Incomplete [Chapter 5]

[Chapter 4]

Izuku and Katsuki had walked the same patrol area for the better part of the past five years, and it had become a familiar routine. They had four different route maps, each one tracing different directions they could go to make their circuit of various landmarks in different orders, and each day they changed it up a little to keep villains on their toes. Everyone in the area knew them, even waited for them – often the kids would come out to say hello, and sometimes they brought drawings and letters with them for their favourite local heroes – Deku and Dynamite had always been popular with the kids. Izuku had a folder stuffed with them sitting at home, safely tucked away where it wouldn't get damaged.

Their district was one of the rowdier areas – where people tried petty crime more often and got into fights seemingly at random. They worked from late afternoon through the night, when gang activity was high and drunken people were making poor choices, then they would head home for a well-deserved sleep in the warmth of the morning sun. For almost five years they'd been working it together, building up their comfortable routine. For almost five years the crime had been steadily decreasing, until families were finally willing to buy houses in the area again.

After almost five years, they informed their agency that they needed to change the system.

It was simple, they said. Crime had dropped significantly, they never actually needed both of them to handle it. So for a week, Izuku would do the patrols, and the next week it would be Katsuki.

People had been sceptical of the idea, but it wasn't like anyone could actually argue with them. They had the final say, after all. Besides, the government had already been on them about doing too much work, too many hours each. It would keep everyone happy.

It would be weird to walk back to the train alone in the morning, to lean sleepily against a wall or slump in a seat without a warm shoulder to rest on, but it would work.

It had to.

And so, when they stumbled home after their final patrol together, early on a Friday morning, they had almost forgotten about their ice cream date later that afternoon.

It would be great! They were more excited than they’d been for just about anything in their lives!

But first: Nap.

─────

The kids seemed torn as they stared up at the menus and explored the freezers, marvelling at the collection of flavours they'd never even heard of before. On one hand they were both excited, enthusiastic, ready to try every flavour in the world; on the other, they were nervous beyond belief. They'd been warned multiple times to be on their best behaviour; Izuku could see it in their posture, in the way they twitched as they considered their choices.

“What can I get for you dears?”

“U-Um, I'll have... I'll have...” Yoshiki stumbled. “A s-small vanilla cone please.”

“Oh come on,” Katsuki huffed. “Stop being so damn polite. Pick something exciting!”

Koharu looked up at him with wide eyes, staring for a moment before she spoke up in barely more than a whisper.

“Like a banana split?”

“Yes! Exactly! You want a banana split? We'll take the biggest banana split you make, please!”

Koharu lit up in her excitement, quickly quashed by the glare Yoshiki shot at her.

“Yoshiki-san,” Izuku began, crouching down to speak to him quietly. “It's very sweet of you to worry, but I assure you, you don't have to choose the cheapest one. We’re buying today, as a treat for you guys, so please pick whatever you want, okay? I promise it doesn’t matter how much it costs, we wouldn’t have offered if it mattered.”

“A-Are you s-sure?”

“Absolutely.”

“Th-Then... Could I... Maybe, please... Have a chocolate sundae? If it's not too much?”

“Get him a chocolate sundae the size of his head!” Katsuki demanded triumphantly. “The best chocolate sundae you've ever made!”

Yoshiki cracked a smile at that, for the first time since they’d met up, and Izuku grinned at him in return. They finished putting in the rest of their orders and soon they were gathered around a little table, stuffing themselves with dessert, their bowls and dishes barely fitting on the table top. Yoshiki was still quiet, but Koharu told them all about her preschool, regaling them with stories about what her friends and teachers did over their vacation.

The only thing that got his eyes shining, Izuku noticed, was when they talked. When Koharu asked them about their week, and Katsuki began to fill her in on some of their more exciting moments of their patrols, Yoshiki sat up a little straighter, eyes locked on him as he took in every word. It shouldn’t have surprised Izuku, not really – every boy that age was a big hero fan, after all – but still somehow it did. He’d never seen Yoshiki show so much enthusiasm for anything in the time they’d known each other, and he could have watched those wide eyes all damn day.

By the time they finished their time together, the entire group could barely stand, so full of ice cream that Izuku thought he might have to retire. He moaned quietly as he clambered to his feet, and Katsuki chuckled at him fondly for it, reaching out to ruffle his already-messy hair.

“Cheat meal, don't judge,” Izuku mumbled.

“Not judging, eat what you want.”

As they headed for the car parked down the street, Katsuki reached into his bag, exploring the two wrapped boxes sitting inside. He hadn't had the chance – or the forethought – to warn Izuku about them, but he didn't really think he would mind.

“You should send us some emails,” Izuku was telling Yoshiki. “Since you're learning how to use the computer at school. Let us know how you're doing, or anything exciting that happens.”

“Okay,” Yoshiki agreed quietly. “I'll try to write some stuff.”

“Awesome!”

With a little smile Katsuki pulled the boxes out, seeing Koharu's eyes widen immediately.

“Here, I got you guys a present, I hope that's okay,” he informed them. “Just something little to say thank you for all the stuff you guys taught us about your Home and schools.”

Koharu tore into hers immediately, her face lighting up when she found the pretty pink sketchbook and brand new pencils inside. She grinned up at him, and Katsuki couldn’t help but return it.

“You said you had trouble getting paper to draw on, so I thought it might help.”

“You're the best, Mister Bakugou!” she declared, hugging the box tightly. “I'll draw you a picture first!”

“That sounds really nice, thank you.”

When she moved the book she found a little pink camera underneath to match, speechless as she picked it up.

“There's one for you, too,” he explained, nodding toward Yoshiki's box. “So you can take photos with your friends and stuff. Email them to us if you get any cool shots.”

“We will!” Koharu promised, beaming. “I'm so happy, Mister Bakugou, thank you!”

“My pleasure.”

Yoshiki finally opened his own gift, his nerves cracking away into a smile when he found the newest set of plastic bricks waiting for him. He struggled to find words, but Katsuki nodded knowingly.

“And listen,” he said quietly, crouching down close to his ear. “These ones are yours. If they go 'missing' like the rest did, let me know, alright? I'll sort 'em out.”

“Thank you,” he managed finally, smiling more confidently now. “I can't wait to play with them.”

“You have a good time, and take care of Koharu.”

“I always do.”

They slid into the back seat of the car, Koharu already waving, and Izuku waved back with a big smile still on his lips.

“Do you want to go out with us next Saturday?” he asked. “We don't have to work that morning, but we’re a bit busy during the week unfortunately so that’s the earliest we have a chance to hang out again.”

“Yes please!” Koharu said in a hurry, looking to their caretaker for confirmation.

When Yoshiki nodded, she did too, and Izuku grinned just as brightly as Koharu.

“I'll arrange the time and place with your caretakers and we'll see you then.”

They said their last goodbyes and waved from the footpath until the car rounded a corner, then Izuku immediately collapsed into Katsuki's arms.

“Kacchaaaaan,” he whined quietly. “You're so cuuuuute.”

“Shut up.”

“I meeeaaan iiiiit.”

“Okay, okay, I get it.”

“I think I fell in love all over again today.”

“With the kids?”

“With you! You listened to what they liked, even listened to meabout what they liked, and you bought them presents and I didn't even know! You're so sweet!”

“I love you too,” he said fondly. “Come on, let's head home.”

─────

“Bigger.”

Izuku chuckled, but Katsuki only looked more determined because of it.

“They need a shitload of books, I never want them short on books, books are great.”

“I know,” Izuku said fondly. “I remember our library trips when you were that age.”

“It doubled as strength training, it was great.”

“I guess it did its job.” Izuku grinned, squeezing Katsuki’s bicep. “The Training Secrets of Dynamite, best-selling book coming soon.”

“I just want them to feel safe.”

“I know,” Izuku assured him, leaning into his side to absorb his warmth. “They will. I Promise.”

As they kept walking, they finally came across a much wider bookshelf, with far more room to fit the kids’ books and figures and photos and whatever else they could come up with. It was perfect, at least in size, and Izuku nodded before Katsuki could even say anything.

“The white would work in Koharu’s room, I think, even if it’s a little boring. We got that white bed frame and nightstand.”

“Maybe the black one for Yoshiki’s room.” Katsuki nodded. “The books will be decoration enough, anyway.”

“Yeah! And it’ll be a good spot for any figures they want to display, or photo frames, and that kind of thing.”

“But then there won’t be room for books.”

“It’s okay, Kacchan, there’s plenty of room for books.”

“There better be.”

Izuku grinned, kissing him on the cheek quickly and watching him turn pink, then linking their fingers together tightly.

“They’re gonna love their rooms,” Izuku assured him. “You’ve done such a good job picking out things they’ll each like, it’s gonna be perfect.”

“I’ve probably forgotten something obvious.”

“You got them step-stools, you haven’t forgotten anything.”

Katsuki huffed a little, but he gave up on arguing, turning on his heel instead and dragging Izuku toward a row of decorative boxes and baskets. They’d already talked about leaving some sealed snacks in each of the rooms, in case they got nervous about asking for things, and Katsuki had insisted they each have a sealable box, too, where they could keep anything they might not want Izuku or Katsuki to see it. Izuku was happy to just watch Katsuki peruse, heading immediately for the pink section to make the easy pick first, and to listen to the cute little mumbles of Katsuki talking to himself, even though he’d never admit to it.

When their cart was satisfactorily full, and the contents paid for, they loaded all their boxes into the back of the car, left with only the bookshelves to be delivered later. Everything was quickly coming together, and Izuku couldn’t decide if he was more excited or more nervous about how quickly everything was moving. He was glad, of course – it was going to be a long process to finally adopt them, so he was glad it was getting underway quickly, but he couldn’t help but feel out of his depth, like they’d missed some little piece of the puzzle that would make it all fall apart.

He supposed that was the same way Katsuki felt about the bedrooms, come to think of it.

“I love you,” Katsuki said quietly, as they slid into the car to head home.

“I love you too, Kacchan!”

Izuku beamed. It was always extra nice when Katsuki said the words first, even though he meant it just as much regardless.

Whatever that missing piece was, they’d conquer it together.

[Chapter 6]