Chapter Text
In green spray paint the name DEKU sat at the bottom right of the graffiti. The peace was in a train tunnel, not an area many would see, but it stood out to Katsuki. What were the chances someone else would go by that name? It had to be his deku. As he took pictures, he wondered how his childhood friend could have gotten into graffiti. The kid he knew got mad at him for j-walking, he wouldn’t even consider breaking the law.
“That’s a crime Kacchan. All Might doesn't do crime. He’s a hero!” Deku would say posing with his fist in the air and a bright grin. As the memory fades, he realizes it’s been nearly 9 years since he’s seen his friend. They used to be inseparable, their parents having met in college. But now at 21, Bakugou wondered what had become of the other boy.
Middle school had been rough. The people they previously considered their friends leaving them for popularity and other schools. Kids would bully Deku for being “weird”. Bakugou was the only one besides the teachers who knew Midoriya was autistic. He had been called “brash” and “aggressive” since he was young, but now people's view of him worsened, as the blonde got into a lot of trouble for beating up his friends' bullies. He hated getting detention. It was the stupid teachers faults for not helping in the first place. He still remembers almost getting expelled.
Deku was ranting about All Might. He was fine with listening because he admired All Might too. The comic writer and photographer was known by the name of his most famous character, a super hero who saved people with a smile. He was also famous for his pictures of graffiti and street art. He worked with many other famous artists, whom he later admitted to using some of his characters on. Most notably the radio host and singer known for being present on the mic, and the elusive eraserhead. There was much speculation as to whether the latter existed. Their teacher overheard and came up to “guide” them. He suggested the smaller boy choose a different profession because he didn’t have the “talent” needed to be a comic artist. Needless to say, Bakugou broke the teachers nose. Then he reassured Deku that they would be going to UA Arts Academy together.
Now here he sits in the office of a company he started with friends from UA. The group had been assigned to do they’re final project together and it had gone better than they’d planned. They made a youtube channel called Plus Ultra Art that not only got them an A, but also several offers for purchase. Which in retrospect wasn’t surprising considering they’d gotten 2 million subscribers in 6 months. They all agreed to work together in running the channel, and now after 3 years and 5 million subscribers, it was they’re full time job.
When he’d returned to the office everyone had given him some space, probably noticing his odd mood. But that had never stopped his idiots, who were now sitting around him on a couch.
“What’s up Bakubro?” Kirishima said, taking a peek at his laptop. Everyone leaned in to look.
“Wow that’s really good. Anyone you know?” Kaminari asked to inspect the photos. He merely grunted.
“Yeah but it’s kinda depressing.” Sero chimed in, frowning. And to be honest, he was right. The picture was black and a bit of light blue showing a person that seemed to be looking at their own severed head, tears streaming down their face, on their knees facing sideways.
“Is that what’s up? Usually the art you shoot doesn't get to you?” Mina says leaning back to look at him. He shakes his head and points to the corner.
“Deku? Like…” Kirishima is cut off.
“I don’t know. But how many people in Japan go by Deku?” he says shutting the laptop and standing up.
“Probably not many.” Kirishima says looking worriedly at his best friends back. He was the only one who knew the extent of Bakugou’s past with the mysterious “Deku”.
~ - ~
Bakugou and Midoriya had been friends since they were in diapers. They had the same hero, same dream school, and lived pretty close to one another. It had killed them both when they had been separated. While Bakugou got accepted into UA, Deku had moved… to the other side of the country. For the first year they tried to keep in touch, but between the League of Lawyers and school they’re parents agreed they should cut contact.
By the time they were adults they were too busy with work. Well at least Bakugou was. He didn’t know what the other was up to now…. But he was determined to see if this artist was the same person. He couldn’t give up on his best friend.
~ - ~
It’s been 3 weeks. He’d found a couple smaller works scattered around alleyways and tunnels, but all of them seemed older. Kirishima had called him saying there was something on the side of the old printing house. The fact it was where All Might comics used to be printed couldn’t have been an accident.
Now he stood looking at the mural without a doubt in his mind. Two kids, wearing capes and playing hero stood facing each other, one green, one orange. Two larger figures were bracketing them, facing apart… distant. The green one on its knees, the orange standing and raising a camera…. He had to find him. Had to find out what happened to the green figure.
A week and a half later a video came out on youvid. Both pieces featured in it. Bakugou’s project.
A boy watches the video late at night, alone in his apartment. He can’t stop staring at the familiar graffiti. Dreams of imaginary explosions and green lighting fill his head.
~ - ~
The video starts silent, animan in front of the camera. Words surround him as he speaks in sign language.
“Their words hurt, until I was left with silence.” Fade to black, fade into a train tunnel. King Explosin Murder, as the fans know him, facing away from the camera, head in his hands, rather than attached to his body. His shoulders turn in time with his hands so both parts face the viewer, looking into their eyes as tears stream down his face. Music begins, Earphonejack singing mournfully about the power of words. KEM blinks and disappears, the graffiti he mirrored now visible. After a moment the camera pans to the left revealing the other channel members.
Animan, tape over his mouth, his hands bound together. Then a seemingly empty space. Creati wearing an expensive outfit. Designer dress and heels, manicured nails, and neatly styled hair. She lowers a mask with an exaggerated smile painted on it. Her face is covered in makeup to give a blurred effect. Ingenium, laying on the ground, legs appearing to be cut off. Earphonejack, mouth sewn shut, ears cut off. Celsius, white hair colored red, long claws attached to his hands, angry frown on his face. Cellophane wearing a black outfit, hood up, large smile painted across his face. Alien queen, dressed in eccentric, mismatched clothing, alien features added on with prosthetics. Red Riot, body painted to look as if he were shattering. Chargebolt, gaping head, shriveled brain in his hands. And finally King Explosion Murder, fists bloody, face bruised, muzzle over his mouth, chains on his wrists.
The tempo picks up and everyone begins dancing in different styles and to different rhythms. The dancing turns to shouting, banging on invisible walls, crying, falling to the ground. The screams and cries fade as each person disappears one by one. Until only KEM is left. He looks around in confusion, then turns. Camera flips and he is still bound, standing on the roof of a building. He steps to a painting on the wall, holds his hands out to the green figure, who is blurry, and indistinguishable. He falls to his knees, the figure too far away, music fades out. They both bleed into the wall, becoming part of the painting. Text covers the screen. “The Past Can Hurt Through the Echoes of Words.” Words flash across the screen.
Perfect, dumb, annoying, polite, creepy, freak, loud, alien, ugly, shy, invisible, tone deaf, disgusting, brute, weak, villain, monster, quiet, erratic, uncooperative, idiot, plain, silent, violent, weird, scaredy cat, forgettable, violent, gating, pointless, bully, failure
Fade to black.
~ - ~
The video had gone viral. Their channel had gained half a million followers overnight. All Might sent them a voicemail saying he loved their new video. Comments were raging. A number of them praising the street artist “Deku”.