healing takes time (none of it is linear)

Chapter 2

"W-what?" Izuku muttered weakly. Again he found himself sitting in the living room on the couch, Eijiro having coaxed him out of his room the day after arriving there. The redhead was sitting beside him. Shoto lent against the arm of one of the chairs while Katsuki was on the other side of the room, arms crossed as he leaned against the wall. He wasn't looking at them and looked like he didn't want to be there.

"You don't have any clothes, so we thought it would only be right to take you out to get some," Shoto reiterated. His voice was smooth and calming, but his presence was mildly intimidating.

"Only if you want to, of course," Eijiro continued. "We can always go out without you and just pick up some things we think you might like and hope for the best."

Katsuki was grumbling, something Izuku couldn't hear, but the statement made both Eijiro and Shoto glare at him. They were even scarier when they tried to be. Izuku didn't like it. He shrunk back into the couch as much as he could, curling his knees into his chest.

He didn't understand why he'd have to come along. Every time before, the alpha (or sometimes beta) would pick everything, and Izuku would have to wear it even if it didn't fit or was uncomfortable. He had assumed it would be the same now.

Eijiro turned back to Izuku, his expression softening as he smiled reassuringly at Izuku, "think about it, ok? If you wanna go, then tell us."

Izuku shrugged. "I- I guess I'll come," he muttered. Maybe he could run away and forever leave this society.

Eijiro smiled, "great!"

"When do you want to go?" Shoto asked; simultaneously, Katsuki grumbled, "shopping is stupid." Izuku just shrugged.

"Would today be ok?" Eijiro asked Izuku. "You probably don't want to keep having to borrow my clothes."

Izuku shrugged again. Today or tomorrow, it's not like he had any plans. "Sure," he whispered.

Eijiro smiled and got up. "Ok, I'll grab my things, and we can go when you're ready."

Izuku didn't know what he had to get ready, and part of him wanted to wait as long as he could to see what would happen. The other part screamed that Eijiro would get mad at him if he weren't ready to go soon.

Izuku's "ready" was putting on his shoes and waiting for the others. He pulled at the sleeves of a sweater Eijiro had lent him. It was large and almost past his knees, but it was comfortable and not the ratty clothes he had been wearing when he arrived. Even if it smelt like the alpha, Izuku didn't find himself minding too much.

As Eijiro and Shoto slipped on their shoes, Izuku noticed Katsuki missing from the group. Eijiro saw him looking around curiously and caught on, "Kats is staying behind. He doesn't like shopping."

Izuku was a little relieved about that. Katsuki scared him the most out of the three, so he didn't mind. "Oh, ok," he muttered.

"Ready to go?" Shoto asked.

Izuku nodded, and Eijiro led the way outside to the car.

The car ride to the mall was quiet, and Izuku wasn't sure if he liked it. He could feel his nerves building, he hated crowded spaces, and from past experiences, malls were always packed.

After finding a parking spot, they all got out of the car, and Eijiro held his hand out to Izuku. "Wanna hold my hand so you don't get lost?" He asked softly, head tilting to the side.

Izuku stared at his hand for a moment before taking it. It wasn't so he wouldn't get lost. It was so he wouldn't run.

Eijiro also took one of Shoto's hands, but Izuku was sure it wasn't so he wouldn't get lost or run away.