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Multi knew from the moment he met Nacho that he would adore that egg till his last breath.
This was odd for Multi, as he was a man who cared for nobody but himself and his own benefit— often conducting experiments that endangered others and putting himself in harms way in the name of science.
But that didn’t matter anymore. Yes, it was still important to him, but, when Nacho was present, he made sure to focus most of his attention on him.
This development is what has led Multi to be currently standing on the street near the Regime building, crouching down to eye level with the pale wood sign Nacho had just placed down.
DADA!!
The older male let out a huff of a laugh and rubbed the top of the egg, well, where Multi assumed the top of his head would be, before responding to the eager child.
“Ah, yes Nacho? Dada is right here.”
Another sign was placed, the egg bobbing up and down, brimming with energy.
MAMA WHERE?
Multi froze and let out another huff, this one of feigned annoyance, before standing up and clasping his hands together behind his back. The egg seemed to follow his dad, standing up as tall as he could.
“Mama is busy Nacho.”
That was another thing.
It was weird enough for Multi to care for a child. One of the federation even.
It was even weirder for Multi to begin to care for Nacho’s other adopted parent.
Katie.
He remembered the first time they learned that they were somehow both Nacho’s parents. They both freaked out, Katie a bit more dramatically albeit, and then eventually agreed on co-parenting.
That’s what Katie was supposed to stay as for Multi. A platonic co-parent.
That did not happen.
Multi found himself caring about the loud woman. He gravitated towards her when together. He enjoyed talking to her. She was interesting to him, but not in the ways his experiments were.
It wasn’t like his care for Ewron or Nexe, which was born out of keeping them out of trouble due to them all being acknowledged as a group.
It wasn’t like his care for Graf, which was because of their shared background and trust in eachother.
And it sure was not like his care for Quackity, which bordered on obsession over the duck hybrid.
This care towards Katie was born from her ability to make him forget. With her, he wasn’t some mad scientist that everybody feared. He wasn’t green with the radioactive gunk.
He found himself wishing to be in her company more often than not, not that he would ever admit it.
He was just a platonic co-parent to an egg.
And Multi didn’t know how to feel about that.
He snapped back to reality when he saw Nacho begin to scurry off in one direction, following him as they walked towards the energetic and loud voice.
Katie was crouched down, her arms wide open as the egg slammed straight into her grasp, jumping up and down in excitement.
“Nacho! It’s mommy! Did you miss me?” Katie exclaimed as her hands wrapped around the egg, resting on his back.
Multi sighed and stood in front of them, nodding his head at the hyper female. “Hello Katie.”
“Oh hey Multi-!” Katie paused as Nacho wiggled out her grasp and placed another sign on the ground, gaining the attention of both adults.
mommy and dada play??
Katie let out a soft laugh and nodded before standing up, her hand holding her adopted son’s hand. “Of course Nacho! Let’s go an adventure!”
The black haired male adjusted his stance and began to follow the duo in front of him, letting the blonde get her own time with their mutual son.
The egg held Katie’s hand and bounded down the street with her, listening to her blabbering off about her and Juan’s most recent argument.
It was almost peaceful in a way. He hesitated before reaching into his backpack and pulling the camera and paper out.
Stuffing a piece of paper into the camera, he lifted it up to his eye, adjusting the focus of the lens to settle on Katie and Nacho walking in front of him.
A quiet shutter went off as he took the photo, watching it print the exact scene in front of him. As quickly as he took it, he stored the photo back into his backpack along with the camera, keeping it as a memento.
Nobody needed to know about that.
He turned back to look at them when he noticed they had stopped. Nacho was turned around and reaching his other arm out at Multi, his hand making grabbing motions.
Katie was staring at him too, a knowing, infuriating smirk on pasted onto her face as he moved to grab Nacho’s other hand.
“Took a photo of me and our son?” Katie teased, turning back to the road ahead as the trio walked down, Nacho bouncing up and down as he moved.
The reply was smooth and quick, the lie sliding off his tongue easily. “No, just one of Nacho.”
“Sure. If that’s what helps you sleep at night!”
Nacho frowned at his parents bickering, the egg making grumbling noises beneath the bear mask that rested on his face. It drew the attention of the adults, pausing their arguments.
They had somehow walked all the way to the pathway leading all the way to Poliski Cave, causing Multi to hesitate for just a moment.
He had spent the full day with his son. He understood that maybe Katie should have time with him as well.
Crouching down, he hugged the egg once more before letting a reluctant smile grace his lips. “Goodnight Nacho. Dada loves you.”
The egg practically beamed with happiness at the praise, wrapping his tiny arms around his father in his own way of saying goodbye.
He didn’t hesitate to jump back into Katie’s arms, letting the woman lift him up with ease and carry him. Multi stood up, listening to her coo sweet nonsense to their mutual child.
She shot him a smile and wave before turning away and leaving with their son, taking him for the night.
Multi, despite himself, smiled. He laughed, his hair shaking as he opened his bag once more. In his hands rested the photo, the one he took earlier.
Katie and Nacho. The only two people in the world who broke past his nonchalant exterior. Who saw past the intimidating, cruel scientist he was.
Multi would be damned if he let anything happen to them.