The Proximation of Hello and Goodbye

21

Izuku stares at the stranger beside him carefully, still unsure what to make of the entire ordeal. The stranger has since closed his eyes, either contentedly soaking up the silence or patiently waiting for Izuku to try him . The green-haired man turns his gaze away, looking out the window. Is there any point in worrying about the idea of lamenting to a stranger? After the ride is over, it won't matter. His hands fold in his lap and he twiddles his thumbs, enjoying the sensation of the tips of his fingers soothing over the others in circular motions. "I just have a lot going on, in life... in my head. I'm supposed to be moving with my boyfriend in a few months," he starts.

"Oh, that's exciting," the stranger muses.

"It should be, right?" Izuku asks, feeling the knot begin to tie into his stomach once again. "Most people would be elated to move somewhere with the person that they love and start fresh, but I don't think I want that. The enticing part about moving is getting to take a breath of fresh air, but something tells me that it will only be the same stale atmosphere with fewer cracks in the windows. You know what I mean?" He asks. "Does that sound stupid?"

Haru frowns thoughtfully, "I can't say I understand, but I don't think it's stupid."

Izuku's shoulders slump forward, "It's just that at home I have more of a safety net. I have friends and a job I love. I know the town pretty well, all things considered. I like my house. Things like that. So, if I move, I won't have all of that. It'll be just me and my boyfriend in someplace that feels the same in most ways, but almost worse in others." The green-haired man pouts, "I feel like that's awful of me to say."

"Well, it's how you feel... Isn't it?"

"It is," Izuku says softly.

Haru lifts his head from the back of the seat and turns his body to face Izuku. "Well, it isn't awful to say. What's stopping you from just staying?"

He shrugs, "Nothing. I actually agreed to move in with my best friend. But, I did it to give myself space to figure things out, and I think I already know what I want, I'm just scared to admit it to myself."

Haru nods understandingly and goes back to his relaxed position, closing his eyes again. "Well, if you've made room for yourself to figure things out, take advantage of that. Don't worry yourself sick over something that isn't important right away. I hope your visit to Musutafu helps clear your head like you want it to."

"Me too," Izuku responds. "What about you? Where are you headed? What do you do for work?"

"Nothing too flashy. I just follow people around, basically," he answers vaguely. "I'm heading to Tokyo."

"So, you're a private investigator?"

Haru shrugs, "Something like that."

"Right," Izuku answers. "Well, I hope you're able to make it home quickly. Some of us may need this trip, but others might need a break in other ways. I'll be wishing you the best."

The man huffs, "Thanks, man. That said, I think I'm gonna get some shut-eye."

"I think I'm going to try and do the same," Izuku answers. "Thank you."

With the conversation coming to a close, Izuku rests his head against the window and allows himself to drift off ever so slightly. Thankfully, it's a mostly quiet ride. Not many people are on the bus, which makes it easy for him to slip into a state of rest quite easily. He slips into a state of subconscious thoughts, similar to that of a dream, but not quite the same. He can clearly see Masashi smiling at him, offering him his hand on their first date. He misses that smile and those soft, heart-felt gestures more than anything. It hurts his heart to try and remember the last time he'd seen his boyfriend be so affectionate. He can feel tears stinging the back of his eyes and a well of unease forming in his throat as he watches Masashi remove his hand from Izuku's and start walking away.