Chapter Text
One Year Later
Izuku came into consciousness at the sound of giggling from the other side of the bed. He smiled a little, keeping his eyes closed, as he heard Katsuki shushing Eri.
“Come on, bug, let’s not wake him up, okay?”
Eri must have nodded, because Katsuki shifted, rising from the bed quietly. “Teeth time,” he murmured to the girl, “and then we can make breakfast before he has to get up.”
“Okay,” she whispered back, although it was a touch too loud to really be considered that.
Izuku listened to them move into the couple’s en-suite, door closing behind them. Izuku sighed happily, cracking his eyes open to take in the sunlit bedroom.
It had been both a long time and no time at all since Izuku and Katsuki had driven Eri away from her life of horror, but she had surprisingly adjusted well, considering everything. When they had arrived at the school, Inko and Toshinori were already there and debriefing with Aizawa. The dark-haired man had taken one look at the way Eri was wrapped around Izuku and sighed exasperatedly.
“Didn’t you two just solve your issues?” He asked wryly.
Izuku had smiled innocently at him, and that was that.
Eri had thrived in America, able to heal from the trauma of what Chisaki had done to her far away from where it had happened, and Izuku learned how to be what she needed, a parent when she’d never really had one. Katsuki also didn’t shy away, and everything fell into place nicely.
That wasn’t to say that Izuku and Katsuki easily fell back into where they used to be. No, it had been a rough road, with Izuku still needing to finish out his year at the DWMA, and the lingering hurt that hadn’t been hashed out between the two of them. But neither of them were willing to give up; Katsuki travelled consistently between Japan and America, taking Izuku out on dates and reconnecting in ways that were stronger than they had ever been before.
So when Izuku packed up Eri and the rest of his belongings to take them back to Japan, it was with a light heart that he did so. Katsuki had refused to let them move into their own place, claiming that he had more than enough room for the both of them. He even bribed Eri by letting her have free reign over what her room would look like, and Izuku folded like a house of cards.
It wasn’t the easiest transition; Katsuki wasn’t used to living with anyone, and Izuku was used to the independence of only living with a child, but they managed.
And now, here they were a year later, co-parenting the sweetest little girl and solid in their relationship. Even without marriage.
Izuku’s phone rang next to him from where it was charging on the nightstand, and he groaned as he picked it up. “Hello?” He answered, wincing at the sleep rasp in his voice.
“Is this Midoriya Izuku?” A pleasant voice asked.
“It is,” he confirmed. He sat up in the bed, rubbing at his eyes and trying to stifle a yawn.
“I’m a clerk with the Musutafu Child Services Office, calling about you and your partner’s paperwork involving one Chisaki Eri?”
Izuku’s eyes widened in surprise. “Yes! Sorry, we were just having a lie-in this morning; how are you?”
“I’m fine this morning, Midoriya-san, although I do call bearing some bad news,” she informed him solemnly. “You and Bakugou Katsuki filed the paperwork to petition to be able to adopt Eri a few months ago, but as of this morning, the petition is being denied.”
Izuku froze, his earlier joy at a morning with his little family fading. His heart felt like it had dropped out of the bottom of his feet. “W-What?”
“I’m sorry, Midoriya-san,” she apologized, and she did sound truly sorry. “Unfortunately, the judge that was handling your case did not rule in your favor due to the fact that Eri wouldn’t be in a stable household. You are still able to hold your custody of her for now, but she will still be in the system for potential couples to petition to adopt her.”
Katsuki filled the doorway of their bedroom, eyes locked on Izuku’s face. Izuku couldn’t look at him. He was edging towards a panic attack, imagining their little girl being taken away, and one look at Katsuki would send him spiraling.
Izuku cleared his throat, voice shaky as he asked, “What do you mean by us not being a stable household?”
“Ah.” She sounded nervous, papers shuffling on her end of the phone. “The judge didn’t say exactly, but it could be a number of things. Occupation, location, m-marital status,” she listed, stuttering over the last one.
It came together with a click in Izuku’s head. “He’s stopping us because we’re two men who aren’t married,” Izuku told her, knowing it was true.
The line was silent for a moment, before she sighed. “I’m not supposed to give out this information,” she started, voice lowering slightly, “but I remember when the two of you saved my girlfriend from that Kishin attack a few months ago. The judge—he’s not the most tolerant.”
Izuku scowled, realizing what she wasn’t saying. “And if our status happened to change?”
Katsuki inhaled sharply.
A smile could be heard over the phone. “Well,” she said, “considering that the judge only put on the paperwork that it was your marital status stopping you, if that were to change, there would be no reason to stop your petition.”
Izuku huffed. “Thank you so much.”
“It’s no problem. You have a good day, Midoriya-san.”
“You too.” With a click, the call ended, and Izuku turned to Katsuki.
Katsuki’s eyes were wide, looking at Izuku like he had never seen him before, and Izuku knew exactly what he was thinking. They had discussed it early on, Izuku telling Katsuki that he hadn’t really moved from his stance on marriage but explaining why he had felt that way. Katsuki had looked disappointed, but told Izuku that he respected it and it changed nothing. He still wanted to be with Izuku. Couldn’t really imagine being with anyone else.
So, overhearing the call Izuku just had, Katsuki was confused, the emotion plastered on his face, but a small piece of hope in his eyes. “Are you sure?” He asked. “Because once we do this, I’m not signing anymore papers regarding it.”
Izuku smiled a little. This was an impulsive decision, yes; but it wasn’t a decision that came out of nowhere. Izuku had come across the black velvet box in Eri’s drawers a few months ago when getting her dressed for the day. He hadn’t opened it, not wanting to see the bands that he knew lay within, but it had gotten him really thinking on his reason for refusing. Izuku was still nervous that marriage would cause them to fall apart, something he wouldn’t come back from, but if eight years apart hadn’t stopped Katsuki from loving Izuku, he didn’t truly believe anything could.
So, rising from the bed, he smirked. “Kacchan, grab the rings, and let’s get this show on the road.”
It was silent for a single heartbeat before Katsuki barked out a laugh. He rushed Izuku, sweeping him up off the floor and into a hard kiss, before turning his head and shouting, “Eri, the plan is in motion!”
There was a screech from the direction of the kitchen followed by running feet, and Eri streaked past the open door, heading for her room. Izuku raised a brow at Katsuki. “You two have been planning this?”
Katsuki gave him a sharp grin. “More or less,” he admitted, shrugging, jostling Izuku in his spot in Katsuki’s arms. “Eri was adamant that she gets to be a flower girl.”
Izuku shook his head in amusement. “Oh, Eri was adamant, huh?”
“I might not have been opposed to the idea.”
Izuku was still laughing when Eri came in, holding the box in her hands. She gave it to Katsuki, bouncing in place in her excitement. “He said yes?” She asked eagerly.
Katsuki looked at Izuku. “Are you?”
Izuku pursed his lips to control his laughs. “Maybe you should ask and find out?”
Katsuki put him back on his feet. He smoothly opened the box, dropping to one knee, and asked with mock-solemnity, “Midoriya Izuku, will do me the honor of marrying me?”
Izuku paused, putting one finger on his chin as if thinking about it. He could hear Eri squawk in outrage, and he laughed. “Yes, Bakugou Katsuki. I will marry you.”
Eri squealed, face lighting up in joy. She grabbed at Izuku’s hand, taking a moment to put up her fingers to remember which hand was the left one, and held it out to help Katsuki slide the band onto Izuku’s finger.
Izuku studied it, admiring the way the platinum band looked shining against the tan of his skin. Holy hell, he was getting married.
“So,” Izuku finally said, interrupting Katsuki and Eri’s minor celebration of high-fives. “City hall?”
The whole room froze for a second. “Now?” Katsuki asked incredulously.
Izuku shrugged. “Why not?”
Katsuki was stunned into silence, but Eri was not. “Can I still be the flower girl?” She asked.
“Sure,” Izuku agreed easily. “Call your grandparents and have them stop at a flower shop.”
“Are you sure about this?” Katsuki asked again as Eri disappeared with Izuku’s phone.
“Katsuki.” Izuku framed his face with his hands. “There is nobody else I would change my mind for.”
A slow smile spread across Katsuki’s face, turning him effervescent in his joy. Izuku would have never guessed that this meant so much to Katsuki, although he should have known.
“Grandma is going to get the flowers!” Eri came to a stop in the doorway. She gave them an unimpressed look. “You can’t get married in your pajamas.”
Izuku smiled at her, his heart filling with affection for the two of them. “You’re absolutely right, sweetheart. Why don’t you help me pick out a dress for you to wear and we’ll get going?”
Katsuki stopped Izuku before he could follow her. “Thank you,” he said quietly.
Izuku gave him a soft peck on his lips. “No, Kacchan. Thank you. Thank you for being so patient and still loving me despite everything.”
“It wasn’t hard to do so. You’re it for me. That won’t ever change.” They parted with one more kiss before Izuku left to help Eri.
It was when they were in the car on their way to the courthouse that Katsuki remarked, “So, you’re taking my last name, right?”
Izuku took his hand that was on the gearshift. “You know, that doesn’t sound too bad. Bakugou Izuku,” he mused, and Katsuki’s other hand tightened on the steering wheel. “I could get used to it.”