Trouble (SeroDeku)

Chapter 9

Izuku's phone chime sent a dread-filled shiver down his spine. Not many people had his number and usually a text meant terrible news. Imagine his surprise when it was an unsaved number. 

Unknown~

You went into hiding for seven years and didn't change your number? Really lightning bug? 

A constricted breath loosened from his chest once he saw the familiar nickname. Hanta had changed his number over the years since Izuku still had his old one saved. He supposed it was finally time to delete it. 

Now came the hard part, deciding whether to answer the pro hero or not. The last time they'd seen each other had thrown Izuku for a loop. He'd never expected to see Hanta face to face again, let alone get their lives so entangled that the hero was texting him again. Was he supposed to run with it? Was he supposed to let himself be happy, for however long the universe decided before it crashed and burned again? Or was he supposed to fight it to protect not only himself but Hanta as well? 

Before Izuku could decide, Hanta sent another message. 

Unknown~

Did you always keep this number? 

Izuku ran a hand through his hair while rereading the text. Of course, he'd always kept the number, but he knew why Hanta was asking. The first year after Izuku disappeared off the face of the earth, Hanta had texted him no less than a hundred times. It started off as frantic messages, wanting to know where he was, if he was okay, if he was alive, but they slowly faded into something else. Izuku regularly received life updates and pictures, as if he was scrolling through someone's social media feed. He got deep, introspective conversations Hanta seemed to have with himself, since Izuku never replied. He got confession after confession, longing, and pining, heart-wrenching admissions, just about everything you'd expect from a heartbroken teenager. 

With a shaking hand, Izuku typed out a response and hit send before he could change his mind. 

Izuku~

Yes.

Unknown~

That is... so embarrassing

In the middle of Izuku's spiral, Hanta made him smile effortlessly. 

Izuku~

Maybe

Kind of endearing

In like a stalker kind of way

Unknown~

So you're into stalkers now? 

Izuku~

Always have been

You know one time this boy FOLLOWED ME TO MY HOUSE

Just to get me to train him

Pretty stalker behavior if you ask me

Unknown~

Ok I walked right into that one

But in all fairness would you really qualify the compound as your house?

Izuku~

What'd you need tape boy?

Unknown~