A few days had passed since your capture.

Naturally, both heroes and police officers alike were on the lookout for members of the League, but the remaining members had escaped during All Might's battle with All For One. You were sure they'd regrouped and settled elsewhere. To think that if the hero hadn't showed up when he did, you could've still been trapped with them right now.

This was the best possible turn-out, really. Yes, a fair amount of pro heroes—All Might included—had been gravely injured during their run-in with the notorious villain boss, but neither Katsuki nor any other of your friends had been injured. Well, your little trip to the hospital aside, at least. That wasn't really of that much importance right now. Since you and Katsuki had been in direct contact with the villains, both of you had been prohibited from going outside, for safety purposes. You wouldn't have normally minded staying indoors and getting some rest, but with everthing that had happened, you wanted to see him more than ever, if only for a little while.

"Mom, can I please?"

She sighed. "[Name], sweetie, you know that's not a good idea. The police told you to stay inside."

"I know, but—"

"Listen to your mom," your father frowned. "Don't take these matters lightly, [Name]. I swear... I come back from over-seas only to find out that my daughter's been entangled in a mess like this. For my own peace of mind, please listen to what the cops and heroes have been telling you to do."

You pouted. You were fully aware of how unreasonable you were being right now, but you just couldn't help it. The feelings you held for Katsuki were more overwhelming than ever before. After your brush with death, you needed to see him.

"Fine," you huffed, crossing your arms. "Then could one of you please drive over to Katsuki-kun's house and pick him up, then bring him back here? That way I don't have to actually step outside, and you can keep me under your surveillance while he's here."

Your father cocked a brow, glancing from you towards your mother. She smiled wistfully, likely realizing that you wouldn't be deterred.

"You want to see this boy that badly?" he asked.

"Yes," you reaffirmed, "I need to."

"That's..."

He was probably wondering what in the hell had happened in the time he'd been gone. Your mother had very briefly filled him in on the fact that you'd begun dating someone, but he hadn't been around to see it all with his own eyes. To notice the changes in your demeanor.

"I see." Your father stood up suddenly, and you watched as he made for the door, slinging a coat over his shoulders. "Then, please let him know that I'm on my way. Send me his address via a text message. This will be a good opportunity for me to assess what type of person this boyfriend of yours is."

His eyes were slightly clouded. So this was the so-called "over-protective dad mode" you'd heard about. In any case, it was great that you'd be getting to see Katsuki. You just hoped your father wouldn't say anything inappropriate in the car.

"Thank you, dad." You smiled, [e/c] orbs brightening. "I appreciate it. He's a good guy, I'm sure you'll understand."

He nodded once and left through the door. You constructed a hasty text—for your father and Katsuki, respectively. Hopefully his parents would be alright with him coming over for a bit. Your mother nibbled at her bottom lip worriedly.

"Perhaps I should've gone to pick him up instead... your father may interrogate the life out of that poor boy."

"Dad wouldn't do that. He's not the scary type."

She chuckled. "You'd be surprised to what lengths parents go for their children. This is fine, though. I can tell how worried you are about him. Your expression's changed so much from the start of the school year."

"Really...?"

Your mother smiled and stroked your hair. "Definitely. You're stronger, sweetheart. I can see it in your eyes."

Maybe they were just empty words; white lies that a mom would tell her child. It didn't matter either way. You chose to believe her.

—

"Hello... [Name]."

"Uh, hi Katsuki-kun." You crinkled your brows at the blonde. "What's wrong?"

You only asked because he wore a solemn, tight-lipped expression, and his body language was a little off. He looked sort of... fidgety? Uncomfortable? His eyes kept flitting from you, to the ground; back to you, then—

Ah.

He said something, didn't he? He must've said something to make him feel uneasy during the car ride...

You looked to your father, who was smiling good-naturedly. Katsuki was still stiff as a board. Yep, something had definitely happened there.

"Tell me, Katsuki-kun." You jerked him by the sleeve, lowering your voice a smidgen. "Did he say something mean to you? I hope he didn't, otherwise we're going to have a problem."

Katsuki tightened his jaw. "He didn't... say anything."

"C'mon, you can be honest with me."

"No, I'm serious. He didn't say a single word, the entire time. I tried saying a few things here and there, but... he ignored me completely. It was awkward as hell. Felt like it would never fucking end..."

Again, you glanced towards your father, but he'd already shuffled off towards the kitchen and was helping prepare the dinner. You understood the gist of parents wanting to make sure their children were dating the right kind of people, but wasn't he at least going to try getting along with him? He couldn't just make brash judgments like this right off the bat.

You puffed out your cheeks, growing hot in the face. "Unacceptable."

"[Name]," Katsuki tried, "don't do anything—"

"There's no reason for him to be so rude, though! I'm gonna go rip him a new one!"

You weren't one to preach about first impressions—hell, your first meeting with Katsuki had been near abysmal, but that was exactly why you understood best that these things needed time. He just needed a little bit more time, and then he'd realize, without a doubt, just how amazing of a person Katsuki was. Already, most people struggled to understand him and just cast him off; labeling him as an "asshole" or "conceited bastard". He was so much more than what a superficial glance at the surface told you. Sure, not everybody could understand that, but you'd be damned if your own family wasn't willing to, either.

"Dad—"

"Don't," Katsuki rasped, clamping a hand across your mouth before your father could hear you. His eyes softened. "Seriously, it's fine. From a logical standpoint, it makes sense why he wouldn't like me. The only reason you got wrapped up with those villains is because you tried to save me. So your dad's probably pissed, blaming me for getting you involved in something dangerous and letting you get hurt."

Your eyes widened. "But that's not—!"

"It is what it is. They weren't there, so they don't have all the facts, but he has reason to be mad at me." Katsuki cast his gaze towards the ground. "He's right, after all. I was useless. No father would want their girl dating someone who can't even protect them properly."

"You know that isn't true..."

He flashed you a lopsided grin. "Don't worry. I'll prove to him that I can take care of you."

Katsuki made his way into the kitchen, offering to help your mom with setting the table. You noticed your father's gaze affixed to the blonde as he got out plates and cutlery and arranged them in place.

Before long, dinner was ready, and you were all gathered together at the table. Katsuki sat by your side, with your father seated just across from him.

Yep, this was going to be awkward, alright.

"[Name], do you want more salad?" your mom asked.

"Uh... I'm fine, thanks."

You were more focused on the subtle-yet-not-so-subtle exchanges between your boyfriend and your father. Katsuki reached out to spoon another helping of mashed potatoes onto his plate—at that very moment, your father grabbed the bowl with both hands and scooted it closer to his side, out of Katsuki's reach. He smiled passive-aggressively.

"Ah, sorry, Bakugou. Did you want more?"

Dick.

Katsuki remained composed as he shook his head. "Nevermind, I'm good. I've got enough here." He looked to your mother this time. "Thanks again for dinner. The food's way better over here than at my place."

"That's sweet of you to say, Katsuki. But I'm sure your parents are wonderful cooks."

"My mom's not the best. I prefer your—"

"[Name]," your father interjected, leaning forward with furrowed brows, "whatever happened to that other boy that liked you? The one from middle-school?"

What.

Seriously, what? Was he seriously bringing up other guys right in front of your boyfriend? Just to get under his skin?

"I don't know what you're talking about," you gritted out, casting a sideways glance towards Katsuki. His jaw had stiffened a bit, but he was doing a rather fine job of remaining calm and not giving into your father's provocations.

"Hm, that's a shame. He was a very nice young man."

I'm gonna slap him, I'm seriously gonna slap him, I swear I'm gonna—

"That's okay," Katsuki mumbled. "I really like your daughter. A million times more than that other guy did, I bet."

"Huh." Your father set his fork down, letting it fall against the plate with a resounding clink. "You seem to have quite a bit of attitude about you. Surely, you're aware of the fact that [Name] has been lamenting about you for almost her entire life. She's rarely so explicit about these things, but we knew when she'd met her soulmate, and it goes without saying that we also knew what you said to her for the very first time."

Katsuki swallowed, as did you. Yes, your parents had been considerate enough to give you space and not bombard you with countless questions about your soulmate, but it would've been strange if they didn't have concerns. Those words imprinted on your hip—the blurry, now-faded writing...

"What kind of person speaks to a young girl that way?" your father glared. "My wife may be accepting of you, but I'm still not convinced. Not to mention that [Name] got roped into this mess because of you."

"Dad, that's not—!"

He waved you off. "If all you do is spout malicious statements like those and attract unnecessary danger to yourself, there's no reason for me to feel comfortable entrusting my daughter to you. I hope you can understand."

Your eyes widened. 'I hope you can understand'...? So then, what? Was that just it? He was determined to be opposed to this relationship no matter what?

"Honey," your mother tried, placing her hand on his shoulder, "please try not to jump to any conclusions. I understand that you're only meeting Katsuki for the first time, but I've seen the two of them together while you were gone. They're both good kids—try having a little bit of faith."

Your father stared Katsuki dead in the eyes, the crease in his brows only deepening. "Get in my way and I'll fucking kill you, was it? I tried to keep my mouth shut this whole time, since [Name]'s well-being wasn't in danger, but I was never on-board to begin with. This incident just re-affirms what I'd already been led to believe—namely, that you're not a good influence, and an even worse partner to have around."

Katsuki nodded slowly. "I understand."

"Soulmate or not, at this moment in time, I have absolutely no reason to support your relationship."

"I... understand."

A firm lump had formed in your throat. You felt like crying. What the hell was going on? Shouldn't he be thankful for the fact that his daughter was safe, at least alive? Why did he have to pick now of all times to express his dislike of Katsuki? Now, of all times...

Just when you'd realized how badly you needed him in your life.

"...hate you."

Your father blinked. "[Name]? What did you just—"

"I hate you, dad." You whimpered, swallowing down the hot tears welling towards your eyes. "Right now, I hate you. How dare you just sit there and say such horrible things about Katsuki-kun? You don't even know... you don't even know how hard we've worked to be together."

He stared, dumbfounded. "You... hate me? But all I'm trying to do is—"

"Leave me alone."

You stood up abruptly, slamming your chair against the edge of the table. The tears were flowing freely now, streaming down puffy, flushed cheeks. You rushed out of the kitchen and stormed to your room. You didn't want your parents to see you crying, but most of all, you couldn't bear to break down in front of Katsuki yet again. It hurt your heart to appear so horribly weak time after time.

"[Name]," a voice called softly. Katsuki had followed you to your room. The lights were off at least, so he wouldn't have to see your pitiful, sniveling expression. You hugged your knees to your chest and shuddered, quivering in a corner.

"Why... does he have to say such h-horrible things?" you whimpered. "He doesn't even know... he's been gone, and he thinks he knows, but... he d-doesn't. He doesn't know anything..."

Katsuki crouched down beside you, looping his arms around your shoulders. "It's fine. Don't be upset. A couple shitty words never hurt me before, and they're sure as hell not going to now."

"But, he's—"

"It doesn't matter what he thinks of me now. I told you I'd prove to him that I can protect you. Maybe that'll take some time, but I couldn't care less." He gently stroked the top of your head. "He'll see, [Name]. Compared to being held hostage by villains, something like this ain't shit."

You drew in another sob, slowly nodding your head. Katsuki carefully spun you around and cradled your neck against his chest. You allowed your arms to fall around his back, fingers gripping at the fabric of his shirt. He leaned in to kiss the bridge of your nose. Your chest immediately felt lighter from that simple gesture alone.

"...ahem."

You clenched your jaw, peering from around Katsuki's shoulder, only to find your father standing by the doorway. He looked the two of you over with disapproving eyes, but Katsuki's hold on you didn't loosen. The blonde merely smoothed your hair down, turning back towards him.

"My bad," Katsuki apologized. "I didn't mean to run off in the middle of dinner. [Name] was just—"

"Forget that. I came to talk to my daughter." His gaze met your own, softening somewhat. You gripped at Katsuki's shirt and glared.

"I don't want to talk to you."

"I didn't think you'd get so upset over this."

"Well, you thought wrong," you snapped. "You've only just met Katsuki-kun for the first time, and you somehow magically think you've got him all figured out?"

Your father let out a sigh. "I'm just basing my opinion of him off of all the facts I have. I know how worried you were about running into your soulmate all your life. You were scared to meet him, and even though we reassured you that everything would be alright, the truth is, we were a little afraid as well. To be honest, for some time, your mom and I were entertaining the thought that your soulmate might even turn out to be a villain, just from those first words alone..."

"A villain?" you gaped. "That's not—"

"Of course, I'm not implying now that Bakugou is anything of the sort, but my point is that we had our own reservations about this whole thing for a long time. And yes, it's true that this is only the first time we've met, but it's happening right after you were captured alongside him, because he was being targeted by that 'League'. Knowing all of this, how could I possibly be okay with your relationship?"

You drew in a shaky breath. Katsuki gently wiped away the last of your tears, granting you enough space to rise to your feet.

"You're wrong," you grimaced, clenching your fists. "Katsuki-kun's capture had nothing to do with me, from the very start. They only wanted him. He would've been the only one kidnapped, but I chose to throw myself in along with him, at the very last second. They never planned to bring me in; not through association, or anything like that. I got myself kidnapped on purpose, because the thought of him being taken from me was so much more horrifying than anything else."

Katsuki remained silent. Your father was looking you over in disbelief.

"You... chose to get yourself kidnapped?" he re-iterated. "But, that's—why would you do such an incredibly reckless, naive thing?! [Name], you could've been killed...!"

You laughed, and your father took a step back. "Sorry," you mused. "It's just that... Katsuki-kun said the exact same thing to me, after I'd gone through with it all and come after him. He never wanted me to get involved either. If he had his way, I'm sure he would have pushed me back with all his strength to keep me from being captured, even if it meant sacrificing his chances of being rescued. That's why everything you're saying is bullshit. You're my dad, and you love me, so you want me to be safe, but... Katsuki-kun also wants to keep me safe. He's strong, and braver than any other person I know. So, you saying that he isn't capable of protecting me is just utter nonsense, and I really don't want to hear it anymore."

Your father swallowed. "[Name], you're..."

"She's a moron," Katsuki sighed, making your father's brows rocket. "I made her promise not to pull any more stupid shit like that for my sake, but she can be surprisingly stubborn. She shouldn't have come after me, putting her life on the line like that, but I also should've done a better job at protecting her. In the end, I guess we both fucked up." He straightened up, bowing his head slightly. "I just hope you'll forgive me one day. It's probably scary as hell to leave your daughter with some sketchy-ass guy you just met, but... I'm not one to give up. Both in battle, and in everything else. I'll never give up trying to protect her, but I also won't give up trying to be with her."

Silence.

You glanced from Katsuki's, whose crimson orbs were brimming with resolution, then to your father. Surprisingly, his lips were pulled into a small grin.

"Ah," your father chuckled. "So this is a declaration of war."

"I guess so. Basically, even if you decide to hate my fucking guts, I'm gonna find a way to be with [Name] no matter what. I'd like your approval, but even if I don't have it, that's not going to keep me from getting what I want." Katsuki smirked. "I'm a pretty hard-headed bastard, after all."

"I got the feeling you were."

"Cool. Your opinion of me still isn't worth shit, though."

You were so lost. Really, you had no idea what in the hell was happening anymore. Katsuki had come into this with respect, ready to win your father over, and now he was just throwing that all away like he didn't care?

Or, no.