My Father's Son - Chapter 42

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Katsuki felt like his head might burst, with all the back-and-forthing going on in his life all of a sudden, but he hated to admit that things were actually getting done. His parents had arrived bright and early at what he now officially called The Old House, while Katsuki was still in his pyjamas cooking breakfast for everyone, and the moment they'd eaten, everyone got to work.

Masaru and Izuku took over in the boys' room, helping them get their packing finished (or maybe started, as it felt to Katsuki), Inko and Mitsuki began cleaning the house from top to toe, making sure it was spotless for when the real estate agency arrived after lunch, and Katsuki got in the car, heading down to The New House to find Mirio and Eijirou already waiting on his doorstep.

“Put us to work, Katsuki!” Eijirou flashed a sharp-toothed grin, flexing his bicep needlessly. “Where do you want us?”

By the time Katsuki even got out of the car, the two men were already filled in, getting to work on the stacks and stacks of boxes in the garage. Katsuki groaned when he saw them, suddenly reminded of exactly how much unpacking they had to do, but Mirio clapped him on the shoulder with a laugh.

“Ryouji is gonna come help the boys later. I don't know how much use he'll be, but he'll try his best. Tamaki was gonna come too, but-”

“Don't be an idiot, let him take care of the baby,” Katsuki cut him off with a glare. “Don't you ever take a turn with her?”

“Of course I do! But you asked for my help! I could never say no to that!”

“I did not say I needed your help.”

“Suuuure, buddy,” Mirio grinned. “We're gonna switch at lunchtime anyway. So this pile is all kitchen boxes?”

“Don't walk away from me, you piece of shit!”

“Can't hear you, busy walking away!”

He glared at Mirio's back until it was out of sight, slamming the car door a little more heavily than was entirely necessary. He didn't know how they all did the whole gratitude thing, it seemed impossible. He struggled to even get the words thank you out to anyone but his immediate family, the boys being the usual recipients, he didn't understand how his asshole friends made it look so easy.

“You said all the blue tags go upstairs, right?”

“Yeah,” he sighed, forcing himself to relax a little as Eijirou smiled back at him. “Kitchen, dining, living.”

“Got it! What about the boys' rooms?”

“Don't get me started on the boys' rooms.”

“Understood!” Eijirou grinned. “You should do your bedroom stuff, I don't wanna intrude.”

“Yeah. Um, th-thanks.”

“No problem!” Eijirou lit up, his eyes a little watery. “I'm on it!”

Soon they settled into a rhythm, carting boxes up and down the flights of stairs, stacking neat little piles in corners where they weren't in the way of people or cleaning tools. Inko and Mitsuki had already lectured him on sticking to the heavy lifting, on leaving the simpler jobs for the old folk to do – although they'd complained when he used that term, too.

When he got the text from Izuku, he hopped back in the car, driving out to pick up the first load of the kids' stuff. Hiroki and Yuuto valiantly carried them down the stairs, out the door to meet Katsuki in the driveway, though they thankfully conceded when he helped them reach into the car.

“Ryouji is gonna help you unpack,” Katsuki said, when Hiroki wrapped himself around a strong leg. “But only if you get all your packing done fast.”

“I'll be super fast!”

“Do you have more done?”

“Uh-huh!”

“I'll come help.”

Between the three of them, and with a little help from Izuku, they got the car loaded again. The bedroom was only about half-empty, all the furniture still intact, which made Katsuki nervous all over again, but he tried his best to leave it in his family's hands. He only needed to worry about The New House, Izuku had reminded him over and over, he just had to... let go, somehow.

“Next time should be the last one,” Izuku smiled, watching Katsuki get back in the driver's seat. “Mom and Mitsuki are just about done, so they're gonna come back with you and start on the new place next time. Me and Masaru will clean the boys' room, then bring them over with us. It's all under control, Kacchan, I promise.”

“Thank you.”

“Any time, you know that! I'm happy you're putting some trust in me.” He reached through the open window, brushing hair back from a flushed forehead. “Take breaks, okay? Don't make yourself sick with stress.”

“I have to work tomorrow,” Katsuki pointed out stubbornly, making no move to pull away from the warm hand. “I need to get it done today.”

“You don't,” Izuku smiled. “You'll still have me tomorrow, Kacchan. And Mom, and even your own parents! I can take a day off work, they won't mind. I might get more done while the boys are at kindergarten.”

“Don't skip work, just get it done today.”

“We will, easily, even with you taking breaks. But if we don't, there are options. Please, Kacchan?”

“Ugh.”

“Every hour, stop and sit and drink some water. Your friends too!”

“Whatever. I guess.”

“Good boy!” Izuku grinned, pulling his hand away before Katsuki could slap him or bite him. “Drive safe!”

“I always do.”

“I know.”

He would never say it out loud, but Katsuki felt a little warmer inside as he left.

─────

“Hirohiro!”

Ryouji dove on Hiroki the moment he arrived, and Katsuki was quietly grateful that neither of them had been carrying boxes as they clung together as tight as they could possibly muster.

“Ryouryou,” Hiroki grinned, rubbing their cheeks together happily. “I missed you!”

“I missed you too! Come on, I'll help with your boxes. Yuuto, let me help you too! Hey Dad, can I have coffee?”

“You don't need caffeine to carry boxes,” Tamaki answered immediately. “Use your normal speed.”

“That's no fun! How about chocolate?”

“Why do you need chocolate?”

“Uncle Katsuki seems stressed.”

“Uncle Katsuki doesn't need your quirk,” Katsuki snorted, ruffling Ryouji's hair. “But, uh, thanks for caring, I guess.”

“Is Uncle Katsuki learning to say thank you?”

“Shut up, brat.”

Ryouji grinned, finally separating from Hiroki to follow Katsuki down the hall.

“Do you wanna see my new trick, Uncle Katsuki?”

“Is it another dangerous trick?”

“It could be!” he grinned. “Wanna see?”

“Damn right I do.”

He set down his box to give the kid his full attention, watching as he grabbed a bottle of water from his bag.

“I had mushrooms for breakfast!” he explained, popping the cap and downing a few long chugs of water. “Okay, watch!”

With intense concentration on his face, one of Ryouji's hands began to glow. Katsuki was about to open his mouth, about to tell him how it would be useful for rescue situations, when Ryouji brought his hands together in a thunderous clap.

For a moment Katsuki could only stare, watching the grin come back over Ryouji's face, one more clap letting off a smaller, but equally bright and hot, explosion between his hands.

“Holy shit,” Katsuki began, choking back a laugh. “When did you learn that?”

“It took lots of practice! I gotta use the potassium from the mushrooms in one hand, but the phosphorus comes out too which makes it bright, I gotta figure out how to use one and not the other. Or eat bananas! But they don't work as well for some reason. And then I use the water on my other hand, because when the potassium meets the water, boom!”

“Number Two's quirk wasn't good enough, huh?” Katsuki grinned, crouching down to Ryouji's height. “Had to copy mine instead?”

Ryouji giggled, and Katsuki couldn't seem to keep the grin off his face, ruffling Ryouji's hair fondly.

“Dad's quirk is good for stealing cookies,” Ryouji whispered. “I can take them from the next room! But this is better for fighting.”

“You have an awesome quirk,” Katsuki agreed. “For fighting and for everything else, too. You like the chemistry or you just do it for your quirk?”

“It's fun! I want to do lots more!”

“That's awesome. I'm sure you're gonna find some amazing combinations, I'll be super proud to call you my son-in-law when you're a top hero.”

“But not if I'm not a hero?”

“Even then,” Katsuki amended. “Whatever you decide to do, I'll be proud. I just know you plan on being a hero right now. If that changes, that's cool too. You'll be amazing at whatever you do.”

“Thanks Uncle Katsuki!” Ryouji grinned. “I'm gonna go help Hiro and Yuuto!”

“Thank you, they really need someone to keep them on task.”

“Got it!” Ryouji threw a salute Katsuki's way, gone again before Katsuki could even answer. “Hirohirooooo! You better be workiiiiing!”

A giggle behind him let Katsuki know that Inko was watching on, and Katsuki flashed her the remnants of his smile as he stood up.

“Good kid,” he explained needlessly. “That's your future grandson-in-law, better get used to it.”

“He and Hiroki will make a lovely couple.”

“Time to find out if he can keep the kid on task.”

“Now that I doubt.”

“Me too, unfortunately.” Katsuki sighed, but managed to keep a faint smile as he glanced at the pile of boxes still stacked in the garage. “Better get back to work.”

“Drink water, Izuku will complain if I don't remind you.”

“Got it,” Katsuki agreed, reaching for his bottle near the door. “For you, not for him.”

“Of course, dear.”

─────

When Denki showed up still in his costume, arms loaded with bags, and a big smile stretched across his face, Katsuki couldn't help but soften a little. Hiroki came running to greet him, taking a few bags off his hands, and with a faint nod Katsuki took an armful as well.

“How's it all been going?” Denki asked brightly. “You been working hard? How much did you get done?”

“This floor,” Katsuki sighed, waving toward the kitchen and living room as they approached. “The boys have been working away upstairs but I haven't dared to look yet.”

“I'm sure they've done a great job!”

“Hope so. Dad has been up there to help clean and stuff, so at least that much is done.”

“And your room?”

“I stuck my boxes up there, I can unpack them when the rest is done.”

“Katsuki, my dude,” Denki sighed. “You have like fifty people here, you're allowed to do your own shit.”

“Shut up.”

He set the bags down on their new kitchen table, letting Denki start unloading packages – he'd really gone all out, Katsuki couldn't help but notice, getting more than enough food to not only feed the masses for dinner, but to have leftovers for the next day too.

“It's all ready to go, but the meat might need heating up,” Denki explained, as he laid out boxes of salads and vegetables and meats, even a big container of rice. “I just asked that place on the corner to have it ready when I came by, they were awesome!”

“Thank you.”

Denki froze, wide-eyed when Katsuki dared to meet his gaze, but after a moment his lips stretched back into a grin.

“You're welcome!” he beamed, throwing an arm around Katsuki's shoulders. “We love you, man! We're always happy to help! Besides, you've helped us more times than I can even count!”

“That's not saying much when you can barely count past three.”

“Rude! I can get to at least ten!”

Katsuki rolled his eyes as he pulled away, cracking a smile all the same, and turned to the freshly cleaned and filled cabinets to find plates. The meat went in the little benchtop grill to warm up, and Denki opened up all the packages to show off their contents, slapping spoons and forks into them for serving.

When the meat was done and out on the table, Denki headed back to the stairwell, and Katsuki cringed when he opened his mouth.

“Dinner!” he yelled, echoing up and down the stairs. “Come and get it!”

Footsteps pounded on every side, and soon Katsuki was mobbed by friends and family, clamouring for plates as they drooled over the food. He stepped back to avoid the rush, watching with a mix of amusement and horror as the boys, Denki and Eijirou got stuck in, the adults waiting a little more patiently to find a space.

“Mina and Fumikage are gonna drop by later, too,” Denki informed them, when he stepped away with his mouth already full of chicken. “They wanna see the house and help out with any last minute stuff.”

“Isn't she working?”

“Uh-huh, she's finishing up about now. Probably go shower then show up.”

“As opposed to you,” Katsuki grumbled, eyeing him over in his costume. “You stink.”

“Don't be mean,” Denki laughed. “I never even fought today, it's fine!”

“Ugh.”

He grabbed a plate from the stack, stepping to grab a few things now that the crowd was clearer, and found himself standing shoulder-to-shoulder with a sweaty nerd.

“Working hard?” he smirked.

“Don't be mean,” Izuku pouted. “We're not all as fit as you!”

“I'll throw some weights in the boxes, get you a good workout while you're unpacking.”

“Lots of reps at a low weight is just as good as fewer at a high weight, Kacchan!”

“Don't forget who taught you that, nerd,” Katsuki teased, squeezing Izuku's bicep. “Keep working, one day you'll be able to give decent hugs.”

“Papa's hugs are great!” Hiroki protested, swallowing his mouthful in a hurry. “Papa is super strong!”

“Thanks sweetie,” Izuku grinned. “This is why you're my favourite.”

“Yay! I'm the favourite!”

“Don't be silly, you can't hug with stick-arms,” Katsuki continued, elbowing him in the ribs lightly. “Keep working, you'll get there.”

Katsuki wasn't sure what he had expected to come of the teasing, but somehow it hadn't been to find Izuku's arms around him suddenly, squeezing extra tight as Katsuki's face burned bright red. Despite still being a good six inches shorter than Katsuki, his arms reached all the way around, holding on with determination.

“What the hell, nerd?!” Katsuki demanded, wriggling a little in the hopes that he might let go willingly. “Let go of me you asshole!”

“I'm not letting go until you admit that I'm a good hugger!”

“Haah?! Like hell!”

“Then you're gonna be stuck like this forever!”

“Get the hell off me!”

“No! Make me!”

“You think I won't?!”

“Don't be mean, Kacchan!”

Katsuki's face burned brighter when he heard all the laughter exploding around them, clenching his hands into fists to keep his sparks at bay, but still Izuku held him tight, his head pressed into Katsuki's shoulder.

“Me too!” Hiroki demanded, climbing up Katsuki's leg to join the pile. “All the hugs!”

“Yeah, you too,” Izuku grinned, turning his head a little to see Hiroki's lit-up face. “Hugs for Kacchan!”

“Hugs for Daddy!” Hiroki giggled, winding his arms around Katsuki's neck. “What about me, Daddy? Am I a strong hugger?”

“You're the best hugger,” Katsuki assured him. “I'd hug you back if the nerd would let me the hell go.”

“Me too,” Yuuto mumbled, wrapping his arms around Katsuki's leg. “I'll hug too.”

“He's a bad influence on you two.”

“Dad doesn't want hugs?”

“I want to hug you back!” he insisted, cursing his burning cheeks. “But the nerd won't let me!”

Izuku finally conceded his grip, pouting a little as he let Katsuki pull his boys into his arms, but the moment he thought he was safe, a smirk spread across Izuku's face. With Hiroki and Yuuto held to his chest, Katsuki was defenseless when Izuku stepped in again, squeezing all three of them in his admittedly firm grip.

“There! All better!” Izuku grinned. “Are you gonna admit that I'm a good hugger now?”

“You're a piece of shit, is what you are,” Katsuki grumbled, turning his head to look away from Izuku's blinding smile. “Why do I even put up with you?”

“If I knew, I'd tell you!”

Despite the audience laughing at them, Katsuki couldn't help but think that maybe, just maybe, it wasn't... Entirely awful.

He wondered if Izuku would still hug him if he knew.

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