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“I dare you to…ding-dong-ditch one of the graduate apartments…in only your underwear!”
“No way!” Izuku hiccupped, brain fuzzy with alcohol. “Do-over! I pick truth!”
“Ah ah ah, you already chose truth too many times, by law you have to do dare!” crowed Mina gleefully.
“Ochakoooooooo!” Izuku whined, but the brunette just shrugged, sporting a wicked grin of her own.
“Those are the rules, Deku-kun!” She replied. “Go on, strip! I doubt any of the upperclassmen are even home, they all pretty much live at the library,” she added, attempting to console her friend. “C’mon, just do it!”
“Fineeeee…” Izuku grumpily pulled off his shirt and Mina wolf-whistled. He flipped her off and took his pants off too, regretting every decision that had led him to this point.
The cool air sobered him slightly and goosebumps sprang up across his naked skin as he stared at the graduate apartments, choosing the closest one with darkened windows. “Please let Ochako be right…” he whispered with a violent shiver. “No more alcohol after this, just water from here on out…” he told himself, pressing the apartment’s doorbell before he could talk himself out of it.
He was about to take off when the door opened and the grad student inside said,
“What the actual fuck?”
“It was a dare!” Izuku squealed, unable to keep himself from checking out the man in the doorway. He was blond and tall, with broad shoulders and enchanting red eyes. “So sorry for the disturbance!”
“Katsuki!” A male voice called from inside the apartment, causing the blond to turn his head. Probably his boyfriend, if they’re familiar enough for first names.
Izuku couldn’t help the pang of disappointment that lanced through his chest. As if he’s anywhere near your league! He thought self-deprecatingly. “Who is it?” The voice continued.
“Don’t worry about it, Shitty Hair! Just a stupid freshman pulling a prank!” the blond called back. He turned to Izuku again, who was frozen in place, either by fear or by the actual weather. “Go on dumbass, get outta here before I report you to campus security for underage drinking,” he said, starting to close the door.
He paused before it closed completely, adding, “Nice All Might underwear, by the way.”
Izuku, who had turned away, looked back to find the blond wearing a handsome grin. He smiled shakily back, mortified and charmed at the same time.
“T-Thank you!” He exclaimed. Before he could embarrass himself further, he ran back to his dorm, heart racing and skin turning blue at the edges. He made his way to Mina and Ochako’s room, pounding on the door and praying the RA had completed their rounds for that hour.
Ochako opened the door and Izuku sprang for his clothes, freezing and flushed all at once.
“What took so long?” Mina asked before tossing back yet another Jell-O shot.
“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you,” Izuku answered, smiling stupidly.
“Oh, now you have to spill the tea,” Ochako’s roommate grinned.
“No way!” He buried himself in Ochako’s bed, turning her heated blanket on high and rubbing his hands together.
“C’mon, Deku-kun, don’t leave us hanging!” Ochako begged, sitting down on the edge of the bed. Unbeknownst to the girls, he smiled goofily.
“He liked my All Might underwear.”
The following Monday was the first official day of classes, and Izuku was practically floating as he walked into Professor Yagi’s lecture hall. He’d admired the man for years and had tried multiple times to get into this class, but he either hadn’t had enough credits or registration had closed by the time he could log in.
Not anymore! I’m here, and I’m ready to learn! He made his way to the front of the room, only for his gaze to settle on an unsettlingly familiar set of red eyes.
The blond graduate student from Saturday night was slouched at a diagonally situated desk, resting his chin in his hand and doodling idly on a pad of paper. Professor Yagi wasn’t here yet, and Izuku had come early to make sure he got a seat in the front row.
When their gazes met, Izuku’s stomach plummeted to the floor. The blond smirked, put down his pencil, stood up, and stretched so that a little bit of his shirt rode up, revealing a tantalizing sliver of golden skin that made Izuku’s mouth go dry. He ducked his head down and hurried to a seat closest to the professor's lectern. A shadow fell over him and the blond man spoke again.
“What’s your name?”
“M-Midoriya Izuku!” he stammered. “A-Are you the TA?”
“Yep.” the other man said, popping the ‘p’. “Didn’t know they let freshmen take this course,” he added casually, shoving his hands into his pockets.
“I’m not a freshman! I’m a sophomore!” Izuku blurted, cheeks going hot. For some reason, the distinction mattered to his rapidly beating heart.
“Same thing, as far as I’m concerned.” the TA replied with a shrug. “I’m Bakugou Katsuki. Yagi-san is my thesis advisor.”
“Whoa! That means you must get private office hours with him! That’s amazing!”
“Tch, of course, I only work with the best.” He replied. Then he leaned in and spoke so only Izuku could hear him. “So, if you need any…extra help this semester, any at all…I’ll tutor you in private…”
Izuku’s brain short-circuited, especially when Katsuki winked and walked away. More students began bustling in, along with Yagi-san, and the green-haired boy forced himself to focus on his idol’s lecture.
By the end of class, Izuku had two full notebook pages of questions for Yagi-san. His belly buzzed with butterflies as he approached the older man, years of admiration slowing his steps. He finally reached the lectern and cleared his throat.
“E-Excuse me, Yagi-san? M-my name is Midoriya Izuku and I have some questions if you don’t mind—!” The man glanced down at him with kind yet frazzled eyes.
“Oh, I’m so sorry my boy, I have to run to a staff meeting, but I’m sure Young Bakugou here can help you. If not, I will be in my office later this afternoon.” He quickly gathered his things and dashed from the room before Izuku could respond.
Then, a heavy arm landed over his shoulders.
“C’mon, I’ll treat you to some coffee, nerd.” Katsuki said, guiding Izuku towards the exit. “Don’t take his bullshit personally,” he added, noting how the shorter boy stared mournfully after the professor. “I’ll answer what questions I can. Lemme see your notes.”
“W-Wait-!” The blond snatched his notebook from his hands and Izuku blushed furiously at the notes he’d scribbled about Katsuki in the margins.
A slow smirk curved the blond’s lips upward. Things like “he’s so handsome” and other mortifying inner thoughts accompanied doodles of them holding hands and kissing.
“Damn, you’re even cuter than I thought,” he said quietly, as if stunned. Izuku’s blush intensified, but then he remembered the person in Katsuki’s apartment and frowned. If that was his boyfriend he shouldn’t be flirting with me…
“Shitty Hair ain’t my boyfriend. He’s a nuisance who hasn’t left me alone since we were kids.”
“How did you…”
“You were mumbling,” Katsuki replied. God, could Izuku's face get any redder? “Now c’mon, let’s get that coffee before the free hour is over, yeah?”