Chapter Text
“Wait.” Shinsou caught his wrist as Bakugou stormed out of his examination room. “If you’re thinking to confront him now, you should know that He’s not here. Besides, this is probably a conversation you should have off-campus. You know, maybe not endanger his job anymore than you already have?”
Bakugou sneered at him. “And here I thought he was the one that was a danger to me , the poor little patient?”
“That’s how it looks on paper,” Shinsou gave him a lazy grin and stroked his thumb over his wrist. “But we both know you aren’t poor, little, or anything close to it.”
“Damn right,” Bakugou leaned into his space, close enough to kiss him. The scientist held his breath. “Don’t you forget it.”
Then he shook Shinsou’s hand off and shut the door in his face.
“I think I’m in love.” Shinsou sighed to the closed door. “Good luck, Midoriya.”
***
Bakugou didn’t have Midoriya’s current address–but Auntie Inko would, and he still had her cell number saved in his contact list.
“I had a feeling I might be hearing from you, Katsuki-kun,” she said when he gave his name.
“Is that so?”
“Yes. Why don’t you come for lunch? We can catch up.”
Her tone was bright and sweet, but Bakugou clocked a dark undertone. It whispered, “I need to talk with you and I am not to be trifled with.”
“I’ll be right over.“ Hoping an offering might spare his life, he added, “I’ll bring pastries.”
“I’d like that,” she said. “They’ll go great with tea.”
Bakugou smiled. Goodwill gesture accepted.
***
Inko lived downtown near the research center, in a pricey high-rise that Bakugou suspected was more Deku’s choice than Inko’s.
She greeted him in the genkan , exclaimed over how tall he was now, and led him to her kitchen by his arm. Perhaps she was lonely, and wanted to be close to him, but something about her seemed frail. Like she felt more confident holding onto him as she moved.
Well , Bakugou reasoned, everyone gets old .
“How are your parents, Katsuki? I haven’t caught up with Mitsuki in a while.”
“Um,” he hesitated. Such a simple question, such a complicated answer. “They’re all right, I guess.”
“Do you get to see them much?”
He loved them, but he kept his distance. His mother was so critical of him, all the time. Not even his top-hero status had changed that. That was probably too much to dump on Auntie Inko. Instead he said, “I don’t like the person they want me to be: ambitious, ruthless, straight.” Perhaps not much better. And not exactly truthful either. He’d managed the first two qualities, after all; perhaps Mitsuki wasn’t too disappointed in him.
“Ah, that . I thought that might be it.”
“You knew I was gay?”
“I could tell that my son was, at least. I wasn’t sure if you were.” She patted his hand. “It’s important to be yourself. Every flower takes time and the right environment to grow. I know things didn’t end well between you and Izuku before, but I hope you know you were—are—welcome here.”
Bakugou sniffed as they reached the kitchen. He wasn’t going to tear up, dammit.
He pulled a chair out for Inko, who didn't take it, opting instead to shuffle over to a cabinet that presumably held plates and teacups. Bakugou set his pastry peace offering on the chipped table in the center of the room. It was so out of place in the modern, spacious kitchen that it made him stop to consider it. he realized that it was the same one from Inko's old house, back from when he and Deku were kids. He slid a finger across the scarred surface as memories rushed him, only for it's path to be interrupted as Bakugou paused to listen to Inko breathing. She sounded like she was gulping in water rather than air, like she was choking. Alarmed, he looked up to see her leaning against the counter, pale and sweaty. Clearly he had been wrong; whatever was going on with her was decidedly not just 'getting old.' “Hey, sit down, Auntie. I’ll do it. Where do you keep the tea?”
Wheezing, she pointed to the cabinet. Katsuki retrieved the plates and teacups, and even heated the tea kettle.
“What’s going on with you, Auntie?” he asked, pouring two cups and sitting down.
“I guess it’s too obvious to hide,” she smiled, full cheeks dimpling. It was like looking at an older, female version of Deku. “I have a rare form of heart failure. I’m resistant to the standard meds. And trust me, I am on all of them. They help... But not as much as they should.”
“I’m sorry to hear that.”
Suddenly Izuku’s career choice made more and more sense to him. He had always thought Deku might go into law enforcement or forensics, but now it was clear to Bakugou that Deku’s dream of catching villains gave way to keeping his mother alive. Both understanding and affording her medicine was the best way to do that.
Inko stirred her tea cup. “I imagine you’re here because you want to talk about Izuku?”
“I guess it’s too obvious to hide,” Bakugou parroted her with a guilty smile.
“It is. Goodness, you were cute, but you’ve grown up to be so handsome, Katsuki-kun. Just gorgeous,” she said, patting his wrist over the table. “I know Izuku thinks so, too. He’s always only had eyes for you.”
Bakugou blinked. He’d suspected Izuku had a crush on him as a child—that was why Bakugou pushed him away so hard—but now? Still? He’d thought their inappropriate relationship was based on Izuku’s need to have power over Bakugou, revenge for the past, with maybe a smattering superficial attraction.
Only had eyes for you implied so much more.
But... Inko could be wrong. Sons didn’t tell their mothers everything, after all.
“Come with me,” Inko said.
They walked down the hallway together, Inko once again holding Katsuki’s arm. She paused halfway there, breathing hard.
“Hey,” Katsuki patted her shoulder. “Don’t overdo it. I can carry you.”
“I need to exercise a little,” she said, her breathing evening out. “It’s just hard to balance with all the fluid in my chest. Turns out, if your heart gets congested, so do your lungs.”
“Sounds awful, but…”
“This is it.” Coming to an abrupt halt, she opened a hallway door and gestured for Bakugou to go in.
He stepped into a large bedroom with an en-suite. The walls were a soothing sage green and lined with clear collector cases. Medical journals scattered over a reading bench in the window sill, with a laptop left open on top of them. An unmade, king-sized bed rested in the corner, doused in a waterfall of gray bedding.
A bachelor scientist’s room if there ever was one.
Bakugou smiled and made his way over to one of the cases. Mostly All Might figures, vintage and quite expensive. A few of Hawks, Mirko, Edgeshot. There was a whole case devoted to the Genius Agency, and Dynamight himself took over the bulk of the shelves. Bakugou personally didn’t think he’d been around long enough to merit collector’s edition status, but being the youngest hero to ever break the top tiers was an achievement of its own. Deku even had the commemorative bust of him from when he broke through the top 5, the sharp lines of the X of his bodysuit forming a finished edge to the sculpture.
Bakugou turned away, flushing hard. As he turned, he realized Deku also had a framed poster of him on the wall directly across from his bed. If Deku slept on his left side, Bakugou would be the last thing he saw at the end of the day—and the first thing he saw when he woke up.
Bakugou felt hot all over. What did all this mean ?
“He follows your career. Cheers every time you win,” Inko said, laying a hand on his back. Her touch was simple, calming. He suddenly remembered why he liked coming over to the Midoriya household as a kid: so much less chaos and noise than in his own home, with Inko’s gentle nature, and Izuku’s supportive one. “He loves you. It’s that simple. It always has been.”
“So… He really was just trying to protect me? He thinks he’s not good enough.” Bakugou blinked down at her. She looked questioning—and a little blurry. Damn, was he tearing up? He probably needed to explain himself a little. “Uh. We had a fight. We said and did some shitty—err, I mean—not great things to each other.”
“Why did you come here, Katsuki?”
I didn’t realize you lived together,” Bakugou admitted. “I wanted to get his address from you. Need to straighten something out. Call him a dumbass for deciding stuff on his own.”
“You’re a good boy, Katsuki,” Inko gestured for him to exit. “Izuku’s brilliant, but he gets a little dumb where you’re concerned. Don’t forget that. Be gentle with him, okay?”
“Me? Gentle? You’ve met me, right?” Bakugou scoffs, wiping the back of his hand over his eyes.
“It can be the ‘Bakugou Katsuki’ version of gentle,” she ruffled his hair. “Izuku wouldn’t want you any other way.”
“Can I wait for him?”
“Yes, he should be back soon; he’s on a pharmacy run for me.”
***
Inko retired to her room. Bakugou cleaned up after their lunch. Then decided to wipe the counters, do the dishes, and scrub the sink. It was as good a way as any to burn off his nervous energy, to think about his talking points before Deku arrived.
Bakugou heard Deku enter the condo and walk down the hall to Inko’s room, the sound of a paper bag crinkling as he swept past the kitchen.
“Mom? I’ve got your refills, and a new med. Sorry I took longer than expected—the pharmacist caught an interaction and wanted to ask the cardiologist about some of your labs before filling it. They ended up changing the dose.”
“Thanks, baby,” was Inko’s muffled response. “Please thank them for being so thorough next time.”
“I will. I’m going to grab a bite to eat; did you have lunch already? Want me to fix something for you?”
“Izuku, before you do that…” Her voice dropped so low that Bakugou could not hear her, but the answering shout of “WHAT?!” made it fairly obvious that Inko had told him they had a surprise visitor in the kitchen—and just who it was.
Bakugou turned to face the kitchen doorway, gripping a dish towel tight in his sweaty palms. Why did this make him so nervous? Shit, S-rank villains did not phase him, but apparently Deku did!
Heavy footsteps sounded down the corridor, and then a head of curly green hair ducked through the post-modern noren of the kitchen.
Fake it til you make it, or whatever the extras say.
“Hey, Deku,” Bakugou greeted.
“Kacch—Uh. Bakugou-san,” Deku said, eyes flitting around behind his glasses, face turning red.
Well, at least Deku looked as sweaty and shaky as Bakugou felt. If he was nervous to have Bakugou in his kitchen, he would have been mortified if he’d found Bakugou in his bedroom, surrounded by all his merch!
Inexplicably, even though they were on Deku’s turf, his nervousness put Bakugou at ease, making him feel like he had some control. It made him want to touch him, soothe him.
“‘Bakugou-san?’ What’s up with that? So formal.” Bakugou chided, approaching him. He stopped just shy of his personal space.
“I….” Deku licked his dry lips, gazing down at him. “I never expected you to show up like this. Not after...”
“I know. Your mom let me in. I came to get your address from her. Didn’t realize she lived with you. She’s pretty sick, huh?”
“She is, but we’re managing.” Deku folded his arms, taking a step back. A clear signal that he was uncomfortable with Bakugou’s proximity. “Why are you here? You were so angry after what I said—”
“Yeah, people tend to lash out when they’re hurt. I’m no different.” Bakugou stepped into his space again. “You said you weren’t good for me. But I think you’re wrong.”
Deku unfolded his arms, lifted his hands like he had when they reunited that first fateful day on the steps of the research center. Bakugou understood the motion now—Deku wanted to touch him, but didn’t think it was appropriate. His voice was strained, pleading. “Kacchan, you shouldn’t be here.”
“Why not? I’m not your patient anymore,” Bakugou took his lapels in hand, peering up into Deku’s tortured expression. “That means my being here doesn’t compromise your ethics. I’m no longer a danger to your career or the study. Though, Shinsou wants you to take me back, so who knows.”
“What? Why?”
“Can’t keep his hands off me,” Bakugou smirked. “Apparently I’m catnip to nerdy scientists.”
Deku’s eyes flashed, narrowing in anger. His hands flew to his shoulders, but nothing more—like he wanted to draw Bakugou up against him but was fighting himself. “That asshole —he was the one who—if he did anything to you, I’ll—”
Bakugou realized, with a little thrill, that Deku was jealous . If their whole affair was just an emotionless sex thing, he wouldn’t mind if Shinsou made a move on him! This stubborn bastard.
Still, these were good signs. Time to push his advantage.
“Don’t worry about what Shinsou wants; worry about what I want,” Bakugou closed the distance, bringing their bodies flush. “Now listen closely, because I’m not gonna repeat myself.” He lifted up onto the balls of his feet, taking Deku’s chin in one hand and sliding his other arm around Deku’s shoulders. “I want something more between us, more than what was going on in the lab. Do you want that too, Izuku?”
The heat in Deku’s eyes shifted. His whole demeanor changed—from outrage to a kind of nervous placification. Like a crying infant when given a binky. He took a shuddering inhale, and his hands went to Bakugou’s hips, which he kneaded like he couldn’t believe Bakugou was really in his kitchen, in his arms. “Yes. I want you, Kacchan, however I can have you. I always have.”
“I’m glad we’re finally fucking clear on this,” Bakugou laughed.
“Me too,” Deku dropped his face to Bakugou’s shoulder, taking a deep, relieved breath. “What do we do now?”
“We kiss, you damn nerd!”
Deku shifted upright, squeezed Bakugou against him, and pressed their lips together. Bakugou felt his knees shake and inwardly cursed himself for being such a sap. But so intense was his happiness. Deku’s kiss was soft yet firm, gentle but unyielding. He traced Bakugou’s lower lip with his tongue, requesting entry.
Oh, Bakugou wanted that. He really did. He wanted Deku to have his way with him right there on that old, chipped table he remembered from their childhood. But there was still one order of business to address, so Bakugou reigned his joy in and bit Deku’s lip instead.
“Ouch,” Deku blinked and pulled back. He wore a gleeful smile, amused by Bakugou’s spirit. “Not into French kisses, or…?”
“No part of you is going in any part of me just yet,” Bakugou declared. “You broke up with me while I was vulnerable and naked, tied down to your exam table. You owe me a date!”
They heard a sudden clatter and a thud! behind them. Deku wheeled around, bringing Bakugou with him.
“I just wanted some water,” Inko slumped against the entryway, an embarrassed flush on her face. “I, uh, I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that…”