Hyacinths on Cold Concrete
Pairing: Bakugo Katsuki x Male! Reader
Word Count: 8k (8,227)
Warnings: Graphic depictions of physical violence/parental abuse, severe homophobia, verbal abuse, familial disownment, blood, panic attacks, severe depression, and self-isolation. (Happy ending/reconciliation).
A/N: I really wanted to dive deep into the absolute heavy lifting of Katsukiâs character growth here, especially when it comes to navigating boundaries, safety nets, and what happens when the armor people wear completely shatters. It gets pretty intense and raw in the middle, so please make sure to check the warning block before you dive in. Take care of yourselves while reading.
A massive thank you to everyone who keeps supporting my writing and leaving such incredible feedback. It seriously keeps me going.
Enjoy x
The autumn air in Musutafu was crisp, biting at the edges of Katsuki Bakugoâs jacket as he walked down the university quad. His hand was shoved deep into his pocket, fingers twitching, while his other hand hung free, swinging in time with the steady, measured stride of the person walking next to him.
(Y/N) was quiet today. He was usually quiet, a grounding contrast to Katsukiâs loud, explosive nature, but recently, the silence felt less like peace and more like a wall.
Katsuki clicked his tongue, a sudden surge of stubborn affection overtaking his usual rigid boundaries. Without warning, he reached out, wrapping his calloused fingers firmly around (Y/N)âs hand. He laced their fingers together, pulling (Y/N) just an inch closer so their shoulders brushed.
Instantly, he felt it. It was subtleâso subtle that anyone else walking past them on the bustling campus wouldn't have noticedâbut to Katsuki, it was deafening. (Y/N)âs hand went rigid. The muscles in his forearm locked up, a sudden, microscopic jolt traveling through his frame. (Y/N) didnât pull away; in fact, after a beat of heavy hesitation, his fingers squeezed back, offering a tight, manufactured reassurance. He even turned his head, offering Katsuki a small, faint smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.
But the tension never left. (Y/N)âs shoulders remained high, his gaze darting subtly to a group of passing students, his posture shifting as if he were waiting for a blow to land.
Katsuki dropped his hand a few minutes later when they reached the steps of the humanities building. (Y/N) offered a quick, distracted wave, muttering something about film study with the team, and disappeared into the crowd. Katsuki stood on the steps for a long moment, staring at the space where (Y/N) had just been, a bitter taste rising in the back of his throat.
"Hey, Blasty! You trying to burn a hole through the concrete with your mind, or are you actually going to come inside?"
Katsuki didn't turn around, but he grunted, recognizing Mina Ashidoâs voice. She bounced up the steps, her bright pink hair catching the afternoon sun, flanked by Kirishima, Kaminari, Sero, and Jiro. They were his crew, the loud, obnoxious idiots who had somehow wormed their way into his life during freshman year and refused to leave. They were also the first people Katsuki had told when he and (Y/N)âhis long-time friend, the guy heâd known since middle schoolâfinally stopped dancing around each other and made things official.
They had been nothing but supportive. Kirishima had practically thrown a party; Mina had choked him in a hug; Kaminari had made a joke that got him sparked; Jiro had given him a rare, genuine smile; and Sero had just laughed and said, About damn time. Even Aizawa, their gruff, permanently exhausted academic advisor, had merely looked up from his grading, sighed, and muttered, Just don't let it distract you from your midterms. His parents, too, had welcomed (Y/N) with open arms, Mitsuki treating him like a second son and Masaru quietly offering him the best cuts of meat at dinner.
They had a village. They had a safety net.
So why did it still feel like they were walking on a tightrope over a canyon?
"Shut up, Pinky," Katsuki snapped, though the fire wasn't really in it. He turned and trudged into the building, the group falling into step around him.
They crowded into their usual corner of the student lounge. Kaminari and Sero immediately started arguing over a statistics assignment, while Kirishima began rambling about his latest weight-lifting plateau. Katsuki sat on the edge of a couch, arms crossed, staring blankly at his laptop screen.
Mina watched him. She had a keen eye for dynamics, far sharper than her bubbly exterior let on. She noticed the way Katsuki kept glancing toward the windows, the way his jaw was clenched tightly enough to crack a tooth.
When the guys got distracted by Jiro showing them a video on her phone, Mina slid into the empty seat next to Katsuki. She didn't push him, just leaned her chin on her hand, looking at him with a softness that made Katsuki instantly defensive.
"What?" he growled, keeping his voice low.
"Everything okay with you and (Y/N)?" she asked softly.
Katsukiâs shoulders stiffened. "Fine. Why wouldn't it be?"
Mina hesitated, twirling a strand of her hair around her finger. "I don't know. I saw you guys walking earlier. Near the library. You held his hand, and... I don't know, Bakugo. Iâm not trying to interrogate you, seriously. I love you guys. But Iâve noticed it a few times lately. Whenever you do stuff like that in publicâhand holding, or when you gave him that peck on the cheek last week by the gymâhe freezes up. Itâs like heâs playing a part, but heâs totally stressed out inside. Is he... is he 100% into this relationship? Like, the way you make it seem?"
The words hit Katsuki like a physical strike to the chest. His immediate instinct was to yell, to tell her to mind her own business, to blast her through the window. But the raw, uncharacteristic honesty in Minaâs eyes stopped the shout in his throat.
He looked down at his lap, his fingers curling into fists against his jeans.
"I've noticed it too," Katsuki said, his voice dropping to a gravelly whisper that Mina had to strain to hear. It felt like tearing out a piece of his own throat just to admit it. "He thinks heâs hiding it. He thinks heâs being smooth. But heâs stiff as a board every damn time. I touch him, and itâs like Iâm a live wire shocking him."
Minaâs expression crumbled into deep sympathy. "Have you talked to him about it?"
"No," Katsuki muttered, staring at the floor. "Because Iâm a coward. Because I know exactly what it is, and I don't want to face it."
He didn't say the words out loudâinternalized homophobiaâbut they hung heavy in the air between them. Katsuki knew (Y/N) loved him. He knew it in the quiet moments, in the dead of night when they were wrapped up in Katsukiâs bed, away from the eyes of the world, where (Y/N) would press his face into Katsukiâs neck and breathe him in like he was oxygen. In the dark, (Y/N) was soft, pliable, and entirely his.
But the daylight brought the rest of the world.
(Y/N) wasn't just Katsukiâs boyfriend; he was a starting linebacker for the universityâs football team. He existed in a world dominated by loud, aggressive, hyper-masculine energy. And while the campus itself was generally progressive, the locker room was a different beast entirely.
Katsuki had passed by the athletic wing a few times to wait for (Y/N) after practice. Heâd heard the casual, careless slurs tossed around like footballs. Heâd heard some of (Y/N)âs own teammatesâguys he shared a defensive line withâmaking snide, mocking comments about (Y/N) being "soft" or "fruity" because he didn't join in on their crude jokes about women, or because someone had spotted him talking a little too closely with Katsuki. (Y/N) always laughed it off or ignored it, but Katsuki had seen the way those words settled like toxic ash in his boyfriend's eyes.
Worse than the teammates, though, was (Y/N)âs father.
Katsuki had met the man exactly twice, and both times had left him wanting to break something. (Y/N)âs father was a traditionalist in the worst sense of the wordâa rigid, overbearing man who viewed his son not as a person, but as a legacy to cultivate. He was openly, venomously homophobic, frequently making remarks during televised sports or family dinners about how "the world was soft" and how he "didn't raise a degenerate." (Y/N) lived in perpetual terror of that man finding out the truth. He lived with a heavy, suffocating blanket of shame draped over his shoulders, trying desperately to balance his love for Katsuki with the desperate, deep-seated urge to please a father who would hate him if he knew who he truly was.
"He's drowning in it, Mina," Katsuki whispered, his chest aching with a rare, terrifying vulnerability. "And I don't know how to pull him out without drowning him completely."
Mina reached out, gently placing a hand on his shoulder. "Just be there for him, Bakugo. Don't push him faster than he can go. But don't let him break himself, either."
The day of the championship game arrived with a tense, electric energy that swallowed the entire campus. It was the biggest game of the season, and the stadium was packed to maximum capacity.
Katsuki sat in the front row of the family and friends section, flanked by his parents. Mitsuki was wearing a jersey in (Y/N)âs team colors, shouting loudly at the field, while Masaru sat quietly beside her, offering a calm anchor. A few rows back, Kirishima, Mina, and the rest of the squad were making enough noise to wake the dead, holding up a massive, poorly painted sign with (Y/N)âs jersey number on it.
On the field, (Y/N) was a force of nature. He moved with a brutal, calculated efficiency, tearing through the opposing team's offense, his performance fueled by a manic, desperate energy. Katsuki watched him through narrowed eyes. He could see the strain in the way (Y/N) stood during timeouts, the way his shoulders were hunched under his pads. He was playing like a man running from a ghost.
In the VIP box directly above them sat (Y/N)âs parents. Katsuki had caught sight of his father earlierâa tall, stern man with a permanent scowl, watching his sonâs every move with a critical, unforgiving glare. (Y/N)âs mother sat beside him, looking anxious and small.
The final whistle blew, a deafening explosion of sound echoing through the stadium as (Y/N)âs team secured a hard-fought victory. The crowd erupted. Players stormed the field, dumping Gatorade over Coach Endeavorâs broad shoulders. The towering, fiery coach actually cracked a rare, terrifying smile, clapping his players on their backs with heavy, booming hands.
Katsuki didn't care about the trophy. His eyes were locked on (Y/N), who was taking off his helmet, his hair soaked in sweat, breathing heavily.
The barrier separating the stands from the field was opened for families. Mitsuki immediately pulled Masaru along, dragging Katsuki down to the turf. The crowd was a chaotic sea of jerseys, pom-poms, and roaring fans.
When (Y/N) caught sight of them, a genuine, blinding smile finally broke across his exhausted face. The defensive walls he usually wore seemed to crumble under the sheer adrenaline of the win and the sight of the people who truly cared for him. He jogged over, dropping his helmet to the grass.
Mitsuki threw her arms around his bulky, padded shoulders first. "You did amazing, brat! Absolutely crushed 'em!"
"Thanks, Mama Bakugo," (Y/N) breathed, his voice rough.
Masaru stepped up next, offering a warm pat on the shoulder and a quiet, prideful smile. "An incredible game, son. We're very proud of you."
Then, (Y/N) turned his eyes to Katsuki.
The adrenaline, the euphoria of the victory, the sheer relief of the game being overâit all seemed to culminate in a rare moment of absolute abandon for (Y/N). He didn't look around. He didn't scan the crowd for his teammates or the stands for his father. He just looked at Katsuki.
Before Katsuki could even say a word, (Y/N) stepped forward, wrapped his large hands around the back of Katsukiâs neck, and pulled him in.
It wasn't a hesitant, tense touch. It was a real, solid kiss, right there on the open field, under the blinding stadium lights. (Y/N)âs lips were warm, tasting of sweat and sports drink, pressing against Katsukiâs with a desperate, hungry sincerity. Katsuki froze for a fraction of a second in pure shock before his own instincts kicked in. He grabbed the front of (Y/N)âs jersey, pulling him closer, melting into the kiss with a fierce, possessive intensity. For a beautiful, fleeting five seconds, the rest of the world ceased to exist.
Then, reality shattered.
A heavy, low voice cut through the surrounding noise like a chainsaw, instantly freezing the blood in Katsukiâs veins.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?"
(Y/N) ripped himself away so fast Katsuki almost stumbled forward. The euphoria vanished from (Y/N)âs face, replaced instantly by a pale, sickening mask of absolute terror.
Standing a few feet away, having pushed through the lingering crowd, was (Y/N)âs father, Kouji. His face was a dark, mottled purple with rage, his veins standing out on his neck, his eyes wide and burning with a toxic, venomous hatred. (Y/N)âs mother, Yua, stood a step behind him, her hands clasped over her mouth, tears already welling in her eyes.
"Dad," (Y/N) choked out, his voice instantly dropping all its strength, sounding like a terrified child. "Dad, wait, let meâ"
"Shut your mouth," Kouji snarled, stepping closer, his presence towering and suffocating. He didn't care that they were surrounded by hundreds of people. His fury was a localized storm, entirely focused on his son. "I come out here to watch a championship game, and I see my sonâa starting linebacker, a man I raisedâacting like a disgusting, pathetic degenerate on the open field? With him?"
He hurled the word him at Katsuki like a curse, glaring at the blonde boy with an intense, violent disgust.
Katsukiâs temper, usually a raging fire, instantly ignited. He stepped in front of (Y/N), his chest heaving, his palms sparking slightly with nervous adrenaline. "Watch your mouth, old man. You don't talk to him like that."
"Katsuki, don't," Masaru said quietly but firmly, stepping up beside his son, while Mitsuki moved to place herself between Katsuki and the enraged father.
"You stay out of this," Kouji barked at the Bakugos, before pointing a thick, shaking finger directly at his son's face. "I am going to give you one chance, and one chance only, boy. You walk away from this freak right now. You pack your bags, you come home, and we get you sorted out. You choose right now. You choose your family, your future, our nameâor you choose this disgusting lifestyle. Choose."
(Y/N) looked like he was suffocating. He looked at his father, then at his mother, who was weeping silently, shaking her head as if begging him to just submit, to just lie, to save himself. Then he looked at Katsuki. Katsukiâs heart was hammering against his ribs, a cold, sharp dread piercing his chest. He didn't say anything. He wouldn't force (Y/N). But the look in Katsukiâs eyes was pure, agonized pleading.
Don't let him break you.
(Y/N) took a ragged, trembling breath. The shame that had weighed him down for years seemed to curdle into something elseâa desperate, cornered survival instinct. He stood a little straighter, though his hands were shaking violently.
"No," (Y/N) whispered.
The manâs eyes narrowed. "What did you say to me?"
"I said no, Dad," (Y/N) said, his voice cracking but louder this time. "Iâm not leaving him. Iâm not... Iâm not going to pretend anymore."
The reaction was instantaneous and violent. Kouji let out a guttural roar of pure rage, lunging forward. He didn't even aim for (Y/N) first; his blind fury drove him straight toward Katsuki, his large hand reaching out to grab the blonde by the collar of his jacket to rip him away.
"Get your hands off him!" (Y/N) screamed.
Before his father could touch Katsuki, (Y/N) stepped into the gap. With a massive surge of his athletic strength, fueled by pure panic, (Y/N) slammed his hands into his father's chest, shoving the older man backward.
The man stumbled back two steps into the grass.
A heavy, suffocating silence fell over their immediate vicinity. Shoving his father was a boundary (Y/N) had never crossed, a taboo written into the very DNA of his upbringing. The moment his hands left his father's chest, (Y/N) froze, his eyes widening in horror at what he had just done.
"You piece of trash," Kouji whispered, his voice trembling with a terrifying, quiet malice.
Before anyone could react, the man lunged back forward with terrifying speed. He caught (Y/N) completely off guard. His large, calloused hands slammed into the hard plastic of (Y/N)âs shoulder pads, using the boyâs own momentum against him. He drove (Y/N) backward with brutal force, slamming him hard against the concrete base of the nearest stadium wall.
The impact echoed with a sickening, hollow thud. (Y/N) gasped, the air completely knocked from his lungs.
"Hey! Stop!" Mitsuki screamed, lunging forward, but the man was already moving.
With a curled, heavy fist, (Y/N)âs father threw a brutal, full-force punch directly into his son's face.
The sound of flesh striking flesh was horrific. (Y/N)âs head snapped back against the concrete wall, a sharp, spray of bright red blood exploding from his nose and split lip. His knees buckled instantly, his body sliding halfway down the wall, his eyes glazed and unfocused.
"Stop it! Please, stop!" Yua shrieked, grabbing at her husband's arm, but he shook her off like a leaf.
"Get the hell off him!" Katsuki roared, his vision going completely red. He lunged forward, ready to tear the man to pieces, his hands igniting, but before he could reach him, a massive, towering shadow fell over the entire group.
"That is enough!"
Coach Enji Todoroki stepped into the space like a brick wall, his massive, imposing frame completely cutting off (Y/N)âs father. The coachâs face was set in a terrifying, thunderous scowl, his large hand wrapping around the father's forearm with a grip that looked capable of crushing bone.
"Lay another hand on my player," Endeavor rumbled, his voice vibrating with a dangerous, authoritative heat, "and I will have campus security and the police throw you out of this stadium in zip-ties. Do you understand me?"
Right on cue, Masaru stepped up beside Endeavor, his usual gentle demeanor completely gone, replaced by a cold, rigid fury that Katsuki had never seen in his father before. "We are witnesses to an assault. Move away from him immediately."
Kouji looked at the towering coach, then at the furious Bakugo family, and realized he was entirely outnumbered, surrounded by a crowd that was now turning to stare in shock. He pulled his arm out of Enji's grip, his face still twisted in disgust.
"Keep him," the man spat, wiping a stray drop of his son's blood from his own knuckle. He turned his freezing gaze down toward the boy slumped against the wall. "Youâre dead to me. Don't ever come back to my house. You're no son of mine."
He turned on his heel, grabbing his weeping wife by the arm, and dragged her away into the crowd, leaving a wake of stunned silence behind him.
"Oh my god, (Y/N)," Mitsuki gasped, immediately dropping to her knees on the grass beside the boy.
Katsuki was already there, his heart thrashing frantically against his ribs like a trapped bird. "Hey, hey, look at me," he choked out, his hands trembling violently as he reached out to touch (Y/N)âs face.
(Y/N) was shivering, his breath coming in ragged, shallow wheezes. Blood was pouring freely from his nose, painting his chin and the white numbers of his jersey a horrific, stark crimson. His lip was split wide open, swelling rapidly. But it wasn't the physical injuries that made Katsukiâs stomach drop into a bottomless abyss; it was the look in (Y/N)âs eyes.
The eyes were completely broken. The shame, the terror, the sudden, violent destruction of his entire world had shattered something deep inside him. He looked up at Katsuki, and instead of finding comfort, he looked like he was looking at his executioner.
"Hey, let us help you up, sweetheart," Mitsuki murmured softly, her voice full of maternal heartbreak as she reached for his arm. Katsuki reached out too, trying to cup his cheek. "Come on, letâs get you to the training room, get you cleaned upâ"
"Don't," (Y/N) croaked.
The word was small, wet with blood, but it carried a desperate, violent finality.
Before either of them could stop him, (Y/N) scrambled backward against the wall, using his remaining strength to push himself up. He shoved past Mitsukiâs hands, and when Katsuki reached out to grab his waist to steady him, (Y/N) violently slapped his hands away.
"Don't touch me!" (Y/N) shouted, his voice cracking into a raw, agonized sob.
Katsuki froze, his hands hovering in the air, his chest feeling like it had been pierced by a jagged piece of ice. "(Y/N)... please, just let usâ"
"I can't do this," (Y/N) wept, blood leaking down his face, dripping off his chin and leaving a stark, terrifying trail of red droplets on the green turf beneath him. He was shaking so hard he could barely stand, his eyes wild and unfocused as he looked at Katsuki. "I can't. Look what happened. Look at what this did. Itâs over, Katsuki. Weâre over. Just... leave me the hell alone!"
"Noâ(Y/N), wait!" Katsuki screamed, stepping forward, but (Y/N) was already turning.
He didn't runâhe couldn't, his body too battered and broken from the impactâbut he stumbled away into the chaotic sea of the stadium crowd, his broad, padded shoulders hunched, his head down. Katsuki tried to pursue him, but the crowd closed in like a wall of water, and Coach Endeavor placed a heavy hand on Katsukiâs shoulder, holding him back.
"Let him go, kid," Enji said, his voice unusually quiet, devoid of its usual harshness. "Heâs in shock. Pushing him right now will only make him run further. Let my staff find him. Weâll take care of the medical."
Katsuki fell to his knees on the turf, staring at the small, dark spatters of red blood drying on the grass. The stadium around him was still cheering, music still blaring from the loudspeakers, but to Katsuki, the entire world had just gone completely, terrifyingly silent.
Three days.
For three agonizing, endless days, Katsuki existed in a living nightmare.
(Y/N) hadn't returned to his dorm room. He hadn't answered a single one of Katsukiâs a hundred phone calls or texts. He hadn't responded to Kirishima, Mina, or even Coach Enji, who had quietly informed Katsuki that (Y/N) had cleared out his locker in the dead of night following the game. Aizawa had checked the university system; (Y/N) hadn't formally withdrawn from his classes yet, but he hadn't shown up to a single one.
He had simply vanished into the concrete expanse of the city, leaving nothing behind but the memory of his blood on the grass.
Katsuki hadn't slept. He hadn't eaten more than a few forced bites of toast his mother had shoved down his throat. He spent his days sitting on the couch in his parents' living room, staring blankly at his phone, his mind replaying those five seconds of euphoria on the field, followed instantly by the horrific sound of (Y/N)âs head cracking against the wall.
The guilt was a physical weight crushing his lungs. If he hadn't held his hand on campus, if he hadn't pushed for PDA, if he hadn't leaned into that kiss... if he had just been content to keep them a secret, hidden away in the dark where it was safe, (Y/N) would still have a family. (Y/N) wouldn't be bleeding somewhere in a cheap motel room, broken and alone.
It was late afternoon on the third day. The sky outside the large living room window was a bruised, heavy purple, twilight settling over the quiet suburban neighborhood.
Katsuki was sitting on the floor, his back pressed against the base of the sofa, his knees pulled up to his chest. Masaru sat on the couch behind him, a warm mug of tea resting untouched on the coffee table. The house was quiet; Mitsuki had gone to the grocery store, leaving the two men alone in the heavy silence.
Masaru watched his son. It broke his heart to see Katsuki like thisâstripped of his usual explosive fire, reduced to a hollow, silent shell of misery.
"Katsuki," Masaru said softly, his voice a calm, steady presence in the dim room.
Katsuki didn't look up. He just tightened his grip on his own shins.
"If he comes back," Masaru began slowly, choosing his words with immense care, "if he walks through that door, or calls you... would you take him back?"
Katsukiâs shoulders hitched. He let out a ragged, trembling breath, his forehead resting against his knees. "He hates me, Dad. He told me it was over. He said it was my faultâ"
"He didn't say it was your fault, Katsuki," Masaru interrupted gently, leaning forward to place a warm, comforting hand on his sonâs shoulder. "He was terrified. He was a boy who had just watched his whole life shatter in front of him, violently, by the person who was supposed to protect him. He didn't hate you. He hated the pain. He hated the fear."
Masaru squeezed his shoulder. "So I ask you again. If he comes back to apologize... would you take him back?"
Katsuki lifted his head, his eyes red-rimmed, dark circles carved deep into his skin. His jaw clenched, a tiny, familiar spark of his true self flickering back to life in his chest.
"In a heartbeat," Katsuki whispered, his voice cracking with an intense, fierce certainty. "I don't care if he never wants to hold my hand in public again. I don't care if we have to hide from the whole damn world. I just want him back. I want to make sure heâs safe. Iâd take him back in a fucking heartbeat."
Masaru smiled, a soft, incredibly tender expression. He didn't say anything for a moment, his eyes shifting away from Katsuki to look out the large front window that faced the street and the small covered porch.
"Well," Masaru said quietly, tapping Katsukiâs shoulder and pointing a finger toward the glass. "Then I suggest you get moving. Because your chance is currently pacing on our porch, and it looks like heâs about to walk away."
Katsukiâs heart stopped.
He lunged to his feet so fast his knees knocked against the coffee table, rattling the tea mug. He spun around, his eyes locking onto the window.
There, standing under the dim yellow light of the porch lamp, was a tall, broad silhouette.
It was (Y/N).
He looked smaller than usual, his large shoulders hunched inside a heavy, oversized hoodie, the hood pulled up high. In his large, trembling hands, he was holding a small, tightly bound bouquet of deep purple hyacinthsâflowers Katsuki knew from his motherâs gardening books carried a traditional meaning of deep regret, a plea for forgiveness.
(Y/N) was staring at the front door, his feet shifting nervously on the wooden planks. He took one step forward, reached his hand out toward the doorbell, and then froze. The sheer weight of his hesitation was visible from across the room. He slowly lowered his hand, his head dropping, his shoulders slumping in total defeat. He turned around, stepping off the porch, preparing to disappear back into the shadows of the street.
Katsuki didn't think. The universe, his breathing, his doubtsâit all evaporated.
Masaru swore he had never seen his son move so fast in his entire life.
Katsuki tore across the living room, his socks sliding wildly on the hardwood floor. He threw himself at the front door, ripping it open with so much force the handle slammed against the interior wall with a deafening slam.
He didn't care that he was barefoot. He didn't care that the late autumn air was freezing. He sprinted down the porch steps, his feet hitting the cold concrete of the driveway.
"(Y/N)!" Katsuki roared.
The figure down the driveway froze. (Y/N) spun around, his hood falling back from his head, his eyes widening in pure shock.
The porch light illuminated his face, and Katsuki felt a fresh wave of agony hit his chest. (Y/N)âs nose was slightly crooked, taped up with a small medical strip. His lower lip was split, a jagged dark line of stitches holding the skin together, and a massive, deep purple bruise bloomed across his left cheekbone, stretching down to his jaw. He looked battered, exhausted, and utterly broken.
But as Katsuki ran toward him, (Y/N) didn't move. He just stood there, clutching the purple flowers to his chest like a shield, tears instantly filling his eyes.
Katsuki didn't slow down. He closed the distance between them in a desperate blur, throwing his entire body weight into (Y/N).
He slammed into the larger boyâs chest, his arms flying around (Y/N)âs neck, gripping him with a terrifying, crushing strength. The impact forced a small, breathless gasp from (Y/N)âs lungs, and the bouquet of hyacinths crinkled loudly between their bodies.
"You absolute fucking idiot," Katsuki sobbed, his voice breaking completely as he buried his face in the crook of (Y/N)âs neck. He hid his face in the soft cotton of the hoodie, breathing in the familiar, comforting scent of soap and cedar that he had missed for three long days. "You stupid, miserable bastard. Where the hell were you? I thought you were dead. I thought... you hated me."
(Y/N) stood rigid for a fraction of a second, his hands hovering in the air, before the dam completely broke.
The flowers fell from his grip, scattering softly across the dark concrete of the driveway. (Y/N) wrapped his massive, heavy arms around Katsukiâs waist, lifting the smaller boy slightly off his feet, pulling him so close there wasn't a single inch of space left between them. He buried his face in Katsukiâs messy blonde hair, his entire frame racking with violent, heavy sobs.
"Iâm sorry," (Y/N) wept, his voice rough and distorted by the stitches in his lip. "Katsuki, Iâm so sorry. Iâm so sorry I screamed at you. Iâm sorry I pushed you away. I was just... I was so scared. I didn't know what to do."
"Shut up," Katsuki ordered, though his tone was entirely devoid of anger, choked with his own tears. He dropped his feet back to the ground but didn't loosen his grip for a second, his fingers clawing into the fabric of (Y/N)âs hoodie. "Just shut the fuck up. You don't apologize to me. Not for that."
They stood there in the freezing driveway for a long, unmeasured time, holding onto each other like survivors of a shipwreck clinging to a lifeboat. (Y/N)âs tears were hot against Katsukiâs shoulder, his heavy breaths shaking his entire body.
Slowly, Katsuki pulled back just enough to look at him. His hands moved up, framing (Y/N)âs face, his thumbs brushing very, very gently against the edges of the dark purple bruise on his cheek, avoiding the stitches on his lip.
"Does it hurt?" Katsuki whispered, his eyes wide with a soft, aching tenderness.
"A little," (Y/N) choked out, offering a tiny, watery smile that winced at the movement of his lip. "Coach Enji's team doctor fixed me up the night of the game. He... he kept me at his house. Coach wouldn't let me go back to a motel. He said I was part of his team, and he wasn't letting me sleep on a floor. Heâs been watching over me."
A small, heavy breath of relief escaped Katsukiâs lips. Thank God for that stubborn old man.
"Why didn't you call me?" Katsuki asked, his voice dropping to a fragile whisper.
(Y/N) looked down, his eyes filling with fresh shame. "Because I thought... I thought I was toxic. I thought about what my dad said, about how I was disgusting, and I looked at my face in the mirror, and I just thought... 'if I stay with Katsuki, Iâm going to drag him down into this. Iâm going to make him miserable'. I was ashamed, Katsuki. Iâm still... Iâm still so scared of what people are going to say."
Katsuki grabbed his jaw, firmer this time, forcing (Y/N) to look him dead in the eye.
"Listen to me, you moron," Katsuki said, his voice ringing with a fierce, absolute conviction. "I don't give a single, solitary fuck about what your garbage father thinks. Heâs a pathetic piece of shit who doesn't deserve to even breathe the same air as you. And anyone elseâanyone on your team, anyone on this campus who has a problem with usâI will personally blast them into the next hemisphere. Do you hear me?"
(Y/N) let out a wet, breathless laugh, a tear spilling over his eyelashes.
"We don't have to hold hands in public," Katsuki continued, his voice softening, his gaze dropping to (Y/N)âs stitched lip. "We don't have to kiss on the field. We don't have to do anything that makes you freeze up or feel like youâre waiting for a blow to land. If you want to keep it in the dark, weâll stay in the dark. I don't care about the rest of the world. I just want you."
(Y/N) stared at him, the heavy, suffocating blanket of shame that had draped over his shoulders for years finally beginning to fray at the edges, torn apart by the absolute, unwavering certainty in Katsukiâs eyes.
"No," (Y/N) said softly, his voice steadying. He reached up, placing his large hands over Katsukiâs. "I don't want to hide anymore. It was... it was the scariest thing thatâs ever happened to me, Katsuki. But when I kissed you on that field... before everything went to hell... it was the first time in my entire life I felt like I was actually breathing."
He took a deep, ragged breath, his chest expanding against Katsukiâs. "Iâm still scared. Iâm going to need time. Iâm going to be tense sometimes, and Iâm probably going to look over my shoulder. But I don't want to go back into the dark. I want to be with you. In the light. If youâll still have me."
"I told you, you idiot," Katsuki muttered, his own tears finally stopping, replaced by a deep, glowing warmth that spread through his entire chest. "In a heartbeat."
He leaned forward, moving with immense care, and pressed his lips gently against the uninjured corner of (Y/N)âs mouth. It wasn't a fierce, desperate kiss like the one on the field; it was a soft, lingering promise, a quiet vow of safety and protection. (Y/N) sighed into the kiss, his body finally, completely losing its rigid tension, melting against Katsukiâs frame like water.
The front door of the house clicked open again.
Masaru stood on the porch, a warm jacket thrown over his shoulders, holding a second jacket in his hands. He looked down at the two boys, his face full of a quiet, relieved happiness.
"It's freezing out here, boys," Masaru called out gently. "Bring him inside, Katsuki. Your mother is bringing the good beef, and sheâs going to want to make sure (Y/N) eats a real meal."
(Y/N) looked up at Masaru, then back at Katsuki. The fear didn't completely disappearâthe road ahead was going to be long, filled with therapy, rebuilding his life from scratch, and navigating a world without his birth familyâbut as he looked at the warm, glowing light spilling from the Bakugo home, he knew he wasn't walking that road alone.
Katsuki bent down, carefully picking up the scattered purple hyacinths from the driveway, keeping one hand firmly locked around (Y/N)âs fingers. This time, when Katsuki squeezed, (Y/N)âs hand didn't go rigid.
His fingers squeezed back, warm, relaxed, and entirely safe.
"Come on," Katsuki said softly, pulling him toward the steps. "Let's go home."
Extra: The graduation pavilion was a sea of black gowns, fluttering caps, and the chaotic roar of hundreds of families cheering for the departing senior class.
Katsuki stood just outside the main gate, his arms crossed over his chest, his eyes fixed like a laser on the crowd pouring out of the arena. He was a junior this year, still having one more long, grueling year of university ahead of him, but today wasn't about his schedule. Today belonged entirely to you.
"Look, there he is! Thereâs our graduate!"
Mitsukiâs loud, boisterous voice cut through the ambient noise as she pointed toward the steps. You were walking down the concrete incline, your graduation gown fluttering around your ankles, your mortarboard cap tilted slightly back on your head. The dark purple bruise on your cheek from a year ago had long since faded into a faint memory, and your posture was completely different nowâupright, relaxed, and entirely unburdened.
"Hell yeah! Let's go, dude!" Kirishima roared, instantly cupping his hands around his mouth to bellow across the plaza. Mina was jumping up and down beside him, waving a makeshift sign she had smuggled into the arena, while Kaminari, Sero, and Jiro cheered loudly beside them.
When your eyes caught the group, a massive, genuine smile broke across your face. You adjusted the heavy diploma cylinder in your hand and hurried down the steps, immediately getting swallowed into a chaotic group hug by the squad. Kirishima practically lifted you off the ground, thumping your back with a heavy, proud hand, while Mina squeezed your waist.
"You actually did it, man," Sero laughed, throwing an arm around your neck. "Leaving us behind to suffer through another year of Aizawa's midterms."
"Someone had to pave the way," you teased, your voice warm and clear.
As the group let you go, Mitsuki stepped up, her eyes uncharacteristically soft as she reached up to adjust the collar of your gown. "We are so incredibly proud of you, sweetheart. You worked so hard for this."
Masaru stepped up beside her, offering a warm, steady handshake and a proud smile. "A wonderful achievement, son. You've earned every bit of it."
"Thank you, Mama Bakugo, Papa Bakugo," you murmured, your chest swelling with a deep, profound gratitude. For the past year, they had been your rock, stepping into the void your old life had left behind without a single moment of hesitation.
Then, you looked at Katsuki.
He was standing a step back from his parents, his hands shoved deep into his trouser pockets, his jaw set in that familiar, stubborn line. But his eyes were wide, burning with a fierce, quiet pride that belonged entirely to you.
You stepped closer to him, the space between you closing naturally. Katsuki didn't say a word. He just reached out, his calloused fingers wrapping firmly around your wrist, pulling you in just enough so your shoulders brushed. There was no tension. No microscopic jolt of fear. Just a deep, grounding comfort.
"You didn't trip on the stage," Katsuki muttered, though the corners of his mouth twitched upward into a rare, soft smirk. "S'pose that means you actually passed."
"Barely," you chuckled, leaning your weight slightly into his side. "Just wanted to make sure I gave you something to live up to next year."
"Like I need the motivation, dumbass," he grunted, but his grip on your wrist tightened affectionately.
The group chatted for a few more minutes, making plans for the massive celebratory dinner Mitsuki had been organizing for weeks. But as the crowd around the pavilion began to thin out, your eyes drifted toward the edge of the plaza, near the brick columns of the main campus entrance.
A woman was standing there, looking nervously at the crowd. She was dressed in a simple, elegant navy blue dress, holding a small clutch purse in her hands. She looked smaller than she used to, but her shoulders were straight, her head held high.
Your breath hitched slightly in your throat.
Katsuki noticed the sudden shift in your posture instantly. He looked up, his crimson eyes following your gaze to the edge of the plaza. His grip on your wrist loosened into a protective, questioning squeeze.
"Hey," Katsuki murmured softly. "Is that...?"
"Yeah," you whispered.
Mitsuki and Masaru noticed as well, the group's boisterous conversation trickling down into a respectful, quiet hush. Over the past six months, you and your mother had slowly, painstakingly begun to rebuild a bridge across the canyon your father had created. It had started with tentative text messages, then secret phone calls in the middle of the night, and eventually, quiet coffee dates on the weekends away from the city.
You took a deep, steadying breath, looking at Katsuki. He gave you a firm, encouraging nod, his hand sliding down to squeeze your fingers once before letting you go.
You walked across the plaza, the black fabric of your graduation gown snapping softly in the afternoon breeze. As you drew closer, your motherâs eyes locked onto you. The anxiety on her face completely melted away, replaced by a raw, overwhelming emotion.
"Hi, Mom," you said softly.
She just let out a small, breathless sob and threw her arms around your neck.
You buried your face in her shoulder, wrapping your arms tightly around her, holding her close. The scent of her familiar perfume hit you, bringing a sudden, sharp sting of tears to your eyes. For a long, silent moment, neither of you let go. It was a hug that carried the weight of a yearâs worth of separation, of unspoken apologies, and of a quiet, fierce survival.
When she finally pulled back, her hands remained on your shoulders, her eyes scanning your face, lingering proudly on your graduation cap.
"Look at you," she whispered, her voice trembling as she wiped a stray tear from her cheek. "My graduate. You look so handsome."
"I'm really glad you came, Mom," you said honestly, your voice thick. "I know it wasn't easy."
A small, triumphant smile broke through her tears, and she reached into her clutch purse, pulling out a folded piece of paper. She handed it to you with a steady hand. You unfolded it, your eyes scanning the legal header at the top of the page.
Decree of Divorce.
Your eyes widened, looking up at her in pure shock.
"It's final," she said, her voice carrying a newfound, fierce independence that you had never heard from her in your entire life. "I left him, sweetie. I realized... a man who would strike his own son for loving someone is a man who doesn't deserve a family at all. I packed my things. I have my own apartment now. I'm taking my life back. Just like you did."
A massive, overwhelming wave of relief washed over your chest, so profound it made your knees feel weak. You pulled her back into another fierce, crushing hug, laughing softly against her hair. "I'm so proud of you, Mom. You have no idea."
"I did it for myself," she murmured, kissing your cheek as she pulled away. "But I also did it because I want to be a part of your life. The real version of your life."
She glanced over your shoulder, her eyes softening as she looked at Katsuki, who was still standing a few yards away, watching over you, his family and friends giving you space but remaining a solid wall of support behind him.
"He's a good boy," your mother said softly, her smile widening into a knowing, gentle expression. "He took care of you when I couldn't."
She reached back into her purse one last time. When her hand came out, she wasn't holding legal papers anymore. She pulled out a small, square box made of deep, rich red velvet.
She pressed it firmly into the palm of your hand, wrapping your fingers around it.
"I think it's time you take the next step," she whispered, giving you a sly, affectionate wink. "Go on. He's waiting for you."
Your heart skipped a beat, its rhythm instantly accelerating into a frantic, ecstatic hammer against your ribs. You looked down at the red velvet box in your hand, feeling its weight, before looking back up at your mother. Your throat felt completely dry, but a profound, blinding certainty settled deep in your chest.
"Thanks, Mom," you choked out.
She stepped back, giving you an encouraging wink as she moved to stand closer to Mitsuki and Masaru, who welcomed her with warm, open expressions, instantly bringing her into the fold.
You turned back around, facing Katsuki.
He was standing alone now, his friends having subtly stepped back into a semi-circle, their eyes wide and excited as they noticed the small box in your hand. Mina was clutching Kirishimaâs arm so tightly her knuckles were white, a massive, silent grin plastered across her face.
Katsuki watched you walk back to him. His crimson eyes dropped to the red velvet box, and you saw the exact moment his brain registered what it was. His shoulders stiffened. His breath catching visibly in his throat. The usual fierce, unyielding composure he wore like armor cracked completely, replaced by a raw, stunned vulnerability.
You stopped exactly two feet in front of him.
"Katsuki," you said, your voice remarkably steady despite the frantic racing of your heart.
"What the hell are you doing?" he whispered, his voice rough, a sudden, fierce moisture glistening in the corners of his eyes. His hands were shaking slightly as he pulled them from his pockets.
"A year ago, I told you that kissing you on that field was the first time I felt like I was actually breathing," you said, taking a step closer, your eyes locking onto his with a deep, unwavering intensity. "And for the past year, every single day Iâve spent with you has felt exactly the same. You gave me a home when I didn't have one. You loved me when I was broken. You stood by me when the whole world went dark."
You took a deep breath, slowly sinking down onto one knee on the cold concrete of the plaza.
A collective, sharp gasp echoed from Mina and the squad behind him, but Katsuki didn't hear it. His eyes were glued to you, a single tear finally escaping his lashes, tracing a path down his cheek.
You flipped the red velvet box open, revealing a simple, thick silver band with a small circular diamond resting inside, catching the afternoon light.
"I don't want to wait until next year," you said, looking up at him, your smile blinding and full of an absolute, fierce devotion. "I don't want to wait another day. Katsuki Bakugo... will you marry me?"
For a second, the entire universe stood completely still.
Then, Katsuki let out a ragged, choked sob. He didn't even give you a verbal answer. He just huffed, a fierce, emotional sound, and threw his entire body weight forward.
He dropped to his knees right in front of you, his arms flying around your neck with so much force he nearly sent both of you tumbling backward onto the concrete. He buried his face in the crook of your neck, his fingers clawing desperately into the fabric of your graduation gown, his frame shaking with violent, happy sobs.
"Yes, you fucking idiot," Katsuki wept against your skin, his voice cracked and raw with an intense, overwhelming joy. "Yes, of course I will."
The plaza behind you erupted.
Mina let out a deafening, glass-shattering shriek of pure excitement, jumping up and down before throwing herself into Kirishima, who was openly wiping tears from his own eyes while cheering at the top of his lungs. Kaminari and Sero were high-fiving, shouting loudly, while Jiro smiled widely, clapping her hands. A few yards back, Mitsuki was crying openly, hugging your mother tightly, while Masaru stood beside them, a warm, incredibly proud smile on his face.
You wrapped your arms around Katsukiâs waist, pulling him so close you could feel the frantic, heavy rhythm of his heart matching your own. You pressed a warm, lingering kiss into his messy blonde hair, breathing him in, feeling the absolute, undeniable weight of your future settling into place.
You pulled back just enough to slide the silver band onto his finger, his hand trembling violently in yours before he grabbed your jaw, pulling you into a fierce, breathless kiss right there in the middle of the open plaza.
There was no tension. There was no fear.
As you held him under the bright afternoon sky, surrounded by the family you had chosen and the mother who had chosen you, you knew that the dark was finally gone. You were in the light, and you were never going back.




















