Lightning in the Ashes (Katsuki Bakugou x OC Fem)

Chapter 13: Strength in Bonds

The two months after the revelation of Aizawa being Valerie's father were a whirlwind of emotions. 

At first, Valerie felt like the ground had been ripped out from under her. She struggled to process everything—how could the man who had trained her, protected her, and led her class all this time be the father she had been searching for? Aizawa himself had been stunned into silence when the truth was revealed, but as the shock faded, he made it clear that he wanted to be a part of her life. It wasn't going to be easy, but they were going to try.

The news that Valerie was Aizawa's daughter spread through Class 3A like wildfire. It all began during a casual lunch break when Denki, always the loudest of the bunch, brought it up.

"Wait, so you're telling me that Aizawa-sensei is your dad?" Denki exclaimed, nearly dropping his tray of food. The table fell silent for a beat before erupting into a mix of disbelief and excitement.

"Seriously?" Kirishima leaned over, wide-eyed. "That's epic! You've got, like, the coolest dad ever!"

Valerie felt her cheeks heat up. "It's not that big of a deal—"

"Not that big of a deal?" Mina interjected, grinning from ear to ear. "You're basically a hero legacy now! This is so cool!"

"Totally!" Denki nodded enthusiastically. "You should call him 'Dad-zawa' or something!"

Valerie rolled her eyes, trying to downplay the attention.

"Or maybe I should call him 'Uncle Zawa!'" Denki blurted, laughter bubbling up again. " think about it! If your mom and Aizawa, that makes him my uncle! Can you imagine? 'Hey, Uncle Zawa, can I borrow the answers to a test?'"

Just as Denki's voice echoed through the cafeteria, Aizawa walked in, his tired eyes scanning the room. The instant he heard Denki's words, he froze, his expression morphing into one of disbelief and irritation.

"Uncle Zawa?" he repeated flatly, his voice low and dangerous.

Denki's eyes widened in horror, the colour draining from his face. "I—I mean, um, it was just a joke, Sensei! You know, like a nickname! It's funny, right?" he stammered, fumbling over his words as he tried to backtrack. "I didn't mean any disrespect! I swear!"

Kirishima nudged Denki, a smirk playing on his lips. "Sounds like you're in trouble, man!"

Aizawa crossed his arms, his gaze sharp. "Do you think this is funny, Kaminari?"

Denki shifted uncomfortably, his confidence evaporating. "N-no! I mean, it could be funny. But only if you're okay with it? I just thought—"

Valerie stifled a laugh behind her hands, both amused and a little sympathetic. She could see Denki sweating as Aizawa continued to glare at him.

"Enough," Aizawa said, his voice cutting through Denki's frantic rambling. "If you want to joke around, then you can do it while running laps. All of you. Now."

Laughter erupted from the rest of Class 3A, but Denki remained frozen, his face a mix of relief and dread. "Yes, sir! I'll go run laps! Great idea! Love laps!" He scrambled to his feet, practically tripping over his legs as he hurried out, followed closely by the rest of the class.

Aizawa watched them go, his expression still stoic, but Valerie caught the hint of a smile on his lips. As the door swung shut behind them, she felt a warm sense of belonging wash over her. This was her family now, however unconventional it might be.

And as she jogged after her classmates, she couldn't help but chuckle at the thought. Uncle Zawa. It might be silly, but it felt good, and she had a feeling even Aizawa might secretly enjoy it—at least a little bit.