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“If you really want to be a hero, there’s a faster way to do it. Take a swan dive off the roof and hope for a quirk in your next life!”
Those were the words that rang in Izuku Midoriya’s head as he walked home. As he was attacked and almost killed by a villian. As he met and was saved by his hero. As he was left alone on a roof by said hero after his dreams were destroyed.
They were the words he replayed over and over in his mind as he wrote out a note in the back of his notebook. As he placed his backpack against the railing. As he rested his red shoes next to said yellow bag and on top of the notebook that held his once only hope for a future.
They were the last words he seemed to hear as he stood on the edge and, finally, let go.
14 years later
Katsuki Bakugou, aka the hero Dynamite, was grumbling in his seat. He was forced by his friend Eijirou Kirishima, aka Crimson Riot, to come to this stupid hero convention to help “boost your ratings, brotsuki!”
Katsuki didn’t think he needed to “boost his ratings.” He was already in the top ten, has been for years now, and he didn’t see a need to go any higher. Maybe when he was younger he would have gone crazy trying to become number one but…
Things change.
Either way, he was stuck now, signing autographs and taking pictures and answering questions, so there wasn’t much of a point to fight it now. That didn’t stop him from showing his displeasure at having to be there.
As the line went on, most of the fans talked with the more friendly of the two, only occasionally addressing the explosive hero. Once a group of bubbly girls finished their turn, giggling as they left, a boy stepped up to the table.
He was short with wild black hair, part of it covering his right eye, and was fidgeting nervously with a cheap looking notebook. He was wearing a taky t-shirt that just said “Boom” and had a black jacket that looked too big for his small frame.
Once he made his way over, placing his notebook down on the table, open to a drawing of Crimson Riot, he finally looked up. His red eyes, piercing, as they looked up at the hero.
Katsuki didn’t think much of the way the kid seemed to avoid looking at him. He knows his personality is shit and can make people uncomfortable, but something seemed off with this kid.
Katsuki was pretty sure he didn’t know any black haired red eyed middle schoolers but the notebook reminded him a little too much of burned green hair. Of terrified trembling and devastated green eyes.
After getting Crimson Riot’s signature and giving the hero a big smile, the kid turned to Katsuki. He seemed to prepare himself, taking a deep breath, then took a step closer to the explosive hero’s side of the table.
He set his notebook on the table again, this time on a page for Dynamite. He didn’t need to say anything, Katsuki already knew what the kid wanted and was signing in the clear empty space of the page. As he did so though, something caught his eye.
A silly, stupid name that he thought was epic when he was younger. A name that he didn’t tell anyone of his friends about. A name he got over before he even entered highschool.
King Explosion Murder, aka K.E.M
“Y-you know, y-your a-advice didn’t w-work, Kacchan.”
Katsuki, having froze when he saw the writing, whipped his head up at the name. Finally, he started to really take in the eyes of a familiar soul as the kid gave him a sad smile.
“I-i wasn’t able to get a quirk in my next life.”