A/N: I decided to write a oneshot since I'm stuck on what to do for the novel I'm working on. This doesn't go by the manga. Also, I don't like Bakugo's hero name in the manga (it's just… cringey, I guess), so he'll go by one I saw bouncing around a lot on social media and this site.
Bakugo didn't hate kids, but he was willing to retract that statement when the kid's snot-covered hand grabbed his own gloved one. "You better be glad I'm wearing gloves, you damned brat. Your parents owe me a new one."
For once, Bakugo worried about raising his voice. The rubble overhead shifted every few minutes from the remains of the school building. What was supposed to be a simple educational meeting for a group of elementary students for class 2-A turned catastrophic when the earthquake hit. When pieces of the ceiling started falling, Bakugo remembered Todoroki using ice to hold some of the rubble in place as everyone evacuated.
Almost everyone, at least.
Bakugo muttered a curse as the rubble shifted again and the kid's grip tightened on his hand. Not even fifteen minutes ago, the kid had been watching the group of heroes-in-training with unveiled curiosity, even though he never spoke up. When Bakugo saw one of the teacher aids signing to the boy, he understood why the kid wasn't as verbal as the other children. Instead, he watched everyone with wonder as they talked about heroism. Just before Class 2-A was to leave, the children crowded around them with a sense of admiration. Some asked questions, and others wanted to see quirks in action.
Bakugo noticed the boy glance at him, then around to the other groups. While most of Class 2-A were comfortable showing off their quirks to the younger children, Bakugo kept his distance. He watched as the kid eventually mustered up the courage to walk over to him. The boy smiled nervously as he waved a hand in greeting. Bakugo nodded and hoped that was enough to make the kid leave, but the boy signed to the teaching aid next to him.
The aid smiled and turned to Bakugo. "He wants to know what your hero name is."
Bakugo shrugged. "I don't have one yet."
The teacher aid smiled when the kid signed back. "He said you were cool during the UA Sport Festival."
The child signed to her again.
Ms. Yui nodded before turning back to Bakugo. "Excuse us for a moment." She stood at one of the doorways and watched the kid go down the hall to where Bakugo knew the lockers were.
A few minutes after that, the ground beneath their feet shook. The strong earthquake started to bring down the older building as the heroes tried to evacuate. The ice above them from Todoroki's quirk began to crack. Kaminari and Kirishima dragged the teacher aid out the main door, and Bakugo noticed the blood streaming down her face.
"Mikael," she yelled. "Where's Mikael?"
Those words were all it took to send Bakugo back into the building and down the hallway he'd seen the kid disappear into. Mikael was on the tile floor, unable to keep his balance. A loud roar reverberated through Bakugo's skull as large explosions propelled him toward the kid as the building fell around them.
Another small tremor made the debris shift above them, and Bakugo pulled away from Mikael to brace his hands against the large chunk overhead. With gritted teeth, he pushed with all his strength, but it wasn't enough. The concrete pressed down, forcing him to his knees with gritted teeth.
His classmates' voices bled through the rubble as the Earth continued to shake.
"Blow it to Hell, man!" Kirishima yelled. "Hurry!"
It was the go-ahead he needed. Sweating from the confined space and small fires among the rubble, he started building up an explosion in his palms. The kid's hand touched his chest, and Bakugo felt a surge of power flood through his body a moment before the explosion tore at his arms. A gaping hole appeared in the rubble overhead, small chunks of concrete and ash raining down. Kirishima peered over the hole a moment later, followed by Deku, Kaminari, and Jiro.
"You guys okay?" Kirishima asked before holding out a hand.
"We're fine," Bakugo said, then picked up the kid clinging to him. "Here."
Kirishima grabbed the kid and passed him off to Deku before reaching toward Bakugo. Had it been anyone else, Bakugo would've refused, but he grabbed his friend's hand. "Man," Kirishima said, "I've never seen an explosion that big."
"It wasn't entirely me," Bakugo said. He hid the wince as Kirishima pulled him up. "That kid has an amplification quirk."
"Your arms are messed up," Kaminari said. "We need to get you to Recovery Girl."
Bakugo looked at his dust covered arms. Blood trickled from various wounds, but the pain mostly came from the muscles and joints. The familiar pain of overusing his quirk was doubled, and he swallowed in an attempt to ease the nausea. "Whatever, Pikachu. It can wait."
In the end, Aizawa-sensei forced Bakugo to go to the hospital by ambulance. With no casualties or serious injuries, Class 2-A were either redirected to another area or helped with search-and-rescue. After pain meds were administered, Bakugo found he couldn't care less about being ordered to get medical treatment. When he woke up a day later, Kirishima told him Recovery Girl healed what she could, but demanded he rest for at least two weeks.
Impatience ate at Bakugo. Hanging around the dorms and going to class without putting in any training time sucked, especially with his class helping with clean-up during the day. He was watching Kaminari and Tokoyami play a video game in the lounge one night when a phone was dangled in front of his face.
"Check it out, dude," Sero said. "You're going viral!"
A passerby recorded the video after the first earthquake, and Bakugo felt a rush of annoyance flood through him at the fact it was only a little over four minutes before he and the kid were out from underneath the rubble. The video followed Bakugo as he walked away from the debris with the others. Some news organizations picked up a screenshot from the video itself, using corny headlines like "heroes rise from the ashes after earthquake devastates Japan."
"I told you you were all extras," Bakugo said, but he didn't think anything else about it.
A few days after that, Aizawa walked into the dorms. "Where's Bakugo?"
Hearing his name from the kitchen, Bakugo stopped chopping carrots and moved into the lounge. "What?" he asked. Considering he'd been cooped up on campus for nearly two weeks, Bakugo didn't think he'd be in any trouble. Even if he were, he didn't care.
Aizawa stepped aside and let a few people through the door. "This is the Kamiki family. They wanted to talk to you."
Mikael smiled as he waved at Bakugo, but never released his mother's hand. Bakugo nodded back a greeting.
The man bowed. "We wanted to thank you for saving our son."
"Yes," the woman agreed as she bowed. "Thank you so much."
"It's part of the job," Bakugo said, not sure what else to say. He wanted the awkward encounter to end.
When the parents straightened their backs, the father laughed. "You know, he's rewatched the videos online from the wreckage and the Sports Festival. He was bummed he didn't get to thank you in person."
"The principal told us you were recovering," the woman said. "Are you okay now?"
"I'm fine," Bakugo said.
"We're sorry Mikael's quirk caused you trouble," Mr. Kamiki said. "He's still learning how to control it."
Bakugo's muscles ached at the reminder before he crossed his arms. "The kid's got a strong quirk. We'd probably be dead without it."
Mikael chose that moment to let go of his mother's hand and move to Bakugo. Broken syllables fell from the kid's lips, but they were still understandable. "Thank you." Mikael handed a piece of paper to him.
"You don't have to thank me, kid," Bakugo said as he took the paper. Seeing the kid's expectant expression, he unfolded it. Names covered the front, but a few were circled and highlighted. A short letter expressed the child's gratitude.
The kid looked down at the floor before turning to his mother and signing something. Mrs. Kamiki's face fell for a moment before she turned her attention to Bakugo. "Mikael was born deaf, but he wants to become a hero. He idolizes all of you. He wants to know if you think he can be like you someday."
"He may be deaf, but a quirk like his can go a long way, especially with medical. You don't have to fight on the frontlines to be a hero." Bakugo didn't hesitate to voice his opinion. The kid was stronger than most his age, and that quirk would benefit pro-heroes in the long run. Refusing someone with such a quirk would be a shame.
Mrs. Kamiki look startled for a moment before relaying the message to Mikael, who beamed and charged forward. Small arms wrapped around him. Before Bakugo could react, the kid released him and ran back to his parents. After saying their goodbyes, the family and Aizawa left the dorm and an uncomfortable Bakugo as his classmates teased him.
"Aw, look," Kaminari said. "Your first fan. Who knew that would happen?"
"Shut your damn mouth, Pikachu!"
"A kid at that! I figured they'd all run from you," Sero joked.
"You two are the ones that better be running!" Bakugo yelled as he let a few sparks erupt from his palms.
Kirishima butted in. "Come on guys, he's still recovering."
"Stay out of it, Stupid Hair!"
Later that night, Bakugo placed the letter on his desk and pulled out the crumpled hero name change request form Aizawa had given him at the beginning of the year. Bakugo debated on the name he thought he'd finally chosen and the one glaring at him in the form of a child's handwriting. Eventually, he wrote the name in a box.
Aizawa read the paper on his desk in the teacher's lounge the next day. Midnight and All Might crowded around to see what gained his attention.
All Might smiled. "It seems Young Bakugo finally decided on a name."
Midnight laughed. "At least it's not King Explosion Murder."
Aizawa scanned the document to the computer. Out of everyone in Class 2-A, it seemed Bakugo had grown the most. A screen popped up onto the computer, and Aizawa added in the proper information.
Name: Katsuki Bakugo
Quirk: Explosion
Status: UA Student – Class 2-A; Provisional Hero License Active
Hero Name: Ground Zero
A/N: Yeah, this was short and not very detailed, but it's enough to get me focused on my novel. If you'd like to read more, just let me know. I'll even accept oneshot requests as long as it's not romance.