#adrift

“I’m just saying,” Chika repeats just as calmly, though from her it sounds a little bit like she’s talking to a toddler throwing a tantrum, “that I think we should take a break.”

“Taking a break is for couples that are official,” Katsuki points out, a little delighted when she flinches. “We’ve yet to reach that milestone.”

“If you put it that way,” Chika grinds through her teeth, slowly losing her fake politeness, “I want to break up.”

“Again-”

“Oh, cut the crap, Katsuki,” she cuts him off before he can say any more. “You get what I’m saying, at least I’m trying to be polite.”

He leans back in his chair, biting down hard on the inside of his cheek to keep his composure before the talks again. “Why?”

Chika snorts. “You know why.”

“No, I don’t. Which is why I’m asking. And before you say I don’t want to know, I do. Otherwise, I’d already be gone.”

“Alright,” Chika folds her hands in front of her on the table, the expensive cup of Earl Grey momentarily forgotten. Katsuki can’t believe she let him pay for that crap too, knowing she’d end it seconds after it arrived. “You’re too close with your friends.”

Katsuki wrinkles his nose. “What?”

“If you expect a future spouse to be okay with you spending every other day with your best friend, you’ve got another thing coming, and to add to that-” Chika breaks off. “No, I think I said enough.”

“Which friend?” Katsuki asks. “I think I can gather the rest from there.”

“Well, I think I already gave you the hint needed,” Chika grabs her purse to get up. “And I don’t think I want to prolong this conversation.”

“Are you jealous?” Katsuki asks still. “Is that it?”

Chika stops, pursing her lips. “I think that would have been better, you know. But Kirishima-san,” she breaks off. “No, I said too much.”

“Yeah, you did.” Katsuki shakes his head at her. “Good luck with your next guy. I hope you find someone you deserve.” It sounds like a threat, coming from him, and somehow it is. Chika sends him a nasty glare, but leaves without another comment, something Katsuki’s thankful for.

He needs a minute, maybe two, of just staring at the table in front of him, to fully grasp what just happened.

He’s careful of who he picks; he knows, and he’d been pretty sure of Chika before he asked her out the first time.

She knew his friends first, came with as a friendly acquaintance when they all hung out together, so for her to turn on them like this, is just- “Fuck!” He grunts low under his breath, repeats it again for good measure. “FUCK!”

“Can I get you something else, Sir?” A waiter approaches cautiously from the right and Katsuki gets up, shaking his head. “No, thanks, I’m leaving anyway.”

-

Driving usually takes the edge off things, Katsuki knows, especially when going for a hike isn’t feasible.

He’d love to go for one now, lose his mind in the woods, maybe scream from the top of some mountain until the rage inside of him subsides. Blowing something up would help too.

But he’s got plans. Ordinarily, Chika would have been included. 

-

“Heeeeyyy!” You wave at him from the top of the stairs, taking two at a time as you make it down to the parking lot. “You’re early!”

“You’re just late,” he grunts. You giggle, stop short when you reach the passenger side. “Is Chika meeting us there?”

“She’s not coming,” he points out. “So you’re Passenger Princess today.”

“Ooh, nice,” you slide into his passenger seat and settle your backpack between your legs, immediately bending over to pull something out. “I brought some snacks with me, if you’re hungry, you know, and Eijirou said I should give you this CD you borrowed him.”

“That can wait,” Katsuki grunts. “Don’t forget your seatbelt, idiot.”

“So pushy,” you roll your eyes, but do as he asks, smiling at him when you’re locked in place. “Are you ready?”

“Sure.” He thinks he’s masking it pretty well, but you furrow your brows nonetheless, the magenta colored antenna on your head wiggling in place. He’s so used to them by now, he almost forgets them sometimes, at least until you wiggle them around like they’ve got a mind of their own.

“What’s wrong, Katsuki?”

“Nothing’s wrong.” He starts the car. 

“You don’t sound like nothing’s wrong.”

“I don’t want to talk about it right now.”

“Fine,” you nod. “That’s fair. You wanna be quiet on the ride, or do you want to listen to my latest rescue?”

“Did you lose a limb?”

“Just a toe,” you recall. “Grew back instantly, I barely noticed.”

“Then no. Quiet is fine.”

-

You cling to him, still, a habit you’ve never quite grown out of, over the years.. 

“You think he’d like that?” You ask, holding up an ugly Hawaiian shirt in bright purple. “I mean, he’d love the color combination, but I prefer pinks on him.”

Katsuki snorts. “His favorite color is red, dumbass.”

You purse your lips and look back at the rack. “They don’t have any reds, though.” You sigh and put the shirt back. “You got any luck on the trousers?”

“No dice,” Katsuki lies. He’s not been looking much, too lost in his own thoughts. “Wanna try another store?”

“Let’s try second hand, next,” you offer, pulling him along. “Last time we went, Eijiro found this amazing bobble head. I wanna see if they have anything like that again. He’d be thrilled.”

Katsuki lets himself be pulled, watching the antenna on your head wiggle around. He’s not as skilled in reading your moods as Eijiro, but he’s gotten quite good over the years. 

“You worried bout something?”

“Yeah, sure,” you nod, “it’s a big anniversary.”

“Five years,” Katsuki points out. “That’s like, half of a big anniversary.”

“Don’t say that,” you chide him, pinching the skin over his wrist. The gills on your neck are flaring now, a nervous habit that does you little good when you’re not in water. “It’s huge.”

Katsuki stops at the door, nodding toward his car. “Wanna talk?”

- - -

You

You’d both do better with moving, you know, but there’s only so much you can talk about in public when you’re famous.

“Put your legs down if you want to keep em,” Katsuki threatens you, and you pull your feet from the dashboard and wriggle around until you’re sitting on them, curled up into an odd shape in your seat.

“Here,” he hands you a milkshake. “No fries.”

“Why not?”

“Cause last time you dropped some and I don’t want to get any more stains.”

“I’m not a baby,” you point out, pouting. “Milkshakes taste better with fries.”

“Then don’t act like one,” Katsuki punches the air conditioning button and grunts as it whirrs to life. “So, Chika broke up with me today.”

You suck on your straw and stare. He grunts once more. “No questions?”

“Do we hate her now?”

He snorts. “You can do what you want, but I don’t think you’re able to hate anyone.”

“Ah, don’t underestimate me.” You push your lower lip forward. “I know where she lives. I could hide some dead fish in her curtains or something. She’d never see it coming.”

“She’d know it was you.”

“Why?”

“No one’s as obsessed with fish as you are.”

“True,” you nod. “Are you sad she broke up with you?”

“No, I-” Katsuki hesitates. “I’m just… I hate wasting my time on people.”

“Mood. But, you know, better to realize it now than, you know…”

“Yeah, yeah.” He waves it off. “Anyway, if you have any single friends, send them my way.”

“You don’t like my friends,” you point out, which is easier than admitting that you don’t have that many friends, and the friends you have are either taken or not into that kind of thing.

Katsuki grunts again. “So what’s up with you, then?”

You hesitate. Suck on your straw again until Katsuki sends you an angry glare, annoyed by the noise.

“It’s our five year anniversary,” you start, chewing on your straw. “And I have no good present for Eijirou.”

“So?”

“So?!” You mock his tone. “That’s a huge thing. Eijirou is like the best gift giver I know.”

“I’m the best gift giver you know,” Katsuki disagrees. “Remember the Beta Fish I gifted you-”

“Eijirou told me he told you where to get it.”

Katsuki’s face darkens. “Shittyhair never knows how to keep a secret.”

“Point is,” you cut him off, “I know he’s going to get me something amazing and I don’t want to stand there with, like, a bobble head and a Hawaii shirt like it’s just any other day. He’s the love of my life, and I want him to know that.”

Katsuki’s quiet for a while. “He knows it.”

You shrug. “You’re just saying that.”

“Nah.” Katsuki cuts the air conditioning. “I know it. Now, get your ass out of my car, we’re going back in. It can’t be that hard to get the perfect present for Shittyhair.”

-

Eijirou is standing by the mailbox as Katsuki pulls up, smiling brightly when you jump out of the car to greet him.

“Hey, Love,” he presses a wet kiss to your temple. “Missed you.”

“Missed you more.”

“Did you have fun with Katsuki?” He asks next, pulling you into his side. “Where’s Chika? Isn’t she with you?”

“Eh,” you duck your head, unable to lie. “Long story. I’m gonna make dinner, okay?”

“Everything okay?” Eijirou asks, and you nod, turning in his arms. “Katsuki? You’re staying, right?”

“Depends on what you’re having,” he tries to joke, but shrugs when you send him a glare. “Yeah, sure. You need help in the kitchen?”

“Nah,” you shake your head. “Get yourself a beer and clean up the balcony. Eijirou tried to repot some plants, and it’s a mess.”

“I was doing my best,” he claims, and you peck his cheek. “I know and I love you for it, brave garden warrior.”

-

You take your time in the kitchen, hiding away the things you’ve managed to get. Another bobblehead, two matching Hawaii shirts for you and him to wear, and something Crimson Riot themed for Eijirou’s growing collection. The bigger part of his present will take some time to plan, and some effort to keep quiet about.

Your fish are already fed, but you take a moment to talk to them, to watch them swim around the home you’ve managed to build.

Only when you can hear the quiet conversation unfold outside do you start cooking. 

You don’t need to know all the details. And if you do, Eijirou’s going to fill you in later.

-

Katsuki

“What’s new with you?” Katsuki asks, taking a sip from his beer.

Eijirou snorts. “We hung out two days ago.”

Katsuki cringes, though he hides it well. “So? I didn’t think your life was boring.”

“Nah,” Eijirou laughs. “I wish it was. The monster called again.”

The monster, as they’ve dubbed her, is Eijirou’s sister-in-law, Nori. There’s only one reason to stay in contact with her, and that’s her adorable four-year-old son Seiichi.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah,” Eijirou checks if you’re listening before leaning in. “Seiichi’s staying with us for the holidays. Do you think your parents are going to throw a party?”

Katsuki snorts. “The old hag will if I ask her. She adores Seiichi.”

“He’s the best,” Eijirou nods. “Makes me want-” He trails off, awkwardly scratching the paper off his beer bottle.

Katsuki narrows his eyes. “Makes you want what?”

“Nothing,” Eijirou shakes his head. “Nothing at all. By the way, I think I’ve got the perfect anniversary present. What do you think?”

Katsuki can tell he’s trying to change topics. On any other day, he’d probably needle him about it, but he’s more than okay with it today.

“Nice,” Katsuki eyes the vacation rental Eijirou’s showing him on his phone. “Lake-side, right?”

“Course. It’s big enough for four of us, so if you and Chika want to come along? You know how the missus gets when there’s a lake nearby.”

Katsuki cringes once more. “About that,” he puts his beer down. “Chika broke it off today.”

Eijirou watches him quietly, and Katsuki appreciates the attitude. 

“Said I’m too close to my friends.”

“Which ones?” Eijirou asks, brows furrowed.

Katsuki shrugs. “You guys.”

Eijirou frowns. “Us? What about Midoriya?”

“She hasn’t met him yet,” Katsuki points out, shoulders tensing up. Maybe Chika had been right about him, after all. Maybe this is weird. “He left for America before it got serious between me and her.”

“Oh, right,” Eijirou nods. “Well, I think you dodged a bullet there, then.”

“You think so?” 

“Yeah, sure. What’s she expecting? For you to stay home and hold her hand every day? Guys need friends, too.”

“Sure, but-” Katsuki shrugs awkwardly. “She says I’m too close to your wife.”

He watches closely as Eijirou thinks it through. No malice, nor doubt cloud his friend's features, and that’s enough to lift the heaviest of Katsuki’s doubts.

“Does she have any siblings?” Eijirou asks next. “'Cause that’s what you and the missus remind me of. Didn’t she kick you in the face last time?”

Katsuki snorts. “Thanks for reminding me. That hurt.”

“You wanted to train with her,” Eijirou reminds him, grinning proudly. “Your fault. But in all seriousness, what’s Chika’s problem? Is she jealous, or-?”

“No, just… weirded out, I guess. I don’t know. I think I knew she wasn’t the right one from the beginning. It never felt… right, I guess. Like it did for you, you know?” Katsuki drags a hand through his hair. His friend's love story is still one of his favorites. 

Eijirou blushes, like he always does when he’s reminiscing. “I mean, the missus is special. You can’t compare that.”

“Yeah, but I want that too,” Katsuki complains. “I mean, I don’t exactly have to trip over my tongue at our first meeting or fall in love at first sight during a rescue mission, but I want someone… someone like her, you know?”

Eijirou seems surprised. “I didn’t know she was your kind of type. I’m sure she has some friends-”

“Not like that,” Katsuki groans. “I mean… She’s your biggest fan. I want that.”

“You don’t need a fan,” your voice comes from behind them, the balcony door sliding open. “You need someone to kick your ass when you think too highly of yourself.”

Katsuki sticks his tongue out at you, and you respond in kind, gently setting down a steaming pot of curry. “I hope it’s spicy enough for you guys.”

“You’re spicy enough for me,” Eijirou jokes, pulling you in. “Your sight alone is making my eyes water.”

“Ew,” Katsuki drawls out just to mess with them. “Get a room.”

-

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