Stay with me!

Chapter 37 - shame - I

It was all too much, one thing and then another led to where he was -- locked in the bathroom, hyperventilating. He couldn't breathe or stop the tears, scratching his cheeks until they hurt. The yelling from the other side instead of any comfort in his time of need. He was never this weak usually, how did it all get to this? Where did it begin?

Right, three hours ago.

Three hours prior, Bakugo sat on the couch with a remote in hand as his mother prepared a lamb roast for later on. Mitsuki's father didn't visit often, about once a year as the place wasn't to his standards, although she blamed her husband for putting him off. He was simply an embarrassment to the blonde women and her bloodline of suffocating standards. Her son thought the whole ordeal was bullshit, in crude terms, so much effort and presentation for absolutely nothing. The old chap was never satisfied with anything and loved, really loved to dig at anything that wasn't pristine. If Mitsuki realised that his gratitude didn't exist then they could give up this nonsense. If only. Katsuki had to give credit to his father though, still bothering to look after the old chap despite neither liking each other.

"Katsuki! Get off your ass and put a better shirt on."

He stood up and groaned at his mother, "what's wrong with it? I'm comfortable and I don't think he'll care."

"Well, I do!" She screeched, "change it right now."

"But why--."

"If you don't get up there right now!"

He ended up changing his skull shirt to something more... 'formal', a pale-red button up. Then when he sat down she found another problem.

"Go comb your hair, it looks like shit."

"I literally did."

She wasn't even facing him, "do it again. I don't want your granddad thinking this place is a pig's shed."

And even when he brushed his hair and tried to relax on the couch, she had more to say. Apparently, nothing he did was never enough. She always found something to nitpick him about and it irritated him. Could she accept him or was he that disgraceful?

"I'm going back upstairs," he announced.

"No, stay here because he'll be here any minute now."

"I ain't in the mood."

"Like we ever are, just suck it up."

Not only was he angry but now he was bored, sitting and waiting like a lost dog. He wished a portal opened up and took him back to school, Nezu's weird ass office was much better than this.

The older man entered this place as if it was a hospital full of corona virus, almost holding his nose at the etching smell. He pulled his daughter in for a hug and then went to his grandson who hesitated. After seeing a look of death from his mother, Katsuki hugged his grandfather and internally gagged at the kiss on his cheek. He swiped the mark and watching his dad shake hands with the older man, a bitter shake at that. It was cringe-inducing how obvious it was -- neither wanted to see each other but they had to.

"Masaru, go make my father a cup of tea, will ya?" She asked and he obeyed as he blended into the walls. Bakugo watched his grandpa's face of disgust as he slowly sat down on the rugged couch, keeping his hands on his lap.

To find some peace, the youngest indulged in his phone with muted Tiktoks to scroll through. But he was soon dragged into the passing conversation.

"So how's school going for you?" He asked.

Bakugo didn't realise the question was directed to him, heavily concentrating on a passage of text.

"Katsuki, he's asked you a question." She commanded him.

"Oh, my bad." He apologised but saw the look of frustration. Things were already heading downhill.

Masaru shakily put the teacup down and turned to leave before his wife called out, "I heard the kettle on for longer than a minute."

"What no? I was just making sure it was--."

"I told you to lift it up just when it starts boiling, do you not know how expensive that is?! Just think," she didn't yell but it physically dug into him.

The two talked as if their guest wasn't there. Although, Mitsuki's father pretty much knew about the shithow that went down because she always made sure to call him and tell him everything that ever happened. Like the suspension he went through, the great grandpa knew. He knew of all the stunts his son in law caused too. He really didn't need to hear that much of it but the woman took glee in informing him about their lives as if they were a documentary for the TV. Just wonderful.

"I.." He mumbled.

"What?!"

"I understand," Bakugo's father repeated with greater clarity.

"It's just something you can prevent."

As she trailed on and on about it, not letting the moment die out on the ground, Bakugo felt incredibly tempted to stand up for his father. He didn't agree with this and it didn't feel justified, she was finding any reason she could to be a dick and unlike her, Bakugo didn't like making his father cry. He kept thinking on how to get involved, originally muttering a "leave it" to a "he knows, leave it" but she ignored him and continued. Thankfully the old chap brought up some bullshit about the war which took over and Bakugo sighed in relief whilst his dad left to likely cry in his bedroom.

"You know, boy." His grandpa pointed at him to get his attention. "We barely could eat bread, your generation has it all in your hands with your quirks and whatnot but you sit around and play on those telephones. Spoilt! That's what I say."

He successfully insulted the teen who had nothing to reply with, ironically turning to face his phone.

"Then when you get old, everything is hard and you're slow."

God, could he be any more negative?

He sipped more of the tea, "and I can no longer run or sleep well. I'll be gone in a year, I think."

Mitsuki immediately interrupted her father, "of course not. Don't be silly, you're very healthy for your age."

Bakugo felt like shit for some reason, though he had an idea why. He sat there and watched until his feelings burst in front of his eyes.

"Your father... he is lazy, isn't he?" The old man chuckled.

Bakugo couldn't help but smile at the tease, he wasn't completely wrong. "Yeah, hah."

Though, it was soon regrettable. "He makes your mother really stressed, you both need to go easier on her, she has a lot going on."

There she was, the women paraded about with a cynical smile. She looked off into the distance but there was an undeniable truth behind her hearing each word. But it felt like not only an insult to his father, but also the teenage boy and he couldn't play nice anymore.

"I haven't done anything."

"Hm?"

"What do you mean with both of us? I haven't done shit at all, she's been causing problems too."

It was almost comedic how quickly the woman's face changed from pride to scorn.

"You do not swear," she yelled.

"I'm sick of this shit, leave my dad alone. You upset him too but never admit it. It's always other people!"

"You shut your mouth right now, you... you fuck!"

"Mitsuki!" Her father cried out, attempting to console the impossible.

But Bakugo left and darted towards the bathroom, slamming it shut whilst he sat against it as there wasn't any way of locking it. His palms crackled and he lightly breathed, trying to calm himself after the build up of today. The adrenaline coursed through him and he couldn't hear anything right now, his senses out of sync. His mother banged against the door but he couldn't feel it nor could he hear the calls from his grandpa. It was a smudge in his brain.

A leaking smudge on a damp piece of paper, almost asking to be ripped apart. As it began to tear, tears left his eyes as he curled up more into himself.