Something was definitely off.

(Y/n) slowly made her way toward the couch, settling beside All Might as Shadow helped her.

Meanwhile, Bakugou sat down in the middle of his parents, arms still crossed, his gaze trained on the floor.

.

After the teachers explained the dormitory situation, Mitsuki's reaction was immediate.

 With a grin, she smacked Bakugou on the head, making him jerk forward, "You kiddin'? Hell yea, get this kid in a dorm room."

"You hag! Hit me again and I'll kill you!" Bakugou snapped, glowering at his mother.

But if he thought his defiance would stop her, he was dead wrong.

SLAM!

Mitsuki whacked him even harder, nearly knocking him forward into the table.

"Oh hush! If you hadn't been so damn weak, you wouldn't have gotten caught and caused all that trouble!" she scolded as she glared him down.

Bakugou's gaze darkened, his teeth gritting audibly in frustration.

Masaru sighed, stepping in before another shouting match could erupt.

"Come on, you two! Please, no fighting in front of the teachers! Let's keep things civil, yeah?"

"Shut it, you damn clown! Mind your own business!" Bakugou snapped at his father, his tone just as sharp.

"Yeah, YOU'RE the one who needs to butt out!" Mitsuki barked at her husband at the exact same time before glaring back at her son, "Oh don't you even think about using your quirk Katsuki." Said Mitsuki simultaneously as she began to pinch hard on his cheeks. 

Meanwhile, All Might, Aizawa, and Shadow were giving a neutral, dumbfounded expression seeing the resemblance and temper of the family, while for (Y/n) it seemed completely normal for her seeing them as they are.

Masaru visibly deflated.

Meanwhile, the teachers and Shadow were simply watching in silence, completely deadpan.

Aizawa, All Might, and Shadow all had the same unimpressed expression, their gazes shifting back and forth like they were watching a tennis match of pure chaos.

(Y/n), however, looked completely unfazed. This was normal to her.

'Jeez, some family dynamic'  Thought All Might

I don't know who I should feel more sorry for," Shadow muttered lowly to (Y/n), his voice flat, "the angry mama bear or the porcupine."

(Y/n) simply glanced at him with an amused smile before turning her attention back to the Bakugou household.

Aizawa cleared his throat, bringing the conversation back on track.

"So, just to clarify—you're giving us your consent?"

Mitsuki turned back to them, shooting Bakugou a side glance before— 

WHACK

—she smacked him upside the head again before answering.

"Hm? Oh, the dorm? Yeah, yeah. Actually, we're grateful."

Bakugou grumbled in irritation, rubbing the spot where she hit him, but didn't say anything.

"Katsuki's fearless and good at everything he tries, especially since he's got that stupid-awesome Quirk. People were always fawning over him, whether he deserved it or not. It's probably why he ended up like this."

She sighed, crossing her arms, then shot Aizawa a knowing look.

"That's why I liked what you said at the press conference. That's when I understood that the school was watching him closely. Obviously, I was worried about the kid and didn't know what would happen. But he's back now, safe and sound, so it worked out. I'm sure UA will face harsh criticism from some people, but we still trust you, so we'll leave him to you. Right?"

Mh-hm." Masaru nodded in agreement.

Then, both parents bowed their heads respectfully.

Mitsuki, however, wasn't done. She grabbed Bakugou by the back of his shirt collar and forcibly yanked his head down too.

"He's a hot-tempered brat, and we know he's a pain, but train him hard and make him a good hero.

Then, she turned to (Y/n), her expression softening.

"And from the bottom of our hearts, thank you, (Y/n). Thank you for saving our idiot son and putting up with his attitude through your friendship."

(Y/n) smiled in response, but Shadow—who had been watching her closely the entire time—noticed something.

Her hand.

It was gripping the armrest of her chair. Tightly.

To anyone else, it was subtle, barely noticeable.

But he noticed.

Her fingers were shaking, the slight tremors hidden in the way she curled her grip.

Pain?

Exhaustion?

Or was there something else on her mind?

Shadow's red gaze flickered toward the clock hanging on the living room wall.

They had been out all day, moving from house to house, meeting families, constantly on their feet—no breaks.

He turned back to (Y/n), then quietly stood up from his seat.

He walked over to All Might and whispered something lowly into his ear.

All Might's eyebrows raised slightly before he nodded in understanding.

"i'm sorry, Mr. and Mrs. Bakugou," All Might spoke up, "Would it be okay if (Y/n) took a short break here? She's been going around nonstop today, and according to the court's and the doctor's orders, she needs a couple of minutes to rest."

Mitsuki immediately nodded.

"Of course! She can use the guest bedroom upstairs."

"Thank you. We'll be back to pick her up in a few minutes—we're going to bring her some lunch." All Might added.

"She's in safe hands, not to worry," Mitsuki reassured, waving him off.

Shadow stepped forward, his usual stoic gaze unwavering.

"Where's the room?"

"Upstairs, second door to the left."

Then—without another word—he grabbed (Y/n)'s hand.

In a blink of an eye, red and black energy swirled around them, and in an instant, they were gone.

Vanished.

The sudden disappearance left the Bakugou household momentarily stunned.

"W-What the hell!?" Mitsuki gasped, stepping back slightly.

"Tch— what the hell was THAT?!" Bakugou blurted out, his eyes wide

He whipped around toward his parents, then the teachers, then back at the now empty space where (Y/n) and Shadow had just been.

He had read nothing about that damn hedgehog thing having a teleportation Quirk.

...Just what kind of person was that guy?!

.

As All Might and Aizawa stepped out of the house, making their way toward the car, Bakugou followed behind them—slowly, his hands shoved deep in his pockets, his thoughts a storm of unanswered questions.

He had been quiet during the entire meeting, more so than usual. But that wasn't because he didn't have anything to say. It was because he was holding back—waiting.

And now, the moment had come.

As All Might was just about to enter the car, speaking with Miketsukami about (Y/n) staying a few extra minutes, Bakugou called out.

"All Might."

The former No. 1 Hero turned back to see Bakugou standing a few feet away, his expression unreadable.

Meanwhile, without anyone noticing, Shadow silently teleported onto the opposite side of the car, making sure to keep himself hidden. He opened the door quietly, grabbing a few items he had set aside earlier.

"I gotta know."

Bakugou's voice cut through the silence, his tone firm, unwavering.

"What exactly is Deku to you?"

At those words, Shadow froze.

His movements stopped, his hand hovering over the items he was about to take.

He had no idea what Bakugou's intentions were, but he had already gotten a pretty clear picture of the situation.

This kid—Katsuki Bakugou—was connecting dots.

And All Might?

All Might was hesitating.

"...He's my student. Just like you."

His response was gentle, careful.

"A fledgling hero with bright prospects."

Shadow narrowed his eyes, his instincts sharper than ever. He could tell now—Bakugou wasn't just curious.

He was testing him.

The kid had connected something.

Maybe not everything, but enough to know that there was more to the story.

It wasn't outright deception, but there was more to it. And Bakugou knew it, too.

All Might's words—no matter how carefully chosen—did nothing to ease the storm raging inside him.

The weight of Kamino. The weight of the fight. The weight of everything he couldn't explain.

'I'm sorry, Young Bakugou, but I can't say any more than that.'

All Might thought to himself, the guilt tightening in his chest.

Ever since Kamino, Bakugou had been changing. Questioning.

And now?

Now, he was starting to put the pieces together.

From inside the house, Mitsuki's voice rang out."Dammit Kastuki! The police said not to go wandering off by yourself!" 

Bakugou barely reacted.

He simply turned, expression unreadable.

He took a few steps toward the house, then—without turning back—he muttered something just loud enough for All Might to hear.

"Yeah, sure. If you don't wanna tell me, that's fine. Oh and thank you..." 

It was quiet.

And yet, those his words held a weight that All Might couldn't quite place.

Shadow, having heard enough, carefully shut the car door and teleported back to (Y/n).

But as he did—he had a feeling.

Bakugou wasn't done searching for answers.

.

===(Moments Later)===

Bakugou sat on his bed, his back pressed against the wall, arms crossed as he stared at the ceiling.

Next door, he knew (Y/n) was there—probably resting, like she was supposed to.

Or at least... she should have been.

Instead, a muffled noise—one that he couldn't quite place—was coming through the walls. It was low, but constant, and it didn't sound like the soft sounds of sleep.

His brows furrowed.

At first, he ignored it.

Then... it got louder.

Tch. What the hell is she doing?

With an exasperated sigh, he shoved his phone aside, got up, and marched out of his room.

Standing just outside her door, he pounded his fist against the wood.

"Hey, Idiot! What the hell is goin' on in there?! I thought you were supposed to be resting or somethin'!"

Before he could hear a response, a sudden zap of energy cracked through the air beside him.

He stepped back, his instincts on high alert.

Standing right in front of him now—blocking the door—was none other than Shadow.

"What the fuck is going on in there, Quill Head?" Bakugou snarled, glaring down at the black hedgehog.

Shadow didn't move.

Instead, he crossed his arms, staring right back at Bakugou with an unimpressed look.

"Go back to your room, Porcupine." Shadow's voice was low but firm. "Funny how you suddenly care after giving her the cold shoulder earlier."

Bakugou scowled, stepping forward. "Just what the hell are you anyway?"

He towered over Shadow, trying to intimidate him, but the hedgehog remained completely unfazed.

If anything... Shadow looked bored.

Bakugou was about to snap again when suddenly—Shadow began to levitate.

With a low hum of energy, his hover shoes lifted him into the air, bringing him eye-level with Bakugou.

"I'm her bodyguard. Douchbag."

The two stood nose to nose, glaring.

The tension in the air was electric.

"You think just 'cause you're her so-called bodyguard, you get to tell me what to do?" Bakugou sneered. "I've known her longer."

Shadow's glare didn't waver.

"Funny way of showing it."

Bakugou's fists clenched at his sides, small pops of sparks crackling from his palms. He was about to lunge when—

Shadow's ears twitched.

His expression remained unreadable, but his attention sharpened—focused back toward the door.

Bakugou stilled, his muscles still tight with anger, but his focus now also shifted back to the muffled noises.

"You better start talking." Bakugou's voice dropped into something almost dangerous. "What the hell is Tenshi doing in there? What is that noise?"

Shadow ignored him.

Instead, with a flash of red and black energy, he teleported into the room—vanishing right before Bakugou's eyes.

Bakugou gritted his teeth.

"Tch. Damn Rodent"

Frustrated, he grabbed the doorknob—expecting it to be locked.

It wasn't.

The moment the door clicked open, the muffled sounds inside stopped.

But something else hit him.

A sour, putrid scent rushed into his nose—something metallic, sharp, almost... unnatural.

His body tensed.

And then—

Just like that—

It was gone.

Replaced with...

Detergent.

Too much detergent.

Bakugou's eyes narrowed as he stepped inside.

A cool gust of air swept past him as the door opened fully, barely ruffling his hair.

His gaze immediately landed on the bed.

(Y/n) was lying there, her back facing him.

She looked still.

Too still.

His next glance landed on Shadow, seated nearby in a soft cushion chair—arms crossed, watching her.

Shadow didn't even look up.

"Some host you are—barging in without permission."

Bakugou ignored him.

Instead, he looked around.

And the more he did, the more wrong everything felt.

The bathroom door was slightly ajar, allowing a whiff of even more detergent to mix with the air. He peeked inside.

The sink?

The mirror?

The floor?

All sparkling.

Too clean.

Even the bed smelled overwhelmingly of fabric refresher.

His eyes narrowed further.

His gut was telling him something wasn't right.

Shadow could feel him analyzing the scene. He watched as Bakugou walked to (Y/n)'s side, his expression hard to read.

For a moment, Bakugou hesitated.

His fingers twitched—like he wanted to reach out—but instead, he pressed a palm to her forehead.

With a sharp click of his tongue, he yanked her blanket up, covering her fully before turning away.

"If she's sleeping, might as well do it right, you moron."

He shot one last glance at Shadow before walking out of the room.

.

Back in his own room...

Bakugou sighed.

His mind still restless.

The lingering scent of detergent clung to him, making his nose wrinkle.

Needing air, he pushed his window open.

That's when his eyes landed on the trash cans outside.

One of them was... full.

Which was weird—because before today, it had only been half-full.

But now...

One of the plastic bags was sticking out.

And inside—past layers of other waste—

He saw it.

Crumpled tissues.

Smudged with something... pastel-colored.

And worse—

Streaks of deep, drying bright red.

Bakugou's stomach twisted.

.

(Y/n) rested for a few more minutes, eyes heavy, body aching, until—

A knock.

Soft, deliberate.

Shadow stood up, his red eyes flicking to the door before moving to open it.

Standing outside was Mitsuki, holding a tray with two cups of warm tea and a small plate of red bean buns.

(Y/n) stirred slightly, eyes still closed but listening.

Mitsuki's voice was gentle, softer than usual, as she looked up at Shadow.

"I'm sorry, is this a bad time?" she asked quietly. "I brought some warm tea. Katsuki came into the kitchen asking for some, but... he never said it was for himself. Just said it and left. So, I thought maybe... he meant for someone else."

Her eyes flickered toward the bed where (Y/n) lay.

"Is now a bad time?"

Shadow turned to see (Y/n) shift, adjusting herself as if trying to sit up.

A silent answer.

With a small nod, he stepped aside, allowing Mitsuki in before moving to help (Y/n) sit up.

Mitsuki frowned slightly, placing a hand on (Y/n)'s forehead.

"Oh honey, you look pale. Are you alright?"

(Y/n) simply nodded.

"I'm alright, thank you. I just needed a few minutes to rest."

Her voice echoed softly in Mitsuki's mind, her telepathy as steady as ever.

She accepted the tea gratefully, lifting the cup to her lips and taking a careful sip.

Mitsuki exhaled through her nose, rubbing a drop of tea off her lip with her thumb as she watched (Y/n) carefully.

'She's always been too strong for her own good...'

Shadow took his cup as well but remained quiet.

Mitsuki sighed, watching as (Y/n) slowly sipped the tea. Her sharp eyes softened, taking in the girl she had practically watched grow up.

Silently, she picked up one of the red bean buns, offering it to (Y/n).

(Y/n) glanced at it but shook her head, politely refusing.

Mitsuki pursed her lips but didn't push.

At that moment, footsteps approached the doorway, and Masaru appeared, standing just behind his wife.

"I'm sorry to disturb you, but All Might and Mr. Aizawa are outside. They brought your lunch, and you can eat in the car before heading to the next house

(Y/n) nodded, finishing the last sip of her tea before slowly standing up with her crutch.

Shadow instantly moved to help her, but she placed a gentle hand on his wrist, gesturing for him to wait.

Confused, he watched as she handed him the crutch instead.

She exhaled, adjusting her stance. (Y/n) reached the bean bun she had refused