Chapter Text
The first time Bakugo heard someone call him a villain, he was nine years old.
Mitsuki had taken him with her to go grocery shopping, something Bakugo had hated from the very beginning. It was indescribably boring to trail after his mom as she meandered through the store, stopping to study produce, cussing out the employees if she deemed them slow or unhelpful. Later he found out that she dreaded it just as much as he did and had dragged him into it so she wouldn’t suffer alone, which made him hate it all the more. Needless to say, Bakugo hadn’t been in a very good mood that day and had been sure to let Mitsuki - and anyone else within earshot - know about his discomfort.
He wasn’t sure what prompted it, but at some point it had seemed a good idea for Bakugo to wander off on his own. The hag would end up at the check-out counter eventually, so he’d just meet her there. There was no point in following her like a stupid shadow until she was done. Bakugo slipped away, positive she’d notice but certain he’d be out of earshot before she did - which he was. Snickering to himself, he made his way towards the exit, preparing to wait outside in the sunshine while she finished things. He’d get an earful for it in the car but that was something he’d deal with later.
Someone bumped into him hard, sending Bakugo toppling to the floor. Swearing, he glared up at the offender.
It was them.
Long-Ears and Sticky-Fingers, the kids who loved to pick a fight. He’d beaten them up when they were in fourth grade, but apparently their entrance into high school was enough to give them a boost of misguided confidence.
“Oops.” Long-Ears grinned, not looking the least bit sorry. “My bad.”
“You need to watch where you’re going.” Bakugo scowled, getting to his feet and clenching his fists. The adults around them were giving them hard looks but none of the kids noticed. “Or do you want me to kick your ass right here in the grocery store.”
Sticky-Fingers whistled, “You’ve got a tough mouth for a nine-year old, kid. You might have won last time, but now we’ve got the upper hand.” The two of them stood shoulder to shoulder, and Bakugo hated how they loomed over him, having grown significantly since their last fight. Bakugo scowled, squaring his shoulders and readying himself. His quirk had been new and weak - he hadn’t used it in their last fight - but now it was strong, and he wasn’t afraid to use it. He felt his palms heat in anticipation.
“Hey, you three! Take your nonsense outside.” An employee called out to them.
“How about you shut your stupid face?” Bakugo snarled back. The employee blanched, scurrying away from them.
“The way I see it,” Long-Ears drawled, “you bumped into us. Just like last time.” He took a threatening step forward.
Maybe Long-Ears was just going to keep talking, maybe he was preparing to fight. Bakugo didn’t know, but he wasn’t going to find out. His hand darted forward, the heat crackling into a mini-firework of sparks.
The explosion was small, fortunately, but larger than Bakugo had meant it to be. There was a loud BOOM as it went off, blasting items off shelves and shattering the lightbulbs above them. Long-Ears, and Sticky-Fingers behind him, went flying backwards, landing on the ground in a heap.
“HA! You idiots aren’t so tough now, are you!?” Bakugo crowed, grinning wildly. But then his grin slid from his face as the smoke faded and the sound creeped back in.
People were screaming.
There was a mad scramble of feet as shoppers flooded away from the area, looks of shock and fear on their faces. Some people were bleeding where the glass lightbulb shards had scratched them. The two seventh graders had slowly gotten to their feet, and Bakugo stared at their singed clothes, the red and blistering skin. The look they had given him years ago had been one of anger and fear as they had ran away, tears of pain in their eyes.
The ones they were giving him now were full of pain and horror.
“KATSUKI!” Bakugo jumped and flinched as his mother was suddenly beside him, whacking him across the head and grabbing his arm with eyes full of rage. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?!”
“They started it!” Bakugo tried to defend himself, but she yelled over him. “Don’t you know how badly people could have been hurt? What the hell were you thinking? Are you that much of an idiot?!”
Scowling, feeling trapped and uncertain, Bakugo prepared himself to yell back - but then someone shouted, “You better watch your kid, lady. I’ve seen villains who’ve caused less trouble than that!”
Mitsuki’s ferocious eyes suddenly turned towards the sound of the voice, leaving Bakugo alone, but that didn’t offer him any comfort. He felt like his heart had frozen in his chest.
They were comparing him to… a villain?
But, Bakugo had been defending himself! Those kids were bullies! If anything, they were the villains!
It made Bakugo indescribably angry, but Mitsuki was already chewing the woman out, leaving him to think. Bakugo was going to be a hero, not a villain. He felt his pride well in his chest, a fierce determination spreading through him to the tips of his fingers. He’d show that woman. He’d show all of them. Bakugo was never going to be a villain, but the number one hero. That would teach them!
If only it had been that simple.
The label of villain never fully left him, following him doggedly throughout his schooling years, overshadowing his every accomplishment. Bakugo didn’t let it bother him - choosing to work harder, push himself, show them that their words wouldn’t stop him from reaching new heights.
But then the Sports Festival happened.
And then he was kidnapped by the League of Villains.
All-Might was forced into retirement because of him.
The label of villain started to sink in, then, and Bakugo tried to shove it down where it could never hurt him. It wasn’t that simple, and for a time, Bakugo felt himself spiraling, doubts plaguing him day and night.
And just when things were getting better, just when his friends were starting to help him heal, just when he was thinking he could get back on track, he was captured again.
This time he wasn’t alone.
This time, his friends were with him.
This time, he sold his soul to the devil, and condemned his friends to death.
As it turns out, that lady from the store was right.
Bakugo was the villain after all.