( "know your place" )

[below]

[ In and of itself, Mayuzumi has never been particularly upset with his status as "furniture". It's not a great life, but it's not terrible; he has a purpose and a function in life, and he's given all the things he needs to live. Being a footstool specifically — well, okay, he can't lie, that's not exactly the most appealing thing. But he has no discontent from the fact that he's furniture to begin with, or the entire concept of human furniture being a thing.

Some might call that a lack of ambition. Personally, he just thinks that he's well-adjusted and doesn't want to risk what he does have for the purpose of rocking the boat for... what, exactly?

Besides, Akashi's not all that bad for an owner. Sometimes he has some very specific requests, but he doesn't dig in his heels and he doesn't ask for anything that is much of a pain to deliver on. Which is why Akashi's suggestion that he gets an upgrade takes him a little off guard.

It's not unheard of, at least, for furniture to change functions. They're not literal pieces of wood, after all, they're more flexible than that. Usually, it's furniture getting moved down the rung, though, not taking a rise in status. To be honest, Mayuzumi almost doesn't want the change that badly, if it's going to mean more work for him, but when he hears Akashi go into details, he acquiesces without protest. Both a shogi board and a footstool mostly just sit there as still as possible. The only difference is that a shogi board needs the proper marks to be played upon.

That's what brings them to this point: Mayuzumi with his shirt off, looking as blank as ever, as Akashi prepares to do the proper marking. He is not entirely convinced that this is the most well-informed plan ever, but Akashi seems to have a bunch of weird talents that are out there, so. Why tattooing? Why not tattooing. ]

... Right. Ready whenever you are, young master.

[ He's never quite been able to figure out whether that term of address is something Akashi likes or not. But his father's still alive and kicking, so he's the young master until then. ]

Or do you need help with preparations.

[ He doesn't even know how to prepare for something like this. Disinfecting needles, maybe? If it's something simple, he figures he may as well offer in his roundabout way to be of assistance. It's kind of a thing he does, being furniture and all. ]

( but all of it's fake, right? right... )

[blazeit]

[ In retrospect, he should have seen something like this coming. Bakugou hadn't wanted to show up to this dumb study group meet-up, but then there had been an appeal to his ego and a carefully placed comment of, "Oh, I guess we can ask Midoriya for help instead —" and then he had stupidly, pridefully given in.

It's a set-up. He can tell immediately it's a set-up when he shows up to the family restaurant that Kirishima had told him they were meeting up at and the only one there is Todoroki sitting there. He glances out the nearest window and — yep, there they are. Kirishima, Kaminari, and Mineta sitting on a bench across the street, looking incredibly obvious, bundled up in winter clothes but otherwise pitifully undisguised. They probably thought it would be downright hilarious to watch Bakugou's unbridled fury at being sent to go have lunch and a study date with Todoroki, of all people. Well, hah!! They're not going to get their way.

Instead of leaving immediately to go punch them in their dumb faces, Bakugou instead sighs sharply and slides into the seat across from Todoroki. He's betting that Todoroki was tricked into this too, which means it's marginally more likely that Todoroki is going to go along with this plan. ]

Hey. [ He tilts his head at the window, a quick snap of the neck so that the idiots across the street can't tell he's indicating them. ] Did those morons trick you, too?

— and don't turn your head to look in their direction. [ It'll be too obvious if they realize he's caught on to what's going on! ]