Chapter 5

They carried on like this for some time. Something else that was new as a result of the entire situation was the increased amount of phone calls and messages from Katsuki's mother. She knew to keep her distance before; well aware of what kind of relationship she and her husband had with their prickly son. But, she was always an annoyingly doting woman and she was concerned with the care of "her new grandson" as she put it.

Katsuki always corrected her, berating her for getting clingy with a kid she'd never even met. She would ask for updates and pictures of both Itsuki and Momo. She was enthralled that the boy carried on the "tsuki" part of the Bakugou's naming and constantly asked Katsuki to let her and Momo have tea some time.

Eventually… he got sick of it, tired of his mother's prodding. Rather than shutting her down, once and for all - he knew that would never work on his mother in a million years - he decided to finally entertain her.

"Mom wants to meet the brat," Katsuki informed Momo one morning, abrupt and sharp.

"Oh?" she folded her hands in front of her, having casually set aside her tea cup. "And why do you sound so upset?"

He hesitated for a moment, as though ashamed to admit something. "Old bag wants to meet you too. She's convinced we're dating or some shit. Told her she's full of it, but she won't believe me."

Momo's cheeks felt slightly warm. "Well, I'd be happy to meet your mother."

Katsuki grunted, acknowledging her before rounding the corner out of sight.

And that was how Yaoyorozu Momo found herself in front of the Bakugou family's home. Never in her wildest imagination would she have ever thought she of all people would be visiting Katsuki's home… but there she was, Itsuki's small hand clasped in hers.

It was a modest abode. Though, everything was modest in comparison to her upbringing. But it had a nice yard and it was cute. Large maple leaves swished past her in the autumn air and Momo took in the brief moment of peace before Katsuki simply walked up to the door and opened it, announcing his presence to his home just as he would the world.

"Old man! Old hag! We're here!"

"Oh, Katsuki!" a feminine voice called out. "Come to the living room! I almost have lunch ready!"

Katsuki shuffled in, gesturing for Momo and Itsuki to follow. The three of them made their way through the home and Momo couldn't help but admire his mother's interior decorating skills. It was clear the woman had a sense on how to get the most out of the space offered to her in the otherwise modest home.

She couldn't help but marvel at the family photos lining the walls; a young Katsuki with two people who looked too much like him to not be his parents. Katsuki as a child was very different than as a young man, Momo decided. These photographs documented boyish smiles, unabashed and confident. No signs of the dark scowls or the baring of teeth in a snarl.

Such a strange thing… whatever could have happened since then? To make Katsuki that way. Momo couldn't help but wonder what occurred from such a young age to transition him into the young man he was.

Before she knew it, the three of them were entering an open kitchen viewing into a living area. Bakugou Mitsuki was… almost exactly what Momo expected. She looked like a grown, female version of her son. Middle aged with strong laugh lines and a glow about her, Mitsuki had a strong personality. She could tell.

She bowed slightly and Itsuki, seeing this, imitated her to the best of his ability. "Thank you very much for inviting us into your home," Momo said, staying true to her refined, polite upbringing.

"It's nice to meet you," Itsuki echoed off of Momo, not sure what to do. He knew that this lady was his Papa's mama. So what did that make her to him?

"Oh!" Mitsuki smiled brightly at the sight of them, placing some sort of plate settings on the dining table in front of her. "Welcome!" She rushed over and took Momo into her arms, Katsuki squawking indignantly while Momo simply froze at the physical contact. "It's so good to finally meet you! You're just so pretty! Are you sure you're with my son?" She cupped Momo's cheeks, inspecting her thoroughly.

"Old bag! Let 'er go!" Katsuki stomped over and began trying to pry his mother's hands off of his parental partner. "And what do you mean by 'with'? I told you we ain't dating, you hag!"

Mitsuki released Momo and looked to the young boy. "And you must be Itsuki!" She looked like she wanted to embrace the boy as well, but figured he wouldn't take kindly to a stranger suddenly embracing him. He already looked put off by this random lady grabbing at his maternal figure. "It's very nice to meet you!" She opted to hold her hand out to him. He took it cautiously, shaking it.

"Nice to meet you too…"

"Alright, you all get comfortable! I'll go get your father, Katsuki!"

Katsuki began preparing plates for them, including his parents. His features were as stern as always as he carefully portioned out food onto dishes and setting them in front of Momo and Itsuki. Momo felt something inside her flitter. For a brief moment… Katsuki looked very domestic and soft, despite the intensity of his features. And… he was rather close as he placed chopsticks in front of her. Very close… He had such pretty eyelashes-

"The hell are you looking at, Ponytail?" he grumbled, looking embarrassed.

"Oh, sorry." It was rude to stare, after all.

Itsuki sat patiently, though it was obvious he wanted to dig right into the meal in front of him. He looked up nervously as Mitsuki came back with a rather languid, lackadaisical looking brunet man. Dressed casually, he carried himself calmly and sat himself right next to his son.

"Why hello there!" he greeted them, before looking to Mitsuki and offering her a glass of wine. "I'm Bakugou Masaru. Very nice to meet you two," he blinked slowly. "Have to say though, never expected Katsuki to bring quite a pretty girl home. Just like me, sport!" He clapped Katsuki on the shoulder. "Real winners, us Bakugou's."

"Dad, piss off," Katsuki growled. "We aren't datin'."

"Oh, alright son," Masaru conceded in a tone that made it quite apparent that he didn't believe a single word his son had just said. "Miss Momo, would you like any salad?" he offered both the bowl and a kind, fatherly smile.

Momo, completely unused to such figures, simply nodded. Not forgetting her manners, she said, "Thank you very much, Mr. Bakugou."

Masaru chuckled deeply, rich and throaty just like his son. "You may call me Masaru. I wouldn't take any offense at all, young lady."

"Old man!" Katsuki snapped. "Stop treating her like she's yer daughter-in-law!"

"And what about you, young man?" his father asked Itsuki, ignoring his own son. "Would you like some pork? We have rice too, if you like that."

Itsuki's eyes brightened immensely at the mention of rice, almost like a cat's. His pupils widened as he contemplated taking food from this strange man. Momo gave him a gentle prod as Katsuki ruffled his hair. "Give him an answer, kid. He asked a damn question."

"Yes, papa." Itsuki and Momo missed it, but Katsuki sure didn't. His parents' eyes lit up like it was Christmas. "Yes, Mr. Papa's dad. I would like some rice very much. Please and thank you."

"What a polite boy!" Mitsuki praised him. Itsuki felt his chest puff out with pride, getting the chance to show off the manners his Mama had been drilling into him. "You're very well mannered, Itsuki!"

"Mama tells me manners are very important," he explained. "So I need to be very good and behave like a gentleman would."

"If only Katsuki would act a little more like you!" Masaru guffawed. "Though…" he looked over his son, silently simmering. "He appears more calm than usual. Fatherhood does that to you, boy. Makes you soft!" He laughed again.

"I ain't soft, old shit!" Katsuki retorted, voice rasping somewhat. "I'm gonna raise this kid to be the strongest damn kid there ever was. Better than I was."

Mitsuki gave him a cautious look before saying, "Oh? So you'll raise him to not bully other children?"

The room went oddly silent at that statement.

"Bag, not now." Not in front of them.

"I understand." You'll have to explain at some point, Katsuki.

"Good." I know.

Katsuki always had a love-hate relationship with the way he and his mother seemed able to communicate their full feelings with each other with so little words. He needed only give her a glance at times and could speak the entirety of his feelings and the old bag could understand him more than anyone else.

Though… he was beginning to have that connection with Momo as well. He saw her cast him a glance of her own. One that meant "we will discuss this later". He didn't know how he felt about Momo's new placement in his life. He didn't hear the wedding bells his psychopath parents were envisioning, but… it was strange. New. Having this kind of connection with someone other than his mother.

He offered her a nod before returning to his plate.

"So," Mitsuki said, breaking the silence again, "Momo! What kind of quirk do you have? You obviously participate in the Hero's course with my son."

"Well," Momo smiled and put her chopsticks down. "I can create anything using the lipids in my body. As long as I have a complete understanding of what it is I'm trying to create."

"Oh!" Mitsuki suddenly exclaimed. "You're Creati!"

"OH!" Masaru nearly jumped out of his seat. "I've heard of you! What a talent you have young lady!" He grinned and nearly leaned across the entire table to give her an enthusiastic handshake. "Katsuki is always saying how much he looks up to you! Our boy is a great hero, and by the sounds of it you're just splendid as well!"

"Dad!"

"It's true," Mitsuki piped up. "You're always on the news, everyone from your class. I saw on the news a few months back about a stake-out you two did! Was that where you got Itsuki?"

"Yeah," Katsuki offered, knowing he wouldn't be able to keep his parents at bay. "It was a rough day, huh bud?"

Itsuki felt something in his heart stir at Katsuki calling him that. "Yeah… I didn't like that day. Well…" he trailed off in thought. "I mean, it was scary at first. But then you and Mama came… so maybe I did like that day…"

Mitsuki and Masaru shared a glance, the two of them knowing better than to ask such a young child about his life prior to living at UA. They didn't want to cause such memories to resurface right now.

"Well that's good!" Masaru quickly directed the conversation away from that territory. "Itsuki, why don't you tell me what kinds of sports you like to play, son?"

The young boy, easily distracted, smiled big and cheeky. "Papa and I play catch in the yard all the time! It's my favorite! I like soccer too. Uncle Eiji and Uncle Denki let me play with them all the time."

"Oh? Oh!" Mitsuki's brief confusion was swiftly overtaken by understanding. "Kirishima and Kaminari?"

"Yeah," Katsuki confirmed. His friends had been over to visit with his family plenty of times over the past few years. "They've taken to the kid."

"Uncle Deku also lets me go running with him!"

Mitsuki shot Katsuki a strong look. "You call him Uncle Deku?"

"Yeah?" Itsuki seemed somewhat confused. "He told me I can call him that cause it's his hero name. It's also way easier than his real life name, you know. Why? Is it bad?"

Mitsuki looked conflicted but let it rest. "Alright, well as long as he lets you call him that. If he ever says he doesn't like it make sure you stop, okay?"

"... Okay." Itsuki glanced to Momo, unsure how to respond. Momo took his smaller hand in her own, offering a gentle squeeze. Feeling reassured, Itsuki returned to his food.

The rest of the afternoon passed, casual conversation drifting lightly through the air.

As they got back to the dorms of UA, Katsuki did something out of the usual. He came with the two of them back to Momo's room to help her put the little tyke to bed for the evening. Overjoyed, Itsuki listened to the two of them murmur quietly to each other before Momo pulled out their current evening read. They had quickly moved past simple children's books - Momo growing tired of the simple plots and Itsuki finding much more interest in the thrilling adventure novels Momo alternatively offered.

And, to Momo's surprise, Katsuki sat right next to her, leaning over to read the page as well as she voiced the story. Their shoulders brushed and she mentally startled at her proximity with Bakugou Katsuki. Catching her further off guard, he joined in. Doing different voices and relieving her every other paragraph. Eventually Itsuki drifted off to sleep and Momo walked Katsuki out of the room.

"Goodnight, Bakugou. Thank you for-"

"Hey," he interrupted her. "I… I'm sorry about my parents today. They're… fuckin' pushy and don't know when to quit."

Momo blinked a few times. "I… reassure you it's quite alright. Thank you, though, Bakugou. I appreciate your concern. Your parents are lovely people."

"Call me Katsuki."

"I'm sorry?" Her heart nearly stopped beating in her chest as she felt her stomach tighten. What is happening?

"Call me Katsuki. It makes sense, at this point." For a split second, it seemed as though he was leaning in towards her… before he turned around, waving nonchalantly as he made his way down the hallway. "Night, Momo."

Oh dear...