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Now Bakugou Katsuki may be the sixth ranked hero in the world and on his way to the top - but he has a real fucking problem that has haunted him this far. Because there’s a clown in his shadow, an anonymous one who thinks they’re really hot shit and the funniest thing since Christmas cracker jokes and canned laughter cues.
Every move he makes, every step he takes, every word he says is being watched by this person hiding behind their computer screen.
He saves the day, he trends. But not for the reason people would assume.
No. It’s for one obscure sentence he said in the heat of the moment on national television, sampled to shitty disco music on youtube. The video editing may be impressive but Bakugou does not deserve this kind of scorn. This level of viral mockery.
According to DJDisco, this is all in harmless jest. More, affection. DJDisco claims to be his biggest fan, often commenting on the top of every video that they are extremely grateful for the hard work and efforts of their favourite hero. He ensures all fans are respectful to Bakugou, that all credit should be given where it is due.
Well.
Bakugou would be honoured if this person didn’t seem to have found a niche that just so happens to give every single fucker in Japan a kick.
There are probably dozens of people with better voices than him, with more interesting things to say. Hell, there are probably even real talents out there who could use the exposure.
But no.
No.
It’s his fucking voice sampled on the tracks. It’s his voice spliced up to match the music with such precision it is staggering.
It’s his latest interview that is trending worldwide not for the announcement of his own agency, but for the remix that DJDisco just fucking uploaded as means of ‘congratulations’. Setting his phone down, Bakugou takes a breath. Steels himself.
Don’t worry, it’ll get old one day, is what his assistant said - two years ago.
I think it helps your image, is what his PR team claim every time they notice his composure unravelling.
I have it as my ringtone, is what the losers he calls friends say.
There’s a villain out to get Bakugou. They’ve got the whole world singing their song, praising their work, hailing them as the most innovative creator of their time.
And the worst part is he can’t do a damn thing about it.
Everyone has a youtube account these days. But admittedly, not everybody has six-hundred million subscribers waiting rather impatiently for the next ten-hour disco remix of Bakugou Katsuki’s voice.
Okay.
So things may have gotten a little out of control. But in Todoroki’s defence, the whole thing started by accident.
You see, four years ago, he had been unable to sleep. It’s truly that simple. Here’s how it goes:
Both restless and weary, he fails to appease either beasts dueling for dominance inside him. So it is on that fateful night, that the whole thing begins. And if anyone is to blame, it is probably Midoriya. For it’s a trimmed interview clip his best friend sends in the middle of the night that sparks the entire idea.
On the precipice of consciousness must be where all geniuses are able to access true inspiration because Todoroki tastes a glimpse of greatness that night.
He realises then, after having watched the clip seven times in a row, that Bakugou’s voice is beyond compelling. Granted, he already knew that. But imagine his surprise to discover it’s so much more than just his own interest.
There’s the way the words burst explosively from his mouth, the raw power behind every syllable. The rasp cleaving every phrase open.
Bakguou’s words are not only rhythmic - they are absolutely made to be played with music. More specifically, they are destined to be played over the three-hundred disco-tech samples Todoroki downloaded onto his computer for the class party three weeks ago that unfortunately never had their chance to shine.
Shigaraki is to thank for crashing that particular party, but Todoroki supposes at that moment in time it probably is for the best.
After all, Bakugou’s sharp and heated ‘ get your damn eyes checked’ is a match made in heaven for DISCOLOOP28.mp3.
When Todoroki uploads the video onto youtube - under the very inconspicuous alias DJDisco - it’s supposed to be privately listed.
He’ll show it to Midoriya. Share it with few of their friends when the time feels right. He definitely checked the right box on the video - he thinks so. He isn't sure but he must've done.
The next morning, the video has twelve million hits. He has two million subscribers and Bakugou has been trending for four hours straight.
Todoroki understands then, what it means then when people say a passion doesn’t have to be a job. A hobby can be fun and prosperous in so many ways. He quite enjoyed splicing the audio clips up, matching it to the music.
Now the people have spoken.
As an aspiring hero, it would be immoral not to listen to their requests.
Besides, Todoroki wants to be a reassuring hero. One who listens to the people, one who can help.
This is basically additional training.
“We really admire your work!” a reporter says far too fucking close.
Bakugou grits his teeth, pushing through the crowd that should have been cleared the second the heroes got onto the scene.
“Shove off and let me get on with it then!” he yells at the vultures flapping around uselessly.
Christ.
They’d snatch up a story no matter what it meant for the safety of others and it pisses him the hell off. Being a hero is serious shit, it’s not glitzy or glamorous. This is not a red carpet, it’s a goddamn crime scene and it’s about time these morons respected that.
“Speak up,” Sero chimes out from his side, merrily pushing the microphone away from their faces.
He’s gotten remarkably good at facing this kind of crisis.
“DJDisco will want that as a sample for his next smash hit!”
At least Bakugou isn’t alone in the raucous, but it’s just a shame nobody truly really honestly has his back. One mention of that anonymous youtuber and the only place they’ll throw him is to the wolves.
Unbelievable.
“I’m warning you, freaks!” Bakugou hisses. “Back the hell off. We got work to do and you ain’t making it easy for us.”
That’s when it happens.
The temperature plummets, a thin sheet of ice creating a barrier between them and the press. At the end of the ice is none other than Todoroki Shouto, looking as gorgeous and head-empty as ever.
“Seems I got here right on time,” he says in that weird deadpan tone he’s adopted when they’re not fighting for their lives, like it’s supposed to be funny or something.
For some reason, Sero seems to hear something in the words Bakugou doesn’t. Grinning, he claps Todoroki on the back.
“You really did! You saved us.”
“Wouldn’t go that far. We had it under control,” Bakugou snaps.
“Oh.”
Todoroki purses his lips, a strange gleam in his eyes that should not be trusted. It’s like when a cat is about to do something horrifically evil you specifically asked it not to do but it decides it will do it anyway. Bakguou can’t explain it and nobody else believes him because they don’t see it.
Raising a hand, Todoroki quirks a brow. He gestures behind them at the swarm of media contained behind the sheet of ice.
“Shall I melt it down, then?”
Eyes narrowed, Bakugou tugs Todoroki forwards by the arm. He pointedly ignores the goosebumps breaking out over his skin. It’s no big deal.
It’s fine.
Even more fine is how Todoroki sticks to his side as if it’s imperative they remain that way.
Totally fine. Because they have a thing. A kind of thing that has never been spoken into existence and has been in dormancy for years. A kind of thing Bakugou can hardly stand to accept because it’s not even a huge thing.
It’s just a thing - that is part of life.
You know, one of those pesky, persistent things. That’s all.
A fucking thing.
“Just try it and I’ll blow you to hell, bastard!”
Hours later, when the job is done and Bakugou is finishing preparing his evening meal, the dreaded notification comes.
DJDisco uploaded a new video: ‘Let me geT ON WITH IT THEN (10 hours version)’
Beneath the remix is a surprisingly heartfelt plea from the infamous anonymous youtuber for the press to leave the heroes alone on and off duty, followed by a petition rapidly gaining numbers.
Well.
It’s a nice gesture but it doesn’t detract from the fucking five-minute remix of his own voice being broadcast to the world.
Of course, like damn clockwork, in come the messages.
[text from: Sero] WOW - this one is fire. have you heard it?
[text from: Kaminari] KACCHAN YOU SOUND SO GOOD KEEP SPITTING THOSE BARS LOL!!
[text from: Deku] Hi kacchan. I’m sure you know ahhaha but you’re trending again (｡◕‿◕｡)
Bakugou just wants one day of peace. One day without nonsense.
One day without disco.
Considering the gruelling schedule of a pro-hero, Todoroki is startled to find he continues to have time to run DJDisco. The videos don’t take that long to make. And Bakugou does the hardest part for him - coming up with the killer material.
All he has to do, really, is put the pieces together. He’s got enough disco samples to last a lifetime and to be honest, people don’t even notice anymore if he uses the same beats from time to time.
For one of the biggest accounts on youtube, it’s extremely low-maintenance. More, Todoroki can rest assured that doesn’t have to ever change. According to his sources - interns in the breakroom - the mystery surrounding the account merely adds to the whole allure of it all.
So it’s worked out rather well.
Todoroki can get on with his actual job and when destiny calls he can rustle together a new video for the channel. Then he can delete the app from his phone and reinstall it again for the next upload date.
Anonymity is a wonderful thing. Now if only heroes could be granted the same privacy and general courtesy.
If Todoroki wasn’t really helping people, making a tangible difference to the lives he touches in the streets, he would have made peace with leaving behind the life of a hero a long time ago.
But here they are. All of them - making a change.
Todoroki’s eyes flick fondly to the graduation photo on his desk. Bakugou and Midoriya are one either side of him, streamers flying around them. There’s a wide smile lighting Midoriya up - though the green lightning does a good enough job of that - and Bakugou is grinning a little manically.
It’s a good photo.
Todoroki had wondered if a keyring would’ve been better than a framed picture. That way, he could always carry it on him wherever he goes.
Not that he needs to. They’re never really more than a block away, a phonecall at best-
“Shouto! Did you hear the news?”
Glancing up from the desk, Todoroki smiles warmly at Midoriya as he enters the room. Behind him is Bakugou, arms folded and the most exaggerated frown pressed into his mouth. He looks like he’s trying very hard to be annoyed about the general state of everything, like he had been forcefully dragged here to visit against his will, but knows full well the people in this room can read right through the act.
“What happened?” Todoroki asks, curious.
Sliding in the seat beside him, Midoriya holds up his phone. There’s a screenshot of the DJDisco video Todoroki uploaded yesterday alongside the most remarkable headline.
“A petition to give heroes more privacy rights went global last night! The Hero Commission is discussing it and it looks like it could go somewhere. That video really got people talking about it in a serious way, we should probably-”
“Don’t you dare say it!” Bakugou interjects, possibly the only person more fluent in Midoriya than Todoroki.
The pair of them speak their own kind of language. Todoroki has translated most of it. But sometimes they veer into new territories and he can’t possibly keep up.
It’s fine, though.
Because Todoroki has his own secret code with Midoriya that never fails to raise Bakugou’s hackles. It would probably raise them more, if he knew it was based entirely off All Might’s signature moves.
“But Kacchan,” Midoriya sighs, but his mouth is struggling to contain a wobbly smile. It’s the precursor to mischief. “Your words really inspired people. It’s practically a speech now! They’re even considering calling it the ‘ let me do my job then ’ act in your honour.”
Okay. Todoroki can hardly sit here and not participate.
“The ten hour version or the ultimate remix?”
“Both.”
“Mm,” Todoroki hums absently. “Impressive.”
Midoriya grins.
“I know.”
Hand slamming on the desk, Bakugou glowers at the pair of them. Neither of them jolt, neither of them move a single muscle.
They’re trained for this. It’s their best combined move - off the battlefield at least.
“It ain’t funny. Shut the fuck up! That disco diva punk thinks they can make a fool of me, huh?! Well they’re wrong. Nobody can get the best of me. I’m Bakugou-fucking-Katsuki, that’s Great Explosion Murder God Dynamight to all you. Boom. Remix that, shitheads!”
Gosh, Todoroki really wishes he could get that on tape without causing eight different international scandals. The rhythmic flow of the whole thing would have worked brilliantly with DISCODELIGHTS45.mp3.
Alas, it clearly is not meant to be.
Pursing his lips, Todoroki stands from his seat.
“There’s no need to be rude about it, Kacchan,” Midoriya goads just because he can. He is the light and the shadow incarnate, the meddler and the mediator conjoined.
It’s very powerful of him. Todoroki can only channel one at once.
“Easy for you to say - it ain’t your voice making waves every damn week.”
“I’d be honoured,” is what Todoroki settles for as they head to the cafeteria for lunch. “People like your voice. They can feel the emotion in it.”
He decides to stop there.
It probably wouldn't fare well to go into detail about why exactly Bakugou’s voice is so perfect for broadcast. Or why everything about him is so utterly magnetising it’s a little tragic for the folks caught up in orbit.
So Todoroki sits with his cold soba, slurping down all the things he finds admirable about Bakugou with it.
Best leave those kinds of revelations to DJDisco.
The next video that comes out is the most popular one yet. And Bakugou warned his team that making a promotional video of his merchandise with him speaking would be the biggest mistake they ever made. Because no less than two hours later, a new song gains airplay. Fans sing it in the streets.
The video is growing at an exponential rate.
The merchandise sells out by the end of the day.
Not that Bakugou had much time to keep tabs on that kind of nonsense. He’s assessing the damage in the aftermath of a particularly intense battle downtown.
Despite their attempts to keep damage to a minimum, the villain had taken great pleasure in causing as much destruction as possible. Five buildings are totally ruined, another twelve with serious issues that will be guaranteed to flood the papers.
Everyone’s a fucking critic.
The good news is that nobody got severely injured. Most civilians had been evacuated smoothly and the villain apprehended.
And it’s then, when Bakugou is just starting to release the tension keeping his body taut and alert, that he hears the song. With his voice. His words. To that infernal disco music.
Deku hums along as he saunters past, far too merry for his own fucking good.
Of course.
“It’s really catchy, Kacchan.”
Damn nerd is lucky Bakugou doesn’t smash his phone into the ground and obliterate it. Fists clenched, Bakugou follows Deku over to the medic bay. It’s only a ten second clip, there’s no way the interest will last.
But it does. All the way to the bay.
“Great job, Shouto!” Deku calls out.
Well.
Where the fuck was that energy when the nerd was addressing his official partner in heroics. It’s outrageous. Bakugou watches in abject horror as Deku lifts the phone up and plays the cursed loop once more.
“There’s a new DJDisco video out!”
“Oh,” Todoroki says thoughtfully, eyes focused on bandaging his starstruck patient. The poor man can hardly focus his eyes on the task, fixed on Todoroki’s ethereal face.
It's a devastatingly accurate mood.
“Thanks for informing me. I haven’t seen it…”
Pause.
Todoroki cups the man’s jawline, inspecting it for further injury.
“How do you feel?” he asks in that smooth low voice that brings half to the world to their fucking knees.
The civilian hums weakly, seeming incapable of coherence as Todoroki’s thumb gently smoothes over skin to check on the blossoming bruise.
Christ.
It’s a real struggle, to push that ugly swell of bitter jealousy down. How stupid. To get riled up by a professional job. Honestly. Bakugou averts his gaze, sucking in his bottom lip.
“I- I think I’m okay. But maybe I could take your number, in case things take a turn for the worse?”
Beside Todoroki, Deku splutters. That catches Bakugou’s attention.
Oh - fucking no.
This guy knows exactly what he’s doing and it’s a pity he has no idea what hell he has just unleashed on earth. It gets worse, because Todoroki reaches into his pocket with that endearing sincerity and pulls out a pen to earnestly start scribbling down-
Tongue clicking, Bakugou hauls Todoroki up to his feet and snarls at the man wrapped in a shock blanket. The guy’s not shaking - not hurt either. Bakugou won’t hold back. A swell of irritation bursts beneath his skin and stands no chance of settling back down.
Fuck.
Their work is done here.
He’s going feral.
“Nice try, creep. How about you read over section three of the Hero Data Protection laws and let us do our damn job in peace! You can take those fucking digits of yours elsewhere or maybe shove them up your goddamn ass.”
Deku fumbles over a thousand different kinds of apologies, bowing profusely to the civilian. Bakugou keeps walking, hands clammy and pulse racing for all the wrong reasons. Damn this.
He’s a fucking pro.
This is the most amateur thing he’s ever done - as a person and a hero.
“Was that really necessary?” Todoroki asks exasperatedly, but he has no qualms lacing their fingers together as they fall into synchronised steps.
In fact, the closer Bakugou listens, the more Todoroki sounds hopelessly amused. If he looks over, he’d be sure to find one of those beautiful smiles ghosting over that pretty yet petty mouth. Bakugou doesn’t look. Because he wants to make it through to the end of this day and his heart is on the verge of exploding. Thanks.
“You know, I think someone got that whole thing on camera...”
Fuck.
Those are the words are bring Bakugou’s elation - they’re holding fucking hands! - to a grinding halt. Already, he can see it all unfold in slow motion. The remix. The video. The next viral trend. The absolute carnage.
And maybe that’s what pushes him over the edge. Maybe that’s the final absurd stupid nail in the battered coffin. To hell with it all.
Squeezing Todoroki’s hand, Bakugou hitches a breath. Adrenaline courses through him and it’s dizzying the way Todoroki’s eyes light up and trail across his face. Hopeful. Yearning. Now they’re inching closer and closer and so agonisingly fucking close.
Too close yet not enough.
“Oi. Let’s give that DJDickhead something decent to fucking rave about,” Bakugou says into skin.
Judging from the enthusiasm of the ensuing kiss, it’s pretty clear Todoroki is very much on board with that.
Of course, all good things must come to an end.
It’s the circle of life. Todoroki knows this, and deep in his heart he knew one day it would happen. One day, either the anonymity would collapse or the work of DJDisco would fizzle out into obscurity forevermore.
Still, he’s not completely sad about it. DJDisco has been enlightening and enthralling - but now he has a new horizon beckoning him forwards.
Now, he has the joy of waking up next to Bakugou every day and the pleasure of annoying him on the cusp of sleep with all kinds of things that come to mind in the bubble of contentment. Now, he gets an unlimited supply of Bakugou’s delicious food and never has to contend with something as terrible as household appliances ever again.
Now, he’s packed up his apartment and is ready to cement his place in Bakugou’s world entirely.
Glancing around the empty hallway, Todoroki can’t help but feel a little poignant. Finally, the magnitude of it all hits.
Some great memories were made here.
This is where DJDisco went platinum, where the first remix topped the charts. In some ways, despite being closer than he dared ever dream to Bakugou, he’ll miss this.
“Hey. What’s all this junk?” Bakugou snorts, picking up the stacks of tapes and CDs in one of the cardboard boxes.
“It’s not junk.”
“Yeah? Sure looks like it to me.”
“If you must know, it’s a lifelong supply of disco samples,” Todoroki replies absently.
The silence that follows is jarring. It’s only once the words leave his mouth that Todoroki realises that the world may never be the same again afterwards. Truth be told, he may not ever see it again. He could be done for.
Totally done for.
Bakugou stares blankly at the box. Then back up to Todoroki. Slowly, the realisation sinks in. Brows furrow, lips curl upwards and those brilliant fierce crimson eyes sharpen.
Oh.
Oh dear.
“No fucking way...” pause. “You’re DJDisco.”
The words sound like they physically pain Bakugou. Well. He’s never used the alias properly before. Todoroki searches Bakugou for the telltale signs of an eruption. They’re not quite there yet.
Yet.
“I’m DJDisco.”
“What the fuck.”
Okay.
So maybe Todoroki ought to apologise. Or start to explain. Posing as both a hero and international anonymous remixer is probably quite the shock to his boyfriend’s system. There isn’t really any way logically to get around this, no rational way to tell this kind of story.
In his defence, all the voice clips are and always have been public domain.
“Katsuki, I-”
A strange suspicious noise leaves Bakugou’s mouth. He clasps his hands over his mouth, squeezing his eyes tightly shut as if he can hide the evidence of it ever happening. Like they haven’t spent nearly a decade in each other’s presence.
Picking up one of the tapes, Todoroki brushes the dust off.
“I guess I should just scrap the first cut of ‘we’re in love and if you have a problem with that you can fuck off’?”
It’s a shame.
Not only had that particular interview quote made Todoroki’s heart burst, it had a great natural swing to it. The mix was going to be nothing short of phenomenal. Probably one of the best.
And that’s it. The catalyst.
Bakugou loses it. Completely.
For lack of better words, he explodes in a way that is not at all destructive to property or persons. Well. Actually. That’s not quite true. They may have some noise complaints filed through later.
Clutching his knees, Bakugou heaves for air between raw raspy cackles.
“What the fuck, Shouto?! You fucking sick stupid bastard, you-”
“Don’t pass out,” Todoroki says, reaching over to rub slow circles along that beautifully arched spine. “I don’t have a cover story yet for the paramedics. We can hardly tell them it was down to DJDisco.”
“Argh- ha! - I hate you so fucking much,” Bakugou says through peals of untamed laughter, but his eyes are watering and his mouth is housing one of those rare fiercely affectionate smiles.
“That’s odd,” Todoroki muses, lips twitching. “I have it on record that you love me, actually.”
Gasping for air, Bakugou attempts to regather his composure. He manages enough to hoist himself back upright.
Grabbing Todoroki’s shirt, he pulls him forwards.
“Post it and I swear I will end you.”
“I’ll have to consult with DJDisco about it. You see… they’ll be disappointed.”
“Tough fucking shit!” Bakugou hisses. When he looks up, his eyes are full of morbid fascination and the threat of more uncontrollable laughter. “How the fuck have you kept this up for so many years?”
Pressing a chaste yet firm kiss to Bakugou’s forehead, Todoroki snakes an arm around his waist.
“I’m afraid that’s sensitive information. I can’t disclose that.”
Bakugou scoffs, nipping the corner of Todoroki’s mouth.
“Disclose this, bastard.”
And so marks the end of DJDisco, the end of an era that will go down in internet history as mysterious and magnificent.
But that’s okay.
This is the start of something new.