Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The distance was fucking shit.

There was a long list of things that Katsuki thought were fucking shit, and a lot of them could be mentioned—rainy days, busybodies who interfere in your life, reporters, etc. But if you asked him what really bothered him, he’d probably say, “anything related to Izuku.”

In a good way, or something like that.

He doesn’t know how to explain it, but many things about Izuku have bothered him since he can remember, and anything he does or says hits a part of him. In the past, he didn’t understand what it was; he was terrified to think about it, and it was easier to hit him and tell him to fuck off.

But that changed. It took time, but he did it.

Today he understands that everything that bothered him about Izuku had been admiration and understanding of the boy’s abilities. He understood how advanced Izuku was in this society with that innate sense of justice and pure kindness—he was basically the reincarnation of the sun. And Katsuki was starting to like that. He was starting to learn to love it and embrace his insecurities.

All his scars and imperfections are embraced, and he understands that he must acknowledge them in order to overcome them—and thus also overcome Izuku. Sadly, that dream had been taken away from them.

The loss of One For All was a tragedy. Although it’s still there and can be used, it wears down and weakens. That’s why Izuku dedicated three years of his life to studying and training as a teacher at UA. Being trained in another country—far away from Katsuki—the United States wasn’t exactly close enough to see each other from time to time, so they hadn’t seen each other for three years.

After everything they’d been through together all these years—the shouting, the fighting, and learning to forgive in order to move on—all they had left was to survive a little time apart.

They did what they could as best they could, since Katsuki was still himself and used to be an idiot 90% of the time, even though he tries hard to improve—and it shows a lot if you really get to know him. The effort was noticeable, at least. Although he continues to make mistakes, although he continues to be a bad-tempered person who insults too much, now he has a more approachable image.

Until the distance ends, no more than three years of video calls and stupid messages or taking care of each other from afar. Now, if Katsuki feels like hitting him because Izuku is an idiot, he’ll be able to do it.

All that suffering from long-distance hate had already ended a couple of months ago, creating a new routine. The weekly calls they made now (thank God) could be little outings together—silly things like going for coffee at their favorite café, visiting each other’s apartments, or having dinner with each other’s families. It was fun.

While Katsuki’s life always revolved around Izuku, the other’s... not so much.

And that had always been another thing that bothered him—how everyone orbited around Izuku like flies in the air. Well, he doesn’t want to be ordinary with his thoughts, but yes, flies around the shit. He could’ve compared it to planets around the sun, but the planets aren’t annoying—they don’t interfere with anything. Flies, on the other hand, are ugly, noisy, dirty, and annoying.

For Izuku, everyone is important. His friends are all essential in his life because, in some way, they’ve influenced him. In a certain way, it makes sense—Katsuki came to that conclusion about his own life. The difference here is that Katsuki has a list of people as priorities; only certain people have special permission and treatment, and that makes the bonds stronger.

In some ways, he’s matured quite well in that aspect. He understands that if he treats everyone equally, the exception and exclusivity are lost and become a rule of normality and habit.

People are special because your connection and bond with them make them special. You can know 300 people but feel like another sardine in a can when you don’t have something special with everyone.

Apparently, Izuku doesn’t understand this. He’s kind, sweet, and a good friend to everyone; he never hesitates to be there if you need him—and if not, too. He was always there to laugh for a while. He was indulgent, foolish, and infuriating in Katsuki’s eyes, who gave his all and a little more to emphasize to that idiot nerd that he’s important to him—but he still doesn’t notice.

His kindness may have become naturalized between them over the years, and Izuku probably takes it for granted these days. That’s what Katsuki believes—what he’s thinking as he walks, still wearing his hero suit, on his way to UA. What’s he going to do? Take that fucking obnoxious nerd his lunch, because the idiot told him he didn’t bring anything today and has paperwork to do, so he can’t go to the cafeteria, which is only for students.

And there he was—the idiot, the creep, the one begging for a little attention from the object of his affection and love—bringing him a portion of katsudon from a good local restaurant. Seriously, doesn’t the hero Dynamight have anything better to do? No, he doesn’t.

Fortunately, getting to UA from his patrol area wasn’t complicated. He got there quickly, using shortcuts with his explosions to the entrance. Passing by as if it were his house—and in some ways, it once was. For three years, he went there Monday to Friday and sometimes on weekends. He lived there.

He knows the halls by heart. The only thing that changed after the war was the layout of the halls and the natural decorations outside the building. After that, everything stayed the same. Even the doors are still too high for some strange reason.

He knows the staff room; he’s been there a couple of times, and that’s why he feels he has the right to open it as if it were his own office. Quickly, he sees curly green hair neatly tucked over a desk, Izuku correcting something with one hand and running the other through his hair—he does that when he concentrates too much.

Shit, another thing he hates: knowing Izuku so well.

He puts the tupperware on the desk and looks at him with his classic frown. It’s his relaxed face, but he still seems angry.

“Eat and stop being pitiful at work.”

Izuku’s green eyes lit up at the sight of the food in front of him, but he quickly raised the hand holding the tupperware toward the blond’s face. “Kacchan!” he said animatedly as usual. “You shouldn’t have!”

“Shut your mouth.” He sits on the desk, tapping Izuku on the forehead. “I don’t care if I should or not, I didn’t ask you. I told you to eat, asshole.”

Somehow, they always end up like this—fighting over something stupid—but both know how it works. Katsuki uses insults and nonsense to cover up the fact that he actually took the time to buy and bring this food for Izuku. And although the sensei seemed to appreciate the gesture, the blond knows he doesn’t appreciate him the way he wants.

“Well, in that case, thank you.” A sigh escapes Izuku’s lungs as he leans back in his chair, avoiding Katsuki’s hand that almost hits his forehead, tired. “I didn’t mean to interrupt your patrol with my hunger.” He laughs a little.

“Of course not,” Katsuki says ironically. In truth, Izuku can be a little shit when he wants something—and he always gets it. The idiot has the world at his feet. “But here we are, and you gave me a fucking break from merging with the asphalt.”

Izuku takes the tupperware and some chopsticks from his drawer to start eating. “Is patrolling that boring?”

“As if you didn’t know.” They went to internships, damn it—there were few days where capable heroes were really needed on the streets. Usually, a rookie or intern attending was fine.

“Well, I remember it being fun, depending on the company you keep.”

“I work alone, nerd,” he says, crossing his arms. “I was able to invite a fearful and surrendered idiot to join an agency with me as partners, but he rejected me to become a teacher.”

Izuku chuckles as he moves his katsudon around, looking for a good piece to eat. He speaks with his mouth full. “It sounds like he’s a moron.”

And Katsuki lets out a giggle—shit, he giggles, he’s ridiculous. “Well, maybe he is, but I guess he had his stupid reasons. Anyway, now I work alone, and I’m bored as shit.”

“I’m sorry to hear that. Maybe you should get yourself into an important mission.”

“There are none of those nowadays. The villains are hibernating,” he jokes—he somehow knows how to do it. “Anyway, I have to get back to it, or it’ll get worse for me.”

Izuku smiles, looking at the food. He’s a fucking glutton—if it were up to him, he’d inhale food like air if it were just oxygen. Katsuki used to call him a bottomless pit when they were still students at UA. Because really, who eats four bowls of ramen with full sides? Only Izuku.

“Oh, good luck with that, Kacchan!”

“I don’t need it, nerd.” He gets up from the desk and puts a hand on Izuku’s head, pushing down. “Luck is for mediocre people.”

“And you’re the best in the world, right, right?” Izuku laughs as he closes his eyes, lowering his head from the push. “Then go win out there.”

“As usual!” Now he’s a little more cheerful—at least he got to see Izuku for a bit before continuing with the misery that was his life without him on the streets, kicking ass by his side. He can tolerate it—it’s just a few more years until... that’s ready.

Things could be worse—actually, they were worse—so he knows how to appreciate the little things in life. Moments like this are worth much more than gold now that he can have them again and eventually set out to earn Izuku’s utmost appreciation with details like this. Every crumb creates a loaf of bread, right?

So he says goodbye like he always does on other occasions. They promise to see each other soon, although they both know how unlikely that is, though they’d like to see each other. Intentions are worthless without actions to back them up.

The scent of the outdoors surrounding UA hits Katsuki’s face and makes him realize many things.

The first and foremost: He’s never going to get Izuku’s love if he keeps being so indirect. Subtleties are useless with a dumb nerd who doesn’t notice the people around him. He can’t judge him either—he grew up without being anyone’s point of attraction or love until high school, where, even if several people liked him, Izuku didn’t realize it.

Here’s another list—it kind of merges with the list of things Katsuki hates. There are several people who like Izuku. And it refers to liking him romantically—they’re attracted to that idiot and think they have a chance. But in truth, they don’t, because the idiot has no idea about this; he doesn’t realize because he’s not used to that kind of affection.

On the rational side, Katsuki feels reassured that no one has a real chance with Izuku—because if that idiot liked someone, he would’ve already done something about it.

His irrational part is jealous. Jealous that someone else can take his place in Izuku’s life.

But come on, please—it’s Bakugo Katsuki. What can’t he achieve when he sets his mind to it? It’s crazy to let himself be overcome by the fear of failure or a romantic rejection from Izuku. If the idiot rejects him, he has a million ways to force him to be with him... Okay, he shouldn’t be thinking that. He’s letting fear and anxiety do the thinking for him.

This happens when he gets stressed—he starts having corrosive thoughts against his own will, and he has to take a few seconds to sigh and look at the sky before continuing on his usual patrol path.

And that’s what he’s going to do—make that idiot nerd lacking romantic affection understand that he really likes him.

With his head already buried in that nonsense, he continues with the patrol. Nothing interesting these days, which should worry him, right? Something like the calm before the storm. But there was Katsuki, easily taking care of stupid stalkers, wallet thieves, or idiots using their quirks without a license.

It was as easy as blowing their faces off or smashing them against a wall in seconds. He got about ten of those a day.

And then he melts into his fucking desk, looking at paperwork. What does fucking paperwork have to do with hero work? Aren’t there other employees who do that stuff? Apparently not, because Dynamight’s signature and seal are required to send a bunch of case records, inmates, and strange requests to the archive.

And there was another thing he hated—since he started modeling for a sportswear brand about two years ago, many other brands have been looking for him as a model. And don’t take it the wrong way—he doesn’t belittle the work of models because he knows it’s a tedious job, having to follow protocols, photo shoots, wardrobes, and event schedules. It’s a lot. He hates it because it lowers his work as a hero; nobody sees Dynamight, the god of explosions, anymore. He’s just a pretty face with a worked body that appears in magazines and on the big screen.

He stared at the request sheet. The agency secretary summarized it for him so he could decide whether or not to take any of this nonsense. Six brands wanted him as an ambassador—six fucking global brands. What does he want with that? Money, probably—for Izuku’s suit.

Izuku’s suit that he’s been making for years in secret. Whenever he asks himself why he does what he does, he remembers—he doesn’t do it for himself. He does it to give back the hopes of someone like the hero Deku—the best and greatest the world has ever had, even if the media and society don’t fully recognize it.

He might end up accepting a couple of requests... even though he doesn’t like the idea, he knows it’s a good option and—

“The hell are you doing here?”

He’d been so focused on his papers and idiotic thoughts that wandered into a thousand things that he didn’t take into account his surroundings. He didn’t even hear when someone entered his office (he must blame that last part on taking off his hearing aids).

But he noticed the presence when a cup of coffee was thrust in front of his face—it was from the café he and Izuku like. And speaking of Izuku...

“I wanted to return the favor.”

That stupid smile he has when he does something nice for someone—as if it makes him happier to give than to receive. And it’s the truth. His soul is so charitable and kind that the shitty nerd loves to make others happy—it seems he depends emotionally on his loved ones being happy.

“I didn’t do it to get anything in return, bastard.” He says, but anyway, a coffee is great, so he takes it. “But thanks.”

And Izuku looks at him as if he’d just done a great thing—he just said thanks. “It’s nothing, although I doubted you were still here.”

“I work overtime.”

“You shouldn’t. Last time y—”

One of Katsuki’s hands reached for the other boy’s curly hair to ruffle it. “Shut your mouth. We already talked about that shit. I’m not gonna die for a few extra hours.”

“At least you’re eating well?” the boy asks, gently removing Katsuki’s hand from his head.

“Do you think I’m an idiot?” He doesn’t let the other answer, takes a sip of coffee, and continues, “Obviously I’m eating well. I know how to cook, unlike others.”

And shit, he opens a mental jacket here because when he tastes the coffee, he realizes it’s his favorite—prepared exactly the way he likes it. The pure coffee mixes perfectly with the slightly burnt caramel, making a party on his taste buds. Does Izuku know exactly what coffee he likes?

“Hey, I’ve been getting better!”

“Because I passed you my recipes; otherwise, you’d still be a failure.”

“If you boast so much, you should invite me to eat at your apartment more often. I haven’t been there in a long time.”

The list of things he hates about Izuku goes on. This is another one—his silly invitations that look like dates BUT AREN’T.

They’re not dates because they’re not in love; they’re not dates because, in Izuku’s eyes, they’re just childhood friends sharing bits and pieces of their adult lives. They’re not dates... and that burns Katsuki’s weak and damaged heart.

Katsuki sighs, getting up from his chair to place a folder of closed records on a shelf, his coffee in his other hand. He ends up sitting at the desk right in front of Izuku. If he were a little braver, he would reach out, grab those hips, and pull him in for a kiss. But he isn’t—when it comes to Izuku, Katsuki isn’t brave.

“I barely have time to be in my apartment.”

“Well, take inviting me as an excuse to slack off sometime.”

Katsuki raises an eyebrow and decides to play with it a little. “Are you that desperate for me to invite you to my apartment?”

“Uhhh?” Izuku seems somewhat surprised, especially by the smile crossing the blond’s face. The nerd’s cheeks blush—just a little. “It’s not about that!”

“Isn’t it? Because you were looking for any excuse.”

“It’s just that! We don’t see each other as often as before, and well... wouldn’t it be nice?”

“You have more shitty friends. Talk to them if you’re bored.”

Oh, the jealousy. If Katsuki was bad at handling all his emotions, the worst one was handling his jealousy. Because he can pass as a normal and decent person for a long time, he has selective patience for these things—but jealousy seeps through his pores and somehow comes out.

Izuku looks at him, with his own coffee in one hand—surely half empty because he isn’t drinking.

“I saw Ochako, Iida, and Shoto the other day. Sometimes I go to visit them, but what does that have to do with you?”

“Don’t know.” Shit.

Izuku tilted his head slightly before realizing. “You’re jealous!”

“The hell, nah!” Katsuki stood up from the desk and drank half a hot coffee in one gulp, enjoying his taste buds to get some relief—literally turning to the other jerk.

"I'm sorry, Kacchan, for not giving you attention like my other friends," Izuku said between a couple of giggles. "I didn't think you were so dependent on that."

"I'm not fucking dependent on anyone, you fucking asshole," he said, trying to ignore the heat in his ears. He set the coffee on the table and rested both hands on the surface. His eyes closed, and he could still hear Izuku’s giggles. "Fuck off, will you? I have work to do."

"No!" Izuku stepped a little closer with that smile of his. Apparently, he found the situation funny. "You know I was just kidding. I just want to spend a little time with you, is that wrong?"

When the tables were turned and Katsuki became the victim of the teasing, it wasn’t as entertaining anymore. Not because he minded jokes, but because he hid his feelings too much beneath them—every word was a direct blow to his secret affection.

So he sighed and looked back at him. "Fuck. You."

Izuku laughed and finished his coffee before tossing the cup in the trash.

"You're free on Friday, right? I’ll bring dessert as usual."

"I don’t want to see you in my apartment."

"Cheesecake or brownie?"

"Nothing, nerd. I don’t want to see you."

Izuku started to leave. "I’ll ask Mom to make that brownie with red fruits that you like."

"You show up at my door on Friday and I’ll fucking kill you!" His tone, though louder, carried no venom. They were used to this—playful, harmless flirting.

"Take care, Kacchan!"

"Damn idiot!"

How did that little shit always get his way? He always found ways to win the damn situation, as if he refused to lose anything to Katsuki. And then he’d just walk away, leaving him stewing in his own frustration. Katsuki hated that—no, he detested it. Because now it was this nonsense, but it had always been this way.

It was always like this: Izuku jumping into a river to reach out to Katsuki when he fell—did he want to win that too? To be the most heroic?

Izuku forgiving him after all the bullying—did he want to be the most compassionate too? Giving everyone a second chance only showed how sweet and kind he could be, and Katsuki was sick of it. Sick of seeing him be so damn understanding about things he shouldn’t be.

If, back in their first-year fight, Izuku had gone all out—if he’d let out all his anger and sent Katsuki to the hospital—he wouldn’t have blamed him. He would’ve understood. Sometimes people need a little hate to overcome things, to scream, to let go, to cry, to go crazy, and then to breathe again and move on. But Izuku didn’t. He thought and loved before anything else, without caring what or who.

Did that make him a better person? Surely. Katsuki was shit, and he knew it.

He took out his phone and opened the chat with the nerd.

/Kacchan:
"Bring your fucking brownie, but at lunch. I’ve got things to do Friday afternoon."

And the reply came quickly.

/Damn nerd:
"I WILL DO THAT! (⁠≧⁠▽⁠≦⁠)"

Chapter Text

Some things in life sometimes take unexpected paths, what was planned turns around and what was expected never arrives. But just as it can be bad, it can also be good.

Izuku was born without a Quirk and with a deep love for heroes, a passion for justice and an innate sense of heroism. Luckily, an unexpected event gave him the only thing he was missing to become a hero. And so he did, he became the greatest and most glorious hero in the world, overcoming in a year even what All Might had achieved throughout his career.

That was great. A comeback that no one expected, much less Katsuki, who had tormented him by telling him he'd never make it.

But life sometimes gives and sometimes takes away, just as One For All came so it went, or well, it began to go because its ashes are still burning.

Then, hey, you have to learn to live with these changes and move forward despite everything. Like Katsuki, who understood the day his feelings changed. He no longer hated Izuku for the reasons he had before; he hated him for new reasons: his pretty, defined curls, his delicate freckles on those squeezable cheeks, his scars on his arms like marks of war and power, etc., etc., etc. Katsuki loved him so much that he hated that feeling that he had to repress.

So... just as there are things he gave up on, there are also things he would never give up on. He doesn't really give up... he just postpones his goals.

Look, he would love to confess his fucking feelings and be able to be free to love him no matter what. He loves that idea, but it's too unrealistic. Izuku is a shitty nerd who doesn't realize how important and easy to love he is; many people around him love him, none as much as Katsuki—but oh well, there they are. The point is that it would be a waste of time and dignity; Izuku is going to reject him because he doesn't feel the same.

So the only thing he can give that idiot is to give him back a dream they had as children, together.

He's a bit selfish; jail him for it.

But he knows that even though Izuku has moved on with his life and seems really happy, he also knows that inside those little heads there are thoughts of "I'm falling behind" even if he wants to hide it. A hero like Deku never dies; he continues to contribute to the society of heroes from yesterday, today, and the next millennia because the unfortunate man made history.

He can only give him that. No matter how much it affects his own life, he must do it; he must give him back what he once took from Izuku: the hope.

So now he has no choice but to live in a run-down apartment, with damp on the walls that gives a disgusting smell to the whole room, with a television stolen from his parents' house and a partially filled cupboard with just enough to avoid starving to death.

He didn't care anymore; he didn't need luxuries to live well... we ignored his nice car, that was a whim of his that he wanted to fulfill because he was stubborn. He didn't mind hearing the building's lobby bell ringing either, so he quickly went to the phone and answered.

"Oi, nerd?"

On the other side, from the communicator, a laugh was heard. "That same one."

"Get in now."

And finally, all that was left was to press the button to open the lobby door so that idiot could get in. In truth, all that was left was for him to go there because he's not waiting for anyone or any requests.

Minutes later, the door opened; that idiot walked in as if it were his own house, and at some point, Katsuki stopped caring.

“I’m here!!”

A small, pretty box landed on the dining table, right beside a jacket and a bag. Izuku’s voice filled the apartment before he even came into view.

Katsuki looked up from the counter, a faint smirk on his lips.

“I know, nerd. My hearing’s bad, not my eyesight.”

That made Izuku laugh—that soft, helpless laugh that always managed to fill the room. He leaned against the opposite side of the counter, watching Katsuki chop vegetables with quiet curiosity. The apartment smelled of garlic, pepper, and something warm. Home.

“You’re in a good mood today, huh?” Izuku teased, green eyes bright.

“Think so?” Katsuki raised the knife slightly, pointing it at him in mock warning. “Keep testing that theory and you’ll find out the hard way.”

“Hey, hey! I didn’t say anything!” Izuku laughed again. “Fine, I’ll keep my jokes to myself.”

“You better, shitty nerd.”

Izuku shook his head, still smiling, and went back to the table. He opened the box, unwrapped the bigger package, and slid a neatly wrapped brownie into the fridge.

Passing behind Katsuki, his voice came softer.

“I told Mom to make it the way you like it. Not too sweet.”

Katsuki didn’t stop chopping, but his hands slowed just a bit.

“Dark chocolate?”

“Exactly.”

“I should thank Auntie then.”

Izuku’s smile turned gentle, too gentle. Katsuki didn’t dare look at it for more than a second—it felt like sunlight on skin that hadn’t healed yet.

“That’s nice of you to say,” Izuku murmured, sitting on one of the stools. “She’ll be happy to hear that. She really appreciates how much you’ve changed.”

The words hung there, hovering over the bubbling pot. Katsuki froze, knife halfway through a carrot.

He’d heard that line before.

“You’ve changed, Kacchan.”

Like they were talking about some miracle. As if becoming less of an asshole was something to celebrate.

He never knew what to do with it. He didn’t change for anyone.

Not for praise. Not for forgiveness.

He changed because it was about damn time.
Because being decent shouldn’t feel like redemption.

Still… hearing it from Inko—Izuku’s mother, the woman he owed too many apologies to—it landed different. It cracked something inside him he thought was already mended.

He sighed quietly and dropped the carrots into the pot, the steam rising between them like a curtain.

“I don’t need to be praised for that.”

Izuku’s voice softened. “No? But it really is an achievement, Kacchan.”

Katsuki frowned, tension flickering across his face. “You think I couldn’t do it?”

“No, no,” Izuku said quickly, leaning forward on his elbows. “If anyone could, it was you. I just… like that you did. It makes me happy to share this with you.”

Katsuki stopped mid-motion again. The knife hovered above the cutting board. Did that idiot ever get tired of saying things that scrambled his whole brain like that? He couldn’t just drop lines like that and expect him to breathe normally after.

A low grunt escaped him—half sigh, half defense mechanism. He turned back to the pot, pretending the boiling sound mattered more than the heat in his chest.

“Kacchan?” Izuku’s voice dropped a note. “Did I say something wrong?”

Katsuki looked over his shoulder, jaw tight. Then he shook his head, forcing that familiar, distant calm.

“No more than usual,” he said flatly, reaching for the ribs in the fridge.

Izuku didn’t push. He just nodded, maybe understanding that Katsuki needed silence more than answers.

“What are you cooking?” he asked after a moment, lighter this time.

“Stew.”

“Just stew?”

“What the hell else do you want, nerd? You broke into my apartment and I’m feeding you. You don’t get to complain.”

Izuku grinned, leaning on his palm. “No, I mean—does it have a name? The stew?”

Katsuki turned and gave him a look sharp enough to cut through air. He didn’t answer right away.

“Yeah. Sure. Just stew.”

He seasoned the meat with quiet precision, movements brisk, trying not to think about how natural this all felt—Izuku talking nonsense, him pretending not to enjoy it.
Cooking had never felt this… alive.

When the ribs finally went in and the stew began to simmer, the apartment filled with that familiar comfort again. Katsuki checked the clock—they still had time to eat before he had to leave.

For a second, he thought about pulling out a bottle of wine because he would like to be able to overcome this whole situation with a little alcohol in his veins... but he had to drive later. It would not be responsible to drink and drive.

He sighed and reached for the oranges instead.

“I’ll do it!” Izuku said suddenly, voice bright, already grabbing the fruit knife before Katsuki could say no.

“You don’t have to,” Katsuki muttered, setting the juicer beside him anyway.

“But I want to! You cooked.”

“You don’t owe me nothing, nerd.”

“It’s not about owing you anything! I want to do it to help and contribute,” Izuku huffed, his hands busy slicing oranges. “You always misread me!”

Katsuki looked at him for a beat—that furrowed brow, the stubborn light in his eyes. Then he sighed, the corner of his mouth twitching. “Yeah, yeah.”

Izuku was always like this.

Annoying.

Infuriating.

Nosy.

Weirdly comforting.

As if he had the need to do things for others all the time.

They finished the juice together in an easy, warm silence. The kind that didn’t demand words. The kind that said this is enough.

When they finally sat down, the kitchen smelled of stew and citrus. Izuku smiled at him like he always did—unflinching, unguarded. Katsuki tried not to look for too long, but somehow, he always did, always falls down those freckled cheeks that rise in a smile. Damn, he likes it so much.

Katsuki served both plates, giving it to the other boy first, with a hefty portion because maybe no one had noticed, but that nerd is a bottomless eater of food. It was understood before; he needed carbohydrates and proteins to gain weight and muscle, but now? He only eats like a glutton. Although with manners, because he always thanks the food before tasting it.

This was just another day where they got together to eat, with the TV on in the background playing some local news channel or nonsense that the nerd likes; it happened sometimes. But for Izuku, it was common to sneak into his friends' houses or agenda to keep the bond in. It wasn't something exclusive that I did with Kats.

Did that bother him?

Shit, yes. And unfortunately, it bothers him a lot.

It was always the same fucking annoyance: not being important to Izuku, not standing out in his life, not being his priority, not getting any different treatment from him. Not meaning anything to him was... frustrating.

Yeah, the nerdy idiot didn't realize everything Katsuki does for him? Or does he think he invites anyone from the class to his apartment once a week to eat homemade food that he makes for them? NO, he would never do that because even though they are... friends, he doesn't love them as much as he does Izuku; he won't treat them the same way he does Izuku; he won't... give special treatment to everyone.

He needs to stop going over things in his head; he's going to go crazy if he keeps going like this.

Crazier than he is.

Izuku had started talking about a couple of classes he wanted to give his students, which although the blond always listened to him, it was impossible to talk to him or add anything in that long monologue. As they grew closer, the nerd's murmurs turned into loud speeches, and sadly, Katsuki had to put up with it, always. He even paid attention.

And the food on the plates just slowly disappears as they spend lunch talking about how classes were once, although they were straight-A students, they missed many things in class due to the events of that year.

"Honestly, if something like what happened at the PussyCats camp happened to my students, I would feel really guilty."

"As if you couldn't save them," Katsuki says normally, looking for his cell phone in his pocket; he still has time.

And Izuku looks at him in a way that is hard to read—angry, suspicious, sad?

"I can't do much," start saying, "I don't have a Quirk."

"That didn't stop you with the mud villain."

And we have to remember what made Izuku a hero; at some point in their friendship, he advised Katsuki that it was that day when All Might told him he could be a hero. The thing was, that day Izuku had nothing, and yet he did more than all the heroes who were there.

He ends with a sigh, "I was a teenager with no concept of danger; my body moved on its own."

"Yeah, but now you're an adult with techniques and fucking muscles. You could help in many ways."

"Not against so many! That time I almost died and they kidnap—..." He stops there and looks at his plate of food, stirring the remains of the stew a little. "The point is, I don't want anything to happen to them."

And Katsuki had been watching him closely.

"You quickly became fond of those brats."

"Seriously, stop calling my students brats, Kacchan." He accuses him of being mean, but he can't help but giggle anyway. "Maybe so, but if you knew them you would see how great they are."

At that, the blond starts to clear the table; they should eat dessert before he has to leave. Anyway, he can talk while "You're not going to manipulate me into going to give them a class."

"Oh please, I asked you several times the good way; only that way remains."

"I don't like teenage brats," he says as he leaves the dirty plates and cutlery in the sink. Izuku follows him and without asking permission starts washing them.

Katsuki lets him be; he already knows he wants to help and lend a hand, at least he appreciates the politeness.

"You're going to end up falling for them; you're going to help me, I'm sure."

The blond looks at him with indignation for the vague attempt at demonstration.

When they finish with the dishes, they put the brownie on the table with mini plates and spoons. Katsuki is not really a big fan of desserts, but he loves sweet or sour things. The cheesecake is really cream cheese, where you can notice the salty contrast with the fruits on top and the cookies on the base. Or the sugar-free, dark chocolate brownie is the same; he loves it.

And Izuku knows that. Many people know Katsuki's taste for complex sweets, pastries, and such. It goes hand in hand with cooking, so yes, he likes it, and it comes naturally to him. But the nerd usually indulges him with those things.

Wait... he does the same with other friends?

He ends up shaking his head a little to erase those thoughts from his head while he savors the dessert, paying attention to the time. What he didn't count on was that when he left the cell phone on the table, he would get a message from that idiot.

When Hatsume Mei's name flashed across his screen, he quickly grabbed the device, trying to hide it. If Izuku finds out about this nonsense... Katsuki is capable of jumping off a roof.

He pokes his nose into his cell phone and tells the idiot that he was just letting her know that the prototype of the gloves had arrived and that he could come in earlier today to do more tests. That's why he risked it all?! Shit, he almost had a heart attack.

"All good, Kacchan?"

The aforementioned looked at him and relaxed his face, hiding, "Everything is fine."

"Ummm... you seemed dismayed by a message."

"I'm fine, nerd, it's just work." He lies, a lot; he hopes he knows how to lie well, or at least that the other person doesn't want to interfere in his life today.

And thank god that was the case. Izuku let it go. "Fine, although if you want to talk about it, I'm here."

"I know, Izuku; just... I'm sorry but I have to go, it's urgent."

"Do they call you on your day off?"

"Do you understand what's urgent?" Katsuki mocks a little, getting up to do his exit routine, leaving the dessert half-eaten. "I'll take you to your apartment; do you want to take some brownie or stew?"

Izuku smiles a little, distracted by the offering. "A little stew! You save my dinner."

"Yes, because you probably eat shit when you don't go out to eat with your friends."

"Our friends?"

"Those extras are not my friends," he says as he finishes putting things in his pockets and begins to put stew in a large Tupperware, generous with the nerd's food.

He hands it to him and looks for the keys. They have to go out together anyway, so you take the keys and watch Izuku gather his things. He's grateful that he understands the "urgency" aspect. Even if the urgency was an excuse and all this is an act to cover up his foolishness so as not to reveal the secret he's been keeping for three years, he's a fiendish little shit.

Once getting into the car, the radio was turned on by Izuku's hand, and a good song was playing that they both liked. Shit, Katsuki ended up liking fucking K-pop because of this guy? Was an Ateez song playing loudly? He recognizes them by some of their voices, but he doesn't know the names of the members or the songs; he just likes to listen.

Izuku sang easily while looking through the window, surely happy; of course, the nerd has a full stomach and is being taken in a Porsche with his favorite music in the background. How could he not be happy? While Katsuki just settles for looking at him out of the corner of his eye, holding back a little of his smile at having him there...

It didn't take long for them to arrive; they don't live far from each other, so the car ride is short. Once parked in front of Izuku's building, they both stay a few seconds longer.

"Thanks for the food, Kacchan."

"Thanks for the dessert?"

Izuku laughs a little. "And next time you're going to end up agreeing to take a class with me!"

"Go take a nap and dream about it, nerd."

"I will! Thanks for bringing me!"

"Stop thanking and go away."

One more chuckle made him get out of the car and simply wave again from outside; a "See you soon!" was heard.

Katsuki was able to let the air out of his lungs when he saw him walking into the building with ease. There was no more time to waste; the pink-haired idiot is waiting for him at her shitty agency/workshop, and he is later than he should be.

The city lights bled through the windshield as Katsuki drove, the low thrum of bass vibrating through the steering wheel. ATEEZ played loud —Guerrilla, maybe, or BOUNCY, he didn’t care which. He liked the noise, the chaos, the pulse that matched the rhythm of his brain. It kept him from overthinking.

The night air outside was cool, damp, a mix of gasoline and rain on concrete. He rolled the window down halfway, letting the wind tangle his hair while the neon streaks of passing signs flashed across his face. His eyes stayed fixed on the road, one hand loose on the wheel, the other tapping the beat on the door.

Hatsume’s company was tucked away in the industrial zone, a maze of metal and glass stacked like toy blocks. She’d text him earlier, the text with excitement, saying something about “perfect synchronization between tech and quirk mimicry”. He didn’t understand half of it, but he’d caught enough words: Blackwhip, gloves, Melissa, to make him show up.

He parked in the private lot and killed the engine. The sudden silence hit like a wall, leaving only the dull echo of his heartbeat. Katsuki exhaled, pocketed his keys, and walked toward the building, the hum of fluorescent lights greeting him as the glass doors slid open.

Inside, the workshop was pure Hatsume: chaos disguised as genius. Tools everywhere. Holographic blueprints floating midair. The faint smell of solder, oil, and ozone. He spotted her instantly, Mei with her goggles pushed up, pink hair sticking out in every direction, grinning like she’d just invented God.

“There you are!” she called, waving a metallic glove in the air. “Melissa sent me the new framework last week, but I can’t see the movement right. Sero helped with the tensile calibration, Tsuyu checked the balance, but it still doesn’t look like Blackwhip. You’ve seen it more than anyone. I need your eyes.”

Katsuki raised a brow, walking closer. The glove rested on a display table —sleek, dark silver, lined with black carbon veins that shimmered under the lab light. From each knuckle sprouted a thin, coiled line, almost invisible until it twitched and extended, snapping outward like liquid shadow.

He crossed his arms. “Not bad.”

“Not perfect,” Mei countered, eyes shining. “It moves fine, but it doesn’t feel alive.”

That word lingered —alive. Katsuki stared at the glove a little longer. She was right. The motion was too mechanical. Izuku’s Blackwhip had that chaotic rhythm, a living pulse that reacted faster than thought. This was precise, but sterile.

“Show me the internal pattern,” he said, pulling on a pair of gloves. Mei projected the schematic midair, a swarm of blue lines and data spiraling between them. He traced a finger over the projection, frowning. “It’s all linear. The release function’s too stiff.” He pauses for a moment and then adds, "And the shade of green is not the same, it tends to be more watery green."

She grinned. “You noticed! how specific!"

“Obviously.” He started tweaking the calibration on the prototype, adjusting the reaction sensors beneath the knuckles. “You want the cords to act like muscle, not rope. Add micro-pressure nodes here and here.” He pointed, and Mei’s fingers flew over the keyboard.

The glove responded with a faint twitch —like a creature testing a new limb. The cords extended again, smoother this time, curving through the air with a near-organic motion. Katsuki watched in silence, the faint hum of the lab filling the space between them.

“Still too clean,” he muttered after a moment. “Blackwhip’s got tension. It whips back, like it’s breathing with him. You need recoil.”

Mei’s eyes widened. “Like an elastic return?”

“Exactly. Program a pullback delay in microseconds —give it resistance. It shouldn’t just obey, it should fight a little.”

Mei typed rapidly, sparks of code flickering across her screen. The glove jerked, then coiled the cords inward in a fluid snap that left faint trails of energy in the air —dark light, ghostlike, exactly how it used to look when Izuku used it.

Katsuki didn’t move for a few seconds. His chest felt heavy, full.

“There,” Mei said proudly. “Now it’s alive.”

He exhaled, leaning back against the workbench. “Yeah. That’s the one.”

For a while they just watched it —the small, eerie dance of the cords catching light. The glove twitched once more, then went still.

Mei adjusted her goggles, tone turning gentler. “He’ll want to see it himself, right?”

Katsuki didn’t answer. Just clicked his tongue and grabbed a nearby wrench to tighten one of the joint rings.

“Not until it’s perfect,” he said quietly. “It’s not ready yet.”

And with that, they went back to work, metal, light, memory, and silence filling the lab until dawn began to bleed through the windows.

When the last calibration was set and the prototype finally responded the way they wanted, Hatsume leaned back in her chair with a grin that screamed triumph. The cords now extended and retracted flawlessly, every movement precise, elegant — dangerous in the right hands.

Katsuki stayed standing, arms crossed, staring down at the gauntlet as its lights pulsed softly in the dim lab. The sound of the machines faded, leaving just the low hum of the prototype between them.

For a moment, he could almost see it — the way it’d look wrapped around someone else’s hand. The way that idiot would grin like a fool, eyes bright and proud, not realizing just how much had gone into it.

Katsuki exhaled slowly, his chest tightening in that familiar, irritating way.

It wasn’t just a project. It was a promise. A quiet, invisible bridge between who they’d been and who they’d become. He imagined the day he’d finally hand it over maybe without a word, maybe with a scoff and a curse to hide how long he’d waited.

Until then, he’d keep it here, tucked away under layers of tech and stubbornness.

Let it sleep in silence just like the words he still couldn’t say.

Chapter Text

His chest rose and fell, denoting the agitation in his lungs from the simple fact of being alive, of resurfacing from the greatest pain he had ever felt.

Blood was running down his arms, head and face, from his eyes came something that could well be tears or it could well be blood from the multiple blows he received, but he got up despite from the pain in his chest, in his heart, it wasn't impossible. Not when he had someone to reach.

He saw him in the distance, his arm extended, waiting for him to join him and so he did, Katsuki didn't take more than a few minutes to push himself towards him... Only he couldn't take his hand.

In a matter of seconds Izuku's body turned to stone, Shigaraki's laughter dominated the atmosphere and Katsuki fell in the air thinking that if it had taken less time, if he hadn't died... Izuku would be alive they would be able to fight together to win and save, to save and win.

"You thought it would be for life, naive" Shigaraki's broken and raspy voice was still imprinted in his memory seconds before touching him so that Katsuki too was a simple pile of ashes.

His eyes opened again but his breathing was still labored. As he looked around, he felt reassured that it was only his poorly painted and moldy room. It had just been a nightmare. Katsuki thinks he's too old to be having nightmares like that; he no longer has post-traumatic stress from the war, But there are echoes of unhealed wounds that continue to resonate in his head when he lets his guard down.

It's annoying because he was supposed to get a good night's sleep to have a good day at work. But at 1:30 a.m., he has no choice but to get up, get some fresh water, and go to the bathroom to wash his face, and then see if he can continue sleeping once he is refreshed.

For some reason, he saw his cell phone screen on while he was pouring tap water into a glass and grabbed the device to see who dared to bother him.

He didn't suppress the slight smile that threatened to emerge from his lips. Just by looking at the name, he knew who it was and what he wanted. Well, it wouldn't be bad to go see him after a shitty night like this, he would like to make sure with his own eyes that he is there, alive just like him and doing the best he can with his life. So answer, fuck the other guy if he gets annoyed by a message at dawn.

/Kacchan:
"I'll be there"

And with just that he put down the phone, did what he had to do and tried to sleep again.

And trying was the key word because although he felt more relaxed it had been a complicated job until his eyes finally gave in so he could rest for at least four more hours before Having to do her shitty routine before going to work. Which consisted of a shower, a strong coffee, putting on headphones to hear well on the street, and simply carrying his shitty bag full of nonsense that he uses at work or in the office.

Luckily he now has his car because before going by train was a nuisance.

Trying to erase those images from his mind, the nightmare appeared every time he blinked. He couldn't imagine where he'd be today if Izuku had died that day. He would become a bigger wretch than he is now.

If you already live in misery it is because you decided to invest your money in an extremely expensive gift, but in the hypothetical case of Katsuki would live in misery for not putting effort into his work, for being a mediocre hero, for the sadness of being alive without a goal or a reason, for being alive without the love of his life.

Damn that's ridiculous. Katsuki is ridiculous, idiot, imbecile, retard, useless, detestable and a piece of shit with legs.

The arm resting on the open window gently caresses his own face as he enters the agency to park in his spot and be able to enter to check in before going somewhere else.

He's tired, beyond the nightmare and the shitty night he had, he's tired of the pace of his life and of thinking "hold on a few more years" because according to him he'll have it all back later. As if giving the suit to Izuku was an assurance that he would accept it. He prefers to ignore that possible resolution to all this and lie to himself saying that the nerd WILL accept.

He doesn't know how but he had reached the locker room and taken his suit out of the locker to finally get dressed, he even greeted some people in the process Katsuki went into automatic mode for now, perhaps the coffee hadn't had any effect on him.

He read the nerd's messages on his cell phone and focused on giving him a short answer that he would go with him in a bit.

So all that was left was to adjust the shadow she puts around her eyes when she doesn't feel like wearing the mask. People say it's because she wants to show off, but really, if they knew something Those idiots would know that putting black around the eyes would enhance vision since the pigment absorbs sunlight and allows for better vision.Those idiots would know that putting black around the eyes would enhance vision since the pigment absorbs sunlight and allows for better field of vision. It's a helpful element, not a coquettish one.

So with that done, he already notified the secretary that he would be busy covering hours at the UA instead of patrolling and since he is Dynamight, no one would contradict him.

So it was easy for him to get there, he had already been told that he should go directly to the training gym since that's where the brats would be training with their sensei and others. So knowing perfectly well where that was and having a vision from above, he could see a small group of people crowded among all those pipes and metal constructions.

How did he get into UA? He has an alumn pass, so the barriers don't activate. It's pretty cool.

Recognizing the curly green hair, he simply redirected his momentum blasts to land directly on top of him, he has a plan. And since every plan, or 90% of them, goes as planned, it was easy to fall behind him and wrap one arm around his neck, trapping his with the other.

"Ha! I win this, nerd!"It was the best thing he could say all morning.

The adrenaline of being able to move freely thanks to his explosions and how funny it was to ambush Izuku were two things that Katsuki liked.

And the scared scream of 22 brat was also like music to his failing ears, he is grateful to have headphones that help him hear those exclamations of who is the one who just attacked they sensei getting away with it that way, and the comments when they realized it was Dynamight in their class!

"Kacchan, I asked you to be serious." While the tone may sound authoritative, there is a slight laugh in the pronunciation of the nickname.

Katsuki lets go of Izuku's arms but hits him in the head "It's Dynamight today, sensei" He jokes before letting go and being able to look at each other.

Leaving a bunch of teenagers confused as to why their star teacher and Dynamight, the hero and role model who makes any fangirl scream, are... flirting? Or at least they seem close.

Izuku lets out a chuckle that has been stuck in his throat since he found out that Katsuki had finally agreed to help him teach a class for his students and those of 1B (who should be here in a bit) And above all, they was happy to be able to see eaxhother today. It was mutual. They hadn't been together for a while and perhaps this was the perfect excuse.

So while he was adjusting the clothes that Katsuki had messed up, the teacher spoke "Okay class, while we wait for your classmates, I present to you Ka-Dynamight" he is corrected at the moment "It took me a lot of work to bring it in, so appreciate your time, experience, and skills to improve in any way you can."

A girl raised her hand, a girl with a heavy temper "Deku sensei! We know that Dynamight isn't known for being gentle with young people, what makes you think that he's good for this class?"

And Izuku pressed his lips together to keep from laughing, because Katsuki was about to take a step towards the girl and prove her right by yelling in her face. The responsible adult stops him by putting a hand on the blond's shoulder.

"Many will know that he is a good friend of mine" and Katsuki sighs at the word 'friend' remembering that they are just that. While the teacher continues "He promised to behave and he owes me a favor so I trust him, if you trust me you will believe in my choices."

The class seemed happy but Katsuki wasn't going to keep quiet there.

"Anyway, I wasn't going to waste my effort on brats like you."

"Dynamight" Izuku looks at him with a frown "Don't call my students brats"

"Ugh fine!" He ends up crossing his arms pretending to be angry, it comes naturally to him to furrow his eyebrows and bulge his lips in an angry grimace, but deep down... this isn't upsetting him.

He doesn't do it for those kids, he knows Izuku does it well on his own and can handle all of that, he does it to see the nerd. Because Katsuki hasn't seen him in a while and last night's nightmare had him somewhat sensitive about it so he was happier to be able to share a little time with the object of his affection than for contribute to building better heroes for the future.

So he didn't pay much attention to the exercise when Izuku and the other teacher who he doesn't remember the name but has blue hair, talk to like 40 brats. The professional hero's attention was focused on... Izuku talking, the teacher's clothes, that suit that fits him so well, the tie badly tied as always, the collar of the shirt covering his skin full of freckles, The way his Adam's apple moves when he talks... Katsuki is infatuated with everything Izuku does.

Minutes later the teacher looks at him "Did you understand what you have to do, Kacchan?"

And Katsuki looks around, there are no more brats, where did they go?

"Summarize it"

Izuku rolls his eyes "In groups of belts they attack you and Monoma, who are the 'villains' of the training, you two must protect the chest and the base"

"Monoma? Is that annoying guy here?"

"You guys get along, don't pretend, and if he's here, Ishida brought him like I brought you."

Katsuki raises an eyebrow "You were counting on me to accept no matter what?"

And Izuku shrugs with a smile "You always accept the fifth time I ask you, anything"

And to Katsuki, that didn't make sense. Was he really doing that? Or was Izuku gaslighting him or something like that, like what young people say these days, to manipulate his brain? He doesn't know it, but fuck him. He's already here, and he did it because he wanted to! Not because Izuku insisted on wanting him there!

"Fuck you little shit"

He says while he adjusts the grenades on both arms and goes where he was told to defend the base and a shit chest that is surely empty.

So he had no choice but to team up with the screaming blond, and no, that's not being a reflection, Monoma was literally that but he was also undoubtedly a great hero and someone with good techniques. So Katsuki had no problem so that both of them could work together on it basically massacring the children who gave everything to win.

Poor kids, it was a bit sad to see how they tried everything even though there were five of them, the best ones could barely pass Monoma's barrier at the entrance and then be attacked by Katsuki in the room where the chest they were supposed to take was.

But hey, don't need to be cruel. They're there to fail and learn. Katsuki and Izuku had beaten All Might together in their first year by pure chance. The worst part? All Might had extra weight on his feet and arms, plus he didn't even use his quirk, it was pure strength of his muscles. Looking back and taking into account his own training at the UA, Monoma and Katsuki were being too kind and permissive.

Although, not enough for Izuku's liking apparently, who gave the groups advice before entering, an analysis when losing and a motivation before letting the next group go.

They spent the whole afternoon like this, it had been extended more than necessary and Katsuki was beginning to feel the limit of his damaged arm, in battle he normally ignores it and the adrenaline demands it. It's like hitting the punching bag, when his knuckles hurt he changes his training. So here he decides to only use his good arm with the last two teams, a hero must also know how to take care of himself.

After finishing, both Monoma and he left the building and sat on the edge of the fictional "Street" of the gym's city simulation.

A bottle of water appeared in front of Katsuki's face and he didn't have to look up to recognize whose scarred hand it was so he simply took it and drank the contents almost all.

"Thanks Izuku" He murmured as he capped the bottle and let himself fall into his arms, leaning back, now looking at the teacher.

Izuku shrugs and sits next to him "It's the least, thanks for coming today"

Someone who knows how to read the room and knows their history together decides to leave, Monoma signals to the other teacher to leave and leave them alone for at least a little while.

"I don't know what made you agree but I'm glad you came, even if you were too rude to them."

Katsuki lets out a somewhat amused grunt at that "I wasn't rude, it was the minimum of my abilities, I didn't even use my bad arm in some of them"

"Really? Everyone came back outside exhausted."

"But standing and unhurt, how many bones did All Might break in your training?"

Izuku laughs and leans back a little as he looks up, thinking for a few seconds about the answer: "The spine once, a couple of ribs, and the arms, I've already lost count."

"You see?" Katsuki gives him a little push shoulder to shoulder "This was nothing, next time I'll turn them into dust."

And Izuku looked at him with a wide smile "Next time?"

"Tch..." Trapped.

Admitting it was fun would be a blow to Katsuki's pride and too much of a compliment for Izuku, they couldn't afford something like that, right?

"It was fun kicking brats"

"Kacchan!" He challenges him but ends up laughing a little, you can't correct nature. "In any case, really, really, thank you for coming today, I'm sure many enjoyed training with you... I loved it, I always gave it my all."

Katsuki looks at him for a few seconds, as if he didn't know exactly what to say, but perhaps something nice to him, something he liked too. But Izuku stood up before he could do so.

"I must go back to them, you are free Kacchan"

But the blond didn't want this to end here, he wanted a little more of Izuku today because he almost didn't see him so when they both got up he stopped him before leaving.

"Hey, let's go to dinner tonight"

It was not an invitation, it was an order.

Izuku looked at him confused and then put on that sad smile "Sorry Kacchan, I can't" what? "Ochaco, Shoto and Iida invited me to celebrate that Ochaco opened her shelter for children with complicated quirks"

Ah that shit.

Not the shelter.

The thing was, of course, Izuku has more friends. Of course, Izuku has other priorities. Of course, Katsuki isn't the most important person in Izuku's life.

"Friday?"

"Mirio asked me for help with something for Nighteye's company"

shit begging one more time would make him look like a moron...

"Fucking idiot, when are you free?"

Izuku seemed to think for a few seconds "This month it's going to be impossible Kacchan, im sorry"

Okay, this was ridiculous. Katsuki had already been feeling ridiculous for days because of the situation with this idiot... Now it was worse, he was basically begging him for a fucking date. But no, Izuku had to attend to all his other friendships or ties because they all deserve attention. Because everyone deserves fucking special treatment.

Okay, Katsuki would let it go. Like he's been doing for years.

It doesn't matter.

Not at all.

Who is he fooling? it hurts him a lot.

"Fine, never mind, go with the brats Izuku"

If he had to be honest with himself —and with his own subconscious— to give some kind of validity to his emotions, like they once taught him in therapy, Katsuki had to admit it hurt. It hurt not to be someone for whom Izuku would say “I’ll cancel everything to go with you.”
Which, of course, was a terribly selfish wish.

Everyone wants a bit of Izuku’s time. It’s understandable—he’s a great friend, an exceptional person.

And Katsuki has no right to take that from him, no right to possess him or claim all of his time. He gets it. But the feeling of wanting just a little more is still there.

One more outing. One more text. A dinner. A laugh. A photo. Anything.
They could even go have dinner with their ridiculous moms, and that would make Katsuki happy—though he’d never admit it.
But he can’t. He can’t take up all of Izuku’s time. Even if he could give all of his own to that damn nerd—be his housewife, clean, cook, do the laundry, even his office work—it wouldn’t be right.

He knows that. He knows it perfectly, goddammit.

But that doesn’t stop it from hurting like hell.

The one who gave his life twice, and would do it a third time—who would even fight to stay alive just to be by Izuku’s side, to see him live until the very end.

So it makes sense that after that day—when he spent a little time with Izuku and realized all of this—he isolated himself again. Went back to work. Took the night shift.

Started drowning in the same aching thoughts and unhealed scars that never truly closed after the war… or after Izuku decided to take that weird teaching course in the U.S. while following All Might around for three damn years. For some reason, Katsuki thought that when Izuku came back, things would be better.

What an idiot.

What made him think Izuku had missed him as much as he’d missed Izuku?

Idiot. Obviously that nerd missed his home, and all his friends.

Not Katsuki specifically.

What a stupid, naïve, weak-hearted fool.

Chapter Text

There is a psychological technique to control the harmful emotions and feelings that a human can have.

And it would really be helpful if this idiot could use them, because the thoughts he’s been having lately aren’t all that nice; they’re not things that do him any good or feed his ego in a good way... In fact, every time he has a second to think, he ends up destroyed.

The worst part is that it unfortunately affects every single minute of his life. Katsuki has to go to work and try not to feel like shit every day. It puts him in a bad mood, and he ends up yelling at people, or mistreating low-class villains too much.

He understands well what jealousy is. He hates jealousy. He hates being jealous of something that isn’t even his.

And repressing and repressing is useless — it’s like testing how much you can inflate a balloon until it explodes.

Pretending to be a victim doesn’t help either. He’s not going to act like a poor thing with Izuku and kneel down to beg him to be indispensable in his life. But he can’t allow this to continue affecting him in this way; it’s damaging his poor mental health.

So he probably made a hasty and somewhat extreme decision, but he was always like that, right?

He wouldn’t talk to Izuku again, because he’s going to prioritize himself, help himself get better, and get ahead any way he can. He said he wasn’t going to give up a few months ago. He’s not giving up — he’s healing.

Katsuki never gives up. He just has to understand that he can’t feel jealous of Izuku when he uploads a photo with any of his other friends or when he prefers to go to Eri’s concert or a family event at Kota’s school. He can’t go on like this, with his head in every direction while he flies over the city on patrol.

So no, he hasn’t responded to his latest messages about random nonsense, he hasn’t visited him at UA “as a surprise” like he sometimes did before, and no, he hasn’t insisted on meeting him alone anymore.

That was another thing that hurt him a lot — seeing each other alone — because his brain made it look like a date and it wasn’t. They weren’t dating, they weren’t lovers, they didn’t love each other, they didn’t like each other. What Katsuki feels is one-sided.

He prefers to avoid that a bit so he can put his thoughts in order.

Showers help. It’s as if the water running over his naked body were a gentle caress on his pale complexion that only needed a hug to feel better. Was he going to ask for a hug? Not at all. No. Never. Ever. His pride doesn’t allow it. Katsuki is not someone who gives in to anything or anyone, even less now that he knows how to recognize his emotions and think with a cool head.

That way, with everything where it should be and the points on the table, Katsuki has a goal today before work.

The silly engineer asked him and Kirishima to go help her with Izuku’s suit. Apparently, a large and important part had arrived, consisting of the back and chest cover, which was based on the functioning of the shitty hair quirk. So Hatsume wanted to have Kirishima there to understand things about hardening, and Katsuki for the usual — tests, colors, functions, tactics.

No one knows Izuku like he does, so he can give a broad understanding of how the suit could function or be used in thousands of formats, in bits that would need to be corrected and shit like that.

So off he goes, shuffling out of the car parked in front of the girl’s agency. He walks down the memorized path to Hatsume’s personal workshop, and as it was already the fucking custom to be greeted with an annoying noise — be it an explosion, a blow, or something falling on him — he learned to open and then enter when he recognized the territory.

“My star boy! You’ve arrived at the perfect time, put this on!”

The pink-haired girl says as she drops a small square into Katsuki’s hands, who examines the device for a few seconds.

“What is it supposed to be?”

And Kirishima was soon in the frame, with his arms folded and that smile of his. “A compression of the bib, activated when you touch the yellow button.”

Katsuki looked at them both as if they had said the craziest thing in the world, but he would definitely give them the point in favor of the doubt. Simply press the yellow button, and the suit grows in his hands with divine dynamics, and even this big, it weighs almost nothing.

“Put it on!” Hatsume said as she put her goggles on her eyes to start working on the suit Katsuki was wearing.

Holding it in his hands, he feels like a part of his dreams — things he could barely imagine years ago — are now starting to come true. It’s crazy to him.

It didn’t take long for him to obey Hatsume’s orders; they usually did so Katsuki could test the prototypes before adjusting the sizes to Izuku’s body, to check that they worked as they should. The piece of the suit is easily put on due to its functionality, and thus he feels somewhat more protected.

They proceed with a lot of tests — blows from Kirishima, difficult maneuvers, turns or pirouettes for aerodynamics. They also test it with Black Whip’s gloves to continue putting pieces on the puzzle. By the end of the afternoon, they’ve spent too much time writing down things that Hatsume needed to fix or improve on the costume.

The engineer doesn’t even say goodbye to them as she puts on her welding mask and begins to separate a few things from the suit to fix them. But that’s the signal for Katsuki and Kirishima to flee before continuing to play guinea pig for that crazy woman.

By late afternoon, the air inside the workshop is thick with smoke and caffeine. Hatsume doesn’t even say goodbye — she’s already welding again, lost in her work. That’s their cue to get the hell out before she ropes them into another experiment.

Outside, the air tastes fresher. Cold. Sharp. They walk toward Katsuki’s car, and Kirishima claps him on the back.

“What’s up, bro? Haven’t seen you in forever!”

“I was busy,” Katsuki replies simply. It’s true — just not in the way his friend thinks. And he doesn’t think it’s a good idea to tell him either. He’s a good friend and he’d certainly help him, but he doesn’t want help now — he wants peace.

Kirishima laughs. “Man, adult life sucks! But at least we get to do this: working on the suit, helping out! You must be pumped seeing how far it’s come, huh?”

A breath escapes Katsuki, shaky and low. “Something like that... Drives me nuts that it’s taking so long.”

“Yeah, three years already! And all we’re missing is one arm and both legs!”

“Don’t forget Smoke Screen, Gear Shift, Hazard Sensor…”

“Yes, all that too, but they’ll know how to do it. Besides…” Kirishima whistles. It’s the indicator that he’s about to open his mouth to say something stupid. “Didn’t know you were such a nerd about Midoriya!”

That earns him a hard smack on the head. Luckily, the idiot already knew that messing with Katsuki like that meant a physical injury anywhere, and he was able to use his quirk to harden his neck. “Ow! Okay, okay! My bad! Making fun of your crush isn’t very manly!”

“Tch. Just shut up, idiot.” Katsuki leans against the car, the metal cold against his palms. It feels… grounding. Kirishima’s one of the few people he can still stand... the only one, really, now that Izuku’s off-limits.

It was always like this — even before he became close with Izuku, Kirishima was there to help him take a step forward. He doesn’t know what that pointy-toothed idiot has, but it makes him want to be a better person. Maybe it’s the fact that he’s not afraid of Katsuki and has actually tried to be his friend, not his henchman like the two high school morons.

That makes sense. They have a lot of respect for each other and were able to bond when Katsuki needed it most.

Although all that respect is given by trust, and trust makes the idiot believe he has the authority to demand information from Katsuki about his personal or romantic life, which is bullshit.

“C’mon, we’re friends, I wanna know,” Kirishima insists. “How’s it going, with the whole… ‘progress’ thing?”

“There’s no progress. I don’t know what you’re talking about.” He looks away with his jaw tight. “Izuku is Izuku. No matter what I do, he’ll never see what’s right in front of his damn face.”

Kirishima’s grin fades. He folds his arms, expression unreadable. “Well, you know him better than anyone, man. But… I still think if you told him, things might change.”

“Yeah, change,” Katsuki mutters. “He’d stop talking to me. How can someone love the person who hurt them the most?”

That shuts Kirishima up. Katsuki exhales and straightens.

“Look, I’m not in the mood for this.”

“Bro, you’ve changed. I know he’d get it if you just—”

“Stop it, shitty hair. It’s annoying.” He opens the car door, glancing back. “See ya.”

Kirishima just shakes his head. No joke, no laugh this time. Just silence.

But his friend doesn’t respond; he just shakes his head and lets him go, with a slight wave of his hand. Which is unusual for him. If he hadn’t noticed how down Katsuki was, the conversation probably would have gone on for a long time. But it was already hard enough to move things inside Katsuki.

He’s right, in a way. How is Izuku supposed to know what he feels if he never talks about it? He can’t demand attention from him if he doesn’t explicitly ask for it.

It’s shit, yes, but he should talk about his fucking feelings.

But not today. Not now. The suit check was just part of his activities for today. He’s not on patrol — he’s on an important mission in Musutafu’s center, so he’s grateful to have a car.

Even if his head is all over the place. Even if he’s doing almost everything on automatic — like putting on his hero suit, getting into the truck with other heroes, listening to the police officer in charge of the mission maneuvers, following its main offensive group.

He even believes he greeted some people while doing all this automatically, but he doesn’t know how he got to the building from where they had to get out a villain and his artifact that threatens the world or some nonsense — so, again, Katsuki didn’t hear well because his mind was all over the place.

Something in his subconscious says, “If Deku were here this would be less boring.” And it’s real.

They would have fought a bit, the nerd would have told him a couple of clever strategies to use between the two of them or Katsuki alone. They would have helped the other heroes a lot.

Izuku would even give a whole moral reflection about how that villain and his shitty machine damage society and why he’s pigeonholed as a ‘villain,’ and then think about how he can present all this to his students for a more dynamic class without revealing the confidential files of the case.

He has his head all over the place. Dynamight just runs up the stairs, avoiding a couple of dumb villains with explosions to their faces or backs — that’s enough to knock them out. If Deku were here, he would have kicked them, leaving them embedded in the wall.

Someone came with Katsuki and took the lead at some point, which is good because he can’t stop thinking. Damn Kirishima and his “what progress has there been?” questions. None. How could there be progress with such a fucking moron like Izuku — the nerd, the idiot who never notices when people yell at him in innuendo that they like him. It’s as if his brain is still in junior high, believing that he doesn’t deserve anyone’s attention.

Wait — did Katsuki hurt him that much? Did he even damage Izuku’s subconscious so that he believes all the shitty words he said to him? Surely he had touched the poor kid’s self-esteem, and even now as an adult, he continues to experience them because they were there all along... No, no... Izuku is strong now. He can think those things for himself and handle it, right?

Although he hasn’t had a partner since then. He never told Katsuki if he liked someone — well, Katsuki never told him anything like that either. They don’t talk about such things.

“Dynamight! Careful!”

The dull sound of his body hitting the ceiling brought him out of his involuntary thoughts. Since when does he lose focus like this in the middle of battle?

If Deku were here, he wouldn’t be distracted — and his arms would still be connected to his body.

Chapter Text

Winning is not an achievement, it is a reality.

And behind the effect of being the symbol of victory, there is more than just the fact of being indestructible.

People see him and trust him no matter what, because when they see him on the scene, they know everything is going to be okay — he is going to win and save them all.

That's the weight he feels on his shoulders every time he goes out on the streets, every time he has an important mission. It's what his mind races and screams when he fights with others, the adrenaline in his veins running so fluidly that he knows every hit brings him closer to winning.

Even though he's someone so focused on his work, so talented and confident when it comes to fighting... he's also human and has feelings. The world doesn't know that, and it's better that way.

Katsuki, or in this case Dynamight, had made the worst mistake a hero can make — working with his mind on personal things.

And that cost him dearly this time. Not feeling his arms was bad enough; having both limbs stretched side to side had basically ripped them out of place at his shoulders — but fuck the villain if he thought Katsuki would be defeated by that. He fought with a half-dead heart and his chest open during the war — he could do it without his arms.

And he did it. Along with the reinforcements that arrived later, they put up a good fight to defeat the villain and take away the deadly weapon he had created to destroy society. A classic. Everyone wants the same thing, everyone is looking for the same thing, and the heroes always end up prevailing, winning.

The cameras of the reporters and the helicopters were quick to cover the area that had been filled with explosions. The awakening of Dynamight's quirk was something everyone loved to see on screen — those small explosions around him that increased his speed and brutality when fighting were mesmerizing, as were his red eyes twitching with brightness.

Nobody knows that seeing it up close, in person, can be terrifying.

The last one standing on a mound of rubble and the villain lying in front of him on the ground was him — Dynamight — with both arms shattered and hanging uselessly at his sides. With an angry expression that people hadn't seen for a long time, surely everyone would believe it was because the villain had been cruel and used children inside his machine to steal their vitality. But no... he didn't know that detail; he didn't know anything in general about the villain — he just destroyed him.

He destroyed him because it's his job and because he was angry with himself. Letting himself get carried away like that, to the point of having his arms ripped off, was stupidity he wouldn’t let happen again.

Katsuki felt like an idiot, ridiculous, and he took it out physically on the villain in front of him. There was no need to be so aggressive — to throw grenades in his face, to kick him against the wall, or to smash him against the floor to finally declare victory as his — but he did it.

He did it out of spite for the anger he had inside.

He spat blood near the villain's face before allowing himself to be guided by the police and paramedics concerned about his physical and mental state. Katsuki simply climbed onto a stretcher and answered routine questions automatically while the paramedics arranged his arms to prevent him from losing them permanently.

The blond could only think. Think a lot.

Because that night, he had gone into battle thinking about how miserable he felt toward Izuku and how long he had been like that. This distracted him. He’d distracted himself for not having resolved his problems and emotions before.

If he had used his days off for that, if he had talked to Kirishima or some idiot about it, maybe today he would have been more focused on work and not on his basically broken heart.

There's no need to think about "what if." What's done is done, and even though it sucks, there's nothing to do about the past. All that remains is to resolve the present so as not to ruin the future.

Arriving at the hospital, he was calmer than he should have been, but his lowered eyebrows suggested that calm wasn’t the same as being in a good mood. He was pissed off, but he wouldn’t take that anger out on the doctors who were only trying to cure him. Katsuki cooperated as much as possible to set his bones back in place and use healing quirks to restore sensitivity to his arms.

It was crazy how nowadays, with a good regeneration quirk, almost all wounds could be healed better. In the past, he might have lost both arms due to his own stupidity.

But it's okay. Nothing like this will happen again. The doctor had already given him a good scolding for what happened and warned him that it couldn’t get to that extreme again.

And Katsuki knows that he can apply this advice not only to his body but also to his thoughts — to his personal life. He can't let his poorly managed emotions affect him again while he works. Damn it, if he has to cry at night before sleeping, so be it, but during the day, he has to go back to being the fucking bastard who destroys villains just by looking at them.

And that, all of that, is achieved in a way.

Clarifying what he feels with Izuku, for Izuku, or about that idiot.

Not in the sense of understanding — Katsuki knows he loves him, he knows he likes him, and he's already lost count of how long it's been since he really did.

It means he needs to put an end to his pain. A closure.

For better or worse, he can't go on like this anymore. Either he swallows his feelings forever or spits them back in that fucking nerd's face.

As always, hospital beds are uncomfortable, the food is crap, and the smell of whatever they use to clean is disgusting to Katsuki's nose, so he hopes he doesn’t stay longer than this night. He'd also like to get out and be able to use his recovery days to think more clearly, but he can’t do that here, and tonight his head is thinking about other things.

And even though he was told not to use his arms, he must do something before he sleeps.

/Bakubro: "Take two fucking days off and come with me to climb Mount Mitake."

Being almost 2 a.m., Katsuki didn't expect a response, but he got one.

/Kirishima: "Of course, dude. This weekend?"

Making plans with Kirishima was never complicated. He appreciates it — very much — especially at a time like this, when he needs to escape from society and breathe fresh air.

It was ugly to think of him as the second choice, but whenever Katsuki couldn't reach Izuku, he always had Kirishima to help him overcome whatever he had going on. That's why they're friends — he feels like he can lean on that idiot without being judged, and he's the only one who knows even things that Izuku doesn’t, since Izuku completely ignores them or just doesn’t understand them — doesn’t know them.

And this was another point.

When Katsuki told him that Kirishima was leaving that weekend, that idiot even canceled a date with his girlfriend so he could take care of his best friend in a difficult time — because that's what best friends do.

It is known that when someone is important to you, they always receive special treatment — or are your priority. You do everything in your power to make it right, and you even go the extra mile for it. That's what bonds are about; not everyone can be the same for you — that's not right. You minimize the feelings of others, you displace them to nothing or to the average when in reality each bond is different.

Yes, the mountain air helped him process these things.

Kirishima was following him, singing some ridiculous song that children often recite when they're out with their kindergarten friends or playing in the park. Katsuki himself had his own when he was little, and just remembering it makes him smile.

That time they were also in the forest — just like now. But behind him were three extras and Izuku in the back... If he thought about it, Izuku was in every one of his memories. From the day they met until the day they graduated from UA, they had spent more time with each other than with their families. It was important to Katsuki — a lot.

Because before, he couldn't wait to stop seeing Izuku every day, but now he wishes he could go back in time and even wake up with him by his side every time.

Izuku surely doesn't feel that way.

After having been climbing the mountain for almost two hours straight, they found a small place at the edge like a lookout point, and Kirishima didn't hesitate for five seconds to throw himself down on the ground to rest. Katsuki followed him, leaning his back against a cut log.

When he closed his eyes, the fresh mountain air brought back fond memories. He also tended to do this with Izuku when the idiot had time to accompany him.

Once, when they were about four years old, the old witch and his dad decided to invite Izuku to camp. Katsuki was happy to be able to show off how great he was at climbing mountains without falling or tiring. And for a child, maybe it was just a reflection of "I'm better than you," but if the adult he is now analyzes his past self... he just wanted a little of Izuku's appreciation and praise.

He was always like that when he was little; he liked being showered with praise — it inflated his ego. But Izuku's admiration was better. He doesn't quite understand why, but he likes it.

He likes loving it — having learned to do it and feel it properly. Katsuki loves being in love.

He hates the consequences, yes, but the overall experience... it's nice to learn to love, to stop feeling hate, and to realize that emotions and feelings don't make you weak but rather make you stronger — it's simply great.

That is to say, Katsuki would not have revived if it weren’t for the fact that his desire to beat Izuku and be there with him was stronger than the pain of dying.

"Ah, this feels really good." The redhead's voice interrupted the controlled peace in Katsuki's head, and he wasn't going to complain. After all, he brought him to talk a little, to find support. "Here, I brought this."

A green apple fell into his hands, and the blond was grateful that his friend remembered he liked those more because of their acidic touch. "Thank you," he said easily before taking a bite.

"It's nothing, dude." But the smile he had was special. "I knew that sooner or later you would need to talk."

"I hate you."

"I know!"

Katsuki laughed a little and rested his head against the tree. "Beyond that, I was shit to you the other day when you were just trying to help... sorry."

"It's okay, man, I stuck my nose into your business."

"Yeah, but that's what friends do," Katsuki answered before chewing another piece of apple. "And also, you were right — I should talk to him about it, at least as a last resort... the accident with that villain happened because I was thinking stupid things about Izuku and—"

He seemed to take a few seconds before continuing to speak.

"I can't go on like this, but I don't want to risk everything either."

Kirishima looked somewhat dismayed; no one prepares you to see your best friend down, but he had to support him as best he could.

"I guess it's for the best, I just don't understand what — that's the thing there, the one that’s always held you back, man. Izuku loves you for sure."

And Katsuki couldn't help but let out a naive laugh at that. "Maybe, but we're talking about that idiot. He wouldn't realize his own feelings even if it cost him his life... it's—"

He thought about what had been bothering him the other day, what was tormenting him.

"His self-esteem is ruined, probably because of me. The thing is... even if he subconsciously loves me, he has other relationships that he treats the same way he treats me. He doesn't realize how important he is to me and how he has privileges with me."

"I know. You haven't invited me to your house for dinner since we finished UA..."

"And that idiot came every time he could, even without an invitation," Katsuki pointed out as if it were funny — because, in a way, it was.

"And what do you think you're going to do?"

"One last thing," he began as he stood up and threw the finished apple core into a bag inside his backpack. "Be a little more direct."

"You haven't given up, huh?" Kirishima followed him, getting up just like him to continue to the top of the mountain, which would surely be two more hours — but hey, there was a tourist place up there to have lunch. "I'm glad you can talk about this so much with me; it's super manly of you, bro."

Katsuki didn't say anything else to that comment; he just patted Kirishima on the back — his closest way of showing that he appreciated him being there.

Because hugs, caresses, and nice words were always reserved for Izuku, but he still had ways of showing his other friends that he loved them at least a little. And right now, being there with Kirishima, being accompanied and sharing a smile — that was a lot; it meant a lot to both of them.

Somehow he was calmer. He felt lighter, even if his legs started to hurt or he needed a 20-hour nap to recover energy after all this climbing and feeling things. Katsuki was now clear-minded and more settled.

He didn't know exactly what to do, how to do it, or when, but he knew he must say specifically what had bothered him the most these days. The rest of the things could wait; feelings are a matter of time, and they must be handled with patience — patience that Katsuki only has for some things.

Today, that's it. He thought about everything he had to, and he's already relaxed about what he has to do. He only has to take care of his newly healed arms and his own mind from nonsense.

He can't force Izuku to make Katsuki his priority; he can't monopolize his entire life, nor can he force him to love him as much as he loves him.

But he can pull some strings and make things easier.

And right now, he was a little interested in the life of his friend present — telling him how the proposal to Mina had been, how the girl had said yes with emotion, and that now they would start saving for a nice beach wedding, according to the girl who liked that idea. Who would have thought it? Kirishima, the top of the class, was engaged. Katsuki felt like he lost out on something — but hey, he could still get second place, right?

With that, the redhead joked now, boasting that his romantic relationship was going well, and apparently, this didn't anger Katsuki. He was so calm that he could only be happy for his best friend.

He was even in such a good mood that when he arrived at the restaurant at the top of the mountain, he paid for his companion's lunch as thanks for his company today. Regardless of the price or quality of the things there, they would take this as a mini reward for today's exercise.

And Katsuki was going to take advantage of this to take his cell phone out of his pocket for a while, since if there was a connection here, he had something important to do.

Since ignoring Izuku for almost a month hadn't helped — on the contrary, it was worse — he decided to answer the messages that had been piling up over the last few days. Nothing really important or urgent; if that had been the case, Izuku would have looked for him in person. But if it was disrespectful and a useless mediating measure, it was dumb.

He felt a little sorry for himself now, having read that without responding to the nerd, because the messages seemed a bit sad. Things like, "Did I do something wrong?" or "You're mad at me, aren't you?" always attacked Katsuki's heart. He hated making Izuku feel that way.

Now he hesitated whether to answer him — perhaps it would be better to stop by the UA on Monday and apologize in person.

Anyway, Kirishima encouraged him to at least send a short message with some silly excuse.

/Kacchan: "Hey nerd, I've been too busy these days. You didn't do anything wrong, you didn't make me angry, stop thinking stupid things."

Just that — and he didn’t expect a response on a Saturday at noon, when that idiot usually slept in, taking advantage of his weekend off from teaching the brats. But somehow, messages did arrive.

/Damn nerd: "Omg I'm so glad to read that ಥ⁠_⁠ಥ I was so scared I'd messed up!"

/Damn nerd: "I saw you on the news the other day, I hope you're feeling better and we can see each other soon, it's been a while since we've seen each other."

And before, Katsuki would have thought something like, "He probably says that to all his other friends when he doesn’t see them often," which is true — Izuku probably does. But today, he thought it was nice to know that the nerd wanted to see him, that in some way, no matter how small, he missed him a little.

It's not about settling for the bare minimum — it's about letting go of insecurity in their friendship. Izuku has other friends, and he has the right to miss them too. Izuku isn't Katsuki's only friend, and that's okay.

Although his need for possession is great and his desire to be the only one for that idiot sometimes wins, Katsuki has learned to share Izuku's affection — or something like that. For now, while he pulls the aforementioned strings to change this in a good way, it's not like he's going to start killing everyone Izuku likes... but it's his last option.

Kirishima jokes that he's going to turn into one of those greedy monsters or dragons that possess something so precious they defend it tooth and nail — which may be metaphorical, but Katsuki would do it if strictly necessary.

He did it before — how many times did he sacrifice himself for Izuku's sake, hiding behind the excuse of "the bearer of All Might's power must not die," which was the perfect cover for his feelings? Many times, in truth. Although now he's not afraid to admit how much he loves that idiot and that he'll always do everything to keep him safe.

With one more small step, he can rest assured that things will change.

Anything to stop feeling miserable and stop being a hindrance on the battlefield.

Katsuki begins his crash plan to conquer — or lose forever — Izuku.

Chapter Text

The morning air in Musutafu was crisp, carrying a hint of asphalt and the lingering scent of last night’s rain.

He hated the torrential rain and he hated the day after even more, he would probably have to do a lot of shitty work like helping animals get down from trees, making sure cars didn't crash on the street slippery with water and mud, and even hoping that the vehicles don't get him dirty while patrolling.

Even with those annoyances already in mind, Katsuki moved through his small apartment with the precision of a machine, brushing his teeth before preparing his coffee.

As usual the television in the corner of his living room played the morning news, the glow casting shifting patterns across the pale walls. He hadn’t even noticed it yet—until a familiar figure flickered across the screen.

Katsuki paused, toothbrush in hand. He reached for his auditory enhancers, sliding them into his ears, the soft click of the mechanism like a small ritual. The announcer’s voice sharpened, slicing through the background hum of the city outside.

“Good morning, Musutafu. Today, we revisit the astonishing events of last night. Dynamight, the symbol of victory and one of the most prominent Pro Heroes in Japan, achieved what other heroes have been pursuing for two months: the capture and neutralization of the notorious villain known as Shiranui, despite sustaining critical injuries to both arms.”

The segment cut to video clips from multiple angles. Dynamight, arms dangling uselessly at his sides, moved with impossible speed and precision. Each explosion around him amplified his movements, making him seem almost otherworldly. Katsuki’s jaw tightened, the metallic taste of morning coffee mingling with his irritation at how the cameras always made him look like some media spectacle.

The co-anchor chimed in from a split screen. “What’s truly remarkable,” she said, gesturing at the footage, “is not only his relentless approach to hero work but the sheer determination displayed in the face of severe injury. Witnesses report that Dynamight confronted the villain head-on, arms broken, yet maintained offensive and defensive control throughout the battle.”

“Indeed,” the male presenter added, leaning forward, adjusting his tie. “Social media has been a storm. For years, many criticized Dynamight for appearing more like a commercial model than a true hero. But last day's heroics are impossible to ignore. Tweets, posts, and fan videos are flooding in, praising his courage and tactical brilliance under extreme conditions.”

Katsuki moved automatically toward the counter, grabbing his bag and throwing his jacket over one shoulder. He didn’t respond, didn’t acknowledge the praise. The words filtered in, but they were just noise, another set of opinions he didn’t care to internalize.

Still, a prickle of something unacknowledged, something akin to pride, stirred in his chest.

The female anchor’s voice cut back in, softer now, almost reverent. “We spoke briefly with paramedics and on-site heroes. They described the scene as chaotic, yet Dynamight never faltered. Even with both arms rendered nearly unusable, he was able to subdue Shiranui and secure the villain’s lethal weapon—a machine capable of draining life force from civilians.”

Video footage showed Dynamight spitting blood into the dust at the villain’s feet, his expression fierce, raw anger radiating off the screen. Katsuki flinched at the memory of it—the taste of iron in his mouth, the ache in his shoulders, the embarrassment of letting himself be seen like that. Yet he had no regrets. He had done what had to be done.

The male anchor smiled faintly at the camera. “It’s rare, isn’t it? For Dynamight to operate not only with such precision but with absolute emotional control. He’s someone who rarely allows himself to be vulnerable in the public eye. Yet, last days, that vulnerability did not hinder him; it made his heroism all the more tangible.”

“Exactly,” the co-anchor replied. “Fans and critics alike are reconsidering their opinions. He’s no longer just the face of flashy hero commercials. He’s a symbol of unyielding determination. And for those who doubted his abilities or commitment to hero work, last night’s events were a stark reminder: Dynamight’s priorities, though occasionally misunderstood, have always been unwavering.”

Katsuki’s movements slowed slightly as he listened. He felt the weight of the praise, heavy and intrusive, but strangely grounding. The smell of coffee and toast filled the kitchen, mingling with the muted scent of his own clothes suit fabric, still faintly carrying smoke and ozone from last days. He could feel the pull of routine: the commute, the patrols, the work waiting for him. And yet, this—watching himself on screen, seeing his own ruthlessness and efficiency analyzed like a consumer product—made something inside him coil tightly, both satisfaction and irritation intermingled.

The segment shifted again, now showing social media reactions scrolling rapidly across the screen. Tweets popped up: “Dynamight’s insane, even with his arms broken—legend.” “Who needs ten heroes when one can do the job like that?” “I still don’t get why he’s so hot, but okay, he saved us all.” Katsuki’s lips pressed into a thin line. The words didn’t mean much. They never did. But maybe… maybe some of them were closer to the truth than he’d allow himself to admit.

The anchors wrapped up with the same practiced cadence: “As the city recovers and emergency services continue to assess the situation, it’s clear that Dynamight’s heroics have not only saved lives but redefined what it means to be at the forefront of justice. From Musutafu to all corners of Japan, the story of last night’s battle will be remembered for years to come.”

Katsuki removed his auditory enhancers, letting the ambient hum of the apartment fill his ears. The television continued with other segments, local traffic updates and weather, oblivious to the chaos and bloodshed it had just documented. He grabbed his bag fully now, locking the door behind him, the faint aroma of rain and exhaust greeting him as he stepped outside.

The city was moving, alive and noisy, indifferent to the heroes running through it—but he didn’t need the city’s approval. He didn’t need the anchors’ praise, or the social media hype.

He had done what he had done. And that was enough.

He doesn't need any praise or media coverage for the things he does, he prefers good comments logically, but even in past years where he was always called a cheap hero He wasn't interested in people's opinions, he didn't care about climbing the popularity rankings, he didn't care if people thought he was doing everything to show off. He knew himself.

And the best part is, Izuku knows him.

Izuku never got carried away by what the media said about Katsuki, whenever there was a controversy — and even being in the United States — He wrote to Katsuki, asking for the real version of the events Since newscasts tend to change many things, the press tends to be sensationalist when it comes to the hero who is insulted and gains ratings.

Spreading shit always brings fame.

Perhaps that's why Dynamight's name has been circulating for years in Musutafu's society and streets. Anyway, now it's good for him to let people understand his capacity instead of nonsense.

In any case, at this point in his life he cared little about work, he does it out of habit and necessity because he lost the passion for fighting in the streets playing at being a hero a long time ago. It stopped being entertaining and a hobby the day Izuku retired completely.

If he look back, the last time he was truly enjoyed using his Quirk freely in a battle, it was against Izuku's bratty students at UA. He's not going to admit something like that out loud to anyone never — but the truth is that he had a lot of fun that day and it was more complicated than he thought it would be even if he didn't give his 100% with the brats.

This memory, and the one of the unspoken promise he made the other day on the mountain, made a little noise in his head. He had to see Izuku soon; he misses him a little and knows that staying away is no good. It's worse, it hurts him, it fills his head with useless thoughts and his body with poorly compressed anxiety.

He feels like an addict in recovery.

Without his illicit substance, withdrawal is annoying.

In Katsuki's case, he is addicted to Izuku.

He was used to seeing him every day since he was little. They shared kindergarten, elementary school, middle school, and the UA. They even lived together at the UA, so they saw each other almost 24 hours a day.

It's normal that after a month he miss him, right?

Determined to change that, as he parked his car in the parking lot at the hero agency, he decided that the next free moment he had today he would go see him. Maybe brag to him about how well he was spoken about today on the national news, maybe tell him about his heroic deeds, and maybe... bring him something delicious to eat.

Yes, yes, Katsuki is weak-hearted when it comes to that nerd.

The sun was still low over the city when Katsuki arrived at Edgeshot’s agency. The people was waking up, the faint hum of early traffic mixing with the distant clang of construction and the occasional chirp of birds daring to break the morning quiet. He stepped through the sliding doors, the faint scent of antiseptic and the faint leather of hero suits hitting him immediately.

“Morning,” he muttered, voice low, almost absent-minded. The receptionist barely looked up, accustomed to the presence of Dynamight before him. Katsuki moved past, arms flexing as he checked the comms on his wrist.

Patrol duty. Routine, predictable, but today carried a spark he couldn’t ignore. Later, he’d swing by UA to see Izuku. That thought alone sent a subtle surge of electricity through him, sharpened his focus, made him want to move faster, strike harder, and ensure every corner of the city was calm before he left.

Edgeshot’s briefing was brief; Katsuki absorbed it in silent, measured nods. Then he was out into the streets, Dynamight’s boots hitting the asphalt with a controlled rhythm.

The city was a living organism under his watch, and he felt the familiar thrill of tracking, scanning, reading every movement, every shadow. He didn’t miss a beat — the shift in a pedestrian’s pace, the uneasy glance of a teenager on a corner, the slight tremor of a loose sign swaying in the breeze.

His red eyes flickered, analyzing, calculating.

Every alleyway checked, every corner secured.

The occasional small flare of his explosions served both as deterrent and reassurance. People may have seen Dynamight as a celebrity, a flashy symbol — but Katsuki knew he had to live up to that image in reality. He had to earn it with each footstep, each patrol, each vigilant second.

The streets felt alive, buzzing with a quiet tension, and he relished it. His body moved on instinct, every motion precise yet explosive, eyes always forward, heart pacing in sync with the rhythm of the city. And yet, in the back of his mind, that quiet excitement for later lingered—a simple thought of seeing Izuku, catching up, maybe teasing him just a little. It was enough to push him further, to make him tighten control over every potential disturbance, making the patrol sharper, faster, more exacting.

As the sun rose higher, warming the pavement under his boots, he began looping back toward the agency. That familiar corner caught his attention: a small bakery with steam curling from the windows, the rich smell of freshly baked bread and pastries filling the street. Katsuki slowed, the scent tugging at a particular memory. His eyes narrowed on the golden-brown rolls in the display—meat buns. Izuku’s favorite. A small grin tugged at his lips.

He pushed the doors open, the bell jingling lightly. Two buns in hand, wrapped carefully, already forming the plan of later in his mind, the thought of Izuku’s smile nudging him forward as he stepped back into the street, ready to finish his route.

He didn't even have the desire or time to change out of his hero suit, it didn't make sense if he was going to continue the patrol later. So he just takes a shortcut through explosions in the air to get to the huge gates of UA and makes his way in like it's his home, hey it was once.

Looking at the time, he knows that in 10 minutes it's the children's afternoon break, the one where they leave before having to continue with the last class of the day, so Katsuki has a fixed place to go. Izuku's classroom.

Ignoring the shitty teenagers who murmur when they see him passing by in the halls, since it's strange for a pro hero to walk alone in school if he's not a teacher there. He remains calm, with a bag in his right hand, until he reaches the spot he had set his sights on. Seconds later, the recess bell rings and about twenty kids come out, almost colliding with him.

He doesn't yell at them, his head is somewhere else to be cruel today to children who are half his age.

And then his eyes saw him.

It can't be that dramatic, it's only been a month since I've seen him but he got a little more excited than when Izuku returned from his three-year trip to the United States — In his defense, he now has clearer feelings and a plan to follow to put those feelings into practice, for better or worse.

Izuku was concentrating on erasing the blackboard, so it took him a while to see out of the corner of his eye who entered his classroom and left a bag on the desk.

"Kacchan? What are you doing here?" Although the question was really because he was somewhat confused, a smile actually escaped his lips. He even left the eraser on the whiteboard stand before coming a little closer to his childhood friend.

Katsuki shrugged, "Renewing my driver's license." He jokes a little and then hits Izuku on the forehead. Logically that comment was sarcasm "I came to see you, idiot, what do I seem to be doing?"

Even in moments like this, emotion won, it had been so long since she had seen him that some sensations were maximized but she could tell that the pressure in his chest It was real and it meant something, he was happy and anxious at the same time to be here, to look directly into those eyes surprised to see him there.

"No, nothing is, just tha-" Izuku rubs his forehead a little and looks away, no one passes by in the hallway, but the lack of privacy bothers him a little anyway. "I think it's strange that you come of your own free will"

"Uh?" Should the blond be offended by that?

"I mean, we haven't seen each other in a while, I thought you were mad at me and stuff, I thought you needed time to... I don't know, yourself?" It wasn't an accusation or some double-edged comment where he was trying to negatively manipulate Katsuki's emotions by making him feel guilty. It was the reality, the truth, they hadn't seen each other in a long time and it was the blond's fault

Katsuki — as he has a bad habit — sits on Izuku's desk and takes out one of the meat buns to give it to Izuku, distracting himself from the conversation they were having. Because the discomfort could be avoided if he avoided the beautiful green eyes fixed on him.

"I was busy, I told you."

"Oh yeah, with that villain from the other day? I saw the news today! That was great what you did, ah, are your arms okay?"

The nerd receives the meat bun but meanwhile he rambles on in his usual mutterings, when he has a lot on his mind he does that. And today Katsuki finds it sweet, So instead of yelling at him to shut up, he just lets out a laugh.

Yes, definitely many things changed in Katsuki

He shakes his head, closing his eyes for a second. "I'm fine, nerd, you see me alive, right?"

"Yeah, I guess," Izuku says as he opens the meat bun and looks at it. "Thanks for this and for coming, I guess, if you were busy I hope you don't mind doing so." Then he takes a bite, he likes the taste, it's a casual snack but perhaps it tasted better as it was a gesture of affection from Katsuki...

"When did I say I minded coming to see you?"

"A couple of times in the past," the idiot jokes before biting into his sandwich and a little later he earned a punch in the chest. "Ouch, yeah well, sorry for trying to be funny"

"You little shit" Katsuki says but he had also smiled "I don't mind coming to see you, happy?"

And Izuku took a little while to respond, not because it was a tough conversation, but because he didn't expect it, It was rare to get a positive affirmation of the blond's feelings and look at them now, admitting that they are glad to see each other. Izuku was chewing a big bite savoring that they were indeed his favorite meat buns and when he saw the bag that the blond brought he confirmed that they were from that store Specifically, he wondered if Katsuki really remembered those things. It's a sweet gesture on his part.

First he brings him his favorite snack and then tells him that he likes coming to see him, that he likes taking the time to come to his classroom and share a few minutes with him.

"It's been a long time since I felt afraid that you would hate me." And he lets out that comment like a laugh, like it's actually funny.

Katsuki frowns and crosses his arms. "I couldn't hate you, idiot."

Silence.

Had he been very direct? Well, sometimes with ignorant and stupid people like this nerd you have to use more effective and direct plans.

It's not time to back down

"Look Izuku, don't even think about assuming things for me, if I don't spit in your face how much I hate you, don't believe I do. You're throwing away my fucking effort"

Izuku wiped his lips with his fingers before speaking again. For a few seconds he had been thinking about it, and in the end it was true. He assumed horrible things about Katsuki.

He nods and puts half of the bun back in the plastic bag on his desk. He finishes by slipping a hand behind his neck, slightly embarrassed.

"That's true, my mistake Kacchan, you've proven to be better than that, sorry."

And the blond simply reaches out a hand to ruffle Izuku's curls like he used to do when he was a teenager, Although as always it is a nice gesture, this time it had been important for Katsuki that his hands itched to possess it, to caress him... And as always the smell of vanilla and Izuku's perfume crept into his nose making him feel familiar. "Just don't do it again, nerd."

"I promise not!" He says laughing and lowering his head, letting himself be handled by Katsuki's heavy hand, he doesn't know when they started doing this foolishly, because before that were aggressive touches with bad intentions but at some point that's started to feel like caresses. Izuku doesn't know but really he likes that. "Now, let me go"

With one last smile Katsuki releases him with a small push down. Just for the entertainment of annoying the nerd.

"Finally, don't even think about giving these to anyone else, I brought them for you." He says, pointing at the bag of meat buns. "I don't spend money on people I don't care about."

A little hint that when someone is important to you, you do this kind of detail. Katsuki doesn't intend to let any of that go on anymore. If he has to forcefully make her understand the importance of their relationship, he might do it.

Finally he gets up, he's been there for about 10 minutes, soon the brats would come back in, Plus Katsuki is supposed to be patrolling, he shouldn't waste any more time here even if it's his break time it takes him longer to go back and forth to UA than what time he can actually share with Izuku.

"I promise" Izuku says, putting the bag in his desk drawer. "Ah, Kacchan, Before I forget, you didn't read the group chat messages and I agreed that I would let you know. We met on Friday night to celebrate this semester's hero ranking."

"Celebrate the hero ranking?"

"Uh-huh, Shoto is ranked 5th, Tokoyami and Mina 11 and 12, Iida went up to 19 and you to 15".

"Me in 15?" For someone who's disconnected from social media, it didn't matter much what position he was in, but damn, he went up? Until recently, he was in 20th place. It's illogical to go up that much just because of one act.

Izuku laughs at his confused face "Yeah, you came up the other day and today with the news"

"Damn stalker nerd, I didn't even know, how aware are you of me?"

The professor shrugs, "I read it a while ago on my cell phone, the information just came to me."

Katsuki sighs and ends up lying his hands in his pockets "Well, maybe I'll go on Friday, send me the details later"

"I will! See you until then, take care"

Katsuki raises a hand as he leaves the classroom, with my heart beating a thousand miles an hour. He's exaggerating, yes, he knows. "See ya, nerd"

But before disappearing into the hallway, Izuku comes out behind him to say one last thing "I was glad to see you today Kacchan, don't disappear for a whole month again"

That's why Katsuki turned around for a few seconds to look at him, he analyzed him a little, that smile on his fluffy freckles, that sparkle in his eyes...

Maybe Kirishima wasn't so wrong in his theory, maybe Izuku is just as in love as Katsuki, only he hasn't had the push to make him realize his own feelings. Because, look at him, look at those eyes, that smile, it's not the typical one... It's a smile of tranquility and affection that he feels knowing that they are both well and will see each other often.

The simple idea of this illusion makes the blond end up smiling "I won't do it, Izuku" and he hoped that voice came out sweeter than it sounded, that it touched something inside Izuku to be able to create that feeling within you.

Because the plan was going just as he wanted, the first step which was reconciliation had gone as it should and all that remained was to follow.

Step by step he will achieve many things And the most important thing was not to let anxiety eat away at him until Friday, maybe then he could take bigger step instead of just what he just did.

But he was happy, even though he saw Izuku again and he was still as cute as always, his hair was just as soft and his curls fit perfectly in Katsuki's hand. Just as he remembered, everything flowed as it used to before and as much as he wishes he had done a little more, he is content with this.

He won't admit that he would have loved to wrap him in a hug...

Or that he dreams of the day can kiss him.

That was part of the process.

Wishing and yearning in silence as he has been doing for years.

But today, it feels closer than ever.

Chapter Text

He has no idea why but he accepted that shitty meeting.

Maybe it was because Izuku asked him to with his eyes shining with joy or because at that moment Katsuki was in a good mood and sociable.

But right now — shit that he wasn't it.

It had been a shitty day as a hero, he was requested on a minimal mission but his quirk was useful to counterattack the group of villains who threatened to take over the national television tower. 

That's all it was for, but they screwed up his whole day, what was supposed to be a winnable fight ended up being an almost endless fight and he was fucking exhausted.

And the worst thing was that he couldn't get home in peace because he was attacked by journalists asking for his testimony, people from the agency asking for the completed mission forms and even worse the messages on his cell phone asking him to pick up a bunch of extras for that night's get-together Unbearable people who call themselves friends.

So there he was, shuffling through the dirty hallway of his apartment building hoping he could at least have a quiet shower and get dressed before being the Uber driver of half a million people. 

Something had to go right today, at least it could be this.

Entering his apartment, he hated the musty smell that crept into his nostrils, killing his lungs, but it was what it was. Without any complications, he lit an incense burner —  although he also hates them because he associates them with the hippies who bother him so much, the smell of humidity is worse.

Now you can throw your things on the couch and go into your room to leave the clean clothes that you are going to put on it.

What was he going to wear? He didn't care.

But at the same time she would like to at least look like she took a shower and made a little effort to look presentable, so it's not hard for her to choose a plain black t-shirt and her favorite cargo jeans. Enough, right? Screw them, at least they're clean clothes.

The hot water of the shower was calling him so much that he soon took off the dirty clothes he was wearing and threw them into the laundry basket. And then stand under the rain shower to enjoy the peace he had.

He took his time, the others can wait for him.

Oh no, don't wait for him, he didn't confirm that he was going to go either, they just started telling him to go and pick them up — he talks about the idiot Denki, Kirishima, Mina and Sero, they assume that because they are lucky friends he is going to do them a favor, fools.

The only one who really knows he's going is Izuku, Izuku convinced him. Well, actually he just invited him and Katsuki accepted at first.

He really has no idea when he became so soft towards that nerd, but he does remember the first time he truly hugged him or held his hand tightly and it all goes back several years. Four, case five years. But hey, who's counting them? They have such a huge shared trauma that while society holds an event honoring all war heroes, they prefer to forget it ever happened.

But even if they want to forget it, the scars are still there.

They are more psychological than physical for most of them.

Except for Katsuki and Izuku, who were the most notoriously injured.

And he realized it, looking in the mirror the blond can notice the horrible scar that was left in the center of his chest and that crosses to his back. That was the worst, really, because it's huge and super marked by the color, it makes sense Shigaraki made a hole in the middle of his torso. And beneath that, which can be seen, is his heart — wounded, hurt and hastily placed on the same battlefield.

The one on his shoulder was annoying, sometimes it hurt for some reason.

But the ones he did like were the ones of the full arm, the one of the face too.

Call him a sentimental and cheesy moron.

But the ones on his arm are identical to Izuku's and somehow seeing them makes him automatically remember it, it's like a tattoo on his skin. Something that was done accidentally but which at the same time has so much meaning for him, Izuku has the same.

That makes him at least have achieved it a little?

The one on his chest also gives him feeling, in the way that it was made the day he thought he would die without having reached even half of the hero that Izuku is. He thought that day that he would never achieve it And maybe today he can think about that a little, because his rival doesn't have a quirk, because now he's not a hero — but a teacher. But in reality, Katsuki sacrifices 80% of his salary to give back that dream, for both of them.

Izuku and he are going to be heroes together fighting for the top 1 as they always wished when they were little.

That's a fact.

Because he knows the suit is turning out perfectly, because he knows there's so much dedication behind that work and because he knows Izuku would be unable to reject it. Or that is what he most hopes and wishes with all his soul, that Izuku accepts his gift, that Izuku returns to his side. It was a bit repetitive what he wanted but his heart really screams for that.

Yes, that same heart that exploded beating for him and that beat again so he could see him again.

Enough of beating around the bush, you must get dressed and go and—

A notification pulled him out of his rambling thoughts, so he looked at his phone and saw the only contact that wasn't muted.

/Damn nerd:
"Would you pick me up at the UA? My work extended and I'll go from here."

Damn, he'd said no to everyone else. Did it have to be any different with Izuku? Yeah, screw the other extras and everyone else walks. He's going to find the one person he truly cares about.

That idiot always had privileges.

So he answers him.

/Kacchan:
"Be ready in 10 minutes or I'll leave you there."

He wasn't able to leave him there, but hey, Katsuki had to keep up my tough guy façade, right? Although Izuku surely knows that if necessary the blond will wait for him all his life and it applies to anything in which both of them are involved.

Already dressed and with a little perfume, he puts on his hearing aids, takes the car keys and his wallet before leaving. It's summer, but a jacket is never too much if you don't know what time he'll be back so he puts one on his shoulder and finally sets off.

A little time alone with Izuku is always appreciated, so maybe he's more excited than he should be.

The apartment keys are left on the car's backrest next to that decoration that he carries everywhere as a keychain, sometimes he forgets that he has it and that everyone can see it but The card holder with his signed All Might card covered in blood will always be precious to him.

There's another thing Izuku was always present for. Something that makes him the most important person to Katsuki. They've been together for so long... Most of their memories are together and that card is one of them, he still remembers how excited they were the day they got it.

And he remembers how during the war he clung to that silly card as if his life depended on it. The regret of never having asked All Might for an autograph haunted him even when he believed that he was going to die.

But all's well that ends well, and he got his card signed and he knows that Izuku also keeps his but not with as much appreciation for him.

Thinking about such nonsense, he quickly made his way to the UA, or perhaps it was the excitement of seeing him again after having been reminiscing about somewhat depressing times for the last hour. Katsuki isn't going to tell anyone that the events of almost five years ago affect him on his most tiring days, although he knows that feeling doesn't make him weak anyway, he doesn't want to do it.

There's no point in clarifying what everyone already knows.

Everyone sees the effort he makes to have Izuku back by his side on the battlefield.

And speaking of that idiot...

"Kacchan! You came!" He says as he opens the car door to get in, as if he were the owner, leaving his usual yellow backpack on the back seat.

And Katsuki can't help but look at him in disbelief "I told you I was going to do it, I don't break my word"

His companion laughs, the engine roars softly and the car moves forward.

"Kirishima says you didn't pick him up, maybe I was running the same risk."

"The shitty-haired idiot has his own car, I don't have to be his driver." Katsuki turns the steering wheel with precise pressure as he uses the gps to figure out which shitty restaurant the idiots in his class want to go to. "They're probably planning to get drunk and want me to be their designated driver."

"Well, it would be nice if you took care of them like that."

"I take care of them by forcing them not to get drunk, isn't that better?"

Izuku laughs again, looking at the blond's profile as he drives. He can see the frown on his face, but at the same time, a slight smile on his lips "You do that because it suits you Kacchan, admit it."

And Katsuki looks at him too, in disbelief for a few seconds until he can no longer suppress his smile.

"It suits me not to have to put up with drunken idiots, yes, if I already didn't want to come and see their stupid faces — that would make it worse."

Izuku's laughter, or rather, a small chuckle, had been a beautiful melody for his brain, which had been overworking itself that day. He's glad to have him there, beside him, still friends, still close... Because today he remembered that he could be missing out on all of this and that makes his heart hurt more than it should according to his doctor.

Just imagining what would have happened if Edgeshot hadn't sacrificed the largest percentage of his body to revive him — That idea damages the happiness he managed to build over the years.

He wouldn't have seen Izuku become the best hero of the world.

He wouldn't have gotten his signed card.

He could not have been received as a hero.

And worse, he might not have the chance to catch Izuku ever again.

But he can still catching up to him, In the not-so-distant future, when that suit is finished and ready for the hero Deku, symbol of hope, to be able to fight crime again on his own, and alongside his best friend and rival — and secret lover.

"You have to let them have fun once in a while, you all work hard and it's a celebration!"

Katsuki shakes his head, those words bringing him out of his daydream.

"You can have fun without alcohol"

The boy in the pilot's seat lets out a chuckle. "That's true, Delegate Iida, we shouldn't consume alcohol to have fun."

"Sorry, did I hear wrong or did you just call me the Engines name?" It was an insult to be called a boring rule-aholic, come on, Katsuki was one of those who yelled at authority even if that authority was All Might! Damn, he wasn't a good kid and he says it proud!

But apparently his reaction was too funny for the freckled boy who simply let out his laughter without hiding it.

"Not at all Kacchan! How could you think I would do something like that?"

"You're a fucking piece of shit" He says angrily as he stretches out his hand to — As he almost always does — take advantage of the foolishness and push Izuku's head down with a hood in his hair.

It was a typical gesture for them, they loved doing it because it disguised their desire to hug him, to touch him, in a rude and annoying gesture that they both really found funny.

For Katsuki it was nice to feel the warmth of Izuku's soft, curly hair between his fingers, as well as hearing that typical giggle he lets out every time. For the other boy it was funny that the blond could releasing his anger in a physical but non-harmful way, he liked the dynamic of getting upset and then a loving beating.

Izuku has no idea how much he missed that month they didn't see each other.

"Okay, okay, I'm really sorry! I won't do it again, Kacchan!"

There, and only there, was that the aforementioned let go of the other's head, returning his hand to the wheel and concentrating on driving.

"You better be, idiot"

Hearing the gps indicate they'd arrived, something inside Katsuki went off a little. The trip was too short, and he wouldn't have Izuku all to himself anymore.

"Now get off" It was the only thing he added when he finished parking.

Turning around the car, both of them decided to go in together. They were a little late to tell the truth, but hey, stars can afford this kind of thing.

Izuku indicated on his cell phone which sector they had reserved with the group for themselves, a little privacy although it doesn't make sense if they're just going to keep yelling and fooling around until they have to leave. But anyway, Katsuki doesn't pay attention to the details of how shitty it's going to be to endure this whole night, he just focuses on following the boy down the hall until they are wrapped in mocking laughter.

"They arrived!"

A yellow-haired idiot jumped up and hung on their shoulders. "Kacchan and Deku, we're saving you a spot together!" Denki said as he dragged them to the table and let them go to the center together as if they really were the protagonists tonight, what the fuck?

"Touch me again and you die Dumb Face" Katsuki threatened but in reality he wouldn't do it that's why the other boy laughs and only lets them go when he sees them sitting down at once.

Mina passes them a small glass with... whiskey?

"We were waiting for you for the toast" Uraraka clarifies next to her friend "We all wanted to celebrate something tonight so we thought it would be good to at least take a shot together, how about that?"

Izuku took the small glass without hesitation and told Katsuki to do it, if that's the only thing he's going to drink he can drive fine in a few hours and shit, unfortunately that's how that night of terror begins.

He can't remember the last time he suffered like that, in the social sphere, that is, because if it hurt to have your arms or your heart ripped out, what hurts more... is the symphony of idiots surrounding him. They were talking about God knows what, mixed up on the other side of the table, or a conversation between secret whispers in front of him. Katsuki couldn't concentrate on any of them and he didn't really care.

He dedicated himself to eating and nodding or shaking his head when someone said to him "Right, Bakugo?" and only if he had figured out what the topic of conversation was about.

Like Izuku, who was now talking about how Katsuki helped him last time during his students' training. And damn, everyone seemed surprised to hear that.

Can't a jerk be a good friend once in a while and give a little help to someone who needs it? It looks like he's being framed for the worst — or best — crime in history. Well, idiots do what only they understand and for them, Katsuki being a good person always deserves a celebration.

There goes the second round, damn alcoholics who shouldn't drive, of course they get totally drunk Katsuki or some other martyr would take them home.

But at least the laughter of the nerd next to him kept him calm, Izuku was happy and that was the only thing he needed to know so he wouldn't lose his sanity with this stupidity. That and a good plate of food, luckily he has both right now.

If he had died he would have missed out on this.

He may hate them and always complain about what a bunch of idiots his friends are... But he really loves them, very little, but he does. Otherwise, he wouldn't be there.

Damn, he even gave up on telling IcyHot that they're not friends, but they actually end up doing things together more often than he'd like. Katsuki gave up, but he's never going to tell anyone that he considers Shotl as his friend too.

Or that in the end most of these extras perhaps contributed something to his live.

He wouldn't want to have missed graduation if he really died.

Well, maybe some parts would be good to lose. Like that shitty video of Shoto and him dancing on a table. Fuck Great Orca for teaching them that — which had nothing to do with being a hero.

Ah, as always, his thoughts wander when he doesn't pay attention to his surroundings, but in truth, he didn't care what others were saying, he was just there to make a presence known and because he wanted to see them, for a little while, just see them, he doesn't like to get involved in conversations so when no one is watching he takes off one of his headphones to hear.

Prefers peace. Enjoys company in partial silence.

And he enjoys how much the sensations intensify when his ears stop listening. Touch is greater, smell is the same.

His knee brushes against Izuku's thigh on his right and now he feels the electric current running through his skin every time the other boy moves even the slightest bit. He likes this, that feeling of warmth, so he was sticking a little bit closer — before pretending to look for more food on his plate.

No one can see that under the table so he's safe, he thanks his senses for keeping him sane.

And he's grateful that Izuku is so focused on his conversation with his friends that he doesn't realize what Katsuki is planning there, which even if it's innocent and perhaps somewhat childish, it's still a move, an important movement because of how 'intimate' it can be if it continues to push its boundaries.

In the end, Katsuki wasn't having such a bad time.

He was able to remove one earpiece to let the screams of his increasingly drunk friends be heard, as well as Iida's speech about how they can't set an example of heroes if they continue drinking like that, even in a celebration. Or well, maybe he assumes this because of what he sees and the laughter there since he really isn't paying attention to them.

Until someone touches his shoulder and comes a little closer.

"Is everything okay Kacchan?"

Katsuki looks at him from top to bottom, he knows that Izuku doesn't drink much so he sees him as normal and that relaxes him.

"Perfectly, nerd"

"Well, I'm glad you enjoy it." Then he looks at the hearing aid on the table and laughs a little "Of course it's better for you if you can ignore the world"

And Katsuki shrugs with a smile on his lips "He still heard well on this side" Sice touching his moderately healthy ear

But that only makes Izuku laugh a little, who ended up putting a hand on his shoulder and staggering a little due to the first and second shot. "Yes, I noticed it" He tells him because he is on that side "I'm also glad that"

Well maybe he's a little more drunk than Katsuki could notice but anyway he's an adult and he'll know what he's doing.

The night continues its course while the blond tries to overcome all this with calm and patience, luckily they don't have these meetings so often because if that were the case Katsuki would rather be dead. Ironically or not.

The only thing left was to survive by dissociating a little from reality, filling his stomach with water and a variety of food. It sucks having to drive. At least if he could, alcohol would make this night easier for him. But no, he had to come in his car and condemn himself to being a private Uber driver for some of these idiots who call themselves friends.

When the food disappeared and the fool Icyhot stood up to thank them for coming to celebrate with him and the others who climbed the rankings, he knew that liberation had arrived.

No more shitty jokes from Denki, no more kisses from Kirishima and Mina in front of him, no more sexier comments from Mineta (how is that idiot still there?) and no more shouting from the delegate. At last, freedom—

"Katsuki is going to take us home!"

The pink-skinned fool says as she clings to her arm. If it weren't for the fact that she has some resemblance to him and feels sorry for him for being drunk, he would have already pushed her.

and on the other side Kirishima "And he's going to do it so I don't tell his secret right now"

"Fuckers" Katsuki says before hitting the redhead's head and pushing him forward to leave the restaurant. "Get in before I change my mind"

Those two and added Sero and Denki were in a silly little dance while singing something about seeing a luxury car in person and how happy it makes them to have a friend like Katsuki.

Behind Katsuki he heard a voice chatting, he knows who and that he must surely say goodbye to him... and something else.

It's now or never.

He promised to do it today, at least try to take one more step.

So when he sees Izuku saying goodbye to Uraraka who is walking away, he comes a little closer with his hands in his pockets "Hey"

"Ah Kaachan, are we leaving now?"

"About that, sorry, those idiots already got on without permission. I'm going to give them a ride. Are you okay alone?"

Katsuki knows that Izuku didn't drink much and that at this time he is already conscious, above all he knows that he doesn't live far away and that he can walk without complications.

And after what he has to say, he doesn't want to see him... for a while, or a few days, months? No, years. What's more, he doesn't want to see him again.

"Oh? Sure, no problem, it seems they're worse," he says without hesitation, sticking his head out from Katsuki's shoulder and watching four fools sing and dance around the car. "I knew you'd end up taking them, they're your friends after all."

"Well, I wouldn't do that for just anyone."

Izuku looks at him confused "Yes you would, you have a good heart under that shell, Kacchan"

Katsuki denies, crossing his arms over his torso. "Not at all. There were others who were more drunk, but I let them go. These idiots come up because I have a minimum of appreciation for them."

"In that case... you're still good to them."

"Yes, because they are special" He laughs for a few seconds when he turns to look at them. "And giving everyone special treatment would mean that no one is special to you." Look back at Izuku  "That's why I only do this for them"

Those words had a reason, a reason for being there and for having come out. But there was still more, more that he wasn't going to say because if he did, he would risk hurting Izuku being too cruel about it, because it no longer has well-constructed sentences, only fleeting thoughts.

"I... think so?"

"Go away Izuku, maybe you'll catch up with Round Face."

"Oh yeah, we live close by..." He seemed to doubt several things but in the end Izuku shook his head and then smiled "I'll walk with her home, thanks for bringing me Kacchan and I guess we'll see each other soon"

"See you Izuku " He says while raising his hand in greeting, Izuku returns the gesture while he seems in a hurry to leave after Uraraka

"Soon, perhaps..." Katsuki murmurs, swallowing the pain of seeing him leave like every time.

Had he done the right thing? Had the words he used resonated in Izuku the way he intended? Or did that count as manipulation?

Unfortunately, Katsuki knows that nerd too well and knows exactly how to pull his strings to get what he wants, only he never did it for fear of altering reality. He always wanted Izuku to realize his feelings for him, but after almost five years he was no longer willing to wait for real confirmation.

It was just... an indirect question, a nudge, as if an outside friend had given him a helping hand.

Yes, that was it, Katsuki wasn't manipulative, he was helping Izuku.

"Hey god of explosions, hurry up! I want to go home!"

The only thing that brought him out of his trance to the glitter trail Izuku left were the morons in their car honking and yelling at him to take them home.

Katsuki really hates them.

Chapter Text

He thinks of himself as a very simple person.

Both in principles and foundations, he has a simple way of seeing the world.

Perhaps the only thing that ever got complicated for him were social relationships — somehow, he was never good at making friends, and he clung to the only person who, even if he hated him, Izuku could still see something good in him. He was an idiot, yes, but the longing to be near him always outweighed the fear.

Izuku had always believed that no one was completely bad or completely good, and he always offered his natural empathy and warmth to anyone who would allow him to help. A clear example of this was Gentle Criminal and La Brava — who began as misunderstood villains but later played a crucial role as hero allies during the war.

Everyone deserves a second chance if they have the will to change.

That was the main reason why he never even had to think about what made him forgive Kacchan.

The blonde had apologized in such a beautiful and heartfelt way that it shattered Izuku’s heart into pieces just seeing him so remorseful and vulnerable. It was impossible not to forgive him for absolutely everything.

But the other factor was that same longing mentioned before.

He couldn’t count the number of times he had dreamed or wished that his childhood friend would apologize to him — even if he didn’t, he would’ve been content just being his friend again, without needing to talk about their past feelings. But he did get those long-awaited apologies, and it was the best thing that could’ve ever happened to him — being able to stand beside Katsuki as equals, beside the object of his admiration.

Because Katsuki meant so much to him.

A friend. A rival. A hero. Victory itself — all embodied in one person.

He remembers what he felt when he saw his idol, his ideal of a winner, lying on the ground lifeless or with such a faint pulse that he risked never waking up.

Panic and pain were the bare minimum of what Izuku felt — words barely gave 5% of meaning to everything coursing through his veins in those minutes — until he regained his senses, though his movements were still filled with rage as he attacked Shigaraki.

It actually happened twice.

They had tried to take away something that had always been his — like ripping a child’s favorite toy from his hands.

And nothing made him happier than still having him after everything they’d been through: the war, graduating from U.A., and now pursuing a goal that kept them together as heroes — just like little Izuku had always dreamed. Or something like it.

In the sense that he could no longer be a hero himself, but he could still participate in hero society by training young prospects — watching his former classmates move forward on their own paths, happy to share their journeys.

They had helped each other heal their emotional wounds — after seeing Katsuki die, Izuku had gone through a time where he couldn’t sleep unless he was sure the blonde was still breathing.

Though, in some way, he expressed little about his emotions — because above all else, he didn’t want to make Katsuki uncomfortable, who hated talking about feelings or showing what he kept inside. For Izuku, it was enough to sleep in his bed on nights haunted by nightmares, feeling comforted by a hand running through his hair.

He knew Katsuki was special to him. He was his person, and they were bound by more than just a dream.

He was the person he shared One For All with in a moment of desperation — and even if Katsuki didn’t remember it, Izuku knew it perfectly well. He had entrusted him with the most important thing he had, and he was at peace with it because it was him — it was his Kacchan. The one he had admired since they were little, whose greatness he mimicked after analyzing every detail. He was Izuku’s ideal of victory, someone he wanted to surpass, to show him that he could be amazing too.

Yes, Katsuki was special to him — and Izuku wanted to show it whenever he could, through small things.

It ranged from study and training sessions to light touches — those gentle caresses at night or a few hugs when no one was watching, at least back in their U.A. days.

Now that they were professional heroes, they barely had time to spend together — but sometimes Izuku would text him a “Good morning, Kacchan” or “Sleep well, Kacchan” at the exact times he knew the blonde would wake up or go to bed. Maybe a little stalkerish, but hey, it cost him nothing — he did the same with other friends too.

Sometimes they’d go eat at that restaurant they both loved — the perfect blend of flavor and spice in every dish satisfied both Izuku and Katsuki, who also took turns paying the full bill.

So, after living all this — what felt like a rekindling of their friendship —

Izuku couldn’t quite understand what Katsuki meant tonight. He needed help — someone to talk to, a friend, or maybe even his therapist.

He didn’t want to burden Ochako with this; telling the girl who had recently confessed to him that someone else had said all those things would be cruel. Iida and Shoto were just as clueless as he was when it came to love — one too focused on his hero career, and the other barely caring about relationships beyond friendship.

As he walked to catch up with Ochako so they could head home together (since they lived nearby — and well, Katsuki had just left him there),

He kept thinking, what the hell does that even mean?

Izuku was really worried now, because... since when was Katsuki evasive toward confrontation? Since when did he run away from him? No — it couldn’t be the end of their friendship. He refused to lose someone as important as Katsuki, who had been with him his whole life.

Special treatment for everyone? Maybe it was like that, but for Izuku, all his friends were special in their own way. Each one brought something good into his life and had been important at a crucial moment!

Logically, he treated everyone equally — so what the hell? He usually didn’t get upset over things like this, but he was starting to get tired of being so blind and stupid.

Luckily for him, Uraraka — though she had left a while earlier — had gotten distracted in a shop, and upon seeing him from afar, decided to wait so they could walk home together. When their eyes met, she motioned for him to come over.

It felt like destiny.

When they met, smiles were inevitable — though Ochako’s had a hint of sadness or sweetness to it.

“I thought you’d already left,” he said.

“I did, but I lost focus on the way back… I saw a beautiful dress and, well, got sidetracked.” She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and began to walk slowly. “I saw you talking with Bakugo — is everything okay? I thought you’d go back together, like always.”

Like always? Did Izuku and Katsuki really go everywhere together without realizing it? Now that he thought about it, yes — the blonde would pick him up and usually drive him home or wherever he asked, regardless of whether they were meeting friends or not. As if Katsuki dropped everything just to be Izuku’s personal Uber.

“I guess we argued,” Izuku let out a small laugh, a strange sigh. “He’s been different lately.”

“Mmm, I thought I noticed something, but I didn’t want to seem nosy,” she said, scratching her arm a bit shyly. “He seems kind of… dim, maybe?”

“Dim?” Izuku repeated, thoughtful. “Yeah, I noticed he’s been less lively than usual. For example, today he said something weird.”

Then Uraraka seemed to pay more attention than expected — maybe she suspected more than Izuku himself did.

He continued, “Something about how I give everyone special treatment… so no one’s special to me.”

For a moment, she paused before speaking. A good move — thinking before speaking. Izuku didn’t always do that, and it often got him into trouble — like it had with Katsuki, many times. Other times, he didn’t even speak, and he still messed up because he’s a poor idiot.

“Well… in a way, he’s right.”

“You think so? I didn’t understand what he meant.”

The girl laughed softly. “Well, yeah. You have to read between the lines, right? Deku-kun is very kind to everyone — and that’s adorable,” she began softly, hands behind her back. “That’s why so many people orbit around you, looking for attention.”

“I don’t think—”

“Let me finish, Deku.” She giggled as she interrupted him, then went on. “In some ways, it’s lovely that you have such a big heart — but sometimes there will be people who want to be selfish, who want to stand out among everyone else you care about. And that’s not really bad; relationships take effort, and you can’t be on good terms with everyone. You can’t treat everyone the same.”

Izuku went quiet. Some things clicked — though not completely. Of course, Uraraka didn’t have the absolute answers he was searching for, but she still widened his perspective enough to help him start forming his own theories.

“Let me put it like this — All Might and your mother are both important to you, right? But you don’t treat them the same way. Naturally, there’s more trust with your mom as family, and All Might as your mentor or teacher.” She paused, then looked back at her friend, stopping to face him. “Maybe it’s something like that with him.”

Yes… somehow, that clarification was useful.

“Are you saying… Kacchan wants to be more important to me? But he’s already indispensable in my life!”

“Maybe you just don’t make him feel that way. That’s what he meant…”

And that broke something inside Izuku’s mind. It made so much sense… and it was so typically Katsuki.

God, how hadn’t he thought of that before? When did his brain rot? Kacchan Bakugo, the symbol of victory, would never settle for being just “one more” in someone’s life. And it made perfect sense that he’d want to be number one in Izuku’s.

Was that also… what “the thing that shined” meant?

What made Katsuki shine, what brought out the best in him—was Izuku. The worst part is, he never even realized it, because he was an idiot.

Now it all made some sense, and he’d spent so many years not understanding… he really was slow to catch on.

That’s why Katsuki had been so distant lately—because he thought Izuku didn’t value their friendship more than the others, because Izuku had never shown him how important he truly was. While Katsuki, on the other hand, had broken his soul and body a thousand times to make it clear how special and irreplaceable Izuku was to him.

The emotion of finally understanding so much hit him so hard that he grabbed Uraraka’s hand. His cheeks were probably red from all the emotions clashing in his heart; he’s an expressive guy, and colors always rise quickly to his skin.

Anyway, he was going to fix it—all of it. Not just with Katsuki.

“Ochako, you’ve been the best friend I could ever have, thank you!” Izuku said.

And even though he wasn’t the type to give compliments or show physical affection, he made the effort.

She blushed, naturally. “It’s nothing… as long as I can help.” But she looked happy, at least on the outside. Her own feelings didn’t matter today; she had already decided she wouldn’t stay in love with someone who had rejected her.

“You just solved years of mess in my head!” Izuku laughed for a few seconds before letting go of her hand, and they kept walking together. That night had been the best thing that could’ve happened to him.

The walk home was much easier now that he had some real answers… though by the end of the night, he had even more new questions. Starting with why Katsuki was so bothered by not getting enough of Izuku’s attention. He understood that Katsuki wanted to be special to him—but why did the blond want that?

Izuku started laying his cards on the table, metaphorically speaking.

Katsuki loved to win, sure, but it wasn’t just that. They had a bond they’d built after so many clashes—going from enemies, to rivals, and then to friends, like they were always meant to be.

And there was another fact—Izuku hadn’t noticed all the ways Katsuki had cared for him.

Now he remembered several.

When he had a bad training day, Katsuki made katsudon for the two of them.

When he needed to confide in someone, Katsuki was the first to offer his ear (even if his hearing didn’t really work that well).

When they went out, Katsuki handled the transportation, and if they ate out, he always paid for everything.

When Izuku spent three years abroad, the only one who had scheduled video calls with him was Katsuki. Both of them longed to see each other, even just through a screen.

Not a minor detail—Katsuki had only cried in front of Izuku a few times. And he had even sneaked into Izuku’s room in the middle of the night a couple of times because of nightmares about the war.

Damn it, you’d have to be blind.

Katsuki doesn’t sleep in just anyone’s bed, even if it’s just to sleep… he always made sure Izuku knew how special he was through gestures like that.

And Izuku had repaid him with indifference or lack of importance. Now he felt like crap for it.

The question for the near future was this: how could he fix it? What could Izuku do? Talk to Katsuki, yes, but what could he possibly say?

He could start with an apology—telling him that he’d always been the most important friend and person in his life (leaving out his mother and All Might, of course, that goes without saying). In the sense that Katsuki had always been his closest hero and his inspiration, someone he admired despite everything.

Thinking back, he had always reacted in extreme ways whenever something happened to Katsuki—when he was stabbed to save Izuku, or when days later Izuku saw him “dead,” he had a panic attack right in front of Shigaraki.

And he had really been afraid of losing him both times.

He hated every time his mind betrayed him by remembering what could’ve happened if Katsuki had actually died there. Call him childish, but he’d cried more than once just imagining it.

It makes sense: losing someone who’s been in your life for as long as you can remember—it’s a brutal blow.

But that’s the difference, isn’t it? Losing Shoto, hypothetically, would hurt because he’s one of his most valuable friends… but Katsuki was different. Katsuki is different. Period.

Katsuki is Kacchan. His Kacchan.

His childhood best friend.
His emotional anchor.
The other side of his coin.
His greatest rival, and at the same time, the person he most wants to be like.

Katsuki knows everything about Izuku; he can read him better than anyone—he’s the only one who can truly understand him.

What does that mean for Izuku and his feelings?

He cherishes him, yes. Maybe even adores him, in a way. But above all, he admires him.
And Izuku wants to stay with him for life, just like they promised after the war and at their graduation party. They were always meant to be one—how could he ever think this wasn’t something special and important?

He doesn’t have all the answers, but he has enough to take a leap of faith and follow where it leads.

He hates the idea of “going with the flow,” but sometimes that’s the best way to face things when you don’t understand 100%. So he’d test the waters—carefully, this time.

For example, not even a week passed before he showed up at Katsuki’s apartment to talk. He imposed his presence there at a ridiculous hour of the night because his brain wouldn’t stop overthinking since that night.

He tried to teach classes as usual, chat with the other teachers, even talk to friends and family like everything was fine—but every second he had, he used it to analyze how he acted around others. He even asked his former teacher, Aizawa—who’s now his coworker—for advice. And he told him the same thing Ochako had.

Izuku felt awful about it, which is probably why his feet betrayed him, and he ended up walking to Katsuki’s place instead of his own. Once there, he had no choice but to ring the buzzer in the lobby and hope they’d let him in.

He prayed the blond was awake, with his headphones on to hear the buzzer, and that he wouldn’t tell him to screw off.

A few seconds later, the intercom crackled. “Who the hell’s bothering me at this hour?”

Izuku chuckled. “Hey, Kacchan,” he started, stammering a little. “I, umm… could I come in?”

“Of course it’s you,” grumbled the other boy through the speaker before unlocking the building door. “Get in, Izuku. Hurry up.”

And just like that, Izuku could open the building door and head up, as usual, to Katsuki’s apartment on the higher floors. He knew that path by heart by now—but something else echoed in his mind.

Who else had the privilege to do this? — To show up at midnight and have Katsuki actually let them in.

Not many, supposedly — the blond is a very private and closed-off person, even with close friends like Kirishima and Izuku. He’s probably embarrassed to show where he lives, although it’s strange; he could definitely afford something better.

Izuku doesn’t really know, but he doesn’t get into those matters.

After opening the apartment door, he closes it behind him as if it were his own home, and a few seconds later Katsuki appears — wearing a half-zipped gray hoodie and black shorts. He probably just threw on whatever he found first.

“Give me one reason not to kill you right now,” Katsuki says, then yawns, leaning against the counter.

Izuku leaves his things on the couch and moves a little closer to him, to talk or something like that. He’s not entirely sure how he ended up in this situation, but well, he’s already there. The least they can do is talk.

“I was thinking about the other day,” he mutters, lost in thought.

“Be specific, nerd.”

He laughs a little and leans against the back of the couch — they’re almost face to face. “What you told me, about the special treatment and all that,” he clarifies. “And well, I guess I owe you an apology.”

Now Katsuki seems to pay a bit more attention, or at least as much as he can since he just woke up from what was supposed to be his only night of getting ten hours of uninterrupted sleep.

“You don’t owe me anything,” he says, but interrupts himself with a small victorious smile. “But go on, I’m listening.”

To Izuku, that was funny.

Obviously the blond had been expecting this conversation — after all, he said what he said to Izuku last week for a reason. Those words had weight; he wanted to provoke a reaction in that stupid malfunctioning brain of his when it came to social relationships.

And, logically, he’s happy to finally get what he wanted.

“Well—” Izuku’s cheeks turn a little red for reasons he doesn’t quite understand. “I don’t really get it, I guess I’m kind of slow with these things and I didn’t notice what our relationship really was.”

Katsuki adjusts his hearing aid, enjoying every word, a soft smile of satisfaction forming on his lips.

“You do so many things just for me, and I took it all as normal, just another friendship. I didn’t realize how important you actually are to me. Kacchan, honestly, I can’t imagine a life without you, and thinking I never made that clear to you hurts. I don’t ever want you to doubt it — this is how I feel.”

By now, Izuku’s voice has softened into his usual murmurs rather than a proper speech; it’s as if he’s releasing everything that’s been stuck in his throat for days. He’s supposed to be a functioning adult, but in moments like this, he turns into a confused teenager again, lost in his own feelings.

“I don’t know why you care so much, I don’t know why you let me stay in your life like this, but I’m so grateful, and I’m happy I get to share all this with you and—”

A hand lands on his messy green curls — that’s enough. No need to rush everything. Katsuki drops his usual expression for something else… a light touch.

His fingers press firmly against Izuku’s head and push down to give him a light knock. He really enjoys doing this — it’s his dumb way of expressing the urge to hold him, to pull him close, to just be everything with him. This is what they’ve got.

And at the same time, Izuku enjoys it. The shift from aggression to affection, however small, is precious. Now he knows he should value all of that more, to affirm that Katsuki is his most important person — his true hero.

“Just shut up. Knowing you get it is enough, idiot,” Katsuki mutters, his hand moving slowly through those green curls before resting beside Izuku’s head.

Izuku looks at him, a bit confused, wrapping his fingers around Katsuki’s wrist. “You wanted to hear me,” he complains with a grin, removing the other’s hand.

“I’d have preferred it wasn’t at midnight.”

Izuku chuckles, embarrassed. “Well, I was working at the office and thought I couldn’t stand another week thinking about it.”

“You could’ve come tomorrow, dumbass. Or shown up at the agency.”

“It was an impulse! My body just moved on its own!”

Of course it did — that’s how things always were between them: impulses, strange situations where they ended up helping each other without thinking.

Izuku jumped to save Katsuki from the sludge monster.
Katsuki jumped to push Izuku away from being basically impaled by Shigaraki.

Everything they did — every step forward — was born from impulse. But that was fine; it meant their subconsciouses were screaming out their true feelings through those actions.

Another yawn. “You’re still a pain in the ass.”

“Sorry about that,” he says, though his smile clearly says otherwise. “Although you still haven’t told me — why?”

“Why what?” Izuku rolls his eyes and earns a punch to the chest. “Don’t give me that face, asshole.”

“Why does all this matter to you? Kacchan, you never talk about your emotions, I’m not a mind reader!”

“No, you’re clearly a slow, useless dumbass.”

Now the shorter one punches him back, both laughing. “Don’t start with that, I actually want to know…”

Katsuki gets up from where he was leaning and decides to put the kettle on to heat some water. He’s not sure how the night will go, but something warm in his nearly empty stomach sounds good.

He also prefers to keep his back turned while basically confessing what’s in his heart.

Izuku just follows him, half a meter behind, noticing the photos hanging on the walls — one in particular catches his eye. Their graduation photo: both holding their diplomas with one hand and holding each other’s hand with the other. Mitsuki thought it was adorable that they were finally getting along and snapped the picture. Izuku stares at it, hypnotized. So young, so full of dreams…

Before he can say anything, Katsuki takes a breath, pulling Izuku’s attention away from the photo. “I hate you. So damn much.”

“Yeah, I figured that out years ago.”

“Stop interrupting me every damn time,” Katsuki grumbles, dropping two tea bags of green and herbal tea into two mugs. He waits for silence before continuing. “I hate you, yeah. I’ve told you why before… but then I realized I gain a lot more by keeping you close than by pushing you away.”

He pours the hot water into both mugs, adds sugar, and sets Izuku’s cup in front of him before going on.

“You bring out the best in me,” he says clearly. “And wanting you close is completely selfish.”

But Izuku doesn’t focus on the fact that they sound like some toxic couple arguing — it would’ve felt manipulative coming from anyone else. But this is Katsuki. His Kacchan. And hearing all that from him is honestly sweet.

So he reads between the lines.

Katsuki wants to be near him.
Katsuki is better when Izuku is by his side.
Katsuki considers him an essential part of his life.

All of that makes Izuku’s heart race as he avoids eye contact, adding three sugars to his tea and taking a short sip.

“It’s not so bad to be selfish sometimes,” he starts softly. “You’re taking care of yourself in a way.”

Katsuki snorts as he sets down his tea. “Damn idiot, your ego’s getting way too big.”

Izuku looks at him then, realizing there’s a huge smile on his own face while he processes everything he’s feeling — and damn, it’s true. Just knowing that Katsuki cares about him makes him feel like the best person in the world. Like everything finally makes sense.

But still, he shakes his head, laughing, waving a hand dismissively.

“No! Not at all!”

“Don’t think you’re such hot shit, you little punk.” Katsuki flicks him on the forehead before leaning back in his chair. “The fact that I love you doesn’t make you more important than the rest of the world.”

Love?

Wait. Were they talking about love?!

Izuku freezes, his eyes stinging a little. He can’t even remember the last time something Katsuki said made him feel this moved.

He cried when he saw him come back to life during the war — that feeling never left his chest. Sometimes it still returns, that tightness in his throat when their eyes meet again. The joy of seeing him alive blending with the relief that someone would save All Might, and that someone was the greatest hero in the world — the symbol of victory rising once again to honor his title.

Or maybe it was when they woke up in the hospital and spent nights together, both weighed down by post-war trauma.

Or when they trained or studied together.

Or at graduation, when Katsuki cried on his shoulder.

Damn, they’d lived through a thousand things together — but this… nothing compares to hearing the first “I love you” from those lips. Izuku is as confused as he is overwhelmed.

“Oh no, shit,” Katsuki mutters, stepping back and averting his gaze with a click of his tongue. “I didn’t mean it, dumbass. Stop looking at me like that — just ignore it.”

“Never!” Izuku shoots up from his chair, leaving his tea half-finished. This was more important. He’d rather take advantage of Katsuki’s rare moment of vulnerability to hug him — something they hadn’t done in ages. The last time had been when Izuku came back from three years in the U.S. “God, I’m such an idiot. I love you too, Kacchan.”

“Shit.” Katsuki groans, his breath hitching slightly before placing a hand on Izuku’s back — a sort of acceptance of the affection. “Don’t make a big deal out of it… you don’t even know what you’re saying.”

“I do now. Thanks to you, I’ve figured out a lot of things.”

“No, Izuku, you don’t get it,” the blond murmurs, resting his chin on Izuku’s shoulder before pulling away a little. But he doesn’t say anything more. That’s enough. There’s no need to ruin it by throwing all his insecurities in the boy’s face — not now, not tonight.

Izuku just looks at him with a warm smile. “No, I don’t get it. But I do know that I love you — like I love my mom, or All Might, or some of our friends — but it’s not the same kind of love. Kacchan, I love you because you’re the most important person in my life.”

“Stop, Izuku.” He’s begging now. Since when did Katsuki Bakugo beg? Since the words of the person he’d secretly loved for years were stabbing straight into his already shattered heart. Even if it was everything he’d ever dreamed of hearing — he wasn’t ready. Not yet. Not this fast.

These things take time. Even someone like him knows that.

But apparently, Izuku’s emotions had won.

“…Just… thanks,” Katsuki finally mutters before pulling the idiot against him again, this time actually holding onto him with both hands.

And Izuku hugs him back tightly. “Thanks to you, Kacchan.”

Maybe they stayed like that a bit longer than necessary — but truly, both of them had just closed one chapter of their lives to open another.

Like every time something big was about to happen, their heads and hearts ached, anxiety and adrenaline ran through their veins, and uncertainty clawed at them — but as always, they were together.

Together like when they entered U.A.
Together like when they witnessed All Might’s retirement.
Together when they saved the world.

They were always together, and they’d promised to stay that way for life — no matter what situation or destiny threw at them, they’d be fine, because they were together.

“Izuku?” the blond interrupts, pulling away slightly. “Are you crying?” he asks, half laughing.

But Izuku just shakes his head with a huge smile.

“Got something in my eye.”

“Over twenty years, and you’re still a crybaby,” Katsuki teases, though his fingers resume their soft caress through the curls on Izuku’s head. “What am I gonna do with you?”

“Can I stay over?”

“I was planning to take you home.”

“No, I’d rather stay. Besides, I don’t wanna bother you anymore tonight.”

Katsuki sighs, letting him go. “You always bother me, Izuku… but fine. Stay.”

And so began what everyone would later call the end of one era — and the start of something better.

Who would’ve thought it only took a spark of impulse to push them forward — to heal, to deepen their bond, to reach that point of no return everyone always knew was coming.

It was only a matter of time.

And time always comes.

Chapter Text

Sharing a room wasn't a big deal for them. They had a whole collection of memories like that scattered through different stages of their lives - moments blurred by time but still lingering somewhere in the back of their minds.

From the nights when their mothers, desperate for a single evening of peace, would trust the other mom their son to stay over - to the later years at UA, during second or third year, when nightmares clawed at their sleep and anxiety kept them from resting properly.

Through time, some things had changed, though the rhythm of their bond had remained the same - like an old song replaying softly in the background of their lives.

Sometimes, if the situation called for it, they shared a bed. Izuku always found that strange - because someone like Katsuki, who valued his space and peace like sacred treasure, shouldn't be fine with another warm body so close to his. The thought alone should've made him explode out of pure embarrassment.

Other times, however, they'd quietly build a wall between them, invisible but necessary. Maybe it was to protect Katsuki's heart - because after everything they'd said to each other, he wouldn't have been able to handle the warmth of the boy he liked right there beside him.

Tonight had been one of those quiet nights. Katsuki had managed a few hours of peace, his mind finally letting go of the restless thoughts that usually kept him awake. He was supposed to have the afternoon shift tomorrow, which meant he planned to sleep in for once. But that plan went straight to hell the moment he woke up early just to make breakfast for the idiot sleeping in his bed.

Even worse-he hadn't stopped there. Izuku had stolen a clean white shirt from Katsuki's closet because, apparently, the one he'd worn yesterday was too dirty to wear again. The damn nerd hadn't even brought a change of clothes. Who does that? Who crashes at someone's place without planning anything ahead?

And the cherry on top?

"Hold still, idiot. You look ridiculous," Katsuki muttered, tugging harshly at the poorly tied tie around Izuku's neck. His fingers moved with mechanical precision, pulling, straightening, and tightening the knot until it sat perfectly against the collar. "How can you still not know how to tie one of these?"

Izuku just shrugged with that sheepish grin. "I'm doing my best, Kacchan."

"Then your best sucks," Katsuki replied, his lips curving into a smirk before deliberately pulling the tie a little too tight. He did it on purpose, of course, and the green-haired teacher coughed and laughed at the same time, swatting lightly at him in protest.

If these were going to be their mornings from now on, Katsuki couldn't complain-hell, he wouldn't dare. He actually liked it, even if it cost him a few hours of sleep. Even if it meant cooking double breakfasts or driving Izuku to U.A. before his own shift.

Those little inconveniences didn't matter. Not when he could see him like this-wearing one of his shirts, with messy curls sticking up in every direction, pillow marks on his cheeks, and a little dried drool on the corner of his mouth.

He looked adorable. That was the only thought pounding in Katsuki's head when he saw him wake up.

And suddenly, the early morning light didn't feel so cruel. The faint gold of the sunrise spilled through the half-open curtains, warming the edges of the room. Dust floated lazily in the air like tiny stars caught in the beam of sunlight. The smell of coffee and toasted bread drifted through the space, soft and domestic-something Katsuki never thought he'd associate with peace.

Lately, mornings had begun to mean something different.

So it didn't matter if he lost sleep, or had to drag himself out of bed while the rest of the city still slept. It was worth every second just to hear Izuku's voice filling the kitchen, talking about his students, about new lesson plans, about the tiny victories of being a teacher. Katsuki barely followed half of what he said, but he didn't need to. The joy in Izuku's tone was enough.

Driving through the streets of Musutafu that morning felt lighter than usual. The city was just waking up-thin fog still hugged the sidewalks, the sky painted in pale pink and blue. The hum of engines and the chatter of people heading to work mixed with the faint melody of the radio.

Katsuki's hands rested loosely on the steering wheel as he glanced at the mirror. Maybe he was dragging out the drive a bit longer than necessary, but who could blame him? Izuku had just put on the latest TWICE song, and although he'd never admit it out loud, Katsuki actually liked K-pop. Judge him all you want-he didn't care.

"Maybe Kota will be in my class in a few years!" Izuku said suddenly, his face lighting up like the morning sun itself. "That's awesome!"

Katsuki turned the wheel at a slow corner, the next one leading up the hill toward UA "That the brat who punched you in the balls?"

Izuku groaned, covering his face with one hand, though he was already smiling. "You shouldn't remember him for that, Kacchan..."

"What else did he do that was memorable?"

"He's thirteen!"

"So what? He should aim higher, although it was an admirable gesture."

Katsuki's tone was teasing, intentionally pushing Izuku's buttons, and both of them knew it. Because at that age, they themselves had been nothing but loud, stubborn idiots with too much energy and zero sense of direction.

Especially Katsuki.

He hadn't just been loud and arrogant - he'd been cruel sometimes, and he knew it. He'd been a storm in human form, all fire and anger, especially toward Izuku. The same Izuku who now sat beside him, calm and smiling, wearing his clothes and trusting him enough to fall asleep in his passenger seat. His rival. His partner. His best friend.

And, still, the person he'd loved quietly for years.

Izuku turned to look at him, resting his head lightly against the seat. "It really makes me happy, you know? Kota was one of the first kids I ever saved. He still writes to me sometimes. It's... nice, remembering that I used to help people like that. That he still wants to be a hero because of it."

Katsuki didn't answer immediately. The car's engine hummed softly, the faint rhythm of the tires blending with the whisper of wind through the open window. The morning light caught Izuku's face, painting his freckles gold.

"Yeah," Katsuki finally said, his voice low. "You did good, nerd."

He didn't say what he was really thinking - that Izuku had done more than good. That he'd inspired more people than he'd ever realize, including Katsuki himself.

Because it was dangerous territory to venture into that kind of conversation right now, neither of us feels like talking about painful emotions and feelings right now. In the sense that Katsuki knows how sad Izuku is about not being able to continue being a pro hero after graduating from UA, but he also knows how well he hides it from everyone else.

An idiot who doesn't know him would think he's doing the best he can and that it's admirable that he's managed to keep going with such an honorable task as raising future heroes - Somehow Katsuki thinks the same, but there is more.

Izuku's eyes dilate differently when they touch on this topic, his corners lowering in a specific way to when he wants to pretend to be really happy or normal. And Katsuki notices this perfectly because he has known him for too long.

So he prefers to leave the subject pending for later, someday they could talk about it now that they have started to have a relationship (still a friendly one unfortunately for Katsuki) but that day is not today.

The road curved higher, revealing the outline of UA.'s massive gates ahead. The sun had climbed fully now, spilling bright light across the hood of the car. The city behind them shimmered, alive and pulsing.

Izuku talked a little more - about new students, about lesson ideas, about the cafeteria's terrible food - and Katsuki let him. The words washed over him like background music, filling the car with the sound of something that felt dangerously close to contentment.

He remembered mornings like these before big missions, when silence felt heavy, charged. Now, it was peaceful instead. Domestic. Like the calm that comes after surviving the storm.

Once they arrived at the compound and the blond parked inside to leave Izuku as close to the building as possible, the latter simply got out and leaned against the door window to wave. "Thanks for the ride, Kacchan."

"Tch. Whatever." Katsuki's lips twitched upward. "You drooled on my pillow. You owe me breakfast next time."

Izuku laughed, that pure, bright sound that had always undone him. "Whenever you like! Be careful!" The teacher said as he walked away from the car to go back to work.

And on his side Katsuki watches his back for a few seconds, Izuku's hair remains the same except that he combs it to the side now, His gait is the same but his body grew to 1.70 and his muscles are still there because he trains for fun. Somehow Izuku is always going to be Izuku.

Some things change, others don't,

Maybe this was what growing up meant for them above all — learning to live with the ghosts of their battles — of the past, but also letting small joys sneak in through the cracks like learning that sharing a shirt, a drive, or a morning coffee could mean as much as winning a war.

Katsuki's mind drifted briefly to the night before, the warmth of the shared room, the rhythm of Izuku's breathing in the dark. The way the faint rain outside had tapped against the window, steady and soothing. It had been one of those rare nights when the world felt soft again.

And now, with sunlight creeping over Musutafu and the faint scent of coffee still clinging to his hands, Katsuki couldn't help but think that maybe — just maybe — this peace was something they'd both earned.

And it made perfect sense.

While Katsuki was sending a message to that idiot Hatsume Mei to see if he could stop by her agency to see Izuku's suit, he was thinking about this — the peace they deserved.

He thinks he remembers once saying it to Izuku's face, when the nights after the war were as complicated and painful as an anvil passing through their throats. He must have told him something like — Izuku deserved to continue living and be at peace after everything he did for society.

Taking down a villain as unhinged as Shigaraki doesn't just leave you with physical wounds, the emotional ones are worse.

The same thing happened to Katsuki with All For One, the fight was brutal and everything but he recovered well after almost a month of treatment, all that was left was to let time take its course — Cannot say the same about his emotions, Many things had broken after that and it was surely the same for Izuku.

Because they both shared that dream, they still had thousands of battles to fight together and unfortunately they were losing them due to the cruelty that fate could have.

That's why he visits Hatsume for a while, he needs to know that this dream can still be fulfilled, that all the effort in Izuku's life is not in vain and that there is still hope for him, who can still be a glorious hero and honor his statue in the center of the city. He wants to give back that sparkle in his eyes when they roam the city through the air looking for villains to finish off.

The metallic scent of oil and burning circuits filled the air, heavy and alive. Sparks danced like fireflies every time a welding torch hissed against the armor’s unfinished frame. Katsuki stood by the open doorway of the lab, hands shoved deep into his pockets, watching Hatsume work like a mad scientist on a caffeine overdose.

The lab was chaos — beautiful, brilliant chaos or something like that would say those obsessed with these things — Tools were scattered across every surface, half-built gadgets blinking in random patterns, and the faint hum of machinery echoed against the concrete walls. It smelled like metal, ozone, and invention.

“About time you showed up, Boom-Boy!” Hatsume called without looking up. Her goggles reflected the bright orange light of the welding flame as she sealed another plate of armor onto the exoskeleton. “You’re lucky I didn’t blow something up while waiting for you.”

Katsuki grunted. “You probably did.”

She laughed, the sound sharp and manic. “Touché!”

He stepped closer his boots clanging against the floor.

The unfinished hero suit stood before him, mounted on a rotating platform. It was tall, sleek, with curved panels of yellow and green armor that gleamed faintly under the overhead lights. From the chest to the thighs, the exoskeleton was complete — compact, balanced, strong. From the knees down, however, the structure was still skeletal, a maze of exposed metal joints and fiber cables.

Katsuki exhaled slowly, eyes fixed on it. Izuku's new gear so that he can become Deku once more.

It wasn’t just another hero costume. It was their gift — from the whole damn class, a handful of pro heroes, and mostly, from him. Something that said: You’ve done enough for everyone. Now let us do something for you.

He didn’t say that aloud, of course.

“So, what’s the update?” he asked, leaning against a nearby table littered with wires and half-empty coffee cups.

“Oh, we’re making huge progress!” Mei chirped, pushing her goggles up. Her eyes shone with that dangerous sparkle of someone who hadn’t slept in days but was powered by pure genius and chaos. “We’ve got the exoskeleton complete up to mid-leg — still working on the stabilizers for the lower limbs. But the fun part? We’re replicating three key support systems based on the One For All’s sub-quirks.”

Katsuki’s eyebrow twitched. “Three?”

“Yup! Smokescreen, Gearshift, and FaJin.”

The mention of those names made his jaw tighten. He remembered each of those quirks — how Izuku had used them, the way his body moved like lightning, the toll it took. Each one carved into his memory like old scars.

That was the reason why Hatsume had him hostage sometimes, Katsuki was the only one who really understood and could see up close how they worked. Not even All Might was concise about this. But Katsuki had trained with Izuku thousands of times before the war and knows well how each of those quikrs works.

“Which one’s ready?”

Mei grinned, teeth glinting under the harsh lab light. “FaJin! It’s the easiest to simulate — Kinetic energy storage! Basically this baby works like — the more repetitive motion the user performs, the more energy the system absorbs and releases for bursts of speed and strength. Like winding up a spring. Simple concept, complex engineering.”

She patted the armor’s leg affectionately, leaving a streak of oil on it. “I’ve integrated micro-actuators that mimic muscle contraction. Every time a joint flexes, the servos build and hold mechanical tension until release. In short — it stores momentum.”

Katsuki squinted. “And you tested this… how?”

Her grin widened in a way that made him instinctively step back. “Funny you should ask that.”

Before he could react, Mei grabbed his wrist and shoved a prototype leg into his hands. It was a bulky piece of tech, wires snaking from it like veins, small pistons trembling faintly with contained power.

“Put it on.”

“Hell no.”

“C’mon, it’s not gonna explode.”

“That’s exactly what you said last time.”

“This time I mean it!” she sang, tightening the strap around his forearm with surprising strength. “I need to see how it reacts to someone who’s used to high speed kinetic output. And since you’re basically a human grenade, you’re perfect!”

Katsuki grew led but didn't pull away, On the contrary, he simply touched a slightly darker piece at one end and brought the device closer to his body. The metallic leg whirred to life, faint blue lines lighting up across the surface until it wrapped itself around Katsuki's calf. The air around it seemed to vibrate with restrained motion.

“Alright,” Mei said, flipping a switch on her tablet. “Try to jump first, slow and steady.”

He did. The servos in the metalic leg responded instantly, coiling tight like springs. The mechanical hum deepened.

“Now again. And again. An again! Faster!”

He obeyed, kicking the air rhythmically, feeling the machine synchronize with his movements. With every strike, the hum grew louder until it felt like his whole arm was alive with energy.

He's a bit reminiscent of how Izuku used to do it, flexing his legs a few times to build up energy before moving or kicking again. It seems to work the same way now, which seems like a modern technology craze according to Katsuki.

“Now stop,” Mei ordered, her grin turning almost feral. “And release.”

Katsuki listens and kicks towards the free side of the room. A shockwave burst from his leg, slamming into a nearby pile of scrap metal and sending tools clattering across the floor.

He blinked. “What the hell—?!”

“My baby works!” Mei shouted, practically bouncing. “See?! The kinetic charge releases as stored momentum! The armor absorbs and multiplies it! Imagine Deku using that during a fight — he’d move faster without breaking his bones! Brilliant, right?”

Katsuki stared at his leg, flexing his knee. The armor still vibrated faintly, like a living thing. He couldn’t deny it — it was brilliant. Dangerous and extremely expensive, but brilliant.

“Yeah,” he muttered. “You actually pulled it off, nutcase.”

She twirled a wrench in her fingers proudly. “Oh, we’re just getting started! Once Fa Jin’s integrated into the whole suit, I’ll move on to Gearshift — that one’s tricky. We’re talking micro-adjustments in velocity and perception delay. But I’ve got a few ideas.”

“And Smokescreen?”

“Child’s play. Just a built-in dispersal system in the chest vents — already half finished.”

Katsuki nodded, still staring at the armor. The metal gleamed faintly under the flickering light, like a promise forged from steel and stubbornness.

He could already imagine the look on Izuku’s face when he saw it — eyes wide, voice cracking, overwhelmed with gratitude and disbelief. And for once, Katsuki wanted to see that expression. To give something back to the idiot who’d given everything For others, it was like giving back what he did from the heart and giving him something huge with which to continue being who he is.

Deku the hero of One For All and symbol of hope.

The only thing he begs the universe for is for Izuku to accept the fucking suit and do society a favor by making better heroes and continuing to inspire people while saving them.

“Don’t tell anyone I said this,” he muttered under his breath, “but this thing… it’s gonna awesome.”

Mei’s smirk softened, almost warm. “Yeah. That’s the point, isn’t it?”

For a brief moment, the lab quieted. The hum of machines softened into background noise. Katsuki stood there, surrounded by sparks and metal and the faint smell of ozone, feeling something twist in his chest — pride, maybe. Or relief.

Then, of course, Mei ruined it.

“Alright, test subject number two!” she shouted, grabbing another gadget off the table. “Let’s see if you can jump two meters straight up with my leg boosters—”

“Hell no, I’m not—”

Too late. The device latched onto his boots with a magnetic snap.

“Three, two, one—”

“BASTARD—!”

The explosion of compressed air launched Katsuki a meter off the ground, crashing him into a pile of foam padding she’d “strategically placed.” She cheered like a maniac.

“Success! You flew exactly 1.8 meters! That’s almost perfect data!”

Katsuki groaned, sitting up, hair full of static. “You’re insane.”

“And you’re welcome,” she said sweetly, handing him a bottle of water. “Tell our green hero he owes me cookies when this thing’s done.”

Katsuki didn’t answer. He looked again at the armor — unfinished but alive, glowing faintly in the workshop light. The start of something big.

Yeah, he thought, brushing dust off his shirt. You’re gonna lose your damn mind when you see this, Deku.

And somehow, that thought made the exhaustion of the day worth it.

Somehow when he gets out of there he still has work to do so he decides to run away from this crazy woman before she decides to do another test that will kill Katsuki prematurely. Don't judge him, he would give his life to finish that suit well and not hurt Izuku when he finally uses it, but today he wants to avoid being hospitalized.

So as soon as the girl turned around to stick her head into a strange weld, Katsuki ran away without saying hello because it was now or never.

He ends up going directly to the agency, he can have lunch there and then go to work before his shift since it's close.

But all he can really think about is how all of this is going to change their lives, Izuku and him will become the Wonder Duo once more and they will finish off all the idiots in the city like always it should have been.

He remembers the times of  third year — he, Izuku and the idiot of IcyHoy were admired by the halls of UA being called "The Big Three" just like they did with the one who went through walls, the one with light blue hair and the one with squid arms (Katsuki doesn't remember their names even though one is the number one hero) It was like an unspoken third-grade rule.

The three of them were unstoppable together, unfortunately he has to admit that teaming up with the other half is a good strategy and that when they show up to battle it is really impossible for them to lose. Shoto, Deku and Dynamight were an unstoppable team

But Katsuki liked working alone with Izuku more, they had a lot of chemistry and a way of moving so cleanly, knowing exactly how the other thinks it makes it easy for them to think about what they are going to do. Coordinating battle forms was extremely easy with Izuku.

And he miss it.

That's why I was staring like an idiot at the photo on his desk, the only photo he has and it's not from all the extras.

It was a picture of him, his parents, Izuku and auntie Inko. On the day the two boys graduated, their families, who already got along well, were now happy to see them graduate together. Katsuki remembers how genuinely happy he was that day.

He has another photo from that day at his house, this one is just with Izuku and he knows the nerd saw it.

Hye had abandoned him a few hours ago at UA, she couldn't miss him right now, right?
Because shit, Katsuki wanted to see him again soon.

And as if it were destiny, there was that message on his cell phone.

/Damn nerd:
"You won't believe what All Might got in the store"

It was the message that accompanied a photo.

And the photo was the biggest nonsense Katsuki had ever seen in his life, he knew those things were for sale because he signed consent for them to use his image in the original product line. But he didn't expect All Might to buy them.

Two cute little figures of them in hero costumes, sitting and looking at each other. As if the sellers knew they had to make them that way so fans would position them that way.

Katsuki isn't going to complain about that nice detail.

/Kacchan:
"What a disgusting old man, because he would have figurines of us. They're horrible."

That's what he said, but the Google tab on his phone was searching for where the hell he could buy the exact same shitty figurines to put on his shelf in his run-down apartment.

We don't judge a boy for being in love.

Nor by impulsively spending your food savings on these things.

Chapter Text

Things can change overnight.

But it is not always a bad thing, not all changes are bad since some are useful to move forward and continue improving many things.

Life was constantly changing and you learn that over the years, the seasons change, the ages change and so does the education you receive each year. Friendships change, your family can change, society changes and that was fine, it all depends on how you deal with it.

It was like that when his vision about Izuku had changed everything was better, there was no reason to get angry about it, he always loved him he just hadn't realized it.

The moment he realized what he felt he had to keep it in for years and years until he finally decided he had had enough. It was time for another change in their lives. They couldn't keep rowing in quicksand or they would both end up being consumed by it. So yes, Katsuki gave the necessary push to be able to move forward.

And there they were, being closer now that the idiot Izuku understands that both are indispensable in each other's lives and that they have a different relationship than with all the other people they have met. or people who have loved each other in some way. No one can compare the love between two people who have been through absolutely everything and are still together.

An innocent friendship as young children, a lot of toxicity as they grew up — due to poorly managed feelings and insecurities on Katsuki's side. Until finally learning to be healthy rivals who push each other to improve thanks to their sometimes silly competitions.

And with that tiny change came more micro changes that they didn't realize were happening until someone else pointed them out or pointed them out.

They spent more time together, texted often, and had started a pseudo-routine where they saw each other at least once a day. Which is strange — What need do two best friends have to see each other for a little while every day? There was no need, none, but there they were.

If it wasn't Katsuki going to UA at lunchtime to spend some time with the professor— It was Izuku going to the hero agency where the blond worked, at the hero's departure time.

One of them always ended up like that and for some reason their favorite place was always the UA, it brings back so many memories, both good and bad, but overall there were always bittersweet ones in their relationship, It was his brand. Despite that, memories are memories, and every moment together is truly precious between them.

And nostalgia used to be his worst enemy.

As he shuffled through the long hallways of UA, it was actually quite late and he hadn't been able to make it during lunch so he would stop by before classes ended and he'll probably invite Izuku to eat something with him as compensation and because, it's simple, Katsuki likes spending time with him.

Maybe... no, that's a bad idea. But maybe Katsuki wants to listen in on one of Izuku's classes.

He enters through the back door of the classroom, which luckily for him was open so he didn't make a noise. There were no cubicles available, but in the back there is a type of counter. This was new; it wasn't in the classrooms before, but it's useful for nosy people like him who comes to stick his nose in where absolutely no one calls them.

And for a second his gaze connected with the professor's, who remained professional and only frowned a little before turning around to write something on the board and continue teaching.

This was fun, it feels like going back to having the strategy classes that Aizawa was supposed to give them, only instead Izuku takes it more seriously in terms of the amount of theory and learning about reading and studying. Not like his old teacher who was more of a believer in learning as he went along, and shit, that year they had a lot of things to learn from.

These brats will never know what it's like to be constantly attacked by a league of villains who have their sights set on them. Luckily, none of these kids would have to be kidnapped and end up with the current number one hero.

Same as always, bitter memories. He needs to erase them and focus on the good ones. Right now, he's just happy to have snuck in without the brats noticing. And because he's looking at that nerdy idiot, how that suit fits perfectly on his back and arm muscles, how the pants mold to his legs and — shit... Now that they are closer, Katsuki can be honest with himself and take the guilt out of these kinds of thoughts.

He was so caught up in checking out the professor's appearance that he didn't notice when he started talking, looking directly at him.

"And this exercise can be easily solved by Dynamight, right? Dynamight, would you please go ahead and explain what to do in this case?"

Why is everyone watching it? What exercise are they talking about?

Katsuki ignored the children's comments and the looks on him, he just looked for answers on the board to see if there was a clue that he was about to solve.

There was a circle in the center where the word 'hostages' was in the middle, around three villains, one of electricity, one of water and the other of blades. As if it were an operation that the heroes must attend and create a plan to win.

Katsuki has done something like this a thousand times. He ends up getting up from his spot at the back of the classroom and moving forward. He takes the fibron that Izuku hands him and starts looking at the class that suddenly went silent.

Of course, the blond has an aura that he'll silence them all with a single explosion that would barely leave them alive. And that was the case, but not quite, not today.

He looks at Izuku for a second, there's complicity in his eyes as if they knew everything that was planned beyond this. This isn't just another presentation, a collaboration between a pro hero in the class of a perfect teacher.They are two best friends, two allies, two genius heroes who have experienced so much.

And only then Katsuki speaks "I would see what heroes are available to take on the mission. To the water villain I would send fire quirks, to the electricity one ground-compatible quirk heroes and the last idiot is some fool like Red Riot who is immune to blades. While they attack, another group is coming in to get the hostages out."

"What if the hostages are being guarded by more villains?" Izuku notes, which is something that has happened.

"There are heroes with quirks that listen through walls, are good at raids, I would send some of those extras before entering"

"Okay, and given the fact that you already know there are villains, how do you proceed?"

The class paid full attention to everything that was happening in front of them.

It was hard to concentrate in class when two legends were in front of them talking as if they weren't even there, even worse if Dynamight was smiling at their teacher like that.

"I go in, I kick their villan asses, and the extras get the hostages out."

Izuku chuckles and puts a hand on his hip, looking at his childhood best friend in disbelief. Yes, some things change, but others don't. Katsuki is still that little shit who always thought about defeating them all to take the victory and be crowned the best.

In the end he can't change that, so he just sighs and looks at his students. "Dynamight's strategy isn't that wrong, could someone tell me what you would change?"

Some of the class were quick to raise their hands to give their opinions, which in general were not of interest to Katsuki. Not all heroes should know how to plan, sometimes it's just a matter of following orders or hunches, plus many things make logical sense.

Although in reality Katsuki must accept that he learned defending someone in a fight from Izuku, all those times he defended the backs of others and the ways the strategic role of being a safety link for both civilians and comrades in battle is great. Izuku is the best hero in the world and no one can deny that.

It's not easy to learn to handle a quirk that isn't yours, that you never had in you, in less than a year, but Izuku did it. Not just one, but several at the same time, knowing how to use them alone and in combos. It was amazing.

Katsuki hope these kids know what kind of teacher they have and value him greatly because there is no one like him in this world. Not even he — himself comes close to the wonderful person that he is.

Perhaps the students notice this that Dynamight wants them to see, but they can also notice how the pro hero stayed in his place at the front of the class with his gaze glued to the teacher every second. Did the blond not care that the whole class could witness his clear crush on Izuku?

Some paid little attention to what the professor was telling them about how to finish a raid of this style but in the end, as he always does, Give the students a few seconds to relax before leaving. Sometimes they use this moment to chat about something that happened on the news, among themselves, or about a topic that interests the children. It is dynamic and takes them out of the routine.

Right now everyone was chatting a little while Izuku arranges things on his desk before watching as Katsuki approaches him and sits on the desk making that it is impossible for the teacher to continue ordering, demanding his attention.

"Are you going to tell me what you're doing here?" asks the shorter of the two, crossing his arms in front of him.

And Katsuki shrugs "I was curious how badly you teach these brats."

The comment made Izuku roll his eyes a little but the smile wouldn't leave his lips. That never happens when they're together, at some point in their lives the moments they share are filled of smiles and complicity.

"So? What's your professional opinion, Kacchan?"

"Ummm, better than what the old tramp did" He says remembering Aizawa's classes that really weren't the best but hey, the man tried and stayed with them for three years, he had some love for them at least "Although — you should stop dressing like that"

His mouth spoke before he could even think about what he was saying. And when he realized it, he felt a little... out of place.

Oh, fuck, was he going to start flirting today?

He didn't do it until recently because he felt like it was crossing the line too soon, but today he feels like doing it. And well, Izuku's reaction was a luxury, first a slight confusion before looking down at himself and not noticing anything wrong with his clothing. A basic, dark, almost green, formal suit and a yellow shirt.

He knows it suits him and that he has a good physique, but among so many heroes — Who doesn't have it? He doesn't think he's special.

Oh and Izuku doesn't realize it's a flirting either, at least not that much because he doesn't let on but his cheeks got a little more pink. Either he didn't understand it, or he's very good at hiding it.

"What's wrong with it?" He says at the end with a funny tone.

"I'm not going to say it with the brats present" Katsuki raises an eyebrow, suggesting something else before receiving a punch to the shoulder.

And a laugh from Izuku "Kacchan you are a— holy god, you are impossible"  Which just with this generated more laughter also in Katsuki, just by hearing him laugh and flirt with him.

They didn't even realize that they were somewhat caught up in their own bubble so much so that there was a slight flirtation and they were still fine, they were fine with each other even so. It was the signal for the blond to make more advances of that kind.

Then the students started to make a little less noise which was worrying, the murmur kept the two adults in their own world and when they remained silent they understood that they were very... Glued together. Which wasn't a good example for high school kids. They should be more professional.

So when they separate, just a little, at least they no longer looked at each other as if they were the only ones in the world — Izuku only looks at his students.

"Well, that's all for today, unless you have anything to comment on."

A girl raised her hand and the teacher gave her the floor, "In an arm wrestling match, who of you two wins?"

Another boy dared to comment "Yes! We want to know!"

"You should compete now!" Another snotty kid also wanted to participate, it was like they were teaming up to do stupid things today.

They didn’t really know what kind of connection came from an arm-wrestling match between the two of them, but since it was their last few free minutes and they could use them however they wanted to ease the tension from all the studying, Izuku thought it would be a good idea to lift everyone’s spirits and do something fun. It had been a while since he’d done something that silly, anyway.

If the kids asked for it, then as the adult in charge, it was the least he could give them — a bit of entertainment through pure nonsense.

“Alright, if Dynamight agrees, I don’t see a problem.”

The blond, who had been watching the situation unfold with amusement, his arms crossed over his chest and an aura of arrogance radiating off him, simply nodded. “If you’re okay with embarrassing yourself in front of your brats, I don’t see a problem either,” he fired back with a smirk of challenge.

They had a strange streak in these kinds of competitions. In the beginning, Katsuki always won — after all, the guy trained his muscles day and night, obsessively, to build a body capable of enduring the brutal work of being a pro hero. He had to keep himself in top condition to handle his Quirk properly. That same discipline kept him strong even now.

As for the green-haired professor who was being challenged — to inherit One For All and use it without tearing himself apart, he’d trained endlessly, building his body from scratch. Since that day, it had practically become second nature for him. Even while studying, he would use a hand grip to strengthen his fingers, keeping his muscles sharp.

Both men were meticulous when it came to their bodies — part professionalism, part pride. Heroes had to stay in peak condition, sure, but there was also that little spark of vanity. It felt nice to show off a toned body on the news or after a successful mission. At least, that was Dynamight’s view.

“But without shirts!” one of the kids yelled from the back, after the others had pushed the teacher’s desk into place, setting up two chairs for the competitors.

Izuku chuckled but shook his head. “I don’t think that’s appropriate,” he said between laughs, but still took off his jacket and loosened his tie a bit.

“I thought it wasn’t appropriate,” Katsuki mocked, removing only his grenade bracers and gloves for comfort.

“I just wanted to be comfortable, Kacchan,” Izuku teased back, voice playful, especially when he saw Katsuki doing the same thing. “To beat you again.”

Yeah, the last time they’d done this, Izuku had won — after exhausting every bit of strength and focus in one arm. It had been one of the longest arm-wrestling matches they’d ever had.

Now that both were in peak form, it was impossible to say who was stronger. Sure, there were machines that could measure that, but in real life? There were too many variables — endurance, concentration, grit. And this wasn’t about strategy or brute power. It was about who could last longer.

“Oh, are we really gonna talk about last time?” the blond said, taking a seat and putting out his left hand, elbow planted firmly on the desk. “You only won ‘cause I used my right hand, you damn nerd.”

The students gathered around like it was a real fight — because, well, teenagers. Watching their teacher and one of the top Pro Heroes banter so casually was gold.

There were murmurs they couldn’t hear — whispers like, “They’re childhood friends, of course they use nicknames,” and then, “Yeah but that nickname’s way too personal for just friends.” The girls especially seemed caught up in that theory. Not because of any stereotypes — they were just sharper at picking up hidden dynamics. The boys, meanwhile, only cared about whether their teacher could beat Dynamight.

Bets were placed. Most sided with their teacher — they knew how strong he was, how incredible he could be even with his Quirk nearly dormant now. They’d seen him do amazing things without powers, so they believed in him completely.

Others, the hardcore Dynamight fans, knew that wherever the explosive blond stood, he’d make sure to win.

“Alright, let’s end this,” Izuku said finally, mirroring Katsuki’s posture. If they were using their left hands, he was confident too — even if it wasn’t his dominant side. And although Katsuki was ambidextrous, Izuku was unmatched once he set his mind on something.

Once their hands locked together, gripping tight, the room fell into a tense silence before one of the students shouted, “Now!”

And just like that, both men pushed with all their might.

Their faces reflected pure focus, eyes locked on their clasped hands as veins bulged beneath their skin, muscles flexing and straining. Even in something as ridiculous as an arm-wrestle, they gave it everything they had. For them, every competition was serious.

Izuku rested his free hand on his own bicep for balance, then lifted his gaze to meet Katsuki’s — and there it was: that smirk. The one that came out when he knew he could win, arrogant yet magnetic. Izuku knew how attractive Katsuki was — he’d always known — but seeing it this close hit differently.

“If you get distracted, you’ll lose, idiot,” Katsuki muttered through clenched teeth, biting his lip in concentration.

“Don’t use bad words here, Kacchan,” Izuku replied calmly. Always the teacher — always thinking about setting a good example for his students.

He didn’t want them learning Katsuki’s attitude — he wanted them to see the good in him instead: his determination, his strength, the kind of hero and friend he’d become. Izuku truly admired that — how Katsuki had grown past his insecurities and toxic pride.

Dynamight was extraordinary — in and out of battle — and anyone who didn’t see that was just plain stupid.

Izuku’s thoughts wandered, and he nearly lost ground as his arm started to tilt back. He cursed himself silently — why was his brain flying off like that? He shook it off, focusing every ounce of strength into his arm again.

To win against someone he admired so deeply — that meant everything.

That feeling was mutual.

Winning against the other wasn’t just another victory — it meant proving themselves worthy of the admiration that defined them both.

Like when Katsuki came back to life thanks to Edgeshot — in that moment, when Izuku’s eyes met his, when their hands reached for each other, Katsuki had felt worthy of that admiration at last. He’d accepted what he felt for the nerd — love, pure and fierce. It didn’t matter that the whole world had seen him call himself “Kacchan Bakugo” on live TV, facing down the greatest villain in history.

He was Kacchan — and that name belonged to one person, one voice only. What had once been an insult had become sacred.

And yeah — they could think about all of this while arm-wrestling in front of a screaming crowd of teenagers. Heroes’ minds were built differently; they had to think, plan, and fight all at once.

Despite the burning pain spreading through his arm, Izuku didn’t let go. When he met those crimson eyes again, a surge of determination hit him hard. He focused everything into his forearm, saving strength until now — a strategy. Wait until your opponent’s at their limit, then strike.

He knew Katsuki could give more, but after five minutes of relentless pressure, Izuku tightened his grip, using every last bit of power left.

“Son of a—” Katsuki stopped himself just in time, out of respect — mostly for Izuku’s mom.

Izuku laughed as he pressed down harder, the edge shifting in his favor.

The students erupted into cheers as the teacher’s hand forced Dynamight’s down against the desk. Shouts, applause, even some kids hugging each other like world peace had just been achieved. Teenagers — dramatic and adorable.

Katsuki rubbed his wrist, face tense, but the hint of a smile betrayed him. Izuku’s grin was radiant, and seeing it made losing more than worth it. Yeah, Katsuki was a softie — for him.

“Who was bragging about winning?” Izuku teased, standing up and fixing his sleeves, eyes gleaming.

Katsuki crossed his arms again, refusing to meet his gaze, pouting like a kid. “Tch, pure luck, nerd.”

Izuku just laughed, the sound light and warm.

The bell rang, signaling the end of the day. Students filed out in groups, laughing, still buzzing from what they’d witnessed.

Katsuki, still at the desk, adjusted his gear — grenades and gloves — when his phone buzzed. A message from his agency: Rest up. You’ve got an important mission tomorrow night.

Perfect. If he had the evening off… and was already here…

Izuku turned back from the door, smiling when he caught Katsuki’s eyes.

“You’re smiling after losing?”

“Tch, I let you win so you wouldn’t cry in front of your brats,” he lied, casually slipping his phone back into his hero suit pocket.

“Sure, Kacchan,” Izuku said with a grin, tidying up his desk.

As Katsuki buckled his gear, he said what had been sitting in his throat for too long. “Hey, nerd. I gotta stop by the agency, but if you’re free later, we could grab dinner.”

Izuku froze, eyes wide, then lifted his gaze to meet Katsuki’s. The connection hit like lightning — familiar, nostalgic, and warm.

He stammered, “Oh— uh, yeah, I just need to talk to Aizawa about a class, but I’ll be free after.” Maybe it was a lie, maybe not — but tonight, he wanted to stay with Katsuki.

“Good. Pick a place. Text me. See you there.”

“As you command, Captain,” Izuku joked, putting on his jacket again. “I’ll text you soon.”

Katsuki headed for the door, raising a hand. “Don’t take forever, idiot,” he said, glancing back with a grin.

Both felt it — that quiet thrill in their chests at the thought of spending the evening together.

Katsuki knew exactly why it made him so damn happy — because he was in love, had been for years, and that love only burned brighter with time.

Izuku, though — he wasn’t quite sure what it meant yet. All he knew was that the idea of dinner with Kacchan filled him with joy. So much joy that he texted his friends an apology for skipping out on their hangout. He couldn’t resist this.

He even took extra care picking a restaurant — one with food Katsuki liked, spicy and bold, somewhere not too crowded, not too far. Fair and comfortable.

Even while finishing some class prep with Aizawa, his mind wandered back to it, his heart racing with anticipation.

By the time he’d fixed his hair, dabbed on a touch of morning cologne, and sent Katsuki the address, he was already walking to the restaurant.

And he thought — about what it all meant.

Not long ago, they’d said “I love you” to each other — spontaneous, raw, and true. He hadn’t thought much of it then. But now, sitting at the balcony table, feeling the soft summer breeze Katsuki liked, he couldn’t help wondering.

He loved Kacchan, no doubt. But since when? And what kind of love was it?

He’d admired him since they were kids. Katsuki had always stood out — clever, loud, bright, unstoppable. Even when he was cruel, Izuku had seen that spark of goodness deep inside him.

He’d always focused on that light — and he’d been right. Katsuki became someone amazing. Someone Izuku loved.

He was lost in thought when a voice snapped him back.

“Hey, nerd. Sorry I’m late. Edgeshot needed a hand with something stupid thing” Katsuki said, pulling off his denim jacket and draping it over the chair. The simple black shirt underneath clung perfectly to him — damn it, he looked good.

Izuku smiled, waving a hand dismissively. “No worries, I just got here.” Maybe not true, but who cared. “Everything okay? We didn’t talk much today.”

“There were twenty-something brats around, couldn’t talk with all that fucking noise,” Katsuki muttered, picking up the menu. He noticed there was a special section for spicy dishes, which was odd for such an ordinary restaurant. But when Katsuki looked around the table they were sitting at, he understood — Izuku had picked the place for the food and the seat for the fresh air. Katsuki’s weak heart gave a tiny tremor. It was ridiculous, but a wave of warmth hit him when he realized the nerd had thought of him in such small, careful details.

“I didn’t know if I should order beer. You work tomorrow?” Izuku asked, his eyes scanning the drink section on the menu.

That pulled Katsuki out of his thoughts. “Only at night. Don’t you have classes?”

“Just in the afternoon,” Izuku replied in the same even tone. He’d already done the math — if they didn’t drink too much, he’d be sober and up in time for his lectures at U.A. tomorrow.

They didn’t take long to order: pork for grilling, a spread of side dishes, a bowl of spicy sauce, and a few extras listed on the menu. The important part was the beer — Katsuki’s job. For some reason, he just knew which one to pick so that it would suit Izuku’s taste.

It was the least he could do after the nerd had taken the time to choose such a good place for them. Katsuki could at least return the favor by picking a smooth, lightly sweet beer that would fit his friend’s palate. After all, he was the one who invited him out.

The beers arrived first — cold, golden, and poured into glasses larger than either expected. They looked good enough to photograph, and of course, Izuku couldn’t resist. He pulled out his phone to snap a few pictures, probably to post later on his private Instagram — the one only his close friends knew about, where he could share silly moments the rest of the world didn’t get to see from the nation’s top hero professor.

“Seriously?” Katsuki muttered when he saw him taking photos of the glasses. He didn’t care enough to stop him, just grabbed his beer and took a sip.

Izuku, however, lifted his phone again and took another photo — this time of Katsuki mid-drink. Damn nerd. He always somehow made the blond look good. “I like keeping memories,” Izuku said after setting the phone down. “And photos. I realized recently that even though I’ve got so many good memories with people, I barely have pictures with anyone… and I like looking at them. They take me back to those moments.”

Katsuki listened quietly, which was rare for him. It made sense — of course the sentimental idiot liked photos. He himself had a few hanging at home, reminders of things worth remembering. And it made even more sense now — that’s why Izuku had spent so long looking at their graduation photo the last time he was over.

Katsuki made a mental note while the other spoke.

“Fine,” he said after a moment. “But don’t you dare post that crap anywhere, dumbass. I don’t need my face floating around the internet.” He set his glass down and leaned back.

Izuku laughed. “More than it already is, Mister Model?”

“Shut the hell up, you damn nerd.” Despite the insult, there was no real anger — only a teasing grin, the kind that came naturally when they bantered. “I hate that shit.”

“Modeling? But you’re good at it. It’s a clever way to use your popularity — even boost it.”

“It’s still shit,” he muttered, annoyed. The conversation paused when their food arrived — the sizzling grill set between them, fragrant and steaming. They both murmured a quick thanks before Katsuki picked up the thread again. “What pisses me off is how the damn extras reduce everything I do to that. Doesn’t matter if I take down twenty villains — all they care about are the giant ads downtown of me wearing a mountain jacket.”

The complaint wasn’t without reason. Though things weren’t as bad lately, it still irritated him. He was a hero, damn it — not a billboard.

But Izuku, as always, saw the bright side. “Still, it’s support work. And half the funds go to orphanages, remember? It’s a heroic act either way, Kacchan.”

Katsuki glanced up from the meat sizzling in the middle of the table to see Izuku’s gentle smile. If only the nerd knew the other half of those funds were going toward a massive gift — for him. Would he still say that? Would he still call Katsuki heroic if he knew the blond was taking easy-money jobs to afford something just to make Izuku happy?

“Yeah, whatever,” he finally muttered, embarrassed by the praise. He never felt worthy of Izuku’s admiration, and his slightly flushed ears betrayed him.

Once the bitterness passed, dinner turned lively — like it always did when they were alone. Katsuki could relax. Here, he didn’t have to watch his words or control his gestures. With Izuku, there was no need for armor.

And Izuku was the same. Around everyone else, he was open but cautious — always the perfect, kind teacher-hero. But around Katsuki, he was just Izuku: clumsy, talkative, honest to the bone. He could ramble about hero quirks for hours — analyzing the new generation’s abilities, pulling Katsuki into debates.

Tonight, tipsy and unfiltered, they started arguing over something ridiculous like, “How many heroes would it take to beat All Might?” Naturally, it turned into a full-on debate about which version of All Might they meant. Nerd talk at its purest.

Not that Katsuki would ever admit it — but he was just as obsessed with All Might as Izuku was.

As the night went on and the beer kept flowing, the topics got dumber. They ended up laughing about stupid things from their school days — like the time Izuku swore he could drink milk faster than Katsuki and ended up snorting it through his nose. He’d nearly died of embarrassment back then, but now, drunk and red-faced, he laughed harder than anyone.

The food was incredible — the smell of searing pork filling the air, the smoky grill mixing with spicy sauce and warm laughter. Even Katsuki found himself muttering small compliments, especially about the hot sauce.

Hours slipped by. By the time they were done, the only thing left to argue about was who’d pay the bill — again.

Izuku insisted on splitting it, as usual, but Katsuki refused. He’d invited him, so he’d pay. Izuku gave in reluctantly, promising that next time, it’d be his treat. That promise — to go out again — hung softly between them, an unspoken comfort.

Then came the funny part. Izuku, the man who could face entire armies without blinking, couldn’t handle two glasses of beer. Katsuki practically had to drag him out of the restaurant, one arm around Izuku’s waist, the other supporting him by the shoulder.

“I told you to drink water, nerd,” Katsuki grumbled as they staggered down the stairs. Izuku just laughed.

“I’m fine, everything’s just spinning a little.”

“Not being able to walk straight isn’t fine, you idiot.”

But Izuku only smiled and leaned his head on Katsuki’s shoulder. If he really tried, he could walk alone — he’d fought quirkless before, for god’s sake — but he liked being taken care of. Especially by him.

Katsuki opened the car door and helped him in with a surprising gentleness. The nerd’s eyes fluttered shut as Katsuki walked around to the driver’s seat.

“Remind me never to let you drink again,” Katsuki muttered.

“Kacchan,” Izuku murmured, half-asleep, placing a hand over his on the steering wheel. “You shouldn’t drive if you drank.”

Katsuki shot him a look. “What, you think I can’t handle myself? I’m not drunk, idiot. Just in a good mood.”

“Then… let’s take a taxi,” Izuku said softly, fingers still brushing Katsuki’s hand.

“And leave my damn car here?” Katsuki sighed. “No way. I’m fine.”

Izuku toyed with his fingers gently. “I just don’t want you to get hurt.”

Katsuki glanced down at their hands — one scarred and rough, the other soft and warm. Damn it. He couldn’t even look without his chest tightening. “I won’t. Trust me.”

“Okay,” Izuku whispered. “Just… be careful.”

“Always am, nerd,” Katsuki said, starting the car.

He drove slow and careful, taking the longer route — quieter streets, safer turns. They weren’t far from Izuku’s place, and in ten minutes they were there. Katsuki knew it wasn’t the most responsible choice, but at least he’d gotten them home safely.

Getting Izuku upstairs was another challenge, though the elevator helped. Katsuki’s hand stayed firm on his back the whole time.

“Thanks for bringing me, Kacchan,” Izuku said softly.

Katsuki only flicked his forehead. “Least I could do, dumbass.”

He refused to leave until he saw Izuku in pajamas and under the blankets. He followed him around the apartment — dropping his bag, washing up, finding old clothes. Katsuki poured a glass of water and brought him some cookies he found in the kitchen.

“Drink this,” he said, handing over the glass.

“Thanks, Kacchan.” Izuku drank quickly, smiling, then glanced up. “Are you staying over?”

Katsuki leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed. “What the hell kind of question is that?”

“I don’t want you driving drunk.”

“I’m not drunk, idiot.”

They stared at each other for a moment — the quiet broken only by Izuku crunching a cookie. Then, gently, “I just want you to be safe.”

“I will be,” Katsuki said, walking over and placing a hand on Izuku’s head, ruffling his curls. “You’ve gotten spoiled, you know that?”

“It’s your fault,” Izuku mumbled with a small smile. “Stay. Please.”

Katsuki sighed, brushing a thumb along the back of his neck. “I’ve got something in the morning, nerd.”

“You said you didn’t work.”

“It’s not work — it’s a commitment. Don’t push it.”

Izuku pouted, catching Katsuki’s wrist in his hand, holding onto him just a little. The warmth between them was soft, magnetic.

“Then at least text me when you get home.”

“I’m not five, idiot,” Katsuki snorted — but his chest felt too full, too warm.

“Text me anyway,” Izuku murmured, eyes half-lidded.

Katsuki wanted to say no. He wanted to leave before his heart did something stupid. But when Izuku looked up at him like that — freckles glowing under the soft light, lips parted, cheeks pink from beer — he couldn’t.

“Fine, brat,” he said finally, smiling faintly. “I’ll text you. Now let go.”

Instead, Izuku leaned forward and wrapped his arms around Katsuki’s waist — a clumsy, warm hug that froze the blond in place. Katsuki didn’t shove him off. He just placed a steady hand on Izuku’s back and another in his hair, letting him stay there for a moment longer.

It was too soft. Too dangerous.

“Izuku…”

“Sorry,” Izuku whispered, pulling back, face red. “Goodnight, Kacchan.”

“Go to sleep, nerd. And drink more water.”

“I will. Be careful.”

Katsuki gave him a light tap on the head and left, still smiling as he closed the door behind him. He waited until he heard Izuku crawl into bed before finally heading out.

The door clicked shut, and the hallway fell quiet. Katsuki stood there for a long second, exhaling slowly.

Because damn it — he loved Izuku Midoriya too much.

Chapter Text

There are bonds that can’t be explained.

Many things they live through, experience, or feel don’t necessarily have logical explanations — as long as they feel right, as long as everything seems under control, then it’s fine. But sometimes, understanding certain things requires more than instinct; it takes time, silence, and the courage to look inward.

That’s what Katsuki once did with his own emotions.

First, he had to face his weaknesses — the ones he used to deny with every ounce of pride. Then came the part where he finally acknowledged Izuku as a rival in a healthy way, not out of anger or guilt but with genuine respect. And, eventually, he had to confront the truth he’d been running from all along: how deeply he could love that damn nerd, even if Izuku never realized it.

What Katsuki really hopes for, deep down, is that Izuku might do the same someday — that he’ll stop and actually think about the strange pull between them, analyze his own reactions, his habits, his emotions whenever Katsuki’s involved. Because some things don’t make sense until you stare straight into them.

And Izuku He really tried, he took some time to think about certain things after that dinner just the two of them where Katsuki left him at his apartment, making sure to see him lying in his bed and resting so that he would get over how drunk he was — It was such a sweet and thoughtful gesture from the blond.

But it wasn't just this, it was more, it was the hug Izuku instinctively gave him afterwards, the desire he had to force him to stay and sleep and listen to the melodic rhythm of his heart beating.

Over the days later, Izuku began to notice little things — the kind of things that start as background noise and then become impossible to ignore. He used to think his own exaggerated kindness, that boundless compassion, was something he gave equally to everyone. Always worried about others before himself, always carrying the world’s pain like it was his duty. But it wasn’t the same with HIM no — when it came to Katsuki, the worry was sharper, heavier, desperate in a way that didn’t make sense for “just” a friend.

He remembers it vividly — that day, years ago, when he was kidnapped. The image of Katsuki's face, scared but begging him not to go... That didn't matter to him, it was a classic blond defense mechanism: Evading and pushing away those who love him. What mattered to Izuku that day was the pain of losing him, the desperation of fear of never seeing him again and the terrifying anxiety of thinking what the villains were going to do to him, alone, without help and God knows where.

At that moment his throat was torn and he lost consciousness of what happened next, he doesn't remember anything until waking up in the hospital and all the smuggling he and his friends did to rescue Katsuki.

Back then, he only pissed Katsuki off. He didn’t want to be saved, didn’t want pity from the one person he’d spent so long trying to outshine. Yet the last thing he saw before blacking out was that face — beaten, terrified, and still running toward him.

It had been brutal for both of them. But it was also a turning point. That event carved open something in their relationship that could never fully close again.

Izuku still now can see those things and he lives them again in his memories. Although most of the time things only reach him when they’re screamed in his face by people who’ve run out of patience, people who can’t stand watching Izuku miss what’s right in front of him. But that’s part of who he is. That’s part of why people love him. It’s part of why Katsuki loves him maybe — He wants to think that.

Maybe he was starting to realize that this kind of possessiveness isn’t normal — No one worries this much about a friend. No one clenches their fists every time someone else gets too close, or stays awake wondering if the other’s eaten or slept —  It doesn’t make sense for him to get jealous, anxious, or irrationally protective over Katsuki if it’s only friendship. And yet, there it is — every day, every subtle glance, every hesitant smile.

But no one can’t force anyone to face their own feelings.

People take their time — Izuku takes a lot of time.

That’s how they’ve managed all these years: a strange equilibrium that isn’t exactly friendship but isn’t anything else either. Two souls too tangled to drift apart, too stubborn to say what they really mean. They orbit each other constantly — close enough to burn, never close enough to touch for long.

It’s a dumb metaphor, he knows. But it’s real.

Even now, with everything they’ve built, everything they’ve survived, there are still unspoken things left between them — emotions that have matured, deepened, rooted themselves in the cracks of who they’ve become.

And now that Katsuki has a more concrete place in that nerd’s life — a steady, undeniable presence — there are perks. Important ones: Like having a spare key to Izuku’s apartment. Hell, Katsuki sometimes wants to brag about it. He has a copy of the key and the rest of those extras don’t. That’s his personal victory, and he’ll take it.

Now when he’s correcting some written activities that he asked his students to do today He was still thinking about all the things he'd been thinking about lately. But overall, he had a clearer picture and came to the following conclusion: He loves Katsuki like his other half.

Whatever that means.

He has a general sense of possessiveness towards him, he takes pride in being one of his closest friends and above all he really wants to see him these days. As long as they can, every time, he's even canceled on a couple of friends and other unimportant things because he's busy with Katsuki — They knew how to forgive him, many knew that sooner or later those two wanted to be together.

And what did it mean together?

For a second, his students' homework took a backseat as Izuku played with a pen on the desk in the staff room — Thinking about one last thing.

Why does he want to be with Katsuki so much after realizing how important it is in his life?

Unfortunately he didn't find the answers to that question right now because a knock on the door distracted him. But he can't get angry, not when All Might's smile is the first thing he sees.

"I'm here!" says the blond old man. He recently received a promotion to director of UA when Nezu decided to retire permanently. And since they now work together, they see each other quite often, which is nice."To invite you to dinner, young Midoriya!"

Izuku laughs a little and stands up as the old man approaches him. "I would love All Might, but is there a reason for it?"

"Can't I invite my favorite hero over for dinner once in a while? I was even going to tell you that you can bring Bakugo with you."

Why does everyone assume they're stuck at the hip? I mean, he doesn't mind. — Inviting Kacchan to dinner with All Might. All he needs is his mom, and it would be a family dinner. But it's still a little suspicious that everyone puts them in a combo.

"I'll see if he's free, when?"

"Tomorrow is Friday. I hope it's as comfortable for him as it is for us." The old man seems really excited, maybe he has something to tell them or maybe he just wants to spend some quality time with them.

And that emotion is sticky for the youngest who can't erase his smile "I suppose so, I'm sure he likes the invitation a lot. Are we looking for a restaurant or?"

"No no, not at all, come to my house and I'll cook for you."

"Oh god, no please, you don't have to go to all that trouble All Might" It made him feel sorry to think that someone as great and legendary as the hero symbol of peace was going to cook for them? A fucking honor.

But the old man simply brushes it off with a wave of his hand. "This is really just an excuse to make you my guinea pigs in my kitchen experiments."

That was something else, All Might retired and without a child to personally train as a tutor doesn't have much to do other than his duties as director of UA — Use his free time to learn to cook much better. Even if he was already a good cook before, now he has a special touch.

"Well, in that case it would be a pleasure"

"I'm glad to hear that, young man." All Might says before patting him on the shoulder and starting to walk away "See you around, try to convince that friend of yours to go"

"Kacchan will go, I know it"

They say goodbye seconds later and before finishing his work Izuku decides to write to Katsuki about all this Since the emotion completely covers him, he is happy, if he was already happy lately this makes him even happier.

/Damn nerd:
“All Might says we’re invited to dinner at his place tomorrow night.”

In his own office: Katsuki exhales through his nose, the smallest, most unwilling smile tugging at his lips. The message lights up the screen, and with it comes the memory of Izuku’s voice — bright, hopeful, maybe a little too chipper for the hour. He can almost hear it when he reads the words, as if Izuku were right there beside him.

He decided to answer, typing with difficulty because of his gloves.

/Kacchan:
"I could eat an old man's dinner tomorrow."

The blonde's almost automatic response made Izuku completely happy, especially since it was a positive response. It didn't take long for him to send Kats a silly sticker showing his happiness.

The city is relaxing up properly now —  The sun setting, children leaving school, adults returning home after a hard day's work, restaurants opening their doors for a good dinner to diners who want to go. And Izuku finishing all his work today to take the train to his apartment.

He thought that perhaps the answers to his questions were closer than he expected.

And he really hopes so, because he was especially excited by the idea of having dinner with two of his favorite people in this world — not to mention his two favorite heroes. So getting home, sleeping, going back to the Friday routine with her students, talking to her coworkers, it all felt like a filler episode in a rom-com series.

Even though his whole life lately felt like that, it was funny somehow, but he hates feeling so stupid sometimes. Anyway, all that was left was to go back to his apartment and wait for Katsuki to get to him.

They preferred to meet up for a little while before at Izuku's apartment and then walk to All Might's, which wasn't really far away. — They both like the cool weather at night and walking without worrying about other things, like a patrol for the blond. This is different; they're going to eat homemade food from the world's greatest hero.

What should he wear? Should he care about looking really presentable, or can he just go casual? What a headache.

Anyway, searching through his clean things, he found a short-sleeved T-shirt with only two buttons at the neck, some comfortable loose black jeans, and, as always, his clasic red shoes. Enough with all this and a little perfume after a good shower. He hoped not to overdo it, but he was a little nervous. He doesn't quite understand why, but he is.

And when Katsuki arrives at the apartment with his spare key, he simply leaves the room to greet him, seeing how he leaves a backpack on the main table.

"Welcome?" Izuku asks as a sarcastic joke and there their eyes met "Are you leaving work?" 

"Unfortunately yes" They seem to be tired, Izuku didn't have time to watch the news today but maybe it was a complicated patrol for Katsuki. He felt sorry to bother him with a dinner out today. "It was damn shit, I barely had fucking time to shower at the agency and come on time."

Seeing him a little stressed like that, Izuku simply made a gesture of understanding but took a few seconds to look at him, Katsuki didn't seem like someone who had rushed to arrive on time — the bastard always looked great.

And now he wonders if that boy has a closet full of black t-shirts and shirts because lately that's all he's seen him wear. Although there's no complaints, they look fantastic on him. The only change was the burgundy leather jacket, which gives him a different touch than usual. Shit, shit, Izuku's thinking about this a lot — Katsuki looks really attractive now.

"Idiot, are you there?" He had stared for so long that Katsuki was already tapping his head in distraction.

"Ah, yes, yes, sorry," he says foolishly, a few seconds before getting his things to leave the apartment. "You must have had a rough day, are you sure you want to go to All Might's dinner?"

Katsuki takes his cell phone and a couple of things from his backpack to put that in his pockets "We're just going to have dinner, it's not a big deal, nerd, I can tolerate it."

Only then did Izuku allow himself to relax a little so they could leave the apartment and go to that commitment they made with the hero. The sun was still setting so the sky had orange colors In its wide expanse, the breeze was somewhat cold and Izuku cursed himself for being distracted and not bringing a jacket for the return trip — It's not a long walk, it's twelve blocks, but when they get back it's going to be quite dark and probably colder.

But anyway, the trip was peaceful.

"That old man must have something important to tell us." The blond says to break the ice as they walk.

But Izuku shrugs "I don't know, I asked him and he just said he wants us to try his food"

"So he is decrepit and about to die"

"Kacchan!" Those kinds of comments earn Katsuki a good slap on the back, he can't say those things about someone important. "You know you shouldn't talk like that..."

Katsuki usually makes those kinds of comments not as a joke and not as something casual, it is simply an observation and part of his temperament. But he hides a little of the truth, obviously it would make him sad to lose All Might, he cried like a madman just thinking that it was his fault that he retired as a hero — What he said, he said it because it is a simple hypothesis and if it turns out to be true, both of them should be mentally prepared for this.

The other boy could easily understand these things, because he knows how to read the blond, but the mere thought of it still makes his stomach turn.

Leaving that aside, it was easy and comfortable for them to get to that nice house where the hero lived, it was the first time that both of them were going to really go inside. Although Izuku passed by there sometimes it was only to going to or from work with All Might.

And Katsuki? He never went, but because he's had a really busy life for several years, he doesn't have enough time, and every free minute he has he uses up on spontaneous activities. Like today, this spontaneous dinner.

They were greeted with a smile and a natural glow from the man who even as an old man never seems to lose that classic energy. It's all about attitude and health. All Might has both, or something like that. They hope and pray for that.

They didn't even have time to see any details of the house because the old man forced them to sit down and placed plates of food in front of them in five minutes. And damn, everything looked really good, the starter, the side dishes, even the rice looked spectacular.

It even came with an explanation of everything he had done in each dish and where he got the recipe or inspiration to make each dish, to which he also asked for a review of both before the same sitting down to eat as a normal person would do, not obsessed with a new hobby — But hey, it turned out well after all, All Might was a great cook.

"It's even better than your food, Kacchan" Izuku said as he put a breaded shrimp in a slightly spicy pink sauce in his mouth.

And even though it may have seemed true, Katsuki has a competitive soul just like he always has since the day he was born. "Then screw you as fuck, ask All Might to bring you lunch when you forget it at home, fucking moron."

That made them both laugh but the only one who could answer was Izuku "You are swearing a lot now"

At that the younger blond simply raised his middle finger while continuing to eat a bite of his completely homemade ramen.

The old man just watched as the two of them argued while he kept a couple of laughs in between. He likes being with those fools because after so many years they never stopped being fools. And as naive as he may be about some things, All Might has gained knowledge on several subjects, but he is not blind to the romance that lies before him.

Well, yes, he brought them here to see them for a while and spend time together, but more than anything, to confirm some suspicion he's been harboring for years. When would these two end up falling in love?

All Might begs to live to see them fall in love, to see them walk out free together, to see his apprentice fight like the hero he is again, and above all, he wants to see him get married. It's a silly wish of an old man who feels paternal towards his apprentice and best friend.

He is the biggest supporter of this couple who are not yet a couple.

Even when he's watching them now argue about current hero topics and other things. At least now he can actually participate in the conversation because it's easy for him to talk about what he really knows.

Katsuki as always was the one who seemed most involved in the discussion, because his face naturally looks angry and his voice is really loud even when it shouldn't be. "Yeah, that's the fucking point. The heroes of the past were fucking incompetents who could barely do their stupid jobs."

"I don't think all heroes have been incompetent, young Katsuki." All Might said as he arranged the empty plates at the other end of the table for more comfort. "There are always good heroes"

"Yes, but they used to be one in a million!"  The younger blond took the can of beer to pour a little more in his glass, he offered it to Izuku and he accepted as well. "This idiot without a quirk did more than all the morons who watched me die suffocated by that fucking villain of mud"

"Oh no, there he goes again" Izuku says laughing a little, it was a topic they talked about since Katsuki no longer had complexes about talking about it. "They weren't heroes fit for the job."

"A fucking hero must be able to figure out how to solve a situation no matter what." He argued really angrily, he was bothered by mediocre people. "You've been thinking about how things would have turned out if All Might hadn't been there."

"There's no reason to go down that road, Kacchan." The shorter man's calmness was contagious. They weren't really fighting; it was just a normal conversation between three adults.

"There's no point in thinking about what ifs when it's already past, luckily I was there, right?"  All Might tells them with a smile, but the young ones are stubborn.

Katsuki finishes his glass of beer with ease as he leans back in his chair. "Sure, but the time you weren't there, how did it end? That shitty camp, there were like six professionals and none of them could take good care of their students."

"Aizawa, Blaid and the PussyCats did their best Kacchan, but the league of villains was there and there were many"

"Did their best my balls, because of the low capacity of those idiots and the other extras everything ended worse"

"It wasn't so bad in the end. My retirement had a reason, and we managed to imprison One For All for quite some time." They always have to look on the bright side of things, right? All Might was an expert at that, especially since he now knows that that event was a breaking point for the young blond.

Izuku shook his head with a smile on his lips, already wondering where this was all going "Nobody died Kacchan, that's what should make us happy"

"That's not the topic here, idiot" Katsuki states, looking him in the eyes seriously, "We need real heroes on the streets, people with real abilities."

"This generation is good, they are almost all our classmates and other good heroes trained in the war" And the next generations would be trained by the One For All Hero and Symbol Of Hope Deku himself, there would surely be better heroes each time with his influence in between.

"It would be better if you could be there, we need a symbol like you." Katsuki says, pointing a little at Izuku with his chin, well maybe he's a little drunk and starts saying sentimental nonsense.

This is where, no matter how much he supports them, All Might doesn't know where to hide to give them privacy.

"You know it's not possible anymore Kacchan, even though I would like to"

"It's fucking shit..."

"Well, well, since the debate has cooled down, how about some dessert?" And what a hero he is, who rescues dinner just when things could really go wrong.

Luckily, it was easy to proceed with dessert after all that because despite the differences in opinions, this had just been a calm debate of points of view. And all parts were at least a little right.

The topics of conversation were much lighter after that, the old man went to great lengths to recount some events from his youth that the press didn't know about, some advice from the paperwork for Katsuki as a hero and maybe some comment on the news lately — Sometimes being an adult is a bit boring, when you lose the sparkle of adolescence.

For a teenager, everything feels stronger, more unique, more desperate. There are thousands of strange hormones at play that make you feel everything more intensely, contrary to what everyone thinks It's not just sex hormones.

Cortisol, the stress hormone, increases significantly during this stage because the body and mind are constantly changing. Maybe that was why Katsuki lived with his nerves on edge, anything made him excessively angry about everything even if these things had their justification.

But on the other hand, serotonin and dopamine balance changes, affecting mood, motivation, and impulsiveness. This is why things sometimes feel too intense. Maybe that's why Izuku was so engrossed in his path as a hero and everything seemed crazy to him, he liked everything and was really happy about it.

Perhaps those two differences in their growth had affected their visions of the world, one trying to understand himself and the other trying to finish his duty as All Might's heir.

It wasn't easy for them to get along at that time but all teenagers grow up, and somehow manage to understand what used to escape their grasp — Some sooner than others. As Katsuki who easily understood how much he could learn to love Izuku, as soon as he felt his life coming to an end the only regret he had was not being as good as that idiot.

But there is still time for the other part of this to understand how you feel about your relationship now that your only job is teaching teenagers, it is not an easy task but it still has more time for himself he can think about it and this dinner was the moment where he wanted to close that.

Izuku had a beautiful dinner (with a couple of arduous debates) that he shared with two of his favorite people, the idea had been good, seeing Katsuki was always a luxury and All Might was happy to have him.

In the end, as he helped wash the dishes that Katsuki was clearing from the table, his head was spinning around this matter as it had been for the past few days. He wants to put an end to it, in a good way. Maybe he's a little drunk to do this, but he'd really like to sort out the mess in his chest.

For that reason, once they said goodbye to All Might and assured him they would see each other again soon, they returned to the shorter one's apartment. The cold of the night hit them a little and shit, that should be brought a jacket.

As if it were the most ordinary thing in the world, Katsuki's burgundy leather jacket fell over his shoulders. Were they teenagers in a cheesy movie?

"If you get sick, you'll force me to take care of you, idiot." The blond says without really looking at him as they walk, but in reality it was a cover for his real concern: he doesn't want Izuku to be sick, he takes care of his health.

And that touches Izuku's stupid, dumb nerd heart even more, and confuses him even more. If it had been any other friend, he would have politely rejected the gesture — And if he were anyone else, Katsuki would never have given him that kind of gesture. Does that mean being special to someone? Silent gestures of care?

And why does he like the tallest one's scent so much? It smells like Kacchan, like his house, like his bed, his hero suit, that scent he's clung to for years and loves.

He finishes putting his jacket on properly, closing the zipper and putting his hands in his pockets. Katsuki's headphone box is there as well as his keys. He is careful not to drop them even when the two arrived at the apartment, and he took it off and placed it on the back of a chair. Katsuki would probably drink some water and leave.

It's now or never. If Katsuki leaves, Izuku wouldn't have time to work up the courage to talk about it again.

"Kacchan?" The shorter one asks, watching the blond start packing his things into his backpack, ready to head off to his own apartment. He feels a bit cowardly in the face of that image.

But Katsuki looks at him so normally that he downplays it. "Um?"

It's not time to turn around "I... I've been thinking lately about what we talked about last time, about important ties and all that." He takes a few steps towards the table where the other boy was, leaning on the back of the chair in front of him "I know I apologized, and well, we said what we said."

"And I told you not to give it importance"

"No, I do give it importance because they are your feelings Kacchan, and part of mine" He says seriously but even tries to show a smile at the corners of his mouth. "I only had one thing left to know, why do you care so much about us?"

But Katsuki stared at him like an idiot, as if the question was the most brain-deadly thing anyone could ask, and worse, that Izuku could ask.

"Really? You damn bastard, didn't you understand anything?"

"Not really, I guess I'm just slow with this," he says now, running a hand behind his neck, embarrassed.

"I've realized how stupid you can be." Katsuki snorts, starting to get a little angry, more than anger it's... sadness mixed with some pain. "Haven't you thought about it? Isn't it fucking obvious to you how I feel, you piece of—?"

"Well, no, not really, I can't get inside your head and understand everything if you don't tell me things." Izuku today is not someone who lets himself be trampled on easily, if he is yelled at he can yell too.

"You weren't clear about it before?" The blond says indignantly, He didn't believe it, he knows that making Izuku understand these things isn't really easy. He's already tired. It's been five fucking years of quiet, subtle attempts to get under that idiot's skin and win his love properly.

Fuck Izuku, fuck his nerdy ass, and fuck the supposed friendship they've been maintaining these past few months. Katsuki can't take this shit anymore — That was the reason why he took out his anger by grabbing Izuku by the collar of his clothes to pull them towards him with such force that their lips collided in a kiss that seemed more like a brutal crash.

They could hate him afterward, the blond would accept it and walk away forever if the other guy asked him to, but he's really tired now. He can't take this shit anymore.

When they separate for a few seconds Katsuki runs his other hand over his lips, avoiding Izuku's eyes in front of him for a bit. "Does this shit give you the answers you wanted?"

But there was no response, not really for a few seconds, not a single verbal reply as the shorter boy's brain tried to make quick connections. Until the light bulb went off.

It all made sense now.

Katsuki, his Kacchan, loved him because he was in love with him, because after all these years showing him how important Izuku is to him, everything had that intention, well or And she doesn't judge him for hiding it, she doesn't mind that it was a secret, she understands that fear leads to keeping that kind of thing.

But even better. He understands how much he liked that kiss, how much it stirred something inside his mind. So as he always does, he let his instinct respond, taking Katsuki's face in both hands and kissing him back, but a little more gently.

He's not sure about many things, but he thinks he has an idea of where all this is leading them. However, neither of them feels like thinking about it right now.

The momentum of the new kiss made Katsuki stagger back a little, hitting the edge of the table — and even with the surprise from this unexpected kiss, he still has good reflexes because the hand that was tightly holding Izuku's clothes was now gently placed on his chest as he reciprocated the other's lips. It was crazy, how is it that that nerd knows how to kiss so well if he never dated anyone?

There are no ways or words to describe what they both feel after the lack of air makes them separate a little.

In a momente, the first to loosen the closeness of the contact a little was Izuku, lowering his hands to the blond's chest — who only placed his hand around the shortes one of his wrists.

"I... think I understand."

But Katsuki can only laugh a little as he removes Izuku's hand from his chest while turning his head a little to see him properly. "I expected that from an idiot like you."

"How cruel Kacchan" He jokes a little "Is this how you treat the people you kiss?" 

"I don't kiss people, moron"

Izuku looks into his eyes and is speechless for a few seconds. He wants to ask what that means, but maybe he won't be so lucky and this time he'll receive a blow instead of a kiss.

"Tch" Katsuki puts his hand on the shorter boy's curly hair, as he usually does he leaves him a couple of caresses, he is being so gentle with him... Now that he released his stress he can talk seeing those emerald eyes "You look like a fool, what else do you want me to say, nerd? Spit it out."

Izuku hesitates a little but in the end there is nothing left to lose "What do we do now?"

"God damn Izuku, can you be that naive?" But in reality now a slight laugh before bringing his lips back to the shorter ones, stealing a short kiss "Even if you've never been with someone you should know what happens next."

After a few seconds of recalculating another kiss Izuku opens his eyes again "I have a vague idea... maybe try dating?"

"No, now you have to tell me what you feel."

The situation was dragging on a bit, but it was necessary, because Katsuki would let himself be kissed by someone who — despite silently wanting to for years — doesn't tell him how he feels about it. He's a fucking asshole 80% of the time, but you should know that he's totally different when it comes to Izuku. He cares about that nerd and, above all, wants to understand him.

What's in Izuku's heart? What does he feel, what does he think, what does he hope to do or experience after a night like tonight? That's all they really need to know.

Because things spoken poorly lead to misunderstandings, and misunderstandings hurt people, damage bonds, and that's the last thing anyone wants right now. But even if they end up fighting, they can't live without each other. They would end up seeing each other again, but they don't want that to happen now.

And Izuku tried to clear his mind before speaking, thinking and giving the right words because the last thing he wants is to hurt the blond.

"I don't have everything clear but I love you, I said it before and it hasn't changed and... well, I kissed you" He says with irony as if he were really a fool "I guess I can say I like you, I've thought about it a bit."

"A bit?" The blond mocks.

And Izuku rolls his eyes a little "A little too much, maybe... the point is that I don't want us to drift apart, I want to try whatever we do."

For those seconds when the nerdy idiot spoke, the only thing the other could do was look at him with all the affection he had been guarding for almost his entire life. How many years did he hide? Not his sexuality, everyone knows by assumption that Katsuki is gay, but that he hid his feelings regarding Izuku for so long that letting them out simply It feels like peeling the old skin off a snake, revealing how beautiful the new layer of scales is.

Then the warmth released from his chest spreads across his face, a smile that is difficult to decipher but clearly holds too many feelings. Izuku is not indifferent to this and He takes her hand in his curls, interlacing their hands a little.

But Katsuki lets out a sigh, avoiding her gaze as if it were too much for him, like an emotional indigestion. "Is that what you want?"

"You kept it to yourself for a long time, right? What I want to know is that about you, Kacchan... everything you've hidden from me."

Now Katsuki looked at him with his eyebrows slightly raised, his hand grab Izuku's cheek, pulling with little force. "Codescending little shit" He laughs, but in the end, this is what he wanted, right? "Don't complain then when you find out and don't even think about leaving me behind ever, you idiot."

It was the only thing necessary to say before forming a light hug, Izuku wrapped his arms around Katsuki's waist and he leaned on the other's shoulders as if this was what he had wanted for so long — And damn, it was. So many years of waiting... are worth it.

And Izuku was comfortable, surprisingly he liked this new closeness and the idea of being able to know more about Katsuki, seeing him more often in these sweet facets that he can have in private with him and the whole anticipation that your brain is already recalibrating with anxiety — He wants it, he wants this. Seeing how Kacchan can be in love even though he's been seeing him briefly all these years, could it really be better? That's what he wants to find out.

And a hug seals everything so well.

"Are you staying overnight?"

"We're not having sex, Izuku."

They separated with a push and the aforementioned hit Katsuki on the shoulder while laughing really happy "You're an idiot, I didn't think about that!"

"Yes, sure" With a bit of disbelief Katsuki gave him the benefit of the doubt.

I'm sure destiny has beautiful things in store for them together because they have just closed the introduction to their romance story, opening the page for a new chapter.

A chapter full of surprises and many other things.

A chapter where Katsuki gets what he's wanted for years — One where Izuku finds something he didn't know he needed for so long.

Chapter Text

What did it mean to try to be something? To try and start dating?

It was a strange question, really — neither of them had ever been in a relationship before. They’d both been so focused on their personal goals that romance, or even casual flings, had never been something that caught their attention. It just wasn’t their thing.

Especially not for Katsuki. He’d been hopelessly in love with someone for a long time now; it wouldn’t make sense to be with anyone else while his heart still belonged to that one person.

Besides, he wasn’t that kind of guy. Casual sex disgusted him — not because he thought virginity was sacred (he believed that was a dumb social construct anyway), but because he knew love had more to offer than some meaningless one-night stand.

It wasn’t that he was “saving himself” for Izuku — that’d be ridiculous. But sleeping with someone else while secretly longing for Izuku? That would’ve been worse. That would’ve been using people for something empty, and he wouldn’t have enjoyed it at all.

But hey, that never happened, so who cares.

The real question now was what the hell they were going to do about their relationship. Things didn’t have to change if they were already going well — seeing each other nearly every day, constant visits to each other’s apartments, crossing paths on purpose. That’s what kept them close.

Still, anyone who didn’t live under a rock knew that when two people liked each other, they went on dates or did special things together — not just their usual, cozy, domestic routines.

Katsuki might’ve been an idiot, but he wasn’t clueless. And above all, he didn’t want to mess things up now that he actually had Izuku — now that he had a real chance to love him the way he’d been yearning to all these years. He couldn’t waste that chance. Which is why, right now, he looked like an absolute moron — feet on the desk, headphones off, phone in hand, googling:

“What to do on a first date.”

It was ridiculous, really. How could it be that after all these years, he’d never even considered that Izuku might actually say yes? That they’d want to try something serious together? The idea of being in a real, official relationship was right around the corner, and Katsuki had no clue what came next — because all these years, he thought it was impossible.

Honestly, dying might’ve been easier.

He’s joking… kind of. It’s just the fear — the panic of screwing it all up.

Luckily, he found some inspiration — or maybe the light bulb in his brain finally flickered on when he saw an ad about a new photography exhibition opening at a local museum. He didn’t know who the hell the featured photographer was, but their work looked good.

He remembered what Izuku had said last time — how much he liked photography and how much emotion it could capture. Maybe this was a good idea after all.

He glanced at the clock. Yeah, he should be doing paperwork, but screw that. Paperwork could wait another damn day. Now seemed like a good time to text the nerd without interrupting his classes.

/Kacchan:
“Better be free Saturday afternoon. Shower and dress nice.”

That was all he sent before tossing the phone aside and finally forcing himself to focus on his hero work — signing papers, writing reports about missions, filing nonsense that had nothing to do with actually being a hero.

Still, the thought of their date made him feel lighter. He was excited, not that he’d ever say that out loud. He’d found something he hoped Izuku would really like. He knew Izuku enough to guess that the nerd would probably just be happy to go anywhere, as long as they were together. That was how simple he was.

But even so… Katsuki felt like a genius.

It was a good choice — nice part of town, classy, interesting, maybe they could go eat afterward.

He walked home that evening thinking about how free he felt. Free to love the way he’d always wanted to. Free to want Izuku openly now that— well, they’d kissed like three times in one night, so yeah, that meant something.

He wouldn’t admit it out loud, but he really did feel like one of those stupid dogs wagging their tails just because their owner gave them a treat. Maybe that was the best way to describe it.

Even Edgeshot noticed. Told him he looked more radiant lately, that something had changed, and whatever it was, he should hold onto it.

Was it really that obvious?

Well, who cares. Let people know. He had nothing to hide. Loving was a right — and for the first time, he had the freedom to do it fully.

A message came in just as he entered his apartment, tossing his keys onto the dining table, his bag on the couch, and his earpiece case beside it. He grabbed his phone while heading to the kitchen to make something decent to eat before bed.

The message made him grin.

/Damn Nerd:
“You’ve got good plans? I’ll be ready for you ♡”

A really good reply, honestly. Izuku’s enthusiasm caught him off guard, but it made him smile. They had a real date planned now.

All he had to do was survive a few more days of boring hero work — wake up early, shower, head to the agency, babysit the annoying intern Edgeshot stuck him with, fill out endless reports, and somehow not blow up the building in frustration.

But hell, he deserved a medal just for getting through two full days of that crap without exploding. His prize? Their first official date tomorrow.

Wild, really — to think that after spending so long with his hands in his pockets, watching from behind, settling for glimpses of Izuku’s back, he’d finally caught up. Finally reached him.

And damn, he’d earned it.

Katsuki wasn’t just the symbol of victory on the battlefield. He was a winner, period. And now, he’d won something that mattered more than any fight: Izuku.

He dreamed about it every night — and tonight was no different.

Those nightmares where Izuku slipped away, unreachable, like that terrible day years ago… tonight, they were replaced by memories of their hands intertwined, their triumph, that warm embrace at the end.

He’d made that dream real.

When was the last time Katsuki had felt nervous? He couldn’t remember. He usually acted on instinct — missions, fights, life — all strategy and impulse blended into one. Maybe a date wasn’t so different. He just had to do what he always did with Izuku: be himself.

After a shower the next morning, he stood before his closet like an idiot, staring at it as if the perfect outfit would appear out of thin air. What the hell did people wear to museum dates? Formal? Casual? No clue.

He sighed and grabbed a shirt Kirishima had gifted him last year — one he’d never worn. Dark moss green stripes over a white base, long sleeves, neat buttons. Looked good enough. He paired it with black jeans and his clean sneakers.

Hair? Nah, too much effort.
Cologne? Same as always.

He was five minutes late when he parked outside Izuku’s building, but that was fine. Rolling down the window, he spotted him coming out through the lobby, waving.

“Wow, perfect timing,” Izuku said, climbing into the car with that radiant smile that always made Katsuki forget how to breathe. “You’re on time, Kacchan. Good morning.”

Katsuki glanced at him — and froze.

Holy hell.

It was almost summer now, warm but not too hot, perfect for what Izuku was wearing: a light, knitted white shirt with the top three buttons undone, showing just enough skin to make Katsuki’s brain short-circuit. Loose brown pants, a dark belt, sandals — relaxed, effortless, unfairly good-looking.

Damn it, that idiot had no idea how beautiful he was.

“Kacchan?”

That snapped him back.

“Tch. Morning, nerd,” he muttered, starting the car just to have something to focus on. But, well… they were on a date, right? He should probably say something nice. “You actually put effort into not looking like a nerd today, huh?”

Yeah. That was his version of a compliment.

Izuku just laughed. “Is that supposed to be a compliment? You’re really bad at them, Kacchan.” Then, playfully, “Thanks though. I don’t even know where we’re going, so I hope this fits.”

Katsuki gave him a sideways look. Perfect. He looked perfect for a museum date. “You’ll be fine. Don’t overthink it.”

“Well, thanks. You als—”

“No. Don’t.”

“But—” Izuku laughed softly. Since when did Katsuki reject compliments? Maybe he was embarrassed. “Alright then, mister modest.”

“’Scuse me, what did you call me, you little shit?” Katsuki reached over to ruffle his hair, even while driving. “Can’t believe I’m taking you on a date. You don’t even deserve it.”

“Sure I don’t, Kacchan. You should’ve gone for Shoto.”

“What the hell’s that supposed to mean?” Katsuki shot him a glare, though there was a smirk tugging at his lips.

Izuku shrugged innocently. “No idea. Just a random thought.”

“Stop having dumb random thoughts like that. I barely tolerate that IcyHot bastard. Don’t insult me.”

“Shoto’s pretty.”

“He’s a nosy pain in the ass.”

Izuku chuckled, watching the city go by through the window. The morning light was warm, the streets busy but calm — Musutafu was alive with early traffic and chatter. It was the perfect day for a date, really. Not too hot, not too cold. The last breath of spring.

Katsuki parked near the museum, finally finding shade for his black car. As they walked, Izuku asked, “So where are we going? You never told me.”

Katsuki glanced at his phone’s map. “Not telling you.”

He wasn’t being secretive for fun — though yeah, he had hidden a hero suit in his closet for five years — but because they were literally seconds away.

Sure enough, two blocks later, they stopped in front of the new museum, sunlight gleaming off its curved domes and marble columns. The architecture was stunning: intricate plaster details, perfect lines, stained-glass windows catching the morning light.

“No way,” Izuku breathed, eyes wide. “How did you know I wanted to come here?”

Katsuki shoved his hands in his pockets, avoiding eye contact. He didn’t give a damn about architecture — he was here because he knew it’d make Izuku happy. Still, he allowed himself a small smile.

“You said you liked photography. Wasn’t hard to figure out. You’re simple like that.”

Izuku laughed softly, bumping his shoulder. “That’s sweet of you, though. I really am happy.”

“Tch. Yeah, yeah. That was the point.”

Maybe his ears were turning red — Izuku’s thanks always hit harder than he expected. It was ridiculous how much a simple thank you from that nerd could warm him more than any victory ever had.

If doing this meant seeing Izuku smile like that, then hell, he’d do it again and again.

And so, they stepped through the grand doors, greeted by a bright, elegant lobby — coffee shop on one side, souvenir stands on the other, and a hallway leading into the first exhibit. A staff member handed them brochures, doing a double take when she realized who she was speaking to.

“Oh my god,” she gasped, bowing deeply. “Dynamight and Deku! I didn’t know you’d be here — we could’ve arranged a special tour—”

Izuku quickly smiled and waved his hand. “We’re just visiting as civilians, no need for all that.”

“Oh— right! Sorry! It’s such an honor, please enjoy the exhibit!”

“We will,” Izuku replied kindly, then added, “Though I’d love to meet the photographer later if possible.”

“Of course!” she said excitedly, gesturing them forward.

The girl let them into the exhibition, and honestly, it wasn’t bad. The place was beautiful inside too, with soft white lighting designed to highlight the details of the photographs displayed along every wall—some of them enormous, clearly the ones the artist wanted to stand out the most, while others were smaller, more intimate. A few mini-collections were set up in other corners, fragments of captured worlds waiting to be seen.

And then, the second floor—also filled with the same quiet magic.

Katsuki didn’t understand a damn thing about photography, but he could appreciate how well-taken some of them were. Not that he was really paying attention to the photos on the walls, anyway—his focus was, predictably, on his date. The way Izuku’s face lit up, how genuinely happy he looked today, was worth more than every photograph in the place combined.

It was worth everything just to have him there, brushing Katsuki’s shoulder whenever he wanted to point something out, rambling about composition theories or why certain images fit together as collections, smiling whenever something caught his attention. Could something this simple make him that happy? Whatever. Nerds and their silly passions—he was used to it. Izuku had always been weird.

And Katsuki liked him exactly like that. So this was fine.

That’s why he even followed him when the green-haired nerd started talking to another nerd—the so-called “artist” and self-proclaimed genius behind the exhibition. Katsuki just stood a few steps behind Izuku, watching them talk, letting his eyes wander over the photos again while the author explained things to the hero in great detail. In total, they must’ve spent nearly three hours in there, which was absurd for a simple exhibit.

He was glowing. That idiot always glowed when he was passionate about something. It was honestly mesmerizing to see him like that, and Katsuki couldn’t stop the faint smile tugging at his lips.

Their eyes met when the artist finally left after saying goodbye. And, like every time he got caught off guard, Katsuki quickly looked away, pretending he hadn’t been staring.

“Is that a smile?” Izuku teased, pointing at him with a playful finger.

Katsuki turned his back, heading toward the exit. “You’re hallucinating,” he said, catching him from the corner of his eye—but he couldn’t hide that damn smile.

“It is!” Izuku laughed, bumping his shoulder against his. “You’re happy too, admit it.”

“No, it’s a mediocre museum with photos I could take myself.”

“Then you’re happy to be with me,” Izuku said, grinning, and this time Katsuki couldn’t resist looking at him directly—actually smiling—before ruffling his hair gently.

“Congratulations, nerd, you discovered America,” he muttered jokingly, though honestly, it was enough for him that Izuku knew he was happy to be there.

Sunlight hit them as they stepped outside. It was already past noon, and they hadn’t eaten much, so they decided to find a decent-looking place to hide from the heat and fill their stomachs with something good—this time, courtesy of Izuku, who had insisted he was paying.

Once they were seated, each with a sandwich of their choice at a little shop known for them, they could finally relax. Or at least try to—Izuku was still talking about the photo exhibition, and he genuinely seemed excited. The least Katsuki could do was listen, even if he didn’t understand half of it. What the hell was ISO, anyway?

Izuku ended by saying he’d love to go back when there was a new exhibition, and Katsuki immediately told him not to count on it.

“You say that, but you’d still come with me,” Izuku said, sipping his banana milkshake through a straw.

“Tempt fate and see who’s dumb enough to follow your fanatic ass to one of those things again,” Katsuki grumbled. He was terrible at lying, though—everyone could tell. If Izuku asked him to go, Katsuki would follow him anywhere, no questions asked.

Still, lunch wasn’t the time to talk about stupid little things like that, so the conversation shifted—thankfully for Katsuki—because he was already tired of hearing about “photo compositions” and other crap he’d never care about.

Somehow, the topic jumped all over the place in seconds, but that’s how the best connections worked, right? It just meant they got along perfectly.

“Next time, we should do something you like,” Izuku suggested. “Maybe mountain climbing.”

“No way, you wouldn’t last,” Katsuki teased, leaning back in his chair with his arms crossed.

Izuku looked at him defiantly. “You think I can’t? I went a couple of times with you guys when we were kids.”

“Those were easy camping trips. You’re not in shape for climbing a real mountain, nerd.”

“Hey! I train four times a week—how could I not be in shape?”

Katsuki shrugged. He didn’t have a real counterargument—and worse, that damn nerd had beaten him at arm wrestling a few days ago. So yeah, he was in shape. Katsuki just felt like teasing him. “You do desk work every day. Mountain climbing isn’t for office workers.”

Izuku shot him an accusatory look. “Stop making excuses. You’re just avoiding it. I made you happy, so now I want to do something you enjoy.”

“Fine, let’s say we can—but it’s not happening on the next date.” Katsuki nodded toward the window, where the sun blazed high above, people walked around in shorts, and the air shimmered with heat. “Summer’s coming. School breaks start soon, and the mountains get packed with annoying tourists. It’s impossible to climb in peace. Plus, it’s gross hiking while drenched in sweat—you’ll end up with heatstroke. We’ll go in autumn.”

Izuku looked at him as if Katsuki had just read him an entire holy book — so much drama just to climb a mountain?
“Fine, alright, you convinced me. We’ll go in autumn.”

“Good. Because I hate sweating when I’m not working,” Katsuki muttered, trying to sound grumpy but actually lightening up the whole speech he’d just given.

Both of them laughed as they stood from their table to go pay. Of course, the shorter one got all flustered when Katsuki tried to pay with his card. The cashier smiled quietly as the two heroes bickered for a bit, until, inevitably, Izuku ended up paying.

They decided to keep talking somewhere away from the scorching sunlight. It was supposed to still be spring, but it was already getting hot, and besides, they both wanted a little more privacy than what a café table could offer. The only reasonable choice was Izuku’s apartment—plus, that way, the nerd would already be home.

The car ride wasn’t long, and honestly, it felt relaxing. A gentle silence, the kind that eases the tension out of your shoulders after a long day—even if the day had been a good one. Some exhaustion just builds up naturally.

Once inside, the cool air from the vents greeted them. Izuku’s apartment never got too much direct sunlight in the morning, which helped keep it fresh. It got even better when they poured two glasses of lemonade and sat down on the floor in front of the couch, putting on some random movie neither of them actually intended to watch.

Katsuki leaned sideways, one arm resting on the couch behind him, body slightly turned toward Izuku. The other boy was staring absently at the screen, and something about the calm on his face made Katsuki’s chest tighten. His heartbeat felt loud—too loud. They’d kissed a few times before, sure, but it was still so new that every bit of closeness felt electric, almost too much to handle.

Somehow, Izuku noticed that gaze on him and turned his head, meeting his eyes directly.

“Do I have something on my face?” he asked, a silly smile playing on his lips.

“Yeah. Ugliness,” Katsuki shot back dryly before letting out a short laugh as Izuku smacked him lightly on the chest. He hoped the joke landed right—he never wanted those teasing comments to actually hurt. If they did, he’d stop immediately.

“You’re such a pain,” Izuku said, leaning back a little and studying the blond. “You should try maturing someday, Kacchan.”

“I could say the same about you—you still call me that stupid nickname,” he retorted, clicking his tongue without real annoyance.

“I thought you liked it! You used it in front of One For All—it was on live TV!” Izuku teased, finally able to laugh about it. It was a topic he’d always avoided before, worried it might tick Katsuki off. But hey, they’d grown, and now they were comfortable enough to joke about it.

Katsuki thought about it for a second. That day, he’d said it without thinking—his head was a storm, his veins running on pure adrenaline. He’d just been given the chance to live again, to stand beside Izuku once more. He’d been overwhelmed, in every possible sense.

Could he tell him that?

He looked at him for a moment, frowning slightly. “Don’t you dare stop calling me that, you idiot,” he said, giving him a small, playful punch on the cheek.

Izuku caught his hand, holding it gently and bringing it down to rest on his lap. “I wasn’t planning to,” he said softly. That stubborn idiot—he’d kept using that nickname even back when Katsuki hated it. Some habits never die, but now… it felt more intimate than ever.

“The other time,” Izuku began quietly, eyes flicking down before returning to Katsuki’s, “you only told me that you were in love with me. But I still have questions.”

Katsuki smirked faintly. “Damn, of course you do.” He rolled his eyes but didn’t pull his hand away. “Go on, nerd. This is your one chance.”

Izuku gave a nervous little laugh, hesitated, then asked, “Since when? And how did you realize it?”

For a few seconds, Katsuki had to think, as if going back in time to his thoughts as a confused teenager.

It was like bringing a bunch of things from the past into the present that he had already normalized, as if it were the norm, the usual. At some point, it just felt right, and the only thing he had to do was keep it in his chest and stay silent.

So the answer wasn’t very clear, but if asked what the breaking point was to realize it, he had an idea of what to say.

“When Shigaraki shattered my heart,” he began, staring at the TV as the crappy movie continued, “All I could think about was whether we were going to win together, but when you didn’t came in time, I was afraid I’d never catch up to you, as a hero—” He paused for a few seconds, looking at those green eyes. “As a person. My only regret was that and having treated All Might badly.”

For Izuku, hearing all that might have been a confirmation of some theories he’d made at bedtime, but hearing it from Kacchan’s mouth was something else — it was like receiving the most beautiful confirmation of love he could ever imagine.

That’s why he changed so much with him after the war. He tried to do everything possible to be someone worthy of staying by Izuku’s side, improving every day to earn the title of childhood best friend. That was worth more than all the gold in the world for both of them; it was effort from one side and gratitude from the other.

Maybe Izuku’s eyes pricked a little now thinking about it, the hospital visits when recovering from injuries, the arms at night during nightmares, every little thing the blond did to help him through the pain of surviving a war and its repercussions, even if he himself had plenty.

Katsuki looked out for Izuku before himself.

“You know I should be the one crying, right?”

Izuku looked at him, trying not to pout like a childish fool, but at least one tear fell down his cheek. “I know, but you went through so much, and I was an idiot…”

Katsuki raised his hand to wipe away that tear. Since when was he so gentle? “We already talked about this.”

“Yeah, I know, I know, but I can’t believe all the things you did without me noticing, but they were always there… I know everything happens for a reason and things fall into place when they should, but it feels so unfair.”

For Katsuki, it was ironic but so typical of him — crying because someone else’s pain seemed greater than his own. That soul of his was unique, so empathetic and kind, as if he himself didn’t matter in this world and lived through others in a good way, because even so, Izuku Midoriya was a unique individual.

All these things made Katsuki hate him and fall even more in love with him.

He hated him for never thinking of himself — he’s human too, and he has the right to feel for himself and care for his own well-being instead of others for once.

But he loved him because this made him a true hero, the kind who would give everything they have and more for the good of the society they want to save.

“Just stop doing that, we’re fine now, right?”

“No, I told you I like you, not that I’m in love. It’s not the same, and yet you stayed… I don’t want to give you the minimum.”

“Izuku, feelings take time.”

The boy shook his head, pulling away as he wiped his tears. “No, today you remembered something I vaguely told you, something that I liked, and you took me to a place I loved. Even if you got bored and were happy just to make me happy… you’ve become such a beautiful person, Kacchan— I… I don’t force myself to fall in love, it comes naturally thinking of all the good you’ve done for me over these years.”

“You’re rushing things and—”

Katsuki’s words were literally silenced by a kiss on his lips, as if the idiot Izuku were returning the karma of their first kiss a few days ago — but there was no way to complain; he wasn’t going to push him away when this was what he most wanted after a long day like today.

A beautiful sentimental closing.

One of the blond’s hands returned to that cheek full of freckles, as if painted by a meticulous artist who took the time to place them where they looked best, caressing the scar that ran across half his face with his thumb.

They weren’t really experts at kissing; that could be blamed on the fact that neither had much interest in learning before being together like now — it was good they started from zero, so there was no real battle involved.

What there was, however, was a connection so unique between them that it didn’t matter. The important thing was that they were together, truly this time. They weren’t just two souls trying to understand what was going through each other’s heads or trying to connect — this time, they really connected.

Even a few seconds later, when they separated, still with eyes closed, trying to recalibrate a bit, Izuku let out a giggle.

“Don’t ever tell me I’m rushing things again,” he warned, moving a bit closer to his lips. “I want to make it official with you.”

“Izuku… don’t do it just because you feel sorry for my pathetic longing.” But Katsuki was the one who pulled back slightly, his fear and insecurity surfacing at times. Deep down, he prayed the other wouldn’t get mad, but he wanted to make it clear.

And the mentioned one simply shook his head, fully understanding what might hurt Katsuki — hitting his insecurity that people give him things just because, or out of pity.

But it wasn’t like that. It wasn’t because of that. Izuku was slow but not an idiot.

“I’m doing it because it’s what I truly want, Kacchan.”

And they could have been more melodramatic right now, could have had longer monologues about how they felt in this situation and everything they wanted to achieve together — even about how they came to love each other after all those years of hating each other.

But this was more than enough. “Damn it, I’m the one who should be asking you.”

Izuku laughed, moving a bit back to see him better. “I won~” he said in a playful little voice, which only earned him a pillow hitting his face, a pillow he then hugged.

“You little shit, I swear I could kill you,” was an obvious exaggeration, because what followed was a soft kiss on his lips. “Don’t even think about bragging.”

“Ah no, everyone’s going to know I was the one who asked you to be my boyfriend.”

“Ah, were we talking about being boyfriends?” Katsuki joked, pretending to doubt. The pillow returned to his face, which made him a little angry. “Hey, don’t be annoying.”

“You started it!”

Kids grow up, become teenagers, and later adults, but being an adult doesn’t mean losing the soul of fun — some people say that when you’re with the one you love most, you become a foolish adolescent in love again. And for them, it could be true.

“Well, screw you, show it off, idiot, but you’ll wake up without a couple of balls.”

“Kacchan, that’s cruel!” he said in his high-pitched voice, but he ended up laughing anyway.

If this was all Katsuki had been waiting for for years, it made it even more valuable. He knew hard work bears the juiciest, most delicious fruits; it was really worth enduring years of anguish in his throat if it meant Izuku himself asked him to start formalizing their relationship on the first date.

What did Katsuki do to deserve it? Metaphorically speaking, because physically he used his entire body to keep Izuku safe and alive multiple times. But it wasn’t a score to cash in; he didn’t use those things to demand anything from the idiot nerd.

Still, he would never feel worthy of his love, but love is about that: healing and improving together.

They wouldn’t be perfect, but at least they had each other to accompany them through the worst things, as always. Whether they wanted it or not, the other was always there, helping as best as he could, being part of the other’s personal growth, and they owed each other so much that they were practically even.

It’s funny how their paths have never completely separated; somehow, they’re more connected than they think.

And maybe this was what they needed to grow even more in this new stage — not feeling stuck, but progressing hand in hand. Now finally able to experience their love however they liked, with freedom and new experiences together for life.

All in due time.

And all with a why.