I don’t feel like working at this moment because HR pissed me off and I’m petty, so... here is something I’ve wanted to write for a LONG time. Hope you guys enjoy it!

Prompt: Origin: Bakugou’s Hero Name

Kind of (maybe?) #bkdk #bakudeku

If there was ever a time that Bakugou hated that crusty little turd called ‘Deku’ it was now. That stupid little asshole (who wasn’t even all that little anymore. Katsuki hated the fact that his fucking growth spurt put an entire head of height between them) had to open his big—

doofy mouth right in front of the media crew after his first - you heard him - FIRST debut out of high school and cried:

“KACCHAN!!”

Not a casual, “Hey Kacchan!” over his shoulder, or a nudge in the side. Oh no, this bastard went and shouted it to the whole fucking district.

The cursed childhood nickname echoed in his ears.

𝙆𝘼𝘾𝘾𝙃𝘼𝙉!

It haunted him everywhere he went now. Even when he tried to immediately correct the reporter with their microphone shoved in his face, all they heard was that stupid name! “So your hero name is ‘Kacchan’?!”

“That ain’t my fuckin’ name! It’s Ground—“

“Kacchan!” Then nerd caught up, talking over him with that nauseating excitement Katsuki couldn’t stand.

“—zero...”

“That was amazing!”

For the first time in probably his entire life his yelling went unnoticed.

“And who are you?”

“A SHITBAG!” — “You can call me Deku!!”

“Deku, was it?” The reporter gleamed while Katsuki seethed. “Kacchan and Deku, on the scene!”

“I told you, that ain’t my—!”

“You both went to UA together, is that right? I recognize your faces!”

Katsuki gapped at her while Deku smiled.

“Yes, we did!”

Katsuki couldn’t deny that. He felt his hands burning in his gloves, heating the coils inside.

“I’m glad to see we’ll have such capable heroes protecting our streets!”

Deku rubbed his neck sheepishly. “Well, Kacchan did most the work today... he’s amazing!”

Also, not something Katsuki could deny. He was amazing.

“He is! If I recall, you never used a hero name while interning. What made you pick the name ‘Kacchan’ now?”

Finally! A chance to correct her.

“I didn’t,” Katsuki snapped. “That’s a—“

“Ah!” Deku sputtered, embarrassed.

“I’m sorry. ‘Kacchan’ is an old nickname I gave him as kids.” Deku must have realized his mistake. “It’s become a habit now.”

Well, now that that was out of the way...

“My actual—“

“Well, isn’t that just adorable?” The reporter cooed, hugging her microphone.

“Hah?!”

Unbelievable. This was fucking garbage.

“It ain’t cute, it’s annoying!!” He had to take control back and fix this stupid error before it aired. “Now, listen here—“

“MEGUMI, CUT THE INTERVIEW WE HAVE TO ROLL. ANOTHER HERO JUST TOOK DOWN A CRIMINAL TWO BLOCKS AWAY!”

A crewman called out to the reporter, catching her attention. “I’m so sorry! I think I got enough here! I can’t wait to see you both in the future!”

Like hell she got it all!

“OI!! GET BACK HERE!! YOU BETTER USE THE NAME GROUND ZERO YOU—“ he shouted after her.

He couldn’t be sure she heard him with the way she got into the vehicle, smiling and waving at them.

Deku smiled and waved back.

Katsuki smacked him across the back of his large curly head as the news crew drove off. “What the fuck is wrong with you!?”

“Ow! I was being nice!”

Deku rubbed the back of his head, wincing. “You have to make a good impression, Kac—“

“Ah!” Katsuki slapped a nitroglycerin soaked glove over Deku’s mouth. “It’s fucking ‘Ground Zero’ in public. Got it?” He growled menacingly up at the green clad hero.

“Mmhmm!” He squeaked.

Katsuki pulled his hand back and growled as Deku sighed in relief that he still had a face.

“Sorry. It just slips out...”

Katsuki knew that. Normally he didn’t care, but that was HIS moment, and now it was under the wrong name. He scoffed, crossing his arms and looked away.

Deku tried to calm him with his hands the way his father always tried to hush him and his mother. “Hey... it was a mistake. I’m sure it won’t be that big of a deal. You can correct them later! Besides, Ground Zero will take WAY better than Kacchan.”

Katsuki hoped he was right.

He was wrong.
——

"...𝑒𝒶𝓇𝓁𝒾𝑒𝓇 𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓈 𝒶𝒻𝓉𝑒𝓇𝓃𝑜𝑜𝓃 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒾𝓃𝒻𝒶𝓂𝑜𝓊𝓈 𝒷𝒶𝓃𝓀 𝓇𝑜𝒷𝒷𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝒹𝓊𝑜 '𝒞𝒶𝓈𝒽 𝐹𝓁𝑜𝓌' 𝓌𝒶𝓈 𝒶𝓅𝓅𝓇𝑒𝒽𝑒𝓃𝒹𝑒𝒹 𝒷𝓎 𝓃𝑜𝓃𝑒 𝑜𝓉𝒽𝑒𝓇 𝓉𝒽𝒶𝓃 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓃𝓊𝓂𝒷𝑒𝓇 𝟥 𝒽𝑒𝓇𝑜, 𝒦𝒶𝒸𝒸𝒽𝒶𝓃!"

The evening news casted in the local bar.

Katsuki had met Eijirou there after his shift ended and his paper work was handed in, detailing the capture of the two robbers that had been giving authorities the slip for weeks. He was just looking for a night out with his best friend. Drink some beers. Blow some steam.

Instead he was about to AP Shot the monitor broadcasting his heroics under the wrong name.

"Bro! Cool it!" Eijirou exclaimed, knocking Katsuki's palms down. "We don't need to get banned from another bar!"

Katsuki clicked his tongue, shoving his hands away. "Don't touch me."

He brought his glass to his lips, angrily gulping the bitter beverage. The way it burned down his esophagus helped distract him. "Gonna need something stronger to help me forget the fact that they 𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙙𝙤𝙣'𝙩 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙢𝙮 𝙛𝙪𝙘𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙣𝙖𝙢𝙚 𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩!"

Katsuki slammed his glass down on the table, sloshing the liquid inside.

Three years. Three fucking years since his debut and the media still broadcasted him under the wrong hero name. The database even had him registered as 'Ground Zero', but for some reason 'Kacchan' stuck.

His PR manager tried to reason that 'Kacchan' had a more soothing ring to it. It was more 'publicly pleasing'. It was more 'comforting'.

Katsuki wondered what about his image gave anyone the idea that he was trying to be comforting and publicly pleasing.

He was trying to beat the shit out of bad guys, protect Tokyo, and rise his way to the top of the hero ranks. So far, he was succeeding, if not for the fact that he was haunted by cheers of 'Kacchan!!" everywhere he turned.

He wanted to blow a gasket.

"Come on, man. You've accomplished so much already," Eijirou tried to reason with him. "So what if they got your name wrong? Look at the bigger picture."

Bigger picture.

"You're helping a lot of people and you got a ton of fans,"

Katsuki snorted. Real fans would know his name.

"You're twenty-one and already the number three hero. Ride the wave, Bakubro."

Katsuki glared at the grains of the hardwood, tapping his short nails against the glass clasped in his fist. "S'not the point..."

Eijirou's smile wavered.

"M'names Ground Zero."

Eijirou sighed.

"I know man."

But no one else did.

Katsuki finished the rest of his beer before he slammed his palms down and stood up. Eijirou jumped.

"Where are you going?"

Katsuki tossed a handful of bills down. "Out. Get some air. I ain't in the mood for this shit right now."

Eijirou nodded in understanding as he pocketed his hands and turned to leave. "Right. I'll see you on patrol tomorrow."

Katsuki grunted giving a half-assed wave over his shoulder as he walked away. He kicked the door open with his foot, ignoring as the bar tender shouted at him.

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