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The entire time he's stuck on house arrest with Kacchan, Izuku can feel eyes burning into the back of his head.
Not the entire time. Just periodically— every once in a while, he can feel the stare on his nape, he- presumably Kacchan- watching his back for a reason Deku does not know nor understand. He knows Kacchan wants to talk to him about their fight at Ground Beta, because—it feels like a turning point, somehow. Like they've come so far within their relationship, their screwed up friendship, their cobweb of miscommunication and unspoken feelings has come full circle.
Deku wouldn't take someone like Kacchan to be someone to recompense. He's an action over words kinda guy, anyway— and the beatdown Izuku took stood for something. An outlet for Kacchan’s feelings because Deku was the only one who could take it completely, open-handed, no judgment. He told Kacchan he will not be his punching bag; he can be a sponge, though. He will take what Kacchan will give him. (If that is an apology—Izuku forgave him a long time ago.)
To go along with that, Kacchan only ever cries in front of him. He knows Izuku will not judge, will not tell anyone. Maybe it's built-up trust just by their proximity. Maybe it’s a coincidence. Maybe Izuku thinks about things like this too much. (Maybe Kacchan is compensating. Giving Deku a part of himself he refuses to give to anyone else.)
The entirety of house arrest is tense, but not uncomfortable. Izuku can't sit still. Fast, quick looks at each other thrown over their shoulders when they think the other isn't looking, sometimes their eyes will meet and they’ll both turn back as quick as they came; Deku’s face burns. Kacchan’s shoulders hunched to his ears.
Knowing Kacchan is looking at him— Izuku breathes out, strangely warm.
Kacchan purposely bumps into him when he walks past. “Oi.” Deku lifts his head to look at him. “Deku.”
Deku tips his chin. “Kacchan?”
He glances around the room, as if searching to see if someone is listening, and says, “When did you get the Quirk?”
He's looking at him pointedly for an answer. Deku swallows his own nerves. He cannot lie, because Deku always stumbles and stutters and embarrasses himself when he tries to lie. Even more so with Kacchan, because he'll never buy whatever fib Deku tries to come up with. Doesn't matter anyway. There is no more hiding regarding One for All and Kacchan. “Just before the entrance exam.”
A low whistle. Kacchan’s voice chides him. “You're stupid.”
Deku looks down. He tightens his grip on the broom. “I didn't have a choice! My body wasn't suited for the Quirk— not even when the exam came. There wasn't enough time.”
“Coulda’ broke every goddamn bone you have.”
“Yeah,” he says mildly. “I was lucky to make it through with only my arm taking the brunt of it.”
The click of shoes sound out behind them, and Deku spins on the balls of his heels. Kacchan just leans the majority of his weight on his vacuum and stares, creaking with the force.
Or, at least it sounded like shoes. But it was probably something outside, and with the force of Deku’s spin he toppled over, Kacchan reaching for him instinctively. The vacuum clatters against the tile.
Kacchan blinks at him, holding him in a strange sort of bridal carry where their legs are tangled. Deku feels his cheeks flush, laughing awkwardly.
Katsuki sinks his fingers into the bulk of Izuku’s bicep, and tugs him close to him, getting all up in his face. Middle school Izuku would've been afraid, afraid that Kacchan would be pitying in the most condescending way possible, afraid he would hurt him again, but he does not feel scared anymore. He is not going to back down. The blush on his cheeks fade. “You're going to get stronger,” Kacchan says.
Deku blinks, then narrows his eyes in challenge, the muscles in his jaw clenching.
He's being matter-of-fact. No room for any argument. “Yes.”
“You're going to make that Quirk yours.”
Deku forces himself to meet Kacchan’s eyes. It's never been hard to look at him, but Kacchan’s never looked back. Having Kacchan’s attention is so oddly appealing. “Yes,” he parrots. “I will.”
Kacchan whacks his ankle with the bottom of his vacuum, after snatching it up off the ground. “Good.”
He goes back to cleaning. He doesn't leave Izuku, interestingly enough. An invitation to keep talking, or else he would've moved away from Deku like the plague. He would've gone to the opposite end of the room and turned his back and kept his mouth shut.
Deku hums, idly. “Is your hand okay?”
Katsuki's hand banged against the bars at Ground Beta when Deku slammed into him with a hard punch. Recovery Girl fixed it with a kiss to the forehead and some bandages, but sometimes Kacchan flinches when he grips his broom. “Of course my fuckin’ hands alright. You think I’m too weak for that shit?”
He backtracks, eyes wide, before he steps forward with knitted brows. Deku’s voice paints itself with exasperation. “No, Kacchan. I don’t. Don't put words in my mouth.”
Kacchan knows it gets Deku worked up when he patronizes him—especially after getting the Quirk. Except, nothing seems to rev Kacchan’s engine like Deku fighting back. Kacchan eyes him. “The hell’d you get that mouth from?”
“Probably you,” Deku says honestly. Katsuki snorts. It almost sounds genuine. Like an actual laugh. He has a very pretty laugh, but Deku has not heard it in years. “Kacchan, did you talk to Recovery Girl—”
“They're fine, my god,” Katsuki scowls. “Don't tell me what to do.”
He soothes him, anyway. Kacchan gently unwraps the bandages and shows Deku what the skin looks like before he can scold him for removing the gauzes. They look fine enough, torn at the edges and slightly puckered. Because of his explosions, Kacchan’s palms’ skin is very thick on the surface for protection, but his fingers are slim and soft— it takes a very hard slash to the hand to break skin, spill blood.
Deku takes Kacchan’s hand without thinking, softly, to check them up close. He definitely should've been more careful, pulling something like that on him, but Deku doesn't register Kacchan hasn't tugged the hand away a good ten seconds after he's grabbed it. He's letting me hold his hand, Deku goes breathless. Wow.
He cradles his knuckles, cautiously peering at the tear. Kacchan is strangely silent, and when Deku flicks his eyes back to his face— Deku has never seen him look like that. Red eyes glazed over, half-lidded, all mellow. Kacchan doesn't hesitate to look right back at him.
Go easy on me.
They look at each other a moment too long.
Deku drops his hand. “I’m glad you're alright, Kacchan.”
“Whatever,” Kacchan mumbles. His eyes are pointedly ignoring his gaze. “As if you could really hurt me out there.”
Deku swallows, and very heroically attempts to pretend to sweep the floor instead of going all sappy and making Kacchan hate his guts. “I’d never hurt you.”
Kacchan quiets, pausing his vacuuming. “I know.”