Pierce the Heart

Chapter 1

Katsuki flipped on the neon sign for the shop "Ground Zero Tattoo" lit up in bright red and orange, illuminating the dark-tinted windows in the front. Katsuki turned on the open sign next, then went back to his station to make sure that his tools and ink were all set for the day.

"HEY BAKUGOU, GOOD MORNING"

He turns around to see his dumbass coworker and best friend, Kirishima, coming in from the back with a wide smile, he walks over grinning and puts up a hand for a hi-five.

"What do you want, dumbass? I have a client coming in soon." Katsuki turns away from him, leaving him hanging. "You should have been here a half-hour ago to set up your station you lazy ass."

"Damn Bakubro, cold, leaving me hanging for so long," He slaps Katsuki's shoulder, almost making him drop the tattoo gun he was inspecting. Katsuki growls and turns to glare at him. Kirishima just ignores the look and continues, "You know, I was thinking, why don't we offer piercing services here? I know we just opened a little while ago, but I think that it would be a great thing to have and expand our clientele." He grins at the other young man, "besides, that would mean we wouldn't have to pay to get some new mods*"

*note, piercings are often referred to as mods, or body modifications, depending on the type of peircing*

"Yeah whatever," irritated that the redhead interrupted his daily routine, he goes back to inspecting the tattoo gun and checks his watch. A few minutes until the first client. "We just opened," Katsuki says, scowling at the redhead, "we need to make sure that we can handle the work that does come in and and still feed ourselves before we worry about bringing on anyone else."

Kirishima goes up to the front counter and adjusts the portfolios to make sure they're front and center on the counters. "Yeah but I think we should look around and see who's out there. You can't deny it would be great!" Katsuki just grunts in acknowledgement and sits down at the desk at his station, doodling a new tattoo design on his tablet to put on the wall later. The bell chimes as someone walks through the door.

"Hey man! Welcome to Ground Zero!" Kirishima pipes up from the front. "Do you have an appointment?" 'This must be my first client' Katsuki thought, not looking up right away. 'What was his name again?' He switches apps on my tablet to look at the schedule and see the name "Izu" written down. Glaring at the schedule on the screen, a scowl spread across his face. Why does that name sound familiar?

'Oh that's right, that shrimpish fucking nerd that I couldn't shake all through school. Damn, I haven't thought about him, or anyone from school really, in years. I guess it's a common enough nickname' He thought, shrugging it off as he gets up and starts turning towards the front.

*Katsuki's POV*

"Yes I do, it should be under Izu". I freeze at the voice. No. Fucking. Way. I turn around, struggling to keep my face from showing my shock as I look at the guy who just walked into the shop. I can't help it as eyes my widen in surprise.

The guy standing at the front desk is about 5' 10, wearing ripped black skinny jeans, a green and black pullover sweater, and bright red high tops. I look at his face closer to make sure I'm not seeing things. 'He's definitely changed, what the fuck, he's always been a pathetic little damn nerd.' Instead of the annoyingly childlike face I remember, his features are far sharper, the freckles still dusting his face like always. His hood is up, but I can just see the mess of dark green hair peeking out.

"FUCKING DEKU?????" I yell, making Kirishima and the fucking nerd jump, Deku's eyes widen as he looks my way.

"Oh, holy.. Um, hi, Kacchan" He takes a step back, he looks just as shocked as me. What the fuck, did he not realize that this was my shop? Fucking Idiot.' He glances over to Shitty Hair and I swear I could almost see the fucking lightbulb go off above his head. "W-wait, Kirishima??"