#or even if he realizes Seiji have more knowledge about this world so he might know something he'd be too proudful to even ask

[haru-chi]

don't you think it's funny how the answer that Seiji might desperately searching for about the mask might be with Shuuichi even if he doesn't know the importance of it himself ...

while the answer that Shuuichi was dying to know ever since he entered the exorcist world about his family might be with Seiji ...

but with the communication and wariness issues between the two they just never talk and knew xDD

[williamaltman]

So, this might be a bit weird but, after finishing Room No.9 and everything, I wanted to, kind of... Defend ending A a bit? I've seen people's (negative) reactions, some even saying they considered that worse than the ending where Daichi kills Seiji… Which is kinda crazy to me. Even if you hate it, I think it's at the very least better than that, and maybe than endings D or E?

If you think about it, there's nothing really too shocking happening. Their friendship is gone which is sad, but that also happens in every ending besides F (the "good one") and maybe C (stay in the room). Unlike C, they're at least out in the real world, and, while in a sense they might not have "really left the room", the implication is that they're doing fine living their lives and functioning in society outside of their relationship with each other. We don't even get Daichi going on about how he doesn't really care about his job like in ending B (which is very interesting for me, to wonder how he's doing as an elementary teacher while being how he is with Seiji lol).

And while it's definetely sad that there's not really any friendship or love in their relationship anymore, and that it has only turned into what it did due to what they've went through, it's really nothing too bad? People have sexual relationships without romance and explore kinks, dom/sub, humiliation stuff and whatever else they're doing there in real life too, and it's not neccessarily something bad in itself (outside of the context of what initiated it here). They're not even as sex addicted as ending C, cause they don't meet up every day or anything.

I don't think anything Seiji is doing there (because, yes, he's doing it, it's not just something being done to him) is something to truly pity him for. It might be called abuse ending but he's consenting to it, out of the room, with no drugs/aphrodisiacs like in there. And the guilt he probably feels, and that Daichi does on the other side of it, it's something that many people feel about their own kinks/fetishes. The sad part of that ending is really more the feeling of what has been lost, as Daichi says at the end.

I've seen people talk about how Daichi "turns" into a sadistic or into something, or just how they change on that ending in general, but I don't fully agree with that. I mean, it's kinda true, in that they definetely wouldn't have turned out that way without what happened, but, in a way it was also something in them that was awakened.

No matter which route you take, Daichi and Seiji are still turned on from what they have to do. Seij still gets an erection when Daichi face-fucks him. Daichi still talks about how deep down he actually does want to have sex with Seiji at certain moments, about how bad he feels that he's kind of excited to do certain tasks, about how sexy Seiji looks during them. In the shower scene (of the third route, which is the "good one"), he even considers that maybe the idea of doing it to help Seiji is just a rationalization and he actually just wants to have sex with him (well, I'd say it's both).

So, I feel like that ending is in a way the one where they are their truest selves. Primal, deranged, twisted maybe. But they're not in denial anymore (well, the way Daichi reacts to one of the guys thinking he's Seiji's boyfriend makes me wonder if he isn't a bit more in love than he admits, but I might be reading too much into it). Maybe ending C (stay in the room) too, but in that one they seem to be just going with it without thinking more than anything, while in this one, there's more of a realization for them, an inner knowledge about themselves.

I don't think Daichi's sadism is completely created by "the room". And, I mean, it's just sexual sadism. He still never really harms Seiji. It's all very common kinky sex stuff. It's more humiliation/degradation than actual violence. I don't think he's really evil for it. He kinda thinks so earlier on the route, but that doesn't mean we have to agree with it. While I love the sweet Daichi from the third route (and even the second one, if he chooses to stay with Seiji), I gotta admit that route 1 Daichi is also kinda dear to me in a different way. I thought some of his thoughts (like blaming it on genetics) were kinda stupid, but, that sense of guilt over what turns you on, but still wanting to do it anyway, that guilt sort of mixing with arousal because it being taboo and "wrong" is part of why you're into it...

Seiji's situation is a bit more complicated, cause he essentially gets his body "trained" to that kind of stuff (is that even realistic? probably to some extent but not as much as in the game). But I can't see Daichi turning like that if their roles were reversed, and I can't imagine him turning into a dom/sadist either, so it's probably still something somewhat innate to him that he just wasn't likely to discover.

[flourchildwrites]

Witch, Please!  Fictober 2019  (22/31)

A multi-fandom Fictober prompt compilation.  Your wish is my command, but be careful what you ask for.  You just might get it.

Prompt:  “Academia” from Writetober 2019 Prompt List

Fandom:  Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia

Relationship/Pairing:  Todoroki Shouto/Yaoyorozu Momo

Genre:  Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - No Quirks

Rating:  Teen And Up Audiences

Word Count:  2,163 words

Read on AO3

Coach All-Might often lectured on the importance of momentum, the desirable quality of motion, which makes a player hard to stop. But the textbook definition did the concept little justice. Over the past two months, Momo had learned that teams built momentum better than individual players. And once acquired, the U.A. heroes pushed their collective energy to the max with smiles plastered across their faces, win or lose.

As her team’s defensive starters lined up on the 20-yard line, Momo’s skin erupted in gooseflesh. It was third down, a passing play no doubt, and all eyes were drawn to the dynamic line up of opposites in the tight end and cornerback positions -- Shiketsu High School’s Inasa Yoarashi and U.A. High’s Shouto Todoroki.

Of course, Todoroki had not started as a cornerback, not until after Coach All-Might had shaken up the lineup last Fall, but Momo wouldn’t have known that by the way he’d dominated the field on defense. Shouto read an opponent’s intentions as if he’d written their playbooks. Cold stone still one minute and hot in pursuit of an interception the next, he’d earned his nickname, IcyHot, the hard way.

A hush descended over the crowd as the play clock began its countdown. Even the cheerleader’s chats quieted in favor of rustling pom-poms and hushed murmurs of anticipation. From the sidelines, Momo held her breath, tugging nervously on the collar of her official polo. As she watched Todoroki, her fingers dipped to stroke the white embroidery that showcased her name and position, Momo Yaoyorozu, Assistant Equipment Manager, U.A. High Heroes Football Team.

Yet, as much as Momo honed in on her favorite cornerback, Shouto's attention was fixed on Inasa.

The boy with bright white and red hair hadn’t been asked to cover the powerhouse tight end, but he did so almost on instinct. U.A.’s defensive line adjusted, players zipping back and forth behind the line of scrimmage, as Shiketsu’s offense arranged and rearranged itself. Shotuo stayed with Inasa, looking for the split-second tell he’d uncovered after watching endless hours film, the one he had whispered in Momo’s ear while she’d helped him into his pads.

As Shiketsu’s quarterback snapped the ball, Shouto’s left eye narrowed, and Momo remembered to breathe, realizing that Todoroki must have found what he was looking for. The cornerback didn’t stop to watch the center snap the ball. He was already darting deep downfield, showcasing athleticism with wide, strong strides as Insa ran an innocuous out route.

But then the tide turned, and Seiji Shishikura made a daring throw from within the collapsing walls of the pocket. The ball headed for Inasa, now poised to catch it near the five-yard line, an inevitable touchdown until... Shouto Todoroki snatched the coveted pigskin out of midair, and through the audience’s collective gasp, Momo swore she heard five incendiary words mumbled in Inasa’s direction before Shouto darted toward Shiketsu’s endzone.

“I’ll be taking that now.”

The crowd roared. Mina Ashido and Toru Hagakure directed the excitement with synchronized jumps and flicks of their pom-poms, The home side of the stadium reveled in their school’s preferred chant -- “Plus Ultra! Plus Ultra!”

Todoroki went down near Shiketsu’s 15-yard line, tackled by a running back whose blond hair spilled out of his helmet. As Shouto fell, Momo tensed again. She felt her heartbeat in her throat but managed to relax when Shouto stood, calmly handing the football to the referee. Unfazed, he jogged toward their sideline, making intense eye contact with his team’s assistant equipment manager.

U.A. had the momentum once again, and the offense took advantage of it. The quarterback, Izuku Midoria, lead the heroes to a resounding homecoming victory over the Shiketsu Captains with the broadest smile on his face.

...

A year ago, Momo could hardly have imagined having more than a handful of friends over after the homecoming game, but now, three-quarters of the football team, half of the cheerleading squad and nearly the entire band was packed into her father’s McMansion. Though Momo had initially scoffed at the idea of beefing up her college applications by serving as assistant equipment manager of the football team, she had to admit that Mr. Aizawa’s advice had been spot on. Not only had she taken initiative by inserting herself into a male-dominated sport, but wallflower Momo had also managed made new friends in her junior year of high school -- a stupendous feat if ever there was one.

And as it turned out, neither Momo’s parents nor her best friend, Kyoka, minded the new additions in their loved one’s life. In fact, no sooner than Momo had asked her father if a small get together after the homecoming game was permissible than he had suddenly announced a burning desire to visit a bed and breakfast with his fiancee that same Friday night. Momo’s mother would check in the following morning, of course, and (for better or worse) Kyoka set up the sound system and arranged for a few kegs of weak beer.

An hour into the party, Momo looked around with astonishment. Everywhere she turned, a different person was smiling back at her, neither poking fun or laughing at her offbeat sense of style. Everyone she talked to responded with words of thanks and promises to be careful with the many valuables scattered throughout the decadent home. The uneasy feeling in Momo’s stomach settled as she sipped a noxious concoction Kyoka called jungle juice.

All felt right with the world. Except…

“Everything ok, Mo?” Kyoka asked, troubled by the way her best friend’s eyebrows were suddenly furrowed.

“Oh, yes,” Momo responded brightly. “I’m just a little overwhelmed by the crowd. Can you watch things while I step out for a sec?”

Kyoka nodded in reply, the fringe of the asymmetrical bob bounced with her dangling earrings.

“Sure thing, Mo.”

Up the steps and through the second level’s main hall, Momo traveled, weaving her way through classmates and kissing couples corralled in dark corners. She found her room unoccupied and breathed a sigh of relief as the door shut behind her with a comforting click. The young woman sat down at her desk and stared out the window. With a fond expression, she watched Bakugo and Kirishima toss a football back and forth.

It had always been a longshot, to be sure. When Momo had invited Todoroki to her party, she’d realized that his father rarely let him attend social events, not even school-sponsored dances or festivals. In fact, Shouto and Momo had attended the same school since first grade and had only become acquainted recently courtesy of a minor equipment malfunction -- a freak accident his father hadn’t hesitated to blow out of proportion.

Enji Todoroki was well-known as severe and obsessive, and perhaps Momo had made unfair assumptions about his son based on that knowledge. But soon, the mystery of IcyHot the football star had unraveled like fine thread in her nimble hands, and Momo found herself reconsidering everything she knew about Shouto Todoroki. Countless conversations later, the young woman didn’t think it was unfair to say that he was kind despite his quiet nature and thoughtful both on and off the football field.

Momo didn’t have to help him take off his pads and ice his bumps and bruises after games, but she did so religiously with a reverence she reserved for, well, nothing else. In return, Shouto taught Momo about football, explaining both general concepts and, eventually, the finer points of the game. And it all felt like it was building toward something more, except there was never an opportunity to...

“Yaoyorozu?”

Momo’s chest tightened as she heard a familiar, gravelly voice. She turned to find the source of the sound, hardly believing her eyes. There he stood, an impressive sight, though awkward, in khaki pants and a white polo shirt. Taut muscles fought against the thin cotton, and Momo fingers grasped the folds of her pale pink maxi skirt. Her high top converses tilted inward, toes curling within as she thought about how he sighed when she pressed warm compresses against his sore muscles.

Would it be completely inappropriate to trace the edges of the burn mark over his left eye?

Most likely, yes. But that didn’t stop Momo from thinking about it.

“You came!” she exclaimed, rising from the chair to greet the boy she definitely had not fantasized about in this very room. Momo gripped the nearest post of her bed to steady herself. “I’m so glad you could make it.”

“Jirou said you’d be up here. Can I come in?”

“Of course. Have a seat.”

Warily, Shouto entered the room, softly closing the door behind him. He leaned against the endboard of Momo’s 4-poster bed and looked around expectedly.

“Your house is-”

“An eyesore,” she interrupted. “I know. My mom took all the taste in their divorce. Dad doesn’t know the meaning of understated, but it’s home.”

“I wasn’t going to say ‘eyesore,’” Shouto asserted, though Momo noticed he didn’t disagree. “Have your parents been divorced for long?”

Momo nodded. “Since middle school.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. They’re much better off as friends, especially now that dad is engaged and mom’s remarried. I like my stepmoms a lot.”

At that, Shouto stifled a small chuckle.

“What?” Momo asked.

“I was wondering if your dad’s fiancee has better taste.”

“Afraid not,” Momo laughed. “I don’t think she’s ever met a fleur de lis she didn’t like, but by the time they get married, I’ll be out of here.”

“Damn,” Shouto added in mock disappointment, “I was so looking forward to the wedding pictures, seeing you all dressed up.”

Under the cover of semi-darkness, heat spread to the apples of Momo’s cheeks, and a strange feeling burned in her belly when she spied the green cocktail dress hung over her closet door. Dare she be so bold?

“Well, you could just come to the homecoming dance tomorrow,” she stated, eyes fixed on the plush carpet. “I’ll be taking tickets by the door, but I think I might be able to step away for a dance or two. And I’d like to spend more time with you, talking like this, you know?”

The grin faded slowly from Shouto’s face as his gaze also drifted to an uninteresting patch of carpet. “You know my dad’s strict. If I ask to go, he’ll come up with some conflict. I had to tell him I was watching game film here tonight just to get away.”

Momo tried to pretend she wasn’t disappointed. “Oh… He believed that?”

“The only thing good about my dad’s football fixation is that he assumes everyone else is just as obsessed as he is.”

For a moment, all was silent as the letdown washed over Momo. From the opposite side of her room, she could hear the ornate cuckoo clock ticking, counting the precious seconds she wasted in Todoroki’s presence. However, Momo refused to back down so quickly, not when the stars had aligned so perfectly to grant her this moment. Not when Shouto was in her room at her party, sitting beside her, completely unsupervised, on her bed.

This was Momo's moment.  She'd be a fool not to seize it.

“Todoroki, I-”

Whatever words Momo wanted to say were silenced by Shouto’s thumb pressed against her lips. His hand gently cupped the cheek, and she leaned into his warm touch, wary of the mesmerizing mismatched eyes that threatened to steal her senses.

“I’m not very good with my words, Yaoyorozu,” he said in earnest. “But I’d like to ask you if I could...”

“Could what?”

“I mean, if you would be agreeable, I’d like to…”

“Go on.”

Shouto growled in frustration and pressed both hands against the endboard. “Everyone makes this sound so easy,” he groaned. “I never seem to know how to say the thing I mean when I have the chance.”

Momo steeled her nerves as her stomach practically dissolved in a heap of butterflies. It seemed she did dare tonight more than she ever had before.

“Would you like to kiss me, Shouto?”

“God, yes!”

He took his lips to hers with an urgency that Momo could not have anticipated, and the world as she knew it faded away, save the small space the young couple shared. If kisses could talk, this one would have been eloquent. It would have told Momo that he’d always carried a little torch for her, for as long as he could rightly remember while reciting the loveliest verses of poetry known to mankind. But, of course, without words, the liplock was equally pleasant, capped off by a sigh of relief from both sides.

“You don’t know how long I’ve wanted to do that,” he said, forehead pressed against hers.

Momo saw no room to argue but in the interest of full disclosure… “Then why don’t you do it again. Maybe I can figure it out.”

Momo and Shouto’s momentum wasn’t slowing down anytime soon.

A/N:  So, for academia, we have my hero academia... without the hero! Yep, it's a quirk-less AU featuring Todomomo (because why not)! I've written a lot of that this month, and I kinda love it. By now, you all know the drill. Feel free to send me pairing requests for particular prompts (Fictober or original) via my tumblr, and if you read something you like, don't hesitate to let me know. Your kudos, bookmarks, subscriptions, comments, likes and reblogs make my day!

[cutesuki--bakugou]

Unapologetically

Natsuki comes out to those closest to her, after struggling with hiding it.  Done for Pride Month. (´꒳`)

Rating: Teen for cursing

Words:  5059

Featured Original Characters: Natsuki Bakugou | Seijirou Eguchi | Dokuji Kobayashi | Koge Naegi 

Featured Canon Characters: Katsuki Bakugou

It was very rare for Natsuki to feel completely drained of energy. More often than not, she had more bubbling and boiling within her than she knew what to do with. Every inch of her body always felt like it had to be moving, had to be doing something, be it working out, training with her mentor, or even something as simple as cleaning. There were times when she wished she could calm down, to feel content with just sitting and focusing on one thing at a time. So, now that she felt as if she couldn’t move, she wished to have that energy back. Her limbs felt as if she were carrying heavy weights on them, merely dragging herself along just to get through the days.

Had it just been days? No, it had been at least a couple of weeks that she was feeling this way. Ever since she had truly come to terms with herself and her… preferences. Or was it desires, maybe? Or interests? Perhaps it was just how she had always been, her entire life spent going against culture, tradition and what was normal. She was quirkless, loud, foul mouthed and brash with a twisted sense of humor, nothing like what a proper young fourteen year old girl should be. On top of all this, she was pretty positive that she was romantically attracted to other girls.

That must have been the problem, this realization and struggle to come to terms with the fact that she would, once again, have something to make her not ‘normal’. Natsuki thought that she had accepted it by now, that she would never fit in and that people would always treat her differently. She wanted to embrace her oddities, her personality and just… who she was. But as she grew older, she found it harder to accept herself. If she just stayed quiet about herself, then maybe people would accept her easier. If she just didn’t tell them about being quirkless, about her hobbies, her dreams, and that she was interested in girls, it would all just fall into place and she would be accepted.

Thinking like this is what put these weights on her in the first place. They had only been made heavier by the feeling of soft lips against her own, where she had kissed a classmate behind the school building a few weeks ago. There was a mutual interest between her and this girl, and the fact that she had shared her first kiss without being able to tell a soul was something that tugged at her heart. On top of that, the girl had asked if she wanted to go out sometime, and Natsuki had hesitated. How could she say yes when no one but her knew how she was? What if her family got upset with her? What if that was the final straw for them, and they just couldn’t accept her as they always had anymore?

It would destroy her, to see a look of disgust on her father’s face or have him talk down on her. Her relationship with her father was everything to her, and she just didn’t know if it would be worth it to risk telling him. But then, she couldn’t help but to think, would it be worth it to lose him or to lose who she was? The rational knowledge that they would think of her no differently was clouded by her negative thoughts, scared that all the love she felt from her family would vanish in an instant.

One would think that a sudden punch to the face would bring Natsuki back to her senses, but all it really did was make it fall to the ground, first to her knees before her entire bed met the hard wooden floor beneath her. Face down, she hissed out in pain, pressing her forehead into the floor as she tried to bring her spinning head back to attention.

“Shit, sorry, kiddo. I thought you would have been able to dodge that one.” The man that had landed the punch didn’t go to her aid, taking a moment to push his orange hair out of his face.

Natsuki gave a small shake of her now pounding head, pushing herself up onto her knees and hands. Her wild long blonde hair cascaded down over her shoulders, hiding her face from her training partner, which was something that she happy for. She didn’t want them to see the frustration on her face, the pain and sadness that had been suddenly jolted out of her with that hit. “It’s cool, Uncle Doey. I’m fine. Just… give me a second.”

The trembling of her voice wasn’t something that went unnoticed by Dokuji, who shared a worried glance with the other man that was sitting off to the side. “What do you think, Seiji? Think I knocked her brains out?”

Seijirou stood, giving a sigh as he approached his lover to stand beside him. “I think her brains were gone long ago. Natsuki, where is your focus? You’re trying to hide it, but you’ve been in your own little world for weeks now.”

Swallowing hard, Natsuki kept her crimson glare on the floor, watching as the sweat dripping from her nose created a small puddle. How stupid it was, to think that she could hide what she was feeling, especially from Seijirou. He could read her like a book, and although he wasn’t family by blood or marriage, he was someone she felt was nearly as close to her as her father was. She adored and respected him, and here she was, being a total disgrace. For weeks she hadn’t taken training seriously, wallowing in her own little pit of self pity. It was disgusting, and yet, she couldn’t help it.

It had all just been boiling within her from the instant she kissed that girl, a mixture of fear, regret, excitement and the wanting to tell someone. She wanted to make sense of it all, to find a way to just be herself again. So, she decided, that it was now or never.

“Natsuki,” Seijirou stated again. “Why don’t you--”

“I like girls.”

“Huh?” The soft, confused question left Seijirou’s lips before he could really comprehend what she had said. It made Natsuki’s stomach nearly fly out of her throat as she moved to sit, hugging herself as she glared off at the wall.

“I said I like girls!” Natsuki snapped at him, fighting back the burning that was starting to build up in her senses. “Are you already going deaf, you old man?!”

Typically, such a comment would have Seijirou scolding her for disrespect, but now he was silent. It only made her nervousness grow, beginning to visibly tremble, now. Of all the people to tell first, she figured Seijirou would be the safest. He was married to another man, after all, and was open about his sexuality with not a single hint of weakness in his disposition. She wished she could be like him and Dokuji, to not feel ashamed of who she was. But how could she, when everything she was as a person was considered shameful to society.

She couldn’t even find it within herself to look up at them as they approached her, both taking a seat in her field of vision and forcing her to look another direction. Fearful that she may puke if she opened her mouth, she refused to speak just yet, huddling into herself. Thankfully, she didn’t have to wait long, as Seijirou spoke once he was seated comfortably.

“That’s what has you down? That you’ve noticed this?”

Natsuki nodded, beginning to pick at the black nail polish on her short fingernails. “If I think about it, I guess I’ve… always known. But as it really sets in its… its messing with me. I just can’t think about anything else…”

“It’s okay to be scared or worried, Natsuki. But you really shouldn’t be.” Seijirou leaned forward a bit, elbows resting on his knees. “I know it’s a lot to process when it finally hits you. I didn’t accept it myself until I was a little older than you, though I had gone back and forth with it for years.” His relation to her calmed Natsuki enough to give her the courage to look up at him, even though her eyes were blurry with tears.

“Though I can’t say that I completely relate to you, Natsuki, that wouldn’t be right of me to say.” Seijirou continued, clasping his gloved hands together. “Because I… feel attracted to anyone whom I find... attractive. No matter their gender, identity or… any of that. I just happened to fall in love with another man, you see. It was… easy for me to hide it. And I did, even after I had accepted myself fully.”

Natsuki gave a small nod in understanding, releasing a trembling sigh to calm herself. “I can accept myself, I think. It’s just… what about my parents… my friends. My brothers… They might hate me.”

Her gaze moved to Dokuji as he gave a small shake of his head. “Natsu, your family loves you. I can’t speak for your friends, but if they act like shitheads, then they don’t deserve you.”

“I’ll be honest, Natsuki,” Seijirou pointed at her, bringing her attention to his finger. “I could tell. And if I could tell, then your parents probably already know.”

The feeling of tears growing stronger, Natsuki felt her face flush, looking back down at her nails. “But what if they don’t? Uncle Seiji, you just don’t get it. I wouldn’t be able to stand it if Daddy hated me. I’d just shrivel up and die.”

“You know that wouldn’t happen. You used to think that about being quirkless. And what has he done your entire life?”

“Supported me.”

“Exactly!”

“But how do I tell them? How did you do it?” Natsuki glanced between the two men, who also exchanged glances. Dokuji shook his head, leaning back on his arms. “I never did…”

“I… really didn’t have to. My parents already knew, like I said.” Seijirou stared up at the ceiling for a moment, having not talked about his deceased parents in a long time. “My dad found a letter I had written confessing to a boy in high school. It was embarrassing, but he just told me to be safe about it. After knowing so many people like us, though, I have realized that I had it very easy.”

Natsuki sighed, bringing her knees up to her chest. “So I have to figure it out on my own, then…”

“No you don’t. Natsuki, we may be your martial arts teachers, but we care about you like family. You know that, right?” Seijirou gave her a nudge with his foot, and when she didn’t respond, he nudged her again. “C’mon, where’s my bratty girl at? Huh?”

Although she was annoyed by his pestering, a smile and short laugh broke though, smacking his foot away playfully. “Stop it! You’re so annoying sometimes! I’m trying to be serious, this is really important--” A squeak interrupted her as Seijirou poked her in the side with his foot, right where she was horrifically ticklish. Snatching onto his foot, she did her best to push him away, but found that he was too strong to move. Smug smirk on his face, Seijirou gave a decently strong push, making her fall backwards with a squealing laughter.

“There she is! You can have an important conversation without being sad like that, Natsuki. You’re not a sad person. You’re strong and funny, that grin should never leave your face. We both support you, and you know that! Now, my little star pupil, you have to tell me.”

“Tell you what? How bad your grey hairs look?” Natsuki stayed laying on her back, glaring at him with a snarky smirk on her face, which only grew as his eyes widened in surprise.

“What!? I have perfectly fine grey hair, you little turd!”

Dokuji chuckled, finding it funny how Natsuki knew exactly how to get to him. “How mature, Seiji. To call a teenager a turd.”

“She’s lucky I don’t make her do a million push ups. No, Natsu, you need to tell me how you figured it out. Usually it’s something big, like a kiss or holding hands or something.” Seijirou’s explanation instantly made Natsuki’s face flush bright red, shaking her head as she sat up.

“I-I can’t tell you! I’ll get in trouble!”

“We won’t tell your parents, Natsu, that’s for you to do. And I won’t force you, either. But talking about it might help you.”

After glaring up at the ceiling for a bit, Natsuki sighed, covering her eyes with her hands. “I… I kissed a girl… Behind the building at school.”

“Oh. I expected it to be something a little more innocent, like… I dunno.”

“Whatever!” Natsuki turned to face him, narrowing her eyes at him as a smirk crossed her lips. “You probably did way worse! Aha, you’re blushing!”

“I am not!” Seijirou denied, though he fully knew he was. “I realized with just a kiss, too-- Hey, Doey, don’t look at me like that! You shouldn’t support her nonsense!”

Dokuji snickered, shoving his lover over playfully as he stood. “Yeah, yeah, whatever Seiji. C’mon, get your ass up off the floor, we still have three hours of training left.” Bending over a bit, Dokuji offered out his hand towards Natsuki, who looked up at him curiously. His bright blue gaze was a piercing as ever, but it was soft. There was no pity, no abhorrence like she had expected. There was only the love and support that she had always known, and if anything, their bond was stronger. Taking his hand, Natsuki rose to her feet with his help, giving a click of her tongue as he ruffled her already wild hair.

“Be yourself, Natsuki. Always. Unapologetically.” With that, he held his fist up, which Natsuki returned with a bump from her own, wide smile returning to her lips.

“Uncle Doey, I think I know why Uncle Seiji loves you so much.” Natsuki put her hands on her hips, looking up at Seijirou as he stood, curious look on his face. “You’re so… poetic and emotional, while he’s just a grumpy old man.”

“Okay, Natsuki, that’s it!” Seijirou snapped as the two laughed at him, pointing towards the workout area of the studio. “Mister sensitivity is gone! No more slacking off, three weeks with no progress is unacceptable. Let’s go, double time!”

“Wait, I thought we were gonna talk about how I can tell my parents?”

“We will, while you do the Hell workout routine. Go! Chop-chop!”

…

Maybe picking on Uncle Seiji so much today was a bad idea. I’m worn out! Natsuki sighed as she nearly had to drag herself down the sidewalk, nearing her home. The day had been draining, both emotionally and physically, but she did have to admit that she felt better. Both talking and working out her frustrations had brought back the confidence that had been drowned out by the fear. Now, all she really had to do was… say it.

That was the decision she had come to. There would be no sitting her parents down formally, nor would she pout and nearly cry like she had earlier. If she was strong and confident in herself, then she knew that they would accept her without any second thoughts. Or, at least, that’s what she had to keep telling herself to stay calm. There would be no more hesitation, no more hiding herself. He would spit it out, just as she had with Seijirou and Dokuji.

She had wanted to, anyway.

The instant she walked through the door and her mother’s soft voice reached her ears, she felt frozen solid, hardly able to choke out a greeting in return. Taking off her shoes, she shoved her sore feet into her bright orange slippers, bracing herself for a moment before heading into the living room. Her parents were both on the couch, sitting close together as they watched some nonsense on the television. They both looked away at her entrance, a soft smile crossing her mother’s lips.

“Hey, Natsu. Looks like you got roughed up a bit today.” Koge stood, planning on heading to the kitchen to heat up Natsuki’s dinner, since she was a bit later than normal. Natsuki gave a shrug, doing her best to fight against her emotions so she wouldn’t give away that something was wrong. “Eh, I guess. Uncle Seiji was a bit harsh on me today.”

“Why’s that?” Bakugou was next so speak, and Natsuki could already see the suspicion in his gaze. Setting her bag of clothing down on the floor by the couch, she leaned on the back of it, giving the best fake grin she could. “I picked on him a lot today. He was a bit sensitive about his grey hair.”

“Hm. Are you sure it wasn’t because of your lack of improvement and performance?”

Natsuki felt her heart sink a bit, leaning more over the couch with a pout on her face. “Did he tell you?!”

“No.” Bakugou stood, taking a moment to stretch and remove his glasses from his face. “I noticed. You think I wouldn’t? You haven’t used the gym here in a couple of weeks, when you used to every day.”

“Katsuki, let her eat before starting the interrogation! I’m sure she’s starving.” Koge called from the kitchen, cutting off Natsuki’s chance to speak. Stammering and stuttering her words a bit, Natsuki tugged at the bottom hem of her shirt. “I- I mean, it’s… I’m cool, it’s not… Ah, food-” With an awkward point of her finger, she shuffled into the kitchen, trying to flee her father’s intense gaze. His footsteps following behind her only made her more nervous, and though she felt like she may vomit, she began to shovel the food into her mouth the instant she sat down at the kitchen table.

She figured that as long as she had food in her mouth, she wouldn’t have to answer any questions her father may throw at her. What her mother had said made it obvious to Natsuki that they knew something was up, and had been planning on talking to her in secret. The fact that neither of her brothers were downstairs confirmed that they wanted her alone, and now they had her cornered in the kitchen with no escape. No matter what she wanted, she knew that it was time. But, she was curious as to what they thought was the problem.

After a while of silent eating, Natsuki swallowed what food was in her mouth, finally looking up at her parents. They were standing beside the kitchen island, talking quietly amongst themselves about nothing in particular, both looking at Koge’s phone as she held it. They seemed so calm, which could either be a good or bad thing. Her mother was always calm, but her father was a different story. When it came to everything outside of the house, he could be explosively angry, as was his nature. With his children, however, calmness either meant he was, well… calm. Or it could mean that he was furious.

He seems in a good mood, if he’s laughing at whatever Mom is showing him. I’m probably overthinking it all--

Her thoughts were cut off as Bakugou looked over at her, seeming to have noticed she stopped eating. “Are you done?”

Ah, he’s impatient! Crap, this isn’t good. Natsuki looked down at her plate, feeling like she would burst if she took another bite. “I, uhm… I guess so?”

“That’s a yes or no question.” Bakugou took his place sitting across from her at the table. His glare bore into her, even though she wasn’t looking at him, feeling like it could dig a hole right through her skin. Placing her chopsticks down over the plate, Natsuki nodded, pushing it away from her a bit. “Yes, Daddy, I’m… done eating.”

“Good.” Bakugou watched Koge for a moment as she took the nearly empty plate from the table, heading over to the sink to clean it. “I expect an easy discussion, Natsuki. None of that vague answer crap that you always try to do to avoid getting in trouble.”

Natsuki nodded, trying to hold back that familiar feeling of burning in her senses that she had restrained earlier that day. She knew it was going to be harder having this discussion with her father, and though she could still remember Seijirou and Dokuji’s words of encouragement, her fears were gradually returning. “Okay… I-” She was cut off by an involuntary hiccup, though she quickly disguised it with a clearing of her throat. “- I have something I want to tell you, anyway…”

“Oh? Then go on.” Bakugou leaned back in the chair, his hands resting casually in his sweatpants pockets. Natsuki finally looked up at him, a soft shake of her head following. “You… Can you tell me what you think is wrong first?”

Koge finally joined them, standing behind her husband with her hands resting on his shoulders. “What? Natsuki, you can just tell us what’s wrong.”

“We’re worried about you, Squid. You’ve been different for weeks, now. Are you sick?” Bakugou gave a small shrug as he thought. “Stressed? Hurt?”

“Are you feeling depressed or overworked?” Koge continued with the running suggestions, brow furrowed with worry. “Does it have something to do with your training? Should we stop it, or give you a break?”

“No!” Natsuki was quick to defend her combat training, sitting up from slouching. “No, it’s not my training at all! I don’t want to stop.”

“Well you’ve been slacking off. Severely. Seijirou told us a couple of days ago that you haven’t been improving or pushing yourself. That you seem… distracted.” Bakugou gave a small nod of his head, eyes on her bandaged cheek, covering the bruise where she had been hit that day during training. “You never let yourself get hit. That’s a big deal, Natsu, and the fact that you didn’t come home raging and pissed off about it says a lot.”

Natsuki reached up to tenderly touch her cheek, having not even thought about how differently she had acted in that regard. “It was my fault, I was… I wasn’t paying attention.”

“And that’s not like you at all. So, after watching you for a while, we’ve thought that maybe… You’ve gotten out of the whole fighting thing, and you want to stop. Or, your thoughts are stuck on something that you’re hiding from us. Or, you’re ill in some way, either physically or mentally.” Bakugou leaned forward, resting his arms on the table. “So? Spit it out.”

The burning in her eyes nearly unbearable at this point, Natsuki glanced between her parents, vision growing blurry with tears. The surprise was visible on their expressions, as Natsuki wasn’t one to cry. Ever. But this was something so deep, so important, personal and life changing that she was beginning to feel overwhelmed with the onslaught of emotions that came with it. She tried to take in a breath to calm herself, but that broke her resistance, and hot tears began to roll down her cheeks.

“I… I’m so scared you’ll hate me.” Natsuki spoke with a trembling voice, trying to blink the tears away, but they only grew in intensity from her efforts. Frowning, Bakugou reached across and took one of her petite hands into his, giving it a comforting squeeze.

“Natsuki… I don’t think there’s anything you could do that would make us hate you. If something is wrong, we want to help.”

Nodding, Natsuki tried to wipe her cheeks clean with her free hand, but found that it was pointless as more tears replaced them. “I’m not sick. And I’m not… depressed. Though I have been… sad and worried. Since what I did…”

The two adults stayed quiet, waiting patiently for her to continue. Taking in a few deep breaths, Natsuki continued. “I… I had my first… kiss. Outside the school building. I… initiated it.”

Koge’s expression relaxed a bit, while Bakugou’s brow only furrowed in obvious confusion and slight annoyance. “Eh? Who? You’re too young for--”

“It was a girl. I… I like girls.”

The trembling of her body as she spit out the truth grew more severe, Bakugou even moving his surprised gaze from her face to her hand, which he was still holding tightly. With a sigh, he placed his other hand over them, giving a small shake of his head. “Natsuki… Baby, we’ve… known that.”

“Huh?” Natsuki sniffled, looking up at her mother as Koge walked around the able to sit beside her. Gently, Koge stroked Natsuki’s hair, giving her a comforting smile. “We’ve known that since you were little… It was always something that we could just… tell.”

“H-how?” Shock overwhelming her fear, Natsuki shook her head, trying to figure it out herself. “What have I done that’s weird to give me away? I thought I always did… regular things.”

“You did, Natsu. You did what was normal to you.” Bakugou reached across to wipe her uninjured cheek of tears. “You always wanted to pick flowers for girls you would call ‘cute’. You never talk about boys, except for when you say you beat one up for one reason or another. As you’ve gotten older we’ve seen you stare at girls, like most would stare at a boy they found attractive.”

Heat rushed to Natsuki’s cheeks, shifting nervously in her seat as she grew embarrassed. “I-I didn’t realize you… paid that much attention.” Bakugou gave a short chuckle, standing and making his way around the table to sit on the other side of her.

“We notice everything. And honestly, Natsuki, you’re a horrible liar. You can never keep a secret or something that you’ve done hidden for long. It just eats at you until you explode. I know how that is, I’m the same way.” He gave her hair a rough ruffle, forcing an annoyed whine from her lips as he ruined it more than it already was. “You know that you can come to us about anything. Don’t let it fester in that wild little head of yours.”

“Fester?!” Natsuki’s voice squeaked as she mocked her father's choice of works, playfully smacking his hand away before attempting to fix her hair. “Daddy, you’re so weird.”

“I think I’ve been listening to you go on about your special effects makeup nonsense for a little too long. You and your… festering wounds.”

Koge giggled softly, reaching up to help Natsuki with her wild locks. “I think you’re both silly. But seriously, Natsuki. There’s no reason to hide anything from us.” She let her hand fall to caress Natsuki’s cheek, gently urging her to look up at her. Nearly instantly, Natsuki felt filled with a warm sense of love and acceptance, her mother’s kind gaze and gentle touch calming any of the fears she may of had.

“You’re our baby girl, Natsuki. And no matter who you choose to love, as long as they are a good person and treat you well, we will always be there to support you.” Koge placed a soft kiss on her forehead, bringing the tears back to Natsuki’s eyes, even as she clenched them shut tightly. Sniffling, she latched her arms around her mother, hugging her as she began to cry again softly. “Mama… I’m sorry.”

“You have nothing to be sorry about, love.” Koge held her daughter close, looking up at Bakugou as he scooted in closer. He wrapped his strong arms around them both, pulling them in close and placing a kiss to the top of Natsuki’s head. Natsuki hooked one of her arms around his, though she kept her face hidden in her mother’s shoulder as she sobbed.

“You’re the best… Even when I can be such a little shit… You never give up on me.”

“I think by now you’d know that we’re not ones to give up on anything, especially not our baby girl.” Bakugou eased up his grip as Natsuki sat up a bit from her mother, turning her attention to him. She couldn’t help but to giggle as he playfully pinched her uninjured cheek, that familiar feeling of happiness and bubbly energy beginning to return to her body.

Turning to face him, Natsuki wrapped her arms around his neck to hug him properly, giggling as he squeezed her. “Daddy, don’t! You’ll break me like a twig!” 

“If you haven’t been mangled yet by all the training you go through, then I think you’re just damn indestructible.” Picking her up, he placed her down on the table, prompting her to release him. Though, she was surprised as he sat back down with a sigh, hands returning to his pockets, as if he weren’t quite done with the interrogation. “Now,” Bakugou began again, glancing at Koge before back up at his daughter. “I hope you don’t think you’ve gotten away without getting into trouble.”

“Huh? Trouble?” Natsuki kicked her legs a bit nervously, pout crossing her lips. “What did I do?”

“You’re too young to be kissing!”

“Daddy! It was literally just a little peck, it wasn’t like full on making out with tongue and everything.”

Koge smiled, giving a pat to Bakugou’s leg before standing. “Oh stop it, Katsuki. Let her be, a little kiss is fine, we can’t punish her for something like that.”

“I don’t want to punish her.” Bakugou mumbled, glowering up at his wife. “I just want her to be safe.”

“I’ll be fine, Daddy!” Natsuki nudged him with her foot. “I like her a lot! She even asked me to go on a date!”

“A date?! No, you’re growing up too fast, I’m not ready for my girl to start dating.” 

“So can I?” Natsuki beamed at him, bouncing in her spot as he stood. After another glance down at Koge, Bakugou sighed, rubbing the back of his neck before nodding. “Fine, fine--” He was cut off as Natsuki squealed, throwing herself back into his arms to hug him tightly.

“Thank you, Daddy! I’m so happy! I love you both so much!”

“We love you, too, Natsuki. Don’t ever forget that.”