The Proximation of Hello and Goodbye

2

He sighs, making up his mind and calling the server back over to place a take-out order. Not much follows after, Katsuki doesn't really seem to take much stock of the situation until he finds himself walking back into the cafe where he last saw Izuku. Ena is back at the front and Akasuki walks out of the back, carrying a couple of boxes. Katsuki walks to the counter, coming face to face with Ena yet again. He clears his throat, "Hey, I'm back."

"So you are going to become a regular?" She asks.

Katsuki rolls his eyes, "I haven't decided. Look, I came to see Izuku. I wanted to apologize if I did something to upset him."

Her hand rests on her chin thoughtfully, "Awfully concerned about the emotions of a barista you met just last night, aren't you?" He scoffs, looking away from the girl. She sighs, "I'm about to take a little break anyway. Come with me, we can have a little talk."

"Why would I do something like that?" His tone comes off snarky and unpleasant.

Despite that, Ena only smiles and shrugs. "What, you got something better to do?" She laughs, "Please if that were the case you wouldn't be here a second time, today. Just tag along." Ena tells Akasuki that she's going for lunch and walks toward the door leading to the back. She nods toward the door, indicating that she's heading back there.

Katsuki sighs as he follows her through the kitchen and clean-up area to a quaint break room. It's not much, only a table with a couple of chairs and a couch on the edge of the room. She plops into the couch almost immediately and Katsuki takes a seat by the table, setting the ramen down beside him. "Well, I'm here. What now?" He asks.

Her eyes cut across the room to the bag sitting on the table beside him, "You gonna let that get cold or what?"

"Well, I brought it for Izuku," he answers.

Ena sighs, "He won't be getting it today. I sent him home."

"What? Why?" Katsuki asks.

"He was pretty worked up after our talk. He's got a lot going on, so I figured he needed a day at home alone, so I gave it to him. He didn't go easily, but we worked something out." She leans forward, resting her elbows on her knees. "So, can I eat it while it's hot, or are you going to make me suffer? I'm hungry too, ya know."

Katsuki begrudgingly takes the bag and hands it to Ena. "You're really pushy."

She smiles, "A talent of mine."

"I wouldn't call it a talent," he grumbles.

"Doesn't matter what you'd call it, it's not yours to name, is it?" she replies, starting to eat the ramen. She sits back, the bowl resting idly in one hand as she picks at it with the other. "So, you came to see Izuku, right? Why is that?"

"I already told you, I thought I'd upset him somehow and I came to apologize," he snaps.

Ena rolls her eyes, the hand holding her chopsticks dangling at her side. "No shit, but why would you care if you upset him? Like I said, you only met him last night."

Katsuki's heart pounds in his chest. He's not sure why he cares. Well, maybe he does. He just doesn't want to say it. Upon meeting Izuku, he just felt intrigued by him. There wasn't much that he knew of that could explain why he felt that way other than his smile and the kindness he seems to embody. Even so, he wanted more than just a taste of what it was like to be in his presence. He wanted to know more about him. The pounding in his chest seems to ring louder with every second. He breathes deeply, "I don't know."

"You're a shit liar," Ena replies. "Let's drop it. I'll be frank, getting to know Izu isn't going to be easy. Especially for you."

"Why's that?"

Ena takes another bite of the ramen, starting her next statement with her mouthful. "It took months of Suki and me working with the guy for him to open up. Even now, a little over a year, there's still a lot we don't actually know about him. It's not that he's necessarily secretive or anything." She stops and swallows, continuing with her explanation, "I just think he's scared to let people in. You see, Izuku has been in a committed relationship with this asshole for years. Masashi. Thing is, that bastard makes it really difficult for Izuku to make and maintain relationships. I can't tell you the number of times he's tried to take me off the radar."

"Take you off the radar?" Katsuki utters.

"Yeah. He doesn't like me being friends with Izuku. He doesn't really like anyone being friends with Izuku, especially other guys. Insecurity, protectiveness, whatever you wanna call it. I just think it's toxic. That's sort of why I stick around, to spite him, but mostly... it's because I've really grown to like Izuku. He's kind and funny, smart and ambitious, and stubborn too. He deserves a friend that looks out for him the way he does for everyone else." She pauses, taking a moment to set the empty take-out bowl on the ground. "It drives Masashi crazy, but honestly I don't care. I'm going to be there for Izuku, and if that pisses that bastard off, all the better."

Katsuki takes a moment to let her words sink in. He lifts an eyebrow, "So, what's the deal? This guy doesn't sound all that great, why does Izuku stick around?"

Ena's eyes cut to the clock, "The list could go on for ages, but I only have a couple of minutes left. What it boils down to is, he sees the best in people. Though, I don't see what Izuku does. If you ask me, there's not a single redeeming quality about that guy." She stands and stretches before reaching for the bowl and tossing it in the recycling bin. "If you want to be friends with Izuku, you've gotta play your cards right. You didn't upset him, either. So, stop worrying about that. From what I understand, Masashi saw you dropping him off last night and it caused some trouble. It's nothing he's not used to, but it still got to him. Izu loves the guy, although he really shouldn't. The kind of love Izu has for Masashi is a tricky trap to work yourself out of. He doesn't realize it's hurting him. Anyway, I'll help you out as much as I can, only because I want things to work out with you two. I think you'd be good for him. Do the ramen thing again. Keep doing things like it. Just be careful. Don't get caught. Don't let Izuku get caught either."

Katsuki looks at Ena puzzled, "Doesn't that just make it... wrong?"

Ena stands by the door, opening it slightly. "Depends on how you look at it. As far as I'm concerned, though, there's never anything wrong with saving a person who doesn't know they need saving. Now, scram outta here before I get in trouble." She steps out of the room, closing the door behind her. Katsuki can't bring himself to move yet. Her words ring loudly in his ears, saving people. It's what he's supposed to do best, but this feels like a 'rescue' operation he doesn't know how to quite approach yet. He frowns as she calls out one last time from somewhere down the hall, "Get moving. Time is of the essence, hero!"