The hum of excitement was palpable in the grand hall of the National Hero Agency as the annual Pro-Hero Awards ceremony reached its crescendo. Limelight bathed the stage, where the top heroes of the nation were being celebrated for their unwavering dedication and extraordinary feats. Amidst the glittering array of costumes and beaming faces, a familiar group of powerhouse individuals, once classmates at U.A. High, now stood together, titans in their own right.

Deku, ever the picture of humble strength, chatted animatedly with Uravity, whose laughter bubbled freely. Shoto, as composed and stoic as ever, exchanged quiet words with Creati, while Chargebolt and Pinky debated the merits of different celebratory snacks. And then there was Dynamight, Katsuki Bakugo himself, looking every bit the explosive, top-tier hero he had become, though perhaps with a fraction less of the youthful scowl that once defined him.

"Can you believe we're actually here again?" Red Riot clapped Bakugo on the shoulder, a wide, genuine grin on his face. "Feels like just yesterday we were trying not to blow up the training grounds."

Bakugo grunted, a sound that might have been mistaken for annoyance by anyone who didn't know him, but his slight smirk betrayed a hint of amusement. "Just proves you all finally caught up to me, shitty hair."

Mina, ever the instigator, chimed in, "Oh, come on, Bakugo! Don't be so modest! Anyway, enough about the old days. What's new in your life? Anything exciting happening when you're not saving the world?"

A brief, uncharacteristic silence fell over the group as they all turned to Bakugo, curiosity piqued. He merely scoffed, then, with a subtle shift in his stance, extending an arm, not quite pointing, but indicating a figure standing a little distance away from their boisterous circle.

Their eyes followed his gaze to a tall woman with striking silk black hair that cascaded down her back. Her unique heterochromia eyes, one blue and one yellow, held a reserved, almost expressionless quality as she quietly observed the festivities standing with some others of what seemed to be her own former classmates. She was Poison Bloom, a hero known for her potent Poisonous Vines and her ability to choose the neurotoxin her touch inflicted.

"That's what's new," Bakugo stated, his voice a low rumble, a hint of something akin to pride softening its edges. "My wife."