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I’m not going to lose! Izuku gritted his teeth. Just a bit more! We’re on the last stock!
He aggressively mashed the buttons on his controller, eyes bright and laser-focused on the television screen.
All of Class 2-A sat around the television set in interest, mesmerized by the ongoing one-on-one match in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. It was a mass-tournament with all of the class participating regardless of experience. Ever since the start of second term, their class has been hosting biweekly tournaments as a way to strengthen their companionship. It was also a way to unwind and de-stress themselves from the hardships of their school-week.
Currently, it was Izuku versus Tokoyami in the second bracket, with Izuku playing as Link and Tokoyami playing as Lucario. The match was leaning in Tokoyami’s favor, as he still had two stocks remaining, meanwhile, Izuku was already on his last life.
“Dammit!” Izuku cried out in anguish as his character was knocked off the stage. "Geez, Tokoyami, you're a master at this game…"
His classmate bowed his head. "I am humbled by your compliment. You yourself were a formidable opponent, Midoriya."
Izuku grinned sheepishly. “Thanks, I tried my best.”
“Alright, enough with the chit-chat, it’s my turn, losers!”
Kacchan came over to the couch where they were sitting and sat between them, taking Izuku’s controller. His muscled arm was warm where it leaned against Izuku.
“Just watch, Half-and-Half! I’m gonna kill you and have an indisputable win!”
“You probably will,” Todoroki admitted, taking up his controller and sitting on the other couch.
To be honest, it was by sheer luck that he made it to the next round. He won against Yaomomo in the first bracket, but she didn’t even know how to play, much less hold the controller. Todoroki wasn’t any better, though. Yaomomo merely ended up self-destructing faster than he did.
After a minute or so, the match between Kacchan and Todoroki ended up just as everyone suspected. Kacchan all but obliterated Todoroki’s character without a shred of mercy.
“Die!!!” The spiky-haired blonde shouted as he dealt the finishing blow.
Die? Izuku pondered.
"Oh my goodness, Bakugou!" Uraraka gasped, covering her mouth in shock. "You could've gone just a little easier on him!"
Iida waved his arms around in protest. “She’s right, Bakugou. Your methods are unrelenting and cruel, especially on a beginner like Todoroki.”
Their other friends chimed in as well, adverse to Kacchan's brutal beating.
"Yeah, bro, it wasn't very manly of you to beat him so mercilessly like that!" Kirishima shook his head, crossing his arms.
“Seeing Todoroki get annihilated like that scared the living shit out of me!” Mineta cried out, hiding behind Shouji. “Bakugou, you monster!!”
"Todoroki has never even played video games before, ribbit.” Asui noted.
Kacchan glowered at their friends, letting off threatening sparks from his palms. "The hell is it my fault that he doesn't fucking know how to play?" He protested loudly, causing Koda’s bunny to hop out of his arms out of fear. “From what I know, you should never underestimate your opponent in a fight!" He countered, resulting in a few boo's from the class. "Shut the hell up! It was an indisputable win!"
Sero snickered. "Wow, last year's Sports Festival really had an impact on you, didn't it, Bakugou?" That earned him a particularly potent glare. If looks could kill, Sero would already be two meters under.
Kaminari, stirring the pot as usual, called out mockingly to Sero, "Nice try!"
"Shut up!" Sero's cheeks flushed. He then sighed defeatedly, body visibly sagging. "At this rate, I'm never living that down…"
Izuku smiled to himself. He was truly thankful for having such a close-knit group of friends. After everything they've been through, they were as close as family.
Seeing him smile, Kacchan raised an eyebrow. Izuku only shook his head, brushing it off.
Todoroki set down his controller for the next person. His expression could only be described as self-reflective. "I didn't even know what I was doing during the game...I just picked Marth because he looked cool…"
Everyone laughed at his open admission.
After a few more rounds, it was finally up to the finals. Back in the semifinals, it was Kacchan versus Asui, and Jirou versus Tokoyami. Asui had Kacchan on the fence while she played as Greninja, but he still prevailed playing as Hero. Tokoyami dominated his match, but Jirou still put up an excellent fight as Joker.
Now it was Kacchan versus Tokoyami, and everyone was at the edge of their seats. (Or at least, those who were sitting on the couches.) Sato brought in some custom-baked pastries, much to everyone's delight.
Izuku chewed happily on his muffin as he beheld the match before him.
Wow, he mused. Kacchan really is so amazing!
Kacchan's character dominated the stage, using a mixture of neutral attacks and spells to keep Tokoyami's Lucario at bay. Izuku glanced over to his childhood friend sitting beside him and noticed the wide grin adorning his features. His fingers moved skillfully over the controller— nothing like the unskilled button-mashing Izuku resorted to when he went up against Tokoyami.
During the match, both Kacchan and Tokoyami were dead silent. They were too busy concentrating hard on the game. After a few minutes, the two of them were both on their last life. Izuku stopped eating his muffin, too enthralled by what was going on to even focus on eating.
Tokoyami could only be described as highly skilled at the game. As Izuku analyzed the match, he noticed how Tokoyami's actions were calculated and based solely on Kacchan's more offensive attacks.
He reacts defensively based on his opponent's actions! That's brilliant! Izuku noted. Kacchan is being too aggressive and offensive in this match. If he doesn't distance himself from Tokoyami, then he'll most likely lose-
His thoughts were interrupted when Kacchan's character suddenly casted an explosive spell onto Tokoyami's character.
Kaboom.
Kacchan won.
Izuku gaped at the screen, hardly believing it. He moved so fast! Their characters were already moving fast on-stage, but Kacchan managed to move even faster?! He changed the tempo of their fighting to catch Tokoyami off-guard!
He turned to Kacchan in amazement and disbelief. Everyone else was silent, clearly surprised by the unexpected outcome of the match.
Kacchan gave Izuku a half-smile. "Surprised, nerd?"
"Yeah, Kacchan! That was amazing!" Izuku gushed excitedly. "I couldn't believe my eyes!"
Before Kacchan could say anything else, the members of his designated Squad™ all tackled him in hugs, cheering animatedly.
"Congrats, man!"
"Yeah, what a good match!"
Kacchan only grunted, shrugged them all off of him, and stood up. He turned to Tokoyami and put out his fist. "Good game. You've got real skill there, Tokoyami."
"You humble me, Bakugou. Good game as well." Tokoyami fist-bumped him and went off to his own group.
Izuku was about to get up himself when he saw a hand extended out before him. He smiled up at Kacchan and accepted it, getting up from the couch.
Kacchan must’ve pulled a little too hard because Izuku found himself almost crashing into him. Izuku rested his hand on Kacchan’s chest- his hard yet soft chest, oh wow that’s hot- and steadied himself. Blood flowed up to his cheeks and he couldn’t prevent the shameful squeaking noise from coming out of his mouth as he made direct eye contact with his childhood friend.
The two of them were just about the same height already, so Izuku couldn’t use any significant height difference to look away from Kacchan without being too obvious.
“You wanna go a few rounds?” Kacchan inquired, his gaze heavy and locked directly onto Izuku’s eyes.
Izuku knew he was talking about the game, but there was just something about his weighted words and his tone of voice that just set his blood on fire. A second ago, the air was lighthearted and fun, but now, the atmosphere between them turned volatile. One little spark could potentially result in something big if he wasn’t careful. Whether it was a good "something" or a bad "something," he couldn't tell.
He’s so close! Izuku could almost feel Kacchan’s cool and controlled exhales ghost over his face. He vaguely noticed in the back of his mind that their hands were still clasped together and that Kacchan had his free hand resting steadily on the small of his back.
“Okay, sure.” Izuku found himself agreeing without much thought.
Skip to an hour later, and the two of them were still going at it. It wasn’t that late— it was only around 9PM, so some of their classmates were still out in the common room chatting. Iida reminded them a few minutes ago that they would have to stop soon, else they would bother those already sleeping, so this was their last match. So far, Izuku hadn’t won a single match against Kacchan, but on the contrary, he was having a lot of fun.
“Use your shield more, nerd!” Kacchan barked at him at one point.
“O-oh okay...”
“Dammit, Deku! You shouldn’t just run at your enemies like that— your character is a zoner. Keep me away with your projectiles.” He said at another point.
“I see!”
“You’re not half bad at this game for a beginner.” He commented towards the end of their gaming session.
“Thanks, Kacchan!”
Izuku was thankful for these moments they shared together now that they mended their previously broken relationship. After that night three weeks ago when they opened up to each other, he couldn’t stop thinking about how good, how right it felt to be beside Kacchan. He wanted it again, desperately, but on different pretenses than the ones that night. There were a few things holding him back, though.
If I were to ask him to be in a romantic relationship with me, I’d only be forcing my personal desires onto him. Izuku reasoned with himself. There’s no reason as to why my feelings for him should take precedence over the friendship we just regained. I have to cherish what I have right now instead of-
“Oops…” Too caught up in his thoughts, he was completely blind to Kacchan’s fatal attack on his character.
“What the hell was that, Deku?” Kacchan turned to him, more confused than angry.
Izuku smiled sheepishly, “Sorry about that, Kacchan. I got distracted.”
Kacchan looked at him for a second, then sighed. “We should go to bed. It’s getting late.”
Nodding in agreement, Izuku arose from his seat, stretching his sore limbs. He then looked around the common room, searching. “Hey, have you seen Tokoyami anywhere?”
“Haah?” Kacchan asked as he took Izuku’s controller and put it away. “The fuck would I know where Tokoyami is?” He turned off the television and rearranged the couch cushions back to their former glory.
Izuku shook his head, dismissing his question. “Never mind, Kacchan. He probably went up to his room already.” He grabbed his water bottle and his phone off the table. “Alright, I’m going to head up to bed now. Thanks for playing with me! Those were some fun games, Kacchan!”
“I’ll go with you.” Kacchan stated, already having gathered his few effects in his arms. “We both have to take the elevator anyway.”
Izuku’s eyes widened in surprise. “Oh, okay!”
And at that, they were off to the elevator. Fortunately, Izuku lived on the second floor, so his heart wouldn’t have to suffer being in close proximity to his crush any longer.
Much to his dismay, Kacchan simply had to choose to stand relatively close to him the second they entered the elevator. Before the doors closed, though, a disembodied voice called out to them.
“Wait, hold the door, please!”
Izuku quickly leaned forward to hold the elevator door open for whomever asked. Kacchan steadied a hand around his middle to prevent him from falling.
“Thanks, Deku!” Hagakure’s floating outfit jumped around in glee. It seemed that she also noticed Kacchan in the elevator as well, because her clothing paused in its tracks before she could enter. “Oh wait, I totally forgot! Um...I left my phone back in the common room! Don’t wait for me!” She started to back away.
“It’s really no problem, Hagakure.” Izuku gave her a kind smile. “We don’t mind waiting!”
“Oh no, I wouldn’t want to intrude!” Her sleeves waved around the air in protest.
Huh? Izuku wracked his brain. Intrude on what?
But before he could inquire any further, Hagakure was off. Before the door closed, though, Izuku noticed her phone sticking out of her back shorts pocket.
Didn’t she say she left her phone in the common room? He thought offhandedly, returning to his spot in the elevator. Feeling a bit of resistance on his waist, he was reminded of the fact that Kacchan was still holding him.
S-so close! His heart squeezed in his chest. This is just like what happened earlier!
The journey to just the second floor felt like it took an eternity, with Kacchan’s ever-present hand on his side slightly distracting Izuku from existing like a normal human being.
Reflecting back on Hagakure's words, Izuku wondered aloud, "I think she's terrified of you."
"Who?"
"Hagakure. She took one look at you and stopped in her tracks, did you notice that?" Izuku mused, turning his head to gauge Kacchan's reaction.
The other male merely raised an eyebrow at him. "How could you tell? Hate to break it to you, nerd, but she's got no face.”
Izuku sputtered at him, cheeks coloring in exasperation. "Kacchan! You can't just say things like that!" In the end, there was nothing he could do to stop the choked laugh from escaping his lungs.
They shared a laugh for a moment, then the second they made eye contact again, Kacchan's expression looked earnest. Abruptly releasing his hold on Izuku, he dropped his hand down to his side. Their fingers brushed for a brief moment, and the blonde took the initiative and reached forward, carefully lacing their fingers together.
H-huh?! Taken completely by surprise, Izuku's heart pounded wildly in his chest. He almost fainted when Kacchan squeezed his hand. What is he doing?
"Listen, Izuku," He began. "I-"
Ding!
The elevator doors opened abruptly in front of them. Kacchan released their hand-hold and took a step back, choosing to ruffle Izuku's hair instead. "Never mind, it's not important. Go to bed. It's late."
Dazed for a second, Izuku merely nodded. He muttered a quick goodbye to his childhood friend and exited the elevator.
Before he went any further, though, Kacchan called out, "Izuku."
The said male's breath hitched.
It always catches me off my guard whenever he calls me by my first name…
Collecting himself for a brief moment, he turned back around. "Yes, Kacchan?"
Shoving his hands deep into his pockets, Kacchan gave him a half-smile. "Good games."
Izuku was taken aback. "G-good games!" He then grinned brightly at his friend, glad that he too had enjoyed himself.
The elevator doors started to close.
"Ah, goodnight, Kacchan!" Izuku waved and backed away from the elevator.
"Night, Deku." Then, right before the doors shut, "Sleep well."
And the doors closed completely.
Feeling his face start to heat up, the greenette rushed further into the hallway to hide his reddening face.
He called me Izuku. He held my hand. He told me to "sleep well." Is he not feeling well?
His head was spinning with all these unanswered questions while he shuffled as quietly as he could to his door.
What did he need to tell me before, though?
After taking refuge in the safety of his room, Izuku caught his breath and tried to relax his rapidly beating heart.
It’s no use, Izuku heaved a mental sigh. I’m so very in love with him.
Ever since they were small, Izuku had always admired Kacchan for his strength and inherent ability to lead others. Kacchan always represented an icon that Izuku wanted to emulate, to live up to. Before he had come to realize it, what was originally unadulterated admiration in his eyes transitioned into its own form of love.
In retrospect, Kacchan’s behavior towards him throughout their early years shredded almost every ounce of love Izuku had for him. He admitted that he hated the way his friend treated him back in middle school when the bullying was at its peak, but oddly enough, he couldn’t bring himself to fully hate him for it. On the day that Kacchan told him to take a swan dive off the school roof, instead of feeling hatred, Izuku was only filled with disappointment. It was hard to watch the person you’ve longed for for so long start to descend down the wrong path. He didn’t know why Kacchan treated him in such a way (until their fight at Ground Beta last year), but he knew that the other male needed some space, which is why he spent the better half of his life trying to avoid him.
So he chose to bury his feelings deep down until they would inevitably disappear. If he refused to submit to them, then they would never take control of him. It was easy at first, with Kacchan’s incessant bullying and uncaring attitude. By the time they got into UA, Izuku learned to live with his seemingly insignificant crush. He had his moments here and there where it was difficult to not let his feelings get in the way, but overall, he thought he was faring pretty well thus far.
But here he was now, feeling the full force of his hidden love finally come back into the light. And it was stronger than ever.
He clutched at his chest, making sure his heartbeat was regulated before trekking back outside his dorm to seek out Tokoyami. He approached his friend's door and knocked, waiting to see if he was still up. It took a few seconds, but the door eventually opened.
“Midoriya,” Tokoyami began. “I’m surprised you came to see me at this hour.”
“Sorry about that, Tokoyami.” Izuku apologized. “Were you sleeping already?”
“No, not yet. What is it that you need?”
Izuku’s eyes shone with determination. “Would you be interested in being my teacher in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate?”
“Your teacher?” His friend appeared taken aback for a moment before he was back to his normally stoic self. “Yes, I would be honored to teach you, but one question still lingers in my mind: why not ask Bakugou instead? He may be the wiser option. After all, he defeated me in today’s tournament.”
Izuku flushed with embarrassment. “T-that’s true, but…” Trying to come up with a plausible reason, he rubbed the back of his neck nervously. “...I, um…”
Putting up a reassuring hand, Tokoyami smiled knowingly. “I understand that you have your reasons. If you’d rather keep them private, then we shall leave it at that.”
Sighing in relief, Izuku gave his friend a weak smile. “Thanks again, Tokoyami.”
His friend nodded, bade him goodnight, and returned to his own quarters.
Izuku then walked back to his own dorm room, mulling over Tokoyami’s words in his head.
Tokoyami was right, maybe I should’ve asked Kacchan instead...but if I did, I don’t think my heart could take it!
-
The next night, Izuku began his training with Tokoyami. They practiced in the common room since it had a television. Some of their classmates were out and about and a few others were hanging out in the common room as well. Their only audience really was Kaminari, one of the only other people who actually held an interest in the game; but the only reasons why he was here in the first place was that Mineta was holed up in his room doing God-knows-what and Kirishima and Bakugou were out doing their usual Saturday night training.
“Yeah, kick his ass, Midoriya!” Kaminari cheered on, pumping his fist into the air.
“They’re training, you dunce.” Jirou’s earphone jack plugged into the back of his head as she passed by the couch, causing him to yelp out in pain.
These exchanges fazed neither Izuku nor Tokoyami, though. They continued to practice with Tokoyami inserting a few words of advice here and there.
“Midoriya, you should concentrate on keeping your opponent at bay instead of dashing towards them. Link’s character archetype is a zoner, which means that his specialty is to keep opponents at bay with long-distance attacks, like his arrows or remotely-detonated bombs or his boomerang,” Tokoyami explained in depth. “Also, if your opponent is trying to attack from a distance, utilize the terrain and the platforms available to you on battlefield stages to avoid their own attack. If the stage has no platforms, however, then use your projectiles to form your own protective wall. If all else fails, utilize your shield or dodge.”
“Oh, I see! Kacchan mentioned something like that yesterday-”
“I said what now?”
"Eiji! You're back!"
Izuku turned around to see Kacchan entering the common room with Kirishima lagging behind him. Usually they walked side by side, but Kirishima was too busy dealing with a clingy Kaminari. Kacchan had a towel around his neck and he was wearing that accursed black tank top of his that showed off his arm muscles (and other muscles) nicely. His unblemished skin gleamed with sweat and Izuku was dying.
“I-I was just telling Tokoyami about your advice last night,” Izuku quickly pulled his lips into a smile that hid the fact that he was previously drooling.
Damn, he’s hot. Even before Kacchan had gotten all buffed all those years ago, Izuku already was in love with him, but his current muscular figure was a pleasant addition.
Kacchan approached them, nestling his hand into Izuku’s curls and mussing up his hair a bit. He hummed in acknowledgement, leaning closer into Izuku’s space. “Hey, nerd.” He greeted softly, barely loud enough for anyone else to hear, save for Tokoyami who was sitting nearby.
Looking up from his seat, Izuku grinned. “Hey, Kacchan! How was your workout?”
Kacchan let go of his hair to take a swig from his water bottle. “Just like any other workout. You should come along next time.” He said the last part a bit quieter.
“Sure! I’ve been meaning to practice more of my Shoot Style to master it. Hatsume adjusted my leg braces the other day to be able to absorb greater impact, but I haven't tried them out yet.”
"You can test them out tomorrow morning with me. I updated my gauntlets recently and I wanted to test them out on a worthy opponent. Shitty Hair didn't last a minute being blasted by them even in his Unbreakable form."
"Hey, man! Those things are super strong! And you caught me by surprise!" Kirishima protested, finally having freed himself from Kaminari's clutches.
Izuku's cheeks flushed with color.
Me? A worthy opponent?
Being established as proper rivals and standing on equal footing was still a bit of a foreign concept to him. Sure, he knew they were considered equals long before this point, but there was just something about the way Kacchan acknowledged it so normally that made his heart squeeze in his chest.
More than a year ago, Izuku was so far back in progress that the person always ahead of him in life was just barely in sight, just barely tangible. Being quirkless since birth and having little to no control over his new quirk contributed to that too. But after months and months of rigorous training and achieving a certain level of mastery with One For All, he had finally reached him. The person he’d chased after for so long (in more ways than one) had accepted him as his equal.
To finally attain part of what you've dreamed of since you were small was something truly meaningful, and Izuku couldn't be happier.
(Or at least, that's what he tries to convince himself of.)
“Midoriya,” Tokoyami interjected, bringing Izuku’s attention back to the task at hand. “I was planning on going to bed early, so I think it would be best to end our lesson here.”
“Oh, okay! I’ll let you know when I’m available for another lesson. Thanks so much, Tokoyami!”
“It was no problem. Thank you for allowing me this opportunity.” He bowed politely before returning his controller and retreating to his room.
“Deku,” Kacchan began slowly, obviously milling over his words before saying them. “If you ever want more practice, just let me know.”
“Yeah! I’ll be sure to contact you!”
-
Yeah, asking Kacchan for some private lessons was the worst idea in the history of ideas.
It was the end of the subsequent week, and this time, he and Kacchan were playing Super Smash Bros. Ultimate by themselves.
In Izuku’s room. Together.
Alone.
If there existed an undo button in real life, then Izuku would’ve already spammed the life out of it; but alas, there was no way he could get out of his current situation now.
He had already spent most of the week with Kacchan, from training together (Kacchan had won their most recent bout) to studying together to sometimes grabbing food together, and it really was not good for Izuku’s health. He enjoyed the time they spent with each other- immensely, in fact- but it was hard being in constant proximity of the person you think of romantically.
And now here they were, sitting on the floor with their backs against the side of his bed. They'd been playing for a solid hour already.
Kacchan wore his usual black tank top, regardless of it being October, but Izuku didn’t want to look into the finer details.
Although Izuku didn’t have a small television set or computer monitor to project his screen onto, they made due with what they had. Using their own consoles, they played using an online connection instead, which had its downsides.
(They could’ve used a local connection, but Kacchan was very adamant on using an online, passworded arena. He said that he didn’t want his “dumbass friends” to join the game since they wouldn’t play seriously.)
“Shit!” Kacchan cursed aloud. “Nintendo needs to fix their fucking servers. This sucks ass. You can’t do shit without at least ten frames of lag. The same goes for when we play Animal Crossing with the others.”
Izuku could only nod in agreement. He watched in disappointment as the loading icon in the corner of his screen continued to spin. After a few more seconds, their game was back and fully functional.
"Fucking finally," Kacchan exhaled in relief.
They continued their lesson, and Izuku felt that he was getting a better grasp at the game.
"You see, Deku," The blonde began. "Your movements are predictable, especially when you're at the ledge. You consistently attack while getting up, meanwhile, there are around three other things you could do: simply get back up without attacking, jump up from the ledge, or roll farther into the stage. You've gotta be fast but also you need to mix things up a little."
"Oh wow, I never realized there were so many options! Thanks, Kacch-" Izuku stopped abruptly, watching mournfully as his childhood friend ruthlessly killed him in the game.
"You have to stay focused, too.” Kacchan reminded him. “Now let's put your training to the test." He looked at Izuku with a menacing glint in his red eyes. "Let's raid some online public arenas."
Izuku's head snapped around to look at the other male, the fires of betrayal burning in his eyes. “No.”
Noticing his obvious discomfort, Kacchan soothed, "Calm down, Deku. We'll play as a team. Besides, you might develop some bad gaming habits if you get too used to playing against me."
Nodding in understanding, Izuku reluctantly agreed. "That does make sense..."
Already searching for team arenas, Kacchan suggested, "Deku, join this arena with me. It's only got two occupants. We'll kick their asses."
We? Me and him? Teaming up? Izuku blushed at the idea of teaming up together on something other than hero work. "I might hold you back, though." He contradicted.
"Haah?" Kacchan looked at him, disgruntled. "You think you'll play so badly that we'll lose?" He clicked his tongue, turning back to his gaming console. "Tch. We'll win. Trust me on this, Izuku." His voice was low but filled with conviction.
"Okay, Kacchan." Izuku's gaze lingered on the back of his friend's head for a moment. The tips of the blonde's ears were tinged pink. "I trust you."
So maybe Kacchan was doing all of the work, but Izuku was trying his best! He managed to snag a few KO's from the other team, and his fighting skills were getting better with practice. (At least he wasn't dying within the first two minutes of the match!)
The only constant within each match was the fact that Kacchan was always the one who dealt the finishing blow. Izuku was usually already gone towards the end of the match, leaving his childhood friend all alone to battle their remaining opponents. He did feel bad for dying so quickly in the game, but Kacchan was more than capable of holding his own.
This match, however? This was astoundingly different.
Teaming up against a common evil, the members of the opposing team managed to knock Kacchan out before Izuku. So now it was Izuku fresh onto his last stock versus the two other players. One of them was already close to being KO'd on his last life, meanwhile, the other one was in the same boat as Izuku.
In short: Izuku was toast.
Trembling with both anticipation and fear, Izuku did his best to merely avoid the other team. He made no moves to attack-- his only goal at the moment was to evade.
Kacchan, however, was not losing tonight.
The blonde set down his controller onto the bed and leaned in closer to Izuku, chin hovering just over his shoulder. "Just calm down, Deku. Remember your training."
Izuku gritted his teeth and channeled all the lessons he recalled from the training he received from both Kacchan and Tokoyami by having his character throw his boomerang and arrows to keep his opponents at bay.
"Good, that's it…" Kacchan sighed, breath ghosting on his cheek. "Now just try to get that guy closer to you. He's at a high percentage so a smash attack should do the trick."
Izuku followed Kacchan's instructions exactly and landed a finishing blow to the weaker opponent.
"Hell yeah, Deku!" He could hear the satisfied grin in his tone.
Now with one player out of the way, Izuku could focus all his attention onto the last remaining opponent. He did everything he could: he used his sword and his projectiles to raise the other player's damage, and he tried to dodge and shield away as many attacks as he could. Before he knew it, they both were at high percentages.
What would Kacchan do? How would he ensure an indisputable win?
The greenette wracked his brain for an answer. Reflecting on all the past matches he'd witnessed, he recalled Kacchan's win against Tokoyami during one of their class's Smash tournaments.
I know what to do.
"Deku, you should-"
"I've got this, Kacchan." Izuku assured him, suddenly filled with determination.
"Alright, Izuku."
He gripped his controller and proceeded with the fight, trying to get his opponent off-stage using any methods possible. After doing so, he sped up the tempo of his actions and quickly pulled out a bomb, threw it at his falling opponent, and remotely detonated it before the other player could dodge.
“Die!” Izuku cried out as the bomb exploded.
Boom.
Izuku won.
All on his own.
Beholding the Switch in his hands, he gaped at his screen.
"Damn, Deku." Kacchan turned to him, clearly impressed. “You killed ‘em dead.”
Beaming at his childhood friend, fat tears of joy suddenly began to roll down his face. He lurched forward and embraced the other male. Sobbing happily into his shoulder, he cried, "T-thank you, Kacchan!"
It took him a moment, but the blonde reciprocated the hug. "It was all you this time, Deku." He cradled the back of Izuku's head with a caring hand while he rubbed his back soothingly. "...but I did see you stealing some of my tactics back there."
Sighing happily, the green-haired boy admitted, "It was instinct. Whenever I'm against a tough enemy or villain, I end up thinking of you."
The hand on his back stopped. Cupping his face and gently wiping his tears away, Kacchan moved to look Izuku directly in the eye, his expression serious. His palms were warm and slightly sweaty, but Izuku was home.
"You...think of me?"
There it was again, that charged air between them.
With the intense look Kacchan was giving him, Izuku felt his entire body heat up. By the way his red eyes were focused on his own, it seemed like his friend’s future relied solely on the words he was about to say.
Like many times before, he saw himself reflected in Kacchan’s warm, red eyes.
"Kacchan…"
I told myself I would never admit to this, but...
"...you're my Symbol of Victory."
Before he could say anything else, though, Kacchan's lips were on his in an instant.
—
So Katsuki took a bit of a leap of faith by kissing him, but with the way the nerd was looking at him so openly, he couldn't help himself.
It was only a simple pressing of their lips, nothing too crazy, but Katsuki felt like he was dying. He quickly pulled away and let go of him, aware of how frozen and unmoving the other male was.
Fuck.
Judging by the way Deku was looking at him before, Katsuki thought he saw something- a glimmer of hope- in those big, emerald eyes.
To Katsuki, Deku's gaze at the time was telling him he wasn't alone, that he wanted him too.
I must have read him wrong, then.
Suddenly filled with embarrassment, Katsuki tried to salvage the moment. “S-shit, Izuku, I-”
Then the nerd abruptly yanked him back in for a bruising kiss.
(Katsuki may have let out an undignified gasp in that moment, but he would never ever admit it.)
Seizing the opportunity, Deku deepened the kiss. Now it was Katsuki’s turn to be dumbstruck.
T-the hell?!
Feeling the nerd's tongue hesitantly prod at his own, Katsuki nearly fainted.
But Katsuki was not a goddamn quitter.
He returned the kiss as best he could. It wasn't like he had any prior experience, but he would be damned if he didn't give it his all.
He was Katsuki Bakugou, after all. He was good at everything.
Resting his hands on Deku's middle, he pulled the other male onto his lap. They separated lips for a moment, but to Katsuki's immense surprise, Deku let out a small whine of disappointment and forcefully reconnected their lips once again.
God, Katsuki was not going to live to see tomorrow, was he?
Deku pressed himself close to Katsuki and kissed the living daylights out of him. The nerd was a damn near insatiable kisser, Katsuki realized at the moment Deku, that fucker, began to let out some very suggestive sounds while they kissed.
Is this going where I think it's going?!
Katsuki's eyes snapped open to see the other's completely closed and a cute blush adorning his features.
This is going too fast!
Pushing him away as gently as he could, Katsuki pressed their foreheads together, breathing hard.
(He was desperately trying to ignore the way their lips made quite an audible sound once they separated. And the way Deku looked so innocently wrecked afterwards as if he wasn't the one ravaging Katsuki's mouth just five seconds ago. And the way the nerd chased his lips and grinned at him with such wonder. God, Katsuki was in love.)
"...damn, Izuku." Katsuki whispered in a more gruff voice, utterly breathless.
He decided in that very moment that he wasn't going to deny his feelings any longer. He deserved to forgive himself and move on from the past, as Deku had told him to do once before. He put all his cards on the table this time when he initiated the kiss, but why the fuck should he deny himself of his happiness, especially when the one he loved was smiling so brightly at him?
When the nerd smiled at him like he was the only one that mattered?
There was no reason to hold back now, so he went for it.
"I'm so fucking in love with you," he said with honesty, tracing his thumbs reverently over the other male's freckles.
Deku's expression brightened even more, his eyes crinkling cutely at the corners. The tinkling laugh the greenette let out reminded him of home.
Katsuki wanted to kiss him so badly, but he restrained himself. He didn't want to get carried away again.
"Kacchan," the nerd looked at him with such fond admiration. Katsuki's heart squeezed. "I'm in love with you, too." He rested his hands on Katsuki's own that were cradling his face.
At that moment, Katsuki embraced Deku once more, holding him as close as possible. Closing his eyes, he nuzzled his cheek into the other's curls.
They shared a moment of comfortable silence.
"Hey, nerd." Katsuki began.
"Mm?"
"Date me. If you don't, I'll kill you." The blonde stated simply.
Judging by how the nerd all but melted into him afterwards and seared dozens of smiling yesses onto his lips, Katsuki would say that he made a good call after all.
—
Much to Izuku's delight, Kacchan spent the night in his room.
The bed was really only suited for one person, but they managed. They had slept next to each other once before, so this wasn't really anything new.
The only thing new was the fact that Kacchan, his boyfriend, was holding him close while he slept.
It was everything Izuku dreamed of and more, and there was no other place he would rather be in that moment.
Izuku's hand rested on the strong arm slung around his middle. Kacchan was fast asleep, especially with it being past midnight, but Izuku's mind was still racing. He was tired, but his hyperactive mind was still playing that night's events over and over again like a movie.
They spent the latter part of that night talking until Kacchan fell asleep mid-sentence.
Kacchan had told him that he had loved him for a long time, even before he consciously realized it, that of which Izuku agreed wholeheartedly to as well. The blonde had also, much to his surprise, admitted that he was jealous of Tokoyami giving him gaming lessons, but he had never acted on his jealousy because he didn't want to come off as too possessive or overbearing. Izuku quickly calmed his thoughts, admitting that he was too shy and overwhelmed by his feelings at the time to ask him to teach him instead.
(Izuku's admission may have sparked an impromptu makeout session, but that was only for them to know.)
They talked about many more things, most of which had already slipped Izuku's mind. It truly felt nice to just be with each other.
It was in the middle of their discussion that Izuku realized he was seeing a side to Kacchan that the blonde had never shown to anyone else. It didn't surprise him, though. Knowing him since childhood, Izuku knew that his boyfriend had the capacity for kindness. Sure, he still was quite rough around the edges and still sprinkled profanities in his vocabulary in the same way he sprinkled hot pepper flakes onto every one of his meals, but the main difference was that he was very considerate towards Izuku.
No one would ever believe him if he said it, but Kacchan could be very sweet towards him at times without even trying. Izuku noticed his recently-kind behavior early on, but it had never occurred to him that Kacchan didn't behave in that manner around their classmates. Now that he realized it, though, everything began to make more and more sense.
It was like we were dating even before we confessed to our feelings! Izuku curled himself further into Kacchan's form, face burning at the thought.
His heart squeezed every time he recalled the fact that they were now dating, and he doubted it would stop anytime soon.
As if sensing his racing mind in his sleep, Kacchan pulled Izuku closer to him. His hands warmed a bit against his back- most likely through the subconscious activation of his quirk, Izuku surmised- and Izuku's pestering thoughts were effectively quelled.
His eyes grew heavy, and he finally drifted off in Kacchan's secure arms.
-
Class 2-A's next Super Smash Bros. Ultimate tournament came around the following week, and this time it was with their fellow classmates from Class 2-B actively participating. To make things go faster, the tournament consisted of team matches instead of one-on-one matches.
"HAHAHA! Take that, Class 2-A! And you're supposed to be better than us!" Monoma cackled mockingly as Shiozaki playing as Palutena defeated Mineta's Zero Suit Samus in the current match. Their respective partners were already knocked out.
"He's just saying that because Kendo's turn is next so she can't knock some sense into him…" Kaibara snidely commented. A few of his friends nodded sagely in agreement.
The tournaments were not explicitly exclusive to only Class 2-A— it was only convenient that they all lived in the same dorm and were a part of the same class. In truth, everyone was welcome, so the second Monoma caught wind of an opportunity to beat the other class in the hero course, he seized it. Regardless of the fact that he had never even played the game before.
Just a few matches ago, he had lost big-time to Todoroki, which came as a big surprise to everyone. But as it turns out, he had taken a recent interest in the game these past few weeks and had gone out of his way to learn the basics from Tokoyami, who was pretty much everyone's go-to teacher now when it came to Smash.
It was a fun bonding opportunity for everyone in the second-year hero course, and the atmosphere was lighthearted and fun.
Sato, once again, had baked more than enough pastries for both classes to enjoy, and the air buzzed with competitive excitement surrounding the matches.
Izuku observed the scene from his seat with a smile, just glad to be there. His match was starting after the one that had just begun, but since it was Kirishima and Yaomomo versus Tetsutetsu and Kendo at the moment, he had an inkling that their match was going to take awhile. Kirishima and Tetsutetsu did pick the same character, after all.
The couches and the space surrounding them were occupied, so Izuku sat farther away from the scene at one of the tables, exercising with one of his heavier hand weights. He tried to exercise at any moment he could, and this time was no exception. Earlier, he was chatting with Aoyama until the glamorous male retired to bed. So now he was alone, and as far as he knew, his boyfriend (who was also his designated teammate for tonight’s tournament) was currently partaking in the festivities with his Squad.
Izuku continued to watch the match progress until he noticed a presence to his right in his peripheral vision. A smile tugged at his lips as he felt coarse fingers graze against his own.
He intertwined their fingers and gazed up lovingly at Kacchan.
“You ready for this, Deku?” The blonde asked, expression soft.
Setting aside his hand weights, Izuku took Kacchan’s other hand and hoisted himself up to his feet.
“Let’s kill ‘em dead, Kacchan.”