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Izuku Midoriya had a lot of insecurities, from feeling like his green hair made him look like broccoli (though that was more of a silly thing he was sick of his friends joking about) to feeling like All Might chose wrong, to hating the mirror.
And that only got worse when he started at UA. Specifically after a reporter mentioned he looked the least fit out of he, Todoroki, and Shinsou. The three were caught at a cafe. Izuku made the mistake of ordering a muffin with his coffee.
So old habits came to bite him in the ass. Old habits only he, his mom, his moms best friend, and a ridiculously observant blonde knew about. He started skipping breakfast. Then lunch. Then after class outings. Then he stopped eating all together, the only exception being the granola bars he choked down before training so he wouldn’t faint.
Sure, his friends noticed, but they were easy to lie to since Izuku never lied. “My stomachs sick” “I ate earlier” “Oh, that restaurant makes me sick, dunno why” “Oh, Im having dinner with momma later” all worked, so long as he didnt use the same one too many times to the same person. The only person it didnt work on, however, was his childhood best friend.
Which is why he tried his damnedest not to be alone with him. Which is also how he ended up trapped in the common room, with Kaminari trying to order food for everyone (something about his mom sending him money?).
“C’mon, Midoriya! You have to get something. You havent eaten all day,” Kaminari whined. Izuku saw Bakugou’s eyes move to watch him after Kaminari said that. Damn it Denki.
“I ate breakfast! Im just still full from that,” Izuku tried to defend himself. Thankfully Uraraka wasnt here yet, she would definitely call him on his bluff.
“Get him Katsudon.” Bakugous voice startled both boys.
“Kacchan-“
“Deku.” It was a challenge. He knew that. Try and lie to me, Deku. Fucking try it.
Izuku gave up and nodded. “Katsudon sounds great. Thanks Kaminari.”
Bakugou went back to scrolling on his phone. Kaminari called and ordered everyone’s food, and as soon as Iida and Todoroki walked in, demanded more food orders. Uraraka joined after Kaminari hung up, and he almost cried apologizing to her, which made Kirishima throw a pillow at him.
Izuku sat down on the couch, writing down stuff about One For All and his quickly growing control over it. Then, because every god ever hated him, Bakugou sat next to him, setting down a bowl of delicious smelling Katsudon. Izuku mentally screamed.
“Eat.” The blonde said, basically growling. Izuku rolled his eyes and opened the food. He almost cried at the sight, it looked so perfect, so delicious.
“Kacchan, seriously. Im fine.” Izuku lied. Bakugou scoffed, getting off the couch and going to talk to Kirishima, who was already half finished with his ramen. Izuku picked up a piece of pork, eating half of it. He thanked Kaminari and went back to his notes.
“Thank you, Kaminari, it is greatly appreciated.” Iida said, taking his onigiri from the blonde.
“Hey Iida! Do you know what we’re doing in class tomorrow? After the exam?” He asked, trying desperately to find a distraction.
“Oh! I believe Aizawa said that we would be dismissed from class afterwards. Ashido and Ochako were talking about going to get ice cream,” Iida smiled, biting into his rice ball. Izuku mentally swore at the girls.
He thanked Iida, and started scrolling on his phone. He saw another news headline mentioning 1-A, and ignored it.
“You feeling okay Midoriya? You haven’t touched your katsudon,” Iida pointed out, putting his coffee mug down on the common room table. Izuku hadn’t really touched anything all day, not that his friends knew that.
“Huh? Oh- yeah! Just thinking about our exam!” He responded, probably too loudly. He could feel someone looking at him. He tried not to look back.
“Well, eat up, it will get cold soon. It’s not so good warmed up.” Iida smiled. Izuku nodded, and reached down to pick up the smallest piece of pork from his bowl. He popped in his mouth, trying to ignore his stomach waking up.
“Actually uhh.. my stomachs feeling kind of queasy,” izuku said, swallowing thickly at the lie, “Kaminari? Would you be upset if I didn’t eat it now?” He asked the blonde, pulling his attention away from whatever he and Kirishima were talking about. He could still feel eyes on him and his food. He ignored it.
“Deku.” He heard from behind him. Caught.
“Kacchan?” He asked, playing dumb.
The blonde sighed, rolling his eyes. He looked at Kaminari, and Kaminari looked at Izuku.
“If you aren’t contagious, i’ll eat it and buy you new later when you feel better!” Kirishima yelled, putting down his now empty bowl. Kaminari nodded, saying he wanted some. Izuku pushed the bowl towards him.
“Go ahead, its just nerves.” He smiled.
The two immediately dug into the food, thanking Midoriya like a hundred times. Midoriya laughed at how quickly they scarfed down the food.
“Im going to go to my room. I’ll see you all tomorrow!” Izuku half hollered, standing up. Everyone hollered goodnights, and feel betters. Well, almost everyone.
Katsuki just watched him, a look somewhere between worry and anger on his face as Izuku walked down the wallway to the bedrooms.
“Hope he feels better after the exam,” Kirishima started “is it just me, or is he getting more sick to his stomach lately?” He asked Mina and Denki. The two nodded in agreement, Mina saying she hopes he feels better enough for ice cream tomorrow.
“I’m gonna go to bed too, thanks for the food Pikachu.” Katsuki said, standing up and stretching his shoulders. Kaminari gave him a thumbs up, and a few of them all said good night.
“Kacchan?” Izuku asked, startled, as the blonde entered his room without knocking. The green haired boy was changing, and got side tracked looking in the mirror. Katsuki walked in on him holding his stomach and muttering.
“Sit the fuck down, nerd.”
“What? Why-“
“Izuku.” The blonde practically snarled. Izuku shut his mouth and sat down. He hadnt heard Katsuki say Izuku since they were kids.
“Yes, Kacchan?” The shorter boy tilted his head to the side. Katsuki came in and sat on the bed next to him.
“When?” Was all he asked. And, even though Izuku knew exactly what he was asking, he acted like he didnt.
“When, what?”
“Don’t fucking start with me, Deku. When the fuck did you start doing this shit again?” The blonde demanded. Izuku sighed, his shoulders sinking.
“Cant keep anything from you, can I?” The shorter boy giggled. Katsuki glared at him.
“Deku for fucks sake I will call Inko.” He threatened, making Dekus eyes go wide.
“No no no no no, dont do that, fuck, Kacchan please.” Izuku pleaded.
“Then tell me how long its been since you fucking ate.”
“….Two months since ive had more than 1000 calories in a day. Three weeks since ive had more than 500.” He mumbled, now it was the blondes turn to go wide eyes.
“Fucking hell, Deku. Why? You know what happened last time. You fucking collapsed on the way home from school. You were in the hospital for almost two fucking months.”
“I know, but, its just… Its hard, I never fully recovered, you know that. I havent had an actual breakfast in what, four years? Five?” Izuku counted on his fingers. “I push myself harder than even All Might wants me too, yes because i want to be a hero, but also because theres too much of me! And that fucking thing with Todoroki and Shinsou. We were talking about our favorite muffins. Todoroki bought me a blueberry raspberry one. It was fucking delicious, so i got a second one! How fucking dare I?” Izuku rambled on. He took a breath, wiping the tears that slowly started to fall down his cheeks. Katsuki just sat there, listening to ever word.
“That fucking reporter, she said that I would never surpass my classmates with an appetite like that. Said I was the least fit of the three of us. It was a fucking muffin, Kacchan. Yknow what Shinsou had?” The blonde shook his head, putting a hand on Izukus leg.
“Fucking cake. A piece of chocolate fucking cake. I just wanted a muffin. I hadnt allowed myself to indulge in fucking baked goods in so long, Kacchan.” Then Izuku broke. He turned and let himself fall into the blondes chest. Katsuki sat there, rubbing his back amd trying to comfort him. He wasnt the best at that, but he had done this before, and watched Inko do it a few dozen times.
“Izuku, breathe.”
“I’m sorry Kacchan,” Izuku sobbed, trying to catch his breath. Katsuki sighed, shifting so he was laying down with Izuku curled up on his chest.
“Fucking christ Deku, those reporters are trying to bother us. Its their fucking job.”
“I know, I know, it’s just…..” Izuku took another deep breath, trying to stop crying. “They didnt say anything about either of them, or what they ate. Just said I was a fatass, and i’ll never do anything!”
“Deku. That is not what they said-“
“its what they meant.” Izuku grumbled, sitting up to look at the blonde. “Kacchan be honest with me, why the fuck do you care?” He swore. Katsuki didnt know if it was the curse, or the directness of the question that caught him off guard.
“What?”
“Why do you care? If I wreck my body itll be easier for you to win at everything, and you hate me, you have since i didnt get my own fucking quirk, why are you holding me, why are you helping?” Izuku yelled. Katsuki sighed, putting his hand on the back of Izukus neck.
“I dont want to beat you at your worst, Deku. I want you to beat my ass and give me a fucking reason to try. And stop with the i hate you bullshit, you know i dont.”
“Whatever-“ Izuku mumbled, starting to get up.
“Oh my god-“ Izuku heard. He whipped his head around so fast he got dizzy. Mina was standing in his doorway, holding a gingerale and some crackers.
“Shit pinky, ever heard of fucking knocking?” Katsuki demanded, pushing Izuku onto the mattress and off of him. He stood up quickly, going to shove Mina away from the door. Izuku tried to stand and felt his legs get tingly. He cursed himself for not eating the granola bar earlier. Or yesterday. Or the day before. He tried to turn to go find Katsuki and Mina. Then it all went black.
“Kacch-“ he tried to yell.
—-
Katsuki made it out of bed and ran out the door, trying to catch Mina before she got the wrong idea. Deku was fucking shirtless and straddling him. Without context, that was bad.
“PINKY-“ he hollered after her, trying to catch her before she made it to the common room.
“Bakugou I am so so so sorry-“ she started apologizing, trying not to laugh
“You saw wrong- let me FUCKING explain Ashido.” The blonde demanded. The pink girl stopped talking, immediately paying attention. He gestured her to follow him to his room, just past Dekus.
“Sooooo…. What happened?” She asked, trying to hear him out.
“He was crying, I let him lay on me. Childhood bond and whatnot. He didnt have his shirt on because it was soaked with tears.” He prayed that the half truth would suffice.
“ohhhh, is he okay-“
“He’ll be fine, just dont tell anyone. Bad enough those fuckers keep trying to call me Kacchan, I dont need them thinking they can hug me.” he spat out.
They stopped in the hallway, the conversation no longer needing to be brought to the blondes room.
“Kacch-“ Thump. Crash. Fuck.
Katsuki practically flew into Izukus room. He ignored Mina yelling to ask what happened, falling to his knees to roll Deku away from the now shattered glass of water. He had cut his leg on it, staining his blue carpet. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
“Call Aizawa and Recovery Girl. Now.” He yelled, checking to see how bad the cuts on the green haired boys legs were. They were barely cat scratches, likely bleeding so much because of adrenaline. Mina ran as fast as she could to get the adults, and Katsuki heald Dekus head.
“Fucking hell Izuku.”