Was Bakugou falling for a pro hero?
The guy didn't even have a hero name when they'd first met.
Bakugou remembers that night vividly, but some days it still feels like a distant dream. Sometimes he wishes that it had all just been a dream. He'll never admit it, but getting kidkna—taken—by the League of Villains was terrifying as fuck. Even when he'd sent a fiery explosion right to that handy guy's ugly face and devised a rough plan of escape, he was scared.
"I've…always admired…All Might's Triumphs."
When he'd said that, he was hoping in the back of his mind that All Might would come to the rescue. Come to his rescue. Come to rattle the bones of these stupid villains and beat 'em to the ground with that heroic smile on his face.
"we…are here!"
In a way, it was All Might who'd saved him that night. But it was someone else's words, someone else smile, that ebbed away the fear and reassured him that everything was going to be okay.
"Must have been scary, huh? Good job holding out!"
That stupid, green-haired shortie.
"I'm sorry we took so long… but you're okay now, kid!"
The anger that had risen in him from being called a kid by someone shorter than him (but definitely older) vanished any trace of fear out of his body and made him want to punch that bright, comforting smile right off the guy's face.
"Sca…Scary? As if! I almost had 'em!"
The damned freckled-face just smiled brighter and gave him thumbs up. Amidst all the chaos and the heroes that had sprung to action around them…this guy was like a pillar of light. It felt somehow familiar. Something about the way he spoke, the way he carried himself, and the way his smile never broke. Like…
Like a beacon of…
Then All Might was there too, and Bakugou found himself in-between the two heroes.
Safe.
"Looks like you've still got a lot to learn…Shigaraki."
All Might's voice boomed, filling the room with his unwavering hope. But then a smaller, younger voice, somehow filled with just as much conviction, had joined.
"You're little league has gone and taken some things too lightly…"
A hand was on his shoulder.
"Like this boy's indomitable spirit!"
Bakugou's gaze had followed the hand on his shoulder to the person it belonged to. There, standing tall (figuratively, of course) with that shit-eating grin and bright green eyes, was that green-haired guy.
No…hero.
Even now, as Bakugou sat beside Kirishima on the couch watching tv, his mind drifted back to that day one year ago. Back to that look on that guy's face. Back to that hand on his shoulder. Back to that feeling he got—like warm sunlight had been draped around him.
His hand tightened around the remote, and that urge to punch the charming smile off that bush-haired shortie vanished all his other thoughts into nothing.
Those stupid big eyes that fucking sparkled like his pearly white teeth and his stupid freckles that looked like stars that made him wonder if he could trace stupid fucking constellations with them—
"Hey!"
The remote was suddenly snatched from his death-grip, bringing him back to the present.
Kirishima was cradling the remote like it was a wounded animal, an accusing gaze pointed at Bakugou himself. "Are you trying to break it or something? Man, if you wanted to watch something else you could have just said so!"
Bakugou turned his face away from that gaze which made a sliver of guilt creep up his spine. "Not my fault you like to watch boring shit."
To tell the truth, Bakugou hadn't even been paying attention to whatever was on. He'd zoned out before he even processed what the show was about.
"What was that? Could you please change the channel my dearest friend and most trusted companion? Well of course Bakugou, since you asked so nicely," Kiri-shit-ma joked.
Then the channels where switching and switching as they tried to find something good to watch. Sundays in the dorms were more or less always like this. Everyone laying somewhere about the dorms, trying to find something to occupy their time with.
"Oh, there are some new hero debuts today!"
"Huh?" Now that piqued his interest.
The watched as a couple of new pro heroes were announced, and little clips of them in action were shown to display their skill and aptitude. Neither of them seemed particularly flashy or eye-catching to Bakugou. They were more or less ordinary, causing Bakugou's interest to fizzle out quicker than it had sparked.
"Who cares about these generic fuckers?" Bakugou snapped. "Switch the channel."
The red-head beside him chuckled. "Geez, it sure takes a lot to impress someone like you."
Bakugou would never admit how grateful he was to Kirishima for being one of the few people in this world who was able to put up with his bullshit. Though he had a feeling that Kirishima somehow already knew.
"Come on, what about this one?"
Bakugou turned his attention back to the tv and watched clips playing of a hero in a green and black suit, with red, iron-soled boots, white gloves, and a mask to match. However, the most noticeable feature about this new hero with astonishing speed and strength, was his familiar mop of messy green hair.
His mind drifted back to that night again.
"Who the hell are you anyways?"
"Um, I…uh…what?"
They were safe. They were in the clear. Now they were standing amidst a crowd of people in the busy city, where no villain was close enough to touch them. All Might had taken on that All for One bastard so that everyone else could get to safety. So that the shitty green-haired guy could get Bakugou to safety.
The guy looked as nervous as Bakugou felt, leaving All Might to fight a guy like that all on his own. Still, he had faith in the number one hero. He had to.
There's no way All Might would lose no matter how daunting the villain.
"You're a hero, are you not?!" Bakugou didn't know exactly why he felt so angry, or why he felt the need to yell right now.
The guy seemed shocked by Bakugou's outburst, but quickly recovered with a renewed confidence. "I'm…I'm All Might's sidekick!"
"What the fuck is your name then?!"
The sidekick looked confused for a second, before blushing profusely. "Oh—Oh! I'm sorry, I forgot to introduce myself! How embarrassing," he muttered, eyes shamefully directed towards his iron-soled shoes rather than up at Bakugou.
Then the freckled idiot fixed his posture and held his hand out in a formal greeting as he said, "I'm Izuku Midoriya. I, uh, still haven't quite found a hero name that sticks for me, so you can just call me Izuku."
Bakugou angled his body away from the guy's gloved, outstretched hand. A hero without a hero name? How pathetic.
"Izuku, huh? More like Deku."
Yet, despite the insult. Despite Bakugou's incessant glaring and yelling and attitude…he fucking laughed. He laughed and then grinned that stupid, sunshine grin of his. It was so fucking dumb because it almost made Bakugou smile. Bakugou and smiles were not a thing.
And then All Might's flame flickered out.
In front of the whole world.
He didn't even realize it at the time that they had both shouted out, "You can win…All Might!"
Didn't realize that they were both desperately crying out for their hero, silenced only by the deafening sound of All Mights greatest—and last—victory.
On live television with a finger pointed at the camera, All Might silently declared, "Your turn."
Everyone thought that he was pointing to all the villains out there, but somehow…somehow Bakugou just knew. That finger had been pointing at one person and one person only. The person who's wide, disbelieving eyes were glued to the withered hero on the news screens.
The green-haired hero standing helplessly next to him.
Now, Bakugou watched the tv screen with fevered interest, his eyes never leaving it, hardly even blinking, for a second. The announcer was speaking like this was the most important debut of the day.
Or maybe that was just him.
"After All Mights official retirement just earlier this year, his former sidekick received an early ticket into the pro-hero life, bearing the responsibility left on him by his mentor and friend. Now, making his official debut today with an explosive start, we introduce to you…"
He had the vague knowledge that Kirishima was saying something to him, trying to talk to him, but it was all white noise.
"The youngest Pro hero yet, at only 19 years old…"
Bakugou's nails were digging into his palms from the tight fists he was subconsciously making. He couldn't even register his surroundings anymore. No couch, no room, no Kirishima. Just him and the hero on the tv. The one who's hero activity Bakugou had been following in secret, almost religiously for the past year. Who Bakugou couldn't help but stare at whenever he caught him on the campus to visit All Might. Always watching him but never having the stupid guts to go up and talk to the damn shortie.
And then, through the absurdly small television screen, there it was, that charming smile filled with hope.
Yeah, maybe Bakugou was falling for a pro hero.
"Deku!"
Wait—What the fuck?