*Katsuki*
Katsuki didn't know what Izuku was thinking. He didn't like that his immediate response was to physically get there and drag his drunk ass back to his place, but he'd dissect his feelings later. Right now he was trying to weave past cars as he drove toward the studio.
He was still fuming from his fight with Ochako and anything to not think about her right now was like ice to his thoughts, soothing his brain from inflaming into a full on rage. He had gone to his apartment for the night, the one he stayed in when he had an all nighter shoot, or when he didn't want to go all the way back to their place on the other side of the city.
It was the apartment he had before he met her. And it was mainly bare of things he enjoyed now, but it had a bed, a bathroom, space for a small table and two chairs, a kitchenette, and was within walking distance to fast food places. It was his favourite thing about that apartment. And the lack of girl everywhere.
Katsuki pulled up outside the studio and all the lights were off. He checked his phone. He didn't know why he came directly to the studio, it wasn't like he had asked Izuku where he was.
He turned the key, switched off the car, and strolled to the front door, trying to gaze through the tinted windows to see inside and there was nothing.
"Shit." Katsuki said. He looked at his phone again. He pressed the call button and waited as the phone rang, nerves in his stomach balled so tightly, he forgot he was angry at the world.
There was a click.
"Deku?" Katsuki demanded. Izuku gave a breathy sigh or groan that twinged at something inside the ball of nerves and Katsuki felt impatience rise.
"Kacchan, what's happened?" Izuku said. Katsuki heard shuffling noises on the other end of the phone.
"You idiot." Katsuki growled into the phone. "You in the studio?"
"I am. But what's happening?" Izuku said. There was more shuffling noises and the clicking of a mouse. Katsuki questioned why he was even there and took a deep calming breath, trying to call forward some patience.
"I'm outside. Get your shit. You're crashin' with me." Katsuki said.
"Oh." Izuku said softly. And Katsuki could feel the breathiness of it touch his ear through the receiver.
In what felt like ages, but in reality it was only five minutes, Izuku finally peered with unfocused eyes out at Katsuki. He stumbled a little as he navigated past the door and then locked it.
"How much did you drink?" Katsuki asked.
"Mmm, like, a little more than half a bottle of wine, maybe." Izuku said. Katsuki refrained from steadying him, instead he observed from a safe distance of two feet, not too far that he wouldn't be able to catch him before he ended up with a concussion.
"Was it the hard stuff?" Katsuki asked, disbelieving.
"It was the pink kind. Super tasty." Izuku said.
"Where's your clothes?" Katsuki asked, realising that Deku stood completely unadorned by luggage or a back pack or anything.
"Shit. I don't have clothes. I left in a rush and," Izuku's eyes were welling with tears now, Katsuki felt horror warp his face because he didn't know what to do. He always hated Izuku's cry face. "I didn't have any gym clothes in the studio, I'm sorry Kacchan, let me just, go back in there and you don't have to worry about-"
"Get in the car." Katsuki said and he walked around to the drivers side and sat. Izuku hesitated for a moment and then climbed into the front seat. "I have clothes, and a warm bed. Just don't throw up in here."
Izuku nodded and his eyes closed sleepily.
"You were going to stay in the studio overnight and go to work the next morning? You would've had a shitty day." Katsuki said as he pulled away from the curb and in the direction of his apartment. Izuku groaned, a little whimper like sound that pulled at Katsuki's attention.
"I'm having a shitty day right now." Izuku said.
"What do you mean?" Katsuki asked, he couldn't help himself. Curiosity got the better of him, and if Izuku was having a hard time, while he himself was having a hard time, that could maybe cheer him up a little.
"Mmm, s'nothin'." Izuku murmured. And by the time they had got to their second traffic light, Izuku was making tiny little snoring noises.
That was the sound that punctuated the silence for the rest of the drive. When he stopped, he looked at Izuku's face, tilted to the side and resting on his shoulder. The freckles on his face stood out in the dark. The shortness of his hair at the back of his neck exposed more freckles and Katsuki let calm wash over him for a moment.
Now he had to get the shit head upstairs. Luckily there was an elevator.
"Izu-Deku." Katsuki said, pushing his shoulder slightly. Izuku sighed and readjusted his head, then his breathing continued in the deep way that told Katsuki he was fast asleep.
"Don't make me carry you, please." Katsuki groaned. He looked around, he wasn't sure for what. Like a shopping cart, or trolly maybe. Izuku couldn't be that heavy right. And Katsuki was only one floor up and not far from the elevator.
"I hate this already." Katsuki sighed, then climbed from the car and walked around to Izuku's side. He opened the door and watched Izuku for a second before he carefully pulled Izuku's arm around his neck. Izuku moaned and his head rocked toward Katsuki. Katsuki looked up and away, and tried to grasp as Izuku's torso enough to pivot him so that he could get his arm under his knees.
And with big effort, he lifted the muscled man, as short as he was, he was heavy. Katsuki let the weight steady him then he kicked the car door shut. Izuku's arm firmed around his neck and this allowed Katsuki to walk more steadily. He booped the elevator button and stood, Izuku's breath tickling his neck. The smell of alcohol slightly tinted the smell of spring water and that sun kissed smell that he wore.
The elevator was blessedly short, and so was the ten steps to his apartment door. He set Izuku's feet to the floor which allowed him to open the door, then he hoisted the man back into his arms, followed by a kick to the door to shut it. And then came the part Katsuki didn't think so far ahead to.
There was no couch.
He couldn't leave Izuku here alone, he barely knew what was happening. He wasn't going to share the bed with him, they hadn't spent the night in the same bed since they were four years old.
And he knew firmly, he wasn't about to go back to his apartment with Ochako. He wasn't ready to talk to her yet, and he wasn't ready to address the question that had been floating around his mind since their fight. Is this it? Or did he want to try to work it out?
He was tired. Wasn't he allowed to be tired?
Katsuki lowered Izuku to the bed, and Izuku made small noises as he sank into the mattress. He turned and curled up slightly and Katsuki surveyed the bed. It was small. But it had two pillows and it had an extra blanket in the cupboard. He fluffed a pillow and laid it on the floor, then spread his blanket there.
Before he got into his makeshift bed though, he glanced at Izuku who was breathing deeply enough to hear, and once he was satisfied he was asleep, he left Izuku in the apartment. He walked to the ramen shop that was often open until midnight and bought some, keeping the broth and noodles separate. The broth would be helpful in the morning.
With one hand in his pocket and the other holding the take away bag, he walked back to his apartment. His legs were a little wobbly themselves, probably from carrying Izuku all that way. Maybe because he didn't eat today either.
The fridge now held only a water bottle and ramen. It's light glowed sadly before Katsuki shut the door and freshened up before bed.
When he finally got onto the floor, he listened to the sound of Izuku's breathing. He wondered what kind of problems Izuku was having, to get himself in this state without much of a plan. The Izuku he knew was methodical, observant, and never without a purpose to his actions.
The preoccupation of someone else's problems served him well, and his mind calmed as he stared fixedly at the ceiling, the sound of Izuku's breathing and little whimpering sounds blended in with the nonexistent sound of the room and Katsuki's heartbeat.
He wasn't sure when he fell asleep, but he dreamt of freckles on sun kissed skin and a flowing stream.
