Chapter Text
The one thing Katsuki Bakugo hated about being a hero—well, there was more than fucking one thing but this was at the top—dispatchers.
At some point, the Commission decided he needed his own personal dispatcher instead of someone new every single day he worked.
If only that fucking worked.
Katsuki was the number one hero and didn’t have time for bullshit. Some cried when he snapped. Some snapped back and others didn’t answer. It was the fifteenth one he lost this month and that’s why Aizawa was sitting in front of him in his office.
The Commission was out of options.
No one wanted to be Ground Zero’s dispatcher even with a big pay raise.
“Bakugo, the last thing I want to see is you having to step down as a hero because you can’t play nice with the dispatchers.” The blonde scowled instantly earning him a tired look. “Now the Commission has informed me that this is your last dispatcher. I’ve heard nothing but good things and he was even Endeavor's dispatcher.” Aizawa gave him an exhausted look. “You need to get it together.”
Katsuki scuffed, crossing his arms over his chest. “Fine. But if I don’t like him, he can go fuck himself.”
“I’m serious. The Commission doesn’t care how good of a hero you are, they will take your license and give your rank to Todoroki if you don’t knock this brat attitude off.” He stood from the chair, sighing again. “I know I’ve taught you better than this.”
With that, the underground hero left.
Katsuki glared at the door, grinding his molars together. Stupid fuckers trying to control him! He was the great Ground Zero! It wasn’t his damn fault the damn dispatchers couldn’t listen and do their damn job. Sure as hell wasn’t his damn job to do their job!
“Knock, knock!” Kirishima poked his head in, “Aizawa looked extra tired when he was leaving.”
“The dumb commission is threatening my career because I can’t keep a damn dispatcher.” Katsuki gritted out. He wiped his sweaty palms on his pants. “Fucking stupid.”
The redhead shrugged and took the chair Aizawa once sat in, “I mean, man, you make a lot of them cry. A lot of dispatchers are scared shitless of you.”
“They should do their damn job!” He snapped.
“And they do. You don’t give them more than two seconds to find it before you’re bitching.” Kirishima shook his head, cutting him off for him to continue. “Bro, I love ya man and I understand where you are coming from but you gotta remember they aren’t in the field. They are in front of the computer waiting to assist you.”
The blonde let out a huge sigh, “I’ll fucking try... I guess. No really other choice since the fucking fuckers are gunning for my license.”
“That’s the spirt, bro! Now come on! Let’s go get some ramen!”
The next morning, he suited up and put his comms in his ear. Here goes fucking nothing. He tapped the button the device in his ear. “Oi!” Not the best approach but he needed to start off strong.
“Go for Deku, sunshine.”
He blinked out at the nickname before scowling, “Who the fuck are you calling sunshine?!” Also why does this guy’s voice sound... cute.
“Ah, Ground Zero! It’s my pleasure to serve you!” He could hear the bright ass smile in his voice. “My name is Deku and I’m your dispatcher—final dispatcher, I might add.” Deku laughed lightly, “Now, no time to waste! You are needed for a wellness check on sweet Ms. Yuki!~”
Katsuki strongly resisted the urge to fucking yell. One because his voice was... nice and two he got straight to the point. “Address.”
“District two. Oak Hill Apartments number 325.”
Be nice. He needed to be nice.
Walking out of the locker room, he headed outside and blasted straight into the air. “Thank you... Deku.”
“Anything for you sugar lips!” Deku replied happily and the comms went quiet. First fucking sunshine and now sugar lips.
Fucking hell. It was going to be a long day.
Unfortunately, Ms. Yuki was found dead in her apartment. The woman was peacefully sleeping in her bed when she passed on.
“Dispatch, I need police to the address you sent me to.” He said after tapping his comms. The police showed up to help find details on her family and calling the appropriate people to take her body away. He left not hearing a word from Deku.
Katsuki began his patrol, walking down the streets of Japan... waiting. That’s what most of hero work was. Waiting for something to happen so he could go save the day.
After two hours of silence, he tapped his comms, “Oi! Is there anything?!”
“Nope!” Deku came back, popping the p in the word.
Katsuki scowled angrily. “Fucking stupid.”
“Oh. So, you want something tragic to happen so you have something to do?” Deku said sarcastically.
No one and he means no one has fucking ever talking to him like that. It fucking pissed him off.
“Listen here, fucker. You shut your damn month!”
The sound of a bubble gum popping in his ear made him wince. Right as he was about to snap at the idiot, his comms went quiet on Deku’s side. God, the nerve of this fucking stupid deku! He’s useless just like his damn name!
Fuck! Now he wanted to find a villain and punch him in the face!
The remainder of the day was him asking Deku if there was anything for him to do and he got the same ‘Nope!’ every time. He was fucking happy for once to be done at work, shutting off his comms for the night and almost throwing it in his locker.
“FUCK YOU!”
Denki yelped, “I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to do whatever I did!” He covered his face with his arms, waiting for a blast.
Katsuki sighed, “Not you, Pikachu. My damn dispatcher pissed me off today.”
“Who’s it this time?”
“Fucking Deku.”
The shorter blonde let his jaw hit the floor. “Like the Deku?! Ah man! You’re so lucky!” What...? Lucky? That guy was a dick.
“Someone say Deku?” Shitty Hair grinned walking into the locker room from a fresh shower. “That man is the best.”
Denki nodded quickly, “I tried to request him but they told me no since he’s requested across the board!”
Requested?
Kirishima tilted his head, raising an eyebrow as he ran a towel through his dripping red hair. “Is Deku your new dispatcher!?”
Katsuki scuffed and pulled off his shirt, “He’s a prick.” Both boys gasped, “What fuckers?”
“Deku is an angel from the dispatch gods and you have the nerve to call him that?! He’s the sweetest and the frickin’ best! How dare you!” Denki frowned, pulling on his leather jacket. “That guy has saved my ass so many damn times!”
Kirishima nodded, agreeing with the other blonde. “Bakubro, feel lucky. Also, it takes a lot to piss him off. Never have I seen him pissed and there were moments with Endeavor.
Great. Fucking great.
Stupid fucking cinnamon roll.
“Oi, Deku.” He said into his comms once he was outside of the agency.
“Good morning, Ground Zero.” Simply. Easy. No teasing.
Katsuki grunted, crossing his arms over his broad chest, “What you got for me?”
“Nothing!”
That’s been the last two days. Deku literally gave him nothing and no one else called him. “Why? I could have fucking helped with that robbery in district six but you never sent me.”
Deku huffed, “And I thought you were smart. Here’s the deal, I am your dispatcher. As your dispatcher it is my one and only job to tell you where to go and if you need help to help. But the issue is... that you don’t trust your dispatcher.”
“What the flying fuck does that have to do with anything?!” Hr growled. This was fucking pissing him off.
“Uh, everything? How can you trust me to get you safely out of a building when you can’t see? If I told you to go left, you’d go right because heaven forbid you listen to anyone other than yourself. You a self centered, egoistical, butt wipe and I’m stuck with you. Stuck with the person that makes my coworkers cry and sometimes quit.” He sighed and Katsuki knew there were eyes rolling with it. “The commission has put you off any big events until I say you're ready.”
“I fucking hate you.” Katsuki spat, “I’m going to find you and kill you my damn self!”
Deku barked out a laugh, “Funny. You’re pretty cute when I hold your career in my hands. Remember, Ground Zero, I’ve dealt with Endeavor, you’re nothing compared to him.”
The angry fizzled out and... turned into something else. He didn’t want to be compared to that flaming asshole. Ever. That was the biggest insult he’s ever heard.
“I’m... sorry, Deku.”
“Good start!”
By the end of the first week... he was slowly liking the nerd. Yeah. Nerd. Total hero fan and everything in the middle. Deku talked his ear off about quirks. He would hum and nod while Deku went on and on. His voice was... soothing almost to him.
“Hey doll face,” Yeah, he was back to the nicknames again. “I have cleared you for full duty as long as you continue to trust me. Fully.”
Katsuki couldn’t help but smirk, “Fine, baby cakes. What you got for me?”
Deku gasped, “Oh, now you're speaking my language, baby. I have a police chase three blocks from you. If you take 13th Ave, you’ll be right on top of them!”
Trust him.
The explosive hero blasted himself put and forward, flying straight towards 13th Ave. He was a little worried the Deku took him down the wrong street but all doubt faded when he saw the black van with police cars racing after it. Quickly, he formed a circle with his left hand over his palm and blasted out a few AP shots to blast the tires.
In a matter of seconds, cuffs were slapped on the villain’s wrist and hauled off to the police car. “Thanks Ground Zero!” The officer yelled up to him before he blasted away.
That’s how the rest of the day went. Deku told him where to go and the best route, he followed, listened and by the end. He realized that was the best day of work he’s ever had. It was effortless thanks to Deku.
“Damn, nerd. I’ve never been this relaxed after work.” He said and stripped off his shirt being mindful of the device in his ear.
Deku laughed, “Well, it was my pleasure! Have a good night, Ground Zero and talk to you tomorrow.”
“Night, Deku.”
Days turned into weeks and weeks turned into months.
Until one day everything went to shit.
“Good morning, hot stuff.”
Katsuki rolled his eyes, smiling. “What’s up baby.”
“Ya know, you’re the first one to ever dish it back and it’s odd that it’s you.” Deku laughed a little, embarrassed. “Fair warning, cupcake. I’m not letting you go now.”
“Fucking good. I don’t want anyone else.”
Was it bad... to like someone romantically and not know what they look like? Deku knows what he looks like but he doesn’t know what Deku looks like.
“O captain, my captain, we got a commercial fire in district seven. Follow the smoke, you can’t miss it.”
No... he fucking couldn’t. The top ten floors were full engulfed and spreading downward. Windows were exploding, shattering glass to the ground below. It was fucking huge.
“There’s a woman on the twenty five floor...” Katsuki waited for Deku to tell him the faster route... or the damn safest. “One sec!” If it wasn’t for the massive speed clicking in his ear, he would have snapped. “Take the fourth window on the twenty third floor. The stairwell is on the left.”
Katsuki blasted forward follow the directions of the dispatcher he trusted. Covering his face, he went through the window and rolled to his feet. “To the left?”
“To the left!”
The blonde ran to the left until he saw the faint glow of the exit sign. Pushing through the door, he took the stairs three at a time. His quirk was pretty useless here unless he wanted to bring the building down on top of him. As he moved up the stairs, the smoke thickened around him. His lungs burned with every breath like they were pissed it wasn’t air.
“Deku! I don’t have any visibility!” He yelled into his comms as he pushed open the door to the twenty five floor. “Dek-” The flames flew towards him from the fresh oxygen in the air. Katsuki made the biggest mistake.
He put his arms and hands up to block his face. The flames that touched his hands exploded throwing him back and over the railing of the stairs.
“Ground Zero!” Deku screamed into his ear, “You will die if you don’t catch yourself! Focus! Can you hear me? Ground Zero!”
It felt like he was standing outside his body as he fell down the center of the stairwell. He heard Deku loud and clear but his brain wasn’t connected with his body. Air rushed against his back, his hands burned and ached, heading pounding.
But Deku told him to do something.
Katsuki reached his hand out to his right and the second his fingers brushed the railing, his body jerked to a stop and pulled his arm out of his socket. “D-Deku... I-I stopped. I-I listened...” A tiny sniffle trickled into his ear. “Baby cakes...” He groaned around the pain in his hand. “T-talk to me...”
“I-I can’t right now cause I’m mad at you.” Something in his voice made his heart fall into the pit of his stomach. Was... was Deku crying?
“Ground Zero!” Sero’s voice echoed up the stairwell, “Let go! Red Riot is going to catch you!” Katsuki groaned in relief when he opened his burning hand.
“D-De...”
He tried to tell him he was fine but the second his body landed in his friend’s grip, darkness swallowed him whole.
“Hey man...”
Katsuki peeled back his heavy eye lids to meet his best friend’s face. “H...” Kirishima quickly got up and grabbed the cup of water from the tray and put the straw to his lips. He sucked down all the water until it was gone. “Hey...” He finally said.
“Really scared us man... Deku... he was screaming at us all to haul ass into the building.” The redhead swallowed thickly. “You caused the upper floors to explode.”
“Deku... he didn’t know that the room was full engulfed and the woman... she was already gone. When I opened the door... my sweat filled gloves and gauntlets exploded.”
Kirishima winced, “The healers healed you up well good as new and you’re off for two days.” Figures. Fucking stupid. The doctor came in and explained everything in full detail. A few new scars to add to the bunch but otherwise everything was good.
Deku wouldn’t leave his mind for the two days he had off. There was no way to contact him and when he texted the group chat, they said no one had heard from Deku since that day. It oddly worried him. He found himself pacing his apartment the morning of his first day back, waiting for his time to go to work.
Katsuki needed to talk to Deku. All he wanted was to hear his cute soothing voice that came packed with nicknames and sassy.
Never in his life has be shoved the comms in his ear and tapped it on. “Oi!”
“Good morning, Ground—”
“Where the fuck is Deku?” He growled.
The random ass dispatcher yelped. “H-he—I don’t know! I don’t know! I was just told I—”
“I want his address now.” Katsuki snapped, “Now. Give it to me.”
Katsuki told Kirishima he was taking another day off and stormed out of the agency. To his surprised, Deku lived close by. His heart pounded the closer he got to the nerd’s apartment, every number on the other doors counted him down until he stood in front of the right one.
This is it. Don’t pussy out. Deku’s on the other side and he... oh, fuck he was meeting his crush—crush being an understatement—for the first time like a fucking stalker! Fuck him in the ass!
Katsuki raised his fist and knocked lightly. He waited about five minutes then lost all patience and banged on the door like he was the god damn police. What if he was dead!?
The locks clicked and the door slowly opened just enough for a man with emerald eyes peeked one eye out the door. “Y-yes...?”
“I’m assuming you’re Deku.”
Deku frowned a little and opened the door to expose his full face. It was fucking cute, freckles, but there was a big ass problem.
He looked like shit.
“S-sorry... I-I uh left my g-glasses and my ears are plugged. W-what are you saying?” Ah, no wonder the nerd didn’t realize it was him. So, he raised his hand and popped a small explosion off on his palm. That got the nerd’s attention. “O-Oh! G-Ground Zero! U-um... how did you k-know where I live?”
Katsuki frowned at his weak shaking legs and bent down to pick him up bride style. “You are a dumbass.”
“A-ah!” His voice cracked when he yelled causing him to wince. Fucking idiot was sick. “G-Ground Z—”
“It’s Katsuki, Deku.”
“K-Kachan?” He questioned.
He rolled his eyes and walk down the hallway, kicking every door open until he found a bathroom. “You are an idiot.” Katsuki could feel the heat coming off his body through the blanket he had wrapped around his shoulders.
“W-what are w-we doing?”
Katsuki leaned down to his ear, “You need to get in a lukewarm bath... then I’ll make you soup, get you some medicine and put you to bed.”
Deku shook his head furiously. “N-no! I-I'm fine!”
“Shut it and listen to me for fucking once. You trust me?” Deku stared up at him, squinting a little and nodded his head. “Good. Now strip.” Setting the shorter man on his feet, he turned to the tub and started the water. Clothes dropped to the floor behind him and Katsuki was careful to take his hand to help him into the tub.
“K-Kachan... I-I'm fine, really.”
Katsuki glared at him before leaving the room and finding his bedroom. Hero nerd was right. Merch covered the walls, dresser and shelves. A pair of black framed glasses sat on the nightstand. “Bingo.” He mumbled. When he got back to the bathroom, he slipped the glasses over his eyes and that’s when Deku really got a look at him.
“I-It’s really... you.” Deku whispered.
“Yeah, sweet cheeks. It’s me.” He said a little louder than normal so Deku could hear him. Deku sunk further into the water, eyes widening and his face growing a darker shade of red. “Deku, you okay?”
“No! I-I'm naked! A-and you are here! In your god sculpted f-fury! I-I'm naked!” Deku squeaked.
Katsuki laughed, “We both have dicks, ya know.”
“B-b-but! Kachan! I-I'm naked!” He expressed loudly.
Damn this nerd was fucking cute all flustered.
“Damn, baby cakes, if you wanted to see me naked all you had to do was ask.” Slowly, he pulled off his shirt and the nerd squeaked covering his eyes with his wet hands. Now he was committed. Katsuki stripped off his pants and boxers then got into the large tub across from him. Their legs brushed making a yelp escape Deku’s lips.
“KACHAN!”
Katsuki waited for the emerald eyes to find his. “Tell me... that you feel nothing between us. Tell me you don’t have a single romantic feeling for me and I’ll leave and never speak to you again.”
Deku bit down on his lip, watching him before he turned around and scooted back until his back was pressed against his chest. “You could have just asked me on a date?”
“You’ve been calling me baby and hot stuff since week one. We’ve talked for months. Fuck dating—not that I ain’t going to take you out but we’re over that.”
He laughed a little but it ended in a hacking cough. “S-sorry.”
“Nah, I don’t get fucking sick so I ain’t worried about it... though, after this shit want to go to my place? It smells like ass in here.”
Deku nodded, humming softly. “Its... it’s called the plague. I’m dying didn’t you know?”
“Fuck off, Deku.” He smirked and ran his fingers through the sweaty curls.
“It’s Izuku Midoriya to you, hot stuff.”
Now that made more sense. “Katsuki Bakugo... but I’m calling you Deku.”
“Good, I’m calling you Kachan for the rest of your life.”
“Sounds fucking perfect.”