Sweetheart

Chapter 4

A week after Deku left, Katsuki got his first gift. He came home from work to find it waiting at the apartment complex's reception, a huge wicker basket stuffed full of the freshest fruit and vegetables, with a card attached telling him it was a subscription service. Every fortnight another huge basket would show up at his door.

Katsuki blushed when he read it. The damn nerd was a sneaky bastard, already finding loopholes in his "no money" rule.

He pulled out his phone, snapping a picture with the basket and sending it to the nerd. He hated his deer-in-headlights look, hated how pink his face was, but the nerd had made it abundantly clear that he liked that expression the best.

"You're walking a fine line here, nerd," he typed out. "But I'll accept, they look really tasty."

A few weeks later, it was a suit. Pure black, the softest material he'd ever owned, with a white shirt and a deep green tie. It fit him perfectly, because of course it did, and he stood awkwardly in front of a mirror to take a photo, running a hand through his hair. He'd just had his second spa appointment, at Deku's insistence, and Katsuki was not nearly modest enough to pretend he didn't look damn good.

"Wow, Kacchan!" Deku sent back immediately. "So handsome! Wish I was there!"

They settled into the arrangement easily, with Katsuki sending various selfies when the nerd requested (or when he felt like he was looking particularly hot – he wasn't stupid, he knew why Deku wanted photos) and Deku showering him in gifts.

For the first time since high school, Katsuki found himself with a savings account. Between the clothes and the groceries the nerd insisted on sending him, his bills had dropped significantly lower, and he was enjoying watching the number in his account grow. It was slow, but it was steady, and he was starting to have some hope that when the time came to leave Miruko's side and forge his own way, he might actually be able to hold himself over.

It took about six more weeks for the unassuming brown box to arrive, a little note stuck in the top.

"If you send me photos with this one, I'll lease you a new apartment ♥"

There was no way.

He opened up the paper with shaking hands, eyes landing on a shiny green... God, he didn't even want to think the word "dildo". He wasn't an idiot, he'd known from the outset that the nerd's feelings were sexual in nature, even though he'd assured Katsuki he wasn't going to ask for sex. It wasn't like he was demanding photos with it, either. He'd never demanded anything.

His apartment was pretty shit, though. Things were constantly breaking, and it took forever to get the landlord to fix them each time. Deku had offered to replace them, when he was complaining on the phone one night, but the damn furniture came with the apartment, he couldn't do shit.

Except move, as the nerd knew well.

He grabbed his phone and started a video call, unsurprised to find the nerd's face was a little nervous when he picked up, rather than his usual beaming smile.

"Are you serious?" he asked with a scowl. "You're trying to bribe me into shit, now? When did bribery become a part of the deal?"

"You're allowed to say no!" Deku assured him. "I just... Well, you're hot, you know? And, well... It would be a fun photo to have, if you know what I mean."

"You're seriously willing and able to drop rent money on a dumb photo?"

"It's not dumb," Deku pouted. "And yeah. I'll... I'll lease it for a month for every photo!"