Archive of Our Own

Midoriya Izuku started work in Endeavor Inc. on a Thursday, and as always, any change within the organization was bound to make waves throughout all the employees.

And none felt the boat rocking quite as much as the Sales Department, where Midoriya was going to be a part of from now on as the company’s business analyst.

Midoriya Izuku, at first glance, was seemingly plain. Wild, dark green curls, framing an absurdly youthful-looking, freckled-scattered face, with a burnt orange stud earring in one ear. He smiled easily, cheerful and slightly nervous as he introduced himself, but he had an aura of warmth and approachability that was difficult to resist.

But that was where the normality ended. His dark gray suit, partnered with a collared shirt that was as vividly viriscent as his eyes and a strikingly bright red tie, was unexpectedly stylish, tapering his surprisingly lean, muscular form like a well-worn glove. It wasn’t as obvious when he had the entire work office ensemble on, but more than a few girls ogled their new colleague after seeing him being shown around the office floor without his suit jacket on, showing off the curves and lines of his biceps and chest that were perfectly encased in soft-looking green fabric. His waist was lean, cinched flawlessly by a brown belt with a silver buckle, and his legs were just as godlike as his torso, thighs just shy of bulging underneath his tailored, perfectly fitted slacks.

It was almost unfair, that a cute-looking, babyfaced man like him had the body of a total hunk, but the people inside the company certainly weren’t complaining about their newest eyecandy as Midoriya was taken to all the common areas and meeting rooms.

Midoriya had deep scars on his right hand, which apparently extended to the entirety of his arm. His hobbies included reading comics books and collecting merchandise (a huge fan of the Plus Ultra universe, and its most famous superhero, All Might), practicing muay thai, and hiking (which was how he got his arm injuries in the first place, according to him). He was apparently working as a consultant for multiple companies the moment he graduated (from the Yuuei University, the number one school in the country), but due to the nature of his spouse’s job, they had to move from the quieter district of Musutafu, Shizuoka to a more stable but fast-paced life in the country’s capital city.

“And besides,” Midoriya said bashfully, when a few brave souls asked in an attempt to get to know him better, “it’s probably better for Eri-chan to attend school here in Tokyo. We want her to have the best education possible.”

And wasn’t that a shock to the people listening.

Because Midoriya Izuku, despite his appearance and against all odds, was actually married. With a daughter.

“Almost five years already,” he admitted, flushed but beaming at the same time as he raised his left hand, letting everyone see the bright silver band decorating his ring finger. “Right after graduation, to be honest. Ka— um, I mean, my spouse can be a bit impatient, and we couldn’t find a good enough reason to wait, so…”

When gently pressed, the story was eventually extricated. It was the very definition of a fairytale romance. Childhood friends, living in the same neighborhood. Misunderstandings and distance ensued as they grew up, but they eventually reconciled again as teenagers. By the time they were in second year high school, Midoriya and his future wife were beside each other all the time, to the point that everyone else assumed they were dating, so they just… apparently started doing it for real?

They continued to remain steady all throughout the rest of high school and university, and shockingly, it was Midoriya’s wife who proposed to him just before he graduated, rather than the other way around. They had Eri-chan not even a year after their wedding, which Midoriya’s co-workers surmised when they calculated the little girl’s age within the time period the man had just mentioned.

For the one that didn’t do the asking, Midoriya certainly moved fast the moment he tied the knot. Impressive.

The man was happy to provide pictures of his little girl when prompted, typical of young, proud fathers. And Midoriya had every reason to; Eri-chan was the cutest little thing, all pale hair and wide, round, red eyes, fair and chubby-cheeked as she looked at the camera with a bright and dazzling smile that was a flawless carbon copy of her dad’s.

“Your wife must be very beautiful, Midoriya!” Iida, Assistant Sales Manager, exclaimed after everyone had appropriately cooed and fawned over the photos. “Your daughter must have taken after her in looks!”

Somehow, the comment made Midoriya’s lips twitch upwards, a bizarrely pained and amused expression appearing on his face at the same time. For a moment, he looked like he was going to react differently, but what came out of his mouth instead was a weak, “I’m… glad you think that, Iida-kun. Thank you, that’s kind of you to say.”

For all his willingness to openly discuss his daughter, people couldn’t say the same thing towards her mother. In fact, Midoriya seemed extremely reluctant to talk about his spouse, which some of the males in the office understood. Based on how Eri-chan looked, Midoriya’s wife was shaping up to be a grown-up, probably more bombshell version of her, and any guy would be protective in sharing details if they had a wife that was that strikingly beautiful. There weren’t pictures of the woman in Midoriya’s desk, but the image of their intertwined hands, wedding rings in plain view on Midoriya’s lock screen, was more than proof enough of her general existence.

(Though it was strange that her hands weren’t as dainty as they originally thought. It was just as big as Midoriya’s, maybe even bigger, several shades lighter and veinier than expected.

In fact, her hand actually looked distinctly masculine, but they would never say the observation in front of Midoriya’s face, lest the other be offended by the insinuation.)

“My spouse works outdoors almost all the time,” Midoriya explained once the topic came up, during some downtime in their day. “They’re very busy right now since they can only do their work during certain seasons. H— Their job requires them to be in the mountains a lot.”

That… explained a lot about the hands.

“Probably a botanist or geologist?” Yaoyorozu wondered the moment Midoriya was out of earshot, the man excusing himself to attend a meeting with Aizawa, the company’s branch head. “Something that perhaps requires a lot of research and fieldwork? Midoriya-san says she goes on business trips quite often.”

“Makes sense. Midoriya’s practically a genius with his stuff, figures he’d go for a girl who’s equally as smart as he is.” Kaminari shrugged. “Didn’t expect him to go after someone so active, though.”

“Love is blind, my man,” Sero reminded with a nudge to Kaminari’s shoulder. “And they knew each other for years already. Pretty sure he wouldn’t marry her if her job was gonna be a dealbreaker.”

“If anything, I’m actually pretty impressed that Midoriya is okay with his wife constantly being out and around like that. It’s pretty manly for him to accept and support her career choice.” Kirishima said admiringly. “He must love her a lot.”

“Still, raising a kid in their circumstances? And they’re so young too?” Jirou mused. “Midoriya and his wife are superhumans at this point. With her age, Eri must travel with her mom often if she’s not being taken care of by family.”

“That’s probably fun for her, seeing all those new, cool places her mom gets to visit.” Uraraka agreed. “Poor Midoriya-kun though, not being able to see his family all the time.”

“I thought you’d be glad for that Ochako-chan, since you get to see your crush more often now,” Ashido interjected with a wide, joking grin, and they all watched as the woman’s face turned bright crimson.

“I-I do not have a crush on Midoriya-kun!” Uraraka shrieked to raucous laughter and subsequent teasing, and the conversation eventually segued into another topic altogether.

Still, the mystery of Mrs. Midoriya lingered at the back of their minds, persistent, nagging, and just begging to be unravelled as time went on.

Jirou’s throwaway comment about Midoriya Izuku’s wife being superhuman might have more truth in it than anyone thought.

The slowly becoming infamous Mrs. Midoriya still remained an enigma to everyone in the office. The man himself didn’t offer much information about his family, keeping his private life to himself as he adjusted to the demands and routines in Endeavor Inc.

However, while they might not have seen a physical glimpse of the woman yet, Midoriya was unexpectedly generous in sharing small tidbits about the woman he married, causing them to see glimpses of what her personality was really like.

“Midoriya, you always look so sharp when you’re at work.” Ojiou complimented one day, openly admiring the man’s midnight blue suit, maroon collared shirt, and striped white and silver tie. “Your hairstyle really suits you too. Think you can give me a few tips on how to coordinate my looks with my wardrobe? I think Aizawa’s going to throw a stapler at me if I show up in a meeting wearing the same brown suit again.”

“Oh, this isn’t any of my doing. Kacchan’s the one that picks out my clothes for work,” Midoriya waves the compliment away, tone slightly embarrassed. “H— My in-laws work in the fashion industry, so we get a lot of pieces from past collections. Kacchan doesn’t like wearing any of the more formal attires, and I apparently coordinate stuff really badly, so I just end up wearing what h— they chose for me. As for my hair, it tends to look a bit crazy if kept long, so h— Kacchan cuts it for me too.”

“‘Kacchan’?” Hagakure gasped as Midoriya jerked in realization. “Is that what you call your wife? What a cute nickname! Does she call you anything special in return, Midorin?”

“A-Ah, t-that’s—!” Midoriya rubbed at his nape, looking sheepish, and that didn’t detract from his charm in the slightest. “It’s a childhood nickname and I… somehow never grew out of it, I suppose. My um, spouse thinks it’s childish, but I really can’t think of hi— them differently anymore. So in turn, they call me ‘Deku.’”

“Deku?” Satou blinked. “Deku as in… ‘useless’?”

Midoriya quickly shook his head, hands waving around in explanation. “No, no! At first it’s because they couldn’t read the kanji on my name properly, being kids and all. And I did mention that we didn’t have the best relationship when we were teenagers, so they definitely meant it that way then.” His expression turned rueful. “But now they’re just names that we call each other.”

Deku and Kacchan. It was… a little weird for someone’s wife to insult their husband and consider it an endearment, but if Midoriya didn’t seem bothered, then it certainly wasn’t their place to comment on it. Couples came in different shapes and sizes, after all.

“And you don’t mind her cutting your hair and dressing you up almost every day, mon ami?” Aoyama inquired with a raise to his eyebrow.

“It makes Kacchan really happy, so it’s okay. To be honest, it’s also a relief since I don’t have to worry about what I’m going to look like and what I need to wear in the morning.” Midoriya confessed. “Kacchan really has a good eye for these kinds of things because of h— their parents. I know they care, so I’m sure they won’t make me look funny or anything like that.”

In fact, the missus did too good of a job on her hubby, the group listening collectively thought, continuing to watch Midoriya at the corner of their eyes. Not only did Midoriya wear a different colored suit every day when she was around, he also came in with different styles, cuts and various accessories, all done in a way that was tasteful, professional, and eye-catching all at once. Their co-workers still looked back on the memory of Midoriya sporting a buzzed undercut and wearing honest-to-god suspenders with a mixture of awe and gratitude, and multiple pictures and videos were taken to immortalize the moment forever.

Midoriya’s admirers tripled on that day alone, and his wife would have no one to blame but herself if she continued to insist on this kind of fashion on her husband. Mrs. Midoriya would have been either painfully naive to her husband’s magnetism, or sufficiently confident in their relationship, to actually take the time and effort to make her husband look physically attractive to other people.

Fortunately, Midoriya didn’t seem the type to cheat, despite the increasing number of women shamelessly throwing themselves at him. Still, it seemed so cruel to do this to the girls in their office, subjecting them to Midoriya’s impeccably dressed self and warm personality on a day-to-day basis.

Like dangling a juicy steak in front of a starving dog but never letting them take a bite of it.

From what they now knew of her, it was clear that Mrs. Midoriya took great care and pride in taking care of her husband, making sure that he would always be presentable in front of other people. She even did the knots on her husband’s tie every morning before he went to work, apparently. It was unexpectedly sweet, and certainly above and beyond what any other spouse would do for their other half.

And if their assumption was true, if Eri-chan did inherit her physical features from her mother, then Midoriya Izuku was probably the luckiest son of a gun in the whole planet. Because what kind of karma did the man have to score such a nice and good-looking woman for a wife in this lifetime?

Then again, Midoriya was, undeniably, a decent guy. Birds of the same feather tend to flock together, and if they really took the time to think about it, it wasn’t so outrageous that Midoriya would look for a wife that embodied the same qualities he did. Her looks were probably just the cherry on top of a very delicious and well-made sundae.

The intrigue remained. Midoriya didn’t talk about his family often, and the times they managed to bring the man into an izakaya they found out that for such a small guy, Midoriya could pretty much outdrink anyone under the table, which made attempts of making him ramble drunkenly spectacularly fail.

And the rare times that Midoriya offered his home to those on the verge of passing out, the wife and the child were out, with the man explaining that she needed to be on-site most of the time and tended to sleep nearby where she was currently working. There were no pictures of the family in the apartment either, at least none in the rooms where guests could easily wander in and out of.

It was definitely a mystery, one that the people in the office intended to solve. But for the moment, the brief glances they had into the life of the Midoriya family was more than enough to appease them.

Midoriya’s wife didn’t stop her clear doting with just her husband’s daily outfits.

“Kacchan’s home for the moment,” Midoriya said happily when asked about his recent good mood. It couldn’t have been easy, having what was essentially a long-distance relationship with your wife and kid, but so far, the man was taking it like a champ. According to him, he was used to it; even before they got married the missus was already going this way and that, chasing after her chosen career. “H— They’ll be working near Tokyo for a while so I’m really excited to see them at home everyday.”

It was endearing, how in love the man was with his family. He always had new pictures of Eri on his phone, shared with anyone who deigned to ask. He presumably had updated photos of his wife as well, but by now everyone knew not to ask directly. Midoriya was back to wearing his hair and suits that made him look drop-dead gorgeous, and the ladies at the office didn’t know whether to be jealous that ‘Kacchan’ got to touch that beautiful body or to worship the ground the woman walked on for giving them something nice to look at again.

She had to have a flaw. Something that would stop her from being too perfect. Maybe she had an ugly laugh? Maybe she was heavy for her age? Maybe she swore a lot? In any case, she was clearly too good to be seen and met by mere mortals from how Midoriya usually acted cagey when the missus was brought up, though it didn’t stop any of them from trying to find out more about her.

But their hopes and dreams were thoroughly pulverized the moment lunchtime rolled around.

“Wow…” Uraraka gasped when she saw Midoriya pull out a cloth bag, untying it to reveal a sizable, two tiered bento box, lacquered a shiny black with a traditional painting of a sakura tree in full bloom on the cover. Opening it up bottom first revealed a bed of white fluffy rice, spread evenly, seasoned with black sesame seeds and umeboshi on top. The other box with its lid off was filled with croquettes, shaped into small balls, topped with brown tonkatsu sauce. There was also what looked like a green salad mixed with tomatoes alongside a vinaigrette, with slices of crab tamagoyaki on the side. “That looks so good!”

It even looked pretty, the dishes displayed artfully and delicately inside its container, an explosion of color and scrumptiousness that made all of their mouths water.

“Thank you!” Midoriya beamed, separating the two trays and taking the one with the rice into one hand. “Kacchan made it for me. H— They really don’t like it when I buy from the conbini to eat.” Because Midoriya, like most of the guys in the office, was a regular connoisseur of store-bought lunches because nobody had time to prepare such an elaborate meal in this economy.

But Midoriya’s wife was clearly a cut above the rest, because the sound the croquette made when Midoriya bit into it was heavenly, crisp and crunchy in only the best way possible. “Mmn! Tastes the same as it did when we were in high school.”

“Your wife knows how to cook too, huh.” Sero looked on, obviously jealous. “Man that looks delicious! Do you cook too, Midoriya?”

“Heavens, no. I can make simple dishes, but that’s about it. Kacchan has spoiled me with h— their cooking ever since we started dating.” Midoriya said, already demolishing half of the rice. “My spouse really does their best to take care of their health because of what they do for work, and that includes making the right food.” A bite into the tamagoyaki. “So nothing but nutritious meals for me and Eri-chan, but everything still tastes good. Everything in the kitchen is Kacchan’s domain. I just wash the dishes.” Like all proper husbands should.

“Mon ami, you’re very fortunate indeed to have a wife that makes you bentos every single day!” Aoyama declared. “And she does it before she goes to work herself? How dévouée!”

An awkward scratch to the back of the head.

“T-Thank you. K-Kacchan will be happy to hear that… I think.”

The following days further proved Mrs. Midoriya’s prowess in the culinary arts. Hamburg steak next. Gyoza and egg fried rice after. Pork cutlet sandwich. Fried salmon. Omurice. Pork skewers. Shrimp tempura with tartar sauce. Homemade sushi. Tuna and mayo onigiri. Stir fried seafood noodles in oyster sauce. Asparagus wrapped in bacon. Gyudon. And of course, Midoriya’s favorite, katsudon, though that dish was made far and in between because the wife apparently thought it wasn’t healthy.

All main dishes were complemented with rice and side dishes such as vegetables, fruits, and protein like tofu and hard boiled eggs. Any additional sauces and/or seasonings were placed in small cups of parchment paper. Sometimes she even packed a thermos for her husband to drink, usually freshly squeezed fruit juice or fruit-infused water, ice tinkling inside the container when Midoriya took small sips throughout his meal.

Midoriya’s wife didn’t just cook. There were times that she baked and made desserts as well, usually when Eri-chan was looking for something sweet to eat, according to the husband. The candied apples Midoriya brought to work that one time made some of the men drop to their knees. The recipes the woman knew were seemingly endless, and Midoriya was eventually wheedled into letting some of them try a bite.

And everything tasted as wonderful as it looked.

“Satou-kun, I forgot to ask, but would you happen to have a recipe for the custard cake you brought yesterday?” Midoriya asked at one point. “I brought some back to share with my family and h— my spouse wanted to ask for it, if you don’t mind.”

“Sure Midoriya, as long as she shares her brownie recipe!” Satou said, eager. “If she wants to exchange food recipes, I’m also down for it!”

And so Midoriya became the liaison between his food-loving co-worker and his wife, ferrying multiple, handwritten pages of personal notes from one person to another.

Even her handwriting was impeccable.

“So what we know of Midoriya’s wife so far: she’s possibly pretty, she likes dressing up her husband, she cooks like a Michelin-five star chef, she has really nice penmanship, she works outdoors and she takes care of their daughter most of the time.” Mineta sighed, leaning back on his desk chair. “We haven’t seen or heard from her at all, but I’m pretty sure she’s a goddess turned human by this point. It’s not just physically possible for someone to do all of that without, I dunno, dying or something.”

“She seems very accomplished,” Asui agreed. “And she and Midoriya-chan have been together for almost 10 years, if you include the time they were dating.”

“Power couple goals right there,” Kaminari sighed wistfully. “Midoriya must have saved a country in his past life or something.” He cocked his head back thoughtfully. “Wonder what she’s like in person.”

Multiple people have differentiating opinions. Most thought that she was similar to her husband: sweet, soft-spoken, and good-natured. Others guessed that she would have an energy that complimented Midoriya’s instead, more upbeat and lively compared to her man’s general reserve.

Naturally, bets were made and exchanged. And everyone made sure that nothing was discussed within Midoriya’s earshot.

“Hey, Todoroki!” Sero called out when the son of their boss dropped by the Sales Department for a short visit. “Wanna get in on this as well? We’re just talking about what kind of girl Midoriya married, and a lot of us have a few guesses.”

“I shouldn’t.” The future CEO of the company answered after a pause. “It wouldn’t be fair for any of you if I did.”

It took a moment for the words to make sense.

“… Todoroki, you’ve already met Midoriya’s wife? How?!”

“It was when we went overboard with drinking and Midoriya offered his couch to me for the night. Only met his spouse for a short while, though.” The handsome man cocked his head with some mild confusion. “And they… weren’t happy to see me alone in the house with him.”

Aoyama’s brows furrowed. “Curious. Would you know why, mon ami?” Todoroki just shrugged in response.

“Well? What does she look like, then?” Mineta pressed. “Does she look like Eri? Torodoki, does she have a nice rack?!”

Another bout of silence, as they stared expectantly at the man (while Asui hung Mineta by the balls, as per the usual).

Then, a rare smile flickered across Torodoki’s features. “… They certainly make a lasting impression. If you’ll excuse me, I need to meet with the CEO. Again.” Your father, you mean, they thought in unison, but being good friends, decided to mention it.

It was only later on when they realized that Torodoki didn’t answer any of their questions in the slightest.

A few months had passed. By now, Midoriya had completely settled into Endeavor Inc., and had made fast friends with most people in the company. But for all they knew of the man, his life remained a closed book for the rest of them, despite the bits and pieces of information Midoriya offered about his wife and child every once in a while.

For all of her exalted virtues as a career woman, housewife and young mom, they have yet to actually know who she was as a person, and every opportunity for any of them to meet her in a proper, formal setting was always a bust, since the schedules just didn’t meet up or the timing was just wrong in general.

But the group’s fascination with Midoriya Izuku’s wife didn’t stop them from trying to get to know the man himself, who managed to surprise them with his interest in certain types of sports.

Not because he liked them in general, but rather, on the specific type of sport that managed to capture his complete attention.

“Sorry,” Midoriya blurted out suddenly during one of their lunch breaks, startling many of them in the room. The man was looking at the open T.V. at the corner of the room, suddenly alert. “But could we keep the channel where it is right now? I’d like to watch how the competition ends.”

“Sure thing,” Kirishima agreed easily, increasing the television volume and settling down on the empty chair beside the man so they could watch together. “Didn’t know you were interested in rock climbing, Midoriya.”

“And now, next up is the favorite to win this year’s Climbing Nationals, Bakugou Katsuki, who managed to place second in the speed climbing portion and finished third in the boulder section. If he manages to place first in today in the lead climbing division, he’ll be the overall champion of the entire tournament, going for a back-to-back-to-back win in the professional seniors division—"

“I met quite a few climbers when hiking,” Midoriya explained vaguely, eyes already mostly focused on the screen. Interestingly, Midoriya looked anxious, fingers absentmindedly fiddling with the ring on his finger as he leaned forward in his seat, occasionally checking at his phone screen. “I’ve climbed a bit too, but I prefer my feet to stay on the ground in general.”

On the screen, the athlete—Bakugou—was already harnessed in and approaching the wall, a chalk bag strapped behind his lower back. A few of the employees decided to watch along with the pair, interest spiking when they saw the blond competitor step up. Bakugou grabbed the first ledge and fed a bit of rope into the first carabiner, starting his methodical but powerful scale up the artificial rock wall.

The tension in the office break room ratcheted a little as they all silently watched what was happening. The wall was flat enough at the beginning, with strategic holds, crimps, and ledges across the entire route. Bakugou cleared the lower half easily enough, occasionally shaking his arms loose and dipping them in chalk along the way. But it was the upper part that made or broke the competition, the surfaces jutting out and extending, causing the athletes to jump sideways, upwards, even hang upside down, as they passed through the technical and physically challenging sections.

It was fairly intense. Bakugou was only using the strength of his fingers and arms as he crawled under the large overhang of artificial rock and metal, precarious in some places as his knees and toes shook and trembled against the holds.

“Come on,” they could hear Midoriya mutter, tension palpable around his frame as he bit at his thumb, fingertips rubbing along the wedding band worn on the opposite hand. “Just a little bit, you’re so close—! You can do it!”

The man was wound tighter than a coiled spring, words now flowing non-stop from his lips, though it was mostly unintelligible. Who knew that Midoriya was such a huge fan? They had no time to ask about it however, since Bakugo had finally managed to heave himself over the large lip, on a one-way track towards the top.

But a pretty huge jump was coming up, a sizable gap in between holds that had soundly trounced a number of climbers and their chances of first place. Their eyes remained glued on the TV, breaths baited as the seconds ticked down, waiting for the blond athlete to make his move.

With a dip into the chalk bag, Bakugou slid his rope into the nearby carabiner, body shifting as he eyed his potential routes.

He lunged upwards.

And Midoriya shrieked, jumping to his feet and crushing Kirishima to his chest as they broke into unexpected cheers.

“And the man saves it! Truly a wonderful performance from our last year’s champion! Look at that arm strength, he’s hanging on by the tips of his fingers! It’s touch and go there for a second, but as long as he remains on the wall, he still has a chance to finish the climb! Grabbing with both hands now, Bakugou pulls himself back into a stabler position—”

Midoriya was breathing hard, still clinging on to Kirishima as they watched the last few feet of ascent towards the end of the route.

“And he made it! Look at that, banging his hands right on the top! Ladies and gentlemen, Bakugou Katsuki, your reigning three-peat National Climbing Champion!”

They all watched as the man was lowered back down to the ground with his fists still pumping in the air. The awards ceremony was short, with the winners stepping up onto the podium to loud cheers and roaring applause, grin bright and waves fierce.

And it was then that Midoriya realized what he was doing, and quickly untangled himself from the redhead, pink started to coat his cheeks.

“S-S-S-Sorry, Kirishima-kun! I-I just got c-c-caught up in e-everything—!”

“It’s fine, Midoriya!” Kirishima laughed, patting the other man on the back kindly. It was just them now, the others returning back to their meals and own conversations. “It’s real manly to share your interests with friends. That was exciting, wasn’t it?”

“It is!” Midoriya nodded eagerly, face alight with a beam. “It’s amazing how Ka— he climbed that wall! He’s been training for this for so long and I’m so happy his hard work finally paid off!”

“For sure! What they’re doing isn’t easy!” Kirishima agreed, missing the short, panicked pause from Midoriya as the words registered in their minds. “You must really like this sport a lot!”

Whatever Midoriya had to say in response was drowned out by the sound of the television, which was now showing some post-competition interviews with the athletes. Bakugou Katsuki was the one on the mic right now, his voice tinged with tired satisfaction even as he raised the gold medal with his left hand. In the same shot, the camera caught a similarly gleaming silver-colored band adorning his ring finger.

“—eku, who can’t be here right now ‘cause of their work, and for our princess, who’s been my biggest cheerleader throughout the entire competition,” they caught him saying. “Gotta give some credit too to Hakamada Tsunagu, my old coach who’s still puttin’ up with my stubborn ass after all these years. I ain’t lying, you know you’re already a geezer—!” Bakugou suddenly hollered to someone off-frame, but eventually returned on camera with a wicked grin. “But I know my spouse would be watching this later, so yeah, jus’ wanted to let them know I won.”

To everyone’s surprise, Bakugou tilted the medal towards his face. He then smirked, lips coming into contact with what’s under his knuckle instead, pressing a quick kiss onto what was, undeniably, the man’s wedding ring. “I need to get our daughter at the back so I can’t talk to you extras. But I gotta say: I’m comin’ for that gold in the World Cup. Be prepared, small fry. And babe, sorry it took a while, but the munchkin and I are finally comin’ home.”

The people watching on-site completely ate it up, the reporter standing stunned just long enough for the athlete to make his exit, walking away without another look.

“A-And that’s it for today’s tournament winner, Bakugou Katsuki! He will go on to represent Japan in the International Federation of Sports Climbing World Cup that will happen in a few months in Spain alongside fellow climbers Tokoyami Fumikage and Shouji Mezou—”

“Uwah… so a guy like him has a family too…” Kirishima muttered, amazed. “He’s like… what, the same age as us? Still, they must be so proud. What Bakugou-san did was the epitome of manliness.” He looked at the other man. “Hey, Midoriya, you okay? Your face is really flushed.”

“Y-Yeah, I’m okay,” the man managed to squeak back, red high on the apples of his cheeks as he continued to gape at the screen. He looked absolutely besotted for some reason, pleased and happy despite the tinge of embarrassment in his expression. “Just… Kirishima-kun, it’s like real life, isn’t it?”

Kirishima’s face scrunched in confusion. “… What is?”

“Rock climbing. You have a goal in mind, and you’re trying your best to reach it, no matter how hard or long or twisted the route may take.” Midoriya turned to the redhead then, gaze softening with almost unbearable gentleness.

“If you fall down, you can just start climbing all over again. Again and again, if you need to. And one day, with enough strength and experience, if you never give up, you’ll be able to reach the top, and I think that’s the most exhilarating feeling a person can experience.”

Midoriya looked sincere, earnest, with wide and gleaming eyes.

“And that’s why to me, they’re really amazing.”

It was something to ponder on, the rest of the sales department members mused when Kirishima shared his experiences later on that afternoon. It wasn’t that Midoriya didn’t show any emotion while at work, but it was the first time anyone had seen him so excited and pumped about something. Even the newest releases of Plus Ultra comic book volumes didn’t inspire this level of hype from the other man.

They did intend to ask Midoriya about it (and hey, maybe they could also get into rock climbing alongside him) but the search for the other ended up with them seeing him in the breakroom, phone pressed to his ear, voice quieter, but not so low that they couldn’t hear what he was saying.

“Kacchan,” they heard Midoriya say in the softest, most affectionate tone, his face visibly lightening up. “Congratulations! I managed to tune in when it was your turn. I wish I could have been there to see it myself.” He trailed off wistfully as he listened to his wife’s response. “It’s okay, I’m on break now, you called at the right time. I’m so proud of you, I knew you could do it.”

He was leaning against the wall, body language reminiscent of a schoolgirl talking to her crush on the other line, and it was both an adorable sight and something they suddenly felt like they had no right to be witnessing at the same time.

“Me, doubt you? Never.” A pause, then suddenly, a bright flush streaking across his cheeks. “O-Of course I saw that too! It’s embarrassing every time you do that, you know! By the way, how’s Eri? Is she— oh, hi baby!”

If Midoriya sounded gentle before, then he was definitely adoring now, voice pitched higher with his wife presumably handing her phone over to the little girl. “Are you being good for Tsunagu-san?”

Tsunagu-san? Why did that name sound somewhat familiar to Kirishima?

Something about the conversation nagged at the back of the group’s minds, but they couldn’t put a finger on what was… off about the entire situation. Maybe the topic? The timing?

“—I know, I saw it too, it’s really incredible! I’m sorry I can’t be there, Papa needs to be at work, but you’re cheering for both of us, right? … That’s our good girl, I know I can always count on our Miss Small Might.” Midoriya was saying, before letting out a sudden, startled laugh. “It’s okay, we can talk later, so— Oh, Kacchan! Geez, stop teasing our daughter! I can still hear her pouting at you.”

Midoriya continued to chuckle as he listened to the reply. “I’ve missed you both so much. But you’re right, we should celebrate with Eri-chan over the weekend, it’s been a while since we’ve really gone out properly. … No, don’t apologize, Kacchan, this is your work too. I’m just glad that Eri-chan is there keeping you company. Anyway, we can talk about the details later? You should rest up, don’t push yourself too much after everything you’ve done. Are you sure you’re alright? No injuries?” He paused.

“Oh, that’s good!” Midoriya breathed a sigh of relief. “Then I’ll see you and Eri later, Kacchan. Take care going back, okay?”

And the response he received made a large grin appear on Midoriya’s lips, its power more than enough to light up an entire city for years.

“I love you two more.”

By the time Midoriya went back to his desk, everyone was back in their respective chairs, trying to look like they hadn't been eavesdropping for the last few minutes or so.

“Hey Midorin,” Ashido greeted with an all-too-innocent smile. “You look happy. Something good happened?”

“Something great happened in my spouse’s job,” Midoriya informed her with a bright beam. “They just called to tell me all about it. I’m so happy for them, they’ve been working so hard for it for a long time now!”

“That’s wonderful! Tell her congratulations from us then, Midoriya-san!” Yaoyorozu gushed. Scattered felicitations sounded alongside hers, making the man smile wider.

“Thank you, I’ll make sure that Kacchan receives your well-wishes!”

Just as they were about to ask for the details, their desktops all pinged at the same time.

The reason?

A new email had just come in, announcing the Endeavor Inc. company building activity that was coming up next month.

This was it. The moment they had all been waiting for.

After all the speculation and guessing, the people in the sales department would finally meet the (in)famous Mrs. Midoriya in the flesh. The company building activity wasn’t just for all the employees, but the invitation was open for their respective families as well. It was a few tense days before Midoriya confirmed that yes, his wife and daughter would be coming along too, and everyone took the opportunity to make or change their wagers at the last minute.

The event happened on a Saturday, the location inside a rather upscale hotel in Tokyo, set up in a botanical garden to enjoy the clear skies and cooler weather. The employees needed to be at the venue much earlier to do some company-only activities, with their family members allowed to join much later on in the day.

“Don’t be so nervous, Izuku-kun,” Uraraka said, sliding to Midoriya’s side, watching the man glance every so often at the entrance of the gardens. Once again, the man was wearing one of his wife’s chosen outfits for the day: a collared, cream-colored shirt with the long sleeves fixed to his elbows with red sleeve garters that served to highlight the definition of his biceps. The dark green vest, slacks, and black dress shoes paired alongside his top made him look leaner and taller, eyes practically popping out from under his disheveledly styled curls. And like always, the orange-toned jewel affixed to his ear was a captivating contrast to the rest of his features. “I’m sure that Eri-chan and her mom will be here soon.”

“Y-Yeah,” the man didn’t relax in the slightest, fidgeting with his phone as he looked at the locked screen again. “It’s just— people would be very surprised if they meet them, you know?”

“Why do you think so?”

Unexpectedly, there was a wry smile on Midoriya’s lips.

“You’ll understand later, Uraraka-san.”

His words were… puzzling, but any attempts to have him clarify were halted when the invited guests started trickling into the garden, meeting up with their family members siblings, spouses, children. Everything just became a little more chaotic, and the employees who didn’t invite anyone else clustered together, watching the rest of their co-workers mingle.

“Midoriya’s wife and Eri-chan not here yet?” Ashido asked, taking a seat beside Kirishima. “I’m so excited to meet her, I’m sure we’ll get along!”

“Not yet, Midoriya’s still on the lookout for them,” Jirou pointed at said husband, who was still alternating between glancing at his phone and the garden entrance. “But last I heard, they’re real close by at the hotel already.”

“All right, everyone remember what your bets are!” Mineta cheered. “We’ll get an answer once and for all!”

Then, a sudden commotion at the front.

“What, what? Is it them? Have they arrived?!” Hagakure asked excitedly, making several heads turn in the direction of the sounds.

But instead of seeing a petite woman with a smaller look-alike, their eyes landed on a taller-than-average man with spiky, ash blond hair. He was dressed fashionably, with a dark tan bomber jacket, black pants, and a deep maroon v-neck which did nothing to hide the tank-like build of his body. A pair of black-tinted aviators adorned his face, earlobe glittering with a bright emerald stud earring, outfit topped off with lace-up, ankle high, dark brown biker boots. At his shoulder hung a sparkly, medium-sized, baby pink duffle bag that looked like a fashion statement more than anything else.

In his arms was a beautiful little girl, her silver-colored hair done up in an intricate, complicated-looking braid, pinned to the back of her head with a ribbon that matched the ruby of her eyes. She was wearing a knee-length red dress printed with small white flowers, sleeves knotted while her skirt was layered with satin ruffles, feet encased in matching, off-white mary janes. They were a striking father and daughter pair, and the people who set their gazes on him briefly wondered which lucky co-worker it was that lived with a lovely-looking husband and child like them.

“Papa!” The child started waving, getting nearby people’s attention. “We are here!”

And they were answered very shortly when an all-too-familiar man broke out from the throng of people.

“Miss Small Might has finally arrived!” There was nothing but delight in Midoriya’s expression as he quickly approached the two. “How was the train, sweetheart?”

“Silly Papa! We said byebye before you go to work today!” The girl that could only be Eri giggled, easily sliding into Midoriya’s embrace as the man briefly nuzzled at her cheek. “The train ride is really fun! It goes really fast! Daddy carried me so I see a lot of things outside while the train goes whoosh!” She gripped her skirt, showing it off with a beam. “Look, Papa! Grandma Mii made this dress for me!”

… Daddy? Didn’t she just call Midoriya ‘Papa’ seconds earlier?

“Is that so? I wondered why you looked very pretty today, baby! I’m glad you had fun.” Midoriya answered her warmly, clearly not seeing anything wrong with the sudden title change. “Hey.” He spoke to the blond man. “You went to Aunt and Uncle’s house before coming here?”

“Had to. Ma was gonna skewer my head on a pike if I didn’t let her see the munchkin, says I’ve been neglectin’ my duty as a son to bring her grandkid in for a visit.” The taller man scoffed, removing the sunglasses, showing off narrow, vermillion-colored irises that were not unlike the child’s that was now in Midoriya’s arms. “Tch. As if. And don’t let her hear you callin’ her that.” A finger poked at the freckles on Midoriya’s face. “You know it’s ‘Mom’ now.”

“I know that!” Midoriya answered, indignant. “It’s just hard to remember when I’ve called her ‘Aunt’ most of my life, that’s all.” He took a brief moment to fix the pleats on Eri’s dress, glancing back at the taller man. “Are you sure Tsunagu-san is all right with you skipping training today? And you should really call her ‘Mom’ too, especially when she can hear you.”

“If he has a problem with it I’m shovin’ my old chalk bag up his ass.” The blond grumbled. “I told him about this way back. ‘s just one day, I ain’t gonna slip in my game ‘cause of this.”

The other man reached out, tucking in a stray curl that brushed against the curve of Midoriya’s cheek, a shockingly tender and intimate gesture even as the shorter man chuckled.

“And don’t you dare tell her anything. The only time I’ll call the Old Hag ‘Ma’ is when she’s about to fuckin’ die a hundred years from now, Deku.”

Midoriya leaned into the touch easily, expression filled with fond humor as he gazed up at the other man.

“… All right, Kacchan. I’ll take you up on that a century from now.”

The blond huffed back, equally as amused. “You better.”

The people who were watching were floored. This was the famed ‘Kacchan’?!

No way. ‘Kacchan’ was supposed to be this tiny fairy of a woman with an equally warm smile with silver hair and bright red eyes, demure and kind and good-natured. Not this… this angry-looking, unmistakably fit, drop dead gorgeous hunk of a man who was dressed as if he stepped out of a page of a high-end couture magazine.

But then, in a move that made everyone’s jaw collectively drop to the ground in one clean swoop, Midoriya turned his face to the side just as the blond lowered his head down, meeting in the middle with a quick, well-practiced, thoughtless peck to each other’s lips, right where people in a relationship kiss.

It was exactly the kind of affection one would expect from a couple who had been together for more than a few years.

And it was the hammer that finally drove the nail into their forever crushed expectations and beliefs.

The men exchanged looks over the little girl’s head, sharing a brief moment of quiet and serenity within their small family unit, at least, until Midoriya scrunched his nose up towards his… husband(!!!).

“And that’s another 200 yen into the swear jar. We’ve talked about this, honey. I don’t want Eri picking up your crass language.”

“Fu— dge off, Deku.” The other man rolled his eyes. “Princess is smart, she knows to do what Daddy does, not what he says.”

“I should hope so,” Midoriya sighed, resigned but loving as he smiled up at the other man. “You’re lucky she’s preoccupied right now.” They glanced down at their daughter affectionately, who was still avidly people-watching. “That’s right, I should introduce you to my colleagues!”

“About time, with everything I’ve been hearin’ from you ‘bout them. They as terrible as Candy Cane?” ‘Kacchan’ asked, casually placing a hand on the small of Midoriya’s back as he followed his spouse through the throng of people. “Bringin’ a man home for the night when your hubby’s out workin’ hard and our kid’s in her grandmom’s house—you got some real nerve, babe.”

“I told you, it wasn’t like that at all! He was drunk and he needed a safe place to sleep it off. I honestly don’t know why you don’t like Todoroki-kun, he’s been nothing but nice when you met him the next day— Oh!” Midoriya’s eyes alight on the sales department team members that were still shamefully ogling at them. “There they are!”

No one moved a muscle as the family approached, heads feeling like it was dunked underwater as Midoriya cheerfully introduced his daughter and spouse to everyone present.

“Everyone, I’d like you to meet Bakugou Katsuki and our daughter, Eri. Kacchan, Eri-chan, these people are my co-workers.” Midoriya said their names, one after another, but the adults could barely acknowledge it, still wide-eyed as they tried to make sense of what was happening.

“Hey.” The man who was no doubt Midoriya’s spouse inclined his head, the barest attempt of politeness, while Eri sounded more unsure, but still dutifully following her… Papa’s request, nevertheless. “H-Hello!”

Stunned speechlessness.

Then, as the silence stretched on to the point of discomfort, Kirishima finally spoke, voice tinged with disbelief.

“Bakugou Katsuki? As in, professional climber Bakugou Katsuki? The Bakugou Katsuki that’s recently won Japan's Climbing Nationals and is all but an official member of the national team for the next Summer Olympics?”

“You’re pretty caught up.” Kacchan—Bakugou Katsuki—nodded, almost in appreciation, towards Kirishima. “Not bad. Officially a representative now though, but don’t spread it, the news isn’t out yet. Climbing your thing too?”

“Just starting to get into it, but—” Kirishima whirled onto Midoriya, red eyes wide in comprehension as the shorter man boggled at his husband. “So that’s why you wanted to watch during that time, Midoriya! It totally makes sense now! You wanted to watch your husband compete!”

“Y-Yes, that’s right.” Midoriya nodded, continuing to gape at the blond. “I would have been there in person, but there’s a deadline we needed to meet. But wait— Kacchan, it’s already decided? Why didn’t you tell me?! Congratulations!”

“Just got the notice this morning,” Bakugou shrugged, seemingly nonchalant about being chosen to represent their country on the international sports stage. “Doesn’t matter, I’ll be winning gold there too.”

“Then you should have informed me sooner, Midoriya-kun!” Iida told Midoriya suddenly, making the man yelp in surprise, quickly turning to the bespectacled man. “You had more than enough leaves to compensate for a day of missed work,” he exclaimed, arms once again making those strangely robotic chopping motions. “Supporting your husband through his endeavor is certainly more important than a project! Rest assured that we can always rearrange your schedule if you need to attend any important family events!”

After a moment of incredulous gawking, the shock started to slowly melt away from Midoriya’s features. “T-Then, I’ll take you up on that in the future, Iida-kun…”

The atmosphere slowly dissipated into something warmer and more genial with Kirishima and Iida taking the helm. With the ice broken, as the rest of the team welcomed the Bakugous into the fold, encouraged by their colleagues’ laid-back reactions. Some approached Eri immediately, cooing at her pretty outfit. Others started shooting questions at Bakugou, who was momentarily blindsided by the sudden inquisition about his athletic career but seemingly recovering well enough. Healthy food recipes and style tips were exchanged not too long after.

Eri was eventually approached by another child that was also taken by their parents into the party when the latter came around to chat with the Midoriya-Bakugous (or was it the other way around?). With her dads’ permission, Eri went off to play across the garden alongside a few more kids within everyone’s line of sight, though Bakugou became a little grumpy when he saw it was a boy that came to ask her first (Izumi Kouta-kun, if they heard his name right).

Though not everyone was happy with this development.

“Midoriya, you liar!” Mineta wailed, glaring at Midoriya as wagers were immediately settled under the table between the participating players.

“H-huh?!” Midoriya blinked at the other man, startled. “W-What do you mean, Mineta-kun?”

“You told us you had a wife!” Mineta said accusingly. “Were you leading us on the entire time?!”

“I said I was married!” Midoriya exclaimed, starting to sound lost and a little hurt. “I never said I had a wife! Those are two completely different things!”

“And to be fair, it was completely on us for making that assumption in the first place,” Kaminari shrugged, nudging Mineta in the ribs. “Don’t be an ass, bro. You’re just disappointed it wasn’t a woman you can perv on.”

“Oi.” A low baritone growled behind Midoriya, and everyone stiffened when the decidedly-not-a-woman Bakugou stalked towards his husband’s side, probably hearing the tailend of the conversation. “Pipsqueak with the stupid hair.”

Mineta squeaked, suddenly frozen in place.

“Sounds like it’s your own fault you weren’t listenin’.” Bakugou’s voice was flat, the threat palpable as he glared down on the other man with his more considerable height. “My husband doesn’t lie, least of all for a shitty reason like that. Deku’s never been ashamed of me and our kid, and he’s not gonna start now, not ‘cause of you, side character.”

“K-Kacchan, it’s okay, it’s just a misunderstanding!” Midoriya started to explain in haste, placating his husband. “M-Mineta-kun didn’t mean anything terrible by it, I really didn’t e-explain everything properly, after all—”

“‘Cause you’re thinkin’ like a dumbass, nerd. I told ya I don’t give a shit if other people know ‘bout us.” A gentler ruffle to artfully tousled emerald-hued curls. “And the association don’t give a fuck either. You ain’t gonna cost me any climbs, babe.”

“… Still, it’s better to be careful about these kinds of things.” Midoriya eventually conceded, voice weak. “You never know what will happen in the future.”

At that, Bakugou raised an expectant eyebrow at a pale-faced Mineta, as if saying, see? My husband fuckin’ loves me. “So apologize already, no-named runt.”

“A-All right, I take it back, Midoriya!” Mineta stuttered, face a curious mixture of embarrassment and fear. “S-Sorry if I assumed wrong!”

“Kacchan, don’t be rude towards my co-worker! I-It’s okay, Mineta-kun, you don’t have to apologize—!”

“Let him, Deku. He fucked up and he knows it. And ‘sides, if there’s anyone who should be called the wife it’s you. You’re the one who fusses all the damn time.” Bakugou looked down at Midoriya then, a smirk starting to appear on his roguishly handsome features.

“And you’re the one who likes it up the—”

“Kacchan!” Midoriya gasped, scandalized, face suffused with a bright blush as he quickly shushed his husband. “Can you please not?!”

Bakugou barked out a deep guffaw, hand curling around Midoriya’s head so he could give a light kiss to the shorter man’s temple. “Yeah, yeah. Don’t embarrass you in front of your extras, I know.”

“Daddy! Papa!” It was by then that Eri returned, with a crown of white flowers haloing her silver head, with a similarly-colored bouquet being carried in her small hands. “Look at the flowers Kouta-kun gave me! Aren’t they pretty?”

Bakugou immediately snarled, head whipping up and around to search for the boy. “That brat gave you what?”

“Kacchan, calm down! Don’t call Kouta-kun a brat, they’re just kids! And you’re right Eri-chan, they look very nice!” Midoriya intervened quickly, placing the confused little girl in her blond father’s arms. “Show them to Daddy up close, okay, Miss Small Might? Tell him all about it!”

The look the blond gave his husband was nothing short of murderous, but with Eri there happily showing off her spoils, the man was forced to hold his tongue and grit through a more polite and kid-friendly conversation. Midoriya seemed to take the victory, small as it was, relief taking over his expression as he straightened out the flower crown perched on their daughter’s head.

The more family-oriented events ensued as the afternoon went on. Bakugou was always up for the more physical games, with husband and daughter cheering on the man as he proved his mettle as a professional athlete, leaving the rest of the competitors in the dust. Eri also took part in the children’s games, with everything documented for posterity and her parents radiating pride when she won one of them. Although Midoriya had to pull his husband back when they saw Kouta who, with the encouragement of his parents, shared a part of his candy prize to Eri.

Soon enough, it was time for the late afternoon snacks, and some of the people from the sales department carefully approached Midoriya when they saw he was alone, the husband and daughter taking the time to choose what to eat from the buffet selection.

“Midoriya-chan,” Asui started, tone solemn. “We just wanted to apologize for how we acted earlier. We came off as rude and intolerant and we wanted to clear that up before you misunderstand.”

“It’s not that we were shocked that you were married to a guy or anything,” Ojirou added, with a scratch to the back of his head. “It’s just… well, I guess it was the marriage thing. But not in a bad way, I mean.”

“It’s all right,” Midoriya said gently, far more forgiving than any of them deserved. “I understand. I mean, it’s normal for people to want to get to know their co-workers if you want to make friends with them, right?” He shook his head. “Kacchan was right, I was being too cautious when it came to mentioning him to everyone. N-Not that I think you’re going to say or think something terrible!” He waved his hands quickly. “But Kacchan’s been working so hard to make sure he can maintain his professional career, and I just… wanted to help in any way I can, I guess.”

“Not at all!” Uraraka shook her head, tone earnest. “It’s completely understandable to worry about your husband’s job. We just hope he didn’t take too much offense with our attitude? We didn’t mean to look so surprised when you introduced us to your family.”

“Oh, don’t worry about that. Kacchan takes offense to everything,” Midoriya answered cheerfully, to shared, confused looks. “His temper isn’t the best, angry is his default state, but he knows. I’ll talk to him about it, if that would help.”

The knots on their shoulders, unbeknownst to the group, loosened significantly.

“So no hard feelings, Midorin?” Ashido interjected. “And if we’re cool, can you tell me how exactly you got that piece of prime estate?! I need to know your secrets, single woman to married gay man!”

“No hard feelings,” Midoriya confirmed with a mischievous twinkle in his eye. “And no problem, I’ll tell you all the details when we have the time. Just for accuracy’s sake though, I’m not gay. I’m bisexual.”

“Right on, Midoriya!” Jirou raised her fist, prompting Midoriya to grin and bump his own against hers in mutual solidarity. “Same.”

As the group settled down into light-hearted chattering, they were eventually interrupted by a deadpan voice.

“You better not be embarrassin’ me in front of your side characters, Deku.” Bakugou finally came back, bearing two plates, while little Eri carried her own tray of snacks. Midoriya just beamed, taking the nearest plate from his husband, who was staring at him with raised eyebrows. “Shitty Hair just told me some real interestin’ things they’ve learned about me from you.” The blond squinted at his husband suspiciously. “You’re on thin ice, babe.”

“Just tell me the nicknames you came up with for my co-workers later, okay?” Midoriya chirped instead, setting Eri onto his lap as his husband took the empty chair beside him, with his co-workers-now-friends taking up the rest of the available space around them. “And of course not, honey.”

Midoriya made sure that their daughter was enjoying her matcha-flavored mochi first before grinning at the blond, leaning against his husband’s side easily, comfortably.

Freely.

“I just bragged a little on how Kacchan is the best housewife a man could ever have.”

“Oi!”

Sudden, spluttered, scattered laughter.

But Midoriya simply smiled back, before pressing his cheek against a sharp jawline.

And everyone enjoyed the company of friends and family as the warmth of the setting sun washed over them all.