Shatter the Stars: With Every Strike.

My hands shook. I couldn't believe it. I was chosen for a Work-Study! I remember the exam to get my license, seeing that name emblazoned on my card: Renegade? It felt like I was so much closer to my goal. I needed to earn the name. I needed to earn it.

I knew that I needed to earn it ON MY OWN. I was strong enough. I laughed harder at death every day. Every time I broke, I worried the shit outta Momo. I wasn't scared. Not anymore. I wore my costume, ignited, and stepped out. Only to be downright MOBBED. That's what was so odd about my 'exam' if you could even call it that.

They just handed me my license and told me to go. There seemed to be an overabundance of government personnel around, especially once I showed up, it was like if the Prime Minister showed up. Then I saw who did.

It was a tall man with silver hair, his eyes were clouded over, I didn't know who the hell he was. Yet he seemed to know me.

"Hey," he greeted like he was my friend.

"Who are you? I've got an exam to take!" I snarled.

"Whoa whoa, easy! My name's Shintani Takayuki, we've been keepin' an eye on you for a while. I'm part of the Association for the Advancement of Quirk Palsy Research, the legal corner, anyway," he mumbled a little.

"AAQPR? I haven't heard of it…" I said, Shintani smiled.

"It's relatively new, the National Diet cobbled it together after the Sports Festival and started shuckin' money our way after Kamino Ward. I'll explain more on the way… by the way, congrats on your full Hero Licence!" he explained.

"Hold it! What? No, no, no! I still have school! I have a girlfriend! How is my mom okay with some government suit taking me somewhere, what about my brother?" I asked, prattling.

"Well, everything's well in hand considering that our unofficial Number One has generously provided his assistance, starting today, you're partnering with Endeavor! Isn't that great? Working with your childhood hero?" Shintani ribbed me. Was the world goin' MENTAL?!

I'm sixteen, with a hot girlfriend, school, a family that would probably KILL for me, and now I'm a hero? A legit hero?

"When did you guys decide to 'enlist' me?" I asked.

"People petitioned the government, got things going, then… they approved you for hero work!" He explained.

"Are you delusional?" I asked flatly.

"I'm sixteen! I've got school! I've got friends and a girlfriend! I've got a LIFE! I'm not ready yet…" I sighed, "I'm not ready and I'll probably take a bit…"

The car stopped in front of Endeavor's agency, and I didn't get the chance to see if Shintani was having a 'come to Jesus' moment or not. All I saw was my childhood hero looking like he was in a mood. Mostly a 'This poor kid's gonna end up dead.' kinda mood.

"Hello, Bakugou," he stated flatly.

"Endeavor," I acknowledged, he awkwardly guided me inside and shut the door behind him.

"They're mental! Absolutely INSANE!" he ranted, "You're a child, a child!"

"See?! That's what I'm sayin'!" I agreed, he sighed and sat at his office desk, with me scuttling to the chair in front of it.

"Listen, the only reason why I took you on as my… apprentice is because you have the power and the will, the only thing I don't agree with is the timing," he huffed, he was extinguished and seemingly deflated. Almost as if he was thinking about something or seeing someone else sitting where I was right now.

"You know that Giant, right? Mount Lady? She's one of the youngest heroes to start her agency, and I'm guessing that they thought it was a GRAND IDEA to make you the next youngest… I understand if you want to back out and give it some time," he sighed, motioning to the door.

I stayed in my seat, "I'll do it," I stated.

"What?" Endeavor asked.

"I'll do it, sir, I've come this far, my only condition is to have enough free time for my family, friends, girl, and schoolwork," I said, "I might not be ready, but I'll try to be,"

Endeavor nodded, "It's a deal then, you start tomorrow," he agreed, "You'll get weekends off,"

"Fair's fair," I said.

So here I was, trying to patrol with all kinds of people gathered around me for autographs, I was glad to make some other people happier, I remember waking up next to Momo, she was reluctant, she didn't like that I decided to be a hero.

"I'll always support you… just be careful," she said before I left. I mostly did the week's worth of work last night, only coming to bed when it was done, no matter what the glamour…

Hero work was lonely. Even if Endeavor and I partnered up, it was still one of the loneliest jobs in the world. My radio buzzed.

"Burnin' to Renegade, can y' hear me, small fry?"

I sighed, Moe always called me small fry or squirt, but she still had seniority over me. She was more of Endeavor's assistant than I was, I was to be called in on big cases. If Moe was callin' me now…

That meant this one was gonna be BIG.

"Give it to me, baby," I said, smirking.

"Quit with the metal references…" she sighed.

"Hey, the Offspring is hard rock, not metal," I huffed.

I heard some music in the distance, the intro to Rats by Ghost? Who the hell is playing that?

"That's why I called ya, some asshat's quirk summons rats when the song Rats is played,"

"Any limits, Flame Princess?" I asked.

"Yeah, apparently the fucker's delusional, thinkin' he's some sorta 'Rat God' or somethin',"

I smirked, "What is a god to a nonbeliever?" I asked. I blasted into the sky, using my blasts to make me pseudo-fly. I saw the perp and Moe went offline to do her stuff. It seemed that the guy was rocking out pretty hard.

Considering that a ton of rats was carting out wagon after wagon of cash and other valuables from the stores and banks nearby, I raised my hand, still floating on my blasts.

"HEY! CARDINAL! EAT THIS!" I yelled, sweeping my hand, seeing a wave of rats assemble and take my All-Clear Sweeping Blast. I was careful to keep the battlefield wide. If I got close-quarters, the people inside would be in danger.

I shut my eyes and felt a blast gather in my throat, letting it out in a Dragon Shell. Seeing the rats scurry and hideaway, seeing the perp sitting on the ground, he looked up at me. He was in a dirty cassock, with a parody staff in his hand of what the Papas would hold in Ghost's concerts.

"Ah, who are you?" he asked.

I pulled my mask up, letting the smoke filter through, "It's Renegade, and I'm supposing you're trying to be Cardinal Copia's dirty cousin?" I taunted.

"The Plague is coming, Young One," he stated darkly, amping up the song to a volume that caused the leftover rats to gather and even more to bust out of the sewers. Full Salvo activated, already edging towards Burning.

"Hey! Some other heroes are comin'! What should I tell 'em?!"

"Tell 'em I'll keep Copia busy! Just focus on getting the civilians outta here! I need ample space to let loose! Urban settings are my Kryptonite…" I commanded, wreathing myself in explosive energy and making a sphere.

"FULL BODY BOMBER!" I yelled, slamming hard into the walls of Rats and burning them to ash. I felt bad for them, even worse for Copia, who was starting to shut down, even crying at every wave I brought down. I stood before him, and he rallied himself quickly.

"The Plague is you! That is what you are, BOY!" he yelled, bringing his staff over his head. He tried to summon more, but he dropped his staff and a single rat scurried out, not even attacking, just confused.

"It's over, nice costume, just… come quietly, okay? Bring your rat with you," I sighed. My phone started to sound out.

It was Momo, I didn't want to answer, mostly because she was in the crowd, and it was a Wednesday. That meant interviews and lots of them. She didn't like the fact that I came home late. I ignored the media and went over to her.

"Babe, it's kind of a bad time right now…" I sighed deeply, "I'll be home soon,"

Momo pulled me into her arms, glaring at the gathered reporters and ignoring the fact that I was covered in sewage.

I couldn't believe him. I couldn't believe those stupid bastards that forced this on him. Renaru was just a kid. Like me. I held him, regardless of him being drenched in sewage, I made sure to wear some of the less-expensive stuff he gave me.

He looked so tired and so jaded nowadays, it's like all the life in him was put away in favor of being the stoic hero he was. I wanted him back so badly. It's been a few weeks since he started being a hero, and my Work-Study with Fatgum was going well.

But Renaru's apprenticeship with Endeavor was taking its toll, regardless of how kindly he was being treated and the almost fatherly way the Number One hero treated him, he seemed so tired. He seemed so jaded, too.

Nothing rattled him other than the possibilities of me being hurt.

"Is this permanent?" I asked.

Shrug.

"Are you okay with this?" I continued.

Nod.

"Use your words, and answer me, what if you encounter a Nomu worse than the ones you've fought before?" He looked up at me and thumbed back to the piles of ash where he fought that Copia guy.

"That'll happen, I'll wipe the floor with it," he flatly stated, reminding me of the scant times I met Endeavor, "Are you listening to yourself?!" I trilled, "This isn't RIGHT… We're CHILDREN, Renaru!"

"That never stopped Stain or All For One, that never stopped anything we faced! I'm finally where I always wanted to be… look around! I… I won! I did something good!" he snapped, "I'm finally the hero I wanted to be…" he sighed.

I felt something burn into my heart, something I've long since buried. Rage, white-hot, and scalding. I gripped his shoulders and started to shake in barely-contained rage.

"Look around! Isn't this enough for you? Am I enough for you?!" I yelled.

Then Renaru glared at me, his eyes burning as he brushed my hands off his shoulders, "Why can't you support me on this?" he snarled.

"Because I want you to stay ALIVE! I… I want a part of this… I want to be your supporter, but I can't because there's… so much wrong with this," I admitted.

"Of course this isn't right! I know this is messed up! I'm gambling LIVES! Even the tragedy of fatherhood that's Endeavor agrees with me! I don't wanna throw this away though, it's a good head start," he reasoned.

Here we were, surrounded by the paparazzi.

"Hey… I got something to say," he said, "I'm not always gonna be fightin' and runnin' and blowin' shit up, Endeavor's given me the weekends off,"

I nodded, "That means more dates, more times for school and stuff… it's alright," he sighed, gently rubbing my cheek.

"I'll letcha be a part of it. That's what I wanted to do… I wanna be a hero, but I gotta make time for you guys, too…" he admitted, "Luckily Endeavor's not as hardass as he was back at the Fest…" he sighed, grabbing my hand.

"I'mma go back home and take a shower," he huffed, and I joined him in walking away, leaving the flashing cameras and hawking questions behind. We made it back to the dorms with his fight taking its toll on him.

We went inside, seeing the others all in our common area, with the others seeing us come in. Mina ran up to us.

"So~ What's up with Renaru's little sewage coverage?" she asked.

"Yeah dude, you're even dirtier than Mineta's porno mags…" Sero piped up.

"Hey! Without me, he wouldn't be able to bless the tiddies! Who do you think covered the security cameras in the hot springs for them?" Mineta boasted.

I rolled my eyes, taking him over to the nearby bathrooms, not caring which ones they were, only that I needed to get this gunk off him. I just smelled the odor of sweat, sewage, and other smells that belonged in a sewer. I peeled off his costume, throwing it over to my chute.

He looked so much smaller without the spandex and the armor plating. So much like the boy, I fell for, small and fighting every moment, doing his best. Not the stoic hero that replaced him. His best is all I asked for.

He didn't blush, all he did was stay in my arms, the water falling around us, he didn't want to look at me, all he wanted was to stay in my arms.

He didn't cry, he was out of tears, "I'm so… so lucky…" he sighed, "I have you… I'm so happy…"

It was hard to see Momo without seeing someone I loved so much, she held me as the warm shower water washed all the stickiness off. I didn't know what to say or what to do. I didn't make eye contact with her, because if I did…

Things would just devolve from there. She was so close, so soft… she was right here. Right where I wanted to be ever since I started working for Endeavor. I missed her and I missed Katsuki and my friends… most of all my Mom.

She massaged my back, gently humming, her hands so gentle, "Does this feel good, Ren? I know you miss me a lot…" she sighed, her lips pressing against my neck, I let out a small groan.

"Ooh… that's a yes on that front…" she murmured. I kissed her on the cheek, giving in to her. She started by pressing me to the wall, messily kissing me. She seemed so needy, so caught up in her desires. I went along with it, she didn't let me take control of it all.

She continued, messing with me the whole time, taking her time teasing me with getting it over with, I sparked in the heat-charged air, there was something up. I never sparked this early. What did she do? What is she GOING to do?

"Renaru… let's do it…" she gasped, "Be with me, Renaru…"

I started to spark, even more, feeling wrong. My sparks started to fire. What was wrong with me? She kissed me, and I screwed my eyes shut, feeling her press herself against me, "C'mon…" she urged. I kissed her, her hands let go of my wrists and I wrapped my arms around her.

All of it was gone. Me being a hero, her being left behind. We were together now. She grinned and I slid into her, hearing her gasp.

"Mm…" she grunted, "I missed you…"

"I know, right?" I asked, "I missed you too…"

"Just try to stay quiet…" I sighed.

"You can't be serious!" Katsuki snapped, Momo and I looked at each other sheepishly, we were all outside, apparently hot, steamy air can make my blasts that much stronger. Luckily, the water counteracted the sparks but not the smoke.

Now here we were, getting chewed out by my brother and Tenya. Mr. Aizawa, Mr. Mic, and Miss Midnight all were laughing about this, well… the other two, not Aizawa, he just sighed and dropped five bucks into each of their outstretched hands.

"You set off the damn smoke alarms?! All while banging your girlfriend?!" Katsuki ranted, "Wait until Mom gets ahold of this!"

"This just goes to show that intimacy is best left in the bedroom," Tenya agreed. Momo nodded slowly and I did too. Later on, we both landed in my bed, last night I stayed with her, now she stayed with me again. I kissed her goodnight and set my alarm for four fifteen in the morning. Endeavor said that tomorrow was going to be my job to represent him at a meeting between the Nighteye agency and several other agencies regarding the League and the new group, the Shie Hassaikai. He couldn't make it due to other reasons I didn't ask about.

All that I knew was gonna be flipped on its head. I was at least glad that Momo was gonna be in the meeting. I rolled over to face her and pulled myself into her arms, she sleepily wrapped her arms around me.

I just hope that whatever fucked-up shit we go through doesn't royally piss me off...

*PROMINENCE BURN! PROMINENCE BURN! PROMINENCE-* I turned my alarm off and Momo woke up.

"Morning, honey…" she yawned, "Sleep well?" she asked.

"Yeah… mornin'..." I groaned, stretching.

"Sheesh, Endeavor makes you get up early, huh?" she wondered.

I shrugged, "Actually I wake myself up pretty early. I get there to open up the agency, then he drops in, drops some patrols on my desk and it's work myself to kingdom come until lunch, I meet up with Moe and we just talk about all the shit he puts us through, it's torture sometimes, like yesterday with Copia, but I still wanna help out the little guys," I explained.

"You will not BELIEVE how many kids recognize me now, they stop and stare at me like I'm the incarnated god or something… when I sign their stuff, it makes them so happy…" I sighed, "I guess they remind me of myself back when I was their age,"

Momo smiled, "What's so bad about it?" she asked.

"Oh dear LORD! Endeavor's goddamn PAPERWORK! How many condescending assholes he has to deal with that have the BALLS to complain! And… and the coffee he orders… JET BLACK! How?! Seriously, HOW?!" I ranted, Momo laughed and kissed me lightly, stopping me from going on and on that it takes SHEER FORCE OF WILL to drink it without gagging.

Like the Peanut Butter incident. Only without Momo in a bra. She continued to kiss me, deepening it, both of us still lazily sleepy. I kissed her everywhere I wanted to reach, and she would nip at me now and then.

"Momo, babe, I gotta go, don't want Mr. Propane and Propane Accessories to be mad at me…" I mumbled between kisses.

"Just a little longer, Ren… for me?" she whispered.

I pushed her off me gently, not wanting to go, but at the same time, I had to. She seemed to take it well, seeing as we would see each other in a few hours anyway. I pulled on my uniform, holding my costume case, Momo still laid in my bed, and she looked so down.

"Renaru… good luck today, okay?" she called weakly, her voice thick with emotion.

"Momo, I'll try, alright? I'll see ya soon," I sighed, I didn't want to leave her. She looked so heartbroken, almost like she was hiding something. Almost like she wanted to stop me. I knew her. It's not like her to be so down.

I was on the train to the agency, seeing everything whisk by made my heartache. I wanted to go back to those days where I could just… be young. I'm a hero, but it just feels like everything's a sham. I felt the train slow down and I got off.

I walked slowly, almost like a gallows march up the way to the agency, probably getting Endeavor's and Moe's coffee again. Coffee makes my explosions out of control, so I drink tea. I pushed open the door and passed by Endeavor's office, seeing him sitting at his desk.

"Good Morning, Bakugou," he greeted simply.

"Mornin' boss…" I huffed. Endeavor looked up at me in slight confusion, he leaned forward a bit, when he did that, it meant he had something to say.

"Is everything alright?" he asked, and I looked at him like he grew a second head. He was taciturn with me at first, only barking orders and sometimes praising my efforts.

So it felt weird to see him so concerned. Shouto told me to be patient with him, as much as he doesn't like the guy for what he did to his mom and siblings… it felt like he was trying to reconnect and try to be better.

Seeing as I was the perfect model of what he wanted Shouto to be, a blind fanboy that'd follow him into hell, it was weird.

"Let's talk this out," he said, motioning to the chair in front of the desk. I gulped and sidled in, remembering that this guy was my boss, why did it feel like he was a concerned parent?

"How are you adjusting?" he asked.

I didn't say anything, still weirded out that my fucking boss is acting like a dad to me.

"I… I don't know, sir," I mumbled.

"Hm," Endeavor grunted.

"Well… I mean, it's hard not to be able to have as much free time anymore… I felt bad for the villain I fought yesterday, I killed his only friends," I sighed, "Dude loved those little guys,"

Endeavor nodded, "It's hard to fight other people when other's lives are at risk, if you weren't there, there would be more casualties, think about it, take your feelings out of it," he advised.

"So, about the meeting…" I segued.

"Oh, yes, the meeting, Lemillion, and Deku encountered our man while on patrol, and as you may not have known, Creati took a bullet, but it wasn't a normal ballistic one, it was…" I snapped.

"WHAT?! NO ONE TOLD ME!" I bellowed, "She was hurt?! She… she was just fine…" I mumbled, my sparks extinguishing weakly.

"You didn't let me finish, Bakugou, the only reason why Moe never told you was that you'd make things worse…" Endeavor sighed, "Besides, we got a crucial piece of evidence to ascertain their true goals," He continued.

"Lemme guess, I'm going because you can't?" I asked.

"Exactly," Endeavor stated.

"Great, leave it to Coffee Boy…" I huffed.

Endeavor let me go, and I left for the agency, still fuming that Momo got shot and she didn't tell me. Still fuming that Endeavor treated it like something to be handwaved. I saw them crossing the road, Tsuyu, and Ochako, Izuku, and Momo. And me bringing up the rear.

Up ahead, I saw the three strongest students of UA, Mirio Togata, who beat me. Tamaki Amajiki, who I didn't see much of. And Nejire Hado, the girl that WOULDN'T. STOP. ANNOYING. ME. The others noticed me coming and Momo avoided eye contact.

"Hey, Izuku, Ochako, Tsu! You three are lookin' good!" I greeted them.

"Oh! Hey there, Ren!" Izuku said, "How's your apprenticeship with Endeavor going?" he asked.

"Ehh, runnin' coffee orders and doin' paperwork ain't my idea of fun, my fight with Copia was the only action I saw and the poor guy's colony of rats died for him 'cept one. Other than that, the murmurs of the Hassaikai's got Endeavor on edge, what's got you so tense, Icchan?" I asked, seeing Izuku flinch at the mention of the Hassaikai.

"Well, Mirio and I… we were on patrol a few days ago…" he mumbled, his voice heavy with building rage.

We were just walking along, not much to report, when someone slammed into me.

Izuku saw a little girl with white hair take a tumble, falling on her rear, and looking scared. He knelt. Her red eyes stared up at the greenette.

"Whoa there, are you okay? You took a tumble," he said, reaching out, seeing that the girl jerked bodily away, Mirio and Izuku then heard footsteps and the girl tackled into Izuku's arms.

That's when we saw him.

A man strode calmly toward them, his golden eyes leveled at the girl in Izuku's arms. He had short brown hair and a green jacket with the purple faux fur collar. He wore a plague mask trimmed with gold, his hands covered with white gloves.

"You should be more careful, we don't wanna cause more trouble for the heroes," he said.

That man… that voice sounded so devoid of emotion… that girl never let go for a second.

I nodded, knowing that there was something up. That girl must've been important, but… I had an odd feeling in my gut. Something about that guy with the mask. It gave me the strangest feeling. I still walked with the others, with Momo trying to hold my hand.

I avoided her hand and just walked along a bit ahead with the others. She tried to grab me again. I glared at her.

"What?" I asked. I didn't mean to be so angry, but if she got hurt… or even died, I would've been none the wiser. She looked so sheepish.

"Ren, do you have to join? We have a whole alliance, me and Suneater, Tsuyu and Ochako and Nejire, Mirio, and Izuku… plus our heroes. Why do you have t-" I cut her off.

"Because Endeavor can't be here, because he's too busy with trying to be number one, I'm the next in line for the title of number two. If I do enough anyway… Copia and the Rats were just the beginning," I said.

"Still! That doesn't mean you have a free license to be reckless!" she snapped.

"I'm not…" I sighed.

"Oh really?" she asked.

"Yeah!" I snapped, "Cautious is my middle name!"

"No, it's not," she chided.

"Oh yeah? Then what're you so scared of, huh? What's lil' miss perfect so afraid of?!" I growled.

Momo clenched her hands into fists, "You know EXACTLY what I'm afraid of…" she hissed, glaring at me.

"Oh yeah?! What is it, then?!" I yelled.

"It's… I'm scared of the future! I'm scared that one day you're going to die out there… one day I'll lose you and everything you did for me… everything you'll do… will be gone," she snapped, "I don't want to let you go out on your own!" she ranted.

The others were already inside, and Momo fell against my chest, beating it with her fists, "You… stupid, asinine… reckless… bastard! Don't you understand that you DON'T have to fly off the handle?!"

I sighed, this is gonna be a long day and it's barely even started… Momo turned and glared over her shoulder at me.

"I wish you'd see yourself the way I do," she sighed.

"How do you see me?" I asked she didn't say anything.

"Momo, the silent treatment won't help… but why did you take a bullet? Why didn't you tell me?" I asked.

"I didn't want you to worry," she weakly stated.

"Momo, when you don't talk to me, it worries me a ton more…" I huffed.

"I didn't want you to think I'm weak. I didn't want you worried about my health and lash out at anyone who hurts me. I'm supposed to be a shield to you and the innocents, but I couldn't even protect myself from a bullet." she admitted.

I sighed and pulled her into my arms, squeezing her a little bit.

"It's okay," I huffed, "Just… don't do that again, we're keepin' everybody waitin' on us,"

We're both heroes. But little did I know…

That one of us would make a bad decision, and take the fall. Nighteye would prove that. Today was going to be a day neither of us would forget.