Chapter Text
They had been assigned different teams in separate regions of the city for patrolling. It made sense; Deku, Shoto, and he were the most raw combat power from their class with equally reliable leadership skills. They had known all the intimate details of the All For One case as well, so it was only natural that they were squad leads. Iida and Momo were great leaders in defense and citizen control after, but the heroes needed an offensive line. The three of them had studied under the No. 1 hero for their internship after all. But it had also meant Class 1A had hardly seen each other. If it weren’t for the back and forth communication over their transmitters, it would make Katuski antsy. Deku could easily slip off again, taking matters into his own hands, but the other’s voice was so upbeat, so stabile and reassured. It felt just like their training exercises a couple months ago when they were going through drill after drill of rescue planning. They even got back into making it a game.
Regardless, class 1A didn’t actually have any down time until late dinner. Some of the students went to bed straight away without eating they were so wiped out. Others welcomed the chatter and updates of the day, falling into a natural comfortability. After a wind down of changing out of their hero suits, anyone who had wanted to stay up congregated in the living room.
Bakugo had sat down on the end of the couch furthest from the TV while a cast of characters all surrounded it, only a couple lamps illuminating the space while they put on a movie. Izuku had arrived late with his squad, a couple villains appearing at the tail end of their shift causing trouble in the Northwest. So when he quietly padded over to the couch behind Katsuki, the blond turns and honest to God gives him a smile happy to see him. Rosy Cheeks files in after and joins some of the girls on the floor facing the TV and grabbing the offered popcorn, settling into the mix of blankets and cushions. Izuku still stands close.
“Added 2 more to the final count.” The green haired boy grins, doing bunny ears with his fingers.
“Sounds like cheating to me. You guys had overtime we didn’t.” Katuski crosses his arms and slumps back against the couch, looking up at Izuku.
“What is everyone watching?” His voice is soft, body relaxed. So much so that he’s leaned against the edge of the couch, hand braced on the top edge near Katsuki’s shoulder. He was so close to his space… Katsuki didn’t answer the question, letting Pinky do the honors from the other side animatedly. He was too lost in thinking about lying here on the couch with Izuku cuddled on top of him watching this stupid action rom-com Kaminari and Kirishima had been talking about. He huffs, his elbow setting down on the armrest and setting his chin in his hand to obscure part of his face. It was contorting as his thoughts continued to imagine coupley scenarios. So stupid. Who even was he? He had to cut this out. But his movement had made it so he had mistakenly leaned into Izuku in reaction, feeling the hand (which he knows hadn’t moved) more centered at his back now.
He can hear Izuku speaking quietly with Tokoyami, knows he’s tracking the conversation in the background of his mind if he actually has to answer something, but all that’s at the forefront is Izuku’s hand that’s just touching the nape of his neck. It’s not even moving, just placed there. Fingers faced downward just barely under the collar of his shirt. Warm. Constant. A shiver threatens to wrack through his entire body if he doesn’t keep himself together.
There’s only the movie playing, the other students’ reactions garbled under his focus. There’s a well timed moment that the girls up front gasp at something the romantic interest does, squealing in their admiration, that Katsuki lets out the smallest gasp himself.
Izuku had threaded his fingers in the back of his hair. It was such a small thing, but the nails raking over his scalp, especially on the back crown of his head made tingles spread over his body. He could even feel it in his toes. If it weren’t for how much he didn’t care for other peoples’ opinions of him paired with how much he actually liked and trusted his classmates, he might have blasted Izuku’s hand away. And God does it feel so nice and pleasant, he’s weak to letting the freckled boy play with his hair. Kirishima knows how touch starved he is by now, they had talked about relationships they had had in the past (well, Kirishima had, Bakugo has never had one before). The red head had heard Bakugo and started training him like an anxious cat with small acts of affection as friends. A hand on the shoulder in congratulations. When Bakugo put him in a headlock to rustle fire red hair, Kirishima had almost cried he was so proud. They had even worked on a handshake that Kirishima had been extremely excited about, it was impossible to steer him towards any other distraction. Kirishima had been ecstatic when Bakugo had mumbled an idea for the simple thing. They do it all the time now: after training, when they’re surprised to bump into each other, over the lunch table when they’re thinking the same thing.
He guesses he can thank Kiri for being more relaxed with things like that. Like this with Izuku.
Which is why he can’t just have Izuku standing there potentially uncomfortable leaning against the couch. He hates the hand gone from his hair, but he grabs a pillow to fluff against the armrest, looks pointedly up at the greenette, and then slinks to the floor, arm on the couch as he’s turned up to look at the shorter boy and pats where he was sitting. Izuku blinks at him once before smiling and sliding over the arm onto the couch. He’s faced longways towards the TV, one arm draped over his torso relaxed, the other carding through Katsuki’s hair from behind as he was doing previously. Bakugo grabs one of the other cushions and wedges it underneath himself so his ass doesn’t fall asleep in this position.
A small, “Thanks Kacchan,” that only he hears is said over his right shoulder.
He hums, leaning back against the couch and looking over towards whoever this main guy was kicking ass covered in blood and sweat, holding onto the complicated love interest on screen. A single finger swirls over a longer patch at the top of his head playfully. After a long moment of it verging on tickling, Katsuki thuds his head back onto the edge of the couch to look up at Izuku, a smirk to match, a hand slapping the top of the scarred hand. “Cut it out, that feels weird.” Izuku just smiles down at him, all toothy, one of those cute ones where his eyes close for just a moment. The freckled boy actually pats his head in apology and then scratches with more purpose rending Katsuki loose-limbed.
Izuku is just watching the movie, absently playing with Katsuki’s hair in this close proximity. If he was a smidge more comfortable in this sitting position, he’s sure he would be out by now. The explosions and music swelling from the movie is nothing to him, not after the full day he’s had with his own explosions detonating right by his ears. Not when Izuku is setting his skin alight which feels like its own lull to sleep. But the minuscule grips and grabs at his hair when there's a tense moment on screen keep him attentive to his surroundings, a tug at his lips into a small smile that Izuku can't see. That excitable idiot...
Still, when a lamp is turned on at the end, the bright kitchen lights flaring up, Katsuki snaps his head up not realizing he had closed his eyes at some point. With the lights on, Izuku’s hands aren’t touching him anymore. His body feels strange, like it’s fuzzy around the edges but empty inside somehow. Maybe he was just tired.
Bakugo had asked about the take down of the last two, just a casual thing since he knew Izuku loved "talking shop" with him. It was how they started rebuilding their friendship after all... So when they get in front of Izuku's door and the conversation stops, he stiffens up. He wants to ask. He wants to stay. But there are bigger things than them happening out there that he needs to wake up early for again. Izuku was still recovering in some ways. They needed to separate and take care of themselves respectively. He needed to nip this in the bud before it started growing recklessly. Three nights in a row was enough, right?
No.
But he would force himself to be okay regardless.
“I’m part of first patrol tomorrow.” Katsuki states. Izuku opens his door, walking into his room. He turns back to Katsuki, nodding, smiling, his door left open. “It’s late. I should head to bed.” Another nod, that smile still there, a slight step backwards. Katsuki raises his brow. Was Izuku seeing right through him?
“Early alarm?” Izuku asks. Katsuki nods this time. “Okay.” And then as simple as that, Izuku opens his arms for a hug. An invitation.
Katuski’s eyes go wide, surprised, shoulders deflating a little. And then a wide grin, his nose crinkling, brows furrowed down. He nearly fucking tackles Izuku into his room, the door kicked close behind him. They wrestle on the floor, Katsuki jabbing Izuku’s sides at some points making the smaller boy laugh through his huffing and squirming. Katsuki wasn’t much better off, growling more than anything else compared to the green haired boy, but grin plastered on his face the whole time. They had grabbed each other’s hands, fingers intertwining so they couldn’t use them in the fight, going back and forth showing each other the power in the muscles they had. Izuku had used his foot at Katsuki’s hip, the blond not able to squirm out of the move and so they landed with Katsuki on his back. Izuku had his arms pinned to the floor, sitting low on his torso, huffing out his breaths above Katsuki. Izuku had won.
But it doesn’t feel that way. Not when he’s seeing the shorter boy’s cheeks tinge pink, his messy curly hair falling all around his face like a halo, seeing the fire in his eyes. He wants to kiss Izuku so damn badly in that moment his body is running hot. Izuku must see something in the expression he’s giving, the accidental challenge written all over his face. Green eyes bore down at him, calculating something just on the other side.
Whatever challenge it was, Izuku declined backing off. “Sorry, you said you had to be up early. We should get to bed.”
“Yeah.” Should he say something? He should probably say something, right? “Can I ask a favor?” Izuku still offered his hand out to help Bakugo up from the floor. The blond took it, hoisting up and slightly stumbling into the smaller boy’s space all over again. Their hands still clasped between their bodies, he could feel Izuku’s shirt brush the back of his arm, their breath was so close. The freckled boy looked up at him with those same calculating eyes, cataloguing everything. He’s not pushed away though and Izuku doesn’t step back this time, their hands still clasped around each other’s wrist.
“What is it Kacchan?” So softly, but confidently curious.
“Tell me when something is wrong?” He can feel his pulse quickening. “Even goes when you’re uncomfortable, especially with me.” His hand lets go of Izuku, there’s a slight delay before the other drops the touch. Katsuki steps back, giving Izuku space. As if they were magnets, the shorter boy follows.
“I’m fine.” Green eyes pierce through him, his chest feeling tight and frozen. He makes to ask but a firm, “Really. We’re fine. I’m just…” Izuku’s hand lifts palm up between them again, offering it to Katsuki. He hesitates, but hovers his own hand over it, fingers grazing over the dry warm skin there only to find Izuku’s pulse point on his wrist and press against it. He needs to know. “Us being this close still just feels like a dream sometimes. Like it’s not real and you’re going to go back to how we were before. I’m afraid you’re going to push me away again.” His pulse was fast but steady. He wasn’t lying and he was just as nervous.
Katsuki swallows. “Good. Okay.” He nods absently just looking down at their hands. That wasn’t a very good response, Katsuki. His free hand comes up and smacks himself on the face, grimacing from the two words. “I mean, yeah no shit. I’m not..good at this..with you. Being your actual friend fucking scares me because now I can’t just fuck up all the time.” His hand around Izuku’s tightens though. “I’m not gonna leave though. Besides.” His hold on the others hand changes so they’re clasped in an arm wrestling setup. “We have a promise.” Katsuki gives one of his rare genuine smiles, that open one like when they were close as kids.
Izuku squeezes his fist in return, a matching smile on his features. “Right.”
"So you gotta tell me."
Izuku is looking up at him with those shining eyes of his, a million shards of vibrant green gemstones. Katsuki's body can’t help but regulate; something in his shoulders softens, something relaxes in his spine, his heartbeat slows but feels like it’s also beating against his lungs stronger. He’s fucking done for.
“I have a favor now.” Katsuki’s eyebrow raises, cocking his head slightly. “Is it okay if..." Izuku's cheeks look like they're burning hot all of a sudden, like his brain has caught up with his words. Izuku's hands smack his own face, covering his embarrassment. The question is asked a little too loud, a little too quickly but he gets it out all the same, "Can I be the big spoon tonight?"
Katsuki's mind blue screens. His hands down limp at his sides twitch. There's a crackle and he smells a whiff of fireworks. Izuku glances down at Katsuki's hands between his fingers still covering his face, surely thinking the blond is mad. But Katsuki is just fighting for his life right now to not lunge at the freckled boy and pin him to the closet behind him to kiss him silly. He needs to stop thinking about kissing the stupid idiot but well the stupid idiot needs to stop doing such cute things that make him feel like he wants to punch through a wall.
He swallows instead, voice coming out rougher than he wants, "Yeah."
"It was a stupid question! I'm sorry-" He was about to go into one of his little muttering sessions, talking himself out of it, Katsuki could tell.
"Izuku. I said yes."
"Oh. Okay."
"Now let's sleep. I have to be up in six hours." He goes to the bed and climbs in. Izuku following suit, crawling over him to be close to the wall like he had been in Katsuki's room. "Is that the side you want?"
"So you can get out easier in the morning."
It was true. They already had the habit of tangling together in the middle of the night that by the time they were awake, it was a mess of limbs and blankets. If Izuku didn't have to be up for a few extra hours, it only made sense for Katsuki to be able to slip out comfortably. He suddenly thinks about what he'd do the next morning. Leaving Izuku's room only to get back to his own to freshen up and get ready alone. Sneaking out just to crawl back tomorrow night he's sure. But he wants Izuku's smell in his own bed too. A ghost of him to linger in the fabric, just in case.
He turns away from Izuku, staring at the now-darkness of the room with all the shadows of angular blocks of color from the All Might posters around. And just when he starts to feel like it's weird, to be in here and looking at Izuku's things without seeing the boy properly, an arm is wrapping around him. It's loose, there's still space at his back between them. He can feel the others body heat, but it's not close enough. He wants to wear it like a jacket.
"You actually comfortable?"
"Are you?"
"Don't point this back at me."
"Can I get closer?"
Katsuki shuffles back into Izuku himself, pushing his back directly against the other boy's solid chest. He lifts his legs to resituate them so that they curled around Izuku's own. Fully cuddling now. The finishing touch was the scarred arm tucking all the way across Katsuki's lower ribs and burrowing between his body and the mattress. Izuku was now secured at his back, slightly shorter than where Katsuki falls himself at the back of the green haired boys' neck. He feels the soft cartilage of a nose press at the bottom of the nape of his neck between his shoulders right where fingers were earlier that night. Hears a soft deep inhale.
"How about now?"
Izuku hums delighted in response and honestly that's all he needed. Izuku finally asking for what he wants and by everything in his power, he'd try to make it happen.
It would have been a little embarrassing with how quickly he fell asleep like that, being held securely and feeling wanted, but he was exhausted from the long day. And Izuku felt like home.
---
His alarm sang in his dream three times before he startled awake realizing what it was. That and a curt shove to his shoulder got him in motion to hit the snooze button from where it was above the bed like in his own room.
The blankets felt perfectly weighted and fluffy on top of them. The pillows had the right cushioning. And the warmth of the boy next to him cascaded across his own body like ripples in water. Izuku had detached himself when the alarm had gone off, the smaller boy hiking the covers up to almost completely encompass himself in the shuffle. Just a patch of curly green hair seen at the top. Katsuki turns back towards him, arms slithering and reaching, wading through the blankets to find him. Their foreheads connect with a soft bonk. Katsuki's eyes are barely open. Izuku's are still closed. He watches the tangled seaweed of hair move against the covers surrounding them in their cocoon.
He really doesn't want to get up.
Katsuki shuffles closer, almost as if he's getting comfortable to drift back to sleep. His inner monologue is just telling him to get up, he has places to be, teeth to brush, bad guys to jail. Izuku's cheek finds his shoulder before his face tucks in and he can feel the bridge of Izuku's nose at his neck. "Kacchan, get up."
"Don't want to 'Zu."
"I don't want to get in trouble if you're late."
"Yeah yeah." he doesn't move. A breath. And then he feels teeth at his neck and his entire body wakes up immediately.
"Get up." He can feel Izuku's lips moving against his skin and it's a good thing he's already lying down because it would have buckled his knees. His body vibrates with the shiver that goes down from the spot that was lightly touched. He's not fast enough to stop the undignified whimper he lets out and promptly flings a hand over his mouth to cover. Izuku would have heard it regardless being so close, felt it even.
"Yep. Uh-huh." He bolts from the bed, now feeling more hot and bothered he needs to take a cold shower or something. He swipes his phone and pockets it. He steps into his slippers and takes a look back at the bed.
An Izuku all bundled up in his All Might covers is sound asleep again. No worry lines in his brow. Peaceful. Katsuki thinks he looks like a little kid again and can't help reach out to gently ruffle his hair. His fingers glide through soft thick locks, nails ever so gently scratching against his scalp before holding the bundle of hair in his fist, squeezing a bit to lift the boy's face from his hideaway. He pets the hair back, moving the mop from his face and thumbs across his forehead. He does one last light squeeze and ruffle before standing and going to the door. Katsuki uses all the stealth he possesses to open and close the door behind him silently.
He thinks about the teeth on his neck until he's walking towards the main entrance gate with the rest of his squad to patrol.
This was getting dangerous...