After around ten minutes of silent walk, all three men reached the nearest cafeteria. As they sat down warming hands with hot chocolates bought by the culprit as a half-ass apology, the man started talking again.
- My quirk is way stronger than a mere hallucination. It lets me re-create people. Duplicate them or call it the way you want. This young fella you're avoiding to look at is your re-creation. It's you, with all your thoughts, life experiences and aspirations, at least up to this point of his life. How old are you, little one?
- I'm not little, you old man! - a young blonde yelled, frowning brows like a little animal ready to fight. - I'm 15! Don't you even call me a little again or...
- Shut up. - Older Katsuki commanded. His voice was harsh and impatient, making the younger one open his mouth in disbelief.
'Damn, was I always so loud? No surprise everyone was fed up with me!' - an involuntary thought came to the old one's mind but he shoved it off. No way he's at fault. It's them, all those people, who couldn't realise how special Katsuki was.
- As I was saying... My quirk lets me duplicate people up until a certain stage of their lives. This young, proud man is you from twenty years ago. He will...
- Twenty years?! How old do you think I am?! - now it was older Katsuki's turn to lose his shit. This man was very bad at guessing people's years. Of course, he looks 27, not 35!!! He might have some bags under the eyes - from not sleeping enough, some dry skin - from not hydrating enough, some hair falling - from constant stress... but be damned if he looked 35!!!
- Well, it doesn't really matter. What matters is that this little copy of yours is going to stay around for a little bit. I'm not really sure for how long, as I wasn't able to control my quirk during the accident. It could be a couple of days, a couple of months, depending on how much force was put into it.
- So... how much...
- And how do I know?! It worked by surprise! Gave me a good headache, too! - the culprit lost his patience for a moment. Massaging temples, he looked at both men, one angry, another one just confused.
- Look, I really didn't mean to snap. I hate my quirk, that's all... when I was younger, kids used to call me out on this one, call me a weird one, and there was a Lego guy in our class, for God's sake! I apologise. Anyways, there's one more thing you need to know. You're not gonna like it... - he mumbled, looking at the older copy of the same human. A couple of seconds passed in total silence, sending the Kat's anxiety over the moon.
- He's a product of your mind and your body, he is not a traveller from another timeline. He will not travel to the past, he will not change anything in your life, he will not be a messenger between you and your past, nothing of this bullshit. He's basically you, treat him more as an extension of yourself. He will cease to exist, eventually, at some point but until then, take good care of him. Feed him, school him, give him clothes, let him sle...
- What am I, a fucking animal, you old man?! - the younger version of Bakugou lost its patience. - Tch. We get it. I get it. In ten years time, I'm going to become a fucking hairless loser and can't do anything about it, yeah, I get it! If you tell me you're not Number One Hero, though, I'm gonna explode the shit out of you and I couldn't care less!!!
Katsuki stared at his younger self and couldn't process what he had just heard. 'I remember being quite an impatient kid, my voice has always been rather loud, but damn, why do I feel like I want to slap this spoiled brat? Was I always so vulgar? Is this why no one liked me?' There was no clever response to that. He couldn't possibly look into the eyes of this young, proud man and say he got kicked out from the pro hero agency and was swamping in debt. Not mentioning all other stuff Katsuki was ashamed of...
- You don't want to hurt one another. - the man looked seriously at both. - As I said, he's your extension. Built from your own material, so to speak. Hurt him, beat him, kill him...
- I see... - older Kat closed his eyes, putting head in his hands slowly.
His head hurt terribly and he was on the verge of crying. After all that happened last month, after all that happened during the last years, all he needed was something - someone - to remind him of his proud origins and ambitions. Ambitions that were never satisfied. Pride that got shuttered when Kirishima kicked him out of their tiny but comfortable house in a suburb, merely one year after Masaru's funeral. Both events Katsuki felt guilty of. He didn't need himself looking at... himself, with a black-and-white judgement in those red, vivid eyes ready to fight, ready to conquer the world. 'How can I shut myself up? How can I explain myself in front of ... well, myself?' he thought, shaking his head and mumbling under his nose. The man put his hand on Katsuki's shoulder, nodding in understanding.
- Some people come to me and ask to use my quirk on them, you know? They find it... therapeutic. It's challenging but damn, if you play this game right, it makes you feel better. Be good to yourself, young man. Be good to both of you, that is. It's possible that when the younger you will vanish, you will even miss him! I saw it many times and...
- Shut it, old man! Don't you see what's going on?! - Bakugou yelled, anxiety and anger growing in his teenage heart. - Don't you see that fucking caricature that is supposed to be me is hiding from me?! He's shuttered my life, I don't know yet how much did he fuck up or what, but he's a fucking loser and I hate him!!! - At this point, Bakugou didn't care that he was disturbing other people in the tiny cafeteria. He pointed finger at his older version, who was trying to avoid this judgemental look, biting his bottom lip. - I hate him, I'd rather die than become... this!!!
Having said that, Bakugou left the cafeteria in a hurry.
'I'm going to show them! I'm going to show myself! I'm going to be the greatest hero, win a battle against All Might, I'm going to confess to Kirishima my feelings, I'm going to be the best! Not like that fucking loser!' - his thoughts were appearing and disappearing frantically, making his head spin. Bakugou stopped for a second to understand where he was. He couldn't recognise this part of the city. Damn, was he still in Tokyo? He wasn't sure. In the instant, he felt a great urge to hug his parents and hear from them how great he was. 'Mum... dad... where are you?'
YOU ARE READING
27 And Counting (Adult Katsuki Bakugou MHA)
Fanfiction27-years old Katsuki Bakugou has come a long way since the beginning of his path toward the Number One Hero. However, he's not exactly where he thought he would be. He learns in a hard way that being hero isn't only about exploding villains' faces...
