The flickering porch light cast long shadows as I trudged up the walkway, the familiar weight of hero work pressing down on my shoulders. Another night, another villain apprehended, another city block spared from destruction. It was a routine I knew well, a rhythm ingrained in my very being. But tonight, the rhythm was off. An unsettling premonition gnawed at the edge of my senses.
I reached the door and froze. A small, woven basket sat on the welcome mat, a soft blanket spilling over its edge. Inside, a baby slept soundly, its tiny face serene, oblivious to the chaos of the world. My world. My heart hammered against my ribs. I cautiously picked up the folded note tucked beside the infant. The handwriting was unmistakable – Y/N's.
My breath hitched as I scanned the words, each sentence a blow to the gut. She was in America, on some "world mission." An assignment that required… secrecy. And then, the line that shattered what little composure I had left: "This is the end between us. Let's face it, Katsuki, we were never more than friends with benefits."
Rage, hot and blinding, surged through me. Friends with benefits? After everything? After Katsume and Hatsume? After the laughter, the shared victories, the quiet nights spent watching the city lights from our balcony? It all felt like a cruel joke. I crumpled the note in my fist, the paper twisting and tearing under the pressure.
But then, my gaze softened as it drifted back to the baby. Small, helpless, and completely dependent on me. This wasn't some abstract mission or a casual fling gone wrong. This was a life. My responsibility.
I carefully scooped up the basket and carried it inside, the weight a strange comfort. Katsume, my fifteen-year-old son, was sprawled on the couch, headphones blasting, the telltale glow of a video game reflecting in his red, slightly narrowed eyes – a clear inheritance from me. He hadn't even noticed my arrival.
"KATSUME!" I roared, my voice echoing through the apartment.
He ripped off the headphones, startled. "What the hell, old man? I'm trying to concentrate!"
"We have a new addition to the family," I said, my voice surprisingly calm, considering the turmoil raging within me. I gestured towards the basket.
Katsume squinted, then his jaw dropped. "A what? Is that… a baby?"
Hatsume, my ten-year-old daughter, skipped into the living room, her brown and black hair bouncing. Her bright blue eyes, usually sparkling with mischief, widened in surprise. "A baby? Where did it come from?"
Explaining the situation was… difficult. I glossed over the details of my relationship with Y/N, focusing on the fact that she was gone, and this baby was now our responsibility. Katsume, to his credit, listened intently, his initial shock giving way to a thoughtful frown. Hatsume, on the other hand, was immediately smitten.
"She's so tiny!" Hatsume squealed, gently stroking the baby's cheek. "Can we name her Hikari? It means light!"
Hikari. Light. It was fitting. Maybe, just maybe, this little girl could be a beacon in the storm that had suddenly engulfed my life.
The next few weeks were a blur of sleepless nights, diaper changes, and endless feedings. Katsume surprisingly stepped up, his teenage angst momentarily forgotten as he helped with the baby. His quirk, inherited from both Y/N and I, allowed him to create miniature, controlled fireworks. He used to use it for pranks, but now he'd use it to distract the baby if she started to cry. Hatsume, with her "Ignite" quirk, which allowed her to create small, controlled flames, was less useful but equally enthusiastic. She spent hours singing to Hikari, her voice surprisingly sweet and soothing.
Despite the help, the weight of single parenthood was immense. Balancing hero work with three kids was a challenge I hadn't anticipated. I was constantly exhausted, my patience stretched thin. But every time I looked at Hikari's innocent face, I knew I couldn't give up.
The mystery of Y/N's disappearance continued to gnaw at me. Her explanation felt flimsy, incomplete. A "world mission" that required abandoning her children? It didn't add up. I decided to do some digging. I contacted a few of my contacts in the hero network, quietly inquiring about any missions Y/N might be involved in. The responses were uniformly negative. No one had seen or heard from her. No agency had requested her assistance.
The more I investigated, the more suspicious I became. Something was wrong. Terribly wrong.
One evening, while putting Hikari to bed, I noticed a small, almost imperceptible symbol embroidered on the blanket she had arrived with. It was a stylized serpent coiled around a globe. A symbol I vaguely recognized from an old case involving an international espionage ring known as "The Serpent's Coil." They were rumored to be involved in everything from weapons trafficking to assassinations.
Suddenly, everything clicked into place. Y/N wasn't on some innocent mission. She was involved in something dangerous, something that put her life, and now Hikari's, at risk. She had left Hikari with me to protect her.
I knew I had to find her, not just for my own peace of mind, but for the safety of my children. I contacted my old friend Eijiro Kirishima, a hero known for his unwavering loyalty and his ability to get things done. I explained the situation, leaving out the personal details, and asked for his help in tracking down Y/N.
Kirishima, without hesitation, agreed. He used his connections to access classified information, uncovering a series of encrypted messages linked to Y/N's last known location. The messages pointed to a clandestine meeting in a remote location in the Swiss Alps.
I knew I had to go. I couldn't risk sending anyone else. This was my fight. My responsibility.
Leaving Katsume in charge of Hatsume and Hikari was difficult, but I trusted him. He had proven himself capable and responsible. I kissed my children goodbye, promising to return soon.
The journey to the Swiss Alps was arduous, filled with danger at every turn. I faced rogue villains, booby traps, and the constant threat of exposure. But I pressed on, driven by the need to find Y/N and uncover the truth.
Finally, I reached the location, a secluded mountain cabin shrouded in snow. I cautiously approached, my senses on high alert. Inside, I found Y/N, bound and gagged, surrounded by members of The Serpent's Coil.
A fierce battle ensued. I fought with a ferocity born of desperation, unleashing my full power, my explosions echoing through the mountains. I managed to subdue the villains and free Y/N.
As I untied her, I saw the fear and relief in her eyes. "Katsuki," she whispered, her voice hoarse. "I'm so sorry."
The truth came pouring out. Y/N had been working undercover for a secret organization trying to infiltrate The Serpent's Coil. Hikari was the daughter of a high-ranking member of the organization, a child they intended to use as leverage. Y/N had taken Hikari to protect her, knowing that I was the only person she could trust to keep her safe.
"I didn't want to involve you," she said, tears streaming down her face. "But I had no choice."
The mission wasn't over. We still needed to take down the Serpent's Coil for good and expose the corruption within the organization. It was a long and dangerous road ahead, but I knew, with Y/N by my side, we could face anything.
As we stood there, hand in hand, under the starlit sky, I knew that our "friends with benefits" relationship had been something more. It had been a foundation of trust and respect, a bond that was stronger than either of us had realized. And now, with our combined strength, we were ready to face the future, together, as a family. And with Hikari, the tiny beacon of light, guiding our way.