Chapter Text
Their fight had resulted in them both getting house arrest- Izuku for three days and Katsuki for four. It was to be expected, they had broken school rules and they were fortunate they got off lucky.
Maybe their predicament could be a good opportunity to bond with Kacchan. Or, it could go badly. Izuku was the optimistic type, so he would take whatever he could get.
It was bound to be awkward for sure, spending hours cleaning together with no one else between them. Close proximity with Kacchan had the potential to be dangerous due to Izuku's feelings for him.
He still was baffled that all their lives Katsuki had thought Izuku thought of himself as superior.
Izuku's own friends teased him about how much he praised "his dear Kacchan", saying that it was unnatural for any guy to praise another the way he did without being a little "fruity", as Uraraka had put it. They weren't quite wrong, but they weren't exactly right either. He praised Kacchan because he was genuinely amazing, not because he was flirting with him! He didn't even know how to flirt! All his compliments were like second nature to him; a habit at that point.
He couldn't even imagine how Kacchan would react if he were to actively flirt with him. He'd probably get an explosion to the face, at the least.
As soon as he had woken up that morning, it was time to start his chore duties for his punishment. He walked out to the common room to see blond hair behind the couch as Katsuki was wiping down a table.
He walked over to greet him, "Good morning, Kacchan!" He smiled.
Katsuki grunted in lieu of a reply, focused on his job.
Expecting to not receive much conversation with Katsuki, he walked over to the vacuum cleaner in the corner of the common room and started cleaning.
Once Katsuki was done wiping down the table, he walked over to the second vacuum cleaner and they cleaned in silence.
That is until Katsuki startled Izuku when he decided to speak, "Y'know, about your shoot style…your wind up motions are too big. Even with your speed-up, I was able to just barely react in time. It's not well suited for a slug-fest."
Taking in the information and hoping to get more feedback, Izuku questioned him, "Is that so…?"
Surprising him yet again, Katsuki chose to reply, "It doesn't mix well with punches. It pisses me off."
During their whole mini conversation they still were focused on cleaning.
Izuku understood that what Katsuki was really trying to convey with his input was actually helping him, in a way. It also proved that he had caught Kacchan off guard when he had decided to use a punch.
He was happy that they were able to communicate without arguing. It was definitely a start to something new, but they would still be competitive rivals no matter what.
He couldn't help but smile at the thought.
-
By the time his third and last day of house arrest was over, Izuku was sort of relieved. He was relieved that he could go back to class, he was relieved to be able to see his friends, and he was relieved to get away from the tension that was between him and Katsuki at the moment.
Don't get him wrong, he loved being around Kacchan and he loved him, but what he didn't like was the accusatory stares the other was throwing his way when Katsuki would sneak up on him and he'd blush as a result. He couldn't help but think that Kacchan was finally understanding how Izuku felt about him, but not the feelings that he wanted to express.
They had just gotten back to a truce of sorts where Kacchan wasn't at his throat and he didn't want to jeopardize it all because of his feelings! He couldn't bear losing Kacchan, especially for a reason like his crush.
He knew it was more than a crush- he was in love with Kacchan- but it was better to let himself say that it was a crush in his mind. Something that he could tell himself would pass. (It wouldn't, his feelings had been developing since they were four).
So, being back in class was definitely a relief for him.
Setting his bag down by his desk, arms were thrown around his neck as he was pulled into a hug.
"Deku!" Uraraka exclaimed. "It's great to have you back in class," she said with a smile.
Returning the hug, he said "It's great to be back. I hope I didn't miss too much" he finished with a nervous laugh.
Uraraka shook her head. "Nothing you couldn't catch up with easily." Then she smiled mischievously. "Soooo, how was your house arrest with Bakugo?" She said, wiggling her eyebrows.
Izuku blushed at that. Uraraka was aware of his feelings for Kacchan, she was actually the first to confront him about it. She had told him that she had had a crush on Izuku but once she saw the way he looked at Katsuki, she knew that his heart already belonged to someone else. Ever since then, she had been his confider of feelings.
"It went surprisingly well actually. For the first two days at least, but then he snuck up behind me on the third day to show me a spot I had missed while cleaning the windows. He spoke right next to my ear and he scared the hell out of me. I was flustered of course, but I think that he's starting to realize I have feelings for him now." He was rambling his thoughts, he knew, but it felt good to let his emotions out.
She hummed. "Sounds like you've got yourself in quite the predicament, yeah?"
"Yeah," he sighed. "I just hope that it doesn't ruin the potential chance we ever had at being friends."
"You're overthinking all this, you know" She smiled at him. "Maybe he just thinks that you're easily startled and that's why you blushed, out of embarrassment."
Maybe she has a point, Izuku thought.
"Plus, even if it's not, it could still be a good thing." Uraraka finished her statement.
"I was just about to agree with you, but then you went ahead and said that, which I disagree with. Either way, I just hope it doesn't result in a ruined relationship."
Uraraka sighed, exasperated. "You're supposed to be the optimistic one. Cheer up!"
Izuku smiled at that, "Alright. Alright, if you say so."
Later that day, after they had fought Mirio Togata from the big three- more like they had gotten ultimately defeated- the class walked back to the dorms and entered the common room.
There, they found Katsuki who was completing his last day of cleaning duties.
Once they had all gathered there, he requested that they give him their garbage, if they had any. Some of the boys brought their garbage to him, prompting him to scream at them for hoarding their garbage.
Izuku found himself muffling a laugh at the sight. It was oddly domestic, in a way, to see Kacchan cleaning up after their class. He knew that he cared about their class despite all the threats he threw at them. He was like a mother hen.
Ruby eyes shot over to him at the sound of his laughter. "Got something to say, Deku?" He sneered.
His laughter abruptly stopped at the attention brought upon him. "Me? Nope, sorry." He nervously replied as he started making his way towards the elevator.
Before he could press the button to send down the elevator, he felt a hand grab his wrist, stopping the movement.
He turned around to see who had grabbed him and was met with ruby eyes.
"Hey, Deku," Katsuki started. "Meet me down at the common room later. At nine. We need to have a talk."
Confused, but curious, Izuku replied "Okay, I'll be there." Then he hit the elevator button.
Katsuki walked back into the common room as soon as he heard the elevator coming down.
What could this be about this time? Izuku pondered.
He had a gut-wrenching feeling it was going to be about something he wouldn't like. He just hoped it wouldn't end in another house arrest, or worse. Aizawa wouldn't be as lenient a second time.
At 8:56 Izuku made his way down to the common room for his talk with Katsuki. He was nervous, but that wasn't anything new.
It seemed that this was the week for them to talk about their feelings. It was quite ironic, Izuku had said in their fight that they never have a proper conversation because of the way Katsuki acted, but here they were, their second deep talk in a span of less than a week.
Walking in the semi-darkness, he made his way towards the couch where he spotted Katsuki sitting.
Of course he would already be there, Kacchan was nothing if not punctual.
He walked over to the opposite side of where Katsuki was sitting and sat down.
For a few minutes, they sat there in silence. Then, it was Katsuki who broke it.
"Do you have any idea why I asked you to meet me here tonight?" He asked calmly.
"No," Izuku said. He had an idea, but he thought better of voicing it and potentially outing himself.
Katsuki shifted towards him as he spoke, "You've got something else you've been hiding from me."
It was a statement, not a question, which scared Izuku.
"Um," he replied nervously. "I don't know what you're talking about." He tried to save himself.
"Oh, yes you do. I think you know it, too. There's no point in trying to lie to me either, Deku. I can see it in your eyes. You're shit at lying."
For someone so emotionally constipated about their own feelings, Katsuki sure was perceptive of others'.
Izuku knew that he knew, now. The question was whether he should continue to play dumb, or let Kacchan confront him further. The truth was hanging on his tongue. He hated lying to Katsuki, avoided it whoever possible, but this was a different situation.
Apparently- but not surprisingly- Katsuki did not appreciate his silence. He could tell the blonde's blood was boiling in irritation.
"Do you really think that I can't see the way you look at me? That I wouldn't realize?" As much as he seemed irritated, his voice was level. "You're the kind of guy who wears his heart on his sleeve, it's damn annoying. Because of that though, I've got you figured out."
Izuku started to sweat nervously the further the conversation went. This couldn't be good, not at all. Fortunately enough, he hadn't been blasted in the face. Yet.
"Still nothing, eh?" Katsuki reached over to turn Izuku's head towards himself as he spoke, "You've been found out, nerd. What's your move?"
There was no point denying it now, Katsuki had made that obvious. The only thing to do was to say it himself, lest he embarrass himself further having Katsuki say it for him.
"I love you." He mumbled.
He knew he said it low enough that Katsuki wouldn't hear it well, but he had hoped he wouldn't have to repeat himself.
That hope was crushed and instant later.
"Speak up. Say it right this time." Katsuki demanded.
Closing his eyes, Izuku repeated his confession, "I love you."
He had shouted it that time. He hadn't meant to, but Katsuki had always made him an emotional mess.
His outburst had slightly startled Katsuki, but he quickly recovered.
"Love? I hade a feeling you liked me, but love is different." He said, surprised.
Really? That's what he has to say? Izuku thought.
Was this Katsuki's way of making fun of him? Why make him spill his feelings? It's always Izuku who had to be the first in the steps of their relationship. Katsuki didn't say he felt the same and there wasn't a way he would know if he did.
Izuku may have been the type of person who wore his heart on his sleeve, but Katsuki was the type of person to keep his heart in a cage. Katsuki might as well have been speaking in riddles for as much as his words were codes. His thoughts, however, he couldn't decode.
"What does it matter though," he found himself saying, "You clearly hate me."
If there was a feeling he knew Katsuki had towards him it was hate. His past actions had pointed towards it even if he hadn't stated it directly. Some things don't need to be said because actions speak louder than words.
"I don't hate you." Katsuki said flatly.
Izuku turned to him with a deadpan stare, "Don't play games with me, Kacchan. I can take the truth, you don't need to lie to me."
They had been through a lot as they grew up together and a lot just this past week. He was exhausted of going back and forth. How did they get to this point?
He had already made a fool of himself the day Katsuki startled him, he didn't need to have a repeat. Not to mention how they made a fool of themselves to Aizawa and All Might when the decided to fight in the middle of the night unprompted and unsupervised.
"No," Katsuki said firmly. "I don't hate you, but you don't love me. You can't." His voice broke a bit as he spoke his last few words.
Now that got on Izuku's last nerve.
"Can't ? Can't, Kacchan?" He was letting his irritation show, breaking through his facade.
"Who are you to tell me how to feel? Just because I love you doesn't mean you get to have a say in how my feelings work! I didn't ask to fall in love with you and I know you didn't ask to be loved by me. It just happened, okay!?" Softly he said, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry."
Katsuki grabbed his wrist for the second time that day to get his attention. "No. You don't get to say that. Don't be sorry. If you're sorry, then all of this was pointless."
Izuku looked at him in the eyes as Katsuki squeezed his wrist.
"You know what's annoying? I meant it when I said I can't figure out what the fuck goes on inside of that brain of yours. It must not be as different from mine as I thought. You say you didn't ask to fall in love, but I didn't mean to plunge into this feeling, either. I don't know what to do about it, but if you're sorry for anything, don't let it be that."
"So," Izuku drawled slowly. "What you're saying is that you also like me. You don't want me to push away my feelings? Then what do you want? Are you willing to take responsibility?"
For the first time that night, Izuku saw the tips of Katsuki's ears turn pink.
"Honestly, I'm not sure where this is going to go. But fuck, I want to try with you." Katsuki slowly slid his hand from Izuku's wrist untill he reached his hand, interlocking their fingers. "So what do ya say, nerd? Wanna see where this goes?"
Green eyes close with a full smile, "You know I'd follow you anywhere, Kacchan."
Sure their relationship is not ideal(they bring out the worst and best of one another), but it's theirs. Izuku wouldn't trade it for anything. There's just something about Kacchan that keeps him by his side, and he knows now that it's mutual. It might kill them one day, but at least they know the truth.