Work Text:
As he watches his most favorite person in the world cook him what is sure to be the best soup he’s ever had in his life, Izuku feels exhaustion settle heavily over his shoulders. It makes his already sick and aching body hurt even more. Currently he’s sprawled upright on his couch with his head lazily relaxing on the back of the couch staring at the blonde puttering around and grumbling in his kitchen.
Of course Katsuki is there to take care of him. Who else would it be?
Izukus last boyfriend had responded ‘that sucks, you’ll be fine’ when he’d texted to let the other man know he was hellaciously sick. He hadn’t heard from the man until late that same evening and it was only for the guy to break it off with him because ‘Heros shouldn’t get sick you know?’. If Izuku is honest with himself he’s wasn’t entirely surprised the guy broke up with him. But the words still stung and hes pushed himself even harder thanks to the verbal jab.
He also hasn’t dated again since and it’s been about 4 months now. Izuku did find someone about two weeks ago on an app but he just didn’t really feel the motivation to get to know them past the first pleasantries and has since deleted their number and the application. Which, unfortunately Izuku has found himself at times being uninterested romantically to a few people he’s tried dating so he wasn’t very surprised with himself. He never strings people along of course and lets them know as soon as he realizes.
Today though work had immediately sent him home as soon as he walked into the office to start his shift. They seemed to be giddy at being able to make him go home for once especially since they had a valid excuse he couldnt argue against. “Getting others sick wouldn’t be very hero like now would it?” His secretary had told him as she all but pushed him out the door.
It seems like once he’d been sent home they had alerted his hero partner and the blonde had shoved his way into Izukus apartment to help after Katsuki got off from his shift. Izuku is ecstatic they have come so far and he can have Katsuki in his life like this. While it can be utterly painful at times since hes plus ultra to the max in love with his best friend and has to hide it every second of every day, it’s worth every moment he gets to spend with him.
Today Izuku is just…..exhausted. He’s utterly grateful Katsuki has shown up to help and his heart had clenched painfully yet happily every time the blonde had texted him throughout the day to check on him. But he’s kinda feels like he wants to cry. Because while he has Katsuki he doesn’t actually have Katsuki.
There is an unspoken rule (several of them actually) where they are on call for each other. Be it an errand, or one of them is sick, or nightmares, or just needing to spare to let off steam they are there for each other. Honestly they do just about everything together. It really helps that they live in adjacent apartment buildings so they are never far away when needed. While its great for Izuku its also been the biggest problem in every single relationship hes had.
Izuku blinks back into reality as he hears Katsuki complaining.
“Idiot getting sick from a little quirk water.” The blonde stirs some seasonings into the soup and Izuku cant help but stare at his back and feel fond annoyance.
He sniffles and whines sounding nasally and stuffed up. “You try getting hit with a ‘forever wet’ quirk!”
Izuku had apprehended a perp stealing from a pawn shop when hed gotten hit by the worst kind of quirk to be effected by in winter. Forever Wet. Meaning his entire being was soaked with water no matter what he did for hours. Luckily it wore off after 18 hours but the damage was already done.
The blonde snickers. “Thats what she said.”
“Oh shut up Kacchan…” Izuku groans and rolls his eyes at the laughing mans back.
Katsuki turns and looks at him with a grin on his face likes he’s enjoying Izuku’s suffering. Probably is the jerk. “Get over it nerd. Unless you got someone else to take care of your sick ass.”
They both know Izuku could absolutely call his mother or even any one of their friends to help him out.
“But I only have Kacchan to nurse me back to health.” Izuku pouts as he sniffles again and snuggles further into the blanket Katsuki had thrown at him earlier fresh out of the dryer.
Katsuki turns back to the stove and makes himself busy. “I’m sure you’ve got some new extra in that phone of yours.” He accuses tone sounding stiff.
Izuku laughs weakly aggravating his sore throat. “No I dont actually. Deleted the last persons number two weeks ago. I hardly even spoke to them past getting their name.” His head is starting to feel a little warmer and it hurts so he closes his eyes and listens as the taller man continues to work around his kitchen like he owns the place.
“Shocking.” Katsuki deadpans.
Frowning Izuku peeks his eyes open to glare at the other man. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
The blonde shrugs his shoulders. “Nothing, not like you’ve got a new number every few weeks or anything.” Katsuki begins washing some dirty dishes Izuku had in his sink that he couldnt be bothered to clean while sick.
Izuku opens his mouth to argue but then thinks better of it. Katsuki isnt exactly wrong but it’s still not a nice thing to bring up. “At least I try…” Izuku mumbles pulling the blanket up a little more so he can rub the soft fabric over his face soothingly.
“Oh really? So getting someone’s name and then deleting their contact is trying?” Katsuki snorts unkindly as he puts a plate on the drying rack.
Izuku, too tired for this conversation just sighs. “That only just happened. I dont do that every time. I always go plus ultra.” He watches as the blonde shakes his head shutting off the sink water and grabs the kitchen towel he had draped over his shoulder. Katsuki turns around while drying his hands and gives Izuku a look. The kind of look that says Izuku is being judged heavily if the raised eye brow on that handsome face is anything to go by.
Izuku frowns as Katsuki puts the towel on the counter and walks closer before he leans against the door seal of the living room.
“You’re an idiot.” He accuses crossing his arms. Izuku sniffs in offense. “You’re never with anyone for very long and you continue to let these shit heads stomp on your feelings.”
“I do not-“
“You really do. Maybe sometimes it’s not so bad but either way you dont stay with anyone for more than a few weeks or months. Because anytime you end up in the hospital or sick I’m the one taking care of your ass regardless of who you’re dating.” Katsuki sneers and Izuku glares at him. The blondes face softens. “Not saying I dont want to help or anything. I’m just stating a fact. You always pick these shitty people who dont give a shit about you.“
Izuku feels his face burn in both anger and from his sickness. “Why are you bringing this up now? If you dont want to be here just say so.”
Katsuki snorts. “I just said I wasn’t saying I didn’t want to be here. I’m bringing it up because I’m tired of watching you give your phone the damn kicked puppy dog face. Plus, you tried to work even though we promised each other that when we are sick or hurting we DO. NOT. GO. IN.”
“Well what am I supposed to do Kacchan?” Izuku asks pulling the now too warm blanket down. “It’s not like I want to be alone forever okay? And I’m a hero! We aren’t supposed to get sick!” He starts coughing and reaches over to take a drink of water as it calms down. Izuku glares over the rim of the glass while Katsuki raises his eyebrow.
“You done?” The blonde asks. “Because I knew you were thinking about what that prick said. I told you he was a douche bag for saying that to you.”
Izuku groans and relaxes back into the couch. “I know what he said is wrong but I should be able to at least do paperwork!”
Katsuki grits his teeth in annoyance before letting out a calming breath. “No dumbass. You don’t do fuck all when you’re sick besides rest. We PROMISED each other that.”
Tiredly Izuku replies. “I know Kacchan. I know-“
“You don’t though! You date these losers who tell you what a ‘hero should be’,” Katsuki says sarcastically. “They make you feel like crap about it and you bend over backwards to fix it for them and be more like ‘Hero Deku’. then you do stupid shit like trying to work when you’ve got a massive fever. What would have happened if you’d sneezed and accidentally One For All’d a child to the moon?”
Izuku can’t help himself but snort at the ridiculous image Katsuki has painted. But if he’s honest with himself the blonde isn’t wrong. Izuku knows it. He knows he tries too hard for these people sometimes and ends up losing ‘Izuku’ in the mix. “It’s not all them thought Kacchan.”
The taller man rolls his eyes and stops leaning on the door frame. He turns and heads back into the kitchen to stir the soup pot. “Yeah okay.”
“It’s true!” Izukus voice cracks and he coughs some more. Pulling out tissues he talks as he blows and wipes his nose. “I’m not always the best with them either. Sometimes I just kinda forget about them……” He trails off. The blonde doesn’t reply and Izuku slumps into the couch as exhaustion washes over him. He stares down at the tissue in his hand and cant even muster the energy to move his fingers anymore. Being sick is a damn pain.
After a few minutes of silence the blonde steps back into the living room with compresses. Izuku hums in thanks as Katsuki places it on his forehead and another on the back of his neck. The shorter man shivers as his feverish skin cools.
“You just need to choose better next time dumbass. Go for the best like I always say. Then actually take the time to get to know them instead of taking me everywhere with you.” The blonde tells him while combing his fingers through sweaty green locks. He smiles as Izuku relaxes with his touch and slumps further into the couch.
Automatically Izuku swallows down the pain he feels whenever Katsuki mentions that Izuku finds someone. It sucks but after years of dealing with this very particular wall between them Izuku has become a pro at pretending it doesn’t hurt when the blonde further cements that there isnt anything between them. Which is stupid because Izuku is 98.973% sure Katsuki loves him romantically too.
Katsuki might be best friends with Kirishima too but he doesn’t spend as much time with him as Izuku. Katsuki also doesn’t go to ‘shitty love movies’ with him either. Nor cook for him all the time. Katsuki even lets Izuku hold on to his arm or shirt in public when they go out. And places that Izuku SHOULD be taking his dates to? Katsuki goes with him and vise-versa. Katsuki drags Izuku with him everywhere just as much! And while they have their alone time more often than not the blonde makes his way over to Izukus house and they end up huddled on the couch together or having impromptu sleepovers.
Izuku is also fairly sure Katsuki doesn’t let anyone else use his shampoo and soap products besides Izuku. And it’s not very best friend like stick your hand under someone’s shirt and pet their chest soothingly while you hold them in their sleep cuddled up to their back sneaking soft kisses on their neck.
“Lay down you dingus. Dinner will be a little while longer but you can nap until then.”
Izuku sighs and nods as he begins to adjust on the couch. As he lays there on his side he watches the blonde pick up the kitchen towel hed left on the counter and throw it back over his shoulder. Katsuki begins washing the last few dishes in the sink. Izukus face warms further as he watches Katsukis back muscles shift under his always form fitting shirt as the blonde works thinking that of course Katsuki looks good in black. The best in black in fact.
Maybe it’s the fever pushing him but Katsuki did say ‘go for the best’.
“Katsuki.” Izuku says loud enough through his sore throat to be heard over the running water.
Katsuki tenses immediately and pauses. He turns the water off and pulls the towel off his shoulder again to dry his hands. Izuku hadn’t said ‘Kacchan’ so whatever it is ‘Katsuki’ means it’s serious. Quickly he makes his way to the nerd watching him from the couch. “What’s wrong?”
Tired and resigned green eyes meet worried red ones. “I’m tired.” Izuku confesses weakly. Meaning in both body and soul.
Katsuki rolls his eyes and snorts before heading back into the kitchen. “No shit Sherlock you’re sick.” He deadpans as he opens a cabinet. Izuku isnt sure what exactly hes doing but he figures the blonde can sense there’s more going by how tense Katsuki’s shoulder are.
Izuku definitely feels his fever spike a little and he’s just over THIS. “Katsuki, I’ve tried finding ‘better’. Can we skip all the bullshit for once? The best is standing in my kitchen sweetly making me homemade soup but we’ve been tiptoeing around each other for so many years now.”
Katsuki fumbles while digging into the cabinet. “Dont know what you mean nerd.” He replies thickly and evasively.
Izuku knows Katsuki knows. The blonde hasn’t dated much if at all and they always prefer to do things together then with significant others as it is.
“I’m really tired Kacchan.” Izuku begins again. Filled to the bring with exhaustion he looks down to the floor and fiddles with the blanket still covering him. “Can we just….stop? Please?” He mumbles loud enough to be heard.
Katsuki frowns at the bowls hed pulled down from the shelf and set down on the counter. “Stop what?” He questions as his fists clench where they rest on the marble counter next to the bowls.
Izuku sniffles grossly and lets out a shaky breath. “I’ve really tried to respect our relationship because I’ve been scared to push it and ruin everything with you.” He starts.
Katsuki feels his heart pick up speed as dread begins to fill his chest. He wonders if Izukus finally kicking him out of his life. He’s kept his shit wrapped up as tightly as he could…if Izuku knows….maybe he’s uncomfortable.
Where normally he’d at least be tearing up Izuku is just too exhausted to cry no matter how much he feels like he needs to. He shifts his tired gaze to the other man’s tense back. “I’m just so damn tired of pretending everything is okay for us. I-I love you.” Izuku sniffles and stutters as Katsukis shoulders jump and panic begins to sink in to the smaller mans heart. “Have been in love with you for so many years. Please correct me ONLY if I’m truly wrong here but I think you feel the same. I mean….if you don’t and I’ve mistaken everything you’ve done for me that’s okay-“
“Not wrong.”
Izuku opens and closes his mouth as silence fills the room. As he registers the stressed tone and the words Katsuki says his heart stutters. “G-good….” He manages to breathe out in relief. “How long?” He mumbles a few minutes later after adjusting the soft blanket so it’s pulled up over half of his face shyly.
There’s a long pause and Izukus heart beats frantically as he waits for Katsuki to gather himself.
“Longer than I was aware of originally.” Is grumbled as Katsuki shifts on his feet.
Izuku bites his lip as he watches the blonde squirm in the kitchen back still turned. “All of my relationships can’t hold a candle to you and me Kacchan. How come you’ve never said anything? Why do you always tell me to go find someone else?”
Katsuki sighs lifts his hands to his face. He rubs his palms into his eyes in frustration. Slowly he turns and red eyes meet green. Katsuki swallows as he trails his gaze over Izukus half covered but tired face. Resigned he runs his fingers through his hair. He’s also tired of carrying his feelings.
Katsuki makes his way to the door seal again and leans heavily on to it. He knows that no matter what they say or talk about at the end of the day Izuku and his relationship will come out alright. They worked too hard for it not to. “Izuku, you and I have a…special thing between us. I know we’ve talked about the shit that happened when we were kids and moved on. But…it just didn’t feel right to try to keep you to myself. I just thought you might be happier with someone who would take care of you and be a positive mental influence or some shit. I haven’t always been that even now. And shut the fuck up for a sec okay? I’m not always nice to you about shit and I give you hell all the time about everything-“
Izuku interrupts him as he sits up hurriedly. “No! I’m sorry but I’m stopping you there. Wanting me to be with someone who takes care of me? YOU take care of me! You aways take care of me!”
Katsuki opens his mouth to argue but Izuku cuts him off.
“You do! Do you see anyone else here taking care of me while I’m sick? No! Damn it Kacchan I’ve had a few people complain and tell me they couldn’t be in a relationship with me AND my relationship with you. Im always at your house to annoy you every free moment I have and you do the same for me. You call I come running. I call and you’re here. We text and talk on the phone all time if we aren’t together.” Izuku rambles on face bright red as he fights his fever to prove his point. “I’ve been dumped so many times because I always take YOU with me everywhere over them. There isn’t ANYONE who’s been with me like you have. I mean shit, it’s like we’re dating without dating Katsuki.”
“Izuku-“ Katsuki weakly tries to interrupt without success.
“And mentally treating me well? Kacchan I don’t need someone to kiss my ass 24/7 okay? I LIKE that you don’t censor yourself. I LIKE that if I’m being stupid you tell me. I LOVE that you’re comfortable enough with me to tease me and call me names. Is it necessarily the most healthy thing? Probably not but I’m not a therapist. I enjoy having your attention and if that means you pick at me for being a shitty cook or messy with my laundry then I’m fine with that. And you DO treat me well. You push me to be better and encourage me. And I love that you praise me when I do well!” A blush forms on Izukus face as he’s confesses the last part.
Wobbly on his feet Izuku struggles but gets up and closes the distance between them. He sets his hand over the scar he knows is on Katsukis chest. “I know things for us haven’t been easy. It’s been the hardest fight of our lives to understand each other and build the relationship we do have right now. We have BOTH fought hard for it. We aren’t the same kids we used to be. I know you Katsuki. I know when you’re being genuinely mean. And I haven’t heard you truly bully me since we were first years in high-school BEFORE the damn war. I trust you. Don’t you trust me?”
Katsuki swallows nervously but nods. Eyes glued to Izukus. Izuku grimaces and turns his head to cough roughly from all the talking. The blonde on autopilot steps around him and gets Izukus glass of water off the coffee table. Izuku watches as the blonde takes it into the kitchen and silently fills it with fresh cool water.
Izuku smiles shyly and gestures pointedly at the glass when it’s handed to him. Katsuki sniffs and looks away with red tipped ears.
Swallowing a gulp of water Izuku sniffles and continues. “Kacchan I don’t want to push you. I want everything between us to be mutual. If you don’t want to try with me and see how great I know we will be together then that’s okay. At the end of the day I have you in my life and that’s most important to me. But if you want to try this thing out with me I’m all in. I’m tired of trying to fill a Kacchan only sized hole in my heart with people who either don’t want ‘Izuku’ or people who I have no interest in. You are the most important person in my life. You just have to tell me what you want to do.”
Katsuki leans against the door frame heavily and looks down and off to the side of the room. “Give… give me a minute to think.” He softly says.
Izuku smiles and nods before going back to the couch. He’s nervous because he’s actually not sure where this is going to go. He just hopes if Kacchan says no he doesn’t cry. Because it WILL be painful. His heart will break. But he doesn’t want to guilt Katsuki at all for rejecting him.
Katsuki heads for the kitchen again and stirs the soup some more. The rush of adrenaline leaves Izukus body and his fever makes itself known again. He lies down on the couch and closes his eyes while he cuddles the blanket he’d left there.
A little while later a bowl being gently set down on the coffee table wakes him. Groggily he smiles and sits up to give Katsuki some room to sit while they eat silently and watch an old rerun of an All Might cartoon. It’s actually quite comfortable and Izuku was right. This is the best soup he’s ever eaten and he probably can’t even taste all of it right now.
Tiredly Izuku laughs at a joke on the show as he slowly spoons the soup into his mouth. They are two episodes in and finished eating when Katsuki breaks the silence with an “Okay.”
Izukus breath catches and he slowly turns his head to look at Katsuki. The blonde is looking at him with his face turned just slightly in his direction. Side eying him while he mutes the tv.
“Okay?” Izuku asks as his heart beat picks up speed.
Katsuki nods and then looks down at his own hands lying lax on his lap before snapping back up to meet Izukus gaze in full, his eyes determined. “I’m tired of these extras not properly taking care of you and I’m tired of you not being MINE.” He states.
Izukus can’t help but to break out in a big wobbly smile as tears of relief spring to his eyes. “Tell me.” He prompts.
Katsuki clears his throat. “I want to be the one to go on stupid dates with you and hold your clammy hand.” He grumbles and Izuku has never loved his deep raspy voice more.
“Kacchan you’re the one with clammy hands.” Izuku teases.
“Shut up!” Katsuki snaps with no heat in his voice. “You were right okay? We have been doing couple shit without being a couple. I took what I could get alright? I’m just….I don’t want to fuck this up and I know I will. I know we’re going to fight and-“
Izuku grabs Katsukis hand to stop his moment of insecurity. “We always argue even if it’s not serious Kacchan. And no matter what every relationship has its downs just like it has its ups. We can do this. We’ve been through worse and I know I’m going to mess up too. We aren’t perfect. But we can get as close to it….right?”
Katsuki hmms and squeezes Izukus hand. He nods slowly. They both let out a shaky breath and chuckle as the tension loosens.
Izuku squeezes Katsukis hand. “Okay?”
Katsuki boyishly grins. “Okay nerd.”
Izuku coughs a little and smiles with sickly exhaustion. “Alright. Let me get better from this cold and when we are both ready I’ll take you on a date.”
Katsuki snorts and grins. “You mean I’ll take you on the best date you’ve ever had.”
Izuku shakes his head fondly and leans his head against the couch still looking at Katsuki. “Sure Kacchan.”
“You know,” Katsuki says while looking at the muted tv screen. “I don’t give a fuck what people say. But they WILL talk. They’re going to say all sorts of shit about us and make up a lot of garbage. Not all of it will be bad but…are you sure you’re alright with that? I mean, assuming you don’t want to keep it under wraps.”
Izuku laughs weakly and tips his head forward to rest his forehead on Katsukis shoulder. “Of course they’ll talk. But fuck ‘em.” He mumbles at the end nuzzling his forehead into the blondes arm.
Katsuki snickers and leans his head against Izukus. “Yeah, fuck ‘em.”
Over the next few days Katsuki comes to check on him and messages him all day while he’s sick but they keep it strictly friends as they have with a little cuddling because Katsuki can’t say no to everything. Both are excited but also nervous to take the next step once Izuku is better.
When Izuku is fully cured he practically skips into work and announces he’s all better to Katsuki who rolls his eyes and grins fondly. As they read over their patrol brief Izuku bites his lip nervously and fidgets effectively annoying Katsuki until he demands the shorter man “Spit it out nerd! We ain’t got all day!”
Izuku blurts that he wants to take their dating slow. “I want to be your boyfriend but I don’t want to just skip all the dating step’s because while we did go on ‘not dates’ I’d really like to start with actual dates-“
Katsuki pinches his nose playfully and ruffles his hair saying “I’m not going anywhere ‘Zuku. We’re doing this shit right got it? I’m gonna date the fuck out of you. So stop you’re worrying and let’s go kick some villain ass!”
Izuku laughs as the blonde stomps confidently off despite the flush of red on his ears and neck. “Okay Kacchan!”
Two months later they are seen holding hands and playfully shoving crepes in each others mouths until Katsuki, who has strawberries and cream stuck and dripping off half his face, is chasing a cackling Izuku down the street on their first date by the paparazzi and the world goes wild.