What Just Happened

Riding a Wave That Never Breaks

Katsuki swallowed his pride, inviting Izuku to join him and hang out with him after school. He figured Izuku may want to get his mind off of things. Getting some food and relaxing would be good to help Izuku feel better after a breakup.

Izuku's eyes widened as his neck craned up to look at the blond towering over him. His heart pounded in his chest upon the realization that Katsuki was inviting him. He wished he was in the mood to go, but he couldn't handle any more socialization for the day.

Izuku waved his hand with a defeated smile. "Sorry, I need to be by myself for a minute. You guys enjoy yourselves. I'm going home."

Katsuki was irritated Izuku rejected him, but he understood. Izuku didn't have any time alone to process what happened so he wanted to be alone for a bit. After all, Izuku just ended his first serious relationship and was distressed. Izuku had given Uchimura his first everything only to be cheated on. Izuku needed a minute to really reflect.

"Don't do anything stupid, Deku," huffed Katsuki, looking at Izuku with a serious expression. His tone contrasted that with how sincere and oddly soft it was.

"Of course, Kacchan," nodded Izuku, his lips forming a small smile as he locks eyes with Katsuki. He really did appreciate the offer. If Izuku accepted the request, he'd tell himself it was too good to be true.

Izuku left first, leaving Katsuki, Tejio, and Hifumi to their own devices. Katsuki knew Izuku was being honest when he said he wasn't going to do anything stupid, but Katsuki didn't feel comfortable leaving Izuku by himself. "Common, we'll go to my house."

Hifumi knew Katsuki's true intentions and smiled, poking the blond. "You just want to follow Midoriya home."

"Get a load of Mr.Overprotective," teased Tejio, chuckling with Hifumi.

Katsuki's head snapped over to Hifumi and Tejio and he narrowed eyes. He didn't need to say anything as his piercing gaze was the only death threat his lackeys needed to get the message.

Katsuki, Hifumi, and Tejio followed Izuku from afar. They remained quiet for the most part, still trying to wrap their heads around the whole situation. The longer they walked, the angrier they got at Uchimura and the deeper their sympathy for Izuku got.

"Damn, Uchimura sucks," groaned Hifumi.

"No kidding. I wanted to slap that disgusting smile off his face back there," agreed Teijo, nodding vigorously.

"Bastard did all of that for nothing! There was no reason for him to cheat on Deku with  Maki. Dating her wouldn't help him in the long run," grumbled Katsuki, not impressed with Uchimura's greed.

They couldn't believe that their class president Uchimura was such a horrible person. It was hard enough to realize that the person they bullied was getting more action than they were. Disbelief washed over them in waves as they watched Izuku walk before them. He knew how to keep a secret.

They reached a more vacant area and the trio soon realized this must be the different path Izuku took to get home. Entering their second year at Aldera Junior High, Izuku no longer walked home the same route as Katsuki in an attempt to avoid harassment.

The path Izuku was currently taking to get home was much longer than the one Katsuki took. It also was through a shadier part of town, making Katsuki suddenly worried for Izuku's safety. Izuku clearly had no trouble getting home for the past year, but all it took was him being at the wrong place at the wrong time

Soon enough the group was passing under a bridge. Unbeknownst to them, it was the same bridge that the sludge villain had almost killed Izuku under. They didn't know that considering the sludge villain attacked Katsuki on the main street.

Izuku looked at his phone and stopped walking. His head was tilted down to look at the screen. He stood there for nearly two minutes before letting the hand holding the phone fall to his side. They could tell he was gripping the phone tightly as his hand shook. They immediately assumed Uchimura was behind Izuku's frustration.

In an instant, Izuku raised the phone into the air with his trembling hand. Seeming to go against what he wanted to do, Izuku sighed while he slightly lowered his arm. The three watched Izuku with worry, unsure of what headspace he was in.

Losing the last of his resolve, Izuku chucked his phone to the ground. The crack echoed through the bridge from the force Izuku used. Getting out a pained shout, Izuku squeezed his fists tightly before crouching where he was.

Izuku's fists loosened when he moved his hands to place them on top of his head. Interlacing his fingers, Izuku weighed his head down.

Katsuki made his way over before he even realized what he was doing. Carelessly, Katsuki tossed his bag to the ground knowing he didn't need an obstacle in his way. Kneeling before Izuku, Katsuki pulled Izuku into an embrace.

Izuku gasped, startled by the sudden touch. His breathing had been so shallow that his ears had begun to ring. He didn't even hear anyone approaching. With one deep breath, Izuku smelt the familiar scent of caramel with a hint of banana and knew it was Katsuki. 

Izuku registered Katsuki's presence and let himself crumble. He didn't have the strength to brave it out or convince himself that he was unaffected. Katsuki knew Izuku was hurting and Izuku realized Katsuki had no plans of going anywhere.

Katsuki looked up to where his lackeys were and jerked his head. Without words, Katsuki let them know they could go off together. Katsuki was preoccupied with Izuku and would appreciate not being watched.

Katsuki picked up the phone that had been chucked at the road only to see the entire screen was shattered. Fortunately, the phone still worked and the contents on the screen could be made out through the distortion.

Katsuki didn't know Izuku's passcode, therefore he couldn't be a snooper and figure out what made Izuku so mad. Whatever it was, it was nothing good if it made him try to destroy his phone.

Katsuki pulled out his own phone, quickly shooting a text to Inko that he'd be stopping by. Inko was overjoyed to hear from Katsuki and to find out she'd be seeing him.

Katsuki slipped his phone away, shoved Izuku's phone into his pocket, and let go of Izuku. Izuku looked blankly at Katsuki when he saw the explosive hand extended outward for him to take.

The entire walk home, Katsuki watched as Izuku followed him blindly in a daze. Izuku would dodge fellow pedestrians and dips on the sidewalk, despite seeming unresponsive. When Katsuki and Izuku climbed up two flights of stairs, he watched Inko open the door happily.

Inko's face bloomed with worry upon seeing her son's broken expression. Katsuki guided Izuku in once Inko held open the door for the two. "Please, come inside."

"Thanks, Aunty," huffed Katsuki, proud of himself for getting Izuku home.

"No, thank you Katsuki. I'm grateful you took time out of your day to bring Izuku home. Would you like any tea or water?" asked Inko, her voice sending Katsuki back in time.

Katsuki could help but sit on the soft couch in the small apartment and get overwhelmed by the past. Izuku's high-pitched chattering and Inko's soft, tender coos. Inko's voice was the kind of voice that your heart and mind would always remember. It was something your ears would happily chase.

No matter how sharp and crude Katsuki's tongue could get, Inko always responded in a way that compelled respect. That was something admired about Inko. It explained why Izuku was so much like her. Her demeanor was always sweet and loving, strong and persistent, calm and collected.

Katsuki understood why his mother was best friends with Inko. Even if Izuku's goal of becoming a hero made his blood boil, he knew no matter what, Izuku would need him.

As Katsuki allowed himself to get lost in thought, Inko brought him back to the present. Sitting down two glasses of tea, Inko sank into the seat. "Here you go."

Katsuki forced himself to look up at Inko and made sure to tone down his resting bitch face. "Thank you, Aunty."

"Now, tell me what's going on with Izuku."

An hour passed and Katsuki was hugging Inko before heading out the door.