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The first day of his high school life is what Izuku later describes as fun.
Katsuki, if asked for his opinion, would argue that Izuku’s definitely fucked in the head. Considering Izuku’s first day ended with an expulsion attempt by their shitty homeroom teacher. Which then led to Izuku having multiple panic attacks. Which further led to:
- Izuku cornering and accusing their Homeroom teacher of wilful sabotage
- Izuku proceeding to then tell their Homeroom teacher he’d failed as an educator (He’d scribbled up a detailed handwritten report what the fuck Izuku)
- Izuku threatening to make a formal complaint to the board of Education
- Izuku threatening to make a formal complaint to the HSPC
- Izuku threatening to make a formal complaint to the International Heroics Commission
- Izuku then marching to Principal Nezu’s office to make the exact same threats
- Izuku further threatening a lawsuit against Yueei for Quirkless discrimination
- While also idly plotting how to fuck over yet another of their teachers because Aizawa Shouta had now earned a place in Izuku’s shit list.
He’s also earned a place in Katsuki’s lengthy shit list as well. But that’s neither here nor there.
And that was in a span of two hours. It’s not counting how the bastard green gremlin spent most of the day terrorising All Might.
(Izuku refuses to divulge what happened to make him despise the Number One Hero. Katsuki feels bad for the man because whatever he’s done, he’s clearly guilty about it and wants to make amends.
But also he did not sign up for cheering up the Number One Hero.
Also people make it onto Izuku's shit list for a reason.)
Katsuki will deny that he’d marched into Principal Nezu’s office to put in his own withdrawal form. Even if he admitted to it, he’d vehemently deny it was because Izuku was expelled for arbitrary reasons. If further probed, Katsuki would argue that he was rightfully concerned about educational sabotage having already been a victim of it once, and now seeing it at Yueei.
It was because of Izuku. It was solely because of Izuku.
Look Katsuki’s had months of intense therapy. He knows he’s been a fucked up monstrous entitled brat of a child and a fucking bigot. He knows what he did to Izuku was wrong. That Aldera encouraged his biased worldview and fucked him over too. That if Izuku wasn’t as strong willed as he was, Katsuki would instead be in therapy to mourn the grief and guilt of pushing someone who’s the closest thing he has to a brother over the edge. That he’d be doing it all after the world branded him a villain.
Katsuki is working on it. Working on himself. Sure, he has his moments. He backslides. You can’t unlearn ten years of ingrained shitty behaviour in a few months. But he’s never been the type to fucking give up. No he gets right back up and keeps trying.
He doesn’t know why Izuku insists on forgiving him when he himself is not yet at that point where he can wholeheartedly apologise to Izuku for what a shitstain he’s been. They still have moments when Izuku has to forcefully stand him down when he’s being a turd. He’s not sure he’ll ever make up for what he’s done. But Izuku keeps extending a hand of friendship towards him, and Katsuki’s no longer that five year old brat who can’t see it for what it truly is.
So he tries his fucking hardest to be someone worth that friendship. Worth the brotherhood Izuku offers.
He’s not going to stand idly and watch another set of adults fuck over Izuku. Never again.
It’s always extremely satisfying to watch the aftermath after Izuku puts assholes in their place.
It’s not something Katsuki could fully admit to enjoying earlier what with all his shitty attitude and worldviews. Because while most of the time it used to be directed at the teachers at Aldera, it also meant Katsuki couldn’t get his way. But now months into therapy and marching towards being a better person, there’s a vindictive joy in seeing his oldest friend do what he does best: screw over authority by going over their heads and threatening them with a quagmire of bureaucracy.
(His mom and dad are constantly worried that Izuku’s going to go into politics one day because of how he is.
Katsuki, personally, cannot wait to see the day. Even before he started therapy. Because while Izuku is a bastard green gremlin, he’s a bastard green gremlin who will drag society by its balls kicking and screaming into the light.)
Seeing Eraserhead announce that his expulsion threat was a logical ruse and nothing more the next morning makes Katsuki want to cackle. He looks like he wants to say more, but is stopping himself. If the man looked like a homeless loser yesterday, he looks like he’s on the verge of death now. Izuku has put the fear of whatever god almighty exists and Izuku himself into the Underground Hero.
(Katsuki wishes he could’ve also been in that meeting between Nezu, Aizawa, and Izuku. Aunty Inko refused to give them the recording from one of Izuku’s many button cameras. The Bakugou family dinner was a lot less enthusiastic than it would’ve been had they had that footage to watch. They’d had to simply settle for gossip instead.
All Katsuki knows is that there was a lengthy rant of 'what Expulsions actually mean in Japan', 'how willfully sabotaging your student's scores is indeed Quirkless discrimination no matter how good or noble your intentions are', and 'why you shouldn't fuck with your students mental health or lose their trust'.)
Aizawa makes a move to sleep in the godawful yellow sleeping bag he’d dragged in with him after his announcement. Pauses, and stares right at Katsuki.
No, judging by the look on his face, he’s staring past Katsuki. Which means Izuku has a hand up, ready to ask a question.
“Yes Midoriya?”
“Aren’t you going to teach us?” Izuku asks, voice saccharine sweet and vibrating with excitement. But Katsuki knows his oldest friend well enough to hear the undercurrent of ‘or else…’.
Katsuki actually does cackle when Aizawa steps back to the podium.
“If I understand correctly Bakugou-kun, you want to be punished for what happened?” Nezdu asks him beady eyes boring into Katsuki.
Katsuki fucked up. He fucked up royally. He knows he fucked up. He will be angry at himself for his fuck up later. He will make his amends to Izuku later.
Right now he has a different target for his rage. An actual valid problem that deserves it. One that he’s going to solve immediate-fucking-ly.
Katsuki doing what he did to Izuku during the Battle Trials exercise, regardless of his reasons? His fault.
The fact that he’s getting what amounts to slap on his wrist for it? Those are his teachers’ fault. And he’s going to actually blow this school sky high if he has to deal with being allowed to nearly get away with murder for another moment. Sure the nerd has a lot of faith in Nezdu, asked him to wait. But Katsuki doesn’t. Teachers have allowed him to get away with a lot of shit before. He’s not letting it happen again.
“I nearly murdered another student.” He seethes instead.
“I’ve read the report Bakugou-kun. You went overboard using your Quirk. While it’s not ideal, it’s to be expected during your first exercise. I understand you feel guilty….”
“Of course I feel guilty. All Might told me to stop, and I didn’t. Again I nearly murdered Izuku.”
“I understand you think you went too far. But given your history with Midoriya-kun…”
“Given our history.” Katsuki is this close to exploding. “Here’s what I’ll tell you given our history. We’ll work it out because I’m no longer a snot nosed brat. Despite this one setback caused by I don’t fucking know what triggered it, I’ll work it out in therapy, like I have been for the past few months. I’ll find out what caused me to go back to that headspace of an asshole that I’m trying to grow out of, so that I can stop it from ever happening again. Izuku will work out what happened today in therapy too. And because we’re lucky we have parents who care for us, we’ll end up having joint sessions to discuss this bullshit and fix it.”
Nezdu simply stares at him, “Then I don’t see the issue. I’m relieved that both of you have a good support system and are emotionally mature enough to not think of therapy as weak. What I don’t understand is why you’re unnecessarily punishing yourself.”
Katsuki cannot believe the nerve of this. He breathes in. Breathes out. Counts to twenty. Just like this therapist taught him. Remembers what Izuku said about Nezdu not understanding human intricacies.
“I want you to look me in my eyes honestly and tell me if those reports would be the same, if you’d be saying the same thing if it was any other student that got hit. If it was Todoroki or Yaoyorozu. I want you to look me in my eyes and tell me that if another student had done this to Izuku, would the faculty have been as lenient.”
“You think he’s being discriminated against.”
“I know he’s being discriminated against. We both are. In what other fucking world would you look at a former bully almost murdering his victim during a school sanctioned event as anything else?” Katsuki ignores the urge to snarl viciously. He’s not so deluded to deny what he was, even if others are. To deny what he did. Anger issues or not, he still aimed his gauntlet and fired at Izuku. “You’ve read my records before I got in here. It’s the law. You have too. If you didn’t then that makes me doubt this school.”
Nedzu leans back in his seat. There’s a curious look in his eyes which lets Katsuki hope. Hope that Nezdu sees this for what it was. That they won’t let this go even if Aizawa was willing to let it go. Hope that this won’t be another repeat of Aldera. That Yueei will be different. Katsuki hasn’t worked so hard on himself only for yet another school to look at him unfairly blowing up and decide that this is how it should always be. To encourage it.
“What do you want Bakugou-kun?” Nezdu asks.
“I know I’m a shithead. I know I have insecurity and anger issues. But the reason I got this way is because I had teachers who looked the other way before. Adults who were supposed to do something, let it go. Who instead told me all my attempts to torment someone who used to be my best friend, my reason to look down on everyone around me were right. Because I have a powerful Quirk, and Izuku is Quirkless. I’m not even going to get into the shit Izuku has gone through because he’s Quirkless. There’s legal cases and all of it goes over my head. I’m working on my stuff. I’m not perfect. I know something will trigger me and I’ll fuck up again, no matter how much work I put in. Hopefully it won’t be as bad as this. And I’m not going to let adults fuck me over again or try and cajole me about being right when I’m not. I won’t let idiots sabotage me into being a piece of shit.”
Katsuki takes another steadying breath. “So what I want is accountability. I want an actual educator to help me become a better person, a better Hero. I want you to review the footage of what happened. And I want you to honestly tell me, if what I did was something that you can let slide.”
Because if they can, then what else will they let slide? Because if they can, Katsuki needs to get the fuck out of this school post haste. And take Izuku with him. And blow Yueei sky high. And then go to a school that will recognise when Katsuki’s anger is clouding everything and stand him down effectively. To a school that will actually train them to be decent humans who also have a Pro Hero license, and not set him on Izuku when he snaps.
Yueei was his dream. But clinging to a dream when it does nothing but hamper you, harm you, is not something healthy. What good’s a dream when it would’ve let him kill his brother and smiled and patted his back for it?
(Izuku’s been fighting alone this whole time. For both of them. Channelling all his rage into something good.
Katsuki was blind to it before. But he can share that burden now. Can share that rage. He’s very good with anger.)
The Principal has a very satisfied look on his face which surprises Katsuki. Hell, the look Katsuki gets could be called proud. “Bakugou-kun, I always hold the firm belief that children can and do grow from their past mistakes when given the right resources. What you did right now, proves it. I planned to review the footage and make sure the appropriate consequences were meted out to all responsible parties well before you burst into my office demanding to be held accountable for your own actions.”
Well fuck. Seems like the nerd was right about waiting for Nezdu, and Katsuki got riled up for nothing. He sinks into his chair feeling like a useless kid.
Nezdu pours him a cup of tea and pushes it his way. “I’m guessing Midoriya-kun is going to come in soon with a detailed report of what went wrong?”
Katsuki chuckles. “Knowing the nerd, he’ll have his own footage to back it up. Another about how the exercise could’ve been conducted more efficiently. One about All Might’s teaching methods. And another detailed report about Eraserhead’s logical ruses being detrimental to students’ mental health. All of them will have citations.” Because that’s how Izuku works. Bastard green gremlin gets nerdier by the day. “And I have a lecture waiting for me, with probably like eleven changes to my gauntlets.”
“Oh dear. I wonder if he’ll have a presentation ready as well.” But Nezdu’s words are accompanied by a cackle. So it clearly means the Principal is looking forward to it.
Izuku’s reports are indeed accompanied by multiple citations and a very detailed powerpoint presentation. And helpful links to online sensitisation courses for teachers.
Nezdu gleefully mails them out to Aizawa and Yagi for perusal, with the instructions that he will quiz them on it.
Also Izuku has seventeen possible modifications for Katsuki’s gauntlets. Which he’s already submitted to the support department.
He takes his analysis, hero fanboying, and love for bureaucracy very seriously. As seriously as he takes his airguns.
If anyone ever doubts Midoriya Izuku’s potential or ability to become a competent and effective Quirkless Hero, Katsuki will point out his handling of the USJ as proof they’re idiots. He has the footage from one of Izuku’s many body cameras to prove it.
Also, the hand dude calling Izuku a 'hacked player' and 'filthy cheater' will amuse Katsuki for days on end.
(The next person, however, who points out the panic attack he had over what Izuku did is getting blown up into the sun.)
No one is smart (or let’s be honest – insane) enough to have the presence of mind to walk up to invading Villains. Proceed to cheerily distract them. Have the charisma and wit to get them engrossed into a conversation about their motives and political beliefs. And then immediately unload modified bullets into their eyes and vital organs when their guards are down.
Izuku’s ploy works long enough to buy everyone time to get the other students out and for the actual teachers to come in.
“Midoriya needs to be nerfed.” Kaminari says in awe once they’re out and done giving their reports to the police.
“He’s Quirkless.” Iida reminds them all.
Kaminari looks him dead in the eyes. “Midoriya needs to be nerfed further. Before he stomps on god.”
“Why am I stomping on god now?” Izuku asks cheerily joining the conversation.
Uraraka, Asui, join Katsuki in distracting Izuku because the last thing he needs is for Kaminari to give him more ideas.
“You grew up with him right? How do you deal with him?” Aizawa later asks Katsuki on the ride back from the USJ.
“You’re the teacher. You should be giving me tips.” Because Katsuki is a petty petty kid with anger issues who just nearly watched his best friend do something arguably insane. Again. And he needs to take it out on someone.
Because Izuku is a menace who refuses to be stopped, he still goes up to Aizawa and all Might with ideas for training for the whole class.
And then to Midnight and Mic to review how he handled the situation and ask for pointers in the future. Which leads to multiple impromptu classes on hostage negotiations. 1-B and Gen Ed get roped into it as well. And Katsuki would feel sorry for them, but half of them had the audacity to try and challenge their class for the upcoming Sports Festival so… they deserve it.
Izuku also writes another report to Nezdu about security measures. And one on the importance of inter-class mingling to foster better student relationships. Nezdu cheerily informs Katsuki of this when they have tea in his office while Katsuki is there to complain about Yueei’s security.
“We need to stop meeting like this Bakugou-kun.” Nezdu says pouring him tea.
Which is a fair point. Katsuki would love to stop barging into the Principal’s office demanding accountability once a month. All Yueei has to do is stop being problematic.
“I suppose you’re here to chew me out about the Internships as well as a concerned student.”
Huh, looks like Izuku beat him too it this time.
“There was zero reason to send any of us into an area that’s the Hunting grounds for a serial killer targeting Heroes. I know dealing with Villains is what we’re being trained to do…”
“But you’re first year students. Not active heroes. Yes Midoriya-kun already covered that.”
Katsuki snorts. Wonders if Izuku also covered how he as a first year student shouldn't have had to take down the Hero Killer. “Was there a presentation involved?”
“And a very detailed report on Internship assignment protocols.”
“Oh good. I have links to online refresher courses on Internship assignment protocols teachers should follow. Best Jeanist was very helpful. I’ll email them to you.”
The Katsuki from two years ago would’ve exploded at the idea of even suggesting this. Now Katsuki has a year of intense therapy and too much fucking time spent with Izuku. He’s picking up the nerd’s love for inflicting bureaucracy at others.
He’s never going to let Izuku know about it. The nerd already cries about Katsuki’s ‘character development’ regularly. He’ll cry harder at this.
Nezdu’s beady eyes glisten in amusement.
When this exam is over, Katsuki is going to personally fight every teacher who decided to pair him up with Izuku.
Look Izuku and him have worked out a lot of their issues. They know where they stand with each other. And they also know they’re a terrible team up in normal circumstances. Their styles of engagement are too different and they still bring out the worst in each other.
This is a practical exam where they have to fight All Might. After a week of hell and stress for their written exams. His nerves were already frayed before he got here. The last thing he needs is to be paired with Izuku who’s functioning on equally frayed nerves and a single line of pure spite driving him. It’s a recipe for disaster.
Katsuki’s in anger management and therapy for a fucking reason. He’s yelled at all his teachers here about it, divulged his own history of bullying Izuku, so that they separate him and Izuku when they’re both high strung. Not throw them together and call it day.
“Kacchan.”
“What De-?” Katsuki snaps. Catches himself at the last moment. And begins his calming exercises.
He is not going to let his anger run away with him. He is not letting his fucked up superiority and inferiority complex feed into his anger and make him do something he regrets. Katsuki is better than his issues.
He waits until the red haze bleeds out from him. Comes back to see a gun placed in front of him. It’s one of Izuku’s nicer airguns. Not the ones he has for his Heroics costumes, but the one from his own private collection.
How the fuck did the nerd even sneak that in here?
Confused, Katsuki looks at the nerd only to see him mimic explosions. When he doesn’t move, Izuku points at his watch and fuck. Fuck, he’s going to feel guilty about this later on. He shouldn’t have to blow up Izuku’s stuff to feel better. But… The nerd has a point. They’ve lost time. Katsuki doesn’t know how long because of how long his episode took.
Fuck it, he’ll use his allowance kept aside for Hero merch to buy the nerd a new one. A better one.
Six explosions of Izuku’s precious airguns later – because the Nerd had expected this to happen to Katsuki and have appropriately planned for it, Katsuki’s not better, but marginally close to having a handle on his emotions.
(He will deal with the fact Izuku still plans around his rages later. Later when he has time, and Dr Nanami to process it all.)
“Do you have a plan?” he asks. Because Izuku worked around for him. As much as Katsuki hates not being the one planning, he can give Izuku this.
Also Izuku is vibrating on the spot. It means Katsuki should also let him deal with his issues after he so nicely found a way for Katsuki to deal with his own.
“I plan to punch All Might in the balls.”
What?
Katsuki stares at Izuku, waiting for an answer. Izuku sighs. “Look I really don’t actually have a plan. My brain won’t let me think of it. It just keeps telling me, ‘enact your revenge, achieve vengeance, punch All Might in his balls’ in a loop.”
“Izuku, why?”
“My mother approves of me doing this by the way. I was going to do it eventually on National TV, and she was okay with it. This is arguably better.”
Well if Aunty Inko has signed off on All Might’s ballbusting, who the fuck is Katsuki to say otherwise. “Ok.”
“You’re good with that?”
“We’re stuck together. You fucking let me blow up six of your favourite airguns. I don’t fucking know what your shitty beef with All Might is because you fucking refuse to tell me. But it’s important enough that your mom is okay with this. The least I can fucking do is provide cover for you while you sucker punch him in his balls.”
“Help me read the riot act to the teachers later too, and I will immediately forgive you for having to sacrifice my favourite airguns. If they want us to co-operate, then they need to be ready for us to keep co-operating.”
Katsuki smiles. Nezdu better have Katsuki’s favourite tea blend ready for when Izuku and Katsuki both barge into his office.
Izuku does indeed punch All Might in the balls. And then pats the wheezing Symbol of Peace on his head telling him he’s forgiven before Katsuki throws up a smokescreen and gets them the hell out of dodge for both of them to pass the exam.
Izuku also lets Katsuki in on his twenty five point plan to turn Aizawa into an effective teacher. Apparently one of the bonus steps is also punching Aizawa in the balls. Eventually. On National TV. For fun.
Nezdu knows about it. He approves. Only because of how funny he personally finds it.
Katsuki only marginally feels sorry for the man. If he didn't want to be terrorised by his Problem Children, he should've not used so many logical ruses on them, and you know... actually teach.