The party was in full swing when the heroes arrived, hot food came from the house when anything depleted, children run around playing games and working up a sweat, but it all seemed to freeze at the sight of the Heroes.

Katsuki spots two children dressed from head to toe in his hero costumes, the boy matching him and the girl sporting his winter suit. He lifts the invitation and they both look at each other before taking off passed the shocked partygoers before cheers erupt.

"You made it!" They cry out and tackle him with hugs.

"A hero should never go back on their word."

While there, they take turns being photographed with the families and children and helping where help was needed, when Deku takes a break to assist an elderly gentleman, they pause to stare at each other.

"You seem familiar, Hero, have we met?" The old man asks as he searches for his glasses.

"Yes, sir. We met once a few years ago actually," Deku recalls the elder's face, "at the hospital. . . Why are you here?"

He pulls on his glasses and smiles, "I remember that face now, Oh, it's my grandchildren's birthday party. I hadn't known Souma reached out to you, here I thought she'd never talk to her friends again."

"Oh god," Midoriya looks across the yard eyes locking on Katsuki and the children posing with him, "Are they your grandkids?"

"Yep, those are my- Katsuki? Is that Katsuki Bakugo?"

"Uh-huh."

"Dad, I got the cake! Get the kids ready," Souma walks from the house, a large cake in her hands, wearing a Ground Zero mask per the children's demands that she matches them. "They're going to love how this turned out."

She was so focused on keeping the cake from falling she never saw Midoriya or Kirishima, and definitely not Katsuki as him and the twins talk out the way they wanted the picture to look.

"On the count of three," The photographer calls to them and the young sidekick starts recording from the side so Souma could watch it later.

"One," Katsuki takes his pose.

"Two," Hikaru falls into a matching pose.

"Three!" Hikari cheers as they all thrust a hand forward shouting, "DIE!"

The explosions startle the whole party into silence, Midoriya starts toward Souma as she looks at them just as shocked as Katsuki who looks from the stunned children who face each other and jump for joy.

"We do have quirks! Mom, did you see that?"

Katsuki follows their gaze to the ghost of his past, tears falling down her face as eyes roll back and legs give.

The cake flips into the air before being caught by Midoriya, who reaches Souma too late but Kirishima caught her before she slams into the floor.

They look at one another and back to Katsuki as the children swarm their mother in a panic.

"What just happened?" Kirishima asks before looking down at the young woman he caught, "So-chan?" but just as quickly turns to look at his best friend, "B?"

5 years ago

The blinking light began moving as we got closer to the location she was originally pinged at and we stop a safe distance away as the heroes meant for recon are sent out first, coms at the ready as we begin breaking down the plan.

The scout sent after the moving tracker finally calls in, "I've reached the marker's location and you aren't going to believe this."

"Return to base."

"Roger that."

I walk over to the team mapping the distance between us and the compound just down the mountainside as they list everything told to them by the other scouts.

"Why does waiting always stretch time on forever?" Bossman asks.

I look over at him and cross my arms, "It just feels that way because you keep checking the time."

"Based on the tracker she's almost her so then why don't I feel relieved?"

I look at him as he asks the very question gnawing at the back of my mind, but the rustle of leaves turns our attention to the scout returning arms securing a small child to his side before more people begin stepping from the woods.

Children, teens, and some adults flood the site as the scout approaches us, "This is the hero you were looking for."

The little boy fiddles with the pin on his shirt and pulls a small box out, handing them to me, "She said you would save us and told me to give these to you."

I scan the crowd, jaw clenched, as I accept the pin and small box, "You were brave tonight now you're safe, thanks to her."

I wait as they lead them all to the medics before opening the box to find an earpiece inside.

"Couldn't just come yourself, could you?" I ask as I slide it in my ear and a soft giggle comes through.

"I couldn't, it's the only reason they made it to you guys safely, now that I know they're safe I have to see this through to the end."

"Souma, you don't have your gear, there is only so far a quirk can take yo-" And explosion below cut me off before a laugh come through.

"Katsuki, I still have one match."

"Souma?" I call out, "Souma! Goddammit!"

Bossman stops me as I start toward the building, "Hold on Ground Zero, did you say she only has her quirk?"

"Yeah? What about it?"

He sighs and shakes his head, "Souma has no quirk."

"What?" My mind searching for anything mentioning her quirk or lack thereof.

'I was excited since it was the first gift they'd ever gotten me and so I waited patiently assuming they would return since all our stuff was still here, but they never did.'

'My biological parents hadn't named me when I was born and I never knew theirs.'

When she spoke of how her biological parents abandoned her and when we talked about her schooling she responded with, 'You'd be surprised.'

"She's in more danger than I thought," I grab the boss's shoulder, "We have to stop her, she's going to get herself killed."

"Why would you assume that? She's one of the best heroes at my agency."

"Because she just said she still has one match, and I know the next lyric of that damn song!"

The infiltration team joins us as we hurry to the building, another set of explosions going off below.

"Is that her or them?!"

We look to the young sidekick, "Why would they blow up their compound?"

"Fair point!"

The advance team was already in the middle of combating the other forces as we barrel onto the scene. We join in subduing the outer ranks before we make it inside and pause at the halls littered with unconscious goons.

There were no wounds or punctures to explain their current state, but I knew better and look to the vents, "Let's keep moving, knowing her she's going for the head of this operation."

Bossman was ahead of me some ways but he stops as a door opens and Souma drags someone from the room. I catch up and she hands the young man over to Bossman, "He needs immediate help, these psychos are blowing up their compound!"

"What?!" Bossman and I look at each other then back to her, "It wasn't you?"

"Do I look like I carry bombs on me?" She rolls her eyes and hand over a small box, "Keep this safe!"

She starts to run away from us, "Go after her."

We split up and I catch up to Souma, "You need to get out of here too, I can finish this."

She laughs and makes a face at me, "Why would I leave this to you, it's my case and they made the mistake of kidnapping me."

I stop and grab her upper arm, "Because you're only putting yourself in danger."

"Why are you acting like I'm not a hero too, Ground Zero? You've never had a problem before and I've been in worse situations than this."

Anger pools forth as I grab ahold of her other arm and face her with full seriousness, "Because you have nothing! No gear. No protection. No quirk."

The color drains from her already fair skin and she tries pulling away, "What?"

"Why didn't you tell me?" I watch sapphires dart around my face before searching the area beyond me, breathing increasing before she closes her eyes and brings her breathing under control. She meets my gaze and smiles before hugging me.

I relax and release her arms to wrap my own around her, soft chiming sounding as she hugs me tighter, "Fear makes people do stupid things," My arms drop and I stumble back guided by her as she helps me down, "I love you, but I never wanted to see that look on your face,"

Reaching down she pulls a few of the grenades off my belt, tears falling down her face as she pauses and kisses my forehead, "I'm sorry, Katsuki. Goodbye."

She stands and drops a bell that chimes again, and another wave of relaxation fills me as I watch her run toward the danger and I couldn't stop her.

You ever do something that destroys everything you built?

That moment led to this, falling away from the helicopter, tear droplets being whisked away as we plummet like Icarus to the earth below.

I cover myself as the sky lights up and the blast sends me faster downward and to my surprise, I'm plunged into cold water that tries slowing down my descent after ripping the air from my lungs on impact.

Forcing my body to move I drag myself to the surface and onto land. I lay there warmth returning to my side as the wound required attention, but if this took me from this world then I wouldn't have to face Katsuki or the consequences of my actions and yet I didn't want to die either, all because I really want to see him.

I look over at the bad guy as he makes it to land not far from me and immediately he is ensnared by the sudden arrival of fellow heroes and sidekicks.

Lids drop heavily and rest takes over me as I surface in pieces, being loaded into the ambulance, Katsuki staring at me from his seat by the doors of the vehicle, the sting of being stitched up, and when I finally manage to stay awake once tucked in my room, which was surprisingly really nice.

No one was with me as I try sitting up, but flinch and opt to remain to lay down when the door opens and a nurse steps inside, she smiles and approaches me.

"Look who's finally awake, your friends going to be upset he missed you waking up."

"That's okay, I'm still uncertain if I want to face him yet." I laugh nervously as she walks over and helps adjust the bed so I can sit up some.

"Oh? That would be a shame, he's been here all night keeping an eye on you. Now, let's see, aside from the wound on your side and a few scrapes and plenty of bruising you're in tiptop shape, though it seems the doctor is still waiting on some of your blood test and what have yous."

"That's good, um, can I ask a strange question?"

"Anything for you, Miss Akimoto."

My heart plummets, "It's Yamazaki, but I'm to assume this is an Akimoto Hospital," my nose starts burning.

"I'm sorry, Dr. Akimoto said you were his niece, so I assumed since he only has one brother, I'm so sorry, please don't cry."

"I'm not crying," I tell her confused but she awkwardly hands me a tissue and then I feel it, the droplets soaking into my shirt, "I,"

The door opens and dressed in a white lab coat walks in a man with matching pale blond locks and these accursed sapphire eyes. To my surprise, I almost remember his face, but I couldn't place from where since I never dug further into my biological parent's families.

"Look at you, a spitting image of my mother when she was your age, I can take it from here."

I watch her blush and flee the room before he pulls up a seat and sits beside me, "I know this may come as a shock to you," He looks at the papers in his hand, "Souma, but we have met, once when I delivered you and again when you three."

Like a faded memory I could recall it vaguely, the chill in my body as I was kept in my room waiting for Mother to return from shopping, Father had already left for work that day. He came in and at first, I thought it was Mother, but I couldn't call out to her, they couldn't hear me no matter how loud I was.

"It was you who brought me medicine for my fever. . . right?"

"That it was, though I'm certain you want to know why I didn't help when they left you."

"Not really, after all, you already knew they were the kind of people who locked their child up in a soundproof room if you even call that a room, it was a glorified broom closet with a small window to let me see the world that didn't even know I existed,"

Fists ball tightly into the blanket as I lower my head, "My own parent's treated me like I didn't exist beyond the small moments they allowed me to wander the house, so frankly, no, I don't care who you are to me nor why you let them throw me away like I wasn't a human too."

He listened patiently and as I look to him despite the waves of tears his eyes held guilt, "I know the last people you want to see are them, but they're here."

I flinch at the words and he stands and opens the door and there they were, beautiful and poised and terrifying. Instinct drew me from my bed as I back into a corner, pain buried beneath the fear, shaking hands searching for doors or locks and eyes scanning for an exit.

"Souma is a pretty name."

I bristle at the compliment and something else began to fill me as I lock eyes on them, cold tears now burning hot streaks down my face.

"You don't get to call me by that name, YOU can call me by what you made me feel like,"

They share a look at, "What was that?"

"Nobody. Now please leave, I do not know you people and you do not know me."

"Told you this was a waste of time; she never was going to forgive us."

I didn't recall moving nor throwing hands but the burning in my palm was all I needed to know I had struck them. They both looked horrified at the action.

"Forgive you?! Who could ever forgive monsters like you? You gave birth to a child and you abandoned it and you want it to forgive you, for what? So you can have a clean conscience?" I laugh and almost slip as I step closer, "I hope the guilt festers and eats away at you for the rest of your lives, now get the hell out of my room."

"You were a mistake," Her words were unwavering as my biological mother stood her ground, "Even now, you're nothing but a problem to those around you. Quirkless little Nobody, the fruit of my loins, and a curse to all those around you. Tell me how many people have thrown you away when they learned the truth?"

"Everyone in my life loves me."

"Keep telling yourself that. Let's go."

I do not watch them leave and as Dr. Akimoto helps me back to my bed, I realize I had torn my stitches open.

"Just leave, and I want a different doctor please."

He leaves without another word and the nurse from before hurries inside to help with the wound. I had trouble sleeping after that, so when the door creaks open, I look over at Katsuki, showered and on guard as he approaches my bed.

"What's wrong?"

There it was again, that look in his eyes and all I wanted was to flee.

"Everything?" I lower my eyes and stare at my hands.

The silence was insufferable, but I would pick it every time.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

Eyes lift to meet that red gaze, "Why does it matter?"

"Because I'm your boyfriend, your best friend, you know, the one person you tell everything!"

"It wasn't important! It's not like telling someone you have a missing tooth, Katsuki."

"The hell it isn't!"

"It changes the way people look at me, Katsuki. I have saved just as many people as you have, I have graduated from a top hero school just as you have and I hold my own, I'm not weak for lacking a quirk and before you try interrupting me saying knowing wouldn't change how you feel about me look in the mirror with that expression and tell me you don't see the change,

Tears pour like rainfall as he flinches at the words, "Being born like this means I've learned to lose and accept the loss because people learning about it causes them to leave, they always do. . . Even when I've proved being quirkless isn't something to be ashamed of."

"I'm not those fucking people, don't you dare compare me to them!"

"Then quit looking at me through their eyes," I close my eyes and cradle my head, the pain splitting headache creeping in, "Please, just. . . leave."

He grabs my wrist and glares down with an angry, hurt expression which broke my heart further, "Damnit, Souma, I'm not leaving you!"

"I'm leaving you! Now get out!" I rip my arm away from him as I shout and point to the door. "Get out. . ."

Please don't go. . .

"You're being stupid, I'm not losing you over a fucking argument."

Eyes stare down at the thin blanket, droplets dampening it, "You didn't lose me over an argument, I'm letting you go. So, go."

"Is there a problem here?"

I look to the security officer who stands in the doorway.

"No, officer, I was just leaving."

I watch him exit the room; never once did he look back.

Please come back and sit down. Stay with me and don't let me go cause I can't be without you!

The heavy thud of his boots echoing in my head as I weep into my hands pressed tightly to my lips, failing to stop my cries from being heard as my true parents finally hurry into my room, and pulling me close to them in attempts to soothe away my sadness.

I left with them that night, not caring for the results to the other tests they were waiting on, I just wanted to curl up in bed and sleep away the rest of eternity.

Which is how I spent the following days at my small apartment, wrapped inside the warmth of Katsuki's jacket barely getting up long enough to nurse my wound and use the bathroom.

I watched my phone die the first night and had lost it somewhere within the messy comforter and I didn't care to find it.

My door was finally ripped open and I listen as boots thud across the floor, I shoot up and watch the bedroom door open haphazardly before the racing of my heart died as Bossman walks in and drops my gear case at the foot of my bed.

"Get up."

Eyes drop to my comforter unwilling to move.

"Your wound has healed enough."

My hand ghosts across my chest pausing at my heart, "Then why does it still hurt?"

How raspy my voice had gotten was no surprise to me and the tears weren't foreign anymore they always returned like a cornered friend checking up on me.

"You pushed him away and he listened to you and walked away. You've mourned his loss, is this how the Nobody I recruited handles loss?"

Eyes drift to meet his and for the first time in a while, I felt normal, "Nobody is needed?"

He nods and steps back, "I won't help her though, she needs to learn how to stand on her own again." He turns and starts heading out, "I expect to find Nobody in my office by dusk."

The door clicks into place and I stare at the box and then at the sweater, faded was the sweet scent I was searching for, like an addict needing a fix.

I've searched my heart over so many times as I laid in the arms of insomnia and drowned in the thoughts of no him and I being like no stars were left to light the sky at night.

I drag my legs to the edge of the bed and stare down at the wood below, "Nobody is needed. . . just in time, his birthday is soon."

"Are you okay?!"

"Just peachy, it's just a cramp!"

The building crumbled around us as we fled with the information in hand.

"Just a cramp? You've doubled over twice!"

We dart from inside and narrowly miss an oncoming attack quick to make work of the back up we hurry to the evac sight, finally buckling over as I slam the doors to the back shut, my partner upfront with the driver.

"Did you get hit?!"

"No! Fuck," I scream through gritted teeth, "I don't know what's going on!" I reach down and panic at the feeling of liquid I could feel it, something descending, "Holy shit!"

Ignoring them I start ripping my suit from my body, hands shakily catch the slick blood-covered baby whos cry fills the car as we all share a mortified look, "What the fuck, Nobody?!"

"I don't know what just happened but, err," I curl over again, "It's happening again!"

"What do I do?!" Panics the newbie.

"Hospital!" My partner yells as I set down the small form and shakily repeat the process till I sat there half naked cradling the two small bodies as they cry in unison my horror subsiding as I tend to them, I was lost in those cute little faces.

The hospital was just as shocked as they brought us in and made quick work of my strange predicament.

"Are you certain you don't want me to call your parents?"

I shake my head, both babies resting against me as I talk with my teammates. Bossman bursts in and we all shoot him a look which quells his sudden desire to yell and I smile at him.

"Can I ask for a huge favor?"

"Anything."

"I need a place to stay for a while, I need time alone with them to figure out life right now. . ."

"Firstly, how?" He gestures to the babies and I shrug, "You were anything but pregnant when I saw you last. Was it some messed up quirk attack? Maybe?"

I shake my head, "Apparently, it's an uncommon occurrence where they grow behind the organs and your body doesn't realize you're baking buns cause they're in the back of the oven. Also, it was found in my bloodwork I never got and they called a lot, but my phones still dead at home and I have no emergency contacts."

"Female bodies are crazy."

"I second that."

He steps closer and gestures to them, "May I?"

I nod and he reaches down to gently caress their heads and a smile forms on his face, "This one is Hikari and this little one over here is Hikaru."

"Why those names?"

I stare at them and blink away happy tears, "Because they're my lights in the darkness."

"Poetic, but are you going to tell him?"

I look up at him and nod, "I just need time, but I will."

I will. . .

Eyes slowly open and I stare up at my ceiling with a soft sigh as I look over to see Katsuki sitting very stiffly between both the kids as they keep asking him about everything their minds could fathom to ask.

Eyes widen as I shoot up, damp cloth falling into my lap and he meets my gaze before shame fills me and I avert mine.

"Hikaru, Hikari, go play with your guests, I need to talk with him alone."

"But mom!"

"We still have so much more to ask him!"

I raise my eyebrow and they both sigh, "Okay, let's go play with the other heroes!"

We watch them run from the room and I sit upright on the couch we both cross our arms over our chests before I meet his gaze again.

"Hi, it's been a while.."

"2 years?" he spares a glance toward the doorframe the kids had exited from. "They're 5 today." He states and I nod, "How is that possible?"

I roll my shoulder and explain what the doctor told me and my guesses on when we could have been careless enough to conceive.

"So, I liked to think when I finally introduced them to your parents I could joke and say they were her knock-knock joke."

"Why didn't you tell me when they were born?"

I relax a bit as I fidget with my fingers, "I pushed you away and I didn't know how to handle what had happened, they just appeared and I got scared, and I know this is all my fault and the kids and you can hate me for it, but all I could see was my babies being rejected like I was by those people."

"I can't keep telling you that I'm not your biological parents because it's exhausting, but you kept them from me how many times did you attempt to tell me? That one time 2 years ago?"

I shake my head, "I planned to do it the night of the hero ranking ceremony and didn't want you're your night and then again at the event but as I approached you, I overheard your conversation and I couldn't bring myself back into your life when you seemed to have everything going so well for you."

"Were the brunette?"

"Yes."

He sits back with a sigh, "Why were you crying?"

"I was still so in love with you that my stupid heart broke when you told Camie you had found a girlfriend and she was waiting for you at home. So, I left."

He makes a face and clears his throat, "I was talking about Sora."

Embarrassment warms my skin and I find a soft laugh, "The cat, oh my god. Well, that last time I wasn't even looking for you when we ran into each other, but I tried finding a way to ask and then you said you didn't want kids. So, I held my tongue instead and I stopped crying, I took everything that reminded me of you and put it away."

"Uh, here." He hands me the box of tissues sitting on the end table near him and I panic, quickly accepting it to wipe away the sudden tears.

"Sorry, that wasn't supposed to happen."

"Cake time!" The kids shout and I stand up quickly, "That's right! Is the cake okay?!"

"Deku caught it."

"Thank the skies, okay, let's do the cake and then I have a surprise for you guys."

They share a look of pure excitement, "Today has been the best birthday ever!"

Again they scamper off and I pause to look at him, "Do you want to tell them with me?"

He opens and closes his hands before standing, "I do."

We walk out and gather as I walk up and light the custom grenade bracer candles and we all sing to them and as always, they hold hands, close their eyes, and make the same wish they have since they could muster thoughts.

They smile at me excited to eat cake and as I kneel they quickly abandoned the cake to walk up to me, "Do you believe wishes come true?"

They nod, "We just have to keep wishing harder every year till it comes true."

"We're persistent."

"Big word, high five."

I look turn to Katsuki and wave him closer. He approaches and follows my lead as he kneels, "Are you excited about your quirks?"

They nod.

"Can you tell me how people get their quirks?"

They share a look and nod, Hikaru answering first, "They're gotten from parents."

"Why?"

"Show me your quirks."

They lift their hands and little sparks start to crackle before small explosions form, they were awed at it still and so was I even as Katsuki lifts his hand and does the exact same thing. The small explosions soon died down as wide eyes look up at him and then to me and back to him.

"Do you understand?"

The confusion fades then tears well up and they run into his arms and we all wept.

It was all they had wished for and he was right there, and he didn't turn them away.

He never would have.

He never will.