A bill that would create a Kentucky version of the Department of Government Efficiency, known as DOGE, is moving forward in the state Capito
DONT LET THE ABOVE FOOL YOU INTO THINKING ITS JUST ONE ACT, THEY'VE ENACTED PROJECT 2025 BY ROLLING BACK MANY ENVIRONMENT PROTECTIONS AND FEDERAL MINING REGULATIONS.
Of course the above article catches me making a masterpost for KY TODAY and I gotta redo the beginning. This is just the start but better late than never. Link for article published MARCH 3RD:
The bill above is House Bill 6, dubbed the "REINS Act"for "Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny," from Rep. Wade Williams, R-Earlington, disallows state agencies (judicial branch I believe) from taking action that isn't explicitly authorized by the Kentucky General Assembly if it costs more than $500,000 over two years.
Link for the bill:
Gov. Beshear's veto/280 page response:
A nice highlight: (from the effects of Legislator's REIN Act on Beshear's powers as Gov.)
"Had the General Assembly chosen to adopt a "disaster fund" as most states have, and as I have proposed in the past, there would be a separate mechanism to provide financing to address exigent circumstances without requiring a delay to seek additional funding."
For a Gov. Abusing his power it's amazing the 280 page veto where he had very informed information for his appeals to each clause: Just some below.
Gov. Andy Beshear has passed bills assisting the Energy and Environment Cabinet, he's been a dem "on the fence" (he so badly wants to be energy efficient if everyone here didn't prioritize coal or hate change (ahem with no programs I've seen to streamline coal miners to other energy efficient jobs)) over the balance of the environment and oil like any average Kentuckian is. But he's made comments congratulating Biden on his administrations efforts of balancing a new age of electric and energy efficiency with oils/"natural energy" and he's definitely fell to Biden's side.
Donald Trash of course doesn't like any pushback to his Project 2025 plans and his oil companies backing him definitely helped buy out Republicans as seen below @ the bottom of the article:
Delaying our AG's response time to bring relief to kentuckians and needing disaster relief authorized by the General Assembly for floods that usually overtake most of the water state is so much bigger than being "unelected" when Beshear has for the general part, done right by Kentuckians in terms of flood relief and responding to disasters and have exceptional bills passed.
TELL YOUR SENATOR TO REJECT SENATE BILL 257 AGAINST "K.O.G.E" AND YOUR REPS/LEGISLATORS TO SPEAK UP!!
KY WRITE YOUR REPS TO HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE AND WRITE YOUR SENATORS TO APPEAL HOUSE BILL 6 THEY PLAN ON USING TO DAMPEN THE GOVERNOR'S/AG/CABINETS POWERS.
APPEAL HOUSE BILL 6 TO ALLOW THE ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT CABINET TO DO THEIR JOBS WITHOUT DELAYED APPROVAL!!
Below are more topics to bring up to KY representatives:
More Topics To Send To Representatives
Link for DOGE Cuts To Federal Offices, Many Relating to Safety Standards to our main production value as a water state; coal.
Nineteen Kentucky offices are now listed on the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) website as part of the agency’s nationwide budget
Right After Pushing Back Protections for the state MOSTLY AFFECT BY RAIN WATER AND FLOODS SO WHY NOT DIG INTO THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS AND TAKE A CHANCE NEXT RAIN SHOWER!!! AFTER ADDING EXTRA DELAYS TO DISASTER RELIEF!!! SMART!!!! ESPECIALLY WITH RECORD HIGH WATER LEVELS THIS YEAR WHILE DEPRIORITISING ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT CABINET AND THE REGULATIONS THAT WATCH SAID WATER LEVEL!! WOOOHWEE!
Kentucky Senate OKs limiting state water pollution control to a weakened federal standard as Republicans say industry needs bureaucratic rel
This last one's my favorite.
(Btw they're clinging to that unelected argument as if AG's/Governor doesn't go through the process, and not just labelled "the president's specialest person" like their leader Musky that's paying them through other contracted billionaires.)
And here's a copy paste to the main sponsor of the last article, Senate Bill 89:
(Context:"Sen. Scott Madon, R-Pineville, the bill’s primary sponsor, reiterated his criticism of “government overreach” by the state’s environmental protection cabinet in its decisions about coal-industry permits."
“God put coal under our feet so that we can use it. It’s one of the greatest natural resources, and it’s our job to push back on unelected bureaucrats,” Madon said on the Senate floor.)
Start Script:
“God put coal under our feet so that we can use it. It’s one of the greatest natural resources, and it’s our job to push back on unelected bureaucrats,” you said on the Senate floor.
So suddenly we're standing up to the unelected? Is this why there's a personal attack on the Democratic governor by suppressing his legal powers with extra and unexplained checks and balances that have yet to be justified in 2024? More delays to disaster relief isn't what Kentuckians voted you in for. Allowing an unelected and unqualified individual to run a recently presented branch of government called DOGE is the epitome of humiliating for ALL Americans who live to see this administration just for a good Governor to be attacked. But we're yet to see anyone call Elon Musk or any overseer of DOGE out.
A threat to democracy means a threat to the bureaucracy that defends us from hostile contracts and allows safety training and stricter regulations for coal mining in a state with literal "Rocky Mountains." That's been dealt with tremendous floods not seen in decades in some areas and polluted drinking water in some counties relying on a boil water advisory because no one came forth with an apology for rolling back environment protections in a state that needed it most during the Biden administration.
"The bill changes the definition of regulated state waters by removing “all rivers, streams, creeks, lakes, ponds, impounding reservoirs, springs, wells, marshes, and all other bodies of surface or underground water, natural or artificial.” The definition would be changed to directly refer to the federal definition of “navigable waters.” The bill also designates bonding requirements for coal companies seeking permits for long-term treatment of water leaving mine sites."
Kentucky specifically needs to regulate its own waters as we, and only ourselves, know the true expanse of dangers civilians have to deal with when the drainage from other states target specific counties. We are known for water, despite no great lakes for a reason. Waiting for a general assembly is one of the worst possible outcomes from all of the registration passed this year when Kentucky's latest flooding was horrific but thankfully due to our Governor foresight, we were still struggling in terms of relief response and a measly 500,000 won't cut it for immediate help like calling the national guard for areas unreachable by regular vehicles. We had 24 people die, I've never heard of such a high number of deaths in floods but I'm lucky to be 24 and not know of Pineville's 80's flood personally. I had the benefit of the doubt thinking you did. I was wrong.
The second being "-impounding reservoirs, springs, wells, marshes, and all other bodies of surface or underground water, natural or artificial."
Those "marshes" include the yards of houses and homes that aren't covered for flooding from insurance companies because "they're in an area known for flooding". Not enforcing insurance for home's yards and then retracting back environmental protections is intentionally in bad faith to those who will be affected, those being homeowners, landlords and those looking to build anything energy efficient in the long run. You being a main sponsor in this bill is a disgrace to anyone who knows the Bell County area.
Rolling over and allowing cuts to our water protection agencies and people still on waiting lists for SS just for a whole office to be closed by DOGE? It only further threatens the state's and cabinets approach to relief when our state has yet to make an Emergency Fund. We 100% rely on the fast acting of our most crucial employees and Gov. if we want to react and prevent and future deaths. Your complacent role in all of this will be seen under God.
End Script.
Pls add whatever you want or feel compelled to speak about, I take important sentences in articles I find important and love contributions. (Edit: I detailed up the script a bit.)
Story Warnings: Major character trauma (death, injuries, psychological / emotional effects), mentions of possibly disturbing details (blood, injuries to heart / extremities / face / eyes), trauma induced (nightmares, panic attacks, emotional instability), hospital setting and use of medical equipment, excessive amounts of fluff and affection, dark humor
Words: 8,821
Bakugou Katsuki x Koge (OC) One Shots
...
No matter who it was that asked him, Bakugou was sure he’d never be able to fully describe what it felt like to die. He couldn’t remember the exact moment his heart had been ripped apart or when his own quirk had revived him. All that he could recall through the fog of adrenaline was pure exhilaration, which wasn’t something he’d ever be capable of explaining in words.
Why was this on his mind already? He hadn’t been awake for long and his parents had yet to drill him, though he expected they wouldn’t. He could see it on their faces, though. Their child had died, after all. It was logical that they’d want to know everything he went through, both to try to comfort him and put their own minds at ease if he said he didn’t suffer. Sure, they might be content to wait to hear it from him on his own terms, but what about his friends? Or, more importantly, his lover that he had yet to see? She would want to know it all, to take on his pain so she could do everything she could to help him heal.
So… what was it like?
It was harder for Bakugou to recall what he felt before the fatal wound outside of pure instinct driven by his awakened quirk, but he did know for a fact that it felt good, or… right. At that moment, it didn’t matter to him if he died or not. He knew what he had to do, for the sake of everyone he cared about, and that drove him to use his new power without any idea how to. He had made a dent of… some kind, or at least he assumed he had, since he still hadn’t heard all that much about the battle while he had been dead once Midoriya arrived.
After he had woken up was different, but he didn’t really get all his bearings until he landed on a rooftop with All Might beside him. Getting out of the sky coffin, taking Midoriya’s hand, and rescuing his idol had been completely on autopilot, but the pain of Edge Shot finally leaving his body is what forced his complete consciousness to come forth. Having blood erupt out of your mouth and nose will do that to a person, he assumed.
Next came nothing but adrenaline, exhilaration, concentration, pride, and pain. A lot of pain, to the point where he couldn’t even recall exactly how bad it had been. Bakugou’s entire body had been cold and on fire all at once, each move he made sending white-hot scorching agony through every nerve. And yet, he had loved every second of it. It was a pretty cliche thing to say, but he could admit that he had never felt more alive than he had during his battle with All for One. If he were honest, he’d rather people not fret or pity him for his injuries and death. Instead, he hoped that he’d get comments about how cool and impressive he was, seeing as how he literally killed the head honcho while on the brink of death himself, even if it had been the weakened version of him.
In the end, nothing Bakugou could think of would be an adequate way of describing his experience. What would he say?
“It was like ‘ouch’, y’know? And ‘woah’, ‘woosh’, ‘bam’! Blood tastes really bad when you throw it up, by the way. And no, I don’t feel bad about killing a baby.”
Maybe in the future, when he had more time to think and wasn’t on painkillers, he’d be able to write it out and tell those who wanted to know what he went through.
“I wonder if writing it out would be easier…?”
“What, Katsuki? You’re already thinking about how to monetize your freaking death?!”
Bakugou was startled by his mother’s voice, having not realized he had started thinking out loud. Blinking for the first time in what felt like hours, he tore his gaze away from the window to look at Mitsuki, whose confused glare probably matched his to a T. His vision was very blurry with his right eye barely working, but he could see her well enough to be able to read the total disbelief plastered on her face.
“What? No-” Bakugou gave a small shake of his head, looking away from her to his bandaged right arm instead. “I was just thinking about… how to explain it to people.”
“Explain what?”
“Ah, y’know… What it was like to die. People are gonna ask eventually.”
Bakugou had tried to avoid the severity of the topic with some sheepish humor, but the wary smirk on his lips faded when he looked at his parents again. This time, he couldn’t read their expressions. Worried? Confused? Dumbfounded? Horrified? He didn’t know, but the way his stomach dropped in regret of what he said was enough to tell him he shouldn’t have told the truth. He should have lied and agreed with his mother, that he was already looking to the future in an optimistic light. Was that a bad thing to be thinking about? Sure, but their annoyance and disappointment would have been better than whatever this was.
“Katsuki… Son, you don’t need to think about that.” Masaru closed the magazine he had been reading and put it aside, giving Bakugou just a peek at the cover that showed an image of the war, but he couldn’t read the text. “You need to think about your recovery… About getting better.”
“No one has the right to know or demand to know what you went through.” Mitsuki stood, making her way to his hospital bed and taking a seat in the empty chair beside it. “No one! Not even us, and I sure as hell don’t want to know. You’re alive and we can start planning your recovery one step at a time. What makes you think you have to explain-”
“Utsuro deserves to know.”
Mitsuki’s voice caught roughly in her throat at Bakugou’s interruption, her body language flipping from aggressive to subdued as her hands folded together anxiously in her lap. This was the first time Bakugou had mentioned his lifelong best friend and girlfriend in a while, which he suddenly felt quite guilty about. He had been so consumed with his injuries, doctors, and a recent painfully emotional interaction with Midoriya that he hadn’t asked more than a few questions about her since he woke up. At the time, just knowing that she was safe and uninjured eased his mind, but now the aching need to see her was beginning to swell in his chest, along with the fear of how the interaction would go.
He was scared to see her. He could admit that. Koge loved him more than anything else on this earth and he knew that she was already completely distraught. She had been a mess just bidding him farewell right before the war, since she wasn’t a part of it due to something as mundane as a flu keeping her nearly bedridden. It was kind of funny to Bakugou thinking back on it, how she had been so scared he’d end up sick just from kissing and hugging her while she was ill. Nope. He ended up good and dead instead, with a destroyed right arm and a ripped-up heart. Though, getting the flu could end up bad now with his vulnerable physical health, which was probably why she wasn’t here in the first place.
“I’ve been here a week, right?” Bakugou asked after a sigh, glancing at all the medical equipment around him. “Or something like that?”
“Mhmm.” Mitsuki nodded, though she didn’t look up from her hands yet. “They kept you mostly sedated until after your surgeries. But Koge hasn’t been able to visit. They won’t let her in.”
“She still has the flu, huh?”
“She’s gone three days now with no fever, which is what they said had to happen before she could visit. Poor thing… I feel horrible that she hasn’t been able to come see you yet.”
“I imagine she didn’t take the news well…”
“She was so sick in the middle of it all, but she refused to leave our side and watched every moment with us. We haven’t even been able to see her outside of the hospital either or they wouldn’t let us in, but her mother did tell me that she fainted when she heard everything that had happened. I’ve been keeping her posted though, like I promised her I would.”
“Is she coming by today?”
“I’m not sure. Maybe… you should text her?”
Bakugou was ashamed of the fear he felt from the thought of doing so. It was horrible of him, to be horrified at the thought of contacting one of the people he loved and trusted the most. Koge deserved to be here with him and he wanted her to be, but he couldn’t stand the thought of watching her cry and fret over him. Seeing her sad or in pain was the last thing he ever wanted to go through, but at the same time, he wanted the comfort and happiness her presence brought him. He wanted to be that comfort for her as well, to ease her worries and show her that he would be okay. That they would be okay, that the future they envisioned together was still there.
“I’m… I’m scared to.” Bakugou admitted with little hesitation, though he was surprised at the growing lump in his throat and burning tears threatening to fall from his tired eyes. “Seeing her cry and shit is gonna break me. I know it, especially after what happened with Deku earlier.”
“That… That is a lot of stress on your heart, son.” Masaru stood and came to stand beside his family, holding Bakugou’s phone even against his own worries of his son’s health. “Maybe you should wait until tomorrow?”
Bakugou hesitated for a moment before taking his phone from his father with a small shake of his head.
“I can’t do that. Don’t want to, either… She’s my Utsuro, y’know. I can’t do this without her.”
As his parents fell silent, Bakugou fumbled with his phone using his left hand, which was uncomfortable and a skill he hated the thought of having to learn. But he was able to navigate to his text messages anyway, finding that it was easy to spot his chat with Koge as she had just texted him a few hours ago. In fact, she had been texting him almost constantly while she waited for a response, with various thoughts of well-wishes and ‘I love you’s. There were some mundane things in there, too, including complaining about her sickness and excitedly mentioning gifts she had gotten him.
Damn, it made him miss her like crazy.
After a deep breath to ready himself, Bakugou began to work his way through texting, doing his best to not make mistakes.
Me 2:32 PM: i dont really wanna know that you threw up out of your nose, utsuro. giving me flashbacks.
Utsuro 2:33 PM: KATSUKI! ｡･ﾟﾟ･(>д<)･ﾟﾟ･｡
Utsuro 2:33 PM: You jerk! (╥_╥) That’s what you text me first thing?! (ᗒᗣᗕ)՞
Me 2:35 PM: sorry. dont really know what to say. i cant believe you didnt break into the hospital to be here. i expected riots.
Utsuro 2:36 PM: I was scared I’d get you sick, too. (╯_╰) Then you’d die again all because of my germs. (◕︵◕) I miss you so much, Katsuki! ಥ ೧ ಥ I don’t think I’ve stopped crying since you left!
Me 2:40 PM: must be dehydrated.
Utsuro 2:41 PM: (╥ᆺ╥；)
Me 2:45 PM: sorry, koge. i really am. for everything.
Utsuro 2:46 PM: You have nothing to be sorry for, Katsuki. (◕︵◕) But can I please come see you? Please? (;﹏;)
Me 2:49 PM: i want nothing more than to see you, koge. get your ass over here. safely.
Utsuro 2:55 PM: 30 minutes! Ｏ(≧∇≦)Ｏ I love you so much, I can’t wait to see you! (´,,•ω•,,)♡
Me 2:58 PM: i love you too, koge. be safe.
Utsuro 3:00 PM: ( ˘ ³˘)❤
Me 3:00 PM: ❤
“She said she’ll be here in thirty.” Bakugou said with a sigh, relaxing back against his propped-up bed and letting his head sink into the pillow. He hadn’t noticed how tired he had been until that moment, not even having the energy to hold onto his phone. He let it go, not bothering to worry about it falling between his legs into the folds of the uncomfortable blanket that was covering him up to his hips. “Fuck, I’m tired… Dunno how I can be after sleeping so damn much.”
“They have you pretty doped up, Katsuki.” Mitsuki stood, taking over fixing her son's bedding for him and putting his phone on the bedside table. Bakugou wasn’t exactly into being babied like this, but he didn’t have the energy or will to gripe about it. He knew that it made her feel better to take care of him, too, so being Mr. Independent would have to wait. “I don’t know how you’re not drooling and slurring like a drunkard.”
“Sleep, son.” Masaru gave Bakugou’s leg a comforting few pats. “Koge will understand.”
“Nah… I can’t do that to her.” Bakugou gave his healthy eye a rub to try and alleviate the heaviness, but it didn’t do much. “She’d feel even worse interrupting my sleep. She’s a lot more sensitive than she seems.”
“Same could be said about you, mister.” Mitsuki ruffled Bakugou’s hair gently, not at all perturbed by his annoyed growl and sideways glare. “You’re becoming more and more genuine every day!”
“Yeah, yeah, I’m an asshole, I know!” Bakugou waved his mother away, starting to feel agitated from both her teasing and touching him. “That’s enough, quit it!”
“Aw c’mon, let me take care of you! Need anything? Bathroom? Water?”
“Tch… water. I guess.”
“Say ‘please’!”
“In your dreams, ya nag!”
In the end, Bakugou ended up drifting off, failing to stay awake against his best efforts. He had always been a heavy sleeper and when paired with his medication, his consciousness dropped like a rock into a never-ending well of darkness and dreams. It wasn’t all comforting, though, and the fact that he was experiencing nightmares wasn’t that surprising to him. For someone who went through the type of trauma he had, it was common sense that he’d have some form of demons that stuck around to torture him when he was the most vulnerable.
No one knew yet, though. It was just something else that he didn’t want to burden others with, nor did he want the questions and worry that would come with the confession. There wasn’t one particular thing he dreamt about, anyway. It’d be too annoying and tedious to try and explain every little detail, and if he were honest with his explanations, he’d be sent to a shrink faster than what was already probably planned for him. He didn’t like the thought of seeing a therapist, but healing his mind would be just as important as his physical recovery.
This dream was strange, though. The fact that it was about Koge was probably due to his awareness of her visiting him, but that wasn’t the issue. It was as if he were seeing the near future and the interaction had him confused if it were real or not. Was he not actually asleep and in just some dissociated state of mind? Had her instant disgust of his physical state upon her arrival set his mind off course?
That was something he didn’t expect, for him to be so self-conscious about his injuries when it came to Koge. They were both fiercely physically attracted to each other, to the point that it was hard for them to keep themselves contained when alone, and one of the major points for Koge was his strength. His hands, although dangerous and rough, were her favorite physical attributes of his, but now one of them was out of commission. Permanently or temporarily, it was still too early to tell, but what if she truly did think he was defective now?
Not only that, but his heart was ruined, too. He very well may never be able to give her that same physical closeness she had grown so accustomed to, intimate or casual. Would Koge really want to stay with him throughout all these unknowns? Was he even worth her time and affection anymore if he couldn’t give her what she was used to and wanted? In reality, they hadn’t been involved romantically for very long, but the thought of being without her truly made him sick.
That’s why this dream was a nightmare for him, to be unable to pull himself out of it while Koge ridiculed, blamed and tore him down. This imaginary version of her was mean and heartless, screaming words at him that he swore she’d never use against him.
It wasn’t at all what he wanted and he hated this tainted view of her that his mind was creating just to be cruel to him. Koge was his best friend. His light. His lover. She is what he saw when he envisioned his future, always beside him and guiding him.
Not this. This isn’t who she was, yet he couldn’t run away from it. Did that mean it was real?
“Katsuki…? Katsuki? Katsuki, c’mon, wake up.”
Wake up? He was already awake, wasn’t he? Who was that calling him, anyway?
“Shit, should we call the nurse?!”
“Katsuki, son, wake up!”
The words of whoever else was talking were blending in with Koge’s continued insults, and he couldn’t tell what was happening or where to focus his mind. As his confusion grew, so did a pain in his chest and he found it harder and harder to breathe.
“Is his oxygen on?!”
“Y-yes, honey, I think so! He looks like he’s in pain- Oh, sweetheart, d-don’t come in right now-”
“What’s wrong? Katsuki-?!”
It was all wrong. All of it. The screaming. The beeping. The hands on him, squeezing his throat and pressing down onto his chest. Bakugou couldn’t find something to grasp, to pull him back into consciousness and stop this panic inducing nightmare. All images now gone, he was left with nothing but suffocating darkness and he needed a light to guide him out. Where was she? Where was his light? Should he call out to her? Would she hear him?
Somehow pulling air into his lungs, Bakugou put in all his effort to call out Koge’s name, but it arrived choked, stuttered and muffled.
“Katsuki? Katsuki, I’m here! I’m right here, it’s okay.”
He called out again, this time reaching for anything to hold. His left hand wrapped around something tightly and it squeezed back.
“Yes, I-I’m here, Katsuki. It’s your Utsuro. P-please wake up!”
That sadness and fear in her voice… Was that real? It wasn’t anything like what he had just listened to, which was already beginning to fade out of memory as his mind began to focus. There were many things that were helping him recover, but what stuck out the most to him was an intimately familiar scent. Koge had worn the same perfume since middle school, and he had always been obsessed with it. At the moment, he couldn’t recall what it was exactly, but it never failed to soothe and relax him. It had always been one of his favorite things about being so intimately close to her, especially when it came to cuddling in bed to nap after a hard day. He hadn’t gotten to hold or touch her in what felt like years and in that moment, there was nothing he wanted more.
“Oh, his heart rate is calming down! Koge, sweetie, keep talking to him.”
“W-what do you think you’re doing, Katsuki? Trying to avoid me at all costs, huh?”
Avoid her? Why the hell would he want to avoid her? He wanted nothing more than to see that stupid, infuriatingly beautiful smile. To hold and kiss her. He wanted to look into those captivating pale blue eyes, and he could. All he had to do was open his own, right? Why was that so difficult right now?
“N… No, Uts… Utsuro.” Bakugou finally choked out between heavy breaths. “N-never…”
“Don’t try to talk, Katsuki. Just breathe.”
“How… How can I?” Opening his eyes as much as he could, it took no time for Bakugou to spot the radiance of his lover beside him and couldn’t stop the tired yet giddy smile on his lips. “How can I breathe… when you take my breath away? Hm?”
“O-oh sh-shut up-” Koge’s voice hitched as she hiccupped, releasing Bakugou’s hand as he reached up to caress her face. His effort to wipe away her tears was fruitless as more rushed down her flushed cheeks, but his thumb swiped softly across her skin anyway. “You jerk!”
“Don’t be… so sad… Utsuro.” Bakugou took in a few deep breaths through his nose to breathe in the pure oxygen from the tubing, even though his chest felt like it was on fire. “I’m alright…”
“You didn’t look alright just now… I walked in and it looked like you were having a heart attack!”
“Just… Just a nightmare.”
“About what?”
“Ah, well… That’s the funny thing. I can’t remember.”
Bakugou couldn’t help but chuckle at the shock on Koge’s face, which matched his parents when he glanced up at them from where they stood on the other side of his bed. It was true, he couldn’t remember exactly what had upset him, but he didn’t really care, either. His lover was here and he had never been so happy to see her.
“So,” Bakugou held his arm out, inviting her in. “You gonna hug me or not, Utsuro?”
Koge was still for a moment, looking him over with tearful eyes before she broke with a sob. At the same time she climbed up to sit on the edge of the bed, Bakugou sat up, putting his healthy arm around her torso while she put hers around his shoulders with her face buried against his neck. As they held each other, Koge cried and wailed openly, which was a sound that shattered Bakugou’s resolve faster than he could even build it. Before he could tame it, his own tears rushed forth and poured down his cheeks, bringing him to hide his face in her shoulder while caressing the back of her head affectionately.
“I love you, Koge.” Bakugou spoke as softly as his trembling voice would let him. “I love you so fucking much.”
“I-I lo-ove you, t-to-too, Katsuki! I love you!”
Bakugou would have sat there holding her like that forever, but they were interrupted by a pair of nurses who swiftly made their way inside in response to Bakugou’s vitals spiking and his parents pushing the call button out of panic. While the younger one checked on Bakugou, the older one was quick to snap at Koge to lecture her on behaving so as to not upset her patient.
“What do you think you’re doing, coming in here and causing a ruckus! He’s severely injured and does not need your emotional nonsense added to-”
“Oi!” Mitsuki snapped before her son could, stepping between the still crying Koge and the nurse, who showed no signs of stepping down. “If anything’s gonna upset my son, it’s you yelling at his girlfriend!”
“Well, she should know better than to-”
“No!” Mitsuki interrupted again. “That’s my future daughter-in-law you’re barking at! Besides, he started having his fit before she even walked in! If you would have answered the call immediately, you’d know that, wouldn’t you?!”
The nurse began to stutter, glancing around as if looking for a way to escape the intimidating woman in front of her. Instead, all she got was a good look at the furious yet exhausted glare on Bakugou’s face, who was ignoring the younger nurse as she tried to get his attention to check his eyes.
“Listen,” The nurse finally got ahold of herself, one hand on her hip while the other pointed a finger towards Bakugou. “He’s at a high risk for many things, including heart failure, a stroke, infection, seizures and any number of other things I’ve already discussed with you. Anything that can increase his heart rate isn’t safe, and that includes emotional reunions-”
“I had a nightmare or something, which I think caused a panic attack.” Bakugou finally spoke up, letting the younger nurse check his eyes with a flashlight and adjust his nasal oxygen tube back into its correct place. “It wasn’t her. If anything, she’s the one that calmed me down.”
While the nurse and his mother continued to bicker, Bakugou looked at Koge, who was standing there silently with her head bowed and her arms crossed tightly over her chest. Since she was still close, he was able to reach over and touch her arm, giving her sleeve a light tug to get her attention. He smiled at her once their eyes locked and he gave a small nod to encourage her over. At first, she glanced around, embarrassed and hesitant to cause more of a scene, but she soon sat back down beside him on the bed.
“It’s okay, Utsuro.” Bakugou took her hand, holding it with a firm yet comforting grip. “I’m alright. I promise.”
Sniffling, Koge wiped her face with her free hand, her still teary eyes glancing him over.
“That was… really scary, Katsuki.”
“Sorry… I had tried to stay awake until you got here.”
“That must have been a nasty nightmare…”
“Yeah… I think it was about you, but I’m not really sure.”
Koge frowned, shifting in her seat a bit.
“Me? What kind of nightmare would be about me?”
“Well, I think- Oi, could you take that outside?!” Bakugou snapped at his mother and the nurses, officially ticked off at the volume of their voices as it was overpowering his thoughts and Koge’s naturally meek voice. “I’m fine and just wanna talk to Utsuro, dammit!”
Once the women were out in the hall, Masaru followed, giving his son an apologetic look before shutting the door behind him, leaving Koge and Bakugou alone. The silence was almost deafening for a moment, as Bakugou had been surrounded by noise any time he was awake with his parents and hospital staff talking to him, but he didn’t let it sit for long.
“Sorry, Utsuro. It’s been… more hectic than you’d expect around here since I woke up.”
“Well, with a mom like Mitsuki, I’d expect her to keep the staff on their toes to take care of you.” Koge finally smiled, further calming Bakugou’s nerves. “That nurse is right, though. You’re in a really delicate way right now.”
“Tch, don’t say it like that! Makes me sound… pregnant or something!”
Koge laughed softly, rubbing the top of his hand with her thumb.
“Sorry! I couldn’t think of another way to say it.”
“How much has Mom told you?”
“Hm…” Tilting her head to the side and looking away from him in thought, the happiness in Koge’s expression melted back into her more typical voidness, giving away that the reality of his injuries was painful for her to think about. “Basically everything the doctors have said, I suppose. That your arm is basically destroyed and will need a lot of rehab to recover it. And your heart is… Well, I-I guess Edge Shot did a great j-job.”
Bakugou wasn’t surprised that Koge was crying again by the time she finished, but that didn’t make it any easier to watch. Koge was and had always been a strong person, both physically and mentally, so seeing her cry over anything was rare. He felt stupid for not being able to think of a way to comfort her, to tell her that he was okay without repeating the same things over and over again. No matter what he said, she would continue to worry for who knows how long. Actually, she’d probably fret over him their entire lives, considering the fact that no one knew what type of issues he could have in his older years.
“He did.” Bakugou gave her hand a squeeze, wishing he could move his other to wipe her tears away. “My heart ‘n lungs will be fine, Utsuro. I’ll be fine. I’m still gonna be the number one hero, that’s for damn sure.”
“I know you will.” Koge smiled again, but Bakugou could see that she was trying to hide her sadness behind it. “You’re my indestructible Katsuki, after all.”
“As long as you’re with me, Utsu-” A realization interrupted Bakugou and made his words catch in his throat, the new lump silencing him. As if a switch was flipped in his brain, everything that had happened in his nightmare flooded back into his mind, smothering the light and plunging his thoughts into darkness. The expression on his face must have been horrid, as Koge’s smile instantly faded and worry creased her delicate features.
“Katsuki? Are you okay?”
“Y-yeah.” Bakugou cleared his throat, giving a small shake of his head. “Just… I just remembered my nightmare, that's all.”
“Oh,” Koge let out a sigh of relief that he wasn’t in physical distress, but she didn’t calm completely. “Okay… Want to talk about it?”
“It’s… I dunno, it’s pretty stupid, when I really think about it.”
“Katsuki, it upset you enough to cause a panic attack or something. Plus, it concerns me, so I gotta know.”
“You’ll just think it’s stupid, too.”
“It’s not stupid if it hurts you so much. Please tell me?”
Bakugou glanced over Koge’s tense expression and posture as he tried to gather his courage. He was already annoyed with himself at how apprehensive he was to talk to her, as if describing all his fears would make her realize that he was right and she should abandon him. It was horrible and stupid for him to think that way of her, but he was finding it increasingly hard not to.
“I… I dreamed that you were berating me for getting injured. Not just the typical stuff, though… You were really putting me down. Calling me all sorts of things I know you’d never say. Not seriously, anyway. Shit like ‘useless’, ‘broken’, ‘weak’. Just lots of crap that made me feel… defective. Like I… I couldn’t love you like I always have anymore or be the man you need me to be. So because I couldn’t be the provider you wanted… you le-… Uhm, you left. You left me.”
Getting through that without bawling was a lot harder than Bakugou expected, especially with how hot the gathering tears were. In fact, he couldn’t believe how emotionally wrecked he had been since he woke up. It felt like he had been crying and emotional more than not, and although it was frustrating in general, it was infuriating right now. He wanted to be strong for Koge, who he knew was in a great amount of distress herself, but this topic horrified him to his very core.
The fear only grew as he sat there, waiting for Koge to break out of her shock and speak. What was she surprised about, exactly? Was it at the ridiculousness of his worries or that she hadn’t realized that hard truth herself?
After what felt like an eternity, Koge carefully shifted herself to sit closer to him and released his hand to instead caress his unbandaged cheek tenderly. Her touch, comforting smile and loving gaze broke him for what felt like the millionth time that day and he couldn’t stop the tears from escaping.
“Katsuki… I’ve already told you a million times. There are only three things that can make me leave you. That is: if you tell me you don’t want me anymore, you break my heart or my trust, or if you die.”
“I… did die.”
“I mean die-die. Like dead forever. Permanent unsubscription from life.”
“I just… I suppose I’m scared you’ll grow to resent me, Utsuro.”
“For what?”
“For ruining the relationship we have. For… ruining that vision of our future you’ve thought about forever and that I’ve grown to share. All because I was… All because I was weak, reckless and… selfish.”
“Nothing you did was selfish, Katsuki. You risked everything to save everyone and I am so, so proud of you.” Koge’s voice trembled as she struggled to hold back more tears. “You were and are amazing. You’re strong and brave. You are a true hero, Katsuki. My hero. You didn’t ruin anything, love.”
“But… I can’t…”
“I know it won’t be the same. I know that it’ll be hard. But as long as you want me here, I am never leaving your side. So what if our future won’t be what we had planned? We can make a new one! There’s a million different futures we can have, and as long as I can be with you, I’ll be happy. What’s with this ‘can’t do’ attitude, anyway? Weren’t you just saying you can do anything if I’m with you?”
“I can’t help but think of everything, y’know…”
“You’re always like that, and I love that about you. But me leaving you because of this? That isn’t something you have to think about.”
Bakugou released the breath he didn’t realize he had been holding, his posture and nerves relaxing as he absorbed her words. Unsure of what to say, he took a moment to wipe his face clean of tears with the blanket still covering him, but that was replaced with a tissue as Koge fetched one from her bag she still had slung over her shoulder. As patient as she always was, Koge waited for him to gather himself, though he could see her eyes glancing over his bandages and at the brace around his torso.
“Y’know what sucks, Utsuro?” He finally spoke once he felt he could without crying again. “Outside of the obvious?”
“What’s that?” Koge removed her bag to place it on the floor and settled into a more comfortable position beside him. “Tell me all the things that suck.”
“This thing?” He tapped his finger against the brace. “I gotta wear this bitch for six weeks. Minimum.”
“Aww, it’s gonna flatten your pecs! Your moobs were really starting to grow in. That’s a shame.”
“Moobs?!” Bakugou couldn’t help the amused smirk on his face as Koge laughed, which was his entire goal in the first place. “All this is pure muscle, Utsuro! Ain’t an ounce of fat on me!”
“Mmm, I dunno, Katsuki.” Sly smile on her lips, Koge held her hand up in front of her chest, motioning as if she were squeezing something. “They’re pretty squishy. Don’t worry, I’ll help you.”
“Help me with what?”
“I’ll be the judge on their recovery. I’ll be sure to let you know once they’re back to perfect squeezable condition.”
“Tch, no way, Utsuro. Once I can work out again, I’m gonna get serious about bulking up.”
“Oooh, that means they’re gonna be even squishier! The perfect pillows for my naptime.”
“They won’t be!”
Neither of them cared to pay attention to how long they sat around talking like this. All that Bakugou could feel was the happiness and joy her presence brought him, along with an almost suffocating level of thankfulness that he got this chance to even see her again. He had been granted this second chance to chase after all his life goals, and that included fulfilling the dreams he shared with Koge. His newfound disabilities didn’t deter her now and he knew that they wouldn’t in the future if more complications arise.
Just like she had said, if he didn’t want her gone, then she wasn’t going anywhere. Giving up on this woman who had and would always support him would be one of the biggest mistakes he could ever make. Now, sitting in comfortable silence listening to her steady breathing as she fell asleep resting against his side, he swore to himself that he’d never let that happen as long as he was still breathing.
Having been spaced out for a bit staring at the promise ring on Koge’s finger as her hand rested on his thigh, Bakugou was a little startled by the return of his parents, who slid the hospital door open cautiously at first to peek in. Since his left arm was around Koge’s body, he couldn’t bring a finger up to his lips, but he still shushed them with a hiss and threatening look.
Both understanding, Mitsuki and Masaru entered the room quietly, making sure the door was shut to prevent any outside noise.
“Visiting hours are almost over, Katsuki.” Mitsuki said in a soft voice, coming to stand by the right side of his bed. “How long has she been asleep?”
“What? Really?” Bakugou grumbled, hating the thought that Koge was going to have to leave him. “She hasn’t even been here that long.”
“Well, you’ve been visiting for over four hours at this point, and you woke up late in the day as it was. I already asked them if she could stay, they said only legal guardians for now.”
“Tch, that’s bullshit.”
“I’m sure it has something to do with security. Don’t worry, we all know that she’ll be back first thing in the morning.”
“Fine. Go away for a second so I can say bye without you gawking at us.”
The parents didn’t protest, leaving the room again just as Koge began to wake up from the sound of conversation. At first, she simply stretched a bit and made her signature noise of ‘I don’t want to wake up’, which was a mix of a whine and a groan that Bakugou couldn’t help but find adorable.
“Wake up, Utsuro.” Bakugou said, giving her torso a slight squeeze to urge her further into consciousness. “Nap time is over.”
“Oh yeah?” Huffing, Koge rubbed her tired eyes and sat up, giving Bakugou room to run his hand up and down her back. “Well, if you thought I was clingy before, just you wait, Katsuki.”
“I never said it was a problem.”
Turning to face him, Koge smiled that infuriatingly beautiful smile of hers that always made Bakugou’s heart flutter. Usually, he was able to hide how bashful it made him, but he could see it in the way her expression softened that his own gave him away and that only increased the heat that pooled in his cheeks and the tips of his ears.
“What’s that cute, shy look for? Hm?” Koge said teasingly. “Even with all those bandages, I can see that you’re blushing.”
“Tch, shut up.” Bakugou grumbled, looking away as he grew embarrassed. “You’re just… Your smile gets to me sometimes is all…”
“Sometimes?”
“Fine, all the time, damn it.”
Koge laughed softly, leaning forward to give his healthy cheek a gentle yet playful kiss with an affectionate nuzzle. Bakugou grunted and huffed as the cutesy action only flustered him further, but he still put his arm back around her to tug her in closer for a punishing hug. She melted back into him immediately, humming happily and hiding her face against the side of his neck, and he couldn’t help but smile as he hid his own on her shoulder.
“I love you, Katsuki.” Koge said after a moment, letting them soak in the comfortable, warm silence. “I’ll be back first thing in the morning to spend all day with you.”
“I love you, too, Utsuro. But you don’t have to stay the entire day… Don’t get me wrong, I want you to. I might just be sleeping a ton.”
“That’s okay.” Sitting up, Koge helped him fix his oxygen tubes back into place again as it had fallen off his ear. “I’ll bring stuff to do and your parents will keep me company.”
“That’s what I’m worried about.”
Bakugou couldn’t help the cheeky grin on his face as Koge laughed again, their shared humor needing no explanation to what he meant.
“I’m sure Mitsuki will enjoy going on and on about you. She’s really proud of you too, you know. Both of your parents are.” After sharing another kiss on the lips with her lover, Koge stood and fetched her purse, though they never broke the connection of their hands. “Don’t be too hard on them, okay?”
“Eh, I’m trying not to be…” Bakugou gave a small shrug. “It’s all kind of overwhelming, though… How much they’re hovering and babying me, on top of all the nurses and doctors. I’m used to being independent and I… feel like I can’t anymore.”
“I know, love.” Koge slung her purse over her head so it rested across her body. “It’ll probably be that way for a long time. If I can’t help but want to take care of you, there’s no way they can control it, either. Your relationship with them hasn’t always been the best, but they love you.”
“That’s my fault… I’ve always been an asshole to them. It’s no wonder my mom reacts with the same level of aggression and my dad is timid around me. I… need to change. I want to.”
“I would say ‘it’s never too late to change’, but… I know you don’t feel that way anymore. I can tell…”
Bakugou hummed in confirmation, glancing over her figure before meeting her gaze again. Koge was still smiling at him in that comforting and understanding way that would probably confuse him for the rest of their lives. He’d never be able to figure out how she had always been able to know him better than he knew himself, both inside and out. Not only that, but being able to love him in the first place with all his flaws and horrible things he did in the past.
He didn’t have to understand it, though. The fact was that she did and she was one of the biggest positive influences in his life that was helping to sculpt a better, more honorable and compassionate version of himself. He wanted to change, and with all the support he had from his family, his friends, and his lover, he knew he could.
“I… don’t have all the time in the world, Utsuro.” He said in a low, quiet tone, looking down at their hands where he ran his thumb across the promise ring on her finger. “No one does. But with the time I do have… I’m going to do things right. Especially when it comes to you. You deserve the world, Koge… and I’m going to make damn sure you get everything you’ve always wanted.”
“The only thing I need is you, Katsuki.” Koge took his hand in both of hers and gave it a gentle squeeze. “I don’t need money, fancy things or a big house. For you to be a famous hero or celebrity. You just have to be my Katsuki.”
“‘Needs’ and ‘wants’ are two different things. You’ll always have what you need, but you’re gonna get what you want, too. No matter what it is.”
“Ooh, anything, hm?”
“Damn right.”
Koge hummed in thought, glancing around the room and wrinkling her nose to really sell the facade that she was actually being serious. Bakugou could tell she was teasing, of course, so he just waited with a smirk on his face in preparation to snap back at whatever witty remark she made with one of his own.
“Well,” She started, tapping her chin with her delicate index finger. “I want a giant room dedicated just to hoarding blankets.”
“Biggest in the house, with floor to ceiling shelves and a rolling ladder so your short ass can reach it all.”
“At least ten pet rats at a time.”
“I get to name at least one of them. King Murder Rat.”
“A gourmet meal every night.”
“Like hell I’d let you cook, anyway.”
“Three babies, all with a given name that matches yours.”
Bakugou’s voice caught in his throat as embarrassment overwhelmed him, which was made evident in the way he flushed and stuttered, just like he always did the instant she mentioned children. It wasn’t because he didn’t want them. If it was with Koge, he’d be happy to, but that didn’t mean the thought wasn’t easy to grasp. For so long, he never considered a lover in his future, having been so set in his goals to become a strong, successful hero for the majority of his life. It wasn’t until he fell for her, and she for him, that he started fitting the prospects of a partner and family into his plans that had been so set in stone he was sure nothing could derail him.
Koge hadn’t done that, of course. All she did was become a co-conductor on the bullet train that was his life, with more cars added to it and more destinations to reach. More dreams. More goals. More love. More happiness. All these passengers and more were sure to board, leaving not a single inch of space left until he took his last breath.
“‘Well?” Koge said playfully, leaning forward a bit to catch Bakugou’s averted gaze. “What’cha say to that, hm?”
“You… you’ll just be disappointed!”
“Oh?”
“That’s right! ‘Cause… all three will have my quirk!”
Laughing, Koge stroked Bakugou’s hair and placed her hand on his healthy cheek, rubbing the flushed skin with her cold thumb. It felt good and Bakugou nuzzled his nose and mouth into it to not only enjoy her touch while he had it, but also to try to hide his bashful state.
“You’re so silly, Katsuki.” Koge gently urged Bakugou to look up at her. “What makes you think that’ll disappoint me?”
“It… It just would!”
“Hmmm, I dunno about that. Tiny clones of you would be super adorable. Three more little puffballs running around.”
“I am not a puffball.”
“This adorable hair of yours says otherwise.” As her hand slid around to caress the back of his neck, Koge nuzzled her face into his hair to rest her cheek on the top of his head. Bakugou grumbled and put his arm around her torso in return, and though he was agitated with her teasing, he still placed a soft kiss on the exposed skin within his reach.
“Well…” Koge said with a sigh and leaned up just enough so that their faces were level. “I guess I better go… Even though I don’t wanna.”
“I don’t want you too, either.” Bakugou ran his fingers through her hair, tucking it behind her ear even though the curls at her cheeks resisted and kept their place. “I hate that you can’t stay.”
“It does suck, but… Just go to sleep and get some rest, love. I’ll be waiting at the hospital doors to get in the instant they open.”
“I know you will. Stalker.” With light pressure to the back of Koge’s neck, Bakugou drew her in to place an affectionate kiss on her lips, which she returned with a happy hum. It was short but sweet, and when she smiled down at him, he did so in kind. “Just promise me something, Utsuro.”
“Anything.”
“Be careful. Text me when you’re home. And no more crying. I’m fine and everything will be okay. I love you, Koge.”
“I love you too, Katsuki. And I promise to do at least two of those things.”
“All three!”
“Fine, fine. But only if you promise me something, too.”
“Hm?”
“Don’t die.”
Bakugou chuckled, sharing one last kiss with Koge before she stood up straight.
“That ain’t gonna happen, Utsuro. Not for a long time. You’re stuck with me.”
“Like glue.”
“Damn right. Hey, ya hag!” Bakugou called out to his mother, who opened the door and poked her head in. “One of you walk Koge to the station at least, will ya?”
“Well, your dad was already going to Katsuki.” Mitsuki huffed, taking a step into the room with her hands firmly on her hips. Masaru followed her in and the expression on his face was enough to give away his displeasure in this most recent petty squabble. “But now you gotta say ‘please’!”
“You’re on that shit again?” Glowering at her, Bakugou leaned back against the still raised bed, suddenly feeling quite tired now that his attention wasn’t on Koge. “C’mon… I’ve already been a little bitch baby enough today. Gimme a break. I didn’t even ask you in a mean way!”
“Hmph, fine!” Mitsuki waved her hand in the air dismissively. “But I eventually expect a ‘thank you’!”
“You seriously think I wasn’t gonna thank you? This is literally my first day being awake. You gotta take care of me at least a few more months before you get that privilege.”
The playful tone of Bakugou’s voice instantly quelled the tension and Mitsuki chuckled in amusement with a smile on her face. Masaru relaxed as well and gave a relieved sigh as he walked over to where his coat was resting on a chair, pulling it on in preparation to accompany Koge outside. Before she left as well, Bakugou gave Koge’s hand a squeeze to get her attention.
“Text me.” He said, rubbing the top of her hand with his thumb. “I mean it. Even if I’m asleep, one of them will answer you.”
“I will, Katsuki. I love you.”
“Love you…” Bakugou’s voice trailed off as he watched her go, though their hands stayed together until the last second when their fingertips brushed against each other. Watching her walk out of the room with his father following behind her was a lot harder than he expected and he had to swallow down the fresh lump in his throat before he got emotional again.
Once they were gone, Mitsuki shut the door with a small sigh.
“I’m sorry she can’t stay, Katsuki.” She said, making her way over to the other bed in the room that her and her husband were sharing for the time being. “Maybe eventually. But I’m hoping you won’t be here too long.”
“Eh, I get it, but… It does suck. I haven’t spent a day without her in a really long time… Now that all this shit is over, I… never want to.”
Mitsuki was quiet while she prepared the bed for sleep. Once done, she came to stand beside Bakugou’s bed, carefully checking all the wires, tubes, and other nonsense connected to him before lowering the mattress down to his preferred height for sleep.
“I know, son. You two really are connected at the hip.”
Bakugou grunted in response, not resisting or commenting on her actions while she pulled the blanket up to his chest and made sure his injured arm was tucked into the protective sleeve that kept it still. He didn’t speak again until she was finally done, and he didn’t even realize she had walked away again until the lights turned off, except for a few that always stayed on in case of emergencies. It soothed his sore, tired eyes and he almost fell asleep instantly.
“I dunno what is going to happen, but…” He mumbled, though he was trying to be as clear as he could. “I do know one thing for sure…”
“What’s that?”
“I’m gonna marry that woman… one day…” Although his eyes closed, Bakugou said this with a giddy half smile. “I already know it… and she does… too…”
“Oh Katsuki, we all know that. I’ve known it from the instant you told me she punched you in the face at five years old. Who else could tolerate you and your bratty attitude?”
“Ha… Guess we’ll never know, ‘cause… no one else will ever have… the chance…”
“I just want at least one grandbaby.”
“She wants three, so… You’re gonna have three.”
“Ooh, three little puffballs! Just don’t wait until I’m too old!”
“Tch, Utsuro said the same thing. Puffballs… Stupid.”
“Oh hush. Go to sleep, Katsuki. I’ll respond to Koge when she texts.”
Bakugou couldn’t answer, his mind slipping away the moment Mitsuki promised to watch for Koge’s text to make sure she got home safely. This time, his consciousness wasn’t thrown into torment and negativity. Instead, he was surrounded by warm light that covered him like a familiar fleece blanket pulled off a shelf. His wife was in his arms, there was laughter and joy all around him, and he had everything he needed.
