Chapter Text
The crowd was a living thing. It pulsed, roared, breathed as one. A thousand voices screaming her name, chanting the lyrics she had bled out in some shitty hotel room at three in the morning. The stage lights cut through the dark in flashes of red and orange, heat wrapping around Katsuki Bakugo like a second skin.
She lived for this.
The mic in her hand was warm from her grip, and her throat was raw in the way that meant she was giving them everything. She didn’t hold back—never had, never would. The first notes of her final song rumbled through the speakers like a storm rolling in, and the crowd went feral.
She smirked.
The bass dropped. She hit the first lyric like a punch.
And then—chaos.
Katsuki wasn’t the kind of performer who just stood in place and sang. She moved, she commanded, she owned the stage. Smoke curled around her boots, the lights made her rings gleam, and she felt alive in a way nothing else ever gave her.
When the last note rang out, when the cheers shook the walls, she only gave them a sharp, breathless grin before she turned and walked off-stage.
Backstage was quieter. Not silent—never silent—but muted in comparison to the madness outside. Crew members were already moving, sound techs adjusting equipment, a few people giving her nods or murmuring a “great set” as she passed. Katsuki just rolled her shoulders, reaching for the nearest bottle of water and chugging half of it in one go.
Her manager, and one of her closest friends, Kirishima, was waiting for her near the dressing rooms, arms crossed but grinning. “You killed it, Bakugo.”
She scoffed, wiping sweat from her brow with the back of her glove. “Obviously.”
Kirishima laughed, but then his expression shifted—something more careful. More calculated. Katsuki narrowed her eyes. “What.”
He hesitated. “So, uh… the label wants to finalize the collab announcement tomorrow.”
The word collab made her scowl immediately. “Tch. They’re still on about that?”
“Uh, yeah? Because it’s happening?” Kirishima gave her a look, the same one he always gave when she was being difficult. “You agreed, remember?”
Katsuki remembered. She just didn’t know why the hell she’d done it.
She grabbed a towel from the counter, draping it around her shoulders as she muttered, “Dumbass label.”
Kirishima grinned. “You love me.”
She threw the empty water bottle at his head.
He ducked, still grinning. “Anyway, the announcement’s gonna go everywhere, so you might wanna—”
“I’m not posting about it,” she cut in, deadpan.
“Dude—”
“I don’t post.”
Kirishima sighed, rubbing his temples like he was so exhausted by her. “Okay, fine, but can you at least pretend to be excited? It’s Deku, for fuck’s sake.”
Katsuki froze.
Just for a second. Just long enough for Kirishima’s words to settle like a weight in her chest.
Then she scoffed, tossing the towel onto a chair. “I know who it is.”
Of course she did. How the hell could she forget?
Izuku Midoriya—Deku—was the biggest name in pop music. Sweet, soft-spoken in interviews but deadly onstage, always in some glittery dress or lace-trimmed outfit, looking like she belonged in a dream. Fans adored her. The media ate up every little thing she did.
And now, somehow, they were making music together.
Katsuki ran a hand through her sweat-damp hair, exhaling sharply. “I’ll post when the song’s out. Maybe.”
Kirishima groaned. “You’re impossible.”
She just shrugged, grabbing her leather jacket and heading for the exit. “Yeah, yeah. I’m going home.”
As she pushed the heavy door open, stepping out into the cool night air, she pulled her phone from her pocket.
Her last Instagram post was two weeks ago. A black-and-white photo of a notebook with half-scribbled lyrics and a caption that just said, It’s fine. Shut up.
She stared at the screen for a moment.
Then, in a rare act of participation, she opened a new post. Snapped a picture of her boots against the concrete, stage lights still faint in the distance.
Caption:
Album out next week. Presave or whatever.
She locked her phone before she could think about it too much.
And in the back of her mind, the thought was already there. Unshakable.
She was going to see Izuku again.
—
Izuku Midoriya’s world was golden.
The crowd sparkled beneath her, thousands of fans waving neon light sticks, voices harmonizing to the lyrics she had once scribbled in a coffee shop with her heart wide open. The music pulsed through the air like a heartbeat, and she danced effortlessly, chiffon skirt twirling, curls bouncing as she twirled across the stage.
She smiled—beamed—as she lifted the mic, her voice bright and clear over the melody.
"One more time—let’s go!"
The audience erupted, and she could feel their joy as much as her own. This was what she lived for.
The final chorus soared, the last note lingering in the air before the lights cut out, leaving the stage in darkness.
Then—cheers. Thunderous, endless, filled with love.
Izuku laughed breathlessly, holding a hand to her chest, overwhelmed as always. “Thank you, so much!” she called, voice warm with sincerity.
“You’ve been amazing—please get home safe! I love you all!”
With one last wave, she dashed backstage, still buzzing from adrenaline.
The second she was out of view, Ochako Uraraka—her best friend and tour manager—greeted her with an excited squeal. “Izuku, that was perfect!”
Izuku giggled, hugging her tight. “Did it sound okay? I felt like I messed up a note in the bridge—”
“No one noticed,” Ochako promised. “You killed it.”
Izuku sighed in relief, letting herself relax as the post-show routine began. A makeup artist dabbed at the sweat on her forehead while someone handed her a chilled bottle of water, and she leaned against the vanity in her dressing room, phone already in her hand.
Her notifications were insane, as usual. Fans gushing about the concert, industry people tagging her in glowing reviews.
She took a quick mirror selfie—flushed cheeks, a glittery dress, a soft, tired smile—before typing out a caption:
Show 8/15—done! My heart is so full. Thank you for singing with me tonight 💚 #IzukuWorldTour
Post.
The comments rolled in instantly.
@pinkykai: YOU WERE SO GOOD IM CRYING RN
@sunshineyui: angel on earth omg
@fanaccdeku: izuku midoriya single-handedly healed my soul tonight
She giggled at the responses, liking as many as she could before Ochako nudged her shoulder. “Hey, we need to go over the schedule for tomorrow.”
“Right, sorry!” Izuku put her phone down and turned her full attention to her friend.
Ochako flipped through her planner. “Okay, so, rehearsal in the morning, flight in the afternoon—oh, and the label’s officially announcing your collab tomorrow.”
Izuku perked up instantly. “Oh! That’s exciting!”
“I think that depends on who you ask,” Ochako said with a smirk.
Izuku blinked, confused—until she realized exactly what she meant.
“Oh,” she said, softer.
Right.
The collab. The feature. The thing that was already making waves online, even before the official announcement.
Izuku knew what people were saying. What do you mean K4T and Izuku Midoriya are making a song together??? The internet was going wild, fans trying to piece together how the industry’s softest pop princess ended up in the same studio as the most intense rockstar of their generation.
No one knew.
No one knew that Izuku had written her first real songs sitting next to Katsuki Bakugo in a dingy rehearsal room when they were sixteen. That she had memorized the way Katsuki’s hands looked when she scribbled out lyrics, the way she hummed softly to herself when she thought no one was listening.
No one knew that this wasn’t their first song together.
It was just the first one they hadn’t written for each other.
Ochako must have noticed the shift in her expression, because her voice softened. “You doing okay?”
Izuku blinked, then gave her a small smile. “Yeah, of course. I’m just… wondering how she’s gonna react.”
Ochako snorted. “If I had to guess? Badly.”
Izuku giggled, tucking her legs up onto the chair.
“She’s always been like that. But I think—” She hesitated, thoughtful. “I think she still cares about music more than anything. And that’s all that matters, right?”
Ochako hummed. “Maybe.” A beat. “But that’s not all that matters.”
Izuku didn’t answer.
Instead, she reached for her phone again, scrolling back up through the photos she hadn’t posted.
Her and Katsuki, years ago. Messy hair, ink-stained hands, laughing about something she couldn’t even remember.
She let out a breath, closing her eyes.
Tomorrow, the world would know.
And after all this time, Izuku would see her again.
—
It started with a tweet.
A fan account, not even one of the big ones, posted a screenshot of a leaked tracklist—something a source had claimed was from K4T’s upcoming album.
The tweet was simple.
Tracklist for K4T’s new album. Featuring… I.MIDORIYA?! Thoughts?
The image attached showed a list of songs, all titled with vague, cryptic names—"Rebel's Prayer," "Bitter Halo," "Echo of Silence." And there it was, right near the end: Track 15:"Tangled in Fire" feat. I.MIDORIYA.
It took less than five minutes for the tweet to go viral.
Within the hour, fans on every platform were screaming, speculating, and dissecting every detail of the leak.
@rockandrollkacchan: There’s no way this is real. Is Bakugo really collaborating with Midoriya?
@dekuheadz: Wait, I swear they used to be close back in the day. But this collab? Holy shit. I need this now
@grapejuiceandguitars: I’ve been waiting for this my whole life. I hope this isn’t edited
The media caught wind of it almost instantly.
The first headline dropped: Rockstar K4T to Feature Pop Idol I.Midoriya, also known as Deku on Upcoming Album – A Shocking Pairing!
Then came the questions. The what does this mean? The why now?
Radio stations were buzzing, online gossip outlets were scrambling to get interviews with anyone who might have insight, and tabloids were already digging into every aspect of the two artists’ shared history.
As the hours passed, the buzz only grew louder. News outlets were calling Izuku’s label for confirmation. They were calling K4T’s management. Fans on both sides were demanding answers—was this a marketing stunt? Was this a one-off? How had this collab come about?
But neither of them said a word.
For the next 24 hours, there was silence.
Izuku’s phone was blowing up.
Texts, DMs, emails—her fans were relentless. Her best friends were checking in. Even her label sent a few concerned messages, advising her to stay quiet until things calmed down.
But Izuku couldn’t stay quiet.
Not when everyone was talking about her.
She sat down at her vanity, phone in hand, fingers hovering over the screen. She didn’t know what to say. Nothing felt right. Should she play coy? Should she be vague? Or should she just… lean into the madness and confirm it outright?
She stared at her reflection, trying to calm her racing heart.
Finally, she typed out a short message and posted it to her twitter, where her fanbase was more active than ever:
Yes, I’m collaborating with K4T. More details soon!! <3
It wasn’t much. But it was something.
She hesitated for a moment before hitting send. As soon as she did, the floodgates opened. Fans were commenting in seconds, retweeting her post, and speculating wildly.
Izuku quickly logged out of Instagram, trying to ignore the noise for a bit. She had to focus. She had rehearsals in the morning.
But then her phone buzzed with a message from Ochako.
Izuku… are you okay?
Izuku smiled a little, grateful for her friend’s concern. She typed back quickly:
Yeah, just… overwhelmed. But I think it’ll be okay :)
Her phone buzzed again, but this time it was from an unknown number.
She opened the text.
It was from her.
Katsuki Bakugo: I’m not doing an interview. This whole thing is stupid.
Izuku’s heart stopped.
It was the first message from her. The first thing she had seen from Katsuki since the leak. She hadn’t expected Katsuki to say anything—hadn’t even considered it. The way she kept her distance from everything was legendary.
But there it was.
Izuku quickly tapped out a response, not thinking too hard about it.
Izuku: Kacchan, it’s okay. We don’t have to do anything crazy. Just… we’ll talk when you’re ready.
Her fingers hovered above the keys for a second longer before she hit send.
Seconds later, the three little dots appeared. Katsuki was typing.
Then—nothing.
Izuku waited. She bit her lip, nervous. The dots disappeared.
Finally, a single message popped up.
Fine. Whatever. We’ll see how this goes.
Izuku let out the breath she didn’t realize she was holding.
She smiled, even though she was shaking.
This was real. This was happening.
And somehow, the world was about to see them together again.
—
Izuku was sitting in front of the camera, the bright studio lights casting a soft glow over her face. Her hands rested in her lap, a subtle nervousness creeping into her movements as she shifted slightly in her seat. She’d done interviews like this a hundred times—always the bubbly pop star, always gracious, always smiling.
But this one felt different.
The host, a seasoned interviewer with a friendly smile, leaned forward with a slight tilt of the head. “So, Izuku, we’ve been hearing a lot of buzz about your collaboration with K4T, aka Katsuki Bakugo. How did this unexpected pairing come about?”
Izuku could already feel the weight of the question, the way it seemed to hang in the air. She smiled, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes.
“Well…” she started, carefully choosing her words. “Katsuki and I go way back. We were both starting out in the industry around the same time, and we wrote some songs together when we were younger.”
The interviewer’s eyes widened in recognition. “Wait—are you telling me that you and K4T were… working together before she became a huge rock star, and you were… well, you?”
Izuku nodded. “Yes, we were. A lot of people don’t know this, but we were friends back then. We both kind of… drifted apart as we found our own paths, but the music we made together was always something special.” She paused, her fingers fidgeting with the hem of her sleeve. “We’ve always shared a passion for writing lyrics, and I think when we decided to make something again, it was just right. It feels different, but it’s something really special.”
The host smiled, clearly enjoying the sentiment. “I’m sure the fans are going wild right now. I mean, these two massive forces in music, combining their styles—it’s bound to be a hit. What can we expect from the song?”
Izuku’s smile grew a little warmer, though there was a flicker of something behind her eyes—something both excited and uncertain. “I think people will be surprised. It’s not exactly what anyone would expect from us. But that’s what makes it so exciting.”
The interviewer leaned back, clearly satisfied with the answer. “I love that! So we’re in for a real treat. Do you have any hints for the fans about the vibe of the track?”
Izuku hesitated for a second. She wanted to give them something, wanted to share the excitement she was feeling inside. But there was always the part of her that still worried—worried about what this meant, worried about how people would react to the partnership.
She settled on something simple. “It’s raw. It’s emotional. And it’s definitely something different for both of us. But I think people will love it.”
The interview wrapped up with more talk about her tour, the upcoming album, and some fun behind-the-scenes questions. But Izuku’s mind kept drifting back to the one thing that had occupied it since the announcement: Katsuki.
What was she thinking?
Did she feel the same way about the song? About the whole thing?
Izuku didn’t have answers. She didn’t even have a plan for what to do next.
But the world was already starting to notice them again.
Back in the hotel room later that night, Izuku let out a sigh as she checked her phone.
Notifications. Messages. Mentions.
But there, at the top of the screen, was a notification from K4T’s Instagram.
She clicked it, half-expecting some cryptic post. But when the image loaded, she couldn’t help but laugh.
It was a picture of Katsuki’s boots, black leather and scuffed from years of use, standing in front of a concrete wall. There was a caption, as expected—short, blunt, to the point.
It’s fine. Shut up and listen to it when it’s out.
Izuku snorted, shaking her head as she read the words again. It was so Katsuki—no fanfare, no pretense. Just the music.
She replied, without thinking:
Couldn’t have said it better myself.
Her fingers hovered over the send button for a second longer than usual. Should she say more? Should she add something else?
But no, this was enough. Katsuki had said it—it’s fine. No more needed to be said.
Izuku sent the message.
And then, for the first time in what felt like forever, she allowed herself to feel a little lighter.
The song was coming. And whatever happened after? Well, she’d deal with that when the time came.
But for now, it was just the music. And that felt like enough.