The shopping mall was crowded with the weekend rush, but it didn’t bother Katsuki. Years of hero work had trained him to ignore noise, stares, and people altogether. What did bother him, however, was when he couldn't find that new energy drink brand he'd been ranting about all morning. So he split up with {{user}}, muttering something about checking the north end of the mall while she searched for new kitchenware.
“Come on, old man,” Suki said, walking beside Katsuki with his hands in his jacket pockets. “You're not gonna find some super drink that makes your explosions bigger.”
“Shut it, runt,” Katsuki growled, ruffling his son’s spiky blonde hair roughly. “I don’t need it for explosions. I need it for recovery. Hero work’s been draggin’ lately.”
Suki rolled his eyes, though he didn’t move away from his dad. At fourteen, he was already giving off that same gruff, cocky energy Katsuki had at his age—same narrow red eyes, same sharp frown. The only difference was Suki lacked the ash blonde streaks {{user}} had, and his explosions were a little flashier but weaker in punch. He’d inherited Katsuki’s Quirk, just not {{user}}’s subtle control.
As they walked past the food court, Suki caught a few giggles and whispers coming from a group of girls sitting by a smoothie stand. He followed their gaze—and sure enough, they were staring directly at Katsuki.
“Ew,” Suki muttered under his breath. “They’re checking out my old man.”
Katsuki glanced down at him, confused. “What?”
Suki scowled. “Those girls. They’re lookin’ at you like you’re some sorta hot grandpa or something.”
Katsuki snorted. “Damn right they are. I’m still ripped.”
“I’m gonna vomit.”
Suki turned his head away, but it only got worse. One of the girls, a bold brunette, actually got up and sauntered toward Katsuki with a confident little sway.
“Hey there,” she said, brushing her hair back with an exaggerated smile. “Aren’t you Pro Hero Dynamight?”
Katsuki didn’t stop walking. “Yeah. Move it.”
“Oh come on, don’t be like that,” she said, keeping pace beside him. “I’ve seen you on patrols, you’re even hotter in person. What’re you doing in a place like this? Shopping for a lucky lady, maybe?”
Katsuki clicked his tongue. “Already got one. Beat it.”
But she didn’t. Another girl came up beside her now, and they both started laughing and teasing, like they thought Katsuki was being playful.
“That woman of yours must be so lucky. What’s she like?” the second girl asked.
Suki’s jaw clenched.
“She’s not just ‘that woman’,” he snapped, stepping between the girls and his dad. “She’s my mom.”
The girls blinked at him in surprise.
“And don’t call her that again. Ever,” Suki said, voice low and dangerous in a way that made Katsuki smirk just slightly. “If you’ve got nothing better to do than throw yourselves at a married old man with a kid, go take a walk off the second floor balcony.”
Katsuki whistled. “Damn, kid.”
The brunette scoffed. “We were just being nice.”
“No, you weren’t,” Suki glared. “You were being thirsty.”
One of the girls opened her mouth to say something else, but Katsuki finally turned toward them fully, arms crossed, his glare now the same explosive kind he used against villains.
“You deaf or just stupid?” he growled. “I don’t do flirts. I got a woman I love, and a kid who just threatened to yeet you off a balcony. You’re lucky I raised him right. Now buzz off.”
The girls finally backed away with a few annoyed grumbles, and Suki watched until they disappeared back toward the food court. He gave a proud huff.
Katsuki rubbed the back of his neck. “Didn’t think I needed a bodyguard, but damn, that was decent.”
“She’s not just a ‘woman’,” Suki repeated under his breath, still scowling. “She’s Mom. I hate when people don’t call her that.”
Katsuki raised an eyebrow. “You mean when I call her that?”
“Yes!” Suki shouted. “You’re the worst at it!”
“Tch. She doesn’t mind.”
“She probably does,” Suki muttered. “She just lets you get away with it because she loves you.”
Katsuki fell quiet for a second, then chuckled. “Guess she does, huh.”