Izuku's Monster Manual

Chapter 4: Revelations

Summary: Dinner with Itsuka's parents doesn't go as well as it could have...

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Izuku swallowed thickly as he stood in front of the door.

He was at a nice home in the residential parts of the city. It was painted a pale green and flowers were carefully planted all around the house.

He had worn his nicer clothes, an elegant and simple tunic that he typically wore to semi formal dinners.

Written on the door was Mordecai and Katrina Kendo. The home of Itsuka's parents.

"C'mon Izu, lighten up! I've told them all about you and they liked what they heard!" Itsuka said. She had visited her home while he went back to the inn to change. He didn't have to go somewhere specific to change, of course, but he wanted a moment to go through his thoughts. Bathing and dressing by hand was a calming ritual of his. On the day of his wedding to Shoka, he dressed and undressed several times until he was properly prepared. There was something therapeutic about the slow, methodical, familiar process of dressing himself.

In the time that he was gone, Itsuka had told her parents about Izuku more so they knew what to talk about at dinner.

The door was answered by a large, muscular orcish woman with a broad smile on her face. "Aha! So you're the one who fucked my daughter! Come on in, dinner will get cold!"

Izuku blinked at the woman's bluntness. "Um, Katrina, I assume?" He asked, holding his hand out for a handshake.

Katrina looked at the guy in the way that she used to size up other warriors. She had retired a couple decades before, but she had been part of the last party of adventurers who had saved the world. Izuku was clearly a little nervous, but still held himself like he could walk into most rooms and confidently fight everyone in the room. At the same time.

When she shook his hand, she gripped it like she was shaking hands with a warrior that was equal to her. Both her and Izuku winced when pops came from his now-crushed hand.

"Oh! So sorry about that, let me get you some ice." She said, dashing towards the enchanted wooden icebox in her kitchen.

"Mom, why'd you do that?!" Itsuka questioned. She moved to chase after her mother, but was quickly stopped by Izuku's hand on her shoulder. "Huh?"

"I'm fine, dear. Don't worry, it was just a little squeeze and my knuckles popped, see?" Izuku waved the hand and it was... completely fine.

"I've got the ice!" Katrina came back the threshold just to find that the man was completely unharmed. "Wait, you're ok?"

"Oh yeah, just fine! Like I was explaining, you just happened to squeeze at the right angle to crack my knuckles!" Izuku flexed the hand for effect. "It was a little uncomfortable, but I'm fine."

"W-well, if you say so... Anyways! Let's get eatin'!" Katrina recovered quickly but she could've sworn she broke Izuku's hand, it just gave so easily!

I really should've known what was going to happen there... Izuku admonished himself mentally as he and Itsuka trailed Katrina into the home.

The interior was cozy and you could very easily tell the home belonged to an orc and very religious human. Izuku recognized the iconography around the house as belonging to the Living Faith, the preeminent denomination under the God of Life on this continent. That wasn't important though, as they were drawing closer to the dining room and Izuku could smell the dinner. "Oh, by the gods... That smell is divine!"