Chapter Text
Sachiko sighed as she relaxed against the tree. She was a ways away from the main event area, out of sight from most of the party-goers and, most importantly, the enthusiastic but annoying rookie she’d been stuck with for the night. It wouldn’t kill Arei to handle the floor alone for a few minutes while Sachiko took a quick break and reminded herself that they were all like that at first: starry-eyed and stammering.
Well, mostly like that. Sachiko liked to think that even she wouldn’t have blurted out how beautiful Creati was upon first meeting her, and she was the one who’d one time brilliantly asked Present Mic if he’d sign her face right before they’d gone on live broadcast.
Sachiko rubbed at her forehead. They’d been there to get a simple quote regarding Creati’s opinion of the event, and now the Number Nine Hero probably thought their organization was some kind of low-budget college news or something. Damn it. Didn’t anyone teach the rookies professionalism before sending them out to interview the nation’s top heroes?
“This is bullshit.”
She jumped.
“I’ve got better things to do than play nice with a bunch of damn extras just so some nosy ass reporter can ask us if we’re having fun playing nice.”
Peering around the tree, Sachiko wasn’t surprised to catch sight of the night’s biggest guests. There weren’t many people as…outspoken as Ground Zero. At least not at an event like this.
She silently raised her hand to her head.
“It’s for charity.”
“We do enough charity saving their worthless asses day in and day out.”
“I don’t think it’s considered that if you get paid for it.”
Ground Zero scoffed. Clearly he had a different opinion on the matter.
They stopped a few meters away from her. Deku tilted his face upwards, a soft smile on his lips as he looked up at the stars, while Ground Zero glowered down at the grass like it owed him money. If there was ever a more iconic representation of the notorious hero husbands, she’d never seen it.
Sachiko pressed the button located behind her ear. There was a quiet click as her quirk activated, snapping a photo of the two Pros. She saved it to her internal memory card and quickly took a second picture, this time zeroing in on Deku’s peaceful stargazing. She focused on Ground Zero’s scowl in the third.
They were silent for a moment, both seemingly content to stand side by side and exhibit completely opposite emotions from each other. Then Ground Zero lifted his gaze, a cocky grin in place. Sachiko snapped another photo.
“Hey Deku.”
“Hmmm?” Deku tilted his head sideways as he looked at him. Like a big-eyed, green-haired human puppy experiencing some new curiosity for the first time.
Sachiko took another photo. Her boss was going to love her.
“I got Night Flash to sign this,” Ground Zero said, pulling a pad of paper out of his pocket.
Deku’s eyes widened. “What! No way! Night Flash never gives out autographs!” He snatched the notepad from his hand. A flush crept over his cheeks as he read it. “You had it addressed to me.”
“Of course I did, you stupid nerd. What the hell do I want his damn autograph for?”
Deku’s smile was enough to make Sachiko consider taking up hero merch collecting. If only so she could later give it to him and see that smile again.
Her internal camera clicked as she took another photo. Ground Zero was a lucky, lucky man.
“How did you get it?” Deku frowned. “You didn’t threaten him, did you?”
“None of your damn business.”
Deku’s frown deepened.
Ground Zero held out a hand. “Look, if you don’t want it-”
“No! I do!” Deku squished the notebook to his chest.
“Then shut up about it.”
Deku looked at the notebook again before nodding. “All right. I still can’t believe you got it. You’re the best, Kacchan.” His smile came back more beautiful than ever.
Ground Zero rubbed the back of his head as he looked away. “Whatever. It wasn’t that hard. You just suck.”
Deku gave a content noise as he grinned down at the autograph. Sachiko quickly snatched another photo.
“Dance with me.”
“Huh?” Deku looked up from the notebook. “You want to go back to the party?”
Ground Zero shook his head. “Forget those extras.”
“That’s not nice,” Deku said, though he was clearly amused as he put the notebook into his own pocket.
Ground Zero stepped forward and put his hands on his waist. “Nice people are weak.”
“Is that so?” Deku asked, placing his own hands on Ground Zero’s shoulders. Together they slowly began to move.
Sachiko snapped another picture.
“Yeah.” He leaned down and pressed a kiss to Deku’s lips.
She took one last photo before quietly slinking away. She was absolutely getting a raise.
&&&
Sachiko hummed to herself as she popped open her laptop. Time to see the fruits of her labor. Drawing a cord out of her left arm, she plugged it into her laptop’s USB drive. Hundreds of photos popped up onto the screen.
She scrolled down until she found the pictures she’d been waiting all night to see.
Yes, yes, a raise indeed. She clicked through them, examining each one carefully before moving onto the next. She’d have to edit them if there was anything questionable in the background.
She made up names for them as she went: Iconic, Stargazing, Grassgazing, Cocky, Puppy. Sachiko paused as she got to the picture just after Ground Zero had given Deku the autograph. She’d been so focused on capturing Deku’s photogenic smile - the smile that sold news subscriptions around the nation - that she’d completely missed Ground Zero’s responding look.
It was…soft. Far softer than any she’d have expected from the man who seemed to have made it his mission in life to snap at every single person he met.
She clicked forward to the next picture, her eyes drawn towards Ground Zero almost of their own accord. Again, there was Deku with his smile. The Number One Hero everyone loved and adored. The new Symbol of Peace. The focus of all the attention. And again, there was Ground Zero, this time looking at Deku out of the corner of his eye, his face half-turned away, but his own smile still visible. Not his usual smirk or his cocky grin. Just a simple, happy expression.
She quickly clicked to the next photo. They were both amused in this one. Sharing in a private joke. Their eyes were completely focused on the other, and there was no doubt in her mind that they were both a little lovestruck underneath that amusement.
The kiss was the next one. The big one. Not that people hadn’t captured them kissing before, of course. Deku kissed his husband all the time, for various reasons. Ground Zero did too, though mostly when he wanted to nonverbally tell people to back off: Deku was his.
They both looked so happy.
Sachiko unplugged her cord and closed the laptop. Maybe she’d contact their agency before she used any of these. Technically, they’d both agreed to be photographed while on the premises, but it was never a good idea to get on Ground Zero’s bad side. And, if nothing else, she had the feeling at least one of them would want copies.
&&&
A headline appeared a couple of days later speculating on Ground Zero’s odd behavior as he helped Night Flash with one of the theatrical productions he put on for the needy children of the area. Namely, people wondered how in the world Night Flash had convinced Ground Zero to act the part of one of the talking mushrooms. Deku had also come along to help and had played a tree, though that was less exciting to talk about since Deku would do basically anything to help anyone, with little provocation.
Sachiko grinned as she watched a clip of the play online. There was tree Deku smiling and waving while mushroom Ground Zero glowered at everyone and everything, arms crossed in front of him as if to silently ward off all the ‘extras.’
They were certainly something, weren’t they?