Chapter Text
[Bakugo POV]
Bakugo honestly has better things to do than sit here and stand throughtwo hours’ worth of aimless chatter. He still came along, because ‘why not’, since Kirishima needed a ride. But goddamn.
Today wasn’t the day to go out.
They’re not doing anything crazy. It’s a sushi place. Shitty Hair, Tape-boy and Pikachu are all calmly talking about… he’s not really paying attention.
Bakugo’s mind is elsewhere. He keeps checking his phone compulsively for a call, a text, something… but it never comes.
He completely forgets to even touch his sushi in the process, and that’s about when his friends (yeah, he admitted a few years ago that that’s what they are) take notice of his funk.
One single gentle prod is enough to have him angrily ranting about the real problem, gesturing wildly with his chopsticks…
For the past three months, that problem has a name: Izuku Midoriya. And the only reason there’s a problem is because the nerd has become the most confusing piece of shit in existence!
There was a clear pattern, and to this day, Bakugo had no idea what it even meant: Izuku would invite him out on some specific activity, they’d go, things would be going well, and then out of fucking nowhere, Deku would get mad about something.
Anything.
It’s noticeable because either he’s barely talking, or he’s not enjoying himself enough, or he’s walking too far away…
Bakugo’s not exactly whining over a simple string of arguments. Oh, no. When you know a guy for more than a decade, it’s bound to happen that you get into it from time to time. But it’s just uncomfortable.
Lately, it’s as if he can’t even open his mouth without Izuku getting pissed off! It used to be the other way around!
Those little outings ensure disaster one way or another. They always argue, they end up yelling and saying mean shit, then they spend a few days without talking, and finally Izu will reach out, apologize for something he didn’t even do, and move on. Just like that.
There’s no explanation. No: “this is what pissed me off”.
Bakugo’s starting to get why people were terrified of him in high school.
It would be fine if it was just Deku being Deku… but Katsuki knows his own weaknesses all too well now. Even if he’d love to say he’s above all that petty argument bullshit… he’s not.
On the contrary, he gets heated and gets into it and then says shit that always bites him in the ass later.
Their arguments have been escalating more and more each time, is the thing. And that SUCKS. For two main reasons:
One, because for years, Bakugo’s nursed a half-repressed crush on Izuku. So feeling their friendship collapse stresses him out.
And two… when things escalate, he’s not the only one yelling out insults anymore. He was thoroughly unprepared for the brand of cutting, blunt and savage truths Izuku could hurl at him when he was mad. The nerd is no bitch, everybody knows it. He’s probably the most badass hero that’s ever lived. But with his gentle nature and huge smiles, Bakugo never expected that sharp harshness.
At the risk of sounding like a weak, sensitive little shit, Bakugo can admit that those truths Deku yells… they haunt him. To the point that he’s taken to writing them down to stop them from circling his brain 24/7 and distracting him from his work.
It’s all a fucking mess. But it’s not like anyone can ask why Bakugo still insists on going out and being friends with Izuku. It’s obvious.
So even if the stupid arguments drive him insane, he still forgives every time. He still acts as if nothing happened after that. But every so often he needs an outlet.
Which is why he tells his friends everything in a matter of fifteen minutes. The last argument, the details, the stuff they yelled at each other…
When he was done, Shitty Hair blinks once. “Okay, so to recap—“
Bakugo sighs, annoyed, “I fucking hate when you do that,” he complains.
“You and Midobro went to watch a movie… And you sat together and everything, you paid for it, and then when a girl asked if she could take the seat between you two… you gave it to her?” Kirishima frames it as a question, which mirrors Bakugo’s own disbelief.
Gesturing towards the redhead, he exclaims, “Yeah! Exactly! I did nothing fucking wrong! Izuku was the one saying I don’t do enough heroic shit on my day-to-day life! And when I do something some extra asks me to do he gets pissed?!” It made no sense!
Tape-boy decides to argue around a mouthful of rice, “Why didn’t you just move beside Mido-bro? On the other side.”
Bakugo scoffs. Yeah, like it was just that easy. “Desperate much?! He’d think I like him or something” he shoots back.
That’s when the blonde moron finally rubs his two neurons together to say, “Correct me if I’m wrong here, but you do… like him, right?”
“I don’t want him to know that, Pika-jerk!” Noticing his loud volume is prompting some other assholes to turn and listen in, he turns to whisper-shout, “If I wanted him to know I would’ve told him years ago!”
Shitty hair chuckles, patting his back. “Easy, easy!” Bakugo breathes enough to not kill Kaminari. “Look. There has to be something else to this…” he suggests, “Maybe Midobro wanted to sit beside you, you know? And you just left—“
That’s so stupid! “Why should I ask for his permission to do shit?!” Can you imagine?! Bakugo going ‘is it okay if I do this’?! He’d rather just lose a few fingers.
Turning to Bakugo, Sero clarifies, “What we’re trying to say is you’re probably not noticing you’re doing everything wrong! You could be flirting with Mido-bro and sweeping him off his feet like we all know you want to! Instead you guys are arguing once every other day and you’re both miserable!”
Rolling his eyes hard, Bakugo hopes that shows what he thinks of that stupid theory. He can’t flirt with Deku. CAN’T. It would ruin the fucking friendship that took years to build.
“It’s possible you’re starting these fights without meaning to, and—“ Kirishima tries again, but doesn’t even get the rest of his sentence out.
“I’m not!” Bakugo insists, indignant. “For once I’m doing nothing wrong! I yell whenever he starts yelling, but that’s it! I’m actively trying to NOT be an asshole”. The admission leaves him feeling exposed.
Denki frowns, “Then why would Mido-bro start yelling out of nowhere?”
Jesus Christ. “That’s what I don’t know, dipshit!”
With a snort, Sero jokes, “Shit, maybe he just hates you.” The other two chumps laugh about it, but Bakugo is quiet. Not mad, not annoyed… he lowers his head. Noticing, Tape-boy’s smile falters, “I was joking, dude.”
The blonde sighs, “I’ve thought about it.” The admission catches everyone by surprise, but really, it’s the only logical explanation. Izuku is getting tired of their friendship. “But then, why does he keep inviting me to go to the weirdest places?”
Kirishima lays a hand on his shoulder, “No idea”. For once, an honest comment. “But just for the record, I don’t think Midoriya’s capable of hating anyone… Let alone you”.
Izuku is capable of a lot more than their friends give him credit for. They all see the nerd as this happy-go-lucky, never-gets-bothered type. But Bakugo has seen him break down and cry over the quirk he lost. He’s heard all the shit Izu has yelled at him when they fight.
From the outside, it may be unbelievable, but knowing Izuku better than anyone else… it’s not so far-fetched.
“Forget it,” Bakugo grumbles, going back to his sushi. “Talk about something else, I’m done sharing.”
Despite his friends’ best efforts to distract him after that train-wreck of a conversation, he left, feeling shitty as all hell. Shit, he was supposed to keep his distance from Deku for exactly this goddamned reason. When the time came to part ways with Izuku, it was supposed to be clinical, painless, manageable.
They flew way past that fucking line, though.
As Bakugo gets home, he closes the door, discards his shoes and immediately beelines to the couch. He groans as he lets his body relax against it, unlocking his phone as a reflex. His fingers search for the ‘notes app’ with the ease of practice, and he opens the file labeled: “DEKU”.
That file had just a series of half sentences Izuku had yelled at him over the past three months. Stuff that kept his head straight. A reminder that this thing with Deku had an expiration date. It was so he could seize these last few moments without getting his hopes up.
He scrolls past phrases like:
“You’re always so selfish! You don’t think about anyone else!”
“I hate talking to you! You never let me finish, you always have to be right!”
“Do you even care? No, of course not. You never do!”
In total, there were maybe fifteen to twenty little snippets. They always carved a hole in Bakugo’s chest when he re-read them, but it was necessary. Especially the newest one: the one that was said after the whole movie theater disaster.
“I don’t know why I even bother with you anymore”.
Bakugo gulps, reading that line over and over, trying to make sense of it. He thought it was noticeable that he’d been changing, doing better.
Izuku always insisted on being his friend when it was hard, when the blonde didn’t want any friends and was an asshole on purpose… so why now?
At the end of the day, it doesn’t really matter. Izu’s been far more patient than Bakugo could’ve ever asked for.
He briefly wonders if he’d get another long-ass paragraph as an apology this time, or if Deku’s done with that too. Bakugo has always been too keen on letting things go back to normal, but his friends’ assessment today was accurate: he must be doing something wrong, even if he doesn’t notice.
And if he doesn’t know what the fuck it is that he’s fucking up, then he can’t exactly apologize for it.
His phone buzzes, and Bakugo all but jumps and fumbles to check it. Speak of the devil…
>> Izuku: Kacchan…
He’s gonna apologize. Who knows what Bakugo did wrong, but Izu’s gonna apologize for it, like he always does.
Fuck, he can’t take it anymore.
<< Bakugo: Don’t
<< Bakugo: I’m sorry for fucking up.
Sighing, the blonde feels the need to add:
<< Bakugo: Just stop apologizing
<< Bakugo: I fucking hate it
Izuku doesn’t respond. Why would he, honestly? Even when supposedly taking accountability, Bakugo manages to sound like an asshole.
Tossing his phone aside, he decides that going on an unscheduled patrol doesn’t sound so bad.
That’s how he spends his days after that, trying to distract himself from the silence with work. The distance is necessary. He needs to get used to it.
Three days later, he gets a new text. Just like that.
It’s as if everything snapped back to normal. Bakugo’s back to being that distant, volatile friend of Izuku’s that nobody likes all that much.
Does that sound like self-pity? Yeah, well it is. What’s it to you?!
>> Izuku: Kacchan! You going to the reunion!?
<< Bakugo: We had one like six months ago?
>> Izuku: Momo wants us to go to her house!
<< Bakugo: You mean her rich-ass MANSION
>> Izuku: Yes!!! We gotta show up in suit and tie!
<< Bakugo: I’m out
>> Izuku: It could be fun!
>> Izuku: Pretty please?
That was more than enough. Bakugo was sold. He’d go to embarrassing lengths for a ‘pretty please’. But he couldn’t just let that slip. If he just agreed, Deku would stop talking.
<< Bakugo: What are you 12?
>> Izuku: Pretty pretty gorgeous please with three cherries on top and whipped cream and sprinkles?
<< Bakugo: I hate sprinkles
>> Izuku: BUT! You can’t say no!
<< Bakugo: Why not?
Izuku takes quite a while to type his response. To the point that Bakugo figures maybe he made one too many questions. But eventually, he gets a reply:
>> Izuku: I need a ride! Yeah! Give me a ride!
A ride? The hell?
<< Bakugo: Everyone’s probably gonna walk
Another beat of silence and a typing bubble that refuses to disappear, before a suspiciously short text appears on his screen.
>> Izuku: I sprained my ankle!
<< Bakugo: And you’re telling me now?! When?! How?!
>> Izuku: We didn’t talk for a while…
Fuck... Izuku didn’t say a thing for days. And Bakugo was too chickenshit to reach out first.
<< Bakugo: I’ll leave you there and pick you up later
>> Izuku: YOU CANT
>> Izuku: What if you fall asleep?! And you don’t hear me calling for you!
<< Bakugo: I won’t fall asleep, I’ll go to the gym
Shit, Izu’s fighting tooth and nail for this. Even when he knows as well as Bakugo that it’s just gonna end on another disaster. Another argument added to the pile. Another couple phrases noted on his phone. Why does he insist like this?
He takes a while to respond again, and then:
>> Izuku: I need help! Walking!
<< Bakugo: Seriously? Why not just say that!
It must be really bad if Deku, Mr. I-break-my-own-bones-for-sport, is having trouble walking.
>> Izuku: ‘Cause it’s embarrassing
<< Bakugo: Wait
<< Bakugo: If you can’t walk then what the hell are you gonna do at a fucking mansion?!
They’re probably gonna put up that stupid ‘ball’ thing Ponytail has been begging them to do for months. People are gonna dance and shit! Why the hell would Izu even want to go if it hurts so bad!?
>> Izuku: Uh…
<< Bakugo: We’re not going
<< Bakugo: You’re gonna fuck up your foot like an idiot
<< Bakugo: You’re gonna dance everywhere and then your foot’s gonna fall off
>> Izuku: I can dance! If I’m held up!
Right. Well, Bakugo would rather bleach his eyes than see Izuku be held up by someone as they dance or whatever people do at goddamned ‘balls’. So that’s a strong no.
[Izuku POV]
<< Kacchan: If you can’t walk then what the hell are you gonna do at a fucking mansion?!
>> Izuku: Uh…
For All Might’s sake, how can someone so smart be so dense?! What does he mean, ‘what’?! Obviously, they’re going to spend time together! That’s literally all Izuku’s been trying to do for the past three months!
Izuku sighs, biting his thumbnail as he stares at the text, brow furrowed.
What is he supposed to say to that? Hands sweaty, he readjusts his grip on his phone. He’s overanalyzed this eleven thousand times already:
If he’s blunt about why he wants them to go — rejection on the grounds of embarrassment.
If he makes it seem optional — rejection on the grounds of Kacchan-hates-going-out. Although that time they went for coffee was fun. Kacchan even said they should ‘do it more often’…
If he comes up with a lie that could be uncovered — rejection on the grounds of Izuku betraying his best friend’s trust.
He sighs, readjusting on his couch and nearly dropping his phone.
The only option is to stick to this story about his ankle. It’s true, he did hurt his foot, so it’s not TECHNICALLY a lie that can be uncovered. But to be frank, he can barely feel the pain anymore. He’s gonna have to play it up for the party.
It’s just frustrating… how long have they been trying to go out together, and it just always ends in disaster. With him getting mad that Kacchan just won’t take a hint!
After so many attempts, shouldn’t he just back off, leave Kacchan alone? It’s heartbreaking to even think it. Besides, he can’t just let go when he’s seen the signs! Soft smiles… those quiet compliments Kacchan grumbles under his breath… he’s always so nice to Izuku specifically.
No, he can’t give up. This is gonna be the one chance they have to finally get this right!
<< Kacchan: We’re not going
<< Kacchan: I refuse to let you fuck up your foot
What?! Think of something!
>> Izuku: I can dance! If I’m held up!
Strong hands on his hips, they could dance for hours just like that.
<< Kacchan: They could drop you.
They? Who’s ‘they’? There’s no ‘they’. Kacchan should know that.Glaring at the bright screen of his phone, he replies with a flurry of texts:
>> Izuku: Don’t be like this!
>> Izuku: I want to have fun with our friends!
>> Izuku: I know you like to pretend you hate all of us but I know deep deep down you love us!
>> Izuku: It’s just one night!
>> Izuku: There’s gonna be great fancy food!
The fancy food alone should pull Kacchan in. They both know that, as much as he hates the term, he’s a foodie at heart.
<< Kacchan: Why not just pay an Uber
He thinks it’s about the ride still?! No! What does he have to do to get Kacchan to understand how much Izuku loves spending time with him?! Isn’t it obvious?!
>> Izuku: Who’s gonna help me inside?!
<< Kacchan: Your friends
>> Izuku: Come onnnn
>> Izuku: We always have fun together!
He’s two seconds away from defaulting to begging. Kacchan always ends up hating him for it, but it works. Fourteen ‘please’s is usually enough. Izuku will NOT let their chance be sabotaged by Kacchan’s antisocial behavior!
<< Kacchan: A dance club when your leg hurts is gonna be horrible
<< Kacchan: I could just go to your place and take care of your ankle
<< Kacchan: Or at least let anyone else do it
Well… that does sound nice, actually. And they’d be alone, just the two of them… spending time together…
On the other hand, the sheer thought of spending alone time with Kacchan right now is making his heart pound so hard he can feel it in his toes. So maybe not yet.
>> Izuku: You’re sweet…
>> Izuku: But this is important to me
>> Izuku: Please?
>> Izuku: If you’re so worried someone could drop me then YOU hold me up while I dance!
There. He said it. That’s exactly what he wants. Kacchan just giving it a chance, maybe dancing a little… He can already picture it…
Izuku spends an embarrassing amount of time fantasizing about that scene, and muttering about dance moves. When he comes to a few minutes later, his phone has dropped onto his carpet. As he fumbles to get it, he notices Kacchan is connected, but not replying.
That doesn’t bode well.
>> Izuku: I know you’re reading thisssss
>> Izuku: Why are you always soooo difficult?!
A little bit of his frustration makes it out. It’s not Kacchan’s fault entirely, that he’s being difficult. He has no idea what the real reason they’re going out is.
It’s a little pathetic that even months later, Izuku can’t muster up the courage to just ask Kacchan out outright. He can acknowledge it’s fear that’s holding him back… because there’s a chance (as small as it may feel) that, even despite his growth as a person, Kacchan just doesn’t feel that way about him.
>> Izuku: Here. Final offer
>> Izuku: 1) I won’t dance with anybody. I’ll stay completely seated! Won’t move all night! Except for maybe eating… and going to the bathroom… But I’ll be mostly on my chair! Pinky promise!
Untrue, he’ll insist on dancing at least one song with Kacchan. He makes a mental note to strategize about that later.
He had more things to add to his final offer, but before he could start to type, Kacchan replied already.
<< Bakugo: Deal
>> Izuku: I was gonna say I’d pay for the gas and something to eat on our way out… Or, I mean, if you need anything else…
<< Bakugo: Don’t fuck up your ankle and I’ll go
>> Izuku: Really?!
<< Bakugo: Whatever
Even with something so trivial, he cares so much…
>> Izuku: Kacchan is so nice worrying about me!
>> Izuku: Great!
>> Izuku: See you in two hours!
<< Bakugo: TWO HOURS?!
>> Izuku: Gotta shower bye!
He celebrates with a fist pump, “Yesss!” Okay, so he has his chance. Now all he’s gotta do is figure out what to wear, and make sure everything’s perfect for when Kacchan arrives.
Biting his lip, he catches his reflection in the mirror. Wide smile, blush dusted across his cheeks, hair in complete disarray… what he fondly likes to refer to as the ‘Kacchan effect’. It would be a little embarrassing if he wasn’t so used to it. By this point, it’s more of a bittersweet reminder of their situation.
His phone keeps on buzzing after that, but Izuku is already too engrossed in his own world to even notice.
<< Bakugo: YOU DIDNT SAY IT WAS TODAY
<< Bakugo: IZUKU
<< Bakugo: MOTHERFUCKER
Kacchan is pissed, definitely. But after agreeing, it’s certain he’ll show up.
His wide hopeful smile is making his cheeks ache as he calls Uraraka-san. She’s the only one that could possibly understand his situation and help him find something to wear that isn’t his teacher suit.
[Bakugo POV]
Picking up Izuku goes without a hitch. He got in the car a little too quickly for someone who had his ankle hanging by a thread, but he didn’t say anything.
All the way there, Bakugo could only blame himself for what was inevitably gonna happen later tonight. His quiet resignation must’ve been evident when Deku settled in, because he smiled and apologized for ‘forcing him to do this’.
That’s the worst part about it though… Bakugo wasn’t forced. His instinct was to come when Izuku called. And even when he didn’t, the blonde’s body moved on its own.
Izu chats about what happened to him all week, going into rants, side rants, and tangents… he usually only talks like this when he’s nervous. Bakugo makes a conscious effort after that to relax his face.
He knows sooner or later another argument is gonna spark. But for now, he’s allowed to enjoy Izuku’s wild ranting and anecdotes.
It only ever stops when he gasps as they approach Ponytail’s mansion. There’s no other way to call it.
The moment they step out of his car, Izu takes off his large black coat to reveal a form-fitting dark green suit. Where he got it, Bakugo has no idea, but it fits like a glove. It’s insane.
His stupid heart decides to act up just then, just as his eyes go wide when he catches sight of it. But just as soon as he feels that rush, he tamps it down.
Perhaps picking up on his stupid reaction, Izuku curls in on himself a little, approaching shyly. “Should I leave the coat in the car?”
“‘S cold,” he shrugs.
Deku sighs, his voice tinged with sadness, “Right…”
Taking the coat from Izuku’s arms, he grumbles, “I can carry it for you. Let’s go.” With that, he offers his arm for Izu to take and use for balance.
Soft hands wrap around his forearm, and Izuku locks eyes with him, “Thank you for doing this for me, Kacchan”.
The words feel like a punch to the gut. Before Bakugo can even recover, he’s already blurting out, “Always. Anything you need”.
The moment feels electric in all the wrong ways, and when Izu replies with a soft, “Th-Thanks…” Bakugo feels like he’s had enough mind-numbing moments for the night. And they haven’t even walked in.
“It’s not that fucking special,” the blonde huffs in reply, picking up his pace slightly. The more they spend time alone, the more his mind will spiral.
Izuku tries, “I think—“
But knowing the danger those two little words hold when it comes to Izuku, he distracts, “Walk faster!”
“My ankle!”
Once they’re inside and NOT alone, the first part of the night is… surprisingly enjoyable.
Felt like there were a billion people crammed inside, maybe more, with the rumbling noise of the voices and the band being nightmare-fuel.
But they find this quiet table that’s out on the balcony. They sit down there, away from the noise, where they can actually talk and breathe. It’s not even two minutes before their friends find them and, slowly but surely, populate their previously secluded table.
Everyone else’s presence, however, gives Bakugo a sense of security. If he and Izuku are not left alone, it means they can’t argue about nonsense. They can’t get mad. And Bakugo makes a conscious effort to be on his best behavior.
And he manages just fine. He keeps getting up to fetch whatever Izuku asks for, he helps him stand and sit when he needs to, gently grabbing his hands, he tries to keep the insults at a minimum… Hell, Bakugo’s starting to hope that just maybe, nothing has to go wrong tonight.
Shitty hair’s the one right across from them, and thankfully, the one that keeps an ongoing conversation with them, so they’re not left alone. Everyone else gets up intermittently, either to dance, eat, drink, or all three.
At one point, it’s only the three of them left, chatting the night away.
That is, until Izuku admits he needs to go to the bathroom, and asks for Katsuki’s help. At that point, Bakugo had already stood up and was considering carrying Deku bridal style.
As they walk back though, they realize someone new has approached their table (a chick with a poofy baby blue dress). As they approach the balcony’s doorway, they realize this chick is actively trying to get Shitty Hair to dance with her, and he’s continuously refusing.
The redhead’s third “I’m taken” floats all the way to them, as they remain on the threshold, just watching.
This has to be some kind of joke. “The hell?!” he huffs, annoyed.
Looking around, Izuku grabs onto his arm a little tighter, “I really hope Mina isn’t around to notice”.
That prompts the blonde to start looking around, too, “I really hope she does!” Whoever that poofy-dress bitch is, she’s either deaf or stupid, ‘cause what the hell is she still doing there after hearing the words ‘I’m taken’?!
“Mina-san is a pro-hero, Kacchan,” Izuku points out, “She can’t just maim civilians… maybe this woman is just confused”.
Oh sweet stupid Deku…
“Confused?! He’s said he’s taken a billion times by now!” Bakugo retorts, already getting mad at the situation. He needs to breathe before he starts yelling at Izu about this when it’s not even his fault.
Izuku shrugs, “Maybe she found him alone on the table and figured…” he flails with his free hand. It explains nothing. “If you leave anyone alone long enough in a place like this, they’ll get picked up one way or another. It happens”.
Like that excuses it. But it does give Bakugo some clarity. “You, uh… You want me to leave you alone?” Maybe he’s being sort of a third-wheel, here. Izuku wanted to dance after all, and despite what he promised… it’s obvious he was excited about the prospect, even if his foot hurt.
Izuku looks at him, baffled, “Me? Why?”
Isn’t it obvious? “Maybe nobody asks you to dance ‘cause I’m here hanging around,” Bakugo states, unsure how he can spell it out any more clearly.
Blinking a couple times, Deku tilts his head a little, the picture of ‘what the fuck are you saying?’ “I know,” he states.
Their dumb confusing conversation is interrupted when Mina comes in to save her dumbass from the claws of that other bitch. She leads Shitty Hair away by the hand, effectively leaving them alone. Poofy-dress girl leaves huffing and puffing. It’s just the slightest bit entertaining.
When he turns back to Izuku, he finds green eyes already trained on him, a mix of confusion and irritation written over them. “What?” he huffs, his defensiveness reacting immediately.
“After spending all night together, you think…” Izuku trails off, like he can’t fucking believe whatever the hell it is.
Bakugo doesn’t even get to ask what the hell he’s talking about. Must be Deku’s inherently bad luck that’s rubbing off on him, because some brunette with bright green eyes approaches their table. He’s donning a boring black suit, green tie, and he looks creepy as fuck with his glow-in-the-dark eyes.
Douchebag sits his ass right on Izuku’s other side. “Hey,” he goes, all smooth voice and idiotic googly eyes, “I’m Viktor, nice to meet you”.
“H-Hi,” Izu greets, his tone mostly upbeat even as confused as he was.
Glancing minutely back at Bakugo, and then again at Izuku, he goes, “I was wondering if you wanted to dance a little”. Fuck. The bastard slides a hand around Deku’s chair and stares into his eyes. “I saw you walking across the room and I figured I had to at least ask”.
Shit, does the guy have no concept of personal space?!
Smooth. If your tastes are classless generic assholes. Shit, maybe that’s what Deku wants. The nerd has red cheeks already. “I— well—“ he stammers.
The flirting hurts to even watch. Bakugo does whatever he can to preserve his sanity and pinches the bridge of his nose, trying to hide himself behind his hand. He should’ve just stood up and left, but he was just so startled by Izuku going with it…
Fuck…
No. It’s fine. It was bound to happen. Katsuki’s not mad.
“Uh…” Izuku hesitates, “My ankle’s hurt,” he says nervously. “I’m so sorry,” he adds, not sounding all that sorry. Was he trying to play hard to get or something?
“Don’t be,” Viktor says, “I’m sure it hurts”. Geez, what a smart fucking cookie. “What’s your name?”
Shouldn’t he have started with that?! “Izuku Midoriya”.
Great. Today it’s names, then it’s gonna be addresses… before they know it, they’ll be swapping spit and last names. “Izuku…” the guy repeats, lingering unnecessarily on each syllable. “Do you need anything? If your ankle really hurts, I’d be happy to bring whatever you need”.
Like Bakugo hasn’t been doing exactly that all night. Get in line, buddy. “No, thank you, I—“ Izu starts, but is promptly ignored.
Standing up already, the brunette reaches out to grab a cup at random, “Is this yours?” Izuku nods reluctantly, “I’ll bring you more”. And with that, the dude leaves.
So far, lover boy’s got two strikes on Deku’s playbook: 1) ignoring him when he’s trying to say something (Bakugo’s had to learn that the hard way), and 2) Taking Izu’s cup out of his line of sight. The nerd gets nervous that someone could put something in his drink, so he probably won’t drink whatever this ‘Viktor’ dude is gonna bring.
What a chump.
Once the idiot walks away, Bakugo sighs. He should say something supportive. Right? He and ‘Zuku have never talked about partners or types (it’s always been sort of a taboo) but he feels like opening the conversation right now should ease the tension between them. “Not your type or something?”
Izuku’s head snaps to look at him, nothing but fury in his eyes. “Are you serious?!” Shit, what the hell did he do?!
“I’m just asking a question,” he grits out, trying his best to keep his cool, “If you want me to leave next time he shows up, just tell me”. He could do that. Just walk away. Give Izu some peace for once.
Deku stares at him in disbelief, “Why would I want you to leave?”
The fuck does he mean ‘why’?! “‘Cause you wanna be alone with Vincent or whatever his name was?” It was Viktor. He was just being an asshole.
“Viktor,” Izuku corrects, and it fucking stings. “I don’t wanna be alone with him. You don’t need to leave”. For a guy that usually keeps his tone under control effortlessly, it’s clear Deku’s bursting at the seams to yell.
Which is just unfair! What did Bakugo even do here?! “Right,” he gulps, averting his eyes, “You wanna dance. He seems like he could hold you up, I guess”. Not really, the guy has the noodle-arms of a wimp, and he better not fucking drop Izu.
Frowning, Izuku turns to him a little more, “Dance? You asked me not to dance with anyone”.
Oh, is that what Izu is mad about? That Bakugo’s keeping him here? “Since when do you listen?!” he huffs, “Go do whatever you want”.
Deku’s face goes from annoyed to pissed off. After working his jaw a little, he asks, “Let me ask you something. When Viktor was here, flirting with me… You didn’t care?”
Ha! If he let himself care, he would’ve blown up the entire mansion. It’s not that he doesn’t, it’s that he knows he can’t. So if that’s what’s holding Izuku back, then, “Why should I care?”
Green eyes start sparkling under few unshed tears. Izuku’s… sad? What the hell is going on?!
Without saying anything else, Deku turns on his seat, crossing his arms and leaning back. It’s clear he’s sad-mad about something, but Bakugo can’t fucking guess what.
Shit, Katsuki has to congratulate himself. It only took fifteen minutes of 1-on-1 contact for him to fuck things up again. Great.
And to make it all worse, Viktor approaches again, balancing two cups of water and a plate with a few finger foods. Now that bastard gets to be the ‘hero’.
“Hey, yo—“ the dude begins, and immediately senses Izuku’s fury. “Oh… wow…” yeah, eloquent commentary there, dipshit. Turning to Deku, he whispers a soft, “Are you okay?”
Lowering his head and angling it away (towards Katsuki), Izu mutters a nice but clipped, “I’m fine”.
The quiet shaky voice alone makes Bakugo want to kneel in front of Deku and genuinely ask what he did wrong so he can apologize. But he doesn’t. This isn’t his moment. He’s not the one that’s supposed to comfort Izu.
So Bakugo’s not gonna react. At all.
Leaning in closer, as if trying to say something so he couldn’t listen in, Viktor whispers, “Do you need anything? Just say the word”.
Why are they so close?! The blonde bites the insides of his cheeks to keep from saying anything. Don’t. Fucking. Do anything.
Lips pressed, Izu smiles lopsided, leaning away from the intimate whispering, “Thanks… um…”
Bakugo’s nails are digging into his palms. In a matter of seconds, fear overpowers him. Thinking Izuku is about to agree and take comfort from a literal stranger, he finally cracks. He can’t take it. “Just leave him alone, you fucking extra”.
Viktor looks up at him, clearly spooked. “Uh…”
Why’s he still here?! Why is his fucking hand on Izuku’s shoulder?! “Get the fuck outta here,” he warns lowly, “Or I’ll blow your ass up back to wherever the fuck you came from”.
After a second-long judgment, Viktor turns back to Izuku, “Is he the one making you cry?”
His frown dissipates instantly, leaving Katsuki reeling at that. Because he is. He probably is the reason Izuku is crying.
“Thank you for your help” Izuku says, shaking off the guy’s touch completely. His tone taking a colder edge as he adds, “If we ever need your help, we know where to find you”.
Bakugo can’t really analyze the interaction. He’s too busy trying to not hyperventilate in anger.
“I’ll be around for whatever you need,” he hears Viktor say, retreating.
As soon as that bastard is out of earshot, it’s Izuku’s turn to deal some damage, “Make up your mind!”
The angry yelling came out of left field. “What?”
“I thought you didn’t care at all if some random person was flirting with me!” Izuku accuses.
Fuck. This is exactly what he was NOT supposed to do. But in the state that he was, defensiveness was only too easy. “The guy’s a jerk, Izu! He just wants to get in your pants, he’s a proud fuck that can’t process a ‘no’ for an answer! You’re way too nice!”
For some reason, his words ignited something in Izu, “Why are you mad at me?! I didn’t ask for him to come around!”
Bakugo scoffs, “No, you were just flirting back, too, and twirling your hair like a fucking—“ He stops himself. He needs to avoid making it worse.
Deku yells, indignant, “What’s it to you?! You’re just a random friend, right? So what do you care?!”
There it is.
The reminder of his status. He’d needed it this time. What was he thinking, meddling like that? Like he had any goddamned right to.
Izuku’s face morphs from angry to apologetic, and he starts shaking his head as if trying to deny the words. “Kacchan, I—“
“I shouldn’t,” he reminds himself lowly.
Having expected yelling and loud arguing, it’s clear Izu is taken by surprise by his stunned silence. “What?” he asks tentatively.
Doing his best to breathe slowly, he replies, “I shouldn’t care about that stuff”. Swallowing around the knot in his throat, he adds, “Do whatever you want, Izuku, you’re right”.
The way Izu’s eyebrows pinch upwards reflects genuine hurt, “Kac—“
There’s nothing else to be said, “It’s okay”. His chair scrapes loudly as he stands up.
Izuku tries to stand up immediately, “I-I’m sorry, I just-!”
He gestures with one hand for Deku to stay seated, “It’s fine. I didn’t wanna be here long, anyway…” He fucking called it. From the very beginning he knew this is how it was gonna end. “It’s getting late,” he says, and even he can hear how his voice quivers.
“No, wait—“
Turning away without poking back, Katsuki grabs his jacket and rounds the table to head for the exit. “Good luck tonight” he mutters, “Have fun”.
“Kacchan!”
[Izuku POV]
Izuku is left in his seat, his chest feeling like it’s about to burst. What did he just do?!
Just a random friend.
He’s an idiot. Idiot! That couldn’t be further from the truth! Kacchan is not random! Not a friend! He’s so much more than that!
Izuku knows his frustration was somewhat justified, but he never thought it would make Kacchan look like that. He looked defeated, openly sad… he couldn’t even look Izuku in the eye.
Kacchan may be oblivious to literally everything Izuku is trying to insinuate, but they’ve come such a long way… their friendship is truly special, and it’s always been treated as such by both of them.
This “date mission” aside (he really should’ve named it something else), he can’t lose his best friend. Not over some stupid argument that didn’t mean anything.
That prompts Izuku to scramble to his feet and head back inside. He scans the room frantically, hoping to find spiky blonde hair nearby, but no luck. Momo’s house is enormous, so he must have at least a little time.
He runs into Todoroki and Sero heading to the dance floor, “Hey! Todoroki-kun! Sero-kun! Have you seen Kacchan?”
The two look at each other. “Bakugo stomped off somewhere just a second ago. I thought you were with him” Sero says, shrugging apologetically.
Not doing a great job of hiding his disappointment, Izuku half-smiles, “Thanks,” and runs off.
Even if Kacchan left the mansion, Izuku’s gonna find him. He’ll be shouting at the top of his lungs: He’s not a random friend! Not in this life or in any other…
It’s not enough to come clean about that, though. Izuku needs to tell him everything: the experiment, the attempts, the real reason he was getting upset over and over.
His throat closes up. He’s literally choking on his own shame, because… What is Kacchan gonna think?
“Uraraka-san!” he calls, jogging closer. “Have you seen Kacchan?”
She points over her shoulder to a corridor behind her. “Kaminari-kun said he’d show him the exit.”
Yelling out a “THANK YOU!” Izuku bolts through the corridor, trying his best to not get lost. But truly, he was just guessing which way Kaminari-kun was going. This didn’t exactly look like the way to the exit.
Even if Kacchan’s left already, Izuku will keep running. Above everything else, they’re childhood friends, so he has to fix this. That bond is more special than any expectations Izuku may have stupidly hung onto.
If only Kacchan gives him a chance… he knows he can properly apologize and make things better. With how level-headed and empathetic the blonde has become over the years, Izuku has to believe he still has a shot.
He’s slowing down to pant, catch his breath a little, when he hears it. “I dunno, man, I swear this is where Momo showed me.” That’s Kaminari-kun!
Izuku zooms through a couple more corridors before he sees him. Kacchan is walking, head hung low, hands in his pockets. His usually murderous aura taking a much more melancholic edge.
“Kacchan!” he gasps out, taking in big gulps of breath. The blonde snaps his head back to him, staring in horror. His red eyes alternate between his face and his foot. The one that should be hurting after running through infinite corridors.
Kaminari-kun smiles. “Mido-bro!”
But before he can say anything else, Izuku speaks up, “I need a moment alone with Kacchan... Please? If you don’t mind.” He hopes that wasn’t too rude.
Looking between his two friends, Denki shrugs, “Sure.” Under his breath, he mutters as he walks away, “Let’s hope I know how to go back.”
There are a few beats of silence between them, the tension so thick he can barely breathe. All that can be heard are Izuku’s pants.
Kacchan is just standing there, jaw clenched, like he wants to take his eyes off Izuku but he’s being forced to stare.
“Kacchan, I—“
The blonde turns on his heel, choosing to continue his path through endless corridors instead of hearing Izuku out.
Getting an idea, he tries a few of the doors around them, finding one that is open. “Just give me a minute. In private,” he pleads, “Please.” That word prompts Bakugo to stop walking, but it’s still not enough to have him turn around and agree to a chat. So he tries, “This is really important.”
With a big sigh, Kacchan turns around. He hesitates where he stands, unsure if this was a good idea or not. But he eventually relents, walking into the room without another word.
It’s a library of sorts, the room they’ve walked in on. Encyclopedias line gigantic shelves that cover the entirety of two of the walls. The opposite wall from the door is a huge window, extending from floor to ceiling, with fancy metal bars bent elegantly that line the outside of the glass.
The smell of old books was strong, and small particles of dust danced in front of Izuku’s eyes. Off in the distance, they could still hear the music, half-muffled through the number of walls between here and the main hall.
The number of books here was honestly piquing his interest, but he needed to remain focused. He fists his hands in determination.
Heart pounding, he wipes his sweaty hands on his pants and begins, “Listen, I…”
Kacchan shakes his head. He’s facing one of the bookshelves, addressing Izuku over his shoulder. “If you’re gonna apologize, don’t. I’m tired of this back and forth,” he says, sounding defeated.
Tired? It’s just now that he’s realizing Kacchan looks exhausted. And it’s because of all this nonsense. The word leaves his mouth dry. “Kacchan, I wasn’t serious. Of course you’re not some random friend, I don’t know what I was thinking—“
“You were thinking I overstepped. Again. And I fucked up. Again.” Bakugo sighs, running his fingertips over the spines of the books within his reach. “It’s obvious you were pissed. I scared off Viktor,” he concludes.
That’s what he thinks this is about? “That’s not why I was mad,” he reveals.
Kacchan scoffs, “Why else?”
This is the moment.
He’s not about to back down. “Same reason why I pretended my ankle hurt all night” he confesses. “Same reason I lied so I could get you to come with me.” This gets Kacchan’s attention, prompting him to turn halfway, eyes locking with his.
“You lied to me?” the blonde asks, almost aghast, “Just to get a ride?”
This is so much harder with Kacchan actively misunderstanding everything, but Izuku remains patient for once. “I didn’t want a ride, Kacchan, I wanted YOU. Here. With me.” Christ, is he still not getting it?!
The man blinks. He looks so confused.
It’s now or never, Izuku thinks, just go for broke, say it! “Because!” He swallows, “B-Because I’m in love with you.” Gods, he feels like throwing up, “That’s… that’s it. That’s the thing. I—”. The moment the words leave his mouth, his eyes start stinging.
Kacchan turns around all the way, slipping his hands out of his pockets, “Y-You…”
That’s all he can process for now. But Izuku has so much to come clean about. “I’ve been trying to get you to go out with me for the past few months. I invite you everywhere, I try to make it exciting… I figured if I showed you we could do it, you’d take the leap with me” his voice breaks at that last part.
Eyes widening, the blonde is the picture of horrified surprise.
“I know it was wrong not to tell you, I was just…” he shakes his head, eyes shut, “I was being a coward.”
Finally, Kacchan speaks. His voice sounds rough, “Those were dates?” If the tremble through his words was out of anger or something else, Izuku had no idea.
He just gulps and nods, “N-Not official ones… They were meant to— I mean, if it went well, I could’ve—“ he sighs in defeat, “I wanted them to be”.
“When I had some stranger sit between us? When we went roller skating and you fell on top of me and I shoved you away?” Katsuki asks, his eyes trailing all over Izuku’s whole face.
In turn, Midoriya doesn’t know what to say. “Yeah,” he admits. “In my head…” he trails off, embarrassed.
“That’s why you got mad” Bakugo whispers, hand raising to run through his perfectly styled blonde hair. “You wanted it to be a date and I ruined it”.
Is that… guilt? “You couldn’t have known, Kacchan” Izuku tries, resisting the urge to reach forward. “I’m the one who should’ve just confessed first like a normal person… even if… you know” he shrugs awkwardly.
“If…?” Kacchan asks in confusion. In seconds, he understands what Izuku meant and takes a couple steps forward, “There’s no if”. The definitive tone makes Midoriya look up, “If I’d known it was a date, I would’ve gotten the entire movie theater to ourselves!”
Izuku blinks. It takes a while before he can say something, “S-So, you…? Wait—” he shakes his head minutely, “What?”
Another step forward, “If you had asked me to go out from the very fucking beginning I would’ve said yes! To every single fucking one!” Kacchan exclaims, his eyes filled with regret.
Finally, after a few agonizing moments of restraint, a smile starts to bloom on Izuku’s face. “So you did feel the same?”
Kacchan honest-to-god laughs at that, “Don’t ask stupid fucking questions”. In the distance, the music turns from upbeat dance-y tunes to slow and romantic.
Angling his head briefly towards the music, the blonde gets this absolutely stunning soft smile on his face.
Kacchan extends a hand, then, holding his palm facing up between them, like an offer Izuku never thought he’d get. “This was supposed to be a date, too, right?” Izuku confirms with a nod, dazed, “You wanted to dance. So, let’s dance or whatever”.
He says it just like that. Like he’s not reenacting Izuku’s most coveted fantasies right now.
Izuku, on his part, is internally freaking the fudge out. He’s gonna grab Kacchan’s hand, with his own clammy one, and they’re actually gonna dance?! This doesn’t feel real.
“You’re really gonna dance with me?” he asks, shyly taking the hand waiting for his.
Stopping to think for a moment, Bakugo moves to the door to lock it properly, and then comes back, extending his hand again. “If you tell anyone, I’ll kill you” he offers.
Laughing softly, Izuku accepts the terms.
Being pulled close against Kacchan’s chest is incredible. Their faces are both facing opposite ways, but the closeness and the hand cradling his hip are leading the sway of their dance.
It’s nothing fancy or overcomplicated, like what Mina-san likes to dance. But it’s still the best thing Izuku has ever been a part of. “I didn’t know you could dance” he comments, feeling himself being led through a pattern of movements.
“I can’t. You don’t have any proof” Kacchan murmurs near his ear. The faint sound of the music leads their back and forth, their feet shuffling softly against the carpet.
Izuku hides his huge smile on Bakugo’s shoulder. “You’re taking all of this better than I expected” he admits. After all, he lied for months, brought him under false pretenses, and dated him without his consent.
After a moment’s consideration, Kacchan nods, “When the high wears off, I’ll beat you up” he concludes. The soft edge to his voice is making Izuku’s heart do flips. “How stupid do you have to be to date me without telling me?”
Hiding the rest of his face on Kacchan’s shoulder, Midoriya sighs, “I know”.
Surprisingly, after that, Kacchan said nothing. No more questions, no more accusations or ‘I can’t believe you did this’. Instead, they both focused on enjoying their dancing. Izuku’s shivers every so often were just a reminder that this feels like the best day of his life.
Gods know how long it takes before Kacchan speaks again, “I still don’t get it…” he mumbles, “After everything I’ve done… you really…?”
Everything he’s ‘done’? Like save his life multiple times, fund a suit that would allow him to be a hero with money he saved for eight years, and being his best friend for the worst and best years of his life?
Izuku has to scoff, “After everything we’ve been through, I don’t understand how I didn’t fall in love sooner”.
He can hear an exhale on Kacchan’s end that he’s choosing to think sounds amused. “You sappy shit…” the blonde says, hugging Izuku a little closer.
The hand Kacchan had been holding out to dance suddenly drops and sneaks all the way to the small of Izuku’s back to hug him tighter. He’s just cradling Midoriya against him in a gentle hug as they sway back and forth.
On his part, Izuku reaches both arms up to circle around Bakugo’s neck.
“You look great in that suit” the blonde comments.
Izuku smiles, “Uraraka-san swore you were gonna say that”.
His comment seems to relieve Kacchan. “You never wanted to go off with that Viktor guy, did you?”
Oh. He shakes his head, “I was just mad that you didn’t even care someone else was flirting with me…”
Then again, Kacchan has a point: “If I’d known we were on a date—“
“I get it. I’m really sorry” he mumbles. The apology is heartfelt, and he hopes Kacchan doesn’t notice that he pressed his lips against his blazer to show his regret. Because he did regret it. He has no idea what the heck he was trying to do to begin with!
To think he could’ve had this all along…
“You wanna go back to the party?” Kacchan asks, interrupting their moment to pull back, looking down at him. “Now that I know, you can do what you were planning or whatever”.
The fact that he seems so on board to just embrace whatever Izuku’s fantasy was they were supposed to reenact is heartwarming. But actually, “I wanna stay right here” he assures, eyes unintentionally drifting down to Kacchan’s lips. “With my date”.
The blonde rolls his eyes, “Cut the bullshit”. The sudden harshness startles him a little. “I’m your boyfriend” Kacchan declares confidently, “Period”.
Izuku’s knees genuinely buckle at that.
He can’t believe it. Operation make Kacchan fall in love with him was a success! It’s a miracle!
He tries to breathe, to keep his freak-out internal, but he’s bursting at the seams. Boyfriend?! That’s everything he ever wanted!
Drugged in this euphoria, Izuku finally leans in to bridge the distance between them, kissing Bakugo chastely a couple of times before pulling back, trying to get his breathing back in check. “Okay” he agrees, smiling at the pink dusting Kacchan’s cheeks.
“I hope you know…” the blonde starts, leaning in this time to press their lips together again, “We’re redoing every single one of your half-dates”.
Izuku chuckles. “Fine by me”