So down below... [Sero x Basement Bakugou]

[NicTheDjinn]

Warnings: Child abuse, child neglect, false imprisonment, emotional abuse, physical abuse

When the Bakugous' child developed his quirk, he was never seen again. According to his mother, he was sent away along with his father to train the extremely volatile quirk properly. In truth, Bakugou Masaru got on the first flight and abandoned his family when he learned of his son's quirk, and Bakugou Mitsuki had her basement remodeled in record time.

The basement is completely soundproof, with no access to the outside world besides the steps leading up into the house and a window that has the thickest glass possible and only works one way.

And here is where Bakugou Katsuki has spent his entire life since he was four years old.

He's been entirely homeschooled, seen by only the shadiest of doctors and trained by people that didn’t look anymore trustworthy than the doctors.

He doesn't know what it's like to be outside anymore, and learned not to ask his mother if he could go out within the first year of being there.

When one of the shady "trainers" is captured for villainous activities and forced to confess their crimes, they mentioned training a kid in a basement. When asked to elaborate, they gave away everything.

This is where y/c comes in. They're a third year at U.A., and seeing as they have a provisional license and are seen capable for a case like this, they're brought along.

Only to discover someone their same age, built like a brick wall, chained and gagged in a corner of the basement because whenever Mitsuki goes out for work she chains him. Considering she isn't there, there isn't much drama, and y/c is tasked with coaxing him out without it ending in disaster. He's covered in scars, particularly some points around his mouth where a different kind of mask that breaks skin woukd be. The palms of his hands look fine, the back of them are a little scarred, but all the skin of his arms and part of his chest have been scarred to the point of giving Dabi a run for his money from over exertion of his quirk. His palms are completely explosion proof, but the rest of his body is just sort of resistant, and he'd really have to go far for it to get that bad. Turns out, Mitsuki was hellbent on training her son to be more powerful than any known hero, for reasons unknown.

She flees the country, and when Katsuki says that he's always wanted to be a hero, U.A. agrees to take him in as a student if he can pass all their assessment tests and entrance exams. And he does, obviously, but now has developed a bit of an attachment to y/c who's tasked with watching over him to make sure he can handle it all being thrown at him at once in such a short time since he's playing catch up.

And that's really it, I want to thoroughly discuss ideas and bounce them off of each other before we begin because I'm not entirely solid on where I want this to go other than how I want to play with this scenario. Come on in and I'll write a starter once we're in agreement of the details!

...

The Bakugous were greatly respected for their interior and fashion design. They were experts in making homes look their best, and making people look ethereal. Most popular in places like Korea and the U.S., they chose to continue to live in Japan and simply travel to the places where their work was needed or displayed. And when they had their son, they chose to take a little break as their businesses continued to run themselves, so they could care and love their son in a close knit little neighborhood.

When Bakugou Katsuki was born, they'd been proud, so sure their child would grow up to do amazing things. And then, when the child manifested their quirk, it all went bad.

Bakugou Masaru had been having his doubts already of being in a relationship with his volatile wife. He stayed for their child, but it was a barely there thing. He thought he needed to protect them from her, but he barely did that in his time with them. Bakugou Mitsuki knew his husband was unhappy but didn't care. As long as they kept up appearances, it was fine with her. And they were both pretty good actors when they needed to be, but the illusion shattered when their kid came home with little crackling palms and a bright look in their eye.

When Masaru fled, Mitsuki took one look at Katsuki and said, "Appearances must be kept." And that was the beginning of the end of a lot of things for Katsuki.

Since he manifested his quirk, Katsuki lost everything he'd ever known. His father got on a plane and never came back, he was locked away in their newly renovated basement and never saw the sun again. He never played with Izuku, or tasted auntie Inko's cooking. All he ate were gross dietary meals and supplement his mama gave him, and all he did was train and study.

By the time Katsuki was ten he'd ruined his arms, so severely scarred the skin was unrecognizable. When he was fourteen, he'd lost most of his hearing in one ear. At fifteen he noticed his face was permanently marked by the muzzle his mother kept on him over night, and at sixteen he'd gotten his last visit from his last trainer before his mother proudly proclaimed he was "ready", for what, he didn’t know. Once upon a time, he had thought it was for heroics, but somehow that was lost over the years for him, and it became a mindless fight for survival, to be good enough to one day just... be normal. He didn’t know what that meant anymore, but he did at one point and now it was all he had.

It was a day like any other for Katsuki. He dropped down from where he was doing pull ups to meet his mother at the end of the steps when a light at the corner of the room blared to signal the door being opened. She took one look at him, scoffed at his sweaty skin, and pulled out the day mask. It was painful, but not like the one for the night. He knew that meant she was going out, and he didn't have it in him to argue as she slipped it on his face, and went to grab the clunky, quirk suppressing cuffs that went over his hands and forearms and chained him to the wall. The explosive teen no longer asked. He was eighteen and exhausted of asking and arguing. He watched her leave, and tugged on the chain just enough so he could sit in the comfortable couch there, staring at the ground, going over all of his lessons in his mind.

It felt like forever, but suddenly the door to the basement had blown right off its hinges and down the steps, and there were people- heroes -running down the steps and yelling. He stood, stunned, staring at what he could have, should have, been. But even still, Katsuki flinched away from all of them, clutching his cuffed arms in tighter, eyes flying wildly over them all. Where was his mother? Was this a test? Were they sent by her? Why were they there? He couldn't hear them well over the blood rushing in his good ear, back pressed up against the wall.

...

Hanta was born into a fairly normal family, he'd always thought. His mother was a writer, her quiet granting her the ability to produce paper from her elbows, handy for when inspiration struck at random times. His father, on the other hand, was an artist that could produce an adhesive that he could willfully excrete, though he was pretty limited on how much. Generally, the most he could manage was to coat his hands and the bottoms of his feet and in so doing, climb up any surface. While his mother brought in most of the money, his father still enjoyed producing art to sell, anything from cards to paper mache sculptures through creative uses of his quirk.

The two couldn't have been happier when they found out they were pregnant, his mother giving up her study so it could be the new baby's room. This was no trouble as she would just have to work out of her husband's craft room instead. In the end, they enjoyed each other's company and were happy about the change. Sero's quirk was obvious at birth, or at least it was clear that he had one. The two assumed he'd gotten his mother's quirk with those cute little awkward elbows, but they would have to wait and see. All the same, he was a generally happy baby, his good behavior something the two casually bragged about when given the chance. They were so very proud of him, even before he could speak.

When he was 3 years old, he finally managed to activate his quirk, though a smooth white strip of paper is not what came out. It was white, but patches of it were sticky. Tape! He could produce tape! He happily joined his father in his arts and crafts a form of training in of itself. School helped a great deal once he got there and soon enough he could consistently produce tape with an even coat of adhesive and even started to adjust how strong it was. In time he even started to use it to assist in his own climbing efforts, something he'd grown fond of from storytime up in trees.

Though he didn't particularly stand out, elbows notwithstanding, but he was nothing if not friendly which made it easy to befriend all his classmates year after year, even if he was teased from time to time. At worse his kindness was taken advantage of, but overall, he had a generally happy childhood. In middle school, his parents even trusted him to take care of his first pet. Hoobaru the Dwarf Russian Hamster was an adorable grey critter that he'd spend hours with when his parents were busy with work. The little guy even helped him with his homework unintentionally as he'd explain it to the little hampster so which in turn helped him retain whatever he was studying.

As it was for most Japanese middle schoolers, it was a hectic time in his life. He had to study for entrance exams and making the final call for what he wanted to do in his life. Like many of his classmates, he fell in love with the idea of being a hero. Unlike many of his classmates, he started to train hard to develop both his body and quirk to be ready for such a career. If that weren't enough, he was aiming for the most prestigious hero school out there. U.A. The training was hard and he quickly learned that he suffered from the same issue his mother did when she used her quirk too much. His skin dried out, the more he pushed himself the worse it got, to the point of painful. In places, his skin could even crack and bleed. He quickly got into the habit of regularly rubbing body lotion into his skin to keep it healthy.

The happiest day of his life came when he got his acceptance into U.A. a week after the practical exam. He'd done fairly well on it too! Good thing as he had only barely passed the written exam... Once he was in, like every class before, he befriended all his classmates and as they would be together for the next 3 years and possibly work together even after graduation. The lessons were hard, the training intense, and if that weren't enough, All Might's forced retirement resulted in a major spike in crime. Despite their young ages, some of the weight still settled onto their shoulders as they helped carry the burden. Needless to say, they had an incredible amount of experience, far more than students should have ever gotten... Despite this, they rose to the challenge, many surpassing even established Pros.

The work studies program was the main way they were helping at this point and it was Sero's turn to be called in. Midoriya had been seriously considered for the assignment, but it was decided it would be best if he was kept out of the loop as this incident lay within walking distance of his mother's apartment. What's more, there seemed to be a child involved and while Midoriya did well with some children, his anxious energy didn't mix well with all of them. What's more, it sounded like the kid might be hurt... Hanta was happy to lend his assistance, heart pounding as they approached the house. It was thankfully empty which would make the mission go much more smoothly. According to their intel, the kid should be in the basement. Try as they might, they couldn't get it open and time was pressing. The decision was made to blow the door right off.

They rushed in, ready to defend themselves and the child only to find only a single person in the room. That... Was not a child. Another look around confirmed that this was the only occupant, but Sero was already slowly starting to close the distance between them, much to the annoyance of the more experienced heroes. They worried that the restrained man would attack them. Sero thought differently. The restraints, the fear, the confusion, and more. This was the kid. Fuck... He might never have seen the outside world... And all those scars... Those restraints on his arms. He'd seen them many times. This guy's quirk probably had something to do with his arms or hands. The muzzle hinted there might be a quirk under there too, but it was doubtful as he'd never heard of a quirk that manifested like this... He risked lifting his helmet's visor so that his face could be seen as that would make him more personable.

"Hey... Hey, it's okay. We're here to help you, okay? You're safe. I promise we won't hurt you." He assured gently, not realizing the young man might not be able to hear him. His movements were slow, his hands kept visible the whole time. It then occurred to him that he might never have been taught how to speak. He'd heard of feral children before... Just in case, he pointed at the mask on his face then pointed at his own face and mimed taking it off. "I'm going to take it off. Can you keep still for me?" He murmured softly to the spooked young man, getting in close, but not reaching to touch him just yet. He waited a moment, ready to back off quickly in case the blond chose to lash out and attack him. "May I touch you...?" He asked, reaching a little towards the muzzle, but only enough to make it clear where he was going to touch, waiting for whatever reaction might be coming.

...

Hanta was born into a fairly normal family, he'd always thought. His mother was a writer, her quiet granting her the ability to produce paper from her elbows, handy for when inspiration struck at random times. His father, on the other hand, was an artist that could produce an adhesive that he could willfully excrete, though he was pretty limited on how much. Generally, the most he could manage was to coat his hands and the bottoms of his feet and in so doing, climb up any surface. While his mother brought in most of the money, his father still enjoyed producing art to sell, anything from cards to paper mache sculptures through creative uses of his quirk.

The two couldn't have been happier when they found out they were pregnant, his mother giving up her study so it could be the new baby's room. This was no trouble as she would just have to work out of her husband's craft room instead. In the end, they enjoyed each other's company and were happy about the change. Sero's quirk was obvious at birth, or at least it was clear that he had one. The two assumed he'd gotten his mother's quirk with those cute little awkward elbows, but they would have to wait and see. All the same, he was a generally happy baby, his good behavior something the two casually bragged about when given the chance. They were so very proud of him, even before he could speak.

When he was 3 years old, he finally managed to activate his quirk, though a smooth white strip of paper is not what came out. It was white, but patches of it were sticky. Tape! He could produce tape! He happily joined his father in his arts and crafts a form of training in of itself. School helped a great deal once he got there and soon enough he could consistently produce tape with an even coat of adhesive and even started to adjust how strong it was. In time he even started to use it to assist in his own climbing efforts, something he'd grown fond of from storytime up in trees.

Though he didn't particularly stand out, elbows notwithstanding, but he was nothing if not friendly which made it easy to befriend all his classmates year after year, even if he was teased from time to time. At worse his kindness was taken advantage of, but overall, he had a generally happy childhood. In middle school, his parents even trusted him to take care of his first pet. Hoobaru the Dwarf Russian Hamster was an adorable grey critter that he'd spend hours with when his parents were busy with work. The little guy even helped him with his homework unintentionally as he'd explain it to the little hampster so which in turn helped him retain whatever he was studying.

As it was for most Japanese middle schoolers, it was a hectic time in his life. He had to study for entrance exams and making the final call for what he wanted to do in his life. Like many of his classmates, he fell in love with the idea of being a hero. Unlike many of his classmates, he started to train hard to develop both his body and quirk to be ready for such a career. If that weren't enough, he was aiming for the most prestigious hero school out there. U.A. The training was hard and he quickly learned that he suffered from the same issue his mother did when she used her quirk too much. His skin dried out, the more he pushed himself the worse it got, to the point of painful. In places, his skin could even crack and bleed. He quickly got into the habit of regularly rubbing body lotion into his skin to keep it healthy.

The happiest day of his life came when he got his acceptance into U.A. a week after the practical exam. He'd done fairly well on it too! Good thing as he had only barely passed the written exam... Once he was in, like every class before, he befriended all his classmates and as they would be together for the next 3 years and possibly work together even after graduation. The lessons were hard, the training intense, and if that weren't enough, All Might's forced retirement resulted in a major spike in crime. Despite their young ages, some of the weight still settled onto their shoulders as they helped carry the burden. Needless to say, they had an incredible amount of experience, far more than students should have ever gotten... Despite this, they rose to the challenge, many surpassing even established Pros.

The work studies program was the main way they were helping at this point and it was Sero's turn to be called in. Midoriya had been seriously considered for the assignment, but it was decided it would be best if he was kept out of the loop as this incident lay within walking distance of his mother's apartment. What's more, there seemed to be a child involved and while Midoriya did well with some children, his anxious energy didn't mix well with all of them. What's more, it sounded like the kid might be hurt... Hanta was happy to lend his assistance, heart pounding as they approached the house. It was thankfully empty which would make the mission go much more smoothly. According to their intel, the kid should be in the basement. Try as they might, they couldn't get it open and time was pressing. The decision was made to blow the door right off.

They rushed in, ready to defend themselves and the child only to find only a single person in the room. That... Was not a child. Another look around confirmed that this was the only occupant, but Sero was already slowly starting to close the distance between them, much to the annoyance of the more experienced heroes. They worried that the restrained man would attack them. Sero thought differently. The restraints, the fear, the confusion, and more. This was the kid. Fuck... He might never have seen the outside world... And all those scars... Those restraints on his arms. He'd seen them many times. This guy's quirk probably had something to do with his arms or hands. The muzzle hinted there might be a quirk under there too, but it was doubtful as he'd never heard of a quirk that manifested like this... He risked lifting his helmet's visor so that his face could be seen as that would make him more personable.

"Hey... Hey, it's okay. We're here to help you, okay? You're safe. I promise we won't hurt you." He assured gently, not realizing the young man might not be able to hear him. His movements were slow, his hands kept visible the whole time. It then occurred to him that he might never have been taught how to speak. He'd heard of feral children before... Just in case, he pointed at the mask on his face then pointed at his own face and mimed taking it off. "I'm going to take it off. Can you keep still for me?" He murmured softly to the spooked young man, getting in close, but not reaching to touch him just yet. He waited a moment, ready to back off quickly in case the blond chose to lash out and attack him. "May I touch you...?" He asked, reaching a little towards the muzzle, but only enough to make it clear where he was going to touch, waiting for whatever reaction might be coming.

...

Life was so monotone in the basement. There were books and gym equipment for entertainment and nothing else. A comfortable couch, an uncomfortable cot for sleep, a table to eat at. And then an entire half of the basement was the "exercise and training room", a torture chamber dvided by quirk proof glass so his mother could sit on the other side and observe him. That was it. His entire life could be summed up in his studies, exercise and sleep. There were side acitivities here and there, his mother forcing him to learn how to play instruments if only to add to his repertoire of skills and nothing more. It had been nice, before she decided it was enough and replaced them with even more training equipment. Katsuki should have known then that nothing would ever truly be a constant in his life.

Including his basement, apparently.

The heroes stood before him and though they were everything he ever wanted to be, Katsuki was petrified. Even though he'd long since stopped asking, he still wondered why his mother trained him so much. Why she insisted he be so perfect, why she forced him to bleed and breathe his quirk so much before he ever went to a hero academy like he'd wanted as a child. Was this it? Would he finally be the villain she accused him of being when he screamed and fought and clawed, trying to get out, trying to find help? Was he meant to fight them and prove he was a villain? Katsuki didn’t know, and it was making his chest move rapidly with panicked breaths. He didn’t want to be a villain, but he also didn't want to stay put as heroes hurt him because they thought he was one. Katsuki pressed himself further into the wall when the heroes looked upon him with so much suspicion, readying himself for a blow.

And then he was brought back, a hero with a helmet cutting through his fog of panic like a knife. They were young, around his age he would assume, though they were a lot thinner than him. But it could be they were the same age. He wasn't sure, but he knew they were a hero, maybe a hero student, and they were calming him. Not yelling, not fighting, just offering to kindly remove his painful mask. And Katsuki found himself nodding numbly, mesmerized by the sight of someone his age when all he'd ever seen were people much older than him with crazed grins, seeming hell bent on breaking him down at his mother's command.

Katsuki looked past the other only once, to stare at the older heroes there as they readied themselves like he was a monster, but they wouldn't send someone to free him if they were planning to fight, right? Still, he didn’t think he could bring himself to let them as close as the younger hero, looking back down at them, looking into dark eyes so serious but still having some light left in them. They didn't have the same darkness behind them that Katsuki's had, they were bright in a way that made Katsuki feel like he should look away, lest he taint them. But he wasn’t a coward. "She didn't send you?" He finally asked, voice rough from disuse, only accustomed to saying yes or no to his mother when she asked him anything. She would have slapped him for asking a question in response to a request. "This isn't a test from her?"

He looked up at the older heroes behind the other again, seeing familiar faces from his time before the basement. Heroes that he once looked up to and aspired to surpass as a hero greater than them all, sitting with Izuku in his living room watching the news just to see how they fought and won. Katsuki remembered always wanting to win. Until he'd been defeated and broken by his own mother. "You... You weren't sent to break me in?" He asked, not knowing his volume had grown louder, that everyone in the room had probably heard that. A few heroes looked incredibly uncomfortable with the question, so he fixed his eyes back on the young one. The mask made it painful to move his jaw, more meant to discourage movement than anything. The pain would have been excruciating if he opened his mouth to do something like scream, so it did do its job, but it didn't stop Katsuki from asking what he needed to know.

...

Ah, there was the nod he needed. He started to approach again, closing the last of the distance between them cautiously. He was putting himself at risk, he knew he was, but it was a risk he was willing to take. Showing too much caution could make a victim feel alienated and like you don't want to help them. They didn't have much information, but they had enough to know that there was an abused child that had been trained here and it seemed the information wasn't entirely accurate. There had been an abused child. That abused child had grown into an abused young man and that made the situation even more delicate. Children had an astounding ability to bounce back from nightmarish situations. Once they grow up... Well, the things that might have haunted a child for years thereafter were much more ingrained. He needed to get this right the first time.

He hesitated when the blond spoke, not having expected him to talk at this point. Well, that would make things notably easier. Talk might be a bit of a stretch though... It was closer to a croak. Either his throat had been damaged and that's just what he sounded like or he really wasn't used to talking. He wouldn't ask either way. Don't lose speed now. The guy was talking and now was not the time to lose momentum. He could understand speech which meant he could offer verbal comfort as well as what he might physically allow. At the very least, he'd been given permission to touch him. He reached out to finally do so, letting one long-fingered hand come to rest at a broad shoulder. Holy shit he was built... How did he even manage to bulk up like this in here? He'd of course seen the equipment, but to gain this much muscle mass on nothing but those things? Incredible.
His lips parted to speak as his hands started to reach for the straps of the muzzle only to freeze for a moment. Break him in...? There were several ways that could be taken and he didn't like any of those options in the slightest. While many of the heroes behind him looked uncomfortable at the insinuation, Sero proved himself in that moment. He'd learned from passing the provisional hero license exam that he excelled at rescuing people. He'd found his passion and had thrown himself into it from that point forward. It showed clearly now. While he was generally rather plain-looking, Bakugou was getting to see his most distinctive feature now, sans his elbows naturally. His smile. It wasn't a beautiful smile or even a cute one, but it was very distinctive and definitely unforgettable. More importantly here, it allowed him to be very expressive and he exuded nothing but kindness and a deep-seated warm as he met the other's striking ruby eyes.

"No... She didn't send us. We're here to help you. I'm a hero in training from the hero school U.A. and these are all Pro heroes behind me. None of us would ever hurt someone unless we had absolutelty no other choice." He reached behind the other's head and finally worked the straps open. "We're here to help you. No one's going to hurt you. I won't let them. Heh... I don't think anyone could break you anyway. You're still so strong after everything you've been through and I don't mean your muscles or whatever quirk you have. Your will is incredible! You're so strong... I know we just met, but I'm proud of you." As he gently praised him, he carefully removed the muzzle. His heart panged at the sight under it, a clear, irritated indentation from where it had sat and worse, a scar that didn't match the shape of this one which told him there was a second muzzle that fit even more poorly than this one had. He didn't comment on what he'd revealed, tossing the muzzle aside so it wouldn't be near them. "There... That's better, huh?"

He looked down at the large shackles encasing everything from just below the elbows and down. He was chained down by those too... His hands moved to that chain as he examined it, though he was careful not to pull it. He followed the length to the other end, but didn't move from where he stood for the moment. "Is there a key for these down here? If not, don't worry, we'll get you out of them some other way. I don't know if we can get you out without a key till later, but we'll get you out of these, I promise." He assured, making sure to leave some wiggle room for the other heroes, should they decide the risk was too high to free the other entirely. At the very least, they had to get the chain off so they could walk him out of here.

...

When was the last time anyone had smiled at Katsuki genuinely? He remembered Izuku smiling at him, excited and innocent in his youth. He'd smile brighter whenever Katsuki reminded him they would both surpass All Might as a hero duo, they would both be on top. Auntie Inko smiled at him sometimes, all soft and kind of sad looking ever since her husband left, but still happy to see him and Izuku together. Masaru used to smile at him sometimes, but it was too sad to be a smile. The man had always been sad, and Katsuki wondered if that was why it was so easy for him to leave. He was too busy being sad to love him enough to believe he wouldn't be a villain; a monster.

Right then, Katsuki was receiving what may have been the first smile without any ill intent behind it since he was four years old. It was soft, reassuring. The curve of the young hero's lip spoke of a comfort and warmth Katsuki had simply never had. If his hands were free, he would have reached up to touch it. But probably stopped himself, since his hands were deadly tools his mother had him train and they weren't really just his hands anymore. He could now control the production of his nitroglycerin and keep it from detonating without his own free will even when it was lit with fire, but he was still cautious. Katsuki was so painfully aware of every aspect of himself that he treated himself like a barely leashed beast ready to attack at any moment even when that was the last thing on his mind. He would never reach out to someone like that first.

Being reassured and comforted were such alien concepts to Katsuki that he didn’t know how to react, so he remained silent, watching the hero's hands reach for him and around him like a suspicious, cornered cat. It's only when the mask is removed that his shoulders lose some of the suspicious tension they held. He choked on a relieved sound, turning his head away to cough at the floor. He looked at the muzzle, now discarded, not like when his mother pulled it from the drawer and put it back just as carefully to use later. The fact it was on the floor, thrown away like it was garbage, made it all real. This was real. This was a rescue, they really weren't there to hurt him in her name.

He glanced up at the mention of the quirk suppression cuffs and shook his head a bit, staring at the other's mouth. It was to help understand what he was saying even with his shotty hearing, and it was also to make sure he could take in every curve of that kind smile. "She takes the key with her when she goes out, I used to break the chain to grab it from the desk drawer she left it at." That was also why he had a day mask at all, despite the room being sound proof even against his loudest screams and explosions. It was because after breaking the chain, he would hold the key with his teeth to release himself. Still, even that was hopeless, because Katsuki knew how to break out of the cuffs, he just never did because he didn't want her to come up with an even worse punishment if she saw the cuffs wouldn't work on him any longer.

"I can take them off, though." The way he said it... sounded like a child desperate for validation, wanting someone to be proud of them for a trick they learned. "It's just going to be loud for you." Not that volume mattered to Katsuki himself anymore, but he was aware what it could do to those who had better hearing. He often used the sound of his explosions to deafen the opponents his mother threw at him momentarily so the shock and imbalance it made gave him the opportunity to strike back.

...

He really didn't like the way the other was tensed like he was when he reached behind him to remove the muzzle. This was a really big guy and if he chose to attack right then, Sero would get hurt for sure. His quirk might be inhibited by his restraints, but they themselves were made of metal and this guy had the muscle to weaponize something like that very effectively. In the end, his patience and gentleness paid off. No such attack came and there was a visible droop in those tense shoulders when he tossed the now removed muzzle away. They would need that as evidence, but that could be picked up before they left. They would need to pick this place clean anyway for anything else that was damming.

Not that they really needed more, he knew that someone had been in charge of recording the event so they could have video evidence of the abused child they were looking for. Not a child in the end, but the evidence would still be very helpful in court. He didn't look forward to this case and who knew if the blond would be of sound enough mind to even be present for something like that. That wasn't what was important right now anyway. All that mattered was getting him out of this situation with as little conflict as possible. If 'as little as possible' proved to be none at all, that was even better.

Shit. So no key then. Well, they would just have to think of something---"Oh? You can get out on your own?" Loud? So he had some kind of sonic quirk? Or at least one that had some kind of audio attached to it. Still, a warning was a warning and at this point, he'd proven himself harmless enough. Well... 'Harmless' might be pushing things... More like, nonaggressive. "Okay! Great! Just be careful okay? It wouldn't be good if you or anyone else got hurt, right?" The warning was enough to get him to back up and give the guy some space only for one of the heroes with them to urge the rest of them into the other part of the room as the clear walls were probably resistant to whatever quirk the young man had. Once they were all safely inside, he gave him a thumbs-up, watching on curiously as he covered his ears with his hands on top of that. Just in case.

As he watched on, it gave him a small moment to realize just how childlike he'd sounded. That clinched it. If there had been any doubt before, it was obvious now. The poor bastard had never been exposed to people or at the very least been exposed to them as little as absolutely possible. His reactions didn't match the behavior of a tortured adult. He was too childlike. Sure he didn't act like a little kid exactly either, very likely he'd been trained that way. Emotionally stunted, but tough where his mother had wanted him to be. It was heartbreaking... He wondered what this boy would have been like if allowed a normal life.

He also couldn't help wondering if Izuku had actually met him. They lived close enough that it was very likely they could have gone to preschool together. This was assuming the boy had been allowed outside at all in his life. There was no way for him to guess with what little he had to work with right now. It was strangely difficult to imagine the blond as a child with how large he was now. Surely he had to be small at some point. He'd be willing to bet he was even very cute considering how good looking he was now. Whoa. Easy there, brain. We're working.

...

Katsuki's head tilted curiously, almost confused that someone was telling him not to hurt himself. He could understand being told not to hurt others, but himself? He was so used to destroying his own body in order to survive the torturous conditions and situations his mother thrust him into that knowing that a hero was warning him not to do that just cemented that no part of his life had been the norm. Obviously, Katsuki hadn't thought it was, but after a while he became so used to it that it seemed he lulled himself into a false sense of it subconsciously. He remembered reading in the rescue text that it was a normal response for victims.

But was he really a victim when he was so clearly a monster?

"Right. Just stay behind the walls until I'm done." It was easier to agree than to explain his outlook. They wouldn't understand it, or maybe they would and regret rescuing him. He simply watched the heroes move into his training room and took a moment to absorb how strange the sight was. Usually, he was the one behind the glass with someone else ready to beat him bloody while his mother watched from the couch. Seeing someone else behind the glass was unnerving, like he was waiting for some villain to pop up behind the heroes and attack them, even though he knew he was alone before they came and that no one else was in there.

Getting the thumbs up, Katsuki still waited and gave all the heroes a very pointed, very commanding look despite his position. He looked from the helmeted hero that helped him, to the ones around him, and watched as they all got the hint to cover their own ears. Only when they all had their hands over their ears did he finally plop down onto the floor and close his eyes. It would take a great deal of concentration to do what he needed to, so he took a position akin to meditation and held his cuffed hands in front of him.

His palms began to heat up but that wasn't the hard part. The hard part was concentrating on keeping that heat going without igniting any of the nitroglycerin that had collected inside. At least not yet. The metal slowly bent outward as the hot air within expanded, bolts and layers of iron beginning to stick out in odd angles. He rolled his neck, then furrowed his brows as he raised the temperature even further, until a bolt popped out and flew across the room, embedding itself in the thick transparent wall like a bullet stopped by proofed glass. He didn’t even twitch at the loud noise it made, only furrowing his brow further as fresh air rushed into the hot cuffs. With a deep breath, Katsuki's eyes opened again, and he hopped up, aiming the cuffs at the solid wall behind himself and away from the heroes.

And he ignited the nitroglycerin within.

The sound was deafening and rocked the foundation of the home, dust falling over them all as the ceiling of the basement creaked. Without the door closed to protect the rest of the home from his power, the outside shook and the sound was probably heard throughout the neighborhood. But that wasn't important. What was important was the fact the cuffs? Had popped open like a plastic easter egg and fallen to the ground. His hands were smoking, the metal of the cuffs was still red hot, but Katsuki turned to the heroes with a grin and a thumbs up of his own, signing in JSL that it was safe for them to come out before thinking to say it verbally. "It's fine now, just don't touch the cuffs unless you're heat proof. If you need them for evidence or some shit I can put them where you need them for you." Secretly, Katsuki was just hoping none of them would be afraid of him. Particularly, not the young hero from U.A. He had so many questions to ask him now, and he really didn't need him pulling away just because he realized how much of a beast Katsuki really was.

...

Poor boy... He had no idea how abnormal his life truly was and he was only just getting shown for the first time. There was kindness and caring in the world and it appeared that there was some even for the likes of a tortured boy that hadn't seen the light of day since he was only 4 years old. That life would be behind him now and though there was a staggering amount of trauma for therapists to work through, he would have the chance to move forward as his own person and live life as he chose to instead of the path forced on him till now.

The heroes got into position and waited only to be given a wordless order. Sero couldn't help the amused smirk as the rest of the heroes covered their ears. It must have been a funny sight from an outside perspective. The silently watched on as the teen sat himself down and held out his arms and...!! Nothing happened. He just sat there. Not one of them was stupid enough to move their hands from their ears, but some did glance around at each other. Sero was not one of them, never looking away from the other teen. Curiosity ate at him only for he and several other heroes to jump as a sound went off that sounded frighteningly like a gun. And there was a revet, stuck in the middle of a spiderweb of cracked glass. It had held, but that was still frightening. If they had remained inside, there was a real chance that one of them could have been outright killed.

His attention snapped back to Bakugou as he stood himself up, turned to the wall and literally blew off the restraints. It wasn't a sonic quirk. It was an explosion quirk! He stared in awe, moving to the door and opening it to exit the glass part of the room. "That... That was amazing! I never imagined you could... Oh..." He trailed off, hurrying over. Well, if nothing else, Sero showed no signs of being afraid of him, even after that glorious show of how dangerous he could be. "I got you, hold still." He'd seen the extensive scarring on his arms and made the connection. Bakugou was not completely heat or blast-proof. He tucked up his arms only for white gauze to shoot out and wrap itself around the other's arms. As soon as he was finished, he cut of the strands. He didn't want the other to feel trapped, even if he'd be able to rip himself out of these laughably easy.

From his belt, he pulled a very small bottle of water from a pouch, carefully pouring half over the gauze of one arm and half over the other to help leech the heat off him. "We should get your arms under some running water to cool them down properly." He informed quietly, dark eyes flitting up to meet ruby ones again. "You really are strong... Most people wouldn't be willing to push themselves like that. But... You don't have to do that anymore, okay? From not on, you should take care of yourself first. If you want to keep training, then that comes second." He insisted gently, looking over when he heard a fuss upstairs. A couple more heroes were peeking inside, the noise worrying them. One of the other pros assured them everything was fine.

"Anyway, don't worry about the cuffs, you don't have to touch them anymore. Someone will get them for us. He started to lead the way towards the stairs, looking back to make sure the blond walked with him. "You signed before. I, uh... You don't have to answer if you don't want, but how much hearing do you have left?" He even pointedly looked at him as he spoke so his lips would be easier to read. "I learned JSL so I could communicate with deaf people during rescues. I haven't gotten to use it very much though so I'm... Okay at it." He laughed softly at himself, having the urge to practice again. He could communicate well enough in JSL, but he wouldn't call himself 'fluent'.

...

Katsuki blinked in surprise. Despite the fear he'd seen in their eyes from the bolt, despite the super heated cuffs on the floor and the smoke still rising from his hands, the U.A. student was rushing towards him and telling him how amazing what he'd done was. Not frightening, not villainous; but amazing. His heart warmed, and he offered a more genuine grin in return for the praise, though the grin did fall a little when gauze shot forward and wound itself around his arms.

Anything medical like that didn’t come with good memories. While he knew the "doctors" his mother brought to him were just glorified butchers that happened to have healing quirks, it flashes of medical supplies came with a deep seeded trauma he beat to submission in his mind so he wouldn't lose it around people that didn’t deserve to deal with his bullshit. He cleared his throat, "I'm actually pretty resistant to my quirk. You could set me on fire and it would take an hour for it to start leaving a mark. Only over exertion does, well, this." he pointed to the scars along his shoulders and arms, shrugging. He didn’t mention how his quirk also made it nearly impossible to scar with it's healing effect on his skin, he felt he didn’t need to add to the already perceived damage.

It's when they come near the stairs that Katsuki really hesitates. All his life, he'd been beaten and bruised just for entertaining the thought of just going upstairs to spend time in his childhood room. He had begun avoiding the stairs, even when the door was closed and he could technically walk up and down them if he felt restless. Still, when the hero looked at him to make sure he was following, Katsuki snapped out of his revelry. This was freedom, he was free, and with that he took the first few steps up the stairs in years, keeping his eyes on the young hero as though if he looked around himself and physically realized what was happening he might panic.

"No hearing in my left ear at all, some in my right but it's fucked up enough no healing quirks have been able to restore it all the way." Those were the worst "doctor" visits. His mother would bring a new shady person with a healing quirk twice a week for a month, all claiming to be able to restore both of his ears to their former glory, but the most they'd been able to do was put his right ear in a form of stasis that kept it from getting any worse no matter what, at the cost of some flesh from his back that now formed a rather nasty scar. It had been a very painful process, but at the very least his hearing wasn't all gone. Katsuki feared what his mother would have done to him if he was that damaged. "I taught myself JSL, might not be that good at it either." Sure, he'd read all the books his mother bought and threw at him when they found out about his hearing, but there could be things he missed. Maybe they could teach each other, while Katsuki asked his own questions.

Speaking of, he cleared his throat nervously as they finally stepped into what looked to be the living room of his memories, except renovated and odd looking with new furniture. It hurt, almost, to see that time had passed without him, while he was stuck in a world all his own. He cleared his throat again and turned to the hero, "You said you were from U.A. Did... Did Izuku ever make it? Midoriya Izuku?" There was hope there, so much of it that it choked him. They were meant to be the unstoppable hero duo friends in U.A., two thirds of The Big Three of their year. Then Katsuki had been ripped away with no explanation and he wondered if that was enough to disillusion Izuku from his dream, or if he made it anyway and was living out their dreams on his own. He hoped so, that had been his only saving grace in captivity. Thinking one half of the duo had made it.

...

The brunette tensed a little as he noticed the change. Shit. He'd messed up. Fuck! I knew better than this! He should have asked first! Worse, the whole gesture was a waste as apparently all that was old and scared over, not something he'd just gotten or irritated. He just looked like that. You're always supposed to ask first before doing something like that and he'd just overstepped himself and in front of pros no less. He hoped none of them took notice... "Shit... I'm sorry. I should have asked first. Just... You deserve better. I'll be more careful." He promised quietly, honestly feeling awful about the distress he'd caused, even if he'd meant well. He also noticed that the other hesitated at the stairs. It didn't take a genius to figure out that he'd been trained to avoid them, but there was also a deep seeded need to please. It was enough to get him going again it seemed.

"That's it. You're doing really good!" He praised, honestly meaning it. He even offered a hand to hold, should he want it. "I see. Well I'm glad that you at least have some hearing left in one ear. There are some really good hearing aids out there that I'm sure would help, if you don't want to go through sugery. The surgery's pretty expens---wait. Healing quirks? But... That wouldn't work. Healing quirks only affect your ability to heal, meaning you couldn't have healed already or it won't do anything, the scars are already there. Most healing quirks only speed up the process too. What you would need is a regeneration quirk and those are really rare and expensive to hire. N-not that I don't think it's worth it to help yourself! If you want, I can look up that info for you." He offered, hoping he wouldn't upset him more, he'd just been caught off guard with that information. He was good at what he did, but there was no question that he was still green.

What he asked next clearly startled him as he hadn't been intending to bring it up. Still, it seemed cruel to deny him the information, particularly as he seemed so hopeful. "So you do know each other... We've been in the same class since first year, we're third years now." Pulling his phone out, he started to flick through his photos. "He used to mess himself up really bad in first year, but he's grown crazy strong. Here we go!" He turned the phone's screen to show a picture of three boys, one had a balanced build and had half white hair and half red hair with a scar covering a fourth of the left side of his face. One was a short young man built lighter than the other two that appeared to have the head of a bird. The last was easily the tallest an most heavily muscled though still fairly slime, had dark green curls and freckles.

"These are our year's Big Three. That one is Endevour's son Todoroki, Shouto. Half his body produces ice and the other half makes fire. The guy with the bird's head is Tokoyami, Fumikage. He has a shadow bird that comes from his stomach. It's... A lot stronger than it sounds and even stronger in the dark. That's Midoriya. We're... Not sure what is going on with his quirk. Like it was definitely a strength quirk at the start, but then he started doing all this other stuff. He won't talk about it with anyone, it's all really mysterious." He smiled as an idea hit him, looking as bright as he had before. "Would you like to see him? I could send him a message and have him come meet up with you this weekend! Or sooner if you want, I'm sure he'd skip training for a day to see an old friend."

He allowed the other to take his phone if he wanted to or pocketed it if he didn't. "I could write down my information if you want it. I don't normally do that, but if you were friends with Midoriya then I think it's okay." He looked over when a Pro approached them, wanting to get Katsuki to a hospital so he could be looked over properly as well as give them a private place where they could discuss things with him. He was also fairly sure they wanted to get Katsuki away from the house before his mother returned even though he didn't say it aloud. Honestly, Sero wanted that too. He didn't want Bakugou to get more stressed needlessly and that's not even taking into consideration how he might react to seeing her while unrestrained.

...

That was an interesting take that Katsuki took a half second too long to process. He deserved better? That was foreign, he might as well had spoken to him in a different language. He almost laughed. What could be better than someone caring for him enough that they jumped the gun and helped him when he didn't particularly need it? It felt like pity, and usually that would set him off, but right then he was riding too high on freedom to really care. He was too enraptured by the young hero, the first person to be compassionate towards him since he was four years old, even if it was because he was a rescue hero. Katsuki found himself drifting closer to him whenever any other hero made their way towards him, but he decidedly did not flinch, staring them down as if they were the younger party and he was the pro.

Katsuki slid his hand into the young hero's when it was offered, looking down at him with a quiet huff, though his lip did turn upward into a little smile, "My quirk comes with a healing factor on its own, I'd have been completely deaf by the age of seven otherwise. Old hag made me train too much though and it couldn't keep up, she hired the bastards to help it." Katsuki was very nonchalant about the damage done to himself by his quirk, they represented what he deserved for being weak. A shroud of shame he was forced to carry for the rest of his life, both because of what had been done to him and because he was too weak to come out unscathed. Heroes didn't look like Katsuki because they always won, only villains did. That was just how it would always be.

The news that Izuku really had made it and was one of the Big Three made Katsuki's so far mostly neutral and reserved face break out into the widest grin yet. He immediately took the phone to look at him, taking in the fact that he was big now too. Strong, like he knew Izuku was always meant to be. But hearing about the quirk set off immediate suspicion in Katsuki's mind, because he knew Izuku's parents. His Auntie and her husband's quirk were not at all like what was described, but he didn't say anything to it, resolving to ask Izuku later if he ever could. If they'd ever allow a beast like him near him. He handed back the phone carefully, eyes having watered a bit so he scrubbed at them quickly, "I want to see him, if he wants to. I... Tell him what actually happened, where I was. Maybe he'll get that I didn't leave him." It could very well be that Izuku ended up resenting him for never coming back, that his memory had grown bitter after the perceived betrayal, and he just wanted some semblance of normalcy back. Just to see Izuku thriving when they both should have been would bring some peace that it had been worth it. His punishment didn't destroy one of the only good things he had before she'd locked him away.

When the Pro's approached, Katsuki's face fell into a hardened look that would have given Endeavor himself a run for his money. A sort of stone cold indifference that spoke of distrust and caution. He blinked when they told him to come with them, brow raising slightly as he stepped more into Sero's space, face still set. "... Sorry, I don't trust anyone that looks physically older than me." The way he said it was like pulling teeth, like he couldn't admit such a weakness. Still, he plowed on, "Wherever we're going, can he come?" He nodded to Sero, looking him over to see if he would be willing to as well. The last experience he had with someone other than his mother who was older was a villain two years ago that he could guarantee was the worst of the worst. He'd taken the job for pleasure, he wasn't even in it for the money, and the only reason he ever left was because Katsuki had finally managed to beat him, and the villain apparently held respect for winners. Even when he was objectively the loser.

...

He didn't miss the distrust on full display as they made their way up the stairs, some of the heroes coming up with them, some of them staying behind to quickly gather evidence before anything could be further destroyed, and some already up top waiting for them. Bakugou clearly didn't trust any of them which was a little jarring for him as what trust the teen had to give seemed to be reserved for him, proven by his willingness to take the hand he offered to him. It was rare for a boy of his age to want to hold hands. Girls sometimes, children mostly, but the blond either wanted the comfort that badly, or he simply hadn't been taught to be ashamed about such actions. That was something that bothered him at this point in his life. You shouldn't feel ashamed to want or need comfort and you definitely shouldn't be shamed for showing affection, regardless of the ages and genders involved. There's nothing wrong with wanting a hug dammit!

"So that's how it happened... That's..." He seemed to struggle with finding words for how he felt about what he'd just been told. "...horrific..." He finally settled on, brows knitting together. Surprisingly, he didn't look like he pitied the teen so much as was angry about the treatment he was subjected to. "Why would you even do that? It makes no sense! That's... That's like pushing a horse relentlessly through a race. What's the point of winning the race if the horse falls dead out from under you? Assuming it doesn't drop before th---Uh, n-not that I'm saying your some kind of animal! This just shouldn't have happened! This wouldn't happen at a hero school, I can tell you that without a doubt. The only time I've ever heard of training like this happening is with vil... You know what? Nevermind, that doesn't matter. What's important is that you'll never have to do that again."
Oh and that smile when given the good news that Izuku had done so well at U.A.! That was more than worth sharing that information. He accepted his phone back and pocketed it for now. "Wha? Of course he'll want to see you! I bet he was wondering what happened to you. It came up once way back in first year. We were talking about who our best friends were before U.A. He told us a little about you, but he thinks you moved away to the US. He's going to be so stoked to see you again." He assured, his own smile bright at the thought of helping reunite them. "He's at his own work studies right now in Tokyo so I don't think we should call him now or he might drop everything he'd doing to get to the nearest train station. We get off our internships at 5pm so we don't worry, it won't be too long a wait, the time will fly by before ya know it!"

Oof. That smile was real quick to vanish... It hurt to see that, honestly, particularly because he was reacting to a pro in this way. He'd lost all faith in adults and was even saying as much. Heroes were supposed to be symbols of safety and they'd been ruined for him. Well... Hopefully not beyond repair, but it couldn't be helped for the moment. "Sure I can go! Come on, I'll even ride with you. If you want me there the whole time, I'm sure we can have that arranged, if not, I promise not to be far." He assured, reaching down to gently take his hand again and started to lead him towards an ambulance when he was pointed to it. He climbed up into the back, helping Bakugou inside, not that he needed the help. Sure enough, the EMT inside started to gently try to examine the blond. A kind woman with a soft voice, but she was, of course, older than either of them. Seeing the issue coming, Sero took over, doing as she instructed for her. He was being trained to be a paramedic and the hero licences he currently held gave him some wiggle room in terms of helping like this. He couldn't do something particularly invasive yet, but basic first aid he was certified for.


...

"I don't know what she wanted with me, exactly." Katsuki said, voice quiet after Sero's little rant. He brushed his fingers through his hair, feeling over the shaven spot where a scar peeked through the buzzed hair there, covering half his skull. That had been from his last "trainer", the only villain that had managed to land such a devastating blow on him. He's sure it didn't help with his hearing. "She did mention the hero commission, and having connections to it, once." Which also explained why he regarded pro heroes with so much caution and suspicion. Even beyond them being adults and him not being too fond of people older than him, he looked like he expected any one of them to turn around and betray him on the spot.

Izuku was doing work studies, already rescuing people. And there Katsuki was, being rescued. Some part of him felt inadequate, like he was taking up these heroes' time as they wasted it freeing him when they could be saving people so much more worthy of being saved. Katsuki was born to be a villain, even Sero had to stop himself from making the comparison to his treatment to that of one. Still, he nodded silently, not wanting Izuku to be dragged out of real work for him, if the little boy he once knew still lived on in him Katsuki knew that he would drop everything to see him. If only to cry at him and scream "Kachan" at the top of his lungs while he did.

When they're in the ambulance, Katsuki was already tense with so many medical items surrounding him, the EMT coming near him and trying to touch his bandaged arms and old scars only made it worse. He did relax when the foreign hands were replaced by Sero's, but he still watched the EMT like a hawk. Or just any predator in general, making it clear that the only reason they were all unscathed was because Katsuki himself willed it and not because they had any control over him. Now that he was free, the only one that could control him would be himself, they were all just lucky he had impeccable control beaten into him. Around Sero, though, it was almost like he softened a bit, was a bit more flexible with the younger hero, especially after hearing him speak of his old friend.

Arriving at the hospital was a mess. Press appeared out of nowhere, yelling questions, asking if the pros had caught a new villain, asking why he wasn't in cuffs if that was the case. They were bold, stepping closer to Katsuki then one would advise a civilian to do with someone they perceived as a villain. Katsuki was clearly overwhelmed and irritated, hand tightening briefly around Sero's before he slipped out of his hold as a mic was pushed under his nose, asking who he was. Realizing that this was live on TV and his mother would probably catch wind of it sooner rather than later and escape because he knew she wasn't a stupid woman. Red eyes fixed on the camera, he said, "I'm no villain." There was a conviction there, as though he was yelling it in his mother's face even when his tone was even and deathly quiet. "But I will be a hero, whether you like it or not." The reporters erupted after that, ecstatic, but Katsuki just turned and grabbed Sero's hand, looking momentarily apologetic before he was pulling the other along with him into the hospital where a pro was waving for them to move. As soon as they were inside, he put his head in his hands groaning in frustration, "I forgot reporters existed." He hissed, shaking his head while the door closed securely behind them, "You won't catch her now. She's got too much fucking money in her pocket. Probably saw it already, or someone told her."


...

"I don't know, but don't worry. She won't get to you again. You're safe and we'll make sure you stay that way. But... She mentioned the hero commission?" He frowned deeply at that, but thought better of dwelling on it too long at that particular moment. "We'll definitely look into that, but for now don't worry about it, okay?" He wasn't sure if he was happy about the fact that the ambulance trip was what helped distract them as he didn't want the blond to be distressed either. At the very least, he seemed healthy enough at the moment with all of his injuries old and already healed. It was good that he wasn't currently hurt, though a pity that he had so many scars as there was little that could be done about them. He'd very likely have the vast majority if not all of them for the rest of his life.

Arriving at the hospital, they were met by a startling amount of people. What were they all doing here? Had something happened? As it turned out, they were there specifically for them and aggressive about it no less. How the hell had they known? Who could have leaked the information so that they would be here ahead of time, waiting for them? He didn't like the thought of that at all. He felt a bit of panic spike in him as the hand in his was suddenly gone, worried that Bakugou might actually lose it on one of them. He clearly hadn't been socialized properly while being a prisoner in the basement and he clearly didn't have any trust for adults, not even mentioning that he'd obviously been getting training to make him into some sort of weapon. This could go very badly very quickly if things escalated.

Much to his shock, not only did Katsuki not use his quirk, he handled the horrible accusations well. It would probably be best if he hadn't spoken to them at all, but the answer he gave rung with so much truth that it was heart warming. Or terrifying if you were a villian, he supposed. He wasn't even sure how to react for a moment, but he didn't have to worry about it for the moment as the blond rejoined him once he was done. Together they walked into the hospital, already being guided towards a private room. He could even hear someone jumping on keeping things under control by insisting the hospital not allow anyone inside without first seeking approval. Needless to say, the media were not going to be permitted inside.
"I'm sure someone's scrambling to suppress those reports, but even if they can't, she's screwed. We know her full name, can track her phone and I'm sure her bank account will be seized, if it hasn't been already. If she sticks her nose out even a little, we'll find her. More importantly, you're free now. We'll help you find a place to stay and get you on the road to whatever goals you might have. Heh, and you have your visit with Midoriya to look forward to. I'll stick around if you want me to of course." He smiled that winning as they walked hand in hand, thankful when they step into a little room room just for Bakugou. He wasn't sure how long Katsuki was expected to say, but at least it was a safe place where no one would hurt him.

...

Being in a sterile room in a hospital setting, taking into account his aversion to all things medical, wasn't the most fun experience Katsuki ever had but it had been so long since the last time he had any real fun, he wasn't at all surprised by it. He was used to being uncomfortable, used to being made to do thing he didn’t want for "his own good". This was just the first time in a very long time he actually believed it was actually in his best interests.

Even if the walls were a plain white with nothing to offer of interest, Katsuki sat in his hospital bed, staring at every inch of the room. Even in freedom, Katsuki kept looking over his shoulder, wondering if somehow his mother would burst through the door with some wild claim that he was an out of control savage that she just had to chain forever more. They would probably listen, they were afraid of him. If she told them he hurt himself often enough for the damage they'd believe it. He just really didn't want to get his hopes up only to be hurt again. And yet... "I would really prefer you sticking around." He admitted quietly.

There was a moment where he didn’t say anything, and then he turned to Sero, hand still in his, and lead him to the hospital bed so they could sit together. A nurse poked his head in to say someone would be by to check him over again, see if there was any restorative quirk on staff that could be used to erase or dull some of his scarring. He watched him leave, and delicately lifted his hands to feel over the scars on his face, which were his only real bother. "After I beat the last villain she threw in with me, I thought she was finally going to hand me into the hero commission." Katsuki said, seemingly out of nowhere. He looked to Sero, brow furrowed.

"I read that sometimes they recruit kids, train them since they're really young, and they don't have to go to school to be licensed later on. I think she read that too, and thought she could do it her way, then tell the commission about me and they'd take me. Maybe pay her for me." He stared down at his scarred arms, his scarred just.... all of him. There wasn't an inch of him that hadn't been somehow ruined by what that woman did to him.
He sighed, "I think it went wrong, I think they didn't give her the time of day, and then she just... kept me locked up, because she knew anything else would fall through. Like this, like me being here." There was another possibility, one that made Katsuki curl up and hug his knees to his chest, staring at the white, spotless floor. "Or maybe she was planning on selling me to the villains, since the heroes didn't want me." He whispered it, glancing at Sero. When they'd crashed into his basement, Katsuki thought maybe that's what she'd done, and then sent heroes falsely into the basement. Where he would need to fight, and hurt them to survive. And if he survived, then the villains would certainly pay a pretty penny for him. But when he saw someone young, like him, not a corrupt adult eager to hurt him, he'd let hope overtake him. He was glad he did. Being free, even with the press and the medical staff, was so much better than the alternative.

...

Despite his aversion to medical environments, he was handling this well. It was a necessary evil as it would be difficult to treat him elsewhere. Hopefully, a good first experience outside of captivity would help in starting to correct his views on doctors and nurses as what he'd learned so far was very warped away from the reality of things. Sero wasn't particularly surprised that he was being used as a lifeline and that this was probably the main thing that was keeping him calm at the moment. That in of itself might be an issue, but they would cross that bridge when they got to it. For now, he was content to hold hands. Admittedly, this was a little different for him. He was used to holding little hands in his for extended periods of time, but not so much a hand larger than his own.

This didn't change the fact that he was going to keep doing it as it seemed to be helping and he had no issue allowing himself to be lead to the hospital bed and sitting himself down. "Sure, no problem." Looking over at the door when a nurse kindly updated them, lifting his free hand to give a little wave as he nodded to him. "Thanks for letting us know!" He called then turned his attention back to his blond charge, watching on as he touched his face, or more specifically the scar there. He frowned at the start of the story the other started to tell, trying to follow the logic of it till at least some of it fell into place. All the same, he allowed him to finish, heart clenching as such a strong and capable young man curled in on himself.

His tongue peeked out to moisten his lips then he started to speak, quietly and as gently as he could. "I've heard of some horror stories about child experimentation on children with powerful quirks, but that's not something that happens anymore, not with the hero commission anyway. It was deemed cruel to work young kids so much so it was made illegal and instead schools got better funding and resources for basic hero training." He let go of the other's hand so he could grab the blanket off the end of the bed, unfolding it then wrapping it around the two of them, hugging the blond in the process and staying there.

"Most hero training happens in specialized high schools like Yuuei or Shiketsu, some of us continuing on to college or universities that further your training. Legally speaking, you don't have to go to any of these schools to become a hero, you just have to pass exams to get a license. These exams are extremely difficult however so very few people succeed in that route. What's more, you don't get paid for getting these licenses. In fact, unless you're enrolled in a school program you have to pay them to take the tests. Once you pass all of them, you're legally allowed to do hero work. For insurance purposes, it's best to join a hero agency so they can not only help with medical bills, but also deal with legal fallout and collateral damage costs. You get paid based on how many rescues or assists you are credited with, coupled with your hero ranking. The higher the ranking, the better the pay." He finished off, his frown deepening as guilt knawed at him a little.

"I... Didn't want to say so earlier, but... Yeah... Villians will sometimes pay finder fees to the people that bring them new recruits. I'm not saying that's what happened here, but... It's a possibility. Like I said though, what's important is that you're safe and that she's not going to be part of your life anymore. Your life will only get better from here on out. You have my info too so if you need anything, I'll get back to you as soon as I can." He squeezed him in the blanket hug a little more tightly then settled back into the gentle hug from before. "I'll be there for you as best I can. I know this is a lot, but it will get better and if you were serious about becoming a hero, then... Well, I would help you, but honestly, Midoriya's probably a better person to ask than me. You would not believe how much hero and hero law knowledge he's got locked away in his skull..." He laughed fondly at that thought.

...

Hummed, unconvinced. His mother did have connections to the deepest and darkest of the world, and he knew that the Hero Commission wasn't some benevolent, omnipresent organization. They couldn't be as successful as they were without keeping secrets, even from the heroes they employed, and the paperwork he'd been forced to read in his mother's never ending goal to make him better than anyone else spoke of a different story than the one Sero painted for him.

"Hawks, current number two, he never went to a school. Six years older than me, he was recruited by the commission. My mom made me read his file, I think to tell me that that's what I would be without actually telling me." The hero commission probably didn't take him because they didn't take his mother's word for it when she said he was well trained. What parent didn't think their child was capable of more than they really were? Well, she didn't, but with the facade and mask she wore around others, it was easy to assume they just thought she was like any other mother and sent her on her way.

He did flinch a little as a blanket was tucked around them both but honestly he ended up melting into the other's arms, turning his head to press his face into Sero's neck, soaking up in the positive attention. His hands shook a bit, but he tucked them into the folds of his blanket, trying not to think about how his Auntie Inko would do this for him when he had nightmares. This was Sero. Sero was just a nice hero student he was lucky enough to meet and be rescued by. He shouldn't rely on him so much, he didn’t sign up to babysit a grown man.

He took a breath, shaky as it was, and turned to Sero a little more, "I know the law. Just... without the money, I need to convince a hero academy to rewrite entire fucking examination formats to accomodate for the year I'm meant to be in. And U.A. is the only school I've ever wanted to be in." He clenched his fists, wrapped tight around the blanket. "I would need them to actually want me to go there, though. And you heard the press, fuck even the heroes were afraid of me. I look like a villain. I have a destructive quirk like one. I was trained like one. They'll never take me."


...

"Hawks? That is true, but he's sort of the exception. You want honesty and I think you deserve it. What happened with Hawks isn't normal. I'm not going to say that the hero world is completely lacking corruption. I doubt there's a system like that anywhere. I can tell you that what happened to Hawks is illegal now, just like how quirk marriages. That doesn't mean these things might not still happen, but the point is that most of us think it's wrong and our generation is working hard to make it better. That's why you want to be a hero, isn't it? You want to save people and fix the system?" He smiled softly to him, though it faded as he pointed out what happened outside.

"Listen, I don't know what that was about... It really feels set up to me. There's no way that many people could have found out about the operation, there was a gag order in fear that you would be moved if word got out. We villain that confessed to training you made it sound like you were just a little kid so that's what we went in expecting. With each new generation quirks are getting stronger so how powerful you sounded still didn't seem beyond what might be true. I don't know how the press knew, but there's something wrong here. They couldn't honestly think you were a villain or they wouldn't have gotten close and like they pointed out you would have been in cuffs. They knew you couldn't be a villain, regardless of what they said. And don't let them make you think that your appearance makes a difference! Here, give me a sec." He paused his rant, reluctantly letting the other go to pull out his phone again.

"Here, these are my closest friends." He showed him a picture of a small group of people crowded in for a selfie. At the center holding the phone was Sero, awkwardly hunching as three other people piled half on top of him. To his right was a blond teen with a black zigzag in his hair, eyes as gold as his hair. On top of him was a boy with scarlet red hair, smiling brightly, his teeth distinctively triangular and shark-like. To his right was a girl that was very pink, had golden eyes, black sclera, and a pair of curved horns peeking out of her curly pink locks. ( Obviously ignore Baku in the background. https://scontent-yyz1-1.cdninstagram.co ... e=5ece24bd ) "The blond is Kaminari, Denki. He discharges electricity. This here..." He pointed to the redhead then. "This is Kirishima, Eijirou. His quirk lets him harden... Well, everything. Skin, hair, everything." His finger move to the pink girl then. "And this is Ashido, Mina. She produces acid from her skin, usually from her hands, but she can do it everywhere." He searched for another picture then, speaking as he did. "Ashido stands out a lot because she looks kinda like an alien, but Kirishima's teeth get a lot of attention. His quirk also causes his skin to crack apart. I know I have a picture somew---ah, here it is." He turned his phone around to show what was clearly the same teen in his hero costume, but he looked a bit different. His skin had distinct cracks and angles in it. ( https://66.media.tumblr.com/4dd57cdccfd ... 2_540.png1 ) "I took these two during one of our hero classes while I was waiting for my turn. Photography is a bit of a hobby... Anyway, this one happened a little later." Then he was swiping to the next image. This one was shockingly more extreme. The cragginess was dramatic to the point that the boy was almost unrecognizable. His teeth looked huge as his gums had recessed, every inch of him covered in sharp looking edges, some of them even extending out into spikes. He had to have been caught mid-battle roar. Needless to say he looked quite a bit more intimidating. ( https://i.redd.it/hty8878rnniz.jpg ) "Um... Who else...? Oh! Shouji, Mezou! Let me find a picture of him!" Sure enough a little search and he was showing two more images, the first of this Shouji in a modified U.A. Uniform. He looked incredibly tall, had silver hair, and a slightly elongated face hidden behind a mask. These were not his most distinctive feature however as he also had 6 arms, each pair connected to the next by a membrane of skin. ( https://i.pinimg.com/564x/88/a0/27/88a0 ... a45066.jpg ) The next image he showed was a group shot, a heart warming hug in fact. There was that bird headed boy from the picture before that had shown their class' Big Three hugging a blond boy with a long, thick tail that hadn't been introduced, and behind him was Shouji to complete the hug. Unlike before were there were many hands, this time two of his arms ended in stumps, two in hands, one in an eye, and another a gleefully smiling mouth. ( https://66.media.tumblr.com/1806eb63091 ... 1_1280.jpg ) "Shouji's quirk gives him six arms and at the end of each he can grow any body part. Usually he only picks things like mouths, eyes, and ears. Those things all have enhanced senses too. The one in the middle is Ojiro, Mashirao. His quirk gives him a really strong tail." Another flip through his phone a final time and once again showed a picture of Midoriya, this one when he was younger, happily showing off his right arm and its extensive scarring. ( https://66.media.tumblr.com/89b54f1bef9 ... w_1280.png ) "Midoriya really wrecked himself to get where he is now... And those are just people in our class and not in 3B or any of the other classes. Sorry for being so long winded... I just... You shouldn't feel like a villain because of what you look like. Scars are something we all have to some extent, some of us just more than others. You're a hero or a villain based on what you do not what you look like. Don't let anyone make you think otherwise."

...

Katsuki still had his doubts on what the hero commission would have done if they'd looked into his mother's claims of a well trained son with a powerful quirk. He didn’t know if he was glad or disappointed that they hadn't been the ones to take him some time ago, at least then he would have been well on the way to getting a hero license and becoming what he'd always wanted to be. But anything was better than the basement, or ending up in the hands of villains who would force him into worse things.

He watched every picture that Sero pulled up, his hands playing nervously with the edges of the blanket. The all looked different, and at least on some level Katsuki understood what Sero was trying to say, but it was so deeply ingrained within him to believe that he was the exception to that, he just couldn't process that he shouldn't be profiled for who he was. So the school was inclusive of other unconventional looking students, that didn't mean they would include him. Katsuki could be a monster in their eyes, like he was in the eyes of his mother.

Still, it meant he had a chance, and it was a chance he was very much willing to take. He gripped the edges of the blankets more, then turned to Sero, determined now. Except he faltered, registering something Sero had said. With a shiver, Katsuki asked, "Which villain?" The only villain Katsuki remembered by name was the last. He'd gone by Muscular, and he was a monster. He was a monster the likes of which Katsuki had never encountered, never wished anyone to encounter. He enjoyed the thought of beating Katsuki, of killing him during a sparring session. He used to gloat about it, laugh when he broke Katsuki's arms or legs. Look on in disgusting, bloodthirsty glee when the other coughed up a lung full of blood. He called Katsuki his kitten, his "little buddy". He referred to him as nothing more than a toddler, and when Katsuki had finally beaten him, he was sixteen. Three years into the other "teaching" him, he'd beaten Muscular with a blast so strong, it had cracked the transparent walls and shook the foundation of the entire neighborhood. Yet no one came looking. The man had fallen unconscious and Katsuki; bloodied and broken, received the first bit of praise from his mother since he was three years old.

A simple, "Good boy.", before she called upon another shady doctor to come put Muscular and himself back together.

...

Bakugou looked at each picture he was shown without complaint, but he wasn't sure how much it was really helping. He hoped it would help on some level later, but it's not like he could force his ideas on the other. It's not like he could blame him for distrusting his words. The guy had plenty of reason to doubt the words of someone that was generally a little on the optimistic side. He wasn't sure if he would consider himself an optimist, but he liked to try and think optimistically. "Oh, I should probably show you... Huh? Which villain?"

He hesitated then but he figured he had no reason to lie to him. "I don't know, I wasn't there for the interrogation. All I know is it was a villain they already had in custody. I'm just a work studies intern, they don't generally tell me anything they think I don't need to know. You might be able to find out if you asked, but I'm not sure." He didn't particularly like the turn the conversation had taken, he opened his texting app then and typed a message to Midoriya, telling him to come to the hospital after his shift. He assured him that no one was hurt, but it was important that he come and knowing that the question would be asked, he stated that he couldn't say who it was. Sending off the message he pulled up one more image. "You said you want to get into UA, right? I'm not sure how that would go. Transfer students mid-year don't generally happen. What's more, there can't be more than twenty people in each hero class so you'd have to not only impress enough to get in, but also have to do well enough to take the seat of one of those twenty seats."

He showed the image then, this one of a very tired looking man dressed in black with what appeared to be a very long and fairly thin scarf wrapped loosely, but many times around his neck to lay limp on his shoulders, a file tucked under his arm. Next to him was a man dressed in black leather, orange-tinted glasses, headphones, and most distinctly bright blond hair that swooped up into some ridiculous style that looked almost like a bird's crest. This man was also holding a file of papers and a mug of what appeared to be coffee. Climbing on the first man's shoulder was a... Well it looked like some kind of semi-humanoid animal. He was dressed in black slacks and a matching vest with a white button-up and red tie. The dapper creature didn't quite look right to call it a rat... He looked like some combination of a mouse, dog, cat, and maybe even a little bit of bear. All the same he had white fur, a cute little nose, small square-ish ears, a long white tail like a cat's, and what appeared to be a large vertical scar that ran the height of the right side of his face, right over the eye. ( https://i.pinimg.com/originals/7f/d1/65 ... 1f0325.jpg )
"This was our first-year homeroom teacher, Aizawa-sensei. His quirk is called 'erasure' and it lets him cancel just about any quirk so long as he can see you. His hero name is Eraserhead. This is Yamada-sensei, but most call him by his hero name, Present Mic. His quirk is "voice" which pretty much means he can raise his voice volume loud enough to weaponize it. He's our English teacher. And this. This is the school's principal. His name is Nezu and he's actually not human, though no one is really sure what he is and he won't tell either. Anyway, his quirk makes him crazy smart which is why he acts human anyway. It's to the point he's able to calculate outcomes really well. Like chain reactions and stuff. I... I know he's a pro hero too, but I don't know his hero name, now that I think about it... Unless he uses his name as his hero name? Shit, I don't know. Midoriya might, he's our resident hero geek." He shrugged helplessly wish a sheepish smile. "Point is, Principal Nezu is the one you'd have to talk to about getting into the school as your situation is kind of unique."

He jumped a little when his phone vibrated in his hand, checking the message and smiling. He sent another one back to call him when he arrived, then explained. "Midoriya-kun will be coming after he gets off his shift. I haven't told him it's you though so it's gonna be a big surprise for him." He smiled then, wrapping an arm back around him to half-hug him as the physical contact seemed to have been helping before. "Anything you want to know while we wait for the doctor? Or anything you'd like to see?"

...

Katsuki could only hope that whoever it had been stayed in custody indefinitely, because if it was Muscular, and he'd been forced to give away Katsuki's location, he would know he was out. If he got out on his own, he may go looking for an unsupervised visit with his "protégé". It wouldn't end well, Katsuki was unsure if his last trick would even work twice on the man.

He's distracted from his dark thoughts by Sero bringing up U.A. again. He knows the other is changing the subject to some degree, but doesn't care, because the idea that there may really be a chance he could make it makes a small smile curve the corners of his lips. He hunkered in lower, making it easier for Sero to wrap his arm around him fully and pull him close. He assesses the information, then shrugs, staring at the picture before staring at the far wall. "I can do it, whatever they throw at me. Didn't waste fourteen years of my life under her boot to just let her win. Plus, I promised Izuku we'd make it together. I don't break promises." He'd be a hero. Maybe not for the same reasons someone would consider selfless and moral, but he'd be a hero all the same.

He'd be a hero out of spite. He'd be a hero from the sheer determination to prove he wasn't a villain, and that he never would be. Bakugou Katsuki would be a hero no matter what the world threw at him, or how. If he had to beat a thousand villains, if no school took him and he had to resort to being a vigilante, if he had to stare down the most intimidating figures until they bent. Katsuki would be a hero because he wasn't going to let anyone tell him what he could and couldn't be anymore. His mother always told him he would be a villain without her whipping him into shape, but the whole time he was hoping for her to see that he'd become better, that he wouldn't be a villain, and that she could let him become a hero.
At least now he would actually have that opportunity.

He'll talk to the odd principal, see if he'd be willing at all to help Katsuki become a hero the right way, alongside his childhood friend, prove he was better than what his mother or father thought of him. Prove he was better than the villains she pitted him up against. Katsuki blinked when the phone buzzed and a message appeared at the top of the screen, looking away when Sero checked the message properly and replied. He didn’t want to be seen as leaning into the other's business, but he did see Izuku's name and it made him smile a little, even as anxiety licked up his spine like fire.

The hug relaxed him, though, and he took special comfort in the contact he only seemed to allow Sero to give him, hands tucked in his lap, "What's being taught by pros like? Instead of... villains." He muttered the last part, sighing. "I was taught by whatever scumbag the hag could find that was all for nearly killing a kid. When I beat them, she'd stop bringing that one and just switch them out for another one. The last one took me... three years to actually beat."