Fuselage

×~❄ Chapter 34 ❄~×

The needle buzzed soothing.

"You ready?" Hanta's gloved hand poised over Katsuki's shoulder.

Katsuki grunted, shifting a little as the needle turned back on. The sting began and his eyes closed. It was soothing, cathartic.

"You really gave us a scare there." Hanta smiled too big, too wide. "Glad you're finally up and at it again though; offending everyone, scaring the villagers." He leaned back, tilted his head, put needle to skin. "So, why the 'x's?" Hanta slowly curled over the stylized cloud. "I mean, I'm flattered you liked my design so much but-"

"It seems fitting. It was on my academy outfit. You really never noticed my flight jacket?" Katsuki interrupted, waited for Hanta's sheepish smile, slow head shake. He tsked and continued, settling back down into the worn leather of the used chair. "You aren't going to ask-"

Hanta sighed. Katsuki could feel the roll of dark brown eyes as the needle left his skin to dip back into ink, changing pitch as it set back to flesh with a sting. "Sure bro. Why the gears too?"

"I saw the tattoo you dared Kirishima to get." Hanta's hand paused for a moment as he snorted. "I figured-"

"You know, they're kinda like hugs and kisses. Your 'x's and 'o's." Hanta chuckled, wiping the red, swollen skin softly - his voice just as tender. "I like it." He leaned over Katsuki's arms again, tool slowly etching down over the outline of the clouds behind the dragon at the shoulder blade. "Did you wanna try and do this at once? Shading and all or-"

"One go." Katsuki's face was impassable. Still he turned away to look at the artwork of Hanta's on the wall.

I never noticed before. Katsuki frowned at the kitsune.

Over and over again. Katsuki's likeness in fox form. Over and over again in traditional Japanese style, in contemporary, in soft lighting, in harsh modern angles.

But no nod to the Oni that led him to the village? Katsuki craned his gaze as far as it would go.

Hanta laughed, breathy, interrupting the investigation. "It'll be, like, two, three hours, dude." He wiped at the red skin. "Are you sure?"

"Yes." Katsuki inhaled slow. "This is... therapy."

"Yeah. I get it. World-approved self harm." His hand froze for a second. "Don't tell me you're avoiding Uraraka cuz of Deku?" Hanta's voice held no scorn.

"No." Katsuki tapped his fingers on the table. "I just... can't right now." He turned his head away. For some reason that made the pain worse. He turned back. "I don't know. I can't... explain it."

Hanta hummed. "So last time you went AWOL your mom called Uraraka here." He leaned away, refilling. "Does that mean-" he pulled Katsuki's sleeve back up. "Your dad will come if you-"

"He better fucking not!" Katsuki snapped, relented. "My mom probably wouldn't let him anyway. She's a retired model. Dad still designs clothes. He'd be in big trouble if he just ditched out in the middle of such an important time for his company."

Hanta whistled. "Damn no wonder you're sexy. Momma Bakugou is a fox-"

Katsuki flinched at the word.

"Ah." Hanta froze. "Right. Sorry, bro. Didn't mean to- with everything. That was a bad..."

"'S fine." Katsuki buried his face. "It's just a fucking word I shouldn't be so sensitive."

"Yeah, maybe." Hanta was silent over the buzz. "But it's okay to be sensitive too. Better sensitive than running into fucking traffic." A palm nudged Katsuki, making him rock on the tattooing table.