Incomplete [Chapter 17]

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Katsuki glanced over when he heard Yoshiki stir, lowering his book and waiting. After a moment, Yoshiki’s eye blinked open, and he lifted his fist to rub at them.

“Need anything?” Katsuki asked.

Yoshiki shook his head, snuggling back down into his blankets, but keeping his eyes open, this time.

“Thanks for staying,” he mumbled.

“You don’t have to thank me for that,” Katsuki assured him, reaching out to adjust the blankets for him. “Are you still feeling dizzy?”

“No,” Yoshiki said softly. “Just icky.”

“Like you’re gonna start throwing up again?”

Yoshiki shook his head.

“Okay, I’m glad. I’m gonna have to go pick up Koharu soon, do you want to come with me or just stay in bed?”

“Can I stay in bed?”

“Yeah, of course,” Katsuki assured him. “Deku is gonna be home soon, so he’ll stay here with you while I go pick her up. He’ll need to shower and stuff though, so can I get you anything before that? So you don’t need to wait?”

He glanced at his bedside table, and Katsuki leaned over, picking up his water bottle to shake gently.

“Still got heaps, want some now?”

Yoshiki poked a hand out from the blankets to take it, sucking on the straw for a second before he handed it back.

“I’m okay,” he said, when it was safely back on the table. “Will they be mad if I don’t go?”

“Of course not,” Katsuki promised. “I’ll let them know that you’re doing a little better, but you’re still exhausted and icky, so we decided you should stay in bed a while longer. You’ll be back with them on Monday anyway, unfortunately, so it’s not like they have to wait long.”

Yoshiki cracked a smile, the corners barely poking out from beneath his blankets, and Katsuki raised an eyebrow.

“What?” he asked. “It is unfortunate, I just want them to let you fuckin’ stay.”

“Bad word,” Yoshiki teased. “I wanna stay too. If it’s okay, I mean.”

“Of course it is, you know that. It better be soon or I’m gonna riot. Don’t tell Deku I said that.”

“Like the stuffed toys?”

Katsuki froze, and Yoshiki smiled again, squeaking when Katsuki rumpled his hair roughly.

“Don’t tease me like that,” he said, laughing all the same. “He would have done the same thing!”

“Then why don’t you tell him?”

“Sometimes he just doesn’t need to know. But only I get to make that call, alright? Don’t you go keeping secrets from us, not until you’re an adult.”

“Okay,” Yoshiki agreed easily. “I don’t think I have secrets.”

“I’m glad. Alright, last call: anything before I go get ready to pick Koharu up?”

“Nuh-uh. But, um, I might be hungry later.”

“Yeah? You think you’re gonna have your appetite back?”

“I think.”

“That’s great. What do you want for dinner?”

“Maybe a toasted sandwich? With cheese?”

“Absolutely, I’ll make sure we’ve got bread before I go. You get some rest, okay? Your bucket is still here if you need it, and your water, and if you want anything else, just call for Deku and he’ll be right here, even if he has to show up in a towel. I promise.”

Yoshiki just nodded, closing his eyes again, and Katsuki smoothed out the blankets one last time, making sure he was snuggled up all comfortable and warm.

“Get some rest,” he instructed. “I’ll be back before you know it.”

He changed into clean clothes and headed downstairs, checking the fridge briefly before he moved to wait in the doorway with his keys in hand. Sure enough, within a minute he saw the green sparks flying toward him, watching Izuku land in the front yard with a big grin on his face and immediately fling himself into Katsuki’s arms.

“How’s he doing?” Izuku asked, switching places with him in the doorway. “Better?”

“Much,” Katsuki assured him. “He hasn’t thrown up at all today, and the dizziness went away by lunchtime. He’s just tired, so I said he could stay and sleep some more while I go get Koharu. I’m gonna stop for bread, too – he wants a toasted sandwich for dinner. If you want anything else, stick it on the list before I get there.”

“Will do!” Izuku promised, kissing him lightly. “Thanks Kacchan, I’ll see you soon.”

“Take care of him.”

“You know I will.”

He jumped in the car, relieved to find he was exactly on time as he began the drive, ready to pull up at the Home right as Koharu got back from pre-school. He knew it didn’t make a huge difference, in the grand scheme of things, but he liked to maximise exactly how much time he got to spend with the kids each weekend, so he did his best to be consistent regardless.

He pulled up outside the Home, knocking on the door and waiting a surprisingly long time for anyone to answer. Usually the kids were right there, waiting for him or Izuku to arrive, but this time it took a staff member to make their way over and open it for him.

“Welcome, Mr Bakugou,” she said with a smile. “Koharu is just packing her things, I’m sure she won’t be long. How’s Yoshiki doing?”

“He’s getting there,” Katsuki assured her. “He seems to be doing a lot better today, but he’s exhausted, so he’s just been sleeping it off today. I’m sure he’ll be back to normal by Monday.”

“I’m glad to hear it. Please give us a call if you need anything, I know it can be stressful to take care of a sick child.”

“Mostly just from worrying about him,” Katsuki chuckled. “It’s been no effort at all, but I hate seeing him suffer like that, I wish I could just make it all go away.”

“Welcome to being a parent,” she said with a grin. “You’ll get used to it, I’m sure.”

“I’m gonna have to. Um, is it okay if I go up to Koharu’s room? To see if she needs any help?”

“Of course. Do you remember where it is?”

“Yeah, I’m good.”

“By all means, then.”

He began his little climb up through the building, stopping when he reached Koharu’s open door and smiling fondly to himself. The room inside looked like a bomb had gone off – and Katsuki was an expert on that. Her little suitcase sat in the middle of the room, the contents half in and half all over the floor, and he chuckled to himself when she tossed her dirty kindergarten uniform at the case of clean clothes.

“Kacchan!” she yelled, when she spotted him in the doorway. “You’re here!”

He scooped her up into a hug, squeezing her tight, and she snuggled into him immediately, relishing his affection.

“How was kindy?” he asked. “I’ve missed you.”

“I missed you too! Kindy was good, but it’s been weird here without Yokkun. Is he okay?”

“He’s doing much better,” he assured her. “Can I help you pack?”

“Okay!”

“Chuck me everything you want to bring, I’ll pack it for you. Sound good?”

“Sounds good!”

He set her down, then sat on the floor beside the suitcase, beginning to fold and stack her clothing. He learned quickly that most of it was dirty, judging by the colourful stains all over them, and chuckled to himself as he stacked them at one end.

“Are you bringing some clean stuff too?” he asked, when she looked back at him curiously.

“Uh-huh! But I got these ones messy and didn’t want to get in trouble.”

“That’s fine,” Katsuki assured her. “I just wanted to make sure you’ll have some stuff to wear until it’s clean.”

“I’ll put them in the top pocket!”

“That’s a good idea.”

She handed him her zoo bag, with her hairbrush and ribbons inside, and he tucked it down the side of the clothes, making sure nothing would slide around too much. With everything folded, and her clean things put into a separate pocket, they rounded it out with a stack of toy monkeys, helping to wedge everything in place safely.

“You should get changed too,” he suggested. “We need to grab some groceries on the way home, to make dinner for Yoshiki. Do you need to pee or anything too?”

“Already did!” she assured him, opening a drawer to grab clean clothes out. “Oh this is my last clean stuff that isn’t packed.”

“That’s okay, I’ll wash everything tonight and it’ll be ready to go for Monday. Anything else you need?”

“Nope!” Koharu assured him, changing quickly and handing over her dirty uniform. “But um, do we need Yoshiki’s stuff too?”

“That’s a good question. He’s got clothes and a toothbrush and his hippos at our place, is there anything in his room you think he would want?”

“One of his hippos is here,” she corrected him, stepping into his room without hesitation to retrieve the final one. “Maybe his pyjamas so he can change them?”

“That’s a good thought, he’s been wearing his for a couple of days now. Hey, does he still have a snack bag here somewhere?”

“Uh-huh!” she pulled out a drawer, digging it out from behind some old school books. “Oh, there isn’t much.”

“Do you know which ones he likes best? We should top it up for you both.”

“I know the ones!”

“Perfect, we’ll grab some stuff at the grocery store then.”

She tucked Yoshiki’s final hippo and his pyjamas into his zoo bag, then tucked it inside her suitcase with her own stuff, keeping it all together in one place.

“My parents did well,” he admitted. “Big enough to fit your stuff, but small enough for you to take around without it being too heavy.”

“I love my suitcase!”

“I’m glad. Should we get going?”

“Yup!”

He picked up the suitcase to carry, offering her his other hand to hold as they headed down the stairs together, and she beamed from ear to ear the entire way down, waving to the staff members who lingered when she reached the ground.

“See you on Monday!” she called, getting a couple of smiles and waves in return. “I’ll take good care of Yokkun!”

No one halted them, so they continued straight on out to the car, getting Koharu buckled into her seat.

“Ready to buy some food?” he asked.

“I’m excited!”

“Good, let’s find some yummy treats for dinner.”

─────

Izuku sighed when his phone rang, grabbing an old towel to wipe his hands off before he picked it up. The number was unfamiliar, not saved into his contacts yet, and he frowned slightly as he hit accept.

“Hello? Izuku speaking.”

“Mister Bakugou, this is Shirabe from the Children’s Home. How are you?”

“Hi! I’m doing well, thank you, how are you? Is everything okay?”

“I’m well also, thank you. I wanted to drop by and see how you and the children are doing this weekend but no one seems to be home, have you gone out for the day?”

“Oh! No! We’re here! Are you still here? We’re just in the backyard, I can be there in thirty seconds!”

“Wonderful, I’ll see you soon.”

He hung up, double-checking the call was ended before he shot Katsuki a sheepish smile.

“Surprise visit, I guess. I’ll bring her around the side so I don’t track paint through the house.”

He hurried down the little path beside the house, letting himself through a gate Katsuki had spent hours on after they moved in, to make sure it was tall enough to keep the kids from letting themselves out. Sure enough, he found a familiar looking woman in a suit waiting on their doorstep, and he smiled as warmly as possible as he greeted her, watching her eyes flick briefly to the paint spilled down his old t-shirt.

“We’ve been having an art day,” he explained, chuckling awkwardly. “Would you mind coming around the side? I didn’t want to get paint everywhere on my way out!”

“Of course, thank you for having me.”

“Any time!”

Izuku couldn’t help but smile when they rounded the corner, finding Katsuki playfully spraying the kids with the hose as they cleaned themselves off. Both kids were dressed in their oldest clothes – thankfully, since they were now both drenched and covered in paint – and while it was pretty common to see Koharu squealing and giggling in her delight, it was a little more rare to see Yoshiki laughing along with her, almost as brightly.

“Kacchan, you remember Miss Shirabe?” Izuku prompted, well-aware that the honest answer was no.

“Of course,” he nodded, turning off the hose quickly. “Nice to see you again. Sorry for the mess, I must have forgotten you were coming.”

“Actually, we like to drop in from time to time just to make sure things are still okay when you’re not prepared for us a week in advance.”

“Oh,” Katsuki blinked at her, stunned out of words for a moment. “Well, yeah, okay. No problem, that makes sense. Um, we might need a moment to clean up.”

“Sorry,” Izuku smiled sheepishly. “Hey guys, why don’t you run inside and get changed?”

“I got them both to leave clean stuff in the bathroom, so they won’t be long,” Katsuki informed her. “Guys, just throw your dirty stuff straight in the laundry machine, okay? I’ll turn it on later, when we’re... Less wet.”

“Okay!” Koharu laughed, wringing water out of her old t-shirt. “Back soon, Miss Shirabe! Then I’ll show you my bedroom!”

“Back soon,” Yoshiki echoed, a little more nervous.

When the kids were indoors, Izuku finally let his concern show. Katsuki busied himself drying and packing up art supplies in a hurry to cover his own nerves, but Shirabe just smiled at them knowingly.

“Everything is fine,” she assured them. “We do this for every potential adoptive family, I hope I didn’t scare you.”

“Not at all,” Izuku answered quickly. “We just wouldn’t have done something quite so messy today if we knew.”

“Having kids is messy business sometimes, I fully understand that.”

“Alright, well, come on inside! Kacchan, did you have plans for lunch?”

“I’ve got that beef we picked up yesterday, I thought maybe gyudon?”

“Miss Shirabe, would you like to stay for gyudon?” Izuku offered, grinning again finally. “We have plenty to go around, and it’ll give us a chance to chat!”

“Oh, I wouldn’t want to put you out!”

“It’s no trouble,” Katsuki assured her. “We have heaps to go around.”

“Well thank you, that sounds lovely.”

“Our pleasure.”

Izuku led the way inside, and when the kids returned in clean clothes, he gave them a quick smile.

“Do you guys want to give Miss Shirabe a tour of the place? She hasn’t seen it since we were still moving in, I’m sure she’d love to see how it’s all changed. And your rooms! Kacchan and I need a minute to change, you know where to find us if you need anything, but we won’t be long.”

“We’ll show you!” Koharu agreed with a grin, taking Shirabe by the hand and leading her to the living room. “Come see my new photos!”

Izuku couldn’t help but laugh, closing the back door behind them and heading upstairs to the bedroom. He knew Shirabe would want opportunities to talk to the kids alone anyway, and he didn’t have a single concern about what they might say, but even a minute away from them during their weekends was like torture. He only got so many hours with them each week, he didn’t want to feel like he was wasting it.

“Do you think it’s really okay?” Katsuki hissed, when the bedroom door was shut behind them. “What if they’re pissed off at me still? What if they’re searching for excuses to shut us down?”

“We’re doing the best we can, Kacchan. You’re an amazing Dad. If they’re really gonna be mad at you for sticking up for your kids or letting them stay over because they’re sick, they’re insane. We’ll fight back if we have to, they’re not taking our kids.”

“Damn right they’re not.”

When they got back downstairs, clean and changed, they found the trio done with the living room, having moved on to the kitchen. Koharu had the door of the fridge open, pointing out the shelf of snacks and drinks she and Yoshiki were allowed to help themselves to, and Katsuki looked a little flushed when they found Koharu singing his praises.

“Kacchan makes the best food ever, every Friday he makes us cookies or muffins as a treat, and he cooks us dinner every night even if he’s been working! We always have lots of fruit here, I like the crunchy apples, and Izuku cuts us celery and carrots so we have snacks whenever we want them. He even has these little bottles of drinks for us, see? This week we have orange juice, and milk, and our water bottles are always here too because Yokkun doesn’t like using a glass so we have bottles instead.”

“That’s very thoughtful of them,” Shirabe smiled warmly. “Is that a Dynamite bottle?”

“Uh-huh,” Yoshiki nodded, blushing faintly. “He brought it home from work for me, it’s super cool.”

“It looks great.”

“I have an Uravity one!” Koharu added, pulling it out to show her. “See how sparkly it is?”

“Wow, that’s very pretty!”

“Yeah!”

“How’s the tour going?” Izuku asked with a smile, when Yoshiki looked up.

“Slow,” he mumbled, glancing at Koharu as she moved on to their shelf of the pantry. “Koharu wants to show her every cupboard and drawer.”

“Well, at least she’s happy,” he chuckled. “Why don’t we go show Miss Shirabe upstairs while Kacchan starts on cooking lunch?”

“Yeah!” Koharu beamed, closing up the pantry carefully. “My bedroom is amazing!”

She led the way upstairs, and Izuku hung back a little to stay at Yoshiki’s side, reaching down to squeeze his shoulder lightly. He hoped it came across as comforting as he intended, though he still felt the tension in Yoshiki’s body where they touched.

“It’s okay,” he whispered, before they reached Koharu’s door. “Don’t be worried.”

“Is she going to take us back?”

“No, not today.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah,” Izuku grinned. “She would have told us while you guys were gone.”

“Okay.” He breathed a sigh of relief. “I um, I really like being here. You know that, right?”

“And I really like having you. Every week we get closer and closer to it being forever, we just have to keep holding on.”

“I promise I’ll be good so you don’t change your mind.”

“Yoshiki, I promise you, there is nothing you can do that will change my mind. You’re our family now, that won’t ever change. You don’t have to be on your best behaviour, you don’t have to worry about anything like that, you’re my son no matter what.”

Yoshiki’s fingers tangled in his shirt lightly, leaning in, and Izuku squeezed him again lightly.

“Alright, shall we see how they’re holding up in there?”

“Yeah,” Yoshiki smiled faintly. “We might have to rescue Miss Shirabe.”

“Be nice,” he laughed. “She’s just excited, it’s fine.”

Sure enough, Koharu was eagerly giving her a tour of every item in her closet and drawers – every dress and skirt and pair of overalls that Masaru and Mitsuki had given her, every sparkly or shiny Uravity and Froppy and Creati and Pinky shirt from the agencies, every Deku and Dynamite and Chargebolt and Red Riot t-shirt that didn’t even remotely match the rest of her wardrobe, but that she seemed to adore all the same, and of course, the huge collection of bows that hung on the wall beside her mirror, where Katsuki had set up a line of tiny pink hooks for her to store them.

“I’m so lucky,” she said softly, looking up at her closet rail. “I never thought I’d have so many pretty things.”

“For the record, we didn’t pay for any of them,” Izuku explained sheepishly. “Our friends sent all the hero merch, Yoshiki has a bunch too. And Kacchan’s parents gave her the frilly things, they work in the fashion industry. I promise we’re trying not to spoil them too much, everyone is just excited.”

“I understand, it’s a very exciting time. You have a lovely room, and lots of very pretty things here. As long as you’re not bringing your whole wardrobe back to the Home and teasing the other kids with it, we have no problem with your new family giving you clothes.”

“I would never! I know what it’s like to not have things, I’m super lucky to have things now.”

“Izuku and Kacchan are way too generous,” Yoshiki mumbled. “We’re really lucky.”

“You know they were all gifts too, right?” Izuku asked warily. “I know you don’t like it when we spend money on you.”

“I know,” he nodded, turning to look at Shirabe again, though he didn’t quite meet her eyes. “I wrote lots of thank you letters, and Kacchan said when I want I can meet them and say thank you in person too. I’m just... A little nervous.”

“There’s no rush,” Izuku assured him. “Whenever you’re ready, we can sort it, even if it takes years to be ready.”

“Thank you. Um, Miss Shirabe, would you like to see my bedroom too?”

“I’d love to, Yoshiki.”

“Okay, um, it’s just over here.”

He opened the next door over, and Izuku watched fondly as he let them all follow him inside. There were textbooks and notebooks strewn over his bed, and he cringed when he saw them, looking back to apologise.

“Izuku was helping me with my homework this morning, since I felt a bit better,” he explained. “I haven’t put it away yet, sorry.”

“It’s quite alright, Yoshiki. I don’t expect your room to be spotless at all times! Does Mister Bakugou help you with your homework a lot?”

“Every week,” Yoshiki nodded. “We look at all my work from during the week and he helps me learn the bits I’m stuck on. He’s a really good teacher.”

“I’m glad to hear it.”

“I have all these books, too,” Yoshiki continued, showing her the massive bookshelf Katsuki had insisted on buying – he’d wanted each kid to have room for a hundred books. “This spot here is the ones Kacchan and Izuku bought for me before I came, these ones are ones we picked out together, and this pile here are ones Izuku bought me last week because he heard about the series and thought I would like it. I haven’t read them yet but I’m excited.”

“We do lots of good reading!” Koharu agreed, almost bubbling over with the need to weigh in. “Izuku reads to me every night before bed!”

Izuku smiled softly at that. She was so attached to Katsuki all the time, he’d hoped their bedtime reading would be a way to help them bond too, and hearing that it seemed to be working was like music to his ears.

“Kacchan tells me bedtime stories while they read,” Yoshiki added. “It’s really nice.”

“You two read together too?”

“No.”

Izuku blinked at that. Katsuki had gone in there every night, just like he had with Koharu. It was sure news to him that he hadn’t been reading like they’d agreed to.

“He tells me his own stories,” Yoshiki clarified, albeit a little awkwardly. “Hero stories, from work. About all the people he’s saved. Did you know he saved a whole bus of people once? The bus rolled over and he had to blow up a hole in it to get everyone out.”

“Wow, what an amazing hero,” Shirabe smiled fondly. “That sounds like a good bedtime routine too.”

“Uh-huh,” Yoshiki nodded. “It’s really nice.”

“Were all these figures up here gifts from their friends, like the shirts were?”

“Yeah, and the posters,” he nodded, pointing at them lining the top of the walls. “And you’ve seen my school bag, Kacchan’s parents got that made for me, when Koharu got her frilly dresses. They gave me some really good stuff for drawing too, they seem really nice.”

“I got to meet them!” Koharu grinned. “You’re right, they were super nice.”

“I’m glad to hear it.”

Yoshiki pointed at his snack basket next, on top of the bookshelf, and he managed a little smile as he looked up at Shirabe.

“And that’s my special basket where they leave me things sometimes. Snacks or new toothbrushes or socks. Kacchan says it’s the things that I should already have or should ask for if I need them, but they don’t want us to go without them if we’re nervous to ask. Like if I forget to bring my toothbrush with me and I don’t wanna say I forgot it.”

“Your Kacchan sounds like a very smart man.”

“He’s a perfectionist,” Izuku chuckled. “The day we met them, I thought I would be the one researching way too much about it, but it was Kacchan who stayed up all night reading books about fostering and adopting, looking up videos, watching documentaries, everything. He did a whole deep dive on food insecurity, that’s why we have the baskets and the kitchen shelves, and when he found out these guys didn’t have many socks, he became obsessed with finding them new ones.”

“I have fluffy ones, soft ones, thin ones, warm ones, long ones, ones with cool pictures, and patterns, and even hero merch,” Yoshiki grinned. “I think that’s how he shows he likes us.”

“Yeah, Kacchan is very much a gift-giver when it comes to love. He likes to shower people in presents. We’ve been trying really hard to restrain ourselves.”

“He seems very loving, exactly what you need in a father.”

Yoshiki’s eyes widened a little, and he nodded hurriedly, glancing back at Izuku before he dared open his mouth.

“They both took really good care of me this week,” he said firmly. “Kacchan was always here watching over me and keeping me company, and Izuku made sure I had everything I needed to get better. It made me really happy.”

“I’m glad to hear that. And you’re doing much better now?”

“Uh-huh. I mostly felt better yesterday but I was super tired, so I slept lots, and when I got up today I felt all better.”

“That’s great news, I’m glad you’re better now!”

“We’re gonna make sure he gets an early night tonight and tomorrow, to make sure he’s all caught up, but I’m sure he’ll be back to his usual self for school on Monday!” Izuku chimed in.

He still felt a little on edge, truth be told, no matter how Shirabe seemed to assure him everything was fine, but as they sat down all together to eat their lunch, and chatted about school and food and everything else as they ate, still no other shoe dropped, still nothing tipped them off about something bad, she just treated them like it was a normal, friendly visit, and Izuku couldn’t work out what to think of it.

“It was good to see you all,” she said at the door, when she excused herself to head back. “It looks like you’re having a great time here, and Yoshiki, I’m glad to see you feeling better. Give us a call if you need anything before Monday.”

“We will,” Izuku assured her. “Thank you.”

“But we won’t need anything,” Katsuki added stubbornly. “Don’t worry, we’ve got this.”

“I know you do.”