The Bees and The Birds || Bakugo

War is over

"Are you sure you're ready for this?" Mitsuki asked, sitting in the parking lot of the prison Hiroko's dad was being held in. It was three months after Bakugo had confessed and the two had been going on dates.

"I'm ready." Hiroko replied from the backseat, holding hands with Bakugo for comfort. He looked over at her, her smiling in response.

"Then, come on." The ashe blonde, hurried the pink haired girl out of the car. The two teens walked into the cold building hand in hand, Mitsuki walking behind them.

The Bakugos gave her space as she sat down at a small chair with a plastic window in front of her. A few moments later, her father sat down in front of her.

Hiroko's eyes softened upon seeing him. It had been so long since she'd seen him. His eyes looked tired and he looked like life had finally sucker punched him in the face. The man in front of her wasn't the same angry man who was heartbroken of the loss of his son but a man who looked like he didn't care anymore. It scared her.

She picked up the phone next to her, twirling with the wire that connected it to the wall. He did the same, bringing it up to his face. Her fingers trembled a bit but she tried to hide it.

"Hey, dad." She spoke up, her voice wavering slightly. She didn't know what to say even though she begged Mitsuki to bring her to see him.

"Hey, bunny." He greeted her using the nickname he'd given her when she was younger. He'd given it to her because of her stuffed animal. Before she knew it, tears came crashing down. He had only said two words yet she cried for the first time in months.

He let out a sigh and just stared at his daughter. To be honest, he didn't know what to say to her either. He had no excuses for his actions and he didn't know how to apologize. He didn't even deserve her apology. He'd just been so angry for the longest time that it felt weird not harboring those feelings anymore. His anger was not replaced with deep regret.

Katsuki almost stepped in but his mother stopped him. She held her arm out, stopping him from ruining something that Hiroko needed. She shook her head at him and he stepped back, sighing.

"I'm sorry. Dad, I'm so sorry." She apologized repeatedly, confusing the older man in front of her. He furrowed his eyebrows.

"Why are you apologizing? I should be the one doing that. Hiroko, why are you apologizing?" He asked, staring at her.

"Hina—"

"That wasn't your fault." He cut her off, surprising her. "Your mother and I never blamed you for that. Not once did we ever blame you for that. Hiroko, I'm so sorry." His voice broke, tears forming in his eyes.

"Then why? Why did I go through all of that pain? You didn't blame me?" She stared at him confused, tears were the last thing she'd expect to see from him.

"I never learned how to grieve properly. That is no excuse for what I did to you. You just look so much like him. I wasn't angry at you. I was angry with myself for allowing that to happen. I blamed myself. And now I've lost both of my children. Hiroko, I'm so sorry." He apologized. "I don't expect you to forgive me."

"Dad. You didn't lose me. I forgave you a long time ago. I don't blame you for what happened. None of us knew how to grieve properly. I still want you to be my dad." Hiroko said.

"Hiroko, you shouldn't want that. I hurt you. I used to hit you every day. I even chased your mother away." He clenched his hand into a fist.

"I know I shouldn't but I forgive you. I love you."

"I love you too, I'm so sorry. I'm sorry, Hiroko,"

———

Katsuki climbed out of his window, getting onto the roof. He walked over carefully before taking a seat next to the pink haired girl. Her body shook slightly as she cried. He sighed and patted her back.

She looked up and turned to him, her eyes and cheeks were as pink as her hair. "I'm crying because I'm happy not because I'm sad. So don't get the wrong idea."

He scoffed and turned his head to look at her. Her blue eyes mirrored the sky making her eyes look like they held galaxies inside them. "That's a weird fucking way to show it."

"It's just... for years, I thought I deserved it. To me, I felt like I was making up for the hurt that I did. I took every punch, adding it up to repay my debt." She sniffled, turning back to stare at the sky. Katsuki stared at her, his eyebrows furrowed.

"I had a brother. Hinata Ito. He'd be twenty this year. He looked just like me but he had purple eyes like our mother. And he was so kind..." her voice broke.

"He died. That's why you never mentioned him at all since we've met." He sighed, picking at his ripped jeans.

"It was my fault he died. We were near a cliff at a cottage in the forest. It was during summer break and we were running around. Our parents told us not to go too far. They warned us but I insisted on it. The ground started crumbling underneath us and he pushed me. Hinata smiled and he fell." Hiroko cried. Katsuki just stared at her, unsure of what to say.

"I thought I was to blame the entire time. But my father told me he didn't blame. Katsuki, he abused me for years but I can't seem to resent him. I miss him even. You were right this entire time, I am weird." She cried. Suddenly, Katsuki wrapped his arms around her tightly. He lied his head on her shoulder as she cried.

"Hiroko, Hinata didn't blame you. He smiled because you would've been ok. Your father didn't blame you because he knew. You have a big heart, that doesn't make you weird. Don't you fucking forget that." He pulled away slightly, wiping away her tears.

"Katsuki, will you be my boyfriend?" She asked, placing her hands over his that cupped her face. A smile broke out on his face.

"Dammit. I wanted to ask first." He said, causing her to laugh. "Obviously I want to be your boyfriend."

"Katsuki, you mean so much to me." She admitted, kissing his lips. He pulled her closer, taking in her scent. When they pulled away they both had big smiles on their faces.

"You've got snot coming out of your nose." Katsuki teased her, tucking a piece of her hair behind her ear. She smacked his arm.

"Shut up you jerk!"