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Chapter Text

' Life itself is but the shadow of death '
Thomas Browne

Bakugou Katsuki wasn't alone. He hadn't been alone for a long while now.

The shadow lurking in the corner of his room had been there as far back as he could remember, with only Katsuki ever noticing it.

On rare occasions it had moved, at one time even making it as far as the back porch only to then slink back into its corner in Katsuki's room.

Katsuki hadn't spoken a word about it of course. He wasn't getting into trouble with his parents for his wild imagination anymore. The first and only time he'd tried to tell them about it, the whole house had ended up in uproar. Thankfully, he'd been so young at that time that once he'd calmed down they'd put it down to the fearful imaginings of a child.

Katsuki doesn't remember the first time he noticed it was something other than a shadow, but he knew that he'd always avoided that corner of the room. It just seemed to emanate sadness, fear, hatred, loss.... The list of negative emotions went on. In the past it had sucked the joy from Katsuki by just looking at it, but he'd seemed to have built up a tolerance to it over the years.

Once, when Katsuki was seven, only a few years after they'd moved into the house, he had been colouring in his superhero drawings with brightly coloured crayons while laying on his bed. He had been humming his favourite superhero's theme tune to himself when movement caught his eye over the edge of the bed.

He'd peered over to see a baseball roll slowly to a stop beside his bed. Katsuki had lost that ball to the corner a week earlier, and as with all things that landed in that space, he'd forget they even existed until his mother would come to tidy away the forgotten things.

So, with a frown on his face, he'd let his eyes follow the trajectory of the ball's roll back to the corner.

Even that day, with the bright summer sun streaming through his windows, the corner had remained dark and shrouded in shadow.

His ruby eyes bored into the corner, searching the place where the walls met for any sign of what made him feel so damn down and depressed when he looked into that space, for what caused his blood to freeze in his veins whenever he accidentally stepped into the shadow, for what had rolled his ball back to him. Nothing good could be behind those feelings, right? So he'd collected his colouring and crayons, and without taking his eyes off of the corner, he'd left his room trying to escape it.

Over the years, as Katsuki grew his room inevitably changed, and the corner became home to an electric guitar that was bought for him one Christmas which he never did learn to play.

Now Katsuki laid in his bed watching the shadow in the corner of his room as if it would move and stretch out towards him. Absurd really to think such a thing could happen, but there had been a few instances where the shadow was just simply not there. The longest period being the time it seemed to have moved to the downstairs hall and stayed there for a whole day before returning to plague Katsuki's room once more.

Katsuki supposed that the shadow had every right to be there. Corners are the natural home of shadows after all, especially on autumn nights such as this, when the dark started to close further and further in on the light. What right did Katsuki have to think something sinister lay within it?

He couldn't blame the shadow for being what it was. Of course it was dark and eerie, and he could at least admit it to himself... a little scary.

It's presence was a constant in his life. There had been a period, before he became a hormonal teen, that he'd been lonely and started greeting the shadow when he entered his room and saying his goodbyes to it when he left. But when he'd accidentally done that in front of one of his middle school friends, brushing it off as them having shitty hearing, he'd decided he needed to stop that. At the time, it had just felt right to treat it that way, he couldn't really explain why.

Sometimes even now, on days when he felt particularly lonely, he'd still nod in silent acknowledgement of its presence. Try as he might, he could never completely ignore its existence.

Katsuki closed his eyes tightly and tried to sleep. There were long periods of time where he hardly noticed the shadow. He'd become habituated to it. He could sometimes go weeks without noticing it, or feeling the cold hurt emotions that seeped from it. But tonight was not one of those nights.

On nights where the feelings of dread and despair were particularly strong, Katsuki would wake up crying tears of pain that were not his own. He had the horrible feeling this would happen tonight. He guessed he was probably due a night of unrest.

After hours of tossing and turning, Katsuki finally slipped into a dreamless sleep, and in the small hours of the morning he silently wept.

The shadow in the corner wept with him.

The next day Katsuki fell asleep over his math book, his friends across the classroom looked worriedly over at him and the dark circles that adorned his eyes.

Frankly, right now Katsuki didn't care. He felt at peace. He even managed to dream a little.

Chapter Text

'When you are crazy you learn to keep quiet'
Philip K. Dick

Katuski had had a shit few weeks. His sleep schedule was fucked, and he had midterms coming up next month. He was beyond tired.

Anyone would think Katsuki's tiredness was down to the activities of any typical seventeen year old; parties, late nights socialising, cramming in study time. No. Katsuki was sick and tired of the shadow in the corner of his room putting its emotional baggage onto him.

Lately, for no reason Katsuki could fathom, the shadow had become more of a hassle than usual.

It was now Friday night, and the self-titled 'Bakusquad' had all taken it upon themselves to try and cheer up their tired friend.

Katsuki slammed his textbook closed with a huff and ran his hands through his ash blond spikes as the doorbell rang.

"Brat! Your friends are here!" His mother yelled from downstairs.

"Yeah! One minute, Hag!" Katsuki called. He and his mother loved each other dearly... they just had a peculiar way of showing it.

Usually his friends would hang out downstairs with his mother for a while, trying to score free clothes and designer swag from her. Both of his parents were fashion designers, and it wasn't lost on Katsuki that other people thought this was cool as shit. All he knew was that he spent a lot of his childhood alone eating microwave meals for one.

Katsuki stood, stretched, and glanced at the corner before he wandered across his room to the door. Even after all the shitty feelings and the sleep deprivation he didn't hate the shadow. Not at all. In fact, he'd become so accustomed to having it there that he almost felt that if it were to suddenly disappear he'd feel even more disturbed.

He also had no idea why, but whenever his friends came over they just seemed to naturally avoid the shadow's corner. None of them ever noticed it at all.

He opened his door to see the Squad climbing the stairs.

"Bro! You're mom is so cool, man. She's totally ok with us having some drinks tonight if you're down?" Said the redhead at the front of the pack, holding up blue plastic bags that clinked as he raised them.

"Tch, whatever Shitty Hair." Katsuki rolled his eyes as he withdrew back into his room and slouched down onto his bed. Of course his mom was cool with it. She'd be happy with anything his friends suggested as long as it meant he was hanging out with them instead of being antisocial.

'Shitty Hair' was obviously not the redhead's real name, but Katsuki had a way with nicknames. What could he say, he really made them his own.

"She's gonna score me and Denki some swag from the upcoming spring line too!" Mina squealed, her pink curls bouncing as her golden eyes lit up against her caramel skin, "She's just who I wanna be when I grow up." She said dreamily.

"You are grown Pinky, you idiot." Katsuki scoffed as they all filed into his room.

Mina took a place on the floor.

"At least she knows what she wants to be when she grows up! I don't have a clue guys," the slim yellow haired boy moaned dramatically as he plopped down on the floor next to Mina, leaning on her shoulder.

"Denki, stop whining, you've picked a course all you gotta do it get your final grades," Sero chimed in, letting the snacks he was carrying fall into a pile on Katsuki's desk and throwing a bag of jalapenos flavour chips to the leader of their Squad. "I'm personally not even worried bro, I'm gonna be an engineer. That's always been my dream."

He pulled Katsuki's desk chair towards the others and sat backwards on it, leaning his arms over the top of the back of the chair.

"Well we can't all be like you Sero," Denki groaned from beside Mina, "Or Kiri and Kat with their sports scholarships. Kiri? Drinks dude?" He made grabby hands at the redhead who was unpacking the beers onto the desk.

Kiri chuckled, tossing out the beers to his friends, before moving to sit next to Katsuki on the bed.

Sero scoffed, popping the top on his beer bottle, "Bro, you're taking photography because you had ok arts grades to get into the course. That's the only reason! You could've actually tried to find a career path ya know."

"Woah! Low blow Soy Sauce." Katsuki chuckled, already sipping his own beer. "Dunce can't help that he's a fucking idiot with no life plan." He smirked.

His friends started to laugh as Denki collapsed backwards, hand on heart to signify how deeply his friend's words had wounded him.

They were all in their final stretch of high school, and boy were they glad they'd all applied for the same university. All they had to do was make it through their last semester with the grades they needed. Hopefully, next September they'd start the next chapter of their lives in dorms.

"Actually! He chose photography because of that boy... What's his name? The one who does all the AP Classes and after school shit?" Mina questioned Denki, snapping her fingers at him as he reached up for a bag of cheesy puffs, frustrated she couldn't remember.

"What boy?" Sero asked, everyone's interest now piqued. "Why've we never heard about this?"

Denki's cheeks started to tint pink as he concentrated far too hard on opening his snack.

"Ah! I get it!" Sero said, wiggling his eyebrows.

Mina snatched the packet from Denki, ripping it open, "Oh for God's sake! Just tell them!" She said, shoving the bag back into his hand.

"Come on Mina! They'll just take the piss!" Denki groaned.

Kiri leaned forward to ruffle his yellow hair, "I mean yeah! Of course we will, we're your friends, that kinda our job! But we're here for you too bro. Come on, spill!"

They all smiled at Denki expectantly, except Katsuki who was just stuffing spicy chips in his mouth.

"Okay, okay," he held his free hand up in surrender, "I went to this party at Shinsou's place, like a few months ago, and there was this beautiful boy there. He said he's gonna take photography at UA, and he runs the photography club at our school. He admitted after a few drinks that he's totally gay but his dad is a big fucking homophobe so he's not out, only a few of his friends know... So don't go saying shit guys!" Denki finished seriously.

The others all nodded. They might not know this kid yet, but outing someone was not something any of them would do. Denki himself had been outed in middle school, so he had first-hand experience of how shit that can be. Thankfully, his amazing friends and supportive parents helped him survive it. He knew not everyone was so lucky.

"And you should have seen his photos too! Damn, he could photograph me any day." Denki said, absentmindedly biting his lip, "But uh, yeah. Our school is pretty huge so it looks like until then I'd just missed him I guess." He shrugged.

"So, you like this dude?" Kiri beamed.

"Clearly," Sero added, shaking his head as the redhead stated the obvious, "He's applied for the photography course just to see him!"

"Guys! I actually do wanna do photography, honest! But seeing him everyday would be an added bonus... you haven't see him, he's dreamy as fuck! He's fit too, and his ass-" Denki smirked dopily.

"For fuck sake Dunce, keep it in your pants!" Katsuki growled, feigning disgust before scrunching his brow in thought, "I think I know the guy you're talking about though. He's always got that stupid camera on him, right? Snapping photos of every-fucking-thing. He photographs our football games too? Shitty Hair, you'll have seen him."

"That's him?" Kiri asked, realisation crossing his features.

Denki nodded enthusiastically, taking a drink, "Yeah, that's him!" You've noticed him then?" He asked the blond a little worriedly.

Katsuki balled up his empty chip bag, throwing it into the nearby trash can, "Of course I've noticed him, Dunce. Since I'm not fucking blind it's hard not to, 'cos yeah, he's hot as fuck. I don't think he realises how hot he is either."

Denki hummed in agreement.

"I've thought about making a move on him too." Katsuki smirked devilishly.

"Baku, no!" Denki yelled pleadingly, "You can't make a move on him, that's not fair man! If you do that he won't even notice me." He frowned at his beer.

"Denks, that's not true bro!" Kiri tried to reassure, but Mina was still hung up on Katsuki's last statement.

"Ha!" Mina leant in snatching a few cheese puffs from Denki, "If Bakubabe wanted him he'd have made a move by now-"

Sero interrupted with his best Bakugou impression, "I never do anything I don't wanna fucking do Racoon Eyes!"

Amidst everyone's laughter, Katsuki scowled.

"Exactly! You always get what you want eventually. So, if you like him, why haven't you gone after him already? There's no way you give a shit about Denki's feelings and you admitted that he's hot." Mina finished, raising a brow at the blond.

"I didn't know about his fucking feelings 'til just now, idiot." Katsuki said, rolling his eyes for what felt like the umpteenth time that evening.

"Then why?" Mina leaned into their circle, and gasped suddenly, "Could it be our fearsome overlord doesn't wanna just bang the boy... it is... Lo-"

"Fuck off Racoon eyes!" Katsuki yelled, flipping her off.

Kiri wiped fake tears from his eye, "Our boy's clearly trying to use his emotions guys!"

Katsuki growled, "S'not like that you assholes. He seems too sweet. I'd fucking ruin him."

Sero sighed and nodded in agreement, and Denki cheered, "At least I might have a chance now!"

"Yeah, our hot head has plenty of others to choose from! He literally has people throwing themselves at him. I mean literally, I've seen it!" Mina laughed wickedly, the others following.

Katsuki flushed red as he sipped his beer, "No shit. I can't help that I'm this fucking hot. But I don't make an effort for any of those extras, you dicks."

"Oh yeah, we know. You don't have to make an effort, they come to you," Denki grinned knowingly, "this week I overheard Momo in the cafeteria complaining that you hadn't returned her texts after she'd had such an 'amazing time' with you the other week. Dirty boy, Bakuhoe." He sniggered.

The others were beside themselves with laughter. Do they call Katsuki that when he's not around? Sure. To his face? Never.

"The fuck-" Katuski made to launch himself forward and throttle Denki but was cut off by Kiri's strong hand pushing him back down onto the bed.

"Denks, I don't want you to die today man," Kiri said, stifling his laughter, "Bakubro, calm down. He's just trying to wind you up bro!"

Mina was still rolling with laughter, she loved watching her boys bicker. They were like the brother's she never had.

"What did you do?" She asked, with wide expectant eyes. As if he thought he could keep something like this from her. Mina prides herself on knowing all of the gossip she can, especially when it involves her Squad.

Everyone looked to Katsuki, "I didn't fuck her if that's what you're implying." He glared.

"No, you just fing-" Denki was cut off by a pillow to the face, knocking him backwards. It was a miracle he didn't spill his beer.

The others were roaring with laughter once more, "Shame shame, I know your name... and it's Bakuhoe!" Mina cackled, while Sero continued to laugh into his beer.

Denki tossed the pillow behind him, hitting the guitar stand and making it topple over.

Katsuki froze.

As the others came down from their high, their laughter easing up, all eyes fell on the strangely silent Katsuki who was staring at the corner of his room with narrowed red eyes.

Kiri followed his gaze, "Oh shit bro. Denks you better make sure Kat's guitar is ok and put it back man. Now." He urged, feeling the tension coming from the blond.

He'd never seen his friend play it, it just seemed to sit there, but maybe it had some sentimental value or something. Having it tumble from its stand definitely had an effect on him.

"Uh, oh shit. Sorry Kat!" Denki stood, turning as he stepped forward to reach for the guitar.

"No!"

Everyone froze in place, all eyes snapped to Katsuki who had shot up from the bed.

"Leave it." He said, barely above a whisper.

"Um, I was just gonna put it back Kat, it's no problem." Denki replied softly.

He didn't know what was happening with his friend at that moment, but he knew well enough that his outburst needed to be handled with care.

"I said leave it." Katsuki insisted, fists clenching around his beer bottle.

Kiri stood up next to him, placing a hand gently on his shoulder. As Bakugou's best and oldest friend he thought he'd better handle this.

"Kat, he's just gonna put it back. It's okay, it's not broken or anything."

Katsuki just stared at the corner, unmoving.

Sure, Katsuki had anger problems, he got into verbal fights and fist fights, and he swore too much, but he never really lost his shit with the Squad. They were used to him being loud and a quiet Katsuki was unsettling to say the least.

Kiri came around in front of him, forcing their red eyes to meet.

"Dude, what's going on?"

The others waited silently, watching the encounter play out, Denki still stood frozen just outside of the shadow's reach.

Internally Katsuki wasn't sure why he'd freaked out. The shadow had never made anyone else feel like shit except him, and after all these years Katsuki had come to believe that it wasn't trying to harm him, he just soaked up some of the crappy emotions it was giving off. It was like the shadow vibrated at a frequency only Katsuki could hear and understand. The vibrations translated into emotions that permeated his very being and rattled his soul in the dead of night, when no one was there to witness him unravel into a sobbing mess and cry out unconsciously in his sleep.

So why was he so upset by Denki nearly encroaching on the shadow's space? Katsuki reasoned that it had been affecting him more recently and he just didn't want anything to upset it further. No one had entered its space in a long time.

All this time he was thinking and just staring spaced out into Kiri's face, leaving his friends exchanging worried glances.

"-suki? Kat? Katsuki?"

Kiri's worried face came back into focus, and Katsuki realised he was making his friends actually worried. He shook his head, pinching the bridge of this nose as he breathed deeply.

Kiri squeezed his shoulder, "Look, we don't know what's going on but..." He hesitated momentarily. Katsuki hated being called out for any weaknesses, and he was going to see what Kiri said next as a weakness. The Squad tensed, knowing this could lead to a full on tantrum from the blond, "...Well, you uh, you've looked really tired for a while now dude."

When Katsuki just scowled at him, he pressed on, "You keep falling asleep in class, and you've been kinda moodier than usual."

He gently pushed Katsuki to sit back down and took a seat next to him on the bed.

"You know we're here for you, right Kat? If something is bothering you, we wanna help... if we can." He finished, smiling at him softly.

Katsuki hated it. That smile. The reassuring looks on all of his friends' faces. He didn't need their fucking help. He'd managed his whole life without telling anyone, and come next year he'd be in dorms and he wouldn't have to deal with the shadow's shitty emotions anymore.

"I'm...I'm fine. It's nothing." He sighed, running his hand down his face and draining his beer.

Kiri knew that was a lie, but he just nodded and smiled, considering it a win that the blond had remained calm, "Well if you decide it's something, we're here."

"So, can I stand the guitar up or...?" Denki asked, breaking the tension in the room.

The Squad looked at Katsuki. He nodded slowly, watching Denki's every move.

Denki turned, and reaching into the space the shadow occupied he gripped the neck of the guitar with his free hand. Katsuki noticed that the other hand, which was still holding his beer, began to shake very slightly.

Denki lifted the instrument and placed it on its stand. As he turned back to the group, his whole body shivered in a wave from his head to his feet.

"There, all done." He stepped away from the corner and lifted his head to smile up at his friends who all held shocked expressions.

"What's with the faces?" He chuckled, "Do I have cheese dust on my face?" He giggled but none of them moved.

He stuck his tongue out to clean off any orange residue, but instead was met with cold salty liquid just past his lips. He reached his hand up to his face, feeling the wetness trailing down his cheek, and brought his fingers back to inspect them.

"What the fuck?"

He looked back towards his friends, yellow eyes wide and confused.

He felt fine, better than fine, he felt great! He was having a fun night with his friends - well, minus Katsuki's little outburst.

So why the hell was he crying?

"Uh, Denki, are you ok?"

Sero was the first to speak up, standing from his chair to move over to his yellow haired friend who simply looked confused.

"I-I feel fine, I don't-I mean..." Denki shook his head, wiping the unexpected tears from his face as Sero slipped an arm around his shoulders, "Honestly guys, I'm ok. Maybe it's allergies or something?"

As Denki tried to reason what had just happened, Katsuki's mind was reeling. This was something new.

Mina frowned, "Denks, you sure? That was seriously weird, babe. You had me worried!"

Kiri was eyeing Katsuki. The blond's red eyes were silently questioning something. Kiri wanted to ask, but for now he remained silent, just watching.

While Denki continued to reassure the others, Katsuki was thinking about doing something he didn't think he'd ever consider.... He thought about his options carefully. Was it actually the case, as he'd presumed, that he'd spent so long with the shadow it could simply reach out to him more easily? It easily latched its emotions around him like tendrils winding into his core, able to firmly grasp his unconscious mind but also affecting his conscious one too with its presence alone, while all others seemed beyond its reach.

Until today that is.

Katsuki's mother had entered the shadow before and had never mentioned being affected by it. Although, Denki didn't seem to realise he had been, so maybe his mother had a similar experience and no one was around to point it out to her. Maybe with outsiders the shadow could only reach out when they encroached in its space, the others just didn't have the affinity with it that Katsuki had grown to have. Maybe he could do a little test....

No. No. What was he thinking! If nothing happened, the Squad would question why he'd requested they touch the corner of Katsuki's room, and if something did happen, he'd have to explain that too. He could probably just about get away with Denki's 'allergy attack'... But maybe it was time. Another voice in his head egged him on to let others in on this, as if sharing this secret would lighten the burden. 'A problem shared is a problem halved', his father always says.

Fuck it, his friends could think he was crazy, he didn't care. Either way, he reassured himself once again that on the scheme of things he really didn't have that long left living with his unwanted roommate.

When he zoned back into the room, Denki and Mina were sitting again and chatting away, while Sero was passing around more beers. Kiri leant in close to him.

"Seriously, are you gonna at least tell me what's going on, 'cos you spacing out tells me you're thinking real hard about something dude."

Katsuki took in his friend's concerned face, and nodded, "Yeah, I'll tell you, but you gotta do something for me first."

"Whatever you need bro!" Kiri beamed, straightening up ready to do whatever the blond asked of him.

"Go touch the corner over there, where Dunce was." Katsuki said seriously.

"What? Is that it?" Kiri asked, chuckling softly as he stood, placing his empty beer on the floor as he went.

All eyes snapped to Kiri as he approached the corner, the three other Squad members looking questioningly between the two red eyed teens.

Kiri came to a holt just outside of the shadow, "I just touch the corner, and you'll tell us what's up?" He questioned, gesturing towards the shadow with a nod of his head.

"Yep, just need you to turn around and touch the corner." Katsuki deadpanned.

"Alrighty..." Kiri replied, sighing amusedly.

He turned away from his friends as he outstretched his arm and reached into the shadow. Again Kastuki noted the slight tremor along Kirishima's body. The way the small hairs on his arms could be seen to stand on end below the short sleeves of his t-shirt. Kiri let his hand glide softly down the grey painted walls where the two met at the corner, before retreating slowly, considering his mission a success and turning back around to his friends.

"No fucking way!" Sero spoke out, something halfway between a whisper of disbelief and a yell.

"What?" Kiri questioned, cocking a brow at his friends.

"Oh-wow, Kiri, y-you're... you're crying too dude..." Denki said quietly, raising a hand to point at his friend's tearsoaked face.

"What the-" Kiri wiped his hands down his cheeks, and sure enough they came away wet with tears. He rubbed his face dry as the Squad stared worriedly at him, and each other.... Except Katsuki. He looked shocked but also... relieved?

Kiri stared him in the eyes, "Kat-I... You knew that was gonna happen didn't you?"

"No," Katsuki took a swig of his second beer and leaned forward, elbows on his knees as he sighed, "I had a hunch, but fuck, I didn't expect it to work. At least I'm not fucking crazy." He laughed softly to himself, running a hand through his hair as the others all glanced at one another.

Mina scooted over to pat his knee, "You better explain this shit Kat, before I start really freaking out."

"Fuck...okay," He groaned, as he looked away from her wide anxious eyes, "Everyone sit down, this is gonna take a while to explain."

They all immediately got comfortable in their seats again, Kiri still looking confused beside the blond.

"No one fucking interrupt me. You can ask questions at the end." Katuski watched Sero open a new beer, and then set his red eyes on the corner.

"So, uh... there is a shadow in the corner of my room...."

Chapter Text

'You must know that love will always uncover the truth'
Delano Johnson

After Katsuki had told his story and answered his friends multiple questions, he watched every member of the Squad invade the shadow's space and come away with tear stained faces.

His friends knew that Katsuki was no liar, but if they'd have wanted to question if his story was true or if he was having some sort of mental break, then their own experiences put to bed any doubts they may have had.

They came to the conclusion that Katsuki must be living with a bona fide ghost. The blond had 'tch'd' telling them he knew it was crazy but what other explanation did he have? However, Kiri insisted that of course they believed him, how could they not?

Plus, what the fuck else would something like that be called? Spirit? Ghost? Spectre? An apparition? A remnant? A shadow? Katsuki told the Squad he had called it 'shadow' his whole life, so they agreed to keep referring to it as such. 

it sounded bat-shit crazy, but they all agreed that Shadow had to be a ghost. A ghost with a lot of emotional pain. Mina had also helpfully decided for the group that Shadow was not an evil spirit. She listed off her reasons for this decision, the most compelling of which being that if it could move objects, slink around his house, and make Katsuki sleep like shit, it could probably just kill him dead anytime it wanted. Katsuki didn't actually find that statement reassuring. 

Sero had piped up wondering if maybe there was a way they could help Shadow, so it could perhaps move on. Katsuki wondered, huffing internally in annoyance, if after all these years it would perhaps be easy to get rid of the shadow after all. 

The Squad finally left late that night, all turning to bow and say goodbye to Shadow, while promising Katsuki they'd discuss this further the next day and help the blond to put the shadow to rest.

When Katsuki finally got into bed he frowned at Shadow, hoping he made a good choice in sharing this with his friends. They had all handled it well, no one really freaked out... too much - Mina was probably a bit too excited about the whole thing to be honest. They saw the evidence themselves so it was hard for any of them to remain sceptical. 

The blond laid on his back, staring into the corner as he'd done on many other occasions.

He nodded, and mumbled a "Goodnight" to the shadow before turning away from it and slipping quickly into a weary slumber.

The shadow didn't affect Kastuki at all that night.

Over the weekend the Squad's group chat was full of chatter about Shadow, shared links to articles about the paranormal, and YouTube videos about putting spirits to rest or cleansing them from the home. Katsuki put a firm 'No' against the cleansing idea - What if they displaced Shadow and ruined any chance of it moving on? Katsuki couldn't help but sympathise with it after years of feeling its pain. 

By the time Monday rolled around, Katsuki had had three good nights of sleep and was looking much more rested when the Squad met up in the cafeteria at lunch.

"Maybe it knows," Sero reasoned as he sat at their usual table with his lunch tray, "I mean it was in the room with us so it knows what we were planning. It knows we're gonna try and help it."

"Great, so it's been emotionally torturing me for years to get my attention?" The Squad all hummed in agreement, "Fucking figures." Katsuki scoffed.

"Could be bro, like Mina said, it doesn't seem evil, just hurt." Kiri frowned, "It probably really wants to move on. I wonder what happened to it."

"It's gotta have died badly to get stuck here. Unfinished business and all that," Mina nodded thoughtfully, "And the poor thing is probably sick of having to live with your grumpy hoe ass."

Katsuki scowled, stabbing his chicken.

"And dude! Did you ever think about the fact that if it sees everything, then it sees everything." Denki said suggestively, spooning pudding into his laughing mouth. 

"For fuck sake Dunce, only you'd think of that shit." Katsuki sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"Come on guys, I think having a ghost is creepy enough, let's not turn Shadow into a pervert too." Kiri replied, patting Katsuki on the back in what he hoped was a reassuring way.

"Whatever, idiots." The blond spat back, although his friends had a point that he was already well aware of.

Has Katsuki changed his clothes in his closet ever since hitting puberty? Hell yes. He'd also never brought anyone up to his room to engage in 'activities'. His parents were never there, so fucking in the living room was never really a problem, and it stopped the extras hanging around very long when they could be ushered out of the front door so easily. Unlike Katsuki's parents, Shadow was always there, and the sad reality of that had never been lost on him.

"If you say so bro, but I'd defo be a little creeped out," Denki chuckled, glancing at his phone.

"Shit!" He said around the spoon in his mouth, jumping up from the table and grabbing his backpack.

"Where'ya rushing off too?" Mina questioned, moving into Denki's seat to finish his pudding. 

"I'm-..." He pulled the spoon from his mouth with a pop and handed it to Mina, "I'm meeting my dream boy to sign up for the photography club!" He called out, already starting to run from the cafeteria and waving over his shoulder.

"Poor kid," Sero sighed, "he's got it bad."

"I bet that cute photographer is needy as fuck, he looks the type." Katsuki snorted, "Dunce is already needy. Two needy fuckers won't work." 

"Dude, don't make assumptions," Kiri chuckled, shaking his head as he chugged down his protein shake.

"Yeah, you know what they say," Mina leant forward as she licked clean Denki's abandoned pudding cup, "When you assume you make an ass out of you and me.... Or in this case, just you, Bakuhoe."

Katsuki made a grab for her across the table, but Mina was already running for the exit cackling as her pink converse squeaked across the floor.

"Later boys!" She called, disappearing into the hall. 

The bell rang overhead and the rest of the Squad stood to clear away their lunch trays as Kiri's phone vibrated in his pocket. 

He fished it out to see that Denki had texted him, and he couldn't help but chuckle. 

"What's so funny, Shitty Hair?" Katsuki asked, dumping his tray on the pile.

"Uh, Denks has texted me to ask you if you'll drop him off home after his photography club tonight."

"Tch, too much of a pussy to ask me himself." The blond said, swinging his bag over his shoulder. 

"Well, yeah obviously," Sero laughed walking up beside the two, "but we have football practice tonight anyway so we'll be around, right? We could actually meet this guy!" 

"Hell, he might be on the field taking shots of us." Kiri smiled.

"He's gonna be at the club you idiot, he can't be two places at once," Katsuki retorted, rolling his eyes, "It's the Thursday training he comes to and the actual games."

"Hold on!" Sero said, rushing to keep up with the blond as he stomped to class, "You don't care about shit, but you remembered when a random kid with a camera shows up to our practices?"

He gave Kiri a look that said, You thinking what I'm thinking?, with Kiri nodding in the blond's peripheral. 

"You shitheads can fuck off with those looks!" He hit them upside their heads in turn, calling behind him as he stormed off, "I already said I noticed him dipshits!"

"Oh no, this is not good." Kiri sighed, "What're we gonna do if two of our best bros like the same guy?" 

Sero scratched his chin in thought, "I guess we just let the guy decide for himself and help the other move on?" He said sadly.

"You're right, you're right." Kiri smiled softly, not liking the thought of his friends competing. 

Although, he really couldn't see Bakugou becoming soft enough to win over the sweet kid Denki was talking about, or imagine him becoming vulnerable enough to expose his heart to someone either. But there was something about the way he talked about the mystery boy that made both of his friends alert to the fact that he wasn't just trying to grab ass and move on. Kiri thought it was clear that the blond had his eye on this guy for a while. The redhead thought back, how long had he been shooting their games? Six months? A year? Had Katsuki been watching the guy that long? 

"Honestly, the guy said he wasn't out yet right? I doubt he's looking for a boyfriend." Sero shrugged.

"Yeah, I guess we can hope he isn't. Might save us some drama." Kiri chuckled, shaking his head as the second bell rang.

"Fuck, we can't be late again man!" Sero yelled, nudging Kiri forward and running the rest of the way to class.

The rest of the day went by without anything out of the ordinary happening. Denki had texted the group to say his meeting with his dream boy went great and they 'really hit it off', which he emphasised with way too many winking emojis for Katsuki's liking.

By the time Katsuki was showering after football practice that evening he was tired, grumpy - ok, grumpier, and ready to go the fuck home to hang with the Squad and discuss the plan for Shadow. But first he had to collect the idiot. His mood perked up a little at that. He was going to get to ogle the fit guy again. 

He'd been doing it every week and at every game for the past year or so. There was even a time when the guy had climbed the fence and leaned over to get the perfect shot of the game, and Katsuki was just lucky enough to have seen his shirt ride up his stomach, revealing a toned stretch of pale unmarked skin. The slight shadows there hinting at the outline of his ab muscles, and the top of his deep 'V' cut down to the waistband of his jeans, nearly causing Katsuki to drop the ball. From looks alone Katsuki knew he didn't want to just mess around with this kid. Yeah he was hot but also just gave off this aura of positivity and happiness, even from across the field, and he'd cheer and clap for the players when he could. To top it all off he was always smiling and that pissed Katsuki off, because damn it, it even made the hot head want to smile. 

Knowing he could possibly be introducing himself to the guy soon made a bubble of something foreign gurgle away in his gut. Was this what nerves felt like? Katsuki couldn't say he ever really got nervous, he was a cocky arrogant asshole and he knew it, so this was new. 

He mentally slapped himself, he's done shit with half the year group at this point and has never felt anything more than a desire to satisfy his own urges, this is no different. And as much as he hated to admit it, Dunce Face was his friend, and if he wanted to give it a go with the guy then he wouldn't get in the way if that.

The blond exited the locker room to find Sero and Kiri waiting for him.

"Ok, so Denks texted, he said it's cool for us to go meet him at the rec room the club is in. The one by the music hall." Sero said, running his fingers through his still damp black hair as the trio started walking to meet their friend. 

They made small talk on the way there, mostly dissecting today's practice, but as they entered the next hallway they quieted, hearing Denki's laugh echoing down the corridor.

They spotted him further down, talking away to someone in front of the door to the rec room.

"Yo, Denki!" Kiri called with a big goofy smile and a wave at his friend.

Denki turned, smiling broadly, returning his friends' waves. The figure next to him straightened up to meet their gazes as they came to a stop in the hall.

"Hi guys! Uh, this is Midoriya Izuku, we were just locking up the rec room." Denki said, his cheeks slightly blushing as he widened his eyes at the others, knowingly signaling that if they weren't already sure, this was the guy.

"Hi, it's nice to meet you all!" Midoriya said enthusiastically, waving at them and looking at them all in turn. Katsuki could have sworn his eyes lingered on his own a little longer than the others', but he put it down to wishful thinking. "I didn't think I'd get to meet Kaminari's friends so soon!" 

His voice was deeper than Katsuki had expected, not as deep as his own, but it still caught him off guard a little. He was also even more attractive up close than the blond could have imagined. His pale skin was dotted with tiny tanned freckles and his wide green eyes drew Katsuki in like a moth to a flame. He was only a little shorter than the other boys, with a mess of dark green curls falling across his forehead. His toned biceps and thighs could be seen peeking out of the edge of his t-shirt and short combo - An interesting choice of clothing for winter, Katsuki noted. He found himself forcing his eyes to Kirishima before he was caught staring.  

"It's nice to meet you too dude!" Kiri grinned, offering Midoriya a fist-bump, which he sweetly chuckled at and held a scarred fist out to return. Katsuki was instantly curious as to what could have caused such scarring. 

"I'm Kirishima, but Eijiro or Kiri is fine! This here is Sero, and the grumpy guy is Bakugou." He said gesturing to the others.

Midoriya slid a hand through his curls, glancing away almost nervously before he spoke full of renewed confidence.

"I actually already know who you all are." He flustered a little, "I mean, of course I know who you are, you're all on the football team. I've seen you all on the field when you play." He chuckled.

"Yeah dude, I recognise you too! You're the guy who usually has the camera right? You shoot our games?" Kiri replied, leaning an elbow on Katsuki's shoulder, which was instantly pushed away.

"Uh, yeah, it's a voluntary job but it gets me the much needed experience of taking action shots," Midoriya blushed, feeling a little found out, "but yeah, it means I've seen all of your games. You guys are really good!"

His eyes lit up a little as he captured Sero in his sights, Denki sticking close to the shorter boy's side watching the conversation unfold. 

"Sero, you're an amazing wide receiver, the way you streak down the field, just pure speed! And handling Bakugou's passes can't be easy, but you make it look like a breeze! You guys have impeccable timing." He said excitedly, while the other's all raised their eyebrows in surprise.

"And Kirishima! The way you slide into your sets so quickly, so fluidly- Gosh you're so agile for such a big guy, it's crazy! I wouldn't expect anything less from an offensive tackle, but the blows you deliver against the opposing team are incredible!"

At this point, Sero and Kiri were shocked and blushing, both from Midoriya's knowledge and praise of their plays. Denki wondered if he should stop his new friend's ramblings, but at this point he was enjoying watching the boys' reddening cheeks, and he sure hoped Bakugou was up next.

"I'm not gonna gush over you Bakugou, because from what I've seen you already know how amazing you are on the field!" Izuku laughed, "But your ability to read your opponent's defensive schemes is pretty impressive, once you're in the play you can really see you get in your zone, it's like the whole world falls away and you're just there, in the moment." He finished thoughtfully.

As Midoriya trailed off, his face began to redden, his mind catching up with the fact that he'd just geeked out at the three before him.

Katsuki scoffed, crossing his arms, "Well, I guess you're not a worthless Deku after all. You actually know your shit, huh?"

"Deku? As in 'useless'?" Midoriya cocked his brow at the blond and shook his head dismissively, seemingly not at all bothered by the attempt to insult him, "Yeah, I uh, played in middle school and my Dad was kinda obsessed with me trying out in high school."

"If you don't mind me asking, how come you didn't? I've never seen you at try-outs?" Sero asked, frowning a little.

"I still don't mind the game, but it isn't what I wanna do. I wanna be a professional photographer, and that's what I'm gonna do." He grinned, determination lighting up his eyes.

The others nodded in understanding.

"Well, I for one am glad you didn't join some stupid sport, or our passion for photography wouldn't have pulled us together." Denki smiled, nudging him. 

Katsuki rolled his eyes, earning a subtle dig in the ribs from Kiri as Midoriya chuckled.

A phone started vibrating, and they all looked to each other for the source. Midoriya's hand shot into the pocket of his shorts to retrieve his phone, scanning over the caller ID.

"Shit..." He said under his breath, declining the call with a frown, "Sorry guys, I've gotta go! I lost track of time and I'm really late home!" 

He bent to grab his yellow backpack from where it was leant against the wall.
"Um, we could give you a ride?" Denki offered, eager to spend more time with him.

"Oi, Dunce! It's my car you prick." Katsuki scowled, flicking Denki between the eyes.

Kiri stepped forward, throwing an arm around Midoriya's shoulders, already steering him towards the parking lot. "Ignore him Midobro! We'll take you home, he's just a hardass."

Katsuki turned, throwing his arms in the air as the others walked away from him.

"Am I fucking invisible or some shit?" He yelled, following up with a muttered 'fucks sake' as he jogged after them.

The ride back was full of chatter amongst the boys, as Katsuki's black Dodge Charger slipped down the quiet suburban streets. One thing Katsuki's parents were not short of was money and he'd got his prized possession as soon as he'd passed his test, and since it was his pride and joy there was no way he was driving it like a mad man. 

Denki was in the middle of the back seat, sandwiched between Sero and Midoriya, steering the conversation.

"Sorry you couldn't go for your run today Midoriya, the Squad really held you back," he sighed sadly, "I hope we don't get you in too much shit for being late."

 "Don't worry about it Kaminari, honestly! It's my fault I got so caught up geeking out over these guys." He laughed softly, eyes flicking towards Katsuki's in the rear-view mirror, causing the blond to tense slightly at the attention.

"I wish you'd call me Denki dude." He said, patting Midoriya's knee. Now it was Izuku's turn to tense a little at the action, not going unnoticed by Katsuki who's glare towards Denki through the rear-view mirror would have melted asphalt.

"So that's why you're dressed like that!" Sero added, looking around Denki, "You run home? Everyday?"

Midoriya hummed in response, replying absentmindedly as he looked out of the window avoiding Denki's gaze, "It keeps me in shape, and exercise is really good for your mental health too."

Katsuki arrived at the road Midoriya had given him directions to, and the greenette called out that he could pull up on the left. 

"Thank you for the ride home, it was probably kinda out of your way." He smiled at the blond, who looked back at him, red eyes locking onto shimmering green.

At that moment he didn't want to look away. In fact he wanted to ask the guy to get back into his car and come over to his place. He'd asked plenty of people to do just that. He'd taken them home and allowed himself the relief provided by the touch of another person, the pleasant sensation of skin-on-skin contact... But Katsuki didn't want to use Midoriya to satiate his touch starved cravings. He just officially met the guy, and Denki was into him, and the shadow was waiting for him at home... and...

He cut off his thoughts, looking ahead as Kiri spoke up.

"Actually Bakubro lives like three streets over. We're gonna go hangout for a while at his place."

"Oh! That's not too bad then!" Midoriya laughed as he exited the car. "Well, thanks again!" He waved, turning to walk towards a nearby house.

Katsuki didn't wait for him to get into the house before he sped off back towards his own home, needing to get his mind off of the boy. He can throw himself back into researching what to do about Shadow with the Squad.
 
When they all exited the car, Katsuki caught sight of something in his rear view mirror. He threw his keys to Kiri so they could let themselves into the house and opened the back door of the car to take a look at the object wedged between the back seats. 

It was a phone with a superhero themed phone case on it featuring All Might, Katsuki's favourite superhero when he was a child. He couldn't help but chuckle. 

"Of fucking course he likes All Might." He smirked to himself, pressing the home button to see 4 missed call notifications from 'Dad'. Katsuki sighed, sliding the phone into his hoodie pocket. He figured he'd better return it before the little shit got in any more trouble than he already was.

He popped his head through the front door, grabbing his keys from the dresser where Kiri had left them, and called to the others that he was popping out.

Jumping back in his car, he arrived outside the house Midoriya had made to enter only a few minutes later. He took a few deep breaths before he left the car, pulling the phone from his pocket as he approached the door.

He knocked on the front door, scolding himself for secretly wishing Midoriya would be the one to answer. 

The door swung open a few moments later to reveal a little old woman, squinting up at him while she leaned on her cane.

"Can I help you young man?" She asked, almost hiding behind the door as if Katsuki was there to rob her.

He put on his best polite smile, which came off more than a little awkward, as he held the phone out to her.

"I just came to return Izuku's phone, he left it in my car."

"Izuku?" The old woman questioned, leaning her head towards Katsuki.

Great, just Katsuki's luck to get Midoriya's hard of hearing granny. 

"Yeah," he said a little louder, "Midoriya forgot it, I'm just returning it."

Her eyes widened a little in realisation, "Oh, Midoriya's boy! You're about 4 houses too far up the road dear." She replied, cocking the thumb of her free hand to the left.

Katsuki leaned back, looking down the street as confusion crossed his face.

"Uh, right, it's just I dropped him off here."

She chuckled softly, "That boy never gets dropped off outside his own home. I can only guess that he thinks because I'm old I won't notice him pretending to walk up my drive."

Her soft face rose to look at Katsuki's scowl, "Look kid, I don't know the boy, but I think it's safe to say he doesn't want his dad to know who he's hanging around with. Are you some kind of delinquent or something?"

Katsuki's scowled at her, "I'm just a friend, but uh, thanks for your help I guess." He said, turning to walk away.

"Probably not the best idea to return that to him at home then, if he was trying to hide your friendship, don't you think?"

Katsuki rolled his eyes at her, returning to his car. He drove slowly past the house the old lady had said was Izuku's. There was a nice car on the drive, the garden was simple but neat, the blinds turned just enough on the windows to keep onlookers from seeing inside. 

Was Midoriya so embarrassed by his new friends that he couldn't even risk his parents seeing them? He'd only just met them for God's sake. Did he think his parents would disapprove of their friendship? Or was his dad that much of a homophobe he'd freak out seeing Izuku hanging out with a bunch of guys? Katsuki didn't know what to make of it, but he would sure ask the nerd. He drove back home, leaving the phone in his glove box to give back to Izuku the next day.

Chapter Text

'You wear a mask for so long, you forget who you were beneath it'
Alan Moore

That night the squad had talked to Shadow as if explaining their plan. They were still researching ways to make contact, and Mina had turned up later that evening to let them know she had an idea she wanted to try, she just needed a few days to get the things they needed.

As he'd waved them goodbye at the door he'd also explained to Mina that Deku had left his phone behind, leaving out the fact he'd lied about which house was his... he wasn't gonna shy away from asking the greenette about it when he saw him though. He asked her if she'd be able to find out where he could find him to return the phone, and by the time the Squad were pulling up in the school parking lot Mina had it figured out.

"Ok so I texted Jirou, who texted Momo, who asked-"

"Get to the fucking point Pinky." Katsuki snapped.

"Okay, jeez! He'll have English first thing, apparently he's usually pretty early to class." She smiled, pulling out her phone as it 'dinged'.

She leaned in close to Katsuki, "Let me know if anything juicy happens," she winked, "I've gotta go see a goth about communing with the dead. See you at lunch!"

Katsuki rolled his eyes at her, telling the rest of the Squad he'd catch them later as he shoved his hands into his pockets and made a beeline for Izuku's English class.

Sure enough, when the blond stuck his head inside the classroom Izuku was already sitting at his desk reading a battered copy of Macbeth and reviewing his notes. The end of his pencil was between his plump lips, the tip of his tongue running across the wood, and damn, the nerd looked good. Katsuki found himself momentarily wishing he was the fucking pencil.

"Sup nerd." Katsuki smirked, approaching him.

Izuku jumped, hand shooting to his heart, chuckling when he saw the quarterback.

"So, nerd, Deku... do you actually remember my name?" Izuku smiled, playfully raising a brow.

"You should feel blessed. Not everyone gets to have one of my awesome nicknames, Izuku."

Katsuki really couldn't help himself from flirting, his heart thumping a little as he leaned over the greenette. To his surprise, despite a small blush across his cheekbones, Izuku simply returned his smirk.

"Okay, Kacchan." He shrugged, picking his pencil back up.

"Kacchan?" I guess that's fair." The blond barked a short laugh, ignoring his tripping heart at the fact that Deku had given him a name just made for him. Damn, Katsuki couldn't help but be thrilled with how they were already hitting it off.

He fished Izuku's phone from his jeans pocket, placing it face-up on the desk.

"Big All Might fan, huh?" He said, tapping the phone with a tanned finger.

The greenette let a smile flood his features, nodding happily, "Yep, and I'm not even a little bit ashamed to geek out about it." He laughed, light and airy, almost a giggle, "Thanks for returning it! I had no idea where I'd lost it. I'm guessing it was in your car?" Deku mused, before pressing the home button to see his notifications, showing Denki had texted him several times.

"Yeah, must've slipped out of your pocket." Katsuki replied, glaring at Denki's name on the screen as he geared up to ask a question Deku could instantly shut down. The quarterback was starting to get the feeling Deku wasn't as much of a pushover as he'd first thought.

"Wow, you even charged it for me! And here I was thinking you were supposed to be an asshole Kacchan." He said, smiling and cocking his head towards Katsuki, the nickname doing things to him that he really didn't need right now.

"Yeah, whatever. I didn't need your shit lying around and buzzing every goddamn minute, so I even tried returning it to you last night, but turns out you don't actually live at that house, do you?" He leant back against the desk in front of Izuku's, crossing his arms.

Katsuki was nothing if not forward, so he just decided it was best to come out with it. Even just getting to know the freckled boy made him want to come out with all the other shit he was feeling towards him too, but Katsuki wouldn't be good for him. And there was Dunce's feelings to consider too, so he held those words in the back of his throat and tried swallowing them down.

Izuku's brow scrunched up as he met Katsuki's gaze, "Yeah, uh, well I have my reasons."

"And those reasons being?" Katsuki pried.

Izuku huffed, rubbing his hands over his face and staring at his phone, "My Dad's just really strict is all. I couldn't be bothered with explaining my possible new friendships to him." He sighed.

"Look, I'm just being a nosey bastard nerd, and you can tell me to fuck off if you want," Katsuki grimaced at his soft tone, "But the Squad always cover for eachother, so if you want to you can tell us- tell them this shit." He corrected himself, not wanting to seem like he gave a shit, "We've all got crap at home. All of us."

His eyes cast down for a moment thinking about Shadow waiting for him at home. It was going very easy on him lately, he didn't feel half as shit as he had in the weeks prior, so maybe Shadow really did know and appreciate them trying to help.

Izuku looked at his face, seeing the sadness cross it, and leaned forward across his desk.

"Yeah, I'm sure we all have shit, but honestly I'm fine. I can handle my Dad," he smiled, "plus, did you just basically admit you wanna be friends with me? The hot headed quarterback wants to be friends with me!" He giggled, clutching his chest as he feigned shock, eyes closing as he laughed.

"I never said that Deku," Katsuki huffed, pushing off from the desk and turning away to hide his blush. "The Squad wants to be your friend, and poor Dunce wants-"

He cut himself off. Fuck, that wouldn't have been cool to out Denki's crush like that.

"Yeah, don't worry, you're not telling me anything I don't already know," he said, humming softly, "I've known him in person for like two days, I've been in contact with him via text for a few weeks, and he is kinda... sorry, I shouldn't be saying this, he's your friend-" He trailed off, instantly looking guilt ridden.

"He's kinda coming on strong huh?" Katsuki chuckled, turning back to look at Izuku, "I saw him touch your leg yesterday. You did a good job hiding how uncomfortable you were."

The greenette threw his hands out, waving them rapidly, "N-no don't get me wrong, Denki is an awesome person! It's just, um, I'm not, ya know..."

Katsuki composed himself, remembering Denki's story and tilted his head pretending to be confused.

"Not what?"

Izuku was now slowly turning pink, his cheeks flushing, and his eyes widening.

"You're not gay? Right?"

"Um, yeah, I'm not into boys." Deku squirmed a little in his seat as he shook his head, pulling his hands back to cross his arms.

"Well you should probably tell Dunce that, cos he's fucking smitten."

Deku sighed sadly, "I will, it's not fair to him, I didn't mean to lead him on."

"Yeah it's really not fucking fair when people just can't love who they want to." Katsuki said scowling, clearly not talking about Denki.

Green eyes shot to red, narrowing as his face dropped, turning serious.

Shit, Katsuki really wasn't good at holding his tongue. It pissed him off that Deku even had to try and hide his sexuality.

"Who told you?" Deku asked seriously.

"I just heard a rumour, and Denki met you at a party where he clearly got the impression you were, so I just put two and two together. I figure drunk you didn't act as straight as sober you does."

He told his half-lie to try and save Denki from the fallout. It was Katsuki's loose tongue that had let it slip. He shouldn't have told anyone, let alone the one person he definately wasn't supposed to.

"Crap..." Izuku breathed, letting his head fall to his desk, "I knew Shinsou was gonna get me in shit."

"Don't sweat it nerd. Who from the school would say shit to your old man anyway? 'Cos I'm guessing that's who you're hiding it from."

"He knows some of the teachers... if it got back to them-"

"Ha!" Katsuki scoffed, flicking the smaller teen on his head, "Teachers around here are way too fucking supportive, they're annoying as fuck. Plus outing someone is discrimination and they'd lose their stupid ass jobs."

"I never thought about it that way." Deku mumbled against his notes.

"So you're gay right? Who fucking cares."

Izuku sat up, trying to wipe the worry away from his features, "My Dad, clearly."

"Fuck him. You won't be at home forever. Just gotta make it 'til graduation." Katsuki shrugged, knowing the issue could hardly be that simple.

"Yeah, I've got away with it this long," the greenette chuckled, "what's a few more months?"

"Exactly dipshit," Katsuki grinned, ruffling his hair, trying to memorise how soft his curls were, "Plus, you're not gonna get any shit from the Squad if you tell 'em. Half of 'em are queer as fuck."

Izuku couldn't help but chuckle, "Yeah I've heard rumours too, Kacchan."

"I don't give a shit what people think of me Deku. Fuckin' is just fuckin'. Period. I don't try to hide what I'm like."

Izuku smiled shyly at him for a moment, before scrunching his brows, "I get romance isn't your thing, and I admire you owning who you are and your actions, but I don't think I could act that way. And that's the problem with Denki... I just don't feel that way towards him."

He frowned down at his notes, Katsuki taking in his sad features. He wanted to see that smile back on his face, "And that's ok, but maybe just tell him. I hate to pay the idiot a compliment but he's resilliant as fuck."

There was that smile again, a small one starting to stretch his lips again, "Thanks for this Kacchan, I really did think you were an asshole you know."

"Yeah, well tell anyone I'm not a complete prick and I'll fucking kill you." He growled, reaching for the freckled boy's pencil, and writing his number across his notes.

Without another word he turned to leave, passing another student on his way out.

He glanced back to see the other guy with red and white hair already talking to Deku, who met his gaze with a creeping blush on his pale cheeks, and raised his hand to wave him goodbye. Katsuki turned away quickly to hide his smirk, feeling his own cheeks heating up.

Did he have a hole full of despair in the corner of his bedroom? Sure he did, but today he'd already managed to get Deku to admit his sexuality to him, and discovered he's not into Denki.... and the day was just beginning. He'd opened the door on the idea of an emotional relationship with someone, something beyond just physical intimacy and lust, he just had to slowly make his way through it. He didn't wanna scare the nerd off by moving too quickly, or hurt Denki too soon after getting rejected - there was no way Deku wasn't gonna let him down gently now. For now, he told himself that he'd put all his efforts into solving his ghost problem, and put romance on the back burner. Romance, a totally foreign concept to Katsuki, but lord only knows why Midorya fucking Izuku made him wanna try his hand at it.

That evening, after grabbing food on the way home, the Squad were all making their way to Katsuki's room, waiting for Mina to turn up.

"....then he asked to meet me at lunch today," Denki said sadly, mumbling a 'hello' to Shadow as he flopped onto the blond's bed, "and he- I mean god he's too nice for his own good! Even his rejection couldn't make me hate him!"

The others looked at him sadly, even Katsuki felt a little bad for him as they offered their own greetings to Shadow.

Kiri sat beside him, rubbing circles on his back, "I'm really sorry bro, did he say why? Was it 'cos he's not out?" The redhead asked.

"Guys he was so nice about it. He said he was really sorry and he didn't wanna lead me on. He understands that he must've come out to me at Shin's party but that he's not ready to be out, and he really wants to just stay friends, that he didn't wanna lose my friendship and thinks I'm amazing... me, amazing!" He laughed, lifting his head to prop it in his hands, looking at the others.

"I'm sorry Denks." Sero said, sitting on the floor with his back against the side of the bed, "Especially after you signed up for photography just for him." He laughed trying to lighten the mood.

"Hey!" Denki scowled, hitting Sero over the head with a pillow before hugging it, "He's actually really inspired me to do it. He's taught me loads! So, yeah, I'm still doing it, and we're still gonna be friends. I haven't known him that long if we're honest, I think I can get over my crush. Plus he kinda said that Shinsou is into me...." He finished blushing and hiding his face in the pillow.

"Ha!" Katsuki scoffed, sitting at his desk, "The fucking freak."

"Dude, Shinsou is good people, you just hate him 'cos he doesn't wanna fuck you and he's not scared of you." Sero shrugged, earning chuckles from his friends.

"Fuck off Soy Sauce! I hope Deku knows what he's getting you into Dunce, setting you up with the fucking pot head."

"Dude! Stop hating on Shinsou!" Denki winned, "and are you seriously still calling him 'Deku'?"

"I've called you Dunce Face for five years, what do you fucking think?" He laughed, hearing the front door slam downstairs.

"Yeah, I think the nickname means Midoriya is officially one of Kat's friends." Sero pointed out, smirking at the blond.

"Don't have friends, you fucking extras." The blond huffed, as Mina ran up the stairs and into his room.

Mina greeted Shadow, and Katsuki felt a sharp throb in the back of his head. He rubbed his temples, fuck, maybe he didn't drink enough today. But then he felt the familiar sense of unease begin to roll over him. He looked back towards the corner, as if he expected to see some change there, but it looked the same as always.

"Hey, hot head! I'm not repeating all of this, so listen up!" Mina huffed, dropping her bags and standing in front of her boys.

Katsuki swallowed hard, trying to ignore the onslaught of emotions flooding into him so that he could listen.

"Okay, as I was saying," she glared at Katsuki, "I've been talking to Tokoyami-"

"Fucking goth boy?" Katuski interrupted, doing his best to distract himself from the terror, anger, fear, and.... greif?... regret?... that were beginning to seep deeper, slowly constricting his breathing.

"Yeah Bakubabe, 'fucking goth boy'," Mina sighed, "He's really into the occult, so I asked if he could provide us with any advice on communing with the dead and he's gonna do us one better than that! He's gonna give us the stuff we need to hold a seance and speak with Shadow!"

All of a sudden Katuski felt the weight sitting on his chest leave, his own emotions suddenly pulling to the fore as Shadow seemed to withdraw from him, making a small gasp leave his lips.

"I know right!" Mina agreed, seemingly taking his intake of air as a positive response to her work with 'goth boy'.

The others were all leaning in now, intrigued, as Katuski worked to pull back the heaving breaths he wanted to take into a normal stready intake of air.

"That's awesome, so what do we have to do?" Kiri smilled.

"Well, he's gonna tell us exactly what to do...um..." She bit her lip, scratching her neck sheepishly.

"And?" Katsuki asked, trying to ignore Shadow's presence behind him, still reeling from how it had just acted - he'd tell the others later, but he decided it was probably best to tell them out of Shadow's earshot.

"He uh, will only help on one condition..."

Sero sighed, shaking his head, "What is it?"

"He wants to be here for it. He wants to meet Shadow." Mina finished, looking to Katsuki for his reaction.

"You told him everything?" Katuski barked, "For fuck sake Mina, I don't need every fucker knowing." He seethed.

"He just kept asking me questions and he was being really helpful! He doesn't even think it's bat-shit crazy or anything!" She blurted

"That kid literally talks to like, two people, I doubt he's gonna blab." Denki reassured, "I'm surprised you were even able to get him to speak to you Mina."

"Jirou said the cost of a conversation would be cider and The Cure on vinyl. Luckily Jirou was willing to give me a copy of a Cure album in exchange for the leather backpack your mum gave me from the Winter line." She frowned, "I really sacrificed a lot for you guys! And you too Shadow!" She huffed at the corner.

"If he opens his mouth about this, I'll fucking kill him." Katsuki growled darkly.

"Yeah yeah, I've already told him when I gave him the stuff, and honestly he seemed shit scared of you, so we're all good!" Mina grinned, as the others all nodded.

"So when are we doing this? Sooner we can talk to Shadow the better, right?" He asked, locking his own red eyes with Katsuki's.

"Fucking too right." He agreed, stretching. He still felt uneasy from earlier and he wanted out of his room for a while, "So, when?"

"He's gonna come straight after school on Friday, that way if it's a success, we'll have the weekend to work on whatever info we get from Shadow." Mina replied.

"Good. I'm fucking thirsty. Let's head down to the kitchen."

The others' eyed him, as he nodded towards the door, widening his eyes at them. They all caught on except Denki, who moaned that he was comfy on the blond's bed. Sero smacked Denki upside the head before Katsuki could, dragging him from the room. Kiri shut the door behind him as they all descended the stairs.

Once they were all gathered around the kitchen island, Cokes in hand, Katsuki told them what happened.

"It was sudden as fuck. I even got a damn headache from it." He looked at the concerned faces of his friends, "You guys felt nothin' huh?"

"Sorry bro, not a thing," Kiri frowned, "I wonder what set it off, what were we talking about?"

"It was when Mina came in."

"Great, Shadow hates me." Mina said sadly.

"Nah, I wonder if it was trying to tell you something but the only way it knows how to reach out is the same way it's been able to all these years." Sero said thoughtfully.

"That's a good theory Soy Sauce," Katsuki said, "It's never done anything like that before."

"It better not hate me after I gave away my fricken' Bakugou bag." Minna said, knotting her brows and causing the boys to chuckle at her.

"Not long 'til Friday Bakubro, and then hopefully Shadow will be able to tell us what it was trying to say." Kiri smiled, patting Katsuki's back.

Friday couldn't come soon enough.

As the Squad finally filed out, Katsuki made up the couch. No offence to Shadow, but he didn't fancy sleeping in there tonight, and with his parents away he could sleep in the living room without being questioned.

He settled under the blanket he'd laid out, checking his phone before he tried to get some sleep.

To his surprise he had a text from an unknown number. He read it smirking as he added it to his contacts.

Deku, 10:36pm: You should know who this is... unless you've handed out your number to a lot of people today.

Katsuki now knew that Izuku thought he was a smart fucker. He was learning a lot about the greenette today. Of course he couldn't help himself from leaning into the joke when he replied.

10:52pm: Let me think... there was this freckled fucker. He was hot as hell. Can't remember his name. Seemed like a bit of a nerdy Deku. Had a nice ass tho.

Laughing softly to himself, he set his phone down on the coffee table and tried to get some sleep, hoping he hadn't pushed the flirting too far right off the bat and pushed down any excitement he was feeling for the nerd's reply.

Chapter Text

'Anything is possible. Stay open, forever, so open it hurts, and then open up some more, until the day you die'
George Saunders

Katsuki continued to text back and forth with Izuku throughout Thursday and Friday. The Squad even got to hang out with him while he shot their practice after school on Thursday, the boys trying to convince Izuku to show them his photos, only for him to refuse, saying he needed to look through them first. Yet, Katsuki couldn't help notice the blush on his face, or the fact that he often felt the camera's lense trained on him while he ran the field. He shook his head to clear the thoughts. He was a cocky bastard who was used to having everyone's attention, he couldn't just assume he had Deku's too.

Deku said his dad would be picking him up after practice so he'd waved goodbye to the guys, running for the parking lot, giving Katsuki a weary smile.

That night he'd texted Deku again. Sleeping back in his own bed he'd teased the greenette a little more. It was really just who he was, and he hadn't fucked about with anyone since he'd met Izuku, so you couldn't blame him for being pent up.

9:37pm: You liked watching me run around getting all dirty and sweaty today, didn't you Deku?

He didn't get a reply for a while, and he started to panic that he'd been far too forward and scared the nerd off.

Deku, 10:12pm: You're so big headed Kacchan :') You're used to everyone throwing themselves at you huh?

He noted Deku's avoidance of his flirtatious comments, but pressed on.

10:13pm: What can I say nerd, I'm fuckin hot

Deku, 10:14pm: Yeah, I think you might be solely responsible for global warming

Katsuki choked on a laugh, taking a few minutes to think of a response.

10:17pm: I guess I'll have to take responsibility then. Since I'm so hot Deku, maybe you can help me cool down. How about we go ice skating this weekend?

Deku, 10:24pm: In the interests of combating global warming, I can't really say no, can I Kacchan? I need to sort it out with my Dad tho... I'll let you know asap!

10:26pm: Fuck. I forgot about your old man. Don't get in trouble for me dipshit. But, yeah... if you can then let me know or whatever

Deku, 10:27pm: Don't worry Kacchan, I'll figure it out! Goodnight! :)

10:27pm: Night nerd

Katsuki put his phone on charge, and stretched as he looked over at the shadow, "Tomorrow me and you are gonna fucking talk. The goth better know what the fuck he's doing."

He woke on Friday morning with a pain in his chest and tears on his face. He scowled and flipped Shadow off on his way out of the room. He just had to make it through today. His parents would also be back tomorrow, so the seance, or whatever the fuck they were doing, needed to happen tonight.

Friday went quickly enough. He continued to text Izuku when he could, but he still didn't have an answer about whether he could make their ice skating 'date'. He also spotted him across the cafeteria at lunch, sending him a grin and a wink which earned him a little wave in return as Deku's friends looked questioningly between them - there was the bi-coloured haired boy from his English class who was sitting far too close to Deku for Katsuki's liking, a round-faced girl, and a guy with glasses. The glasses guy Katsuki recognised as the president of the school council. Round face he'd bumped into a couple of times in the corridor and it was pretty fucking obvious she fancied him... who didn't? He'd stared her down both times with a smirk on his face until her blush had deepened to a painfully bruised red and she'd ran away. Katsuki would've probably fucked her if he was honest, there didn't have to be anything special about someone for him to fuck them.... But now he'd found someone he was starting to think was truly special and he didn't want to just dick around anymore, not now he'd met Deku. He couldn't explain it quite yet, but he knew this was something different, that he wanted more than Izuku's body. Although he was eager for that too, obviously. Was he craving a release? The feel of skin-on-skin? Of course he was, but he really didn't want to ruin the possibility of him and Deku being a thing. He could control himself - despite what people may think.

So when Momo had approached the Squad's table clutching her lunch tray nervously and he'd told her he wasn't interested, her face had fallen into a shocked 'o' and her eyebrows scrunched. She'd huffed at him before saying she had no idea what he meant, and she'd just come to see if he was maybe feeling 'stressed', emphasising the underlying meaning. No one at the table was fooled by her cover story. Both Mina and Kiri were giving Katsuki a knowing look - They'd both noticed the way he watched Izuku, the constant texts, and Mina of course knew he'd wanted to personally return the greenette's phone to him.

Katsuki stabbed his food, snapping his deep red eyes to the poor girl, "I said I'm not interested Ponytail, now fuck off." His glare just about burned through her.

"Momo, I was just heading to the ladies, why don't you keep me company babe?" Mina had chimed in, saving the girl from any further embarrassment as other students started to look over.

Mina gave Katsuki a 'really?' look before she walked away, leading the other girl.

"Dude, you can't just mess around with people and then treat 'em like shit because they expect you to act a certain way. You created that expectation yourself man. Not manly bro. Just let her down gently next time." Kiri said sadly, shaking his head.

Katsuki snapped his plastic fork, stabbing both pieces into his lunch, he fucking hated it when Shitty Hair was right. Momo was one of the girls he hadn't actually fucked, but he had been working his way up to it. Any interest he had there was gone. It had been replaced with large emerald eyes, toned firm biceps and freckled milky skin. Shit, Katsuki had really gotten himself into something with Deku.

That night the Squad all met at Katsuki's house, Mina dragging a quiet and brooding looking raven haired boy in tow. Tokoyami, self-certified goth and occultist, had a duffle bag with him and asked where he should set up the "tools necessary for communing with the dead." If the Squad hadn't already experienced Shadows effects first hand, they'd have thought this guy was crazy, but hell, they were all in the same boat now.

Katsuki led the goth to his bedroom, but didn't point out Shadow's location within the room, and watched curiously as Tokoyami walked the room naturally avoiding Shadow's corner. He stood in the center for a few moments with his eyes closed, before he dropped the duffle bag and asked Katsuki if he could bring a cushion for each Squad member and a low table.

Kiri and Sero brought the scatter cushions up from the living room couch, and Katsuki took up the end table, setting it in the center of the room as directed. The cushions were placed on the floor around it, as Tokoyami moved around the room setting down black candles. He held a bunch of sage in one hand, lighting it with his silver zippo lighter, and walked around the room mumbling to himself things the Squad couldn't hear.

Katsuki stood in the doorway with the rest of the Squad, frowning. Was all this shit necessary? He looked towards Shadow, still sat there as usual, dark and unmoving, not giving off anything the blond could feel right now. He still seemed to be the only one who could see it, see some actual proof of its presence in the room. Tokoyami lit the black candles one by one, placing the burning sage in a small metal bowl etched with symbols and runes, setting it on the desk.

He then pulled a flat wooden rectangle from the duffle. It was hinged in the middle and he opened it out, setting it on the end table. Katsuki could now clearly see at the top of the wood the words 'Spirit Board' in cursive black letters that looked as if they were starting to peel. Beneath the heading were the words 'Yes' on the left, and 'No' on the right, and below that the letters of the alphabet arranged in a curve along the board in rows from A to Z. Underneath were a row of numbers from one to nine with zero on the end. At the bottom of the board was one word, 'Goodbye'. On top of the board Tokoyami placed a heart shaped planchette, then he stepped away towards Katsuki's desk and turned off the electric lights, pulling the desk chair over towards the closet and taking out a notebook and pen before sitting down.

The Squad stared at him in the flickering candle light, he black eyeliner deepening his eyes. He simply blinked back coolly.

"So... what now man?" Kiri asked, leaning into the room.

"Everybody take a seat," Tokoyami said calmly, "I would suggest Bakugou, you take the seat where the board is the right way up, as you have the strongest connection with the spirit. And I would leave all the phones outside the room."

They all placed their phones on the hall dresser and made their way to sit on their cushions, Katsuki taking the seat Tokoyami suggested with Kiri on his left and Sero on his right. Denki sat next to Sero, and Mina next to Kiri, completing the circle.

"You're here for a reason goth boy," Katsuki spat at him, "Tell us what the fuck to do."

Tokoyami flinched slightly at Katsuki's harsh tone before composing himself.

"We're going to attempt to speak with the spirit via Spirit Board. This one is vintage and part of my collection of occult artifacts." His lips curled slightly into a smile as Katsuki rolled his eyes, itching to get started, as the others shifted nervously, "You must all put your hands on the planchette - the heart shaped piece of wood." He began explaining, and the Squad all listened intently.

"It will be guided by your unconscious minds, allowing the spirit to move through you and communicate. You should ask questions with short simple answers. Closed questions with 'Yes' or 'No' answers so the spirit can answer easily. It's very hard for them to influence our world in any way, it takes a lot of energy, so the easier for them the better. If really necessary you can ask them questions where they'll need to spell out their response. Again keep it simple."

They all nodded, Denki audibly swallowing.

"Most importantly, do not let go until the spirit says goodbye or stops responding. Don't sever the connection, and if you do, you must all do it as one. That way, no matter who the spirit is working through, you won't lose the connection." He gestured towards his notebook, "I'll record all of the answers and any other phenomena for you."

"Okay, thanks Tokoyami," Mina smiled at the teen, nervously flexing her fingers as she reached towards the planchette, "Are we all ready?"

They exchanged glances, all reaching out a hand and laying the tips of their fingers against the wooden heart. There was a large hole cut out of the center so that the spirit could highlight their answers, and the planchette was resting unmoving in the middle of the aged board.

All eyes looked to Katsuki, the candlelight washing over his friends faces in waves as a nervous energy filled the room.

He looked towards Shadow, pointing at it with his free hand, "You better be ready you fucker," he stated, dropping his hand to his knee and taking a deep breath to ground himself.

"Hello Shadow," He started, forcing confidence into his voice, despite the nervousness in his stomach, "Can you say 'Yes' to show us you can talk to us using this thing?"

Everyone was now staring at the planchette, Tokoyami nodding respectfully towards the corner in realisation of the spirits location before returning his gaze to the board.

At first nothing happened and the Squad shared worried glances, fingers twitching against the wood of the planchette. Then Katsuki felt something. If anyone asked him to explain it, he would have told them it was a feeling that was extremely hard to describe. Over the years he'd had his own feelings snuffed out as Shadow's were poured in, and while he'd never get used to the discomfort of that sensation, he'd become used to it. This was different. This felt like a physical force. An invisible pressure, a weight pushing against his hand with just enough force to guide the planchette, the others' eyes widening as it began to slide slowly across the board, catching slightly on the rough surface before landing over the black 'Yes' painted onto the splintering board.

"Holy shit..." Sero breathed, as Denki's fingers began to visibly shake.

Mina inhaled sharply, taking Denki's free hand in her own and squeezing tightly as Kiri looked at Katsuki, red eyes wide with wonder.

Tokoyami craned his neck, face pale and shocked that it had actually worked. It was more than he could ever have dreamed of.

"Call out their responses." Tokoyami said, barely above a whisper, pen poised above his notebook.

Katsuki nodded slowly as he allowed a grin to settle on his face, "'Yes'," he confirmed, "Now we're gonna finally talk Shadow. We're gonna sort this shit once and for all."

He shuffled himself forward slightly, never disconnecting from the planchette.

"Did you die in this room?"

This time the weight was not on Katsuki's hand, but he saw Mina's eyes widen as the planchette moved away from 'Yes' slightly and slid sharply back to it, signaling Shadow had moved through her.

"Yes..." Katsuki breathed out.

He couldn't say he was shocked. He expected this, since Shadow was there the majority of the time.

"Did you die of natural causes?"

The planchette began to slide across the varnished wood once more, Sero's face tightening this time, everyone's hands jolting as it halted on 'No'.

Now everyone looked nervously at one another. If Shadow hadn't died naturally... Katsuki needed to confirm. He felt Kiri's calloused hand on his shoulder as he looked at him with worried eyes, knowing exactly where the blond was headed with his next question.

"Were you murdered?"

Kiri's hand tightened painfully on Katsuki's shoulder as the planchette slid quickly and abruptly stopped.

"Yes..." Katsuki gulped, swallowing air, eyes flicking to the corner. The darkness there seemingly stirred in the light of the candles as they licked at its edges, awakening the deep blackness from where it rested.

Denki gasped, "Kat, someone was murdered in your room...." he looked pale, as did the others, "Do you think this was recent enough for their killer to still be out there?"

Katsuki shook his head slowly, not knowing how to answer.

Sero ran his free hand through his hair, "Um, Shadow, how long ago did you die?"

Denki whimpered a little and squeezed Mina's hand tight enough for the crescent shapes of his nails to bite into her skin, the firm weight forcing his hand against the planchette, pulling it back to the row of numbers.

It moved over the number '1', pulling away harshly before sliding over to rest on '4'.

"Um, that doesn't make sense." Denki said quietly in confusion, "one, four." He repeated, Tokoyami noting the answer, on the edge of his seat, both literally and figuratively.

"The numbers don't go high enough," Sero said thoughtfully, "It's gotta mean fourteen."

"Kat, when did you move here?" Kiri asked, hand still resting on his friend's shoulder, where surprisingly it hasn't be shrugged off. He was thankful for that, almost afraid to let go at this point.

"We moved in when I was four."

"So that means Shadow was murdered here only a year before you guys moved in." Mina said, looking sickly at the thought, "Did- did no one know? Surely your parents- if they had known they'd have said right?"

She trailed off quietly, as Katsuki shook his head, "Honestly, they're not around a lot. I can try and ask 'em when they get back but I don't think the Old Hag would've bought a murder house."

"Why don't you just ask?" Tokoyami suggested.

"Shadow, does anyone know you were murdered?" Katsuki asked, his heart already aching a little at the thought of someone dying without anyone even knowing they were gone.

Kiri's hand was forced forward, guiding the planchette to rest, sadly, on 'No'.

Mina had tears in her eyes, one escaping and leaving a trail down her warm caramel skin, "I'm so sorry Shadow," She rubbed her face dry on her shoulder, not wanting to release Denki's hand, "I hope someone misses you." She sniffled.

Her eyes widened as the planchette moved. It wasn't a question, but the speed it slid across the board showed Shadow's eagerness to answer.

It was having to spell its answer, and Katsuki called the letters, "S-O-N", as it slid to a stop.

"Oh Shadow, you have a son." Mina said, crying quietly as Denki's eyes also turned glassy with unwashed tears.

Kasuki watched as his friends all began to look sadly at each other, the revelation weighing heavy in the air. No wonder he had been feeling all these shitty emotions for all those years. Shadow had been murdered without anyone knowing or finding their killer, and they had left behind a son. Katsuki would say he could only imagine the pain, but he didn't need to imagine. He'd been feeling it for years. The utter heartbreak, waking up in cold sweats and wracking sobs, the dispair and grief, the anger at being robbed from their child and their life... it made complete sense to him now.

The night was getting late and Katsuki still needed answers, so he sped up his questioning, hoping Shadow could keep up.

"Can you tell us where your body is?"

A-Z-A-L-E-A

"Azalea?" What does that mean?" Kiri questioned, but Katsuki only shook his head.

"Goth boy, write a question mark next to that one, we'll look into it later."

"Were you killed by a family member?"

Yes.

"Are you female?"

Yes.

Katsuki nibbled at the inside off his cheek and took an educated guess. He knew from Social Studies that on average two women die every week due to domestic violence. A fact that had shocked Katsuki at the time, but now he was glad he'd been paying attention in class.

"Did your husband murder you?"

Yes.

The room was utterly silent, save for held breaths escaping from shocked mouths, all eyes locked on planchette. Katsuku licked his lips and his eyes fluttered quickly, suddenly aware that he seemed to have forgotten to blink for a good long while. His throat was dry and his skin prickled as goosebumps erupted across his tanned flesh.

"Can you tell us your name? Maybe we can help you rest."

Hammering hearts and shaking breaths, they sat in suspense in the flickering light of the candles as the planchette slid across the board, spelling out the poor soul's name one letter at a time.

. . .

. . .

. . .

. . .

. . .

I - N - K - O

Chapter Text

'Should you shield the canyons from the windstorms you would never see the true beauty of their carvings'
Elisabeth Kübler-Ross

After asking a few more unanswered questions, the planchette laying still on the board, the Squad all carefully withdrew their hands and sat numbly in the heavy silence that surrounded them, Tokoyami blinking blankly from his seat by the closet as he took in the reality of what had just occurred. 

Shadow - Or Katsuki guessed it was 'Inko' now - didn't seem able to communicate with the Squad any further and the darkness usually held in the corner of Katsuki's room seemed to have disappeared in all the commotion.

"It's not there." Katsuki husked out lowly.

"What if... what if she's moved on?" Mina said just above a whisper, wiping her tear stained face and turning slowly to follow Katuki's gaze back into the now truly empty corner.

"It's-," Katsuki corrected himself, voice somehow horse despite not being overused, "She's moved before. We should look around the house."

As they all made to stand, limbs almost numb. Tokoyami addressed the elephant in the room.

"Is no one going to address the fact that the occult arts actually yeilded results? Or that there is the spirit of a murdered woman dwelling in your room?" He said calmly, despite his wide eyes.

Everyone looked to Katsuki for his response, his eyebrows pinching together as he stepped towards the shorter teen.

"You were the one who thought this shit would work, if you don't know why it worked then none of us fucking do," he growled lowly, "And honestly, with the emtotions seeping out of her all this time - anger, fear, despair, loss - need I go fucking on.... No, I'm not gonna stand here and be shocked that she was murdered here, because I'm not shocked. I'm fucking pissed actually, that we could've saved me and her years of pain if we'd only done this shit sooner. I'm pissed that I could've told the Squad sooner. I'm pissed that someone murdered a woman and no one seems to have even known about it. I'm pissed that-" 

He cut himself off, raising a hand to massage his temple, as he watched all of his friends look on empathetically. He was slightly overwhelmed by the fact that years of being surrounded by this otherworldly presence and being affected by its suffering had made him so sympathetic to it's unfortunate circumstances. Katuski had always had a strong sense of self. His moral compass may not always point true north, but he didn't like unfair fights and he always stood up firmly for the things he believed in or cared about. The way Inko had died may have been a mystery, but the fact that it was at the hands of her husband, that there was a son left behind to suffer the loss, really made Katsuki's blood boil because without a shadow of a doubt he knew this could not have been Inko's fault.

He lowered his raised hands to his hips, letting out a tired sigh. 

"I'm gonna get to the bottom of this. I won't be able to let it go. It's not just about getting rid of her anymore. If you guys don't wanna be involved, I get it, but fucking leave now."

No one moved a muscle, even Tokoyami simply stood resolute to indicate his continued involvement. 

"Ground rules," Katuski said, crossing his arms as he stepped back to glare at them all, "This isn't some fucking freak show, or a shitty joke. This shit is serious and we're gonna treat it that way. Which means no one tells anyone outside this room without my say so. Anything you discover you share with the group, and we don't half-ass this shit. Inko's son is out there somewhere with unanswered questions, her husband is still walking free, and I'm betting both factors are involved in getting her some kinda closure so she can move on."

The squad all nodded slowly as Katsuki ended his speech and he saw determination wash away their forlorn expressions. They shared glances, supportive nudges, and small smiles that said they were all in this together without even speaking a word. This was a shared experience and they weren't gonna abandon each other now, or ever. 

"Let's go look for Inko then, yeah?" Kiri said, smiling as he encouraged the squad to get moving. 

They turned to leave, Kiri flicking on the overhead light as they realised just how dark the night outside had become, and Tokoyami started snuffing out the candles.

"Split up, put on all the overhead lights, I should be able to see her shadow. You guys are gonna have to walk around like idiots, since you can't see her, and see if she makes you fuckers cry. If you find her then shout for the rest of us."

The Squad, and Tokoyami, nodded. Following Katsuki's instructions they retrieved their phones from the hall before splitting up to search the dark house.

Katsuki wandered into the dining room, flicking on the light switch and looking around the room. Finding nothing out of the ordinary, no unexplained shadows or fucked-up feelings, he took a moment to check his phone. He scowled down at it when he saw no response from Deku and no update on whether he could make their date. He was worrying he'd come on too strong, or that a seemingly sweet kid like Deku just didn't wanna date some hot-headed fuckboy sports star. There was no harm in checking in, right?

He rattled off a quick text to the greenette, asking if he had straightened it out with his old man to come ice skating, being sure to add that he was free all weekend so Deku had options. There was no way he could be busy all weekend, and if his dad stopped him going then surely Deku would just tell him. He hoped so anyway. 

Walking back into the hall he heard Denki shouting from the back porch.

"Guys!" Katsuki approached the porch door, as Denki yelled into the house with tears staining his face, still holding the door open, "I think I found her!"

Soon they were all crowded out onto the porch shivering from the cold winter wind, following the direction of Denki's outstretched hand as he pointed to the corner of the porch decking where it met the wooden bannister and the wall of the house. 

In the dense dark of the night Denki shone his phone's torch into the corner for Katsuki to see. Sure enough the darkness there did not dissipate, or lighten in any way. 

"It's her right?" Denki asked, words stuttering as his body shuddered. 

Katsuki nodded, bringing his arms tightly across his chest against the cold as he peered closer. 

"Why's she out here?" Sero asked from the back of the group. 

They all looked around. Katsuki's eyes left Inko's shadow and passed over the darkened features of the porch, across the garden stretching out past the reach of the faint glow spilling out of the open back door, and on into the blackness beyond. 

"Not a fucking clue," Katsuki said, shaking his head but certain her being out here had to mean something.

"Oi, goth boy, make sure you make a note of this." 

With that, the group bid Inko goodnight and Katsuki peered out one final time into the night before nodding to the shadow sunk into the corner of the porch, then he made his way back into the warmth of the house.

By the time Monday morning had rolled around the Squad were all deep into researching 'Inko', and any connections to the clues she'd given via the spirit board were added to a new group chat and shared drive which included Tokoyami. He'd started the drive to save any evidence or important information and had a geeky spreadsheet set up to record their findings and associated materials.

There was a lot going on in the group chat and in all honesty, Katsuki was kind of lost. Mina had said she thought there were news articles about an 'Inko' from their town, but they were behind a paywall online for their local news archive and Tokoyami had helpfully suggested they use the schools Library resources to access the materials they needed. This led to them booking a group study space in the Library for Monday afternoon in their free study period. 

By the time they all arrived in class on Monday morning they were itching to make some headway. Katsuki and Inko had spent a peaceful weekend not bothering each other, and his parents had come home Sunday to find their son eagerly finishing his homework so it didn't get in the way of the Squad's research.

Katsuki was feeling well rested and positive, except for one minor detail - Izuku hadn't texted him back all weekend. In fact the little shit had left him on read, and Bakugou Katsuki does not get left on read. He'd be lying if he said it didn't annoy the fuck out of him, but that feeling simmered into guilt crawling around in his gut when Dunce informed him that the Photography Club had been emailed a cancellation notice for tonight's meeting. Apparently Deku was ill, and Katsuki felt instantly bad for presuming he'd been ghosted. The poor kid probably just needed a rest and wasn't up for texting a jackass like Katsuki back.

When they made it to the Library for their Study period, they checked in at the desk, the woman rolling her eyes hard when they asked how to access local news archives, but she talked them through the process anyway. 

They filed into their booked study room with Tokoyami shutting the door behind them. They all took their places around the table, Tokoyami pulling out his laptop while Mina and Kiri pulled out battered looking notebooks. There was a large TV screen on the wall and a school laptop attached to the table by a thick cord and lock so it couldn't be stolen. Mina pulled the laptop forward plugging in the cable that connected it to the TV. She turned it on and signed into her school account. Following the Librarian's instructions, she navigated to the news archive and used the school intranet to access the paywalled files.

While she worked, the Squad started to discuss what they'd already pieced together, with Tokoyami taking the lead. 

"Okay, we only have an hour, so to summarise, we know that Inko was a wife and a mother. She died in the Bakugou residence fourteen years ago. This means her son is now at least 14 and we can guess Inko was at least 16 years old to allow for her to be married. I would suggest she's likely older but we can't be sure."

The others nodded, Katsuki leaning backward in his seat to fold his arms. 

"And what did we find out about the clues she gave us, dipshits? You fuckers post too much in the chat, I lost the thread."

"Well I looked into azaleas," Sero said, leaning forward to rest his elbows on the table, "it could be another person's name, but it was a response to where her body is so I don't think that's it." 

Kiri hummed in reply, "So what else?"

"They're also a type of flower," Sero pulled out his phone to view the notes he'd copied, "they are a shrub and survive all year round I guess, but they don't flower all year. They grow quite big and come in loads of different varieties."

He flipped his phone around to show them as Mina made to turn the large screen on the wall on, which mirrored the image on her laptop screen - she'd searched up the flower while Sero was talking.

"Ah, awesome thanks Mina. Yeah, that's what they look like," Sero confirmed, "I uh, don't know if it's relevant but apparently they symbolize remembrance of the home, a desire to return home, or familial duty." He read, placing his phone on the table.

Katsuki knew nothing about flowers. His father loved gardening, when he was actually home, and said it was one of the reasons they'd picked the house when they'd moved - the large spacious garden was perfect for raised flower beds and fruit trees. Katsuki never really paid much attention to it, but he guessed he should ask his parents about it sometime and see if they had any azaleas on the property.

"Anything else?" Katsuki asked expectantly, even though he knew they didn't have much to go on right now.

"Bakugou, it would be helpful if you asked your parents about the previous owners of the property." Tokoyami said flatly, typing on his laptop. 

"No shit birdbrain." Katsuki said, crossing his boots up onto the table, "They aren't home much, but I'll try grabbing the one of them sometime this week. The Hag's gonna be so fucking nosey."

Tokoyami nodded, moving his gaze to Mina's screen, "I think we're at a dead end without further information. Mina?"

"Oh yeah, uh, I can see what results we get when I search for 'Inko' on the local news archives," she informed, pulling up the search box as she spoke. "I saw a few articles including the name 'Inko' but I couldn't access them, lucky for us the school has a subscription." She grinned, as she loaded the results.

"So the Library is useful for more than making out in the geography section." Denki laughed, causing the others to chuckle, while Katsuki rolled his eyes. Personally he preferred to make out behind the gym, or in the supply closet on the second floor where things could get more heated, but the geography section was not a bad shout for some basic face-on-face action. 

"Narrow down the results by year," Tokoyami instructed, "I think we add five years eitherside of her year of death and go from there. That should weed out any false positives."

Mina noded, adjusting the search and hitting enter. There were now only two results on the screen and both were dated nearly five years before Inko's death.

"Let's see," Mina mused as she read the results out loud, "the first one says, 'Gifted florist brings home first prize' and the other says, 'Florist proves she's not a one trick peony'."

"Ha, peony! Who knew flower puns were a thing." Denki giggled, while Sero smiled at his delight and shook his head.

Katsuki slipped his feet off of the table, leaning forward to read the article dates. 

"June and August of the same year, not a fucking thing from after she died. How the fuck did he get away with it?" He asked rhetorically, his friends adding their replies of agreement in anyway, "Open the oldest first Pinky."

"That's- that's her...." Mina gasped, as the scan of the newspaper clipping loaded across the screen.

The article was only small, no more than a few hundred words. Under the peony pun heading was a picture of a young woman from the waist up. The photo was in black and white print, but her eyes were still large, bright and happy in the picture. She was holding a large rosette in one hand embossed with a number one, the other hand raised to wave at the camera as she smiled broadly raising her round cheeks. There was no way of telling her hair colour, but it was dark in the grayscale image, falling down her shoulders with half of it clipped up on her head, her bangs framing her face. Around her neck hung a pendant, two pieces of metal twisting together to form a stem until they curled up into the head of a flower whose petals were mid-bloom, a small ring at the top held it delicately on its fine chain.
 
So this was Inko. Katsuki forcibly held back a smile. It was nice to finally put a face to the spirit he'd lived with all these years, a face that looked soft and innocent. It reassured him that whatever Inko was now, hurting him was very unlikely to have ever been her intention.  

"'Inko, 23, from Bloom & Vase florists wowed judges with her entry into the regional floristry competition with her unique use of both exotic and native flowers. Inko's in depth knowledge of Floriography allowed her to convey delicate and nuanced meanings with her arrangements...'" Mina read on ahead, seeing if there was any other worthwhile information, before emailing Tokoyami the link for his files. 

"Okay, and the other article doesn't have a picture," she frowned as it loaded, "it's even shorter than the last one. 'Yagi Toshinori, the 26 year old owner of the Bloom & Vase florist on the southside, brought home first prize today from the national floristry championships. When asked where his inspiration comes from, he told us "My colleague Inko's knowledge of flowers really can't be rivaled and inspires me to learn more everyday. With her help, I can't wait to keep learning and pushing the boundaries with both my arrangements and competition pieces." Yagi and Inko work closely together at Bloom & Vase so if you visit their shop, be sure to tell them the message you'd like to convey and they'll be sure to help you say it with flowers.'"

"Bloom & Vase, Bloom & Vase...." Kiri mused, tapping away into his phone. Katsuki glanced over at his friend's notes, seeing it was mostly drawings of dicks and little angry faces, with a few random phrases scribbled here and there. He choked down a chuckle at his friend's nonsense doodles. 

"No way!" The redhead exclaimed, flashing the others a sharp grin, "The place still exists! In fact, it even has opening hours listed!"

"Yeah but this Yagi guy might not even own it anymore, dude." Sero shrugged, looking sorry to be putting a downer on Kiri's find, but it was the truth. 

"Well only one way to find out, right?" He looked towards Katsuki, who looked over at the phone in his hand. 

"Send me the number, Shitty Hair." 

"Well it closes at two on weekdays bro, but maybe we can all-"

"I'm doing it alone. I'll make the call" The blond glared.

"Why?" Denki asked, resting his head into his hand as he leaned forward on the table.

"Becuase this guy worked with her and she's fucking dead. We need to be careful with what we say. He could be the husband. There's no surname mentioned for Inko, and this is from five years before. Plenty of time to get married and knock her up."

Katsuki was right, but bless Mina for stating the facts, "So you're gonna be the calm collected person who rings possibly either a grieving friend or a murderous husband?" She raised her brows questioningly, gold eyes glinting as she teased him.

"Fuck off. I can handle it just fine." Katsuki said, stuffing his hands into his jean pockets, "And on the vary rare chance I fuck up, we'll just have one of you idiots call."

"Bro, it's actually like, a twenty minute bus ride away. We could all go visit." Kiri said, looking up from his phone and raising his shoulders in a shrug.

"Not before the weekend hair-for-brains." Katsuki 'tch'd'.

"Alright, alright, but don't scare him off. Inko's depending on us." Kiri said earnestly, earning hums of agreement from his friends. 

Katsuki nodded firmly. He was right. This wasn't just about getting rid of the shadow in his room anymore, or even killing off whatever had caused him to cry in the night or curl in on himself in the day. They could actually have a chance at helping her, or maybe even putting her killer away, or giving her son some peace.... Katsuki didn't want to get ahead of himself, but it was hard not to. 

With the reality of this responsibility weighing on their minds, the Squad bid farewell to Tokoyami and went their separate ways, Katsuki, Kiri and Sero heading to the field for practice.

Chapter Text

The following day started as frustratingly for Katsuki as Monday had. Still not a single text from Deku, even though Katsuki had bit down his pride and texted the little shit last night saying he hoped he felt better soon. It was a bit soppy for his liking but it was the truth. He wanted to see the green eyed fucker again. He'd missed the playful banter in their texts too. Surprisingly, the last text wasn't even read. Katsuki had stared at the little hollow checkmark so long it burned into his retina and he had to blink rapidly to remove it from his vision.

When the Squad finally all climbed out of his car, he made his excuses and stomped his boot-clad feet down the Yamada's first period English class, just where he'd found Deku this time last week.

He pushed his hands into the pockets of his monogrammed football jacket, hitching his backpack higher up his shoulder as he entered the classroom only to find it empty. His head swiveled left and right, as if he might have somehow missed Izuku sitting there. He sat on top of the greenette's desk and pulled out his phone to check the time. Deku was here this time last week, but he could afford to wait a little. 

Ten minutes passed and Katsuki was beginning to think Izuku wasn't going to be in school again today. He stood from the desk, debating whether it would be weird if he asked Deku's idiot friends where he was. He shook his head, who was he kidding, with Katsuki's reputation they could get the wrong idea and think they were fucking or that fucking was all Katsuki wanted. Best to wait to see the freckled boy himself.

He pulled his bag tight over one shoulder and made to leave the classroom, instantly stopped in his tracks as Izuku walked in, head down as he rifled through his open backpack. 

"Oi! Nerd, playing hard to get or-" 

Katsuki's words died in his throat as Deku raised his head up to meet his gaze. 

His green eyes blew wide at the blond's unexpected presence. 

Deku had a black eye. The bruise was fresh, a dark purple that faded out as it reached the corner of his left eye where the lid was slightly swollen under his brow bone. There was the hint of a yellowing bruise tucked away along the right corner of his sharp jawline, and the tip of an angry red mark protruding from the neck of his oversized green hoodie. 

Katsuki's eyes had widened and he moved forward without much thought, reaching a hand out towards Izuku's face. Just before his fingers could make contact with his bruised flesh, the hand that was rifling through Deku's bag shot up to knock Katsuki's fingers aside. Clutched in his grasp was an old style mobile phone, the basic nine button panel, answer and decline buttons, with nothing but the time on its small display.

The quarterback was both upset and offended by the suddenness of his reaction, but was stopped before he could even get started down that train of thought as he stared at the phone in Deku's hand.

"The fuck is that?" He asked, much sharper than he should have, seeing Deku's eyes narrow. 

As his mouth moved to answer another student knocked past him to enter the room and Izuku seemed to decide this was his cue to make a move.

There wasn't a cat in hell's chance he was getting away from Katsuki before he got to the bottom of this shit. 

He reached out for the back of Izuku's hoodie, grabbing the fabric firmly and yanking him back off his feet. He heard the greenette's bag land with a heavy 'thud' as it fell from his grasp.

Katsuki knew that Deku had closer friends than him, he'd only really known the kid a week, but his desire to be closer to him, to protect him, flooded out all other thoughts, and he needed to know what the fuck happened to him. 

Deku didn't struggle at first, evidently in shock as Katsuki dragged his dead weight across the hall to the nearest men's bathroom. He knew he shouldn't be manhandling his crush like this, but he had a feeling the little shit would avoid all lines of questioning from everyone, not just him. 

As he pushed open the bathroom door Deku found his feet and his free hand came up over his shoulder to grab Katsuki's wrist. Then, with an agility Katsuki didn't know he possessed, he ducked and whipped around bringing the blond's wrist up behind his back and locking it painfully in place. Katsuki was by no means slow to action and brought back his foot, hooking it around Izuku's leg to knock his knee forward, feeling his wrist slip free in the process. 

He latched onto the front of Deku's hoodie and pulled him into the centre of the room, slamming his own back against the door to block the exit as he twisted the lock. 

Both boys were panting shallow breaths, Izuku with his head down and hands on his bent knees, still grasping the phone. 

After a few moments of tense silence Katsuki huffed to calm himself, realising pretty quickly that this wasn't the best course of action as the bell for first period rang overhead. But they're here now, he may as well make the effort count, let the nerd know he wants to help.

"Look, I'm- shit," Katuski swallowed his pride, watching the boy hunched over before him, "I'm fucking sorry about that, okay? It's just you were gonna run, and... fuck, look at you Deku. What the fuck happened?"

When he didn't reply, Katsuki stepped forward, reaching his hand out tentatively to lift Izuku's face. His fingers met the soft skin of Izuku's jaw, careful of the bruise, and he pulled his face up with little resistance. 

His eyes were glassy, almost on the verge of tears, but they didn't look like tears of sadness. These were tears of anger and his jaw tightened as he straightened up, Katsuki's hand slipping away.

"I got in a fight, no big deal." He said, in a voice that was so flat Katsuki knew it was forced.

"Who with?" He asked, stepping closer and moving to hook his finger into the other's collar and see the mark there. As his fingers slipped below the fabric he caught a glimpse of the very obvious outline of a handprint right across Izuku's neck.

As if in sudden realisation, Izuku forcefully slapped Katsuki's hand away. When the blond made to reach out again he caught the larger tanned hand in his own pale fist, firmly stopping it midair. 

His narrowed gaze fell on Katsuki's own red eyes and he could have sworn that the green he saw there had darkened, a determined glint in his eye, a forest in the midst of a storm. 

"It's not your problem Bakugou."

Now Katsuki was offended, and pissed, "'Bakugou'? What the fuck happened to 'Kacchan'?" He closed his other hand into a fist at his side. What the fuck happened to him?

"Deku, you better tell me who the fuck beat the shit out of you and tried to strangle you." He spoke slowly and darkly, almost trying to command Deku to speak.

For a second, Izuku flinched, "It's not your-"

He brought both hands up to fist Izuku's collar, the smaller teen instantly dropping the phone to the tiled floor as he made to grab onto Katsuki's wrists. 

"I might not have known you long Deku but I happen to like your face, and I'm not fucking happy that someone tried to rearrange it."

Izuku's eyes widened, before a look of fear crossed them, as if he'd remembered something he'd rather have forgotten. 

He tried to wiggle free of the Katsuki's grip, and when he couldn't he panicked and brought his head back. Katsuki knew as soon as he made the motion what was about to happen, but he was too slow to react. Izuku brought his head forward at speed, crashing into Katsuki as he headbutted him, hitting the blond's brow bone and forehead with his own. The resounding crack echoed off of the tiled walls like a thunderclap.

Katsuki spewed of several unsavouray curses as he released Izuku, stumbling back into the door, the other boy hitting harshly against the edge of the peeling laminate that formed the countertop.

Both held their heads, Katsuki unsure as to whether he should cut his losses and let Deku be. He couldn't think of what to say, but as his mouth opened while still trying to form words, Izuku began to laugh.

It was a deep rush of wholesome laughter. There was no malice in it, nor any crazed sarcastic lilt, it was just overflowing joy as he rubbed his palms up his face. 

"You, uh, like my face, huh?" He spoke as his laughter calmed and he smiled at Katsuki.

He couldn't help but laugh himself, tilting himself back to lean against the cool wood of the door behind him while still rubbing his head.

"Yeah, didn't I already say that nerd." He replied, locking eyes with Deku as he smirked. 

Deku reached down and retrieved the phone, leaning back against the counter and returning his gaze to the blond.

"I don't know what you're doing Kacchan, but I'm not gonna fuck you and I don't need protecting. I can handle myself."

"I can see that," the blond replied, gesturing with his hand to the lump forming on his head, "but for the record I don't wanna fuck you dipshit."

Izuku flushed pink, "Uh-oh, sorry if I misread- it's just you usually- um, you have a reputation for-"

Before he could ramble any further Katsuki held up his hand to silence him, and Deku's blushing face stilled.

"Yeah you have misread, but not in the way you think."

He pushed off from the door, leaving his bag where it fell during their scuffle, and stepped up to Deku whose face was the picture of confusion.

"Yeah, I wanna fuck you, eventually. You're hot as fuck and you can clearly handle yourself nerd. I'm sorry I even doubted you could." 

This bit didn't scare Katsuki at all, he'd prepositioned plenty of people for sex, had enough people make advances on him, that telling Deku this was just another truth he was happy to be able to share with the freckled boy. Izuku however, didn't know where to look, his breath hitched and his hands twisted around the phone in their grasp.

Katsuki flicked him on his now marked forehead to make him look into his eyes. Those green eyes, damn near soul-stealing. It made him regret every other pair of eyes that had ever seen him at his most vulnerable intimate moments, because the only person he wanted to see those moment from then on was Izuku. He pulled himself back to the present, taking one of Izuku's hands which were clammy with nerves.

"I don't just wanna fuck you Deku, I wanna get to know you and do this shit properly. I don't wanna freak you out but..." He bit his bottom lip urging himself to carry on. He's fucked people he's just met before, but sharing these emotions was much more embarrasing, much more revealing. "I've been watching you at our practices, at our games, for like a year now. I know what I am, how I act, but I saw you smile and just knew I didn't wanna do that to you. I didn't wanna be the one to make that smile disappear because I used you. I, uh, I guess what I'm saying is that I might not have known you that long but it feels like a hell of a lot longer."

Katsuki was acting nonchalantly about this confession on the outside, but on the inside his guts were squirming uncomfortably. He scratched his neck, feeling Izuku's fingers intertwining with his own. He could have rejected Katsuki right then, told him he wasn't buying his fuckboy bullshit....

"So you, like me? And my face?" Izuku grinned, "Oh, and you said I had a nice ass too, I'm 'hot as fuck', and I can handel myself, right?" He laughed.

Damn, this nerd was too good for him. He probably shouldn't have trusted Katsuki so easily, but he for one was sure glad he was giving him a chance.

"Um, yes, yes and yes. But don't let it go to your head, nerd." Katsuki affirmed, suppressing the urge to perform a series of triumphant jumps six feet in the air.

"I think I like you too Kacchan," his smile became sad, his eyes downcast, "I just can't do anything about it."

Fuck. How could Katsuki forget Izuku's dad was a massive homophobic piece of shit. His eyes narrowed in on the greenette's neck as he again made to move the collar.

"Kacchan, don't." Deku said, shame written on his features, but this time he didn't move to stop the other from pulling down the fabric. 

Just as Katsuki had thought. The hand-shaped bruise wrapped itself around the bottom of Izuku's neck, red and purple hues blooming across otherwise unmarked freckled skin. Katsuki's breathing quickened, his heart already jackhammering against his chest as he tried to reign in his temper. 

"He fucking did this didn't he?" He bit out the words like drawing poison from a wound.

"Don't worry, I stick up for myself nowadays." Izuku replied, a wry smile on his face, knowing exactly who Katsuki was referring to.

"It's not fucking funny Izuku, he could've killed you!" Katsuki yelled, not intentionally, but he was fighting back the tide of his own anger. 

Izuku was caught off guard by Katsuki using his actual name, taking the blond's hand from his neck to hold both of his large hands in his own pale palms, his fingers caressing the soft skin on the back of tanned hands as he shrugged.

"But he didn't, I'm fine. I only didn't come to school yesterday because my voice was still... well, just a bit hoarse."

"How can you be so calm about this?" Katsuki snapped incredulously as Izuku downplayed his injuries.

"It's not the first time and it won't be the last. It's my own fault anyway, I was careless. Hence the new phone." He nodded down to the device still tucked into his palm under Katsuki's hand.

"Can you please just tell me what the fuck happened? Cos I'm tryin' to keep my cool here, but I wanna murder the fucker and I don't even know him."

"Ha! I appreciate that Kacchan." He giggled, in that light airy way Katsuki wanted to hear over and over again, just not in this context. 

"Well?" The blond leaned in, taking one large hand to rest on Izuku's firm hip, Izuku's own free hand coming up to rest on Katsuki's broad chest, holding the distance between them. 

"I fell asleep with your messages open. I normally delete them when we're finished talking."

"He checks your phone?" Katsuki's brow furrowed. 

"Yep... and my laptop, and whatever else he thinks may have gay ass shit on it." 

"Fuck."

Izuku hummed in reply, "I know right."

"I don't ever remember Dad telling me he hated gays, he just showed me that he did by hating me." Izuku frowned, "Only Shoto knows any of this, I don't even know why I'm telling you." He sighed, shaking his head.

"Shoto?" Katsuki asked, thumb digging slightly into Izuku's hip bone with jealousy he didn't know he had, or that he even had any reason to harbour.

"The guy with red and white hair." Izuku explained, thankfully not noticing the blond's suddenly firmer grip on him, "He's got similar shit at home, so he knows what it's like."

Katsuki only nodded for him to continue, relaxing the hold he'd just realised had tightened. What the fuck was that possessive streak Izuku brought out in him? 

"Sho and I, we go way back, and when I was younger we hid in my closet to um... well to kiss." He blushed, and Katsuki held in a snort of laughter. Now wasn't the time. 

"Anyway, Dad found us and he didn't do anything 'til Sho was gone and then he hit me right across the face and told me how it was wrong, how I was dirty, perverted, all that shit."

He looked away over Katsuki's shoulder, focusing on nothing in particular, eyes clouding slightly as he lost himself in his memories.

"But I told Sho a little while after, and he was the one who assured me it was all going to be ok. Over the years he helped build up my confidence, told me that I was allowed to feel that way. To uh, like guys. That I wasn't the disgusting filth he said I was. So, I just started hiding my gay away from him. If it ever showed then he'd beat me, but nowadays I beat him back."

"Shit, so my stupid texts got you fucked up?" Katsuki said quietly, remembering his awful flirty messages and his offer of a date. He didn't even think.

Izuku saw the guilt wash across his face and grabbed his shoulders, "This isn't your fault. It's his. I shouldn't have to hide who I am. But for now it just makes my life easier. I stay busy, I work hard, I exercise, and I have great friends who love me for who I am." He smiled.

"What about your mom? Doesn't she say anything?" 

Izuku's face seemed to look defeated - or maybe it was angry, or sad, or possibly somewhere in between - when he next spoke, like he just seemed resigned to the reality of it.

"She left when I was three, no one has seen or heard from her since. She left my Dad a letter and she left."

"Shit, I'm sorry-"

"Don't apologise, you don't need to. She's the one that left, but I guess after living with him I figure she probably had a good reason to run."

Now there was an obvious ripple of anger across his features.

"So, why don't you leave? Is there nowhere you can go?" Katsuki asked as he brushed a persistent green curl behind Deku's ear.

He flinched at the action before leaning into the touch lightly as he shook his head. Katsuki recognised someone who was touch starved when he saw it. Hell, if it weren't for all the fucking he did, he could go weeks without any real human contact. Right here, right now, touching Deku... it felt good. More than good.

"I don't have any other family, and I wouldn't leave anyway. Did you know that after being missing for seven years you can be declared legally dead? Well, my Dad went through the courts and he did just that," he glared determinedly at Katsuki, "But my Mom had a will, and I'm the sole beneficiary. If I leave the house he'll lock me out and try to take everything from me. I won't let him. It belongs to me. When I turn eighteen it's mine, and he can get the fuck out."

The door handle to the bathroom wiggled, making both boys turn their heads and watch the door in silence until whoever was on the other side muttered a string of curses, gave up, and left.

"I have a couple of questions." Katsuki said, turning his attention back to Izuku. 

"Well, I guess we're too far gone for me to not answer them now," he laughed, "Go ahead, what d'ya wanna know?"

"Well, firstly, why the fuck have you got that brick of a phone? And secondly, how the hell did you manage to go to the insomniac's, uh, that Shinsou freak's party with your dad all over you?"

Izuku laughed at Katsuki's highly imaginative nickname for his purple haired friend. 

"Okay, my phone was smashed during the fight and I can't get another until I can buy it myself." He said, weighing the phone in his hand, and slipping it into Katsuki's palm, "put your number in under... Mr. Yamada. I do a lot of extracurricular stuff for him, Dad won't know it's you."

Katsuki nodded, feeling dumb when it took him a few tries to add his contact with the old style typing system of selecting through the characters per key.

"And one of Shin's adopted dads is Yamada-"

"Fucking seriously?" Katsuki burst out, handing him back the phone.

"Yep, crazy I know. They keep it really quiet so don't tell anyone." Deku said seriously and Katsuki nodded again, "Anyway, he has all the forms for school stuff on his laptop at home and Shin may or may not have forged a letter for a weekend visit to the Historical Museum for Medicine."

"Ha! No shit," Katuski chuckled, "That fucker's isn't a worthless stoner afterall. Your dad bought that?"

Deku nodded, stepping back towards the door, Katsuki frowning at the loss of contact, "He takes my education very seriously, he'd never let me miss a school visit. He thinks I'm going to UA to study Medicine. I can't wait to see his face when he finds out I lied to him. It's the only reason he lets me do photography as a hobby. Annoyingly, it does mean I have to get amazing grades in my Biology class." He scowled.

Katuski swallowed hard at Izuku's apathetic attitude, "And what if he hurts you again?"

"I can handle him, trust me. You should see his stupid face. I'd love to have seen him explain his busted lip and bruised nose to his bosses." He smirked. 

Izuku returned to his class, promising he'd text when he could. The blond had insisted they create a safeword, something that could be typed quickly on the phone's keypad and couldn't be an accident. They agreed that if he texted 'w' and nothing else it meant that it wasn't safe for Katsuki to reply. He'd heard Deku tell Yamada he'd been sick but felt much better now, as he entered his classroom, and Katsuki broke off into a run to make it to his own class, already crafting a similar excuse for his own tardiness.

Before lunch, Katsuki was staring boredly out of the window as his phone vibrated. He slipped it from his pocket to his thigh to read the notification under his desk.

It was a message from Tokoyami in the newly renamed 'Justice for Inko' group chat - The name change was thanks to Denki and Mina. At least it wasn't one of their more shitty group chat names, like the one time Sero had an incident with some duct tape and the name had been changed to 'That's a lotta damageᵀᴹ Tape Elbows' for two months. 

Tokoyami was reminding the quarterback that he needed to call Bloom & Vase before they closed at two o'clock. Katsuki shot him back a 'I said I'm fucking doing it you gothy fuck', before huffing at the fact he still had another twenty minutes until lunch. 

When the bell rang, Katsuki shot up from his desk, shrugged on his jacket, bag, and beanie, and headed out into the frigid winter air for the main quad. He hated the cold but he knew he'd find a quiet private place to make the call there, as it was too cold for most students to happily hangout outside. Taking advantage of the emptiness of the courtyard he sat on the back of a bench, placing his bag between his legs on the bench seat before retrieving his phone and pulling up the number Shitty Hair had sent him.

He pulled in a sharp breath and hit the call button before he could change his mind. 

It rang once... twice... Katsuki told himself that he had a five ring limit before he would hang up... three times... and then the line clicked into life with the low hum of static filling Katsuki's ear. 

There was a deep haggard cough as the person on the line cleared their throat.

"Bloom & Vase. How can we help today?" 

The man's voice was deep, full, and inviting, and Katsuki could swear he could hear that there was a smile on his face as he spoke. 

"Uh, hi..." Katsuki shook his head, scolding himself to get his shit together, "I was hoping to speak with Mr. Yagi?" He said, putting on the most polite tone he could muster, the uncertainty of not knowing whether he was talking to Inko's killer really did not help to keep his true emotions out of his voice. 

The man chuckled far down in his throat happily, "Well you've got him young man. What can I help you with?"

"I'm- I'm calling to see if you could help me. I'm trying to locate an old friend of my Mother's for her." Katsuki swallowed the lie, "She said they used to work with you."

Yagi hummed in thought, "Well I've worked with many people over the years. Do you have a name? Or even your mother's name? I may recognise it."

"Her friend was named Inko, but she's been out of contact with her for a long while now."

Katsuki heard a sharp intake of breath as he spoke and then there was a long drawn moment of silence.

"Uh, Mr. Yagi? Are you there?"

The silence made Katsuki uneasy, but finally more coughing filled the line and then a few steadying breaths could be heard.

"I'm sorry that you'll have to tell your mother Inko has been missing, declared dead, for many years now. I'd have thought all of her close friends would have known by now." He sighed sadly, the heavy outtake of air drowning the receiver in crackles and pops. 

Katsuki placed his free hand on the wood of the bench, gripping hard, fingernails pressing into it to steady himself as he continued his lie.

"My Mother will be very sad to hear this. I'm sorry to ask, but what happened? When did she go missing? I'm sure my Mother will ask."

Another long pause that Katsuki hoped was due to the greif of remembering a lost friend and not the guilt of having murderous husband. But surely if Yagi was her husband, he'd have pressed further for his mother's name. He would have known who Inko's close friends were, Katsuki reasoned.   

Sadness seemed to drip from his voice, "Fourteen years ago, give or take. I'm afraid there wasn't much fuss made about it at the time. She didn't have a big circle of friends-"

This seemed to make him pause for thought. Katsuki sat stock-still, tensed ready to defend his lie.

"I'm sorry, what did you say your mother's name was?" His voice had lost a little of it's polite demeanor. 

Katsuki knew he was testing him, Yagi knew full well he hadn't given that information. He had to make a choice. He had a few options; keep running with his lies, admit some semblance of the truth, or hang up the damn phone and have another Squad member try this out. 

No. Failure doesn't sit well with Katsuki at the best of times, and it certainly wouldn't do now. If he revealed the truth to Inko's murderer, he doubted they'd be worried enough by the ramblings of a teenager to do anything stupid enough to implicate themselves, not after getting away with it for so long. Plus, it was also still likely they were raising Inko's son.

"I didn't." Katsuki sighed, giving up the facade."I'm trying to find out what happened to Inko, Mr. Yagi. I think she was murdered." He spoke bluntly, his voice firm with false confidence as his fingers tightened around his phone, sweat sitting trapped between his palm and the plastic of the case despite the cold weather.  

"You think so, huh?" His voice dropped immediately into anger. No, it was deeper than just anger, it was pain. "Look kid, I don't know who you are, or where you've got Inko's name or these ideas, but if you think you know something, how about you take it down to that imbecile Aizawa at the precinct and tell him all about it. I'm sure he'll believe some kid fourteen years down the line, rather than her-" 

His voice broke off into a wrecked sob that was instantly silenced. Katsuki's breathing had hitched up... rather than her...?

"Mr. Yagi, I-"

His voice was stern, low and empty when he cut Katsuki off.

"Don't call here again."

The line went dead, but Katsuki didn't move. He sat numbly until the cold winter air started to sting on his face. He'd been out here too long in nothing but his football jacket and hat, and as the adrenaline from making the call wore off he became hyper aware that he could no longer feel his fingers. He grabbed his stuff as quickly as his frozen fingers would allow and hightailed it to the cafeteria to to try and grab lunch before the bell.

He had no idea what to make of Yagi. He was certainly heartbroken, although Katsuki couldn't be sure of why. He needed his Squad, and he needed to figure out what to do next.

Chapter Text

The Squad - and de facto member Tokoyami - had met at their favourite diner after school so that Katsuki could catch them up on his phone call with Yagi. They were all in agreement that it sounded more like he was desperately heartbroken than anything else, while they shared a plate of fries and drank their sickly sweet milkshakes - Except Katsuki and Kiri who had water, because they mostly eat clean for the sport; that and the fact that Katsuki isn't really a fan of sweet shit.

Tokoyami had made a note of the name 'Aizawa' and the word 'precinct' while Katsuki was talking, and he was staring at it intently while the others blathered on, switching to talking about some end of term party Denki was planning.

He pulled out his phone to do a quick search for something he thought would push them closer than they'd ever been to helping Inko.

"And Sero, your mum will buy us the booze right? My mum said if she finds out I had a party in her house she'll beat me with her slipper." Denki frowned as Tokoyami tapped away on his phone.

"Sure man," Sero nodded, as Mina cut in, "Thank god some of our moms are cool."

Katsuki rolled his eyes, "Well I mean it's not great parenting dipshits, but fuck it, if it means we can blow off some steam then I'm glad the idiot's mum is 'cool'." He emphasised the sarcasm in 'cool' and scoffed at Sero's mock offence.

"Hey, Moma Sero provides a safe space for all the children!" He laughed, chasing his straw with his tongue, making Denki giggle despite he himself having a strawberry milkshake mustache from where he'd gulped at the frothy head of his drink - he argued it was the best bit of the milkshake, and he didn't wanna let it go to waste at the bottom of his glass.

Katsuki was shaking his head with a faint smile curling the corner of his lips when Tokoyami slid his phone into the blond's view.

"The closest precinct to us," he paused as everyone stopped talking to listen to him, "not that long ago they broke a major case involving a missing child. I thought I recognised the name. 'Aizawa'." He nodded back down to his phone.

Katsuki read the article in front of him, 'Detective Aizawa led the case...'.

"Fuck, so he was telling the truth." Katsuki grumbled, scrolling through the article to see if there was any other helpful information.

"He investigates missing persons cases. I think it's safe to posit that at some point Mr. Yagi took this as a missing persons case to the police. If this was indeed what occurred and Aizawa investigated it, he clearly found that nothing was untoward. We found no media coverage of it, nor any missing person reports."

Tokoyami's face darkened, anger pinching his brows, "Obviously he was terribly wrong."

Kiri took the phone to read the article for himself, "Then what now? I mean, we can probably presume Yagi didn't do it if he reported her missing, right?"

He didn't look sure of his statement, and neither did anyone else.

Tokoyami shook his head, "It could have been a ruse to throw off the police. Maybe he thought reporting her missing himself would be less suspicious."

Kiri hummed in thought, "Then what now?" He asked no one in particular,feeling lost on how to proceed.

Tokoyami caught Katsuki's crimson eyes, a fire glinting in the darkness of his own red irises.

"It may sound crazy, but we're not going to get far if we don't start making bigger moves. I say we approach Aizawa, tackle this head on."

His voice was low and Katsuki hung his head in thought - the goth had more balls than he'd thought, he could respect that. We're they really gonna do this though? Were they really gonna go running around like the fucking Scooby Gang and bother a real detective with their ghost problems. He would definitely think they were 'meddling kids' and that they were fucking loco. But wasn't Katsuki the one who said hey had to see it through? And his friends had all stood by him, they had stayed.

He looked around the booth, catching each of their eyes in turn, seeing nothing but determination on each of his friends' faces - Kiri even gave him a little nod of assurance. Fuck if that didn't make something clench in Katsuki's heart, that they were all with him like this. Not that he'd ever tell them of course, but he couldn't have asked for better friends, friends who were sticking with him even after he brought his problem to their doors.

He snapped his eyes back to Tokoyami, clenching his jaw to steady himself. He was seeing this through regardless, but hell if it wasn't good to have the Squad with him.

"Then we'll try to see this Aizawa fucker at the weekend, and we'll tell him what we know. Worst that can happen is he thinks we're bat-shit crazy and tells us to fuck off." He leant back against the both, playing with his empty glass, "Tch, maybe we'll learn something new."

Tuesday rolled into Wednesday, and Thursday came by without so much as a peep from Inko. He continued to greet her and say goodbye to her when he left for the day. He'd even sat cross-legged on his floor on Tuesday night and talked her through what they'd learned, and what their plans were. He did feel momentarily deranged when he realised what he must look like, but thankfully Katsuki wasn't one for being self-conscious.

He was sending Deku a 'Good Morning' text in reply to the greenette's ehtusiastic 'Good morning Kacchan!' while he ate his breakfast on Thursday morning. It had become tradition for Izuku to start their conversation when it was safe to do so, and Katsuki would just take it from there. They were keeping up their flirting, banter and casual conversation, and Katsuki was genuinely proud of himself for abstaining from any sexual actitivites over the last couple of weeks.

In all honesty, yeah he wanted to get his dick wet, who didn't? But he could go without until he could go that far with Deku... and oh boy was he looking forward to when that day came. He'd thought about that in the shower a few times already. He'd thought about it with such intensity that he'd definitely gasped out the boy's name in shallow breaths as the scalding water pattered against his flesh.

He was pulled away from his less than innocent thoughts when his mother came into the kitchen carrying a long flat box.

"Morning Brat!" She smirked, tussling Katsuki's hair on her way around the breakfast bar.

She was already dressed in a fashionable beige pants suit, ready to start her day in the office.

Katsuki grunted in response, standing to pull on his jacket and beanie from where they sat on the counter.

"Oi! Don't ignore me kid," She scowled at him, while cutting open the box, "Would it kill you to greet your mother?"

She placed the box's lid to one side, reaching under the counter to retrieve a glass vase. Inside the box sat an array of roses, each sporting their own unique swirls of reds, oranges and yellows. She watched Katsuki staring at the flowers, realisation dawning across his features as he accepted that he could no longer avoid asking his mother the questions he needed answers to. He pretty much avoided his parents at all costs. They got along well enough when they had to but they were hardly ever around, and Katsuki had always been more than a little bitter about that... resentful even. He knew their careers were important to them, but what about him? What about his emotional and physical wellbeing? There was a reason he was touch starved and seeking intimacy in all the wrong places, and having knowledge of his own weaknesses didn't seem to make it any easier to combat them. Izuku's freckled face and bright smile flashed through his mind. That kid had been through more shit than Katsuki ever had, but he was still open and teaming with life. It only made Katsuki want to be closer to him, to bask in his warmth, to follow him like the head of a flower follows the heat of the sun.... But right now he had to get this interaction over with.

The Old Hag didn't seem concerned that he hadn't replied and was busying herself with cutting the stems of the roses, slotting them one at a time into the vase with her aesthetic eye.

"They're beautiful aren't they." She mused, voice softening as she brushed the petals of a particularly vibrant orange rose open, "Your father sent them to me."

She continued to brush along the petals with her fingers as she met Katsuki's gaze, their red eyes mirrored one another.

"I know we fight like cat and dog- Well, I fight him," She chuckled, "but we really do love each other. Maybe a little too intensely if I'm honest. That's how it's always been."

Why was she telling him this now?

"We love you just as much, you know?" She stilled, drinking in her son's passive expression. On the inside Katsuki was screaming - If they loved him they'd have been around more - but he didn't want to do this shit. Not right now. She didn't know him, not really. Fuck, she probably didn't even know he was Bi, and she definately didn't know he spent a big portion of his childhood talking to a fucking shadow on his wall.

"Did you two know the people who lived here before us?" He asked flatly, voice devoid of all emotion.

She shook her head slightly, blinking, no doubt experiencing whiplash from the sudden change in conversation.

"Um, no can't say we did," She placed her hands flat on the counter, arching a brow at him, "Why Brat? What's this about?"

"Just a project for school." He shrugged, fisting his hands into his jean pockets, "So you don't know anything about who owned this house?"

"Sorry kiddo, never met 'em. It was all done via the realtors." She looked back to the bouquet as she struggled to recollect - She wanted to help Katsuki with his project if she could, she really did. This was about the longest, most normal, conversation they'd had in a while and she was really trying to be helpful.

"I think it was a couple with a kid. The room upstairs that's now yours, it was decorated like a nursery." She nodded, "Yeah, I reckon that had to be it, but when we viewed the place it was already empty. Is that helpful?"

She tilted her head thoughtfully, "What's the project for?"

"Just a research prompt is all." Katsuki answered, feeling his phone vibrate in his pocket. It was probably Deku, he should wrap this up so he could get to school and see the cute little shit before class.

"Do you know if there were azaleas here when we moved in?"

"Ha!" His mothered snorted, turning to run water into the vase of flowers, "To say how much your dad drones on about his fucking garden you'd have thought you'd have paid some attention."

"For fuck sake, Old Hag," he groaned, "spit it out already."

"Watch your tone, Brat!" She scolded before raising her arm to point through the kitchen window, "We still have them in the back garden. Of course they don't flower in the winter, but they're hardy..."

Katsuki had stopped listening as she continued on about the garden, and which plants were here before they arrived. Shit, she was right, his dad had probably mentioned this before and he just wasn't listening.

His heart was in his throat as he looked out at the currently flowerless plants, the dark green leaves burned brown at the edges by the harsh cold of winter. Inko has specifically mentioned these when they'd asked where her body was. He instantly felt sick, a nauseating swirling in his guts as his hand swept up to clutch the front of his t-shirt. Goosebumps fell across the flesh of his arms and neck, a cold sweat pricked his forehead... Why would she mention those flowers if she weren't leading him to the ones in his own backyard - in her backyard. She'd been on the porch that night after the seance, she'd been trying to tell them then. Had she been that close this whole time? Had she been mere feet from his house for all these years?

"Hey? Hey?" His mother's hand was suddenly on his shoulder shaking him gently and he blinked up at her, a shiver running down his back and away beneath the collar of his shirt.

"You look ill all of a sudden," His mother looked genuinely concerned, as she placed the back of her hand momentarily against his forehead, "You feel like you've got a chill. Make sure you stay wrapped up today Kat. You gonna be ok?"

He made no attempt to shrug her off, in fact he didn't mind it at this moment, her hand grounding him in the present and the nostalgic familiarity of her hold as it pressed into his shoulder.

"Uh, yeah, I'm fine. Don't make a fuss." He scoffed, making light of the earth shattering realisation he'd just had that there might be a fucking body buried in their garden. The possibility was too overwhelming to be ignored.

He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath in through his nose before meeting her gaze.

"I'm fine." He repeated.

She gently squeezed his shoulder, "I know brat, but if you're ever, you know, not fine, you can tell me." She smiled faintly at him before releasing him to look at her watch.

"We both better get a move on huh?"

"Alright Hag, I'm moving."

Just as he'd thought the text was from Deku, and once he arrived at school he made plans to catch up with him after practice that night. He hoped they might get some alone time - not for anything too seedy, just to hang out with Deku without his idiot friends.

He also texted the group chat about the conversation he had with his mother, and his theory about Inko's body. Let's just say there were a lot of F bombs dropped in the chat by the Squad members. Kiri was adamant that they needed to tell Aizawa this news, but how the fuck would he explain his reasoning - Detective, there's a body buried in my garden. A ghost told me, I fucking swear. He'd come to that bridge when he got there. For now he buried his face into his textbook, eagerly awaiting practice so he could see the freckled fucker again.

Practice was harsh. The coach, lovingly nicknamed Hound Dog for his dogged determination to whip them into shape, was really putting them through their paces today. Katsuki was filthy and his elbow was scraped up pretty badly from where he'd hit the deck after a particularly ferocious tackle. However, all the mud, grime and fatigue seemed well worth it knowing that Deku was up in the stands watching them on the field... Watching him. He didn't think he was imagining it now. He was certain that his lens was trained on him more than it wasn't.

When he jogged over to the edge of the field, removing his helmet, Deku was already rushing down the stands to greet him. Sero and Kiri were lagging behind him talking to the coach for one reason or another, not at all to give Katsuki time to speak to Midoriya, and that was fine by Katsuki.

"You were great Kacchan!" He beamed, that one irritatingly cute curl flopping across his eyeline as he came to a stop in front of Katsuki.

Oh how the quarterback wanted to reach out and use that curl as an excuse to slowly draw his hand down the nerd's face. Instead he caught his breath and looked back into those wide green eyes.

"Of fucking course I was, nerd," he smirked, "you get some good shots on that thing?"

He pointed with his helmet to the bulky digital camera Deku was holding, the black strap slipped around his pale neck above his scarf, where he knew the now yellowing bruise was hidden.

Deku's face flushed the tiniest amount, the tips of his eyes and cheekbones taking on a rosy hue not caused by the cold.

"I dunno, I'll check when I review them later." He shrugged, glancing away.

Katuski stepped closer, softly hitting the side of Izuku's thigh with his helmet, "Bet you've got tons of great shots of my ass, huh nerd?" He said playfully.

Deku's lips parted slightly in a soundless gasp, the tint spreading to his round cheeks before he laughed out lighter than air, "Yep, you've got me Kacchan. When I submit my application to UA my portfolio is going to be ninety percent your ass and ten percent shots of the floor, you know, from where I was drooling too much to focus"

The sarcasm was thick in his voice, his eyes glinting, but hell Katsuki had a chance to push this in the direction he wanted it to go. The blond took another step forward, heart beating in his ears as he was nearly flush with the nerd. He looked down to the camera's darkened display screen.

"No drool on the screen Deku," He said leaning over it, head inches from the other's, "You cleaned the evidence up well."

He released a long drawn out sigh, "I mean, if you wanted pictures of my ass, all you had to do was ask. I'd be happy to supply ones with a little less coverage." He allowed the last word to roll slowly from his tongue, purposefully looking up into Deku's flushed face from his hunched position.

"I uh..." He'd finally done it, he'd flustered the nerd to the point that he couldn't speak, he'd- Deku licked those pillowy lips of his, "That's ok Kacchan, but I wouldn't mind a live show sometime." Then he winked. The fucker actually winked...Cheeky little....

The sheer audacity of this guy. Katsuki wanted to be mad at him for not melting until he was a puddle at Katsuki's feet like everyone else the blond flirted with... But he just couldn't be. If anyone else said that to him they'd either be laid out cold right now courtesy of Katsuki's right fist, or he'd already be inviting them back to his place to resolve the blatant sexual tension. Fuck, he wanted that with Deku.

He wanted more than just that though. He wanted dates, chaste kisses, and then heated make-outs. He wanted to hold him and take him away from all the shit that bared down on his daily existance, especially his fucking peice-of-shit dad. And yet, part of Katsuki also wanted Deku to do the same for him, to hold him when shit got too heavy, to know all his dark secrets and fears. How could he want that with someone he'd only known a few weeks? Sure, he'd watched him - almost obsessively - but until recently he'd never made a move. Deku, Izuku, was too good for him, and he sure as shit wasn't gonna cower or melt under Katsuki the way he thought he wanted him too... but now in that moment, with the burning glint searing through Deku's otherwise tranquilly green eyes, Katsuki knew that wasn't what he wanted at all. He wanted Izuku's strength, determination, and even his terminally fucking delighful attitude. He wanted someone who challenged him and he could tell Deku would give him that. Was there even any point in fighting the pull towards him anymore? It seemed pretty fucking futile if he was honest. Inevitable even.

They were still standing inches from each other, Katsuki was leaning slowly forward to close the gap when Deku took a large step backwards, face still flushed and eyes large. Katsuki almost reeled forward into the space he'd been occupied, catching himself and leaning back to consider Deku with a frown.

"Uh, I'm sorry Kacchan, it's not that I don't want to, it's just..." his eyes flitted around the field and he seemed to growl at himself in irritation, "God knows how many people could've just seen us."

He rubbed his face with his hands as the quarterback's eyes grew instantly wide... because he's a fucking idiot. He took a step back from the greenette, giving him space to breathe, "Shit. Fuck. Deku- I- Fuck, I didn't think." His anger at himself simmered below the surface of his skin.

Katsuki clenched his jaw, looking around the field. There were a few people on the top of the bleachers way off, and the coach with Sero and Kiri back out on the field. Apart from that there were no other eyes on them that he could see.

"You're good, Deku," he said, returning his gaze to the greenette who was still glancing around cautiously, "There's no fucker here." He smiled softly before continuing, although it felt a little foreign on his face, "For what it's worth I'm not sorry. I want to kiss you and I know you wanna kiss me too, nerd. Maybe not here, but we're hanging out tonight right?"

Deku let out a short sharp laugh, "I'm still not fucking you Kacchan!"

Katsuki opened his mouth to protest, but Deku cut him off, "But, I guess I could allow you a kiss or two."

A smirk was settling on Katsuki's face, a warm feeling spreading through his guts as he heard Kiri and Sero talking as they approached.

"'Sup bros?" Kiri grinned, sensing the energy between the two.

"Deku's gonna hang with me, you fuckers can find your own way home." Katsuki huffed, getting straight to the point. Standing around with these idiots was eating into his time with Deku and Katsuki didn't even know what he'd told his dad yet. He mentally scolded himself, that should've been the first thing he asked.

"Woah, sorry Bakubro, didn't realise you'd replaced your best pals!" Sero jibed, elbowing Katsuki's side as he laughed.

Of course the boys knew that Izuku was gay and Katsuki was smitten with him, but they couldn't just say that when he hadn't directly told them, so they played dumb.

"I didn't mean to intrude guys!" Deku said, a little panicked, hands flying out to wave away any offense he may have caused.

"He's just joking with ya Midobro," Kiri said, smiling as he shook his head, his red spikes drooping with sweat, "He's all yours. Sero's mum's gonna take us for fried chicken...man, I never get to eat that shit." He said dreamily.

Izuku laughed, shuffling his feet as Katsuki began to walk away. "Come on, nerd." He said, gesturing for the greenette to follow in the direction of the locker room.

Deku refused to enter the locker room with Katsuki and the others, instead he loitered outside bundled up in his winter coat and wooly hat, looking through the pictures from today's practice. Katsuki had the quickest shower he'd ever had in his damn life, towelled himself off and shoved his clothes back on, pulling his beanie down over his ears to cover his hair which was still damp in his haste to see Izuku.

"What's the plan Kacchan?" The greenette beamed when Katsuki stepped out, the skies already dark as winter pressed itself on the days.

He shoved his hands into his pockets, "Let's hit the mall or somethin', plenty to do there nerd. We can grab some food too if you want. My treat."

Deku's smile grew, if that were even possible, and he started to follow Katsuki, their arms brushing as they walked side-by-side.

"Sounds great!"

A few beats of comfortable silence passed as Katsuki watched the small puffs of air condense as they left Izuku's mouth.

"Are you sure it's safe for you to be out with me Deku? I don't want you getting-" he hesitated, choosing his words carefully - Izuku wasn't weak, he knew that, "I don't wanna cause you trouble."

"Don't worry Kacchan. He's gotta work late tonight. As long as I'm back before he is, all he'll do is give me stink-eye and try to exert control at home. He'll check my phone and stuff but I'll be safe. I promise. He can't watch me all the time, and he knows it."

He let out a small humourless chuckle, as they reached Katsuki's car, "I can see it, when he confronts me about stuff. That realisation that he can't make me do what he wants anymore." His soft face turns pensive, one hand on the passenger door of the car, "He looks both terrified and sad. That's strange, huh? How someone can be sad that they're gonna lose you after hurting you for so long."

Katsuki didn't know what to say to that, but he knew what he felt. Heartbroken for Deku. One parent abandoned him and the other may as well have. It was wholly shocking to Katsuki that he'd turned out as well rounded as he had. And then there was Katsuki with two parents who might have been shit at communicating with their son, were career driven... but they always tried with him, and at least they were still around... at least they loved him. As much as he wanted to deny it, he knew it was true.

Deku must've sensed that the quarterback didn't know how to respond because he pulled a large smile back onto his face, eyes closing into crescent moons, cheeks round and cherry red, "Come on Kacchan, time's a-wastin'! You gotta get me home by nine."

The mall was busy for a Thursday evening, but with the holidays around the corner everyone was clearly scrambling to buy gifts and festive themed shit. Unsurprisingly, Katsuki wasn't that bothered about Christmas. It was usually the time of year where his family came home, extra relatives turned up for their annual visit, and they all played happy families - ok, it wasn't all bad, Katsuki may have smiled once or twice at his parents' antics on Christmas day.

Izuku, on the other hand, clearly loved it. He practically radiated joy as they wandered the mall, giddily pointing out the hanging ornaments, and the stupid - and in Katsuki's opinion, frankly terrifying - anamatronic grotto display. The toy displays in the windows and the Christmas themed All Might merch in the comic store caught the nerds eye too, gushing over them like some love sick puppy with an 'Aren't they amazing Kacchan!' that made Katsuki's shrivelled heart grow three sizes.

They played games in the arcade and both quickly realised they were extremely competitive. Katsuki won on the shooting range, and scoring hoops against each other was a close call for the blond, but Deku kicked his ass at Dance Dance Revolution with a grace he didn't know the nerd possessed. Whenever their glances held too long, or they brushed against one another as they bit out flirtatious banter, Katsuki could feel his cheekbones flush... and the worst thing was, he was starting not to care.

Deku was like sunshine, warm, comforting, and Katsuki wanted to lay back and bask in his glow. Take in all of the sweet nourishment he could get; the light airy giggles that fell effortlessly from his pink lips, the soft touches and playful fluttering glances, his open lively nature, his somehow still positive outlook.... Katsuki wanted it all, and he let it wash over him, seeping into his bones until the warmth was burning him from the inside out. Until it was no longer warm light from a star billions of light-years away, but a heartbeat away, his soul pressed against the scorching surface of the sun and set alight with desire. He needed this, he wanted it, and as the evening waned all of Deku's actions pointed towards him wanting the same thing.

Their last stop was an ice cream parlour, Deku insisting he wasn't hungry but that he could go for something sweet. Damn nerd and his sweet tooth, how the hell did he stay in shape? Katsuki could already see he'd have to watch the little shit and make sure he didn't overdose on sugary crap - Not that he really cared. He'd buy Deku every ounce of ice cream in the country if it made him happy.

Deku got a twin cone because he couldn't choose just one flavour; mint choc-chip on one side, caramel on the other. Katsuki got blood orange flavoured shaved ice, tart and refreshing. They walked back to Katsuki's car, and ate sitting in the front seats with the heating on high.

"Don't fucking drip that shit in my car Deku." Katsuki warned, gnawing a chunk off of his shaved ice.

Who'd have thought icy treats on a frigid winter day would've been a good idea. Fuckin' Deku that's who. Deku, who was laughing as his pink tongue came out to lick a running drip of caramel from the cone's rim, the smooth surface of his tongue tracing the contours of the cone before retreating back into the warm wetness of his mouth. Katsuki swallowed, and he swallowed hard. The warmth on his face was back with a vengeance.

"Okay Kacchan, jeez. I'll be careful, promise," He grinned, and there was his tongue again, lapping at the mint side this time... Katsuki spent a moment too long staring - was he pulling this shit on purpose? But when he raised his gaze to Deku's he was nearly cross-eyed looking intently at his ice cream and the quarterback couldn't help but chuckle.

"You're fuckin' wierd Deku."

The greenette shrugged, pulling off his hat in the now too-warm car, "Well, clearly you like weird then don't you Kacchan."

"Sassy little shit aren't you?" He smirked, downing more shaved ice, if only to cool off his own burning face and smoldering desire, and stopping him from lunging for the nerd and taking him  then and there on the cool black leather of his pride and joy.

"I have to be." He hums, finishing his mint ice cream and moving back over to the last of the sickly sweet caramel, "I think people look at me and think I'm soft. I hate that. I know I'm strong. Determined. Yeah, maybe a little too kind hearted but I have to let myself trust people or I'd be alone with no one but him...."

He trailed off, and Katsuki found himself turning and leaning forward, pacing a hand gently on Deku's knee. He flinched slightly before placing his own hand over Katsuki's. Deku was soft to look at, but he wasn't weak, Katuski knew that now.

"From what I've seen you've got a whole lotta people who give a shit about you nerd."

Izuku had also turned in his seat and was leaning in, the knee their hands were resting on now pulled up, foot resting on the leather between his thighs.

"I know Kacchan, it makes me... overwhelmed sometimes I guess. To know that blood doesn't mean everything. I can make my own family." He matched Katsuki's gaze, and the blond can't help but ask -

"Why've you never reported him? Rang the police? Told a neighbour? Anything?" He knows he sounds a little desperate, so he coughs to cover it.

He can't help but think that Izuku could've ended up just like Inko, dead at the hands of someone who was supposed to care for them, love them. God, it makes him angry, it makes him boil and not in the fevered pleasant way Izuku makes him feel. It churns and chars his insides.

"You know if I report him and if they believe me, if they throw his ass in jail, or move me out of the home... If any of that happens -'' He screws his eyes shut, as if trying to block out the mental images those possibilities conjure, "I'm not eighteen yet Kacchan, and I don't have any family. I'd be put into care, or some kind of halfway home, and everything that's mine would be in the care of the state. Look at how messed up my life is Kacchan, imagine what some of the kids in those places are gonna be like..."

His expression darkened, his eyes falling to his lap, "...Imagine what some of the adults there get away with."

Fuck. Katsuki didn't want to imagine any of those things, they made blood roar in his ears and bile rise up his throat .

"You know, you think it would be easy," he continued, gaze flickering back to Katsuki, searching his crimson eyes as if checking he can trust him with this, "hating him I mean, but it's not. I have good memories too, from when I was younger, when he made an effort to cheer me up after he'd torn me down. As I got older I stopped letting him make it up to me. I started getting bitter and angry. Gosh, it's so tiring being angry all the time, you know?"

And Katsuki did know. He spent a lot of his time feeling that way. Different reasons, same feelings. He nodded slowly, somehow closer to Deku's face, glowing in the warm tones of the car's interior lights.

"I hate him, I do. He's an abusive piece of shit, but he's my Dad too. How do you reconcile those two things?" His eyebrows pinched, "I'm not expecting you to have the answer or anything, it's just- that's why I try so hard to stay open, to stay happy, with everyone else. I don't wanna lose that part of myself."

There were small pools forming across his waterline and he sighed, tilting his head back to fend them off.

"Ah, sorry-"

"Don't ever fucking apologise for that shit Deku. I fucking mean it."

Katsuki reached forward without thinking, resting his hand along Izuku's cheek and running a calloused thumb across it. Deku's eyes blew wide, all vibrant green tones with watery edges. He let his eyes flutter closed tilting slightly into Katsuki's touch and just as the blond decided he was gonna kiss the fucker his eyes snapped open and something had changed in them.

They were alight, a spark flickering in the depths of a green forest....

....And suddenly Katsuki wasn't the one in control anymore.

Izuku surged forward, his hand leaving Katsuki's to wrap around the nape of Katsuki's neck, pulling him in needily. Katsuki meets him with just as much desire, one hand squeezing Deku's knee, his fingernails biting into the fabric of his jeans. His other hand blindly deposits his cup of shaved ice in the cup holder - hoping it actually sat up right or he'd have a fucking mess to clean up - and runs it up to card fingers through soft green curls as their lips finally meet.

It's not a soft kiss by any means. It's fevered and far too forceful. Desperate. He can feel Izuku's hot breath flutter across his lips whenever they part, and he makes him gasp when he slides his tongue into his open mouth. It's everything Katsuki wanted. He didn't care that they nipped each other a little, or that their teeth clacked together, or the thin layer of saliva coating his lips. This was Deku, he was kissing Izuku. The one he actually wanted to do more than just kiss and fuck, and have scream his name. Sure those things too, but those things were just part of the whole. The whole that included dorky hero fanboying, and wondrous delight about bullshit things, and ice cream in the fucking winter.

Katsuki's heart roared with adoration as he plundered Izuku's mouth again, diving deeper with each new exploration and earning hums and moans of satisfaction which vibrated against him. His chest was swelling with everything he felt, wanted, needed from this boy trapped in his hold, and his head was full of Deku, Deku, Izuku...

Izuku tasted like cool mint and saccharine sweet caramel. He smelt like clean laundry and fresh cut grass. Katsuki wanted to inhale him, and he pressed himself forward, over the centre aisle, hand slipping along the inside of Izuku's thigh and up to follow the seam of his jeans. Izuku didn't move to stop him, only gripped tighter to Katsuki as the heel of his hand slipped lower on the greenette's crotch, meeting smooth leather and....

Katsuki pulled away sharply with a wet snack of lips and a narrowed confused gaze drawing in his brows.

"What the fuck-"

He glanced down at the sticky stain on Izuku's crotch, and watched as it dripped onto the leather beneath him. Izuku's face was bright red, his eyes half-lidded as he shook his head to clear his blissful gaze and followed Katsuki's eyeline.

"Oh- oh no! I'm so sorry Kacchan!" He rambled, face darkening a few more shades.

Katsuki caught the offending object from Izuku's free hand. The hand that had been aimlessly hovering the whole time holding a now soggy cone, melted caramel ice cream dripping through the cracked tip of the now soft wafer.

"I asked you to do one fuckin' thing Deku." He growled lowly, but his slight smirk gave him away.

Deku's outstretched hand was sticky with melted ice cream and he held it aloft looking apologetically at Katsuki with big green eyes.

Katsuki rolled down his window and tossed the cone - some pigeons will eat it or some shit - and turned back to Izuku, leaning into his space.

"You want me to lick that clean for you I-zu-ku." He teased, eyebrows raised as his lips curled. Fact is, he fucking would too, if he ever let him.

He giggled that laugh, the one that made Katsuki feel weightless and breathy, "I think I'll be- oh shit!"

The blond followed Deku's gaze to the dashboard, the time lit up and caused Katsuki's eyes to widen.

"Fuck! Another time nerd." He grinned, planting a kiss in Izuku's lips and turning to start the car. "Seatbelt on Deku, we gotta fucking move it."

And Izuku laughed. And Katsuki did too. And they both forgot for now about the darkness waiting for them in their homes. The beatings. The monster. The shadow... and the possibility of a body in the garden.

Chapter Text

'The sad truth is that the truth is sad'
Daniel Handler

Not all of the Squad could make it on Saturday; Mina had to attend her cousin's wedding in the role of bridesmaid, something she was obviously thrilled about, and Kaminari was too much of a liability to bring to meet an actual member of law enforcement. Tokoyami, de facto member, was in attendance when the four boys met at their nearest subway station. Tokoyami had plotted out their route and he engaged in the playful banter Kiri had started on the train ride to the precinct. Turns out the birdbrain had more personality than Katsuki thought.

When they reached their stop they piled out and up onto street level, and began following Tokoyami to their destination. Across the open plaza stood a large square building made of red bricks, with several long arching windows across its face and a wide archway where the door stood open. The large letters across the outside of the building clearly marked the precinct out from the surrounding architecture and the teens huddled together, bundled up in their hats and scarves to hash out their plan before approaching.

"So we just stroll in there and ask for Aizawa? You think he'll talk to us?" Sero asked skeptically, burying his face deeper into his scarf.

"We- well, Bakugou- tells them that we have new evidence on the case, and hopefully that at least gets us in front of the detective." Tokoyami answers, eyeing the officers entering the building in front of them.

"What have we got to lose?" Kiri smiled, "All we can do is try, right?"

Sero and Tokoyami nodded, but Katsuki was uncharacteristically quiet. Not even a 'let's do this Shitty Hair'. He was watching the building, eyes unfocused and lost in thought. There was a low uneasy rumble in his stomach that he really didn't want to admit was bothering him. He didn't get nervous. So what if some shitty two-bit detective didn't believe them? Did that mean he would give up? Never gonna fucking happen.

His friends watched as he closed his eyes and took a deep inhale, his mind immediately thinking of green eyes and green hair, and the hurt masked behind a wide smile and freckled cheeks. If Izuku could deal with the shit in his life, then Katsuki could damn well deal with this.

He clicked his tongue, "Come the-fuck-on. I don't wanna be here all day."

They entered the lobby of the precinct, seeing a few people waiting in plastic chairs, and the bullpen visible through the windows in the double doors next to the reception. The reception curved around to meet the far wall, and behind the tall wooden sweep of the desk sat an elderly woman with half-moon spectacles perched on the very tip of her nose.

The boys glanced at each other and Kiri patted Katsuki's shoulder lightly, urging him forward. Katsuki pulled his beanie from his head as he approached the desk and the other boys followed suit. He passed a hand through blond spikes, coughing lightly to get the receptionist's attention.

Her eyes squinted tightly when they flicked up to meet Katsuki's gaze, before she looked back down to her computer screen and continued to type.

"Uh, hi, we have some evidence we think might help on an old case." When the woman didn't react he looked back at his friends who nodded encouragingly. "We'd like to talk to Detective Aizawa... please."

As he tagged on his best attempt at being polite, she pulled a pen down from her grey bun and grabbed the notepad to her side, placing them before Katsuki, "If you give me the information and your details young man then I'll be sure Detective Aizawa gets them."

Her voice was firm, no sign of frailty.

"Not gonna happen." Katsuki glared, crossing his arms, "We need to speak to him, it's urgent."

And just like that the incessant tapping on the keys stopped, her hands coming to rest clasped together in her lap.

"Is that so?" She asked, a hint of a smirk quirking her lips. "Look," she sighed, "Detective Aizawa is a busy man, and he doesn't need his time wasted. I will field all the information. If he feels it's credible he'll-"

"Bullshit!" Katsuki couldn't help it - Credible? From the guy who didn't even put out a missing alert for a dead woman who's mortal remains may now reside in his goddamn garden!

Kiri was quick to step forward, clasping a hand on Katsuki's shoulder firm enough for his nails to bite the blonds skin thorugh his parka and pull him out of his rage. He looked over at the woman, smiling apologetically.

"Shuzenji, is it?" He said brightly, reading her name tag, "I'm sorry about him. It's just he's really stressed out over this because we really do have information that could help solve the case, and it's become really important to us to make sure there's closure for any surviving relatives, ya know?"

She seemed to consider him for a moment before pushing her glasses up her nose and pushing the notepad forward again.

"Sorry sweetie, this is the process. If you've really got something, he'll be interested I'm sure."

"You know what f-", Katsuki decided better of swearing any further at police personnel, "Listen here lady, Aizawa didn't do sh-crap the first time around, so he sure as hell ain't gonna listen to a bunch of snot-faced brats, right? Of course we can't actually help! God, I must be crazy to think we could actually be done with this!"

He seemed to be ranting more to himself now than anyone else, and his friends crowded him, trying to ground him before he got himself in trouble with the few officers in the lobby who were eyeing him already.

"Young man, I'm sor-"

"It's ok Chiyo, I'll see them."

All heads snapped towards the monotonous tired voice, meeting black eyes in a tired pale face. Aizawa was stood in the open door to the bullpen, nursing a large mug of steaming coffee. He was bundled up in a long black woolen winter coat, a dank grey scarf looping his neck. His face was stubbled and his eyes bloodshot. Fuck, being a detective must be real rough.

Shuzenji nodded slightly before turning to the boys, "On you go then."

Kiri thanked her several times, pulling Katsuki by the shoulder, but when the quarterback looked back he could see the receptionist smiling.

They all followed Aizawa through the bullpen and into a cramped office with a desk so littered in stacks of paperwork it was hard to see how the man worked there. Katsuki decided that he likely didn't, that he was probably never still for that long if his state of exhaustion was anything to go by. Aizawa gestured for the kids to shuffle further in as he perched on the edge of his desk, knocking a precariously stacked pile of documents with little concern. He took another large swig of his coffee and stared at them each in turn before his eyes came to rest on Katsuki.

"You. You're the disrespectful problem child who insisted on speaking with me. Well, you've got my attention. Out with it."

He looked on unimpressed as Katsuki shuffled under his gaze, thinking of how best to approach the topic. Sero nudged his elbow, bumping him forward.

"We uh, we have information about the disappearance of a woman named Inko."

For the smallest moment a flicker of something crossed Aizawa's face - Curiosity? Hope? Katsuki couldn't say, but it was something, and it gave him the courage to continue.

"We think she was murdered by her husband and that her body is in my back yard."

Now Aizawa's eyebrows reached up towards his hairline, hidden behind his long dark hair, and the blond heard Kiri groan next to him, probably thinking the blond had taken the wrong tact by being so blunt - How the fuck was he supposed to say this shit? Aizawa brought his naturally disinterested look to settle back over his features and swigged his coffee again.

"You 'think'?" He said flatly, almost patronisingly.

"No asshole, I know." Katsuki glared.

"What's your name, kid?"

Katsuki bristled at the term which implied his naivety but held his dark gaze, "Bakugou Katsuki."

"And you all encouraged him to come here today?" Aizawa gestured with his mug to the others, who all nodded slowly, nervously glancing to one another for reassurance.

"Names?"

The boys rattled off their names one after the other, while Katusi stood, his mind a whirlwind of repressed anxiety and anger. He just needed to stay calm, calling the guy an 'asshole' probably hadn't helped, but he needed him to hear them out. He realigned his posture, straightening up and crushing his beanie in his fist.

"Ok Bakugou, I don't know where you heard the name 'Inko' or why you think you have this solved, but call me curious. What evidence do you have to support your accusations?"

Katsuki's mouth opened and then it hung there as he gawped like a fish, because what evidence did he have? Snapping his mouth shut, and telling his heart to calm the fuck down, he decided to start from the beginning and just let the words flow from him. Like water carving through rock, hopefully Aizawa would be eroded quickly, and his words would wash over him until he came out baptised in the river of truth and escorted Katsuki home to dig up poor Inko's body.

"I grew up in what used to be Inko's house." He began slowly, feeling Sero tense next to him, was he really gonna just be honest?, "There was always this, I dunno, presence I guess. In my room."

Aizawa was completely still, arms folded stiffly across his chest, coffee mug in hand, unblinking, almost unbreathing. Deathly. Katsuki couldn't look at him and he hated that, but this was bigger than him and his damned ego, so he looked at the man's black shoes instead.

"It was always there. It made me feel like shit, gave me nightmares I couldn't remember, depression, fear, the whole nine-yards. These idiots convinced me to do a seance, or whatever. We spoke with it. It told us she was called Inko, she was murdered by her husband, and she had a son. She said her body is under the azaleas in my garden. When we couldn't find anything about her being reported missing in the papers we reached out to her old employer - we don't think he's the husband - and he seemed pretty fucking pissed at you for doing fuck all when she dissapeared. What kind of detective are you anyway? Didn't think it was fucking weird that she just left?"

His fists were clenching so hard now that his nails were digging into his palms, scratching through the fabric of the hat in his hand, his neck rigid as he spat venomously. He half expected the Squad to intervene but when he threw a side glance at Kiri he looked angry too, angry at the situation, angry at Aizawa, angry for Katsuki, angry for Inko.

Aizawa was in no rush, he placed his mug gently on a pile of papers and stood, stepping up to meet Katsuki's angry red glare.

"Kid, I need you to understand something, and I need you to listen closely." Dark eyes bored into red and Katsuki felt the tone of the room change. Aizawa was angry too. Not the anger Katsuki displayed, loud, brash. No, this was quiet, deadly, terrifying in its inaction, as if hunkered inside waiting for the dam to burst, to wash all of Katsuki's efforts away, disintegrating the whole plan they'd marched in with - not that it was much of a plan to start with.

"You can't make a case in the eyes of the law without evidence, and it's hard to convict for a murder without a body when the evidence contradicts your case. Inko left both her husband and her son letters. She emptied her bank account. She took her valuables and her hand luggage. She even used her credit card two states over six months after her disappearance to purchase a ferry ticket."

"But-"

Aizawa placed a firm but gentle hand on his shoulder, "Look, if you grew up in her old house, it's not crazy for you to know certain facts about her, I can get that. And of course you'll believe her husband did it. Hell, even I think her husband murdered her," he leans closer in to look deeply at Katsuki, "I'm saying I agree with you kid, but you have no evidence."

He backed away rubbing his tired eyes with his large hand, "And Yagi sure thinks her husband did it too. Why wouldn't her lover accuse him?"

Kiri gasped, Sero took a shocked step backward and Katsuki blinked at Aizawa like he had two heads. Tokoyami was, of course, unmoved. Yagi was her lover? Katsuki's head spun a little at the revelation. No wonder he was pissed. But then why didn't he help her? Whisk her away?

Aizawa continued ignoring the boys' expressions, "We had to investigate him too of course. Jilted ex-lover is always a favorite for who-dunnit-"

"Ex-lover?" Tokoyami asked, stepping forward a little.

"I'm telling you this so you boys can put this to bed, and as it's not an ongoing case I'm free to discuss it." Aizawa sighed, popping himself back against the desk, "I think her husband did kill her. There'd been a history of abuse, hospital visits, but it all stopped when Inko fell pregnant. That's when she stopped seeing Yagi. I think the abuse stopped when she was pregnant and she thought Hisashi would change. Sadly, I don't think he did. Unfortunately he covered his tracks well. We had cadaver dogs all over the house and grounds, not a hint of a body. All the evidence pointed to her leaving, so we had no case."

Katsuki was dumbfounded. He must have been wrong. If cadaver dogs hadn't found Inko then she couldn't be there. Was he barking up the wrong tree this whole time, a stupid dog with a bone he just couldn't let go of.

"I have no idea why you boys started looking into this but I don't believe in ghosts, and even if I did, I can't win cases with them." Aizawa stood and moved over to his office door, "Bakugou, I suggest you put this to rest, there is no body in your garden. You know now that you're not telling me anything I didn't already know. We can't win them all. Sometimes the bastards get away with it. Life lessons kids. Better to learn sooner rather than later that we don't always get what we want."

His voice had softened out towards the end, his gaze looking apologetically at the boys like he could sense the sincerity in their willingness to help, even if he didn't believe their reasons.

"Officer Togata," Aizawa called, "Escort these kids out."

The officer stepped up and the boys began to follow with their heads hanging low. Katsuki was the last to pass Aizawa, who held his hand up briefly to pause his strides.

"My instincts tell me you have good intentions, and although I don't get how exactly you're involved in all this, I do know that it's time for you to let it go Bakugou. I know kid, it'll hurt, but you have to."

Katsuki sat in his room that night staring daggers into Inko's shadow. He explained their visit to Aizawa, and his loss at what he should do next. He mildly entertained the idea that another seance might help, but he didn't voice this to Inko. As he laid in bed that night, tired both mentally and physically, he asked - he didn't beg, Bakugou fuckin' Katsuki doesn't beg - that Inko give him some time to rest, to enjoy the holidays, and tried to reassure her that he'd be right back to trying to help her pass on in the new year.

And for a little while this seemed to be enough.

The next two weeks were filled with assignments, exams and final practices. Denki's party was on the coming Friday night and Shinsou had apparently convinced Deku that the classes 'overnight trip to view the School of Medicines facilities at a nearby University campus, arranged for a group of talented students and escorted by staff', would need to be attended. Of course Deku had the paperwork for his dad to prove it, even supposedly signed by Yamada himself.

So late Friday evening, after a couple of stressful weeks - albeit free of Inkp-induced emotional fatigue and nightmares - Katsuki found himself wandering around Dunce Face's house looking for a mop of bouncing green curls amongst the crowd of teens.

Next to a bright shock of purple hair, and the dual tones of 'Sho', Katuski saw the top of Deku's head as he leant against the wall between his friends. Of course the blond made straight for him, chugging his drink as he went.

The first thing that the quarterback noticed was that Deku was bundled up in a large orange sweater. Seemingly innocent enough to anyone else's eyes, but Katsuki knew that sweater had gone missing from his car the other week and the little shit was tempting him by wearing his clothes in front of all these people. When he couldn't do jack-shit about it. Cheeky fucker.

The Second thing he noticed was the blush blanketing Deku's usually creamy skin, pushing all of his freckles to the fore, and the way his eyelids drooped slowly as he blinked. Cheeky drunk fucker.

Katsuki rolled his eyes and stepped up to form a huddle with the other boys.

"'Sup Eyebags, Half-n-half bastard," he nodded at them before eyeing Deku hungrily, "Nerd, how drunk are you?"

"He does know my name, right?" The bastard- Todoroki, interrupted, monotone as ever.

"Honestly, there is definitely a high chance he doesn't know any of our real names." Shinso drawled, pulling a tin from his jacket pocket to roll himself a smoke.

"Shut it fucker, my memory is just fine, unlike your drug addled brain."

"Ugh, it's too early in the night for foreplay handsome, come at me later when I'm drunk and I can ignore your terrible personality in favour of staring at your-."

"Shinsou!" Deku shrieked, slapping the other boy's chest with narrowed eyes.

"You know I swing both ways Izu, don't hate me for looking. Honestly his personality is a turn off, unlike some cutie I know." Shinsou winked playfully, causing Todoroki to roll his eyes when Izuku giggled.

"HAAH?" Katsuki couldn't hold it back, the noise that escaped him, and even with the music and the rowdy teens it carried. "Eyes to yourself, Freak!"

"The fuck- Calm down dude." Shinsou eyed him questioningly, eye flicking between Izuku and Katsuki, squinting as he connected the dots.

"You fuckers let him drink too much." Katuski grumbled.

"Kacchan! I'm right here!" Deku pouted, and fuck was it cute, "I drank what I wanted to drink, I'm my own person, no one 'lets' me do any- Hey! Woah- Put me down!"

Katuski had heard enough, and in one fluid motion he grabbed Deku by the waist and threw him up over his shoulder, hearing Shinsou chuckle behind him. Deku dropped the red cup he was holding in favour of reaching out to his friends, the liquid splashing up Katsukis jeans and chilled his skin. Although Katsuki couldn't see them, he could already picture Half'n'half's blank expression and likely a cheeky smirk stretching the shadows of Eyebag's face.

"You need air Freckles, come on."

Despite Deku's verbal protests he just laid limply over Katsuki's shoulder, murmuring different intonations of 'Kacchan' as the blond weaved through the crowd with him, trying to keep his hands away from the round ass that was in his peripheral vision.

He spotted Kirishima fawning over Mina on the couch and paused to pull a large knit blanket from under them.

"What the hell- Bakubabe! Where are you taking Midoriya?"

"Yeah bro, be gentle with him! Jeez!" Kiri grinned as Mina continued to gawk at them.

Katsuki glared at them, but chose to ignore their comments as Izuku groaned over his shoulder - Having a drunk Deku upside-down for this long probably wasn't the best idea.

He slipped out of the patio door, kicking it shut behind him and trudged in the dark over to the swing seat. Katsuki slowly lowered Deku into the seat, throwing the blanket across him and dropping down heavily into the space beside him.

Izuku beamed at him, seemingly more awake as the cold winter air hit his still flushed cheeks.

Katsuki pulled his beanie from his jacket pocket and pulled it down tightly on Izuku's head, all the way over his eyes causing that delicious giggle the blond loved to escape his cherry lips. Deku fumbled to pull the hat back up and frowned at Katsuki.

He looked around the darkened garden, then back toward the house, and seeing no one he held the blanket away from himself.

"Come 'ere."

The invitation was quiet and Katuski didn't hesitate to slide closer to Deku, tuck his arm around him and allow the freckled boy to lay the blanket around them, his head falling onto Katsuki's shoulder.

"Why'd you bring me out here Kacchan?"

Katsuki glanced down at the boy's head before leaning his cheek there.

"I guess I missed spending some one-on-one time with ya' nerd."

He could feel Izuku smile against his chest, his large scarred hand coming up to rest against Katsuki's pectoral muscle, fingers slightly digging into the fabric of his jacket.

"I missed you too..."

They were silent for a moment, listening to the bass from the house, their breaths clouding together beyond the reach of the warm light that poured from the windows behind them.

Katsuki couldn't help thinking about the troubles they were both facing - Izuku's much worse than his own - and he realised Izuku had said he wasn't far off of his eighteenth birthday. That he'd be free then to do as he pleased. The blond frowned into the warmth of the hat upon Izuku's head. Did that mean he'd finally come out? That he and Deku could stop meeting at odd times between classes, around practices and study groups. That they could openly date and work at this as an actual relationship. Katsuki had decided that night in the car that this definitely was not a fling. He wanted Izuku to himself, and he wanted to be Izuku's. He wanted to be reliable, and trustworthy, and dare he say, loved. Not just fucked, or desired, or lusted after. Maybe Deku could want the whole damaged package, just like he wanted Deku, and they could spend time helping each other put their own broken pieces together. Katsuki wasn't a coward, and Deku seemed to like it when he was straightforward, so fuck it, let's bite the bullet.

"I've never asked, when's your birthday, Freckles?"

"July," Deku mumbled, "and you?"

"April." Katsuki replied, tracing his thick fingers along Deku's arm. "Will you come out then, once you're eighteen and you're out from under the bastard?"

Deku sat up, the blanket slipping a little as he braced himself against Katsuki's chest and turned to face him.

"That's the plan." Deku smiled shyly, glancing from the blond's lips to his ruby eyes, "I'd uh... I'd like it if you'd be, you know, involved in that plan too? If you'd be p-part of..."

"Be part of what Izuku?" Katuski breathed out while leaning forward, watching the boy before him stumble as he waded through his own shyness.

"Be part of my future?"

It was almost inaudible, but their faces were so close Katsuki couldn't have missed it.

"Damn nerd, you don't even have to fuckin' ask."

"Kacchan..."

Neither could look away, green eyes catching ablaze in crimson flame as Katsuki tilted his head to mirror Deku and capture his lips in a slow intense kiss. They remained like this for some time, the cold not biting nearly as hard with the soaring heat between their bodies. Tongues darted out to taste each other, freezing hands roaming under the blanket, over soft fabric and frayed denim jeans, up supple hips and across hard smooth planes of muscle. Somehow Deku had made his way onto Katsuki's lap without the blond realising it, the feel of the smaller boy's cold belt buckle against the bare skin of the blond's stomach where his clothes had ridden up alerted him to their proximity.

He opened his eyes, wondering when they had closed and how long they had been that way, to find Deku's thighs around him, the blanket around his waist and his own hands on the small of Deku's back. Izuku's eyes were still closed and he was placing small kisses along Katsuki's jawline, hands cupping the blond's face as his hips seemingly began to move on autopilot as they ground down into Katsuki.

Deku was nibbling at the blond's neck as Kasuki tried to regain control of himself, blinking as the heat pooled in his gut and lower, the fullness in his jeans twitching every time Deku pushed down against it. After weeks of being willingly celibate Katuki's pulse was roaring, but this wasn't the way he usually felt in this situation - sure he usually got hard, felt desire, but this was more. Everywhere Deku touched felt like fire and his skin prickled like voltage was running across his skin, his veins running the current straight down his body and bridging across the points where they connected. He wanted it all, he wanted bare skin flushed together and Izuku's desire to be etched upon his face.

Cold shaky hands skimmed his stomach and Deku's face was angled down as he fumbled with the buckle of Katsuki's belt.

"Hey" He whispered, sliding his hands up Izuku's body as the other boy breathed harder, freeing the end of Katsuki's belt.

"Hey, Deku." With still no response, Katsuki cupped his hands gently around Izuku's face, forcing him to meet his gaze only to see eyes glassy with unshed tears.

"Izuku, stop, it's ok..." He brought their foreheads together as Izuku stilled, "There's no rush, I'm not going anywhere, and I never say anything I don't mean. You got that? You don't gotta force anything."

Izuku let out a slow wet chuckle, shaking his head as he held Katsuki's face in return.

"It's not fair Kacchan... I-I want you. I'm nervous but I'm ready, I-I promise. I want you. I-"

"Shhh, hey, look at me," Katsuki had to dig his fingers slightly into Deku's round cheeks to lift his face and hold him there, "I want you too Deku, damn you've got no fuckin' idea. And I don't just mean to fuck. I want everything. I wanna fuckin' be with you. You got that?"

Izuku startled, eyes wider than Katsuki thought possible, his lip almost comically quivering as his hands slid to grip the nape of Katuki's neck leaving scorching trails on his windchilled skin. It seemed at that moment that realisation was dawning across Izuku's face as sadness settled upon his features.

"What is it?" Katsuki's brows furrowed, a scowl slipping onto his features.

"I thought that you'd want to, you know..." He motioned with his hands between them, flustered, and Katsuki raised his eyebrows as if to say 'go on...'

"I'm- I mean.." He sighed weakly, dragging his hands down Katsuki's chest, "I guess I hoped it wasn't- but I thought you just wanted to get in my pants, and now I feel guilty because here I am, embarrassing myself by grinding on you, throwing myself at you, while kinda drunk, and telling you I want you, becuase I do, but I also thought fuck it, just give him what he wants, why can't I have some fun? But then you drop the truth-bomb that that's not just what you want, and now I feel so stupid and like I judged you-"

Katsuki took Deku's hands in his, gripping firmly to ground him, "Izuku, enough nerd."

The boy stilled under Katsuki's gaze, waiting expectantly.

"You're right to make those assumptions, fuck knows I'm like that- was like that." He sighed, trying to find the words he needed to say and Izuku needed to hear, leaning his head back and taking in the dark empty sky. "I- I felt alone, you know? Even though I've got the Squad, and people who wanna fuck me or whatever - I mean yeah the Squad aren't that bad - but everyone else I couldn't give a shit about. Never connected with anyone, even when I was balls deep in 'em."

Izuku squirmed a little at Katsuki's honestly, his cheeks burning anew, but the blond adjusted to entwine their fingers and forced himself to meet those gorgeous green eyes. He wasn't embarrassed at all, why would he be? It was just the truth.

"But you..." He lightly thudded their foreheads together, "I dunno why, but I'm connected to you Deku, can't explain it. When you touch me, it's not just feeding some starved part of myself. I want you. It's burning me up with how badly I wanna let you do this, but..." He shook his head grasping at his thoughts, "I've never had a relationship outside of fucking Izuku, and I want that with you. I wanna have dates, sweet kisses and horny fucking make-out sessions."

Izuku gurgled a chuckle hideously off pitch with emotion, holding on to Katsuki like he would slip from his grasp which made the blond grin.

"Look we can fuck if you wanna, whenever you're ready, but I don't want you to think I'm just here for that, 'cos I ain't." He pecked Izuku's nose playfully, "Plus, you really want our first time together to be freezing our fuckin' asses off in Denki's yard?"

Izuku giggled again, falling forward to hide his smile in Kasuki's collar, "Nah, I'd at least like my first time to be comfortable, we can experiment all you like after that."

There was a cheekiness to Izuku's voice that wasn't helping Katsuki to quench his desires, but he'd mostly stopped listening after he realised Deku had confessed that he was still a virgin.

It should not be a big deal. Katsuki had taken several peoples' v-cards, sometimes knowingly, sometimes confessed to him after the fact to try and coerce him into a relationship. It never bothered him, people made their own choices... but he knew he wanted Izuku to be sure before he gave it up to him, he wanted him to be happy, comfortable, and not fucking freezing and tipsy at a party.

"You're right," He said, not drawing attention to Deku's admission, "We've got plenty of time nerd, and I'll be yours for the taking. You can do whatever you want with me." He purred into Izuku's ear before pulling back to look at his smiling face, "but not tonight."

Izuku sighed but nodded, pulling the blanket back up around them both as best he could and leaning close to Katsuki, "Who knew the great casanova Bakugou Katsuki would turn down a free lay." He joked, sticking out the tip of his tongue, and Katsuki pressed his own tongue against the back of his teeth in a closed-mouth smirk to stop himself diving forward to catch it. "Maybe I'll let everyone know how much of a sap you are."

"Cheeky little shit," Katsuki dug into his ribs to tickle him, enjoying the vibrations from the others boys laughter against his chest, "No fucker would believe you anyway. I've got a reputation 'ya know."

"So I've heard, Kacchan."

They made out for a while, there on the swing seat in Dunce's garden, both boys just about holding on to their self control until Izuku complained he was cold.

Katsuki pulled the blanket tighter around him as they untangled themselves. They automatically put a little distance between them knowing Katsuki's reputation and Izuku's secret were factors they both had to take account of with so many eyes likely checking them out as they reentered the party.

As the night went on Izuku and Katsuki's friendship groups merged into one, breaking off into ambling conversations and meaningless playful banter. Katsuki noted that the Half-N-Half bastard eyed him up a helluva lot, and not in the 'I wanna fuck you' kinda way. More of the 'You hurt him and you're dead' kinda way, which did nothing to help Katsuki endure his presence. Now the pink cheeked chick, Ochaco or some shit, was definitely giving him the look, although more of a 'Please notice me, make love to me and have my babies' kinda look than a straight up lustful gaze, which, while Katsuki was somewhat used to, did unsettle him a little with it's intensity.

By the time they all decided to call it a night Izuku had sobered up quite a lot, his smile spanning his face and creasing lines around his eyes. They couldn't exactly say goodnight to each other in the way they both wanted to, so Katsuki disguised a lingering hold on Izuku's waist and whispered 'I'll miss you, nerd' from the center of the pack as they made for the door.

As Denki waved them off from the door Shinsou had an arm around Deku's shoulders beginning to lead him away from Katsuki and the others.

"You better look out for him tonight Isomniac, or I'll fucking beat your ass." Katsuki growled out before he separated from them.

"Bakugou, please don't promise things you won't deliver," Shinsou drawled, lazily taking a drag from his cigarette, "Don't worry so much, I've got him. Right, Izu?" He said a little more seriously.

Deku nodded, wafting the smoke from his face, "I can look after myself, remember Kacchan." Isuku smiled playfully and tapped his nose with his forefinger, a reminder of how he nearly broke his bastard father's nose. Yeah, he was tough, but it didn't stop Katsuki worrying. He returned a knowing look and a signature smirk before jogging to catch up with the Squad who all called their goodbyes out to each other as they separated.

When Katsuki let himself into his house the lights were all out, but it was in fact a rare weekend when both of his parents were home. As they must have already headed up to bed, he locked the door behind him, toed of his shoes and padded softly up to his room.

The bedroom door closed with a click as Katsuki reached to flick on his bedside lamp. In the soft orange glow he looked at Inko's shadow, still looming darkly in the corner. The silence of these last couple of weeks has been appreciated, but the prolonged period of quiet between them also made him feel a little lost, uneasy at the absence of her usual offerings of sadness and pain.

"Hi," he muttered before he approached his closet. Opening the doors, he stared at himself in the mirror hanging on the back of the door, running a hand through his hair, and immediately realising the little shit still had his beanie. No wonder his ears were tipped red from the cold. He couldn't help but smile to himself, chuckling deep in his throat.

"Fuck you Izuku, you heart stealing little shit-nerd." He huffed affectionately, shucking off his jacket and shirt to find small purpling bruises across his collarbone. He really was a little shit. He let his fingers brush along them, adoring the way they flourished, flushing at how Izuku's lips had made them. He'd never let anyone mark him like this before. Katsuki did the marking, he wasn't ever marked. Yet, he must have been so wrapped up in Izuku that he'd not even noticed. He allowed himself to look at them a little longer before changing into sweats in his closet and slumping down into bed.

Today had been a fucking good day. He wanted all of Izuku, and Izuku wanted all of him. There was no confusion or doubt anymore. With that knowledge Katsuki's eyes slipped closed.

Katsuki wasn't sure how long he'd been asleep when the burning pain started in his lungs and the heat crawled up his throat..

The ache started deep down in his sternum and no matter how much he tried to pull air into his body he just couldn't.

He wanted to wake up.

He was aware of what was happening to him, so how could he not wake up? His eyes simply would not open, and he found himself staring at the dark of his eyelids, trying and failing to suck in air.

This was unlike any dream or night terror he'd ever experienced. This felt real, so real that panic was rising through him and he could feel himself arching off of his bed, fingers digging into the mattress beneath him.

His head was growing light, reds and oranges blooming in his vision like ink swirling through dark water. Explosions of light and heat bursting through him and a brief reprieve where he was able to suck in a single desperate breath that was cut short.

His lungs were full now, air trapped within and ready to burst with the pressure, his ribs protruding, his chest all spasming muscle and sweat-slicked skin.

Despite his delirium he could feel the sudden weight around his throat, icy grooves digging against his skin and his windpipe was being closed off. He definitely couldn't breathe now. The air was trapped, no way out, his body thrashing against his bed with a colour wheel playing around in his vision against a descending curtain of darkness.

Before he knew it he was clawing at his own throat, feeling his blunt nails catching on his flesh. But the pressure didn't let up and he could feel himself slipping, the fight leaving his body. He felt like prey in the jaws of a beast, neck about to be snapped like a twig, his existence snuffed out.

Then he heard it, faintly, his name being called, the darkness of the final curtain call finally dropping to the stage.

He was being shaken, and then the pressure was gone.

And fuck did it hurt as he sucked in gulps of air, which burned their way into his lungs and washed through his body, chest aching, heart thundering against it's cage.

His eyes snapped open, but it was too bright and he closed them quickly. Even the back of his eyelids were lit up in the yellow of his bedside lamp.

There were hands on his shoulders now, and another pushing back sweaty hair from his brow, and he was suddenly aware of how cold and damp his body was as he tried to ease his eyes open. He willed his heartbeat to calm the thumping pressure in his ears so that he could understand what was happening around him.

Squinting through tears clinging to his eyelashes he saw both of his parents' huddled on their knees beside his bed, fear and worry etched across their features.

"Katsuki," His mother almost cried, but quickly put a handle on herself, her shaking hand running through his hair, "oh god, just acknowledge you can hear us, please kid."

Katsuki nodded slowly, finding that his neck was aching and stinging where sweat had gathered, and he watched his father lean towards him, hands still on his bare shoulders grounding him as he tried to calm his breathing, the burn easing a little.

"Son, it's ok, it's all ok," He assured, "Just breathe with me ok, can you do that, watch me and breathe."

Katsuki nodded again, keeping his eyes on his father's soft features. The old man looked calm on the surface, but Katsuki could see the panic still sitting in the lines of his eyes, hidden behind the frames of his glasses.

After whatever the fuck had just happened to him, was it wierd that Katsuki was currently thinking about how this was the closest he'd physically been to his parents in a long while. At this moment, he couldn't bring himself to hate it, having them close, and he wasn't ready to unpack how some crazy shit just happened to him and that was where his mind went.

"W-w..." The voice that cracked from his throat sounded nothing like him. He sounded hoarse and weak. He swallowed thickly, resisting the urge to cough and tried again, "W-water."

His mother's hand halted and she was retreating from the room.

He reached his hand out to the old man, needing to get upright, needing to shake the feeling of dread left in the wake of his near suffocation. His father grasped his hand and encouraged him up into a sitting position, a firm grip still on his shoulder.

He was breathing normally now, and his heart wasn't thrumming in his ears a mile a minute. His head ached, as did his throat. His body felt like he'd just been tackled by a three-hundred pound linebacker. And the dread, the fear, the panic and loss that had washed over him... that was too much like the night terrors Inko cursed him with. That couldn't be a coincidence could it?

"Katsuki," His dad looked seriously into his eyes, cupping his face gently, "Was someone in here with you?"

Yes. There was always someone in here, but they didn't know that, so he chose the appropriate response and his mum returned, handing him the water.

He shook free from his father's hold, pain shooting up his neck and into his skull, downing the water and wincing with each swallow.

"The fuck, of course not." He huffed, each word like swallowing gravel, "Just a shitty nightmare."

"Son, your neck..." His father gestured to where the stinging still seared across his skin, and his mother's eyes were wide, wet.

He steadied himself from the bed, batting his father away and stumbled to his closet throwing open the door to inspect himself.

His own eyes shot wide at his own reflection.

The whites of his eyes were mottled with burst red veins, blurring the edge of his crimson irises into his sclera. His face blotchy and red, hair matted with sweat.

But his neck...

His neck was marred with bruises, soft at the edges and angrily red in the center, forming the outline of hands around his once pristine neck. He had scratch marks under his chin, from his own attempts to free himself from what he now knew to be the frigid grasp of deathly cold fingers.

Suddenly, he didn't feel fear or loss, or panic... he was fucking pissed.

Here he was, him and the Squad, trying to help Inko and she tries to fucking kill him? She'd never acted out like this. He didn't even know she was capable of it. But now, he was standing there shaking with anger and unable to contain it. He wasn't rational as he slammed his closet door shut, fully intending on trying to beat the shit out of a shadow.

But Inko's shadow wasn't there. The corner was bare, and lit by lamp light as Katsuki screamed some broken inhuman noise in frustration, whipping himself around, dressed only in his sweats he ran from the room, ignoring the way his vision titled and his stomach lurched.

He heard his parents' slippers shuffling against the hardwood of the hall as they raced to follow him, calling for him.

"I'm gonna fucking find you, you bitch!" Katsuki screamed, running down the stairs, throwing on the lights as he ran from room to room, finding nothing, no dark corners.

"Tried to fucking kill me!? After everything!?" His breathing was haggard as he moved to the back door, twisting the lock.

"Katsuki!" His mother yelled, trying to grab his wrist, but he pushed her, ignoring how she stumbled into her husband's arms, and stepped out onto the porch spotting the darkness seemingly pulsing there in the corner of the decking.

"What the fuck do you want from me!?" He screamed, his parents following him, calling for him to come back inside, to keep his voice down, and a question of "Katsuki, who are you talking to? Please come inside?" from his mother. But her had a one track mind. Nothing else mattered in that moment.

Katsuki's gaze flicked between the deck and the azaleas halfway down the yard, his breath puffing into the freezing night.

"I'm fucking ending this!" He roared, ignoring the cold piercing him as his mother shivered in his father's arms, both looking at him like he'd lost his last ounce of sanity.

He stormed towards the fence where his father had tools lined up against the paneling. Reaching for a shovel he approached the azaleas and started stabbing the shovel with a two-handed grasp into the ground. As cold as the ground was it was hard to break, but he was hopped up on adrenaline and angry as all-hell. Inko had made her fucking point, he got it, she wanted this over with. Or he'd be over with.

A hand was on the shovel trying to pry it from his grasp.

"No! Just let me do this!" He yelled, his father falling to the ground beside him, both of them kneeling cold and shaking.

"Katsuki, this is crazy, this whole night has been crazy," the old man said, panic at the edges of his voice, "please stop this, come inside, you're scaring us."

"Good! You should be fucking scared!" Katsuki yelled, tilting the shovel to break the dirt, fighting his father for control. "I'm fucking scared, and I know I look fucking mental, but I need you to beleive me right now. I never ask you for anything. I need to do this... please!"

His father's eyes shot wide, as tears slid down both of their faces. Masaru couldn't remember the last time he'd seen his son cry before tonight, or the last time he'd pleaded with him for anything... this is the closest he had been to Katsuki in months - or was it years?

In that moment, for reasons he would never be able to fathom after the fact, Masaru had made a decision.

"Tell me what you need Katsuki," he nodded to his son, cupping his face with shaking hands, "I'm here to help."

Katsuki's initial reaction was to be stunned, but there was no time for that, they could talk about this later, because if he was right about this their home was about to be turned upside-down.

"Help me dig."

It started to rain as Katsuki and Masaru rushed to dig the azaleas from the ground, their bodies stuttering from the cold, mud caked about their knees and under their nails.

Katsuki's mother stood stock still on the back porch as this all unfolded, dumbstruck, until suddenly she was behind them in her winter coat, making them pull on their own coats and looking down into the shallow hole they had created.

When Masaru's shoval scraped something in the dirt, he looked to Katsuki, not knowing if it was what his son was looking for.

Katsuki fell forward into the hole, scrambling to scoop away the dark earth around the shovel as it retreated from the dirt.

The ground seemed to meld with the dirt smeared across his skin as his fingers snagged on something below the surface.

He lifted his hand and there caked in mud and dangling from his fingers was a chain dropping with the weight of a heavily tarnished pendant. Following the muddy chain to its source, his eyes fell on the dull curve of a bone protruding from the ground beneath him.

And all the world fell away, the cold seeping so deeply into his own bones didn't matter, the ache of his throat, of his head and his heart were nothing to him then.

He was right. He'd found her.

Chapter Text

Katsuki had never seen his parents quite so still. All three of them frozen in a moment that seemed to be pulling their familial bonds back together, stitching up the broken seams giving them a chance to mend themselves. 

Masaru was the first to collect himself, starting to feel the cold seeping in now the adrenaline was waning. 

“Katsuki, we should head inside and call the authorities.”

Katsuki could see how he was looking at him. All those questions swimming in his kind eyes, but they both seemed to understand now wasn’t the time.

“Mom, you need to call the police and tell them we’ve found Inko’s body in our yard.” He held his mothers gaze, “Tell them Aizawa needs to know immediately.”

“How do you-” Mitsuki cut herself off and looked dazed for a moment longer before she rubbed her hands down her face bundled under the hood of her winter coat and nodded her agreement, “I want both of you in the house. Now.” Turning towards the house, she walked away with her slippered feet soaked from the downpour. 

The two men gathered themselves, both looking down at the scrape of bone leaving the earth before they rose and made their way back inside. 

Mitsuki was in the kitchen pouring boiling water to make them tea. After all that had happened tonight, Katsuki couldn’t help notice how calm she now was as she stirred sugar into his father’s cup.

There was a towel around her hair and fresh socks on her feet. On the island counter were more towels and blankets. She passed out the tea and stripped Katsuki of his coat, throwing a towel and then a blanket around his shoulders while Masaru did the same for himself, both taking seats at the counter. 

Mistuki slid into her own seat on the other side of the island and the house fell into an uneasy quiet. 

Katsuki cupped his hands around his mug, watching the steam rise and trying to gear himself up to speak. He knew he had a lot of explaining to do, after his old man trusted him and got down on his knees and dug through the dirt with him, he felt he owed them the truth. He was still cold, and aching, throat still scratchy but it was now or never really, they needed to talk before the police arrived. Shit, Aizawa, was he coming?

His brow pinched as he looked towards the old hag, opening his mouth to speak -

“I called. Said everything you told me to. They said they’d have a detective out within half an hour. Something to do with an accident on the interstate so it may take a little longer.” Her voice was softer than usual.

Katsuki knew they had to be shaken up by all this, but they were holding it together, probably better than he was if the tremors in his legs were anything to go by.

“That’s good.” He nodded in acknowledgement, “I uh, I know I have to explain all this shit, before they get here, but…” He stared down into his tea, seeing his parents share worried glances, “First I just wanna say thanks, for, ya know, helping me tonight. For sticking with me.”

The old man placed a hand on his shoulder, “We haven’t been around enough Katsuki, we’ve known that for a while.” He shifted uncomfortably, retreating his hands back inside his blanket as he frowned, “It’s our fault we- we didn’t realise how great the distance between us had become until you were too far away from us to want to come back. You didn’t need us anymore. You seemed happier and we gave up on bridging the gap.”

“We shouldn’t have, Brat.” The old had said, reaching over to take her husband’s hand in hers beneath the blanket. “We shouldn’t have given up. We’re here now. Talk to us.”

Katsuki would never admit it, he was too stubborn, but there was a warmth blooming in his chest that pushed away the chill of his damp clothes faster than several layers of blankets ever could. They knew, and they felt they had tried. In the moment he could have spat at them that they hadn’t tried hard enough, he could have burned any attempts at building that bridge. Or, he could accept the olive branch and help dig the foundations.

“You’re gonna think I’m fucking mental, okay?” He scrubbed his face with his hands, not wanting to look at them, “You just gotta stick with me, cos I’m gonna tell you everything.”

And he did. 

He told them about his first realisation that there was something else in his room with him as a child. He told them about the night terrors he could never remember, about the feelings of dread, loss and pain. He told them about his ability to see the shadow, and how he grew used to it. How it was always there, when no one else was. He didn’t miss the way the muscles in his mother’s jaw tightened at that. 

He told them about the Squad’s discovery, and their reactions to Shadow. About the seance and the revelations they made. He talked a mile a minute as he recounted the research they’d done, the conversation with Yagi, the visit to Aizawa, and his theory that Inko was buried in their garden the whole damn time. And he felt his eyes blur with the unwelcome presence of tears as he explained that last night Inko has basically tried to kill him, and he didn’t know for the life of him, fucking why… why?

When he finished, he brought his gaze up to see his father wiping tears from his cheeks, and his mother stark white, paler than a new moon. 

“I know it’s fucking crazy and-”

“Son, if I hadn't just helped you dig a body up in the garden, where you said it would be. If I-” Masaru lifted his glasses to remove the last of his tears as he sighed in exhaustion, “If I hadn't witnessed you thrashing in your sleep with bruised handprints around your throat and saw you fighting to breathe, then maybe, maybe I would have doubted you. But I know what I saw. And while I can’t explain any of it, I can’t say you’re lying to us Katsuki.”

His mother did not look well, but she was nodding her agreement, “We believe you Kat.”

“But I don’t think the police will.” Masaru said sadly, locking eyes with his son.

“Yeah, I doubt Aizawa is gonna accept my ghost bullshit. That’s if he even shows.”

“Then we tell them… We tell them we have groundhogs, and we were digging out their dens to exterminate them while they slept.” Katsuki blinked at his father multiple times.

“What?” The old man asked, “We need a reason, and it may seem cruel to the groundhogs but honestly I’m tired and it's the best I can come up with. It won’t matter one bit if we all say the same thing, right?”

Kastuki couldn’t help but chuckle, “Old man, lying to the cops. Setting a bad example ‘ya know?”

He saw a smile flicker at the corner of his father’s lips and his mother huffed a short laugh. 

“I’m getting you a hoodie, you can’t let them see that.” His mother said, gesturing to his neck.

Yeah, he probably wouldn't be able to explain away that and the nighttime ‘groundhog’ hunt.

His mother came back with a clean hoodie as the doorbell rang and Katsuki slipped into it, drawing the hood tight up around his neck as his eyes slid to the clock on the oven - 4:28am. Fuck, not even 5am on a Saturday morning and he might have to deal with Aizawa’s skepticism.

Katsuki watched as his mother moved through the house to answer the door, and heard mumblings in the hall that he couldn’t make out beyond ‘Hello Mrs Bakuogu’. He exchanged a final anxious look with his father before he put his gameface on, stamping down the horrible feeling living in his gut that told him Aizawa was gonna rip them a new one.

After a few moments his mother was gliding back into the kitchen, her usual graceful self, as Aizawa and the officer from before - Togata? - followed behind.

“I’ll put the kettle on. God knows you boys must need caffeine at this ungodly hour.” His mother prattled as she went back to the stove.

“Thank you Mrs Bakugou, black coffee for me. Togata will have green tea, if it’s not too much trouble.” Aizawa replied calmly, but his eyes were keenly roaming around the kitchen, no doubt taking in the mud now dried to Katsuki’s feet, the trail of dirt off down the hall to the back door, his father’s still damn hair as he sat bundled in his blanket. 

“I don’t want to take up too much of your time, I’m sure you’re all tired and want this to be dealt with quickly.” Aizawa moved around the island, and gestured to the empty chair there, “May I?”

Masaru nodded politely with an ‘Of course, Detective’ as Aizawa took his seat and continued with Togata at his elbow.

“We will of course need to take official statements from all of you, but we can do that here and now if you’re willing, save you coming to the station at a later date.” The kettle began to whistle but Aizawa barely flinched at the shrill noise in the quiet of the kitchen, and Katsuki’s red eyes watched his flat expression like a hawk. “The body will be exhumed as soon as possible. The team is already setting up outside and will collect evidence before the body is removed. We’ll also need fingerprints and DNA samples from you all to cross reference against the scene to exclude you from any results we find.”

Katsuki knows the rain will have washed away most of that shit, he’s watched enough bullshit detective dramas to know that, but he doesn’t say anything as his mother hands out mugs around the table, and to Togata who smiles and utters his thanks, before she joins them at the island. Katsuki can’t stand the show and pony nonsense any longer and gets to the crux of the whole horrible fucking night.

“When will you ID the body?”

Aizawa stills with his cup raised to his lips. He takes a gulp of what Katsuki knows has to be scalding hot coffee and looks over the blond with a gaze that seems to be filled with both annoyance and curiosity. 

“As soon as we can. I know you think it’s Inko. We have her DNA on file, so it should only take a couple of days to see if that’s the case.” He answers.

Katsuki bites back a scoff, lodging it deeply into his already sore throat, “Yeah, if it’s her. Then what?”

“Then we reopen the investigation, alert her next of kin, bring in previous suspects- We do everything we can with the new evidence to get a conviction. But if it’s not Inko,” The blond narrows his eyes at him, the fact that he knows it’s Inko goes unsaid, “then we’ll have a whole new investigation on our hands.”

“You been out there? D’you see the pendant?” Katsuki spits, his head really is throbbing but he uses his anger the best he knows how, to drive him forward, and he tries to spear Aizawa with it. 

“I did, briefly.” The detective nods, leaning forward with his elbows on the counter, “Personally, I’d bet my badge that it’s her but we still have to make a formal ID kid, that’s the way things are.”

There was a long silent pause in the kitchen where Katsuki reminded himself to breathe and not lose his shit. What more proof do they need? Arrest her bastard of a husband already! But really thinking on it, Katsuki knows that even if the Body is Inko there needs to be evidence he did it, evidence that he murdered her. And what are the odds really? Bright white light floods across the garden through the window and Katsuki can see a white plastic tent being erected around Inko’s grave. 

“Care to tell me why you were digging around your garden in the early hours of the morning?” Aizawa has nothing in his eyes now, dead black holes as he calmly points out the strangeness of this whole discovery.

“We have an infestation- groundhogs- we figured they’d be more humanely exterminated if we laced their food earlier in the day and dug out their dens while they slept.” Masaru looked into his cup, genuine sadness in his eyes, “it’s safe to say I didn’t expect to find the remains of a person in my garden tonight Detective.”

Aizawa cocked a brow at him, “And your wife just happened to guess the identity of said remains on a whim?” 

There was no malice in his voice, and Katsuki watched as he held his father under scrutiny damn well knowing Katsuki had told them. 

Mitsuki leaned forward, “The brat- Katsuki- has been doing a project for school about the history of our home. Quite interesting actually, hey Kat? Turns out the last woman who lived here disappeared. I guess we shouldn’t have assumed.” She’s calm, collected, and she doesn’t look away from Aizawa’s challenging gaze.

“Togata, go check up on how things are progressing.”

“Sir, I-” Togata tries to protest but Aizawa lazily waves his hand to dismiss him, “Of course sir, right away.” The officer leaves his cup on the table and Aizawa waits patiently until he hears the front door click closed.

“I’m going to be blunt and straight to the point, since Katsuki and I have met before and I already know he himself carries no room for airs and graces.” Aizawa’s eyes flick quickly to Katsuki’s before roaming between his parents. The man clearly isn’t stupid and the knowledge Katsuki’s parents have implies he’s already shared some informaiton with them.

“You allowed your son to dig up your garden in the middle of the night because he believes that the ghost of a previous occupant of this house lives in his room.” It’s not a question, it's a statement, and it’s not mocking or taunting, it’s as if stating facts to a judge and jury and Katsuki can already feel him drawing back his imaginary gavel to strike home order and stake his findings. “I don’t know how to equate what you told me before with you actually finding a body in your garden, but I will admit I’m surprised. I’d like you to tell me how you really found out that there was a body there?”

Katsuki bit his tongue and glared daggers into the detective, “I already told you. It’s not my fault if you don’t believe me. Just ID her and find her killer already.”

“Bakugou, if there is someone you’re protecting-”

“Are you deaf or stupid?” Katsuki yelled, his throat scratching through each word.

“-if you’re protecting someone we can help them, if they told you the whereabouts of-”

The Bakugou's look between the two and each other, unsure of whether to intervene, and Katsuki watches his mother shake her head in his peripheral to warn his father to wait this one out, to see where this goes.

“The only person who told me was Inko!” 

“Katsuki, you know that isn’t true. Just tell me-”

“You want me to lie! To tell you someone told me this shit! This shit is real. It’s fucked up, but it’s real-”

Now it was Aizawa’s turn to cut Katsuki off as his fingers dug into his coffee cup, “I’ve had enough of the lies. You need to tell me the truth, kid.”

Katsuki pushed himself to standing, his chair toppling over with the force, and ripped the collar of his hoodie down with both hands, revealing the angry new bruising and the sharp red lines he’d accidentally inflicted upon himself. 

“Does this look real enough to you?! Just because the truth doesn’t fit neatly into what you’ve experienced it doesn’t make it any less fucking true!” He’s seething now, face hot with rage and spit flying through his gritted teeth. He’s had enough of this asshole minimising the shit he’s been through. “I’ll tell you the whole damn story again. Hell, you can even fucking meet her, but if you still don’t believe me after that then I’ve got fuck all else to offer you, cause she nearly fucking killed me last night and I’m through helping the bitch anyway!”

He didn’t mean the last part, he knows he didn’t, but he’s huffing in short breaths now and boring holes through Aizawa with the heat of his gaze. The man finally had the decency to look taken aback, his jaw slackened, eyebrows pinched. He looked concerned but not apologetic as he stood from the counter and crossed his arms while narrowing his gaze at the kid before him.

“Those marks were inflicted by a spirit?” 

Aizawa was simply clarifying now, no undertone of denial or judgment. 

“Yes, we witnessed some of it before Katsuki woke up.” Masaru answered, eyes glassy with tears, “That’s what triggered the events of last night. Katsuki said he thought it- Inko- wanted this over with.”

“The insanity of all this shit nearly killed me, I’m beat up and I’m exhausted, but I’m no fucking quitter. I want this solved. I made a promise that I’d help her move on and I sure as shit ain’t gonna give up on that because you don’t believe me.”

They all watched Aizawa as he looked down at the counter, contemplating his next move. When he finally raised his gaze to meet Katsuki’s there was a determination there that Katuki thought probably died a little every time he didn’t crack a case, find a missing person or catch the killer. If Katsuki felt the weight of Inko’s death on his shoulders, how much weight was Aizawa carrying? How much can you carry before your knees buckle and your ankles snap. In that moment Katsuki had a newfound respect for the man. He was bent, but he wasn’t broken.

“Show me.” 

The words caught Katsuki by surprise and he snapped his eyes up to the Detective’s. He shook his head and tightened the drawstrings back up around his neck, hiding the bruises from prying eyes. 

“Fine, but she’s in a fucking awful mood.” 

With that he stomped off to the back porch to check if Inko was still there and the adults all followed him, no one saying a word as he checked for her shadow. When he didn’t find it he led Aizawa up to his room where the lamp was still on, illuminating the room on the dark winter morning. There she was, back in her usual haunt. To Katsuki a swirl of darkness against his grey walls, to everyone else an empty inconspicuous corner, devoid of any interest.
Katsuki stretched out his arm and pointed, having no desire to approach her after last night's attack. “Go touch that corner there, you’ll feel some shit or whatever. I don’t know how the fuck it works. It just does.”

Aizawa eyed him, before walking slowly to the corner, just outside of Inko’s shadow. Katsuki’s parents watched from the doorway, his father’s hands gripping tightly to his mother’s shoulders. 

The detective’s pale finger reached out and made contact with the wall, where he splayed his palm and waited. Time seemed to tick by slowly and Katsuki watched the back on Aizawa’s head without blinking. When his fingers slipped from the wall, Aizawa didn’t turn immediately. He reached up to touch his face, his long hair hanging limply and obscuring the view. 

Then he was turning, his usual passive expression back on his features, and made a beeline straight to Katsuki who noted Aizawa’s eyes were red rimmed but his face was dry. The detective placed a hand on Katsuki’s shoulder and held his gaze.

“I believe you.”

Three words and then Aizawa was off, brushing past Katsuki’s folks and down the hall, pulling out his phone as he went. He was talking away to someone by the time he was descending the stairs.

He looked over his shoulder, “All of you with me. Lets get your samples and prints done, set your story straight, and then you all pack a bag. You’ll need to stay at a hotel until I tell you otherwise.” He continued down the stairs, calling back, “Let’s go.”

As the dim winter sun rose the Bakugous gave their DNA and prints over to the police, then they separated to gather their things and pack. Katsuki watched Inko’s shadow as he stuffed essentials into a gym bag. Right now he was glad to be leaving the house. He didn’t want to be around her. The thing is, he knew Inko wasn’t a bad person, she had never shown malice before, she’d just been overflowing with her own grief and pain. She had to have flipped for a reason. Katsuki just didn’t know what - he could only guess she’d become impatient. Either way he was glad of the space to cool off.

Within the hour he and his folks were on their way to a hotel, with Aizawa assuring Katsuki he’d update them as soon as they’d matched an ID. He also reaffirmed that previous suspects would be called back in if it was Inko. That means the husband, thank-fuck, but Katsuki realised it also meant Yagi. 

Fuck. Katsuki felt bad for the guy. He clearly loved Inko but he never did anything to help her, why? It didn’t sit right with the blond. He didn’t know this guy, not really, but he’d heard the pain in his voice that day on the phone and for some reason - let's call it curiosity - he wanted to talk to him, get the story straight from the source. 

At the hotel, they all chatted about the next steps of the investigation, his parents fussed and repeatedly checked if he was alright before they slipped off to the adjoining room to catch some sleep. Katsuki promised he would do the same, but he couldn’t settle. Despite his tough guy attitude his neck was still stinging and he didn’t really want to be alone. He laid on the double bed under crinkly hotel sheets and thought of the one person who’d cheer him up more than anyone else. Green eyes, bright smile, big hands brushing through the quarterback's blond spikes. He reached for his phone - he knew he was supposed to wait for Izuku to message first and it wasn’t even eight o’clock yet. 

He sighed, tapping the phone against his chin. He shouldn’t risk it. He could wait for Deku to get in touch. In the meantime he should update the Squad but he really didn’t have the energy for all that. Maybe for one of them… He unlocked his phone and hit the call button on Shitty Hair’s contact info. 

It rang four times before there was a rustling and a faint groan away from the phone. Katsuki waited patiently as Kiri woke up enough to speak.

“Yo, hello?” His voice was rough with sleep and a little grumpy from the disturbance. 

“It’s me Shitty Hair, wake the fuck up.”

“Ugh, bro, why are you waking me up at-” a pause where Katsuki imagines Kiri cracking one eye to see the screen, “Dude it’s not even eight on a Saturday, what the hell man!” He whined, more awake now.

May as well get straight to the point.

“I dug up Inko’s body last night.”

Silence. 

The blond could practically hear his best friend’s - yes he said it - brain whirring up and rebooting.

“You-what? How? When? You- okay, okay.” A deep breath in, “I feel like we missed a few chapters in this story bro. Can you start from the fucking beginning!” Kiri wasn’t one for swearing but Katsuki’s admission had clearly thrown him.

Katsuki started talking, from leaving the party last night all the way through to laying down in the not-so-cheap hotel room less than an hour ago. Kiri listened with a few sharp shocked breaths, ‘hums’ of acknowledgement, and soft ‘oh my gods’ until Katsuki finished.

“Okay, first off, bro are you doing okay?” Kiri had concern in his voice and Katsuki hated it.

“I’m fine. Tired and my throat hurts like a bitch. But I’m fine Shitty Hair. It’s so close to being over.” 

“Yeah,” Kiri sighs and Katsuki knows he wants to push on the issue but he doesn’t, “So what now? We just wait for Aizawa to ID her?”

“Basically yeah, then we hope her body had evidence enough to put her her abusive fucker of a husband away for good.”

“And then she’ll move on. Well, we hope she will.” Kiri confirms, and Katsuki can hear a toaster popping in the background.

“Yeah hopefully…” 

A heavy silence now. One that’s steeped in the heaviness of that hope, how much they really want this to be done with, for Inko to move on, for their promise to be fulfilled. 

“Something’s been bothering me though, about that Yagi guy.”

Kiri hums in response, the crunch of his breakfast coming over the line and Katsuki realised despite his last meal being over twelve hours ago he’s not hungry at all. 

“Yeah, Aizawa said he loved her but it's a funny way to love someone isn’t it? Letting them go marry another man and have their baby. Smells off for sure.”

“I wanna go speak to him. Before the police do.” Kiri tries to interrupt but Katsuki ploughs on, “Listen, he’s in pain from whatever happened back then. Probably riddled with fucking regret, poor bastard. I know we’ll be giving him a head’s up about the body being found, but this shit’s bugging me. I gotta know.”

A big huff of air engulfs the phone, “Okay, I’m not letting you do this on your own, so here’s what we’ll do. You need sleep. I’ll update the Squad, and since you’ll be in no mood to deal with all of us today, how about me and you go down to Yagi’s shop when he’ll be closing at two? We’ll see if he’ll talk to us then.”

“I guess you are good for something hair-for-brains.” Katsuki snorts, “I’ll text you later when I’m on the way to the station.”

“Sounds good bro.” Katsuki can practically hear the reassuring toothy smile through the line, “I’ve got you man, catch some z’s.”

When Katsuki woke to his alarm at midday he could already hear his parents talking quietly in the other room. He had several messages from the Squad group chat, all displaying a lot of shock and excitement about Inko finally being found, and two texts from Deku.

Deku, 08:46am : Morning Kacchan! :) I had a great time last night! Sorry if I came on too strong. Is it bad that I already miss you?

Deku, 11:48pm : Kinda weird not to hear from you already… I hope you’re ok? Um, text me when you get this? I just wanna make sure you’re alright.

Fuck. He’d made Deku worry. Katsuki started to reply, hoping Deku didn’t think he was brushing him off. It’s the last thing he wanted. Last night between him and Deku had been perfect - well aside from the fucking cold - and they’d aired out a lot of the shit that was stagnating between them. He wasn’t gonna let Izuku go, not now he knew they both wanted this. Maybe he should tell the boy all about what’s been going on. He’d like to. To let Deku in on the shit he’s been dealing with, just like he’d let Katsuki in on the situation with his dad.

Yeah, he’s gonna tell him. Honestly, maybe Deku would think he was crazy, or maybe he’d humour him with an ‘alright Kacchan, if you say so’, but the blond didn’t think so. He could imagine Izuku being concerned and kind, and wanting to know every detail without judgment. 

12:08pm : Sorry Freckles, had a really rough night so slept in. I wanna tell you all about it. I wanna see you so bad. You think you can make that happen?

Katsuki got up and made for the bathroom to freshen up before he got ready to meet Kiri. When he returned to his phone Izuku had replied.

Deku, 12:12pm : Oh Kacchan, I’m sorry to hear that! I hope you’re ok! I wanna see you too. Can’t today. Tomorrow afternoon? Before Dad gets home. So before 6?

12:23pm : You’re on shortstack, can do any time. Let me know when and where to meet you and I’ll be there. 

Deku, 12:25pm : I’m like 2 inches shorter than you Kacchan! :( Ok, I’ll text you. Can’t wait! Feel better soon ok <3

12:26pm: Still shortstack to me Deku. Sounds good… and btw for the record you didn’t come on too strong and I already miss you too so fucking deal with it. Later nerd. 

He rattled off a quick text to Kiri, stuck his head through the door to his parents room and stole their room service bagels before letting them know he was meeting his shitty haired friend. Then he was on his way out of the hotel in no time, heading straight for the station.

When he and Kiri arrived outside the quaint Bloom & Vase a little before 2 they couldn't help but be struck by the brightness of the place. The shop itself was a vibrant pollen green and the signage sported the shop name in a thick rolling cursive with flowers painted in colourful strokes around the letters. A woman was leaving the shop with a large bouquet of red dahlia and white chrysanthemum, smiling as she let the door jangle closed. The windows to the shop were large, open and full to the brim with flowers Katsuki had no names for, and beyond they could see a slender older man, with lank faded blond hair and a sad smile on his face. He was occupying himself with something behind the counter. 

“So how exactly are we gonna tackle this?” Kiri asked, pushing his hands further inside the pockets of his letterman jacket.

“Head on. I’m not beating around the fucking bush Shitty Hair. I nearly fucking died and anything that helps Inko move on faster I need to know. Shit, we should’ve come here sooner, honestly.” Katsuki answered, his parka zipped all the way up to his chin as another layer to disguise his new bruises and to keep the cold wind from stinging the scratches that were still fresh. 

“He looks all like, frail and old dude.” The redhead is eyeing the old man now as he waters some yellow calla lilies in a tin bucket, “Kinda makes me feel sorry for him.”

Katsuki’s hair ruffled in the wind without his beanie to hold it down, and he couldn’t help but hum in agreement. They hadn’t even stepped in the store yet, but there was something about the man’s sloped shoulders, bent back and deep set eyes that emitted deep loss. This had to be Yagi. Well, no time like the present. 

When Katsuki opened the door there was a tinkling of the bell above the entrance and the florist still bent over his buckets inspecting the flowers.

“I’ll be right with you!” He called, louder than was necessary but with much cheer, and the voice was instantly recognizable to the blond. He wondered momentarily if Yagi would recognise his voice too, but it didn’t matter, he wasn’t going to tell him any lies today. 

“Sure, thanks!” Kiri replied, as they both stepped up to the counter. 

Yagi made his way around to the register before stopping to take in the boys' appearance. 

“Well young men, how can I help you?” His smile was large, filling his entire face and seeming to push his blue eyes even further into shadow “Let me guess? Your mothers sent you to buy Christmas wreaths? Either that, or you’re getting a love interest a festive bouquet! I can help you with either, but it’s pretty close to closing time boys, so best hurry!” He chuckled from deep in his belly.

Katsuki was aware as he and Kiri tilted their heads to look up at him, that if Yagi wasn’t so bent out of shape he’d have towered over them even more than he already did. His hands were huge and calloused, sitting on the counter where white shirt cuffs pooled baggily around his skinny wrists. 

“We’re not here for the flowers, old man.” Katsuki said, blunt as always, and Kiri swatted his shoulder.

“Sorry Sir, ignore him, he’s an asshole.” Kiri laughed, side-eyeing Katsuki, “We’re sorry to bother you as you’re trying to shut up shop, it’s just Katsuki rang before about Inko, and-”

“Inko?” Yagi’s face fell into an unreadable blank slate, “You really came down here to bother me young man? I asked you to leave me alone.” His gaze was on Katsuki now - yeah, he recognised him alright. The man could clearly put two-and-two together, didn’t take a genius, so Katsuki didn’t wanna give him too much credit for it.

“I came here to tell you that her body was found. Last night. In my fucking garden.” 

Yagi reeled back, large hands splaying against the cabinets behind him and clattering the loose doors. 

“I-I can’t-” He looked like he was about to slide down to the floor, but Kiri was quick to action, he sped around the register pulling the older man to sit on a stool there and keeping a kind hand on his shoulder. 

“After all these years- I always hoped but I knew- she was dead the whole time?” His face flickered between relief and remorse, and red eyes watched him as he swung between the two. Katsuki could understand it - the not knowing, that’s the part that probably ate people up inside when shit like this happens. The guilt though, where was that from? Because he didn’t save her? Because he’d stopped trying too? Because he’d stopped looking?

 "How?" He spoke suddenly, his voice clearer now, with more authority, "Aizawa searched the grounds all those years ago. He said there was no evidence she was buried there. That the dogs would've found her."

Katsuki shook his head, "I don't know, honestly that shit has been bothering me too."

"Maybe her husband didn't put her body there right away?"

Katsuki stared at Kiri and couldn't help a slight smirk pull at his lips, "Damn, did your only brain cell get a fucking friend?"

"Hey! Harsh bro."

"You need to stop hanging around with Dunce so much. I think he borrows the other brain cell or somthin'". They shared an amused snort before Katsuki returned to Yagi, still sat pensive on the stool, "but yeah, it's definitely a possibility."

Yagi nodded, "I suppose it is. Do they know how she died yet? Too soon to tell?"

"They haven't actually formally ID'd the body yet, but she had her pendant on. Once they confirm it's her they'll contact former suspects. That's why we're here."

"Her pendant? How do you know about that? You don't know Inko son, we established that already." Yagi replied, brows furrowed.

"We, uh, saw her picture in an old newspaper article about your shop. Kat lives in her old house, he dug it up for a project about the history of his home." Kiri shrugged apologetically while Yagi couldn't see him. It was clear he didn't think it was a good idea to tell Yagi about Inko being trapped on earth as a spirit guide to her own murder. Katsuki couldn't help but agree - okay, so Kiri told him one lie today, Katsuki's conscience was still clear.

Yagi hummed in understanding as he pushed himself to stand and headed over to the front door, turning the open sign around and flipping the latch.

"So why are you boys here really? The police will contact me soon enough. What is it that you want?"
He motioned for them to follow him through to a small break room where he gestured for them to sit atop the boxes piled there while he sat in his desk chair. 

"We wanna know the truth. What you know about Inko, what happened to her, and why the fuck you didn't do anything to help her?" Katsuki stared at the man's face gauging his reaction, he just wanted to understand. To have this over with. 

Yagi's eyes shot wide. 

"Look, we got involved in trying to solve this mystery, and now we care too much Sir, we're too invested. Before the police came we wanted a chance to speak to you. To understand." Kiri paused watching Yagi's eyes grow glassy, "We know you loved her. What happened?"

Yagi's eyes seemed to fog over then, like he was lost back in those memories and he just began to speak, as if the years of guilt and silence couldn't be held back any longer. The flood gates were being forced open and the boys only had to bear witness to it.

"Inko was special. She was beautiful inside and out. She shined brighter than anyone else. Always happy, practically bouncing with joy." He smiled, hands folding into his lap, "I courted her for sometime before she'd even let me take her on a date! She was smart, and always wanted to help people, so she helped me here in the shop and she fell in love with the flowers, the science behind them and watching peoples' reactions to her creations."

He sighed sadly and let his eyes fall closed, "We went like that for a while. Despite all the praise and accolades, floristry isn't a big money game boys, we were always on the edge of foreclosure, but it didn't matter to us. We were happy."

Both boys sense a large 'but' coming, and Katsuki only hoped it would bring some insight into how Inko ended up without this seemingly soft giant of a man.

"But all good things come to an end. Inko's father fell ill. She never told me all the details, didn't want me to worry, but the costs were stacking up and she couldn't meet the demand for the medical bills, the treatments. I didn't have the money to help. I even offered to sell the shop, she wouldn't hear of it."

"Then she took a break, stepped away from her work here for a while and when she returned she said she had a solution. Her mother had suggested she marry into money. A friend's son, she said, had promised to take care of her father's expenses once they were married. We argued, it got…."

Yagi wiped his eyes and looked at the boys in turn, "I was hurt, I didn't see her for a long time. I knew why she'd done it, but I couldn't stop the pain she'd caused from separating us. Although I'm sure now she felt it too."

"But she came back?" Kiri asked, idiotically hopeful despite knowing the end of the story.

Yagi nodded, "She turned up here at the shop, we talked about her life with Hisashi. She made it seem calm, like all was well. She never said she loved him, or talked about her feelings for the man." He laughed sadly, "You're both too young to be in love, boys, but when you are it feels like you're complete. Like there's constant static in the air between you and warmth burning across your skin."

Oh, did Katsuki know. Izuku had made him feel all that and more. If he didnt know he was in love before, he did now. 

"She still felt it, and so did I," he leaned forward, elbows on his knees, keeping them in his gaze, "I'm not proud of what we did, but the truth is the truth. We began an affair that day. We had lunches, and dates, and she'd come stay in the shop or at my home with me while her husband was at work. Always leaving before he'd know where she'd been. It wasn't ideal but it worked. Her father's bills were paid but he passed eventually, and one day when we were… together…."

A blush spring up across the man's face and Kiri shifted awkwardly and flicked a glance at Katsuki's unphased expression.

Yagi cleared his throat, "There were bruises you see, and she would try and explain them away. Get upset if I tried to get her to talk to me about them. They were small at first, then bigger, and less discrete. Then she didn't show for weeks and I later found out that's when the hospital visits started. I couldn't take it anymore. When she next showed up here I implored her to leave…. But it was too late."

Tears slipped past Yagi's lashes, "At her last hospital visit she'd discovered she was pregnant. A miracle really the baby survived the beating she endured. She said she'd told Hisashi, we'd always been so careful so we knew it had to be his. She said she couldn't give up the child, that he'd not laid a hand on her since he found out. 'He's changed' she'd said. And she left. She left me again. I can't blame the child. I'd have raised him as my own if she'd let me."

They sat in silence for a few moments, letting Yagi's words permeate through the stale air of the back office.

"Did you ever see her again?" Kiri asked with tears in his own eyes, as Yagi wiped his cheeks with his cuffs.

"Once, when the boy was toddler, not that long before she went mi- was murdered." He corrected sadly, "She came here, she said she was going to leave him, asked if she could count on me when the time came. Of course I said she could."

He smiled looking at Katsuki, "He'd be about your age now I suppose." He stood turning to flick on the kettle behind him, "I only met him once, but he was so like Inko, those big green eyes, the green hair, such a happy child. The freckles must have been from Hisashi though, but they suited him well enough." 

He laughed softly, setting out some mugs, but Katsuki had stopped listening. Green eyes, green hair and freckles, all things that had been as essential to him recently as breathing, there was no way…

Kiri looked just as dumbfounded as he looked towards Yagi with wide eyes, "Mr. Yagi, you don't by chance remember the kid's name do you?"

His voice was shaking, he recognised that child too, that boy, that creature who'd stolen his best friend's heart.

"Ah, let me think…" Yagi pondered and Katsuki's whole world was already curling in at the edges, fading out, "Izuku, yes. I could never really forget. I always hoped I'd get to meet him one day."

He turned back to look at them, a smile plastered across his face, "There's always still a chance, ay?"

Chapter Text

‘The wounded recognize the wounded’
Nora Roberts

Bakugou Katsuki did not believe in fate, or destiny, or any of that other predestined bullshit, but really? What are the fucking odds?

Katsuki had bolted from Yagi’s shop with Kiri hot on his heels, and despite his friend’s cries to ‘Hold up, man!’ and ‘Slow down, bro!’, he did no such thing. He just ran faster. He ran until his lungs burned and the familiar metallic taste of overexertion crawled up onto the back of his tongue and spread across his taste buds. He ran without direction and with only one thought on his mind - What the actual fuck?!

He hadn’t really made it past that thought yet, he seemed to think he could outrun it instead. Yet, like all things you want to avoid in life - death, taxes, the indescribably cruelty of fate - they all catch up to you eventually.

Katsuki’s crash back down to reality came in the form of a redheaded, heavily panting and frankly pissed off Kirishima taking him to the floor in one helluva tackle. The blond’s face was smashed into the frozen grass below him as Kiri wrangled his hands behind his back, using his body weight to hold him down.

“Let me go Shitty Hair! Fuck!” Katsuki yelled, vaguely registering his surroundings.

They were in some kind of park and his eyes flicked around to see if there was anyone around to witness his descent into madness. He was thankful to not see another living soul in his limited field of vision.

“When you calm down bro! And stop runnin’!” Kiri huffed, keeping a firm grip on his friend's wrists, “The way you left Yagi’s dude- not manly! I had to shout an apology at the man and bolt after your ass!”

“Kirishima, I swear if-”

“Oh, I see, pulling out the real names to try and scare me bro? Yeah, not gonna work. Stop struggling already. You can’t run from this! You’re just prolonging the inevitable!”

Katsuki couldn’t see Kiri’s face, but he pictured him red with exertion and slightly preening at his victory over the blond. Katsuki was not happy about this but he conceded and went limp on the icy ground. It was cold as fuck, and his neck still stung as it rubbed against the fabric of his coat.

“Alright! Alright!”

“Good job, dude-” The redhead said seriously, without a hint of being patronising.

“I swear to- Shut the fuck up Kiri!”

There was silence for a few moments as Katsuki laid there with his eyes closed trying to calm himself enough not to run again, trying to count his breaths as they dragged in and out of his nose. Kiri knew him too well, because he hadn’t let up his hold yet.

“Why would you even run, Kat?” Kiri finally spoke, and there was sadness in his voice, “I know it’s a shock, some weird fate shit at work, but you love Mido. I know you don't wanna admit it, but we can all see it. I know you don’t wanna run from that- well, from him. No matter what it takes to stay, you’ll do it.”

Katsuki huffed at his friend’s faith in him and smacked his forehead into the ground with a dull thud, “Okay, okay. Shit, it’s fucking cold, lemme up.”

Kiri scooted back, kneeling next to the quarterback as he brought himself up into a seated position. Their red eyes met and he hated to admit that Kiri was right, there was no way around it.

“Yeah, maybe I do, love him or whatever. Fuck! I dunno!” He threw his arms up in annoyance and crossed them over his knees, “It’s some sick fucking shit to make me the one who discovers his dead mother in my yard!” He sighed and glowered at the ground, as if that would make everything right and set his world back on an even keel. “Kiri, Deku’s had bruises ya’ know? I knew, and I didn’t do anything because he told me not to. Told me his reasoning too. And he proved he could give as good as he got. Told me he beat his bastard dad up pretty good. Told me as soon as he’s eighteen he’s outta there, but fuck, this means his dad…”

He didn’t have to finish that sentence for Kiri to follow, sympathetic eyes staring out sadly at his best friend. He looked dejectedly down at the ground between them, before squeezing Katsuki’s shoulder lightly, “Look you know more about it than I do, but I know what you’re thinking. Yagi did nothing, you did nothing… but it’s not the same.” He shook his head, red spikes swaying atop his head, “You just said he fights back, right? It doesn’t sound like Inko ever did. I mean she was planning to run, but we don’t know if she never fought back. That’s already a massive difference.”

He sighed, standing and holding out his hand for the blond to take, “What does Midoriya actually know about his mom?”

“He said his she left when he was little,” Katsuki groaned as he stood, rubbing his ribs, seeing Kiri try to hide a slight smirk at the impact of his tackle, “he never said anything else, but fuck knows what bullshit his dad’s filled his head with.”

Kiri hummed as they began to walk, adjusting their coats against the cold, “If Aizawa knew about the abuse against Mido, wouldn’t that be evidence against the fact he could have murdered Inko? Like, he already has previous?”

“Wouldn’t be ‘previous’ idiot, it would be ‘subsequent’. They already know he beat Inko, it’s not proof he killed her.”

“Yeah I guess you’re right. Saying that sucks is an understatement, but it sucks. Majorly.” Kiri nodded sadly and turned his eyes to his friend, “So why’d you run anyway? Was I right? ‘Cause you’re not responsible, ya’ know? The police will tell him, they’ll notify her next of kin.”

“I don’t know Kiri, I don’t ever wanna keep anything from him.” Katuki’s brows pinched together, “I’m supposed to meet him tomorrow and I was thinking of telling him everything anyway, even before we knew this.”

“I just think it’s best to let the pros handle this Kat.” Kiri frowns.

“He’s not just another person to fuck Kiri, I wanted to share all this shit with him, just like he did with me.”

He could feel the warmth spreading over his cheekbones at the admittance, but Kiri just smiled, big and toothy, “Bro! You’re gonna make me cry, man!”

He threw himself at Katsuki in a bear hug, trapping his arms by his sides, “Oof-fuck! Shitty Hair!”

He heard Kiri sniffle and couldn’t help but smile as he rolled his eyes, “Alright ya’ big sap can we fucking go figure out what the fuck we’re gonna do.”

Kiri released him, stepping back with a questioning gaze, “What d’ya mean? We just said, the police will tell him dude. Nothin’ to do.”

“Yeah, okay. Then when they tell him where she was found and I just haven’t mentioned finding a body in my fucking garden?” He growled. “I told you, I want to tell him everything.”

They faced off in the park and Katsuki could sense Kiri didn’t agree with him. But it wasn’t Kirishima whose life had become a mess of tangled strings all leading back to Midoriya Izuku, Freckles, Shortstack, Deku. How could he not bring this to a close? Tell him all this shit? Deku would understand, he would want the truth? Right?

“Hey,” Kiri cleared his throat, “Why don’t I text the Squad. Let’s grab some food at the diner and update them. We could do with some time to chill and wind down anyway, right?”

“Yeah, whatever, let’s go.”

They ended up meeting the Squad at the same diner they always went to, ordering their same damn orders. Tokoyami was stirring his coke-float solemnly and Denki hadn’t even touched the foam on his milkshake, which was slowly deflating as he stared wide-eyed at the crappy vinyl table top.

“I don’t even know what to say.” Mina starts, which really summarises the eternity of silence that’s held over the group since Kiri finished recounting what had happened in the last twenty-four hours.

“Well, firstly,” Tokoyami pitched in, “Bakugou, I want to say something to you.” He took a deep breath and met Katsuki’s gaze, “I misjudged you when I was first asked for assistance in this endeavour. I’m sorry for that. I also took advantage of the situation, so eager to see a real instance of the occult, and now I see it was much more than just playing with candles in the dark. You all let me in and treated me with respect, as a friend even. I appreciate that. And, that you kept your word. You really do care, more than people know.”

The Squad all nodded along, all sympathetic and making Katsuki’s blood boil. God, why do they all have to be so nurturing and supportive? Tokoyami gave Katsuki a small, rare smile before he continued, “And secondly, these revelations from Mr. Yagi are sure to rattle anyone, let alone someone with such a personal connection to Midoriya as yourself. We are here to help in any way we can.”

Katsuki wanted to tell them to fuck off, that he doesn’t need their help with this. But they’ve all been part of this, they helped to get him to this point. So he said nothing, he just nodded and drank his coke ready to hear them out.

“However, I feel we do need to talk about the elephant in the room.” Tokoyami frowned so deeply that lines appeared etched into the soft planes of his face. “Midoriya is going to find out soon that his mother’s remains were found in your garden. How would you like to handle this, Bakugou?”

“He wants to tell him everything.” Kiri cuts in, and Katsuki could already hear the disapproval in his voice.

“Tch, I was gonna fucking tell him everything. Even before I knew it was his mother. Why the fuck would I keep this from him? How do I even have the right to?” Katsuki growled, glaring at his friend.

Why was he so against this?

“Maybe it’s like, um, what he doesn’t know wouldn’t hurt him, ‘ya know?” Denki said sheepishly, eyes fluttering away from Katsuki’s, as if his glare burned, “I just mean, you didn’t know it was his mother, he doesn’t know about any of this supernatural stuff. Let Aizawa tell him. If he puts it together himself then you don’t have any chance of hurting him, Kat. He’ll figure it out, and you can be there for him without all the occult shit.” Denki sighed sadly, eyes downcast.

“Aren’t you scared he’ll think you’re crazy?” Kiri said, as they all piled on the argument for keeping this shit a secret. “That he’ll think you’re making it up? You could hurt him more with this talk of communicating with his mom. And it’s not like you want Mido to meet Inko’s shadow and ball his eyes out.”

“The fuck is wrong with you all, he’ll be balling his eyes out anyway! It’s his fucking mom! Why would I keep this from him? He’s not gonna think I’m a liar. He trusts me.” Katsuki’s skin is prickling now as his chest tightens, starting to feel like a cornered animal. Deku knows he would never deliberately hurt him. He wouldn’t do that. God, he fucking hopes Izuku knows that. “And if he wanted to meet Inko I’d fucking let him. It’s not my choice you shits. Doesn't he deserve that?”

“I dunno Kat,” Mina had been too quiet the whole time, and now her voice had a rough edge to it as she sniffed back the tears threatening burst over her waterline, “You said his dad hurts him, he’s gonna hear his mum is dead and that his own father likely did it. That’s a lot psychologically to handle-”

“So you fuckers think Deku is weak?” It came out of his mouth with more venom than he intended, but he couldn’t find it in himself to care. He was one second away from storming out of the joint. How dare they think Deku was weak! They clearly didn’t know the first thing about him.

“I agree with Bakugou.” Sero said assertively, definitely, like he had no need to explain himself, but he did anyway, “If you could reach out to someone you’ve lost, wouldn’t you want the chance?”

Sero looked around the table, locking eyes with each of them before turning back to Katsuki from across the booth.

“You trust that he’ll believe you, and I trust you to know that.” Sero smiled softly at him and he found himself hating that his friend is defending him like this, but there’s a relief spreading through his chest that he couldn’t deny was comforting. He’d always liked Sero, there was more to him than the jokester, the stoner, that everyone knew. He actually had a backbone in him, and most of the time he said what he meant. “If we can give him the chance to connect with her, we should do it. At the end of the day, he’s gonna be hurting no matter what. He’s gonna find out that his father isn’t just an abusive piece of shit. That he’s likely a murderer. That his mother died horribly at the hands of someone she loved and trusted.”

Sero leaned forward tapping the table to make his point, “Midoriya is strong. How can he not be with what he’s already been through? And he still comes out smiling! He’s gonna get through this, and he fucking loves Kat, it’s just as obvious as Kat loving him.”

“I love you guys, but you’re wrong about this. I know the truth hurts, but once it’s out there Midoriya will get closure, so will Inko, and Yagi. Fuck, so will Kat, and us. Our bro wants to build a relationship with someone for the first time ever, he can’t keep this from him guys. He’s ready to deal with the repercussions of telling Mido everything.” Sero looked back at Katsuki and smiled a little brighter, “These knuckleheads will catch up, man. You tell Midoriya and you can both move forward from the shit in your lives. Together.”

Katsuki was a little more than floored. Yeah, he liked Sero a lot.

He nodded at his friend, his lips curling slightly at the corners as the rest of the Squad looked well and truly chastised. After a few moments Kiri cleared his throat.

“Sero’s right. I’m sorry Kat.” Kiri scratched his chin sheepishly before facing Katsuki head on, “I guess we were all trying to make this easier on you and Mido, but at the end of the day you’re right. It isn’t easy. None of this is. It’s gonna be tough, but I get it, you two like each other way too much for you to not tell him the truth. If fate wants to try and fuck you over,” Kiri smirked at him, cocking his head, “well, then I guess you’ll just have to show fate who it’s fucking with.”

Part of Katsuki still wanted to be mad, but in all honesty, he was tired, and way more emotionally aware than he’d ever been before. He just wanted to hang around for a while with his goofy friends before he had to confront the shadow in his room, the body in his garden, or the freckled kid of his dreams and give him the worst news he’s probably ever had in his life.

So, Katsuki smirked back and rolled his eyes as Kiri bumped his shoulder.

The harsh sounds of the dregs of a drink being sucked through a straw bounced around the booth causing all eyes to snap to Denki, who was trying to get the last of the milkshake foam from the bottom of his glass. He was concentrating on capturing the last of the pink bubbles when he noticed everyone staring at him, Mina wiping her eyes on a nearby napkin.

“What?” He asked, yellow eyes wide with wonder, “This is why I always slurp up the foam first guys!”

“And the tension is gone.” Sero chuckled, reaching for his own drink as he shook his head.

“Way to ruin their broment Denks,” Mina smiled, but Katsuki could see it was strained and pulling at the corners of her still damp eyes.

“Hah? The fuck is a ‘broment’?” Katsuki jumps in, clicking his tongue at her, and receiving a small apologetic smile before she launches into full banter mode.

This was more like it. This was how the Squad functioned. This serious shit wasn’t usually them, and there had been a lot of it lately. Kiri had been right about that, Katsuki did need time to just unwind with his friends. Fuck in the early hours of this morning he’s been watching a forensic team exhume Inko’s body. The scrapes on his neck were still fresh enough to remind him of the night before that. Katsuki sighed as he sipped his drink. There were only a few more hurdles to jump now. The race may not be over, but they weren’t far from the end. Or at least he fucking hoped so.

Katsuki checked his phone on his way back to the hotel, nerves instantly shredding his guts into ribbons. Deku had confirmed that at two o’clock tomorrow afternoon he’d meet Katsuki at a coffee shop not far from their homes. He shot a quick reply, saying he’d be there, that he had so much to tell him.

The Squad were right in some ways; this would hurt Izuku, but it was going to hurt regardless. God, Katsuki hoped he believed him. The idea of taking Izuku to see Inko kept crawling around in the back of his head, and he couldn’t decide if it was a good or a terrible idea. How would she react? Would she lash out like she had with Katsuki? But, ultimately, was it his decision to make? If Deku believed him - the blond thought he trusted him enough to at least humour him - then it was his own decision to make, not Katsuki's, and that was the bottom line.

And if Deku didn’t believe him? If he thought he was crazy? Katsuki shuddered as he exited the elevator to his hotel room. No. He’d cross that bridge if he had to, although in all likelihood he’d probably refuse to cross the fucker and burn it all to hell. Because he didn’t want to move forward without the cheeky little shit beside him. Fate clearly didn’t want them apart either - what are the fucking chances afterall that Katsuki would grow up in Deku’s old room, be haunted by his mothers spirit, find her body, maybe even help free him from his dad? Katsuki shook his head, a miserable chuckle slipping past his lips at the sick fucked-up nature of it all.

“Brat, Aizawa called.” the Old Hag yelled from the adjoining room as he entered.

Katsuki made his way through, seeing his father hunched over the small hotel table on his laptop, probably already neck deep in paperwork and business contracts. The blond rolled his eyes at that, he guessed he shouldn’t have expected anything else really.

He pulled his gaze from his father to stare his mother down, where she was perched on the small stool before the vanity mirror applying another layer of mascara.

“And?”

“He said we can go back home Monday morning. They’ve removed everything of interest, and they should have a formal ID by tomorrow night.” She held her son in her gaze, “He’d gonna let the family know first thing Monday if it's a match, and then they’ll re-open the investigation formally.”

Katsuki nodded slowly, leaning against the wall opposite his mother.

“That’s good right, kid?” Mitsuki gave him this small reassuring smile he wasn’t used to seeing on her face. He didn’t like all the sympathetic looks he was being thrown recently.

“Yeah, yeah, it’s good. Listen-”, fuck, should he tell them about Izuku? Nah, they were back to their usual right, Katsuki was just gonna be in the background again. A thing that lived in their home, spent their money, ate their- “The fuck are you looking at Old Man?”

The pictures on his father’s laptop had caught Katsuki’s eye. There were images of bright blue vistas, green foliage and white beaches. The Old Man was going away?

“Oh, uh, you see,” His father cleared his throat, spinning in his chair to give his son his full attention, “I made some phone calls this morning. Well, we both did. We’re negotiating with the board.” Masaru stood to cut the distance between them, and settled on the corner of the bed.

“About what?” Katsuki bit out, his face steeped in scepticism.

“You’re mother and I, we’ve decided it’s time to take a step back. Let some of the other members run the company on our behalf.”

Katuski’s eyebrows shot up into his hairline - colour him fucking shocked, or ‘shook’ as Pinky would say. Yes, Katsuki was shook. In all honesty is was fucking pathetic that this surprised him more than learning there was a fucking body in his garden. Although, not as much as learning it was Izuku’s lost mother. No, that one took the cake.

“Now, don’t get us wrong brat,” his mother cut in, “It’s gonna take a bit to get this arranged, and for me and your dad to, well, to get used to chilling the-fuck out.” She smiled over at her husband fondly. “But we’re doing this.”

“So,” the Old Man continued, “We’re looking at taking some vacation time, having some proper family holidays. What do you think?”

Katsuki blinked himself free of his stupor and brought a natural scowl back over his handsome features, “Yeah, I uh- that would be nice I guess.” His nonchalant attitude did not match the warm joy that was curling around his chest and weaving through his ribs. But for now, this conversation, this interaction, it was good. It was a start and the smiles his parents gave him seemed to show they understood that.

He ran a hand through his hair, he didn’t really have an excuse not to tell them now, not if they were making an effort. He should probably make an effort to. “I went to see Yagi today, you know, the flower shop guy I told you about?”

They both nodded, eyes glued firmly to Katsuki’s face. His mother’s jaw twitched like she wanted to scold him for getting more involved than he already was, but she pressed her lips together tightly and stayed silent.

“He told me about Inko’s son, told me his name. It turns out he goes to my school.” He shifted uneasily on his feet and could feel his whole face catching fire. He knew his parents weren’t stupid. They had an idea of what their son got up to and his mother was always trying to score details from the Squad. She pinched her brows which showed she was assuming the worst.

“Kat, did you sl-”

“Fuck no. I know you guys get shit out of the Squad, and I know for a fact they’ve let slip that I bring people home, but he’s- Izuku- Izuku isn’t one of them.” Katsuki has suddenly found the carpet between his feet immensely interesting. “He’s different. We’ve been dating for a little while I guess, a couple months.”

He slouched exasperated and rubbed his eyes, “It’s fucked up. I didn’t fucking know it was his mother buried in my garden, and now I do. I like him, a lot. Too fucking much. He’s too fucking good for an asshole like me. And his dad, his dad is a piece of shit-”

“His dad? So Inko’s killer? He lives with him?” His mother’s face was suddenly drowning in concern, and she reached out to clutch Masaru’s hand. “Kat he can’t be in the same-”

“You think I don’t know that Hag?” Katsuki snapped, “He’s told me all about it. He’s not eighteen yet, he doesn’t wanna be dragged into some kind of care, or fucking lose everything and everyone he knows by being carted away.”

His father hummed thoughtfully, “Better the devil you know, I suppose.” He said sadly. “So when Aizawa calls on Monday…”

Katuski grunts in confirmation, “I told you it was fucked.”

“Well, talk about destiny.”

“You know Hag, I wanna argue with you, but I’ve kinda been thinking about that too. It’s fucking crazy, right?”

His mother stood, moving close to him and running a gentle hand along his cheek, “Yeah brat, it’s fucked.” But she smiled up at him, her red eyes sharp with a knowing look she voiced out loud, “You like this kid, like, properly like him. I know you Kat, you’re gonna tell him everything. You should.”

Masaru nodded away in the background, “He has the right to know. From there he can make his own choices on what to do with the information given to him.

“I think he trusts me enough to know I wouldn’t lie to him about this shit, but…”

“It’s ok to be scared to lose someone you care about Kat.” His mother said, giving his cheek a pinch before retreating across the room to the hotel phone, “You trust him too right? Trust him to hear you out? Just be there for him, ‘cause it’s gonna be a shit show.”

Katsuki can’t deny she’s right. He’s gonna do it. He’s gonna tell Izuku everything.And it is gonna be a shit show.

“So, I think takeout is on the cards tonight, right? What are we thinking, boys?”

Katsuki met Izuku at the coffee shop at two o’clock exactly the next afternoon. He may, or may not, have walked around the block three- four, okay five- times because he was early in his eagerness to get to Izuku and get this over with.

Izuku bounded up to him, all smiles and red cheeks in the cold air. The light was weak and the sky grey but that didn’t make Izuku shine any less brightly. He was bundled up in all his winter layers, with Katsuki’s beanie covering his riotous green curls, only a few spilling out around the front edge. He threw his arms around Katsuki in a hug the blond returned, placing a quick kiss to his chapped lips before withdrawing and glancing around.

Katsuki hated the fact that after they talked today it would be his fault that the smile on Deku’s face would be gone, likely chased away by tears spilling from deep pooling green eyes.

He hadn’t realised his face had fallen until Izuku’s face fell too. His eyes widened a little and he reached his hand up as if to cup Katsuki’s cheek before seemingly thinking better of it. No. Katsuki wouldn’t have that. He reached out, gently taking Izuku’s hand and placing it against his face, leaning into his touch and stepping closer until their foreheads were resting together.

“What’s wrong Kacchan?” Deku asked, hesitant and quiet.

“A lot, Izuku. Too much.” He sighed, feeling Izuku’s warm breath ghosting over his lips. “But I wanna tell you all about it. I need to tell you all about it.”

Izuku simply nodded against him.

“I gonna fucking embarrass myself here Deku, but I- Fuck- I feel so close to you, ya’ know? I need to tell you everything and I wanna be with you.”

Deku slipped back from him a little, seemingly realising where they were, standing out in the open. He shook his head to himself and closed his eyes to steady himself before reaching for Katsuki’s hand, with what can only be described as a ‘fuck it’ expression on his face.

Their fingers entwined and Izuku spoke with certainty, “I’m here Kacchan. I’m here for you.”

Katsuki squeezed his hand, heart thumping slightly at how overwhelming this whole afternoon already was, how overwhelming it was going to be.

“Should we get a hot drink? Maybe walk around the park by the station?” Izuku said, a soft reassuring smile playing on his features.

“Yeah, we should do that.” Katsuki was almost in a daze, but he needed to keep it together for Izuku. As the smaller boy opened the coffee shop door for him Katsuki gave him a small grateful smile, “Thanks Izuku… For everything.”

Green eyes shone up at him as they made their way inside to purchase drinks to stave off the cold.

Izuku ordered a hot chocolate and Katsuki a black coffee. Katsuki paid, much to Izuku’s annoyance, but he didn’t argue, it wasn’t the right time. They walked in silence to the park, Izuku still looking around before taking Katsuki’s hand in his, unable to shake the habit. The whole time the contents of the blond’s stomach were trying to crawl up his throat, waves of bitter black coffee being used to fight back the bile.

The park was cold, icy, and most importantly, empty. There were a few children trying to sled a way down the hill, their laughter sometimes catching on the air as the two boys sat together on a bench, scattered rays of winter sunlight trying to reach through the cracks in the clouds.

Katsuki took a deep breath, it was now or never. Izuku didn’t have all day and tomorrow he’d be told anyway. He’d be told as his father was dragged away for questioning.

“I need to tell you some things, Izuku. And I need you to take everything I say seriously, okay? Because it’s all true. And I need you to believe me.”

Izuku’s gloved hands were now sitting around the cup on his lap, and he nodded slowly, unblinking, slight concern flashing across his features.

Fuck, Katsuki was really doing this.

“Ever since I can remember there was this shadow, this force in my room. When I was a kid I kinda felt it more than saw it, but I always knew it was there. It made me feel like shit. It threw out these emotions, like fear, and grief, and sadness. They rolled off it in waves and I just seemed to gain this, I dunno- this affinity to it, like I was on its wavelength or something. I’d have nightmares I couldn’t remember where I’d wake up screaming or crying- or both. I didn’t tell anyone about it for a long time, Izuku.”

“And… and now you’re telling me?” Izuku asked, eyes wide but Katsuki found no judgement there, only a slight disbelief - but seemingly not at the ‘shadow’, no, at the fact that Katsuki would even trust him with this. The blond didn’t like that, he wanted Izuku to know he trusted him with everything about himself. “Kacchan, are you telling me you’ve been haunted by a ghost your whole life?”

“Yeah, yeah I am.”

There was a silence between them, only the cold breeze rustling the empty branches around them.

“Do you believe me?”

Izuku titled his head briefly in thought, “I believe you Kacchan. Well, I um- I might not have experienced it but that doesn’t mean you haven’t.” He reached out his hand, planting it softly on Katsuki’s thigh where it laid heavy and warm. “Please carry on, I’m listening. I’m here.”

Katsuki closed his eyes and breathed out slowly. He shouldn’t be the one being comforted and he couldn’t help the pang of guilt that shot through him as Izuku rubbed circles against his jeans with his thumb.

“Not too long ago, the Squad- well they kinda found out accidentally. Let’s just say they felt it’s presence and the shadow, it had been making my life particularly shit at the time so I kinda just gave in and told them everything.” He shrugged, one of his hands falling from his coffee to rest on Izuku’s. “Anyway, they were all throwing out theories about how the spirit couldn’t move on, and how if we helped it then I wouldn’t have to deal with feeling like shit anymore, ya’ know?”

Izuku hummed to acknowledge he was listening, fingers turning to entwine with Katsuki’s.

“So we spoke with this goth guy, Tokoyami-”

“Ah! Tokoyami! He’s a cool guy Kacchan, I didn’t know you were friends with him!” He said, smiling softly.

“I’m not- I mean, I wasn’t, I kinda guess we are now.” He shrugged again. “Anyway, Pinky spoke to him and he suggested doing a seance- apparently he’s into that shit- so we went along with the whole thing. We used a spirit board and it fucking spoke to us. It actually fucking replied. She replied.”

Izuku’s eyebrows raised, pinching together, and his mouth opened and closed a few times before he nodded for the blond to continue.

“She said she was murdered in my room Izuku, by her own husband.” Izuku’s mouth gaped a little, but there was no recognition, just shock and sadness.

“Oh Kacchan….” Izuku’s breaths came out in slow steady little clouds in the air, “That’s… that’s awful. I mean crazy too, that you made contact, but truly awful what happened to her.”

“Yeah, yeah it is.” Katsuki’s nerves had hit a new high and there was a thrum across his skin like static, sweat beginning to creep down his neck despite the cold.

“Fuck- this is hard.” Izuku saw his unease and scooted closer to him and leaned into him to reassure him, “We all started researching the shit we found out, like her first name and some other clues she’d dropped. The problem was we couldn't find anything. Like she’d disappeared and no one gave a shit. We found some newspaper clippings about her old job and a photo of her.” Yagi had said Izuku looked just like his mother, green hair, green eyes. “She had these big eyes, all soft and happy. And this pendant, a flower of some kind.”

Katsuki cleared his throat to cover any emotion that was trying to bleed through and clutched Izuku’s hand tighter. “Anyway, I rang the place she used to work at and talked to the guy who owns it. He gave us info about the detective that worked the case and Sero dug up some stuff on one of the clues, Azaleas.”

“Their flowers, right?”

Katsuki blinked at him a few times before nodding.

“I think my mom likes them. I found some laid out to dry in a book at home once when I was younger. They were all labelled up with the flower name and when they were picked.” He laughed softly, a sad smile on his pink lips, “I doubt my Dad was into preserving flowers, so I always just, I dunno, Imagined they were her favourites.”

He gazed away across the field, before green eyes snapped back to red, “Sorry Kacchan, this isn’t about me. Please, what happened next?”

If only he knew, it was all about him. Everything.

“I had a talk with the old hag about it. Turned out there were some in our garden, so I kinda put the facts together and I just- hell, I just knew she was out there, buried in my fucking yard.”

There was a long pause then, where Izuku held his gaze with wide eyes.

“Yesterday, you said you didn’t sleep well, that you had a lot to tell me…” He trailed off, eyes huge and almost luminescent in the low winter sun. “Kacchan, did you report this? Did they- Did they believe you?”

“Me and the guys went to the detective who originally dealt with her case. It didn’t go well.” He grunted, “I mean why would it? A bunch of teenagers rock up and say they know where a body is because they spoke to a damn ghost. We looked like a joke.”

He frowned remembering that first interaction with Aizawa, and Izuku leaned forward seemingly enraptured, needing to know what happened.

“After Dunce’s party I got home and I was so fucking happy Izuku. You and me, were making this shit work, right?” There was that soft smile again, brightening Deku’s face as he nodded, “And then I woke up in the middle of the night and I couldn’t fucking breath. I literally couldn’t breathe Izuku. I was awake but I couldn’t open my eyes, and I was being choked. I could feel the pressure on my neck, and- God - I fucking panicked.”

Katsuki put his coffee cup on the bench and Pulled down the collar of his coat with his free hand, refusing to let go of Izuku for even a moment.

“Scratched up my own neck trying to fucking save myself.”

The cold air stung the still angry marks on his neck and Izuku’s free hand shot to his mouth in shock as the bruising and lines cut like brands in Katsuki’s skin, his cup forgotten on the bench beside him. The boy's eyes were immediately glassy, pulled open in worry.

“I’m okay,” Katsuki smiled slightly, a flicker of heat crawling through his strangled nerves at Izuku’s care for him, “Nothing worse than you’ve already had Deku. If you can take it, I can too, nerd.”

Fondness crossed Izuku’s sad features and he moved in to place a gentle kiss to Katsuki’s neck before adjusting his collar back in place against the cold.

“I uh, I kinda lost it after that. My parents were there. I was a fucking mess.” Katsuki continued, averting his eyes because this was it. This was the big reveal. This was where he broke Izuku’s world in two. “I went outside and I started digging up the fucking garden. I knew she was there and I was gonna find her. My parents thought I’d lost my shit, but they didn’t try to stop me. Fuck, my dad even helped me dig. Guilt I think, from never being around…” He shook his head, tears starting to cloud his vision. “It started raining and there was mud fucking everywhere. And then there she was. Her remains were just sticking out of the dirt and that fucking pendant. Fuck, I knew it was her Izuku, I knew but it just proved it.”

Deku is frozen in place, eyes swimming to match Katsuki’s, breath held behind parted lips.

“Look, I need you to understand something, okay?” Katsuki turned, grabbing Izuku by the shoulders and facing him head on, confronting the truth with no barriers, no facades. Just green peering into red, Deku and Kacchan, Izuku and Katsuki. “I was gonna tell you all of this anyway because I don’t ever wanna keep anything from you Izuku, I wanna be as open with you as I can be. Always. Even if it hurts, because we’ll be here for eachother. I’ll be here for you. You understand?”

Izuku nodded slowly, clearly startled by Katsuki’s words but he made no attempt to remove himself from the other’s grip, instead he brought both of his hands up to rest on Katsuki’s chest..

“But fuck- I-” Katsuki placed their foreheads together, “The detective came and they’re gonna make a formal ID Izuku- I had to tell you before they did-

“Kacchan? What are you-”

“Izuku, the shadow it’s name was Inko.”

Katsuki can’t see Izuku now, but he hears his breathing falter, caught in his throat. And then it all escapes him in one choked gasp.

“I- Kacchan- I don’t-” Katsuki could see the tears making their way down Izuku’s cheeks, leaving bright tracks on his pale skin. He pulled back to see him more clearly, confusion pinching at his features as he tried to take in the revelations Katuki had revealed to unravel his reality.

“My mom- her name-”

“I know that now Izuku, I know now that it’s her. It was her house. It was her spirit.” He pulled the shorter boy in close, trapping him tightly within his arms, feeling warm breaths stinging against his neck and wet tears dripping down onto his collarbone. “I know now, and I’m so fucking sorry I didn’t know sooner. I’m so sorry Izuku. I’m so sorry.”

Katsuki held the boy in his arms as he shook with the force of the sobs that wracked his body. He listened to his sharp painful breaths and stuttered questions, and he cried too. He cried for Inko and he cried for Izuku.

Chapter Text

‘Now I know what a ghost is. Unfinished business, that's what’
Salman Rushdie

They stayed curled up together on that bench until the winter sun was low over the horizon and full sweeping darkness had begun to creep across the park. At some point Izuku had become silent and still against Katsuki’s chest, and if it weren’t for the steady reassuring thump of the boy’s heartbeat against the blond’s own chest Katsuki might have feared he’d died right then and there from grief.

He pulled himself back just enough to see that Deku’s eyes were wide open, staring blankly off into the distance. They were red rimmed and raw from the tears that now soaked the front of Katsuki’s coat, his mouth parted slightly in soft breaths.

Katsuki brought his hand up slowly, gently, so as not to startle the boy, and ran it soothingly through soft green curls trying to avoid the tangles that lodged between his fingers. He increased the pressure of his movements until he was able to tip Deku’s head back and lock eyes with him.

“Izuku?” He whispered, watching the other’s eyes flutter, “You with me?” He rubbed his nose against Izuku’s, feeling the cold of his skin.

“I’m-I’m with you Kacchan.”

His voice was cracked and broken, his lips dry, and every syllable whistled past them as a barely audible breathless note.

Where did Katsuki go from here? He shifted his hold so that he cupped Deku’s face in his hands and peered into his eyes, seeing that he was now back with him, that he was present. Katsuki hadn’t felt the cold while they sat there in each other's embrace but it was starting to creep into him now, and he knew the same had to be true for Izuku who was beginning to slightly tremble against him. Katsuki contemplated his options. He didn’t want to take Deku home to his bastard father, but he couldn't force him to go to the blond’s hotel when he was working through such a massive heart-wrenching revelation.

“What do you wanna do, Deku? Do you- Would you wanna stay with me?” He said hesitantly, before thinking better of it and rushing to add,, “Or I could call one of your friends for you? Maybe Eye- Shinsou? Or uh, that Shoto guy?”

Izuku let out a small laugh that sounded wet and strangled, “You know their names?”

“I guess it’s a good job I do, huh?” Katsuki replied quietly, not being able to help the slight smile that tugged at the corners of lips.

Deku pushed back slightly, locking his gaze intensely with Katsuki’s, his own red eyes seemingly reflected there in emerald green, bouncing ruby fire off of the soft gold flecks deep in his irises.

“I want to stay with you Kacchan. Please?”

“You don’t even have to ask Deku. I don’t wanna let you go anywhere I’m not, nerd.”

With one last pass of his thumbs over Izuku’s cheeks, Katsuki stood and extended his hand for the greenette to take.

Izuku looked at it for a moment and held out his own gloved hand, stopping an inch from Katsuki’s.

“You know what you said…” Green eyes never left their hands and Katsuki waited patiently for Izuku to continue, “What you said, it means my Dad- he-”

“Yeah, it does. I’m so-”

“No Kacchan.” Izuku shook his head fiercely, taking the hand offered to him, “Don’t apologise. I know what you’re saying, but I don’t wanna hear you say you’re sorry. You’ve got nothing to be sorry about. You opened up to me and it must have been hard to lay that out there. I could have-” Izuku sighed wearily as he stood, steadying himself in Katsuki’s hold, “I could’ve thought you were crazy, or a liar, but I don’t Kacchan. I trust you and- and I believe everything you’ve told me. How could I not? I never told you anything about my Mom.”

Katuki’s throat burned again, but he didn’t want to cry anymore. Not when Izuku was holding it together.

“I’ve been hiding parts of myself to make my life easier, to avoid having to deal with him. With his outbursts. Why? Why was I doing that? He’s an abusive, manipulative piece of shit Kacchan. He murdered my mother before I even had a chance to know her. The worst thing is, I don’t doubt for one second that he did it.”

His eyes glistened again but he rubbed them with his free hand and stood up taller, chin held high.

“I hate him, Kacchan. I’m not gonna hide anymore. There are clearly enough secrets in our family.”

Katsuki didn’t know what to say. How was this kid so strong? He had cried and cried until he fell limp against his chest, but now he was so matter-of-fact. He was just as determined as always. But Katsuki knew about putting on a mask and he recognised the familiarity of drawing oneself behind it. He also knew anger and saw how Izuku had just swapped out one emotion for another. Katsuki could see it all then, as the night fell around them. Izuku didn’t want the grief. He wanted the anger, and he was reaching for it with both hands.

Katsuki brought Izuku into a final hug, not trusting himself to say the right words just yet, and with that he led the boy in the direction of the hotel.

The walk was silent, the grip of their hands never faltering as they walked with a lax pace.

By the time they made it to Katsuki’s hotel room they were both cold and tired - and it was barely gone five o’clock. Katsuki mentally noted that if Izuku wanted to change his mind and go home he was running out of time to get there. Not that the blond would want to let him go. Especially not with the anger fermenting under Izuku’s skin.

Izuku stood awkwardly by the door as Katsuki removed his outerwear and shoes.

“Hey nerd, relax, make yourself comfortable okay? Just gotta speak to my folks.” Izuku nodded slowly, a strained smile trying to spread over his lips for Katsuki’s benefit.

The blond placed a soft kiss on the other boy’s forehead before slipping into the adjoining room.

His father was lounging on the bed reading and Katsuki could hear the shower running in the bathroom, a sign as to where his mother was.

He made his way around the bed and sat down next to the Old Man.

“Izuku is here.” He said lowly.

Masaru nodded, placing his book down on the bed to keep his page, “Did you tell him everything?”

“Yeah, well nearly everything, still some stuff to iron out.” Katsuki grimaced at the idea of having to go into the details, about Aizawa, about Yagi. “He didn’t even question it. Fuck, I don’t know know if that’s a good thing or a bad thing.”

His father hummed in understanding, “You have to realise son, Izuku might not have known his mother was dead but he’s been grieving for her his whole life. He probably accepted that she was gone a long time ago. In some ways it might be easier, the known rather than the unknown. This isn’t a fresh wound, this is slicing open an old one. The pain is already familiar.”

Katuki stared down at his lap, contemplating his father’s words. He supposed he was right, he just didn’t know if he should be trying to make Izuku talk about it or wait for him to be ready. And how long would that take? The investigation was going to move forward regardless, and if there was no evidence to try Izuku’s father the poor kid was still going to have to live with the knowledge that he did it… and that he was free.

“Should I- Do I ask him about this shit? Or do I just, I dunno, be there?”

“Just be there Kat, he’ll talk to you when he's ready.” His father smiled reassuringly, patting his son’s leg.

“Dad,” Masaru blinked in shock at the name, before snapping back his expression to one of sympathetic understanding, “He just seems- like he was sad at first, but now he just seems angry. That can’t be good.” Katsuki whispered, meeting his father’s eyes with his own.

“I agree,” Masaru shook his head, concern furrowing his brow, “But it’s just happened Kat, these things take time. Anger can be good in the short term. I don’t think you need to be concerned yet. Just be there for him. You’ve been doing a great job so far son.”

Katsuki watched the soft smile his father gave him and clicked his tongue.

“Ugh, stop Old Man, you’re giving me cavities with this sweet shit.”

He was already moving back to the other room when he heard his father chuckle under his breath.

“Is he staying with you?”

Katsuki turned to reply, “Yeah- I mean, if that’s alright?”

Masaru nodded, reaching for his book once more, “If he wants to be here, then I think it’s the best place for him.”

When Katsuki entered his own room, Izuku was already bundled up in his bed, comforter pulled up so that only his eyes peeked out framed between beige fabric and green curls.

“Can I join you?” He asked quietly as the other’s eyes tracked his movements to the edge of the bed.

Izuku simply nodded and held up the covers for him.

Katsuki removed his belt, jeans and hoodie quickly, sliding in next to the greenette in his t-shirt and underwear before realising how inappropriate it was.

“Shit- I’ll just put on-”

“No!” Izuku protested, grabbing onto Katsuki’s t-shirt, stretching out the neckline. “It’s fine, really. Am I ok to stay?”

Katsuki settled back against the mattress and turned himself to face the other boy, hand coming out to lay against his cheek.

“Of course, I said I don’t want you anywhere I’m not, and I don’t say shit-”

“You don’t say shit you don’t mean.” Izuku whispered, smiling slightly at him. “I’m uh- I’m gonna get comfy if I’m staying.”

He kissed Katsuki’s palm before sitting up to rid himself of his clothing, until like Katsuki he wore only his t-shirt and underwear.

Katsuki couldn’t stop the snort that escaped his lips as Izuku took his position beside him, “All Might, huh?”

Izuku didn’t even look one iota embarrassed as he shrugged, snuggling closer to Katsuki’s chest, “I like my underwear, I’m not ashamed about being a nerd. Plus, I know you’re one too Kacchan.”

The blond couldn’t see the other’s face anymore, tucked against his chest, but he felt the soft smile on his lips even through the thin fabric of his shirt.

“Yeah, well don’t go tellin’ anyone Deku, I’ve got a reputation remember?”

Deku laughed softly, sadness still lingering in the background of its musical tones, and Katsuki rubbed circles into his back.

Then it was quiet for a long time, Katsuki could barely make out the chatter of his parent’s in the next room and he wondered if Izuku had fallen asleep.

“Kacchan, the police, did they suspect my Dad?” Izuku said quietly against him.

Katsuki closed his eyes and exhaled through his nose slowly. The last pieces of the puzzle, shaped like a grumpy detective and a lanky florist were laid out before him. He just had to put them in place for Deku.

“Yeah, they questioned your dad and your mom’s old boss, a guy named Yagi. He was, uh, in love with your mom.”

Izuku’s head drew back quickly to look into Katsuki’s eyes, which had snapped open at the sudden movement.

“In love with her?” He frowned.

Katsuki nodded against his pillow, “Yeah, it’s kinda sad actually. They were together before she met your dad. It sounds like it was kinda a marriage of convenience - Your grandfather was ill and in debt and marriage would make sure his care was paid for.”

Izuku nodded sadly, “So Yagi, he let her go?”

“Well, they- they had an affair,” Katsuki cleared his throat awkwardly looking away. He felt terrible having to tell Izuku this, like he was privy to all of his family secrets, “but she wouldn’t let him help her when the abuse started. She cut things off when she got pregnant with you. Uh, Yagi said they knew you weren’t his. She told him the abuse had stopped since your dad found out she was pregnant.”

Izuku tucked his head firmly back against the blonde’s built chest, sniffling and swallowing loudly.

Katsuki was about to apologise again when he remembered Izuku’s earlier words, “I know it’s a lot, Deku. I can’t imagine how overwhelming it must be to find all of this out.”

“Kacchan, she stayed with him because of me,” the shorter boy choked, “If she hadn’t had me, she may have left, still been al-”

“Hey!” Katsuki grabbed Izuku’s chin firmly forcing it upwards, dark green lashes rising and their eyes meeting, “It wasn’t your fault for being fucking born Izuku. You mom thought he’d changed. He didn’t. He started the same shit again when you were born and he didn’t stop.”

Katsuki spoke firmly, his heart aching for the boy before him, the boy whose sunshine smile would likely be hidden from the world for a while.

“She went to Yagi not long before she was murdered. She said she wanted to leave Izuku, she was gonna take you and run. And I think your dad fucking knew it.”

“And the detective? He didn’t find anything?”

Katuski shook his head, pulling the boy back against him, “He said the body wasn’t there the first time they searched. He must have moved her there after- fuck, I dunno. But Aizawa said without a body and no evidence she was murdered he couldn’t do shit. He thought your dad did it though.”

Katsuki felt Izuku’s fists clench against his shirt so tightly that his strong arms shook.

“I wanna ask him why Kacchan, why he couldn’t just let her be happy, let us be happy,” He drew in a breath thick with emotion, “I wanna kill him. I wanna see him hurt. I wanna…”

“I know Deku, I know,” God he felt useless, there was nothing he could do but hold Izuku against him and caress him gently, let him know he was there for him, “Aizawa, he met Inko’s spirit that night and he believes me now, he’s gonna do everything he can to get him locked away.”

Even as the words left his lips, Katsuki wasn’t sure if he believed them, but fuck, he wanted to.

“Thank you Kacchan, for telling me all this.”

“Don’t fucking thank me for giving you the worst news of your life Izuku.”

Katsuki buried his head against the pillow and soft warm hands came up to turn his face towards the other boy.

Izuku leant forward, his face still wet with tears that lingered on his freckled skin. He connected their lips slowly, gently, before pushing in more firmly to try and convey everything he felt in a single kiss. Katsuki kissed back instantly, soft lips pressed tightly against the other’s, the tip of Izuku’s tongue coming out to tempt Katsuki to open up for him - and he did, without hesitation. They were in each other’s mouths in a flash, exploring one another, tasting the salt from Izuku’s tears and the lingering bitterness of Katsuki’s coffee from hours before.

Then hands were travelling down Katsuki’s back and slipping beneath the hem of his t-shirt, still damp over his chest from Izuku’s tears, and the shorter boy was becoming hungry in his ministrations. Fingers running over the warm ridges of Katsuki’s abs, dipping into the depression around his navel and running back up to grope at his pectorals, digging into his firm flesh. Katsuki made to reciprocate, hands finding Izuku’s smooth skin below the edge of his shirt, and running hot hands over taught muscles which made the boy gasp and shiver. The greenette moved to flush their bodies against one another. Their chests and hips meet, trapping Izuku’s hand as it brushed across the hardened bud of Katsuki’s nipple.

They panted into each other’s mouths, kisses devolved into something messier, more primal, something seeking out an escape from the reality of the situation. Katuski felt Izuku’s erection against his own, felt the boy buck into him to slide them together and let out a breathy whine, hands moving to Katuski’s hips to encourage him to join in, to rut against him.

Katuski opened his eyes slowly, watching Izuku move down to kiss his neck, and he knew they had to stop. Izuku was hiding behind a curtain of arousal and desire, smothering the other shitty emotions out and stamping on the ashes only to ignite another larger fire that smouldered in his gut and spread to Katsuki’s.

“Izuku?” Katsuki gasped, his eyes fluttering as Izuku sucked and bruised the flesh of his collarbone, careful of the marks already on his neck.

Deku whined in response trying to work himself further down the bed, but the blond’s large hands caught him around the waist and held him still.

“Izuku, we need to stop.”

There was stillness instantly and Katsuki could see how Izuku’s face instantly flooded red, not from arousal but from embarrassment, even the tips of his ears flushed and he quickly tried to turn away from the blond.

“Hey, don’t-” Izuku tried to flip over, but Katsuki wrestled him down onto his back and hovered over him, “Don’t get all embarrassed nerd, trust me, it’s not like I don’t wanna jump your fucking bones.” He held Izuku still and gently thudded their foreheads together, “I just don’t want you to lose yourself in this to avoid all the other shitty emotions you’re having to deal with right now.”

Izuku nodded against him and Katsuki released him, bringing himself up on straightened arms to view the boy caged below.

“You’re beautiful and gorgeous - and it’s fucking cliche I know, but you are, inside and out. I want you now and a million times after that. But not like this.” He passed a thumb over a freckled cheek, connecting one tan fleck to another, “I don’t want you to use this to distract you. That’s not what I want us to be.”

“I’m sor-” Izuku caught himself, “Kacchan, you’re right, I know you are. I-I want you, but I know what you’re saying and you’re right. I’m just trying to fill a dark hole with something better. I don’t wanna use you like that.” He shook his head dejectedly, green curls flying around him .

He leaned up and placed a soft kiss against Katsuki’s lips, making the quarterback's heart flutter softly against his ribs. This kid, even when vulnerable, his bleeding heart open before him, he was still honest, caring, willing to give everything about himself over to Katsuki. He couldn’t help but feel he didn’t deserve it but he was going to do his damndest to prove himself wrong.

“I’m pretty tired, you know?” Izuku said, lazily stroking down Katsuki’s back, leaving a trail of goosebumps behind.

“Yeah, I’m not surprised Deku. Me too. Get some sleep nerd, I’ve got you.” Katsuki laid beside him, head on Izuku’s firm chest to hear his heartbeat steadily relaxing into an at-rest rhythm and traced circles up and down the arms that wrapped around his waist.

“Izuku,” the boy hummed softly below him sending vibrations through Katuski’s own chest, “Do you… do you want to meet her?”

Deku’s chest stilled for a moment, air drawn in and held there before it was released in a soft exhale that fanned over Katsuki’s forehead.

The arms around him tightened, “Yeah, I’d like that Kacchan. Thank you.”

“Tomorrow then.”

A simple nod above him, a kiss placed gently against his hair, and the two rested together, exhaustion pulling them both under even as the whirlwind of thoughts in their minds tried to drag them to the surface.

When Katsuki woke the next day he could already see soft winter sunlight peeking through the gap in the hotel curtains. At some point in the night he’d ended up spooning Izuku and the shorter boy was curled up next to him, arms locked around Katsuki’s own which had weaved around Izuku’s lean torso.

He blinked a few times trying to clear his sleep filled eyes and watched the way Izuku’s green hair fluttered as his breath washed over it. There was a lot of tossing and turning for the both of them last night, as to be expected really, what with the hoffiric revelation that Izuku’s mother was dead and all - not to mention Katsuki having insisted on being the one to tell him.

There was a soft vibration somewhere in the room and Katsuki slowly untangled himself from Izuku to find his phone without waking the boy. He turned back to place a soft kiss against a freckled cheek before he tucked the cover tightly around Izuku and slipped from the bed.

The quarterback huffed quietly as he stretched to retrieve his jeans from the floor and dig out his phone. It was late, much later than Katsuki had intended to wake, but emotional exhaustion will tend to do that to a person. It was already nearly two in the afternoon. He groaned at the multiple missed calls from various Squad members. They really didn’t know when to quit. Not that Katsuki could blame them. They’d probably all been on edge not knowing how last night had gone.

He padded to the bathroom with all the stealth he could muster, glancing back at Izuku as he clicked the door closed before spinning and placing his phone to stand on the shelf below the vanity mirror.

He grimaced when he caught sight of his own reflection. His eyes were tired and bruised from exhaustion. The scratches on his neck were healing nicely, slight scabs flaking at the thin edges of the marks, but the hand-shaped bruises had now darkened to a nasty purpling hue that faded yellow at the edges. Was it really the best idea to let Izuku meet Inko? She wouldn’t hurt her own son right?

Katsuki shook his head, rubbed the sleep from his eyes and unlocked his phone. He fumbled to quickly lower the volume as the ring of the outgoing call ran around the tiled walls before he set the phone back down and waited as patiently as he could for the Squad to answer.

To his surprise, despite ringing the group chat only Shitty Hair picked up the call, the rest of the members declining, but as several faces all crowded into view it became clear that they were all together.

“Bro!” There was a clamour of greetings as Kiri tried to encourage them all to quiet down while he set his phone up somewhere they could all be in view. Katsuki saw the Squad sprawled out on the hideous mustard rug and scraggy red sofa that were in Sero’s basement and watched them all settle at Kiri’s direction.

“So? Did you tell him?” The redhead asked, eyes wide in apprehension.

“Yeah, I told him.” Katsuki said, keeping his voice low.

Tokoyami entered the frame, leaning over the back of the sofa Sero and Mina had thrown themselves on.

“I commend your bravery Bakugou, that couldn’t have been an easy conversation.” He shook his head slowly, “I hope Midoriya is doing well given the circumstances.”

“He’s…” The blond thought back to his dad’s words the day before, “I think he’s already mourned her before, ya’ know? Now it’s like, like it’s almost familiar in a way.”

The Squad nodded, sad sighs and hums of understanding leaving them.

“How much did you tell him?” Sero asked, leaning forward, hands clasped together between his knees.

“Everything.”

“Even, about Yagi, about the affair and who Inko said did-”

“I said everything, Shitty Hair, and I meant everything.” Katsuki glared, hoping it had its usual impact even through the phone.

“Shit- and he didn’t think you were crazy as fuck?” Denki chimed in, indelicate as always, only to have Sero smack him around the head in Katsuki’s absence.

“No moron, he listened and he came to the conclusion that I couldn’t know the shit I did without what I said being true.” He scoffed deep in his throat, “Some people have brain cells and the power of deductive reasoning you fucking dunce.”

Denki just rolled his eyes at Katsuki’s insults before ducking from another swipe of Sero’s hand.

“So where is he now? Did he believe his dad did it? Cos’ if so you really shouldn’t have let him go home Kat.” Mina fretted, hands tensing on the couch cushion.

“Tch, as if I’d do that. He said he already had his suspicions. Or did you fuckers forget he’s been beating the shit out of Deku for years?”

“So not exactly a stretch for him to imagine then….” Kiri trailed off sadly.

“Nope, in fact it was the easiest part for him to accept honestly.” Katuski's face twisted as he remembered Izuku’s anger, “Anyway, he said he wanted to stay with me and I sure as shit wasn’t letting him go so he’s here asleep in my bed.”

A round of groans crackled from the device as Mina facepaled herself in apparent annoyance.

“Really babe? You couldn’t just wait for him to be in a better place mentally before you took what you wanted?”

Realisation flitted across Katuski’s face only to be instantly replaced by fury.

“You fuckers!” Katsuki hissed, trying to keep his voice down as he braced himself against the sink with a grip nearly strong enough to crack the porcelain.

“You really think I’d do that?”

“Not me-” Kiri almost shouted, Sero following with a heartfelt “Nah bro, not to Mido” while Mina looked instantly apologetic, and Denki just nodded stupidly.

“Sorry Kat, I know you really like the boy- and he was in your bed- and it would have been easy for you to- shit I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have presumed. That was fucked up.” She twisted her hair, honey eyes fixed on her own knees.

Tokoyami looked like he couldn’t care less.

“Well nice to know you dicks don’t think I can control myself,” Katsuki growled, “If you must know he tried to come on to me and we fucking talked it out because he wasn’t in any fit state emotionally to fuck. Alright!”

They blinked back at him, both Kiri and Sero sporting stupid grins.

“Damn you really like this guy huh? I mean we all thought you did, but you- dude you really do!” Kiri laughed, tilting forward on the edge of his seat.

Katsuki stayed quiet. He didn’t need to say anything, they already fucking knew as much. They clearly just didn’t realise how much of a thing called ‘self-control’ he had when it came to things he cared about.

“So what now?” Sero asked, “It's winter break so he can’t hide at school and he can’t just hide with you forever either. I mean, you and your folks will go home soon, and surely Mido’s gonna have to go home at some point too.”

“Aizawa called my parents, said we can go home today, and they matched Inko’s ID so he’s gonna call in the previous suspects and notify next of kin.”

“Shit, so Mido knows his dad’s gonna be hauled in today?” Denki said from his seat on the floor.

“He’s got a good idea, yeah.” Katsuki affirmed. “He wants to meet Inko.”

Silence, so quiet you could hear the static of the call.

“You’ll need the spirit board then.” Tokoyami nodded, standing up straighter.

“Yeah, could you drop it off at my house, I’ll text you when we’re on our way there.”

He nodded again, as Kiri looked nervously around his friends and back to Katsuki. “Is this a good idea? Your neck still looks like shit from the last time you saw her dude. What if she goes ape-shit on Mido?”

Katsuki shook his head relaxing a little, “I honestly think she’ll know who he is straight away. I’m hoping this is what she needs to move on, just knowing he’s safe… because honestly, without evidence I don’t think they can get his dad for murder. I think it’s all circumstantial.

He didn’t stay on the call much longer, saying his goodbyes to the Squad and promising to update them later on, and to let Tokoyami know when to drop off the board. He took a piss and brushed his teeth before slipping back out of the bathroom, only to be met with a sleep creased Izuku with messy bed head and tired green eyes looking over at him.

“Morning Kacchan.” He croaked, voice sounding wrecked from sleep and the emotions of the night before.

“It’s afternoon, Nerd,” Katsuki ambled back over to the bed, noting that Izuku held the hefty brick-of-a-phone in his lap, “How are you holding up?”

Izuku looked down at his phone thoughtfully, a grimace on his usually placid face, “I’m in a lot of trouble Kacchan.”

Katsuki slid into his side, chin resting on his shoulder and an arm around his waist. He peered down at the phone screen. Twelve missed calls, four voicemails and a handful of text messages all from ‘Dad’.

“You knew this would happen when you didn’t go home Deku, there’s nothing to worry about. He’s probably with Aizawa now, already being questioned.” Katuski tried to reassure, his heart sinking for the other boy.

“It’s just…” Izuku seemed to curl in on himself, “If they let him go, I’ve gotta face him and I can’t go back and live there- I won’t live with him anymore. I’m gonna be homeless, Kacchan.”

Katsuki headbutted Deku gently, “No shitty nerd, there are plenty of people who care about you. Fuck, my folks would let you stay with me in a heartbeat.”

A sad chuckle sounded from Izuku and he nuzzled into Katsuki’s neck.

“Stop being so nice to me. You’re supposed to be a mean playboy, remember?” he joked halfheartedly.

“Just shut up and take my love Deku.” He tackled the shorter boy to bed and scattered kisses across his face, earning small chimes of laughter.

“Stop it Kacchan, I need to brush my teeth and I probably stink.”

“Nah, you’re worrying about nothin’.” Katsuki replied, huffing out a laugh as he retreated from the bed to pull on some sweats. “There’s a free travel toothbrush in the bathroom if you wanna use it. I’m gonna let the folks know what we’re doing and grab something for us to eat.”

“M’kay Kacchan, but I’m not really hung-”

“Tch, gotta eat nerd. I’ll be right back.”

He slipped into the adjoining room and found his father packing the last of his things into his overnight bag.

“Your mother has gone ahead to the house, she wanted to check on everything before we all go back there.” He said, pulling the zip closed. “How’s Izuku?”

“He’s holding it together,” the blond said, sidling up next to his dad, “I’m gonna take him to see Inko, but I need to feed the nerd first.”

“Order what you like from room service, and just let me know when you’re ready to go son.” His father gestured to the door, “I’m going to head down to the cafe and do some work, but we’ll drop you and Izuku off at the house when you’re ready and let you have some time with Inko.”

Katsuki shuffled a little awkwardly as his dad made to leave, clapping a hand on his shoulder.

“We’re really proud of you Kat. Soon this will all be over and you’ll be able to move on, both of you.”

“I- thanks Old Man. I- fuck, it’s nice to have your support.”

They shared a moment, both understanding the weight currently sitting on Katsuki’s shoulders before his dad left the room.

Katsuki picked up the phone to order room service, but his mind was already thinking ahead to their meeting with Inko, and he couldn’t help the chill that ran up his spine and spread icy hands around his throat.

Eventually his folks were driving away while waving goodbye to Katsuki and Izuku as the boys stood at the front door of his family home. The blond was already mid way through unlocking the door when he noticed the black duffle bag tucked behind the potted rhododendron, drooping from the current climate.

Tokoyami must have made it here before them. Katsuki sntached the bag up before leading Izuku inside.

“Let’s grab some drinks before we start. Settle the nerves, yeah?” Katsuki offered, as he strolled through the kitchen to the fridge with Izuku in tow, “Coke ok?”

When Izuku didn’t answer Katsuki pulled his head from the fridge with two cans in hand to see him staring out of the window wide eyed. Katsuki followed his gaze as he moved up beside him and found the dark patch of raked earth outside where the azaleas once stood.

“She was here the whole time.” Izuku said softly.

Katsuki wound an arm around him, rubbing his side gently, “She still is, ya’ know? We’re gonna go meet her right now Deku. That was just her body… but her soul, it’s still here.”

The shorter boy shook his head as if to clear it and his brows set in determination as he took his drink from Katsuki’s hand. He cracked the top and took a long drink before breathing slowly through his nose, centering himself.

“Ok, take me to my Mom Kacchan.”

They made their way upstairs, hands clasped together and the black duffle in Katsuki’s free hand. At his closed bedroom door Izuku pulled the blond back, eyes tracing the dark marks on Katsuki’s neck.

“I’m so stupid Kacchan,” Katuski opened his mouth to protest but Deku spoke over him, “I didn’t think about how coming back to see her would make you feel. She hurt you.” A freckled hand lightly brushed against the quarterback's bruised skin, “I don’t want you to be hurt anymore. I’m sorry I’m putting you through this again.”

“I’m here because I wanna be Deku, don’t get that twisted, ya’ hear?” Katsuki scolded, taking Deku’s hand in his once more before sighing. “Look, Inko, she never did any of this shit before that night and I may not know why she freaked the fuck out, but I don’t think she wanted to hurt me. She’s not a bad person Izuku, she’s just stuck and scared, and probably as exhausted with it all as we are.”

He released Izuku to open the door, “Maybe meeting you will put her to rest.”

The greenette smiled slightly at the idea, following the blond into the room.

Katsuki glanced at Inko’s shadow nestled right where it had always been in the corner of his room and it struck him then that there was a comforting familiarity to it. He couldn’t feel anything emanating from it as he placed the duffle on his bed to open it. The board was nestled inside folded at its hinged centre. There was an obnoxiously green sticky note stuck to the bottom of the board.

‘I don’t think the candles & sage were what allowed us to connect with Inko, after all you’ve basically been connected your whole life when you think about it, so just the board should do it. Good luck Bakugou. - Tokoyami’

Katsuki opened the board, setting it on his floor and brought the planchette to rest on top of it while Deku looked around Katsuki’s room. He pulled the pillows from his bed and placed them either end of the board, gesturing for Izuku to sit at its head.

Once both boys were seated cross-legged, Katsuki held his hands out to Izuku who took them gently.

“She’s in that corner over my right shoulder. I can kinda see her, I guess cos I’ve been around her so long. I really don’t know. She’s like this shadow, it’s kinda hard to explain.” He said, rubbing his thumb over Deku’s knuckles.

Izuku hummed in response, eyes fixed on the corner. “So, how do we do this?” he asked shakily, squeezing the blond’s hands before returning his gaze, clearly nervous but steadfast.

“We both place our hands on the planchette - uh, the heart shaped thing - and you can ask her questions. Yes and no questions if possible, but she can spell out shit too.”

Izuku nodded in understanding and they both moved their hands to the planchette.

“Apparently it’s important neither of us let's go until this is over.”

“Okay Kacchan, I’m ready.” He smiled reassuringly over at the blond and Katsuki smiled back, the curl of his lips still slightly foreign when compared to his usual smirk.

“So I’m uh, I’m just gonna start…” Deku said, leaning forward slightly over the board, the winter sun coming in low through the window and giving everything a soft orange glow. “Inko, are you here?”

A steady drag moved the planchette across the board slowly and Izuku’s whole body tensed, green eyes alight and already glassy as it slid to a stop over ‘Yes’.

Katsuki grinned at him, “Told ya’ nerd.” He couldn’t help the soft chuckle that left him as Izuku’s face lit up. The boy had an opportunity not many ever got and he wasn’t going to waste a moment of it.

“Ok um, where to start,” He began, fingers gripping into the wooden heart as he breathed deeply, “My name is Midoriya Izuku and Kacchan - Katsuki - is my, well, h-he’s my boyfriend.” He said sheepishly, a blush crawling up his neck, “By some crazy coincidence or fate, or whatever you wanna call it, you died here in this house, Katsuki’s house. Then separately Katsuki and I found each other and we… well we really really like each other.”

Katsuki’s own cheeks were growing warm and his heart was thudding steadily in his chest, but as Deku rambled there was something else happening. There was a warmness in his chest, spreading like a wildfire that licked and burned into his heart. He sat in wonderment as after years of negative emotions, hurt, loss and pain, something altogether different was happening. There was patience, longing and a distinct feeling of pride. There were softer undertones of relief and contentment…. And smothering all of those was love. A soft blanket of love draped over his whole being, forcing a soft sigh past his lips as his eyes focused back on the dark emerald curls atop Izuku’s head, glowing in the afternoon light. And fuck, Katsuki knew that feeling already. That feeling greeted him everytime he thought of Izuku and the blond could never deny now what he meant to him - that he loved him.

“...And that’s when he put it all together. He told me everything.” Izuku finished, tears silently slipping over his waterline and down his speckled cheeks. “Inko, can you… I think you’re my mom, right?”

Izuku held his breath but Katsuki couldn’t help grinning wildly as the warmth flickered in his chest and the planchette circled ‘Yes’ and returned to stop over it once more.

Both boys let out relieved laughter, shoulders shaking and fingertips touching across the rough wood of the planchette. God, Katsuki wanted to reach out to him, to hold him, but they couldn’t break the connection right now. Instead he gave him a sharp grin with an ‘I told you so’ smugness that made Izuku release a small giggle - Not quite as merry as the boy's previous musical laughter, but it was something and Katsuki would take any small mercies he could get.

They settled again, letting the moment wash over them and Izuku attempted to wipe his face on his shoulder without releasing the planchette from his grip.

“Okay,” Deku cleared his throat, “Mom, I’m sorry this happened to you, I never really got a chance to know you but I still miss you.” He shook slightly as he tried to hold it together, and Katsuki stretched a leg around the board to rest his socked foot against Izuku’s knee. The greenette smiled softly at him for the show of kindness, “Dad, he… he doesn’t talk about you much and I guess now I’m kinda glad about that. Because anything I learned from him would have been tainted now that I know he hurt you… he k-killed you.”

As the boy’s face creased with the agony of loss, Katsuki pushed himself into the floor so as to not lunge forward and force Deku into a tight embrace. A flicker of pain shot through him, guilt - Inko’s guilt at not being there for her son.

“She feels like shit that she wasn’t there for you Deku.” He said, before he could stop himself.

Izuku’s shimmering eyes snapped to meet his own, “H-how do you…?”

He let the question hang for a moment, “All those shitty emotions she’s always making me feel, it’s like, I dunno - It’s like as soon as she knew who you were they changed. Fuck, Deku she loved you, she’s missed you so much.”

They watched together as the planchette spelled out Inko’s response, ‘S-O-R-R-Y B-A-B-Y’

Izuku wailed, stuttering in his haste to correct her, “No! No! You don’t say that! Ever! It wasn’t your fault, it was only his. Mom, I hate him. I hate him and I wish you were here and he wasn’t.”

Katsuki’s guts cramped tightly in anger. Inko did not like her son’s response. The planchette shot across the board, red eyes trying to keep track of the letters. “Forgive” Katsuki breathed.

“What? Why? I can’t-”

The planchette moved again, “For… me.” The blond shook his head as he tried to understand the swirl of Inko’s emotions, “She doesn’t want you to hold on to the anger Deku, doing that is what’s kept her here. I think she wants you to be able to move on too.”

“But, but this is all I have of you Mom, if I let you go - If I let him get away with this, if I don’t hate him, then what is there?”

Inko spelled a word out quickly, ‘Love.’ Katsuki sat with his heart still aflame and his head reeling.

“Love who? Dad?” Izuku scoffed through his tears, “I can’t do that.”

No.

Katsuki.

Both boys stared down at the board before their eyes found one another.

“I-I-”

Safe.

Katsuki’s eyes burned and he sniffed harshly in an effort to pull back the tears. “Fuck Inko, why you gotta be all sappy and shit?” He laughed, short and sharp, in shock, locking eyes with Izuku. “Yeah he’s safe with me. Yeah I have… feelings for him or whatever…” Izuku giggled lightly, his face slowly turning red from his cheeks outwards, “... And fuck, I promise you, I’ll do my best to protect him from now on. Not that he fucking needs it. He’s a tough kid Inko. And he’s smart too. Brave, loyal, and a fucking ball of sunshine. Shit’s annoying honestly.” He smirked across at Izuku. “And I really, really, like your son too.”

Izuku grinned back at him, “I think this means she approves.” He wiped his face on his already wet shoulder as the planchette slid over to ‘Yes’.

“We’ve known each other for a long time, she knows how awesome I am.” He chuckled.

They both let the silence hang for a moment before Katsuki had a thought, “Inko, is there anything you can think of, any evidence that might get your husband convicted?”

They both watched the board. Time seemingly stretched as they awaited Inko’s reply. Katsuki felt tightness in his chest again, and the simmering anger from before as she moved their hands to answer: ‘No’.

The blond sighed, hanging his head.

“No matter what happens, I’ll make sure Izuku is okay. I promise.” He stated to the room, nodding his head, “You don’t have to go through this shit alone Deku. Me, the Squad, your friends, we’re all here for you.”

“I know,” He sniffed, shaking his bangs aside to look around Katsuki’s room, “Mom, I’m really gonna be okay. Kacchan, he offered me a place to stay if Dad-” he hesitated, swallowing harshly around his next words, “If Dad gets away with it, I can stay with him. I’m sure you know his parents are good people. And next year, I’ll be studying photography and living in dorms. I’ll be safe, and I’ll get my inheritance when I’m eighteen. I’ll be okay Mom. I’ll miss you, I’ll always wish you’d been here, but I’ll be okay.”

I know.

Relief washed over Katsuki and he felt Inko begin to feel at peace. She believed her son. She believed he’d be ok.

“She’s relieved.” Katsuki said, smiling reassuringly at the boy before him. They both watched as the planchette moved lazily around the board for some time, Inko needing to say what Katsuki sensed would be her final words.

I Miss you.

I Love you.

Always.

Be safe.

Protect him.

Bye baby.

Chapter Text

‘If you hurt me, I wouldn't cry. I would hurt you back.’
Holly Black

Both boys sat there for a long time, hands still clasped together over the planchette, unmoving. One boy crying in loud sobs for that which he never knew and still had lost. The other in silent tears that left salty tracks on his cheeks as he watched the boy he had grown to love crumble before him.

Outside of Izuku’s cries the atmosphere was tense, silent, and as he trailed off into repressed whimpers it became too much for Katsuki to stand. He pushed the board aside, the planchettle sliding onto the carpet, and pulled Izuku into his lap. The other came without resistance, head falling forward onto Katsuki’s shoulder, tears soaking into the fabric of his hoodie.

Izuku cleared his throat, swallowing audibly as he opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. Katsuki found himself whispering reassurances to the boy in his arms, rubbing his face against soft green curls in an attempt to comfort him.

The sky had grown dark while they were sitting there, the last of winter sun long gone behind the horizon. Katsuki had no idea what time it was, or how long his parents would be gone. 

“I- Thank you Kacchan.” Izuku’s voice croaked, breaking on each syllable. 

Katsuki huffed, the breath from his nose ruffling Izuku’s hair, “Don’t have to thank me. You did all the hard work, nerd.”

After a moment Izuku pulled away to look up at him with red rimmed eyes, “ We did it though Kacchan. We helped her move on.”

“I think I might actually miss having her around… in a weird way.” 

Izuku chuckled softly, humorlessly, “Yeah, I still can’t believe that I lived here at some point.” He looked around, seemingly taking in his surroundings for the first time, green eyes roaming across Katsuki’s belongings despite the darkness cloaking them.

“Me either…” Katsuki hesitated, “Do you, uh, believe in fate, or destiny, whatever you wanna call it. Do you… do you think it’s real?”

Izuku shifted, his face becoming serious and pensive. 

“I think it’s a nice idea. You mean like, that we met and didn’t know all these strings were connecting us together? Pulling us towards each other?” Katsuki nods, “But no. I have to say no…I don’t.” The blond’s face falls as the words pass his lips.

Had Katsuki been a fool to feel some connection with Izuku, something deeper than a chance meeting? 

Warm hands came up to cup his face, locking their eyes together.

“I have to say I don’t, because as nice as the idea is, I want my choice- our choices- to mean something. I want you to know I chose you, and you chose me. Everytime we interacted, we made the choice to do so. I like the idea that you chose me Kacchan. And I guess my parents made choices too, so did yours, choices that just happened to bring us closer together.”

Katsuki pressed forward, Izuku’s palms slipping around his neck as he captured chapped lips in a gentle kiss. Pulling away only to tilt their heads and move back together, both boys breathing into each other with languid motions. 

“I think we should get up off the floor nerd, maybe figure out what you wanna do next?” Katsuki asked as they broke away.

He moved to stand, helping Izuku up after him. 

“I’m not stupid enough to think my dad is gonna get charged for this, but I’m also not ready to let this be, Kacchan. I can’t cut him out of my life just yet.” Those same kissable lips Katsuki loved so much pulled down into a frown, eyebrows furrowing in anger. “I want to confront him. I want him to know that I know. I wanna- I wanna-”.

Izuku growled in frustration, unable to articulate the full breadth of his emotions in regards to his father; his father the murderer, who would likely never be convicted for murdering his poor wife; his father who robbed his son of a mother and Yagi of a happy life filled with love; his father who portrayed the poor abandoned husband left to raise his disgusting fag of a son alone, left with no choice but to try and beat his proclivity for men out of him.

Katsuki held the other boy's cheeks in his palms and whispered in hushed tones to him.

“I know I can’t ever imagine how this feels nerd, but I can’t let you confront him. I just can’t,” Izuku’s eyes burned into his, “I’m never one to tell you what to do, but if he’s gonna get away with the fucked up shit he’s done, I can’t risk losing you.”

“Kacchan, you wouldn’t lose-”

Katsuki shook him slightly, cutting him off with desperation written across his face and cutting through his voice, “I would Izuku. I fucking would.”

“You wouldn’t, I would just confront-”

“Don’t you get it?” the blond cried, hands fisting into green locks and bringing izuku’s wide eyes close to his own frantic flitting gaze, “I’ve grown to know you, to fucking love you! You’re gonna storm in and start a fight. You’ll kill him, or he’ll fucking kill you, and I can’t lose you. Not when I’ve- Fuck! When I’ve found someone I want more with. I just can’t let you risk that. Please tell me you understand that?”

Izuku had pulled his head back from Katsuki’s at some point during his declaration, and despite the hands still woven tightly into his hair he’d made enough distance to gape at the blond with wet shining eyes.

“You- You love me?” It comes out on an exhale, almost not there at all, hanging like gossamer in the air and connecting them together. Seemingly fragile but impressively strong and pulling them towards one another.

Shit. Did Katsuki really say that? And fuck him for just laying it all out there like that.

Well, time to just roll with it. No taking it back now. Although Katsuki decided that in hindsight, he wouldn’t want to even if he could.

“Yeah- Shit, yeah, I’m pretty damn sure I do.”

Katsuki tried to withdraw his hands, feeling sheepish and stupid for bringing up his trivial shitty emotions when Izuku is dealing with all this, even if it is truly how he feels. But the nerd is having none of it, capturing both of Katsuki’s larger hands in his own and pulling them to his chest.

The blond can feel the steady thrum of the greenette’s heart beneath the fabric of his clothes.

“Since when?” Izuku asked in the same breathless tone as before.

“I honestly don’t know, it just kinda built ya’ know- Shit Izuku, my feelings aren’t important okay? There are more pressing matters than my fucking emotional developement. It’s not about me.”

Izuku suddenly grabs the other's chin firmly, thumb digging into the blond’s jawbone.

“Fuck off with that shit Kacchan,” he states, standing firm, even as his collar is still damp with tears shed not too long before, “Your feelings are just as important as mine, and- and I know it took a lot for you to say that okay? So just- Just let me have this, let me have the fact that you cut yourself open for me! You! The great playboy, Bakugou Katsuki opened his heart to me! Some plain nerdy repressed gay-boy, with a two-bit dream of becoming a photographer.” He let out a strange strangled chuckle, both hands moving to clench onto Katsukis shoulders and stopping him from protesting against Izuku’s description of himself, “Even with a murderer for a dad, and a dead mom who haunted you for most of your life, you still love me?” 

Katsuki could only stare at him bewildered now, getting the feeling that the last question was rhetorical; he stayed quiet, hands still resting on the other’s chest. Maybe Izuku had finally cracked up? Maybe it had all become too much for him?

“Kacchan, Katsuki , I feel the same. I have for a while- I won’t say how long because frankly it’s embarrassing. I’m pretty sure I love you too. You do know I wouldn’t have known any of this without you? I wouldn’t have any form of closure? Even before this I thought I was falling hard for you, but now- now I’m certain of it.”

He shifted to hug Katsuki, trapping the blond’s hands between them and circling his arms around the taller boy’s neck tightly. 

“Thank you for telling me, and for caring about me so much. I love you too, and I’m here for you just as much as you’re here for me”.

Katsuki wrestled his hands free to hug the nerd back, arms coming around his waist and hands splaying across his back. He hums into Izuku’s hair, too lost in the revelation that he’s loved in return to speak and by the way the smaller boy hugs him tighter; he knows words aren’t needed here. Not now. They understand this aspect of one another perfectly.

“Kacchan I always want to be honest with you,” Izuku’s words are muffled by his shoulder, “I promise you I won’t do anything stupid, I won’t attack him or anything like that-” Katsuki’s heart sinks, he should have known. One thing he’s learnt about Izuku is that when he’s determined to do something he sees it through to the end, “but, I need to confront him. Even if it goes nowhere, even if I get nothing out of him. He has to know I know.”

Izuku separates from him, “You’ll try and stop me won’t you?”

Katsuki let a tight smile settle on his lips, a hand coming up to ruffle green curls.

“Of course I’m gonna try Deku. I know you can handle yourself, but I wouldn’t be doing my part if I didn’t at least fucking try.”

Izuku’s smile is equally as tight, nowhere near reaching the corners of his eyes in the way Katsuki loves. 

“Plus, I’m pretty sure your mom asked me to keep you safe, Deku. Can’t let her down, ya’know?”

The greenette’s smile becomes a little fuller, “I know Kacchan. I also remember you telling me that you don’t say shit you don’t mean. I know you’ll do your best Kacchan, even if I don’t always make looking out for me easy.”

“Damn right, Deku. I like a challenge.” Katsuki huffed a shallow laugh, pulling Izuku down with him onto his bed. “I think we need to rest, nerd. We can figure out everything else after.”

The shorter boy hummed his agreement but was otherwise silent as he settled on Katsuki’s chest, head tucked under his chin where green curls tickled his skin. The blond couldn’t see Izuku’s expression from this angle but he encircled him in his arms, relishing the press of their bodies together and jutted his head down to place kisses against his crown. 

Katsuki managed to slip his phone free from his pant’s pocket and rattle off a quick text to the Old Man. He wrote that they were home, that they’d been successful and were gonna get some much needed rest. Also to bring food because Katsuki was fucking starving. Being vulnerable and open about shit was draining. 

He let his eyes slip closed, registering Izuku’s soft breaths against his neck and a distinct lack of anything - no, anyone - else in the room. He hoped Deku would hold off on confronting his dad for the time being. It gave him a sick feeling of dread in his stomach that circled down into a dark pit he didn’t want to look into, for fear of finding something rotting at the bottom. 

No matter how it played out with Izuku and his father, Katsuki knew he would be there for him regardless. 

Turns out that love’ll do that to you. 

Bukugou Katsuki; emerging from his emotionally constipated cocoon as a vulnerable and emotionally available butterfly. ‘Whipped’ doesn’t even seem to cover it.




Katsuki awoke with a start in his bed, body flinching atop the covers with his eyes still closed. 

The first thing he registered was the throbbing pain behind his eyes, each beat of his heart making his head ache. Years of physical exertion and shitty hangovers had both taught him that this was likely a headache due to dehydration. He hadn’t exactly prioritised staying hydrated, and all the blubbering that went with his emotional displays had finally taken its toll. 

The second thing he registered as he tried to open his sleep crusted eyes was that he was cold, and more importantly, alone. 

He shot up from the bed, legs swinging round so that his feet slammed against the carpet. 

Fuck , Izuku was gone. Fuck!

He scrambled to turn on his bedside lamp in the darkness, needing to search for his phone. He remembered texting the old man so it had to be nearby. 

The lamplight threw his room into a warm glow and he blinked away the tears that stung the corners of his eyes from the sudden brightness. Katsuki patted down his bedspread, trying to find his phone before standing to turn and rip the covers aside looking for the damned thing. 

There was a soft thud as he heard his phone hit the carpet, crawling to retrieve it from where it was wedged itself between his side-table and his bed, cursing as he reached to grab it.

He unlocked the screen quickly. 

It was past midnight and there were no messages from Izuku. He scanned his inbox, registering the tons of ignored messages in the Squad chat, probably asking how things had gone, and seeing a text from the old man too - something about food being in the kitchen and not wanting to wake them.

Well fuck, he wished they had, because maybe, just maybe Izuku wouldn’t have fucking left yet.

And Katsuki knew exactly where he’d gone. 

He threw open his bedroom door, skidding down the hardwood on the landing, socks slipping as he crashed into the wall opposite his parent’s room, skewing the crappy abstract art the Hag had hung there.

Katsuki shouldered their door open, wincing at the way it slammed against the dresser behind it, and flipping on the switch for the overhead light. 

His parents both shot bolt upright in bed; his father wide eyed and panicked, basically blind without his glasses; his mother with her blonde hair in disarray and her eyes hidden behind a leopard print eyemask with large golden cat eyes printed on it. Any other day Katsuki would have found the scene comical, but not today. Today the situation was just too dire. 

“Izuku, he’s fucking gone!” He half yelled, his stunned parents finding their barings, fumbling to remove eyemasks and grab glasses under the harsh ceiling light. 

“Son, what-” Masaru rubbed his eyes, quickly setting his glasses in place to take in his son’s frantic appearance, ‘Where has he gone? Surely he wouldn’t-”

“He would. Fuck!” Katsuki yelled, kicking the door frame and instantly regretting it as pain flared across his toes. “He said he needed him to know that he knows. He knew I’d try to stop him from going.”

He was already turning away from their room as he shouted over his shoulder, “I’ve gotta go! He shouldn’t be doing this alone!”

“Brat, if we don’t hear from you in fifteen minutes im turning on your Find My Phone and we’ll be right behind you!” His mom yelled, and he could already hear the shuffling of covers being thrown off.

He stopped in the entrance hall to pull on his boots, pocketed his phone, unlocked the front door and stepped out into the night.

Katsuki quickly glanced at his car sitting idly on the driveway. Izuku’s house was only a few streets over, he could run there in no time. What was the practical use for all that fucking football training anyway?

Before he could question himself he was running full pelt down the middle of the road.

There was a slick layer of sleet under his feet, and the air around him was cold enough to bring a metallic taste to the back of his throat as he ran, muscles pumping and body flooded with enough adrenaline to keep him warm.

He had to get there quickly. What if Izuku couldn’t keep his promise? What if he’d gone for his dad and he’d seriously hurt him? Not that Katsuki didn’t think he deserved it, but he didn’t want Izuku to end up being punished for harming his scumbag father.

He just needed to know that he was ok, but a thousand scenarios were flooding through Katsuki’s head and he tried to think of what the best possible outcome would be. Maybe Izuku had already confronted his dad, and he'd simply denied all of it, and Izuku was no longer there. 

He could only hope.

He took a shortcut through the alley way across the street, turning quickly down Izuku’s road, hurtling past the old lady’s house he’d once believed to be Izuku’s all those weeks ago. Katsuki could have sworn he saw the curtains twitch as he passed by, but he refocused as Izuku’s house came into view, panting as he skidded to a stop at the gate.

There was a flickering warm glow illuminating the room behind the curtains in the front window, his father’s car sitting on the driveway, and the front door ajar.

Katsuki’s eyes narrowed on the slip of orange light falling across the front step and out onto the gravel path, which crunched beneath his feet as he cautiously approached.

He suddenly had an unnerving feeling in his stomach, the same one from earlier that night. But this time he felt as if he were falling towards the bottom of the pit headfirst, unable to run away or turn back. He had to confront the slimey rotting things he found there and help to free Izuku from their clutches, before they both festered there too, unable to escape or climb the sheer walls that ascended above them.

As he reached out a hand to push open the door, fingers skimming its cold surface, he registered Izuku’s voice coming from within. It was definitely Izuku he could hear, but his usually sweet tones were replaced with something low, dark and filled with venom. 

His words were almost a hiss as Katsuki crept forward. 

“-you were just going to keep quiet about murdering my fucking mother? Just going to live free knowing what you’d done?” Izuku spat. 

Katsuki could just see the side of Izuku’s figure, his back to him and the full view cut off by the open archway to what appeared to be a living room. The soft warm glow flickered in such a way that could only be from an open fire, and Katsuki watched the shadow of another person fall across the floor towards Izuku’s feet. 

Hisashi.

Katsuki’s shoulders slumped slightly in relief. They weren’t at each other's throats - yet - and somehow, despite knowing he needed to be there, Katsuki felt as if he were intruding on something that wasn’t meant for him, causing him to hesitate at the threshold. 

“Your mother left Izuku. If you can’t accept that, then there is nothing I can do about it, but don’t go making up crazy conspiracies to fill that empty head of yours.” Hisashi’s voice was level and low, almost unassuming. 

Izuku let out a pained disbelieving growl, “Conspiracies?” He yelled, and Katsuki watched as he stepped forward flailing his arms in despair. “The police ID’d her body you bastard. They questioned you about it! How the fuck it that a conspiracy!”

“You know where the door is, Izuku. You can leave anytime you like. So leave and don’t come back.”

Katsuki hadn’t realised until his hand was resting on the balustrade at the bottom of the stairs in their hall that he had crept forward into their home, somehow unable to intervene, blood thrumming in his ears.

“Leave? Leave my house ?” Izuku said incredulously, his voice shaking, likely both from nerves and anger. “Or what? You’ll murder me like you did her?”

Somewhere past Katsuki’s line of view Hisashi scoffed.

“How did you do it? Huh?” Izuku pressed, stepping forward again leaving Katsuki to only watch their shadows dancing along the wood grain of the living room floor. “You gonna murder me the same way?”

“Shut up.” Hisashi growled, his voice falling from indifferent into a rage threatening to boil over

“Or did you just kill her because she finally grew the balls to fucking leave you?”

“Shut your damn mouth-”

Izuku just barreled over him, and Katsuki knew he had to move, “Because there was someone else?”

“You fucking little-”

And then Katsuki was moving, swinging himself around the archway into the living room as the shadows on the floor collided, Izuku sprawling out onto the floor, head smacking with a crack against the hardwood as Hisashi hovered over him fist raised as the other fisted into his son’s collar. 

Katsuki saw red, guilt hitting him that he didn’t step in sooner, but as the blond reached to pull Hisashi from his son the raven haired man was already screaming down at him, teeth bared. 

“-killed you just like your mother. Pathetic, weak, faggot, always snivveling at her coattails-”

“Get the fuck off of him!” Katsuki yelled, grabbing for Hisashi's shirt to haul him backwards, hearing Izuku yell a pained ‘Kacchan’ in the background.

But despite the man looking of average build, he was stronger than he looked, and he used his own weight to shift forward onto his knees, putting Katsuki off balance above him. It allowed him to bring his head back with a resounding crunch against the quarterback's nose.

Katsuki screamed profanities as he stumbled backwards onto the floor, elbows hitting hard against the wood as a thick warm liquid filled his nose and throat. The blond quickly brought his hands up to try to stem the flow of blood as Hisashi spared him merely a glance of his dark eyes before rounding back on his son.

Izuku had managed to shake off some of his concussion from hitting the floor, as well as his shock from Katsuki’s arrival, and brought a fist around into the side of his father’s face. 

He stumbled slightly forward on his knees, before grabbing Izuku’s wrist, and bringing his free hand to his throat to smash him harshly back into the floor.

Katsuki tried to crawl back over towards the scuffling pair, but in the confusion and panic one of Izuku’s flailing legs caught him across the jaw, spiking pain through his face and obviously broken nose, causing him to reel back and struggle to stay upright as the room spun. 

The blond couldn’t breath, blood curdling in his throat, his head throbbing and his eyes unable to focus, but he had to help Izuku. He had to.

He started forwards again, hands slipping in the blood dripping from his nose and leaving rich crimson Rorschach patterns on the flooring.

Hisashi had wrestled Izuku’s hands to his sides, straddling his waist as he brought both hands up around his pale neck.

“I don’t know why I kept you around,” he snarled, “You’re too much like your mother. Soft and stupid. Weak.” His hands began to squeeze and Katsuki grabbed weakly as his belt loops, trying to drag him backwards, but Hisashi only stalled his throttling to elbow Katsuki in the face.

Pain bloomed behind the boy's eye socket and up to his hairline as he slumped behind the man, blood spilling from his brow bone where his skin had split, and spilling down into his eye. Fuck . He tried to call for Izuku around a mouth full of blood, which was running in rivulets down his face and neck.

“-She didn’t know when she had a good thing, the ungrateful bitch! She thought she could leave me!”

Katuki could barely crawl at this point, but he could hear Izuku’s thrashing legs and choked gasps. Through a curtain of blood he could see Hisashi raise Izuku’s neck in his clenched hands and brought his son’s head back down into the floor with a sickening thud . 

Fuck , this couldn’t be happening. 

Katsuki promised Inko he'd look after Izuku, he couldn’t let this happen.

“-Now you can fucking join her, go out the same fucking way-”

Katsuki shook his head trying to clear his vision as blood pooled into the white of his eye. He spotted the poker by the fireside, the flickering flames lighting up its dull brass finish, and he reached out for it, hand closing tightly around the handle.

Another thud .

Izuku’s legs were no longer thrashing.

Katsuki reared up onto his knees, bringing the poker over his head.

He could hear Hisashi panting.

Thud .

His mouth hung open as he tried to breath through the blood and bile.

Thud .

He brought the poker down with all the force he could muster, right at the crown of Hisashi’s head, hearing the crack ring out around the room and red splatter across the poker’s surface.

Hisashi’s mouth gaped open, his eyes fluttering shut and he keeled forward, half onto his son and half onto the now stained hardwood.

Katsuki crawled forward without hesitation, pushing Hisashi aside without care for whether the man was alive or dead.

Izuku was pale, with hand prints flaring up against the skin of his throat, and Katsuki didn't dare move his head for fear of injuring him further. 

So he called his name and slumped over him, bringing their foreheads together as he whispered reassuring words to the boy, nuzzling his closed eyelids and smearing him with blood. Izuku, his first love who he had failed to protect. Why the fuck didn’t he move sooner? Did he really think that Izuku was actually getting his closure? Everything had gone to shit so quickly.

Katsuki swallowed another rush of blood, one eye closed to keep more blood from entering his eye, and he told Izuku how much he loved him, how he should hold on. He began to count the freckles on his cheeks, but they were swollen and bruised, and some of them might have been flecks of blood.

There was a shriek somewhere behind him, followed by calls of his name, but it seemed far away, as if at the other end of a long dark tunnel. All he could see and feel was Izuku.

But then there were warm arms around him, and cold blue flashing lights filtering into the room, and sobbing noises near his shoulder.

 And then there was darkness.

Chapter Text

'Then one stupid person, no different from any other stupid person, wanders into your stupid life... You give them a piece of you.
They don't ask for it. They do something dumb one day, like kiss you or smile at you, and then your life isn't your own anymore.’
Neil Gaiman

The sky was a vast canvas of unmarred cerulean blue, a gentle cool breeze blowing through the campus interrupting the steady warmth of the first sunshine of spring. 

The first semester away from home had been tougher than Katsuki would ever like to admit; he was finally starting to connect with his parents after everything that had happened, and it stung a little to have to leave such a new and welcome dynamic behind. Now though, Katsuki spoke to at least one of his parents every day - even if it was just a quick text to let them know that, yes , he does wash his bedsheets more than once a month, and no he hasn’t let the squad die of starvation, Yet. As much as he’d like to not cook for the fuckers all the time, he can’t see them starve to death and he kinda, sort-of, enjoys it or whatever. Plus, the whining alone would be too annoying to handle.

Katsuki turned down the next side street, crossing over into the courtyard of the campus proper. He held a bouquet of white carnations and yellow azaleas close to his chest, the green paper wrappings rustling under his palm finished off with a neatly tied blue ribbon. In his other hand he could feel the liquid in the coffee cup he held sloshing slightly with every stride he made back towards his apartment. 

The spring semester was about to begin and students who had returned home for the break were filtering back onto University grounds. Even at the ass crack of dawn, parents were eagerly dropping their kids back on campus, bringing bustling life back to the buildings and shops once more. 

His building was set just back from the central courtyard that housed the student events centre and a variety of shops, bars and cafes. The blonde can’t lie and say he wasn’t thrilled when he bagged one of the few single occupancy apartments this close to the centre of everything, and not far from his friends’ dorms. Shitty Hair had said it was part of the Uni experience to room with someone - all Katsuki heard was ‘with strangers’. The idea of sharing with some extra when he’d spent his whole childhood sharing his space with a supernatural entity made the blonde want to shear his own skin off. He needed his own space; the joy of feeling completely and utterly alone from time-to-time, when he needed to remind himself that the painful events that had transpired were in the past. 

He shook his head to clear the fog of memories that tried to descend and ruin his otherwise great morning so far - He’d been for a run, got coffee, picked up the flowers. He was on track for a no fuss, easy-as-fuck day - until he nearly walked head-on into the person approaching him on the sidewalk.

He was about to snap at the bastard for nearly ruining his day, when his eyes finally raised from the pavement and he huffed at the culprit. 

Shinsou. The fucker was half asleep as usual, not at all looking where we was going. The bear collision was totally obviously his fault. The ass. He was all messy purple hair and eyebags for days.

“The fuck are you doing here, Insomniac?” Katsuki snarled, causing the other boy to finally pay him some attention. “I nearly just took your ass out for walking into me. Pay attention you dumb fuck.”

Okay, maybe that seemed unnecessarily harsh, but Katsuki knew Shinsou could take it. He was a scathing bastard with a razor blade tongue and barbed wire wit that he could unleash upon poor unsuspecting victims when he had the mind to.

Shinsou hiked his backpack higher up on his shoulder and raised a perfect brow at the blond, seemingly unbothered. He addressed Katsuki with the same level of enthusiasm he seemed to apply to all things in life… that is to say, with none what-so-ever. 

“The old man dropped me off so I can stay with Denks for the weekend before classes start back up."

Katsuki grunted in acknowledgement.

Shinsou eyed the flowers in Katsuki’s arms, his eyebrows raised in tandem. 

“Someone’s a lucky guy.” He smirked. 

“They’re to take to the fucking cemetary, you dick.” Katsuki spat, unable to help himself.

“Ah, shit. Sorry Bakugou.” Shinsou quickly corrected, “They uh, they look… nice….” He rubbed the back of his head awkwardly, “I’m not good at this shit, but just, yeah, sorry I spoke out of turn.”

The blond breathed out harshly through his nose to calm himself. It wasn’t Eyebag’s fault. He only knew bits and pieces of what had happened from people talking shit at school, playing the world's worst game of Telephone, and now no doubt some actually credible info from Dunce. 

“Don’t be a fucking sap, it’s fine”, he replied trying to sound sincere and looking for a way to change the subject. “Wait, the old man dropped you? I don’t see him.”

 Katsuki scanned the area for Yamada, or his beat up yellow Jeep, but found nothing. 

“Yeah, Dad’s over there,” Shinsou nodded back over his shoulder in the direction of a black sedan, “Not like you’d know who to look for. Pops couldn’t drop me today.”

As his eyes ficked over to the parked card, Katsuki’s mind tripped over itself at the major fucking concidences that seemed to always happen in his damn life.

Behind the wheel of the sedan, leant back in his seat with his eyes closed in what could only be exasperation, was Detective Aizawa with his phone to his ear and his lips drawn in a tight grimace. 

“Holy fuck! Wait a minute,” Katsuki almost screeched, his grip on the coffee cup tightening, “Your other dad is Aizawa? For fuck’s sake.”

If Katsuki had a free hand he’s be facepalming himself at how ridiculous the universe had been when it weaved the web of chances around him, that somehow miraculously fell into this arrangement and led to Shinsou being Aizawa’s fucking son.

The poor guy looked utterly confused, glancing between Katsuki and his dad’s car.

“You two know each other? Fuck, he didn’t arrest you for some basic shit did he? He’s kinda a stickler for the law you know. Hates the whole stoner vibe I've got going on.” He chuckled gruffly. 

“Nah, nothing like that-” Katsuki faltered. He didn’t really wanna get into it, and Aizawa, ever the professional, had clearly never mentioned Katsuki or the case he’d worked on. “I’ve uh, just seen him in the papers y'know, kinda a big shot detective.”

Shinsou hummed in what sounded like agreement, but Katsuki’s eyes had already trailed back to Aizawa who was now staring straight back at him. Then, although the blond couldn’t hear it, it seemed the man let out a short laugh, shaking his head in amusement as he started his car. He looked back at Katsuki and nodded once, as if to acknowledge their shared past experience, before putting the car into gear and pulling away.

What a fucking conincidence.

Shinsou’s phone vibrated, pulling Katsuki back to the man before him, who was retrieving his phone from his pants pocket to check the alert.

His eyes widened as he read his screen, a smile lifting the corner of his lips. “Well this was great an’ all, but I really gotta get going. Duty calls.” He winked, before turning off towards Denki’s apartment building.

Katsuki scrunched his nose at the thought of Shinsou and Dunce getting it on, and quickly shook the image from his head. He had enough nightmares to last him a lifetime, he didn’t need to add to it.

He completed the last leg of the journey to his building, using his fob to enter and took the stairs two at a time. His legs burned a little from his morning run, but in the satisfying way that only good honest hard work can achieve. 

The blond fumbled to balance the flowers and insert his key in the lock of his apartment door, and once inside he used the heel of his boot to kick the door closed, enjoying the satisfying ‘click’ signifying the world on the other side being shut out.

He pulled in a slow breath and held it, closing his eyes briefly to enjoy the quiet of his apartment. The soft whir of the heating, still set to come on in the cool spring mornings. The annoyingly familiar drip of the ensuite tap. The soft wet intermittent gurgle of the mini fridge. He felt nothing, no presence or lingering fear, loss, anger, pain…. Nothing . 

Katsuki exhaled. This was how it felt to not be haunted… to be alone…. 

But he wasn’t alone.

“I got the bouquet we talked about to take to the cemetery.” He set the flowers down beside the sink in his little kitchenette. “I wish I could talk to him about this, he’d have made a better choice.” He murmured to himself, kicking off his boots and moving towards his bed, which was backed into the corner under his window.

The lump under his covers moved, fingers coming out to tug the quilt down just enough for hooded emerald eyes to seek him out as he crossed the room.

No, Katsuki may not have been haunted anymore, but he still wasn’t alone - This time however, it was by choice. Waking up to the person in his bed every day made him hope he would never be alone again - no, not alone (Katsuki wouldn’t be with just any extra for eternity), not alone but without . He never wanted to be without Izuku - His Deku - not on this plane of existence or any other. 

“I already spoke to Yagi, Kacchan. Trust me, they convey exactly what they need to.” Deku affirmed sleepily, his green curls fluffy and mussed from hours tucked under Katsuki while they slept.

There were lines on his face mirroring the wrinkles from the bedsheets, and they divided up the freckles on his face into asterisms containing as yet unnamed constellations. Katsuki wanted to map them all, from the top of his head to the soles of his feet, and personally name each one. Izuku looked so soft and glowing in the morning sunshine, a beacon to call Katsuki home as he rearranged himself on his side, turning down the cover to invite the other boy back into bed.

“Yeah I know, it’s just, did I get the freshest cut, are they arranged well? Yagi would know. I mean the ribbon is fucking blue. I asked for green ya’know. I should’a just let him bring them, but I wanted to do this-”

Izuku pulled Katsuki forward by the drawstrings on his sweatpants, cutting him off and forcing him to catch himself on the bed with his free hand, coffee swaying worryingly in the other.

“Fuck, Deku, I’ve got your gross ten-percent mocha, nintey-percent syrup monstronsity in this cup, be fucking careful nerd.” He snarked, rearing back to place the cup on the nightstand as he slipped under the covers, warming his cold feet between Izuku’s warm calves and earning an affronted yelp from the other boy. 

The greenette shushed him, “It seems you’ve caught my mumbling habit Kacchan.” He giggled, pulling blond spikes between his fingers and leaning into his broad chest. 

Katsuki threaded his fingers into Izuku’s curls in return, feeling the ridges of the scars on his scalp where they splayed across his skin.

The bumps and ridges served as a reminder of each staple and stitch, of the bruises and the swelling that had engulfed Deku’s head, and face, and neck, and fists from punching, and wrists from struggling, and legs from thrashing, and…. 

The colour story of the bruising had followed not only Izuku’s physical recovery but also his mental recovery; first, red raw, bloody and bleeding beneath the surface; then, angry, quickly deepening into purple tones as repressed pain and loss surged forward; After came the blue hues of anxiety, sadness, the reality of being essentially orphaned from the only family he’d ever known. But as the blue tones watered down into greens, and yellows, over time so did those feelings, until the sickly jaundiced tones of flesh showed significant healing, and the splits in his skin had scabbed over and joined at the seams; until the shaven parts of his hair were long enough to card fingers gently into.

Katsuki had held Izuku up from underneath, tilted him back on his feet every time he faltered, walked with him standing atop his own feet when one foot seemed too hard to place ahead of the other. He whispered affirmations of love, and confirmations of his beauty on days when his first and only love could not stand to look at his own reflection - for isn’t that truly why parents hurt their children? Is it not because in some way they are reflections of themselves and they simply can’t stand it. Not one bit. When Izuku had looked at his swollen face, and hacked off hair, he had seen nothing but him . He saw them as reminders of his own weakness written in stark blooming colours and metallic glints across his body, and he hated them - he failed not only to protect himself but also Katsuki, his Kacchan, who had tried to dissuade him and then tried to save him.

Izuku blamed himself and Katsuki blamed himself. He still regretted his own hesitation to intervene that night. Therapy was still working to resolve those issues - but everything is a work in progress, always. It was much better than it once was and it would only improve, they were both sure of it because they were there to see each other through it. 

Since his recovery, Izuku had refused to cut his hair. He never wanted to see those scars when he sought out his reflection. A work in progress. Katsuki didn’t care either way, whatever made Izuku feel comfortable and healed, but he can’t lie and say he didn’t like the feeling of sleek silken curls slipping through his fingers. 

Deku broke the quietness after some time, but he did so softly as if afraid to break the tenderness of their interaction, despite this now being routine for them, this intimacy.

“Yagi confirmed he’s still coming for me at twelve, we’re gonna go see mum, lay the flowers and head to lunch. It’s been a minute since we’ve caught up properly in person.”

Katsuki pulled the other boy more closely against his chest, a small smile playing on his lips. Yagi had reached out to Izuku after the trial - and fuck, did court dates take their sweet fucking time to to be arranged - and since then they’d become close. Inko would be happy with their new found bond and shared love of her bringing them towards one another. 

“That sounds like a great plan nerd, I’m sure your mum will love seeing that you guys’ve connected.”

Izuku hummed happily, hands coming down to trace the skull pattern on the blond’s sweatshirt.

“You don’t wanna come with us Kacchan?”

Katsuki shakes his head, green hair tickling his chin, “Nah, you guys need the time together, I intrude on enough of you guys’ meet-ups. But swing by here with him after, so I can say ‘Hi’ and badger him to make my parents an anniversary arrangement. Fuck knows which flowers say, ‘sorry for all the shit I put you through this last year. P.s. Thanks for trying to be good parents now’.”

Deku chuckled into Katsuki’s chest, the vibrations warming the blonds ribs and sparking heat up through his chest to the furnace of his heart, not long grown three sizes and no longer shrivelled and cold. Now it roared and pistoned a steady thrum of I love you, I love you, I love you , clear enough that its rhythm could be notated musically and performed in a symphony of devotion, concluding in a crescendo of sound - For Eternity.

“Okay Kacchan, I think he’d like that.”

Yagi was beside himself when Aizawa had called him to say that Hisashi had been arrested. Of course the road to his conviction was not an easy one. Effectively, it was only Izuku and Katsuki’s witness testimonies that synched the deal. As well as one Mrs Chikaho, Izuku’s neighbour who had indeed watched Katsuki fly past her house that night, and ventured out to see what the boy was up to. She was nosy, sure, but ultimately she had heard the shouting and saw the shadows of violence play against the living room curtains. She has called the police as quickly as her old legs would allow her to reach her phone. 

When Katsuki’s parents arrived mere minutes later, the paramedics and police were already arriving and they’d had to pry their son away from Izuku’s supine form. 

Really, Kastuki should send Chikaho another box of assorted chocolates, and probably some flowers too. Why not? He knew which flowers said thank you now; peach coloured roses for appreciation, bluebells for gratitude. 

Izuku looked up at Katsuki, fingers coming up to trace the scar through his left eyebrow - another momento, a reminder, but not necessarily a bad one.

“I saw Shinsou in the courtyard.”

“Oh?” Deku asked, his eyes widening, “Oh!” He exclaimed, a small giggle slipping from his lips. “So Denki is seeing him then!”

A statement, not a question, they’d been dancing around each other for too long.

Katsuki pulled a disgusted face, “Yeah, Dunce texted him while I was there and the fucker winked at me. I’ve never wanted to pour bleach on my brain so badly.” He mock-shivered, making Izuku laugh more and sit up with his elbows on Katsuki’s chest.

“Yeah, they’ve got it bad for each other, huh?” He smiled knowingly, a mischievous glint in his eye, “I bet people think that about us you know.” 

He crawled over Katsuki’s body, thighs either side of his hips and leant forward, punctuating each word with the crawl of his fingers up the blonde’s chest, “That we’re sickeningly, disgustingly, obsessively, in love with each other.”

Katsuki leaned up, ready to chase after those cherubic lips, “Damn straight we fucking are.” His hands slid up under izuku’s t-shirt, splaying across his ribs, “We’re the fucking worst.”

Their lips came together, halting Deku’s laughter, and causing the shorter boy to gasp into Katsuki’s mouth. His own palms slid around to the blonde’s back, working to pull up the fabric of his sweatshirt until it was bunched under his arms.

Katsuki relinquished his hold on Izuku’s firm thighs to allow his shirt to be pulled over his head, cursing when Deku cackled at it getting caught under his chin - “ You gotta’ big head Kacchan”, “Cheeky little shit” - before it came away and Katsuki lunged forward to devour the soft skin of his lover’s neck.

Izuku’s laughter devolved into pants and little stilted whines as Katsuki worked down his neckline, stretching his t-shirt to reach the flesh over his sternum. All the while the greenette’s hands were working lower, until his fingers dug into the hem of Katuki’s sweats. 

“Lemme- Off-” Izuku panted, head back, eyes closed.

Katsuki answered by leaning Deku back onto the mattress to free himself of the other boy's weight and lift his hips from the bed, pulling his sweats down just enough to tuck under his member. He yanked Izuku forward again by the hem of his sleep shorts, both boys now on their knees, their foreheads coming to rest together.

Izuku snaked one arm around Katsuki’s neck and the other into his own shorts, revealing himself to red eyes burning with want. Katsuki mirrored him and they both stared down at the space between them as Iuku took them both in his large hand and began to stroke them together. No matter how many times they were intimate Katsuki never failed to be enraptured by everything about Deku, by the fact he was Katsuki’s, and that Katuski was his.

The blonde’s free hand joined Izuku’s, a groan slipping past his lips as they worked themselves over, eyes coming up to find each other as they breathed in the other’s air, and felt the first beads of sweat meld on their brows. 

“Izuku I’m-”

A loud obnoxious bang at the door made Deku flinch sharply and fall back against the bed.

“Bakubro? You in there? Why’s the door locked dude?”

Unmistakably Kiri’s voice on the other side of the door.

At the realisation of who was about to win the prize for worst fucking cockblock of the year - the prize being Katsuki’s fist to their dumb ass faces - Izuku began laughing anew, a hand coming up to cover his red face as his rolled into Katsuki’s side.

“Are you guys fucking? Can I wat- Ow Mina!” And there's Dunce. 

“Fuckers!” Katsuki yelled, as he gently ran a hand across Izuku’s naked flank and made to stand, “I’m gonna fucking kill them.”

Izuku was still chortling away behind him on the bed as Katsuki headed to the door, working to right himself as Katsuki did the same, tugging on his sweatshirt and tucking his now flagging erection into his waistband.

Mina could vaguely be heard chastising Denki, something about his boyfriend literally standing right there, and Dunce’s squealed reply of “I was only joking! I swear!”.

He placed a hand on the latch before turning back to point an accusing finger at Izuku.

“Don’t you fucking laugh! We’ll pick this up later Deku, so you better watch yourself!”

Katsuki couldn’t help but smirk as Deku flustered and tripped over his response as he turned back to throw open the door and rip into the idiots on the other side.

The whole Squad was there, near tumbling through Katsuki’s doorway. He shoved Kiri upright, effectively halting the other idiots’ trajectory, and opened his mouth to give them a full tongue lashing when Mina’s manicured hand had the audacity to cover his mouth.

“Hear us out! We’re all free for once, even Shinsou is here, and Izuku already agreed to going to breakfast with us, so you have to come-”

She was talking a mile a minute, and Katsuki cut her off by batting her hand away and turning to pin Izuku with his harshest glare. 

It did absolutley fuck all to stop the sunshine boy from bunding over to Katsuki’s side, and nuzzling under his arm, like he fucking belonged there. Which he did, but who gave him the damn right to just slip right in so perfectly like that?

Katsuki scoffed, and pointedly avoided looking at those big expressive eyes that not five minutes earlier were eyeing him greedily like Katsuki was a big juicy steak Deku just had to sink his teeth into. 

“You fuckers are conspiring against me. If this is what having a fucking boyfriend is like, no wonder I never bothered before.”

Deku knew he was all bark and no bite and slid his arm around Katsuki’s waist before he flashed his signature sunshine smile at the Squad. 

“C’mon Kacchan, I kinda forgot I’d agreed. But!-” He halted Katsuki who had begun to open his mouth, “-I have got a busy day today, so I could use a good hearty breakfast! Saves you cooking too!”

Katsuki finally locked eyes with him, before rolling them back into his head, acting put upon.

“Fine. But I ain’t paying for nobody, so you dickhead’s check you’ve got your wallets now!” He shouted, planting a kiss into green curls before he turned to grab his boots."And Deku, you better take your Mocha monstrosity with you!"

"Yes Kacchan!"

Once they’d grabbed their things they all started walking out of the building together, Tokoyami and Shinsou heading the group with quiet conversation passing between them, Denki hanging onto one of the insomniac’s hands as he trailed behind him shooting shit with Mina, Sero and Deku.

Deku was walking between the others and laughing at something Mina was saying, head thrown back as his sweater-paw hands cupped his mouth, hair bouncing with each note of laughter.

“I honest to God never saw this all turning out like this, ya’ know? What are the odds that everything that happened would all lead you to him.” Kiri mused beside Katsuki as they brought up the rear of the group. “Like, you’d already started weaving him in your life and then all these other threads just synched you guys closer together.”

Katsuki snorted, “Fucking poetic, Shitty Hair.”

“Fuck you man!” Kiri said good-naturedly, “I’m being serious! After the shit we all believe in now, it’s like- it’s like- I dunno, fate or something!”

Izuku looked back over his shoulder and green eyes crinkled in a smile only meant for Katsuki. He couldn’t help but smile back before turning to his red-haired friend.

“I dunno, I like to think we chose each other.” He looked away, a blush dancing on his cheekbones at the admittance, which Kiri had the good sense not to comment on. 

Katsuki let a smile grace his lips, they were a lot more common these days.

“No matter what, I’d choose him every damn time.”