VOID [Katsuki Bakugo x OC]

Rule #22: Don't Ask Questions

♪

"Hey Shane, can I talk to you for a second?"

The first morning at her dad's place, Cadence took a sunrise walk of the farm and found Shane out with the chickens, sprinkling special feed over the ground and collecting their fresh eggs in a basket slung over his arm. His hulking form and dour face would seem off-putting or even threatening to the layperson, but Cade knew from years of experience that Shane was a big ol' softie on the inside under all of that flannel and leather and muscle and grump.

"Sure, Cady Cat, what's up?" he said with a smile, plopping down on a thick stump rising from the corner of the chicken pen. The nickname he used was an old one, but he still liked it, despite her usual protests that she grew out of the cutesy moniker.

After taking a seat nearby—on top of the flat roof of the squat henhouse, of all places—Cadence sighed and said, "It's about my bodyguard: Katsuki."

A switch flipped and Shane's whole demeanor did a 180, going from sunshine and rainbows to a scowl that matched his stature. "Did he do something to you? Did he hurt you?" he growled, subconsciously flexing the muscles in his arms. The thought of someone hurting Cadence, the family sweetheart, made his blood boil. "Do you need me to—?" Shane pantomimed ripping someone's head off.

Cade waved the sentiment away with a hand and a giggle. "No, no, Kat wouldn't hurt a fly unless it had evil intentions or it looked like his best friend, Deku, who he occasionally beats up for some unknown reason. No, I was wondering if you could... maybe use your quirk on him?"

"My quirk?" Shane repeated, surprised. "What for?"

"Well, you see..." Cade spent the next few minutes explaining who Kat was outside of tour and how he'd busted his hand in the first place. She specifically spent time elaborating about Kat's ongoing heroism, like when he saved her from making a fool of herself in Kyoto, or when he provided their escape route in Paris. "He's a really good guy, and I know you can't fix it all the way, but do you think you could take a look? Even if he's not completely better, it's worth a try. He'd never ask you himself, but I'm asking in his stead."

For a long moment, Shane was quiet as he crossed his arms and processed everything that Cadence explained. The kid in question—who seemed like an upstart little delinquent when they first met in the parking lot, dressed in all black and scowling at anyone who wasn't Cade—actually sounded like a nice guy now that he knew more of their backstory. "Sure, I'll take a look. But that kid needs to loosen up, literally and figuratively, or he's gonna be in a world of pain when I'm through with him," Shane said, uncrossing his arms and pushing himself to stand. He considered Cadence—looking her up and down in her cutoff jean shorts, well-worn sneakers, and loose t-shirt from some festival he was sure she performed at—and smiled. He ruffled her hair the way he always did and said, "If you vouch for him, then I'll give it a shot."

"Thanks, Shane," Cade beamed, frantically fixing her bangs. She hopped up and gave him the best hug she could muster up before running off toward the house, her turquoise ponytail whipping in the wind. "See you at breakfast!" she yelled backwards.

Shane watched her go with a strange emotion in his chest, like pride mixed with worry. It was hard watching his pseudo-daughter grow up in fits and spurts, only seeing her once a year... And now, she was a full-fledged adult, capable of anything.

"I'm so old," he murmured to himself, raking a hand through his military-style buzz cut before turning back to the chickens. "You guys still like me, though, right?"

One of the chickens pecked the top of his shoe, leaving a little divot.

"I'll take that as a yes."