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“Don’t forget to pack for the holidays. No one is allowed to stay in the dorms during summer holidays.”
Bakugou contained a sigh from escaping his lips. Aizawa words felt heavy on him, he had no choice but to go back home for 40 long days.
40 long days of screams and anger.
Great.
The dorm system had been great for Bakugou, he could finally live without having his mother constantly yelling at him. Students had even been allowed to stay in during the winter and spring holidays. But, of course, the school had to close the dorms for the summer.
Bakugou was not stupid, he knew the school was simply pushing the students to go back to enjoy their families since they couldn’t the two last summers. The first summer, Bakugou had been kidnapped by the League of Villains (not a very pleasant holiday activity) and the second one was the aftermath of the war against the same LOV.
So now, Bakugou was packing all his clothes and schoolwork in his suitcase. His father was coming to pick him and Deku up in the late morning the day after. The fact that Deku would be there for most of the road reassured Bakugou. He would never tell the nerd, but he didn’t know how to talk with his father, they had nothing to say. Having someone, even someone as irritating as Deku was welcomed. At least, the old man would try to catch up with the green boy and ask dozens of questions about Aunt Inko and school.
A knock at his door broke his train of thoughts and he rose his head to glare at the intruder. When his eyes spotted red spiked-up hair and a toothy grin, his shoulders immediately relaxed.
“Yo Bakugou, need help?” his too joyful dorm neighbour asked as he trotted inside the room.
The ash-blonde snorted. “Who the fuck needs help to put clothes in a fucking suitcase?”
Kirishima laughed eagerly before sitting cross-legged next to his friend.
“Guess you’re right.” He bumped Bakugou’s shoulder lightly, elicited a low growl. “Hey man, I’ll miss you. Let’s hang out during summer.”
Bakugou leaned into Kirishima’s side. His red eyes were welcoming and watching Bakugou with raw tenderness, the blonde couldn’t bear his gaze and adverted it. He grunted and nodded. He wanted to hang out with Kirishima too.
“You comin’ to movie night?”
Bakugou could feel the puppy eyes on him, he could already imagine the pout on his best friend’s lips.
“Yeah, I’ll come.”
Kirishima whooped loudly, Bakugou couldn’t resist a smile at the redhead’s dripping happiness.
“So Izuku, how is Inko doing?”
Bakugou sighed internally as Deku began rambling about his life to Masaru. His father was driving quietly, nodding, and sneaking glances in the rear-view mirror to show Deku he was listening. The drive was short, they didn’t live far away from UA after all. So, they soon arrived in front of the dull apartment complex. The short figure of Aunt Inko appeared at one of the doors, as soon as she had seen the car stopped, she had rushed down the flights of stairs to meet her son.
“Oh Izuku, how are you sweetie? It’s been so long.”
She was crushing the green high school boy into a hug, marveling at the sight of him. She caught sight of Bakugou and instantly lit up.
“Katsuki! You look so good,” she hugged him too. Bakugou stiffened but tried to pat her shoulder as gently as he could. This woman had never been anything but kind to him, he couldn’t just reject her. “Izuku never stops talking to me about all the incredible things you do! I’m so proud of you.”
The blonde adverted his eyes and tried to conceal the creeping blush caused by the compliment. He mumbled something closed to a “thanks”.
“Why don’t you come up for a cup of barley tea? It’s so hot outside!”
“Ah sorry Inko, thank you for offering but we’re going to head home,” his father kindly declined.
“Okay, you’re always welcomed to visit Katsuki! Thank you so much for driving Izuku home,” the woman bowed to show her gratitude.
“It’s really no problem. We’re neighbours and I had to go pick Katsuki up. Suitcases are such a hassle in trains.”
The ash-blonde rolled his eyes and made his way back to the car. He didn’t care about all the socializing with the Midoriya’s. He quietly waited for his father to come back in the car so he could finally go crash in his room.
“Let’s go home!” His father cheered as he hopped back in the car. Bakugou simply grunted in acknowledgment.
The few minutes in the car seemed excruciatingly slow as none of them talked. It had always been like that, they had nothing to talk about even after not seeing each other for weeks. Thank fuck Deku had been there for most of the ride to their neighbourhood.
He barely had the time to open the front door, suitcase in hand, that he heard his mother shriek.
“Katsuki! You damn brat, haven’t you ever heard of phones? Why don’t you ever call me?”
The blonde boy rolled his eyes. “Got nothing to tell. And I reply to all your fucking texts already old hag.”
She swatted his head upside down and Bakugou gritted his teeth.
“Don’t be so rude! How’s school?”
“Good.”
“And that Kirishima boy, how is he doing?”
“Good,” he glared at her fiercely and made a move in direction of the hallway. “’M going to my fucking room.”
He ignored her calling his name and the flying demands for him to come back and locked himself into his room. At least, something good was that his mother never followed him there.
The room was bare from all personal things, he had moved everything into his dorm room since he felt more comfortable living there. The only remaining of his childhood were his All Might bed sheets and alarm clock on his nightstand.
The blonde put his suitcase in a corner of the small room and plopped down on his bed. He inhaled deeply and let it out into a dejected sigh.
“Home sweet home.”
“Dude, I miss you.”
“Shitty Hair. You saw me yesterday,” Bakugou pinched the bridge between his eyes as he heard his best friend chuckle through the phone.
“Yeah, but man. I’m used to live with you at this point. Not hearing your angry outbursts this morning was weird!”
“Fuck off! I don’t have angry outbursts!” he snapped.
He was rewarded with a laugh so joyful that it made Bakugou blush. The corner of his lips tucked upwards slightly. He understood what Kirishima meant: Bakugou had been displeased to wake up to his mothers mean comments rather than to a sharp-toothed smile.
After a small pause when Bakugou could hear the redhead shift positions in his bed, Kirishima talked again with a soft voice.
“Hey, wanna come visit me?”
The way it was asked, so softly and with precaution, the ash-blonde knew his best friend might be nibbling at his bottom lip, anxiously waiting for a reply.
“Sure, whatever. When?”
“Oh, uh- today?”
“Fuck. Today?” Bakugou looked at his alarm clock and scowled, it was already the middle of the afternoon. “You live 45 minutes away by train. I’ll have to fucking leave as soon as I arrive.”
Kirishima hummed pensively. “Yeah, but you can stay the night! My moms don’t mind. Come on Bakugou, it’ll be fun!”
Bakugou stayed silent for a few seconds to give the impression he was thinking about it. Truthfully, the prospect of leaving this hellhole for a house already put a smile on his lips.
“Fucking fine,” he tried to sound unaffected. “Send me your address, I’ll be there in an hour.”
He hung up when he heard the loud cheers through the line. A pleasant sensation was pulsing inside Bakugou’s body, something warm and exciting. He jumped out of his bed and prepared a backpack with what he needed for the night.
On his way to the front door, he saw his father on the couch calmly going through designs for his next clothing line.
“Dad,” he called as he put on his shoes. The man turned his head and smiled to his son. His eyes noticed the backpack.
“Yeah Katsuki? You’re heading out?”
Bakugou nodded. “To Kirishima’s house. I’ll be back tomorrow.”
“Okay. I’ll tell your mom. Have fun, see you tomorrow Katsuki.”
The younger man grunted and opened the door. The heaviness of the air crushed Bakugou as soon as he set a foot outside. He pulled out his sunglasses and headed out to the train station quickly.
Kirishima didn’t live far away per se. They both lived in Musutafu, just at opposite sides with UA in the middle. And it took 45 minutes to go there because he had to change trains at one point, and they were always full. That was the reason they always met near UA in the first place when they were hanging out together. That was also the reason Bakugou never went to Kirishima’s house despite them being friends for three years.
Turned out, his best friend lived in a peaceful location very similar to the blonde’s own neighbourhood. The kind of place where you could let your kids go play in the nearby park and they would be sure to have plenty of playmates. From the outside, Kirishima’s house seemed big with white walls and a brown roof. Typical European style house. The way to the front door was decorated with flowerbeds and a little way made of steppingstones in the middle of the grass was leading to what might be a garden in the back of the house.
The door was opened, and soft music could be heard from somewhere in the house. What was he supposed to do? Just entering the house and trying to find Kirishima? Knocking and waiting for someone?
His mental questions were interrupted by a woman who walked in front of the door. She stopped in her way when she noticed the blonde. Bakugou recognized her, he had met Kirishima’s mother a few times during their school years. Moreover, her warm red eyes, long black hair and welcoming smile gave her affiliation to the redhead away. She just lacked the buff stature and sharp teeth.
“Hello there!” She welcomed happily, flashing the newcomer a smile. “Eijirou! Katsuki’s here!”
The way she shouted for her son. It was almost kind and warm despite her rising her voice. She wrapped her plump arms around the boy. Bakugou awkwardly reciprocated. Having this short woman in his arms made him think of Inko, she had the same body shape and motherly love radiating from her.
Footsteps rushed down the stairs excitedly.
“Bakugou!” The red-haired boy exclaimed, jumping the last steps to give his friend a hug when his mother unwrapped her arms.
What was with this family and the hugs?
“Fuck off, it’s hot outside and you’re a damn heater,” Bakugou grumbled, pushing his friend’s face with his hand.
“Yeah dude I can see that, you’re all sweaty,” Kirishima said with a laugh, scrunching up his nose dramatically.
“Go Fuck yourself Shitty Hair. It’s like 38 fucking degrees outside.” He glared daggers at the overjoyed dumbass.
“Eijirou, don’t be rude. Give something to drink to Katsuki,” his ma said with a smile. She pinched her son cheek lightly.
“Maaaa stop, you’re embarrassing me,” he whined.
The woman chuckled and left them alone after a “feel yourself at home Katsuki”. The explosive boy put off his shoes and followed his friend inside the house. Kirishima had a bounce in his steps and led the way to the living-room. He invited Bakugou to sit down on the couch as he went in the kitchen.
The living-room was spacious, with a big couch in a corner in front of an as big TV. The room was still comfy thanks to the cream and light brown coloured walls. Many plants were arranged through the room or were hanging from the ceiling. The wall next to the couch was just two big windows with one slid all the way through. It gave a wonderful view of the garden which was as flowery as the rest of the house. A wooden table was set under a tree, surely for summer outside dinners.
Bakugou could easily imagine a young Kirishima running in the middle of the garden to catch some bugs or sprawled in the living-room with his parents late in the evening sleepily watching a movie.
The blonde noticed a framed photograph hanging next to the TV. He got up to see it closer when Kirishima came back with a tray.
“That’s your sister?” He asked, pointing to a girl with black skin and bright orange curly hair. She had ears that resembled fins. To her right was a younger boy with black hair clutching her arm. Two women were behind them, circling each other waists with their arms. One was the mother Bakugou had met moments ago and the other had the same hair colour and ears as the girl but with a lighter skin tone and wavy hair instead of curly. A pretty family portrait.
“Yeah, Kaede. But she lives in Kanazawa now,” the redhead put the tray on the coffee table and came next to his friend. “She’s really cool. Her quirk allows her to breath underwater.”
“Where are your freaking shark teeth from?” Bakugou asked as he noticed none of the women had pointy teeth.
Kirishima giggled, “From my dad.”
The blonde turned a questioning gaze to his friend. “You never talk about your father,” he stated.
“Yeah, he died when I was a baby,” the redhead shrugged, keeping his smile on his lips, and focused on the picture. “Then my ma met mom when I was around two years old. She had been divorced for two years when they met and had a kid four years older than me. Then the rest is history!” He looked at his friend, but Bakugou simply snorted. “Hey, I made barley tea and I have some cookies, come on!”
“What is your problem with you all and hot fucking tea during summer?” The blonde growled.
“Dude, barley tea is like the traditional summer tea. It’s a totally manly beverage.”
Bakugou rolled his eyes and settled back on the couch.
They talked and played video games for hours. Kirishima’s living room didn’t feel very different from the dorms’ common room. During this time, the redhead mom had come home from work. She had ruffled the teenagers’ hair as a greeting. They had just cleared a quest when they heard one of the mothers calling them.
“Boys! Come set the table please, dinner is ready!”
Kirishima grabbed Bakugou’s hand and led him to the kitchen. He pointed out to his friend where to get the chopsticks and glasses. Once everything was set on the wooden table outside, they all sit down. The temperature was far more bearable now that it was the evening and there was still enough light so they could eat without turning on the spots. The Kirishimas threw themselves into a passionate discussion about the mom’s flower shop and the clients she had that day.
“- and they asked me for screwdrivers. I didn’t understand, who sells screwdrivers in a flower shop?!”
They all laughed, even Bakugou had a forceless smile plastered on his face. Dinners never felt that easy, full of laughs and stupid stories. Everyone tried to look at him when they were talking, but not to corner him, more in a way to include him in the conversation. They didn’t force him to participate if he didn’t want to.
He had known those women for a few hours, and he already felt at ease with them. If he had a doubt before, now he couldn’t deny Kirishima was related to them, he bore the same openness. Something inherently Kirishima, something warm and comfortable. Something akin to a sunny smile.
“Kirishima.”
“Yes?” Three voices echoed. All eyes were on him. He lost his words, looking at them with wide eyes. “Oh, we’re all Kirishimas here. Just call us by our names! I’m Kaoru,” the orange-haired woman pointed to herself then at her wife. “And this is Chiharu. What did you want to ask Katsuki?”
“Uh- toilet?”
“Down the hall then second door on your left! Eijirou, go show him please.”
His best friend got up and gestured to the house with his head. He waited for Bakugou in front of the door so he could show him where the bathroom was for him to wash his hand after. As they went back outside, Kirishima nibbled at his lower lip and tried hesitantly.
“You know… You can call me Eijirou too. After all you’re my best friend and even Denki calls me Eijirou from time to times.” He paused, looking expectantly at Bakugou, the ash-blonde couldn’t mutter a word. Looking with his brows furrowed at the buff boy. “Well. I mean, if you want to! It’s just, you’re really special to me Bakugou and-“
“Just call me Katsuki,” he mumbled with his eyes casted down. “And you’re… fucking special to me too or whatever Eijirou.”
He sped up the pace, returning to the table with a flaming red adorning his cheeks. Eijirou had stopped in his tracks, surely to combust internally. Bakugou was embarrassed but still a little proud of him for causing that reaction in the younger man.
“Are you okay boys? You’re both very red,” Kaoru laughed and shared a knowing look with Chiharu.
“Yeah, Mom. We’re good. It’s just, really hot out there you know? Yeah. Really hot.” Eijirou stuttered at the same time Katsuki mumbled a “Nothing.”
“And here’s my room! Expression of pure manliness!” The red-haired hero opened the door proudly.
Katsuki roamed his eyes around the room. Compared to his, Eijirou’s was as heavily decorated as his dorm room. There were posters of his favourite heroes and movies on all the walls. Some photographs - including ones where Katsuki recognized himself in. Against the other side of the door was a bookshelf full of comics, books, and CDs. The whole room screamed “EIJIROU KIRISHIMA” in bold letter. It was nice, it was familiar, it felt like home.
“It looks like shit,” he commented. “But you have a double-sized bed. That’s nice,” he noticed then.
Eijirou ignored the comment in favour of jumping on his bed and getting his laptop. “Wanna watch a movie?”
The blonde nodded and sat next to his friend. The other teenager couldn’t stop himself from commenting each scene of the movie or how manly the actors were. Around the middle of the movie though, he turned to his best friend to ask him an unexpected question:
“Is my family okay?”
Katsuki was stunned. How would Eijirou wonder if his family was okay? He had already met Katsuki’s mother, and he knew all about his family issues.
“You feel safe here? You’re happy with your family?”
It was Eijirou’s turn to be confused, he furrowed his eyebrows and nibble at his bottom lip. “Of course. I love them, my moms are incredible!”
“Then your family is fucking okay, I guess,” Katsuki shrugged and returned to the movie.
A head full of red hair fell on his shoulder and he heard a sigh.
“I wanted to know if you liked it here. Aren’t we too loud for you? And we talk a lot, and-“
“’S fine. I like it here.”
They stayed silent for the rest of the movie. When it ended, they talked about various topics until Katsuki couldn’t stay awake any longer.
“Shitty Hair, fucking move.”
The redhead opened an eye before nuzzling back into the crook of Katsuki’s neck with a growl. The latter shook his friend harder, irritation beginning to pool inside of him. “For fuck’s sake, I need to go to the fricking bathroom.”
“Just… five ‘nutes,” Eijirou slurred sleepily, and he tightened his grip around the blonde’s waist.
Katsuki’s eyebrows twitched with frustration. He really needed to go to the bathroom. He couldn’t even set a little explosion to wake his best friend up: the room was so hot, Katsuki was drenched in sweat and caused the room to be a giant explosive hazard. He didn’t want to explain to Kirishima’s parents that he burnt their house down because he had a full bladder and their son, who was using him as a pillow, had refused to move.
The boy groaned and decided to pry his way out from Eijirou’s arms: no use in that, the guy was as heavy as a rock. He tried to pinch his side, but as soon as the pinch was hard enough to hurt, Eijirou immediately harden. The fucker was awake this whole time. It’s just a freaking game for him.
An idea popped in Katsuki’s head, and a manic grin appeared on his lips. The hand that rested along Eijirou’s back snaked his way up to his hair. Katsuki stroked the red strands; he threaded his fingers in it and marveled at the softness of it. When the ‘sleeping’ boy hummed contently and leaned back into the touch, Katsuki stroked his way down to his jaw then wrapped his hand around Eijirou’s mouth. He quickly added pressure and brought his other hand to pinch his nose.
Eijirou opened his eyes, he tried to pry open Katsuki’s hands and wrestled for air. He gave up by tapping three times on the mattress. When the blonde set him free, the redhead sat up and gulped for air. Katsuki took that opportunity to jump out of the bed and run to the bathroom.
“Dude what the heck, you sweat so much!” Eijirou exclaimed when he came back, not even talking about how Katsuki tried to suffocate him minutes ago.
Indeed, the sheets were stained with sweat as his own clothes were. Katsuki ran a hand in his hair and made a disgusted face when he felt the dampness of them. An embarrassed flush took over his cheeks and he grumbled: “Shut the fuck up, ’s my damn quirk. Wouldn’t have sweat that much if you hadn’t use me as your damn pillow, fucking heater.”
Eijirou barked out a laugh, amused. “Well, I wouldn’t have used you as my pillow if you hadn’t sprawled on the bed like a starfish,” he quipped. “We’ll just have to remember to put the AC on next time.”
“Next time?” He was already thinking of inviting him again?
“Yeah dude! Now go shower so we can have breakfast. You’re gross.”
“Fuck off,” Katsuki flipped him off on his way to the bathroom. His best friend laugh could be heard behind the closed door. The blonde couldn’t suppress his own amused smile.
Katsuki found the other boy in the kitchen.
“Don’t you ever put on a shirt?”
Eijirou whipped his head in Katsuki’s way before giving him a crooked grin. “Nope!”
Katsuki scoffed and made his way next to his friend. It was not new that Eijirou never wore a shirt, it was a surprise he was wearing one the day before. He quickly let his gaze fall on the bare chest then glanced back at the stupid grin adorning his friend’s face.
“What are you making?” He examined all the things on the counter and quickly deduced: “Ochazuke?”
The red-haired boy nodded. Katsuki watched intently as he poured green tea over the rice, then added chopped scallions and salted fish to the bowls. He put them on two different trays and took one in hand. Katsuki took the other and followed him in the living-room where Eijirou kneeled in front of the coffee table and switched the TV on.
“Is it good?” Eijirou asked as he stuffed his face with rice.
“Yeah,” Katsuki admitted. It was very simple, but it was comforting, and the taste was good. “Thought you would be a bacon guy in the morning. Or something with a lot of meat.”
His friend shrugged.
“I always eat that in the morning when I’m home. I sometimes make it when I’m homesick too, but it’s not the same thing, you know?”
Katsuki nodded silently, though he didn’t really know. He never had a dish that made him feel like home. Yes, sometimes he craved some types of food, but since he had learnt how to cook years ago, he could just make it himself.
His gaze lingered on Eijirou’s face when he heard him chuckle at a joke said in the cartoon he was watching. The corner of his eyes crinkled each time he smiled too wide or laughed. Katsuki found the way he let his chopsticks in his mouth a bit too long because he was too focused on the TV endearing. His ponytail was loose, quickly tied, so some hair was falling in front of his eyes.
“Hello boys,” a sleeping voice greeted them.
Eijirou greeted his Ma back happily. Katsuki bowed his head politely and mumbled a “hello”. Chiharu red eyes travelled from Katsuki to her son back to Katsuki and she gave him a knowing smile. The blonde averted his eyes and put his focus back on his breakfast. He was definitely not blushing.
Their breakfast was peaceful, the mother and the son sometimes telling each other piece of news or gossips they had heard. Sometimes, Eijirou would turn to Katsuki to explain what his mother was talking about, or he would point to something happening in the cartoon and tell how a character is ‘so manly’.
“Eijirou, Katsuki, I’m going to get groceries later. Need something?” Chiharu inquired while making a list. The boys were sprawled on the couch watching a movie.
“No, I’m leaving at the end of the movie,” Katsuki replied with a shrug.
“Already? I thought you would have stayed longer. Don’t hesitate to stay a few days if you want next time!” Eijirou’s Ma exclaimed with a pout.
“See, you can come when you want man!” Eijirou added and bumped him lightly in the shoulder with a bright grin. He turned to his mother to reply he would go with her at the store.
Katsuki kept his eyes on the screen but could feel a warm fuzzy feeling in his stomach. He could come back! He was allowed to, welcomed even. He felt his heart soar before feeling it sink at the prospect of going back to his house.
And his heart sank deeper and deeper as he got closer to his house. It got so deep it froze when his mother welcomed him with a “Ah, the brat is back”.
The freeze got over all his body, numbing his limbs and thoughts as he acted robotically.
A shout: reply by an insult back.
A glare: look down, glare back if she asks you to look at her.
Don’t reply if you’re not talked to, you’ll avoid problems like that.
His house was cold. When there was no shout nor insult, there was only silence. Heavy, dreading silence around the dining table.
Even his room felt suffocating, it was a haven from his mother’s wrath. But what a cold, dull haven.
Why was he feeling like he wanted to go home even though he was already there? Where was his home?
He couldn’t wait for high school to end so he could have his own home. Maybe Kirishima would like to be his roommate. It would not be terrible, and it would cut the rent in half.
Yeah, he couldn’t wait to have somewhere to call home. Somewhere tangible to miss.
“Dude, do you ever read the groupchat?”
Just hearing his friend’s voice through the phone cut Katsuki’s apathy. Eijirou was like that, he didn’t care about being polite with Katsuki, no ‘hello, how are you? What’s up?’. Eijirou was the kind of person who would call Katsuki and directly tell him a story or ask him a question.
The blonde’s eyebrows scrunched into a frown as he replied with a bored voice, “Fuck no, I muted that damn thing months ago.”
“Thought so. There’s a new game centre in Ueno, I’m going with Denki and Ojiro,” with the lack of response provided by his interlocutor, Eijirou growled. “Katsuki, please come with us!”
Oh. That was an invitation. Katsuki blinked a few times, despite being friends with his classmates for three years he was still not used to be invited to places like that.
“Ueno is far.”
“Yeah, I know. But you can just come stay over after. I live closer to Ueno than you.”
The boy didn’t even have to think before he replied with a grunt.
“Whatever.”
A muffled “yes!” full of excitement could be heard from the phone. It was easy to imagine the redhead raising a victory fist in the air.
“Oh!” Eijirou exclaimed suddenly with joy dripping from his voice. “Stay the whole weekend!”
He was at Eijirou’s only two days ago, was it not too much to spend all the weekend there this soon? Katsuki felt his heartbeat and his limbs tingle. There was a strange sense of calm and alleviation at the idea of leaving his house to go to the Kirishima’s. A smile cracked his face open silently.
“Okay,” he said with a steady voice, despite the whirl of emotions threatening to burst out of his chest.
“See you at 3pm, Hirokoji Exit of Ueno station!”
After hanging up, he checked the time. He had two hours before he had to head out, it gave him plenty of time to get ready.
But first, he had to tell his parents he wouldn’t be there for the weekend. He knew that just after eating lunch, his mother was usually sleeping on the couch, so he didn’t have to tell her directly. He walked to the study room and opened the door softly. His father was drawing some new clothes on his desk, he was so focused he hadn’t heard the door. Katsuki rasped his throat, it immediately caught Masaru’s attention.
“I’m going to Ueno later, I’ll be staying at a friend’s house for the weekend,” he explained curtly.
Masaru gave him a soft smile and nodded. “Okay Katsuki, do you need money?” His son shook his head. “I’ll tell your mom if she asks where you are, have fun.”
Nice, no need to wake the old hag up. Good thing.
“We’re home!” Eijirou shouted as they entered the house in the late evening after their afternoon in Ueno. “Oh here Katsuki, your slippers.”
Katsuki looked at the slippers the redhead at put at his feet. There were All Might themed and seemed to be his size. His eyes travelled between the slippers and the face of the grinning boy, and he blinked at him, mouth agape.
“My slippers?”
“Yeah! My Ma bought you slippers when we went grocery shopping last time! We thought it would be more comfortable than just walking around the house with bare feet!”
The blonde frowned and slid his feet in the slippers. “How did you know my size?”
The other boy rubbed his neck, uneasy. A light flush could be discerned on his cheeks.
“Oh Katsuki, Eijirou knows you very well you know. See how he even chose All Might ones,” Kaoru appeared from behind and quipped. She hugged her son from behind and ruffled his hair.
Katsuki smirked and raised an eyebrow at his best friend. His face had gone the same colour as his hair. “Mom!” he hissed before hiding his face in his hands.
The woman laughed and beckoned the two boys into the living-room with her where her wife was already watching some old sci-fi TV show. Katsuki noticed for the first time the Crimson Riot slippers Eijirou had. His mothers both had different slippers too.
It was strange how mismatched pairs of slippers were comforting. They didn’t need matching thing to give unity to their family. The blonde looked at his feet and curled his toes contently in the soft fabric.
“You like them?” Eijirou whispered in his ear.
Katsuki stiffened. He glanced at the red-haired boy who had a soft expression over all his face. The blonde shrugged; he sank deeper in the couch but took care of keeping contact with Eijirou by bumping their shoulders together.
The wind chime resonated through the living-room clear and soft in a repetitive pattern, as if the breeze wanted to compose its own melody. The room was set in a peaceful atmosphere, with its inhabitant basking in the afternoon sun shining through the wall-sized window. Sometimes, little hums or mumbles could be heard from the table where the redhead was scribbling in a notebook. Katsuki was sitting on the floor, cross-legged, silently searching where he could put the piece he had in hand to complete the puzzle.
He had entered the room earlier and had found Kaoru sorting pieces from a 10 000 pieces puzzle. She had told him she liked assembling them during the days her flower shop was closed. Then, the orange-haired woman with her fish-like ears had asked Katsuki if he wanted to join her. Having nothing better to do, he had simply shrugged and had sat on the floor at her side. Now, the picture of the Golden Gate was slowly becoming visible with each passing second.
The two turned their head when a thud could be heard from the table.
“I give up, it’s too hard,” Eijirou growled with a defeated tone.
The ash-blonde snorted. “Not very manly to give up Shitty Hair. Let me fucking guess, you’re still stuck on the first exercise?”
“Yes,” he admitted and turned his head so he could look at the two on the floor. His cheek was squished against the table. “Why do I have to do my homework now? The holidays have just begun!” he whined loudly.
“Because if you don’t do it now, you’ll fucking push it ‘til the end of summer. I don’t wanna hear you cry for help two fucking days before it’s due,” Katsuki explained with a frown as he found where to put his little piece of sky.
“We’re not all as smart as you Blasty. I’m sure you did all the homework first day of summer break.”
He rolled his eyes. “Of fucking course I did, I don’t want to fall behind.”
The blonde jumped on his feet and made his way to his friend. With a click of his tongue, he snatched away the notebook and looked over the messy scribbles. He frowned at all the crossed-out equations and sighed.
“Hell, how do you want to understand a damn thing if you can’t even read it,” he tore the page and rolled it into a ball. “I keep telling you, use a spare paper as a draft and write in your notebook when you’re one hundred percent sure you did it right.”
Eijirou red eyes were filled with defeat. He reluctantly sat up and took some paper from his bag. Katsuki took a chair and dragged it next to him.
“You’re rushing things too much,” the blonde began as he rummaged the pencil case for a mechanical pencil. “Look.” He wrote down the equation then began solving it slowly so Eijirou could follow his instructions. “You try to copy me, dumbass. But the difference between you and me is that I master those theorems. You fucking don’t. So go at your fucking pace and work the equation out step by step. You’ll skip steps when you know how to do them.”
The younger boy watched his best friend writing down explanations with awe, mouth slightly agape.
“I get it now! Thank you Katsuki!”
He took the ash-blonde in his arms and squeezed him. He was rewarded with a little explosion on his shoulder and a string of curses.
“Now do the others,” Katsuki spat with no real bite. He returned to his former activity and Kaoru locked eyes with him, saying nothing. “What?”
A smirk appeared on her lips and faked an innocent tone: “Nothing!”
His eye twitched with irritation, he just huffed a sigh and ignored Eijirou’s mom and all she could be implying with her little smirk.
“I’m really happy he has you.”
She had whispered so it would stay a secret between them. It had immediately set Katsuki’s face ablaze. He was embarrassed, but part of him was also happy at the idea he was accepted by his best friend’s parent. The compliment made his heart jump, but he decided to just grunt and averted his eyes from Kaoru’s warm smile.
This family was weird. They were all too complacent with him. He was an asshole but for whatever reason, he managed to make friends with the Kirishimas who were all suns incarnate. Well, guess he could enjoy this a bit more before they kicked him out of their house because of his foul personality.
He looked over to Eijirou going through his equations with more energy than before. His heart squeezed at the sight. Yeah, he hoped his presence would be welcome just a bit more.
“Where are you going?”
Katsuki gritted his teeth at the sound of this voice. He tried to keep his cool as he replied, “The fuck do you care? I’m going to see Kirishima.”
His mother narrowed her eyes and clicked her tong in disapproval. She had her arms crossed over her chest and was trying to look down on her son despite Bakugou having grown taller than her.
“Again? Can’t you live this poor family in peace? You’re just a fucking freeloader, they don’t need a brat like you.”
“He invited me,” he hissed. Tension was seeping through his veins, making his fists clench. His mother took a step forward and he fought to keep his stance and not take a step backwards. He knew he should have sneaked his way out of the house.
“You’re just trying to run away from your problems Katsuki!” Her voice increased in volume with each word, until she was fully yelling: “I’m sure you told them many stories about how horrible your family is! What are you telling them, ah?” Mitsuki sneered.
“Fuck off! Kirishima just fucking invited me, get off my dick old hag!” The boy snapped back.
He watched as his mother’s face contorted into an ugly grimaced full of rage.
“Go whine to your new family Katsuki. Cry over how your mom doesn’t love you enough or some other lies like that. But remember that they won’t treat you better than we do. You brought this upon yourself, I wouldn’t be this angry at you all the time if you weren’t so full of shit. I love you Katsuki, you just never gave me a choice,” she scoffed. “Wait until Kirishima see how weak and broken you are. You think you’re so special? Well you’re not, all you have is deserved.”
Katsuki put his shoes on as quickly as he could and slammed the door on his way out after greeting Mitsuki with a “Go fuck yourself”.
The train ride seemed excruciatingly long. Katsuki repeated the words again and again in his head, muttering curses under his breath.
The worst of it was that she was right all along. He just brought all of this upon himself. He knew it already.
He knocked on the door. He felt like drowning under the waves of his emotions despite being surrounded by a peaceful ocean of flowers and stillness.
“Oh Katsuki, come in. Eijirou is-“
He didn’t even register who opened the door, nor did he heard what she was saying. He just got rid off his shoes and climbed the stairs with haste so he could jump in the familiar bed and bury his face with comforting scents.
He breathed deeply a few times and managed to keep the tears at bay when he heard the soft click of the door. Eijirou sat on the bed next to Katsuki silently. When the blonde felt fingers threading in his hair, more of his tensions began to unwind.
“Dude, I didn’t know you would come this early!” the redhead exclaimed cheerfully.
Katsuki stiffened at that statement. Of course, he was not welcomed in this house, what was he thinking about? But Eijirou had invited him over, so why did he not want Katsuki here?
“Fucking what, you want me to leave Shitty Hair?” he spat, burying his head deeper in the pillow.
“What? No!” Eijirou seemed outraged. “I just thought you would come for dinner. I’m happy you’re here earlier than expected.”
The boy let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding and grunted softly.
“Come on Blasty,” his friend said as he tugged gently on ash blonde strands of hair. “We’re heading out.”
“To fucking where?”
“Getting ice cream,” Eijirou chirped.
And that’s how Katsuki ended up on a bench, eating ice cream in front of a 7/11 while his best friend was babbling about a video game he just bought and wanted to test with him. Eijirou had gotten him his favourite popsicle and fizzy drink, because of course apparently he knew that about him.
“So,” he began to pry after they both finished their snacks. “What’s wrong?”
“Fuck off,” came Katsuki immediate reply.
The redhead rolled his eyes with an exasperate huffed laugh. “Come on man, if you really don’t wanna talk about it I won’t pry. You seem pretty shaken off though, what did your mother told you?”
Katsuki looked at his friend, baffled. Eijirou still had his stupid bright smile on his face, but his crimson eyes were tinted with concern.
“How did you fucking know it was about the old hag?”
“Because she’s an asshole that always talk shit about you? And she’s obviously the last person you saw before leaving your house.” he offered.
The ash blonde boy snorted and shook his head in disbelief. It was so rare to hear Eijirou swear, especially hearing him insult someone. He observed a young woman walking out from the store and handing out a snack to her child. The woman was looking at her child with apparent fondness as the kid struggled to open the wrapping with their little hands.
It was all too much, all the pent-up emotions were overwhelming and Katsuki could do nothing but drown in them. He let them overflow and felt tears burn trails down his cheeks.
He heard a surprised gasp near him before hands came cradling his face softly. The gentleness Eijirou used, swiping his tears away, made him choked on a sob.
“Ei, I’m such a fucking bad person.”
Eijirou’s eyes widened and his heart break slowly.
“Oh Kat no. No, of course you’re not,” he shushed lowly.
The crying blond shook his head defeated and detached the hands from his cheeks, “No, you don’t fucking understand. I’m just a damn freeloader at your house and your still so nice, your moms are so fucking kind. I shouldn’t be here, spoiling your damn summer.”
He coughed through his tears. He rarely cried, so the burn in his throat and the constricted feeling was unfamiliar. He was hardly breathing. The only anchor he had with the real world were those red eyes boring into his soul. The words were spurting out of his mouth, he had no control other them.
“I always fucking disappoint people! I disappointed my own damn mother. What is fucking wrong with me? I make people hate me just by existing…”
“Hey, listen to me,” Eijirou demanded firmly. Katsuki could barely see him through his tears, he was only a blur of red at this point. “Whatever your mother said to you is not true. Why would you say you’re spoiling my summer when all I want to do is spending it with you?”
“Fucking stop Eijirou, I know it’s not- “
“No. You stop. My moms are so happy you’re here, they like you a lot! And I wouldn’t invite you over everyday if I didn’t think the same thing. You’re my best friend Katsuki, I love you so much. You’re not a disappointment, you’re amazing, so manly, strong, and passionate. Your mother is wrong, you should not treat your family like she treats you.”
It was wrong, all wrong. Eijirou was just too kind. Katsuki could only hurt him, nothing good would come out of their friendship.
“Katsuki,” a thumb soothed the creases between his eyebrows. “Whatever you’re thinking, don’t. See how you’ve changed since the beginning of first year. You’re such a good person. Gods, you gave me so much confidence throughout all those years, how could you even think you’re a bad person?”
And if he thought he couldn’t cry harder, well he was damn wrong. He launched himself into the redhead and buried his head in his shoulder. His body spasmed with each sob. His fingers dug in the back of Eijirou’s hideous tank top.
He had never sought that kind of comfort before. And through it all, Eijirou was there, rubbing a hand up and down his back. Threading his fingers in spiky blonde hair. Holding him tightly to prove he would never let go. There were reassurances whispered in the hollow of an ear.
“What did I fucking do? Why does she hate me so fucking much?” Katsuki spoke with a broken voice, stammering each word. “And my dad has never done a thing to stop her. He could have helped me, he never does. He always let her have her way. It doesn’t make any sense, I’m angrier at him than at my mother and he never did nothing to me.”
“Yeah, but he never acted when he could. It’s not as bad as what your mother had been doing to you, but he should have been there for you, especially in that case. It’s what you do when you love someone.”
He knew those words were not entirely true. You can’t always be there for the people you love in your life, Katsuki knew life was way more complicated than that. However, when those words were spoken, and when Eijirou grip tightened around the crying boy, he felt the underlying meaning deep in his soul: ‘I am here for you’.
Gods, Katsuki had never been good to rely on others, it was common knowledge at this point. Yes, he had cried in front of other people (albeit rarely). Although, nothing could compare to the way he let Eijirou soothe his wracking sobs for what felt like hours. Even when the tears were no more and his breathing had evened, the redhead was still holding him against him tenderly.
After having cried out all his emotions, Katsuki felt the lingering burn in his eyes and throat. A headache was throbbing right above his eyebrows. Now that he had returned to his senses, he could feel how uncomfortable their position was, his back would suffer from it afterwards that was for sure.
Despite all of that, he stayed with his face nuzzled in the crook of his best friend’s neck. He revelled in the way fingers were carding through his blonde spikes and a thumb was drawing circles on his hipbone. He pried an eye open and noted the sun had set, the sky was tinted with colours ranging from pink to bright oranges. Around them, the cicadas were singing their song. It was the beginning of a usual summer evening; the world didn’t care about Katsuki emotional turmoil. It didn’t care about the two high schoolers huddled together. Katsuki could stay right there all the night and the world would not care about it. Cicadas would still sing; the sun would still set and Eijirou would still be right here for him as long as Katsuki needed to. As long as he wanted to.
“My head hurts like hell,” the ash blonde grumbled as he detached himself from his friend and stretched his aching limbs.
“Let’s go home! I’m sure we have painkillers,” Eijirou jumped on his feet. “I’m so hungry!”
Just like that, they took the way back to the redhead’s house. He started some mindless chitchat and Katsuki grunted or laughed here and there.
“We’re home! It smells so good!” Eijirou shouted throughout the house as they changed their shoes for their slippers in the entryway.
The short figure of Chiharu appeared from the living-room with a smile. “Welcome back boys. We got take-out,” she answered, she then turned to Katsuki. “Eijirou told me you love Sichuan mapo tofu so we went to get some while you were gone.”
Katsuki’s cheeks flushed slightly at that declaration. Eijirou had left his side, saying something about getting the painkillers from the bathroom. The blonde followed the black-haired woman to the dining table with a little content smile he couldn’t conceal at the idea of having Sichuan mapo tofu.
“Why?” he asked. He didn’t understand why those women would buy him one of his favourite dishes out of the blue.
“You seemed pretty upset earlier,” Chiharu provided as she sat on her chair across from her wife who was busying herself by setting the takeout containers on the table. The blonde scowled and the woman reacted by smiling softly to him. “You don’t have to tell us what bothers you if you don’t want to. But when Eiji is upset we always prepare or buy him his comfort foods.”
“Food can make anyone feel better!” Kaoru exclaimed gleefully.
Katsuki snorted at her childish reaction, it was exactly the kind of thing Eijirou always told sad people when he gave them snacks in the common room.
The redhead came back with painkillers, Katsuki took some for his headache, but just sitting at this table eating his favourite spicy food with those way too cheerful people already made him feel way better than in the early afternoon. Kaoru and her son threw themselves in a heated debate about some TV cartoon they were watching together and Katsuki listened intently (he had been watching the show with them since the beginning), sometimes giving his opinion about their theories.
Later that night, when Eijirou and Katsuki were lying in bed watching a movie, the former turned to his friend with determined eyes.
“Wanna stay here ‘til the end of summer?”
Katsuki scowled, confused. “What the fuck do you mean?”
“You can spend the holidays here. You’ll just have to go back to your parents one or two days prior going back to the dorms,” he explained. It seemed like he thought about this idea since Katsuki’s crying fit if his determined red eyes were any indicator.
“Shitty Hair. It’s almost three weeks. It’s a fucking long time,” Katsuki said blankly. Hope and excitement had bubbled up in his chest at the proposition, but he had to be realistic. Eijirou wouldn’t bear with him for three whole weeks, especially since they shared the same room.
“I know that!” the redhead exclaimed. “That would be so fun. And we already live together in the dorms, it’s not that different. We just… share a bed now,” his gaze shifted to look at the wall behind Katsuki and his cheeks flushed with embarrassment at the statement. “We will go to your house fetch some more clothes and things for you when your mother isn’t there. So, what do you say man?”
Katsuki turned his attention back to the movie and stayed silent for a few seconds. He had already decided but he couldn’t give away the joy coursing through his veins that easily. “Whatever,” he said finally, causing his friend to whoop loudly and talking endlessly of all the things they could do all summer until he fell asleep.
He even said that if they could live together all summer, that meant they could perfectly be roommate after graduation. “Just sayin’ dude, I would love to live with you. I’ll have a personal cook everyday right in my home. Promise I’ll make you ochazuke every morning if you want!”” he had joked.
Katsuki rolled his eyes disgruntled. Internally, he thought that living with Eijirou was not so bad of an idea. He even liked that, maybe that way he could build something he could call home one day?
“Oh good morning Katsuki. You never call,” his father greeted awkwardly.
Yes, he never called because he had no reason to normally.
“Yeah. I know you’re working alone today, and I needed to tell you something,” he didn’t wait for his father to say something before continuing: “The hag’s not here today, right? I’ll be spending all summer at Kirishima’s house, and I need to come fetch things.”
He heard Masaru shuffle through the phone.
“Oh, yes of course, I understand,” he said with a sad voice. “No, she’ll not be home before dinner.”
“Okay. I’ll be there at 2. Later.”
He hung up immediately after.
Eijirou had come with Katsuki and helped him gather all he needed in a small suitcase. Masaru had drove them back home afterwards. The ride had been like it was when his dad had driven Izuku home: Masaru and Eijirou had talked about trivial things all the ride.
“Just call me when you want to come back, so you don’t have to take the train with your suitcase,” his father said.
Katsuki nodded curtly.
“Have fun Katsuki. I’ll try to keep your mother at bay, so she doesn’t bother you too much.”
The blonde boy sighed, “Yeah, fucking whatever. See you later, I’ll text you,” he promised.
His father nodded and was soon nowhere to be seen anymore. Katsuki hadn’t missed his bleary eyes and his weak smile. The blonde couldn’t shake off the guilt beginning to gnaw at his stomach. As if he guessed what was happening to his friend’s insides, Kirishima draped an arm across his shoulders and blinded him with his usual toothy grin.
“Come on Katsuki!”
Katsuki smirked and followed Eijirou inside the house then up the stairs. When he checked his phone later, he saw a text notification from his father.
‘I’m happy you’re staying with Kirishima. He’s a great boy. Text me sometimes, have a good summer, I love you.’
A heavy burden lifted from his shoulders. He pocketed his phone into his pant with a discreet smile. When he looked up, red eyes were focused on him with fondness.
“Don’t just fucking stare at me like that, fuck off!” He snapped, embarrassment making his face go red to the tip of his ears.
“Why are you brooding over there, sweetheart? It’s been an hour.” Eijirou’s Ma asked after the boy had stomped into the living-room and went into scowling at the TV.
“First, don’t call me that. Second, I’m not brooding,” Katsuki huffed.
“Okay, mister ‘I’m not brooding’. Where’s Eijirou?”
“Fuck if I know. Not like I care anyway,” he scowled.
Chiharu raised an unimpressed eyebrow at him. Katsuki sighed, he could do many things to appear detached, but the expectant mom glare she sent his way was damn efficient, he felt like he was four years old again and she was waiting for him to denounce himself after he broke something.
“We fought,” he conceded.
Chiharu hummed and closed the book she had been reading up until now. “What about? You guys rarely fight.”
The blonde shifted and bent his knees so they could come up close to his chest. He put his head on them and glanced sideways to the woman who was waiting for a reply patiently. “We were cleaning the house and I asked Eijirou to do the dishes while I cleaned his room. He leaves all his fucking clothes on the floor despite the fact I told him countless times to just put it in the freaking laundry hamper. And when I came back down, he had left the sponge inside the goddamn sink after the dishes! It’s so fucking unsanitary, why would you leave a fucking sponge getting soaked inside the sink ?!”
He closed his fists to try controlling small pops of explosion in his palms. “And then, that fucker dared to say to my fucking face that I was no better because I always leave glasses all around the house for him to collect when he has to do the dishes.”
He threw his hands in the air with an exasperated growl. His face snapped back to Chiharu when he heard her chuckle. He glowered at her angrily. Was she making fun of him?
“Sorry,” the raven-haired woman said as she hid her amusement behind her hand. “It’s just… our fights with Kaoru are about the same things, it’s kind of funny,” she quipped.
“And what the fuck is funny about fighting with someone because they’re too stupid to do their fucking chores correctly?”
“Not that silly. It’s just a fight, give it one more hour or two and it will be fine!” Chiharu dragged the ‘fine’ to make it sound like evidence. “No, it’s funny because you’re acting like an old couple already even though neither of you is brave enough to ask the other out. So domestic,” she mused.
A furious blush tinted Katsuki’s nose as his eyes grew wide like saucers. “Wha- The fuck?! We. I- HOW?!”
Chiharu shrugged and opened her book and resumed her reading like she hadn’t just dropped a bomb on Katsuki a mere second ago. Was he really that obvious about his crush on his best friend? No, it couldn’t be-
“You’re really obvious about your crush, you know,” she stated simply as if she was saying the sky was blue.
Okay, so he was that obvious about his crush. Since he didn’t know what to say he stormed off to the kitchen, there no one would bother him.
After an hour of intense baking, Katsuki rasped on the door of his best friend’s room with a tray of cookies and glasses of milk in his hands. He opened the door and closing behind him. He psyched himself silently and after a deep breath turned around to face Eijirou. The redheaded boy was sprawled on the floor, reading a book. He didn’t even notice Katsuki’s arrival, it always impressed him how his friend could immerge himself in books and forget about the world around him.
Not to disturb him, Katsuki put the tray on the floor and took place next to his best friend. A few minutes later, Eijirou must have finished his chapter because he lifted his eyes to the ash-blonde, smiled and closed his book.
“You prepared cookies?! Thanks man, you’re awesome, I love you so much,” he cheered as he began stuffing his face full of snacks.
And just like that the fight was forgotten. Knowing Eijirou he must have brushed it off directly after it happened and just forgot about it altogether. Katsuki could barely hold his smile at the sight of the redhead, affection wrapped him up in a comfortable warmth. Eijirou had been telling him so many times how much he loved the blonde, like loving Katsuki was something natural and effortless.
Katsuki never wanted this man out of his life. He wanted to dote on Eijirou until the day they die together.
“Ei.” The boy hummed before he began gulping his milk. Katsuki hesitated before he continued: “Let’s get married.”
Eijirou’s eyes widened suddenly, and he choked. Milk splattered on the floor, coming from his mouth and nostrils. Katsuki moved to the boy and rubbed his back through his coughs, waiting for his best friend to breathe correctly again.
Few moments later, the redhead spun around to face Katsuki. “What the hell Kats?” he cried vehemently. “You don't blurt such things while someone is drinking!”
“Sorry.”
“And usually, we ask people out before proposing to them you know?!”
“I never half-ass things,” Katsuki shrugged.
“Kats, I’m not even 18 yet, we’re still at school! That’s insane!”
The blonde scowled and avoided Eijirou’s gaze. “If you don’t want to just say so,” he muttered in a small voice.
Eijirou sighed deeply, his breath was shaky from overwhelming emotions. He took both of the blonde’s hands in his and squeezed them affectionately. “Of course I want to Katsuki. It’s just… It’s so sudden. What brought that up? We need to talk about it first.”
Katsuki squeezed back. “I want to spend my life with you. Like I said, I don’t half-ass things, so why should we wait five, six or seven years before getting married since I already know I’m gonna spend my whole life with you?”
When he raised his eyes back on his best friend, his mouth fell. Eijirou had the beginning of tears whirling in his eyes. “Why the fuck are you crying?” Katsuki panicked, what should he do? He didn’t want to make Eijirou sad!
“I’m so ha-happy,” he sniffled. “I love you Kats, and to know you want to spend your life with me is s-so roman-t-tic.” Big tears were flowing down his flushed cheeks and snot was dripping from his nose. He had a big sappy smile. Eijirou laughed sweetly and hiccupped as he tried to swipe away his tears with the back of his hands. With each tear he dried, a new dozen sprung out. He was blabbering nonsense about Katsuki being “the best person he had never known” and how “he was in love with the manliest man on earth”.
Katsuki was dumbfounded. He watched, sitting there as Eijirou cried all his tears, not knowing how to react. Were the tears a good or bad thing? Should he comfort him or just wait for Ei to calm down? Should he call Chiharu for help. ‘Hey, your son his crying his eyes out because I just proposed to him, come give me a hand. And what’s for dinner again?’ Yeah no, definitely not.
During Katsuki’s own little mental processing error, Eijirou had managed to regain some sort of composure. “Ooooh god,” he said as he fanned his face. “Sorry, I have to be calm and talk about this seriously, that’s the manly thing to do!” he inhaled then exhaled as if he was meditating before taking a serious tone:
“Katsuki, I’m absolutely thrilled about marrying you. It’s a definite, clear yes. But… Not now.”
The smile spreading on the blonde’s lips rapidly became confused at the same speed. “So that’s a no?”
“No! I mean yes! I mean- that’s a yes. I want to marry you. But first, we have to graduate, begin our lives as pro-heroes and have our own place. Just so we are financially stable, okay babe? Then we’ll get married.”
The other boy mulled over the idea for a moment before giving a grunt of acceptance. Eijirou was right after all, they needed money so they could have a stable life as a newly married couple. The redhead jumped on him and squeezed him into a tight hug, burying his face in the curve of his neck to cry some more happy tears.
The end of summer came quickly and with it came a visitor. It was one week before the boys had to go back to school.
Someone had knocked on the door, nobody could answer it so Katsuki, like the good guest (or part-time family member) he was, went to open it. Before him stood a tall woman with curly orange haired parted in two buns. Her skin was dark and the most noticeable thing about her was the fins she had instead of ears. She had a red suitcase with “RED RIOT” and other cartoon faces on it. She looked the blonde boy up and down, both standing silently at the door.
“Katsuki,” she greeted curtly.
“Kaede,” he gruffed out in reply.
Then her face broke into a big grin where crooked teeth could be seen. “Mom, Ma, Lil’ Bro! I’m home!” she called out loudly in the house.
Footsteps were heard running down the flight of stairs before strong arms lifted Kaede and spun her in circle. Kaede giggled and encircled her brother’s neck. “Eiji! Goddamn, is it me or did you take some muscles since the last time I saw you?” she asked, squeezing Ei’s biceps.
He scraped the back of his neck sheepishly. “Yeah, I’ve been training a lot. How’ve you been Kaede? What are you doing here?” His red eyes landed on Katsuki before he spluttered “Oh sorry I didn’t introduce you: Kaede here is-“
“Bakugou Katsuki, the great and only,” she cut with a smirk.
Katsuki squinted, was she making fun of him or…? “How could I not know him, you talk about him since you entered UA and you sent me thousands of pictures. It’s nice finally seeing the real one. He really is hot, taste really runs in the family,” she said with a content nod.
Katsuki snorted, “You serious? You talk about taste when all your family is the number one fan club of crocs?”
“And he knows sarcasm! Good good, I’ll have fun with that one,” Kaede smiled dangerously at Katsuki, but he wasn’t one to be afraid of words so he gave her the most competitive glare he had as if to say ‘you’re on bitch’.
“Please Kaede, don’t traumatize Katsuki five minutes after you came back, it can wait after dinner,” Eijirou interposed. “So, why are you in Musutafu? Everything’s alright in Kanazawa?”
“Yeah yeah, just broke up with that asshole and he’s been following me around,” she waved in dismissal as she made her way to the living-room. “I swear to god, anybody that says sexuality is a choice is wrong: being attracted to men when you’re a cisgender girl is clearly not a choice. Well. I thought visiting home would be good, after all I sent him a package of stink balls to his address, and I didn’t want him to come knocking at my door. Serves him well.”
“You’re evil,” Eijirou laughed loudly. Katsuki didn’t think his sister would be like that, with a spark of malice in her eyes and snarky remarks dripping from her tongue. He thought she would be all sunshine and smiles like the rest of the family. Now that he thought of it, Kaoru was a bit like her daughter too. He liked that.
“-at I was saying! And you Katsuki, how long are you staying?” she turned to him.
“Huh?” he didn’t listen to any of her words.
“He’s staying ‘til the end of summer,” answered Eijirou with a smile.
“Oh cool, how so?”
“His mom’s a bitch,” Eijirou shrugged.
Katsuki eyes widened like round plates, he never heard his best friend swear this nonchalantly before. With his sister he was way more laidback about his vocabulary apparently. Maybe it’s because of her Eijirou had never been afraid of Katsuki’s potty mouth.
“Uh, that sucks. I can relate though,” she said as she smiled to the blonde who still hadn’t said a word.
“Your dad again?” Eijirou frowned.
“Yep! Been calling me nonstop because he wants us to reconnect again, that I should be grateful he raised me, and all. He texted me just to say I should at least call Sachiko since ‘she’s like a mother to me’. I don’t care about his bitch for a wife he has, she has been a pain for as long as I can remember,” she let out an exhausted sigh before lighting up again immediately after. “But let’s forget about that! I’m here for 4 wonderful days with my family, right boys?” she cheered as she squeezed them against her sides.
Later that day, as the night was already set, Katsuki was watching a movie with Chiharu and Kaoru in the living-room. Eijirou and Kaede left on a walk together to catch up on what the other had been up to. The blonde knew how close his friend was with his older sister, he called her once a week and sent her texts every day. It was normal to let them have some alone time together since he hadn’t seen her for five months.
Unfortunately, the movie was boring as hell, and Katsuki was slowly drifting off. He felt his eyes closing slowly and couldn’t muster the strength in him to stay awake. He felt Kaoru shifting by his side as his head was lolling to the side. She stood up to come by his side and Katsuki felt himself being carefully pushed to lay on the couch and being tucked under a thin blanket. Soft fingers brushed his hair out of his face and the couch dipped again at his feet.
“He’s sleeping?” inquired Chiharu in a whisper.
“Yeah,” Kaoru replied with a tone close to fondness. “We’ll wake him up later to go to bed. It’s good to see him comfortable around us…”
Chiharu hummed in agreement. “He was so afraid when he first met us. Even if he didn’t show it upfront. I remember when I broke a glass by accident and he looked at me with that fear, as if I would hit him.”
“Don’t worry honey, now he has us and Ei by his side. I’m sure it will be okay with time. See how he already opened up to us in such short time.”
Chiharu hummed again. Katsuki had heard everything. His body and mind were too heavy to cooperate, it was like being trapped in a sea of cotton, so he couldn’t say something to them or go to bed. He knew he should be ashamed for casting such a poor image of himself in front of the women, his mom told him how weak he was and that was another proof of that. But at this instant, he only felt gratitude toward the Kirishimas. They talked about him with affection and protectiveness, they were ready to keep him safe and happy. His heart swelled at that love he didn’t remember experiencing from his own mother. Their forms of love were so different from Mitsuki’s.
“MOM! MA!” shouted an ecstatic voice.
“KAEDE NO!” Another voice followed distressed.
“Shhh, be quiet, Katsuki’s sleeping,” scolded Chiharu softly.
“Oh sorry”, apologized Kaede immediately. He could hear shifting around him and felt a hand run through his hair and a hot breath fan across his face. He could recognize this presence anywhere, even half-asleep: Eijirou.
“You’ll never guess what!” Kaede squealed quietly, accompanied by a groan from her brother. “Katsuki proposed to Eiji!”
The fingers in his hair moved uncoordinatedly as he could hear the redhead squirm from his crouched position in front of the couch. Surely his mothers were looking at him with eyes big as saucers.
“Wait Ei, proposed as in ‘will you marry me’ kind of deal?” Kaoru whisper-shouted.
“Yeah…” he admitted sheepishly. “I said yes,” two gasps could be heard. “But after we graduate and have our own place! We need to be financially stable first,” he rushed to add.
“But you were already dating? You never told us that!”
“No we’re not, he just jumped the steps a bit…”
“A bit? Eijirou, that’s not what you call ‘a bit’!”
“Ma… You’re mad?” Eijirou asked softly, his voice little and wavering.
No, he didn’t want his friend’s family to be mad at Eijirou for his decisions. He shouldn’t have done that. He was fully awake now but the fear of confronted the adults hindered him.
“Of course not sweetie. I’m just surprise that’s all. We always guessed with your mom you would marry that boy. And since the day we met him, we knew it would be sooner than any of us could expect.”
“You love each other so much. We fully support you. Katsuki’s already part of this family and we love him. He’ll take good care of you,” assured Kaoru.
Katsuki heard sniffles coming from what he presumed was Kaede and Chiharu. “Oh god, my boy’s so grown up.” Yep, that was Chiharu.
“He’s a great guy Ei, it’s so obvious he would tear the world apart for you, he’s a keeper,” damn right he would, thank you Kaede. Everything for his best friend.
“Thanks guys,” Eijirou sniffled too. “I should carry him to bed, I don’t wanna wake him up.”
Strong arms wrapped under Katsuki and lifted him easily. Eijirou bid goodnight at his family before walking upstairs. He was slowly laid down on the bed. Someone soon joined him under the cover and began carding his fingers through ash blonde spikes again. The fingers glide to his cheek and stroked under his eye affectionately. The man moved and Katsuki felt a featherlight kiss on his forehead, then on his cheek.
“Good night Katsuki, I love you.”
The fingers stopped their ministrations and the arm wrapped around the blond waist.
Katsuki nuzzled closer to Eijirou, putting his head right on his heart. Listening to the regular beating of what was now the home for his soul.