Twin Bombers.
The School Festival: Bottle Rocket.
Practicing was easy, making music was easy, but… when I added my name to the body of Mom's guitar, I felt something make my eyes sting with tears. A feeling of nostalgia when I took up my guitar lanced through my system like a lightning bolt.
Those times when Mom and Katsuki would push me to do more, to see more and feel more. To run and scream, to jump and fly…
'Look at how far I've come… look at how much I gained!' I thought, remembering the fingering, remembering the notes and chords. Ignite your heart, ignite the thrill, ignite YOUR SOUL! I felt my fingers move, my pick flying, my eyes shut as I shredded out a new line.
I saw the villains I faced blow away like ash in my explosions. I heard Katsuki slamming and crashing on the drums, Jirou yelled, "AW YEAH, THAT'S WHAT WE NEED!" The others looked on in shock as Jirou and I started to shred like no tomorrow, tearing past the nightmares and the worst-case-scenarios of the past. No wonder Mom loved metal and punk so much!
Jirou started to improv the lines and we just followed, with my sparks starting to rain through the air, sparkling and shining due to Todoroki and Kirishima and Aoyama's light show. I forgot it was just practice, but I felt like my burdens were ash.
I tore the guitar a new one, my shirt torn to shreds. I didn't care, I was letting it all out in one roaring solo that lasted for a good amount, then I heard everyone stop and I stopped, sweat and sparks raining down off me.
Katsuki was gasping and huffing, his sticks barely holding. Momo sighed and grinned at me.
"Better go clean up, eh, Renegade? You don't want Yaomomo drooling all over those keys," Jirou jokes, ribbing me lightly.
"Oops! Guess I went a little too hard, didn't I?" I sheepishly laughed.
"Bro, when I said 'Kill 'em with our sound,' I meant it, and you gotta be the spitting image of Mom when she tore those strings," Katsuki said, I smiled and unshouldered my guitar, looking down at Mom and I's names, I'm sure if she were to show up, a mosh pit would form.
I was in the bathroom, ready to step into the shower, Momo was already in bed, asleep. Everyone was tired from practice, and I looked in the mirror at my ever-increasing rocker hair, as Mom would call it. It was longer now, going down to the nape of my neck, the downy curls gave way to coarse spikes. Soon, I could tie it back in a small ponytail.
I turned on the water, sighing gently as the waves slicked off the sweat and slight ash, my hair was caked in ash, I remembered my first time holding Mom's guitar and her snapping a picture, or Mom playing it. Seeing everyone shocked that I almost brought the sound system to its knees made me smile.
I either give it my all or none at all. The motivation of Eri seeing me on stage shredding like a maniac was going to be LEGENDARY. Class 1-A's Metal Band. Katsuki was challenging God every practice, while I was, too. Momo was trying her best to keep up with the synth. While the only person who could rival me was Jirou.
Mom would destroy both of us on guitar no questions asked. Surprisingly, Izuku's mom was part of the band on drums and would terrify anyone who saw her play. I've seen his mom angry, and I thought I was gonna be sent home in a body bag.
I closed my eyes, thinking back to Stain, his reason for killing me… I never understood it until now. Looking at my scars from him, and the scars from the other villains and my own quirk, it was a tapestry of survival. I was done and I dried my hair, grabbing my pajama pants from the rack, steam rolling out into the room, I raked a brush through my hair, absentmindedly seeing that Momo was awake now, I slid my bands back on and smirked.
"So, shouldn't you be asleep, Miss Yaoyorozu?" I taunted, turning the bathroom light off. Finding my way to the bed easily enough. I settled in and heard her soft chuckle in the dark.
"Oh please, shouldn't you be asleep? It looked like you were possessed out there today…" she commented, "To tell you the truth, my darling, it made me feel a little hot,"
"Oh… well… uhm… glad I could be of some service?" I mumbled.
She chuckled again, and I felt her slender hand caress my cheek, "I love making you so flustered…" I felt her hand pet my hair, "Hm… it's getting longer…" she mumbled.
"Do you not like it longer?" I asked Momo ran her fingers through my hair.
"I do like it longer… that means we can share hair ties," she cooed, pulling me up against her chest, "Although, I love the smell of your sweat and the ashes mixed with it, forgive me if that sounds a little morbid,"
I nuzzled her gently, my eyes closing.
"Renaru…" she sighed, "I feel so warm… I feel so safe…"
"Yeah… me too…" I sighed, not wanting to leave for any reason. Yet, I knew that my days with Momo were numbered. Her family, aside from her mother, didn't like me. The whispers, the second glances, the panic attack…
I knew that soon enough Momo and I would have to separate. Weakness was frowned upon. I was lucky enough to be with her for as long as I had been. Momo and I got lucky. We were scared, but it was a lucky strike that we avoided being torn apart.
I heard sniveling, almost sobbing, I buried my face into her chest, hearing her breath rattle and her heart quake. She was crying full-on tears now, and all I could do was listen.
A bastard had no place in her world. A bastard like me, no matter if I was a hero or not… Momo started to break down, her sobs deep and gut-wrenching. She must've found out something horrible. I knew she was out of my league, I knew… and I made such a beautiful picture for her. I made her life feel less plastic and more real.
"Momo… baby… what's up? Why're you crying?" I asked.
"I… I don't want… I don't want to go… I don't want to go…" she sniffed, "I don't… I don't…"
I didn't know what she was getting at, but I squeezed her tightly, "Momo… you aren't going anywhere…" I assured her, "You need me to blow some fools up? You need Mineta to blackmail someone?"
"No… no… that's not it…" she sighed, "I… I can't… be with you anymore…"
I felt anger shoot through my heart, this was a different kind of anger, I was silent, so silent. Momo was speaking, but no words I heard. All I saw was red and all I heard was the laughter of her family, the sneering laughter and jokes. 'Look at the cripple! 'Ooh, who let the mongrel in?' The worst insult was the one from her grandmother.
She didn't need words, only a smile and I KNEW. I KNEW SHE HATED ME. My heart shattered, and I tore the sheets off and ran outside, my sparks igniting, my eyes burned red, my bands slid off, and I let out a loud, screaming explosion, knowing that Momo could never be mine. Screaming that it wasn't fair.
Why did I have to fall in love with HER?! Why couldn't I just fall for Ibara or Jirou, or even Melissa?! Why did I have to fall for the one girl I saved? I already sealed the deal, she's mine. She's mine…
But at the same time…
She could NEVER be mine. The anger twisted inside of me and I felt myself go into Burning Full Salvo, all of the sacrifices I MADE FOR HER, all of the times I almost died… they were nothing.
Nothing at all.
The night turned into day, making everyone crash out of their beds at the sound of thunder from my body, the plume of smoke drifted upwards, and with it… I ran. I grabbed my bands and ran like hell. I ran and ran, neon and stone passed by, and with it, my happy memories of Momo were replaced by the anger I felt.
The betrayal I so WRONGLY felt. I wanted to go home. I wanted to go home and see Mom, I wanted one night where I could be Renaru again. Not Renegade, not a mistake. Everyone treated me like some sort of fragile thing.
I knew it. I knew it all too well. To Katsuki, I was still Lil' Renaru, clutching his Endeavor and running in his walker, sitting on the back support and rolling along. To Mom, I will still be the fragile little baby in the NICU. To Dad, I was a mistake, an oopsie-daisy, even if I could never get that coward to admit it.
To everyone in 1-A, to Midnight, to Aizawa, to Endeavor, to Fatgum… I was a miracle. I was something to parade around the world as Japan's Heroic Badge of Honor. To Momo… I was her hero. I was the one who… who fixed her, but how much of her love was real? Just how much of her was real?
My dream was in shambles, and I fell onto the pavement, shaking and crying, breathing too fast to gain any air. No one… no one… no one ever let me be Renaru. No one. Ever since the Sports Festival, I was Renegade.
I noticed that I was in familiar territory, the same alleyway where I encountered Stain. I fell to my knees.
"I'm… I'm here… you win…" I mewed, "You win… you were right! You were right!" I curled into a little ball, "Come get me, Stain," I conceded.
I sobbed, hearing the clocking of his boots, hearing the burning flames around me, I gave it all I've got. It's over. It's finished. I heard his heavy mouth breathing, I smelled the metal of blood. Then… I passed out. All I felt was nothing.
Toshinori tracked the poor kid down, seeing him dash past him around the Neon District, crying and screaming, raging into an alley. He saw him asleep, shirtless and his bands were smoking. Renaru Bakugou had more on his plate than most. His body was shimmering in the waves of heat.
Toshinori called Enji. There was no way that he could pick the kid up. Despite being sleep-deprived, the moment he said, "Your apprentice is…" Enji was there. Toshinori was surprised at the speed he landed with. Enji picked up Renaru and didn't extinguish.
"Toshinori, what the hell is he doing out here?" Enji snarled, his shirt soaked by his coffee, the smell of the coffee wafting off him.
"I dunno," Toshinori shrugged.
"You don't… WHAT?!" Enji gasped.
Why was he so concerned over someone else's kid? It spooked Toshinori, and it spooked Shouto. Even if he wasn't there, he felt wrong. Enji cradled Renaru, his concern palpable, 'Please, don't let this one be like me…' he thought, 'Please… I already messed up my own flesh and blood, please don't let him be next!'
"Call his brother, or his mother, whoever's closer… something's wrong with him," Enji said, "Renaru's overheated… something must've set him off BAD,"
Then it dawned on him, "Call Yaoyorozu, then his brother, and then his mother,"
Enji carried his apprentice, seeing him sweat and gasp, his eyes closed, he was fighting it. He was a fighter. But what got into him?
I got the call at twelve oh two in the morning. It was Katsuki, panicking. I immediately went into protective Mama mode, business face on and bat ready.
"Mom! Mom, come quick! Ren's… Ren's gone critical! He's… Endeavor's tryin' his best… but…"
I immediately got moving, my heart pounding, 'No! No, not my baby… no… don't take him, you bastard, I'll beat the shit outta ya!' I thought, coming upon the scene and seeing my little boy fighting so hard against it, his scars glowing orange as his hero held him.
"What overwhelmed him?" I asked. Momo looked ashamed.
"Yaoyorozu, WHAT OVERWHELMED HIM?!" I yelled, grabbing her shoulders, "Tell me, sweetie…" I sighed.
"Mom… is Ren gonna… is he gonna die?" Katsuki mumbled.
"No. Hell no. Renaru's gonna stop. He's got this…" I assured myself, not feeling too sure. I started to walk forward, the ground pitching and shaking as Endeavor held my boy tighter, trying to absorb at least some of his heat.
I started to break down, seeing my baby boy so overwhelmed by all that happened to him, he was so scared and panicked that his heart was putting all he had into fuel. One last blast and he was kaput. Dead. I knelt by Endeavor's side.
"Ms. Bakugou, get back!" he snapped.
"Hell no! Pass him to me!" I snapped back.
"I can't do that!" Endeavor yelled.
"DO IT NOW, FIRE-CROTCH, OTHERWISE THIS SCHOOL AND ALL THE KIDS IN IT ARE GONNA BE NOTHING!" I roared, snatching him from the number one hero, seeing his shocked expression. I cleared my throat.
I started to hum and started to sing a song for him. A song that calmed him down no matter what. It was an old song, I always thought of my boys when I listened to it. His heat died down, his breathing became slowly more and more steady.
I continued to do it, tears in my eyes, seeing the man he became and not the little baby I used to hold. Finally seeing the scars and the muscles, seeing what Endeavor saw. Seeing what Momo and his friends saw. And I was…
Proud. So proud. He grew up to be such a strong man. Yet… when his eyes opened, I saw the little boy there, scared and worried, nervous and he shot up, hugging me tightly. Endeavor backed up, extinguished and looking down at us.
I sighed and smoothed Renaru's hair, seeing Momo and Katsuki running towards me, my future daughter-in-law and my older son, my baby sobbing in my arms, so childishly and painfully. Endeavor strode away.
"Hey, Endeavor," I called, he turned.
"What?" he asked.
"Thanks for finding him… he's kinda got a habit of bringing out the best of people, right?" I asked.
"Sure," Endeavor answered bluntly.
"Endeavor?" Renaru mewed.
"Yes, Renaru?" he asked.
"Do… do you think… I'll be a good hero?" he mumbled, "I screwed up… now I… I almost made the whole country go up in flames…"
Endeavor came back over, his blue eyes soft, softer than anyone there aside from Shouto had seen them ever since Renaru became his apprentice. He put his hand on Renaru's head, ruffling his hair.
"You're overwhelmed, you're scared of losing everything… you're like me," he sighed, "One day, when you get to where I am… when you finally feel what it's like… remember this moment. Remember everything that made you who you are, you weren't meant to be a hero, but look, and really look, Renaru," he said, I let Renaru down.
"A hero isn't a glorious person. Sometimes they hurt those they love… Yet… if you're willing, if you're willing to heal, to hit reset, to try again, you take the scars, you take the punches and you get up, who cares about what others think you are?" he asked.
Momo stepped forwards, pulling him into her arms and he smiled, starting to cry again
I almost exploded, but… Endeavor's words got to me. I cried in Momo's arms, raw, so hurt. Raw, and NEW. Renegade was gone, and here was Renaru, raw and untainted. Mom joined in and so did Katsuki, Sero and Denki did too. My family grew bigger and bigger. And I didn't notice.
I never saw them. I always thought that I… that I just had Mom and Katsuki. But… They were my family. Even Endeavor to an extent. I grinned. I could finally feel again. I could finally smile again. Truly smile like me.
I tore the mask off and broke it in that moment, Renegade was no more. I was Renaru. Renegade was just a damn name. Just like Yaoyorozu. Just like Creati and Endeavor. Ground Zero, Cellophane, Grape Juice, Bakugou…
They were just names. Names and nothing more. Momo was Momo. My Momo, my future wife… who the fuck cares about what her name is? I smiled, pulling out the box, taking a deep breath. Time to make her part of my family.
Time to take her away from her domineering family, time to wildly chase her through the fields, splash in the water, I knelt… my eyes shut.
"Momo… when you're ready… when you're ready… Let's take that next step," I said, "This ain't an engagement, and this is MY RING. MY PROMISE to you… Even if I end up detonating the fucking country, I'm gonna be the best hero I can be… for you and… and… and everyone… Let's be a family, let's flip off your asshole family and run around like we got no direction," I said.
"Let's work it out, as a pair. Like we always did, as we'll do, our dads left us, we didn't have the best examples growin' up… but…" I sighed, slipping the pretty sapphire ring onto her finger, matching her necklace she constantly wore.
"We can build somethin' better," I finished, smiling and standing, with everyone around us, class didn't mean jack, names never crossed our minds, all we saw was each other and the weird-ass family we built.
"I CALL BEST MAN!" Sero, Katsuki, Denki, and Mineta all yelled.
Jirou smirked, "Maid of Honor, right here!" she declared. Mina forced herself to the front, "I OBJECT! I WANNA BE MAID OF HONOR!" she yelled.
"Hol' up!" Mom barked, "Boys, stop fightin'!"
Mineta was punted and Sero was riding Katsuki like a rodeo bull. Denki was roshambo-playing against no one. I sighed and Mom got them in order.
"Let my SON decide, let my… sorta daughter… decide, got it?" she snarled.
"We got time anyway, seems like they wanna take things slow," Mom said, smiling at us.
Later on, Momo and I settled back into our bed, still, me almost becoming H and N Two: Electric Boogaloo, never constituted as a punishable offense seeing as I never actually hurt anyone. I just burned a few trees.
Momo slowly kissed me, slowly massaging my muscles. They were sore from holding back the Nuke Apocalypse Last Resort. She let go of her past, and I held the real girl that was under all the makeup and fancy-as-fuck dresses.
She loved me, that's all. She was so blissful and serene. Besides, the hard part was over, right?
All that came next was the mega-bombshell of the century. Yaoyorozu Momo was going to become Bakugou Momo after graduation. Announcing that to her self-righteous asshole family was gonna be sweet revenge…
Sweet, sweet revenge. Momo pulled back, "Feeling better?" she asked.
"Hmm… I dunno," I said, "Got any more remedies?" I teased.
"Well~" she segued, pulling me down to her chest and letting me lay there, "Are you feeling better now?" she asked.
"Perfect… Momo… just perfect…" I sighed, "You're perfect,"
Some of the best decisions were made in bad situations or terrible circumstances… but this? Laying against the most beautiful girl in the world? Laying against her, tracing her imperfections, hearing her heartbeat and laying against her warm, rising and falling pillows, feeling her hands in my hair and rubbing my back.
She was mine.
She was Momo.
And that's all I needed and wanted her to be.
Renaru laid against me, his soft and coarse hair was heaven through my fingers, his warmth lulling me into dreams, his red-brown eyes admiring me, admiring ME. Momo, not the meal ticket. He snuggled into me, all of me was his.
He marked me many times, and many times more he has fought for me. Every time he said he was unworthy, every time I saw the pain and sadness in his eyes. Yet… he was more worthy than he knew… Satin sheets, silken robes, fancy dresses, none of it mattered to him.
All that mattered was me. I loved him so much. I loved him more than ever, seeing him in so much turmoil and pain hurt my heart. Made it bleed and fall to the ground, seeing him so readily give himself. Seeing him about to die, seeing him fight so hard and only give up when his mother soothed him with a desperate singing of an older song.
Lullaby, by a singer that sounded so tired and done, lines about the singer begging the recipient to shut up and sleep, stop complaining, and just sleep. Just hearing her gentle, husky tones sing it as Renaru burned gently, it made me realize…
It made me realize…
That even the roughest-hewn people could be caring. That they could be soft-hearted. Even if they were a terror on a battlefield, strong quirk or heavy metal, one hell of a drinking problem, and an unbreakable bat…
Renaru shifted, "Sleep… Momo… got final practice in the mornin'..." he reminded me sleepily. I knew that we were going to give it our all. Seeing Renaru shred the tar out of his instrument also made me realize something else...
Never let Renaru Bakugou heat up while playing, he'll make the house stand up and mosh like no tomorrow. And tomorrow will be remembered… Oh yes, it would...
For the day that Renaru gained another name… a name that was carved into the annals of UA's history…
That name was… Through the Fire and Flames… because he could play it. That's exactly what we were going to play. I think…? Either way, he needed his rest.