painless.

CHAPTER 008.

"decisions, decisions." izuku chuckles into the phone, after katsuki had been talking about what university he'd like to attend. "why do you have your mother's last name and not your father's?" izuku asks katsuki absentmindedly, changing the subject. all the time they would've spent together this week has been moved to talking on the phone.

"because, when my mom and dad were married, my dad decided to take my mom's last name. and it would sound weird being called katsuki wachi instead of katsuki bakugou." katsuki chuckles, and it sounds even more raspy than it normally would, because the reception izuku gets in his room isn't the best.

"yeah, that does sound weird." izuku laughs, glancing at the clock. 2:13 am. whoops.

but, izuku doesn't mind that he's staying up this late, if it means he can talk with katsuki. maybe he's gotten a little too over-attached, but how can he not? izuku doesn't have many other friends, usually they run away as soon as they hear the word disorder. like, he could list off people that spaced themselves from him after they found out. really, shoto is the only one who's stayed, and they haven't talked since izuku met katsuki. izuku mentally reminds himself to text shoto tomorrow-er, today, since it's two in the morning.

"do you ever think, like, how cool it would be if soulmates had matching pendant necklaces? there'd be no heartbreak, it'd be perfect." katsuki says, perhaps thinking that izuku might have his matching pendant.

"you got that from tumblr, didn't you?" izuku smiles, even though katsuki can't see him.

"maybe. it'd still be cool, though."

"yeah, but, like, what if your soulmate was some psychopathic cannibal?"

"that's not how it works, izu. you're soulmate has to be someone you like."

"not necessarily." izuku insists. "and, what if you got tired of the person? like, there'd be no one better in the world for you, so you'd be cursed to being a lonely old cat person."

"you don't get tired of your soulmate, izu." katsuki replies.

"whatever. i don't think i believe in soulmates, anyway." izuku yawns, dropping his head onto his pillow.

"why not?"

"it's too good to be true, you know? like, there's someone out there that's perfect for you. they balance you out, bring out the best in you, while you bring out the best in them. i'm not good enough to do that for someone, i don't think. it seems like a crazy idea, anyway. i'm just not sure if i believe there's someone out there that will love me and hate me but not be able to leave me, because, everyone leaves, at some point." izuku voice gets softer and softer as he goes on.

"i won't leave you." katsuki says, quietly.

"you will." izuku replies, closing his eyes.

"how do you know i will?"

"how do you know you won't?"

katsuki is about to reply when the line goes dead, because izuku fell asleep and hit the end button with his thumb.

+

"when will these be gone?" izuku whines to dr. bakugou as he inspects the little yellow bruises that he had received from katsuki nearly a week prior. katsuki was just trying to make a few dollars, was all. well, in a very stupid way, but that's the katsuki way, izuku supposes.

"they should be gone in two days," dr. bakugou says. "but, they may fade by tomorrow."

"you know your son isn't a sadist, right?" izuku blurts, before covering his mouth with his hands.

"yes, i know that," she replies. "but he can't just hurt you like that because you can't feel it. i don't know how he got the memo that that was okay in the first place. he's not one to hurt things."

izuku ponders, do i tell her about the bet, or not? no, he decides. that would make things even worse. it's better to just let her wonder.

"you're free to go, now. i need to speak with your mother, however."

"she's not here right now; i came by myself." izuku says. "she's probably at work."

"oh, can you tell her to stop by here afterwards? it's important: the thing i need to talk to her about."

izuku doesn't ask what the infamous 'thing' is, he's done that before and he never gets answers. he simply just say okay and is off. when he exits the room, he does not expect to be dragged into the bathroom. he throws his elbow up to hit his attackers nose, and when he hears a high pitched squeal followed by a deep groan he knows exactly who he just hit.

"i just wanted to say hi, and now i get a bloody nose?" katsuki complains.

"well, you could have just said hi, not gone all super rapist-kidnapper on me." izuku says with a little hmph, crossing his arms over his chest.

"i wanted to surprise you." katsuki pouts, holding a paper-towel he had just grabbed from the dispenser up to his nose. it is, indeed, bleeding; and, maybe izuku is a little proud.

"there are-" izuku is cut off when he is dragged into a stall with katsuki. "jesus, katsuki, what's wrong with you?"

"shhh." katsuki demands as the door to the bathroom opens. izuku visibly rolls his eyes.

"it's not like your mom is going to come into the men's toilets to look for us." izuku whispers, saying it as if katsuki's stupid.

"you'd be surprised. now, shh." katsuki replies, and izuku hears the click of heals across the tiles. his eyebrows raise and he looks at katsuki-who is now standing on the toilet seat so that if his mother was to look under the stalls it wouldn't look suspicious.

"izuku?" dr. bakugou's voice rings through the bathroom.

izuku clears his throat. "hmm, yeah?"

"i forgot to check your blood pressure. so, once you're done, come back in, okay?"

"okay." izuku replies, looking up at katsuki whom has a look of relief on his face. they hear the door close and katsuki steps off the toilet seat.

"what i'm wondering is how she knew to look in here." katsuki says, scratching the back of his neck.

"maybe she saw you drag me in here." izuku suggests. "maybe she heard you squeal like a piglet when i hit you in the nose and she knew it was me getting revenge." he laughs.

"a piglet?"

"mhmm," izuku smiles, poking katsuki's nose. "i'd better get back, then."

"call me tonight?"

"sure, katsuki."