"She's working with the League?"
It sounds a bit ridiculous out loud but after thinking it over, Keigo determines that it isn't as outlandish as it seems. Enji, though, seems to be a bit stumped. "What sense would I make for her to align herself with the league? Of course she'd gain access to valuable resources and information but the League wouldn't gain much from it in return. It isn't as if money is considered a valuable resource to them."
"Well, if you're looking at it that way then of course it wouldn't make sense. To think that this is all for monetary gain is just barely scratching the surface. Honestly, having this Sora chick and that Monoma boy on the same team is dangerous. Shouto and Katsuki have something that they both want—each other." The winged hero elaborates, though Enji still seems to be confused.
"I don't understand..."
Keigo sighs.
"Listen, babes. If Tanaka somehow manages to get Katsuki out of the picture then she—theoretically, of course—gets Shouto. And with Shouto out of Kitty Boy's hair, that gross Monoma kid is more likely than not gonna try his hand at snatching our boy again. In both cases, two very bad groups of people have their hands on our boys and some very sensitive information about All Might and his boy Midoriya. It's a bad situation all around."
"You're a lot smarter than I originally took you for." Shouto says---meant to be a compliment but the winged man takes a offense to the backhanded comment anyways.
"Excuse you, kid, how do you think I got this job to begin with?!"
"Being a genetically engineered science fair project? Definitely not brains." The dual-quirked hero responds, mumbling the last bit into his glass as he goes to take a drink. Hawks' pout is visibly genuine as he turns to Enji.
"Daddy, am I not smart?"
"You're very smart, little one. One of the most intelligent and competent people I've had the pleasure to know." The flame hero says without missing a beat or turning away from his meal, reaching over to pet Keigo's head. The blonde turns to stick his tongue out at Shouto triumphantly.
"Didn't I just say you were smart, though?"
"I was smart before you said I was smart."
"Prove it."
Keigo's mouth opens matter-of-factly but he pauses and then slowly closes it back again, brows creased as he begins to think it over. In the end, he just glares at him.
"Shut up, frickin' bully."
"Don't be a smart-ass, Shouto." Enji says, but it's lukewarm and Shouto just shrugs. He notices that Katsuki is being awfully quiet. He reaches over to squeeze his thigh.
"You okay, sweetie?"
"Mm. Just...tired, you know?"
Shouto is smart enough to understand that Katsuki isn't talking about physical exhaustion. He's had a really tough time ever since he got to U.A---hell, since right before he had even made it in. Moments of peace or rest are fleeting and it's becoming quite a lot. Even for a hero.
Which is why he's making him stay out of this.
"I know, baby. Everything's gonna be okay, though. You trust me? You trust daddy?"
He assures him, free hand rested on his cheek as they sit nose to nose, foreheads pressed against one another. Shouto shrewdly ignores the sound of his father proceeding to choke on his dinner and though he's blushing like mad, it would seem that Katsuki has as well. He nods, swallowing the lump in his throat. Shouto catches his lips with his own, pulling back to press them against his cheek.
"Ugh, they're so fuckin' cute---just look at em." Keigo says as he smacks Enji against his chest to make sure he is, in fact, looking.
Enji, finally catching his breath, looks up from where he's wiping at his mouth with a napkin.
"Shouto. I didn't know you and Katsuki had...erm...that kind of relationship."
Keigo's brows knit together, a faraway look in his eyes. It's gone just as quickly as it comes.
"I didn't tell you about that?"
Enji sighs. "No, Keigo. You almost always seem to leave out the most...important things out when you talk to me about my children."
"How was that important?? His love life doesn't revolve around you, you know."
"And it revolves around you?"
"Well, Katsuki is my angry star child now, so yes. Also, I've been helping them with their love life so it kind of falls into the category of my business."
"What's the big deal? You're literally in the same type of relationship with a blonde." Shouto points and Enji cringes.
"I'm also fifty years old."
"So?"
"And your father?"
"Yeah. Imagine how I feel about you being called daddy in front of me. When I used to call you that I was getting my ass kicked---"
"You're bringing up the past."
"I'm exposing a pattern; get it right, trash."
"So we can all agree that you're both weird, kinky, sadistic fucks and that's why you're both weirded out by each other." Katsuki chimes in and Keigo agrees with a snort. "That's gotta be it. Battle of the doms."
"It wouldn't be much of a battle since I'm clearly superior." Shouto says with a roll of his eyes and Enji's actually drops at that.
"You little shit, I will dom circles around your pathetic little life---"
"Maybe five years ago but you've got no power over me now, Ursala."
"Bullshit! Keigo, tell him that I'm the better dom."
Keigo quirks a brow at him.
"If I have to say it doesn't that kind of mean that you aren't? Besides, my opinions are biased. But speaking honestly? You're both literally the same person. Shouto is just less awkward and not as useless. Oh, hey, that kind of puts him in the lead, right?"
Enji deflates, beard sparking off every slightly as he attempts to keep himself from combusting.
"How am I useless? Is this about your stupid period again?"
"Oh, so because you don't have a period, you get to call periods stupid? How would you even know; you've never had a vagina!"
"That's so fuckin' rude and inconsiderate." Katsuki says from across the table, glaring at Enji. Shouto tsks at him, shaking his head in disappointment. "Honestly, dad, I figured you a better man than that."
The flame user's eye twitches in annoyance.
"You're all fucking with me, aren't you?"
"I was until you started throwing shade at me." Keigo supplies. Shouto snorts. "I wasn't."
"What the fuck is 'throwing shade'???"
"Wow, you really are a boomer."
"I hate you all so much." Enji pouts, standing up from the table and stomping away. Shouto trues and fails to cover his laughter behind his hand as Keigo goes after him.
"Aw, Daddy, don't be mad! We were just having fun and joking around!"
"By making me the joke? Seriously, Kei, I'm trying, you know."
Aw, he actually sounds a little dejected. Shouto almost kind of feels bad.
Almost.
After a few short whispers they return, Enji's arms folded firmly across his chest.
"Are you done pouting?" Shouto asks and his father promptly flipped him off.
"Your mother should have swallowed you."
"I could not agree more."
There's a pause and before they know it, both Enji and Shouto nearly falling out of their chairs in laughter. Keigo and Katsuki share a look with each other---one that easily says 'finally, they can calm the fuck down'.
"So, Kit, I was thinking. Maybe you should stay here with us while the investigation is going on." He says to the younger blonde. Katsuki sighs.
"I knew you were going to say that."
Keigo gives him a sympathetic smile.
"I know. And I'm sorry. But the last thing we want is for you to be caught unawares. We think it's safer here for the time being."
Katsuki doesn't have a valid argument to say that he's wrong, so he just shrugs.
"It won't be so bad, kiddo. We can get some wedding stuff planned out, have a little time away from the double-mint twins over here. What do you say?"
"I...yeah, that sounds good. Wait, you aren't leading the investigation?"
"I'll be handling that." Enji says and Katsuki stalls, short circuiting just a bit. Enji raises a brow.
"What?"
"All offense, Enji, but...you're not exactly subtle. Or the best detective."
"Jesus, Katsuki, I have feelings."
"Well, I'm tellin' the truth."
"You basically just called me incompetent and said I'm not good at my job."
"Your job is to be a big scary man who beats up bad guys. You're not fucking Sherlock Holmes."
"You know what? You're absolutely fucking right. Maybe I should just call it off and let you two deal with it---see how much better off you are then---"
"Enji!" Keigo scolds him, eyes sharp. He's such an asshole sometimes, going right for the delicate topics when his ego has been hurt. Again, the flame hero sighs.
"Sorry. But I won't be doing this alone, you know. Shouto will play a large roll in this---so will Gran Tarino and the others. He's the only one who'll be of any good to us in All Might's abscence. So could you all have just the tiniest goddamn faith in me? Just this once."
He...he's actually thought this out.
He's got a plan.
He's not just swinging his dick around and hoping it'll do the work for him.
It makes Katsuki feel a way, mostly because it means that Enji is treating this with importance. Like Katsuki matters to him.
It's...nice.
"Yeah. Thanks, Enji. You're not so bad, you know?"
Enji looks as if he's going to implode on himself, practically vibrating in his seat.
Katsuki said he's not that bad.
He's not that bad.
"R-Right. Ahm, well, you two can sleep in Shouto's old room, I'll handle dishes in the morning, okay, goodnight." He says, words rushed together as he stand and shuffles his way upstairs. Keigo has a dreamy stare in his eyes as he stares after him.
"So cute~. Well, you kids sleep well, alright? I've got the kitchen."
"You sure? I don't mind helping." Katsuki offers but Keigo just shrugs him off.
"No son-in-law of mine is gonna wash dishes when he's a guest here. I've got it; go on."
Katsuki's heart skips a beat and he takes Shouto's hand as they make his way to their room.
He could get used to this little extended family.