˖ . ݁𝜗𝜚. ݁₊

KIDS were something that you had never wanted. It's not that you hated the idea of having a mini you running around and causing absolute chaos, it's that you didn't know how to be a good mother. You weren't exactly raised with the best example of how a family should be and in your eyes, it would be better not to have a child if you were just going to end up like your own mother; drunk and alone.

Not to mention that you could hardly take care of yourself, what with your sleepless nights, skipping meals and fully immersing yourself in your studies at med school - which was generously paid for you by Principal Nezu. You didn't have the energy to take care of yourself, never mind an entire other human.

You also didn't have the stablest of jobs and your one-room apartment was hardly enough room for even just you. Not to mention how dangerous the city of Musutafu was courtesy of the quirk-based villainy that went on in the streets - even with the strongest of pro heroes there to stop them.

Having a child was something that you could see your friends doing, not you. You just didn't have the motherly instincts or family experience like everyone else.

Yet here you were, the first out of your giant friend group to be holding a pregnancy test in your shaking hands - your pupils trembling with the two pink lines that stared mockingly back at you.

Positive.

Your eyes travelled up to the mirror hanging on the wall just above the sink you were bent over and you stared at your reflection with a mix of emotions swirling in your e/c gems. Beads of sweat trickled down the sides of your face and your messy strands of hair stuck to your forehead. Your face had paled of its colour and your entire body was trembling - on the verge of tears.

A shaky sigh passed your quivering lips and you brought a clammy hand up to run through your knotted hair; your mind racing with a million thoughts.

What were you supposed to do?

There was no way you'd be able to afford an abortion on your shitty, part-time, clinic-worker paycheck but there was also no way you'd be able to afford to take care of a child; living in the city was already expensive enough.

Your mind raced with so many different thoughts that it made you nauseous until your brain landed on a particular thing.

Your dream.

Since the day you'd gotten both of your quirks when you were just four years old, you'd dreamt of helping people. At first, you wanted to be a pro hero, but one of your quirks was rather useless and the other was a unique healing quirk that wouldn't do well in the hero scene. So instead, you set your heart on being the best doctor in Japan. You wanted to save people, even if you couldn't be a pro hero. And with your powerful quirk, you could do just that.

You'd been fighting tirelessly for your dream every single day of your life. You guessed it was the sheer determination not to turn out like your deadbeat mother that kept you going and with the help of a few miraculous, once-in-a-lifetime-opportunities that you couldn't afford to let go to waste, your dream was just within your reach. All you'd have to do was push yourself a little further and you'd be able to grab onto that dream and live it to its fullest.

But with a baby forming in your womb, would you still be able to do that?

A bitter lump formed in your throat as you stared into your teary eyes through the mirror's reflection and you swallowed it with a painful gulp.

The answer was likely no. You wouldn't be able to achieve your dream with a baby on the way.

But you also had no way to get rid of this baby. And the thought of getting rid of it honestly tore a hole through your heart.

Sure, you couldn't afford what came with having a baby and your biggest fear was turning out like your mother, but you couldn't help the ghost of a smile that slid onto your lips with the thoughts of a mini you running around. You'd love nothing more than to provide that warmth and love you missed out on as a kid and have your heart fill with both joy and sadness from watching your baby grow up.

You wanted so badly to prove to yourself that you were nothing like your mother and that you would be a good mom but there was a nagging feeling eating away at the back of your brain, telling you that you were no different from the woman you hated. After all, you'd fallen into her carved-out footsteps by getting wasted and hooking up with a stranger that ended in you getting pregnant. You could practically see the muddy footsteps of your mother's past carved out in front of you; leading into the dark forest of no return.

Surely, if you had this baby it would just quicken your footsteps into that forest.

But if you didn't, would you regret it? Would you regret giving up your chances of having a family to call your own?

Yes. Yes, you would.

An aggravated groan left your lips and you dragged a hand over your sweaty face. The distraught of your results had long since worn off and your wandering thoughts were just starting to confuse and irritate you.

You decided that you'd just take a few days to clear your mind before you decided on anything - it would only lead to regrets if you decided on anything right now.

Two weeks after you found out you were pregnant, you visited a doctor to make sure the tests weren't wrong and after that, you broke the news to your friends. They were all surprised, to say the least, and had their relentless questions, but in the end, they were all calm and supportive. They helped you weigh out the pros and cons of your situation and reassured you of your final decision.

Which brings us to where you were now.

A breeze of the late-march air blew through the packed train station, carrying with it the scent of freshly bloomed cherry blossoms. From beneath your coat, your baby bump peeked out and your hands unconsciously raised to rub at your clothed bump. You had decided to wait until after you'd finished your second year of med school to drop out and now, you were five months into your pregnancy.

"Do have everything?" A rather shaken voice dripping with evident worry spoke to you while large, scarred hands gripped your shoulders with a firm yet gentle hold. "Your purse? Ticket? Keys?"

"Yes, I have everything." You rolled your eyes playfully at your best friend's worry before you reached up to your shoulders and lay your hands over his, a reassuring smile shaping your face. "You don't have to worry, Izu. I'll be fine."

Tears brimmed in the edges of the man's emerald eyes and his curly, green hair swayed in the breeze. His bottom lip trembled and his hands squeezed your shoulders as he frowned. "Do you really have to go?"

You felt your heart squeeze at his expression and you raised your hand to cup his freckled cheeks; your thumb swiping over his scarred skin in a reassuring manner. "I won't be gone forever... just a little while."

Izuku's lips only quivered more with your words and he quickly pulled you into a tight embrace, burying his face into the crook of your neck. The smell of apples fluttered into his nostrils and the faint scent of cigarettes lingering on your coat makes his lips twitch upwards. Even if you hadn't touched a cig since you found out you were pregnant, the scent was imprinted on you and it brought an ounce of comfort to the trembling man.

You two had been friends since your days at UA High when you were a support course student working as a nurse-in-training under Recovery Girl. Because of your helpful quirk and position in the infirmary, there had been plenty of times throughout your three years of school when you had to treat Izuku's wounds and keep an eye on his state when he was bedridden. Izuku was always grateful for your help and you became close almost instantly - becoming best friends soon after.

Even at your part-time clinic job, you still found yourself treating not only Izuku's wounds, but the other heroes you'd grown up with too. They all trusted in you and your abilities and would never think twice about going to you for help after a fight.

"It'll be okay..." your voice was shaky as you feathered your fingers through the male's curly locks and squeezed your teary eyes shut. It sounded like you were trying to reassure yourself more than your friend but your words still helped in relieving the tiniest amount of worry from his mind.

You both pulled apart after a few moments of soaking up each other's warmth and flashed each other small smiles before you stepped away from the curly-haired teacher and pinned your gaze on the giant group of people standing off to the side.

You couldn't help the small laugh that escaped your lips when you saw all of their pouty expressions and you opened your arms with a smile. Mina was the first to jump into your arms and she let out a loud sob as she squeezed you tightly. The rest of the giant group of heroes that'd grown up together followed suit and lunged at you both to envelop you in a giant, bone-crushing group hug.

"We'll miss you, Y/n!" The entire group chorused with sniffles and cries as they hugged you tighter. You had to bite down on your lip to stop the tears gathered in your eyes from spilling and you tried your best to hug the giant group back.

"I'll miss you guys, too." You bit back the sob that cracked your voice and screwed your eyes shut to focus on soaking up the moment with your friends.

Everyone shared your sadness and as you all stood in your giant hug, the memories they'd each gained with you flooded through their minds and made tears pour down some of their faces - especially Mina and Kaminari's. You were a cherished friend to everyone and the thought of you moving so far away drew cracks through their hearts. They knew that their group wouldn't feel the same without you and the thought of not seeing your grinning face as you patched up their injuries made their chests tighten and ache.

After a few more moments of the suffocating hug that no one wanted to end, the members of the group slowly pulled away one by one until just one person remained - their hands gripping your shoulders tightly.

Tears had completely flooded the crimson eyes that stared into your e/c ones and their grip on your shoulders was shaky as their entire body trembled. "Don't forget us, 'Kay?" The man's voice trembled and cracked and his usually spiked-up, carmine hair fell flat against his forehead as if even the strands of his hair were sad.

You swallowed the lump in your throat and shook your head with thick tears glossing over your eyes. "I could never forget you guys, Ei." Your voice was just as shaky as everyone else's and your body shook like a leaf.

The tear-stained faces and sobs of your friends made you start to regret your decision and your mind started to cloud with doubt. You didn't want to leave behind the only people who'd ever treated you like a family and even with the unaffordable living standards the city had, you started to think it would be better than moving all the way out to the countryside and being on your own.

"Don't start backing out now, idiot." A gruff voice spoke up from behind you and just as you were about to turn around, a muscly arm was draped over your shoulders and a familiar scowling face dropped beside yours. "It's not like you'll be gone forever."

The scowl on the man's face was softer than usual and his vermillion eyes held a reassuring glint in them; silently telling you that everything was going to be okay. You couldn't help the small smile that tugged on your lips as you stared into his red eyes. "You're right." Your voice had softened and was less shaky as you nodded. "I won't be gone forever."

"Exactly." The corners of Katsuki's lips turned upwards into a ghost of a smile and he straightened up to his full height; pulling you into a tight side hug. "Don't let these shitheads hold you back with their sappy shit."

"Hey! Not cool, bro!"

You both could barely hear Kirishima's cry as you stared back at one another; drifting into your own world as you both got lost in each other's gaze. Everyone around knew that something was going on between you two and they always knew that Katsuki had some kind of soft spot for you, ever since you were back in UA. He used to always demand that you were the one to treat him because he 'didn't trust any other dumbass with his injuries' even when everyone knew that the most effective choice would have been Recovery Girl because of the uniqueness in how your healing quirk worked. But Katsuki would have none of it and always stated that yours was better for healing his injuries.

Kirishima watched his two friends with a soft smile on his lips before he turned around and ushered everyone away to give you both some space and privacy to say your goodbyes.

As you watched everyone converse off to the side, you felt Katsuki's arm around you tighten urging you to glance up at him. Your eyes instantly met his as he stared down at you and you were surprised to see the pain in his vermillion gems. His lips were drawn into a deep frown and a crease had slid between his eyebrows. He looked so conflicted - like there was a war going on in his mind and he didn't know which side to choose.

"Hey..." you turned to fully face the man and your hands raised to cup his cheeks. His eyes flickered to the rest of your friends and when he found them not looking, he let himself melt into your touch and his shoulders slumped in defeat. A small frown shaped your features and your thumb gently traced over the scar beneath his right eye. "It's just like you said, I won't be gone forever."

"But you'll still be gone." He sighed.

You felt your heart ache at his tone, he sounded so helpless. You had to fight back the urge to pull him into a tight hug because you knew he hated being vulnerable in public so you settled on pulling his face closer to your own, your expression softening into a smile. "Don't be sad..." he looked up at you through his eyelashes and you had to bite your lip to contain your tears. You were going to miss him. "I'll come back for you, I promise."

Your words brought a ghost of a smile to the man's lips and you caught the shimmer of hope in his vermillion irises. "You better."

"How could I not?" Your lips pulled into a playful grin and you leaned in closer while dropping your tone to a whisper. "You're my favourite, after all."

"Damn right, I am." Katsuki soaked up the warmth of your hands for a few moments before he pulled out of your grasp and straightened up to his full height, his arms folding over his chest. "I'm everyone's fucking favourite."

You let a laugh slip past your lips and small tears pricked your eyes. You were really going to miss him. Your laughter soon died down to a sad smile and you swallowed thickly; you didn't want to leave.

Katsuki noticed the hesitation in your eyes and stepped a little closer to you. "Remember what I said the other day?"

Your lips pursed in thought as you recalled the previous day before your expression softened with the memory and you nodded. The male's lips curled into a lop-sided grin and he ruffled your hair. "You'll be a great fucking mom, don't forget it."

You felt your heart squeeze at his reassurance and your smile brightened into a grateful one. "Thanks, Kat."

"Don't mention it, Miss Nurse."

You smiled at the use of the nickname he'd given you back in high school but before your thoughts could wander to those fond memories, the announcement of your train was broadcasted over the station's intercom.

When you pinned your gaze back onto the ash-blond beside you, you raised your pinky towards him and beamed a bright grin. "Promise me something, yeah?" The male arched his eyebrow and motioned for you to continue. "Promise me, by the time I move back here, you'll be the number one hero."

Red eyes widened a little in surprise before Katsuki let out a scoff. "I was already planning on it, dumbass."

"You have to promise!"

He gave you an unamused look but when your grin didn't falter, he breathed out a sigh and let his shoulders slump in defeat. Your grin brightened when he begrudgingly linked his pinky with yours and turned his face away from you to hide the pink tint coating his cheeks. "... I promise."

Without hesitation, you pulled the man into a small but tight hug. "I'll miss you, Kat..." you mumbled as you buried your face into his chest, inhaling the scent of ash and burnt caramel that brought a wave of comfort to you. Katsuki's arms snaked around your waist and he let his eyes flutter shut as he buried his face into your soft, h/c hair. His heart squeezed at the fact that this would be the last time he got to hug you and he found himself not wanting it to end.

"I'll miss you too, Y/n."

The use of your name took you by surprise but your lips slipped into a genuine smile as you pulled away from the hug and after a small nod to the man, you stepped back over to your suitcase that had been forgotten about. You cast your gaze onto the rest of your friends who stood huddled together.

"Well, I guess this is it..." Your voice trailed off and you stared at your feet for a moment. Your mind started to cloud with doubt on if this was really the right decision but one glance at Katsuki made you shake off those doubts. No. This is something I have to do.

"We'll miss you, Y/n!" Izuku called with tears in his emerald eyes and the others of your friend group nodded in agreement.

Tears were already streaming down the group's faces again and Mina jumped up from the crowd while waving - her long, bubblegum pink hair swaying with her movements. "Remember to call us!"

"And visit!" Kaminari joined in on the calling as tears streamed down his cheeks making you laugh with glossy eyes.

The station intercom announced the arrival of your train and you turned around to face it as it came to a screeching stop by the side of the platform.

The doors slid open with a gust of wind and you stared into the carriage of the train with uncertainty. You cast a glance over your shoulder at your group of friends who - even as they were sobbing messes - urged you onto the waiting train.

You turned back to look at the train and sucked in a deep breath before grabbing the handle of your suitcase and after exhaling the breath to calm your nerves, you stepped onto the train without looking back.

Next stop: motherhood.

˖ . ݁𝜗𝜚.

━━━ AUTHOR'S NOTE !!

hello, my lovelies! thank you so much for choosing to read my book! i hope you enjoyed the prologue, let me know your thoughts!!

remember to leave a vote and comment!!
i love you, take care!!

word count ; 3.4k