Archive of Our Own

Something had been changing between him and Izuku lately. Katsuki could feel it.

The tension between them that he had once mistaken for hatred before it shifted into rivalry was starting to feel like something entirely different. He could attribute staring at Deku during their classes and training sessions to his desire to remain ahead of his rival, but he really didn’t have a reasonable explanation for the nights he spent dreaming about holding Deku's hand.

Still, it didn’t click until they were walking back to the dorms together after classes, the first traces of an early dusk falling in streaks of orange across the sky. Deku laughed at something Katsuki said, a dumb comment that wasn’t even supposed to be funny, and all Katsuki could do was stare at him stupidly and think, oh.

This was Deku. Deku, who had a million All Might figurines and cried at least twice a week and tried to catch a kitten with sardines when he was a kid. As if that wasn’t bad enough, the fucker was an alpha, too, which meant they were predisposed down to their genetics to clash with each other.

When they arrived at the common area, Deku turned to him, blissfully unaware of the fact that his existence sent Katsuki into a crisis. “Can you wait here for a minute?”

“Don’t tell me what to do,” he said, but he waited while Deku rushed off to the elevator.

Barely two minutes later, Deku returned, hiding a small wrapped object behind his back. He looked unusually nervous, which was intriguing. It took a lot to make Deku nervous around him nowadays.

“I, uh,” Deku stammered out, stealing shifty glances at the isolated common area around them. “I have something for you.”

“I don’t want your shitty stuff,” he grumbled, but he grabbed the gift from Deku and tore off the paper, folded neatly with just the right amount of tape. Deku had obviously spent time trying to get it perfect.

Katsuki tossed the wrapping aside to reveal a soft, green sweater in the exact color of Deku’s costume. Carefully, he unfolded it, confirming that it was his size. A strong wave of mint flooded his senses, strong as a freshly cut bundle, along with traces of pine and wet leaves.

A warning alarm blared in Katsuki’s head, and before he knew it, his clenched fist was an inch from Deku’s face. He lowered it at once, but the squirming unease wouldn’t leave, his blood buzzing in his veins.

“I’m sorry,” Deku blurted out, frantic, grabbing the sweater from Katsuki and backing away. “I didn’t think—I didn’t realize it would set off your instincts! I’m so sorry—”

“Oi, shut the fuck up!” he snapped, taking a few deep breaths. “Explain.”

He hung his head in shame. “I’ve always heard that scented clothing is a good gift for someone you—you like. I didn’t realize that since you’re an alpha, too, it would be like a threat.”

“Oh.” Katsuki stared at him, stunned. “You like me?”

Resolve hardened his expression, eyes wide with determination. “Yes. Please go out with me.”

Katsuki’s mouth fell ajar. His heart was thudding so hard that he could feel it thumping in his ears. As the seconds ticked past in a dazed haze, Deku’s face crumpled, flushed with embarrassment.

“I’m sorry,” Deku stuttered, taking another step back and tipping his head down in submission. “I—I’ll leave you alone.”

Katsuki snapped out of it. “Don’t ask something like that then run away, you piece of shit. Don’t you want an answer?”

He stared at the floor, refusing to look up. “If you’re going to make fun of me, I’d rather you didn’t say anything.”

“Fine.”

“Okay.” Deku sniffed, tears glistening on his eyelashes, heavy and wet. “I’ll go, then.”

Katsuki scowled, trying to ignore the sharp pang in his heart at the sight of Deku in tears. Almost unconsciously, he released a subtle cloud of calming pheromones, noticing how it made the creases in Deku’s forehead loosen.

“Calm down,” Katsuki said, turning his face to the side to hide the blush he could feel growing hotter. “I meant, fine, I’ll go out with you.”

Deku’s eyes widened, bright with hope. “You will?”

“Yeah, I—”

Katsuki didn’t have a chance to finish his sentence before a burst of green lightning crackled around him. An overwhelming weight slammed against his chest, almost knocking him over, and he found himself with an armful of overjoyed alpha, filling the air with the pleasant scent of pure mint. Katsuki tried to push him off, but Deku just hugged him tighter.

“Oi, Deku,” Katsuki snapped. “Get the hell off me.”

Abashed, Deku let go of him and took a few jerky steps back, shining with happiness. “You’ll really be my boyfriend?”

Katsuki’s face erupted into flame. “Shut up. Just give me the damn sweater.”

Tentatively, Deku held the sweater out to him. The fabric was soft and warm against Katsuki’s skin, and now that he wasn’t taken aback by the potent scenting, it didn’t set off his internal alarm like it did before. Instead, it was welcoming, like stepping out of a car after a road trip to breathe in the forest air.

Deku had mustered the courage to confess to him, so Katsuki knew he should set aside his stubbornness and do something to reciprocate. Careful not to wrinkle the fabric, he pulled the sweater on, inhaling the gorgeous scent enveloping him.

“Kacchan,” Deku said in awe. “It looks nice on you—but if you don’t like it, I can get you something else.”

Katsuki pushed down the self-conscious voice telling him he didn’t deserve to wear Deku’s colors. “Don’t you dare. It’s mine.”

He beamed, elated, another wave of tears pricking at his eyes. “I’m really happy you like it. Thank you for accepting me.”

Katsuki just lowered his gaze to the floor, rubbing at his jaw as if it could quell the heat spreading through his body, pooling in a warm glow in his chest. Deku was his boyfriend. Did that mean they had to do couple things? Katsuki had never so much as held someone’s hand before, and the idea of holding hands with Deku sparked tingles all over his body.

Alphas were supposed to be confident, so Katsuki didn’t know why he was so flustered when Deku gazed at him openly, wet eyes brimming with adoration. Katsuki was sure that his face was bright red, his hands trembling from the anticipation flooding through him.

Evidently, Deku wasn’t nervous anymore, vibrating with excitement. “Can I kiss you?”

“Fuck, no,” he hissed, his heartbeat quickening until he was terrified that Deku could hear it. He had never felt so flustered. “Stupid Deku. Like I’ll let you kiss me so quickly.”

Determination flared in Deku’s eyes again as he lifted his fists. “I’ll earn it, I promise. I’ll be a great alpha.”

Something about the word set Katsuki’s hairs bristling, but he couldn’t understand if he liked it or not. Still, he had known since he was a child that he wanted someone strong enough to keep up with him, not someone who would submit, and there was no one better than Deku. Not only was he the bearer of the strongest quirk of all time, but he was kind and handsome and utterly devoted to Katsuki.

It might have taken Katsuki a while to admit it, but he had fallen hard for the nerd.

Still, he wasn’t gonna voice any of that and let Deku think he had gone soft. “Don’t call yourself my alpha, dumbass. I’m one, too.”

“You’re a great alpha,” Deku assured him. “But I’m still gonna protect you, Kacchan, even if you don’t need it.”

“As if I’ll let you! I’m gonna be the one to protect you.”

“Then we can just protect each other, like always. Right?”

A reluctant smile tugged at the corner of his lips. “Right.”

-

An explosion lit up the television screen, sparking a chorus of satisfied yells. The class was strewn around the sofas surrounding the television in various positions; Kirishima was perched on an armrest, resting his elbow on Sero’s head, while Kaminari had squeezed in next to Jirou on one of the loveseats.

Not wanting to be crushed between rowdy extras, Katsuki was sitting on the floor at the base of the sofa, leaning his head back to rest it on the edge. When another explosion distracted the class, he glanced over at Deku, who was staring at the screen in entrapment with his mouth half open.

Sensing that he was being watched, Deku glanced over to see Katsuki, and a sweet smile broke out on his face. Without hesitation, he crawled off the loveseat and stumbled through the maze of extended limbs to plonk himself down on the floor beside Katsuki.

In the three months they had been dating, nothing had changed. There were small differences, such as Deku bringing him small gifts like scented hoodies or Katsuki offering him subtle compliments once in a while so he could watch the nerd turn scarlet, but their level of physical contact remained the same.

The first time Deku tried to hold his hand, Katsuki slapped it away, so he hadn’t tried again. However, as they watched the film in the darkened room with their classmates yelling comments, Katsuki couldn’t stop thinking about it.

He shot a glance at Deku’s hand, resting beside his. It would be easy to flex his fingers, reach out just a little to entwine them with Deku’s. A warm tingle spread over his palm, aching for the touch.

Bakugou Katsuki was many things, but he was not a coward. Enough was enough.

Taking a deep breath, he inched his hand forward until his little finger brushed against Deku’s. He could see that Deku was trying to suppress his excitement in the way he struggled to hold back a smile. Deciding to dive into the deep end, Katsuki set his hand over Deku’s, and Deku didn’t hesitate before interlacing their fingers.

An odd, fluttery feeling settled in Katsuki’s stomach, warmth spreading through him. He was holding Deku’s hand. It was rougher than his own, littered with scars and crooked joints, but it was warm and tender and slightly sweaty where it clasped onto his.

Katsuki felt strangely giddy, even if he tried to crush the emotion. He squeezed Deku’s hand, feeling the scars rustle against his own palm, and another lurch of giddiness hit him when Deku squeezed back.

Katsuki was an idiot for waiting so long when he could have been doing this for months. That thought brought an influx of others; namely, that flinching away from overly affectionate touches was probably why Deku hadn’t tried to kiss him yet. Katsuki couldn’t help but wonder what that would be like, too.

“What?” Deku whispered, glancing at him curiously. “You’re staring.”

“I’m not staring.”

Though he had been caught out, Katsuki didn’t care, continuing to stare at Deku. He really was handsome, his baby fat melting away to reveal a smooth jawline, and now that they were well into their second year, he had filled out enough that omegas started to giggle and nudge their friends when they caught sight of him in the corridors.

Katsuki felt a flash of possessiveness. Deku was his. Nobody else would ever have a chance to lay a finger on him.

Deku shot a glance at him, realizing that the hold on his hand had tightened. With a small smile, he shuffled closer until he could put his arm around Katsuki’s shoulders in a tentative half-hug. Katsuki stiffened, unsure of what to do with himself. Where did he place his hands? Should he put his arm around Deku’s waist?

Pushing aside the endless questions, he tilted his head onto Deku’s shoulder, who let out a content hum, turning his gaze back to the television.

Katsuki felt like he chose the correct option in a dating simulator. Good job! Deku likes you more. +2 heart points.

Something was seriously wrong with him.

-

[Deku]

[07:30] hey kacchan! (⁎ ⚈᷀᷁ ᴗ ⚈᷀᷁ ⁎) good morning!

[Me]

ur gonna c me in class in 1h [07:31]

[07:31] yeah but i wanted to send a good morning text!

[07:31] just letting you know i’m thinking about you ପ(๑•ᴗ•๑)ଓ ♡

Katsuki stared at his phone, trying hard not to let out a strangled sound. His boyfriend was an unfairly adorable nerd who texted him first thing in the morning with an ungodly amount of kaomoji. This was what Katsuki’s life had come to.

k [07:32]

[07:32] (::〒﹏〒::)

It felt like he selected the wrong dialogue option in a video game. Deku is hurt. -1 heart point. Try harder.

He closed his phone and set it face-down on the bedside table, then heaved himself out of bed, rubbing his eyes. Idly, he reached over for the sweater Deku gave him, stashed safely beside his pillow. It still smelt of him, fresh and comforting. He pressed it to his nose and inhaled, his eyes falling shut.

Katsuki set the sweater down, then reached over for his phone.

thinking of u2 [07:40]

-

Katsuki shoved his hands in his pockets as he trudged down the path, heading towards an oak tree near the outskirts of the school grounds.

It had come to his attention today that he couldn’t remember the last time he went out with Deku, let alone attempted anything romantic rather than attempting to kill each other at an arcade or fighting over the coolest fish at the aquarium. He had slipped a note under Deku’s door with a place and time, but he was just beginning to realize that Deku might not have gotten it.

However, when he arrived at the tree, Deku was already there, glancing at his watch like he had been waiting for a while. Katsuki was two minutes early. Damn nerd.

Deku looked up and brightened like a Christmas tree. He held up a small piece of paper. “I got your note.”

“You kept that?” he said, eyebrows arching.

“Well, yeah.” He slid it back in his pocket. “Is that the shirt I gave you?”

Katsuki glanced down at himself, as if he didn’t know full well that he was wearing a navy blue shirt Deku had given him as a present last month. It had been saturated with Deku’s scent back then, but it had since evaporated until only faint traces remained, overshadowed by the cloying scent of caramel. “What about it?”

“Nothing.” He gave a small smile. “I’m happy you wore it.”

He furrowed his eyebrows. “What else would I do with a shirt, dumbass?”

“Forget it,” he said with a sigh. “Let’s go.”

A short walk led them to the nearest cinema in their town. It was decorated like an old American theater, screens plastered over the walls displaying the available films. They stood side-by-side, staring at the movie posters shift and morph into each other, before Deku suggested a new action movie.

They ended up fighting over who would pay for the tickets; a battle that ended in humiliating defeat for Katsuki, who was pinned to a wall by Blackwhip while Deku handed the money to a stunned attendant. Katsuki considered breaking Deku’s nose for his nerve, but settled on grumbling to himself as he followed his infuriatingly cheery boyfriend into the movie theater.

It was strangely nerve-wracking to sit beside Deku in the darkened cinema. Katsuki was almost too aware of him. His hand on the armrest between them, so close that Katsuki could have stretched his fingers and found himself touching them. His arm, only centimeters away from Katsuki’s. The silent spell of his breathing that Katsuki wouldn’t have heard over the commercial music if he hadn’t been listening for it.

Katsuki took a deep breath, then exhaled. He set his hand on the armrest, and Deku placed his hand over it like a Venus flytrap snapping shut. The touch sent a warm shiver through Katsuki’s spine, a soft, pleasant sense of contentment washing over him.

The film had started playing, but Katsuki could barely focus, distracted by the fact that he was holding his boyfriend’s hand in the cinema like characters out of a shoujo. This was good. He was successfully boyfriending.

Once that thought occurred, his brain would not shut up. You have progressed to the next level: Cinema Date! +5 heart points.

Deku yawned, stretching his arm out, then cast a not-so-subtle glance at Katsuki before slowly inching his arm around his shoulders. The air was knocked from Katsuki’s lungs, a tingle passing through his skin at the warm weight of Deku’s arm.

He could feel that Deku was shivering, and looked over to find Deku giving him a nervous look, pink as a raspberry. Katsuki could feel his own face heating up, his mouth curling into a petulant frown despite the fact that his heart was beating so rapidly that it rattled through him louder than the cinema speakers.

Deku shifted, then leaned his head onto Katsuki’s shoulder. The movie played on as if an earthquake hadn’t just shaken Katsuki, and he forced himself to ignoring the shyness fluttering in his stomach.

He was Bakugou Katsuki. He didn’t feel embarrassment or affection that swelled so strongly it didn’t leave his chest with any room to breathe. With a slow breath, he buried his face in Deku’s hair, inhaling the smell of shampoo, clean and fresh. This was totally normal, cuddling with his boyfriend in a cinema.

Damn it. This was not normal. This was new and terrifying and Katsuki didn’t understand why all he wanted to do was squeeze Deku tight enough to break his bones and bite his freckled cheeks.

When the movie was over, Deku was the first to pull away, just in time for the garish lights to flicker on overhead. He titled his head to the side, wincing, and reached up to rub at the crook of his shoulder.

Katsuki frowned. “Mess up your neck?”

“A little.”

“Idiot. Watch the movie normally next time.”

Deku smiled, bright and sweet and without a hint of regret. “Okay, Kacchan.”

There was an American restaurant beside the cinema that Kaminari had recommended under the assurance that the hamburgers were absolutely massive. Sure enough, the monstrosity that arrived on an unassuming plate had to be bigger than Katsuki’s hand, bulked up with meat and lettuce and various sauces that dripped over the oily fries arranged beside it.

“I guess we can’t use chopsticks for this, huh?” Deku joked, prodding at the sesame seeds sprinkled over the bun on his own plate.

Katsuki rolled his eyes and reached for his hamburger. Using a fork and knife felt like defeat, even if biting into it practically required him unhinging his jaw like a snake. The flavor burst over his tongue, juicy and delicious, almost too indulgent; he would probably have to eat plain rice for the next two days.

When he looked up, Deku was watching him expectantly, his own food untouched. Katsuki paused with the food halfway to his mouth, eyes squinted. “What’re you doing?”

Deku blinked, then gave a sheepish laugh, caught up in the instinct to provide for his partner. Too dramatic for a bunch of overpriced hamburgers. “Sorry. Just wanted to see if you were enjoying it.”

“I’m fine, nerd. Eat your damn food.” It took a second for everything to click. “I wouldn’t break up with you if one thing goes wrong, you know.”

He deflated. “I know. I just—I want to make you happy.”

Katsuki’s heart squeezed tight. He averted his gaze, staring down at the decadent plate. “Then don’t stress yourself out with being perfect. I don’t care about that.”

“Really?” A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips. “Perfectionist Kacchan doesn’t need something to be perfect for once?”

“Shut up. I’m gonna be the best alpha, not you. I don’t give a shit about what you do.”

The smile widened into a perfect, brilliant beam. “You really are the best.”

Of course, Katsuki’s mind had to go and ruin it. You opened up to each other! +3 heart points.

After dinner, they wandered down the side of the canal, watching the city lights glint off the shimmering, silver surface of the water, interspersed with golden sparks from the restaurants that strung lamps over their outdoor seating areas. Around them, couples sat on benches, heads together, while a few pushed children in strollers. Apparently the whole damn city had decided it was the night to be romantic.

Katsuki sure as hell wasn’t losing this race. He grabbed Deku’s hand, who flinched like he wasn’t expecting it. Katsuki glared at him. “What?”

Deku quickly raised his other hand, flicking it in a frantic wave. “Nothing! I was just surprised. You usually don’t initiate this kind of stuff.”

“Are you saying I can’t be romantic?”

“Of course not!”

“I’ll romance the hell out of you, shitnerd! I’ll date you so hard that you’ll feel terrible about yourself because you can’t keep up.”

Deku opened his mouth like he was about to question the intricacies of dating someone ‘hard’, but before he could speak, Katsuki swung forward and planted a kiss on Deku’s cheek. He lost the nerve to kiss his mouth at the last second, but it still worked, because a brilliant flush sprouted across Deku’s cheekbones, his eyes wide and watery.

“K-Kacchan!” Deku looked close to tears, the damn nerd. “That was so cute.”

“Oi, who’re you calling cute?”

Then Deku’s hand was cupping the back of his neck, and the space between them suddenly seemed a lot closer. Striking green eyes gazed into his, endless as a calm ocean, asking for silent permission. Katsuki was finding it hard to breathe, a blissful kind of light-headedness rushing through his head.

Their lips met like a falling leaf, soft and light. Katsuki’s ears were ringing, his head buzzing.

This was a kiss. Where was he supposed to put his hands? They were just standing with their lips still and unmoving against each other. Did he have to do something else? It didn’t look like this in movies.

Deku took a small step back, taking a shallow, awed breath. “Kacchan…”

Katsuki couldn’t stop staring at his mouth, the mouth he had been kissing a second ago, then Deku was staring at his, and their heads tilted in the same direction. A giggle bubbled in Deku’s throat, his eyes scrunching adorably, but when he tilted his head in the other direction, Katsuki followed, their heads bumping together again.

Frustrated, Katsuki reached up to thread his fingers through green curls, holding Deku in place, before pressing their lips together. This time, he opened his mouth, and when Deku’s lips fell apart as well, Katsuki shoved his tongue inside.

It felt awkward. He had his tongue in Deku’s mouth and he wasn’t reacting and Deku’s hands kept skirting over his back like they didn’t know where to settle.

They found tentative rest on Katsuki’s waist, and finally, finally, Deku tilted his head to respond. It was awkward, but his lips were warm and his soft little breaths tingled on Katsuki’s lips and a pleasant shiver had spread through Katsuki’s skin. He felt warm all over.

Too soon, Deku pulled away. His eyes were shining, wet and misty, spilling with stars. Katsuki cleared his throat and sent a prayer upwards hoping that he wouldn’t thoroughly embarrass himself. His head was still blaring with red lights.

ALERT! You hit a major milestone: Kiss. Kissing Deku. +20438 heart points.

It was incredible. Terrible. Ecstatic. The most awkward moment of Katsuki’s life.

“That was the best moment of my life,” Deku declared finally, like he was announcing a sports score. What a fucking nerd.

“Tch. Of course it was.” He brushed his hair out of his eyes, trying to look casual. He crossed his legs at the ankle, then uncrossed them. He scratched the back of his head. This wasn’t even close to casual. Maybe he didn’t want it to be.

The walk back home felt like stepping out of a movie theater; the colors around them were brighter and everything was bolder and elation buzzed in Katsuki’s body with each step. He’d kissed Deku. Deku kissed him. Katsuki felt like he was wearing heart-shaped sunglasses, casting the world into a pink glow. The first day of summer, with endless potential sprawled out before them.

Deku reached for his hand, and Katsuki grabbed it too eagerly, clinging to him like he was stopping an overactive child from running into oncoming traffic. His palm was sweaty, but when he tried to tug it away, Deku made a noise of protest. By the time they arrived at the dorms, he was a veritable waterfall of explosive sweat. He could feel it slide and squelch between their entwined palms, but Deku didn’t seem to mind.

Once the elevator reached Deku’s floor, Katsuki stepped out with him, though there was no reason to.

The door had a hard sense of finality, putting an end to the perfect bubble of happiness that today had been. Deku turned to him, and in the dim light of the hall, he was so handsome that it hurt to look at him.

“Today was really great,” Deku said after a breath of fumbling silence. “Did you, uh, have a good time?”

He recognized the veiled, desperate need for approval. Deku looked so damn hopeful. “Guess so.”

“Can I… kiss you again?”

“Hah?” It came out far more flustered than he intended. “Wasn’t that enough, pervert?”

“P-pervert?!”

All the same, Katsuki crossed his arms and scrunched his eyes shut as if bracing for a collision. He felt kind of stupid, but just as he was about to say something petty and storm away, something warm and soft pressed against his lips, and oh, Deku had kissed him, even if it was a chaste peck.

This was a thing. Katsuki knew what a kiss felt like now. He knew what kissing Deku felt like. He knew that Deku’s eyes went impossibly soft and a soft tint made his cheeks glow like a pink Milky Way and he was gentle as warm water pouring over Katsuki’s hair in a bath.

“Good night,” Deku said, almost proudly, like he had achieved something wonderful.

Katsuki couldn’t explain why sharing an awkward kiss with Deku felt like the greatest thing he had ever done. “Night. Sleep well.”

He turned around and made a rush for the elevator before he could catch the overjoyed smile on Deku’s face. His heart could only take so much for one day.

-

They were sitting on the bed in Deku’s room, thighs barely touching, a heavy silence thick in the air.

The room felt too warm, too comfortable; it would have lulled Katsuki to sleep if he weren’t having yet another internal crisis. Earlier, Deku had asked, nervous and far too earnest, if he could scent Katsuki, and Katsuki was about to yell a denial at him before he realized there was no reason to deny his boyfriend.

Deku turned to him, looking weirdly determined, as if he was about to fight a villain. That didn’t bode well. “This is supposed to be easy. It’s instinctive.”

“Then get on with it, shitnerd, or I will.”

“I wanna do it first,” he whined, as if that wasn’t what Katsuki was telling him to do. He peeled the scent-blocking patches off his wrists, soaked with his skin oils, and tossed them towards the trash can. They plonked onto the floor a few meters short. Katsuki’s own patches entered the trashcan with a perfect arc.

Slowly, Katsuki reached up to peel the scent-blocking patch off Deku’s neck. A peaceful forest blossomed between them, saturating the air with the scent of pine and earth and citrus. It hummed in Katsuki’s veins, flowing through him as he inhaled it deeply, nudging his nose against the tender skin of Deku’s neck.

Deku made a happy hum, pressing a palm against Katsuki’s back. The touch sparked a faint alarm in Katsuki’s head, a warring instinct declaring that he wasn’t supposed to be so close to another alpha; that he needed to provide his dominance. He ignored it, irritated. There was no way he was letting his stupid alpha instincts tell him what to do.

Then Deku peeled off the last of Katsuki’s patches and tucked his face into the crook of Katsuki’s neck, a content noise rumbling in his throat. The sweet scent of caramel melted into pine like marshmallows toasting over a forest campfire, interspersed with hints of cinnamon and earth.

Katsuki shuffled closer, wrapping his arms around Deku’s neck, and shoved his nose against Deku’s skin. He smelled so good.

“Kacchan,” Deku mumbled, his arms falling loosely around Katsuki’s waist. “You smell like dessert.”

Katsuki let out a huff of laughter and shifted forward until he was settled on the solid muscle of Deku’s thighs. A sharp flare of protest thrummed in his chest at sitting in Deku’s lap, needling at the comfort Katsuki was trying to indulge in. He pushed Deku back, hard, until his back hit the mattress, then crawled over him. Deku blinked up at him, surprised.

Katsuki dug the heel of his palm harder against Deku’s chest, feeling his heart beating wildly. “Stay down.”

He nodded eagerly, bunching his hands into the sheets as if demonstrating that he could be good while Katsuki leaned down to nose at the underside of his jaw, shivering when his lips brushed the tender skin. Evidently, Deku couldn’t resist his urges for long, because his hands slid to the small of Katsuki’s back as he nuzzled into Katsuki’s hair, his breaths hot against his scalp.

“Kacchan,” he whispered. “Can we kiss, please?”

He almost had to laugh again, because of course Deku would ask him for a kiss like he was asking for a favor. They hadn’t tried kissing since their first a few weeks ago, though he didn’t know whether it was his own skittishness or Deku’s tendency to dial everything up to a hundred that was holding them back.

Actions:

- Surprise: Kiss Deku first.

- Concede: Agree to Deku’s request.

- Tsundere: Tell Deku it’s not like you l-like him or anything!

He needed to stop overthinking, so he drew back enough that Deku could tilt his face up to kiss him. It felt more intimate this time, lying together on Deku’s bed without their scent-blocking patches, awash in a mist of their content pheromones with Deku’s arms circling around him.

He could feel Deku’s curls flopping into his face, tickling his cheeks, feel the warmth of Deku’s lips against his, his tongue tentatively poking at Katsuki’s teeth in a way that sent a weird shiver through his head. He kept licking at Katsuki’s closed mouth insistently like a cat drinking from a bowl of water with a delighted noise. It should have been disgusting, and it kind of was, but it felt concerningly good.

He pushed hard on the side of Deku’s face, but Deku just nudged the back of his head down, unapologetic, into another kiss, sweet and closed-mouthed, sending a hot wave of need through Katsuki. He pulled back for breath, then placed a few meaningful kisses on Deku’s mouth. He distracted himself from the swell of overwhelming emotion with biting down on Deku’s lower lip.

Deku flinched, pulling away to whisper, almost offended, “Why’d you bite me?”

Katsuki gave an almost imperceptible shrug that meant something along the lines of, was I not supposed to, and dipped down to kiss Deku again, steering clear of teeth this time. The scent of happy mint filled the air around them and it smelled like the best thing in the world, felt like the best thing, kissing Deku, letting himself be kissed.

“Mm, Kacchan.” Deku braced his feet on the bed and flipped them over, cupping Katsuki’s cheek with a burning palm, his gaze searing with intensity. “I love kissing you.”

It was probably a blessing that Katsuki didn’t get a chance to ruin the mood before Deku pressed his soft, dry lips against Katsuki’s jaw, effectively knocking all thoughts out of his head.

Deku started kissing his neck, and fuck, this was the best, most satisfying feeling he had ever felt. He was vaguely aware that he was moaning, making soft noises that were embarrassingly close to purrs.

It felt good, too good. Katsuki wanted more and the thought of it was terrifying. “Deku, stop—”

He drew back, looking uncertain. “Is something wrong?”

He couldn’t let Deku see him coming undone with a simple kiss, let him know that excitement was coursing through his veins, butterflies banging at his ribcage. “It’s fine. Just—just a lot.”

Deku smiled abashedly with a little hint of relief, sitting back on his haunches to allow Katsuki to sit up along with him. He swallowed, then leaned closer to run a palm over Deku’s sweaty forehead, brushing his damp curls away so gently that it felt unfamiliar, touching something so tenderly. Deku’s face softened, misty and emotional.

Unable to resist it, Katsuki gave him a quick peck, then scrambled off the bed, adjusting his collar as he rushed for the door. He was beginning to lose count of how many times he had run away from Deku when it was getting serious.

-

There were a lot of things that sucked about dating Deku. He was incapable of shutting up, which meant all their dates consisted of Deku running his stupid mouth at a hundred kilometers an hour, whether he was whispering in Katsuki’s ear during a film or prattling off quirk analysis between mouthfuls of katsudon.

Katsuki hadn’t realized how goddamn territorial Deku was until a second-year omega tried to flirt with him and he found himself yanked into the protective clutch of his boyfriend. He had yelled at Deku for a solid half hour over that incident. At least Deku had dialed back the possessiveness since then.

As if that weren’t enough, the dumbass was intent on being as embarrassingly romantic as he could. He was constantly bringing Katsuki courting gifts, from scented clothes to CDs with his favorite albums. It was infuriating. Katsuki couldn’t shake the feeling that he was losing somehow.

He had to step it up. There was no way he was going to sit back and let himself be courted like an omega when he was the best damn alpha in this school.

At lunchtime, he marched up to Deku, who was sitting at a table with Iida, Todoroki, and Uraraka, chatting easily as he picked at his katsudon with chopsticks. He looked cute, eyes shining as he listened to Uraraka explaining something Katsuki couldn’t make out, clearly enraptured in the story.

“Oi, Deku,” he barked. Deku looked up. “We’re going out tomorrow.” Not good enough. “I’m taking you out. Romantically.”

Romantically. Yeah, Katsuki was an idiot.

An onlooker would have assumed that Katsuki was offering him a glass of water during a drought. “That’s great! Where are we going? You don’t have to tell me, obviously, but I’m kind of curious since you’ve never offered—”

“It’ll be great,” he declared, side-stepping the question. “Much better than any of your shitty dates.”

“That’s not a polite thing to say,” Iida interrupted with furrowed eyebrows. The few times Katsuki had caught him without a scent-blocking patch on, he always smelled like unnaturally clean laundry, as if someone had scrubbed linen sheets with bleach, but he still hadn’t managed to figure out whether it was the alpha’s natural scent or his clothes.

“Do I look like I care, Four Eyes?”

When they first started at U.A, Iida’s shocked expressions were hilarious, but now, he looked resigned, like he had grown used to Katsuki’s insults. It was almost disappointing. “My family has rather traditional views when it comes to courting. If you’re ever interested in ideas, feel free to talk to me.” He paused, then added in an unusually sarcastic tone, “Not that you’d ever do it.”

“My family taught me that shit, too.” This conversation was starting to drag, so Katsuki pulled out a chair beside Uraraka. She couldn’t afford high-quality scent-blocking patches, which meant there was always a sweet, mochi-like aroma of powdery rice flour surrounding her. “I don’t need you extras interfering.”

“Strong words from someone who’s ditching his friends to hang out with us,” Uraraka said cheerily. Deku, the traitor, just sat back and watched the ensuing argument unfold with a fond smile.

Going out ‘romantically’ was a dramatic label for an afternoon walk that boiled down to them wandering into the woodlands of Ground Omega, strolling through the thick groves of trees under a leafy canopy, shielding them from the summer sunshine. It was rarely used during classes; the last time they trained here was when the class had a survival exercise with the students from Isamu Academy. Considering that he had been turned into a zombie due to someone’s fucked-up quirk, it wasn’t a fond memory.

It was calming, making their way along the dirt trail, their idle conversation the only sound in the silent forest. Deku looked warm and happy, his green eyes sparkling so brightly under the sunshine that it made Katsuki’s heart flutter wildly.

Eventually, the trail opened into a meadow. Blades of overgrown grass swayed in the light breeze, daylight shining on yellow daffodil petals. A large, sturdy tree cast a pool of shade over a patch of soft grass, so Katsuki sat down on one of the spindly roots and motioned for Deku to sit beside him.

“This place is really pretty,” Deku commented, gazing around with a pleased look.

“It’s decent,” he agreed, untying the knot of the bag he had been carrying. He pulled out a bento box, then balanced it on his lap and cracked open the lid. The delicious scent of yakisoba wafted into the air.

Deku perked up. “Is that for us?”

He side-eyed him. “No, I’m going to eat this alone while you watch.”

Deku huffed a small laugh while Katsuki pulled two pairs of chopsticks out of a plastic case embellished with little explosion cartoons. He made sure to prepare the noodles to perfection, but he could barely taste the flavor spreading across his tongue, too distracted by the way Deku licked his lips after taking a bite, his face awash in contentment.

Deku gave him an appreciative smile. “Your cooking’s amazing, as always.”

“‘Course it is. I’m amazing.”

“You are.” He swallowed another mouthful of noodles and angled his head closer to press a messy half-kiss to the corner of Katsuki’s jaw, catching him by surprise. “Thank you.”

It felt like a kaleidoscope of butterflies flew loose in his stomach, but he just nudged Deku’s shoulder with his own. “Someone’s gotta look after your stupid ass.”

Deku smiled, and it felt like a blow to the chest, knocking the breath from his lungs. How could a single smile disarm Katsuki so easily? He couldn’t focus on his noodles at all, too flustered to eat. He had just managed to lift a bite to his lips when he felt a warm touch against his waist. Deku had put his arm around him again, nonchalantly maneuvering his chopsticks with his left hand.

His senses kicked into overdrive. His skin felt too much like skin. Deku’s hand was hot on his hip, calm and possessive, the way alphas held their longtime mates. The sun sunk into his exposed arms, heating the reddening skin. His heartbeat pulsed, a steady backdrop to the silence punctuated only with the birds chirping on the branches overhead, and a woodpecker spread its wings, ruffling its feathers.

A slight rustle of movement made him jerk in surprise, even though Deku was just leaning away to set his chopsticks back into the case, his portion of the noodles finished while Katsuki’s was untouched. He tried to arrange his features into a gruff frown, but it melted into confusion when Deku gently slid the bento box off his lap and placed the lid back on before setting it aside.

“Kacchan,” he murmured, his warm green eyes like seaglass under the sun. “I want to kiss you. Please.”

“Stop saying please.”

Another smile tugged at the corner of his lips, and Deku slunk a hand around the back of Katsuki’s neck, his fingers pleasantly warm against the heated skin. Thick, lazy sunshine crawled down his spine like honey, and he could feel Deku’s breath on his lips, his hand so warm, so gentle.

Fierce affection surged in his chest. Gravity nudged him forward, or maybe the tentative press of Deku’s hand, until their lips met, slanting. He twined his arms around Deku’s neck, digging his palm into soft curls, feeling latent heat leech into his skin. His breath hitched at the first touch against his back, Deku’s hand stroking up and down as if soothing a sleepy cat.

He always thought kissing Deku would be violent; fire meeting flame, gunpowder and green lightning. He expected them to collide in the chaos of a battle, but this… this felt right; silky hair under his fingertips and tentative breaths against his lips, his cheeks, sunshine melting through their clothes in a secluded corner of the forest that seemed to be hidden for them.

The space between them was infinitesimal as they broke for air, foreheads tilted together. Deku’s breaths were ragged, shaky, eyes fluttered half-shut. Katsuki stroked the tufts of green curls under his palm, twisting them around his fingers. Deku was a shitty kisser, but he could make Katsuki melt.

It was easy to give into the craving ache that buzzed in his fingertips, pooled in a tight bundle at his stomach, and nudge Deku backwards so he could lie down. Deku made a sharp noise of pain and jerked up, and Katsuki felt a flash of alarm before he realized that he pushed him over onto the edge of the bento box.

Deku took damage! -1 life point. -1 heart point.

Deku let out a small laugh, shuffling sideways to push the box aside. He reached up to touch Katsuki’s hips, trailing his fingertips over the strip of exposed skin where his shirt had ridden up, his thumb brushing against the dip of Katsuki’s pelvis. It felt like sinking into a hot bath, the tension melting from his muscles after a battle, except that his abdomen was going taut beneath Deku’s splayed fingers, an electric current running through his body.

Then Deku wrapped his arms around Katsuki’s waist and rolled over, pinning him beneath his body. A sharp pang zapped through Katsuki; a flaring instinct of protest at being crushed so easily under the weight of another alpha.

Before he could stop himself, he was reacting—kicking a knee up and jabbing it straight into Deku’s ribs.

You attacked Deku! -2 life points. -2 heart points. Warning: Do not hurt your Deku!

Horror flushed through his system. Deku yelped and pulled back, but Katsuki quickly threw his leg over the back of Deku’s knees, stopping him from leaving. Stupid alpha instincts, ruining his fucking life.

“I’m sorry,” Katsuki said, panicked. Just when things were going right for once, he had to knee his boyfriend in the goddamn ribs. “It was just an instinct.” He poked Deku’s side, making him flinch. “Does it hurt?”

Deku winced, bracing himself on one forearm by Katsuki’s head while reaching down with the other hand to palm at his bruising ribs. “It’s okay. Do you, uh, want to stop?”

“No,” he blurted out, and shit, he’d fucked it up, but Deku’s eyes softened and he dipped down to press their lips together, sweet and coaxing. Katsuki relaxed, relief rushing through his veins. He would never admit it, but god, he was lucky that Deku loved him, that the closest thing that existed to an angel on earth was pressing open-mouthed kisses to his jaw and cradling him like he was as happy as Katsuki felt.

Deku still likes you. +2 heart points. He gave into the emotion iron-hot in his chest, nuzzling into Deku’s neck, nosing into the scent gland that smelt so good, felt so warm, that he never wanted to pull away. He could feel Deku burying his face into his hair, holding him tighter, kissing every part of his head that he could reach.

In this perfect, peaceful moment, he wanted to give Deku everything, feel those scarred palms on his bare skin with the feathery grass brushing against his legs, almost tickling his skin. He drew Deku closer, wrapping his legs around him. Their hearts were beating wildly against each other, thrumming like a hummingbird’s wings. He had never felt so safe.

“Kacchan,” Deku murmured, breaking through his thoughts. “You were right. This is the best date ever.”

He snorted a laugh and tugged Deku into another kiss, effectively shutting him up.

-

It had been a busy day. Aizawa had decided to torture the class with a truckload of homework for the weekend while Present Mic had assigned them an entire project, so Katsuki stocked up on energy drinks and fries that had long gone stale, battling his way through the pile of work—he would have been able to get it done earlier if it weren’t for an issue with his stupid computer that had messed up his save files halfway through.

He sighed, leaning back in his seat as he stretched his arms. It had taken a while, but he managed to finish the bulk of the work. He knew Deku would probably still be studying at this hour, so he made a detour on the way to his room, dropping by the kitchen to grab a few boxes of pocky and the iced matcha tea he knew Deku liked.

He didn’t bother knocking on Deku’s door, kicking it open. “Oi, you up?”

Deku was hunched over his desk, scribbling furiously in a thick notebook, but he glanced up when Katsuki came in. A dazzling smile dawned on his face and he tossed his pen aside like it had offended him. “Kacchan!”

Katsuki dropped the pocky and the tea onto his desk, careful to avoid the notebooks. “Got you some snacks. Figured you’d forget to feed yourself.”

He looked overjoyed. “You’re the best. I love you.”

He blinked. “Huh?”

“I—oh, damn it,” Deku wailed, burying his face in his hands. “I wasn’t gonna say it yet. It was supposed to be romantic, and I’d take you on a date and it’d be perfect—”

“I don’t care,” Katsuki said hurriedly, tripping over himself in his haste to stumble forward. His legs gave out beneath him, his knees hitting the ground with a hard thud just in front of Deku. He wanted to say something like I knew that shit already, but all that came out was, “You—you love—”

Deku nodded, tearing up, and emotion swelled in Katsuki’s chest, burning affection, so strong that it felt like a rope tightening around his ribs. He heaved himself up enough to reach Deku’s lips, kissing him hard enough that his mouth almost hurt, and grabbed Deku’s face, squeezing those wet, freckled cheeks. Deku yanked him up by his hips and wrapped his arms around his waist, kissing him eagerly, still teary, making small, happy noises into his mouth.

“Kacchan, I love you, I love you.” He broke away to let out a sob. “I’m sorry.”

“Shitty loser,” he huffed, but there was something weak in his voice. To hear those words spoken, to see that emotional look on Deku’s face, was something else. “Damn crybaby.”

Katsuki’s heart thudded fast, throwing itself at the shuddering walls of his ribcage, but he just hugged the teary, embarrassing, ridiculously cute alpha beneath him, inhaling the heavenly scent of mint and pine swirling around them, and let himself give into the raging tide in his heart.

+867539 heart points. Deku loves you! DEKU LOVES YOU!

-

Deku had been acting weird all day. Well, weirder than usual.

Normally, he would come running to greet Katsuki in the morning, but today, he sprinted to class before Katsuki could ask what was wrong with him. He had been shifty throughout breakfast, too, his lips pursed and hands so shaky that he dropped his chopsticks a few times. Katsuki had squinted his eyes, shooting him a questioning glare, but didn’t bring it up.

However, Deku was still avoiding him by lunchtime. It was easy to sneak up on him in the queue for lunch; he was gazing at the hot portions of katsudon too longingly to notice Katsuki until he tapped his shoulder.

Deku jolted, surprised, and whipped around. “K-Kacchan!”

He glowered at him. “Why’re you avoiding me, nerd?”

“I’m—I’m not avoiding you! It’s just—” He glanced around quickly, then lowered his voice. “My rut started this morning.”

“So what? You’re on suppressants, aren’t you?”

“Well, yeah, but—” He cleared his throat, looking abashed. “It’s, uh, hard to be around you. Not that you make it worse! I just keep thinking about you, and… stuff.”

Katsuki huffed, pushing down the spark of interest that flared inside him. “You made me worry because you’re fuckin’ horny?”

He perked up. “You were worried?”

“‘Course I was, dumbass! I’m your boyfriend.” Katsuki hesitated, deliberating over his next words. A part of him wanted to offer to help Deku through his rut, but he couldn’t help but be nervous. Everyone knew how aggressive rutting alphas could get. Still, this was Deku. “Do you need… help?”

His eyes widened, a furious blush coloring his cheeks. “I—that’s—” He gulped for air, looking more like a strawberry than ever. “I can handle it.”

He couldn’t help but scowl, despite the fact that Deku would probably call it a pout. “Don’t you want me?”

“I do! I do, but—” He cut himself off as he reached the front of the line, accepting the bowl of steaming katsudon from Lunch Rush. The delicious aroma wafted into the air as Katsuki picked up a bowl for himself, then followed Deku into the crowds of the canteen. “You know what ruts are like. It’s hard to hold back.”

Katsuki collapsed into the nearest chair at an empty table, plonking his tray down, and Deku sat across from him, his face bright and content. “Whatever. I didn’t mean we’d do it.” He paused, then said decidedly, “Not until graduation, at least.”

“Graduation?” he repeated, dismayed. Katsuki narrowed his eyes. “Um, I mean, of course. Graduation.” He gave Katsuki a shy smile. “I like what we do now, anyway. ”

A rush of relief hit Katsuki. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to sleep with Deku, but the idea still seemed daunting, somehow. He enjoyed kissing him, cuddling with him; innocent touches that felt so good that he was content to stick to them for now.

Naturally, his delusional brain wouldn’t give him a break. Your preferences have been noted: Deku will remember that.

Katsuki picked up his chopsticks, poking at his katsudon, which had cooled by now. “I’ll leave you alone for your rut, then, if you’re gonna be such a dork about it.”

“Uh, no, it’s fine. It’s not uncontrollable or anything.”

“Good, ‘cause I have a gift for you.”

Deku brightened like Katsuki had offered him the sun. “Really? What is it?”

“You think I’ll spoil the surprise, nerd? Just come to my room after school.” The students started streaming out of the canteen, heading back to their classes, and Katsuki sighed, staring dismally at his katsudon. “Damn it. Didn’t get to finish my food.”

When Deku knocked on his door after school, he had brought a few bags of Katsuki’s favorite chips. There hadn’t been time for him to visit the store and the extras definitely would have eaten them if they were in the kitchen, which meant that he must have hidden them in his room to give to Katsuki.

Deku was such a good boyfriend. Katsuki couldn’t help but preen, knowing that he would have such a great alpha as his mate after graduation.

Katsuki extracted a large black box from his closet, then pushed it into Deku’s hands. “Here.”

He sat down on the bed and gave Katsuki an appreciative smile before lifting the lid. An orange scarf rested inside the box, along with imported chocolate and a few books Deku mentioned he wanted to read. A slow, stunned smile spread across Deku’s face as he touched the scarf, feeling the high-quality fabric.

Katsuki made a vague hand gesture. “Your yellow scarf got pretty torn up, and the only other one you have is the All Might one, so…” He trailed off with a shrug.

Deku looked up at him, awed. “Kacchan, these are amazing.”

He sat on the bed beside him, feeling slightly awkward. “I’ve been slacking with the courting gifts, but I ain’t gonna let you outdo me.”

Setting the box aside, Deku leaned closer to press a tender kiss to Katsuki’s lips, reaching up to cup his cheeks. His palms were hotter than usual, his lips searing, moving with a hint of restrained impatience. Katsuki melted into it, setting his hands on Deku’s broad shoulders. He could feel how hard Deku was trying to resist the urges that came with his rut and there was something adorably endearing about it.

Too soon, Deku pulled away, his gaze brimming with affection. “Thank you so much. They’re perfect.”

“‘Course they are,” he said smugly, though his heart leapt. Deku likes your gift. +2 heart points. He wrapped his arms around Deku’s shoulders, shifting a little closer, their thighs brushing together. He pressed his lips to Deku’s again, firmer this time, relishing in the soft moan Deku let out against his mouth. Deku’s hips shifted closer, then quickly jerked back, like he realized he was losing control.

“You’re the best, Kacchan,” Deku whispered once they broke apart, his face shining with so much love that Katsuki almost let it slip. Almost said the words he had been trying to deny himself.

Instead, he stood up and ruffled Deku’s hair, messing up those rowdy green curls with as much tenderness as he could muster. “You’re not bad yourself.”

-

They were lying in the nest, scenting each other. Katsuki still wasn’t certain why it seemed so important to build a damn nest that day last week when Deku walked in on his disastrous attempt to construct one, but it didn’t matter when it felt so nice to cuddle each other in the pile of soft blankets and comforters every day once the pink-purple traces of dusk floated across the sky.

Deku tucked his face into Katsuki’s neck, his soft, dry lips brushing against his scent glands, sending an electric current through his body. “Mm, Kacchan. How do you always smell so good?”

“It’s sweat,” he deadpanned, throwing his leg over Deku’s thighs to tug him closer. He nosed at Deku’s collarbone, tracing a light path up to his neck, parting his lips to let the tip of his tongue drag over sensitive skin. “Kiss me.”

Deku obliged easily, peppering affectionate kisses over Katsuki’s neck that felt heavenly. Katsuki tangled a hand into green curls, pressing his head closer just a little too hard, encouraging Deku to continue lavishing attention over the underside of his jaw, down the pulsing column of his throat.

The scent of mint was seeping into the air, so strong that he could barely think beyond it, letting the soothing pheromones ease his mind into a peaceful tranquility that would almost feel like submission if he didn’t know that his own scent was having the same effect on Deku, lulling his eyes half-closed. He scratched his nails across Deku’s scalp, making a low noise rumble in his throat.

It was still hard to believe that Deku had declared that he was going to marry him after graduation. In the moment, it hadn’t seemed out of place at all, considering that they had always known their lives would converge to the same path, but when he thought of marrying Deku and getting to keep him, his heartbeat fluttered so erratically that Deku looked up, a curious furrow in his eyebrows.

Instead of providing an explanation, Katsuki extracted himself from Deku’s octopus-like grip, then shuffled further up the bed, propping his back up with some pillows so his head was more comfortable. He motioned for Deku to come closer, who quickly climbed onto him and dropped his entire weight onto Katsuki as if he wasn’t all muscle. Despite Katsuki’s own physique, the breath was knocked from his lungs with a grunt.

“Damn it—you’re heavy.”

Deku grinned up at him. “I’m probably not much heavier than you.”

“Fuckin’ nerd.” He shoved a hand into Deku’s hair again, messing it up until it resembled a jumble of twigs clumped into a nest. Deku beamed at him like he had done something adorable. “You’re such an idiot.”

“Sure, Kacchan.”

“You’re a shitty alpha, too,” he teased, scratching his nails across the back of Deku’s head, making his eyes flutter shut, then fly open like he couldn’t bear to look away from Katsuki. “You call that scenting?”

A determined spark flared in his expression, and Katsuki barely had a moment to wonder if he shouldn’t have challenged him before Deku shuffled a little further up to press his lips against Katsuki’s scent gland, pulling a soft gasp from him.

Katsuki stiffened, mortified, but Deku just pressed more kisses to the sensitive spot, making him squirm, his heels digging into the mattress. He thought of pushing him away, but that would be admitting defeat, and fuck, it felt good, ecstatic, a thousand perfect sensations rolled into one.

The enchanting scent in the air grew stronger, the earth after rain, pine needles and dewdrops on leaves. He was drunk on it, his arms going limp where they were loosely thrown around Deku.

“Better?” Deku murmured.

“Bastard,” he mumbled, but it was halfhearted. “Keep doing that.”

“Oh? You like it?”

“Don’t ask stupid questions.” He stroked Deku’s hair again, easing the tangles from the curls while twisting other strands into each other, and Deku’s scent gland was so close that Katsuki just wanted to sink his teeth into it. A mating mark was easy to make and slow to erase, even more so when they felt as strongly as they did. He knew he wouldn’t regret it, but he didn’t want to do it like this.

Instead, he bit the flesh of Deku’s shoulder, making him jump. Encouraged, Katsuki bit his collarbone this time, just above the curve of bone.

“Kacchan!” He flicked the side of Katsuki’s neck with his nail. “What’s that for?”

He hummed. “Don’t know. Just wanted to.”

Deku paused, considering this, then turned his face to bite Katsuki’s shoulder. Katsuki frowned at him, not wanting to be upstaged, and grabbed Deku’s head, nipping at one of his cheeks. A small, surprised laugh bubbled in Deku’s throat and he playfully pushed Katsuki away the way kids did when they were rough-housing.

Katsuki took the challenge, climbing on top of Deku and pinning him down, pressing his forearm across his neck, but Deku threw him off instantly, knocking some of the extra pillows off the bed. Katsuki lunged at him with renewed vigor—then the world was spinning, and his back hit the bedroom floor with a hard thud.

Deku was already apologizing, but Katsuki just head-butted him, hard, enjoying the mock fight. They kept wrestling like alpha kids on the floor until Katsuki managed to knock Deku flat on his back and sat on his abdomen, holding his wrists down to the ground, grinning down at him triumphantly.

“I win,” Katsuki said smugly, his breathing ragged.

Deku smiled up at him. “I’ll win next time, Kacchan.”

“Yeah, right.” He climbed off Deku and stood up, dusting the lint off his pants while Deku heaved himself to his feet. “I’m hungry.”

“Spicy ramen?” he suggested. “We have a few packets in the kitchen.”

“Race you there?”

Deku had already disappeared in a flash of green lightning before Katsuki knew what was happening. Biting back a grin, Katsuki took off tearing down the corridor after him.

-

Graduation crept up on them quickly, days passing in a blur of final exams and parties and movie nights that always ended in someone tearing up when they realized this would all soon be ending. Meanwhile, Katsuki couldn’t wait to be done with high school so he could finally take another step towards becoming a pro hero, considering that their classes seemed redundant after they had fought real villains,

Still, he couldn’t help but give into the wistful nostalgia that engulfed them like the humid heat of a summer evening. It had been Ashido’s suggestion for the class to take a trip to the beach together; an idea he had called sickeningly reminiscent of cheesy foreign movies, though he had given in embarrassingly soon when Deku gave him those pleading eyes and insisted it would be fun.

The waves lapped at the shore, sands golden under the light of the setting sun. Todoroki had sparked a campfire with his flames while Sato brought along a box filled with marshmallows, as if this trip wasn’t already cliche enough, so Katsuki took an obliging seat on the sand to humor them, even if the sand was cold against his bare thighs.

His swimming trunks were still a little damp from his dip in the ocean earlier. It had started off peaceful but deteriorated alarmingly fast when he challenged Deku to numerous competitions, from testing who could swim faster to who could dive deeper. The former had ended in embarrassing defeat for Katsuki, though at least he had managed to dive deeper than Deku; straight to the bottom, grasping a conch shell and bringing it to the surface as a trophy of his victory.

Deku was still holding the conch shell now, clutching it protectively on his lap as he watched Jirou strumming a guitar with enraptured eyes. Katsuki might have been jealous if he wasn’t enjoying the performance, too; Jirou had always been a fucking badass when it came to music. Kaminari had brought a guitar, too, and he strummed along with her, eyes crinkled with affection as he stole lingering glances at her.

Hagakure was singing along under her breath, but her voice was drowned out by Kirishima, who was trying to sing, too, though he kept getting the lyrics to the song wrong. Kaminari had long since stopped singing, too focused on listening to Jirou, who was clearly the only damn person here who actually had talent when it came to music—other than Katsuki, obviously. Not that he would ever sing in public.

A rustling movement beside him drew his attention, and Deku crawled over to him, squeezing himself into Katsuki’s side between him and Yaoyorozu, who was inching closer to Todoroki. He reached out to grab Katsuki’s hand, entwining their fingers, and sitting around a campfire with their classmates singing songs while holding his boyfriend’s hand might have been the cheesiest thing Katsuki had ever done but he didn’t really care when a small object was burning like an ember in his pocket.

After a while, the class dispersed, some curling up by the campfire while others wandered off to explore the shore, picking seashells off the foam-crusted sand.

Katsuki ended up dragging Deku along with him to the more secluded side of the coast, though they were still close enough that they could hear the girls launching into another karaoke session by the campfire.

“Today was fun,” Deku commented, glancing sideways at him. “It’s hard to believe we’re graduating next week. The last few years have gone by really fast.”

“You kidding me? They’ve been the longest goddamn years of my life.” He brushed his sweaty bangs out of his eyes. “But I guess I get it.”

“When I came to U.A, I didn’t even know whether I’d be able to make it as a hero, and now I have you and all our friends.” His eyes welled up. “I’m really blessed.”

Katsuki huffed, putting a hand out to stop Deku and turning to face him. Another wave rolled in with the tide, drenching his feet up to his ankles and making Deku jump in surprise, but he ignored it. “For all your triumphs, you’re still just a damn nerd.”

He gave Katsuki a watery smile and leaned closer to cup his face in his hands, pressing a firm kiss to his mouth.

“Kacchan, you’re the best thing in my life,” Deku said once they parted for air, his eyes still misty. “You make me really happy, every day, and I can’t wait for the rest of our lives together, and I know we already talked about this but I wanted to do it officially.”

Then Deku drew back and knelt down, a familiar emotional look on his face that told Katsuki he was about to do something very stupid. He reached in his pocket, and fuck, fuck—

A velvet box sat in Deku’s palm, cracked open like an oyster, revealing a golden band. “Will you marry me?”

Katsuki gaped at him. “You fucking bastard.”

His eyebrows furrowed, confused, like this hadn’t been one of the possible reactions he had imagined, but before he could open his dumb mouth again, Katsuki fell to his knees and shoved his hand in his pocket, scrambling around until he managed to pull out the matching box.

“You goddamn idiot,” Katsuki said, trying to sound furious, glaring through wet eyes. He thrust the box at Deku, who opened it with a stunned expression to find an emerald ring inside. “Didn’t I say I was gonna propose first?”

A quivering pause, then Deku gave a wet laugh, tearing up again, his eyes sparkling like stars. A sob tore from his throat, and Katsuki tried to kiss him but Deku was crying too much for them to continue, so he just circled his arms around him and shoved his face into Deku’s neck, scenting him with overjoyed pheromones that just made Deku cling to him tighter.

Actions:

- Make it official: Put the ring on.

- Get distracted: Keep kissing Deku.

- Confess: Go for it. It’s about time.

“I love you,” Katsuki said, burying his nose in salty green hair, more seaweed-like than ever, and Deku drew back right away, gazing at him with wide-open eyes.

“You’ve never said that before,” Deku said, awed.

“Well, this is a good fuckin’ time, isn’t it?”

“Say it again, Kacchan, please,” he begged, giving him an adoring look. “Just once more—”

Fuck, this was embarrassing, but indulging Deku was wonderful and addicting and he just wanted to make Deku happy. The words felt sweet on his tongue and Deku sobbed out something that was satisfying close to a response so Katsuki grabbed his wrists and tugged him to his feet before their friends could see and jump on them like overexcited sports fans.

He was clearly too late—eagle-eyed Ashido was sprinting over to them, yelling something at Kirishima, who looked like he just found out he would get to meet Crimson Riot in person. At least they had a few more seconds alone before their friends reached them.

Katsuki’s hands were shaking so badly that he could barely slip on the ring, but somehow, he managed, then they were both sporting matching rings; green and red, shimmering under the glowing sun. Kirishima barreled into them with all the force of a cannonball, followed by their other friends, and there was something endearing about their friends’ pure happiness for them.

“Kacchan’s gonna be my mate,” Deku announced, the nerd, in the same tone he always used to declare that he was going to be the top hero, determined and elated and so happy he was almost disbelieving.

Katsuki wanted to say something sarcastic, but a sappy smile was taking over his face and it was all he could do to say, “Damn right I am.”

-

It was graduation day, half an hour before the ceremony would begin, and Katsuki was standing in the common room, looking over the familiar sofas. The table was devoid of the empty teacups and forgotten pencils that were usually there since everyone had packed up their items, and it looked weirdly empty.

A voice piped up behind him. “Kacchan? What’re you doing here?”

Katsuki turned around to see Deku, decked out in his uniform for their last day of school before they were officially done with this stage of their lives. “Just wanted to see the common room one more time.”

“Really?” he said, surprised. “You’re not that nostalgic.”

“I know, but…” He shrugged. “I’m never coming back, so I figured I’d check it out one last time.” He jerked his head at the kitchen. “Don’t think they ever fixed that burn behind the fridge when Dunce Face overloaded the wires because he got paranoid that his ice-cream would melt.”

“Or the acid stain on the ceiling when Ashido-san tried to clean the carpet using acid,” Deku joked.

He bit back a grin. “Idiots.”

“To be fair, you blew up the television once.”

“It was Pinky’s fault for playing some dumb romantic comedy,” he said indignantly. “If she just played that action one like I said, I wouldn’t have gotten chewed out by Aizawa.”

Izuku laughed. “It was a fun year. I never thought I’d ever get to be with you this way.”

“Nerd.” Katsuki’s lips curved into a reluctant smile. “It’s not like I ever thought I’d end up with your dorky ass, either.”

His gaze softened. “I’m glad I gave you that sweater. Even if you tried to kill me.”

“I didn’t try to kill you!” He huffed. “Besides, what kind of idiot gives an alpha a sweater drenched in fucking alpha pheromones?”

“It worked for us,” he countered cheerfully. “And you like how I smell, anyway.”

Katsuki snorted. “You’re such an idiot. Come here.”

Deku stepped closer to him and Katsuki reached up to undo his wonky tie, straightening it out before looping it around his neck again and tying it into a proper knot. Once the tie was perfect, he straightened Deku’s collar, brushing off a few loose hairs and tugging it into place.

“Better,” he said, satisfied. “Let’s go back.”

“Wait.” Hope brightened his face. “One more kiss, Kacchan?”

Actions:

Accept: Kiss Deku.

Refuse: Push Deku away.

Confuse: Mess up Deku’s tie.

Katsuki grinned. “Come on, then, alpha. Show me what you’ve got.”

Deku didn’t hesitate, tugging him into a kiss that put all movie kisses to shame. It was an explosion. It was green lightning and blazing light and energy all around him. Katsuki threw his arms around Deku’s neck and yanked him close, chasing the surging feeling that flooded through his body, the dizzying elation that started in his head and coursed through him until it came to a crackling stop at the ring on his finger.

When they broke apart, Deku was breathless. “Are you ready to go now?”

Finally, Katsuki let himself smile. “Yeah. I’m ready.”

Congratulations! You have successfully completed the simulator. We also have additional spinoffs such as Marriage Simulator and Parenthood Simulator available. Please enjoy your Deku :)