Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The afternoon sun hung low over Aldera Middle, turning the cracked basketball court gold. Midoriya kicked at a pebble near the fence, his notebook clutched tightly to his chest. Bakugou was a few meters away, laughing loudly with his friends, tiny sparks popping from his palms whenever he got too excited.

Midoriya told himself he wasn’t staring — he was observing, like always. Studying Bakugou’s form, his stance, the confidence in his voice. Everything about Kacchan screamed “future hero.”

Then, as if sensing the stare, Bakugou turned. Their eyes met. For a moment, Midoriya forgot how to breathe.

“What’re you lookin’ at, nerd?” Bakugou barked, heat rising off his hands.

Midoriya stammered, “N-nothing! I was just… writing down training notes! You’re really amazing, Kacchan!”

Bakugou froze, thrown off by the sincerity in the compliment. He scoffed, trying to ignore the strange twist in his chest. “You’re such a weirdo, Deku.”

He turned away, but for some reason, the echo of Midoriya’s voice stuck with him all the way home.

The next morning, Aldera’s halls buzzed louder than usual. Posters covered the walls:
“Future Heroes Project – Due Friday!”

Bakugou groaned as the teacher clapped for attention.
“All right, class! You’ll be working in pairs to design a pretend hero agency. Choose wisely!”

Before he could grab Kirishima or anyone else, the teacher announced,
“Bakugou Katsuki… and Midoriya Izuku.”

A few kids snickered. Bakugou slammed his desk. “You’ve gotta be kidding me!”

Midoriya tried to smile. “I-It’s okay, Kacchan. We can—”

“Don’t tell me it’s okay!” Bakugou snapped, but the teacher’s look made him sit down again.

After class, they met behind the gym, both awkward and quiet. Midoriya opened his notebook, filled with messy hero sketches and notes.
“So, um… we could design an agency that focuses on rescue work,” he suggested. “You’re great at combat, and I could plan the strategies.”

Bakugou leaned against the wall, arms crossed. “Why would I need you for that?”

“Because heroes need teamwork,” Midoriya said softly. “Even All Might had help sometimes.”

Something in Bakugou’s expression shifted — just a flicker — before he rolled his eyes.
“Fine. But I’m in charge.”

Midoriya smiled, relief flooding his face. “Deal.”

For the first time, they didn’t walk home apart. They walked in the same direction, arguing about hero names the whole way — and though Bakugou would never admit it, it felt… nice.

Chapter Text

By Saturday morning, Midoriya’s living room was buried under piles of colored paper, glue sticks, and hero posters. His mom peeked in with a gentle smile.

“Izuku, sweetie, your friend’s here!”

Midoriya froze. “K-Kacchan’s here already?”

Before he could clean the mess, Bakugou stomped in, carrying a box of supplies.
“Move it, nerd. We’ve got work to do.”

“Good morning, Katsuki!” Inko Midoriya beamed. “It’s so nice to have you over again! I made snacks.”

Bakugou, who’d grown up down the street, still couldn’t handle her kindness. He muttered, “Uh, thanks, Auntie,” before sitting cross-legged on the floor.

The two boys got to work. Midoriya drew designs for their cardboard “hero agency,” carefully labeling rescue stations, training zones, and support offices. Bakugou built models with ridiculous precision, hot-gluing everything into place.

“So,” Midoriya said, glancing at him, “what do you think our agency’s motto should be?”

Bakugou smirked. “Simple. ‘We blow villains up.’”

Midoriya groaned. “That’s… maybe not the best message, Kacchan.”

Before Bakugou could argue, the TV flashed to life. The morning news was playing an interview — with All Might himself.

He stood tall, smiling, his voice booming through the speakers:
“Remember, young heroes — true strength comes from saving others, not just fighting them!”

Midoriya’s eyes sparkled. “See? That’s what I mean! Helping people matters most!”

Bakugou scowled, but something about All Might’s words stuck with him.

Later that afternoon, as Bakugou gathered his things to leave, his mom came by to pick him up. Mitsuki Bakugou chatted easily with Inko, laughing about how their boys still managed to fight over everything.

When the door closed behind them, Bakugou glanced back.
“Hey, Deku.”

Midoriya blinked. “Y-yeah?”

Bakugou shoved his hands in his pockets. “Your idea about the rescue stuff… maybe it’s not totally dumb.”

Midoriya smiled. “Thanks, Kacchan.”

Bakugou rolled his eyes. “Don’t make it weird.” But as he walked home beside his mom, he caught himself thinking about the words All Might had said — and about how maybe, just maybe, Deku wasn’t as useless as he used to think.

Chapter Text

Monday morning came with heavy clouds and a crackle of cold air. The classroom buzzed with chatter as students carried their “Future Heroes” projects to their desks.

Midoriya clutched the cardboard base of their model, his hands trembling just enough to make the buildings wobble. Beside him, Bakugou walked with his usual swagger, pretending not to notice how carefully Midoriya balanced their work.

“Don’t drop it, nerd,” Bakugou muttered.

“I-I won’t!” Midoriya said quickly, smiling despite himself.

They set the project on the front table: a miniature hero agency painted in red and gold, complete with paper figurines and a little handwritten sign that read Heroes: Together We Rise.

Their teacher, Mr. Tanaka, raised an eyebrow. “Very creative, boys. You actually worked together without explosions?”

Bakugou smirked. “Barely.”

A few students laughed. The class moved on, everyone presenting their projects. But when it was Bakugou and Midoriya’s turn, something unexpected happened.

Midoriya started explaining the rescue station design while Bakugou talked about defense and combat. As they reached for the same chart, their hands brushed.

For a split second, neither of them moved. Bakugou pulled back, cheeks heating, and grumbled, “Watch it, Deku.”

The class snickered again, but Midoriya just kept going, voice steadier now. “The idea is that teamwork makes heroes stronger. Even if two people are really different, they can still—”

Bakugou cut in, “—kick villain butt.”

The class laughed again, but this time in good fun. Even Mr. Tanaka clapped. “Excellent job, you two. A solid example of cooperation.”

Bakugou pretended not to care, though he couldn’t help feeling oddly proud.

After School

By the time the final bell rang, dark clouds had rolled over the city. The boys packed their things in silence.

“Hey, Kacchan?” Midoriya said, hesitating near the door. “Do you want to walk home together?”

Bakugou stiffened. A few classmates overheard and snickered.

“Of course Deku wants to follow you home,” one said. “He’s like your pet or something.”

“Yeah, your sidekick!” another added.

Bakugou glared, sparks flickering at his fingertips. “Shut it, extras!” The teasing stopped instantly, but the words had already taken root.

He turned back to Midoriya. “You don’t gotta follow me everywhere, Deku. It’s weird.”

Midoriya’s smile faltered. “I didn’t mean to bother you, I just thought—”

“Forget it,” Bakugou muttered, slinging his bag over his shoulder. “See you at school.”

And with that, he left.

Midoriya stood there for a long moment, pretending to adjust his backpack until everyone else had gone. Then he walked home alone, each step heavier than the last.

The Encounter

The park near the train station was nearly empty. Wind rustled the trees; rain threatened but didn’t fall. Midoriya sat on the edge of a bench, notebook open across his knees. His pages were filled with sketches — All Might’s poses, hero stats, notes about rescue tactics.

He sighed. “I want to be strong too. Not to show off… just to help people.”

He didn’t notice the shadow stretching across the page until a booming voice said,

“Those are strong words, young man!”

Midoriya froze. His head jerked up — and there, larger than life, stood All Might himself.

“Y-you’re—!”

“All Might!” the hero laughed, striking a pose. “I was jogging through the park and couldn’t help overhearing. You sounded very determined.”

Midoriya could barely breathe. “I-I— You’re my hero! I watch all your videos, I take notes—”

All Might chuckled. “Notes, huh? A true student of heroism! Tell me, young man, what kind of hero do you want to be?”

Midoriya’s voice was small but firm. “The kind that saves people with a smile. The kind who makes others feel safe, even if I’m scared.”

For a moment, All Might just looked at him — really looked. Then he smiled, not the showy grin from the news, but a softer one.
“Then you’re already halfway there. Strength isn’t just about muscle or quirks. It’s about heart. Keep that spirit, and you’ll go far.”

Midoriya’s chest tightened with pride and disbelief. “Th-thank you, All Might!”

All Might gave him a thumbs-up. “I expect to see your name in the papers someday, young man. Now, off you go — heroes need rest too!”

As the hero jogged away, the clouds finally broke, sunlight cutting through. Midoriya looked down at his notebook, heart pounding.

Maybe Kacchan didn’t understand yet, but that was okay. Someday, he would.

Midoriya smiled. “I’ll show everyone what a real hero looks like.”

Chapter Text

By the next morning, the story had spread through the entire school.
“Did you hear? Midoriya met All Might!”
“Yeah, the real one! He talked to him in the park!”
“Guess All Might has a soft spot for losers!”

Bakugou’s jaw clenched with every whisper. He told himself it didn’t matter.
So what if Deku met him? All Might met a hundred people every day. It didn’t mean anything.

But deep down, it did. Because Bakugou had spent years imagining that he’d be the first from Aldera to meet All Might. He’d pictured the hero shaking his hand, praising him for his strength, saying, “You’ll be the next Symbol of Peace.”

Now, that image felt cracked — replaced by Deku’s dumb, smiling face.

By the end of the day, Bakugou’s nerves were raw. He didn’t wait for anyone when the final bell rang. He just grabbed his bag and followed Midoriya out the school gates.

The Confrontation

The sun was dipping low, painting the streets orange. Midoriya walked ahead, humming quietly, scribbling something in his notebook. Bakugou’s boots hit the pavement hard behind him.

“Hey!”

Midoriya jumped, spinning around. “K-Kacchan! I didn’t know you were—”

Bakugou stormed closer, eyes blazing. “You met All Might?”

Midoriya blinked, surprised. “Oh! Y-yeah, kind of. He was jogging in the park. He just… talked to me for a bit.”

Bakugou’s fists tightened. “Talked to you. You? What’d he say?”

Midoriya hesitated. “He told me to keep trying. That strength isn’t just about power, but—”

“Don’t give me that hero speech!” Bakugou snapped. “You don’t even have a quirk! What could you possibly know about strength?”

Midoriya stepped back but didn’t look away. “I know that being strong isn’t about hurting people. It’s about helping them.”

Bakugou’s chest tightened. For a second, he didn’t know whether he wanted to laugh or scream.
“You think you’re better than me now?”

“No!” Midoriya said quickly. “Kacchan, I just—”

“Stop saying my name like that!”

Sparks crackled from Bakugou’s hands, faint but angry. Midoriya flinched as the smell of smoke filled the air.

Bakugou took a sharp breath. His pulse was pounding. His brain screamed, Don’t do it.
But another voice whispered, Show him who’s really strong.

He slammed his palm against the wall beside Midoriya’s head. The bang echoed through the alley. Plaster dust fell between them.

Midoriya froze. His green eyes were wide — not just with fear, but something else. Sadness.

“Kacchan…” he whispered. “You don’t have to prove you’re strong. You already are.”

Bakugou’s throat felt dry. His hand was still sparking faintly, but the fight drained out of him all at once. He stepped back, breathing hard.

For the first time, he saw himself clearly — the trembling hands, the look on Midoriya’s face, the scorch mark on the wall.
He’d gone too far. Way too far.

“I— I didn’t mean to—” he muttered.

Midoriya gave a tiny, shaky smile. “It’s okay, Kacchan. I know you didn’t.”

Bakugou hated how forgiving that sounded. Hated how small it made him feel. Without another word, he turned and walked off, the sound of his footsteps fading into the wind.

The Aftermath

That night, Bakugou couldn’t sleep. The scene replayed over and over in his mind — Deku’s voice, soft and steady even when Bakugou had nearly lost control.

He stared at his hands, still faintly sore from the blast. You already are strong, Deku had said.

Then why didn’t it feel that way?

Somewhere across town, Midoriya sat at his desk, quietly patching up his notebook. He looked at the burned corner of one page and sighed, then smiled.
“Kacchan’s still trying,” he murmured. “He’ll figure it out.”

And for the first time that night, both boys wondered — in their own ways — what kind of heroes they’d become when the world finally gave them the chance.

Chapter Text

The next day at Aldera Middle, Bakugou noticed something he couldn’t quite ignore. its was dek- no izuku ..bakugo had never noticed how bright those green eyes were or how his face lit up when he got a question right during class

"what the hell is wrong with me" katsuki mumbles under his breath as deku turns to pass him the papers that were being passed around

their hands brush just for a second and bakugo felt like his heart would explode

Bakugou quickly jerked his hand back, scowling at the desk like it was the one to blame. “Tch… it’s nothing,” he muttered under his breath, though his ears were burning.

Midoriya looked up, a small, shy smile on his face. “Uh… thanks, Kacchan,” he said softly. “For passing the papers.”

Bakugou blinked. Softly? He hated that word in connection with Deku — hated how it made his chest tighten. “D-Don’t get used to it, nerd,” he spat, trying to sound annoyed. But the voice in his head kept saying: Why does it feel like my heart just did a hundred push-ups?

All through class, Bakugou couldn’t focus. Every time Deku laughed quietly at a question he got right, or furrowed his brows while thinking, Bakugou felt a weird twinge in his chest. This is stupid. I hate feeling like this.

At lunch, he tried to hide behind his usual tough-guy mask, throwing his tray down and snatching fries like nothing was wrong. But he caught himself sneaking glances at Deku every few seconds.

“Oi, Bakugou, you okay?” Kirishima asked, leaning over, noticing his friend’s unusually quiet mood.

“Shut up,” Bakugou growled, glaring at him, though his cheeks betrayed him with a faint red tint.

Meanwhile, Deku tilted his head, noticing Bakugou’s odd behavior. Why does Kacchan look so… distracted? he wondered, pushing his own lunch around nervously.

After school, as they walked home together like usual, the awkward tension hung between them. Bakugou carried both their bags, muttering, “You’d better not start thinking I’m soft or anything.”

Deku blinked up at him. “I’m not thinking that…” he said softly, though he couldn’t quite hide the small smile tugging at his lips.

Bakugou huffed, kicking a small stone down the sidewalk. Why am I so distracted by him? he thought. It’s just… Izuku. Nothing else.

But deep down, he knew it wasn’t just Izuku. Every time the other boy laughed, every time he looked proud of himself, Bakugou felt something strange — something he didn’t understand yet, but didn’t want to ignore.

He scowled at the ground, muttering again: “What the hell is wrong with me?”

And for the first time, he didn’t have an answer.

Chapter Text

Bakugou woke up to the sound of rain against his window. The steady tapping matched the pounding in his chest that had been there since yesterday. He pushed his blanket off and stared at the ceiling.

“Get it together, Katsuki,” he muttered. “It’s just Deku. You’re not… thinking about him. You’re just distracted.”

Still, as he got ready for school, his thoughts kept drifting to Midoriya’s smile from class, the one that somehow stuck in his mind longer than it should’ve.

At Aldera Middle, the hallways smelled faintly of damp uniforms and pencil shavings. Students hurried past with umbrellas dripping at their sides. Bakugou tossed his bag on his desk with a thud and tried to look normal.

Midoriya arrived a few minutes later, hair a little messy from the rain. He was clutching his notes to his chest, smiling shyly when he saw Bakugou.

“Morning, Kacchan!”

Bakugou grunted without looking up. “Yeah, whatever.”

But his eyes flicked up just in time to see Midoriya trip over the doorframe and nearly drop his notebook. Bakugou rolled his eyes, standing just enough to catch it before it hit the ground.

“You’re hopeless, you know that?”

Midoriya laughed awkwardly, scratching the back of his neck. “Thanks, Kacchan.”

For a moment, they both hesitated — a small, quiet pause that felt heavier than it should have.

During class, Bakugou couldn’t concentrate. Every time he glanced sideways, Midoriya was either scribbling notes furiously or nervously chewing on his pen. Their teacher’s voice became background noise.

When the bell rang, Bakugou slumped in his chair, running a hand through his hair. “Stupid brain,” he muttered.

Kirishima dropped into the seat beside him, smirking. “You’re off today, man. What’s up?”

“Nothing,” Bakugou snapped. “Mind your own business.”

Kirishima chuckled. “Sure, sure. You always get this way when you’re thinking too hard about something.”

Bakugou scowled but didn’t answer.

At lunch, Bakugou sat with his usual crowd, picking at his food while Kirishima talked about some new video game. Across the room, Midoriya sat with Iida and Uraraka, smiling brightly as he animatedly described something from class.

Bakugou caught himself staring. He looked away so fast his neck cracked.

“What’s wrong?” Kirishima asked.

“Nothing! Eat your lunch!” Bakugou barked.

When the final bell rang, the rain hadn’t stopped. It came down harder now, the kind that blurred the sky and soaked everything in seconds.

Most students ran for the bus stops or huddled under umbrellas. Midoriya stood just outside the doors, frowning at the downpour.

Bakugou noticed immediately. He let out an annoyed sigh and stomped over. “You forgot your umbrella again, didn’t you?”

Midoriya jumped. “Kacchan! I—yeah. I thought it would stop by now…”

Bakugou rolled his eyes and extended his umbrella. “You’re gonna catch a cold, idiot. Come on.”

They stood shoulder to shoulder under the small black umbrella, the space between them barely enough for air. Midoriya’s bag brushed against Bakugou’s side as they walked. The rain drummed softly above them.

After a few minutes, Midoriya spoke, voice small but sincere.
“You didn’t have to wait for me.”

“I didn’t,” Bakugou said quickly. “You just looked pathetic standing there.”

Midoriya laughed under his breath. “Still… thanks.”

Bakugou said nothing, but the corner of his mouth twitched upward.

They walked in silence for a while, passing puddles and flickering streetlights. The wet pavement shimmered gold and gray. Midoriya glanced up at Bakugou, who was focused straight ahead, jaw set, eyes determined even while doing something as simple as walking home.

He’s changed a lot, Midoriya thought. He’s still loud and proud, but… maybe he’s trying to be kind too.

When they reached the corner where they usually split ways, Bakugou stopped. “You sure you can make it from here?”

Midoriya nodded. “Yeah. Thanks for sharing your umbrella, Kacchan.”

Bakugou shrugged. “Don’t mention it. Seriously. Don’t.”

Midoriya smiled softly. “Got it.”

As Bakugou turned to leave, he glanced back once. Midoriya was already running the rest of the way home through the rain, clutching his bag to his chest, laughing at how soaked he was getting.

And for some reason, the sight made Bakugou’s chest feel lighter.

That night, Bakugou sat at his desk, staring out the window. The rain had stopped, leaving tiny drops clinging to the glass. He caught himself thinking about how bright Midoriya’s laugh had sounded under the umbrella.

He scowled and threw himself back in his chair. “It’s just Deku,” he said out loud, but this time, he didn’t sound so sure.