Recommended song: YOU & I- by Anne-Marie
c/w: panic attack, suicide in a nightmare.
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Yoshiko watched in horror as a school bus sped through the cars, miraculously avoiding them, colliding into a lamppost instead. She sprang towards it with Tokoyami, banging a fist at the door, yelling at the driver to open it. The driver blinked at the damage to the front of the bus and lazily turned his head to Yoshiko, letting out a laugh.
"Bahaha, that was close." Yoshiko bared her teeth at him. He almost killed himself and the wailing children in the back.
"Hey, kids, step away from the door." Yoshiko yelled, "I'm going to open it."
Obediently, the children went back to their seats, glad a hero was there. Yoshiko stepped back and threw an explosion at the door. She then kicked it open easily and stomped inside with Tokoyami. Her eyes quickly scanned the children to make sure they were unharmed. While Tokoyami and Dark Shadow dealt with the kids, Yoshiko took the driver by the collar, scowling at him.
"You're drunk, aren't you?" She hissed at the obviously drunk man. He let out a girlish giggle, making Yoshiko's eye twitch.
"I promise I'm not, officer." He raised his hands. The hell? Does it look like I'm an officer? She clicked her tongue and pushed him back in his seat, whipping out her phone to call the police. A few cop cars were soon parked on the footpath, managing the traffic and dealing with the driver.
"I'm not drunk! I'll sue you for harassing me!" The driver yelled, throwing a punch at a female officer holding a breathalyzer. Yoshiko caught his fist. "Do as she says. Just breathe into that shit. It's not like you're running on your last breaths."
The driver gave Yoshiko a glare before giving in and exhaling into the mouthpiece. "Yup, he's very drunk," she confirmed, beckoning for another officer to handcuff him. The driver was taken away, and the other officers rang the school to send another bus driver.
Yoshiko felt someone tug at her pants and looked down to see a familiar face. "Mitsumi!" She exclaimed, crouching.
"Hi, Photonix." The girl beamed.
"You're finally taking the bus, huh?"
"Mummy said big girls take the bus instead of walking!" Mitsumi told her, glancing at where the driver once sat, "Did the police take away uncle for doing bad stuff?"
"Mhm. He was drinking adult drinks before driving. That's not allowed." Yoshiko smiled, recalling Mitsumi calling coffee an 'adult drink'. Mitsumi gasped, looking at Yoshiio with wide eyes. She then turned to Tokoyami, pointing a finger at him.
"Who's that?"
"I'm Tsukuyomi," Tokoyami intododuced. Dark Shadow popped from behind his back, introducing himself, too.
"Are you her friend?"
"Yes," Tokoyami replied.
Mitsumi then turned to Yoshiko. "What happened to mister 'Splody?"
Yoshiko laughed, pushing back some of Mitsumi's hair, "He's at work just like me."
Mitsumi smiled at Yoshiko, facing her friends. "See, I told you guys I was friends with heroes! But you guys didn't believe me!"
"I wanna be friends with the heroes too!" A little boy pouted.
"Me too!"
"What about me?!"
"Revelry in the dark." Tokoyami sighed. Yoshiko shook her head at him, glad when the bus arrived. They made sure the kids switched buses safely and waved Mitsumi goodbye.
After the incident, Yoshiko and Tokoyami were allowed to go back home. Yoshiko was still in her hero costume as she walked to the station with Tokoyami since she changed from the dorms. She shuddered when she felt a chilly wind hit her exposed stomach. The autumn wind was settling in, which meant it was time to start wearing a thicker shirt that fully covered her.
"Akimitsu, you'll get hit by a car. Switch sides with me." Tokoyami muttered as Dark Shadow pulled her back to the safety of the footpath. Yoshiko gave him a sheepish smile, switching sides with him. Sometimes, after hero work, she tended to switch her brain off and blindly trust Tokoyami- which wasn't that bad since he kept an eye on her.
She heard her phone buzz in her pocket and took it out to see an unknown caller. She declined it, pissed when they rang again. She rolled her eyes and attended.
"This is doctor Fuyuhiko from Hosu general hospital. Is this Akimitsu Yoshiko?" Yoshiko froze in place, making Tokoyami turn around and look at her questioningly.
"Yes, is this about my mom?" Yoshiko asked, her voice a mix of fear and hope, her hand shivering with cold sweat.
"Yes," The doctor replied, "your mother is alright."
"Sh-she's awake?!"
"Yes. Could you please come visit now?"
"I'm on my way," Yoshiko replied, hanging up. She met Tokoyami's eyes, grinning wide. "My mothers awake! Oh, my god."
"I'm happy for you. Would you like me to accompany you to the hospital?" He asked.
"No, it's alright. You can go home. I'm taking a cab."
♪♪♪
Tears welled in Yoshiko's eyes as she stood at the door, looking at her mother sitting on the bed, pillows behind her back. Maybe it was due to the lack of fresh air or the fact she'd been asleep for days- she looked like she had aged a year or two. Yoshiko took a small step towards Yoko, eyes still not believing the sight. She ran up to her, gently throwing her arms around her mother's neck.
Yoko buried her nose in her daughter's neck, tears rolling out of her eyes. With a free hand, she stroked Yoshiko's hair, whispering apologies into her ear. She felt her hospital gown dampen from Yoshiko's tears.
"Mama... I was scared." Yoshiko sobbed, trembling, "If something happened to you, I don't know what I'd do. You can't just leave me behind all alone."
"I'm sorry, Yoshiko," Yoko cried into her hair, patting her back. "I'm so sorry. I'm not leaving you behind. I'm right here with you."
Yoko let Yoshiko hug her for as long as she wanted, her sobs subduing. She finally pulled away, eyes red, freckled cheeks stained with tears. She inspected her mother's face as if it were something she was seeing for the first time. Yoko smiled at her, her eyes falling on Yoshiko's dirty hero suit. She felt proud seeing her in it.
A knock sounded on the door, and Yoshiko opened it, letting the doctor inside. It was the same doctor who scolded Yoshiko for running in the hallway when her mother was admitted. He gave her a smile.
"Sunbeam's doing fine now. The bandage on her head will stay for a while longer. We're also keeping her for the night to keep an eye on her vitals. If all is well, I'll discharge her tomorrow."
"Alright," Yoshiko sighed in relief.
"I'll take my leave, then. If you need anything, just ask a nurse to call for me."
"Thank you," Yoko smiled.
Yoshiko dragged a chair beside Yoko's bed, taking a seat. She quickly rang Saori and let her know Yoko was awake. Saori whined since she couldn't visit because she was at her parent's place. Yoshiko hung up after some time and glanced at her mother.
"I'm so glad you're okay, mama," Yoshiko said.
"Me too, Yoshiko. I'm sorry for scaring you like that." She apologised. "Anything new happened while I was gone?"
"A lot," Yoshiko replied, "We had a school trip to I-island."
"Please tell me you went."
"I did," Yoshiko grinned. "Saori threatened you would go feral if I didn't."
Yoko chuckled, shaking her head, "I'm glad. Is that all?"
Yoshiko then began telling her all the ongoing incidents in Japan, starting with the death of people with weak quirks or no quirks at all and ending with the drunk driver she and Tokoyami helped arrest today. Yoko hummed, head deep in thought.
"Has the agency been open while I was gone?" Yoko asked, referring to the agency she ran.
"Yeah," Yoshiko's expression turned sour. "Your sidekicks are stubborn as fuck. Wouldn't let me help around during the vacations."
"They can be like that," Yoko muttered.
The mother and daughter talked for a while longer, losing track of time. Yoko was laughing at something funny Yoshiko told her when her head started hurting. Yoshiko stood up in panic, holding her mother's shoulders.
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah, don't worry. The doctor told me it might hurt for a few months. I'm still recovering."
"Okay... I should leave you to get some rest now. I'm just a call away." Yoshiko smiled.
"Alright," Yoko pulled Yoshiko in a hug before letting her go.
By the time Yoshiko was back at the dorms, everyone had gone to sleep. She changed into a random T-shirt, the first thing her hand grabbed in the closet and basketball shorts after taking a shower. She found Bear still awake in the kitchen, lazing under the table with Kiara.
"Hey, cuties." Yoshiko kneeled down, hugging her knees. Both animals came out, nuzzling into Yoshiko. At least they'd gotten used to each other now. She let Bear put his snout on her shoulder and scratched Kiara's head, eliciting a purr from the feline. Both animals followed her out to the couch, where she turned the TV on, opened Netflix and hid under a blanket with her fur buddies to complete the show she had started a few days back.
Unbeknownst to her, while she was busy binging her show, a certain blonde a few floors up struggled with his nightmares.
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He was back here again. He rarely came here, but when he did, it never ended well.
Bakugo's lungs begged for oxygen as the sludge villain held him hostage to abuse his quirk, wreaking havoc in the city. He felt his consciousness fade but forced himself to stay awake. He tried fighting it, but he couldn't move.
He found a boy with a mop of green hair staring at him from the crowd. He wore a pleased expression. Despite being so far away from him, he could hear his voice clear as day, "Enjoying yourself, Kacchan?" He spat with such venom he wasn't sure the boy was the same Midoriya he'd always known.
Midoriya walked closer to him, and the sludge villain let him, strangling him further. "You told me to jump off a roof, didn't you?" He whispered, his emerald eyes dark. Bakugo tried shaking his head, eyes pleading to make him understand he wasn't the same old Katsuki. Except he was, because he was in his middle school clothes.
His consciousness faded away, his body going limp. He awoke again, this time in a different scenery. He was standing in his middle school. He felt several pairs of eyes piercing onto him, whispering amongst each other, pointing at him. He looked down to see Deku with blood pooling underneath him from the injury to his head. He was dead.
"I-Izuku..." His voice cracked, body trembling violently.
"He's fuckin' dead" He heard his mother's voice. She stared at him with hatred-filled eyes, just like his father standing beside his mother.
"I can't believe you call yourself a hero." He turned around to see Kirishima scoff at him.
"You're nothing but a villain." Sero's eyes narrowed at him. He opened his mouth to say something- anything. But nothing would come out as if the sludge villain was still holding him in an invisible chokehold.
His eyes shifted to Yoshiko standing behind his classmates, her face disgusted by him. His eyes pleaded with her to say something, but she simply looked away, "I dont befriend murderers and people who ridicule the weak. You do not belong with us. Maybe it's a good thing the league kidnapped you. It was the perfect place for you."
He felt himself get pulled away into the darkness. He tried screaming, running back in the light, eyes begging Yoshiko to look at him. He was brought to another scene of Shigaraki smiling at him.
"You've always belonged here. With us." He cackled. "You were never a hero."
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Bakugo gasped, sitting up straight. He took gulps of air, but it did not feel enough. His world spun as he got out of bed, stripping out of his tank top drenched in sweat. He couldn't breathe properly. His tongue was dry. Water. He wanted water. He wanted to breathe.
He staggered downstairs, trying to see straight, holding his chest heaving up and down. His heart raced so fast he could feel it in his ears. Tears streamed down his eyes, but he couldn't feel them when he was trying to keep breathing.
"Katsuki!" He heard in the distance. His eyes were blurred by the tears. He couldn't see them, "Katsuki, breath."
I can't.
He felt calloused hands cup his face gently," Shh, Katsuki, look at me. Look at me."
His vision started clearing, and he saw her face, peering at him as she held his face. Her voice was low and soothing, "That's right, you're doing good. Concentrate on breathing." She pushed his sweaty hair back with one hand, brushing his eyes with her thumb, "Take a deep breath in."
Bakugo listened, inhaling a shaky breath. Her voice was calming him, lulling him into peace. "Great job. Now out." He let her guide his breathing until he was thinking more clearly. His breathing had calmed down now. His eyes were able to focus on her properly.
"Hey," She smiled softly. "It's okay. I'm here. Come on, let's sit."
She took his hand, guiding him to the couch. She poured him a glass of water, offering it to him. He silently took it from her, drinking it in three whole gulps.
Yoshiko tried to calm her racing heart. She got terrified when she found him shirtless at the staircase entrance, his lips almost blue as he struggled for air. She was going to yell and ask him if he was okay when she realised he was having a panic attack. She did not know how to deal with someone who was having a panic attack and acted on her instincts, trying to stay calm while trying to get him to focus on her and breathe.
He set the glass on the table after finishing its contents, refusing to meet her eye. She shifted closer to him, cupping his jaw and having him look at her. He looked down into her silvery eyes, feeling his body relax.
"Nightmare?" She asked. He remained silent. "It's alright. We don't have to talk. I'm still here." She intertwined his hand with hers and watched the TV screen on mute, nothing she saw registering in her head. She was just worried for him.
Bakugo wanted to talk. He wanted to tell someone about these nightmares. They did not happen often, but when they did, they left him weak.
"Sorry." He muttered. Yoshiko glanced at him in confusion.
"For what?"
"For having you see me like this." His voice cracked, tears in his eyes again. She brought his head to hers, joining her forehead with his.
"Shh, Kat. Don't be sorry. I'm here for you just like you're always here for me. It's alright."
"He was there," he cried. "The sludge villain... and then Izuku died... no, I killed him by asking him to jump. I killed him, Yoshiko. And my mom- she hated me. Everyone hated me. You were there too, and-"
"Katsuki." She interrupted, bringing her hands to either side of his head, making him look into her eyes. "It was just a nightmare. Nothing you saw was true. You are loved. What you did before doesn't matter anymore. We love you, Katsuki. Every single one of us. You're precious to us, and just know that I am fucking proud of you." She closed her eyes, gently running her fingers in his hair, "You're going to be an amazing hero. The number one, in fact, isn't that what you said? You're going to have to stop doubting yourself if you don't want me to steal your place."
A small smile crept up to his lips. She opened her eyes, wiping his tears away. She brought her face closer to his, hugging him and kissing his forehead and closed eyelids. Bakugo leaned into her, brushing his nose with hers, relishing her comforting warmth. He rested his head on her shoulder as she patted his hair.
"You don't always have to be strong," she spoke. "It's okay to depend on someone from time to time. We can be strong one day, but not tonight. Tonight, just lean on me. I want to be there for you too, Kat."
He tried not to smile at the nickname against her neck, his arms slithering around her to pull her closer. He nuzzled into her neck when she kissed his hair, her hand rubbing comforting circles on his back. His eyes slowly drifted shut, exhausted from the after-effects of the panic attack. His body felt at ease, and so did his mind.
At that moment, Yoshiko wanted to tell him she loved him. She wanted to bare her heart out to him and tell him how much she adored his stupid face. She wanted to tell him that she was sure he was the one for her. She couldn't because he fell asleep in her arms.
She leaned back, putting a cushion on the armrest and resting her head on it. She felt Bakugo's warm breath on her neck, his body on top of hers. Her eyes shifted to the wall clock, indicating almost two in the morning. She yawned, her hand playing with his hair as she slowly fell into dreamland.
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