Lightning Serenade

Chapter 97: Ground Zero II

A/N: So, I had Covid-19 and missed an update. Thanks for your patience! We're getting close to the end! I'm kind of losing motivation for this fic, but I really, really want to finish it because I know if I put it down and think I'll finish it later, I'll lose track of where I was and it'll just get harder and harder, so it's my mission to finish it! So, if the pacing changes, that's why! Just FYI! Hopefully, any pacing issues or holes or whatever can be fixed if and when I get around to revisions! My main goal is just getting the story in full out there, and here's the next part!

Bakugou wasn't stupid. He knew that manic, copycat bastard that followed him along to his own agency was too happy for what the situation warranted. He should have been sulking and moaning and miserable and grating on Bakugou's absolute last nerve. The only explanation that made sense was that he was in contact with the real number nine hero.

And since Bakugou was the de facto scapegoat in that big mess, he decided he could do whatever the hell he wanted, which included tailing his own subordinate to locate said real number nine.

The Hero Public Safety Commission must be a big fucking mess if they couldn't figure that much out because it only took Bakugou a few days to locate Denki that way. Then, all he had to do was wait for Neito to kiss him goodbye in the abandoned warehouse where they met up during his patrol, and Bakugou had him right where he wanted him, all to himself.

"Ah!" Denki exclaimed when he walked past Bakugou's hiding spot, only for Bakugou to reach out and snap the quirk-canceling cuff around his wrist. Denki stumbled back, pouting when he realized what had happened. "Not fair, Kacchan."

"Can't expect me to fight fair going against fucking lightning, dumbass," Bakugou retorted under his breath, stepping fully out from behind the crate he was hidden behind, still tense as he looked around, unfamiliar with the area.

"Aw, c'mon," Denki whined dramatically, pulling on the cuff at his wrist to no avail. "I'd give you a fair shot!"

Bakugou snorted unkindly. "Not likely. With your voodoo hold over my subordinate and your lightning shit—"

"Just because you wouldn't win doesn't mean that it wouldn't be fair, Kacchan."

Bakugou huffed out a breath, leaning his ass back against the crate he was formerly crouched behind as he forced himself to relax a little more as he regarded one of his best friends.

"Well, you have the confidence of number nine, that's for sure."

"It really was supposed to be me?" Denki asked, losing some of his energy at seeing his volatile friend. "I've heard rumors—We've all heard rumors, but—I—it's just hard to imagine that I did that, you know? For what it's worth, I'm sorry they did that to you."

"I'm not," Bakugou barked, making Denki startle at both the admission and the force behind it, "but they're sure as hell going to be."

Denki smiled. "What did you have in mind, Ground Zero?" he purred, eyes alit with delightful mischief as he seated himself next to his best friend, the crate creaking dangerously underneath him, but holding and not giving way.

"The reason none of us could fully support you publicly in the first place was because none of us had the power with the HPSC dangling unspoken threats over our heads. And what do those bastards do? They hand me the public title of number nine on a silver fucking platter," Bakugou spat. "I knew they were dumb, but I thought they had some kind of standards. At this rate, villains are going to be taking over, and—hey!" Bakugou stopped abruptly at the twinkle in Denki's eye. "Don't be going and giving your villain friends any of my fucking ideas, you shit!"

"Oh, but we'll give you full credit, babe," Denki assured.

"That's even worse!" Bakugou roared, palms igniting as Denki leaped up, laughing as he ran.