~~~Katsuki's POV~~~

"Hey mom. I'm staying at Kacchan's house if that's okay."

"Okay sweetie, be safe." And with that Deku went to go get his things.

"How is he?"

"Auntie, it's going to take time. But he's starting to open up to me."

"That's good. So how come he's staying over?"

"He needs out of that room. Some... things have happened in there. I can't tell you because I promised Izu, but maybe with time he'll tell you."

"Katsuki, make sure he's safe, please. Not just for me, but for you too."

"Why do you say that?"

"I'm not blind I know you have a crush on my son."

"W-what, no I don't." She gives a stern look.

"Maybe? I don't know, it's confusing."

"Well, if you ever find out how you feel in general, about anything not just Izu. I'll always support you and him. Even if in the end it isn't how we thought it'd go."

"Thank you auntie." As we finish our conversation we hear the klutzy greenette walk down the stairs.

"Hey guys. Ready Kacchan?"

"We don't have to go right now, we can spend some time with auntie if you want."

"Oh boys, go have fun. Don't worry about me, I'll be fine."

"Mom?"

"Yes honey?"

"I love you." Izuku walks over to auntie and hugs her, a big loving one, the two tear up. When was the last good hug they had? Izu, I wish things were different. I walk over and give her a hug too, we share goodbyes and head back towards my house. A comfortable silence sits between us.

"Hey, um Kacchan?"

"Yeah Deku?"

"Would you mind if I sang a song? When we get back to your house? It's one of the coping exercises Aato asked me to do. There's another one but I don't really want to."

"Of course you can, remember those little karaoke battles we used to have? And which one aren't you doing?"

"How could I forget, you always did Nirvana, we both did MCR, Panic! and FoB. And it's just writing."

"Hey don't shit on Nirvana, and really? You are passing up writing. Oh has the world turned upside down?" I dramatically fake faint, as I fall Deku catches me, he's stronger than he looks.

"Kacchan! And I just don't want my thoughts on paper..." He laughs at my antics.

"I get it, trust me Deku."

"Should I trust you?" He hums and starts walking faster.

"HEY!" I go and tackle him, I have him pinned to the sidewalk.

"K-Kacchan." Heh, he's too easily embarrassed.

"What? Don't trust me?"

"It's not that I don't trust you, can you get off of me?" Aww is he shy? I get off of him and help him up.

"Thanks. Even though you're the reason I was down." I start to tickle him.

"What was that?" He's laughing uncontrollably.

"I-I said you w-were the reason I w-was down." Heh.

"I mean, you right."

"Of course I am." I missed this. All of it... Even if I can't have him as a boyfriend, I can't lose him as a friend again.

"Kacchan?"

"Hm?"

"Whatcha thinking about?"

"How I missed when we were like this."

"Oh." With that we walked the rest of the way in complete silence. When we got to my house my mom came up to us.

"Katsuki, what took so long?"

"None of your business."

"What was that?"

"It was my fault, we stopped by my house and then we ended up messing around on the walk." Deku said, taking the blame.

"I mean it was technically both of us."

"Kids I'm not mad I was playing."

"I know mom."

"Well don't just stand there. Come in." And with that we walked in.

"Hey, Deku, go to my room and do what you need to do, I'll be up in a minute."

"O-okay, can I borrow your laptop?"

"Yeah." And he left.

"Okay mom, remember what I told you on the phone?"

"Izuku's had a hard time with things and you're trying to help him."

"Yeah, also can you try not to yell?"

"Why?"

"He gets panic attacks."

"Okay, I'll try not to."

"Thank you mom." I ended the conversation there to go up to my room. I think he just got ready to sing because I hear the start of the music. I know the song. It's Alligator Skin Boots, by Mcafferty... All I hear from the room is the intro for a bit, then I hear him start to sing.

I'm fucked beyond all hope.

And the pastor says I'm good

But Jesus Christ I'm never good

I'll nail my hands up to the wall

I'll nail my hands up to the wall

And yeah, the pastor says I'm good

But Jesus Christ I'm never good

I'll nail my hands up to the wall

I'll nail my hands up to the wall

And yeah, the doctors were nice enough

They just said I'm fucked

Just like my mom is fucked

I bet your dad's fucked up

And in the black light I could tell a sick joke

Maybe in the black light I could tell a sick joke

Twinkle twinkle little star

Alcoholics don't get far

Unless they drink and drive

Let's go for a ride

And I hope I crash and die tonight

I hope I crash and die tonight

Saying, I do not like you

I do not mind him much

You were just my first

Now I've had

I'm cool to the touch

Leap to my death

I'll die for my friends

I'll lie till the end

I'm cool to the touch

Leap to my death

I'll die for you all

I'll die for my friends

It goes like this

Well I ain't sorry

With broken wrists

I climb from these walls

My skin crawls

My skin crawls

My 

I decide to walk in when it ends. I see him grab his phone and hit a red button then stop the music.

"Oh, hi Kacchan."

"Hey, can I see the recording?"

"Don't play me like I'm dumb, I know you were out there."

"I wasn't playing you. I was talking about the one you did yesterday."

"No."

"One day?"

"Maybe."

"Okay, hey do you want to see what everyone's doing? I know they've missed you."

"S-sure, can I get changed real fast?"

"Of course, I was actually going to do the same."

"Okay." And with that we started to change. When we're done we head downstairs.

"Hey Izuku, how've you been?"

"I've been o-okay, I guess. How about you Mr. Bakugou?"

"You don't have to be so formal, call me Masaru. And I'm hanging on."

"O-okay, and that's good." I forget he's never liked social interaction.

"So, dad what's the plan for tonight?"

"It's up to you guys, it's been too long Izuku."

"I-I'm sorry, and I don't care what we do."

"Movie night?" It's the only plan I've got that won't result in yelling.

"If it's okay with everyone else."

"It's a plan then." We sit on the couch and just watch T.V for the time being.

"So, what's been up with the family? Been a minute since we've all hung out."

"O-oh, um my dad's been overseas about three years ago, so it's just mom and me."

"How's your mom holding up?" Did mom tell him about what auntie told her?

"What do you mean?"

"Well with being alone."

"She isn't alone, she has me."

"I didn't mean it that way, I mean, well I guess it's hard to word it, you'll figure it out better when you get used to sleeping with someone in the same bed. But what I mean, how's she dealing with being alone at night?"

"O-oh, um I don't really know, I guess I never thought about it. I'm sorry."

"Kid you're fine, you don't need to keep apologizing. Most kids don't realize how it can be with partners."

"I guess." Him and auntie deserve better though... he's a worthless piece of shit.

"So how come you haven't been around much?"

"Um, I guess I just started pushing Kacchan away. Heh." Damn nerd needs to stop saying that, I know the truth.

"Well, we missed you kiddo." My old man then gets up and hugs Deku, who seems to barely hide a flinch. Dammit.

"Hey dad?"

"What's up?"

"Mind if I steal Deku and go finish our school work?"

"Not at all."

"Thanks." Before Izu can say anything I grab his hand, mindful of which one he hurt, and pull him to my room.

"Kacchan, you know we both finished our work."

"You need a break."

"I was fine."

"Really, the flinch, your breathing, even your heart rate is raised."

"I could have handled it."

"Shut up."

"NO! I was fine."

"Midoriya, take five before I make you."

"Tch, whatever." He goes to sit on my bed, pulling out his phone.

"Look, I know you've had to deal with worse, but don't fucking push yourself."

"I was fine."

"No, you weren't. I saw your eyes, and the flinch."

"So what, a flinch is a flinch, doesn't mean anything."

"Is that so?"

"Yeah." I decide to test it, I know it's not right but he needs to see. So I silently go up behind him, he's looking at his phone. And I touch him, this flinch is worse. He jumped off the bed, backing away. SHIT.

"Izu, it's me. Remember you're safe."

"K-Kacchan, please."

"What do you need?"

"I-I don't know." Dammit.

"Talk to me Izu, what's wrong?"

"N-no, he'll kill me." He's panicking.

"Izu, he isn't here, remember? He's far away. Just tell me what's wrong."

"A-after I got my p-phone, he would d-do that. But he wouldn't touch me, he would just h-hit."

"Shit, I didn't know I'm sorry Deku." I walk over to him, but make sure he knows. As I get to him I turn him around to face me. And pull him into a hug, making sure he can hear my heartbeat and I reach one of my hands to his hair and start playing with it. It always calmed him down.

"Breathe with me, in for eight, out for eight. It's alright." He does as instructed and I feel his heart slow down, I feel his trembling stop.

"Are you okay?"

"Y-yeah." I go to let go, but when I try to pull away his arms lock.

"Izu?"

"N-not yet. Please?"

"Alright, want to lay down?"

"Yeah, if you don't mind." I slowly move us closer to my bed.

"Izu, I need to let go for a second, okay?" He released his arms and I get on the bed, I lay down and gently pull him towards me. I shift him enough that it'll be comfortable for both of us and guide him to lay on me, I'm on my back and he's laying on his stomach, head turned to the right laying his ear on my heart. My arms on his back, one rubbing it the other making its way up to play with his unruly green hair.

"Is this okay?"

"Mhm." He's calmed down, and now just has his eyes closed.

"You're going to fall asleep like this aren't you?"

"No."

"Liar."

"Maybe."

"Are you going to want to sleep like this? Tonight?"

"N-no, it's fine, I don't want you to feel obligated."

"Do you want to sleep like this tonight?" I need to be more direct.

"Only if you're okay with it."

"Then we're sleeping like this. I know it'll help the nightmares, it's how we used to sleep when we were younger, after they started."

"I know."

"Do you want to take your shirt off?"

"Mmmm, I don't want to move."

"Do you want me to?"

"Do you mind?"

"Not at all." I help take his shirt off, making sure to be mindful of his wrist.

"Thanks Kacchan." With that we fell into silence, that or he fell asleep. I guess I did too, along the way seeing as my mom was the one who woke us up. But I notice my phone isn't where I had it. Nor is Deku's. Dammit.

"Izu, time to wake up."

"No."

"Come on, foods done."

"I can live without."

"We can lay like this during the movie."

"But Kacchan it's warm noooowww." Aww he's whining.

"Come on Izu, you need to eat."

"NO!"

"I can just carry you." I didn't get a response after that so I slowly shifted off the bed with him in my arms trying to get his shirt on, walking down stairs and casually dropping him on the couch.

"Kacchaannnn no fair."

"Come to the kitchen when you wake up and put your shirt on." It took him about five minutes to finally move. I already made his plate.

"Kacchan, you know this is too much."

"Again, eat what you can." I see my dad give my mom a look, she answers with another, kinda like saying later. We begin to eat and I see that he's eating slow, I make sure he doesn't over stuff himself, but he takes more bites than usual, I know this because I can see him debating if he can. We all finish and go to look for which movies to watch.