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Katsuki knew he should have stayed home. He knew he shouldn’t have agreed to let Kaminari and Mina talk him into this. But there he was, in the green room at Studio PROH. He hated interviews, but the PR manager in him knew this was good for his image; to remind the people that Ground Zero was fine, just taking a step back. But the closer it came to his time to head to the stage, the more his anxiety spiked.
He hated interviews he didn’t know the questions to. He knew there could be anything they could ask, public image or not. The thought of what they dug up, or could have dug up, on him terrified him. He could take on questions about his past, his various situations as a hostage and rescuer, what he is doing as of late, but he knew he couldn’t take questions about his kid, his late husband, or his personal preferences in life.
Taking out his phone, he dialed the same number again.
“This is the third time you’ve called, Bakugou,” came a disinterested voice over the other end. “What is it now?”
“How is she? She isn’t being a brat, right?”
Aizawa sighed. “Yes, she isn’t a brat. Never has been. Now stop calling. She’s waiting to see you walk on stage before she heads to bed with Hizashi.”
“You’re letting her watch?”
“Just the introduction. She’s fine. She is in pajamas, teeth brushed, with her Midoriya plush, waiting for you to walk on TV. Will you stop?”
Katsuki rolled his head back at the same him he rolled his eyes. Of course Aizawa would be like this with him. He was being overprotective with her again. “I will not answer that,” he said as he heard a stagehand knock on his door. “Well, get her ready. I am on in five.”
With that he hung up and started for the stage, straightening his onyx sport coat and smoothing his shirt. He ignored the whispers from the female personal assistants behind him. He was used to rabid fangirls, often getting personal questions of how big a certain appendage was. Fiddling with Izuku’s ring, he waited for his cue to walk on stage. It had been years since the public saw the face behind his mask. So for interviews, Katsuki was okay going without. So long as the public didn’t know his real name, the one he used when signing Kaiki’s permission slips.
“And now, we have a very exclusive interview with one of the more popular of our pro-heroes working in the city. He graduated at UA as part of the Big Three along with Deku and Shoto. Here for an in-depth, one-on-one interview, please welcome Ground Zero!”
With a fake, easy smile and the roar of a recorded audience, he walked onto the stage, waving to the camera with a single hand in the air. When Katsuki realized that Kaiki was watching, he made sure to wink to the camera before meeting Chiho Nagasura, one of the better known paparazzi journalists in the country, having covered everything from debuts, hero weddings, and funerals. She was known as “Mrs. Scoop” for a reason. He sat down after bowing respectfully to her.
“Welcome, Ground Zero,” she said cheerfully, crossing her legs at her ankles. “I don’t think we’ve had you on the show’s stage since about the time you debuted.”
Katsuki nodded, remembering what a complete nightmare that was. He was nervous, Izuku couldn’t stop mumbling, and fucking Icyhot just zoned out for most of it. “You’re right. I don’t get interviewed very often for a reason.”
“I think the last time we talked, you and Deku were engaged. You both were on the scene after a hostage situation,” she added. “I am so sorry for your loss, by the way.”
She didn’t seem sorry. Not genuinely. Katsuki let out a soft sigh, letting his fingertips dig into his knee. He remembered that interview. The fucking nerd let it slip by mentioning how he was thankful both of them would be walking down the aisle. They meant to keep their wedding and engagement a secret. Instead, it became the biggest story in the country for a week.
“We were back then. We did marry,” he said shortly, trying to remember how much of a mess it is to clean up after a pro flies off the rails. Now that he worked in PR, he knew what a complete nightmare it is to clean up. He really regretted agreeing to the interview already.
Chiho gave a curt smile, as if she were jealous that Katsuki followed through with marrying Izuku. He let the look slide. Deku chose him, not her. “So, fans have noticed that you have changed since your debut. Some have even thought that you aren’t the same. What do you have to say to this?”
This isn’t real journalism, he thought casually, this is prying for a story that really isn’t there.
“People change and grow. I am not as angry as I was in high school.”
“Was it the marriage to former pro-hero Deku that chilled you out from the explosive personality? Many fans remember when you showed off your combat skills during your first UA sports festival.”
Katsuki’s throat tightened, anger rising in him. There was no ‘former’ to Deku. He was a pro-hero. He didn’t just retire, Katsuki thought shortly, temper rising, he died in the line of duty, you fucking-
“Sure,” he answered, trying to control himself. He remembered how Izuku’s hand felt against his arm whenever he was ready to fly off the handle. For now, he let that memory calm him..
Katsuki knew there was much more to why he’d “chilled out” over the years since his first UA Sports Festival. He naturally became calmer with the damn nerd’s touches. Izuku always knew when he was going to explode before anyone else. He calmed down more because Kaiki was a light sleeper as an infant and the soft thuds would have woke her up. Hell, she still wakes up when she hears him walk through the door after whatever kept him late at work. He calmed down because being angry at the world was exhausting.
“Ground Zero,” Chiho said, getting his attention once more. Obviously not done with the “catch up” questions. He looked at her with a look that seemed a mix of boredom and anger. “There are rumors you have a child.”
Fuck me, he thought as he sighed, trying not to let his anger get the best of him; just deny it and move on. They can’t have proof.
“I don’t know where you heard that, but it isn’t true,” Katsuki lied, fingertips digging into his knee more, knuckles whiter than Icyhot’s hair. It was a choice of his and Izuku’s to keep Kaiki out of the spotlight as much as possible, finding that lying was the best choice. There were too many people that could harm Kaiki if they knew.
Chiho didn’t seem happy with his answer. “Oh? Then who is this that you are with? Because she looks an awful lot like a perfect combination of you and Deku.”
Katsuki turned his head toward the large screen beside them to see a picture, a recent one, of him in his usual mask and hat walking with Kaiki after school. For a split second, his brain calmed seeing his happy daughter telling him about her day. In that same split second, he felt such rage he hadn’t felt since Shoto threw their first Sports Festival match, making him win.
“Where the fuck did you get that fucking picture?” he seethed, letting his anger over the whole situation bubble over. Fuck staying calm for the cameras, they fucking stalked him.
“It was taken by a fan,” Chiho said, remaining seemingly calm, shifting ever so slightly, adjusting the talking-point cards in her hand. She refused to meet his raging crimson eyes. It told him all he needed to know.
“I fucking doubt it! Who the fuck decides to stalk heroes like this, you ungrateful pieces of shit?”
Chiho stammered, struggling to find words as Katsuki stood. He could feel sweat gathering on his palms ready to explode when he was ready. The woman looked terrified. And she should, Katsuki reasoned as he towered over her. Bringing Kaiki into this was too much.
“Who the fuck thought that revealing my kid’s face was a good fucking idea? You fucking pieces of shit need to fucking die!” He yelled as he blasted an explosion toward the screen, obliterating it. Pieces of the screen snowed down onto the ground. He hadn’t felt this sort of rage in years. The type that bubbled over quickly causing a red-blinding rage.
He could hear someone yelling, but he didn’t care as he blasted the couch he’d been sitting on, then the boom mic that was hanging over him. It didn’t feel like enough. The studio needed to be taught a lesson about invading privacy. Next he went for the seat Chiho was in, letting her run off frightened. He didn’t care about his image, lines were crossed.
He yelled again as he blasted everything in sight, finding the last thing to blast was the camera before walking off set and toward the exit. To hell with them, he needed to get home; get some air in his lungs that didn’t feel stifling. Pulling out his phone, he noticed the messages from Aizawa.
“Shit,” Katsuki hissed as he opened them.
Aizawa: Bakugo, do not blow up the studio
Aizawa: I swear to God, just because they… Hey kid, Hizashi, I took Shota’s phone. TEACH EM A LESSON KID.
Just as he was about to answer that he was going to cool off his phone rang. Sighing, he answered it. “What?” That came out sharper than he wanted it to.
“What the hell were you thinking! You just destroyed the studio! Do you realize what repercussions there will be, Bakugo?” Katsuki sighed as he listened to the PR manager rant about what he did was reckless and a bad take on his image. That he had been slowly rising in the popularity rankings because of his lack of temper, and now this.
“You done?” Katsuki interjected sharply, when staying silent was getting him nowhere. When the manager said nothing, he spoke, “The fuckers deserved it. Why the fuck didn’t you request sample questions? Fuckers knew I had Kaiki, and you just let those fuckers thrust her into the spotlight. Do you fucking realize how many enemies and villains I’ve fucking put away? How many fucking Deku put away? Now the whole fucking world knows what she looks like, you fucking moron.”
He heard a sigh on the other end of the line. “Got it, we will get to work on security for her until this blows over.”
“Like hell you are, I’m taking fucking leave until this blows over. Starting now.”
Before there was a protest, Katsuki hung up, walking outside to start a trek home. He used to walk home when he first debuted. It was to see if he could catch Deku hopping through the air like some green rabbit when they first got together, or to cool off from a grueling shift. Now, he needed to cool off without finding a river to throw himself into. Before he had a chance to get too far, his phone went off again.
“What the fuck do you want?” he snapped without knowing who it was before he answered.
“I see we are still wound up,” came the disinterested voice he’d grown to rely on since his first year. The first teacher he had that realized his true intentions beyond the stressed out yelling.
“Sorry,” he said with a sigh knowing he’d disappointed his teacher. Katsuki found it worse than his parents being disappointed in him. Katsuki let out a soft, “I fucked up.”
“Hizashi doesn’t think so,” Aizawa answered plainly. It made him feel somewhat better. “Too many lines were crossed. Now get home and we can think of a game plan for Kaiki. No drinking before you get here.”
Katsuki sighed knowing that he was caught. He started walking. “Fine, be there soon.”
---
“Studio PROH was demolished by pro hero Ground Zero tonight after an interview gone awry,” the news anchor started his news report. “Fans and supporters of the hero took to the internet and social media to show their support for their hero and their displeasure in the interview that was given…”
“God, they are already fucking covering it?” Katsuki groaned as he walked through the door, careful not to wake Kaiki up. God, he didn’t want to have to explain himself to her now. Kaiki didn’t know him as one with a short temper. He really worked on that when he and Izuku realized they were going to have Kaiki.
“It’s the biggest thing right now,” Aizawa answered, turning to look at the blond from the kitchen.
Hizashi turned off the TV, moving to sit at the table with Aizawa, who was pouring tea. “Seems like mostly everyone thought you were in the right,” Hizashi said as he sat down. “I’ll have to ask my viewers what they think.”
Aizawa narrowed his eyes toward Hizashi. “You will do no such thing. None of the Present Mic listeners need to be adding in their two cents about this to you.”
“Doesn’t fucking help me when Kaiki has to go to school,” Katsuki grumbled as he sat across from the two men, sipping on the tea poured for him. He stared at his cup, vaguely remembering that Izuku liked this flavor tea but it didn’t taste like he remembered. “The fuck kinda shit is in this?”
“Alcohol,” Aizawa answered simply. “Now shut up and drink.”
Katsuki sipped again as Present Mic started speaking, “Well, we could have one of your old classmates act like security while she is at school.”
Katsuki shook his head. “No, Kaiki won’t learn and will be distracted. Her classmates too. Imagine if it was your idol at your school.”
Aizawa sighed, remembering his own grievances from being a teacher. “Just like when All Might started teaching at UA. Fuck, they won’t learn anything.”
Katsuki took another drink, getting used to the spiked tea. “I already told the agency that I’m takin’ time off until this blows over. Fuckin’ press knows what she looks like. Someone has to scare them away.”
“And you just destroyed an entire studio,” Aizawa added, earning a look from the blond.
“I’ll do it again if I have to,” Katsuki countered firmly. “They need to leave fucking kids out of this. Her quirk just manifested, they don’t need to know she has explosions like I do. Fuck, they might be more powerful than mine.”
“They are going to find out where the two of you live,” Hizashi reminded, pointing a piece of fruit toward Katsuki. “The press found out where Todoroki and Momo lived as soon as they were married and moved from the Todoroki compound and they were discrete about it.”
Katsuki sighed, thumb running across the rim of the tea cup. “I could email her teacher, let her know that Kaiki needs to be watched better. God forbid those fucking extras decide to stalk a little girl.”
---
Katsuki had prepared for this. He really had throughout the weekend. He could keep himself hidden as he walked her to school and hope that no one remembered what she looked like--despite the internet literally breaking over how cute his daughter was.
“Of course she’s cute,” he spat when he saw a post about Kaiki’s cuteness. “I don’t make ugly fuckin’ kids.”
All was going well until he saw the crowd of people at the school entrance. He felt Kaiki’s hand tighten in his.
“I don’t wanna go to school anymore, Daddy,” she whimpered, seeing the crowd get bigger the closer the time got for the first bell. He watched as she tried to hide against him. Of course seeing that many people would be too much for her. She got as nervous as Izuku did around large crowds.
Katsuki felt his heart tug. He knelt down to her, kissing her forehead, soothing her. “I know, but you have to. They will get bored of you and move on and we can get back to normal.”
“No, it won’t.”
Katsuki smiled, seeing Deku’s damn pout on her face. “Yes, it will. You’ll see. For now, it’s a challenge. A mountain we gotta climb.”
Kaiki seemed to understand with her timid, small nod as she hid against his chest. Katsuki couldn’t help but to hold her closer to him and scoop her into his arms as he walked to the school gates. In an instant, cameras started flashing in his face. He was used to it, but Kaiki tensed up and hid her face more against his neck. When the bombardment of questions came, Katsuki answered with, “None of your fuckin’ business, so fuck off!” followed with a middle finger to cameras, rendering the sound bites, clips, and pictures unable to be published.
Maybe this was going to blow over a lot later than he thought.