Three Little Words

† Chapter Three †

Author's POV (Izuku)

Izuku sat there, still unsure of what to do or say. Just sitting across from Katsuki made him too nervous to eat....and maybe breathe, too. He'd look to Shoto for help, but his faithful friend was busy conversing with Kirishima. Even if he wasn't busy, Izuku did not believe Shoto would give him the help he so desperately needed. He thought if he left him and Katsuki alone to work out their differences, they would become best buddies or something. "Not likely..." Mumbles Izuku. Katsuki looks at him and furrows his brows. "What did you say, nerd? What are you mumbling over there?"

"N-nothing." Izuku sighs softly and picks up his chopsticks. If he can't  conversate, he'd at least try to make himself eat. And possibly throw it up later.

He twirls up some noodles and forces them into his mouth. His green eyes would nervously flick to Bakugou's face, seeing if he was paying attention. Most of the time he wasn't, but sometimes he would be looking back. He had that sour look on his face, like he hated just breathing the same air as Izuku. This made him feel even worse.

And when Izuku thought about it, he wasn't even sure why Katsuki Bakugou hated him in the first place. They were friends when they were children, and Izuku always looked up to him. Even now. Was it because he thought he didn't have a quirk?

After forcing himself to eat half the contents of his tray, Izuku takes a deep breath and looks up. This time, he'll try harder.

"H-hey, Kacchan? Do you have any plans for this weekend? I was going to go ice skating with Ochako and Tenya." Katsuki slowly turns his head to face Izuku. He still has that sour look, but it softens slightly. He shrugs. "Dunno. Probably gonna train or something," he replies. Izuku smiles a little, happy that he got Bakugou to say something. "Training, that sounds fun! Are you going to train with anybody?"

"No," Katsuki answers flatly. His eyes narrow, almost daring Izuku to say what he knows he's gonna say next.
"Maybe you and I....we can train together this weekend! S-so we can get closer and bond-"

"What makes you think I want to get closer to you?"

Katsuki's POV

"Maybe you and I....we can train together this weekend! S-so we can get closer and bond-"

"What makes you think I want to get closer to you?" I spat.

"...what?"
I almost laugh at his pathetic response. So fucking clueless...
"You and me? Training together? I'd rather blow myself up then be anywhere near you, Deku. I only sat with your stupid ass because Kirishima wanted to. If it was my choice, I would have sat across the cafeteria. You only slow me down. You are pathetic, weak, absolutely fucking clueless and a waste of my fucking time. Your dad probably left because you never developed a quirk, and I wouldn't blame him."

I stood up and sent a mini blast at that stupid nerd. He fell out of his seat and landed on the floor. I laugh.

"You can't even protect yourself either! Can you be anymore weak?!" I watch as Shoto gets up and runs to Deku's side. Kiri turns to me and gives me a disappointed look. "Don't look at me like that. He had it coming."
He shakes his head at me and starts walking away. He'll forgive me later. He always does.

I turn back front, where I meet Deku's gaze. His eyes were full of fear and hurt. Good, I thought. Maybe now, he'll finally leave me alone. I didn't do anything wrong. He brought this on himself.

"I-I'm sorry, Kacchan..."

I walk over to the two and cross my arms. Looking down at Deku on the floor was even more satisfying than watching the fear in his eyes. He's helpless, and he should know that. "Better be. Now stay the hell away from me, nerd." One singular tear rolled down his stupid face. That was enough for me.

I turn around and walk out of the cafeteria. I'll find Kirishima later and sort things out. I can't be the only one who thinks Deku is unfit to be in this school. I bet the whole class knows that. Even that Half and Half bastard.

Izuku's POV

"...what?" I ask softly. I stare at Kacchan as he glares back at me. Did I say the wrong thing? I guess it was pretty stupid to think that he would wanna become closer, maybe even be friends again. He hates me, and it's forever going to stay that way.

"You and me? Training together? I'd rather blow myself up then be anywhere near you, Deku. I only sat with your stupid ass because Kirishima wanted to. If it was my choice, I would have sat across the cafeteria. You only slow me down. You are pathetic, weak, absolutely fucking clueless and a waste of my fucking time. Your dad probably left because you never developed a quirk, and I wouldn't blame him."

I feel tears welling up in my eyes. This shouldn't hurt, I've heard it all before. But it seems that the more he says it, the worse it hurts. I look into the ruby red eyes of my once bestest friend. When did he become so mean?

Kacchan stood and held up his hand. He sent a mini explosion my way, and I practically flew out of my seat. The front of my uniform was burned black, right in the chest, where he struck me.
"You can't even protect yourself either! Can you be anymore weak?!"

I know I'm weaker than you, Kacchan. I know that.
Shoto scrambles from his seat and kneels at my side. "Izuku! Are you okay?!"

I nod, but we both knew that was a  lie. "I'm fine, Shoto. Nothing I'm not used to."
I look up at Kacchan, my eyes wide with well-known fear. He met my gaze. His glare was so meaningful, like he was so passionate about making my life a living hell.

"I-I'm sorry, Kacchan..." He walks over to me and crosses his arms.
"Better be. Now stay the hell away from me, nerd."
He walks out of the cafeteria, leaving me on the floor. I've just now noticed the tears rolling down my cheeks. I bet everyone was looking at me. "Shoto, I-I wanna leave...I'm just not hungry anymore."

A quiet sob escapes me and I bury my face into my hands. I felt Shoto wrap his arms around me and pull me to my feet. He guides me out of the cafeteria.

"I'm so sorry, I never meant for this to happen. You'd think that Bakugou would have some common decency to be civil at the lunch table. He's such an asshole, and when I get my hands on him-"

"Don't touch him," I croaked. I wipe my tears and look up at him. He was staring at me. "I know he wasn't very nice back there....b-but....don't hurt him."
Shoto pauses before leaning in and putting his hands on my shoulders. "But he gets to hurt you? He gets to embarrass you in front of everyone? He gets to call you weak and get away with that? Izuku, are you listening to yourself right now?! Stop defending him! He needs to be helping accountable for his actions! You can't just condone this!"

I sigh and look away. "Todoroki....I can't really explain to you why I let Bakugou do this to me. I guess deep down inside, I just have a feeling that Kacchan doesn't hate me like he says he does. Maybe he's just having some trouble understanding what he's feeling towards me. I know it's hate, but there's something else there, too. I can feel it, Shoto."

I could tell that Todoroki was having a hard time following my logic. Maybe I'm just lying to myself to me feel better. But even if I was, I'm confident that Kacchan doesn't just hate me. I know there's something else there. I just know it.
"Izuku....why not just tell Bakugou that you have a quirk? I mean, maybe he'll lay off a bit when he learns that you have a quirk like everyone else. Even if it was borrowed, you don't have to tell him that."

It was true that I've thought about telling Kacchan that I have a quirk. Even if I inherited it from All Might. I've talked to All Might about telling Kacchan, and he said it was okay if I told him. But I feel that if I told him, he would think I've been hiding it from him all these years. Or that I'm lying about it. I haven't used my quirk in front of many people. Only Shoto, All Might obviously, and my mother. The staff of course, too.

Shoto thinks that telling Bakugou about my quirk would just make everything go away. I wish it worked that way. Maybe I would show him in order for him to believe me. Or just keep it a secret from him until the time is right.

To be honest, the more I think about it, the more it stresses me out.

"Let's just go see Recovery Girl. I don't know if my skin is burned or not, Shoto."
I smile at him, but he doesn't smile back. "Okay, let's go."