Archive of Our Own

Spring

The bar ‘Last Call’ was unusually busy, even for a friday. It was hard to get like that, considering how small the town was. People kept to their routines. That was the thing about small towns. Once you found your rut there was no use forging a new path. Everyone knew everyone and an unspoken schedule ment you could find someone based on the time and the weather. Came in handy with cellphones not doing much but taking pictures up in these hills.

There was an odd buzzing of commotion. People seemed extra loud and extra warm. People shouting over each other and crowding around. Maybe because the chill wind of winter had finally faded for good. Talk of the new season, of town gardening plans and repair projects. Talk of upcoming spring festivals and children starting back to their lessons. Talk of some new changes.

Everyone seemed cheery. Say for one dark cloud, looming as far away as they could.

Katsuki Bakugou faced the pool tables, beer in hand and back against the wall, pretending to watch his friend's pathetic attempt at a game. The winner would challenge Katsuki, though it was hardly a challenge no matter how much they practiced. Normally, Katsuki enjoyed watching the two fumble around. Eijiro often hitting to hard, sending pool balls flying off the table. Denki, usually trying to go for trick shots or shooting from odd poses or positions, quickly getting distracted by a pretty face. But today something else had captured Katsuki’s attention. An irritant.

His sharp eyes tracked a mop of green hair as it bobbed its way around the room. His jaw tightening with each moment.

Midoriya, childhood friend from the city, had moved back for good. 

Normally, Katsuki wouldn’t give the freckled fuck the time of day. He hardly remembered him, to be honest. His mom had to show pictures of him to jog his memory after she had broken the news to him this morning. The news that Toshinori’s farm was finally claimed. By a goddam city kid.

Katsuki would be the first to admit the land wasn’t much. Even as a kid, it went unused as Toshinori had become unable to maintain anything except a small patch of farm land in his old age. According to his father, he had taken a land mine trying to save other soldiers during the war. He had been honorably discharged, a hero, and a cripple. The Toshinori Katsuki seen in pictures didn’t match the skeleton of a man that he had known at that farm. Still, Katsuki admired him. He had been a good man. Katsuki was sad he was gone, over two years now, but at least the old man had died happy in his old age.

Katsuki had learned a lot from the old skeleton. Even tried to help Toshinori restart his farm. When he was young he couldn’t do much but pick weeds. As he got older he became quite the handy man, so much so that he had become the towns unofficial ‘help.’ Change a lightbulb? Sure. Fix a wooden wheel? No problem. Patch a roof? Who do you think he is? Of course he can do it. Maybe that’s why he had forgotten to help Toshinori. When had he gotten so busy.

Katsuki knew he had no right to Toshi’s farm.  The old man had no living relatives though, and Katsuki had hoped…. Whatever. He didn’t need the stupid farm. It was already being collected anyway. 

Katsuki didn’t remember much of this Midoriya, but he can't be worth shit seeing how he’s been living in one of the biggest cities in the country most of his life. What would he know about farming, about living off the land, about community. Asshole will probably be whining about the lack of cell service in a week's time. In another week he’ll probably scurry back to his shity town and Katsuki will take over the land.

“Ohhh… he’s cute.” The yellow dolt said, catching sight of the new addition to the usual crowd. Small towns ment easy to spot someone new. It was as easy as spotting someone with a different head. Katsuki was shocked it took the idiot this long.

“Fuckin’ desprate.” Katsuki muttered, taking a swig of beer.

“Hey! I’m just a man of taste.”

“Denki, you’d flirt with a mop if I put a bikini on it.” Eijiro laughed. Denki pouted, jabbing his elbow into Eijiro’s gut in retaliation before looking over at the green haired boy again, who was making his way over.

“Hi there! I’m-“

“Deku Midoriya.” Katsuki remembered reading that in the letter to his mom.

The new face paused. In the dim light of the bar the only features Katsuki could make out were round eyes, and some dark freckles on his cheeks. His face looked likehe was still in his teens. His hair looked black but Katsuki could see it shimmer a evergreen tint in the light. He looked young, no way he could be the same 27 as Katsuki. The features were simple, symmetrical, childish, yet plain, and currently configured into an expression of confusion.

“Um… do I know you?”

Katsuki shrugged. He hadn’t remembered the fucker, can’t expect the same.

“Well, Okay. My name isn’t Deku.”

Katsuki clicked his tongue, “Like I give a shit.” 

A glint of something crossed the strangers eyes, but it vanished as Eijiro and Denki injected themselves in the conversation.

“Woaah! Don’t mind him, he’s a real wet blanket.” Denki explained. Katsuki grunted.

“I’m Eijiro Kirishima, call me Ejiro, or Eiji. Everyone does. This is-“

“Denki Kaminari,” dunce face spun around, grabbing one of the strangers hands and getting down on one knee, “ But you could call me yours” He added a wink just before one of the waitresses, a shorter girl named Jiro, grabbed him by the collar and hauled Denki off. Good riddens.

Distracted by his friend being dragged off, he missed the hand set in front of him. This deku, had some fucking nerve.

“Im IZUKU Midoriya.”

Katsuki didn’t take the hand.

“Mom said you’re takin’ over Toshinori’s farm.”

Deku retracted his hand. 

“I am.”

“Well, let me know when you give up. That land should belong to someone capable.”

A breath of rage seemed to fill Deku’s chest and Katsuki felt the sweet anticipation of a fight.

“Katsuki, fuckin rane it in!” Eiji scolded.

“Katsuki?” Deku said, the aggression leaving as quickly as it came. “Are you… Kacchan then?”

Katsuki choked. He hadn’t heard that name in fuckin’ years. Eijiro was now laughing his ass off.

“How-“

“Toshinori mentioned you… in his letters. Said you might be.. willing to help me out.”

Rage boiled in Katsuki, so much so it churned his stomach, making the alcohol want to rise back up.

“Fat fuckin’ chance of that.” Katsuki killed the last of his beer and shoved his way out into the chill night air.

Katsuki didn’t get another look at Deku till a couple of days later. While picking up some supplies in Aizawa’s shop, he spotted the spindly thing. He was wearing overalls that looked two sizes too big for him. A long flannel shirt and work gloves. He also had a rather large sunhat.  From the patches of skin Katsuki could see he noticed how pale and freckled the boy really was.  He knew city folk were lazy, but didn’t they still go outside? He looked like s strong wind would knock him over

The dork was standing over Aizawa's farming section. Muttering over seeds.

Deku seemed to feel Katsuki’s gaze as he looked up for a moment, their eyes meeting before Katsuki looked away. Fool was just a waste of time.

Aside from that first night in the bar, hardly anyone had seen the wanna be farmer. If not for Kirishima claiming to still see a light on in the old shack Toshinori used to live in, Katsuki would have guessed the city boy got overwhelmed and flead. That or he died.

Another week had passed before curiosity got the better of him. And he wished it had not.

He drove his motorcycle up a framilure road. How long had it been since he even visited the old farm? Probably not since Toshinori died. It was too painful. He wasn’t shocked at the overgrowth that had started to flood onto the dirt road leading up to it. He saw a small trail cleared away and noticed divots probably made by a cart. But besides that the road looked abandoned. 

He approached the gate, dismounting his bike and unlocking the gate to move in. Everything looked as overgrown as usual. Was the dang fool trying to grow a farm amongst weeds? Apparently. Most of the farm was covered in trees now. Far more than the few Katski had remembered growing up. Where did they all come from. Surely that many can’t spring up over 20 years.

Katsuki moved towards the house, noticing a subtle difference. Maybe the fool had done some clearing. A cart sat next to the house, there was a small pile of pulled weeds, twigs and debris. Coming in from off the side he could see a small patch cleared away. Though not nearly enough.

A small patch of roughly tilled soil sat with small bits of brown and green leaves poking out. More brown than green unfortuniatly. Deku appeared from the other side of the house, awkwardly holding a large watering can, obviously struggling with it. It sloshed out the top, overfilled, onto his cloths and when he came to pour it out over his pittiful guarden he nearly drowned the poor plants, no fucking wonder they looked half dead.

“What The FUCK ARE YOU DOING!?” 

Deku jumped in shock, dropping the watering can.

“Wha-“

“You’re fucking drowinding them! Look at them! They’re half dead. And these weeds?!” Katsuki gestured to the patch that were currently growing far too close to the little garden. “ Don’t think just ‘cause they sprout a foot away their roots arn’t taking all the good shit out of the spoil. You’re fuckin’ wasting your time. What in the world gives you the right to even THINK you could do this!?”

Deku… started sobbing.

Katsuki was unsettled. He had expected the fight. The one he had sensed back in the bar, but this was pathetic.

“Just go home already.” Katsuki finished. Leaving with the feeling as if he had swallowed a hot stone. Unsettled and full of rage.

Deku didn’t leave.

Eijiro still reported lights and a few others reported seeing him make brief visits into town. Katsuki was fuckin’ sick of it. His mother was apparently friends with Deku’s mother and so the hag wanted to look after him.

“I have half a mind to send you over to help. That farm hasn’t grown so much as a tomato since I was a little girl. To deal with all that overgrowth on your own.”

“It’s his own dang fault for not being smart enough to ask for help.”

That earned Katsuki a swift smack to the back of the head.

Katsuki didn’t see him, but he heard his name drift through the town.

“He doesn’t look like he’s been eating well.”

“He was covered in scratches. I told him to go to the doctor but he refused.”

“He looked pale, and exhausted, but he just smiled and asked me how my day was going.”

It had been an unusually stormy day when Katsuki was again tempted up the overgrown path. He had been walking up to visit Eijiro, Katsuki liked to enjoy the peace that rain brought. Most folks stayed in, so Katsuki could walk about without getting flagged down and forced into small talk. With nothing but an umbrella and his best hiking boots, he was able to walk through the abandoned town. The sound of heavy rainfall sounded like a soft static in his mind, washing away thoughts and the tension claiming him, he was free. 

Which is why he was so startled to hear the unmistakable sound of a tree falling.

The rain poured, almost masking the sound, but there was nothing quite like that sound of wood, whining under the pressure of a new weight, new direction, before it a deep thump and a rattling of leaves. 

Katsuki’s first thought was lighting. Despite not having heard any yet today. Often lighting might strike one of the taller trees causing it to crack at the side and topple over. The would could sometimes start a fire, depending on how wet the underbrush was. It was unlikely now, it had been raining since the early morning, but it couldn't hurt to check. 

The path up to Eijiro’s was a well cleared off path however it was divided on either side by mountain forest. Katsuki, well acclimated to climbing, navigated his way down towards the source. 

He had figured it would be in this patch of wood dividing the mountain road and Toshi’s farm, however as he approached, another sound could be heard amongst the falling rain.

Thunk

Thunk

Thunk

The noise stopped. Yet no tree fell.

Katsuki couldn't go directly down, the most direct path was too steep and the ground too wet. Katsuki wove around and found himself half way up the road leading to the farm. 

It.. it was far more cleared away then Katsuki remembered. Nearly completely. And the changes didn’t stop there. He pulled up to the old gate to see the small pile of weeds in the cart had grown. It was now piled high with twigs, branches and tall grass. Beside it sat a pile of messy chopped wood. Absolutely soaked.

Fool didn’t even try to cover it.

From what Katsuki could tell, the first garden attempt had been abandoned. It showed a bit more growth but some obvious signs of crow meddling and bug infestations. At least the fool had that much sence to give up this lost cause.. Though Katsuki did spot some still surviving green leaves. It might yeild something after all. Not because of the idiot, but because plants are resilient and badass.

The chopping started again, and Katsuki was close enough now to make out the grunts echoing with each swing. After a few blows, the sound of another tree filled the air.

“This stupid-“ He countinued to follow the sounds, slowly, it was dangerous to walk around woods where someone was chopping, you could end up with a tree on your head.

The sounds abruptly stopped and something sparked in Katsuki’s chest. A buzzing sense of panic as he moved through the young trees, picking up his pase. He  followed the few fallen trees as they led him to the source of his irritation. 

And there he was. The fucking nerd, drenched, passed out on the ground, ax in hand. 

“You stupid fucker” Katsuki hissed. Dropping his umbrella and rushing over towards Deku. Katsuki felt his cheek, stone cold and wet from the rain. Fuck. He seemed completely passed out however he babbled as Katsuki lifted him up into his arms. Deku… was thin. He was spindly before but he was down right withered now. Katsuki settled the dumbass on one shoulder before grabbing the ax, Sitting out in the rain wouldn’t be good for either of them, and made his way back to Izuku’s house.

This house was so much smaller than he remembered.  It was a single room. More like a shack. A wood stove sat in the back right hand corner, across form it was a table next to a chair and some empty plates. There was a piece of toast there, a single bite taken out. There was a small room leading to what he remembered being a toilet and shower, cold water only. And there was a tall cabinet against the wall opposite to the bed. And Katsuki could spot a small stack of dry firewood next to the small wooden stove, though no fire was currently going. 

Good. So the nerd wasn’t completely useless.

He set the withered man onto a mat at the door, they were both still soaked through, and Katsuki wanted to get the idiot changed before he placed him in the dry bed. 

It didn’t take long for Katsuki to get a fire going, he was well practiced at it. And the small light that poured out the wood stove lit the surroundings. 

Next, Katsuki dragged Deku over towards that fire along with a new set of clothing. Once he was redressed, Katsuki would wrap him up in the covers and leave. However, Katsuki was struggling just at the gloves. 

Katsuki would have guessed they were too small, except for the fact that they definitely weren’t, he could feel it loose in some places, and stuck in others. He wiggled the stuck places and Deku’s face twisted in pain. Katsuki worked more carefully after that, and soon, he managed to get one of the work gloves off. 

Izuku’s hand was a bloody mess. LIterally and figuratively. Narly blisters scattered across the palms, they had been broken open yet not yet fully allowed to heal. One of two spots looked red and swollen. Shit.

Katsuki moved to the cabinet, fetching a shallow bowl and rag and kettle. First, he filled the kettle in the kitchen sink then moved and set it onto the wooden stove, setting the bowl and rag next to him. As he waited for the water to boil he pulled off the other glove. 

Katsuki left Deku on the floor to search through the cabinets again. Sure enough he found a dusty old hot water bottle he remembered old Toshi always had with him. He grabbed that too.

By now a low whine started to cry from the kettle and Katsuki moved it off. The water was still too hot to use so he set it on a hook near the stove next to a rusty old stew pot. Hopefully the nerd hadn’t tried to use that.

Bakugou peeled off the rest of the clothing, noticing more scrapes and cuts, some healed, already scared over, some looked to have been reopened during their trek back to the cabin. 

Thankfully, the nerds’s legs were not fucked up in any immidiatly noticable way, so he was able to quickly minover the man out of his pants. Putting on a new pair would be a hassle, Katsuki realised, so he grabbed a towel and wrapped it around him, trying to seep out some of the mother from the idiot's underwear. He pushed down the embarrassment of the action, remembering his father helping his great grandfather in a similar way. Fuckin’ stupid useless…

Katsuki filled the hot water bottle and placed it under the comforter in the bed. Then he poured some of the water off into the small bowl and wet the rag. Then he began to, as delicately as possible, clean the wounds of his hands. Some blisters had yet to pop until Katski accidently rubbed too hard. It caused a fresh cry of pain from the almost lucid deku and Kasuki hushed him with harsh whispers. Crap. He’d have to get something for these. An antiseptic. He doubted Deku had something like that on hand.

With the hands finished, he worked on the arm and chest. Deku’s face seemed to relax at this, and Katuski continued to work as gently as possible. Once finished, he buttoned a long sleep shirt over the figure and hoisted him up into bed. He shifted the water bottle to rest at dekus back and pulled his hands out of the covers so he could inspect them further. They needed to be disinfected and wrapped. Maybe even some steroids for the gnarly looking ones at the base of the palm near the thumb, those looked angry and flushed. 

Katsuki moved back to the cupboard. Looking around for any kind of first aid. In his scrounchign he knocked into a back panel of the cabinet, it fell, revealing a hide away with a faded leather journal tucked inside. Katsuki pulled it out and set it aside. He could sait his curiosity later. Though frustration built as he found nothing. Not even a bandaid.

“Oi’ idiot.” Katsuki said, lightly smacking Deku’s cheek to try to rouse awareness. The idiot fucking nussled into him. Causing Katsuki’s restraint to break and he fully slapped the passed out man.

“Wha!?” Deku cried out, his hand moving to cradle his cheek but Katsuki grabbed it at the wrist.

“You got a first aid kit?”

“Why are you? … when-?”

“First aid? You got it?”

“Ran… ran out.”

Shit. 

“Stay here! And dont fuckin do anything with those.” Katsuki pointed at Deku’s hands. Then he left. 

When Katsuki returned, now with his collected umbrella, fresh clothing and a bag from the town's apothecary, he saw Deku, snoring away, his hands just as Katsuki had left them. 

Katsuki dressed the hands as best he could with antiseptic and bandages he had gotten. Some steroids and painkillers had been handed off as well as along with instructions on how to take them he nudged the nerd awake and used some of the now lukewarm water to get the nerd to swallow the pills. The fool still seemed exhausted. Katsuki got him to eat some leftovers he had pilfered from his own kitchen and with the hands wrapped up he tucked the nerd in with the instructions of “ get up only to piss, or i'll kill you.”

“What about poopy?” Deku asked, grining stupidly. Katsuki grimmised.

“I doubt an idiot like you has been eating enough to shit. Some poor sap will be round to check on your pathetic ass tomorrow.”

With that, Katsuki left.

Turns out, he was the poor sap, that was the downside of being someone who worked for everyone as they needed him. He was the only one with the free time. Izuku slept most of the first few days. He ate more and more that Katsuki brought him, his mother now sending Katsuki with his dinner and a spare serving to feed to the nerd. He had to feed the fucker, who couldn’t hold a utencile with his hands still healing. He had an embarrassing moment or two, walking in with the nerd half naked, trying to change his own clothing. Or entering to see the bed empty and an audible sound of water pouring in the other room. But today he saw the nerd sitting up attentively.

“Kachan! Where did you find this!?”

The nerd, who still couldn’t use his hands, awkwardly picked up something with his elbows. It was the dusty journal he had seen while looking around in the cupboard.

“Found it here while I was taking care of your pathetic ass. What were you doing up.”

Deku bushed. “ I got bored.”

Katsuki rolled his eyes and moved over to examine the book, exchanging it for the breakfast Katsuki had brought. He examined the cover, ignoring Deku’s struggles to open the package. The book was old, very old, bent and water damaged and yellowed. Miss Midnight would have a cow if she saw a book treated like this. Katsuki rubbed at the dust on the cover and noticed the inbossing.

Toshinori Yagi.

“Huh.. didn’t know the old man kept one of these.” Katsuki looked over to Izuku who was now gnawing on the cloth knot that was keeping him away from his breakfast of rice balls.

Katuski freed it and popped the box open, grabbing one and stuffing it in the nerds face before grabbing one for himself.

“Can you..” Deku said between bites “ read it to me?”

“What are you… seven?” 

The nerd shrugged, holding up one bandaged hand. 

“I’m bored.”

“Fine.”

Katsuki settled down, back against the bed frame. And opened the journal. Part of him wishing all the ink had washed away.

“Spring.

Spring for most begins in March, but for me, my spring starts in February. Prepping The farm for the year.”

Katsuki read for what felt like hours to the nerd. Long enough his mother actually showed up with lunch. It was pretty dry material to be honest. It was his instruction guide for every harvest. Information on every plant, how he would raise it. Theories and timing for optimal harvest. How different weather patterns might affect. Crop and what to look for. It even had some basic animal care and artisan crafting. 

There were illustrations and blue prints, whenever these came up, deku bounced like an excited child demanding to see them. Katsuki  knew some of this. Mostly the stuff with animals, his familys raised and sold livestock afterall. But some of this was over his head. The nerd? Ate it up. Kastuki had to keep pausing in his reading as the nerd would start muttering distractingly and wouldn’t stop till Katsuki threatened him to leave.

From what Katsuki could understand, he wasn’t shocked That Toshi had stopped farming when he did. So much work went into everything.

“You’re not leaving…. Are you.” Katsuki stated before he left that night, watching Izuku cradling the journal as if it was a precious pet.

“No.”

Well. Katsuki would give the pathetic man credit. But he knew how out of their depths the nerd was. He would buckle. It would just take time.

Once the nerd got the all clear, Katsuki tried to make himself scarce. He made it two days before he got a call up to the farm. Deku standing there with two hoes and a wide grin.

“Haven’t I helped you enough?” Katsuki barked.

“I’m hiring.”

Katsuki scoffed.

“Please. You gotta be broke. Or you wouldn’t have been skimping on meals.”

Deku blushed. “No.. I have money. I’ve… never been good about feeding myself. Bad habit I guess. But I have more than enough savings.”

Katsuki gave him a dry look.

“I don’t think the pennies in your piggy bank are enough.”

“You haven’t seen the size of my piggy bank.” Deku joked.

Katsuki fixed him with a hard stair. For some reason he had trouble reading this fucker. “My usual rate is $20 an hr. That goes up to $25 if you keep me past sundown.”

“Deal.” Deku shifted one hoe to be held with the other and held out his now free hand. Katsuki ignored the hand and grabbed  one of the hoes.

“Let's get this over with.”

Deku had decided on potatoes. Fair choice. According to the book they were the easiest to grow and unlike others might make it into the summer months where others would wilt. Though Deku said he had a plan if it got too hot too quickly. 

The first day the two tilled soil, built it up in high mounds with some fertilizer Deku had bought and planted each potato starter.

Deku worked significantly slower than Katsuki. They often divided the work in half but Katsuki often finished his half so quickly he could finish most of Deku’s as well.

Once everything was watered and set, Deku sent him on his way with the agreed upon amount, in cash, plus tip. 

Katuski didn’t think he’d see Deku again but Deku found some reason to invite Katsuki over nearly every day. They would work on everything from tending the crop to clearing away more overgrowth and even working on the house.

Lately in his spare time, Deku seemed to be trying to make sence of the journal, and transcribing it into a new fresh one. Some of the blueprints were pretty hard to read. Deku instructed and Katsuki built. So far they hadn’t been able to build so much as a bee hive.

One day, Katsuki had yet to be called over. He hadn’t even expected to see the nerd. The day before Deku had decided to go to the town library to see if he could figure out the first contraption they had been attempting to build. Katsuki had managed to find Eijiro down in town and Denki was there too, skipping work. 

Hanta was there too, grinning stupid. The guy was the only one in town with an internet connection and he had been talking about getting the crew out to see a concert in the next town over.

“How’ed we even get there?” Katsuki asked

“So I was thinking-“ But Hanta cut off, seeming to notice something behind Katsuki. 

Katsuki spun round to see Deku running up to them.

“Cheese!” Deku exclaimed. Out of breath, the nerd bent over huffing and puffing.

“What?”

Deku tried to respond but he was still out of breath, he held out the blue print and pointed fiercely, tapping the paper with his finger.

“Make… CHeese.”

Katsuki took the paper. He held it like they had the other day. But Deku took his hand and tilted the paper to the right. What he was met with was something that looked like an old butter churner.

“I was thinking *huff* we could use *huff* the wood we’ve collected for this and *huf* here we can use that metal from that fallen shed.

Katuski looked over it.

“No good. That metal is old and rusty, not sure how much it could take without being completely melted down.”

“Ah…” Deku sounded disappointed. He always made a note that while he had savings he didn’t want to use it on something that could be recycled. Katsuki had been shocked by this nature, which seemed fitting for country life, but apparently recycling was a trend in the citys. 

Katsuki grunted, looking over Deku’s updated clean drawing. 

“Loudmouth... who runs the local radio and town alerts… he’s still got some scrap I think. From a fence I built him a year back. I’ll go yank it off him.”

Deku lit up like a bonfire on a dark summer night. 

“Really! You’re the best.” Deku scrambled off, no doubt to spend the next 4 hours picking out the best wood to use from their scrap pile.

“Damn fool, askin’ shit of me.”

“ … You offered.” Denki said flatly.

Once they knew what they were doing it was easy. They got the machine working and all they needed was the milk. Lucky Katsuki had a source. And what fun he got to watch the nerd try his hand at milking a cow.

The nerd fuckin’ bowed to the cow and introduced himself. Katsuki had to cougher his burst of laughter with a cough. This was dangerous. This fool might be fun to teese.

“So I just…. Pull?” Deku asked, sat on his stool and twisted around to look up at Katsuki. Now that was a picture.

“Is that how you do it at home?”

“At home? Kacchan we don’t have-“

“Easy there. Here.” Katsuki knelt down and took one of the nerds hands, holding it from the back. He got in close and spoke in a low whisper, smirking at the red that crept up that pale neck. 

“First off. Grab at the base, like so then gently squeeze your fingers against your palm. Do not pull.”

He couldn’t be sure if Deku was paying attention as Katsuki was still leading their actions. The nerd's neck was bright red. Katsuki could ony picture his face. This was so funny, but also… fuck it was warm in here. 

“Ah! It came out.”

Wha.. Oh shit, right.

Sure enough, a splatter of milk hit the bucket. Katsuki pulled back and allowed the nerd to take over. Katsuki leaned against the wall of the pen and watched as the nerd, hyper focused, milked the cow and chottled on about recipes and starting an herb garden.

Katsuki felt reluctantly impressed. The dang fool didn’t complain about the smell or freak out when the cow shit while he was still milking it. He might be an idiot, but he wasn’t the prissy frail thing Katsuki had first imagined him to be. That pissed a large part of Katsuki off. The other part… he wasn’t sure yet.

Katsuki lined up his shot and struck perfectly, sending the two striped balls into the two adjacent side pockets. Eijiro whistled at the side as Denki shrunk down, feeling the oncoming dread of his defeat.

Katsuki took aim at the eightball, it was an easy shot. Nothing to feness. No BS. A child could make this shot. Fuck, even Denki could make this shot. He lined up and-

“Hey you’re Deku right?”

He hit the que ball at an angle, sending it spinning into one of the corner pockets. Shit.

As Denki bounced with joy Katsuki looked over at the source of the noise. Round face greeted the nerd warmly. 

Now round face he didn’t mind. He might even say he liked her, but not in that way. That had been attempted in highschool to an awkward result. Mostly that Katsuki realised that he actually did have a physical preference and it wasn’t women. But she was tough. She rarely needed assistance getting rid of some out of town sad sack who got handsy or some college kids as they passed through town. And Katsuki admired this. She also knew he liked his space and didn’t bother him with conversation when Katsuki chose to sit at the bar, like she might with others. Like with Deku right now.

Katsuki was so distracted he didn’t notice Denki mess up his first shot and covertly take another one. He missed that too. And Katsuki set up again. Though his ears now seemed fixated on the giggling voice of round face. 

He nailed his shot, claiming victory. But it didn’t feel nearly as satisfying. 

He handed his pool stick off to Eiji who was doing his best to cheer up Denki.

“Grabbin’ a drink.”

“You’ve already got-“ Eijiro paused watching Katsuki drain his whole beer. And slam it down on the table.

Damn round face looked interesting. Shit. But Katsuki thought she was into that freakin blacksmith with the iron rod shoved up his ass.  Maybe that was her type. Nerds.

“Whisky neat.” Katsuki said. Interrupting their conversation. Deku looked pleased to see him, the nerd journal was laid out next to a freshly poured beer. No doubt the nerd wanted to talk shop. He didn’t like the look round face offered. It was… unexpected, and unsettling. She smirked and went about making Katsuki’s drink.

“Shocked to see you here again. That apple juice?” Katsuki said, eyeing the beer. 

“Mmm..” Deku hummed, taking a sip. “More like bread juice.” A sliver of foam sat on deku’s upper lip and Katsuki found himself fixated on it.

“Gross.”

“Don’t mind the grump.” Occhaco said. “ He’s all bark no bite.”

“I’m plenty of bite.”?

“You sure?” Deku asked, humor laced in his voice.

“Well.. maybe a little bite.” Ochaco laughed. 

An order of fries came out from the kitchen and Ochaco set them down in front of the nerd.

“Must have been interesting, growing up with him then?” He asked, grabbing some fries.

“We actually used to date,” Uraraka explained. “ But I wasn’t really Katsuki’s flavor.” She winked. That bitch.

“Katsuki is right fuckin here, by the way.” Katsuki grumbled. “ stop talking like I aint.”

“Sorry.” Deku grinned, taking a bite before his eyes went wide and he spat them back out into his palm.

“Deku! Gross!”

“Sawwy.. so hawt!”

“They’re fresh out the frier deku.” Ochaco explained, though she looked more concerned than chiding.

“Didn’t fweel at hawt.”

Katsuki grabbed Izuku's hand and turned it over, inspecting it.Yep. Dude had some well built calluses.

“You’ve toughened up here.”

Deku fucking pouted. “ Wish I could get them in my mouth.”

“Just fucking wait for them to cool off, idiot.”

Round face got some calls from down at the other end of the bar and she moved off. Katsuki took the chance to scoot in and snag some of the fries off Deku's plate. Deku, who didn’t notice, had turned his attention towards the journal again. Just above the sounds of the bar he could hear a light constant muttering coming from his lips which were pinched in concentration between his fingers. 

“Speak up if you’re gonna speak. Don’t mutter.”

Deku Jumped.

“Sorry. I usually don’t notice I’m doing it.”

“What are you looking at?”

“So this is summer advice. I was hoping to have blueberries, they’re my favorite but they take years to grow. Then I’m trying to think about setting the current farm land up in seasons. So far right spring, with the crops that can last to the summer here, then summer here then winter…”

Deku had drawn his own map of the current cleared away farmland. Divided into three plots Deku seemed to have it set to a gradient. Of time to plant and harvest.

“This is just temporary. A few years maybe. And making cheese was fun but I’m thinking we can do more projects like that in the winter, along with more clearing. I think starting small is best though. Each winter we can recover more farm land and then expand those seasonal plots. I wanna save money for some bigger equipment. And live stock will be good to have as well and…”

Deku just kept going. He had years plan out. Something about that shocked katsuki. It hadn’t even been a single season and this guy was planning out his whole future here. He wouldn’t have thought it possible, not the first day anyway. Deep down katsuki felt something spark in him.. frustration? Yeah… he could have put in more work before if the farm was something he really wanted, Deku seemed determined to prove himself. Skepticism? Of course. Just cause the dweeb seemed determined now didn’t mean he wouldn’t get bored or tired at first snowfall. Admiration… yeah.

Yeah he couldn’t help but admire the tinasity of this little fucker.

“You keep saying ‘we’.” Kastuki interjected, cutting Deku off as he seemed to be explaining year 6.

“Well… yeah. Toshinori said… you’d help.” Deku looked at him, flashing huge emerald eyes up at Katsuki, who felt his eye twitch.

“Not for free.”

Deku adjusted how he sat on the bar stool, so he was facing Katsuki a bit more. 

“Would you let me hire you? Full time?”

Would he? He didn’t like the idea of working under Deku though. He’d rather co-own. Though if he knew himself, and he did, he would use a co-ownership and try to get deku to leave. He might be too selfish. Not trusting himself yet. 

“Sure. Just don’t expect me to call you sir.”

Deku turned bright red, like a sweet sweet strawberry.

“Kacchan!” Deku shouted, running through town like an idiot. Katsuki had again been hanging visiting Iida to see if he could get a part on his bike repaired. The front wheel guard had dented after a pretty rough hail storm. hadn’t been too worried, shit like this happened and if glasses couldn't fix it he could just order another part with seros help. 

Deku had been devastated however. Katsuki had left him sulking over the potato crop. But evidently, they had prematurely mourned. As Deku tackled Katsuki to the ground and held out a potato, about as big as the palm of Kastuki’s hand.

Katsuki scowled at the small burst of warmth in his heart.

“Get off.”

“Sorry! Sorry!” Deku scrambled off. “I’m just so excited they were ready. That fertilizer must have really helped because according to the journal they should have taken two more weeks! I wonder if its a difference in variety of potato or maybe climate change has had some effect on cond-“

“Deku.”

“Hmm?” Deku looked like a fuckin puppy. 

“Don’t you need to get the rest of your harvest?”

“Oh! Yes! I’ll go. I want to gather it up and give some of it out before it gets dark.”

And without a word of goodbye.. He left. Leaving Katsuki standing there in the aftermath of the sudden green tornado of energy. Still holding Deku’s first potato.

“Nice potato.” 

“Can it four eyes.”

Most of the potatoes ended up being sold to Aizawa but a good amount was gifted amongst the town. In turn, the town offered gifts back. Metel, fresh wood, good rock, food, and mayor Nezu even offered a sapling of one of the town's cherry trees. Katsuki had once again found the nerd at Last Call, sitting on a bar stool, swinging his legs as he munched on his order of fries that came from the potatoes he had grown.

And even Katsuki couldn’t hold back a smile.