Chapter Text
Bakugo feels the hot sun hit his sunburnt cheeks. His eyes lazily opened, and his ears pick up the far-off sound of some drill instructor shouting only overshadowed by the drone of credence clearwater revival on someone's radio. His dark green shirt sticks to him. His eyes finally adjust to the dawn light. “Shit” he says quietly to himself realizing he fell asleep outside the barracks again. In his defense, it was better than trying to sleep next to the fucking bitch that was Deku. He grabs his helmet, covered in smudged ballpoint of kills, and quickly does his buttons up.
Bugs fly off his pants as he stands up and brushes himself off. He grabs a cigarette and takes a long drawl looking over the camp. The jungle sits just far away enough to be safe but not far enough to be comfortable. He lets the cigarette fall and shakes his head as he makes the short trip back to the barracks. As he arrives he hears the morning alarm and ducks into the tent.
A short boy whose helmet is falling over his dark green eyes runs to Bakugo stopping him in his tracks. His helmet has one word scrawled into the front “DEKU”.
“H-hey, arent you excited” he says bouncing on the balls of his feet fiddling with his jacket.
“The fuck would I be exicted for dumbass” uttters a bewildered bakugo already reaching around him to get to his bunk.
“W-we have the m-mi-mission today” Deku says a confused look twinkling in his eye.
Bakugo thinks for a second. “FUCK” he yells hardly startling the busy tent, Bakugo was so fucking sick of that goddam jungle. “Did Aizawa tell us how long its going to be”
“About a week”
Bakugo chews on the information before reaching into his bag, he pulls out a zippo lighter etched with the words “KILL, WIN” on it, and a photo of his parents. He buries them both in his breast pocket and grabs his M16A1. “Let's go kill some commie fuckers” he mutters chucking on his backpack and walking out lighting a cigarette. Deku follows behind a picture of his mother in his helmet strap.
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On the other side of the tent, a groggy Todoroki rolls out of his cot and hits the ground with a thud. He pushes himself up reaching onto the shelf he keeps his gear. He grabs rifle and meticulously disassembles. He carefully notes all the parts starting to show wear and tear before grabbing a pocket knife and etching the date onto the stock. He kisses the tip of the gun before starting the hike to debrief. He gets to the debriefing tent third, only behind Ida and Aizawa.
Aizawa stands at the back wall, a pinboard next to him showing maps of the jungle and grainy photos of wooden huts. Aizawas chest is full of badges, most gained in the korean war where he became the youngest sniper with 100 confirmed kills. His hair is long and wavy flowing to his shoulders. He has his ensign from the korean war on one arm and the scythe of his current squad on the other. Squad 1-A and 1-B was a desperation play by a U.S. that relizied they where losing. They got the youngest and best killers they could find and put them on a team. All regulations where out the window, they allowed anyone as long as they could and would kill. This meant a forming of two squads of 16 year olds who could kill anyone they got thrown at. Squad 1-A colloquially known as the reapers (squad 1-B is known as the grims and has a skull with a cloak as their ensign) had seen months of small skirmishs and even one ambush that nearly got them all killed but was yet to see major action, this was changing today.
As the rest of the squad rolled in finding a seat anywhere on the ground aizawa began the briefing.
“New ariel footage has shown a major Vietcong camp 30 clicks past enemy lines, your going in and killing them all” he says deadpan.
A hush falls over the small tent as the realize what this means.
“We are going in by river boat, we think we found an stream those Viet bastards dont know about yet. We get dropped of 20 clicks from our destination, then we walk” pointing at the map to emphasize the distance. “Its likely we are going to camp their. We leave at noon, pack your things and write your letters. Its likely none of us make it back.” he says giving them a stern look
Idas hand shoots up and aizawa gives him the nod to talk
“What are the rules of engagement, sir”
Aizawa rolls his eyes “you see a single human movement you can kill it”
Ida, the newest member to the squad, looks around concerned “but what if they are civilians sir”
Suddenly Aizawa in his face dragging him up by the collar and leaning in his ear “you fucking kill them” he turns to face the room and shoves Ida to the ground “go get ready”
The rest of the squad scatters out of the tent in record time no one wanting to be in their for more then they have to. Once their out they breathe normally again and stalk back to their barracks tent. As they enter they get comfortable in a silence so thick you could see it. They know what the debrief meant, some lie down, others get up to pace but they are all having the same thought. They stay in silence for what feels like forever but is likely no longer then a few minutes. The spell is only broken by the short starting and stopping of a pencil on paper. Everyone looks up to see bakugo scribbling on some letter paper. He feels everyone looking at him and stares back.
“Well he said to write so fucking write extras” he says sternly to them and suddenly they remember to write the letters to their next of kin. “Im so fucked” bakugo mutters to himself.