Two to One (Katsuki Bakugou x Reader x Izuku Midoriya)

Chapter 12: It's by the Dime a Dozen

(Y/n) held her breath as she rang the doorbell to Izuku and Katsuki's house.

Her feet shifted on their porch, and she adjusted her backpack, her eyes flickering across the silent, gated neighborhood. The suburbs always made her feel like someone was watching her through their window. She was only gone for an hour and, already, she missed the cracked sidewalks of downtown campus, the honking taxis, and how she had to shove past shoulders on the way to the metro. The wasteful amount of space everyone's neatly cut lawn seemed to occupy made (Y/n) feel even more insecure about her marginalization.

She didn't even know if Katsuki would still be home. She should've texted him.

The morning chirps of the birds made up for how dreadfully quiet and stale the upscale neighborhood was. Now that she thought about it, their chirps seemed rather loud; there might've been a nest nearby. It was getting colder as the winter steadily crept closer into view, and she wondered why birds were still up north. The sudden influx of a harsh chill in the air may have delayed their nesting habits, though. (Y/n) briefly looked over the nearest tree, the branches long ridden of its leaves, but didn't find any nest, instead spotting a single turtle dove waddling along the edge of Izuku and Katsuki's yard.

The yank of the front door made (Y/n) yelp, ripping her attention away from whatever previous questions she had about finding a turtle dove so far out from the city. She turned, and upon seeing Katsuki glaring down at her with a gobsmacked expression, shirtless and with a toothbrush hanging out of his mouth, she almost forgot why she came here.

"Da fuck 're you doin' 'ere?" He belted, resuming brushing his teeth. "'is six in da morrin'!" (Y/n) winced as he almost spat toothpaste at her.

This was her first time seeing him face to face since their hiking trip. He had a light stubble – probably from not shaving yet this morning. Though, sometimes he kept it that way. She tried to subdue her shakiness (he hadn't noticed, right?) as she reached into her back pocket, pulling out a pack of Mevius Lights. Katsuki paused, his brushing slowing down and his furrowed brow deepening, unsettled as he stared down at the pack of cigarettes in (Y/n)'s hand.

"Izuku left these at my place last night. Since my apartment is on campus, we have a rule about–"

Katsuki met her eye with an accusatory glower, pulling the toothbrush out of his mouth, a bit of toothpaste dripping down the side of his mouth. "Deku was with you last night?"

(Y/n) seized up. "You didn't know?"

Katsuki's face twisted into something ugly. He blinked, shaking his head slightly. He took a breath through his nose, attempting to self-soothe.

"No?" He snapped, a little harsher than he meant, but that's how it always was with him. He heaved a deep sigh, snatching the pack of cigarettes from (Y/n) before trudging back into the house, leaving the front door wide open. Today's already off to a great fuckin' start...

(Y/n) stood unmoving on the porch, staring wide-eyed at Katsuki's retreating back. She glanced to the side as she heard Katsuki spit his toothpaste in the kitchen sink and rinse his mouth out. This... was all she needed to do, right? Return the cigarettes?

She stood uncomfortably fixed, watching through the open door Katsuki stomp around the lower level of the house, grabbing a shirt out of the hallway closet. She slowly began to pivot on her heel, about to retreat down the sidewalk. Okay... Bye, Katsuki...?

"You want breakfast or not?" Katsuki shouted at her from the kitchen.

***

An apparent frown was plastered on Katsuki's face as he slapped the shio koji on the fillet. He didn't speak to (Y/n) at all except to ask her if the rice was ready. He moved about the kitchen naturally and deliberately – everything was where he expected it to be – though, he was a little cruel in his performance. That fish didn't deserve to be sliced in the neck so viciously, did it?