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bakugou slowly drags his body into the agency’s changing room as he wipes the sweat of his brows with an overused navy blue sweat towel, panting heavily. he just had a sparring session with three of the new hero rookies that have decided to join the agency he and izuku have decided to form together.
he went into the changing room at the far end of the room and closed the door, sitting on the built-in dressing room bench. he’d have nothing but the highest of quality in his, well, his and deku’s, hero agency.
it was quite unexpected, he couldn’t have imagined a time where he would willingly form a partnership with the forest-hair coloured crybaby. he thought that if anyone, he would partner up with kirishima, he tolerated him the most out of all those extras, he didn’t give a damn about the rest, well… when they weren’t in trouble anyway.
however, a small part of him was not surprised that izuku was the one he made this decision with, he did know him since they were kids, he probably knew him way better th- scratch that, izuku did know him better than anyone else, even his parents maybe, it was honestly debatable. hell, the boy now has 3 whole notebooks dedicated to him and his quirk.
he spent an unusually long amount of time in the changing room as he simply sat and pondered about how everyone’s life changed after they all graduated from UA. for some bloody reason, he was feeling relatively sentimental and was also self-reflecting on his past behaviour. he internally cringed at how he acted during the sports festival, although he was in his twenties now, he still hasn’t changed much, but he was definitely more aware of how his explosive and brutish behaviour made him look. he didn’t give a shit about trying to change, if you don’t like him, fuck you, and if you like him, still fuck you. the thoughts of irrelevant extras didn’t matter to him, he had more important things to be concerned about.
in the midst of his thoughts, he heard the door to the changing room open and the sound of footsteps and voices filled the previously silent room.
“ugh I can’t believe he’s a co-owner, he’s so infuriating,” a relatively scratchy male voice groaned out in frustration.
“right? and he has no mercy whatsoever,” another voice huffed out in annoyance as they rubbed their sore muscles that was obtained from the sparring session.
it sounded like the rookies he was with earlier. bakugou’s ears perked up in interest as he heard the beginning of what was probably going to be a juicy conversation.
“yeah man he doesn’t even seem like a hero to me.”
“that’s what I’ve been saying! he’d make a pretty good villain, he doesn’t even have to try much. that quirk of his is literally meant for villains,” another nasally voice snorted out as they chimed in.
“I kinda hate him to be honest, his attitude pisses me off, I won’t be surprised if some villain wants to come get revenge for something he did or said to them,” the guy with the scratchy voice joked.
“ha! like that kamino ward incident! they should’ve just kept him!” the nasally voice laughed out.
it’s been a while since bakugou heard people talk about his character. the stupid fuckers didn’t even check to see if the last changing room stall was being occupied or not and just started talking shit without a care in the world. but those last comments cut deeper than he would ever admit out loud.
instead of blasting out of the changing room and beating the new rookie heroes for their insolence like he probably would’ve done any other day, he put his head down in slight resignation. he clenched his fists in frustrations as the verbal onslaught continued.
“yeah, I heard he’s not even that useful at rescue missions because he usually destroys thi-”
“shut the fuck up.” a familiar voice spoke from the doorway.
bakugou raised his eyebrows slightly in surprise, it sounded like- and did he just cuss?!
the three hero rookies looked behind them to see izuku standing in the doorway, he gave a steel-like gaze, staring each person in the eye. a shiver ran down their spines, one gulped in fear. it felt like all the oxygen in the room was being sucked out.
“you three are scum. your words are disgusting and I feel sorry for the mothers who raised you. as I stare at you now, i see you as nothing but people below trash who are not worthy of being called heroes. katsuki is far more of a hero than you would ever be in all your lifetimes combined, he is the kindest, selfless and most compassionate person you will ever meet, and shame on you for saying such terrible and disrespectful things like that, regardless of his status. you three shall personally give katsuki hand-written apologies tomorrow morning.”
the three rookies mentally sighed in relief, it was bad that izuku caught them, but he was usually kind so they wouldn’t get in too much trouble thank god. but then he continued to speak, and the three individuals could feel their stomachs drop to their toes in fear and nausea at the consequences.
“as of now, you three are suspended from any activity or involvement with this agency. your positions here will be deliberated by next week. i wouldn’t be hopeful though, it’s only a formality,” izuku spoke sharply as he squinted at them with nothing but hate.
“and seeing as you don’t know how much your words affect others,” izuku continued, now nonchalant in his body language. “I will personally make sure that your words are recorded in your hero files, and I shall charge you three with verbal assault for damaging one’s mental health, mine and bakugou's. now get the fuck out of here before i do something that I probably won’t regret.”
bakugou heard every word. he felt felt his face and ears get a bit warm as well as an unfamiliar feeling of warmth that filled his chest as he listened to izuku fiercely defend his reputation and character, he never heard someone defend him so aggressively before. it was so unsolicited, so altruistic. he was speechless.
‘he thinks I’m kind? ha.’ his usual ridiculing of deku’s behaviour lacked the usual energy. he felt… well, he felt appreciative.
the three tripped and stumbled over each other as they simultaneously rushed to get out of the building before izuku decided to change his mind and break their bones.
izuku sighed and clenched his fist, still feeling angry for the blond, the words they casually and carelessly spoke out carried weight they weren’t even aware of. he was pissed off at those three stupid fucking rookies, he wouldn’t even call them heroes, they certainly didn’t deserve that title. if midoriya considered the kamino ward incident as one of the most stressful situations he has every been in, he couldn’t even fathom the amount of trauma and stress that bakugou must have gone through.
he closed the door gently, walked out of the room and went to his office, day ruined. he dragged a hand over his face, feeling slightly drained from the whole situation.
silence encompassed the room once again, leaving bakugou with his thoughts once more.
he looked down on his lap and subconsciously stroked the soft sweat towel.
he smiled softly.
the idiot didn’t even know he was here.
///
morning came, and alongside it, three individuals were sent into bakugou’s office, izuku standing next to bakugou’s desk, look: stern, arms: folded.
the three kneeled on the ground, heads bowed.
‘what the fuck is this, high school?’ bakugou internally rolled his eyes. only izuku would add this to his form of punishments at their big age.
they stuttered out their apologies and shakily handed their papers up to bakugou, heads till facing the floor in fear of what was to come.
bakugou slowly swiveled to and fro on his large, black and cushiony office chair, and twirled his pen in his hand as if contemplating what to do. he slowly arose from his chair and walked towards the kneeling rookies.
he could visibly see their arms and papers shake as they heard the increasing proximity of bakugou’s footsteps.
the footsteps stopped.
a few seconds passed.
the three rookies felt their hands grasp air, bakugou silently took all their papers without a glance in their direction.
“you can go,” bakugou turned around and began his walk back to his desk, dropping the papers there.
the three looked up in shock and confusion. um, where was the fury? the anger? where was boom boom boi?
they waited a second to see if this was some joke, it wasn’t. they bolted.
izuku took a step to leave too but was immediately stopped by a hand on his arm.
“stay,” bakugou said as he looked at deku earnestly.
he looked way, face feeling hot with embarrassment like yesterday, “…please.”
“kacchan, what’s wrong?” izuku asked, concerned etched onto his face as his brows furrowed in slight worry. katsuki never says please, ever.
no seriously, never.
“yesterday you…”
“yes?” izuku looked at him, waiting with the patience of a saint.
‘why the hell are his eyes sparkling?’ bakugou groans in his head.
"i was there, in the changing room. i heard everything,”
“really? I didn’t know i-, kacchan i’m so sorry you had to hear all of that. you know that none of it is true and they’re ju-”
bakugou interrupted izuku’s forthcoming rambling by pressing his lips to the unsuspected boy. izuku’s body stiffened, eyes widened in surprise at what was going on. but within a few seconds slowly he melted into bakugou’s embrace as he held onto his shirt for support. bakugou’s hand that was grabbing izuku’s hand to prevent him from leaving prematurely, slowly snaked its way to his curly mop of green hair, other hand grabbing the nape of the younger’s neck to deepen the kiss.
they slowly parted from each other, air being a necessity to breathe and all.
they panted for a few seconds, catching their breath, still in an intimate hold.
“thank you, izuku,” bakugou whispered softly as he looked at the boy. no one was in the room but them, yet the atmosphere felt so soothing and delicate, he felt the need to whisper.
‘he looks so soft and sweet it’s disgusting,’ bakugou thought. he was getting diabetes just looking at him please.
izuku smiled softly as he looked at bakugou, he rarely calls him by his ream name. “you don’t have to thank me for that kacchan, but what you just did right now… you don’t know how long I’ve been waiting for something like this,” he said shyly as he slowly twirled his finger around bakugou’s clothing.
bakugou smiled at the green-haired boy, he felt the same way.