Chapter Text
What Izuku Midoriya was expecting when he first started dating Katsuki Bakugou was basically the same thing that they had when they were close friends—and obviously pining for the other. He didn’t expect much to change between the two since in a way, it already felt like they were dating but the confirmation of it all was just a topic left unspoken between the greenette and the blonde.
The two of them were completely oblivious to the fact that they liked one another. Even when everyone around them had noticed the very clear yearning they had for each other.
And god, was it painful to see the two problem children of Class 1-A long for one another for who-knows-how-long excruciating months. Even the teachers knew of the obvious pining between the blonde and the greenette for months, they had even laughed about it in the common room where they took their coffee and lunch breaks, reminiscing on their teenage crushes and first loves back when they were just first year students at UA academy.
Moving a bit into the past months—way before Katsuki and Izuku even began first dating and in the beginnings of their obvious undeniable crushes for one another, the students of Class 1-A who were fully invested in the rivals-to-lovers story Katsuki and Izuku had going on. It was like something out of a movie script happening right in front of class 1-A’s very eyes.
The class placed bets on when they would actually begin dating, who’d confess first, so on and so forth. It was clearly apparent that the two friends wanted something more, dancing around each other as they clearly avoided the topic that was always left unspoken between each other.
Mina, the ringleader of this stupid bet game with her goons, Eijirou and Denki, all started the bet when they brought up the topic amongst the rest of their class during the late night rants and gossip—which had become routine by now to the night owls of their class. The topic of course being the crystal clear, unresolved romantic tension between Izuku and Katsuki. The pair was never able to make it to these nighttime talks, either busy training together or falling asleep a bit too early than everyone else.
“Are both Bakugou-kun and Deku-kun still training? This late at night?” Uraraka asked, walking over with steaming hot tea to the couches where Mina, Kirishima, Denki and a few other students gathered round for their nightly gossip talk. That night, the blonde and his green-haired partner were out training together for the 4th time that week and probably wouldn’t be back for a good 40 more minutes.
“Of course, those two are always together now,” Denki answered, sighing, a slight grin growing on his face as he looked over to a certain pink haired girl who gave him a knowing look and a cheeky smile.
“Doesn’t it seem,” Mina smirked looking at everyone in the room at that moment, “…odd? It seems like a certain blonde is in L-O-V-E with a certain green haired boy.” Mina spelt out with a wide grin plastered on her pink toned face, raising her brows up and down as everyone looked at her with their jaws slightly dropped and mouth opened.
“Finally someone said it,” Jirou piped up from the couch across from Mina’s playing with Momo’s hair in her hands, an unamused look on her face, “Those two have obviously been pining for each other for weeks. They’re just oblivious as hell.”
“Right?” Mina squealed in agreement, “Don’t tell me you all didn’t notice. Blasty’s been leaving class with Deku, eating lunch with him, training with him more often than usual and recently started hanging out with him every free chance he can get. It’s so obvious.”
Everyone’s shocked faces morphed into a look of realization , everything Mina had said…was true.
“That’s true,” Uraraka spoke up, a smile lit up on her face as she recalled the memory in her mind, “A few days ago, I found them both in the kitchen…laughing. Bakugou-kun was laughing.”
“LAUGHING?!” The whole group practically scream-yelled, their eyes as wide as saucers as their jaws all dropped in unison.
“Adding on to Uraraka,” Shoto piped up, his voice and facial expression as serious as ever but actually fairly enjoying the small gossip that was happening, “I saw Bakugou and Midoriya hanging out in the dorms, watching some sort of movie. I came to see Midoriya to give back his notes only to see them both there.”
“Those two are completely infatuated with each other. It’s too painful to watch.” Kirishima sighed from the back of the couch he leaned on, listening to the conversation.
“Makes me feel lonely.” Mina pouted, arms crossed and sinking herself in the couch she sat in.
“Same,” Uraraka agreed.
“Same here.” Eijirou and Denki chimed in too.
After a few minutes of silence, Mina came up with a brilliant and devious idea. Which in all honesty was for good fun and cause she could make some bank with this.
“Wanna bet on who confesses to who first?” Mina grinned looking at everyone with the same cheeky smile she had on just a few moments ago.
Everyone shouted in agreement.
—
After some time passed by, in the few months of getting closer to Katsuki, Izuku learned that the blonde was not what everyone perceived him to be. He had a secret side of himself no one else saw, except Izuku. Some parts of Katsuki began to gradually open up to Izuku, and Izuku found himself in the same situation.
As well as both of the boys' personalities rubbing off on each other. Izuku had gained more confidence, a stronger mindset and sometimes even let a curse word slip out from time to time whenever he got a bit too stressed or angry.
Whereas Katsuki found himself being nice-r to a full extent. Not teasing and calling his friends by the nicknames he gave them as much as he used to, and even going as far to say “Please” and “Thank you” all due to the nerd’s nice and kind nature.
Over the course of getting closer to one another and finally dating after months of oblivious pining, Izuku discovered a few things about Katsuki during those few months. A few things the greenette had not known about him, and a few things he would have never even guessed about him.
—
One, Katsuki Bakugou is such a softie when it comes to cheesy romantic movies. Even those sad moments which were always bound to be resolved during a Disney movie, it didn’t matter. Izuku always finds himself trying to stifle his laughter as he watches tears silently falling down his boyfriend’s face.
"I’m not crying, you idiot.There’s just too much dust floating around in here. Damn it Deku, you need to fucking deepclean your room one of these days," the blonde snapped as his eyes locked with his green-haired boyfriend, who was trying his very best to not wake the entire dormitory up with his loud laughter in the late night which was nearing the AMs quite soon.
"Kacchan, it’s okay to cry," Izuku softly giggled as he looked back to the TV. They were watching Tangled, and were currently at the part where Rapunzel was crying over Eugene’s dead body.
If Izuku was being honest, he would’ve been crying himself if the sight of Katsuki crying over a Disney Movie of all things hadn’t distracted him.
Compared to Katsuki’s fiery personality, to think cliche sad movie scenes is one of the things that brings the blonde to tears makes Izuku laugh. Izuku thought Katsuki would be one to make fun of scenes like these, claiming that they’re too ‘predictable’ or just plain stupid.
Not once would Izuku have considered that the ‘one and only Katsuki Bakugou’, gets heartbroken and becomes an emotional wreck over them.
—
Second, Katsuki Bakugou loves to cook (and surprisingly bake as well!)
After the fallout between the two of them in early elementary school, leading up until the early months where they both got accepted into UA, Izuku’s and Katsuki’s friendship rekindled. Izuku discovered that the blonde had a fondness for cooking and baking.
Now, it’s not your typical ‘Oh, he bakes brownies and boxed cake mix every now and then!’ type of thing. Katsuki Bakugou is an impressive cook and also one of the greatest bakers Izuku Midoriya has ever met.
Any type of dessert or dish you could want, Katsuki could make it, and he did a pretty damn good job at it.
Although, Izuku only ever asks Katsuki to make him Katsudon and mint chocolate chip cookies; since those are his favorite foods in the entire goddamn world—although, Izuku could never admit that his mom’s Katsudon is a bit better and a bit less spicy then what Katsuki cooks him.
But overall, he is a great cook—even Sato himself said so, and he’s a pretty good baker as well. Katsuki always had him beat whenever he’d make his own mint chocolate chip cookies. They always reminded him of Izuku’s green hair and his brown freckles painted across his cheeks whenever he made the delicious treat and it almost always brought a smile to his face.
One Saturday evening, Katsuki was in the kitchen, baking and cooking mysteries as Izuku sat relaxed in the living room, scrolling through his phone and the sound of the TV playing in the background from a popular show that was airing at that moment.
"Deku, I need your opinion on these," Katsuki motioned and beckoned Izuku to come over into the kitchen, waving him over with his hand. Izuku got up and slowly made his way to where the blonde stood, whisking something in his arms. He took in a deep breath, inhaling the delightful aromas that swirled around the cooking area. The greenette felt as if he was in heaven as soon as the scents of savory and sweet delicacies hit his senses.
"Kacchan, it smells delicious!" The greenette exclaimed, walking over to where Katsuki stood as he mixed some mystery concoction in his arms, "What do you want me to try?" Izuku questioned, eyes already filled with excitement, the smells making his stomach rumble and his mouth water.
"Those macarons over there," the blonde nodded over towards the side of the grey granite-top counter.
A variety of multi-colored macarons sat nicely, stacked up on each other like a tower. It looked fragile enough that if someone blew on it, the entire tower would topple over at any second. But Izuku paid no mind to it as his eyes locked on to where Katsuki referred to.
Izuku bumped into Katsuki as he rushed over to the stack of sweets, earning an irritated groan from the blonde, but Izuku didn’t pay any attention to it. Izuku was too caught up in the sight of the tower, a hungry look taking over his face, a big smile making its way to his freckled face.
Izuku’s eyes shined with excitement. Not being able to contain his happiness—as usual—Izuku’s face lit up with a big smile, his freckled cheeks now dimpled and just overall beaming with enthusiasm.
“Kacchan, you made these? They look amazing!” Izuku praised as he gave the blonde a loving gaze.
“Of course I made it! Shut up and try it.” Katsuki spat out as he turned away quickly from the greenette in an attempt to hide the blush that began to bloom across his face.. Katsuki felt warm, his heart began to feel light, but Katsuki just continued to stir his mixture a bit more harsher than before. The usual scowl that was on his face turned into a small smile, but he wouldn’t let Izuku see it.
Not in a million years, that would just be embarrassing , the blonde thought, mindlessly stirring his mixture still a bit too harshly.
Izuku ignored the quick motion and shrugged it off, thinking as if it was a normal thing by now, which has been happening more often than before. Izuku walked over to the macaron tower that had been plated perfectly. With great delicacy—and carefulness, Izuku reached his hand out to the tower of sweets. His hand hovering over the baked goods as he hesitated, not wanting to ruin the tower of cookies.
But Izuku’s temptation gave in. He was a sucker for sweets and this, this was a battle he found himself losing to every single time.
He delicately picked up a royal purple colored cookie, lightweight and somewhat fluffy and brought it up to his mouth, the smell of lavender and lemon attacked his senses. He held the macaron between his index finger and thumb, sticking out his pinky as if he was drinking tea from the teacups he had with his mom.
And in that small bite, it was an explosion of flavor. Izuku didn’t know a flower as fragrant as lavender and a usually sour, bitter fruit as lemon could pair so well together and compliment each other a little too well.
In some aspects, Izuku believed him and Katsuki were like that as well—the mixture of lavender and lemon. Katsuki was the lemon, he’s always sour. But when put in the right situation, the flavor is so strong it outshines everything else. Many expect lemon-flavored treats to be bitter and tart, but in actuality, they’re sweet and tasteful, and it amazes people. There’s also the delightful aroma that the lemon produces and like Katsuki, the blonde smelt like sweet, burnt caramel that he produced with his nitroglycerin quirk which mixed in with his woody, leather scented cologne.
Not that Izuku paid any attention to the blonde’s smell. He just happened to have a keen sense of smell.
Izuku was the lavender component, a pleasant flower that had a light and aromatic smell. It tasted sweet and floral, with hints of mint and rosemary. Just as the flower , Izuku smelt like flowers—mostly due to his mother’s garden smell that surrounded his household. The fragrance of sweet smelling roses and vivid stargazer lilies lingering in the air. It could also be the fact that the greenette used mint eucalyptus scented shampoo, he loved the minty, fresh smell of his hair products. Izuku was sweet and pleasant, always kind-hearted and selfless, thinking about others before himself.Katsuki always liked the smell of Izuku. The cool mint scent that lingered on the blonde’s fingers after he ruffled the greenette’s hair. Or, when he would always catch a slight fragrant scent lingering in the air if he took a deep enough breath in the classroom where Izuku sat right behind him—not that Katsuki would deliberately smell Izuku, he too also just happened to also have a keen sense of smell.
Izuku’s mind wandered for a bit after he took a taste of the flavorful treat Katsuki had made for some unknown reason. What if Izuku and Katsuki could both compliment each other the same way the lavender and lemon did in the cookie? What if they could fit each other the same way, complimenting each aspect of one another. The sweet purple flower pairing well with the tartness of the citric fruit. The fragrant and pleasant smells that mixed nicely with each other-
"Oi, quit your damn muttering and tell me how it tastes idiot," Katsuki said in his usual grumpy tone, a bit louder over the sound of the electric mixer that was whirring something different. Izuku didn’t notice, too busy caught up in his thoughts, until now.
"Oh! Sorry about that Kacchan!" Izuku whirled around, rubbing the back of his neck, an embarrassed smile etched on his face.
"They’re delicious Kacchan! The taste is amazing! The lavender and lemon go well with each other. The sweet and tart lemon filling and the floral taste of the lavender cookie balance each out! And it’s light and fluffy-"
"Oi, quit your damn rambling, you’re doing it again," Katsuki said, almost barely inaudible while walking over to where Izuku was standing, still holding onto the half-finished macaron in his hand, "Do you like it? Yes or no?"
"Of course I like it, in fact I love it, it’s amazing Kacchan." Izuku looked up to Katsuki’s eyes, giving him a soft smile. But what made his smile falter a bit was the ruby red eyes that looked at him. It was different, as if something had changed. There was no pride in them or the usual self-confident look he had in his crimson eyes. All Izuku could see was…insecurity?
"Don’t go lying to me Deku, I’ll blast your ass to space if you do-"
Izuku interrupted his sentence midway, shoving the half-eaten macaron in the blonde’s mouth, "Taste it for yourself Kacchan. You know I don’t lie, especially to you. Taste how good it is."
Katsuki looked at Izuku for a split second before sighing loudly, slowly starting to chew his macaron that he baked himself. Katsuki just paused, finding himself enjoying the sweet treat. And to be frank, he was quite proud of himself.
It was delicious and the flavors were scrumptious.
"I’m a pretty damn good baker aren’t I Deku?" Katsuki smirked, glancing over at Izuku who couldn’t help but stuff another macaron in his mouth. This time it was a Matcha Green Tea one, a vibrant olive green colored cookie with a sweet french vanilla filling inside. Katsuki noticed when the nerd was stuffing his face with the pastries that the green cookie looked similar to Izuku’s green colored curls and it was…kind of cute. That stupid happy look on his face, the slight blush on those speckled cheeks, it made Katsuki’s heart bubble with warmth—and he liked it.
"The best, Kacchan. Mmm," Izuku exclaimed, a smile beaming on his freckled face. His eyes closed, savoring the irresistible treat that melted in Izuku’s mouth, his taste buds exploding with the sweet bitterness of the tasty french cookie.
"I’d hope so, I need these to be perfect for tomorrow," Katsuki sighed, placing his hands on his hips and looking at the bento boxes he had placed on the counter. The small containers must’ve been for the treats Katsuki was whipping up which Izuku assumed.
A hint of sadness hit Izuku as he wondered, who would Katsuki be baking for? Must it have been another student? Maybe a girl? Maybe another boy? Izuku’s mind raced with questions and before he could get a hold of them—and himself—he ended up slipping the question, not realizing what he had done until after he asked, "Who are they for?"
Katsuki looked at the greenette and simply said, "For us."
Izuku’s heart had leaped and his stomach fluttered with butterflies, a warm feeling spread throughout his chest. His freckle covered cheeks feeling a bit warm as a pink blush crept on them and he felt himself smiling like an idiot.
And Katsuki had that same fluttering feeling emerging in his stomach again from not too long ago. As well as that same warm feeling that embraced his chest. He smiled softly at the boy whose smile drove the blonde crazy—a good crazy.
—
Third, Katsuki Bakugou was a not-so-great singer to the public. But only to Izuku Midoriya, he was the most beautiful, melodic singer that could sing lullabies and hum simple sweet songs that always made Izuku drift off into a deep peaceful slumber. No haunting nightmares or terrors that awoke the greenette, only sweet, pleasant dreams which always contained a certain spiky blonde and him. No matter what the fantasy or dream Izuku conjured in the cortex of his mind, it always ended with the blonde and him, both together. It was like Katsuki’s singing was magic, coaxing him into those wondrous dreams—and Izuku wished so badly that they never ended.
The first time Izuku Midoriya had ever heard Katsuki Bakugou sing—other than the time they were 7 and always singing "Party Rock Anthem"—was when they went to a karaoke place with private booths and good food with a few of class 1-A students that tagged along.
Katsuki was known for being the worst at karaoke. Seriously, even Izuku thought so for the first time ever since when they went with a group of class 1-A kids which included Katsuki, Izuku himself, Kirishima, Jirou, Denki, Uraraka, Iida, Mina, and Shoto to a karaoke lounge for the night as a big group of friends.
"Come on Kacchan! It’ll be fun, just join us!" Izuku pleaded, walking in front of Katsuki’s way, blocking any path that Katsuki took to try merely escaping but in the end, Katsuki failed miserably and gave in to the greenette’s so-called “annoying” pleading.
"Alright, fine. Only if it’ll make you stop your damn pleading and whining. It annoys me," Katsuki groaned as he felt himself giving in. While looking over to where Izuku stood, Katsuki noticed then that Izuku was smiling ear to ear, his eyes looked like crescent moons and his freckled cheeks crept upwards. You could even see his small dimples in his cheeks as well as a light blush dusting his freckled face.
"Well what are we waiting for? Let’s go!" Izuku took Katsuki’s arm and pulled him the opposite way, towards where everyone was waiting for Izuku—and Katsuki, hoping that the greenette got the stubborn blonde to come along with them.
"You know, I think Midoriya and Bakugou seem to be closer don’t you think?" Kirishima asked Denki who stood right next to him as they waved at Izuku who came running towards them, holding onto a grumpy Kacchan who had a scowl on his face.
"I think Bakugou and Midoriya have come a long way," Jirou butted into their conversation, looking at both the blonde and the greenette that came their way, "In a way, they both benefit from each other. Bakugou isn’t as rude as before, trying to be nice-r to people. Like him not calling Denki 'Dunce Face' as much anymore.”
"Hey! Don’t say it so loud, he might hear you and start calling me that again!" Denki whined as both Kirishima and Jirou chuckled slightly before continuing,
"And he’s starting to not do everything himself but rather accepting help when he needs it. Midoriya on the other hand, he’s gotten significantly stronger both mentally and physically. He is always improving his combat and he has a stronger mental state, rather than before where he used to be almost scared of Bakugou and always get lashed out at. Now, he competes with him, always competing with him, working and battling with each other to improve themselves as well as the other."
Jirou simply sighed and smiled softly at the boys who approached where the group stood, chattering amongst their friends about clothes or school stuff they had to complete or new songs that dropped from their favorite artists while Jirou, Kirishima, and Denki all stood there, conversing about the two that ran towards them.
"You know, I think they are good for each other. They’re complete opposites but you know that complimentary colors are also opposite from each other as well. They compliment each other, sort of like a two halves of a whole sort-of thing," Kirishima simply said, smiling.
"I think so too, you know, if that means Bakugou won’t be so mean to me all the time- OW!" Katsuki flicked the side of Denki’s face as a mischievous grin slowly took over his face,
"Talking about me like the losers you are huh?" Katsuki asked, raising an eyebrow and earning an eye-roll from Jirou and a small "Kacchan! Don’t call them that!" from Izuku.
"And to think that you were improving from the hard-headed explosive person you are, I take it all back," Jirou huffed as she walked away, going back to the main group that all huddled as Kirishima stood there waiting for Katsuki and Izuku to come along and Denki already walking towards the main group, rubbing his already red cheek and groaning in pain.
"YOU SAID WHAT ABOUT ME?" Katsuki screamed as he stomped towards Jirou, Izuku still hanging onto his arm, "Kacchan wait! She was joking, calm- AH!"
Katsuki blasted himself in the air while Izuku stayed latched onto his arm, screaming from the sudden movement, "KACCHAN WHAT ARE YOU DOING?
"GET OFF OF ME YOU STUPID NERD!" Katsuki shouted, looking down at the greenette who was tightly holding onto his arm, latching on for his dear life.
"I’LL DIE IF I LET GO. WE’RE IN MID-AIR?" Izuku shouted back, his eyes tightly closed and his grip on Katsuki getting even tighter, hoping he wouldn’t fall from that height.
Katsuki notices this, Izuku’s tight hold on him and for a split second, he feels like he…likes it? But, as fast as those feelings came they quickly dissipated to the back of his mind.
"WHAT ABOUT THAT DAMN QUIRK OF YOURS? MAKE BETTER USE OF IT,” The blonde shouted again, trying to shove the greenette off him, shaking his arm to loosen his grip.
Katsuki really was a stupid asshole sometimes, but he also knew that Izuku would be able to land on the floor safely—that is if he activated One For All in time.
"I’M NOT LETTING- AHH!" Izuku was interrupted midway by Katsuki blasting them even higher up just to get him to let go—but to Katsuki’s demise, it didn’t work but rather, the greenette gripped onto him even more tightly.
They continued their small bickering, even after they landed on the ground due to Izuku basically screaming in Katsuki’s ear to land on the ground and Katsuki—being the asshole he was—shouting at him to let go. This went on for a short while and the group of students decided to stay out of it and walk off to their destination. The boys landed shortly thereafter, dusting themselves off and running towards the walking group—although Katsuki has to always make everything into a competition and raced Izuku. They both caught up with the group, out of breath and slightly sweaty from their mini race and all headed to the karaoke place.
The entire night, they rented out a private karaoke room, ordered fruity mocktails and multiple sodas, ate some of the tastiest sushi rolls and hibachi that the karaoke place offered—since it was also one of the top restaurants in the area. Every single one of the students had their fair share of singing, some sang twice, others sang as much as 5 times. Izuku was one of those people.
Izuku sang almost every chance he got, and he was a pretty damn good singer. He sang "How Will I Know" by Whitney Houston with Uraraka and Mina—the song a bit targeted towards Katsuki but the blonde was too into the catchy song to realize Izuku chose it for him. The next song was "Wannabe" by Spice Girls which he also sang with Uraraka, Mina and Jirou. 3rd, he sang "Truth Hurts" by Lizzo and he sang every single lyric with Mina and Denki—which Izuku didn’t know Denki was a Lizzo fan but then again, who isn’t—and Uraraka, Kirishima, and Jirou.
Katsuki, Shoto, and Iida just sat on the couch, watching all their friends scream at the top of their lungs while singing every lyric of their chosen song—of course, the clean version as per request of Iida, since it wasn’t very "respectful" to scream a “curse word” in a place where few people go to dine in a quiet atmosphere and relax. But that didn’t stop the singing students from saying the words out of reflex which earned a chuckle from Katsuki and Shoto and a very distraught Iida who kept shushing them every time a curse word let loose.
The fourth song Izuku sang was "Puppy Princess" by Hot Freaks and again, this song was targeted to Katsuki. And guess who was oblivious as hell…Katsuki.
"Kiss me, kiss me with your eyes closed" Izuku sung the lyrics with his heart while stealing glances at Katsuki who just stared at him, and Izuku could feel his heart flutter just a bit and got a bit nervous.
He stumbled on the words a bit but overall, he sang it all, and sang it well. The entire song though, Katsuki stared at him. Not like in a creepy way, but he stared at him like he was infatuated with him. And that made Izuku blush like crazy and his heart race a million beats per minute while he sang on stage.
Everyone had a turn to sing. Uraraka sang with Izuku and Mina a couple of times. Mina sang with Izuku, Uraraka, and the rest of the group—with mostly Doja Cat songs. Kirishima sang "Scotty Doesn’t Know" by Lustra with Jirou and Denki. Shoto sang "Stressed Out" by Twenty One Pilots with Denki practically screaming into the microphone. Denki sang "Jealous" by Eyedress with Jirou. Iida sat out for the majority of the time but sang some lyrics once in a while. And Katsuki just sat there. The entire time. He hadn’t sung a single song but only sat there, eating the hibachi steak and drinking his iced sprite—which was his usual soda go-to.
Izuku took note of this, and it wouldn’t go unnoticed. He requested a song, typing in the name quickly and discreetly as Mina and Uraraka were up singing "Kiss Me More" by Doja Cat and SZA—one of Izuku’s favorites.
As they were finishing up, they both gave each other a high five and held each other’s hands as they both squealed, heading off stage together to the couches where they slumped on the cushions, exhausted from all the singing and the excitement high they were on just mere moments ago.
"Next up, Deku and Kacchan! Come to the platform and grab your mics and get ready to sing!" The TV announced and everyone in the room went silent.
"Oh no, not doing it shitty nerd," Katsuki stated as a matter of factly while Izuku walked up to the stage grabbing the two mics that were there.
"Oh come on Kacchan," Izuku said, walking over to where Katsuki sat on the black couch, holding a black microphone out for him to take, "It’ll be fun! Plus, it’s our favorite song!" Izuku giggled and winked at Katsuki as he ran up to the small elevated platform as the room lights dimmed and two bright white spotlights turned on, shining directly in the middle of the stage where Izuku stood on while the music started playing that well-known intro that both Izuku and Katsuki knew by heart.
God. It’s been so long.
Party Rock Anthem. It was their favorite song for years. When they were 4 years old, they would play the damn song on repeat. Dancing and singing every single word, getting on top of tables and couches and screaming the lyrics everyday, 24/7. That was until Mitsuki and Inko got tired of hearing the tune over and over for 2 years and banned the boys from ever playing it ever again. Did it stop both Izuku and Katsuki? Nope. Never. It was so catchy and it would never get old or tiring to the both of them. They thought it was just the best song in existence and it was. So, they played the song only together, on their tablets, on their parent’s phone which they stole from time to time, on whatever they could find to play the damn song. Wearing earbuds together, one in Katsuki’s ears and the other in Izuku’s, singing along with the lyrics together, no matter what time or place they were at. The lyrics were basically engraved in their mind.
"Come on Kacchan you know you want to." Izuku quirked his eyebrow up and smirked at Katsuki, giving him a daring look to which Katsuki smirked back and said "Fuck it."
Katsuki snatched the microphone from Izuku’s hand and starting singing the lyrics, and so did the greenette,
"PARTY ROCK!"
"YEAAAAH!"
"WOO!"
"LET’S GO!"
"PARTY ROCK IS IN THE HOUSE TONIGHT!"
The whole entire room filled with cheering and clapping, everyone was so invested in this performance since this was going to be a one-time show and the well-known ‘Wonder Duo’ were going to be the headliners.
But god, was Katsuki the worst singer in existence. And it took all of Izuku’s will to not burst out laughing in the beginning when he started singing the lyrics that both of the boys knew by heart since they rehearsed and rehearsed every chance they got when they were brats. It had been almost a decade since they last sung this song together, but they still have the spark that always ignited whenever they sang this song. It was a spark of excitement and energy between the two and oh boy, this was a show to not miss.
When the beat dropped, both Izuku and Katsuki grabbed each other’s hands like they had done back in their youth and started jumping up and down like maniacs, stomping loudly while everyone in the back was clapping and cheering for them to go on. They both felt the rush of adrenaline and fun course through their veins. And it had never felt so good like now.
They continued their singing, Katsuki’s deep and slightly raspy voice singing every single line as well as Izuku’s voice intertwining with each word Katsuki sang. The blonde’s singing was not all that great compared to his younger voice which was more high-pitched but Izuku wasn’t going to say anything because he was going to enjoy every single second of this moment. No one had to say how terrible Katsuki’s singing was because he knew it himself too but the only thing he cared for in that moment was how much fun he was having with Izuku like old times.
As the blonde and greenette finished their over-the-top duet singing, everyone in the room cheered loudly as they both slumped onto the couch cushions, sinking into the comfort of the cool seats while they both were sweaty and out of breath, Izuku in a laughing fit and Katsuki chuckling deeply, ruffling Izuku’s hair while coming down from the rush of excitement that pumped through their veins.
They both had the best fun ever and they didn’t have to speak on it again that night, they knew that they would probably have that memory engraved in their minds forever, possibly dreaming of it that night or in a few days or later on in a few years from now. But all they knew was that it was the best night of their lives and both Izuku and Katsuki didn’t want it to end.
“Wanna go again Kacchan?” The greenette asked, green eyes wide with excitement and a wide cheeky grin plastered on his freckled face.
“Hell yeah. That shit was fun,” Katsuki smirked, locking eyes with the other boy. It didn’t take long for Izuku to walk up to the small screen, practically running to the screen to type in and request another nostalgic song from both of their childhoods. Call Me Maybe by Carly Rae Jepsen.
And god, was Katsuki and Izuku pumped to sing another song. Even if Katsuki was the worst karaoke singer on this planet or if Izuku stumbled on some lyrics if a certain blonde made him feel flustered with that damn smirk of his, they both had the time of their lives—and they wouldn’t trade it for anything else.
The ‘second’ time Izuku Midoriya heard Katsuki Bakugou sing was after Izuku returned back to UA academy after leaving for an entire month, leaving Katsuki alone and afraid for Izuku and the other way around for Izuku. Thinking of the worst, the blonde boy thought it was his fault that he left. When Izuku himself left only for the fact that he was scared of hurting Katsuki again, for the fact he would risk Katsuki’s life again and Izuku couldn’t put Katsuki’s life in jeopardy like that. Not now, not ever. He was just too important for the greenette to lose and if that meant that boy had to leave his dreams, he would do it in a heartbeat.
It was late at night, Katsuki couldn’t sleep and neither could Izuku that night. 12AM turned into 1 AM and 1AM turned into 2AM. Izuku only twisted and turned in his bed, feeling unsafe, feeling like this was a mistake, but most of all, feeling lonely.
Katsuki on the other hand was up, worried. Pacing around back and forth in his bedroom dorm. He stayed up later than he usually had for weeks now. He had just gotten into the habit of doing so. His dark eye circles and eye bags were evident signs that he stayed up, worried, hoping that a certain green-haired boy was safe somewhere, hoping he hadn’t been killed or severely injured by any villain that came his way or Shigaraki who Katsuki knew well enough that he would take One For All, no matter what cost, from Izuku.
Katsuki in that whole month and a half period from when Izuku left U.A, got into the habit of passing by Izuku’s room, constantly checking in, seeing if he came back for a late night’s rest or he came back for good. But to his avail, he didn’t see the green-haired boy, sound asleep in his bed in that time period. Neither at his desk studying, or just in his room reading one of his many hero notebooks he wrote in.
And so Katsuki—out of habit—stopped pacing, walked out of his room, strolled quietly down the hall to where Izuku’s room was, and quietly knocked on the door, relieved to hear the sound of shuffling across the wood floor. It slowly opened just a few seconds later, only for Katsuki to be met with a mop of messy green hair and the boy who he worried for, seeming as if he was awake the entire time. In the same boat as Katsuki of not being able to fall asleep—or even catch a rest at all.
"Can’t sleep nerd?" Katsuki asked softly with a small smile, looking down at the boy that stood just a few inches shorter than him and locked eyes with the blonde.
"Yeah, you too huh?" Izuku asked, looking deep into those crimson eyes, searching for something, anything in those eyes but he didn’t know what he was even looking for anyway. The greenette fumbled with the hem of his shirt, looking down after breaking the few seconds of prolonged eye contact with the blonde. The tension between them got a bit awkward and tense before Katsuki spoke up with what he wanted to say for a while.
"You’re not gonna leave again are you?"
Izuku looked up to find Katsuki looking to the side, pain and hurt etched onto his facial expression, tears threatening to fall from the blonde’s red eyes, his fists balled and his teeth clenched hard. Izuku felt bad. No, bad is an understatement. He felt horrible. He felt horrible that Katsuki had to check up on him to make sure he wouldn’t leave again, to make sure he would stay, to make him promise he would stay. Izuku was reminded of betraying Katsuki’s trust in those few moments as he looked up at the blonde, the trust he worked so hard on to build only for it to be shattered and broken all over again.
"Kacchan," Izuku took the blonde’s balled up fist into his own scarred hand and softly opened the other’s, tracing the lines on Katsuki’s palms with his finger while trying to calm the taller boy down, "I promise you I won’t leave, okay?"
Izuku said, barely above a whisper, trying to look into Katsuki’s eyes which had yet to meet his emerald ones. Katsuki slowly turned his head back so that his vision could meet the greenette’s and simply breathed out a shaky sigh before leaning down and meeting both their foreheads together.
"Hm," the blonde hummed while looking into those green eyes that seemed to compliment his red ones. A slight blush covered both their cheeks, Katsuki could feel the tips of his ears get red hot and Izuku could feel his freckled cheeks get warm. They were so close, very close. Izuku could literally feel the other’s warm breath on the tip of his nose and the tips of his lips. He could smell the faint cool mint smell of the blonde’s breath. He could feel the warmness radiating from the taller. He could even slightly hear the other’s fastening heartbeat through the silence of the night.
It was silent between the two for a moment, the sound of quiet thunder rumbling in the distance and rain pattering against the windowsill of Izuku’s room. The sound of the small breeze rustling the trees outside. It was so peaceful. The small moonlight rays that peeked out from the dark navy blue dark clouds made its way to Izuku’s room, illuminating Katsuki’s form. Izuku could now make out his blonde hair spikes and the light highlights in his hair. The eye bags and dark eye circles that Izuku had never seen before on the blonde’s face.
Izuku could even see his glistening dark red eyes have traces of scarlet and vermillion Izuku had never seen before until he actually looked deep into those eyes he longed for, he dreamt of, he missed.
His eyes are beautiful , Izuku thought as he gazed into Katsuki’s ruby eyes. Even if tears threatened to spill out, even if they were filled with rage or hurt, even if they were filled with excitement or happiness, they were still so beautiful .
"Kacchan…" Izuku whispered, not breaking eye contact, still tracing his finger on the blonde’s hand, a shy smile slowly making its way to his peach-toned face.
"Izuku," Katsuki whispered, looking into the greenette’s viridian colored eyes and then looking at his brown freckles that were splattered all over his cheeks. 55, that's how many freckles Katsuki could count on Izuku’s cheeks based on what he could see.
Izuku gasped slightly, the sound of his name from the blonde’s mouth never failed to make his heart leap and his chest swell with warmth. Even Katsuki knew how it made Izuku feel. It made him happy and if that made him happier, Katsuki would say it a million times—and a million more.
Katsuki was the first to break eye contact, breathing deeply and pulling away from the shorter’s forehead, "You need sleep, you haven’t gotten a damn good night’s rest for a long time nerd."
"Can’t sleep, nightmares." Izuku simply stated, while looking down at the floor and resuming to play with the hem of his t-shirt, shifting his balance on both feet while the blonde looked at him.
"Are they about me?" Katsuki asked curiously after a brief second of silence passed between the two.
"They just always end up with you dying and I can’t save you in time and-" Izuku didn’t like those night terrors, in fact, they terrified him. Those nightmares that almost always ended in the worst. It was as if the universe was torturing him for not being able to save himself in time that Katsuki had to go in and save him instead.
"I’m right here Deku. I’m not dying anytime soon, alright? You know I won’t go down so easily you moron." Katsuki interrupted Izuku midway, trying to calm him down, telling him that he was right there in the flesh, because Katsuki was. He was right there and not anywhere else.
Izuku chuckled sadly while looking at Katsuki, tears threatening to fall from his eyes now, "I know you won’t, you’re Katsuki Bakugou after all."
Katsuki’s eyes widened open and looked at Izuku, his heart had skipped a beat, his stomach had that same fluttering feeling he hadn’t felt in a long, long time.
"Just go to sleep, I’ll be right here if you need me okay?" Katsuki shoved Izuku slightly towards his bed while Izuku looked at him, confused because of the wording Katsuki used, "You’re staying?" Izuku asked.
Truth be told, Katsuki wanted Izuku to stay and Izuku wanted Katsuki to stay, both for the same, similar reasons. They didn’t want the other to leave. And if that would help the other get a good night's rest, then so be it.
"Yeah. You can’t sleep cause you’re scared I’ll kick the bucket, I can’t sleep cause I," a small pause, "cause I don’t want you leaving when I just got you back." Katsuki huffed as he walked out the room and came back quickly, a pillow and blanket in his hands.
"You’re sleeping on the floor?" Izuku questioned, not thinking before what he asked.
"Obviously. What," Katsuki smirked, looking at Izuku while he was setting up his makeshift bed with his blue blanket and black pillow he had gotten from his room, "did you want me to sleep with you?"
If Izuku was blushing slightly back then, a pink tint barely noticeable on his cheeks, it was definitely bright red and quite noticeable even in the slight darkness that overtook the entirety of Izuku’s room, "N-no! I didn’t mean it like that! Kacchan!"
"I’m just messing with you," Katsuki chuckled slightly. God, Izuku missed that sound.
And Katsuki missed the sound of Izuku stammering and stuttering. Even if it annoyed him to a certain limit, it didn’t mean that he didn’t like it at times and thought it wasn’t hilarious—not that he’d ever admit it though.
After they both got situated, it was silent, too silent. The rain and thunder filled the silence between the two as they just lay there, both awkwardly silent. Izuku was just staring hard at his ceiling, stealing a few glances of Katsuki every once in a while and thinking about whether or not to ask the blonde to do something for him, something Izuku wanted badly . The blonde stared at the ceiling too, also stealing a few glances at Izuku but only being met with just messy green curls that stuck upwards. He huffed and closed his eyes, trying to get some sleep until a certain greenette whispered to break the silence between the two, asking him a question that was random and caught the blonde off guard.
"Can you sing for me Kacchan?"
Katsuki opened his eyes and cocked his head to the side, only to be met with green eyes looking directly at him. Those green eyes that pulled him in, those green eyes that spoke a million words even if he didn’t say much, those green eyes that Katsuki longed and yearned for for the longest time—even if Katsuki didn’t know it himself yet.
"Which one?" Katsuki found himself saying, easily giving in to the request Izuku made without putting up a fight or rejecting the idea entirely. He knew Izuku enough to know that the greenette wouldn’t go babbling on about it or talking about it to anyone else.
"That one from when we were kids, the french one with the beautiful melody." Izuku smiled and plopped back in bed, now on his side and one hand propped his head as he looked directly at Katsuki.
Katsuki eyed the boy and then closed his eyes once more, taking a deep breath and starting to hum the beautiful tune. The complete silence was overtaken by the gentle hum Katsuki produced. It wasn’t harsh nor out of tune or of the sort. It was beautiful, melodic and somehow lulled the green-haired boy to sleep before Katsuki even got to the next few words of the nostalgic song.
"….Je te laisserai des mots…" was the last thing Izuku had heard before he fell unconscious, falling into a deep slumber. Everytime he had heard that song, he had remembered when Katsuki and him were kids, it was the first song ever Katsuki had sung to him—and the first song Katsuki learned on the piano ever since he heard his father play the soft, melodic tune for his mother.
Katsuki as a kid had always loved the song and when he had played the tune for Izuku, Izuku completely fell in love with the song. To put it simply, it was beautiful. The piano, the humming that accompanied the melody, the lyrics of the song that held meaning to it.
Izuku barely knew French but Katsuki knew the language like the back of his hand as well as English, Spanish, and of course Japanese. Katsuki tried teaching Izuku the words, "je te laisserai des mots" which meant "i’ll leave you some words" and "en dessous de ta porte" meant "under your door" but Katsuki’s efforts were useless considering Izuku always forgot the meaning of the words when it came to singing. He’d just sing the words without knowing what its meaning meant and that was that. Except the part, "embrasse moi" which meant "kiss me" since it was Izuku’s favorite part of the song and he knew that "moi" meant “me” and "embrasse" was slightly close to the word "embrace".
When they got older though, Izuku finally understood the song and its meaning. It was a song about love. And that’s when Izuku realized that the beautiful tune felt like falling in love with the right person at the wrong time. Izuku listened to it non-stop, whenever he studied, whenever he read, whenever he felt sad, happy, angry, or whenever he got the chance. Because all this song made him think about…was Katsuki. Katsuki and him as kids, Katsuki humming the tune of the song to Izuku, lulling them both to sleep, Katsuki singing the lyrics perfectly in french, Katsuki playing the right keys on his black piano back at his house with Izuku right by his side, looking amazed and blown away by the sheer talent that Katsuki had.
That song. That somber, beautiful euphonious song about love made Izuku’s heart ache every time he listened because…it felt as if he fell in love with the right person at the wrong time.
Before he knew it, Izuku fell asleep soundly and dreamt of that fond memory of him and Katsuki as kids, singing that same song Katsuki sung to him in the late night, playing the piano, and feeling the euphoric feeling of happiness and nostalgia. Izuku opened his eyes, slowly to be met with the bright sun rays that leaked into his bedroom through his blue curtains, filling his room with a bright yellow tone. He sat up on his forearms and blinked a couple times, readjusting his blurry eyesight when he heard a faint snoring come from the bottom of his bed. There, he saw the blonde boy, sprawled across his light brown floor, drool slowly running down the side of his mouth and the slow rise and fall of Katsuki’s chest.
Izuku softly smiled at the sight, a familiar warm feeling swelled in his chest as he just stared at the sleeping boy who looked so peaceful. And then, Izuku realized that he hadn’t had a single nightmare that night but only a beautiful dream instead.
From that day on, every night, Katsuki took it upon himself to walk into Izuku’s room, taking his place on the floor and humming the sweet, melodious tune which lulled Izuku to sleep, a smile on his face as he rested peacefully while Katsuki gazed longingly at Izuku’s sleeping form which made him always drift to sleep, sometimes with a soft smile on his face. The green-haired boy always making his way in the blonde’s dreams, a big smile etched on his round freckled face and his arm reaching out for the blonde to take and the blonde taking his hand, smiling and laughing both together in his made-up fantasy that felt so, so real.
—
Fourth, Katsuki was an adventurous person.
Katsuki was known for being an adventurous, risk-taker, outdoor type of person. And Izuku was the type of person to be inside all the damn time. Either playing video games, on his phone, training in the gym, or just watching movies or TV shows he binged for hours upon hours no end.
When Katsuki and Izuku started frequently hanging out with each other, Izuku would have to change his old habits—per Katsuki’s request—and therefore, went out every time Katsuki wanted to do something with him—with the exception that Katsuki stays in at least some times with Izuku doing whatever the greenette wants. Whether it be going to the theaters, walking to a beautiful cliff where the full moon shone brightly, the hilltop where they both hung out with each other talking about school or something random that came up (but mostly school). Morning and night jogs around the outside of the school area.
Katsuki just wanted to be outside and not holed up in the damn dorms all day.
(Katsuki already got sick of it when the whole class 1-A had to be on house arrest for safety measures when the whole ordeal with Izuku happened.)
For Katsuki, it was easy—considering the fact he was always outside, in the sweltering heat, usually improving his explosion quirk that worked even better in the hot humidity. Or exploring the city, trying to find new things to see or do. For Izuku, it was hard—he was the type of person who stayed in, relaxing on days off with either movies or games. He hated the hot heat or the cold weather except snow. Snow days are where he would go out and start snowball fights with Katsuki—and win almost every time due to the fact that Katsuki’s quirk doesn’t work well in the cold. And make multiple giant snowmen, Katsuki knocking each of them down every single time to annoy the shit out of the greenette but always failed whenever he heard Izuku just laugh, not humorlessly or sarcastically. Just pure joy and happiness in the soft, gentle laughter that left Izuku’s lips, making Katsuki’s heart skip a few beats. Who’s heart wouldn’t, Izuku’s laughter was beautiful, Katsuki tried convincing himself.
The first time Katsuki took Izuku out after hanging out for a couple of months and slowly getting closer with each other—after many miserable failed attempts—was to a forest trail located 8 hours away from the school. Luckily, they were on break for a couple of days, so they took a whole day trip to go there. From 4AM and coming back at around 2 or 3 the next morning.
They both hiked for a couple of hours, Izuku complaining and whining all the way to the end of their long walk. Izuku complained about the hot, sweltering summer heat and the multiple mosquito bites he had gotten throughout the course of the trail. The only thing Izuku really enjoyed was the beautiful waterfall that had a big aqua-blue basin of clear, transparent water at the bottom that the roaring waterfall emptied out into.
The two both set their backpacks aside, looking at the area that surrounded the beautiful sight in front of them. Large rocks covered with green moss, trees and plant life all around them as well. The loud buzzing of cicadas and the soft breeze of cool air that rustled the trees. The greenette could hear all of the sounds around them and breathed in the nice fresh air.
“You ready Kacchan?” Izuku piped up, his eyes filled with excitement as he was practically almost jumping just to get into the water.
Katsuki thought it was a bit funny how Izuku’s mood changed so quickly. From complaining and grumbling about the heat or the bug bites he’d gotten. To being starstruck with the beautiful scenery and overly excited to jump into the crystal clear water.
“Ready as I’ll ever be nerd.” Katsuki smirked as he ruffled the greenette’s soft curls and walked to the direction of the top of the rocks where they could jump from.
Izuku took it upon himself to strip off all the clothes he had on—except his All Might red and blue swim trunks he kept on—and threw his clothing to the side of the rock they stood on. Izuku jumped into the crystal clear blue water from the top of the waterfall, screaming as he fell from the tall height where he threw himself from, landing into the water. The cold sensation nipping at his skin from the bottom half of his body and the sun warming his upper half rather quickly. His teeth chattered and he shivered, adjusting to the cold water that quite literally brought shivers down his spine.
Without warning, Katsuki jumped in after Izuku a mere seconds later, yelling out a “WOOO!” before hitting the water with a large splash that drenched Izuku’s face.
They swam around for a bit trying to adjust to the water’s cold temperature, exploring each and every crevice and corner they could find. They found little fish that swam around in the water. They laughed and played a game of tag only switching running with swimming, ensuing a game of splash war which ended with a very pissed off Katsuki claiming the “damn nerd got water in his nose" and a very full of laughter Izuku, laughing loudly and boisterously at the blonde, his finger pointing right at him.
"Kacchan," the greenette was giggling non-stop, hiccuping his every word and pointing right at the scowling blonde who gave the boy a death glare from hell, "are you * hic * okay?" The greenette couldn’t stop laughing. And Katsuki didn’t want it to stop for some reason either.
This felt like playing in the water like old times, like the little kids they were at the pool except there was no lifeguard scolding them for causing a ruckus or the small kiddie pool they waddled in. Now, they were very much older and in a very much bigger—even more beautiful—pool of water. A waterfall splashing loudly in the back far left corner from where the two boys were swimming in the middle.
They just acted like kids for a moment, forgetting about everyone and everything that was happening—and had happened—right now. They just only focused on themselves and the moment they were both sharing in that moment of time.
After a few more times Katsuki took Izuku out of the dorms, Katsuki asked the boy again for the 3rd time this week, a few weeks after they went out for the first time, if they could go somewhere—if he wasn’t busy of course.
The greenette was getting less and less fussy each time the blonde asked and complied with Katsuki, replying to him with an "Ok!" just a few seconds after Katsuki sent him a text, asking whether or not they could go out.
And while they were on the metro, Izuku looked out of the window wondering where Katsuki was taking them to. They both listened to the blonde’s playlist which was playing "Don’t Dream It’s Over" by Crowded House, with one earbud in Izuku’s ear and the other in Katsuki’s. While Izuku was thinking, his mind wandering, Izuku came to realize how far their relationship has come.
They went from complete strangers who knew each other their entire lives, not even sparing a glance to one another or even trying to have a civil conversation with the other.
To trying to mend their friendship, since Katsuki found out about Izuku’s secret and truth about One For All—which was the start of how they both ended up becoming as close as they are now.
To becoming really close, close enough that the boys were already falling in love with the other without realizing it themselves. Longing for the other’s presence or their slight touches that they shared whether it be a brush of a finger on the other’s hand, or hands ruffling a certain green hair’s curls. Or whenever one of the two fell asleep peacefully on the other’s shoulder which was usually Izuku who fell asleep on Katsuki when they would sometimes come back late at night from the gym where they would train all day and Izuku would be exhausted.
To the blonde almost sacrificing his life for the greenette. Because he couldn’t let him die, he’d rather let him live and sacrifice his own life for him. Why? Katsuki himself didn’t quite know. All he knew was that his body moved without thinking, his last thoughts about Izuku and Izuku only. His life with the green-eyed boy flashing before his very eyes.
Then getting punctured by those black and red spikes that had the clear intent to kill Izuku but Katsuki pushed him out of the way before they even got a chance to hurt the green-haired boy. Katsuki’s red eyes looking up to meet emerald green one’s, widened with fear and some other emotion Katsuki couldn’t quite make out.
"Don’t go playing hero by yourself." Katsuki managed to say before slipping out of consciousness and succumbing to the pitch black that was his unconsciousness.
To strangers once again. Izuku leaving U.A and Katsuki. Only leaving him a letter that was slid in his room beneath his dorm room’s door. A letter of apology and gratitude to Katsuki.
Those dark and restless weeks Katsuki and Izuku had to endure. Katsuki was restless and tired, working hard and searching for any trace or any clue leading to Izuku. The blonde almost never getting a night’s rest due to his constant worrying about a certain green-haired boy and his never ending night terrors and thoughts that always ended with Izuku, dead and lifeless in his arms. His eyes no longer had a sparkle and his big, warm smile was no longer there but replaced with a cold, emotionless facial expression that always seemed to haunt Katsuki’s nightmares.
Izuku on the other hand, couldn’t catch a night’s rest either. Defeating villains left and right and barely giving himself a break. But he did it only because of his night horrors. He did it because he couldn’t bear to have another night terror that woke him up with sweat running down his face and tears brimming his eyes. He hated the sensation of fear and the feeling of nausea all pooled in his stomach.
The nightmares were always about Katsuki, Katsuki laying in Izuku’s arms, warm and sticky blood splattered everywhere. Izuku trying to slap him awake, telling him that he’s right there and to not fall asleep just yet. But it always ends with Katsuki either dying in his arms or an angry Katsuki blaming him for his death. He couldn’t handle another night terror that haunted his thoughts so the best thing Izuku thought of was…not sleeping. At all.
The only thing Izuku tortured himself with was no rest, and fighting villains with no almost no breaks. Sure, All Might gave him something to eat once in a while, he got a couple of hours to catch his breath. But he didn’t want to. He didn’t want his thoughts to linger into dangerous, traumatizing territory, more specifically one of seeing his best friend almost dying for his sake.
From strangers—well ones who knew each other their whole lives—to sort of friends. From sort-of friends to friends. From friends to close friends. And then from close friends to strangers, again.
And from strangers to friends again, this time jumping straight from the strangers part to friends because of Katsuki’s apology changing everything. Literally everything.
Katsuki’s apology was one that really mind-struck Izuku, one that really dumbfounded the greenette. Izuku noticed over the months they were getting closer and closer to each other that Katsuki spoke words with actions. He showed Izuku he cared for him but never explicitly said "I care about you". He’d just show it.
Making him soup whenever the greenette was sick, making him his favorite dish, Katsudon, when the boy was sad about something, whether it be grades or missing home or something of the sort. But there was rarely any moment that Katsuki would say 'sappy' things to him. And if it was already hard for him to say things that held a lot of meaning, then you can forget about apologies. But, it was moments like Katsuki’s apology that Izuku would cherish forever.
"I’m sorry about everything," Katsuki said, breathing out a shaky breath before finishing off the sentence that really, really made Izuku finally happy for the first time in almost 7 grueling weeks, "Izuku."
And then from friends to close friends again.
“Wow," Izuku thought, they really have come so far.
It had been a couple of months since Izuku came back to U.A with Katsuki sticking by his side and hanging out with him ever since. Izuku hasn’t been happier than ever in those months leading up to the moment that was now, in the metro, where he and Katsuki sat, side by side, listening to the music playing in their ear that changed from the song that was playing earlier to a completely different one. "Time After Time" by Cyndi Lauper.
"What are you thinking about nerd?" Katsuki asked, curiously staring at Izuku who was staring hard at the window, "You’re doing that thing you do when you’re thinking hard about something. Fumbling your damn lip with your finger."
Izuku turned toward Katsuki where he met ruby eyes with his green ones, his finger still connected to his lip until the blonde pointed it out to which he stopped and set down his hand back in his lap and let out a slight chuckle, "Just thinking."
"Hm," Katsuki hummed as he broke his eye contact and leaned back into his seat, arms crossed over his chest, "Tell me."
"You’ll get bored Kacchan," Izuku sighed, leaning his back into his seat and relaxing into the cushion that was slightly uncomfortable but he paid it no mind.
"I asked, didn't I?" Katsuki said, looking over once more at Izuku before continuing, "If I didn’t wanna listen, I wouldn’t have asked."
Izuku gave Katsuki a small soft smile before starting his little ramble, "I was thinking about how far we’ve come you know? Like, how we were strangers who have known each other their whole lives then slowly but surely becoming-"
As Izuku continued talking to Katsuki about his thoughts, the music slowly shifted into another song. A beautiful melody of a guitar playing in the beginning of the song then accompanied by the soft and gentle lyrics that held such a sad and bittersweet meaning. "Safe and Sound" by Taylor Swift, one of Izuku’s favorite songs he discovered a long while ago, stumbling across it when his mother was humming the beautiful tune when he was a little over 7.
They arrived at their destination a few minutes later as soon as the greenette was just about to finish his mini ramble, not talking about his thoughts but rather a new change of subject that made its way somehow through his non-stop talking while Katsuki sat next to him, listening to him the entire time and making small comments here and there. Mostly the comments he made were calling the greenette a 'sap' or an 'overly emotional nerd' to which Izuku just laughed sweetly and Katsuki smiled softly but quickly hid it with a straight face, not knowing that Izuku could see his gentle smile all along.
Katsuki took them both to a cliff, but it wasn’t any normal cliff, it was one that they both went to as kids. Together.
And this is the fifth thing Izuku learnt about Katsuki that night, it was that he loved him.
—
"Kacchan, why are we here?" Izuku asked, looking around at the strangely familiar location they were at, not stepping foot in the forest they explored in as kids for years until now.
"Just follow me you damn nerd." Katsuki simply huffed, walking first into the forest, the sounds of leaves crunching and twigs snapping underneath his feet.
Izuku nodded without the blonde paying attention and caught up to Katsuki who was a few feet away, the same crunching and snapping noise under the greenette’s feet. It was dark, so dark and a bit chilly, the cool autumn night breeze gently ruffling Izuku’s green curls and enveloping his freckled face. He breathed in the cold crisp air, sighing softly as he tried making out where Katsuki was headed, squinting his eyes in the darkness and making out a dark figure that he assumed to be Katsuki.
"Keep up nerd, we’re almost there anyway," Katsuki said as Izuku followed him, making out his figure in the little moonlight that was seeping through the branches of the tall maple trees up above both of the boys.
"How much longer?" Izuku asked, looking up at Katsuki who was in front of him as they both walked somewhere up.
"Not much, just be patient. You always asked the same damn thing everytime we went up here," the blonde chuckled, reminiscing all of his past memories with the greenette.
"Kacchannn how much longer? I’m getting tired, my legs hurt." The green-haired boy whined as he came to a full stop with the blonde stopping just a few steps in front of him, turning back and looking at the little boy right in front of him.
"We’re almost there Izuku, just a little longer okay?" Katsuki held his hand out for Izuku to take, hoping he’d grab it so that they could make it to the top of the hill.
"Okay Kacchan," Izuku took Katsuki’s hand in his, his palms a bit sweaty and so was Katsuki’s since it was a hot summer day and they were both tired from the ‘adventure’ game they were playing earlier which ended in them exploring the forest and wanting to reach the top together.
"Kacchan, I can barely see anything," Izuku said after a few moments of silence except their footsteps that could be heard throughout the woods. The owls hooting, crickets still chirping, birds flying above them and airplanes hovering over them both. The greenette had his hands out, trying to avoid any trees and any obstacles that could be in his path, only hearing the blonde chuckle a bit from in front of him, "What?"
"That’s kinda funny, how you look right now." And Katsuki had to admit, it was so fucking hilarious. Izuku’s arms were out, his eyes as big as saucers. Honestly, Katsuki would want to see that at least once more in his lifetime and chuckled at the thought as the other boy looked at him in the eyes and interrupted his thoughts, "Kacchan it’s pitch black and I don’t wanna fall down the hill."
Katsuki looked at Izuku and held in his chuckle, only this time his chuckle contorted into a cheeky grin, stepping closer and closer until Izuku and him were at least a feet apart. Katsuki held out his hand for the greenette to take, "Fine, here."
Izuku gladly took his hand, a soft smile appearing on his face and a slight pink blush made its way to his cheeks, "Thank you Kacchan."
"Tch I don’t want you rolling down the damn hill and dying before we fucking get there you moron." Katsuki tched.
"Ouch, why so harsh Kacchan? Think I can’t handle it myself?" Izuku grinned looking at Katsuki.
That damn grin on his stupid cute face, Katsuki thought, shaking away the thought as soon as it came up.
"I will push you down and let you roll down the damn hill back where we started," Katsuki bent down to Izuku’s level, smirking, his smug face right in front of the greenette’s, "if that’s what you want you damn nerd."
A soft chuckle, "Fine, fine. I was just joking Kacchan. Thank you." Izuku gripped Katsuki’s hand and Katsuki started walking forward again, this time with him leading Izuku the way and his hand in his.
Katsuki noticed when he held Izuku’s hand that his hand was soft. Even if it was scarred all over, it was still soft and small and a bit sweaty in his own big hand. He blamed it on the 'hot' temperature that must’ve been in the forest because the blonde’s palm was slightly sweaty too, the faint smell of nitroglycerin wafting through the air.
Katsuki gripped it tightly, not wanting to let go until they reached their destination.
In fact he never wanted to let go, he wanted them to stay like that forever, holding each other, fingers almost interlocking. And Izuku didn’t want to let go either, in fact he liked it too.
A few moments passed by, the sound of silence between the two except their footsteps and the sounds of nature all around them filling in the void of silence that wasn’t necessarily awkward but somehow relaxing. Their hands still tightly holding onto the other’s, their fingers slowly interlocking with each minute that passed by, and they knew it themselves but didn’t say a word about it.
Their breaths slowly started overlapping as they climbed the steep hill that had thinner air at the top of the cliff, their rapid heartbeats beating fast and their footsteps slowing down significantly.
And finally, they ascended to their destination, the cliff. The cliff that was apart of their childhood, the cliff they
would go on every chance they got out of the house, always collapsing onto the cool grey rock and rapidly sucking air in and out until their breathing got back to normal.
"We’re here moron." Katsuki spoke out, his breath labored and his nostrils flaring in and out trying to control his breathing and get it under control.
Once they ascended, Katsuki broke their hand holding, scared that his sweat would create mini explosions and could hurt Izuku but Izuku paid no mind to it as he collapsed onto the cool grey rock, out of breath and laughing breathily.
"What’s so funny, moron?" Katsuki said, breathy while walking over to Izuku having a mini laughing fit on the ground, "Hah? What’s so fucking funny you idiot?"
Katsuki kicked him playfully, a slight grin appearing onto his face. The greenette looked up at him, still laughing a bit from his little fit and coming down from his laughing high. They both stared into each other’s eyes. Katsuki looked deeply into the other’s, noticing that his emerald eyes perfectly matched his forest green curls.
Izuku looked beautiful, Katsuki had to admit. His brown freckles splattered across his rosy cheeks. His green and black locks that were as soft and fluffy as they looked. His beautifully carved face that looked like a statue, intricately carved and sculpted by the gods, painted carefully and perfectly.
Izuku, on the other hand, looked deep into Katsuki’s crimson eyes, dark red irises mixing into a lighter red which perfectly complimented his peach skin tone. His blonde spiky hair, perked up as usual. His sharp jawline. His smudged eyeliner that he forgot to wash off after hero training today.
Silence between the two as they just stared into each other’s eyes for a moment, before Katsuki held out his hand again, breaking the unusually comfortable silence, "Come on nerd, I’ll show you why I brought you here today."
Izuku gladly took Katsuki’s hand again, this time it was a bit more cooler and less sweatier which Izuku guessed the blonde wiped off when they broke their hand hold a bit earlier. The only thing that didn’t break was their eye contact, and Izuku gave Katsuki a soft smile before the blonde pulled up the shorter boy to stand with him.
They both looked at each other for another second before Izuku was the first to break eye contact and turn towards the full supermoon that laid right in between the countless amount of stars that were scattered upon the dark night sky, shining upon both of them. And god, was it beautiful.
Izuku was in awe, his mouth slightly open and he let out a small gasp and Katsuki could feel himself swell with pride, "Kacchan this is- this is even more beautiful than the times we’ve used to come here."
Katsuki was right in bringing the both of them here…to do what he had wanted to for a long, long time.
They both peeled their eyes away from the moon that shone brightly right in front of them and looked at each other again, this time Izuku smiling lovingly at Katsuki and Katsuki just staring at Izuku, starstruck with how the moonshine illuminated the highlights in his hair. As well as illuminating his brown freckles that were scattered all over his tinted pink cheeks, and god, those eyes. Those deep emerald green eyes that complimented his ruby red ones. Katsuki seriously couldn’t keep his eyes off of Izuku, he just couldn’t.
They both walked over to the familiar big rock that sat near the end of the cliff, the same exact one from their youth. Safe enough that they wouldn’t fall or be in any danger. And there, they sat together, gazing upon the countless stars and constellations in the sky above them and the moon shining brightly on their faces. The sight was just amazing.
While Izuku was busy gazing upon the starry night sky in front of him, Katsuki took it upon himself to look at Izuku’s face, again, studying how stunning Izuku looked under the moonlight.
He looks perfect , Katsuki thought, while admiring the other boy entirely. His curly hair, his big expressive green eyes, all 55 of Izuku’s freckles Katsuki could count ever since the day Izuku came back in his room. His Adam’s apple, his awe-struck smile, the prominent sparkle in his eyes. Katsuki couldn’t fathom how mesmerizing Izuku looked, he looked beautiful, there was no other way to describe how he looked in Katsuki’s eyes.
"What’s up Kacchan? Everything okay?" Izuku felt the blonde gazing at him for a few moments so he turned to the side and looked at him, wondering why Katsuki looked at him the way he did.
"Just thinking," Katsuki replied with the same response Izuku gave him a few hours ago, a small smirk etched onto his face as they both locked eyes with each other.
"About what Kacchan?" Izuku replied in a gentle tone. Now this time he was the one curious, shifting closer to the blonde. Their hands close, their fingers? Dangerously closer.
Katsuki could feel a slight blush on his cheeks and the tips of his ears getting hot. His chest felt warm and that well-known fluttering feeling in his stomach arised once again. He sighed and looked up at the moon once more, breathing in slowly and out slowly.
Katsuki moved a bit closer this time, his fingers finding their way atop Izuku’s and rubbing his thumb over his palm gently and softly. A silence fell between the two again, but it wasn’t awkward or tense. It was just comforting silence.
Izuku blushed deep red, his heart leaping and his stomach filled with butterflies. His chest bubbled with warmth and he had the most captivating smile on his face Katsuki had ever seen.
He was perfect, just so perfect. Of course he loved him. Of course he did.
"Hey Izuku," Katsuki said after a few seconds of calm silence between them.
"Hm?" Izuku hummed, looking away from the night sky and up at Katsuki but those red eyes were still gazing upon the countless stars that sprinkled the dark sky.
Katsuki, his eyes still glued to the starlit sky, seeing Izuku look at him through the corner of his eye before starting back up again. He took a deep breath and cleared his throat. Oh god this was gonna be it. The moment he waited for forever.
"Tsuki ga kirei desu ne Izuku?"
Katsuki finally then turned to look at Izuku who’s eyes stayed locked onto his, widening as the actual meaning of the blonde’s words finally hit him.
" The moon is beautiful isn’t it Izuku? "
Katsuki had just confessed. Katsuki had just meant "I love you."
Izuku’s eyes brimmed with tears. He took Katsuki’s hand and intertwined their fingers. He started sniffling and almost broke down crying right then and there.
"Hey Deku, don’t go crying on me now-"
"I can die happy Katsuki." Was all Izuku said before enveloping Katsuki into the biggest, tightest hug he has ever given him.
The scent of mint and flowers greeted Katsuki’s senses and he hugged the greenette back tightly, not wanting to let go or let this moment end. Katsuki embraced the boy ever so lovingly, hearing the soft sniffles from the greenette, "If I ever knew you were this much of a sap, I would’ve never confessed here." The blonde said jokingly.
Izuku pulled away for a second and pouted, "Kacchannnn." Izuku rolled his eyes, laughing and crying tears of joy as he hugged the blonde all over again, his embrace tighter than before.
"I’m just joking you nerd, I just wanted to make it perfect." Katsuki replied, finally able to breathe in and out normally. He’d been holding his breath, hoping for Izuku’s response to be what he had hoped for. And it was. Katsuki was happy—and so was Izuku.
"It was beyond perfect Kacchan. Thank you, I…love you.” There it was, the words Izuku had waited for years to say to the boy right in front of him. The 3 words felt strange on his tongue, unused and new. But it flowed out perfectly, his voice low and whispering as he just stared into the ruby eyes that met his gaze.
Katsuki smiled softly, taking a deep breath before leaning his forehead onto the shorter’s, closing his eyes and rubbing the tip of his nose onto the other’s gently before returning the greenette’s words back, adding his signature twist on them as usual, "I love you too damn nerd."
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