Archive of Our Own

"What the fuck is that?"

Your head snapped up, following the direction of his voice.

Shit.

Before you could reach for the teddy tucked half beneath your duvet, Bakugo had already beaten you to it, plucking it from the bed and holding it just out of your reach.

"Be careful," you blurted, panic slipping into your voice.

His crimson eyes flicked to yours, and his hands immediately lowered, his hold on the bear becoming noticeably more delicate. He looked down at the teddy, turning it over gently in his hands.

"This thing looks like it crawled out of a house fire."

You folded your arms, feigning offence.

"Excuse you. That is Mr. Buttons."

Bakugo squinted at the bear.

"Mr. Buttons lost every damn button thirty years ago."

A laugh escaped you despite yourself, and you turned back to the mirror to finish brushing your hair.

You and Bakugo hadn't been together all that long. Usually, you stayed at his apartment. It simply made more sense. His place was bigger, his bed was far more comfortable, and his fridge was always fully stocked.

You loved your own apartment, but it was small. Cosy, if you were being generous. It wasn't exactly designed to accommodate the broad-shouldered pro hero you happened to be dating. The sofa had come from an online marketplace years ago, and you'd done your best to disguise the overwhelming beige of the place with colourful blankets, soft cushions, and little trinkets that made it feel like home.

Bakugo never missed an opportunity to poke fun at them. Even if the blanket he claimed looked ridiculous was invariably the one he wrapped around himself whenever the two of you watched a film at your place.

Still, he'd never actually stayed the night here. Not until tonight. It had been his idea, insisting that it was about time he saw what your place was like after dark.

The only problem was that you'd completely forgotten about Mr. Buttons. He'd been lying innocently on your bed when the two of you had wandered into your bedroom, ready to call it a night.

You glanced over your shoulder as Bakugo settled onto the edge of the mattress, dressed in nothing more than a black tank top and lounge trousers, the teddy resting in his lap.

Mr. Buttons had undoubtedly seen better days. His once-soft fur had been loved completely flat. One ear hung on by only a few stubborn threads, and he'd lost an eye somewhere along the way. Years of tight hugs and countless repairs had left him with barely enough stuffing to hold his shape anymore. He slumped in Bakugo's hands, soft and worn and weak.

"This thing's one bad sneeze away from disintegrating,” he said, his lip twitching upwards.

You finished brushing your hair and sat down beside him.

"He's just a bit delicate in his old age," you said with a shrug. Holding out your hands, you smiled. "Here, let me move him out of the way so you can get into bed."

Bakugo ignored your outstretched hands. Instead, his thumb brushed absentmindedly over Mr. Buttons' one good ear with a gentleness that caught you completely off guard. His expression softened, the teasing giving way to quiet curiosity.

"...You've had him a long time, huh?"

You smiled, looking down at the battered teddy.

"For as long as I can remember," you replied, giving a small nod.

Gently, Bakugo handed the bear back. Almost instinctively, you cradled Mr. Buttons against your chest, lowering your chin to rest on top of his worn head.

"Whenever I was scared or upset, he was always the one I went to," you said quietly. "I know he's just a teddy... but he always made everything feel okay."

Your eyes glistened, and an uncomfortable lump formed in your throat that you struggled to swallow.

“Have you ever had a childhood teddy?” you asked.

Bakugo shook his head.

“Nah. I was more into action figures,” he said, a quiet laugh escaping him.

"Of All Might?" you teased, nudging his shoulder.

He frowned, but the tips of his ears tinged pink.

“… Yeah. Of All Might.” His eyes drifted away. "I think I had a teddy when I was a baby, but I haven't seen it since. Guess the old hag kept it."

"Probably a wise move," you replied with a smile.

Chuckling softly, you stood to put Mr. Buttons safely back on the pillow. Before you could, Bakugo caught your wrist. You looked back at him. He gave your hand a small tug, silently asking you to sit beside him again.

"You don't have to move him because of me,” he said.

"It's okay." You shrugged. "It's silly. I'm a grown adult."

"It's not." The answer came so quickly it caught you off guard. “He means a lot to you.”

You looked down at Mr. Buttons, your thumb brushing over his threadbare ear.

“Yeah.” A fond smile touched your lips. “He kept the monsters away. Or at least I thought he did.”

Bakugo reached up, his thumb brushing gently across your cheek.

"Guess he did his job."

You leaned into his touch, smiling.

For a moment, neither of you spoke. Bakugo looked over at the battered old bear resting safely in your arms. Then he reached over and gently took one of Mr. Buttons’ tiny paws in his hand.

"He's kept you safe all these years," he murmured. His crimson eyes lifted to meet yours. "Now it's my turn."

Then, as though speaking directly to the teddy, he gave the tiny paw a gentle squeeze.

"You can let me take over from here,” he said. “I’ll protect you both.”

Your breath caught. Before you could stop them, tears spilled down your cheeks. Bakugo froze. His eyes widened.

“… Oi,” he snapped, colour rushing across his face. “Don’t—”

He clicked his tongue, suddenly looking everywhere except at you before giving your shoulder an awkward little shove.

"Quit cryin'."

You only laughed harder through your tears.

Muttering something under his breath that you couldn't quite catch, Bakugo climbed into bed first, clearly hoping the mattress might swallow him whole. Still smiling, you slipped in beside him, placing Mr. Buttons safely between the two of you. Bakugo immediately rolled onto his side to face you, one arm slipping around your waist beneath the blankets.

After a moment's silence, he glanced at the bear.

"...Still ugly as hell, though."

____________________________________________________________________

“… a bear?”

Bakugo folded his arms and scowled at his mother’s question like she had just spoke a different language.

“What’s the problem?” he asked.

A smirk tugged at Mitsuki's lips as she leaned back in her chair. Her gaze dropped to the sorry-looking teddy slumped on her desk, his head lolling sadly to one side.

"Nothing," she said. "It's just you've never cared about soft toys before. Can't say I expected you to start as a grown-ass man."

"It's not for me, dumbass," Bakugo shot back. "It's for them."

Something in Mitsuki's expression softened. She reached across the desk and carefully picked up the bear, cradling him in surprisingly gentle hands.

"I work in fashion, Katsuki," she said. "Not teddy bear restoration."

“I know that.” He clicked his tongue. "I don't want you to restore him. Just fix his ear, put some stuffing back in so he stops looking like he's about to blow away... Maybe brush his fur a bit.” His eyes flicked to the bear.  “Can you do that?”

Mitsuki turned the teddy over, studying the old stitching and worn fabric with a practiced eye. She hummed thoughtfully.

"Don't insult me, kid." A grin spread across her face. "Course I can."

Then her eyes lifted to meet his. "...You said him."

Bakugo felt warmth creep into his face. "So?"

“It’s cute,” she laughed. “Does he have a name?”

Bakugo’s hand wandered up to scratch the back of his neck.

“...It's Mr. Buttons."

Mitsuki's smile widened. Setting the bear carefully back onto the desk, she took one tiny paw between her fingers and gave it a gentle shake.

"Well, it's lovely to meet you, Mr. Buttons."

Bakugo rolled his eyes. He'd always known his father was a sentimental idiot, but he hadn't realised his mother was just as bad.

He turned on his heel and headed for the office door. "So how long?"

Mitsuki reached for her diary, flicking through a few pages.

"I can have him ready by Friday." She looked up. "That work for you?"

Bakugo opened the door.

"...Yeah,” he nodded, a small smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. “Thanks.”

He stepped into the hallway. Then stopped.

“…Mom?”

Mitsuki glanced up.

"Yeah, Katsuki?"

He hesitated.

"...Did I have a toy when I was a kid?"

Her expression softened almost instantly.

"Yeah." Her eyes drifted to Mr. Buttons sitting patiently on her desk before returning to her son. "You loved that thing. It was the only toy you never managed to break.”

Bakugo's hand loosened on the doorknob and the door swung shut with a quiet click. Slowly, he stepped back into the office.

"...I did?"

Mitsuki looked at him. Her eyes shimmered ever so slightly.

"Yeah," she said softly. "Your dad made it."

A fond smile crossed her face.

"It was half the reason we were late getting to the hospital when my waters broke. He couldn't remember where he'd put it and refused to leave until he'd found it. Said he wanted to make sure it was there to protect you when you arrived into the world."

Something tightened painfully in Bakugo's chest.

"Course," Mitsuki added with a snort, "I nearly killed your father for making me wait."

Despite himself, Bakugo huffed out a laugh.

"...What was it?"

"A little yellow rabbit called—"

"Bun-Bun."

The word left his mouth before he even realised he’d spoken. Fragments of memory surfaced all at one: a long yellow rabbit with tiny stitched whiskers and a little orange bowtie under his chin.

"That's right,” Mitsuki smiled. "Though, it's more brown than yellow now, mind you. You took it absolutely everywhere. Poor thing didn't stand a chance."

Bakugo stared.

“He still exists?”

"'Course it does." Her smile turned wistful. "When you started kindergarten and you and Izuku became obsessed with All Might, poor Bun-Bun got left behind." She reached over and absentmindedly straightened one of Mr. Buttons' ears. "So I kept him safe."

Safe. Bakugo felt like that word was haunting him. He'd spent years throwing himself into danger without hesitation. Built an entire career around protecting people. Yet hearing his mother talk about a worn-out stuffed rabbit that had once made her little boy feel safe. And how a battered old teddy had done the same for the person he loved... His throat tightened. He scrubbed a hand quickly across his eyes.

“…Where is Bun-Bun?” he asked.

“Back home,” Mitsuki replied, nodding towards the window. "Your dad's got him sitting on a shelf in his office. Neither of us ever had the heart to pack him away.”

She looked back at Bakugo.

“You can have him back, if you want.”

Bakugo was quiet for a moment before shaking his head.

"...Nah." A small smile settled on his face. "It's okay. Thanks for looking after him.”

“Always,” she replied. Then a glint appeared in her eye. “...Though maybe you'll need him again someday."

Bakugo frowned. “The hell for?”

Mitsuki shrugged. “Anything.” Then her smile turned warmer. “But maybe you’re certain about this person. And then you’ll want Bun-Bun to protect your kids, alongside Mr. Buttons of course.” She said, touching the bear’s paw.

Bakugo’s chest tightened. His eyes stung again, but this time he smiled.

“… Yeah,” he murmured. “Maybe.”

____________________________________________________________________

Bakugo was sitting on your sofa when you unlocked the front door and stepped into your apartment.

His hair was still damp. He'd clearly come straight from patrol. Your heart lurched. Something was wrong. Bakugo sat unnaturally still, his shoulders rigid, fingers laced tightly together between his knees. His jaw flexed once before he forced it still again.

"Katsuki," you breathed, slipping off your shoes and dropping your bag onto the kitchen counter. "Is everything—"

You stopped. A white box sat neatly in the middle of the coffee table, tied with a deep red ribbon. You frowned.

"...What's this?"

Bakugo glanced at it. “A present. The hell d’you think?”

Your eyebrows lifted. "For me?"

"Who else, dumbass?" The words came easily enough, but his voice was small, almost unsure.

You shrugged off your jacket before kneeling beside the coffee table. Your fingers worked carefully at the ribbon, but before lifting the lid, you looked back at him. He still wouldn't meet your eyes. Instead, he stared at the box as though looking anywhere else might make him lose his nerve. Your stomach twisted. Slowly, you lifted the lid. Beneath it lay a sheet of crisp white tissue paper. You peeled it back.

The breath caught in your throat.

It was Mr. Buttons. Except… he didn’t look so tired anymore. With trembling hands, you lifted him from the box.

The moment you held him, you felt the difference. He’d put on weight. He was plump, filled with fresh stuffing that let him hold his shape proudly. His ear had been stitched back on with such neat, careful work that you almost couldn't tell it had ever come loose. His fur had been washed and brushed until it looked soft again, and though he still only had one eye, it gleamed brightly against his worn little face. Around his neck sat a tiny navy bow tie.

"Katsuki..." you whispered.

"...Do you like him?" he asked quietly.

You looked over at him. He looked terrified.

"Of course I do,” you wept, tears pouring down your face.

Pressing Mr. Buttons to your chest, you cuddled him tightly. He smelled faintly of caramel.

"Why would you think I wouldn't?" you asked.

He breathed a sigh of relief and the tension melted out of him.

"I just..." He rubbed the back of his neck. "I didn't want you to think I was changing him." His eyes drifted towards the bear. “… He didn’t need changing. I just wanted to make sure he’d last a few more years to keep doing his job.”

Sobs wracked through you as you clung to the bear. The sofa squeaked behind you, followed by the quiet thud of Bakugo dropping to the floor. A moment later, strong arms slipped around you from behind, pulling you back against his chest. You clung to him just as tightly.

“Don’t cry, idiot,” Bakugo said softly, pressing his lips against the top of your head. “I didn’t want to make you cry.”

"They're happy tears," you laughed through another sob. "I promise."

“Don’t get snot of me,” he chuckled. Despite the complaint, his arms only tightened. “…There’s something else in the box.”

You looked up at him, confused. He carefully took Mr. Buttons from your arms and nodded towards the box. You reached inside and was met by another layer of tissue paper. Something soft rested beneath it. You pulled it free.

It was a floppy yellow rabbit.

Though age had faded the bright yellow to a warm honey brown, he'd been cleaned just as lovingly as Mr. Buttons. His fur was soft once more, and he carried that same faint scent of caramel. You turned him over in your hands.

"...Who's this?"

Bakugo's ears immediately flushed pink. "...This is Bun-Bun."

A smile spread across your face.

“Bun-Bun?!” you exclaimed excitedly.

You laughed, settling back between his legs. Instinctively, his arms slipped around your waist. You lifted the rabbit's tiny paw.

“It’s lovely to meet you, Bun-Bun,” you said, wiping your eyes with your other hand. “He’s precious, Katsuki.”

“The old hag fixed them both up,” he said, placing Mr. Buttons on the coffee table.

He now sat up proudly, no longer slumping to one side. You placed Bun-Bun beside him. The two worn toys looked as though they'd known each other forever. Bakugo's hand absently stroked your waist. You twisted slightly in his lap to look at him.

"...Thank you."

He smiled. “’Course.”

You leaned up and kissed him. He kissed you back, slow at first before deepening it, one hand coming up to cradle your cheek. When you finally pulled away, he chased after you, stealing a few more kisses until you were breathless. By the time he finally let you go, you were both smiling.

Your gaze drifted to the coffee table, to the two toys.

“Looks like they've got each other now,” you smiled.

“Yeah,” Bakugo hummed softly against your hair. “Just like us.”