omg right

Deku nervously stuttering and barely daring to touch Bakugo because he’s being a little bastard and is growling and snapping at Deku’s fingers. I mean like… goood yess…

They had both agreed to it, somehow, but Midoriya was having second thoughts now whether Bakugo actually wants to try being a puppy or just wanted an opportunity to bite him.

He is crouching on the floor, back round, shoulders up, growling in a low, frightening cadence that grows the closer Midoriya tries to come, voice shaking, fingers trembling.

“C-Come on. Be… be a good puppy, now, okay? K-Kacchan?”

It doesn’t work, obviously, because Bakugo is difficult and Midoriya has no authoritative bone in his body. Still, it hurts to see the bitter, resignated hurt on Bakugo’s face when he has to step back and lean over, taking deep, shuddering breaths because Midoriya doesn’t think for a second that Bakugo wouldn’t bite him viciously if he got close enough.

They don’t talk about it, and Bakugo leaves shortly after, very quiet and very grumpy looking.

Midoriya wonders what he wants from him; that of course he wouldn’t damn touch him if he was acting like a feral wolf. He couldn’t just… just force him to play along…

Midoriya stares ahead at the door Bakugo had left through, deep in thoughts as something clicks inside his head.

When Bakugo visits him the next time, he is not prepared for Midoriya’s hand on his throat, slamming him against the closed door.

“I want to play again,” he tells him in no uncertain terms before Bakugo can shake off his surprise. He sounds a lot more firm and sure than he actually feels. He wonders if Bakugo feels how sweaty his hand is, but if he does, he doesn’t comment on it for once. Rather, he squints at Midoriya, upper lip twitching in a confused snarl.

“What?”

“I want to play again. Go and be a good puppy in he living room.” His hand slides around, gripping the back of Bakugo’s neck rudely; shoves him away from the door and towards the living room.

“Go.”

Bakugo rolls his head around his neck, lifts his shoulders, tugs on the sleeves of his jacket. He glances back at Midoriya, an unholy expression on his face as he starts grinning.

“You want to play, Deku? Want to fail again?” He turns away, starts making his way towards the room. “No skin off my nose.”

He is being flippant about it, but Midoriya can tell he is trying to figure out what’s different this time; why good old, fumbling, stuttering, too-good-for-this-world Deku is acting the way he does.

Midoriya doesn’t intent to let him get his footing back. Having Bakugo off-balance is the only way for him to make this work.

He hides the muzzle behind his back for the longest time, forcing his legs to make step after step towards the feral creature Bakugo has become in the few minutes he’s left him alone. 

When he pulls it out, there’s a stutter in Bakugo’s growl, his head snaps up, confusion on his face, staring at the device, and Midoriya pounces, putting the muzzle in place, and snapping the clasp shut just on the tail end of Bakugo’s first furious headshake.

He steps back hurriedly, watching as Bakugo gets up from his crouch to stand on all fours, shaking his head viciously left to right, trying to shake the muzzle loose. 

Midoriya’s first fear – that Bakugo would use his hands to get the muzzle off – is dashed when his puppy puts his head to the ground and tries to push the straps off with hands held as paws.

Midoriya’s heart finally starts to slow down from the mad dash. He admits freely that he is still very much afraid of Bakugo, but having him muzzled and obviously willing to play along is doing wonders for him.

He slowly sits down, watching Bakugo growl and try desperately to get the muzzle off.

Midoriya is patient, however. He is willing to wait his Bakugo’s temper tantrum out and start training the feral pup properly.