Unexpected bonds

Chapter three: Family ties

The morning after the chaotic battle, the sun cast soft rays through the window of the apartment that Midoriya and Bakugo shared. They'd fallen asleep on the couch, exhaustion overcoming them after the intense fight against the villain who'd ambushed them in the heart of the city. It was rare for the two heroes to be at home simultaneously, but the peaceful silence was abruptly shattered by the sound of the doorbell echoing through the hallway.

Midoriya stirred first, rubbing his tired eyes. As he blinked away the sleep, a wave of concern washed over him. "Who could it be at this hour?" he muttered sleepily, glancing at Bakugo, who was still snoring softly beside him.

With a reluctant groan, Midoriya got up from the couch, stretching his arms above his head. He padded barefoot across the room and peered through the peephole. Seeing his mother and Bakugo's parents standing outside made his heart flutter nervously. Were they here to check on them after the battle?

He opened the door, and a smile broke across his face as he greeted them. "Mom! Mr. and Mrs. Bakugo!"

"Good morning, sweetheart!" Inko beamed as she stepped inside, her eyes scanning the disheveled state of the apartment. "I was worried about you two. You didn't call after the news broke about the villain attack. I had to come see for myself." Her gaze flicked to the other occupants of the room and landed on Bakugo. "Katsuki! You're here too."

Bakugo grunted, scratching his head as he shuffled into the room. "Yeah, yeah. We're fine, whatever. Just a little banged up, that's all."

Mitsuki, Bakugo's mother, stepped forward, her sharp eyes studying the two heroes. "Fine? You call making headlines 'fine'? What kind of nonsense are you two pulling?" Her tone held a tinge of concern hidden beneath her abrasive facade.

"Seriously, we're alright," Bakugo replied, crossing his arms defensively. "We handled it."

"So you say!" Inko exclaimed, her voice laced with maternal worry. "But you both need to take more care of yourselves. That could have been much worse."

"Okay, okay, we'll be more careful," Midoriya chimed in, trying to ease the tension. He stepped into the living room, smoothing his messy hair down as he offered them a reluctant smile. "Can I offer you both some tea?"

As the two mothers settled onto the couch, venting their worries and frustrations about the unpredictability of hero life, Midoriya felt a weight settle on his chest. The events of the previous day weighed heavily on his mind. They had faced a villain fueled by an overwhelming desire for destruction, and despite their victory, Midoriya remembered the sheer chaos. The explosion, the chemicals that had been unleashed. Lowering his head, he instinctively placed a hand over his abdomen, a strange fluttering sensation lingering.

"So, how's hero work treating you two?" Inko asked, attempting to redirect the conversation toward lighter subjects.

"Busy, but at least the workload keeps us on our toes," Midoriya said while sneaking glances at Bakugo, who had been silently observing his mother's conversations. "How about you, Mom? Have you been keeping busy?"

"Oh, I've been helping out at the community center," Inko replied enthusiastically. "There are so many kids who look up to you both! I love interacting with them. It makes me so proud."

Midoriya's cheeks flushed at his mother's words. He chuckled, a surge of warmth filling him. "Thanks, Mom. That means a lot."

While they talked, a heavy weight lingered in the air, threatening to break the surface. The news of their recent battle felt more like a damning secret. Midoriya was still processing the implications of the chemical incident, and his heart raced with uncertainty. The fluttering sensation in his abdomen felt different, like a whisper urging him to confront these feelings head-on.

Eventually, Inko turned her gaze toward the two heroes. "You both look a little pale. Is everything really alright?"

Midoriya glanced at Bakugo, whose expression was just as troubled. It was time they shared what was happening, even if the news felt surreal and frightening. He took a deep breath and spoke carefully, "There's something we need to discuss... Something that happened yesterday during the fight."

"What kind of something?" Mitsuki asked, her maternal instincts kicking in.

Midoriya hesitated for a moment, measuring his words carefully. "I was hit by a chemical that the villain was using." He glanced at Bakugo once more, who nodded for him to continue. "We weren't sure what it was at first..."

Both mothers stiffened, their expressions mirroring their concern. "What are you saying, Izuku?" Inko asked urgently.

"I—um... I might be pregnant."

The room fell silent as these words hung in the air, heavy like a storm cloud. Inko was the first to recover, her eyes widening with a mix of shock and disbelief. "Pregnant?"

Bakugo crossed his arms, his expression flickering between annoyance and anxiety. "Yeah, that's right."

Mitsuki, however, couldn't help the small smile creeping onto her face. "Well, that's one hell of a way to deliver news, isn't it?"

"Now is not the time for jokes, Mom!" Bakugo snapped, but the edge in his voice betrayed a slight relief as if the tension was finally breaking.

"This isn't funny, Katsuki. This is serious!" Inko exclaimed. "Do you two understand what this entails?"

"I understand! I'm gonna be a dad!" Bakugo replied defensively, looking more surprised by his own admission than anything else.

"Exactly!" Midoriya added. "We have no idea how this happened exactly—it's just all so sudden. But we want to figure this out... together."

Slowly but surely, Inko and Mitsuki exchanged glances filled with understanding and a sense of wonder. Bakugo and Midoriya were young heroes navigating an uncharted territory—not only as fighters for justice but as potential fathers.

"Okay. Let's take this one step at a time," Mitsuki said, her voice steadier now. "We can figure things out together."

Midoriya's heart swelled with gratitude. He might have just dropped the biggest bombshell of his life twice over, but he wasn't facing this alone. Whether it was meeting their parents, navigating apprehensive conversations about pregnancy, or whatever lay ahead, he and Bakugo had each other. And with that, they could take on the world.