Work Text:
The alleyway into the building was ominous. The darkness seemed to seep into the thick asphalt, crumbled chunks making their way to gravel. The previous night’s rain had yet to dry, leaving deep wells of ink in the wake of the injured ground. The abandoned buildings that stood on either side of the deserted lane stood like soldiers, the only warning for strangers to keep away.
Those who had been passing by averted their gaze upon seeing their leader, the telltale green hair meant that it was best to clear the area.
The five people swiftly made their way into the long corridor, confidently entering the building and heading up the stairs. The creaking stairs made their presence known to the men above them. Once they reached the final door, the leader gave a swift nod, sending two downstairs to block the stairs and entrance.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
Three steady knocks echoed loudly in the hallway, walls shuddering away from the noise. The faded peeling wallpaper curled at the ends, shying away from the group at the door. Three figures stood patiently before the door, faces stoic and guarded.
The handle turned and the door opened with a loud creak before them, revealing a pink-haired woman with a grim face. “Right this way, Sir,” she said, gesturing to the trio to enter the domain.
The leader looked at the woman curiously before smiling gently. “Ah, you’re new here, aren’t you?” Izuku asked, eyes gentle as he regarded the grim woman.
Her eyes quickly averted to the side, looking toward the room where quiet muttering echoed from. Nervous. Unsure.
He exhaled a laugh, “Don’t worry, this is just a meeting, nothing will happen.” The woman visibly relaxed at his assurance. He passed her as he walked further into the room, the others following closely behind. He stopped just as he was shoulder to shoulder with her before he spoke casually, “Just for the future if you decide to stay in this kind of environment, don’t show you’re unsure of yourself. It won’t end well for you.”
With that, he wandered off further into the room, leaving the stunned woman behind. Stepping into the next room, the air suddenly felt dense and heavy. From a glance, he noticed the six figures standing around one man with his back turned toward him.
He smiled devilishly at the man before him. “Katsuki,” he greeted, hand extended for a handshake.
The blonde turned around, sharp crimson eyes staring down the other. He tsked as he only saw the three people, having been expecting more from the other’s entourage. “Izuku,” he acknowledged gruffly, shaking the offered hand before gesturing for him to sit.
Izuku waited for the blonde to sit first, glancing at the tense members of his former friend’s gang. If he remembered correctly then the redhead—Kirishima if he was right—was still his right-hand man and secret lover. But he wouldn’t make such a claim at a meeting like this, no, the stakes were too high.
“I see you’ve brought Half-n-Half and Purple Fuck with you. Where’s Four-Eyes and Round-Face?” Katsuki asked as he made himself comfortable, an air of authority hanging around him.
Todoroki shifted closer to Shinsou when he saw his jaw clench and nails curl into his palms, keeping him from interfering with their boss’ business. Deep indigo eyes met the heterochromia of the other, a slight nod indicating he was fine.
A flash of anger slipped through his iron facade before Izuku laughed, an edge to his voice as he steepled his scarred fingers. “Ah, Katsuki, always so bad at names. Let me see if I remember correctly, it has been a long time after all,” he said jovially, a sharp glint resting in his viridian eyes. “That’s Kirishima,” he said, pointing to the stiff redhead before turning his attention to the others in the room. “Kaminari, Sero, and Jirou. Hm, I see two new faces.”
Katsuki sighed, before pointing out the two figures. “Yaoyorozu and Tokoyami.” The two nodded politely in his direction, otherwise remaining still in their guarded positions.
Izuku blinked, as if suddenly remembering something. “Oh, and who was at the door? She’s your newest recruit, it seems harsh to keep her alone by the door.”
Tsking, Bakugou turned to Sero, “Go stand by Mina. She shouldn’t be alone.” The dark-haired man bowed before making his way to the door.
“Mm, Mina, she was lovely, though seemed a little nervous,” Izuku hummed, a contemplative look crossing his face.
“Cut the shit, Deku. What do you want,” Katsuki growled, a sense of protectiveness washing over him as the other seemed to casually mock his people.
Green eyes lit up at the blatant challenge, a fire burning inside of him. “I want your help tracking down The Ravens, Kacchan, ” Izuku stated plainly, leaning back in his chair as he stared down his former friend.
Both sides blinked at the name, unsure of how the meeting would play out.
“What the hell do you need my help for? You have all the resources you need to track down anyone who fucks with you,” Katsuki stated, questions dancing in his eyes.
Humming, Izuku nodded in admission. “Tracking the group down is the easy part. Right now the Black Ravens are headed toward the northside of the Kymar Prefecture. But what I don’t have,” he looked around, hands gesturing towards the many people within the Crimson Knives Syndicate, “is the people.”
Katsuki crossed his arms over his chest, maroon dress shirt crinkling in the corners of his arms, as he leaned back in his chair, watching the other closely. “What the hell happened to all of your people? Last I checked you had a bunch of shitty extras in your ranks, whaddya need me for?”
Something dark fell in Izuku’s eyes, making Katsuki blink. ‘Oh,’ he thought, ‘that hit a nerve.’
“The Ravens attacked unprovoked two nights ago, sending many of my men into the hospital,” Izuku stated blandly but his clenching fists betrayed his anger.
Katsuki whistled lowly, worry building in him. The Ravens were a rising syndicate growing up in the north. They generally stick to themselves as drug trafficking gets finicky outside of one’s territory. But for them to blatantly attack The Vultures—the largest syndicate in Japan—without any prompting was concerning.
“How many?” Katsuki asked, leaning forward.
“Fifty-two as of this morning, more are still being recovered. They used a neurotoxin before attacking after they were asked why they were so far outside of their territory.”
Calloused hands worked to gently loosen the tie around his neck as Katsuki cursed. “How many deaths.”
Todoroki looked away, eyes watering as he remembered holding the hands of those dying, blood caked in his hair, bruises marring his face. Shinsou nudged him, making him breathe through the harsh memories. Members of the CKS frowned at the display. Now that they were genuinely looking, bruises littered each of the three figures before them.
Todoroki had a large black eye taking over a large portion of his face, and a cut laying on his collarbone peeking out from the opening of his shirt. Shinsou’s lip was split and a handprint-shaped bruise wrapped around what was visible on his neck. It was harder to tell on Izuku, but his steepled fingers revealed bruised knuckles, and the way he gingerly sat indicated something was going on with his ribs.
The group had been through the wringer in the past few days. Anger and vengeance seemed to burn in their eyes.
Izuku huffed, before looking the blonde dead in his eyes. “Six,” he muttered, voice cold and intentionally unfeeling. “Ochako included.”
Bodies laying stricken on the ground. His head was dizzy as he tried to understand what was going on. Men rushed towards him. It’s been an attack on him, yet his people were the ones to suffer. He didn’t hesitate to help his people, hands swinging wildly as he fought long and hard. But that hasn’t stopped the rush. It hadn’t been enough to ensure his friend's safety. He hadn’t been enough.
Katsuki stilled as the more senior members dawned a look of horror. Though the two syndicates were rivals, they all knew each other. At times, they had worked together to help further each other’s needs. One of their own was dead.
“Round-Face— Ochako— died?” Katsuki muttered, voice small.
Katsuki loved Ochako. She had been the first besides Izuku to challenge him. On the few missions they worked together, he had learned that she was a trustworthy friend. They’d saved each other's lives a few times. Hell, he’d tried to get her to defect to CKS years ago.
Izuku nodded solemnly, allowing himself to feel his anguish for a moment. Everyone in the room felt heavy. Ochako was one of their own and now she was gone. “Tanya’s trying to get in contact with her parents so they can make it to the funeral. We’ll be paying for it so they don’t have to worry about the costs,” Izuku trailed off, eyes going distant for a second. A scarred hand came up and dragged down his face, for once his glowing eyes looked dim and tired. “Heh, she’d only joined to support her parents. There’s no way we won’t take care of them now that she’s gone.”
“That’s why you only came in with Half-n-Half and Purple Fuck,” Katsuki muttered, Izuku’s behavior suddenly making sense.
Izuku sighed, “I’ve got two more downstairs, just in case, but I felt more comfortable when you sent Sero to stand with Mina by the door.”
Katsuki hummed, acknowledging his former friend’s words. “When are you planning to go after them?”
“Three days from now, there’s word that they’ll circle back to complete a second wave. We’re staging a counterattack as we speak, but our people are stretched thin right now, and we could use the help of CKS,” Izuku stated gesturing toward the blonde.
Katsuki nodded, “We’ll be there, you have my word.”
Izuku smiled at the other but it was pained, eyes sad even though he’d received the help he so desperately needed. “Kacchan,” he breathed, shoulders sagging for a moment. The room fell away from him for a moment, the only person he could focus on was the blonde sitting across from him. “Kacchan, they’re after me. What do I do? My people are at risk the longer they stay with me.”
Shinsou bristled, hand automatically reaching out and resting on his leader’s shoulder, gently squeezing it as if to argue the man’s clipped words. Todoroki shuffled closer to the other two, the thick silence a show of support.
Running a hand through his spiky hair, Katsuki sighed heavily, heart sinking at the revelation. “There’s only one thing you can do, Deku,” he said, words drawing the attention of the other. Red eyes bore into green, a certain kind of desperation coloring his tone. “Tear ‘em apart and make them regret ever thinking about going after you.”
The greenette laughed weakly at the words, eyes blinking quickly to get rid of the sudden moisture that resided there. Huffing quietly, “Right.”
Katsuki waited a moment to allow the other to compose himself. A memory flashed from when they were kids, Izuku crying and letting himself feel everything. Now, Katsuki stared down the man that has kept everything inside since the day he had left The Vultures— the day Izuku had lost his best friend turned enemy —and felt his heart sink. He’d changed so drastically in the years Katsuki had started CKS. Izuku had gone from a crybaby to a cold, ruthless leader.
A part of him felt ashamed to know he had been the one to cause the change in his former friend.
“So,” he drawled, faux laziness coating his voice, an illusion of his calm facade. “What’s the plan,” he asked, ready to find out how they were going to avenge Ochako.
Izuku sat straighter, analytical eyes narrowing slightly as his mind switched trains of thought. “Here’s what we’re going to do.”
Katsuki had once been a part of The Vultures. Growing up, Izuku had been his best friend, and despite their differences, they’d been as thick as thieves.
When they came of age and inherited the syndicate, Izuku had become the gang’s face with Katsuki as his right-hand man. Together they had drug operations running smoothly throughout all of Japan. As they grew in operations, more people joined. A family grew between each member. Everything they had worked for was coming together.
That was until the argument.
Antsy and annoyed with how things were running, with how Izuku would willingly make himself a martyr at every moment it called for it, Katsuki lashed out. Izuku, predictably, bore the brunt of his rage, protecting his people from his best friend.
Hatred had burned in his eyes then as he stared down Izuku, the man so willing to protect his people over himself. His selflessness made him selfish in Katsuki’s eyes, and he’d never forgive the other for that.
That was the day Katsuki shattered the other’s right arm, scarring it permanently.
It was oddly poetic that Katsuki, his former right-hand man, had completely ruined the entirety of his right arm. Following that incident, Izuku never let anyone close enough to him be put in that situation.
He swore to never depend on anyone like that ever again.
After Katsuki defected, taking a few people with him, he formed CKS and ran his operations.
Though the two kept their interactions limited, they did still help each other at times to protect themselves and their interests, but even then, their friendship was broken.
Nothing could fix the damage that was inflicted.
When the raid came, the two gangs banded together in the name of their fallen friends to take down the enemy. By the end of the night, everyone left standing was battered and bruised, but victorious.
The Ravens were eradicated that very night.
Stumbling outside of the rickety warehouse where some hundred unconscious people lay, members of the two factions working to capture them, Izuku inhaled the damp night air.
The night was warm, a gentle breeze cooling the sweat off of his body. Looking to the side, Izuku saw his former friend lighting up a cigarette, inhaling the nicotine, and holding it in his chest for a few moments before letting the smoke escape his lungs.
Shuffling over to him, he motioned for the cigarette. The blonde raised an eyebrow before handing over the offending object.
A shaking hand took the cigarette before softly putting it against his lips, taking a deep drag, allowing the smoke to fill his lungs and steady him.
“Since when do you smoke, Izuku?” Katsuki muttered as he took the cigarette back, taking a slow drag as well, staring at his former friend.
A scared hand wrapped around still bruised ribs and blood rested against his clothes, splattered ominously from the many fights he took part in.
Green eyes peeked over at him, exhaling the smoke from his lungs. He motioned for the cigarette again, Katsuki passing it over without question. They held eye contact as Izuku took another drag.
“I don’t.”
Katsuki huffed a laugh, shaking his head fondly. He’d missed this, the easy conversations. “Don’t make it a habit, Deku.”
The green-eyed gang head laughed at his friend’s words. “I won’t, Kacchan.”