And, Love

Part 31

Mikey glared at his phone. At the comments beneath the picture he'd been tagged in.

"Arrogant mother fucker." He tsked, slowly lowering his nephew from his shoulder.

"Who is?"

That startled the mutant, looking down at the child. "No one." Eyes narrowed. "Why you worrying about me when you haven't finished cleaning the dojo?" He waved to the training weapons, wrappings, and bags strewn around. "You know if Leo sees this-"

"Yeah, yeah." The oldest waved. "Dad'll get pissed. We got it Uncle M."

"Good." He grinned, watching the three kids mill around, gathering their mess. "You know," he tapped his chin. "You could bribe me to help."

The youngest laughed as Mikey picked him up, tickling his ribs. "W-we can't buy pizza!" His little voice lisped.

"What?" Mikey dropped him gently, acting shocked. "And why not?" He watched his nephew bounce harmlessly on the mat in a fit of giggles.

"We don't got money!" He explained, wiping his watering eyes, gap-toothed grin stretched across his face.

"Well." Mikey shook his head. "That is a problem." He sighed, watching the kids gather in the center of the room. "Guess I'll just have to take payment another way." Hands rose, fingers wiggled.

"No!" The oldest squealed, making them break from their huddle.

Mikey moved slowly, letting them grab weapons. Taking stance around him. He shook his head, chuckling.

"Do you not remember how bad I whooped you last time?"

They exchanged nervous looks, wide smiles.

"Bring it!" The middle son declared, whipping his own practice kusarigama around, avoiding hitting his own knee this time.

Mikey laughed, took a breath. And dove in. Ducking the weighted end of the kusarigama, wrapping the chain around his hand, pulling his nephew into his grasp, gently planting him into the mat. Leaping over to the oldest, blocking the dual kama swipes, grabbing his forearms and adding him to the floor beside his brother.

A sharp pain to his ankle made Mikey grunt, twist to look behind him.

The youngest was looking at him wickedly.

"You kicked me!" Mikey motioned to his ankle, watching the child devolve into giggles as Mikey took a step forward. Grunt and crumple on himself in pretend agony. "My weakness is my ankles!" He looked up with a gasp. "You fiend! How did you know?"

"Cuz I'm magic!" He crowed, raising his tetsubo.

"I'm down!" Mikey fell onto his back to avoid the blow he knew the kid would give; too hard, too fast. "You got me!"

The oldest tsked, standing. "He always gets you."

"Don't pout." The second brother sat, glaring at the eldest. "Didn't Achilles have bad ankles?"

"Heels, dumbass." The oldest snipped, sticking out a tongue, taking the rubber kusarigama to the shoulder. "Ow?" He glared at his brothers, turned to Mikey to tattle.

Mikey started shaking his head when a shadow fell over the doorway.

"Dad!"

Weapons dropped, Mikey forgotten as they swarmed Leo.

"Jeez." He teased, standing. "You'd almost think I wasn't their favorite."

Leo rolled his eyes, gesturing. "I thought I said the training room needed to be cleaned before I got back. What happened?"