries. Over and over again, growing more and more powerful. Until she mastered every sphere of magic except Death. She never touched that one. Never has, never will. She won't risk it.
Not since she found Pandora's Box.
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
CW: Mention of attempted suicide
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
We love new icons
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
you ever flip a coin to decide if a character is lactose intolerant
I have not but flipping a coin is so valid. Done it for other things
(no subject)
(no subject)