A Flower's Affection (KiriBaku Flower Shop AU)

Katsuki Bakugo - Overcoming Shivers

IMPORTANT NOTICE:
Hey guys, seriousness for a minute.
I know I've been on an unannounced hiatus. For those of you that know why, thank you for your support, and for those that don't, thank you for your patience.
That being said, this will be the last update of 2022, as I am now going on an official Hiatus. I will be leaving my home and all devices for an extended time, and will not have access until January of 2023.
I love you all and appreciate all the feels you've given me over the past two years. Please continue to support this story and my others while I am gone, and I promise I will continue all the juicy details when I return. Remember to vote and comment, as it helps new people to discover the story.
Again, thank you.

Now, it's been a minute, so if anyone wants to reread the last chapter, I know I had to. We've got some trauma to work through. Lots of it. Also some exposure therapy and the unlawful use of the word 'baby.'

Katsuki could feel Eijiro's ridiculous tension just through the grip on his hand when he pulled him away from Mina. The elevator ride to the fourth floor was quiet, Eijiro tucked behind him trying to be as small as he could make himself, hiding his face in the crook of Katsuki's neck. Katsuki kept their fingers intertwined, letting Eijiro tug him closer and closer until there was no longer any room between them.

"Calm down, Ei, you're fine," Katsuki promised. "You're not in trouble. I'm just worried about you."

Eijiro whined something into his shoulder that sounded like 'I know,' but his arms only squeezed Katsuki tighter until the elevator dinged on their floor. They left the small space together, Katsuki debating for only a moment before pulling his boyfriend into the far room. It felt more private this way, with Eijiro's empty room separating them from Shoji and the rest of their floor.

"Do you need anything?" Katsuki made sure to ask him, turning in Eijiro's arms to look at him properly. Ei found it hard to meet his eyes, hard to look strong when he so obviously felt torn inside.

Ei shook his head, sad eyes trained on the floor. "I don't. I... I just need you not to leave me."

Katsuki growled at the request, finding Eijiro's arms and pulling them tighter around himself. "That's not going to happen, Eij. Look at me--" EIjiro did, but only when Katsuki reached up and took hold of his chin to raise his head himself. "I'm not leaving you. I won't get mad at you, baby. I promise. I love you."

That helped. That simple reminder helped him relax. Helped him smile, just a bit, and nod, leaning in to Katsuki's touch. Those three little words that Katsuki had to remind himself Eijiro probably hadn't heard all that often in his tainted past.

This grim realization had Katsuki pulling him close for a kiss. Just one; just a peck--but it meant so much.

And they couldn't ignore the question anymore.

"Why, Ei?" Katsuki sighed, trying not to show how much this new insight on Eijiro's past shook him up. "Why were you up there? Why... why did you even try?"

Eijiro shuddered, squeezing Katsuki when the blonde tried to pull away to look at him. "Because it hurt."

"What hurt?"

        "Everything." The flood gates opened in a rush of air, as though it would hurt less if he said it faster. "I was sick of being scared, all the time. I couldn't sleep, I could barely eat. Sometimes I didn't want to go to school, but I just couldn't stomach the thought of going home." His voice broke painfully. "I hated the ridicule, and the scorn, and it was always so loud in my head and the nightmares only got worse and worse until no one was ever allowed to touch me and it felt like I was being watched, constantly. So I jumped, because I thought that maybe if I got rid of the thing they hated so much, maybe I could just get some fucking peace."