All the way home

His name is my name too

What a shitty loss.

It was a simple mutant quirk, like Gang Orca, or that American girl from Class B with her own troublesome set of horns. Hers were tiny, though, damn toys compared to the massive, twisted things on this villain's head. But the guy had been strong, fast and slightly too resistant to Katsuki's quirk. And handcuffs.

He'd slipped through Katsuki's fingers. The pursuit had been close—Katsuki would hand over his license if it had been anything but—but in the end the guy had disappeared. Into a building was Katsuki's best guess, and he'd spent a good few minutes barging into every unlocked door down the street that he could, but no dice.

"Not so much as a damn witness," Katsuki relayed to Endeavor, lifting up his mask and wiping off the sweat with one gloveless hand. The afternoon sun soaked the black asphalt and bounced heat up Katsuki's legs in waves. His sleeveless summer costume helped, but the fabric was still thick to resist tears and flame, with heavy gloves and boots for his combat style. His bangs were matted to his forehead, sideburns dripping down his jawline.

" Bad luck, Dynamight ," Endeavor replied, likely multitasking if his distant tone was anything to go by. Or already working to undo Katsuki's fuck up.

It didn't feel like bad luck, though. It felt like shit, frustrating in all the ways that brought out his worst instincts, pointing him in the direction of punching a wall, throwing a fit, or otherwise being the sore loser that he'd never grown out of. But heroics was never as simple as luck, not if you were good. And, loss aside, Katsuki was good. If he'd lost, there was a reason.

But for now, the loss was the ungodly focus. When he got back to the office, he'd still have to fill out a report, memorializing his failure to capture the villain, but since he was still on the loose, Endeavor had to disseminate everything Katsuki knew about the villain to other agencies as soon as possible. Well, an intern would.

And then there was Izuku.

"Where's Deku? Is he back?" Katsuki had already texted him, but the bastard hadn't responded.

" He's at the hospital ," Endeavor replied, nonchalant in a way that only further fouled Katsuki's mood.

That was weird. Izuku should have arrived at the hospital half an hour ago—more than long enough to drop a baby off and return to the agency. It churned sourly in Katsuki's stomach. He'd seen nearly every moment of Izuku's combat today—he hadn't sustained any notable injuries. He had no reason to stay in the hospital.

"Hope ya don't need my report then," Katsuki said, already pulling his phone away from his ear to thumb in the address. A sweaty outline of his ear lined the glass. "Bye."

Katsuki hung up the phone without another word to his so-called boss. It was a technicality. He'd been a full-fledged pro for two years already—it should have been three, but even with his level of experience, the year spent as a sidekick was mandatory. He didn't need a boss .

With a glance behind him for civilians, Katsuki was off, airborne once more. Via protocol, Katsuki and Izuku's patrols had been taken over as soon as they'd begun pursuing their villain. Usually he'd kick his replacement and get back to work, but not today. His active shift was technically over, but he was still in his costume, so no one would say shit for him using his quirk. He was Dynamight—no one would say shit anyway.

Being in uniform was handy for a great many things, actually. Like being able to see people in the hospital regardless of relation or visiting hours.

"Midoriya Izuku," Katsuki said as he placed a still gloved palm on the front desk. "Where is he?"