Bakugo's eyes fluttered open as a fist pounded against his door. Each impact shot a painful reverberation through his alcohol-ridden brain. He picked up the half-empty whisky bottle, sending it flying over the couch and smashing it against the wood door. He removed his hearing aid and tossed it onto the dirty coffee table. He looked up at the TV with strained eyes as the news continued to cover the same story it had been all week.
Tragic Death of Gravity Hero: Uravity
Similar headlines have been plastered on every major news outlet. The media was in another frenzy as they discussed her funeral that morning. A shot of Deku and Four Eyes carrying a casket took up the screen, and Bakugo's blood began to boil. How rotten did the paparazzi have to be to crash a funeral? Security should have been there to stop them. Hell, there were dozens of heroes there. Any one of them could have. He should have-
He dropped his head and dug his nails into his calloused palms. There was nothing he could have done because he didn't go. Instead, he sat in his designer suit on his couch, drowning his sorrows. His phone was turned off, but he was sure that if he looked, there would have been hundreds of texts and calls asking where the hell he was. He'd kept himself locked inside since the incident, but not even he could miss her funeral. And yet here he was.
The pounding on the door continued. "Fuck off!" Bakugo screamed, his voice horse. He figured it was Shitty Hair. The man was the only one to check on him the entire time, but Bakugo had turned him away, refusing to open the door. He didn't need him or anyone else acting like they knew how he felt. Unfortunately for him, whoever was at the door thought differently.
Even without his hearing aid, Bakugo could feel the tremor from the door being ripped off its hinges. He turned his head to see Deku leaning the door against the wall. "You broke my door," Bakugo said flatly. Without the usual venom in his voice, it came out as nothing more than an observation like one would about sudden rain.
Deku's lips were moving, and Bakugo could read them saying, "Send the bill to my office." Bakugo let out a dry chuckle, making a mental note to take his name off the guest list, and turned to the TV. Deku approached him, picked up the hearing aid, and tossed it to him. The number one hero was in the same suit he had seen in the photo earlier, but the seldom look was now replaced with disappointment. Bakugo knew that trying to kick him out was pointless, and it was too much of a headache to continue reading his lips, so he put in the hearing aid and readied himself for his interrogation. "Where were you?"
"Right here," Bakugo said, taking a swig of a freshly opened bottle.
"I meant when she died."
Bakugo's hand twitched, the bottle lingering on his mouth for a fraction of a moment before he continued to drink. It was a simple question. One that he had known the answer to yet had been asking himself repeatedly since he heard what happened. He was busy fulfilling his role as the number two hero, the Great Explosion Murder God: Dynamight, and had to always be in the center of the conflict. He was fighting the villain while the extras evacuated the civilians. Why would he be bothered to care about who was under the buildings getting toppled?
Except she wasn't supposed to be there. She was on leave. She should have been watching everything from the safety of her couch. But that just wasn't her. Nobody knew she was even on the scene until she had carried a dozen people out of the rubble.
Bakugo downed the last of his bottle, feeling his brain and troubles wash away. "She was a hero. We all put our lives on the line when we go out there."
Deku lifted him off the couch, energy sparking to life around him. "Are you seriously going to act like she meant nothing to you!?" There was a ferocity in his voice that Bakugo hadn't seen in years. Still, he showed no sign of fighting back. Deku tossed him back onto the couch and began to pace back and forth, trying to get his words in order. Finally, he turned to his childhood friend and really stared at the man he'd become. His voice was low as he spoke. "The coroner said she was pregnant."
Bakugo hunched over, his face shielded by his hands. "Does anyone else know?"
"No," Deku said, shifting his gaze away. "I had to pull some strings to keep it out of the official report."
Bakugo released the breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding in. "Of course he did," he thought to himself. The nerd had that charisma that helped him win over others and secure his place in the public eye. It was something that Bakugo didn't envy, choosing to rise through the ranks through sheer strength and willpower despite his shitty personality. Still, he wished he was strong enough to protect her even after she was gone.
"How long have you known?" Bakugo asked, his gaze glued to the mud sticking to the nerd's shoes. "Did Cheeks tell you?"
"She didn't have to," Deku said, taking a seat next to his friend. "I had my suspicions since you two got close during our third year."
Silence settled in between them as they watched the news report. Bakugo thought back to when it all started. There was never any grand declaration or anything. They started out training together in the morning. Then, it turned into hanging out in the afternoons. By graduation, she slept in his bed at least twice a week. They never had sex, kissed, or even held hands. At the time, Bakugo would have threatened to kill anyone who even insinuated that they were even friends. But now, it was clear to him that he was already in love with her.
They didn't stay in touch after graduation. They moved to different prefectures and followed their own paths to become heroes. He'd see her pop up in the news as she rose through the ranks. There were reward ceremonies, advertisements, meet and greets, and, of course, her fair share of scandals. Everyone wanted to know who the great Uravity was sleeping with. Pay no mind to the fact that by the time she turned 25, she was one of, if not the best, disaster heroes in Japan.
Bakugo wouldn't see her again until he was named the number two hero. Unfortunately for him, though, it was at the same time Deku was named number one. The whole graduating class crawled out of the woodwork to congratulate them, but Bakugo knew that it was really for the nerd. He'd long gotten over his hatred and feelings of inferiority, but he couldn't help but feel his own achievement being dismissed. Kirishima was kind enough to pull him away so they could enjoy a drink together, and that was when she appeared.
"Heading out?" Cheeks asked.
"Ochaco-chan, hey!" Kirishima pulled her into a hug. "It's been so long. There's a bar nearby we like. Do you want to come too?" He turned to the blonde to see if he had any objections. When he showed no signs of saying no, Kirishima turned back to the bubbly brunette, who smiled and nodded. "Sweet, let's go!"
After a short walk and way too many shots, Bakugo found himself in the back of a cab with an unconscious Kirishima and Uraraka. Despite the former's name, the Sturdy Hero couldn't handle his liquor for shit. When they arrived at his building, Bakugo prepared to carry him up the stairs just as he'd done many times before. Just then, he noticed the redhead begin to hover slightly.
Uraraka rubbed the sleep from her eyes and insisted on helping to bring him inside. Bakugo wanted to argue and tell her to wait in the car, but he knew from experience how heavy the man was and silently thanked her before telling the driver to wait for them. The grouchy man said he was keeping the meter running but agreed all the same.
With the help of Uraraka's quirk, the two could carry the hero to his room in a matter of minutes. Bakugo pulled out his spare key, something he'd been given after an embarrassing moment of trying to pull Kirishima's from his pocket. It made times like this a little easier, but he also used it to frequently check on his friend's home when he was too busy to go home. He opened the door and was greeted by the large pup Kirishima had taken in a few months prior. He stormed past him to throw his owner onto the bed but stopped when he noticed Ururaka reaching to pet him.
"Keep your hands to yourself unless you want to lose them," Bakugo said sternly. "The little bastard is used to chewing on Shitty Hair's hardening quirk. I almost blew his face off when he snapped at me the first time."
Uraraka simply nodded, then placed her fingertips together, releasing her quirk. The two walked back down to the cab in silence. It was now abundantly clear to Bakugo that he was alone with the only woman he was ever close enough to have the semblance of a romance with. He was still in denial, though, so he kept his mouth shut and frequently rubbed the nitroglycerin pooling in his palms with a handkerchief.
Bakugo opened the cab door, allowing the girl with the chestnut hair to slide in, resting her head on the seat. There was just enough room for him to sit down without touching her. He caught the cabbie's expecting look and turned back to the girl. "Oi, Round Face! Where the fuck's your hotel?" Instead of answering, Uraraka kicked off her heels and laid her feet on his lap. Bakugo sighed in defeat and gave the man the directions to his building.
The number two hero valued his privacy. The first thing he did when he started living on his own was find a place that had the best security available: guard gates, keycard elevators, and the utmost staff discretion. The biggest danger to a hero's home wasn't a villain but the paparazzi. Only once in all the years, he lived there did they try to stalk him in hopes of getting a scoop. The onsite security made quick work of them and ensured they knew better than to try and come back.
They pulled around back to the underground parking structure. Bakugo buzzed them through the sturdy shutter gate and guided them through the structure so they could get dropped off as close to the elevator as possible. He paid the egregiously expensive cab fare and gave the cabbie a more than generous tip that all but said, "Forget you saw anything," then carried the drunk girl into the elevator. She was heavier than he remembered. He didn't have to see the muscles under her dress to know that she could give most of their male colleagues a run for their money. He'd heard her impressive feats in weightlifting that put his own strength training to shame.
It didn't take long to reach his floor and step inside the privacy of his home. Only then did he finally speak up. "How long are you planning on pretending to sleep, Cheeks?"
Uraraka once again ignored him and nuzzled deeper into his chest. "You know you smell just how I remember."
"When did you become such a perv?" She let out a giggle that sent a chill down his spine. Bakugo wasn't sure if it was from the alcohol or the way she felt in his arms, but his head began to grow fuzzy. He quickly brought her to the bedroom, being extra careful as he lowered her into his bed. He was a lot of things, but he wasn't that big of a dick to force her to sleep on the couch. He placed the comforter over her and made his way to leave when she grabbed onto him.
"Don't go," she pleaded. "Not yet."
"You need to sleep," he said firmly. "Your cheeks are redder than normal."
She let out another giggle but refused to let go. "If I don't do this now, I don't know if I'll ever find the courage again."
"What're you-" Before he could finish, Bakugo felt the familiar feeling of weightless. By the time he regained his bearings, she was already pinning him to the bed.
"I was too afraid to do it when we were in high school. I was afraid that I wasn't good enough. And even after everything I've done, I still don't know if I am. But I can't keep running away. Bakugo, I… I…."
He watched the emotions wash over her. He expected his instincts to kick in and fight back from the potential threat, but they never did. With all the strength he could muster, he pulled her down into him. She was shaking, unsure if it was from fear, excitement, or both. He brought his hand to the back of her head and gently stroked her hair.
"You're not in the right headspace, Cheeks. Neither of us are." Bakugo said softly. "Whatever it is you want to tell me can wait til morning." Uraraka nodded her head but remained on his chest. Bakugo continued to stroke her hair even after she began to snore, only stopping once sleep took him too.
The next morning, Uraraka told him about the offer she got to work at Deku's agency. She wasn't sure if she was ready to pack up and move to Tokyo, but after much contemplation and a lot of swearing on Bakugo's part, she accepted the offer. Bakugo had expected that to be the end of it. Whatever thing that happened between them was forgotten in the night, but then, as she made her leave, she planted a quick yet soft kiss on his cheek. That small peck had opened up something inside of him because he quickly pulled her back inside. They were on each other in an instant, no words exchanged as they explored each other's mouths and bodies.
When the time came for her to move, Bakugo offered, practically begging her to move in with him, but she wasn't ready for that step. He was already at the top and had made a name for himself that no one would ever dare to forget. But she was just getting started. She asked him to keep things between them a secret so that she could show the world who she was all on her own. She wanted to be remembered as the great Uravity, not Dynamight's girlfriend.
Bakugo understood that need. The public eye has trouble taking female heroes seriously if they're not in the top ten. Even some of their so-called friends still think she's frail and needs to be protected. More often than not, the two would be left covered in cuts and bruises after their training sessions during their time at UA. Bakugo remembered how she was practically a mummy after an intense sparring match the night before. Dunce Face tried to lecture him about how he needed to go easy on her because she "wasn't as strong" as him. Little did he know that Uraraka had broken multiple of Bakugo's ribs and dragged him to Recovery Girl's office when he refused to go.
It didn't take long for Uraraka to leave Deku's agency to start her own. When she broke through the top ten, Bakugo sat back and let her bask in the limelight. He waited patiently while she made a name for herself in the hero world. It wasn't until she visited him unexpectedly one night that things finally changed between them.
"I'm pregnant," she said bluntly. She presented the positive test she had taken before coming over. Bakugo stared at it, a whirlpool of emotions crashing back and forth within him. Uraraka tugged anxiously at her sleeve as she waited for his reaction.
Finally, Bakugo spoke with a low and serious voice. "How are you feeling?"
"We never talked about kids. Hell, I'm not even sure if I want kids or if I'm ready to or not." Her voice trembled as she spoke. Tears began to fall down her face as the fear of the unknown overtook her.
Bakugo laid his hand on hers. "Then let's talk about it now." Hours passed as they talked about what they each wanted. There were tears, shouts, and laughter, and they'd stop to eat and pick up right where they left off. It wasn't until late into the night that things finally reached their peak.
"I don't want to hold you back," Uraraka confessed. "You and Deku are leagues above the rest of us. How can I pull you away from your dream like that?"
"You wouldn't have to," he said sternly. "There is nowhere I'd rather be than right here with you."
"You're just saying that because you're tired of seeing me cry." She turned her face away, but he pulled her to look at him.
"Ochaco, I love you. You're so fucking amazing, and I don't deserve you anyone could tell you that. But you're here with me right now. Cheeks, I want you to know that if we bring a kid into this world, I'll show you that I can be at the top of the charts and still be the best goddamn dad out there."
"Wow," she said with a laugh. "That's quite the declaration from the Great King Explosion Murder."
"Great Explosion Murder God," he corrected her.
More laughter erupted. "I'm saying it now. You're banned from naming this baby."
His face twisted in surprise. "Does that mean you're keeping it?" A silence fell over her as she realized what she had said.
"Yeah," she said, new tears forming. "I guess it does." Bakugo walked out of the room. Fear overcame her as she wondered if she made the right choice or not. But before she could take back her decision, Bakugo returned. He dropped to a knee and presented a small box to her. "Katsuki…."
"I wanted to wait 'til you were ready, but I know the Old Hag would skin me alive if I didn't do this properly." There was an unfamiliar nervousness in his voice. His calloused hands shook as he slowly raised the lid to reveal a shining diamond-encrusted ring. "I know you don't like flashy jewelry, but I hope you can make an exception."
She was on him in an instant, her lips planting dozens of kisses across his face. "Yes, Katsuki, yes!"
Bakugo held her close, relief washing over him. "Does this mean we can go public now?" He didn't mind keeping their secret a little longer. He hated how the media tried to get into his business, but there was a primal urge within him that wanted everyone to know that Uraraka Ochako was his and his alone.
"Not yet," she said, feeling guilty. "I want to wait til after the first trimester to make sure there aren't any complications. Then, we'll tell everyone." Bakugo understood her concern, but he couldn't help but feel disappointed. Uraraka slid the ring onto her finger and admired how it sparkled in the light. "I am keeping the ring, though."
The memory of that night faded away, and Bakugo was back on the couch with Deku. "I heard its heartbeat," he said, catching the hero off guard. "Even with my fucked up eardrums, I could hear it as clear as day. It was such a simple thing, but it was incredible." He could feel the nerd's sympathy as he watched him speak. He didn't know why he was telling him this, but he felt he needed to let it out to someone. "She'd been on light duty since she found out. She gave most of the work to her sidekicks and only went out for appearances. After I heard the heartbeat, I was on her ass, telling her to go on leave."
"That's when the incident happened," Deku said, predicting where the story would go.
"She had an appointment with her doctor the next morning. All she had to do was stay home. We had it handled. I had it handled!" He couldn't stop the tears from falling now. "I didn't even know she was there until it was too late."