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The day started like any other, Bakugo and Izuku were enjoying a peaceful afternoon together. They had just got done training earlier that morning and decided to treat themselves to some takeout. Not that Bakugo was too happy about it at first, he didn’t want to ruin their diet. But sure and behold Izuku somehow managed to convince him. In the end, they decided to go to Sakura Cafe, a healthy, 4.5-star restaurant, within the area. The food was delicious and made a wonderful lunch, but unfortunately for them, the way back to the UA dorms was not so pleasant.
“Bakugo!?” someone shouted from behind them.
“Is that you, man?!-- Holy shit it is!” Bakugo and Izuku turned around their eyes widening slightly.
“Long time no see, huh? It feels like just yesterday we were in middle school together!” Bakugo’s glare hardened as he watched the two extras laugh happily.
“Those were the good times…” Izuku looked down awkwardly not wanting to be noticed. He could already feel his face reddening with humiliation and embarrassment of the past.
“What do you losers want?” Bakugo finally spoke up, his expression unfriendly. But instead of intimidating them like he wanted, the bullies ignored his icy demeanor and turned their attention to someone else…Izuku.
“Oh my! Is that Midoroya? Bakugo watch out! He’s stalking you again!” The other bully laughed, before sneering at him.
“Jezz, have you really been following him around after all this time!? It's been what? Three years? Find a job or something!”
“Oh wait! You can’t! Because no one would ever want to hire a quirkless loser like you!”
Bakugo felt his anger get worse after every word left one of their disgusting mouths. Especially after seeing Izuku’s heartbreaking expression. Yet he couldn’t help but think,
‘Is this how I used to be? How I used to act? And no one ever put me in my place? They just let me get away with it?! All because I had what!? A flashy quirk?!’
No, he decided this would end today.
“Back off.” Bakugo snapped, his voice full of anger.
“Who do you extras think you are?! Talking to him like that!?” The bullies scoffed, their laughter echoing throughout the air, not taking him seriously.
“Why are you even hanging around this loser Bakugo? You should have just exploded him in the face already. Your way too good for him.”
‘No.’ Bakugo thought. ‘He’s too good for me.’
Bakugo’s rage had finally boiled over.
“Listen here, ya damn extras! Im NOT the same person I used to be. I changed and became a better person. I grew up. Something you two dunderheads need to learn to do. There's more in life than fucking flashy quirks. Not that you would even know in the first place, you both have shitty quirks, to begin with! If you don’t like how I act now, and I really don’t give a damn, then you can fuck off. And if anything you should be apologizing to Izuku, because he didn’t deserve any of this shit.”
The bullies recoiled in shock, unable to comprehend the change in Bakugo’s behavior. But their shock quickly turned to anger.
“Tch. You think you are so special now huh!?”
“Oh look at me, I'm Bakugo Katsuki, I go to UA, and Im going to be a pro hero! I'm so much better than all of you! I went from bullying the quirkless to pitying them!” Izuku’s head was up in an instant.
“I bet the only reason you are doing this is to raise your image. There’s no way in hell you actually care about someone so useless! Not that I blame you, no one would ever like a hero who yells and curses all the time!” This time it was Izuku who was enraged.
“Your wrong.”
“Huh?”
“Kacchan doesn’t pity me. He doesn’t do it to raise his image. He doesn’t do it to impress someone, he does it because he wants to. You should know this, you would follow him around like the little lackeys you are during our middle school years. Kacchan never does anything he doesn’t want to do. And for the record Kacchan is an amazing hero, your just mad because he no longer agrees with you and actually grew up to be someone of importance while you still have no idea what you're going to do in life. ”
The silence was loud. Bakugo could feel his face get slightly hot. The two bullies looked at the two before glaring one last time.
“Just wait Bakugo, we're going to tell everyone just how far you've fallen. How weak you've become.” And with that, the two of them stormed off. Bakugo rolled his eyes not really giving a damn about what any of his old classmates had to say or think about him and Izuku. Meanwhile, Izuku looked at him like he had put the sun in the sky.
“Why…” he began. “Why did you stick up for me Kacchan?” Izuku asked his voice full of gratitude. Bakugo's face softened as he looked over at him, revealing a rare smile.
“Because Deku,” He replied using the nickname that he had once given him as a kid, and now the other’s hero name.“I've changed. I no longer believe in the rubbish I once did. And if those idiots can’t handle it, then too fucking bad. They can go to hell.”
“Kacchan!” Izuku laughed. “You can’t just say something like that! It's disrespectful!” Bakugo raised an eyebrow at him.
“As if you didn’t just curse them out yourself.” Izuku rubbed the back of his neck nervously.
“Well that’s different….they were saying mean things about Kacchan…” Bakugo looked at him bewildered, his face flushing hot once more.
“Tch. Your such a damn nerd…”
“Kacchan! Don’t be mean!”
“Yeah, yeah. Whatever.”
As the two of them walked back, Izukus's heart swelled with happiness hearing that Bakugo had changed and would have accepted him if he no longer had One for All. He could already feel the newfound warmth that radiated between them, sealing their bond. And he couldn't wait for what would be in store for their relationship next.