Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Tranquility.

A rare commodity in Dormitory 1-A of Heights Alliance. When you shove twenty rowdy teenagers, with the drive to become not only heroes but popular heroes, into a single living facility with only each other for support 90% of the time, noise and chaos was just going to happen. It was inevitable.

Hero life tended to draw in a certain kind of people. Attention seekers. People that wanted to be noticed and acknowledged. To be seen, remembered, and admired. Heroes were this era’s biggest celebrities, after all. So a dorm full of aspiring heroes was bound to be overpacked with big personalities that wanted to be the center of attention.

That wasn’t always the case. In fact, class 1-A had its share of the shy and the brooding. The socially awkward who flustered with any praise, and the loners who just wanted to do a good job and not be stared at.

Then there was whatever the hell Bakugo was. With his constant bellowing about being the best, his explosive personality specifically crafted to earn him attention, yet the perpetual insistence on being left apart from everyone else’s chatter. Not to mention his inability to comply to any sort of standard that would make him tolerable, let alone admirable. Who even understood that guy?

Bakugo wasn’t the point, though. Bakugo should never be the point.

The point was that in a building filled with powerhouses learning to be more independent while simultaneously adjusting to the ins and outs of communal living with people outside their families, a quiet evening was a rare treat.

It helped that the common area was currently only occupied by the majority of the girls. Plus Aoyama. Trading the latest gossip while others did their homework. All winding down from the day while they sipped some of Momo’s best tea.

Some of the guys had gotten permission to get some extra Sunday night training in Gym Gamma. Bakugo and a few of the people who could stomach him had gone out early in the afternoon, and Izuku and his clique had done the same a few hours later. The remaining few were all doing their own thing, though it had been overheard that Mineta and Kaminari were having a spectacle showing of some kind in Mineta’s room. Gross.

It was best to just not think about it. Thinking of Mineta was enough to ruin anyone’s good mood. They’d all rather speculate on crushes and trade embarrassing stories from junior high. All while Jiro quietly strummed an impromptu tune on her guitar.

Tranquil. That was the word for the moment.

It couldn’t last, of course.

“Uraraka-san! This way! I will clear off the couch and then you can lay Midoriya out,” Iida proclaimed, his booming voice preceding him into the room. He rushed in as quickly as he could without the use of his leg boosters, followed by more of their classmates.

“Okay!” Ochako guided the unconscious body of her friend into the common room, clasping one of his arms carefully in her hands to keep him from floating away.

Though Iida said he’d clear the couch, its occupants quickly got off their seats without further prompting, drawn to action by the commotion. Todoroki was hot on Ochako’s heels, slipping past her. Together he and Iida cleared the closest couch of any extra clutter and pillows.

Izuku was unconscious, but he didn’t appear to be hurt. It was hard to tell for sure when he was floating several feet up in the air, though.

“Kirishima-kun, are you doing okay with Bakugo? I could have floated him here, too.” Ochako fretted.

“Nah, I got him, no problem.” Kirishima grinned as he hoisted the dead weight of his friend higher up on his back. “Hey, Sero. Can you clear off the other couch? I’d like to get Bakugo off my back before he wakes up and crushes my skull between his hands.”

“Ha, yeah, no doubt. Just a second,” Sero chuckled as he moved the extra cushions on the longer couch to the floor to make more room for the blond’s long form.

Bakugo was in a similar state of unconsciousness, looking oddly peaceful, the usual pinch between his brows gone. He didn’t appear hurt, either, his breathing long and even. When added to Kirishima and Sero’s lighthearted back and forth, it really didn’t seem that serious of a situation.

Or maybe it was just that the two of them had no idea how serious all of this was. Ochako and Iida seemed beside themselves with worry. Most of the others were inclined to take their stance in this situation. Two of their classmates, two of the more powerful ones even, had to be carried back into the dorms and that couldn’t bode well.

Not with their history of being targeted by villains.

“What happened?” Momo demanded, though she lingered off to the side. She wanted to remain close at hand for anything her friends might need of her, but she also didn’t want to get in their way. “Do you need anything? Some smelling salts? A first aid kit, perhaps?”

“No. Midoriya and Bakugo aren’t hurt. They just fainted,” Todoroki explained evenly, fluffing a pillow in preparation for Izuku’s head.

“Fainted? Hold on, I’ll get some cool towels for their heads,” Tsuyu took off to the girl’s washroom with a ribbit.

“Thanks, Tsu-chan!” Ochako called out after her even as she gently guided Izuku down towards the couch before releasing him from her hold. He settled perfectly with barely a bounce and she sighed, checking him over. “It doesn’t look like he’s in any pain, at least.”

“No, I don’t think so, either,” Iida hummed thoughtfully. “But I’ll go get a teacher to check them over just the same.”

“That’s a good idea,” Momo nodded firmly. “Mr. Aizawa will definitely want to know what’s occurred.”

Todoroki looked Izuku over, his brow furrowed. “Maybe… we shouldn’t have brought them back here. We should have taken them straight to Recovery Girl.”

“I-it… it’s not that serious! Like you said, they aren’t actually hurt.” Ochako tried to assure him but didn’t sound so sure herself now.

“Or maybe we should have waited until the authorities arrived to clear things up before we brought them back,” Todoroki continued his muttered thoughts.

“Oh…” Ochako flustered without answer, worrying her bottom lip between her teeth.

“Okay, that all sounds very melodramatic, but what the heck even happened?” Jiro asked after setting down her guitar. She looked between the two unconscious teens. “What on earth can take out both Bakugo and Midoriya at the same time?”

Tsuyu hopped back with two cool, damp towels, already neatly folded. She handed one to Kirishima and one to Ochako. “Was anyone else hurt?”

“Thanks, Tsuyu,” Kirishima nodded his head as he swept the fringe of hair from Bakugo’s forehead and laid the towel out.

Ochako did the same for Deku, holding her breath when he seemed to grimace under the cool touch, but otherwise remained unconscious. She sighed softly. “No one was hurt. Not really. We all went to the convenience store a couple of blocks down. It was sort of a coincidence that we even ran into each other.”

“Heh, yeah. Bakugo was so sure you guys were stalking us, though,” Sero admitted sheepishly.

Iida sighed, shaking his head. “I’m going to inform the teachers. I’ll be right back. Keep an eye out on Midoriya and Bakugo,” the class president instructed as he took off. As if anyone planned to do anything else.

“Okay. So was there an attack on the convenience store? Some thief that got carried away?” Momo asked as she primly took a seat on one of the low, backless chairs.

“No! Nothing like that,” Ochako waved her arms in a negative motion. “It was more like just a fluke accident. Bakugo was being Bakugo-”

“He was being loud and angry,” Kirishima admitted sheepishly.

“He scared a little boy who was there with his mother,” Todoroki kept explaining. “It was essentially a quirk manifestation accident. According to his mother, it was the first time he ever displayed his quirk. She’s not really sure what it is, because she didn’t know much about the boy’s father and she never saw him again before she even realized she was pregnant.”

“T-Todoroki!” Momo gasped, scandalized, a blush high on her cheeks. “You can’t just speak so bluntly about other people’s personal lives!”

Todoroki gave a slight tilt to his head, eyes wide in mild confusion. “But that’s what she said.”

“So Midoriya and Bakugo just… passed out?” Aoyama queried as he fluttered over near his unconscious friend, looking like he wanted to check him over.

Kirishima nodded. “Yeah. Them and about three other people that were there at the wrong time.” He swept his hand through his spiky red hair then crossed his arms across his broad chest. He took a seat on the floor beside the couch, looking like Bakugo’s loyal guard dog.

“The store manager called the authorities to try to clear the whole thing up. The mother wouldn’t stop apologizing, and the kid was just beside himself in hysterics. Everyone was afraid to get close to him. We got him some choco to calm him down and that seemed to do the trick.” Sero grinned sheepishly, scratching his cheek.

The smile faded quickly and he sighed, clearly on edge. “Man… maybe we should have waited for the authorities to clear the situation up,” he ended up agreeing with Todoroki.

Mina shook her head, sitting down on the floor next to the Kirishima. “Nah, I think it’s good you guys brought them here.” She patted his shoulder when her longtime school mate gave her a searching look, clearly looking for validation in his decision. She offered the most cheerful smile she could manage. “This is U.A.! Quirk explosion central! The teachers and faculty will know what to do. We just need to figure out what it was that hit them. Maybe passing out is all it is.”

“We can hope,” Tsuyu said thoughtfully, tapping a long finger to her chin. The look on her face clearly stated she didn’t actually think they’d be that lucky, though.

“The best we can do is wait for them to wake up and move forward from there,” Jiro reasoned, sitting on the edge of the low seat that Momo already occupied.

“Poor Deku…” Ochako sighed from the edge of the couch. She brushed a few errant green curls off his forehead.

“Nnh…” the boy’s brows furrowed as he shifted. “Whu…?” Hazy green eyes fluttered open, blinking blearily.

“Deku!” Ochako shot to her feet, leaning over the boy and obstructing most of his vision. “Deku! Are you alright?”

Izuku tensed, his breath catching in his throat. The boy visibly paled, clutching at the cushions beneath him. With a sudden twist, he tried to curl in on himself, arms shielding his face as his hands curled over his head, gripping his hair tightly and whimpering a small noise.

“Deku…?” Ochako drew back, wilting with worry. She wanted to pull the boy to her and offer some sort of comfort, but Izuku seemed to be afraid of her. Which… didn’t make sense! She hesitated from touching until she better understood the situation. “Are you hurt? Did the quirk do something?”

“Tell us what’s wrong, Midoriya.” Todoroki frowned pensively as he leaned in to check on the smaller boy as well. “Does your head hurt? Do you know who you are?”

“Izuku-kun...” Tsuyu peered over the head of the couch worriedly.

Izuku’s only seemed to curl into himself more tightly with each new additional person hovering over him, his body beginning to shake. His little whimpers had become a worrying hiccuping sob, like the boy wasn't getting enough air to his lungs.

"Izuku-kun, you have to breathe! He’s panicking, ribbit!" Tsuyu fretted.

“Deku…” Ochako tried again, reaching to touch his cheek, maybe check his temperature. Tears welled up in his eyes, flinching hard and stopping Ochako in her tracks.

“Midoriya…?” Momo’s brows were furrowed in concern, taking a half step forward, then reconsidered. “It’s okay. You’re among friends.”

Izuku cried out, limbs flailing as he tried to get away from the growing group of people. He sprung free and fell off the side of the couch with a painful yelp as he landed on his shoulder. But he was undeterred in his mission to get away, quickly scrambling across the floor until there were several feet between him and the others, looking at them with wide, panicked eyes.

“Deku!” Ochako cried out, hesitating only for a moment before going after him, shooting the others a look that they should all stay back. “Deku, please talk to us! What’s wrong?!”

“Midoriya, please calm yourself. Can’t you recognize that we’re your friends?” Todoroki pressed, brows furrowed.

“Mido, man. It’s okay. It’s just us,” Kirishima added, though he didn’t try to approach, either. He was actually wondering if he should give Bakugo some space too, before the ash blond woke up. Clearly this had to do with the quirk accident.

Izuku shook his head wildly and clapped his hand over his ears. He refused to listen to any of them. Heartbreaking little whines caught in his throat, tears rushing down his cheeks in a steady stream.

He curled his arms around his face and body as best as he could, backing himself into a corner and trying to curl in on himself. “Uuu… n-no!” He finally managed to speak. “Strangers! Mommy said no to talking to strangers! Lemme alone!” The declaration and the childish tone of his voice stunned the room to stillness, the young heroes trading alarmed looks. The only sound left in the room was Izuku’s loud sobs. “W-where… where am I? Where’s mommy?! I… I want my mommy! Mommy!”

Ochako was the first to break out of her stupor, feeling her heart constrict at the genuine fear in her friend’s voice. “Deku… Ah… I mean, Izu-kun,” she quickly amended, softening her voice. Struggling through her growing alarm, she kept a soothing smile on her face, though the boy refused to even look at her. Taking a careful step forward, she squatted down to get closer to Izuku’s level. “Izu-kun, you don’t have to be scared of us, okay? I promise. We really are your friends. We just want to help you.”

The boy peeked up at the girl with round, pink cheeks, his chin trembling. “Y-you do…?”

Ochako nodded encouragingly, scooting another half step forward on the balls of her feet. “Un! Really! I’m Ochako-chan. And these are Shoto-kun and Tsu-chan.” She motioned to the other two who were cautiously approaching the green haired boy as well. “They’re my friends. They’re your friends, too. Do you remember any of us…?”

Large, watery green eyes looked to each person as they were introduced, sucking in a shuddering breath. For a moment it looked like the boy was starting to calm down. It also looked like there was a hint of recognition when he looked back at Ochako. But then he keened a loud sob and shook his head, pressing his face tightly against his raised knees once more. “No! I want mommy!” He wailed loudly, his shoulders shaking with renewed sobs.

The three shared a troubled look, one that matched the looks of the rest of their friends. They were at a loss of what they should do next, or what was going on, though there was at least a good idea on the answer to that question. Though it raised a new question specifically. How were they going to get through to Izuku to calm him down?

There was no time to deliberate on any sort of answer before the next problem arose.

Almost literally.

The commotion had drawn the other casualty back to consciousness, sleep darkened red eyes cracking open. Bakugo’s brows pinched together, his hand going to his forehead as he sat up and looked around. “Nnngh… what…?”

“Bakugo!” Kirishima was quick to whirl around up onto his knees. Those red eyes snapped to attention and to him, the blond grunting softly as he continued to rub at his temple. He seemed his normal self and Kirishima couldn’t help but be hopeful that his best friend was somehow unaffected from the problems currently plaguing Izuku.

“Bakugo! Bro!” He leaned forward, putting his hands on Bakugo’s shoulders. “Thank god you’re awake! How are ya feeling? Need anyth- AARGH!” The redhead barely had time to turn his skin to stone before a large blast went off right in his face. He stumbled back, falling flat on his ass, hacking coughs to clear his airway of smoke.

“Shit! Kirishima! Are you okay?!” Sero was at the other’s side, making sure to keep a safe enough distance from Bakugo himself. Though maybe he needn’t have worried.

Bakugo seemed stunned by his own action, staring at his hand like it had done something he had never seen before. But he was quick to get over it. There were more important things to worry about. He snarled, baring his teeth at the strange group gathered around him, his hands coming up, fingers curled, sparks crackling over his palms. He was ready to attack again. “Get back!” He was ready to attack and he didn’t seem to care who he had to get through, either.

“Shit,” Jiro cursed as she took a few preventative steps back. She had no delusions that Bakugo would hesitate to make good on his threat. “Guess we can assume that Bakugo is similarly affected as Midoriya, which means-”

“Shut up!” Bakugo screeched. “Stranger! Pervert! PERVERTS!” He bellowed louder as he hopped onto the couch to gain the high ground. “You better let me go! Or I’ll blow all of you up!” Bursts lit up his palms to show the others how serious he was.

“Do you think he also thinks that-” Sero started but was cut off by a new voice entering the scene

“Whoa! Hey! What’s going on?” Kaminari yelped as he exited the elevator. “Bakugo, what the hell? You know we’re not supposed to use our quirks in here!”

The name finally seemed to filter into Izuku’s panicked mind. The boy lifted his head, wide eyes looking around in a panic. “Kacchan! Where is Kacchan?!” He spotted a familiar blond mop of hair, as explosive as his best friend’s quirk, only… only it was on a much larger boy. He sniffled, wiping the tears from his eyes. “K-kacchan…? I-is that really Kacchan?” Even though he looked older, the man held a lot of similarities to his friend. Especially those fiery eyes. “An adult Kacchan…?” He murmured in quiet awe.

Bakugo’s head snapped towards the sound of his nickname. Only one person ever called him that. Only one person was allowed to. And though the stranger was too big, his coloring and features were similar enough. No one had eyes as big and bright as his friend, and he’d know those freckles even in his sleep. “Icchan…? No way! What the hell happened?!”

Once again, the room was stunned into silence. Though this time for an entirely different reason No one looked at each other in confirmation or in worry. No one could even tear their eyes off of Bakugo.

The same thought ran through all their heads.

‘What did he just say?’

Chapter Text

The moment of bewildered hesitation was all Katsuki needed to tear into action.

Jumping off the couch, he took off at a sprint, dashing past their frozen forms, stumbling over himself, though not enough to fall or even slow him down. He barreled straight into Izuku, who had already opened his arms wide to catch him.

The two went tumbling from the impact, Katsuki catching himself on his knees and deftly tucking Izuku under his chin and against his side. He kept the smaller boy close to him with one hand, the other he pointed at the rest of the stunned group as threateningly as the barrel of a cannon.

“Get close and I’ll kill all of ya! I’m not scared of you! Ya hear me, ya gross, dirty perverts?!”

“Why are we perverts?” someone murmured in quiet confusion, though they all shared similar thoughts.

They were wise enough to keep their distance, at least. And all were enthralled, or unnerved, by the scene before them. Bakugo had tilted his face a little to give the top of a sobbing Izuku’s head a comforting nuzzle, all while keeping a wary eye on the rest of them. Most were still reeling from the phantom echoes of ‘Icchan’.

Izuku whimpered and he pressed his face against Katsuki’s shoulder. His hands fisted into the material of the blond’s baggy shirt. “Kacchan! Kacchan i-is that really you?”

Katuski spared a glance at his friend again. Just a quick one. They’d have to keep vigilant in front of so many bad guys. “‘Course it’s me, stupid Icchan! You should know that!” Katsuki huffed even as he patted Izuku’s back reassuringly. “Just like I know Icchan is Icchan even though you look different, too.”

“Eh… r-really? You can tell it’s me?” Izuku peered up at him, teary eyes bright. “But Kacchan looks so different! Like an adult! He even sounds different. H-how can you tell?”

“Hah?” Katsuki tore his gaze away from the pervert strangers to give Izuku a look like it was the most obvious thing in the world. “Because Icchan still looks like Icchan, duh. I’d know you anywhere!”

For everyone else, it really felt like they were witnessing something they shouldn’t be.

Izuku breathed out in pure awe, looking at Katsuki like he hung the moon in the sky. “Sugoi… Kacchan is as amazing as always…”

The smug little grin on Katsuki’s face was all too obvious. He reveled in Izuku’s praise, chest puffing up notably. “Duh!”

‘C-cute!’ Ochako thought to herself.

She could tell that she wasn’t the only one. It was all too obvious now what the quirk accident had done to the two of them, the clues weren't hard to decipher, but that didn’t mean she had any idea on how to move forward from here, either. Ochako looked to her classmates to see if any of them were faring better, but they all looked similarly lost. Although a few of them looked to be too busy being amused by the surreal sight of Bakugo protectively cuddling Deku.

Izuku had gone back to crying, trying to make himself as small as possible beside Katsuki. “Kacchan… I… I’m scared! We’re somewhere weird and these people are scary! I wanna go home!” He wailed.

With a gruff pout, Katsuki patted Izuku’s cheek hard. “Stop being a crybaby! I’m here with ya, ain’t I? I’ll protect ya!” Though it also looked like he himself was fighting hard to keep his hand from shaking.

Bakugo trembling in fear was… beyond surreal. Unreal?

Izuku shivered against Katsuki, big, fat tears rolling down his cheeks. “B-but what if we never see our mommies again?”

The whole scene would be heartbreaking and precious if it wasn’t so bizarre.

Katsuki shook his head, his gaze constantly darting between Izuku and the strangers, vigilant, wary, and ready to defend them both. All early signs of a hero in the making. “Not gonna happen.”

“B-but-” Izuku persisted. “W-we don’t even know where we are… o-or how to go home…”

That made Bakugo scoff in irritation, flicking Izuku’s cheek. “Don’t matter! I’m gonna bust us outta here no matter what! So don’t worry, kay?” He clasped Izuku’s hand in his. “I’m gonna protect ya!” he declared boldly once again, then leaned down to smack a noisy kiss right on the green-haired boy’s lips. Loud and childish.

The room, which had already seemed frozen from the sight of them, now went so utterly still, that for a moment it was almost like everyone had suddenly turned to stone.

Did Bakugo really just kiss Midoriya?! What the hell?! What sort of relationship did the two of them have before?! How many more paradigm shifts were they supposed to be able to handle in one night?! And how had those two gone from these sorts of interactions to what class 1-A were used to now?!

At least it did the trick in calming Izuku down. The green haired boy sucked in a shuddering breath and nodded demurely. “O-okay. Okay, Kacchan. I trust you.” He nosed his face against Katsuki’s shoulder to wipe off the last of his tears. “Because Kacchan can do anything!”

"Do you think Midoriya was actually the one responsible for Bakugo's inflated ego all along?" Jiro wondered quietly to Momo, fisting her ear jacks as though to muffle the saccharine behavior.

"It was probably beyond precious when they were actually that age, but now...it's almost sickening to watch," Momo agreed, half shielding her eyes in secondhand embarrassment.

“Denki! Don’t record this!” Mina scolded the electric blond.

“I’m not!” Kaminari hissed back in answer, though he didn’t put his phone down. “Just… sending out a mass text so the other guys know what’s going on.” With a final tap, his text was sent and he shoved his phone back in his pocket.

“You really don’t want to blackmail Bakugo with this later, Denks. He’ll kill you. Maybe literally,” Sero huffed softly in amusement.

“I’m not!” Kaminari reiterated with a pout, arms crossed over his chest. “Geez, you guys! What kind of friend do you take me for? Already missed the good part, anyway…”

Less than a minute later Mineta quietly appeared from the stairwell, the closest of their missing classmates. He'd been drawn to the scene by Kaminari's text, needing to see the show for himself.

He took one look at the two most volatile members of their class cuddling together on the floor as he made his way over to Kaminari as unobtrusively as he could manage. "Holy shit, I thought you were kidding!"

“Ah… hey, Bakugo?” Kirishima tried to approach them again before Katsuki could react to just Mineta’s appearance. He plastered on his most genial smile, exposing his razor-sharp teeth. With a frightened yelp, Izuku jumped in place, pressing tighter to Katsuki’s side as the red head squatted down in front of them. “You gotta hear us out, Bro. I know you’re confused and all, but- Ack!” He stumbled back, skin hardened once again to avoid damage from a particularly strong blast.

“I ain’t warnin’ ya again, shit head! Don’t come closer or you’re gonna lose all your stupid shark teeth!” Bakugo hissed, his hand smoking from the force of the blast he had just unleashed.

“Eh… K-kacchan!” Izuku gasped, guileless eyes suddenly bright and starry with awe. “Did you see?! He made his skin super hard so your blast wouldn’t hurt him,” Izuku murmured excitedly. Despite the situation he thought he was in, the young quirk enthusiast still couldn’t help but fanboy a little.

“Tch!” Katsuki growled, visibly ruffled, “So what?! I can blast him harder than he can toughen his skin up! No way a loser like that can beat me! Didja see how big I blasted him? That wasn’t even half as strong as I can make it!”

"Ha, he's jealous!" Denki snickered.

Minoru nodded with a studious air, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "Clearly jealous," he agreed, but he appeared to be studying the girls of 1-A, as though judging whether or not the childishness tactic was working on them. Noticing this, Denki rolled his eyes and dug an elbow into his head.

“Wow!” Izuku gasped in awe, clinging tighter to his friend, his adoration back where it belonged.

Kirishima huffed, rubbing some soot off his face. “This is too freakin’ weird. And the way they’re acting, I can’t even be mad about it.”

“Maybe we should try for a softer, more feminine touch,” Momo hummed as she took her turn to try to placate the two of them. Behind her, Ochako huffed softly, miffed that apparently, she hadn’t been a feminine enough touch.

Momo fixed on her most gentle and soothing smile, but hardly got a word out before she jumped back with a small shriek, just barely dodging a blast to her face.

“I don’t care if you’re a girl! I’ll blast you anyway, you ugly old hag!”

“O-old?!” Momo squawked with indignation. “I’m not old! I’m sixteen!”

It was borderline amazing that no one knew of this weak point in Yaomomo’s psyche before just now, yet this Bakugo, with absolutely no memory of her, had managed to uncover it with almost medical precision. Terrible, but amazing. At least none of them were rude enough to tease her about it.

No one except Bakugo.

“Look old to me!” He shrugged a shoulder carelessly, even as his grin became meaner. “Just an ugly hag, then!” he jeered, pulling a face and sticking out his tongue at her. “A gross hag who goes around kidnapping kids because no one else wants her!”

“K-kacchan!” Izuku gasped, scandalized by his friend’s language and disrespect, even to their alleged kidnappers.

“Come closer, hag! I’ll blow your face off! Make you look way prettier!! Byeh!” He made another disgusting face as if it would be an improvement to Momo's.

To her credit, Momo seemed to hold her composure better after that rocky start, smiling sweetly at Bakugo. “You first?”

“Eh…? Yaomomo?” Jiro frowned in confusion.

Tsuyu hummed and tilted her head. “What does Momo-chan mean by that…?”

Still smiling that saccharine sweet smile, the creation hero started to pull a stick of dynamite from her arm.

“Holy shit!” Toru yelped.

“Oh my god, Yaomomo! What are you doing?!” Jiro gasped in alarm, diving for the explosive while Todoroki scooped their class vice president up to pull her away from the two quirk struck boys.

“Let me go! It’s only a small explosive! That brat can take it!” Momo hissed, struggling in Todoroki’s hold, legs kicking.

The others paled visibly, not sure how to defuse the situation. Bakugo’s bark of ugly laughter really didn’t help things either, the ash blond flipping off the raging girl. At his side, Deku pressed his face against Katsuki’s shoulder, clearly not afraid of his gremlin of a friend, but of Momo breaking free. “She’s so scary, Kaachan!”

“Cuz she’s a witch!”

“Eh?! Really?!” Green curls bounced from how quickly Izuku looked between the raging girl and his best friend.

Katsuki nodded firmly. “Yep! But I’ll still protect you, Icchan.”

“I’m gonna kill him!”

“You really don’t want to do that, Momo-chan. Ribbit. This isn’t like you at all, you know? Acting all out of control. Don’t let Katsuki-kun get to you like this.” Tsuyu hopped in front of Momo, cutting off her line of sight to Bakugo.

“Urgh! That brat!” Momo gritted out, straining against Todoroki’s hold one last time before she slumped in defeat with a resigned sigh. “You’re right… I… I apologize… That was very unbecoming of me.”

“It’s okay Yaomomo,” Jiro stepped in, ready to offer some comfort to her friend. “No matter what he says, it’s just Bakugo, right? Don’t let him get to you. You’re better than that.”

“Hey!” Katsuki protested indignantly, only to be ignored. At least that much felt familiar.

“No matter what he says, it’s just Bakugo being Bakugo. It’s nothing we’re not already used to,” Todoroki quietly added, still holding onto the creation hero, just in case.

Momo took another deep breath, doing her level best to ignore the fact that she was still in Todoroki’s arms, which were unintentionally pushing her breasts up just the slightest bit. And then there was Jiro in front of her, leaning in so close she could smell the fruity lip gloss she was wearing. It was embarrassing, but not the worst position she could find herself in. “Y-you… you’re right. Of course, I know you’re right. Thank you, I’m okay now.”

“Ha! Yeah, Ugly Witch! Listen to Scar Face and Flat Chest! You don’t wanna fight me! Cuz I’ll beat ya and make ya even uglier!”

“Stoppit, Kaachan!” Izuku whined, patting his friend’s face gently but insistently, trying to turn Katsuki’s attention away from the others and back to himself. “Stop saying mean things to the scary people!”

“Shut up, Icchan! They’re not even that scary!”

“They are!” the smaller boy insisted.

“I can’t believe I’m about to say this, but I think Bakugo’s terrible nicknaming habit has actually improved a lot if this is what it was like before,” Kirishima muttered with some awe.

“Don’t talk about me like you know me, assholes!” Katsuki yelled, only to be ignored once again.

“You really wouldn’t think that’d be possible,” Kaminari agreed.

“HEY!”

“No kidding,” Todoroki huffed, and only Momo could feel the way his breath had gotten a little cooler against her neck. So even he could be ruffled by Katuki’s taunting. The brat sure knew how to strike a nerve.

And while she was on the subject of striking nerves, Momo was getting a little worried with how still Kyoka had gotten in front of her, her head bowed low enough that the fall of her bangs hid her expression. Her white-knuckled grip on Momo’s dynamite was quickly becoming worrying. “Kyoka…?”

She looked up then, a strained smile on her lips, her brows pinched together angrily. “Just one little explosion to the face shouldn’t do too much damage, right?”

“Kyoka!” Ochako admonished her.

“It probably wouldn’t,” Tsuyu added with a thoughtful expression, her finger tapping her lips.

“Tsu-chan! No! Not you, too!” Ochako cried.

“I don’t mean she should do it. I’m just saying it probably wouldn’t do much damage, ribbit.” Tsuyu shrugged with an unrepentant smile.

“Remind me never to get on Jiro or Asui’s bad side,” Kirishima murmured to Sero just loud enough for everyone to hear.

“No kidding,” Sero shuddered. “Fuck, girls are scary!”

“Maybe to you, Stupid Face!” Katsuki sneered. “But I ain’t scared. C’mon, Flat Chest! I’ll blow ya up right back!” Bakugo grinned dangerously, multiple small explosions crackling in his hand.

Kyoka grit her teeth, arms trembling with anger. “He’s really asking for it…”

“Don’t give in, Jiro. He’s not worth it,” Todoroki advised.

“Tch! Who even asked you, Scar Face?!”

“URGH!” Jiro whipped around to give the asshole a piece of her mind, stopping short when the stick of dynamite was pulled out of her hand. “Huh?”

“Yoink!” Toru giggled as she danced away with the explosive. It was probably a dance. All the others could see was the stick bouncing about merrily in the air. “Sorry, Kyoka-chan! I know you’re probably not gonna use this, but I gotta make sure, ya know?”

Kyoka sighed heavily, but she couldn’t even really defend herself by saying it wasn’t necessary.

“Kacchan! Look! An invisible girl!” Izuku squeaked in awe, peering over Katsuki’s shoulder.

“She’s invisible, stupid! I can’t see anything,” Katsuki huffed, though there was a glint of curiosity in his eyes.

“I’m not just an invisible girl. I am The Invisible Girl!” Hagakure exclaimed cheerfully, likely striking a magical girl pose that was wasted on all of them.

“Wow!” Izuku cheered all the same.

“Icchan! Stop cheering for the bad guys!” Katsuki groused, bopping Izuku on the head just a hair or two above gentle, causing the boy to pout.

“Mou… sorry Kacchan…”

“Wait… you’re fully invisible right now… Holy shit, did you just strip naked, Hagakure?!” Sero exclaimed, eyes wide and cheeks tinting pink as he looked away from the floating stick of dynamite.

“So?” Toru huffed, an eye roll in her voice. “What is it exactly that you can see? I had to be able to sneak in close and my pajamas gave me away. This isn’t that different from my hero costume, you know.”

“You kind of forget that, huh?” Kaminari just stared blankly.

“I mean… it did help us out in this case, too I guess?” Tsuyu contemplated, giving Ochako a shrug.

“No! That doesn’t make it okay! Toru! Put your clothes back on!” Kyoka scolded. “Mineta is right there!” She exclaimed with a harsh motion towards the class’s resident pervert.

“Ugh, fine,” Toru huffed, stomping loudly to a small pile of her discarded clothes. The boys jolted and looked away when she picked up her panties, with the exception of Mineta, who was forcibly turned.

Kaminari leaned over Eijirou. “Do you ever think she just... walks through all the dorms naked so no one knows she’s there?” he asked Sero in a stage whisper.

“Wouldn’t you just like to know?” the invisible girl replied in a sing-song tone, but the insinuation was distressing enough. Just what was Toru privy to that none of the rest of them knew about? A hero like her had to lose any shame of nudity pretty quickly and it didn’t bother her that it bothered everyone else, for that matter. “Don’t worry guys! Your secrets are all safe with me!” she giggled.

It was hard to tell how serious she was being.

“T-Toru!”

“That’s it! I’ve had enough with you shitty, evil extras! Icchan, we’re getting out of here!” Katsuki declared, letting go of his friend to point both hands threateningly outward, ready to blast their way through everyone who decided to cross him.

“Ah!” Izuku flinched, shoulders tensing up to his ears in preparation for the loud booms that would surely deafen them.

“Shit!” Eijirou cursed as he hardened his body and jumped between Bakugo and the rest of their class, ready to become a living shield against the blasts.

Only… they never came.

“Hah?!” Katsuki stared at his hands with wide eyes, fingers curling and releasing with, no doubt, several attempts to use his quirk. Nothing happened except that his hands looked visibly sweaty. “What the-?! What did you assholes do?! I’ll kill you! I’ll-”

“I think that’s quite enough,” the long-suffering voice of Aizawa cut off Katsuki’s tirade, his hair up in a clear indication of his active quirk, capture tape at the ready.

Iida loomed behind him, adjusting his glasses as he surveyed the room to see where his duties as class president were needed most. “Midoriya! Bakugo! I’m glad to see you two are up and well, but I demand to know just what is going on here!”

“Iida-kun,” Ochako began with a soft sigh. “It’s a bit… complicated.”

Any attempt at explaining was derailed when Izuku suddenly screamed.

Chapter Text

Izuku screeched, shaking Katsuki’s shoulders. “Kacchan! Look! Look! It’s Eraserhead!” He let go of his tight hold on his friend to rush several steps forward, emboldened by their foreseen safety now that a hero was there.“It’s really him! So cool! He’s come to save us!”

“Ah! I see him, Icchan! Stop screaming!” Bakugo groused. Though he was obviously relieved that a hero had shown up, the hero was using his quirk on him and not the kidnappers!

What sort of shitty hero work was that?!

It was Iida and Aizawa’s turn to be stunned into silence, though for their teacher it was harder to decide what was the most shocking. The friendly nature between his two most troublesome students, Bakugo’s nickname for Midoriya, or the fact that they were acting as though they had never seen him before. Maybe it was that they thought they needed saving.

For the others, it was startling that Izuku knew who Eraserhead was at all, given his age. Whatever age he thought he was, at least.

"Save you?" Iida asked, perplexed, glancing over to the rest of their class in hopes of some sort of explanation. “From… what?”

Katsuki bristled, moving to Izuku’s side again. “Are you an idiot?”

“Excuse me?!” Iida balked, affronted.

“Ah…” Izuku flustered. He could see the questioning looks on Eraserhead’s face, and a similarly lost expression on the face of the man with him. It made him really question what was happening. “F-from the kidnappers…? Ah… Mister…? Are you Eraserhead’s sidekick?”

“I… What?” Iida’s face quickly turned so red his glasses fogged up. “M-me? I… Midoriya, I-”

“You don’t need saving,” Aizawa cut in.

“The hell?!” Katsuki snapped

“But-!” Izuku started, eyes widening in a whole new kind of fear.

“Okay,” Aizawa sighed, still staring Katsuki down with his quirk, just in case. “Clearly there are things that need to be discussed. Misunderstandings that need to be cleared up. But I’ll start with this: Midoriya, Bakugo. You are not in danger here. Nor are the people here any sort of villain looking to hurt you. I will need you to trust me on this. And I’m going to have everyone refrain from using their quirks until this mess is settled. Got it?”

“Ah… umm…” Izuku worried his bottom lip between his teeth, shooting another glance toward his friend. He would follow Katsuki’s lead on this, just as he always did.

Katsuki bristled, unable to believe that he and Izuku were being treated like the ones doing wrong. But… things weren’t making sense, and if he couldn’t trust a hero to help, then who could he trust? He huffed, nodding. “Fine”

Relaxing a little now that Katsuki had decided, Izuku nodded as well. “O-okay…”

With a nod of his own, Aizawa closed his eyes in an extended blink, pulling out his eye drops to combat their dryness. “Great. Now that that’s settled, I’m going to need someone to explain what’s happened from the beginning. No, scratch that. Iida has informed me what happened at the beginning. I need to know what has happened since Iida left to get me. Bakugo, Midoriya. Over here with me.”

Despite his confusion and worry, Izuku was still obviously excited to be in the presence of a real life hero, and even though Eraserhead had told them they weren’t in danger, he trusted that he’d be there to protect them if that proved false. Katsuki seemed less enthused after their rough start, but with a few tugs from Izuku’s hand, the blond moved to the Pro Hero’s side.

Izuku hesitated for a moment as he stared at Iida. “Uuh…”

Aizawa sighed, rubbing at his temple. “Seriously?”

“Oh! Right, then. I suppose I will just-” Iida gestured with a few stiff motions of his arm. He wasn’t sure what was going on, but he could pick up the cues well enough, especially with Ochako’s small gesture that he should go to her. He gave his two quirk-struck classmates a wide berth, rejoining the rest of their class.

It felt like they could finally start to relax for the first time since Izuku and Katsuki regained consciousness. They took seats on the couches and chairs when Aizawa motioned for them to do so, but their attention never strayed from Izuku and Katsuki. Their teacher seemed to be taking it all in stride, even when Midoriya gripped the hem of his shirt, looking at the rest of the class with nervous trepidation. On Izuku’s other side, Bakugo glared them all down, crossing his arms over his chest.

Right then.

“Anyone care to explain?” He held up a finger to silence Midoriya when the boy took in a sharp inhale. “Not you, Midoriya. I get the feeling that you and Bakugo don’t know the full story, either.”

“Oh…” Midoriya dropped his head, blushing an embarrassed pink.

“Shitty old man.”

“Kacchan!”

“Aizawa-sensei, that was a little-”

“I don’t care,” Aizawa groused as he shuffled over to the last open couch and slumped onto it, leaving room for Midoriya and Bakugo to sit together. “But since you volunteered, Uraraka: Talk.”

“Ah… okay!” The pink-cheeked girl nodded, glancing at where Izuku and Katsuki were sitting close, fingers laid over the other’s. “Well, Deku- I mean, Izu-kun, Todoroki, Iida, and I were at the quick mart down the street when-”

“That part I’ve already been filled in on,” Aizawa cut in, “and unlike you, I can apparently listen.”

Ochako’s cheeks only burned pinker, but she wouldn’t let herself be cowed that easily, not even by Aizawa-sensei. “Ah… Y-yes, sir… but they haven’t been.” She motioned to the two boys.

Izuku was staring at her curiously, eyes wide. He glanced at Katsuki as if silently asking for his opinion on the matter, whether or not he believed her story so far. Katsuki looked skeptical and maybe ruffled at the idea that Izuku had been out somewhere with other people and not him. He glared at the girl like he wanted to blow her up with just his mind, already deciding that he didn’t like her.

Ochako had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing at Katsuki’s attempt at a scorching glare. He was definitely jealous.

Aizawa sighed tiredly. “Fine. Just keep going so we can move on.”

“Yes, Aizawa-sensei,” Ochako nodded, continuing her story. She gave a quick rundown of how they all wound up at the convenience store, skimming over why exactly Bakugo was being loud and angry, though the blond still sneered at her. She recapped the little boy’s quirk manifestation, and how both Izuku and Katsuki had passed out, then went on to give her recount of everything that had happened since the pair had come to.

“I see. I think we can all surmise what has happened here-”

“What? What happened exactly?” Kaminari cut in, only to be ignored.

“But let’s confirm this, shall we?” He turned to the two boys sitting beside him. “Bakugo. Midoriya. Can one of you tell me how old you are?”

“Ah-” Izuku started, then stopped, deferring to Katsuki with a sheepish little glance when the blond flicked his hand with his fingers.

Katsuki crossed his arms over his chest and huffed a long, suffering sigh. “You mean how old we think we are, right? Because we look older, and everyone here knows us, but we don’t know them. They look like they’re the same age as we look, which means we’re probably actually as old as they look and this is the future, right?”

“Wow…” Izuku breathed out in awe. “You figured all that out, Kacchan? Amazing!” he gushed, much to Katsuki’s smug delight.

Aizawa rolled his eyes. “Right. So how old did you think you were when you woke up? How old were you before you woke up here?”

“Four,” Katsuki stated matter-of-factly, Izuku nodding in quick agreement.

“What?!” There were several shocked exclamations, but none louder than Mina, who jumped to her feet and pointed an accusatory finger at Katsuki. “What kind of four year old talks like that?!”

“Kacchan does,” Izuku chirped in answer, legs kicking lightly.

“Icchan does,” Katsuki added with a smirk. “Not our fault you guys were probably all stupid when you were our age.”

“Hey now! That rude language is completely uncalled for!” Iida chastised, making an affronted sound when Katsuki flipped him off and stuck out his tongue. “The cheek of you!”

“Kacchan, stop!” Izuku pouted, having had just about enough of his friend bullying these people who were not actually villains and kidnappers. Kacchan was being too mean to their future friends! When Katsuki turned to glare at him, he clasped the boy’s hand with both of his. “Be nice, okay? These guys are our friends.”

He scoffed. “I don’t need these extras to be my friends! You’re the only friend I need, Icchan.”

“Geez, man,” Sero bit back a chuckle. “Little Bakugo is surprisingly adorable.”

“Who woulda guessed it,” Kirishima added with a toothy grin of his own.

“Fuck off!” Katsuki cursed, his face coloring. Even so, he seemed to settle down when Izuku nudged against him, shifting closer to the green haired boy himself. Squeezing their hands together, he glared balefully at anyone who looked at them for too long. Katsuki huffed when Izuku rested his head on his shoulder, but it was clear he didn’t mind in the least.

“No wonder normal Midoriya is always trying to talk Bakugo down from his bad temper,” Mina murmured to Ochako in a quietly thoughtful voice. “Apparently it’s something he was actually able to do once upon a time.”

“And pretty easily, from the looks of it,” Ochako tittered back.

“Umm… Can I ask a question…?” Izuku spoke up softly, squeezing Katsuki’s hand again.

“If you must.” Aizawa rubbed at his eyes tiredly.

Izuku pursed his lips as his brows pinched together. He hesitated, clearly able to see that Eraserhead didn’t seem happy about questions. With another squeeze from Katsuki’s hand, he spoke up. “Wh-where are we exactly?”

When Aizawa didn’t seem inclined to answer, Iida decided to fill in as student class president. “You’re in the dormitory for class 1-A of the prestigious UA High School.”

“Hah?!”

“No way! Aah!” Izuku squealed and turned fully towards Katsuki, clasping their hands together, the two of them wearing matching grins. “Kacchan! Kacchan, we made it into UA! Like we always said! We’re going to be Heroes!”

“Like there was ever a doubt, dummy! Of course we’d be in UA!” Katsuki boasted smugly. “There’s no other place better for people like us!”

“Yeah!” Izuku wriggled excitedly in place before rounding back on the rest of the others. “A-ah… can… can you tell me what my quirk is? In… in our time K-kacchan’s quirk already manifested and it’s so cool! B-but mine hasn’t yet…”

“Ah… well…” Iida looked at the others for help.

“Hmm…”

“Let’s see…”

Wide, green eyes flicked back and forth excitedly, shifting closer to the edge of the couch. “Is… is it levitation, like my mommy? O-or can I breathe fire like my daddy?”

“Wait… your father has a fire quirk, Midoriya?” Todoroki asked with piqued interest. He straightened in his seat, shifting closer to the edge. “You never told me that before.”

“Why the heck would Icchan tell you anything, Candy Cane?!” Katsuki snarled, pulling Izuku back to him protectively.

Todoroki’s expression cooled when he regarded the ash blond, still irked by his earlier name calling. Half ‘n’ Half and IcyHot he didn’t mind at all. Even Candy Cane was fine. But his facial scar was still a delicate subject he didn’t appreciate being mocked. What did Izuku see in Katsuki even as little kids? “Midoriya and I are friends. And, well… my father has a fire quirk as well.”

“He does?!” Izuku shifted forward excitedly, squirming out of Katsuki’s hold. “Do you also have a fire quirk? Is your daddy a hero?”

“Ah… yeah…” Todoroki was usually good at keeping his emotions close to the vest, but all of them could see his expression visibly wane. Still, he felt he owed Midoriya a truthful answer. “My father is... Endeavor.”

“HE IS?!” The stars were back in Izuku’s eyes, ignoring Todoroki’s wince. “Your daddy is the number two hero, Endeavor?! That’s so cool! What’s he like? Is he as scary in real life as he looks on TV? And your quirk is like his? Can I see?!”

“M-my quirk… it isn’t his quirk… it’s mine,” Todoroki spoke softly, clenching and unclenching his left hand into a fist.

“Ah…” Izuku blinked, tilting his head to the side. “Un… yeah!” Though clearly, the boy didn’t get it like his normal self would. It made Todoroki sigh softly, a bare twitch in his shoulders.

“Tch, my quirk is better than just a dumb ol’ fire quirk,” Katsuki groused, and for once Todoroki was glad for the boy’s need to hog all of Izuku’s attention.

“Ah! Y-yeah! Kacchan’s quirk is really amazing!”

“Yep!” Katsuki preened proudly. “I bet now that I’m in UA, it’ll only be a matter of time before I surpass Endeavor and even All Might!”

“If it’s Kacchan, he can definitely do it!” Izuku agreed readily.

“Right.” Aizawa got back to his feet with a heavy sigh. “For now I’ll be contacting the principal and Recovery Girl. The rest of you, I want you to keep an eye on Bakugo and Midoriya-”

“We don’t need these dumb extras to take care of us!” Katsuki spat out venomously, his gloating quickly forgotten.

“Answer their questions,” he went on as if uninterrupted. “Within reason.” He glanced at Todoroki with what could have been sympathy.

“Of course, Aizawa-sensei. You can count on us.” Iida practically saluted.

“Yeah, we’ll keep Bakugo and Midoriya out of trouble, teach!” Kirishima grinned.

“Out of more trouble, at least,” Sero added with a sheepish smile of his own.

“And for once, it’s not my fault!” Kaminari cheered.

“Blegh!” Katsuki stuck out his tongue and rolled his eyes, giving everyone a thumbs down while Izuku bit back a small giggle.

Chapter Text

Calm had returned to the common area, though it certainly wasn’t the earlier tranquility, now a distant memory. No longer wary, or at least as wary, the quirk-struck teens watched their classmates with wide, bright eyes. Or rather Izuku did. Katsuki firmly held on to his sullen pout. It couldn’t hold a candle to the animosity they were used to the explosive blond directing at them, though.

The pair no longer worried that they were being held captive for nefarious purposes, and the others no longer feared being blown up by Bakugo.

Probably. No more than usual, at least. It was like dealing with Bakugo Lite.

There were questions. Lots of questions. Mostly from Izuku. The boy was not only curious about the lives they were currently leading but about everyone’s quirks. That curiosity only grew as more of their classmates returned to the dorms, pre-warned about the situation, but still surprised by what awaited them there. At least they were willing to indulge Midoriya in his endless inquisitiveness.

Katsuki didn’t have nearly as much to say, but by the slow changing of his tense posture over time, it was obvious that Izuku was asking questions weighing on his own mind as well. It was clear that the answers received were enough to help set his mind at ease about their situation and, try as he might, this mentally younger Katsuki couldn’t hide his own curiosity as well as he would usually have been able to.

Everyone was curious. Everyone wanted to see what had befallen the two unofficial leaders of Class 1-A. It was strange because outwardly there wasn’t anything that different about them. They looked exactly the same, and even acted similarly enough on the surface. Izuku still studied every aspect of every person and thing in the room while offering warm smiles to those who had a friendly word to pass his way. Katsuki still sullenly kept his distance from the others. At least as much as he could while making sure he still remained close to his friend.

That was likely the biggest difference anyone could see. The two boys were attached at the hip. Hell, they wouldn’t stop holding hands! And that was to say nothing about the way Katsuki would move forward in an instinctively protective gesture when something made them nervous, while Izuku leaned ever so slightly behind Katsuki with the practiced ease of a long running habit.

It was ingrained in them. Katsuki protected Izuku. It was perfectly normal and natural in their world.

It was blowing everyone else’s mind.

They were wise enough not to question them about it or even point it out for the oddity that it was. Who knew what would happen if they shattered this carefully crafted peace by upsetting them with the truth of their future. The few times someone thought to make a comment, they would be quickly silenced by a well-aimed elbow or foot.

The same deterrent method also did a stand-up job in silencing anyone who would try to mock them for their clinginess.

Their classmates were all happy enough to talk Izuku’s ear off about their quirks, especially those that were able to provide a live demonstration without fear of injury or collateral damage.

Izuku’s favorite quirk was hard to single down. He was in awe of Tenya-kun’s quick sprinting demonstration of his engine quirk, clapping at the display of agility as he weaved through the furniture at a high speed. Tsuyu-chan’s frog quirk amazed him as she displayed the dexterity of her long tongue and clung to the walls. Momo-chan’s ability to create anything inorganic with her quirk was mind-blowing and to her embarrassment, and Katsuki’s displeasure, his free hand shot out instinctively to touch the bare skin of her chest to test the solidity. Dark Shadow was scary, but still so cool, as long as Izuku only looked at him from behind the safety of his Kacchan.

However, he was less impressed by Denki’s display of… charging his phone?

“Well, it’s not like I can charge off a blast inside the building! We’d lose all power!” Denki groused, petulantly sticking the charging cable back in his mouth.

Katsuki grudgingly seemed to enjoy Ochako’s quirk when she made him and Izuku float. Izuku was less keen on it and clung to Katsuki like a barnacle, tears dripping down his face even as he tried to appear brave where they bobbed in mid-air. The ash blond was also impressed with Eijirou’s quirk, though they had already seen it in use more than once since waking up. Seeing the way the hardened skin shifted his form to make him look bigger on full display was pretty cool. And he especially loved it when the redhead encouraged Katsuki to use his quirk on him, both of them laughing when the smoke cleared.

Izuku was less pleased with that particular demonstration, looking more than a little sullen himself.

“Looks like the jealousy might go both ways,” Toru whispered to Mina with a snicker.

“That’s so insanely cute, I can’t stand it!” the pink girl agreed.

Izuku was absolutely enthralled by Shoto-kun’s small displays of fire and ice, no matter how unimpressive Katsuki insisted it was. Surprisingly, he wasn’t the least bit scared of Mezo-kun and his multiple limbs that kept splitting up, and he thought Minoru-kun’s quirk was funny and cool, though everyone warned him not to touch the purple balls where they stuck to the wall. In the end, he finally decided he liked Koji-kun’s Anivoice quirk best, mostly because he greatly enjoyed Koji-kun’s pet rabbit and the things he could get it to do.

“We lost to the rabbit again? What a ripoff,” Mineta sighed.

Time passed quickly in this manner and it wasn’t long before Aizawa arrived with Recovery Girl and Principal Nezu in tow, the highly intelligent animal riding on Eraserhead’s shoulder. Or he was until a bright eyed Izuku jumped up to grab him almost faster than the eye could follow. He hugged the besuited rodent tightly to his chest with a joyous cry of, “KITTY!”

The room froze, all watching warily for the principal’s reaction to Izuku’s daring.

“Mi- Izuku-kun, that isn’t-” Iida began.

“Meow,” Principal Nezu said cheerfully, while everyone ogled in shock.

“Aw! Cute kitty!” Izuku cooed as he took a seat on the couch, setting the principal on his lap and proceeding to pet him. “Ah! Kacchan! Do you want to pet the kitty? His fur is so soft!”

“That’s not a kitty, Icchan,” Katsuki huffed softly, but approached the couch all the same. There was a slight furrow in his brow. For a moment, when Izuku had moved, it looked like green lightning had sparked to life at his feet. Was that his quirk? Super speed?

“He’s right, you know. But I do thank you. A lot of work goes into maintaining the softness, thickness, and luster of my coat. It’s nice to have it appreciated,” Principal Nezu beamed, making it no secret that he was relishing the petting.

“Ah…” Izuku’s eyes went wide. “K-Kacchan… The kitty just spoke to me!”

Hopping back onto the couch beside Izuku, Katsuki lightly stroked Nezu’s head between his ears. Apparently, the blond wasn’t as immune from wanting to pet cute animals as he might have liked to appear. He had resisted Koda’s bunny, but the cuteness of the school’s principal was harder to resist. “He’s not a kitty, Icchan,” he stated again.

“Then what is he?” Izuku asked, eyes wide and curious, then looked down at the principal. “Kitty-san? What are you?”

“Well, that’s-”

“That’s not why Principal Nezu is here, Midoriya,” Aizawa cut in, though he was secretly glad to no longer be the principal’s personal transport.

“They’re in high spirits, at least,” Recovery Girl chuckled as she ambled over to them.

“Ah! You’re Recovery Girl!” Izuku gasped in awe, eyes wide and bright. He jolted out of his seat, handing Nezu over to Katsuki. “I… I’m sorry! Would you like to sit down, Recovery Girl obasan?”

“What a polite young man you are,” Recovery Girl tittered. “But that won’t be necessary, Izuku-kun.” The old woman smiled kindly. “I actually came to check the two of you over, so I would greatly appreciate it if you would remain sitting.”

“Okay,” the green-haired boy nodded agreeably, wiggling back into his seat and holding out his hands to take the cute creature back from his friend and beaming when Principal Nezu hopped into his waiting arms. “He’s so cute!”

“He’s enjoying the attention way too much, don’t you think?” Mineta whispered to Kaminari. “It’s a little weird.”

“Shh! That’s the principal, dude!” Kaminari hissed back. But they were all probably thinking the same.

“Now then, you two. What seems to be the problem?” Recovery Girl asked.

“We lost our memories,” Katsuki informed her brusquely.

“Not all of them,” Izuku added. “But a… a lot of them? We look older than we feel.”

“We’ve contacted the authorities about the incident in the convenience store,” Principal Nezu chimed in. “All the people who were affected by the young boy’s quirk manifestation all seemed to have memory regression. Not to a childhood age, such as our young Bakugo-san and Midoriya-san, but about ten years, give or take a couple of years.”

“Ah, I see. So because Bakugo and Mi- Izuku-kun are so young already, it regressed them to their memories of a childhood state,” Iida summarized, adjusting his glasses thoughtfully.

“Precisely,” Nezu nodded with a warm smile.

“Such a smart kitty!” Izuku cooed, rubbing one of the creature’s ears.

“I am highly intelligent, yes,” Nezu confirmed as he chirred and leaned into Izuku’s touch.

“Icchan, he’s not a- ugh… just forget it.”

“I was already aware of all of that,” Recovery Girl clucked her tongue. “I suppose I should better phrase my question. Are either of you boys hurting anywhere? Any headaches? Aches? Pains?”

“Ah!” Izuku’s hand shot up as if answering a question in class. “I hurt my shoulder when I fell off the couch! And my bottom, too!” he surmised, looking around with wide eyes at the multiple stifled giggles.

“We’re not hurt anywhere,” Katsuki amended with a light smile, ruffling Izuku’s hair.

“But Kacchan, it really hurt,” the green haired boy pouted.

Recovery Girl chuckled softly. “I shouldn’t be using my quirk on such minor injuries, Izuku-kun. You’ll be fine. But I’m afraid this sort of quirk accident is outside the scope of what my quirk can heal. They’re not injured and so there’s nothing for me to do.”

Aizawa hummed softly. “I thought that might be the case, but we couldn’t just rule out any possibility. I’m sorry for wasting your time, Recovery Girl.”

“Don’t give it a second thought,” the old woman waved him off with a smile. “The well-being of our students is my top priority. Plus it’s nice to see these two without them being gravely injured.

“W-wha?” Izuku blinked, not understanding her meaning.

“Tch!” Katsuki clearly had.

The old woman patted their cheeks before turning to bow politely to the rest of the room. “I will see myself out. If anything alarming occurs, or anything worth note, bring them to my office.”

“Of course, Recovery Girl. Have a pleasant rest of your evening,” Principal Nezu waved.

Tsuyu raised her hand to speak, mostly to gain the attention of the adults in the room rather than asking for permission. “How long will Izuku-kun and Katsuki-kun be like this?”

“That’s the question, isn’t it?” The principal sighed softly. “Since this is the first manifestation of a child’s quirk, there’s no data to go off of. It could be hours. It could be days.”

“W-what if they never return to normal?” Toru piped in with a dramatically fearful voice.

“That seems highly unlikely,” Aizawa answered, arms crossed over his chest. “Similarly recorded quirks of this nature never lasted more than a month, and that is rare.”

“Will the school be informing their parents?” Surprisingly, the question came from Mineta of all people.

Izuku perked up. “Can I see my mommy?”

Aizawa winced, mentally shooting Mineta a glare for opening a whole new can of worms. “We don’t think…”

“It would be in Bakugo-san and Midoriya-san’s best interest if we do not inform their parents of the matter at the moment,” Principal Nezu finished for him.

“Not to mention the school’s best interest,” Tokoyami muttered, though apparently not quietly enough.

“Yes, that goes without saying,” the principal agreed. “After all the incidents that have occurred this year at UA, the majority of them involving this very class, by the way, this is as minor of an issue as we could hope for. But if word got out of this incident, there could still be grave repercussions for both the students and the school as a whole. Bakugo-san and Midoriya-san are not hurt, but they are vulnerable. There is no doubt in my mind that should their parents learn of the situation, they will be concerned, as well they should. They will want to take their children home, and that risks word of the incident getting out.

“Quirk manifestation accidents are common enough all over the country, as well as the world, but UA is held to a higher standard where no accident is permitted to slip by without consequence. It would only cause all parties needless stress, especially when the quirk could run its course before either family could arrive to retrieve their child. And then it would only risk interfering with the boys’ studies.”

“But it might not be over by tonight… And what if something else happens?” Ochako worried her bottom lip between her teeth.

“It’s best to keep them here where we can monitor the situation for that very reason,” Aizawa did his best to soothe. The two quirk-struck boys just looked about the room as the ‘adults’ discussed them. “If something else were to occur we know that here, action can be quickly taken to ensure everyone’s safety.”

“Though if this does last several days, it may force our hand all the same. At which time the Bakugos and the Midoriyas will be informed of the situation,” Nezu finished up.

All in all, it wasn’t a very satisfying solution. But it was likely the best one they had.

“I vote for not telling the hag and my old man,” Katsuki chimed in. “All they’d do is nag at me to be more careful. And it’s not like this is my fault!”

If only he knew.

“And… I don’t want mommy to worry, either…” Izuku agreed after a pause, though he looked saddened by his own choice.

“Then the matter is settled,” Nezu nodded with a clap of his paws. “Do you two boys have any questions?”

“Oh! I do, Kitty-san!”

“Midoriya, he’s not-” Aizawa started, then stopped with a resigned sigh when Principal Nezu held up a paw to stop him.

“What is your question, Midoriya-san?”

“Umm…” The boy shifted nervously in his seat, suddenly shy. “What’s my quirk? I asked before, but no one really said.”

“Is it super speed?” Katsuki asked, earning him a quick, wide-eyed stare from his best friend. “I noticed earlier when you picked up Principal Nezu- the kitty, that Icchan moved really fast.”

“I… I did?!” Izuku’s eyes shone brightly. “Super speed would be such a cool quirk!”

“I know!” Katsuki enthused with rarely seen childish excitement, grinning brightly. “It works great with my work, too! We can-”

“I’m afraid it isn’t super speed,” Nezu interrupted gently before the boys got too worked up. “Not exactly.”

“Oh…” Izuku breathed out, crestfallen, though he was quick to perk back up again. “Then what is it?” Whatever his quirk was, it was good enough to get him into UA! So anything was good!

“It’s hard to describe your quirk with just a few words,” Aizawa said thoughtfully. “Though if I wanted to keep it simple, I’d say that your quirk greatly resembles that of All Might.” Loathe as he was to admit that.

“Eh…?”

“Hah?”

Both boys were stunned silent, eyes slowly widening.

“WHAT?! Really?!” “No way!” Both boys exclaimed at the same time. And then Izuku was off muttering a mile a minute about being just like his all-time favorite hero, speculating the aspects of All Might’s quirk- because it was hard to put it in simple terms- and wondering just what sort of strange twist of fate led to him having such a powerful quirk. What he could do with it, how he could save people. How he could be the best partner for Kacchan so they could become the best number one hero team of all time! How their quirks could work together for maximum effect.

Katsuki seemed less enthused. “But Icchan is a big crybaby! He always needs saving! How does he get such a strong quirk?! That’s not how quirks work!”

“Kacchan!” Izuku pouted, slapping the ash blond’s thigh. “Don’t be jealous! Your quirk is still super amazing! We can still be a hero team! The best one ever!”

“I’m not jealous!” He was totally jealous. “My quirk is still better! C’mon! Let’s go! We’ll see who is better!”

“Oh sweet darkness, it’s started,” Tokoyami murmured. Things had been going so well, all things considered. But they may have just witnessed a reenactment of the birth of the lifelong grudge Bakugo held against Midoriya.

For the first time since Midoriya had opened his eyes that evening, the green-haired boy didn’t look scared, or like someone looking to be protected. No. The determined, pursed lipped smile was one they were used to seeing on Midoriya’s face. That smile said he was eager to accept a challenge and prove his abilities.

“This can’t be happening,” Jiro whispered with a sudden feeling of cold fear. The last thing they needed was for Heights Alliance to come down on their heads!

“Okay!” Izuku set Nezu down and hopped off the couch, beaming. “I wanna fight Kacchan!”

“No,” Aizawa ground out in no uncertain terms. He stepped between his two unruly students, his capture tape already lifting up around him, ready to be used at a moment’s notice.

“Aww! But-!” Izuku started

“Why not?!” Katsuki scowled

“I’m afraid I must agree with Aizawa-sensei. Vehemently so,” Nezu added with a soft shake to his head. “Neither of you are used to your quirks as they are at the moment. A person’s quirk grows along with their user, after all, becoming more powerful as they age and hone their skills. Not to mention that you are both attending a school meant to sharpen and expand one’s quirk skills to their fullest capability.

“A quirk as powerful as Midoriya-san’s, used while lacking all the experience learned in training it to its current level could end disastrously.” He turned to Izuku. “Your quirk is one that, should you use while you lack control, is powerful enough to break your body apart. And right now you have absolutely no memory of all the careful control you have learned in your time at UA.”

“Yeah. On our first day of school, Izuku-kun couldn’t use his quirk without breaking a bone,” Tsuyu added thoughtfully, brows pinched in concern. “And that was while looking like he was concentrating on not going overboard.”

“R-Really?” Izuku squeaked in fear. “It’s that scary?” His eyes widened in alarm, though behind Aizawa, Katsuki cackled.

“Pff! Of course Icchan can’t even use his quirk right! He always needs help with everything.”

Tears dotted the corner of the boy’s eyes. “Ka-kacchan… th-that’s mean!”

“C’mon, Bakugo. Bro,” Kirishima admonished softly. “Even you’ve hurt yourself with your quirk. Your skin gets all charred up and painful when you overdo it with the blasts. And you constantly need hot and cold compresses for your shoulders and back from the strain of blast kickback.”

“Th-that- No one asked you, Shark Mouth!” Katsuki bristled, face flushing in embarrassment.

“Eh?” Green eyes widened in surprise. “So even Kacchan needs to be careful with his quirk?” Izuku looked at his friend curiously.

“That is the nature of quirks,” Aizawa nodded. “Especially when you start getting to the more powerful ones you see with Pro Heroes. Every one of your classmates has quirk drawbacks.”

Izuku looked around them as their classmates nodded in silent agreement. “Oh… I… I guess that makes sense…”

“So what?! I don’t need my quirk to beat Icchan in a fight!” Katsuki jeered, clenching his hands tightly into fists, sticking his tongue out at his friend. His grin was playful despite his taunt.

“Oh yeah?!” Izuku countered with a laugh. He dashed around Aizawa and pounced on the blond, the two of them falling into a quirkless tussle match that quickly saw them both fall to the floor. There were smacks, punches, kicks, hair pulling, and both boys looked like they were having the time of their lives.

“No fair! No fair! Kacchan has bigger muscles now!”

“But Icchan kicks harder!”

In fact, it didn’t take long for Izuku to pin Katsuki’s arms down with his powerful legs, a look of surprised triumph in those bright green eyes. It was short lived as Katsuki used his much more flexible body to wrap his legs around Izuku’s neck to yank him back. And then they were at it again, giggling between yelps and grunts.

“Should we really be allowing this?” Iida looked torn.

“Yeah, didn’t they just finish their school suspension for fighting?” Ojiro commented.

“I just… can’t look away…” Mina breathed out. “This is like them… but completely unlike them. It’s like I’m in a Twilight Zone!”

“It’s oddly… cute…” Tsuyu grinned.

“It’s definitely odd," Todoroki's lips twisted to the side in distaste.

“It's the manliness of youthful clashing!” Krisihima enthused with a pumped fist.

“I wouldn’t exactly call them youthful, though,” Kaminari added thoughtfully.

Yaoyorozu bristled. “Sixteen is still young!” She sighed and waved off Denki's sheepish apology.

“It’s all kind of gross if you ask me,” Mineta groused, though he wasn't able to look away, either.

“Do you think they’ll remember this afterward?” Ochako bit her lip on a grin when Izuku one-upped Katsuki with a headlock, only to be tickled into letting go.

“Oh, I’m making sure of it,” Sero grinned, his phone in hand, dutifully recording.

“It’s your death once Bakugo regains his memories,” Tokoyami sighed with a shake of his head.

“Didn’t you warn me not to record Bakugo less than an hour ago, man?” Denki asked incredulously.

“We really should put a stop to it, adorable as it is,” Principal Nezu chuckled.

“Right,” Aizawa said and expertly bound both boys with his capture tape a second later, ignoring their struggling. “Memories or no memories, the two of you are UA students. You should be acting with some level of decorum.”

“But Icchan-!” Katsuki started, wriggling madly to try to break free.

“No excuses.”

“Mou,” Izuku ducked his head shamefully. “Kacchan and I are sorry, Eraserhead.”

Though Katsuki never flat out said he was sorry, he did give up the struggle, which amounted to about the same.

With a slight nod of his head, Aizawa deposited both boys back on the couch. “I expect you both to be on your best behavior. You will still be expected to attend your lessons despite your current conditions, though you will be relegated to strictly observing the practical portions of your school day.”

“Lame,” Katsuki muttered.

“B-but we can still watch everyone else practice?” Izuku asked with much more interest.

Brow raised, Aizawa just nodded in answer.

“Aah! We get to see future heroes in action, Kacchan! So cool!” The boy was too adorable for his own good.

“Ugh! Stupid! We’re future heroes, too! And we won’t be able to practice at all!”

“Oh… I… I guess that’s true…” Izuku muttered with a crestfallen pout.

“As for the rest of you,” Aizawa turned his ire toward the rest of his students. “I expect you all to keep an eye out on these two. Keep them in line. Keep them out of trouble. I’m leaving them in your care for the night.”

“You can count on us, Aizawa-sensei!” Iida practically saluted.

“Aa. I’m going to bed,” the older man groused as he turned, heading for the door.

“A good night to you all, students!” Principal Nezu hopped onto Aizawa’s shoulder as he passed. “Remember, an appropriate amount of restful sleep is essential to maintain a healthy coat, so don’t stay up late.”

“Good night, Kitty-san! Eraserhead!” Izuku waved cheerfully after them.

And just like that, they were unsupervised once more.

Chapter Text

Despite all their tussling, Izuku and Katsuki didn’t look hurt, clothes more rumpled than anything else. Like the two of them had a lot of experience in play fighting.

“Ah… Well…” Iida began, earning him a raised eyebrow from Katsuki and a curious tilt of the head from Izuku.

“What the heck do we do with them now?” Denki asked what they were all thinking. Just what was one supposed to do with two super powerful teens housing the minds of four year olds?

“Do we have any games kids might like?” Mina asked, rubbing a finger back and forth along her bottom lip.

"We're not gonna play any dumb, boring baby games!" Katsuki complained. "Those suck!"

“Um… I’m kinda hungry,” Izuku added in a shy mumble, nervously rubbing the palm of his hands over his thighs.

“Of course! Food!” Iida declared. “After the ordeal the two of you had, you must be famished! What would you like?”

“Katsudon!” they both spoke at once, Katsuki’s tone more of a fondly resigned huff. “It’s Icchan’s favorite.”

“Kacchan!” Izuku flushed with embarrassment.

“Okay… this oddly thoughtful Bakugo is just a bit too weird for my tastes.” Toru’s pajama clad shoulders raised in a shudder.

Ochako glanced between the two of them, a little furrow in her brow before she realized she was making a strange face, easing her expression into an easy grin. “It’s still Izu-kun’s favorite.”

“Pft! ‘Course it is.” Katsuki rolled his eyes.

“I think I can whip up a couple of bowls easily enough,” Sato said with a nod. “I’m better at baking, but simple dishes should be fine.”

“Hey, I’m kinda hungry, too,” Mineta piped up. “Make some for me, Sato!”

“Don’t go taking advantage of Sato’s kind gesture!” Toru admonished.

“Actually, I’m a little hungry, too,” Kirishima confessed sheepishly.

“I haven’t had dinner yet, either,” Todoroki added without a hint of remorse.

“I don’t think most of us have eaten,” Momo concluded with a sheepish smile of her own.

“I don’t mind making food for everyone,” Sato shrugged. “It’ll just take longer.”

“Make dinner for Bakugo and Midoriya first. The rest of us can wait,” decided Sero. An idea most of the others agreed with.

“We can help, too, if it will make things easier,” Tsuyu volunteered.

“Of course!” Ochako nodded excitedly. “It can be just like the summer training course!”

“Minus the villain attack, I hope,” Jiro muttered, idly twisting one of her earphone jacks.

Ochako shot her a sharp look and the rocker had the decency to drop her gaze sheepishly in apology.

Luckily the two boys hadn’t overheard her, their attention on Sato. Explaining that would be an ordeal. Especially what happened to Bakugo. Not that Izuku had fared all that well, either.

It was best to not bring it up.

Dinner was whipped up in record time. A time matched only by how quickly Izuku and Katsuki scarfed down their food. It even earned Izuku’s highest praise when the green haired boy enthused, “It’s almost as good as mommy’s!” Praise that was punctuated by a loud yawn.

Bellies full and the adrenaline rush well and truly behind them, Izuku and Katsuki were nodding off in their seats.

“I ate a lot,” Izuku muttered sleepily.

“It’s cuz you’re bigger,” Katsuki slurred as he picked up both their plates and stumbled over to the sink.

“Thanks Kacchan,” Izuku mumbled, resting his head on the table.

“How about you leave the cleanup to us and Iida can take you guys to bed,” Shoji offered even as two of his limbs easily took the bowls from Katsuki’s lax fingers.

“Yes! And I’ll show you where the washrooms are so you can brush your teeth,” Iida announced. “Being in a quirk accident does not excuse poor hygiene.”

“Mmkay,” Izuku murmured as he slumped off the table, leaning on Katsuki when the ash blond appeared at his side to help take his weight.

“We got rooms here?” Despite clearly being tired, Katsuki looked more alert, wrapping an arm around Izuku’s middle to help him stay up.

“We all have our own dorm room here,” Iida confirmed.

“We’re actually neighbors,” Kirishima stated with a bright grin

“And my room is next to Izuku-kun’s” Aoyama added with a flourish.

For a long moment, Katsuki just stared at the sparkling blond, then turned his attention back to Iida. “We’re going to my room first.”

“Ah, but Izuku-kun’s room is closer. His is on the second floor and yours is on the fourth,” Iida explained.

“Don’t care. We’re going to my room first,” Katsuki insisted stubbornly.

“Kacchan always goes first,” Izuku mumbled as a way of explanation, rubbing his face against Katsuki’s shoulder.

Iida sighed, adjusting his glasses. “Very well.”

“Wait!” Mina loudly exclaimed, making her classmates jump and jolting Izuku fully awake. “This is our chance to finally see what Bakugo’s room looks like! Count me in!”

“Now wait just a minute there, Ashido! We cannot simply intrude upon Bakugo’s privacy just because he’s not around to stop you,” Iida scolded.

“He technically is around to stop us, though,” Sero pointed out with a wide, easy grin.

“Yep!” Denki added impishly. “What do you say, lil’ Bakugo? Can we see your room?”

Katsuki’s lips pulled to the side, brow raised like he was judging them all. “I don’t really care. If it bothers older me, he’ll just kill all of you later.”

That stark truth was enough to give Sero and Kaminari pause. Not Mina, though. Her grin only widened, jumping forward to hook her arms to Kaminari and Sero’s, making sure they wouldn’t escape or back out. “Works for me! I’m good at dodging Blasty’s attacks.”

“I’m game, too,” Kirishima grinned. “I've been his neighbor all this time, and he’s never invited me into his room!”

“Ooh! Are we seeing Bakugo’s room? I wanna go!” Toru cheered

“I bet a guy like Bakugo is hiding all sorts of naughty stuff in his room,” Mineta smirked lecherously. “I’m gonna find his stash!”

“Me, too! Me, too!” Ochako cheered.

“You too, Uraraka?” Iida tsked in disappointment

Ochako pulled a face. “Not the gross stuff like Mineta said, but I wanna see what Bakugo’s room is like. We’ll never get a chance like this again!”

“I gotta admit that I’m rather curious myself.” Jiro shared a smile with Ochako.

“Teenagers,” Katsuki sneered, rolling his eyes.

“Mm…” Izuku agreed tiredly with no idea what it was that he was agreeing to. It was just usually wise to agree with Kacchan.

Elevator packed full, they made their way to the fourth floor and Katsuki’s room. Fishing around in his pockets when prompted, Katsuki produced the proper keycard.

“Eee! Here it comes!” Mina squealed excitedly.

The door opened and… the room was perfectly ordinary. A single bed with a dark bedcover and two pillows, a neatly organized desk with a closed laptop on top as well as some school books. There were dark wood shelves filled with not only novels and magazines, but workbooks as well. There were no incriminating posters of embarrassing tastes in music or movies, no stuffed animals, no pin-ups or dirty magazines. No embarrassing paraphernalia of any kind! No real personal effects to speak of, really, save for a small weight set in one corner.

“That’s it?” Kaminari groaned. “All this time and this is what he was hiding from us? That he’s boring?!”

“Hey!” Katsuki snarled, flipping off the electric blond.

“He has to be hiding something,” Mina announced with determination, clenching her fists in a fighting pose. “Search the room!”

“On it!” The others cheered. Only to be quickly stopped short by a decisive chop of Iida’s arm blocking their way.

“That’s far enough,” he declared. “This is where I must draw the line. It was more than enough that you got to look into another student’s room without their express permission. I will not allow you to further invade Bakugo’s privacy.”

“Are you guys really supposed to be my friends when I’m older?” Katsuki asked in exasperation, shaking his head in disgust.

It did an even better job at making the group feel guilty than Iida’s reprimand.

Ignoring them, Katsuki looked around, seeming to know exactly where to go to pull out his sleepwear and toiletries without having to search the room.

“What sort of four year old knows themselves that well?” Kaminari asked in a mix of awe and trepidation.

“We’ll head to Izuku-kun’s room next before I show you both the boy’s bathroom. Then it’s bedtime for you both.”

Izuku perked up as something occurred to him, brow furrowed in concern. “Ah… Kacchan and I aren’t gonna stay in the same room together?”

“Why would you? That’s gross, man,” Mineta stuck out his tongue.

“You and Bakugo each have your own rooms, Izuku-kun,” Iida explained gently.

“It’s not that different from your home, right?” Ochako was quick to soothe when Izuku started to tremble. “You have your own room there, too, don’t you?”

“U-umm… uuuhh…” Big, round tears were already welling up in Izuku’s eyes. “B-but I dunno this place… a-and mommy isn’t here! It’s so big and scary here! I…” With a wail, the waterworks started in full and everyone jumped back to avoid getting doused.

“Izuku-kun!”

“Midoriya!”

“Izu-kun!”

“STOP CRYING, ICCHAN!” Bakugo bellowed and smacked both of Izuku’s cheeks with the palms of his hands.

“Bakugo!”

“Harsh!”

But it did the trick. With a yelp, Izuku stopped gushing tears, a few stray drops clinging to the corners of his eyes.

“Uuh… Kacchan… Nnh...”

“You don’t gotta cry, Icchan. Cuz I’m here,” Katsuki said softly, doing all he could to hide any hint of a smile as he squeezed Izuku’s cheeks between his hands.

“W-was that All Might’s catchphrase?” Ochako stage whispered, holding in a snort of laughter.

“Well… it’s a line that would work really well on Izuku-kun even now,” Mina beamed. “Katsuki-kun is surprisingly cute.”

But then Katsuki leaned in and placed another quick, smacking kiss on Izuku’s lips, which was something All Might would not do. Probably.

Izuku sniffled and smiled, kissing Katsuki’s cheek in return. “Thanks, Kacchan.” Their fingers laced together and Izuku beamed, tantrum forgotten.

Mineta stared in slack-jawed shock. He’d read about their earlier kiss in a text from Kaminari, but he had refused to believe it until now. He pointed a shaking finger at the two quirk-struck boys. “What the hell was that?!”

Katsuki gave him a look like he thought Mineta was particularly slow. “A kiss?”

“Yeah, we get that, Kacchan,” Kaminari hummed in amusement, ignoring Katsuki’s grouse that only Icchan could call him that. “But where did you learn to do that?”

“A movie,” they both answered together.

“It was a hero movie!” Izuku elaborated with budding enthusiasm. “The main lady was crying because the villains were taking over the city and they’d kidnapped her sister, but then the hero kissed her and promised that he would save the day! And that he was gonna protect her and always keep her safe!” The boy had that starry-eyed look on his face again.

The others shared looks with one another. Of course, it’d have something to do with heroes.

“And the kiss made the woman feel better. It made her feel safe. And I will always protect Icchan and make him feel better,” Katsuki stated confidently.

“Yeah… but kissing is…” Kirishima started, then trailed off, looking to the others.

“It’s not something that you should do with just anyone?” Mina finished for him, but even she didn’t sound entirely convinced.

Katsuki rolled his eyes. “We know already, stupid. The old hag and Auntie Inko told us it’s something that you share with people that you care about the most. Between partners.”

That was so oddly sweet. The two of them were so close as kids. A little confused, but close!

“And Kacchan is always my favorite!” Izuku added, grinning at his childhood friend. “Plus, we’re gonna be hero partners!”

Ah… So that’s where the misunderstanding came in.

“Kissing always helps Icchan when he’s crying.”

“And it helps Kacchan when he’s getting too mad, too!”

No one wanted to burst their bubble, because the misunderstanding was sweet, but Izuku and Katsuki weren’t actually four years old anymore. And while it was unknown whether or not the pair would remember any of this later, they’d definitely be embarrassed if they did.

May the gods have mercy on anyone who had to deal with an embarrassed Bakugo Katsuki.

Mineta came to the rescue. “Okay, but what you’re obviously too stupid to understand is that kissing is supposed to be between people like your parents. You know? A boy and a girl? Not between two guys! That’s-” He was cut off by a punch to the side of his head courtesy of Mina. “What the hell?!”

“What the hell yourself, Grape Face?!” Mina fumed. “What sort of lies are you teaching these kids?!”

“Uh, they’re not actually kids!” Mineta defended.

“That’s hardly the point! You’re still spewing homophobic nonsense and-”

“What the hell? No, I’m not! I-”

“Yeah actually, you really are. It sounded like you were about to say two guys kissing was gross. Not cool, man,” Sero accused, his brow raised judgmentally.

“There’s nothing actually wrong with two guys or two girls kissing,” Kaminari added, his disappointment in his friend clear. There was some hurt there as well, but it was hidden well enough to be overlooked.

“Well, not when two gi-AH! HEY!” Mineta yelped when Mina punched him again. “I’m calling abuse!”

“That's so unmanly,” Kirishima sighed.

“I don’t mean it like that! I don’t have anything against it! It’s just-” He looked around the room for someone to back him up, but was only met with disappointed faces. “Ah… damn…” Mineta had no way to defend himself, and looked back at his classmates with obvious guilt.

Izuku and Katsuki had quietly watched the exchange; the former in concerned confusion, and the latter with slowly simmering rage, their brows furrowed in different directions.

“It… it’s gross for two boys to kiss?” Izuku whispered softly, bright green eyes starting to fill with tears once again. He looked to Katsuki for guidance, shooting a quick look down at where their fingers were still laced together as well.

“It’s... wrong?” Katsuki gritted out, a glare firmly fixed down at the floor, at his own feet.

Ah, shit.

“No!” Ochako stated firmly, sparing a quick glare toward Mineta, before softening her gaze back to them. “It isn’t gross, and it isn’t wrong. You were the ones who were right before. Not Mineta. You share kisses with the person you care about. It doesn’t matter if it’s a boy or a girl.”

“Ochako-chan is right,” Tsuyu reassured. “It doesn’t matter if you’re both boys or both girls, as long as you like each other, there’s nothing wrong with sharing kisses. I mean. As long as you both want to.”

The two boys’ gaze gravitated to one another. They’d never really asked each other if they wanted to kiss before. It was just something they naturally fell into. But with Izuku’s shy smile and flushed cheeks, along with the reddened tips of Katsuki’s ears, it was obvious the two were okay with it.

“At the same time, it’s also perfectly okay to think you like someone enough to kiss them and then realize later that you’ve both changed your minds,” Tsuyu went on with a soft smile. “It doesn’t make the feelings or actions shared before wrong, either. It just happens sometimes. People change when they grow and sometimes you grow in different ways that can change your feelings.”

“Tsu-chan,” Ochako breathed in awe. She knew what the frog girl was doing, and she smiled. That was pretty smart. She was priming them for the potential future questions they might have to field later on.

Izuku tilted his head curiously to the side but nodded after a moment. “That makes sense.”

Katsuki was less inclined to just let the matter go. “Icchan and I are not gonna change our minds,” he stated so firmly it was almost a challenge for someone to refute him. “Maybe losers change their minds, but I know when I’m right. Icchan and I are right.”

“Kacchan…?” Izuku gave his friend a confused look, wondering what had come over him. He squeezed his hand. “I think me and Kacchan are right, too. So it’s okay to know that other people can be wrong and still know we’re right.”

Katsuki fixed a hard look on Izuku, but it was hard to tell just what it meant. Or maybe it was just a hard look to those that weren’t Izuku, because the green-haired boy just smiled and leaned up to peck him on the lips, snickering a little afterward. “Kacchan got really tall!”

The other swallowed hard, his cheeks coloring pink. With a huff, he pulled Izuku closer to his side. “Icchan just doesn’t grow.”

“Hey!”

There was a collective sigh of relief from the bomb that Izuku had just diffused. That could have been bad. It was not a bad idea to start planting the idea in their heads, but if Katsuki hadn’t let it go… The others shared knowing, worried glances with one another. How were they going to explain that the one who had apparently decided he and Izuku were wrong was Katsuki himself? Their only hope was that the incident would be over before there would be a need to.

“Let’s head down to Izuku-kun’s room,” Iida suggested just so they could move on from the subject.

Izuku was in utter awe of his own room when they arrived. And he wasn’t the only one.

“Waah! It’s all All Might!” He gushed as he flitted about, touching his decorations, his posters, his collectibles, his muttering nonstop, smiling so brightly it was hard to look at him directly.

“How come Icchan gets to have the cool room and mine is so boring?!” Katsuki demanded, pointing at the room accusingly.

The others bit back laughter. Of course, little kids would think an All Might themed room would be the coolest thing.

“We all decorated our own rooms, bro,” Kirishima explained with a grin.

Katsuki scoffed. “Whatever. We’re gonna sleep in Icchan’s room, then.”

“Wait, that’s against the rules! One student to a room! There’s no-” Iida tried to explain but was drowned out by Izuku’s excited cheer

“YAY!” He pounced on Katsuki in a bear hug. “We’re gonna have the best time ever, Kacchan!”

Katsuki hugged Izuku back and gave Iida a hard look. “Don’t care about rules. Icchan would just cry without me, even in an All Might room. He’s a baby and I’m older, so I hafta take care of him.”

“Like it’s not also that Bakugo wants to sleep in the All Might shrine room,” Mina snickered.

“M’not a baby!” Izuku whined only to have his face squeezed between Katsuki’s hands again.

“Yeah, you are.”

Ochako patted Iida’s shoulder with a giggle. “It’s best to just let them have this. I doubt the teachers would object. This has to be weird enough for them already. We can let them have this if it makes them more comfortable.”

“Yeah, let the kiddies have a sleepover!” Mina cooed at the two of them, cackling when Katsuki flipped her off.

“Ashido, you are having way too much fun with this,” Sero huffed, though he had to admit, he couldn’t hide his own grin if he tried.

“I can’t really blame her,” Tsuyu tittered. “Izuku-kun is even more adorable than usual, and Katsuki-kun is surprisingly cute, too. It’s so interesting to see how they were as kids.”

“See! Tsu-chan gets it!”

“Teenagers are weird,” Katsuki groused. “C’mon, Icchan. Let’s get your things so we can get ready for bed.”

“Okay!”

Finding Izuku’s things was a little trickier, but Katsuki managed it quickly enough, only checking a few places before he had found it all. After that, Iida insisted that the others start preparing for bed as well. As class president, he would oversee the guardianship of their two quirk-struck classmates during this trying time, but everyone else still had a curfew.

“Lame~!” Mina sighed, but let Ochako and Tsuyu drag her off.

“Good night, guys!” Kirishima waved cheerfully.

Bedtime preparation thankfully went off without any further hiccups, though Izuku discovering the damaged state of his current body had been a close call. He was only mollfied when Iida told him that a great deal of his scars had come from fighting villains and saving people. It was less than an hour later that Iida was dropping his classmates off in front of Izuku’s door once more, fresh and clean and ready for bed.

“I’ll stop by in the morning bright and early to get you dressed and down to the commons for breakfast, so no dawdling about! Straight to bed with both of you.”

“We don’t need anyone to wake us up! We’re not babies!” Katsuki sneered before slamming the door on Iida’s face.

“Kacchan!” Izuku scolded his friend, then called a loud goodnight to Tenya-kun.

“Good night, Izuku-kun!” he called back through the door. “If either of you needs anything at all tonight, Mineta’s room is to your left, and Aoyama’s is to your right. They’ll be able to assist you with anything you might need, or they can bring you to me so that I can help!”

“GO AWAY, GLASSES!” Katsuki screeched in answer, banging on the door.

Iida reared back, adjusting his glasses stiffly. “Unnecessarily rude!” But there wasn’t further need to linger, worried for Midoriya though he was. They had no idea when the two would regain their memories. It could very well be during the night while they slept. What sort of danger would Midoriya be in if Bakugo awoke and the two of them were sharing a bed?

Nothing life threatening, at least. Not if Bakugo wanted to continue the hero course. UA might have been known for its spartan style of teaching, but even that had to have its limits. Still… there was no real way of knowing what it would let its students get away with in the name of toughening them up.

It was best not to overthink it. Not if he wanted to get any sleep tonight.

Chapter Text

“Kacchan! You were rude to Tenya-kun!” Izuku scolded, pouting with his most stern expression. It didn’t do much, not to Katsuki who was already used to being lectured by Izuku on a near daily basis, though maybe never quite this seriously.

Either way, Katsuki was never going to tell Izuku that he actually liked it when he pouted, because that face looked good on him. Back in their time and even now, that much hadn’t changed. It made Katsuki want to squeeze Izuku’s face between his hands again.

He waved off both Izuku’s scolding and his own, silly thoughts.

“Asshole wouldn’t go away.” He was like Shoto and Ochako. Talking sweetly to Izuku, calling him familiar names while he was just ‘Bakugo.’ They looked at the two of them like they were waiting for Katsuki to do something bad to Icchan. He hated it. “I’ve had enough of all these weird extras and their clinging. Just wanna sleep.”

“They’re worried, Kacchan,” Izuku reasoned, trying not to give in to Katsuki’s bad attitude like he usually did. “And they’re nice! Ever since we woke up here, all they’ve done is try to be nice and answer our questions!” He hopped onto the bed and flopped back, limbs spread like a starfish. The bed gave a satisfying bounce and Izuku was pleased. A good bounce was important in a bed. “And all Kacchan does is be rude and call them names. It’s not nice.”

“They’re not that nice, either,” Katsuki muttered to himself. “You’re just too dumb to notice.”

“What?” Izuku sat up, a little furrow forming between his brows.

“You know what’s rude?” The blond spoke up louder instead of answering. “Not getting out a guest bedroll for me after I was nice enough to sleep over!” Katsuki groused, his own steely glare much better practiced than Izuku’s.

The green-haired boy tilted his head, unphased. “I don’t think there is a bedroll for guests. Tenya-kun said that sleepovers aren’t usually allowed.”

Katsuki scoffed. “Dumb. Then move over, dummy Icchan! We’re sharing!”

“Aa, kay!” The boy scooted over without a fuss until he was pressed against the wall, crawling under the covers and peering at Katsuki with wide, bright eyes. The blond turned on a small All Might bedside lamp, admiring it for just a second. It really wasn’t fair that Icchan got to have all this cool stuff in his room. He turned off all the other lights and then climbed into bed. He slipped under the covers easily and crowded Izuku closer to the wall.

The two of them shared a bed loads of time when they played over at each other’s houses, napping together when they got tired before continuing on in their adventures.

But they were bigger now, while the bed remained a standard single, so it made for a tight squeeze. It was easier if they pressed in close and tangled their legs. Katsuki also curled his arms around Izuku’s middle in a loose cuddle. All of this was very strictly necessary for their comfort on this bed made for just one adult.

That was why. No other reason.

Not that it seemed to be a concern for Izuku, He just beamed as he looked up into eyes still so brightly red even in the darkness of the room. He could smell the fresh mint on Katsuki’s breath, they were so close. “Good night, Kacchan…”

“Night Icchan…” came the low, murmured reply.

Izuku shivered and he didn’t really understand why. Maybe it was because he wasn’t used to a voice like that coming from Kacchan. It hadn’t been the first time he noticed today that Kacchan’s voice had a rumble to it that he could feel anytime his best friend held him close. He was deciding now that he actually really liked it.

Much better than his own voice, anyway. His voice just sounded weird to his own ears. Like someone else was talking for him every time he opened his mouth. He had to stop thinking about it or it was going to bother him all night.

With a soft sigh, Izuku shifted to get comfortable, his calves rubbing against Katsuki’s. Then again. Then wiggled a little more to try to get into just the right position. He settled then with a soft breath… only to find himself uncomfortable again after a few seconds, his longer limbs awkward and gangly. He squirmed and shifted again, lifting his middle to attempt a half-turn while staying in place and-

With a snarl, Katsuki thumped the top of Izuku’s head just a line above gentle. “Stop squirming!” Though when the other boy yelped, he was quick to soothe the injured spot, running his fingers through Izuku’s hair. It was still soft. That was good. Anything he recognized in this weird world was good.

“I can’t help it!” Izuku whined, leaning into Katsuki’s touch for a moment before he drew back to look at him in the dim lighting. “I’m tired, but I dunno if I can sleep! We’re in the future, Kacchan! We’re all grown up! My voice is weird! Your voice is weird! Everything is different! And we’re in UA! We’re training to be heroes and we have so many new friends and cool teachers and the principal is a kitty!”

“S’not a kitty, stupid!” Katsuki groused.

“He isn’t?”

“And what’s wrong with my voice?” Katsuki ignored the question by asking his own.

“Ah-!” Izuku started, cheeks staining pink in the dark. “It’s just deep, is all.”

“So?!” Katsuki growled.

“N-nothing! It’s just different! I… I like it.”

The blond rolled his eyes. “Whatever. And anyway, we don’t need other friends,” he grumbled. “Just Icchan is fine.”

Izuku hummed in amusement. It wasn’t as if they didn’t have friends other than each other already. But it was different between the two of them. Their mommies had known each other for a long time, so he and Kacchan knew each other their whole lives! Plus they lived close to one another. They were like extra special ultra friends. Plus Ultra Friends! “Do you think we’re gonna be good heroes?” He decided to ask instead of pointing any of that out.

“Hah? ‘Course we are! You heard ‘em! We both got amazing quirks!”

“Yeah… but everyone else has really cool quirks, too! Shoto-kun has two quirks!”

“Tch! Candy Cane ain’t that special! And it doesn’t matter! Cuz we’re gonna be the best ones, anyway. Way ahead of everyone else! And when we graduate, I’ll become the number one hero, and Icchan will become number two, and together we’ll be the greatest hero team of all time! Forever! So you don’t gotta worry about them. Even if we can’t use our quirks right now, I’ll still be better than any of those extras!”

Izuku snickered again, leaning forward to peck Katsuki on the lips because he could tell Kacchan was getting worked up. “Yeah. Kacchan is always the best.”

Katsuki huffed, but the kiss did the trick of calming his building rant. He ruffled Izuku’s hair. “Yep! So just keep your eyes on me, kay?”

“Kay!” It could have been the end of the discussion there. They could have gone to bed without any more fuss… They could have… “But maybe when we’re all grown up and Pro Heroes, I can be number one sometimes and you can be number two.”

“What?!” Katsuki reared back with a screech, glaring daggers at his friend for this sudden betrayal that came out of absolutely nowhere! “No way! I’m the best! The best is number one! That’s how it works, stupid!”

“But... “ Izuku squirmed, worrying his bottom lip nervously. His hands fisted into his shirt, rubbing the material between his fingers. He glanced down, then looked up at Katsuki again through his lashes “B-but maybe if my quirk is really like All Might, and All Might is number one… then I can be number one, too…?”

“Tch! I’m gonna be better than All Might! So I still get to be number one!”

Izuku huffed, his pout back in place. “I wanna be number one, too!”

“You can’t!” Katsuki stated stubbornly, flicking Izuku’s forehead with a finger.

“Kacchan!”

“Listen, Icchan! The strong people protect the people weaker than them. That’s fact!”

“But we’re both training to be heroes! We’re both gonna be strong!” Izuku argued.

“Yeah! But I’m the one who protects Icchan. So I have to be stronger. And if we’re gonna be at the top, then that means that I can only be number one,” Katsuki smirked smugly, his logic flawless. “But number two is still good! It still makes you better than everyone else!”

Izuku’s glare slowly wobbled into a pout, then a teary frown. “I think if I’m strong enough to be number one then I should try to be number one, too.”

Katsuki sighed heavily. “But we both can’t be number one. And I can’t protect you if you’re number one!”

“But why?”

“Stupid! Because if you’re number one, then you’re stronger and you can’t protect people stronger than you.”

“Maybe…” Izuku hedged a bit closer, drawing himself up to be more level with the blond. “Maybe I can protect Kacchan, instead?”

“NO!” The blond roared.

Izuku flinched, tears welling up in the corners of his eyes. “B-but why? I… I could do it!”

“So then you think I’m weak, Icchan, is that it?!”

“W-what?!” Izuku’s eyes widened in shock. “N-no! Kacchan is definitely strong!”

“Right! Strong enough to be number one and protect Icchan!”

Izuku sighed, knowing they were only going to go in circles if they continued this argument. He looked away dejected, not wanting to fight with his best friend anymore. “Kacchan’s not being fair.”

Katsuki ignored the pang of hurt in his chest. Guilt. It was guilt.

He pursed his lips together tightly, willing his traitorous heart to just shut the hell up before it made him say something stupid. This was for Icchan’s own good, and this was their plan all along! They couldn’t just change it now because Icchan’s quirk was way cooler than either of them had anticipated.

But those large, round eyes glittering with tears were so unfair, too! He could only stare at them a few seconds before he growled in exasperation, heavy and put upon. “Fine! I’ll let you be number one on your birthday and on Christmas. Sound good?”

The green-haired boy’s expression lit up in surprise. “What…? You mean it?”

“Aa, yeah. Pinky promise, even,” Katsuki acquiesced, holding out his pinky.

With a bright smile, Izuku linked their pinkies together and shook hands. “Deal!”

“Good!” Katsuki huffed as he settled down to sleep once more. Behind Izuku’s back, Katsuki’s fingers were crossed, but what the dummy didn’t know wouldn’t hurt him.

Pulling Izuku closer to him once again, Katsuki settled into sleep. Though this time it was his mind that wouldn’t cease. He rubbed Izuku’s back in soothing circles, noting how different it felt now. How different Izuku looked now, too. But somehow he was still the same. He’d noted all the scars when they had been washing and changing into their pajamas. Izuku had a lot of them, mostly on his arms, but there seemed to be some all over.

Glasses had said that he got them while saving people, but Katsuki could only guess it was because he didn’t have a handle on his quirk like the others had said before. Breaking his bones just to be able to use it. And a quirk that strong on someone as small and weak as Icchan, it didn’t surprise Katsuki at all.

They still bothered him, though. Each scar screamed at the blond of every single time he must have failed to protect Izuku. To keep him safe. If he thought about it too much, it made it feel hard to breathe. What the hell was his older self even doing letting Icchan get hurt like this?! If he was able to take the memories of any of this back with him, he’d vow to try harder and change the future. He’d be better than his current self.

He breathed in deeply through his nose and let it out slowly. He had to let his thoughts move forward from this. He couldn’t do anything about it right now.

What else was different about Izuku?

His body was muscular, like a hero’s should be, but still small compared to his own. He had always been a little taller than Izuku, but the difference was even more notable now in the future. They tucked in nicely together in bed. It settled some deep, mysterious something in Katsuki’s chest to be able to curl around Izuku like this Like he could shield him completely. A small smile tugged at his lips

“Y’know… it’s good that you’re so small, Icchan. It makes protecting you easier. You should stay small and I’ll be big and you can hide behind me when the villains come”

Izuku tensed, squeaking indignantly. “I’m not that small! And I’m still growing, too!”

“Pff… not as tall as me.” Katsuki grinned pompously.

“Mean! And I’m not gonna hide from villains! We’re gonna fight them together!”

Katsuki’s answer was a kiss to Izuku’s forehead. “Yeah, I know…” They usually didn’t indulge in kissing this much. Definitely not this often. But today had been overwhelming, whether or not Katsuki wanted to admit it. And the kisses were just as much a comfort to him as they were to crybaby Icchan.

Silence fell upon them for a few minutes, and Katsuki thought Izuku had fallen asleep for sure before that soft voice filled the space in the room once more.

“It’s so weird. To see Kacchan older like this. Bigger… But you still look like Kacchan at the same time.” Izuku murmured. His toes tickled along Katsuki’s ankle idly. “Just… more grown-up. You look more like Auntie Mitsuki…” He giggled.

The blond’s entire body tensed like steel, face snarling in pure rage. “I do not! Take it back, Icchan! Take it back right now or we’re not gonna be friends anymore!”

As if that would ever happen.

Izuku didn’t buy the threat either, giggling more. “Okay, you don’t look like Auntie Mitsuki. But Kacchan does grow up to be a handsome adult. Like… like the actors and heroes you see in magazines!”

His ego soothed, Katsuki preened, but just a little. “Well, Icchan definitely looks like Auntie Inko.”

“I… I do?” He asked with wide, bright eyes, not the least bit offended. Except for that one eternal curl of doubt. “Is that bad?”

“Nah,” Katsuki shrugged with one shoulder. “Auntie Inko is pretty.”

“So Kacchan thinks I’m pretty?" Those big green eyes were practically sparkling "Like my mommy?”

The blond hoped his sudden blush couldn’t be seen in the dark. “Aa… I… I guess so… That… That’s what I said! Icchan is pretty. But not like… not like a girl! You’re not all soft and round like a girl.” Though there was a definite curve just under Katsuki’s arm where it was curled over the top of Izuku’s hips.

That was probably a weird thing to notice…

“The girls in class with us in UA are definitely prettier! Ochako-chan is super pretty,” Izuku said wistfully.

“She’s okay,” Katsuki grumbled dismissively. “Seen prettier.”

“Where?” Izuku asked in amusement. He didn’t think he’d ever seen anyone prettier before. Kacchan was pretty, for sure, but Kacchan wasn’t a girl, so it wasn’t the same!

“I think Icchan is prettier,” the blond mumbled just above a whisper, though he became a little bolder when Izuku’s cheeks colored tellingly. “You’re definitely prettier than her, for sure! Plus you have freckles and those are extra cute. But I think Icchan is better than any girl, anyway.”

“Kacchan…” Izuku breathed out in shy awe, and dammit! Katsuki could definitely see the blush on his face! That meant Izuku could probably see his blush, too!

But Izuku was facing the night light, so maybe he couldn’t see that Katsuki was blushing with his back blocking the light from hitting his face. He really hoped Izuku couldn’t see his blush! He hoped-

His thoughts stalled when Izuku’s lips pressed to his. It wasn’t the usual little pecks and quick smacks, either. It felt softer. And warmer somehow…? It lingered just a couple of extra seconds, but it turned the kiss into something entirely new. Something that made his heart give a double beat. When the green-haired boy drew back, his face was as red as a cherry, practically glowing with the force of his blushing! Katsuki swore could feel how hot it felt from centimeters away.

“I…!” Izuku swallowed with an audible click in his throat, grabbing Katsuki’s hand in both of his. His brows were pinched in determination like it was of utmost importance that he gets out what he had to say. “I think Kacchan is pretty, too! B-but like a boy!”

The blond felt his heart thump loudly in his chest again, quickly trying to hide it. “I am a boy! So are you!”

“Y-yeah! But… But no one would say Kacchan looks like a girl.”

Katsuki considered that for a moment, then squeezed Izuku’s hand. “I don’t think anyone would think Icchan is a girl, either.”

Izuku grinned sheepishly. “Kacchan just said my looks are like a girl… Like my mommy.”

“I said I think Icchan is better than a girl!” Katsuki corrected haughtily. But then his expression softened with worried doubt. “Do you… do you hate it? That I think Icchan could be like a girl?”

Izuku shook his head, ducking down shyly. “Nn-nnh… If Kacchan is the one who says it, I think it’s okay. And other people think I’m just plain.”

“Other people are stupid,” Katsuki was quick to bite out, which only caused Izuku to giggle quietly.

“Maybe.”

“Definitely!”

As if the matter was settled, the two of them settled down to sleep once again, though they kept stealing shy glances at one another.

The silence didn’t last long before Izuku’s mumble filled the space between them. “Kacchan’s chest is big like a girl, though.”

“Hah?”

“I think it’s bigger than Auntie Mistuki’s,” Izuku mumbled as his fingers gingerly touched the blond’s chest. “But Auntie Mitsuki’s are softer…”

“HAH?! You wanna die?!” Katsuki snarled, sparks dancing in his hand.

Izuku cringed, hunching his shoulders up. “But it looks good on Kacchan!” He patted his chest again as if to try to prove his point

“Stop touching it! Why do you even know what the old hag’s tits feel like anyway?!”

Izuku jolted in place, face coloring. “Kacchan, don’t say tits!”

“TITS!”

“KACCHAN!”

“Shut up! Answer the question!”

Izuku huffed. “Because Auntie Mistuki squishes your face in her chest when she hugs you! She does it all the time!”

“WHAT?”

“Huh...?” Green eyes slowly go wide in dawning horror to what he’d just admitted with the implication of Kacchan’s reaction to it. “She… she doesn’t do that to Kacchan?”

“Like I’d let her!”

“Mou…” Izuku suddenly ducked down, hiding his face against Katsuki’s chest and curling into a ball.

“Wh-what are you doing...?” Katsuki stiffened in surprise.

“Nnnh!” Izuku ducked down lower, practically pressing his face to Katsuki’s stomach

“Icchan, stoppit!” Now Katsuki’s face was red again, too. These older bodies were so weird and reacted to weird things in weird ways and he didn’t like it at all!

“M’embarrassed!” Izuku mumbled into Katsuki’s shirt

Katsuki huffed a long, suffering sigh, plopping a hand on top of Izuku’s head and ruffling his hair before properly stroking it. “Don’t be… It’s dumb…” He then snorted softly. “Not your fault the old hag constantly crushes you between her big, squishy boobs.”

“NNH!” Izuku whined louder and poked Katsuki’s side, which only got the blond to laugh.

“It’s because she thinks Icchan is cute, too. And she’s weird so she shows it in a weird way.” He patted the top of his head once more, letting Izuku soak in his reassurance.

Large green eyes peeked up at him. “So it’s not weird?”

“It’s definitely weird,” Katsuki snickered. “But the old hag is the weird one, not you.”

Mollified, Izuku breathed out slowly in relief, body relaxing against Katsuki’s in increments until he was smiling up at the blond. “Okay…I guess that’s okay…”

Katsuki waited for a beat before he couldn’t help but needle a bit. “But you like mine better, right?”

“KACCHAN!” Izuku wailed in dismay, bringing his hands up to hide his face

He smirked, pulling Izuku in tighter, yanking his hands away from his face. “You said mine were better!”

“Stop!” He whined as he struggled against him.

“But you can’t know for sure until I hug you, too!” Katsuki cackled as he crushed Izuku’s face between his pecs.

“Mmph! Nnnh!” Izuku wriggled and pushed as he was suffocated between the hard valley of Katsuki’s chest, slumping back with a hard gasp only once the blond deemed to let him go. “Kacchan! You big bully! I couldn’t breathe!” His face felt so hot he thought it might melt right off. Kacchan’s were definitely harder than Auntie Mitsuki’s. But he didn’t dislike them.

Katsuki kept laughing, slumping onto his back as well so he could catch his breath. “What? Icchan said he liked mine better, so I had to check for sure!” He grinned unrepentantly, not even minding when Izuku knocked his shoulder with a half-hearted punch. “So was it better?”

Izuku punched his shoulder again, yelping when Katsuki retaliated the second time, the blond’s half-hearted punch much harder than Izuku’s. “M’not saying! So there!”

“Dork.” Katsuki didn’t need his answer. Izuku’s face was red all the way to the tips of his ears. “Go to sleep.”

“YOU go to sleep!” Came the childish rebuttal.

“I’m trying, but Icchan just wants to talk about weird things like the old hag’s boobs!”

Making an offended sound, Izuku threw himself on top of the blond, ready to all-out brawl before he was crushed to Katsuki’s chest again.

“Sleep,” he stated firmly, then pressed a kiss to Izuku’s forehead.

All Izuku could do was huff and let his body go lax. “Mean.”

“Yeah, yeah… Kacchan is big and mean and Icchan is small and cute,” Katsuki puffs dismissively.

“AM NOT!” Izuku whined in embarrassment, squeaking when he was squeezed tighter in Katsuki’s arms.

“Yeah, you are. Now go to sleep.”

Izuku glowered at him for a moment longer, his cheeks still a cute pink, then he huffed and settled down, resting his cheek on Katsuki’s chest this time. “Night.”

“G’night, Icchan.”

It wasn’t long until Katsuki could feel the difference in Izuku’s soft, warm breaths against his skin. They grew long and even and his body became heavier as it gave itself over to rest. Good… He was glad that he could distract his best friend enough to stop worrying about being in a strange place in their strange situation. He didn’t want Izuku to have to worry.

But sleep wouldn’t come that easily for Katsuki. Try as he might, his mind kept going back to all the things that had happened since they woke up in the future. All the weird little things that were said and done that seemed odd to him, but he couldn’t place why. The way people treated him and Izuku so differently. Of course, they were right to treat Katsuki like someone they should worry about if they tried anything. He liked that sort of respect. But… the way they kept staring at the two of them. Together. Like it was weird…

Why? Why was he and Izuku being close such a weird thing? Were he and Izuku not that close anymore? Well… teenagers always had to act cool, and they were going to be dumb teenagers someday, too. Maybe they weren’t as close are they are used to now because they had to act like dumb teenagers who were too cool to be close to anyone.

He wanted to think that was it. As stupid as he knew that reasoning to be.

He didn’t want to believe what that frog girl said. Other people might change their minds about who their most important person was. But Katsuki was never wrong. He wasn’t wrong this time.
He and Icchan wouldn’t change their minds about being each other’s important someone. He curled up around Izuku more. Like he could shield him from the possibility.

They wouldn’t. They’d be together forever.

Friends.

Partners.

Always.

Chapter Text

“I AM HERE!” The loud, booming, and recognizable voice of All Might righteously declared, startling the boys out of their sleep. With a hard jerk of his muscles going from asleep to instantly alert, Katsuki fell off the bed, landing painfully on his elbow.

“Motherf-”

“I AM HERE! I AM HERE! I AM HERE!” All Might’s voice kept booming until Izuku scrambled to the edge of the bed and turned off the alarm.

Sleep heavy green eyes peered down at Katsuki from the edge of the bed. Red eyes stared back up at Izuku’s sleep-creased face and wild green locks. “Nnh… Kacchan…? We’re still here…”

“Yeah…” He groused back as he rubbed at his elbow, really trying to keep from just spewing out more curses, or even worse, crying. Icchan didn’t like it when he cursed, even if he didn’t say so often. And Katsuki absolutely refused to cry. Especially in front of Icchan.

“You okay?” The green haired boy asked as he sat back in bed to make room for him.

“M’fine!” He answered a little too brusquely as he got to his feet and sat on the edge of the bed. “W’time issit…?” He asked around a wide yawn, glaring at the offending clock that had caused all this drama, and then he really did curse. “G’dammit! It’s 5 in the morning! What the hell?! Who wakes up this early?!” He turned his ire to Izuku. “This is all Icchan’s fault!”

“W-wha?! Me?! What did I do?!” Izuku groused indignantly, just as tired and upset to have been woken up so early.

“We’re in Icchan’s room! This is Icchan’s alarm! So all Icchan’s fault!” Katsuki ticked off his line of logic on his fingers. He slumped back on the bed with a groan. “Why is future Icchan waking up at stupid hours in the morning?! Too early!”

Izuku sighed and slumped back down beside Katsuki “I’unno… but I’m goin’ back to sleep…”

“Aa…” Katsuki agreed and pulled Izuku to him again. “G’night…”

“Night Kacchan…”

It felt like they had just barely closed their eyes for a minute before a persistent knock pulled them out of sleep again. Katsuki growled when a lilting voice singsonged at them through the door.

“Bonjour, mes petits amis! Are you back to normal?” Aoyama called from the other side of the door. “I am thinking no since you are both so out of routine!” And there hadn’t been any carnage from Katsuki finding himself in Izuku’s room if they had gone back to normal. “I thought I might be helpful and wake you. It’s time to get up now if you want to have enough time to wash up and have breakfast!”

“Sparkle-chan…?” Izuku slurred sleepily from where his cheek was squished against Kacchan’s chest. He sat up with a whine, rubbing at his eyes.

Aoyama tittered from the hallway. “Oui!”

“S’not his name…” Katsuki grumbled as he sat up as well.

“B-but he said-!”

“He’s a lying weirdo.” He glanced over at the clock. It was 6:33 now. Ugh… Stalking out of bed, he slammed his fist hard against the door. “We’re awake now, fake french weirdo! S’go’way!”

“Rude,” was Aoyama’s clipped reply. Then with his own retaliatory bang on the door, he called out cheerfully. “I’ll see you later, Izu-kun!”

“Oh… ah… o-okay, Sparkle-chan!” Izuku called back in as polite and friendly a voice as he could manage as he gave Bakugo a bewildered look.

Katsuki frowned in return, then rolled his eyes. “I guess UA is just gonna be full of weirdos no matter what. C’mon, let’s go get ready.”

Izuku beamed, the last dregs of sleep quickly forgotten when he remembered where they were, and, more importantly, what they’d be doing today! They were going to sit in on a school day in UA High! Sure, they were technically students there already, but at the same time, they weren’t. So it really was like getting a sneak peek at what the two of them could look forward to!

He practically bounced his way downstairs to the bathrooms, greeting people cheerfully when they bid the two of them good morning. On the other hand, Katsuki looked more surly than Izuku could ever remember seeing him, barely grunting acknowledgment towards their classmates when they greeted him.

“Kacchan? You okay?”

“M’fine!” Came the terse reply. Izuku flinched and Katsuki sighed, too tired to deal with the stab of guilt. “Didn’t sleep.”

“Oh no!” Izuku cooed softly. “Do you want to stay in today and sleep more? I bet Eraserhead would let us!”

“No way in hell! M’not missing this!”

Izuku blinked, then smiled brightly, giggling. So Kacchan was excited about being able to spend the day in UA, too! Even if they couldn’t participate. “Okay. Then we should clean up, then go to Kacchan’s room to grab your uniform first, then we can get mine.”

The blond must have been tired, because he let Izuku plan things out without protest, simply nodding his head.

Izuku didn’t mind at all being the buffer between Katsuki and the rest of the class. It sort of made him feel special. Like he was protecting Katsuki in his own way, even if he was only protecting him from ‘pointless questions’. Izuku was fine explaining to those they came across that, yeah, they were still quirk struck, but they were fine otherwise. Excited to spend a day in UA, even!

It was a little odd, though, because no one they had come across yet even tried to get their answers from Katsuki. They seemed content to give the blond a wide enough berth and address any inquiries to Izuku directly. Like it was what they were used to already. It was weird because, in their class, Katsuki was always the center of attention, the most popular, the class leader with all the answers.

Izuku couldn’t help it as he glanced cautiously at Katsuki, wondering if he had noticed it, too. If it bothered him. He didn’t want to ask in case he hadn’t.

Morning routine out of the way, they headed up to where they remembered Katsuki’s room to be and Izuku watched with starry eyes as the blond put on the U.A. school uniform. “Wah! It looks so good on you, Kacchan! It really suits you!”

“Course it does!” Katsuki preened, never too tired to revel in Izuku’s praise. “I was always meant to be in this uniform!”

“Yeah! From the beginning, Kacchan was always meant to be a hero!”

“Yep! And Icchan, too! So let’s go to your room so you can put on your uniform.”

“Aaah! I can’t wait! Let’s go! Let’s go!” Maybe it was silly to get so excited about putting on a school uniform of all things, but… but this was the UA High School uniform! It was their goal and they’d made it! Both of them!

Katsuki grinned, sharing in Izuku’s excitement. He ruffled his hair before taking his hand, all but dragging him back to the elevator, fingers linked the whole ride down to the second floor and down the hall, back to Izuku’s room.

Izuku pulled out his school uniform, setting it out carefully on the bed so he could undress, only to still when he looked up and his eyes locked directly with fiery red.

“K-kacchan! Don’t watch me change!”

The blond raised a brow. “You watched me change.”

“Ah…” Izuku had no argument against that, feeling his face growing hot. “B-but I… I…”

Katsuki rolled his eyes and turned his back without further prompting. “You’re so weird, Icchan.” He knew what it was, though. Between last night and this morning, Izuku’s brain must have decided that he didn’t want his scars to be seen more than they had to.

“I know…” Izuku whined softly. “M’sorry, Kachan.” He made a quick job of changing, butterflies fluttering in his stomach as he smoothed out the sleeves almost reverently. He bound in front of Katsuki when he was done, holding his arms open in full display. “How do I look?”

Blinking owlishly, Katsuki snickered. “You did the buttons up wrong.”

“Wha? I did?” A quick glance down confirmed that he had messed up his buttons in not one, but two places. His face colored darkly, giggling sheepishly. “Ah… oops?”

“Icchan really is helpless,” Katsuki sighed, already working on correcting the buttons of Izuku’s uniform. They had both decided not to bother with ties since neither really knew how to tie them. “Ready to go?”

“Un!”

Buzzing with energy, they raced towards the elevator, intertwined fingers squeezing excitedly as they rode back down to the first floor, then a mad dash out into the common area.

“Ah! Izu-kun! Bakugo-kun! Viens par ici! Over here!” Aoyama waved to them jovially from the dining area. “I took the liberty of making breakfast for the two of you!”

Eyes shining brightly at the prospect of food, Izuku dragged Katsuki with him to the kitchen. “You did? Wow!”

“Of course!” Aoyama bowed with a flourish, flouncing towards the kitchen counter where a covered tray lay in wait. “I asked myself, if I found myself being four years old again, what would I want for breakfast?”

“That’s dumb,” Katsuki groused. “That’s not what we wondered about at all.”

“And I said to myself,” The glittering boy went on, unperturbed. “I’d want my maman’s world famous crepes!” With an elegant twirl, he lifted the lid off the tray to present his meal to the two boys. Twin plates of three elegantly folded over crepes filled with banana slices and topped with strawberries and powdered sugar.

“Woooooooow!” Izuku gasped in awe, stars in his eyes. “That looks so yummy, Sparkle-chan! You made that all by yourself? That’s so cool!”

“Tch!” Katsuki scoffed, turning his nose up in distaste. Not jealousy. “They’re just skinny pancakes covered in sugar.”

“Oh...” Some of Izuku’s enthusiasm waned, sparing a glance at the ash blond sitting next to him. “That's right. Kacchan doesn’t like sweet things…”

“Which is why I made something, too!” Kirishima popped out from the kitchen, grinning toothily.

“Eichan! Good morning!” Izuku greeted enthusiastically.

“Morning Midoriya!” He cheered back. Izuku had always been a cute kid, but his levels of adorable while acting like a happy go lucky four year old was downright dangerous. Good thing he was trained in handling dangerous situations.

He set a plate down in front of Katsuki, who shoved the plate of crepes away. On Kirishima’s prepared plate sat some simple fried eggs on toast. “It’s nothing fancy,” the redhead admitted sheepishly. “I’m not a great cook. But I can make this much! I remembered that Bakubro doesn’t like sweet junk. So when I saw Aoyama here cooking up a storm, I figured I better prepare a Plan B. Just in case,” he added with a wide, enthusiastic grin.

“Glad someone here has some brains,” Katsuki nodded approvingly, stunning Kirishima speechless. A genuine compliment. From Bakugo Katsuki. The world might actually end.

“Kacchan, that’s mean to Sparkle-chan! He tried really hard, too! And it looks really good!”

“Then you eat it!” The ash blond shot back irritably.

Izuku’s cheeks puffed out angrily. “I will!”

“Ne, Izu-kun,” Aoyama put a gentle hand on his friend’s shoulder. “Don’t worry about me. Bakugo-kun’s words don’t hurt me at all,” the dazzling boy waved Bakugo off with a blinding smile, tactfully ignoring the rude gesture he got in return. He wouldn’t be where he was today if he let every person who didn’t understand his shine bring him down into the dark. And that certainly included an extra immature Bakugo.

The green haired boy relaxed, smiling brightly in return. “O-okay. You’re so cool, Sparkle-chan!”

“Merci!” Aoyama winked and flicked his hair with a flourish.

“Ah…” Kirishima piped up nervously, eyeing the irritated sparks crackling in Katsuki’s hands. “How about you guys just eat your breakfast before it gets cold, huh?”

No one would ever really accuse Katsuki of being aloof and indifferent to anything, though he certainly liked to pretend he was. But to think he had once been this bad at hiding his emotions.

“Un! Okay!” Izuku chirped, kicking his feet out happily as he pulled his plate closer. “Hey, Eichan? How did you know Kacchan doesn’t like sweet stuff?”

“Huh?” Eijirou blinked owlishly. His cheeks colored pink and rubbed the back of his head sheepishly “Oh! Well… I mean, we’re classmates, after all.”

“Frenchy is also our classmate and he didn’t know that,” Bakugo pointed out with a jerk of his thumb at Aoyama.

Damn, he’d really been hoping they would have been satisfied with that answer. Kirishima spared a glance at Aoyama, silently begging for help. All he got was a helpless shrug. Perfect.

He was hoping he could put this off a little longer. Or maybe someone else would end up being the first to broach the subject, but luck was just not on his side.

After the two quirk struck teens had gone to bed, the rest of class 1-A had started a group chat to discuss the situation they found themselves in and the options they had at their disposal.

Things were weird! They all knew on some level or another that Midoriya and Bakugo had been childhood friends, but to see their dynamics in action was an entirely different thing. It was like they were different people. Especially Bakugo! The two of them were so close! Maybe even a little too close.

Honestly? Was it even possible for two people to be nearly completely the same, but still act so completely different with one another? What the hellhad happened there?!

They also had no idea when the two of them would go back to normal, though some of the more extreme girls hoped the answer was never, because seeing the two of them cuddly was cute for them. Especially Mina. The majority hoped that the issue would resolve itself overnight, but that clearly hadn’t been what happened.

So now the question was how did the class act moving forward? They could keep right on pretending that they weren’t weirded out by how close the two of them were. It wasn’t what any of them were used to, and it was impossible to say when the next curveball would come at them and throw them all for another loop

Kaminari was betting it would be something wild, yet hysterical. Like Katsuki declaring Izuku to be his future wife.

No one wanted to upset them. Katsuki’s rage and Izuku’s tears were horrible enough things to have to deal with under normal circumstances. And that was just the tip of the iceberg! The two of them made up two of the top three powerhouses of the classroom. And their class had plenty of powerhouses! And now they had the minds of children who had no idea how to handle the power they had at their disposal! Midoriya hadn’t even been able to control his quirk at the beginning of the school year!

But it would be a problem for Bakugo as well. Everyone’s quirks became stronger as they grew older, training their skills up, but seldom few had the power growth rate that the explosive quirk user had displayed. If he really tried to go all out in his current mental state, he’d more than likely hurt himself. Not to mention everyone around him.

So the issue became: Did they keep up the act and hope for no explosive wildcards that would ruin the facade? Or did they come clean about the two friend’s present futures and completely disillusion them? Something that could also very well lead down the path to some fiery results.

If this went on too long, it increased the chances of one of them slipping up and upsetting them. Like Mineta had when he had asked about their kissing.

An act that Mineta said still gave him chills from how weird it had been to witness. N-not because he was homophobic or anything! But… c’mon! It was Midoriya and Bakugo!

In the end Yaoyorozu had suggested the middle path. Leave the boys to their devices, but start introducing them to the truth little by little. Honest, but gentle. Especially if they should ask a question that would be awkward to avoid. The rest of them would be on the defense in case of a worst case scenario.

So now here he was. Facing Midoriya’s wide, curious eyes, and Bakugo’s scrutinizing stare. Before they even ate breakfast. That really didn’t bode well for the rest of the day.

Time to test out the waters.

Kirishima silently sent a prayer up to any listening deity. He needed this to go well.

He fixed on his most jovial smile. “Yeah, I guess you have a point. It’s weird because you guys don’t remember it. But Bakubro and I are actually pretty close friends.” As close as Katsuki was to anyone, at least.

“You are?” Izuku asked, studying Kirisima analytically. Even Katsuki was regarding Eijirou in a new light, red eyes bright with curiosity.

“Oh yes, Kirishima-kun and Bakugo-kun share a pretty unique bond amongst all our other classmates,” Aoyama added with a thoughtful tap to his lip. “Sometimes it seems no one really understands Bakugo’s actions and motivations better than Kirishima-kun.”

Kirishima barely suppressed a wince, shooting the laser user a panicked look, but it was too late.

“Oh…” It was such a simple little sound, but so much upset and jealousy was packed into it that it made Eijirou’s insides turn to ice. He swallowed thickly as he watched the shorter boy scoot his chair closer to Katsuki, reaching out to link their arms as if staking a claim, his gently furrowed stare never wavering from Eijirou. An upset Izuku aimed at him was not something he was used to! Or ever wanted to face. Fuck! What was he supposed to do?! And now Katsuki’s eyes were narrowed in on him, too. Double fuck!

“Y-yeah!” He decided to laugh it off as silly, waving his arms in front of him to ward off any possible attack. “But it’s nothing compared to you and Bakubro, Mido-chan! Believe me!” He looked between the two of them like he was pleading for his life before some old, mad gods.

“Sure, me and Bakugo are good friends, but you guys are on a whole other level! I mean, you guys have known each other your entire lives! Bakugo and I are definitely not on kissing terms or anything like that! I doubt we’ll ever be that close! But you can have more than just one friend, right?”

That seemed to appease Izuku’s budding ire, the green haired boy relaxing and smiling warmly. “Right. You’re a really good friend to Kacchan, huh, Eichan?”

“Yeah,” the hardening hero quickly agreed. “But we’re friends, too, right Mido-chan?”

Any remaining envy seemed to melt away. “Yeah!” Izuku cheered readily, his smile as bright as the sun, outshining Aoyama by a country mile.

Eijirou smiled back and silently sighed in relief, shoulders slumping. The first hurdle had been crossed. The building had not come down in a fiery explosion.

Feeling elated, he even decided to ruffle up Izuku’s soft, springy curls, laughing while the boy squealed with laughter, playfully batting his hands away.

Beside them, calculating red eyes narrowed thoughtfully. Katsuki hadn’t missed the gestures and emotions that Kirishima tried to hide. Maybe Icchan was dumb enough to not think anything of the clearly odd behavior, but Katsuki wasn’t Icchan. Being in the future didn’t mean weird things weren’t fucking weird! Kirishima acting panicked, even for just a second, that he was Katsuki’s friend also? Very weird.

He added it to the list of things that smacked wrong with him since he had first woken up in the body of a sixteen year old. The puzzle pieces were starting to form a clearer picture, and Katsuki didn’t like what he was seeing.

Chapter Text

“Good morning, Izu-kun!” Ochako greeted cheerfully, a bounce in her step as she made her way to the dining area.

The green-haired boy jolted in place, eyes wide as he stared at the girl in shock, his face immediately coloring. “O-Ochako-chan…” he said with obvious awe, like he couldn’t believe the girl was saying hi to him. Like he couldn’t remember yesterday and her various attempts to be close to him. He ducked his head. “G- G’morning…” He waved shyly, half hiding his face with his other hand.

Outwardly smiling politely, Ochako inwardly wondered how it was possible for her friend to somehow be cuter than ever before.

She had to remind herself to keep a tight grip on her reactions, because if they remembered any of this when it was over, the last thing she wanted to do was embarrass Izuku by cooing over him when he had thought he was four. But it was just so hard!

She had to press on. It was her duty as a future hero.

“Good morning, Bakugo-ku-Pffff!” Ochako started, only to choke back on a laugh at the menacing aura emanating from the blond, his eyes narrowed and brows pinched in clear animosity. This Bakugo had not perfected his murder face, yet. Not at all! His feelings were so obvious as he leaned over Izuku to flip her off behind his back.

What a horrible kid! And yet it was still oddly…cute?

Maybe it was how fiercely he protected his place as Izuku’s best friend from all these sudden interlopers. Not that Ochako could blame him. She wished that she had been friends with Izuku growing up if he had been this adorable. And she knew she wasn’t the only one. There was definitely an extra sparkle in Aoyama’s eyes when he looked at Izuku, and Kirishima looked like he was struggling, too. Though likely that was more because he wished he’d known Katsuki at that age. They were both a little odd.

“Ochako-chan,” Izuku piped up shyly, offering the pink-cheeked girl a timid but friendly smile. ‘Ugh! So cute!’ “Do… do you want to… h-have you had breakfast? W-we… we have… e-extra crepes!” He almost shouted at the end, flustered. He could hardly believe his own daring! Inviting a pretty girl like Ochako-chan to have breakfast with them. But Ochako had been so nice to them since Izuku had first woken up in this amazing and crazy future!

“Eh? Really?” Ochako beamed, cooing to herself all over again about how especially cute her friend was being. “Is that really okay?”

Izuku nodded enthusiastically, curls bobbing. “U-un! Sparkle-chan made them for Kacchan, but Kacchan doesn’t- Ah!”

With a snarl, Katsuki snatched the plate away from Ochako’s reach, glaring hard at the pink cheeked girl as he curled over the plate, like a feral cat protecting its food. “No way! These are mine! You can’t have any, Round Face!”

“PFFFT!” She really couldn’t contain her laughter more than that. How was Bakugo being this terrible so weirdly cute?! The gravity hero thought she might just pop a blood vessel from how hard she was trying to reign in her laughter. Her body trembled as she leaned over the table for support. Oh, gods! She was going to miss this Bakugo once he was gone!

“C’mon, Bakubro!” Eijirou admonished with a grin. “That’s not very polite or manly. And I thought you wanted the breakfast I made you!”

“Kacchan! You can’t eat both the toast and the crepes!” Izuku chided as well. “You’ll get a tummy ache!”

Katsuki fixed a red-eyed glare at his friend, then scoffed, pushing the plate of eggs on toast towards Ochako. “You don’t need sweets. Your face is already round enough.”

“KACCHAN!”

Heaven help her, this much hilarity first thing in the morning was going to give Ochako a tummy ache! The poor girl had to purse her lips tightly, her shoulders shaking with suppressed laughter, tears of mirth dotting the corners of her eyes.

“Ochako-chan…?” Izuku asked, his voice drenched in concern, clearly misreading the meaning behind her expression. “P-please don’t be upset because of Kacchan! He’s just mean sometimes, he doesn’t mean it!”

“The fuck?!”

Oh gods, she was gonna die! This was her end! “I… I’m okay!” she wheezed between laugh-shuddered breaths, trying to smile through her struggle. She waved a hand dismissively as she righted herself. “I… I never… g-get upset b-by Bakugo-kun’s words. E-everyone knows better by now…” Well… most of them. Poor Momo...

“HEY!” Katsuki raged, holding up a hand threateningly, only to be ignored.

“Oh…” Izuku blinked, wide eyes alight with understanding. “I guess that makes sense! Everyone here knows me and Kacchan so well already!” He beamed. “It’s great that everyone can get along with Kacchan even when he gets mean.”

“Shut your mouth, Icchan! I don’t care if I get along with these dummies or not!” Katsuki fumed.

“Kacchan, stoppit!” Izuku scolded, his brows pinched in an adorably stern look. “You know that isn’t true!”

“Icchan, I swear-!” Katsuki growled, slamming his hands on the table.

“Don’t!” Izuku cut in with a firm pout, pushing up from his seat.

“Hey now,” Eijirou cut in, waving his hands placatingly. “How about we all just take a second and take a deep breath. We’re all friends and classmates here, right? We all have got to get along.”

“Y-yeah…” Izuku blinked, sitting back down. “Right!” he affirmed with more enthusiasm, tension draining from his shoulders.

“Tch,” Katsuki scoffed and crossed his arms across his chest.

“We do all get along!” Ochako agreed with a beaming smile. “That’s why no one is better than class 1-A, right guys?”

“That’s right,” Aoyama interjected, understanding immediately what Ochako was trying to do. And it seemed to work like a charm. Because Katsuki definitely seemed pleased to be part of the top class in the school. “Our class is always at the top. Even in the Sports Festival this year, the top four winners were all from our class.”

“Eh? Really?” Stars glittered in Izuku’s eyes. “That’s so cool!”

“Who won?” The explosive blond asked with an arched brow.

“Ha! Of course you did, Bro!” Kirishima laughed, playfully slugging his arm.

“Kacchan won???” Izuku asked, turning that starry gaze to his best friend. “Amazing!”

“Like anyone could beat me!” Katsuki sneered smugly, his chest puffing out in pride. He was very clearly preening under Izuku’s praise and attention

“Yeah!” Izuku chirped excitedly. “Kacchan’s the best at everything!”

The others collectively shared a look of exasperated amusement. Well, as long as they were behaving. Ochako thanked Kirishima for the breakfast, the redhead flushing pink and telling her it wasn’t a big deal.

Things settled as more of their classmates made their way down to breakfast, some making quick bowls of cereal, others cooking up simple dishes for themselves and others. Ochako enthused very loudly about how perfectly cooked the eggs were, and that the toast was nicely toasted a crisp and golden brown, no burned edges or anything, all while firmly not meeting Katsuki’s glare. The ash blond half-heartedly picked at the fruit on the plate and only ate some of the crepes.

Was she being petty? Hell yes. Did Katsuki deserve it for picking a dish he didn’t care for just so she wouldn’t be eating the same food as Izuku? An equal amount of yes. Should it matter that Katsuki had the mind of a four year old at the moment? Possibly. Would that make Ochako feel bad about it? Not in the slightest.

Iuzku offered to help clean up afterward… Only to then have Katsuki stating that he would do it instead.

“I can do it!” Izuku insisted, which seemed to surprise the explosive blond. He wasn’t very used to Izuku not giving into doing things his way without a fuss.

“I can do it better. You wouldn’t do it right!”

“Kacchan, stop being mean!” the green-haired boy retorted heatedly

“It’s not mean if it’s true!” Katsuki clearly didn’t care for this Izuku who was trying to act all tough and dependable for these weirdos. The Izuku that Katsuki knew always went along with all of his ideas, even if they contradicted Izuku’s own. He wanted the Izuku who always said yes to him.

“It’s not true!” Izuku insisted, tears dotting the corners of his eyes even as he fixed a firm look on his friend. Red eyes narrowed, scarred fists clenched angrily. It almost looked like a fight was inevitable until Kirishima stepped in.

“No need to argue over who will help when you both can, right? Heroes work together.”

With a sneer, Katsuki looked away. “Cleaning up isn’t hero work. It’s not the same,” he muttered even as he picked up his plate, gritting his teeth when he realized Izuku had already grabbed his and Ochako’s plates. It seemed to be the last of the squabbling, though.

And what a silly thing to fight over.

Despite their mental ages, the two showed remarkable proficiency in how to properly wash and dry dishes. It was enough to leave their classmates impressed.

“Of course, I’d know how to do this much! I’m not a baby!” The explosive boy rolled his eyes at the idea of praise over something so stupid.

“I like to help mommy at home, too,” Izuku admitted sheepishly, swinging his arms behind his back and dropping his gaze shyly.

Breakfast now out of the way, it was time for school, and to say that the boys were eager was a gross understatement. There was always an underlying excitement about a young student’s first day at the prestigious academy for heroes in training, but not many got to experience that excitement twice.

Nothing could compare to the sheer awe and thrill being displayed by Izuku and Katsuki as the main building loomed up over them. They practically dragged the rest of their classmates with them in their enthusiasm to get to class. It was definitely the earliest most of them had ever been to school, except, perhaps, Iida.

Izuku buzzed with excitement as the class president showed him and Katsuki to their seats. Even Katsuki couldn’t contain his grin. They sat one right behind the other. Together. It eased the feeling in his chest he couldn’t quite name. The one he didn’t like.

He also didn’t like how everyone was gathered around them, sitting in chairs and on desks despite the class president’s lecturing that desk tops were not meant to be sat on. It felt too much like he and Izuku were a show for these people. Something interesting to gawk at, and not in the way Katsuki liked to be noticed.

Izuku was lapping up the attention, though, so all Katsuki could do was hold his tongue. The things he did for his friend, honestly.

“The doors are so big! It’s amazing! It’s so that everyone with any type of quirk can fit, right? That’s so cool!” Izuku gushed in maybe the fiftieth observation since they first walked into the school’s main building. Observations that had spanned from the sheer size of the building, the speculation of the training areas that could be seen at a fair enough distance, the walls surrounding the perimeter of the school, and the steps the school went through to keep its students safe.

None of them really required input from anyone else, and really, most of them were happy enough to let Izuku’s bubbling excitement get them all perked up and ready for the day. It was easy to forget after so long what an actual thrill it was to be able to attend UA, especially in the Heroes Program. They were all lucky, and of course, it was someone like Izuku who was there to remind them all that it wasn’t something to take for granted

“Is Eraserhead really our teacher?”

“We call him Aizawa-sensei,” Kyouka answered with a hint of an amused smile as she leaned back on her chair, an elbow resting on Hanta’s desk.

“That’s so cool! Kacchan! Our teachers are really real life heroes!”

“Aa, yeah… but not even big name heroes, huh? Guess they’re too busy. I know I will be, when I’m a top Pro Hero,” Katsuki stated matter of factly. It came as no surprise to anyone that Bakugo was such a brat as a kid.

“Who else teaches us?” Izuku went on, unperturbed.

“Well,” Iida started, adjusting his classes. “Aizawa-sen- Eraserhead is our homeroom teacher. Present Mic teaches us English.”

“No way!” Izuku squeaked excitedly.

“Ectoplasm teaches us Math,” Tsuyu added with a happy grin.

“Whoa, Ectoplasm?” Even Katsuki sounded impressed.

“Midnight is our art teacher,” Mineta added, a touch too eagerly.

Both boys’ cheeks took on a pink hue. They clearly knew who the risque hero was. “M-midnight is a teacher?” Izuku asked timidly.

“Un! But don’t worry, she behaves herself at school,” Ochako added with a teasing wink. Well… mostly she behaved herself at school, she added silently. “And Cementoss teaches our Literature class,” the gravity hero added afterward.

“Even Cementoss is here?!” The boy looked practically over the moon. “Do they only teach us our normal classes or do we get to train with them, too? I wanna train with Ectoplasm and Present Mic!”

“We get to train with all of them, man! It’s the best!” Kirishima crowed cheerfully.

“You really get a feel for the wisdom of their experiences,” Sero added with an easy smile. “It’s pretty cool.”

“And you guys don’t even know the best part,” Mina smirked knowingly, looming over the two boys.

“Yeah? What’s the best part, Pinky?” Katsuki groused, leaning away from the alien-looking girl and closer to his friend.

“Well,” Mina went on, pausing for dramatic effect. “Our Foundational Hero Studies teacher is-”

“ALL MIGHT!” Toru screamed, bouncing excitedly.

“NO WAY!” Katsuki and Izuku both shot straight in their seats, eyes wide as saucers.

“Toru! No fair!” Mina crossed her arms with a pout. “Way to steal my thunder!” Even if the thrill of it had worn off slightly for the other students of Class 1-A, seeing the open shock and awe on Izuku and Katsuki’s faces was priceless.

“We get to learn how to be heroes from All Might?!” Izuku asked, the volume of his voice rising with each word until he was shouting.

“No way…” Katsuki’s voice, on the other hand, was barely a whisper. His chair scraped loudly against the floor as he whirled around to fully face his best friend. “No way! Icchan! We’re learning how to become the next top pros from the top pro! We’re gonna be the best heroes ever!”

It was clear excitement was contagious, grins breaking out amongst Class 1-A.

“The first class we ever had with All Might was memorable, to say the least,” Ochako grinned. “I know that I’ll never forget it.” Though maybe not entirely because they were being trained by the ultimate top hero.

“It must have been so amazing!” Izuku gushed, stars in his eyes.

“Man, I can’t want to remember that!”

At their backs, Kirishima and Kaminari shared looks but decided to hold their tongues.

“Hm,” Momo nodded gently in agreement. “Though to be honest, it did seem that All Might was learning how to be a teacher even as we were learning to be heroes from him. It made for a memorable first class, but he was also clearly in over his head when it came to teaching some of us.”

That earned her twin glares from the quirk struck teens and incredulous stares from everyone else.

“H-he learned quickly, though,” she added sheepishly, holding her hands up in surrender. “Teaching is different from doing, after all. But he has so much invaluable information to share with all of us.”

“Yeah,” Kirishima added with an easy grin. “Thanks to All Might, I’ve been able to take my quirk to the next level.”

“Me too!” Kaminari chimed in.

“He really has very useful advice,” Tokoyami added with a hint of a smile. “Even for quirks that are nothing like his own.”

“Will we get to see him today?” Izuku asked excitedly, practically bouncing in his seat.

The others suddenly went quiet and Ochako internally winced. They hadn’t really thought that through, had they? How would they feel to learn what their hero looked like now? Of course, Deku and Bakugo already knew, better than anyone, really. But… Izu-kun and Bakugo-kun didn’t.

“We might,” Ojiro started, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. “But he’s also been working on a special case with the police. So sometimes he goes to do that and one of the other teachers will fill in for him.” It wasn’t a lie, and he could only hope that they didn’t question it too much further than that.

“Course All Might is still busy as a hero!” Izuku nodded sagely. “I’m surprised he even found the time to teach at UA. He’s always doing something heroic!”

“He came to train Icchan, didn’t he?” Katsuki queried, eyes narrowed suspiciously.

“Eh?” Izuku goggled, his green eyes wide. “M-Me?”

Many in the class shared glances with each other, before turning their attention back to Katsuki. “What would make you think that, Bakugo?” Iida asked, voice carefully neutral.

“Because this is his first year teaching, right? And Icchan’s quirk is like All Might’s. That’s what you said last night. It makes sense that All Might would want to train him. Make him the next Number One.” He didn’t look too happy with his conclusions, glaring sullenly at the ground.

“Me?” Izuku squeaked again, his face going a bright red. “N-No way!” He cried out, hiding his face behind his arms. “That is way too amazing to be true!”

“Ah… well… He does seem to have a special interest in Izuku-kun,” Tsuyu hummed thoughtfully, looking to her classmates to see if anyone other than her thought so.

“He does… seem to spend extra time with Midoriya, doesn’t he?” Sero questioned thoughtfully.

“I thought Midoriya was All Might’s secret love child for a while,” Todoroki admitted in a deadpan tone, earning him several shocked glances.

“It is kind of odd when you think about it,” Kaminari added.

“It… it’s not that odd!” Ochako tried to defend. “It makes sense when you think about it. Izu-kun’s quirk is a powerful one. And it’s a lot like All Might’s.”

“Right,” Iida nodded firmly. “And despite not having any control over his quirk at the start of the school year, Mi- Izuku-kun has been improving in leaps and bounds. It’d make sense that All Might would want to see someone with a similar quirk succeed. Maybe give him the tips he’d wished someone gave him when he was younger.” He paused for a beat. “That’s all speculation, of course.” He looked to Izuku, knowing the boy didn’t have the answer now, but curious all the same.

“Ah… All Might is training me… I… I can’t believe it…. Kacchan! Can- Ah...” The words died on his tongue at the dangerous look on his friend’s face. He’d never really seen that look on Katsuki’s face before. Not like that. Not at him. “Kacchan…?”

Suddenly pushing up to his feet, he slammed his hands down on top of Izuku’s desk, feeling vindicated when the extras surrounding them flinched, though only the slightest bit of smoke pushed out around his flattened palms. “Too bad for All Might!” he exclaimed with a sharp point of his finger directed at his best friend. “Don’t get so full of yourself, Icchan! Because I’m going to be the next Number One!” He widened his stance, jerking his thumb to his point at his own chest. “I’ll surpass both All Might and Icchan with my quirk! No special help needed!”

In that quick spike of righteous temper, Katsuki had sort of forgotten that the two of them were currently the main exhibit in some sort of quirk-related freak show, but the silence that followed was deafening. The idle chatter of the classroom had all died down so that even the students who had been keeping to themselves were now staring at him.

All eyes were on him.

He could feel his face grow hot, the sweat slicking up his palms. Their stares felt heavy on him, with their slack-jawed expressions. Incredulous, doubting, mocking. Judging him, telling him without words that he was just a dumb kid being full of himself. He felt something bristle inside, niggling little doubts that he always kept buried deep under it all.

But he knew he was great! He had the drive, he had the skill, he had the awesome quirk! They were just… they were jealous! They wish they were as good as him! They-

He tensed when a rough, scarred up hand slid into his own, uncaring of the slick slide of his weapon-grade sweat as their fingers intertwined. He jolted up to glare at the source, eyes widening when they met warm, green ones.

“Kacchan?” Izuku’s voice was quiet, almost unsure. But there was still that soft awe in it that made Katsuki’s insides warm, melting the dark prickles until all that was left was a warm, squiggling sensation that was weird, but that he sort of liked.

Those warm eyes squinted shut, freckled cheeks pulling into a smile as Izuku squeezed Katsuki’s hand in his own. “Kacchan, you’re so amazing that you don’t need any help to become a great hero, huh? Not like me. I always need help. Especially Kacchan’s help, but... But we can work hard and we can be number one together. The ultimate hero team, just like we said. Right?”

For a long moment, the two simply looked at each other. Lost in their own world, or communicating silently in a way that only close friends could, no one could really say for sure. Likely both.

To everyone’s shock, the tension drained from Katsuki’s shoulders as he smirked and gave Izuku a firm nod. “Yep. But even if we’re the number one team, I’ll still be number one and you can be number two. Got it?”

Izuku’s bubbling laughter filled the room, green curls bouncing as he nodded. “Yep! Except on my birthday!”

And just like that, the dark rancor that had been filling the room suddenly dissipated.

Izuku clearly had a gift. And that gift was being a Bakugo Katsuki charmer. Or at least it used to be. Even Kirishima’s tactics of dissipating or diverting Katsuki’s angry flare ups were often hit or miss. He doubted he’d ever be able to achieve this level of skill when it came to calming Katsuki down. It was awe-inspiring.

“You two really were childhood friends, huh? I almost didn’t want to believe it,” Todoroki spoke, voice even, but awed at the revelation.

“Dude!” Kirishima exclaimed at the same time that Ochako squeaked out a worried, “Todoroki-kun!”

The fire and ice hero looked between them, clearly not getting the can of worms he had just potentially set free.

“Eh…? O-of course Kacchan and I are friends!” Izuku blinked wide eyes in confusion, the look offset by Katsuki’s narrow-eyed glare. “We’re best friends!”

“Why the shock, Candy Cane?” Katsuki’s tone was worryingly even, and just a little too knowing as he leveled his scrutinizing red gaze on Todoroki.

“Ah…” His mismatched eyes widened in understanding at last. “Oh.”

“Friggin’ genius,” Kaminari groaned with a slap to his forehead, only to yelp when Sero elbowed his side with one of his tape quirk elbows. “Hey!” Though his indignation turned into a grimace at the look both Sero and Kirishima gave him.

“Wh-what’s going on…?” Izuku’s voice quavered nervously, looking to Ochako and Iida for an answer.

The two shared a look before Iida straightened. “I suppose there’s no point in dancing around the subject any longer.”

“Dance around what?” Katsuki seethed quietly, only squeezing Izuku’s hand back when the green haired boy tried to ground him.

“The truth is,” Ochako picked up apprehensively. “Everyone in class knows that Izu-kun and Bakugo-kun knew each other since the two of you were young. That you came from the same school.”

“Yeah. And?” Katsuki snapped. “What are you saying, Round Face?”

Ochako looked around at the others for some backup. She really didn’t want to be the focus of Katsuki’s ire right now.

“No one thought the two of you were ever actually friends, childhood or otherwise.” Todoroki decided to rip off the bandage. “Rather, we were under the impression that you’ve always disliked one another.”

The room grew silent after that bombshell, everyone afraid to even breathe too loudly as they watched the childhood friends for their reaction.

“What…?” Izuku looked around the room as if expecting someone to say that it was just some weird joke. No one did. Rather, they all looked guilty as they turned away from his searching stare. Or maybe pitying. Those large green eyes started to well up with tears. “K-kacchan and I don’t like each other now…?”

“Icchan, don’t lis-” Katsuki started at the same time that Kaminari added “Well… it’s a lot more like Bakugo really hates Midoriya.”

“Hah?!” The ash blond gritted his teeth tightly, smoke escaping his clenched fist on top of Izuku’s desk, his shoulders practically hunched up to his ears.

Izuku jolted in his seat, turning those bright, wet eyes on his best friend. “K-kacchan… hates me…?”

No one had the heart to confirm it, their friends all shifting awkwardly to avoid having to look at them.

The class was deathly silent until Izuku’s hiccuping sobs filled up the space.

“Izu-kun,” Ochako began, reaching out a hand in comfort, only to be rebuffed, Izuku flinching away.

The green-haired boy curled in on himself, sobbing harder. “B-but why? Why does Kacchan hate me? W-what did I do wrong?!”

“Nothing!” Ochako quickly exclaimed. “Izu-kun, you didn’t do anything wrong! It’s just...” She trailed off. She honestly had no idea why Bakugo started being mean to Deku if they had been this close as little kids.

“She’s right, man. Bakubro’s just…” Kirishima winced, looking at Katsuki and feeling like a heel when those fiery red eyes looked at him with something akin to betrayal. “I mean…”

“Bakugo is sort of like that with everyone…?” Mina added with some uncertainty. It was true enough, but it wasn’t like it really made anything better.

“But he did seem to have it out for Midoriya since the start of the school year,” a bored voice added from the desk behind them.

“Mineta!” The others chorused in outrage.

“What?” The grape hero shrugged. “It’s true. Remember our first day of Hero Training with All Might? Bakugo practically killed-.”

“SHUT UP!” Bakugo’s booming scream drowned out all the other noise in the room, especially when it mixed with the sharp explosions that burst from both hands, rattling the windows dangerously. It cut Mineta off as the others winced from the assault to their eardrums.

So there it all was. Out in the open at last. He hadn’t wanted to believe it. Hadn’t wanted it to be true. All the hints he had been trying to ignore since yesterday. The knowing looks, the carefully omitted way they spoke to them. Not just because they thought they were dumb kids who couldn’t understand, but because there was something they absolutely felt they had to hide. Now it was all being thrown in their faces.

He didn’t know what he hated more. Izuku’s soft, shuddering sobs and whimpers? The fat, ugly tears that he tried to hide with his hands, making him unable to meet Katsuki’s gaze? The wracked wheezing breaths that shook his friend’s chest and shoulders? The way his own chest felt tight, cold and hot at the same time. How his eyes burned and blurred with tears he was absolutely not shedding!

No… it was the pitying looks everyone else was throwing at them now. They knew all along who they’d become and lied to them, didn’t even try to warn them. They probably even thought it was funny to see them cling to each other like this until it made Izuku cry.

Katsuki’s vision blurred with shameful wetness and he snarled, furious with his own weakness, with who he was supposed to become. But mostly at these assholes who made Izuku cry.

Fuck them! All of them!

And fuck this future!

Grabbing one of Izuku’s wet hands, then opting for the wrist instead, Katsuki jumped to his feet, pulling the boy up with him.

“K-Kacchan?!” Those bright, watery eyes looked up at him, confused, but ever so trusting, and it only steeled his resolve.

“C’mon, Icchan! Let’s go!” He firmly pulled his best friend with him as he stomped towards the door, baring his teeth angrily as the tall idiot with glasses quickly stood in his way.

“Now wait just a second, Bakugo. Let’s not be-”

“I said, SHUT UP!” Moving faster than he ever thought himself capable of, Katsuki smashed his hand into that insufferable, know-it-all’s face, blasting it directly, with enough force that the asshole jerked back and slumped unconscious to the floor, the cloud of smoke making it impossible to see what sort of damage he had dealt with blasts more powerful than anything he was used to.

“Holy shit!”

“Iida!”

“Kacchan!”

Snarling, Katsuki placed Izuku’s hand on the back of his uniform jacket. “C’mon, Icchan! We’re running!” It’s what they should have done from the beginning. Katsuki’s judgments were always right and his first instinct when he had woken up in this backward world was to take Izuku and run.

He didn’t have to wait to see if Izuku would listen. Izuku always listened to him. Always followed his lead. He felt the tug on his jacket and smirked, mean and ugly. The type of look he gave the bullies before he beat them to a pulp.

Good.

Now with both of his hands free, Katsuki charged forward yet again, setting off various explosions in all directions, pushing his limits to get out as many as he could as quickly as possible until it became nearly impossible to see. Until his hands felt too hot, and even past that, setting everything within his reach alight to add to the chaos for good measure as he raced them out of the room. If this was really a class of future heroes, something like this wouldn’t be anything they couldn’t handle.

He didn’t know where they were going as they made their way out, ignoring the shrill wails of smoke alarms as he continued to release booming flashes of light and set anything he could on fire. All he knew was that he needed to get them out of there!

Fuck this future! Who even needed it?!

And fuck this maze-like school! It took longer than Katsuki would have liked to find a door leading outside. Luckily no one they came across on their way out did more than gape at them with slack jaws and wide eyes, like rows of dead fish at the fish market. At least the smart ones moved out of their way.

“K-Kacchan! W-where… where are we going?!” Izuku asked as he kept close to Katsuki. The blond was impressed that he was keeping up so well. Usually, Izuku would have fallen way behind by now.

And it wasn’t just that Izuku wasn’t falling behind, it looked like he was barely breaking a sweat. Heh, so maybe being in this horrible world was good for one thing. Izuku could keep up with him now.

“Away!” he barked back in answer. And that was enough for Izuku. But it wasn’t the only answer he was gonna get. “This future is bullshit, Icchan! We’re starting over! And we’re gonna do things right! We’ll be best friends and the best hero team!”

Did it make sense? Not really, but when Katsuki said it, Izuku could believe almost anything. “U-un!” He nodded sharply, reaching for Katsuki’s hands now that the smoke show was over, ignoring how overly hot it felt in his hand.

Katsuki took that knobby hand and squeezed hard, ignoring the sharp pain in his own palm that made him want to cry. It didn’t matter right now! He and Izuku not being friends didn’t make sense. And they were supposed to hate each other?! That made even less sense!

But maybe that’s why they were brought here like this. They were being given a second chance. A chance to get things right. And the only right answer was a world where he and Izuku were together.

Chapter Text

They were completely out of breath, that was the only reason they stopped running. Their legs burned, their lungs ached, their hearts felt ready to burst out of their chests, and their vision was swimming. They collapsed onto the floor, flat on their backs and nearly head to head, wheezing as they struggled to get much needed oxygen back into their bodies, staring at the cloud-dotted blue sky above.

They had gotten away. No one had followed them.

Katsuki was pretty sure of it, at least.

It was actually pretty surprising because as they ran out of the school, there had been several people calling out their names, demanding they come back. One of them even looked like Hound Dog! But that couldn’t have been the case, because if Hound Dog had been after them, there was no way they could have escaped him!

But confidence in their successful escape grew stronger as time ticked by and not a single sound could be heard of anyone or anything outside of their own harsh breathing.

“W-wha… w-wh-what now… Ka… Kacchan…?” Izuku finally managed to huff and puff out, tilting his head back until he could see his best friend, even if he was upside down.

“I… I already said… Sss-stupid Icchan…” Katsuki groused breathlessly. He rolled over onto his stomach to better regard the green haired boy. “We’re… we’re gonna start over… I don’t care if we have to leave UA to do it!”

“L-leave UA?!” Izuku yelped. “B-but Kacchan! C-coming to UA was… we always said we’d come here together!” The moment they had learned what UA was, that the best heroes were all students of this prestigious academy, it had quickly become their goal to go to UA as well. And they had made it!

But why did it have to be like this? What had gone wrong?!

The same thoughts ran through Katsuki’s mind. And what’s worse, he got the horrible suspicion that the reason they weren’t friends anymore really was because of him. Not Icchan. Icchan was far too good… But Katsuki? Katsuki knew he could be mean. Knew he said a lot of things that hurt people, that made them angry. He just never thought he’d be mean to Icchan. Not enough that they wouldn’t be friends anymore.

He pushed those annoying thoughts away with a scoff. “We already made it into UA! We’re clearly the best in the class, too!” There was no way any of the losers they left choking on his smoke were better than them. No one even came close! “So we can make it in any other school and still be top heroes! We don’t need UA!”

“I…” For a second, it really looked like Izuku wanted to argue. UA was the best school for heroes, after all. All their favorite heroes had been students of UA. That had to be for a reason, didn’t it? But… Kacchan was never wrong, either. “Okay…” He nodded, not sounding completely convinced. He rolled over to face his best friend, his wide, tearful eyes narrowing with steeled determination. “As long as I can be friends with Kacchan, then anything is okay.”

He took Katsuki’s hand in his own, or tried to, pulling back when the blond yelped and hissed in pain. “Kacchan! Your hands!”

The skin looked inflamed, red, and shiny with blisters bubbling over his palms.

“I’m fine!” Katsuki gritted out, hands curling into fists to try to hide the worst of the damage, his face twitching and contorting as he tried to hide how much it hurt. “I just… never used my quirk that much before…” And it seemed like maybe his older self wasn’t used to that much quirk use, either. He hadn’t even been sure if he could have pulled off his last second plan before he implemented it. But it had worked, and that was all that mattered.

“We… we need to take you to Recovery Girl,” Izuku murmured, looking shamefaced to even imply that Kacchan needed any help.

“NO!” Katsuki yelled. “We’d just be going right back! I’m not some weak crybaby like Icchan! I’m tough enough that even being hurt doesn’t mean anything, so shut up! We need to leave!”

“But Kacchan-”

“Shut up, stupid Icchan! We’re not going back! I already said I’m fine!”

Izuku flinched, his hands balling into fists as he pushed up onto his knees. He didn’t like this. Any of this. But he was so afraid right now of doing anything that might make Katsuki hate him. How could they not be friends anymore? The others had said it wasn’t his fault, but… Kacchan was so amazing, and Izuku was such a weak crybaby… it had to be his fault! It was the only thing that made sense!

So he swallowed his objections and looked at the blond with eyes stinging with held back tears. “O-okay, Kacchan… But… where are we…?”

Though they hadn’t passed UA’s infamous unscalable walls, they were somehow in what looked like a big city area with wide streets and towering buildings. Only there weren’t any other people around. Not a single soul in sight. It scared the green haired boy, pressing closer to his protector. “I… I don’t like this place, Kacchan…”

“Don’t start crying, Icchan,” Katsuki grumbled even as he got back to his feet, offering Izuku a hand up despite how much his hand stung and throbbed. “I’m still gonna protect you. Until you learn to use your quirk again.”

Izuku’s eyes widened. He’d forgotten for a moment that he had a quirk now. A very strong quirk. He nodded quickly, even as he grabbed Katsuki by the wrist instead of his hand to pull himself up to his feet. “O-okay, Kacchan. Just promise… promise that no matter what, you won’t start hating me?”

“Tch!” Katsuki scoffed. “Like that’ll ever happen! I won’t let anyone get between us! Not even our own stupid, older selves! We’re gonna be better than them!”

“A lofty goal, Young Bakugo,” A soft, deep voice spoke from behind the two boys, making them jump in place, whirling around on the spot. “Though I have no doubt in my mind that someone like you could accomplish it if you were given sufficient time.”

The man was incredibly tall, much taller than even the two of them who were currently also much taller than they were used to being. He had sunny blond hair and bright, blue eyes within deeply sunken sockets. His skin was stretched tight over a sharp, gaunt face, thin lips pulled back into an unimpressed line. The clothes he wore seemed several sizes too big for him, thin and tightly corded arms sticking out from the wide sleeves of his white shirt only giving him a more skeletal looking appearance.

“Ground Beta again,” the man tsked as he looked around. “Why is it always Ground Beta with the two of you?”

The two boys took a defensive step back, though Katsuki held up a hand in warning, explosive sparks crackling over his palm, the boy gritting his teeth against the pain. “Get away! I’ll blow you up!”

“Kacchan!” Deku cried out in alarm, only to be pushed further back.

“Stay back, Icchan! I won’t let this creep hurt you!”

“Creep?” The man blanched incredulously. He was ignored.

“But you’re hurt!” Izuku blurted out nervously.

“Shut up!” Katsuki snapped, angry that Icchan could be so stupid as to point out a weakness to a villain. “Stay back and let me protect you!”

“Boys, you don’t-” The man tried to interject, but was ignored again, talked over like he wasn’t even there.

“No!” Izuku yelled, shocking the ash blond into stillness, muscles locking tight. He pulled at Katsuki’s arm, both of them surprised by how easily he managed to manhandle his taller and stronger looking friend, pulling Katsuki behind him. It gave Izuku a new burst of confidence in his own capability. “I won’t just… just stay back! You’re already hurt, Kacchan! I… I can be strong, too!” He could be the one to protect Kacchan this time. He had to!

“Boys…” a resigned voice tried to interrupt again, knowing he’d only be further ignored

With a frightening strength of his own, Katsuki yanked his arm out of Izuku’s hold, teeth bared angrily “You calling me weak, Icchan?!”

It was Izuku’s turn to be stunned into stillness. “W-what?” He turned back to look at Katsuki in shock, the ‘enemy’ before them forgotten. “No! Kacchan! That’s not-”

The blond snarled, cutting Izuku off. “You think that just because you have a quirk now that you’re better than me?!”

“No! I don’t think- I’m not-” What was happening? Why was Kacchan being like this all of a sudden?

Katsuki himself couldn’t explain it. But the idea that Izuku would look down at him made something dark and ugly explode in his chest, like a popped bubble of gross, black sludge that clung to everything inside of him. Made him want to make Izuku feel that ugly feeling, too. So that he’d never do it again. “You think you can just look down on me?!” The thought clawed at his chest, hot and ugly, filling him with a revolting feeling he couldn’t name, but didn’t like at all. “Huh, Icchan?!”

Izuku shook his head emphatically. “I… I don’t think that, Kacchan! Not even a little! I just… I want to help y-”

“I don’t need help from a useless, shitty crybaby like you!” He roared, shoving at the green haired boy’s chest angrily. “You’re nothing! You don’t even know how to do anything! Not even how to use your own quirk!” The words wouldn’t stop coming, wouldn’t stop spilling like poison from his mouth. “You’re just… you’re just a deku!”

The word echoed in the empty cityscape with deafening finality, hanging heavy in the space between them.

The wind howled through the empty streets, contrasting the deafening silence that suddenly ballooned between them.

They stared at one other, the half meter of space between them feeling like a yawning canyon. Katsuki with a fierce glare and Izuku with large, hurt eyes filled with tears. “K-kacchan…” Izuku’s voice wavered as the first tears raced down his cheeks, the opening of the floodgates. “D-do you hate me now…?”

“Ah-” The question was asked so softly and sadly that it swept away all the gross blackness that had burst inside him, leaving Katsuki feeling empty and cold instead. His eyes slowly widened as a new revelation dawned on him.

Was this it…? Was this what made them stop being friends? Katsuki couldn’t handle that Izuku would want to help and rescue him, too? That Izuku wouldn’t always just be… the damsel in distress? The one in need of Katsuki’s saving?

The plan had always been to become hero partners together, but… He didn’t like the feeling of being the helpless one. Of being the one who needed saving. Even though that was what Izuku always was and he never once complained. Always had eager praises spilling from his lips even when Katsuki messed up.

Why did he hate it so much?

“Kacchan!” Izuku’s desperate plea brought the blond out of his thoughts. “Kacchan, please… please don’t hate meeee-hee-heee-heeeee!” Izuku wailed, torrents of tears bursting free, blubbering his words. “Kaccha-haa-haaa! I’m shhhorreee-heee!” Slim shoulders hunched in like Izuku was caving in on himself as he clutched his hands over his chest, scratching down as he sucked in thick breaths and wailed louder.

“Ah!” Katsuki’s eyes widened in shock, then panic. “H-hey! S-stop!”

The distress was obvious in Katsuki’s voice, in the way his arms flapped uselessly as he struggled internally on whether or not he should hug the other boy to him, kiss him to calm him down, or smack some sense into him so he'd stop crying. “I-Icchan, don’t cry! Please don’t cry!” The plea felt heavy and dirty on his tongue, but he was desperate. “I… I don’t hate you!" He tried, but the green-haired boy only bawled louder, beyond listening. It really ticked him off. "Knock it off!” He stamped his foot angrily. “Listen to me, dammit!” He only realized he had made a decision to act once he was already pulling Izuku into a tight hug, pressing a kiss to the top of his head, squeezing the smaller body to his chest.

“Don’t hay-ate meeeee!" Izuku bawled even louder, letting go of himself to cling to his friend. Deceptively strong arms wrapped tightly around Katsuki's back. They were both training to be heroes, so of course it made sense that Izuku was strong. But his arms looked nothing at all like Katsuki’s did, thick and defined. And yet they clung so tightly it squeezed the breath out of his lungs. "D-Do-ohn’t stop be-being my fre-hend! I- I’ll do anything! Please! I’m sorreeee!” The green haired boy was crying waterfalls, soaking Katsuki in seconds, making the blond very uncomfortable.

He never knew what to do when Izuku got like this. It was usually so easy to get him to stop crying. A few harsh words or a distraction, or even a quick kiss and he’d bounce back good as new. But when that didn’t work…? Katsuki had no idea what he was supposed to do. He wasn’t that great with weak-ass cry baby emotions to begin with, which stung since he was usually good at everything. Not knowing what to do made him feel helpless, and he hated that more than anything.

A heavy sigh, and a soft tsk jolted both boys out of their hysterics. “You young boys… Honestly.” The tall villain man was still there. They’d forgotten about him completely. With his evil looking sunken eyes and scary face that seemed to be pulled in a permanent grimace. Like a living skeleton.

How could they have forgotten he was there?

At least the reminder was enough to stop Izuku’s wailing, his breath hiccuping in fear as he clung to Katsuki all over again.

“Never a dull moment with the two of you, is there? It’s actually surprising how much is different and yet still the same.”

The two boys looked at the weird man with clear distrust, Katsuki a glare, Izuku's brows pinched in concern, tears still dotting the corners of his eyes. The way he spoke, it was like he knew them. And maybe he did. They likely met tons of new people as they grew older.

But… wasn’t pretending to be someone they knew the sort of exact thing a villain would do if they knew they were vulnerable with memory loss? But this was also UA. Villains couldn’t get into UA. Not ever!

But… was this still UA? Did UA have an empty city inside the school walls? Was that a thing? They never crossed the walls that would take them out of the school grounds properly, after all.

The tall man could see their distrust and sighed heavily, fisting a knobby boned hand through his wild, golden hair. “You two have caused quite the stir when you ran from your classroom. You destroyed a great deal of school property and started several fires along the way. Luckily no one was seriously injured. Not even Young Iida, who I was told took a blast from Young Bakugo straight to his face. There won’t be any lasting damage, at least.”

Taking a deep breath, the man regarded the two of them like a disappointed father. “I’m running out of favors to call on to keep the two of you out of the worst of the trouble you could be facing. And to make sure that I’m the one who could get to you first. The other teachers might not be quite as understanding of the trouble the two of you constantly seem to find yourselves in.”

“And who even asked you to do that, huh?!” Katsuki growled, not liking that he was being lectured by this guy who looked like a classic scary movie villain. “Who the fuck are you?!”

Blue eyes seemed to disappear and reappear several times into the black of his sockets in what must have been blinking, then he sighed once again. “Of course the two of you wouldn’t know me as you are right now.”

“D-do we know you…?” Izuku’s timid voice barely carried over.

With a show of teeth that was probably meant to be a smile, the skeleton man nodded his head. “You do know me, Young Midoriya. You and Young Bakugo. I’ve been helping you train over the last year to help strengthen your body to handle your quirk. I named you my successor.”

Izuku goggled, glancing from the man to Katsuki and then back. “M-me? Who…?”

“Just tell us already, you old bag of bones!”

The tall man coughed and wheezed in shock. “B-bag of-. Geez, were you always holding back this much with me, Young Bakugo?”

“Shut up already and just tell us who you are!”

With a soft groan, the man’s shoulders slumped, fisting his hand through his hair again. “Very well.” He muttered something about today’s youth having absolutely no manners before he cleared his throat. He drew himself up tall and straight, taking in a deep breath to try to make himself look fuller. “There is no need to fear anymore, children. Why?” He placed fisted hands on his hips, puffing up his chest wider. “Because I am here!”

Two sets of eyes blinked slowly, clearly baffled.

“Haah?”

Izuku seemed to cotton on a second faster. “A-are you… All Might?”

“No fucking way!”

Dropping the ‘mighty’ pose, the tall blond rubbed the back of his head rather sheepishly. “Hit the nail right on the head, Young Midoriya. Clever as always. And Young Bakugo, if you would please mind your language a little bit, I would deeply appreciate it.”

“No. No way! There’s no way!” Bakugo jeered, pointing an accusing finger at this horrible All Might impersonator. “There’s no way in hell that you could be the greatest hero who ever lived! Fuck you for pretending you could ever be All Might!”

“Kacchan!”

“What a joke! Like a creepy sack of bones could ever be All Might!”

“I am who I say I am, Young Bakugo.” All Might knew that this was coming, but it still stung. “I have no reason to lie to you.”

“A villain would have every reason to lie!” Katsuki barked back, snarling when Izuku squeezed his arm.

“H-how…” the green haired boy spoke up timidly. “H-how do we know f-for sure that… that you’re All Might, sir?”

“Don’t call him sir, Icchan! The guy’s a liar!”

“I assure you, I’m not lying,” All Might tried to interject, his tone already weary.

“Then prove it!”

The skeletal man looked between the two of them, taking in their distrustful expressions, their defensive stances. He sighed.

“Very well. I shouldn’t be doing this. I cannot hold onto this form for more than a couple of seconds anymore. But if I hope to gain your trust in me, I suppose I have little other choice.”

The two watched on, one rapt, the other skeptic. Under their watchful gazes, the tall, skeletal man suddenly exploded into smoke, or maybe steam, and when it cleared, the living legend of a hero, the world’s Number One top hero stood before them.

“ALL MIGHT!” “NO WAY!” The two boys cried out at the same time, stars in their eyes.

“HAHA!” The mighty hero’s signature laugh boomed, then turned into a hacking cough as All Might reverted back to his scary, emaciated self, blood spraying from his mouth.

“What the fuck?!” Katsuki screeched as Izuku screamed in terror, the two of them rushing forward to help their favorite hero who was clearly in need.

“All Might! You’re really All Might! All Might, what happened?!” Izuku sobbed as he clung to the former Number One hero’s side.

“I…” All Might fumbled for words, not used to such open displays of affection from Izuku. Let alone Katsuki, who was currently checking him for injury, poking his body in various places. “I’m alright, boys. R-really,” he yelped and winced when the blond poked his injured side. Well… he was as alright as he could ever hope to be anymore.

But those red eyes were perceptive, leaving the sensitive spot alone.“How did you get like this?” Katsuki asked, stepping back and fixing his favorite hero with an accusatory glare. Like it was his fault that he looked like this now.

Well… the boy wouldn’t be wrong for thinking it.

“It’s a long story. But if you two boys would be so kind as to follow me back to the school, I’d be willing to share some of that story with you.” They already knew the story. At least Izuku did. But Katsuki was privy to the secret of One For All, anyway. “I’ve spoken with Aizawa-”

“Who?” Izuku blinked wide eyes.

“Eraserhead, dummy!” Katsuki scoffed.

“Oh right! A-are we in trouble?”

All Might sighed. “Some. But if the two of you promise to behave yourselves and stay with me for the rest of the day, I’m sure most of it could be forgiven.”

“We… We get to spend all day with All Might?” Izuku asked in awe, looking up at All Might like he hung the stars in the sky.

It was slightly uncomfortable. It was even more adoring than the way Izuku looked at him when they first met. All Might grinned sheepishly. “Yes, but I’m afraid it won’t be anything exciting. Just some tea and snacks while I make sure the two of you don’t run off again.”

“That’s okay!” Izuku gushed. “That’s awesome! I get to spend the day with All Might! Me and Kacchan!” Izuku beamed at the ash blond, their earlier spat now long forgotten in his mind. “That’s so cool, right Kacchan?!”

Fierce red eyes were glaring daggers at the former hero, fingers flexing like he was ready to attack if he had to. “No! I ain’t going with you! And neither is Icchan!”

“W-wha?! Kacchan!” Izuku gasped, absolutely scandalized. They were literally being saved by All Might right now and Katsuki was saying no?! “Kacchan, it’s All Might!”

“No!” Katsuki insisted with a snarl. “We already said, Icchan! We’re leaving UA and this dumb future where we hate each other! And no one's gonna stop us!” He glared daggers at the pro hero. “Not even All Might!”

“Ah… I…” The green haired boy was torn. Glad that Katsuki didn’t seem to hate him now, but also worried about running away from UA and ruining their future as heroes. But… how could he go against All Might? Bright green eyes turned to his hero in supplication, near tears all over again. “D-do we really hate each other, All Might?”

“Oh… my dear boys… Is that what all this has really been about?” It really was heartbreaking that two boys that were fiercely loyal to each other became so damn close to becoming enemies. “You have it all wrong. I will admit that the two of you had a rough start of it this year. There were a lot of misunderstandings between the two of you. A lot of old resentment But it’s gotten better. I’ve seen it for myself.”

“R-really?” Izuku sniffed, wiping at the unshed tears. “W-wait… so we do hate each other? O-or we don’t? We did…?” The boy pouted as his thoughts twisted around in circles

“I wouldn’t say you hated each other,” All Might hummed thoughtfully, scratching his pointy chin. Definitely not anymore, at least.

Izuku gasped, eyes bright and hopeful. “We don’t?”

“No,” All Might confirmed softly with a gentle smile. “Though I would say that your relationship with each other is rather… complicated.”

“Complicated.” Katsuki deadpanned, mistrust dripping from his voice. “What’s that mean?”

“It means complicated, Young Bakugo,” All Might sighed. “You are always trying to be better than each other. To prove yourselves the better hero.”

“So we do fight,” Katsuki accused.

“Well, yes,” All Might finally conceded. “I won’t lie and say that you don’t fight. Your last fight was here in this testing ground just a few weeks ago.”

“So we hate each other,” Katsuki went on to conclude.

“N-no! All Might said we didn’t!” Izuku sniffled, bottom lip quivering.

Bakugo glared fiercely at his hero, shaking his head. “It doesn’t matter if we hated each other before! Cuz we’re going to change it! So that we never hated each other to begin with!”

All Might felt his heart ache for the fierce determination in Katsuki’s bright eyes, the young blond fighting off tears with all his might. “I’m afraid we cannot change what has already passed so easily, Young Bakugo. Though I’m sure there are many who wish they could. We cannot change the past, but you can change how things will go between the two of you from now on. I would say that the two of you are already working on doing just that. If you ever truly hated each other, you certainly do not now. If I had to say you two were anything, I’d call you rivals.”

“Rivals?” Wide green eyes goggled curiously. “What’s that?”

“People who fight each other to prove who's better,” Katsuki answered, arms crossed over his chest sullenly.

“Well… yes,” the former Number One acquiesced with a sigh. “But rivals don’t have to hate one another. Sometimes rivals can be each other’s best friend.”

“They can?” Those big, hopeful sparkles were back in Izuku’s eyes.

“I don’t buy it,” Katsuki groused, but even he didn’t look so confident in his belief.

“Of course!” All Might boomed confidently, eager to get the two boys away from their dark, spiraling thoughts of lost friendships. Oh, the simplicities of youth. “Rivals motivate one another to become better than they already are. To never settle. And the two of you are such fierce, competitive rivals!

“We make each other better?” Izuku murmured softly, looking at Katsuki hopefully. Katsuki who just rolled his eyes. But Izuku knew his best friend very well. The tension was gone from his shoulders.

“Oh yes,” All Might assured with what was likely meant to be a soft smile. “I’ve never seen two young, aspiring heroes quite like the two of you. Young Midorya, you’re always striving to be as fierce and fearless as Young Bakugo in a battle. And Young Bakugo, no one can push you to think outside the box and figure out new strategies like Young Midoriya can. You’re both better heroes because of each other.

“The way you both improve so quickly, to surpass yourselves and each other. It’s an inspiration! And I have no doubt that it’s that same competitiveness that has rubbed off on all of your classmates, and even the other class in the heroes course. This year’s class 1A and 1B have been advancing and improving at a rate not seen in years.”

“So we’re so awesome, we make people around us awesome,” Katsuki concluded with a smug little smile.

All Might chuckled. “I suppose that could be one way of looking at it.” Of course young Bakugo had carried that superiority complex of his from a young age. Though it was much more fragile than he had ever anticipated, considering how defensive he got about being seen as weak. At least it was somewhat endearing at the moment.

“Told you we were the best in our class, Icchan!”

“I can’t believe it!”

The former Number One hero could only shake his head in amusement. “Now that things are settled, how about we head back?”

Izuku gasped aloud, stars in his eyes. “Ah! That’s right! If we go back we can spend all day with All Might!”

Trying not to grimace with embarrassment, All Might nodded. “It seems to be that way, Young Midoriya.”

“Aaah! That’s so cool! Kacchan! Kacchan! We get to spend all day with All Might!” Izuku enthused, grabbing Katsuki by the shoulder and giving it an excited shake

“Yeah, I heard, stupid Icchan! I ain’t deaf!” Katsuki huffed, though there was a bright gleam in his eyes, too. A gleeful tug at his lips that he couldn’t suppress. He sucked in a sharp breath, looking at All Might evenly. “Fine. We’ll go with you, All Might. On one condition.”

“Oh?” All Might chuckled, amused that Katsuki thought he had any room to negotiate in this situation. “What’s your condition, Young Bakugo?”

The ash blond grinned, showing off sharp canines. “I want All Might to tell me all his greatest tips for fighting villains.”

“Oh! Oh!” Izuku squeaked excitedly. “Me too! I have so many questions, All Might! So much I wanna know!”

All Might chuckled. “Why doesn’t that surprise me at all?” He tapped his chin, humming as if he was really thinking over the boys’ requirement to follow him. “Very well, that seems a fair trade. I’ll answer your questions and give you my best tips.”

“Yessss!” The two boys cheered, Katsuki pumping a fist and Izuku jumping in place.

All Might couldn’t help but laugh at their enthusiasm. “Now now, settle down boys. Shall we get going?”

“Yes!” The two boys chirped in answer.

“Very well.” The tall blond took a step, then stilled, eyes widening.

A hand had slipped into his own, scarred and knobby. Surprised eyes turned to the large, bright green eyes of one Midoriya Izuku. The next moment his other hand was similarly occupied by the explosive roughtened hand of one Bakugo Katsuki, hot and maybe a bit tender at the moment, his hold nothing more than a loose curl, skin barely touching. He looked from one side to the other, meeting two eager and expectant stars.

“Ah…” He cleared his throat, reassuringly squeezing both hands. “Right, let’s go.” He had to remind himself that these teenage boys that usually tried to act so cool around him currently thought they were four years old. It would be strange if they didn’t try to cling to him.

And they were in his care now.

“Now then. We’ll start with a quick trip to see Recovery Girl so she can look over Young Bakugo’s hands.”

“I’m fine!” Katsuki groused, face flushed and ears going a ruddy red.

“No! Kacchan’s hands are hurt!”

“Shut up, stupid!”

The retired hero had the feeling that he was going to miss this version of his students before the day was through.

Chapter Text

This was far from the the first time that All Might had the two powerhouse upstarts from class 1-A sitting with him in his office for tea and snacks. Midoriya Izuku was his successor after all. He often came to All Might for advice and tips, both about his quirk, being a hero, and just life in general.

And now Bakugo Katsuki knew of their secret. And the brash young man had designated himself… All Might wasn’t entirely sure. Probably Young Midoriya’s sparring partner. Someone who could help Izuku perfect his control of the quirk he had now made his own, as well as, no doubt, keeping Young Bakugo in the loop of Izuku’s advancements with said quirk, thus giving himself an edge when it came to countering all the ways he’d helped Izuku advance.

And likely strictly for the purpose of then proving to himself that he would still be better than the successor of the powerful quirk One for All at his best. Better than Izuku. Better than All Might, even.

It was complicated. As was everything when it came to these two childhood friends. That was one of the first things the former Number One hero had learned about them. When it came to each other, everything about Izuku and Katsuki was complicated.

No, this was not the first time All Might had the boys in his office. He doubted it’d be the last.

But it was the first time that the boys hadn’t sat on opposite sides of the couch across from their mentor. Rather if they were any closer to one another there wouldn’t be enough space to fit a sheet of paper between them.

The tall blond tried not to stare at the unusual sight as he set down a plate of daifuku in the middle of the table between them, tea already served and gently steaming in their cups. He didn’t want to call attention to the oddity of it; remind the boys once again that their future was nothing at all like the past that they knew. That they were not close.

He also held his tongue from commenting on how the closeness seemed forced. Not because they didn’t appear to want to be close, but rather that they were going out of their way to show that they still did. After that blow up on Ground Beta, the retired hero could almost understand why. They had something to prove. To themselves. To each other. And it was for the best if All Might could just pretend he didn’t notice it.

But from the petulant glare Katsuki was giving him, it was clear that he wasn’t doing a good enough job. The young ash blond was daring him to comment on it.

“Ah! Thank you for the snacks, All Might!” Izuku chirped happily. “Kacchan! We’re having snacktime with All Might! Isn’t that awesome?!”

“Yeah,” Katsuki replied tersely. “It’s amazing.”

Izuku seemed not to notice the tension Katsuki was filling the room with, eagerly grabbing a couple of the sweet, toasted snacks. He popped one into his mouth with an adorable squeak of a hum.

“Think nothing of it, young lad. Young Bakugo, you’re welcome to have as many as you like as well. You need to keep your energy up. Recovery Girl uses your own body’s energy to help heal your injuries.”

It had been a pretty quick visit, overall. Recovery Girl had informed a very concerned Izuku that not only would Katsuki’s hands heal without lingering or permanent damage, but that Iida was fine and well, too. The young man had even returned to his lessons already.

Katsuki’s lip curled, but it was Izuku who spoke up. “Kacchan doesn’t like sweet things.”

“Ah, I see…” He had heard that about Katsuki before, but somehow he thought it was an added front to the gruff boy’s sour demeanor. It was interesting to learn that it had always been true. “My apologies.”

“Ah… It’s alright. You didn’t know…” the young blond muttered, suddenly shy. With a soft huff, he picked up a treat and popped it into his mouth, chewing and swallowing it down quickly as if just to appease his favorite hero. Now that was truly surprising. Afterward, Katsuki picked up his cup of tea carefully and took a sip, nodding when he was satisfied with the flavor.

All Might couldn’t help but smile. To think that Young Bakugo had once been shy and thoughtful. And to think that he could still look somehow endearing acting shy even in a surly teenage body. Life was full of little surprises. “I’ll treat you to whatever you like for lunch.”

Red eyes usually fixed into a glare widened in surprise. “Really?”

“Of course, Young Bakugo. Just name it.” He was sure he could get Lunch Rush to make it for them.

The young blond thought about that for a moment. “Ah… Katsudon?” He muttered, his voice oddly shy again.

“Wha-” Izuku gasped, baffled. “But we had katsudon for dinner!”

Katsuki’s cheeks pinked, embarrassed to have been caught in a lie. And in front of All Might of all people! He glared at the green haired boy, lips twisted into what could only be described as a pout. “Well, I want to eat it again!” His eyes widened slightly, brows rased in an obvious tell that his friend should just drop the subject there.

Oblivious, Izuku pouted right back. “But Katsudon is my favorite. Kacchan likes spicy curry!”

Katsuki growled in frustration. “Shut up, Icchan!” His pink cheeks darkened to a far more telling red and he crossed his arms indignantly “All Might said whatever I want and I want katsudon! So we’re gonna eat katsudon!”

“But…” Izuku tried to argue again, brows furrowed thoughtfully.

“But what? You wanna fight about it?!” Katsuki snapped, pushing away from his friend to face him, healed hands clenched tightly, angry and ready to fight once again. Why did Icchan have to keep being so difficult? Why did he have to embarrass him in front of All Might?

“N-no!” Izuku scrambled back until he bumped into the arm of the couch, whining when the blond loomed over him. “Stoppit, Kacchan!” He flailed his arms in front of him to ward the angry teen away, overwhelmed tears dotting the corners of his eyes. “I don’t wanna fight! I just… just…” he faltered, sniffling softly

“Just. What?!” Katsuki hissed, temper quickly rising.

“If we…” Izuku started, then stopped, trying to find the right words, nervously pulling on his fingers.

“What? Spit it out!”

“Kacchan will get bored if we only do what I want!” Izuku blurted out finally, face screwed up with the nerve he had to summon to get out such bold truths. He hiccuped, startled by the volume of his own voice, then emboldened by his own daring. “I… I don’t want Kacchan to be bored with me! I want Kacchan to still be my friend!”

And there they were again.

“Icchan…” The anger dissipated like water through a sieve, stunned red eyes meeting watery green ones.

“I don’t mind always doing what Kacchan wants to do! Because Kacchan always has good ideas,” Izuku started speaking a mile a minute, clasping one of Katsuki’s hands in both of his own. “And Kacchan doesn’t like it when people tell him what to do, anyway. A-and I don’t mind. I… I really don’t! So… so it’s better if we do what Kacchan wants! Th-that way Kacchan doesn’t get bored or… or mad… or… or… hay- OW!” He yelped when Katsuki’s knuckles knocked against the side of his head, tears springing to his eyes. “Kacchan! That hurt!”

“Good! Because that was stupid!” Katsuki snapped. “We don’t always do what I want to do!”

“Ah… umm…” Izuku stuttered sheepishly, rubbing the sore spot on his head, refusing to meet Katsuki’s eyes.

“Wait…” Katsuki’s eyes slowly widened with dawning comprehension. Did they always do what he wanted? Sure, they did what he wanted a lot, he’d just been thinking that morning that it was annoying when Icchan went against what he said he wanted to do, but. But that wasn’t how it always was! They also did things that Icchan wanted to do…

Right?

He tried to think back to a time when they had done what Izuku wanted. Besides the few times that Katsuki chose to do something that he knew Izuku would like to do, nothing at all was coming to mind. It was always just… what he wanted to do. All their plans were always decided by him. And sure, his ideas were great, but… but…

“I… I like Kaccan’s ideas,” Izuku reiterated softly. “That’s why it’s okay that we always do what Kacchan wants,” he explained gently, like he could tell exactly what kind of storm was brewing in Katsuki’s head.

“You…” Katsuki’s voice was barely a whispered hiss, body tense, shaking with building pressure waiting to explode. “You IDIOT!” Katsuki snarled, suddenly launching himself at Izuku, toppling them both to the floor. He pushed and shoved at his friend in mimicry of throwing actual blows, though he did slap down on his chest particularly hard.

“Wah! K-kacchan! I- S-sto-! I! AH!” Izuku tried his best to dodge and duck around Katsuki’s attacks, but this wasn’t anything like their usual play battles. Katsuki was actually mad at him, was actually trying to hit him without outright punching him like he would the bullies. “Ka-ah-acchan!” He whimpered, tears rushing down his cheeks as he tried in vain to block those flat palmed strikes over his face and chest. “Stop!”

Katsuki wasn’t listening to anything Izuku had to say anymore. “Idiot! Stupid!” All this time! Even back in their time! When he thought everything was great and perfect between them! “Fucking moron!” The groundwork had already been set. Because Icchan was a crybaby coward who couldn’t say anything against him! “Stupid Icchan!” And because Katsuki never stopped to think past himself. “Brainless loser!” He was so stupid. “Useless!” He was selfish. “DEKU!” The last was bellowed as the blond reared back, fist pulled back and ready to deliver an actual punch, only for a large, bony hand to close gently but firmly around his forearm.

“I think that’s quite enough, Young Bakugo,” All Might spoke softly, sunken eyes infinitely sad. He gently tugged on Katsuki’s arm, encouraging the boy away from Izuku’s prone form on the floor.

Katsuki’s breath hitched, chest heaving with panting breaths as he stared at All Might with wide, startled eyes, like a deer caught in the headlights. His all-time favorite hero just stopped him from hitting Icchan… like… like he was a villain All Might had to put a stop to.

Like Katsuki was the bad guy.

“A-All Might… I… I…”

He hated the pitying look the diminished hero was giving him, letting go of his arm to gently pat the top of his head.

“You’re alright, Young Bakugo.”

But he wasn’t. He had been feeling more and more like a bad guy ever since he first woke up in this future world where he and Icchan weren’t even friends anymore. Where everyone acted like him being mean, especially to Icchan, was the most normal thing in the world. They made it clear that he was the one that ended his friendship with Icchan, that he was the one always angry and picking fights, especially with Icchan. And everyone was just so used to it. Like it was just… normal!

Katsuki acting like a bully- like a damn villain towards Izuku was fucking normal! He hated it! He hated his older self!

And now the number one hero in Japan, in the world, was acting like Katsuki was someone he had to stop from doing something horrible.

He had been about to do something horrible. He’d been about to hit Izuku… Really hit him! Not just play fighting! And Izuku wasn’t an older kid trying to bully them. He wasn’t a strange adult being weird with them. He was Icchan! Crybaby Icchan who could never be mean to anyone if his life depended on it!

Katsuki was the bad one… that was clear now. And apparently, it hadn’t just been something he somehow became at some unknown point in their future. It was something he might have been doing all along and hadn’t even noticed! Getting worse and worse until it was too late. And Icchan never said anything, either! He acted like it was normal, too! Had Katsuki just been bad all along?

His vision blurred with sudden tears that welled up and spilled down his cheeks against his will, sniffling and wiping at them angrily. But they just kept coming, dripping down his chin. “Uh… uh huu…” And now he was sobbing! It was embarrassing and he couldn’t even stop it! He hated this. He hated crying. Only stupid weaklings cried!

And Icchan… who was definitely weak, but he was still brave even if he was weak. Which sometimes annoyed Katsuki, too.

“Kacchan…” Blurry green moved in front of his tear-filled gaze, forming into the wobbly face of Izuku as he moved in closer. “Kacchan! Please don’t cry!” There was a red mark on the left side of his face from where Katsuki had hit him particularly hard, his cheek a little swollen. Proving to Katsuki more than ever that he was the bad guy in this.

His stomach felt sour. Stupid, sweet daifuku!

“Gettaway…” He shoved the green haired boy away half-heartedly. He sniffled, then huffed in exasperation when Izuku tried to get in his space again, a gentle hand on his shoulder. “Jus’ leave me ‘lone!” He cried out in exasperation, shoving him away again. “Stupid Icchan…” He tried and failed to get his shoulders to just stop shaking. It was all he could do to not fall into another round of shameful sobbing.

But Izuku just wouldn’t listen to him, scooting closer to the blond again. “Kacchan is crying. I can’t-” he started, but seemed to lose the words.

He looked down and away for a moment, cheeks pinking. What was that about? But before Katsuki could ask what weird things were going through Izuku’s mind, the green haired boy seemed to find his resolve and surged forward. Their lips collided rather hard and Katsuki was stunned still, eyes wide in shock, unable to get his body to move.

In seconds it gentled to something soft and warm, but it lingered. Much longer than the quick, shy pecks that Katsuki usually gave to Izuku to get him to stop fussing or crying. Even longer than the kiss they’d shared last night that had made his stomach flip.

It felt warmer, too, and Izuku’s lips were moving, making Katsuki’s insides squirm in a way that he wasn’t sure he liked but didn’t dislike enough to push Izuku away. And just when he thought he should probably be doing something, too, Izuku finally drew back, leaving Katsuki’s lips feeling hot and tingly.

It had definitely stopped his crying.

“Kacchan…?” Izuku’s voice was soft, barely above a whisper. It made Katsuki realize that he had closed his eyes at some point, lids flying open so fast, he had almost expected to hear a snapping sound.

Wide red eyes locked with brilliant green for a moment before they flickered to all directions on Izuku’s face. The other boy’s face was red from more than just Katsuki’s blow to his cheek, his lips looked just a little redder and plumper than usual and Katsuki would bet that he probably looked exactly the same.

That hadn’t been at all like any sort of kiss the two of them had shared before. It was more like… more like the actual kiss the hero had shared with the damsel in distress in the movie. To reassure her that everything would be okay.

Izuku was telling him that everything would be okay.

That should have pissed him off! The hero was supposed to be the one to reassure the damsel with a kiss, right? That’s how it worked! And Katsuki was no fucking damsel! He was always the hero! Always!

But having Izuku be the one to start the kiss felt… nice. It made his heart race like it did when they did something fun and exciting, like running through the woods by their neighborhood, like in a game of tag and Katsuki was just meters away from home base with Izuku hot on his tail. Like the first time he jumped off the diving board at the pool. Like it did the first time Katsuki’s quirk presented itself. It niggled something in the back of his mind, and it filled his stomach with butterflies.

The astonished look on Izuku’s red face let him know that maybe the other boy felt the same.

He… He wanted to do it again. Before he knew it, he was leaning in to do just that, eyes focused on Izuku’s lips that parted with a soft little gasp. There was an answer there. Like he could almost remember everything he had forgotten.

But a soft, low cough and the clearing of a throat gave Katsuki pause before his lips could touch Izuku’s again. Izuku who squeaked, face somehow turned even redder.

Large, bony hands landed on both of their heads, patting and fluffing up their hair. If it had been anyone other than All Might, Katsuki might have shoved them off.

“Are… Are you boys alright?” He asked after another soft clearing of his throat. He looked strangely thoughtful, like he had just figured out a secret.

“Yep!” Izuku chirped with a bright smile that was only a little forced, missing the strange look on All Might’s face. But Katsuki didn’t. “We’re okay now, All Might!”

“Young Bakugo?” All Might tilted his head to the shorter blond for confirmation.

Katsuki huffed, irritably rubbing at his cheek. It still felt way too warm for his liking. “Yeah, m’fine…” he grumbled.

“Glad to hear it,” the retired hero said with a gentle smile. He really was different from the booming impactful presence he usually presented during his rescues and heroics. Gentle and more personable. He took a deep breath and then let it out slowly. “I think we need to have a talk now, though. There seems to be a few things in the air between the two of you that need to be cleared.”

Izuku nodded sheepishly, clearly deferring to the hero’s expertise.

“Why?” Katsuki groused, his eyes flicking up to meet All Might’s gaze, then down to glare at the floor sullenly when he couldn’t hold it.

“Because, Young Bakugo… in the hour or so since I’ve run into you both today, you’ve had two near fallouts over not losing the friendship you have,” All Might explained with endless patience. “That sort of idea doesn’t just pop into someone’s head out of the blue. So why don’t the two of you explain to me how all of this started and then we can go from there, hm?”

The two boys shared a look between them, coming to a silent agreement. They had to fix this. And if running away wasn’t going to help, then getting the number one hero in the world to sort this out surely would, right?

Right?

So they talked. About everything that had happened since they first woke up in their future bodies. About the odd looks they got from their classmates because of their closeness. The strange, half sentences and stuttered statements that were clearly the others being so careful with their words. Izuku had noticed more of the odd behavior than Katsuki gave him credit for, but there were still plenty of things that Katsuki had caught onto that Izuku hadn’t.

“A-and once we got to the classroom, the others admitted that Katsuki and I aren’t friends anymore,” Izuku concluded with a soft sniffle, eyes bright with tears that, to his credit, didn’t fall free.

“It’s my fault,” Katsuki stated, expression somber.

Chapter Text

Izuku made a small, wounded sound, shaking his head vehemently. “Kacchan! That’s not true!”

“It is, isn’t it?” Katsuki demanded, his sharp gaze fixed on All Might. “Everyone’s already said that I’m the one who decided not to be Icchan’s friend anymore. That I’m the one who is always mean to him. That I hate him. That I’ve hurt him!” The more he went on, the harder it was to keep the feigned indifference in his tone. “I’m the reason we’re not friends anymore!” His fingers dug harshly into the coarse material of the couch’s exterior. “I’m the bad guy!”

Izuku hitched a sharp breath, reaching out to try to comfort his friend, flinching when he was shirked off.

“It’s true, isn’t it?!” Katsuki demanded again, red eyes glaring daggers at the retired hero, daring him to deny it. “I’m the mean one who bullies Icchan! I’m the one who didn’t want to be his friend anymore. It’s my fault!”

“Young Bakugo…”

“Just say it…” Katsuki’s voice was barely more than a rasped wheeze by that point, his chest feeling too tight

“B-but…” Izuku started, voice quivering. He flinched when those red eyes glared at him, dropping his gaze.

“Why would you think that, young man?” All Might asked sadly.

“Because I hate being told what to do!” Katsuki just plowed forward, determined to get all the anger, hatred, and doubts out into the open now that he’d started. “I hate having to follow other people. What they do or what they say. I hate… I hate people thinking I’m not good enough to do something on my own! That I need help! I hate it!” His voice was shaking and his vision was blurring again, but he just couldn’t bring himself to care anymore about the tears.

He was sure that was it. At least a huge part of it. Why everything went bad.

“I… I want to be in a hero team with Icchan, but… but I don’t want to need help, either! I don’t want Icchan to think that I’m too weak to do something by myself! I want… I want to be the one who tells Icchan what we should do to win! I-it should be… it should be like when we play heroes! I make the plans, I save the day, and Icchan just does what I say so we can win!”

He wiped uselessly at the wet mess on his face, more tears just taking their place until his hands felt just as wet and were completely useless to do their job anymore. He tensed when he felt slim, strong arms wrap around his middle, looking at Izuku in shock, his green eyes just as watery as his face felt.

He half expected Izuku to try to wipe his tears away for him, but the green haired boy just tucked his face under Katsuki’s chin and squeezed the arms snaked around the taller boy.

“I don’t think Kacchan is weak,” Izuku stated firmly, determined to reassure his friend with the most obvious truth. “Kacchan is the strongest person I know! That’s why… that’s why I always try to be as strong as Kacchan.”

Something sharp and sour in Katsuki’s chest suddenly eased and he felt like he could breathe again. He exhaled shakily and pressed his face on top of Izuku’s fluffy head. He could just pretend that… that he wasn’t the weak one right now. That it was Icchan being his normal, clingy, crybaby self and he had to take care of him.

All Might was at least polite enough not to point out Katsuki’s tears. “I think you’ve greatly misunderstood some things about being a hero, Young Bakugo. About being a human in general.”

Two wide pairs of turned towards All Might. Needing his reassurance and wisdom.

All Might sighed. These boys… “Needing help is not a sign of weakness, boys. In fact, knowing when you need help and being able to rely on others to help just like you help others is a sign of great strength and maturity. I know it’s hard for you when you feel like you might not be enough on your own, but the truth is no human is meant to take on the world alone.”

Katsuki frowned. “All the best heroes do it alone, don’t they? Anytime there’s news about an incredible rescue, its one hero who did the saving!” Especially… “You always saved the day on your own, right All Might? I wanna be like that. I wanna be like you!” He wanted to be better!

All Might blanched, eyes widening. So somehow this was partly, indirectly, his fault, wasn’t it? The hero sighed. Time to clear up some misconceptions. Or better still, to be able to teach the boys from his own past mistakes. It was just too bad that it was unlikely these lessons would travel back in time with them because it could have saved them both a lot of the grief they had already been through.

But things happened for a reason, and All Might was not one to subscribe to lamenting the decisions of his past. All anyone could do was move forward. The best he could hope for now was that when this quirk accident was over, the boys would still remember his lessons and take them to heart.

“The truth of the matter, Young Bakugo, Young Midoriya, is that even I, All Might, am not all powerful.” He could feel the weight of their curious stares on him. “Even I cannot do it all alone, though I used to think I could.” He sighed, rubbing a hand through his hair. “I was much like the two of you in my early days. Yes, you too, Young Midoriya,” He huffed in amusement with Izuku’s big green eyes widened, the boy pointing to himself in disbelief.

“I used to think that if I took everything on by myself, then others wouldn’t need to suffer. And much like Young Bakugo, I also thought that if I relied on others, I couldn’t truly be seen as a hero, I couldn’t truly be the Symbol of Peace.”

He definitely had their attention now, both of them watching him raptly and he had to admit that a small part of him did relish being in the spotlight again. He grimaced. Maybe not like this, though.

“But you always win, All Might! No one has ever beaten you!” Katsuki enthused. “That’s why I wanna be like you! Because when you win, that’s when people get saved!”

Was that why the young blond was so obsessed with winning? That was interesting.

“The bad guys get too scared to do bad things,” Izuku agreed with an enthusiastic nod.

Oh, if only. “I don’t know how true that is, boys. Even until the very end of my hero career, villains still existed, and still do even now. Did I really put a stop to them?”

“Ah,” both boys stalled, eyes slowly widening with dawning realization..

“The truth is that you cannot always win. That is a lesson every hero learns in time. I didn’t always win, either.”

“You… you didn’t?” Katsuki was shell-shocked by the revelation.

But All Might could understand why. It wasn’t like the media was going to widely spread the news of his failures. It would make the people lose morale and embolden more villains to act out.

“Even All Might can lose?”

All Might smiled sadly. “Of course, Young Midoriya. I am only human, after all. Whether it was that the villain got away, or even that I couldn’t save everyone… or anyone,” He added sadly, clearly still haunted by the memories of those he was unable to save. “No one is perfect. Nor should anyone expect themselves to be perfect. That is a lesson that Young Bakugo is learning now in this time. And doing everything alone isn’t worth the cost of your life or your health. That is a lesson that Young Midoriya must learn.”

“M-me?!” Izuku squeaked.

The retired pro gave Izuku a pointed look. “I’m sure you’ve noticed the scars on your body. Especially your right arm.”

Izuku paled, swallowing thickly. “Uh… Uh-huh…”

“Icchan hurt himself trying to save other people…” Katsuki murmured. That had been what Glasses had told them, but to have All Might confirm it... Scaredy cat Icchan could be that hardcore?

“Among other things.” All Might sighed with the exasperation of an old irritation. Quickly followed by guilt. “But I suppose I am to blame for those scars as much as Young Midoriya.” He held up a hand before Izuku could protest, shaking his head. “I put too much pressure on you when I decided to make you my successor.”

He huffed, amused by the way Izuku jolted in his seat and sat up straighter. The way Katsuki seemed to slump down in a sulk. Some things just didn’t change no matter the age. “It didn’t occur to me that one of the last lessons I learned should have been one of the first ones I ever taught you.”

The two boys stared at All Might in confusion, then glanced at each other as one, to see if the other understood something they hadn’t. When it was clear that wasn’t the case either, they both turned back to All Might simultaneously.

“W-What lesson, All Might?” Izuku’s shaky voice squeaked out, swallowing with an audible click in his throat.

“You think you’re sparing others pain if you take it all on yourself, and in both of your cases, you can be strong enough to do just that. For a while. But it chips away at you, my boy. Bit by tiny bit.” He hesitated for a moment, then lifted up his shirt to reveal the gruesome, angry-looking scar that spelled the beginning of his end, not reacting to the twin gasps of horror and Izuku’s anguished cry of “All Might!”.

“Sometimes it takes whole chunks at a time.” He lowered his shirt again, feeling too exposed, too vulnerable under the boys’ horrified stares. “There is a price you pay when you push yourself too far, too hard. And it’s never enough, Young Midoriya. It will never feel like you’ve given enough. Because there will always be more people who will need your help. But you don’t have to carry that burden alone. In a way, your lesson isn’t that different from Young Bakugo’s. The two of you are like the opposite sides of the same coin.”

The two boys share a quick glance at each other. Timidly, Izuku reached out his hand to his friend, smiling when Katsuki gripped the offering tightly in his own hand. As one, they turned their eyes back to All Might.

The retired hero smiled, soft and a little sad. “The price you pay to go the hero’s path alone is a steep one, boys. Sometimes the price you pay is your life. That is what is asked of all heroes. But you don’t have to do it alone. That is a lesson I learned far too late in my life. In fact, it is a lesson I only started to learn after I met Young Midoriya and started to teach here at UA. As you can see, not learning that lesson cost me a great deal over the years. It cost me my hero career in the end. I’m lucky it didn’t cost me my life like it has cost so many others.”

All Might winced, realizing he had likely gone too far with his lesson when he saw Izuku’s silent sobbing, noticed how Katsuki’s free hand fisted tightly over his lap.

He had to remind himself yet again that these teenage bodies currently housed the minds of children.

He took a deep breath, letting his shoulders slump. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you boys. You two want to become heroes because you want to make a difference in the world. To save lives. That is a very noble pursuit. And you’ve come so far already! You are in a school created to train future heroes. You train with future heroes every day, your classmates. People just like you who see the plight and pain in the world and want to help. Want to make things better. You are never alone. That is the lesson I needed to learn so many years ago. That is the lesson I want you two to learn now so that you can surpass me. Heroes are strongest when we stand together. When we work with one another.”

“All Might…” Izuku breathed in awe, stars in his eyes.

Katsuki swallowed down his own reaction, though his eyes had a brightness to them as well. He shifted in his seat, tilting his head and he considered something. “You didn’t always do it alone, though, right?”

All Might raised a brow, wondering where this came from all of a sudden. “You’re right, Young Bakugo. It took a lot of convincing on his part, but I did eventually take on a sidekick.”

“Sir Nighteye!” Izuku chirped excitedly.

The former hero smiled. Of course Izuku would know all about anything and everything All Might. Including his elusive sidekick. It was a little more surprising that Katsuki knew about it, though. “The one and only. He’s become a Pro Hero in his own right, of course.” And they hadn’t spoken since their falling out… He thought of him still on quiet nights.

“So… you really didn’t like being helped, either, huh?” Katsuki pointed out a bit too bluntly for All Might’s taste.

The former Pro smiled, though it likely looked as strained as it felt. “It wasn’t precisely like that, Young Bakugo.”

“Did Sir Nighteye stop being your sidekick so that he could become a Pro Hero?” Izuku asked curiously, interest in the hero lore written all over his face.

How did these two so expertly find the things All Might wanted to talk about least?

All Might drew in a slow, deep breath, steeling himself mentally for this particular subject. “I pushed myself too hard. And I was badly hurt. I… I didn’t rely on Nighteye enough. But it wasn’t because I felt I was weak if I didn’t do it alone… But rather… I didn’t want to lose someone else important to me.”

“All Might lost someone before?” Izuku gasped, and though his face was suitably shocked and sad, it was also clear to see that he was on the edge of his seat.

The man sighed. “Yes… a long time ago. My mentor. To the very same villain I was fighting that fateful day that I had my fallout with Nighteye. Ever since I lost my mentor, I swore that I wouldn't risk anyone else by letting them get close to me, but Nighteye managed to work his way in somehow. Before I even knew it, we had become… close…”

Katsuki’s gaze sharpened with a whole new interest, those red eyes staring at All Might with surgical intensity and far too much understanding.

It made him uncomfortable. Had Young Bakugo really been so sharp sighted at such a young age?. He cleared his throat. “The point is, that… regardless of the reason, I do know what it is like to… to push away help. I had to try to do it all myself. Yes, it made me the Symbol of Peace for the world. There was a lot of glory and prestige that came with the title. But… even if the glory was mine and mine alone, so was all the damage and the losses.” His hand hovered over his injured side. “And I lost a great deal… Including a very good friend.”

“The kind of friend that you kiss?” Katsuki asked inquisitively, leaving the former hero stunned.

All Might sputtered, coughing up just a bit of blood. Those cutting red eyes… they clearly knew the answer already. He just wanted All Might to confirm it aloud.

“Kacchan…?” Izuku’s brows furrowed in bewilderment.

“Ah… well… yes. As a matter of fact, we did kiss. Often, even.” Was he really discussing a past relationship with two teen boys who thought they were four? This was so beyond surreal. “Not many people knew about that, though.”

“Is it because it’s bad?” Katsuki asked next without skipping a beat.

Izuku seemed to catch on, eyes bright and hands fisted tightly over his lap as he looked to their hero for an answer.

“Why do you ask that, Young Bakugo?” He asked instead of answering. “What makes you think it would be bad?”

The ash blond sighed heavily and slumped in his seat, crossing his arms sullenly across his chest “The shorty grape guy tried to tell us yesterday that two boys aren’t supposed to kiss,” he admitted bitterly. “That it has to be a boy and a girl.”

“Y-yeah,” Izuku chimed in anxiously. “B-but Tsu-chan said that Mineta-kun is wrong! That anyone can kiss anyone else as long as they both want to… right..?” The last he addressed to All Might, wanting so badly for the Pro Hero to confirm what Tsuyu had told them.

“Maybe Frog Girl just said that because she knows what a crybaby you are and she didn’t want you to feel bad!” Katsuki jeered, then looked away guiltily. “Hmph… Everyone looked at us like we were weird when we kissed Like…it’s wrong for us to do that…”

“S-she…” Izuku tried to find the proper rebuttal. “S-she said it’s okay if we changed our minds later…”

“So then we changed our minds?!” Katsuki snapped, glaring hard at his friend. Kissing Izuku wasn’t exactly the biggest part of his life… but he also couldn’t imagine not doing it anymore.

But if it was wrong… If it really was bad for two boys to kiss, then Katsuki knew that he wouldn’t want to be wrong. Heroes weren’t supposed to be wrong! They weren’t supposed to do things that were bad!

If someone told them it was bad… That would be another reason he would have stopped being friends with Icchan. Katsuki was sure of it. And he’d have to be mean to Icchan to get him to leave him alone, because Icchan was clingy… and if Icchan was close, would Katsuki want to kiss him again? He couldn’t outright say no, not even to himself.

So did he stop being friends with Icchan because he couldn’t kiss him anymore? It had been bugging him since last night, and even worse once the truth was out. Was that why they stopped being friends? Or was it because Katsuki didn’t like that Izuku could be strong, too? Stronger than Katsuki.

Was it both?

But All Might said he kissed another boy. And All Might was the greatest hero of all time. If All Might did it… it couldn’t be bad… could it?

He rounded his attention back to the retired Pro Hero, eyes bright. “Is it bad for two boys to kiss? Was Grape Face right and Frog Girl was just trying to be nice?”

“I-it’s not wrong!” Izuku insisted. Then turned more hesitant eyes towards All Might. “Is… Is it…?”

“Oh, my dear boys…” All Might sighed as he looked at the two quirk-struck boys. Really looked at them. His heart ached for them and all they had to endure, having to navigate a world they just weren’t ready to understand. That even their peers didn’t understand.

To think it took something like this for him to so much better understand the boys he had taken under his wing. “It isn’t wrong. Not at all. Liking who you like isn’t wrong. Wanting to share affection with your special person isn’t wrong, even if you’re both boys or both girls.” Should he explain gender non-conforming people right now? It might be too complicated just yet for this topic. And he was sure that Young Midoriya and Bakugo understood the concept well enough normally.

Izuku breathed out in relief, but Katsuki still wasn’t satisfied. “Then why did Grape Face try to say it was wrong?”

He made a mental note to talk to Young Mineta later. “Because it’s different,” All Might explained sadly. “And some people cannot see the difference between different and wrong. It’s better than it used to be. More people used to think it was wrong. But times are always changing. More and more people realize that it’s okay.”

“B-but…” This time it was Izuku who spoke up, brows furrowed with confusion and worry. “If people think it’s wrong… a-and others don’t… th-then… how do we know who is right?”

“Ah, kid… always asking the deep cutting questions,” the tall blond huffed in derisive humor. “The answer is pretty simple, though. Who are you hurting by kissing Young Bakugo?”

The two blinked, looked at each other, then back at All Might. “No one…?” Katsuki asked with a lilt in his voice and an arch in his brow that indicated how stupid he thought the question was.

“Exactly,” All Might huffed with soft laughter. “If it is something you do with a person you like, if it is what you both want to do, and if it hurts no one, then what is bad about it?”

“N-nothing,” Izuku squeaked, trying to sound more confident in his answer than he felt.

“Just so, Young Midoriya. Just so,” All Might nodded. “You both agreed that it was fine to kiss, I assume?” He got quick twin nods. “Then there is absolutely nothing wrong with it. Where it gets trickier is when it comes to the age of consent, but that holds true regardless of whether you kiss a boy or a girl, and in your case, while you’re both young, you’re the same age, so- Ah…”

He could see that he was losing the boys in his ramblings. Young Midoriya was a bad influence, it seemed. He rubbed his jaw in a sheepish manner. “A talk for another day.” Or never. He doubted he had to explain age of consent to them after they returned to normal.

“But…” Izuku started, his voice failing as he glanced at Katsuki. “I… I-is that… why Kacchan hates me? Someone told us it was bad…?”

Katsuki stuttered, unable to defend the actions or mental processes of this other, older self. “Icchan, I don’t-”

Izuku shook his head. “It’s not about this you, Kacchan! It’s the other Kacchan! The older one! With the older me! They… that’s who we become! And I… I don’t-” He was getting worked up again, turning big, watery, green eyes back to All Might. “I-is that why Kacchan hates me?!”

All Might felt the painful squeeze in his heart. Those eyes… To be subjected to those large, limpid green eyes looking up at him with such despair. Despite being a teenager, Midoriya could still somehow pull off some powerful puppy dog eyes. If the boy knew of this power, and worse, learned how to weaponize it, he could become very dangerous indeed. "Young Midoriya, no. We’ve talked about this already. Young Bakugo doesn’t hate you. I doubt he ever truly did…" Even if the explosive hero wasn’t aware of it himself.

“He… he really doesn’t…?” That seemed to soothe the boy for a moment, then his brows puckered up again. "But everyone says that Kacchan hates me! That he's always mean to me!” Mineta-kun implied that Kacchan tried to kill him! But that seemed way too crazy to be true. “If he doesn't hate me, why is he mean?"

All Might sighed. "Your classmates aren’t privy to all that goes on between the two of you. And growing up is complicated. Sometimes we fall prey to societal expectations of what we're expected to be instead of what we want to be. And to impose those sorts of expectations on those still so young. Those who cannot understand the differing, conflicting views in the world. The result is often deep confusion and a negative self-image. You’d do anything you can to be what others tell you is the right way to be. To not be wrong."

"Huh?" Izuku's brow pinched adorably in his confusion.

"He's saying that older me listened to the stupid ideas of stupid people and became stupid, too," Katsuki groused, arms crossed angrily across his chest. To think that he, of all people, could fall for the stupid ideas of shitty extras.

"Oh."

“I suppose that is one way to put it.” With a soft chuckle, All Might ruffled wild green curls and surprisingly soft blond spikes.

When it came to each other, these two were so much more complicated than either of them had to be, despite how much easier their issues became to understand given this new context. Children were honest, and it was a shame that life demanded people to get rid of that honesty and hide so much about themselves.

The retired hero very much doubted that he could get the boys to continue this conversation once the quirk accident was over. If they remembered any of this, he was sure the two of them would quickly pretend otherwise and bury any uncovered truths down deep once again.

It was a shame. He’d like to be proven wrong.

But that didn’t mean that he couldn’t impart some wisdom on them now all the same.

He clapped the boys gingerly on their shoulders, trying for his signature grin when they jolted in place and looked up at him with wide eyes. “The good thing about life is that even though you cannot go back to undo past mistakes, even if the path to one’s future takes two people in different directions, you just never know when your paths can meet up again down the line. And the great thing about the human condition is that if you really make the effort, you can do what you can to forge your path together. It doesn’t change what happened in the past, but it could make things better moving forward.”

The best part was that they were already on that path together again, even if they didn’t remember it at the moment. Even if their normal selves weren’t fully aware of it, either.

“How about we grab some food with Lunch Rush and then I’ll take you boys back to the dorms?”

Izuku gasped, eyes shining with excitement as he all but bounced out of his seat. “WAH! We get to meet Lunch Rush?!”

“Tch, it’s just Lunch Rush, it’s not like it’s a major hero,” Katsuki scoffed.

“Ah!” Indignant, Izuku glared fiercely, hands fisted in outrage. “Kacchan! Lunch Rush is a major hero! When there was that major hurricane in Okinawa, Lunch Rush was there to feed all the people who lost their homes! He’s amazing!”

The ash blond rolled his eyes. “You’re such a nerd. You probably already met him.”

“Oh…” The green haired boy pouted. “Well… I don’t remember it!”

“I’m sure Lunch Rush will be ecstatic to meet such a big fan,” All Might chuckled as he escorted the two out of his office as the boys babbled excitedly about their favorite heroes. After All Might, of course.

They bickered over who was better, acting out various acts of their heroism as they argued their case. It was refreshing, and All Might would make sure he committed their carefree laughs and blinding smiles to memory, hoping he’d be able to see it on them again someday in the not too distant future.

Chapter Text

After yet another (brief) heated exchange, the boys had finally come to an agreement.

Spicy curry for lunch, along with some milk for Izuku, courtesy of Lunch Rush. The usually lesser appreciated hero had been smitten by Izuku's genuine gushing praise. Despite his earlier dismissal, even Katsuki had been in awe, though the taciturn blond tried his best to hide it.

Lunch was had back at the dorms, and All Might was more than happy to regale them with his favorite tales of fantastic daring-do while they ate, pleased with his captivated audience. This included some lesser known stories that were nevertheless very important to him during his years in America. Not only tales of heroism, but amusing little stories of his mishaps and blunders during his early years. Imparting important wisdom on them, valuable, hard learned lessons as well as the reminder that even the most seasoned Pro Hero had started off as an inexperienced rookie.

It was odd, but it warmed All Might’s heart to see them this way. The two of them simply being friends, unburdened by the pressures to succeed. For Midoriya and Bakugo to just be excitable, joyful kids instead of the brooding adolescents with too much of the world on their young shoulders that he was so used to seeing.

Hours passed in this manner, each tale absorbed by the bright-eyed enthralled teens. All Might would barely finish a tale before they were demanding another. Until Izuku started to yawn, with Katsuki not far behind. Slow blinking eyes fighting the call to sleep so they could hear just one more tale. It was amazing how easily a child could forget their woes, like the idea of inevitably losing your childhood best friend, when presented with an interesting enough distraction..

An alarm sounded on All Might’s phone, alerting the teacher to the end of the school day. No doubt the other students of Class 1-A were finishing up from practical training exercises and would be making their way directly back to the dorms to check up on the two missing from their group. Of course they’d worried about their two runaway friends.

All Might knew that Izuku and Katsuki would be in good care in their hands, and he himself was rather tired after a full day of babysitting (and wasn’t that a depressing tell of the state of his body). But he also knew that after the day’s earlier events, perhaps the boys wouldn’t be too eager to face the classmates they had attacked and run from.

So he suggested that they take a nap. Katsuki groused half-heartedly against the idea, Izuku offering up his own token protest as well. But the fatigue was clear as day on their faces. And it made sense. Their day had been a trying one, emotionally as well as physically, and mentally they were at an age where they were still used to taking afternoon naps. It was really a surprise that they’d managed to hold out this long.

It hadn’t taken much convincing, any arguments the boys had were ruined the moment Izuku had yawned so wide he nearly tipped over on the couch. That was all it took for Izuku to finally give in. For Katsuki, the retired Pro was willing to bet it was more that the younger blond didn’t want to deal with the people he had attacked that morning, although he had already been assured that none of them held a grudge. Not even Iida.

With that, he took them upstairs, once again surprised when they both took hold of his hands.

It was the first time the retired hero had seen his protege’s dorm room. And well… flattering as it was, he’d rather not see it again anytime soon. He escorted them in, neither of them making a fuss as he directed them towards the bed. Once both boys were properly tucked in, with Katsuki’s larger frame curled around Izuku’s, All Might quietly saw himself back down to the common area, where he could be of help at a moment’s notice.

At least until the other students returned. They’d been informed when they’re quirk-struck classmates had been found, and assured that they were safe and in good hands. But finding All Might in their dorm building was reassuring all the same.

The retired Pro Hero did what he could to assuage them of any concerns regarding the troublesome duo, but also had to admit that Young Midoriya and Young Bakugo were still under the effects of the quirk accident.

“It’d be best if you’d just let the two of them be until it’s time for dinner. They’ve been through a lot today.”

“Of course, All Might!” Iida nodded, quickly taking charge. There was still a bandage on his left cheek as well as a gauze pad taped over his nose, but such minor injuries were not enough to deter him from his duties. “We’ll leave them to rest. It can’t be easy being in a world so different from what you’re used to.”

“Are they really okay, though?” Ochako asked in concern. “The way things just blew up this morning.”

“Yeah, figuratively and literally!” Kaminari added.

“It’s my fault,” Todoroki said solemnly. “I said some things I should have known to keep to myself in retrospect. I apologize. And I’ll apologize to Bakugo and Midoriya immediately as well.”

“Ah,” All Might patted the boy on the shoulder. “You’re being too hard on yourself, young man. But if you really wish to apologize, I still think it would be best to wait on that until dinner.”

For a moment, Todoroki seemed ready to insist, but gave in with a curt nod. “Very well. But I am incredibly sorry for any damage that resulted from my carelessness.”

“You really got nothing to apologize for, Todo,” Kirishima soothed with an easy grin, slinging an arm over the duo quirk-wielder's shoulders. “It was a lot to keep in. One of us was gonna flub it up eventually.”

“I thought it was gonna be Kaminari,” Mina added teasingly.

“So did I,” Momo admitted more sheepishly.

“Hey!” The electric blond griped, then sighed in defeat. “But honestly? Same. That or Mineta.”

“That’s fair,” Mineta shrugged, not the slightest bit insulted. “It was annoying trying to walk on eggshells around them. I wouldn’t have been able to keep it up all day.”

“We’ll take care of things from here, All Might,” Ojiro said with a polite incline of his head.

“You can count on us!” Hagakure added much more enthusiastically.

The retired pro smiled genially. “I’ll leave them in your care, then.”

“Right!” Iida pronounced. “We’ll let Midoriya and Bakugo have their space until dinner time, but for now I suggest that the rest of us see to today’s homework!” He directed towards the tables with sharp, cutting motions of his arms like a police officer directing traffic.

All Might huffed in quiet amusement as the others groused at the class president for being a killjoy. Iida’s voice boomed over them, declaring that their friend’s predicament was no excuse to fall behind on their studies. If anything, Midoriya and Bakugo would need them to learn today’s lessons especially well so they could help the two of them catch up when this was over.

The boys really were in good hands.

Despite initial complaints, it didn’t take long for the usual study groups to form and get to work. Though, seeing as Bakugo was usually the tutor for his squad, that party broke to other groups for the day so they wouldn’t fall behind. Not a peep was heard from the boy’s upstairs, even as study time turned into leisure time. Or extra training time for those who did their workouts in the evening instead of the morning.

The girls had decided that they would see to dinner that night, and the rest were enjoying their downtime hobbies.

All in all, there was a sense of tranquility in the air.

It was shattered by a sudden raging scream coming from directly upstairs, followed by the sound of an explosion so loud it shook the walls. Tension filled the room as they stared up at the ceiling and the swinging light fixtures with wide eyes. Then it was a chaotic whirlwind of action, everyone jumping into motion and rushing towards the stairwell, knowing the elevator would take too long.

Iida reached the stairs before the others, holding out his arms to block their path. “Now wait just a second! The last thing our friends and fellow classmates need when coming out of a quirk incident is for everyone to clamor around them. They probably- Hey!” He cried in outrage when Kirishima ducked under his outstretched arms and started up the stairs.

“No time, class Prez! If Baku’s on a rampage, we’ll need to rescue Midoriya!”

“Right!” Ochako nodded as she pressed her fingertips together and pushed off the floor to hop over her friend. “Sorry Iida-kun! ” She chirped and released her quirk, rushing up the stairs after Kirishima. “Deku needs us!”

The class president groused, looking firmly at the others. “Very well. The rest of you stay down here! Yaoyorozu! I’m counting on you to keep them in line.”

“Got it,” the vice president nodded firmly.

Secure in the capability of his second in command, Iida headed upstairs as well. Momo took his place at the front of the stairwell, pulling a bo staff out of her stomach and holding it defensively.

“We’re not going to crowd them after their ordeal. We’re going to give them space and let them come down to confront us at their own time. Now go back to what you were doing, please.” Despite the polite askance, she spun the staff and pointed it at them threateningly in a way that clearly said she knew how to use it.

“Poo! Fine, I guess,” Hagakure pouted, her slipper clad feet stomping off back towards the kitchen.”

“I’ll keep watch over the elevators,” Todoroki offered without prompting, getting another whine from the invisible girl, whose plans had just clearly been foiled before she had a chance to enact them.

The others snickered in amusement, the tension broken. They all agreed to let Midoriya and Bakugo have their space for now. Jirou even suggested that they pack up dinner for the boy’s to eat in their rooms, because they likely wouldn’t want to face everyone right away after such an ordeal.

She knew she wouldn’t.

On the second floor, Kirishima burst out of the stairwell just as Katsuki burst out of Izuku’s room, red-faced and cursing up a storm, small explosions still crackling in his palms. He held back Ochako and Iida as they came up behind him, his skin hardened, just in case.

“Don’t fucking come near me!” the ash blond shouted, though whether he was talking to them or to the boy left behind was hard to say.

“Baku-bro!” Kirishima called out, ensuring that if Bakugo hadn’t noticed him before, he surely would now. The red head charged on ahead, unconcerned or oblivious about the inferno he was rushing headlong into. “Bro, you’re back to normal, right?”

Eyes like glowing embers glared red-hot daggers at them all, sparks still crackling in his palms. There was a dark blush over the entirety of his face, all the way up to the tips of his ears. That is the only hint the others needed to know that Katsuki remembered everything. And that pitying look of understanding was all that was needed to light the short-tempered teen’s fuse. With a bellowing roar, he caught Kirishima’s face in one large hand, an explosion smothered on the other’s hardened face.

“Kirishima!” “Ah! Kirishima-kun!” Iida and Ochako cried out in alarm but held back on trying to intervene when the other waved them off.

“‘M uh-kay!” Came his muffled reply, holding up a thumbs up for good measure.

Bakugo snarled, baring his teeth at the other two in warning. “C’mon, Shitty Hair, we’re going,” he snapped, dragging Kirishima with him by the hold on his face, sneering at him to hurry the fuck up when the red head’s feet kicked and stumbled in the awkward angle.

Undeterred, Katsuki glared the other two down as he stomped his way toward them. Ochako and Iida at least were wise enough to keep out of his way. Forgoing the stairs, Bakugo pulled Kirishima into the elevator, the red head keeping his less than reassuring thumbs up the entire way, the corners of a grin peeking past Katsuki’s hand. As the elevator doors closed on them, Bakugo finally deigned to address them. “Say a fucking word, and you’re all dead.”

The doors closed, leaving Iida and Ochako behind in the now silent hallway.

For a moment, the two just shared a look of mutual bewilderment over the bizarre event they’d just witnessed, before snapping back to the moment at hand.

“Deku-kun!” “Midoriya!” They called out at once as they ran through the green haired boy’s open doorway.

The bed was a disheveled mess of a wild scuffle. The smell of burning was still thick in the air, but the charred remains of an All Might themed comforter thrown on the floor showed that any fire that might have been was already put out. Next to those smoldering remains sat Izuku, body smudged with smoke but otherwise looking undamaged. From the little they could see at least. It was hard to tell with Izuku sat on the floor, legs raised up, curled forward to hide his face between his knees, one arm curled around his legs, the other going up to curl over the top of his head, his curls a wilder and frizzier mess than usual.

Iida hung back, unsure how to proceed, but Ochako rushed in, slipping to her knees beside him, but unsure if she should touch him just yet, hands hovering just over his huddled form. She couldn’t see blood, or any hint of a burn wound, but the boy was trembling. “Deku-kun! Are you okay? Are you hurt?! He didn’t do anything to you, did he?!”

“He certainly damaged Midoriya’s personal property!”

“Iida-kun,” Ochako tried, but was rebuffed.

“I mean it! This is unacceptable behavior! This could have started a serious fire! He should be penalized! Given detention!” Iida ranted. “At the very least, he owes Midoriya for the damages caused, and-”

“TENYA!” Ochako shouted, startling the bespectacled teen into silence, his cheeks pinking at the use of his given name. The girl sighed, giving him a sheepish look in return. “Seeing if Deku-kun is okay should come first.”

“R-right…” he stuttered out as a breath, coughing to clear his throat and hopefully his mind. “Yes, quite right! That should be our priority.” He finally seemed to notice the state Izuku was actually in. “I’ll go get Recovery Girl and Aizawa-sensei.”

“NO!” Izuku cried out, then seemed to yelp at the volume of his own voice, curling even tighter into himself.

“Deku-kun,” Ochako spoke gently, like one would a cornered, injured animal. “If you’re hurt, we have to-”

“M’not hurt…” Izuku replied, his voice a muffled whine.

“No offense, Midoriya, but we know how you are. You’re doing no one any good by lying about an injury.” Iida said sternly, squatting down on powerful legs to be more on level with his friends. “I know he’s your childhood friend, but you don’t have to defend Bakugo if he-”

“I’m not hurt!” Izuku insisted finally unfurling to reveal a smoke smudged face that still couldn’t hide how brilliantly red it was. “I’m just… really embarrassed!”

Ochako and Iida shared a look with each other, then back to Izuku. “About… waking up in the same bed as Bakugo…?”

“A-about all of it!” the green haired boy cried out in dismay, hiding his face again, tugging at messy, green curls. “How I acted. How Kacchan acted! In front of you guys! In front of all the class! In school! In front of All Might! Aaaugh!” He muffled his scream between his knees, ruffling up his hair into a wilder disarray with his hands. “I acted so weird and scared in front of you guys! I pet Principal Nezu and called him a cat! Katsuki was even worse to you guys than usual, acting like a brat! And we-” They’d even done THAT. In front of their classmates! In front of All Might! There would be no living this down! Katsuki would probably try to murder him and make it look like an accident.

“Oh…” Ochako worried her bottom lip between her teeth, sparing a quick glance at Iida again. “You… you remember…?”

“All of it!” Izuku reiterated pitifully. “Gods! How can I ever face anyone ever again?! I can’t… I can’t do it! I might as well just drop out in shame now. Change my name, move out of the country! Start a new life in America, maybe! And Kacchan! I can’t even think about how Kacchan feels! Especially knowing that everyone saw! He’ll try to kill all of them! I mean, not literally, but I wouldn’t put it past him to at least attempt to induce trauma-related amnesia.” He only paused to take in a breath, but his expression changed to something more thoughtful, his voice lowering as he began to mutter.

“I wonder if something like that would even work. It’d be hit and miss for sure, but I wouldn’t want to hurt my classmates just so they don’t-” his musings became too quick and quiet to be able to decipher, rubbing his scalp and rubbing his thumb over his bottom lip thoughtfully over the mechanics of injury-induced amnesia and whether or not trying would hold any benefits at all.

Eyes widening, Ochako and Iida shared another look, a similar thought running through their heads: Izuku could be pretty fucking scary, too.

Iida cleared his throat. “Midoriya, you’re mumbling again.” He felt like he should insist that injuring their classmates in the hopes of inducing amnesia was strictly against school rules, but he sincerely doubted Izuku would actually ever attempt such a thing.

Bakugo on the other hand…

No. Despite being ill-tempered and foul-mouthed, Katsuki was actually a decent person. Like it or not, his time in UA had softened him.

“Ah… sorry guys,” Izuku muttered sheepishly.

“It’s okay, Deku-kun,” Ochako tried to console, patting the boy on the shoulder. “And it’s going to keep being okay. It was a quirk accident. It could have happened to any of us at the convenience store yesterday. Neither of you were yourselves. And really, we were all embarrassing as kids! No one’s gonna make fun of you for it.” And if anyone tried, they’d have to deal with her first.

“Uraraka is right,” Iida nodded firmly. “We’re your friends, Midoriya. None of us would mock you.”

“Yeah! And even if anyone tries, you can just make fun of them for letting two guys with the minds of kids get the better of them!”

“Uraraka,” Iida huffed in warning.

“No, really! Especially Iida-kun! Bakugo got him good while you two were escaping and with all the smoke, Mineta actually crashed into a wall trying to open a window. And-”

“Uraraka!” The class president reprimanded sternly, gingerly touching the gauze over his nose.

“Oh! Oopsie!” The brunette grinned sheepishly, rubbing the back of her head.

But at least it helped in brightening Izuku’s mood, the green-haired boy huffing a small laugh.

“I’m really sorry about that, Iida…”

The bespectacled teen sighed deeply, a rueful smile tugging at his lips. “Don’t even concern yourself over it. Injury is part and parcel of attending UA’s hero course. And I’ve been injured worse than this before.”

Izuku didn’t think that made it okay, but he was glad that Iida wasn’t going to hold a grudge against him or Kacchan for it.

“You’re really okay, Deku-kun?” Ochako asked gently, curling an arm around the green-haired boy’s shoulders.

Izuku tensed for a moment, because oh god a girl had her arm around him! But… really he felt too embarrassed by everything else to let something like this get to him. “Y-yeah… I’m okay. Just… glad it’s over, really.”

“Right,” Iida nodded firmly. “By next week, no one will even remember it enough to think about it.” He tilted his head, seeing that his friend was still down. He sighed softly. “It’ll be alright, Midoriya. Why don’t you come down for dinner? The girls decided to cook tonight.”

“I made the rice!” Ochako chirped happily. “It’ll be good. And everyone will be glad to see that you’re okay.”

Izuku offered them a small, wan smile, but shook his head. “Thanks guys, but I think… I just want to stay in for the rest of the night…”

“Are you sure?” Iida asked, brows furrowed. “You know that we’re here for you if you ever want to talk about it.”

The green haired boy huffed softly, smiling more genuinely. “Yeah. I know. Thanks guys.”

Ochako and Iida shared a concerned look again, even as they both got back up to their feet. “I’ll have some dinner brought up. Oh! And Deku! Your blanket!”

Glancing over at the ruined remains of his limited edition, golden age inspired All Might comforter, Izuku couldn’t even bring himself to really mourn its loss. He shrugged with a small laugh. “It’s fine. I have two more just like it.” And that was true, at least.

Iida hardly looked satisfied with that answer, but he picked up the ruined remains all the same. “I’ll dispose of these for you, then. I’ll still have to inform Aizawa-sensei that you and Bakugo have returned to normal, but I’m sure he will understand that you would like some privacy for the rest of the night”

“Aa,” Izuku nodded as he pushed up to his feet enough to sit on the edge of the bed. “Thanks, Iida. And you, too, Uraraka.”

He waved as his friends made for the door, both of them shooting concerned looks over their shoulders repeatedly. He smiled through it all to assure them as much as he could, only letting his smile falter at all once his door clicked closed.

At least Kacchan hadn’t blasted the door off its hinges… That was something.

He flopped back onto his bed, legs still dangling to the floor. Reaching out blindly, he pulled a pillow over his head, pushing it down with all the strength he could muster and screamed.

Oh gods! What had they done?! What had HE done?! How was he ever expected to face Kacchan ever again?!

They were such stupid kids! And it wasn’t like he had forgotten that they used to do… that!

It wasn’t something one could just forget! First kisses were meant to be important!

And second kisses. Third… Fourth… Fifth… Twentieth…

Maybe if they had only done it once, it could just be played off as a weird fluke, or something that had never happened at all. But no! No, they did it near daily for weeks! Months! And of course, the quirk had to take their minds back to that time period specifically!

“UGH!”

With a frustrated sound, he got up from bed, stomping over to his closet, yanking the doors open hard enough that they rattled on their tracks. Getting up on tiptoes, he pulled down a new, identical Golden Age All Might themed comforter, wrapping it around himself before stomping back to bed, just so he could cocoon himself inside it and pretend that if he couldn’t see the world, the world couldn’t see him.

It didn’t help him hide from his own thoughts though.

They had both done such a good job mutually agreeing without any conversation that it was just something they would never talk about. Something they could just expunge from their memories like it never happened. They had both moved past it. Izuku was still waiting on his first official kiss.

It was going to come someday!

And… it had, hadn’t it? With Kacchan… while they both thought they were four years old again.

Did that count?

Should that count?

Did he want it to?

All Izuku had to do was let his mind slip from his sharp focus for more than a second and immediately the memory of that lingering kiss on Ground Beta earlier that day would jump ahead of all his other thoughts. The warm, lingering press of Kacchan’s lips. The way he had looked at him afterward. It made warm bubbles float inside Izuku’s stomach, made his heart race. How they had almost done it again except…

Except…

Except that All Might had been there to witness it! Had been there to stop them from being stupid enough to do it again.

So embarrassing!

The worst part of it all wasn’t that a part of him wanted Kacchan to kiss him again still-

Okay, maybe that was another worst part, but he didn’t want to ruminate on those thoughts just yet!

The worst part was remembering how well they had gotten along as kids. How inseparable they’d been. Preferring each other to anyone else, planning their futures together. To have had that back for even just a day, only to lose it again… it really opened up long forgotten mental and emotional wounds. To have gotten the chance to experience some of those old feelings now… hurt. It hurt then because he hadn’t understood what he had done wrong. Why he had suddenly lost his best friend. Crying for months that had felt endless as he tried to figure out a way to make things right, every effort harshly rebuffed. It hurt now because he knew that this fluke of a day where they got to be friends again would be all there was ever going to be. It really was the end of it.

After that big fight in Ground Beta where Katsuki told him that he knew the truth, the one where they had let their festered emotions out juuuust a little… Maybe that was the start of something better moving forward. Maybe they could learn to get along in whatever capacity they still could and work together in the future. No longer hate one another. But that would be it. There wouldn’t be more. There couldn’t be. That time in their lives had passed; too much damage had been done. There was no going back

But…

Izuku wanted to go back! He wanted to be Kacchan’s friend again, to be his favorite person. And… and though he had denied it for years, from the moment he had realized it for himself, to the point that even he had almost bought into the deception. The truth was that he wanted to be more than that.

Oh hey, it was time to ruminate. That didn’t take long.

He was old enough now to realize that those months after they’d watched that hero movie had been some of the most fun in Izuku’s life for maybe more reasons than he remembered. Mostly because they got to play heroes a lot. And sure, he played mostly the damsel in distress, but sometimes he could play the hero partner in trouble, and that was something at least! Hero partners could join in on the defeating of the villains after they were rescued.

But maybe he had also just liked the act of kissing his best friend. Even if they’d only been four! The boy he had always considered his other half. The revelation had hit him hard their first year of middle school, had really sapped his will to fight back against Kacchan’s bullying. What would he have been fighting for at that point? And what if Katsuki found out? He would have definitely hated Izuku more if he had found out.

It had been a fluke of their childhood. A silly mistake made by witless kids. It didn’t mean anything. And he had convinced himself that he didn’t miss it.

But now…

Izuku couldn’t lie to himself now. The memories were so fresh and bright in his mind, there was no denying the silent yearning for what he had just lost all over again. He was going to miss being able to have Katsuki's full attention, his care and protection. To be able to kiss him whenever he got upset. Or maybe even when he was just really happy. Anytime, really…

It was so messed up that his mind kept replaying their kiss on Ground Beta on loop despite how he pleaded with his brain to stop torturing him!

He wanted to kiss Kacchan again. He could admit that to himself in his room, balled up inside his All Might comforter where the world couldn’t see him or hear his thoughts.

He wanted it.

And he knew that it was messed up! Katsuki taunted and tormented him for years! Had intentionally tried to hurt him more than once just in the last year alone! Mineta had been right, Kastuki really could have killed him on their first day of hero training! And even after all of that, he was still just a few short kind gestures away from being head over heels in love with his childhood best friend. Had never fully stopped wanting to be close to him, to earn his respect, his acknowledgment that he was worthy. That just made him all sorts of pathetic, didn’t it? He should have an eternal grudge against his old childhood friend.

And yet all Izuku wanted to do was kiss him.

He doubted Katsuki would be at all receptive to the idea. Izuku would be lucky if the volatile blond only knocked out one of his teeth from how hard he’d punch him in the face if he found out!

It was like Asui had told them. There was nothing wrong with it while it was happening. They had both wanted to do it, so it was fine. But they were different now, they had changed their minds.

At least one of them had.

It was no longer okay.

Izuku sniffled softly, wiping his tears away before they had a chance to fall.

It wasn’t okay.

Maybe even realizing it wasn’t okay was why Kacchan pushed him away in the first place. It made an odd sort of sense when he thought about it like that.

The green haired boy sighed out shakily, pushing these new, sad feelings away. He couldn’t let them get him down. He had to see it in a more positive light.

Sure, his time as Kacchan’s best friend, his partner, was over. He no longer regretted being Katsuki’s friend, even with all the pain that came with it in the aftermath. He didn’t regret the silly misunderstandings of their youth that led to such embarrassing memories.

Even those memories weren’t that embarrassing anymore. Not really. Not when Izuku was alone in the safety of his room. Those memories that had once been part of the bleak and half-forgotten vestiges of a long ago youth. But now, able to view it under this new lens of a fresh perspective, they didn’t seem that bad… maybe even something he would grow to treasure.

Yeah… It didn’t have to be sad. He could almost convince himself of it.

A soft knock on his door brought him out of his thoughts, and Izuku really hoped he hadn’t been mumbling again.

“Deku-kun?” It was Ochako once again, though she respectfully kept outside. “I brought you some dinner. I know you want to be left alone right now, so… so I’ll just go… but please? Don’t forget to eat, okay?”

“Y-yeah!” Izuku winced at the squeak his voice came out as, cleared his throat. “Thanks Uraraka…”

“Un,” he could almost see her hesitation, could imagine that she turned away before looking back at the door, gathering her courage before she spoke again. “Just… don’t forget that we’re here for you, Deku-kun… I don’t really know what’s going through your mind right now, but I’m your friend. And I’ll be here for you when you’re ready. Okay…?”

Izuku felt a smile tugging at his lips. A genuine one. “Okay. I… Thank you. I mean it.” His old friendship with Kacchan wasn’t the only one that Izuku had to treasure anymore. He had a lot of great friends who cared about him. And he’d protect and cherish all the memories he made with them, too.

Chapter Text

Kirishima’s face was held hostage throughout the entirety of the elevator ride and even out onto the 4th floor hallway. Katsuki only let him go to fish the keycard to his room out of his pocket. Really, it was Shitty Hair’s fault for not raising a single complaint the entire time, let alone struggling to break free. He would have let him go pretty easily if he had.

Probably.

Door opened, Katsuki shoved the other in with a firm hand between Kirishima’s shoulder blades, the redhead stumbling into the room. He closed the door behind them and turned to his closet, not bothering to deign the confused boy with as much as a backward glance.

Deep red eyes widened in surprise as he took in his surroundings. “You’re letting me into your room?”

Katsuki paused just long enough to give him an unimpressed look in response before he pulled a gaming console out of his closet. “Why the fuck not? You assholes already raided the place.”

Kirishima’s breath hitched in clear understanding, knowing that it must have meant Katsuki remembered everything. He at least had the decency to look guilty, face coloring as red as his hair. “Sorry, man. I-”

“Save it, Shitty Hair. You want to make it up to me? Bring your fucking A game so it’s at least a little bit of a challenge while I kick your ass,” he taunted meanly, holding a game controller out to the cheerful idiot.

It only took the redhead a beat to figure out what the hell Katsuki was on about, then he grinned, crowing a cheerful, “Hell yeah!” He’d been so sure he’d have to convince Katsuki to get some extra training in with him to let out some pent up aggression. To work out whatever the hell he was feeling after the last couple of days.

Video games were a pretty good alternative. A release of stress and aggression without the possible collateral damage to school property. All while (hopefully) sparing himself a lot of soreness tomorrow. People really underestimated Katsuki’s pragmatism sometimes.

Kirishima grabbed the offered controller, making himself at home on the floor in front of the bed, letting the other set everything else up to his liking.

Katsuki knew he could count on Kirishima to just go with the flow of things and not give him a hard time about the last 24 fucking hours. Talking about it was the last thing he wanted to do. If he could avoid remembering it already, even better. But life just wouldn’t grant him that wish.

Fuck life, anyway. Life got him into this fucking mess.

A few hours and a couple of different games later found the two of them concentrating hard on TV screen until Kirishima threw his hands up with a boisterous cheer as his character crossed the finish line first, still clutching his controller tightly in his right hand. “YES!”

“You won one fucking game, calm down,” Katsuki groused with a roll of his eyes, setting his own controller down despite the urge to throw it. This was the first game Kirishima had beaten him at, he couldn’t make a fuss about it.

The redhead just grinned. “Sorry, just… it's not every day you can say you’ve beaten the Great Explosion Murder God, Bakugo Katsuki!” he ribbed good naturedly, laughing when the blond just flipped him off.

Kirishima’s phone buzzed then, the redhead quick to type out a response to the message he had gotten. It wasn’t the first time it’d happened that evening, and Katsuki doubted it’d be the last. He knew who it was, too. Or at least one of the ones it could have been. Earlier, Kirishima had gotten a text simply letting them know that dinner was waiting for them just outside the door. The food was… passable. Edible at the very least, but then, Katsuki hadn’t made it.

His own phone had lit up a few hours ago, after he was sure the Useless Squad had let the rest of the class know the quirk accident was over. He hadn’t bothered checking messages, more than happy to let Shitty Hair manage the group chat for now.

“They still harping on about wanting to come up here?” he grumbled as he cracked his knuckles, picking up his controller again. It was his turn to pick the next racing stage.

“Mn,” Kirishima hummed sheepishly. “Actually, Kaminari was just asking if I was still with you.”

Brow arching, Katsuki sneered. “Why? Is he getting lonely without you?”

He knew it was a low blow as soon as the words were out of his mouth, he almost felt bad for the way Kirishima’s face blossomed into a dark red color. He knew that the redhead still felt guilt over not reciprocating Dunce Face’s overt flirting, though none of the rest of them did. Kaminari himself hadn’t made a big deal about it, either. But Kirishima was just too genuine a guy.

Katsuki wouldn’t apologize, though.

“Nah, I think he’s just surprised. Since it’s way past your bedtime,” the redhead teased in a deadpan tone. Despite how Katsuki felt his hackles rise, he knew he probably deserved that.

“Fuck you. Who can fucking sleep?” he grumbled all the same, fisting a hand through his hair. Fuck, was this it? Were they going to talk? He didn’t want to talk. About it. About anything.

Kirishima’s expression softened tellingly. “It’s not actually that big of a deal, y’know. We were all idiots when we were kids. You shouldn’t let it get to you.”

“You fucking try to go through it, then, shark-toothed asshole!”

Taking the insult in stride, the redhead chuckled. “I would, but it’s not like I had any kissing buddies when I was four years old.”

Katsuki bristled, teeth bared. “Shitty Hair, I swear to-”

“No one is going to think less of you for it,” Kirishima cut in, his expression uncharacteristically serious, if no less genuine. “Actually, I think it’s pretty manly as fuck.”

“The hell?” Katsuki muttered incredulously, brows furrowed.

“Not-” Kirishima started with a sheepish huff of a laugh. “Not that you had someone to kiss at that age. That’s pretty damn different, bro, not gonna lie! Not that it’s bad, either! What’s badass is that even at four years old, you were already on your path to becoming a hero. You had a plan and a way to achieve it. And you even had someone you were protecting!” He grinned, sweet and charming despite all those sharp teeth on display. “Bakugo, you were already someone’s hero at four years old. Do you know how manly that is?”

Katsuki’s chest felt tight, throat working on words that refused to make themselves known. For once, all he could do was just… stare at this strange freak of a man who he got to call friend, feeling Kirishima’s usual words of encouragement actually hit him straight on.

The idiot beamed like he knew it, too. “I bet if you asked Midoriya, he’d agree with me. Hell, he’d probably say you’re still his hero!”

“That’s not- I’m not fucking going to-” Katsuki started, though was unsure of how to finish. He seriously doubted that was the case. Not after everything.

“I know,” Kirishima sighed in answer, his grin softening to something almost sad. He slowly drew up to his feet, clearly seeing their game night had drawn to its end. “But you should. Ask him, I mean.” He raised his arms far above his head, his tank top riding up to expose a strip of toned stomach, stretching with a restrained whine. “It’s getting late, so I’m gonna call it a night.”

Katsuki groused, sitting on the end of his bed. “Yeah, whatever.” He was still wound up too tight, too keyed up to let fatigue claim him. But he wasn’t going to beg Kirishima for his company, either. To not leave him alone with his thoughts. He tensed when a hand clapped on his shoulder, glaring fiery eyes up at the guy who never learned that he should keep away. “What?”

The redhead beamed, shrugging helplessly. “It’s just good to have you back, bro. It was fun to get to know what you were like as a kid, but I like this you better.” He gave his shoulder a squeeze. “Whatever’s going through your head, just know that we’re all here for you.”

The blond remained silent as Kirishima saw himself out, scoffing softly after the door closed behind him. Optimistic fucker. He reminded Katsuki of Izuku in a lot of ways. For all they were different, the two were similar at their cores. Balls of sunshine, breathing new life wherever they went. Strong and resilient and advocating for everything that was good in the world. Unavoidable once they’d set their sights on you. So much the same.

But not exactly the same. For all their similarities, Kirishima didn’t drive Katsuki to distraction, didn’t pull all his emotions into a whirling ball of chaos until he couldn’t tell up from down. Not like Izu-

God fucking dammit, now he was thinking it. About him. With a curse, Katsuki slammed his face directly onto his mattress to muffle his sound of frustration. Even alone in his room, Kirishima was just on the other side of his wall. The last thing he needed was for the redhead to overhear him. To have to explain what his fucking deal was.

His deal was the inescapable force of nature that was fucking Deku! Screw the sunshine analogy! The asshole was like a black hole whose pull Katsuki just couldn’t fucking resist despite his every effort. He was inevitably drawn back into brilliant, swirling green-

Nope.

He was not going to linger on those thoughts. Instead, he meticulously cleaned his room, setting the dinner plates aside to take downstairs tomorrow. He was also overdue a shower, but like hell was he leaving his room tonight. At least he could brush his teeth in the adjoining bathroom

Katsuki refused to let his thoughts wander as he readied for bed, not the least bit tired, but determined to not ruin his schedule any worse than his shitty younger self already had.

And fuck his shitty younger self while he was at it! Many people wondered what their younger selves would think of the people they grew up to be. Not many got a direct answer the way Katsuki had. Hate. Pure, unadulterated disdain and hatred.

And that was just fine with him, because he fucking hated his younger self, too. Egotistical little shitstain, thought the world owed him. That he could have everything he wanted because he was born privileged. That little shit’s arrogance is what led Katsuki to the fuck storm he was in today.

So fuck him.

Angrily stuffing himself under his covers, Katsuki refused to let himself think of anything other than the act of going to sleep until his eyes finally drifted shut and unconsciousness claimed him.

~~~

There was a reason why their sudden inability to be parted from one another had been so shocking during the quirk accident. Katsuki and Izuku were not close. Back to normal now, that distance seemed almost like… a physical barrier. Like a couple so attuned to one another they adjusted themselves to the slightest movement from the other… but add a minimum of twenty feet between them at all times.

The awkwardness was palpable. Each hyper aware of the other, even while they refused to so much as a glance in their direction even before they’d even made it to school. To class, where they sat one behind the other.

Everyone held their breath, anxious to see what would happen when they could no longer avoid proximity to one another.

It was almost a letdown when they took their seats and seemingly denied the other’s existence, as if they sat alone. If nothing else, at least it finally broke the tension for the rest of the class. They’d been prepared to intervene in the ‘inevitable’ battle the moment their eyes so much as glanced off each other by accident.

The day went on with surprising normality and slowly they let their guard down one by one.

Shit didn’t blow up until the end of the school day.

Bouncing over to his locker with too much energy, Kaminari patted Izuku’s back. “Nice going out there today, Icchan!”

Startled, Izuku whirled around, green lightning crackled over his body, and accidentally slammed the electric hero’s nose with his elbow. “Oh god, Kaminari! I-”

He squeaked in shock when Katsuki appeared out of nowhere, slamming his fist into Kaminari’s stomach without any preamble and with a shocking amount of acrimony, sending him to the floor. He sneered, only to startle when angry green eyes suddenly filled his field of vision.

“Kacchan! That’s going too far!” Izuku admonished, the first words either had spoken to one another all day. To make it worse, Izuku didn’t even sound angry, just disappointed. Like Katsuki had let him down in some way. Like fucking Deku hadn’t just whanged Kaminari’s fucking nose ten fucking seconds ago!

Katsuki visibly bristled, baring tightly clenched teeth. “Dekuuu,” he hissed out tightly. His palms were sweaty, sparks dancing along his fingertips in the only semblance of control he had.

The asshole had the audacity to scold him like he was a misbehaving brat! But the damn nerd’s attention was already on Dunce Face on the floor, checking him over. “Kaminari, are you okay?”

“Yeeeaaaahhhh,” he slurred out, his face drenched in blood. He sat up, gingerly holding his nose to protect it from another strike, his other arm curled protectively around his middle. He blinked with deliberate slowness as his vision swam. “Fuh, I dink ids brucken…”

“Oh no! Kaminari, I am so sorry! I… I didn’t mean to!”

Deku was deliberately ignoring Katsuki for this idiot of all people! Like the electric dimwit didn’t regularly do worse damage to himself with his own fucking quirk.

“Ask him how many fingers you’re holding up,” Todoroki suggested rather unhelpfully as he rifled through his locker, clearly about as worried about Kaminari as Katsuki was.

“Bakugo! That was crass and uncalled for behavior!” And there was the class president Four Eyes, scolding away as he pushed himself into the situation. Sticking his nose where no one wanted or needed it.

“Piss off!” He snarled as the last of his patience snapped, shoving past him and the others in his way. He really did not have the patience to care about what Glasses had to say. Not today, not any other day, but especially not fucking today!

Grabbing his bag, he stomped out of the locker room still dressed in his hero costume. He didn’t need this shit. He could just shower back at the dorms.

He could still fucking hear them at his back. Deku’s grating simpering as he apologized over and over again, the others trying to reassure him that he didn’t do anything wrong. Once again, it was all Katsuk’s fault. Katsuki was out of line, even if Kaminari was an idiot who liked to poke at sleeping bears. Always trying to instigate a reaction out of their resident explosive hero.

“I din’n do anyding!” Kaminari whined.

“Idiot,” Sero sighed almost fondly.

‘Idiot’ was right. But it wasn’t just Kaminari. All those fucking assholes were irritating idiots. All fucking day they’d been treating him like a minefield they had to tiptoe around. Of course they were going to set him off!

And Deku! Acting like he didn’t even exist! Which was the only worse option to Deku being his usual, meddlesome, goody-two-shoes trying to somehow “fix” this whole new layer of strain between their already frayed and twisted relationship.

If it could even be classified as any sort of relationship.

He wanted nothing from the useless nerd, but to be ignored by the bastard was even worse! He wanted… He wanted Deku to just… not exist! While simultaneously needing the waste of space to… to just be around for the sake of Katsuki’s sanity! If he knew where Deku was and what he was up to, he could… what? He could better make sure the useless piece of shit stayed where he belonged? Far beneath him? Or just pretend he didn’t care about him in the first place?

He didn’t care!

He didn’t!

He didn’t want to care, goddammit!

The quirk accident had really fucked up his head. He remembered everything his younger self had felt, that he had felt. Every thought was still his thought, every feeling still felt like they had been his own, and it was all still fresh in his head. It was all real and true… and yet it wasn’t!

He and Deku weren’t friends! Definitely weren’t close! They had no future outside of possibly working the occasional larger hero mission once they were Pros. And even then, with any luck, he wouldn’t have to deal with him directly! They weren’t anything besides people who used to be stupid kids who grew up around each other. Stupid, embarrassing kids who had planned their entire lives together at the age of four!

“URGH!” He snarled as he roughly scrubbed his hands through his spiky hair, yanking on the sweaty strands. That wasn’t his life! Not anymore! He didn’t want it!

He didn’t want to want it!

And none of that, absolutely none of the confusing pile of rancid shit even touched on the sheer amount of embarrassing fuckery the two were allowed to get up to while they were under the influence of the quirk. In front of everyone!

In front of fucking All Might, for fuck’s sake!

“Oh! Young Bakugo!” Fuck! Speak of the devil…

Katsuki took in a slow, deep breath through his nose and released it quietly from his mouth. Just a few months ago, he would have ignored All Might and kept walking. He might have idolized the man once, and even still admired him to this day, but Katsuki was on a mission to surpass All Might and become the next Number One Hero in Japan.

That had been his goal since his first day at UA.

But he wasn’t the same person he had been at the start of the school year. Hell, he wasn’t the same person he had been two days ago if he was perfectly honest. So he turned to face the retired hero, the man who had saved his life more than once, his expression as neutral as he was ever going to manage. “All Might.”

“I’m glad to see you’re back to your usual self, young man. Aizawa informed me this morning,” All Might said as he caught up, towering over him with that too wide smile of his. “I hope the lost time wasn’t too jarring?”

“Tch!” Katsuki sneered. “There’s no fucking lost time! Every goddamn, fucking, shitting, embarrassing moment is still there wholesale to mock me for the rest of my goddamn life!”

Sunken blue eyes widened. “Is that so? That I had not been made aware of. That must be… bothersome.”

“Ha!” the teen barked in a derisive laugh. “Understatement. I’m already fucking sick and tired of being looked at like a sideshow freak. No offense, All Might, but I’m done dealing with people for today. I know you’re actually really looking for Deku, he’s probably still back in the locker room.” Or escorting Kaminari to Recovery Girl.

He was only a little surprised when a large hand gently landed on his shoulder to stop his escape, using all his remaining willpower not to glare at All Might from over his shoulder.

“My boy… while it is true that Young Midoriya is special to me as my successor, never doubt that your safety and well being is just as important.”

Katsuki swallowed thickly. “Because you’re my teacher…”

“In part,” All Might agreed. “But also because I see a version of my old self in you.” He chuckled when Katsuki gave him a doubtful look. “Under all that hostility you put forward to keep others at bay, I can definitely see it. Focused on a goal you already have a plan on how to reach, and driven enough that nothing can stand in your way. I used to be like that. I couldn’t have become who I am without that confidence and drive. And I want you to succeed. You have such an amazing future ahead of you, Young Bakugo. So bright, it blinds me even now.”

Katsuki shuddered through a breath, his chest feeling tight, eyes burning with tears he absolutely refused to shed. “Ah…” He didn’t know what to say. What did you say when your childhood idol acknowledged you like that?

Luckily, All Might wasn’t done. “It would be truly a disappointment if you let a misunderstanding of your past keep you from reaching your full potential. Whether that be your potential to grow as a hero, or your potential to be happy.”

Katsuki’s brows furrowed, feeling his hackles raise. “All Might-” he started, only for the hero to shake his head.

“Young Bakugo, if you truly remember all that happened yesterday, then just know this: Everything I said to you and Young Midoriya is absolutely true. And I ask that you really take the time to think about what you want to take from all of this.” The hero’s expression softened sympathetically. “You look like you have a lot weighing on your mind, but often I find that when I stop focusing on what is in my way and concentrate on what I want, most of my worries are just chains of doubt that I put on myself.

“So forget about what you think is keeping you from achieving your goals. Just figure out what it is you want, and then find the most straightforward way to achieve it without any doubts.” He smiled a bit sadly. “Don’t repeat this old man’s mistakes. You are far too driven to let past missteps weigh you down from moving forward.”

With that, All Might let go of Katsuki’s shoulder, heading towards the school. He gave him a short wave from over his shoulder, glancing back to offer the shorter blond a cheerful grin. “And remember you can talk to me anytime. Have a good afternoon, Young Bakugo.”

“Ah… y-yeah…” Katsuki grimaced at the stutter in his voice, inwardly berating himself for fumbling over his words in front of All Might. Who was he? Fucking Deku?!

And now he was thinking about Deku again. Fucking. Hell.

Angrily shuffling back to the dorm, he stuffed his hands into his pockets to stop himself from doing anything embarrassing, like trying to blast his own thoughts out of his head.

Reaching his room, Katsuki slammed the door so hard it bounced back and almost smacked him in the face.

“Fuck off!” He kicked it shut behind him, though it did nothing to alleviate his rage. Throwing his gauntlets and bag at the wall might have felt a little better, but not by much. Not enough that he was anything but a ball of blistering fury as he fell face first onto the bed.

‘Stop and think.’ Was that seriously All Might’s advice?! Thinking was the last thing Katsuki wanted to do! All he ever did was think! And his fucking traitor of a brain only wanted to stray his thoughts in one direction. In the direction of unruly, dark green curls and bright green eyes always brimming with useless tears. Stupid freckles and a stupidly charming grin stretching pale pink lips that were surprisingly warm and soft, molding perfectly with- No! No, goddammit!

He didn’t have to stop and think about what he really wanted! He knew what he wanted! To be the greatest hero of all time! Better than All Might! Endeavor wouldn’t even be able to hold a candle to him and no villain would be able to stand up to him! He wouldn’t let anyone stand in his way.

He didn’t want anything else!

Rolling over and ignoring the disgust he felt towards himself for putting his boots up onto his pristine bedsheets, Bakugo glared up at the ceiling. It was moments like this that he really missed who he had been a year ago. A year ago he wouldn’t have given a shit about blowing up a few things to release some of his anger. Now he had to watch his behavior or risk being kicked out of school. That and he would probably feel bad about it.

A little.

Maturity fucking sucked.

So what was he left with? Glaring up at his ceiling as he waited for his vicious, bubbling rage to slowly simmer and cool. He even went as far as to try to think soothing thoughts like Sero had once suggested to him. Not that he’d ever tell Soy Sauce Face that he was following any of his advice. Or the advice from any of the more useful extras that had decided to stick around him.

Clearing his mind except for peaceful thoughts didn’t do shit though. What even fucking counted as peaceful thoughts? He would assume being away from those nosy idiots would have been the most peaceful thing, but no amount of isolation from the gibbering peanut gallery could change the fact that for twenty four hours he had acted like a damn moron for all of them to see!

A stupid, fucking kid who had been best friends with one Midoriya Izuku. A stupid kid who had plotted out the course of his entire life with that same Midoriya Izuku at the center of it all. He hadn’t thought about that in years. He was sure Deku hadn’t thought about it, either. But Katsuki was thinking about it now. Couldn’t stop thinking about it!

That and the ridiculous number of times kissing had been part of his plan back then. What kind of fucking idiot kid thought about kissing that much at the age of four?! It was fucking insane!

And he was sure as fuck that Deku was thinking about that past now, too. Useless Deku who overthought everything on a good day! No good, fucking Deku who now had the same fresh perspective on the past that Katsuki had.

Just not all the exact same details.

Like the exact reason Katsuki had started pushing Deku away one day out of the blue. How the end had started.

It had been a kiss, ironically enough. A quick little peck on the lips before parting ways at the end of a bug scouting expedition. Izuku hadn’t noticed it, but they’d been spotted by their classmates, Freak Fingers and Bat Wings. The moment Katsuki had been alone, they’d swarmed in like the annoying bugs he and Izuku had been capturing all day, buzzing at him non-stop about what they had seen.

Katsuki had tried to shake them off, tell them it was something partners did and they just wouldn’t understand. Because they weren’t mature. But they brought down the hard truth on his head. What he and Izuku were doing was wrong. They would never be allowed to be heroes if they kept it up. Boys didn’t kiss boys!

And it was true that in the movie it had been a boy and a girl kissing. That was fine. That was good even. But two boys? His ‘friends’ had firmly told him that it was not allowed. They were utterly shocked that Katsuki hadn’t known that already.

Why hadn’t he known that? Freak Fingers’s parents had told him, but Katsuki’s parents had never told him what was right and wrong about who to kiss. Maybe because they hadn’t expected their toddler son to already be offering his kisses up freely to his best friend. It had been humiliating to be called out about something he hadn’t known when Katsuki was always the one who knew everything. To be told that something that had made him so happy had been wrong all along…

It was disgusting. They were disgusting. How could heroes do things that were wrong?!

They couldn’t. So if Katsuki really wanted to be a hero, he had to fix it.

The teasing became even worse after Izuku had been officially diagnosed as quirkless. If he was going to go around and be wrong, kissing boys, it should at least be someone worth kissing. Not quirkless, loser, crybaby Deku!

That had been Katsuki’s first big fight. At least the first one where he couldn’t blame it on bullies starting shit. He had been the bully that time. The hag had nagged him endlessly to know what had happened, but he refused to speak a word of it even to this day. And it turned out that it hardly mattered when his childhood underlings were quick to forgive and fall back in line afterward. It taught Katsuki a valuable lesson: The only thing that mattered was being the toughest guy in the room and everyone else would fall in line behind him. It didn’t matter what he did so long as he was stronger than the others. They wouldn’t dare mock him.

But like hell was he going to be giving them any ammunition, either!

So he decided to stop doing the things that were wrong. And to do that he had to put space between himself and the boy he couldn’t stop doing those wrong things with. Deku being quirkless was just… a really convenient excuse when he thought back on it.

But Deku had been stubborn, never knowing when to give up. Not on his dream, not on clinging to Katsuki. So he had to get mean. Really mean. He hated how mean he had to get. Hated how dense Deku was not to take the hint. Hated Deku for making Katsuki be so horrible to him. For not leaving Katsuki alone! For never letting his confusing feelings die! It became easier to pretend the angrier he got. Until the lines were so blurred they melded into one and suddenly he didn’t have to pretend to be mean anymore.

It never fully went away, though. Those confusing feelings. And he wasn’t a stupid kid anymore, either. He understood what homosexuality was and that there was nothing wrong with it. Nothing wrong with him.

He hadn’t needed All Might to tell him that!

He had nothing against people with same sex or gender attraction. Nothing at all! And it wasn’t some bullshit excuse of ‘he had nothing against it, he just didn’t want to get mixed up with those in that lifestyle’ that the worst of the shitty extras would spew. He interned for Best Jeanist, for fuck’s sake! One of the most open, out, and proud LGBT heroes! He admired the man more than most other heroes, horrible fucking clothes-based puns aside.

And then there was Dunce Face. Despite how often Kaminari got on his nerves, Katsuki still considered the idiot to be his friend. Who Kaminari decided he was attracted to that week never bothered Katsuki, even when that someone was a guy.

Now it turned out that All Might hadn’t been all that straight, either. Not that there had ever been anything more than rumored hints about the former Number One’s possible romantic affiliations throughout his career. All the rumors had the hero painted as a total lady’s man, with a revolving door of possible lovers.

Little did the world fucking know the truth about their beloved hero. The symbol of all that is good and right in the world! Was he gay? Was he bisexual? Did he go by any labels at all? And in the end, did it really matter? Because All Might had never been upfront about who he had relationships with. Nor was he obligated to. It was fine that even someone like All Might had not felt comfortable being open and upfront about who he was with. Who he loved.

So why did he expect Katsuki should have to be?

Not that he was in love with De- with anyone! Fuck…

Fuck!

Hell fucking no! He was not going there! His mind was not allowed to go there!

Like he could stop it…

“RrrrRRRRAAAAAGHHH!” He roared his impotent rage, scrubbing his face and hair until his cheeks burned and his scalp stung.

Honestly, it was a miracle he hadn’t set his hair on fire.

A loud bang from the wall against his bed had his body jerking in place. He hadn’t startled. He hadn’t fucking jumped.

“For fuck’s sake! WHAT?!”

“Bakubro?” Kirishima’s muffled voice came through the wall. “You okay over there? No one’s seen you since practice.”

“Fuck off, Shitty Hair!”

There was a huff of laughter on the other side of the wall. Why were they even talking like this? Usually, the idiot squad texted him non-stop.

“Have you even looked at your clock, man? I know you haven’t been looking at your phone,” Kirishima stated as if he had read his mind. “I’m surprised you’re even still up! It’s late!”

Late? The hell?

Katsuki got up and fished his phone out of his duffle bag, still on silent from the school day. Missed calls, a few dozen messages, and a large time display that read 22:36. “Holy fuck!”

“That’s what I thought!” Kirishima called out, a laugh in his voice.

It wasn’t exactly that late for the average teenager, but this was way past Katsuki’s usually scheduled sleep time. How the fuck had he been thinking about nothing and everything for that long?!

He hadn’t showered. He’d missed the usual study group with the idiot squad to make sure none of them flunked out. Hell, he’d missed dinner!

Not that he was hungry. He didn’t even feel tired! He felt pent up, his room a cage holding him in.

He had to get out.

Mind made up, he changed out of his dirty hero uniform to some clean UA athletic sweats. He fired a quick text to Kirishima that he was going to go on a run to burn off some steam. A thumbs up emoji was his neighbor’s reply. The simple, yellow pixel image pissed Katsuki the hell off for reasons he couldn’t bother to stop and fathom at the moment. But he knew it was a lot better to have the simple acknowledgment than to be bombarded with questions and concerns about going out after curfew. That would have really set him off.

Katsuki was harboring too much rage and had nowhere to direct it. Who was he even supposed to be angry at in a situation like this? Definitely at himself. But hell! There was plenty of anger to go about and not nearly enough people to direct it at.

Should he be pissed at All Might for wanting him to expose himself to the world when the former pro hadn’t been willing to do the same? At Deku for finding a way to grab a quirk and follow him to UA, leaving Katsuki unable to escape his past? His loud, annoying, noisy classmates with their pitying eyes and pointless meddling? At that shitty fucking nameless kid who whammied him and Deku at the convenience store, starting this whole shit show of a mess in the first place?

His past self for burning down every single bridge that could have made it easier to approach Deku now. His current self for not being able to just fucking let go of a childhood crush of all fucking things!

He didn’t deserve to be Izuku’s friend, let alone anything else. Even in a parallel universe, where Katsuki had not been a complete and utter piece of shit to Deku, he had no way of knowing if the nerd would be attracted to other guys. Let alone him! But this wasn’t a parallel universe. This was the shitty universe he lived in. Where he was such a chicken shit he had run from the one person who probably understood him better than anyone else because things got a little bit tricky.

What a total piece of shit.

So who should he be mad at?

Everything. Everyone. All of it! He could be pissed off at everyone! At the entire fucking world if that’s what he wanted!

It’s always worked for him in the past. It’s what got him this far in life. Directing his anger out at the world, focusing it to push him forward, away from where anyone could reach him.

And if that left him alone… So fucking be it. Not that he was actually lonely.

He wasn’t. Only losers who needed the assurance of others for their worth felt lonely.

The night was clear and warm, a few stars breaking through the light pollution to dot the sky. Katsuki barely spared a glance back to make sure the door closed properly behind him before he pushed off the top step and took off in a full-tilt run. As fast as he could go without the use of his quirk.

He had no idea where he was going, either. Just forward. Away.

He made sure not to stray too far from the paths. It’d be bad enough to be found outside after curfew, if he was caught anywhere that was considered out of bounds? His punishment would be worse than what he got for fighting Deku just because he couldn’t learn his lesson on rule-breaking.

Fuck everything everywhere, he was thinking about Deku again! God fucking dammit! With a murmured curse, Katsuki pushed himself forward harder, feeling the muscles of his legs burn almost pleasantly, adrenaline coursing through his body, heart thudding loudly in his chest, lungs aching until his own ragged breathing was all he could hear.

He had no idea how long he had been running, he’d circled the dorms at least once. He hadn’t slowed down, not once, pushing himself to go faster, to go beyond his limits.

Plus Fucking Ultra.

Bursting through the treeline of the woods he hadn’t even noticed he had run into, Katsuki came to a stop in a moonlit clearing, doubled over as he tried to catch his breath, sweat trickling down his forehead, dripping off his nose to the ground. His body ached, but it was a good sort of burn. The kind that let your body know it was truly alive. It was probably one of the healthiest ways he had to unleash his anger. Just push his body past its limits until he wanted to collapse.

“K-kacchan…?”

His insides froze, sucking in a sharp, wheezing breath. Slowly he looked up until vermillion eyes met verdant. Wide and bright with the gleam of the moon above, almost like a couple of the scant stars in the night sky had been captured in brilliant green.

Stunned, Izuku stood just a few yards ahead of him, dark, wild curls windswept and damp with sweat, skin flushed and glistening just enough that the dark constellation of freckles across his cheeks stood out more, lips parted in clear surprise of their serendipitous meeting.

Of all the rotten fucking luck…!

Chapter Text

“K-Kacchan…?”

This is what people referred to as fate.

Right…?

Izuku had just been thinking about Kacchan. Well… he hadn’t stopped thinking about Kacchan all day. It was hard not to after the last couple of days. After spending more time outside of school with the volatile blond in twenty-four hours than he had in the past five years. To be reminded of what they had once been to one another. Tearing open the barely healed wounds of that loss all over again.

He was well beyond the point of trying to resist his traitorous thoughts from coming. His mind couldn’t be wrangled in any other direction, productive or otherwise. What he eventually realized was that if he couldn't control the subject of his thoughts, he could at least try to control the flow of the narrative in his own head. Think about everything that he felt, but think about it in a way that he wanted to. It didn’t completely work, but it was the best answer he had.

So while his thoughts were all filled with Kacchan and their past, of their impromptu adventure, and its aftermath, he didn’t have to think about how sad it made him to be reminded of what he had lost all over again. Instead, he could just accept that it was a nice if weird moment of his life that brought new understanding to his and Kacchan’s past. Maybe it could make things just a little better moving forward, too.

He could see that working out well if he tried hard enough.

It had just crossed his mind that it would be nice to be able to talk to Kacchan about all of it.

Well… no. It would actually be the worst to talk to Kacchan about all of it. That was a path that led to explosions, burns, bruises, and so much pain.

But the idea of it was nice. To have someone to talk to. Someone who understood what he had been through. Understood some degree of what he was feeling.

And that was Kacchan.

So despite his better judgment, Izuku had been wishing Kacchan could be there with him. Could be there to talk to.

And just like that, there he was.

The blond had been running, just as Izuku had been. Maybe just like Izuku, Katsuki had been trying to tire himself enough to be able to silence the endless stream of fretting thoughts long enough to sleep. He hadn’t slept well last night after Katsuki had exploded out of his room. And from the bags under the blond’s eyes, it was clear he hadn’t either.

That they both wound up in this very spot at the same time? With so many running paths in Heights Alliance that either of them could have chosen to take instead. What were the odds?

Katsuki visibly bristled, pulling up to his full height. Just for a moment, Izuku was captivated by the sharp rise and fall of the blond’s powerful chest. The UA athletic uniform did not do nearly enough to hide the breadth of Katsuki’s chest, the powerful line of his shoulders, and the musculature of his arms as he drew up straight and regarded Izuku with simmering ire. His skin was flushed and glistening with sweat, making him that much more dangerous.

It didn’t help that the Katsuki looked not at all happy to have found himself before Izuku. Actually, he looked like he was trying to expand on his quirk’s abilities by willing Izuku to spontaneously explode with just the force of his glare.

Of course. There was no other reaction that should have been expected, and yet Izuku still felt disappointed. “You’re not here to start a fight, are you?” Izuku asked wearily. He just wasn’t in the mood if that was the case.

“Tch!” Katsuki scoffed, baring gritted teeth in a sneer. “Don’t flatter yourself, shit nerd! Why would I waste my time? Like I even knew that you were out after curfew.”

“You’re out after curfew, too,” Izuku pointed out dully, just barely containing the urge to roll his eyes.

“What’s your fucking point?”

“Nothing,” he sighed. Being sure to give Katsuki a wide berth, he started to head back.

“The fuck do you think you’re going, Deku?!” the blond growled.

“Back,” Izuku replied shortly, well beyond too tired to deal with Katsuki’s mercurial mood shifts. “I was running because I couldn’t sleep. But no amount of running is going to help me now. So I may as well go back.”

He started when a large hand wrapped around his wrist, pulling him back around sharply.

“So you’re running away, then? Huh, fucker?!” Katsuki snarled, tightening his grip on Izuku’s permanently damaged arm

Green eyes widened in shock, hiding a painful wince. “Wha- What?!” What the hell did that even mean?!

“You heard me, asshole! You’ve been avoiding me all fucking day long!”

“And you haven’t been?! All of today! For the past decade!” Izuku countered, feeling a sudden surge of irritation.

“What?!” Katsuki snarled, this time clearly caught off guard. “I never-”

“Right!” Izuku cut him off, stunning the blond with his daring. “You’re right! Because I would have rather you ignored me for the past decade instead of what you actually did!”

“You-”

Izuku didn’t cut him off again. “But for your information, I wasn’t ignoring you, Kacchan! After the meltdown you had yesterday-”

“I didn’t fucking-” Katsuki tried to cut in, only for Izuku to raise his voice over him.

“I thought you’d want to pretend nothing happened! I was giving you space! As much as I could when we belong to the same class and sit next to each other. I didn’t want you to get mad, but you’re always mad about something!”

“The fuck did you just say to me?!”

The green haired boy yanked his arm free from Katsuki’s tight grasp, using only the strength gained naturally from his training with All Might. “I said you’re a pissy asshole, Kacchan!”

The silence was as deafening as the aftermath of a point blank explosion, vibrant green glaring at stunned red. It was almost gratifying to see the stupified look on the Katsuki’s face, and a part of Izuku felt satisfied to finally say something, anything, to Katsuki about how he had been feeling for the past decade. But the feeling was short lived, vindication quickly dulling to weariness. With a desolate sigh, Izuku looked away, running a hand through his wild curls.

“I’m tired, Kacchan,” he murmured softly. He was tired in just about every way one could feel tired. His eyes stung with tears that he absolutely refused to shed in front of his old bully; his old friend. “I just want to go to sleep. So if you don’t actually want to talk, I’m going to head back.”

“Wait." Izuku had only taken a couple of steps before a voice so soft he almost hadn’t recognized it as Katsuki’s called out to him.

He turned around, standing silent, waiting as instructed, his stance wary. He couldn’t entirely rule out the possibility that Katsuki would charge at him full tilt.

Instead, the blond simply stood there, hands limp at his sides. It took a moment for Izuku to even realize that Katsuki’s face was gradually turning red.

“K-kacchan…?”

“You remember, don’t you?” He finally asked. When Izuku only stared at him blankly, he gusted out an irritated breath “Everything that happened since we blacked out at the convenience store. You can remember everything that happened, right?!” His angry voice had an underlining current of panic the closer to got to the end of his question

Izuku seriously contemplated lying through his teeth. It felt like a trick question. But hadn’t this been what he wanted? To be able to talk about this to somebody who understood? “Yeah… It was like watching a live video feed. I can remember just about all the details, but… it also doesn’t feel like it actually happened directly to me.”

Stuffing his hands into his pockets, Katsuki grumbled. “Pretty much the same for me. Fucking shit, this is the worst.”

Izuku couldn’t believe this. They… they were actually talking about it. And what’s more, the conversation was civil. Enough… “I… I don’t know if I agree with that,” he said with a tug of a smile on the corner of his lips.

“The fuck you on about?” the blond sneered. “The entire fucking class of extras saw us sucking face and you don’t think it’s that big of a deal?”

Izuku winced and shook his head, feeling his face grow hot. “We… We weren't sucking face!” Except for that one time in front of All Might. Technically? Oh god! Did that count?! That kiss had been different. So different. And it happened in front of All Might! He was sure steam was coming out of his ears as he hid his face behind his arms.

Growing up Izuku had convinced himself that all those innocent little kisses between the two of them hadn’t counted as real kisses. Didn’t count as anything! Until the other day, he fully committed to the idea that he hadn’t had his first kiss yet.

But was that still true?

Sure, they had thought they were four, but they still had the same bodies they had now. And that last kiss… that hadn’t been like any sort of kiss he had before. If he let his mind wander back to it, his heart would start to race.

“Frog Girl gave us the Gay Talk, for fuck’s sake!” Katsuki raged. “And don’t even get me started on Grape- Goddammit, you’re muttering again. Stop thinking about sucking face, you fucking perv,” he taunted, though he was clearly amused by the way Izuku curled one arm across his face, the other crossing up and over his head.

“Don't say it like that! How can you tease me about this, Kacchan?!” Wasn’t he also embarrassed?!

“Because it’s fucking hilarious,” Katsuki grinned, bearing all his teeth. “Your face is red, and with the disaster zone you call your hair, you look like a goddamn tomato.”

“You’re such an asshole!” Izuku whined, then tensed, remembering who he was talking to. He prayed that he hadn’t just set some dominoes in motion that would result in Katsuki going off again.

But he didn’t. In fact, it seemed to puff the blond up more, grin widening, twisted a little meanly at the edges. “Didn’t stop you from clinging to me when we were brats.”

Izuku blinked wide, green eyes, lips parted slightly in a surprised gape. That was certainly true. It wasn’t like Katsuki’s bad attitude had been something that started at puberty. The last couple of days were clear proof of that. Katsuki had been a horrible little hellion, even as a kid.

But… it had been an endearing sort of mean. Never malicious and Katsuki always stopped if Izuku really started to cry. It had been meant to toughen him up instead of pushing him away. It had admittedly taken Izuku a while to learn the difference when things had started to change between them.

It was surprising. Talking to Katsuki right now and being reminded of the kids they used to be instead of the bully Katsuki had become. Like the quirk accident had scraped off layers of badly healed scar tissue, leaving them both open and raw, but with a real chance at healing properly. If they were just brave enough to take it.

Izuku wanted to take that chance. He hoped Kacchan did, too. He smiled softly. “I was a really dumb kid, huh?”

Katsuki scoffed, lips pulling in a harsh grin. “You really fucking were. Just the stupidest little shit with no fucking common sense.”

He couldn’t help the small bubble of laughter. “Yeah. Which is lucky for you, because you were pretty dumb, too.”

“Hey, fuck you!” The blond bristled, but even heated, his words lacked malice.

Izuku laughed, full and loud and sweet. And that utterly stunned Katsuki, indignation evaporating in an instant.

When was the last time he had made Deku laugh like that?

“It was actually kind of nice, you know?” Izuku huffed as his laughter slowly died down. “Reliving the old days.” And sad to be reminded that they didn’t have that anymore.

“Was it really all that great?” Katsuki asked in a surprisingly quiet voice. Did Izuku really miss being able to spend time with him that much? After everything Katsuki had put him through?

The green haired boy tilted his head, taking in Katsuki’s words and doing his best to decipher any deeper meaning behind them. Did the blond really not remember their past with any level of fondness? Or was he afraid to be that vulnerable without assurance that Izuku felt the same?

“It was,” he admitted just as quietly. “I… still miss those days sometimes.” A lot. He missed them a lot. To the point that he’d spent over a decade trying to catch up to his old friend.

Katsuki felt frozen, pinned by the sincerity in Izuku’s words. In the look in those green eyes, pleading with him to notice… something. “We can’t go back to that…” he murmured gruffly, shoulders hunching. He’d done too much wrong.

Izuku's bright smile dimmed, brows furrowing sadly. “No… I guess we can’t," he agreed quietly. "I guess it’s impossible, after all.”

The quick surrender only served to raise Katsuki’s hackles. Why was the nerd raising his hopes at all if he was just going to give up at the first hurdle like that?! “Tch-” he sneered, humiliation sour in his stomach. He was ready to just forget everything and go back to the dorms.

“But-”

Katsuki stalled, the angry furrow in his brow relaxing, only to pinch back together in confusion this time. “What?”

“It doesn’t mean that we can’t go forward from now on and begin something new, right? Forge a path… together?” The last was added as a shy little mumble, Izuku’s face burning crimson.

Katsuki felt his stomach give a funny little flip, heart skipping a beat like a goddamn sap. His eyes widened fractionally and his breath hitched in his throat.

Those were All Might’s words. The advice he had for the two of them yesterday when they hadn’t understood the bigger picture of their situation like the retired Pro had. The advice All Might had all but begged Katsuki to keep in mind today. Izuku thought that their paths were crossing again. And he wanted them to move forward together from now on.

He wanted them to be friends again.

Was that all he wanted? It wasn’t all Katsuki wanted. He was ready to admit that, at least to himself, which was its own form of progress. It was the reason they had stopped being friends all those years ago, after all. He hadn’t felt that he could be close to Izuku and not want more. A problem that got worse as he got older.

Could he do that now? He was being offered a second chance. One that he absolutely did not deserve, but one wasn’t stupid enough to deny himself. He was selfish like that. But could he leave it at that? Could he be satisfied with just being Izuku’s friend if that’s all the green haired boy wanted from him?

Could he deny his own feelings for the chance to have anything with Izuku again? Could he be that strong?

Because the last decade-plus? Of refusing any sort of connection with Izuku? Of pushing him away, mocking and jeering, literally violently bullying him in hopes that Izuku would abandon him, too. That time had sucked.

He could tell himself all he wanted that it had all been in the pursuit of his goals. Giving his all to his ambition to become the top hero. Strengthening his quirk, training his body to handle its power, strengthening his mind to always be a step ahead. He could say it had all been worthwhile and that wouldn’t even be untrue.

But…

But it all rang hollow in the light of what he had given up for it. What, in retrospect, hadn’t made a goddamn lick of sense to give up. Not anymore, anyway. Leave it to Deku to find a way to make the stupid vow they made when they were three still a viable option even after he had been diagnosed as quirkless.

Deku whose shyly confident little smile had started to waiver, color blossoming over his face as he fidgeted in place and waited for Katsuki to do… something!

It occurred to Katsuki then that he had been staring at the nerd this whole damn time without uttering a single, fucking, simple word.

“Ah… I… I mean…!” Izuku floundered at last. “If-! If that’s what you want! It’s completely up to you! I mean… I-it’s what I want, too. But that doesn’t mean anything if you don’t want to. I completely understand. I’m still so far behind. I still struggle with every part of this quirk I was gifted by All Might even now. Like maybe I wasn’t meant to wield it, after all. Not like Kacchan. You’re such a natural talent. A-and I know you put a lot of hard work into honing your quirk as much as you have!”

Oi… Deku was muttering again. Worse still, it was a self-deprecating ramble of nonsense that really irritated Katsuki.

“Deku-”

“I’m always going to be chasing after you,” he went on, unaware that the other had even spoken. “The gap is just too big. I know I talked a big game before, but I barely have any idea what I’m doing half the time. And I always have to be careful about how far I can push myself or risk breaking my body again.”

“Deku!” Katsuki growled, ignored once more

“I have to admit that when we fought on Ground Beta, I was shocked at how fast I was able to move and I still could barely keep up with you! And I haven’t been able to replicate that sort of power and speed since. All Might has been so patient with me, but I can tell that he’s starting to wonder if he made a mistake. I bet he sees you and realizes it would have been so much better if he had given you One For All instead. With your quirk, it would have suited you so much better! Imagine the types of blast force you’d be able to withstand with an added strength and power quirk. Not to mention-”

“Izuku!” He finally snapped. But at least it finally got through to the damn nerd. "For the love of fuck! If I say yes, I want to be your damn friend again, will it finally shut you the fuck up?!”

“Ah… I… W-what… did you say…?” Izuku breathed out, voice barely above a whisper.

The blond sighed in exasperation. “I said yes, you damn nerd. We can forge paths together or however the shit you feel like calling it to give yourself the warm fuzzies. Just shut the fuck up with all the damn muttering!”

“I-” the green haired boy’s cheeks were a fetching shade of pink as he stared at Katsuki in awe, green eyes wide and bright. “N-not that… I… I mean… Y-yes! It makes me really happy to hear that! B-but I… I mean… w-what did you call me… j-just now!”

Katsuki’s eyes widened, horrified to realize his own face was starting to feel hot with what was undeniably a blush. He scoffed and looked away, rubbing the back of his neck. “What? It’s your fucking name. Thought you’d be good with that.” Sudden realization hit and smoldering red eyes snapped back to glare at the shitty nerd. “I’m damn well not ever going to call you Icc-”

He didn’t even get the chance to get it out completely before he was knocked back on his ass, Izuku’s surprisingly heavy frame pushing him down as those wire-whip muscular arms wrapped around his neck in a breathtaking hug.

“De-!”

And just when his mind had processed that Deku actually tackled him to the ground in a fucking hug, it then had to process the feel of the nerd’s lips against his own, warm and insistent. Shocked and wide-eyed, Katsuki couldn’t even wrap his head around what was happening, let alone react to it.

Was any of it actually happening? Was Dek- Izuku really-

Then it was over, the green haired boy scrambling back onto his knees, eyes comedically wide, face a brilliant crimson color. “A-ah! I…” He flailed his arms in front of his face, trying to hide it or trying to shield it, it was hard to say. “S-sorry! I don’t know what came over me! I just… just-”

Katsuki wasn’t listening. He sat up, fiery eyes trained on pink lips. Tentative elation bubbled up in his chest, making him feel light. Bold. He cupped both sides of Izuku’s face like the boy was something delicate he had to treasure, guiding his face up towards Katsuki’s as he leaned down.

“K-kacchan, I-” it almost sounded like Izuku was going to object or back out, but Katsuki watched as those green eyes slipped shut and full lips parted ever so invitingly.

How was he expected to resist?

It was fireworks.

Or explosions.

Katsuki actually had to open his eyes to make sure he hadn’t just bombed Izuku’s face point blank. But there was only sun kissed, freckled skin contrasting gorgeously with his own pale hands.

The explosions were the ones in his stomach and the ones behind his eyes as they slipped shut again. It was entirely different than anything he had experienced before. It was new and warm and pleasantly twisty in his gut and when he finally drew back, his vision was filled with soft, warm green and flushed, freckled flesh he wanted to nibble on.

“Kacchan,” that breathy voice murmuring his name was all the justification Katsuki needed to surge forward again, the press of his lips harder, more insistent, humming low pleasure when Izuku made sweet little sounds for him in offering.

They broke apart and came together over and over again, warm and lulling at first, faces tilting to better mold their lips together, finding new and better angles, the air filled with the quiet smack of their lips and their mingled breathing. But it wasn’t long before they were both hungry for more. Katsuki shivered as he dared to brush his tongue over Izuku’s lips, muffling a soft sound when the smaller boy quickly complied and opened up to him. Met him halfway and challenged him with a sleek and eager tongue of his own.

The bold little nerd scrambled halfway onto his lap, arms wrapping around Katsuki’s neck.

Of course, the nerd wouldn’t back down even in this. Katsuki couldn’t believe what an idiot his younger self had been to think that a weak and submissive Izuku cowering behind him was ever what he actually wanted.

Having Izuku straddling his lap as their tongues slicked wetly against each other, exploring mouths. It was better. The other’s fingers raked through Katsuk’s hair, tugging gently on blond locks to guide him on where to go. And Katsuki was just curious enough to let him, but not without some guidance of his own. His own hands gripped Izuku’s firm, rounded hips, yanking the smaller boy closer until their hot bodies were pressed flushed together and he could swallow down Izuku’s moans. It was deep and all consuming, hungry and desperate to give and take everything they had been missing out on for too many damn years.

It… was what had been missing. The final piece that made the world finally make sense.

With a soft gasp, Izuku finally drew back, lips reddened, wet, and plump, eyes dark and hazy as they opened at half mast.

“Kacchan…”

But Katsuki wasn’t done with him yet. Gripping his chin this time, he tugged the smaller boy up for another kiss, his free arm wrapping around Izuku’s middle to pull him more firmly against his own body. His hand smoothed up to cup the back of his head, tangling in green curls to hold him in place.

There was no way he could just give this up now that he’s had it. No way he could stop at just one taste now that he knew it was something he was allowed. He felt starved for it, licking into Izuku’s mouth like he was trying to devour him, forcing his lips open wider so that their tongues tangled in the open air.

Izuku tried to pull away again, and with a snarl, Katsuki chased after those retreating lips, coiling his arms more tightly around Izuku’s slighter frame to make sure he couldn’t escape.

“Ka-mm-nn!”

It wasn’t enough, he needed to be closer. He couldn’t even really understand it, but he was done denying himself this gut feeling. If Deku was dumb enough to give him another chance, well Katsuki wasn’t dumb enough not to take it.

And the sounds Izuku was making, even the little muffled squeaks of protest, were all pooling hot and low in Katsuki’s belly. With a muffled moan he pulled Izuku in even closer, hitching the smaller boy up higher, his own hips bucking up to press their lower halves together. Fuck that was-

Rough hands came down hard on either side of his face, making Katsuki snarl. Even then, he didn’t let go until the second time Izuku’s hands clapped on his face.

“Deku! What the fu-”

“We’re not doing this here, Kacchan!” Izuku stated firmly, keeping an arm's length away. His face was flushed, lips fully and almost bruised looking. The rapid rise and fall of his chest called to some baser instinct in the blond’s animal brain, telling him to strike down his prey and take.

Izuku looked utterly debauched, and Katsuki wanted very much to do something about it.

But…

“Why the fuck not?!”

“Because anyone can stumble across us out here,” Izuku huffed, motioning to the clearing they were still in the middle of. Just off the path, but not nearly far enough.

Katsuki fumed, his hands heating up. He was ready to literally fight Deku over this. “Like I give a shit!”

“Well, I do!” Izuku persisted. He ducked his head, arms curling near the top like a shield. “And… and this is all going so fast!”

"The fuck it is! How many years could we have been doing this, Deku?!"

"I… I don't know! That… that isn't the point! I'm not ready!"

For a moment, all Katsuki could do was stare, eyes widening. He sighed, mentally reigning in his feral libido. Okay… okay, he could be good. It’d be worth it to finally win Izuku over and so much the sweeter when he finally got the nerd into his bed. Because like hell were they going to be doing much of anything in Deku’s All Might fanboy shrine.

“Fine… yeah, fine.” He huffed out a breath, shoulders slumping. “Let’s head back.”

"You're not mad?" Izuku asked as he peeked past his slowly lowering arms

Another sigh. "Nah, I get it. It is a fucking lot all at once. Just be prepared for me to woo the fuck out of you." Katsuki declared with a smirk

Izuku snickered. "It wouldn't be you if you didn't."

So they headed back, and as they walked, Izuku took a bold chance to lean against Katsuki, mollifying the blond’s frayed ego, even as his own face burned crimson in shy embarrassment. His own nerves were soothed when Katsuki's arm wrapped around his shoulders, nuzzling the top of his head for a second.

“So… this is a thing now?” Izuku asked shyly.

“Is this what sort of thing?” Katsuki hummed back distractedly

The green haired boy huffed in laughter. “Are we a thing… you know? Like… a thing as two people who kiss and-”

Katsuki raised an incredulous brow. “Are you seriously asking me if we’re dating now?”

“Ah… yes?” Izuku hedged shyly.

“Fucking loser,” he scoffed

“Kacchan!”

With a sharp tug, Izuku was pulled to a stop, turned to face brilliant red eyes simmering in anger.

Wait, why was he angry?

Katsuki cupped his cheek soothingly, even as he glared at Izuku with the scorching heat of the sun.

“I’m not doing this with anyone else ever if that’s what you fucking mean. And you damn well better not, either if you know what’s fucking good for you.”

Izuku relaxed, huffing a small laugh. Only Katsuki could make a threat sound so reassuring “I can’t imagine ever wanting to do this with anyone else.”

“Good.”

The rest of the walk to the dorm was quiet. Until they were about a yard away from the back entrance. Grabbing Izuku’s hand, Katsuki gave a light tug to get him to stop before they went inside.

“Kacchan?”

“Gotta know one thing,” Katsuki murmured, red eyes searching deeply into green.

Izuku blinked, twisting in Katsuki’s half hold to look at him directly. He considered him a moment, his lips pulling to the side. “I’m not spending the night in your room.”

Katsuki scoffed. “Wasn’t the question, nerd.” He had already known the answer to that particular question, so he hadn’t bothered asking it. Did it make Deku’s answer any less disappointing? No, but it had been expected.

Though the petty voice in his head told him it was worth it because now it was Deku who had been thinking about sleeping together first instead of Katsuki. At least as far as Deku knew.

And he looked pretty damn cute when he blushed.

Izuku jolted, eyes widening. “S-sorry! Ah…” He cleared his throat. “What is it?”

Katsuki hummed, taking a step closer and crowding into the smaller boy’s space, forcing him to look up to hold his gaze. “You really think my tits are better than the old hag’s?”

There was a beat of silence, then shocked spluttering once the question clicked into place. Izuku’s face exploded in color. “W-wh-what?!” Man, what Katsuki would have given to have been able to record the moment. Izuku smacked a hand over the blond’s chest to push away, pouting up at him indignantly. “Don’t say tits, Kacchan!”

Snickering softly, Katsuki grabbed Deku’s arm by the wrist and yanked him in for a quick and filthy kiss, pulling back before Izuku had a chance to get into it. “Tits,” he murmured against the other’s lips, grinning ferally when Izuku squawked at him.

“You’re the worst!” Izuku cried as he shoved away, stomping towards the door.

“Aren’t you so glad you spent so many fucking years chasing after me?” Katsuki taunted after him with a toothy grin.

Stopping in front of the door, Izuku looked back, his own sweet smile making Katsuki’s heart skip a beat. “Yeah. One of the best decisions of my life, actually.”

Chapter Text

“Man, what did Denki even do to set Blasty off this time?”

“Kacchan…” Izuku sighed heavily, pushing a thick, gloved hand through his hair as he turned away from the screen.

Two weeks

That was how long it had been since the last ‘incident’. The last time Katsuki blew his top and blasted someone ‘unprovoked’.

Two weeks since the end of the quick accident and the quickly set up unspoken rule that it and its aftermath were topics that were strictly off limits for discussion.

Topics like the fact that most everyone was sure, or at the very least suspected, that Izuku and Katsuki were dating now. Neither had come forward and outright said it, but the hints were all there. Izuku knew that he wasn’t being all that discreet, his smiles more brighter and more frequent around the explosive blond. And even though Katsuki was still as loud, and brash and rude as always, he always made sure that Izuku was within his sights. Even when he told the green haired boy to fuck off.

They likely weren’t been as discreet as they would have liked to pretend they were when they would disappear away from the rest of the class, always around the same time as one another.

No… they hadn’t said anything. But it wasn’t like they had to.

Izuku was sure that no one had said a thing yet mostly because they wanted to avoid an explosive reaction from Kacchan. As explosive as the reaction the ash blond had just now with Kaminari. In the middle of team combat training.

Of course, it had to be Kaminari who finally said something. It was always Kaminari in the end. Poor guy. Though Izuku was honestly surprised it hadn't been Todoroki. If only because Todoroki probably didn’t realize he shouldn’t say anything in the first place. He’d been the only one to congratulate Izuku on his and Katsuki’s relationship, as well as wishing him a great deal of luck with who had had chosen to be with

It was incredibly fortunate that they two of them had been alone enough when he said it all. Izuku had begged him to say anything to Kacchan, and he knew that he could count of Todoroki to keep his word on that.

He was still pretty sure the duo-quirk wielder had no idea why he had to, though.

Others had been sure it would have been Mineta who broke the silence, but the Grape Hero at least seemed to have some sense of self-preservation. At least when girls weren’t involved.

Kaminari lacked that important instinct, along with tact and good timing. As in the middle of team battle simulations in Ground Gamma levels of bad timing. Not that there was ever really a good time to piss Katsuki off. Though a budding theory would be while Izuku was close by enough to intervene. To distract.

Izuku was very good at distracting Katsuki.

“Team 9 has lost the match due to inter-team sabotage,” Aizawa announced with no small measure of exasperation into the comm system, rubbing at his temple. “Team 10 is the winner by default.”

“The fuck?! I don’t need Dunce Face to take out these extras! We can still win!” Katsuki roared even as he gave Denki’s prone form a light kick to the side for good measure.

On the observation deck, the rest of the class paled, turning to Aizawa to see what their teacher would do to Bakugo for his insubordination.

“Out. Now,” the teacher deadpanned.

“Tch!” Katsuki sneered but didn’t argue further, grabbing the electric blond’s limp body by the back of his collar and dragging him out of the battleground. He didn’t bother trying to spare him from any debris and rubble he might have come across along the way, either.

Several yards behind them, Aoyama and Koda shared a look before slowly following behind, deciding it best to give Bakugo sufficient space lest they face his wrath as well. For all the character growth and maturity the explosive had developed since the start of the school year, no one was really willing to press their luck quite that much.

The robots were waiting at the entrance to Ground Gamma, taking over to carry Kaminari to Recovery Girl, expositing over the inefficiency of humans the entire way.

It was the final match up for the day. What a letdown.

“Bakugo, you’re coming with me to the teacher’s lounge. We’re going to have a talk about your recent conduct,” Aizawa informed the ash blond with a put-upon sigh, as if he were the one being punished. Katsuki just scoffed and looked away petulantly. “The rest of you are dismissed for the day.”

“Ah-” Izuku started, only to reconsider when their teacher’s bloodshot eyes met his in a warning glare.

Red eyes flicked to green as well, narrowing in annoyance when all Izuku could do was twitch his lips to the side in clear disappointment before looking away, eyes rolling. That damn Deku had developed a real attitude problem over the past couple of weeks.

Since they started dating.

What? The nerd thought that just because they had started making out that suddenly he could get away giving him this sass shit? Katsuki would have to remind Deku later where things really stood. After he got chewed out by Aizawa.

Fucking Pikachu.

Their homeroom teacher gave him the equivalent of an ‘I’m not mad, just disappointed’ sort of talk that ruffled Katsuki up in all the wrong ways. Worst of all, he’d been dragged to Recovery Girl’s office where he and Kaminari had both been informed that they’d be working exclusively together for the next few days on all group assignments until the two of them could learn to get along. Including all further battle training.

The electric idiot had squawked and bemoaned such an unfair punishment when he hadn’t done anything wrong. Like the asshole had any room to complain when Aizawa had handed him a guaranteed week of improved grades. Katsuki was the one who’d be suffering! He hadn’t even hurt Dunce Face that badly! The other blond just needed to better learn how to take a hit.

Maybe Katsuki would help him in that while they were stuck together. He fought back the feral grin that wanted to pull at his lips. That might relieve some of the stress the rest of the week was going to give him. Especially since he’d have less time now to spend with another annoying idiot during school because of this shitty punishment. It just happened to be the annoying nerd that made his chest feel hot and his stomach feel light.

Fuck, the rest of the school week was going to suck. Fucking whatever. It wasn’t his fault the idiot really didn’t know when to leave well enough alone.

After he’d been dismissed, Katsuki went back to the locker rooms, making quick work of washing up and changing back to his school uniform. He was the last one out.

He wasn’t at all surprised to find Izuku waiting outside the school for him, beaming up at him like a loyal puppy despite his earlier annoyance. “Kacchan!”

What was more annoying was that Izuku wasn’t the only one waiting.

“How pissed off was Aizawa-sensei with that shit you pulled?” Sero asked with a playful smirk.

His friends were there, too.

Perfect.

Even better was the look that quickly replaced the brilliant smile on Deku’s face. A mixture of worry and frustration.

“What did Aizawa-sensei say?” He asked apprehensively.

“Nothing important,” Katsuki responded flatly.

“No detention?” Sero inquired curiously.

“In-school suspension?” Mina speculated as well.

“Is Kaminari okay?” Kirishima wondered aloud.

Katsuki snarled. “Pikachu is fine! The idiot does worse to himself all the time!”

“Kacchan,” Izuku started reproachfully.

“Can we just fucking go?” the explosive blond seethed, stomping off ahead.

“Kacchan!” Izuku huffed as he followed after him, the nerd daring to walk by his side. “You really need to learn to control your temper!”

“Hah?!”

“Bro, what did Kaminari even do?” Kirishima asked as he caught up, keeping a step behind and to Katsuki’s right.

At least Kirishima knew his place.

“I wouldn’t ask for the details, man,” Sero sighed as he kept up behind them. “But that’s just me.”

“He probably said or asked something personal or inappropriate,” Mina hummed, tapping her lip thoughtfully as she kept pace with bouncing steps. “That, or he asked if he could call Midoriya ‘Icchan’. Actually, my money is on that.”

“Eh? Y-you… you really think so?” Izuku flustered, cheeks coloring. “But shouldn’t I be the one he asks if that’s the case?”

Above his head, the others shared a knowing look, turning as one to stare at Katsuki with far too much smug interest. “Shouldn’t that be the case, Blasty?” Mina asked with way too much glee.

Katsuki refused to deign any of them with an answer, though the burning redness of his ears likely gave him away.

“Really, Kacchan,” Izuku sighed. “It’s just a nickname! You don’t even use it anymore! And I don’t get mad when anyone else calls you Kacchan!” Though, really, only Kaminari did that, too… “You have to show more restraint! You’re already on such thin ice with the teachers at the school! First the fight in Ground Beta, then attacking our classmates and running off when we were quirk afflicted-”

“You were involved in all those things, too, you fucker!” Katsuki seethed, sparks going off in his hands. More smoke rose when he heard those other shitheads stifle their laughter. Those asses were way too entertained by Deku trying to scold him like a bad kid.

“I really think you should apologize to Kaminari,” Izuku concluded.

Katsuki swore he almost popped a blood vessel. “The hell you say?!”

“Oooh,” Mina gasped softly under her breath, hand covering her widely grinning mouth.

“Oh shit,” Kirishima huffed out under his breath, fighting back a grin of his own.

“I also think you need to start making it up to Aizawa-sensei. To All Might, too. Both of us should, really! I have a few ideas in mind already. Starting with-” And off he went.

Rumbling in irritation as Izuku lined out their apology tour, Katsuki suddenly stopped, pulling Izuku up short with him.”

“Ah- Kacchan? Eeh!” The smaller boy yelped when Katsuki grabbed hold of his waist, just above the delicious flare of his hips that his school uniform hid away from the world. A crying fucking shame, and yet now a gift that only Katsuki got to enjoy in full. Ignoring Izuku’s startled, little squeak, he yanked the smaller boy in, capturing his lips in a demanding, consuming kiss.

“Holy-” The rest fell silent, turned to stone from witnessing the sudden turn of events.

So much trying to be discreet!

Izuku himself muffled a small sound as he gave himself over and tipped his head further back to submit to the ash blond, knobby, rough hands sliding over broad shoulders. Just for a second. Then the green haired boy tensed and shoved Katsuki away with just the slightest hint of added strength. His eyes were wide, freckled face flaming red, like a ripe strawberry. “D-did you seriously just kiss me to shut me up?!”

When all the answer he got was a brow raised in challenge, a wanton tongue flickng over smirking lips. Izuku spluttered indignantly, his body shaking with embarrassment and indignation. “Kacchan! You can’t ju-mmph!”

He was cut off once again, Katsuki’s lips as hot as his hands smoothing down the tense line of Izuku's back until he felt all those stiff muscles melt. Wth a small sound, Deku was suddenly clingy putty in his arms, eagerly opening up to his demanding tongue. His hands traveled down just a little further, curling inward with digging fingers to make their intentions clear. Izuku keened, stuck somewhere in the limbo of letting himself get swept up and away by Katsuki’s talented mouth and pushing him away for being so bold and vulgar in public.

In the end, he had his mind made up for him when Katsuki drew back, giving Izuku’s bottom lip a final, tugging nip.

“Ah… haa… I…” Izuku tried to speak, but his mind was stalled, glazed green eyes looking up into the smug pinch of Katsuki’s red gaze.

“Wow,” Mina breathed, her black sclera eyes wide in awe, the pink on her face a little darker than usual.

“That was pretty manly,” Kirishima agreed just as breathlessly.

“Y’know… I always had a feeling that the two of you would be one of those gross, publicly affectionate couples that make everyone else want to gag once you pulled your heads out of your asses,” Sero concluded with a put upon sigh. “Should have made a bet.”

Katsuki bristled. Despite the fact that he had started this little stunt fully aware of who his audience was, he still felt his embarrassment climb high, his face burning. “You really wanna go there, Tape for Brains? Cuz I’m sure Dunce Face wouldn’t mind some comp-”

With a huff, Izuku yanked Katsuki’s face back towards him, guiding him down as he surged up to capture his lips in another kiss. Unlike the ash blond’s ravenous, claiming kiss, Izuku’s was soft and playful. For a start. He teased his tongue along the seam of the blond’s lips in challenge, before his own parted in invitation.

With a low rumble, Katsuki took the bait, pulling Izuku to him again, deepening the kiss, groaning softly himself when he felt the devious little imp suck on his tongue.

“I think Midoriya just saved your life,” Mina stage whispered to an embarrassed Sero, the taller boy just groaning softly.

“This is going to become a thing, isn’t it?”

“It’s already a thing,” Kirishima concluded with a sheepish grin. “I mean… besides the PDA being knocked up a couple of levels, is it really all that different from the way they kissed when they were kids? Always trying to distract each other from bad moods. So in a way, it’s almost like they never changed.”

“Holy crap, I think you’re right!” Mina gasped.

“So in other words, we might as well get used to it now,” Sero finished with a soft, exasperated sound.

“Yep!” Kirishima nodded firmly.

With a low, sweet sound, Izuku gently pushed Katsuki back, lips parted with soft pants. He dropped his gaze almost shyly, then peeked back up through his lashes.

“Izu…” Katsuki breathed out dazedly, leaning in to start all over again.

Cheeks flushed pink, Izuku shook his head, ducking out of Katsuki’s way. “Ah- actually, I just remembered that I have a study group today, Kacchan. For the math test tomorrow. So I’ll see you later!”

Waving cheerfully, Izuku dashed off ahead, green sparks dancing around his feet for an extra boost of speed.

Katsuki could only stare in stunned silence, licking his lips automatically as if he were trying to take in any last trace of Izuku’s taste.

He tensed when a low whistle sounded behind him. “Damn. I really thought Midoriya was just the sweet and innocent bean of our class, but he really knows what he’s doing, doesn’t he?” Sero wondered aloud with an easy grin.

The penny finally dropped and Katsuki’s vision turned red. “Dekuuuuu!” That fucking cock tease!

“It’s always the shy ones, huh?” Mina snickered, jumping back with a grin when the blond rounded on her.

A quirk hardened arm slung around Katsuki’s shoulder, effectively holding the blond in place by Kirishima unless he put some serious effort into breaking free.

“C’mon, Baku! You gotta tutor us for the test tomorrow, too! I’m desperate, man!”

“Me, too! I’ll even kiss you, too, if that’s what it takes,” Sero added with a shit-eating grin.

“You fuckers! Fine!” Katsuki’s snarl turned into a vicious grin. “You want my help? Be prepared to have the knowledge beaten into your soft skulls until it leaks out of your fucking ears!” He’d take his frustration out on these assholes until he could make Deku pay.

He’d make the nerd beg for the experience, too.

Several meters ahead, Izuku touched his lips as he slowed down to a brisk jog. They felt hot beneath his fingertips, but not as hot as the rest of his face. “Kacchan is dangerous,” he muttered to himself, swallowing thickly.

He knew he would likely pay later for that stunt he just pulled. He was kind of looking forward to it, though.