Making Amends [Belated Mothers Day 2020]

Katsuki was not the best son in the world. In fact, he was pretty far from it.

He hadn't even been out of high school yet when he'd begun the process of making amends with the people he'd been a piece of shit to. It was a very long process, though – he'd known that even then, but years later he was still trying.

His school friends were easy enough; they'd been so quick, so eager to forgive – most of them had insisted there was nothing to forgive, for that matter. He'd offered a few study sessions when they fell behind, trained with them outside of class time without leaving more than scrapes and bruises, had even stopped insulting them for the most part, and within a few months it was all apparently forgotten. The day before their graduation, he'd asked if they could ever forgive him for being such an asshole, and they'd had the nerve to cry all over him, sobbing about how they loved him so much and they swore they weren't mad. Sappy pieces of shit.

His teachers had been surprisingly easy, too. He'd always been a good student in the academic sense of the words, so the moment he stopped barking at his classmates and swearing in class, they'd moved on in an instant. It had actually been kind of nice to be on their good sides, especially with the ones like Aizawa and All Might that he spent so much time with. He felt like he finally had adult mentors to count on, people to turn to when he needed advice or, on rare occasions, someone to talk to. His classmates all had their work studies agencies, the heroes they'd spent so much time with, but Katsuki had not been lucky in his picks. His work studies and internships had all been with heroes who either sucked, died, or had an annoying son in his class who would probably find out if Katsuki talked to his Dad about stuff. So, teachers it was.

He felt like the hardest so far had been Deku. Not because he wasn't willing to forgive – on the contrary, he kept claiming he had nothing to forgive. Even when Katsuki had gotten him to acknowledge the shit he'd done all the way through their school years, he'd still claimed it was no big deal.

“Kacchan has changed!” he continued to bleat, with that annoyingly bright smile. “I'm not mad, I don't need to forgive anything!”

The day after graduation, the nerd had asked him out on a date. He figured that was a pretty safe bet that he was forgiven, even if he didn't deserve it. Living together by the end of the year had given him plenty of chances to attempt to make up for it, it turned out.

But finally, he'd come to his last hurdle. It seemed like everyone in the world had moved on, he'd apologised and they'd made peace, except for a single couple that were still waiting for their moment.

“Hi Dad,” he said softly, cringing a little at the word – he'd been trying so hard to quit with the old man stuff but he still felt so awkward. “Um, I was wondering if you and M-Mom have plans this weekend?”

“Not at all! Would you like to catch up? We'd love to see you, if you can spare the time!”

“Um, y-yeah,” he swallowed hard, glancing over at the look of encouragement on Deku's face as he listened in. “It's, uh, Mothers Day on Sunday, right? Me and Deku were thinking about coming up on Saturday night, if it's okay for me to stay over?”

For a moment Masaru didn't speak, and Katsuki huffed quietly.

“Nothing is wrong, I just... Haven't seen you guys in a while. Haven't had time off work to visit. If you guys have other plans-”

“No!” Masaru cut him off quickly. “No plans! We'd love to see you! I'll make up your old bed for you!”

“Thank you. Um, do you think you could... I mean, I was thinking it could be a surprise? Inko doesn't know either. Could you just uh, make sure Mom doesn't have anything planned on Sunday? I'll take her out for lunch or something, and make dinner for the three of us in the evening.”

“That sounds lovely,” Masaru agreed, his voice thick with tears he tried valiantly to hide. “I'll make sure she's home.”

“Thank you. I'll uh, I'll let you get back to work now. Thanks for answering, I know you're busy.”

“I'll always answer for you, Katsuki!” Masaru assured him, painfully sincere. “It's always so nice to hear from you. Are you off on patrol now?”

“I had the night shift actually, just got home. Deku made breakfast for us, now he's about to head out and I'm about to sleep.”

“Okay, go get some rest! Sweet dreams Katsuki, I look forward to seeing you soon!”

“Yeah, me too. Have a good day.”

He let his hand fall limp into his lap, the tension finally seeping out of his body as the call disconnected. A smile broke through, though, when Deku leaned in, planting a sweet little kiss on his jaw.

“So brave,” he praised. “Amazing, Kacchan.”

“Shut up,” Katsuki snorted, grabbing a fistful of green curls and dragging him in for a proper kiss. “You need to get changed.”

“I will! I wanted to support you first!”

“Thanks, nerd.”

“I love you too,” Deku teased, ruffling Katsuki's hair as they parted and climbing to his feet. “Come on, I'll tuck you in before I go!”

“I'm not a kid, Deku. I don't need tucking in.”

“You don't need to be a kid!” Deku pouted. “It's nice, and it's loving. Deal with it!”

“Whatever, you big baby.”

Okay, so maybe he hadn't entirely quit with the insults, but they were reserved for the people that he knew wouldn't mind. On a brave day, they even called his insults affectionate nicknames. The idiots.

Deku pulled back the heavy duvet for him, hovering as he lay down and got comfortable, then tucking the blankets up around Katsuki's chin. He smoothed them out gently over Katsuki's exhausted body, making sure everything was perfect before he turned around to pull his costume on.

“It's meant to be rainy today, might not be as hot as the past week. Stay warm and cozy, okay?” Deku smiled brightly as he looked back, only stretching wider when Katsuki huffed at him. “I'll see you when I get home, maybe I can make it in time for cuddles!”

“I'll wait for you,” Katsuki mumbled into the blanket. “Do your job, don't rush and get sloppy. I'll be here.”

“Even if I'm late?”

“Yeah.”

“Okay!”

Beneath the blanket, Katsuki cracked a little smile of his own, and Deku giggled knowingly.

“Sweet dreams, Kacchan! I love you!”

He leaned over, kissing Katsuki's forehead sweetly – sickeningly sweetly – before he headed for the door.

“Love you too.”

─────

When Saturday came around, Katsuki found himself sitting on a train, head on his hand to stare out the window, Deku dozing against his shoulder. It wasn't an unpleasant place, sure, but it wasn't exactly great either. They'd forked out good money for a couple of comfy seats rather than standing in a cramped car with dozens of fans all over them, but after their morning patrol together, Katsuki would have preferred to just be in bed. They'd had two different bank robberies, both with hostages to worry about in the process, and that was only in the first two hours.

Deku had been out like a light the moment the train started moving, but Katsuki just couldn't seem to do it, too busy running over and over his plans, his words, his gift sitting in the luggage racks above them – not to mention he was pretty sure Deku would sleep through their stop if Katsuki didn't wake him. God forbid they both manage to sleep through the grating chimes and announcements.

They'd spent three hours on the first train, and had three more before their final transfer, to get from the biggest station of their hometown to a smaller one nearer their parents' homes, one where he and Deku had spent countless days standing on a platform together. At first it had been awkward, the two of them refusing to look at each other despite standing in the same line for the same train car, even wearing the same uniform to boot. Over the months it had become a little more comfortable, exchanging nods and even smiles as their friendship became... Well, a friendship. By the time they finished school, though, they'd been talking every morning as they waited, comparing notes from classes or filling each other in on their internships.

“I don't deserve you,” Katsuki whispered, leaning over to plant a kiss on Deku's cheek.

He stuck his headphones in, turning on his favourite playlist that he never seemed to find time to listen to, and with his arm around Deku's waist, he settled in for the trip.

Despite sleeping through a dozen station announcements and stops, the moment their own announcement began, Deku's eyes blinked open. Katsuki had never understood how the people around him managed to do that – he personally got woken by every single one, and he'd seen people sleep through them all just as easily. Deku always seemed to wake up at exactly the right time, somehow, but Katsuki still refused to trust the weird instinct. It would be just his luck that the one time he wasn't ready to drag the nerd up, would be the one time he slept through.

Thankfully for them both, Deku was pretty quick to wake from his naps. He was on his feet reaching for their bags before Katsuki had even opened his mouth, handing an orange backpack across to Katsuki and slipping the straps of his All Might one over his shoulders. He was still such a damn nerd, and Katsuki hated how much it made him smile.

“Almost there,” Deku smiled, offering a hand to help Katsuki up. “They're gonna be so happy to see us.”

No matter how many times it happened, Katsuki still instinctively tensed up when Deku offered him a hand.

No matter how many times it happened, he still forced himself to accept.

Deku's smile stretched wider when their hands interlocked, hauling him up out of his seat, and as they headed for the train doors, he didn't let go. Katsuki shifted his grip a little, lacing their fingers together lightly, and Deku gave him a quick little squeeze.

Sickening.

“Can I come say hi?” he requested, as the train slowed to a stop and they headed for their next platform. “I haven't seen them in ages either.”

“If you want.”

“They know about us, right? You told them?”

“Yeah,” Katsuki nodded, squeezing him back lightly. “Not like they wouldn't have figured it out by now anyway. Think I'm ashamed of you or something?”

“No! Well, maybe? But no! You just... Don't really tell them personal stuff?”

Katsuki huffed, shoving into him lightly as they walked, their shoulders thumping together.

“I told everyone,” Katsuki assured him. “My parents, my shitty friends, all our old teachers, all the interns at work, my boss, your boss, the cat next door-”

“Okay,” Deku cut him off, giggling again. “I get it! Thank you, I'm glad!”

“Shitty nerd, think I wouldn't tell my damn parents,” he grumbled, looking away with a pout. “Known you since you were in diapers and you think they wouldn't know.”

“Thaaaaank yooooou,” Deku sang, leaning in fondly. “I'm sorry I asked.”

“Whatever, nerd. I'll come pick you up Monday morning so I can say hi to Inko.”

“Okay! She'd love that!”

The train that pulled up in front of them was jam-packed, a far cry from their comfortable seats and smooth ride, and as the doors began to open, Deku reluctantly dropped Katsuki's hand.

“Don't let anyone grab your ass this time,” Katsuki huffed, following him in amidst hushed whispers. “I'll punch them.”

“Kacchan! No punching!”

“I will.”

“E-Excuse me,” a tiny voice squeaked. “Are you Deku?”

“I am!” Deku grinned, bending down to meet the kid's eyes. “What's your name?”

Katsuki shrank back as the doors closed, leaning against the wall and pulling his hood up to cover his spiky hair. It seemed to be the one thing that tipped people off, when he was out of costume, and he'd quickly grown used to wearing hoods and beanies when he was out in public.

Deku had always been better with fans anyway.

 ───── 

Masaru was at the door before Katsuki could knock, and he felt a rush of fondness when he saw his father's excited face there to greet them. Old man had probably been sitting by the door for an hour, waiting for them to show up.

“Hey,” he said softly. “It's uh, good to see you.”

Masaru's lower lip trembled, and Deku was stepping in before Katsuki even had time to think, wrapping his arms around a waist that seemed so much smaller in Deku's bulky arms.

“It's been so long!” Deku exclaimed, hugging Masaru tightly and getting squeezed back just as hard. “I missed you!”

“I missed you too! Both of you! Come in, you must be exhausted!”

Deku grinned when they parted, and Katsuki sighed fondly, watching as his sappy boyfriend kicked off his shoes and followed his equally-sappy father into the house.

“When did you last eat?” Masaru all but demanded, leading them through to the kitchen. “Come sit down, you need a good meal! I made curry, there's plenty left.”

“That sounds amazing, thank you!”

Katsuki knew better than to think they just happened to have leftovers. His father had cooked one of his favourite foods, and made enough extra for them to have an overflowing bowl each, and some still left in the pot as he set it down.

“Smells great,” Katsuki praised, as he sat down and accepted the bowl. “Thank you, I really appreciate it.”

“Any time, Katsuki! You know that!”

“Kacchan is learning to use his words,” Deku giggled, when he caught a glimpse of the surprise in Masaru's eyes. “Isn't he doing so good?”

“Shut up, nerd,” Katsuki huffed, glaring at him half-heartedly across the table. “Don't be embarrassing.”

“But it's so sweet! It makes me so happy!”

“You're the worst.”

“Aww, I love you too!”

Katsuki flushed bright red, stuffing a mound of curry in his mouth in a hurry to give himself time to think, time to calm his instant awkwardness.

“Love you too,” he grumbled finally, quickly scooping up more rice. “This is great, Dad.”

“I'm glad! It felt kind of nostalgic, making it. I made sure to add extra spice for you, it's been a while since I've done that. I hope it's not too spicy for you, Izuku!”

“It's perfect,” Deku assured him. “I've spent enough time with Kacchan to get used to his food!”

“So did I,” Masaru chuckled. “I was a bit of a wimp with spicy foods, when I was younger, but as Katsuki grew up his tastes got spicier, and I grew used to it along with him. He was such a picky toddler, I felt like giving him spicy food so young was a terrible idea, but we tried everything and it was the only one he latched onto!”

“Makes food more interesting,” Katsuki shrugged.

“Nah, you're just a masochist,” Deku teased, grinning when Katsuki rolled his eyes. “You like the taste of pain.”

“Whatever, wimp.”

Katsuki looked up when he heard the footsteps on the stairs, swallowing his mouthful quickly, but when Mitsuki froze in her tracks, it wasn't hard to smile.

Okay, maybe it was more of a smirk.

“Hey,” he said casually, lifting one hand in a wave. “Came for the curry.”

“What are you doing here?” she asked, too stunned to yell or even move. “When did you get here?”

“Like two minutes ago, Dad insisted on feeding us. Happy Early Mothers Day, or something.”

“You... Came all the way here for Mothers Day?”

“You got a problem with that?” he asked instinctively, cursing himself for it before he even finished his sentence. “I mean, yeah, we hadn't visited in a while, figured it was a good chance to come hang out with you guys and for the nerd to see Inko.”

“Did you talk him into this, you sweet thing?” Mitsuki asked, smiling a little as she stepped into the dining room to pat Deku's shoulder. “You're such a good son, aren't you?”

“Actually,” Deku laughed, “it was Kacchan's idea.”

“You free tomorrow?” Katsuki asked, ignoring the slight. “I'll take you out for lunch.”

“Y-Yeah, I'm free,” she nodded, dumbfounded again. “Masaru, did you know about this?”

“Only for a few days,” Masaru grinned. “He wanted it to be a surprise!”

“Well I'm certainly surprised. It's uh, it's nice to see you both. Welcome home.”

When their bowls were empty, Masaru ushered them through to the living room, adamantly refusing when anyone even began to suggest helping with the dishes. After a few failed protests, Katsuki caved, nodding faintly as he sank into a comfy chair.

“Okay, thanks,” he agreed quietly. “Tomorrow you have to let me help.”

“Of course, Katsuki!”

Deku plonked himself into Katsuki's lap, giggling when Katsuki squawked indignantly. Despite his complaint, though, his arm wrapped around Deku's waist, holding him securely.

“I'm gonna go surprise Mom soon,” Deku explained, when he met Mitsuki's eyes across the room. “I just wanted to drop by and see how you both were doing! It looks like you've been well!”

“We've been doing okay,” she agreed with a little smile. “I don't think I realised how empty the house had been.”

“Aww, I'm sorry!” Deku's face fell, and for a moment Katsuki thought he was going to go hug her. “I'm glad it doesn't feel that way when we're gone, though! I guess you're kinda used to it, after this long. My Mom always says she forgets how much she misses me, but then I come back and mess up the apartment and she can't find anything I put away and I make a ton of noise and everything, so she's glad for the peace when I leave!”

“She seems to do well with the quiet,” Mitsuki agreed. “I thought she'd be lonely, but she enjoys going home to her little apartment to recharge.”

“Yeah! She's like Kacchan, they need the quiet sometimes, need time to be alone. Not me, I'm all over him whining for constant attention.”

“That's why we work different shifts,” Katsuki snorted, hugging a little tighter all the same. “I need a break from you sometimes.”

“I don't blame you! Sometimes I think I need a break from me!”

Soon Masaru was joining them again, perched on the couch with his wife, and Katsuki couldn't help but crack a tiny smile when their hands laced together. He'd always thought it was dumb and gross as a kid, but knowing now how it felt, to be intertwined with the person you love, he felt he'd become a lot more accepting.

“I'd better take off,” Deku smiled faintly. “Don't want to show up right before bed or interrupt Mom's bath or something. Text me when you go to bed?”

“I will,” Katsuki assured him, accepting the tiny kiss Deku planted on his lips. “Be safe, don't get distracted and get run over or something.”

“I'll be careful! Thank you for having me, Masaru, Mitsuki! Sorry to show up unannounced!”

“Not at all, Izuku! We're always happy to have you!” Masaru assured him. “Come by any time you're in the area, we'll always welcome you!”

“Thank you, you're too sweet!”

He levered himself up off Katsuki's lap, pausing to hug each of Katsuki's parents on his way through, waving them off when they started to move.

“I know where the door is!” he assured them with a grin, “You three catch up! Byebye, love you all!”

To Katsuki's surprise, he wasn't the only voice when he instinctively answered “love you too.”

He cracked a smile when Deku showed himself out, the door closing softly behind him, and then the house was oddly quiet again.

“Is it okay if I stay over?” Katsuki asked awkwardly, catching his mother's eye.

“Of course you can, idiot,” Mitsuki scoffed. “You think we kept your room the way you left it just for fun? It's your room, brat.”

“Thank you.”

Mitsuki seemed stunned by the words, but Katsuki tried not to react, pretending he hadn't noticed – though he wasn't sure he did a great job of it. The yawn that bubbled up inside him was a blessing, in a way, giving him a chance to cover his mouth and distract them a little.

“I uh, I'm kind of exhausted,” he confessed. “Sorry to disappear so early, but I think I should catch some sleep.”

“Of course!” Masaru agreed, not even a hint of disappointment in his tone. “Your bed is made, everything's freshly washed! Get some rest, Katsuki!”

“Goodnight, brat,” Mitsuki nodded, her voice fonder than usual, if Katsuki wasn't imagining it. “I'll see you in the morning.”

“Uh-huh. We'll go out around eleven?”

“Sounds good.”

He knew they would gossip the moment he closed his bedroom door to change, but honestly he didn't mind that much anymore. Growing up, he'd done a lot of negative things for them to talk about, but now? Now he was pretty proud of himself, he couldn't come up with a lot of bad things for them to discuss, other than maybe his battered old jeans that he knew they would both be appalled by.

As he crawled into bed, surrounded by warm blankets and soft pillows, he found himself smiling a little, hiding it under the sheets. He picked up his phone, tapping out a quick goodnight message to his boyfriend, and then he was snuggling in comfortably with a spare pillow in his arms.

Yeah, it had been a pretty good day.

 ───── 

Mitsuki seemed confused when Katsuki pulled into a parking lot, looking around at the nearby stores. He pulled into a space right in front of their target, a smirk tugging at his lips again when she finally turned to look at him questioningly.

“When I was like thirteen you said you wished you had a daughter to do this kind of shit with,” Katsuki shrugged.

“Wh- I- No! I only said that because you were being a brat! I didn't mean it. Did you really think I wanted a daughter instead of you?”

“Wouldn't have blamed you,” Katsuki shrugged, carefully looking away as he turned the car off. “I was a shitty kid.”

“All kids are shitty kids,” Mitsuki huffed, punching him in the arm. “But you're my shitty kid.”

Katsuki snorted, finally looking her way and regretting it immediately when he found an unfamiliar sense of concern and even fear in her face.

“Whatever, you think I'm not man enough to get a pedicure?” he goaded. “Come on, let's go let people wait on us.”

With a surprisingly bright laugh, Mitsuki nodded, climbing out of the car and letting Katsuki lock it behind them. The receptionist didn't even ask for their names when they walked in, greeting them warmly and showing them straight through to a private room – the spa came from a chain of stores, all well-known in the hero community for being great with hero privacy, where some places left them waiting in an open area for all to see and disrupt. The chain prided themselves on being a place to relax, and that included reducing stress from fan encounters.

It had been awkward as hell explaining to Mina why he needed the info, but she'd given it all the same.

A staff member showed them around the little room, pointing out robes hanging behind a curtain, and then they were left in peace, a little awkward in the sudden silence. Katsuki waved toward the curtain, and Mitsuki nodded, stepping behind to change into her fluffy robe.

“It was nice of you to do this,” she said, slightly awkward still. “I didn't expect anything. I would have been surprised to even get flowers delivered or something, but then you surprise me with jewellery and a day out? Unheard of.”

“Yeah,” Katsuki mumbled, sitting down in one of the squishy chairs to wait. “I uh, I haven't been great in the past.”

“You're busy, I know.”

“That shouldn't always be my excuse, though.”

She stepped out in her pure-white gown, and Katsuki traded places in a hurry, avoiding her eyes still.

“Are you okay?” Mitsuki asked. “Do you uh, do we need to talk? Is something... Going on?”

“No.”

“I just... I know we're not a very talky family, but... You know, if you want to.”

“Yeah.”

He stripped off his jeans and t-shirt, tucking them into his bag, and switched out his shoes for a pair of slippers a size too small – no one ever seemed to have the right size for him, he had no idea how Deku managed it, when he was at least another size bigger.

“I've been trying,” he admitted, as he wrapped himself in the thick white fabric – too short, because of course it was. “Not just lately. For a while.”

“Trying with what?”

“People.”

He emerged from the little curtain just in time for the staff to arrive, thankfully saving him from an awkward conversation that was only becoming worse the longer they went. He sat down in the chair again, getting comfortable this time on the cushions – plush beneath him but slightly plasticy to the touch, easy to keep clean. He moved his hands and feet where they asked, and just as he was debating his next words, the manicurist smiled up at him.

“Would you like me to avoid your palms, Sir?”

“Y-Yeah,” he nodded, swallowing hard when words caught in his throat. “Um, touching is okay, if you- By accident or whatever? I'm not gonna- But just, nothing like...”

“I understand,” she assured him. “Just relax, Sir.”

He nodded again, leaning back a little to rest his head on the little pillow, his cheeks a little warmer than he would have liked.

“Mr. Bakugou, yes?” she confirmed, as he got settled – the silent question hanging in the air between them.

“Yes. And this is my mother.”

“Mother?” the second lady gasped, from where she helped Mitsuki get comfortable next to him. “Sister, surely!”

Mitsuki giggled at the astonishment, so tickled by the genuine surprise, and Katsuki couldn't help but smile faintly himself.

“She's older than you think,” he smirked. “Old hag with a quirk that helps her hide it.”

“Oi!” she chided, smiling still all the same. “I'm not old!”

“You're old enough to be a grandmother.”

“I'm not! Besides, you and Izuku won't be having kids! I'll never be old enough to be a grandmother!”

“That's not how age works!”

Katsuki twitched a little when the lady began filing down his nails. He felt a little bad, honestly – his hands were so beaten up from work, she was probably horrified underneath her professional air. Maybe he could leave her a tip at the end, though he was pretty sure they would refuse. He dreaded the moment they went for his feet – the poor women.

While he would probably never say it out loud, watching the ladies work was kind of fascinating. Next to him, they trimmed and filed his mother's nails into neat little ovals, but on Katsuki's end they were slightly less picky. He kept them cut short as it was, to make sure he wouldn't accidentally claw some civilian he tried to save, or blow one of them off with a particularly big explosion. Rather than trim them down, she just focussed on smoothing them out and buffing them lightly, and when he glanced down at the finished one, he was surprised to find they actually looked kind of nice. It wasn't like anyone was looking at his nails, but knowing they were clean and smooth was nice all the same, and they even looked slightly shiny under the lights, something he'd never expected.

Mitsuki chatted with the staff as they worked, but Katsuki just sat back and listened, finally relaxing a little as they rubbed oil into his skin and pushed back the skin around his nails, trimming off straggly little bits around the edges, then coating him in a sweet-smelling lotion. He raised an eyebrow when the lady picked up a little bottle of nail polish, but she just smiled as she held it up for approval, the liquid inside completely transparent.

“It helps keep them protected,” she explained. “Would you rather I don't?”

“It's fine,” he assured her, shrugging as best he could without moving his hands from where she'd placed them. “Go for it.”

It was a weird feeling, having the tiny paintbrush run across his fingernails, but sure enough the result was practically invisible, just a hint of shine to give away its presence. When he glanced over, he saw a layer of pale pink going on his mother, and he cracked a smile again when he saw her face. She was like a schoolgirl again, gleeful over the attention, and he looked away again before she could catch him and be embarrassed. He'd never realised a twenty minute manicure would delight her so much.

The feet were next, he determined quickly, when another pair of workers came in with two little tubs. He gave them his best apologetic look as they got set up, but they all shook their heads the moment he began to apologise.

“Please don't be concerned, Mr. Bakugou,” his manicurist smiled. “I assure you, it's never as bad as people think.”

“Sorry,” he said all the same, a little tense again as they filled the tubs with warm water. “Really.”

He was a little surprised when the two newer staff members remained, one of them rounding his chair to tilt it back a little, leaving him to look up at the off-white roof tiles. She gently pushed his hair back from his forehead, securing it with an elastic headband, and he pretended not to notice his mother's giggles when she looked over.

The facial was the part he'd felt the weirdest about, even more than the concern of his nasty feet. It had come with the package, though, the set the spa had created specifically for Mothers Day – admittedly he'd gone for the most expensive bundle, but it had seemed silly to not just go all-in. He twitched as a weird foam touched his skin, thankfully not cold like he'd expected, but the touch was incredibly gentle as they spread it over his skin, rubbing gentle circles along his jaw that made him shiver despite the warmth. With his eyes closed, he managed to move past the intrusive thoughts about judgment and hands all over him, and while he'd once again never admit it, it was actually kind of... Relaxing.

“You have very nice skin,” the lady told him, as she peeled off some kind of mask that had dried on his face. “Very youthful, good genetics. You'll be a handsome young man well into your forties.”

“My friends hated me in high school,” he chuckled. “They had huge teenage breakouts and I never had a pimple in my life.”

“Oh! I'm jealous too!” the lady laughed. “High school was hard!”

“Maybe you should be more grateful for my quirk,” Mitsuki laughed.

“I'm grateful. Not much else would have given me explosive hands.”

“I meant for the youthful part, you barbarian!”

“Heroes don't need to be pretty,” he snorted. “I guess the lack of scarring is nice. Deku is covered in them, I don't have any yet.”

“It's good for your ranking,” one of the ladies offered. “Civilian approval is much higher for the handsome heroes.”

“No wonder the halfie managed to get into the top ten, I knew it couldn't be his fighting.”

“Shouto is very pretty,” Mitsuki agreed, getting a chorus of agreeable noises from the staff. “He's a lovely boy, you should be nicer to him.”

“Stop crushing on my former classmates.”

“Never.”

The hands that rubbed at Katsuki's feet were much stronger than he'd expected, working into knots of muscle he hadn't even realised were there, and as they shaved and filed at his hard calluses, he sank into his chair a little more.

Maybe the whole pampering thing wasn't so bad after all.

 ───── 

Talking seemed a little easier when they couldn't see each other's faces, Katsuki quickly learned. When they lay face down on the massage tables, strong hands working at his neck and shoulders, words seemed to spill out easier.

“I realised years ago that I was kind of a shitty son,” he admitted, not giving her a chance to respond – no matter if she denied it or agreed, it would kill him either way. “But I never really knew how to stop being a shitty son. I got okay at being a friend and a student, I got pretty good at being a hero, I think I'm even a decent boyfriend these days, but I could never figure out how to just... Apologise, I guess.”

“All sons are shitty,” Mitsuki scoffed, her voice muffled slightly by her own massage table maybe a metre away. “You were alright.”

“I wasn't, I-”

“Katsuki,” she cut him off sternly. “I have friends with sons your age, and they spent their teenage years throwing parties, getting drunk at sixteen, smoking cigarettes or worse. I know people whose sons got arrested. You were a straight-A student studying at one of the best schools in the country, trying to be a hero, someone who helps people. Do you really think you were such a nightmare just because you swore and we argued?”

“I yelled at you, I ignored you, refused to do anything you said, I got kidnapped-”

“Are you blaming yourself for that?”

“They only tried because they thought I'd make a good villain!”

“What? Who the hell thought that? I know they were villains but I didn't know they were stupid.”

Tears pricked at Katsuki's eyes, threatening to spill through the hole in the table, and his chuckle came out pained.

“You know that's the first time you've called me Katsuki in years?” he asked, changing the subject in a hurry. “You picked my damn name but you haven't used it since I was like eight.”

“Yeah, well, you called me old hag that entire time, so I think we're even.”

“Yeah,” Katsuki snorted, his voice turning a little quieter when he continued. “I've been trying, though.”

“I'll try too.”

When they'd both been sufficiently turned into human jelly, aches and tension worked out of muscles that Katsuki forgot he'd even possessed, he wound his towel around his waist and climbed up, finding his balance again. With little smiles and bows, the staff directed them to a small sauna, and Katsuki happily settled himself in the corner of a hot, steamy room.

“My friends are gonna be so jealous,” Mitsuki sighed, laying out across a bench, her towel thankfully still wrapped around her. “They won't believe me.”

“We can do it again,” Katsuki offered, praying that the heat of the room disguised his blush at least a little. “If you want, I mean.”

“You're gonna take a six hour train ride just to get a massage with me again?” Mitsuki laughed. “You're too busy for that, I know you are.”

“I could sometimes,” Katsuki shrugged. “Maybe not very often. And... I mean, it's not like you can't come visit us. Inko does it occasionally.”

“You've never invited us.”

“Figured you'd invite yourself if you wanted to visit.”

“Of course I want to visit, but you have work.”

“Whatever. Just tell me if you're coming, I'll make sure someone is there to let you in.”

“I haven't seen your apartment yet.”

“I just said you can visit, don't keep nagging.”

“Nagging,” Mitsuki scoffed. “I'll show you nagging, brat.”

“Try it, hag.”

Katsuki cracked a smile when Mitsuki laughed, much brighter than he'd heard in a while – if ever.

“You weren't a bad kid,” she said after a moment. “I meant what I said.”

“I was, even if I wasn't the worst kid.”

“You were a rough child, you weren't good at playing nice, and you were a stubborn teenager, but you were never bad. Don't argue with me, brat, I'd happily tell you so, if you were a shitty kid. You know how grateful I was for your high school teachers? Eraser Head and All Might especially. I knew you were in good hands right from your first year, they saw straight through the cranky attitude, saw my hero son.”

“Don't get sappy with me, woman,” he groaned, head falling back against the wall. “I'm comfortable here, don't ruin it.”

“Deal with it, brat.”

The words lacked any real bite and they both knew it.

As Katsuki slid down the wall, laying himself out on a wooden bench, he found himself smiling again. He draped an arm over his eyes to block out the light, sighing contentedly.

“You hungry?” he asked. “Figured we'd go out for food after this.”

“That sounds good.”

“Somewhere nice?”

“In Izuku's hoodie?” Mitsuki teased. “Don't go thinking I can't tell when you're wearing your boyfriend's old clothes.”

“I brought a shirt, for after.”

“A proper shirt?”

“Mm. Buttons and all that shit.”

“Wow, Katsuki, I didn't know you owned any.”

“Shut up,” he snorted. “You wanna go or not?”

“Yeah, that sounds great.”

“Cool. Just gimme five more minutes.”

“Take your time,” she smiled, turning her head to look at him while he was blissfully unaware. “I can wait.”

 ───── 

Saying goodbye had been surprisingly hard. His own parents had come first, up bright and early for work, while Katsuki was still packing his bag. Masaru had insisted on doing his laundry the night prior, after Katsuki had cooked them all dinner and even insisted on doing the dishes alone, so everything went in clean and folded, ready to unload when they made it back home. He'd teared up when Katsuki slung it over his shoulder in the doorway, and with a smirk Katsuki had slung an arm around his shoulders, bringing him in for a slightly awkward hug. He'd been so careful not to overstep, not to scare Katsuki away, but when they parted again a thin trail of tears ran down each of his cheeks.

“I'll see you soon,” Katsuki assured him. “Won't be as long this time. Come see my place down south, too, okay? We finally got our apartment how we like it.”

“I'd love to,” Masaru agreed. “We'll see you soon.”

He opened his arms to Mitsuki next, grinning when her face turned to shock, silently attempting to figure out if it was some kind of joke or test.

“C'mon,” he grunted, gesturing vaguely with his hands. “Don't make me stand here like this for an hour.”

She felt surprisingly small when she stepped into his embrace, fragile beneath his touch when he curled his arms around her. Her head barely reached his shoulder anymore, her cheek squished against his chest when she hugged him back just as tight, and he couldn't help but shoot a smug smile down at her.

“You shrinking already, old lady?”

“Shut up,” Mitsuki huffed. “Take care of yourself.”

“You know it.”

She turned her head to look up at him, full of a motherly fondness and even pride that he wasn't sure he'd seen before. Maybe it was a newer development, or maybe they'd just never been close enough, but the expression was now burned into his memory beside his classmates sobbing all over him and Deku insisting everything had been forgiven.

“Happy Mothers Day,” he said faintly. “Hope it was a good one.”

He thought he caught a glimpse of a tear as he stepped out the door, but for once he decided to leave it alone, to not call it out and embarrass her. He waved back at them in the doorway as he crossed the road, heading toward Inko's apartment building, and when he looked back from the corner, they were still standing there, watching him go.

The quiet peace was broken the moment he knocked on Inko's door, a series of uncoordinated thumps getting increasingly louder before the door burst open on a ball of green energy.

“Kacchan!” he exclaimed, throwing himself into Katsuki's arms. “I missed you so much! Did you have fun?! Did Mitsuki enjoy it? Did- Oh, you look so handsome! I mean, you always look handsome, but-”

“I missed you too,” Katsuki laughed, cutting him off. “We'll catch up on the train. Where'd you leave your poor mother?”

“It's nice to see you, Katsuki!” Inko giggled, appearing behind him in the hall. “You look strong and healthy!”

“You look great too, I hope the nerd hasn't driven you too insane.”

“It's been great to catch up,” she assured him, her eyes crinkling the same way Deku's did when he laughed. “Take good care of him for me, would you?”

“Of course,” Katsuki agreed without hesitation. “Thanks for babysitting while I was with my parents”

“Hey!” Deku objected, laughing all the same. “Not nice!”

“Uh-huh,” Katsuki hummed fondly, pressing a kiss to unruly green curls. “You ready to go?”

“Yeah, just let me have one last hug!”

He took Deku's bag and slung it over his shoulder with his own, leaving Deku free to drag his tiny mother into a crushing hug, so tight he was surprised Inko could even breathe.

“I love you, Mom! I'll miss you so much!”

“I love you too, sweetie! Be safe!”

“Of course!”

With that, they were out the door again, and Katsuki reached for Deku's hand before they'd even reached the stairwell. Their fingers linked together like they were made for each other, swinging lightly between them as they padded down the staircase.

“So it went well?” Deku asked, catching the cute little smile that graced Katsuki's lips. “You seemed happy when you texted me.”

“It went well,” Katsuki agreed.

“So you'll accept now that you're a good person? You're done making amends?”

“Just one left to go,” he teased, leaning over to nip at Deku's neck and make him squeak. “There was this one kid I made fun of through school, used to push him around and call him a nerd.”

“Hmm, yes, a grave crime indeed,” Deku grinned right back. “Never mind that we put away burglars and murderers every day, childhood bullies are where it's at.”

“I'll never stop trying to make it up to that one kid, he says he's not upset so it's hard to know when I've really made it up to him.”

“I bet a kiss would help a lot.”

“Yeah?”

Deku paused on a landing, turning to press himself into Katsuki's touch, their lips meeting for a sweet, family-friendly little peck.

“That'll have to hold him over for a bit,” Katsuki smirked. “I'll make it up to him properly when we get home.”

“Sounds like fun.”

As they walked to the station, the early-morning sunrise beating down on their faces, Katsuki squeezed Deku's hand a little tighter.

“You really forgive me for being an ass?”

“Yes, Kacchan. We all do.”

“Thank you.”