Chapter 47 - Waiting for You

"Morning." Yaoyorozu scanned you from top to bottom when you finally came down for breakfast after 11 a.m. She was alone in the common room watching the news, everyone else either having a lazy Sunday or already out running errands.

"Did you sleep okay?" She smirked as she brought her teacup to her lips.

Well fuck.

The night hadn't ended with round one and you could only say that you were thankful you didn't have school on Sundays. You weren't sure you'd be very useful for hero training with how sore you were. You were also thankful you could wear layers in the fall. Your body was covered in love bites and even a few bruises from where Bakugou had gripped your hips.

While Bakugou could be loving and sweet, he would also always be the powerful and aggressive asshole you fell in love with. So, true to his nature, he needed to be the best at everything, and well, practice makes perfect.

But waking up wrapped in his arms, your bodies pressed close together staring at your sunrise, everything had felt so right. That was until he suggested a morning session, which you had to politely declined. OK, really you pushed him off the bed and yelled that your vagina needed a break.

The blond boy bounded down the stairs chipper as a bird for how much sleep you'd both gotten and wrapped his arms around your waist from behind.

"Sorry," you whispered to Yaoyorozu, pulling away from Bakugou as you grabbed a cup from the cabinet and filled it with coffee.

"What should you be sorry for?" Bakugou questioned staring between you and Yaoyorozu.

"Just give a girl some heads up and I'll sleep somewhere else." She raised her eyebrows knowingly.

"Ah yeah. Sorry. She's kinda loud." Bakugou jerked a thumb over his shoulder toward you. You could almost feel your soul leave your body.

"I...YOU...YOU CAN'T JUST! UGH!!" You couldn't hold back your bewilderment at his lack of tact and covered your face with your palm. You grabbed your coffee cup and marched back upstairs your face flaming from embarrassment, mumbling under your breath. "Maybe I'll just light myself on fire and forget to extinguish..."

Bakugou's ears perked up as he heard a newscaster begin talking about the Hero Association communication network.

"OI ASHTRAY! GET BACK DOWN HERE."

"NO! I'M MAD AT YOU!" your voice bounced down the stairs.

"I'm serious! They're talking about the coms on the news!" At his words you turned from the second-floor landing and hurried back down, your embarrassment from a moment ago lifting as your whole body filled with a new sense of curiosity.

"...take you now to the Tokyo press room with director Kuroya Shirota."

Bakugou lifted the remote from the coffee table and turned up the volume as a woman in a tailored white suit with long silver blonde hair approached the platform. She carried a slim white cane in her left hand which she propped against the podium. Your heart dropped into your stomach as you took in her appearance. A quick glance out of the corner of your eye clearly indicated that Bakugou recognized her too.

Janus.

"Citizens of Japan, as the new communications director for the Hero Association, I can only say I am appalled to learn that some of our technology has been linked to the recent stone incidents which effected not only our number one hero, Endeavor, but members of our police force, first responders, and even student heroes." She smiled sweetly to the camera and shuffled her papers before continuing.

"That is why for the last few weeks we have been contracting with new, vetted producers and distributors for our Hero Association approved technology. All agencies have been instructed to forego use and dispose of their current devices and instead utilize the new HA distributed equipment. We hope with this change in technology to never fear another stone incident again. Questions?"

A barrage of flashes went off as news agencies took pictures of the pressroom. Reporters started to stand and ask questions of the blonde woman, but you didn't hear any of it.

Bakugou's agitated breathing became audible as his hands popped. The bright explosions pulled you from your daze and you noticed your fingers were alight, the flames charring the sides of your coffee mug.

"Well, that's good right? There won't be any more faulty equipment on the streets," Yaoyorozu said brightly.

"We're fucking screwed," you mumbled, feeling panic rise into your throat. You were going to be sick.

"What?" your dark-haired friend questioned.

"THAT BITCH IS IN ON IT! SHE'S WITH THE HACKER! THE GUY BEHIND THE STONE IN THE FIRST PLACE!" Bakugou was screaming. He was shaking with rage, his eyes scanning the room for something to kick or punch or explode.

"But the Hero Association would never allow-"

"ARE YOU FUCKING DEAF?! IT'S AN INSIDE JOB! SHE'S THE NEW COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR AND SHE'S WORKING FOR THE VILLAINS!"

You typed furiously into your phone and your breath caught as you read the headline. 'Kuroya Shirota replaces the former HA Communications Director after his untimely death last month.'

You held the phone up to Yaoyorozu and her eyes darkened, understanding the impact of the words. Someone in the Hacker organization had killed the former director and planted Janus in his place.

"We have to tell someone. The police? Or the HA itself?" Yaoyorozu stood from the couch and began pacing.

"Why didn't Officer Tsukauchi mention this? I mean you were trying to fix me for weeks. He never said anything about new tech?" Your voice was shaky as you dug your fingers into the soft cushions of the couch, closing your eyes and wishing desperately that you could wake up from this nightmare.

Bakugou's hands grabbed yours and pulled them to his chest.

"Nothing is going to happen to you this time. I promise." His crimson eyes were serious. You felt your breaths come a bit easier as you nodded, reassured by just his presence.

"Of course nothing's going to happen to her because no one's going to be dumb enough to use the hero tech once we tell them about this." Yaoyorozu grabbed her own phone and started dialing.

"Who are you calling?"

"Shouto. He needs to know."

"FUCK YOUR GODDAMN BOYFRIEND. WE NEED TO CALL ENDEAVOR. WE NEED TO CALL NEZU. WE NEED TO FUCKING CALL EVERYONE!"

***

"Kuroya Shirota was sworn in a month ago. We were already switching over the com supply before she took office. She had nothing to do with choosing the HA's new suppliers. Besides, how do you even know she's this Janus person? According to all your statements you only saw her for a moment months ago. That's not a lot to go on," Tsukauchi's voice rang through your phone.

"WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU MEAN THAT'S NOT A LOT TO GO ON?! PUT US ON THE GODDAMN NEWS! PUT THAT LITTLE SHIT HERMES ON THE GODDAMN NEWS! PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE TURNED TO FUCKING STONE IF YOU DON'T STOP THAT BITCH!"

"Was that Ground Zero?"

"Yes. He's very... invested." You tried to cover the receiver to drown out some of Bakugou's rant. "Officer Tsukauchi, I know you're taking this on faith but she's the same woman. That day is seared into my brain and when we saw her on the news this morning, I was shocked. Ground Zero's right. Ask Hoji-san to confirm that it's her. He can tell you. I'd go before a court..."

"Cinder, Hoji-san is gone."

"Gone?" Bakugou quieted down as he listened intently.

"His neighbors reported that he hadn't been picking up his mail, so they called his landlord. When he entered the home, it was trashed. The landlord called the police and they opened an investigation. There were signs of a struggle. No one has seen him," Tsukauchi's voice was disheartened on the other end of the line.

"AND YOU DIDN'T THINK THIS WAS IMPORTANT FUCKING INFORMATION FOR US TO KNOW?!" Bakugou screamed to the ceiling, his palms popping once more. You pinched the bridge of your nose, knowing Bakugou's tantrum wasn't going to get you any closer to a solution.

"When did this happen?" you asked.

"Three days ago."

"You don't think it's a coincidence that the only person who could definitively identify her as a villain was seemingly kidnapped just days before she publicly announced a technology overhaul?" you seethed, no longer able to conceal the growing frustration in your own voice.

"Stay safe Cinder. I'll do what I can from my end." You heard a click.

"HE HUNG UP? HE FUCKING HUNG UP?! NOW WHAT?!" Bakugou threw one of his drumsticks at the wall. The thin wood spear shattered into a million tiny splinters.

You pressed the end button on your phone and stood from Bakugou's bed. Ignoring his outburst, you buried your face into his chest and wrapped your arms around his back fighting the urge to cry in frustration and fear. He held you back, and you felt some of the fury leave his tense body.

We'll be ok. We just need a plan.

Bakugou tilted your chin up and you pressed your forehead to his.

"Now we tell everyone we know. We spread the word and try to stop this." You broke the contact and stared into his steely, scarlet eyes. "We act like heroes."

***

You called everyone who would listen, friends, family, past work studies, your UA teachers, radio stations, but it still wasn't enough. The larger outlets wouldn't use their platforms to speak out against the Hero Association just because a bunch of teenagers didn't like the new communication director. Nevertheless, you kept making calls.

"Kyouka, Denki, can I get your help?" you called over to your friends, hanging up on your twentieth phone conversation that afternoon. You crossed another name off your list and dropped your pen back to the table.

You'd sent Bakugou out with Kirishima and Sero to hang up fliers around the train stations and popular hang outs, anything to get the general public aware of the situation. Bakugou's shouts would also surely get passersby's attention.

"What's up [y/n]?" Jirou dropped on the seat beside you in the common room while Kaminari inexplicably decided to sit on the table itself cross-legged, a juice box hanging from his lips.

"Denki, this is the flash-drive that Bakugou took from Officer Tsukauchi when he broke me out of the stone." You held up the small device. "I need you two to make a bunch more. Dozens. Hundreds if possible. All different media, these drives, disks, even spam out links if you can."

"You want more of that horrible sound? Why?" Kaminari inelegantly slurped and scrunched up the now empty container.

"The HA doesn't seem to want to listen, but I think we're all in real danger of having another stone attack. If this sound can stop the effects, hopefully not too much damage will occur," you said, your tone determined, if a bit melancholy at the thought of more people succumbing to that horrible state.

"So, if we make a whole bunch more, we can hand them out to police and heroes? That's the plan?" Jirou puzzled, inspecting the drive you still held.

"Police, heroes, anyone who will take one. We know the HA are being targeted so even if we give them to civilians, they could be important for breaking heroes out." You delicately placed the drive into Jirou's hand, praying your precautions would be enough. She curled her fingers around the dark rectangle and nodded.

"We're on it."

***

"Out of posters already?" You still sat at the common room tables, having made a makeshift command center with all your notes and files, phone lists and to-dos.

"Yeah. We canvased all the way down the G line and then up north on the P. We left fliers near the entrances and in the train cars themselves. They might get taken down though. You know how they are about clean trains." Kirishima unzipped his jacket and tossed it onto the arm of the couch.

"I put some over the urinals in the men's room." Sero grabbed a can of soda from the refrigerator. "It's nice to have something to read when you're taking a leak."

"Wouldn't it have been better if you'd put them in the stalls? Everyone gets bored in there," Kirishima said.

"Hey, you're right. Maybe next round." Sero popped the top and dropped beside his friend. You rolled your eyes but did truly appreciate all their help.

"Where's Katsuki?" you questioned.

"We split up. He was going to go south on the P which is a little longer. Should be back soon though."

As if on cue Bakugou's puffy form pushed through the front door. He wore a winter jacket, scarf and gloves even though it was only early November.

"Chilly out there?" you teased, feeling a touch lighter at just seeing him.

"Shut it Ashtray. You know my quirk isn't as useful if I'm not warm," he huffed as he stripped off his many layers and came to sit beside you. "How did you manage to do all of this in an afternoon?" His gaze fell over the myriad of papers scattered around your command center.

"I was told in my internship report that I am a brilliant strategist but that I can get obsessive. Both of those are coming into play right about now." You placed a few sheets of paper into a green folder and added a label to the front.

"Did you reach everyone in the class?" Bakugou wrapped his arm around your shoulder inspecting the piles. You breathed out a deep sigh.

"Unfortunately, no. Izuku isn't answering my calls or texts. I know he left for a work study in Osaka, but I was expecting he'd answer by now. Same for Aoyama and Koda. They were partnered together. I left a bunch of messages though so hopefully they know not to trust the coms."

"Is this enough?" Kaminari's strained voice echoed from the front door. He was carrying a large cardboard box filled to the brim with flash drives, SD cards, cassettes, CDs, and even a VHS and full vinyl record. Jirou followed behind him, not helping carry the box in the least.

"What fucking hipster is going to save someone by using a record player Dunce Face?" Bakugou walked over and picked up the large round disc with disgust. Jirou snatched it from him and pouted, clearly protective of the old technology.

"Thank you guys." You inspected the plethora of devices in the box. There must have been at least two hundred.

"Power Loader sensei in the support lab said we could rewrite over any of their old files, so we took everything they were giving away," Jirou said as Kaminari placed the box by the staircase.

"I also sent out links with the noise to the whole UA list serve. I hope they don't just randomly play it because they'll probably go deaf." Kaminari flopped onto the couch over Kirishima and Sero's legs.

"Give a guy some warning before you drop on their junk man," Sero coughed out.

"A hero should always be prepared for a nut tap," Kaminari said before Sero pushed him from the couch to the floor. The blond rubbed the back of his head and quickly guarded himself as Sero aimed to return the favor.

"Why do I hang out with your morons?" Bakugou huffed as he rejoined you at the table.

"AAAAAAHHHHHH!" Jirou dropped to the floor and screamed. All eyes flew to the punky girl and Kirishima rushed to kneel beside her.

"What is it?" Kaminari asked, panic in his eyes as he popped up from the floor.

"THAT NOISE!!!" she shrieked through tears. Blood dripped from her ears.

The next moment every screen flashed. The TV buzzed to life. Phones blinked between white and black. Even your open laptop pulsed.

"Who screamed?" Mina and Yaoyorozu appeared from the baths, towels hugged tight around their bodies.

"Are your phone's acting up?" Todoroki trotted down the stairs, his expression impassive until he saw Jirou on the ground.

Every display went black and then a single picture appeared across them all. Everyone glanced from screen to screen, not sure what to make of the image.

A man was silhouetted in a high-backed chair, surrounded by the sharp white light of more than a dozen monitors. He spoke in a cold, slick voice. The tone sent goosebumps up your arms.

"For those of you lucky enough to see this, I suggest you look out your windows. Do you see all those new sculptures around the city? Those are your police officers, your fire fighters, your EMTs... and your heroes."

Kirishima ran to the window and pulled aside the blinds staring out onto the front lawn. Three stone figures dotted the pavement. He turned back to the room with a look that clearly showed this man wasn't bluffing.

"I address my children of the underworld. For all of you that have been incarcerated, subdued, talked down to, and brought low by the hero society, I ask you now to help me crumble it to the ground."

The image shifted to a camera shot of an urban street. A large man with a dark mask across his face approached a stone police officer with a baseball bat. Before you could breathe the man swung the bat and knocked the officer's head from his body. With a second swing, the bat crunched through the officer's shoulder and out his hip, leaving a pile of dust around two remaining legs.

You stared in horror, your eyes flashing red. Mina shrieked and grabbed onto Yaoyorozu, turning her eyes from the screen.

The image shifted back to the back-lit room. "As you can see, it's much easier to crumble like this." You felt Bakugou's fingers curl around your own, squeezing tightly, his other hand gripping his chest.

"We will cull this broken civilization and build it anew. Take to the streets and join me in the next revolution!"

"Oh. And any heroes that didn't make the cut..." The white screens turned off, and one spotlight shone directly on the man's face. His long dark hair melded with a simple black shirt. His skin was so pale you could see the veins running under the skin. A tattoo in lime green shown around his neck. It spiraled half a dozen times repeating zeros and ones, ones and zeros, zeros and ones. But what pulled you in were his piercing golden eyes, brilliant and deadly.

The Hacker.

"I'll be waiting for you."