Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

I'm so selfish, you're so kind...

When he had finally gotten off of his patrol, Izuku couldn't wait to go home to his loving girlfriend and his cats. Going through the day was a grueling process, one that made him over the moon thinking about the Katsudon that was promised by his beloved for when he got back to their shared apartment. He practically skipped out of the agency and to his car, hurriedly shoving the keys in the ignition and setting off on his way home.

As he was walking up the stairs to their unit, familiar diluted blue eyes met his own emerald ones, "Oh, Tenya-kun. Another visit to Ochako?"

The man merely nods, giving him a half smile before continuing his way down the hallway. 'Hm, that was weird. Usually he's a lot more talkative than that.. I'll have to ask Ochako about it after dinner.' he thinks to himself, unlocking the door and removing his shoes in the Genkan. He calls out a tired greeting, to which his girlfriend walks in with a bubby smile and open arms. Izuku willingly collapses into them, humming in contentment as she strokes her hand through green curls.

"Mmm.. Hey baby. Did you make the katsudon?" he asks, sniffing the air but smelling nothing. Ochako gasps softly, "Oh shoot!I totally forgot, Deku! Sorry, just give me a sec, I got busy with cleaning since it was my day off."

"Ah, that's okay." Izuku flashes a gentle smile despite the somber deflate of his stomach at the lack of the promised meal. Meanwhile, Ochako is rushing to the kitchen, gathering the ingredients for everything. He peeks into the kitchen, the remnants of his smile still on his face.

"You want help, baby?"

She jolts at this and Izuku notes it. She's never been the skittish type, maybe just had a bad day or forgot to take her medication. She turns to look at him and offers a simple shake of the head before turning back to the meal she's preparing. He tilts his head to the side but chooses to shrug it off, heading off to sit on the couch. A little later, she comes in with the food and his nose practically melts at the smell. He hums in approval and pats the spot next to him on the couch, turning on a movie for them. She sits down next to him, not leaning her head on his shoulder like she usually would. He looks over mid-bite with a frown.

"Is something up? You're not being as touchy as you usually are.. Did I do something?"

She shakes her head, "Oh.. It's nothing. Well, kinda. It's just it felt like you demanded food and didn't even care how I was doing you know? But I still made it cause I didn't want to make it a thing."

Izuku stares in shock, tilting his head to the side, "Oh.. I'm sorry, I didn't see it like that at first, but if that's how you feel, I'd like to make it better somehow. Would you like me to cook for us tomorrow?"

Ochako sighs, "No. And make up for it by not making a big deal out of it. Just apologize and don't talk about it anymore. I've never mentioned it, but it's kinda annoying when you do that."

Izuku is speechless. She's never talked to him like that, let alone gotten upset at something so odd. He clears his throat and just nods, "Right, I'm sorry, I'll keep that in mind.." he mutters.

'She likely just had a bad day, but if that was the case.. well, I don't know. She's probably just feeling weird' he thinks to himself, clearing his throat before starting to eat in silence.

Finishing the meal is a bigger task than it seems when the tension in the room could be cut with a knife. Izuku wants to say something, anything to make everything better. He didn't think he messed up that bad, since she's never been one to get upset at things like asking for food. He thought he greeted her properly, maybe he didn't ask enough questions about her day. He wants to ask about anything an everything to make her smile, to bring back the lighthearted atmosphere that their home usually holds. He clears his throat and scratches the back of his neck, "So, I saw Tenya-kun in the hallway today on my way up here. Did he pay you a visit?"\

For the first time since he's gotten home, a genuine smile makes its way onto her face, her eyes lighting up with something indecipherable, "Oh, yes! He dropped off some coffee and we spent the day watching movies! It was lovely!"

Izuku frowns slightly, clearing his throat once more and picking at his fingernails, "Oh? I thought you said you were cleaning all day.."

At this statement, her expression turns sour, her brows furrowing as she averts her gaze, "Are you accusing me of lying? Is this just cause I didn't have the katsudon ready? You're so selfish sometimes, you know that?

Izuku’s eyebrows raise so high that his forehead crinkles, his mouth hanging slightly agape. Okay, something was definitely up. Was Toga back? This was not his girlfriend. 

“Baby, did I do something bigger to make you upset? You’re acting really different than usual.” 

The brunette rolls her eyes, scoffing, “No! I’m just tired of you being a dick and me being a pushover! I deserve better. I can hang out with someone without us fucking, you know that, right?” 

“Ochako I never said-”

“You were thinking it, Deku! You were thinking it because I had one guy over and you think I’m slutting myself out to him!” 

Izuku sits slack-jawed, not able to form words apart from soft ‘no’s and ‘I promise that’s not it’s. He gulps and stands up shakily, walking to the kitchen. There’s a large lump in his throat that only appears when he’s about to break. He can’t be upset if he’s the one doing the hurting, he just can’t. He gently removes a glass from the cupboard and fills it with tap for Ochako, thinking about all of the things he can do to make it all better again. He has to be able to do something, right? 

Chapter Text

It's all in my head, it's all in my mind

From then on, the strange behavior became less strange and even the new normal in his life. He would come home, his day long and his stomach empty, to a girlfriend who seems to get more and more set off about things he doesn't realize he even did wrong.  

When he tries to talk to her about it, he gets ridiculed and told he’s accusing her of cheating, being selfish, or anything else she can think of. Izuku doesn’t know how to handle it. One moment his relationship felt perfect, and the next, it felt like it was crumbling before his eyes. He wants more than anything to salvage it, to scoop his love up in his arms and shove it into hers so she knows how much of it there is.  

Unfortunately, life isn’t as fair as that. When you want to see through a person, truly read them, you have to let them open up to you first, and that’s simply not happening. Whenever he tries to get close, he’s punished or yelled at for it.  

The only thing that seems to satiate his lover, his everything, is talking about one of his best friends. Talking about Tenya Iida seems to always put a smile on Ochako’s face, a smile she directed only towards him.  

“So, what did you and Tenya do on your day off today? Anything fun?”  

His girlfriend lights up and nods, leaning against the counter with a bright smile, “Yes! We went to the movies, then we hung out at the park and got some ice cream together. It was a great break from work, you know how paperwork can get!” She giggles, her warm smile and pale pink cheeks making Izuku’s heart beat two times faster. His girlfriend really is a true work of art, isn’t she?  

Maybe he’s overreacting a bit at her behavior. She still touches and hugs him, after all. Their bedroom life is still strong and they’re even going out together to a hero gala tonight. He has been one to overthink a lot, and as long as he keeps the conversation on Tenya, he gets to see that perfect smile of hers all day long just like he used to.  

The hero clears her throat, “So, Tenya actually invited me over to his place after the gala. I said yeah cause I mean obviously you wouldn’t mind, but I just wanted to let you know that I won’t be going home with you tonight. That’s okay, right?” Something in her eyes tells him that she’s daring him to argue, to share the fact that his heart deflated at not having her curled up next to him tonight after their first date night in who knows how long.  

Izuku scratches the back of his neck and just nods, offering a sheepish smile and patting her on the back, “Sure thing, baby. You staying the night again?”  

She nods happily. It’s not like going over to the boy’s house isn’t a regular occurrence, but Izuku kind of saw this night as special, something for them to celebrate together at. No matter, he can just stick to Kachaan and Kirishima while she’s off talking to their other friend. She’s never really liked the two for some reason, but usually at these events, he can sneak in a few conversations with them while she’s distracted.   

Breaking away from their conversation in the kitchen, Izuku starts getting ready for the gala, taking a deep breath and trying to figure out what outfit would look best on him. It still feels like he’s living a dream. Sure, he still teaches, but getting that suit from Kachaan, getting told he can be a hero again with the same abilities as last time, it’s still all so amazing. He was recently told that Kirishima pitched in as well, only making his heart swell further.  

He smiles at the thought of his two best friends, happily married and living his dream life. It’s not like he has anything to complain about here, they just don’t get into as many fights as he and Ochako do. He truly is happy, his girlfriend, his cat, his home, his life as a pro hero who teaches the next generation. He knows it’s selfish, but he can’t help but wish that he and Ochako could talk about anything other than Tenya without the conversation going south.  

He’s thinking about this too much. He need to get ready for a nice night at the gala, surrounded by his former classmates and best friends. His wishes don’t matter right now. Right now, his life is as perfect as it can be.  

He settles on a nice forest green piece. It has a forest green suit jacket, black pants, a black button down, a black belt with gold accents, and a sage green bowtie. He gels his hair into something less messy, though Ochako used to say his tangled curls were what made him, well, him. He smiles at the thought, he really doesn’t deserve everything she gives to him and provides for him. He sighs and steps out of the bathroom to one of the most beautiful sights he’s ever seen.  

There his gorgeous lover is, standing in a lovely white floor length dress, pearls adorning her wrists, neck, and ears. She has her hair curled like he’s never seen it before and he gently runs his hand through one of her strands of hair. Typically, she would lean into the touch, tell him how amazing he looks, but something in the mood shifts and she sighs, giving him an impatient look, “Come on. We have to go now or we’re gonna be late Deku.”  

He clears his throat and nods, “Sorry, you’re just.. Stunning. You really look amazing baby..” He watches as a little heat rises to her cheeks, something unreadable flashing across her expression. Was it.. Guilt? No, she has nothing to be guilty for. She just dropped her expression in a weird way, no need to overthink it. See? This is always what he does. He overanalyzes things and blows situations out of proportion. This is why he needs these reminders, he’s lucky to have himself a girl that will keep him in line and not burden others with his anxiety.  

With one last nod from Izuku, they set off to the gala. Finding a parking space is hell, and actually getting into the place is even worse. Heros from all over the country are here and it’s everything Izuku could have ever wanted to attend. He feels a slight jab in his side and he looks over to see Ochako shooting a scowl in his direction. He faintly takes note of the sudden dryness of his mouth and realizes he must’ve been mumbling again. It’s something she always said was cute though, maybe it’s being reprimanded because of the setting?  

“It’s embarrassing when you do that in public, Izuku. Cut it out.”  

Before Izuku can get a response in, he’s being yanked in by the waist from behind and swung around as laughter rumbles from inside of the chest his back is pressed against. He snorts out a small laugh himself as he makes eye contact with fire-like red eyes that are watching him be spun around like a sprinkler on a hot summers day. He gets put down and turns around to jab the shark toothed man who attacked him in the shoulder, earning a chuckle from the blonde behind him.  

“Midoria! It feels like it’s been forever, how are you doing!?” Kirishima grins, eyes ever just as bright as the last time they saw each other. He surveys his surroundings, noticing that Ochako isn’t around anymore and it’s just the three of them in one area of the giant room.  

He giggles and hugs Kirishima, smiling a bright smile right back at him, “I’m feeling great, Kiri. How about you?” Kirishima grins wider, “Great now that I know you’re at this thing! Man, I was so sad when you couldn’t come last year! Or the year before that! Or the y-”  

“We get it, shitty hair.” A deep voice grumbles from behind him. He feels his face flush as he pivots to meet those hauntingly red eyes once more, “Kachaan!”  

Before the other can reply, he practically tackles the wall of muscle in a hug, the wall in question making a small ‘uff’ sound. He can practically feel the eye roll he’s being given as the blonde reluctantly wraps his arms around the smaller, “Yeah yeah, nerd. It’s me, don’t bust a nut.” He grumbles, “Missed you too..” He mutters into green curls as an afterthought.  

They hear clicks beside them and turn to see Kirishima practically crying as he takes pictures of their reunion. Katsuki rolls his eyes again and slaps him upside the head, kissing the part that he slapped to make it better right after. Kirishima flashes a sharp smile and looks towards Izuku, “So, how are you and Ochako-kun?” Izuku involuntarily tenses at the mention of his girlfriend, who’s probably getting drunk right now with either Tenya, the girls, or both.  

He chuckles, “She’s alright. I’ve been kinda busy recently so I guess things are a little strained..” ‘Yeah, Izuku, great excuse. You know you’ve been treating her like shit, why can’t you admit it? Stop trying to suck up to you friends. They deserve to know that the person they’re so excited to see harms the so called love of their life.’  

Katsuki frowns, reading him too well for his liking. Kirishima on the other hand, claps him on the back, his toothy smile still intact and wider than ever, “That’s alright! You guys will make it through just fine! Kats and I are old pros at getting into disagreements, isn’t that right shnookums~”  

Katsuki shoots him a glare that Izuku thinks could rival all for one’s, practically snarling as he rolls his eyes, “I told you not to call me that, shitty hair!” He gripes, sighing.  

Izuku giggles to himself at the stupid nickname. Ochako would probably gag if he ever called her something like that.  

The three talk for what seems like forever, recounting their time apart, how the suit is going, how the patrols between each other went when it didn’t involve all three of them. It’s nice, talking about simple things like these. It makes him feel like he really is an interesting person to talk to when he’s not talking about another person. He shouldn’t be surprised though, conversation has always been easy with these two.  

Sure, he and Katsuki had rough points, but when he apologized and slowly started letting his actions match the words he spoke, they actually became really good friends. It’s unbelievable to think about how far his childhood friend has come as a person.   

It isn’t until he sees his drunken girlfriend hanging off of their friend when his good mood sobers slightly. He stares at the two, at the woman groping his pecs, at the man holding his hands on her waist with a smirk. He tells himself it’s just the alcohol, it’s not as bad as it looks like, but he can’t help the way his gut twists and how suddenly those shots of tequila aren’t sitting so well in his stomach.  

He hears faint calls of his name from the two in front of him, but he’s too busy staring at the others. It’s been ages since she’s looked at Izuku in the way she’s looking at Tenya right now, and all of a sudden, his feelings spill all over his forest green suit jacket. He registers strong hands lifting him up, gravely voices arguing on whether they should go home or to the bathroom. He doesn’t care enough to pay attention, not when he’s wallowing in the thoughts of uselessness. She wouldn’t look at Tenya that way if he was a better boyfriend. She would still look at him with stars in his eyes if he didn’t ramble so much, would still make love facing towards him if he just never asked about katsudon that night.  

He knew something was up since that incident, he just didn’t know that it had changed her view of him forever, that one question would leave her needing someone else, someone kinder. He’s coming in and out of his senses. He knows there are hands on his back and hands carding through his hair. He knows that his knees are on cold tile and bile is rising from his throat into the porcelain of a toilet.  

All he can really think about though, is how can he make this better?  

Chapter Text

I  Look in the Mirror, what has Happened to me?

Since that night, he’s never brought it up. How could he? It’s his fault in the first place. She was just drunk and showing her true desires. She would never do that to him if she were sober. She didn’t even really do anything; it’s not her fault.  

Izuku shoves the covers off of himself, looking over at the girl he swears he would marry in a heartbeat and placing a featherlight kiss to her forehead. He sits and just strokes her hair for a moment, observing how the sunlight from the window bathes her in an unspeakably breathtaking body-length halo. How did he get so lucky?  

He sighs and walks out of the room. Before doing anything else, he makes her breakfast, a traditional American one of eggs, pancakes, and bacon like she likes. He sets the plate of food for her in the microwave and eats his own bits of his meal before getting ready for the day. She typically has a later shift than him, so he never wants to wake her up, just in case she needs the extra sleep.  

Straightening his tie and slipping on his dress shoes, he makes the familiar walk to UA. His students are so amazing this year. They remind him of his old class, but he’d never say that aloud in fear of suddenly jinxing them when it comes to villain attacks. These kids are strong, sure, but none of them need to know or experience what he went through his first year. He still has frequent nightmares of seeing his best friend’s body on the wet cement. He believes that image may haunt him for the rest of his life.  

Setting up in his classroom, he hears a knock at the open door, startling ever so slightly before looking up to see his former homeroom teacher. He smiles warmly at the man, “Shouta.. Hello.” It still feels weird calling his sensei by his given name, but Kaminari insisted in their third year that they start doing it as a joke, then it just stuck. That, and well, dad. A lot of people still call him that too, “What’s up? Did you need something?”  

The man shakes his head, “No. I just wanted to see how you were doing. I attended the gala on Friday with ‘Zashi and you seemed quite sick.”  

His face flushes and he awkwardly chuckles, scratching the back of his neck, “Yeah, I kinda had too much to drink. It’s okay though, Kachaan and Kiri helped me through it.”  

Shouta raises an eyebrow, “What about Uraraka? I thought you guys came together.”  

He clears his throat and looks down at his shoes, shuffling his feet, a nervous habit that he could never quite break, “Ah, she was.. Busy.” He gives a half hearted smile, making the man before him raise his eyebrow higher before dropping it.  

“Well, don’t drink so much next time. Have fun with your class of demons, problem child.”  

He then walks off, trying to -badly, Izuku must admit- conceal a grin on his way out. Izuku sighs and looks at his watch, smiling a little at the time. The students should be arriving soon, good. Whenever he teaches, he’s able to take his mind off of whatever thing is going on in his life. Not that he isn’t open and honest with his students, he just doesn’t feel like his personal life is any excuse to slack off with his work.  

As students file in, he makes conversation with them, beaming all the way through each one. He’s honored to be someone that they trust, someone that they can go to for support. It reminds him of how Shouta was for their class.  

The days lessons breezed by faster than he thought they would. Before he knows it, it’s time to pack up for the day and go home. For some reason, he can’t help but dread it. Why is he thinking so selfishly these days? He needs to get it together.  

Compiling his things into his briefcase, he walks out of the building and drives home. Upon opening the door, he doesn’t see Ochako. He calls out for her and hears shuffling before she runs out. Giving her a once-over, he notices that her hair is messy and there are tear streaks on her face. He frowns, that had to be because of him. She was crying because he’s been treating her so awful recently and she doesn’t feel like she can talk to him. There’s no other explanation. Why is he such a bad boyfriend?  

He clears his throat and scratches the back of his neck, “Are you okay? You look like you’ve been crying..”  

She seems alarmed at this, clearing her own throat and giving him a half hearted smile, “Oh, yeah! I just had a rough patrol. Tenya actually came and cheered me up! Isn’t that nice?”  

Once more, her eyes light up when she starts talking about Tenya, his own eyes sinking a little at the sight. He smiles gently at her and offers a small nod, kissing her cheek and setting down his things, “I’m glad he was able to make you feel better baby.” And I’m sorry I can’t do that for you, he doesn’t say aloud.  

He gives her one last kiss to the forehead before retreating to the bathroom. When the door is closed, the tears spill. The tears of jealousy, the tears of anger at himself, the tears of wondering how he could be so awful, all of them. He can’t stand himself, he doesn’t deserve her. She’s this untouchable light who gave her trust to Izuku and he messed it all up. He loves her with all of his heart, so how can he show it to her? Does he just tell her to leave him for Tenya? Does he cook meals more often, take her on more dates, buy her more gifts, all of the above? Or..  

That’s it. That’s what he’s been doing wrong. He hasn’t proposed.  

It all hits him so suddenly that he wants to laugh at himself for being so dumb and not noticing it sooner. He beams at his tear stricken face in the mirror, taking deep breaths as more tears fall. That’s it, marriage. She talks about it so often, even talked about it when they first started dating. She’s been waiting for him to propose and he’s been being this total asshole, demanding her for food, dates, accusing her of cheating, all of it.  

It was all so simple, he was just being dumb as always, ‘stupid Deku’, as Kachaan may say.  

He had his revelation, so, why won’t the tears stop? Why does he feel like everything is spinning, and is he hyperventilating? His limbs suddenly feel heavier than they ever have and he feels like he’s underwater.   

He stumbles out of the bathroom, laughing and crying hysterically. Ochako looks at him like she’s just seen a ghost.  

“O-Ochako- I g-get it now!”  

Her scared expression turns heated as she scowls. It kind of reminds him of Kachaan, he remarks somewhere in his fuzzy head.  

“Y-you- You want me to propose! That’s why you’ve been so distant, clinging to Tenya-kun!” Sobs wrack his body, “P-Please uh.. T-tell me that’s it..?” He asks, now not so sure with the way she’s looking at him in horror and pure, unrelenting disgust, “You look fucking crazy right now, Deku. Get a grip.”  

He takes stock of what he might look like right now, flushed, sobbing, laughing, and trembling all at the same time, “Oh.”  

He thought he’d gotten it right, he really did. He stands himself up straight, tears still flowing down his face, but his toothy grin is no where in sight. He stares at his feet and frowns, “I-.. I’m so sorry. Yeah, I don’t know where that came from. I.. Think I just had some sort of breakdown. Probably work getting to me.”  

The girl sneers, crossing her arms over her chest, “It better be, do you know how scared I was!? God, think before you do those things. I’m going over to Tenya’s so you can think about your behavior. I was planning on doing so anyway.”  

His heart falls to his stomach; he still couldn’t manage to get her to stay. He’s so pathetic. Maybe if he never talked again, if he never cried, never touched her, always cooked, took her out, paid for everything.. Maybe then..  

No.  

As he hears the apartment door close, Izuku knows. He knows he’s just not good enough. This thought never leaves, all the way from the bathroom, to the living room, to the hallway, and onto their shared bed in their bedroom.  

For the next week, it’s like he’s on autopilot. He doesn’t really know if he’s teaching his classes right, if he’s answering questions properly or noticing all of the students with their hands raised. He’s not really sure of the last time he checked his phone, the last time he ate, the last time he spoke outside of class, really. He faintly remembers a few details here and there, but for the most part it’s just wake up, feed the cat, go to work, come home, feed the cat, go to bed.  

Is Ochako home yet? Oh yeah, that’s right. She got mad at him earlier because he dropped a glass. He was just trying to get her water, but he messed it up again.  

He really doesn’t deserve her.

Chapter Text

He did everything he could.

He showered her in gifts, he stayed silent, he cooked meals. Still, without fail, she would be at Tenya’s six out of seven days of the week. She came home to get things, came home to talk to him sometimes, but the conversations were just about Tenya. He’s happy she has a friend like him, truly, but some selfish part of him deep down says that he needs someone too.

He’s just barely getting through his days now. Home, classroom, patrol, home, repeat. His life has never been so structured, but he thanks the ability for it to be so he can simply just..

Exist.

He’s hardly living anymore. Everything he thought about himself was a lie. He’s no hero, he’s no symbol of hope, he’s nothing. Ochako deserves better than him, and she realized that. Honestly, he’s thankful for her berating when she’s home. It keeps him grounded, shows him what he needs to work on to be better for her, so she’ll come back.

She’s still coming back, yeah? She wouldn’t just leave him, not after this long. She’s just giving him a break so he can focus on himself, that’s all. He repeats it like a mantra at this point.

Ever since one week after his breakdown turned into three, three weeks turned into three months, three months turned into the night of their three year anniversary, he’s repeated those words over and over in his head. They’re something he can hold on to, his lifeline even.

He smiles to himself, humming a love song as he sets the table. Maybe she’ll come tonight. He can at least hope, right? He hasn’t been so bad recently. He hasn’t been mumbling to himself while she’s over, he’s kept the whole apartment pristine and tidy, he’s sent meals to her work, and he’s made sure to only talk Tenya around her.

The sound of keys in the door brings him back down into reality. Warmth floods his heart as he sits up in his spot at the table with the brightest smile he’s had in a while. The brunette comes trudging through the door, dressed in sweatpants and an oversized tee that can’t be hers. Her hair is messy and her makeup is smeared. Izuku can’t help but admire how beautiful she is even when she’s not trying. He stands up from his chair and goes over to greet her.

“Ocha! You came! I made your favorite for dinner, wanna sit down?”

She barely spares him a glance before letting her eyes fall on the table. Half melted candles and no doubt lukewarm food along the piece of furniture, all on top of a lovely soft pink tablecloth. She clears her throat and looks back up at Izuku.

“Nah. Not hungry, just had to get more clothes.”

The warmth that filled Izuku’s heart now feels as if it’s been drenched in liquid nitrogen, his smile dimming and his hands coming in front of himself to pick at his cuticles, “Ah, that’s alright! I can always just send some with you to Iida-kun’s. Would you uhm.. like to watch a movie at least? I don’t know if you forgot or something, but it’s our third anniversary today! I’m sure you’ve been busy so if you don’t want to celebrate that’s just fine. The food wasn’t that hard to make anyway, so I won’t have any hard feelings! Of course, I’d still like you to enjoy it. It is your favorite after a-“

He’s cut off with a large smack. He looks into her dull eyes, his own going wide and fearful, “Ah, I was muttering again. I’m sorry.”

This earns him a mere scoff, the woman offering no reply as she walks into their once shared bedroom. Recently, the smell of her in that space has faded away. Now, it’s just Izuku’s pitiful loneliness that lingers in the air.

He follows her into the bedroom, watching her pack more than she usually does.

“I really am sor-“

“Can it, Midoria. I don’t care anymore. The only reason I hit you is cause you were being annoying. Like I said, I don’t give a shit anymore, it was just hurting my ears. Anyway, since you seem to care so much, I’m staying with Tenya. Permanently.”

Izuku’s blood runs cold, both at the use of his family name and the news that was just thrust on him.

“Wait- Ochako.. We can talk about this.. I thought I was doing good! Please baby, what does Iida-Kun have that I don’t.. I’ll try harder, I promise! You want him, right? You like him more? I can be just like him for you if you need me to, I swear!”

“Can it.” She snaps, not eager on listening to his pleading any longer, “I’m done with you. It’s over Midoria. You’re annoying, selfish, and frankly can’t do shit without screwing it up. I don’t want your food, I don’t want your movie, and I don’t want you. Now go eat that shitty meal you made, and stay out of my life from now on. I won’t be back.”

Izuku is dumbfounded. The woman he’s been head over heels for since freshman year of highschool is barely recognizable anymore. He doesn’t understand. Nothing makes sense anymore, but he’d rather her be happy than be an inconvenience to her any longer. From then on, he just stands and watches her pack. The photos she put up, all of her clothes from their shared dresser and closet, even the toys from their bedside table are eventually neatly packed into three suitcases. He stares at his feet, tears falling onto the dress shirt he put on earlier that night.

As he hears the apartment door close, and watches the brown haired beauty exit the space for the last time, his heart feels empty. He sits on now only his bed, staring at the wall until his eyes can’t stay open anymore.  

Chapter Text

Katsuki awoke with a weird feeling in the pit of his stomach. If he had to describe it, he would compare it to the feeling of going up the first hill of a roller coaster. It’s a quiet anticipation for something he can’t pinpoint right now. He decided to quell the feeling by stress cleaning. 

The blonde grumbles to himself, scrubbing at a particularly tricky spot on a plate. The apartment is still, save for the soft thumping of Ejirou’s feet as he gets dressed. 

Katsuki usually enjoys mornings. He likes feeling refreshed and productive. Today though, he can’t help but feel a spike of anxiety at anything unusual. Something is wrong and he knows it, but before he can dwell on it any longer, broad arms are being wrapped around his waist. He hums, leaning back into the muscled torso behind him to feel the other mans heartbeat. 

“Morning kats,” his boyfriend mumbles against his ear, his chest pressed against him in all his bare torsoed glory. 

Katsuki inhales his scent, a soft smile coming to his lips as he looks up at the redhead, “You took a shower. Did you get new body wash?” 

Ejirou kisses his sharp nose, holding him closer, “Yeah, Mido told me to try it out. Ya like it?” 

Katsuki cuddles closer to him, shamelessly sticking his nose into his boyfriend’s armpit and humming, “Yeah. It should be a permanent for you. I’ll have to thank Izuku for the recommendation later,” he smirks devilishly, looking up at his boyfriend with hooded eyes. 

Ejirou returns the grin ten-fold, lifting Katsuki up and planting him on the counter. Lips are pressed against lips, mouths are open, heads are tilted, and hands are slowly trailing under clothes when the boys are interrupted by a series of gentle knocks on the front door. 

They break apart, a thin string of saliva connecting them. Katsuki grimaces and hops off of the counter, pulling the bottom of his hoodie over the erection tenting his pj pants. He storms out of the kitchen and to the front door. 

He’s ready to give this fucker a piece of his mind. Who do they think they are, knocking on his damn door at nine in the morning? He huffs angrily, swinging the door open. 

Every insult and exasperated expression dies before it can even make an appearance. 

Standing on the stupid welcome mat that Ejirou made him get when they moved in, is Izuku Midoria. This is normal, as he often visits a couple times a week. What’s not normal, are the bags under his eyes. The bruise on his cheek isn’t normal, nor is the slight sway he has as he tries to stand up straight. 

Katsuki schools his concerned expression, morphing it into a scowl as he silently steps aside to let Izuku in, “You look like hell. What happened, nerd?” 

And Izuku.. Well, Izuku gives him a smile he’s never seen before.. A smile filled with pent up emotions and unexplainable hurt. 

“She left me for Iida-san,” is all the man needs to say before he’s being wrapped in strong pale arms. Katsuki’s delicate hand runs through his greasy curls and he grimaces, looking at his hand in disgust. 

Ejirou watches from the doorway, his red eyebrows furrowed in confusion. He almost reminds katsuki of a scared dog. Katsuki moves his head to motion for him to come over. He continues to pet Izuku’s -- Who’s finally started crying – hair, resting his chin on the frankly disgusting locks. 

“I’ll hold you like this for now, but you’re taking a damn shower after you calm down,” he grunts out. Ejirou frowns at them both and Katsuki rolls his eyes. He grabs Ejirou’s arm and yanks him towards them, forcing him to join the hug.  

Ejirou instantly complies, wrapping them both in a bear hug. Katsuki grunts and yelps, while Izuku barely seems to notice, only curling tighter against the two men. 

Ejirou pouts, “Izu.. Wanna talk about it?” 

At this, Katsuki shoots him a glare, while Izuku merely sniffles and shakes his head. Where the fluffy locks would usually bounce with the movement, the built up grease and dirt from not having the motivation to shower holds the hair firmly in place. 

The boy against them doesn’t seem to notice, too preoccupied by the betrayal he’s barely explained to the other two. Ejirou clears his throat, taking to running a soothing hand up and down Izuku’s back. 

“How about we get you some clothes? We’ll put them out for you, you can take a shower, and there’ll be warm food for you when you’re done,” he smiles fondly. Izuku looks up at him, his lip trembling as his eyes develop a thicker sheen of water than before. Without having to hear it, the boys know that the tight hug Ejirou recieves is a thank you. 

After a few more silent moments in the embrace, Izuku quietly steps across the apartment and into the bathroom. Ejirou and Katsuki give each other mirrored looks of concern, walking together to their bedroom. 

“I’ll give him some of my pants. You give him a hoodie,” Katsuki mumbles, much unlike his usual powerful tone, he sounds somber, almost terrified for his friend. 

The statement goes without response as they prepare their home for comfort. They turn on Netflix, flicking through a few options before landing on an All Might documentary. By the time Izuku is out, steam is flowing from the bathroom door. His curls are still damp, but the clothes he’s swimming in prove that he at least dried his body off. The boys place three steaming dishes of Katsudon on the table, both looking over at the shorter. 

Izuku offers a small, sheepish wave. Ejirou smiles and waves back, while Katsuki stays silent, watching their friend as he walks over and sits in the middle of the couch. Ejirou wastes no time in sitting on his left, while Katsuki sits down softly on his right. 

They turn on the All Might documentary without a word, occasionally glancing at the boy nibbling on his Katsudon. The boys exchange another worried glance but try to give Izuku as much space as needed. Once his Katsudon is finished, he gently places the dish back onto the table, leaning back into the couch. Katsuki doesn’t miss the unusual slump in his form, nor does he fail to spot the dark purple bags sunken into the spot under his eyes. 

Seeing these things, knowing his best friend is slowly deteriorating, he speaks. 

“Stay with us for a while. Till you can get back on your feet. I doubt you’d want to go back to that shitty apartment anyway.” 

Of course, he neglected to talk to Ejirou about this first, so he not only gets a gawking stare from the man in the middle, but his boyfriend as well. Katsuki scoffs, “What? It’s not like you haven’t stayed at our place before. Don’t look so surprised. And shitty hair, you owe me one for all of the headaches from when your moms stayed with us for a month,” he growls out, looking away somewhat bashfully, “You don’t have to take the offer if you don’t want to ner-” Before he can finish his sentence, surprisingly strong arms encase his form. He makes an undeniably embarrassing noise that he’ll absolutely deny later, but hugs the man back anyway. 

He runs his fingers through soft curls gently, staring off into space in thought. He catches his boyfriend’s eyes and investigates them for any sense of anger but finds nothing but understanding. His boyfriend is on the same page, and he’s grateful for the soft smile he gets. 

“Okay nerd, get off me. It’s time for bed.” 

The boy pouts, staring up at him with a frown before sighing and saying his first words since he’s walked in. 

“Thank you Kacchan, Eji-chan. You guys are the best,” he sighs out, closing his eyes. Eventually, they’re able to lug the man into the guest bedroom, tucking him in and retreating to their own room for the night. 

As they lay beside each other, Ejirou scoops Katsuki into his arms, “I’ll admit, I was surprised, but I think this’ll be good for all of us. I know it’s been hard not seeing Izu as much as we did back in UA.” 

The man smiles against Katsuki’s blonde tufts, closing his eyes. Katsuki will never admit the soft smile he returned into the red head’s chest, but Ejirou feels it anyway.