Chapter Text
The room was quiet.
Izuku sat beside Katsuki on the couch, their shoulders almost touching.
Neither of them spoke.
They didn’t need to.
Katsuki glanced over.
“You okay?”
Izuku nodded.
“Yeah.”
“You sure?”
“Yeah.”
Katsuki looked back at the television.
A few minutes passed.
Then Izuku quietly said,
“Kacchan?”
“What?”
“Can I ask you something?”
“Yeah.”
Izuku hesitated.
“Do you ever get tired of asking?”
Katsuki frowned.
“Asking what?”
“If I can touch you.”
Katsuki thought about it.
“No.”
Izuku looked surprised.
“Really?”
“Why would I?”
“Because you have to ask all the time.”
“So?”
Izuku looked down.
“I thought maybe it was annoying.”
Katsuki shook his head.
“It’s not.”
He turned toward Izuku.
“If asking makes you comfortable, I’ll ask.”
Izuku smiled.
“You really mean that?”
“Yeah.”
Izuku was quiet.
Then he slowly held out his hand.
Katsuki looked at it.
He didn’t take it immediately.
Instead, he asked,
“Can I?”
Izuku smiled.
“Yes.”
Katsuki took his hand.
Their fingers intertwined.
Izuku looked down at their hands.
“I used to think something was wrong with me.”
Katsuki’s expression softened.
“There isn’t.”
“I know.”
Izuku squeezed his hand.
“I’m still not comfortable with touch sometimes.”
“That’s fine.”
“I might say no.”
“Then I’ll stop.”
“I might change my mind.”
“Then tell me.”
Izuku smiled.
“And sometimes I might ask.”
Katsuki’s mouth lifted into a small smirk.
“Then I’ll say yes.”
Izuku laughed quietly.
“You’re making this sound really simple.”
“It is.”
Katsuki looked at him.
“You tell me what you want.”
Izuku nodded.
“And you listen.”
“Yeah.”
Izuku leaned closer.
Then he rested his head against Katsuki’s shoulder.
Katsuki didn’t move.
He waited.
Izuku stayed there.
After a moment, he whispered,
“I like this.”
Katsuki smiled.
“Good.”
Izuku closed his eyes.
Then, after another few seconds, he wrapped his arms around Katsuki.
A hug.
One he’d chosen.
One he’d initiated.
Katsuki carefully hugged him back.
Izuku relaxed against him.
For a while, neither of them said anything.
Then Izuku whispered,
“Thank you.”
Katsuki frowned.
“For what?”
“For being patient.”
Katsuki rested his chin lightly against Izuku’s head.
“You don’t have to thank me for that.”
Izuku smiled.
“I still want to.”
“Fine.”
Katsuki squeezed him gently.
“You’re welcome.”
Izuku laughed softly.
For the first time, touch didn’t feel like something he had to tolerate.
It wasn’t something he owed anyone.
It wasn’t something he had to force himself to accept.
It was a choice.
His choice.
And Katsuki would always let him choose.