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“Izuku, honey, come on! The egg hunt is supposed to start soon!” calls Inko Midoriya from the door, dressed in a cozy, light pink sweater and jeans.
“I’m here, I’m here, but I really don’t want to do the egg hunt.” says Izuku softly as he reaches her, eyes falling to see the basket in his mom’s hand.
“You need to get out of your room and your head, and thank you for wearing your egg hunt best, but did you have to pick the shirt that says Egg Hunt Time? That’s besides the point. After the Sludge Villain situation, you’ve been really off. Even your collection has been cleared from your room.” explains Inko softly, worry emanating everywhere, including in her eyes where tears are building.
“Mom, I’d really prefer to just stay home. I have homework to do.” replies Izuku even as he dutifully follows her out to the sidewalk, ignoring her comment about his plain tee, at least it’s not the cargo pants she’s coming after. “My collection is simply packed away, and it’s not a big deal. I’ve moved on from being a hero, and that’s fine because I can figure something else out.”
“Izuku, are you okay?” asks Inko softly.
“Mom, I’m fine. But this Easter egg hunt is kind of pointless to me.” replies Izuku carefully.
“Just do this last one, please. Who knows, maybe you’ll feel better after.” offers Inko as they make their way down the sidewalk. “It’s just at the park up the road, a neighborhood fun event. Okay?”
Izuku hums, letting his mom take the lead as he tries not to notice the dark Bakugou home as they pass it. But it’s not the only dark home they pass, and he barely manages to turn his groan into a sigh as they reach the full park of people.
“Go on, here’s your Present Mic basket. I tried to find the All Might one, but I found this one instead. Go on, see if any of your friends are he-” says Inko excitedly as she shoves the basket in Izuku’s hands and turns him towards the gathered crowd.
Someone is calling everybody to gather up more for the headcount, interrupting Inko momentarily.
“Go honey! I think I see Kira and Anya over there! Have fun!” says Inko excitedly as she ruffles Izuku’s hair as she walks off towards a pavilion.
“Right, first you say friends now I have to do an egg hunt. Mom, eventually you’re going to see what’s actually going on with me. Whatever, three eggs, hide, then escape with mom after. Should be easy enough.” mutters Izuku with his head ducked as he walks to where everyone is lining up for the headcount.
When he stops, he lets his body crouch inwards, making himself small as a counter starts to his right, and he sighs as they pass him.
“The hell are you doing here, Deku?” growls a voice that makes Izuku flinch instantly.
“Mom dragged me here, said I needed to get outta my room, and my head.” replies Izuku quietly, cutting his mumbling short, side-eyeing Katsuki.
Katsuki goes to speak when a cocky voice shouts, “Can’t nobody beat us when it comes to these things. We’re the best Easter Egg Hunters in the world!”
Izuku scoffs to himself, shaking his head at the arrogance in the face of Katsuki Bakugou. His reputation is literally blasting anyone who thinks they’re better than him and says it outright.
He doesn’t notice Katsuki turning to look at him until Katsuki says, “Alright, those bastards wanna talk about being the best then we’re ending their asses now.”
Izuku almost drops the Present Mic basket as he looks at Katsuki with wide eyes, “H-huh K-Ka- Kacchan?”
“This is the last one I’m doing ‘cause I’m going to UA, but I ain’t letting a bunch of wannabe extras think they’re the best at anything. We are going to win this damn thing, and then I’m blasting their fuckin’ heads off.” grouches Katsuki angrily but as Izuku stops flinching from the sparks popping off Katsuki’s hands, he sees those red eyes aren’t narrowed at him, the sparks aren’t really meant for him.
They’re meant for the three kids a few steps away that are now talking more crap as they point at Izuku and claim how easy it’ll be to win against a quirkless kid that won’t even manage to find one egg let alone anywhere near their future load.
“Kacchan, you know what’s gonna happen if we do this together.” sighs Izuku quietly, he doesn’t wanna say it, but Katsuki forgets that he hates Izuku when there’s a point to be made.
Izuku just wants him to not get lunch detention for knocking their classmates around for confronting him about what he does, calling him out for going against his word.
Katsuki turns those eyes to Izuku, and he snaps, “Listen, shitty Deku, I don’t care what I gotta deal with when this shit is said and done. I’m an ass on my best day, I’ll live. But those jackasses are still gonna be here when I leave, and so are you. I’m the only one that gets to be an ass to you without suffering the goddamn consequences of a blast to the face. Now shut up and lets fuckin’ talk strategy.”
“You aren’t the only one who bullies me, your friends do it too. Kacchan, I want to do this together, but I’m not going to take the lashing at school again.” sighs Izuku tiredly.
He’s not in the mood for this, the headspace, none of it. Not after three days ago with the sludge villain, Kacchan, and All Might.
“What’s your issue, shitty Deku? I said we’re talking strategy, stop arguing with me about shit. They get blasted too. Think I’m gonna let those dumbasses get away with saying shit I didn’t tell them to say? Tch, not a chance.” Katsuki clicks his tongue and huffs at Izuku in a faraway tone as he speaks.
“I’m tired, Kacchan. Okay? You had your time with the damn sludge villain, and I had mine. You wanna win this? Fine, but I’m only getting three eggs, then I’m done.” replies Izuku as he turns to step forward to where they were calling the participants forward to the start spot for the stupid countdown.
He gets knocked over by one of the kids that were running their mouths a moment later, and Izuku hits the ground hard on his right shoulder.
The pain isn’t as bad as he’s got before, but his eyes lock on the kid that shoulder-tackled him, his mind running as he mumbles, “His quirk.”
“What about his quirk.” asks Katsuki quietly from where he’s crouched down next to him, though he’s hollering at the kid a moment later. “See if you get any eggs, you shitty extra, I’ll explode your face in. Ugly bastard.
“I’m not sure, but his shoulder-tackle was definitely because of something strength related, felt like when whats-his-face caught me on the way home a few weeks back, ya know the jock that got kicked from UA cause he was being a bully, so he ended up at Shiketsu in General Studies? Like that. And his arm was bigger, a mutation.” mumbles Izuku quietly as he tilts his head at the kid, trying to see if there’s any gauge outside of his quirk use.
“So, the dumbass has a strength mutation quirk? I can still blast him in the face then.” grumbles Katsuki as Izuku sits up onto his knees.
“No, no you can’t. It’s not a mutation, or it’s not only a mutation. He has scales on his hands, Kacchan. You- I- the hell kinda quirk is this?! Scales, strength, clearly mutated his arm or shoulder to be much bigger than it was, and he didn’t seem to feel pain or have an affect afterwards.” mumbles Izuku as he tries to figure the guy out while checking on his basket.
“Yo, shitty extra, the hell is your plans after middle school? UA or Shiketsu?” calls Katsuki with narrow eyes and a snarl as he stands, still keeping a bit of distance from Izuku, but he’s clearly protective.
“Shiketsu, of course. UA is for losers.” growls the kid as he flashes his quirk, using it to make himself look like a miniature version of All Might. “Mutating my muscles the way I can, only Shiketsu could handle me, Katsuki Bakugou. Can’t believe you’re hanging around a waste of space like that.”
“Sure, we’ll see what happens when I see you again, asshat.” snaps Katsuki with an eye roll as he turns back to Izuku. “So, what’s the deal?”
“What do you want from me?” asks Izuku incredulously as he sits back on his legs.
“How is it that you’re still running your mouth at the kid you call Deku? Thought the great Katsuki Bakugou hated Deku? Thought you never went back on your work, huh Katsuki? You a liar?” taunts the kid as his friends laugh behind him.
“You want me to explode your dumbass right now? ‘Cause I can blow you sky high.” snarls Katsuki as he turns, hands sparking as he moves towards the leader. “I’ll talk to whoever I want, whenever I want. Hate or not, a hero teams up when they need to. So, go to hell, ya prick!”
“I dare you to try, but you’ll never make a mark on me. Not like you do on Deku.” taunts the kid with a sneer as he bulks himself up yet again.
“See, why do I get dragged into things when my mouth was shut? Listen, ya idiot, you have the muscle mutation. It’s very All Might-esque, congratulations, but let’s be real. Every quirk has a limit, even All Might.” sneers Izuku as he stands, he stays behind Katsuki, but the way he spits the Symbol of Peace’s name makes all of them flinch. “You have a support item, those scales of yours, yet you’re slowly deflating. I put you against Kacchan, and the endgame never shakes. You don’t stand a chance. Now, the egg hunt is about to start, and I’m obviously not going to get into your fight. So, you two have fun.”
Izuku snatches up his basket and walks around them, leaving a wide distance between him and them. He hears the scuffle, but he refuses to turn around until he’s yanked around by his shirt.
“Where d’ya think you’re going, Deku?” sneers the loudmouth, clearly left his idiot friends with Kacchan. “Think you can run your mouth like that and get away with it? Your ‘Kacchan’ isn’t gonna save you, ya know. He’s probably going to laugh, but he’d never save you.”
“Of course, he won’t. Doesn’t have to save me to be a hero though, and he’d never settle for anything less than the best. Are you done? Do your damage and let me go get my pity eggs. I’d like to go home.” grumbles Izuku loudly, not on purpose, but he’s so done with all of this.
“I’m gonna leave you bleeding, you worthless Deku.” spits the kid as he rears a balled, inflated fist back.
Izuku sees Katsuki coming, so he drops to a crouch. He knows the kid gets exploded, but there’s no cry of pain. Izuku doesn’t care, he stands up again, adjusts the Present Mic image plastered on the rim of the basket, and turns to keep walking.
“Shitty nerd, you better not be ignoring me right now.” growls Kacchan from beside him.
“It’s usually the other way around, Kacchan. What do you want from me now?” asks Izuku with a sigh as he turns to see Katsuki holding the loudmouth by his arm.
“What do you want me to do with him?” asks Katsuki with a growl.
“If you want to fight him, he told you what you wanted to know, and you brutalized the scales. He’s probably used the mutation a good bit, so the struggle should begin soon. If you think this will protect me from his backlash later, then you’re as blind as everyone else when it comes to Quirkless individuals. That’s your problem, Kacchan, not mine.” replies Izuku evenly, though part of him is happy that Kacchan is asking him, talking to him.
“Nerd, he attacked you. Or tried to. This is up to you.” says Katsuki through gritted teeth, pointing at the kid that’s clearly their age and suddenly silent.
“Don’t want nothing to do with this. Let him go, if it’s actually up to me. Violence doesn’t solve anything, and you’re both trying to be hero hopefuls. This is far worse than being middle-school bullies, so drop it now Kacchan. I’m not getting stuck with this.” explains Izuku with a tired tone, exasperated as he gestures at the mess with his hands and easter basket.
“Beat it, but come near Deku again, and I’ll decide what happens to you. And if you know my name, you know that will be the biggest mistake of your life.” sneers Katsuki after a moment of silence, some sort of light freezing him before he handles the situation.
Izuku watches the kid take off towards his friends the moment he wasn’t tethered, and if his mind was right, he’d feel guilty about the fear on his face. But his mind is soaring at the ‘protection’ shown by Katsuki for him because he’s a wreck who hasn’t sorted through everything from that day.
“Just three eggs, then I can leave.” mutters Izuku quietly, avoiding Katsuki as he reassures himself.
“Hey, asshole, you’re not leaving without more than three eggs. What’s your problem Deku?” growls Katsuki harshly as he steps closer to him, fists shoved into his pockets. “You never give in so easily, you don’t stand up for yourself, and you definitely don’t avoid competition. You’re as competitive as I am, and you know it. Besides those things, even when I’m being an ass, you’re always there. So why are you running now?”
“Because I’m quirkless, Kacchan, and it’s time I face reality. I’m a worthless, shitty nerd, just like you said.” mutters Izuku as he sees their mom’s rushing towards them, letting his eyes narrow as they meet Katsuki’s dead-on again. “Aren’t you happy to see me doing exactly what you’ve been telling me all these years? I’m owning up to who I am, Kacchan. Just leave it alone, okay?”
“Izuku, are you okay?” cries Inko as she and Mitsuki reach the boys.
“I’m fine, mom. It’s nothing I’m not used to.” says Izuku kindly despite his frustration.
“You brat, why didn’t you teach the ringleader his fuckin’ lesson?” snaps Mitsuki as she pokes Katsuki in the side of the head.
“I was trying to, but Izuku said not to. It’s my fault.” huffs Katsuki quietly before he turns to Izuku and Inko, ignoring his mom’s wide eyes full of concern. “Izuku, Auntie Inko, we gotta talk. I’ve- there’s a lot that I need to say, but I know you two cry a lot. That’s something you both want to avoid doing in public, so can you two come to ours for dinner in a bit? Or now?”
Inko turns to Katsuki with eyes glittering with unshed tears. But he’s focused on Izuku, and he sees Izuku’s narrowed emerald eyes. Those emerald eyes were once filled with a childlike adoration when they were on him, even when hurt met the adoration, now they’re full of suspicion. But Katsuki finds that sparkle of hope, and he plans to grab it with everything he has.
Izuku tried to save him despite everything he’s done and said. So, if someone made Izuku give up that dream, their dream, he’s gonna give it back dammit.
He knows he might not be ready for the apologies Izuku deserves. He knows they might never be okay after this, but he needs to say something, everything.
So, as they trade looks, Katsuki straightens his back, rolls his shoulder, and he waits.
“Okay, Kacchan, but first… Let’s win this hunt.” says Izuku softly, reaching his hand out, timid, but the moment serves as the olive branch ahead of their road to whatever becomes of their bond.
“Let’s do it, Izuku.” says Katsuki lightly as he pulls a hand from his pocket, wiping the sweat on the rag his mom drops on his hand.
Katsuki takes Izuku’s hand once he’s certain he won’t accidentally leave traces of nitroglycerin on Izuku’s hand. He feels his lips twist into a smirk when the last call before the start of the hunt is called, they’d definitely pushed their schedule around. But when Izuku’s hand squeezes his own as his kind smile curves into a smirk, Katsuki feels this energy erupt in him, and they take off instantly, no words needed.
When they’re counting their winnings to decide who gets the giant plushies for their top three, Inko and Mitsuki are cheering louder than any other parent. Katsuki and Izuku found every single egg, aside from like forty-ish. They’d hidden two hundred eggs all over that park, and the unstoppable team of Katsuki and Izuku were ruthless in dominating their competition.
Izuku got first because Katsuki gave him their extra egg when he wasn’t looking. The prizes were plushies of All Might, Endeavor, and Hawks. Neither of them took their prizes, they even handed out all of their eggs before they went home. They’d made their point, that was all the prize they needed.