Archive of Our Own

Izuku gently nibbled on the rim of his red cup. His eyes swept over the crowd of people inside the frat house, begging to whoever bothered to pay attention at the moment to let Ochako or Tenya wonder by, saving him from standing awkwardly in the corner.

He looked over the room once more before tilting back the plastic cup and taking a gulp. His lips twitched at the taste. Izuku licked the aftermath of the alcohol from his upper lip with a grimace. If Red Bull, vodka, and kook-aid had a child, raised it on steroids and set it free in a jungle- this…this would be the result.

He glanced around, hoping to spot a trashcan, yet even though the mass of people would call for at least one trash bag, he found none.

Izuku decided he hated his life. But he definitely hated house parties more. Especially when they were on another campus all together.

"But my girlfriend’s going to be there, and I would love for all of us to hang out and party!"

"Where are you now, Ochako?" he muttered under his breath, moving away as a drunken girl stumbled by, screaming in tune with the loud music on the speakers. Ok, so maybe he knew the answer to that question. Ochako and Tsuyu most likely were inside one of the upstairs bedrooms. Most likely having a lot more fun than him.

Tenya, he last saw getting dragged away by a girl with pastel pink hair. Her eyes blazed a crazed look, and Izuku knew not to even get near that unless he could help it.

20 minutes later and he still stood in the same corner, shifting from foot to foot and trying to relax by bobbing his head to the music. It did the opposite of relaxing him. All that played was blood-pumping alternative or mainstream peppy pop music.

Every time someone even looked like they were going toward his direction, Izuku slapped his back to the wall and made a point of looking the over way. As soon as they disappeared from his view, his shoulders slumped. Every beat of the music or coy gaze of a stranger made his blood freeze in place.

Just talk to anyone! his mind begged.

I'm trying, he wanted to scream back.

Then all at once he wanted to punch his anxieties in the face and talk to anyone- like that guy with all the piercings. See, why couldn’t Izuku just walk... Like that guy.... Walk.... Just walk up to him and....

The back of his shirt painfully scorched his skin as this guy lazily made his way through the crowd of dancers towards him. His cheeks burned with blood and his mind hissed, he's coming this way.

A more logical side urged him to calm down. There's a whole wall behind you, relax. He might just want to lean against it too.

Izuku sipped his toxic juice, eyeing anything that wasn't the guy. He counted to ten, then just to be save, counted another ten to be sure the guy passed. Izuku took a big swing of the drink, shutting his eyes in the process.

Relax, relax, relax

"Hey," a voice cooed.

The drink spilled over his lips and managed to get caught in his lungs at the same time. Izuku banged a fist on his chest, whipping around to see the same piercing guy lazily lean a shoulder against the wall. He raised a brow as Izuku felt his cheeks almost hiss from the heat and the sweat on them.

Damn this guy was hot too. It was as if God himself wanted to punish him for being a massive dork.

He used the collar of shirt to swipe his mouth. If only he could just erase himself from the situation too. Next time, he wouldn't care how "cute" a too big sweater looked on him. It didn’t fit him right. He kept having on to readjust the neck to hide to his naked collarbones. If Ocako had to wear this time for the whole party, she'd be eating her words. He didn't feel cute, or even the good kinda hot in the good way. He just felt sweaty and red. So, so red.

"You bored?" Inky black fringe fell into equally dark, tired eyes when the question dropped. His hand, clad in silver rings, reached up to push it away. Izuku noticed the strange tattoos on them, almost like stitches.

Scratch that, Ochako was right and he loved her with his whole being.

"Um..." Holy crap. What words are?

Thankfully, the guy didn't seem interested in that.

He pulled something out of his pocket, just enough so Izuku could catch a glimpse of something green inside of a small plastic bag.

"25 for a gram." His voice stayed with its monotone touch. "But I'll leave it 15 for you." At this point his eyes weren't even on Izuku anymore. They made a quick search into the mass of people, probably making sure no one eyed them too much.

His mouth forgot how to form words, now for different reasons. He wasn't interested in him. He just wanted to sell him drugs.

Izuku drank more.

"O-oh, um, no th-"

"Fuck..." he said abruptly, stuffing back his stash into his pocket. His eyes finally fell on him. “Ask for Dabi if you're interested." He paused a moment, taking the time to stare at Izuku's face a little longer. The edge of his mouth sharpened upwards like a blade. "Or just hit me up."

Izuku's lips parted at that, watching him slither back into the crowd.

His eyes fell to the red cup in hand and frowned. That- that actually happened, right?

"Yo dude!" Izuku's head snapped up, the voice too close and loud to make him think the call could possibly be for him.

A redhead threw his hands up almost to calm him down, laughing with a mouthful of knives. "Sorry dude!" He grinned. The ease of his half-moons eyes chilled Izuku in the heat of room. "Didn't mean to scare ya!" Even the way his words passed through the air managed to relax him a bit.

Some of the tension left Izuku's shoulders for the time being, yet he gripped his half empty cup of liquor. He managed a nervous smile in return. "No! You're ok! I'm just-"

"Freaked? Shit dude, no wonder. I thought I saw Dabi lurkin'. You don't look like the kinda dude who deals with his shit." He waved his hands around. "Plus he knows he's not allowed my parties anymore after the whole thing last time. Guess who got stuck cleaning the communal bathroom last time? Haha this guy, and let me tell you- it's so much grosser than what you think. Especially after the vomit, hahaha! Serious though,” he passed his hands through his spiky locks. “I wanted to-”

Izuku stared at him, vaguely wondering how someone could just jump into conversation so easily.

"Crap!” The guy blinked his eyes in shock. “I'm Kirishima Eijirou by the way!" He swiped his hands on his black shirt before holding one out. "I'm hosting this thing with a couple of my bros!" Kirishima grinned again.

He fixed his sight on it before realizing that it was meant as a handshake. Izuku smiled again, slipping his hand into it.

"Midoriya Izuku, nice to meet you."

"Midoriya?" he repeated after letting go. Kirishima pursed his lips, creasing his eyebrows. "That sounds...really familiar actually. I have, like, a great memory too, but... Do ya go here?"

Izuku tilted his head to the side at that. He's positive he's never seen this guy before in his life. Plus this is the only time he's ever even been to this school. He explained this with a shake of his head.

"Ah..." Kirishima still confusedly looked at him up and down.

"Oh!" It hit Izuku how it might sound like. "I'm not crashing or anything! I'm here with my two friends, and my best friend really wanted to see her girlfriend-"

Kirishima put a hand up, cutting him off again. "Say no more bro! My boyfriend and I will literally act as if the world's ending if we don't see each other or our girlfriend, Mina, after a while.” He laughed. “And don't even get me started on Tsuyu and her-"

"Tsuyu? Asui Tsuyu? Long black hair? Loves frogs...?" Izuku trailed off as Kirishima's grin grew even bigger.

He laughed, loud and unabashedly enthusiastic over the booming of the music. "Bro!" Kirishima clapped a hand over his shoulder, knocking Izuku to the wall with thump. He let out a tiny gasp and tried to straighten up as Kirishima cried out even louder than before, "Dude! Any friend of Tsuyu's girlfriend is totally my friend! C'mon bro! We're all just chilling in the back room!"  

We're?

His stress levels spiked up but Izuku could only weakly smile as he dragged him through the crowd. They pushed through pressed bodies dancing and stepped over a short guy passed out on the floor. He made kissing noises at the potted plant he cuddled.

“That’s Mineta,” Kirishima said over his shoulder, nodding at the guy. He didn’t seem too concerned about him and didn’t say anything afterwards, so Izuku simply whispered an alright to himself.

“Everyone’s in here, dude,” he said when they came to the front of French doors.

Before Izuku could say anything, or even mentally prepare himself, the redhead shoved opened the doors, announcing their presence to the room. All of the voices silenced as if someone put them on mute.

He barely recognized the shift to carpet from the wooden floors as he timidly shot everyone a smile. His eyes couldn’t register anyone. One because the lights in this room dimmed down to almost nonexistent, and two because he felt kinda vaguely faint...ish.

The doors behind him closed, cutting off the obnoxious music to their group. It left them listening to the humming aftermath. Now he actually felt light-headed. His stomach turned.

“Yoo!” Kirishima hollered in the quiet. “This is my new friend Iz-”

“Izuku!”

He blinked his eyes, trying to get them to adjust better in the darkness at the sound of the familiar voice.

Sitting on the couch with her legs draped over another girl’s, sat Ochako. Her hair looked twice as messy as when they left their shared apartment and her lipstick appeared slightly smudged. Her huge eyes went bugged eyed. She sat up, worry thickening in her voice. “I was looking for you!”

Izuku bit on his tongue to restrain himself from asking what made her think he was gonna be inside of the stranger host’s private den. However the girl under her gave him a wave and a soft smile.

“Hey Izuku.”

At Tsuyu’s low greeting, Izuku felt any ill will die out. They held hands, and looked completely adorable cuddled next to each other on the couch. He recalled the weeks living with a frustrated Ochako because she and Tsuysu were too busy to actually meet up for a date. Not for the first time did Izuku feel bad for her, because who know a simple three hours could keep two people so sad.

Izuku felt some of his nerve ease. “Hi Asui,” he waved back meekly but with a genuine smile.

“Told you to call me Tsuyu.”

“I saved him from Dabi!” Kirishima announced, moving to a recliner and plopping down. Izuku’s eyes trailed to the other recliner in the room, where someone seemed to be sleeping. His arm pressed over his eyes as his chest deeply inhaled and exhaled.

Kirishima followed his gaze and grinned. He shook his head. “He’s a grouch when someone wakes him up.”

“Argh, what’s that guy doing here? Sero, I thought you banned him?!” said a girl with short hair and jean jacket. She tugged back her hair to show off an elongated ear lobe. Her question aimed toward a tall guy in the back playing at a pool table.

Sero rolled his eyes, grinning at her. “Seriously, Jirou?”

His opponent, a blonde, snorted loudly. “Just cause you ‘ban’ the weed man doesn’t mean he’ll stop showing up.”

Jirou sat up from her seat on the couch to give them a proper evil eye. “It was a simple did or didn’t question, smartasses.”

“Alright, alright. Anyways, forget about the weed man, guys. This is Izuku- Dude! Sit! Sit! Hahah, don’t mind them.” Kirishima waved his arms around.

Izuku felt the sting of blood rush into his cheeks. He whipped his gaze around the room and found the closet, empty space next to the sleeping man. Izuku made himself as comfortable as best as he could and glanced around the room. He quietly placed his cup on the floor next to his feet.

“That’s Jirou.”

“Hey.”

“Damn! Kaminari, you’re totally cheating!”

“How can I cheap at pool, Sero?! Maybe you just suck.”

“That’s Sero and Kaminari. The one cheating is my boyfriend.”

“Heya!”

“Hey! And that’s a lie.”

Kirishima pointed at Ochako and Tusyu. “They you know and Mina is out outta town visiting her parents, but she’s awesome.” Izuku nodded despite not even meeting her. “Oh! And this guy,” he nodded at Izuku’s side, “is my fellow fraternity brother and roommate since like- freshmen year.”

Izuku glanced at him, but other than the white shirt and ripped jeans, he couldn’t see his face.

Jirou drank from her beer bottle. “We’ve been keeping quiet ‘cause princess over there throws a fit if anyone wakes him up from a nap,” she told him.

Izuku frowned, eyeing him again. “But…why don’t you guys just tell him to go to a bed if he’s that tired.”

“Oh Izuku… Pure, naïve Izuku…” Sero dramatically sighed. Kaminari laughed. He could literally feel everyone else roll their eyes.

He blushed red, feeling clearly out of the loop. 

“Hush you two!” Ochako threw back at them. “Give him a break! Izuku’s lucky enough to never have met him!”

“Damn, Urakaka.” Kirishima smothered his laugh under his hands.

Her face peeked rosy, shaking her head and looking around at everyone else snickering. Even Asui giggled between her fingers. “That’s not what I mean and you all totally know it!” Her brown eyes locked back onto Izuku’s confused ones. “He’s… Um, how would you describe him?” She turned toward her girlfriend. “I need an honest review, babe.”

Asui pressed a finger to her bottom lip, large black eyes looking straight at the person in question. “Arrogant, rude, brash…” she started off.

“Yup! Kinda unfriendly,” Ochako said.

Kaminari nodded. “Will fight you in a Denny’s parking lot at three in the morning.” He paused, giggling a little. “Trust me.”

 “Don’t forget loud,” Jirou tossed in.

“An overall asshole, to be honest,” Sero said and leaned down to stay eye level with the table and the ball on the other end of his stick.

Jesus, if this guy could make this many friends while having the personality of a rabid raccoon, Izuku might not be such a lost case in that department. It reminded Izuku of someone he hadn’t thought of in years. A tiny part of him deep inside both laughed and ached.

His feelings must’ve have translated onto his face, because at that instant Kirishima quickly added in, “But while that’s most of the burrito layers that make up Bakugou, he’s-”

“I fucking wake up to this shit?!”

Izuku snapped his attention to the scream, ear-bursting through the murmured background music and chill lull of voices.

Before him sat someone around his age, pale in the dim light and… Izuku’s about to take in his face when he noticed it. He’s bluff.

Well not bluff in the way he’d refer to his step-dad, but…his arms. And chest. He definitely works out.

Izuku really hated his life. Why did he pick this spot? God must’ve figured out how comfortable he got and decided to throw him a curve ball. An extremely good-looking curve ball who’s currently throwing his arms behind his neck in a stretch as he yelled loudly. Izuku begged himself not to stare but…the arms…the shoulder muscles…

Oh boy.

He hates Ochako for this long sleeved sweater. He’s sweating up a storm and its lot colder in this room than it was back in the party.

“You are all fake, stupid fucks,” he continued, sneering at everyone in the room. Everyone else gave Izuku a pointed look as if this confirmed everything they just said. Which it sorta did. Kirishima’s the only one trying to explain, but his voice of reason fell on deaf ears. “Talk shit to my face, uh? Do it! I fucking dare you!” he called out to everyone.

“Oh, I’ll-” Ochako almost volunteered.

“But Bakugou! Were we lying, though?” Kirishima cut her off, trying to peace keep before any real arguing came about.

Bakugou…?

Kaminari and Sero are hyenas in the background. They aren’t helping the cause.

Bakugou…

Bakugou sat up and stabbed a finger in their direction. “Keep laughing! You two better sleep in shifts tonight!” The threat sounded wholeheartedly real, and the fact his sneer turned into a homicidal grin made Izuku take it seriously, yet it only makes the other two howl in laughter.

Bakugou…

The name… The name… Bakugou. Even in his mind, the name sounded like late afternoons playing in the park and whispers at sleepovers.

“Ka…” he whispered, more to himself to appease the ache in his chest. He knew that there wasn’ta chance…but the little boy in him almost wanted to cry at this point.

Bakugou turned his way, narrowing his eyes. “What are you staring at-” He stopped, now staring back at Izuku’s gawking, red eyes confused and squinting.

“Kacchan?” he barely heard himself say. But yes, yes. His eyes, they’re the same ones that hold thousands of emotions, shinning when he got angry or cried or laughed… His face had long lost its baby fat, leaving in its place a sharp straight nose and a serious jawline. His chest tightened. Holy shit, it’s Kacchan. “Kacchan,” he repeated, louder, again just for himself to know that this is actually happening.

Kacchan opened his mouth, eyes sliding up and down his face, lingering just as Izuku’s were. His gaze pause somewhere on him before yanking up to meet his eyes. Something clicked. “Holy fuck. Deku.”

“Holy shit! Did he just call you KACCHAN- HAHHAHHA!” Kaminari collapsed over the pool table from the laughter, struggling not to fall onto the floor. “C-can I call you K-kacchahaha!” Kaminari continued, face bleeding red at this point.

Kacchan roared and grabbed something at his feet, a shoe Izuku realized as it sailed through the air and smacked Kaminari in the stomach. Sero stared in horror, until Kaminari’s wheezing giggles make him break out in cackles, pointing at him on the floor.

Kacchan turned back and met his eyes.

Izuku stared back.

It’s odd. So very odd seeing someone who he knew as a kid as this…man before him. His chest hurt a little, but he doesn’t know if it was from this weird situation or something else altogether.

“You two know each other?” Asui became the first to ask in that husky tone of hers.

“Deku!” Kirishima yelled out next, snapping his fingers like he solved the world’s greatest mystery. “Midoriya Izuku! I knew I heard your name somewhere! Bakugou talke-”

Bakugou hissed.

He actually turned his head toward Kirishima and hissed like an angered snake. “Watch your fucking mouth!”

Kirishima only grinned back and settled deeper into his seat. “Oh my god, what are the chances?”

Izuku finally moved his eyes from Kacchan, face ablaze. Asui stared at him with a patient expression, something he would call almost uninterested if it wasn’t for the way her head tilted to the side a bit. Ochako threw her hands up in the air. “What?”

He swallowed the ball of anxiety in his throat, choking it down to cough out, “We knew each other as kids. We…were neighbors and…” He stopped himself right there, keeping his face away from Kacchan. The words best friends stayed between them.

“And we played in the sandbox and had sleepovers and fucking played at the park. Fucking hell, do you people want a book about being bratty ten year olds?” Kacchan snapped between his hesitations. He sat up and glared at everyone who dared make eye-contact. Finally his gaze returned to him.

Kacchan snorted. “You haven’t changed.” He wrinkled his nose as he said it. To anyone else, it would feel and sound like an insult, but Izuku noticed it; the way his tone of voice softened. Just slightly.  

That told him enough.

Then in a blink, the softness disappeared and Kacchan’s stare, overbearing and critical, a Kacchan stare, bore into him. “You haven’t either,” Izuku almost hummed in response.

It took him by surprise. His brows rose into his fringe, a smirk coming into view along with a mischievous glint in his eye. It reminded him of when they doodled superheroes on his bedroom wall, something Izuku’s mom would later scowl him for, but like back then, Izuku would do anything for the glow in Kacchan’s eyes.

Some people shined and glowed like the sun, and Izuku loved the sun. For a moment, the emotion blanketed him.

Then Sero burped.

He snapped back, away from Kacchan. When did he start leaning toward him? Izuku almost wanted to slap his face to gain a grip.

“’exuse me,” Sero apologized, smiling and putting down his red cup back on the side table.

Izuku cleared his throat, willing away the hints of emotions that just passed by his chest. “Our moms were best friends in high school, so we always were together.”

“That’s sweet,” Ochako smiled, big eyes tender. Izuku tried to imagine what she thought: two babies babbling to each other in a crib while their moms talked about their favorite crime fighting show.

Kacchan rolled his eyes, looking around for something. “My old lady would’ve robbed a bank for Auntie.” Izuku notice how everyone almost shockingly looked toward each other at that last word. He can understand a little. Auntie was such a sweet word for this Kacchan, especially in that content. “She always said if she hadn’t met the old man, she would’ve married her.”

Izuku nodded, his mom mentioned that once or twice. Quiet fell over everyone, tinting on surprise if Izuku would put a name on it. “O-oh. That’s cool,” Jirou shrugged off the disbelief in her voice.

Kacchan found what he looked for.  He brought the red cup to his lips and finishing off the remains of the Izuku’s liquor.

Izuku flushed at the sight and wanted to slap himself.

“Yeah,” he said sarcastically, dropping the empty cup back at their feet.

“But then mom got sick, so we moved out of the city and moved into this little town down south. For better air.” He can feel Kacchan’s eyes on him. “So…I guess that’s how we lost contact.”

“Ahh… That makes sense,” Kirishima nodded. Ochako and Asui quickly agreed.

Kacchan stared at him, frown cutting deeply into his face.

Kaminari, sitting at the leg of the pool table, hummed. “That was like, what, the early ‘90s? No internet and if you lost the phone number or someone changed it, it’s like all ties are basically cut, right? Dude that sucks.”

No one spoke after that, the silence hanging heavily on the room. Izuku especially felt it suffocating. “So… What’s your major?” It was all he could think of.

Kacchan settled back into the seat, frown still on his mouth, and crossed his legs at the ankles. Izuku could see a tidal wave of emotions swirling in his eyes. His lips tightened into a thin line, obviously trying to internally calm himself. “Chemical engineering-”

“To become a bomb technician?” he finished, voicing tilting, he almost could see the excitement in his own voice. Kacchan’s eyes narrow into slits but his smile appeared, sharp as ever. Izuku read the look with a secret smug satisfaction. He remembered.

“Bakugou loved all that exploding stuff since he was a kid, uh?” Jirou asked, reminding Izuku once again, they aren’t alone in the room. Kacchan blinked, hot white anger pressing back into his face.

Kacchan snarled. “I’m right here. Don’t talk like I’m a plant in the room.” Jirou stuck out her tongue, finishing off her beer.

“Whatever, Bakugou. Hmm…” She looked around, frowning suddenly. “We’re outta drinks in here.” Her sight returned to Kacchan, suddenly smiling. “Hey Bakugou…”

“Fuck no.”

“It is your turn, bro,” Kaminari shouted out, still lying down on the floor.

“Fuck you too, motherfucking a-”

“I’ll go,” Izuku found himself saying out loud. He realized his mistake the second the last word dripped from his mouth. He gotten a little comfortable in the den and forgot that he was in a strange campus filled with strangers in a very foreign frat house where he had no idea where the booze was kept.

Ah.

“Aw, it’s ok Izuku! Just let Ba-” Ochako started.

Kacchan stood up abruptly. “Fine! I’ll go,” he sneered over his shoulder and continued on to the doors.

“I-I’ll go too, I guess!” Izuku shot one last glance at Ochako’s confused face before returning to the mass college party-goers.

While he weaved between dancers and people talking right in the middle of the hall, Kacchan shoved, pushed, and simply threw a cluster of colorful words at them until people parted for them.

“Fucking hate parties,” he yelled over the music as they finally made their way into the kitchen. He shoved aside a couple who stood in front of a cabinet. Izuku kept his eyes away from them because on a quick glimpse, they appeared were very, very close to having sex. “Oi!” Izuku snapped himself back to reality and found Kacchan passing him a couple six-packs.

He stuttered an apology and quickly took ahead of them. The couple next to them didn’t seem deterred from their activities and let out very x-rated moaning sounds. Stepping backwards, shocked and in disbelief, his hips hit the island countertop, both surprising him and ripping a yelp from his throat. Kacchan’s mocking laughter left him blushing, body reddening in embarrassment. “You haven’t changed at all, lil shit.”

Izuku’s eyes went wide. He tilted his head at the couple, awkwardly and probably rudely but honestly. What the hell?? His blush worsened. Who could blame him when they- oh god, someone just groaned really loudly.

Kacchan followed his motion and rolled his eyes in disgust. He tossed a third large bottle of rum at him, making Izuku make the catch of his life before it could shatter at their feet. “If you two pieces of shit fuck in my damn kitchen, I’ll fucking murder you!”

Izuku pointy kept his gaze elsewhere than from the encounter next to him. He patiently waited until that discussion was over before Kacchan finally made his way back to him. “Nasty motherfuckers,” he growled, taking back the bottle of rum.

Izuku smile despite the situation. “You haven’t changed either, Kacchan.” He raised a brow at that. “Though…maybe you have.”

“Well fuck, have I changed or not? Pick.” He clicked his tongue. A gesture Izuku saw because, ahem, he kept looking at his lips.

Which were nice and…uh…nice.

Izuku shifted his feet. “I-I mean, yes and no? But it’s been ten years and of course you’re not acting like a ten year old because of time and stuff, but you’re still the same and I’m happy that I can still recognize you after all of this time and wow I’m going to stop talking because this got really long and I need to breathe.”

If he could stop time, this would be the moment Izuku would do it at, simply to scream into the air without embarrassing himself further. Because this is Kacchan, for Pete’s sake. Kacchan who used to dunk him in the pool and steal his action figures. His arm still had the scars from where he broke it after getting a double dare to climb the tallest tree in the park- from Kacchan. God, he wanted to impress him so badly that he would’ve done just about anything.

Then when they left, it was heartbreaking. Years later and he could still recall the nights he spent crying and begging his mom to take him back because he didn’t get to tell Kacchan that where he moved. It was too sudden, but his mom’s doctors were in another city, miles and miles away and they needed to leave as soon as possible. So they packed and left over and then, that was it.

Looking back at Kacchan now, Izuku wondered if he missed him like that. It felt hard looking at him again. This was the person Izuku spent countless hours sobbing over until he told himself that it couldn’t be helped. But a part of him wanted to see him so bad, so bad… Which was why he came back. Izuku wanted to see him and yet, finding him…it dealt the final blow.

Whatever he felt didn’t matter anymore.  His feelings for him...

“The fuck?”

Kacchan snapped his fingers in front of his face, yanking on his nerves. Izuku’s heart choked in his throat, forcing him to turn to the side and proceed in coughing his lungs out. Kacchan slapped him on the back, nose wrinkling as he gained control of his breathing again. “What the fuck was that?! You fucking start muttering so I can’t hear ya, then you zone out like an idiot!”

Izuku stepped back, clearing his throat and taking deep breaths. “I’m…fine. I just feel really warm.” It wasn’t a complete lie. His head started to throb. From his thoughts or the sole contents of that fruity alcohol in his stomach, he didn’t know.

Kacchan pushed back his bangs, obviously not believing him, and frowned. His mind seemed to be running through a million things. “You really haven’t changed.” His tone hinted at…confusion? He looked away, brows creasing together. “You’re too fucking nice. Still pisses me off. If you got a problem, just fucking say it.” 

Izuku forced a laugh. “You sound like my ex.” Kacchan instantly snapped his gaze back. It stayed on him, unwavering to the point it made him nervous. He hurriedly continued, not sure if he made a mistake somewhere. “He always thought I kept things to myself even when they needed to be said.” Especially when they concern myself. He smiled softly, a little bitterly, thinking back on it and how it applied here.

Hitoshi was right but that didn’t mean he wasn’t gonna keep doing it.

Kacchan snapped away, turning back towards the den without a single word expect for a scoffing sneer.  

Izuku stood there, momentarily jumbled. “Wait!” He cried out, almost tripping over his feet to return to his side. “What did I say?!” Izuku murmured countless excuses and apologizes as he tried making it through the crowd without Kacchan’s brash manhandling.

Somehow he made it back, panting, disheveled, and pretty sure he stepped on someone’s face because he had lipstick smeared on his shoe.   

“Oh fuck no.”

Izuku stepped into the den, blinking, and saw Kacchan almost fuming at the mouth. He peered around him and made a gurgled noise.

Everyone in the room expect Sero, Jirou, and Kirishima sat in a circle around an empty beer bottle.

Right away, he knew that wasn’t going to end well.

“Dudes! We’re playing seven minutes in heaven! Come on and take a seat!”

Definitely wasn’t going to end well.

“Why the fucking hell are you?!” Kacchan was a minute from taking that bottle and smashing it. Most likely over Kaminari’s head, Izuku concluded.

Asui shrugged. “You two were taking too long and we got bored.” 

Izuku practically felt Kacchan vibrate in anger. He stepped forward, trying to keep calm and think. “Won’t it be weird for you four? I mean, you’re dating and if one of you gets in with someone else, won’t it be- awkward?”

“Not really, Midoriya,” Jirou said, coming from the direction of a closet. She stretched her arms over her head. “Just because you’re in there with someone doesn’t mean you actually have to do anything.” She eyed Sero coming up behind her. “I’m too gay for that.”

“Yeah, that! But Jirou knows some interesting stuff.” Sero wiggled his brows at him.

Jirou gave him a blank stare. “I hear everything.” She collapsed on the couch, catching a new bottle of beer Sero tossed.

“Oh….” Izuku said weakly.

“Everything.”

“Anyways!” Kirishima sang, appearing next to Sero and started to take his seat on the floor.

Ochako patted the spot next to her. “Come on Izuku! It’ll be fun!” is what she said but the playful look in her eyes said something entirely different. He hesitated at that look, shaken by it. She knew something… Something. Oh god, the something. She knows that something. How does she do that? Maybe he’s too expressive. The crush might’ve been scribbled on his forehead.

No! He’s freaking himself out. Izuku just had to play along. What would be the harm? And the chances of him and Kacchan getting in there are slim. Tiny.

“Sure…” He tried to smile and made his way over to take his seat.

“We won’t forget about you guys in there, haha,” Ochako assured him.

“Hmmm…50/50,” Jirou added.

Kacchan let out a grunt, part disgusted part annoyed. “You assholes can act like dumbass kids, I’m going to my room.” He started to turn when Kaminari snickered. “What?” He turned back so fast, Izuku thought he get whiplash.

Kaminari shrugged. “Nah, nothing, just didn’t know you were scared about playing a game for dumbass kids, that’s all.” He puckered his lips, nodding to himself and looking at his boyfriend. “Think Mina would’ve laughed?”

Kirishima pondered the thought. Izuku saw it as letting a pot boil. From the corner of his eye, he could swear he saw Kacchan grinding his teeth. “Yeah, bro. She would’ve. But you know, she wouldn’t have been scared to play a dumbass game for kids either so…”

“Make room for me, damn it!” Kacchan roared, grabbing both of their heads and throwing them apart to make space to sit.

Ochako snickered under her breath, “Hook, line, and sinker.” When Asui nodded, Izuku thought that this was gonna end with something broken.

“Alrightly then…” Kirishima smiled and took ahold of the glass bottle then stopped. “Actually, since you sat down last, you gotta spin it,” he told Kacchan.

He stared at Kirishima with a dead glare. “Since when the fuck does seven minutes have fucking rules?”

Kirishima threw his hands up. “If you don’t wanna play and lose-”

“Gimme that! Asstit!” He slapped Kirishima’s hand away from the bottle, muttering under his breath loud enough to make Izuku wonder how one person could put together so many different curse words in a sentence.

He flicked his wrist, launching the bottle to spin and spin. “Remember the one it falls on gets to go in the closet with Bakugou,” Kirishima chirped in the background. Izuku watched the bottle spin once, twice, six times….

“Ah, Bakugou, you really let it go,” Asui said.

Kacchan, uncharacteristically stayed silent, keeping his eyes closely on the bottle. Izuku peeked at him and quickly withdrew his gaze, bringing it back to the bottle. It finally slowed down, pointing to Kirishima then Ochako then to Asui before landing on-

He went pale.

For a solid minute, no one said a word. The air froze in his chest and Izuku felt sick.

Sero laughed, “Dang and you two just got here too!” Kaminari agreed, grinning at Kirishima. Izuku resisted the urge to cover his face with his hands. His cheeks burned to the point where they almost hurt.

Before he could regret what happened to him, Ochako rushed him into a coat closet, giggling slyly and whispering reassurance about something he couldn’t quite make sense of. “No- wait! Ochako, I don’t think this is a good idea…!” He tossed behind at her as she finally got him into the closet. “This is so awkward for the both of us!” he hissed, throat drying at the sight of Kacchan walking straight for him, hands deep in his pockets, a look of irritation on his features.

Izuku stepped away from him as if he was poison, burying himself deep in thick winter coats. 

The last thing he saw was Asui giving him a thumbs up before the door shut them in darkness.

A click told him that the seven minutes locked in begun and- oh. It was basically pitched black in there. After a second of silence, his eyes adjusted to see a stream of light from under the door, dim and a dull yellow. He listened for voices and could only make out faint muffles. 

Swallowing, his hands felt for the wall behind, and after sensing that, he quickly took the two small steps backwards to make room.

“This is so fucking stupid,” a voice growled from the opposite end of the closet.

Izuku swallowed again, finding it difficult to breathe. His chest felt as if something sat on it. “It’s a game for junior high kids,” he tried joking. Anything to stop the tension in his back, in his legs. “I-”

“Can you shut up? This is fucking annoying already without your voice.”

Izuku’s jaw clicked shut. He looked down at his feet even though it was dark. “I’m sorry, Kacchan,” he whispered softly.

He heard nothing.

Now more than anything, Izuku wanted to leave. It took him years to accept he probably wouldn’t see Kacchan again, and being here suddenly, in a fucking closet, he felt- pain. Everywhere. Kacchan didn’t want him here. Coming here was a mistake. Izuku ran over every little mistake that lead to this moment, every decision, and wished he could’ve done something to change it. Because at the end of this, Kacchan won’t care.

Izuku bit his lip, shutting his eyes hard.

He didn’t care, and finally leaving their separate ways won’t matter to him.  That realization hurt more than anything else, and Izuku wished-

CRUSH

He jumped, hand coming to slam against the door as the noise continued outside. It sounded as if a table or glass had broken.

“What the hell-” Kacchan spoke his thoughts as Kirishima screamed out a name. He slammed his fist on the door, trying to get their attention.

“Mineta?” Izuku echoed, vaguely recalling the little guy making out with a plant.

“Oh my God, Tenya!” Ochako yelled out. He heard a roar of laughter and more breaking furniture.

Izuku gasped, pressing himself against the door. “Ochako?!” he called out, chiming in with Kacchan. “What’s going on?! What’s wrong with Tenya?!”

“Oh fuck! The stoner must’ve gotten to that little son of a bitch!” Kacchan screeched. Izuku frowned, confused as to what any of that meant. Before he could ask, Kacchan pounded on the door harder. “Don’t fucking touch my shit or I’ll kill you, Mineta!”

Izuku strained to hear anyone on the other side. He pressed his ear against the door, only getting to hear the music turning up; the laughter and screaming continuing. Izuku pulled back not knowing if anyone remained out there because of Kacchan’s shrieking.

“Stop yelling! We don’t know if anyone is even out there!”

“AHHHHH! MINETA!!”

“Kacchan!”

“I’ll fucking kill you when I get out of here, motherfucker!”

Izuku didn’t even know who that motherfucker was in this case, the stoner or Mineta.

“Kacchan, just-”

He continued to bang against the door, really threatening on punching through it.

“Why can’t you ever just listen to me for once!” Izuku yelled, head throbbing.

He stopped. A beat passed between them before, “What the fuck did you say?!” he demanded, anger now refocused on him for whatever reason.

“I just want you to stop yelling and calm down! Please!” He rubbed his temples. “I can’t even think with you like this,” he snapped.

A bitter laugh erupted from Kacchan, sending chills down his spine. It stopped all at once. “Shut the hell up! I can do whatever I want!”

Izuku took a breath, annoyance bubbling. “I’m just telling you to calm down! Yelling won’t do any good! No one’s even out there to let us out!”

“Fuck! Off! DEKU!” Kacchan snapped and Izuku felt the door shutter like it was slammed onto.

“How will breaking it do it any good!” He cried out as he did it again.

“Shut up!”

“Kacchan!”

“We’ll be out, won’t we, dumbass?!”

“Just wait! Is being in here so hard?!” Izuku yelled over his thunderous tries.

“Yes!” He stopped and screamed in his direction. Izuku took a step back, hitting the back wall of the closet once again. “I hate being in here with you, Deku! I hate being fucking near you!” His voice trembled, almost cracking.

All was left was their pants, mixing together in the tiny space. The laughter and music continued onwards outside.

“W-what?” he couldn’t stop the hurt from appearing in the word.

“You always thought you were better than me, and even after all these fucking years, you still think so!”

Izuku opened and closed his mouth. “W-what are you taking ab-”

“Well guess fucking what! I was always better! Always! I was smarter than you in school! I was better at sports! I was better off without you and you fucked it up like always by showing up now!” Kacchan snarled. “I didn’t need you! Not then or now so why did you- Seeing you again- It h-” he cut himself off. Stepping away, his voice retreated. “Fuck you.”

Izuku listened to his deep breaths. Heavy things that gave off the sickly sweet scent of the alcohol from his drink. At last, the tension on his chest snapped. “You’re so damn selfish.”

“Wh-”

“I didn’t come because I knew you were here! But I would’ve still if I had known because I missed you! I’ve been missing you since I left!” His palms dug into his eyes, begging the tears not to come, biting down on his tongue.

“I came back to see you when I was 14. I took the train and the bus all myself. I skipped a day at school for the first time without my mom knowing.”

His crush was as big as any kid’s could’ve been. He was completely, utterly in love with Bakugou Katsuki.

 Now Kacchan’s right in front of him again and nothing has changed.

“I wanted to see you so badly. But when I finally saw you, walking home from school, I didn’t know what to do… I- I,” his voice wavered. “It felt unreal seeing you again and I just felt so much pain- I hated how it felt.” Izuku pushed his hands into his hair, gripping it with whitened knuckles.

He could still see Kacchan in his mind’s eyes: normal, complete, unfazed as he walked to his house. That Kacchan hadn’t thought of him. That Kacchan didn’t care (just like the man in front of him) and that broke his heart.

In that instant, Izuku hated him.

“So I wished that…that…” I wished I had never met you, if it meant not hating you. Izuku pressed a hand against his mouth, trying to muffle the hard breaths. He felt the stream of tears onto this hand. 

The voice in the dark responded, quiet exhaustion and frustration. “When I finally start to forget you, you just fucking show up? It hurts. It hurts so damn much because I- I’m still- I always-”

The door swung open, drowning them sudden blazing bright light. Kaminari stood before them, dried blood smeared onto the side of his cheek. “Guys! Oh hell, sorry! We forgot you!” He motioned them out. Izuku blinked several times in the harshness of the light, trying to recall when the sounds of people and music had disappeared.

“What happened Izuku? Were you crying?” Kaminari asked, stepping closer to him, hand coming up as if to touch his cheek.

Izuku realized how he must look; swollen eyes and puffy cheeked. He undoubtedly looked like mess. He glanced at his feet, any believe lie caught in his throat. “Umm…”

“Damn! You too Bakugou? Like what the hell was in there?” For the first time, Izuku looked at Kacchan, shocking himself at seeing the redness of his eyes and tear-stained cheeks.

Kacchan slapped his looming hand away. “Deku’s scared shitless of the dark and he slammed his dumb head into my face. So yeah, it hurt like a bitch. Now, what happened, dipshit?” Kacchan asked in vain, leaving the den without getting an answer. Izuku stared after him, lips parted.

He cried.

Kaminari sighed, turning towards Izuku, drawing his attention from the man leaving. “Sorry about this, man. You were locked in there for a while with that guy.” He cracked a smile before a flash of pain appeared, causing him to slap a hand over his nose. “Ohh fuck!”

Izuku winced at the action, looking around for a napkin to wipe off the blood. “What happened?”    He ended up finding one on the couch and proceed to rub some of the unopened rum on it to at least try to clean him off.

He thanked him with a weak, teary eyed smile, and sighed once more.

“Mineta got ahold of too many happy pills, if you know what I mean.”

“Oh?”

Kaminari winced as he gently patted his nose and cheek, rubbing off the blood. “Yeah, that’s why we tried to ‘ban the weed man’. Mineta likes to start stripping and throwing stuff. It’s hell,” he motioned to his face. “Everyone’s gone…along with most of the furniture in the living room.”

Izuku peered out of the den and noticed the disastrous outcome of the party. A few people laid unconscious scattered around the house along with clothes, trash, and broken piece of furniture. Kaminari sighed heavily before picking up a broken photo frame on the ground.

Izuku remembered to close his mouth at the sight of an unsightly yellow stain on the ceiling. Before he let his mind drift to whatever the hell that was, Izuku caught sight of Ockako and Tenya.

“Guys!”

Ochako pressed what looked like a packet of frozen peas closed to Tenya’s forehead. Right away Izuku noticed the large bump beginning to form on it.

“Oh god. Tenya, what happened?” Izuku almost touched it but let his hand fall back last second. It started to tint a dark purple blue color.

His friend groaned, holding his glasses in his hand. “I tried to intervene when that deviant started removing his clothing and swinging on the ceiling fan.”

Ochako sighed. “Then the little freak decided to let go and slammed into him.” She looked up at him and blinked. “Were you crying?” Suddenly she let go of the peas, hands coming up in shock to her mouth. Tenya let out a weak protest at the peas fell onto his lap. “Oh no! We forgot about you and Bakugou!” She looked horrified.

Izuku waved her off. “It’s nothing… Really!” He added in reply to Ochako’s knowing look. He lifted the bag back onto Tenya’s bruise, suddenly extremely tired. “I think though…we’ve all had a lot happen for one night. Let’s head back.” They shared a look, one part confusion one part understanding.

“Let’s get you in the car,” Ochako said to Tenya. He stiffened.

“I can still walk,” he started and began to stand when his knees buckled, almost crushing down to the floor if Ochako hadn’t caught his arm.

“Sure.”

Izuku smiled for the first time in a couple of hours and looped one of Tenya’s arms over his shoulders as Ochako did the same for his other side. “Where’s Asui?” Izuku said, looking around and realizing he hadn’t seen her.  

They hobbled to the front door. “I think her and Kirishima are trying to stop Bakugou from killing Mineta. Keyword: trying.”

Izuku pressed his lips together and saw what she meant out on the front lawn of the frat house. A purple blur raced past them as he saw Kirishima holding Kacchan back like a rabid dog. Asui stood there, calmly saying something about just letting him leave. Yet, like back in the closet, Bakugou didn’t have the head to listen to reason.

“If I catch you back here, I’ll fucking slaughter you! You hear me, son of bitch! You fucking broke my mom’s fucking dishes, fucking asshole! I’ll kill you if you show up in front of me!” He practically foamed at the mouth.

“Bro! Just let him go!” Kirishima cried out, grunting as Kacchan struggled in his hold.

Asui noticed them and waved. “Are you guys leaving? You three can stay over my place tonight.”

Izuku kept his eyes off of Kacchan, even when he seemingly calmed down enough for Kirishima to release him.

“Thanks Asui, but… I’m just really tired and…” He couldn’t help it, letting his gaze peek at where Kacchan stood, looking away at whatever Kirishima tried to tell him. Just then, Kacchan met his eyes and Izuku suddenly felt his lungs deflate. He ripped his eyes away.

“Tenya needs just to relax back home now.” He swallowed, hoping no one noticed. God, he hoped Kacchan didn’t notice.

He liked him so much didn’t he? He still did.

Asui nodded, to his surprise nad not trying to convince him to stay. “Eijiro,” she suddenly called out to him, “Could you help Ochako and I to take Tenya to their car?” Kirishima stepped forwards with pleasant Of course! and sympathetic smiles. Izuku almost frowned.

“Um, but you don’t have to-”

“I think you have stuff to do, Izuku.” Asui looked pointingly at Kacchan as Kirishima took hold of Tenya, relieving Izuku of his duty and leaving him wide-eyed.

“But-”

“We’ll wait for you in the car!” Ochako gave him a reassuring smile before the four of them started off towards the parking lot.

Izuku watched him, fully aware of Kacchan still at his back. The cold air clung to his face as crickets chirped between the dewy grass at their feet. Izuku looked down at his hands and thought of a million things that he wanted to say but knew he wouldn’t.

A part of him whispered he could just leave and everything would stop. A braver, smaller part of him disagreed. “Kacchan.”

The man at his back didn’t reply. Izuku closed his eyes and nodded to himself. Let him at least try. At least try this time.

Izuku turned around and walked up to Kacchan.

He hadn’t moved from his earlier spot with Kirishima and eyed him with that fake tough-guy sneer on his bottom lip. “What?”

Izuku looked at him, recalling the days where Kacchan towered over him. Now they were almost the same height.

Kacchan looked at him with those eyes. They reflected everything Izuku wanted to be as a child, and even now, he admired the way they look at him unwaveringly. Yet at the same time, he felt sorry for the way they refuse to be anything but hard.

“A lot happened tonight-”

“And?”

Izuku refused to back down. “I’ve missed you.” Kacchan blinked and the hardness in his eyes fluttered. His lips parted and closed. “I know there’s a lot of stuff between us. So, if you want- Do you- If you feel like it- Do you want to meet up for coffee sometime? To talk?”

Kacchan stared at him.

And stared.

For a moment, Izuku thought he said the completely wrong thing and messed everything up, but instead Kacchan nodded. Izuku’s chest tightened with hope.

“I’d…like that,” he said softly. He looked back him, hands curling and uncurling at his side before putting them in his pockets. “And…I’m sorry for yelling at you like that,” Kacchan uttered it so quietly, it almost became lost the cricket’s chattering.

“O-ok,” Izuku stuttered, dazed. He sounded beautiful.

Kacchan blinked and all at once, his sneer returned. “Phone!” he barked. Izuku almost flinched at his sudden volume, but quickly brought out his phone from his back pocket. Kacchan snatched it from his hands and slammed his fingers against the screen. He handed it back to him, saying, “You better answer my texts or else this’ll be a waste of my damn time, nerd.” He turned away, but Izuku saw the glimpse of a smile on his mouth.

Izuku smiled, laughed, holding his phone to chest.  “I’ll see you later then.” Izuku’s smile widened, even if Kacchan pretended not to see it. A blush dusted his cheeks, but then again, in the darkness, Izuku could’ve been mistaken.

(he hadn’t)

“I promise.”