Ch. 58 Endings and Beginnings

A salty breeze drifted into your room as you stood with the balcony door open, listening to the ocean waves rhythmically crashing in the distance. Up until now, your entire existence had been so limited, but now, here, looking out across the wide expanse of the ocean for the first time, here everything seemed limitless.

The bright morning light streaming into the room caused Bakugo to stir on the bed. "Get back over here," he said, his voice sleepy and gruff.

"In a sec. I want to watch the waves."

"No," he complained, patting the space on the bed next to him that was empty now that you were up. "I need cuddles. Now."

"You're not the boss of me."

"I used to be."

"I hate to break it to you, but those days are long gone, mister."

"Trust me," he groaned, pulling his pillow over his head to block out the sun. "I already know."

Before you came back to bed, you left the balcony door open so you could see out and still hear the ocean. He watched you walk back to him, your long shirt fluttering around you from the wind, sunlight bright behind you. To him, you seemed like a beautiful angel, hardly real, yet somehow there you were.

He held up the white sheets, soft and warm from his body heat, and you climbed underneath them, snuggling up against his naked form and wondering how you'd ever slept alone without his warmth next to you.

"How's the cut today?" he asked, his hand gently touching the spot on your lower arm.

"No different from the last five hundred times you've asked me. It's healing fine. She is a pro at that, after all."

"Doesn't mean I like it."

"It meant that I got to come here, and be here, in this paradise with you. It seems like a small price to pay. Shoto has good taste, I'll give him that. When we get back, I'll have to thank him for picking this resort; it's amazing."

"You're not thanking him for anything," he grumbled, nuzzling into your hair. "I hate that we have to go back at all."

"Do we though? Do we, really?"

"Not today. But yeah, eventually. Don't forget that when we get back, I'm taking you straight to the police."

"But I got immunity for cooperating, remember?"

He scooted back then rolled on top of you, staring down at you. "Not just that. It's as long as you use your quirk to help the police for the next year. That bird brain was at least good at getting that taken care of."

"I know, I know," you sighed, pushing up against him just a little and watching him try to hold onto his serious expression even when your hips met his.

"I'm not letting you out of this just because you're hot as fuck."

"Uh huh. Sure. Whatever you say."

"You're going to work every day, like it or not."

"Uh huh."

"Damn it, I'm trying to be serious with you, but I fucking can't when you're practically humping me. Stop it."

"Fine. I'll stop."

With that you abruptly scooted out from under him and got up off the bed as you heard him huff. Heading back to the balcony, you could hear him talking behind you.

"I mean, I didn't mean..." he stuttered. "I didn't really want you to stop. Get your sexy body back over here."

A look over your shoulder. Slowly you leaned over, sliding your panties off. "I know you're not over here telling me what to do," you teased, tossing them onto him. "You know that's not how this works."

"So I'm learning."

"So?" 

"So get back in bed. ....Please." 

Days passed and you both agreed to stay away from your phones and pretend like the world outside of this resort didn't exist.

Eventually you'd find out the details of what had happened after you left – how Keigo had been praised as a hero for uncovering an attempted attack by the League of Villains, how police and heroes were still looking for Dabi and Shigaraki, how a pitifully sad Shoto Todoroki had to tell the press that the two of you had split ways but he wished nothing but the best for you, and how there had been no shortage of fan girls to fill the empty spot you left behind in his life.

But that was all to come. Right now you and Bakugo were simply two people who couldn't keep your hands off each other, but had finally left your hotel bed long enough to take a walk on the beach before it got too dark.

Bakugo stayed behind a few steps so he could watch you, the long white dress he'd picked out for you billowing around your body from the ocean wind as you lazily walked through the sand.

Wandering down the beach, you made it to a secluded spot that was almost entirely empty of people. He found a piece of driftwood and you both sat down on the log, ready to watch the sun set.

"This was the perfect idea," you said, wriggling your feet into the sand, relishing in the unfamiliar texture. "The view is incredible."

"You're right," he said, staring only at you. "It is."

"That was cheesy," you said, nudging him. "Check that out," you said, pointing down the beach to where a small, rustic arch had been set up with torches on either side. "I bet someone got married today."

"Sort of a simple set up. Must have been in a rush."

"I like it. What else do you need, really? The pink clouds of the evening sun, warm sand, two people in love. Sounds like something right out of one of your romance novels. Actually, didn't that couple in the book you liked end up getting married on the beach in the end?"

"You finally finished it?"

"I had to find out if they got married or not!"

He chuckled and scooted you closer. "They did."

"I know they did, silly," you kicked up a little sand at him. "There was never any other ending for them."

Leaning your head on his shoulder, you closed your eyes and focused on nothing other than the sound of the waves and the comforting feeling of this man next to you.

"You told me that one day you'd tell me your ring size."

"I did," you said, not opening your eyes. "And I will."

"Then tell me."

"I will when you ask."

After a minute of silence, he cleared his throat.

"Y/n. What is your ring size?"

"I don't even know."

"Seriously? Well, it's good thing then that I know. How could I marry you tonight if I didn't have a ring ready?"

"Because obviously you're not, hold on- what?" Your eyes popped open.

"I know this is sudden," he said, moving from the log where you sat to kneel in the sand. He swallowed. "Y/n. I know I don't deserve you. I can be fucking awful. But if you would be mine --"

You immediately dropped your knees in the sand in front of him, both of you at the same level. 

"No."

But then quickly you spoke again when you saw the look on his face. "Not no, I mean, no, it's me who doesn't deserve you. Your whole life is about helping people and mine... I was basically a villain, Katsuki. You're a hero, you can't...I'm... I was...."

"The only thing you are, y/n, is mine."

You didn't even know when you had started crying.

He reached into his pocket, taking out a small golden band.  "I got you this, and I'll get you something better when we get back --"

As if you cared. 

"You are strong and beautiful, and I can't imagine my life without you. Will you marry me, tonight, here?"

You practically leapt onto him, knocking him back in the sand as you attacked his mouth with kisses. Finally you propped yourself up, hovering over him as he laid on his back in the sand. 

"So that's a yes?" he asked. "You'll marry me, tonight?"

"Of course it's a yes! Hold on, hold on, hold on. This is happening right now? Tonight-tonight? That set up – that's for.... us?"

He nodded.

"You set all of this up? What if I had said no?"

"Why would you say no?"

"Well... okay. Oh wow. This is so fast." Words were coming out faster than thoughts, your mind going a million miles an hour. "Wait. I have to ask a couple things. Do you want kids?"

"Hell yeah."

"Okay, me too. I think. And you're okay if I keep working?"

"As long as it's not at that bar."

"My family is kind of fucked up?"

"Whose isn't?"

"Bakugo, I have terrible eating habits and I like coffee in the afternoon and then I stay up too late and I'll complain about it in the morning."

"I can work with that."

"Okay. Okay?"

"Okay."

"Okay! So we're doing this?"

"Fuck yeah we're doing this!"

You leaned down to kiss him again but then stopped. 

"Wait – I don't have a ring for you," you realized.

"I don't want one. There's a tattoo shop not far from the resort where I can get one. Come on!"

Heart racing, you both stood up, dusting the sand off your clothes. Before you could say another word, he scooped you up, carrying you in his arms toward the arch and torches. Once you got there, your heart was beating out of your chest.

"Don't we have to have someone here," you asked, "to make this official?"

He already had his phone out and was making a call. "Yeah, I got that covered. I emailed the resort when we were on the way so they could find somebody."

"Hold on a second. You actually emailed someone. You know how to work your email? Did you even know the password to get in?"

"I had to fucking reset it since someone changed all of my passwords and deleted everything when she left. Who might that have been, hm?"

"I'll fix it all when I come back to work."

He raised an eyebrow and finished his phone call. "What was that?" he asked.

"You heard me. I might be working for the police during the day, but that doesn't mean I can't work at your agency in the evenings or on weekends. And I want a raise."

"I didn't even say it was okay and you're already asking for a raise."

"Who does a girl have to marry around here to get a raise then?"

"You're marrying one person, and that one person is me."

"I'll tell you what. If you give me a raise, I'll tell you a secret about your agency."

He looked skeptical, but he wrapped his arms around you, bringing you as close as possible. You rested your head against his chest, listening to the sound of his own heart, beating just as fast as yours. 

"Okay fine," he said. "What's the secret about my agency?"

"Well," you looked up at him, a mischievous glint in your eye, "just between the two of us, I hear that the boss is a real pain in the ass."

"That she is."

--------

Epilogue

"Well, here we are. Our last day in this shit hole."

"Don't talk like that," you whispered, motioning your head to either side of you.

"What? It's nothing they haven't heard before."

You shuffled the children in through the door; instantly they started to run around the office laughing, surprised that the place they knew so well was now empty.

The desks had already been removed and the space felt larger than normal without his employees bustling here and there. It was strange that a place that usually held such chaotic energy was now still and quiet. 

Watching him walk around the lobby, you didn't need your quirk to be able to know his mix of emotions, because you were feeling them, too. Anxiety. Excitement. Happiness and nervousness all jumbled up into one.

"We had some pretty good times here, didn't we?" you said, running your hand along the front desk where you'd sat every day.

"Yeah, I guess. But compared to the new office, this one looks so run down."

"Kinda like that old apartment I had when you met me?"

"Man," Bakugo rolled his eyes. "Fuck that place."

"Don't say that!"

"'Uck that place!" the toddler, your youngest, yelled across the lobby.

"See?!"

Bakugo only laughed and went to grab the kid, slinging her over his shoulder as the other two shrieked with glee and ran away.

It was bittersweet. His agency was relocating to a new building, a much bigger space on a more prominent street, and today was the last day here, the place where you'd first really met.

You both knew that it was past time; the agency had long outgrown this first office, but you couldn't help but think back to all of the things you'd shared here together.

The awards you'd hung on the walls. The first time he was able to hire sidekicks.

And personal moments too. Sitting on the floor drawing out plans because you had nothing else to do. Standing in front of his desk when you surprised him with lunch, slipping the positive pregnancy test under the napkin for him to find. The second and third time had been much less dramatic because you both had your hands full, literally.

And there were silly moments, too. The holiday parties he hated but always went out of his way to host. Sneaking back to his personal office and locking the door for a few minutes of alone time.

The two of you stood together as you watched your three small children run around the now empty office space.

Soon you were shutting the door behind you, locking it one last time as your children ran down the hall ahead of you toward the elevator.

"Wait!" you said, stopping him. "We forgot to leave the lease paperwork. We're supposed to leave it on the desk."

"Damn it," he muttered. "I thought we were done."

"'AM IT!" the toddler yelled back at you before you could stop her, and her little squeaky voice was so cute that you both couldn't help but laugh, even though you knew you shouldn't. 

"We have to work on that," you told him, trying to hold back your laugh. "She can't talk like when she starts school."

"That's how I talk, and I turned out fine," he said as he unlocked the door again.

Bakugo opened the door and stared at you, apparently waiting for you to go in. You didn't move, because wasn't he the one who had the papers? It took you a second before you realized what had happened and felt a slight panic. 

"Oh no."

"What?" he asked.

"Uh... " you scratched the back of your head, "I guess I left all of that stuff at home."

"Seriously?" When you nodded, he laughed, a devious grin formed on his face. "That's it, you're fired."

"What! You can't fire me!" you protested, nudging him in the side. "I'm your wife."

"I know, and I'd never want to," he smirked, his arm going around you to bring you close. "I just wanted to say it one last time."

A/n - that's the end! I hope you enjoyed this story! I had a ton of fun writing it. :) 

I have two others you can check out if you need more to read!