Work Text:
Two sides.
Two sides of a coin.
Two sides of the law.
The new up and coming hero is known as Red Riot is missing. The whereabouts of the Sturdy hero have been unknown for nearly two weeks now. However, rumors say that the young heroes’ license had been taken away for a confirmed connection to the feared villain Ground Zero. Is Red Riot switching sides?
Kirishima wasn’t really sure how he ended up where he was. Standing on the opposite side of the crumbling battles field. His chest burned and his mouth tasted like copper and dirt. He stared into Aizawa’s eyes from his side, while Ground Zero protectively stood in front of him. It was like a shock rippled through him as he shakily took in the scene. He didn’t get it, how he ended up here. “Kirishima!” His mentor’s voice rippled across the broken ground, his normal absent facial expression gone, replaced with worry and disappointment that everyone normally had the right of mind to flinch and look away from. However, Kirishima kept his gaze on the man, he had become used to that disappointed look over the past couple of months. He guessed the sting goes away after a while.
“Red, calm down man.” Sero pleaded.
“Calm down?! Are you insane?! This- this is bullshit!”
“Look, I know it’s frustrating-”
“No!” Kirishima shouted, hands rippling over with hardened skin from pure anger. He couldn’t fathom how the other was so calm about this. “The same people who were after our class the entirety of our high school career have now teamed up with the most dangerous villain Japan has seen in decades! How am-”
“Kirishi-” The older hero tried, but was quickly cut off, “With all due respect Aizawa, I don’t need your input along with his! Both of you-” The man cut off the young heroes shouts, wrapping his cloth weapon around his mouth. The later jolted but held his jaw shut tight, glaring daggers into his previous mentor’s own steel gaze. “Kirishima, you’re an adult now, so act like it.” With a finally, shove Red Riot ended up in his office chair a manly pout on his face. "Read up on this villain, see what we can find out."
“Red! Come on, dude! You know this is insane! We- We can figure this out you just gotta come back!” His ex-coworker called out. Kirishima couldn’t help but wince, ‘figure this out?’ There wasn’t anything left to figure out. Everything was how it was. His license was gone and there was sure no possibility of getting it back, and despite popular belief, he wasn’t stupid, he knew he’d be arrested on the spot. Honestly, Red Riot wasn’t sure what Sero thought there was left to figure out. He knew what was happening, and yeah, he knew it was insane. He knew the villains just won a battle, he had helped them do it, so what on earth did the other thing could possibly be left to figure out? "Come on Red! You don’t even know what you're thinking!"
“I don’t even know what to think,” Kirishima grumbled through his hand, looking over the file he’d made. Sero looked over his shoulder curiously. “Do you have to present that to everyone today?”
“Yeah…” The sturdy hero sighed. The other looked at him with furrowed eyebrows, “Well, what’s wrong with it?” Kirishima shook his head, flipping through the pages with annoyance. “Nothing is wrong its just- insane… I don’t-”
“What do you mean?”
“This villain, Ground Zero. He’s our age, I think maybe a year older at most based on the few records I found. But he’s so feared, he , became the most feared villain by doing nothing but robbing and vandalizing in just a few months.” Sero raised his eyebrow, finishing off his bite of the sandwich. “So? What makes him so scary, there’s plenty of people who did worse.” Kirishima nodded in agreement. “He’s… explosive, Literally. And from what we have seen he’s incredibly strong and smart.” He mumbled, still scowling at the file, the other stared at him, there was something, off. Sero just shook it off as frustration.
"Mon' Riot! How'd we even get er'?" Fatgum contributed to the yelling. The red boy just shook his head.
Kirishima scowled at the dark alley walls during patrol, abnormally quite. “Red? You good?”
“Yeah! Just frustrated.” The man sighed, still glaring into every shadow they passed. “Ground Zero and the League haven’t done anything in weeks! We were so close! I mean- He was literally right there!” The other hero nodded but before he could say anything their radios went off. Kirishima felt his chest heave as they ran towards the call, it was them, it was actually them, robbing an old bank storage building. “Red Riot!” One of the other heroes called out, “We’ve captured the leader!”
“Where is Ground Zero!”
The other shook their head, “Not sure!”
“I’ll go look!”
“Be careful, Riot!” Kirishima flashed the man a grin and ran into the building, the room swirled with dust and heat, almost making the hero cough. He ducked under planks of wood, cursing each time he failed at finding the villain. He slowed down in the backroom, catching his breath. "Oi! Shitty hair! You're not going anywhere this time!" A deep voice growled from behind him and before the hero could react, Ground Zero was on him. He pinned Kirishima to the floor, left hand gripping both wrists above his head while sitting on his hips. The blonde man raised his right hand, explosions crackled in the dimly lit room, adding an orange hue to the gray light. Red Riot activated his quirk and closed his eyes, anticipating the stricks, however, the never came. Slowly, the man opened his eyes to look up at the villain. His spiky hair was starting to droop slightly and his eyes, god, Kirishima thought he could look at them all day, They burned his skin, conflicting thoughts rolling through them as they trailed over every part of him. There was a low grumble from the blonde before lips slammed against the others. Kirishima kissed back without hesitation despite everything in him screaming for him to stop, screaming at him to fight, despite it all, he kissed back. Ground Zero leaned in closer, his lips melting against the heroes. Footsteps slammed in their direction and Ground Zero pulled away, resting his forehead against Kirishima’s for just a moment, but Eraser Head rounded the corner and all too fast the blonde man was out the shattered window. "Kirishima! What- are you okay?!" The older rushed out, moving down to the other side. "Y-yeah."
"What was that!” The pro demanded He's a villain, Kirishima!"
"I know! Okay? He- he caught me off guard!" Aizawa glared at him for a moment longer, "Don't let him do it again."
"Red, I-I don't understand man!" Kirishima once again just shook his head at the distressed voice. He didn’t understand either. He didn't understand why the three heroes were still here, they could move closer yet they kept calling out for his to come back. After what he did? He could only repeat the question of ‘why’ so many times.
Kirishima drummed his fingers on the wood of his desk, groaning when he finally stood. “I’m going on my break.” He announced in the direction of his co-workers getting a few nods in response. The redhead walked and walked until he was finally met with the bland building. He stared into the empty rooms, still swirling with dust and the scent of burnt caramel. Kirishima walked slowly, listening to the echo of his steps, he wasn’t even fully in the room yet when a voice called out. “Well if it isn’t Shitty-hair himself.” The man jumped at the voice and quickly activated his quirk, Ground Zero frowned as he exited the shadows of the room. Bright, golden light drifted in through the rather large, broken, window. The room didn’t look nearly as gray as it did that previous night, but the bland look still contrasted with the explosive energy. “Awe come on.” The villain sneered. “Isn’t it obvious I’m not gonna hurt you? You’d already be dead if I wished.” The hero thought for a moment but hesitantly let his guard down, Zero gave a soft smile at the action and Red found himself unable to not smile back. He observed the mysterious male as he got closer. Noting how he was in casual clothing, how there were a few piercings in his ears, as well a few scars, the most noticeable one starting just below his right ear and ending in the middle of his bottom lip. Kirishima found himself wondering how the other got it.
It wasn’t long before the two found themselves on the window seal, Kirishima’s break was long over but he didn’t care, too invested in learning the other’s name, his life, his history. The two continued to speak until Kirishima couldn’t help it anymore and dragged the other to his lips by his collar. Bakugou kissed back immediately, slowly pushing so the redhead back rested against the taller part of the window seal. Tanned hands found their way into blonde hair, tugging when Bakugou would bite. They met after that again. Every day and no one knew. Sometimes when Kirishima would come back and his fellow heroes teased him about the hickeys but they didn’t know it was Bakugou, until the consequences of being on the other side attacked.
"I don't know! I just froze!" Kirishima shouted at the older man. He wanted to be left alone, he couldn’t have the truth ripped from him now but Aizawa had him trapped in his office. "But why Kirishima!?" The man in question huffed, eyes staring at the ceiling, "I just couldn’t hit Baku-" he stopped, catching his mistake. Against his silent pleads the other did too. "What? W-was that a name?! You know his name?!"
"No..."
"Oh- you're a horrible liar Red." Aizawa huffed out. "For the love of God, please tell me he is not who you've been seeing." The growling question hit his ears and he froze once again, he should have guessed they’d figure it out eventually. "He’s a villain Kirishima!"
Kirishima rolled his eyes as tears slipped down his cheeks in frustration"I know!"
"Give us his name right now and then never see him again."
"What? No!"
"Kirishima, follow my orders and stop being foolish!" Aizawa demanded.
"No!"
"Then I'm going to be forced to take your license."
Kirishima was upset as he entered the building. Not mad, not at Aizawa at least, it was his own fault anyway. But he couldn’t help but be upset. The redhead tried his best to keep away his tears but once he sat down and the gravely question "Kiri? What's wrong?" Hit his ears he broke. Tears streamed down his face as Bakugou held him close. "T-they took my license. I lost my job-" Kirishima whispered. It was quite for a while, just the sounds of small sniffles. Calloused thumbs rubbed tears away from his eyes, Bakugou’s wicked yet soft gaze scanned his face. "Join us."
News broke out later that week that Kirishima was missing. The Heros tried their best for the next week that he was gone to not reveal anything but upon the next attack, they couldn't stop what the media saw once they arrived.
Kirishima dropped his head onto the back of Bakugou’s shoulder, causing the man to freeze and turn around. Scarlet eyes bore into crimson. “Eijirou… If- if you want to go back, I won’t stop you.” the whispered words wobbled. “I won’t keep you here if you don’t want to stay.” Kirishima’s eyes widened at the blondes sad words. His mind raced with choices. He looked up towards the shouting heroes, Aizawa stared back with pleading eyes, Sero, Kaminari, and Mina now with him. He could see the tears in their eyes but when Kirishima looked back at Bakugou, he knew. He knew what his answer is and what it will always be. Riot gripped Zero’s chin and brought their lips together, only for a second. “Let’s go, Katsuki.” He whispered, grasping the burning hand. They smiled at each other, running back away to safety.
Red Riot, the previously known Sturdy Hero was spotted at the most recent fight against Ground Zero, on his side. Many suspected that he was being held against his will but when Red riot was comforted by the villain and the two shared a kiss it was obvious.
The villain Red Riot and his boyfriend Ground Zero have now reached the top of the charts in most dangerous villains of decades.
Two sides.
Two sides of a double-tailed coin.
One side of the law.