Mending the Battle Wounds (TodoBakuDeku)

Chapter 21

"C'mon, Aizawa needs to know. Someone needs to get that kid on antidepressants or something." Katsuki said, already heading in the direction of the school. He assumed their homeroom teacher would be at class, wondering where all his students were.

Shoto followed after him. "For someone that gets so offended when Izuku bluntly points out your trauma, you have no problem criticizing his." He pointed out blandly as they walked.

Shoving his hands into his pockets and keeping his gaze on the ground in front of him, Katsuki was hesitant to retaliate. "It's different. I'm scared he's gonna try to kill himself again, he's just worried that I'll shut everyone out." He tried to explain. In reality, he knew that it wasn't different and at least Izuku was a smidge nicer about it. Katsuki was just to emotionally exhausted to care what he said at the moment.

Shoto was a bit taken aback by Katsuki's confession about being scared for Izuku, but quickly got over it. The blond seemed to be opening up to him and he was going to use it to his advantage. To Katsuki's advantage, not his own.

"He's worried that shutting everyone out will lead to you trying to kill yourself." He answered bluntly. Apparently the three weren't a group to sugarcoat things.

Katsuki scoffed at the insinuation. "Like I'd fucking try that. I shut people out because they're annoying and I don't need them, not because I'm depressed or some shit."

Shoto's own hands found their way into his pockets, much more calm and gently than Katsuki's. "You have a superiority complex. You pretend you're all high and mighty, better than everyone, to hide the fact you feel like an absolute and utter failure. Yes, I'm sure you aren't 'depressed or some shit'." He said, using air quotes where appropriate.

"I'm not fucking depressed and I don't have a superiority complex." Katsuki weakly growled.

Shoto shrugged his shoulders slightly. "I just agreed that you're not depressed." He said.

"You're an asshole, you know that?" Katsuki asked him, throwing a small glare at the taller boy walking next to him.

"You seem to love to remind me of that fact, yes." Shoto answered honestly. He didn't have a problem with Katsuki calling him an asshole or any other name. He was what most would consider an asshole and he could accept that, he was quite rude. It wasn't because he tried, he was just rather blunt and wasn't the best at reading social cues, with his upbringing and all.

"Good." Katsuki said shortly, unsure of how to keep up the conversation. There weren't many times the two were left with only themselves, usually someone else, mainly Izuku, was there to help them get along or at least ignore each other.

They were nearly back to the school when Shoto broke the silence. "What'd we do now?" He asked.

"I already told you, we need to tell Aiz-"

"Not that. What'd we do about Izuku? I'm... terrible at normal interactions with people, let alone ones with someone who I tried to talk out of suicide, and failed. How... are we supposed to act now?" Shoto clarified. He was completely lost on what to do from here on out.

Katsuki sighed, stopping his movements to turn fully to face Shoto. "You're really asking me this? If you're terrible at normal interactions, I'm disastrous."

"Who else am I supposed to ask? I don't exactly talk with anyone else in our class besides you and Izuku. I can't exactly ask him now can I?" Shoto asked, his monotone voice slipping and letting in just a hint of sass.

"It's fucking weird how oddly close we are technically considered now." Katsuki pointed out with narrowed eyes.

Shoto nodded in agreement. "Guess you're not an insufferable ass all the time." He added.

Katsuki placed a hand over his chest. "Wow Icyhot, I'm blushing, really." He said with an eye roll.

"Will I ever get out of that nickname?" Shoto asked him, continuing his walking again, Katsuki taking the hint to keep moving as well.

"Half and half?" Katsuki mused in return.

"It's a bit long, but at least it's not a pain relief cream." Shoto said with a sigh.

Katsuki laughed at his clear annoyance.

"Remember when Izuku said he wanted you to be nicer? Perhaps you could start with the nicknames." Shoto said, thinking out loud.

Katsuki sobered up at the suggestion. "Like hell. Deku I could stand to get rid of, but all the rest of you extras have got to deal with it." He said, crossing his arms over his chest stubbornly.

"Not a bad idea, seeing as that's probably the most degrading." Shoto agreed.

Katsuki sighed, letting his arms drop to his sides again. "What the fuck do I even call him then? We've never really established if we're on a first name basis or not."

"Izuku, just call him Izuku." Shoto urged, knowing that even that coming from Katsuki would take the green haired boy some time to adjust to. He was close with Katsuki now, meaning that Midoriya would just be to formal and awkward considering their history.

Katsuki let his insecurities get the better of him for a second as he turned to Shoto. "Are you sure?" He asked.

"He calls you 'Kacchan'. It's an endearing nickname, he wouldn't want you to call him anything less than Izuku without feeling insulted." Shoto confirmed, helping Katsuki's uncertainty. It really didn't look right on the other boy, even Shoto could admit that.

With a small nod, Katsuki dropped the topic.

They still had no clue what they were supposed to do from there.