Chapter Text
“What should we name him, Masaru?” The voice echoed throughout the small dingy room.
“Katsuki,” The name rolled off of the man's tongue as if it had been predetermined, “yes Katsuki is a nice name,” The man brought the child close to him and whispered in his ear, “ Katsuki, no matter what, you are free.”
Katsuki Bakugo has never been free, despite the many places he could go to, or the people he could speak to, those daunting walls across the horizon prove to him that he would never be free; As long as those walls stood, Katsuki Bakugo would never be truly free.
—------
Katsuki awoke with a gasp, the bright light of the sun blinding him. He sat up disoriented and looked at the girl sitting near him.
“We should get back.” She said, her voice as soft as silk. Katsuki looked around and asked,
“Um, where are we exactly?”
Momo stood up, a small smile hidden behind the burgundy scarf she always wore.
“Try asking me again when you’ve awake.”
Momo walked away and picked up a pile of sticks, she turned towards Katsuki and faltered,
“Katsuki have..have you been crying?” Katsuki gasped slightly and touched the corner of his eyes, true to Momo’s words he was crying.
"Do me a favor, yeah?" Katsuki muttered as he and Momo wove through the narrow streets.
The morning crowd buzzed around them—market vendors shouting prices, boots clapping against cobblestone, steam rising from food stalls that clung to the walls of the inner district. Above them, the bridge cast a long shadow over the alley, filtering the sunlight into slivers.
"Don’t tell anyone I was crying," he added, not looking at her.
"Yeah, yeah," Momo replied, hands tucked in the sleeves of her coat. "Still... it’s weird. You don’t even remember why?
She glanced at him, then away.
"Might be worth asking your dad about it."
Katsuki snorted.
"Right, ‘cause crying’s obviously a medical condition now."
He kicked a loose stone across the path.
"Look, just don’t tell him. I don’t need the old hag freaking out like I’m broken or something."
Momo didn’t respond right away. The bridge loomed overhead now, quiet except for the drip of water from last night’s rain. As they passed beneath it, footsteps echoed behind a column.
"Somebody messing with ya?"
Katsuki stopped in his tracks. Yamada Hizashi stepped out from the shadows, leaning lazily against the stone arch. His Garrison jacket was half-unbuttoned, his hair even more chaotic than usual, and his breath smelled faintly of ale.
“Hey Mr Yamada.” Katsuki said.
"Mornin sunshine," Yamada grinned. "Thought I heard someone whining under the bridge. Figured it had to be you, Bakugo."
"Nobody’s whining," Katsuki snapped. "We’re just walking, so mind your own business."
"Sure, sure. Or maybe you just got on Momo’s bad side again," Yamada teased, nudging him with his elbow.
Katsuki slapped Yamada’s elbow away, his fists clenching roughly.
“No!” Katsuki shouted, his face twisting angrily, “What are you even talking about?”
Momo put her hand on Katsuki’s shoulder, as if to calm him. However it made him feel all the more enraged. How dare Yamada insinuate Momo could ever be better than him? He was the best!
Katsuki scoffed, letting Momo’s hand stay on his shoulder.
“You really need to stop drinking old man,” he started, talking slowly as if he was lecturing a child, “ After all, you're a part of the Garrison Regiment, how the fuck are you gonna protect the wall when you’re lying around shit-faced?”
Yamada looked at Katsuki dumbfoundedly, “What do I have to protect, titans can’t break through the walls, besides if you ever got the chance to see ‘em you’d think the same. They just stand there, groping at the walls mindlessly.”
“You dumbass! Are you saying that the titans aren’t that dangerous?” Katsuki yelled, “People like you are a disgrace to the military’s name!”
Momo grabbed Katsuki’s hand and pulled him away, “Sorry Mr Yamada, we’ve got to go now, Ms Bakugo is waiting for us.” She waved at him and began walking, “Have a good day.”
Katsuki’s face was burning with barely concealed rage, “Wait Momo,” he turned to look Yamada in the eye,
“I know why you joined the Garrison, so you can laze around and drink your shitty drinks all day long, you think life is good when you don’t have to do anything.” He sneered, “We live in a fucking cage, all we do is eat and sleep, you must be really fucking dumb if you think life like this is good.”
Katsuki walked off, leaving a stunned Yamada standing underneath the bridge.
“Katsuki,” Momo began whilst walking on the stone path near their house, “you should let the scout thing go.”
Katsuki scowled, “What do you think I'm too weak for it too,”
“Yes,” Momo replied snarkily, “We’re only 10, we won’t be able to stand one minute against those monsters.”
Katsuki’s retort was cut off by the sound of bells ringing loudly, signifying the return of the scouts. He grinned devilishly, “C’mon Momo, we can see them if we hurry,”
He ran towards the city centre, where the crowd was gathering, Momo followed, albeit a bit reluctant.
The sound of hooves trotting filled the stuffy air. People gathered on the sides, leaving a clear way for the horses to walk through. Katsuki’s eyes shined, he made eye contact with one of the scouts riding a horse and the scout looked away, his face portraying one of guilt.
“Moses,” a shout pierced the silence, “My son, he must be here with you, where is he?” An elderly woman stood in front of the crowd, her eyes shining with unshed tears.
One of the horses stopped and a man climbed off, blood was slathered across his forehead and his eyes were among the most pitiful Katsuki had ever seen. He gestured to another soldier and said remorsefully.
“Give her it.”
The woman' features slackened, a shadow of sorrow settling over her face as she was handed a wrapped up hand. It was covered in blood and was cold to the touch. She fell to her knees and begged loudly.
“At least tell me Moses did good, tell me that his sacrifice meant something, that he fought to the bitter end!” The man she was addressing crumpled to the ground.
“He was brave,” The man began, his face haggard, “But his sacrifice meant nothing. And even with all these losses, it’s still the same.” The man clenched his teeth and bowed his head.
“The day was lost!” He shouted, tears streaming down his face, “We have nothing! Your son died because of me! I sent him to his death! I sent all of them to their deaths! And there's nothing to show for it, all of it amounts to nothing!”
The man's confession started an uproar within the crowd and he was soon led away.
“Uplifting, huh.”
“Oh sure. Nothing like seeing our hard earned taxes go toward funding those pieces of shit.” Katsuki grabbed a piece of firewood from Momo and bashed the guy on his head.
“You little punk!” Katsuki raised the firewood, ready to hit the man once more when he was pulled into a nearby alley.
He turned around, about the beat the shit out of his kidnapper when he realised it was Momo.
“Hey what the fuck! Let me go!” He shouted thrashing wildly, however Momo’s grip on his clothes never wavered. She threw him against a nearby wall, causing all his firewood to fall down.
“Ugh great! All that fucking firewood fell. Fucking perfect!”
Momo stood watching him gather all the wood on the floor and asked,
“So. Are you still determined to join the scouts?” She stared at him, her gaze unyielding, and he stared back.
“Of course I am! What kinda shitty question is that,” Katsuki’s voice softened slightly, “now help me pick these up.”
Momo snorted, “As if you had that much to begin with.”
The pair picked up the sticks and made their way home. Katsuki opened the door to their house, a relatively small building, and yelled.
“We’re home!”
His mother, Mitsuki, was standing near the sink, chopping up vegetables. She bristled at the duo’s entrance and shouted.
“Stop fucking screaming Katsuki, the neighbors already have enough complaints as is!”
Katsuki retorted loudly, and the mother–son duo slipped into another one of their daily arguments.
With a small sigh, Momo shook her head, a faint smile tugging at her lips. She walked over to the cabinet where the family kept their firewood and placed the sticks she and Katsuki had gathered inside. Turning back toward the bickering pair, she spoke softly.
“Katsuki’s been thinking about joining the Scouts.”
The house fell into silence.
“What the fuck are you thinking Katsuki! No son of mine is going to be fodder!” Mitsuki’s harsh voice snapped the rest back to reality. Almost instantaneously, Katsuki stood up from where he was previously sitting, his eyes narrowed furiously.
“Let him be, Mitsuki.” Katsuki’s father, Masaru — always the well-spoken one — cut in. “Anyway, I’ve got to treat some folks in the interior. I’ll be back in about a week or so.”
He headed for the door, gathering his things, when he suddenly paused. Turning back, his eyes landed on his son.
“Katsuki,” he said, almost like the thought had only just occurred to him, “be good, and I’ll let you in on what I’m doing in the cellar.”
From beneath his shirt, he drew out a key strung on a thin chain. It caught the sunlight, glinting with an almost tempting allure. And just as quickly as he revealed it, Masaru slipped it back beneath his shirt.
The family followed the Bakugo patriarch outside and said their goodbyes, Mitsuki fussing over the way his tie was tied in a loving way.
“Katsuki, listen to me,” Masaru said, running a hand through his hair. “The outside is a nightmare.”
“I’m not stupid! I know it’s bad out there! But we can’t just give up on it.” Katsuki’s eyes hardened. “’Cause otherwise this nightmare’s never gonna end.”
“I see.” A faint smile touched Masaru’s lips, sunlight flashing off the round frames of his glasses. “Mere words won’t be enough to sate your curiosity. Your stubbornness is both your best and worst trait. Take care of yourself, alright?”
He rested a hand on his son’s shoulder, warmth in his gaze. For a moment, the faint glint of the chain beneath his shirt caught the light, as though reminding them both of what lay hidden in the cellar.
Katsuki scoffed and shrugged the hand away. “Worry about yourself, old man.”
Masaru laughed, bright and carefree, before giving his family a final wave. Then he turned, footsteps echoing against the cobblestone as he walked away, the secret he carried close still dangling unseen at his chest.
“I meant what I said,” Mitsuki began, her voice unusually soft, “The whole idea is just irresponsible, I raised you to be better.”
“Irresponsible?” Katsuki questioned incredulously, as if disagreeing with him was impossible, “So what? It’s more grown up to live in fear behind some shitty ass wall your whole pointless life?”
He turned away and walked off, his hands in his pockets, ignoring his mother yelling at him to come back.
Mitsuki sighed deeply, that fucking kid, he’s gonna be the death of her someday. She turned towards Momo, who was hiding her smile behind her maroon scarf, and said,
“Momo, that boy needs to be protected from himself, promise me you’ll take care of him, he treats you better than he ever would me,” she laughs quietly, “His pride is his hugest flaw.”
Momo looked into Mitsukis eyes and promised,
“I will, don't worry, Katsuki won't self-destruct with me around.” Mitsuki’s harsh features slackened and she brought Momo into a hug.
“You’re an angel,” Mitsuki whispered into the dark-haired girl's ear, “an absolute 𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘭."