Chapter Text
Earlier that day…
Katsuki had slept the whole day, not waking up until around 6 o’clock. The consequences of staying up until the sun came up. He groggily sat up, rubbing his eyes to stare at the white wall for a few seconds.
The half-set sun peaked through Katsuki’s window. The last month of summer had been uneventful if you don’t count the last week of June. A week after Izuku’s birthday, he and Izuku hung out non-stop for about 4 days. From breakfast to dinner they talked about anything and nothing. They snuck out to parks, went to old buildings to explore and walked until it was too dark to see past streetlights.
It felt like the world had stopped moving just for them. But only for a limited amount of time.
When it hit July, Katsuki stopped answering his texts, stopped going over to his house. Katsuki didn’t know why but he just did. Even though he had missed how he could just be with him. Katsuki groaned aloud at the sappy thought, leaping out of bed. He hated that feeling of missing someone because it did nothing to bring them back. Although he was the person who pushed “them” away.
As he walked past his wall with littered comic posters out the door. Taking a second to look up to the biggest poster; It was his and Izuku’s favorite hero: All Might, and Red Riot being a close second. Only because when they were little some loud, black haired head kid with a bright Red Riot shirt approached them and ranted about him being the ‘manliest’. Katsuki still wondered what that meant.
Katsuki’s eyes stung due to the juxtaposition between the brightly lit hallway and his dim room. He blinked rapidly to adjust his eyes, stepping into the bathroom. He looked in the mirror as he got his toothbrush, ignoring his messy hair and focusing on the fact he’d probably be taller than his mom soon. Katsuki snickered to himself whilst spitting. He waved a dismissive hand at the shower, telling himself he’ll take one later.
Izuku popped into his brain again. The ache of something he doesn’t quite know lingered. Katsuki didn’t see why he couldn’t just forget about June and Izuku. It was like his brain was holding on to something even though it had no opposable thumbs.
He wasn’t going to let Izuku live rent-free in his mind so he threw on a pair of sweatpants, a T-shirt, some old crust shoes with no socks and without a thought in his mind, he jumped out of his window. Katsuki thought this was the best choice for his inconvenience.
A mix of weather swamped Katsuki which made him sneeze. No wonder he and Izuku usually went when it was already late because their allergies were horrible.
Katsuki began to run after crossing the road. The smell of grass and the chirping of cicadas made him feel like he was flying. After a minute of running, he made it to Izuku’s house. The yellow bricks and red decor brung back a sense of familiarity. He slid his hand around the walls as he walked to the side of the house. Katsuki approached Izuku’s window. Realizing how dumb and stupid his plan was he almost turned back, but before he could a green haired boy appeared in the glass.
“AH!” Katsuki yelped, jumping back. He quickly brushed himself off and coughed like nothing happened. The glare of the sunlight made Izuku’s freckles twinkle. Katsuki backpeddled when the sound of laughter slowly revealed itself.
Izuku chuckled like it was funny, Katsuki would argue otherwise.
“I’m sorry, Kacc- I mean Katsuki. Did I scare you?” Izuku said, resting his elbows on the window seal. Katsuki just looked away.
“No. And don’t call me that.” Katsuki stuffed his hands in his pockets, “I wasn’t thinking when I said call me Katsuki.” He muttered. Katsuki turned back to Izuku; who seemed enlightened by his request.
“Okay, Kacchan.” Izuku answered, seemingly wanting to switch back to his nickname as well. Katsuki was actually kind of pleased by that.
A reticent silence overtook the two as they awkwardly stared at each other. Katsuki flared his nose while Izuku pursed his lips. Katsuki reminisced on how they could’ve just flowed into conversation comfortingly. Katsuki sighed.
“The sun's going down. Do you want to hang out? Or…” Katsuki trailed off, looking for something in Izuku’s big green eyes.
A nervous laugh came from Izuku, “Of course, I mean– yeah. I thought we wouldn’t hang out ever again. I thought maybe I said or did something wrong, which I’m still hoping I didn’t but y’know. It was so much fun before and I’ve missed us together those few days–”
“Dek–Izuku. Just come out.” Katsuki cut off his rambling. Izuku clenched his teeth in response, a hand raising up to his lips.
Izuku turned around quickly, walking over his disaster of a floor to his closet. Katsuki heard footsteps outside his bedroom door, he cautiously looked around from the sudden hyper-awareness of his surroundings.
His feet were dusty from his lack of socks. The bushes covering the house made Katsuki uneasy and the temperature was starting to drop. Katsuki wished he had brought a jacket before hopping out of his window.
“You know you don’t have to force yourself to call me Izuku, I don’t mind.” Izuku’s muffled voice stated while rummaging through his closet, Katsuki’s eyes drifted to his bedroom that was covered in comics and movie posters. Izuku was such a fanboy, he thought.
“Yeah yeah.” Katsuki dismissed his comment while glancing at his bed; it was messy with a bunch of pillows and had a singular notebook on it. Half the page was already filled. Katsuki squinted to try and make out the small letters. Not for anything in particular, he was just really… curious.
Before he could actually read anything Izuku blocked his vision. Katsuki shifted uncomfortably where he stood, trying to slightly get a better angle of the page for no reason in particular.
“Okay, I’m coming.” He exclaimed, throwing a jacket on and heading to his door. Katsuki forgot about the book and threw a hand up.
“Wait!” Izuku stopped at Katsuki’s random urgent words. He turned around curiously. “Come through the window.” Katsuki waved him over but Izuku only took a step forward, cocking his head to the side.
Izuku scanned Katsuki as if he was hiding something. “But…what about what happened last time?” Izuku hesitated before continuing. “Are you sure that’s a good idea?” Izuku picked at his nails or whatever was left of them.
“I’m sure. Come on.” Katsuki wasn’t sure, he just knew he needed to squash Izuku’s doubt. Even if the mention of the event before made him want to bite his nails. He took a firm step back to give room for Izuku.
Izuku still looked unconvinced but went to the window anyway, “Okay.” He ungracefully climbed out the window. One foot goes over the window and Katsuki puts his hand under him instinctively.
The bright red shoes Izuku got for his birthday looked mesmerizing against the green grass, and how big his shoe looked on his skinny leg made Katsuki chuckle. When his other foot reached the ground Katsuki winced. An ugly tan bandage ran up Izuku’s shin. He pondered on how long Izuku had it on, forcing his eyes to look away.
A pause, only Izuku murmuring something that Katsuki was not paying attention to.
As Katsuki lifted his head he was welcomed by a smile brighter than the lowering ball of flames in the sky. He grinned back at Izuku without knowing.
Katsuki supposed they should start walking, he began to go at a fast pace, remembering they snuck out.
Leaves crunched behind him. “Where are we going?” Izuku asked. Katsuki hadn’t thought that far, he shrugged his shoulders as a response.
As they neared the street a black car passed, Katsuki choked. For a second he thought it was his mom. He yanked Izuku from behind him and started pushing him across the pavement. Izuku had been shorter than Katsuki for a while despite the fact his mom was about the same height as Mitsuki. Katsuki secretly hoped Izuku would stay shorter than him.
Izuku turned his head to the side, “Why are you pushing me?” Izuku questioned, not actually moving to stop being pushed. His feet slightly kicked pebbles as he balanced himself.
“You walk slow and you never look both ways.” Katsuki scoffed. “You wouldn’t survive without me.” smirked Katsuki. He stopped pushing Izuku and patted his shoulder derisively as he passed him. Izuku shuffled to catch up to him.
The silence stretched, Katsuki bit his tongue at the lack of response.
“You said you would stop saying that when I turned 14” Izuku retorted, obviously offended by Katsuki’s statement. Katsuki exhaled deeply, his gaze was stuck on the now darkened blue sky before turning at Izuku. If you didn’t know he had green hair you would’ve thought it was black. Izuku met Katsuki’s eyes, blinking quicker than normal.
Katsuki observed Izuku before breaking the quiet. “You're still too young.” He flipped his head back and itched his arm, ignoring the slight pressure on his chest.
Izuku flung his arms up in defeat, “I’ll always be younger than you though.” he whined. “Like– I won’t ever be older!”
Katsuki actually hadn’t really thought much behind that statement when he said it, he laughed to himself, “Exactly.” Katsuki agreed with a grin on his face.
They continued to walk in a mildly comfortable silence. The crisp air made Izuku’s nose dry and the cold breeze made Katsuki get goosebumps. Leaves blew past their feet, cars drove by which still gave Katsuki a mini heart attack each time he saw a black SUV.
Katsuki glanced at Izuku, biting his nails again. He slapped them out of his hand and before he could say anything Katsuki said, “Let’s go stop at a corner store.” Izuku nodded, and they continued to walk in silence.