The sun was warm against Uraraka's face as she turned it up to the sky. There wasn't a single cloud in sight, the birds happily flying around the skyscrapers with ease. There was a light breeze that ruffled her ponytail and gave some relief to the warmth of the day. Her hero costume was light and built to breathe, but the long sleeves didn't do much good in the summertime.
Bakugou's hair was also kissed by the wind as he trudged along the sidewalk in front of her, his shoulders swaying with confidence. She couldn't help but admire his muscled arms, uncovered by his costume, and the way his back flexed as he walked. Ever since the night he got sick, when he unknowingly told her his feelings, she couldn't stop thinking about it. Her mind would wander to thoughts of him, and when he was around, she would steal glances of his unassuming form.
This is exactly what she was doing at that moment, watching him from behind as they patrolled the city streets. He was taller since high school, dwarfing her completely. His platinum hair shone in the sunlight, drawing more than just her attention.
Passersby looked to the heroes as they strode past, politely smiling and calling greetings. Bakugou just kept walking, so it was up to Uraraka to return the kindness. Eventually she wandered to his side, looking up at him to say, "Would it kill you to look a little nicer?"
"Yes."
She shot him a look, "Come on, at least say hi to someone when they say hi to you."
"I didn't before, and I won't now." He muttered as they turned into a residential district. It was made up of mostly apartments, but there were still businesses and restaurants that lined the streets.
Just as she was about to respond, a chorus of, "Ground Zero!"'s erupted as a mob of children surrounded Bakugou. They hugged up around him on all sides, grinning at him with excitement. Some of them wore makeshift black masks like him, others with shirts with red X's on the front, like Bakugou's hero costume. He glared down at them, but there was a softness about it, one that said he was accustomed to this.
"What are you brats up to now?" He asked.
They all looked up at him like he was the eight wonder of the world, similarly to how he must have looked at All Might. One little boy, with short black hair, said, "We're on patrol, like you Ground Zero!"
"Yeah, we're doing what you told us to do!" Another child's voice said from the mob. There were probably twelve kids in total, believe it or not.
Bakugou crossed his arms, "Are you doing the other thing I told you to do?"
"Yeah!" The first boy said with excitement, "We've been keeping an eye out, and we've noticed some strange stuff."
"Like?"
"Well, do you remember Hinata?"
"The short girl with curly hair?"
"Yeah!" The boy's excitement dimmed, "She went missing the other day, and no one can find her. Jack said he saw her talking to some guy in a fancy car." One of the boys behind Bakugou, presumably Jack, nodded, "After that, no one has seen her!"
"I'm impressed." Bakugou said, and he actually was, "Anything else to report?"
"I helped Mrs. Tanaka get her cat unstuck from a fence." A girl to his right said, "His head was caught."
"Nice job, Karren." Bakugou said, holding out a fist. She gleefully bumped it with her own, "Do you guys know of anyone else that went missing?"
They shook their heads, "No, but Hideyoshi says he saw a fancy car like Jack saw the other day."
"Where?"
"By my house." Hideyoshi said, "It was sitting across the street."
"And how's your sis, Hide?" Bakugou asked.
"She's good, why?"
"Was she talking to the car?"
"I don't think so." Hide cocked his head, "But I don't really know."
Bakugou put his hands on his hip, looking down at the kids, "Good job, guys, keep up the good work. Heroes do things big and small. Just remember that as long as you're helping others, you're a hero in their eyes."
The kids smiled, making noises of excitement as they wiggled around him. Uraraka watched in amazement as Bakugou interacted with them, not for a million years, expecting something like this to happen. She wasn't even aware that he was capable of being considerate of adults, let alone children, but there he was, encouraging all of them.
Yeah, they looked at him like he used to look at All Might. But to them, Bakugou was their All Might.
"Oh right," Bakugou cleared his throat, glancing at Uraraka, "Guys, this is my new partner, Uravity."
The kids turned their gazes on her, and she said, "Hi there!"
"She's going to be with me for a while now, so get used to seeing her."
For the next ten minutes, Uraraka got to know their names and where they lived in the district. Most of them had parents that were businessmen, so they spent their days playing with each other when they weren't in school. It reminded her of high school, when she lived away from her parents and spent her time with her friends.
They were excited to tell her all about their weekly missions from Bakugou. She learned from them that he would visit every Monday for sure, to enlist their help in a new way. His missions were simple to an adult, but to a kid, they were serious. Cleaning up the litter was one of their biggest to-do's, along with helping at least one person a day, and being safe. The one mission he gave them that never ceased, was watching out for any strange activity in their neighborhood, and to report something right away if they saw something.
Bakugou would stop by on other days of the week if he was able to, but he always made sure to stop on Mondays. That was when the kids would dress up in their Ground Zero hero gear and wait for him by the park. Uraraka had been his partner for a couple weeks now, but the heroes who patrolled parallel to them, had been on different assignments. The reason Uraraka hadn't met them yet, was because she had taken their assignment and split up from Bakugou for a few hours.
It made her heart soar.
"Bye Ground Zero!" They called as Bakugou and Uraraka left the park, "Bye Uravity!"
"Bye, bye!" She waved with a smile.
"Seeya, brats." Bakugou said.
"They were so cute." Uraraka said smiling up at him, "I had no idea you like kids so much."
He shrugged, "Those weirdoes would watch me and Saiko do our patrol all the time. Then one day they all showed up dressed like me and asked for an autograph. Reggie, the little chatterbox with short hair, said they all watched the news when I helped take down that vine villain a few years ago. They recognized me during the news interview and thought it was cool that I patrolled their district. So, that's how it all started."
"I think it's great that you encourage them like that. And giving them special missions seems to really boost their confidence. It's also good that they don't require them to use their quirks."
He trained his gaze on the ground, "Yeah, well, I thought them up specifically, so they didn't have to. Those kids…they're not orphans, per say, but they might as well be. Their parents don't want them, not that they know that."
"What?" Uraraka felt a pang of sadness in her chest, "Why?"
"This is a special district that families were placed in for one reason." He glanced at her, "None of those kids have any quirks."
Uraraka blinked, "They don't have a quirk?"
"No. This district is a black mark in the city, not because it's violent or crime-ridden. It's actually quiet and peaceful. But, this is the place people joke about. Not having a quirk is seen as weak and pathetic, and can ruin your social standing. That's why the parents here are usually not around." He explained.
"That's terrible." Uraraka commented, feeling a frown set in her face, "Those kids are all so sweet and want to help their neighborhood."
"All they want is a purpose." Bakugou said quietly, "All they want is someone to tell them that they're doing a good job, to actually acknowledge them. Who am I, as a hero, not to do something like that?"
The tenderness in his voice made her eyes widen, and for the first time, she wondered who exactly was walking next to her. This whole time, she thought he hadn't changed at all since high school, but she had been dead wrong. This Bakugou, the one who spoke so tenderly about a group of quirkless children, was someone new. He was someone she fell even harder for.
"Why are you staring at me like that, it's fucking creepy." He said, snapping her out of her thoughts and making her blush.
"I was just thinking that you never used to be like this." She said, "Before, you used to look down on people who didn't have quirks."
He looked away, hiding whatever emotion that had been on his face. Was it shame? "Yeah, well…whatever." He stopped in front of a large white house, a wrought iron gate blocking the driveway.
"What are we doing?" She asked.
He poked the doorbell on the outside of the gate, saying, "Hide said that car was parked outside of his house, the one that Hinata was supposedly talking to before she disappeared. I know the local law enforcement was investigating a missing person's case, so I told the kids to keep an extra watch out, but not to do anything stupid. I want to talk to Hide's sister Kay to see if she saw it, too."
"Oh, right." Uraraka heard the gate click and it slid open as a very attractive girl with blonde hair strode down the small driveway, "You think it's something dangerous?"
"Don't know." He said, "But it's better to be safe than sorry, right?"
"Can I help you?" The girl asked as she neared.
"My name is Katsuki Bakugou, I'm pro hero Ground Zero, and this is my partner, Uraraka." Bakugou introduced, "Can we ask you a few questions?"
She crossed her arms, "About?"
"I know your younger brother, Hide." Bakugou said, making her roll her eyes, "He told me there was a car parked outside of your house a few days ago."
"There's lots of cars parked outside of my house." She said, "What's wrong with it?"
"You're name's Kay, right?"
"Yeah?"
"Did you see the car?"
"Like I said, there's lots of cars."
"It's black, higher end than most vehicles around here. I'm sure it would stand out." Bakugou said, putting his hands on his hips, "I'm not trying to hassle you or anything, but the kids seem concerned about it, especially with the recent disappearance of Hinata Morikoshi."
Kay sighed, the defiant teenage look fading away, "Okay, yeah, I saw it. I was coming home from school when he asked me for directions. We got to talking, and he told me he's a professional photographer. He wanted to take some pictures of girls for a portfolio he was doing. Apparently, some clothing magazine editorial wanted him to get some pictures with their summer line. He asked if I wanted to model in some."
"What did you say?"
"I told him I'd have to ask my parents."
"How did he react to that?"
"Fine." She shrugged, "He gave me his business card to call him when I made up my mind. I haven't told my parents yet because I'm scared they'll yell at me for talking to a stranger."
"You're lucky I don't yell at you for talking to a stranger." Bakugou said, "Can I see the business card?"
"Sure, I'll go get it, one sec." She jogged back to the house to get the card, leaving Uraraka and Bakugou standing alone.
"What do you think?" She asked.
"Obvious scheme going on." He answered, "Usually photographers and magazines put out casting calls, they don't just roll up on someone on the street. You'd think people would learn after so many episodes of Forensic Files dealing with this exact situation."
"I agree, it's too creepy." Uraraka said, hugging her arms, "But to girls her age, who want to be pretty and famous, it's the answer to their problems. They're easily convinced."
Kay came back out of the house and handed Bakugou the card, saying, "That's the card he gave me."
"I'm taking this with me, it's best if you don't talk to him anymore, understand?"
"Why? You think he's dangerous?" She asked.
"I don't know, but something tells me he's not a professional photographer." Bakugou put the card in his pocket and then produced one of his own, "If you see him or the car around here again, call me right away. I mean it."
"Okay, I will."
"Kay," Bakugou's gaze bored into her, a pro hero's authority, "do not, under any circumstances, talk to that guy again, do you understand?"
"…Yes."
"I know what it's like to be a teenager and wanting to make a name for yourself," Bakugou put a hand on her shoulder, "but you have to do it on your own. No one can make you go anywhere but yourself. They can help, but in the end, you're your own hero. Remember, that, okay?"
The defense put up, slipped away, and she nodded, "Okay, I promise I won't talk to him."
"Good," Bakugou turned to start walking, "Hide needs you, don't forget that."
They finished their patrol of the district, and started their trip back to the agency to check in for the night. Uraraka was left to think about the car, and the startling nature of it. One girl missing, another preyed upon. Maybe it was nothing, but then again, maybe it was something.
"Stop thinking about it." Bakugou said next to her.
"What?" She asked, nervous that she might have said something out loud.
"I know you," He glanced at her, "you'll stir this over in your head so much that it'll naw at you. We'll bring it up to Blade when we get back, so stop worrying about it."
She gave him a small smile, "How'd you know I was thinking about it?"
"You play with your hair when something's bothering you." He said, jamming his hands in his pockets.
Uraraka hid a smile, "Really?"
Their shoulders brushed together, and she found herself wishing she could lean into him, to rest her head on his shoulder. What she wouldn't give to feel his arm wrap around her, pulling her close to him.
They arrived back at the agency, and reported their findings to Blade. He was impressed, telling them he would report it to the local authorities right away. With that, they ended their day and picked up takeout on the way home.
Sprawled out on the couch, with their feet up on the coffee table, they patted their full stomachs and watched Catfish. Bakugou records every episode ever, by the way. When the clock showed ten, Uraraka sat up and said, "I think I'm going to bed."
"Same." Bakugou said, scratching the back of his head.
"Good night!" She said with a smile, padding across the living room.
Before she could enter the hall, Bakugou called her name, making her look toward him. He still sat how he had before, his eyes on the tv, but not really watching it, "Do you think…never mind."
"What?" She asked, "You can tell me."
"Go to sleep, round face." He muttered, "It wasn't important."
"Okay then, goodnight."
"Night." He said, for the thousandth time failing at trying to decipher if she felt anything at all for him. If she had longed to be in his arms, just as much as he had to feel her in them.
It was probably just wishful thinking.
"Yo, Shirazu, boss wants you in his office!"
Kirishima turned away from the poker board in front of him, to glance at the person who'd called for him. Jack Tachibana had his thumb thrown over his shoulder, his pin-striped suit ruffled from the obvious outing he'd just had.
"For what?"
"Fuck if I know, just go." Jack shrugged, taking his seat at the poker table.
Kirishima swallowed hard. He'd been undercover with them for a few weeks now, gathering as much intel as he could without being too obvious. He made sure to cover every move, so it wasn't possible for them to have found him out.
But what if he'd slipped up? Maybe he wasn't good enough. Maybe it was just an honest mistake. Maybe the boss just wanted to check up on him, it wasn't something he'd never done before.
He paused in front of his office door, trying to push the negative thoughts aside. With a deep breath, he knocked on the door and waited for him to answer.
"Yes."
Kirishima pushed open the door, revealing a small room. Bookshelves lined the walls, and two couches faced each other in the middle. Along the opposite wall of the door, the boss's desk sat in front of a large window, and seated at the desk, was the boss himself. Ginshou Hiragi, a massive bald-headed man that would rival All Might's glory days, sat with his chin resting in threaded fingers, and unreadable expression on his face, "Sit."
Kirishima moved silently to the chair in front of his desk, sinking down into it, and hoping to whoever was up there, that he would be able to rise back out. "Good afternoon, Boss."
"How are you, Shirazu?"
"I'm fine."
"The boys treating you good?"
"It took some warming up, but I think I'm in good standing."
"Good, because you know what? I like you."
"Aw man, that means a lot, Boss." Kirishima said cheerfully, "Really. Being the new guy, I was worried no one would trust me."
"It's tough to trust someone in this business, Shirazu. Do you want to know the reason I called you to my office today?" Boss asked, but didn't give him enough time to answer, "I have a job for you."
Kirishima felt his eyes widen genuinely. This was it! His hard work was paying off! Get close to Boss, get him to trust him enough to spill his secrets. He was one step closer to another successful mission. He really hadn't called him to his office for anything bad! "Really? No way! I-I mean, what kind of job, Boss?"
He grinned, "A good one. It involves you going undercover in XX City."
"XX City?" Kirishima asked with interest, "What's there?"
"That's what you're going to find out." Boss said, "I worked closely with my associate to build you an alias and life to go with it. I trust that you'll study the material so well that you become the person I tell you to."
"Of course! I mean, how hard could it be?" Kirishima said with a grin, "So, what's my name?"
Boss leaned back in his chair, placing his hands on either armrest, "How's, Eijiro Kirishima?"
The blood in his veins turned to ice almost instantly, and he felt the color drain out of his blank face. Impossible. Kirishima had covered his steps, he knew he did, Boss shouldn't have ever suspected him. Had he from the very beginning?
"Really? No defense?" Boss asked, "Just going to sit there with a blank look on your face?"
"I…I don't know what you mean." Kirishima tried to laugh, but it sounded more like a whimper, "Sure, Eijiro Kirishima sounds good."
"You can't talk your way out of this one, Kirishima." Boss grinned, showing his white teeth, "I've made you."
"My name is Shirazu, Boss." Kirishima pleaded, "I don't even know anyone named Kirishima!"
"Eijiro Kirishima, twenty-three years old, pro hero Red Riot." Boss listed, "Graduate of UA High, employed at Blade Agency, best friend is Katsuki Bakugou, also known as pro hero Ground Zero."
Bakugou could take care of himself if someone came after him, "You mean the blabbermouth on the news sometimes?"
This time, Boss's gaze locked onto his, and something glinted in the blacks of them, "Girlfriend is Mina Ashido, also known as pro hero, Pinky."
Nausea rose up in his stomach, and it took everything he had not to sweat. Damn, there was no way he could talk himself out of this one, Boss had way too much on him. Clenching and unclenching his fists, he asked, "How'd you find me out?"
"It's always the girlfriend." Boss commented, "That's why you shouldn't have one. How did I know you were a spy? When we first met, I couldn't help but think that I saw you somewhere once. I knew I did, but I couldn't place my finger on it. It ate at me until the Sports Festival last weekend. I was watching it, when I realized that was where I recognized you from. You fought that silver guy and beat him. That was one of the most exciting Sports Festivals in history, so I remember it clearly. Being that you were a student there, I took it upon myself to make sure you weren't a hero, and what did I find?"
"That I was a hero."
"Bingo." Boss said, "It's really bad luck for you that the Sports Festival happened to be around this time. If it weren't for that, I would have never known. You're a good infiltrator, Kirishima, I wouldn't have suspected you of being a spy."
"So now what?" Kirishima asked, "Gonna have your guys kill me?"
Boss laughed, "Oh no, first I'm going to find out how much you know about me and the organization, and how much you've told your friends. Then my men will kill you."
"They might as well just do it then." Kirishima said confidently, despite the sweat rolling down his back, "I won't spill."
Boss laughed as the door behind Kirishima slowly opened. He heard footsteps approaching from behind, and knew they belonged to his torturers.
"We'll see."
A/N: Dun, dun, dunnnnn! I'll leave it at that…
I don't really have much to say on my own today, I'm completely exhausted from work and put my best effort forward for this chapter! With that being said, I'm a little disappointed in it, but I managed to keep the mature Bakugou theme. I always thought that he would try to influence people in his own way, sort of like All Might, and who doesn't love a guy that encourages kids? Especially kids that don't have quirks, like Midoriya, who he hated for it. I kind of had the idea that eventually Baku would feel a little guilty for how he treated Deku, but cannon, maybe not…
Clarissa Kirishima: You and me both about the someone sick scenario. It's so cliché but I just fricking love it!
FreelanceWrter365: Thank you and welcome to the craziness!
Angel of Pandemonium: I just noticed that some people in My Hero get drawbacks from their quirks, or have special activators, (even tho Baku has to sweat in order to explode). Thank you!
Lachica1799: Hmm, what did Uraraka watch? I would definitely say Game of Thrones if it was on there, maybe Godless? I love Godless…Completely necessary advancement on the romance part!
Chinitadere: Thank you for the awesome compliments! As an author, I really enjoy it when people have nice things to say about what I do! Uraraka hasn't done a single thing about this confession, and I'm sort of triggered by it even though I wrote it? Trying to slow build is so hard sometimes!
Rhearenee: This drawback has been talked about in other fics that I've done with him, so originally it was a valid thought I had. In this story, I mostly used it for the cliché aspect, though. Thanks for the view!
I just want everyone to know that I finished writing this while watching Return of the King, because Lord of the Rings is my absolute favorite series EVER.
As always, thank you to everyone who's read, reviewed, favorited, and followed this story so far! You guys rock!
Until next time.
