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Izuku was on the last stretch of his assigned patrol route when it started to snow. It had been cold for several days and he had been hoping for snow in time for Christmas. He was standing on the top of a building surveying the empty streets below when the first few flakes had started gently dropping from the sky.
With an excited grin, he looked up and stretched out his hands to try and catch some of the falling flakes. In his pocket his phone buzzed and when he pulled it out to check he had a new message from Kacchan.
Kacchan (21:46) Don’t slip and break something, nerd. I’ll kill you if you’re late.
Izuku couldn’t help but smile. Kacchan must’ve seen the snow too. He replied with a string of excited emojis that he knew would annoy his boyfriend before pocketing the phone again. He completed his patrol circle and returned to the agency and hurried to change into his civilian clothes, eager to get home.
Their apartment was just a short walk away from the agency so Izuku didn’t have to take one of the overcrowded trains or a cab to get home. Everywhere people were buzzing around, either on their way home for a nice dinner with family or walking around with a partner for a Christmas date. Izuku had tried to get Kacchan to take him out today too, but the other had refused.
‘I’m not going to spend Christmas surrounded by extras. I’m going to cook and you’re going to like it!’
Izuku wasn’t hurt by this, after all, he had known the other man for their whole lives. Kacchan was a very private person and he didn’t like to flaunt their relationship around. Sure, he made sure everyone knew exactly who Izuku was dating, but PDA wasn’t something that Kacchan was fond of. In their home, it was different though. Izuku could drown in the affection that he received behind closed doors.
Whenever he walked past the other he would get pulled into a hug, or a kiss would be pressed against his cheek, his hair, his lips, wherever Kacchan could reach at the time. Kacchan liked to show his love with actions, rather than words. He always made sure Izuku was eating correctly and taking care of himself. Since they had started living together there hadn’t been a single day that Izuku didn’t have a homemade lunch for work and a warm dinner at home. They were also making an effort to at least share one meal per day. It had become a loved tradition and Izuku felt its and Kacchan’s absence when they didn’t manage.
So Izuku was excited to get home and spend Christmas Eve with his boyfriend, snuggled on the couch or under their kotatsu after an amazing home-cooked meal by Kacchan. Sometimes he still couldn’t believe that this was his life. He was working as a hero and got to stand by Kacchan’s side in every way possible. In moments like these, he truly felt blessed.
As soon as he opened the door to their apartment he was hit with a wave of delicious smells. Smiling, he bent down to take off his shoes while calling out “Kacchan, I’m home!”.
“Took you long enough!” came the prompt answer from further in the apartment and Izuku couldn’t hold back his giggle. He shuffled into the living room, his mouth open to say something else to Kacchan when his breath stopped.
The living room was illuminated with candles and fairy lights. On their dining table was a big pot of red roses and a present was laying on Izuku’s placemat. Stunned, he looked around, trying to take in everything at once. A warm hand wrapped around his waist and pulled him against a familiar chest. Eyes wide with wonder Izuku turned a bit to look at his boyfriend.
“Kacchan,” he breathed out. “What is all this?”
“You wanted a Christmas Date, so that’s what you’re going to get.” Kacchan avoided his eyes and even in the dim light, Izuku could see the blush coloring his cheeks pink.
“I thought you didn’t care for all this ‘sappy shit’,” Izuku said, a wry smile on his face. Kacchan’s eyes met his own and the look in them was as soft as the fresh snow outside.
“I don’t. But you do.” Izuku feared that he would start crying with all these sappy emotions in his chest so instead of answering he pressed a kiss against Kacchan’s cheek and stepped out of the embrace. He cleared his throat before looking towards the table.
“Is there anything I can help you with, Kacchan?” he asked.
“No, just sit down. Food is ready, I’ll just need to get the plates.” With that Katsuki disappeared into the kitchen again and Izuku had time to quickly run into their bedroom. He opened their closet. Hidden under a mountain of towels and spare bedding was a small shoebox that he now pulled out.
They had agreed to not give each other gifts, just like they did every year. And like every year Izuku hadn’t been able to resist getting something for Kacchan anyway. And since Kacchan was doing the same every year he didn’t feel all that guilty about it.
He hurried back and took his place at the table just before Kacchan returned with the plates. He placed his present next to the wrapped box that was already standing on the table and chuckled.
“Oi, we said no gifts,” Kacchan said as he came back. Izuku just raised an eyebrow and gestured to the other box.
“Tch,” was the only response to that. That and the slight blush on Kacchan’s face. Intrigued Izuku looked closer at the box. Why would Kacchan blush about giving him a gift? What was inside? Suddenly he was feeling excited and giddy and wanted to rip off the paper.
“Hands to yourself, nerd,” Kacchan teased with a smirk. “Show a little patience, would ya? I put a lot of effort into all of this, so you better appreciate it!”
“Of course, Kacchan!” Izuku said happily while picking up his chopsticks. “I appreciate everything you do for me! Thanks for the meal!” Katsuki murmured the same, a small smile on his face before they started eating. They told each other about their days, what had happened at work, and what the others in their class were doing today. Okay, the last part was mostly Izuku, but Katsuki listened without complaining too much.
After their meal, they took care of the clean up together even though Izuku insisted on doing it himself since Katsuki had already done the cooking. In the end, they settled on Izuku washing the dishes and Katsuki drying. Whenever he handed over a plate he would lean into Katsuki’s space and press a kiss against his cheek or nose. Katsuki would always grumble and tell Deku to cut out the childish bullshit, but he always leaned into the kiss and Izuku could see the small, pleased smile that played around the edges of his mouth.
All of it was a well-loved routine between the two of them, even the slight bickering at the beginning. It was just part of who they were as people and as a couple and they wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world. They didn’t get to indulge in it too often because of their work but they still tried to make as much time for each other as they could.
After they were done they moved back towards the living room where the two small presents still sat innocently on the table. Izuku grinned and grabbed both of them.
“Getting greedy, are we?” Katsuki laughed as he tried to grab the one meant for him from Izuku’s hands. But Izuku only stuck out his tongue at him and moved backward.
“Come sit on the couch with me, Kacchan!” With a smile on his face, Kastuki followed. Izuku always got a tingly, warm feeling in his stomach when he saw how comfortable Katsuki was around him. He smiled so much easier and his shoulders were a lot more relaxed. It had taken both of them a while to get to this point but now they were each other’s rock and support and the person where they could truly be themselves.
Just thinking about it was almost enough to make him tear up with joy. A warm hand settled on his cheek and Katsuki’s thumb moved gently over the scattered freckles.
“Why are you always crying?” he asked, but Izuku knew it was a rhetorical question and didn’t need an answer from him. “Come on, idiot. You wanted to sit down.” Izuku nodded and together they plopped down onto their very comfortable couch. They also had a kotatsu but sometimes the couch was just more comfortable.
Izuku handed his present over to Kacchan and gave him an eager look.
“Who’s going first?”
“I am,” Katsuki answered, a bit faster than usual, and started peeling away the wrapping paper. Izuku watched as his present was unwrapped. It was a thick, black hoodie. On the part where a breast pocket would be were two stylized symbols. One was of Ground Zero while the other was of Hero Deku. Under it was some writing in dark grey that said “Wonder Duo” . They weren’t an official Hero Duo so there was no merch of them together. Izuku had ordered that custom one himself.
“Do you like it?” Izuku asked, slightly nervous. He had tried to keep the design tasteful and something that Katsuki wouldn’t mind wearing in public. But he also knew that his fashion sense and Kacchan’s were vastly different from each other.
“You’re such a nerd,” Katsuki answered. But on his face was a fond smile and he leaned over to press a gentle kiss against Izuku’s lips. “I love it, thank you.” Izuku beamed.
“Ahhh, I’m glad! I was unsure if you liked the design. But I like the material, it’s soft and fluffy.” Katsuki nodded and let out a pleased hum as he gently felt over the soft material of his gift.
“Okay, my turn!” Izuku said and turned his attention to the small box in his hands. He didn’t see how Katsuki tensed up a bit and gave him a nervous look. Carefully Izuku peeled back the wrapping paper and was confused when it revealed a black, velvet box. He knew of course what it was but why would Kacchan give this to him? He couldn’t mean…
“Deku.” Izuku looked up from the box. Katsuki had moved from the couch and was now kneeling in front of him. Izuku gasped and pressed a hand to his mouth, the other still tightly clasped around the small box in his lap.
“Izuku.” Katsukis’s face was dusted in pink but the look in his eyes was determined. “You know what I’m going to ask. You know how much I love you and that you are the best thing in my life. I never want to be without you and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Izuku, do you want to marry me?”
Izuku blinked away the tears in his eyes. He opened his mouth to answer but cut himself off with a sob. Instead of answering, he nodded frantically and threw himself off the couch right into Katsuki’s waiting arms who had already anticipated a reaction like this. Izuku turned his head and pressed kisses against Katsuki’s face, wherever he could reach. Against his nose, his cheek, his chin, and finally against his mouth.
Katsuki eagerly returned the kisses for a while but after a few minutes, he pulled away and grabbed the box from where it had fallen on the couch. He opened it and pulled the simple silver band from it.
“Here, nerd,” he said and reached for Izuku’s hand. Carefully he slid the ring onto Izuku’s finger which prompted a new wave of tears.
“Kacchan,” Izuku sobbed out, a smile breaking out on his face. He felt like he couldn’t contain the happiness he felt and he pressed himself closer to his boyfriend. No, his fiance .
“Now I feel really stupid for my small gift,” he sniffled.
“You are my gift, idiot. And the hoodie is nice too.”
“Kacchaaaan! You can’t say stuff like that without a warning!”
“Well, I did. Merry Christmas, Izuku.”
“Merry Christmas, Katsuki.”