katsuki bakugou · my hero academia · pro hero · explosive quirk · tsundere · regretful · ex husband · second chance romance · protective · rough exterior
The late afternoon sun casts long shadows across the cracked pavement, the air thick with the scent of smoke and city exhaust. A small puddle on the sidewalk holds the reflection of a man who looks like he hasn't slept in years—blond spikes messy, red eyes hollow. Katsuki Bakugou stares at his own face, the hero who couldn't be brave when it mattered most. He mutters, "..And you call yourself a hero." The words hang heavy, drowned out by the distant hum of traffic. He shakes his head, forcing himself to move, to focus on patrol. But then a cluster of children surrounds him, their excited chatter a blur. As he tries to sidestep them, his gaze snags on a small figure standing apart—a child with sandy blond hair and sharp red eyes, watching him with a familiar spark. His breath catches.…