Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

You've been told to take it slow
Made to hold, scared to show
The only card you had to play
Is your lonely heart you've thrown away
Leave it all behind until you can't remember
Come along, I'll show you how [1]

Izuku was excited for this night. It was the first time that Izuku and Eijirou would get a night off during Bakugou’s vacation. 

After returning to Might Tower and submitting his paperwork for the day, Izuku headed to the locker rooms to get changed back into his normal clothes. 

Izuku boarded his commuter train. Luckily it wasn’t too full. The extra reports he had to fill helped him avoid the afternoon rush. Taking his seat, he stared idly at an advertisement for hair styling products, which gave him time to think about what he had discussed with Kacchan the other night. It would be nice if he could get it off of his chest tonight and tell Eijirou how he felt, especially because the two of them wouldn’t get another night off together for a while.

Turned out those thoughts only made him nervous. Instead he elected to inspect the bouquet that the Nagasakis had given him earlier. It was beautiful. The Nagasakis were evidently masters at flower arrangement. Bubbly yellows, calm blues, passionate reds, and tame whites were intertwined in a beautiful dance of colors. The kind of bouquet one would give to the subject of their affection, symbolizing the many feelings romantic partners experience together.

Okay that’s enough of the bouquet, Izuku thought. He couldn’t help it. He was in love. When you’re in love, it’s hard not to see it everywhere you look. 

Izuku’s train finally reached Shinjuku station. He decided to start thinking about what he wanted to eat on the walk back home. It helped keep the other more anxiety-inducing thoughts at bay. Katsudon. He wanted Katsudon. 

Eijirou’s day off was relaxing but productive. He fit in a good workout in the morning, watered the plant babies, which had now grown into plant toddlers, and did it all from the comfort of his home, without having to wear anything even resembling a shirt. Truly the pinnacle of urban life, he thought.

Eijirou was acutely aware how special today was. Both he and Izuku would have an evening free. Lately, their staggered shifts at the agency made it feel like they were both living alone in the same apartment. The two hadn’t really seen each other in almost a week. At least it was temporary.

At some point in the day, after shirtless plant-watering and shirtless Netflix-watching, but before shirtless Izuku-texting, he took a moment to think about how much his life had changed since Izuku had moved in. Throughout their home, he took inventory of the little signs that Izuku had been there. From the refrigerator with real food in it, to their plants prominently displayed near the window, to the red and green game controllers sitting next to the TV, Eijirou’s home was full of Izuku. It was their home. He couldn’t help but smile. His life had only gotten better since Izuku moved in, and he just wanted to live with his friend forever.

Wait. No way.

Eijirou didn’t want Izuku to be just a friend. He wanted Izuku to be his boyfriend. Maybe even his husband. He wanted to live together as lovers. He wanted Izuku to move into his room, share his bed, and to leave his mark there like he had in the rest of the house. He wanted Izuku.

Flopping back onto the couch in the living room, phone in hand, he shot off a text to Izuku asking if he wanted to get dinner and got a quick response back. 

Tonight was going to be the night. It had to be. It was like the stars were aligning. They both had the night off. Izuku wanted to get food with him. Frankly, it would be an affront to the universe not to take this opportunity.

In the early evening, Eijirou was sitting half-watching the TV, half scrolling through his social feed on his phone. The sound of a key slotting into the front door jolted him to attention. Izuku was home. 

Opening the door, Izuku was greeted by his friend… shirtless. He kept his composure and smiled at the redhead. “I’m home,” was all he managed to get out. 

“Welcome back.” Eijirou’s radiant smile was a momentary distraction from the rest of his body. 

Izuku had been working so much for the past few days. He deserved a peek. Just a quick peek. For one or two seconds, he shamelessly checked Eijirou out. Smile. Chest. Arms. Abs. Adonis Belt. Bouquet?

Bouquet! 

Izuku held up the bouquet. “I met some really nice florists at a… car crash… this afternoon.” Izuku rolled his eyes at himself. Weird wording, he thought. “Everyone’s going to be okay, but yeah. They gave me these flowers,” he said, holding the bouquet up for Eijirou to see.

“Beautiful…” the redhead sighed. It could have sounded like he was referring to the flowers, but they didn’t stand a chance compared to Izuku. “Let’s get these in some water.” Reaching out, he finally noticed that he had been shirtless the whole time! He looked down at himself and back at Izuku, slightly embarrassed. “Sorry, I guess today was too relaxing to wear a shirt.”

“Oh I don’t mind. You can wear whatever you want at home,” Izuku said in a more wishful way than anything else. 

The two got themselves ready and headed out. They chatted and got caught up with each other all the way to their destination, Nakamura’s. 

Despite living close by, neither of them had gotten the chance to go back since Izuku’s welcome party, months ago. 

They ordered their meals and sat down. Izuku had to order his katsudon. Eijirou decided on a teriyaki meat bowl. 

The two heroes continued chatting as they waited for their order. They exchanged mundane details of their past few days at work, interesting people they met on the job, the puppy that lives in their building that is small enough to fit in a shoe, little things they usually talked about daily but had been piling up this week.

After a short wait, the chef called their order out from the counter, and Eijirou retrieved their food.

Eijirou watched as Izuku tried and failed to contain his excitement over Nakamura’s katsudon, best in all of Japan, according to Izuku. He felt so lucky to be able to share happy moments like this with such an amazing man. It was the best night off a guy could ask for. Every beaming moment with Izuku reminded him of why he fell in love with his friend in the first place.

Eventually, the pair finished their meal and exited Nakamura’s, stopping just outside the establishment. 

“It’s still kind of early. Can I show you something before we go home?” Eijirou asked, a little nervous. 

Always up for an adventure, Izuku agreed and followed Eijirou’s lead. 

The two made their way down the sidewalk of a busy thoroughfare, heading toward the heart of Shinjuku. Huge skyscrapers towered above, and the glow of the illuminated city center intensified as they drew each block closer.r. 

They arrived at a high end office building. Strolling up to the front door, Eijirou grabbed a card from his wallet and tapped it against a receptor, buzzing the two into the lobby. It had a high ceiling and marble floors. It was obviously closed for the evening, as less than half the lights were still on. 

Eijirou waved at a single security guard on their way to the elevator. “‘Evenin’, Red,” the guard greeted as he waved back at them. They took the elevator to the top floor and with two chimes, the elevator doors opened up to a normal-looking office hallway. It was quiet, identical doors lining each side as cool fluorescent light illuminated from above.

Taking Izuku’s hand in his own, Eijirou led him out of the elevator. He turned around briefly and flashed a smile at his friend. “We’re going up to the roof.”

Izuku followed Eijirou’s guiding hand through a door, a flight of stairs, and another locked door leading to the roof.

Eijirou released Izuku’s hand and walked out toward the handrails at the edge of the building.

Izuku was stunned. A glowing cityscape revealed itself before Izuku as he walked out onto the roof of the building. There were great views of the city lights from all angles.

“Wow…” Izuku sighed in awe.

 Looking around, he slowly approached Eijirou. The two locked eyes, each smiling at the other.

Izuku joined him at the edge of the lookout, placing his hands on the railing. The two of them took in the view. 

“A few years back, I helped rescue that security guard downstairs, along with a few others. A villain robbed a nearby bank then ran and barricaded themself in the lobby. It was really scary for a while. Luckily no one was hurt, and we were able to talk the villain down.” 

Eijirou took in a deep breath.

“The owner of the building invited me to her office and when I mentioned that I liked the view, they gave me an access card.” Eijirou held up the card to show Izuku and looked back out at the city. “I come up here whenever I need a recharge. It’s my little escape within the city.”

They took in more of the scenery. A cool glow emanated from the ground below, along with the dampened sounds of Shinjuku nightlife.

Eijirou continued, “That night when you called me and said you were coming back to Japan, I was up here. I was having a rough day that day and I was so tired.” He turned to Izuku. “Then you called and said you were coming back and I was just so happy!”

Izuku met his gaze and the two locked eyes. “Eijirou, I had no idea.” 

“Getting to spend the past few months together has been a dream come true, I look forward to coming home every day because I know you’re there.” Eijirou took a deep breath in, closing his eyes, and, exhaling, his eyes met Izuku’s once again. ”This place is special to me because it’s where you made me the happiest guy in the city, just by calling me. I wanted to share it with you. …And I guess over the past few months, I’ve been falling in love with you, Izuku.”

Warm arms wrapped around Eijirou’s torso as Izuku embraced him. He quickly reciprocated, holding his beloved tightly. Resting their chins on each other’s shoulders just felt so right. They let their hug last a bit longer.

“I love you too, Ei.” Izuku sniffled. “Getting to live with you, getting to team up again. It all makes me so happy!”

Each taking a half step back, their hands slid into each other’s as they exchanged soft smiles.

Izuku blushed slightly. “So, I’ve kind of wanted to kiss you for what feels like forever. Is it too soon-- or, I mean-- uhh can w--” Izuku was concentrating on prying coherent speech from his lips. He didn’t notice Eijirou’s approach. Soft lips met his own, interrupting him mid-sentence. The two locked in an electrifying kiss, and for just a few moments, the world around them disappeared.

It was just Eijirou.

It was just Izuku.

It was just them. Nothing else mattered.

Soon, the two made their way back to their home, as boyfriends. Holding hands as they walked through the vibrant streets of Shinjuku, they dreamed out loud of a future together.

It began in an almost-empty Manhattan apartment and the rooftop of a tall office building just a few months ago.

It also began in a Shinjuku high-rise apartment, a warm, happy home, because tonight, two friends, who had become heroes, then partners, then roommates, finally became boyfriends. And, they couldn’t wait to start their next story together.