moving up

Chapter 16

As long as there are two people in the store, they're able to stay open, though if it's going to be for a significant amount of time, then it's best to try to call people in to work extra, and, if no one can, other managers are supposed to come in to work. But, if it's just for an hour or so, two people are able to hold down the fort all on their own.

That's the situation Izuku and another manager find themselves in one night. They were supposed to close with another person, while Mashirao, the sales floor associate of the night, went home an hour before they closed. However, the fitting room attendant called in, so once Mashirao had to leave, Izuku and this manager were left alone together to finish the last hour of the night.

It figures that this would happen on a night when he had to work with Katsuki.

They still haven't talked about anything other than work related topics, and Katsuki has continued to pretend like nothing ever happened between them. The two of them are able to work together without issue, but being alone like this is rather tense either way.

Katsuki is acting distant, which is pretty average since the incident, but tonight feels even worse than usual. Izuku won't say that he's an expert on reading his childhood friend, but he thinks that there might be something more bothering him than the usual, not that it's something he can ask him about. At least, he's sure if he did, Katsuki wouldn't answer.

So they work in silence, and Izuku wonders what it could be that has Katsuki so distracted. If it isn't him- and it's pretty arrogant to always assume that he's on Katsuki's mind anyway- than he doesn't know what it is, and he hopes that there isn't anything bothering him at home. He hopes that there isn't anything bad going on, and he wishes that he could ask about it, just to make sure that Katsuki doesn't need help with something. Even if Katsuki wouldn't want to let him help, he would at least be able to offer if he knew.

I really hope that Kacchan is okay , is basically all Izuku thinks as he goes through the motions, ringing up the stragglers still left in the store at closing. They've been pretty busy for having such a small staff, so it will take them a while to get things ready to go home after they close.

Izuku thinks of Ochako and decides that it might be for the best that he's unable to confront Katsuki. After all, he's already decided to focus only on her, so Katsuki's problems aren't any of his concern, right? But, then again, they're still old friends, regardless of any other complications, so maybe he has every right to be concerned, even if he's already involved with someone.

He's overthinking things again, but what else is new?

There is still a part of him that isn't over Katsuki yet, and he wants to understand him and talk with him and be with him. He doesn't care about Ochako any less or want to be with her any less, but his feelings for Katsuki don't go away so easily, and he really does feel like a terrible person for how selfish he is being about all of this.

But once the last customer is out of the store and they're able to lock up for the night, he can't help himself anymore. He knows that he should just mind his own business, but this has gone on long enough, and he at least wants to try and get to the bottom of things.

"Kacchan?" Katsuki doesn't respond, but Izuku continues. "Is there something bothering you? You just seem kinda..."

"It's none of your business, Deku." Well, that at least confirms that there's a problem, even if it won't be easy to get him to say what that problem is.

"Alright, but if it's something you want to talk about..."

"Since when have I ever wanted to talk about anything with you? Idiot."

"Come on, you don't have to be like that," he protests. "I know things have been difficult, but still...we're friends, and don't say that we aren't. If you need to talk, or need help, you can still come to me."

"But if it's none of your damn business, then there's no point."

"Then stop letting your feelings show at work, if it's none of my business." It might be a low blow, but Izuku doesn't know what else to do.

Katsuki scowls at him before sighing. "You're really not gonna let up, are you? Look, I've got a lot going on, and I can't really explain it, and that's all I really wanna say."

"It doesn't have anything to do with me, does it?"

"Jesus Christ, not everything does."

"I never said that! Come on, Kacchan, you know why I would want to know...you know why I'm curious. You know why I wanted to make sure," Izuku says.

"Okay, fine, yeah, I know exactly why. No, it isn't you. It's someone else...it's something else," he says. "It's none of your business, so just let it go and get back to work."

Someone else. That's all Izuku really needs to hear. Katsuki has someone else, which is fine, since they were never anything, let alone exclusive, and Izuku has someone else anyway. He's already decided to let Katsuki go and pursue Ochako, and it's perfectly fine if Katsuki wants to pursue someone else as well. It should have already been over, but hearing that, it's definitely over now, and Izuku is ready to let him go.

"I hope it works out," he says, offering a smile. Maybe now they can go back to being friends like they were before. "If you want to talk about it any time, you know you can talk to me. We're friends."

That should be it, but Katsuki suddenly snaps, "Damn it, Deku! You think everything is so fucking simple, don't you?"

"You're not....you're the one who makes things complicated," he argues, feeling intimidated but not backing down. He's done everything he can to try to keep things decent between him and Katsuki, and done everything he can to move on; now it's Katsuki causing the problems. "You wouldn't talk to me, after...you know! And you're the one who went and found someone else!"

"Yeah, well, you're pretty cozy with that other cashier."

"Because she likes me! She actually likes me, and doesn't play games with my head!"

"I'm not playing any goddamn games! If you'd just stay out of my way, then we wouldn't have any problems!"

Izuku can already tell what's going to happen. The more angry Katsuki gets with him, the closer he gets, until there is no space between them, and he needs to stop this from escalating, but he doesn't. He needs to stop Katsuki from trying to kiss him, but he doesn't.

And once Katsuki pulls back, he says, "We should close up and go home," and he knows that nothing has been resolved. Not even close.