Another pointless goddamn meeting. When he'd been recruited by Endeavor's agency Katsuki thought he'd be working with the best of the best, but it turned out the old man was starting to lose his marbles.

"Like Stain, he seems to fancy himself something of a vigilante," Endeavor was saying. "Though he specifically targets career criminals. He is capitalizing on media attention by…"

Why the hell was Endeavor hounding the police about crime scenes and serial killers? That was detective work. Heroes were supposed to be about action. Let the police worry about the investigation. It was common fucking sense. It was their job. Who gives a shit about a string of dead bodies? Poor fuckers were already dead.

"... an ice related work. Though he's adding some kind of chemical to keep it from melting." Endeavor pulled up photos of three different bodies, all positioned on their knees with their hands clasped together and their heads bowed. A classic please forgive me pose.

Some idiot next to him had snickered at the mention of an ice quirk and was making jabs at Icy Hot under his breath. Goddammit, maybe he should have gone with Fat Gum's agency after all. This place was full of losers.

Katsuki was quickly losing patience.

"A witness spotted a man wearing a helmet with bunny ears," Endeavor said. The flare in his beard gave away how much that little fact seemed to pain him. "Otherwise he had no distinguishing features…"

It was bad enough that Endeavor was constantly wasting their time. But the petty squabbles among his peers was slowly driving him over the edge. They were constantly fussing over petty shit. Complaining about Cold Flare getting favoritism because he was Endeavor's son: nepotism over merit, they said.

But then the dumb fucks would turn around and say that graduating head of his class at U.A. was a two bit accomplishment. That it was unfair to be judged by grades or what school you went to. What the fuck did they want to be judged by then?! Costume design? Idiots, the lot of them.

"... during your patrols. Just keep it in mind," Endeavor said. "Otherwise we'll leave it to Ground Zero and Cold Flare."

Katsuki had been slouched in his chair with his legs folded into a pretzel. Hearing his hero name he straightened up and dropped his legs to the floor with a decisive thump.

"Ha?"

"You two will be collaborating with the police on this," Endeavor said. He met Katsuki's glare head on. "Should be easy for heroes of your caliber."

"That's the problem," Katsuki growled. "Give it to one of the extras-"

"There's nothing to collaborate," Todoroki said. "The witness has already given us all that could be gleaned, their list of suspects is too large, and the connection between victims tenuous."

Endeavor's flame was slowly growing as his son spoke, sizzling with angry pops and nearly singeing the bulletin board behind him. But he said nothing.

"Let the police narrow it down first," Todoroki continued. "I'll gladly interview suspects or witnesses when they have a solid grasp of the situation. Until then there are more pressing matters that I, and Ground Zero, should attend to."

"This meeting is adjourned," Endeavor said. "Cold Flare, stay behind. The rest of you are dismissed."

Time for another father son spat, Katsuki supposed. That was fine and dandy, but he needed to know where the hell he stood on this stupid case.

"Sir-"

"You're late for patrol, Ground Zero."

Who's fucking fault was that?! As he stomped out of the conference room Katsuki shoved his fists under his armpits. It was all he could do to stop himself from exploding in Endeavor's fucking face. Or tearing a new one into his coworkers, who snickered as he went.

What he wouldn't give to be at Fat Gum's agency with Shitty Hair. But transferring now would be an admittance of defeat.

And Ground Zero does not lose.

oOo

He underestimated this villain's metabolism. The sedative made his escape clumsy and his quirk ineffective at outrunning his executioner. Still, the fact of the matter was: Izuku messed up.

Now there was a broken window in the man's apartment and an unconscious body sprawled out in a random alleyway. Because the sedative did knock the villain out, eventually. But now, how to carry him back? Despite the handicap, the speed quirk got him far.

The jet propulsion in his boots and gloves only had the strength to carry his own weight. Even if they could lift more it would be impossible to steer while holding someone. If he stashed the villain in a dumpster somewhere and left for better tools he'd probably wake up before Izuku got back.

It was a predicament.

"Need some help?"

The blast left a charred hole of crumbling bricks beside Stain's head. The man did not flinch. Instead, he chuckled. "You missed."

"It was a warning shot," Izuku said. "Now leave before I knock you out."

"Knock me out?" Stain said. "You won't kill me?"

Izuku sighed, glancing between tonight's target and the infamous hero killer.

"One kill at a time work better for you, hmm?"

"Yes." Izuku regarded Stain for a moment, taking in his relaxed stance and shit eating grin. Then he gave Stain the villain's address. "Carry him and I'll meet you there."

Stain gave him a mocking salute, hefting the man over his shoulder.

Izuku didn't bother to question his motives. He understood professional curiosity. For tonight, at least, they would be allies.

He arrived first and patched the window with cardboard. It would do well enough to give them privacy. Then he busied himself with the photos of the villain's victims, laying them out in a wide circle. When Stain showed up Izuku pointed and the body was laid out in the center.

Normally Izuku liked having a talk with his victims before he injected the poison. But with an audience present he decided to forgo that part of his ritual. It's not like anyone would know the difference.

Stain watched, standing by the door with his hands politely clasped behind his back. But Izuku knew the man was tense, his fingers twitching by the handles of his katanas.

He whistled when Izuku froze the man into position.

"Those gloves got more than lasers in them, I see," Stain said.

Izuku clapped his hands together as he straightened up. "Well! It's been a pleasure working with you. Now if you'll excuse me…"

He tried to dodge the blade, but Stain was too fast. He nicked Izuku's neck. Still, Izuku managed to coat the weapon in frost before he could lick the blood.

"So you know how my quirk works," Stain said. He glared at his hand, which was stuck to the katana's handle. "Aren't you a sticky one."

"I've done my research," Izuku said.

"And what of the heroes? You research them too?"

"Of course." Izuku sighed. Stain was blocking the door. "Are you going to make me jump out the window?"

"Just wanted to have a chat."

"We've chatted enough for one night," Izuku said. He coated the katana still strapped to Stain's belt in the same frost, noticing the man's fingers twitching. "That'll melt in a few hours."

"You've never thought about applying your skills against the heroes?"

"I have." In fact the first person Izuku ever thought about killing had been a hero. The day All Might died and the new Number 1 stumbled into place.

But he didn't have the strength.

"We'd make a good team," Stain said. "Ever think about that?"

"Found a target out of your reach?"

"Yes. But I've seen you fly with those boots of yours." Stain stuck his ridiculous tongue out and waggled his eyebrows. "And I'm better at immobilizing my prey."

Despite himself Izuku bit his lip, tempted after tonight's miscalculation. "Who do you have in mind?"

"Uravity."

Izuku scowled and froze Stain's feet to the ground. "Hey!"

"You are not killing Uravity." He adjusted the dial on his gloves, adding the chemical compound that would prevent the ice from melting. "There's nothing more for us to discuss."

"These heroes are selfish!" Stain said. "All they care about is money-"

"Providing for your family is the purest and most selfless thing a person can do," Izuku said. "Your logic is twisted."

He covered Stain's entire body in ice now, only leaving his head exposed. "Then you'll kill me?" Stain did not look afraid. "It's what you do best, eh, Kira?"

"I hate that name," Izuku said. "Call me Deku."

He found the original victim's cell phone in his bedroom. Calling the police is a simple matter when you've got a voice modulator built into your helmet.

"There's been an attempted murder," he said. "Come quickly, he might not survive."