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The sun burns Katsuki’s back as he sits on the grass, head pounding with the shouts and action around him. He pours the now lukewarm water from his bottle over his face and swallows down the dregs, parched beyond reason and overheated to the point he—literally—might combust.
In front of him, half of his class is taking their turn on the training course, burning their palms on scalding concrete obstacles and screaming at each other as they all vie for first place. Naturally, Katsuki had won the course in the first heat, and now takes his rest as the second half of his class race against one another.
Deku is part of the second group, running ahead of the pack. He flits through each obstacle with ease and agility, battling it out with Momo and Hanta for first.
“Come on, Deku, don’t let ‘em catch up!” Katsuki calls, half encouraging and half goading.
Deku doesn’t spare Katsuki a glance, but he does flip him off as he goes by. Katsuki laughs to himself; he loves when the little shit shows his backbone.
The cheers around them reach a crescendo when Deku reaches the final obstacle, gaining distance on Hanta and beginning the task before Momo. The rules for the last obstacle are different from the others on the course; it’s a rock-wall everyone must climb to reach the finish line, and there’s no quirk use allowed.
For Momo and Hanta, who dominated the course through their quirks, this climb will be a struggle.
But for Deku? The strong little shit-nerd Katsuki calls a boyfriend? His win is already secured.
Deku all but flies up the wall, thickly muscled arms flexing beautifully as he climbs. At the top, he crosses the finish line many long seconds before anyone else. He promptly keels over, sweaty and out of breath.
When Deku finally gets back up to his feet, he twists around until he spots Katsuki and grins, raising his arms in the air in victory. Katsuki rolls his eyes and waits for his favourite idiot to make his way down from the course.
“I wooon!” Deku calls, wiggling about in a stupidly cute little victory dance.
“I noticed, nerd,” Katsuki scoffs, but his gruff voice does nothing to hide the dopey smile that stretches his lips. He gives up the charade with a sigh. “Good job.”
“Thank you!” Deku runs to close the distance and throws his arms around Katsuki’s shoulders, hugging him tight.
Katsuki makes a disgusted noise and peels his sweaty boyfriend off him. “You aren’t touching me again until you’ve showered.”
“But cuddles,” Deku pouts, and Katsuki would pinch his round cheeks if they weren’t surrounded by classmates.
“Hygiene,” Katsuki says firmly.
Deku groans, but complies. They head to the showers, and Katsuki knows exactly where his boyfriend’s mind has gone. When he strips and makes his way to his ahower, he speaks before Deku can give him that look of his: “Sweaty showers aren’t sexy, nerd. Go get clean!”
“You’re no fun,” Deku says, unsurprised, and walks to his own, separate, shower.
“I’m not getting us expelled,” Katsuki calls across stalls.
Deku grumbles incoherently in response, but lets Katsuki shower in peace.
Afterwards, they wind up in Deku’s nerd-room, cuddling on his nerd-bed. Deku’s hair is dripping onto his pillow, and Katsuki is busy pretending he isn’t being watched by hundreds of unseeing All Might eyes or lying on All Might-themed bedsheets.
Instead of commenting once again on the weirdness of his boyfriend’s room decoration, Katsuki rests his tired body on top of Deku, relaxing in the quiet of the room. Moments like this are few and far between, nowadays.
So of course, Deku has to break the silence. “The obstacle course today was fun, wasn’t it?”
Katsuki grunts his agreement, smooshing his face into Deku’s chest. He’s wearing one of Katsuki’s t-shirts, an old one he stole months ago. It smells like he’s washed it recently, and Katsuki is pleasantly surprised to notice the pretty scent of Deku’s shampoo. He might compliment the nerd for practicing basic hygiene for once.
“Words, Kacchannn,” Deku teases.
Or not. “Was good. I’m better th‘n you, though,” Katsuki doesn’t bother lifting his head to speak clearly.
“Are not. I bet I did the course faster than you,” Deku says and shifts about, wrapping both arms more securely around Katsuki’s waist. Katsuki hums appreciatively.
“Nuh-uh. Sensei timed it.”
“But did you check the time?”
“...Doesn’t matter.”
Deku pauses, and Katsuki glances up to see him pouting. “We can certainly check later, right? It will prove I beat you.”
Katsuki pokes at his stupid, soft cheek. “It’ll prove I beat you.”
With a whine and a pathetic little wiggle, Deku shakes his head. “Will not.”
“Will too.”
“Will not.”
“Will too.” Katsuki squeezes Deku tight, smiling into his chest to hide it from his boyfriend.
Deku laughs, rocking Katsuki on his chest with it. The sweet sound seeps into Katsuki, building up bubbly and golden in him until he can’t stop himself from joining in.
“Such a sore loser, Kacchan,” Deku says when they calm down, pressing a quick kiss into Katsuki’s hair.
Katsuki tuts. “The only loser here is you, dumbass,” he jabs Deku in the side.
Pinch. Deku blinks innocently when Katsuki looks up to glare at him. “Bastard.”
A sweet, secretly cocky smile is the last straw for Katsuki, and then the pair are wrestling on the bed, rough in the way hero students are in spite of pulling their punches.
Deku manages to get on top and straddle Katsuki, but Katsuki bucks him off before the little bastard can get the pin. Grunts and giggles fill the air, Katsuki flips them back over and struggles to keep Deku’s legs pinned to the bed-
And suddenly they’re on the floor, wheezing breathless laughter and curled up together.
“I think that counts as a tie,” Deku pants, and gives him a brilliant, dopey grin.
“Tie it is,” Katsuki concedes.