Love Like You

When I See

Katsuki curiously eyes Shouto as the older man comes in to squat down in front of him, waiting for Katsuki to stop playing with his toys and give him his full attention. Katsuki pauses, sitting the stuffed animals on the floor next to him and allowing Shouto to take his hands.

"Kitten, daddy has a surprise for you. Do you like surprises, Kitten?"

Katsuki's brows furrow with a shake of his head because no, he doesn't like surprises. They always make him anxious---not knowing what's going to happen or even when. It eats away at him and if there's going to be one, he'd much rather not be told.

Shouto just chuckles at him and kisses his hand. "Well, I think you're going to like this one very much. Will you come with daddy and close your eyes? No peeking no matter what, okay?"

Katsuki complies, allowing Shouto to pull him up to his feet and guide him out to the hall. Shouto's free hand goes over his eyes even they're closed but Katsuki doesn't fuss, much too busy with the sound of his thumping heart in his ears. What's going to happen? Is it something scary? Will it hurt?

"Okay kitty, are you ready?"

Katsuki shakes his head again and Shouto laughs. "I promise it's the nicest surprise you could ever have. Daddy's right here, princess, I promise nothing is going to hurt you." Katsuki takes a deep breath and nods when Shouto asks him for the second time if he's ready, eyes peeking open with uncertainty until he gets a load of what his surprise actually is.

Katsuki squeals excitedly and jumps into Izuku's arms, breaking into instantaneous happy tears. He's trying to talk but it just comes out as incoherent babbling and gibberish as the freckled boy holds him tight to his chest with tears in his own eyes---though he's not nearly as hysterical.

"My baby, I missed you soooo much! I know you missed me too, didn't you sweetie?"

Katsuki nods with a weak little 'y-yeah!' whined between quivering lips. He didn't think he'd ever see 'Zuku again and even though daddy says he hasn't been gone for that long, it still feels like forever to Katsuki.

Izuku rocks him back and forth and peppers him with kisses, carding his fingers through his hair. He'd bulked up quite a bit during his leave---gotten a little taller---and he can't help but think to himself that it makes holding him that much easier---or maybe he just missed him that much. He leans back to wipe at Katsuki's tear stained cheeks as the blonde gets settled into his lap.

"Daddy told me someone's been bullying my baby, is that true? They're being mean to you?" He asks Katsuki directly. He's heard the story from Shouto but he wants to hear from Katsuki's own mouth. The little blonde wipes his face with the back of his hand with another nod.

"T-The lady tried to t-take daddy away a-and she said she'd make the bad people come get me!" He confirms and Izuku's brows pinch with anger. "I see. Well, you don't have to worry about that cause daddy and I wouldn't ever let anyone hurt you, baby." He assures him, kissing his forehead. "Sit here with Eiji for a second so I can talk to daddy about some grown up stuff, okay pumpkin?"

It's a bit like pulling teeth to get Katsuki to quit clinging to him but eventually he manages, passing him to Eijirou and pulling Shouto into the kitchen so that they could have a few words without prying ears.

"You said that she was just bluffing. How sure of that are you?" He asks as soon as he's sure they're alone. Shouto sighs, wiping a hand over his face. "All I know for sure is that dad and I looked into it and didn't find anything. Dad thinks it's a bluff so I called it but I'm not too sure. I can't be too lax about this though, so I think I'm gonna do some more digging without him. It doesn't make any sense that she'd go through all the trouble of doing all this just to give up. If she didn't already have the league in her pocket then there's a chance that she still could."

"That's exactly what I was thinking. If she was able to get you to believe it was a bluff then you'd let your guard down and that would give her the perfect opportunity to try something." Izuku agrees, scratching at his head with a sigh. "I didn't think I'd have to come home from long and hard hero labor just to have to kick someone's teeth in but if they think they're gonna make his life miserable then they're sorely mistaken. He's suffered enough."

Shouto couldn't agree more.