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Izuku loves visiting Yuuei’s downtown market.
He hardly counts it as a chore, not when he delights in exploring the cobbled avenues shaded by colorful awnings. Festive lanterns, laundry, fresh fish and more hang between the various stalls and open storefronts that sold everything, from mundane items, like spools of thread or blocks of cheese, to bizarre finds like that cursed necklace of shriveled heads.
There's always something new to see, something interesting to discover. The marketplace itself only takes up a few blocks at the east side of the city, but it opens to the seaside port, where ships from various places dock and unload their exotic wares.
Izuku can spend a whole day there and barely scratch the surface of everything they offer.
However, the downtown market isn't just a place to make purchases. Battles are fought here daily, between customers who desire the same item, between vendors peddling the same goods, and, more importantly, between a customer and a vendor haggling over the final cost of a sale.
It's that last one that Izuku looks forward to the most.
He is ridiculously good at haggling. It’s a little known fact that throws people for a loop, because no one would think that someone like him—who cries over baby animals—would have what it takes to fight for a good deal.
Izuku doesn’t mind being underestimated; it’s one of the things that give him an edge in the haggling scene. Vendors think he’s easy prey and put their guards down around him, which is perfect, because another little known fact about Izuku is how good he is at reading people.
A childhood spent evading bullies can do that to a person. Izuku can tell when a vendor is bluffing by the shift of their eyes, or when they're desperate to make a sale by the way their lips purse and brows furrow.
It has served him well in the last decade since he started visiting the market on his own.
A heavy arm drapes over his shoulders, and the scent of caramel and sandalwood engulfs him. Izuku looks up and finds sharp red eyes looking back.
“Ready to make these losers cry, Deku?”
Izuku’s heart flutters at their proximity, his skin tingling from where it’s pressed against that bare, solid chest (curse these dragon-folk and their disdain for cotton shirts!).
“W-We’re here to shop, not to terrorize the locals, Kacchan,” says Izuku, quietly proud that he squeaked only once. His childhood friend has been very… clingy lately, always close by, always pushing into Izuku’s personal space as if he belonged there (he does; Izuku had carved out a place for him long ago).
“Iida-kun won’t like it if one of the vendors files a report.”
Katsuki rolls his eyes. “Glasses can go suck a dick. It’s not my fucking fault that these extras can’t handle a little haggling.”
Here's an interesting fact about Bakugou Katsuki, fearsome barbarian prince of the Dragon Isles and Izuku's childhood friend and secret love of his life (shh):
He is also very good at haggling.
You'd think visiting a common market would be beneath someone of Katsuki's status but the people of the Dragon Isles have very different customs from the mainland.
Izuku may have gotten into the game out of necessity, a way to stretch his measly coin as far as it can go, but Katsuki was pretty much raised on the practice. He grew up accompanying his mom, the queen, to their ports every Sunday morning, where she personally haggled with merchants to get favorable deals on food and essential supplies, not only for her family, but for her subjects as well.
So really, it’s no surprise Katsuki grew up to be good at it too, the way he’s good at everything else (Kacchan is amazing, after all). Even if his style of haggling often toes the line between negotiation and intimidation.
But that’s fine. Because Izuku’s charisma easily balances him out, and together, they make for a formidable duo in the marketplace.
“Well, can you at least try not to set anything on fire today?”
Katsuki smirks at him, unbearably handsome with his mouth curled upward and the tips of his long canines peeking out; with how the mirth and amusement behind his eyes made the deep coral of his irises pop and shine.
And then, without any warning, this beautiful bastard lands another devastating blow to Izuku’s psyche by leaning down and getting so close his lips were literally kissing the shell of his ear.
“No promises, nerd,” Katsuki whispers, chuckling lowly, and Izuku’s heart jumps at the gravelly sound. It would have exploded straight out of his chest if his ribs hadn’t been in the way.
But before Izuku can recover from… whatever the hell that was, Katsuki’s already stomping ahead and snapping at him to hurry up.
For one a horrific moment, Izuku thinks he accidentally used psychedelic mushrooms instead of regular ones in his morning stew. But then he sees the tips of Katsuki’s ears flushed bright pink, and he thinks that what happened might not be a hallucination after all.
“Deku, look! They have a deal on pork tenderloin cuts. Five coppers for five pounds.”
That snaps Izuku out of daze. He makes the executive decision to have his meltdown some other time. For now, they’ve got some shopping to do!
"I'll take it for four coppers and a shilling!"
“Ha?! What do you mean this shitty coat is worth five fucking silver coins? I know a stable boy who wears one that looks better than this, and he got that for a chicken and two heads of cabbage!”
“But sir, this is made from the tanned hide of a Dorado bull! It’s fire-retardant and the thick fur lining will serve you well come winter!”
“No one’s seen a Dorado bull in over a decade you lying fuck-nut, there’s no way this is the real thing! Charging that much for a shitty knock-off is highway robbery!”
“I swear to the lord All Might himself, this is genuine Dorado leather! Getting it for five silver is the best deal you’ll ever get!”
“Well, if you’re so fucking sure, why don’t you wear it now?”
“S-Sir?”
“Go ahead, put it on. Then I’ll set you on fire and we’ll know for sure if this is the genuine article or not!”
“Eek! Help!”
“Kacchan! What on earth are you doing?!”
“I’m teaching this scumbag a lesson.”
“Oh for crying out loud—sir, please accept my sincerest apologies for my friends actions! I swear, I took my eyes off him for just one second, and… anyway! I am so sorry, please don’t take his words to heart, he doesn’t mean anything he said! He’s a really nice guy under all that ridiculous aggression—”
“Oi!”
“—but he’s new in town and he doesn’t quite understand the way things work here yet. I mean, it’s obvious that this is genuine Dorado leather, the stitching is a dead give away! And the styling… that’s classic Ladoran, isn’t it?”
“O-Oh, uh, yes, why it most definitely is! You have quite the eye for detail, my good sir! Clearly you’re a man of expensive tastes!”
“Ah, no, I’m afraid I’m just a well-traveled scholar. Every nobleman in Luther owns at least one Dorado coat, and I’ve worked for a few when I was younger. But good quality Dorado leather is hard to come by nowadays, so it’s a treat to find one right here!”
“And it could be yours too, for the fair price of five silver!”
“Oh, my apologies, but five silver is way out of our budget. Still, your store has a lovely collection of furs; do you have any wares under three silver, perhaps?”
“Hm, well… for such a nice young man like you, I can part with this Dorado coat for three silver.”
“But that’s such a big discount! You’ll be losing so much money and I cannot take that on my conscience! No, I’ll be happy to purchase these Raath furs you have on sale. That’s three for one copper, right?”
“No, please, I insist! Someone like you deserves better than those trashy furs. I wouldn’t sell that to my worst enemy. Here, you can have the Dorado coat for two silver! Final offer!”
“I mean, this is a truly beautiful coat… and the fire-retardant properties will serve me well when I visit the Dragon isles next summer… but it still feels like I’m taking advantage of you, sir…”
“Nonsense! You’re doing me a favor! This piece has been collecting dust in my inventory for ages. I’ve never met someone who deserves it as much as you do!”
“Well, if you’re sure—“
“I am very sure; here, I’ll even throw in this brooch clip, free of charge!”
“That is very kind of you, sir. Alright, I’ll take it for two silver. Thank you!”
“No, thank you for your patronage! You’re always welcome to return, we have new items every week!”
“Gladly!”
“Just don’t bring your blond brute with you next time.”
“Ha?! I will cut you open and eat your liver, you slimy basta—“
“We’re going now! Have a nice day!”
Katsuki started cackling as soon as they were out of earshot.
“Ha, that sucker fell for it!”
Even Izuku can’t stop the grin that stretched across his face as he admired their latest acquisition.
It’s the best deal they’ve gotten all day, thanks to their hero-villain act, their most successful haggling strategy by far. Katsuki will never pass on the chance to threaten someone, and guess who swoops in just in time to save the frightened vendors from the blond brute?
By the time Izuku’s done charming them, the vendors would be so smitten and grateful that they'd give him anything he wanted. It’s like taking candy from a baby, except Izuku will never steal from a child and no one should be giving infants that much sugar anyway.
“Can’t believe he fucking sold us real Dorado leather for only two silver. I saw this go for ten gold at an auction in Haldor last year. And this brooch he gave us for free? This is Othryian brass. It’s worth at least one gold. That moron didn’t know what the hell he’s doing.”
Izuku hums in agreement, a pep in his step, feeling no guilt whatsoever. Though he tried his best to be fair whenever he’s haggling, his mercy didn't extend to unscrupulous vendors who sold counterfeit or poor quality goods at exorbitantly high prices.
Like their recent victim.
“I don't know how he got his hands on this coat, but he clearly believes it’s fake too, otherwise he wouldn’t have set the price at only five silver. Most of the stuff in his shop are knock-offs, but the moment I saw this on display, I knew it was the real thing.”
Katsuki snorts and nudges him playfully. “Of course you did. You’re the Dorado bull expert, ain’t ya? After all, didn’t you take down a fully-grown one all by yourself when we were kids?”
Izuku groans. “Kacchan, you know that’s not what happened! The bull charged at me, slipped on a patch of moss, and hit its head on the rock I was cowering behind. I did not take it down.”
“Nah, we’ll stick to my version. It sounds way cooler.”
Then Katsuki abruptly snatches the coat out of Izuku's hands.
“Kacchan, what are you doing?” Izuku asks when the blond drapes it over his shoulders.
“Checking the fit, obviously."
“But didn’t we buy this for you? We used your silver for it."
“Ha? The fuck would I need a fire-retardant coat for? I’m half-dragon, idiot. I’m already immune to fire.”
Izuku tilts his head. Okay, that made sense. “Then why did we buy it in the first place?”
Katsuki glares at him like he’s stupid, which, to be fair, Izuku often is over anything that involves his childhood friend. He knows Katsuki like the back of his hand (he knew when the blond was potty-trained for heaven’s sake), and yet his friend still finds ways to baffle him.
Like what happened earlier that day. And what’s happening now.
“This coat is for you, you dumb stack of bricks,” Katsuki replies, saying his words slowly and loudly, as if he’s talking to a senile troll. “I bought it for you.”
Izuku frowns, his confusion only growing. Okay? But why? He tries to think of an occasion that might warrant such a lucrative gift. Was it for his birthday? Nah, Katsuki already gave him a rare alchemist tome back then. And Saturnalia is still months away. Is this for some Dragon-born festival he didn’t know? But Izuku spent a good chunk of his life in Katsuki’s clan—he knew all there is to know about their culture.
Maybe today's the anniversary of some special moment in their childhood that Izuku has forgotten about?
No, that’s more unlikely than an obscure Dragon-born festival. Izuku’s mind is like a steel trap. He’ll never forget important events, especially those that concern Katsuki.
His confusion must’ve been obvious on his face because the other man groaned, his hands coming up to his hair and tugging it in clear frustration. “For fuck’s sake, Deku.”
Izuku flinches. Katsuki is obviously pissed at him, but why?
“Sorry, Kacchan,” he mumbles, ducking his head and hoping the blond would take his generic apology for whatever he had done wrong this time.
Izuku hears another exasperated sigh before a calloused hand suddenly cups his cheek, making him jump. He stares up at Katsuki, eyes wide, mind going blank with shock.
“It’s not really your fault,” Katsuki mutters, his expression oddly pensive. A thumb gently strokes the crest of Izuku’s cheek and his soul leaves his body. What the heck is happening?!
“If you’re not getting it by now, then that just means I have to kick things up a notch.”
“K-K-Kick what up a notch, exactly?”
Again, he’s treated to another handsome grin.
“You’ll see,” Katsuki says without explaining further, and All Might help him, Izuku is this close to strangling his childhood friend.
“But—you—I—wait—what—“
Sadly, Katsuki ignores his indignant sputtering and gives his cheek a mocking pat before letting it go. “Now come on, nerd, we gotta hurry up if we want to finish before sundown. What’s next on the list?”
Izuku blinks, getting whiplash from the abrupt change in topic. A part of him wants to continue pestering the blond for answers, but he also knows Katsuki well enough to know when his friend has made up his mind about something. It’ll be easier to take down a Dorado bull than to make Bakugou Katsuki do anything he didn’t want to do.
With a huff, Izuku decides to leave the matter to his future self to deal with. For now, they still have a lot of shopping and haggling to do.
“We need to find some pickled eel.”
Katsuki makes a face. “Ugh, I fucking hate that shit! It’s so slimy and gross!”
Izuku smiles. Well, at least the weird tension between them has passed.
“Good thing it’s not for you then! Aizawa-san asked me to buy a few jars for him. It helps with his arthritis. But we should hurry—they usually sell out fast!”
It takes them longer than planned to go through their entire shopping list.
By the time they paid for the last item they needed, it was nearly sundown. Now they're at the docks, taking a break on a rickety platform before they make the trek back to Izuku's apothecary and home. The spoils of their haggling victories are secured inside the satchels and sacks at their feet.
The glittering ocean stretches before them, the silhouettes of departing ships dotting the horizon. The sun’s already setting, its vivid orange bleeding into sea and sky, painting a landscape that’s nothing short of magical.
Izuku pops a fresh strawberry into his mouth and offers the pouch to Katsuki, who wordlessly takes one as he stares at the horizon with that same pensive look from before. The blond hasn't said a single word since they got there, only replying with distracted grunts and snorts whenever Izuku tried to talk to him, until Izuku got the hint and stopped trying.
He shifts foot to foot, nervous. The strange tension between them is back, and with it, an impending sense of doom. It's as if Izuku's fifteen again and waiting to hear if Toshinori Yagi, their country's most famous alchemist, accepted his request for apprenticeship. Back then, his overthinking mind became his worst enemy, and he was a nervous wreck for weeks.
But this time, it's a lot worse, because Izuku has no idea what he's waiting for.
“Hey, Izuku.”
Izuku almost falls into the water. Crap. Katsuki only calls him by his real name when he’s about to talk about something terribly grave.
Izuku takes a shaky step away from the edge of the platform and slowly turns his head. “Y-Yes, Kacchan?”
There’s a shockingly determined look on the other man’s face and it does nothing to soothe Izuku’s growing panic. He had seen that same look several times before, but it usually preceded some big, life-changing event, like the time he apologized to Izuku in the rain, or when he decided to leave his home and join Izuku in his adventures.
What big, life-changing thing is about to happen now?
Izuku waits for Katsuki to continue, but when he doesn’t say anything else for the next minute, Izuku’s anxieties rise to peak levels.
Oh god, is he going to leave him hanging again? Because if he is, then Izuku will definitely commit a crime. He may not have stopped a full-grown Dorado bull single handedly when he was five, but he sure can now, and Katsuki will learn that lesson the hard way.
But before Izuku can grab his childhood friend by the shoulders and shake some answers out of him, the man is already lunging forward, his calloused hands gripping either side of Izuku’s head.
Then, Izuku feels something soft press against his lips.
It takes a second for him to realize what was happening.
Katsuki is… kissing him?
Oh.
Oh.
Oh!
Katsuki is kissing him!
It’s… wow. Katsuki’s lips are softer than Izuku thought they would be, and he had thought about them plenty. And his kiss is feather-light and achingly sweet, a jarring contrast to the harsh lines that make up his existence. Izuku finds himself melting into it, his hands reaching up around Katsuki’s neck, tugging him closer.
A tongue prods at his bottom lip, and suddenly the kiss isn’t as light anymore, there’s a heat that sparks inside Izuku’s mouth when he lets him in, tingles running up and down his spine like mini-explosions.
“I love you,” is the first thing out of Katsuki’s mouth when they part for air.
Izuku can only stare, a little dazed, a little dumbstruck. But before he can process his disbelief, Katsuki is talking again, his eyes boring into Izuku’s as if he’s trying to communicate with his very soul.
“I love you,” he says again, as if the first time wasn’t enough to completely decimate Izuku’s state of mind. “I’ve loved you for a while but it’s only recently when I found the courage to do something about it. But now I know that courting you is as effective as courting a brick wall—it’s not gonna work since you’re too fucking oblivious for anything less direct than this.”
And he kisses him again, more desperate, more bruising, as if he’s trying to pour all the words he wants to say directly into Izuku’s mouth.
Izuku’s knees buckle under him, but he’s okay—Katsuki’s arm is around his waist, holding him close.
“Do you hear what I’m saying, damn nerd?” Katsuki says breathlessly. “Do you understand?”
“I…” Izuku falters, his brain taking too slow to catch up. For someone who prides himself with his quick thinking, he’s taking awfully slow to process the most important moment of his life.
His hesitation sends the wrong message. Izuku sees the doubt and uncertainty appear on Katsuki’s face, growing with every second of silence that passed between them. He can feel the blond’s body tensing against him, preparing to flee.
Oh, absolutely not. There’s no way Izuku is letting him go ever again.
Since his brain isn’t working, Izuku pulls him into another kiss, hoping it’ll be enough to convey the feelings he had nurtured since they were snot-nosed kids playing with wooden swords in the forest with the fallen log over a babbling brook;
He hopes Katsuki will feel the boundless extent of his respect, of his adoration, his longing… and of his love.
And Katsuki seems to understand, by the way his body uncoils, the tension bleeding out of his shoulders as his hands grip Izuku more tightly.
When they break for air, Izuku’s brain is all caught up, and he finally gets to shyly say the words he’s been holding back for two decades:
“I love you too, Kacchan.”
This isn’t how he thought their day at the market would end. They should be home by now, making dinner. Maybe they’ll share a pint of ale to celebrate how they haggled their way into so many good deals.
But the way Katsuki’s face broke into the most beautiful smile after Izuku told him that he loved him, is, hands down, the best thing Izuku’s ever seen in Yuuei’s downtown market.
And when Katsuki kisses him again, for the third, fourth, and tenth time on that rickety platform at the docks of downtown Yuuei, Izuku looks forward to returning there in a month’s time, with his best friend and lover haggling by his side.
The two of them have always made for a formidable duo in the marketplace or in any place else, really.
But the two of them together in love?
Requitedly, hopelessly, devotedly in love?
Oh, they would be unstoppable.