Bakugo stormed down the street. He'd just left the hero agency after a long, exhausting day, and of course, something had to ruin his moment of solitude.

As he rounded the corner, his shoulder collided with someone else's, hard enough that Bakugo could feel the impact through his body.

“Oi, watch where the fuck you're going!” he snarled, his voice loud and threatening, expecting the usual response—some embarrassed mumbling or an apology.

But the guy didn’t react. Bakugo’s scowl deepened as he stared at the man, waiting for him to speak up, but still, nothing.

Bakugo took a step closer, his temper flaring. “Did you hear me, asshole? I said—"

Then he noticed it. The guy wasn’t looking at him like most people would when they’re about to get chewed out. His gaze was directed at Bakugo’s mouth.

He narrowed his eyes. “Oi, are you dumb or something?”

The guy raised an eyebrow, then gestured to his own ear and shook his head slowly.

Wait. No way. Is this guy...

Bakugo’s heart skipped a beat, realization settling in. The guy was deaf. He hadn't heard a word Bakugo had yelled at him.

A weird mix of frustration and... embarrassment? washed over him. The bastard had made him look like an idiot.

“Tch, whatever,” he muttered under his breath, rubbing the back of his neck. “Didn’t know you were deaf.“

The guy’s expression softened, and he lifted one hand, his fingers moving in slow, deliberate motions. Bakugo frowned.

“Sign language...?” Bakugo muttered. He had seen it before but never really bothered to learn more than the alphabet.

The guy nodded, his smile small but genuine, then quickly signed something Bakugo couldn’t follow.

“Oi, I don’t know that shit,” Bakugo grumbled, but there was no real bite to his words. He was trying to communicate, frustrated with himself for being so slow.

The guy signed again, this time more slowly, and then pointed to his own chest, mouthing a word that Bakugo could barely make out: "Name."

Bakugo blinked, processing. "Bakugo. Katsuki Bakugo," he signed clumsily.