Edited 5/16/23
White lights.
The bright florescent lights hung over your head like a tombstone marking your grave. Once the light came into focus, you started feeling a significant amount of pain basically everywhere.
Your memory was hazy, yet the scathing sensation on your left side reminded you of your trauma.
The sweltering heat, the smell of burnt hair and flesh. The wave of blazing red that came toward you.
You were engulfed.
You glanced at your left side to see your arm bandaged all the way up to your neck. Your leg had matching wrap job and your left ear was covered in a cotton patch. Your mouth and nose were covered by an oxygen mask with a hint of the salty scent of saline lingering. Were you on a nebulizer? What happened to your lungs?
Your instincts wanted you to panic, but instead you channeled that nervous energy into coping humor.
You snorted to yourself while thinking of Todoroki. "I guess I'm a different kind of half and half." You looked around the room to see you weren't in the nurse's office, but the hospital instead.
"I guess I did go a bit overboard..."
"You could say that again." Your eyes traveled over to the door to see Eraserhead making his appearance, also covered in bandages.
"Looks like we got ourselves all wrapped up in trouble eh Sensei?" You grinned while removing the mask. Your throat was a bit sore from what must have been smoke inhalation and coughing while unconscious. Aizawa stopped in his spot.
"Don't make me want to kill myself this early in the morning." You couldn't stop the laugh barrelling out from your chest.
"Sorry Sensei. Say...what time is it?" The iconic hero opened up the blinds to show you that you were in the middle of the town of Musutafu, a suburban city outside of Tokyo that UA was located in. The sky was crystal clear and cerulean. It was quite a beautiful day out.
"It's morning, class will begin soon where I will tell the students which agencies they have been invited to. I have a list of the students and where they have been invited as well as the students with no invitations." Aizawa placed the stack of papers and records in your hands, giving you a pencil and a red marker to use.
You felt an intense amount of disappointment in your chest that you missed Katsuki's match, but you were relieved to know there weren't any significant security concerns. You just hoped no one noticed the vial in your gym locker.
"I know your job is to look after the students...so I will come back after school tomorrow to give you the list of where the students chose to understudy at," Aizawa continued. You smiled at your teacher, the man holding no expression...well...nevermind the fact he was still bandaged on his face and most of his arms.
"I really appreciate this Sensei. You've just made my job so much easier." Aizawa started to laugh, making you worried for what was in store for you.
"Don't thank me yet." Suddenly you remembered your UA uniform.
"Ah! Sensei do you know what happened after I must have passed out? It's all foggy to me."
"Yeah...you suffocated in Todoroki's fire and passed out. Turns out your quirk doesn't help if you can't breathe. Looks like you aren't much of a match for someone with a fire quirk. I tried to stop his fire but you already had a few burns and were completely unconscious by the time everything cooled off. All Might had to hold back Bakugo from making a fool of himself. If it weren't so tragic, it would have been almost funny."
"Wow I'm glad me almost getting torched by the nepo-baby was funny," you sighed sarcastically. It was the first time Aizawa actually snorted in a quiet laugh from one of your comments, giving you hope that he didn't actually hate you after all.
"Gotta keep you on your toes so you don't get too comfortable."
"Right? God forbid I feel safe at UA or something," your sarcasm continued. He didn't laugh this time, but you weren't entirely sure why he went quiet. Aizawa didn't trust you nor did he like your mentality about hero work. The fact he came to visit you at all was surprising.
"Is there anything you need before I go?" He broke the silence. You looked at the television on the wall that was pitch black and a remote too far away from you.
"Can you hand me the remote please?" Aizawa submitted to your request, handing you the cheap black remote. You gave him a quick thanks and the man began to leave. He stopped in the doorway however and looked over at you.
"You being here is my fault. I'm sorry I failed you." You whipped your head over to Aizawa, his expression, what limited form of it that showed, was full of remorse.
"Failed me?" His grip on the door handle tightened.
"You wouldn't have been burned if I stopped the match and erased Todoroki's quirk. We all knew he had limited self-control with his fire. I know you knew that risk as well. I'm sorry I let it get too far. You may have experience, but while you're at UA, I am still your teacher."
Everything you thought you knew about Aizawa vanished into smoke. Every time you thought you understood these hero types, you got them wrong. He was cold and precise, but he actually did care about you. All Might, Bakugo, Yaoyorozu, and Aizawa...not to mention individual students like Midoriya, Iida, and Ochaco who tried to be your friend...
You never had felt so lost before. It wasn't like before where the only one to care for you was yourself. There were people who waited for you, who looked forward to seeing you. There was a home to come back to.
"I...thank you for caring Sensei." He could see the slip of hesitation in your voice and how your eyes couldn't meet his. It would take time, but he was certain your feelings would become rationalized soon. Everyone had something to fight for, but finding that reason beyond pain was an equally terrifying journey. All you knew was that you didn't hate this. You wanted to keep these feelings forever.
"Don't thank me for doing my job. I don't want to see you get hurt...no matter the reason. See you after school tomorrow (y/n)."
Sitting alone while watching the peaceful dawn had never felt so safe.
~~
You sat bored in the hospital and went over the stacks of papers that Aizawa handed you earlier. The news was playing on the TV softly in the background and in about an hour, you knew the nurses were going to come around with breakfast. You scanned through the papers to find Katsuki's first, a huge packet stuffed to the brim with names and agencies that wanted him.
NAME: Katsuki Bakugo
AGE: 16
QUIRK: Explosions
FESTIVAL PLACING: 1st Place
Your eyes froze on the word first, a grin brewing on your cheeks. Good job Katsuki...I'm so proud of you!
HERO AGENCY REQUESTS: 3,556
Your heart stopped.
H-HOW MANY AGENCIES?!?
You flipped through his packet. Name after name...city after city...it seemed the list was never ending! How was Katsuki going to decide where to go?!
You flipped to the next person.
NAME: Shoto Todoroki
AGE: 15
QUIRK: Ice/Fire
FESTIVAL PLACING: 2nd Place
HERO AGENCY REQUESTS: 4,123
You thought you were going to faint. Are ALL OF THESE GOING TO BE THIS HEFTY?!
The first name on Todoroki's packet that was listed was Endeavor's agency. You guessed that would probably be the place he chose.
The next name is the packet was your own.
NAME: Y/N L/N
AGE: 17
QUIRK: Vanish
FESTIVAL PLACING: 3rd Place
HERO AGENCY REQUESTS: 2
You stared at the number, unsure if you saw it correctly. There were only two names listed underneath yours and your heart sunk. Why were you not good enough for the pro-heroes?
1. All Might- Number 1 Ranked Hero (Tokyo)
2. The Ghost King- Unlisted (Shini Mountains)
You stared at the name The Ghost King. It was completely unfamiliar to you, but the location was more than close to home. You went to grab your phone off the hospital nightstand to look it up further when the TV began to catch your attention.
A young anchor woman and a professional looking man were on the television talking about the UA Festival.
"Festival goers were completely surprised by the tenacity and power the newest generation of rookies showed in class 1A at UA: Private Hero Academy. The most ferocious was no doubt the winner and highest rank first-year, Katsuki Bakugo." You saw Katsuki on TV in some sort of muzzle around his face, the boy tied to a pole in the center of the ceremony. All Might's face held a bright smile, his signature expression. You wanted to giggle at Katsuki's craziness but was confused why he was like that when he should have been happy he won. What happened after you went unconscious?
You looked at Todoroki's expression. A shadow was present on his face, his head hung low in shame. Your heart stung for him even though you were here in this hospital because of him. It wasn't like he was actually trying to kill you, and it was partially your own fault for instigating him.
"The second place contender, Shoto Todoroki, also known as the son of Endeavor, seemed to lose all interest in fighting after his semifinal match against newcomer (Y/N) (L/N). He used his fire quirk and nearly burned the girl alive. If it wasn't for Endeavor and Eraserhead's quick thinking, a trip to somewhere worse than a hospital would have been in store for the poor girl. She is currently residing in the local hospital, recovering from her injuries. This raises the question, are the students at UA being trained to be heroes? Or just future villains?"
You watched the recap of Todoroki bursting his body into flames, your side also being burnt. You screamed in agony and several people rushed the stage. Endeavor jumped from his seat in the audience towards you, immediately taking away the flames from your unconscious body. Your clothes were smoldering and tattered practically everywhere, but you were still breathing.
Todoroki fell to his knees as his fire was cut off instantly by Eraserhead, tears falling from his gray and teal eyes. You heard muted apologies coming from Todoroki through his tears. He truly felt remorse for hurting you. Watching someone who nearly killed you, cry for you...it was deeply unnerving compared to what you were used you.
Has anyone ever cried for you before? He really cared that much?
"Our next story at 8, the attack on Ingenium in Hosu City. What happened to the hero and where is his attacker, the Hero Killer: Stain, now? We will be back after the commercial break." You froze. Ingenium was Iida's brother. The Hero Killer was on your bounty list for two years now...he always seemed to slip away.
Out of curiosity, you glanced at Iida's file to see who scouted him. Only 301 agencies looked at him compared to the thousands for Katsuki and Todoroki. You scanned through all of the locations to see only one in Hosu City. If Iida picked that...well it was only right you kept an eye on him...and maybe a quick bounty along the way.
~~
After a few hours of eating, napping, and procrastinating, you studied the different places your fellow students would go and looked into some strange names. You searched the internet for the Ghost King but nothing came up. You looked up the Shini Mountains and saw that they were not far from your birthplace, maybe a day on foot. It was said to be a spiritual place where you must honor ancestors of the past, a place of peace and worship.
Whoever this Ghost King was...why would he want anything to do with you?
A knock on your door alerted you of a guest. You turned your head to see a rather large figure with facial hair made out of fire in the entryway.
"I hope I am not bothering you." His deep voice had a strong and commanding presence. You quickly placed the stack of papers in the manilla folder Aizawa brought for you and hid your work. Your cover as a mere student was necessary right now.
"Not at all, just finishing up some homework." You spoke with a smile. You looked at the man who brought a small bag as he took a seat next to you. He was absolutely huge like All Might.
"My son is Shoto...I'm sorry he burned you. As his father, I am fully prepared to pay your hospital bill and fees." You were shocked by Endeavor's generosity. You always got this impression that he was this rude and mean man from Todoroki's hatred of him...but you guessed he had to of become the number two hero somehow.
"That is such a generous offer but I am actually fully insured. I thank you for your kindness." You smiled at the man, sitting upright as best as you could. He chuckled.
"Very well...if you change your mind or need help, I'll leave my card here for you to contact. Oh and uh...my daughter made you something from seeing your burns on the TV." Endeavor handed you the bag where you took it thankfully. You reached inside the tote, feeling a small hard plastic container of sorts. You pulled it out to see an unmarked container of homemade salve. You opened the lid and smelled inside, the perfume of lavender and aloe reminding you of previous years of sunburn.
"My daughter makes this homemade stuff for my other kids when they were in training. Shoto's mother has an ice quirk and some of them have skin that cannot handle the fire from me so well. Her salve seems to always make burns feel and heal much better. Trust me...there's no better stuff on the market than this." You smiled brightly at Endeavor, a feeling of warmth radiating through you from the kind gesture.
"That is so kind and thoughtful. I really appreciate this from both you and your daughter. She seems to be wonderful. Shoto has been such a good friend to me at school and we always have pushed each other to become better. I think he would be a phenomenal hero in the future." Endeavor chuckled, sitting back in the chair.
"You're damn right about that! He's a stubborn little bastard but he's my son for sure! That being said, I would implore you to remain good friends with him. I studied your moves and your talent during the UA Festival. Your quirk...it's remarkable. You should come to my agency for a tour and internship!" You scratched the back of your head in slight embarrassment from being praised.
"Ahh...well thank you. I'm still...deciding." Endeavor's eyes shown brightly, a smile on his face. For some reason, despite the smile only being kind and polite, it made your stomach churn.
"You were trained exceptionally well in martial arts...your movement is fluid and your transitions and self-control was great. I wonder if your perfect defensive quirk would be a good fit for an attack based quirk like Shoto's?" Endeavor wondered out loud. You furrowed your eyebrows, confused at what Todoroki's father was getting at.
"I'm...afraid I'm not sure what you're getting at sir." Endeavor leaned forwards, elbows on his knees and his expression throughtful as he looked at you.
"(Y/n)...how much do you know about quirk marriages?"
~~
You sat with a blank expression after Todoroki's father left. He was kind enough to give you homemade salve, an offer to pay your hospital bill on behalf of his son...and yet he also offered you to spend more time with the Todoroki family in an effort to one day arrange a quirk marriage. He was fascinated with the idea of your quirk...with the ability to travel instantly and to be able to dodge attacks by vanishing. He didn't know the details of your quirk or the drawbacks...he saw it as a way for his prized child to have perfect undefeatable heirs of his own someday...to bring a hero more powerful than All Might into the world. You shouldn't have been shocked, yet the sour feeling still irritated your stomach.
You barely touched your rice and vegetables during lunch, playing around with your clear soup just to have something in your system. You didn't know why, but after that salted topic with Endeavor, you just wanted Katsuki by your side.
"Hey Extra. How ya feeling?" You were stunned into disbelief seeing Katsuki in his school uniform in the room doorway. He was gazing at you, his red eyes ablaze, and a light sheen of sweat from sprinting here directly after the last class of the day.
"Katsuki!" You smiled brighter than the sun. Katsuki felt his heart flutter in his chest at your pure admiring expression. He never had someone look at him the way you just did, and he never wanted you to ever stop. Your eyes held a glimmer inside of him that made him feel secure and special...like he was the only thing in your world worth looking at. Your grin brought him untold joy just from knowing how happy you felt from his presence alone. But it was the way you said his name that burst his heart and elevated it up through his chest as if carried by millions of butterflies.
"(Y/n)..." He walked towards you, looking at your wrappings and your current state. He wanted to rush you, to kiss you until it was suffocating. To wrap his hand around your waist and move it down the small of your back...to feel your fingers in his hair and your soft lips pressing against his own...
He never desired anything quite like you.
He went to your side and saw the salve sitting on nightstand along with the manilla folder and your phone.
"What's with the folder and the cream? Gettin some visitors huh?" He said with a small teasing smile. You gave him one right back. Neither of you would say it, but you desperately missed each other's company. Katsuki especially. He had to go three days without knowing you were okay and going to be healthy. He kept visiting but...not seeing you awake for himself killed him with anticipation. Now that he sees and hears you, he finally feels like he can breathe.
"Aizawa Sensei dropped off the Hero Agency lists this morning. You got quite the hefty lot mister," you teased. Katsuki looked a little frustrated.
"Yeah but fucking Half and Half still got more than me. What the fuck is that about?! I won! I wonder if it's because of his stupid name. That shithead has a rich ass poser dad and he gets to be famous because of it. What a fucking joke." You scratched your head again, thankfully feeling all of your hair was still intact. Praise small miracles.
"About Todoroki...his father stopped by. He gave me this salve for my burns...he said they'll heal them right up." Katsuki was shocked, his eyes wide.
"Endeavor? That's fucking weird. Well shit, let's put this shit on...I'll help you," he came over eagerly. You extended your arm out and Katsuki slowly and gently began to pull off the bandages. A sticky cold goo like substance coated your arm, almost like a protective layer from the previous treatment. Katsuki didn't seem grossed out at all and merely wiped it away as softly as he could. The skin underneath was irritated and clearly in the midst of healing. You wondered if Recovery Girl had been treating your wounds with how fast they were healing, and it would explain your semi-comatose state over the weekend.
"Well...plus side is that it doesn't look like it will scar all that badly. It'll make for one badass conversation though." Katsuki spoke aloud. You were silent as Katsuki peeled all of your bandages off, exposing the fresh and healing skin to the air. He opened up the jar of salve and put a little bit on your shoulder. The first sensation you felt was a freezing cold ice-like gel coating. It then immediately felt soothing against the residual heat. Katsuki was focused on your arm, his fingers gently caressing them by putting on the salve for you everywhere he could touch. Those scarlet eyes...his chiseled jaw...his delicate touch...you loved all of it.
It reminded you why you would never agree to what Endeavor asked of you.
"Endeavor asked me about something today too, right before he left." Katsuki hummed in reply, moving from applying the salve to your face now. His hand very gently brushed the salve onto your forehead and cheek, his face a few mere inches away. You didn't have much going on your face in terms of injuries but he didn't take chances.
"He asked if I would agree to a quirk marriage with Todoroki." Katsuki's scarlet eyes widened in complete surprise, him freezing in his spot and his hand on your face.
"W-what the fuck did you just say?" He stammered out. You looked into his eyes and repeated yourself.
"Endeavor asked me to be in a quirk marriage with Todoroki after graduation." Katsuki was infuriated and anxious. If Todoroki beat him in getting more invites, beat him financially, beat him in title...what did he have to fight that?
The power inside Katsuki's heart was stronger than all of what stood in his way. He will get what he wants.
You're what he wants.
Fuck it. Katsuki thought.
"That's not going to ever fucking happen. You're mine." He vowed while looking into your eyes with an open heart with space only for you. He leaned in quickly, in complete need of you and total desire.
He kissed you with a fiery passion that put Todoroki's flames to shame.