Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“Izuku” Shouto’s clear and calm voice cracked through the speaker.

“Oh, hey, dude what’s up” Izuku picked up the phone casually 

“Not much, aside from the band set to play tonight just cancelled” he sighed into the phone.

“Oh, that sucks, uh, what of it?” Izuku laughed into the phone, knowing what was coming.

“Can you play tonight? I’ll pay you-” but he cut Shouto off before he could finish.

“Haha, last resort am I Shouto?” he laughed again, a hand coming to cover his mouth.

“No, you know it’s not like that I would’ve had you play anyway but this was a favour for a friend of a friend- come on please?” He always took everything so seriously.

“Dude I had already made up my mind, I’d love to come play at your bar” he continued to snicker into the line, “Just give me a sec to take a shower and I’ll be right over”

“Thank you- I can’t thank you enough I’ll be sure to pay-” Izuku ended the call there, no need to take up more of Shouto's time. 

It was only just hitting six when Izuku pulled up outside the bar, shutting off his motorcycle he stepped into the bar a large, confident and phoney smile stretched into his face making its presence known just enough that people who cared could easily pick it apart from a real one. Greeting Shouto he noticed the piano already resting on the stage. 

“Oh yeah, that was already set up because the other band asked for it, figured you’d want it too anyway,” Shouto explained as if he’d read Izuku’s mind.

“Yeah, thanks, I guess I should get started then” 

"Hey, Izuku, can I ask you something?" 

"mmm?" he hummed turning around to meet Shouto's gaze again. 

"Please don't play anything weird." 

The only response he got was a quiet laugh.

Katsuki didn't know who the fuck in his shitting fucking asshole loser brigade of a band convinced him to go out hunting for a fifth member with them, but they did and now he had to deal with that mess. He still isn't sure when they decided that they needed another singer, sure Eijiro isn't the best singer and he isn't super comfortable with rapping or singing on his own and maybe, no one else in their group could sing for shit- well he guessed maybe they did need a new singer but he didn't have to be happy about it.

"Let's check out this place!" Mina tugged at his arm, along with Sero and Denki's.

"Oh? I know the guy to owns this place" Sero scanned the bar as they entered. "Yeah! Right there" his hand pointed wildly "Shouto!" he waved across the room. The fucker he was waving too strolled lazily across the room and greeted them with a monotone

"Hello." 

God, his voice made Katsuki want to rip his ears out but his thought process was cut short when a loud bang echoed off the stage, all heads in the room darted to where a guy clumsily handled a microphone. Some muffled 'fuck's and 'god damn Shouto's 'crusty microphone's made its way into the speaker and played across the bar.  

"Uhh, sup" he seemed to say it intentionally into the microphone this time.

Katsuki knew that voice, he knew that face too. 

FUCK. 

"Come on guys, this doesn't seem worth it" he tried his best to convince them to leave without letting them catch onto anything. 

"Awh come on Bakubro! We already have our drinks" the blonde gestured to the glasses in front of them, Katsuki wasn't even sure when they sat at a table but they were here none the less. 

God, okay, I guess we're not leaving anytime soon, let's just hope he's shit and that he doesn't notice us. A piano cover of a song Katsuki recognised as 'the cult of Dionysus' started, okay, sure, he was good at piano but that's not singing, if he's a shit singer then-

Oh fuck, shit, shit-fuck.

He's so good, god he already knows his shitty group is gonna wanna talk to him, god damn, fucking Deku. 

"Wow!" Mina praised "He's perfect, don't you think Eiji?" Mina glanced to Eijiro with the rest of the group but the only reply she got was his awe-struck face. 

"Perfect, yea..." Kirishima could barely mumble.

"What about you Katsuki?" She turned her eyes to him causing the group to follow again. 

"Uhh yeah, sure he's fine but do we even need a new co-singer..." he trailed off, currently trying his best to bury his head behind his hoodie. Mina shrugged and moved on to bother Denki.

The song ended. 

A few members of the crowd clapped half-heartedly and Katsuki glanced from his hoodie hole to see the nerds reaction. Deku's smile faltered and he slowly stood to pack up the microphone and keyboard. He kept his eyes locked on the nerd until Deku glimpsed to the crowd and caught Mina's eye. She waved him over and he made his way off the stage wordlessly. A small smile rested on his face.

Fuck.  

Chapter Text

"Hey! I saw you wave me off stage right?" He practically beamed at them and Katsuki made himself busy burying himself in his hoodie while avoiding eye-contact. 

"Yeah! your singing was amazing" she smiled right back, Katsuki watched from the corner of his eye as Izuku strained, that smile was so different to the one he used to wear as a child. It was forced and didn't match his eye bags, no one seemed to notice though and Katsuki certainly wasn't gonna point it out. 

He wondered if he contributed to that at all. 

"Ah..haha yeah, thank you, did you need something?" 

"Yeah, I actually wanted to ask if you needed a band?" 

"Needed a band?" 

"Like, would you like to join mine?" 

"Join yours? I... well...I'd have to think about it? Is that okay?" 

"Yeah! Totally! Heres my number dude" She quickly scribbled on a napkin what was assumed to be her phone number. 

"Okay- I'm gonna go now, should probably uh thank Shouto for letting me play-"

"You know Shouto too?" Eijirou blurted out, red-faced. Izuku turned to meet his gaze 

"Yeah, he went to my high-school" 

"Cool, dude I met him in Uni, haha his brother is an ass right?" Sero smiled wildly picking up the conversation from Eijiro, who, in fact, didn't know Shouto at all.

"Uh...?" Izuku mumbled dumbly.

"Oh? have you never met him, consider yourself lucky" He assumed, obviously tipsy and jumping to conclusions.

"No- uh haha...he's my boyfriend" Izuku rubbed the back of his neck a looked behind him. "He's kinda, uh, rude, to people he doesn't know I mean I guess that doesn't excuse his actions..." His smile was getting smaller with every word along with his voice. All the eyes at the table drifted to his arms, Izuku felt the eyes and instinctively gripped his arm at the elbow. 

"So!" Mina clapped her hands trying to re-direct the conversation "Would you like us to introduce ourselves?" Mina's cherry smile brought Izuku out of his shrunken position. 

"Sure, go ahead" 

"So, I'm Mina but you already know that." She laughed a little "That's Sero, Denki, Eijiro and Katsuki" Each name was followed by a wave or a quiet 'hello!' apart from Katsuki.

"Katsuki?" 

Fuck, shit, he recognized him, oh fuck panic mode.

"Yeah? You know him?" 

"I-I might..." he looked like he was about to cry and his eyes landed on him once again "I'm- I'll get back to you, Thanks, uh..." and with that, he skittered off. The group followed him with their eyes, watching as he brushed passed Shouto, who seemed like an old friend, and ran to the exit, grabbing his guitar by the door.

"What the fuck did you do to him?" But he still refused to meet her gaze, Mina grabbed his chin, glare furious.

"Hey, what the fuck, calm down, you don't even know what I did" 

Mina sharpened her gaze. 

"I know it was enough to make a grown man all but run from you, asshat" she smacked the back of his head.

Katsuki didn't speak and Mina continued scolding like an angry mother. 

"We'll find out sooner or later you know" she growled and folded her arms.

"Fine." 

"Fine, what?"

"I'll tell you fine" 

Chapter Text

"I've known De-Izuku for ages, way too long kinda ages" Katsuki stared off, not meeting anyone's piercing gaze. 

"So? You knew him when you were kids how is that so bad" Denki added stupidly. 

"Shut up, let him finish before you let him off the hook." Denki rolled his eyes but Mina rolled her's right back, she was like an angry mother. Understandably so. 

Katsuki drew out a sharp sigh and pouted a little. 

"Was kind of an asshole to him." He crossed his arms and continued to pout. 

"A little? Did you see him? He practically ran-" Mina continued to scold as if she knew everything, Katsuki cut her off before she could do any more damage to his conscience.

"Shut up, bitch, you know nothing about what-" Katsuki was the one to get cut off this time, the phone buzzed angrily on the table send a knife through the tension in the air. 

The unknown number flashed on the screen resting easily on Mina's pink phone background. 

"Hello?" Mina chirped eerily cherry for how obviously pissed she was. Her eyes widened as a muffled voice murmured from the other side of the phone. 

"Really? Uh-huh-uh...yea...hold on I'll text you the location, hmmm probably about four pm, yes please do bring your own stuff, cool, see you then!" Her smile had returned and she beamed to the rest of the group. 

"Deku said yes!" She clutched the phone to chest like a life-line. 

Katsuki was off the hook, for now. 

Izuku hurried down the side-walk narrowly avoiding people weaving through the streets. Katsuki, god, Katsuki was there. I guess his fight or flight chose to run today. Izuku just wants to go home and not talk to anyone for a while. Quickly he wiped tears, Dabi didn't need to see that whole mess, watch him kick Izuku out again, god that'd just be the cherry on the top right. He barely registered unlocking the door until he was met with an angry growl and a rough pull inside. Dabi stared him down angrily, his blue eyes burned like hot fire as shoved him down, the cool tiled floor pressed through his thin pants and stung on his skin.

"Where were you" It was simple, an easy question to answer but he knew if he did the one after that wouldn't be. 

"Shoto's, he needed a last-minute person to play tonight, I texted you." He kept his voice cool and even, trying to will the cracks away.

"I didn't see it." His voice crackled like his eyes, cold and ruthless but crisp and brunt. 

"Sorry-" Izuku didn't know how to finish the apology, it wasn't even his fault, lucky to be cut off for once. 

"You know he likes you right?" the growl was back. 

"Who??" Izuku looked up in dismay, the joke about being kicked out wasn't so funny anymore. 

"Shoto, I see the way he looks at you." 

"Your brother does not like me, what are we fifteen? He has a kid you know." 

"I know, fuckers just like dad though" 

"He isn't and you know it!" Izuku shouted, angry, god that was a mistake. 

"Get out" 

Izuku's adrenaline had run out and regret had moved in. 

"Wait- no I'm sorry, please don't kick me out, Dabi! Where will I go?" 

"Not my problem-" The door slammed harshly, causing Izuku to flinch back from it.

"Hey, Shoto! Do you know if Ochaco is off work tomorrow?" He smiled easily, it wasn't as hard to hide the crack from Shoto, He just hoped he wouldn't ask why he needs Ochaco.

"No, she's on till Monday, why?" Fuck well a lie won't be so hard to come up with right he just needed a little time to-

"He kicked you out again, didn't he." Double fuck, well, now he needs a new lie.

"Uhhhh nooo?" Wow really convincing there, Deku. 

"Have you been crying? I can tell you have, you need to get better at lying, by the way, come on I'll pick you up and you can stay with me and Momo-" 

"You have a kid now Shoto, stop worrying about me I'll figure something out, I have for years now, okay?" 

"Okay but the second you get in a fight or something call me, okay?" 

"Yes, yes, mum, Bye, now."

"If you had one we wouldn't be in this situation right now." The line rang dead. 

Mother-fucker. 

Well, what to do now? Izuku sat on the steps of some random apartment building until his mind drifted back to the bar. 

Maybe it wouldn't be so bad to join the band? It'd be like a family, right? 

Katsuki can't be that bad, he at least looked slightly guilty. 

Why not? Izuku reached into his pocket and carefully dialled the number scribbled, humming with the ringing line. 

"Hello?"

Chapter Text

Izuku stole his nerves as the line rung dead, the tone beeped for a few seconds until he fell back to earth and hit end on the call.


So, he was in a band now?

Izuku wasn't sure if he had to try out or not, maybe seeing him at the bar was enough? What if they only called to make fun of him, they were Katsuki's friends, after all, they can't be that nice. 

Maybe he was wrong, maybe this, maybe that. Maybe none of it mattered and he should use the pay from Shoto and try to figure out something to eat.

Yes, his stomach agreed, eating is a good idea. He turned to the neon streets and strained for any places to acquire food. Maybe somewhere that he wouldn't have to worry about talking too much. Izuku's dreams seemed to be answered when he turned to convenience store lights glaring silently, judging him, in the dark. If he couldn't sleep tonight at least he could get something warm to eat.

He stepped into the bright store, the white bulbs hung tiredly in the air, complemented by the short jingle and door sliding closed behind him, Izuku felt like he'd just entered every convenience store he'd ever been in. Sparing an apologetic glance to the drowsy worker, he scoured the pre-heated foods cabinet. 

"That stuff will kill you one day, you know" The worker drawled tiredly. 

"It's better than nothing right?" Izuku mumbled carefully grabbing what looked like some kind of beef nachos from the shelf. The cashier looked him up and down for a second before settling with a look of understanding. 

Setting the nachos on the counter Izuku reached for his card and slipped it into the pin reader.

"That'll be $7.55, sir" 

The card swiped and the machine made a loud beeping noise. That wasn't a good one, the screen reading in big bold letters; 

DECLINED  

"Oh- I'm, I'm sorry, Shoto mustn't have paid me yet, I'll just put this-" 

"Just take it, dude." 

"What? but-"

"It's a big company man, what is one plate of nachos gonna do aside from feed a hungry dude, you know?" 

"I- thank you." 

Izuku scuttled out of the store plastic fork and container in hand. A good day went from shitty, to worse and then a tiny bit better. Even if it was just by a little bit.

So, something extremely bad was going to have to balance that out, right? It was just a matter of time, whatever, for now, he can enjoy his moment of peace before a storm. 

He wondered what his mum would think if she could see him now. Eating Nachos on the edge of some seedy alleyway, nowhere to call his own, even more of a mess than before she died. He wondered his she could ever be truly disappointed or if the rose coloured glasses stayed on even through death. 

Haha wow, that got sad fast. Oops, let's not have a crisis tonight, right Izuku? Just enjoy the nachos and pretend everything is okay.

At least he didn't have to wonder what his dad thought, no, he had made that plenty clear the last time he saw him.

Well, this was going from sad to downright depressing in a matter of seconds. 

It must be because of Katsuki, the reason why he was thinking about everything, it's probably just because he was reminded of something, or, well, someone, who had a starring role in it. 

Stupid Katsuki. 

Why'd he have to go ahead and exist anyway couldn't Izuku have at least ten years before he had to run into him again? 

He glared at the cleaned container that rested in his hands. Standing up from where he was leaning he slunk his contained into the bin, fork resting under the lid. 

Maybe he should pay his mum a visit, maybe he should go flip off his dad. 

Tonight was full of maybes, most of them unfinished.