"Damn it…" Sayako pants, heaves huffs sweat slides down the just done Sayako scowling at Todoroki after missing another fierce flame blast and another shot of ice, trying to avoid them while using her threads and arm to do so, scowling at the sharp snap of her threads from a close call.
"Again come on you can do this." Todoroki assures her as just then…
"Sayako glad I caught you." The two turn to the man himself.
"Oh you got to be fucking…you do know I have the son of Endeavour here right? Look at that burn doesn't that scream story." Scowling, Sayako points out.
"Sayako." Todoroki furrows his brow at her.
"Oi Todo don't leave me with urgh…" Sayako calls out groaning when her plea falls to deaf ears.
"So let's talk shall we?" Smoothly, Taneo steps forward smiling at the glaring glowering girl reluctantly following him unaware of Aizawa and Shinso watching on from afar.
"What's going on?" Shinso furrows his brow by the sight of the scowling Sayako following after the reporter reluctantly.
"Some reporter wanting a story on class A." Aizawa answers, his hues glued to the pair pensive.
"And you just let that happen?" Shinso scowls alarmed at the news.
"What do you mean?" Aizawa arches a brow at Shinso.
"Sayako hates the media. The media hounded her father, he nearly had a mental breakdown thanks to them!" Tense, Shinso turns on his heel heading their way when…
"Shinso she can take care of herself." Aizawa pulls him back.
"But…" Shinso begins but…
"But nothing you have to focus you want to be in the hero course don't you?" Aizawa reminds Shinso
"…Dammit." Shinso scowls watching the two go off…
"Your hair…" Taneo smiles softly staring at the scowling Sayako walking side by side.
"What?" Sayako scowls at him.
"It's blonde." Taneo takes note of.
"Well done captain obvious what else can that camera eye of yours do? Can you spot the sky being blue too?" Tiredly, Sayako shoves her hands into her pockets.
"So you spotted it." Taneo smirks slightly.
"If you mean I talk to people as you're meant to sure." Sayako scoffs, it was simple eye contact.
"…It was brown before." Taneo takes note of.
"Again well done captain obvious." Sayako sneers scowling.
"I saw your shoots when you were younger you were blonde but when you got older it went brown you lost a fair amount of work for that." Taneo recalls.
"…I didn't want work." Sayako snaps scowling.
"I'm sure just as I'm sure that you dyed your hair to stop looking like your old man." Taneo smirks slightly at Sayako's sharp scowl.
"And how would you know that?" Tense, Sayako turns to glare at Taneo.
"It's what most troubled children do when they dislike their father, seeing their father in the mirror constantly isn't easy especially when you see that father be praised constantly for all sorts, being raised for being with other people with women." Taneo explains to Sayako.
"…Stop." Sayako snaps scowling.
"It must have been difficult seeing your father with other women." Taneo recollects.
"Do you think by making me angry you're going to get your scoop?" Sayako arches a bored brow approaching the vending machine.
"I just want to understand." Taneo smiles, reaching in to buy a soda for her.
"Why? What do you hope to gain from this story?" Sayako queries kicking the vending machine taking Taneo aback as the soda falls.
"An understanding of the injustice in hero society and the unneeded pressure put upon heroes." Taneo recites.
"…" Sayako scowls reaching for the vending machine.
"I want people to understand the struggles children of heroes go through the hardships of watching their loved ones irks their lives constantly for strangers, so many believe the children of heroes ot be spoiled, to be bratty, to be selfish but you show the opposite." Taneo adjusts his oval lenses.
"I don't know about that." Tense, Sayako scowls shaking said soda bottle.
"You may act selfish but it's for selfless reasons." Taneo smirks slightly.
"…Hold this." Sayako hands him said soda.
"Oh wow you bought me a drink that was kind of-ARGHHH!" Touched, Taneo smiles opening it only then to squeal shocked by the sudden geyser of fizz.
"See ya prick." Pleased, Sayako smirks smugly sauntering off leaving the soaked Taneo to it.
Casually, Katsumi strides down the stairs heading down to the lower level of her home, sighing sadly her hues of scarlet staring down at her phone, still nothing. What was she expecting? She shakes her head at her naivety, whatever Hawks had to say must be big for him to avoid her for all this time, she couldn't expect him to just explain it all to her at the station…
"The fuck is wrong with you!?" Mad, Mirko snarls slamming her foot into the mirror swiftly shattering it, shards spewing out of the way while Katsumi dives down avoiding said shards using her prosthetic to shield her as some shards bounce off the arm.
"I'm not the one who just tried to attack me!" Scowling, she glares up at Mirko, kicking shards aside as she stands up brow furrowed.
"And I ain't the one tormenting Hawks." Mirko growls glaring at Katsumi.
"…Excuse you?" Baffled, Bombarda does a doubletake, holding the other sink nearby holding herself steady scowling at the mad woman.
"You heard me." Mirko places her hands on her hips.
Tormenting…Katsumi couldn't help but furrow her brow by Mirko's words echoing throughout her head how was she tormenting him? He was the one who were causing the fights…the one seemingly looking for an argument, the one being petty, the one acting like a mean girl in high school, she simply wanted to talk, if anything she was being the adult in this situation so why was she making it out like Katsumi was the bad guy…? Katsumi couldn't help but furrow her brow by the thought…perhaps it had to do with Kamino…?
"FOR FUCK SAKE!" Screaming, she tosses the remote at the TV, shards scatter all over the place but Katsumi doesn't even bat an eye to the broken TV heaving huffing.
"Kat…" Meekly, the voice calls out making Katsumi scowl.
"NOT NOW HAWKS! I DON'T HAVE TIME FOR THIS!" Shouting, she screams at Hawks flinching from the voice as he shyly shakily follows her into her study.
Guilt gnaw away at Katsumi, biting her lip, shame soon spilling over at her emotional roar at Hawks, how could she act in such a manner to Hawks…? How could Hawks hide whatever that was…? How could he expect her to know anything about that? NO one taught her, it was never taught in schools when she went anyway and it certainly wasn't something she had heard about…at least she didn't think…though Kane had in his youth would talk about how aiming for a mutant girl was in it for a good time, at the time she didn't really question him considering she really didn't want to know about her friend's…history however not that she thought about it…
"And there you go with this strange scent kink thing." Tiredly, Katsumi pinches the bridge of her nose done.
"Kink? You think it's a kink?!" Insulted, Mirko gawks gapes at her.
"What else am I meant to think of it as?" Annoyed, Katsumi argues she had no clue what their obsession with scents were.
Where she come up with the scent kink thing…? She didn't really think much of it at the time but she could remember how insulted Mirko was…was this another thing mutant type quirk users faced? Katsumi couldn't help but ponder, furrowing her brow by the thought of it all, should she ask her mother she had a mutant quirk than again it wasn't exactly a mutant animal quirk so maybe she didn't know…Katsumi groans from the sharp sting of her aching head, a part of her tempted to research it but another aspect of her dreading the results that could come up, was it even her place to research it or would she be offending a minority of mutants? Katsumi groans combing her fingertips through her hair having no clue. She supposed the best thing to do was wait for Hawks…for when he was ready. Still she couldn't help but ponder these thoughts oblivious to the pair of women behind her eyeing her fatigued form.
"Earth to Katsumi!" Startled, she jolts up turning to the source.
"O-Oh auntie sorry!" Apologetically, she smiles at Inko and her mother having coffee around the table.
"About time…honestly what's with you?" Mitsuki couldn't help but eye her daughter.
"Just tired." Tiredly, Katsumi pinches the bridge of her nose, bags hanging heavily under her hues.
"Got some super secret mission you can't tell us?" Inko smiles shyly, trying to lighten the mood but…
"Uh…not really." Katsumi smiles strained not quite sure what to say as she sips the coffee she brewed for herself.
"Oh could it…is it about a boy?" Bemused, Mitsuki winks.
"Ma!" Katsumi brightly blushes annoyed at her mother mad.
"What? I saw the line leading to your room." Mischievously, Mitsuki smirks slightly.
"Ma eighty percent of my friends are men." Bluntly, Bombarda deadpans.
"I'm just saying there were a lot of men concerned about you." Mitsuki gently rubs her finger around the rim of the mug.
"And I'm just saying stop. I can't believe we're having this conversation." Katsumi grumbles.
"Oh I heard Yukiko's son has just graduated from university he's a doctor!" Inko points out as Katsumi sighs.
"A doctor hear that Katsumi?" Mitsuki calls out.
"…I hear ya." Katsumi smiles strained.
"A doctor would be good for someone as accident prone as you." Mitsuki throws in.
"Urgh ma we're not having this conversation." Katsumi groans at the headache surfacing.
"I'm just saying maybe now with some free time from work you could try…" Mitsuki begins but…
"Training hard enough to make sure I don't slip up again I agree." Katsumi cuts her mother off.
"You very well know that isn't what I mean!" Mitsuki slams her hand down on the table.
"Katsumi I think what your mother mean is…" Inko begins but…
"Auntie I know what mom thinks I appreciate you trying to translate for her but right now…dating is really not there for me." Katsumi sighs softly cutting her auntie off.
"When will it be?" Mitsuki couldn't help but ask.
"I don't know." Katsumi confesses.
"Katsumi…you work so hard don't you think you deserve some me time?" Inko joins in worriedly.
"Don't you think I had enough when it came to saving Bakugou and kept getting hurt?" Fairly, Katsumi counters.
"Katsumi that isn't down time." Mitsuki furrows her brow at her daughter.
"Sweetheart we know you hate not doing something but sometimes people need those moments to…process…things." Tentatively, Inko's hues dart down to Katsumi's arm as she sighs, of course her mom told her.
"Yeah besides you told me you wanted kids don't you want that?" Mitsuki reminds her daughter.
"Course I do but I still have plenty of time." Tiredly, Katsumi promises.
"Not with how often you keep breaking your body, you body can only do so much you know?" Mitsuki reminds Katsumi grimaces.
"And adoption is a thing you know? Look Mom I get you're concerned about me I do, I know my job as a hero can be scary but it comes first. I get you joke about wanting grandkids and I know really you just want me to have some me time and find some guy to make me happy, the both of you do but right now…dating someone would only hinder me right now all I want to focus on is helping Eri, "Katsuki and Midoriya to become great heroes and to do that I need to be a role model, a hero for them to look up to…dating around…won't help me." Honestly, Katsumi explains to her mother and auntie.
"Katsumi…" Inko's hues soften sadly at her.
"…I'm sorry." Sadly, she sighs setting her coffee cup down drained too tired to say much more as she leaves her auntie and mother to it…
Quietly, Sayako makes her way over to the kitchen, her hues darting from side to side silently reaching for the cabinet taking out a dated calendar like plastic dispenser empty as she begins to refill it as just then…
"So you take medication…" Taneo pops out of nowhere startling scaring Sayako.
"The hell did you come from!?" Frightened, Sayako snaps scowling at the ass eyeing the dispenser.
"Nowhere." Teasingly, Taneo smiles however Sayako simply scowls as he takes out his camera.
"Who the hell said you could take photos of me!?" Mad, she blocks said dispenser from his viewer.
"I simply wished to show the struggles of loss." Smiling, he admits.
"Delete that." Tense, she orders.
"…Are you sure?" He pries.
"YES." Sayako snaps scowling at him.
"Tell me what is it like struggling with ADHD?" Taneo queries.
"Excuse you?" Sayako scowls.
"Anti depressants have been used to help ADHD tell me did you use them in the past or did you have different medication." Taneo continues on regardless further frustrating Sayako.
"I ain't telling you shit!" Sayako snaps scowling.
"Apologies if I'm making you uncomfortable." Taneo apologises.
"Apologies by leaving me the fuck alone." Sayako scowls.
"Oi Say…the fuck is going on here?" Katsuki comes in, duffle bag in hand brow furrowing at the scowling Sayako and reporter.
"Dipshit was taking photos of me without my consent." Cross, Sayako sneers.
"Now come along I simply wish to show the pressures hero society go through hero suffer through mental illness just as much as the next person we shouldn't allow such barriers to hold us back from what we want to do. You're an inspirational story." Smiling, he tells her.
"And you're going to delete those pictures." Katsuki steps forward.
"Oh?" He wiggles a brow bemused by Katsuki's ice cold glare.
"Yes." Katsuki asserts.
"Someone's protective, tell me would you say being kidnapped together brought you two closer?" Taneo eyes the two.
"Do you want to die?" Katsuki scowls.
"A threat now that doesn't sound very hero like." Taneo smirks slightly.
"And you think taking pictures of minors is without their consent?" Curtly, Sayako crosses her arms over her chest cross.
"We have your parents consent." Calmly, Taneo tells the two.
"Just delete them." Tiredly, Sayako argues annoyed.
"All right. See it's been deleted." Taneo shows said camera to the two.
"Good. Now leave." Katsuki orders.
"Fine, fine." Taneo takes his leave.
"You okay?" Katsuki turns to Sayako once he leaves.
"Y-Yeah thanks…" Sayako shakily nods.
"Don't let that fucker get the best of you." Katsuki scowls.
"Y-Yeah." Sayako nods.
"Did you have your medicine?" Katsuki asks Sayako.
"Yeah…" Sayako confirms calmly.
"Right. " Katsuki grunts going to the door.
"Katsuki." Sayako calls out to him.
"What?" Katsuki turns to face Sayako.
"…Thanks." Sayako shyly nods.
"Hmph." Katsuki huffs heading out…
"…Why are you torturing him like this?" Mystified, Mirko questions.
"…Huh?" Baffled, Bombarda blurts out lost.
"You let him do so much, you let him in just as he let you in a surprising lot and you think you can't be in a relationship with him? You can't even entertain the idea? Do you hate him that much?" Mad, Mirko demands from the baffled Bombarda.
"Hate him? Hawks is my friend! Mirko just what are you on about?" Astonished, Bombarda demands from her.
"Hawks has a crush on you dumbass!" Mad, Mirko snaps scowling.
Katsumi sighs softly sadly as she descends down from the stairs of the upper floor above making her way down, brow furrowed at her phone once more, looking over at the photo of both a happy Hawks and her him having taken the photo, his arm around her as he took the photo of the two. She soon flickers through more and more photos of the two, shame hitting her hard, how hard had she not seen this…how foolish had she been? Baffled by the news she couldn't help but wonder while furrowing her brow by the thought.
Still…this scent thing…can a relationship really be formed from this alone? Did Katsumi see Hawk in that light? She refused to form a relationship based on some instincts it was would be both their decisions. Not this…whatever this was…it would fade anyway it had to be, a crush was what it was that's it, a fleeting fancy it would leave it had to, it needed too, the two were heroes they couldn't focus on something as trivial as that especially with the nomu's, especially if there was more of that high end nomu…they couldn't afford to let such a relationship get the best of them, they had a duty to uphold, a responsibility…
It was simple what Katsumi had to do…she had two ideas she could either rip the bandied off or slowly peel it off if she were to rip it off, it could cause an emotional influx in work, Hawks had always been the emotional one of the two…or at the least the most petty if she were to rip it off it could cause him to be catty and she just didn't need that. Then again…it was a crush…that's what Mirko called it…meaning it would fade, it was anything serious, he was attracted to her due to instincts nothing more nothing less, that was no foundation of an actual relationship forming, it was just a base desire, desires like that faded with time, crushes crumbled with time another prettier person would come by and she could deal with him while Katsumi could continue doing what she was good at, her job.
That could work…all she had to do was play the waiting game, slowly peel it off have Hawks sees her for her volatile bitchy self, she how she isn't the person he should be with, have him get sick of her so called cluelessness and find another girl to lust after. Yes that would be perfect. He would get bored of her, she could see it now and she wouldn't have to deal with the emotional crap that came from it, just then she looks behind her, noting the still silent figure of her father out on the balcony…maybe getting some air was a good idea…
Shyly, she makes her way over to the door, silently sliding it open.
"It's safe to come out now." Masaru calls out to her.
"It is?" Katsumi perks up hopeful peering out of the door.
"Your mother went shopping for dinner tonight with your aunt." Masaru smiles softly at her.
"Right…all that's left is to wait for Katsuki now I guess." Katsumi joins Masaru's side.
"Seems so…" Softly, Masaru looks out at their garden.
"Hmm…" Katsumi hums.
"You look exhausted." Masaru couldn't help but take note of the bags hanging heavily under her hues.
"…That's the understatement of a century." Katsumi groans rubbing at her hues huffing.
"…Something you want to talk about?" Masaru pries.
"I don't know if its my place to talk about it." Katsumi admits.
"Hm…? Confidential stuff or…" Masaru assumes.
"No…not really I just…dad…when you dated mom did you hear…any mutant stuff?" Sighing she couldn't help but ask awkwardly.
"Mutant stuff?" Surprised, Masaru hums.
"I don't know I just…did you learn a lot about people with mutant quirks when dating mom or well…when you were in school?" Katsumi couldn't help but ponder.
"…Well…not really. No." Masaru admits.
"…Right." Katsumi combs her fingertips through her hair tugging at her brown roots.
"…Heh. Masaru couldn't help but smile shyly at his daughter.
"What's so funny?" Frowning, Katsumi glares lightly at her father.
"I haven't seen you this meek in a long while." Masaru couldn't help but point out.
"…You were there at the hospital right?" Katsumi recalls.
"…I just mean…you normally are the sort to say it how it is to see you so tongue tied…heh brings back memoires of when you first told me you wanted to be a hero." Honestly, Masaru points out, smiling softly.
"…Eh?" Katsumi blurts out.
"Don't you remember? It was at Kyushu, Fukuoka you had just gotten expelled due to your quirk going off, your mother and I had a shoot so you came to work with me for the day at a shoot over there." Masaru asks her daughter.
"…I don't remember that." Truthfully, Katsumi admits, she remembered being expelled but nothing much after that.
"Maybe not but I most certainly do, back then you insisted on wearing gloves but now look at you." Masaru couldn't help but eye her hands.
"…Dad…" Katsumi furrows her brow.
"I'll never forget it you had run off somewhere I was freaking out on the verge of calling the police when you popped out of nowhere coming over and the look in your eye I'll never forget it nor would I forget your words." Masaru smiles softly at the memory of the young Katsumi holding his face as the tears freely fell.
"What did I say?" Katsumi couldn't help but ask.
"Daddy don't cry I'll become a hero so please don't cry anymore." Masaru recites smiling softly.
"…Huh?" Katsumi blurts out.
"Even back then you were thinking about others…" Masaru exclaims.
"Dad…" Katsumi begins but…
"You're kind Katsumi, that's an aspect of me that I'm proud passed down to you…but it can also be a fault for you." Masaru warns Katsumi.
"Huh?" Katsumi blurts out.
"You're kinder than most Katsumi…this self sacrificial nature of yours…to protect so many…I understand you're a hero it's your job but just remember you do have people who will miss you if…" Masaru begins to tear up.
"Dad! Of course I…I'm sorry for worrying you." Katsumi stops herself hugging him.
""Just…please have more care towards yourself." Masaru hugs her.
"I'll…I'll try." Tense, Katsumi looks away anguished, not quite sure what to really say sighing softly.
"…Thank you." Masaru whispers weakly, no words needing to be shed between both father and daughter.
"Okay you called me out here for what?" Sayako scowls, shoving her hands into her pockets eyeing Taneo after watching Midoriya brush past her.
"To apologise." He admits.
"…Explain." Sternly, she orders.
"I get how you feel about the media the media has done no favours for your family." Taneo admits to Sayako.
"You mean slandering my father's name." Sayako scowls.
"Yes…tell me something though." Taneo orders.
"What?" Sayako furrows her brow at him.
"Why didn't he ever sue? If it was slander?" Smoothly, Taneo ponders.
"…He couldn't afford to okay he had enough shit going on with the whole girl losing her arm thing." Sayako grumbles glaring to the side.
"Ah yes that do you know who that girl was?" Taneo asks her.
"Who…?" Sayako pries perplexed, curiosity getting the best of her, she had never asked her father due to how stressed he was at the time.
"Katsumi Bakugo." Taneo admits.
"…What?" Sayako says shocked.
"That's right. The boy who was kidnapped alongside you, his older sister. She had a promising career you know until in her second year when it was snatched away…" He recollects.
"…What are you trying to gain from this?" Tense, Sayako squirms slightly.
"…I want to say I'm sorry." Taneo bows his head.
"Sorry?" Sayako scowls.
"For the distress I caused you and for the distress your family have been under what the media did to your father was unfair especially when he was near his breaking point the media harassed your father and I want to say sorry for that." Truthfully, Taneo concedes.
"Sorry won't fix shit." Scowling, Sayako glares to the side.
"I know…but I just want to make things right." Taneo admits.
"You can't make things right." Sayako states the fact firmly.
"Maybe not but I can try…" Taneo smiles shyly.
"Why?" Sayako frowns.
"Cause your old man saved mine." Taneo concedes.
"What?" Sayako blinks befuddled.
"All Might might have saved my father from the flames but he couldn't save him from his heart attack that's when your old man appeared rushed in like a knight in shining armour and saved him. He could have died right then and there but your old man saved him." Honestly, Taneo concedes.
"…My dad did that?" Sayako says surprised.
"Your father saved a lot of lives…seeing the medium that I loved that was practically a part of me destroy your father it wasn't easy to watch nor seeing the smeared photos of your brother and yourself." Taneo elaborates further for Sayako.
"…Day in and day out cameras were at our door no matter where we moved or tried to hide you lot would find us…my old man had a panic attack which…" Sayako scowls at the miserable memory of it all.
"Turned triggered a heart attack right? The stress got the better of him." Taneo assumes.
"It got so bad that he began sleeping at the hospital, he wouldn't come home some nights cause he couldn't take the vultures that would be there." Sayako informs Taneo.
"And you?" Taneo eyes Sayako.
"What about me?" Sayako frowns.
"Where would you two be?" Befuddled, Taneo couldn't help but wonder.
"We'd be there seeing them there watching us waiting for us some would even prod us for answers as we would wait for family friend to come and help us cook eventually I began teaching myself how to cook cause I couldn't take it. I remember one night we ordered pizza and opened the door to find a journalist there with our pizza, they refused to give it to us till we let them in." Sayako explains to Taneo.
"…What?" Taneo says surprised.
"Fortunately our aunt Kiyoko was there that night she swiftly took control of the situation." Sayako shrugs.
"I…I'm so sorry." Taneo's hues soften sadly.
"Nothing you can do about it the past is in the past." Sayako shrugs.
"Like your arm?" Taneo assumes eyeing her robotic hand.
"...like my arm." Sayako confirms hand over her robotic arm.
"When this is over I want to do a story no a book." Taneo decides.
"…A book?" Befuddled, Sayako perks up at the news.
"On you." Taneo smiles.
"Wait what?" Sayako blinks befuddled.
"I want to do a whole book on how journalism went to hard on the pressures we put upon the heroes of society I want to expose the whole scandal of the fall of the saviour surgeon will you help me with that?" Taneo confesses.
"…We'll see." Sayako glances to the side.
"I see." Taneo hums.
"Look some things are best…left forgotten." Sayako crosses her arms over her chest.
"Like Basil?" Taneo assumes.
"…What?" Sayako flinches from the name alone.
"Basil Noctrine, not much is known about him except that he was adopted by Kazz from a drug smuggling trade he was sold away like some sort of animal…" Taneo lists off.
"Please leave him out of this." Tense, Sayako requests.
"I will." Taneo promises.
"You will?" Sayako says surprised.
"The boy's been through enough he's clearly suffering from mental health issues." Taneo admits.
"He…he's supposed to be taking medicine." Sayako squirms sadly.
"Medicine?" Taneo perks up.
"He…the venom in him…if it builds up and isn't released can leak into his head and make him…" Sayako squirms slightly, attempting to explain Basil but…
"Crazy?" Taneo cuts in.
"Violent is a better word." Sayako scowls.
"…That boy needs help." Taneo states the fact firmly.
"He does. It's whether he'll accept that help or not is the problem." Pained, Sayako sighs sadly.
"…Will you be that help he needs I wonder?" Taneo couldn't help but ponder.
"…Who knows?" Sayako shrugs.
"Who knows indeed." Taneo smiles softly at the saddened Sayako, not sure what to say as a still silence falls between both of them…
"Welcome back home!" Fuyumi warmly welcomes her father home.
"Yeah, it's been a while." Endeavor looms over both Natsuo and Shoto slurping his noodles as a awkward air fills the room.
"Shoto got permission to leave campus for dinner! I asked his teacher to come in and join us but, um, he said "no." Anyway, I bet you're super excited to celebrate your big victory over that monster. Huh, Dad?" Fuyumi continues talking trying to ease the tight tension in the room however…it doesn't work until…
"S'a bad scar. Looks painful." Todoroki slurps said noodles.
"Hey, you two! You promised you'd be in good moods! Congratulate him! Dad's finally trying to think about his family after all these years! Don't blow it! At least pretend that you don't hate him." Fuyumi frets.
"I'm standing right here." Endeavour stands over the table but…
"Sorry, Sis, but I'm out. I can't do this." Natsu stands scowling.
"Wait!" Fuyumi calls out to the boy heading to the door brushing past his father however…
"Natsuo? If you have something to say, then talk." Endeavor stops him, hand on his son's shoulder.
"Oh, gimme a break. That's rich coming from you. Okay, then. I found out today that Shoto likes soba. I know nothing about my brother 'cause you didn't want him to have anything to do with us failures." Natsuo snaps scowling at his father furious.
"Ignore them, Shoto. They live in a different world than the one I'm training you for."
For some reason, Mom and Sis are both ready to forgive you for how you treated us. But to me, you're still the maniac bastard who ruined our family. You look like you're different, but you don't act that way. You neglected us. Even if you're the number-one hero, that doesn't erase the past. Mom's screams. Shoto's crying. What happened to our big brother, Toya! You may have had a change of heart, but you can't waltz in here and think we'll accept you. How disgusting can you be?" Mad, Natsuo roars raising his voice furious slamming his fist into the bamboo sliding door.
"I plan to be your father now and atone for what I did." Endeavor tells him however…
"It's too late! I'm sorry, Sis, thanks for the food!" Natsuo storms out.
"Natsu! Come on." Fuyumi cries calling out to him, chasing after him…
Loudly, the sound of boisterous banter echoes throughout the Bakugou household as Katsumi smiles softly at her brother bantering with her mother, the two feuding furiously as Masaru and her share a look smiling still despite the playful banter as the family finally find themselves able to catch up until Katsumi perks up at her phone going off, her hues widening when reading the contact. Politely, she dismisses herself smiling still as Katsuki engrossed in his conversation with his mother is equally as oblivious to her as he is, Masaru simply smiles nodding, allowing her to be excused as she goes over to the sliding door, sliding it open, welcoming the brisk breeze of the ice cold air of the night while answering the call.
"Endeavor what's going on?" Katsumi answers the call curiosity getting the best of her, feeling the brisk breeze brushing through her locks of brown.
"…It didn't go well." Endeavor reports to her.
"Hm?" Katsumi's befuddled brow furrows from his words.
"Fuyumi my daughter she wanted to have a family dinner with us all but…" Endeavor begins but…
"It didn't go well." Katsumi concludes.
"…" Endeavor goes silent.
"What did you do now?" Katsumi sighs rubbing her head ready for the headache to come.
"W-Why do you blame me for it?" Irritated, Endeavour demands.
"Want a list or…?" Katsumi offers.
"Tch…" Endeavour grumbles glaring to the side.
"Come on spill or else what's the point in you phoning me?" Katsumi reasons.
"Natsuo he…I told him I'd step up I'd be his father." Endeavor explains.
"How did you tell him?" Katsumi presses.
"…How?" Endeavor frowns.
"Yes how Endeavour! Tone is very important not to mention phrasing." Pointedly, Katsumi scolds him.
"I simply told the boy I would step up!" Annoyed, Endeavor barks back as Katsumi facepalms.
"…Wow…" Katsumi scowls on the other side baffled by the moron of a number one hero on the other.
"What?" Endeavour scowls seething.
"That…just wow that's as bad as I was at the start with Katsu." Katsumi grimaces at the murky memory of her and her brother's first interaction what felt like years, training so hard to become a hero…her hues look over at the Bakugo's conversing amongst themselves, her heart tensing aching at her horrible reintroduction in his life just her pointing out how shitty he is sure he was being shitty at the time but that coming from her? At that time…she couldn't help but frown from the murky memory of it all. Of her past self, shame hitting her hard at the nerve of her past self.
"What do you mean?" Endeavor's voice brings her out of her thought tuning back into the conversation at hand.
"Look…reconciling with someone you've pushed away for so long…you can't expect an immediate acceptance Endeavour this is the real world after all. Natsuo and the rest had to live without you for years emotionally and physically too they had to live with your name, a name there probably no nothing about for years for you to come back into their lives and you telling Natsuo you're just going to be his dad again…that's not right, that's not going to make amends nor is it your right to make that call." Candidly, Katsumi explains to the flame hero, her hues softening sadly thinking back to her and Katsuki, she couldn't help but be a bit ashamed of her past self, trying so hard, training so hard to become the hero both boys envisioned her to be, pushing herself to the brink of pushing people away, working day in and day out to reach the top as they believed her to do and she did but after that…what then? What could she do then? Perhaps that was what brought her back to Katsuki, to Midoriya to those that she had pushed away all those years ago. Perhaps her attempt at reaching the top was to make up for all those years armless where she pushed everyone away.
"But I'm his father." Furious, Endeavor argues as she scowls.
"By blood perhaps but what else? Bloodlines don't make a family Endeavor I mean mentally…? You're a stranger to the boy who would beat his mother, in plain man's terms, Natsuo hasn't had a father since he was a kid." Bluntly, Katsumi deadpans.
"…" Endeavour goes silent from her words.
"Look it takes times don't just make demands of being their father or telling them how it is you got to give them the choice to forgive, you can't just demand for their forgiveness and except it or how else are you to learn from your past?" Katsumi reminds Endeavor as she watches her family from afar.
"…I see." Endeavor trails off.
"It won't be easy you'll make mistakes but if you try and give the choice if you can respect their choice of forgiveness then maybe that can be a starting point." Katsumi considers calmly, telling Endeavor how it is.
"…Thank you." Endeavor bows his head pained.
"No prob." Katsumi exclaims as Endeavor hangs up, leaving Katsumi to it, she slowly closes her hues enjoying the brisk breeze about to go back inside when…
"Who was that?" The gruff voice of Katsuki asks alongside the swift slide of the door making her turn to her brother.
"Just some guy from work what are you doing out here?" Katsumi asks as she leans against the railing of the balcony looking back at her brother.
"Ma's cleaning." Casually, he joins her side.
"And she let you off wow she's being generous." Surprised, Katsumi admits awestruck.
"…You're an idiot you know that?" Katakuri grumbles glaring ahead.
"…I know…I'm sorry." Apologetically, Katsumi sighs softly sadly.
"…you're just doing your job." Katsuki brushes his sister off however she could hear his tone.
"…Punched that staples guy who kidnapped you in the gut." Katsumi offers in an attempt at comfort for her brother.
"…Should have hit his dick." Katsuki grumbles glaring ahead.
"Was tempted to not gonna lie." Katsumi chuckles coyly, smirking slightly at the thought.
"…You're still an idiot." Katsuki deadpans scowling.
"I know…" Katsumi sighs, no words needing to be shed between both siblings both understanding the responsibility of being a hero.
"Well, that went terribly. Shoto started visiting Mom on a regular basis, and Dad is compromising and making an effort. Mom's even started acting more cheerful. I thought... maybe we could act like a real family for once, you know. I was just looking forward to it so much, weren't you? Weren't you, Shoto?" Saddened, Fuyumi shakes Shoto slurping his noodles after Natsuo stormed out.
"You know, I think that was the first time I've ever seen Natsu show that much emotion." Shoto admits as he looks down at his noodles, perking up at the TV screen.
"Two days after the fight, public opinions about the number-one hero continue to evolve rapidly." The announcer exclaims through the TV.
"You're sure that those two are okay? They were covered in blood by the end." The old woman ask on screen.
"I can't believe they didn't arrest anyone from the League." A younger man remarks.
"I thought we already caught a ton of those Nomu things. Why were they having such a hard time with one?" Another younger voice asks.
"Despite his win..." The announcer continues but…
"Turn that thing off!" Fuyumi snaps.
"No." Todoroki refuses.
"Do you know what he's doing right now? Endeavor's risking his life for our sakes. Look at him!" The pink haired boy from before bellows screaming on the camera his friend pulling him back.
"I used to be a huge fan of Edgeshot. But Endeavor's totally my top hero after that." A three eyed boy bellows.
"I was actually super excited to see representation for f*re-types." A man with his flame on fire says.
"I can't forget "Look Boy's" passion!" A girl beams brightly.
"Who's "Look Boy?" Some new hero?" Her boyfriend by her side snaps.
"The child now known by the nickname "Look Boy" struck a chord with many during the fight. However, we must not forget that Endeavor..." The announcer continues on showing said merch of look boy on screen.
"That's the boy I met on the street." Endeavor recognises.
"A change is coming. I can feel it. Some unseen thing you built up in your prime is starting to crumble." Endeavor at the sports centre says to Yagi as the two men with Bombarda watch the provisional licence exam occur.
"It's the dawn of the Age of Endeavor." The man on screen says.
"Endeavor, the top hero, was amazing. But, that's not who's standing here. I have to agree with what Natsu said. I still can't forgive you for what you did to Mom. And that's my choice to make. As for being my "father?" I'll have to watch your actions to see if you earn that. Because I know something small can change a person. If they want it to." Todoroki closes his hues thinking back to Sayako's words…
"I didn't become Number One the way I wanted to. So my hero work is tainted with shame. Endeavor internally reminds himself.
"What is my power even for? Why is it so important to be the strongest? Tell me, Endeavor. I'm sure you have a reason. If you look inside yourself." Yagi asks Endeavor.
When he said that, what suddenly came to mind was one resounding thought. "I must guarantee their future." If that's the job of the pro at the top...then I've failed with my own family. How can I demand forgiveness after so long? Endeavour furrows his brow by the thought thinking back to his son sharing his flame with the children below before glancing down at his phone, Bombarda's words ringing true to his ears until…
"Dad? You haven't eaten yet." Fuyumi calls out to him as he stands turning to leave.
"I want you to know. I'm sorry for everything. And I should have handled that conversation with Natsuo differently." Endeavor leaves the room, heading outside seeing Natsuo…
Even if it is too late, I'll try to make amends. It's my only path forward.
So...what did you think of Katsumi's thoughts about Hawks in this chapter? Of her dynamic with Endeavor or heck her family?