The mission had been simple.
They were assigned to investigate the hideout of some villains that was called in on an anonymous tip line. When they got there, Izuku said they should split up to cover more ground. It wasn't anything they hadn't done before on these types of missions. It was easier this way and Izuku knew how much Bakugo hated these routine calls. The faster they could scour the grounds, the faster he could get back to fights he deemed more suitable.
Izuku just usually shook his head at his friend, knowing his bark was worse than his bite when it came to being a Pro Hero. He would complain and bitch about every little thing that didn't have to do with fighting, but he would dutifully do it and Izuku knew he felt a sense of pride in even the small things. Bakugo was just as explosive in personality as he was with his Quirk but he was a damn good hero and the world knew it.
Katsuki Bakugo was on the rise as a top hero, in the Top 20 to be exact. It was clear to everyone that his determination and willpower were not to be reckoned with and villains didn't like dealing with him. He fought like a villain but had the motives of a hero, which made him much harder to deal with.
They were supposed to meet back at the rendezvous point at 14:00. Bakugo was never late. He was usually waiting on the other person and complaining how he could have beaten up a gang in the time it took his partner to meet up. But this day, he wasn't there. Izuku felt a twist in his stomach, the action so unlike his friend. He waited for him to come around from another side, having really gone to fight a gang or something, but as minutes turned to an hour, Izuku started searching for Bakugo. He was nowhere to be found; it was as if he had vanished into thin air.
Fear, dread, and confusion gripped Midoriya as he shouted for Bakugo. Where was he? What could have happened to him in the span of thirty minutes that Izuku hadn't seen remnants of? He had searched the building inside and out at least four times before calling for help and he didn't see any signs of a fight anywhere in the building.
The next few days were a blur as search teams and patrols spent long hours searching for the Pro Hero. Izuku was pushing himself to the brink of collapse, refusing to rest until they found some trace of his friend.
But there was nothing.
Not a single clue.
It was as if Bakugo had vanished from the world.
Guilt gnawed at Izuku relentlessly. He should have insisted they do the check together. He should have communicated with him in between instead of going silent to get things done. He had been his partner in the mission; he was responsible for him like Bakugo was responsible for him. Every day that passed with no word from his friend felt like a failure that weighed heavier on Izuku's chest.
Days turned into weeks, weeks to months, months to years and there was still no sign of Katsuki Bakugo. The media had tried to help, putting out a bulletin to all Pro Heroes to do an extensive search and even having a hotline for tips, but after a few months, life had to go on and Bakugo was put on the back burner.
Three years went by with not a word or clue as to where he could have possibly gone. During that time, Izuku hardened himself to his usual emotions, becoming withdrawn and less emotional. He still performed his duties as a Pro Hero, rising the ranks, but the guilt of losing Bakugo never left. After every mission, he searched for his friend, his nights were mostly sleepless, his days not doing hero work were looking over clues. He felt responsible for Bakugo's disappearance and until he was found (or Izuku died) he wouldn't stop looking.
