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Masaru wasn’t surprised by yelling anymore. It was essentially the only way anyone in his house communicated, and if he wanted to be honest the volumes they could reach was impressive.
And that’s why Katsuki being so quiet was disconcerting. He was usually so loud, so bright, so passionate about everything he did, that seeing him trudge up the stairs, mouth pulled into a thin line and dark circles under his eyes as he shrugged off the hoodie they’d brought to the station, made Masaru’s stomach twist.
“I’m going to get a shower.” Katsuki muttered, voice low. Tinged with something similar to anger but nothing Masaru had heard before.
The unfamiliarity was jarring.
Masaru squeezed Mitsuki’s hand, and she breathed out a shaky breath holding onto him just as tight in return as her eyes followed Katsuki up the stairs. Like they’d lose him if they looked away. Katsuki didn’t glance back as he went, gaze fixed on the ground like it had said something to try and goad him into a fight.
“I don’t want to let him out of our sight.” Mitsuki murmured, quietly enough so only Masaru would hear, but it sounded like an explosion in the silence of the house.
“I know.” He swallowed. “Don’t worry, he’ll be down again in ten minutes.” He paused, “and Katsuki’s strong, he’ll be okay.”
“He was weak enough to let himself get kidnapped once who’s to say that it can’t happen again?”
“Mitsuki.”
She sighed. “Right. Sorry.” Her tone softened, eyes downcast, “I just want him to be safe.”
“I know. So do I. He’ll be okay.” He repeated, but he knew he was talking to himself just as much as he was trying to reassure her.
Mitsuki abruptly let go of him and swiped under her eyes with the backs of her hands before straightening up, and shaking out her arms.
“Right.” She cleared her throat. “I’m gonna make something to eat.”
Masaru wasn’t sure if any of them had an appetite, but he knew she was just trying to jump back to normality, the last three days had been like hell on earth. The house had been so scarily quiet. Empty.
“I’m going to make sure his room’s tidy for him.” He already knew it was, neither of them had touched it, but he wanted to do something .
“I’ll call you when this is ready.”
He kissed her cheek, “Thank you.”
The stairs creaked slightly under his weight as he went up them, gaze flicking across the photos of Katsuki they had displayed proudly on the wall. From kindergarten, to the more reluctant middle school photos, and finally UA. He smiled fondly at them. They’d spent a lot of time looking at them over the past few days, as well as a few memory books they’d made from when he was a kid, in silent terror and fury and so much damn fear that their kid- to think they might have been the last few photos they’d taken of him-
Masaru was quick to cut of that train of thought. He’d had practise ever since the sludge villain.
He found himself pausing outside the bathroom for a few seconds as he passed it, shoulders filled with tension he hadn’t even realised was there, relaxing when he heard the sound of running water, confirming that yes Katsuki must be in there and no, he hadn’t managed to disappear before he continued his way into Katsuki’s room.
It was the same as when he left, clean, meticulously so. A neat row of books on his shelf and a singular All Might poster above the desk in the corner. The only thing out of place were the dumb bells strewn on the floor near the door.
Masaru lowered himself onto Katsuki’s bed, hands resting gently on his knees as he stared at the All Might poster.
All Might.
That was another situation entirely, and briefly he wondered what Katsuki’s reaction was, what he was thinking. He knew the kid was a big All Might fan, his entire inspiration, even if he’d never admit it out loud, and this was- the fact that this had been a secret for years was insane. But sometimes it was impossible to get a read on Katsuki. And even if you did there was no way he’d ever confirm or deny his feelings if confronted with them. There was almost always the mask, the anger, that he’d cover it up with.
Masaru ran a hand down his face.
The Symbol of Peace was finally done, in a way. And in his wake left a wave of uncertainty.
The fight itself has been terrifying to watch, his eyes were almost so blurred with tears that he couldn’t make out the screen, and Mitsuki had been yelling like Katsuki was able to hear her. How was all that only a few hours ago? He had no idea, honestly it all just felt like blur. The last three days, since they were told about the attack in the training camp, had been so infinitely long, that moving through them felt like trying to run underwater. Now it all just felt unreal.
Masaru jumped as the door to the room slammed open and bashed against the wall with the force, and his head jerked up to see Katsuki standing in the doorway. He had fresh clothes on, a loose t-shirt and a pair of jogging bottoms and a towel clenched tightly in his hand. Katsuki looked surprised to see him, eyes snapping to meet his.
The back of his neck looked like it had been rubbed red.
The light in the room was dim but beyond the raw neck Masaru was able to make out the blotchiness on his face and the red rim around his eyes that were bloodshot and tinged with pink. It was even easier to notice when paired with the dark circles from lack of sleep and the mildly hollowed out cheeks. Masaru hadn’t really got a good look at him at the station. Too focused on the fact that he was home and he was safe and he was standing in front of them to really see him. But now he was looking at him.
He looked...dull. Empty.
None of the vibrant personality that demanded for your attention without even trying.
He looked tired.
Defeated.
Masaru bit his tongue. He wasn’t sure how to deal with this, Katsuki was never like this.
“Old man-“ Katsuki started, and stopped when his voice wavered and then
something
cracked.
Katsuki’s jaw tightened despite it’s sudden trembling as his gaze shot to the ground, eyes clenched shut as he tried to repress the obvious shaking in his shoulders.
And Masaru was on his feet in a second, before his brain caught up with the automatic action, and wrapping his arms around his kid and pulling him into his chest ignoring the growing spot of damp on his shirt as Katsuki pressed his forehead into his collar bone with no resistance and kept his aggressively tight grip on the towel as Masaru kept his arms firmly wrapped around his shoulders, blinking back tears.
He couldn’t remember the last time he’d seen Katsuki cry, the last time Katsuki had let them see him cry.
“It’s okay Katsuki.” He murmured quietly. “It’s okay, you’re home.”
His shoulders convulsed with every near silent sob and Masaru knew Katsuki was strong, he always was but he was still only a kid, he was only fifteen. And god, he’d been kidnapped and-
He held him tighter, carding a hand through his hair.
“You’re okay. It’s okay.”
“I-f-fuck-“
His words were muffled so Masaru pulled back a little and looked down, his hands still resting on his shoulders despite the fact that Katsuki vehemently tried to avoid his gaze.
His eyes were red and blotchy, tear tracks staining his cheeks. Vulnerable .
“Why am I- All Might-“
His voice was scratched and raw, and Masaru could feel his heart break a little as he went to pull him into a hug again, except this time Katsuki stepped away, sucking in a shaking breath as he violently scrubbed at his face with his free hand and chucked the towel onto his bed with decidedly more force than necessary.
“Katsuki-“
Katsuki rubbed at his eyes, movements jerky and fierce as he let out a shaky breath, turning away from him.
“I’m fine.”
“You don’t have to b-“
“I’m fine.” But his gaze was still glassy and pink and his voice was still choked and his cheeks were lined and Masaru could see through the lie like Katsuki was made of glass. Anyone could.
But he knew he wouldn’t get anywhere trying to argue with him. Katsuki had inherited his mother’s stubbornness. He bit the inside of his cheek.
“Okay.” Masaru changed tactics, “There’s gonna be food downstairs soon, do you want me to bring it up or-“
“No, I’ll come get it.” Katsuki swallowed, and Masaru noticed how his gaze caught on the All Might poster for a second before he looked away again, jaw tensed. He cleared his throat. “I need to message some of the extras in my class.”
“Right, Good idea.”
Masaru hesitated, then leaned forward and gently kissed Katsuki on the forehead, which he allowed, most likely to the surprise of both of them, but Masaru had almost lost his kid and god he was relieved, he was home and safe . He internalised the sigh of relief as he moved around him to the door. “I love you, Katsuki.”
He stepped out of the room and the door was almost closed behind him when he heard Katsuki mutter just loudly enough for him to hear, voice quieter than he’d heard it in a long time-
“I love you too, dad.”