After a year as a pro hero, Katsuki is pulled for an undercover mission, tracking a murderous villain. After five months without contact, he's finally on the news, alone, and backed into a tight spot. Rated T for a non-graphic depiction of a villain attack and a sexual reference at the end.

"I'vе seen hard times, bad luck, all that in-between"

Ochako cried when the offer of a sidekick position had come in from her long-time work study, Ryuko. The tears started again the next day when Katsuki received the same offer from Best Jeanist.

Somehow they were a year out of UA and into real work. Things had been going great. She and Katsuki had found a rhythm between working at different agencies, living in different apartment buildings, and somehow still finding time to at least get coffee together once a week. Things had been going almost too well, life had to throw them a curve ball.

Ochako's phone rang, Katsuki had forced her to upgrade her flip phone at graduation. Shoving the sleek touch screen into her hand as a gift. Telling her he wasn't going to go days without seeing her face just cause her phone sucked.

"Hey, sweet cheeks." She giggles at the name. He had always called her cheeks, after the baby fat that had clung to her face at the start of UA. Only her knowing that 'sweet cheeks' was his way of referring to the way her ass looked in her hero suit.

"What's up, I'm about to go on shift and thought you were too."

"Yeah bout that. I'm being sent up to the northern part of the region, Tochigi I think. Jeanist just told me. I don't know how long I'll be gone and um it's covert. I'm not gonna have phone access."

"When do you leave?"

"Jeanist is waiting for me to hand over my phone. I called dad first and mom didn't answer. But I gotta go."

"I know, I know. It's fine, thanks for calling."

"Like I wouldn't, dad told me to let you know if you need anything to let him know alright." Even if he wouldn't say it she knew Katsuki worried about her, with their friends spread so far across Japan and her parents far from Tokyo.

"Wrap it up Dynamight." Jeansit's voice cuts through the line.

"I love you Ochako." She's taken back. While he was liberal with those words when they were alone. Always whispering them to her when they were tangled in the bedsheets or casually looking at her across the room and just saying it. He hardly said it in front of others, let alone his boss.

She sniffs, biting the inside of her cheek. "I love you too Katsuki." Her phone disconnected with a beep. Going back to her home screen, a photo Mina had snapped a few months back. Katsuki had shown a rare bit of public affection and pressed a kiss to her cheek while his arms wrapped around her from behind.

"Fuck." She tosses her phone into her bag and slams the locker, the door closing before bouncing back open. She grabs the phone, fingers stabbing for the contact.

"Hey Chaks, what's up?" Kirishima's friendly voice comes through the line.

"Katsuki's gonna be gone for a while."

"Yeah I got a text, roommate shit ya know." Ochako had forgotten that that was protocol, agencies were mandated to let at least one person who lived with the hero know if they were going to go on a planned extended absence. This way heroes wouldn't be reported as missing.

"You good?" Kirishima asks after the static had filled the air.

"I have to be. I'm going on shift."

"Mina's coming over for dinner, why don't you come too?"

"Nah Eijiro I'm not crashing your date."

"You kidding me? Mina will kill me if I let you go home alone tonight. I looked at Bakubro's calendar, and you're marked off tomorrow. There still some of that beer you like in our fridge."

"Yeah sure, okay, I'll be over after shift."

Another silent minute ticks by. "Thanks, Eijiro."

"Like you even had to ask." His words almost mimicked Katsuki's, sending a pang through her heart.

The months dragged on. Ochako had stopped getting an excited lurch when her phone made any noise. Stopped almost running to the door of her small studio apartment when she heard the distinct sound of boots on the floor in the hall. Keeping herself busy with friends and work.

Though no matter how hard she tried there was still a part she had pushed down that felt empty. Aching. To hear his gruff voice, have the faint smell of smoke that always lingered on him fill her nose and feel his chest beneath her cheek.

She knew if the mission had failed, if casualty had struck she knew his parents would have been alerted. And as much as it would have pained all of them, they would tell her. It had been five months, she was on the tail end of a grueling patrol shift when she saw a familiar face leaving the store below her.

"Bakugou-san!" Releasing her gravity slowly and falling to the sidewalk.

"Och-Uravity." Mitsuki catches herself when she notices Ochako's hero uniform. "It's been what two years with that son of mine, like I said, Mitsuki's fine."

"Sorry, that civilian manners training really gets drilled into us," Ochako says with a smile, holding her arm out to take one of the grocery bags.

"Katsuki must have missed those days."

Ochako hums. "Now that you mention, I think he was absent." The older woman laughs.

"You heard from him?" Mitsuki shoots her a sideways glance.

"No," her smile faltered, "Neither has Red Riot. But as they say, no news is good news." Ochako repeats the mantra that had been playing in her head since the first month of Katuki being gone passed.

The two walked in silence, nearing the crossing. Ochako's agency was up a few more blocks and she knew Mitsuki would be taking the stairs down to the train. "Why don't you come over for dinner, I know Masaru would like to see you."

"Oh no, I shouldn't impose."

"Impose?" She glances around they were tucked off to the side of the train entrance, no other civilians in earshot. "Ochako, you could never. Come by around 7." Mitsuki leaves no room for discussion, turning to walk down the stairs. "I'll even get out the baby albums that brat would never let me bring out with him there."

Home, Ochako fiddled with her hair while she grabs her phone.

After two rings Mina answers "What does one wear to their long-term boyfriend's parent's house when said boyfriend isn't there?"

"I mean his mom's seen you in your bra so I don't think that part really matters."

"Mina!"

"Oh, so this is an actual question?"

"Yes." Ochako sighs, explaining the situation.

"Didn't you just get tea with his dad last week?"

"Yeah, yeah. I've seen them a few times since he's been gone but this just feels. I don't know domestic?"

"Hate to break it to ya babe but you and blasty are about as domestic as it comes."

Silence fills the air. Thoughts of Katsuki cooking her dinner or tackling her to the couch while complaining about their friend's movie choice but pulling her into his chest all the same. He use to struggle even holding her hand in public, while he was one for notoriety in his hero work, getting noticed for anything else was out of his comfort zone two years ago.

"Chako?"

"What about an ankle-length gray jumpsuit with thin straps and a fitted white t-shirt?"

"That sounds cute! Just hey, if you're going through it I'm here, you could come stay for a few days. All UA dorm slumber party style."

"That'd be nice, I'm off some next week! Send me your schedule and we'll figure something out." Ochako's sour mood lightens.

Looking in the mirror and fluffing her hair, "Fuck it." she finally says, slipping on some sandals and shutting her door.

Dinner, as always, was fantastic. Katsuki got his cooking skills from his father after all. She was standing in the kitchen, sipping a glass of wine with Mitsuki and cooing over Katsuki's baby pictures, when her phone lit up. 'Midoriya' read across her screen, below her background. Ochako watched Mitsuki's eyes trail over the picture, she had the same soft smile Katsuki had.

"How's Izuku doing?"

"Not sure, he was traveling too so I haven't heard from him in about a week." She grabs her phone, tapping the message.

Midoriya: turn on the news now, Kacchan's on…it's a water quirk.

Ochako: Thanks! I'm at his parent's house.

"Katsuki's on the news." The words hardly leave her mouth before they're both in the living room, Mitsuki snatching the remote from her husband's hand.

"Our kids on the news."

"Breaking news from the Tochigi city center." The newscaster starts. "The villain that has been terrorizing citizens and alluding the local heroes has finally made a stand. Local authorities called in one of Tokeyo's finest, Best Jeanist, and his up-and-coming sidekick Dynamight."

"Katsuki." Ochako stands while his parents sit on the couch behind her. He flew across the screen, mask ripped off his face and his hair long. He was screaming something at an unseen villain. Ochako clearly made out swear words on his lips.

"For those of you just tuning in looks as if Dynamight has cornered the villain who has been labeled as a serial killer by local police. Using an unknown water quirk to take out victims from a distance. The water blast range from small yet powerful waves drowning his victims to the pinpoint accuracy of a gunshot."

"No, no, no." She starts pacing. Watching Katsuki fire blast after the man dressed in tattered clothes.

"What?"

"He's tired, look at how his shoulders are sagging. And he's out of his range grenades. He has three on each side of his belt and they're gone." She points to the screen. "His left gauntlet has a crack forming, it probably got hit."

"He won't back down, I know that face." Masaru comments. Watching his son all but snarl on the screen.

"And of course, it's a water quirk. Hold off, wait for backup." Ochako's all but talking to herself, glancing over her shoulder. Both sat in similar positions, hands clenched leaning towards the TV.

The news chopper swings in close, and the crew set up with the gear to hear the fight. "Let's see if we can get a view of what Dynamights dealing with down there. A warning before we do, this may get graphic for some viewers."

"You pitiful piece of shit! All you fucking got!" He yells, lining a hand up for an AR shot, Ochako can't help but smile as his voice comes through the speakers when the villain's shot hits.

Like a bullet from a sniper's gun. Mid-thigh. Tearing through his pants, blood painted the ground behind him. Katsuki's leg beds, clearly broken.

Ochako's knees hit the ground as Katuki falls to his. "Get up Katsuki, get the fuck up." Her language was forgotten.

"You've handled worse than this. Stand and get to the news chopper they always have medics!" She's yelling at the TV when another water bullet hits him, catching his left side this time. He falls back, head bouncing against the concrete.

"NO!" She's not sure if it was her or his parents that screamed.

"Please, please, please no. Get up. I need you to get up, please. I can't." She's crying, watching the pool of blood grow around his motionless body. The top of his suit ripped wide open revealing a large gash to his ribs. "Katsuki, babe," Ochako's knees fold under her.

Ochako feels a hand on her shoulder, glancing over to see red painted nails, Mitsuki. She can feel her phone buzzing in her hand, message after message coming through. Knowing their friends had been watching.

There's a streak of blue across the screen, Jeanist and other heroes arrive atop the building. Jeanist barked orders while yanking Katsuki off the ground. He threw him over his shoulder and took off towards the chopper. The camera pans down, highlighting the red across his paling skin. A medic drags Katsuki from his boss's shoulder and lays him on the floor, working over him while the camera pans back to the fight.

Ignoring the messages, Ochako scrolls to her contacts and dials. "Shoto."

"Already on it, Izuku will be there with a car for you guys in ten minutes and I've got the jet hitting the tarmac already."

"Thank you." Her words come out soft, her voice cracking.

"Don't worry about it."

"Shoto…"

"I said don't worry about it. He's going to be okay. He's too damn stubborn to die. Tell Izuku to text me when you land."

"Shoto's sending a car and already has his dad's jet up and going. Izuku's coming." Ochako goes into rescue mode. Pulling herself from the floor and rubbing a hand across her face.

"What?" It's his father, Mistuki crying into her hands. Ochako can't look at her, knowing if she does she'll start to cry again too.

"Perks of being the kid of the retired Number One. I'm betting he and Izuku were watching the news. His dad had a jet for hero work and they kept it for personal use after he retired. They'll fly us." Her phone rings, she doesn't recognize the number but the digits contain the first three used for hero work.

"This is Uravity"

"Yes, hello, Red Riot gave me your phone number, I work for Best Jeanist. Dynamight is being transported to the area hospital for surgery. We'll have you on stand-by for transport once we get his parents."

Ochako cuts her off. "I'm with his parents, Shoto's already handled transportation. It's only an hour flight so we should be there in 90 minutes or so."

"Oh, um, Pro Hero Shoto?"

"Yes, please contact him for flight information."

"Well um, okay." She was clearly shocked without a job to do. "This is my direct number please let me know if there is anything I can do to assist you or Dynamights parents."

"Thank you." Ochako doesn't wait for a response before hanging up. Dialing again she calls her agency. Running through procedural codes and getting permission to miss her shifts, finishing just as there's a knock on the door.

She looks over, Mitsuki sitting with Masaru's arm around her. Ochako wants to fall apart. Lay on the ground and sob. But she knows she can't, knows she has a job to do. She breathes, reminding herself that Katsuki is with trained medical professionals now and out of the field.

Opening the door "Izuku," and her battle is lost, tears falling freely.

"Hey, hey," Izuku pulls her into his arms. "Kacchans going to be okay. He's too stubborn to die."

"Sho-Shoto said the same thing." She chokes out a laugh through the tears. "But, all the blood." Her hands start to shake. "He can't, I can't if he does. There's so much I need to tell him. So much I need to do with him."

"I know Chako, come on, we gotta go." He nods to Bakugous parents behind her.

The hour flight feels like days. Ochako leaned into Izuku's side, while he rubbed comforting circles across her back. "Thanks for coming."

"Well, when one of your best friend's boyfriend makes stupid choices on national television I think you're obligated to have your boyfriend wake up the private jet pilot and fly them to a different city." He rambles, noticeably nervous.

"We'll have to have you boys over for dinner. All of you once Katsuki's home." Masaru says from his seat.

If the flight was long the wait in the private ICU lobby was double. Ochako sat curled into a chair, legs starting to go numb. She had given up looking at the clock on the wall when her cell phone died over an hour ago. Staring at the city lights through the window when she feels a hand on her knee.

"You okay?" Mitsuki asks.

"I should be asking you that." Ochako uncurls herself. Needles prickled down her legs.

"No, not right now. I've watched him do that since he discovered his quirk at four years old. He took more ER trips than I could count before he was six. Broken arms, burned skin, fuck one time he singed off his eyebrows and lashes." Ochako laughs. "But the point of this is, I've had almost 20 years to prepare for this moment. I knew he'd be a hero from the first time he made an explosion in our backyard." She stops, following Ochako's eyes out the window.

"But you, you held it together. Coordinated all this, and got us here to at least get real-time updates instead of waiting by the phone. He's lucky to have you. We're thankful he has you." As if she planned it, the second the words leave her lips the door opens, a woman in a green hospital scrubs stepping through.

"Well hello everyone," Ochako could tell she was trying to keep the panic from spreading.

"Good news is Dynamight is alive and while he's still coming out of sedation, he is breathing on his own. The shot that caught his side did splinter a few ribs but luckily with the speed and force behind the projectile the splinters mostly flew back instead of towards his lugs. His leg however is a different story. His femur was broken clean in half. And while we have healing quirks, paired with the extreme amount of muscle damage it was touch and go with his leg for a bit. We were able to get the bone mostly stable, the tissue around it repaired but he'll be on bed rest for at least a week once he wakes up." She stops, scanning the faces in front of her.

"Now I know you all are going to want to see him, but right now I can only let family in. So his parents first and we can discuss others after that."

"Actually," Izuku starts. "I'm going to get checked in at the hotel and call Shoto. If he wakes up tell him I'll be back tomorrow." Katsuki's parents stand, his mother hugging Izuku.

Ochako did the only thing she could do. She paced. She paced and she watched the minute hand on the wall tick slowly by. Five minutes. Ten minutes. Thirty minutes. When finally the door opened again.

"Um, Uravity? Ma'am?"

"Uraraka's fine." She attempts a smile at the young woman.

"Dynamight's, um, mother is demanding. I mean asking for you to come back."

She chuckles. Of course she was, anyone with eyes knew Katsuki didn't get his attitude from his father. They walk through white, sterile halls, a colorful painting coming into view every so often. Bringing a false life into a lifeless place. They reach a heavy wooden door, numbered with an (H) next to the sign notating that there was a hero in the room.

Ochako bites the inside of her cheek when the door is pushed open, using the pain to stop the tears. A white curtain, for added privacy, surrounds the bed, and the nurse moves them aside. Katsuki lays still, white against the sheets. A large bandage wrapped around his chest while a cast contained his leg. His too-long hair was pushed out of his face and an IV was attached to his arm. His fingers twitched slightly, a sure sign he was coming around.

His parents step to the side letting her stand by him. "Suki" Ochako mummers. Taking his fingers in hers. And they just stand there. All watching, waiting for his eyes to open.

There's a blink, followed by another and then she sees them. The color of his iris blended into the bloodshot white around it. "Hey." His voice is gravel. She hears a sharp intake of breath from behind her, not bothering to check which of his parents it came from.

"Oh thank god." Ochako starts to cry, sitting on the edge of the bed, fighting the urge to lay her head across his bandaged chest.

"Whoa, hey, stop that. I'm good. I think, maybe. I don't know. But you're here so I'm good." His words are choppy, the pain meds making him loopy. "Fuck you're beautiful." There's now a sob from behind, drawing his attention.

"Oh, hey mom, dad. It's like I almost died or something."

"You did you stupid selfish, idiotic man," Ochako says through her tears.

"Ya know Ochako I can tell you're mad but right now I don't care. I don't even care that my parents are hearing me say this. Fuck I didn't mean to say that out loud." He shakes his head.

"I'm going to go get the nurse to see if they can turn down the meds a bit." Masaru grabs his wife by the hand, pulling her from the room.

Not before they hear their son's words. "I missed you, angel. I love you, and I'm sorry."

"I love you too." Ochako sits tentatively on the edge of the bed, one hand braced against his arm while the other runs along his face.

They sit in comfortable silence, Katsuki slowly blinking in and out of focus. They both had been familiar with the IV attached to his hand and she was able to find the control for the pain meds. Turning them down just a touch, Ochako noticed the fog starting to fade from his eyes.

"You're mad at me." It isn't a question.

"Yes," Ochako answers anyways, though she doesn't stop stroking his hair.

"You gonna yell at me?"

"No, but I do have some things I'd like to tell you." Katsuki just nods.

"Why didn't you wait? You were out of grenades, had a cracked gauntlet, knew it was a water quirk and you were alone. Why the fuck didn't you wait for backup?"

"Jeanist gave me the go-ahead to engage."

"Well, at least you won't be reprimanded at work."

"Chako, I'm sorry alright."

"And you don't know what it means to me to hear you say that, cause I know past you wouldn't have said it. But you have no idea how worried I was. And I just." The tears start again.

"Cheeks." Katsuki tries to sit up, scowling at the pain in his side.

"Let me finish I need to say this. I know you're a hero. I know this is the life and relationship I signed up for. But I need you to use your damn head out there Katsuki. I knew from the second you came on the screen you needed backup and you just kept going."

"I didn't realize my gauntlet was cracked." Katsuki mumbles.

"That's beside the point Katsuki. It was a water quirk, a deadly water quirk! You know how hard those are for you by yourself. Let alone when it looked like you had been fighting all day and were out of grenades."

"I know Ochako, I know I messed up."

"I can't have you mess up okay? I'm too selfish for you too, I love you too much for you to make those mistakes." She stops, noticing Katsuki's started to cry.

"There's no one else that could make me feel the way you do Suki, no one. No one who will support me like you do or care for me like you do. You're the only one I want. I know this isn't the last time something like this is going to happen but I was scared. The thought of losing you wrecks me."

"You're not going to lose me." Katsuki's voice is firm.

"You can't know that."

"No, Ochako, I do cause you want to know what was going through my head. The first shot hit and it was your face. With the second shot all I could hear when my head hit the ground, was your voice. It's going to take more than getting shot twice to take me away from you. Cause I'll be damned if I let anyone else take care of you, to know you like I do."

"You're my girl Ochako, I'm always going to come back to you. You're every reason I do what I do. Fuck, you're my reason for everything" His eyes travel down from her face, over her breast, and down to her hand around his arm.

"I forgot how sappy paid meds make you." She laughs.

"Not fucking sappy." He grumbles, and Ochako only hums in response.

"Not my fault you're so pretty," Neither heard the door open, his parents waiting quietly, not wanting to interrupt the moment. "Can only think of one thing that's prettier than you right now."

"And what's that?"

"You," Ochako giggles, rolling her eyes, "naked under me, cumming around my co…" Ochakos hand (softly) slaps over his mouth.

"Okay! Yeah forgot that meds also do that to you. Your parents are going to be back soon. Save it hot shot."

"Katsuki, you still awake?" Mitsuki asks, a little too loudly. Ochako worries that his parents heard more than they let on.

"We found the nurse, said the doctor would be in to check on you in a few minutes," Mitsuki says, moving the curtain aside in time to see Ochako pull away from a kiss.

Ochako stands, walking around the bed to make room for his parents. Katsuki IV free hand, reaching for her. Fingers curl around her thigh when she sits back on the bed.

"Midoriya texted," Masaru starts, "He got the hotel all sorted."

"Stupid helpful nerd."

"You should really thank that boyfriend of his," Mitsuki says, stepping towards her son.

"Yeah, I'll send the rich ass hole a fruit basket."

"Sounds like Dynamight is up and ready to go." The voice of the doctor before coming from behind the curtain. "I already know the question, but no you cannot leave and yes you have to stay in bed until you're given the all-clear." Ochako and his mom shoot him a look that tells him to stay quiet.

"You hero's are all the same," the doctor smiles "but we'll have you up and out of here as soon as possible." The door opens again, and a different nurse comes around holding a bag.

"Jeansist agency dropped this off, some personal items for Dynamight."

"Perfect, well I can permit one of you to stay." The doctor turns to his parents.

"They're going to the hotel, Uravity is staying."

"Unfortunately ICU protocol dictates a family member stays, not a friend."

"I don't give a," raining himself in after a glare from his mother "Uravity and I have been dating for over two years. I know we're not very public with our relationship with the media but she's who I want to stay."

The doctor softly smiles, looking up from the clipboard and finally taking in the full scene in front of her. From Ochako's tear-stained face to Katsuki's hand resting on her leg. The nurse behind her grins. "Hmph."

"We'll be back first thing in the morning." Mitsuki's overwhelming tone takes control of the situation, leaving no room for discussion. "If anything happens and we're needed we'll leave our hotel information with the nurse."

The doctor continues her explanation of Katuki's care and condition. Letting him know how to page for assistance and how long he was accepted to stay. As the days drag on, Midoriay visits, forcing Katsuki to video call with their other friends. Katsuki grows grumpy with hospital staff until he's finally discharged, eight days later.

A nurse comes in with a wheelchair, followed by the doctor. "Well, Dynamight, your ribs are looking good and that wound is almost closed. The muscles around your leg responded great, so I'll just need you to go in for a follow-up with your agency's doctor to remove the soft cast next week. But I don't see a reason for you to stay here longer."

"Great."

"What my son means," Mitsuki starts, "is thank you for your service, we are very grateful for your and the staff's care." She bows.

Ochako walks into the room, wearing leggings Midoriya went and bought for her and one of Katsuki's shirts tucked into the waistband. "Yes, thank you for making sure he's well and able to come home." She bows as well.

Beast Jeanist provides the transport back home. Ochako curls herself around Katsuki on the bench seat, Izuku talking with Katsuki's parents while he falls in and out of sleep. The pilot's voice comes overhead, signaling they'll be landing.

"Ochako," Katsuki pauses, grabbing his crutches. "I've been talking with Kiri, he's going to go move in with Mina."

"Oh, well I guess you'll need to look for a one-bedroom then. Rent on your place is a little too much for one person."

"Sometimes you are so slow on the pick-up, good thing you're cute." Katsuki teases.

"Rude."

"I'm asking you to move in with me, cute me a break." His parents and Izuku's heads whip around before quickly looking back forward, pretending they weren't listening.

"We'll turn Kiri's room into an office, plush I'm closer to your agency." His voice dips into a whisper. "I want you as my emergency contact. I want to sleep with you every night not just when one of us is in the hospital. Let me eat your stupid burnt breakfast and cook you actual food so you don't just eat those garbage TV meals you lie to me about. Come on angel, say yes."

Ochako drops her bag, throwing her arms around his neck and pressing his lips to his. Pulling at his hair and running her tongue along his bottom lip. Little did they both know that Ochako would be getting the opportunity of a lifetime from her agency six months later, throwing another curve ball into all their plans.