The day was upon us as I hang the final decorations and confirm that dad had picked up the cake before I had to get my kids from their lessons.

The doorbell rings and I hurry over to open it and the scent of food slaps them in the face as I beam a smile up at my fellow workers who had managed to get later shifts or a day off to attend.

"Anything we can do to help?"

"Can you get the grill going? And can you help me get these hung around the last half of the yard?"

With the final stretch and the arrival of guests I open the gate and let them through to the back before spotting my dad as he pulls up. Once we secure safe passage for the cake, I grab the birthday outfits from my craft room and leave dad to keep an eye over the party, music fading in the distance as I head out for the Guests of Honor.

5 years ago

It was heavy, this weight that came with loss and the constant thoughts of if only I had been faster, stronger, better.

The front door creaks open and I quickly harden my expression and chase away signs of weakness before my bedroom door swings open to reveal Souma, "What are you doing here?"

She crosses the rest of the distance and embraces me, the warmth that was there sept into me and I can't stop myself from wrapping my arms around her and burying myself against her to hide within the sanctuary that she created by just being with me.

"I'm so sorry, I would have come sooner but I was away on a case and then the gang was concerned, but you locked them out."

I remain as still as possible as her voice was the only one in my head now and I was grateful, but pride or shame perhaps clamps around all the words to explain myself and I can't speak.

She steps back just enough that she can guide my face upwards where soft lips press against my forehead, "Come, let's lay here for a while, were in no hurry."

Showing emotions has never been easy but as she props herself up and pulls me close, I have to fight the blurring vision and contracting muscles in my throat.

Gently fingers glide through my hair as her other hand caresses the side of my face.

"I'm no good with these kinds of things," I manage, "I was right there, but I couldn't reach them."

"We can't save everybody, love." Thumb brushing away the hot liquid now falling, "Can I sing for you?"

Nodding I listen pleased to have only it in my head, "If I could break away half of all your pain, I'd take the worst of it and carry you like you carry me,"

You say you're all right when tears are in your eyes. We're strong enough for this and I need you, it's okay that you need me, so tonight put your armor on the ground tonight 'Cause everyone's got to come down sometime.

I hate feeling like this, weakness wasn't something I admitted to having but I hadn't wept like this in a long time, too long.

You don't have to be Superman.

I was a Hero, the citizens looked to me for protection.

You don't have to be Superman. You don't have to hold the world in your hands, you've already shown me that you can.

I don't have to be Superman. . .

"You don't have to be Superman."

I look up at her and find a matching tear-streaked face.

I know I've been gone too much, we talk about me too much. I'm selfish and distracted, but I'm here, I'm here and I'm listening. And It's just you and me and these four walls and we are only human after all.

I reach up and sweep the tears away as she does the same for me and my chest hurts from more than crying.

"You rest your eyes now, take my hand," She laces her fingers through mine, "Even heroes fall down now and then. You can let it go,"

You don't have to be Superman.

Waking wrapped in each other's arms I felt lighter than I had in a while, but I guess unbottling things could do that.

"You always guide me back to solid ground when I feel lost at sea."

I run a finger along her nose and her face scrunches for a second before returning to peace. I do it again and lids flutter before those eyes find me with gentle curiosity, "How are we feeling?"

"Like my eyes are swollen."

"They are," She responds before slowly sitting up, "I'll go make you something to eat, how do you feel about a shower?"

"I don't feel hungry, but I don't feel up for a shower either."

She climbs over me and walks over to the closest and I sigh as she returns with clothes and towels, "I'm not going to force you, but when you're ready all these will be in the bathroom. You can't not eat, even something small is better than nothing."

I watch her leave the room as I lay back on the bed before the door creaks open a little more and, light as a feather, Soar jumps onto the bed and starts purring the instant she drops on my hand.

"Care to nap with me?"

With a meow, she climbs onto my chest and falls asleep and again I slip into the darkness.

I stir as she returns and despite how I felt I accept the small bowl of porridge and she lies down to play with Sora. I found myself far hungrier than I had realized, so I let my stomach guide me from bed and to the kitchen where the rest awaits.

The next few days pass between naps and food before I finally will myself into the shower. Once we were clean, she helps strip my bedding and tosses them in the wash.

The gang came in waves and life seemed to fall back into place.

Once feeling a lot better, I take her over to meet my father since she already knew my mother who took advantage of her being there to show her as many photo books as she could fit into the visit.

A few days later when the group chat began chiming with everyone lining up a free day to hang I was kind of glad Souma changed karaoke night to other activities like baseball when it was nice out or snowboarding during colder months and I think she did that so I would participate more than just watch, which I was grateful for.

But the day grew nearer and I schedule a trip out of town to do something I didn't do the first time around and I made certain to line it up with her leaving town on hero business.

After a week I sit on the train after the most nerve-wracking meeting of my life, phone chiming and I check it to find a message from Souma.

My Brat:

5:01 pm: I'm almost to the apartment, hope you're amped for this evening, cause we're going to win! :D

I smile and shoot back a reply as I fidget with the box in my pocket, drawing in a long breath I rest my eyes and wait for the train to reach my stop.

We were down by 2 and in the last stretch, you could feel the tension in the air as tighten my grip on the bat, Uraraka winds up the pitch and everything happened so fast as I felt the ball slam into the bat, vibrations go through me as I send it high and out.

Denki and Souma bolt from third and first base and I follow in suit, the other team cursing their loss as we barrel through the final base and celebrate our win.

"Aw! I thought that I had you." Uraraka sighs.

"Not gonna lie, you had us in the first half," Souma giggles as she hugs her before a chiming draws her attention, "Sorry, it's Bossman."

She scurries over to it and walks about the park. I step away from the group and head over to my bag and pull out the small box.

"What's that?"

I jump and look over at Kirishima, "Dude, mind your damn business."

"I'm your best friend and as such my business is your business and your business is mine. So, what's that's?"

"What's it look like idiot? It is for Souma," I look back to the group and look around but there was no sign of her, "Where'd she go?"

He looks with me and as we join the group I inquire where she ventured to and Iida answers, "She said she would grab the ball in my stead and refused when I offered to get it. She was still on the phone when she left."

Waiting was filled with constant dodging of Kirishima's questions but soon I'm fighting off the whole group's inquiring minds, "Will you guys give it a fucking rest?!"

"Where's Souma?" Hatsume interrupts the tomfoolery, eyes scan the park and brow furrows. "I don't see her anymore."

"Bathroom maybe?" Mina chimes.

"I literally just saw her after Kaminari tripped."

Shaking my head, I start in the direction Hatsume had gestured but she's nowhere to be seen. Instead of hunting her down I call her cell and look back at the group.

~Oh, turn the lights, turn the lights down low~

I turn at the ringtone and catch a flashing light as I approach the gutter and stare down at her phone and the baseball, "Souma. . ."

Freezing cold water rips me from the darkness of unconsciousness and I look around me in shock before blowing on the wet strands of hair falling across my face, "Gentlemen, what do I owe this honor?"

They all look behind me as I feel someone close the distance behind me before a hand reaches around and pulls my chin up, so I am face to face with an oddly familiar face.

Who does he remind me of?

"Who would have guessed we would luck out and grab the hero who has been digging around about us."

Those words cause a smile to form and a giggle bubbles from my lips.

"What's so funny?"

"You just saved me from having to hunt you down."

Using the advantage of my position, I spring back and slam into the assumed leader sending him down. I flip over him grabbing his tie before landing and twisting it tightly. Pulling him close like a shield against the sudden room of quirk wielding goons.

"Us it!" he chokes out and a pang radiates from my back and the sound of little electric crackles.

"What the hell?" the goon on the other end of the stun gun looks at me horrified.

A grin forms as I throw the boss, sending a handful toppling beneath his weight as I make my way around the group causing them to knock one another out with their quirks as they aim for me.

A loud blast left the room ringing and a sting across my cheek as I freeze, the sudden realization I was without my headgear.

"Grab her!" I do not fight as I lock eyes on the gun aimed at me, "Toss her in with the others!"

They lead me from the room and down the corridor.

Right, left, straight for three cross points, then left twice and a final right brought us to a single guarded door. The guard opens it and the two throw me into the room, I barely keep from toppling over.

With a heavy thud and click I look from the door to the other presences in the room, "Thank the skies, I found you."

"Goddamit!" The table rattles beneath my fists as I watch the familiar van speeding away before just disappearing. "How's the override of the tracker going?"

Hatsume looks up at me from where she sits with Souma's headgear, "It just locked me out again, I need an override from her boss. Souma was a stickler for being safe and preventing an enemy from using her gear against her."

I curse at the thoroughness of my girlfriend, but her paranoia could cause me to reach her too late.

The doors open and in walks Bossman and his team as they join us, "Sorry it took longer to decode the code she left me." He takes the gear and I wait impatiently as he inputs a number code and I stare at the code before a scoff sounds and I lean back against the wall.

"What's so funny?"

I look at the older man and gesture to the loading screen on the lenses, "It's a date and time."

"What?"

"Nothing, just tell me what that flashing means."

They look at it and Hatsume's computer screen lights up and Souma's image appears.

"If you're seeing this it means one of these two things have occurred: I have gone missing and you are Bossman," We glance at him for a second before she continues, "Or Two, I am dead."

She clears her throat and lowers her gaze, "If it is the first one, Hi Boss, the code you input will ping my tracker and await a response from my end. If you need to by-pass the waiting time, please input the time I went missing."

Hatsume fills in the time and the video flickers and Souma in a new outfit pops up, hot cocoa in hand, hair tied high in a bun, "Hi again, If you reached this video, then I've been gone over an hour and have failed to contact anyone. To access my location now, Bossman and Ground Zero both need to answer one question, What's my favorite song?"

"Fight Song."

She smiles and looks away from the screen and for a second I recognized myself stepping into view before it changes to a map, a bright light blinks brightly on the screen.

"Mom?"

I look over at my babies as they walk out from the back and I swear upon the stars above that these kids got their dad's looks. I kneel as they walk up to me and I hold up their masks, "Ready?"

They nod and I thank the salon as we head out to the car and secure them in their seats before I hop in and start us back to the party.

"Do you think dad would be jealous that we like our hero so much?"

I glance back at Hikaru and shake my head, "He'd probably be prouder than I am."

"Wow, that's a lot too," Hikari says.

We all laugh before they ask me to turn on some music and we proceed to the house.

I step out of my truck and look around the familiar town, "Damn, haven't been out here in a long time."

"Didn't Yamazaki live out here?" I look over at the other two who climb from the cab and slam the door shut.

"What does it matter? We're here for a party and you guys are only here because you guys caught me leaving and I wouldn't doubt you guys following me."

"I wouldn't do that Kaachan!"

"Forget about it Midoriya, we both know I would have convinced you to come along." Kirishima smiles and helps with the bags as we make our way to the party.