Chapter Text
“Okay, okay – okay, you can do this. You’ve got this. Just don’t throw up like you did at that last casting.”
That one was bad. We don’t talk about that one.
Izuku knows he’s rambling, mumbling to himself. It’s a habit even his acting and vocal coaches can’t help him break. He’s also pacing, back and forth, forth and back, wearing tracks into the carpet. And in the small waiting room, it’s drawing some attention.
Feather-light, a hand rests on his shoulder. Izuku nearly jumps out of his skin.
“Hey, dude, you’re gonna be fine,” a bright voice says. “If you’ve made it this far they’re clearly interested. Who you auditioning for?”
Izuku looks up – he’s not short, everyone else is just tall – and meets red eyes, black hair, a kind face.
“Uh, Midoriya.”
Midoriya, hero name Deku. Sixteen, courageous, the protagonist.
“Oh cool, the main man!” he smiles, and Izuku finds himself grinning back. “My name is Eijirou, I’m auditioning for Bakugou!”
Bakugou, hero name Dynamight. Sixteen, kind, the supporting main character, Deku’s best friend since childhood.
From what Izuku has read of the manuscript and the paneling of the first few episodes, Eijirou seems to be perfect for the wholesome, slightly dorky character of Bakugou. He can see him already in the prim and proper sweater vests dedicated to his mock ups.
“I hope you get the part,” Izuku says. “Are you nervous?”
Eijirou just keeps smiling. Izuku thinks he could go blind from it. So bright.
“No way, man! We’ve already gone through two auditions. I think this is kinda it. Like, they want all of us, now we just need to be placed, ya know?”
Izuku doesn’t know. He’s never made it this far in a casting.
Eijirou gestures over to a corner of the room. “A few of those guys wanna be Midoriya, but I’m rootin’ for you!”
Izuku would look over, but he’s distracted by a voice calling:
“Izuku? We’re ready when you are.”
Gulp.
Eijirou winks at him, and throws him a thumbs-up. “You’ve got this! Can’t wait for you to be the Deku to my Dynamight!”
~~~
The audition room looks more like a dance studio; rectangular, bright with white walls and a heck ton of mirrors that show Izuku all of his bad angles.
There’s a plastic folding table up front. Six people sit on one side, staring at him.
Izuku feels like stepping out of his own body to escape. Why does he want to be an actor again? Someone explain.
“H-Hi,” he manages with a short wave. “It’s a pleasure to see you all again.”
The woman in the middle smiles, all professionalism and cool detachment.
“It’s a pleasure to see you as well, Izuku,” she shuffles some papers in front of her, tapping them to even out the edges. She sighs before pushing her glasses back up her nose to better look at him.
“I’ll be frank. We weren't interested in you for the role of Midoriya at first. Not only are you a bit... shy, you’re also clearly new to the industry, and it’s concerning we have no frame of reference for your past works.”
Do not throw up –
"However,” she smiles, “the producers recently switched up the dynamic between Midoriya and Bakugou and we think you and another person who auditioned would be perfect. We would like to do a combined reading today.”
It’s like an elephant has been removed from his chest. Izuku smiles. “O-Okay!”
He wants to wince at the stutter, but freezes when a man to the left of the table smiles and breathes, “He’s perfect.”
Huh?
“Katsuki,” the woman says, “you’re on. Boys, here are the new manuscripts. Turn to page thirty, you’re starting there.”
Izuku takes the thick stack of pages from her hand.
New? His nerves begin to pile up, one on top of the other. Izuku is a practice-makes-perfect kinda guy, not a wing-it kinda guy. Oof. Today is not his day.
He shakes his head to clear it. Page thirty, page thirty… Oh. Oh shit. Okay.
“Yo. You gonna be my Deku?”
If voices had colors assigned to them, this voice would be deep blood red. It’s low and full of gravel – it makes Izuku want to blush.
And blush he freaking does, because right there, standing like the Greek God of debauchery and lustful thoughts, is a blond boy with – of course – blood red eyes.
It takes a moment for Izuku to remember how talking works.
“Uh, yeah, I’m - yup. Deku!”
He blinks when the other boy (Kats…Kattan…Katsoko?) smirks. Izuku waves his hands frantically and backtracks. “I’m so sorry, that was so cocky of me. I mean I hope I get to be your Deku! Wait wait wait, not your Deku just Deku! Midoriya! The character!”
Katsuchan – heckin’ frick Izuku is bad with names – starts to cackle like a melodramatic villain. It’s not hot. It isn't. Nope.
Izuku hides his reddening face in his hands. “Nooo I’m so sorrryyyyy stopppp –”
Then there’s applause from the casting crew.
Izuku parts his ring and pinky fingers to look over at them, only to find six smiles and lots of notes being taken. Apparently, they’re happy with Izuku making a complete and total fool of himself in front of the hottest man alive.
“They’re exactly what Horitoko wants,” he hears someone whisper.
“A match made in heaven,” another muses.
Laughter, “Or hell.”
The casting director clears her throat to get them back on track. “I’m going to play the part of the classroom teacher to prompt you two. You’ll start once I do. And this time, don’t play the roles as if you’re the character. Play it as yourselves. ‘Kay?”
Izuku nods, and Mr. Blond Perfecfion shrugs.
The room stills. Deep breaths, in and out, you’ve trained for this.
“I would hand out these future career forms,” she says, “but I assume you all want to be heroes!”
The last syllable hasn’t fully rolled off her tongue before Ka– Kacchan spins on Izuku. He takes a slow step forward, languid and fluid like a jungle cat. His eyes slant, the smirk that curls up the side of his face is enchanting and haunting at the same time.
“You’re also going for UA, aren't you, Midoriya?” He starts the scene. “Come on Deku!”
He takes another step forward, now crowding Izuku. But Izuku is supposed to be the hero here, the protagonist, so he doesn’t step away. He does, however, curl his shoulders in a bit. He knows Kacchan is just acting, but…
“You’re totally quirkless and you think you can rub shoulders with me?!”
...but he sounds mean - cruel. Looks seriously like a villain. How could the casting crew go from searching for someone like Eijirou to play Bakugou to this polar opposite?
Izuku scrunches his brows together, jerks his chin up in an attempt at defiance.
“What? What, no, Bakugou –”
Shove.
Izuku stumbles back, turns his head to look at his shoulder where Kacchan just pushed him.
“You wanna be a hero so bad?” Kacchan swoops in so they’re nose to nose. Izuku holds his breath. “I’ve got a time saving idea for you. Pray for a quirk in your next life and go take a swan dive… off the…”
“Holy fucking shit,” Kacchan stands up straight. He turns to the casting director, brows raised. “Is this for real? This is brutal. Isn’t MHA a kids show?”
“Yeah,” Izuku seconds, rubbing at his neck. “I mean, Bakugou and Midoriya are friends, right? Isn’t suicide baiting something you don’t really want to show as redeemable?”
His eyes scan what comes next further down the page. “Oh my – and I’m supposed to say that I’m more concerned what he said might ruin his future hero career? We’re just gonna mosey on over the whole go kill yourself thing?”
Kacchan crosses his arms and shifts so he’s shoulder to shoulder with Izuku. A united front.
“I’ll play the bully if that’s what you want, that’s fine,” he lifts the manuscript and shakes it. “But I don’t like this. Won’t say it,” he gestures to Izuku. “‘Especially not to that cute baby face.”
Oh my gods, cute? He thinks I’m cute?!
“How ‘bout I tell him to just pray for a superpower in his next life? There’s no reason to include the roof thing unless there’s a big Bakugou Saves Midoriya From Jumping moment for a full circle theme, and from what I know, there isn't. So, yeah. It’s dumb.”
“I agree, the bullying already shown is more than enough to demonstrate Bakugou's character development later on if you plan on redeeming him,” Izuku speaks as confidently as he can. “But, uh, It’s a quirk, not a superpower,” Izuku whispers the last part to Kacchan.
Kacchan side-eyes him. “You’re a little nerd, aren't ya?”
Izuku almost laughs.
Silence from the peanuts.
Well, they just blew their chances. Darn. At least Izuku got to meet a real life God –
“Rehearsals start next week – you've both got the roles.”
The sound of paper hitting the floor. Izuku’s manuscript has slipped from his fingers.
“Really?”
The casting director nods, all serious now. “You two have more chemistry than some love interests I’ve worked with. It’s there, I can sense it though I can’t describe it quite yet,” her eyes dart between them and Izuku feels self-conscious.
“Also, the fact that you instinctually stood by one another to voice your opinion on a part of the script we really weren’t sure about ourselves? I speak for all of us when I say you’re the Wonder Duo we are looking for.”
Kacchan scoffs. “Of course we are.”
He glances at Izuku sidelong again. His lips kick up on one side.
“After all, this idiot is already my Deku.”
Is it normal to have heart palpitations at the age of seventeen? Is it normal to play a sixteen year old when you aren't sixteen? Is Kacchan sixteen? No way, he has to be eighteen, he’s –
“I am eighteen you rambling weirdo. And who the fuck is Kacchan?”
He did it again. Great. Isn’t this just the cherry on top of the embarrassment cake he’s baked from scratch today.
Mind off in la la land, he points at Kacchan.
“You’re Kacchan, Kacchan.”
“No, dumbass, I’m Katsuki.”
Izuku decides to just full send. “Nuh uh. Kacchan.”
“Katsuki. Say it with me. Kat-su-ki. Katsuki. Ain’t hard.”
At this point, Izuku is trying so hard not to crack up and fall apart. He’s failing. A laugh slips as he once again says, “Kacchan.”
He knows the casting crew is watching with rapt fascination – he doesn’t really mind. Not since Kacchan has the sweetest pink blush crawling over his razor-sharp cheekbones. The juxtaposition is mesmerizing.
He pouts, and it’s unfairly pretty. “Tch. Whatever. You can call me Kacchan but only because we’re gonna be stuck together for however long this shit is popular.”
For the first time today, Izuku smiles and really truly means it. “I can’t wait to work with you, Bakugou Dynamight Katsuki Kacchan!”
“Oi, you just said it! You can totally say my name!”
“Huh? Did you say something Kacchan?”
“Gonna fuckin’ kill you. Gonna make it painful.”
“Okay, Kacchan. Sounds good, Kacchan.”
It’s only when the door has closed behind them that the crew begins to speak, voices and conversations overlapping.
“We’ve created a monster –”
“A perfect monster. They’re made for these roles.”
“You know the public is going to go wild for them. We may need to rethink having Midoriya end up with Uraraka. The shipping wars –”
“No no no, Dynamight and Deku are platonic soulmates! And heck, those two might just be in real life.”
“I swear to the gods history hates lovers, you’re all oblivious.”
“Huh?”
“I almost yelled kiss already when they got all close during the reading.”
“Dude… They’re teenagers. That’s real suspect of you.”
“I need a new job.”
~~~
They’ve dyed his hair.
It’s no longer just black but black with chunks and highlights of green that match his eyes. It’s cool – he’s fine with it. Izuku is also happy they don't plan on covering up his freckles like his agent said they would.
Small wins.
Izuku works out and is a bit bummed they have him in loose-fitting clothing for the first few episodes. He understands it’s meant to show his character development over time, but do the other guys in the cast really have to look so good all the time while he looks like a sack of discount Potato Heads?
Izuku was thrilled on the first day to see Eijirou had been offered a major role. He’s playing Kirishima, a kid with a hardening quirk.
“They messed with your hair, too?”
Eijirou, now a redhead, turns from where he’s reading over his script. His eyes light right on up when he sees Izuku.
“Izuku! Man, I’m so happy to see someone I know!” He wraps an arm over Izuku’s shoulders. “So you’re our Midoriya! I’m sad I don’t get to be your ex-bestie turned rival, but I heard you really clicked with the dude they chose.”
“Aha, yeah –”
And like a real life Shoujo manga, Izuku is ripped out from under Eijirou’s arm, only for it to be replaced by another.
“That’d be me. And this would be my Deku.”
Izuku sneaks a peak up and over, and sure enough, he’s met with red eyes and blond hair and muscles under so much showing skin because he's in a freaking tank top and Izuku is so down bad gay.
Kacchan has his eyes narrowed as he evaluates Eijirou. “Which side character are you?”
Eijirou frowns. “Uh, dude, other than Izuku we’re all side characters.”
“Nope,” Kacchan runs his tongue over his teeth and it's, wow, really hot. “I’m the catalyst of his entire story. Without me, he doesn’t meet All Might, never gets One for All. The show might as well be called My Hero Where Two Boys Dance Around One Another For Seven Seasons And Are Stuck In The Closet Academia.”
“Hey, you really did your homework, huh? Last time you were still calling quirks superpowers.”
“This conversation doesn't concern you, Deku.”
“But… it does?”
“Hush, the adults are talking.”
“Kacchan that’s mean.”
Eijirou cautiously looks between them but he seems amused. “Um, I gotta ask, did you two know one another before this?”
In unison: “Nope.”
“Okay then,” Eijirou focuses on Kacchan. “Are you in character right now? Like channeling Bakugou? Or is this… just how you are?”
Kacchan stands a bit straighter, smirks that slash of a manic grin that Izuku is coming to realize is his trademark look.
…it’s a nice look…
“This is all me. The producers actually adjusted shit so Deku and I can act like ourselves. Something about it coming off as natural on camera.”
Izuku sidesteps out of his hold. Kacchan glares at him. Izuku shrugs. It’s not like he doesn’t want to be squashed to a side of one hundred percent pure muscle, it’s just that he literally cannot focus on forming sentences when he is.
“You can call me Izuku, ya know.”
“Sure, sure. Whatever you say Deku.”
“This is gonna be A Thing, isn't it?”
“Stop calling me Kacchan.”
“Never.”
Kacchan crosses his arms over his chest, tries to look intimidating. But the glint in his eyes is verging on fond. “Then you’re Deku.”
“Gosh,” Eijirou breathes, “you two really were made for this.”
“Haah?”
“What was that, Eijirou?”
“Nothing.”
A boy with hair split red and white right down the middle passes by, likely on his way out of hair and makeup.
“Hey!” Izuku calls to him. “You must be playing Todoroki! You’re my best friend!”
Kacchan makes a sound deep in his throat.
The boy looks at them, and his eyes are a wild vivid blue. “I am,” he smiles, wide and happy. “I was in there while they were putting the green in your hair. I’m so jealous you naturally have the eye color they want, I’m going to have to put in a grey contact and wow that isn't going to be comfy. I also am going to have to spend like thirty minutes a day while they apply that fake scar and gosh is that going to be annoying when I get sweaty under the stage lights. Do you think we’re going to be filming outside a lot? I really hope –”
Izuku steps forward to grip his arm. He’s a rambler.
Like calls to like.
“We,” Izuku says, “are going to get along so well.”
Kacchan seethes.
~~~
Izuku feels like he’s flying, and in a way, he is.
The harness squeezes tight against his middle and thighs as he’s hoisted across the center of the set for the USJ, straight toward the stunt double for All Might.
He’s about to do his thing when the director calls:
“Cut!”
The trolly above view stops, and the sudden halt has Izuku swinging in the air like a wrecking ball sans Miley. It makes the air in his lungs puff out all at once.
“Katsuki,” the director yells, “I am not going to tell you again, you cannot enter the scene early!”
Kacchan throws up his hands. Gosh, he looks good in his Dynamight costume.
“Deku shouldn’t do dangerous things without me! I’m his Dynamight!”
“Yeah, you are, you always remind us. But let me remind you that you’ll have your moments, okay? Let our main character have his.”
Kacchan sighs so loud Izuku swears it echoes. “Fine. Whatever. But tell the movement team to lighten up on the trolly. You’re gonna bruise the shit outta him with how tight that harness is.”
Still swinging in the air, Izuku manages, “Thank you, Kacchan.”
“You’re welcome, nerd.”
The same thing happens a few days later when they’re filming the scene with Stain, the Hero Killer.
“CUT - these freaking kids - Katsuki, for the love of - you aren’t even supposed to be here today!”
“STOP! PUTTING DEKU! IN DANGER!”
“IT’S IN THE SCRIPT?! IZUKU IS FINE?! NOTHING’S REAL?”
“...whatever.”
Shouto stands from where he’s leaning against the mock brick wall, fake blood running down his arm. Those knives in him look just a little too real. Creepy.
“Hey, Katsuki!” He chirps. “Don’t worry buddy, I’ve got Izuku all safe and sound.”
“I literally don’t like you.”
“It’s so admirable, you being in character even on your days off!”
Izuku (who is once again mid-air because his character just has to parkour everywhere) sighs. The harness flips. Blood rushes into his head. Izuku just lets it happen at this point.
“And what did I tell you losers about the harness?!” Kacchan stomps over to stand underneath Izuku – who is still about six feet above his head – and makes grabby hands up at him. “Deku up there lookin’ like a fucking ragdoll.”
“Kacchan, I’m okay.”
Red eyes snap to the crew. “My agent can and will press charges if you hurt him. If I find a single bruise from that damn ill-fitted get-up –”
Everything goes a bit still. Shouto gasps and claps his hands together. Tenya looks up from where he’s basically playing dead.
“Katsuki,” the director says slowly, so carefully. “Why would you see bruises in the places the harness hits Izuku?”
Izuku covers his face and groans. He likes Kacchan so much it physically hurts sometimes, and the comments he makes, his possessive nature, really doesn’t help.
But Kacchan, calm cool cucumber and collected as always, only shrugs. “You all forget we have multiple scenes changing in the locker room?” Then, softer, “For gods knows what reason since in the show we’re all underage and it feels a bit like The Vampire Diaries all over again sexualizing teenagers…Some Teen Wolf shit…”
From above, Izuku chimes in, “Team Stefan or Team Damon?”
“Team Damon, what the fuck?”
Down the alley, Shouto cries out, “Never! Stefan and Elena are soulmates! Damon stole his brothers girlfriend!”
Tenya sits up, criss-cross-apple slices. “I have to agree with Shou. It’d be like Todoroki’s brother, Dabi, sweeping in to take Midoriya away from him.”
Kacchan frowns. “Haah? If Midoriya has a love interest it's fucking Bakugou. The tension.”
“Well, after the commercials for the show aired, fans already started to say they like the idea of Todoroki and Midoriya. What are they calling it again, Shou?”
Shouto grins a sly grin. “TodoDeku.”
Kacchan’s eye twitches. “They sayin’ this shit on Twitter?”
Still up above, still upside down, still swaying, Izuku whispers, “Please don’t make a Twitter, Kacchan.”
His pleas go unheard.
~~~
Katsuki @DekusKacchan
If you plan to watch the upcoming show #MHA and ship TodoDeku you’re freaking dumb. Clearly, Bakugou and Deku are better. #BakuDeku #bkdk #TodorokiSucks
Replies
My Hero Academia! @BNHAOfficial
A happy warm welcome to Twitter to our very own Dynamight! If you’re a fan of #TodoDeku or #BakuDeku or #AnythingDeku – please remember to tune in next week for our pilot episode! #MHA #PlusUltra
Direct message from @BNHAOfficial to @DekusKacchan
For the love of whatever god controls you feral children, please stop tweeting your personal opinions about the show, we talked about this kinda thing when you were cast.
Direct message from @DekusKacchan to @BNHAOfficial
Get bent.
Direct message from @BNHAOfficial to @DekusKacchan
Want us to screenshot this and send it to Izuku? We will. Don’t try us, kid.
Direct message from @DekusKacchan to @BNHAOfficial
jfc fine but I want a raise for season two
engagement rings are expensive
Direct message from @BNHAOfficial to @DekusKacchan
Katsuki please
~~~
The cast members for Class 1-A are all put up in a large Airbnb near set. It’s massive, modern, screams expensive and classy and the teenagers set wild inside playact like they’re the Kardashians kicking back in Calabasas.
One big, wild, dramatic family. They put their hero names on their doors like kids at summer camp. They laugh together at dinner and whine together when they need to be up early for hair and makeup.
Tenya makes sure they’re in bed on time. Shouto likes to play pranks. Denki brought too many books (his favorite is Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte) and misplaces them around the house. Ochako practically lives in the backyard pool with Asui. Mina leaves little chips of missed pink body paint on all of the furniture.
Momo is mom and she is beloved, very similar to her character, Yaoyorozu. She’s busy fixing the green in Izuku’s hair when Kacchan vaults himself over one of the couches in the giant living room.
“Hey losers,” he calls, his voice cutting through other post-dinner conversations. “The pilot episode airs in fifteen. Get your asses over here.”
Everyone scrambles for a good spot. Momo stays sat on the couch. Izuku doesn’t budge from his place on the floor in front of her. Kacchan rests beside Izuku, kicking his legs up and over his thighs. Their skinship is nothing new, but Izuku feels all light and butterfly-y anyways.
“Hey.”
Izuku breathes him in. Bodywash and expensive cologne. His little crush on his co-star may or may not be a full-blown obsession at this point. It’s been a month of them acting together, living together, of Kacchan calling Izuku his Deku. Izuku feels ready to implode.
Shouto tells Izuku to just ask him out.
Izuku tells him people like Kacchan don’t date people like Izuku.
Shouto reminds Izuku he’s literally the star of one of the most anticipated shows of the year.
Izuku says semantics.
“Holy hell, holy hell,” Eijirou pants from the loveseat where he’s leaning into Hitoshi. “It’s starting guys!”
“The intro is such a banger,” Kyouka smiles.
“We all look so badass!” Ochako cheers.
And then Izuku is watching himself on TV after being turned away at so many castings, with his fist in the air talking about being the greatest hero, and he looks cool and he actually made it and oh no is he crying? He’s crying.
A hand – Kacchan’s hand – slides into his. Their fingers mesh together, easy peasy squeezy lemons. Natural.
The lights are off, so it’s dull in the dark, but Izuku looks to the side and notices Kacchan’s small smile.
“Crybaby,” he says softly, just for Izuku. “You’re cute as hell in this episode.”
Izuku has never felt happy like this. Carefully, like he could drop this moment and shatter it into a million pieces, he takes his time to lean over and rest his head on Kacchan’s shoulder.
“You look like a spoiled brat. Look at that sneer on your face, Kacchan.”
“I take it all back. You deserved to be bullied.”
“Hey!”
From above, Momo laughs.
No one tells them to hush. After all, it is their episode – their origin story. BakuDeku Rising.
Their beginning.