Firework
Chapter Four
Sleepless
6 months later…Dynamight Agency…
"...and we know that their supplier is hiding somewhere under the radar. The only way to flush them out is by increasing pressure, careful planning and precision." Pro Hero Trace finished her presentation. A group of heroes, including Earphone Jack, Tentacole and Gang Orca himself, had gathered at the Dynamight Agency to address the uptick of drug-related crime in Shiena and the surrounding district. They all sat at a U-shaped table in the building's conference room, which was tesla-boxxed to prevent info-leaks. Bakugo took over as Trace took a seat.
"Thanks, Trace. Now," he said. "Are there any questions?"
One newer hero raised his hand. Bakugo waved his hand.
"Thank you sir," the rookie stood and bowed. "I don't think I quite understand. What do you need us to do exactly?"
"Hmph," Bakugo knew the original lecture was too technical, but his staff always insisted on the "professional" way first. Now it was his turn. "I'm saying I need more bodies out here. More heroes hitting the streets and putting pressure on whoever's in charge out there. If Gang Orca Agency has bodies to spare, we could use them."
"Dynamight," Jirou interrupted. She looked at Gang Orca, who nodded for her to continue. "Not to downplay anything, but you never ask for help from other agencies. What's changed?"
"What's changed is that these aren't ordinary mooks anymore." Bakugo pointed backwards, prompting the screen behind him. It displayed various incidents occurring throughout Shiena, but also all over the district, including Gang Orca's immediate AOR. Trigger villains had been increasing over time for a few years now, but this was different.
"Trigger villains are getting bold," he stated. "And some of the ones I fought weren't just trying it out and lost control. They trained with it, knew what it could do to their quirks and exploited their strengths. I had some eggheads look at the drug itself too. Intelli!"
"Yes sir!" One of Dynamight's sidekicks, Genius, stood up as the screen changed. Though the egghead comment did tend to tick her off.
"Trigger, as many of you know, is a quirk enhancing drug that specifically targets a person's quirk factor and multiplies it by over 10-fold. Its effect is as varied as quirks themselves, and are therefore unpredictable and dangerous to use. However," she pointed at a more recent incident. It showed a typhoon ripping through the city, with a flying man in the eye of the storm. Dynamight and Shoto could be seen circling the storm in the photo, trying to find an opening.
"This particular strain was recovered by Dynamight when he stopped Thunderclap, a hurricane user and recovered the used vial. The perp did not shoot up intentionally, rather the vial was shot from a distance. It was also an experimental version, likely a prototype of the real thing."
Another image appeared, showing a comparison between regular Trigger and the recovered drug.
"This drug is far more stable than its counterpart, and arguably more safe to use consecutively," she explained. "It's known colloquially as 'Quirk-Roid', or 'Roid', and boosts one's quirk and their physicality, so that their bodies can better handle their empowered quirks. It lasts longer and reduces the symptoms of insanity for a short period."
"For a short period?" Gang Orca rumbled. "The insanity kicks in later?"
"Exactly," Bakugo answered. "Thanks, Genius. Roid makes an instant, roided out villain with incredibly powerful quirks for up to 30 minutes at a time. They remain sane for about 10 minutes, but gradually lose their shit over time. The drug is improving too, the effect lasting longer with better results with every encounter. I've fought with at least three of these over the last month alone, one of which Icyhot and I only beat by containing him and waiting him out."
"So tell me," Orca said, criticism lacing his tone. "You expect me to help you throw brute force at the problem and hope it goes away?"
"Nope," Bakugo countered. "It's true we're going to use more manpower to mitigate the problem, but that only works in the short term. The real solution is to put pressure on whoever's cooking and distributing the stuff so we can catch them." He grew grim as he spoke. "If we don't grab the dealer, everyone suffers. Including you guys."
"...very fair judgment, Dynamight." Gang Orca nodded. "Very well, I will dispatch some heroes to your agency for the time being. Hopefully they can stall these villains until stronger heroes can put them down."
"Actually, we have a way to help with that." Bakugo nodded at Genius, who took out a metal suitcase. Within were blue vials with syringes.
"These are anitroids." She took one out for closer examination. "They are a perfect chemical opposite of the Quirk-Roid drug and instantly negates the effect when used. It took us months to perfect, but they are ready."
"We've also given the police the recipe for our little 'go-the-fuck-to-sleep' potion," Bakugo said smugly. "In exchange for clearance of use on Roided villains. Can't use them on regular trigger villains though. Genius, what's the projected effect?"
"Immediate heart failure, leading to death."
"Right. So only use them on confirmed Roid villains." Bakugo took the case and slid it to Orca. "Thanks for the support."
"Of course," he took the case and nodded to his subordinates. "We'll make preparations and meet soon with your back-up."
"Thanks. Meeting adjourned!" he barked. Everyone started filing out, but Gang Orca stopped him before leaving.
"Playing with drugs and sedatives is risky for heroes, you know." He advised. The large hero had developed a reputation to constantly mentor younger heroes. Bakugo was no exception.
"I know," Bakugo replied. "But if we had this sooner, at least one of my sidekicks would still be kicking."
"Hmm. I must say young man," he rumbled quietly. "You've grown quite a bit since taking the Provisional Licensing Exam. I hear you have a child now?"
"Yeah."
"That's wonderful to hear." His small eyes twinkled a bit. "I hope she grows to be as capable as you. Till next time." With that, he was off. Shoji also waved as he left, to which Bakugo responded in kind.
"Forgot he was a softy for kids. Trace, brat-report," he ordered his second.
Her eyes glowed purple for a second. "Still at home sir."
"Excellent. Go home, get rest." He addressed his various sidekicks. "Good work everyone. You know how much I hate meetings, but we should be doing better with the extra hands."
"Anytime sir!" one guy said.
"Yeah! Can they keep up though?" Another guy snarked. He was a 2nd year rookie, still a little snot-nosed.
Bakugo shut that down. "Shut the fuck up, Yaji. Last I checked, you were only benching 300 last night. I want to see 370 next week! That clear?"
"Yes sir! Sorry sir!"
"Hmph. Right, dismissed." They all scattered, either starting patrols or heading home. Bakugo went upstairs to his manhole and blasted through the sky. His apartment wasn't far, but he sure as hell wasn't leaving baby Hana alone all day.
The truth was, there was another reason he was requesting support. Yes the roid villains were a problem and help was warranted. But he was also short on time. He only worked around half the hours he did almost a year ago to care for his daughter.
And almost all of those hours were put into training his sidekicks until they met his standards. And knowing his standards, that might be a century away. But they were leagues ahead from where they were just a few months ago.
Now they could shoulder the weight he had taken for himself these last few years. And he had more time for his new family life. He just never thought he would have one, so hadn't prepared for it.
But as he landed in front of his door as usual, he was actually glad to have something else to do. Someone else to take care of.
He swung the door open, racking his grenadiers. "OY! I'm back!"
"Hello, Bakugo-san!" his nanny greeted. She was a cat-like woman with bright orange fur and green eyes. Hiring a nanny was a pain, an expensive pain, but it was well worth the yen. "Hanabi is napping now. Am I clear for today?"
"Yeah, you're good," he pulled out a check. "Here's your pay, sorry it's late."
"Not a problem! Working with your baby is its own reward!" she bowed as she left. "See you on Monday!"
"You too," he grunted. He shut the door behind her and stretched out, walking to his bedroom to change. Within, 8-month-old Hana was sleeping soundly in her crib, dead to the world.
Bakugo groaned in exhaustion. Though his hours were technically lower, this was the first time he had arrived home on time for the past…four days? Meaning the nanny needed extra pay for the additional work.
And of course he forked it over. He wasn't an animal. But he was tired as all hell.
As for his daughter, she had grown considerably over the last year, plumping up to a healthy weight. Her hair also grew, becoming much more poofy and spiky. She blinked herself awake and saw her dad taking off his mask.
"Hey squirt! How's it going?" he asked, patting the crib. She laughed and smiled brightly, kicking her little legs in excitement. She rolled, sat herself up, and climbed the crip onto her feet. She wore baby-sized denim overalls (a gift from a certain jeaned hero) and a red shirt underneath, bringing out her bright red eyes.
"Ah! Dah!" She babbled. "Dah" was Katsuki's new name lately, as she got better at speaking. She leaned on the crib, shaking it impatiently. "Da-da-da-da-da…"
After changing, he scooped her up to the bed, pulling out small shoes to match. "We're headed to that new class today, with the Midoriyas. Behave yourself or else, ya hear?"
"Neh!" she stuck her tongue out cheekily before shrieking with laughter again.
"Really punk?" he grinned. "Tell me how you really feel, huh?" He pulled her hair back into a ponytail, completing the look. Though it was fairly simple (only thing Katsuki knew how to do), the thick, bushy ponytail stuck out like a sore thumb. He'd never lose his kid once she started walking!
Once dressed, he studied his watch as he approached the door, baby in his arms. He waited, watching the time…
"Wait for it…"
Knock kno-"
Bakugo swung the door open!
"Wah! Kacchan!" Midoriya yelped. "How'd you know?"
"You're always on time. It's obnoxious." Katsuki sneered. Hanabi grinned at the sight of green, reaching out to Deku.
"HI Hacchan!" Izuku picked her up from Bakugo. "How's your day?"
"Ku!" Hana vocalized. She couldn't say "De" yet, but she knew Deku. "Eh-ku!"
"Yeah, it's me! Ow…" He winced as she tugged on his fluffy hair. "Why…"
"Your fault for carrying her so high." Bakugo scoffed. Hana loved yanking Midoriya's curly hair for some reason. Bakugo wasn't stopping her anytime soon either. They half jogged downstairs to Izuku's running car. Midoriya opened the car door, revealing Ochaco and…"
Hana squealed happily! In the backseat, Ochaco held a 6-month-old baby! Her hair was brown and fluffy, but her eyes shined glassy green with lots of freckles. Though her hair color was very much Ochaco's, the shape was exactly like Izuku's, curls and all.
"HI Hana!" Ochaco waved. "Look, Toshi!" Little Toshiko looked at the blond bundle being strapped in next to her, and smiled widely. Hana reached out with both hands, patting the other girl softly.
Izuku grinned at the sight from the driver's seat. At least they were getting along. Seemed like forever ago when she was born…
xXx
6 months ago…at Toshinori Rite…
"WHERE IS DEKUUU!" Ochaco screamed from her hospital bed. Nurses were doing their best to help, but the baby was crowning! It was practically here! And the building shaking violently from the fight outside didn't help things either.
"I SWEAR, IF A VILLAIN GETS IN THE WAY OF MY BABY'S BIRTH-"
"I AM HERE!" Deku yelled, dashing in. "I'm here, 'Chaco!"
"NOT THE TIME FOR CATCHPHRASES! GRAAAAH!"
"Deku-san!" The lead doctor caught his attention. "The baby's crowning! It's now or never!"
"Right!" He went to the other side, ready to catch his baby. They decided not to find out the sex until birth, but all they hoped for was a healthy happy baby.
And they got so much more!
"That's it, Mrs. Midoriya!" A midwife urged. "Puush!"
"HRAAAA!"
Pop!
Now the idea that a baby would shoot out of her mother upon birth is…well, cartoony. And of course, it doesn't actually happen that way. But Midoriyas don't really have much regard for what's possible anyway.
Thus, the tiny baby shot into the air! Out of instinct, and total shock, Deku jumped back to catch!
But the bloody, screaming baby…didn't drop! She floated! She squirmed in midair, placenta and other fluids flying weightlessly around her. Her shrill cries echoed around the hospital, earning a sigh of relief from the midwives and doctor. Deku used Float to reach her level, bringing her back to earth.
He cried happily, letting tears spill on his baby's forehead. "It's…it's a girl!"
xXx
Present day…
Deku smiled at the memory as they drove. Midoriya Toshiko, named after All Might, of course, had to be strapped somewhere at all times to ensure she didn't float away on her own. Her car seat worked well enough, but she also wore a harness with a leash to bring her back to earth if needed. It was extremely fortunate that both her parents could float too.
They didn't know much about her quirk yet, but it definitely had something to do with gravity. It was completely out of her control, but she was perfectly healthy!
Izuku was happy. Ecstatic even, that his baby girl had what he didn't at that age. But…if there was one quirkless child in the world, he had figured his best chance was his own child.
He shook away the thought. All-for-One was gone. One-for-All didn't need passing on anymore. It was for the best.
Besides, maybe he didn't want his baby girl to shatter her bones every week. Just a thought.
xXx
An hour later…
"And that concludes today's meditation!" An instructor announced, leading a circle of women and their infants in class. There were men peppered in here and there, but only when they were with their wives.
There were also babies of all shapes and sizes, some as young as 3 weeks, others as old as 2 years. Some had quirks, which fired off at random, but most hadn't developed any special powers yet.
"If everyone is ready, we'll go around the room to…oh?" the older instructor stopped, seeing a couple of men step through the door. "I'm sorry, we're having class right now, may I help you two?"
"Yeah, we're here for your class," Bakugo said gruffly. He turned, revealing a gurgling Hanabi strapped to his back.
"Sorry we're late!" Izuku bowed behind him. Ochaco soon followed, with Toshiko safely in her arms.
"Ah yes, Mr. and Mrs. Midoriya! Please come in, have a seat!" She waved them in, rechecking her list. "And…Mrs. Bakugo?" She looked up at Katsuki. "Is your wife with you?"
"Nope," he growled. He retrieved his baby from her harness as he approached. "Mr. Bakugo Katsuki and Bakugo Hanabi. No wife, no mom, just us. That a problem?"
Bakugo lost count of the "support" groups he went to, only to find they didn't really want single dads. Go figure.
The class looked at him, then at the instructor. She recomposed herself and smiled. "Of course not, please have a seat there, Mr. Bakugo. Hanabi, was it?"
"Yes ma'am," he plopped down between two annoyed women. "Eight months now." The Midoriyas sat down further on in the circle.
"I see, how wonderful!" she cooed, looking at the little girl. "Well, you just take after your father don't you?"
Hanabi wasn't paying attention, instead transfixed on the baby next to her. The 2 year old boy had two large, red horns on his head, which sparked with yellow lightning every now and then. She openly gaped at the display.
"Hanabi? Hi!" The instructor tried again. This time Hanabi looked up at her.
And glared darkly.
The instructor dropped a sweat. 'Takes after him a little too well.' she thought.
"A-And of course your little one!" She addressed Ochaco. "How old now?"
"Six months," Ochaco grinned. "Toshi, say hi!"
"Bebeebee…" The friendly baby grurgled sweetly, earning some coos from the other mothers.
"Cutie!" The instructor gushed. "Why don't we get started? Once again, I'm Mrs. Itsumae. We'll start with an around-the-room to get to know each other and get to know your baby. Let's start with you, Mai!"
"Alright then," a black haired mom replied. She sat right next to Bakugo, with the horned baby. "My name is Mai Fumote. This is my son, Kai. He's gonna be a hero when he grows up."
"My! Already planned it out, eh?" Itsumae exclaimed. The other moms rolled their eyes, which did not go unnoticed by Katsuki.
"Yes, it is the best way for him to make it in this world given his quirk," she explained hauntily. "Development-wise, he's progressing nicely. He's able to speak in complete sentences now!"
"That's wonderful!" Itsumae clapped. "Forming complete sentences is an important stage in cognitive development! I'm sure Kai will be an excellent hero."
Katsuki scoffed slightly, causing Mai to stare at him.
"Heh…why don't we move on down?" Itsumae continued. "Mr. Bakugo? Why don't you introduce yourself? And little Hanabi?"
"Right," he cleared his throat. He didn't really know what to say, so he stuck to the basics."I'm Katsuki Bakugo. This is my kid, Hana. I work at a hero agency and found her almost a year ago."
"Ah, so she's adopted?" Itsumae asked kindly.
"No, she's mine. It's…complicated," he decided. "I ain't going into details on that, so don't ask."
"Ah…alright," Itsumae replied. Sometimes that was the case with abused moms, mostly rapes or nasty divorces. Bakugo didn't seem like either, but it was best not to pry. "And how is Hanabi getting along? Vocalizing, eating, etc?"
"Eating good, shits normally," he reported briskly. "Grunts and laughs a bunch, more than when I first got her."
"That's perfectly natural, Mr. Bakugo," she assured him. "Babies start saying their first words around 12 months or so, so it's best to be patient."
He hummed. In that case, she could start speaking soon! "I'm not worried," he said. "Though she's a bit of a jerk sometimes."
"HA! Amen to that!" another mom laughed. Hana looked back at her father. Really? She seemed to ask.
"Moving on, how're you getting along, Fana?" Itsumae asked the woman to Katsuki's right. "Is your son's condition getting better?"
This woman was alone, with no kid with her. She had black hair and was as petite as could be. She was also the most tired out of all of them, with large bags under her eyes. "The doctors are saying he'll be ok. But Koro will be on life-support until he can handle his quirk."
While most of the moms hummed in acknowledgement, having been there a while, several women gasped and expressed their condolences. "What happened? What's his quirk?"
"His quirk multiplies his weight by 10 times," Fana explained, with small tears in her eyes. "He's barely strong enough to breathe, let alone move."
Most of the moms winced in pain, including Ochaco. "How much did he weigh at birth?" She asked.
"40.9 kilograms," she answered, reflexively touching her stomach. "Certainly wasn't easy."
Midoriya listened with mild interest. …ok, a lot of interest. A quirk like that was sure to cause strain, but if one could push through it…
"Don't worry, lots of kids end up with over-powered quirks," he told her. "He'll pull through."
Bakugo gave a small nod. If anyone knew about that, it would be Deku. He still couldn't believe he wasn't recognized yet.
Fana nodded tearfully. "Thank you. I appreciate it."
"Let's move on please." Itsumae continued. "Kimi and Fumikage, how are the twins…"
The rest of the introductions went on without issue. Bakugo stewed silently with Hana in his lap, who had apparently decided to copy her father and glare around the room with him. On the other side of the circle, a pair of moms whispered to each other.
"He's rather crass…can't believe a man like that is raising a daughter."
"Right? You think that's even his kid?"
"Oh, no doubt. Look at them, almost identical. But where's mom? What happened there?"
"Maybe he's a widower?"
Further down the circle, the gossiping got worse.
"I'll bet his wife left him, don't know how she'd lose that custody battle though."
"Maybe she's a stripper and couldn't handle a baby."
"Yeah, that's probably it!"
Izuku frowned deeply when he heard their whispers. He wouldn't say anything now, but it still set off his alarm bell. Who talks about someone's child like that?
After the last introduction, Mrs. Itsumae kept things moving and passed out small blankets. "We're now going to do group tummy time! Tummy time is very important for building strength in a baby's neck and core muscles. Place your little one on their stomachs and let them try and crawl."
The various moms and a few dads did so, setting their children on the circular mat. When Toshiko was set down, she promptly floated up, untethered by gravity.
"Oh…Toshi!" Ochaco leaned forward, bringing her baby back to earth. "It's tummy time! Stay on the ground!"
"Hmmm…" Toshi mumbled. A bit of drool floated through the air without her, then dropped like rain. Ochaco tried again, this time holding her hand above her to prevent falling.
On the other side, Hanabi was crawling without issue, exploring her new surroundings. Bakugo hung back, letting her move freely. Hana crawled down to a couple and their baby, who had red hair and small antennae. The red-headed infant in question was picking his nose. The boy dug out a green glob and pointed it at Hana. "Gooba!"
Hana stared, looking at the gunk in interest. Bakugo's eyes were like a hawk.
"Hana, no."
She sat down and looked back. "Eh?"
"I know what you're thinking." He warned, his eyes narrowed. He held his finger up. "Do NOT do that."
She looked back at the baby, who had already been scooped up and cleaned off. The gooba was gone.
"Eh."
This went on for a bit, until the smaller babies got tired of holding themselves up. After rejoining the circle, Itsumae and the other moms talked about different parenting practices. How your baby lies down, how well they latch, etc.
Bakugo felt like sleeping himself, and was pretty close due to the long hours. He knew this stuff already, they just liked talking about it endlessly. Hana way ahead of him, snoozing in his lap with a snot bubble on her nose.
Still, he did learn something every now and then. Like how to swaddle the squirt or how to get through chickenpox (that was an ordeal).
About 30 minutes later, the class was finally over. Bakugo carried Hana on his shoulders as they all left. She held on tight to his spiky hair, but he didn't seem to mind the pain.
"You nerds have that other appointment, right?" He asked. He put the baby harness on his chest. Izuku nodded, with Toshi in his arms.
"Yeah, just for a check-up. Are you-"
"No worries." Bakugo tugged the baby off his head and strapped her onto his chest. "We're covered."
Ochaco held her mouth in fret. "I know it's normal for you, just be careful ok?"
"Relax Pink-cheeks!" Bakugo barked. "Like you don't fly with your kid. I saw you the other day!"
"Ok, but Toshiko can fly by herself. Just saying." Ochaco reasoned.
Bakugo rolled his eyes as he gained some distance. "Later. And…thanks for bringing me and shit."
Midoriya smiled like the sun. "No problem! Bye Kacchan!"
"Tch." Bakugo turned away. Hana blinked herself awake.
"Eh? Eh-beh?"
"You ready punk?" Katsuki bent his knees. Hana recognised the feeling!
"Ah! Ba-ba!"
KA-BOOM!
The Bakugo's soared into the air, kabooming across town! He pivoted carefully, slowly soaring through the sky. The baby laughed and shrieked the whole way, holding her arms out to catch the roaring wind.
"YEAH! WHOO!" Katsuki yelled with his kid. It was a while until he could do this, but it was well worth the wait. Out of all the activities Katsuki tried with his daughter, Hana loved flying! Most kids would be scared at this height and speed, but Hana was with dad. Dad equaled safety.
Not to mention, Bakugo flew around so often that he got used to it. It wasn't for fun, it was functional. It was how he arrived at the scene of an attack. That's all.
But watching Hanabi's hair blow in the wind, smiling and laughing with tears in her eyes…it reminded him how fun flying really was! He remembered the first time he took flight with his quirk. How old was he? 8? 10 or so?
xXx
About 12 years ago…
"Ok…I can do this. I can do this!" 9 year old Katsuki rubbed his little hands together. Sweat built up in his palms, in preparation for what he was trying to do.
And on the hot summer day, he was as strong as he could be! He was smart enough to know that.
Though his location…might have needed more thinking.
"Katsuki!" His father called, opening his bedroom door. "I'm heading to the…Katsuki?" Masaru looked around the room. The boy wasn't there!
Then he spotted him. Outside the open window.
"KATSUKI!" Masaru cried out, rushing to the window. "What are you doing!?"
"Back off old man!" Katsuki yelled back with a grin. "I'm gonna fly!"
"Suki, no!" Masaru tried to get out the window, but he was too big! "Get back here! It's dangerous!"
"I got this! Stop worrying!" The kid yelled. "All Might can fly! I saw it on TV! And I'm gonna be like him one day!"
"Katsuki!" Masaru urged. "What happens if you don't fly? Think it through!"
Katsuki paused, then looked down to the concrete below.
Suddenly, his legs got a bit wobbly.
"Don't you think," the older Bakugo reasoned. "Trying from the ground might be safer? Can't be a hero with a broken spine."
Katsuki crossed his arms, furrowing his brow. The old man…was making sense. Maybe.
"...ok. I'll try from the ground first! I just didn't want to burn mom's garden again!"
"HA! I understand." Masaru laughed, dropping sweat. So he had been considering his actions. It was a start. "Come here carefully. That's it."
Katsuki nodded. He took a step.
And slipped on a shingle!
"WAAAH!" Katsuki tumbled off the roof! He fell face first!
"KATSUKI!"
BOOOM!
Before his eyes, Katsuki blasted off with a bang, flying high into the air! Without a moment to lose, Masaru sprinted out of the room, jumped down the stairs and rushed to the backyard!
Just in time to catch the falling 9-year-old! They both tumbled to the ground, with Masaru holding his son up.
"Hah…you ok?" he asked.
Katsuki nodded, shaking a bit.
"Ok…it's ok. I know you're scared but-"
"THAT WAS AWESOME!" Katsuki roared in delight. He sprang up! "I fell! Then I went boom! And I flew so high I could see the neighborhood! Did you see, dad?"
"I sure did." Masaru sighed, wiping his brow. "Just…please be careful next time. And no more roof hopping." He sat up, spotting something smoking.
Mitsuki's freshly planted garden. Reduced to cinders.
"...huh."
Katsuki turned, freezing at the sight of his destruction. He turned to his dad, his eyes full of fear. Not of his dad, no. But of Mitsuki when she got home.
"...you know," Masaru figured. "This might be a good time to go get some new petunias."
xXx
Present day…
Dynamight laughed at the memory. That day, the hag found both of them trying (and failing) to plant new flowers in the bed. She was so mad! But their attempt at gardening seemed to undercut her wrath. Just a little bit.
…
"Hmph." He sneered as he boomed through the city. He had Hanabi to worry about now. No point worrying about the old hag.
But Masaru…he hadn't seen either of his parents yet. And they have never met their grandchild.
He looked down at his daughter. She was having the time of her life still, watching the world fly past her face. He had to do what was best for her, right?
Which meant protecting her from his shitty mom. He won't let her hurt Hana like she hurt him. That was final.
Besides, he was more worried about Hana's mom than his own. And by now, it wasn't by a whole lot. If his…or his kid's…if Hana's mother didn't care about Hana, maybe he didn't want her involved at all!
And as he landed at his apartment door, he decided to call off the investigation for his "baby-mama", as Trace called her. It wasn't getting anywhere anyway. He put Hana on the couch and sat down, texting Trace. But as he tapped, he got a message at that very moment.
Trace: We got something. Slipslap and Rollerblade arrested a potential buyer for Roid.
Katsuki leaned forward, deleting his initial text.
Dynamight: Details.
…
Trace: Guy named Crocker. Real name is Yugo Guevarra. Caught in a successful sting op.
"Nice! Good shit you two!" Bakugo yelled. Looks like his training was paying off.
Trace: Police are setting up an interrogation. They're asking for your cooperation.
Dynamight: They have it. Give me an hour and I'll be there.
Time to gear up. But first, he texted someone else.
Dynamight: Oy. I need a brat-sitter. You got time?
…
Red Riot: Sorry bro, in the middle of something. Mina too.
Dynamight: Shit. Thanks anyway.
…
Dynamight: Oy. Hana needs a sitter. You done yet?
Deku: Sorry! Still at the appt.
"Shit…fucking…" He opened up the class chat.
Dynamight: Can anyone watch the kid for like 3 hours? Got something right now.
…
…
Earphone Jack: Can't, sorry!
Tokoyami: Out of town. Apologies.
Cellophane: Sorry!
Bakugo swore again. Nanny can't come short notice. And he couldn't take a baby to an interrogation! Not that she hasn't been to the agency, he just didn't make a habit of it.
Ding!
Shoto: We're free. Momo can send someone in a few moments.
"Grr…" He tapped out a reply. No time to be picky.
Dynamight: Fine. ASAP
xXx
An hour later…
"Mmmabamm…" Hana gurgled in the backseat of the limo. The little baby was strapped in safely, though a little concerned about being alone. Being alone was scary.
Eventually the car stopped, and the door next to her opened!
"Well hello, Hana-chan!" Momo greeted the small baby. Her butler very gently carried the infant out of the car and into the large mansion, much to Hana's wonder.
Momo clasped her hands together. "Such a delight to see you! Thank you Katami-san."
"Anytime madam." Katami the butler handed off the child. "Is this young one going to be a regular guest?"
"Oh no," Momo waved off. She wore a scarlet dress, with her pony tail down casually. "I doubt it, just for today."
Momo carried to the large sitting room, where two Hana didn't recognize talked in serious tones. Though Momo and Shoto had agreed to care for Hana, she wasn't their primary concern at the moment.
Far from it.
"When?" Shoto Todoroki asked, with a shadow over his eyes. "More importantly, why?"
Enji Todoroki, also known as Endeavor, sat across from his son. The older man had gray in his hair, but was no less bulky since his retirement. His face was scarred from the line of duty, but was set firmly.
"About four months ago," Enji rumbled. "You know that we had re…rekindled our marriage."
"Yes, I do." Shoto said quietly. "Something I personally disagree with, notwithstanding. Hello my love," He greeted his wife, who blushed despite their familiarity.
"Yes, well, it's not something we expected. We certainly we're attempting to…" Enji stared at the baby in Momo's arms.
"Don't tell me…"
"Not ours," Shoto corrected. "You recall Bakugo has a daughter?"
"Ah right," Enji covered his chest in relief. "Yes, that's right. Though, perhaps this conversation isn't for younger ears."
"You may be right. Come Hana-chan." Momo sweetly carried the baby elsewhere as they continued talking. She had hoped to sit in, but she'll settle for the back brief later.
"So…what to do with you…" Momo sang as she strode through her home. Hana looked up at the woman's eyes. She looked down at her with love and care.
It was…a strange feeling for Hana. It was like when she stayed with the pink lady, but different. Less excitement, more soothing.
Not that dad didn't care for her. But it was a different kind of care entirely.
It was nice.
Hana snuggled into Momo's embrace, squishing her cheek into her large chest. Momo's heart just about melted at the act.
"Well now! Aren't you the sweetest?" Momo said softly. She looked at the boyish overalls she was wearing. If only Bakugo knew how to dress a lady.
'Wait, that's it!'
She picked up pace to one of the dressing rooms. "Hana-chan, it's time for a little make-over!"
After some minor navigation, they arrived at a large closet, easily three times the size of Hana's bedroom. While Momo didn't have any baby clothes, making them was a breeze with her quirk! She set the baby down on a table, then got to work.
First off, there was no real telling that Hana was a girl in the first place, if it wasn't for the simple ponytail. As soon as Momo took it off, her hair popped back into place. It looked just like Bakugo's just a bit longer!
And the clothes…were actually quite adorable. The shirt and overalls were cute, but lacked a certain elegance Momo was looking for. She removed the denim and shirt (and quickly changed the diaper upon discovery).
"Now then…" Momo looked through some of her own pieces. "What color? We'll try a dress first, then move on to ribbons. Yes! Perhaps a bow! Oh that won't do…yes."
This may take a while.
xXx
"So you're telling me," the detective rattled off. "That when you told our undercover cop you had the stuff he needed, you were referring to…rare fruits?"
"Yeah, I know a guy! That's my supplier!" Yugo insisted. The man was a greasy fuck, in Bakugo's opinion. Potbellied, balding, wife beater shirt, and a smug little smile. In the corner of the room, Dynamight brooded silently in the corner, giving ambient pressure to the room. He scoffed with his arms crossed, his glare boring into the criminal.
"And that's why you had 3 vials of an illegal substance on your person? And why you ran when approached by a Pro Hero?" The detective pressed.
"Listen…" Yugo ignored the question. "I'm just a fruit fanatic. Give me a break here boys. People need their vitamin C!"
"As if you give a single crap about nutrition." Dynamight growled lowly.
"The vials. Where did you get them?" The detective got back on track.
"I feel like you might be accusing me of a crime or something!" He laughed. "Idiots have no-"
BAM
"LISTEN HERE AND LISTEN GOOD!" Bakugo boomed, putting a dent in the metal table. Yugo flinched back instinctively. "Having those drugs is already a crime! We have you on possession charges already! We are not kinda sorta accusing you! YOU ARE ALREADY GOING TO JAIL YOU FUCK!"
"Dynamight, cool it!" The detective snapped. "He's not convicted…yet. And he has a chance to come clean, and help us out. Right, Yuga-san?"
Bakugo snarled, backing up to his corner again. This was his only role here: be the bad cop and scare the perp into admitting something.
However…
"You think this 'good cop bad cop routine will fool me?" He laughed. "Not a chance! You guys got nothing!"
"Except three vials of illegal drugs." The detective restated. "You can be a help or a hindrance, pal. Your choice. Where did you get them?"
Yugo leaned back, smug as ever.
"Nobody."
The detective sighed and closed his folder. Bakugo huffed and followed the cops out.
Once out of earshot, the aged detective groaned. "Guy's playing stupid to reduce his charges. We only have him on possession and evading arrest."
"Intimidation won't work on slime like him." Bakugo growled. "Persuasion isn't my forte though. Call Trickvoice. He's an underground pro, a specialist. You need special approval for him, but we got time."
"Thank you, Dynamight. Don't worry, we'll crack this nut yet."
"Hmph."
As Bakugo left, he shot Ponytail a text.
Dynamight: Finishing up. How's the kid?
…
In reply, Momo sent a picture. His eyes widened in shock!
His baby girl was in a frilly, yellow dress! She also had a red bow in her clean, combed hair. And was that…mascara?
Dynamight: OMW
xXx
"Momo."
"Yes, darling?"
"Why is Princess Explosion Murder in a dress?"
With his father gone, Shoto had come up to check on his wife. He hadn't meant to exclude his wife from the conversation, given the sensitive nature of Enji's visit.
Though apparently, she had made herself busy.
"Well, you see…" Momo was sweating and blushing up a storm. "I thought I would make a few things and she looks so cute and she hardly wears any girl's clothes…"
Meanwhile, baby Hanabi was ready for the smallest red carpet in the world. She was now in a little black, sparkly dress, with black eyeliner and red blush. She even had little black buckled shoes and a handbag. And her hair. Her hair was done up just like Momo's!
"...and that's how I accidentally designed and created 11 unique baby outfits!" Momo finished. She coughed, regaining her composure. "Personally, I think she looks rather dignified."
Shoto looked at them both, with the biggest deadpan he could muster, before pinching his brow. "Are infants even allowed to have makeup?"
"I'm…not certain?"
"I thought you knew everything."
"I never said that!"
"But you do actually know everything."
"I know the exact chemical composition of a medieval cannon, not babies!"
"Are you telling me you don't know everything?"
"Of…of course not!"
Shoto looked off into the distance, his hand in his chin. He said, with genuine seriousness…
"My worldview has been shattered."
"Eh?"
Ding-dong!
"Oh, that must be Bakugo!" Momo hopped up. "Come Hana-chan!" She swept the baby up and strode downstairs. She waved her butler off and answered the door.
"Bakugo-san! Please, come in!" Momo greeted.
"Dah!" Hana grasped at her father, who gratefully accepted the baby.
"Hey squirt, thanks Ponytail." He said. He looked his daughter over. "Hana, are you wearing makeup?"
"Mohwowowoh…"
"...I see." He looked at the dress she was wearing, then looked up at Momo. "How many did you-"
"Eleven. Sorry I didn't ask first, it's just…she was too cute!"
"Ah haha…" Hana laughed, waving her little handbag. Bakugo cocked an eyebrow. He had to admit, the baby dress was adorable and he was definitely keeping it. But…
"Makeup's not good for babies. Got any wipes?"
"Yes! Here…" From her arm, she produced some fresh wet wipes for him to use. They retreated to the sitting room, so that Bakugo could clean her face properly.
"Did you have fun, squirt?" He asked with a smile. Hana was nothing but grins and giggles, so he took it as a yes. "Good."
Shoto entered after a bit. "Bakugo, good to see you."
"Icyhot." Bakugo acknowledged, not looking up. "Hope she wasn't too much trouble."
"Actually, she was a good distraction." Shoto said stressfully. "Just family drama."
"What else is new?" Bakugo replied, wiping the last bit of lipstick off. "Red lipstick? Really Ponytail?"
"Apologies." Momo said sheepishly. "The outfits are all hers. Should I have them delivered?"
"No, don't trouble yourself." Bakugo answered. "She doesn't-"
"Bakugo," Momo interrupted. "They're a gift. From me to Hanabi. Please?"
"Grr, fine. But only because they'd be expensive otherwise!" Bakugo snapped, inspecting his work. Hanabi was fully clean now. "And I want her overalls back!"
"Of course!" Momo bowed her head. "It was quite an experience!"
"I bet." He turned to Shoto. "Hope it's not another evil sibling."
Shoto let out a breath. "It's not. But its…it's a lot to take in. I'm still processing myself."
"Say no more," Bakugo hopped up. He had experienced enough Todoroki drama for three lifetimes. "Its no problem. Again, thanks for taking her."
"Anytime! See you soon!" Momo waved as he left. Bakugo found the way out, Hanabi strapped in for takeoff.
"So…what's going on?" Momo asked her husband. She sat down next to him, taking his hands. "Is it good? Bad?"
"Depends." Shoto sighed. "It's about mom…"
xXx
Bakugo's apartment…
"You are far too young for makeup, you know!" Bakugo huffed as he tucked Hana in for a nap. "And the dresses! You'll grow out of them next week, for fuck's sake!"
"Gah? Amah ah!" Hana babbled, like she was arguing. "Ehbeebee!" She kicked the white blanket off.
"Well you are a baby." Bakugo countered. He tucked her in again. "And you don't need makeup yet. No, at all. You don't need boys!"
Ding dong
"Huh?" Bakugo looked up. It was 8 at night! Who the hell was here? "Stay here."
He went to the door cautiously and opened.
"Who t'fuck are you?"
"Is this the Bakugo residence?" A stuffy old guy in a suit was at the door. And he was holding several packages.
"Yeah. Wait…you're with Ponytail, aren't you?" Bakugo figured.
"If you are referring to Mistress Todoroki," He said airily. "Formerly Mistress Yaoyorozu, then yes. She requested that these be delivered to you."
"Tch," Katsuki let him in, where the butler dropped his cargo with a mild thump. "She ever heard of mail?"
"As a matter of fact, the idea fascinates her." He answered with slight sarcasm. "Good day to you sir."
"Yeah, you too." He closed the door behind him. "Fuckin hell, when she said deliver…"
He tore open a box. Inside were the overalls and Hanabi's normal clothes. Along with some extremely elegant dresses and outfits.
Well, he wasn't about to turn down free clothes.
"Jeez, you just got pampered today huh…" He muttered. He smiled as he looked through the rest of the outfits. Every one of them was unique too. And made for different activities.
Then he shook his head aggressively! Since when did he care about girly shit like that?
He stuffed the dresses away, gritting his teeth. He'd put them away properly later. He went back to his and Hana's room. She probably was still restless as ever.
But no. When he came back, she was sound asleep. Sprawled out with her blanket untucked again.
"Huh." He said softly. "Must have tired herself out today."
He left the room. Guess he had some free time! He pulled out some leftovers from last night. He scrolled his phone, finding his unsent text.
Investigations off. Idc who the mom is.
He frowned as the microwave beeped at him. He debated sending the text.
He had to know. Even if it led nowhere, he had to at least know.
But maybe he had to do this on his own. Without agency resources. He rewrote the text.
Send me all the data we have about Hana's mom. I'll be taking over the investigation.
He hmphed in approval. With a tap, the text was sent. He didn't really know what he'd do if he found her. But Hana may want to know one day.
Hopefully he'll have an answer.
He turned on the tv as he carried his food, plopping to the couch. He clicked through channels in boredom.
Click! Some new anime, with super charged attacks firing every which way.
Click! A nature documentary. Lions eating a baby zebra.
Click! A shampoo commercial, with an almost naked girl rubbing it into her golden hair.
Click! Pro Hero Anima doing an interview with National Geographic.
Click! A movie trailer. Deku vs. All for One: The Reckoning!
Click! That commercial again.
"Ugh, nothing but trash." Bakugo growled. He ate his food, half-listening to the TV.
"With just a quick rinse," the toweled woman flipped her hair, showing off her wide eyed face. "Just like new! Keeping fresh for my peeps, FR FR!"
Bakugo cocked an eyebrow. He knew her from somewhere. A Pro Hero?
Then it was over. On to a news reel.
"Tch, whatever." He leaned back. It was coverage of one of his fights. Roid villain, guy could generate glass shards from his body to make a golem.
After tv-Bakugo beat the villain, he watched his own interview absent-mindedly, looking around the background.
'Wait.' He paused it. He looked closer at the background. One of the civilians!
xXx
The Police Station…next day…
"This you?" Dynamight asked with a smirk. He pressed a photo of last night's news to Yugo Guevarra, who was just as tight lipped as yesterday.
"See, cause it sure looks like you." Bakugo leaned back smugly. "What do you think, Trickvoice?"
Shinso looked at the photo, faking curiosity. "Sure looks that way." He confirmed, his voice flowing through his black mouth guard.
"Your alibi is off, dumbass." Bakugo looked over the initial report. "You were supposedly across town on this particular incident."
The two heroes waited patiently for Crocker to respond. Though the man was silent, he was starting to sweat. Flat out denial wouldn't work for long.
His eyes darted around the sealed interrogation room. He was running out of options.
"Listen…you don't understand." He said nervously. "This is bigger than me. You're not getting anything from me!"
"So you know something?" Shinso asked.
"N-No! I don't…know…" His voice slowed down. His eyes went glassy as Shinso's quirk took effect.
"Tell me everything you know." Shinso ordered.
Bakugo made sure the recording devices were working as Yugo took a breath to answer.
"I fence critical ingredients for drugs from overseas suppliers." He said in monotone. "None of what I sell is illegal, so it flies under the radar at customs."
"And who is your supplier?" Shinso asked.
"Different…person every time." He slurred. "Americans, sometimes Chinese. Come from all over."
Bakugo couldn't believe his ears. This was huge! Shinso kept going.
"Who buys from you? Here in Japan?"
Yugo took a moment to answer. "It…is…"
"Tell me." Shinso pressed harder with Brainwashing. "Who do you work for?"
"His name…is…"
Shinso grit his teeth. "Must really be suppressing this. Tell me. Now."
"...Nobody."
Both heroes stared in shock. The fence was still brainwashed!
"The hell? It can't be nobody!" Bakugo snapped.
"Who buys the ingredients?" Shinso tried again.
"Nobody."
"Someone must."
"Nobody does."
Shinso grit his teeth. Different approach? "Where do you get money?"
"The buyer."
"And who's the buyer?"
"Nobody."
"Who. Is. Nobody?"
"Only Nobody knows."
Shinso shook his head. "Sorry Bakugo. This is new to me. No one's ever resisted like this."
"Hang on, Coffee Addict," Bakugo stopped him. "Ask him about Nobody. Maybe it's the name?"
Shinso nodded. "Who is Nobody?"
"The buyer."
"Bingo." Bakugo snapped his fingers. "The guy calls himself Nobody!"
"Where do you meet Nobody?" Shinso asked.
"I don't." Yugo droned. "Ingredients disappear, replaced with Yen and further instructions. I burn the note and ready the next order."
"You let him do that?" Shinso asked.
"Yes. No choice."
"Why?" Bakugo asked. Shinso shook his head.
"Asking why doesn't work here. Too much thinking." He explained. He addressed Guevarra. "Have you ever seen Nobody?"
"No. No one has."
"Of course not…" Bakugo growled.
"How do you communicate with Nobody?"
"I do not. Nobody knows everything. He communicates with written messages."
They continued to ask questions, gathering as much intel as they could.
"That should be good," Bakugo decided finally. "Wake him up."
Shinso didn't even blink. Crocker started, as if asleep.
"What? What happened!?" He demanded.
"Nothing," Bakugo shrugged as he stood up with Trickvoice. "You won't tell us anything so…I guess Nobody did it. Right?"
He stared at the hero in shock. He knew! Somehow!
"Welp, have fun in prison." Bakugo waved as he left. Shinso followed him out.
"WAIT! I'LL TELL YOU EVERYTHING!" Yugo yelled desperately. "I GOT NAMES! ADDRESSES! STUFF YOU WOULDNT BELIEVE!"
But his yells fell on deaf ears. Dynamight and Trickvoice compared notes with the police and gave their full report. Using Brainwashing for interrogation was ethically risky, but it was clearly justified.
"This is an international matter now," the Police Chief decided, looking over the recordings and notes. "We'll get the right support for this, nab this "Nobody" before things get out of hand. Thank you both."
"Thank you for your time." Shinso bowed. Bakugo simply nodded as the left.
"I take it this isn't the end?" Shinso asked.
"No. Far from it." Bakugo scoffed. "Formal investigations will take over, then hit us up when it's time to move. For now, we just need to suppress these fuckers as best as we can."
"And clearly they're taking measures against truth or mind altering quirks." Shinso figured. "Whoever's behind this is smart. They won't give themselves away so easily."
"Right. But we'll be ready." Bakugo said. "Whoever this guy is, we'll take him down hard. A perfect victory."
xXx
Later on, Bakugo was back home. After a full 12 hour day of training, interrogating and actual hero work. Then paperwork. So much fucking paperwork!
Hana happily sucked on a bottle while Katsuki cursed under his breath. He was still filing out reporting at the kitchen table and still had to go over bills for the month. He went under a couple times, but he was stable for now.
He flexed his hand, tired from writing so much. There were visible bags under his eyes from lack of sleep. And stress.
"Screw this." He got up, setting the files aside for now. He picked his baby up and left for his room.
Which was also Hana's room.
"...we gotta move, baby girl." He decided.
"Eh?"
"Can't share the same room forever." Bakugo decided. It wouldn't be too long until Hana would need a bed, not a crib. And an actual house would be a dream.
But for now, the crib will do. He set her down…
"Eeeaaah!" Hana screeched, holding herself up on the bars.
"No. Time for bed." Bakugo said. But Hana wasn't having it.
"WaaaaAAAAAH! WAAAAH AABABA!" She shrieked incoherently, crying up a storm.
"Oy! Knock that off!" Bakugo barked. His temper started to rise.
"AAAAAAUGH!"
"I said enough!" Bakugo snapped.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"
"ENOUGH! SHUT YOUR-" Bakugo screamed back! He stopped himself midsentence!
He looked at his hand. His raised hand. It was smoking.
He looked down at the now silent baby. Her eyes glimmered in fear, tears streaming down her eyes.
"No…" Katsuki whispered. What did he do? "Hana…" He reached out gently.
But Hana dropped down, scrambling away from her father. She stopped throwing a fit, but she didn't dare take her eyes off him.
Bakugo knelt down, level with his daughter. "Hana…I'm so, so sorry."
But she didn't understand him yet. She couldn't.
"I'm sorry…I'm sorry…" Bakugo hung his head through the bars of the crib, letting small tears fall from his own eyes.
"I'm so sorry…I did it…I'm just…just like her…I can't…"
But he felt something. Something touching his forehead. He looked up.
Hana had crawled over on her own. She touched her daddy's face in concern.
She may not have understood his words. But the intent was clear.
Are you ok?
Bakugo sobbed, reaching out to Hana in kind. He ruffled her messy hair.
"Sorry…I'm sorry…I didn't mean to yell at you."
"Mmm…" Hana gurgled. She was still a mess from crying, with snot all over. But she had calmed down quickly enough.
Bakugo stood up, taking his girl in his arms as he sat on his bed.
"You didn't deserve that." He said softly, wiping away the tears. "You don't deserve…any of that. I need to be better."
He kissed her on the forehead. "I will never let anyone hurt you. Not anyone, including me. Understand?"
No one.
xXx
The next morning…
Bakugo blinked in the sunlight, sprawled across the bed. He looked down to his chest.
Not only had Hanabi snuggled herself into his chest overnight, but she actually slept through the night.
"Fuck." Bakugo leaned up as carefully as he could. And he gave Deku shit for being soft.
"Mmph?" Hanabi was awake in an instant. So much for that. "Dah."
"Yeah…it's me." Bakugo grunted. He sat her on his lap and checked the time.
"8:57? Damn…I needed that." He groaned. He missed his workout. And he'd be late for work at this rate.
But…
Fuck it. Even heroes called in sick every once in a while.
xXx