Thank you for stopping by to spend some time with my story. I hope you enjoy your stay.

Chapter 9: I Think I Need This

The crisp, rhythmic slide of the knife kept time while Shouto washed more vegetables and Midoriya peeled away the skins. Midoriya was the only one sitting down.

"How's your back nerd?"

"Kacchan, I haven't felt a twinge in two days. If you hadn't called my supervisor I would be back on patrols already. Five days for a pulled back is ridiculous!"

"It's not," Shouto cut in. "If I hadn't been here to help with healing you would have been down for two weeks at least. All three muscle groups were impacted, even if your Scarospinalis sustained the greatest injury."

"Ha!"

"Kacchan, don't wave the knife around like that." Midoriya's cheeks puffed out and he set the carrot he'd peeled on the cutting board for decimation. "It's not fair if you two gang up on me!"

Bakugou smirked at his husband across their workstation. "Stop being such an easy target."

"Says the person who's been chopping vegetables for the last twenty minutes." Midoriya's eyes narrowed. "Should you really be doing all this work?"

"I'm fine, dumbass." Bakugou glanced over his shoulder as Shouto handed a freshly washed pepper to Midoriya for seed removal. "Tell him I'm fine."

"What's your pain level?"

The corner of Bakugou's mouth twitched, a gesture Shouto had come to recognize as amusement. "Four of ten."

Shouto nodded. "He's fine."

"Told ya!"

"And if it rises to a six you're going to sit down."

"Just let me have the victory, Icy Hot!"

The dying afternoon light glittered across the water droplets on Midoriya's hand as he placed the final pepper on the cutting board. "I'm really glad you're here Todoroki." The warmth of his smile seeped into Shouto's bones, soothing some of the ache he'd learned to live with. "I wouldn't have felt so calm about Kacchan coming home early, or any of the times I've had to leave, if it had been someone else helping us. You're such a hard worker, and you're stern enough Kacchan can't push you around when he's tired or frustrated. You're really the perfect fit for us."

Shouto was used to ebullient compliments from his patients and their families, and equally as practiced in disregarding them. Gratitude wouldn't save someone's life. But he couldn't brush Midoriya's words away so easily. There was too much history between them, too much emotion in Midoriya's voice. There might have even been tears in Midoriya's eyes, but Shouto didn't want to look too closely. "I…I'm happy to help."

"Tch, I know a canned answer when I hear one." Bakugou nudged Shouto's shoulder and the locked eyes. "Thanks for helping." Bakugou's normally gruff voice dropped a few octaves into something softer and quieter. "I'm glad you've got my back."

Shouto reached for the dish towel and wiped residual moisture from around the sink. "Your front."

"Huh?"

"Your abdominal injury…it's on your front."

A surprised, staccato laugh burst from Bakugou's throat. "Damn, you really can't take a compliment, can you?" Bakugou's eyes flicked to the side and Shouto had no doubt Bakugou was locking eyes with his husband. A blink later the determined crimson gaze was back on Shouto's face. "You're gonna regret that."

Shouto blinked. "Are you threatening me?"

"With compliments," Midoriya answered. He'd stepped quite a bit closer now.

"Izuku has this thing with people he cares about," Bakugou began, "When they say bad things about themselves or brush off a compliment, he just compliments them more."

Midoriya nodded, brow set above a determined smile. "You're going to start believing them eventually."

The edge of the counter was sharp in the hollow of Shouto's back. "You don't—"

A chime resounded from the front entranceway.

Midoriya's smile brightened and he held up one finger as if to gesture for Shouto to wait. "I'm not going to forget this, but for now let's enjoy the party. Kacchan stay here. Todoroki, make sure he listens." And then he was gone, ducking around the corner in a move that was almost a skip.

Shouto blinked and turned to Bakugou, who was smiling at him.

"It's fucking scary when he threatens you with affection, isn't it?"

If there was a reply that would help this situation, Shouto didn't know it.

Bakugou chuckled and pushed their shoulders together again. "Don't panic. Check the miso."

"Okay." The Miso was gently steaming, wafting a comforting smell against Shouto's face as he lifted the lid of the pot. "Everything looks good here."

"Excellent." Bakugou brushed his hands together, then once over the apron covering his chest. "Stir fry's all prepped. I'll get it going once everyone's here."

"Don't actually lift the wok when you're stirring the food," Shouto warned. "It's too heavy for your injury right now."

"Yes, mom."

"Did someone call me?" Inko-san popped into the kitchen with a bright smile and a covered ceramic dish in her hands.

"Ma, you didn't have to bring anything!" Bakugou lifted the dish from Inko-san's hand and set it on the table before he pulled her into a hug.

"That's what I told them!" Midoriya's voice resonated down the hallway, preceding the appearance of Shouto's mother, Rei.

"Hello, Mom."

Rei smiled as she set her own covered bowl on the table. "Hello, Shouto." She wrapped her arms around him and pulled him close. "You look happy."

Shouto squeezed his mother tightly. God he was so grateful to have her back in his life. She knew better than anyone else the true nature of his current situation, and she had only ever asked how she could help. Fuyumi and Natsuo knew all the same facts Rei did, but they wanted him to be or do something he wasn't able to. Rei had never asked him to stop loving Izuku. She would be there too when it was over and Shouto had to figure out how to nurse the pieces of his broken heart back together.

"What did you bring?" Bakugou peeled back the cover of Rei's bowl and smirked at it's contents. "I should have guessed. Cold soba."

"Don't criticize my mother's cooking before you've tasted it." Shouto insisted.

Bakugou's brows lifted. "I wasn't criticizing, but I'm not gonna refuse the invitation either." He dipped a clean pair of chopsticks into the swirl of noodles and pulled a small clump to his lips. His pink tongue darted out to lick the remnants of sauce from the corners of his mouth. "Mmmmh. Damn this is really good."

Rei smiled and bowed her head. "I thought you'd like the spicy version."

Bakugou grinned. "Good guess." He reached for a fresh pair of chopsticks.

"Katsuki, don't ruin your appetite," Inko-san chided.

"It's just a few bites, Ma," Bakugou protested, but he put the chopsticks back down.

"Would either of you like anything to drink?" Midoriya asked. "Water? Tea?" He glanced at the heavy ceramic dish Inko-san had laid on the table. "Mom, did you carry this all the way from the subway station?"

"It wouldn't have been any trouble if I had; I'm not a frail old lady yet."

"I wasn't saying you were," Midoriya held up his hands in surrender.

Inko-san nodded. "Good. And I didn't need to walk, Rei-san picked me up."

Midoriya beamed. "Thank you, Rei-san."

Rei shrugged and glanced at Shouto. "I used a driving service." Rei didn't touch the money from Endeavor's settlement often, but Shouto understood her small smile of amusement. There was a certain irony to using that money to facilitate the kind of family dinner that Endeavor might have had if he wasn't so heartless.

"We arrived so quickly, the Takoyaki is still warm."

"Takoyaki! Sweet!" Midoriya lifted the lid off the ceramic container and slipped a sauce-covered ball between his lips. "Mmh, so good."

"Now who's sneaking bites?" Bakugou challenged.

"I'll get some small plates so we can start on appetizers," Shouto suggested. "No, Bakugou, don't try to help me. This is still too much for you to lift."

A sharp series of knocks sounded at the door. It wasn't Fuyumi's knock. Shouto didn't think Natsuo knocked that brusquely, but they still weren't particularly close, so perhaps he was wrong.

"I'll get it!" Midoriya shot back towards the front door while Shouto deigned to hand Bakugou two plates at a time.

"I'm not made of glass," Bakugou complained.

"When you can lift a full wok without any pain, I'll let you set the table unsupervised."

Bakugou set each plate down and reached for the next pair with an unrepentant grin. "That's cold, Icy Hot."

"Katsuki! Where should I put this down?"

"Mom?"

Bakugou stepped forward and reached for the covered tray Mitsuki-san was carrying, but she turned out of his reach.

"I am not going to have you open your stiches or do anything else to fuck up your recovery!" She snapped. "Just tell me where to put these!"

"The counter there should be good," Bakugou pointed. "I thought—"

A man with darker, but equally spiky hair, whom Shouto guessed was Masaru-san, Bakugou's father, pulled Bakugou back into a hug. "It's good to see you Katsuki."

"Dad? Hey. It's good to see you too."

Mitsuki had barely set her tray down before she was all but tackled by Inko-san. "Mitsuki-san! It's so good to see you! It's been too long!"

"Ooof! Yeah, Inko-san." Her reluctant grin looked so much like Bakugou's. "It's good to see you too." Her eyes flickered up to Bakugou's as she returned Inko-san's hug. "I'm sorry it's been so long."

Inko-san partially released Mitsuki-san, keeping one arm firmly around her waist. "I don't think you've been to a family dinner since the boys moved. Did you have any trouble finding the place?"

"No, the directions you sent were very clear. And Fuyumi-san accompanied us. It's apparently on her way from work." Red eyes flickered to Shouto's face. "Fuyumi-san is your sister, right?"

"Yes, she is." A splash of white speckled with red caught Shouto's vision and he turned with enough time to greet his sister. "Good evening, Fuyumi."

"Hello, Shou." She beamed at him and squeezed his arms. "You look fantastic."

Shouto glanced down at his scrubs. They weren't even his newest pair.

Fuyumi squeezed his arm. "I mean you look happy, Shou."

Oh.

He reached for the tray she was carrying. "Let me get you an appetizer plate. There's plenty to choose from."

"Those are Dango, Shou. Put them in the fridge and get some small bowls. Mitsuki-san brought cucumber salad with Takanotsume."

"Thank you, Fuyumi-san! Thank you, Mitsuki-san!" Midoriya chirped, bowing first to Fuyumi, then to Mitsuki who was much closer.

Mitsuki ruffled his hair. "Kid, you've been married to my boy for five years. You can call me Ma or Mom if you want."

Midoriya glanced back at Inko-san. "That might be confusing, calling you both Mom." He looked back to Mitsuki. "But we can work on it, if you want."

The finer points of subtext weren't quite clear to Shouto—they couldn't be when he'd only recently reconnected with Midoriya and learned of Bakugou's tension with his parents—but it felt like Midoriya, as welcoming and forgiving as he normally was, intended to let Mitsuki see his hesitation to call her family while she was still hurting Bakugou.

The harshest lines around Mitsuki's mouth and eyes softened slightly. "I…" She swallowed. "I'd like that."

Mitsuki stumbled when Bakugou slipped an arm around her waist and pulled her into a sideways hug. "Thank you for coming, Ma."

Mitsuki smiled and returned her son's embrace. "Inko-san's gotten to you, hasn't she?"

"Deku got to me long before she did."

Midoriya and his mother-in-law locked eyes over Bakugou's shoulder. "You did good with that one, Katsuki."

"Yeah." Bakugou turned and smiled at his husband. "I did."

Mitsuki's penetrating red gaze slid back to her son. "How's your pain?"

"Oh my god, Ma. Not you too!" Bakugou gestured vigorously at Shouto. "This one asks me that every time I fucking breathe!"

"Yeah?" Mitsuki regarded Shouto with a toothy smile. "Good."

A cool hand clasped Shouto's shoulder, drawing his attention. Fuyumi stood in front of him with a tablet cradled in the crook of her elbow. "Natsuo's work had an emergency this morning and he couldn't get away. He said he would join us over video call during his break though."

"I don't want to cause him any trouble with his work." The protest was on Shouto's lips without any thought; it was the polite response so it was rehearsed.

"Shou, Natsuo wants to be here. He was really disappointed when he called me this morning. He wants to know when the next dinner is. He said his boss would owe him so he'd be able to make it no matter what."

Shouto glanced towards Inko-san. It was still hard to believe his family was included in this dinner. It didn't feel right inviting them to a dinner after his time healing Bakugou would be over. If Natsuo really liked the idea of a monthly family dinner they could set their own time. Fuyumi would understand. "I think—"

Inko-san's voice cut in from Shouto's elbow. "We try for every third Saturday, with some adjustment for my boys pro hero duties, of course." She smiled up at Shouto. "I don't want to hear any protests from you; I told you at the hospital you're family now."

Midoriya's low chuckle reached Shouto's ears from across the room. The mirth that sparkled in familiar green eyes seemed to say, "I told you so."

Warmth blossomed inside Shouto's chest, easing the ever-present ache of his unrequited soulmate bond to almost nothing. He drew breath easily around the pacified knot in his chest and did his best to return Inko-san's kind smile. "Yes, Inko-san."

She nodded and patted him on the shoulder. "Will the third Saturday work for your family?" The question was directed at Rei and Fuyumi, but Shouto still felt included.

"Yes, thank you, Inko-san." Rei replied with a slight bow.

The tablet trilled loudly.

"Oh, here he is now!" Fuyumi accepted the call and stared intently at the screen. "Hello, little brother!"

"Hey, Fuyumi! I'm not too early; am I?"

"Your timing's perfect, Natsuo. We're all here." Fuyumi lifted the tablet to her shoulder and slowly turned so that the camera encompassed their small gathering.

Shouto watched his brother peer at the room, smiling and nodding to every face that came into view. Fuyumi stopped turning and Natsuo smiled at Shouto. "Hey. It's good to see you Shou. You've got quite the crowd with you."

"Inko-san was very kind to invite us to her family dinner."

Fuyumi handed the tablet to Inko-san when she reached for it. "Hello, Natsuo. Thank you for taking the time to call us. I hope you'll be able to join us next time. We're planning for the third Saturday of the month."

Natsuo's smile brightened. "That works for me. I'll be there."

Introductions were made and the tablet made its way into every pair of hands in the room. Natsuo took his time to greet everyone and ask questions. By the time the tablet was passed to Shouto for the second time he'd just set the appetizer plates and bowls into the sink to soak.

"You seem happy, Shou," Natsuo observed.

"Everyone keeps saying that."

"And if you smiled more we might not have to."

Was he really so sullen?

"I wish I could stay and talk some more," Natsuo was saying, "but my break's almost up. Call me the next time you're free?"

Shouto nodded. "I will."

"You'd better. Now lift me up so I can say goodbye to everyone!"

A chorus of "Goodbye!" sounded across the room as Natsuo waved through the screen.

"We'll see you next time!" Inko-san insisted.

"I'm looking forward to it!" Natsuo promised.

The screen went black and something inside Shouto's chest twisted. Fuyumi squeezed his shoulder and smiled at him. "That was nice."

It was. Would it be the same when the Todoroki's were on their own again? There had been love in the home they'd briefly shared after they'd cut Endeavor out of their lives like a cancerous tumor, but not much warmth. Shouto rubbed the heel of his hand over the center of his chest, trying to ease the emotional ache. The family dinner was just beginning and it already hurt, but not more than Shouto's self-imposed isolation ever had. And for some, inexplicable reason…Shouto found himself wanting more.

I was originally planning the dinner party to be one chapter, but it became too long for that, so I broke it into two. I post every Friday afternoon/evening PST, so be prepared for part two of the dinner party next week!