Rebuilding A Bond

Chapter 5

Izuku was stewing as the week progressed as he avoided his phone. It kept buzzing till the point he left it at home instead of carrying it to school. He was upset, maybe it was too early to initiate intimacy with Bakugo but he didn't care now. He backslid and did the one thing Izuku hated more than anything. 

That fucking nickname was the start of all this bullshit and now it killed whatever they were building. He knew Katsuki would find a way to physically reach him but until then he couldn't find himself caring how the blonde felt. He saw the regret in his eyes but he didn't want to deal with that. It was Saturday again and instead of dealing with himself being home alone, he decided to go back to the cafe he often frequented before looking into buying a new support sleeve. 

It was coming onto baseball season and he needed to get ready. A chime of the bell sounded throughout the cafe but Izuku kept his head down and continued reading material for school. A low thump came across from Izuku who looked up to see Katsuki. His face was puffy and his eyes were red. He was sniffling a bit while drying his tears. "No, no, no," Izuku said as he got up, he had already paid for his meal and headed out the door. 

"Izuku, please!" Katsuki called as he followed the taller male. They were now out in the main street and Katsuki had clung to the back of his shirt. "I'm sorry, so sorry I should've never questioned you. I liked the attention, I want more of the attention."

Izuku stopped and sighed a bit. "Katsuki I really don't want this to deteriorate because you can't hold your bad habits back. If you're really sorry fine, I'll give you the benefit of the doubt. But I swear if you take one step back I'll leave you permanently. I don't have time to be bringing my past into my present and future." 

"I-I understand, I'll do anything to keep you by my side." Katsuki started crying again and Izuku pulled him into his chest. Katsuki clung to Izuku's back as he cried his frustration out. Izuku ruffled his hair with an almost tender look on his face as he leaned down to plant a kiss on his forehead. 

"Enough of that we're fine you idiot," Izuku muttered as he closed his arms around Katsuki's head. 

"Okay, okay. What were you going to do today?"

"Buy a new support sleeve, it's playtime season soon and I'd like to be ready," Izuku pulled back and showed his arm which was now bare. The support sleeve he usually wore to cover up most of the scars was nowhere to be found and for the first time, Katsuki saw the extent he and his former 'friends' had gone to make the taller male suffer. It was horrible and he felt faint just seeing the layers of scar tissue that had now scabbed over into scars that would no doubt haunt Izuku for the rest of his life. 

"You've gone fucking pale, what didn't even see the extent of your handiwork," Izuku sneered. 

"I-I'm,"

"Before you apologize don't. It's not going to change what you're seeing now. Besides we're trying to build something new, you should be focusing on impressing me instead of old wounds," Izuku chided as he pinched the pale cheek between his fingers. Katsuki whined a bit but leaned into him. 

"Okay Izu," Katsuki smiled brightly. 

The smile had taken Izuku back, he always remembered Katsuki scowling constantly to the point his face morphed into an ugly picture. Now since they've reconnected his scowls are almost non-existent plus he seemed lighter, like all the bullshit from the last couple of years was just a horrible very early mid-life identity crisis.  Now he seemed normal, like a normal teen striving towards his dream. "You're too cute sometimes," Izuku said out loud as he stroked Katsuki's cheek. 

Katsuki blushed at the sudden compliment but didn't comment on it. Izuku held his hand gently and they were off to the hot spots Izuku often frequented when it came to buying his sporting goods. "Alright I'm looking for a plain sports sleeve nothing colorful, I'll be looking at some cleats. Come find me when you're done okay, I'll compare and we'll make a purchase. If you see anything you'd want for yourself then pick it up." 

"Wait you're buying whatever I want?"

"Yeah, a little cheer-up present for you. I don't want you unhappy Katsuki," Izuku said with a shrug. Katsuki nodded and walked off to the designated section while Izuku walked off to his section. Izuku hummed as he browsed the lines of footwear before finding his favorite brand among the lineup. They had recently announced a new pair that he was really looking forward to and he grabbed his size to try them on. 

During practicing regular movement a girl around his age who worked at the store came up and asked if he needed any help. "No thanks girlie I've been here before," Izuku responded going back to doing high kicks in the shoes. The girl however was not taking the blatant disrespect she was getting. She folded her arms under her bosom to push them up and tried a different approach. 

"So would you mind if I gave you my number and we go out for a date?" She batted her lashes and something in Izuku told him it was one of those moments to be an asshole.

"You lack self-confidence if you think your tits are going to be a free meal ticket. What happens when they get saggy after your circus of children sucks them dry after countless divorces ending in your spouse cheating on you. Your make-up is caked and makes you look older, what you don't know is that guys like younger bodies and faces. You look like you've had your first child and the father left you stranded and now you're trying to see if he just lost interest in your body or if you've just lost your touch. Personally, I think it's both. For the last time, I don't need help, my date's fist is tighter than your pussy will ever be." He took off the shoes, placed his shoes on, and spun on his heels to walk away from the crying mess.

He found Katsuki comparing support sleeves and he stood for a moment watching that contemplative look on his face. It honestly brought back an early childhood memory he had before shit got real between them. It was a time Katsuki would dote on him, get him the best of everything Izuku had so much as taken interest in. It was sweet and to see it emulating now gave him slight hope. 

Hope that maybe if he saw Katsuki as what he was now instead of imagining the past version of him then they could work past anything. Even the shitty harassment Izuku had to face. He would still feel resentment, that he knew would not go away entirely but he could garner happiness from having his childhood friend back in his life. "Katsuki you look like a mom comparing meat in the supermarket for the better cut."

"I will not acknowledge how accurate that is every time I get to go home for the holidays," Katsuki tossed over his shoulder as Izuku came next to him. 

"Would you be willing to come to my games?" Izuku draped an arm around Katsuki's shoulders. "It's during the first half of summer."

"You'd really want me there, isn't that a special event for people you care about," Katsuki looked down as he held support sleeves in his arms. 

"Well though this might be both new to us I do care about you and you obviously care about me so no problem," Izuku chuckled and pulled him closer. 

"Thanks, Izuku, I'll support you no matter what," Katsuki smiled and leaned into him.