Izuku tripped a villain while Shinsou knocked them out. Katsuki finished up a villain of his own while the two tied up the unconscious villain. "Well that was fucking easy." Katsuki said turning back to the others after tying up his own villain.
Shinsou shrugged. "Maybe for you two. I'm still getting used to this."
Izuku took a phone off one of the villains and called the police. "We should get going. I called the police."
Katsuki and Shinsou nodded. The three made their way to a fire escape and started climbing up to the roof. "Last one to the rest roof loses! Try and keep up losers!" Katsuki yelled as he took off. Izuku and Shinsou stared at his retreating back for a moment before taking off after him. It didn't take long for Izuku to catch up, but Shinsou lagged behind.
It was a few days after the sports festival. Katsuki would be off doing his internship soon while Izuku and Shinsou would be stuck at normal classes. They'd upped their vigilante time so before Katsuki had to go for a week he could get his fix of "beating up villains". Katsuki and Izuku arrived panting; Katsuki making it there only a second before Izuku. "I'll get you next time Wolf. I'm still ahead of you in wins." Izuku said, playfully punching Katsuki in the shoulder.
"Whatever Rabbit. I'm still better. I'll pull ahead soon, I'm just letting you enjoy the lead for a bit." Katsuki said, crossing his arms and rolling his eyes.
After a couple minutes Shinsou arrived on the roof. "You two are way too fast at this." Shinsou said, as he sat down with them.
"Ever occurred to you that you're just fucking slow eyebags?" Katsuki retorted.
"Don't worry about it. We have years of practice on you. You'll get there." Izuku added, handing Shinsou a water bottle which he took gratefully.
Shinsou took a long drink from the bottle. "So have you decided on what agency you're going to Bakugou?"
Katsuki shrugged. "I've thought about it some, but I haven't made a decision yet."
Izuku looked at him. "You don't have too much longer to choose though right?"
Katsuki nodded. "Yeah, but I'll figure it out." he paused. "I'm thinking of going with Best Jeanist though."
Shinsou raised an eyebrow. "You going with him cause he's in the top ten?
Katsuki glared at Shinsou. "No. I think I could actually learn something from him that's all."
Shinsou stared at him for a moment. "Huh, not what I expected. You admitting that you actually don't know something. Wild."
"Oh shut the hell up Sphinx! You're on thin fucking ice!" Katsuki threatened.
Shinsou shrugged. "I'm pretty sure if you wanted to kill me you would have done it by now."
"I'm just waiting for the perfect opportunity. Better fucking watch yourself." Katsuki shot back.
Izuku sighed. "We're trying to take a break. Let's not threaten each other right now?"
"Tch, whatever." Katsuki said, crossing his arms.
The three heard a soft thump on the roof behind them. Izuku turned around and waved to Eraserhead as he approached them. "Hey Eraser! How are you doing?" Izuku asked.
Aizawa sighed. "You three have been busy lately." He said instead of answering.
Katsuki shrugged. "Is that a problem? Not like we're letting our schoolwork suffer."
Aizawa regarded Katsuki. "Just wondering why. I don't think you two were ever this active before." Aizawa sat next to Izuku and took the water bottle that was offered and nodded in thanks.
"Gotta catch the idiot up somehow. We learned through experience so that's what we're doing with him." Katsuki answered.
Aizawa hummed. "I don't think that's entirely it." he paused. "Internships are coming up soon. Is that it?"
Izuku nearly choked on the water he was drinking. "U-uh no?"
Aizawa shook his head and patted Izuku's back. "I do wonder what agencies you three will be choosing." Aizawa looked at the three. "I've actually decided to take on interns this time around."
Shinsou looked at him surprised. "Really? I've never heard of you taking interns before."
"That's because I haven't. I haven't deemed anyone worth the time yet. There were two interesting students at the sports festival though and they managed to catch my eye." Shouta watched them to gauge their reactions. He had his suspicions. Both Rabbit and Sphinx stiffened. To Rabbit's credit though it was far less noticeable than Sphinx's.
Izuku's voice came out steady. "Really? Which two?"
Shouta locked eyes with Rabbit. He was surprisingly good at this. "Midoriya Izuku and Shinsou Hitoshi. Do you know them?" he asked.
Wolf not so subtly elbowed Sphinx as he was about to speak. "Yeah I remember hearing about them. Didn't that Midoriya guy make it to the finals or something?" Katsuki responded, trying his best to sound uninterested.
Shouta nodded. "Yeah. The other made it into the one on one battles but lost in the second round."
Sphinx, having recovered from being elbowed by Wolf, spoke up "What stood out about them to you? What made you want to actually take interns?" Sphinx asked, a hint of excitement in his voice. Wolf glared at him, but otherwise did nothing.
Shouta shook his head. "They both have potential that's being wasted where they currently are."
"And you wanted to make sure they got the guidance that they needed?" Izuku asked.
Shouta nodded. The kid was pretty perceptive; a positive quality for a hero. "You three should head in. Internships haven't started yet, so there's still school tomorrow." He said as he got up.
Izuku nodded and got up as well. "Right. It was nice chatting with you Eraser! C'mon guys let's go." The three took off; both Wolf and Sphinx offered waves as they left.
Shouta watched them go. He'd attempted to follow them once, but he quickly learned that they took a very long and convoluted path home at night. Internships should be interesting if his hunch was correct. Sphinx wasn't nearly as good as the other two when it came to bluffing so Shouta was fairly certain he was right. He let the barest hint of a smile appear on his face. He could finally start guiding these kids onto the right path.
A few days prior…
Katsuki sat looking at the board in front of him. Today they were choosing their hero names and since his first suggestions of "King Explosion Murder" and "Lord Explosion Murder" had been rejected by Midnight he was stuck. Most of the members of his class had already picked their names, so he was one of the last students they were waiting on. He could hear the "bakusquad" snickering about what name he would choose next. If Katsuki was honest he hadn't put too much thought into a hero name. He was so focused on improving himself and making it to UA alongside Izuku that he'd forgotten to think about a name.
He tapped the marker against the board, annoyed. Why was it so damn hard to think of a name? Sure it was important but it shouldn't be this hard right? He glared at the board as if it would give him the answers he wanted but obviously nothing came of it. He glanced up at Eraser, who was sleeping, and briefly wondered how he'd come up with his hero name. Maybe he'd ask about it next he ran into as Wolf.
As he continued to stare at the board the rest of his classmates picked their names and were given the ok by Midnight. The whole class was waiting on him now. As he continued to scowl at the board his mind drifted back to a conversation he'd had with Izuku back when they'd first started getting along.
"So Kacchan what do you think your hero name will be?" A younger Izuku asked from his place on a bed across the room.
Katsuki crossed his arms. "I don't know. But it doesn't matter I'm gonna be number one I don't care what I get called nerd."
Izuku tilted his head. "I think it matters… You should have a name that represents you. Like All Might! You know exactly what type of hero he is with that name."
"Oh yeah? And what would your hero name be Deku?" Katsuki shot back, putting a bit more force behind the name than he had wanted to, but he was getting annoyed with him. They still had a long way to go to fix things.
Izuku rubbed the back of his neck. "Well… I was actually thinking Deku would make a good hero name…" he admitted quietly.
"Huuuh? You said a hero name should represent who you are! Do you want people to think you're useless?" Katsuki asked, staring Izuku down.
"A-ah no! It's just-" Izuku paused "-it also kinda sounds like 'you can do it' right? Plus it's also a sigh of our improving relationship. It used to be an insult and now, well. It's more like a nickname?" He finished unsure.
Katsuki just rolled his eyes. "Whatever Deku."
There was a slightly uncomfortable silence between the two. Izuku grabbed one of his notebooks and opened it. "I think I might have a good idea for your hero name Kacchan. If you want?"
Katsuki looked over at Izuku. "You better not suggest fucking 'Kacchan' or something." he growled.
Izuku shook his head. "N-no! Of course not, I wasn't gonna suggest that! Also you really should watch your language..." he finished quietly.
Katsuki glared at Izuku. "Don't try and tell me what to do Deku! Let's just hear your suggestion already."
Katsuku walked to the front of the class; the board finally having a name on it. He couldn't believe he was doing this, but… He didn't have any better ideas either. Despite what he might have said to Izuku that day he had always liked the idea of this being his hero name. He flipped the board around and side eyed Midnight. "You see? Was it so hard to come up with a good name? I wholeheartedly approve of this one!" She said, smiling.
Katsuki rolled his eyes. "Yeah, whatever." He snatched up the board and sat back down. The class was then given free reign to do as they pleased for the rest of class as long as things didn't get out of control. To his surprise Uraraka approached him. "What do you want round face?" Katsuki asked as Uraraka sat down in the desk next to him.
"I just wanted to say I that I think you picked a really good hero name Bakugou. Ground Zero suits you." She said smiling.
Katsuki wasn't sure what to make of that. "Yeah well, wasn't my idea…" he admitted.
Uraraka looked surprised. "Really? Did someone else come up with it then?" Katsuki nodded. "That's cool too. It's nice that you're using the name like that."
"Well my other suggestions were turned down so what else was I supposed to do?" Katsuki said, turning away.
"Well I think you ended up with a much better name." Uraraka answered.
Katsuki huffed. "What else do you want round face? You aren't exactally all buddy buddy with me."
Uraraka frowned slightly. "As perceptive as always huh?" she asked. "I'm worried about Iida…" she admitted.
Katsuki turned back around to face her. "Glasses huh?" Katsuki thought for a moment. "Wait isn't his brother in the hospital?"
Uraraka nodded. "It was in the news remember? Ingenuim got attacked by Stain. He was paralyzed from the waist down. I know Iida isn't taking it well but… he's not talking to me."
"Right… well if he isn't talking to you what the hell do you expect me to be able to do about it?" Katsuki asked.
"Ah well I'm not sure actually… I just-"Uraraka paused "wanted someone to talk to about it I guess."
"So you came to me? Why not literally anyone else who would have cared more?" Katsuki asked, confused.
Uraraka crossed her arms and her frown deepened. "I don't think you're as bad as you try to make yourself out to be. I haven't known you long but I think you do care about this class. Why else would you bring up Iida to me in the first place?"
Katsuki copied her movements. "Look Round Face, I don't really care. He's your friend or whatever not mine."
Uraraka stood up. "Alright Bakugou, I'll let you keep thinking that." With that she turned around and went to chat with some of the other girls. Katsuki glanced over at Iida. Iida was staring at his desk and not attempted to socialize or keep the rowdy class under control. Whatever, not like it was Katsuki's problem.
The day before the start of the internships
Izuku and Shinsou were packing up their things in preparation to head home for the day. Unlike what either of them had expected Eraserhead had come spoken to them or sent any sort of message that indicated he wanted to take them on as interns. At this point they'd both resigned themselves to another normal week of school. "C'mon Midoriya. We shouldn't keep that angry pomeranian of a friend of yours waiting too long." Shinsou said as he watched Izuku slowly pack up.
"R-right. Not good to keep Kacchan waiting." Izuku said hurriedly packing up the rest of his things.
As the two walked through the hallways they were stopped by none other than Eraserhead. The person they'd been waiting for to contact them. Both felt a jolt of excitement. "You two, Midoriya and Shisou correct?." Eraserhead addressed them. Both nodded. "Good, I want to extend internship offers to the two of you. Took me a while to get things cleared since you're general studies students so that's why I'm offering so late."
"Y'you're extending offers to us?" Izuku asked, doing his best to sound completely surprised.
Eraserhead nodded. "Yes, you both have potential and that potential is being wasted by not being in the hero course. So?"
Izuku and Shinsou looked at each other. They'd talked it over when they'd first learned he was going to offer internships to them. They'd both quickly reached an answer though. To be trained by a pro like Eraserhead? There was no question to what they would pick.
"We'd love to take you up on your offer Eraserhead!" Izuku said, bowing. Shinsou joined him.
"Alright, I'll meet you two here tomorrow at 7. Don't be late and bring whatever you'll need for the week." With that Eraserhead turned around and walked off in the direction he had come. Izuku and Shinsou exchanged brief smiles before resuming their walk. Starting tomorrow they'd officially be interning with Eraserhead.