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Tsuyu Asui walked into pro-hero Endeavor’s office after suiting up. She had been called last minute to meet there instead of Ryukyu’s agency building. Bakugo was already suited up when she walked in, with his arms crossed. He sucked air in through his teeth, looking away from her. “Tsk, way to keep us waiting frog-face.”
Tsuyu furrowed her eyebrows and was about to deliver a curt reply when Endeavor spoke up, “When you are in uniform you will address her as Froppy, as is the custom of pro-heroes.”
“I’m sorry, I came as soon as I received your message, Ryukyu,” Asui bowed to her mentor.
A hint of a smile came across Endeavor’s lips, making Bakugo’s chest feel tight with… jealously? Anxiety? He wasn’t sure, but he knew he hated the feeling.
“You’re quite alright, Froppy. We weren’t waiting long. Great Explosion Murder God Dynamight over here,” Endeavor frowned in disdain at the pro-hero name Bakugo chose before continuing, “was just apprehensive as we were waiting to talk about the assignment once you arrived. After the war, with all the losses we received as well as me losing my arm, you students are the future. Great Explosion Murder God Dynamight has the potential to be a great hero, but being a hero means more than just saving people. It’s about making them feel safe too. Ryukyu and I decided that you two heroes in training should do a routine patrol together-“
“A patrol? What a waste of my time!” Bakugo shouted.
“It’s not a waste of time, kero.” Tsu answered calmly, “it helps the community feel at ease.”
Endeavor looked at Tsu softly, and Bakugo felt his chest tighten again. “Froppy here is a grade-a student and has unshakable calmness as I've never seen. In my current condition, I’m not fit to do more than administrative work for the agency. I once felt the way you did, Dynamight, and I don’t want the future to repeat the same mistakes I did. Especially you, Dynamight. Looking at you at times is like looking at my younger self. You should remember that it’s hard to get something back once you’ve thrown it away.”
Tsuyu bristled at that remark, turning her eyes sharply to Endeavor. “Great Explosion Murder God Dynamight is a great hero. He’s not however you think he is.”
“Froppy,” Bakugo warned, sucking in air through his teeth.
Endeavor schooled his face looking at the teenage girl, but Bakugo still saw the hint of a smile playing on his lips. “I hope you’re right,” was all he replied.
But about the patrol, Bakugo surmised that there was no use in fighting it, as a pro-hero he would have to do many things he didn’t want to do. Even things he didn’t feel were necessary.
“What’s our route, kero?” Tsu asked calmly, any previous anger she might have had gone from her body, as she pressed her index finger to her mouth.
“Come here, I’ll show you on the map,” Ryukyu spoke up, beckoning Froppy over to the desk as they worked over the route. Tsu looked up from the map and gave Bakugo a questioning look with her wide eyes until he joined them. “Okay, kero, we’ll be back shortly,” Froppy nodded as she walked to the door, bowing as she made her exit. She felt Bakugo’s eyes on her, but she stayed steady until they exited the building onto the street. At the very least he wasn’t yelling at her to walk behind him. Not that he ever yelled at her much, Tsuyu figured he knew better than to do that. She wasn’t afraid of him, at any rate.
“I didn’t need your help back there, Froggy,” Dynamight growled lowly as they started their patrol.
“I didn’t do it for you,” Froppy replied plainly. “And when we’re on the streets acting as pro-heroes you are to address me as Froppy.”
“The Hell!” Dynamight hissed, “that’s what I said, you need to get your ears checked you damn frog!”
Tsuyu almost turned her head to scold him for his outburst, when she felt a slight change of pressure out on the busy street beside them. She leaped into the air, grabbing the toddler who had walked out onto the road chasing after his ball with her tongue, landing on the opposite side of the street. The toddler’s parents ran up to her wildly, thanking her profusely while bowing. “Please be more watchful! This is a busy street, there’s no telling what could have happened,” Tsu smiled warmly, handing them back their son.
“Yes miss, we’re so sorry miss!” They bowed as Froppy walked to the crosswalk to make her way back to her patrol partner.
“Nice reflexes, Froppy,” Bakugo looked at her with something like admiration in his eyes, although Tsu knew he would never have admitted it.
“I was simply paying attention, kero,” she shrugged, continuing the patrol.
“You’re getting on my last damn nerve, frog,” he moaned, rolling his eyes. Still, he followed her lead all the same.
Tsu turned again to look at him, placing her index finger to her mouth, "Oh, now it's frog again, kero? It was just Froppy," she wasn't smiling, but Bakugo knew she was amused. "Also, you can call me Tsu."
He shook his head, walking in front of her "let's just get on with it." Further up the road, a small dog was cowering and whimpering. Tsu kneeled to it, taking off a glove and placing her hand in front of its nose for the pup to get her scent. “What’s wrong, doggy? Did you lose your family?” she asked sweetly, scooping the dog into her arms.
“It’s just a dog, leave it. We aren’t here for dogs.” Dynamight let out an exasperated sigh.
“We’re here to help, however we can.” Tsuyu replied curtly, keeping a lookout for anyone that looked frantic. She continued to walk while cradling the dog, cooing to it softly. After a few moments, a boy who looked to be about ten ran up to Tsu, wide-eyed and red in the face. “Haruto! There you are! I was looking all over for you!”
“Did you lose your dog, sweetie?” Tsu smiled, placing the small dog into the boy's arms while the dog licked his face.
“I’m so sorry, I turned my head for a split second to look at a gacha machine! I’m so glad there are heroes around here to save him. What’s your name, miss?” He breathed out, smiling up at her.
“I’m Froppy, and this is my friend Dynamight!” She smiled, gesturing to Bakugo.
“Thank you both, I’ll be sure to remember that!” The boy bowed, running off with his precious Haruto in his arms.
Bakugo felt the tightness in his chest threaten to swallow him whole, and before he could help it he was on the brink of exploding. “Don’t talk as if we’re some sort of friends, Froggy! We’re classmates at best!”
Tsu turned to look at him, a cold look in her eyes, and he knew that maybe he went a little too far. She fixed her mouth to say something that would have put him in his place, he was sure, but before she could speak a small crowd surrounded them. “Hey, it’s the kid that went crazy at the U.A. sports festival last year! Now he’s yelling at this poor little girl!” A man’s voice exclaimed.
“What? The same kid that was almost swallowed by the sludge villain?” Another man cried out.
Tsu turned quickly, placing her arm in front of Bakugo protectively, which would have pissed him off even more if he didn’t realize the predicament they were in. Maybe Endeavor was right about him after all. “Excuse me, this is my partner, and we were having a talk is all. You are being very rude butting in on a private conversation, kero. He wasn’t yelling, he’s just passionate. Please don’t stand and gawk so that we can get on with our patrol and keep the streets safe,” Tsu responded to the crowd calmly but firmly.
“S-sorry, miss.” The first man apologized, bowing his head in shame. The crowd dispersed sheepishly after that, all muttering apologies or excuses.
Once they were gone, Tsu turned around to level another look at her companion, “so, you were saying, kero?” she challenged.
He wanted to yell something and fly off, but he realized that all the heat was gone from him, and he just felt… sad. “That I don’t need you save me, Froppy.”
Tsu looked at him with her unblinking eyes and furrowed brows, her lips turned into a small frown, and it just killed him to have her look at him like that for some reason. “Then it’s good that I wasn’t saving you, I was saving them. Now let’s get on with it, we’re almost done.” She turned from him to continue the route, and Bakugo suddenly found himself wanting to grab her and stop her, to apologize, to tell her that she was his friend. But he didn’t, opting instead to follow her without looking at her, feeling almost ashamed.
Once they were about three blocks away from Endeavor’s agency, a small mewling was heard from an alley. Tsu ducked in quickly before Bakugo could protest and came back with a box of kittens. “Someone left these poor kittens in this alley,” she pouted. “There’s an animal rescue not so far from here, go back to the agency and I will meet you there when I’m done.”
Bakugo looked at her softly for a quick second before remembering who he was. He then looked away from her and sucked in air through his teeth. “Just, give me the box and lead the way,” he huffed, grabbing the box from her gently. He was trying not to look at her, but out of the corner of his eyes he saw her wide smile as she walked in front of him. He pretended that the sight didn’t make his heart do somersaults, because he’s Katsuki Bakugo and not some lovesick character in a shoujo.
When they finally made it back to the agency, Todoroki and Uraraka were there waiting. Uraraka asked Tsu how their patrol went and fawned over every detail. Bakugo wasn’t listening, of course, but he was glad that Tsu left out the parts that may have made him seem unsavory. He didn’t even realize he was staring until he felt Todoroki’s questioning eyes as Todoroki stood beside him. “So, it went well?” Todoroki asked, and Bakugo could have sworn the half-and-half bastard was making fun of him.
Bakugo looked up at his friend and nodded, “The frog is special, isn’t she?” he asked quietly.
Surprise flashed over Todorki’s features for a split second as he looked between Bakugo and Tsu, but his surprise gave way to realization. “Yeah, she is,” he responded, softly looking over at where Tsu was standing.
Great Explosion Murder God Dynamight pretended he didn’t feel the jealousy rising back up in his chest. He didn’t care about the frog, truly he didn’t. Fuck.