Chapter Text
there’s never really been a moment in katsuki’s life where he could say for certain that anybody had ever caught his eye. no guy. no girl. the idea of ogling over anyone, to so much as give a passing glance to someone in that way.. was highly unlikely.
the only person he’s ever allowed himself to fully be vulnerable with, to see him during his bad days, good days, and all in between, was his best friend, his childhood friend, and his hopefully lifelong friend, kirishima eijirou.
there was no other way to put it. he owed it to his mom, really. her bravo-worthy part in why they were friends made him, and maybe eijirou too, realize their friendship, their brotherhood, was ultimately inevitable.
her bond with eijirous mothers was like no other. and if it wasn’t for them, there’d be no hour long play dates spent beaming over the others interests, only later to be discovered that they shared. or no celebrated and overjoyed moments of watching each other slowly become the people they were—either due to the others presence or their growth as their own people.
from growing into their features and towering over their mothers rather quickly, to expanding vocabulary, life experience, and navigation on life together. and yeah, there were days where katsuki couldn’t help but want to strangle the red haired boy who he called his best friend, but at the end of the day he knew he wanted their friendship to be a constant. a forever.
“did you know?” red eyes dart all over the others face, trying and failing to stay composed, but it was clear.
he wasn’t.
any semblance of affable and calm emotions were wiped away, replaced with what katsuki could only pin as panic and confusion.
the blond was sitting on the other boys bed, legs crossed and hands slightly fidgeting in his lap, now averted eyes staring daggers into the poster hung up across the room on the wall—all might.
he’d remembered vividly, the first time the two had discovered the astonishingly admirable figure.
they were four.
four, with no worries or cares.
four with an idea already fixed and embedded into their minds that separation between the two was impossible—the nonsensical notion so taboo and absurd that it was only to be thought of once and never to be thought of again.
and now, the two at fifteen years old, eleven years later, returning to the unexpected but this time, no longer feeling the need to shove the idea down the drain.
eijirou stayed seated on the floor beside his bed, eyes still searching for an answer katsuki was unable to respond to without illustrating vulnerability and emotions he’d really rather not put on display.
he’d always been the type to avoid any emotions that weren’t indifferent or content if necessary, but with his best friend shit just never went smooth that way.
at the end of the day the red haired boy’s emotional intelligence was awe-inspiring, and truthfully if it wasn’t for him katsuki would’ve never been able to say confidently that he was able to express his feelings the way he wanted to.
with a heavy feeling weighing on his mind, body, and words, he inhales sharply and sighs deeply.
katsuki’s mother had successfully scored a new client who wanted to take her on full time for her designs—a rich lady, with an excessive need for new clothes regularly.
she lived far from where katsuki was from.
where his best friend was from.
but he knew more than anyone that for a long time, they were struggling.
when katsuki’s dad upped and left one day when he was six his mother became their houses primary and only source of income.
nights were regular spent at the kirishimas house.
while he was busy curating new memories and bonds, his mother was busting her ass sewing, knitting, cutting and whatever else it took to be a professional clothing designer.
he knew taking this job offer was an opportunity of a lifetime, and it would be the product of the start to their new, comfortable life.
“not for a while.”
there’s a pause, and katsuki merely expected a response, but knew to continue when he broke his gaze from the poster to look back down at his favorite person, who’s brows slightly knitted together with a look of pleading in his eyes.
he wanted the other to continue.
“i.. i found out tuesday.”
it was friday.
he watched carefully as his best friends frown grew deeper.
“when were you going to tell me man?”
truthfully, the blond hadn’t known.
if it wasn’t for eijirou’s mothers informing him, katsuki probably would’ve never had the balls to do it himself.
he takes this time to really study the man below him.
his eyes were slightly glazed over and frowned lips quivered ever so slightly, shoulders stiff only just enough to visibly notice.
he felt terrible about his next few words. he really fucking did.
“i don’t know.”
and thats all they said for now.
katsuki had a week before they were up and out of the city they called home, and so the two spent that time doing anything and everything they could before katsuki’s departure.
but when the time rolled around, and katsuki came face to face with the person he’d spent eleven years with, standing in front of the loading van that was gradually being filled with all of his and his mother’s belongings, he knew this separation was going to go down with him in frustrated, but attempted held back tears.
eijirou was already bawling.
they collide in a tight and unforgettable embrace, and when they let go katsuki can still feel the others touch linger, warm and already missed.
his best friends red and watery eyes stare at him as if he’s already gone.
“i’ll miss you man. don’t be a stranger, alright?” he chuckles, still wiping at his new forming tears.
katsuki scoffs at the ridiculous notion.
“would fuckin never, shitty bastard. i’ll come back, you ain’t gettin rid of me that easy.” he tugs a playful smirk on his face, feeling the tingle in his eyes and lump forming in his throat as he suppresses his unadulterated need to cry.
they both exchange a few more meaningful words before mitsuki is sauntering over from where she’d just departed from eijirous mothers.
she gives him a hug too, long and full of love.
“i’ll miss you brat, you’re the only reason why katsuki had some purity left in him..”
she squeezes harder before pulling away.
katsuki scoffs, and eijirou gives her a sheepish grin.
“i’ll miss you too aunt mitsuki. visit soon.”
they say their final goodbyes, and katsuki reluctantly gets into the car.
he watched the figure of his best friend in the rearview mirror get smaller and smaller.
and when the other is finally not in clear sight, katsuki slumps against the seat and stares blankly out the window.
memories resurface in the back of his head. ones from last week, last month, last year.
all the way back to when they were four and only just discovered the others existence.
whatever journey there was ahead, eijirou-less or not, katsuki would just have to make the most of it until the two boys finally reunited again.
however long it would take.