Chapter Text
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Izuku swung open the front door of his new home, a two story, suburban home at the end of a culdesac. It was nice, but it wasn’t home. Yaizu wasn’t home. He carried one of his boxes up the stairs, which creaked slightly underneath him. Upstairs, there were three bedrooms, two were side by side and the other was opposite of them. He picked the lone door and lightly kicked it open, revealing his bare bedroom.
Across from the door was a large bay window, which lit up the whole room, and had a navy blue bench cushion. He walked further into the room and set the box down, off to the side. On the back wall, there was a door leading into his bathroom. The counter was made of shiny granite that practically sparked under the warm, white lighting. The whole house had a sleek design and definitely cost a pretty penny, but he knew better than to ask his mother how they would afford it.
He let out a sigh as the faint smell of dust lingered throughout the room. He ran and hand through his curls before turning on his heels, heading for the door. Kota and Eri came rushing up the stairs, arguing over who would get which room.
“I call dibs on the bigger one!” Eri shouted.
“No fair, I should get the bigger one!” Kota scoffed, adjusting his hat that covered his black curls.
Eri stuck her tongue out and blew as raspberry as the two ran into the bedroom on the left. A faint gasp followed by distant arguing could be heard as Izuku made his way back downstairs. He walked back out to the moving truck and stacked a couple more of his boxes, preparing to take them up to his room. The mid summer breeze flowed through his hair, blowing it to the side and tickling his nose. The breeze in Yaizu was different than it is back home.
He shook his head and picked up the boxes, holding them firmly as he walked back towards the house. Kota and Eri seemed to figure out who would get each room, considering the bickering had stopped. His brother and sister walked down the staircase happily.
When he got to his new room, he looked at the plain, blank walls. They were painted a sad beige color and vacant of all his posters and photographs. Sadness simmered in his chest as he scanned the plain room, but he pushed it down and set the boxes down. No use getting upset now. He wandered back outside and his mother greeted him with a halfhearted smile, which he returned.
“I know this isn’t ideal, but I think a fresh start will be good.” Inko said, rubbing his back gently.
“I already hate it here.” He scoffed, refusing to look at her.
The green haired woman frowned, stilling her hand. She let out a small sigh before speaking.
“A fresh start brings new opportunities.” She replied, trying to be optimistic. “New friends, new classes, who knows what’ll come of this.”
He clenched his jaw. New friends.
“I don’t want a fresh start.” He snapped, turning to look at her.
His mother pressed her lips into a thin line.
He didn’t mean to snap, but he really hated this. He hated that they had to move. He hated that he had to leave his friends. He hated this town. Suddenly, all that hate seemed to leak out of him.
“I didn’t want to move. I don’t want to look at this plain, lifeless house and I don’t want to make new friends.” He scoffed. “We should’ve stayed in Hamamatsu.”
A sudden spark of realization seemed to go off in his mother’s eyes as she looked up at him. She took a deep breath and nodded solemnly.
“I get it,” She started, reaching over to place her hand on his shoulder. “I really do. This is a big change and it’s definitely one you didn’t want. If we could’ve, we would’ve stayed in the city, but we couldn’t. So here we are.”
He looked at her, studying her expression. It was like she was begging him to understand, to just try to accept it. So, he did. His mother had been through enough this year.
“We can even paint your room this afternoon, let’s head to the paint store after we finish unloading the truck.” The green haired woman smiled.
“Fine.” He said softly, picking up the last of his boxes before turning on his heels.
At least he could make his room feel a little bit more like home.
After they brought in all the boxes, the four of them got in their suv and headed to the local paint store. Izuku glanced over the different swatch cards, but his eyes darted to a dusty navy blue color. He reached up and grabbed the piece of cardstock — this was the one. The freckled boy walked over to his mother and showed her the swatch. Inko smiled happily and asked the sales associate to mix up a can of paint.
Kota and Eri walked over and handed over their desired color swatches. His sister chose a light pink color and his brother picked a light gray. Their mother questioned the boy’s choice, but he insisted that was what he wanted, so she agreed. The sales associate put the cans into the spinner and mixed up their colors while their mother paid for the paint along with some paint brushes and rollers.
The four of them left, each holding a gallon bucket of paint, and headed back home. When they got home, Inko laid canvas sheets across the carpets of each of their rooms before they started painting. She mostly helped Kota and Eri, making sure they didn’t make a mess.
Izuku played some loud music as he rolled the colorful paint over the dull walls. Eventually, he pushed his glasses on top of his head like a headband when they kept slipping down. A small smile grew on his lips as the beige was replaced with a pretty blue. After a couple hours, the room was completely covered in navy. He closed up the bucket of paint and brought all his supplies to the kitchen. As he washed out his roller, the distant sound of his mothers singing traveled to his ears.
He turned off the water and peeked into Inko’s room. The woman had her hair tied up into a messy bun while she listened to an upbeat song and painted her bedroom a beautiful shade of forest green. She looked so happy as the golden glow of the sun shined through her window.
“Want some help?” He asked softly.
She turned around, slightly surprised by the sudden voice, but a kind smile crept onto her face.
“Sure.” She nodded.
The freckled boy walked over and grabbed one of the rollers, quickly getting to work. A few moments of silence fell between them before he spoke up.
“I’m sorry for snapping at you.” He said, looking over at her.
“That’s alright, sweetie.” Inko replied sweetly. “I know it’s hard, but I really hope you can have a fresh start here.”
Izuku furrowed his eyebrows, still unsure what she meant by that.
“I mean,” She started, biting her lip and looking off to the side as though she was thinking. “You were having a rough time this last year, I think getting out of Hamamatsu might help. I love you too much to watch you be so destructive.”
He looked away and hung his head down. She was right.
“You seemed to love it here when you were little, so I figured it could be a good place for the three of you.”
“You’re right.” Izuku nodded.
He saw his mother smile softly out of the corner of his eyes and he went back to silently painting the bedroom. The music filled the silence between them as they finished up.
As much as she was right, Izuku wanted her to be wrong. Maybe living in Yaizu wouldn’t be so bad, it was just an adjustment.
As the evening rolled in, Izuku helped his mother move the couch and some other furniture inside. Since all their rooms were covered in wet paint, they’d have to move their beds tomorrow, so they set up camp in the empty living room. All the walls were blank, missing their family photos and childhood drawings. There was nothing but a rug underneath their sectional and an empty mantel. Everything in this house was so empty.
The four of them got comfortable on the couch while they waited for the pizza they ordered to arrive. He and Kota moved the tv inside and set it up on the floor in front of the couch so they had something to watch, but it only made the house feel less like a home.
He sunk into the corner of the couch as he scrolled mindlessly on his phone. Pictures and videos of all his friends back home were plastered all over every social media page. Sen and Kosei posted a photo of them at some party laughing and holding red plastic cups. His heart twisted as more photos of his friends popped up. Itsuka posted a photo of her standing on top of a pool table, giggling as she posed. Everyone was at a party he should be at.
He turned off the device as homesickness crept into his chest. No use getting upset now. He repeated once more.
“Ah, the pizza’s here!” Inko smiled, holding two boxes of warm pizza.
Eri and Kota cheered and they hopped up from the couch and raced into the kitchen. Izuku followed behind them, trying to ignore how heavy he felt. He sat quietly while his siblings chatted about how excited they were about their new home. A ‘home’ he felt so alone in.
The next morning, the four of them finished moving the furniture inside. All their rooms had beds, dressers, desks, and shelves waiting to be filled. The tv was mounted on the wall above the mantel and the rest of the living room furniture was arranged nicely. The dining room table was set with a pretty white table runner and a bouquet of fresh, blue flowers sat in the middle. It was starting to look like their home — but it didn’t feel like it.
He was helping Kota with his last few boxes when an unfamiliar voice spoke up.
“Excuse me,” The mysterious voice started.
Both of them turned around to see a tall, blonde woman standing in the driveway, holding a plate of cookies.
Inko walked outside and paused when she saw the unfamiliar woman.
“My name is Bakugou Mitsuki, I live next door.” The blonde woman smiled.
“Ah, hello!” Inko smiled. “I’m Midoriya Inko.”
The two shook hands and Mitsuki handed his mother the plate of cookies.
“They’re chocolate chip, I hope you aren’t allergic.” Mitsuki chuckled.
“Thank you so much!” Inko smiled, accepting the treat. “Oh, these are my sons, Izuku and Kota. My daughter Eri is inside.”
He and his brother waved awkwardly at their new neighbor, unsure how to react.
“Nice to meet you.” The blonde nodded sweetly. “My husband Masaru is at work and my son Katsuki said he’d come over in a minute. He might be your age actually, how old are you?” She asked, motioning towards Izuku.
“O-Oh, me? I’m sixteen.” He replied.
“Ah, my Katsuki just turned seventeen, I’m sure you two will get along well!”
New friends.
He nodded, forcing himself not to frown at the thought.
Just as he was about to go back to what he was doing, a tall, blond boy walked up next to Mitsuki. He had his hands shoved in his pockets and a scowl that seemed to be his resting face.
“There you are, we were just talking about you.” The woman chuckled. “This is Inko, Izuku, and Kota.” She said, pointing to each of them.
The boy made a barely noticeable expression at the mention of his name, but quickly fixed it. He waved and greeted them just above a mumble.
Izuku narrowed his eyes slightly and studied the boy. He had spikey hair, very similar to his mothers, but more notably, he had deep, crimson eyes. Eyes that felt a little too familiar. He wracked his brain trying to figure out where he’d seen them before — then, it clicked.
Bakugou Katsuki. His first childhood friend he met back in kindergarten.
When he was younger, he had a hard time with his speech and pronunciation, so he always called him Kacchan. He and Kacchan were best friends from the ages of four and seven. They played together everyday at recess, passed little notes during class, and had all kinds of inside jokes. But, when Kacchan turned seven, he made new friends and started being mean to Izuku, calling him names and pushing him on the playground.
His best friend switching up on him hurt a lot, but shortly after, his family moved to the busy city of Hamamatsu. The city was so different compared to the little town of Yaizu. Back home, there was always something to do or something to see, it was busy and loud, everything that Yaizu wasn’t. He made lots of new friends and made new memories in that city, leaving it hurt more than anything he’d ever experienced. Now, they’re back in Yaizu and he’s standing face to face with his childhood friend and bully.
“Katsuki..” He trailed off quietly.
The blond boy turned around and walked right back towards his house, not muttering another word. Mitsuki looked confused and surprised at the same time.
“I’m so sorry, you know how teenagers are.” She chuckled. “I better go too, I’ll see you around, Inko!”
“Ah, of course. You too, Mitsuki!” His mother smiled.
With that, the blonde hurried after her son and they went back to what they were doing.
As if this stupid town couldn’t get any worse, his next door neighbor is his childhood bully, and they would definitely be going to the same school. He cursed Kami for every single thing, as if that’d make it any better.
He finished helping Kota move his things to his room then, went to settle in his own bedroom.
His queen sized bed was pushed against the wall in the corner of the room by his window with a small nightstand next to it. On the other side of the window, was his desk and a tall shelf. Against the back wall, he had a dresser and a floor length mirror leaned on the wall. His bed was already made, which meant he just had to decorate. He connected to his speaker and played some upbeat music before opening one of the boxes he set aside.
Inside the box, was a plethora of rolled up posters and superhero figurines, along with his favorite manga series. He decided to start with the posters, considering how bare the walls were. One by one, he covered the walls by his bed with various sized posters and prints from his favorite shows and bands, making the space feel cozier. After he finished that section, he worked his way around the rest of his room, hanging them up with small sticky tabs. He finished off by hanging the last poster on the back of his bedroom door — an All Might poster.
He stepped back to look at his work and was satisfied with how it all looked. It felt a little more like home. The sun had started to set, making his room dim, so he clicked on his bedside lamp, giving the room a cozy glow. Before he could get to the next box, there was a gentle knock on his door.
“Izuku, can I come in?” Eri asked softly.
“Yeah, what’s up Eri?” He replied.
The door swung open and his sister motioned for him to follow her. She led him to her new room, which was now painted pink and decorated with all her cutesy decor. She had Hello Kitty posters and plushies throughout the bedroom, along with some posters from her favorite anime’s. Her bed had new white and pink floral sheets with ruffly pillows and a fluffy white comforter. Eri smiled as she spun around in her new room.
Izuku chuckled softly, seeing his sister so happy.
“It looks great, ‘ri!”
“Thanks! I kinda took inspo from your old room with all the posters.” She replied, looking to the side.
“I can tell.” He nodded.
“Hey! Come see mine!” Kota shouted, peaking his head in.
The two followed him to the next room. He opened the door dramatically, showing off the new space. His bed was against the middle of the front wall with a black carpet underneath it. Next to his bed by the large window, there was a tall black shelf with superhero figures, cd’s, and comic books. At the base of the shelf, was his black and white bass guitar sitting on its dark red stand. In the other corner he had a desk and two bean bags next to his dresser. The walls had some posters of his favorite bands, most of them were black and white or had a dark color scheme.
“Oo, I like it!” Eri smiled, her eyes sparkled as she looked around the bedroom.
“Very grown up, Kota.” Izuku nodded.
“I know.” Kota shrugged, shoving his hands in his pockets. “Maybe I’ll find a band to play in here.”
“Don’t count on it, this place is pretty lame.”
“Hey, be positive.” Eri replied, nudging him with her elbow.
He put his hands up in defence and looked off to the side.
“Yeah, whatever. I’m sure there's at least a few cool people here.” Kota mumbled.
Izuku shrugged instead of replying before him and Eri went back to their own bedrooms to settle down for the night. He went into his bathroom and turned on the shower, letting the water heat up. All he wanted after the past two days was a nice, hot shower. The music from his speaker was still playing, but it had shifted to a calmer, slower genre of music, much different from what he was listening to earlier. He didn’t bother changing it as he hopped in the tub, letting warm water run through his curls and down his back.
Suddenly, everything set in. Tomorrow he would wake up in this strange house again, he wouldn’t be in his condo back in Hamamatsu. He wouldn’t go downtown with his friends knowing the five of them combined only had six dollars. He wouldn’t go to a party in some random basement until three in the morning. He wouldn’t see any of his friends — he wouldn’t see his dad.
They lived in a house at the end of a culdesac in slow, boring Yaizu, not in a high rise condo in busy, exciting Hamamatsu. It was just the four of them, not the five of them. He had no friends here. No Sen to make him laugh until he couldn’t breath. No Itsuka to drag him out of the house every weekend. No Yui to argue with everyday. No Kosei to — well. He didn’t want to think about Kosei.
Instead, he was stuck in Yaizu. Stupid fucking Yaizu.
He went to bed that night feeling just as heavy as he did the day before.
The next evening after dinner, he decided to wander around the field behind his house. He walked between his and the neighbor’s fences with his earbuds in, listening to some alternative rock song. On one side, there were trees, lots of trees, and on the other, was an open field of tall grass and flowers. The sun was low, but not close to setting yet, casting a golden glow over the land. He walked down the dirt path between the trees and the grass, not minding the wind that blew through his hair.
The breeze carried a faint, familiar earthy scent towards his nose, causing him to look around for a source. He didn’t see anyone and figured it was just from someone's backyard or something and continued walking. As he walked further down the path, the smell got stronger. He stopped in his tracks and looked around again, but this time, he looked up and saw something he wouldn’t have expected in a million years.
Bakugou Katsuki sitting in a tree — smoking a blunt?
He blinked up at the blond, who was peacefully swinging his legs like this was a typical Monday evening. Which it probably was considering he lived here. The blond raised an eyebrow at him as he blew out a puff of smoke.
“What are you doing?” Izuku asked, pulling out his earbuds.
“The fuck does it look like?” Katsuki replied flatly.
The freckled boy rolled his eyes.
“Do you… want some?” The ruby eyed boy asked hesitantly, narrowing his eyes at him.
Izuku didn’t hesitate responding, he’d never been one to decline free weed.
“Yes.” He nodded, alright climbing up the trunk of the tree.
After a minute of shuffling, he made it to the branch Katsuki was on. The blond scooted over and made space for him to sit next to him and silently handed him the joint. He took a long drag and inhaled deeply, letting it course through his lungs before blowing out a cloud of smoke.
“Didn’t think you’d be the type.” Katsuki said flatly, turning to look at him.
Izuku just shrugged and passed it back. “You like music?”
“What kind?”
“Any.”
“Alt rock?”
The freckled boy nodded and handed the right earbud over to the blond, who exchanged it for the joint. Izuku pressed play and took another drag as the song flowed through their ears. Mayonnaise by The Smashing Pumpkins played as they sat quietly, swinging their legs in the breeze. They passed the blunt back and forth, taking a couple hits before passing it back.
Neither of them said anything, they just enjoyed each other's company. It felt strange. Once his eyes started to feel heavy, he had the courage to speak up.
“Do you remember me?” He asked, turning to look at Katsuki.
“Yup.” The blond nodded, not returning the look. “Deku.”
He furrowed his brow at the nickname, he hadn’t heard that one in a long time. It was a name given to him by Katsuki when they were little, the blond would practically throw a fit if anyone else called him it, even when he became his bully. He always wondered why.
“Good to know, Kacchan.” He replied, taking one last hit before passing it back.
Katsuki took his final drag before putting it out and tossing the roach down to the ground. Neither of them spoke for awhile. A few more songs shuffled through as they sat on the tree branch. At one point, Izuku turned so his back was leaning against the tree trunk and pulled his legs up to his chest. He took a few moments to study his childhood friend's face here and there, trying to be discreet about it. The sun had started to go down, fading the sky into an array of orange and pink tones.
“What time is it?” Katsuki asked after awhile.
“You don’t have a phone?” Izuku asked, half sarcastic.
“I left it at home, idiot. Now what time is it?” The blond retorted.
He rolled his eyes and picked up his phone, clicking the power button. The screen lit up and showed the time as 8:15.
“It’s eight-fifteen.”
“I better go.” The ruby eyed boy said, taking out the borrowed earbud. He wiped it off with the hem of his shirt before handing it back, a small gesture that made Izuku smile ever so slightly. He hated dirty earbuds.
“This was chill, let’s smoke again sometime.” Katsuki said.
“Yeah, sure.” Izuku nodded.
The two climbed down the tree and walked back towards the culdesac of houses silently under the dusky sky. The blond unlocked the gate to his backyard and shut it behind him, leaving Izuku to walk alone for just a minute.
He opened the front door and prayed his mother was in her room, and luckily, she was. The freckled boy hurried upstairs and changed into some pajamas; a white tee shirt and black sweatshorts, before grabbing a manga off his, now full book shelf. He settled into the nook of his window and started reading, still listening to music through his earbuds.
Despite having read this one many times, it was still his favorite. To be fair, it was apart of the All Might series. He read over the familiar pages, smiling at all the same parts he did the first time he read it. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw something flailing around, getting his attention. He looked over and saw Katsuki through his bedroom window, passionately playing the drums and nodding his head to an inaudible beat.
Drums, huh? He thought to himself. He nodded and went back to his book. In the back of his mind, he wondered what song the boy was playing.
The rest of July flew by, his birthday came and went, meaning he was now seventeen. He spent his birthday without his best friends. All he wanted was to go back to Hamamatsu.
The last two weeks, he’d been silently observing his blond neighbor playing his drums and listening to Kota practice his guitar. He hadn’t bothered to leave the house much, it was too hot and quite frankly, he had no interest in being in Yaizu. He hadn’t talked to Katsuki since their odd smoke sesh, but he didn’t think much of it.
“‘Zuku, come down here please!” His mother shouted from downstairs.
He groaned to himself before getting out of bed and making his way to the lower floor. Eri, Kota, and their mother were standing in the living room as if they were about to go somewhere.
“Ah, good, you’re ready.” Inko smiled. “Let’s get going!”
“Going where?” He asked.
“We’re gonna do some school shopping!” Eri chimed in happily.
He suppressed another groan and silently followed them out the door. This was going to be a long day.
When they got to a mall, he was surprised how big it was, considering Yaizu wasn’t exactly a big city. The four of them spent a few hours walking around, browsing stores and picking out new clothes. Eri and Kota dragged them to all kinds of shops and boutiques, flipping through racks of shirts and pants. Kota mostly got dark, baggy jeans and t-shirts since he wanted to look ‘edgy’ or something like that. In contrast, Eri picked out lots of pastels and colorful items. White frilly skirts, light pink and purple tops, and light wash jeans.
Izuku didn’t spend much time picking out his own clothes, he settled on a few new basic tops and hoodies, keeping a pretty neutral color theme. Back home, he usually wore baggy jeans with plain shirts or sweaters, unless they were going to a party. But, he figured he wouldn’t stumble upon any parties here, especially none like the ones in Hamamatsu.
He had wandered off to the food court while his family continued shopping. He had three paper bags with new shirts, jackets, and jeans in one hand and a soda in the other. There was a surprising amount of people there, most of them his age. Despite being surrounded by other teenagers, he felt so out of place. His green eyes glanced around looking at all the groups of teens, laughing and chatting together.
He walked over to an empty bench and set his bags down on the ground next to him. The food court was loud, all the music and voices swarmed his head as he sipped his drink. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a brunette girl looking in his direction a few times, but he brushed it off as he scrolled on his phone. Suddenly, he felt someone tap his shoulder. He turned around to see a sweet looking girl with short, brown hair and a kind smile.
“Uh, hi.” The girl smiled. “I saw you sitting alone and thought I’d ask you to sit with us.”
Izuku assessed the girl standing in front of him, she seemed genuine. What did he have to lose anyway?
“Sure.” He nodded.
The brunette’s smile widened, making the corners of her eyes scrunch up a bit.
“Okay! My name’s Uraraka Ochaco!”
“Nice to meet you,” He nodded, standing up from the bench. “I’m Midoriya Izuku.”
Ochaco nodded and gently grabbed his wrist, pulling him towards her table. He let out a soft chuckle as she dragged him behind her.
“Guys, this is Midoriya Izuku! He’s with us now.” She said, showing him off to the table of teenagers.
One boy with split dyed hair shot him a soft smile and waved.
“I’m Todoroki Shoto, nice to meet you Midoriya.”
“Hi Midoriya! I’m Asui Tsuyu, but you can call me Tsu.” A girl with long, green hair chimed in.
“I’m Iida Tenya.” A boy with dark blue hair and glasses said, giving him a two finger salute.
He nodded as each of them introduced themselves and took a seat next to Ochaco.
“I’ve never seen you around, what school do you go to?” Tsu asked, curious.
“Oh, I just moved here, but I think I’m going to U.A?” He replied, rubbing the back of his neck.
“Oh cool!” Ochaco exclaimed. “We all go to U.A too! Where’d you move from?”
“Hamamatsu.”
“Ah, lovely city!” Iida smiled. “My older brother lives there, he’s a police officer.”
“Yeah, it’s really nice there.”
“Why did you move?” Shoto asked, face stoic.
His chest tightened as he thought about his life back home. Yaizu wasn’t where he belonged, he should be with his friends. These people probably would never talk to him again, what’s the point of getting to know them.
“Uh,” He hesitated. “My mom got a new job.” He settled for saying, it wasn’t technically a lie.
The duo hair boy nodded, not pressing the matter more.
For the next hour, he mostly listened to their conversation, chiming in here and there. He supposed having people to talk to for the afternoon was sort of nice.
“Izuku– Can I call you that?” Ochaco asked.
“Oh, yeah that’s fine.” He shrugged.
“Okay! You should totally come to this party with us tonight!”
Party? In Yaizu? There's no way it was a real party. People here probably had a different idea of what a party was.
“What kind of party?”
“Oh my gosh, Eijiro and Tetsu throw the best parties! Their parents are always out of town and they’re super chill so he goes all out.”
The others nodded in agreement.
He hesitated for a moment, weighing his options. He wasn’t really in a place to decline an opportunity to do something besides sit in his room. Worst case scenario, he ended up at some lame get together that hopefully had drinks.
“Alright, sure.” He nodded with a subtle smile.
Everyone at the table smiled happily, but Ochaco seemed to be the happiest. He figured she was the most outgoing one in their group, or at least a social butterfly. The brunette gave him her number and offered to pick him up if he wanted, which he happily accepted. His new acquaintances went their separate ways, leaving him to wander back to his family. He checked a few stores before finding them checking out in a grungy, skater shop.
“Ah, there you are.” Inko chuckled. “I was starting to think you got lost here.”
He shrugged silently and finished his soda.
After they finished checking out, they decided it was time to head home. On the drive back, Ochaco texted him and said she’d pick him up at nine-thirty. He replied with his address before slipping his phone back into his pocket.
That evening, he went on like usual. He ate dinner with his mother and siblings, listened to Kota play bass, and read one of his manga. However, there was no inaudible drumming tonight. The blond seemed to have abandoned the instrument tonight, his room was dark and looked empty. He shrugged it off, it was none of his business anyway.
Dusk turned into darkness and the house became quiet. His mother had gone to sleep hours ago, and his brother and sister were tucked away in their rooms. At nine o’clock, he changed into a pair of dark wash jorts and a white graphic t-shirt. He fixed his hair a bit while he waited for the perfect time to arrive. At nine-twenty, he slipped on his red sneakers and opened his bathroom window.
He climbed on top of the toilet and carefully lowered himself onto the trellis. The vines brushed against his skin as he climbed down the wooden structure. He expertly placed his feet in the square shaped openings, making sure he didn’t lose balance. Once he reached the bottom, he wiped his hands together, dusting off the little bits of dirt on his palms. Right on time, a white sedan pulled up a couple houses down and he lightly jogged over.
His new acquaintances greeted him as he got in the back seat. Loud pop music was playing through the speakers and they all sang along, he figured he might as well have some fun.
They arrived in a neighborhood that was clearly full of rich people. The houses were nearly double the size of his new home, some were even bigger. Ochaco turned down a street full of sleek, modern houses. Every single one was at least two stories and some were even split level. Even compared to the mansions and penthouses in the city, these houses were insane.
“Woah.” He muttered, mostly to himself as he looked at the large, expensive houses.
“I know, right!” Ochaco chimed in. “Everyone on this side of town is filthy rich.”
His eyes wandered to a house that had at least seven cars in the driveway and plenty more parked on the side of the street. That must be the one. He thought to himself as Ochaco parallel parked a couple houses down.
The house was a sleek, modern design. The exterior was covered in dark gray and white panels, making it look shiny and had large windows. The driveway led to two large garage doors and a light stone walkway with stairs. Everything about the house screamed money. On the second floor, there was a large balcony that overlooked the driveway and looked like it wrapped around the side of the house.
Izuku walked with his new acquaintances to the front door, which was propped open to allow people to come and go as they pleased. Inside, he realized he severely underestimated this party.
From the foyer, he could see the kitchen on one side, which was packed with people pouring various drinks into their red cups, and the living room on the other, which had large, lavish couches and arm chairs and was equally as packed. In the living room, there were large, floor to ceiling windows and a sliding door that faced the backyard, which had a huge pool.
This was definitely not what he was expecting for a party in little Yaizu. In fact, it almost felt like the parties back in Hamamatsu — almost.
Loud rap music played throughout the house from various speakers and there were colorful lights plugged in, replacing the normal ceiling lights. As the five of them walked inside, two boys came over to them. The two of them were definitely twins, one of them had red, spikey hair and red eyes, the other had fluffy, silver waves and stone colored eyes.
“Hey, guys! Thanks for coming!” The redhead smiled, his voice practically boomed.
“Hey, who’s this kid?” The stone eyed twin asked, pointing at Izuku.
He hesitated and looked over at Tsu and Ochaco, who were already introducing him.
“This is Midoriya Izuku.” Tsu chimed in.
“We found him at the mall earlier, he’s our new friend!” Ochaco added, pointing one of her fingers upward by her face.
“You found him?” The redhead repeated, raising one of his eyebrows.
Ochaco hummed and nodded. Izuku smiled awkwardly and rubbed the back of his neck.
“It’s nice to meet you.. uh..” He trailed off.
“Oh, I’m Kirishima Eijiro and this is my brother Tetsu!” The redhead replied.
“Nice to meet you!” Tetsu nodded.
“Nice to meet you guys!” Izuku smiled.
“Alright, we should make our rounds, but help yourselves to whatever!” Eijiro said, giving them a quick two finger salute.
Shoto and Iida nodded as the twins walked off into the crowd. The five of them made their way to the crowded kitchen. The counters had stacks of red Solo cups, half empty bottles of soda and juice, and several bottles of expensive alcohol and cases of beer. Gray Goose, Jack Daniels, and even Clase Azul, which was shocking for a high school house party.
Ochaco grabbed his wrist the same way she did at the mall and pulled him over towards the counter, picking up two plastic cups.
“Do you drink?” She asked.
“What kind of question is that, of course I drink.” He chuckled.
The brunette giggled and handed him one of the cups she had grabbed. Both of them poured themselves a vodka and Sprite, tapping their cups together before taking a sip. He still hated Yaizu, but this wasn’t that bad. He definitely liked Ochaco, she was energetic and knew how to have fun, maybe new friends wouldn’t be bad after all.
New friends. It still stung.
He chased the feeling in his chest with the rest of his drink and poured himself another one. Ochaco looked at him, flabbergasted as he chugged the drink down, but quickly followed suit. The duo ended up leaving the group to walk around the first floor of the house. His new friend introduced him to all kinds of people, dragging him into random conversations, he let the alcohol do most of the talking. Ochaco introduced him to a blonde girl named Toga, who Ochaco had been crushing on for years. Two boys named Sero and Denki, a girl named Mina, who had bright pink hair, a girl named Jirou, and some other people who went to U.A.
Eventually, the two of them made their way to the backyard, which was just as packed. Izuku wondered how the Kirishima’s knew so many people, more so, how there were this many teenagers in Yaizu. Some people were sitting on the edge of the pool or sprawled out on the lounge chairs. Others were playing beerpong by the grill, laughing as they took turns tossing the small ball into cups.
What caught his eye most though, was a group of people sitting in the corner of the yard. They had pulled some chairs from the outdoor dining table to make a small circle. The group of strangers were passing something between each other and Izuku knew exactly what it was.
“Can we go over there?” Izuku asked, pointing to the circle of chairs.
“Ah, I don’t smoke, but I’ll go with you if you want.” Ochaco replied.
“No, that's alright, I can go alone.” He shrugged.
“Okay, call me if you get lost!” The girl replied.
The freckled boy nodded and the duo went their separate ways.
As he walked towards the corner of the yard, he realized this was Hamamatsu, he didn’t know any of these people. Which meant they likely wouldn’t just share with him. He frowned, but figured it was worth a shot. He approached the group of strangers, unsure what he was going to say, but when he saw a familiar set of crimson eyes, he felt a bit of relief.
“Oi,” The blond spoke up, looking him up and down.
“Uh, hey, Kacch– er, Katsuki.” He mumbled.
“Who’s this, Bakugou?” A buff guy with medium brown hair asked, raising an eyebrow at Katsuki.
“No one.” Katsuki scoffed.
Oh. So that’s how it is then.
He rolled his eyes at the response.
“Really, Katsuki?”
“Fuck off, Deku.” Katsuki retorted.
“Grow up, asshole.” He replied.
The brunette gawked at him like he just committed a crime. His eyes darted between Izuku and Katsuki, waiting for someone to say something.
“I said, fuck off.” The blond sneered, leaning forward in his seat.
“What’s your problem?” The freckled boy scoffed, crossing his arms.
“You’re my fucking problem, Deku.” Katsuki snapped, standing up from his seat. “I’ll say it again. Fuck. Off.”
Looking back, he should’ve just left it and walked away, but of course, he didn’t.
“Asshole.” He muttered again.
Before he could turn around, Katsuki swung on him. A fist collided with his jaw, sending his glasses flying and causing him to stumble. He lifted his hand to nurse his throbbing cheek and looked over at the blond. Rage was burning in those ruby eyes.
“What the fuck?” He sneered.
Without thinking, he ran up and swung a punch, landing it on Katsuki’s cheek in a similar fashion. Katsuki’s stance faltered for a split second before he stood tall again.
“Oh, you’re really gonna regret that.” The blond threatened.
He grabbed Izuku’s shoulders and the two of them stumbled to the ground. Izuku used all his strength to try and push the larger boy off him, but failed as Katsuki landed another blow to his face. A crowd of people circled around them as they thrashed around on the grass. Izuku gripped Katsuki’s shoulders and flipped them, giving him the upper hand.
He landed a couple successful punches before the blond fisted the collar of his shirt, pulling him closer. The freckled boy yelped as the unexpected pull, but when their faces were just inches away, he felt his cheeks heat up.
“Who the fuck do you think you are, Deku?” Katsuki whispered harshly.
Before he could respond, Katsuki flipped them again, planting one knee between his legs and the other on the other side of his thigh. Izuku struggled against him as the larger boy pinned him down. His eyes darted around as he looked for his out, and he found it. He wiggled his arm out of Katsuki’s grip and blocked his fist before it could collide with his face again.
Right when he was about to swing on the blond again, Katsuki was yanked backwards by a familiar duo. Eijiro and Tetsu pulled him back and started scolding him. The blond rolled his eyes as Testu berated him for fighting at their party. Eijiro rushed over and gave him a hand up, which he gratefully accepted.
“Hey, man, are you okay?” The redhead asked, concern etched on his face.
“Yeah, yeah, I’m fine.” He nodded, brushing the dirt off himself.
“Sorry about that, Katsuki’s a little, er, explosive.” Eijiro chuckled, rubbing his neck.
“It’s alright.” Izuku chuckled.
It was at that moment, he felt nothing but curiosity when it came to Bakugou Katsuki.
“Oh my gosh, Izuku!” Tsu yelped, hurrying over to him.
Iida followed behind the green haired girl, looking concerned as well. His new friends came over to him and assessed him, looking for any injury. His own eyes were searching around for his fallen glasses, praying they weren’t broken.
“Who did this? Was it Bakugou?” Iida asked, knitting his eyebrows together.
“Yeah, but it’s no big deal.” He assured.
“Of course it is! You could’ve gotten seriously hurt.” The taller one insisted.
He shook his head as he leaned down to pick up his glasses, slipping them back onto his face. Luckily, they were fully intact. He whipped the bottom of his nose, checking for blood, but there was none. Well, this was probably the worst case scenario.
Eijiro had walked back over to Katsuki to scold him, but the blond’s mind was clearly elsewhere.
Strange.
Ochaco dropped them all off one by one until it was just Izuku left, she bid him goodbye and said she’d love to hangout soon, which he agreed to. He made his way up the trellis and climbed back in his bathroom window. The room was dark except for a small nightlight he plugged in. He flicked on his bedroom light and changed out of his dirty clothes into a forest green hoodie and black basketball shorts before flopping down into bed.
He checked his phone to see no missed calls, which was a relief, and the time, which read 2:43. The freckled boy plugged his phone in and shut his eyes. It didn’t take long for him to drift off, listening to the soft whir of his fan.
The next morning, the sun shone through his window and beamed across his face. He blinked his eyes open, adjusting to the brightness of the room and let out a yawn. He didn’t bother checking the time as he climbed out of bed and stumbled into the bathroom, his body ached. As he looked into the mirror, his eyes widened. Lo and behold, he had a black eye underneath his right eye. He let out an exasperated sigh and gently touched the purple bruise.
He opened a small drawer and pulled out a tube of concealer, praying it would do the trick. He gently blended the makeup over his new bruise, covering some of his freckles in the process, until he looked normal enough to go unnoticed. That would have to do.
Izuku made his way downstairs and greeted his mom, who was standing in the kitchen, with a halfhearted smile. The woman frowned slightly, but he ignored it, figuring she was disappointed he woke up so late. He took a seat at the kitchen bar and his mother tossed a piece of bread in the toaster for him.
“Fun night?” She asked, back turned towards him.
He felt his heart sink and all the blood drained from his face.
“N-No, just laid in bed.” He replied, keeping his voice as even as possible.
Inko turned around to face him, looking disappointed. Shit.
“Izuku, pardon my language, but what the hell?” She frowned.
He wracked his brain, trying to figure out how she could’ve found out. He was certain she was asleep when he left, and he was practically silent getting in and out. If she knew, why didn’t she call?
She tapped her face right under her own eye. “I saw the black eye this morning and now it's covered up. I’m not stupid, Izuku.”
He felt his shoulders sag as his mother spoke and his stomach twisted.
“This was supposed to be a fresh start, now you’re right back to your old ways.” Inko frowned. “What’s going on with you?”
“I’m not ‘back to my old ways’.” He retorted, snapping more than he meant to.
“So you got a black eye from laying in bed then?” His mother asked sternly, crossing her arms.
He didn’t answer.
“Where’d you go, Izuku?” She sighed, leaving no room for him to argue.
“I just went to a party.” He replied, looking down at his lap.
“How’d you get the black eye?”
“It was an accident.”
“How’d you get the black eye?” Inko repeated, firmer.
“I got in a fight with someone.”
His mother nodded and turned back to the stove. There was a beat of silence between them as he hung his head down and fiddled with the hem of his shirt. When the toaster popped up, his mother slid a plate of eggs and toast over to him and rested her forearms on the counter.
“Listen, I understand this has been a difficult transition, but I need you to stop being so reckless.” She said softly.
Reckless.
“Yaizu is a beautiful town and I think you’ll thrive here if you give it a chance. I don’t want a repeat of the last year and a half in Hamamatsu.”
Repeat.
He gritted his teeth as she spoke.
“I care about you, so, so much. I know between the divorce, and Kosei, and–”
He slammed his fist on the counter, rattling his plate.
“Don’t you dare play that card on me.” He snapped, looking back up at her. “Don’t fucking talk about him.”
Inko stepped back cautiously, eyes wide. She took a deep breath in and exhaled softly.
“I’m sorry.” She replied. “What I mean to say is, you’ve had a rough year or so. I just want to see you flourish and have a blank slate here.”
“I didn’t want a blank slate. I didn’t want to move. I didn’t want to leave my friends.” He felt like a broken record. “I didn’t fucking want any of this.”
Inko’s eyes were full of love and understanding, but he felt so misunderstood. His mother looked like she was searching for the right words, but he didn’t want to hear them. He stood up and walked back to his room, not sparing her a single glance. The sound of his door slamming vibrated through the whole house as he tucked himself away like he always did.
He held back tears as his chest tightened around his heart. All he wanted was for his life to go back to normal. His life in Hamamatsu in a lively home, where his parents were still together, when he had friends, when he had Kosei. Now, he had nothing.
The rims of his eyes filled with tears that threatened to fall, but he quickly wiped them away. He tried to think of the busy city streets, skipping around with Itsuka and Sen under the warm spring sun. The memory played in his head like it was yesterday and willed the tears away long enough for him to regain his composure.
He turned on some music, praying it would be loud enough to drown out every thought he was having, which seemed to do the trick.
That evening, he returned to his normal routine. Listen to Kota play, read in his window nook, and watch Katsuki hit his drums. He wondered if Katsuki was any good. Curiosity lingered from the night before as he stared a little more than usual.
The blond nodded his head, presumably to the beat of whatever song he was playing. Everytime he hit the drum, it was in sync with the movement of his head. As the song played on, his movements became more passionate and he closed his eyes, letting the music consume him. Izuku could tell when the song ended, Katsuki hit the drums quickly in a specific order and landed one last hit on the drum directly in front of him. As soon as he was done, he set the drumsticks down and pulled off his headphones. The blond ran and hand through his spikes and tossed his head back.
Izuku wanted to know more about the explosive blond.
The next day, Inko started her new job and was gone when he woke up. Eri and Kota were in Kota’s room, messing around with a new song he was learning. Their sister gave him notes every time he played it, but he seemed to be stuck on a specific riff. Normally he’d help his brother with what knowledge he had, but he didn’t have the energy this morning. At least they seemed to be doing alright with the move.
He contemplated calling Itsuka or Sen, but the thought of them not answering changed his mind. If he called and got sent to voicemail, he probably would’ve cried, just thinking about it made him frown. Although, his chest twisted as he slipped his phone into his pocket.
The freckled boy wandered the halls of his new home, as if he hadn’t seen the whole house already. They’d been living there for nearly a month now, but it still felt unfamiliar. All the old family photos and pictures of them as kids had been hung up nicely, but it still felt lifeless, like it was missing something. Or someone.
Every photo of his dad was gone. His mother changed out the photos for more pictures of the four of them. Any trace of his father being in their lives was washed away like a spill of water. Midoriya Hisashi was a name that was no longer welcome in this house — this house that he didn’t feel welcome in either. The walls of their new house didn’t echo with the sound of childhood laughter. The walls of their new house didn’t have years worth of scratches and dents from children running around. It was an empty, lifeless void.
His heart twisted as he stood in the middle of their living room, scanning the smooth walls. He left a piece of him back in Hamamatsu, a very big piece of himself.
A faint ringing sound broke him away from his thoughts and he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. He pulled out the device and saw a call from Ochaco, which felt odd, but he answered anyway.
“Hello?”
“Hey! Wanna grab lunch with me?” Ochaco asked cheerfully from the other end.
He looked around the unfamiliar house again and decided he wanted to get out of here.
“Sure!” He replied.
“Perfect, I’ll pick you up in ten!”
“Alright.”
The call ended and he put his phone back in his pocket as he walked upstairs. He figured he should change out of his sweats before she got here, so he settled on a pair of light wash baggy jeans and a black t-shirt. His black eye was still purple, with a little bit of yellow, but he didn’t feel like covering it up.
Izuku knocked on Kota’s door and opened it slowly. Kota was sitting on one of his bean bags holding his guitar while Eri sat on the edge of his bed, watching him play. The two of them looked over at him as he walked inside the room.
“I’m gonna go out for a few hours, be good.” He said, looking between the two of them.
Kota shrugged dismissively.
“Okay!” Eri smiled.
“Call me if you need anything.” He nodded.
His siblings nodded and he shut the door.
When Ochaco picked him up, the two of them headed to a cute, local cafe. The brunette told him it was one of her favorite spots and thought he’d like it too. Inside, the walls were covered in dark, wooden panels, giving it a cozy vibe. Warm lights hung from the ceiling and there were even a few floor lamps around the cafe. In one of the corners, there were three tall bookshelves with books and boardgames people could use while they were there. He and Ochaco both ordered matcha lattes and sandwiches before taking a seat in one of the window booths.
“This place is really nice.” Izuku smiled, looking around at the cozy atmosphere.
“I know right! It’s so cozy here, that’s why I love it.” Ochaco replied, wrapping her hands around her large, white mug.
Both of them took a sip of their warm lattes. He was pleasantly surprised with how good it was. As sipped on his beverage, he tuned into the soft rock song that was playing throughout the cafe. It was one he was familiar with, but couldn’t remember the name of it off the top of his head.
“I don’t really know how else to ask this, but what’s your deal?” Ochaco asked, looking up from her cup.
He raised his brow slightly, trying to read her expression, but it was useless.
“What do you mean?”
“Like, where’d you come from? Why are you here?” She asked, her tone was genuine and full of curiosity.
He hesitated for a moment, deciding if he should be fully honest or not. There was an easy answer to this question, which was a half truth, but still true. But, there was a long answer too; the full truth. He figured it’d be best not to give his whole life story to someone he met barely a week ago.
“I’m from Hamamatsu, I told you guys at the mall, remember?”
“Well yeah, but I want to know more,” Ochaco shrugged. “I wanna be friends with you, so let’s get to know each other!”
He nodded. She was right, if he wanted to make friends, the real reason would come up eventually.
“Uh, my parents got a divorce this last year and my mom wanted to start fresh here in Yaizu.” He settled for, leaving out the big details.
“I’m so sorry, I’m sure that was really hard for you.” She replied, frowning slightly.
“No, it’s alright.” He chuckled. “I can’t say I’m happy about it though.”
“On the bright side, you met me!” Ochaco giggled, trying to lighten the mood.
Izuku let himself laugh with her.
“Well, tell me about you.” She nodded, motioning towards him.
He thought for a moment. What was he supposed to say? Back home, everyone already knew him, so he never had to deal with introductions. He pursed his lips to the side and looked around, trying to figure out what to say.
“I have a little brother and sister.” He shrugged.
“Oo, how old are they?”
“Fourteen, they’re twins.”
“I bet growing up was fun, I’m an only child.” She replied, rolling her eyes.
“Yeah, they’re a handful sometimes though.” He chuckled.
“What kind of stuff are you interested in?”
“I like music and drawing.” He shrugged. “And I’m kind of a superhero nerd.” He added, rubbing the back of his neck.
“Ah, you’re the artsy type, huh? What’s your favorite band? Who’s your favorite superhero?” Ochaco asked, leaning forward.
For the next hour, they got to know each other as they sipped on their drinks. He learned that Ochaco was very curious and energetic. For every answer he gave her, she had three more questions for him. She asked about Hamamatsu, his family, his hobbies, and how he felt about Yaizu.
Izuku learned that she really liked music too, she listened to just about everything. She showed him her playlist and when he said everything, she meant it. He also learned that Ochaco liked parties, meeting new people, doing things spontaneously, and was the president of the yearbook club at school. His new friend told him anything he wanted to know, she was an open book.
She told him all about Yaizu and U.A High School. She told him he should join the yearbook club with her, Tsu, and Shoto, which he agreed to. Izuku asked about the others he met at the mall and Ochaco gave him a brief introduction of each of them.
Shoto was pretty quiet and stoic, but he always looked out for his friends. He wasn’t a big fan of parties, but would go with them sometimes. Iida was a big rule follower, he didn’t drink at parties and would lecture them sometimes. He could be a bit much sometimes, but he meant well. Lastly, Tsu was bubbly, but not quite as energetic as Ochaco. She gives really good advice and really likes photography.
That afternoon, he left the cafe feeling a little bit better about Yaizu. He didn’t love it, but knowing he had a new friend made him hate it just a little less. The new duo drove through downtown and Ochaco pointed out some popular spots to eat and shop. Eventually, she dropped him off at home and they bid their goodbye’s.
As he walked up the driveway, he let out a sigh. The last thing he wanted to do was be in this house — the house that wasn’t his. He stood in front of the door, staring as he tried to lift his hand to the door knob, but he couldn’t. The metal door stared back at him, taunting him. He scoffed and turned around, walking towards the side of the house.
The freckled boy wandered down the path again, admiring how the land split from a forest to an empty field. The sides were like polar opposites, one was darker and mysterious, the other was full of bright, warm light from the sun. He walked further down the path, listening to the sound of the forest as the wind blew past him. Suddenly, he heard the sound of a twig snapping. He looked down, but saw no twigs underneath his feet. He whirled around, looking for what was behind him.
To his surprise, he saw a familiar head of blond spikes and ruby eyes standing a few feet behind him. He scrunched his face in confusion, what could he want now?
“Are you following me?” Izuku asked, defensive but also curious.
“No.” Katsuki replied flatly, not elaborating further.
“Okay..?” He started slowly, still confused. “What are you doing then?”
“Well, I was trying to go smoke.” The blond scoffed. “But someone is in my spot.”
Izuku rolled his eyes. His spot? He didn’t own the woods. Still, curiosity poked at his thoughts.
“You gonna punch me again?” He challenged.
“Oh, fuck off.” Katsuki grumbled.
“I’m serious.”
The blond looked him up and down, his usual scowl was still etched on his face. Instead of replying, he pulled his hand out of his pocket, revealing an orange lighter and a fresh joint. He didn’t say anything as he lit up and took a long drag from it. Izuku blinked at him, still awaiting his answer, but he never got one.
Katsuki wandered off the path into the woods, and Izuku felt the urge to follow him, but decided not to. The blond didn’t spare him another glance as he walked deeper into the forest and the freckled boy decided to head back home. He wondered what the blond was thinking. Bakugou Katsuki was a mystery he wanted to solve.
Once more, the black, metal door taunted him as he stared at it. This time, he shook his head and forced himself to open it. He stepped inside and felt empty again — empty like this house. His mother smiled at him from the kitchen and he weakly smiled back before dragging himself upstairs.
When he got to his room, he did the one thing he knew would make him feel better. He turned on some music and got comfy on his bed with his favorite manga series. The freckled boy felt the heaviness in his chest lighten as he threw himself into the story. Each panel made him forget the recent changes in his life, clearing his mind.
Later that evening, Inko made his favorite dish, katsudon, for dinner. He knew it was just an attempt to make him feel better, but he was happy to eat it nonetheless. As the four of them sat at the dinner table, he couldn’t help but notice the empty chairs at either end of the table. The empty seats made his chest twist with that familiar sadness.
Back in Hamamatsu, his dad would be at one end and one of his friends would usually be at the other. Their dinners were always loud with conversation as they ate, but now they were quiet. His mother chatted lightly about her new job when Eri asked about it, but the topic died out quickly, leaving them to eat in silence.
“Oh, Izuku, I found a new band to play in.” Kota chimed in, looking up from his plate.
Izuku looked between him and their mother, who nodded, confirming what his brother just said.
“That’s great, Ko.” He nodded, smiling softly.
“Yeah,” Kota agreed. “I’m gonna practice with them tomorrow.”
“Can I go?” Eri asked.
“Why?” The dark haired boy asked, turning to look at her.
“Because watching you play is fun and I wanna meet your new friends!” Eri smiled.
Kota looked at her for a moment before rolling his eyes. “Fine.” He shrugged dismissively.
Their sister smiled happily and the four of them drifted back into silence.
That night, Izuku watched his neighbor play his drums a bit more aggressively than usual. He wondered if the blond was upset or if he was playing a specific song that required him to play that way. As he peered out the window, he noticed the blond’s window was open. He pulled his attention back and looked at his own window, wondering if it opened and was pleasantly surprised when it swung open. The freckled boy leaned his head back against the wall and shut his eyes, focusing on the sound coming from the other boy’s room.
The rhythm crept into his ears and he tried to figure out what he was playing. When the chorus came, his eyes shot open. He was playing the song from the coffee shop, the one he couldn’t name. Izuku tried to think of the name again, but nothing came to mind.
He wondered what other songs Katsuki had been playing.