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The results were up.
Izuku opened his email, hands shaking with energy. He almost dropped his phone as he read the letter.
[To Izuku Midoriya,
Yuuei invites you to the university's School Sports Medicine and Physiotherapy for the upcomming school year!
We are pleased to announce that you have been gifted a full ride tuition and a sign on with Yuuei's Men's Rugby team.
All the best,
Yuuei President Nedzu]
He knew he should tell his mom right away. She had been his rock during the entire application and tryout process, even when he thought he couldn't do it. She had stayed up late meal prepping him calorie dense, high protein meals to take to school while he studied for entrance exams and prepared for interviews.
But he had to do something first.
Toshinori was where he could always be found: running laps around Musutafu's beach. It had been the luckiest day of Izuku's life when he had run into the rugby all star on the way home from school. And since then, the man had helped Izuku to live his dream of getting good enough at rugby to be on the national team. And even though he wasn't quite at Japan's Nationals level yet, he knew he would be. He had the best coach.
He waved to the old man who was doing a cool down lap, his wind breaker zipped back up as he slowed his pace to stop in front of Izuku. Izuku was still short for his age, but Toshinori was a giant among men, easily dwarfing everyone around him even in retirement.
"Izuku my boy! What brings you here?" His smile was so bright, Izuku never saw him without one. Even during old recorded matches when he was in his prime, the man was always smiling down his opponents as he easily plowed through them to victory.
One day, Izuku knew he would do the same.
"I got in!" Izuku was breathless, he had run the whole way from his high school to the beach in order to catch the man before he went to his home for dinner. Heavy breaths fogged as they met the cold fall air. It wasn't cold enough to snow yet, but it was getting there.
The man in front of him quirked his head, confused at the lack of context.
"Yuuei! I got in! I'm on the team!" He was proud of actually getting into the prestigious school too, of course, but being on the famous rugby team was nothing short of a dream come true. Tears prickled his eyes.
"Oh, come now, boy. There's no need to cry! This is a monumentous ocassion!"
Izuku wiped the tears from his face. A teary, wobbly smile on his face as he nodded, "yeah. You're right! I just, I really wanted to tell you thanks. For everything. I couldn't have done it without you."
The older man rested a heavy hand on Izuku's shoulder, squeezing gently. "No no, it was all you. No one else would have been so diligent in their practice and studies as you. Your acceptance was due solely to the hard work you put in, and now you reap the reward."
~~~~~~~~~~
That was a year ago…
Izuku hadn't known that his childhood friend had been watching from the park across the street on his own way home to break the news to his family that while he had gotten into the School for Engineering and Aerospace Design, he hadn't made it onto his dream rugby team.
He also hadn't known that at the time of his acceptance, the current team captain had led history's best collegiate team into the ground. He had continued watching the recorded games when he could, but he had no idea how bad the situation really was until he got onto the field for the first evening practice.
What was scheduled to be a two hour skills and lifting session, ended after fourty five minutes of the shortest conditioning session he'd ever had the pleasure of running through, and sloppy passing drills where no one was there to give pointers.
Now, he had been voted in as team captain. The first years had complained to the head of the sports division and were told that it was within policy that team captains were chosen and voted in by team members. If they didn't like the captain, all they had to do was say so.
And they had. Izuku had shown ample times in the first few games that his skill set of strategy and matching players to their strengths would get the team the wins they craved.
Within one season, Izuku had gotten Yuuei's team to shoot to the third spot in collegiate team rankings.
He smiled to Eijirou who was gulping down water. He was bulky and had the power to be on the field, but Izuku needed to work on his endurance at higher speeds. The red head had taken to the challenge with a sharp smile and pumped fists. Izuku clapped him on the back and gathered the rest of the team into a circle to discuss what they did well and what they needed further work on before calling it quits for the night and sending everyone back to their dorms to eat and get homework done.
The heavy glass doors to the indoor arena squealed and in the corner of his eye he saw someone with a baseball cap and sweats step onto the turf, crossing to the other side of the field.
"Alright guys, good job today! Get some rest and I'll see you at the weight room tomorrow for an explosive power and leg session."
Izuku watched as his teammates gathered their things, chattering cheerily about grabbing a bite to eat before studying for exams or working through problem sets. He smiled when he saw Shoto, Shoji, and Tokoyami agree to get cold soba with the others. Those two had the hardest time meeting their extroverted friends in the middle, but it seemed like Denki and Eijiro were finally making progress. Long gone were the days of denying a late night snack or gaming session.
He took another swig of water before grabbing the ball bag and taking it to the center of the field. As the only good kicker, he had to make sure his drop kicks were perfect. Besides, Izuku enjoyed the solitude after his social battery ran dry. Just head phones, loud music and the thump of his laces hitting the ball. He always imagined the whistle of the ball as it shot through the air before smacking far down the field.
The blond stranger continued to run laps around the field while Izuku worked both legs, practicing penalty shots and starting drops.
Midway through his solo session, the stranger finished their warmup and stopped to crouch by their backpack. Izuku paused his kicks as he watched them take a drink of gatorade, stand up and pull off their hoodie, and grab a rugby ball from the bag.
They must've felt his green eyes on them because red garnet eyes met Izuku's in a deep scowl. Jeez, what's their problem?
Still distracted, and more focused on the rippling back muscles and delts that were exposed, covered not at all by the tight black sports bra the stranger was wearing, Izuku dropped another ball to the ground and kicked.
The ball flew.
Up. Up.
The only reason Izuku knew where it would land is because he was watching the stranger still. Watching them prep the ball to pass to an imaginary person, as his kick landed right on top of them.
The ball crashed into their head with a heavy thud, dunking the person's head down a few inches before they straightened back up and glared at the source of the poorly aimed ball. Izuku waved awkwardly and gulped, trying his best not to feel intimidated by the tensed muscled body that was now standing up and striding to his place on the near empty field.
"What the fuck is wrong with you? Are you fucking oblivious you dumbass moron!" They were rubbing the top of their head where the ball had fallen.
Izuku backed up a step, holding up his arms in a gesture of peace. And also to create space between him and the raging blonde.
Funny, he thought, they almost remind me of—
"Kacchan?!" Izuku would know that voice anywhere. Sure, he hadn't really paid any attention to his old childhood friend since middle school, and sure he looked a hell of a lot bigger than Izuku remembered (seriously, how did he get so jacked?) but the body language was the same, the voice was the same, and those piercing red eyes were the same that had glared at him for years.
Katsuki tilted his head. "Deku?" He sounded disbelieving but he too recognized the green haired nerd from years ago.
"Hi! Kacchan! It's been so long. I didn't know you, uh, went to Yuuei too!" Izuku stammered trying to make conversation, to diffuse the situation.
"Of course I go here. It's been my dream school since middle school you dumbass." Katsuki almost snarled, spit flying from his mouth.
"Heh, yeah. Kacchan was always the best. No surprise." Izuku looked down at his cleats at a loss for words. They used to come so easily between us. Izuku almost mourned the friendship he had had.
But it wasn't his fault the blond threw him away like garbage back in middle school. One day they were friends, the next, Katsuki was giving him the silent treatment.
"So, uh, you still play?" Izuku gestured to the ball in Katsuki's hands. Green and orange grippy dots reflecting light. It was brand new.
"I never stopped, Deku. But you wouldn't know, would you?"
Okay, what is that supposed to mean?
Izuku was quick to defend himself, pushing into Katsuki's space. In the back of his mind he was shouting apologies for drop kicking a ball onto Katsuki's head. Instead, he said: "well of course I wouldn't! You left me behind in middle school Kacchan! What was I supposed to do, stalk you?"
He was amped up from practice, and if he had to admit it, drained from being team captain, and drained from his studies. He hadn't meant to yell at Katsuki. Really, he hadn't.
Katsuki clicked his tongue and turned away. "Beat it, Deku. You've had the field all night. And clearly you can't keep to your own space." He threw the ball that Izuku had been using into Izuku's chest. He hadn't even noticed the blond was carrying it too.
"It's a community field, Kacchan." The nickname just came so easily to his lips. Izuku wasn't sure if using it was helping his situation, but it would require more thought than he had available to use the other's real name.
Katsuki stepped into Izuku's space. Izuku's eyes widened. He was now even with Katsuki in height. Even a few inches taller. It really has been that long since I've seen you…
He held up his hands. "Fine. All yours Kacchan." He grabbed the ball being held out to him and turned back to his things piled on the sidelines.
~~~~~~~~~~
The next time Izuku saw Katsuki was when his teammates were idly chatting with the blond before practice. He was wearing the same baggy hoodie and apparently he had gotten to the field an hour before the team was scheduled to use it, and now, Eijirou, being the bubbly guy he was, was introducing himself.
Izuku stumbled onto the last parts of the conversation. "You should have totally tried out for the team bro! You're amazing!"
Red eyes turned away from the red head talking to him, and locked in on Izuku. Eijirou noticed and his smile grew as he waved a greeting at Izuku. "Hey Cap! Have you talked to, uh, sorry I forgot your name-?" Eijirou turned to ask Katsuki but Izuku interrupted.
"Yes, I've met Kacchan before. You're right. He is an amazing player. One of the best. We went to middle school together." Izuku didn't back down at the glare he was given.
Katsuki chewed the inside of his cheek. "Yeah, well, Shitty Hair, I did try for the team and didn't get it. My spot went to someone else." Katsuki gave one last glance at Izuku before turning and leaving, throwing his hood over his blond hair and grabbing his backpack before leaving the arena entirely.
"Woah, what was that about?" Eijirou asked.
"Nothing, just an old friend. We had a falling out."
Denki spoke up from where he was tying his cleats. "Seems like way more than that, man. Dude was ready to slit your throat. He's kinda scary, what's his deal?"
Izuku shrugged in on himself. He's not scary. Not really. "He's just…shy? He doesn't make friends easily, so he's usually pretty defensive."
Eijirou sat down to put on his own cleats. "We should offer to let him practice with us some time! I saw his agility drills when I came in. He's flexible and fast. And it looks like the guy can do real damage. So manly!" Eijiro pumped a fist in the air.
"Uh, Kacchan's usually not a team player. He'd probably just say no."
"Awe, man! C'mon Midobro! Maybe he could sub for the team. It's crazy he's didn't get in from tryouts."
I think I have a feeling why… "Next time I see him I'll ask. But don't get your hopes up," Izuku conceded.
~~~~~~~~~~
Turns out, any chance at a competition was enough to get Katsuki to agree. As long as Katsuki was on the same team as Eijirou and Denki during the scrimmage and was able to go against Izuku, he didn't care about anything else. Izuku agreed after seeing how excited his team was to get the opportunity to play a low stakes game with someone new.
Yeah, that has to be the only reason Kacchan didn't make the team. Izuku was wiped. Katsuki alone had made four tries without breaking a sweat. He was reading Izuku's moves easily, breaking through the defensive line. And even when he couldn't, Izuku was surprised how well Katsuki formed a bond with half of the team, coaching them through plays as well as Izuku could.
If Katsuki didn't make the team because of skill level, then it had to be the sure lack of dick in his pants.
Izuku called it when Katsuki was still rearing to go another round. It might've been the hardest "low stakes" conditioning the team had ever gone through. The blond was rutheless in the raw power and stamina he had to keep playing round after round until the only one left standing was Izuku. "That's enough for tonight, Kacchan. Thank you for the good games, but the team is beat." Izuku walked up, hand outstretched to Katsuki.
Katsuki, who reached out his own hand, open and ready to shake Izuku's.
Katsuki, who instead smacked Izuku's hand out of the way in a devastatingly loud SMACK that rattled through Izuku's body.
Now, Izuku was standing face to face with his childhood friend who had dropped him off the face of the earth in middle school. Izuku wasn't even sure that it was Katsuki staring him down anymore. Their attitudes were the same. That confident smirk and angry determination were definately the same.
But Izuku hadn't ever remembered seeing his Katsuki so…
So defeated.
Muscled shoulders shrugged inward before tensing. Izuku had only a second to brace himself before Katasuki's knuckles met his cheek in a painful blow.
"Holy SHIT! Cap, are you okay?!" Tenya and Shoto ran forward to see what was happening and to break up the impending fight.
Izuku held up a hand. "Practice is over for tonight." Shoto stepped in front of him, forcing space between Izuku and Katsuki. Izuku simply shook his head. "I'm fine, Sho."
"Yeah, he's fine Candy Cane. Get lost." Katsuki pushed Shoto out of the way.
Izuku lowered his voice, staring each team mate in the eye before waving them off and asking them to leave again. "I'll be fine. Just need to have a talk with Kacchan!" His voice switched instantaneously, bringing out a cheery smile to hide the mix of irritation and fear he felt.
As soon as everyone had left, leaving the entire grass field for two people, Izuku turned back to his old friend. "Kacchan, what the He—" Katsuki landed a punch to Izuku's nose, a brutal crunch erupting from the blow. Katsuki smiled cheekily.
"Not so high and mighty now, are you Deku?" Katsuki swung out again, but Izuku dodged out of the way.
"I'm not fighting you Kacchan. Whatever you need to say, you can say it without hitting me." Izuku stood back up and backed away as another wild swing swooshed in front of him.
"You fucking asshole!" Katsuki shrieked before jumping and tackling Izuku to the ground to pin him between his knees. He used strong arms to hold down Izuku by the wrists. He was panting, heavy breaths erratic as his punches were.
Izuku rolled his eyes, but held eye contact. Katsuki was like a rabid dog. You couldn't back down. Not when he was like this. "What did I do this time Kacchan? What's got you so pissed off at me now?" Izuku's tone was venemous.
"You fucking know. You're just MOCKING me. Asking me to scrimmage with the team? Really?!" Katsuki let out a laugh before spitting in Izuku's face.
"Kirishima asked to invite you. He saw you at practice the other day and said we should invite you to the team."
"Sure. And after you wasted my time you were going to what? Just be buddy buddy with me? Let me join your fuck ass team?!" Katsuki's grip tightened on Izuku's wrists, making the green head wince.
"Wasted your time?! Kacchan, you agreed to play tonight. No one forced you! And yeah, I was hoping you'd wanna join the team after you saw how much they were improving."
Katsuki took in the words, still refusing to let go of Izuku. In his rage he let the words slip: "of course I would have joined. If you had asked." His voice was a whisper, but so close to Izuku, the other man could hear the words clearly. "But you wouldn't have. Not really." Katsuki shook his head in disgust and shoved his weight away from Izuku, getting up to standing.
Izuku got to his knees, trying to catch his breath. "What do you mean I wouldn't have?"
"You know what you did. You've never wanted me. Not for a long time, Izuku."
Izuku blinked at the words. What? He shook his head in confusion. "No, I really don't know where this is coming from. Hell, I don't even know how you didn't make the team in the first place." Izuku just wanted some clarification at this point. He wasn't sure where the argument started, but he sure as hell knew it didn't start minutes ago with a punch to his nose.
Katsuki seethed. "I'm not a real man, Deku. You know that. Don't pretend you don't."
Okay, now Izuku was ten times more confused. "Kacchan, let's sit down. Get a drink of water. I really don't understand what you're talking about."
"You left me on my own. How could you not remember that?" A single tear tracked down Katsuki's face. Izuku paled.
He only remembered one other time he had ever seen Katsuki cry.
It had been their second year of middle school. Izuku and Katsuki were waiting on the bleachers at the track for the coach to announce the tryout results.
Izuku had made the boy's varsity team.
Katsuki had made the girl's.
Izuku had gripped Katsuki's wrist tight that day, the sun setting behind them as he tried to cheer Katsuki up. It was in vain. Katsuki's whole world shattered in that moment.
"I wasn't allowed on the men's team because I'm not a man, Izuku. The school wouldn't let me."
That was the last sunset the boys had shared together. Long gone were the days they spent in their living rooms together, staying up late watching old clips and recorded rugby games of the best athlete in Japan: Yagi Toshinori.
They had dreamed of going to Yuuei together, to play rugby together for the rest of their lives.
And in one moment, when teams began separating you by sex, two friends were split apart. That wound to Katsuki's pride had cut so deep. Deeper than Izuku had realized.
Frustrated tears spilled down Katsuki's cheeks. "You never even made time for me after that. Why? Because you were too busy practicing with your new teammates?" Katsuki spit again. This time, not aiming for Izuku, but the ground.
"I kept playing. I led the girls team in middle school and in high school. The men's team was celebrated at the school festivals, ours wasn't. And no matter how hard I tried, how much I fought for it, I never grew out of my spot."
Izuku stared, blankly, not sure what to say.
"While you were being trained by our hero, yeah, I fucking saw Deku! I saw you buddy buddy with our idol as he taught you skills. I fucking saw you leaving me in the dust. Because while you were living our dream alone, I was denied a position on the team even though I'm a thousand times better than anyone else. Including you." Katsuki wiped the tears and snot with the back of his hand and kicked up a chunk of grass and dirt before grabbing his practice bag and throwing it over his shoulder and leaving.
Izuku watched him walk away as the sun set in a blurred purple to scarlet.