Chapter Text
Izuku was hardly surprised.
With the way his life had always been, he had a feeling exactly who his soulmate was going to be. Still, he tried meeting lots of blondes, holding on to stupid hopes from an optimistic point of view which he never seemed to let go. He should have known better – he knew better – and he still didn’t stop trying. Maybe if he never met Katsuki again, he could keep pretending everything was fine.
That’s why when he had seen Katsuki on their orientation, he had pulled his hood up and kept his face down. Izuku had quickly made friends, who had friends, and he had easily found out Katsuki’s department and then it was easy to figure out his schedule. Luckily, they were on opposite sides of the campus so if Izuku planned it right, they would never meet. Honestly, Izuku hadn’t even expected to be in the same college as Katsuki. He was surprised to find out Katsuki was in business management but they hadn’t seen each other 3 years and a lot can happen in that time.
He was glad to see Ochako in the same college. They had met in high school and stayed friends throughout. They had applied to a lot of colleges and really hadn’t expected to get into the same one, but it was for the best. She was studying architecture but they still got to see each other almost every day. Their other friend Tenya had got into a prestigious med school, which everyone saw coming, and they met him every other weekend because his school was far and he was busy but he always insisted on making time.
Ochako then met her soulmate Asui (who insisted Izuku call her Tsuyu but he couldn’t get into the habit) and Izuku’s friend group expanded. Then he decided to move closer to campus and started looking into apartments. Then he met Shouto, who also wanted an apartment and they decided to split rent. Shouto was reserved and awkward but he was kind and respectful, and they easily became best friends.
Izuku, who hadn’t really had friends for most of his life, had no trouble making friends and was always glad to meet people. He met Denki and Eijirou at his job where he made coffee for spare pocket money. He didn’t want to burden his mother and Yagi-san anymore than paying for his rent and tuition. Izuku had just finished his shift and was about to leave when Denki had spilt his coffee down the front of Izuku’s shirt. Eijirou had quickly run up to his friend and they both apologized profusely, offering to clean Izuku’s shirt. Izuku had said it was fine (he was tired, he had just changed out of his uniform and didn’t have a spare shirt so he would have to walk home like that, it was absolutely not fine).
But they didn’t let Izuku leave. Eijirou pulled out a spare shirt from his bag and offered it to him (or politely forced him to accept it). So Izuku had changed into it while they took his shirt to clean with a promise to meet at the same place 2 days later and their phone numbers left with Izuku. True to their word, they met him there. And then they kept meeting until it was a regular thing and they were friends.
Then Izuku’s soulmark appeared and he made it his mission to find his soulmate (while ignoring the feeling in the back of his head). He met and dated lots of blondes and none went anywhere because of course they weren’t soulmates. Izuku wasn’t averse to dating people who aren’t soulmates but somehow, they never lasted more than a few dates. He wasn’t even sure if they ever reached an official stage. But that didn’t deter him from trying. He knew who his soulmate was but he was desperate to be proved wrong.
Obviously, he couldn’t avoid Katsuki forever. As soon as he made eye contact with Katsuki, he had resigned himself to his fate. Izuku still didn’t want anything to do with him but Katsuki was a stubborn guy and he wouldn’t give up easily. However, he didn’t know that Izuku had changed and wasn’t going to take his shit lying down.
The first time he realised something was off was when Katsuki’s friends started meeting him more and more often. Izuku had been left alone for almost 2 weeks after the soulmate incident, which was a huge surprise to him because he had expected Katsuki to chase after him right then and hunt him down and pester him till he gave in. Katsuki didn’t do any of that. Izuku had asked for space and Katsuki had just given it to him. Izuku was confused.
But his friends apparently weren’t patient enough. When he noticed Mina hanging outside his department for the 3rd day in a row, he decided to address the issue.
“Did Katsuki put you up for this?”
“What?” Mina looked up from her phone, surprised at being addressed.
“Did Katsuki ask you do this?” Izuku repeated himself.
“To do what?”
“I don’t know, to keep hanging out around me or something,” Izuku mumbled. He was doubting himself now because it felt like Mina wasn’t even aware of his presence until he spoke to her. Mina opened her mouth to say something but was interrupted by Ochako running up to them.
“Mina-chan, I’m so sorry. I got held up by the professor,” said Ochako, hands clasped in front of her as an apology. Ochako’s department was opposite to Izuku’s so sometimes they walked back together, if they go done at the same time. They hadn’t been able lately to because one of Izuku’s lecturers was on leave so he was getting done earlier than usual.
“Oh! Izuku-kun, you’re here too!” Ochako greeted him with a hug which he confusedly returned. “Mina and I are taking martial arts classes together. You can come along to watch, if you want.” Ochako explained and Izuku felt his face heat up at the realization of his misunderstanding.
“Yeah, you should come. We can go for dinner afterwards,” Mina suggested.
“I’m so sorry, Ashido-san! I totally misunderstood,” Izuku apologized, but Mina waved it off. “I can come with, I guess. I don’t really have plans.”
“I can get why you did. Katsuki can be really stubborn sometimes,” she said. “But don’t worry! He’s secretly a big softie. And he can’t really force us to do stuff for him. It’s usually the other way around,” said Mina as the three of them started walking. Izuku didn’t really agree but he didn’t mention it. If Mina knew how Katsuki used to be with him, she would think differently. Izuku was sure Katsuki must have changed, and he didn’t feel like ruining his friendships so he kept his mouth shut. “Also, you can just call me Mina.”
“Okay, Mina-chan!” Izuku smiled brightly, all his previous doubts forgotten. He was trusting to a fault. Maybe that’s why he had let Katsuki walk all over him before. But he was determined to not let that happen again.
“You never told me about these classes, Ochako!” Izuku quickly changed the topic.
“Ah, we just started this week. I didn’t get a chance to tell you, sorry,” she mumbled.
“Don’t worry about it! I was just wondering why you suddenly got so busy,” Izuku explained. Ochako continued to tell him about his day, Mina occasionally adding stuff, as they walked to their class.
~~~~
Katsuki was never a patient guy, but he believed he had improved. He didn’t get mad every 15 mins over small stuff anymore. Being friends with his gang had really increased his patience. As much as he hated to admit it, the few years of therapy in highschool helped him.
But the half-half bastard standing in front of him was really going to get his ass handed to him with the way he was getting on Katsuki’s nerves.
“Why are you here?” said Shouto, one grey eye peeking through the small gap of the chained door.
“Where’s Izuku?” Katsuki asked.
“How did you get this address? I know Izuku is your soulmate but stalking isn’t nice,” said Shouto. Katsuki couldn’t really see his face much except for the eye but he just knew what expression Shouto had on his face and it was pissing him off.
“I didn’t fucking stalk Izuku, you shit basket,” Katsuki grumbled. “I asked Denki politely and he gave it to me.”
“I highly doubt that.”
“I don’t remember asking. Now fucking open the door.”
“But he’s not home.”
“I just- UGH. Fuck this. I’m leaving,” Katsuki pulled at his hair and turned to leave. “If he doesn’t want to talk to me that’s fine but the least he could do is say that to my fucking face and not send his asshole roommate,” Katsuki mumbled.
“Wait.”
“What.”
“Why did you come here?” asked Shouto, finally removing the chain and opening the door, but just wide enough for himself to lean on the frame. He was dressed in sweats and a plain tee. Katsuki's attention immediately went to his bi-coloured hair and eyes.
“None of your damn business. I want to see Izuku.”
“He’s not home.”
“If you say that ONE MORE FUCKING TIME, I will give you a matching bruise on your other eye,” Katsuki threatened but made no move. Sure, he made threats but he wasn't unreasonably violent anymore.
“It’s not a bruise, it’s a burn scar.”
“I don’t care.”
“Fine. Let me finish,” said Shouto. “Izuku’s not here but he usually gets home around this time. He went out with Ochako and Ashido, so I guess it’s just bad luck for you.”
“That raccoon? What the fuck?” Katsuki mumbled. Since when were all his friends chummy with Izuku? Had they been hanging out regularly?
“Besides, I don’t think Izuku wants to talk to you.”
“Are you asking to be punched? Is that what this is?”
“He asked you to leave him alone. Let him come to you,” Shouto continued.
“No, he won’t.”
Shouto sighed. “You’re right. He won’t.”
“That’s why I have to do this,” said Katsuki. “I respect that he needs space but I can’t sit around doing nothing. I just wanna talk. And if he still wants nothing to do with me then that’s fine.” Katsuki clenched his fists and looked down. He had to make sure Izuku knew that he had changed and he was sorry.
“You know, Izuku told me what happened,” said Shouto, crossing his arms over his chest.
Katsuki scoffed. “Yeah, I could tell by all the attitude.”
“Why would you treat your best friend like that?”
“Best friend? I don’t even have the right to call him my friend.” Katsuki stopped being his friend when he first pushed him down. All the times he made fun of him and didn’t stand up for him was not being a friend. Friends don’t tell you to jump out of the window.
“But that’s what he referred to you as. You’re a jerk but used to think of you as his best friend,” said Shouto.
“Don’t call me a jerk, you jerk!”
“I don’t like what you did,” Shouto continued, “but you can still fix it. Izuku doesn’t hate you.”
“He should,” Katsuki mumbled, but Shouto continued talking as if he didn’t hear it.
“He’s angry but he’s will listen eventually. I hate to say this but he’ll give you a chance. Don’t waste it.”
“Don’t fucking tell me what to do, bastard!” Katsuki yelled as he turned around to leave. If Izuku wasn’t there then there was no point in him staying and wasting his time. And if he heard Half-Half preach any more his ears would bleed.
“If you mess up again, no one will find your body.”
“Shut the fuck up,” yelled Katsuki back. Did all of Izuku’s friends threaten murder? (Katsuki did that too but that’s different.) Taking a split-second decision, Katsuki pulled out a crumpled paper from his bag and a pen and wrote his number down. He threw the paper at Shouto.
“Give that to Izuku.”
Shouto looked down at the paper with a frown. “I would have but you didn’t ask nicely.”
“Oh my GOD” Katsuki yelled, at his wits end. “Would you fucking please give it Izuku?” Katsuki was realizing that he was absolutely not patient. Either it was a Half-Half exclusive reaction or maybe his self-awareness wasn’t as good as he thought. He couldn’t wait to get out of there or his fists were going to start talking.
Shouto smirked. If he wasn’t the poker face type, Katsuki was sure he would have laughed out in his face. He picked the paper up and pocketed it. “Sure. I’ll pass it to him.”