Chapter Text
Izuku’s eyes open at the same time he registers the way his hands are cuffed over the back of a wooden chair.
As his eyes continue to blur he starts to hear a cacophony of voices hurled towards him, although he doesn’t register exactly what they’re saying.
All he can do is think about his friends at the training camp and hope that they were all alright.
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“GODDAMN IT!”
Bakugo, along with Uraraka and Todoroki stare defeatedly at the portal closing right before their eyes. Bakugo is the only one of them moving towards it, explosions boosting him forward– something he only realizes he is doing once the portal closes mere seconds before he is able to graze it with his hand.
Around him, dust swirls in the air, kicked up by the thunderous chaos. Rubble and wreckage litter the cracked asphalt, yelling and panting present through the night’s eerie wind. In the midst of this chaos, students and teachers alike scramble in disarray while the fighting continues.
The dark sky is mocking them with its beauty, letting everyone know that even in the night, not one of them shall catch peace.
But once purple embers dissipate from Bakugo’s line of sight, he breaks out of his trance and quickly darts his eyes around, looking. What for, he wasn’t sure – but one thing he did notice was that milliseconds after the portal closed, the villains started scattering around and looking for ways to sneak away from the fights that were currently ensuing.
It seemed that the villains were here to distract everyone, otherwise they would have finished the fights they picked when they arrived.
But– what were they distracting them from?
And at once, everything quieted down. Until it didn’t.
“IS EVERYONE OKAY?” Aizawa-sensei’s voice booms out against the deafening silence.
Uraraka is the first one to speak. “Yes, sensei! I think most of us are fine!”
Todoroki nonchalantly gestures with his head to imply that he agrees.
Aizawa looks around along with the other pro-heros to take a head count. He instructs Vlad King to move into the forest and check every possible place students could be hiding or injured.
Despite Vlad’s usual defiance against Aizawa’s orders, he quickly obeys, realizing this is no time for petty squabbles.
All members of the Wild Wild Pussycats briskly realize they should be doing the same and spread out in the opposite direction.
“We’ll check over here!”
“Yes – EVERYONE STAY PUT!”
Pixie-bob , Mandalay and the two other members of the Wild Wild Pussycats continue dashing into the distance near the mountains, calling out names of students that were in neither the forest or the main part of the training camp.
At this time, Aizawa looks over to his left to see Bakugo staring into the distance where the portal had closed.
“Bakugo?” Aizawa asks expectantly.
Bakugo didn’t respond, ignoring his mentor’s monotonous voice as he racked his brain trying to figure out what was happening and how he could fix it.
Bakugo flinches as a cold hand is placed on his shoulder. He turns to see Todoroki looking him straight in the eyes, an uneasy worry hidden beneath his calm demeanor.
“Are you alright, Bakugo?” Todoroki questions as he steps to the side, removing his hand from Bakugo’s shoulder just in time for Aizawa to walk up in front of Bakugo.
Bakugo turns his head back to face Aizawa as he parts his lips, thinking of something, anything he can say to make sure the situation doesn’t get any worse than it already has.
Ultimately, this is still Bakugo, so the only thing he can think of is hurling insults until someone understands what he’s getting at.
“THOSE BASTARDS–THEY– fuck..” Any ounce of hope drains out of Bakugo’s voice as Aizawa and Shoto wait expectantly.
All three of their heads turn as a voice comes from the direction Vlad King had gone, along with the rustling of bushes and hard, heavy gasping.
Kaminari and Mineta are on either side of Vlad as they continue sprinting towards their teacher.
Vlad yells out, “Everyone seems to be okay! Minor injuries at the worst!”
Aizawa nods gratefully, a confused glint in his eyes as he notices the lack of a green-haired boy with the three still jogging.
Almost on cue, Bakugo and Aizawa look at each other. Bakugo is quietly heaving while Aizawa pulls him by his arm away from all the chattering students.
Once they find a spot by the mountains, secluded from students' wandering eyes, Aizawa looks at Bakugo dead straight in his crimson eyes. He places both his hands on his student’s shoulders.
“Did something happen to Midoriya?” Aizawa asks.
Bakugo nods hesitantly, opening his mouth to speak.
“Goddamn it–i-” Bakugo tries calming himself while trying to keep his usually angry but determined demeanor. “THOSE STUPID FUCKING VILLAINS TOOK HIM–AND HE WAS JUST–standing there, the fucking moron..” Bakugo doesn’t realize his eyes are pooling with tears until he looks back up at Aizawa.
Aizawa nods with a hint of understanding in his eyes. “Did you see who took him?”
“Man–I- don’t fucking know! I don’t know, damn it!” He wills his eyes to dry before anyone, especially someone he respects (although he’d never admit it) sees him crying like that damn Deku.
Deku.
What the hell was he thinking, swooping in to save people with a broken arm like that? The damn self-sacrificial bastard didn’t understand that not everyone needed his help!
“It was probably the blonde bitch–I swear, the next time I see her I’m gonna –”
Bakugo is cut off as white cloth wraps around his mouth, the culprit staring at him with an emotion he couldn’t quite decipher.
“Enough cursing. I understand you’re upset, but I’m still your teacher.” Aizawa lectures Katsuki, albeit briefly as he removes his scarf from Bakugo's lips.
“Oh hell no.” Bakugo starts to get angry, his eyebrows turning upwards and that familiar look of rage rekindling in his eyes.
“SOMEONE GETS KIDNAPPED, AND YOU’RE WORRIED ABOUT ME SWEARING?!” Bakugo’s fists clench as his teacher looks at him similar to a parent waiting for their kid’s tantrum to end, a look Bakugo hated.
Aizawa scans bakugo for injuries while he rants about prioritizing Deku’s rescue above worrying about superficial things like swear words.
Once Bakugo stops to catch his breath, Aizawa speaks.
“Hey– look at me.” Aizawa demands with authority.
Bakugo looks at him, pure, unfiltered rage still burning in his eyes.
“We’re going to save him–” Aizawa attempts to provide comfort to Bakugo in this time of disaster through his words.”But–” he continues, “we can’t do it if we’re hysterical, you understand? Right now we need to focus on making sure no one else gets hurt and recuperating back to U.A. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t approve of.”
Bakugo continues to stare, rage disintegrating into a small flame ready to burst back into a raging fire at any moment. He nods with a growl, letting Aizawa know that he agrees to some extent.
Aizawa nods back, “Thank you. Now come.” Aizawa gestures with his hand towards the main part of the training camp, where the Wild Wild Pussycats now retreat along with a couple of Vlad’s students.
Bakugo stomps behind Aizawa, discontent with the fact that Deku wasn’t with them present in the scowl on his face.
As they continue to walk, Kirishima sprints towards Bakugo, concern etched in his frown.
“Bakugo! Are you alright, dude?! I’ve been wondering where you were!” Kirishima’s eyes latch onto the glistening tears Bakugo didn’t realize were pooling up in the corner of his eyes.
“Tch. I’m fine, shitty hair.” Bakugo retorted casually, although relieved that at least one of his classmates whom he respected was okay.
“Well, then hurry! They’re saying we need to leave as soon as possible!” Once he finished his sentence, his eyes latched onto Aizawa, the realization that he was with a teacher causing relief to flood through him.
“Hey, teach!” Kirishima belted with gladness in his voice.
“Kirishima, do me a favor. Get Vlad for me.” Aizawa ordered.
“Alright..!” Kirishima responded almost immediately, turning back around towards the group of scattered students and pro heroes.
Bakugo quickened his pace, trailing behind Kirishima.
Once the students were out of Aizawa’s earshot, he saw Vlad walking towards him.
“What do you want? My students are asking for me, I don’t have time for whatever nonse-”
“One of my students was taken.” Aizawa interrupted.
Vlad stopped in his tracks, taken aback by Aizawa’s bluntness.
Vlad started walking again, this time with urgency. He leaned in closer to Aizawa to ask follow-up questions. “Who? Did anyone see where he went? Do you know who took him?”
“Izuku Midoriya. He beat your student, Shinso, during the sports festival.” Aizawa said, hoping that he rang a bell for Vlad.
Vlad looked offended by the way Aizawa tried reminding him that, yet again, his class was better than theirs, even if Aizawa didn’t mean it that way.
Pushing his feelings aside, Vlad asked the questions a second time. “Okay.. Did anyone see where they went? Even who might’ve taken him?”
Aizawa glanced over Vlad’s shoulder, scanning the group of students gathered around the front of the forest. He latched his eyes on a spiky blonde head of hair and pondered.
Although Aizawa trusted Bakugo not to be irrational to some extent, he couldn’t help but wonder if getting Bakugo involved would take a turn for the worse.
Ultimately, Aizawa decided to shake his head side to side with a frown. He spoke up.
“One of my students might be able to help..” Aizawa said. “But I’m not sure getting him involved would be a good idea. For now..let’s explain the situation to everyone- I don’t want to cause worry.” Aizawa finished with indifference.
Vlad nodded solemnly. “We should alert the other teachers once we get back and devise a plan.”
Aizawa nodded one last time before turning back to the group of chattering students simultaneously with Vlad.
Bakugo turned his head around, through the groups of students, willing the teachers to walk faster so that they could leave and rescue stupid Deku.
Aizawa claps his hands together dramatically.
“Everyone, listen up!”