Chapter Text
Top Ten Heroes List
- Hawks
- Deku
- Lemillion
- Shōto
- Edgeshot
- Froppy
- Kamui Woods
- Ryukyu
- Fat Gum
- Gang Orca
“Goddammit,” Katsuki growled, slamming the newspaper on the chabudai, “another hero top ten, and another year that I didn’t make the fucking list!”
“Calm down, Bakugō-shōnen.” Katsuki’s mentor, the retired hero All Might, placed a cup of green tea in front of his former student. He set a cup down to Katsuki’s right, and joined Katsuki at the chabudai. “You’ve always been much too volatile, allowing your emotions to get the better of you.”
“I know, sensei,” muttered Katsuki, but he took a sip of the tea, allowing the heat to pour down his throat. It soothed him, even if temporarily.
“It’s been six years since you graduated, Bakugō-shōnen,” All Might said, smoothing out the paper and placing it between them. “You’ve gone from working as a sidekick at Endeavor’s agency to taking it over with Midoriya-shōnen and Todoroki-shōnen. The three of you have made it quite successful, and I’m proud of all of you. For most people, wouldn’t that be more than enough—to be a hero who’s running one of the top agencies in the country?”
“No, it’s not fucking enough,” Katsuki grunted, “because I want that number one spot!”
All Might sighed, and picked up his tea. “You know, I’ve always thought you were someone with a lot of potential, Bakugō-shōnen,” he said to Katsuki. “You’re practically unmatched in terms of raw power. But when it comes to people skills…” All Might paused, letting what he left unsaid hang heavy between them.
“When it comes to people skills... what?” Katsuki sipped his tea again. He knew what All Might was thinking, but he wanted the ojiji to say it. He wanted to fucking hear it.
“You...well.” All Might actually blushed, trying to search for the right words. “You...tend to be a little bit...gruff?”
“A little...gruff?” Katsuki set his tea down, and stared at his mentor, hard.
“I always did say that Endeavor was a better mentor for you than I,” All Might reasoned. “He had to learn to control his anger, to channel it, so to speak, into his work. And especially towards the end, he did that quite successfully. I think that the last few years have proven that you did learn something from him, even though you could have perhaps focused on toning down your…”
“My...what?” Katsuki was sure his eyes were flaming; he wanted to know what All Might thought of him, exactly.
“Personality.” All Might stared back at him calmly, still sipping his tea. “You still have much to learn, Bakugō-shōnen.” He paused, thinking. “How could we…” he murmured aloud, then snapped his fingers. “Ah!” he added. “Perhaps if you were to settle down, perhaps if you found someone to share your life with, that might help?”
Katsuki barked out a laugh. “You must not know me, sensei,” he snickered. “I ain’t the marrying type.”
“You—you don’t need to marry anyone,” All Might said quickly. “Just...you could show that you have a heart, is all.”
“I have plenty of heart, ojiji,” Katsuki hissed. “People just don’t like my kind of heart.”
“You’re not wrong,” All Might agreed. “Your heart is large, and generous, and loyal. You showed it to me, and to Midoriya-shōnen, more times than I care to count.”
“Ain’t that fucking right,” Katsuki muttered.
“But the public needs to see that you can be kind,” All Might continued, “and not just someone who swoops in and saves the day and defeats the villain, all while using the worst language they’ve ever heard and snarking at the victims.”
“I don’t have bad fucking…” Katsuki paused. “Okay,” he concluded, sipping his tea, “point taken.”
“Just...think about it,” All Might proposed. “Please. You have so much to offer the people. Can’t you at least try to smile when you save them?”
“Tch,” Katsuki scoffed. “I ain’t you, All Might. I ain’t you, and I ain’t…”
“Oh, Kacchan!” That voice. “I didn’t realize you were visiting All Might, too!”
“The fuck is that goddamn nerd doing here?” Katsuki muttered.
“He called just after you did,” All Might murmured. “And you need to relax. Midoriya-shōnen!” he called in a much louder voice. “I made tea. Would you like some?”
“Sure!” The owner of that awful, super fucking cheerful voice joined Katsuki at the chabudai, just as All Might got up to pour him some tea.
Midoriya Izuku. Otherwise known as Deku.
The number two fucking hero.
Katsuki had feelings about Izuku.
For almost all of their entire lives, Katsuki had thought that he hated him.
When they were kids, and Izuku trailed after him, a big-eyed, green-haired, tiny little ball of energy who bounced along in Katsuki’s wake, always cheering Katsuki on, even when Katsuki’s ire was directed at him. They’d both attended UA High School, the premier hero academy in the country. It was there that All Might had taught them; it was there that Katsuki learned that Izuku had inherited All Might’s quirk; it was there that Izuku finally, after so many years, began to pull in front of Katsuki.
Making Katsuki’s feelings towards the damn nerd become even more complicated.
Because no one was ahead of Bakugō Katsuki. No one was better; no one was stronger, or faster. Yet Izuku had moved ahead of him, somehow. When the former number one hero, Endeavor, offered to take in Katsuki and Izuku, along with his own son, Shōto, as interns, All Might had encouraged Katsuki to accept the position. It had eventually led to Endeavor taking all three of them on as sidekicks, and then, when Endeavor finally retired, the year before, he’d left the agency to Shōto, who had immediately invited Izuku and Katsuki to join him as co-owners. Izuku had enthusiastically agreed, while Katsuki…
Well, it had taken a lot of prodding from All Might to get Katsuki to accept, too.
Because Katsuki didn’t want to work with or for anyone else. Katsuki wanted to be his own fucking boss, run his own fucking agency. But All Might insisted; it would be a good learning experience, he had said, and it meant that Katsuki would gain some valuable experience, running what was still the top agency in the country.
Izuku and Shōto had thrived in their positions at the agency, rising quickly through the ranks and assuming their positions as the number two and four heroes in the country. Only Hawks and Lemillion were better.
So, fucking, yeah. Running the agency was good for Izuku and Shōto, but for Katsuki…
Well, Katsuki had yet to crack the top ten.
So he didn’t have Izuku’s fucking bubbly personality. Or Izuku’s big, green, puppy-dog eyes. Or his cute freckles. Or his tousled green hair. Or his big, dopey smile.
Why would Katsuki even want the nickname of “Japan’s Poster Boy,” anyway?
“Here’s your tea, Midoriya-shōnen,” All Might said, placing a cup in front of Izuku, who grinned and bowed his head in thanks. All Might settled back in his seat between them and smiled ruefully. “It’s not often,” he added, “that I get to have tea with my two favorite former students.”
“I’m glad I was able to catch you, All Might!” said Izuku eagerly, sipping his tea. He closed his eyes and smacked his lips—annoying, Katsuki thought.
Commissioned Artwork by kalcia
He hated Midoriya Izuku. He really, really did.
Why did he work with the guy again?
Oh, yeah.
Fucking a lot of money.
“I see you saw the news,” Izuku chirped. The tone of his voice made Katsuki want to pound the guy’s face in. “Todoroki-kun and Togata-sempai both rose in the rankings!”
“As did you,” All Might said with a smile that made Katsuki almost want to punch him, too. “You and Todoroki-shōnen have improved significantly. Endeavor must be proud.”
“Yeah,” Izuku said brightly. “I think he was hesitant about giving up the agency, but he wanted to be able to spend more time with Todoroki-san and Fuyumi-san and her husband and the baby.”
“And he’s earned that time,” All Might replied. “As have you, Midoriya-shōnen, and you, Bakugō-shōnen.”
Izuku blushed, a stupid rosy pink blossoming across the bridge of his nose, making his stupid freckles stand out even more. Katsuki made a “tch” sound and tossed his head.
“Someday I’m gonna run my own agency,” he declared, “and leave you and Icy Hot in the dust.”
“Oh, I bet you can do it, too, Kacchan!” said Izuku enthusiastically. His blush got deeper. “Because, you know...you’re so awesome!” He said the last part, almost as an afterthought, the red of his cheeks making his freckles stand out even more.
“What are your plans with this news, Midoriya-shōnen?” All Might asked, ignoring the shade of purple that Katsuki was turning. “Will you and Todoroki-shōnen do any interviews?”
“We have one scheduled for tomorrow,” Izuku answered. He cast a sideways glance at Katsuki. “It’s for all three of us,” he added, hesitation clear in his voice. “But, Kacchan, if you don’t want to—”
“Of course I’m fucking in,” Katsuki grunted, nearly crushing his tea cup in his hand. “When have I ever turned down an interview?”
“Well…” Izuku put down his tea and pressed the tips of his fingers together. “You know, Kacchan, you’re not exactly great with people…”
“The fuck is this about?” Katsuki roared, slamming his tea cup on the ground. “I’m fucking amazing with people!” He jumped to his feet. “I don’t know why I bother with either of you,” he ground out. “I’m going to the gym before it’s my turn for patrol. See you fools later.”
And before either All Might or Izuku could protest, Katsuki had grabbed his jacket and was putting on his shoes and heading out the door.
He reached the elevator, jammed his thumb into the down button, then slammed his fist into the wall. “ Fuck !” he shouted, annoyed and frustrated.
Why did people always think the worst of him? Why did they think that he couldn’t hack it?
Because Bakugō Katsuki was a fucking badass. He could do anything he set his mind to.
And that included...being…
Kind.
It included being kind.
The doors opened, and Katsuki stalked inside, pressing the Lobby button, and growling at the doors as they closed.
If that was what it took to become the number one hero—if being a nice fucking guy was what it took—
Well, Katsuki had been trying for years now to be the nice guy. And he knew: he wasn’t fucking Izuku. Hell, he wasn’t even Shōto, who was about as dense as a wood block, but was handsome and attracted an audience on his looks alone. (Katsuki had...yeah, let’s just say that damn Shōto’s looks had attracted him, too.)
No. The biggest problem with Katsuki’s situation wasn’t that he was an asshole. It was that he was surrounded by the hottest man in the business on one side, and Japan’s poster boy on the other.
Katsuki needed to find his own way. As part of the agency, so that someday, he would be able to start his own business.
He just needed to figure out exactly how to do that.