KW

FLASHBACK

“Nova, can you h—?”

The sound of static crackled through your earpiece, cutting off the desperate voice on the other end. You winced, shielding your face as the blistering heat of the raging fire licked at your skin. The warehouse, once teeming with federal agents and your team, was now a deathtrap engulfed in flames.

This wasn’t how the mission was supposed to end.

The vital evidence you needed to bring Anthony Moretti to justice—the files, the ledgers, the weapons cache—was turning to ash before your eyes. Desperation clawed at your chest as you searched for an exit amid the chaos, flames casting long, erratic shadows across the crumbling structure.

It was hard to believe that only 24 hours ago, you were sitting across from Moretti in a high-end restaurant, the air thick with the smell of calamari and overpriced cologne. The man had smiled as you choked down bitter cocktails, blissfully unaware that you were dismantling his empire from within. Now, everything he’d built—the lives he’d destroyed, the drugs he’d sold, the blood money he’d hoarded—was being consumed by the very flames that threatened to take you with them.

You didn’t have time to mourn the loss of the evidence. Surviving came first.

A sharp, metallic crack reverberated through the air just before a sudden blow to the back of your head made your vision blur. Staggering, you barely registered the weight of a body slamming into you before you hit the ground, the impact knocking the wind from your lungs.

“Tell me who sent you, or I’ll kill you right now,” growled a familiar voice, low and venomous.

Anthony Moretti.

He was on top of you, one knee digging painfully into your ribs, a cold barrel pressed to your temple. He couldn’t see your face beneath your mask and hero uniform, but that didn’t seem to matter. His words carried the fury of a man backed into a corner, desperate and dangerous.

The flickering firelight illuminated his features—sharp lines of anger etched into his face.

You gritted your teeth, twisting your body beneath him. With a swift motion, you drove your knee into his stomach, hard enough to make him double over with a grunt of pain. As he staggered backward, clutching his abdomen, you thrust your hand forward, summoning your power.

He flew across the room, slamming into the concrete wall with a bone-jarring thud. His body stuck there, pinned as though held by invisible bonds.

You reached up and pulled off your mask, letting it fall to the scorched ground. The flickering flames illuminated your face, and you saw the confusion, the betrayal, and the anger that twisted his features even further.

“Lily?” he gasped, his expression shifting as the realization hit him. His voice was a mixture of disbelief and something that almost sounded like heartbreak.

“No,” you replied, your voice cold and resolute.

“My name’s Nova,” you said firmly, meeting his gaze without flinching. “I’m a hero.”

Moretti’s eyes narrowed as he struggled against the invisible force holding him in place. The firelight danced in his dark eyes, highlighting the rage simmering just beneath the surface.

“A hero?” he spat, his voice thick with venom. “Heroes don’t destroy lives. Heroes don’t betray people who trusted them.”

You clenched your fists, his words slicing deeper than you cared to admit. “You don’t get to lecture me about betrayal, Moretti. You built your empire on lies, blood, and fear. How many families have you destroyed? How many people have died because of you?”

His lip curled into a sneer. “And you think you’re better? Pretending to be one of us, cozying up to me, all for this?” He gestured around the burning warehouse as much as his pinned position would allow. 

You stepped closer, your boots crunching against the broken glass and debris littering the floor. The heat was becoming unbearable, sweat dripping down your face, but you refused to let him see any weakness.

“This is justice,” you said firmly. “You’ve spent years thinking you were untouchable, that no one could stop you. But look around, Moretti. Your empire is crumbling, and there’s nothing you can do to stop it.”

For a moment, silence filled the space between you, broken only by the roar of the flames. Then, he laughed—a low, bitter sound that sent a chill down your spine despite the suffocating heat.

Moretti’s eyes blazed with fury as he struggled against your powers, his voice a growl of defiance. “You think this is over? That locking me up ends this?” He barked a harsh laugh, the sound cutting through the roaring flames.

“You’re delusional, Nova. As long as you’re alive, you’ll never know peace. Everyone you care about—your family, your friends—I’ll make sure they all pay for what you’ve done here tonight.”

You forced yourself to stay steady, to keep your face impassive even as the weight of his threat coiled in your chest.

“You’re not in a position to make threats,” you snapped, dragging him closer to the exit. But his words lingered, burrowing into your mind like a parasite.

Moretti sneered, his confidence unshaken despite the fire and chaos surrounding him. “You underestimate me. Even in chains, I have power. My reach extends far beyond these walls. Do you really think you can protect them all?”

He leaned forward as much as your powers allowed, his voice dropping to a venomous whisper. “You’ve made this personal, Lily—or should I call you Nova now? Either way, everyone you love is living on borrowed time.”

You froze, your grip faltering for just a fraction of a second. That was all it took for Moretti to see the crack in your armor, and he smiled—a wicked, knowing grin that sent a chill down your spine.

“I know who you are,” he said softly, almost triumphantly. “Your face might be a secret to the world, but not to me. And when I get out—and I will get out—I’ll make sure you live long enough to watch them all die, one by one.”

The rage that surged through you in that moment was like nothing you’d ever felt before. Your hand trembled as you fought the urge to tighten your hold, to slam him against the wall again and silence him for good.

PRESENT:CHAPTER 12 CONTINUATION…

The door to the east wing loomed before you, and with a shared nod, you pushed it open. Inside, Moretti waited, flanked by a handful of his men. His cold green eyes lit up with twisted amusement as he saw you enter.

“Well, well,” he drawled, spreading his arms as if welcoming old friends. “The runaway and the hothead. I was wondering when you’d show up.”

“You won’t be wondering much longer,” Bakugo growled, stepping forward, explosions sparking in his palms.

“Careful, Dynamight,” Moretti said with a smirk, his hand casually resting on the pistol at his side. “I still hold all the cards.”

You stepped beside Bakugo, your voice calm but firm. “Not anymore, Moretti. This ends now.”

The tension in the room thickened as Bakugo and you stood ready, the weight of your words settling over Moretti. His smirk faltered, but it was quickly replaced with a look of cold, calculating rage. He had underestimated you, but that would be his mistake.

“You think you can just walk in here and take me down?” Moretti sneered, his hand tightening around the grip of his pistol. “You’re both pathetic if you believe that.”

Before he could raise his weapon, Bakugo lunged forward, blasting the ground beneath him with an explosion that sent him hurtling towards Moretti at high speed. The force of the blast threw the men standing beside him back, and Bakugo collided with Moretti’s right-hand man, sending him crashing into a stack of crates.

Moretti barely had time to react before you were on him, your quirk flaring as you moved with a speed and precision that startled him. Your hand shot out, knocking the pistol from his grasp before he could pull the trigger. The metallic clatter of the weapon hitting the floor echoed through the room.

“Nice try,” you said, your voice a low growl, as you stepped back, preparing yourself for whatever came next.

Bakugo, now almost free of the goons who’d been circling him, shot you a look. “Careful.”

“Focus,” you shot back, keeping your eyes locked on Moretti.

Bakugo advanced first, throwing an explosion directly at the nearby table, the force of the blast sending it toppling over, blocking the line of sight for Moretti’s men. They tried to recover, but Bakugo was already upon them, his fists lashing out with the sheer force of his explosive quirk.

Meanwhile, you circled behind Moretti, not giving him a moment to breathe. You could feel the surge of power building inside you, the remnants of your quirk pushing against your skin. But there was something more, something deeper driving you—the need to finish what you’d started, to take down the man who had ruined your life and threatened the people you cared for.

“You’re not getting away with this,” you said, your voice cutting through the chaos like a blade.

Moretti spun around, a wicked glint in his eyes. “You really think you can defeat me?” he hissed, his tone full of venom. “I’ve been untouchable for years. You’re just a scared little girl trying to play hero.”

You took a step closer, ignoring the sting of his words. “I’m not scared of you, Moretti.”

In the split second he took to reach for another weapon, you lunged, gripping his arm and twisting it behind his back. Your quirk surged again, crackling in your palms as you pressed him against the wall. His breaths grew more frantic as he struggled against your grip.

A pained groan cut through the air, and your eyes instinctively flicked to Bakugo. He was still standing, but barely. His explosions were less precise now, slower, his arms trembling with fatigue as each burst sent another one of Moretti’s men crashing to the floor. His breaths were sharp and ragged, the strain of maintaining his power taking its toll.

Distracted by the sight of him, your guard faltered, and in that moment, Moretti took advantage of the opening. With a brutal headbutt, he drove you back, the impact reverberating through your skull. 

Before you could regain your footing, Moretti shoved you into a nearby window, and you felt the glass give way beneath your body, sharp shards embedding into your skin as the window shattered. The rush of air knocked the wind out of you, and the sharp sting of glass against your abdomen sent waves of agony crashing through your chest. 

Moretti didn’t pause. He lifted you effortlessly and threw you to the ground, the harsh impact jolting your bones. The pain was almost unbearable, but you fought to stay conscious, to keep moving. You found yourself beneath him once more, his face hovering above you as he tried to catch his breath. His hands were pinning your wrists above your head, trapping you beneath him as he sneered.

"Did you mean it?" His voice was low, filled with something that bordered on insanity.

"What?" You gasped, still trying to catch your breath. 

"Did you kill her?"

The question struck you like a slap. "Yes," you answered, your voice hoarse but steady.

He seemed to flinch, his grip tightening around your wrists as his anger surged. "The one thing I loved most in this world... and you took her from me."

You locked eyes with him, your gaze cold and unyielding. "She didn’t deserve a father like you."

His jaw clenched as his fury flared. “I should’ve made you pay for this a long time ago.”

With a vicious growl, Moretti’s fingers tightened around your throat, the crushing pressure cutting off your airway. Your vision blurred, stars flickering at the edges as panic gripped you. His other hand fumbled at his side, and you caught the gleam of the gun as he raised it, his aim steady and deliberate.

“Don’t think I ever forgot about our conversation from years ago.” he snarled, his voice laced with venom. His eyes flicked briefly to Bakugo, who was battling a swarm of Moretti’s men, explosions lighting up the darkened warehouse like fireworks.

Desperation clawed at your chest as you struggled beneath him, your limbs heavy and unresponsive. His grip on your throat loosened slightly as he adjusted his aim, allowing you to gasp for air.

“No—no, Moretti,” you croaked, your voice raw and trembling. Anxiety churned in your stomach, the weight of his words from years ago echoing in your mind. The fire. The pain. The promises of vengeance he’d made that night.

Fear twisted through you as you watched Bakugo fight, oblivious to his danger. His movements were relentless, a blur of precision and fury as he blasted away at the men surrounding him. But he was too far away, too distracted to notice what was happening.

“Please—I’m begging you,” you rasped, the words tumbling out in a broken plea.

Moretti paused, his cold eyes locking on yours. A twisted smile curled at the edges of his lips, full of malice and triumph. He leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a chilling whisper.

“You took my daughter. It’s only fair if I take something from you.”

The weight of his words hit you like a punch to the gut, leaving you breathless in a new way. You shook your head, tears spilling from your eyes as your chest heaved with silent, frantic sobs.

He cocked the gun with a deliberate click, the sound cutting through the chaos like a death knell. Panic surged through you, overriding the pain and exhaustion.

“KATSUKI—!” you screamed, but the cry was muffled as Moretti slammed his hand over your mouth.

“You don’t get to call for him,” he hissed, his face inches from yours. The noise of explosions and the shouting of men drowned out your muffled cries. Bakugo didn’t turn around, didn’t see the danger he was in.

“Say goodbye,” he whispered.

It happened in an instant.

The deafening crack of the gunshot rang out, cutting through the chaos like a dagger. Time seemed to slow as you watched Bakugo jerk to a stop, the impact of the bullet slamming into his side. His crimson eyes widened, not in fear, but in rage, as blood began to seep through his hero costume.

“No!” you screamed, your voice breaking as you tried to reach for him.

Bakugo staggered, one hand clutching his side as he dropped to a knee. His teeth clenched in pain, but the fire in his eyes didn’t falter. “You think a bullet’s gonna stop me?” he growled, forcing himself back to his feet despite the blood now dripping onto the floor.

Moretti sneered, his gun still raised, aiming for Bakugo’s head this time. “You’re tougher than you look,” he mocked. “But I don’t miss twice.”

Before Moretti could pull the trigger again, he raised his hand, motioning for his guards to stand down. The men hesitated, confused, but obeyed, lowering their weapons as they stepped away from Bakugo.

Moretti’s hand shot out, grabbing a fistful of your hair and yanking you up with brutal force. A sharp grunt escaped your lips as pain radiated from your scalp, your knees buckling beneath you.

“Please—” you gasped, tears spilling freely now as you struggled against his iron grip. “Leave him alone. This is between us.”

“No…” His voice echoed with venom as he repeated the words from years ago. “As long as you’re alive, you’ll never know peace. Everyone you care about—your family, your friends—I'll make sure they all suffer for what you’ve done here tonight.”

“Then let him go,” you said, your voice trembling but resolute. “Kill me. It’s me you want.”

Moretti chuckled darkly, his breath hot against your skin as he leaned in closer. His nose brushed against the side of your face, his lips ghosting over your ear. “You still smell so sweet,” he murmured, his voice dripping with malice, “even with all that blood.”

His grip on you tightened like a vice, pulling your body flush against his. The weight of his presence was suffocating. “I never wanted to kill you, you know,” he said softly, almost tenderly. “I loved you once… But you seem to have that effect on men. Breaking them.”

He turned his gaze toward Bakugo, who was glaring at him with unrelenting fury despite the blood staining his side. Moretti smirked, his fingers digging into your skin.

“Do you love her?” Moretti asked, his voice sharp, cutting through the tension like a blade.

“Katsuki, don’t answer him,” you said quickly, your voice strained with desperation.

Moretti’s expression darkened. “I said… do you love her?”

There was a beat of silence, heavy and suffocating. Then Bakugo spoke.

“No.”

Moretti erupted into a cruel, mocking laugh. “And you were going to sacrifice yourself for what? For him? A man who doesn’t love you?”

Tears welled in your eyes, spilling over as you looked at Bakugo. His face was tense, his expression unreadable, but his eyes never left yours.

“So what’s it gonna be, Nova?” Moretti taunted, his voice low and venomous. “You or him?”

You didn’t respond. Instead, you turned to face Moretti fully, the broken window behind the two of you framing the chaos of the moment.

“Me,” you said, your voice steady, even as tears streamed down your face.

Before he could react, you threw your arms around him, holding him tight as you surged forward. His eyes widened in shock, the realization dawning too late. You plunged through the shattered window, the sharp glass fragments cutting through the air.

The rush of air stole the breath from your lungs as you fell, the world spinning in a chaotic blur. Moretti’s body was heavy against yours, but you held onto him until the last moment. Then, you released him, watching as he fell below you. His eyes closed, a look of grim acceptance on his face as he hurtled toward the ground.

You felt a strange calmness begin to settle over you, the wind whipping against your skin. 

For a moment, everything seemed to freeze. The chaos of the world, the deafening winds, and the fear—all faded into a distant hum. In that instant, it was just you and the open sky, weightless and free.

But as the ground rushed up toward you, your heart pounded with something else—something deeper than fear. It was the finality of it all, the understanding that, for once, you were not just a survivor. You were someone who had chosen to end it all, choosing to make sure he couldn’t hurt anyone else.

Then a bright flash of blonde hair cut through the blur of motion. The explosion of sound that followed was deafening, the impact of Bakugo’s blast like thunder in your chest. His hand gripped yours, pulling you close as the world seemed to collapse into itself.

And then, there was stillness. A strange kind of peace, despite the chaos surrounding you. Bakugo’s arms wrapped around you tightly, his body warm and strong against yours, the only thing keeping you tethered to life. You could feel his heart racing, a mirror to your own, but there was an unspoken promise in the way he held you, something more powerful than words. A connection that no threat could sever.

“I’ve got you,” he whispered, his breath ragged but steady.

The ground rushed up to meet you both, but Bakugo twisted midair, shielding you with his body as you landed with a bone-jarring impact. The force of the explosion softened the fall, but pain radiated through you both as you hit the ground.

Dust and debris hung thick in the air, the faint glow of the moon filtering through the shattered window above. For a moment, everything was eerily silent, the chaos finally settling. Then, a low groan broke the stillness.

Bakugo’s arms were still wrapped protectively around you, his grip loose but steadfast. His chest heaved against yours, his breathing labored yet steady.

“That was fucking risky,” he rasped, his voice rough but tinged with exasperation.

You pulled back slightly, just enough to look at him. His face was pale, streaked with dirt and blood, but his crimson eyes burned as fiercely as ever. “You’re bleeding,” you said, your voice trembling as your hands moved to his side. “Sit down. Now.”

“I’m fine,” he grunted, trying to wave you off as he shifted to stand.

“No, you’re not.” Your voice cracked, panic seeping into your tone. “He shot you.”

His lips twitched into a faint smirk, his usual defiance shining through despite the pain. “I’ve been shot plenty of times, sweetheart,” he said, his voice low but teasing. “This? This is nothing.”

“It’s not nothing!” you snapped, tears welling in your eyes again as you pressed your palm against the wound on his side, trying to stem the bleeding. The warm, sticky sensation made your stomach twist. “You’re losing blood, we need to get you to a hospital.”

He winced but didn’t pull away, his hand resting lightly over yours. “You’re freaking out over nothing,” he muttered, though his voice softened at the sight of your tears.

“Stop pretending you’re invincible,” you said, your voice dropping to a whisper. “I can’t—” Your words faltered, the weight of everything hitting you all at once.

You almost just died, but then you didn’t. The gravity of it all hit you like a crashing wave—one moment, you were falling through the air, feeling the sharp sting of fear and adrenaline; the next, you were in Bakugo’s arms, alive, but barely able to comprehend how.

Bakugo was shot. The blood soaking through his clothes, the pain in his eyes, it tore at you in ways you didn’t know you could feel. 

And then Moretti was gone, his lifeless body falling with the same cold inevitability that had followed him for so long. His reign of terror was over, but the victory felt hollow.

"This isn’t anywhere near where I thought we were," Bakugo muttered, his voice gruff as he shifted his weight. His abdomen aching.

You blinked up at the unfamiliar surroundings, the disorienting feeling of being outside yet nowhere near any familiar landmarks sinking in. The buildings were old, run-down, and the streets were eerily quiet, a far cry from the chaos you’d just escaped. The darkness loomed around you like an ever-present shadow, and the unfamiliar city seemed to stretch on endlessly.

Bakugo’s gaze darted over the streets, but there were no signs, no clues to tell him where the hell they’d ended up. The distance between here and the place you had started felt like a world away.

As Bakugo’s attention was momentarily diverted, you quickly yanked your sweatshirt off, revealing only your sports bra underneath. You weren’t sure why the heat had risen in your chest, but it was the only way you could help him now.

“What the hell are you doing?” Bakugo’s voice snapped you from your thoughts, the sharp edge of his tone drawing your focus back to him.

You didn’t respond right away. Instead, you focused on the task at hand, your hands shaking as you began ripping a strip of fabric from the hem of your shirt. The raw urgency of the situation spurred you on, but there was something else—something more fragile, a vulnerability you hadn’t expected to reveal.

“Sit down,” you urged, your voice pleading, unguarded.

The sudden softness in your tone caught him off-guard. For a moment, Bakugo hesitated, but the emotion in your voice broke through his usual defiance. He lowered himself slowly to the ground with a grunt, though his fiery gaze never left you.

“Can you take your top off? I can’t see what I’m working with,” you said, swallowing back the lump in your throat.

Bakugo didn’t argue, a sharp exhale leaving his lips as he pulled his costume's top off. The motion was effortless, but it was clear the effort was taking its toll on him. He winced slightly but didn’t complain.

As the fabric came off, your breath caught in your throat. For a brief moment, it was like time stopped. The sight of him, sweat-drenched and bloodied but still fiercely alive, made you pause. His body was chiseled—like something carved from marble itself. Strong, defined muscles, hardened by years of battle, were a stark contrast to the vulnerability in his eyes.

“Stop starin’,” Bakugo growled, snapping you out of your trance. His voice was rough, the usual cocky arrogance laced with something softer, something only you would notice.

You forced yourself to focus, shaking your head to clear the haze of heat that had settled in your chest. Your hands moved swiftly to tie the makeshift bandage around his wound, your fingers trembling as you worked. The urgency of the moment burned through the haze, the necessity of patching him up overshadowing everything else.

Bakugo gritted his teeth, his gaze flickering between you and the ground, his silence telling you just how much pain he was in. But he didn’t flinch or ask for you to stop.

“Quit worrying,” he muttered, his eyes meeting yours briefly. “I’m fine. I’ve had worse.”

You finished tying the bandage, your fingers lingering for a second longer than necessary, almost as if you didn’t want to let go. You could feel your pulse racing, but you had to ignore it. You had to focus on him.

The silence between you both was thick, heavy with unspoken words and emotions you had both tried to bury. Bakugo’s chest heaved with each labored breath, and his eyes flickered to you, softened by something deeper than just the pain of the moment.

“This is my fault,” you murmured, your voice trembling with guilt. “I tried to keep you away, but—”

Before you could finish, Bakugo’s hand found yours, squeezing it gently despite the blood staining his fingertips.

“I’d get shot a hundred times if it meant saving you,” he said, his voice low but filled with an unshakable resolve.

The weight of his words struck you like a lightning bolt, making your chest tighten. You blinked rapidly, trying to hold back the tears that threatened to spill over. The vulnerability between you both felt so raw, so unfiltered in this moment.

You inhaled sharply, trying to steady yourself. “What you said up there… about not loving me,” you said, your voice barely above a whisper. You couldn’t stop the tremor in your words.

Bakugo’s expression hardened, his eyes darting down to the ground as he exhaled sharply, almost like the words he had said before burned him too. “It was a lie,” he confessed, his voice thick with regret. “I was hopin’ that if I turned you against me, you’d save yourself… but I guess it didn’t matter what I had to say, did it?”

You shook your head, the air thick with the vulnerability that hung between you both. “It didn’t matter what you said,” you whispered. “I would have done it anyway. I’d jump out of a window a hundred times if it meant saving you.”

A small, bittersweet smile tugged at the corner of his lips, and despite everything, despite the blood and the pain, something soft flickered in his eyes. “Idiot,” he muttered, but the warmth in his tone couldn’t be ignored. “You’re insane.”

“I know.” You smiled, but it wasn’t just a smile—it was everything that had been left unsaid, everything you wanted him to understand. 

His expression softened, his eyes locking onto yours with an intensity that made your breath catch. “Don’t ever do that again,” he whispered hoarsely, though there was no anger in his words, just the quiet desperation of someone who had almost lost the one person they couldn’t bear to lose.

The soft rhythm of Bakugo’s breathing filled the air, and for a moment, it seemed like the world had paused. But then, in the distance, the unmistakable sound of sirens broke through the quiet, growing louder with each passing second. The relief you’d been holding at bay suddenly rushed in, an overwhelming wave of emotion that left you dizzy.

"You called for backup?" you asked, your voice laced with a mix of relief and tension.

"I dropped my pin to shitty hair the moment the power came back on," he replied, his voice steady despite the strain.

You exhaled a shaky breath, the tension in your chest loosening as his words sank in. The sirens were closer now, their sound vibrating through the air, promising salvation just on the horizon.

"Of course you did," you muttered, a small, almost disbelieving laugh escaping your lips. 

He smirked faintly, though the strain in his features was impossible to miss. 

Your heart twisted at the defiant glint in his eyes, his strength unwavering even as blood seeped through his side, the stain spreading with every second. You stayed beside him, hands trembling as they hovered over his wound.

The sound of boots crunching on debris signaled the arrival of help. You looked over your shoulder to see Kirishima and a team of medics rushing toward you. 

“You’re going to be okay,” you whispered, turning back to him as the medics surrounded you both.

His lips twitched into a faint smirk. “Told ya’ so.”

---

TAGLIST: @emmaafinchh @faetoraa@iissza@cax-per @cielito--lindo

---

The guard's grip on your arm tightened as he dragged you down the dimly lit hallway. Your shoes scraped against the cold concrete floor, each step echoing in the oppressive silence. You could barely move your leg, the sharp pain forcing you to drag it behind you. The adrenaline that had masked your injury was wearing off, and only now did you fully register the gunshot wound. The bleeding had slowed however as it only seemed to be a deep graze, the makeshift tourniquet holding firm, but it still hurt like hell. 

As you reached a heavy metal door at the end of the hall, you finally broke the silence. “You’re making a mistake,” you said, looking at the guard, who was too busy enjoying the moment to notice the warning in your tone.

The guard scoffed. “It's over for you.”

Without a word, you snapped your arm up, elbowing him hard in the stomach. The guard grunted, stumbling back in surprise. It wasn’t much, but it was enough to make him hesitate.

Before he could recover, you spun around, using his moment of confusion to deliver a swift kick to his knees. He crumpled to the ground, a shock of pain running up his legs.

You groaned as pain shot through your injured leg as well, nearly buckling under your weight. Instinct kicked in, and you lunged, grabbing the edge of the doorframe to steady yourself. The guard staggered, caught off balance, and you seized the moment. He was strong, but you moved faster. Your breath remained steady, your focus razor-sharp. 

“Not so fun when you’re on the receiving end, is it?” you muttered, crouching down to make sure he wasn’t going to get up anytime soon. You pulled his gun from its holster and threw it into an empty room. Making sure he wasn't able to grab ahold of it. 

As the guard groaned on the floor, still clutching his bruised stomach, you knew you had a fleeting window of opportunity. You couldn’t afford to waste any more time—Moretti would realize what had happened soon, and when he did, he wouldn’t hesitate to send more men after you.

Your heart pounded in your chest as you considered your options. You could run, but that would lead you straight into more of Moretti’s men and with your leg that wasn't much of an option. You had to think strategically. 

You took another breath, forcing your body to calm down. That’s when you felt the familiar, electric surge of power course through your veins—the hum of your quirk. 

You closed your eyes for a moment, focusing on the surge within you. You had to do this without hesitation. Without letting fear cloud your control. When you opened your eyes again, the air around you crackled with raw energy.

The guard had begun to stir, and you didn’t have the luxury of waiting any longer. You raised your hand, palm open, and aimed it at the metal door. In an instant, a concentrated burst of power shot from your fingertips, striking the door with enough force to send it slamming back against the wall. The impact was deafening, the metal screeching in protest.

For a split second, the guard froze, eyes wide in disbelief. But it was too late. The shockwave from the blast had knocked him flat, and the surge of power you’d released left the hallway bathed in a low, humming energy.

You didn’t stop to see if the guard would recover. Instead, you turned on your heel and bolted as fast as you could down the corridor, the lightning-fast pulses of your quirk lighting up the path ahead of you. The air seemed to part as you moved, as if the very fabric of the space had been altered by your command.

You could feel the telltale shifts in the atmosphere as Moretti’s men reacted—footsteps echoing, voices shouting orders, the tension rising. They weren’t far behind.

You fired another blast into the ceiling above, causing the ceiling to concave in on itself. You knew Bakugo would be able to blast himself out of the damage. The shock left the hallway filled with swirling electrical currents, disrupting the security systems that Moretti had relied on to track you.

The alarms went off, lights flickering erratically, and that gave you the opening you needed. With a burst of energy, you dashed into a side room, your quirk’s power surging in waves as you manipulated the energy around you to shield your movement. The air hummed and crackled, your energy wrapping around you like an invisible shield, keeping you hidden from view.

You steadied your breathing, the crackling hum of your quirk a comforting reminder that you weren’t powerless even while injured. The side room you’d ducked into was dark and cluttered with old crates and machinery—perfect for buying yourself a moment to strategize.

You crouched low, listening. The voices outside grew louder as Moretti’s men regrouped. They were searching, splitting into teams, their footsteps echoing in the corridor.

“She’s in here somewhere! Fan out!” one of them barked.

Perfect. Let them spread thin.

Closing your eyes, you focused on the currents in the walls. With your quirk, you could feel the flow of electricity running through the building—security cameras, automated locks, even the guards’ radios.

Reaching out, you latched onto the electrical grid, sending a concentrated surge into the radio frequencies. Sparks flew from the earpieces of the guards in the hallway, causing shouts of confusion and panic.

“What the hell?!”

“Radio’s fried!”

“Is she doing this? Damn it—find her!”

Using the chaos, you slipped back into the hallway, keeping low as you moved. The flickering lights cast eerie shadows, but you used them to your advantage, sticking close to the walls.

The guards were scattered now, their communication disrupted, and their coordination in shambles. One of them turned a corner, his back to you. Without hesitation, you surged forward, using the built-up charge in your hand to send a short snap to his neck. He crumpled silently, and you caught his weapon before it hit the floor.

One down.

You pressed on, your steps swift and deliberate. 

A group of guards blocked your path ahead, their backs to you as they shouted orders into malfunctioning radios. You crouched, pressing your hand to the floor. With a deep breath, you sent a ripple through the ground, the cement flooring collapsing under the guards. It hit the guards like an invisible net, their bodies locking up momentarily before they collapsed.

The air around you buzzed with static, your quirk’s energy crackling in your veins. You didn’t feel tired—yet. Adrenaline and determination kept you sharp, each movement precise.

Then, you heard it: a low hum, deeper and more menacing than before. The building’s systems were trying to reboot. Moretti was smart—he’d undoubtedly built redundancies into his security. You didn’t have much time before the lights stabilized and his men regrouped.

You pushed forward, rounding another corner, and finally spotted a heavy reinforced door at the end of the hall. 

Standing between you and the door was a guard who looked far more formidable than the others—taller, broader, and armed to the teeth. He turned as you approached, his eyes narrowing when he saw you.

“End of the line,” he said, his voice cold.

A smirk tugged at your lips. “I was just thinking the same thing.”

With a sharp inhale, you let your quirk surge to full power. The air around you shimmered, and the hallway was bathed in a flickering, glow.

If Moretti thought his men could stop you, he was about to learn just how wrong he was.

The guard didn’t hesitate, lunging toward you with surprising speed. You ducked under his swing, the massive fist grazing your shoulder before smashing into the wall behind you, cracking the concrete.

“You’re persistent,” you muttered, spinning away and aiming a focused blast of energy at his chest. The jolt forced him back a step, but he didn’t go down. Instead, he grinned—a feral, teeth-baring grin.

“Got some bite, huh? Let’s see how long you last.”

He charged again, faster this time. You dodged to the side, rolling into a crouch and sweeping your leg to knock him off balance. He stumbled, his bulk making him difficult to topple completely, but you weren’t giving up.

“Stay down!” you shouted, sending another burst at his arm. The crackling energy wrapped around him, making his muscles seize. His grip on his weapon slipped, and the gun clattered to the ground. Seizing the opportunity, you kicked it far out of reach.

The guard growled, clearly unwilling to back down. But before he could lunge again, a familiar explosion echoed down the hall. Smoke and debris flew into the air, and a moment later, Bakugo came charging through the wreckage, crimson eyes blazing with fury.

“MOVE!” Bakugo’s shout rang out, and you hit the ground instinctively, rolling to the opposite side of the hall just as a deafening explosion erupted. The blast sent the guard hurtling into the office door with a sickening crunch, the impact cracking the wooden frame.

“Fuck, are you good?” Bakugo was at your side in an instant, his hands cupping your face as his crimson eyes scanned you for injuries, his breathing ragged from the fight.

You pushed him slightly away, though your hand lingered on his wrist, grounding yourself in his presence. “I’m fine,” you assured him quickly, your voice steady despite the adrenaline coursing through your veins. “Where’s Moretti?”

Bakugo shook his head, his jaw tightening. “I don’t know. He bolted as soon as the alarms started blaring.”

“Damn it,” you hissed, clenching your fists. You closed your eyes, trying to focus, to extend your senses outward. “I can’t feel him. Usually, I’d be able to track his presence, but there’s too much interference in the building. Too many people, too much chaos.”

Bakugo growled under his breath, his frustration as palpable as your own. 

“One of Moretti's men told me he was staying at a motel,” you said, your voice low as you motioned for Bakugo to follow you. 

“This definitely ain’t a motel, sweetheart,” Bakugo muttered, his tone dripping with sarcasm as his sharp eyes darted around, scanning for any incoming threats.

“Yeah, no shit,” you shot back, rolling your eyes before a thought struck you. “Wait—you weren’t blindfolded when they brought you in.”

“No, I wasn’t,” Bakugo replied, his voice gruff as he gestured down another hallway. “But this place is a damn maze. The only reason I found you was because of the guards. Made it real easy when they started screaming.”

You sighed, shaking your head. “Well, we need to move. Moretti knows this place like the back of his hand, and he’ll have reinforcements swarming us any second.”

Bakugo nodded, his jaw tight as he adjusted his gloves. “Tch. Let ’em come. I’ve got plenty of firepower to deal with those bastards.”

Despite the weight of the situation, his confidence sparked a faint smirk on your lips. “I don’t doubt that,” you said, your tone softening. “But we need to be smart about this. If we can get to an exit, we’ll have the advantage outside.”

“Fine,” he agreed grudgingly, though his hands twitched with impatience. “But if we run into Moretti, I’m not holding back.”

“Neither am I,” you replied, your voice firm.

The air in the building was heavy with the scent of concrete dust and smoke, every corner steeped in shadows that seemed to stretch endlessly. Your footsteps echoed faintly as you moved, your senses hyper-alert to every creak of the structure or distant voice.

Bakugo suddenly raised a hand, motioning for you to stop. He cocked his head, listening intently. “Hear that?” he murmured.

You strained your ears and caught it—a low, muffled murmur of voices coming from a corridor to your left. Your heart jumped. “Guards?”

“Most likely,” Bakugo whispered, his lips pulling into a grin that was half anticipation, half menace. “Let’s shut ’em up before they call for backup.”

You grabbed his arm, stopping him before he could rush in. “Wait. We don’t know how many there are or if they’ve got comms to Moretti. If they alert him, we’ll lose any chance of catching him off guard.”

He scowled but didn’t pull away. “Fine. Got a plan, genius?”

You nodded. “I’ll take the lead. My quirk can handle this quietly. You stay back, but if things go sideways—”

“I’m blasting the hell outta everything,” he finished with a smirk, his crimson eyes gleaming in the dim light.

“Exactly,” you said, your lips quirking up for a brief second before you pushed forward.

Sliding silently along the wall, you peeked around the corner. Three guards stood clustered near a door, their weapons slung casually over their shoulders. 

Drawing on your quirk, you exhaled slowly and let the power flood your senses. The world around you dimmed, leaving only the vivid threads of the guards’ presence—their heartbeat rhythms, the faint electromagnetic signals of their equipment.

One step forward. Another. The shadows seemed to ripple around you, swallowing your form as you closed the distance.

The first guard didn’t even see you coming. A quick strike to his neck dropped him silently to the floor. The second turned, his eyes widening, but you twisted his weapon out of his hands and knocked him unconscious with the butt of it in one fluid motion.

The third managed to let out a strangled gasp before Bakugo was suddenly there, grabbing the man by the collar and slamming him into the wall. “Where’s Moretti?” Bakugo growled, his voice low and deadly.

The guard stammered, his face pale. “I—I don’t know! He’s somewhere upstairs in the west wing. Please, that’s all I know!”

Bakugo sneered and slammed him against the wall one more time for good measure before letting him crumple to the floor. He turned to you, his expression unreadable. “West wing, huh? Guess we’ve got a direction now.”

You nodded, already moving. “Let’s go. The longer we wait, the harder this gets.”

“Damn right,” Bakugo muttered, falling into step beside you. His presence was solid and reassuring, a blazing force that matched your determination.

“Shitty Hair went for backup—if he figures out where we are, they should be here soon,” Bakugo muttered, his eyes scanning the hall for any signs of movement.

“If Kirishima wanted to keep his balls, he would’ve gone straight to the place I told him to,” you shot back.

“What?” Bakugo stopped, turning to look at you.

“When we were in the car, I made him promise that if anything happened, he’d find Milly and protect her,” you explained, your voice steady.

Bakugo’s sharp crimson gaze fixed on you, a flicker of realization crossing his face. “I knew you didn’t kill her,” he muttered.

“I’m a hero, not a monster,” you replied, your tone firm but quiet.

“A hero, huh?” he repeated, raising an eyebrow.

You shrugged, keeping your focus ahead. “It’s not exactly the kind of thing you bring up over coffee. ‘Hey, I used to be a hero, faked my death, and took down some major villains.’ Doesn’t make for casual conversation, does it?”

“Tch.” Bakugo’s hands clenched at his sides, tiny sparks crackling in his palms. “And your quirk?”

“Nothing special.” you shot back, glancing at him over your shoulder. “And besides, my quirk’s not flashy like yours. It’s subtle. Perfect for staying under the radar—which was kind of the whole point after Moretti.”

He scoffed, clearly unimpressed. “Subtle, huh? Looked plenty flashy back there when you were knocking people out left and right.”

You sighed, stopping in your tracks to face him. “Katsuki, this isn’t about my past. This is about stopping Moretti before he hurts anyone else. We can have the ‘what else haven’t you told me’ talk later, but right now, we don’t have time for this.”

His jaw worked, and for a moment, you thought he might argue. But then he huffed, running a hand through his ash-blond hair. “Fine. But don’t think for a second we’re done with this conversation.”

“Noted,” you said, a small smirk tugging at your lips as you turned back down the hallway.

The west wing loomed ahead, the corridors narrowing and the air growing colder. You could feel it—a sense of finality hanging thick around you. Whatever awaited in the next room, it was clear you and Bakugo would face it together, unresolved tensions and all.

The hallway stretched ahead, dimly lit and eerily silent apart from the faint hum of electricity. Bakugo stayed close, his footsteps heavier than yours as his crimson eyes darted around, searching for any sign of an ambush. You could feel the tension radiating off him—part frustration, part adrenaline—but there wasn’t time to unpack that now.

“You said you can sense him,” Bakugo muttered, breaking the silence. “What’re you picking up?”

You stopped, closing your eyes for a moment and focusing on the energy around you. It was chaotic, scattered—a mix of fear, anger, and desperation from everyone in the building. But there, buried beneath it all, was a faint, unmistakable pulse.

“He’s close,” you said, your voice low. “Two floors down, east wing. He’s not alone.”

Bakugo grinned, the kind of feral, dangerous grin that made villains tremble. “Good. The bastard won’t know what hit him.”

As you moved toward the nearest stairwell, you caught a glimpse of motion in the shadows ahead. Without hesitation, you grabbed Bakugo’s arm and yanked him back just as a barrage of bullets ricocheted off the walls.

“Shit!” Bakugo hissed, throwing up his hands and sending a concussive blast toward the shooter. The explosion rocked the corridor, and when the smoke cleared, the guard was sprawled unconscious on the floor.

“That was reckless,” you muttered, already moving to secure the guard’s weapon.

“Worked, didn’t it?” Bakugo shot back, his tone dripping with defiance.

Rolling your eyes, you pressed on, your senses sharp and your quirk humming faintly under your skin. More guards appeared as you descended the stairs, but Bakugo’s explosions and your precision made quick work of them. The two of you moved like a well-oiled machine—despite the unresolved tension, your instincts as fighters meshed seamlessly.

By the time you reached the east wing, the air felt heavier, charged with something darker. Moretti was close—you could feel his presence like a storm on the horizon.

Bakugo glanced at you, his fiery gaze meeting yours. “This is it. You ready?”

You nodded, your jaw set. “I’ve been ready for years.”

He smirked, stepping ahead and cracking his knuckles. “Then let’s end this.”

---

TAGLIST: @emmaafinchh@faetoraa@iissza@theasgardianmexican@cax-per

---

If there was one thing Katsuki Bakugo wanted in his current life, it was you. After the car crash, rage consumed him, his mind bent on tearing apart the driver responsible. But everything shifted when he heard Kirishima's frantic voice calling his name. The look on Kirishima's face made his heart plummet into his stomach.

He had barely dropped the man he intended to pummel when blinding white lights flooded the area. Three cars screeched to a stop, surrounding him and Kirishima.

Then, a man stepped out—tall, pale, and with piercing green eyes that Bakugo could never forget. Moretti.

Instinct screamed at him to run to you, to grab you and flee. He tried, unleashing explosion after explosion, each blast aimed at Moretti and his men. But amidst the chaos, Kirishima had disappeared to get help, and Moretti’s men had reached the wreckage.

They were pulling you out of the car. Limp, lifeless. Blood poured from your leg, staining the ground in a deep crimson pool.

“Get in the car, or I shoot the girl,” Moretti commanded, his tone as cold as steel.

Bakugo froze. There was no real choice. His gaze locked on you—your ghostly pale skin, hair matted with blood and dirt. You looked strangely serene, as if you'd made peace with the horror unfolding.

He wouldn’t let them kill you. Not while he was alive to stop it.

So he got in the car, seething with suppressed fury as they bound a tourniquet around your leg and checked your pulse. The contradiction gnawed at him: Moretti threatened your life, yet kept you alive. Why?

Now he sat in a chair too small for his broad frame, wrists bound but mind racing. Across the room, you lay unconscious, your chest rising and falling faintly—a fragile sign of life.

Your skin was deathly pale, a dark wound visible just above the blindfold they’d placed over your eyes. The blindfold seemed ridiculous—after all, you’d been unconscious for hours.

For two excruciatingly silent hours, he hadn’t seen or heard anyone and it was driving him mad.

The warehouse they were in was heavily guarded. Armed men patrolled the perimeter like it was a military base. Inside the room, there was only one door and a single vent leading who knew where. Security cameras loomed over the room, scanning every corner—except behind him.

He flexed against the ropes, testing their strength. He had to get out, to get you somewhere safe.

It was painfully clear now that you weren’t working for Moretti. Guilt hit him like a sucker punch as he remembered his earlier accusations. He’d jumped to conclusions, faster than he ever had before.

The thought of you lying to him, keeping something so monumental hidden, had stung more than he’d imagined. But the sight of you now—broken, fragile—eclipsed his hurt.

If you both made it out of this, he’d spend every day making it up to you.

He knew Kirishima had to be rallying backup, but the real challenge was figuring out where they were.

And then there was James. Whatever your connection to him, Bakugo had to hope James had realized you were missing.

But right now, nothing else mattered except getting you out alive.

---

When you first came to, you were met with complete darkness. A coarse fabric was draped over your face, muffling your breath and adding to the suffocating sense of confinement. You tried to move, but your wrists were bound tightly behind you, the rough texture of rope biting into your skin. The faint ache in your leg brought the memories flooding back—the car crash, the chaos, and then... nothing.

The silence in the room was deafening, broken only by the distant sound of dripping water. You weren’t sure how much time had passed, but the shift in the air told you all you needed to know: Moretti had found you.

The harsh scrape of a chair across concrete jolted you. You flinched instinctively, your pulse quickening as a familiar presence filled the room. That scent—carmel and musk, faint but distinct—was unmistakable.

“Stupid fucking chair.”

Bakugo’s voice cut through the darkness, low and gruff, filled with irritation.

Relief and dread tangled together in your chest. He was here. They had taken him too. Your heart sank at the realization. Not only had you been captured, but now the one person you’d tried to protect was caught in this nightmare with you.

You remained silent, your breathing shallow as you processed your surroundings. The pressure wrapped around your thigh was unmistakable—a makeshift tourniquet, crudely tied but effective. The pain was simmering, dulled only by the adrenaline still coursing through your veins.

The scrape of Bakugo’s chair yanked you from your thoughts.

“Stop. Head hurts,” you muttered hoarsely, wincing at the sound of your own voice.

The noise ceased, leaving the room to drown in silence once more.

“Fuck, you’re alive,” Bakugo muttered, almost to himself.

“Mmm,” you hummed, your mind still foggy. “How’d Moretti get you?”

“How’d you know it was Moretti?”

The words slipped out before you could think. “He’s notorious for tying people up in chairs. Plus, I can feel him.”

“Feel him?”

“Are you gonna keep asking questions?” you shot back weakly.

His voice darkened, low and dangerous. “Are you gonna keep lying to me?”

The accusation hit you harder than you expected, but now wasn’t the time to argue. “I only lied to you because I care for you.”

“Right.”

The weight of his skepticism pressed down on you. You needed to steer the conversation elsewhere.

“Do you have a blindfold on?”

“No, but hands are tied.”

The deadpan response caught you off guard, and before you knew it, laughter bubbled out of you. It wasn’t the right time, and you knew it, but the absurdity of the situation made your head spin.

“Glad to see you still have a sense of humor.” Bakugo snapped, his irritation palpable.

You struggled to catch your breath between fits of giggles. “I’m sorry—it’s not funny… it’s just—how did they even capture you?”

“They rolled up on us after the crash,” he admitted, his tone sharp. “They were gonna kill you if I didn’t comply. I had no choice.”

The laughter died in your throat, replaced by a lump of guilt.

“Yeah, not so funny now,” he added bitterly.

You bit your lip, your mind racing. There was only one reason Moretti would take Bakugo—it wasn’t just about you anymore. Moretti had been watching, studying you, and he knew exactly what buttons to press.

“Katsuki—”

“Yeah, yeah, I know,” he cut you off, already piecing it together.

“Why?” you whispered.

"Cause I couldn’t stand there and watch another man take you. Even if nothin’ made sense,” he murmured, the softness in his voice catching you off guard.

“I’m sorry. I never wanted to hurt you,” you said quietly.

“Did—was anything ever real?”

The question hung in the air like a blade poised to strike. Of course it was real. The way your heart beat for him was real. 

“The way I feel about you is real,” you said, your voice trembling.

You could feel his eyes on you, even through the darkness. A smile crept onto your face despite the situation. “Stop staring at me like that.”

“Wha—”

“I have a lot to explain to you,” you said, cutting him off.

“Yeah.”

“Is Kiri okay?” You asked, redirecting the conversation again.

“Yeah, he was able to escape before they got to him.”

Relief washed over you. The plan you and Kirishima had made flickered in your mind. He’d be on his way to the cabin now.

“Good,” you muttered.

Bakugo spoke up, an unusual softness to his voice. “M’sorry. Thought you were working with him.”

You let out a bitter laugh, shaking your head even though you knew he couldn’t see it. “I’d never work for a person like Moretti.”

“Then how are you tied to him?”

“No relation. Just a scumbag I want dead,” you said bluntly.

“Tch. Tell me about it.”

“One day,” you promised, your voice dropping to a whisper. “I’ll tell you everything. But right now, we don’t have time.”

The air shifted again, heavier now, as if Moretti’s presence loomed closer. You could sense it before it happened.

The sound of footsteps echoed from outside the room, growing louder. Bakugo stiffened in his chair, and you could feel his energy change, coiling like a spring ready to snap.

“Don’t fucking touch her,” he growled, his voice like thunder as the door creaked open and footsteps moved towards you. 

A pair of hands fiddled with the knot of your blindfold, yanking it away. Blinding white light seared your eyes, and you blinked rapidly to adjust. When your vision cleared, there he was: Moretti.

His piercing green eyes bored into yours with a predatory gleam, a smug smile spreading across his face. He looked older than you remembered, the years of prison etched into the lines around his mouth and eyes, but the malice was as strong as ever.

“Well, isn’t this a treat? Two of Japan’s finest, tied up like common prey,” Moretti drawled, his voice dripping with venom. “Dynamight, the explosive hothead. And Y/N, America's sweetheart. Tell me, do you think the public will mourn you more if I kill you together or one at a time?”

The tension in the room thickened like a fog, suffocating and heavy. Bakugo’s crimson eyes burned with defiance as he pulled against his restraints, the cords creaking ominously under the strain. “Try it,” he spat, his voice a razor-edged promise. “See how far you get before I blow your head off.”

Moretti chuckled, a low, mirthless sound that sent a chill down your spine. “Ah, there’s that famous temper. But let’s not forget who’s holding all the cards here, Dynamight.” He gestured to you, his fingers grazing your cheek in a way that made your stomach churn. “One wrong move, and she’s gone.”

Bakugo’s jaw tightened, his entire body trembling with barely contained rage. He wanted to lash out, to reduce the entire building to ash, but the sight of you—still pale, still weak—kept him anchored.

You shifted slightly, your hands numb from the ropes biting into your wrists. Despite the fear gnawing at your resolve, you forced yourself to speak. “You wont kill me.” Your voice was hoarse, but steady enough to earn his attention.

Moretti’s smug expression didn’t falter. If anything, his predatory smile widened, his piercing green eyes boring into yours with a sinister gleam.

“Of course, you’d say that,” he drawled, his voice low and venomous. “But let’s not play coy. I didn’t kidnap you on a whim. I know exactly what you know.”

You froze, the ropes biting into your wrists as your blood turned to ice.

“That’s right,” Moretti continued, circling your chair like a vulture. “You know where my daughter is. The one thing the police couldn’t break out of you, even when you testified. You kept that little secret buried, didn’t you? To protect her, I assume. But how long do you think you can hold onto it when his life is on the line?”

Bakugo’s eyes flicked toward you, sharp with confusion and fury. “What the hell is he talking about?”

Moretti’s grin widened as he watched Bakugo’s expression twist with confusion and rage. “You really don’t know, do you?” he said, a mockery of sympathy in his tone. “Oh, this is rich. Japan’s greatest hero, clueless about the woman sitting next to him.”

Moretti turned his attention back to you, his green eyes gleaming with amusement. “You didn’t tell him?” He leaned in closer, his voice dripping with mock disbelief. “You mean to say you’ve been playing the role of a helpless civilian this whole time? That’s cold, even for you, Nova.”

Bakugo’s gaze snapped to you, the weight of Moretti’s words settling between you like a live wire. “Nova?” he questioned, his voice low and dangerous. “What’s he talking about?”

Your stomach churned, but you kept your expression neutral. “Don’t listen to him,” you said quickly.

Moretti laughed, the sound cutting through the tension like a blade. “Oh, no, no, no. Let’s not brush past this. Dynamight deserves to know who he’s risking his life for.”

He straightened, turning to Bakugo with an almost theatrical flourish. “Meet Nova, America’s former golden girl. Once a top-tier hero in her own right—complete with a shiny little quirk she’s kept hidden from you.”

Bakugo’s eyes widened slightly before narrowing into slits. “You’re lying.”

“Am I?” Moretti raised a brow, then gestured toward you. “Go ahead, ask her. Ask her about the years she spent hunting down villains like me. About the testimony that put me in prison. About the daughter she stole from me.”

“Shut up,” you snapped, your voice cutting through the air like a whip.

But Bakugo was already staring at you, his crimson eyes ablaze with confusion and betrayal. “Is it true?”

You hesitated, the words catching in your throat. 

Moretti clapped his hands together, delighted by the unraveling tension. “Ah, the sweet taste of betrayal. Isn’t it delicious?”

“Shut the hell up!” Bakugo snapped, his glare burning a hole through Moretti.

Moretti’s cold, predatory smile grew as he savored the moment, watching Bakugo struggle with the weight of his words. “And if you thought this was the worst of it, you’re in for a surprise, Dynamight.” He turned back to you, his gaze like a vulture eyeing its prey. “She didn’t just hide her quirk from you, or hide who she was. No, she faked her death.”

Bakugo’s eyes snapped to you, the fury and confusion in his gaze sharp enough to cut through steel. “You were the hero that died in the car accident?” 

Moretti’s laugh echoed around the room, harsh and mocking. “Yes, indeed. That little stunt she pulled after her so-called ‘hero career’ ended. She made everyone believe she was dead—her friends, her family, even the people she’d worked with. But the truth is, she’s been hiding from me. Hiding because she knows I’ll never stop hunting her. Not while I’m still breathing.”

Your heart hammered in your chest. This was worse than you could have imagined. Moretti was unraveling everything you’d fought so hard to bury. Every secret, every lie, coming to the surface in the worst way possible.

Bakugo’s gaze never left you, his expression a mixture of disbelief, anger, and hurt. “Why?” he growled, his voice low and dangerous. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I had no choice,” you said, your voice trembling despite your best efforts to stay calm. “Moretti was looking for me. He had connections everywhere. I couldn’t let him find me, so I made them believe I was dead. I had to disappear. I couldn’t risk anyone else getting hurt.”

He leaned closer, his grin widening. “Your precious Nova here is the reason I rotted in prison for six years. She testified against me. She took everything from me.”

You struggled against the ropes, your voice steady despite the tremble in your body. “You don’t deserve to find her. After everything you’ve done, after all the lives you’ve destroyed, she’s better off without you.”

Moretti’s smile disappeared, replaced by a dangerous glint in his eyes. He stepped closer, his voice dropping to a chilling whisper. “You don’t get to decide that.”

Bakugo snarled, thrashing against his restraints. “You touch her, and I’ll kill you. I swear to god, I’ll rip you apart!”

Moretti glanced at him, amused. “Oh, its not her you should be worried about Dynamight. No, I’ll break her—piece by piece— as she watches, until she tells me what I want to know.”

He straightened, motioning to the guard still holding the syringe. “And when she does, I’ll kill her anyway. After all, she’s the reason I lost everything. Call it poetic justice.”

The guard stepped closer to Bakugo, gripping his arm, and panic surged through you. “Moretti, if you hurt him, you’ll never find her,” you said quickly, your voice rising.

That gave him pause. He raised a hand, signaling the guard to stop, and turned to you with narrowed eyes. 

“You know I’m the only one who knows where she is,” you said, forcing yourself to keep calm. “If you kill him—or push me too far—you’ll lose any chance of finding her. Forever.”

Moretti’s jaw tightened, his expression unreadable. He leaned in close, his voice a low growl. “Then start talking. Or I’ll make sure you wish I’d killed you instead.”

Beside you, Bakugo’s crimson eyes blazed with rage and desperation. “Don’t tell him anything!” he shouted. “He’s lying—he’ll kill you no matter what!”

But you weren’t ready to give up. Not yet. You had to play this carefully, or neither of you would make it out alive.

Taking a deep breath, you looked up at him. “She’s dead.” 

Moretti froze, his eyes narrowing, his hand still suspended in the air, ready to give another order. The silence that followed felt like an eternity. Bakugo's furious protests faded into the background as Moretti processed your words.

“What did you just say?” Moretti’s voice was low, dangerously calm.

You swallowed hard, forcing yourself to hold your ground. “She’s dead. Milly’s gone.”

Moretti’s gaze turned icy, a flicker of disbelief flashing across his features. “You’re lying,” he hissed. “You’re just trying to buy yourself time.”

But the raw edge of fear in his eyes gave him away. He was already questioning everything.

“I’m not lying,” you said, your voice unwavering despite the terror clawing at your chest. “I knew you’d come for her. After I received your little ‘gift,’ I realized I had to act. She didn’t deserve a life with you as her father, so I did what had to be done.”

Moretti’s eyes narrowed in disbelief. “What are you talking about? What did you do?”

“She’s in a place now where you’ll never reach her,” you continued, your words cold, resolute. “A place where you can’t hurt her anymore.”

Moretti’s expression twisted into a snarl. “WHAT DID YOU DO?”

The room seemed to grow colder at the intensity of Moretti’s roar. His fists clenched tightly at his sides, and his breathing quickened as his eyes locked onto you, as if trying to burn a hole through you with sheer force of will.

You held his gaze, knowing full well what you had just said would push him beyond the edge. “I did what I had to do,” you repeated, your voice firm even as your heart hammered in your chest. “She’s gone, Moretti. I made sure she was safe. You will never find her. No one will. She’s in a place where you can’t touch her anymore.”

Moretti’s chest heaved, his anger mounting with each word you spoke. “No,” he spat, his voice low and dangerous. “No, you didn’t. You didn’t do this. You didn’t kill my daughter.”

“I did,” you said, the weight of your lies sinking deep into your chest. “I made sure she was free of you. From your cruelty, your obsession. I couldn’t let her grow up under the shadow of someone like you. You’re a monster, Moretti. And she didn’t deserve that life.”

Moretti’s face twisted in fury, his eyes wild with disbelief. He took a step toward you, the threat of violence hanging in the air. “You’re lying. You’re lying to protect yourself. Tell me where she is. NOW.”

The guard, still holding Bakugo's arm, prepared the needle, but you hadn't noticed. You were focused on Moretti—the man who had destroyed so many lives, including his own daughter’s. You didn’t back down.

“She’s gone, Moretti,” you repeated, your voice colder now. “I ended her suffering. And now you’ll never get your hands on her. Not now, not ever.”

The silence in the room was suffocating, thick with the heavy realization settling in Moretti’s mind. His jaw clenched, his muscles trembling with barely contained rage, but there was something else there, something darker: desperation. He had nothing left to hold onto.

“You think I’ll let you get away with this?” he growled, taking another step forward, his hand reaching out as if to strike you. But something in your eyes, something in your stance, seemed to hold him at bay. For a brief moment, the fury in his eyes faltered.

“You already lost her,” you said, your voice low, cold with the finality of it all. “And now, the only thing left to you is vengeance.”

The guard beside Bakugo glanced nervously at Moretti, who was seething with rage, but it was clear he was struggling to process the depth of what you had just said. His emotions were a storm, a swirl of grief and anger, confusion and disbelief.

“Take her down the hall,” Moretti commanded, his voice sharp and final as the guard moved from Bakugo to your side.

You glanced over at Bakugo, watching his face twist in confusion and fury as he processed the weight of your words. His protests grew louder, his anger mounting with each passing second. But the guard was relentless, yanking you to your feet and dragging you toward the door.

You didn’t know if you’d ever see Bakugo again, but in that moment, you knew this was the only way. Moretti would stop at nothing to get what he wanted—he’d torture you until you spoke. So, you had given him the answer he was desperate for.

Now, all you could do was hope. Hope that while Moretti took his time with you, it would give Bakugo the chance to escape, to find a way out before it was too late.

---

“Dynamight, we’ve found something.”

Bakugo stood in the middle of your home, surrounded by officers and detectives tearing through your personal belongings. The scene was chaotic, and the constant rustling of drawers, the clinking of metal, and the shuffle of paper filled the air.

He wasn’t sure how he’d arrived at this point. All he could remember was staring at the picture of the young girl—the one that had sent his mind spiraling. From there, everything became a blur. Thoughts of you, of Moretti, of connections he didn’t want to make but couldn’t escape, tumbled through his mind. The sinking feeling in his stomach wouldn’t go away.

Rage began to churn in his chest. The next thing he remembered, he was barking orders, directing his best detectives to enter your house. He hadn’t expected you to be here—didn’t want to look you in the eyes as his team scoured every corner of the home you’d made.

It felt wrong, even as his anger justified the intrusion. This was an invasion of privacy—bordering on illegal. But he didn’t care. The truth was the only thing that mattered now, even if it meant crossing lines.

“Sir?”

A younger detective called to him from down the hallway. Bakugo turned to find the officer standing at the door of your bedroom.

Walking down the hallway, his gaze landed on the framed photos that lined the walls. They were snapshots of your life—moments you had chosen to remember, moments that once made him feel like he knew you.

One of those photos caught his eye, a picture of you and him together. It was taken after his birthday celebration. You’d begged him to take a picture with you. The photo was simple—he stood beside you, dressed in his usual attire, while you held onto his arm with a soft, playful smile. His eyes were focused elsewhere, but he remembered the night vividly. He remembered the warmth of the crowd, the laughter, the sense that something unspoken had passed between the two of you.

Now, the sight of that photo made him want to destroy it, to wipe away the reminder of how wrong everything had become.

“We found a safe in the closet,” the detective said, breaking him out of his thoughts. “We’re working on opening it now.”

“Good. If you don’t get it open soon, I’ll blow it open myself.”

“Yes, sir.”

As the officers worked on the safe, Bakugo took a moment to assess the room. His eyes scanned the surroundings, noting how much it didn’t match the woman he thought he knew. The room was too dull, too plain, for someone as vibrant and energetic as you.

The beige walls felt sterile, the white sheets on the bed lacking even the smallest touch of personality. It didn’t feel like you. It felt like an imposter.

He wondered if this was where you went to grieve in silence. If it was him, he’d feel suffocated by the emptiness of the space.

“Sir, come take a look at this.”

The detective’s voice broke through his thoughts again. Bakugo stepped over, looking down at the contents of the safe with growing unease.

A M1911 pistol rested on the first shelf, and beneath it, a picture and a clear bag containing something shiny—was that a necklace?

“Is it loaded?”

“No, sir.”

“Put the gun in the evidence bag.”

Bakugo’s eyes shifted to the photo, his stomach twisting as he picked it up. It was a picture of you and Moretti’s daughter, the little girl smiling with her toothless grin. And you… you looked so young, so full of life in the selfie you’d taken with her.

A sick feeling washed over him as the realization hit—this wasn’t just some random photo. It was proof that you were connected to Moretti in ways he hadn’t wanted to believe.

He slipped the picture into the evidence bag before his eyes fell to the necklace. It was a simple gold charm with the letter “N” etched into it. His fingers traced the surface as he turned it over, trying to make sense of it, but nothing clicked. He shoved it back into the bag without thinking.

Every inch of his body ached with betrayal. You were someone he’d trusted, and now he found out you had been lying to him the entire time. The woman he had secretly loved, who had kept him in the dark.

Turning away from the bedroom, he made his way back to the living room, the weight of what he’d just uncovered sinking deeper with each step. He was seething now—his body shaking with fury, the kind of anger that made it hard to breathe.

“Bakugo?”

Kirishima’s voice reached him just as his hands began to tremble. His red-haired friend stood frozen in the doorway, his expression a mix of shock and disbelief.

“What the hell did you do, Bakugo?”

Bakugo’s teeth clenched. He didn’t care about what anyone else thought. He didn’t care about the way this might look. To him, the truth was clearer than ever.

“She’s working for Moretti.”

“What? What are you talking about?” Kirishima’s voice was laced with confusion, clearly not following his train of thought.

“Moretti’s daughter is her damn daughter. She’s the reason he’s even here.”

“No, man… you don’t know that. Calm down.”

Bakugo was beyond calming down. His voice rose, dripping with fury.

“Don’t tell me to calm down!” His fist clenched, ready to put it through the wall if only to release the frustration coursing through him.

Kirishima shifted uncomfortably, his eyes darting to Bakugos shaking hands. His heart sank as he pieced together what Bakugo must’ve found. “Okay,” he said carefully, “I’m not saying it doesn’t look bad. But we don’t know the full story yet.”

“I know enough.” Bakugo’s voice was lower now, but no less deadly. “She lied to us. She lied to me.”

Kirishima hesitated. “What if she didn’t? What if there’s more to this? Maybe she had a reason—”

“Reason?” Bakugo barked a humorless laugh. “You think there’s a reason good enough to keep photos of another man’s daughter? The man who’s been killing innocent women?” His voice cracked, and he abruptly turned away, his fists shaking at his sides.

Kirishima stepped closer, his voice softening. “I’m not saying Moretti isn’t scum. We both know he is. But we’ve got to be smart here. If we go off half-cocked—”

“I’m done talking,” Bakugo growled, cutting him off. “I’m done sitting around waiting for the truth to slap me in the face. I’m ending this. Tonight.”

“Bakugo, no!” Kirishima’s hand shot out, grabbing his friend’s arm. “Don’t do something you’ll regret. If you go after her now—”

A feminine voice cut through the tension, freezing both men in their tracks.

“Katsuki.”

Bakugo’s head snapped toward the sound, his breath hitching. Standing in the doorway, her figure silhouetted against the dim light, was the last person he wanted to see right now. Her gaze was steady, unreadable, but the slight tremor in her voice betrayed the storm brewing beneath her calm exterior.

YN POV

You had headed back home to grab a few things for the cabin, expecting a quick in-and-out trip. But as soon as you turned onto your street, your stomach dropped. Red and blue lights strobed against the darkened houses, and cop cars lined the road like a barricade.

Your heart pounded as you pulled to a stop, barely managing to put the car in park before you stepped out. Your house was the center of the commotion, its front door hanging ajar. Officers milled about, some talking into radios, others examining the scene.

Anger bubbled up, hot and unrelenting, pushing past the confusion. Your house was supposed to be your safe space, a sanctuary. Now it looked like a crime scene.

“What the hell is going on?” you demanded, striding toward the nearest officer.

“Ma’am, you can’t be here,” the officer said, holding up a hand to stop you.

“This is my house!” you snapped, your voice rising despite your best efforts to stay calm. “Someone better tell me what’s going on right now.”

Detectives swarmed your house, tearing through your things, rummaging through your personal items with no care for your privacy. Bags of evidence piled up on your kitchen table, and a detective nearly barreled into you.

You froze in the doorway, your heart hammering in your chest. Among the chaos of the ransacked house, the sight of Bakugo and Kirishima arguing in front of your kitchen was the last thing you expected.

“Katsuki,” you managed, your voice trembling slightly despite your attempt to sound steady.

Both of them turned at the sound of your voice, but it was Bakugo who held your gaze—and the look on his face nearly stopped you cold. The fury in his eyes was unmistakable, a storm raging just beneath the surface.

“What the hell are you doing here?” he spat, his voice venomous and sharp enough to cut.

Your stomach twisted at the sheer hatred in his tone. You opened your mouth to respond, but the words caught in your throat.

Kirishima stepped forward, his expression a mixture of concern and frustration. “Hey, Bakugo, chill out for a second—”

“No,” Bakugo snapped, cutting him off without looking away from you. “She doesn’t get to ‘chill out.’ Not after this.”

“What are you talking about?” you asked, your voice barely above a whisper. You felt like the ground beneath you was shifting, threatening to collapse entirely.

Kirishima noticed your stillness and laid a hand on your shoulder, but you yanked it off immediately, still frozen by Bakugo’s gaze.

“You raided my home?” 

“And I had a damn good reason to,” he snarled, his anger unrestrained.

“Why?” The words slipped out of your mouth, a mix of hurt and confusion.

Bakugo said nothing. He just glanced toward Kirishima.

“Detain her.”

“What? Are you out of your mind? She didn’t do anything!” Kirishima’s voice cracked with disbelief.

“I said detain her. That’s an order.”

The room was spinning. Your head felt light as Kirishima reluctantly moved toward you, his hands on your wrists, but he was gentler than Bakugo. You didn’t fight him, though. You knew it would only make things worse.

“It’s okay, Kiri.” you said, forcing a smile through the tightness in your chest.

Kirishima’s expression faltered, but he complied. He cuffed your hands behind your back, ensuring they weren’t too tight.

As Kirishima gently guided you toward the door, his grip more protective than forceful, you stole one last glance at Bakugo. But he wouldn’t look at you. He just stood there, staring at the floor, his fists still trembling at his sides.

You didn’t fight, didn’t plead anymore. The truth was about to come out and you couldn't stop it. 

---

The ride to the precinct was silent.

The cuffs were uncomfortable, but you refused to let the discomfort show. You sat with your back straight, eyes focused on the road ahead, trying to push away the suffocating feeling of betrayal and hurt threatening to take over.

Kirishima sat beside you, silent as well, his expression hard to read. He hadn’t spoken much after putting the cuffs on you. But you could feel the disappointment radiating off of him, just like you could feel Bakugo’s fury burning into your skin, even though you weren’t looking at him.

Your mind was racing, replaying every moment, every word, every glance exchanged between you and Bakugo.

There was a part of you that wanted to scream, to yell at him for thinking the worst of you. But you knew that wouldn’t change anything. It wouldn’t make him see reason, or make him understand what you were trying to protect.

Kirishima’s hand on your shoulder felt comforting, but also distant.

"Y/N..." He spoke your name softly, like he didn’t want to push you further. “I know this is hard, but... you’ve got to trust me, okay? This will all get figured out."

You shook your head. “It’s not that simple, Kiri.”

"I know," he murmured. "But I’m here. I won’t let anything happen to you."

The words were kind, but they did little to calm the storm inside of you. How could you explain everything? How could you make him, or Bakugo, understand that there was so much more to the story than they could ever imagine? 

“Hey, slow down a little, will ya?” Bakugo’s gruff voice cut through the tense silence, pulling your attention away from your frantic thoughts.

The driver didn’t answer. His grip on the wheel tightened, knuckles turning white as the car weaved recklessly through traffic. The engine roared as he pressed harder on the gas, the speedometer needle climbing past 80 mph.

Bakugo shifted in his seat, glaring at the man behind the wheel. “Did you hear me? Slow the hell down!”

But the driver wasn’t fazed. His eyes stayed fixed on the road, jaw clenched, a sinister focus etched across his face.

Bakugo turned his attention to you and Kirishima in the backseat. “Put your fucking seat belts on. Now.”

Kirishima reached for his belt without hesitation. 

​​“I can’t,” you muttered, lifting your cuffed hands slightly.

“Shit,” Kirishima hissed, moving to help you before pausing. 

The unmistakable click of a gun echoed in the car, and you saw it—

“She leaves her seat belt off.”

The barrel of a gun pressed against the side of Bakugo’s head, his reflexes too fast for most, but this time, he was trapped. The driver held the weapon steady with one hand, the other gripping the wheel as the car swerved dangerously close to the divider.

Bakugo’s ruby eyes sharpened into daggers. His growl was low and menacing, each word laced with a promise of violence. “You really wanna point that thing at me? You won’t even have time to regret it.”

“Shut up,” the driver snapped, eyes darting to the rearview mirror to catch you and Kirishima. “If anyone moves, I’ll put a bullet in his skull.”

Kirishima started to speak, his voice cautious. “Hey, man, let’s not—”

“Quiet!” the driver barked, his voice cutting like a whip.

“Kirishima,” Bakugo said through gritted teeth, his tone eerily calm despite the gun at his temple. “Put her seat belt on.”

“No!” the driver roared. His voice rose in panic and anger as he glanced at you. “I said leave it off! If anyone tries anything, I’ll kill you all right here.”

Your breath hitched as you locked eyes with Bakugo. His jaw was set, his teeth grinding audibly. The unspoken rage in his glare was enough to shake anyone to their core.

“Kats, leave it,” you said softly, your voice trembling. “Just... don’t.”

The car surged forward again, narrowly missing a merging vehicle. The tires screeched as the driver veered into another lane, the momentum slamming you against Kirishima. Your heartbeat thundered in your ears.

The car was speeding recklessly now, weaving through traffic at a breakneck pace. If he crashed, you knew there was no chance of survival.

You leaned closer to Kirishima, keeping your voice low enough that the driver wouldn’t hear. “8237 Alpine Avenue,” you whispered, your eyes fixed on him.

“What?” Kirishima’s brows knitted in confusion as he glanced at you.

“8237 Alpine Avenue,” you repeated, your tone urgent and unwavering. “Don’t forget that address.”

“Y/N, what are you talking about?”

You leaned in closer, your gaze locking with his, every word you spoke heavy with determination. “If something happens to me, find the girl. She’s your priority. Do you understand? Promise me.”

His face paled, and his mouth opened to argue, but you didn’t give him a chance. 

Bakugo’s sharp voice pulled your attention back to the front. “You think you’re getting away with this?” he spat at the driver, his tone a mix of rage and scorn.

The driver sneered but didn’t respond. The tension was unbearable, and every nerve in your body screamed for an escape.

Then Bakugo’s voice cut through the chaos like a detonating bomb. “WATCH OUT!” 

The driver’s reaction was split-second—he jerked the wheel hard to the left to avoid the oncoming truck. The car swerved violently, tires screeching against the asphalt. Horns blared as other drivers slammed on their brakes, narrowly avoiding the spiraling vehicle.

The world seemed to tilt as the car lost control. You felt the terrifying weightlessness of your body being thrown forward, held back only by Kirishima’s arms as he shielded you with his bulk.

“Hold on!” he shouted, his voice barely audible over the cacophony of metal scraping and glass shattering.

The car spun out of control, skidding sideways before tipping. The deafening sound of crunching metal filled the air as the vehicle flipped.

Once.

Twice.

Your head slammed against the side of the door, stars bursting across your vision. The cuffs on your wrists dug painfully into your skin as you struggled to brace yourself.

“Y/N!” Kirishima’s voice was frantic, his grip tightening like a vice as he tried to keep you from being thrown around the cabin.

Then two gunshots rang out next.

The sharp crack was almost drowned by the chaos, but you saw the flash of the barrel as the driver fired in panic. The bullet shattered the windshield, fragments of glass spraying like deadly confetti.

Bakugo roared, his instincts kicking in despite the chaos. He lunged forward, slamming his elbow into the driver’s wrist. The gun flew from his hand, ricocheting off the dashboard and landing somewhere in the wreckage.

The car hit the guardrail with a bone-jarring crunch, flipping one last time before coming to a grinding halt on its side. Smoke and steam hissed from the crumpled hood as the vehicle groaned under its own weight.

Silence.

For a moment, the world seemed frozen, the air heavy with the acrid scent of burning rubber and gasoline. Your ears rang, the sound of your own ragged breathing the only thing grounding you.

“Y/N,” Kirishima rasped, his voice pained but steady. “Are you—”

“I’m fine,” you choked out, though your entire body ached. Blood trickled down your temple, and your hands were trembling as you tried to move.

A groan from the driver’s seat snapped you back to reality. The man was slumped over the wheel, dazed but alive.

Bakugo, however, was anything but dazed.

He kicked open what was left of the passenger door, his movements sharp and deliberate despite the blood dripping from a cut above his brow. His crimson eyes burned with fury as he reached in, dragging the driver out by his collar and slamming him against the side of the wreckage.

“You’ve got five seconds to tell me who sent you,” Bakugo snarled, his voice a lethal growl.

“Katsuki!” you called out weakly, struggling to sit up as Kirishima worked to try to free you from the wreckage.

Bakugo ignored you, his grip tightening on the driver’s shirt. “Five seconds,” he hissed, raising his fist. “Then you’re gonna wish you didn’t survive this crash.”

You tried to shift, to push yourself upright, but the moment you put weight on your left leg, a sharp, searing pain shot through you. It wasn’t just pain—it was like your body refused to move, as if the limb had simply given up.

“I—I think I broke my leg,” you stammered, your voice trembling as you clutched at the car door for support.

Kirishima’s head whipped around to look at you, his expression shifting from panic to something darker as his eyes traveled down to your leg. He crouched down, his hands hovering just above the injury as he took in the sight.

“Shit,” he muttered under his breath, his face paling. “That’s not a break. You’ve been shot.”

Your breath hitched. You glanced down at your leg and saw it—the dark stain of blood spreading across your thigh, dripping down to pool at your feet. 

The pain in your leg was unbearable now, sharp and throbbing with every heartbeat. Your body screaming at you to stay conscious even as your vision swam.

“Fuck…” you groaned again, the dizziness hitting you like a wave. “I’m dizzy…”

“Hey, no, no, don’t do that.” Kirishima’s voice cracked, his worry palpable. “Don’t move. I’m gonna get Bakugo. Just hang on!”

You watched as he climbed out of the shattered car window, his movements frantic but deliberate. The muffled sound of his voice shouting for Bakugo was the only thing anchoring you to reality, though even that was fading fast.

The car felt like it was spinning, the metallic scent of blood and smoke filling your lungs. Each breath was harder than the last, and your eyelids grew heavier despite your best efforts to keep them open.

From outside, the sound of screeching tires from cars appearing and distant explosions shattered the chaotic silence. The fury in Bakugo’s signature blasts reverberated through the air, shaking the ground beneath the car. It was as though the world itself was trembling in response to his rage.

Your head lolled to the side, the edges of your vision darkening. The last thing you remembered before everything went black was the roar of Bakugo’s explosions, louder now, like he was right outside the car.

And then, nothing.

---

---

FLASHBACK 

“Do you ever want kids?”

The question hung in the air, unexpected and intimate. Turning over in the bed, you met Anthony’s gaze. The golden sunlight streaming through the window bathed his face, making his sharp features even more striking and setting his green eyes aglow, brighter than you’d ever seen them.

You hummed, stalling, as you considered the question. It wasn’t the first time you’d thought about it. You could vividly imagine it: children with little pieces of you running through a sprawling backyard, their laughter echoing as your husband scooped them up, tossing them over his shoulder with ease. You’d envisioned it countless times—three children, to be exact. One, the spitting image of you. Another, a reflection of your husband. And the last, a perfect blend of you both.

Yes, you’d thought about having kids more often than you’d admit. But right now? In this moment, in this life? The thought of bringing children into the chaos you lived in felt wrong—repulsive, even.

“Maybe,” you finally said, your tone measured. “It depends if I meet the right person.”

“Hm.”

His response was low, almost dismissive. The hint of disappointment in his tone didn’t escape you, though. Could you blame him? You’d essentially told him he wasn’t the one you could see yourself building a life with.

And he wasn’t. Not Anthony Moretti. No matter how far you’d sunk into this investigation—or how dangerously close you felt to him—he wasn’t someone you could ever settle down with. Being with him was like standing on the edge of a cliff, thrilling but ultimately reckless.

“I have something to show you.”

“Oh?”

Reaching over to his nightstand, Anthony opened the drawer and pulled out a framed photo. He held it out to you, the movement uncharacteristically hesitant.

“This is Milly,” he said softly. “My daughter.”

The image stole your breath. The little girl in the photo was a mirror of Anthony. Her pale skin, vibrant green eyes, and unruly chocolate curls left no doubt. She was his.

You stared longer than you should have, processing the revelation. Anthony Moretti, the enigmatic and ruthless man you were investigating, had a daughter. And no one knew.

“Your daughter?” you echoed, your voice tinged with disbelief.

“Yeah.” His eyes softened as his fingers brushed over the glass, as though he could reach through the photo and touch her.

You studied his face carefully. Talking about her wasn’t easy for him; the weight of it was etched in every line of his expression.

“And where is Milly?”

“She lives with her grandmother, out of state,” he said, his voice low and restrained. “Her mother died in childbirth.”

The confession hit like a punch to the gut.

“You don’t visit her?”

“No,” he admitted, the frustration in his voice barely contained. “My rights were taken away a few months after she was born. But I swear, I’ll do everything in my power to get her back.”

There was an edge to his tone—sharp, unsettling. It wasn’t just determination; it was the kind of resolve that promised he’d tear through anyone who dared to stand in his way.

“I’m not trying to scare you off,” he added, his gaze meeting yours. “I just thought you should know about her.”

You reached out, your hand trailing up his bicep in a gesture of comfort. “Thank you for telling me,” you said, your voice softer now. But even to your own ears, it sounded forced—to deliberate for the intimacy of the bedroom.

Anthony was letting you in, piece by piece. 

“Do you have a picture of her that’s not in a frame?” you asked, your voice quieter now, almost hesitant.

His brows furrowed slightly, as though the question surprised him. He hesitated for a moment before reaching into the same drawer and pulling out a small, worn envelope. From inside, he retrieved a single photograph, its edges creased and faded from handling.

“This one’s my favorite,” he said, passing it to you.

The image was candid, clearly taken on a whim. Milly stood barefoot in the grass, holding a stuffed animal tightly to her chest. Her smile was wide and unfiltered, her eyes sparkling with joy.

“She looks so happy,” you murmured, your thumb brushing over the corner of the photo.

“She is,” Anthony said, his voice barely above a whisper. “At least, I hope she is. I haven’t seen her in over a year.”

The weight of his words settled heavily between you. For the first time since you’d met him, Anthony didn’t seem untouchable. He looked human—vulnerable, even.

“What happened?” you asked cautiously.

His jaw tightened, and he shifted slightly on the bed, like the memory physically pained him. “Milly’s mother… she wasn’t a good person. She lied about a lot of things, manipulated people. When she died, her family blamed me for everything. Said I wasn’t fit to raise a child.”

“Why didn’t you fight them?”

“I did.” His voice hardened, frustration seeping through. “But they had connections. The system doesn’t care about the truth when someone like me is up against people like them.”

You wanted to say something comforting, but nothing felt adequate. Instead, you reached out again, this time lacing your fingers through his. His hand was warm, his grip firm yet tentative.

“I believe you,” you said simply.

For a long moment, neither of you spoke. The silence was heavy, but it wasn’t uncomfortable. It felt like an unspoken understanding had passed between you, a crack in the wall he’d built around himself.

“I’ll get her back,” he said finally, his voice steady and resolute.

You nodded. “I know you will.”

He studied you for a moment, as if trying to decide whether to trust you with the full weight of his thoughts. “You’re different,” he said softly.

“How so?”

“You don’t look at me like everyone else does. Like I’m a monster.”

You didn’t know how to respond to that. Because, truthfully, there were moments when you weren’t sure what to make of him either.

But here, in this moment, he wasn’t a monster. He was just a man who missed his daughter.

---

When you left Anthony’s home that night, the photograph weighed heavy in your pocket—a silent confession folded neatly into your plans. You’d waited until he wasn’t looking, his attention briefly diverted, and slipped the worn image of Milly from the envelope.

It wasn’t a decision you made lightly. You told yourself it was necessary, a calculated move in the larger game. Hard evidence that could be used to build a case against him, to ensure that someone like Anthony Moretti would never have the chance to raise a child.

Still, guilt gnawed at you as you walked down the dimly lit street, your steps echoing in the stillness of the night. He had trusted you, had let you see a part of himself no one else was privy to. And you had repaid that trust with betrayal.

You pulled the photo from your pocket and unfolded it under the glow of a streetlamp. Milly’s innocent smile stared back at you, her joy untainted by the chaos surrounding her father’s life.

“This is for the best,” you murmured to yourself, though the words felt hollow.

Anthony Moretti was a dangerous man. A manipulator. A criminal. And yet, for all his faults, the way he had spoken about Milly was different. It wasn’t the cold calculation you had expected; it was raw, heartfelt, and full of desperation.

But desperation could lead people to do terrible things. And you couldn’t let Milly’s future be another casualty of her father’s world.

As you tucked the photo back into your pocket, you made a promise to yourself: you’d do whatever it took to ensure Milly grew up far away from Anthony’s shadow.

The investigation wasn’t just about taking down Anthony Moretti anymore. It had become personal.

PRESENT

“We can't go straight to the hotel. It’s not safe.”

“We’re not,” You replied, your tone clipped. “But we have to make a stop first.”

Without another word, you grabbed James’ phone from the cup holder and entered an address you’d memorized a hundred times, hoping you’d never need to use it. But now, the time has come.

“Just take me here. It won’t take long,” you said, your voice firmer than you felt.

Reaching into the backseat, you pulled out a duffel bag and rummaged for a pair of hoodies and sweatpants. As you began unzipping your bloodstained hero costume, James shot you a sharp look.

“What are you doing?”

“Changing. I can’t show up looking like this,” you said, gesturing to the dried blood smeared across your suit.

“In the front seat? Are you insane?”

Rolling your eyes, you muttered, “Just keep your eyes on the road.”

James sighed, muttering something under his breath about your reckless behavior, but he focused back on driving. You slipped out of the costume as quickly and discreetly as you could, pulling on the oversized hoodie and sweatpants. Wearing a bloody hero costume to this particular doorstep wasn’t an option.

When you finally arrived at the destination, your heart was pounding harder than the drive warranted. “Wait here,” you instructed James, already unbuckling and stepping out of the car.

The house was quiet, save for the faint hum of a porch light. It was late—far too late for an unannounced visit—but there was no choice. This couldn’t wait.

The door creaked open after a hesitant knock, revealing a woman you hadn’t spoken with in years. Her hair was streaked with gray, her eyes widening in surprise at the sight of you.

“Y/N?” Her voice was soft but tinged with shock as she opened the door fully, stepping aside to let you in.

“Where’s Milly?” you asked, urgency in your tone.

“She’s asleep upstairs,” the woman replied, frowning. “What’s going on?”

You didn’t answer, instead brushing past her and heading up the familiar staircase. The woman—Patty—hurried after you, her questions trailing behind.

“Milly,” you whispered as you eased open the door to her room.

The tiny girl lay sprawled across her bed, her hair a mess of curls and her cheek pressed against the pillow. She stirred at your voice, her sleepy eyes blinking open.

“Miss Y/N?” she murmured, a bright smile breaking across her face as recognition set in.

“Hi, sweet girl.” You crouched down beside her. “Do you want to go on a little road trip?”

Her eyes lit up instantly. “Yes!” she squealed, tossing off her blanket and bouncing with excitement.

“Good. Pack a bag, okay? Just a few things you’ll need for a little while.” You brushed her hair back, smiling softly.

“Okieeee!” she chirped, already diving into her dresser.

As she busied herself, you stepped back into the hallway, where Patty stood waiting at the top of the stairs, her arms crossed tightly over her chest.

“What’s going on, YN?” she demanded.

“Anthony’s back,” you said grimly, meeting her gaze. “And he’s after me. He knows that wherever I am, Milly isn’t far.”

Patty’s face paled. “You told me we were safe here. Milly has school—her friends. We can’t just leave!”

Taking her hands in yours, you spoke with quiet urgency. “Patty, please. I’ll keep you both safe, I promise. But I need to get you somewhere secure until Moretti is gone for good.”

Her lips trembled. “And how long will that take?”

“I don’t know,” you admitted, hating how uncertain you sounded. “But you have to trust me.”

For a moment, Patty said nothing, her expression flickering between fear and resolve. Finally, she nodded, her shoulders sagging under the weight of the situation.

“Fine,” she said softly. “But this better not take long.”

“It won’t,” you promised, even as doubt gnawed at the edges of your resolve.

You turned back to the room, where Milly was proudly holding up an overstuffed backpack. She looked at you with unshakable trust, her innocent faith driving a fresh wave of determination through you.

“Let’s go, sweet girl,” you said, reaching for her hand.

You were running out of time, and Anthony Moretti wasn’t far behind.

---

James glanced at you through the rearview mirror as you helped Milly into the backseat, strapping her in securely. Her backpack sat on her lap, nearly as big as she was, and she clutched a small stuffed rabbit tightly in her arms.

“You care to explain what’s going on now?” James asked, his tone sharp but low enough to keep from alarming Milly.

“Not here,” you replied curtly, sliding into the passenger seat. “We need to get moving first.”

Patty sat in the back seat, her arms wrapped around herself, watching with an expression that was equal parts fear and helplessness. You gave her a reassuring nod through the rearview mirror, though the lump in your throat made it hard to believe your own confidence.

As James pulled away from the curb, you glanced back at Milly, her bright eyes fixed on the passing streetlights. She didn’t ask questions, trusting you completely, and that trust was heavier than anything you carried in your bag.

James finally broke the silence. “So, Anthony Moretti is back. Care to explain why we’re suddenly kidnapping a child and her stuffed rabbit in the middle of the night?”

“It’s not kidnapping,” you shot back, keeping your voice even for Milly’s sake. “I’m protecting her.”

“From Moretti?” he pressed, his knuckles tightening around the steering wheel.

“Yes.”

James sighed, his frustration palpable. “You can’t keep dancing around this. You’ve got to tell me the whole story, Y/N. What’s Milly to Moretti? What’s she to you?”

You hesitated, stealing another glance at Milly. She was still staring out the window, her little fingers tracing patterns on the foggy glass.

“She’s his daughter,” you said finally, the words heavy in the confined space of the car.

James’ reaction was immediate—a sharp inhale, his jaw tightening as he processed the revelation. “His daughter? And you’ve been hiding her all this time?”

“Not exactly,” you said, your voice quieter now. “I’ve been making sure she stays safe. Patty and I worked out a plan before I left for America. Milly doesn’t know who her father is, and it’s going to stay that way.”

James shook his head, his disbelief evident. “You really think you can outrun him? You think Moretti’s going to stop looking?”

“I don’t care what it takes,” you snapped, your tone firmer now but still quiet. “Milly is staying safe, and Moretti is staying as far away from her as possible.”

James glanced at you again, his skepticism clear, but he didn’t argue. He knew better than to try to change your mind when you were this determined.

“Where are we headed, then?” he asked, his tone resigned.

“There’s a safe house,” you said. “It’s a few hours out of the city. No one knows about it, not even Moretti.”

James nodded, adjusting his grip on the wheel. “Let’s hope you’re right.”

In the backseat, Milly yawned, her tiny voice breaking the tension. “How far is the road trip, Y/N?”

“Not too far, sweet girl,” you replied, forcing a smile. “You can take a nap if you want. I’ll wake you when we get there.”

“Okay,” she mumbled, snuggling into her seat with her stuffed rabbit.

The car settled into a tense silence as the city lights faded behind you, replaced by the dark stretch of highway. Milly’s soft snores were the only sound, her tiny frame relaxed in sleep.

“You really think this is going to stop him?” Patty asked after a while, her voice barely above a whisper.

“It’s a start,” you replied, staring out the window. “Moretti won’t stop until he finds me. But if he thinks I have Milly with me, I can keep him off your trail. I’ll make sure he never gets close to her.”

“And if he finds you?” she pressed, her voice cracking slightly.

“Then he deals with me,” you said simply, your tone colder than you intended.

Patty flinched slightly, but she didn’t argue. Instead, she turned her gaze to the road ahead, her hands twisting nervously in her lap.

The miles stretched on, the car filled with an unspoken tension. You reached out to adjust Milly’s blanket, your heart squeezing at the sight of her peaceful face.

Whatever it took, you would protect her. Anthony Moretti would have to go through you first.

---

The car pulled off the highway onto a narrow, winding road bordered by tall trees that swayed in the night breeze. The gravel crunched under the tires as James slowed to navigate the uneven path. Ahead, the silhouette of a modest cabin came into view, tucked deep within the woods and shrouded in darkness save for the faint glow of a single porch light.

“This is it?” James asked, cutting the engine and glancing at you.

“Yes,” you replied, your voice low. “It’s safe. No one knows about it.”

You turned to Patty, whose fingers were clenched tightly around her bag. Her unease was palpable, but she nodded silently, steeling herself.

“Let’s get inside,” you said, unbuckling your seatbelt and stepping out into the cool night air.

Milly stirred as you gently lifted her from the car. She blinked sleepily at you, her curls sticking to her damp forehead. “Are we there?”

“We’re here, sweet girl,” you said softly, brushing her hair back. “Let’s get you inside and back to bed.”

James carried Patty’s bag as you led the group up the porch steps. The wooden boards creaked under your weight, and you felt a brief surge of paranoia, your eyes scanning the trees for any sign of movement. But the woods were quiet, the only sounds were the rustling leaves and distant calls of night birds.

Fishing a key from your pocket, you unlocked the heavy door and ushered everyone inside. The air smelled faintly of cedar and dust, the cabin untouched for months.

“Make yourselves comfortable,” you said, flipping on the lights. The warm glow revealed a simple but cozy interior: a worn sofa, a small kitchen with a table for four, and a staircase leading to the second floor.

Patty set her bag down by the couch, looking around uncertainly. “It’s... small.”

“It’s safe,” you corrected, gently setting Milly down on the couch. She clung to her stuffed rabbit, her eyelids already drooping.

“You’ll both have the upstairs bedroom,” you added, turning to Patty. “It’s got a lock on the door and plenty of space for Milly to sleep comfortably.”

Patty nodded, her expression softening as she crouched down to stroke Milly’s cheek. “Come on, honey, let’s get you to bed.”

“Okay,” Milly mumbled, her voice thick with exhaustion. She reached for Patty, and together they ascended the stairs, disappearing into the room above.

James leaned against the kitchen counter, crossing his arms as he studied you. “What’s the plan now?”

You sighed, running a hand through your hair. “You’ll stay here with them for a few days, make sure everything is secure. I’ll go back and deal with Moretti myself.”

“You really think that’s going to work?” he asked, his skepticism clear.

“It has to,” you said firmly. “I can’t let him near her, James. You’ve seen what he’s capable of.”

James nodded slowly, though his expression remained troubled. “Alright. But if you’re going to face him, you’re going to need help. You can’t do this alone.”

“I’ll figure it out,” you said, though the weight of your words felt heavier than ever.

The cabin was quiet now, save for the occasional creak of the floorboards above. You leaned against the wall, staring out the window into the dark woods. Anthony Moretti was out there, and you knew it was only a matter of time before he made his move.

For now, though, Milly was safe. And that was all that mattered.

MORETTI'S POV

The night was alive with the sound of rain hitting the pavement as Anthony Moretti stood in the shadows of a dimly lit alley, his dark coat blending seamlessly into the night. The soft glow of his cigarette illuminated his face, highlighting the sharp angles of his jaw and the intensity in his green eyes. He exhaled slowly, the smoke curling around him like a predator waiting to strike.

“She took her,” Anthony growled, his voice low but dripping with menace.

The man standing opposite him, a wiry figure with nervous eyes, nodded quickly. “Yes, boss. The girl and the grandmother both. They cleared out right before we got there. She must’ve had a backup plan.”

Anthony’s jaw clenched, his hand tightening around the cigarette until it crumbled in his fingers. He dropped the remnants to the ground, grinding them under his heel.

“Of course she did,” he muttered, his mind racing. “She’s too clever to leave anything to chance.”

“What do you want us to do?” the man asked cautiously.

“Find them,” Anthony said sharply, his tone leaving no room for argument. “I don’t care how far she runs or how well she’s hidden. I want every contact, every ally she has tracked down. If she thinks she can take my daughter from me, she’s got another thing coming.”

The man nodded again, already backing away, eager to escape Anthony’s wrath.

“Wait,” Anthony called, stopping him in his tracks.

“Yes, boss?”

Anthony stepped closer, his towering presence forcing the man to shrink back. “This isn’t just about finding them. It’s about sending a message. If anyone tries to help her, they’ll regret it. Do you understand?”

The man swallowed hard and nodded. “Understood.”

“Good,” Anthony said, his lips curling into a sinister smile. “Now get to work.”

As the man disappeared into the night, Anthony remained in the alley, his mind consumed with thoughts of you. He could still see your face, the defiance in your eyes as you stood your ground against him. It was infuriating—and intoxicating.

But this wasn’t about you. This was about Milly.

His daughter. And he would do everything in his power to find you both.

---

---

Since the night of the hero gala, you and James had thrown yourselves headfirst into the Moretti investigation. The memory of that evening—the balcony, Bakugo’s wounded expression, and his retreating figure—played on an endless loop in your mind, but you shoved it down, burying it beneath layers of work and sleepless nights.

You’d left the gala alone, and since then, Bakugo had been a ghost. He didn’t show up at the gym during your usual hours, and you hadn’t dared to reach out. You figured he needed space, and honestly, you didn’t blame him. If he hated you, you deserved it. After all, you had rejected him in the cruelest way, withholding the truth under the guise of protecting him.

Now, every waking moment was devoted to unearthing the evidence you needed to take Moretti down. You told yourself it was for justice, for closure, but deep down, you knew it was also for Bakugo. You needed to make things right. To come clean, to apologize for the lies, and maybe, just maybe, to give him a reason to forgive you.

One long, grueling night, James managed to secure access to confidential Japanese case files—likely crossing a few legal boundaries in the process, but you didn’t care. Laws and rules seemed inconsequential when the only thing that mattered was unraveling the threads of Moretti’s web.

The files contained a chilling revelation. The man with the tattoo on his wrist—the one burned into your memory—was linked to a series of brutal murders in Musutafu. Innocent women, each life stolen with a message carved into the crime scenes that only you could understand. The weight of it crushed you, the realization that these killings weren’t random. They were warnings. Moretti was taunting you, forcing you to see his reach, his cruelty, and his power.

The guilt was suffocating. Every face in those files felt like another strike against your resolve, but you couldn’t let it break you. You wouldn’t. The pain was a reminder that you were on the right path, that you had a chance to end this. And now, finally, you had something to go on.

The new information gave you a flicker of hope —a trail of locations and timestamps where Moretti’s men had been sighted. It was the first solid lead you’d had in weeks, and it was enough to rekindle the fire inside you.

Your hero costume still fits like a second skin, the all-black material hugging your body with an almost suffocating precision. The suit’s sleek fabric molds to your frame, firm and supportive—like it’s designed just for you, like it was made to measure. You had always admired the way the costume looked, and now, years later, your vision seemed to reflect everything you had become: strong, sleek, and dangerous. The mask that covered your face didn’t leave much for anyone to see, except your eyes—piercing, determined eyes that told anyone in your path exactly who they were dealing with.

It’s been six long years since you last wore it. Six years of training, of staying hidden, of learning to control a power so dangerous you feared it more than anything. But tonight, slipping into the familiar black fabric and feeling it stretch over your body, you couldn’t help but feel that rush of energy surge through your veins. It never got old. The suit felt like home, like a part of you, and the weight of the mask reminded you of everything you had fought to become—and everything you had left behind.

As you pull on the gloves, the cool metal of your utility belt clicks against the fabric. You can’t help but admire the intricate stitching that runs along your waist, the design perfect down to the finest detail. The fabric is laced with minerals, rare and strong, designed to help control your quirk. The quirk that you never fully trusted.

Your quirk, physical manipulation, gives you the power to shift and bend forces of weight, to manipulate objects, energy, people, and even entire structures. It’s the kind of power that could move mountains or level them, depending on your emotions. When you’re calm, you have control—but when you’re upset, when anger and fear take hold, your quirk becomes a ticking time bomb, ready to explode. That’s what happened the night you blacked out and woke up with a bleeding head, unable to recall anything.

Training has made you cautious, teaching you to keep your emotions in check. Years of discipline and self-control have allowed you to control it, but you always feared that if you lost that control, everything would come crashing down. But tonight, you hoped it wouldn’t come to that. Tonight, you needed to keep your head.

After weeks of silence, you’d received a tip—a whisper on an old, secured landline that one of Moretti’s men would be at a bar tonight. The man was important, connected, and you needed to know where Moretti was. So you and James decided to follow the lead. He had urged you to involve the pros again, but you quickly shut that down. 

The car in the alleyway feels like a cage, your hands gripping the leather seats as you watch the shadows stretch across the pavement. The waiting game never gets easier. It gnaws at you, especially tonight, knowing that the man you’re hunting could be anywhere. Anxiety coils tight in your chest, the thought of confronting a ghost from your past, churning your stomach.

“How long have we been sitting here?” James asks from the passenger seat, his voice low but edged with a hint of impatience. His eyes flicker toward the bar’s entrance.

“Two hours,” you answer, your voice steady but the tension in your muscles betraying you. You’re not letting your nerves show, but inside, you feel like a coil ready to snap. “He won’t leave yet. We haven’t missed him.”

James glances at you, clearly unconvinced. “Are you sure you’re okay with this? I can go with you.”

“No,” you say sharply, the word final. “I’ve got this.”

You stare at the bar’s entrance, your eyes narrowing. Isaac. The name rolls off your tongue like poison. Isaac, blonde-haired, with the face of a man who has seen too much. He was Moretti’s right hand for years, and you knew him all too well. His cold, calculating eyes never missed a thing, and his loyalty to Moretti was only rivaled by his ruthlessness.

Your instincts tingle. He’s here. You can feel it. A subtle weight in the air, the tension building in your bones. It’s like a sixth sense, honed from years of practice. You don’t know how you know, but you trust it.

Then, like clockwork, he steps out from the bar, his sharp profile cutting through the neon lights. He stands on the sidewalk for a moment, glancing around before shouting for a taxi.

Your heart pounds. This is it.

Without a word, you unlock the car door and slide out, ignoring James’s muttered warning. “YN, stop! Stay in the car!” His voice is laced with concern, but you don’t hear him. You’re already striding toward Isaac, your body moving with purpose.

Isaac doesn’t notice you at first, too busy fidgeting with his phone, but as soon as he slides into the cab, you’re there. You don’t hesitate. You pull open the door, stepping into the cab with a practiced fluidity that only someone like you can manage.

“Hey, this is my cab!” Isaac barks, but you don’t flinch.

You glance at the driver, your expression cold and unwavering. “We’re sharing,” you say smoothly, tossing a few bills into the front seat. “Take me up the block. Doesn’t matter where.”

The driver, clearly unbothered by the tense atmosphere, nods and shifts the car into drive. Isaac remains blissfully unaware, but that doesn’t last for long. You slide a knife from your belt, its cold steel glinting under the low lights.

“Say one word, and I’ll put this knife through your crotch,” you murmur, your voice laced with venom as you hold a knife to him. 

Isaac freezes, his gaze finally snapping to you. His eyes widen and the realization slowly dawns on him. Recognition flickers in his pupils, and you see the hate burn brighter.

“I always knew you were a crazy bitch.” Isaac hisses, his voice trembling with anger and fear.

“Yeah?” you reply, “well I’m about to get crazier.”

He opens his mouth to retort, but you’re faster. With a swift movement, you grab his chin and force him to look at you. You see the fire in his eyes, the stubborn defiance, but it won’t save him.

“Tell me where Moretti is,” you demand, your tone chilling. “Or I swear, I’ll cut you open right here.”

Isaac snarls. “Fuck you.”

“Okay” Taking the knife you pull it away and plunge it into his thigh, being careful to cover his mouth. 

“Tell me, Isaac,” you growl, “Or is that man-crush of yours so strong you’re willing to lose your dick over it?”

Isaac’s jaw clenches, his eyes flickering with defiance. “You want to know where Moretti is? Find him yourself. I don’t work for him anymore.”

“Bullshit.” You twist the blade deeper into his leg.

“Now fucking tell me, or I’ll send Moretti a gift next,” you hiss, your voice dripping with venom.

Isaac’s muffled whimpers are all you hear as you give him one last warning.

“Fine!” he gasps, “He’s staying at the Musutafu motel, on the outskirts of the city.”

“If you’re lying to me,” you warn, “I will kill you.”

He’s sweating now, breathing hard, his face pale as a ghost.

The cab pulls to a stop, and you yank the knife out of his leg, leaving a pool of blood behind. The driver, still unaware of the tension in the backseat, waits for your next command.

You exit without another word, tossing a few more bills toward the driver before slamming the door behind you. As the car pulls away, you spot a black SUV pulling up beside you. You don’t need to look twice to know who’s behind the wheel.

“Well?” Tucker asks, his voice steady but with an edge of impatience.

“He’s at the Musutafu motel,” you reply, your voice curt and emotionless. You slide into the car, the bloody knife still clutched in your hand.

Tucker notices the weapon, his eyes narrowing slightly, but he doesn’t say anything. 

“Don’t ask,” you mutter, slumping back into the seat. “Just drive.”

---

The crime rates had doubled in the past two weeks, ever since word of a serial killer leaked to the public. The Hero Committee had tried their best to keep the case under wraps, but someone in the department had let the information slip.

With the city spiraling into panic, the pro-heroes were stretched thin. So focused on this case, they’d nearly lost sight of everything else unraveling around them.

“Shoto, any updates on James Tucker?” Deku asked, standing at the head of the conference table. His fingers pressed against the bridge of his nose, the telltale sign of an impending headache.

“Not yet,” Todoroki replied, flipping through a folder of old files. “The only intel I’ve managed to pull are outdated case records and images. If Tucker’s gone into hiding, it’s clear he doesn’t want to be found.”

“Why the hell would he be in hiding?” Bakugo snapped, slamming his hands against the table as he rose from his seat. Weeks of fruitless effort were taking their toll, and the tension in the room was palpable.

Bakugo had been more frustrated than usual lately, and everyone unlucky enough to cross his path could feel the searing heat of his anger. His temper, usually sharp and explosive, seemed to have an added edge now, as though something was festering beneath the surface. The smallest inconveniences sent him into a spiral of irritation—training dummies obliterated into smoldering debris, doors slammed with enough force to rattle the entire building, and curt, venom-laced words that made even his closest friends keep their distance.

At the agency, he barked orders more than usual, his voice cutting through the air like a whip. Kirishima, ever the peacemaker, tried to crack a joke to lighten the mood, but Bakugo’s glare silenced him before the words could fully leave his mouth. Mina would whisper to Sero, “What crawled up his ass and died?” only to quickly clam up when Bakugo’s piercing crimson eyes flicked their way.

It wasn’t just work either—his frustrations followed him home. The gym became a battleground, weights clanging loudly as he threw himself into his workouts with a reckless intensity. The punching bag in the corner stood no chance, shredded after one particularly heated session. Yet no matter how much he pushed his body to its limits, the tension inside him never seemed to dissipate.

The truth was, Bakugo wasn’t just angry. He was hurt. And the wound festered deeper than he was willing to admit.

He hadn’t seen you since that night at the gala. Since you’d looked at him with those beautiful, unreadable eyes and told him—what, exactly? That he didn’t matter? That you didn’t feel the same way? It didn’t make sense. The way you looked at him didn’t match the words you said. The way your voice trembled, the way you avoided his gaze—it was like you were running from something. But what?

The questions plagued him, chasing him into his restless nights. He hated not having answers, hated how powerless he felt, hated how much space you were taking up in his head. Damn you. Damn your stupid, gorgeous face and your laugh and the way you felt so perfect next to him that night.

But more than anything, he hated the gnawing feeling in his chest. The one that whispered he might have lost you for good.

“Actually, Kacchan,” Deku interjected, sliding a photograph across the table toward him. “I might have something.”

Bakugo picked up the image, his crimson eyes narrowing as he examined it. The picture showed a young girl, no older than eight, with wide, curious eyes and a small, cautious smile.

“That’s Anthony Moretti’s daughter,” Deku explained. “We found her in an adoption database. She’s here in Japan.”

Bakugo’s eyes lingered on the photograph, his brow furrowing. There was something about the girl that tugged at his memory.

“I’ve seen her before,” he said, his voice quieter than usual.

“What? Where?” Deku asked, leaning forward.

“At the gym,” Bakugo replied, placing the photo back on the table. “Y/N is her boxing coach.”

The revelation sent a ripple of unease through the room.

“Who put her up for adoption?” Todoroki asked, breaking the silence.

“It’s anonymous. Adoption records don’t disclose that information,” Deku replied.

“How old was she when she was adopted?”

“She couldn’t have been older than two,” Deku said, flipping through his notes.

“Six years ago,” Bakugo muttered, piecing things together. “Right after Moretti was arrested.” He looked up, his gaze sharp. “What about her mom?”

“There’s no record of a mother,” Deku answered, his tone heavy.

“Dammit,” Bakugo growled, his frustration mounting. “We need to find Tucker. He’s the key to this.”

Todoroki chimed in, hesitant. “Maybe... maybe Y/N knows something about the girl. She might be able to help.”

“No,” Bakugo barked, his tone leaving no room for argument. “I’m not dragging her into this, and I sure as hell ain’t questioning a kid.”

The room fell silent, the weight of the situation pressing down on them. Time was running out, and with every passing moment, the lines between their responsibilities and their morals blurred further.

“I’ll find Tucker myself if I have to. Got a photo, Icy Hot?” Bakugo demanded, his tone sharp with determination.

Todoroki flipped through his folder without hesitation, pulling out a slightly worn photograph of James Tucker and handing it to him.

Bakugo’s grip tightened around the photo as he stared at it, his blood running cold. His entire stance stiffened, and for a moment, the room seemed to hold its breath.

He knew this man.

The realization hit him like a freight train, his mind reeling. He’d seen Tucker before—seen him with you.

Everything started falling into place, the fragmented pieces of the puzzle forming a picture that Bakugo could no longer ignore. The explosion. Moretti’s daughter. Tucker. You.

The timeline fit too perfectly to be a coincidence.

Bakugo’s jaw clenched, his crimson eyes narrowing as his thoughts raced. You were connected to Moretti—there was no doubt about that now. But how?

---

---

If there’s one thing about Katsuki Bakugo, it’s that he gets what he wants. Ever since he was a little boy—whether it was a packet of spicy ramen he begged his mom for at the grocery store, a limited-edition All Might card, or becoming the Number One Hero—he made sure it happened.

He never considered himself spoiled. He worked hard to earn what he truly deserved. But as he stands at your doorstep, his sharp crimson eyes locked onto yours, he can’t help but think how utterly spoiled he is just to be in the presence of someone so utterly captivating.

When you said yes to going to the hero gala with him, it was as if the air around him turned lighter. Since the day he met you in that gym, he’d been drawn to you, like a moth to a flame. There was something about you—an allure, an unshakable pull—that stole the breath right out of his lungs.

And now, seeing you here, framed by the soft glow of your porch light, his chest tightens. You’re radiant. The long black dress hugs your curves like it was made for you, and those dainty white heels showcase your painted toes like a finishing touch. Your hair falls gracefully, brushing against your collarbones, and the smoky eyeshadow accentuates the depths of your gaze.

“You look gorgeous angel.” he murmurs, his voice uncharacteristically gentle. 

The nickname is new, unfamiliar, but it rolls off his tongue like it was meant for you. Judging by the way your lips curve into a soft, fond smile, he knows you don’t mind it one bit.

Standing on your tiptoes, you reach up to press a fleeting kiss to his cheek. It’s quick, innocent, but it’s enough to send his heart into overdrive. He feels foolish, like some lovesick teen, but he can’t help it. That small act of affection sets his world spinning.

“You ready?” you ask, your arm sliding effortlessly into his. Your touch feels natural, like it belongs there.

He nods, leading you toward the sleek limo waiting outside. It’s extravagant, almost out of place parked in front of your humble home, but it’s a small price to pay for a night spent by your side.

“Don’t trip,” he mutters under his breath as he holds the door open for you. It’s his clumsy way of saying, Be careful. His concern is subtle but endearing, and it doesn’t go unnoticed.

The ride to the gala is quiet but charged with unspoken tension. Your eyes meet his in stolen glances, neither of you holding the gaze long enough to risk unraveling whatever fragile balance exists between you.

When you finally arrive, the flashing lights and deafening chatter of paparazzi hit like a tidal wave. Cameras snap, and voices rise in speculation about Bakugo’s stunning “arm candy.” Without a second thought, he shields you, pulling you close to his side as the chaos unfolds.

“You good?” he asks once you’re safely inside, his brows furrowed in that familiar way that somehow makes your heart flutter.

Your soft laughter is enough to disarm him. Reaching up, you smooth the strand of ash-blond hair that had fallen loose during the commotion. The simple act is so tender it nearly breaks him.

“I’m good,” you reply, your voice steady despite the flurry of emotions swirling inside you.

He watches as you decline a glass of champagne from a passing waiter, your smile lighting up the room as you opt for water instead. “You not drinkin’?” he asks, steering you toward a quieter corner of the grand hall. His hand lingers on your waist, hesitant but unwilling to let go.

Without missing a beat, you take his hand and intertwine your fingers. The gesture is so effortless, so casual, that it leaves him reeling. He struggles to focus on your words—something about whiskey and the bar—but all he can think about is the softness of your skin against his.

“Katsuki,” you call, snapping him out of his trance.

“Yeah, sorry.” He pulls you gently toward your table, ignoring the smug grins of his friends as they approach.

“Y/N!” Mina’s bubbly voice cuts through the din, her excitement palpable.

You greet her with a hug, laughing as Kirishima teases Bakugo, earning a sharp glare and a grumbled, “Shut the fuck up, Shitty Hair.”

Mina’s knowing smile doesn’t escape you. “I can’t believe he finally brought you to one of these,” she says, her tone loaded with implication.

You offer a modest laugh, claiming you feel out of place among heroes. But the truth is, this isn’t your first gala. You’ve been to countless events back in America—glamorous nights filled with laughter, expensive drinks, and the warmth of people you once called family. Yet somehow, this feels different. This feels right.

As the night progresses, Bakugo’s hand finds its place on your thigh. His thumb brushes slow, deliberate circles into your skin, a subconscious act of affection that sends your thoughts spiraling. It’s intimate, and it terrifies you.

Excusing yourself, you make your way to the bathroom with Mina. The cool air does little to calm your racing heart.

You stared at your reflection in the mirror, willing yourself to keep it together. Your heart was racing, and you weren’t sure if it was from the whiskey or the way Bakugo’s touch lingered on your thigh like it belonged there. Every gentle circle his thumb traced sent your mind into overdrive, and you needed a moment to breathe.

Mina stood beside you, her pink hair vibrant under the fluorescent lights. She leaned against the counter, studying you with that mischievous gleam in her eyes. You could feel her smirking without even looking at her.

“You know, Bakugo’s single,” she said casually, but there was nothing casual about the way she was watching your reaction.

You froze for a second, then gave a nonchalant shrug. “I know.”

“And he’s been single for a while—like, years.”

“What are you trying to say?” you asked, narrowing your eyes at her through the mirror.

“I’m saying you’re either blind or stupid,” Mina said bluntly, crossing her arms. “Have you seriously not noticed the way he looks at you? Like you hung the moon or something.”

You scoffed, though it came out weaker than you intended. “He doesn’t look at me like that.”

“Oh, please,” she said, rolling her eyes. “The man is hopelessly in love with you, Y/N. Why do you think every girl who so much as breathes in his direction gets shot down?”

“Because he’s not the kind of guy to sleep around,” you said defensively, though a tiny part of you hoped Mina was right.

“Wrong,” she shot back. “All he did in his early twenties was hook up with randoms. That stopped the second you walked into his life. He hasn’t looked at anyone else since.”

“Mina, stop,” you whispered, your throat tightening.

“No,” she said firmly, her voice softening as she stepped closer. “I’m so sick of you two pretending you’re not in love with each other. It’s exhausting to watch.”

Her words hit you like a punch to the gut, forcing you to confront feelings you’d been avoiding. You blinked rapidly, willing the tears to stay at bay. 

“I’ve never seen him look at anyone the way he looks at you. You’re it for him.”

That alone was enough to make the knife in your chest dig deeper. All this talk about love—it was suffocating. You couldn’t do it. You didn’t have the ability to love Bakugo, not now, not in this moment. Not when you knew what waited in the shadows, lurking, threatening everything and everyone you cared about.

Your time was running out. You could feel it, like a clock ticking relentlessly toward some inevitable reckoning. And Bakugo, for all his strength and fire, would eventually find out everything—the lies, the danger, the truth you were so desperately trying to keep hidden.

So if not telling him how you truly felt would spare you both the heartache, then you’d keep this secret buried alongside all the others. It was safer that way. It had to be.

“Thanks, Mina,” you said softly, forcing a small smile onto your lips. But it didn’t reach your eyes, and from the way Mina’s brows furrowed slightly, you knew she noticed.

“You okay?” she asked, her voice laced with concern.

You nodded, ignoring the lump in your throat. “Yeah. Just tired, I guess.”

Mina didn’t look convinced, but she didn’t push. “Alright, but if you ever want to talk…”

You nodded again, grateful for her kindness but knowing you couldn’t take her up on the offer. Not now. Not ever.

Turning away, you smoothed down your dress and took a deep breath. It was time to rejoin the others, to put on the mask you’d perfected over the years. For tonight, at least, you could pretend. You could hold onto the illusion that everything was normal, that Bakugo wasn’t looking at you like you hung the moon, and that Moretti wasn’t out there, waiting to destroy everything.

Gathering every ounce of courage you had, you stepped out of the bathroom. Your heart skipped a beat when you saw him waiting by the door, his broad frame leaning casually against the wall.

“Katsuki?” you called softly, your voice breaking the stillness.

He turned his head, his intense crimson gaze locking onto yours. “Took you long enough,” he muttered, though the corner of his mouth quirked up in a faint smile, softening the sharpness of his words.

“You didn't have to wait for me,” you replied, trying to sound nonchalant even as your heart thudded against your ribs.

He shrugged, shoving his hands into his pockets. “I know. Wanted to talk to you though.”

Without waiting for your response, he turned and started walking down the hall. You followed, your heels clicking softly against the polished floor. He led you through a set of grand doors and onto a balcony that overlooked the city.

The sight was breathtaking. The city stretched out before you like a sea of glittering stars, the lights twinkling against the inky backdrop of the night sky. A cool breeze whispered against your skin, carrying with it the faint hum of distant traffic.

You leaned against the railing, letting the wind play with the edges of your dress, but the soothing view did little to settle the storm in your chest. Bakugo stood beside you, his hands braced against the railing, his posture relaxed yet tense in a way only he could manage. His presence was grounding, like an anchor tethering you to the moment, yet it made everything infinitely harder.

He shifted, his gaze fixed on you rather than the view. “You okay?” he asked, his voice quieter than usual.

You nodded, though your stomach twisted into knots. “Yeah. It’s beautiful out here.”

“Yeah,” he agreed, though his tone said he wasn’t talking about the view.

You turned to face him, your chest tightening when you saw the way he was looking at you—like you were the only thing in the world that mattered. It made what you were about to do all the more painful.

“Katsuki… What did you want to talk about?” you asked, your voice softer than you intended.

He hesitated, rubbing the back of his neck—a rare moment of vulnerability. “You drive me crazy woman.” he muttered, the words tumbling out like they had been waiting years to be said.

“Kats—”

“No, let me finish,” he cut you off, his crimson eyes locking onto yours. “Since the day I met you, you’ve been in my head. And I’ve tried to push it down, tried to ignore this, but I can’t. You’re here now, standing by my side, and I just… need you to know how I feel.”

His confession left you breathless, and for a moment, all you wanted to do was throw caution to the wind and let yourself fall into him. But then Moretti’s face flashed in your mind, the threats he’d made, the lives he’d taken. And just like that, reality slammed back into place.

If you had to spend the rest of your life apologizing to him then you would.

Your grip on the railing tightened. “There is no ‘this,’ Katsuki,” you said quickly, the lie tasting bitter on your tongue.

His brows furrowed, confusion and hurt flickering across his face. “What?”

“I just… I don’t feel the same way,” 

“Don’t give me that crap,” he shot back, stepping closer. “I’ve been patient. Hell, I’ve waited for years, and I’m not stupid. I know you feel it too.”

You finally turned to face him, his crimson eyes locking onto yours with a ferocity that made it impossible to look away. “Feel what?”

“This Y/N” he said, gesturing between the two of you. “The way we just… fit. Don’t act like it’s fucking nothing.”

“It is nothing,” you snapped, trying to keep your voice steady. “Whatever you think this is, it’s not real.”

“That’s bullshit, and you know it!” he barked, his frustration boiling over.

“It’s not bullshit!” you shouted back, the emotion in your voice betraying you. 

His jaw tightened, but he didn’t lash out or demand any more explanation. Instead, he took a step back, his hands clenching into fists at his sides. “You don’t feel the same way,” he repeated, his voice low and strained.

You looked away, the weight of the truth too heavy to share. “It doesn’t matter. This—whatever this is—it can’t happen.”

For a moment, he didn’t say anything. Then he exhaled sharply, turning away from you. “Right. Got it.”

He started to walk away, and you felt like the air had been sucked out of your lungs. Part of you wanted to call him back, to tell him the truth—that you were scared, that you were trying to protect him. But you knew you couldn’t. The less he knew, the safer he’d be.

You stayed on the balcony long after he was gone, the city lights blurring through your tears. And as the cold night air wrapped around you, you silently vowed to keep him safe, no matter what it cost you.

Because loving Katsuki Bakugo meant protecting him, even if it meant breaking your own heart.

---

---

FLASH BACK

“You know those things will kill you, right?”

James, seated in the driver’s side of the sleek black SUV, leaned his head out of the window, his sharp eyes narrowing as he caught sight of you puffing on a cigarette.

“I hope they do, honestly.” Your voice was dry, laced with equal parts sarcasm and resignation.

Tonight, you were meeting Anthony Moretti at an upscale, five-star restaurant. The past few months had been a whirlwind of undercover work, and the plan had gone far too smoothly—so much so that Moretti was falling hard.

You’d spent hours getting ready for this dinner, reluctantly submitting to a makeover that left you feeling anything but yourself.

“I smell like I bathed in my grandmother’s perfume,” you muttered, scrunching your nose as the overpowering floral scent lingered, burning your nostrils.

Leaning against the hood of the car, your eyes scanned the street, catching movement in the shadows across the way.

“That’s my signal,” you said, tossing the cigarette to the ground and grinding it beneath the white heel of your shoe. Straightening, you glanced at James and flashed a thumbs-up. “How do I look?”

He smirked, giving you a once-over. “Good enough. Now go.”

Rolling your eyes, you turned and began your trek toward the restaurant’s glowing entrance. It was an unassuming building from the outside, draped in dim fairy lights that gave it the appearance of a quaint little diner. But stepping inside told a different story. Crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling, and rows of expensive liquor bottles sparkled under the warm light.

A hand gently touched the small of your back, making you pause.

“Lily.”

Turning, you met the familiar gaze of Anthony Moretti. His dark eyes lit up as his lips curled into a charming smile.

“Anthony,” you greeted, mirroring his expression.

His gaze lingered, unabashed as he took in every detail of your appearance. “You look stunning.”

You were no stranger to his compliments—small remarks about your looks, your presence, the way you seemed to complete him. Usually, they went in one ear and out the other. But tonight, his stare burned a little too long, his words carrying a weight that sent heat rushing to your cheeks.

“Shall we?” he asked, extending his hand.

You hesitated for only a moment before placing your hand in his, allowing him to guide you to a private table tucked in the back of the restaurant.

The table was a picture of elegance—pristine white linen, flickering candlelight, and fine crystalware arranged with precision.

Your eyes drifted around the room, catching on an old bookshelf mounted high on the wall. One particular book stood out—a fictional tale of a mafia war intertwined with a doomed love story. The irony wasn’t lost on you.

Anthony noticed your wandering gaze. “Do you like to read?” he asked, his voice soft as his eyes followed yours.

“When I have the time,” you replied, a hint of longing slipping into your tone.

“I have a library at home. You should come see it sometime.”

The invitation caught you off guard, though you quickly composed yourself. This could be your chance to gather the intel you’d been after for months.

“I’d like that,” you said with a smile.

The next two hours passed in a blur of easy conversation and genuine laughter. You hated how natural it felt, how disarmingly charming Moretti could be. He was a gentleman through and through, a stark contrast to the ruthless criminal you knew him to be.

Walking out of the restaurant, he turned to face you, his earlier offer still hanging in the air.

“It’s late,” he said, “but my library’s always open. Or, if you’d prefer, I can take you home.”

You hesitated, glancing back at the car where James was undoubtedly watching from the shadows. He was going to kill you for this decision.

Reaching for Anthony’s hand, you smiled. “Let’s go see that library.”

Pulling up to his home, your breath hitched. The sprawling white mansion loomed before you, surrounded by a pristine iron gate and an expansive yard where two large guard dogs prowled.

“Your house is beautiful,” you said, unable to hide your awe.

“I bought it hoping to start a family someday,” he admitted, his voice quieter now. “It gets lonely here. Mostly just a few friends stopping by—it’s just me most of the time.”

The mention of a family made something twist in your stomach. You reminded yourself of the reality: the drugs, the murders, the chaos Moretti orchestrated with a simple word. Whatever innocence he portrayed, you couldn’t let yourself believe it.

Inside, the house smelled of sweet musk, warm and inviting, much like its owner.

“This way,” Anthony said, leading you toward the kitchen. He pulled two whiskey glasses from a sleek cabinet and poured the amber liquid with practiced ease.

“What makes you think I like whiskey?” you teased, leaning against the counter.

He chuckled. “You don’t strike me as a wine or cocktail kind of woman. And I remember what you ordered the night we met.”

So he paid attention.

Following him into another part of the house, you couldn’t help but notice how bare the walls were—no photos, no personal touches, just sparse decor.

“I don’t let just anyone in here,” he said as he opened a grand wooden door. “Feel special.”

Stepping inside, your breath caught. The library was breathtaking. Floor-to-ceiling shelves lined the walls, packed with thousands of books. A cozy reading nook sat at the center, complete with plush leather chairs and a soft throw.

“This…” You turned to him, eyes wide. “This is incredible.”

Anthony chuckled, shaking his head. “I’ve never seen anyone get so excited over a few books.”

“A few books? This is a lifetime’s worth!”

You couldn’t help yourself, running your fingers along the spines of the books, reading the titles as though committing each one to memory.

As you immersed yourself in the collection, Anthony moved closer, his gaze never leaving you.

“I find it endearing,” he murmured, “how you appreciate the little things.”

You didn’t respond, too captivated by the room. Picking up a book, you flipped it over to read the summary, only for him to step in behind you, his presence magnetic.

“Can I kiss you?” he asked, his voice barely a whisper.

Your stomach dropped. This wasn’t how the mission was supposed to go, but the line between duty and deception had blurred long ago.

“Yes,” you whispered, the word tasting like betrayal.

Anthony’s lips crashed against yours, hungry and demanding, his hands finding their way to your waist. You barely had time to think as he lifted you onto the edge of the desk, his movements urgent and deliberate.

This was about trust, you reminded yourself. About getting closer. About completing the mission.

But as his lips trailed down your neck, you couldn’t shake the feeling that you were losing control—of him, of the situation, and of yourself.

PRESENT 

You remember that night as if it were yesterday—the sweet musk of his cologne still lingering in your senses, the hundreds of missed calls from James flashing relentlessly on your phone.

You had left Anthony’s house that night with a walk of shame etched into your every step. Telling him you’d call an Uber was a lie; James had been waiting for you all along, parked just outside the gates, his jaw clenched tight the moment you disappeared inside.

At the time, gaining Anthony’s trust was paramount. It was the centerpiece of the entire operation, the linchpin that everything depended on. So, you did what you had to do. Even if it meant betraying yourself, hurting others, and bracing for the therapy bills that would inevitably follow.

James was on the verge of murder that night. The sight of you descending those marble steps, heels dangling in your hand, mascara streaked down your cheeks, and an expression that revealed more than you intended—it made his blood run cold. And he wasn’t sure if he was angrier at you or at Moretti.

“It’s part of the plan,” you had told him, over and over. But he knew better. He knew you. He knew that night haunted you. That every time someone tried to get close, to reach the parts of you long buried, you would retreat into the walls you’d carefully built. Hide away until the risk of feeling something—anything—disappeared again.

Now, staring up at your ceiling, the weight of it all pressed down on you like a suffocating fog. You had chosen to stay in your own home tonight, weary of the endless games, waiting for Anthony Moretti to find you.

And yet, a part of you wanted him to find you. The faster this was over, the faster you could return to something resembling normalcy. The faster you could see your family again.

The thought of your family brought your gaze to the little black box hidden under your bed. A box filled with the fragments of a life you missed so deeply. You only ever opened it on holidays, birthdays, or nights like this—when the ache to speak to them was too much to bear.

Inside were hundreds of handwritten letters to your mom and dad. Letters you could never send, for fear it would all come crumbling down. The ink was smeared in places, marred by tear stains and trembling hands.

You never had the heart to throw them away. You kept them instead, tucked safely under your bed, clinging to the hope that one day they might read the words you couldn’t say in person.

Tonight felt like one of those nights. With a heavy sigh, you reached for a fresh piece of paper and a pen. Settling down at the desk, you began to write, pouring everything you had into the letter—just as you always did.

To Mom and Dad 

Hi, it's me again. I've been sitting here for the past few hours, thinking about you both, and my heart feels a little heavier than usual. I miss you both so much. Life keeps moving, as it always does, but there’s something about being away from you that makes the days feel incomplete. I miss the sound of your voices, the way you always seem to know exactly what to say when I need guidance, and the simple comfort of knowing you're just a hug away. 

I need to tell you something but promise you wont freak out. I'm going undercover again, but not as a hero. Anthony Moretti is back, and he's after me. I know after everything that happened, this isn't what you want to hear and I wish so badly I could come clean about everything and tell you right to your face. I know you guys would know what to say, how to coax me through this. But I promise I'll make it out alive this time. I'll take down Moretti and I'll come home. 

Before I go though, I do have something to ask mom… dad stop reading if you're reading this. 

Mom, before I left we never really had boy conversations. I was never boy crazy in high school, so I never asked for help before. But I'm asking for help now. Remember when I told you about Bakugo? The most self centered, mean, and harsh person i've ever met. Yeah well turns out he's none of those things at all. He's sweet, and he cares about his friends more than any other person I have ever met. He asked me to be his date to a hero gala. And I said yes- and I think I like him. But I'm scared. 

What if he hates me forever when he finds out my secret. What if he can't look me in the eyes after he finds out everything I have done. Will he hate me? I hope he doesn't because I dont think Ive ever felt like this for anyone. And I'm scared because what if he doesn't hate me. What if he is sweet and understanding, how can I let him into my life without being scared? I need your guidance mom, more than ever. 

Okay dad you can come back… 

I hope to see you both soon, to sit together and catch up on everything we’ve missed. Until then, please take care of yourselves, and know that I’m thinking of you every single day.

I love you both more than words can say.

With all my heart, YN

---

---

Staring out at the skyline of Musutafu, Bakugo sat at a conference table with other pro heroes, the atmosphere heavy as grim photos flashed on the screen.

“There’s been another casualty,” a senior hero announced, their voice grim. “A young woman, found in her home last night. However, we managed to recover some security footage.”

Bakugo’s attention snapped to the screen, his heart skipping at the mention of a young woman and camera footage. His mind immediately jumped to you, but the knot in his chest loosened when he saw the images—it wasn’t you.

Still, he hadn’t seen or heard from you in days. He’d stopped by your place during patrol the other night to check on you after you’d taken a bad fall and hit your head.

When you hadn’t answered, he’d let himself in with the key you’d given him, scanning the apartment for signs of forced entry. Nothing seemed out of place—until he called you, and you finally answered.

The sound of another man’s voice in the background had caught him off guard.

Bakugo wasn’t one to get jealous. He didn’t chase after anyone. But you? You were different. You weren’t just anyone.

From the moment he met you—the sharp-tongued gym owner who could spar with him almost as well as you could trade barbs—he’d been hooked. There was something about the way you carried yourself, the spark in your eyes, your effortless strength.

Over time, his admiration had deepened. He noticed the little things: the slight change in your perfume, the way you’d stopped wearing your hair in a certain style, the way your laugh could disarm him like no villain ever could.

You were the exception, the one person he’d chase to the ends of the earth if he had to. And he wasn’t about to lose you to some extra who probably couldn’t throw a decent punch.

Snapping back to the present, Bakugo narrowed his eyes at the screen. Something in the footage caught his attention—a detail others had missed.

“Zoom in on that image,” he ordered, his voice cutting through the room.

Deku, holding the remote, adjusted the image, focusing on the man in the footage.

“More. His wrist.”

The screen zoomed in, revealing a tattoo on the man’s wrist. The word Omertà was inked in bold, an unmistakable symbol of the mafia’s code of silence.

“He’s flaunting it,” Bakugo growled. “The bastard knows we’re watching.”

Todoroki frowned. “It could be a coincidence.”

“No way,” Bakugo shot back. “He made sure the camera caught it. He wants us to know.”

Deku suddenly pulled up an old news report on his laptop. “This might be connected. A few years ago, an abandoned warehouse in the U.S. was blown up. They only recovered a few bodies, but every one of them had that same tattoo.”

“If this is an American mob, why are they here?” Todoroki asked, his voice steady but curious.

Deku shook his head. “The report didn’t give many details, and when I searched, there weren’t any follow-ups. Officially, they called it an accident.”

“Someone buried it,” Endeavor said, his tone grim. “The question is, who?”

“We need intel,” Bakugo said, his fists clenching. “Get the American Hero Committee on the line. If they’ve been dealing with these guys, they’ll know something.”

“I’ll handle the calls,” Deku offered, already typing.

Bakugo pushed his chair back, rising abruptly. “Do that. I’m not sitting around while these scumbags think they can move in on our turf.”

“Where are you going?” Endeavor asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Got somewhere to be.” Bakugo muttered, heading for the door. “Keep me updated.”

The team exchanged glances as Bakugo stormed out.

He couldn’t shake the thought of you, though. Whatever was happening, Bakugo knew one thing for sure: no one messed with his city—or with you.

---

YN’S POV

The past few days had been a blur of caffeine-fueled frustration as you and James worked tirelessly to gather intel. Despite countless hours and far too many coffee breaks, the pieces of the puzzle still didn’t fit together. Meanwhile, life didn’t slow down for your obligations outside the investigation. Running the gym meant you couldn't rely on your employees to pick up the slack—it wouldn’t be fair to them.

Tonight’s task was a children’s class, and your special guest was nowhere in sight.

You glanced at the clock, the start of the class just five minutes away, while kids eagerly laced up their gloves, their excited chatter occasionally turning to questions about your promised guest. Anxiety crept up your spine as you called him yet again, only to be met with voicemail for the umpteenth time.

It wasn’t just about tonight—you hadn’t spoken to him since the night you hit your head. Something about his silence gave you the nagging suspicion that he was mad at you. But you hadn’t expected him to be petty enough to completely ditch the class.

“You didn’t think I’d show, did you?”

The voice startled you, low and full of smug satisfaction. Spinning around, you found yourself face-to-face with none other than Katsuki Bakugo himself.

“Katsuki! What the hell?” you exclaimed, punching him in the arm with more force than necessary.

“Oi!” He winced, rubbing the spot with an exaggerated glare. “What was that for?”

“You were supposed to be here ages ago!” you huffed, arms crossed. “Do you know how many voicemails I left you?”

“I dunno, ten? I didn’t count,” he shot back, the smirk creeping onto his face only fueling your irritation. “Relax, I’m here now.”

“Barely.” You gave him your best stern look, though his lack of concern made it feel like you were trying to lecture a brick wall.

He quirked an eyebrow, his crimson eyes sparkling with mischief. “A meeting ran late, okay? I came as soon as I could.”

“Whatever,” you muttered, still not entirely appeased. “Help me grab these pads. We’re working on defense today.”

As you handed him a few pads, you retrieved the rest from the tote and launched into your explanation. “The kids can throw decent punches, but their defense is still pretty weak. I figured we’d give them a proper demonstration to help it click.”

Trailing behind you to the mat, Bakugo’s expression softened when he noticed the kids’ wide-eyed stares and excited whispers. The realization that Dynamight was standing in their gym had lit a fire of enthusiasm you hadn’t seen in ages.

“Alright, everyone,” you began, clapping your hands to gather their attention. “As promised, we have a special guest today—Dynamight himself!”

Gasps and cheers erupted, the kids practically bouncing with excitement. You spotted one in the corner nearly vibrating out of their shoes.

“Dynamight is here to help us with defense drills,” you continued. “And if you’re lucky, you might even get to fight him yourself.”

The kids collectively lost their minds, one of them outright shouting, “I’m gonna destroy you!”

Bakugo snorted, muttering under his breath, “Bold of ‘em to assume.”

“Dynamight, do you want to say something?” you prompted, nudging him lightly.

He stared at you, clearly out of his depth, but the silent plea in your eyes pushed him forward. “Can’t wait to see what you’ve got,” he muttered, crossing his arms.

You raised an eyebrow, your expression screaming that’s it?

Groaning under his breath, he added begrudgingly, “If you do good today, I’ll let you throw punches at me.”

The kids exploded in cheers, their excitement reaching a fever pitch.

Rolling your eyes, you motioned for them to line up against the wall. “Alright, me and Dynamight are going to demonstrate some basic defense moves. You’ll practice with pads while we suit up with gloves.”

Tossing a pair of gloves at Bakugo, you slipped yours on and got into position. “The first move is head defense. Dynamight, take a shot at me.”

He threw a slow, controlled hook toward your head, the smirk on his face daring you to mess up. You blocked it effortlessly, your arm shielding your ear, temple, and chin with practiced precision.

“See? Tight guard. Make sure your arm is tucked close to your face. Now, let’s see you all try!”

As the kids practiced, Bakugo leaned closer, his voice low. “You’re not half-bad at this.”

“Not half-bad?” you echoed, feigning offense. “I’ll have you know I’m a great teacher.”

He smirked, leaning back shrug. “Yeah, yeah. Guess I wouldn’t mind havin’ you as my teacher back in the day.”

“Oh?” You quirked an eyebrow, intrigued. “What about Aizawa? You’re always singing his praises.”

“Tch, he was good. But I mean before U.A. Back when I was a little punk, maybe I’d’ve turned out different if I had someone like you around.”

You nudged him playfully. “Don’t dwell on it. I was a punk too, y’know. Besides, your personality is one of my favorite things about you.”

He turned to you, his expression softening. “You mean that?”

“I wouldn’t lie to you.”

The rest of the class flew by, and true to his word, Bakugo let the kids take turns throwing punches at him. You couldn’t help but smile as you watched him interact with them, his usual sharpness giving way to a surprising warmth.

“Thank you again.”

“Yeah.” Katsuki’s response was quiet, almost uncharacteristic, as he stared off to the side, his brows slightly furrowed like he was wrestling with his thoughts. You could sense there was something else he wanted to say, but hesitation hung in the air between you.

“Katsuki?” you prompted softly, tilting your head.

He shifted, exhaling sharply through his nose. “I wanted to ask ya somethin’.”

A nervous energy settled in your chest, your pulse quickening. His seriousness was rare, and you couldn’t help but wonder what was coming. Before he could continue, though, a hand on your shoulder snapped your attention away.

“Y/N.”

Turning around, you found James standing there, his expression calm but purposeful. He had been stationed in your office throughout the class, a constant shadow ever since his arrival, clearly intent on keeping an eye on you.

“I have a business call to take,” he said with a polite nod. “I’ll be outside when you’re ready.”

He gave a slight bow of his head toward Katsuki before turning on his heel and striding toward the exit. You barely had time to process his departure before Katsuki’s voice cut through.

“Who's the old bastard?”

You blinked, turning back to him. His ruby eyes narrowed slightly, and there was a flicker of something—irritation, curiosity, maybe even jealousy—etched into his face.

“That’s James,” you explained, adjusting the gym bag on your shoulder. “The ‘friend’ I was with the other night.”

“You like em' old?” he quipped, arching a brow.

Your eyes narrowed, and before you could think twice, you punched him lightly on the arm for the second time that evening. “He’s a family friend from America, you idiot. He and his wife are visiting, and I’m showing them around town.”

“Oh.” His response was clipped, almost sheepish, though he tried to mask it with a shrug.

“Yeah, oh.” You shot him a pointed look, your tone laced with mock exasperation. “Anyway, what did you want to ask me?”

It was clear his train of thought had been derailed. He seemed flustered now, his confident air wavering as the faintest pink dusted his cheeks.

“Nothin’,” he muttered, shifting awkwardly on his feet. “Forget it.” He made to turn away, but you weren’t about to let him off the hook so easily.

“Just ask me,” you said firmly, grabbing his hand and tugging him to a stop.

He let out a frustrated breath, looking anywhere but at you. “The hero gala is comin’ up,” he began, his voice gruff, almost like he was annoyed with himself for even bringing it up. “I need a date.”

“And?” you prodded, your brows lifting in encouragement.

“Was wonderin’ if you wanted to go with me.”

Your heart skipped a beat, but you couldn’t resist teasing him a little. “Me?”

“No, idiot,” he shot back, rolling his eyes, though his flushed face betrayed him. “I’m talkin’ to the wall.”

A laugh bubbled out of you as you lightly swatted at his arm. “Why me?”

His lips pressed into a tight line, and for a moment, you thought he might backtrack entirely. But then he huffed, “Forget it. If you don’t wanna go, just say it.”

“No, no, I want to,” you blurted out quickly, a smile tugging at your lips. “I’ll go with you.”

“Yeah?” His gaze snapped to yours, a flicker of relief crossing his face.

“Yeah.”

As you smiled up at him, a wave of unease churned in your stomach, clashing with the butterflies that danced at his gaze—a gaze meant only for you. You were falling for him, and the timing couldn’t have been worse.

---

Bakugo had been riding a rare high ever since leaving the gym. For weeks, he’d been working up the nerve to ask you to be his date to the hero gala, and now that you’d said yes, he felt a weight lift off his shoulders. The corners of his lips twitched into a small, satisfied smirk as he arrived back at the agency, heading straight for his office.

“Kacchan, wait!”

The familiar voice of Deku cut through the hallway, and Bakugo turned to see him hurrying over, a sense of urgency written all over his face.

“What is it now?” Bakugo asked, raising an eyebrow as Deku thrust a vanilla file folder into his hands.

“We got more information. Look at this.”

Flipping the folder open, Bakugo scanned the first page. A detailed report stared back at him, the name Anthony Moretti printed in bold letters at the top alongside a grainy photo of a middle-aged man with sharp features and cold, calculating eyes.

“Who the hell is this?” Bakugo questioned, his voice low and sharp.

“Anthony Moretti,” Deku explained, his tone grim. “He’s a Mafia boss from America. That warehouse that blew up? It was an underground club he was running.”

Bakugo frowned, his crimson eyes narrowing. “Why the hell was this sealed from public records?”

“The explosion was caused by a group of pro heroes,” Deku said, his voice dropping lower. “Not only did the blast kill everyone inside the building, but it also took out civilians nearby. The higher-ups didn’t want the general public knowing that pro heroes were responsible for innocent lives being lost.”

“Tch,” Bakugo scoffed, his grip tightening on the file. “They’re trying to cover their asses.”

“Exactly,” Deku said, handing over another folder. This one bore a picture of a masked hero, her face obscured but her stance confident and commanding.

“Do you remember her?” Deku asked.

Bakugo’s eyes darkened. “Yeah… Nova. She died a few years back.”

“She was the only hero assigned to the case,” Deku continued. “Apparently, all her work was undercover.”

“If she was the only hero, who the hell was she working with?” Bakugo asked, his tone clipped.

“She was partnered with two federal agents assigned by the Hero Committee—Lila Macontash and James Tucker,” Deku said.

“Do we have any way of getting a hold of them?” Bakugo pressed.

“Lila died in the explosion that night,” Deku explained, his voice heavy, “but I’m working on finding James Tucker. After Nova and Lila’s deaths, he went off the radar and stopped working with heroes for a while.”

“Find him. He’s probably the only shot we’ve got at figuring out what went down that night.”

“I’ve already got Todoroki tracking him,” Deku said.

“And what about Moretti?” Bakugo asked, his sharp gaze cutting to Deku. “Where is he now?”

“It’s unclear,” Deku admitted. “Apparently, after the explosion, they arrested him, but he escaped prison a few weeks ago.”

Bakugo let out a low growl, his irritation bubbling. “If his team’s here, then he has to be close. But why the hell would they come to Japan?”

Deku shook his head. “That’s what doesn’t make sense. It seems like they wanted us to know they’re here, but why target innocent women?”

Bakugo’s jaw clenched, his mind racing. “It doesn’t add up. The only two women who went after him—Nova and Lila—are dead. Even if they were alive, Moretti wouldn’t risk being in Japan just to send a message.”

“I’ll dig deeper,” Deku assured him. “I’ll see if he has any ties to Japan. And once we track down James Tucker, hopefully, we can piece together what really happened that night.”

“Good.” Bakugo’s voice was sharp and resolute. “Let me know the second you hear anything.”

---

TAGLIST: @emmaafinchh