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Walking up the steps, feet growing heavier with each step, all Eijirou wants to do is crawl into bed and sleep for a month. When he and Katsuki had spent months and months considering the pros and cons of opening up their own agency, none of the cons ever outweighed the pros. At least, not in the grand scheme of things. So they went ahead and did it—with great success! Still, working for an agency and running one are very different things and he could have never anticipated just how tired he’d be.
Of course, the exhaustion seeping deep into his bones can’t be blamed solely on that. In addition to the shifts at their agency, Eijirou volunteered for extra night patrols at Tetsu’s agency now that Ochako is on maternity leave.
All of these extra shifts mean he is often up before the sun rises and home long after it has set most days of the week. This also means that he hasn’t seen Katsuki in more than passing and he is seriously missing him like crazy. Sure, they have the stray kiss in the morning as Eijirou is running out the door, and Katsuki tries his best to stay up to see him at night, but it’s not the same . It’s hard.
Plus, with Eijirou being gone so much and helping Tetsu out, that leaves Katsuki to pick up the slack at their agency.
So, yeah, Eijirou is tired and the only thing he wants is to crawl into his husband's arms and fall asleep.
Unfortunately, there are still a few things he needs to do that stand between him and the comfort of their bed. The bags hanging from his arms are heavy as they rustle against each other. If he can’t be around to help out at work or do much other than sleep while he’s home, he figures the least he can do is grab a few groceries. Thankfully, the store was empty when he stopped there after finishing up his night patrol so he didn’t have to fight any crowds for the things he needed.
When he gets to the door of their apartment he drops his things to the floor as gently as possible and sighs, flexing sore muscles for a second before digging in his pocket for his keys. With the door unlocked, he enters their home, mindful of the squeak of the hinges on the door when it swings open or shut too quickly. He steps around each of the creaky floorboards littered throughout their hallway as if it is second nature.
Truthfully, they could afford a nicer apartment now that they are pros with their own agency; they could get one with paint that wasn’t chipped and faded and lights that don’t flicker and a bigger kitchen with burners that all work at the same time.
There have been a few times where they’ve considered it, but it always gets sidelined. This is their place. The place they moved into when they were newly graduated, unsure of what to do with themselves, and unwilling to let go of the only sense of stability they really felt like they had—each other. The kitchen with the wonky burners is the place that Katsuki asked Eijirou out on their first date. The cramped bathroom, with Eijirou sitting backwards on the toilet seat in his pajamas and Katsuki behind him applying red hair dye to his head, is where Eijirou told Katsuki that he loved him for the first time.
Their bedroom where they made love for the first time together, awkward and giggling through the entire thing.
They even had their first fight as a couple here when Eijirou has made a risky choice during a fight against a villain; he still maintains zero regret for it—he would throw himself in front of Katsuki time and time again. It had resulted in a week-long stay in the hospital with an even longer hospital, but Katsuki was safe and that was the only thing Eijirou had cared about.
There are a million other firsts in this place, big and small, that neither of them feel ready to let go of yet. And besides, the rent is cheap; paired with their salaries as pros they have been able to save up a decent amount in their bank account for…other firsts.
Eijirou takes a step towards the kitchen, ready to put the groceries away, clean himself up, maybe get some food, and then finally, finally crawl into bed and catch some z’s. After putting the cold items away he moves to the small pantry on the other side of the kitchen and his eyes catch something he hadn’t noticed earlier.
There on the counter right next to the pantry is a container with a bright red sticky note attached to it. As he reads the note, Eijirou can feel tears pricking at his eyes. His overworked, overtired brain completely caught off guard by such a heartwarming gesture this late at night.
Saw some at the store and thought of you. Knew I could make it better. Enjoy.
Next to the last word Eijirou can see there had been a valiant effort to scribble out a heart.
Eijirou’s nose is hit with the sweet smell of bananas and chocolate when he opens the lid. Banana bread . His favorite. And by the looks of the container peeking out of the top of the trash, Katsuki had even added some protein powder to it.
A stray tear does fall out of Eijirou's eyes then. As tough as Katsuki liked to act, as much as he liked to make people think he was some prickly, untouchable entity, and he was sometimes, he was also so thoughtful.
And he'd clearly been missing Eijirou just as much as Eijirou was missing him.
Deciding that there are more important things to take care of, Eijirou puts the container back on the counter and doesn’t spare a glance at the remaining bags on the kitchen floor. He takes off towards the bedroom where Katsuki is most likely still asleep, his tired legs carrying him with a renewed vigor. It has been too damn long since he and Katsuki have had a good lazy morning together.
Eijirou snags a towel from the linen closet as he passes; as much as he wants to dive into bed and get some well-deserved cuddles, he knows that it will be better for both of them if he hops in the shower for at least a few minutes to wash off the grime of work.
Stepping out of the warm shower is harder than he’d like to admit, but the thought of Katsuki all sleep-warm and cuddly in their bed just behind their bedroom door is more than enough to spur him forward.
He wraps the large, fluffy towel around his waist and stares at himself in the mirror for a few moments; there is a small scratch healing along his temple that will probably leave a sar and the bags under his eyes are deep and dark. It isn’t a good look, honestly, but at the very least, it will mean Katsuki doring on him while pretending he isn’t.
A sleepy smile forms on his lips at the thought and he pulls the towel tighter around his hips.
The bedroom is quiet except for the soft whir of a stand fan tucked away into the corner. Soft, early-morning light bleeds through the cracks in the blinds and Eijirou feels his stomach flutter at the sight of Katsuki sprawled out on his stomach. Eijirou’s lips twitch up at the corners at the sight of the bright red sweater that has KIRISHIMA stamped across the shoulders in big block letters and the way that Katsuki has positioned himself on Eijirou’s side of the bed.
It makes him wonder how often this happens and a wave of affection rolls through him.
He shakes his head, the exhaustion from his time away really weighing down on him now; it’s with eyes half-open that he fumbles through their dresser for a pair of sweats and a t-shirt to change into. The give of the bed when he kneels on it is heavenly and Eijirou releases a quiet breath. It’s only now that he can see the small plush tucked into the crook of Katsuki’s elbow—a little cow with big eyes and red hearts for spots and when you squeeze it you get to hear Eijirou say Never forget how over the mooooon I am for you! A Valentine’s Day gift from years ago, and one that Eijirou thought had maybe gotten packed away in storage.
Crawling under the covers, Eijirou sighs at the warmth, doing his best to not wake Katsuki up even though he desperately wants to hear his voice. It’s the cutest when he just wakes up, crackly soft from disuse. He slides beside Katsuki and leans into his space, caressing the side of his face gently, the blonde hairs there soft and fuzzy—he must have just freshened up his undercut, then—and presses a kiss behind his ear.
And because he can’t help himself, he presses another one there in the exact same spot, short nails scratching lightly at Katsuki’s scalp.
“Mmrgh?” Katsuki groans, turning fully onto his side facing Eijirou.
Part of Eijirou feels guilty, but another part is melting at the way Katsuki is gazing at him; eyes barely open cheeks red from where they’d been pressed into the pillow, with the smallest spot of dried drool at the corner of his mouth. It doesn’t seem like he’s fully awake even, eyes falling closed and open slowly as if he might fall back asleep any second now with no recollection of what's happening.
The sun is a little brighter now, setting Katsuki’s blonde locks in a pretty glow, his eyes shining. “Morning, sweetheart,” Eijirou whispers, running his fingers back through Katsuki’s bangs and exposing his forehead. He leans forward the slightest bit and presses the softest kiss he can muster, there in the center. “Go back to sleep. I didn’t mean to wake you up.”
“Eijirou? Didn’t think you’d be home until tomorrow.” Katsuki scrunches his nose and blinks hard, but when he opens them again they still only open half-way.
Eijirou chuckles and pulls Katsuki’s face closer by a light grasp on his chin, swiping his thumb against his jaw. “Don’t sound so enthused.” When Katsuki nips at his thumb in response, he leans forward and steals a kiss. “I’m home early. Tetsu kicked me out.”
“Fucking good . He’s gotten enough of you. It’s my turn,” Katsuki grumbles, chasing after Eijirou’s lips when he starts pulling away. “Missed you, Ei. When the hell’re you gonna come back to me?”
The words sting a little even though Eijirou knows that Katsuki doesn’t mean them in any type of way. They both knew the kind of packed schedules they’d have as professional heroes when they started out down this path; they’d looked at it and decided that they wouldn’t have anyone else at their side for the ride. But, even still—
Eijirou looks at Katsuki, now a little more awake but no less adorable with his fuzzy blonde hair even messier than usual and his pouty lips that beg to be kissed a million times and then some. And since he’s finally home, he isn’t going to miss any of his chances to do just that. He reaches out and cups Katsuki’s face in both of his hands, pausing just as their noses brush to swipe away a loose eyelash with a quick flick of his thumb.
“I love you, Katsuki. And—” Eijirou slots their lips together, kissing him slow and lazy. When Katsuki’s tongue swipes along his lips, he opens his mouth and sighs. It’s an easy give and take, the birds outside creating the perfect soundtrack to their movements. Eijirou leans over Katsuki, pushing until he rolls onto his back with his head tipped back against the plush pillow; one of his legs slides between Katsuki’s and he rocks against the hardness in his sweats, groaning quietly because yes, it’s been so long . I love you, let me show you…
Eijirou pulls back and Katsuki blinks up at him, a smirk forming on his face. “Love you too, Ei.” He fists Eijirou’s shirt in his hand and tries to pull back. “I was having a good time though, so.”
“Wait,” Eijirou says, breathless. “I need to tell you something.”
Squinting, Katsuki stays silent.
Eijirou sits up, mourning the loss of Katsuki’s body against his, and leans precariously over to dig through his bedside drawer. He grabs what he’s looking for and turns back towards Katsuki—he swallows down his nerves until they sit heavy in his stomach and hopes that he can get through this without throwing up.
“What are you doing?” Katsuki asks, voice suspicious. Eijirou can feel his eyes on his hands, watching him fiddle with the small pouch in his hands.
“Well.” Dumping the contents of the pouch out into the palm of his hand, Eijirou stares at the gold band sitting there; the stone set in the middle glitters orange and red and it makes something swell inside of him as wetness wells in his eyes. His throat feels tight, but he pushes on. “A couple of weeks ago…remember when I went to help Ryuku-san? Well, there was a bit of time before we were set to come back and I stopped at this beach, you know?”
Katsuki watches him suspiciously, eyes flitting between Eijirou’s face and his hands. “Okay. What about it?”
“And on the beach, there was a little stand where you could make your own jewelry. The man had this…” Eijirou smiles. “This gorgeous stone. It sounds so lame now, but I hadn’t seen you for a few days and it just reminded me of the exact color of your eyes.” He blushes and tucks a strand of hair back behind his ear. Katsuki takes his hand in his and squeezes, eyes wide, but he doesn’t say anything.
Eijirou doesn’t know if that’s a good sign or not. When he tries to speak again, the words are stuck in his throat and the only sound that comes out is a garbled mess. “Uh.” He clears his throat and licks his lips. “So, I—”
“What are you trying to say, Ei? Spit it the hell out.” The tremble of Katsuki’s hand is obvious where he grips Eijirou’s. Eijirou twists their hands until their fingers intertwine, squeezing it for good measure and lifting it to kiss at his knuckles.
“Right.” He takes a deep breath and smiles, the movement bringing the tears welling up even closer to spilling. “So, I just had to have this particular stone. And, I’d been looking online for months already.”
“Looking for what ?” Katsuki asks, though judging by the look on his face he already has a clear idea where this is heading.
Eijirou chuckles and fiddles with the ring. “I sat there, for hours , making this ring. Naito-san sat beside me and gave me pointers while he worked on his own things. I hope when— if —” Eijirou stutters. “ If you choose to put this ring on, you'll be able to feel all the love I poured into it. That’s the manifestation stuff Mina’s always talking about, right?”
Katsuki rubs at his eye with the hand not held by Eijirou and he shakes his head, but he’s smiling so big and he’s gripping Eijirou’s hand so tight, holding it up to his chest right by his heart. “You’re an idiot.”
Holding out the ring, Eijirou says, “Would you do this idiot the honor of marrying him?”
For whatever reason, he’s not expecting it when Katsuki springs forward, tipping him backwards onto the bed. He straddles Eijirou’s hips and snatches the ring from him, staring at it with a sense of reverence in his eyes. He slides it on carefully—Eijirou breathes a sigh of relief at the perfect fit—and sniffs, wiping away the tear that had made its way down his cheek.
He grabs him by the collar of his shirt and pulls him up off of the bed and Eijirou meets him halfway, the breath in his lungs forced out in a small puff that is easily swallowed down by Katsuki. Eijirou hardens his chest instinctively when he feels the telltale heat from Katsuki’s palms—the explosions he can’t seem to control when unprepared and overwhelmed by emotions.
Eijirou doesn’t know how long they spend like this, but when they finally pull away for more than a few seconds at a time and Katsuki’s no longer lighting off fireworks against his heart, he blurts, “Is that a yes?”
“Are you—” Katsuki stares at him without saying anything else; a look crosses his face as if his life has just flashed before his eyes and he’s contemplating how he got here. Barely a second later, his hand flies forward, landing on the center of Eijirou’s head, and he sets off a small explosion there that Eijirou has just enough time to block. “ Obviously . When I called you an idiot earlier I didn’t actually mean it, but I’m reconsidering now.”
Eijirou laughs, loud and bright, rubbing at the tingling on his forehead. “Too late, babe. You already said yes. You’re stuck with me for life.”
“I need a fucking coffee. It’s too early for your shit.” The smile he’s trying desperately to hide (and failing) tells a different story.
Sticking his bottom lip out, Eijirou aims for his best pout. “If you’re getting coffee will you get me one too? Asking someone to spend the rest of their life with you is exhausting. I’m beat. ”
“You’re tired because you’ve been up all night. I’m not getting you a coffee. You can go to sleep if you’re so tired.”
Katsuki moves off of Eijirou and stands, fixing his shirt where it had gotten all twisted up. Eijirou makes a grab for Katsuki’s wrist, stopping him in his tracks. “ Please ?” he tries.
Staring up at the ceiling, Katsuki shakes his head and leaves without saying anything and Eijirou watches him leave. He grabs the stuffed cow next to him and hugs it to his chest. It smells just like Katsuki’s body wash and he sighs, eyes drifting shut. Can you believe this? he doesn’t quite manage to say out loud. At some point, Katsuki returns and Eijirou blinks his eyes open to find him staring down with a soft look on his face.
“Here,” he says, shoving a mug towards Eijirou. He rounds the bed and slides in next to him, crawling beneath the covers with his back against the wall.
“Coffee? I knew you wouldn’t want me to suffer. True love is really real.” Positioning himself against the wall like Katsuki, Eijirou takes a sip. “This isn’t coffee.”
Katsuki levels him with an exasperated look. “I told you I wasn’t gonna give you any damn coffee, Ei. It’s hot chocolate. Because I care about you.” He lifts his arm up and Eijirou takes the hint, falling easily into the spot there. “Get some sleep, would you?”
“But I missed you.” Eijirou takes a sip of the warm drink and sighs dreamily.
“I called and took the day off,” Katsuki says, swiping his hand across Eijirou’s hair, gentle and slow. It makes Eijirou’s eyes drift shut, feeling heavy and impossible to open back up. “I’ll still be here when you wake up. You’re stuck with me for life.”
Oh yeah. Eijirou feels the mug being slipped from his glass and hears Katsuki mumble something under his breath, but he just lets it happen. Sleep has already dug its claws into his body, spurred on by the way Katsuki’s fingers work their way over his skin in smooth motions and his raspy voice sings something akin to a lullaby. They have all the time in the world.