My Father's Son - Chapter 41

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Izuku looked up from his laptop to see Yuuto in his stretchy leggings, fidgeting nervously in the doorway. He smiled widely, hoping he might be able to give some kind of comfort or encouragement, but Yuuto just reached for his Downfall orb, squeezing it in his hands.

“You're gonna be great,” Izuku assured him. “It'll be so much fun!”

“I might mess up.”

“That's part of learning, you know that. You don't have to be perfecrt right away!”

“What if I get hurt?”

“You think I'd let that happen?” Katsuki snorted, making Yuuto jump. “Sorry, did I sneak up on you?”

“A little.”

“Sorry buddy. You nervous? You don't need to be.”

“I've never done it.”

“Exactly, it's awesome. You know how many things I missed out on teaching you because Deku beat me to it? It's finally my chance to be your Dad.”

“You're always my Dad!”

“Thank you,” Katsuki grinned, scooping him up into a hug. “Hiro says you can use his bike today, we'll buy you one of your own after we move, so we don't have to pack it.”

“It's okay, I don't mind sharing.”

“Yeah, you're a good little man,” Katsuki agreed. “You ready?”

“Uh-huh.”

“Cool, say bye?”

Yuuto nodded, turning a little to wave at Izuku over Katsuki's shoulder.

“Bye Papa,”

“Bye Yuuto, have lots of fun! Bye Kacchan, be safe!”

“Always am.”

The house fell silent behind them, only the quiet garage door marking their departure. With Inko and Hiroki still sound asleep, Izuku had the house to himself. He thought he would like that, would enjoy the peace and quiet, but instead it just felt wrong.

When Hiroki trudged down the stairs in his pyjamas, rubbing at his eyes, Izuku was strangely relieved for the company.

“You sleepy, Hiro?” Izuku asked with a smile. “Not like you to get up late. Are you feeling okay?”

“I didn't sleep good,” he grumbled. “Daddy's gone out?”

“Yeah, he's teaching Yuuto how to ride a bike.”

“Oh. Yeah. He said yesterday.”

“Uh-huh. So now it's Papa-Hiro time,” he smiled nervously. “You wanna just snuggle up and watch cartoons?”

“Uh-huh,” Hiroki nodded, padding into the room and crawling into Izuku's lap. “Japanese cartoons though.”

“Yeah, it's too early for learning,” Izuku agreed, pulling a blanket up over them both. “We won't tell Daddy we were unproductive.”

“Gotta move house later,” Hiroki reminded him softly. “Gotta rest first.”

“Yeah, that's a very good point,” Izuku agreed, pulling Hiroki a little closer when he stuffed his face in Izuku's chest. “You can go back to sleep if you like, we don't need to watch cartoons.”

“Mm... Cuddles.”

“Why don't we go cuddle in bed, then? And you can get a little more sleep?”

“With Papa?”

“Yeah, with Papa.”

“Cuddles,” Hiroki agreed, winding his arms around Izuku's neck. “Papa carry.”

“Okay baby,” Izuku smiled, nuzzling into his soft hair. “You're very cute when you're sleepy, I'm used to you being all brave and responsible.”

“Sorry.”

“It's not bad,” Izuku assured him, as he climbed up off the couch. “You don't have to be grown up yet, you're still my sweet little boy.”

“I like cuddles.”

“Me too.”

Together they fell into Izuku's bed, the curtains still drawn to fight back against the rising sun, and Hiroki snuggled happily into Izuku's warm body. He sighed faintly, content, and Izuku teared up a little as he stroked Hiroki's back.

“I love you,” he whispered. “So much.”

“I know,” Hiroki murmured back. “You show me with cuddles.”

“I'll always show you with cuddles. Any time you want.”

“Yeah.”

Within seconds he was out like a light, and Izuku smiled as he held him close, laying his head on the pillow and letting his own eyes fall closed, too.

There was no harm in him taking a little nap, after all.

─────

When Izuku woke for a second time, it was with a much happier Hiroki bundled in his arms, a chubby cheek squished into his chest. It deformed the otherwise contented smile that stretched across Hiroki's face, and Izuku couldn't help but run his thumb over the soft skin.

Hiroki hummed, long eyelashes fluttering a little, and Izuku cracked a smile of his own.

“You're so cute,” he whispered, ducking his head to rest on Hiroki's curls. “I can't even believe it.”

“Papa too,” Hiroki mumbled, yawning but still not opening his eyes fully. “Papa cute.”

“Thank you sweetie. I didn't mean to wake you.”

“Didn't wake,” Hiroki sighed, snuggling in a little closer. “Hard to wake.”

“Yeah, I've heard,” Izuku chuckled. “You still sleepy?”

“Little bit. M'okay.”

Izuku fumbled for his phone, cringing when he checked the time.

“Daddy and Yuuto are gonna be home soon. Nana is probably up too. We can snuggle until they get back, if you want.”

“Can we read?”

“You wanna read a story?”

“Want Papa to read to me.”

“Sure, I can do that.”

With a yawn, Hiroki hauled himself up, rubbing at his eyes as he sat in the middle of the bed for a moment to prepare himself.

“I have some books over here,” Izuku offered. “Unless there's one in particular you want to read?”

“Any book.”

Izuku reached down the side of the bed, pulling a few old picture books from his nightstand, and when he sat up with them, Hiroki crawled straight into his lap.

“Now we're educationally snuggling,” Izuku grinned, winding his spare arm around Hiroki's waist. “Daddy can't complain at us.”

“I like loopholes.”

“How do you even know what a loophole is?”

“Daddy says I always find them.”

“Yeah, that sounds about right,” Izuku smirked. “You're a smart boy, good at finding different ways to do things.”

“Papa thinks I'm smart?”

“I know you're smart,” Izuku corrected him. “I have to give Katsuki a little credit, I guess. I was worried he was pushing you too hard, when we met, but you're a super smart, healthy, and very sweet boy. I guess he knew what he was doing.”

“But I get more play and more cuddles with Papa here,” Hiroki pointed out, flipping through the pile of books to choose a story. “I like play and cuddles.”

“I'm glad I could help.”

“Grandma and Grandpa said Daddy did a good job,” Hiroki mumbled, more to himself than to Izuku. “But Uncle Number Two said the same as Papa”

“That he made you work too hard?”

“Mm-hm. Uncle Number Two told me I'm allowed to say no to Daddy if he pushes too much.”

“Yeah, you are. Most of the time we do what Papa and Daddy say, but sometimes it's okay to say no.”

“To be safe or healthy or happy,” Hiroki nodded, picking out a worn, blue cover and handing it to Izuku. “But it's okay, I'm safe and healthy and happy. I like making Daddy proud.”

“I know you do, sweetie. You're such a good boy.”

Izuku hitched the blankets up a little higher, wrapping them around Hiroki in his lap, and Hiroki snuggled in comfortably beneath them. Izuku shifted the book to rest on his knee, letting Hiroki lean into his chest and still see all the pretty pictures, and with a last little stroke at Hiroki's messy curls, he began to read.

─────

Yuuto froze at the top of the stairs, looking around blankly, and it took a moment for Katsuki to catch on. When he reached the landing, he found the living room and kitchen area empty, the house almost silent around them.

“Think they went out?” he asked, ruffling Yuuto's hair.

“Nuh-uh, shoes.”

“True.”

“In bed?”

“It's lunchtime, surely the nerd has dragged himself up by now.”

Yuuto knocked tentatively on Izuku's door, cracking it open to peek inside, and Katsuki watched as his lips spread into a big smile.

“Found you!” he sang, getting two matching giggles from inside. “Is Papa sick?”

“No sweetie, we're just reading in bed.”

“Is Hirokun sick?”

“Nuh-uh, no one is sick! Just warm and cozy cuddles! Yuuchan wanna come too?”

“I'm too big for cuddles,” Yuuto pouted. “You know that!”

“No one is too big for cuddles!” Hiroki protested. “Come cuddle, Yuuto! And Daddy too! Is Daddy here?”

“I'm here, bud,” he confirmed, taking a few more steps to look through the doorway. “Good morning. You were sound asleep when we left, needed a sleep in?”

“Uh-huh, I didn't sleep good.”

“Well.”

“I didn't sleep well,” Hiroki amended. “So me and Papa had cuddles and read stories!”

“Sounds like you had a good morning,” Katsuki nodded, picking Yuuto up with one arm and dumping him on the bed. “You still sleepy?”

Yuuto was immediately absorbed into the cuddles, dragged in despite his whines, Hiroki pulling the blankets up over his lap while Izuku leaned over to ruffle his hair.

“Daddy too,” Hiroki insisted, reaching an arm out like he might be able to grab him and pull him in, despite being across the room. “Come tell us about bikes!”

Katsuki sat down on the edge of the bed, strangely stiff, and Hiroki's lower lip jutted out.

“Daddy doesn't want cuddles?”

“Come on Kacchan,” Izuku teased. “Get in here.”

With a sigh, Katsuki wriggled closer, conceding a little smile when Yuuto climbed into his lap. There was still a gap between the men, still a little chasm of emptiness that Katsuki was apprehensive about breaching – this was Izuku's bed, after all – but then Izuku reached out with his hand of white scars, the hand Katsuki felt weirdly bad about. He'd been a hero for years without picking up any major scars and wounds, but here was Izuku, the quirkless nerd, with a permanent reminder of the kid he saved, the kid he got to be a hero for.

“Come snuggle, Kacchan,” he giggled, cheeks tinted pink as he messed up Katsuki's hair. “Don't leave us hanging.”

That one arm seemed to bridge the desert between then, and Katsuki hopped over with a little smirk playing at his lips, grabbing Izuku in a headlock.

“Two can play at this game,” he sneered, jamming his knuckles into Izuku's head. “Not like I can make you more of a mess.”

He rubbed at Izuku's head with the knuckles, grinning wider when Izuku whined, Hiroki and Yuuto laughing wildly from their laps. Katsuki cackled, giving Izuku a last little shove, and then they were parting again, Izuku pouting as he rubbed at his head lightly.

“Meanie,” he grumbled. “So much for being a hero.”

“Shut up you dork,” Katsuki snorted. “Yuuto, you wanna tell them what you did?”

“I rode by myself!” Yuuto announced proudly. “Dad helped me the first times but then I did it all by myself!”

“On your first day? Oh my gosh, Yuuto, you're amazing!” Izuku leaned over, squishing him into a hug. “I'm so impressed! Next time you'll have to show me!”

“Uh-huh!”

“Yuuchan is so good,” Hiroki beamed, patting his head and watching blond spikes pop right back back. “Well done, Yuuchan!”

Katsuki watched fondly as Yuuto relayed just about every detail to them, although he couldn't help but notice that the time he fell off and had a little meltdown about how he was “never going to get it right” was conveniently left out. Izuku and Hiroki listened attentively, smiling and nodding where appropriate, and Katsuki found himself reaching out, combing his fingers lightly through Hiroki's curls as they bounced along with his nods.

“You guys hungry?” he asked, when Yuuto was finished his story and the others were done with their praise. “Have you two lazy-butts even had breakfast yet?”

Hiroki's stomach growled in answer, and Katsuki couldn't help but laugh, shaking his head fondly.

“Little idiot. Alright, what do you want for lunch? Rice? Noodles? Sandwiches?”

“Noodles!”

“Alright. Yuuto? How about you?”

“Noodles sounds good.”

“Nerd, what about you?”

“Oh, uh! You don't have to cook for me! I can cook- or at least help or- Don't give me that look!”

Katsuki sighed, turning his gaze back down to Hiroki a few inches lower.

“Hiro, does Papa like noodles?”

“Yeah! With pork!”

“Alright, noodles it is.”

He gave Yuuto a quick little pat on the head, sliding out from beneath him, leaving the three of them to snuggle a bit longer as he cooked. It didn't take long to get some stock boiling in a pot, dumping in handfuls of dried pasta to cook, setting to work frying up pork and eggs to go with it.

He checked downstairs first, smiling when he found Inko hard at work on her packing, getting a wide grin in return when she looked up.

“I made pasta for lunch, are you hungry?”

“That sounds amazing, thank you Katsuki! I'll be right up!”

“Take your time.”

He laid out five bowls on the table, the smell apparently bringing his boys running as he dished it out, three butts already in their chairs before he'd even set the pot down. Inko wasn't far behind, and finally Katsuki sat down to join them, reaching for his pair of chopsticks.

“Thanks, Kacchan!” Izuku beamed, patting Katsuki on the head fondly and making him blush bright red. “It smells so good!”

“Whatever, nerd. Just suck it down.”

“Will do!”

  ───── 

When Katsuki walked down the hall to check on his oddly-quiet boys, he expected to find them hard at work packing their boxes, or maybe sneaking in a game in hushed whispers, hoping Katsuki wouldn't catch them slacking off. Instead, when he cracked open the door, he found Hiroki sprawled across his bed, out like a light, with Yuuto curled up under his arm.

He couldn't resist a smile, seeing them cuddle up together for a nap, but he also couldn't help but notice the lack of boxes ready for him to take down to the car. Where he and Inko, and presumably Izuku, had packed one box at a time, the boys had apparently decided to set up a dozen of them, spread across the room, each one only half-full at best.

With a little sigh, he left them to it, taking the last of his own gear down to the garage. Izuku was waiting for him there, arranging boxes in the boot of the car, but when Katsuki arrived he looked up with the widest smile on his face, like seeing Katsuki again had made his day a little brighter.

“How are the boys doing?” he asked, stepping aside to give Katsuki room to load his gear. “Making progress?”

“Napping.”

“Again?”

“Yeah, couldn't bring myself to wake them,” he sighed. “I don't think they've done a whole box between them.”

“They're six, Kacchan,” Izuku laughed. “You really expect them to pack quickly and efficiently with no parental supervision?”

“I hoped.”

“I know they're both bright, responsible boys, but they're still kids.”

“What, so you want me to go in there and pack their shit myself?”

“No! I just want you to give them time, and maybe help them! Or let me help them, at least! My stuff is all done!”

“Mine too,” Katsuki admitted. “And I think Inko just had some books left. I thought maybe we could stay there tonight, but the boys are out.”

“I can come help you set things up,” Izuku offered, a little shyly. “You said the movers got all the furniture in, so it's nothing difficult, right?”

“Mm, just sticking boxes in the right rooms, or at least the garage. They finished the kitchen today, so it's all ours now.”

“That's so exciting!” Izuku gushed, clapping his hands and making Katsuki crack a smile. “I think we could do it. Stay there, I mean. You and I can get stuff set up this evening, Mom will take care of the boys. We can come back tomorrow to pick up the last of their stuff.”

“The photos are being done tomorrow afternoon, I wanted to be out by then.”

“We will be! The boys can do some more packing if they wake up, I'll ask Mom to supervise, and if they're still not done, we'll have five of us to do it in the morning! Seven if you let your parents help. And didn't Hiroki say your friends offered, too? So we could have like twenty pro-heroes in there loading boxes.”

“That's not the point,” Katsuki huffed. “I don't need help. We don't need help.”

“I know that,” Izuku sighed. “But we have it if it comes to that, right? Come on, we can at least see how much gets done tonight and make a decision later. Even if we just get all the boxes into the garage, we can unpack tomorrow!”

“I guess so.”

“Okay! I'll just go tell Mom and get her last boxes, wait for me!”

“You know I will.”

While Izuku darted off to Inko's room, Katsuki finished loading his boxes and closing up the boot. He left a back door open for Izuku to slide the last of Inko's possessions in, then climbed into the front seat, hitting the button on the garage door opener. As he waited, he found himself running down mental to-do lists, the stress building inside of him with every word.

Finally, as Izuku returned with two last boxes, he pulled out his phone.

You busy tomorrow?

It didn't take long to get replies from three different numbers, each one as enthusiastic as the last.

We're moving in, could use a hand with unpacking and stuff.

Just like that, he had at least four people ready to show up. He hated to admit that the nerd was right, but his friends really did jump at the opportunity to lend a hand. He supposed he'd helped them enough times in their lives for it to be fair, but he still hated the idea of asking for help.

“Everything okay, Kacchan?”

“Yeah,” he sighed, slotting his phone back into his pocket when Izuku joined him in the front seat. “My parents are gonna come help out in the morning.”

“That's great! I knew they would be happy to help!”

“Shitty-Hair and Number Two as well,” he admitted. “I figured the hag and the old man can help with the boys, the shitty heroes can help carry heavy shit.”

“That was a lot of shits, you must really be struggling with this,” Izuku teased. “They're your friends and your family, Kacchan, it's okay to let them in!”

“Whatever, sappy piece of shit. Seatbelt on, let's go.”

“It is!” Izuku grinned, plucking at it to prove his point. “Ready, Kacchan!”

“You're too damn bright.”

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