Chapter Text
Part One: Playing Catch Up
Izumi Midoriya left his home early on Monday morning. His excitement to begin his next project spurred him into getting to school ahead of time. He had so many ideas for his next paper that it made him unable to sleep from the anticipation of doing what he loved: Studying Quirks!
Izuku grooved to his music blasting from his bluetooth earbuds as he walked to the subway station. He hummed along to the tunes while thinking of new theories he could write about and prove. When his train arrived, his cart didn’t have many people, so he was able to grab a seat. He sat on the cool metal seat and pulled out his notebook and pen out of his All Might backpack that had thick stripes of yellow, blue, red, and white going up and around the bag to represent the number one hero.
He hummed to the song playing and tapped the back of his pen on his black page. His ideas zoomed through his head, and he quickly jot down what he could easily prove and expand on, but he had to go above on this one. His teachers’ expectations were high, and he did not want to let them down. He had to—
An explosion went off in the distance as his train went over the bridge. It was bright orange and huge! Izuku’s heart kicked into high gear, and he couldn’t help the excitement that bubbled in his chest.
‘Must be a villain attack!’
He jumped out of his seat and rushed to the other side of the train to get a better look at the chaos unfolding.
He took a quick peak at his wristwatch his mom got him after his acceptance into his Science and Tech School, ‘Shizuoka Technology High School’. He had a good extra forty minutes before he’d have to be at school and from the looks of the location of the battle taking place, he’s only need about ten of those minutes to get there in time. The train came to a stop at his station, and Izuku bolted off as the doors opened. He sprinted in the opposite direction of his school when he exited the station. Heart racing from the adrenaline.
He discarded his dream of becoming a hero the day he met All Might, but he couldn’t help the giddiness of watching heroes in action still. He was still a fanboy at heart. His dreams of attending UA diminished after All Might told him what he already knew. It hurt like hell, and it crushed his dreams of being a hero like All Might. A hero that raced into danger to defend and protect civilians from villains with a smile on his face. But just as reality came crashing down, it unearthed another dream for Izuku to latch onto.
“If you desire to help people, becoming a police officer is always an option. Those villain custody officers are often mocked, but that too is admirable work!” All Might had said to him. It gave Izuku something to think about.
When he got home that day, he looked over all his notebooks and was about to throw them away when the idea blossomed. He remembered how sometimes quirk users had trouble using their quirks and weren’t able to maximize their use or understand their limits and weaknesses. He could use his analyses abilities to help people use their quirk to their full potential and help them prepare and learn about their weaknesses to better situate themselves in a fight. ‘Those that can’t do, teach!’ he thought then. He’d study to be a hero teacher! And to be the best, he had to study quirks! His curiosity knew no bounds, and this new dream felt like a better alternative. And it really was!
His teachers praised him for his quirk studies, and a scientific journal published his last research paper. He even had several interviews with potential universities. He was only in his second year, and he was already getting scouted by top universities. Izuku couldn’t help the swell of pride that pumped up his chest. He may not be a part of the action, but he will be behind the scenes, doing his best to help. This was his new dream. While heroes helped the people, he would help the heroes.
Izuku skirted to a stop at the explosive event, and a large crowd had already gathered. He knew he woke up early to get to school, but witnessing heroes and villains fight up close really helped with his research. With time on his side today, he could take detailed notes. He gripped tightly to his notebook and pen and squirmed through the crowd of people. Izuku got to the front where the hero Backdraft held everyone back.
“Please everyone! It is dangerous. Stay behind the line!” Backdraft said as he watered down some debris that was on fire from where he stood.
“Good work today hero Backdraft!” Izuku called.
“Ah, Midoriya! Good to see you again. Please be careful,” Backdraft said.
Izuku bobbed his head up and down. “Of course!”
Izuku got to know Backdraft because of the amount of villain incidents Izuku attended while doing his research and Backdraft got to know his name and face in the process. They would speak now and then and Izuku even provided tips to the Hero about his quirk.
Izuku clicked his pen three times out of habit to get his mind focused on the scene unfolding before him. His eyes grew wide with shock at seeing Endeavor, who didn’t normally patrol in this area, fighting a… giant crab? There were other heroes too. He couldn’t get a clear visual as each of them dodged the crab’s sporadic limbs. A giant wall of ice chopped the left legs of the giant crab villain, but they regrew instantaneously looking even stronger than before.
“Stop you half and half bastard!” A voice shouted.
Izuku’s eyes widened immediately, recognizing that deep, growly voice.
“Wall him in instead!” It shouted again.
Izuku’s eyes followed the familiar voice and they landed on a spikey blond hair boy, whose back faced him several feet away.
‘No way… Kacchan!’
He watched the blond use his quirk to become airborne to reach the top of the ice wall made around the villain at his request. Izuku recognized the ice to be hero Shoto’s quirk.
Endeavor and Shoto joined Kacchan on top of the ice wall, forming a hero triangle. He could hear the crab villain banging the wall with its pincers. Two other heroes stood at the base of the wall, ready to jump in if the villain broke through. Izuku recognized them as hero Chargebolt and hero Red Riot.
“Ready!” Red Riot yelled.
The three heroes at the top nodded. They all cried out and shot flaming blasts down at the crab villain, well one explosion piercing shot and two flaming blasts. What Izuku would give to be on top of the wall to see how the crab villain was fairing under such a brutal attack.
“Always gotta be on the scene with all these fire users,” Backdraft huffed.
Izuku nodded. Backdraft was the perfect hero to douse out the flames if they ever got out of control. The three heroes slowly descended to the ground as the ice wall melted in the extreme heat.
“He’s out,” Shoto said.
The crab villain had shrunk and laid passed out. Izuku tried to ignore Kacchan as he took in the crab-man villain. When it was huge, it didn’t look like it had any human features, but now that it shrunk, Izuku could make out two legs.
“So, his upper body is more crab and the lower body more human… interesting…” Izuku muttered to himself to help build his hypothesis on the villain. “What if… and then maybe—” An alarm from his phone cut his thoughts short. “Oh, times ups,” he muttered.
He pulled his phone from his back pocket of his blue slacks and stopped his alarm. He looked back up at the scene to take in one last view before heading off to school, but instead of laying eyes on the crab villain, his body tensed upon meeting gleaming red eyes.
Izuku’s eyes widened, and his brain yelled, ‘RUN! RUN! RUN!’ but his brain obviously forgot that it also controlled his motor skills, which were not active as he stayed stuck in those red eyes that held recognition.
“Deku…?” He heard the blond say.
The blond headed toward him, which riled up the people behind him. Izuku tried to move again, but couldn’t get his brain to restart as it still panicked and spurting out, ‘RUN!’
He finally took a step back as the blond stopped in front of him.
Many people begged for his attention, but he only stared at Izuku.
“Hey Kacchan…” Izuku trailed off, not knowing other words as brain rebooted.
“Gimmie your number,” he said while crossing his bare arms over his chest.
Just as his brain was coming online, it buzzed, and short-circuited “W—what?”
The crowd grew louder at the hero’s closeness and were begging him for photos and autographs. Backdraft pulled the rope over Izuku and nudged him forward with it when it was behind his back, leaving him without the separation and closer to Kacchan.
Izuku looked wide eyed at Backdraft who in return gave him a thumbs up.
“Alright folks, show’s over! Please clear the area.” Backdraft walked forward, pushing the crowd with him, leaving Izuku alone. Well, he wasn’t alone, alone, but still more than enough with people several feet away. Away from him and his old childhood friend turned bully.
“Your phone number,” Kacchan continued.
Izuku could fry eggs on his brain with how much steamed and static poured out of it. “What… why?”
“To message you,”
Izuku shook his head side to side lightly. “Why?”
“I want to meet up.”
Izuku backed up a little more and looked around for the nearest person for help. “Um, are you okay?”
“Yea, I’m fine.” Kacchan, or this alien impersonating him, quirked his left eyebrow, “I just want your number.”
“No offense Kacchan, but I don’t want to give it to you.”
Kacchan nodded. “I understand, but I would really like to talk.”
“But I don’t want to talk to you.”
“Please.”
Izuku’s mouth dropped, and he looked around him again, trying to gain the attention of one of the other heroes. “Um, someone! I think Great Explosion Murder God Dynamight needs medical assistants. He might have been hit with a quirk of some sort.”
“Dammit shush!” Kacchan put his hands up as if to fan down Izuku’s voice. “I’m fine!” He yelled back to the group of heroes who were looking at him questionably from Izuku’s standpoint.
“Izuku, I just want to talk. You don’t have to give me your number. We can decide on a time and place to meet up then… please.”
Izuku gawked and couldn’t process the blond’s word. It was obvious Kacchan wanted to talk about their past, but Izuku wasn’t sure he was up for it. “I—I… Kacchan… It’s not something… I-I… talking isn’t going to…” Izuku fumbled on his words.
It’s not like Izuku didn’t want to talk about it. It had bugged him for years as to why their relationship had shifted. But it frightened him to know the answer and he didn’t know why. Yet, he still wanted to know, deep down, why Kacchan turned into his worst bully. Izuku could have easily settled on that fact that it was because he was quirkless, but his perceptive skills told him otherwise.
Kacchan waved his hand in front of his face. “I’m not doin’ this for forgiveness. I want to do this because you deserve it. And I’m not going to half ass it. So, please let me do this properly. I won’t bother you afterwards.”
Izuku’s brain sounded the alarm and told him to say ‘NO’ and leave it at that, but his intuition told him to give into the blond. That doing so would be good for them both. “I-I… okay. I’ll give you my number. It’ll be easier. Plus, I have to go.”
Kacchan held out his hand. “Pass me your phone.”
Izuku fumbled with his phone and handed it to him. As Kacchan added his number to his phone, he noticed Chargebolt approaching. Izuku couldn’t help his fan boy heart as he tried his best not to gush at the hero.
“Hey Bakubro, no flirting on the job,” Chargebolt nudge Kacchan’s side with his elbow.
Izuku blushed beet red at the awkward insinuation that Kacchan was flirting with him.
“Shut it Pikachu,” Kacchan muttered. He didn’t look at all phased and continued to input his information in Izuku’s phone.
Izuku jumped at Shoto’s quiet appearance on Kacchan’s other side. “Kaminari is right Bakugo,” Shoto said. He stared at Izuku, making him blush harder due to the attention of the two other boys.
Izuku adverted his eyes back to Kacchan, who was still plugging in his information but looked ready to explode.
“We’re old childhood friends!” Izuku chimed in to clarify the situation before it got way out of hand. “We lost touch, so we’re…” he trailed off pointing at his phone in Kacchan’s hand.
“Bakubro! You had friends?!” Red Riot came into the scene and threw an arm around Bakugo’s shoulder. Kacchan didn’t seem phased by the physical contact which surprised Izuku.
“How?!” Chargebolt exclaimed.
“I thought you were like me,” Shoto mumbled, looking disappointed.
Kacchan looked at Shoto this time. “Don’t fuckin’ look sad about it.” He then turned to Chargebolt. “And you, shut up dumbass.”
Izuku couldn’t help the stinging sensation that poked and prodded his heart observing the way Kacchan was acting with his peers. He wasn’t use to seeing Kacchan behave in this way. It really looked like he grew and possibly even changed. He was still rough in how he spoke, but it wasn’t filled with malice.
Izuku felt better about giving into the blond but was still nervous. This Kacchan was the same, yet different. This Kacchan had friends that teased him and didn’t look phased by his outbursts. Izuku felt happiness for his childhood friend, who found equals he could form a rapport with. It also made him sad. But Izuku found friends of his own, so it was fine. This was for the better. They’d meet and then part ways, leaving Izuku with the relief that Kacchan was in excellent hands and on his way to becoming an amazing hero.
“Here ya go nerd.” Kacchan held out his phone to him. “Just message me when you‘re not busy and we’ll figure something out,” he finished.
Izuku took his phone back. “Alright. It’ll be nice to catch up,” Izuku smiled.
Kacchan looked startled, but returned to his neutral expression quickly, which made Izuku believe he didn’t witness it in the first place.
“WOW!” Chargebolt exclaimed. “You have such a friendly smile! How were you friends with this stick in the mud?”
Izuku blushed, and Kacchan bonked Chargebolt on the head with his fist.
Cheeks aflame Izuku said, “I—I guess the same way that you are all friends with him.”
“Aww.” Chargebolt cooed, “Even your friend thinks were friends!”
Red Riot smiled wide, his sharp teeth gleaming. “So, it must be true!”
“So were friends?” Shoto looked hopeful at Kacchan.
“He doesn’t know what he’s talking about—and we’re not—.”
Izuku’s phone alarm went off again, cutting Kacchan’s flustering fit.
“What the hell nerd.”
Izuku quickly turned it off. “Sorry!” He placed his phone and notebook in his bag. “I have these set because I get distracted easily… I really should get going! I’ll be late for class.” He bowed deeply. “It was nice meeting you!” He straightened up. “Goodbye! I’ll message you later Kacchan.”
Kacchan nodded his head and Chargebolt gave him a weird look that Izuku couldn’t register as he pivoted and ran.
“Good luck with your classes!” He heard Red Riot call out to him.
“Thanks, you too!” Izuku called over his shoulder. He immediately wanted to facepalm. ‘You too? Did it look like there were going to class dummy?’ Izuku berated himself as he continued to sprint.
Katsuki stared at the short green hair’s retreating form. Katsuki knew this had to be a sign. He’d been wondering how the nerd was doing. During his time at UA, he had become unraveled and had to face the weakness he’d buried deep down by treating Deku, no, Izuku like shit. The face of the nerd appeared and mocked him in his sleep every time he felt inferior. Then one day it finally dawned on him that his relationship with the nerd spoiled because he couldn’t face himself. He ruined it because the nerd showed him what he didn’t like. He started to acknowledge his past behavior toward Izuku to be extreme and unjustifiable. Even if the boy looked down on him, he shouldn’t have said and done the things he did. Especially now that the nerd had a right to looked down on him. He’d been told over and over he acted more like a villain than a hero. His friends at UA, yes, he’d admit it in the safety of his head, showed him that winning and being at the top wasn’t the sole purpose of being a hero. Saving lives was heavily a part of it. Looking out for teammates was also a part of it. He can solo certain things but knew he couldn’t do it every time. He wasn’t quite there yet, but he’d reach the real definition of being a hero no matter how high he had to climb. But Izuku still haunted his dreams as the guilt ate away at him. He wanted to know if the nerd was doing well at times. One day he’d been in the common room watching tv waiting for shitty hair to train. Glasses was with him on his computer. Katsuki looked over at his screen to see why speedy was nodding his head furiously and that was when he saw the nerd full screen. His face flushed and his mouth moving quickly.
“Oi! What’s that?”
He startled glasses but he was used to Katsuki’s outbursts and answered. “This is Izuku Midoriya,” he paused the video.
“Tsk, I know that. What’s he doing?”
“Are you fan of his?!” glasses yelled.
“Oi, just answer the question.”
Speedy pushed his glasses back up the bridge of his nose. “He’s at an interview. He wrote a research paper that was acknowledged by the science community. His ideas on quirk usage are outstanding!”
He stared at the freeze frame and felt relief that the nerd was looking alright.
He’d even leave it at that. He wouldn’t need to seek him out since he looked fine.
But he couldn’t let it go. He watched the video in his room later that night after his training session with shitty hair.
The nerd did his weird sunshine smile, looked healthy, and was killing shit at the conference even though he started off a nervous wreck. Katsuki didn’t need to appear before him just to apologize, just to make himself feel good.
But the guilt ate away at him. Granted, the apology would feel good, but also the nerd deserved it. He needed to let him know that he was right to looked down on him because he had a sixth sense that Katsuki would be a terrible hero.
Katsuki accepted it but he was already turning it around. Proving to himself and to the doubters that he’ll sore even higher than All Might. Even though the nerd was one of those doubters, he didn’t deserve the shit Katsuki put him through. He’d show him that he’ll be a better hero. One that he knew Izuku could have been if he had quirk. Yes, he acknowledged that Izuku could have been a great hero. But he won’t tell that shit to nobody.
He knew where the nerd went to school and thought about dropping by, but felt he’d scare the nerd and it would cause a scene. He thought about contacting Auntie Inko but didn’t know when a good time would be since his work study has been nonstop mayhem.
Then, he heard that ridiculous alarm with All Might’s “I am here,” over and over again after defeating the stupid shitty crab villain. He turned to see the nerd fumbling with his phone. The nerd turned it off and looked back up meeting his eyes.
This was it! He thought.
“So… Kacchan huh?” Pikachu nudged his side again. He really wanted to smack the stupid lightning rod.
“Fuck off,” Katsuki growled out.
“Whoa, whoa! Settle down you rabid dog. It’s cute.”
Katsuki rolled his eyes. “Shut it,” he snapped.
“Aww, he’s such a friendly dude.” Pikachu punched his arm lightly. “How did you lose contact with him?”
Katsuki sighed. “We didn’t end off on good terms.”
“Oh,” Shitty hair started. “It didn’t seem like it.”
Katsuki scratched the back of his head. “Yea… it’s because he’s too nice.”
“Then why get his number?” Icyhot tilted his head to the side.
Katsuki didn’t want to talk about it with them but at the same time he didn’t see the point in keeping them in the dark about it. Everyone knew Katsuki was a douche bag. “I have to… apologize.”
“Oh, wow Bakubro. Must be something pretty serious for you to even want to…” Shitty hair trailed off.
“He deserves one after the shit I put him through.” Katsuki knitted his brow together.
Shitty hair patted him on the back. “I’m sure it will go well. Then you can start again.”
“He only agreed to see me if I didn’t bother him again afterward…”
“Oh.”
Everyone got quiet and the air surrounding them felt thick with tension and awkwardness.
“Bro… what did you do?” Pikachu hesitantly asked.
“I was his bully… he was quirkless, and I reminded him every day.” Katsuki admitted through gritted teeth,
“Wow, that’s so rare… uh, him being quirkless. But… your sorry right?” Shitty hair asked.
“Yea… but the damage is done ya know?”
Shitty hair nodded his head and patted Katsuki’s shoulder lightly. “Well, you’re doing the right thing, bro… if it ends with you parting ways, then so be it. I think this will be good for him and for you.”
Katsuki knew this but couldn’t help the guilt that came along with it. That’s why he only gave the nerd his number. The ball was in Izuku’s court. If he really wanted to talk, then he could message him. “I feel a little selfish about it… that’s why if he doesn’t end up messaging me then I guess I’ll hafta live with it, huh.”
His friends gave him sympathetic looks, which annoyed him, but he also appreciated it. He liked that they understood him. It made their teamwork… and friendship easier for the blond who had trouble expressing himself still.
“Alright, let’s wrap up this scene. Endeavor keeps looking over at us.” Pikachu sighed.
Icyhot rolled his eyes. “We did most of the work.”
“Well, we had to. We’re studying under him.” Shitty hair placed an arm around Icyhot’s shoulder and gave him a squeeze before ushering the boy back to the scene.
Katsuki let them go ahead of him. He took one last look in the direction the nerd took off in, hopeful that he’d hear back from him. He turned back to his friends just as his phone buzzed. He pulled his phone from his pocket, a tightness formed in his chest. A messaged from an unknown number flashed across his screen.
Unknown
This is Izuku Midoriya!
Also, Great job today! Ttly~
‘Have fun on your date’ the words rang in his ears as he ended his video call with his friends.
He’d call them to help him pick out clothes, not sure what to wear. He didn’t want to look like a loser in front of Kacchan, as his fashion sense wasn’t the best. He also didn’t want to stand out awkwardly against the good-looking teenager. Kacchan had grown taller from the last time he saw him and filled out quite a lot. Like a lot. And Izuku just didn’t want to look like a dunce while out with him. They decided on a coffee shop that Izuku frequent, and made him the most comfortable to meet the blond. He explained to his friends that it was just a meeting between old friends, but they took it out of context when he asked for advice and told them the meeting spot.
They cooed and cheered, and one of them, he’s not sure who, said ‘finally!’
He tried to explain it wasn’t a date over and over again and that it was an old friend he was catching up with.
Long-lost lovers!
So romantic!
Let me know when the wedding is!
He begged them to stop their teasing and denied everything. Yes, Kacchan was hot. He wasn’t gonna deny that, but he was also his old bully. Plus, he didn’t even know if Kacchan swung that way…. Not that he’d ask him out or anything if he did. What if Kacchan asked him out? Izuku laughed out loud at the seer ridiculousness of the thought that popped into his head. He waved it away.
This was just a meeting between old friends turned enemies. Nothing more, nothing less.
He looked in his full view mirror and decided the outfit his friends helped him put together actually looked good. He wore his favorite comfortable green knee-length shorts with a black fitted t-shirt and a white, short sleeve button-down shirt. Yea, he definitely wouldn’t embarrass the blond with this outfit.
His friends insisted he wear his gold-rimmed glasses, so he put them on to test it out and he still looked good. Alright, he’d wear them. The big circle frames suited his face. He did a double check and finally went to his front door and put on his red shoes.
“How long will you be out for?” His mother came from the kitchen, drying her hands on a towel.
“I’m not sure. I’ll text you when I’m on my way home!”
“Alright sweetie, be safe.” She kissed the top of his head before he stood up.
“Of course.” He smiled down at her and kissed the top of her head. “Call me if you need me to pick up anything from the store.”
She nodded her head. “Okay.” She squeezed his arms before letting go.
“I’m off!” He said as he exited his home.
Izuku was a good 30 minutes early, and it shocked him to see the blond already there. Kacchan leaned against the brick wall of the cafe with his foot propped up on it, wearing an orange loose fitted t-shirt that fell a little below his waist. He had his left hand in the pocket of his black cargo shorts with chains dangling. He was scrolling through his phone.
Kacchan looked hot and Izuku felt super stupid for thinking he’d be able to look less like a shrub next to him.
Kacchan looked up at him and held Izuku’s eyes.
‘Well, too late to turn back now.’
Izuku waved weakly at him as he approached the blond. “Hey Kacchan, you’re early,” he stated awkwardly.
Kacchan put his other hand with his phone in his pocket. “Yea, I figured you’d show up early.”
Izuku blushed. “Oh, I see…”
They stood without making a move to head into the cafe.
Kacchan cleared his throat. “So, this is the place you like?”
Izuku perked up. “Yes! It’s fantastic! And the staff is so friendly. I usually study here. The price is also reasonable, and the owner is going to open up another location soon since they’re doing so well—” Izuku cut himself short, realizing he was offering too much information. “S—Sorry! I didn’t mean to go off on a tangent.”
“S’okay,” Kacchan said.
And to Izuku’s surprise, the blond didn’t look annoyed at all.
Kacchan jerked his head toward the door of the Cafe. “We should order and grab seats,” he said.
“Mmhm!” Izuku nodded his head enthusiastically.
They entered the coffee shop and were hit with the aroma of coffee and sweets. Izuku saw his friend, Yuji, working the register and it helped him calm down some. As they approached the counter, Yuji made eye contact with him. His friend beamed and wave at him.
“Hey Izuku babe! The usual?”
Izuku felt Kacchan jolt beside him and he turned to the blond, but his face was unreadable as he stared at his friend Yuji.
Izuku shook it off and turned back to his friend. “Yes, please.”
Yuji looked like a fish out of water, a blush forming on his cheeks, as he gawked at Kacchan, making Izuku wide eyed hoping his friend would behave. But just as quickly as his friend unraveled, he pulled himself back together. “What about your fine- your friend?” He managed, still staring at Kacchan.
“What’s your usual?” Kacchan spoke to him.
Izuku tore his eyes away from his stunned friend. “Um, a medium iced mocha with extra whip.”
Kacchan nodded and turned back to Yuji. “I’ll have the same, but no whip.”
“Yesss sir,” Yuji drawled out.
Izuku tried to make eye contact with his friend to sending a warning signal to his dirty mind to behave.
Yuji leaned forward with hands pressed down on the counter, “anything else?” he fluttered his eyelashes.
He really wanted to kick his friend, but Kacchan didn’t seem bothered and was actually looking at him when it hit Izuku that he sought confirmation from himself.
Izuku nodded his head. “Yea, that’s it.”
“Alrighty handsome, your total is 8.64,” Yuji’s voice dropped low.
Izuku cast an annoyed face at his friend, but Yuji’s eyes did not leave Kacchan as he swiped his card—
“Wait!” But it was too late, and the receipt rolled out. “I was going to pay!” Izuku whined.
“Too bad.” Kacchan said and grabbed the receipt from Yuji. “Thanks.”
“No problem, sir.” Yuji cooed. “Your order number is at the top.”
Izuku rolled his eyes and followed behind Kacchan.
“I wanted to pay,” he grumbled. After they took a seat at the only available table which was in the middle of the cafe. It was a small, black round marble table with two black cushioned armed chairs.
Kacchan shrugged. “Not a big deal,”
“Yea, but I chose the spot. I should have paid.” He pouted.
“I asked to meet up,” Kacchan threw back.
Izuku rolled his eyes and huffed.
“Something wrong with your face, nerd?” Kacchan narrowed his eyes.
Izuku crossed his arms over his chest. “No,” he grumbled.
It was Kacchan turn to roll his eyes.
“Order 245! Your drinks are ready.” Izuku heard his friend call across the cafe and had a feeling it was theirs.
Izuku shot out of his seat before Kacchan could get up. “I got it!”
Kacchan slid back into his seat and nodded.
Izuku made his way to the pickup counter, where his friend waited.
“Omg! Are you on a date with that hot piece of ass!” Yuji squealed. “Excuse me for drooling.” He wiped at his mouth.
Izuku panicked. “Shusssshhh!” He looked back at the blond; he sat at the table scrolling through his phone.
Yuji pulled on his arm, getting his attention back. “Deets, bish!”
“I’m not—were not—” Sweat slid down the sides of his face. “Just no! He’s just an old friend!” Izuku got out.
“Bullshit! You dressed up! You’re looking like hot shit.” He waved his hand up and down at him. “Nice touch with the glasses.”
“I-I didn’t dress up.”
“You always come in here wearing those weird ass t-shirts with lame ass words, and sweats or gym shorts.”
“B-because I’m studying when I come here!”
“Hm. So what’s the deal. Why don’t you wanna bang him?”
Izuku’s face flushed red. “Yuji! Please.”
“Sorry my innocent babes.”
“It’s fine. It’s just… our situation is complicated.”
“Well uncomplicate shit and jump on that di—.”
“YUJI!” Izuku hissed.
Izuku’s ears burned. He’d never get used to his brash and unfiltered friend.
“Well, if you’re not hitting that, sign me up!” he fanned himself. “Oh shit! He’s looking this way.”
Izuku grabbed the drinks but before he could head back to the blond, Yuji held his left arm lightly and leaned over the counter and whispered into his ear, “Please let me know if you hit that though! So, I can celebrate.”
“Yuji! Get back to work!” Mr. Ronora snapped.
Yuji let go of Izuku and straightened. “Yes, Bossman!”
“Hey Midoriya! Good to see you, kid!” Mr. Ronora beamed at Izuku.
Izuku greeted the man back, bowed and couple times before he hurried back to his table.
“Everything good?” Kacchan raised his left brow when Izuku finally sat back down at the table with their drinks.
Izuku slid Kacchan’s iced mocha to him. “Yeah.” Izuku tried to erase the conversation he just had with his friend. His face still heated.
“You seem close,” he said.
“Yea. He’s a good friend of mine. We study together sometimes. He’s really funny. A bit much at times, but he means well—” Izuku cut himself again. “Sorry.”
Kacchan clicked his tongue. “Stop apologizing for talking. It’s annoying.”
Izuku tense up. “Sor— Eep! I mean okay!”
“He keeps waving at me.” Kacchan stated.
Izuku turned in his seat and glared. Yuji dropped his hand and bowed in an apology.
Izuku turned back to Kacchan. “Just ignore him.”
Silence engulfed them, and it reminded Izuku why they were together.
Kacchan took a sip of his drink and Izuku clutched his between two hands.
“So…”
“So.”
*****
Katsuki put his drink down while leaning forward in his chair resting his arms on his knees and folded his hands together. He needed to gather the words that have been floating around in his head. He needed to keep his emotions in check and try his best to word his apology without hurting the nerd even more. Trashing himself seemed the best direction, but felt he should start with the apology, then his explanation of why he was a dirt bag of a human being.
“Izuku, I’m sorry for everything I’ve done in the past,” he began. His mouth tasted like ash having brought up dead things that continued to haunt him. “The shit I put you through was horrendous and even inhuman. I let my emotions overtake me.” He bowed his head, ashamed. “I still do, but I’m trying.”
Izuku didn’t utter a word. It left Kacchan swirling unanchored in his head. It poked at him in the sides, like a rib, digging in, wanting to tell the green hair boy why he’d pissed him off when they were younger. He selfishly wanted to present their relationship, that was painted over in red.
Katsuki looked back up at Izuku, eyes gleaming. “You know what pissed me off about you?”
Izuku was unreadable, but he shook his head.
Katsuki flopped back in his seat, floating in the past. “I could never tell what you were thinking.” He focused his eyes back on Izuku. “You always looked at me with eyes that seemed to know something I didn’t. Like you were looking down on me.” He shrugged. “But knowing what I know about myself now, you were right too.”
Izuku stared back, with listless emotions floating around his eyes. “Is that what you really thought about me?”
Katsuki ran a hand through his hair. “Well, why else would you follow me around after I tried again and again to push you away? I’d imagine to witness my downfall… which makes sense, since I’ve acted more like a villain than a hero.”
Izuku’s head fell, “I’m sorry…”
Katsuki jerked in his seat, sitting a bit straighter. “What the hell! Don’t apologize!”
Izuku looked back up at him, his eyes watery. “But—”
“You showed me my weaknesses.” the blond cut him off. “You’d have made a better hero than me if you had a quirk. You’d be better at it than me.”
What happened to saying that shit to nobody?
He wanted to smash his head when he let the honesty slip from his mouth. He’d said too much and needed to escape the hole he was further digging himself into.
So damn embarrassing!
“You—”
“No matter how inferior I was feeling,” Katsuki cut him off again, hearing blood pumping loudly in his ears. His heart raked his ribs with each thump. He needed to get this back on track. Needed to get his emotions in check. “I shouldn’t have said those things to you, especially that day.” The day he told him to jump. “Even if I knew you wouldn’t be stupid enough to listen to me. Regardless, I shouldn’t have said it.”
“Well, I thought you were an idiot for saying it, but I knew you didn’t mean it!” Izuku looked exasperated.
Katsuki gritted his teeth at the idiot’s statement. “Still shouldn’t have said it.” He needed to leave before he said anything more embarrassing, or stupid, or hurtful. “Anyway, that’s that nerd. Thanks for hearing me out,” he moved to get up.
“Wait!” Izuku grabbed his arm before he could flee. “I’ve got stuff to say too!”
Katsuki froze, unsure he wanted to hear what Izuku had to say. But the nerd deserved his attention, so he sat back down.
*****
Izuku let go of Kacchan’s arm. “Sorry.” He muttered, realizing he had grabbed him. “I want to clear one thing up.” He fumbled with his shirt, but then found his courage. “I’ve never looked down on you!”
Kacchan scoffed, which irked Izuku.
“Don’t scoff at me!” Izuku snapped.
Kacchan jolted at the sudden reprimand but nodded and mumbled a small apology.
“I never looked down on you,” he started again.
Kacchan watched him this time. Didn’t scoff, didn’t roll his eyes. He focused on Izuku and waited. Izuku felt a bit of his anger chip at the sudden attention he was getting from the blond but continued. “I would never associate with someone who would belittle me so often and try to make me feel as small and as insignificant as you had.”
Kacchan shifted uncomfortably in his seat, but still didn’t interrupt.
“I really admired All Might and wanted to be like him. I really wanted to meet my idol, an idol we both thought was this amazing example of what a hero could be. When your quirk manifested, I thought ‘Kacchan is amazing’. And when I was dubbed quirkless and wouldn’t be able to achieve the dream we both sought after, I thought I could achieve it through you. I could admire All Might from a distance, but you were right there. This Amazing person in my life. That’s why I always chased after you!”
Izuku held Kacchan’s eyes. Silence clung to the air surrounding them and waited to disperse.
“You’re a dumbass,” Kacchan said flatly.
Izuku glared at him. “Just because someone admires you, it doesn’t make them a dumbass, dumbass.”
“Hah?!”
“You heard me!”
“Yea… admire… like currently? You still admire me?”
“Well, yea… of course I’m a fan of yours, Kacchan… you kick ass.”
Kacchan burst out laughing, causing Izuku’s heart to beat abnormally fast. It was beautiful to hear a genuine laugh from the blond boy. It wasn’t sarcastic or filled with contempt. It was free and Izuku couldn’t help drinking it in. His handsome features prominent and highlighted. The crinkle of his brows, the way his eyes were squeezed shut, and his mouth wide with his teeth showing. It felt like everything in the coffee shop stood still. Izuku even looked around him, thinking he was on pause, but it just happened that everyone was looking at the blond, laughing carefree. They even had smiles on their lips, which made Izuku smile too.
“You’re so fuckin weird nerd! But thanks,” he calmed and smiled at him.
Izuku couldn’t help the blush that formed across his freckled face.
“Of course!” Izuku beamed at him. His mouth gracing a smile of his own.
Kacchan’s smile faltered. He looked away and coughed a bit. But the blond looked back at him. “So, uh…” he adverted his eyes again. “We cool?” He finished.
Izuku’s smile widened. “Yeah!”