The neon-lit paradise of the city lights in the night flashed by as Katsuki rode in the back of his Uber, but he wouldn't have noticed much. His eyes were shut as he tried to lose himself in the music blasting from the Airpods in his ears, drowning out the driver's own music of choice. His foot and fingers tapped to the rhythm of the snare and the kick of the bass drums. The soft, gray hood of his zip-up sweatshirt underneath his well-worn leather jacket was pulled over his head, keeping his head cushioned against the headrest of the carseat. He was a bit more irritable than usual and sleep deprived, but the dark circles under his eyes went well with the rocker look.
Requests were few and far between, but he still picked up gigs as a way to relieve stress and let out his anger 'in a healthy way,' as his therapist described it. Katsuki was on a particularly tough assignment miles away from the apartment he called home, so instead of blowing up his hotel room in frustration, he responded to an email for the first time in months. The venue where the gig was located seemed to be in a place he thought was more obscure in the city where it wouldn't attract too many fans.
As soon as he came back to his hotel room that night, he had showered quickly and threw on one of the few shirts he had in his duffel bag. None of them were really suited for performing, but he doubted the host would care. He settled for one of the less faded shirts with the sleeves ripped off, scowling in the mirror as he realized it had RED RIOT emblazoned obnoxiously as the hero himself on the front. "Fucking Shitty Hair!"
The car neared downtown, towards the center of the city, and Katsuki saw more and more people trickling onto the streets. The nightlife was just beginning, still early on a Saturday night. Eventually, the car slowed to stop in front of a closed Italian restaurant in a more deserted area of the city, but it matched the address Katsuki had received in the email (he was sure; he checked it three times). He left one pod in his ear and opened the car door, removing his hood and giving a gruff thanks to the flustered and star-struck driver.
The promoter ran to meet him as the car pulled away. He smelled heavily of tobacco, with acne-covered cheeks and oily, slick-backed hair, and his suit buttons strained around his heavy-set form. "Bakugou-san, we're so honored to have you play for us," he squeaked. "I'm Akutagawa, the owner of The Hidden Vault. I sent the request."
"Yeah, so let's do this."
"This way," he chuckled nervously, when Katsuki didn't attempt to say anything else. The promoter led him into a dark alley between the bricks of the towering buildings. Immediately Katsuki sharpened his senses and his defense rose, on guard for any possible danger. He didn't sense anything suspicious and finally they stopped in front of one of the back entrances of what seemed to be an underground bar.
The unmistakable sound of muffled music drifted out from behind the door while flashing multicolored lights peeked through the cracks in the doorway in front of where a big security guard stood with his arms across his chest.
"Our guest," the promoter announced pointedly. The security guard eyed him and stepped aside, opening the door and letting them both through.
They entered the venue, taking a long flight of stairs down into the depths of the building. The walls seem to reverberate with the pounding of the bass and the raucous mix of voices. Katsuki followed the promoter as they slunk along the back walls to get to the backstage door. He ran a hand through his hair, finding it difficult to breathe in the claustrophobic space, worsened by the number of bodies crowded together. The stuffy air was pungent with sweat and body odor, and he wrinkled his nose as the scent of spilled alcohol, cigarette smoke, and other substances mingled in his nostrils.
The feminine voice crooning in the background tickled the edges of his memory, prompting him to look up and search for the source (1). Dark purple and fiery red eyes locked from across the room as she sang into the mic. The singer acknowledged him with a small, interested lift in her eyebrows and a slight nod in his direction.
He averted his eyes from the distracting way her lips brushed the microphone. "You didn't tell me Earphone Jack was going to be here," he said brusquely as he followed the promoter - what was his name again? - backstage. Where Kyouka went, a crowd was sure to follow. So much for being obscure.
"I-I wasn't sure if that was a make or b-break factor," the promoter stammered and rambled on, pushing the door open and almost tripping through. "I know you went to high school with her and were together in A Band. I'm sorry, Bakugou-san, b-b-but we were really needing business a-and she accepted at the last minute, too! I-I had no idea, I swear!"
"Whatever," Katsuki shoved past him and wrenched the drumsticks from his hands. "Just get me a drink." He winced with the sudden movement, cursing to himself. He had ignored his injuries and hadn't bothered to really dress his wounds back at the hotel. Katsuki hoped the few broken ribs wouldn't prevent him from playing, but then again, nothing really stopped him from doing anything.
The promoter scurried away to meet his request and the other crew members' mouths dropped open, scampering about to make room for the hero. They tittered amongst themselves and tried not to meet his eyes, though in fear or awe, he couldn't be sure.
Katsuki claimed a spot on one of the faded couches, throwing his leather jacket and his hoodie off and plopping down. The hood had barely made a dent in his stubborn hair, which still spiked up in every direction. The promoter had sent another person to deliver Katsuki a mixed drink, which he finished quickly and immediately asked for three more.
It wasn't too long before the music stopped and there was the sound of a muffled round of applause. "Thank you guys, we'll be back after a quick break."
The curtains pulled back, and Katsuki watched as the star of the show stepped through, accepting a water bottle a crew member handed her and taking a long swig. She seemed to get along well with the backstage crew, who were scrambling about as they ran to Kyouka offering this and that, and she thanked them with a warm and friendly smile. They seemed to adore her, and rightfully so.
The dark eyeliner and eyeshadow smudged around Kyouka's eyes matched the deep violet staining her lips. Little flashes of light caught on the small sparkling stones of the piercing below her left lip, right eyebrow, and the others dotting the edge of her ears. The oversized black denim jacket she had on sat halfway down her arms, revealing a lacy black bodysuit that dipped low in the back and the front, tucked under black denim high-waisted shorts. Pale, smooth skin peeked through fishnet tights, and she had on combat boots with chunky block heels. The fingerless gloves she used to wear as a teen were gone. Instead, rows of rings with various stones and finishes were stacked on each finger, and the black nail polish on her fingernails completed the rest of her outfit. She had wispy bangs cut straight across her forehead, similar to like she had when they were younger, but her sleek hair was much longer, the top half sectioned up in a messy bun and the rest loose and hanging down her back and shoulders.
Finally, she turned towards Katsuki, stopping by the refreshment table on her way to him. "Well, if it isn't my favorite drummer boy, " she said, her hands fishing in a cooler. She brought out two beers, popping the tops off at the edge of the table before walking over and handing one to him.
Katsuki grunted this thanks as he accepted. "It's been a while."
The glass bottles clinked together in a toast and they paused for a moment as they drank. "When my guy said they had a special guest tonight he wasn't kidding." Kyouka sat herself on the armrest of the couch next to him. "Pro life suits you." Her eyes traveled down the length of his muscular arm appreciatively. "I've been hearing a lot about you lately on the news. Congrats - is it," her head cocked to the side. "Number One or Number Two hero right now?"
His eyebrow twitched as he was reminded of the fact that he and Deku were always neck and neck in the competition for top hero. "Technically, Number 1.45," he shrugged. "You're not going to ask for my autograph are you?"
"Mm," she hummed, pursing her lips as she pretended to think and then shook her head. "Nope. You're only Number Two, after all."
He grimaced, her statement annoying him more than it should have, even if she was only teasing. "So, this your band?" he nodded to the other members who had followed her in for a break.
"Nah, we're all just randoms who wanted to let loose for tonight. Some of us just happen to be heroes."
"Huh. Couldn't tell." Kyouka narrowed her eyes at the jab, and he hid his own smirk by bringing the mouth of the bottle to his lips. "I thought you'd have your own band by now."
"After a group of villains tried to take us all out during one of our tours…" her eyes tightened and she broke their gaze. "I wouldn't put anyone through that again," she finished, finishing the rest of her beer with a few more gulps and setting the bottle down on the floor.
Katsuki watched as she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, yet the dark color never faded from her lips. "It wasn't your fault. Besides, we handled it."
"It was my fault. I was the one who pushed for us to stay together after graduation. And then Momo and Denki were hurt and you were almost-" the words caught in her throat. "Anyways. We all ended up great heroes in our own right. I mean, look at you and Tokoyami. Hell, everyone in our class I hear at some point breaking the news with some big story." She smiled fondly, but it faded quickly and her head dropped to her chest. "I never wanted my music to get in the way of saving people."
"Didn't think you ever had that problem before."
"That's not the point." Kyouka rolled her eyes. "The point," she shoved herself off of the couch, and ripped the drumsticks out of his grip, effectively ending the conversation, "is that I hope you still can drum as well as you used to." She twirled the sticks in one hand expertly and ended her sentence with them pointed at his throat.
Katsuki followed after, towering over her at his full height, his eyebrows turned down in a glower. "Who the hell do you think I am," he asked as he snatched them back from her. His eyes traveled down her figure, "Shortie?" He was amazed at how much tinier she was than him.
"Exactly who I know you are," she grinned up at him. "A kick-ass musician."
"Damn fuckin' right."
"Kyouka, we're on in 5," A man who looked to be their age with bold, blue-colored hair tucked into a beanie and a rolled, lit joint tucked in the corner of his lips ran up to her. He was tall and lean, with tattoos and black piercings in his face and ears. Katsuki's eyes zeroed in on the hand he placed on her lower back and left a bit too long.
"Got it. Bakugou, this is Ruka, bass guitarist, back-up vocalist. Ruka, Bakugou."
His eyes lit up with recognition, sticking a hand out for a shake. "Hey man, honored to meet you. Glad to have you playing with us. We heard some good things about you, thanks to Kyouka here." His gaze dropped to Katsuki's chest. "Cool shirt, by the way. I love that guy!"
Katsuki shook his hand, squeezing a little bit too hard. "Let's do this," he replied amicably, earning an impressed look from Kyouka, though the smile looked a little strangled on his face.
"See you both out there!" Ruka waved as he scampered off.
Katsuki's eyes tracked him darting backstage. "Kyouka, huh."
She blushed. "He's my bandmate," she offered, raising a shoulder in a shrug.
"Just a bandmate? And how's that working out for you?"
She frowned at him. "Fine."
"Thought you were a big proponent of no relationships between bandmates."
"Yup. Still am." She avoided meeting his eyes.
"I guess he gets different treatment."
"It's none of your damn business," Kyouka's flush deepened and she stepped backwards angrily. "Just play the fucking music." She shoved a piece of paper from her back pocket into his chest and snatched the guitar a crew member handed to her, sliding the strap around her neck. "That's the set list. Memorize it and try to keep up, Number Two." She turned away from him.
Katsuki scowled and took his seat behind the set of drums, muttering a string of curses under his breath as he scanned the list. The crumpled paper almost burst into flames in his sparking palm before he recognized her handwriting. 'Audience Requests Night' was scrawled on top in capital letters, underlined twice. He realized she had it specially made for the drummer. Kyouka had written little notes and ideas in the section under each title of the song. His face relaxed and he sighed, remembering the strength of her passion for music. It was infectious and he felt it spread through him as he memorized her tips, giving him a new thrill of excitement, something Kyouka always managed to do when they used to perform together.
The curtains opened suddenly, revealing them, and Katsuki was blinded momentarily by the stage lights.
"We're back everybody!" Kyouka called loudly, a big smile on her face and much more cheerful expression than he had last seen. "Thank you guys for coming out tonight." Her voice dropped an octave, sending shivers down Katsuki's spine as she said lowly into the mic, "And I've got a surprise for you." Kyouka strummed the guitar and with a sweep of her arm, she stepped aside so the spotlight shone on Katsuki. "Ready to rock, Ground Zero (2)?"
Shocked gasps resounded throughout the building and the volume of voices rose, necks craning to see the famous hero onstage.
"Hell yeah, I am!" Katsuki howled, arms a blur as he hit the drums and cymbals in a mini drum solo.
She smirked, letting his energy seep through her. "Let's do this."
The audience cheered and whistled as the music started.
"Hit that, hit that snare (3)," Kyouka's eyes locked with his, challenging him to meet her pace (4).
All the tension between them disappeared as the night went on, and by the end, she couldn't stop grinning like a maniac. Kyouka had almost forgotten that there was hardly anyone who could match the intensity he had when he played. She was sweating, out of breath from dancing and jumping and having fun, feeling like a high schooler again.
After a deafening standing ovation, an encore, and minutes of bowing and waving to an adoring crowd, they were free to wander the venue after putting away the instruments. She had tapped his shoulder and stood on her tiptoes to yell into his ear, "You were amazing out there!" Her voice was a little hoarse, but its raspy sound went straight to Katsuki's core.
"The fuck else'd'you expect? Trash?" Katsuki's heart was pumping in exhilaration, and he had completely forgotten about the pain in his side and the stress of his assignment. It was on par with the high he felt exploding through the air, capturing and fighting villains. Seeing her face glowing with excitement reminded him of their first performance at the school festival, and he couldn't fight the answering smile on his face.
She laughed. "Brings back memories, doesn't it?"
"A-Ano!" A voice interrupted and they both turned to see an anxious fan. "Excuse me, Kyouka-san. May I take a picture with you? A-also, can I have your autograph?"
Kyouka blushed a little but she motioned the fan closer. "Of course!" She posed for a few pictures with the relieved and excited fan, and she was about to take the permanent marker to sign when she stopped short, jaw dropping. "Wow. My first album." The CD had KYOUKA on the cover, over an up-close portrait of her younger self.
"You came out with an album?" Katsuki asked.
"Oh, it wasn't anything much. I only had a few copies released," she said sheepishly, scrawling her signature quickly and stuffing the CD back in the fan's hands.
"It's amazing!" the fan gushed. "I've been a huge fan since your high school and college days, like when, uh," Her eyes dropped nervously to the floor. "Uh, when you two were together -" the heroes stiffened and the fan gulped. "- performing together!" she clarified.
She cowered under Kastuki's gaze.
"How much would you sell it for?" he asked.
Kyouka and the fan both gaped at Katsuki. The fan broke the silence first. "I-I'm sorry, Ground Zero, but it's not for sale!" she said emphatically, hugging it tightly to her chest and running off. "Thank you so much Earphone Jack! I-I mean, Kyouka-san!"
"I want one of those," Katsuki muttered as Kyouka looked at him incredulously.
"What?" he threw at her. "I'm on it aren't I?"
Her mouth dropped. "Well - "
"I bet I'm not even credited -"
Kyouka shot back. "You said you didn't want to be credited - "
"That was before - "
"Excuse me," another person asked with a big camera with an even bigger flash in their hands. "Can I get one with both of you together?"
"Eh?" Kyouka asked. "You want one of both of us?"
"Yes, yes. Please," they said, motioning them together. "Step closer! And saaaaay, 'cheese'!"
They blinked to clear afterimages of the huge flash, but the reporter was gone.
Kyouka turned to him. "You leaving?"
He shook his head. They were both a little tipsy and still high off the energy and applause. "Not yet."
Her face broke into another one of her big, beaming smiles that usually came out only after performing, like the sun after a rainstorm breaking the clouds. And as usual, he couldn't look away. "Stay for a bit." She pointed with her chin towards the bar and he followed her through the crowd.
Sometime during the performance, her jacket had been thrown in the crowd so he was treated with a view of her smooth skin, toned back and shoulders, bony collarbones, and slim, lean arms. When they reached the bar, she heaved herself up onto the barstool and leaned forward, waving down the bartender. They seemed to know each other, so she caught his attention right away. Katsuki counted a few tattoos he hadn't seen before as she asked for their drinks, but the tiny yellow lightning bolt on her pinky was familiar, though it was mostly hidden by a stack of rings. He caught a wink of a bass clef tattooed behind her right ear from between strands of her hair. She noticed him staring from the corner of her eye and she looked up at him. "What?"
"Nothing."
"On me," she said, handing him a glass as she swiveled back towards him in her stool. They clinked their glasses together and downed the drinks in only a few gulps.
She surveyed the crowd, a relaxed and content look on her face.
"Sorry," he cleared his throat. "About earlier."
Kyouka waved him off. "It's nothing. You played with all your heart." She grinned. "I'm cool with that." She set her glass down motioning for another round and in a softer voice, she added, "Besides, I sort of missed this."
"It was alright," he admitted begrudgingly. He didn't miss the satisfied look on her face, though she tried to hide it by turning towards the fresh set of drinks the bartender set out of them. She pushed one of them towards him. "So what are you listening for?"
"Huh?" she asked in bewilderment.
"Your ears. One of them is always connected to something." One of her jacks had plugged in the guitar during the performance, which was connected to the amplifier, and the floor, which he assumed gave her access to all the sounds she wanted in the building. Now it was plugged, discreetly by any other standards, underneath the bar's shelf. "You're a little on edge, a bit jumpy. And you can't quit looking around."
Kyouka flinched at the accusation.
"So," he sipped his drink, leaning against the bar, and even as she was perched on a barstool with her elbows propping her up, she barely made it to his height. "What are you listening for?"
He waited patiently as she blinked slowly, innocently.
"Huh," she chuckled in resignation. "As expected of Number 1.45 hero."
Kyouka finished the rest of her drink and leaned in closer, one of her long earlobes flipping some hair behind her shoulder. Katsuki could smell a hint of the liquor on her breath, intoxicatingly sweet. "I got a tip, and this region is my territory."
"So you are still pro."
She nodded hesitantly. "Though I'm more of a reconnaissance operator these days. Y'know, not in front of a camera, but I still get credited. Still goes in my stat records." She shrugged. "I'lI send more of the fighting heroes if things get too physical for me to handle."
Katsuki frowned. She had never had any problems fighting off villains before. It didn't make sense. "That's why you're more under the radar nowadays," he finished for her.
"Uh-huh," she confirmed dismissively. "Here's the thing. I fine-tuned my hearing so that I can memorize heartbeats or pick up when someone's lying."
"I see," he nodded in genuine interest. Deku would be salivating at this knowledge and would be busy scribbling everything she was saying in that stupid, torn-up notebook if he were here.
"It's a little difficult at times, especially right now since it's high energy here anyway. Plus, all the dancing and jumping." She twirled the glass in her fingertips. "They told me someone might be wanting to blow up the area and to try to keep a lookout if anything…" she stopped short.
Katsuki's eyebrows furrowed. "What?"
"It's because of you. Because you're here. They wanted to take you out. Dammit, I got distracted!" Her head shot up frantically.
"I've been working on this case for months." He narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "Did someone send you to watch over me?"
"No, our missions just kind of got overlapped a little, I guess. Anyway, you know better than to ask for all the details." She rolled her eyes. "They must have figured out you've been tracking them. They traced you here tonight when they found out you had a gig." Her eyes darted around, noting the amount of people left in the building, though the bulk of the crowd had left after their performance. "Fuck. We gotta get these people out of here."
Katsuki put a hand on her wrist, pressing her down inconspicuously, his own eyes getting darker in anger as he processed what she was saying. "Stay calm. If they're watching us, they might find out you know and make a move first."
"Right," she inhaled quickly, as if to calm herself.
His good mood was shot down in an instant. "It really kind of fucking pisses me off."
"A total mood-killer," she muttered in agreement. Suddenly, she stood with her drink in her hand, banging it on the shelf. Kyouka threaded a slim arm around his neck, pulling him down to her height. Katsuki's eyes widened as their faces seemed to touch, making it look like they were in a loving embrace. "Follow me," she whispered in his ear as she scanned the area behind him. "Hey, have you seen our pinball machine? It's really retro!" she said loudly, pulling away from him and then leading him to the back of the room by one of his arms.
"Cover me," she hissed, ducking behind the machine.
"Uh. People could get the wrong idea." Kastuki watched her head of thick purple hair as she knelt down between his legs, a heat of desire flaring inside of him. However, it did have the intended effect of hiding her as she plugged her jack in the wall and closed her eyes in concentration.
"Chill out, it happens all the time."
He frowned. "With you?"
She ignored him but some passerby's eyes saw them and looked away as they pretended not to notice.
"Got them. South wall, near the bathroom, third table from the bar. 3 Villains, 2 men, 1 woman." Her eyes were wide and serious, and he couldn't help thinking how fucking attractive it was with her looking up like that at him. But Katsuki concentrated and glanced discreetly to that area, counting them out.
"The one with the huge sunglasses and the two beside him," he murmured.
"That damn reporter with the camera! He must have confirmed our location for them," Kyouka seethed, punching the wall. "They hadn't been here during the performance. I know it! I would have recognized them."
"The promoter?"
She shook her head. "No, I checked his profile. He was clean. Innocent."
"You just had to go wild and let the audience love you," Katsuki rolled his eyes. "Show off."
"I didn't go wild," she blushed guiltily. "But when you're around, you just - I dunno - do something to me."
Katsuki's brows lifted. "Oh, really?"
Kyouka stood abruptly, still keeping her voice low, pressed close enough to Katsuki's chest that he could smell the scent of her shampoo. "I've seen them around before. That one with the sunglasses's name is Laser Eye, and he's fast, so you have to watch it or he'll burn your arm off. The other guy's called Slime Bomb because his saliva will melt your skin from your bones." She bit her lower lip in thought for a few moments. "The woman is new to me. She's only been with their group for a few months. How could I have not noticed…?"
"I don't have to worry about jack shit. They should be watching out for me." Katsuki's expression darkened, but his voice turned professional and practiced as he told her, "You make the announcement, I'll notify my agency."
She nodded, an earlobe elongating to plug into the wall behind his head, and he pulled away from her, dropping into a defensive stance, flexing his fingers in anticipation.
Suddenly, a deafening, screeching sound of a mic filled the air and people placed their hands over their ears in pain.
"Attention, attention," Kyouka's voice was amplified over the noise. "Everyone evacuate the building immediately. This is an emergency. I repeat, this is an emergency."
The ground began rumbling and Katsuki knew she was causing the place to fall apart slowly enough that the civilians could escape from where he knew there was going to be a fight. People started screaming, scrambling over each other to make it up the stairs, filing out as if someone pulled the fire alarm.
The villains in question started making their way over to the two amidst the commotion in the opposite direction of the door, confirming Kyouka's suspicions.
"Here they come," Katsuki growled, cracking his knuckles (5).
"Ground Zero! You are the explosion, and we're going to make you explode." Bat wings ripped out from under the woman's tight dress. Countess (6) snatched her wig off, her natural black hair tumbling down around her shoulders and bat ears springing up on both sides of her head. She squatted, another line ripping upwards on her dress with the action, and launched herself in the air as her wings unfurled.
"Like hell you will!" Katsuki sneered, palms firing as he blasted towards them.
"No? Then we'll make everyone else explode!" Slime Bomb (7) launched multiple spit-filled grenades in every direction, and Kyouka and Katsuki ran to take cover as explosions rang out. Slime Bomb had two large guns in his arms, turning them both towards the heroes, releasing rapid machine gunfire, the spit-filled bullets melting all the objects it collided with like ice cream hitting a scorched sidewalk.
"Number Two hero, my ass!" Laser Eye (8) sneered. "Eat shit, Ground Zero!"
Katsuki dodged a stream of lasers directed towards him and a multitude of broken pieces of the building falling around him in the aftermath. With earlobes like vines, Kyouka launched herself onto higher ground to get a more aerial view of the fight and keep her eye on the bat villain.
"Oh yeah? You eat shit." Katsuki punched Laser Eye from behind with a blast-laden fist and the villain planted face-first into the dirt. "How's that taste, asshole?"
They exchanged blast for blast, taking turns chipping away at the building, and Kyouka watched nervously as the concrete seemed to melt away all around them. It was hard to ignore the ground rumbling more frequently as they navigated an even more unsteady foundation, dodging each others' attacks, with pieces of the building falling away increasingly fast.
"You call yourselves villains? Don't make me laugh. You ain't shit! Try harder!" An angry Katsuki blasted from one point to the next in a blur with simultaneous Howitzer Impacts, catching the villains mostly off guard as they got facefuls of his attacks. "You got the nerve to come attack me on my off day? Fuck outta here!"
Kyouka sighed to herself. Already a pro hero but he still made comments like he did as a teenager. There was the sound of the earth rolling underneath them and the building started to collapse when Kyouka noticed a few stragglers beneath the debris from across the plot.
"Ground Zero!"
Katsuki had already had them in his arms, placing them above ground away from the building. "I'll clear the civilians, don't let them come closer!"
"Got it!" Kyouka turned her attention to the villains on the ground. It amazed her how fluidly they worked together, how their teamwork still came naturally onstage and in battle, no matter how long it had been. She took compact amplifiers from inside her short's pocket and attached them to her jacks, giving the villains a full powered Heartbeat Surround, knocking them off of their feet. In one smooth motion, she removed one jack from an amplifier, catching it in the air as she ran towards Laser Eye, who was stumbling towards her, stuck her jack into her boot, and kicked him in the throat. He hurtled backward, the force of the sound wave erupting from the heel of her boot and enhancing her kick.
Katsuki was in the middle of rescuing the remaining stragglers when Countess swooped down and launched herself onto Katsuki, biting into his neck as she brought him higher and higher into the atmosphere. Katsuki howled in response, trying to retaliate, thrashing and twisting his own body. But with a strength that could have rivaled Deku, she hung on tightly, wrapping her arms, legs, and wings around his body, sucking the blood and licking each drop. "Mm, yummy! Tastes so good, especially you, Number Two," she purred into his ear, her luscious black hair billowing like sails in the wind.
Katsuki got an arm free, and he swung it to give her a mouthful of his AP Shot-Cannon, but she had already drunk enough of his blood to copy his quirk and steal his energy. She flew off laughing maniacally, lifting her hands up and blasting him back with his own move.
He cursed as he fell to the ground in surprise and confusion, feeling immediately weaker, his own palms sputtering as they failed to break his fall. "What the fuck!" He slammed into the concrete with a crash, the wind knocked out of him. Katsuki struggled to stand, blood trickling down his neck, attempting to catapult himself in the sky, but his palms merely fizzled out. He punched the cement in frustration, the movement pulling at his old wounds, but suddenly he heard Kyouka cry out in pain. He turned to see her holding one bleeding ear, the ends of one earlobe sizzling from poisoned slime. With his remaining strength, he turned his palms behind him. The Blast Rush Turbo was just enough to propel him slightly faster.
"Tch," he sneered, suddenly ramming into Slime Bomb and throwing him with his Explode-A-pult. "Fuck off!"
The smoke dissipated and Katsuki appeared in front of Slime Bomb, palm directly on his throat. "Try me," he said in a deathly low voice. Slime Bomb swallowed nervously, putting two hands up in surrender. "Stay the fuck down or I'll blast your head off."
Kyouka emerged from the shadows from behind and inserted a jack into his heart. "Nothing personal," she said as Slime Bomb went limp.
He raised an eyebrow at her.
"I only stopped their heart from beating for a quick second. I'll explain later."
Katsuki only now noticed that Laser Eye also was slumped over on the other side of the room. He looked at the weak flickers of sparks in his hands and his eyes drifted upward to the remaining villain circling in the sky. "Ya gonna take care of that?" Katsuki asked angrily.
"With pleasure," she said in an acerbic voice, eying the marks her fangs had left in his neck, dried blood running down into his chest. "It's gonna get loud," she warned.
Katsuki grinned widely. "Exactly how I like it."
The subsequent ear-splitting noise stunned Countess mid-flight and she screeched in pain, hurtling from the sky with a crash. She attempted to rise on shaky arms, but the sole of Katsuki's shoe on her back pressed her down. "Talk."
The villainess sighed in defeat. "Yes. You got me." She admitted that she had been framing heroes for crimes by leaving the scene of the crime with evidence of their own quirks. She had only sucked their blood during the night while they were sleeping and left, and the heroes had not been able to remember. Katsuki and other heroes could only hold the suspects in custody while they investigated. The more heroes in custody meant less on the streets and more areas for villains to take over, which is how Countess had gained more power in the area over time.
"The higher the hero, the bigger the downfall. Deku would have been next," she winked. "If I had at least Ground Zero's blood, I would have taken over." Countess glared up at Kyouka. "I didn't think Earphone Jack would be here too," she sniffed. "I mean, don't you think she's a little - how should I put this nicely - outdated? No wonder you've been in hiding." Her blood red eyes surveyed the heroine from head to toe. "We like things a bit more … wireless, after all."
Kyouka's eyes narrowed, interrupting what sharp retort Katsuki had ready on his tongue. She leaned down so that she and Countess were face-to-face, a jack of her lobes pointed threateningly to her neck. "Hm, I dunno. I think I'm totally rockin', don't you, Ground Zero? In fact, I still make hearts stop wherever I go," she brought her lips closer into Countess's ear. "Including yours, sweetheart."
Countess gasped as Kyouka inserted the jack into her heart, her whole body going rigid before sagging onto the floor. Kyouka rose to full height, earlobes retracting back into place.
"Let's get this place cleaned up," Katsuki said, throwing Countess over his shoulder and dumping her and the others in a pile away from the rubble.
Kyouka looked up as the building next to the venue made a loud creaking sound, and suddenly, a barrage of large pieces shot straight down with frightening speed in Katsuki's direction down below.
"Ground Zero!" She screamed frantically, running straight in its path, aiming her amplifier at the chunk of concrete. With the thunderous sound of a slow heartbeat, the first block crumbled into tiny pieces, disintegrating into the air like dust. But an even larger, second piece remained intact, coming straight towards her. She closed her eyes, waiting for the impact, but Kyouka felt a force like a train around her waist, and suddenly she found herself in his arms flying in midair as he carried her away from the collapsing building. She threw her arms around his neck, pulling back to touch his face. "Bakugou! I wouldn't be able to live with myself if something -" She realized how close she was and pulled her hand away. "I-I mean…"
"Like you're one to talk! Are you fucking insane? Don't ever do that!" She felt his arms tighten around her. "I don't need protecting! I'm the Number Two hero, for crying out loud!" Katsuki huffed angrily at her.
"Number 1.45," she corrected, smiling as he blasted them away. He set her down a block away, and they watched the buildings tumble down.
When the dust cleared, they returned to the scene to inspect the damage.
"Earphone Jack, thank you!"
"Thank you, Earphone Jack!"
She looked surprised as fans swarmed around them gratefully.
"Thank you, Ground Zero!"
"I can't wait for the next show!"
"Ah, thank you," Kyouka said sheepishly, the tips of her earlobes poking together as she eyed the demolished building. "Though you'll need to stay tuned for an updated location."
Suddenly, she saw a flash of blue struggling to rise out of the debris. "Ruka!" She ran to him, helping to get the larger blocks of concrete and brick out from on top of him. "I'm so glad you're okay!"
Ruka coughed a few times, clearing his lungs from the dirt. "Yeah, you too! I barely managed to save the guitars!" He pointed to the multiple cases on his back, but he didn't seem to bend under their weight, and though he had a few bruises, cuts, and scrapes, he really did look fine.
He reached out to ruffle her bangs. "Thanks, Earphone Jack. You're my favorite hero."
Kyouka's cheeks pinkened, but she gave him a grateful smile. "Please stay safe, Ruka."
"I will! Don't worry," he winked, "I always know who to call if I need help." He turned and waved to Katsuki. "Thanks Ground Zero!"
"Hmph," Katsuki grunted, but nevertheless acknowledged him with a short nod.
After the police had taken report, they sat perched on top of one of the demolished walls. They watched people lining up to get checked by the paramedics.
Katsuki saw the worried expression on Kyouka's face, her eyebrows meeting in the middle of her forehead and her bottom lip jutting out in a frown.
"So what was that back there? It's like you killed these people."
She gave a long sigh. "Yeah, I stop the heartbeat by overpowering theirs with mine for only a few seconds to stun them. Then I restart it at a rate enough only to keep them alive but barely conscious."
"And you can confirm that?"
"Yes, Bakugou. I can hear other people's heartbeats."
"So you know what mine sounds like?"
Her cheeks flushed as he waited seriously for her answer. "Yeah. It's something I can't even begin to forget," she mumbled, twirling one long earlobe around her finger absentmindedly.
"See, I don't know why you think you have to keep it hidden."
She pursed her lips, not quite convinced.
"Kyouka."
She stopped short when she heard her name. It seemed a bit strange with his voice, but it sounded right and familiar, just like when they allowed each other to call each other by name.
"Huh?"
"It's your stage name, isn't it?"
"Yeah," she admitted, discomfort apparent on her face. She was embarrassed she even thought she could hide that from him. Stupid genius.
"Your music name. Why separate the two?" he asked. "Don't you love being a hero?"
Her eyes followed the people down below who were just hours ago cheering for her onstage. "Yes," she said softly. She was glad they were unharmed.
"The same way you love music?"
"Yes. I just want to bring a smile to people's faces." Her face fell. "But I just don't want people to get hurt because of my music. If people got hurt because of Kyouka, how can Earphone Jack be their hero?"
"If you're Earphone Jack the hero or Kyouka the musician, it doesn't matter! You shouldn't have to hide from one or the other. The world needs both. You don't have to choose one." He stopped short as the soft words escaped his mouth and a fearsome glower distorted his face to cover the tender moment. "Obviously."
Kyouka looked at him for a moment before she burst out in laughter, snorting, "Yeah, sorry. I kind of forgot."
"Don't forget next time, idiot. I shouldn't have to remind you that you're a pro hero," he continued gruffly, rubbing the back of his head, "And a kick-ass musician."
She laughed again softly. "Thank you, Bakugou." Shyly, she looked away. "Will I see you around?"
"Yeah," he said after a moment. "Can't seem to find any good music lately. Might need your opinion." He lifted one shoulder in a shrug.
"I've got a playlist on Spotify...if you're interested. I'll text it to you. Same number?"
"Yeah. Guess I'll be seeing you more often then." Katsuki kicked himself up and dusted some of the fallen debris off of his clothes. "Also, Earlobes?"
She tilted her head at the familiar nickname he had for her. "Yes?"
"Your music. I want to hear it more."
Her cheeks reddened, "Sure."
"Later." He blasted off suddenly and with a speed that surprised her and left her speechless.
It wasn't long before Katsuki received a text from 'Earlobes'. Tomorrow night. Need a drummer. You in? Unless you're too busy being number 2 hero...?
Only if you explain these pictures to everyone, he texted back.
Kyouka's phone buzzed and images from the night of the performance popped on her lock screen. She gasped, fumbling the phone in her hands as she took a closer look. There was one where it looked like they were kissing at the bar and another where it looked like she was giving him an indecent service in public behind the pinball machine. 1-A Band reunion? Or something more? The headline read.
Shit. She groaned. Of course the fucking paparazzi would follow Ground Zero wherever and whenever they got the chance.
Another ping and buzz. She looked down at her phone.
I could use someone who could hear heartbeats on my team tonight. Run flank with me.
Then I'll take care of these shithead journalists so you don't have to.
Katsuki watched the gray bubble "..." go on and off for a few minutes.
Once A Band, Always A Band.
The next gray bubble that popped up on her screen a moment later read, Damn right.
She grinned. Consider me in.
But only if you buy me a drink.
A slow smirk spread across Katsuki's face as he typed his reply.
Looks like you got yourself a drummer.
1) …. Yeah I kinda imagine her having a voice like Halsey, Taylor Momsen, or Hayley Williams. Raspy, low, husky-ish, and vocals A++++ and maybe Billie Eilish soprano vocal control too. KYOUKA CAN HAVE RANGE. LET HER HAVE RANGE. (Also I wrote this before the episode came out where she's singing so we'll see how close I got and Mina describes her voice as "husky/sexy")
2) You know, I've been seeing this name go around for Kacchan's hero name a lot more and I liked it so I used it.
3) I imagined Kyouka and Kacchan (or A Band) doing Misery Business (or any song) by Paramore. (I freaking love RIOT! okay? Does that tell my age too much lol) I also think of The Pretty Reckless like 'Make Me Wanna Die' or 'Going Down' or 'My Medicine.' but I just think Hayley's/Taylor's voices, the guitars, and the drums in these songs would be, like. Nice. For BakuJirou. (Because I'm remembering all the music in high school/early college I liked with female lead vocalists. Does Avril Lavigne count? haha). I'm not saying I know a lot about rock music or bands in general but these are just my idears. Also I listened to those songs while writing this lmao. Plus, I don't know any Japanese rock bands with female lead vocalists so that limits my inspo.
4) 0:14 in the song, if you want to imagine it. Kyouka plays lead guitar for a bit and alternates with singing. I mean, I know she prefers bass guitar but for my story she's playing lead guitar. Like 2:27 she and Kacchan have their moment on guitar and drums and then 2:50 she sings as he's like going all out on the drums. And they make eye contact before the whole band chimes in at 2:56. And then 3:18 Kacchan's like reminded of how fucking cool she is! Cuz she's fucking cool!
5) I can't write fight scenes. I'm sorry. This was really hard lol
6) (Imagine this like in the anime when the descriptions pop up next to their image on screen. LOL.) Kyuuketsukiya Koumoriko "vampire bat girl" Villain Name: COUNTESS Quirk: Vampire Bat. Drinks blood for energy. Steals energy from drinking blood; more blood, more energy for her and less energy for the victim. Can take on the quirk of whoever blood she drinks, but only in proportion to the amount of blood she takes. Stores vials in cape. Stronger at night. Fangs, bat ears. large bat wings. Thermoreceptors infrared sensors. Super strength/speed.
7) Doku Neneki "poison slime" Villain name: SLIME BOMB Quirk: Poisonous Saliva. Stores spit in grenades, guns, etc. to use as weapons. Drop of spit will melt anything.
8) Reza Memaru "laser eye" Villain name: LASER EYE Quirk: Laser eye. Shoots lasers out of his eyes. Boring. Lol. Inspo Cyclops Xmen
9) Lovin the BakuJirou moments interactions in the anime rn. Ch 207-208 for more BakuJirou!
10) Title is what Kaminari says to Kirishima from somewhere in Ch. 207-209 (I can't remember exactly where and now I can't find it!)
11) Also, anime Kyouka's voice is way more angelic than I imagined, but I still love it.