A/N: Before you read the chapter I just to add first couple of things that happen in the timeframe of writing this chapter. First is the constant writer blocks that happen when writing this, even a single word I keep hitting walls left and right and that stress me the fuck out that I had minor burn outs here and now. Second is the I had a summer job last year so that cut away time for writing this, might apply that place again, I don't know we'll see. You know how long I wrote this one? A year. And is much bigger than the first. I really tried to write this one good but at some point my mind went autopilot and whatever I wrote I wrote. Nothing to complain but I really hope it won't happen again. So hope you like it, or not I really don't care about this chapter no more.
~ Morning~
~Morning ~
~Morning~
~Morning~
~Morning Musutafu Radio~
"Hey listeners this is Musutafu Radio coming to you live in this lovely morning-"
The voice of the DJ filled the room, darkened by the closed window curtains. The DJ host's voice came from the radio alarm clock that stood on the top of a small drawer standing next to a bed that had a lumpy shape underneath the cover that started to rustle. A hand stuck out of the cover, reaching the drawer and moved around as if it was searching for something. Upon contact with the alarm clock, the hand then formed into a fist and swung down like a hammer, smashing it repeatedly until the voice of the DJ was no longer heard if the noticeable crushing sound suggested.
A muffled feminine groan resonated across the room as the lumpy shape of the bed started to shift more.
Loud bangs were then heard from outside the room's door, soon followed by a very loud voice of a woman filled with authority no one dares to confront. Except one.
"Brat, wake the hell up! Why are you still in bed?! This better not start to become a recurrent thing or so help me I'll barge in and yank you out if it means to wake the hell out of you!"
The covers were then hurled out to the air revealing a shapely figure groggily risen up from the bed as a pair of angry yet sleepy red eyes sent a heated glare at the door it might actually set ablaze. A younger feminine but has the same power as the older one shouted.
"I'm up I'm up, you fucking old hag! Don't need to shriek at me to deaf."
The Girl Who Owns a Lonely Heart
She stomped down stairs after getting her shit together for school. Once down she saw her old man and old hag, Masaru and Mitsuki Bakugou, sitting around the kitchen table having breakfast and just talking whatever shit they're talking about. She walked past them and was about to head out the door when the old hag called her out.
"And just where the hell are you going?"
She looked back so see her mom looking at her as if she was caught trying do some messed up shit and her dad sending her a nervous smile as if he is expecting an explosive (no pun fucking intended) argument to start between to two. "I'm going to school, that's where the hell I'm going."
The old hag shook her head. "Oh no you're not. You are going to come over here, join your parents and have this nice breakfast your dear ol'father made for us. Capiche." She finishes it off with a sweet motherly smile that Katsumi knows is just a front to hide the raging inferno underneath, ready to unleash if she tells her no, squarely straight at her face.
On one hand Katsumi can tell the old hag to go piss off but then she has to face her rage and be late for school, on the other hand she joins them to eat the grub her old man made and be late for school. Contemplating which one is the lesser one that isn't going to waste her time, she made her choice.
Letting out a frustrated sigh and having to greatly refrain herself from punching the door that suddenly became an eyesore to her she went over to the kitchen table and sat down on the only empty chair as an equally empty plate on the table before her was filled with many things one would call a classic breakfast by her old hag, of course, who took her sweet time placing each compartment of food as slowly as possible knowing she took great pleasure in riling her up.
"There, now we can eat together as a family." Her old hag chirped with a merry smile. The raging inferno underneath shimmer and disappeared as she took a cup filled with tea handed by her husband.
"You know I'm gonna be late, right?" Katsumi pointed out, munching down on a piece of scramble eggs. Taking a leisurely but brisk pace of devouring her food as much as possible. She has never been late for school before and she ain't going to start now.
"Then don't wake up late. So what's wrong? You always wake up early before your alarm clock sets off?
"None of your business," she exasperated mutters, not looking at Mitsuki and chomping down a beacon strand.
Both Mitsuki and Masaru looked at each other nonplussed. Expecting an outburst followed by a slew of insults then by a shouting match between both mother and daughter until one of them yields (almost always Katsumi). But they didn't expect a quiet verbal non-assault response from their very irascible child as opposed to the deeply rooted norm that is a family tradition at this point.
"Okay what's the matter?" Mitsuki inquired, concerned about her daughter's behavior. So used to her hotheaded personality it was very bizarre to see her this quiet.
"It's nothing." Another quiet response.
"Katsumi." Mitsuki pushed.
"It's nothing." She started wolfing down the food more and more. Clearly wanted to finish so she could leave.
"Is it a boy?" This time it wasn't Mitsuki but Masaru who questioned her.
"WHAT THE FUCK DAD?!" There it is. There's the violent outburst both of them are familiar with ever since her birth. To those who're not familiar with her will be taken aback and freight by her viscous voice but to them it soothes their ears like a medley singing chirps of birds.
Mitsuki shot an amusing 'really' look at Masaru who lazily shrugged his shoulders. Probably wanting to drill to the problem instead of digging it.
"So," she turned to the eternal angry child of hers, a teasing grin on her face, "Who's this boy that is in your mind enough to do the impossible of calming you down?"
"It's no one," Katsumi said, gritting her teeth. She gripped the fork she was holding so hard there was a good chance she might bend it to an angle with her thumb.
"Is it Izuku?" Masaru, once again shot in the dark, asked. His face is hidden by the newspaper so they won't see him pressing his lips trying hard not to laugh, less he feels his daughter's wrath that will be far greater than before if she saw his attempt at not busting a gut.
"I'm out." Katsumi abruptly got up from her chair and quickly went to the door, grabbing her things. Not wanting to stay here any further and certainly not wanting them to see her flush face. Or else they'll continue to press the matter until she'll make a fool of herself by spilling out every single gut she has in her.
Mitsuki hastily reaches out to stop her only for the loud audible sound of the door slamming shut. She slumped her shoulders and threw a slight glare at her husband who sheepishly and nervously chuckled. "Guess I'm on the money with that one." He said, finally controlling himself. Letting out a final gasp to dissipate any laughter left in his stomach.
"I guess," said the Bakugou matriarch, sipping on her cup of tea. "So is little Izuku that's making the little brat not… herself. Can't say I'm surprised since you know." Masaru nodded, knowing what his wife was talking about. Both of them weren't blind to the way their daughter behaves and acts. Her personality was inherited from Mitsuki's but turning the knob to eleven and then twisted off with the springs and wires popping out.
But it wasn't always like that, when she and Izuku were little kids and were best friends Katsumi was a giddy little happy firecracker. Always together like glue, they would go out and play heroes and villains, explore one of the forest parks, or be excited about anything that is All Might related. But then it just… stopped. They just stopped being friends. Mitsuki and Masaru don't know why, but they do know it made Katsumi more pugnacious than she ever was as the years went by. Evidently by the meet ups between both families. An atmosphere of awkwardness will present itself as the parents would talk while taking quick sneaking glances at their children who are both trying not to make eye contact with each other and having looks that says they would rather be anywhere else but here. It was quite depressing to say the least.
Mitsuki looked at her husband with a concerned look a mother would have. "You think she got it through her thick skull and finally got her shit together, especially with little Izuku."
Masaru straightened the newspaper he was reading and replied, "Only time will tell dear. Only time will tell."
"Mother fucking parents. Like they know what the fuck I'm thinking about. I'm not thinking about Deku. It's got nothing to do with Deku. It's not about Deku at all. Fucking shit."
Walking down the street to the low-standard of a school Katsumi angrily talked to herself of what her old man said, setting her in what some would call a hissy fit. Not that they would say it to her face or else they'll get an explosion to the face and a few concussions.
"Like I'm mad to see him with another chick? Ha! Don't make me laugh. She probably went out with him on a pity date. That's got to be the reason why that earlobe looking bitch was with him. That's the reason. I'm not jealous. Why should I be jealous? I'm Katsumi mother fucking Bakugou. I'm not jealous that he went with some random bitch instead of me-OH FOR FUCK SAKES!!" Her sudden outburst caused several passersby to be greatly startled and quickly scurry away not wanting to be in the same area of the girl's wrath.
"Why? Why the fuck is he in mine head all the time? Why does him being with that Earlobe bitch bother me so much? I don't get it. I tried my best to ignore him with the only thing I ever did since after was verbally throwing shit at him to crush his dream but why am I thinking about him all the time."
She stopped, trying real damn hard digging around her mind to find her answer when a certain memory surfaced up.
"The fuck are you doing Deku?!"
"I-I-I-I can't let you die. I just can't do anything and see you die Kaachan! So please hold on tight, ok?"
'Since that day. He's been in my mind ever since the day he saved my life. But why? Why did he save me? After all the shit I did to him ever since, he saved me. I don't get it. I don't fucking get it .' Irritated even more for remembering that day she was close to blowing up her gasket when something pink caught her eye. A cherry blossom gently floated down to the ground and landed near her feet. She gave it a strange look before bending down, a moment of hesitation met her halfway through, and gingerly picked it up on her palm. She inspected the alluring blossom and looked up to see a sea of them across the tree's branches. Confusingly, she couldn't help but exclaim out loud. "What the fuck. Cherry blossom season is over why the hell is this one still sprouting the fucking pink flowers?"
She looked perplexed back at the flower on her hand for a few moments before she came to a decision. 'Fuck it .' She moved it towards her hair, planning to plant it in only for her to suddenly drop it when someone shouted her name.
"Hey Bakugou!!"
Silently fuming she turned spotting her fucking cronies waving at her all stupidly happy. She stomped over there and yelled at them for ruining a private moment with the lackeys cowering and reminding them they were going to be late for school, causing her to curse at them more and then running as fast as she could towards school with them following her as well.
Sometime later
It was lunch period and she was lonesome in the classroom with a few students in as well talking random shit she never paid attention to. She got really fucking lucky not arriving late but she can't say for her lackey extras since both of them got detention. But it was a blessing in disguise for her since she can continue thinking about her situation with Deku. Where he is right now in this dump of a school she doesn't know. Before and after that incident with that slime fucker she's been avoiding him every chance she got. Her reason for that is… well… she finally realized no matter what she does, no matter how low she's willing to go, Katsumi can't crush Deku's dream no matter what she does. Him wanting to be a hero is forever cemented in his dorky brain and Katsumi, she won't say this to anyone not even him, can't help but respect that. Avoiding him after the incident was her own way of saying thanks and she would focus all her attention on getting prepared for the entrance exam of UA now.
But that doesn't answer why the fuck is he still in her mind now?
Snapped out of her thoughts by the sounds of giggling she glanced to the side with a glare to see a group of girls a few desks away. What kind of trashy gossip shit they're spewing she doesn't care but their giggles are grating on her ears like cat claws scratching against a black chalkboard. She was about to yell at them to shut it when one of them with a horrible spray tan on her skin started a conversation that, for once, she paid attention to.
"Have you seen Midoriya lately? Talk about jacked."
"Oh I know. He was so short and scrawny back then before he got his quirk. But now he looks so buff." Another one bit her lower lip in a suggestive manner. "I want to feel those muscles so bad."
"You think he's going out with someone?"
"No way, everyone knows he's such a loner. Nobody hangs out with him because he used to be quirkless, plus he looked so skinny like a twig you know?"
"Yeah, but now? I won't mind getting him under the sheets with me if you catch my drift."
"Girl, you crazy I-"
She did not like it, she hated it how they kept talking about him like if he was a piece of meat and how what they do if they approach him just to fuck, and it was infuriates Katsumi heavily. Her blood was boiling more and more and she was sure she was literally steaming. Not wanting to hear this sick shit no more she decided, even if it's going to get her in trouble which is unlikely since the school staff are a bunch ofkiss asses, giving them a good frightened explosion. Shutting them up will give her immense satisfaction.
Building up sweat pouring out of her palm enough to produce a good explosion, Katsumi was about to let one loose when the school bell rang signaling lunch period. She angrily growled like a wild beast frightening the other students around her as she gathered the plastic wrapping that had tiny crumbs and empty soda can that was her lunch to the trash bin as the other students tried their best to stay clear away from her.
The rest of the students begin filling through the classroom's door, all chattering like the idiot extras they are. Her crony extras also enter the classroom crestfallen knowing they have to stay after school to clean thewhole damn room. The last one to enter was Deku himself. Recalling those damn Doritos's conversation moments ago she, not in a weird way, checked him out looking up and down all over his body. She admitted his short stature before had a cute charm. But now? She quickly looked away scowling but it was betrayed by the redness of her face. She wondered how he got that big that fast and, by the evidence of his school uniform straining against him, having muscles he could probably crush a watermelon with his arm alone. It has to be his quirk, right?
She glanced at him who sat down on his desk mindlessly listening to whatever he was listening to, probably a hero podcast, from his phone, not aware of the stares and giggles from the dorito group directing at him.
Okay now she's going to let an explosion loose on them, consequences (not really) be damned. She secretly aimed her palm at them as her cronie extras near her were aware and alarmed of what she was going to do and began slowly ducking down like those old nuclear school drills in the old age in America. Just as she is about to use her quirk the homeroom teacher enters the room causing her to slam her hand down on the desk and set off the intended explosion startling everyone.
The homeroom teacher who knew the full brunt of her temper hesitantly spoke, "Is there anything wrong Miss Bakugou?"
"I'm fine," she grunted. "I saw a fly." She lifted her hand to see a handprint outlined by the soot on her desk. "It's dead."
Later
School was finally over and everyone started to leave, her included, not minding her lackey extras who started taking the cleaning equipment out of the classroom's closet or the extras walking around her or Deku who beamed at a text message from his phone.
Managing to be the first one to exit out, Katsumi wonders what she's gonna do for the rest of the day. She could probably go to the arcade and spend her time there until night comes or go home and do something to occupy her time like practicing her quirk or watch All Might compilation videos of him beating the absolute crap out of the villains.Making up her mind, she turned southwards once she came out of the front entrance only to be bumped by something… again! And just like before she was about to tell the person off when a voice cut her off first.
"You mind watching where you're going? I almost spilled my drinks."
Standing before Katsumi was a girl leaning against the wall holding two medium-sized disposable cups with lids on and straws sticking out. Wearing a school uniform that doesn't belong to Aldera High nor having the same association with those three shitty hair buffoons all the way back by the color scheme. But what grabbed her attention immediately was the short purple hair and the long earlobes shaped as earphone jacks.
'Her!' Katsumi screeched in her mind, caught off guard by the sudden appearance of the girl who Deku was with weeks ago in the arcade. 'What the fuck is she doing here?!'
Kyouka just stares at the blonde pomeranian-hair chick who bumped into her, almost dropping the sodas she brought for herself and Freckles who she was waiting for outside, and is currently gawking at her as if she knows her and is surprised to see her. "You, uh, gonna close your mouth? You'll catch some flies if you leave it open. Also can you not look at me like an idiot?"
Verbally jostled, Katsumi shook her head and barked back with an exasperated expression across her face. "You're the idiot. Who the fuck stands against the wall close to the entrance and not expect to be fucking bump by someone, you dumbass."
"You kiss your mother with that mouth," retorted Kyouka, "or do you just throw insults at everyone you meet because your skull is filled with profanity fluid that replace the brain matter inside you you have to cuss at every five seconds or else your brain is contaminated by your own bitch rage?"
Katsumi suddenly raised her hand at the earlobe bitch's face, snarling at the insult. "You want to repeat that again, earlobe bitch?" Just as she said that, students began pouring out from the entrance and immediately scurried away once they saw her having some kind of skirmish with an unknown girl. Not wanting to be in Katsumi's crossfire while sending pity sympathy to the poor girl who probably did something to make the most violent person in the world unrestrained her wrath.
Kyouka dully stared at her. Not impressed with the threat nor understanding why people are running away from them with terrified faces. "Well, are you quick to be hostile? What, you have some kind of quirk that you can blast from your hands?"
"Yeah, something like that," replied Katsumi who is close to ready to blow this bitch to kingdom kong if she makes one more insulting comment about her. Consequences (again) be fucking damned. "So what's going to be, earlobe bitch? If you can't tell by those stupid extras running away I'm top dog of this joint. If you beg me for forgiveness I might let this slide under the rug and you can go fuck off somewhere and never come back, okay?" She finishes it off with an obviously fake smile and her eyes close to give a faux cherry air around her that's screaming danger.
"Oh. So I need to grovel for your permission to apologize? All right." Kyouka put the sodas down to her side then turned her body back and forth making small audible pops. Clearing her throat and closing her eyes she clapped her hands clasping them to a prayer. "Forgive me oh great one please, pretty please, grant me the permission to say sorry and gravel at your feet even if it's your own fault for not seeing where you're going you'll probably get hit by a truck cause you have not only terrible eyesight but you're also blinded by the bitch aura oozing out of ya." She finished saying with an open eye and a smug smirk.
Each word out of her mouth lividled Katsumi more and more. Growling, she sent some warning pops out of her hand causing the earlobe bitch to wince in a painful expression along with grabbing her earlobes, making Katsumi let out a menacing smirk, elated that supposed bravo crumpled to dust instantly. "Not so tough now, huh bitch?" She produces bigger pops this time making Kyouka hold her earlobes and ears concealed by her hands. "Huuuuh? Don't shut your ears off. Here, let me make it louder for you to hear-"
She got cut off from a hand, seizing her wrist in a firm grip and lifting it upward, ceasing any more explosions for her to create. She turned to see who dared intervene to make this bitch know her place only to meet the bright green eyes glaring down at her as some sort of angry god.
'Deku!' Katsumi looked at him in surprise, disregarding the Earlobe Bitch who looked relieved to see him as well. Shaken off of her stupor she tore her wrist away from his wrist, holding it to wear off the slight ache it revived. Not expecting the dork to have a strong grip. She shot him a glare of her own but with less disdain. "The fuck are you doing here Deku?"
Instead of responding to her, Deku looked at Earlobe Bitch and said, "Are you alright Jirou?"
Moving her hands away, Kyouka smiled and mildly answered loudly. "Yeah, I can barely hear you or anything really but I'm alright."
Alarmed Izuku quickly went up in front of her and placed his hands on her ears. He deeply breathed in a calm sense as a yellow light appeared on his hands. Kyouka visibly relaxed as the pain washed away pleasantly by his quirk evidently by the soft smile and nuzzling into one of his palms if it were a comfy pillow causing Izuku to hitch his breath stopping [Hamon]. His face visibly red, Izuku took his hands away from her ears and stepped back. He spluttered, "Ar-are you okay now Ji-Jirou?"
Opening her eyes with a small blush of her own, she sent him a small grateful grin. "Yeah Freckles I'm all right." Kyouka spoke, her voice returning to its regular volume as she dug one of her ears with a pinky."I can hear just fine thanks to your sun-light bull shittery."
"Your welcome," Izuku wobbly smiled back.
They both enter a trance of sorts. Memorized between them as they drown each other's eyes. Their hearts pump more and more blood directly to their face as Kyouka's lips curve upwards to match Izuku's. This balmy-like ambience would have continued far, much longer if it weren't for a certain dynamite given human form.
"Hey!" A voice was heard from their side. They turn their heads to see the blonde girl who is seething in rage at the scene before. Her stomach churn and her hands that were vibrating and clenching were sheet white she was barely controlling herself and losing by the second. Pangs of emotions rang through Katsumi as she watched the interactions between the two of them. One emotion she's always familiar with is anger and she's definitely feeling that right now. Jealousy on the other hand she rarely deals with even that day at the arcade but seeing them that close does not sit right with her. "Don't you fucking losers ignore me."
Each word slipping past her mouth tastes bitter more and more to the point a single letter was practically vomit to her. "Didn't know you have a friend Deku but you know what they say losers attract losers." Why did she say that? Why the fuck did she say that? She has no reason to say that. It just slipped before her brain had time to react.
"Okay what's your problem? And why are you calling Freckles deku?" Kyouka angrily said, marching up to her. Fierce onyx eyes staring straight at the demonic scarlet with no fear. "What, is there some kind of beef going on between you two?"
"Yeah you can say that," Katsumi said, her hands twitching trying to keep herself under control. "I beat this loser's ass every time he comes in my way. And the reason why I called him Deku? Look at him, he's a worthless nobody. As if he has any use for today's world. He'll be what he will always be, a useless fucking deku." Shut up shut up shut up!
"Really, then you must have mistaken this big lug for another person," the Earlobe Bitch probed Deku's ribs with an elbow. "Cause Midoriya here is a nice rockin dude even if he is a bit of a skittish bunny. Ain't that right Freckles?"
Izuku, who before had a hurtful look caused by Kacchan's words, was touched by Jirou's; he almost got teary eyed. "Y-Yes, thank you Ji-Jirou. "
Kyouka grinned back.
Katsumi, who couldn't stand seeing them all chumming each other, gritted her teeth and clenched her fists as the nails were prickly against her skin. "Get that sick shit out of my sight." she said. "Or else I'm gonna… I'm gonna… I'm gonna…" she lowered her head, too lost to do something or say something.
Kyouka waited in anticipation, having never once been in a fight in her life as her flight-or-fight was going haywire. Izuku, on the other hand, had never seen Kacchan like this before. She always attacks first whenever things escalate but now she seems hesitant, faltering even, that he was becoming concerned for her. Just as he was about to speak, Kyouka was the one who ventured out first. "Are you gonna do what?"
Katsumi snapped her head back up as if awakened from a sleep. She opens her mouth but closes it shut. Eventually she takes a deep but rather shaky breath and mutters with all the scorn she can muster that was loud and clear enough for Izuku and Kyouka to hear.
"Fuck you."
She instantly then walked through them roughly and uncaringly slamming their shoulders with hers making them stumble back. She then heard Deku's voice behind her.
"W-wait Kacchan."
Turning around, Katsumi swiped her arm through the air in a vertical arc, releasing an explosion stopping Deku and sending him to the ground. Huffing deeply, she glared as much as she could at him, prompting the Earlobe Bitch rushing over to check if he got hurt as she stared at her with a glare of her own. "What the hell? That was totally uncalled for."
Putting her hands in her uniform's pockets, Katsumi apathetically said, "Like I care. He shouldn't call me that shit name." She spun around and walked, not even giving them a second look.
Kyouka, vehemently furious she has never felt before, was about to get up and go over there when she felt her wrist grab. She looked at Midoriya who shook his head. "It-it's alright J-J-Jirou, I'm not hurt or anything. Let's just ignore this okay?"
But she countered, "No, that was not okay. I can't ignore what she did literally moments ago. I don't know what kind of history you two have but I'm not going to let some rando talk shit about my friend, especially right in front of my face."
While deeply touched she considers him her friend, Izuku still doesn't want to create more unnecessary trouble than it already is so he quickly spoke to diffuse her ire. "But we'll be late for work and I don't want this to be the reason for why we're late. So please let's ignore this."
Kyouka looked at his pleading face, feeling conflicted. Izuku's school was far away from the store and her school which made her ditch last period so she could trek here and surprise him as she originally intended until that pomeranian jerk came along. Knowing Freckles is right in that regard, if she went up to that chick, the most likely scenario is that she'll get her ass kicked, both of them will get fired for being, even if Boss Otoishi has been cool with them, late and lastly her parents will give her hell if they find out.
With great reluctance and a heavy breath Kyouka shot a dirty look at the faraway Katsumi before looking at Izuku. She reached out her hand and made a gesture at him. Figuring it Izuku grabbed the offering hand with his and placed his other on the pavement surface. At once Kyouka pulled and Izuku pushed off the ground springing up to his feet as Kyouka staggered back but managed to find her footing.
"God damn how much do you weigh? Because it feels like I'm trying to pick up those huge loudspeakers my dad keeps in his studio room," spoke Kyouka as she picked up the cups from the ground and handed one to Izuku. "Here, I bought us some sodas. I don't know what your favorite is so I got you one I like."
Having butterflies in his stomach, Izuku took the cup from her as Kyouka took a sip from hers. "Th-thank you."
"No problem." Once her hand free, Kyouka then fishes her phone out of her pocket to check the time. "Sooo… ready for work Freckles?" She said, trying to sound cherry to dispense the tense air from that explosive brush. "Cause I sure am."
"Y-Yeah. I'm super ready. Yup, yup." Izuku stammer, his mind still tarrying on the rather bizarre behavior Kacchan exhibits.
She moved her earlobes, the two ends poking each other in a shy manner as pink dusted across her cheeks. "Do you have any plans after work?" Butterflies swarm in her stomach hoping he doesn't have any.
"Ummm…" Trying to remember if he had anything important to do or some matter that would occupy his time after work today, not including his day off of his training regimen, Izuku closed his eyes shut for a moment until he opened them with a shake of his head. "No, I don't h-h-have anything to do afterwards."
"Hell yeah!" Jirou shouted before coughing to regain her composure, acting coolly. "Cool, cool. You want to hang out after? There's this sick guitar I saw in the mall that I wanted to check out again. What do you say? "
"Uhhhh, sure. I like to. I'll text my mom after closing time," said Izuku, causing Kyouka to internally fist pump.
"Awesome, now let's go."
Elsewhere
In the household home of the Bakugou family, both spouses enjoy the small tranquil air around them as they watch an Italian fashion show from their television. Mitsuki commenting on the clothing each model is wearing walked down the catwalk, briefly stopping at the end to pose showing off the fashionable clothes as cameramen took pictures hoping to get the best shot before walking back backstage to change another set of clothes.
"I mean seriously why the hell does that one have holes all over? It reminds me of Swiss cheese. Who even approves it? Who even fucking designed it? Were they on some kind of purple hazy drug?" Mitsuki commented, not understanding how anyone can wear something so surreal.
Masaru, being a fashion designer himself, couldn't help but nervously chuckle at her lambasting, "Well honey there's a good chance some of them won't be a product due to how elaborate the designs are and others are just statements the designers want to make."
"Yeah," she scoffed, "or they're just like those weirdo painters who just throw random paint cans on damn canvases and call it 'artsy' when they're done and the canvas is covered by a jumbled mess of paint." The next model then caught her eyes dumbfounding her for its ridiculous look. "Like this one. What the hell is that? There's zippers all over. Is it actual clothes you can wear or a Halloween costume dressing up as a zipper man? How the fuck do you even put it on?"
"You… ummm…," trying to find the words to justify the designer's, from his viewpoint, psychedelic design but couldn't as he was also taken back by the fashion's design. "It just works….," he finally gave an answer hoping it pleased her.
In return Mitsuki dully stared back. "No."
Both of them then heard the doorknob click followed by the front door opening then a hard slam shutting it closed.
"Someone's in a bad mood," said Mitsuki as the daughter of the house walked into the living room clearly fuming, with both Masaru and Mitsuki taking notice. "Hey brat, who twisted your panties to be in a grumpy mood?" Mitsuki inquiry.
"Fuck you." Giving a quick quiet retort hello, Katsumi walks up the stairs not even giving a glance to them and to her room.
Blinking in surprise at their daughter's disturbing calm insult instead of the usual very hot-tempered loud one Mitsuki broke the silence first. "Well… that was something."
Gaining a concerned look Masaru asked his wife in a worried tone. "You don't suppose something happens in school to prompt… that."
Snuggling into her husband Mitsuki responds, "Who knows. We both know that school, and others schools before it, are crap. The reason we didn't take her out from there and put her in Aldera Private is because of little Izuku. She'll go ballistic if we ever utter the mention of transferring her to another school. Even if the interactions between them are… violent." They jumped at the abrupt loud sound of their daughter's door slamming closed. Masaru worriedly eyed the stairs. "Should we check on her to see if she's all right?"
"Nah," said Mitsuki as she got up from the couch the moment the fashion show was over. Raising her arms up as she stretched, arching her back. "Let her cool down for a while. Get her shit together. If the brat is still being a brat then we'll confront her about it. Now come on, you're helping me with tonight's dinner."
" ~March, march forward members of the Bakugou Hero Agency~!"
A voice of a little girl can be heard deep in a park's forest as five small children trek through the shrubbery and foliage in a single file line. A small Katumi was ahead of the line taking charge in leading them with her arm in front of her, setting off small pops.
Raising her other fist Katsumi said, "Now one more time with more energy you asshats." Taking in a deep breath she began her marching song.
"I'm the hero who gains victory~!"
"You're the hero who gains victory~!!!"
"By kicking every villain's ass~!
"By kicking every villain's ass~!!!"
"And prove to the world I'm the best~!"
"And prove to the world you're the best~!!!"
"That even All Might can't disagree~!"
"That even All Might can't disagree~!!!"
"Sound off!"
"One two!!"
"I can't hear you!"
"Three four!!!"
A toothy grin curved up her lip at the chorus; she was about to lead them to a huge moss log wedge above a stream as a bridge before a meek voice stuttered.
"Bu-bu-but non-none o-o-of th-the la-la-la-last wor-words ry-ry-rythmed."
Rolling her eyes in annoyance she looked back at the kid with green hair who was at the back of the group as he cower before her sharp eyes.
"It doesn't matter if it rhymes, Deku. As long as it is snappy then who gives a crap if it doesn't fucking rhythm." She said, irated at her best friend pointing out her march song she worked hard thinking of. The other kids vehemently agreed while also throwing insults at Izuku who shrank, quivering in an embarrassing blushing mess.
"Knock it off you dumbasses," the little pomeranian bark crossing a moss covered log not noticing or regarding how slippery it is. "We're almost there so shut the hell or I'll-" She was then unexpectedly cut off by the slippery log once she took another step and slipped off it, plunging down towards the river stream.
Splash!
The small group she was leading immediately looked down while watching their steps to see her shaking her head getting the water out of her hair. "Are you alright Bakugou?" one of them asked in concern.
She looked up, soaking wet from head to toe, and sent them a reassuring grin as if the potential life-threatening injuries didn't bother her one bit. "Yeah, I'm fine. That shit didn't hurt me at all. Now wait for me there I'm going back up."
Just as she finished speaking a hand entered her sight causing her to follow it up with her gaze. She then came face to face with Izuku who had a fretted look. "Are you okay, Kacchan? Do you need help?" He said, the tone of his voice was evidently laced with worry for his best friend.
The expressionless look on her made him troubled, the silence dismaying him even more and more each passing second when he saw Katsumi eyes flicker to his hand and back to his eyes then morph her blank look to an impish one. "Yeah, Deku," she said in a mischievous tone. "I need help." She then seized his hand. "My hero~."
She promptly jerked her arm back making him fall forward to the stream. A splash caused by him drench Katsumi more but that was fine for her as the moment Izuku pushed himself up he was splashed to the face from her. Blinking in bewilderment he caught sight of her laughing loudly while pointing at him.
It's well-known that those who know the little mosh boy know he doesn't have one single mean bone in his body, not even the size of the smallest bone, the Stapes. But there were few very rare instances of Izuku being irritated, much less angry at all. And when he does feel those emotions it tends to be unpleasant. This was one of them. Plunging his entire arms into the water he heaves as much water as he can then propelling the water right at Katsumi who is laying on her back still laughing but came to a cease once she got pelted by the thrown water.
Raising back up she glares at him who giggles as if someone pulled out a perfect magic trick. Not wanting him to enjoy his little pay back Katsumi swiped her arm across the water splashing it to Izuku again who scrunched his face once he felt the impact. She placed her knuckles on her hips and curved her lips up into a cocky smirk as Izuku blinked his eyes open.
Not wanting to end the little green boy placed his hands back inside the water causing the little girl to widen her eyes, knowing his intentions, and morph her smug face into a challenging one, directing it to him.No one spoke a word, not even the group who were still on the log, as Katsumi flickered her eyes towards the hands in the water and back at Izuku's. Jerking her head forward as if to dare him to do it caused Izuku, in return and in very rare instances, to smile almost chester-like.
As if a starting pistol was fired, Izuku splashes her as much as he can while Katsumi retaliates by splashing back. Water flies through the air as both children never let up their restless splashy assaults, not caring if they are soaked to the brim while the children above and still on the log are cheering, mainly on Katsumi, but still carefully to not slip.
Minutes go by and the two children start feeling their arms tired but never one of them wants to admit defeat. But Katsumi's desire to win ran high as she pulled a last-ditch effort by lunging right at the startled Izuku, bringing him down to the stream again.
Groaning with his eyes shut at the small throbbing his head received from her tackle, Izuku opened his eyes only to see Katsumi's red ones, along with her sitting on him. He could do nothing but blush red like a tomato from their faces too close to each other more than Izuku liked it to be while Katsumi broadly grinned in victory as though she won a grand prize in a carnival game.
"Well Izuku," she said, tightening her hold so the boy below her won't struggle much, "What now?"
He didn't respond for a good solid moment even when the corner of his lips started to quiver. Panicking if she might have hurt him as it wasn't her intention, Katsumi loosened her hold and was ready to see if he was okay but the sounds of a giggle entered her ears and the words that were about to exit her mouth came to a halt.Focusing on his face she saw him not crying as he usually does but trying really damn hard not to laugh before he couldn't hold any longer before laughing full pletely baffled at the reaction which Katsumi is not used to. At all. She verbally probed Izuku to stop.
"Wh-why are you laughing? Stop that."
He didn't stop vexing her more.
"Hey come on stop." A slight shake on the shoulders. "I mean it. You're going to piss me off Izuku. Stop it or I will."
Despite the implied threat her lips started shaking, forcing her to suck them in her mouth. But the continuous laughing of Izuku quickly broke down her discomposure before she couldn't hold it in any longer and finally let out a jovial laugh from her belly.
Both of them kept laughing together when one of the kids still on the log spoke up.
"Um, Baku-"
BOOM!!
Whatever question he had ceased when Katsumi let out a warning explosion shutting him, and others if they had a chance, up. Looking back down, Katsumi gave off a slight nervous chuckle to a nonplussed Izuku who blinked at her action before resuming laughing albeit now a giggle which she couldn't help but giggle at as well.
And they didn't give a care in the world when both of them return home still soaking wet with parents, one fretting over her child and the other giving hers an ear-full on why they're soak head to toe before sending them to the bathroom to shower not giving them a chance to explain why.
But it didn't matter. After the time on the stream their friendship became greater than ever.
And nothing will ever break that.
It was mid-day, the sun was beginning to descend from its highpoint as groups of birds lined up on power lines, each one of them doing their own personal activities as they enjoyed this warm atmosphere in the city of Musutafu. Not caring about people frantically running to their destination on a different route thanks to a hero versus villain scene blocking their original one. Not caring about the noises of vehicles driving on a nearby road. Not caring about a group of kids surrounding a single one in a playground in front of them. Not caring one of the children in the group raised her arm and swiped it across the air.
BOOM!!
Out of freight the birds instantly fly off the lines and scatter randomly across the sky. Getting away from whoever instigated their fly-or-fight instinct.
Meanwhile down in the park Katsumi who instigated the feathered creatures sneered down at a boy who was whimpering, scared with tears running down from his eyes as kids who were behind her snicker from the pitiful display.
"Well?" she inquired, moving her fingers threateningly. "Care to repeat what you said about me?" said the small blonde who raised her hand setting off her quirkwith pops and crackles that set the lone child off crying.
"I-I-I'm didn't s-s-say a-anything!"
"You sure? Cause I heard you were talking shit about how I can't be a hero because I act like ,in your words, a bitch."
"That's not what I said!" The child desperately defended himself. The fear pressuring him more and more he's close to peeing his shorts.
Katsumi scoffed, clearly can tell this extra is lying, desperate for any lie he could used from his stupid ass brain. Not only that he is wasting her time. She was supposed to meet Izuku near a toy store to get the new revision model figure of the All Might silver age variation. But nope. She's gotta have to deal with this. And every second this lying asshole delayed the more she's getting fucking pissed.
Wanting to wrap this up quick and get this fucker spit out the truth she aimed her palm right at his crotch scaring the fucker even more she witness a wet spot appear on his sports, making her disgusted, and the lackey extras behind her immediately stopped snicker and shuffled rather uncomfortably. Some sent the poor boy looks of pity. One was even brave enough to speak up.
"Hey, Bakugou. Don't you think I'm taking it too far?"
She, in kind, raised her other hand up making small pops out of the palm causing him to immediately shut up and stand there looking away from the inevitable that was going to happen.
Shifting her focus back at the bitch extra Katsumi gives him an ultimatum. "Now one more time and if you answer me truthfully I'll let you go. Did you or did you not call me a bitch?"
He answered through the harsh sobbing. "Y-y-yes! N-n-now p-please. I-i-i-i want g-g-g-go home."
"Yeah, I'll let you go," Katsumi cooly said, lowering her arm and approaching the over relieved boy. "But I have this nagging feeling you'll still keep talking shit behind my back. Soooo…" She stomped her foot hard on the renewed scared boy. "Just to make sure you won't talk shit about me anymore I'll give you a permanent reminder you'll never forget."
The poor boy started sobbing again with such an outburst that one might mistake that he might be hyperventilated under the extreme stress of this integration of trauma along his body that is spasming; one also mistaken him for having a seizure.
But as Katsumi was going to set off an explosion that certainly will bring about third degree burns she unexpectedly got tackled to the ground and off the boy. Briefly she felt the dull pain from the tackle but it was swiftly shifted to a hit in the face with a baseball bat of perturbation as Izuku held her down by the arms while looking like a frightened abused animal.
"Th-that's enough Kacchan." He spoke in an assertive tone but came sounding similar to timid and meek. "St-stop hurting him. This isn't what heroes are supposed to do."
Now if it were any person, adult or child, with an rational mind they would take a step back and would see they were in the wrong no matter how begrudgingly they accept but in the inner works of one young Katsumi Bakugou's mind equipped with ill temper emotions taking front row seats that is her personality she interpretation Izuku's words in a much different way.
"Are you calling me a villain?"
He blinked, taken aback from what he heard.
"Wh-what… I di-didn't call you a-"
"I am not a villain!!"
With a shout she scorched the ground by exploding from her palms as she rocketed out of Izuku's hold, both of them thrust up in the air and came crashing down like space debris. Izuku wasn't hurt much by landing on his butt but he did feel a noticeable sting causing him to rub it for alleviation. The same can't be said to Katsumi who's head landed on the top side of a wood board of a sandbox. The impact between the hard surface and the tender flesh was violent enough for a gash to form on her forehead with blood starting to spill out.
She immediately rose up with her hands pressed closed on her forehead to stop the bleeding but a thin line flowed down to the tip of her nose as Izuku scamper approached his best friend.
"Kacchan! Kacchan! You're bleeding. We need to get you home and-"
He was immediately stopped by an explosion by her enough he dropped on his butt again. The green boy hissed knowing that drop was enough for a bruise to form. He then notices her walking away, possibly back home.
Izuku once again got up and hurried to her. "Wait, Kacchan. Wait!"
"Leave me alone."
"But you're hurt. I can't leave you alone. Let me help y-"
He was cut off by a shove from her, sending him to the ground twice in a row. About to push himself from the ground, trying hard to ignore the now obvious sting on his butt, a foot stomps his chest, sending him back down and making an 'oof' out of his lips. His eyes wander all over before eventually bringing them to a focus looking upward and center, contacting the sharp red glare of Katsumi. The animosity coming off from her frightened him greatly, not helping the blood start to drip from the tip of her nose and land on his face.
"Kacchan?"
"Don't…," she lifted her foot and directed above his now petrified face. "... ever-" and drove it down hard right on his nose "call me-"
stomp!
"-kacchan-"
stomp!
"or a villain-"
stomp!
"ever again!! I don't want to see you anymore you... you… you fucking DEKU!!"
She stomps one last time with more force, clearly hearing a crushing sound now knowing his nose is broken. Turning around she left the park not caring to give a single peek at the now bloody broken nose and shedding tears Deku or caring the fucking extras or the bitch extra ditch the park the moment she send the first stomp.
But fuck them and fuck Deku too. She'll prove to them she's ain't a villain. She'll be the greatest hero by beating the shit out of every single villain on this goddamn planet. She'll climb the tallest mountain and claim the peak for herself. And nobody is going to stop her.
Not Deku.
Not even All Might.
Nobody.
Eyelids fully open only to be shut close tight by the orange light from the setting sun. Flickering fast to get rid of the distortion, the bombardment girl groans in annoyance not expecting the intended short nap to go on for hours. Once she got used to natural sunlight that was soon going to be gone she rubbed her face to get rid of any left over groggily feeling only to feel something wet upon contact. Moving her hand away from her, Katsumi can only look flabbergasted at it. Her? Crying? In her sleep no less. That's complete bullshit. What could make Katsumi Bakugou weep like a bitc-
'Oh.'
Recollection of her dream/memory cropped up in her sleep caused her to force herself to sit up bringing her knees close to her so she could bury her face in them. A doleful aura surrounded her and extended to her room filling it up; one can suffocate if they enter.
Questions and memories just like before filled her head which then morphed into a metaphorical mirror with her image reflecting. Why do you antagonize him? To crush his dream. For what reason? So he won't get killed. Are you sure? Yes. But you have another reason. I do? Yes, you hate him. I do not! But you do. Out of everyone in that dingy shit you call school and in your daily life ever since that day you target him non-stop. Oh, sure you'll victimize someone else but he'll show up and stop ya but you'll brutally put him down. He should mind his damn business then. Yeah, but you got a kick out of it. What? Face it, every time he shows up in your radar you get all smitten, butterflies in your stomach, wanting to jump on his bones and dominate him even before he was short like a dwarf before his quirk kicked in.
'What the fuck are you saying.'
Oh my god do you still have shit in your head? I'm saying in your own twisted fucked up way of destroying his dream you want him to still be in your life.
She slightly shifted her head with her eyes peeking out, noting the sun was almost gone and the moon was present to take its place.
'I do?'
Yeah. You do. You'll probably even say that nasty shit one of those brain dead extras who followed you thought you were going to say Deku all those weeks ago just an attempt to get him to stay with you. You know, that day.
How could she not. She wouldn't tell no one about this swearing she'll take it to her grave but ever since that day with the slime fucker she'll have recur nightmares about it from time to time with some so severe she'll wake up in the late night in a cold sweat.
But prior to the crazy shit all she remember was the brief confrontation between her and Deku and one of her lackey extras though she was going to tell Deku to go ki-
Oh.
She buried head back to her knees and scrunched up her face in bitterness. 'Oh.'
Yeah, imagine you actually saying that? Whyyy, wouldn't that make you something you absolutely hate? A villain-
Snapping her head up so fast it might cause a whiplash the now enraged Katsumi bellowed, "YOU SHUT THE FUCK UP!!!"
Knock knock knock
Facing her head directly to her door the heavy breathing girl wonders which of her parents is knocking when the chirpy singing tone of her old hag announces herself.
"Oh braaaaaaaat~. I'm respecting your privacy by knocking, but asserting my authority as your mother by coming in anyway."
Barging in, the matriarch's eyes were closed and a smile on her that was a little too friendly hiding undertones of untold consequences she was about to dish out if she wasn't satisfied with the answer the daughter of the household would soon give.
"Soooo… my darling daughter of mine. Enjoying that 'nap' you had." She sweetly said that only a mother like herself could say, as well as putting more emphasis on the nap. "How odd. Normally you'll sleep for an hour if you have nothing to do after school. And you always wake up exactly after an hour on the clock so you can do whatever the hell you do. But now it's almost eight and your sweet father is just putting the finishing touches on today's dinner. So I, your bodacious mother, decided to call your name to announce to get your butt ready. But instead of hearing an insult from you I called your name again and again but still nothing. So being the generous mom I am, I decided to check up on you to see what was going on only to witness you waking up like a sleeping beauty." She placed her knuckles on her hips and cocked one to the side. "So what gives? What's today too beneath my mighty daughter? She slept more than usual rather than doing something proactive? Like practicing her quirk so she can be a great hero-"
Sniff
Stopping her mocking rant, Mitsuki took a closer look at the glum girl with her head still buried in her knees. It was honestly surprising to Mitsuki beforehand not hearing a snide remark or a barrage of insults during that mock diatribe. But this? It doesn't compare to this.
Then her paternal instincts took over. "Okay what's up? Why are you crying?" she said, concerned and out of curiosity for what caused her to be in this state. To look so fragile and so delicate. No, no, this wasn't her daughter at all. Volcanic hot-headed and mountainous brash who'll proudly announce to the world again and again that she'll be the best hero ever. That's her. Not… this. "Brat…" she moved, sitting on the bed and placing a palm on her daughter's knee who stood still like a statue, unmoving and unresponsive. "Come on, you can tell me. I'm not some random stranger on a train who awkwardly tries to chalk up a conversation. I'm your mom. Whatever's on your mind I'm all ears."
No response but Mitsuki didn't mind; she knows how much time kids her age need to get their crap together before they speak. Lord knows she's been through like this many times. Particularly, the time before All Might came along, the ones where she lived in bad neighborhoods with high crime rates where the people she briefly befriended in her school life will either get killed in hero-villains skirmishes, or villainous atrocities, or worse before settling in Musutafu, claimed to be one of safest cities in Japan to live in with low crime rate, meeting her best friend Inko and starting a family with the greatest man ever Masaru.
Now years later today while she won't say she didn't do a bad job of raising her only kid she wouldn't say she did a great job either. Wanting to give her kid a decent life, both Mitsuki and Masaru didn't, pampered her to the point most, in Japan's standards, would consider that spoiling her. More so when Katsumi gains her quirk. Mitsuki wholeheartedly believes her daughter will have her quirk or Masaru's quirk or a combination of both. The last one came true when she turned four and both parents were unprepared for the child's development soon after. A quirk highly dangerous under the hands of a small child, an ego boost surpassing a movie star prima donna's, and a personality more rotten than a bunch of rotten apples made into a rotten apple pie. Added with a goal of becoming the top hero of Japan by planning to get into UA University and you got a confusing mess of someone acting like a villain but wants to be a hero. And both parents really tried raising their daughter, keeping rein on her behavior.
It worked… somewhat. While her behavior got progressively better her attitude and personality did not. Not helping were the schools she attended, not reprimanding any action Katsumi caused, generally the ones against little Izuku, the relationship between them a whole other can of worms, but instead showering her with praises and admiration like she's queen of a high social country.
And for a time she let all of that get into her head swelling up like a zeppelin until she, Mitsuki wouldn't say mature, grew older now able to see through the bullshit and takes a no-nonsense approach towards it, even if the foul attitude of hers lead to scuffles in school Mitsuki gets calls from some school staffs who aren't ass-kissers to her daughter, but terrified to confront Katsumi, which leads to both of them arguing, some more heated than others, and it ends with Katsumi stomping to her room with a 'Fuck this' and harshly slamming the door with a 'See you at dinner'.
Risen, rise, repeat. Until now. "Katsumi," she softly said," Please, tell me."
Continuous silence. Mitsuki thought she wouldn't tell her either out of pride or stubbornness. Just as she was about to tell her she can talk to her some other time if she's ready, it is when her daughter finally talks.
"Mom… am I a bad person?"
Like a train Mitsuki's thought process came to a screeching halt, tumbled out of the rails, rolled over a couple times and came to a stop by crashing into a wall. It took a short reboot before she spoke again. "I'm sorry, can you repeat that? I think I have ear wax suitable for someone who has a quirk that can turn big or is big."
Eyes peek out from hiding, sending her the all familiar glare she sees everyday. She probably first saw it the moment her daughter was born. "Never mind. You won't understand." Katsumi said, miffed at her mother's bemusement.
"Oh nonononono. I understand." Mitsuki dispel any cloud of uncertainty and indecisiveness. But "It's just well…" Can't think of what to say that might end this delicate conversation too soon. With a dissatisfied answer she redirected to another question. "Why don't you tell me the reason for asking me that so I can understand and give my answer, if that's alright for you sweetie." Honestly, no parent shouldn't even hear that question. But she heard it and she didn't want to say anything that could strain, or even break, the slight cracks of this parent-child relationship. Along with her curiosity rising to the stratosphere and beyond and bubbles of dismay, swelling up, Mitsuki wanted to know what caused her little firecracker distress.
Fretting biting her bottom lip Katsumi Bakugou racks her brain to the answer she desperately needs. Every single second of trying to find leaves her more and more vexatious and down right furiously angry. Two massive bubbles of those two were starting to swell up, and she was afraid what would happen if it burst. She further linger in her mind hoping finding at least something.
When she couldn't she grabbed a pillow behind her and drove it straight onto her face. Letting out a scream that holds all things bottled up inside her. Just as the scream was coming to the end she gripped both ends of the pillow and ripped it apart, finishing it by blowing it up from her [Explosion] and hurled the charred pieces to the side of the bed. Plopping her back on her bed she stared at the ceiling in an iterated expression.
Mitsuki watch the whole thing but didn't say anything, not a single word, as ifshe's been through the same motion her daughter just went.Patiently waiting, her daughter lifted herself up forward, eyes closed, face furrowed and wrinkled, hands gripping the bed sheets tight with small wisps rising out of the palms. Mitsuki was about to reprimand her when she opened her mouth and spoke.
"The reason I think I'm a bad person is because I always put people in their place by bullying them either for the hell of it or to show them extra fucks who's boss. Another reason why I'm a bad person is I'm insecure of my definition of strength. Having a strong quirk means you're a strong person, right? By default I'm stronger than any of those shit weak extras. So it fucking makes me piss off when they say they're going to be heroes when their quirks are weak ass shit and it piss me off even more they don't even try to improve it. So I remind them by putting them in their place and telling them they will never become heroes cause they're fucking weak and never do anything about. And then there's fucking Deku-"
'There it is.' Mitsuki wondered if her husband was right about little Izuku regarding her little firecracker's mood that morning. Turns out he was correct.
"-who wants to be a hero but he doesn't have a quirk whatsoever even a lame ass one. It makes me so pissed or nervous, afraid? All of the above? I don't fucking know? And whenever he gets mess by me or some stupid extras who does it for 'fun' for reminding him he can't never be a hero. Did he get a message? Hell no! He still has that disillusioned dream that is nailed down to his nerdy brain. I insult him, belittle him, I even…" a change came over her face, one full of remorse "... I even use my quirk on him. It makes me fucking sick but I want to, need to, remind him that without a strong quirk he'll never be a hero and that he…" her voice lower to a whisper but Mitsuki still hears her "can get hurt or worst." she shut her eyes tight not wanting any more tears escape "I'm so fuck up for doing it and I feel even more fuck up that no matter how much I tried he-" thud "-still-" thud "dream it!" thud
She punched her bed venting off some anger. "Then for all I did to make him drop it his quirk finally fucking came out." She then punches a wall hard, not caring if it gives her a bruise. "All that fuck up shit I did was for nothing. It's a okay quirk but it's enough to cemented that stupid fucking dream."
She took a big gulp of air talking for so long before resuming as Mitsuki continued listening attentively. "After that I just stopped. Sure I still insult him here and there yet I know I can't never stop him no matter what I did so I left him. I… stayed out of his life."
She curled her fists gripping them tight enough for them to go white. "Then that shitting day with the slime fucker happened." She closed her eyes again vividly recounting the scarring event when she opened them upon feeling contact on one of her hands, her vision filled with the comforting smile of her mother added with the gentle strokes against her hand. That was enough for her to continue. "I was scared. I thought I was going to die. And honest to fucking god my last thoughts were him."
She heard the old hag chuckle. "And then he saved your ass. Like a hero." She pursed her lips, making kissing noises.
More annoyed than the usual enraged that define her person she grabbed another pillow behind her and flung it at the old hag's levity, who ducked with a small laugh, before continuing not knowing a small smile on her face. "Yeah, he saved my ass, then All-Might, of all people, saved ours and ever since then I couldn't get him off of my head. I keep asking myself 'Why? Why did he save me? After all the shit I did. Why?'. It's confusing me and I don't like to be confused. In fact." She placed her forehead back to her knees. "It hurts. It just hurts so much."
"Awwww, honey." Mitsuki encircles her so cast down daughter in her arms acting like a security blanket, petting her hair and rubbing her back. "It's all right. Is normal a kid your age to look back and be embarrass at that dumb shit they made. That just means you're learning and growing up from it. But the question you should be asking is do you still want to grow up from this?"
"Yes." Was her quiet reply.
"So you're embarrassed at the mistakes you made and want to take responsibility for it?"
"Yes."
"Do you truly, honestly answer this one sweetie, want to go back to when both you and little Izuku used to have that friendship you were so happy to be in before?"
"Yes."
"Then here's the deal." Mitsuki dislodged from her and sternly looked at her. "Either save this like a hero you keep yammering about ever since or both of you will be strangers to each other once you get into the university and beyond. Do you honestly want that Katsumi?"
"No." She heard her pathetic mumble.
"Do you want this thing between the two of you to stay the same forever?"
"No."
She put more fierce prompting in her words. "Do you want to be a little bitch who never did a single damn thing of making up their own mistakes they realized they've made?"
Her daughter looked up, sending daggers at her but it didn't imitate her at all, in fact she grinned back. And now the final push on the button "Or do you want to ignore this whole thing and go resume this toxic position you put yourself into? You know? Like a villa-"
She was, not surprisingly for her, volcanically interrupted. "Don't call me that!!"
Katsumi is shot off from the bed by her small explosions as her face turns feral with a snarl that can send low-level thugs running with their tails between their legs. "Never fucking call me that you old bitch."
Rather than being offended by the offensive remark a high class parent would dramatically gasp and probably fainted Mitsuki instead smirks and places her hands on the edge of the bed as she leaned forward. "Then what are you going to do about it?"
"I'm telling you what I'm gonna do." Katsumi said, throwing a fist onto a palm. "I'm going to fix this, no, I'm going to save this shit. No matter what this fucking stupid shit between me and Deku it's going to end and I'll show you, I'll show you all." She leaned toward her face dangerously closer to her mother's with a maniac grin which Mitsuki found amusing hiding it by broadening her smirk. "I ain't no fucking villain I'm a hero and I'll gain my first victory by saving this friendship."
"Well then." Mitsuki got up from the bed. "If you're going to back your words by actually doing it you can't do it without an empty stomach. So wash your hands, thank your father for the meal and plan how you'll gain your first 'victory'. And, hey, who knows maybe I'll finally be a grandmother and much sooner too if you're like me when I'm with your father, you'll be clinging onto him twenty-four-seven." Mitsuki said with a cheeky grin.
"What!!" Katsumi yelled with a great shade of red on her face yet Mitsuki knew it wasn't red by anger but out of embarrassment, something that made her grin even more.
"Hey this figure isn't getting younger. I want to be a certified silver fox before getting gray hairs when you two give me grandchildren."
"Shut your damn trap old hag!"
As the mother and daughter duo descended down to a smiling husband and father and a good dinner before them, Katsumi knew her mother was right. She didn't want this belligerence to continue any longer. She'll have to figure out how to take the first step or else it's gonna hurt her if she does nothing. And what better way to fix it by saving it as a hero.
And by whoever the hell is up there she'll gain her first victory as a hero before officially becoming one by saving a broken friendship. God, that sounds so corny.
The Next Day
It was lunch time here at Aldera High and students were in the cafeteria with some in other places enjoying the company of friends who talk about various subjects, typically gossiping about the student body in and out the school area.
But none of that is important as the fluffy green boy under the tutelage of Japan's greatest hero is enjoying the lunch his mother prepared for him and savoring the silence of one of the back areas of the institution. You would think he'll enjoy the silence more on the rooftop of the building but as he found out in his first-year the doors accessing the area were closed off only opening for maintenance work. So the shows he glanced over whenever his mother would watch, dramas being her favorite, were a dang lie but it didn't matter; he was happy with the spot he delicately picked. Soft grass, nice shade from the leaves of the tree rooted from the other side of the fence, and people rarely come here.
As he continued eating the food, he thought about the progress of his training under All Might. So far the body training for One for All was going swimmingly and the beach was almost half cleaned. The other training of pankration, boxing and the newly added kickboxing is… rough, mainly through the sparring sessions with the strongest hero of Japan. You would think All Might would restrain from turning Izuku to a fine red paste with chucks of organs and bones finely mixed in but even holding back the monstrous strength that can end any conflict with a single punch is a daunting task for both mentor and student.
He winced, almost dropping the chopsticks in hand, remembering the pain he felt anytime his idol's strikes connected his body and the tackles he received from him. Even with [Hamon] he can still feel the phantom damage on him. Like the other day when All Might flicked a finger directly on his forehead, his brain ricocheting inside his skull like a pinball, knocking him out instantly as the last thing before losing consensus was skyrocketing across the beach. It was kinda funny seeing All Might still in his hero form, profusely apologizing that Izuku, upon regaining consensus, thought he might get a serious case of whiplash.
His social life, if there was any, was going good as well. Sure, he was still nervous around Jirou, and, with the exception of his mother, the opposite sex as well, but he was getting comfortable around her presence his axinety doesn't kick in as much as it used to. Enough he had full conversations with her without a shutter or stammer in his words. They'll have talks about music, heroes, and other interests they share while on the job which Mr. Otoshi doesn't mind. Although he couldn't figure it out why this feeling started to weigh in his chest whenever he's around her or thinks about her. It feels weird, in a good way.
Just as he was taking another piece of the mouth-watering katsudon, a shadow cast over causing him to look up to see who it was. His heart almost leaped out of his mouth upon the red eyes boring into him belonging to none other than his former best friend Kacchan. Million thoughts ran through his head as his body instinctively responded when Kacchan was near. The posture of his body straightened and sniffed, sweat pours out of his pores in multitudes, and the internal screaming was loud one might actually hear it.
Before he could do any kind of action, Kacchan spoke. "So this is where you go during lunch. I always wonder where your dorky ass scurry off when lunch starts. I've thought you'll be on the rooftop cause, you know, you seem like the kind of person who'll go there. That was my first fucking guess so I went there and guess what? It's fucking locked. So my second guess is you might be somewhere in the back of this shit dump. And I was right." She looked around the area. "Sooo…" she faced him but her eyes looked elsewhere as her facial expression morphed into embarrassment as she lifted a bento box of her own in her hand. "Can I eat next to ya?"
Speechless he did nothing but nimbly nod as Katsumi plopped down next to him. The space between them is almost non-existent as she opens her bento and begins chowing down as Izuku, still stiff as a board, doesn't know what to do or how to act in what's basically being placed in a cage with a tiger.
A very scary temperamental tiger who has explosions to add the murk-everything-to-the-afterlife level.
For a few moments Katsumi chow down on her food before noticing Deku is still like a statue so she verbally nudged him. "Hey, you're gonna eat or what? Lunch is gonna be over soon." That shook off Izuku's mental 'Oh god, oh god, oh god, oh god' petrified chant. He unnervingly smiled letting out a 'uh huh' as he trembled uncontrollably - like a naked man in the tundra - resumed eating his lunch.
As they ate, the awkwardness that settled in the air was thick. An individual coming by might choke and suffocate because of the thickness. A molten hot knife was enough to cut the atmosphere and visible air will appear as outlines as hot steam rises out of it.
It wasn't until a few moments that Katsumi made the first move. "So, you doing good, Deku?"
Not expecting a casual question from her he responded. "I-i-i've been well, and y-y-you?"
She shrugged. "I've been alright. How's auntie Inko?" 'You're doing good so far Katsumi. Don't fuck this up.'
"She's d-d-doing well t-t-too," said Izuku, starting to get slightly comfortable. "And aunt Mitsuki and uncle Masara, h-h-how are they d-d-doing?"
"Eh, they're fine. The old bags are still lovey-dovey with each other, making me want to throw up." Katsumi spoke, voicing a fake gagging sound which caused Izuku to stifle a chuckle. "You would think they'll take that shit down a notch but they're still acting like idiots high on love."
"They can't be that bad," said Izuku, his anxiety starting to ease enough that the shuttering was gone but he was still on edge.
"Oh, they can be that bad." Katsumi answers, gaining a disgusted look as she remembers every memory of them together. "With how much time they spend with each other I'm surprised I don't have little shithead siblings. But enough about that shit, are you, uhhhh, still finding new shit of that quirk of yours?"
That got Izuku back to stifle his body. Despite it being two years old, the appearance of his quirk was still a recent event and a touchy subject among both students' peers and others. And discussing it with the one who was in the foreground of adamantly opposing the path he strives for was just asking for trouble. But nevertheless he responded. "Oh, it's, uhhh, going kinda slow to be honest. With the job and…" he gulped and braced himself for the next words that reluctantly left his parting lip. "Training in preparation for the U.A. entrance exams."
"That's good." She poked a piece of food, sending such a shock through Izuku he felt as if he actually got hit by a lightning bolt. "Yeah, who's a more deserving nerd to get in than you? You'll ace that entrance exam no problem."It took a while to gather his bearings but he managed to make a wavering smile curling up his lips by her casual but hearted response. "Th-thanks Kacchan." She nonchalantly grunted but inside she screamed in victory.
Both of them eat their lunch in silence with the air of awkwardness still present but now along with a sense of something they were familiar with when they were young. But that's all right with Katsumi. She has time to repair the seemingly million broken pieces of the bond between them. And this first step is the proof of it along with the steps that will soon follow.
Just one step at a time.
A/N: So yeah, hope you made it to the end after reading all... that. Hopefully I won't go through that experience again. I don't know. Chapter 6 is currently being written so there's that. See you guys next time, with luck not in another year.