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Kurumi—light, radiance; to come, arrive
Katsuki Bakugo knew who he was from a young age. His mother once told him that his first word had been “hero,” and from the time he could string together a proper sentence, he was telling the world that he would be number one someday.
But somewhere between being accepted into UA, thrust into a war at 16, and almost dying, his priorities changed. He still wanted to be an amazing hero—Hell, he was an amazing hero; but his obsession with being the best had tempered into a healthy drive, and an only slightly over-competitive spirit.
Which is why when third year rolled around, and the members of class A were prompted to begin thinking about future plans, it only made sense that Katsuki would start his own agency.
There had been a time when he would have insisted on taking on the endeavor single-handedly, but Katsuki had done a lot of growing in the last few years. He also knew that newly founded agencies by young heroes had a higher success rate when two or more people were involved—and who better to create a brand with than his best friend?
Yes, Eijiro Kirishima burst into his life like a fiery explosion at the very start of their first year at UA, and no matter how much Katsuki had tried to push him away, Eijiro just clung tighter. It took a while for Katsuki to warm up to the idea of having a friend at all, and shedding the lone-wolf mentality he grew up with would prove to be the biggest challenge he was forced to overcome; but if there was ever anyone who could break down his walls, he always knew, on some level, that it would be Eijiro: his unbreakable horse. And break down the walls he did, eventually building a home in Katsuki’s heart.
Oh, and since they were working together so closely anyway, it only made sense that they live together, too.
So that’s how the pair came to be: Red Riot and GEMGD—best friends, hero partners, and roommates.
The first year was the toughest; getting their agency off the ground, building a reputation, and finding other professionals who were willing to invest in two freshly 18 year olds was no easy feat—even if they had both played major roles in winning the war against All For One just two years prior.
But now, at 23, the two had developed a comfortable rhythm, successfully integrating themselves into the hero network they had spent their entire lives idolizing.
Things had never been better.
***
It was a normal day—Eijiro was out on patrol in a neighboring city, and Katsuki was just in his office, flipping through some paperwork when his radio sounded, the static giving way to a slightly panicked voice. “Robbery in progress. The jewelry shop around the corner from the agency, between third and fourth. Suspect is armed. Dynamight, do you copy?”
Katsuki stood in one fluid motion, grabbing his radio and raising it to his mouth as he hurried for the door. “Copy,” he rushed out. “I’m on my way.”
He sprinted out of the agency and around the corner to the jeweler’s, arriving on the scene in record time; but his proud smirk quickly morphed into a scowl as he took in the wailing police vehicles that swarmed the entrance, as well as the large crowd of people who apparently had nothing better to do on a Monday afternoon than cause a blockage in the road, effectively barring any of the actual first responders from doing their jobs.
Katsuki and Eijiro had both done extensive media training since starting up their careers; and while Katsuki had originally—and continuously—begrudged them, the courses had really done wonders for his people-skills, successfully containing some of his more explosive tendencies. Unfortunately, tense situations like this, compounded by all the shitty extras who didn’t know what they were doing or how they were affecting the people around them, really made his temper flare.
He huffed, blasting a series of explosions from his hands and successfully parting the crowd as he made his way towards the innermost area of the commotion, where the entrance to the shop was located. He stomped over to one of the cops, ripping the megaphone from his hands and holding it up to his lips. “This is Great Explosion Murder God, Dynamight!” he spoke with conviction. “We’ve got you surrounded. Come out with your hands up!”
The roar of the crowd had died down to a low murmur, the red and blue sirens taking over as the predominant sound; and the outside commotion continued to drown out any noise that may be coming from inside the store. Katsuki raised the megaphone to his lips once again, opening his mouth to speak, but he was cut off by the sound of a sudden blood-curdling scream, followed by three distinct shots. Glass shattered around them and Katsuki’s eyes blew wide. He dropped the megaphone, literally exploding his way through the door. His breathing was ragged as he processed the scene in front of him.
The first thing that he saw was a man slumped on the floor in front of him, dressed entirely in black; he had a ski mask pulled partially up and over his mouth, revealing an angry gunshot wound just below his chin. Blood spilled from the wound, pooling beneath him and encompassing the gun that lay still by his hand. Katsuki’s gaze flicked to the man’s chest, barely catching its shallow rise and fall. He was completely incapacitated, and would be dead within minutes.
His eyes scanned the room further, landing on a woman just a few meters back, also lying immobile in a pool of blood on the floor. Katsuki could see one gunshot wound just above her chest on the right, and another on the opposite side, lodged just below her sternum. Her chest rose and fell in short, panicked breaths as she looked up at the hero with wide eyes.
“Hey!” he shouted, moving quickly to her side and pulling her into his arms; her limp body immediately began to stain his skin red, and he cursed under his breath as he surveyed the woman’s injuries. She was lucky neither of the bullets hit her heart or any other vital organs, or she would've been dead almost instantly. “Hey,” Katsuki said again, shaking lightly. “What’s your name?”
The woman let out a weak cough, gazing up at him through deep red eyes. “K-Kurumi,” she rasped.
Katsuki swallowed thickly. “Alright, Kurumi, i-it’s gonna be okay. You—”
“N-no,” the woman choked out, and Katsuki froze. “Kurumi, m-my daughter. Kurumi—”
“Daugh-” the hero faltered, glancing around suddenly. “There’s a kid here? Where is she?!”
The woman coughed again, voice growing weaker as she spoke. Where the Hell were the other first responders? “I- I need you… To take care of her,” she wheezed.
“Hey,” Katsuki snapped, shaking her a bit harder now. “Snap out of it, y-you’re gonna be fine, you just—” He huffed, glancing around again. “Help is coming, just—”
“No,” her voice escaped in a breathy whine, and Katsuki’s eyes grew wide. “I need you to- to take Kurumi; p-please, I—” a cough cut her sentence short.
Katsuki’s breath grew more labored as the woman’s began to even out. “B-but I don’t- I’m not even—”
“Please,” she choked out, barely a whisper now. “I’m all she has. She needs a hero. Sh-she needs you, Dynamight, ple—” her voice petered out, hooded eyes slipping shut as she went completely limp in the young hero’s hold.
Katsuki stiffened, tears stinging the backs of his eyes as he stared down at the woman—Kurumi’s mother—dead in his arms. His ears were ringing, and he barely registered as someone finally came over, gently moving the body from his hold. He didn’t process the words spoken lowly in his ear, but they did pull him from his stupor enough that he began to hear light sobs—barely there, but suddenly deafening in the aftermath of all that had been lost.
He sniffed, wiping the tears from the corners of his eyes as he shifted to stand, moving in a slow crawl towards the sound. He peaked hesitantly around the counter, throat constricting at what he saw.
There, curled back against the inside of the counter, was a little girl—no more than five or six. Her hands were covering her ears, eyes shut tight as she sobbed. Her black frizzy hair and previously white dress were both caked in blood, and Katsuki’s breath caught in his throat and he moved without thinking, crouching down carefully beside the girl: far enough as not to startle her, but close enough so that she could feel his presence.
She did, sniffling as her eyes blinked open—bright red—and Katsuki swallowed thickly as tears welled inside them. “Hello,” he spoke softly, as if the words themselves could somehow pierce her skin. “Are you Kurumi?”
The girl nodded minutely, words coming out in barely a whisper. “I-is it over?”
“It’s over,” Katsuki confirmed, eyes scanning over her small frame, silently searching for injuries. “Are you hurt?”
“I don’t think so,” she murmured. “W-where’s mama?”
Katsuki’s heart dropped. “I- I’m so sorry, kid, I—”
Tears welled in her eyes once again, and the girl choked on a sob as they spilled down over her round cheeks. The hero’s chest felt hollow as he stared at her trembling hands.
He was pulled from his thoughts by yet another incredibly late “first” responder, shrieking obnoxiously in his ear. “A kid?!” the man yelled, attempting to move towards her. “Is she hurt? Hold on, I’ll call for backup.”
“No!” Katsuki put his arm out, effectively blocking his path, and the extra froze mid-reach for his radio. “No,” he repeated clearly. “I’ve got her. Don’t call anyone.”
He crouched down again so he was eye level with the girl, placing a hand lightly on her shoulder. “You’re safe now,” he whispered as he watched her cry, and his heart broke at the sight. “My name’s Katsuki. Your mama asked me to take care of you. What do you say I take you back to my agency and we can get you cleaned up?”
The girl sniffed, blinking up at Katsuki through teary eyes; she stared at him for a long moment before hesitantly nodding.
He took a shaky breath, scooping Kurumi carefully into his arms. One arm wrapped securely around her back, the other supporting her legs as they wrapped around his waist, Katsuki cradled the girl to his chest; she wrapped her arms around his neck, burying her face in his neck, and he could feel her tears begin to soak the collar of his shirt.
He swallowed thickly, turning to walk slowly out of the shop; he winced at the sudden intake of flashing lights and shouted questions as he stepped outside. “Dynamight, Dynamight!” One reporter approached with a big camera, beginning to circle the pair. “Who is—”
“Get that fuckin’ camera out of her face or I’ll blast it to pieces,” Katsuki snarled as he held tighter to the girl, pushing right past the rattled reporter.
***
He made his way the rest of the way to the agency without incident, only pulling back from the girl once they were safe and inside. “Alright, kid,” he murmured, setting her down carefully; he crouched down to look her in the eyes. “This is where I work. I’m gonna help you get cleaned up, okay?”
“O-okay.” Her voice trembled as she spoke, and she jumped as another voice sounded from behind her. Katsuki stood, glancing up to see Burnin, one of the other heroes who worked at the agency with him.
“Bakugo! There you are,” she called out. “Are you o- woah—” She froze as her gaze shifted down, locking onto the unfamiliar child. “Uhh—”
“Hey, Kamiji,” Katsuki spoke before Burnin had a chance to say anything else. “This is Kurumi.” He crouched down then, speaking softly to the girl. “I’ll be right back, okay? Can you be good for my friend Moe?”
Kurumi blinked, nodding hesitantly.
Burnin also blinked, furrowing her eyebrows at Katsuki. “Woah, wait, I- I’m not—”
“I’ll just be a minute.” Katsuki snapped a little, but his gaze softened as he glanced back down at Kurumi, who was clutching tightly to his hand; he squeezed gently. “You can trust her, okay? Just go sit in one of those chairs over there and I’ll be right back,” he said, gesturing with his head towards the little lobby area they had set up in the corner. The girl nodded, a fearful yet determined look in her eyes as she turned away.
Katsuki exhaled, glancing back up at Burnin with a look that said don’t question me, I’m kinda your boss.
She didn’t question him. Rather, she simply nodded, turning quickly on her heels and following after the girl. Katsuki let out a deep sigh, trudging back through the agency, towards his office.
Burnin previously worked under Endeavor when he was the number 2 (and then 1, but we don’t count that) hero; but after the war, he shocked the nation by turning himself in for years of abuse against his wife and children, thusly retired from the hero world. The girl stayed close with Shoto and, by association, Katsuki—and when it came time for he and Eijiro to hire heroes to work at their agency, Katsuki couldn’t think of a better fit.
He knew she wasn’t the biggest fan of kids, but she would just have to deal. She had a good head on her shoulders, and he trusted her to watch Kurumi for five minutes while he pulled himself together, damnit.
When he was at last alone in his office, he shut and locked the door behind him, letting out a shaky exhale. He choked back a sob, swallowing it down as he turned towards the room; he needed to focus. He moved towards his desk, opening the top drawer and pulling out a pack of moist towelettes. He swallowed thickly as he began peeling them open one by one, wiping down his arms and the skin around his neck. They were small and inefficient, but it didn’t need to be perfect. He would take a real shower later—he just didn’t want to be completely covered in blood while he took care of Kurumi.
Once he was mostly cleaned off, Katsuki quickly stripped out of his bloodied hero costume, changing into a simple black t-shirt and a pair of jeans. Pleased to be rid of the metallic smell of blood that previously clung to him, he chucked the costume in the hamper. Then, he grabbed another random shirt—one of his Red Riot t-shirts—and turned, taking a slow, deep breath before heading back out to the floor.
Burnin was sitting stiffly in the chair opposite Kurumi, watching her as if she might burst into flames at any given moment. The little girl glanced up, tension slipping from her shoulders as her eyes flooded with relief. “Mr. Katsi, you’re back!” she said in a small voice, standing quickly and barreling towards him.
Katsuki’s lips quivered before quirking up slightly at the corners, and he let his hand come to rest on the girl’s head. His gaze fell to Burnin, who was also standing in relief, and he nodded in thanks. He turned then, hand sliding down to rest gently on Kurumi’s back, between her shoulder blades as he led her carefully towards the shower and bath area they had set up in the back room.
“Do you need help getting undressed,” he asked lowly after a moment. “Or would you like to do it yourself?”
She sniffed. “I- I can do it.”
The hero nodded, turning away to give her some privacy while he turned on the water, making sure it wasn’t too hot as he began to fill the tub. Katsuki didn’t know the first thing about kids. Hell, he’d barely even met a kid before, save some of his earlier training back in high school; yet somehow, he knew exactly what to do—as if he’d been doing it his whole life.
“Alright,” he said as he mixed some soap bubbles into the water before shutting off the tap. He let his gaze flit back to the girl with careful precision. “You ready?”
Kurumi nodded once, and he took her by the hand, helping her step slowly into the tub. “Water feel okay?” he asked after a moment. The girl just nodded again, sinking further down into the bubbles.
Katsuki sighed as he shifted to kneel behind the tub, taking a plastic cup and carefully pouring the warm water over her hair; he used his other hand to gently comb through the tangles. The water began to tint red around her, and he winced slightly as he clicked the drain, turning on the spout again in an effort to filter out the dirt and grime and replace it with fresh water.
He grabbed the shampoo and conditioner from the shelf, threading it methodically through the girl’s shoulder-length hair. “So tell me,” he spoke after a few long minutes of silence. “How old are you?”
“Almost six,” she said after a moment, barely a whisper.
Katsuki nodded in thought. “Oh, so you got your quirk already,” he inferred, grinning a little. “I bet it’s a super cool one. Did you get the same one as your mama?”
The girl stiffened, breath catching lightly in her throat; and Katsuki knew what it meant, even before the words eventually tumbled from her lips. “I… never got one,” she murmured lowly, staring down at her knees.
And there it was.
The air was sucked from Katsuki’s lungs, a sudden, painful gnawing taking over in his chest. His heart cracked under the weight of everything this girl had endured in her short life, and fresh guilt washed over him, the memory of all his past mistakes pounding against his skull like a door that just wouldn’t lock.
“O-oh,” he choked out, suddenly 14 again; his head swirled with regret, and the desperate urge to do better. He took a steadying breath, willing himself to continue. “Well, that’s okay,” he said akwardly; the words felt hollow in his throat, but he silently prayed that they might begin to build a solid foundation. “I mean, plenty of super cool people don’t have quirks.”
The girl furrowed her eyebrows. “Really?” she blinked, glancing hesitantly at the hero. “L-like who?”
Katsuki swallowed the lump in his throat, letting his hands come down to rest on her shoulders, rubbing small circles into her skin; he focused on the repetitive motion, attempting to scrub away some of the tension from the day as he spoke. “Well, one of my very best friends is quirkless. He’s like a brother to me, a-and the most determined person I know.” he said softly. “Even worked as a hero for a while before becoming a teacher.”
She twisted her body then to look fully up at Katsuki, searching his face with slightly widened eyes. “A quirkless hero?”
Katsuki hummed, nodding in assent. The hopeful glint in her eyes eased his nerves slightly, and he smiled softly. “Absolutely. You can do anything you wanna do, even without a flashy quirk.” he murmured. “Maybe you could meet him sometime.”
“...Okay,” the girl said after a long moment, nodding minutely.
Katsuki smiled sadly, continuing with the bath as he attempted to pivot the conversation to slightly lighter topics. “So, what's your favorite color?” he asked after a moment.
The girl paused briefly, thinking it over. “I like red.”
“Hey, me too.” Katsuki said with a little grin. “Like your eyes.”
Kurumi hummed. “Mama’s eyes were red, too.”
He blinked. She was right, of course, and visions of the woman's deep red eyes were suddenly all that clouded his mind. He swallowed thickly, picturing the way the light had slowly slipped out of them; he pushed the memory down deeper, voice coming out slightly hoarse as he pressed on. “Do you… like sweets?”
The girl blinked up at him, nodding a little, and he breathed a sigh of relief. “What’s your favorite candy?”
“Anything chocolate.”
Katsuki grinned. “Nice! Good to know,” he said gently. “Favorite flower?”
She had to think about that one for a minute. “I like sunflowers.”
“Good choice,” the hero marvelled, pulling a small smile from the girl. “Favorite animal?” he asked after another moment, and her eyes lit up, all but popping out of her skull as she spoke.
“A shark!” Kurumi cheered, teeth baring into her biggest show of excitement he’d seen from the girl yet; he could see now a small gap wedged between her front teeth, and the way her canines jutted into little points on either side.
And Katsuki couldn’t help but laugh a bit. “Of course it is,” he muttered fondly. “Alright, one more question—and this one’s important,” he said then, pausing for dramatic effect. “What should we make for dinner tonight?”
Kurumi matched his grin. “Mapo tofu!” she said with conviction, and the hero’s grin softened as he clicked the drain, beginning to let the water out.
“Yeah, we’re gonna get along just fine.”
***
Katsuki got the girl out of the tub, wrapping her up in a big, fluffy towel and letting her sit on the bench on the side before excusing himself to make a quick phone call. “I’ll be right back, okay, Rumi?” he said when her lips downturned in a pout, crouching down in front of the girl. “Just sit here for a few minutes and then I’ll come back and help you dry your hair.”
“C-can you leave the door open?” she asked through a hesitant nod, and Katsuki felt like his heart was gonna burst for the umpteenth time that day.
“Of course,” he answered immediately, gesturing to the door with his head. “I’ll just be right out there—you’ll be able to see me the whole time, okay?”
Kurumi nodded tentatively, and the man gave her a quick pat on the head as he moved to stand, stepping out the door. He took a few steps away from the doorway, grabbing his phone and pulling up Kaminari’s contact.
Denki Kaminari was probably Katsuki’s closest friend aside from Eijiro and Izuku, not that he would ever admit that out loud. When Katsuki and the rest of his class graduated from UA, Denki had floated the idea of starting an agency with his boyfriend: their other good friend, Hanta Sero; but they ultimately decided against it.
The pair were friends all throughout high school, things only turning romantic during their third year. Hanta worried that living and working together would put a strain on their relationship, and he thought it would be best for him to work under a more experienced hero before even considering starting an agency of his own.
So Hanta and Denki moved into a little apartment down the street from Katsuki and Eijiro, and while Hanta began working under Pro Heroes Mount Lady, Edgeshot, and Kamui Woods, Denki charmed Eijiro—and eventually, Katsuki—into letting him work at their agency with them.
He pressed call, holding the phone up to his ear as his eyes met Kurumi’s through the crack in the doorway; he gave her a little wave, grinning as she waved back. After two and a half rings, the receiver clicked.
“Yo, Kacchan!” Denki’s carefree voice floated through the speaker. “What’s up?”
“Hey,” Katsuki muttered, keeping his voice low. “I need you to do me a favor.”
On the other end of the line, Denki’s tongue clicked disapprovingly. “Dude, seriously? It’s my day off.”
Katsuki huffed. “Yeah, and I wouldn’t be asking if it wasn’t fucking important.”
“...Yeah, okay,” he said after a moment. “What do you need?”
And that was the thing about Katsuki and Denki: they bickered, got under each other’s skin, and maybe Katsuki wanted to kill him about half the time—but at the end of the day, Denki always had his back; and he knew that Katsuki had his, too.
“I need you to run to the store and pick a few things up for me,” Katsuki said carefully. “Chocolate, sunflowers, and some kind of shark toy—like, a plushie or some shit, I don’t know.”
There was a stretch of silence before Denki spoke. “Woah, wait—” he paused, a lilt of something mischievous seeping into his voice. “Are you in some kind of fight with Ei?”
“What?” Katsuki choked on a breath. “No, what are you even—” he cut himself off, pinching the bridge of his nose. His friends had been hounding him and Eijiro to get together for years, everyone insisting they would be the world’s most perfect couple; but Katsuki brushed them off every time.
It wasn’t that Katsuki was dumb enough not to realize his own feelings. No, Katsuki had been in love with Eijiro since their first year of high school—ever since he took his hand at Kamino. But between the war, then school, graduating and starting their own agency together, the pair’s lives were so intertwined at this point that it seemed stupid to have the “what are we?” conversation now.
At least, that’s what Katsuki told himself. “Listen, I don’t have time to explain everything right now.” he huffed, pressing on. “Can you do it, or not?”
Denki chuckled a little, and Katsuki decided that he would have to throttle him when he arrived. “Yeah, yeah, I can do it,” he said in his usual relaxed tone, but he could already hear him moving around on the other end of the line. “Could you, uh, text me that list, though?”
Katsuki huffed, rolling his eyes, but a small grin found its way to his face nonetheless. “Thanks. I'll reimburse you then, just bring everything to the agency as soon as you can,” he said curtly, hanging up before the other could respond. He quickly texted him the list of items before pocketing his phone, taking a deep breath and heading back in to greet Kurumi.
“I’m back,” he said as he rapped gently on the open door. The girl beamed up at him, and he unwittingly smiled back. “Now, let’s get that hair dry.”
He crossed the room, grabbing a comb and hair dryer before heading back over and taking a seat beside the girl; he shifted both of their bodies so that he would be positioned behind her before beginning to pull the comb through her hair, careful not to hurt her as he worked through the tangles. Then, once it was completely brushed out, he began to blow it dry.
Katsuki, admittedly, didn’t know much about doing hair; everything he had learned about fashion, grooming, etcetera, he had learned from his parents. That being said, his hair had never needed much attention in order to maintain, so he never learned how to properly care for it. He had gotten pretty good with hair dye over the years of living with Eijiro, but that was an entirely different set of skills.
He moved his hands through the inky wet strands, allowing the warm air to hit them from every angle; he noticed the way the girl’s hair began to frizz slightly as it dried, shaping itself into messy waves. It reminded him of the way Eijiro’s hair often looked when it was down, before he assaulted it with hair gel and styled it into oblivion. His hair naturally wanted to curl, and it seemed as though Kurumi’s did, too.
And if this whole thing encouraged Eijiro to wear his hair natural more often, well, would that really be such a bad thing?
Once her hair was completely dry, Katsuki stood to grab her underwear and the shirt he had picked out for her, handing them to the girl. He didn’t have any pants that would fit her, but luckily the shirt was big enough that it should hang down just below her knees.
Her dress had unfortunately been completely ruined—no hope of all that blood coming out—so Katsuki had promised to take her shopping for some new clothes first thing in the morning. He would also try to get the address for the home she shared with her mother, and hopefully find someone to retrieve some of her things from there as well.
He handed her the clothes just as the bell above the front door rang, a familiar voice echoing through the agency. “Yo, Kacchan! Where you at?”
Katsuki huffed, glancing back at the girl. “I’ll be right back, okay? You go ahead and get dressed for me.”
He exited the bath area, leaving the door slightly ajar before turning to head toward the entrance. “Finally,” he said as the two blonds made eye contact, but his words didn’t hold their usual heat. He just sounded tired. “You got the stuff?”
Denki frowned. “Yeah, I got it,” he said, holding up a handful of shopping bags. “But seriously, is everything alright? What’s going on?”
“None of your fucking—” Katsuki started, but he was cut off by a small voice sounding from behind him.
“Mr. Katsi?”
Denki’s eyes widened, and Katsuki’s fell shut as he took a breath, turning slowly towards the girl. Kurumi was standing there with big eyes, arms crossed over her chest, only partially covering the Red Riot logo on the front. She swallowed thickly, gaze falling away from the stranger.
“Hey, it’s okay.” Katsuki’s voice instantly softened. “C’mere.”
She slowly slinked towards the two, and Denki looked incredulously between Katsuki and the girl, no doubt taking in her frizzy black hair and piercing red eyes. “Did you and Ei have a fucking kid?” he whisper-shouted.
Katsuki looked at him like he was insane—which, in all fairness, he kinda was. “No, what the—” he sputtered. “How would we even-” he cut himself off, pinching the bridge of his nose in exasperation. After a beat of awkward silence, he let out a deep sigh, crouching down to the girl’s level and placing a comforting hand on her shoulder.
“Rumi, this is my good friend Chargebolt,” he said gently. “He’s a hero, like me—even helps me and my partner run this agency.” He paused, looking up with her to meet the gaze of an absolutely baffled Denki. “This is Kurumi.”
Kurumi took a shaky breath as she blinked up at him. “Hello, Mr. Chargebolt.”
Denki blinked, gaze shifting between Katsuki and the girl. Katsuki gave him a warning glare that said to behave—and behave, he did. “Wow, okay,” he said slowly. “So polite, gosh. You can call me Denki.”
The girl shrunk into herself, and Katsuki let his hand fall to her back, rubbing soothing circles into her skin. “I asked Mr. Denki to get you some gifts,” he said lowly, grinning a little as he glanced sidelong at the girl. “Would you like to see what he brought?”
Kurumi’s eyes widened as she looked between the two, nodding shyly. “Can I?” she all-but whispered.
Denki’s heart melted as he glanced down at the bags he was holding, then back towards the girl. “Of course, sweet girl,” he said, reaching into one of the bags and pulling out a comically large box of chocolates—one of those assortments with a bunch of different flavors. It didn’t even look like it should fit in the bag. “I heard someone likes chocolate,” Denki said in a sing-songy voice.
The girl’s eyes lit up as she grabbed the box in her small hands. She was so focused on the chocolates, inspecting the various flavors pictured on the box, that she barely noticed as the man pulled out an equally large bouquet of sunflowers, gasping suddenly as she looked up. “Are those for me too?” she asked in disbelief.
Denki grinned. “Of course they are,” he assured, glancing between her and Katsuki. “I’m gonna have Mr. Katsi here put ‘em in a nice vase for you, that way you can look at ‘em whenever you want.”
The girl was practically vibrating with excitement, grinning from ear to ear. Denki handed the flowers off to Katsuki, ignoring the way he glared at his use of the nickname.
“And finally,” Denki added coyly, pulling a big stuffed shark out of the final bag.
Kurumi squealed, dropping the box of chocolates in favor of pulling the shark into her arms. “I love him so much! Thank you, Mr. Denki!”
“Oh, you’re so welcome, sweet girl,” Denki murmured, still grinning widely. “What are you gonna name him?”
Kurumi hummed, pausing to look deep into its beady eyes as she thought it over. “Nemo!” she eventually declared.
“That’s a great name,” Denki said through a laugh, but Katsuki furrowed his eyebrows.
“Wasn’t Nemo the fish, not the shark?” he questioned, recalling the time Eijiro made him watch “just a fun kids movie” and he ended up crying his eyes out with something in his eye at 1am while the redhead assured him that “letting your feelings out is manly.”
Denki just scoffed. “Dude, that’s what makes it funny.”
Katsuki rolled his eyes, but a tiny smirk betrayed him. “Of course you would understand the logic of a five year old.”
“Hey,” Denki went to argue, but Kurumi’s little voice cut them off.
“Mr. Katsiii,” she whined, tugging on his arm as she blinked up at him. “Can I have some chocolate now, please?”
He huffed out a laugh, unable to keep his smile from growing as he picked the box up from where she had abandoned it on the floor. “Sure, kid,” he said as he opened it up, taking out two small pieces before tucking the lid back on. “No more than this for now, or you’ll ruin your appetite.” He paused. “We’ve still got that Mapo to make, right?”
The girl beamed, nodding as Katsuki went to deposit the chocolates into her hand; but he froze suddenly, causing her expression to falter. “Wait,” he paused. “You don’t have any allergies, do you?”
“Nuh uh!” the girl rushed out, shaking her head adamantly; she placed a hand over her heart, eyes growing wide and serious. “Promise.”
Katsuki smirked, relaxing as he finally handed over the candy. “Alright, kid, here ya go,” he murmured. “Why don't you go sit on that chair over there while you eat? I’ll be over as soon as I finish saying goodbye to Mr. Denki, okay?”
“Okay,” she sang, gaze flicking up to meet Denki’s again. “Goodbye, Mr. Denki. It was nice meeting you!” she added sweetly before turning and skipping across the room.
Katsuki watched the girl fondly for a moment before letting his gaze shift back to Denki, faltering at his still thoroughly confused expression. “Okay, what in the fresh Hell did I just witness?” he asked then, pressing on as Katsuki rolled his eyes. “Seriously, whose kid is that?”
Katsuki let out a deep sigh, glancing in Kurumi’s direction to make sure she was not only thoroughly occupied, but also far enough away that he wouldn’t risk her listening in; she was both, but the man lowered his voice anyway. “Got called to a scene today: robbery gone wrong,” he muttered, throat constricting as he spoke. “The mom… didn’t make it.”
“Oh, shit…” Denki muttered, eyes growing wide. “So, what are you gonna do with her?”
“W-well, the mom—before she, uh… y’know,” Katsuki paused, swallowing the lump in his throat. “She asked me to take care of the kid,” he muttered. “Sounded like it was just the two of them.”
Denki blinked. “Wha— so you’re just keeping her?”
Katsuki’s jaw tightened. “It’s not like I have much of a fucking choice,” he spat lowly, brain kicking into overdrive as visions of the woman’s lifeless body plagued his mind once again. It was my fault, he thought to himself. If I had only been faster. Stronger. If I hadn’t announced myself when I got to the scene—if I had stopped to think instead of letting the damn crowd of extras get under my skin. He choked on a breath, glancing away suddenly.
“Okay, yeah,” Denki said gently then, taking a step towards the other man. He attempted to place a hand on his shoulder, but Katsuki shook it away. “S-still, I mean—have you even told Eijiro yet? You guys live together, I mean-” he paused, collecting his thoughts. “Isn’t this something you should, like, run by him?”
Katsuki took a shaky breath, glancing across the room at the girl once again. “Are you kidding?” he muttered. “He’s gonna fucking melt when he sees those eyes.”
Denki raised an eyebrow. “You mean like you did?”
“Shut up,” Katsuki huffed, giving his friend a lighthearted shove; but in spite of everything, his lips turned up slightly at the corners. “Here,” he muttered, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a wad of cash, slapping it into his hand. “Keep the change and get out of my fucking hair.” He paused. “And don’t mention anything to Ei yet, okay?”
Denki grinned a little. “Fine, but I’m so telling Hanta how soft you are with kids,” he teased lightly. “That shit was so cute.”
Katsuki tsked, rolling his eyes as he shoved the man’s shoulder yet again. “Can it, Dunce Face—just get out of here.”
Denki just laughed loudly, throwing Kurumi a little wave from across the room as he left, which she enthusiastically returned.
“For fuck’s sake,” Katsuki muttered to himself, rubbing his hands over his face and taking a deep breath before making his way back over to the girl. “Hey, Rumi,” he said gently. “How’s the chocolate?”
She beamed up at him, grinning through browned teeth. “So yummy!” she cheered. “Can I have another?”
Katsuki chuckled a little, shaking his head. “Not before dinner,” he reminded her, earning a little pout. “We’ve still gotta swing by the grocery store on the way home.”
Kurumi blinked. “Home?”
Shit. Katsuki swallowed thickly. “Y-yeah,” he said carefully. “Back to the apartment I share with my partner. He’ll be expecting a five star meal when he gets home, so I was hoping you’d be my sous chef,” he joked, grinning a little.
“Sous chef?” the girl repeated, and Katsuki’s grin stretched wider.
“It means my assistant,” he explained. “I’ll need your help picking out the ingredients and preparing the food—think you’re up for it?”
The girl smiled brightly then, nodding as if she’d just been told she won the lottery.
And Katsuki’s heart squeezed inside his chest.
***
As the pair were finally getting ready to leave the agency, Katsuki pulled out his phone, firing off a quick text to Eijiro.
4:15 [Kats] What time do you think you’ll be home tonight?
I have a bit of a surprise..
The man didn’t answer right away, so Katsuki shoved the phone back in his pocket, taking Kurumi’s left hand in his right as his other hand held taut to the bagged up gifts that Denki had delivered. They walked the few blocks to the grocery store, and Katsuki felt his phone buzz as they entered the building.
He picked Kurumi up, loading her into one of the shopping carts before pulling out his phone.
4:29 [Ei] Oooh, can’t wait!
4:30 [Ei] I should be able to wrap up here in the next hour or so,
Probably home around 6
He hit the second text with a thumbs up, pocketing the phone once again before beginning to weave methodically through the aisles. He grabbed the soft tofu, as well as some meat, since he knew Eijiro appreciated the extra protein. Katsuki cooked a lot at home, so they already had a lot of the spices and other ingredients needed for the dish—he just needed the sichuan peppercorns, doubanjiang, and fermented black beans.
As they were passing the freezer section, Kurumi gasped, causing Katsuki to freeze in his tracks. “Mr. Katsi, can we get mochi, pleease?”
Katsuki raised his eyebrows, lips quirking up slightly at the corners as he glanced over at the dessert freezer, then back towards the girl. “Didn’t you already have chocolate?”
“But chocolate isn’t mochi,” she pouted, and Katsuki huffed out a laugh at that A+ five-year-old logic.
“Fine,” he said fondly as he approached the freezer. “But still none before dinner, okay?” The girl squealed, nodding fervently, and Katsuki smirked. “Which kind do you want, kiddo?”
She pointed to a box of green tea mochi, and Katsuki grabbed it, tucking it carefully into the cart. From behind them, he heard a small chuckle, turning to meet the eyes of an older woman. “Such a good daddy,” she muttered as she passed them by.
Katsuki’s ears burned red, and he distracted himself by pulling out his phone, which he felt vibrate in his pocket yet again.
4:47 [Ei] Can I get a hint?
4:48 [Kats] ?
4:48 [Ei] The SURPRISE, Kats
4:49 [Kats] Oh
4:49 [Kats] No
4:51 [Ei] Booo, meanie :((
4:52 [Kats] :)
Katsuki chuckled a little, shoving his phone back in his pocket and moving to finish up the shopping. Once they had everything they needed, Katsuki transferred the shopping bags over to his left hand, tasking Kurumi with carrying the bag of chocolates and her shark. He gripped tightly to her other hand, ignoring the glances of passersby as they walked the last few blocks back to Katsuki’s apartment.
Pro Hero Dynamight had become a household name over the past several years of building his career, and he often felt the lingering eyes of people on the street. That being said, most people knew not to disturb him by now. He had made it clear via the media that he didn’t like screaming fans approaching him and demanding autographs, especially when he was off the clock—and after everything he and Kurumi had been through that day, the last thing he wanted was to deal with nosy extras asking him questions about the shooting at the jewelry shop or the little girl clinging to his arm.
They finally made it back to the apartment, stepping into the foyer, and Kurumi’s eyebrows shot up as she peered around the space. “Shoes off,” Katsuki said gently as he toed off his own, placing them carefully beside the door. “You can set 'em right here.”
Kurumi blinked, nodding slightly as she took off her shoes, lining them up next to Katsuki’s. She looked up at the man for approval, and he grinned, nodding in return as he guided her down the hall. “Kitchen’s just through here,” he said softly.
Katsuki glanced at the clock as he was setting down the grocery bags, including the one containing her box of chocolates, which was now 5 pieces lighter. Seriously, how was he supposed to say no to that face?
5:19
They probably had about 40 minutes before Eijiro got home. Katsuki sighed softly, moving to open the cabinet beneath the sink, searching for a vase. He found one after a minute, quickly filling it with water before peeling the sunflowers from their lining paper, snipping the stems and placing them nicely in the container.
He set them on the counter, right next to a photo of him and Eijiro the day they graduated from UA; their arms were slung around each other, large grins stretched across their faces as Eijiro flexed the muscles of his free arm. Katsuki chuckled slightly at the memory.
Kurumi brought her hands up to rest on the edge of the counter, peering up at the flowers with a grin. Her eyes shifted the photo as she began to study it. “Is that your partner?” she asked in a tiny voice.
Katsuki grinned, humming in assent as he carefully lifted the girl, setting her down on the counter so she had a better view. “And he lives here, too?”
“Yep,” Katsuki nodded, hand resting on her back as they both looked at the frame.
Kurumi blinked, frowning a little. Her voice dropped to a whisper as she spoke. “Do you think he’ll like me?”
“Are you kidding?” Katsuki answered immediately, leaving no room for the doubt he was secretly feeling. “He’s gonna love you.”
This seemed to satiate the girl, who grinned shyly in response.
“Alright, let’s get to work.” Katsuki said after a moment, lifting her up again to sit by the sink; he squeezed some soap into her hands, letting her wash them before helping her shift to the space beside the stove. “Did you ever help your mama with the cooking?” the man asked as he began getting out the ingredients they would need.
Kurumi hummed. “Not really,” she said lowly. “We didn’t have a stove, and we spent a lot of time at mama’s work, so I usually just used the microwave there.”
“Gotcha,” Katsuki said, voice cracking a little. If Kurumi noticed, she didn’t comment; and so the man pressed on. “First thing you’ve gotta know,” he said as he reached past her, carefully flicking on the front left burner—the furthest from her reach. “This is gonna get really hot, so you can’t touch it.” he said seriously. “I’ll prep the ingredients, and you add ‘em to the pan when I tell you, okay?”
The girl nodded sagely. “Got it.”
And that’s what they did. Katuski meticulously prepared everything they needed, handing them over to Kurumi via cutting board and letting her slide them into the pan while he stirred. It took a bit longer this way, but Kurumi’s smile made it all worth it.
Then, a little before 6, Eijiro texted Katsuki that he was on his way home.
5:45 [Ei] Be home in 20
5:45 [Ei] You making dinner?
5:46 [Kats] Obviously, dumbass
5:47 [Kats] See you soon
5:47 [Ei] <3
And true to his word, exactly 20 minutes later, Katsuki heard the apartment door swing open. “Kats, I’m home!” the familiar voice sounded, and Katsuki’s throat tightened, considering fully for the first time how things might go if Eijiro didn’t have a positive reaction to this whole thing.
He knew Eijiro would love the girl: that much was never in question. But meeting and interacting with her was entirely different than bringing her into their home; and Katsuki had done that without so much as an is this okay with you?
A torrent of of fears suddenly came crashing down on him. I mean, did Eijiro even want kids? He liked them, sure, but did he want them? And would he want one with Katsuki? And if not, what would that mean for them? Would Eijiro move out? Would he resent Katsuki for flipping their world upside down like this? Would he think Katsuki was as weak as he felt?
Katsuki pushed all of his worries down, opening his mouth to speak. “In the kitchen,” he called in response, voice slightly hoarse from nerves.
He heard the redhead’s heavy footsteps traipsing through the foyer and towards the kitchen. “I heard about what happened at the jeweler’s,” his voice filtered through the air, and Katsuki glanced hesitantly at Kurumi as he continued. “It’s all over the news. Are you o- oh.” He stepped into the room, freezing in his tracks as he locked eyes with Kurumi, who was sitting casually on the counter, in a Red Riot shirt, stirring their dinner.
His mouth opened, then closed again. He glanced at Katsuki.
The blond swallowed thickly. “This is Kurumi,” he said all at once, and Eijiro blinked as Katsuki removed the spoon carefully from the girl’s hand, setting it down on the counter before scooping her into his arms. “Rumi, this is Eijiro,” he said lowly as he moved to set her down. “Can you say hello?”
“Hello, Mr. Eiji-o,” she said lowly, and Katsuki swore he saw the man’s eyes dilate.
“Well, hello there,” he said after a moment, voice instantly softening as he crouched down to her level. “It’s nice to meet you. That’s a nice shirt you’ve got there.” He grinned, looking the girl up and down.
Kurumi glanced down at the shirt, then back up to the man it was designed for. “Mr. Katsi let me borrow it,” she said softly. “My dress got too much blood on it.”
Eijiro’s breath caught in his throat, and he had to fight not to rip his eyes away from the little girl and towards Katsuki. “I’m sorry to hear that,” he said carefully. “We’ll have to go get you some new clothes soon.”
Katsuki cleared his throat. “Rumi, why don’t you show Eiji what Mr. Denki brought you today?”
Eijiro did look at Katsuki now, silently searching his face for answers as the girl’s eyes lit up, turning and crossing the room to fetch her new plushie from its bag. She held it up proudly.
“Woah, it’s a shark!” the man said in awe, and Kurumi giggled a little.
“They’re my favorite!”
Eijiro grinned. “Mine, too,” he answered, causing Kurumi’s eyes to light up again. “Does he have a name?”
“Nemo!” she declared, and Eijiro laughed.
“That’s a great name,” he said earnestly. “So manly!”
Kurumi looked up then, ruby eyes meeting Katsuki’s. “Mr. Katsi, I have to use the potty.”
“It’s just down that hallway,” he said, gesturing with his head. “C’mon, I’ll show you.”
The girl absentmindedly handed Nemo off to Eijiro, then took Katsuki’s hand, letting him lead her to the bathroom while Eijiro was left to process the events of the last five minutes.
Katsuki came back a few moments later, and Eijiro could immediately see how fully overwhelmed he was. His eyes, glossy and wide, connected with Eijiro’s; and his breath hitched, jaw clenched tight. Dirt clung still to his skin, making him appear sickly gray.
He crossed the kitchen in three careful strides, placing a hand gently on his arm. “Hey,” he murmured. “You okay?” The man nodded minutely, glancing away; he didn’t fully trust his voice at the moment. After another beat, Eijiro spoke again. “Wanna fill me in?”
“N-not now,” Katsuki choked out. “Later, a-after she goes to bed.” He paused, then quieter: “It’s… a lot.”
Eijiro nodded, letting his hand slide comfortingly along his arm, only pulling back when Kurumi’s little voice sounded from behind them. “I’m back!”
Katsuki turned, giving her a shaky grin. “You wash your hands?”
She shook her head. “I couldn’t reach the sink.”
“Ah, right,” he muttered, stepping forward to scoop the girl into his arms. “We’ll have to do something about that,” he added as he moved towards the kitchen sink, helping Kurumi wash up once again.
“Dinner’ll be ready in 10.” he said to Eijiro as he set the girl down, turning to face the other man. “If you wanna take a quick shower before we eat.”
Eijiro frowned. “You sure you don’t wanna take one first?” he questioned gently. “I don’t mind waiting.”
“Nah, you go.” Katsuki spoke a little too quickly. “I washed up a bit at the agency earlier, and there’s no way I’m letting you ruin our hard work by burning the food again,” he teased, Eijiro gasping in mock offense.
“You forget to set a timer one time,” he muttered, raising his eyebrows as his gaze flitted to the stove. “Already forcing the kid to have your favorite, huh?”
Katsuki scoffed. “Um, no,” he drawled. “She thought of it all on her own. Right, Rumi?”
“Uh huh!” the girl said with a grin. “Mr. Katsi said I could pick anything I wanted,” she boasted. “And I got to be the soup chef!”
Eijiro’s eyebrows furrowed as he cocked his head slightly to the side, and Katsuki had to stifle a laugh behind his hand. “Sous chef,” he corrected, earning a chuckle from Eijiro.
“Well, good,” the redhead said fondly, glancing once more between the two. He reached forward, brushing a strand of hair from Katsuki’s forehead; he let his hand linger for a moment before falling back to his side. “I won’t be long,” he said softly, before finally retreating down the hallway.
Katsuki swallowed thickly, flicking the burner to simmer.
“Mr. Eiji’s really nice.” Kurumi said after a stretch of silence.
The man smiled softly. “Yeah, he is,” he muttered as he glanced at the girl. “I told you he was gonna love you.”
***
Katsuki finished setting the table just as Eijiro padded back into the kitchen, his still damp hair hanging down by his collarbones. Katsuki looked up, breath lodging in his throat at how soft he looked. Katsuki was exhausted—mentally and physically drained from the events of the day—and all he wanted to do was fling himself into his best friend’s arms and never let go.
But he couldn’t. Kurumi, whose day had been a million times worse than he could even begin to comprehend, needed him; so he would just have to suck it up for a few more hours. He didn’t have a choice.
Eijiro’s eyes met his, and he swallowed the lump in his throat, forcing his lips up in a half smile as Kurumi spoke. “Mr. Eiji, it’s ready!” she cheered.
And then Eijiro smiled brightly, rivaling the sun with his sheer radiance. “Nice! Good job!” he said, moving in the direction of the stove. “I’ll plate it up for us—you guys sit.”
Katsuki blinked, eyebrows furrowing slightly as he stepped towards Eijiro. “I can—”
“Sit,” the redhead repeated, not necessarily stern, but crystal clear nonetheless. He flashed Katsuki a look that said not to argue, and he didn’t, rather plopping down in the nearest chair, Kurumi moving to sit down directly beside him.
Eijiro came over a minute later, taking a heaping spoonful of the tofu and scooping it into Katsuki’s bowl, then his own. He filled Kurumi’s bowl about halfway, leaning to speak lowly in the girl’s ear. “You can always have more then,” he murmured. “All you have to do is ask, okay?”
“Thank you, Mr. Eiji,” she said softly as he moved to set the pan back over on the stove, before carefully sliding into the seat opposite Katsuki.
Eijiro took the first bite, humming around a forkful of the warm meal. “This is delicious, Rumi,” he said with a grin, glancing sidelong at the girl. “You could be a chef.”
Kurumi just giggled as she took a bite of her own. Eijiro’s gaze shifted to Katsuki, watching as he took a shaky bite, visibly relaxing as the flavors coated his mouth. Eijiro knew that this was Katsuki’s comfort food, so he was glad that he had the opportunity to make it tonight—even though he knew the man would have just as soon made chicken nuggets if that was what Kurumi wanted.
Honestly, all that Eijiro wanted to do right now was pull Katsuki into his arms and let him talk through everything that had happened that day. He knew that it was a lot, and he was tempted to switch over to the seat beside Katsuki; to be just a little closer to him.
But Kurumi needed him, too; and he wanted the girl to feel included—like a member of the family, and not like it was them versus her. “So, Kurumi,” he broached after a few moments of silence. “How old are you?”
Kurumi swallowed the bite of food in her mouth before answering. “I’m five,” she said lowly. “But my birthday is in March, so then I’ll be six.”
“Nice,” Eijiro grinned. “That’s a great age. So what’s your qu-” Katsuki quickly kicked his shin from beneath the table, freezing the man in his tracks, and Eijiro glanced his way to see him shaking his head minutely.
Eijiro blinked, fixing his gaze on Kurumi once again. She had distracted herself with a large bite of tofu, shoving it carefully into her mouth. “S-so, are you in school?” the redhead pivoted.
“Nuh uh,” the girl murmured, shaking her head as she swallowed the bite of food in her mouth. “Mama said I could start next year.”
“Gotcha,” Eijiro said softly. “We’ll have to look into that, then.”
Kurumi grinned, diving back into her food, and Eijiro glanced up at Katsuki, giving him a reassuring smile. Katsuki swallowed thickly, staring down at his bowl.
Kurumi worked her way through two half-bowls of the tofu before her eyes began to droop, leaning her weight into a palm against her cheek. “Mr. Katsii, can I have some mochi now?” she questioned through a yawn.
Katsuki snorted out a laugh. “You’re about ready to fall over, kiddo—we should get you to bed.” he said, ignoring her little pout. “The mochi will still be here tomorrow.”
“I can tuck her in,” Eijiro said as he began clearing the dishes from the table, moving them to the sink. Katsuki glanced up at him through tired eyes. “If you wanted to grab that shower now.”
He let his gaze fall to Kurumi, eyeing her cautiously. “That okay with you, Rumi?”
“Mhmm,” she muttered, growing heavier in her own hold.
Eijiro chuckled as he made his way towards the girl, scooping her up from her seat and into his arms. She immediately wrapped her arms and legs around him, burying her face in the crook of his neck, and the man’s cheeks reddened to the shade of his hair.
“Looks like you’re sleeping in Mr. Eiji’s room tonight,” he said softly, glancing towards Katsuki. “And Katsi and I get to have a sleepover.”
Katsuki went to speak, but Eijiro’s voice cut him off yet again. “Of course, we’ll get some new furniture tomorrow so you can have your own room,” he whispered, eyes still trained on Katsuki. “You’ll help me clear out the home gym, yeah?”
“You—” Katsuki blinked, throat drying up as he looked at Eijiro. “You’d give up your workout room?”
When the two first graduated and set out to start their own agency, they got a tiny 1 bedroom apartment at the edge of town—that being the only thing they could afford. However, after several years of hard work building their careers, they were able to move into a bigger place, with enough room for each man to have his own bedroom even if they both ended up in one room or the other most of the time anyway as well as one room left over; and Eijiro was ecstatic to have a room dedicated solely to training.
But now Eijiro just smiled easily, wrapping his arms tighter around the girl's tired frame. “Of course,” he murmured, stepping forward before reaching out to place a gentle hand on the man’s shoulder. He squeezed lightly. “Now go get that shower, kay? We’re all good here.”
Katsuki swallowed thickly, nodding once. “Yeah, alright,” he rasped. “I’ll be in to say goodnight in a bit.”
Eijiro turned then, beginning to head towards the bedrooms, but paused, glancing back over his shoulder. “And don’t worry about the dishes,” he said gently, and Katsuki mentally cursed at how the man seemed to read his mind. He ripped his eyes away from the sink, flashing Eijiro a half-smile before he turned, carrying Kurumi the rest of the way out of the room.
Katsuki took a shaky breath, turning to walk slowly to the bathroom. He felt like a zombie as he carefully stripped, turning on the water and waiting for it to heat up.
It was only once he stepped inside, fully submerging himself under the hot water, that he finally let himself cry. The events of the day crashed over him all at once and he crossed his arms over his chest, breath coming out in shallow gulps as the tears spilled down his cheeks, mixing with the water of the shower.
Meanwhile, Eijiro tucked Kurumi snugly into bed, bringing the blanket up over her shoulders and beneath her chin. “Goodnight, pretty girl,” he whispered, placing a feather-light kiss to her forehead.
He moved to stand then, but the girl reached out, gripping two of his fingers in one of her tiny hands. “Mr. Eiji, will you tell me a bedtime story?”
“A story, huh?” Eijiro grinned, eyeing the girl fondly. “Alright, but just a quick one,” he murmured, taking a seat on the edge of the bed.
“This is a story about my favorite hero,” he said after a moment.
“You mean the guy in the picture?” the girl questioned, curious gaze leading his to one of the Crimson Riot posters he had taped to his wall.
Eijiro chuckled a little, eyes falling back to the girl. “You’ll see.” He put a hand on her arm, rubbing circles into her skin as she snuggled further into the blankets.
“Once upon a time, there was a young hero,” he said carefully, pacing his words for dramatic effect. “And he wanted to be the greatest in the world; but he thought that to be the best, you had to be brave and strong all the time—and that you could never ask anyone for help.”
He paused, eyeing the girl, and she blinked up at him through starry eyes as he spoke. “So he practiced and practiced, and worked super hard everyday, until he got into UA High: the most prestigious hero school in the country.”
“Mr. Eiji,” Kurumi cut him off. “What’s puh-stee-jus mean?”
Eijiro huffed out a little laugh. “Prestigious,” he repeated. “The best of the best.” He grinned down at the girl, collecting his thoughts as he continued the story. “So, he got into UA—but he quickly realized that there’s more to being a hero than just physical strength,” the man said carefully. “And then, he got kidnapped by villains.”
Kurumi let out a little gasp. On the other side of the door, Eijiro could hear Katsuki’s footsteps creaking slowly towards the room. He gave the girl’s shoulder a reassuring squeeze.
“The villains saw the young hero’s strength and skill, and they wanted him on their side; but he had friends at UA—friends who would do anything for him,” he whispered. “So late one night, after all the other students went to sleep, those friends snuck off campus and went to go rescue him. It wasn’t easy, and the hero had a lot of pride that he had to let go of. But when his best friend offered an outstretched hand, he took it. And they escaped together.”
Kurumi grinned through a yawn as Eijiro continued, speaking lowly. “He realized, then, that being a great hero is more than just winning fights and beating villains. It’s about showing up for people—about caring; giving it your all, no matter the cost. And that boy grew into the greatest hero that I’ve ever known.”
Kurumi was quiet for a long moment, blinking in thought. “Was that story about Mr. Katsi?” she asked quietly.
Eijiro grinned. “It sure was.”
“So you saved him? From villains?”
The man nodded. “I did,” he said softly. “But to be fair, he kinda saved me, too.”
There was another long stretch of silence; then, the girl spoke again. “Are you and Katsi in love?”
“Wha—” Eijiro sputtered, blinking rapidly as his brain caught up to what the girl had just asked. “Oh, n-no, it's not- it's not like that, we’re just— he's... my best friend.”
Kurumi frowned, eyebrows furrowing in thought. “But you talk about him the same way mama used to talk about daddy,” she murmured. “Before he left.”
Eijiro faltered. “I—”
“And he looks at you the same way.”
Another long pause. “He does, does he?” he questioned softly, and Kurumi just nodded a little. After a moment, Eijiro spoke again. “W-what, um— where’d your daddy go?”
The girl frowned. “Mama said he went on a busyness trip,” she said, and Eijiro nodded.
“A business trip,” he echoed, but Kurumi looked troubled. “But I think he left when I didn’t get my quirk,” she said lowly.
Eijiro faltered. “O-oh,” he muttered, frowning as he peered down at the girl, who stifled a yawn behind her hand. “I’m sorry to hear that,” he said at last. “But it sounds to me like it was his loss.”
The girl hummed, and Eijiro went to speak again, but was cut off by the door creaking open, a damp-haired Katsuki stepping into the room. “Alright,” he said softly, voice gruff with emotional exhaustion. He could see the way the man’s jaw was still clenched tight. “Enough gossiping,” he chided. “You got your story, now it's time for bed.”
Eijiro reddened, realizing just how much the other man must’ve heard. He shifted to stand as Katsuki made his way over, taking his previous spot on the bed. “If you need anything, my room is right next door, okay?” he murmured, tucking a strand of hair behind the girl’s ear. He paused before leaning down to place a careful kiss to her temple. “Goodnight, Little Light.” he murmured.
The girl blinked in shock as he pulled back. “H-how did you know mama used to call me that?” she whispered, and Katsuki froze.
“...I didn’t,” he admitted after a moment. “But I’m not surprised. It’s what your name means.” He reached to tuck the blanket under her chin once again, grinning softly at the girl. “Sweet dreams, Rumi. Sleep well.”
He stood then, walking past Eijiro and leading him out of the room. He looked back, gaze softening at the sight of the girl snuggling into the covers, eyes already falling shut, and the redhead shut the door gently behind them.
Katsuki let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding, gaze falling down to the floor. Eijiro placed a gentle hand on his shoulder, attempting to meet his eyes, but Katsuki pulled away, stepping forward. He made his way down the hall to the living room, silently brooding as he sank down onto the couch.
Eijiro, with the patience of a saint, took a careful seat opposite Katsuki, simply watching him with a quiet determination as he waited.
And shit, Katsuki promised himself he wouldn't cry—not in front of Eijiro—but as he sat there, the day's events still playing on loop behind his eyes, tears immediately flooded the man’s vision. He stared down at his hands, which sat firmly in his lap; he went to speak, but the words caught in his throat, only a shaky sob managing to escape. Without another word between them, Eijiro scooted forward, pulling Katsuki into his arms.
The reaction was immediate, Katsuki melting into his best friend's hold, eyes squeezing shut as he sobbed into his chest. The floodgates had opened and he couldn’t stop now.
“Hey, hey, it’s okay,” Eijiro whispered, ever the comfort in Katsuki’s perpetually uncomfortable life. He stroked his hair softly, breathing slow—deep and grounding as he continued murmuring words of comfort. “You’re okay. I’ve got you.”
Katsuki choked on a sob. “Eiji, I— f-fuck, it’s all my fault.”
“Katsuki, no.” Eijiro frowned, but the other man cut him off.
“I— I fucking announced myself,” he hissed. “Outside the store, th-there was a crowd of people; they were in my way, and I- I had to blast through ‘em.” Katsuki paused, breath catching in his throat. “I got pissed off, a-and I was reckless. He fucking shot her before I even made it inside,” he sobbed. “I wasn’t fast enough. I couldn’t— I couldn’t save her, Ei, I fucking failed her. I failed her, and I failed Kurumi, too.”
Eijiro sighed, tightening his hold on the man. “Oh, Kats,” he murmured gently in his ear. “Listen to me, okay? You didn’t do anything wrong.”
“I did, I—”
“No,” Eijiro cut him off yet again. “Katsuki, a terrible person did a terrible thing, and it ended in a terrible result. But that result could’ve happened even if you had done everything perfectly.” Katsuki shook his head, but Eijiro kept going. “Or maybe it wouldn’t—we don’t know. But what I do know is that you tried your absolute best, the way you always do.” He spoke reverently, willing the man to understand. “And when the worst case scenario happened, you swallowed your own emotions and stepped up for a little girl who needed someone. That’s the kind of person you are. You’re a hero, Katsuki.”
“I— shit,” Katsuki hissed; tears pooled in his eyes, spilling down his cheeks. “I didn’t- I didn’t even think about it, I just— fuck, Ei, I should’ve talked to you first.” He shook his head. “I- I know you didn’t sign up for this, I just— I understand if- if it's just too much, i-if you—”
“Woah woah, slow down,” Eijiro blinked, staring at him with wild eyes. “What are you talking about?”
Katsuki squeezed his eyes shut, fresh tears leaking out as he shook his head yet again. “Sh-she needs me, Ei. Her mom begged me with her dying breath to take care of Kurumi, and that’s what I’m gonna do,” he said lowly. “B-but I would never ask you to give up your life like that. I- I mean, we’re basically kids ourselves, h-how are we gonna—”
“Katsuki,” Eijiro clipped, freezing the man in his tracks. “Katsuki, stop. I'm not going anywhere.”
“But—”
Eijiro shook his head, reaching out to take both of Katsuki’s hands in his. “I chose to walk through this life with you,” he said reverently. “Knowing the kind of person you are: someone who would take in a little girl with nowhere to go, just because her mom asked. A hero.” He paused, allowing the words to sink in as he studied the man. “Besides,” he said after a beat. “I’m already kind of obsessed with her.”
Katsuki huffed out a shaky laugh, wiping the tears that decorated his cheeks. “Ei, be serious,” he muttered, but his tone was already a hundred times lighter than before.
“I am,” Eijiro assured. “I mean, come on—she has my same favorite animal, your favorite food… Kats, it’s like she was meant to be ours.”
“S-so, what,” the man breathed out. “We’re just gonna have a fucking kid together?” He paused, swallowing thickly. “I- I mean, we’re not even—”
He trailed off, and Eijiro blinked, expression softening slightly. “...Not even what?” he asked after a moment. Katsuki opened his mouth, then closed it; all words suddenly seemed to fail him. Eijiro lowered his voice as he continued.
“Kats, I know you heard what she said in there,” he murmured, and Katsuki’s breath caught in his throat. “A-after the story. I just— I mean, I never brought it up, b-because I didn’t wanna ruin what we already had, but— but I don’t know, do you ever feel like… like we could be something more?”
Katsuki froze, then gasped. “F-fucking—” he huffed, body shaking with a sob as he exhaled all at once. “Shit—obviously, Eijiro. Oh my God,” he rasped, flinging himself forward and into the other man’s hold. Eijiro let out a shaky laugh, strong arms coming to wrap tightly around him as he sobbed. “I- I never thought— I mean, I kinda thought, b-but I—” He faltered. “I never wanted to— I- I didn’t wanna mess anything up. I didn’t—”
“I know,” Eijiro murmured lowly in his ear. “I know, I get it.” He let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding. “Fuck, Katsuki, I love you. I love you so much.”
“I— I love you, too, idiot,” Katsuki huffed, voice wet with tears as he leaned forward, letting their lips connect with a kind of gentle urgency, as if they’d done it a thousand times over. And maybe they had, in some other life; because it felt like coming home as their lips slotted together, pulling each other impossibly closer. Because there was no world in which Katsuki did not belong fully to Eijiro, and Eijiro to Katsuki.
Katsuki pulled away after a moment, breathless as he let his forehead come to rest against Eijiro’s. He spoke through a laugh. “I guess you don’t need to give up your workout room after all, huh?”
“Nah,” Eijiro chuckled. “I love spending the nights together, but I still like having my own space,” he said softly, reaching out to caress Katsuki’s cheek with his thumb. “I really don’t mind giving up the home gym for now.”
Katsuki hummed, leaning into the man’s touch, and Eijiro silently likened him to a cat. “It could be time to consider upsizing, then,” the blond murmured, glancing up through hooded eyes. “Maybe start looking at houses.”
Eijiro grinned, leaning down to kiss him again.
“Mr Katsi?” a small voice suddenly startled them apart, and Eijiro turned, both men looking up to meet Kurumi’s big eyes.
Katsuki cleared his throat. “Uh, h-hey kid.”
The girl blinked up at them, tilting her head curiously. “I thought you said you were just friends.”
“We’re uh,” Eijiro cleared his throat, chuckling awkwardly. “We’re just... figuring some things out right now,” he murmured, scratching at the back of his neck. “What are you doing up, anyway?”
“I had a bad dream,” she said with a pout.
Katsuki frowned. “Oh, I'm sorry to hear that.” He shifted to stand, letting his hand come to rest on the back of Eijiro’s head, running his fingers idly through his hair. Eijiro’s eyes slipped shut, and Katsuki took a moment to admire the man, a soft grin making its way to his face before letting his gaze flit back to Kurumi. “Here, I'll come tuck you back in,” he murmured as he stepped forward, scooping the girl into his arms and carrying her out of the room.
Meanwhile, as Katsuki led the girl back to bed, Eijiro rubbed his hands over his face, processing the events of the last 30 minutes. He was pulled from his thoughts by the feeling of his phone buzzing in his pocket, and he fished it out distractedly.
9:07 [Denks] Yo, you get home alright, man?
9:08 [Denks] LMK what you think of your surprise ;)
Eijiro grinned softly, typing up a simple reply.
9:09 [Eijiro] I’m in love
9:09 [Denks] LOL
9:10 [Denks] With Blasty or the kid?
9:12 [Eijiro] Yes
9:12 [Denks] Daaamn okay, get it
He laughed shakily as he watched the typing bubble appear, then disappear, then reappear again.
9:15 [Denks] Does this mean y’all finally got your shit together?
9:16 [Denks] Bc I owe Mina 5000 yen if you guys got it together……
9:17 [Eijiro] LOL shit = together
9:18 [Denks] Damn lol well I’m happy for you
9:20 [Denks] But do you maybe wanna hold off on telling Mina for like,
2 more years..?
9:21 [Eijiro] BRB Calling Mina now :)
9:21 [Denks] NOOOOOOO
***
And later that night, after Eijiro drifted off to sleep, Katsuki snuck into the living room, dialing Izuku’s number.
“Kacchan?” the man answered after the second ring. “It’s almost midnight—is everything alright?”
“Yeah, sorry,” Katsuki grumbled sheepishly. He should’ve known the damn nerd would immediately jump to worry. “Long day.”
He could practically see Izuku nodding along. “Ah, yeah, I saw the news. How are you holding up?”
“Fine, I’m fine,” he rushed out. “I was just, uh—” He paused, taking a breath. “Well, what do you say you and Icy Hot come over for dinner tomorrow?”
“Oh!” A pause. “Uh, yeah. Yeah, we can do that,” Izuku said thoughtfully. “What’s the occasion?”
“Nothing really,” Katsuki muttered, stepping around the corner slightly; he peered through the bedroom door, which he’d left slightly ajar, to see Kurumi snuggled up soundly in bed. He smiled softly to himself. “Just… someone I want you to meet.”