Work Text:
Katsuki age 5:
Ochako age 4:
"Moooom how many minutes until we are there?" Katsuki whined.
"Oh about 60 minutes, little one." His mom answers.
"Hmmph! That's so long! And I'm so bored!"
And then 15 minutes later, Katsuki is lulled to sleep during a road trip. He awakens, to a smaller house than he's used to, but a bigger yard. And its out in the country, which means he finally gets to play explorers for real! Not explorers in a park, where there's nothing dangerous, but explorers where he might get to see real animals.
The Bakugous settle in for their summer home in the country. Katsuki is eager to run outside, so they try to be quick about it.
On a fairly easy hike near by, there is a young girl, close to Katsukis age also on a hike. He surprises both of his parents by running right up to her and asking if she will play with him. Normally, Katsuki does his own thing, and if other kids happen to follow, he will play. But he's usually trying to do his own thing.
"Whats your name?" He asks.
"Ochako! Uraraka Ochako! What's yours?" She replies.
"Katsuki. Let's play explorers!"
"Okay! Let me ask my ma!"
And then there's the usual, overly polite 'Oh I don't wish to impose' followed by 'It's not a problem, really please join us'. Both sets of parents watch their kids race around; pointing out birds and frogs; pick flowers; and throw rocks into streams, naturally whoever makes the biggest splash wins.
It's a fun evening; and Katsuki surprises his parents again by asking them when he can see Ocha-chan again. There's a bit of an awkward pause, where the Urarakas explain they don't have much free time. And that Ochako usually stays with an aunt or grandma.
Katsuki is naturally a loud and proud child, but he's usually obedient and doesn't fuss. The absolute tantrum he throws, after learning he won't get to see her a lot, is one of the biggest his parents have ever seen. Ochako isn't helping the situation. Her big tears are only fueling Katsukis fight.
The parents agree to exchange contact information and set up some play dates. Obviously neither side can just play all day, and for now, it soothes the kids.
Katsuki and Ochako are relentless. Everyday, multiple times a day, they ask to see their new friend. When they do meet up, it's some of the best days of the summer.
They play outside explorers; they play house inside. Neither are toddlers anymore, but the summer heat has them taking naps all cuddled up with each other. Sharing snacks is easy; especially since they manage to sneak more snacks together. Katsuki will create a distraction and Ochako will quietly sneak in, and grab more snacks. Then they split the loot!
One day something kinda cool happens. They're crossing a small stream, and their hands touch. It's nothing new really, they touch each other all the time.
But everybody has a faint outline of either a sun or a moon on one hand. You can barely see it, it's almost like an old scar.
But Katsuki is helping Ochako cross a stream (she had almost slipped on a rock) and caught her hand. A soft glow outlined the sun and moon, it's day time so they didn't see it, but they both felt the warmth.
"Wow! My moons never done that before!" Ochako says in amazement.
"Yeah my sun hasn't done that either. Ready to keep going?" Katsuki is already over it.
"Yup!"
Neither have no idea that they've sealed their own fate to each other. They're just five years old. Love and soul mates are not something theyre worried about. It's not a secret, but they don't tell anybody. They're just grateful to have a new friend.
And before they know it, summer is over.
Katsuki age 10:
Ochako age 9:
It's summertime, which means he finally gets to leave the city. He loves the city, but it can be loud. No matter where you go, there's somebody there. The trains are never empty. Somebody always needs something or wants to talk.
In the summertime, he's at his most powerful. It's so easy to use his quirk, barely has to release any sweat and BOOM!
In the summer, he's at his most peaceful as well. He gets to see Ocha-chan. For the past five summers, he's been with her. Well more like she gets to stay with him. The second summer, their parents figured out that this was going to be a lasting friendship. Mitsuki and Masaru decided to babysit Ochako everyday until her parents got off work.
"Did your class talk about soul mates and soul marks?" Ochako asks.
"Yeah. And what happens." Katsuki answers.
Again. They're too young. But the answer of why the moon and sun glowed that one day is finally answered. They're soulmates. It sits heavy on their tongues but neither are ready to know what that means yet.
"Hmm. Hey! My parents got me a star book for my birthday and I brought it! Wanna look at it?"
"Sure."
They spend the summer as they always do, attached at the hip. Reading together, hiking, watching shows and playing games. With Ocha, he gets to let his guard down. There's no pressure with her. Back home, there's always competition for the top grades in class. There's always fights for who has the strongest quirk. The kids in his class naturally follow his lead because he's loud, but also smart and makes, mostly, good decisions.
There's no need to pretend to be the Best or smartest, she will be friends with him anyway.
Katsuki age 14:
Ochako age 13:
"Are you excited for high school?"
"Fuck yeah! I can't wait to show all these extras that I'm the best. I'm gonna get into UA and then I'll be number one! Even better than All Might!"
"I applied for there too! But I almost wanna stay closer to home. There's a few other hero schools I think I'll get accepted into."
"I applied for others too, but I only wanna go to the best"
It's the last day of their last summer together. From here on out, they'll probably be interns. He could leave for the country house for a little bit, but there's no guarantee that she'll have the summer off too. Despite being close friends, they don't have each other's numbers. They only talk during the summer, too afraid that outside contact will break the spell.
He takes his sun hand and reaches for her moon hand. Toes in the stream, warm sun shining down on them and the warmth from their soul hands; he hopes to see her out in field, both Heros, someday.
Katsuki age 14:
Ochako age 14:
No fuckin way. She's here. But she's talking to that Shitty nerd. Fuck that. He's not here to make friends. He'll see her in the summer.
NO FUCKIN WAY SHE GOT 3RD IN THE ENTERANCE EXAM!! WHAT THE FUCK!!!
Okay. So she's in his class? This doesn't change anything. He's still gonna be number fucking one.
Day after day, he has to watch her with her new friends. She just loves Deku. And it kills him inside. She's never seen him like this. He's almost ashamed of how different he acts during school and how he acts during the summer.
But he's always been different with her. He's always been softer. He's tried to explain that he is different. But she's always brushed it off with a giggle.
"You're always you! What do you mean?" She teased one day.
I bet she believes him now.
Katsuki age 15
It's summertime; and he still gets to see her. That's nice. Even if it is during a training camp, just seeing glimpses of her chubby Cheeks is enough for him.
"Wow! Bakugou-kun! You're really good with that knife! It's kinda unexpected" She comments.
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN ITS UNEXPECTED?!"
Who do you think made all our bentos over the summer?
And then.
And then it turned into an absolute shit show.
And he hates thinking about it. The guilt is too much, too heavy. He's one of the strongest in class, won the fuckin sports festival and yet what good did it do him? He feels like he's crumbling under the pressure. And his fuckin soulmate is in love with somebody else.
But.
They move into the dorms and Ocha sneaks over to his room after Aizawa has done his rounds. She asks if she can sleep with him tonight. In his arms, she confesses to not wanting to break the rules to save him, and she's so sorry.
"No no no, don't be sorry. You were right, those dumbasses should have left it to the pro Heros."
Like a dam that's been slowly cracking, he finally breaks down. The pressure bearing down on him is too much. He confesses his own insecurities, his guilt, he wants to be better, but he doesn't know how. Now she's holding him, soothingly running her nails through his hair, or down his back.
Open, vulnerable and raw, he comes to the startlingly realization he doesn't need to be with her in order to be happy. Hell, she could marry somebody else and as long as she's his friend, they'll be alright.
So yeah. She dates the Nerd.
Their soulmate status is noticed one day when she comes back to the dorm from a patrol, injured. Apparently she met some villain on the way back home (kicked their ass of course), told the Dragon Hero, the pro said Ocha could fill out the report the next day. All she had to do was just see Recovery Girl. But of course the old lady was away.
While the whole class, and some of class B are rushing around trying to find ways to help her; Katsuki approaches her, and grabs her moon hand so help soothe her. The shitty nerd doesn't miss this. And after she's taken care of, he corners Bakugou.
"Kacchan! You're her soulmate!?!"
"Don't see how that's any of your business. Now get lost."
"Of course it's my business! She's my girlfriend! And does she know?"
"Of course she knows! We've known since we were five."
"You've known her for THAT LONG?!?"
"Yeah."
And then the Nerd has the fucking audacity to give him a pitying look.
"Don't fuckin look at me like that! You're soul mate is off somewhere fuckin somebody else too! You don't see me telling you 'poor Deku'. Ocha and I are fine, and if we get together one day, it'll be for forever."
And for once the Nerd has nothing to say. Good.
Katsuki age 25:
Ochako age 24:
They graduate UA. They go on to be rookie Heros. Then they become Pro Heros. And they're fine. Everytime she had good news, she called him first. Everytime she had bad news, she called him first. Didn't matter if she had a boyfriend or not. Or if he was fuckin somebody or not. They always found solace in each other.
Once he gets enough money, he tours houses and makes sure she loves the house too. His cars have her stamp of approval too.
They accompany Shitty Hair when he buys a ring for Pinky, but he's only paying attention to the rings she loves. Then he goes back and buys one.
One day, he goes to pick her up from the agency she's working at. She grabs his sun hand with her moon hand and asks:
"You ready for me?"
"I've been ready for you Cheeks. Its always been you."