Fuselage

×~❄ Chapter 39 ❄~×

"I can't believe you're just bailing after not seeing your therapist, and you're leaving me here without so much as saying goodbye-" The voice peeled out of the phone, filling the car to Katsuki horror.

"Mom!" Katsuki hissed, sliding his gaze to Tetsu, shifting further towards the car door as the vehicle eased around a turn. "It's not like I planned this."

"So why are you leaving so suddenly then, you ungrateful little shit?" She snapped.

"I-it's..." Katsuki swallowed, his throat thick, brain groggy. A headache threatened behind his temples. "It's complicated-"

"Are you going after the Ei guy?" A lilt to her tone told him he didn't need to answer; she'd figured him out. "Oh my God you are. Katsuki..." A deep inhale, "Good luck."

And he was stunned. "Y-you aren't going to mock me?" Feet back up on the dash as he straightened in his seat; too warm. He was definitely too warm, eyes darted to the heater; it was set to medium. Fuck. Cool fingers pressed to the back of his neck to stem the blush. "Say something smart ass?"

"'Tsuki, my baby." A half-heart chuckle leaked out of Mitsuki, belying her near-tears state. "You deserve happiness in whatever form that takes."

The sincerity made him choke, feet slid off the dash as he sat, pulled his hoodie over his face. "Fuck, you goin' soft in your old age, hag?"

"Well, plus you'll have to fly with someone else piloting and I know that's gunna drive you mad." She laughed for real this time. He could just hear Inko in the background laughing with her; Deku's worried fretting even more distant.

"Tell fucking Deku to shove it up his ass, Imma be fuckin' fine." Katsuki hissed, fingers tangling in the drawstrings.

"Go get him, baby." Mitsuki hung up.

"Don't fuckin' tell me what to do." Katsuki grumbled as Tetsu yanked on the steering wheel.

"Enough time for a nap if you want." He offered, eyes glued to the road.

"I don't need a fuckin'-"

"I don't want to deal with your rosy goddamned demeanor the entire fucking time, okay?" Tetsu cut him off. "We already aren't friends-"

"What the fuck?" Katsuki sneered. "'We aren't friends.'" He mocked, legs crossing on the seat. "You think I treat them any differently?"

The silence that followed was deafening as the admission bloomed heavy between the two men; instantly Katsuki regretted his choice in words.

"Wait a minute." A slow smile spread across Tetsu's face. "Does that mean you like me?"

"Fucking no." Katsuki growled, eyes narrowed as he cranked his gaze back out to the window; avoiding that stupid, knowing grin. "I just don't hate you as much as you obviously want to be hated. I won't give you the satisfaction."

"Uh-huh." Tetsu hummed. "Sure thing Tough Guy. So you go around collecting friends and being all tsundere about it. I got you. Bet you're a pillow princess in the bedroom too."

Katsuki's couldn't help the way he rocketed forward, "Who the fuck-"

Tetsu chuckled, "I'm just teasing, but maybe I'm onto something?"

"I'm not fucking talking about this with you, you fucking prick." Katsuki mumbled, hands back at the nape of his neck, eyes narrowed.

"Ohh, now we're getting somewhere." Tetsu's cocky tone and jutting chin made Katsuki wanna lay into him.