given the current climate this pride especially i feel i must mention that i love my trans friends, i stand with trans people in the fight against transphobic legislation and those who would enforce it, and this blog is not a good place for you to be if you do not vibe with that
κ° synopsis κ± βΆ katsuki always wondered what the hell his father saw in his old hag of a mother. it takes twenty years, a nasty fight with you, a near-death experience, and a trip to the hospital before he finally gets it
ββ βΆ word count: 5.8k words ; my drabbles always do this bro
ββ βΆ before you read: female reader ; pro hero bakugou ; established relationship ; arguing ; (temporary) relationship troubles ; injuries + villain attacks + hospitals (bakugou) ; tame angst with a happy ending! ; communication + resolving arguments ; bakugouβs father makes an appearance ; fluff and banter at the end ; masterlist.
κ° commentary κ± βΆ at the end of the day i will never not be a sucker for the trope where u argue just before a major life threatening incident occurs
Itβs 9:32 PM when Katsuki begrudgingly leaves his patrol area and finally calls it quits for the night.
Patrol was supposed to end an hour and thirty-two minutes ago, but heβs been dragging his feet ever since. Taking the long route. Responding to calls that technically arenβt under his jurisdiction. Circling blocks heβs already cleared twice. Anything to kill time. Itβs only when Kirishima actively tells him to get the fuck out and stop interfering with his villain count for the night that Katsuki finally accepts defeat and ends his workday.
Ending his workday means going home. And if he goes home, youβll be there. And if youβre there, heβll be reminded of your nasty argument from the other night. And if he thinks about that argument, heβll have to face the fact that the two of you are still stubbornly refusing to speak to one another until the other apologizes first. Itβs a ridiculous standoffβan unnecessary one, and he knows it. But neither of you seems particularly interested in ending it, and now his own apartment has somehow become the last place he wants to be. Every room feels charged with an uncomfortable tension. The living room is awkward. The kitchen is unbearable. Even lying down beside you at night feels weird, so Katsuki would rather avoid the whole thing if he can help it.
If he gets home late enough, youβll already be asleep. Then he can shower, crawl into bed, and pretend the situation doesnβt exist for a few more hours. It seemed like a solid plan in his mind, but unfortunately, thanks to fucking Shitty-Hair, he has no choice but to head home and hang up his costume.Β
And judging by the lights still glowing through the windows of his apartment, his luck has officially run out. Youβre still awake. Of course.
He trudges in, and there you areβsitting stiffly on the couch in the living room, staring directly at him with your arms crossed and an infuriated glare on your face as you fix him with narrowed eyes. Great.
βDo you have any fucking clue what time it is?β you hiss without missing a beat.
Katsuki shouldβve known youβd start nagging the second he walked through the door. Hell, he shouldβve turned around and just left the moment he saw the lights on instead of coming in.
βSβnot even ten,β he grumbles, kicking his boots off. βWould you fuckinβ drop itββ
βYou were supposed to be home almost two hours ago!β Your voice rings through the apartment, sharp and incredulous, and Katsuki is so tired. So exhausted. Too exhausted to deal with this nonsense right now, of all times.
βYeah, well. Now Iβm home. There you go.β
The dismissal only seems to make you angrier. Katsuki practically watches the steam start pouring from your ears as you shoot to your feet, hands planting firmly on your hips. And he just knows your voice is about to get louder.
βThatβs it?β you practically screech. He fucking knew it. βYouβre out on patrol for an extra two hours, and I hear nothing from youβnot even a text saying, Iβll be home late. Iβve been sitting here like an idiot, wondering what the fuck happened, or if youβre okay, and all you can say is now youβre home? Do you just get off on being an asshole or something, Katsuki?β
His shoulders tense immediately as he fixes you with an equally hard glare. There goes his wish for a peaceful, conflict-avoidant night. Of course, as always, you have to drag the conflict right to him and drop it at his feet, spike his temper, and make it ruin his evening. A simple shower and a good nightβs sleep was all he wanted. But things are never quite that easyβnot with you.
Katsuki feels a dull throb start behind his eyes as he shoots back, βWhat, was your phone broken or some shit? What exactly held you at gunpoint and stopped you from sendinβ me a text and asking, huh?β
Your jaw drops. βAre you serious?β
βIβm not laughinβ, am I? Definitely no jokes here.β
βOh, fuck you,β you scowl, and he snorts. Thereβs no humor behind the sound, however.
βYeah, thatβs real mature.β
βOh noβyou donβt get to tell me about whatβs mature and what isnβt. Cause if you wanna talk about whatβs mature, itβs not disappearing for two hours and acting like Iβm insane for being worried!β
βI wasnβt disappearing, I was fuckinβ doing my job.β
βYou were supposed to be done with that job hours ago!β
βWell, I wasnβt!β
βYou have a smart little answer for everything, donβt you, Katsuki?β you smile sarcastically, βjust think youβre so smart and above it all, huh?β
Katsuki doesnβt know if itβs the headache thatβs been creeping on him, or the rage, or the pure adrenaline in his system, but he does know that for a short, fleeting second, all he saw was red.Β
βHoly fuck, do you ever listen to yourself?β
Your expression hardens instantly. βNo, I think you should listen to yourself. You might hear an idiot if you do.β
The apartment goes quiet. Dangerously quiet.Β
βYou know what?β he says coldly, βforget this. Iβm goinβ the fuck to sleepβIβve dealt with enough bullshit tonightββ
You throw your hands in the air, exasperated. There is a flash of hurt on your face that makes his chest ache, but the sharp stab of pain doesnβt last for long because as quickly as his heart bleeds, his mind makes him forget. It only lets him focus on the anger and the irritation and the way youβve ruined his night, just like you ruined the one before.Β
βEvery single time I tell you something bothers me, you act like itβs a personal attack, and then you just dismiss me like I donβt matterββ
βMaybe I wouldnβt dismiss shit if every conversation with you didnβt turn into a fuckinβ laundry list of grievances you got with me!β
βYou only take everything I say as a complaint because you refuse to communicate!β
βBecause not everything needs to be a damn discussion like weβre in therapy!β
βRight,β you laugh bitterly. βSilly me. God forbid I expect basic consideration from you.β
Something ugly flashes across his face. He knows it. Katsuki knows that when heβs mad, he turns uglyβheβs always been that way. Itβs the only way he knows how to be. For the longest time, he thought you were the only person he could hide it from. That you were the only person he could fight the urge to get ugly from because you are just that special.Β
But Katsuki is who he is, and heβs learned that heβs a special kind of ugly just for you.
βBasic consideration?β he barks. βYouβre sayinβ Iβm not considerate?β
βNo, sometimes you fucking arenβt andββ
βOh, thatβs fuckinβ rich! I break my back every day keeping this city safeββ
βWell, if the city is the only thing you can be considerate for, why the fuck are you even here?β
Itβs silent as soon as the words leave your mouth. Katsuki goes completely still. He can feel it the second it happensβthe way his expression shuts down. The way the anger drains out of his face and leaves behind something colder. Something worse. Something so ugly, he has to get out of here before you see it and realize he isnβt worth it. Isnβt worth you.Β
βYeah,β His voice is flat. βWhy am I here, right? You know, you can just tell me to leave next time, itβd be a lot fuckinβ easier for you.β
βKatsukiββ
βNo.β He grabs the strap of his duffel bag that carries his guantlets from where heβd dropped it by the door, throwing it over his shoulder as he bends down to lace his boots up again.
βKatsuki, thatβs not what I meant.β
βSure.β
βI was angryββ
βClearly, youβre always fuckinβ angry at me. Iβm always doinβ something the fuck wrong, arenβt I? Nothinβ I do is enough?β
Stop, stop, stop. His mind is screaming, begging him not to do this. To get out. To leave and fight that hideous part of him down until heβs far enough that you never, ever have to see it.
βKatsuki, donβt do this right nowββ
βDo what?β His voice rises more than it should. Stopβstop now. But he canβt. The ugliest of him is already taking surface and showing his truest of colors. βWhat exactly am I supposed to say here, huh?β You flinch. He needs to fucking stop, but he doesnβt. βBecause apparently, when I stay late to save people, Iβm an asshole. When Iβm home, Iβm an asshole. I breathe, Iβm an asshole. I exist, Iβm an asshole.β
βThatβs notββ
βSo whatβs the answer?β His laugh is bitter and so, so cold that he doesnβt recognize this version of himself. Not with you. He wants to stop desperately, but he canβt. Because Katsuki is an ugly, hideous, despicable person deep down. No amount of heroism on the surface can hide that part of him thatβs on the inside, not from you. βSince youβve got everything figured out, you tell me what the fuck Iβm supposed to do.β
βKatsuki, letβs just sit down andββ
He shakes his head. For a second, he wants it to hurt. He wants it to hurt for you. Stop, stop, stopβ βYβknow what? Iβm done.β
His hand closes around the doorknob, and your voice comes out shaky and panicked as you whisper, βKatsuki, please just sit down andββ
βIβm not fuckinβ doinβ this shit anymore.β
Then he yanks the door open and walks right back out, slamming it hard enough behind him to rattle the picture frames on the wall.
Katsuki is six when he first asks his father what the fuck the old man even sees in the hag that is his mother. He remembers the conversation vividly.Β
βDad, why did you marry Mom? Sheβs grumpy and old, and she yells all the time,β little Katsuki asks, crossing his tiny arms over his chest. βWhy dβyou even like her?β
Masaru nearly chokes on his tea. βKatsuki,β he coughs. βYour mother isnβt old. You shouldnβt say thatβitβs rude.β
βBut she is,β he huffs. βShe smells like an old lady, too.β
βWell, if sheβs old, then Iβm even older,β Masaru points out, taking another sip. βSo that canβt be a very good reason not to like her.β
βWell, sheβs mean.β
βSheβs not mean,β his father chuckles, thoroughly amused.Β
No matter how many times he sees it, Katsuki doesnβt understand itβthe way his father gets that dumb, starry-eyed look whenever Mitsuki comes up. Sheβs always in a bad mood, and if she isnβt, sheβs probably due for one within the next thirty minutes. Why his father would choose to marry such a sour lady is completely beyond his six-year-old comprehension.
βShe yelled at me this morning,β he sulks.
βYou tried to use your explosions inside the house,β Masaru reminds him, leveling him with a pointed look. βWe talked about that. Rules are rules for a reason, young man.β
Katsuki pouts harder. His father is supposed to take his side.
βBut she still yelled. And it was mean,β he argues back stubbornly. Masaru only smiles into his tea, shaking his head with fond amusement. For a moment, neither of them speaks. Then Katsuki presses again, βSo what do you even like about her?β
The question seems to catch Masaru off guard. He pauses, thinking. βWell,β he says slowly, βsheβs funny.β
Katsuki blinks. His father cannot possibly be serious. βMom?β
βYes.β
βSheβs funny?β
βVery.β
βNo, she isnβt,β Katsuki says immediately, deeply offended by the blatant lie.
Masaru laughs, βShe is.β Katsuki stares at him like heβs completely lost his mind. Masaru only smiles wider. βSheβs honest, too. You always know what sheβs thinking.β
βThatβs because she says whatever she thinks.β
βExactly.β
βAnd she says it loud.β
βThatβs true.β
βShe says it really loud, Dad.β
Masaru nods solemnly, sighing. βAlso very true, son.β
βShe should shut up,β Katsuki huffs. His father fixes him with a stern look at that, and he shrinks back just a little.Β
βWe do not say that about our mother, Katsuki.β
Katsuki rolls his eyes but slumps deeper into his chair all the same. βFine.β
βYour mother is wonderful,β his father says. βShe works hard. She cares about people. She loves our familyβshe loves us. One day, youβll see that. And when you do, I think youβll appreciate her a lot more.β
Katsuki picks at the food on his plate, turning the words over in his head.Β
His mother does love himβhe knows that much, even if she is annoying. She remembers all the snacks he likes and somehow always comes home with them without him ever having to ask. Whenever he asks for money, she gives him more than he requestedβeven if it usually costs him an irritatingly painful pinch to the cheek. She wakes up early to bathe him despite complaining about losing sleep because he prefers morning baths to evening ones.
His mother loves him; he knows that to be true. But itβs only true because she is his mother, and he is her son. Mothers love their sonsβitβs the rules. Why his father would willingly choose to love that woman remains completely incomprehensible, however, in his mind.
βMom is super annoying,β he says bluntly.
Masaruβs smile softens. βI suppose sometimes she can be, yes.β
βSee?β Katsuki perks up immediately, his entire face screaming, gotcha!
βBut,β Masaru continues, βIβm sure I annoy her, too.β
Katsuki deflates on the spot.Β
More than that, he simply cannot imagine such a thing being possible. His father is calm and nice and makes good food. Katsuki thinks lots of women would like his fatherβwomen who also would not find Masaru annoying. The only person allowed to find Masaru annoying is Katsuki himself, and thatβs because his father makes rules that Katsuki has to follow. He thinks heβs earned that right.
His mother, however, has no such excuse.
βShe gets annoyed with you?β he asks incredulously.
βOf course. Every day, Iβm sure thereβs something I do that annoys her at least a little.β
βThen why does she like you?β
Masaru thinks for a moment, carefully choosing his words, trying to explain this odd phenomenon that is love. βBecause loving someone isnβt about finding a person who never annoys you,β he says finally. βItβs about finding someone who still sees your value even when youβre annoying. Someone who chooses you anyway. Does that make sense?β
His nose wrinkles immediately. βNo.β His father stifles a chuckle when Katsuki adds, βThat sounds dumb.β
βMaybe,β Masaru hums, eyeing him with bright, endeared eyes.
βIβm not gonna marry someone annoying when Iβm all big. Because Iβm smart!β
That earns him a full laugh from his father. Itβs the kind of laugh that makes Masaru lean forward and wipe at the corner of his eye. In fact, he laughs so hard he nearly spills his tea. βYou say that now,β his father says, setting his mug down, βbut thatβll change. Youβll understand when youβre older.β
βNo, I wonβt,β Katsuki grumbles. He doesnβt appreciate that heβs not being taken seriously.
βI think you will, son.β
βI definitely wonβt.β
Masaru only smiles. He looks at Katsuki the way adults always do when they think heβs young and silly and doesnβt know what heβs talking about. And Katsuki hates that look. Heβs smartβexcellent, even. Just the other day, he caught his teacherβs mistake during subtraction when nobody else in his class noticed. At this rate, heβs well on his way to being smarter than most adults.
He absolutely knows what heβs talking about.
βWell, weβll just have to see, Katsuki. If Iβm right, youβll take me out for ramen someday. Deal?β
βFine,β Katsuki huffs, puffing out his chest confidently. βBut youβll never see that ramen.β
Twenty years later, Katsuki sometimes wonders if heβs going to have to admit he was wrong and take the old man out for ramen after all.
You are, without question, the most annoying, irritating, vein-popping individual he has ever met. Itβs like every decision you make is carefully calculated to inconvenience him specifically.
He has to keep an extra jacket in his car because you never check the weather before leaving the house. He has to double-check your grocery lists before you go shopping because if he doesnβt, youβll somehow forget the one thing you actually need. He has to make sure you take your vitamins. Every night, he has to remind you to take your makeup off before bed because, apparently, that responsibility has become his problemβand if you wake up the next morning with mascara smeared under your eyes because you didnβt listen to him, then somehow you still find a way to blame him for not wiping it for you.
You are annoying. Every single fucking day, you annoy him. You annoyed him yesterday. Youβve annoyed him today. Youβll annoy him tomorrow. And heβll tell you exactly thatβheβll call you a dumbass, and tell you to get your life together. Complain about the ridiculous thing you did this time, and accuse you of going out of your way to make his life harder on purpose. But after that, despite it all, he will still love you.Β
Twenty years later, now that heβs older, Katsuki realizes he understands what his father meant. That loving someone doesnβt happen because they never annoyed himβloving someone happens because they annoyed him, and he still, despite that, sees nothing but the good.
He loves you. You are annoying and drive him up a wall, but Katsuki knows that you are good. The greatest good that there might ever be, and he might have just ruined it. He probably fucked it all up and lost all the good he had. All the good heβs ever wanted. All the good that heβs wanted to keep for the rest of his life and cherish.
The second the apartment door slams shut behind him, Katsuki regrets it. He regrets being the reason behind that look on your face. That brief flash of panic in your eyes right before he left. That way that your voice sounded when you said his name.
He canβt get it out of his head as he walks out of your building. βFuck,β He runs a hand through his hair and keeps walking.
The only friends heβd willingly see right now are working, his parents are definitely sleeping (and would ask too many questions he doesnβt want to answer, even if they werenβt), and he is nowhere near calm enough to go back upstairs and just go home.
But his patrol route is still active. So instead of going home and into bed like a normal person who has morning patrol, Katsuki leaves his apartment building behind and heads toward work.
By the time he gets suited up again, itβs almost eleven. By the time itβs midnight, heβs still out. By the time itβs 1 AM, he should call it a night.
Instead, however, he keeps moving. One more block turns into one more street. Anything to keep himself from going home or thinking about the argument. About the way you looked at him. About the things he said. About the shit he ruined for sure.
His thoughts are loud enough in his head, turning him deaf to everything else. He misses things he normally wouldnβtβthings like suspicious shadows and warning shouts from another hero.
By the time Katsuki realizes whatβs happening for what it is, the villain goes down easily enoughβtoo easily. He curses himself for being so naive, so rash. Heβs been fighting as a pro for years. He was a war veteran before he was even a legal adult, for crying out loud. Still, despite all that, the second Katsuki realizes something is wrong, itβs already too late.
The construction site groans around himβmetal screeches against metal, and his head snaps upward. All he sees is the upper half of the structure collapsing before he loses his balance and collapses with it.Β
βShitββ
The explosion leaves his palms a fraction of a second too late, and he doesnβt go propelling forward the way heβs supposed to. The half-built building comes down, and Katsuki goes down with it.Β
Itβs 2 AM when you see it on the news. Kirishima sends you a text asking if youβd heard what happened, and by the time youβve spammed him with messages asking what the hell he was even talking about, heβs gone silent. Something in your gut knows that heβs not answering because heβs too busy rescuing. Too busy being a hero.
Your heart tells you that the person he has to be a hero to tonight just so happens to be Katsuki.
The first report you see hits the news at 2:13 AM. The anchorβs voice is as smooth and polished as ever as she delivers the words that send your whole world crumbling around you.Β
βWe are receiving breaking reports of a major incident involving Pro Hero Dynamight.β
The footage that floods the screen makes you fall to your knees and muffle your sobs behind a shaky palmβcollapsed concrete and emergency responders and heroes rushing in and out of the wreckage. The camera zooms toward the ruined construction site, and Katsukiβs body is nowhere to be seen on the screen. You donβt quite know if thatβs a good thing or bad.
βDynamight was reportedly responding to a villain incident when a structural collapse occurred. We are told he is trapped beneath the rubble. Emergency responders are currently on the scene, conducting rescue operations.β
At 2:37 AM, the hospital gives you a call as his emergency contact. Youβre sick to your stomach, not sure how youβll make the drive there when Kirishima finally texts you again.
Kiri <3: I already told his parents. Theyβre on their way so donβt worry about it
Kiri <3: One of my sidekicks is outside your apartment. Theyβll drive you down there
Kiri <3: I still have to handle the aftermath and finish patrol so I wonβt be there Iβm sorry
Kiri <3: Keep me updated?
You: Donβt apologize Kiri idk what Iβd do without u
You: Thank you and pls be safe
You: Iβll lyk things as soon as I find out
Kiri <3: Take it easy okay?
Kiri <3: Heβs come back from worse. Itβll be alright
ββ
Kirishimaβs sidekick gets you to the hospital efficiently, but you are still at your witsβ end by the time you can rush out of the passenger seat and bolt through the sliding doors.
Some part of you is grateful you didnβt have to drive here yourself because you know you wouldβve sped dangerously over the limit, missed half the red lights, and probably wouldβve gotten yourself pulled over. At the same time, you wish you couldβve been the one behind the wheel, just to get here faster.
βIβm here to see Katsβum, Dynamight,β you say in a rush. βDynamightβ¦I meant Dynamight.β
The woman at the front desk looks at you with a raised eyebrow, already typing away at her screen as she blandly says, βValid ID, please.β
You curse under your breath, fumbling through your purse for your wallet, and then fumbling through your wallet for your ID like your hands suddenly donβt belong to your body anymore.
When you practically shove it toward her in your haste, she takes it too calmly for your racing heart and inspects it for a moment. Then looks at her screen. Then back to your ID. Then she types for what feels like an agonizing eternity before she finally hands the card back and says, βFourth floor, room twelve. Heβs stable, but he has some serious injuries that theyβll have to monitor and heal slowly due to his staminaββ
Youβre already moving before she finishes. Youβre bolting toward the elevators, heart slamming so hard it hurts. The ride up to the fourth floor is torturously slow. When you finally get out of the elevator, youβre halfway down the hallway before you even register the security guard stepping in front of you.
βID.β Again. Of course. You suppose it is a good thing security is tight for the pro hero unitβeven if it does add to your piling weight of anxiety. When you clumsily pull it yet again, he checks it for another cruelly long stretch of time, glancing between the card and the device in his hands before finally saying, βGo ahead.β
Youβre already moving.
By the time you reach room twelve, your hands are shaking so badly you can barely hold yourself still. For a moment, you just stand there, frozen. Would Katsuki even want to see you? Is he fed up with you? Would you just make his already terrible night even worse?
You arenβt sure.
You donβt know why youβre in the predicament youβre in right now. You donβt know how you got here or why things escalated the way that they did. You donβt know what you do wrong to push his buttons the way you seem to, to upset him the way that he gets. You think youβre doing the right thingβthat youβre doing whatβs right for both of youβbut somehow, you always seem to mess it up. Always seem to say the wrong thing. Always seem to ruin whatever good the two of you have managed to build between you.
But you love Katsuki, and if nothing else, you know that he loves you too, and you need to see him. So you force down the bile in your throat and push the door open. The first thing you notice when you see him is the bandages wrapped tightly around him. One arm heavily secured in a cast. Gauze lining his shoulder and collarbone that makes your stomach drop in a sick, immediate lurch. Machines hum quietly beside him, keeping track of his vitals.
You never see Katsuki hurt like thisβheβs always been practically invincible when heβs on the field, always taking things down before they have a chance at even touching him. And then your brain, cruelly, supplies the thought: but he is not invincible. Not always.
βKatsuki,β you whisper, eyes already welling with tears.
Heβs looking at you the second the door opensβbut his tired eyes soften with relief, just a little, when they land on you. βYou came,β he says, voice rough.
βOf course I came,β you say, sharper than you mean to. How could he think you wouldnβt? How far have you let things go that he could genuinely believe you wouldnβt show up for him? βWhat the hell happened?β
He sighs, almost embarrassed. βJustβ¦work βn shit.β
You sniffle, and he lifts his good arm toward you. Thatβs all it takes.Β
Youβre at his side in an instant, squeezing into the small space beside him on the hospital bed and curling yourself against his chest. Youβre careful not to disturb any of the machines surrounding him, but you canβt stop thinking about how wrong this feels. How you shouldnβt be the one being comforted right now. How heβs the one lying in a hospital bed, yet somehow heβs still the one rubbing your back and soothing your tears.
βI thought you were gonna die,β you sob. βIβI saw the rubble, and Kiri stopped texting back and...and I thought you got crushed.β
βMβnot fuckinβ dying, babe,β he huffs, sounding mildly offended. βA stupid building isnβt killinβ me. Thatβs a dumbass way to go.β
βYou donβt know that,β you shake your head. βYou canβt promise that.β
βListenββ
βAnd I was sitting there watching the news and thinking the last conversation I ever had with you was that stupid fight,β you continue, looking up at him with trembling lips.
His eyes soften. βI know, butββ
βAnd I donβt care about the argument anymore,β you say, your voice shaking harder now. βI donβt care about being right or winning or being apologized to firstβI shouldβve texted you, youβre right. You...you probably felt like I didnβt care, but I do. I care so much, and I love you more than anything.β
You take a breath that does absolutely nothing to steady you. Katsuki is trying to wipe your tears away with one weak arm.
βI love you tooββ
βI just want you to talk to me,β you sob. βI know Iβm annoying, and I nag and scold and get onto you all the time, and Iβm trying not to do that as muchβreally, I am! But I just...I wish youβd tell me things, too. Yβknow? I am the one person youβre supposed to do that with, Katsuki,β you add, your voice cracking all over again. βBut sometimes, it feels like Iβm the last person you want to do that with.β
His expression tightens. βThatβs notββ
βAnd I want us to work because Iβve never liked someone so muchβit stresses me out. Because I love you and I want this to work, and the thought of it not working makes me so anxious I wanna throw up, and...and you act like talking to me is harder than getting crushed under a fucking buildingββ
βBaby.β He squeezes your cheeks together and silences you as he pulls your face closer, pressing a kiss to your puckered lips. βYou talk a lot, yβknow that?β
You huff at him immediately, tears spilling down your cheeks even faster. βThat is so rude, given theββ
βIβm sorry about the fight,β he interrupts. You pause, and he takes the opportunity to keep going, despite looking painfully uncomfortable the entire time. βAnd for...walkinβ out βn shit. That was fucked up. I donβt talk to you like I should. Youβre right. Sβweird for me, and I hate it sometimes. I donβt know how to just...say shit like you do. Okay?β He sighs. βBut mβgonna try more because youβre rightβI need to talk to you. But you gotta get outta your head so muchββ He gives your forehead a small jab with his finger. You sniffle and swat his hand away with a watery scowl. It earns the faintest grin from him. βWeβre gonna work,β he says. ββCause we do. Thatβs all there is to it, okay?β
βButββ
βNo buts,β he grumbles. βMy ribs hurt. Jusβ let me be right.β
A watery laugh escapes you as you shake your head, cupping his bandaged face between your hands. βYouβre really annoying sometimes, Katsuki.β
βYeah,β he rolls his eyes. βSo are you. Still love you, though.β
βMe too,β you breathe, leaning down to kiss the tip of his nose. βLove you so much.β
He pulls you back down against his chest again, rubbing your back as you listen to the steady beat of his heart beneath your ear. You trace small patterns into his shirt. He presses a kiss to the top of your head. And things are okayβthey are not beyond repairing. Youβll inevitably annoy him tomorrow, and heβll annoy you the day after that, but youβll still work. You will still find a way to keep things good the way they always are.
After a few quiet moments, he mumbles, βHey.β When you look up, he says, βWhen mβall healed and shit, you gotta force me to go grab ramen with my old man. On me.β
Katsuki waits almost a month after being discharged from the hospital before he finally makes the call. Heβs been trying to stall it for as long as possible, but Katsuki, even at the tender age of six, has always been a man (or boy) of his word. Heβs standing alone on the balcony outside his apartment with his phone pressed to his ear, wondering if itβs too late to hang up before the call goes through.
It rings twice. Then his fatherβs voice is as gentle and cheery as ever. βKatsuki!β Masaru answers immediately. βHi, son!β
βYeah, yeah. Hey.β
His father laughs. βHow are you feeling?β
βFine.β
βAre you sure?β
βI got discharged, didnβt I? Sβbeen a whole month.β
βWell, Iβm glad to hear youβre sounding just like your usual self,β his father says. Katsuki can hear the smile in his voice. βWhatβs up?β
βNothinβ.β
βKatsuki, you never call for just nothing.β
He groans, rubbing a hand over his face with a sighβitβs now or never. He canβt keep stalling, and Katsuki is, and always has been, a man of his word. If he promised his father ramen over a stupid bet he made twenty years ago, then heβs going to get his father that ramen. Even if it kills his pride. Demolishes it, even.
βListen, I was thinkinβ...maybe we could grab food sometime.β
βThatβs very kind of you,β Masaru hums. βLet me ask your mother when sheβs free andββ
βNot the hag. Sβjust you,β he cuts in, rubbing at his temple.
βOh?β Masaru sounds amused. βWell, okay. I suppose itβd be nice to spend some time as just father and son. What kind of food?β
Katsuki pinches the bridge of his nose. Just say it. Just fuckinβ say it, his mind urges. Just rip the bandage off and say it. Say it. Say the damn wordβhe grits his teeth and forces out, βRamen.β
Thereβs a pause on the other end. The silence stretches on long enough that Katsukiβs eye twitches.
βRamen, huh?β Masaru finally says, and the way he says it makes a vein all but pop in Katsuki's forehead.
βOld man,β he says warningly, βdonβt push itββ
Heβs cut off when Masaru starts laughing. βI was wondering when this day would come.β
βHah? You really kept that shit in your head for twenty years?β
βOf course I did. It was one of my favorite conversations Iβve ever had with you.β
βWhy? βCause you love beinβ fuckinβ right all the time?β Katsuki grumbles.
His fatherβs voice softens as he says fondly, βNo. I just wanted you to find someone who made you as happy as your mother makes me. Thatβs all I wanted, sonβfor you to understand what being happy is like.β
The conversation is getting oddly sentimental, taking a turn that makes his chest feel strange, and his heart feel far too fragile. He hasnβt felt like this since after the war, and he doesnβt intend to sit with it any longer. So he mutters, βI still think Momβs annoying. She yelled at me last week, so she never fuckinβ changes.β
Masaru laughs again. βNo, she doesnβt.β Then, after a moment, βSo, how does Saturday sound for some ramen?β
βYeah. Whatever.β
βWill my son be paying?β
Katsuki regrets this call more than anything when he says, βYes. Iβm fuckinβ paying.β
βYou know, son,β Masaru murmurs, making Katsuki pause, βIβm glad you get it now. Youβve grown into a fine man.β
Katsuki swallows hard. He turns, eyeing you as you sleep soundly in your shared bed, hugging his pillow to make up for his absence. He can only hope that his fatherβs words are trueβthat he is a fine man to you, the way his father always has been to his mother. His eyes never leave your figure as he mutters, βYeah, wellβ¦sβnot like I had a bad example or somethinβ.β
so anyway i had an argument with my bf the other day but he did not get into an accident and he did not get injured so dont worry. the argument was technically my fault, but im cute and he loves me so its okay <3
ββ βΆ before you read: 1.4k words ; female reader ; established relationship ; very unserious influencer reader ; pro hero katsuki ; fluff and banter ; masterlist.
based on this post and amiraβs hilarious comment
βGet ready with me to dump my pro hero boyfriend!β
You grin into your phone camera as you prop it up against a bottle of moisturizer on the bathroom counter. Beside you, Katsuki is brushing his teeth. The brushing immediately stops. You watch as his eyes narrow at you through the mirror, stifling a giggle.
βThe fuck did you just say?β
You bite your lip to stop yourself from laughing. βHi, guys!β you continue cheerfully, waving at the camera. βToday Iβm getting ready to break up with my pro hero boyfriend. Some of you might know him as Dynamightββ
βIs this some bullshit new trend online?β He crosses his arms, toothbrush hanging in his mouth as he looks at you unamused.
ββwho Iβm leaving because, unfortunately, heβs become a huge burden in my life, and I need to cut him loose.β
The toothbrush leaves his mouth, falling into the sink as he gapes, βWhat?β
You reach for a makeup sponge. βNormally, I would start with skincare, but he buys me the expensive stuff, and since Iβm dumping him and wonβt have his wallet anymore, I have to make it last. Canβt be wasting it on him, you know?β
βHah?β he snaps, inching closer as he stares into the camera with furrowed brows. You easily ignore him.
βIβve been meaning to break up with him sooner, but I just didnβt want to handle all the crying and stuffβfrom him, not me, just to be clear.β
βIβm not gonna fuckinβ cry over your stupid ass videoββ
βUnfortunately, heβs a very emotional person. Very clingy, too.β
βIβm not clingy. Youβre the one who spams me with texts while Iβm on patrol!β
You dab concealer beneath your eyes as he defends himself against every accusation you make, and it becomes far too difficult to hide your laughter. You let out a soft giggle, and he throws you a very offended glare. (Yes, Katsuki is smart enough to know that this is a silly little joke on your part just to be funny. No, that does not stop him from treating this as a serious matter in which he has to protect his dignity. Lucky for you, that only makes for better views.)
βNow, some people might think breaking up with a pro hero wouldnβt be very smart for my brand, but luckily, mine is very easy to replace.β
βEasy to replace?β
You have to look away from him because the expression on his face is making it ten times harder to pretend to take this seriously, and youβre barely keeping a straight face. βThere are lots of blonde men in the world, so Iβm sure Iβll easily find someone else to fit the role.β
βWho the fuck are you gonna find better than me, huh?β He challenges, particularly irritated by that statement.Β
βAs you can see, heβs already in denial.β
βOi! Donβt ignore me!β
βAnger is the next stage of grief.β
The phone is grabbed before you can dab on your blush, and he spins you around, pinning you against the bathroom counter as he gives you a dirty look. You break into a fit of giggles, wrapping your arms around his neck as you press an innocent kiss to the tip of his nose.Β
βHi, baby,β you hum.
He raises a brow. βDonβt hi baby me, dumbass. You make sure you tell that camera that youβll never dump your boyfriend and that thereβs no other manβblonde or notβlike him, andββ
You roll your eyes, hands cupping his cheeks as you pull him into a soft, slow kiss, cutting his words off effectively. He melts into you, kissing back as soon as your lips touch his, and you like to think that your silly idea only makes him kiss you a little more seriously. A little more meaningful, just to prove something.
βDonβt worry,β you peck the corner of his mouth, βI was just kidding. Iβd never dump someone with pro hero money from the number five spot.β
β β β β β
βGet ready with me to get proposed to by my pro hero boyfriend!β
You beam at your phone camera from your vanity. Behind you, Katsuki is sprawled across the bed, one ankle hooked over the other, scrolling on his phone while sipping on his morning coffee. The coffee immediately goes down the wrong pipe.
He chokes, and a terribly strained coughing fit erupts from behind you. You almost feel bad for disrupting his peace on his day offβalmost.Β
βNow, the proposal hasnβt been planned yet,β you explain to your hypothetical audience while reaching for your moisturizer, βbut Iβve decided I want it to happen today.β
Another coughing fit. βWhat?β
βKatsuki, are you okay? Youβre coughing a lot today. Do you have a cold?β
βDonβt play dumb with me, womanβwhat the fuck are you up to this time?β
You give him an innocent smile as you say, βNothing!β
Youβve decided to keep this little game going for as long as you canβa new scheme whenever you can to keep him on his toes. Partially because youβd be lying if you said you didnβt enjoy his reactions, but partially because, truthfully, you think seeing a softer, more human side of Katsuki will do him some wonders in the public eye. And what sort of doting girlfriend would you be if you didnβt take your chances at helping his public image?
βWhy do you keep lying to your audience through these stupid videos?β he demands.
You gasp. βLying?β
βYes, lying,β he gives you a flat look, eyeing you like youβre crazy for denying the accusation.
βWhy would this be a lie?β You challenge. Then, dramatically, you gasp, clutching your chest in mock hurt as you hiss, βSo are you saying that you don't want to marry me?β
βW-what? I didnβt fuckinβ say thatβdonβt put words in my mouthββ
βSo, I guess this video is now becoming a get-ready-with-me to get dumped, because apparently Katsuki wants to break up with me because he fell out of love with me and found someone new. I think heβs been emotionally cheating on me with someoneβa sidekick, Iβd bet. Always trust your gut, ladiesβyour gut never lies.β
βHah?! Youββ he sighs, rubbing a hand over his face as he exhales tiredly and gives you a dry look. βYou know what, thatβs right. Mβfuckinβ dumping your ass.β
You clap a hand over your mouth dramatically. βEveryone cancel him!β
β β β β β
βGet ready with me to make out with my pro hero boyfriend!β
You beam at your phone camera yet again. But today, for the first time in the history of these videos, there is no Katsuki behind you that is staring at you in disbelief or glaring at you in irritation. Instead, Katsuki is sitting on the bed, looking up from his phone as a wide, smug grin spreads across his face.
βFinally,β he says, setting his phone aside. βYou thought of a good one.β
You blink. βWaitββ
βNo, no, you canβt take shit back now. You wanna make out with your pro hero boyfriend, so thatβs what your video is gonna be, baby.β
βKatsukiββ
He stands, hastily walking over as he says in approval, βNow weβre talkin. I like this video idea.β
He materializes in front of you, easily grabbing you by the wrist and tugging you up before he hooks an arm around your waist and pulls you flush against him. His lips start peppering kisses up your throat and along your jaw as he works his way up to your lips. You melt against your will, giggling a little as you hiss (weakly), βKats! We canβtβ¦you canβt kiss me yet!β
βAnd why the fuck not, huh? You got some other boyfriend to kiss? Bring βim here, I can fight.β
βI have to get ready first,β you huff, shoving him lightly, βthatβs the point of a get-ready-with-me? You have to wait till my makeup is done.β
βWhatβs the point in that?β He hums, pressing a soft, delicate peck to your lips before he murmurs, βsβjust gonna be a waste of all your hard work when mβdone with you, yeah baby?β
You shiver at the tone in his voice, pupils dilating as you stare at him. His eyes are twinkling with amusement as he gives you a wolfish grin, reaching over and locking your phone, and cutting the camera off from recording. This video might not end up getting posted at all, you thinkβthis one might just break community guidelines.Β
Okok Tumblr mobile notifications are being weird and pmo. I will be going through those when I get home later and can go on desktop or when I feel like I have more patience sndndjsjdjsjdj
"You know, I've dreamed about having this kind of life with you since the day I met you."
Your words carry a simple message yet they strike Dante directly in his heart just the same.
Standing in your little apartment kitchen, leaning against the edge of the Formica countertops you've always hated, he gazes down at you with nothing short of adoration in his eyes while sipping from a steaming mug of coffee you just poured for him.
How the conversation led to such an admission is beyond him, you two were playing your usual slow morning game of naming the things you wish you could do instead of going to work. Flying to Italy for a shot of espresso, perusing the vintage store you're such a fan of, reading, seeing a movie, spending all day in bed together with your limbs so tangled they're inseparable.
No matter what, all paths led back to this honesty that's as bare as your pretty little face in these early morning hours.
This is your version of vulnerability and he knows it, opting to place his coffee down on the counter and lean in toward you, wrapping his mug-warmed hands around your cheeks to hold them while he stares at you.
Everything that matters to him is right here, in your eyes and the smile you try to hide behind the lip of your own coffee mug. It's in the way you subtly lean toward him, always inching closer and closer.
"The kind where we pretend we're the sort of people with time and money?" He asks playfully, heart pounding and gut turning as it always does when he's faced with the reality that he can never give you what you truly deserve.
You're too kind to ever make a demand of him beyond "get home safely, if you don't mind" or "hey, pass me the remote". You don't ask for riches or accolade or success or anything but him, exactly as he is.
He is more than simply good enough for you, he's everything your wild imagination could've ever conjured up made muscle and bone and flesh.
Shaking your head and wrinkling your nose, he fights the urge to kiss you, opting to let you speak first.
"No, silly. The kind where we do this every morning," you clarify, looking up at him through your lashes, nose now wrinkled in sweet mirth rather than disagreement.
Never in his wildest fantasies or dreams or wishes could he have imagined this would be how things ended up.
Even back when he was a foul mouthed, ill behaved kid, you believed in the man that is he. One could argue he's still both of those things, just a little broader, slightly more relaxed, and far more domestic all thanks to years and years of your warmth and patience and acceptance.