The morning sun poured down over the backyard like melted gold, warming the training mats Katsuki had rolled out over the grass. Birds chirped overhead, but their song was drowned out by the rhythmic thump-thump-thump of punches landing on thick rubber pads.

“Harder!” Katsuki barked, crouched low in his compression shirt, arms braced and flexed as his son threw punch after punch into the pads he held.

Ten-year-old Suki growled with each strike, fists flying fast and low, eyes narrowed with focus that was unmistakably inherited. His hair stuck up wildly in every direction—messy blond spikes nearly identical to Katsuki’s—and the furrow of his brow was pure copy-paste.

Katsuki’s muscles bunched beneath the skin-tight fabric of his black compression shirt, soaked through in places with sweat. His arms bulged, veins raised, chest rising and falling with steady breaths as he absorbed each hit.

“One more! Put your back into it!”

Suki launched a punch with a loud yell, and the pad smacked back with a satisfying whump. Katsuki let out a short, approving grunt, standing upright and rolling his broad shoulders.

“Not bad. That one didn’t suck.”

Suki smirked, flushed and out of breath, fists still up. “Told ya I’m gettin’ stronger.”

“Not strong enough,” Katsuki shot back with a smirk, then deliberately rolled up his shirt sleeve, flexing his bicep with exaggerated slowness. The muscle popped, defined and massive, catching the light. “You see this? This is hard work, brat.”

Suki recoiled with a dramatic groan, turning on his heel. “Ugh! There he goes again!”

Katsuki snorted a laugh. “What? You gonna cry to your mom now ‘cause your old man’s too ripped?”

“Moooom!” Suki hollered as he jogged toward the house, sweat flying off his arms. “Old man’s flexing his ‘hard work’ muscles again! It’s gross!”

{{user}} leaned out the sliding glass door, coffee mug in hand, raising an eyebrow with a half-smile. “Again?”

“He did it twice! And he winked!”

“I did not wink!” Katsuki called defensively, but the grin tugging at his lips gave him away.

{{user}} chuckled. “You definitely winked.”

Suki reappeared a moment later with a bottle of water, tossing one to his dad without missing a beat. “Next time I land a punch, I’m gonna flex like a maniac too.”

Katsuki cracked the cap open and took a long swig, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. “You earn it first, then we’ll talk.”

Suki tossed the empty bottle to the side and bounced on the balls of his feet. “Alright. Round two. I’m not stoppin’ until I make you flinch.”

Katsuki’s grin widened. “Tch. Big talk for a little runt.”

They circled back to the mat, Suki taking stance, Katsuki bracing. But before they started, Katsuki tugged at his compression shirt again, adjusting it across his chest as he flexed—again—this time very deliberately.

“Just so you know what you’re up against,” he said smugly.

“Disgusting!” Suki gagged.

{{user}} shook their head from the doorway, laughing as they watched their two volcanoes square off again.

With a yell, Suki launched himself forward, fists flying, determination burning in his eyes. Katsuki met him head-on with a sharp smirk and wide stance, braced and ready—but proud. Proud of the kid who was already too much like him for comfort.

“You better watch this, old man!” Suki shouted.

“Oh, I’m watchin’, kid. Don’t disappoint me.”