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The half and half bastard has been getting more and more comfortable cozying up in his dorm room like he owns the fucking place.
Barges in and parks his pretty boy ass on the edge of the bed – he used to sit on the floor, all cross-legged like he sits at his own low table in his stupid traditional Japanese room, but quickly took to expanding his area of intrusion – and sparks conversation about one thing or another.
They used to spend time doing homework, talking about battle strategies and going over the moves they tried on each other during training. Then it steadily progressed into casual topics, things Katsuki used to think were a waste of time talking about, yet he somehow enjoys going over them with Todoroki now.
His voice is also not shit listening to, it’s got a sort of calming and deep cadence to it that Katsuki finds could listen to for hours on end and wouldn’t feel the need to tell the other to shut up. He might be able to fall asleep to it, if he thinks about it. Half and half’s got the right tone and depth in his voice to lull someone to sleep.
Not that Katsuki was going to conk out with the icyhot bastard still in his room.
He remembers when he used to be so fucking adamant about not letting anyone in his room back in their first year. Then all that shit happened and now, now he doesn’t really care who walks in and out of his door (As long as you close it behind you, Dunce face!). Still, the one person who seems to come and go the most is the half and half bastard, who apparently doesn’t know that his room is one floor above, and instead comes in and claims the comfort of Bakugou’s room as his.
“Can I come in?” He asks, even though he’s already walking inside, door closed behind him.
“Sure, don’t let me stop you, icyhot.”
“Are you busy, Bakugou?”
Apparently, Todoroki is blind to the book he’s currently holding in his hands, but maybe he asked in a sort of ‘is the book more important than letting me pester you?’ way. With a sigh, he snaps the book shut and turns his attention towards the menace that’s been pestering him non-stop since the beginning of their third year.
Todoroki’s dressed in casual clothes, grey sweatpants and a washed out graphic t-shirt (looks to be one of Natsuo’s hand-me-downs), hair fluffier than usual. He looks- he looks really fucking good for having put apparently no effort whatsoever into it, and Bakugou feels another headache coming when the thought hits him.
“Do you want to watch “All Might Silver Age” with me? I haven’t seen it.”
It’s so unfair that every time halfie comes into his room he looks like this. All, relaxed and shit. He doesn’t care about the prim and proper way he’s supposed to carry himself, nor if he looks like he just woke up from one of his multiple naps. Just walks down to Bakugou’s room like it’s an extension of his own dorm.
It used to piss him off. How little care Todoroki used to have about his personal space and just invaded it like he belongs in it too.
“Yeah, grab my laptop, it’s on the desk. D’you want a blanket?”
“Yes, please.”
“Told you to stop being so fucking formal, halfie.”
Many sleepless nights later, Katsuki came to the conclusion that yes, the half and half bastard does belong in his personal space. With his dumb mismatched doe eyes and his small pouty mouth and his terribly cute nose scrunch.
It’s even more terrible for Katsuki’s heart that he caught onto all these details about Todoroki.
But how could he not, when the term ‘personal space’ seems to evade icyhot the second he drifts close to him, close enough that not even a sheet of paper could slip in between them. Katsuki usually minds physical touch, especially when it comes unannounced and from idiot extras who he has no business letting get this close to him.
Over the years, he’s grown acclimated to half-hugs and fist bumps from Kirishima, spontaneous hugs from Mina and Kaminari’s dramatic outbursts when he drapes himself all over his back in hopes that Bakugou will haul him back up. He also doesn’t snap so much when people accidentally bump into him in the hallways, but that also doesn’t mean that he wants to be touched all the fucking time.
With Todoroki on the other hand, his touch isn’t, bad per say. It does ignite that little fire in him, the one very much alike to the roaring flames of his anger, or an explosive outburst of curses, but it isn’t any of those.
His body grows warm all over when half and half presses their sides together in the school cafeteria, because apparently icyhot has to join him at his lunch table. When they spar without quirks and their session somehow ends in them sharing tips on how to move more efficiently in specific situations, which ends up with Todoroki’s hands all over his body, guiding his limbs in position.
The way his complaints die on the tip of his tongue and his insides turn to mush when half and half reaches out to secure the fluffy blanket over both of them, even if Katsuki didn’t say anything, and scoots closer to him on the bed so it doesn’t slip off.
And like, how is Katsuki supposed to remain calm about this? About this whole- this whole charade half and half is playing with his fucking- with his nerves, yeah, not his heart. No fucking way. He’s not, he’s not trying to smother the violent thumping of his heart when he feels the tickle of Todoroki’s hair on his neck – why the fuck are they so close??
They’re close and Katsuki can smell half and half’s vanilla and lemon body wash and the faint notes of his cologne the bastard keeps spraying on himself every morning before school like he’s attending some stupid fancy event. It’s annoyingly endearing, he thought when he first caught Todoroki spritzing cologne, the expensive kind of fucking course, before walking down for breakfast in the common room.
Breakfast cooked by Bakugou mind you, because icyhot is that fucking hopeless in the kitchen. Okay, he might not be completely useless, but Katsuki works faster and gets shit down better than most of the idiots in their class, so he’d rather suck it up and cook for them instead of waiting for the next fire to burst in their dorm kitchen.
And he always comes around in the kitchen much later than everybody else, because the pretty idiot takes his time in the morning, although Katsuki calls bullshit on that, he knows Todoroki’s staying in bed as much as he can before he has to inevitably get up and get ready for classes. He’ll shuffle close behind him, lean his chin on Bakugou’s shoulder to take a peek at what he’s cooking, every damn time.
And every time, like clockwork, Katsuki elbows him in the stomach. At least, attempts to, in a way of getting the idiot off him before someone could walk in and see them getting all cozy in the kitchen like a couple of dumbasses, because after the first attempted attack, Todoroki learned to dodge.
“Don’t cling to me, moron, the food will burn. D’you want charred eggs for breakfast, Todoroki?”
“Mmm, I don’t think you’ll let the eggs burn. You’re too much of a perfectionist to do that.”
“Shut the fuck up.”
“Feed me and I will.”
“I’ll feed this pan over your head.” He mutters, an empty threat, given the way Todoroki is now leaning into him so their shoulders touch, “Make yourself useful and grab two plates. I’m almost done.”
And because the pretty princess takes his time in the morning, they’re usually the last two people to eat breakfast before they have to head out to class. It used to bother Katsuki, given his habit of waking up early, whipping something up just for himself then heading to class early, before the extras would come flooding in. But now, taking his time doing certain things doesn’t irritate him as much as it used to.
Sharing breakfast with Todoroki in the silence of their almost empty dorms turned out to be a great start to his day. Not that Katsuki would ever admit to that, it took a hell of a while to admit it to himself, in his head, in the secrecy of his restless night.
Along the way, half and half started taking his naps in Bakugou’s room.
Again, fucking rude, but it managed to baffle the fuck out of him. He knows Todoroki can fall asleep seemingly anywhere- on the bus when Aizawa takes them on yet another training trip, at lunch when the idiot stays up late at night reading manga, during Present Mic’s English classes hidden at the back of the class. But he also wakes up easily, almost like he’s startled out of slumber.
When he drapes himself in Bakugou’s bed and his head hits the pillow, he’s out like a light. No amount of shaking or calling his name – yes, calling him ‘stupid half and half bastard’ counts as calling his name – will rouse him.
The first time it happened Todoroki woke up in a daze, probably confused as to where the fuck he had fallen asleep and then proceeded to apologize profusely to Katsuki for falling asleep and ‘inconveniencing’ him. When the idiot almost never apologizes when he barges into Katsuki’s room. And he looked real’ fucking distressed, almost like he burdened Bakugou that much by taking a nap on his bed.
Look, Katsuki was about to start yelling at him to take his ass back to his own dorm, but having seen how fucking serene Todoroki looked while sleeping in his bed, and how despite oftentimes looking like he’s on the verge of dozing off, has never fallen asleep in Bakugou’s room before, made him change his mind. Half and half looked like he needed that nap, whatever the reason may be.
“Don’t sweat it, halfie. Next time make sure you go to sleep at an appropriate hour and not fuck around til’ 2am with cat videos, yeah?”
“I’ll keep in mind.”
The idiot did not, in fact, keep that in mind.
Because not even a week later, he’s back to snoozing in Katsuki’s bed.
Whatever, he can go over next week’s homework he guesses, since he’s now got the peace and quietness for it. Not that Todoroki’s usual chattering bothers him.
Even when he’s asleep, Katsuki can still sense his presence, and not in the incessant way he can tell Kaminari is behind him probably pulling one of those stupid ass faces. Like, like the steady crackle of flames in a fireplace. Like the snow setting on his windowsill during winter time.
Todoroki’s there, in his bed, and it doesn’t bother Katsuki.
He almost likes it. In that weird selfish way that makes him think his bed must be better than everyone else’s because Todoroki chose to fall asleep on it. His room must be way cooler than shitty Deku’s, if half and half chooses to spend his time in here with Bakugou.
The thought that maybe he is the reason why Todoroki keeps coming here doesn’t even cross his mind. Half and half is just too comfortable taking up other people’s personal space for his own good, it’s got nothing to do with Katsuki.
Not, not when halfie goes around yapping about the two of them being friends.
Yeah, he does like the fact that he’s got pretty boy sprawled on his bed asleep, looking so at peace like he’s a snug bug sleeping inside a flower bud, but that has nothing to do with the rapid beating of his heart. Nor the way his palms clam up. And neither with the reddening of his cheeks when red eyes catch a sliver of naked skin as Todoroki moves around in his sleep.
No, not at all.
One day, half and half comes through his door right as Katsuki’s getting ready for sleep. It’s pretty late, but he also finds that he doesn’t want to kick icyhot out just now. He’ll hear him out if the boy wants to share another idiotic conspiracy theory with him, or to show him a cat video in person, instead of sending it directly on his phone.
(“You can text me, you know? I gave you my number for that, half and half.”
“I know, but I wanted to see your reaction in person.”
“You’re so fucking weird, shortcake-“
“Shh, pay attention.”)
It gets a huff of laughter out of him when he sees Todoroki’s eyes widening when he sees Katsuki changing out of his day clothes into pajamas.
“Got lost on your way to your room, pretty boy? I keep telling you you’re on the 5th floor.”
“Uhm… no, I know where I am.”
Recovering quickly, Todoroki bypasses him and plops himself onto Katsuki’s bed. When the nightstand lamp light hits him, he sees that half and half’s dressed up in pajamas himself. What the hell is he doing in Katsuki’s room at this hour?
“Do you need something, half and half?”
“Mm, no, I know where you keep your water.”
“The fuck- what are you doing?”
Icyhot doesn’t even look deterred by the yelling, and instead of providing any sort of explanation, he shuffles under Bakugou’s blanket, pulling it up to his chin. He drags it close over his shoulders until he’s effectively wrapped in it, like a baby in a bundle blanket. He has no right looking so fucking cute right now, not when Katsuki feels like his face is on fire the more he looks his way.
“Going to sleep. You said I need to stop fucking around and fall asleep at a reasonable hour.”
“And what’s that got to do with you taking over my bed!?”
Todoroki makes a show of shuffling just so to one side and lying on half the pillow.
“There’s room for you, too. See?”
Katsuki huffs out a breath through his nose and walks closer to the bed, setting one foot on the edge of it. The mattress dips and Todoroki slides towards him as a result. Much to Bakugou’s own torment, half and half doesn’t look like he’s going to get up anytime soon.
“Room for me my fucking ass- you’ looking for a fight, princess?”
“Not right now, maybe tomorrow. We can spar if you want-“ His words get interrupted by a yawn, which the bastard doesn’t even bother covering with a hand, then smacks his lips softly and looks up at him, “but I’m tired now. And you were getting ready to sleep. Come lay down.”
He wants to refuse, to argue about it some more, maybe hit the half and half bastard with a pillow right in his pretty boy face, see his hair all disheveled and maybe rake his hands through it afterwards-
Unfortunately for his poor heart, Katsuki doesn’t have it in him to say no. Nor to demand Todoroki to get back to his dorm and leave him alone.
The things pretty boy does to him are really a health hazard, if the way Bakugou can feel his heart beating in his ears is anything to go by.
That’s how they start having ‘sleepovers’. Todoroki calls them that, while Katsuki calls them ‘you taking over my bed against my will’. Although, half and half always gives him a choice, always looks up at Katsuki and waits, waits and waits and waits for the blond to say something, to finally kick him out and yell at him to never bother him again.
“I’m used to feeling like a burden.”
Todoroki confessed to him one night. When they were supposed to go to sleep, but instead ended up talking about stupid shit, then moving onto shared trauma, because what’s high school life without nightmares and panic attacks as the aftermath of a war.
It’ll take a while for them to heal from it, and it might never go away entirely, but at least Katsuki’s not having as many night terrors as he used to, now that half and half’s sleeping on the other half of his bed. Not that his dorm bed is big enough to warrant to halves big enough for an upcoming hero to sleep on.
“I’m afraid of being left behind.”
Todoroki tells him another night. Whispers out in the darkness of Bakugou’s room. He’s lying with his back to Todoroki, can’t see what face he’s making, if he’s making a face that is. Pretty bastard’s way too good at keeping a straight face during the worst kind of moments. But when the façade crumbles, his face crumps up like a wet tissue and he’s so so expressive that it almost scares Katsuki.
He’s never been good with words, especially not when what’s eating up at Todoroki is also a cause of worry for him sometimes. So he turns around and gestures for half and half to do the same, until they’re a mirror of how they were a few moments ago, and gathers Todoroki in his arms.
“No one’s leaving you behind, idiot. And if you feel like you’re falling behind, I’ll wait for you to catch up. Need someone there to give me a run for my money, icyhot. Can’t blow up shitty villains without my personal heater.”
It’s a lot even for him, but his mouth to brain filters breaks halfway and he can’t stop himself. Doesn’t want to stop in fact, not when he feels the way Todoroki melts in his arms and scoots closer until Katsuki’s chest is pressed tight to his back.
“Thank you, Katsuki.”
“Don’t fucking thank me, Shou…you’d do the same.”
Katsuki falls asleep with his face pressed into silky red and white hair, arms wound up around Shouto’s waist. It’s the best sleep he’s ever had in years.
Following that night, Shouto grows bolder, braver, more open about voicing the things he wants. And not just the usual shit the talks about during the day when they hang out doing homework like “I really want a cat, do you think Aizawa-sensei would let me bring one at the dorms?” “Can we go grab some ice cream after this? I’m craving a melon bar.”
He gets under the covers, cheek squished into Katsuki’s pillow and starts talking about his family,
“I don’t want to work as Endeavor’s sidekick after we graduate. Want to make my own agency some day, make a name for myself.”
Katsuki wants to tell him that he already did. That he’s known as “Shouto, the hero who reassures people.” Maybe he can show him one day.
“I want to help my mom move into her own place. Maybe get a pet bird, or a small dog. Something that won’t stress her out.”
Starts talking about the shit he didn’t get to do as a kid, the things he missed out on and the things he wants to experience now,
“I want to go on one of those rollercoasters that go in a loop, at the amusement park. Kaminari and Kirishima told me about them. They look like fun.”
“I want to go to the beach and build sandcastles, or collect seashells. Ochako has a collection, she showed it to me. She even painted some of the shells.”
Katsuki is struck by the thought that he wants to do all those things with Shouto. Take him places and show him things because he deserves to have some motherfucking fun in his life for once. Take a break from classes and training and just be a teenager for a few hours. A day at least. If they don’t have the time for more than that.
Starts talking about the things he wants, the things he craves, until Katsuki learns that he’s on the list too.
“I want to kiss you.”
It floats up into the quiet night, and if Bakugou were any sleepier, he would’ve thought Shouto said something else. That he wants another cat, add it to the pile of imaginary cats he’s been collecting in his head. That he wants cold soba, which he’ll rope Katsuki into making for him the next day.
“What”
Katsuki’s almost afraid to open his eyes, afraid that he’s already asleep and this is all a dream and Shouto’s not lying next to him in bed, looking like a sleepy kitten.
“I want to kiss you, Katsuki. Every time I see you I get this urge to kiss you. To be close to you. You’ve always been there for me, taking care of me, cooking for me…I can’t remember the last time someone doted on me the way you do.”
He opens his eyes and sees Shouto staring back at him, catching his hopeful and open gaze in the darkness of his room. They’re really close, knees practically touching, with Shouto’s hands playing with Katsuki’s fingers. A habit he does when he’s nervous about something.
“You always listen to me and it makes me happy. It makes me feel like I’m being…wanted. Like you enjoy having me by your side.”
“I do. S’not hard, you make it easy.”
Even while lying down, Shouto somehow manages to tilt his head cutely to the side in confusion.
“I make what easy?”
“To care about you. To enjoy having you by my side.” Katsuki, in his sleepy and content daze, grabs Shouto’s hands and pulls him even closer, until their foreheads touch. “To love you.”
“Oh.” He can almost feel Shouto’s smile, “You too, then. You make it easy too. Easy for me to love you.”
He doesn’t know who leans in first, but their lips meet in the middle in the sweetest of kisses – not that Katsuki has anything to compare it to, but it’s sickly saccharine and he fucking loves it – and they don’t pull away until they’re running out of breath.
Shouto goes soft and pliant in his embrace, moves his arms to wrap them around Katsuki’s middle, to rub them soothingly up and down his back like he’s having a feel of his body. They mold together so well that you’d be unable to tell where one started and the other ended. Somehow, he ends up hauling Shouto on top of him, letting pretty boy rest on his chest and kiss him to his heart’s content.
They’re a mess of sleepy kisses and wet pecks several minutes later, when Shouto starts yawning in his mouth. Katsuki bites at his lips as a silent scolding over the fact that they should be asleep, and instead they’re- instead they’re kissing like lovesick teenagers in Bakugou’s bed.
And you know what, fuck it, they are lovesick teenagers, and they should be allowed to make out on Katsuki’s bed at 11pm on a school night, morning classes be damned. Katsuki’s chest is too fluttery for him to care about the consequences of staying up late.
Waking up cranky in the morning doesn’t compare to kissing Shouto breathless, until he’s whimpering into his mouth and licks at his lips like he’s hungry to taste Katsuki’s very essence. And even if he does wake up in a shitty mood from having not slept enough hours, he’ll be greeted by Shouto’s pretty face first thing in the morning.
So in the end, it can’t be all that bad.
Not when Shouto’s right where he belongs, intruding in on Katsuki’s personal space, tucked right against his heart.