VOID [Katsuki Bakugo x OC]

Epilogue

♪

"YOU'RE WHAT?!"

Wearing a golden mini dress complete with poofy sleeves and a tulle skirt, Cadence gaped open-mouthed at her sister, who she held at arm's length at her and Kat's third annual non-formal and non-specific winter holiday party in their apartment. People brought white elephant gifts to exchange, food to share, and enough alcohol to flood their apartment four times over. Cade and Kat simply hosted and got enough champagne to toast the new year.

The theme for the party that year was "All That Glitters", and in typical Aria fashion, she disobeyed. In matching oversized black sweatshirts, Aria showed up just moments earlier with none other than Kyoka Jiro, who she'd still been dating all these years after the incident with their parents.

But now Kyoka and Aria held up their hands sporting matching rings. "We're engaged!" Aria squealed.

"Oh my god!" Cade cried, pulling them both into a hug of epic proportions. "When? Where? Someone tell me the details!" She ushered them both inside, corralling them into the kitchen where she could interrogate them further before they were bombarded by their other party guests.

Katsuki happened to pass by just as Cade pushed her sister and Kyoka through the kitchen doorway, dipping his head to peck her on the cheek. "What's up?" he asked, confused by their weird vibe.

"Aria and Kyoka are engaged!" Cade blurted before she could let her sister say anything herself. "Isn't that exciting?"

But excitement was the last thing that Katsuki felt as his stomach dropped into his ass. "That's something, alright," he grumbled, earning him an elbow to the ribs from Cadence. He shoved his anguish down and forced a non-frown onto his face. "Good for you, Jack," he said, giving her a brotherly shove before nodding at Aria. "That wedding's going to be loud."

"Maybe you're not invited so it'll be a perfectly normal volume, Mr. Shouty Pants," Aria teased with a goofy smile, one that mirrored Cadence's and sent Kat's heart running laps in his chest.

He smirked. "As if you could keep me away from free food and an open bar, nerd. I'll be so quiet that I won't even—"

"Okay, okay, you two, settle down," Cadence laughed, putting her hand on Katsuki's chest and shoving gently. "We've got to talk about bridesmaid dresses and wedding-related shit now, so go be a good host and talk to someone, okay?" She went up on her tiptoes to peck Kat on the forehead. "I'll be there in a minute."

"I'm timing you," he grunted, pinching her ass before walking away. It was absolutely worth it to see the flush in her cheeks and the incredulous look she shot him. Pleased with himself, Katsuki wandered into their living room to look for company, and realized that sinking feeling was still sitting in his chest.

Kirishima waved him over, and Kat went to join him. "Are you excited for tonight, man?" Kiri grinned, doing a little happy wiggle beside his best friend. "Do you have everything ready? Does she know something's up? Do you need help with anything?"

With his hands in his pockets, he sighed. "I can't do it tonight," Katsuki said, just loud enough for Kiri to hear. He stared down at the white button up and stupid caramel-colored corduroy pants that Cade made him wear, trying and failing to ignore the situational frustration bubbling in his veins. "I've gotta change the plan again."

This was the fourth time this happened. The first time he bailed was on Cadence's birthday in November, when he took her out on the world's best date; they went and did a bunch of childish nonsense that Cade never got to do growing up, including laser tag, karaoke, go karts, mini golf, and ended the night with an amusement park, where Cade threw up after every roller coaster. She had no regrets, but being soaked with vomit kind of ruined Katsuki's plans.