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Izuku Midoriya stared at her as if she was some kind of Greek goddess. I mean, she sure as hell looked like one. With those sparkly blue eyes and radiant but poised aura, she’d never miss.
But hey. Why did he care? He didn’t have to feel jealous or anything. It couldn’t have been the way that she smiled at Katsuki? Or… made him laugh. Nobody in the office ever made him laugh. Only Izuku could make him laugh like that.
This was ridiculous. She was probably just a friend. A work friend. Yeah, like Katsuki said.
Oh, and there he was. The blond was heading this way. He glanced at the smaller male and gave him a small grin. He returned this with his own, forced-by-instinct one.
When he had finally caught up to him, they held hands and started walking.
Then Izuku asked him, “Is she really just a friend?”
Katsuki looked at him, baffled by the sudden question. “What? Yeah. Of course she is. What’s wrong with you?”
What’s wrong with you . That really hit him. It sent a hurtful sting to his chest, like he was shot by an arrow or something.
What was wrong with him? It was such a stupid question to ask.
“O-okay,” Izuku sniffled.
He was a little uncomfortable now, loosening his grip on the other’s hand. He just kept walking, with his other hand fidgeting, scratching the skin of his index finger with the nail of his thumb. This was his way of calming down even though a million thoughts ran through his head. Like: It’s okay, it’s okay. It was my fault. He didn’t do anything wrong. I was being nosy and annoying again. Nothing bad could ever happen… right? But what if he leaves me for her? She’s just… so perfect. And I’m just this. How long will it take until that happens? How easy would it be? Just one bat of her eyelashes and he’ll be hers. But I don’t want him to go. No, no, no, no… I can’t let that happen. Not again. I don’t want to be replaced.
“Deku .”
He looks up at Katsuki, instantly realizing that he had been crying the whole time. He saw the expression on the other’s face: He looked angry, but he was just a little worried--so little you could barely tell if he cared or not. He gives him a little strained smile, looking away and wiping his face. He didn’t want to show him this: the vulnerable him. It always had to be the Happy face on. Or else he’d fight him. And leave. He didn’t want that.
“Hey, stupid,” he said, cupping his face so he could look at him. He had softer eyes this time, you could almost tell that he was concerned. But… was he?
“Listen to me,” he demanded. His voice was softer, like cat’s fur. It calmed Izuku down a little. “She’s nothing, okay?”
Izuku stared into his ruby red eyes. He wasn’t lying. He wasn’t mad either. He could understand what he had been feeling and was making sure that he didn’t feel that way. That he didn’t feel neglected.
“Yeah, I-I know,” Izuku mumbles in reply. “I just can’t stop thinking about it.”
Then the thoughts come back like a threatening wave of fear, ready to devour him. Izuku braces for it, but Katsuki embraces him before it happens. He holds him tightly as if he was trying to squeeze the bad thoughts out of him. But of course, with the pressure of the blond’s arms around his ribs like that, Izuku couldn’t even breathe.
“Well, stop now,” Katsuki said, tightening the already super tight embrace. “She’s just another trainee to me.”
He smiles, chuckle-coughing. “Okay, but could you please stop crushing me now?”
He looked at Izuku persistently. “Only if you promise!”
“Okay! Okay!” he laughs, giving in.
Katsuki smiles and loosens his arms around the boy’s body, finally giving him enough space to breathe. Izuku fell towards the blond, laying his forehead against Katsuki’s shoulder and he hugged him. He got pretty clingy after crying. Or rather, he got clingy- er . Either way, Katsuki didn’t seem to mind.
Then they went home and treated themselves to each other’s unlimited attention and unconditional company.