Chapter Text
The air was humid as clouds moved in from the oceanside of Musutafu, maybe it was the fact that a storm was coming that was why Katsuki was in a bad mood. He never liked the rain. It was wet, and soggy, and damaged things and took things away without any regard for the people below.
Katsuki mostly hated it because it made his quirk less effective, you can't sweat explosive liquids if your hands are soaked in cold water that never stops.
That didn’t stop the blond as he carried on jogging along the streets at a steady pace, a sturdy pace. He had to keep pushing forward. However, he also needed to avoid looking at the passersby who would glance at him as past by. Katsuki's face wasn’t the most stand-out thing, and if he took a hat and some sunglasses and contacts, it would be a fast disguise if needed, he didn't have to worry about bright pink skin and hair spilled directly down the middle that had to be securely hidden. If someone saw Katsuki’s blond hair he could pull off being another blond civilian, not a lot of people have two-toned hair though.
Not that it mattered.
He was Katsuki Fucking Bakugou and he walked where he pleased.
The only reason so many people recognized him so easily as he jogged was because everyone on the streets was old enough to whisper gossip about where people he was raised around. The old ladies who ran the candy store recognized him from when he was 4 or 5 and didn’t have time to worry about quirks and instead about which flavor lollipop to taste and if it was his favorite. The mother looked familiar enough to the homeroom teacher he had in Elementary school who would always roll her eyes and sigh when 8-year-old Katsuki reached over and burned a classmate's worksheet. The middle-aged man who sat across from the little girl looked like a principal who laughed off the concerns of violence that another classmate brought up.
Katsuki tries not to give in to the urge to jog just a little faster when he sees a man extend his fingers into something abnormally longer and flirt with a young woman by twirling her hair. He remembers the same fingers twirling cigarettes between them as they walked in the alleyways of Musutafu every day after school.
Musutafu was his childhood home and when he lived closer to the edge, where fewer people lived, and not the center of the city, it was bound for the blind to run into familiar faces.
He should be gone by now. Somewhere bigger by now.
As he turned the block he followed the sidewalk of his final stretch. The tall builds of offices and shops slowly faded to trees as he reached the residential area and found apartment complexes and houses instead. Red eyes flicker at a family complex that he remembers going to a lot when he was much younger.
He keeps jogging.
The small piter and patter of raindrops slowly came down and landed on his face, Katsuki was at least glad he put his jogger and track jacket on instead of a Tank top and shorts. He’ll have to take a shower when he gets… home anyway but at least the elements weren’t against his skin directly.
It was another few streets till he reached his destination and the rain only grew stronger with its pursuit to soak Katsuki. The droplets turned into pellets that pelted and made every drop a parade that never ended. Katsuki could feel his hair absorb what it could as it started to weigh down and fall onto his forehead. Small streams ran down the back of his neck and the Blond resisted the urge to swipe it off, a pointless motion when the water would just keep falling.
As he turned the last corner onto the targeted street a small car sped by and dipped into the puddle that formed onto the street edge. The puddle was quick to splash up and land on Katsuki like a waterfall and changed the mildly wet clothes he wore to soaked.
Katsuki took a moment to pause and reach up to get the stray water out of his eyes, cursing out the car, and just barely contained himself as he wanted to chase after the car and curse out the driver. It didn't help that as he looked up to glare at the car he saw an arm sticking out and giving a middle finger.
Deep breathes, Deep Fucking Breathes
Slowly Katsuki picked his pace back up, if a bit faster to try and get out of his clothes that now stuck to his skin like slime.
It wasn't until he reached a very familiar three-story house that the blond ended his job and came to a stop under the small awning under the front door.
Tying his shoes he let himself slip out of the flooded sneakers and did a half-ass motion of shaking his head to get rid of any dripping water. A glance at the driveway told him that he was the only one at the house at the moment, which was fine with him if it meant he could avoid looking at his mom’s sharp gaze, and the oh-so-loving eyes his father never seemed to get rid of.
It also meant he didn’t have to worry about getting his ass yelled at for tracking water into the house as he unlocked the door and quickly made his ascension past the living room and up the stairs toward his bedroom. Quickly he stripped off the wet tracksuit and into a shirt and shorts. The house ac was on and was quick to send a shiver along Katsukis semi-wet skin. Tossing the clothes into the laundry hamper he stepped into the hallways and into the bathroom instead. Opening the cabinet and pulling out a towel to wipe off the excess moisture on his skin before half-heartedly wrapping his hair into the towel to stop the water from escaping and soaking his clothes he just changed into.
Now that he was situated he stepped out and went back downstairs and reached into the closet filled with cleaning supplies pulled out the mop and placed a fresh head on it before he mopped all the water he tracked in. The small benefit of his jog is that it followed the sidewalk and was a normally clean path, so little dirt could cling to his body that could also be dragged in. Probably helped the blond leave his shoes outside.
Slowly going up the stairs and into his bedroom he mopped up the last of his watery trailer before going back downstairs and ripping the towel off the mop stick. Tossing the towel into the small laundry closet to be promptly dealt with later, Katsuki tossed the mop stick back into the closet before slowly leaning his back against the door and letting out a slow hand-painted breath of air. The blond didn't even try to stop his body as it slid down the door and instead let his legs curl up to his chest and he tucked his head into his arms.
He doesn't know how long he held that position, hiding his face between his legs as if he had an audience watching him and anticipating his next move instead of being in the hallways hidden away from any windows and in an empty house where the only thing that could see anything about this small fragile moment was the dust bunnies that are likely hidden away under some random furniture.
The world didn't get to see who Bakugou Katsuki was. Not now and not ever.
It took a moment for Katsuki to drag himself out of the ball he desperately wanted to stay in. The towel on his head shifted around loosely, likely falling loose from when the blond had dragged himself on the door. His next plan of action? Cooking did seem possibly appealing and also productive.
Katsuki might’ve hit rock bottom but he wasn't going to be a fucking leech.
He ignored the slight tremble in his hands as he reached up and tightened the towel on his head. Breathing in slowly he stepped away from the hall and made his way into the kitchen.
A dip into the fridge and Katsuki quickly decided on a semi-complex dish, a spicy chicken curry, nothing that would take too long but still enough that the blond would have to have some busy hands. Maybe it was in slight hope that the motion of chopping and mixing would dull the ache in his chest.
Carrots, chicken, and other various cold ingredients were dragged out and placed on the counter, and onions potatoes, and seasonings were pulled out from the pantry. The blond did feel a little annoyed that he would have to make a smaller separate pot for his Old Hag who had a much lower spice tolerance from him and Masaru. All the vegetables and protein are placed on the counter for it to be chopped up into cubes and bits. If Katsuki could remember where the cutting board was.
He was able to find the pots, spoons, and other necessary utensils, but the cutting board always seemed to be tossed around the last spot he expected. He could only likely guess how many cleaning and reorganization fits she had, tossing everything on its head to make the place cleaner. More presentable.
She always wanted things to be more presentable.
It wasn’t until he opened the top kitchen cabinets where the mixing bowls where stored he realized that they were under the damn bowls and he likely wouldn’t have noticed if he didnt happen to see the edge of it just barely over the shelf.
By the time he pulled them down, which in his personal opinion was in a stupid spot anyways, he had most of his ingredients ready so he wouldn't have to scramble around in the kitchen.
Starting on the curry base was easy enough and only took a few minutes before he could place the lid on the two separate pots while they simmered on a low heat. Katsuki took the vegetables over to the sink and wash out and picked the best looking ones, letting the leftover dirt from the root vegetables go down the drain,
When the blond placed everything down onto the counter and picked up the knife, he suddenly heard the sound of the front door opening and footsteps coming and stepping onto the hardwood floors. Did he miss the sound of a car pulling into the driveway because his hearing aids volume was down a bit more than usual? Or was it because the rain pattered outside like cats and dogs and covered the sound of the approaching vehicle?
Either way the blond paused and oh so subtly glanced up the walk infront of him and stayed silent. Red eyes focused on the faint reflection on the black tiles making up the backsplash trying to recognize who walked into the house and if they would enter the kitchen. Ears strained to recognize the foot pattern once the bond realized he couldn’t see the entrance well enough as the person made a move towards the stairs.
The steps are gentle but firm, and more importantly hard as fuck to hear with his hearing aids volume being lower then usual. Katsuki could make educated guesses that it was likely his father who was home. The old hags steps always made her know the moment she was in the vicinity, all thanks to the heels that clicked with her every step.
As the steps faded farther into the house Katsuki released the tension he didn't realize grew in his shoulders before reaching up and adjusting his hearing aids back to the normal volume.
It took a moment but Katsuki let himself fall into the rhythm of cooking once more. First he chopped the onions before adding them to the curry bases, and giving a quick stir. It didn’t take long before Katsuki followed with the carrots and potatoes, placing each into a separate bowl to place on the side while he worked on the chicken.
Calloused hands pulled at unwanted fat before carefully slicing it away along with any other unwanted pieces. It was only halfway through that the sound of footsteps continued back downstairs and this time approached the kitchen.
This time when red eyes glanced up the the backsplash he could faintly see the silhouette of his father walk into the kitchen, and the man pause, taking a deep breath before continuing his venture into the kitchen, Katsuki turned his eyes back down and continued cleaning off the fat before he started the process of cutting the chicken into little squares.
The sound of the cabinet opened and closed followed by the splashing noise of the water hitting and filling the cup. His father never enjoyed having ice in his water. He always joked that waiting for the ice to melt ws just a long game of asking for a half filled water refill or something along those lines.
The first breast was cut up and Katsuki swiftly moved onto the next one.
Footsteps, the older got closer towards the stove before taking a glance at the two pots simmering on the stove. In the corner of his eye Katsuki watched and his father took a small spoon and lifted the lid off the first curry. The spicer one and after a moment Masaru gave a hum of approval.
Looking back down the second breast was cut and ready to be pushed to the side. The last breast was pulled forward and Katsuki sliced down the middle.
Masaru gently placed the lid back on and reached towards the other pot and sampled that one for giving a moment to pause, and hummed. It wasn't right.
Katsuki knew his father reached for something and added it to the mild curry base, and gave a gentle stir.
The breast was around the size of Katsuki’s hand right? So seven cuts along the long way would be perfect to make sure all the cubes ended around the same size.
His father gave the mild curry a second taste before nodding, and Katsuki’s eye once more caught onto the motions of his father. Red eyes couldn't help but notice how the older’s nose scrunched a little as the last bits of curry left his mouth. The oldest nose always scrunched when he didn’t enjoy the flavors of something, but as Katsuki watched Masaru put a lid back on the pot he could assume that the flavor was just right for Mitsuki.
Katsuki was never good at understanding what the old hag liked, but his dad always seemed to know. His dad seems to know a lot of things. The man was silent but he was carrying in so many ways. He was kind and approachable and presentable, He was everything that Katsuki wasn’t.
Someonetimes Katsuki would look into the eyes of his father and feel suffocated, because how was someone so quiet and gentle so understanding at the same time. Sometimes the look in Masaru’s eyes was looking into Katsuki’s soul like a demon ]. It took a long time to process just how Katsuki felt any time he looked into those golden brown eyes, and in the end Katsuki still didn't understand it. Likely it was the emotions that always seem to brew under the surface that followed moments later in words.
Masaru was kind, approachable and presentable and understanding--everything katsuki would never be no matter how tired he was. And he wish he didn't have to fold into the needs of the people around him, and how if he was just a bit different then maybe katsuki would be in this situation in the f-
“FUCK!”
The blond cursed as he dropped the knife suddenly, and the brunet suddenly turned to see what was wrong with Katsuki.
Red dots dripped onto the floor and decorated the knife that played on the cutting board abandoned. Katsuki's free hand wrapped around the injured finger in an attempt to keep the blood in. It took a few seconds before his finger stung from something else beside the deep cut that the blond realized his hands were still covered in raw chicken juice.
A fast track to getting salmonella and sepsis.
Huffing the blond walked over to the kitchen sink and turned the faucet on, maybe a bit harsher than needed before he ever so slowly ran his finger under the water before flinching back and adjusting the water pressure to something more gentle. The sound of shuffling could be heard behind him, a cabinet open and closed before a presence made itself known besides Katsuki.
Hands that weren't his own reached over with a rag and carefully grabbed one of Katsuki’s. The blond watched as practiced hands rinsed off the blood that only seemed to flow farther and farther from where it should be and instead went down the drain. The rag must have been covered in Hydrogen peroxide because it fizzed where it contacted with blood and stung when it grazed the cut. It took a lot more than it should have to stop Katsuki from cursing out his father.
After a few minutes of silence Masaru glanced up and soft golden brown eyes made contact with the dark red of Katsuki’s.
“Are you okay?”
…
Oh
…
How Katsuki hated that question. He hated the emotions that always seemed to be shining behind the eyes of a man who knew him all his life. The concern and the understanding. The blonde knew that when his father asked, that he wasn't asking about cut on his finger
He hated understanding . Especially that Katsuki knew what Masaru was actually asking if everything was okay with the blond mentally. Past the thick pair of glasses that sat just a little lower on Masarus nose, it was a window that saw into the class cabinet that Katsuki felt at the moment. Somehow this was one of the pairs of eyes that never seemed to be there, from when he was five and accidentally burned himself with his quirk to when he was 16 and caused the end of All Might.
The glass to the cabinet was close to shattering and the blind didn't know if it was going to be from the pressure on the inside or outside, and if those brown eyes stayed on Katsuki any longer especially after asking such a complex question he didn't know how to answer.
‘Are you okay?’
How does he even answer that?
Katsuki needed to get out before the glass shattered, it was already cracked and anymore pressure will cause an explosion of shards that will take everyone nearby down with him.
“I’m fine”, he huffed before carefully grabbing the rag out of his fathers hand and using it to hold the blood that still seemed to be flowing out, if a bit slower, onto the floor as he backed away from the kitchen sink. He stumbled a little as he almost slipped on the towel that was on the floor.
Katsuki became acutely aware that his damp hair was no longer wrapped up and the towel must've fallen off at some point.
Turning his back to his father he started toward the hall so he could escape, at the same time a hand reached to graze his shoulder reaching out to grab the younger, an attempt to keep him from running off. It was too much, before Katsuki realized it he swung his good hand back and pushed his father back.
Regret immediately flooded Katsuki's body and it was only amplified as red eyes looked brown and the startled look of his father looked back.
All he seems to do is hurt and push people away. That's all he is good at.
The glass cabinet was creaking and he need to go– now
The blond quickly turned back around and spent his way out of the kitchen, but he could swear he heard the voice of his father calling his name after him. He couldn't tell as the beating of his heart got lounder, and the walls of the hallway and staircase suddenly seemed so much smaller, suffocating.
The few seconds it took for Katsuki to reach his childhood bedroom he could only feel and hear the thunderous beating of his heart. Why was it so loud? Why could he feel the beat of his heart suddenly in every cell in his body? The bedroom was too small, sure he had a bigger bedroom then most people growing up but Katsuki was positive the walls are closing in.
His chest was too tight, his throat was closing in on itself and suddenly it was too hard to breathe. Was the back of his shirt always wet? Why was his palms so clammy and Katsuki was positive that he had a cut on his finger that needed to be properly treated but suddenly it didn't feel so bad.
When did he let his back hit the wall and why was he on the floor? Everything was moving too fast and he couldn't breathe. Katsuki closed his eyes and squeezed the rag that wrapped his left hand, maybe with enough pressure he could feel something else besides everything that was wrong.
How could he getting the world to stop spinning-
The blond doesn't know how long he sat there and he wants to know. He does know that as he sits there he keeps his eye close and probably squeezes his finger way harder than needed so that eventually the beating of his heart is less overwhelming. Instead of it finding its way into every crevice in his body it shifted back into his chest, strong and indisputably doing its job of pumping blood.
Katsuki wasn’t sure why today was the day he found himself sitting on the floor taking the time to ponder on why he came here and when did everything go wrong.
When did everything go wrong? Was it when he was five and developed his clock for the first time? Was it when he was in Middle School and thought he was above everyone or maybe it was when he was in high school and he wasn't the best.
Over the years Katsuki did a lot of things. Now that he sits on the floor of his childhood bedroom all he can do is stare at the dark green sheets that lined his bed in one thought where everything went wrong.
Growing up he always had eyes on him: Light brown, a fiery red matching his own, emerald eyes, a bright red and a dark gray, they were always watching.
For the second time that they were caught , he dragged himself off the floor and slowly went around his dresser digging out a pair of clothes. Once he had everything he needed he carefully opened his door and walked into the bathroom. Closing the door behind him and sighed as he tossed his night time wear onto the sink and crouched down to pull out the first aid kit they stored underneath.
Sometimes his mothers tendency to have everything nicely organized annoyed him to no end, but in moments like these he’s glad for it, because it means each floor had their own first aid kit and that Katsuki didn't have to go back downstairs and look at his father.
Opening the kit with only one hand was a slight hassle but once it was there he pulled out a small pre packaged alcohol wipe and ripped it open using his teeth. Spitting out the paper-and wrapping between his teeth he let the now definitely ruined rag fall to the ground. A quick analysis of his finger showed that he definitely temporarily stopped the bleeding but with one wrong move blood would pour out once more.
Rubbing the area around the cut he also realized that luckily since the bleeding stopped he didn't have to get stitches. Instead he placed a few drops of a chemical neutralizer on his finger, a sadly extra but necessary step when you sweat literal explosive chemicals like it was second nature. After waiting a few minutes he rubbed off any excess sweat before placing a liquid Bandage over the cut, in hopes that it would not only keep the wound close and stop it from reopening, but also so he didn't waste a physical bandaid in the shower.
As Katsuki held his finger out and waited the few minutes it would take for the adhesive to properly dry he slowly shifted his eyes towards the rag on the floor. It was a simple white medical rag but the bright red was a stark contrast.
Red.
Red like his eyes.
Red like anger.
Red like a sign spelling ‘Danger’ and telling all who can see to turn and run away.
Everything about Katsuki was red, and people have learned from previous mistakes that Red is a dangerous color.
Turning the shower on he began to undress, pulling out his hearing aids and turning them off on the sink side, before stepping into the shower. The water was hotter than he would prefer but at the same time he couldn't bring himself to care. The heat was a reminder that he was grounded and he was here. It stopped the continuous onslaught of thoughts that haven't stopped in the last coming weeks.
Maybe if he tried hard enough he could pretend he wasn’t freshly 21 and coming to live with his parents cause he couldn't make it on his own.
Katsuki didn't know how long he stayed in the shower but he did know that he was in there longer than needed. By the time he left the shower he could feel the faint wrinkles in his palm and toes.
He was careful to dry out his ears before slipping the hearing aids back in. He didn’t turn them back on.
Instead he picked up his stray clothes on the floor and packed the first aid kit back up before placing everything away.
Stepping out into the hallway he notices the small T.V tray sitting next to his room Sitting on top was a plate covered in aluminum. Faintly, Katsuki could pick up the scent of spices and realized it was likely the curry dish that he abandoned downstairs with his father.
Slipping back inside his room, Katsuki tossed the clothes into the hamper that was steadily filling itself up with clothes from today alone. Stepping out, Katsuki hesitantly grabbed the plate before bringing it into his room and he stared at the aluminum before eventually sitting on the edge of his bed and peeling it off the hot dish.
The stronger scent of spices filled the air and Katsuki let himself reach for the fork before taking a small bite.
He ignored the fact that even with all the spices the dish barely tasted like anything on his tongue.
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Waking up the next morning was simple. His body had long adjusted to waking up at 6 on the dot. Early morning runs to get the day started was a routine he always had since Middle school. The only change to that routine would be the times. And with the recent two years of Katsuki being a pro hero for some shitty agency back in Tokyo he always had the slightly earlier morning shifts that ran until late night.
He could still faintly smell the life that Tokyo always seems to carry on itself, From the gaming and cat theme robots in stores and restaurants, to the old lady who rode a bike and refused to ride the ever so crowded bullet trains or buses. It was always too lively for him sometimes, but he knew that his best shot of becoming a big hero would always be where it's lively.
The brighter the light the darker the shadows.
At Least that's what he originally thought. But the years changed and suddenly being a hero with a flashy quirk wasn’t the thing that drew people attention anymore. If anything his quirk and abilities were like a pair of ugly decorative socks that made for a conversation starter. After the last years of constant hero scandals, people always had to see a hero that did not act above the rest.
So Katsuki instead was laying on a bed with a mattress that had not been touched for the last 2-3 years and was alone with his thoughts. When he woke one of his instinctual movements was to slide the two hearing aids into his ears, refusing to let any noise slip past and catch him off guard.
‘Ground Zero isn’t a hero that people wanna run up to and ask for an autograph’, His Senior and boss told him.
The woman locked eyes with him and gave a slightly disgruntled sigh as she pushed forward a small stack of papers.
“Kinetic:The Energy Hero” the small desk label said. She was known for ability to take energy from around her and displace or release it elsewhere.
She wasn’t a top ten big shot hero like Best Jeanist or Mirko, but she marked her way in the top 50 and considering that Japan has had a population of around 140 million and a ratio of 1 hero for around every 500 people, That’s still marking her place above 279,950 other extras.
She was also one of the few agencies that were willing to take in Tokyo. Kinetic was honestly one of the only good choices when every other agency was run by some short stack heroes who could barely take down a D-List Villain without shitting their own pants.
‘What the fuck is that supposed to mean?’, the blond growled as he glared down at the papers and read the first line. “HPSC License Dismissal: Ground Zero” was in a Bold italics.
‘It means that the HPSC doesn’t want another Endeavor to run the streets, and until you complete the papers and requirements needed that your hero license is officially suspended.’
“Another Endeavor” is a phrase that was used to consistently describe him after his start of the third year.
By then he had pushed away most of his classmates and the walls he built were tall and ever towering, a mechanism used to push people out. When the only two people who would try to talk to him were a gold eyed, blond haired boy named Kaminari and a bright red eyed teen with hair to match named Kirishima.
The start of his third year was when the Endeavor scandal had begun, and when people would look at the young explosion hero and notice the parallels. Sure he was eighteen and his fellow classmates were too but the whispers and gossip were always something you would find between young adults who have yet to reach the cuff of maturity let alone understand it.
And after 'The Incident', they were the words strongest to latch itself to Katsuki.
So hearing his own boss imply that he was going to burn those around him like the Ex. Flame Hero. It was a humbling moment, it made him suddenly conscious of himself in a way that reminded himself too much of when he was 16.
Katsuki bit his tongue and slowly reached for the stack of paper and slid it towards himself, and that's when he realized that there wasn't one packet stapled together but two, and the words on the second packet seemed a lot worse. “Dismissal from Kinetic Office” was in a bright bold red.
His eyes lingered too long on those four little words that Kinetic took notice of and gave a small sigh. “I’m Sorry Bakugou”
Her voice was filled with an emotion the blond couldn't quite place.
And now that he stared at the roof of his old bedroom he could only play the memory on repeat as his eyes traced the small glow in the dark stars that seem to still be stuck to his roof after almost two decades.
Time was a cruel concept that always seemed to drag on the moment someone was in misery.
The only saving grace was the gentle but still firm knock on his door and a small “Katsuki” that followed afterward.
Katsuki looked to the door before tilting his head up and over into a slightly awkward position to the old digital alarm clock that still sat on his bedside, 6;25 flashed in an annoyingly bright green light. He wondered if he could pretend like he was asleep and ignore whoever was out there. Likely his father.
“I know your awake”
…maybe not from the sounds of it.
Letting out a slow and pained breath the blond pulled himself out of the bed and stumbled towards the door. Placing his right hand on the side of the doorframe he looked at his left that reached for the knob and paused focusing on the little area on his finger that gave a slight sting and itch that you’d always get from wounds that were healing.
He knows he really can avoid his old man when he likely hears the stumbling towards the door. Instead he wrapped his fingers around the knob and cracked open the door, and instead did the next best thing and looked down, lower than he normally had to and avoided eye contact.
“There you are little my little firesparkler”
Teeth sunk into the side of his cheek and the nickname he didn't realize he hasn't heard in so long.
“Did you go for your morning run yet?”, the slightly deepened voice is from what Katsuki could assume was from his father only recently waking up. The more his eyes adjusted to the early morning darkness he realized his dad was wearing a soft robe. Probably chilly but clearly wanted to get out of the bedroom to grab something.
Katsuki gently released the inside of his cheek before giving a hesitant shake of his head.
“That’s alright,” the faint smile could be heard in his fathers voice, “How about we cook up some breakfast? It’s been a while since we cooked together”
Katsuki stiffened a little before his eyes slowly decided to stop being cowardice and instead make eye contact with his father instead. Warm brown eyes gave him a smile filled with a slight hope, the blond couldn’t bring himself to say no, especially after what happened yesterday.
Instead he gave a small, maybe even miniscule nod before muttering a small “give me a minute” and closing the door. A few seconds later the sound of footsteps followed as they went downstairs.
Composing himself Katsuki pulled out a more presentable T-shirt and some pants before leaving the room, a quick swipe of the stairs leading upstairs showed that while his father was up, his mother was and likely would be dead asleep to the world for at least another hour or so.
Descending down the stairs and turning into the hallways he could see the light on in the kitchen. He wasn’t quiet while he descended the stairs but he wasn’t running down them either, but his father continued to look around the kitchen and pull out various ingredients anyways. The older man did not bother to even think about turning around as he was too focused on the task of preparing the kitchen.
The blond was careful as he peeped around the corner, not so much that his body was out into the doorway, and instead was slightly behind the edge of the doorway instead. A small part of his brain reminded him of when he was much younger and his concerns about life were only the addition math sheet in his backpack and getting the limited edition All Might figurine. He Would always hide around the corner and watch Masaru as he cooked, always curious on what the old man was preparing next. After the first few times it was only a matter of time before the brunet noticed the pair of round little eyes watching his every move. That was the first time he was invited to cook by his dad’s side.
And now- as Katsuki’s eyes shift up and he makes eye contact with his dad once more, he wonders if this is the last.
Stepping into the kitchen he took the bowl from Masaru and began to beat the eggs with the whisk.
It wasn’t a complex breakfast, but it was definitely a slightly larger one then they would normally make. Miso Soup, along with egg stuffed Omurice.
By the time they finished the last rice triangle and laid it gently in the small seaweed slice, the sound of footsteps stumbling the stairs. It didn't take a genius to figure out who it was, Katsuki looked over to the kitchen doorway and red eyes not too far unlike his own looked back.
“Well look whos alive and beng social, Katsuki you left your sneaker outside on the porch, if they fucking get stolen or damaged dont start complaining you got it?”
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Mitsuki Bakugou was a loud woman who, while she didnt demand eyes on her, still somehow pulled the attention of whoever else was in the room. Whether it was for her youthful and beautiful looks or just the fact she was spoken in a way she couldn't be ignored. She always stated the facts, how she wanted things and was quick to point out the flaws in anything and everything.
Which was likely why Katsuki always seemed to butt heads with her, mother or not.
“Too similar to each other”, is what his dad would always say to others who would inquire when they were the unlucky witnesses to the two blondes bickering.
Katsuki couldn’t disagree more, he and his mother only shared a pair of ruby eyes, blond hair and a tongue too sharp for anyone's good.
Between the two of them though, one was just a simple dog who only nipped when provoked and the other was a wolf hound that still snapped and bit even though it was in a safe and domestic environment, and it was only a matter of time before he was put down.
So when Mitsuki stared him in the eyes after taking a long slurp of miso soup and she gave her hum of approval, Katsuki knew she had something to say.
“Pack your bags Katsuki”
What….?
“Hah?”, the blond snarled, Mitsuki was quick to reach over and slap the bottom of Katsuki’s jaw.
“Keep your damn mouth shut, you're gonna slit your damn onigiri everywhere!”, She huffed “We’re going up to Osaka for a while and like hell im leaving you all by yourself in this damn house”
Red eyes glared at his mother as he chewed down the rest of his Onigiri. Masaru took a small sip from his coffee, electing to ignore the blonds bicker so early this morning.
Mitsuki gave a small smirk before pointing her finger towards Katsuki, “What? You thought I was already kicking you out? I'm tired of your bullshit but not that tired”
Katsuki placed the small rice triangle down onto the plate, Not denying the fact that for a brief moment that was exactly what he was thinking. “The hell you think I am? Some dog for you to drag around city to city? What do you need me for.”
“Change the scenery or whatever you wanna label it, You didn't have any plans for the next two weeks anyways!”
Masaru was quick to give a small, “Mitsuki!” that she shrugged off.
His dad finally elected now as a good time to share his input. “We just think that Osaka would be a good place for you to get your mind off stuff, plus Osaka might have some good places for you to check out to start working on those HPSC requirements, We’re going to be up there for work-related reasons and figured it would be nice to bring you along, Musutafu has a lot of resources but it's good to check out your options.”
Masaru gave a small smile, “It’ll be nice to have some Okonomiyaki”
Katsuki's eyes flickered between Mitsuki and Masaru before he gave a slight eye roll. “Fucking fine, when are we leaving?”
“At the latest, we have to be there before the 30th but we could probably leave tomorrow or sometime tonight if we wanted to have a few extra days of getting that Osaka charm”, Masaru rambled causing Mitsuki to give a small snort.
“Oh please, We both know that you just wanna go up there sooner because this will be one of the few times you get Mitarashi Dango”
“Dear you know saying it like that sounds shallow-”
“Shallow is putting it lightly, I can't believe people don't realize how much of a greedy bastard you are when it comes to sweets-”
Katsuki snorted before standing up and grabbing his plate and bowl, “I’ll fucking pack my shit but you can pick when you wanna leave. Don't fucking come at me saying shit though if anything goes wrong”
He placed the dishware in the sink before leaving the room, partially electing to ignore the fact that his parents gave small amused smiles.
A small part of Katsuki knew that it was probably pity, love, or some other shiny excuse that was the reason his parents let him stay but he elected to ignore that. It was pure chance that Katsuki even moved back in with his parents if it wasn’t by force. The same day this kinetic sat him down and gave him two stacks of paperwork at the same time that he just turned 21 and had to go to some shitty fancy restaurant cause his mom wanted to celebrate.
He wasn't expecting his parents to come to work and pick him up and he wasn't expecting Mitsuki’s sharp eye to catch what the papers said even as Katsuki held them close to his body.
All she did was keep her mouth silent all night and ignored his bad attitude instead of waiting until the end of the night when they dropped him off at his less-than-ideal apartment from the night before giving a “You moving back in with us” while she motioned towards the papers in his hands.
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Izuku Midoriya was deep.
As green eyes stared at the cracked phone screen flickered he could faintly make out the the time that said ‘7:24’, He was almost late to the Trade Market, Which normally while his shift didn't start till 8, today was paycheck day and he knows his boss only stayed for a few minutes in the morning before going home. Izuku never saw the man stay past 7:30 because of course his boss preferred to work in the afternoon when Izuku worked at the orphanage.
And Izuku needed to get cash in his bank account before the water to his apartment got cut off again. So ideally the goal would be to get the paycheck, run to the bank make a deposit, and run back to the Market before his shift started. That way when Izuku goes home tonight, he could take a semi-lukewarm shower. Because the test is the hottest it will go.
Maybe he should bring up the possibility of getting direct deposits into his account because he can't afford to run around and run around like a maniac on the days he worked late nights at the 24/7 hour convenience store.
Yelling apologizes to all the early morning passersby as bugs are sprinting down the block. The spell of water filled that air and Izuku could only assume it was either from the rain that seemed to come in from Musutafu overnight or the waterside that was only a few miles away.
Either way, the world around him became louder as he finally reached the Neon street signs that showed he reached his preferred location. The moment that Izuku turned the corner he crashed into a biker and felt his body collide with the concrete street.
That's what he gets for running the streets.
“Oh my god! Are you okay?” the voice called out as the blood in Izuku's ears suddenly seemed to match his heart.
It took Izuku a pained groan and a few seconds before realizing he should probably respond.
Slowly his mouth found its ability to speak and he ignored the rustic iron like taste on his tongue.
“Mm alright-” he gasped, slowly he pushed himself up and looked back at the person, a teenage girl, whose bike got knocked over when they collided.
“I’m alright”, he repeated with a smile.
“Your Face! There is so much blood-”, the teen cried before turning down to the market street and yelling “DOES ANYONE HAVE A FIRST AID KIT?”
Maybe it was the fact that she said it out loud for anyone to hear, or the fact that he had pushed himself up so he was no longer face down in the pavement but he was suddenly very aware of the warm liquid slowly making its way down his face. Reaching up he flinched as his finger made contact with the cut somewhere along his forehead.
Well, that isn't good, isn’t blood supposed to stay on the inside? Plus, he had to help on the Market front today and he would have a bandage covering some of his face.
After giving a spell sigh Izuku heard a small chuckle as someone squatted down next to him and green eyes looked over to see his boss with a half-burnt cigar in his mouth, “What’s got you in such a rush greenie?”
Izuku gave a small laugh as he turned his head away to avoid the avid smell of burning tobacco.
“I was just trying to catch you before you went home”
There was no point in lying to the older, especially when Izuku knew Koji would likely just call bullshit on it.
Koji only snorted reaching out and nudged Izuku's face back towards him. Dark brown eyes scanned Izuku's forehead before giving a content sigh. Koji’s ear gave a small flick before he looked at a young woman a few years older than Izuku’s age approach.
"Akiko” a small voice supplied helpfully in Izuku’s mind. It was Koji’s daughter, and from the looks of it, she was holding a First Aid Kit.
“Ah, Akiyama! Thank you but you didn't have to”
“No Midoriya, it's okay!”She smiled. “We should patch you up so you don't bleed all over the place anyway. Your Lucky dad was outside when he saw you wiped out”
“I don’t think that makes me feel any better”, the 20 year old huffed.
Akiko only rolled her eyes as she squatted down and began to open up the first aid kit. Izuku took the time to shift his focus on Koji who went up to check on the teenager who was picking up the fallen items on her bike. From the looks of it, she was okay. Izuku can assume that her bike was okay too because, after a quick nod, she looked towards Izuku and gave a bow before yelling “I’m so sorry! I hope you're okay!”
“Hopefully she learns to ride in the bike lane and not the sidewalk now if she's gonna be riding around on the streets.”, Akiki gave a small sigh as she carefully cleaned out the various cuts on the freckle forehead. “It looks like you have a minor road rash but with some time it'll heal right up!”
“That's good.” Izuku sighed before he let the faint fabric gauze go onto his forehead and a few seconds later medical tape to hold it down. Hopefully, it didn't take too long to heal.
Izuku wouldn’t lie and say that his life was the easiest at the current moment, he could barely put food on the table, he had no relationships beyond his bosses and coworkers and a lot of laws seemed to be pushing back on him due to being quirkless. But in small moments like these where he knows at least one or two people have his back, he doesnt feel so bad.
He just has to stay optimistic.
“Midoriya”, Koji called to get the others' attention. “You said you wanted to catch me before I got home, What’s that about?”
Izuku coughed awkwardly as if that would do anything to hide his embarrassment, “My utility bill is due today”
Akiko only gave a small sigh as she pulled herself up and looked towards her dad, and Izuku swore he heard the older mutter something that went along the lines of, “What will we do with you”