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It’s raining again tonight. Luckily for Kacchan, it’s just a light drizzle instead of the thunderstorms they’ve had the past few days. The perfect lullaby this late at night, in Izuku’s opinion. Well… it should be.
With the gentle pitter-patter of the rain and with Kacchan cuddled close — arms locked around his waist, gently snoring into his lap — the cool sheets, the warm glow of the bedside lamp, everything is picture perfect for the most amazing night’s sleep. Yet, he just can’t. He’s been scrolling on his phone since they’ve turned in (yes, he knows it’s making his unsleepiness worse, shush), looking through hero forums and news articles to pass the time. Looking out for a certain name. Because the thing is, it’s actually not so picture perfect, since something, or rather, someone is missing.
Shouto is away on mission and has been away for a while — a special assignment, so it’s all hush hush to his and Kacchan’s frustration. It’s silly, though. Scrolling obsessively through the news — just pages and pages of headlines on disasters and villain attacks — for the smallest sign of Shouto isn’t helping him relax at all. He knows not seeing his name is actually a good thing. It’s just — Izuku’s scared. What if he goes to sleep and misses something important? He knows he and Kacchan would get the first call if something bad goes down, but the days–long lack of contact has been wearing him out.
Not just him either. He knows that’s why Kacchan’s brows are permanently furrowed lately, even in his sleep. The unending rain only has made his mood worse. He gently strokes Kacchan’s forehead and chances a peek at the clock. Oops. With a wince, he swipes all his apps closed. He’s got a mid-morning patrol, and if Shouto knew how much he’s been staying up, he’d be so worried. Kacchan too.
Just then, All Might’s voice rings out. A PHONE CALL IS HE—
Scrambling to lower the volume, Izuku jolts up when he sees the caller, disturbing Kacchan anyway. Luckily, he just grumbles and burrows further into Izuku’s hip, eased into it by Izuku petting into his hair.
“Shouto,” he whispers. He’s absolutely buzzing with excitement, but he doesn’t want to risk waking Kacchan up, not when he’s finally gotten comfortable enough to sleep.
“Izuku.” Oh — like that, Izuku’s grinning so hard, it hurts. It’s just his name, but hearing Shouto say it, finally hearing his voice — Izuku feels himself truly relax for the first time in so long. “Were you sleeping?”
“No, no — couldn’t sleep.” A deep hum instantly follows, and Izuku rushes to ease his worries. "Ah, but it's nothing to worry about! I was just on my phone and— and yeah. Just scrolling," he says, trying to sound lighthearted. He double checks the time, hmm 1:38AM. He hears some shuffling and a slam of a car door. "But, how are you, though? Just finishing up for the day?”
“Something like that,” Shouto says with some hesitation. Ah . He probably can’t specify yet. Izuku still wants to try, though.
“Mission going well?”
“Yes.” After a moment, Shouto adds, “Nothing you need to worry about. I’m okay.” No injuries, then. ‘Fine’ or anything less would’ve let Izuku know something was wrong, all without alerting the mission heads. Something he and his genius boyfriends concocted once these individual away missions became more and more frequent.
“Can’t help it,” Izuku mumbles, letting himself finally sink into his pillows. Shouto’s okay, that’s all that matters. At least, now he knows for sure. And for him to be able to call him at all must mean the mission is going really well.
“I know,” Shouto says, and Izuku can hear the smile in his voice, can picture it — the way Shouto looks to the side, the tiniest twitch on his lips. Oh, what he would do to see it for real. “How about you? Katsuki?”
“We’re okay too.” Izuku resumes running his hand through Katsuki’s hair, palm tingling from the spikes. “He’s asleep right now.”
“Even with the rain?”
Izuku blinks in confusion for a second. How would he— Eh, Shouto must’ve looked up the weather in Mustafu. He does it too, looking up the city his boyfriends' are in whenever they’re gone. It makes him feel closer to them somehow. Knowing Shouto does it too brings a shy smile to his face.
“Yeah, even though he hasn’t been happy about it,” he chuckles. “Did you see?” He’s been sending photos of Katsuki bundled in so many blankets on the couch, literally cocooned with only his grumpy face peeking out. Kind of like a baby kangaroo, Izuku thought, but he knows better than to make that comparison within earshot of Kacchan, even if he is asleep. He can be so cute, and Izuku can never deprive Shouto of that.
“Yes, I saw,” Shouto huffs fondly. “Too cold?”
“He misses his favorite hand-warmer.”
The lovely sound of Shouto’s laugh puffs against his ear. It’s almost as good as the real thing. Almost. Izuku remembers how just this past weekend, Shouto was muffling his laughter into his neck, using him as a shield as Katsuki griped about how their joint interview resulted in almost no airtime for him yet again. Izuku gulps at the memory, eyes darting along the wall. Yeah, he’d really like to have the real thing right now, please and thank you.
After a moment, he gathers himself enough to whisper, “I miss him too.”
A crack of lightning flashes through the window, rumbling thunder following soon after. The rain is pouring much harder now. Strangely, a similar boom sounds through the call, just as Shouto responds. Is it raining in Ebisu too?
“I miss you too, both of you. So much,” Shouto whispers back, and Izuku forgets all about the weather. It’s hard to not to get choked up, and a few tears bead up. He can’t help it.
“I’ll be home sooner than you think. Don’t cry, love.”
Heh , of course Shouto could tell. Izuku sniffles as quietly as he can anyway. “I’m not crying,” he mumbles, wiping his eyes. “I just — we really do miss you.”
“I’m almost home, I promise. Just a couple more days. Go sleep, okay?”
“I’ll try.” Izuku says. “You too, I-I hope your hotel’s been comfortable. Are you going there now?”
“Hotel?” Shouto asks. After a second, he says much louder, “Oh, yes, it’s nice – the hotel. And I am .” He clears his throat just a little. Followed by what sounds like a low thud.
Izuku squints at his weird tone and noise. “A-are you okay?”
Is this a mission thing? Maybe Shouto’s not allowed to give away his accommodation situation. Is he staying at a safe house? Maybe the secret agency he’s working under? Oh — a location change could be possible too.
Lightning flashes again, with thunder right on its heels, rocking through the air. Izuku jumps, almost dropping the phone.
“Ah yes. I’m okay.” Shouto clears his throat again, though Izuku almost doesn’t hear it. That last rumble was so loud, it felt like it shot through both of his ears. Uncurling himself, Izuku checks to see if Kacchan was woken up at all, but he’s still dozing away. He carefully retucks the blanket under his chin, pressing the phone back to his ear.
Izuku hears the distinct sound of a car engine chiming off, and yeah – it must be raining in Ebisu too, the drumming of rain on the windshield now coming through. "I should go," Shouto says.
Already ? Izuku clutches the phone closer.
“Oh, I was hoping we could talk more. I missed talking to you — um, but you’re probably tired, huh? Am I keeping you up? I’m sorry,” Izuku says in a rush, throat clicking. He hopes he doesn't sound like he's pushy because Shouto wouldn’t try to leave unless he absolutely has to, but the past 20 minutes just flew by too quickly.
“I want to talk more,” Shouto cuts in, and Izuku smiles at how serious he sounds, his little worries melting away. “I miss talking to you too. It’s–it’s just that— No, thank—”
In the background, there's a knock on the car window and a new voice comes through. “Welcome back, Mr. Todoroki, do you need help with your luggage?”
But it isn’t a new voice.
Is that Mr. Daichi? From the front desk?! Downstairs?!!
Izuku jerks the second he recognizes it. “ Shouto ?!”
Shouto sucks his teeth. “Stay in bed, Izuku.”
“Wai–”
“Okay?” Then the call ends, just like that.
Oh. my. goodness!!
Izuku shoots off the bed with a flash of OFA, accidentally knocking Katsuki aside. Katsuki blinks his eyes open, instantly grumpy.
“What the hell, nerd?” he grumbles while rubbing his eyes.
“—here, he’s here!” Izuku needs to get dressed, where are his clothes?
Snatching his arm just as he zooms past him for the third time, Katsuki finally stops him in his tracks, serious and alert.
Izuku’s head is halfway into a sweater, one slipper in hand, the other barely slipped on. “Wom vabee—”
“Don’t ‘wait baby’ me, where’s the fire? Are we being called in?”
Shrugging his head through the shirt hole, Izuku’s cheeks hurt from smiling so much. He squeezes Katsuki’s cheeks and plants a big kiss on his forehead. “Kacchan! He’s back!”
Both their heads snap to the hall when they hear the jiggle of the front door unlocking.
“Wha–?” Kacchan asks.
The door starts to open, and Izuku’s there, green lightning streaking behind him. Like it’s in slow motion – through the illuminated, widening gap, Shouto appears.
He hears himself mutter, “Shouto’s home,” to Katsuki just as he looks up, right into Shouto’s eyes. Looking into that beautiful gray, the deep blue – full with so much love and barely any surprise, it’s like a piece of himself is sliding back into place.
Izuku can’t help but reach out and grab him close, dragging him into the dark of their apartment, back into their home — barely letting him kick off his shoes. Squeezing tight, Izuku wants to bury himself into Shouto, put them back together, and the rush of it all almost overwhelms him. He hopes he didn’t just squish the bags in Shouto’s hands — ones he only barely noticed, but he promptly drops them to hold him back just as tight.
“Welcome back,” he says into Shouto’s neck, burrowing his face even closer to feel the warmth there. He smells so good, he always smells so good.
“I’m home,” Shouto whispers into his hair, and for a second, they just hold each other there. When he finally pulls back, Shouto has a pout that Izuku is tempted to kiss away. “I said to stay in bed.”
“No way,” Izuku shakes his head. “Not when I know you’re here.”
“I wanted to surprise you,” Shouto grumbles, cupping his face, thumb stroking his cheek.
“You did,” Izuku promises. “You definitely did. I had no idea.” With a laugh, he thinks back to the weird way Shouto was acting and the fact that he could hear the storm through his phone. “Maybe I should’ve. It wasn’t until Mr. Daichi—” When that gets a sigh, Izuku chuckles. “If only he wasn’t such a nice and considerate man. How dare he help you in from the rain.”
“If only,” Shouto huffs. “It’s not really on him. …I didn’t really plan this surprise well.” Tilting his head, he asks much quieter, “Is Katsuki still sleeping?”
“Not with your loud asses,” comes from the dark. Katsuki’s leaning against the wall, wrapped up in the thickest blanket they have. He looks soft from sleep, but Izuku doesn’t miss the shine in his eyes or the way he’s gripping the blanket tight.
“Honey, I’m home,” Shouto says, holding back a smile. Kacchan freezes for a second, and the look on his face has Izuku stifling his giggles into Shouto’s shoulder.
Kacchan shakes his head, finally crossing to them. “Whatever.” He steps close, and gently cradles Shouto’s jaw, just looking at him. Then he leans in, ever so slowly, brushing his lips against his. “Welcome back.”
Shouto nudges his forehead onto Katsuki’s, holding Izuku between them. Like this, it feels like they’re whole again. Nothing feels better.
“You okay?”
Shouto nods. Katsuki moves to Shouto’s back, clinging to his waist, fingers skimming his sides just to make sure. “Missed your heating pack ass.”
“My ass is hot?”
“Shut up.”
“I missed you too, sweetheart.” Shouto whispers and gives Katsuki’s hand a squeeze. It’s so sweet, Izuku finally gives in and surges up for a kiss, and it’s as good as he remembers.
“I can’t believe I didn’t know you were coming,” Izuku says, pouting against Shouto’s lips. Thinking back to all the clues, he blushes when he thinks back on certain things. “I totally thought you check up the weather like I do when you knew it was raining,” he mutters, scratching his cheek.
“I do. But when I saw that it was raining…” He tucks Izuku’s hair behind his ear, and Izuku nuzzles and kisses his palm.
“One of us might be up?”
“I shouldn’t have called. Didn’t want to wake you, and I spoiled the entire thing,” Shouto mutters.
“Don’t say that, I’ve been wishing for a chance to hear from you all week!”
“Why’d you call Deku, then?” Katsuki asks into Shouto’s shoulder.
“I didn’t want to startle you awake either.”
“Startle who, fucker?” Katsuki grouses.
Ignoring him (which earns him a chomp on the shoulder), Shouto continues, “I got souvenirs,” bending to pick up the bags from the floor, shaking them when he snaps back up. It’s so cute, and he’s so happy, Izuku moves in and smooches that gorgeous face, right on the nose.
“There were these chips everyone was going crazy over,” Shouto says, but Izuku’s entirely too focused on kissing every part of his face. “Tamaki-senpai quite likes them.” His cheek, right under his scar. “Turns out they’re takoyaki-flavored.” The corner of his lip. “I also got some Keshi mochi that Yaoyorozu recommended.” His temple. “Do you want to try some?”
“Tomorrow,” Izuku whispers as he finally circles back to his lips. “After all, the best souvenir is right here,” he giggles, looking up at Shouto through his lashes. At Shouto’s tiny glare, Izuku pokes his side, making him yelp which makes Katsuki cackle.
“I mean it. Thank you,” he says, cupping Shouto’s cheek. “Thank you for calling, for the surprise.” He grabs the bag of snacks from his hands, letting his finger graze Shouto’s in passing, and places them on the counter. “Everything.”
“Can we go to bed now?” Katsuki grouches into Shouto’s back. “We can eat all that tomorrow.”
“Straight from the rain?” Shouto asks, even as he herds them into the room, luggage left for tomorrow as well. “I could get sick, you know.”
Katsuki reaches up and ruffles his hair. “Seems dry to me. Now, get your ass in the bed.”
Izuku goes straight to the dresser to get Shouto’s favorite sleepwear (one of Kacchan’s old shirts and Deku-branded pajama bottoms) while Kacchan plops down onto the bed, dragging Shouto down with him.
“Can I get changed at least?”
Katsuki sighs dramatically, letting him up. “Hurry up then.”
He graciously lets Shouto change, but the moment Shouto walks back within grabbing distance, Katsuki snatches him and pulls him to the middle of the bed. Izuku can’t help but laugh at Shouto’s dazed expression.
“Now, lay there, and be a good pillow,” Katsuki orders, dropping right on top of him. “Fire up that quirk, hotshot. Deku, get your ass over here.”
“Yes, yes Kacchan,” Izuku says as he huddles on Shouto’s other side. He watches as Katsuki rearranges Shouto as he sees fit and becomes a victim himself as he gets dragged in by the shirt. In the end, Kacchan is spooning Shouto, while he holds onto Izuku’s hand on Shouto’s belly, his favorite blanket enveloping all three of them. Izuku feels warm from head to toe, and it has nothing to do with Shouto's quirk or Kacchan's weighted blanket.
As he settles, Katsuki mutters under his breath, “This better not be another dream, damn it.”
Instead of teasing him, Shouto just tugs his arm tighter around him. “It’s not a dream.”
Izuku echoes him, and Katsuki answers with a sigh, reassured, which bleeds into a comfortable silence.
“Goodnight, losers,” Katsuki whispers into the dark, giving all the parts of them he holds a small squeeze, slow to let go.
“Goodnight, Kacchan.”
“Goodnight, sweetheart.”
There’s a small whisper of an “I love you,” and like that Kacchan easily sinks back into sleep. The rain is all but forgotten.
In the quiet, as Kacchan’s snores deepen, Izuku catches Shouto’s gaze, the joy in it plain even in the dim room.
“Wanted to see this,” Shouto murmurs, as he looks down on Katsuki and Izuku’s clasped hands, tracing it with one of his own.
“See what?”
“Him sleeping, you. Both of you huddled together, I don’t know,” Shouto whispers, eyes turning to meet his. “Wanted to come home and see this.”
Izuku hums. “Is that the reason you were so unhappy earlier? Not your surprise being spoiled?”
Shouto shakes his head. “No, I still wish I didn’t spoil it. I would say things and then realize how obvious I was being.”
“I didn’t notice, but maybe you used up all your ‘covert’ juice? Good mission, I hope.”
Shouto’s proud smile says everything. He turns back to pet his and Katsuki’s fingers, the soft touch tickling Izuku.
“It was all I could think about, for some reason. While I was away, I kept thinking of you both this way. Safe, warm, happy.” He places a gentle kiss on Izuku’s temple. “Thank you for the photos.”
“Of course, love.” Izuku responds with a kiss of his own. “Tell me all about the mission?” he murmurs against his lips.
Shouto kisses him again, deeper this time, making all thoughts fade from Izuku’s head. He’s missed this too. When it stops, Izuku unconsciously chases for more, blinking his eyes open to Shouto’s gentle smile. Bringing his hand up, thumb petting over Izuku’s lip, Shouto whispers, “Tomorrow.”
“Can I get more kisses like that tomorrow too?” Izuku flutters his lashes, making Shouto grin as he leans in close, hand sliding down onto his nape.
“You can get those in the morning, once sleepy head wakes up,” he promises into the air between them, sealing it with one final brush and a squeeze. “Let’s go to sleep, Izuku.”
As Shouto gets lulled into sleep, Izuku watches. His eyes trail over to Kacchan, warmth growing in his chest to see his brows perfectly relaxed. He lightly slides down under the covers, finally setting his head on his pillow, his boyfriend’s perfect chest.
Izuku understands Shouto deeply. Laying against him, he can hear the sturdy thud of his heartbeat, his soft breath. Along with Kacchan’s gentle snores, the steady drizzle of rain — Izuku realizes something as he sinks into sleep, in the arms of the loves of his life.
This is the perfect picture to come home to. One he dreams of all the time. Turns out he's not the only one.
The rain gentles down into a sprinkle, as the three fall deeper into sleep — safe, warm, and happy — finally together again.