Chapter Text
Bakugou Katsuki is literally the fucking best. Ground Zero ranks number 3 on the Hero Charts and it shows. With an incredibly high likability, and a rabid fan base that adores him, Bakugou's career is thriving.
Right now is his day off, so he's just laying on the couch relaxing for once. He already completed his morning workout and showered so he had time until he would get the inevitable call from one of his old classmates. However, that thought is rudely interrupted when his PR manager, Tsumugi, let's herself into his apartment. She has dark skin and purple dreadlocks that are neatly tied in a bun. Tsumugi is dressed sleek and professionally and wearing designer prescription glasses. She clears her throat before looking up at Bakugou.
"Bakugou-san."
"What the hell is it?" The slim woman makes no change in expression at Katsuki's rudeness and just continues swiping through her tablet. She pushes he glasses up and is wearing a serious expression, well, more serious than usual.
"Many people have been coming out of the woodwork lately. People you went to school with."
"Get to the point."
"I am, it's completely verifiable that they were indeed enrolled in the same institutions as you so there's no lies there." Bakugou looks over at her irritated in hopes that she would get on with it or leave. It has zero effect. "They are all saying the same things. It's about how you used to be the schoolyard bully, and many of the posts are gaining a good amount of traction."
"Who gives a shit about middle school? Those fuckers are just mad I did what I said I would. They need to move the fuck on."
"Regardless, if it isn't addressed it could get out of hand. Best to nip it in the bud."
"You can't be fucking serious 4-eyes."
The dark skinned woman exhaled deeply, something that happened often in their conversations. "Bakugou-san, check your phone."
Bakugou didn't like taking orders from other people but he wanted to see if it was really that big of a fucking deal that his PR manager felt the need to come in person rather than leave a message. He quickly logged on to Twitter and noticed that he was trending—the number 1 trending topic to be specific—which is to be expected because he is the best. He clicked on his name and he could of swore an entire war zone was contained within that small device in his hands.
The stans had their swords and shields up and ready. They came together to make an unbreakable defense to protect their Lord, King Explosion Murder. Hundreds of "People change!" and "He was a child!" flooded the timeline like a wave of unaccountability. They were fighting hard, as hard as they could, but the enemy was stronger.
The anti's grew more powerful by the second as more people joined the #HeroDrama. The stans came with swords and shields? Well the anti's had guns. Huge guns. They had tanks, too, and they weren't afraid to use it. They brought megaphones to amplify the voices of the people that initially spoke out and they were relentless. "Bakugou never even apologized!" "He's still an entitled asshole!" "He shouldn't be a hero!"
That last one pissed him off. He worked too fucking hard for anyone to tell him what he should and shouldn't be. In the midst of people talking he even saw some of his middle school friends side against him and confirm his behavior.
The woman readjusted her glasses and pushed a purple loc behind her ear. "Get it now? This could very well get serious if we don't act smart and quick."
Bakugou held an iron grip on his phone. "Yeah I fucking get it." He grinded his teeth together as he made an angry snarl. She hummed in agreement as she looked at her notes.
"You could just deny everything. If you want to take a little accountability I'm thinking the apology should start off with you apologizing for your behavior as a teenager." She thoughtfully paced around. "Maybe saying that the person you were then you're not now, and being a hero has changed your heart. Then next-"
"Okay extras." She was abruptly cut off and looked to see Bakugou was filming a video on his phone.
"Bakugou what are you doing?"
"It's come to my attention that people are getting upset with middle school me for the actions I made back then." He smirked harder. "But let me tell you something, I don't give a fuck about that shit at all."
His manger started getting angrier. "Bakugou I swear if that's live."
"That shit happened 10 years ago. Don't you fuckers have family or jobs and shit? Or are you really still that pathetic the only thing you can do is bitch and moan about middle school? You're just mad that you aren't even half as successful as I am."
Tsugumi walked across the room to the couch Bakugou was sitting at far from amused. Her heels clicked against the marble floors of Katsukis apartment and he continued despite hearing her get closer.
"Now that I see how pathetic you are I should've bullied you more." The video was getting more personal. Rather than being about the many victims of bullying by his hands it was about that one little boy with that lively nest of bouncing curls on his head. And those freckled rosy cheeks that always had that annoyingly bright smile plastered on. This message was for him. "You're just mad I was right."
The moment he turns off the livestream Tsugomi snatches the phone out of his hand. Her face is flustered and angry. A huge contrast when compared with her usually calm and almost emotionless demeanor. He sees her hands shake as she clutches air.
"Bakugou Katsuki. What have you done?"
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The answer to that question was ruin his entire fucking career. Bakugou really threw himself into the deep end this time, huh?
Bakugou was rarely in drama but on the rare chance that he was he would just say what he thinks. Blunt as hell, no formalities, then everyone would move the fuck on.
He always handled his problems that way, how would he know it would backfire all the way up his ass.
Evidently, the school he enrolled in had thousands people attending, so thousands of people could theoretically say they were bullied by Bakugou and offer zero evidence.
Unfortunately that's exactly what happened. That's why his manager initially offered the extreme take of just lying and saying he never bullied anyone, because so many other people were fucking lying.
One girl said every day after school he would punch her in the face. Another kid said that Bakugou stole his virginity in broad daylight in the middle of the fucking schoolyard, and what made it more laughable was the fact that he's still a virgin himself so he definitely hasn't taken thar from anyone. But the worst one has to be the one where he pushed a girl off a bridge in hopes that she'd die.
After a bit of research, he found out the first person to come out with their bullying experience wasn't even fucking truthful. He had no idea who the fuck this guy was and didn't recognize him at all. So by hoping on his livestream and spouting complete and utter bullshit he actually co-signed what the fucker said. He didn't just fan the flames, no he unleashed all the power he could muster into the explosion that would burn his career to the fucking ground.
His likability fell from 85% to 22%, and rather than being the number 3 pro hero he is now number 67. What a setback.
There's nothing else he can say, it's their word and his word versus his.
So here he was listening to the clock tick. He knew his hero agency would call him after the fiasco of a live stream that happened yesterday and he truly wanted to fix it. He sat in the cold office as irritated as ever when Best Jeanist and Tsumugi came and took their seats around the large table. The silence still hung heavy in the air and the tension started rising.
Best Jeanist felt it was best to just slice through it. "Bakugou, this is what happens when you don't think things through."
Bakugou kept his scowl in place but raised his glare onto the man sitting across from him but that didn't deter Jeanist in the slightest. "What? I got you the best PR manager in the pro-hero industry but that doesn't mean much if you don't listen to her."
Bakugou stayed quiet, a far cry from his usual behavior. Jeanist continued, "She's solved worse scenarios, this was a scratch that we could have healed with a bandaid. But now..." He looked over at Tsugumi who was back to her usual stoic self, then back at Bakugou, "Well we can't stick bandaids on bullet holes now can we? If you wanna save your career, I'm afraid one post won't cut it, and it could have if you actually listened to what she said from the start. But there's no point in crying over spilled milk." He stood up and slammed his hands onto the table.
"Bakugou, this may be your last chance to save your career so don't blow it, you worked too hard to get here. Don't throw it all away." He then walked out leaving him in the room with Tsugumi.
The woman swiped through her tablet and began to type out her game plan. "There is no career I can't save. And honestly, I'm a little glad I have the extra challenge." She once again pushed her glasses back and set her hands on her hips. "This won't be easy, but there's no reason we can't do it. But you'll need to trust me this time."
"Well let's get on with it then." Bakugou said, finally speaking up. He felt a little hope growing in his chest.
"First off: apologies."
"I though you said it was too late for that shit?"
"It's too late for one. You have to apologize at minimum to 5 people."
"The hell?! I didn't even bully that many people!"
"But according to Twitter, you bullied a lot more. Taking accountability will help alleviate some of the pressure."
Bakugou heavily sighed in defeat, something he didn't do often. "Alright."
"Great." She reached into her binder and set a folder on the table. "Here's some names."
Bakugou looked down at the list of names and his eyes widened. "Where the fuck is Deku?"
"Who's that? Should I add them to the list?"
"Huh? No don't worry about it." Bakugou finally stood and stretched so he could leave. Despite that being on the shorter end of meetings, it felt way longer.
"Alright, remember, no posting on social media at all."
"I got it Glasses leave me alone."
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Tsugumi went to work on clearing Bakugou's name. Three out of the five people were exposed to be lying due to not even attending Bakugou's school. Luckily that threw out the bridge murder attempt and schoolyard fucking. So that left the girl who got punched in the face everyday and some other guy. The last two people who gained a loud voice definitely went to his school so their claims couldn't be easily debunked.
The girl's name was Taiko Himemiko and she kinda looked like a fish. Probably due to all those non-existent punches.
And the guy's name was Momo Yusuke. And he actually had no idea what he was spreading.
"Hey Glasses,"
"Tsugumi."
"What claim did that other guy make? Is it something crazy like I beat his grandma?"
"No, it actually cancels out all the other claims. He says you were an all-around jerk, but you really only bullied one person more than anyone else." This caused Bakugou to freeze in his place. Tsugumi noticed this, despite how Bakugou barely even flinched for a millisecond.
"This Momo Yusuke... is he telling the truth?" Bakugou looked up at her and leaned back in his seat. He should just be transparent, clear as fucking crystal because he needs his career saved.
"Yeah, that sounds about right."
"Well then I have an idea. Momo isn't fighting for himself. And the person he's representing hasn't spoken out yet. Maybe we could talk him out of it."
"How? There's no way that fucker will cooperate let's not waste our time."
"Do you want to be known as the guy who punched a girl everyday?"
"I didn't fucking do that!"
"I know, but having another story debunked will weaken the foundation of all other claims. Unless they have irrefutable evidence, they will no longer be a threat to your career."
"...That makes sense." Bakugou couldn't help but be happy that Tsumugi was on the hero side, she definitely schemed.
"Bakugou, what is this person's name? We can track them down."
Bakugou sighed for what felt like the 100th time that day. He thought back to middle school. Back to his days as an overly violent kid who bullied the overly kind kid who wouldn't just give up. The kid who ran in to save him and would probably do it again if he was given the chance. The kid who had all odds stacked against him but was too dumb to realize he wasn't cut out for this world.
"His name is Izuku, Izuku Midoriya."