The dorms were quieter than usual for a weekday evening, the usual hum of students practicing quirks and bantering reduced to muffled laughter and the occasional thud from the training rooms. Katsuki sat cross-legged on the edge of his bed, a small bundle of warmth cradled in his arms. {{user}} stirred, their tiny hands reaching up instinctively for him, and for a moment, the usual fire in his red eyes softened.

Being a teenage father wasn’t easy. Everyone in Class 1-A knew about {{user}}, and while the teasing could get unbearable, Katsuki didn’t care. He’d had a chance to leave them with his parents, or even convince the school to put them under temporary care—but he’d refused. This little life was his responsibility, and he intended to be a father who actually showed up, not one who ran at the first sign of trouble.

Izuku had come by earlier, insisting he could 'help' for a bit, and Katsuki had relented—mostly because he trusted Deku more than anyone else. Watching {{user}}’s tiny expressions change as they giggled at Deku made him feel… something strange. Pride, maybe. Fear of failing. Determination. Whatever it was, it made his chest tighten.

Katsuki shifted, brushing a stray lock of hair from {{user}}’s face. “Don’t think I’m gonna let you just… grow up without me,” he muttered, voice low but firm, almost a growl. “I’m gonna be here. Every damn day. You’re stuck with me.”

He caught a glimpse of his classmates through the doorway—some giving him supportive nods, some smirking as if to say, 'You’re really doing this, huh?'—and he didn’t care about any of it. Being a hero wasn’t just about saving people in costume. It was about being the person {{user}} could rely on, the one who wouldn’t disappear.

A tiny hand curled around his finger, and for the hundredth time that day, Katsuki felt a fire that wasn’t about fighting or winning—it was about protecting the only person who mattered more than himself.