i’ve been reading bkdk fics nonstop for the past month and a half, and genuinely nothing has delivered dopamine to my brain quite like this. i have never loved a ship more.
bakugo and izuku, you will always be famous to me.
Viridian. Pied Piper. Ghost. Cicada. Kuroko. Cheshire. Zero. Ivy. Phoenix. So many vigilante names, each with a depth of meaning that at times rivals the meaning of the name Deku. Heck, sometimes Deku IS his vigilante name! I’ve been on a Vigilante Izuku kick lately, and since I came across a few really good ones I’d never seen before, I decided to combine them with the ones already in my bookmarks and make a new fic rec list. Fair warning: I was specifically on a longfic vigilante Izuku kick, so most of these are not short (slight understatement). Most have some degree of Dadzawa, because that’s so common with these and I like it. Quite a few also have well developed Bakugou redemption, for similar reasons. And finally, lots of great Shinsou friendships, because we all know he’s my favorite! I sorted them into three rough categories:
Section 1: Eleven fics with him as a young vigilante, either pre-UA or during high school years without him being at UA. He might end up at UA in the end, but it had to be less than half of the fic for it to be in this category.
Section 2: Five fics where he is a UA student for more than half of the story, though not necessarily in the hero department.
Section 3: Seven Eight fics where he’s an adult vigilante, regardless of whether or not he attended UA.
Ratings range from G to E, and while some are fluffy, many have pretty dark themes, so mind the tags! Hope you all can find a new story to love somewhere in the list, because all of these have stuck with me in some way. And, as always, if you find one you like, please give the author a kudos or comment to share the love!
Section 1: Pre-UA and/or high school age but not a UA student for most of it
Always Chasing After Something by GriffinRose
Rated T, 29/29 chapters, 202,865 words, no / Midoriya ship
So much Eri love in this one!
Author's summary:
While his class is on internships, Aizawa seeks out an underground informant to get information about the League of Villains. After a disappointing conversation, Aizawa finds the informant badly injured and takes him for medical help.
And finds out how young this guy really is.
And that there's another kid. With no parents in sight.
Look, they're underage, he HAS to get involved now.
Heap of ashes that I am, by bunjeegumboy
Rated M, 44/44 chapters, 226,595 words, no / Midoriya ship
Some pretty heavy suicidal ideation in this one, major Dadzawa, and some pretty sincere and long-term work put in by Bakugou to become a better person. Major Shinsou & Midoriya friendship as well.
Author's summary:
Sometimes, when Izuku allows himself to comprehend the sick reality of his life, he finds that it no longer resembles the roots from which he sprouts. He is a fickle rose bush that was cared for and raised and coddled in its early seasons by a loving mother, growing strong, interwoven roots and a reliable base. And, Izuku thinks, he would have been a lovely rose bush. He would have flourished and unfurled and oh wouldn't that have been nice?
Instead, along came Bakugou Katsuki: vegetation killer in a compatibly sized spray bottle.
But this is the life Izuku has. It is ugly and broken and unrecognizable and so unbearably his and, god, how Izuku wishes it wasn't. But it is. So he makes his peace.
or
Izuku finds out he has a revival quirk and uses the opportunity to become a vigilante.
invincible by supercrunch
Rated T, 1/1 chapter, 20,005 words, Bk/Dk
Heartbreakingly sweet, Katsuki seeks redemption and Izuku heals.
Author's summary:
This is the way the world works: the sun rises in the east. The strong come out on top. Bakugou Katsuki rockets through life like a comet and Midoriya Izuku stumbles after. If he believed in such things Katsuki would say it was written in the stars. That some god of war had looked at him and said this one. That he’d been passed along a line to get his blessings – genius, willpower, fearless ambition – and dropped off on earth.
Then, of course, there is the question of Deku. The spitfire runt. Deku, no matter what the world does to him, never stops hoping.
Until, of course, he eventually does.
(Katsuki broke him. Snapped him in half like a twig and now has to scramble to put Deku back together. “We can do this, Deku," he says slowly. "There are so many mysteries that never got put to bed. Criminals roaming around looking to hurt people and you and me, we can fix that.”
There’s a long pause. The comforter slips a little off Deku’s skinny shoulders and drowns him. “You mean like a team?”
In that split second, Katsuki makes a decision he’s never even considered. He swallows his pride. “Yeah, Deku. We’d be a team.”)
Mutilante, by Starlight (Fandom_Eclipse)
Rated G, 1/1 chapter, 13,660 words, no / Midoriya ship
The series of hoodies and personalities he uses for this are both adorable and hysterical.
Author's summary:
Izuku was debating the merits of seeking out the new vigilante group that was on the news when he heard the list of known members. He knew those names. Specifically, he knew those because they were assigned to six of his hoodies.
He knew he should come clean. Maybe just stick to one costume, or stop being a vigilante altogether. Groups were treated much more seriously than lone entities, and he could get in serious trouble if they sent heroes after him expecting backup that didn’t exist.
A week later, he had characters designed for every hoodie he owned.
In which Izuku becomes a one-man organization, and everyone has to deal with the consequences.
Prodigal, by writerllofllworlds
Rated T, 15/15 chapters, 56,802 words, BkDk
If you love All Might, Mirio, Inko, or Nedzu, this may not be a good fic for you - they all do some pretty crappy things. But Izuku, being Izuku, perseveres through it all with the support of Tsukauchi, Aizawa, and Bakugou.
Author's summary:
After being convinced to give One for All to Mirio, Midoriya Izuku must rebuild his shattered dreams with bloody hands.
Shut the Gates of Mercy by DoesItSaySassOnMyUniform
Rated M, 12/? chapters as of April 2022, 81,082 words, no / Midoriya ship
This is unfinished, but the world the author builds makes it SO worth a read. The way they write Aizawa’s and Midoriya’s interactions is amazing.
Author's summary:
In Izuku’s defence, when he’d started he’d had no way of knowing the absolute clusterfuck he’d been about to uncover. After a life of being put down, he’d just wanted a chance to prove himself - to say “fuck you” to the people who had doubted him, and maybe save some lives while he was at it.
That’s not what happened.
At least he could say he tried. After all, All might had said he couldn’t be a hero.
He said nothing about being a Vigilante.
this is my family, by sensibleshroom
Rated T, 62/62 chapters, 106,496 words, no / Midoriya Ship
This author has some of my favorite OCs of all time among their different works. There is an unfinished sequel to this one that covers the beginning of UA - also worth a read!
Author's summary:
Nagai's Law: a minor person may use their quirk to its full capability in cases of extreme self defense or defense of a family member. A family member may be defined by personal definition to the effect that it must be reasonably defended in a court of law.
Vigilante: defined as a person not licensed and commissioned by the Hero Public Safety Commission employing their quirk to stop crime.
There is a singular truth to humanity, in the effect that if you provide humanity with a rule, they will find a way to break it. This doubles true for thirteen year olds with something to prove. Someone's going to get gray hairs, and it's not going to be them.
Vigilante Work and Other After-School Activities by lovelysandlonelys
Rated G, 1/1 chapter, 5496 words, no / Midoriya ship
One of the shortest vigilante Izuku fics I’ve read, but no less satisfying. Inko is trying so hard to keep him out of trouble, and unwittingly gets him more deeply involved in it.
Author's summary:
These were the things that Midoriya Izuku lived for:
His mother.
Hero analysis forums.
Katsudon
The time between when his mother went to sleep and sunrise.
Alternatively: Izuku is a vigilante, Aizawa likes cats and therefore kids who help cats, and sometimes breaks must be forced upon overachieving teenagers.
Viridian: the Green Guide by Clouds (myheadinthecoudsnotcomingdown)
Rated T, 120/120 chapters, 272,617 words, KamiDeku
I don’t know, is this one considered to be THE vigilante Izuku fic? It’s certainly the most popular one I’m aware of. I eagerly followed it as it was being published from chapter 30 or so to the end, and LIVED for each and every update. Then later I discovered it had a podfic by RuneLore that kept me company on a very long drive across multiple states.
Author's summary:
After his dream is finally crushed, Izuku isn’t quite sure there’s anything left for him to live for, but...he can’t exactly kill himself either, not without hurting the people he cares the most about. So, when he realizes that the quirkless can’t technically be vigilantes, it seems like the best of both worlds. He’ll be able to save people even without being a hero and, if he happens to die while he’s at it...well, like Kacchan said, maybe he’d be born with a quirk in the next life.
When Tomorrow Ends by JazzRazzberry
NR, 31/31 chapters, 217,625 words, no/ Midoriya ship
My most recent read, and possibly the most awkwardly adorable vigilante name origin. There's a non-vigilante sequel that is still being actively updated if you like their style!
Author Summary:
Midoriya Izuku was not made to be special. Not in any particular form, shape, size or function, it seemed. He didn’t need grandiose, didn’t need all the fame and fortune and riches that seemed so commonplace these days. He didn’t need to be all-powerful, all-knowing, a genius, or well known. And Izuku didn’t want to be greedy, or anything, but he would’ve liked to be special. Just a little bit. Not in a particularly self-absorbed way, but he would’ve liked just a little bit of the special that seemed to surround his peers on the daily. Just about everyone around him had so much special while he had… basically nothing. Maybe a couple hundred years ago, back when quirks weren’t a thing, he would have stood out in a crowd with his green curls, been special and unique for once in his life.
Knowing his luck, though, he probably would’ve ended up burned at the stake for witchcraft instead. That’s how they used to do it, back in the day, he’s pretty sure. With gingers. Green isn’t red but Izuku’s pretty sure it’s different enough to get him set on fire, back in the day.
Well. He’s getting burned either way.
ie: Quirkless Vigilante Izuku with a little Dadzawa on the side!
Wrong Answers Don’t Mean You Should Stop Asking Questions, by Vaimeta
Rated T, 1/1 chapters, 21,941 words, no / Midoriya ship
Not exactly a vigilante fic, but close enough! Accidental vigilante, maybe? Poor Izuku doesn’t even realize what he’s doing beyond just checking things off a list and trying to get through each day.
Author's summary:
How Midoriya was told he couldn’t be a hero by All Might, so he decided he would ask every other hero if he could be one.
Section 2: UA student for at least half of the fic
Conditions May Apply by CinnamonPinecones
Rated T, 132/? chapters as of Oct 2024, 419,130 words, no / Midoriya ship
A large chunk of it takes place before UA (the title of chapter 91 is "The Entrance Exam," for reference), but as of today it's still updating regularly and I have no idea how long it’s going to end up. It is entirely possible that half or more of it will be at UA, so I’m putting it in this category.
Author's summary:
Izuku learned at a very young age that love is conditional. Love is a reward for following the rules, love is reserved for those who are worthy of it, for those who are loveable.
Izuku was not loveable, well at least not according to anyone he'd ever met.
All he ever wanted to do was help people, to be someone worthy of loving but at 12 years old he's left with nothing and no one. Living on the streets he has to make his own way in life and maybe help some of the people in this community he's found himself in.
Follow his journey as Izuku skirts the line of the law saving people and maybe even finding someone who thinks he's worth loving.
Pied Piper, by Blackholeca
Rated T, 69/69 chapters, 297,013 words, no / Midoriya ship
I mentioned above that another fic was “the” vigilante Izuku fic in the fandom, but honestly, this one’s right up there with it for me. I don’t know why, but his one hits me harder in some ways, and I vividly remember getting the final update email and tearing up. So good, one of my all time favorite fics regardless of trope. Great OC, great relationships with Tsukauchi and Aizawa, and a lot of really heavy moral conundrums faced by Izuku.
Author summary:
If they wouldn’t give him a chance then the solution seemed simple, he’d give himself one. He’d force the world to see him, force them to recognize his hard work. He wasn’t missing a quirk, it was simply that everyone else had been given an advantage. He wasn’t broken, or useless, or incapable, and he’d prove it by outrunning all of them, he who was quirkless, he who had started in last.
[UA rejects Midoriya from the hero course and he finds salvation in vigilantism.]
The Origin of Eclipse by GriffinRose
NR, 24/24 chapters, 129,808 words, no / Midoriya ship
Serious villain Hisashi in this one, along with a very different Izuku and Katsuki childhood.
Author's summary:
In one universe, Izuku Midoriya was born quirkless. Three days after the diagnosis, his father went away on a business trip and never came back.
In another universe, Izuku Midoriya was not born quirkless. At the age of four, his father spits a few fireballs into the air like fireworks to amuse his son, and Izuku claps his hands in delight. The fireballs smoosh together and char the picture frame behind them.
In this universe, Izuku Midoriya has telekinetic control over fire, and his father never vanishes without a word.
It might have been better if he had.
The Thin Gray Line by A_ToastToTheOutcasts
Rated T, 19/19 chapters, 89,614 words, no / Midoriya ship
This is an old one - 2016 - but it’s actually the first in a series that is still being updated as of Sept 2024. Some really great OCs play central roles, and they fit into the universe beautifully.
Author's summary:
The beauty of the era of quirks wasn't the amazing abilities; it was that nobody sane would even entertain the thought that Kuroko, the most wanted vigilante in all of Japan, was Quirkless.
Viridian, by SilvermistAnimeLover
Not Rated, 23/? as of December 2022, 155,337 words, no / Midoriya ship
I jokingly referred to this as “the OTHER Viridian” when the two stories were posting simultaneously - my crappy memory made it really confusing sometimes. Very different vibes from the other Viridian fic. Also: time travel! To be fair, this might belong in the Adult Vigilante section for that reason, but he's at UA (sort of) so it's here. Unfinished, but definitely worth a read.
Author's summary:
"So why should I be the one to go?! You’re the teacher! The Hero!! What good could someone like me do?!”
“Izuku.” The man’s voice was harsh, and made the younger man’s eyes focus on his friend. His eyes softened. “It must be you. You’re not who you were back then. You aren’t useless. Remember this: You are a Hero. And the world is counting on you—even if nobody realizes it. Here. When the time comes... give this to him. You'll know he trusts you when he calls you 'Problem Child.'" He smiled fondly, handing Izuku a pair of rings on a chain.
~~~~~~~
When the world ends, their only hope is to send one Quirkless man back in time. Back in his 14-year-old body, will Midoriya Izuku be able to save the world that shunned him all his life? And will he finally be able to become a hero this go around?
Good thing he had time as a vigilante to practice.
Section 3: Adult Vigilante Izuku
i'll be your biggest kept secret and your biggest mistake by sascake
Rated M, 31/32 and 308,030 as of 1/6/25, TodoDeku
This is a late add - it updated today (Jan 6, 2025) and I realized I'd left it off, so off to edit this post I went! Yoga instructor Midoriya, EMT Shinsou, and #3 hero Shouto struggle to deal with everything life throws at them. Much Todoroki family drama. This does have a ”Bakugo faces consequences” tag implemented in a way that’s a bit harsher than most I rec - he faces some harsh consequences as an adult for hiding what he did in junior high, and we don’t see his attempts at redemption from his pov. But it feels true to character for a Bakugou who never had to confront his biggest mistake while at UA. Shinsou's life also took a very different turn here, but his friendship with Izuku is a core part of the story.
Author's summary:
Devastated by his lack of a Quirk and pushed to the limit, fourteen-year-old Midoriya Izuku takes Bakugou's advice and jumps from the roof of their school.
Ten years later, pro hero Todoroki Shouto can't stop running into a vigilante hell-bent on saving people, going after every villain he comes across, and causing a conflict in Shouto like he's never felt before.
In My Time of Dying by RazzAppleMagic
Rated E, 10/10 chapters, 52,855 words, BakuDeku
Katsuki and Izuku being dramatic both about society and each other, and managing to drag a large chunk of the former 1A into it with them.
Author's summary:
Katsuki crushes the plastic in his palm, turns on his heel to look around him. He doesn’t hear Izuku step out from his hiding place. He doesn’t feel his presence until Izuku is there, right behind him.
“Are you here to arrest me, Kacchan?”
(In which, Izuku is a U.A. dropout turned vigilante and Katsuki is a pro hero that has made it his life’s mission to bring Izuku back to his side.)
Just a Concerned Citizen by Domoz
Rated T, 21/21 chapters, 68,912 words, ShinDeku
Sort of a vigilante fic? He really only dips a toe into actual vigilantism but stirs up a hornet’s nest in the process. A fun read where he meets most of 1A as adults.
Author's summary:
Midoriya Izuku is a normal, quirkless, college drop-out. He's not a vigilante. Everything he does is perfectly above board and totally legal -- He's double checked.
It would be nice if everyone else could see it that way, though.
(Izuku becomes an informant, sort of. Trouble follows.)
Rewind, Reset, Remember by ThyNameNotSpoken
Rated E, 41/41 chapters, 264,739 words, BkDk
I would read ANYTHING this author wrote. Their worldbuilding skills are incredible. In this one, they start with a hint of canon and characterize our favs beautifully, but if you expect any of the normal events, you’re in the wrong place. Canon took a hard left very early on, so the setting is a gorgeous divergence from the typical. Love, love, love this fic!
Author's summary:
The Underground: a network of vigilantes supported and directed by the Hero Commission to assist in maintaining the structure of Hero Society through any means necessary.
Izuku descended into the Underground after the War, a quirkless medic with no future. Presented with a deal of a lifetime. He entered the doors of Illusion and into the laps of Heroes spilling all their secrets and wants. Strings of Hero Society plucked by the Commission while Izuku and his crew deal with criminals in forgotten areas of the city. Whatever missions the Commission throws at them just a bonus.
There are whispers of a new threat growing in the city and, to make matters worse, Izuku finds himself with the eyes of the Number One hero on him. A slippery slope into something Izuku can't escape.
If there’s anything Izuku has learned as a vigilante and spy, it’s that everything is not what it seems.
Rut Buddy by HazelWitch
Rated E, 27/27 chapters, 135,544 words, BkDk
If you don’t like the whole Alpha/Omega thing, this really isn’t the fic for you. However - most vigilante Izuku stories are about Izuku overcoming societal prejudices and/or bad situations because of his determination to help others, and this is no exception. It’s just set in the midst of a lot of crazy hormonal stuff!
Author's summary:
“You will take one week of rut leave, starting from next Monday,” Mirio says, voice cheerful again and smile tacked in place. “And you will report to the med bay beforehand and afterward to confirm that your hormone levels have been appropriately attended to.”
The thought makes Katsuki feel physically sick.
_______
Bakugou Katsuki hasn't had a rut since he was fifteen years old. He hasn't seen his quirkless childhood friend since then, either.
Both of those things are about to change.
OR: the fic that ended up not really being about heats and ruts at all, but about what it really means to be a hero.
sparks and teeth, by smilelikethesun
Rated M, 15/15 chapters, 47,725 words, BakuDeku
This is also a favorite - I just love the characterizations. Izuku is perfect. More of a social justice vigilante than a villain hunting vigilante, but Inko is badass, Katsuki is a pining idiot, and the former 1A crew really comes through.
Author's summary:
Izuku Midoriya has been missing for almost four years, and this time, he didn't leave a note.
Katsuki, in the meantime, has been searching for him and working full-time as a hero. His mission for the last year has been to locate and capture the mysterious vigilante Zero.
When he opens his apartment door in the middle of the night to a dying Izuku in a Zero mask, he doesn't know what to do.
- - - - -
"Izuku?" Katsuki whispered.
Izuku's eyes fluttered shut as he grimaced, curling into himself. He was holding his stomach. His black, deeply-shadowed jumpsuit looked darker where he was holding himself, a black pool spreading. He moved his hand from his stomach and stared at his scarlet palm.
"I didn't—" He laughed weakly, red dripping suddenly from the corner of his mouth. "I didn't know where else to go. Kacchan."
The Case of Cheshire by rdillard1
Rated G, 27/27 chapters, 134,181 words, no / Midoriya ship
Nice Tsukauchi mentorship here with a good look at what might have happened had Izuku gone into police work.
Author's summary:
Izuku Midoriya had always wanted to be a hero. Even when the world beat him down, he had learned to stand back up. But over time, after watching your heroes fail you again and again, the title of hero took on another meaning. He may not have had a quirk, but he knew he could be a hero, even if it was as a detective.
He hadn't meant to become a vigilante, honestly. It just...happened. But he had quickly learned the law could only get him so far. Almost overnight, the vigilante Cheshire became a name to be feared by the corrupt and praised by the innocent who fell through the cracks of society. Izuku, or Cheshire, finally found a place in the world to belong and he would never be knocked down again.
zero-sum game by roadtripwithlucifer
Rated E, 23/23 chapters, 190,099 words, Bk/Dk
One of the fics I think about more than almost any other I’ve read. In my top ten list of all BNHA fics regardless of ship. Be warned though, it gets really, really heavy.
Author's summary:
It’s been four years since Deku dropped off the face of the earth. Katsuki knows he’s going to find him. He’s so close to him, he can almost touch him.
give me ur favorite bkdk fics im starving i need them chapter 424 carved an endless pit of …. something empty inside of me and i need to fill it with canon slowburn way too long and possibly band au fics thank u for ur contribution
(i need help)
- anon!!
OMG HELLO. WOW.
okay honestly i haven’t read THAT many fics yet but still there are some faves
my absolute love goes to “the art of falling” by sapphicflower on ao3 and as far as i know its not finished yet BUT ITS SO GOOD I CAN’T *NOT* RECOMMEND IT. it’s a quirkless au where bakugou is in a band and deku is a songwriter and they have to work together AND THE SLOWBURN THERE IS KILLING ME ITS SOO NKMXKXXXNX
my second fav is “My Hero Academia - The Post-War Arc” by Son_of_Olympus which is uh as it is clear by the title literally the post war arc. lemme say its actually really close to canon but deku still has ofa so it can be read as an alternative ending of mha
okay this one is the funniest i’ve read srsly. “Bluebird” by EtherealBeing. it’s an au where katsuki accidentally calls wrong number (which happens to be izuku midoriya’s) and starts ranting about his day and then he realised he made a mistake but they still start chatting. im a sucker for “strangers to lovers” trope so. yeah. also deku writes poems there and this is one of the best hcs i’ve seen.
yeah i think those three are my favorites idk if u’ve read them already but i cried over EVERY one of them njsnxknx so yeah good luck
its been over three years since i posted the first chapter of message delivered!!!! it is still being enjoyed and that it means the world 🥹 i wrote it during a really tough time for me but BNHA actually helped me meet the love of my life so 😭❤️ i may not be as active in the fandom but it will always have a special place in my heart 💚 🧡 love you all!!
