Chapter Text
Izuku came to slowly. His hearing filtered back first. The sound of Mitsuki and Katsuki conversing, he could hear Katsuki’s gruffer tone and the response of his mother. He couldn't understand what they were talking about, but by the hushed tones, it was probably really important.
The two were always yelling. It was like a never ending screaming match that made up the dynamic of their family. The quiet father somehow a miracle, balancing the two explosive personalities out, but even he could get loud. But it’s what made the family unique.
When Izuku first came to their residence, he was in awe of the size of their house. The second thing he was in awe of, was that he could hear Katsuki. He hadn’t even gotten to the front door and he was already hearing half the conversation Katsuki was having with his mother, whose shriller tone often interrupted Katsuki. It wasn’t even a conversation at that point, he honestly didn’t know what it was.
Trying to think of what to call it amused him.
‘Bakugo conversation? Bakusation? A Bakuconvo? Wait...wait... A Congo.’ He laughed under his breath and went to the door.
The second he rang the doorbell, it went silent before a muffled;
“GET THE FUCKING DOOR YOU BRAT!”
The resulting “FUCK OFF I’M GOING!!” was accompanied with stomping growing gradually louder before the door was wrenched open, revealing Katsuki wearing grey sweats and a loose black tank top that said “Too Bomb 4 U” in white lettering.
The two stared at each other before Mitsuki’s voice broke the awkward silence.
“BRAT WHO IS IT?!”
“ITS IZUKU! I TOLD YOU HE WAS COMING YOU IDIOT!”
Katsuki’s father's voice filtered in before the two could start another argument.
“Katsuki, please lower your voice. And let Izuku in before he decides to leave.” He didn't even sound like he was reprimanding his son at the cussing at his own mother. Izuku couldn't imagine cussing at his own mom.
Katsuki just huffed and stood aside for Izuku to come in, ushering him past his father and mother. “Come on Deku, you have to help me with this stupid english assignment...”
The memory faded away as his other senses gradually began to filter in. He was laying on the Bakugo family couch, he had taken enough naps on said couch to know. The faint smell of leather and nitroglycerin spurring him to take count of everything else. He felt his knees and hands throb in tandem with his heartbeat, feeling the ache of freshly dressed scrapes. Did he fall? Why was he on Katsuki’s couch?
He tried to remember what happened, he remembered running, and crashing into Katsuki. And the destroyed neighborhood, but his memories were fuzzy at best and he couldn't remember anything else. His head was pounding, a headache making itself known as he opened his eyes to stare at a ceiling, the flow of the hushed conversation abruptly stopping.
He must’ve made a noise because Katsuki’s face suddenly filled his field of vision, his bright red eyes emotional as he frowned.
“Hey Deku, how you feeling?” His tone was fragile and quiet, a tone that was private to Izuku. He was in a different change of clothes, and he obviously showered, his hair lying slightly more flat than usual and he smelled like that strange lemon scented shampoo that he uses.
Izuku’s brain hadn’t quite caught up with everything that happened so when he opened his mouth to answer, a confused noise left his lips as he sat up, moving over so Katsuki could have a place to sit.
Katsuki sighed, a frustrated sound. His posture was hunched and he had a look Izuku couldn’t quite decipher on his face. He was picking at his nails in an anxious habit, his eyebrows slightly furrowed. He was nervous about something, Izuku could tell. It wasn't often when Katsuki worried about something like this, usually confident in everything he did, or feigning it so it would seem like he was.
“Kacchan, w-what’s wrong?” Came the inevitable question and Katsuki ducked his head away from Izuku, hiding behind his bangs as he looked to his mother. The two seemed to have an entire conversation just with their eyes alone.
Mitsuki came and sat on the other side of Izuku, worrying her bottom lip between her teeth as she sighed, the same sigh that Katsuki made, although, this one just felt..sad. She started, placing a gentle hand on Izuku’s back. Katsuki still wasn't looking at him, staring down at his hands like they had betrayed him.
“Izuku...honey.” Mitsuki’s voice was way too soft and it was setting off alarm bells in Izuku’s head. What was wrong? What happened? “I’m sorry to say...but, your mother...she died in the attack…” Tears gathered in her eyes and a few slipped down her cheeks.
Izuku was hit with a wall of denial, he shook his head slowly. He looked down at his bandaged hands and saw the large rips in the pants he was wearing, stained red around the edges. He felt the heat of tears in his eyes as memories suddenly began to filter back as he desperately looked to Katsuki for reassurance. He got none.
Katsuki could barely make eye contact, his own eyes wet, his mouth in a grim line. His expression drove the fact home that he would never see his mother smile again. He tried to hold back a sob, something fragile shattering in his chest.
Katsuki pulled Izuku into a side hug, his own chin resting on top of izuku’s head as tremors shook his own body. Izuku clung to Katsuki with a white knuckled grip as he wailed into his shirt.
It wasn't comfortable, but neither of the boys cared as they mourned.
----
The next few days felt like they dragged on forever. Katsuki half-heartedly grumbled to himself as he sat on the couch, half paying attention to the video game he was playing on the screen, half listening to his parents prepare Inko’s funeral. Izuku was sleeping on the couch next to him, his toes tucked under Katsuki’s thigh. Well, he wasn't exactly sleeping, it was more of a depressed lack of movement.
His eyes were barely open, focussed on something beyond Katsuki’s own, his mind locked somewhere no-one could reach. Katsuki had been patient with him. They all had, the school was allowing them as much time as they needed. Katsuki caught Izuku getting ready for school with a dead expression on his face, he took the backpack from him and put it back in the guest room.
Izuku didn't even protest as Katsuki just sat him down in the kitchen and started making breakfast, both his parents also taking the week off to help and to keep a close eye on Izuku.
It wasn't that Katsuki wasn't sad either, the second Izuku went to sleep, he found himself in their soundproof and fireproof basement setting off explosion after explosion that shook the house. He only stopped when his fingers felt numb and his arms shook with overexertion.
The family basement was transformed into a place where he could practice his quirk after he decimated part the backyard and got several complaints from the neighbors. Needless to say, it became one of Katsuki’s favorite places in the house and a safe environment to practice and hone his quirk.
If he wasn't in the basement, he was with Izuku. And if he wasn't in the basement or with Izuku, he was in the kitchen, stress cooking. But now he was barely paying attention to the game in front of him, putting it on pause as he sighed and looked down at his best friend. The two hadn't done anything that day and the lack of activity was starting to make Katsuki feel anxious, like he had to be somewhere important at that very moment and he couldn't figure out what it was.
He needed some fresh air. If he needed fresh air, then Izuku was probably craving it deep down. Izuku was never one to stay too cooped up inside for long unless he was sick, only then Katsuki couldn't get him to leave the bed.
With a practiced motion, he turned off the TV and set the controller down on the coffee table in front of him, nearly tipping his glass of water over, but quickly righting it.
“Come on nerd, we’re going for a run.”
Izuku just blinked up at him, the blank look slowly turning into something that resembled a bit more life.
Katsuki was already in workout clothes, half his closet was exercise clothing. He tugs the blanket off Izuku, watching as the other kept blinking like he didn't know where he was.
“Zuzu, get up. We need fresh air and camping inside all damn day is stifling.” He hauls Izuku off the couch, earning a squawk of protest from the boy as he stumbled a bit, finding his footing.
“K-kacchan!” Izuku looks back at Katsuki, who only glowered at him and pointed to the guest room where Izuku had some spare clothing from all the times that he had stayed over.
Izuku wanders over to the guest room and takes his time changing, even with Katsuki huffing and telling him to hurry up. None of the words were really rushing him, and were softer than they usually were. He could hear the beginnings of an argument between Katsuki and his mother about the dangers of going outside so close to the attack and Katsuki was countering that he was feeling that he was trapped. Mitsuki eventually lets up and gives them an hour time limit with a very stern tone and look.
Izuku finally steps out of the guest room and Katsuki gently guides him to the door. They go through warmup like a routine and Katsuki sets the pace, Izuku not really saying anything as they take the usual route.
It was a lovely day, the day was just warm enough to warrant sunglasses, and a nice breeze complimented a bright blue sky with few clouds. The sidewalks were mercifully quiet and devoid of people, the attack clearly having scared people into their homes for the next while.
Katsuki sneered internally, that wouldn't make them any safer. Nothing would save anyone from All-Might.
“Hey Kacchan.” Izuku starts quietly during their cooldown, he was stretching, hands on his ankles as he stares at his shoes. He was quiet throughout the run, his thoughts, swirling around in his head. Where would he go now? He was sure that Mitsuki would take care of him, but he didn't want to impose on the Bakugo family. His own father was out of the question. The man disappearing long before Izuku could have any memories of the man. The only reminder that he even had a father was the picture album that his mother had buried underneath albums filled with her and Izuku. Now those albums were covered in rubble and probably had been rained on at this point. Some part of him wanted to go back and salvage what he could from his home. The other part of him was too scared to even think of settl
Katsuki responded with a grunt, his back audibly cracking as he stretched. “What’s up”
“I want to go back to my house.”
Katsuki nearly lost his balance right then and there, but was quiet and let Izuku continue, even with a protest settled neatly on his tongue and several excuses of why he shouldn't or couldn't forming in his mind.
“I-I think this is something that I need to do. I mean, all my clothes, my memories, pictures. All of that is still there probably a-and I want to go get it.” He looked up at Katsuki with bright eyes, determination on his face.
Katsuki opened his mouth, but when he saw the look on his friends face, he nodded. This was the most life he had seen from Izuku in a few days. The least he could do was try and help him out with this.
“All right, I’ll ask my mom.”
---
In the end, Mitsuki and Masaru ended up agreeing to Izuku’s request and a day later, they arrived at the decimated neighborhood early in the morning armed with several bags, heavy duty gloves and face masks for the dust.
The sky was light and already crews were there helping with clean up. The family ducked underneath the caution tape and made their way over to the leveled Midoriya residence. The crews there asked them what they were doing and they explained. A kind gentleman gave them some extra pairs of work gloves and cautioned them to be careful. He had a pitying look in his eye as he turned away.
They began to dig out what they could, Katsuki grunted as he lifted up a wooden dresser, he opened the warped first drawer and nearly laughed out loud.
“Hey Izuku, I found your clothes!” He held up a Hero Onsie, and Izuku blushed to his ears, and let out a chuckle, Katsuki quickly joining him in laughing. The thick atmosphere lifted a little and the four worked to help Izuku find whate wanted to keep and the things that were too broken or not of use to him.
By the time the time the sun was setting, the car had surprisingly little for the situation and it only took two trips to get everything moved over. Izuku had taken nearly all of his clothing that wasn't torn, and dug out some slightly intact posters and found half his figurine collection. He took the photo albums, some jewelry of his mother's’ he managed to find, and two boxes of books.
All in all, Katsuki looked over what was all now piled in the garage and guest room and felt a pit in his stomach. The stuff that Izuku grabbed was the only stuff that wasn't torn to shreds or too broken to even dare try and fix. He just stuck with his friend and helped him load stuff into the laundry as his parents disappeared into the house again to talk about things that would just make Izuku more upset at this point.
Katsuki had found a small bent photograph in a of Izuku and his mother as well as the Bakugo’s a few years back and quietly put it in his pocket, tears leaving clean streaks down his dusty cheeks as he shamefully hid his face and pretended to dig for more items.
Later that night, after he was sure everyone went to sleep and he could hear Izuku snoring through the guest room door, he maneuvered his way through the dark into the kitchen. The bright green light from the oven told him it was nearly one in the morning. He turned the lights on as low as they could go and grabbed some cold pizza from the fridge. He hopped up onto the counter and dug into the pineapple and jalapeno topped pizza.
He hummed thoughtfully as he chewed. He couldn't sleep. Not with what happened today and the sheer amount of hiccuping sobs that he heard Izuku choke down as he picked his way through the rubble. Although he himself wasn't any better. He listened to the quiet of the house, crickets droning outside in a background melody.
Maybe tomorrow would be better.
Tomorrow indeed started off better. Izuku getting up early and moving more stuff around his room. He debated putting up a poster, the walls were so bare...no, he couldn't. It wasn't like he was permanently moving in with the Bakugo’s. He didn't want to be a burden. But where would he go? He didn't have much outside of Katsuki. Come to think of it, almost his entire life revolved around the Bakugo’s and his mother.
Izuku settled for setting up some of the figurines on the bedside table. The paint on them was scratched, but he smiled nethertheless. Now the room had a little bit of character, and he felt something that was tight in his chest ease.
It was going to be okay.
Izuku peeked out of his room, he could hear Mitsuki walking around downstairs, and the tell-tale clank of cutlery. It didn't seem like Katsuki was up yet, if the lack of playful yelling was to go by. He crept down the hallway and quietly knocked on Katsuki’s door.
“Kacchan?”
There was a startled sounding grunt and a thud before Katsuki opened the door. He let Izuku into his room with no complaints, closed it behind him before collapsing onto his bed with a muffled sigh.
“Why the fuck you wakin’ me up at-” He glanced over to the alarm clock by his bed. “-six in the damn morning, Deku?” He grumbles into his pillow, his eyes more tired than irritated, he moved over to let Izuku make himself comfortable.
Izuku was brought up short. Why had he woken Katsuki up so early?
“I...I don't know.” He stuttered, playing with his pajama pants and started down at the black blanket he was sitting on.
The two were silent as Katsuki hovered on the sweet line of sleep and consciousness, his dreams slowly dragging him under when-
“Katsuki Bakugo is that pineapple AND jalapenos on a pizza?!”
“What the fuck is it to you, nerd?!” Katsuki sat up with a insulted look on his face, daring Izuku to continue dragging his food choice.
“You are such a villain, you have pineapple on PIZZA, Kacchan. PINEAPPLE.”
Bakugo sat up and flung a pillow at Izuku. “At least I don't put RANCH on my pizza, you’re the heathen, Deku!”
Izuku gasped as the pillow hit in square in the face.
“That was one time in elementary school!!”
“One time too many you nerd!!”
Izuku laughed and launched himself at his friend, howling a war cry as he flung the pillow right back in Katsuki’s face.
Mitsuki was in the middle of making breakfast when she heard what sounded like a angry howl before there was a loud thud and then her own son let loose his own roar of a warcry, and Izuku was a laughing blur down the stairs before Katsuki thundered after him armed with pillows and yelling “GET BACK HERE DEKU!”
Mitsuki chuckled and continued to make breakfast as she heard the door to the backyard slam open and shut. They would be fine.
She was sure of it.