Disclaimer: I do not own BNHA or HP and any of its characters.
AN: Wow, 2 chapters within a week. Happy reading.
Hitoshi can say that because he's young and the first best friend (adoptee) of one Midoriya Izuku, he has every right to shoot Bakugou judgemental stares when the boy's palms literally give out explosions on their first meeting.
First of all, rude. Secondly, 'This is the boy Izu wants me to meet? The 'amazing' Kacchan with a Quirk as awesome (drilled in by his green friend's own Brainwashing session) as mine?'
Izuku hurriedly defends his new puppy; because if Bakugou is not some kind of rabid mutt, Hitoshi doesn't know what he is. "I'm so sorry, Hitocchan! It was an accident," Izuku tries to explain. "Kacchan's a bit nervous, that's all."
The blond boy's following growl is directed at his best friend first, and soon Hitoshi. Towards the latter, it sounds infinitely more threatening and genuine.
Nervous? Honestly, Hitoshi begs to differ. He recognises the look in Bakugou's eyes, one that mirror his own. They both have experienced things children their age shouldn't have to, but they did and they're here with Izuku in spite of it.
It's frustrating when Izuku doesn't understand the problem; for with the requiem he sings for their sadness, alongside too understanding eyes, Izuku's touched and seen far too much in their souls to the point they cannot help but want to keep him all to themselves.
Locked into a non-verbal battle, there's a possessive streak a mile long in Bakugou's glare. Hitoshi can't be more familiar with it when he has them too. Unfortunately for Bakugou, Hitoshi will not be sharing the one good thing in his life. The wild animal must dance all over his dead body first.
They're in the park and playground hybrid again. The exact one where he gets his first heart-attack and where Hitoshi and Izuku first meet. The temperature is lukewarm, the soft scent of flowers wafting in gentle winds.
If any of them look up, they'll notice the sky crowded in fluffy clouds- to the point even finding a hint of blue will prove difficult. A squirrel scurries past at lighting speed, climbing up a tree bark and making the leaves rustle when he finds home on a branch. It's like the world is sighing, and Hitoshi holds back his own.
Tired, but determined, Hitoshi utterly despises the way the new mutt has his destructive paws all over Izuku. He preps his Quirk, the tug in his throat and mind ever so familiar. For once, he's thankful for his Quirk. The way he's planning to use it might seem a tad villainous, but there's no helping it. Izuku means so much.
A rude statement wiggles on his tongue. Hitoshi knows boys like Bakugou like the back of his hand, the sunshine coloured dog will take the bait, for sure.
Fine, Hitoshi also thinks, aside from plotting the how-to in pushing Bakugou's metaphorical buttons. I'll fight you.
(In between them, Izuku's expression is oddly serene. Disappointment disappearing with a literal blink, his two friends don't even notice. They're too occupied with themselves, fighting over him like he's some toy to play tug of war over. Anger feels foreign and new for Izuku, but being treated like an object warrants it.)
Pulling down his face mask for the pollen allergies, Hitoshi moves closer to where Bakugou hoards Izuku like some deranged dragon. "Don't touch him, stupid dog. Izuku's my friend." Hitoshi purses his lips thinly, bracing himself for inevitable loudness.
Unexpectedly, Bakugou doesn't grace him with a reply. Hitoshi internally curses, he can't use his Quirk if there's no answer! Bakugou roars with rage instead, skilfully manoeuvring his Quirk to blast him towards Hitoshi.
Flinching makes Hitoshi's pride sting. The dog has nothing on his parent's inane arguments, but the explosion flying towards him is both flashy and loud. Plus, it looks painful and he doesn't like pain at all. Hitoshi cowers, putting up his hands to shield him from Bakugou. The blond smirks, smug at the petty win.
See how you like talking shit about me now, huh?! He mentally spits. Gran scolds him at the back of his mind, but the Einstein wannabe started it first. Thus, let it be known that no self-respecting Bakugou backs down from a fight.
"STOP IT, YOU TWO!" They hear, heads snapping to the side. Deku looks on the verge of tears, biting his lips as the angry tears barely hold. The boy's shivering, hardly from the cold. His hands are bunched tightly, nails pinching into soft palms. "Hitocchan. Kacchan. I- I'm not some… thing for you to fight over." He says louder than Hitoshi's ever heard since they met.
"You're both my friends, so I thought that if you two meet, you'll feel as happy as I did when we play together. I wanted to play; Kaa-san even said hide and seek or tag. But, you're fighting and it's dangerous- we could get in so much trouble- I also hate that you're acting as if I'm not here. That's just so mean, Kacchan. Hitocchan."
Izuku's voice breaks at the end, stunning both of the boys into stillness. Guiltily, Hitoshi feels like a villain now. The way Izuku calls them mean hurts way more than when his mother's hurtful words.
"I'm sorry, Hitocchan. Kacchan. It's late now, I'll go back first. Sorry. Bye-bye."
Their treasure leaves with hot, ugly tears rolling down his freckled face. Hitoshi and Katsuki don't move until they can't see Izuku's back anymore. They look at each other, making eye contact filled with shame. Something eats at their insides, even the emotionally compromised Katsuki knows what it means.
"I'm sorry." Hitoshi blurts first, eyes like purple gems sparkling in panic.
Katsuki turns his head, hanging it shallowly. "I'm sorry, too." He mumbles.
Tension fills thickly in the air. Hitoshi barely avoids anxiety's whispers to clamp his mouth shut while it takes his breath away.
"Hey." The blond calls, in which he nods jerkily to while crossing his hands against his chest in obvious discomfort. "Shinso, right? Meet me here again tomorrow. There's no school and I don't think Deku'll like to see us soon."
"What do you want to do?" Hitoshi asks wearily.
"We're gonna throw the nerd a surprise party as an apology. I know I was kind of rude to both of you. My gran always said that giving gifts always made her happy when she was sad. Or hearing interesting stories. We could get him a book on Quirks, or something. You're paying half."
It pries a small smile on Hitoshi's face. "Yeah." He says. "Yeah, let's do that. I'm sure Izu will love it."
The idiotic loser- that looks as though he desperately needs the length equivalent of sleep lasting Katsuki's lifespan- shuffles beside him with a hunch. Only because his gran abhorred horrible posture does Katsuki slap the purple boy's back.
The act results in a rather splendid sound, from both body and boy- if Katsuki doesn't say so himself. It's second to Gran's, at least. The lady could be a demon to the models she managed back then. Hitoshi gives him glare, in which Katsuki tells him to shove it before saying "You're welcome."
Nobody's nicer that he is, at this point. The Eggplant better appreciate Katsuki's thoughtfulness. He doesn't give it out to every Tom, Dick and Harry.
They arrive at the shopping complex with little problems. Getting to the bookstore, however, becomes another matter entirely. Shinso's in charge of that part, they've agreed on it already. Unfortunately, the loser has no sense of direction to save his life. It's a miracle he even makes it to his and Izuku's meetings. Not that Katsuki cared.
The blond yells, obviously. Kicking up a commotion that pulls attention on them twice. There's almost a third when unbeknownst to the pair, Bakugou Mitsuki shoos away a patrol officer after pulling him by the elbow as she hides behind a well-positioned signboard. The man leaves after an "Oh." of understanding. Normal children have their first errand; these ones go shopping to salvage a friendship on the verge of tipping.
No half-decent parent will let their child adventure alone in such a crowded place, so it strikes Mitsuki in all the wrong ways when she doesn't see a hint of her son's new friend's own parents. Then again, she doesn't exactly know what they look like.
They finally find their way to the bookstore, thank Kami-sama. It's been an hour.
Katsuki is the one to drag the basket equipped with wheels. They make their way down shelves of colourful covers, the face of a man on a mission etched on their expressions. Hitoshi walks behind Bakugou, pausing long enough for Katsuki to notice.
The blond pops his head from the shelves on the next row. "What'cha waiting for, Eggplant? Hurry up already!"
Hitoshi waves a hand. In his hand is a white book with pictures on its cover. He traces the spine, reading off the cover. "Hair-styling for the Idle Beginner."
"What's this shit for?" Bakugou says, taking (read: impolitely snatching) the book from Hitoshi. "Izu likes it when I play with his hair. Thought we'd get a book about it. For us. To learn, that is."
"I don't need a stupid book to tell me how to braid hair." Comes the complaint. "I already know how to do it!"
"Look inside." Hitoshi drawls. "There's like, a hundreds types. I don't think you can know all of them. And it'll make Izu happy. This one's on me, if you don't want to pay. I've got enough cash saved up."
"Shut up, shitty Eggplant. Don't look down on me, you saying I can't learn all of it? Screw your money, I'll pay more than half and keep the book."
Smirking, the purple haired boy shrugs. Amusement dances in his eyes. "Fine. But I get it on Wednesday to Friday. It's my money too."
"Deal."
The book on Quirk is an easy task after that. Turns out, it sits prettily only 2 rows away. 'Quirks from the Beginnings of Time.' It's called. As promised, Hitoshi and Katuski pay half each for the hard-covered thing. Hitoshi quietly thanks all the gods above that both books are with discount. His poor (literally) wallet is crying.
The next day, Hitoshi and Bakugou arrive on the Midoriya's apartment doorstep. Inko answers the ring with wide eyes. She's anything but unwelcoming, though. "Oh my~ Come in, Hitocchan, come in. You brought a friend. And who are you, young man?" she smiles gently.
"Bakugou Katsuki." The uncharacteristically meek Bakugou answers. "My mom got some sushi just now. It's for Dek- Midoriya."
If Inko notices the slip, there's little indication. "Thank you so much, Bakugou-kun. Now, don't just stand there." She giggles. "Please, have a seat in the living room. I'll call Izuku out for you. He's been feeling under the weather lately and hasn't gone out since."
Both feel guilt at the casual mention. Bakugou trails behind Hitoshi as the latter's more familiar with the Midoriya's household. They plop on the comfortable couch as Inko carries a tray of tea while calling for Izuku from his room.
Did he not hear them earlier?
The door with the All Might name plate squeaks open. Hitoshi personally can't see anything, but Bakugou's body freezes so it must be Izuku lounging about in his other form again. "Hey, nerd." Bakugou says (too) softly.
Hitoshi hears the answering chirrup before he greets Izuku to. "Hi, Izu. It's… um, nice to see you." Great job, Hitoshi. And it was the only one.
Izuku shifts, and shimmers back into humanoid existence in a grotesque transformation. The boy nibbles on his lips nervously, fidgeting and playing with the loose thread on his Midnight t-shirt with a specially customised open back. It's unplanned, but Hitoshi and Katsuki apologise at the same time without warning.
"Sorry!" "We're sorry!"
The latter belongs to Hitoshi, while the former Katsuki. Izuku startles, hands gripping his shirt. Bakugou moves towards the boy, Hitoshi easily following. He hands him the paper bag with the book his father helped wrap in Hero-themed wrapping paper. "It's for you. Cuz we were being asses and didn't think about your feelings. The shitty Eggplant and I picked it out. Will you play tag and hide-and-seek with us tomorrow?"
"I forgive you, Kacchan. Hitocchan." Izuku vehemently nods. Happy tears pour, Hitoshi quickly grabs Izuku into a long overdue hug. The boy smells like home and pretty winters. They're both laughing at the end of it, Bakugou shifts his weight by the side.
"Heh. Can I hug you, Kacchan?" Izuku learns to ask this time.
Bakugou is bright red before he consents. "If you want to, Deku."
Izuku squeals with delight. "I do!" he cheers, and squeezes Katsuki that the bony frame against him presses indents into his skin. Meanwhile, Hitoshi takes the chance to pet the sunshine spikes. It's softer than it looks, surprisingly.
"Boys!" Mother Midoriya calls from the kitchen. "I got the sushi ready, come here if you want some!"
All three scramble to the kitchen, Izuku almost tripping over himself. His wings spread wide instinctively, which knocks into Hitoshi as the corridor is that narrow. Two effectively taken down, Katsuki reaches the counter first.
He steals the most expensive one from the two on the platter. It causes Hitoshi and Izuku to deck it out when the purple eyed boy simply resorts to bribing his friend with a new type of braid to test out.