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Katsuki walks towards the center of the stage, makes sure he’s near the front, and wraps his arms around himself. They know each other well enough that, even without having practiced this choreography himself more than once, he can almost feel Izuku’s presence behind him. His memory has never been anything less than stellar and, after briefly cursing the circumstances that led them both to this situation, he lets out a soft breath, letting his body get ready to move how it remembers.
The music hasn’t started yet and he’s thankful for it when Izuku takes this time to mumble a soft apology.
“I really am sorry about this, Kacchan.”
Red eyes narrow where they stare at the ground.
“Fucking shut up, dumbass. You know better than to do this now.” He whispers back, trying to convey anger and exasperation without raising his voice or opening his lips too much.
Wisely, the green-haired man doesn’t reply and it’s a good thing too, as the music chooses the next moment to filter in, clear and smooth.
I’ll wake you up with some
Breakfast in bed
Long used to it, Izuku’s frame- now taller and broader than Katsuki’s own- shifts sidways as he brings his hands to tap lightly at muscled shoulders. The blonde raises his head then, expression purposefully surprised because damn it, if he’s going to put on a performance, he’s going to put on a performance. He’s never done things in halves and he doesn’t plan on starting now. The two of them move to face each other, Katsuki still holding the hand that had spun him around and hating that he actually has to fucking look up at the nerd these days but refusing to let any of it show in his face. Izuku, not one to be outdone, stares back at him in adoration, emerald eyes perfectly reflecting his character’s deeply besotted state.
I’ll bring your coffee with
A kiss on your head
He redistributes his weight on one leg in a graceful, almost hopping, motion and lets the younger male move around him as they travel backwards, simultaneously placing scarred fingers on Katsuki’s shoulder and using them to turn him again. Their hands lift and lower quickly so that Katsuki’s rest on his partner’s shoulders while Izuku has one hand on his lower back and another on his head- the two of them playing out that verse of the song in real time as the former ducks to accept a faux kiss. Only shitty Deku actually goes for it and the blonde almost misses his cue to pop his feet outwards on beat.
I’ll take the kids to school
He doesn’t hesitate to pinch the other on his shoulder lightly, even as the smiling male dips him backwards. Katsuki isn’t supposed to look so of fucking course he doesn’t but his carefully soft expression nearly slips, nonetheless. He hasn’t decided if he’s bothered or oddly proud of the fact that he hadn’t even gotten a flinch back, in return. Is he mad that the nerd couldn’t feel his pinch through all that muscle he’d accumulated or was he proud that he didn’t let himself be distracted and fuck up the whole performance? He considers all of this in the span of a split second, bending his back in an angle he knows is goddamn beautiful to see, and decides to settle for a mixture of both emotions.
Wave them goodbye
Izuku maneuvers his body back upright even as Katsuki ducks under an outstretched arm, the two of them retreating until they’re a good distance apart to dance their own sections with the former pulling off a smooth step-ball-change at the front as the blonde shifts his weight to the right, pops his left knee outward while rolling the corresponding arm, and follows the move with a jutted hip and that same arm coming around to circle his head. Katsuki drags his left hand down his sternum as he pushes his chest out and rolls his shoulders temptingly.
I’ll thank my lucky stars
For that night
His partner’s kneeling now, extending an arm to swipe the floor in front of him and the blonde starts his journey back to him, walking gentle but teasing steps coupled with a prolonged turn that has him facing the front- sculpted legs spread wide as his arms mimic the gesture. Him and Izuku perform the same series of moves now and Katsuki huffs internally fondly at the feeling of the two of them falling into step. It’d always been this way. Ever since they were young, dancing brought out a sense of togetherness between them that all the years of fighting hadn’t managed to change.
When you looked over your shoulder
For a minute I forget that I’m older
They’re almost touching in the next moment and Katsuki typically does a good job of not giving a shit when it comes to their height difference, but his ass is, quite literally, inches away from his childhood friend’s crotch and it’s a very near thing, them grinding. Fortunately, or is it unfortunately, it’s not that kind of dance and he’s proud that he doesn’t react even when Izuku releases a silent breath that tickles the back of his neck. A hand on his elbow urges him to turn back. He grabs it lightly before it floats too far away.
I want to dance with you right now
The younger male’s smile has changed, new mischief present in deep green eyes, and Katsuki entertains the idea of stepping on the sneaker-clad feet in front of him, only to have the option taken away when the same foot he’d been contemplating inflicting great pain on, disappears from sight as Izuku momentarily kneels. He settles for rolling his eyes instead, judging that, if anything, the judges will merely take it as a sign of further dedication to his part as the mood of the song has shifted minutely with Deku’s, very apparent, amusement. Exasperated red eyes lock onto teasing viridian, their bodies rolling upwards in tandem as Katsuki lets himself play the role of the delighted lover. They both step out as the singer does a vocal riff, hands still connected while their arms lift upwards to express joy.
You look as beautiful as ever
Together, the two of them take hurried steps away from each other, stopping in their designated spots after a beat just as Izuku points in his direction and the blonde falls into teasing squat, feet planted and touching other as he throws a look over his shoulder. The choreography doesn’t strictly specify that he stick his ass out a little bit here but Katsuki does it anyway, because overkill is his thing and the song is clearly asking for it at this point. Before the next beat hits, he’s lifting himself up- feet spread now- and shrugging his shoulders with one arm at his waist and one hand underneath his chin. It becomes painfully obvious the music had been Izuku’s decision and no one else’s because, if it’d been up to him, he’d be up on this stage with the most shit-eating, I-know-I’m-fucking-hot look on his face but noooo. His childhood friend is a sappy, romantic, little shit and Katsuki has no room to be a depraved heathen when the lyrics literally tell the story of having kids and domestic life and Izuku’s character serving Katsuki breakfast in bed? Like, how does that even make sense? Both knew the green-haired wimp couldn’t cook for shit and was only alive because Katsuki fucking adores Auntie Inko and can’t bear to see that woman crying over something he could have prevented. It was the only reason the two of them shared an apartment even though the blonde could afford his own and Deku had received multiple offers from his friends.
Anyway, this song is unapologetically wholesome, and he’d made a show of gagging when the younger male had told him about his choice.
And I swear that every day it gets better
Katsuki places his hands behind him and takes criss-crossing steps around his partner before ducking under outstretched arms, almost colliding with a solid chest that’s how close he dips into the motion, and- here it goes- being lifted up.
You make me feel this way somehow
Scar-marred hands curl around his lithe waist, Deku holding him in the air for nearly longer than the half beat that was planned, and the blonde struggles not to let the purposeful, unassuming smile slip from his face. Loathe as he is to praise the other male in anything, Izuku’s not one for messing up a performance- especially not when it mattered as much as this one- and Katsuki wants to smack him upside the head and remind him now’s not a good time to suddenly break that streak. Just before it becomes obvious to anyone else that he shouldn’t be up in the air this long, Izuku’s letting Katsuki slip through his fingers as the blonde wraps his legs around the other’s stocky frame and buries his face in his nape, the former wrapping his arms around the latter as he spins them in place.
I’m so in love with you
The shorter male descends gracefully and the two of them step out once again, stretching their arms straight out and locking eyes. They spin away from each other soon enough, facing the front, and syncing their moves for the second time. There’s a point where, right before they’re meant to lock eyes once more, Katsuki realizes Izuku isn’t looking down like the original choreography called for. He doesn’t care that the judges won’t care enough about the change in choreo to really complain. He doesn’t care that Izuku probably won’t even get docked points. He does care that his partner is making decisions on the fly, during crunch time. He doesn’t spare him a sideways glance- because he’s even more of a perfectionist than the younger- but, hell, this performance is Izuku’s grade and not his, so he quickly decides to stop giving a fuck about what the other man does. Katsuki will play his part to perfection because Izuku’s choices are his own and if he suffers for them, well- then he suffers for them. The blonde doesn’t know what the hell his childhood friend is doing with his face right now- there’s every possibility of him looking like a constipated fuck because the one thing about dancing that Izuku never got was natural expressions, he always had to practice them beforehand- and he rationalizes that, since his partner had basically said ‘to hell with the risks’, then whatever happens, happens.
And I hope you know
(He doesn’t see the look of longing on Izuku’s face, doesn’t see the way green eyes trace the features of his face with adoration, memorizing sharp and smooth planes as if it’s the first time he’s seeing them. Because the thing about dancing he never got wasn’t natural facial expressions, it was natural facial expressions around Kacchan. How do you act natural around someone you admire so much that every action you take is the result of inspiration they’ve brought you? How do you act natural around someone you’ve known before you came to know yourself? Around someone you’re too comfortable around that you forget the two of you aren’t on the same page about each other? Katsuki doesn’t know expressions come easy to him when he’s with literally anybody else, because Katsuki had stopped dancing with him for years. The judges notice everything though, the audience holding their collective breath. To them, Midoriya is either a dancer who’s very good at paying attention to details or very, very in love. Only he is certain he’s both.)
Darling, our love is more than worth its weight in gold
Katsuki lets Izuku take his hand, lets his anger dissipate at the smile still on his partner’s face- thank god he didn’t look constipated- and brings that same hand to his head before letting go. The two of them face forwards, the shorter blonde raising his arms quickly and bringing them down and around gently while the other male rests his own hands on Katsuki’s abdomen.
We’ve come so far, my dear
Unlike before, this time when they step out, they step out in the same direction, hands clutching the material on their respective chests. When Katsuki keeps one hand low on his abdomen while lifting his other arm to jut out at into a triangle behind his head, Izuku comes around behind him and guides that one down, letting the motion carry his hand to encircle his partner’s waist just below.
Look how we’ve grown
The green-haired male lifts him from the back, walking sideways as Katsuki does the work of elegantly cycling his legs, back poised, and fingers gripping lightly at Izuku’s wrists.
I wanna stay with you until we’re gray and old
As the next line of the song starts, his feet touch the ground and, secure in his footing, Katsuki spins to face a sitting Izuku, his hands held behind his back as the back of Izuku’s own rubs his smiling lips. The older of the two throws an arm out on his next spin, taking slow steps to centerstage as he waits for his taller partner’s arrival. On cue, Katsuki lets an affectionate smile overtake his face as Izuku wraps his arms around his neck. With their height difference and the way Katsuki lowers his head, as bashful as it is intentional, Izuku could rest his chin on the blonde’s soft locks but, in a moment of self-preservation, wisely chooses against the action. Rather (and Katsuki has no idea how), what he ends up doing is somehow worse; pressing his lips against Katsuki’s ear instead.
They sway together for a bit and he swears he hears subdued chuckling before doing the second to last of his spins and wrapping his arms around Izuku’s neck.
Just say you won’t let go
He locks gazes with the beaming male, both of them still swaying, and huffs good-naturedly.
I wanna live with you
Even when we’re ghosts
Katsuki spins around for the last time, resting his back against his childhood friend’s chest and leaning into his embrace as the music trails off, turning quiet.
The crowd erupts into applause and, in a moment of laxness, Katsuki neither steps away from Izuku nor force the arms encircling him down, smirking out into the audience with all the confidence of someone who knows it was a job well done.(Not that he needed their applause to know it was good, Katsuki is always good. Dancing with Izuki is too. Why did he ever stop again?) It’s only a few seconds later that he decides the moment’s over, pushing forwards- gentle, even then though he couldn’t tell you why- just enough for Izuku to get the hint and retract his limbs. His partner steps forward to stand beside him and the two of them bow respectfully to the crowd before righting their posture and bowing once more, this time to the judges right in front of the stage. They don’t linger, the next student already making their way up raised platform for their own performance, and Katsuki descends the steps feeling the same rejuvenated feeling he always gets after a successful routine. He doesn’t think about the slight heaviness in his gut because, if he thinks about it, he’ll realize exactly what it is and there will go his good mood.
The blonde makes his way to a section of the audience right behind the judges, taking his phone and water bottle from one of the seated helpers, and turning around to almost bump into a rapidly rising and falling chest. Izuku still has that damn persistent smile on his face as he stares back at him and Katsuki doesn’t repress the urge to raise an eyebrow while smirking.
“What, shitty nerd?”
Impossibly, Deku’s smile widens.
“Thanks for helping me out today, Kacchan! I really missed dancing with you!”
“Yeah well, better me than that no show of a partner of yours.” Katsuki drawls distastefully, remembering the sight of a haggard Izuku running into their apartment and telling him his final grade was screwed.
“I told you, it’s not as if she had a choice, Kacchan. She had to get surgery!”
“Tch, bitch could’ve schedule it for later.”
Izuku’s face is a mixture of pain and something that says he’s far too used to behavior like this.
“It’s not as if she knew her appendix was going to rupture!”
Katsuki rolls his eyes in response, speaking his next statement as if it’s the most obvious thing in the world.
“Then maybe she should’ve managed her body better.”
The other male looks like he didn’t know how to respond to that and Katsuki takes pride in being able to make him speechless. God, if only he knew just how many times he did that to Izuku on a daily basis. Music starts filtering into the air again and the blonde notices the disapproving stares the two of them get for blocking the view, gnashing his teeth at the ones openly glaring and then laughing internally at their shocked expressions. Whatever people say about him, though, he can at least respect the space he’s currently occupying and the students putting their grades on the line for a two-minute performance. He turns back to Izuku.
“I’m gonna head back to the apartment and work on dinner. Bring cake when you’re finished here, Deku. Though, I don’t know why you deserve it after pulling some weird shit up there.”
The shitty nerd’s face falters at the implication and he rubs the back of his head sheepishly before flinching as one audience member aggressively shushes them.
“Yeah, sorry about that. I guess I was just feeling spontaneous. And okay, I’ll definitely remember to buy some cake when I’m done getting my stuff and wishing everyone good luck.” He says resolutely.
Katsuki nods once before clapping him on the shoulder and walking towards the exit.
“Oh and Kacchan?”
He turns. Izuku smiles a cracked smile.
“Really, thanks for today.”
Katsuki waves him off.
“Yeah yeah, whatever. It’ll probably never happen again so I hope you enjoyed it while it lasted.”
The words taste bitter on his tongue, but he commits himself to leaving that building without turning back. Against his will, he thinks about the feeling in his gut- recognizes it just long enough to leave it at the door as he walks out.
Regret.
Longing.
Like he said, he doesn’t want his good mood ruined so he banishes the thought before stepping out into the sunlight.
Izuku picks it up. It never really goes away.