Work Text:
Katsuki wasn't the type to complain about things, especially not when it came to feelings. Yet, when Izuku was involved, there was always an exception. He wouldn't admit it though.
Why did Katsuki's chest ache every time Izuku had to leave for a far away mission? It was part of his job, damn it! Katsuki knew that. He knew, and still he felt a sense of betrayal. He felt lost and weak, two things he hated feeling.
He supposed it was a sort of PTSD effect from when Izuku had disappeared from UA on his own back in their first year. There was a lingering worry from that time that remained, one where Katsuki felt Izuku would ditch again to somewhere else without even telling him.
What made it worse was the fact that Izuku didn't tell him about these missions to his face. Instead, he chose to leave their apartment in the middle of the night while he knew Katsuki was dead to the world, and would leave a singular text each and every time.
Izuku:
I'll see you again later, Kacchan.
[1:45 AM]
And each and every time Katsuki woke up and saw that text, his stomach filled with dread. He wasn't relieved as Izuku would have intended for him to be. No, he was upset. He was hurt.
They were roommates and friends, so he didn't think he really had the right to feel betrayed over Izuku leaving without telling him. They weren't anything more so it wasn't something he needed to tell Katsuki.
Still, Katsuki was starting to get the idea that Izuku was avoiding him. He kept taking missions to places without saying a word to him in person. Izuku used to tell Katsuki about things like that, so what changed?
He could spill his guts to Katsuki about OFA in a heartbeat but he didn't have the guts to let him know that he was leaving? Even if they weren't boyfriends, Katsuki was still his roommate. Izuku should have the decency to let Katsuki know if and when he was leaving so he could adjust to that. But no. Just a singular, stupid text was what he was left with.
Anyone could tell how often this situation had happened if they were to examine Izuku's room. When he was present in their apartment, Izuku had a suitcase in his room, seemingly always full and at the ready. He never put it away, just let it lay on the floor by his closet.
Katsuki craved to know why. If Izuku wasn't in such a hurry to avoid Katsuki at any chance he was given, why did he leave his suitcase in that state?
There was no use thinking on it, Izuku had already left. He was probably already on his plane too.
Pushing his feelings deep down and taking a breath to calm himself, Katsuki sent out a reply to Izuku's text.
Katsuki(you):
Whatever
[6:30 AM]
A simple one worded reply, one he knew Izuku wouldn't question.
There was no way for him to know what Katsuki was feeling or expressing with his text. Afterall, the nerd was so oblivious he couldn't tell Katsuki was in love with him.
He would probably read it as ‘Katsuki was slightly annoyed but fine with his disappearance’ instead of the sense of betrayal he truly felt.
It's fine. This was just another thing for Katsuki to hide from Izuku. No problem at all. Sometimes there are things better left unsaid and this was definitely one of them.
–
Izuku hated doing this. He didn't like leaving Katsuki, but he also couldn't abandon a call for his help. At the same time, he was also somewhat relieved for these calls. It was becoming almost unbearable sometimes to be by Katsuki's side all the time, living in the same apartment and sharing his time with him, all while he knew it was all he could get.
It should be fine, that he knew. He had gone practically his whole life pining over his childhood friend, even before he had realized the admiration had evolved into love. But now, being in close proximity and living with Katsuki, it made his heart ache even deeper to a desperate plea and wish for more. He couldn't help how his heart craved to be more with Katsuki and he feared he wouldn't be able to control it for much longer.
The chances of him blurting out his feelings became more apparent and tempting the closer he and Katsuki got, and he was terrified that the domesticity of their life together would blur the line between his dreams, wants, and reality and that he would one day act how he does in his dreams of them together.
That was a risk he wasn't willing to take. And so he took every chance he could get to get away for a bit. He felt bad for leaving and even more so that he couldn't be by Katsuki's side at their place, but it was for the better. For the sake of not ruining what they had built, he would take his time and space, no matter how much he wanted to go back and be with Katsuki.
At the current time, he was at a hotel and staring a hole into his texts with Katsuki.
The four walls around him made him feel claustrophobic and homesick. They were fimiliar to him as a hero who has to travel, and each hotel, despite being different, gave him the same feeling of loneliness.
His text from the early morning glared back at him as he stared at it.
Izuku(you):
I'll see you again later, Kacchan.
[1:45 AM]
It felt repetitive to text the same thing each time, but it also felt routinely and comforting. He couldn't bring himself to say goodbye to Katsuki properly, so he settled for a text while he was sleeping.
Secretly, he knew the reason he couldn't bid him farewell in person was because if he saw Katsuki's face, Izuku would be tempted to stay back with him. But he couldn't do that, even if he wanted to. He had a job to do and he had feelings to push down. There were so many things he could've said if he were to stay and that's the reason he couldn't.
There was a cab waiting, a flight to catch, a mission ready, and a hotel already paid for, so there was no use staying then or any of the other times.
And, now, he had people to save and a job to do, and his dilemma with Katsuki could be thought about later.
They still had their phones to communicate and Izuku knew they would talk through text during his time away. It could never compare to the real thing, but it would do.
–
When Izuku got home a week later, Katsuki was made aware of his presence by the open and close of their apartment door. It had woken him from his sleep.
He made his way out of his room and out to the living room where he soon caught sight of his friend. What almost immediately caught his notice was the dirty and bloodied clothes Izuku wore as he slowly took off his shoes, then tiredly dragged himself from the front space by their door, soon turning in the direction of his room.
Seeing the open wound on Izuku's forehead, Katsuki thought it was the best time to reveal his presence.
“What did you do to your forehead?” He blurted out in accusation.
Whipping his head in Katsuki's direction, Izuku sighed in relief.
“It's just a scratch,” Izuku said tiredly, giving a smile that said anything but.
“Like hell it is,” Katsuki argued.
Izuku groaned.
“I'm fine, Kacchan. Honestly,” he unconvincingly lied again.
“Y'know what? I'm done with your stubbornness,” Katsuki said, now fully irritated.
He made his way over to Izuku, grabbed him by the wrist, and pulled him to the bathroom.
“Kacchannnn,” Izuku whined in defeat.
“Suck it up, buttercup,” Katsuki replied sarcastically.
When they got to the bathroom, Katsuki suddenly lifted Izuku up and onto the sink without a thought.
Vaguely, he noticed how a blush started to form on Izuku's cheeks from the action.
After he had gotten the first aid kit out of the bathroom closet, he got to work on cleaning and bandaging Izuku.
“You don't have to do this,” Izuku said softly. “I could've done it myself.”
Katsuki gave him a skeptical look at that as he placed a cotton ball on top of the rubbing alcohol he had acquired, before tilting the bottle upside down to soak it in the liquid.
“Oh come on! I'm not a reckless kid anymore and I take care of myself,” Izuku defended, eyes on Katsuki as he took care of him.
“Oh? Then why did I see you getting prepared to go to bed in your room and not to the bathroom here to properly take care of yourself?” Katsuki questioned.
Body previously upright and at attention and mouth prepared to rebut, Izuku's shoulders fell and he clicked his mouth shut, clashing his teeth together as he did.
“See? Nothing to say?” Katsuki prompted. When he didn't get a denial, he said, “Yeah, I thought not.”
As he was lightly tapping the cotton ball on Izuku's forehead, he was relieved to see that it revealed the cut was merely a surface level one that had just happened to bleed more than it should've.
Izuku huffed, pouting at being called out.
“It's not like it was anything serious anyway,” he mumbled under his breath.
“Maybe not, but you still should've disinfected it and took care of it before you even thought about going to sleep,” Katsuki scolded.
“I would've done it in the morning though!”
“Okay, sure. And if you did that, you'd end up getting blood all over your precious All Might pillow.”
Eyes widening in realization, Izuku gasped.
Katsuki chucked at the reaction. “Didn't think of that, did you?”
“No,” Izuku admitted, eyes now cast down in embarrassment.
“Figures,” Katsuki said. “What would you do without me?”
Looking a bit less tired and more awake now, Izuku met Katsuki's eyes and said, “I’d have to go shopping for another version of the pillow.”
Unable to help himself, Katsuki snorted a laugh. “That's all you have to say?”
“What?” Izuku laughed with him. “Am I wrong?”
“No,” Katsuki agreed. “No, you're not wrong.”
When he finished cleaning up Izuku's cut, Katsuki placed a bandaid over the cut and left his fingers lingering on the spot, rubbing back and forth even though he had already placed the bandage.
He wasn't aware that he was doing the action for longer than what would be considered normal until Izuku yawned.
Maybe Izuku was more tired than he thought. Katsuki sure hoped that was the case and that he wouldn't think too much on how he had been practically caressing him.
Snapping out of it, Katsuki retracted his hand from Izuku and let it fall to his side.
“Done,” he said simply.
“I know. Thank you, Kacchan,” Izuku replied.
“Whatever,” Katsuki said the word he had texted a week earlier.
The mood in the room went from soft to tense in a second.
“Um, I'm gonna head to bed now,” Izuku said hesitantly.
To Katsuki, he looked uncomfortable, and he didn't like that look at all.
“Nothing's stopping you,” he said out loud, even though he knew he didn't want to leave him so soon.
“Right,” Izuku agreed with a nod.
He hopped off the counter and Katsuki moved to let him leave.
Watching as he left, Katsuki looked over to the first aid kit for a moment before he slid down in front of the sink, to the floor.
Why did it have to be this way? He almost had let his affection lay bare to the sight of the one person who couldn't know.
Slumping in his position, Katsuki pulled his knees up and placed his head atop them.
Were they slowly drifting apart? Is that what this was? Honestly, he didn't want to think about it and he definitely didn't really want to know the answer to that question.
Remaining in that curled up position for around five minutes alone with his thoughts, Katsuki finally decided to go back to bed.
Sleep soon consumed him after he returned to his bed, and his last thought was that he hoped that he wouldn't dream of Izuku Midoriya and his uncomfortable look from minutes before.
–
A month later and feelings still growing out of control, Izuku was almost at his breaking point.
He laid awake in his bed, having been tossing and turning in it and unable to sleep previously, before he gave up on getting any sleep that night.
What kept him awake was his own thoughts.
Should he move out of their apartment? Would that make the deep, all consuming ache in his chest lessen? Was there a chance that distance from their everyday lives in addition to the missions he took would help him fight his feelings?
Izuku didn't know, but he was seriously questioning if he should move out. He could do it, he and Katsuki weren't employed at the same agency and they weren't hero partners. So he could find his own place if he really wanted to. They were at the point where Katsuki's proposal of living together to split rent until they got on their own feet wasn't needed anymore now.
Two years of living together as roommates and they were some of the best in Izuku's life. If he were to move out, he would miss it. He would miss Katsuki.
But if he stayed, he risked losing it all if he couldn't control his feelings.
Why did it have to be so hard? Why did he have to fall for Katsuki Bakugo?
He knew the reason for that, truthfully. Katsuki was it for him, he had always been. Katsuki was genuinely amazing and he knew that if his feelings for him had lasted this long, they likely would last forever.
It seemed that these feelings were one battle he would be cowardly towards and couldn't fight. Forget the strength of Hero Deku, Izuku Midoriya was a weak man when it came to Kacchan. No, any version of Izuku was weak to Katsuki, that he was sure of.
If given the chance, Izuku would follow him to the depths of the earth, even if he wasn't wanted or asked to. It hadn't stopped him before and it surely wouldn't now. But that was the reason he needed to distance himself. Like Icarus, had let himself get to close to the sun(Katsuki), and doing so would only burn his wings. He needed to get away before that point would come.
Sighing, Izuku looked over to the digital clock on his bedside table.
12:15 AM, it read.
He really should try to sleep again before the day would get started and he'd need go on his morning run.
Besides, if that was actually the time, that meant the date was now April 20th. Katsuki's birthday.
That fact made Izuku feel guilty. He had been thinking about moving out, and although he wouldn't move out immediately that day if he were to follow through with it, he still felt bad for having negative thoughts on Katsuki's birthday.
“Sorry, Kacchan,” he whispered into his empty room, knowing the apology wouldn't be heard.
What a way to start the day, right, Izuku?
Feeling overheated from constantly rolling around in his bed, Izuku got out from beneath his covers and went over to his window to open it.
A light breeze blew into his room once it was up, and Izuku let it calm him.
Even his T-shirt and shorts hadn't made him cooler, so he was grateful for the wind blowing from the window.
After he started cooling off, Izuku walked back over to his bed and sat on the edge, not wanting to go back under the sheets just yet.
He was surprised when he saw his phone start to light up and vibrate.
A call. Who would call him this late at night?
When he picked up his phone to read the ID of the caller, it was listed as his agency.
Unable to ignore it, Izuku picked up.
“Hello?” he answered.
Outside, the sound of the city roared and so Izuku decided to head out to the living room since he didn't want to close his window right then.
“Hello, Deku,” the agency's secretary greeted. “Are you busy at the moment?”
Walking slowly out of his room and into the living room so he wouldn't wake Katsuki, Izuku made his way to the couch to sit down.
“No, not at all,” he told her.
“That's good,” the secretary replied politely. “Sorry for calling this late, but I was asked to inform you about a mission that just came up and you were requested to go on.”
“Don't worry about it, I wasn't sleeping anyways,” Izuku reassured her, now sat. “For the mission, what day would they like me to go?”
“About that,” a nervous voice came through the phone. “This morning would be great. It's not urgent, but they would like you to have some time at the agency before you go there, for a debrief on the situation. You know how it is.”
“Oh,” Izuku said, his voice now hesitant and careful. “You want be to leave right now?”
Sure, he was just thinking of taking some time away from Katsuki, but he didn't want to do that on the other man's birthday.
“Yes, if you could. I'll send a car for you. Would that be alright?” the secretary confirmed.
–
Katsuki was awoken by the sound of a creaking window from Izuku's room.
The sound could be Izuku, but why would he be awake this late? As far as Katsuki knew, he headed to bed at 8 PM.
He would know, that detail made him have a sharp pang of hurt in his chest.
Izuku was still evidently avoiding him.
What was worse was that Izuku was trying to make it seem like he wasn't avoiding him. And there was no way Katsuki was gonna bring it up to him first. His pride wouldn't allow it. That, and he didn't know if he wanted the real answer behind Izuku's decision to distance himself.
Did he get a new job offer? Was he planning to move out? Did he get a significant other? Did he grow to be uncomfortable with Katsuki? Did he figure out Katsuki's feelings?
So many possibilities, and the ones running through his head were all negative. They usually were.
For all his pride and his display of a big ego, underneath them, Katsuki was insecure.
Thinking back to the sound, Katsuki was debating to leave his room to check. Before he got up though, he heard another sound, the sound of someone leaving Izuku's room.
With the slight possibility of the creaking window being a villain trying to break in, Katsuki got out of bed to go check. If it was a villain or some bastard trying to steal something, they sure as fuck came to the wrong apartment seeing as how two of the best heroes resided in it.
Right as he was leaving his room, he paused when he heard Izuku's voice speaking. He was on the phone, Katsuki noted.
“No, not at all,” Izuku told the person on the other end of the line.
Katsuki waited until Izuku was in the living room, then he went and stood against the wall across from it.
Unfortunately, he couldn't hear what was being said from the other person. Katsuki found himself wishing he had Jiro’s powerful hearing at that moment.
“Don't worry about it, I wasn't sleeping anyways,” Izuku spoke again.
Was he on the phone with a lover? Is that why he was talking late at night and has been avoiding Katsuki so much?
That thought was proved wrong with the next words that came out of Izuku's mouth, “For the mission, what day would they like me to go?”
Okay, so it wasn't a lover he was talking to, but the agency. Of course he was, Izuku is a workaholic.
Creeping a bit closer, Katsuki felt his heart drop when Izuku spoke once more.
“Oh,” Izuku said, his voice now hesitant and careful. “You want me to leave right now?”
There was no way this was happening, Katsuki refused to believe it.
Izuku would say no. He has to know it's Katsuki's birthday. He never forgets it and has never not been around for it, even when they weren't close.
“Ummmm,” Izuku dragged out. “Yeah. I guess I could do that,” he finally answered.
In real time Katsuki watched as Izuku started walking towards him, probably to his room to pack.
“Of course,” Izuku said as he walked. “Uh-huh, Goodbye. I'll see you when I get there.”
Still in disbelief, Katsuki quickly snuck back into his room to hide from Izuku.
When he heard Izuku enter his room, Katsuki waited.
Izuku wouldn't leave him on his birthday, right?
This time Katsuki was able to know Izuku was going to leave, or rather that he had been asked to go on a mission.
He had heard the phone call, had heard as Izuku's surprised tone turn hesitant before he agreed.
Did he seriously plan to leave him again in the middle of the night? On his birthday, no less?
He wouldn't. It can't be for anything serious, otherwise Katsuki would've been informed about it too. Izuku would've had to tell him about it. Yet, here Izuku was, going back to his room and not to ‘wake’ Katsuki up.
The sounds of Izuku zipping up his suitcase was all the confirmation he needed. He really was going to leave.
That's it, he isn't going to let him sneak away in the middle of the night this time. If he wanted to leave, he would have to face Katsuki first. Katsuki was done with being left without a word, done with not having proper reasoning, and done with being left when he needed Izuku the most.
Katsuki exited his room and went to Izuku's, soon taking a disappointed stance in the doorway.
“Leaving again, are you?” he scoffed.
“Wa-Chan,” Izuku startled, hands moving away from his now zipped suitcase and hair moving slightly due to the breeze from the open window. “What are you doing awake right now?”
“Woke up to your loud mouth, what do you think?” Katsuki answered, unmoving from his position.
That wasn't the real reason he was awoken, and he didn't mean to be that rude to Izuku, but he was hurt and he was saying what came to his mind first before thinking. Anger and irritation were Katsuki's coping mechanisms when he felt hurt.
Izuku looked sheepish at having been caught. “I’m sorry I woke you up. I didn't mean to.”
“Yeah,” Katsuki said, coldly. “I know you didn't want to wake me up.”
Confused, Izuku finally turned all his attention to Katsuki, but his eyes were shifty and nervous.
“What's that supposed to mean?” Izuku asked.
“It means that you don't care to tell me when you're leaving anymore and that you don't care about how I feel about it,” Katsuki answered.
“Wha-? Why would you think that? That's not true!” Izuku said, now panicking.
“Oh-ho, it's not? Then why are you leaving? Not just that, why do you leave constantly? Do you hate being around me that much? Is that why you always have your suitcase at the ready? Do you plan to move out next?” Katsuki was starting to break now. Of course he hid it behind anger, because that's what he did.
When he saw Izuku's face turn from panic to guilt, Katsuki about lost it.
–
Great. Wonderful. Spectacular.
This is not when or how Izuku wanted to have this conversation with Katsuki. It's just his luck that it happened on this specific day too.
Even worse, Katsuki accused him of wanting to move out. How was he supposed to look him in the eye when he was just thinking about that possibility not even an hour ago?
So he couldn't look him in the eye. Not when all he felt was guilt and shame.
“No,” he answered Katsuki with his eyes downcast. “I'm not leaving because I hate you and I don't take these missions due to hate either. I was asked to go on them. Just like this one.”
“If you don't hate me, why have you been avoiding me, then?” Katsuki asked. Before Izuku could answer, he hit him with another accusation, this one more deep and unfortunately true. “Why do you take so many missions? And don't even think about saying that you were asked to for all of them. I know that you asked to go on some of them yourself. The agencies communicate, you should know that.”
This conversation got real deep real fast, huh?
But it's not like Izuku could let Katsuki think he's grown to hate him. He didn't want to go back to a time where they misunderstood each other and where Katsuki thought Izuku looked down on him.
Taking a moment to encourage himself, Izuku decided he should take his chances.
If Katsuki was this mad already and there was already a chance of destroying their relationship right now, Izuku would tell him the truth. In his opinion, Katsuki hating him for thinking Izuku hated him was worse than Katsuki hating him for knowing Izuku loved him.
“You want the real answer?” Izuku asked him, giving Katsuki a chance to back out.
“Obviously,” Katsuki snapped.
“Fine,” Izuku relented.
It was now or never. And Izuku was done being a coward.
“I couldn't handle being here with you constantly anymore. It was starting to take a toll on me, knowing how domestic we could be together. We're at the point now where we wouldn't need to live together anymore to help pay rent, so why are we still doing this?”
The last part was a question for himself and not just Katsuki.
Not paying attention to whatever Katsuki's reaction was, Izuku continued to confess.
“All the times we spent together, all the smiles and the comfort, it all kept piling up more and more, and with it, my feelings grew out of control. I've loved you for most of my life, Kacchan. I've had plenty of time to keep my feelings under control. But you know what? I couldn't anymore. That's why I've been leaving so much. I've been trying to distance myself in the hopes that it would help me regain some semblance of control. It's silly of me, I know. It ended up being pointless in the end because all it did was make me miss you. I only ended up thinking about you more and the distance just made me fall even deeper in love.”
A pause, one where Izuku finally gained the courage to look Katsuki in the eyes.
Distance makes the heart grow fonder, they say. Oh how true that is, Izuku thought.
“I'm sorry for leaving so much. I would've much rather had been here with you,” he finished his thoughts.
During the time he had been talking, Katsuki had come into Izuku's room and was now standing right in front of him. He looked down at Izuku and his face showed no expression.
What did that mean? Why wasn't he saying anything??
It only caused Izuku to start panicking.
“I'm sorry,” he rushed to apologize. “I'd understand if you actually want me to move now. It must be odd to live with someone who has been hiding their crush on you, huh?”
‘What the actual fuck, Izuku? Why would you offer to leave??’ Izuku cursed at himself in his mind.
–
“You're kidding me, right?” Katsuki asked, offended. “You really think I'd want you to move out? Why do you think I didn't move out myself yet? I want to live with you. I want to be around you.”
“But what about my feelings for you? Does that not bother you?” Both of them realizing how that could've sounded, Katsuki was amused at how quick Izuku was to add, “I promise I didn't have any ill intentions by agreeing to live with you! I just wanted to spend time with you and to be close.”
Katsuki watched as Izuku started to splutter and turn pink from embarrassment and how his hair shifted from the wind.
He smirked at the display.
“Why would it bother me if you liked me? That just means that my feelings are mutual,” he replied smoothly, chosing to dismiss the last part.
He already knew that Izuku found him attractive at the least. He wasn't good at hiding his stares, afterall. But learning that he actually loved Katsuki made it even better. It wasn't just aesthetic appeal then.
“Besides, the only way I'm packing my bags to leave is if you're coming with me. There's no way you're getting away from me now,” Katsuki added for good measure.
Izuku smiled. That perfect, boyish smile that made Katsuki flustered and triggered his cuteness aggression. “Amazing,” he commented, visibly in awe. “You love me.”
“Yeah?” Katsuki replied. “And you love me, too, so what?”
What a night it has become.
“Yes,” Izuku said happily. “I do love you. And I'm done loving you from afar. You loving me back means you're gonna have to deal with my affection for you directly now.”
Softly, Katsuki said, “How terrible,”
–
Izuku was so giddy he could barely contain it. And the fact that he didn't have to hide his affection anymore made him even more giddy.
He wanted to test the waters.
Standing up from his spot and away from his suitcase, Izuku brought Katsuki in for a hug.
“I love you,” he repeated, face placed on Katsuki's neck. “And I'm not moving out.”
Katsuki returned the hug and rubbed his hand soothingly up and down Izuku's back.
“I love you, too,” he replied.
Thinking back to how Izuku had worried that he might accidentally act lovingly to Katsuki like how he does in his dreams, he thought about how now, with actions like the hug, he didn't have to hope for it anymore. It was now a reality.
Pulling back, but still remaining in Katsuki's arms, Izuku beamed at him. “This is nice.”
And Katsuki smiled back, his eyes revealing his happiness. “Yeah. I suppose it is.”
Looking into those red eyes, Izuku thought to himself how they were one of his favorite sights. None of the city lights at any of the places he had been could ever outshine them, could never compare to their beauty. He kinda regretted chosing the cities over Katsuki now. If he could take it back, he would. Or maybe not. Everything had led up to this, so it couldn't be that bad.
Knowing that those eyes belonged to Katsuki and that Katsuki was finally his, his heart soared.
He was so happy.
*HONK*
Katsuki pulled out of the hug to stare out the window.
“Who the fuck is that?” He commented.
Then, Izuku realized what who it was.
“Crap,” he cursed. “That’s probably the car outside that was sent here to pick me up.”
“You were asked leave right now?” Katsuki asked.
“Yeah. The secretary said the agency wants to talk about the mission before leaving.”
“Damn it,” Katsuki said, disappointed.
“I know. I'm sorry,” Izuku apologized.
“Do you want me to see you out?” Katsuki asked, unsure.
“If you want to, sure. I'd like that,” Izuku agreed.
“Alright,” Katsuki nodded. “Let's go then.”
Izuku picked up his suitcase and his phone, then he and Katsuki made their way to the door.
Once there, he turned to Katsuki and shyly said, “Well, I guess I'll see you again later, Kacchan.”
He noticed how he had said the words he usually says after he departs and while Katsuki is usually asleep.
Recognition in his eyes, Katsuki responded, “Yeah, I guess so.”
A bit different from the usual conversation, it's better now. To Izuku, this was a better send off.
Quickly, Izuku made the spontaneous decision to kiss Katsuki's cheek. “Bye,” he said softly.
Seeing Katsuki blush at the peck, Izuku smiled and waved. He knew Katsuki was probably still processing.
*HONK*
“I gotta go now,” Izuku said.
Face still pink, but not so shocked anymore, Izuku left as he heard Katsuki say, “Bye.”
–
Two things were brought to Katsuki's attention after Izuku had left their apartment.
1.He and Izuku were now together.
2.Izuku had still left him on his birthday.
Katsuki guessed he should be happy that they were together, that Izuku didn't hate him, and that he wasn't going to move out unless Katsuki was moving out with him. But he also couldn't help but to feel sad that Izuku still left.
It was late though, so the best thing Katsuki could do was to go to bed and sleep on it. He could always text or call Izuku later. If it was for Izuku, he'd run up his phone bill anytime.
Just as he was about to leave the front door and to his room, he heard a distant sound.
The sound got closer and louder, and soon he recognized it as footsteps.
Footsteps getting close to the door, Katsuki stood still listening for the sound to pass.
Seriously, who would run in the halls in the middle of the night? Did they have no respect for the others living here?
Katsuki let out a huff of annoyance and turned to leave once more.
But the sounds didn't stop. Or, more accurately, they didn't stop until they reached his apartment door.
For fucks sake, Katsuki was not in the mood for a visitor.
The next thing he knew, the lock started to turn, and then Izuku reentered the apartment.
Katsuki stared, “I thought you had to leave?” he said.
“I was supposed to,” Izuku let out in between panting breaths.
“Then why did you come back?” Katsuki questioned.
“I couldn't leave you on your birthday,” Izuku said with a smile.
Hearing that made Katsuki really happy, but there was still something to address. “What about the mission?”
“It can wait. Someone else can take my place, I'm sure. It wasn't anything serious anyways.” Izuku replied.
It felt too good to be true at that point. Katsuki wanted it confirmed one more time, “You're really staying? Choosing me over hero work?”
Izuku shook his head, almost as if he found Katsuki's hesitance silly. “Yes, I'm really staying. I don't wanna leave you anymore. And yes, I am chosing you over work this time.”
Unable to help himself, Katsuki surged forward and kissed Izuku.
When Izuku kissed back (because he always wanted to), Katsuki felt complete. It didn't matter how sappy that sounded in his mind because it was true .
By the time they broke apart, it was with blushes on both of their faces.
–
Izuku could feel how his face was practically on fire. It was a good feeling though, because of the action that caused it.
“I really, really, liked that,” he admitted.
Katsuki smirked. “Good to know.”
Then, more softly, Katsuki added, “Me too, Izuku.”
Oh god, why did such a simple statement from Katsuki affect him so much? He has more control over Izuku than he could ever know.
Now that they were on the same page, Izuku turned to lock the front door.
Neither of them would be leaving tonight.
It was late already, and Izuku was tired from barely getting any sleep. He was sure that Katsuki was too, knowing that he had woken up from Izuku.
“Do you want to go to bed?” Izuku asked, turning to see Katsuki's reaction.
“Honestly, yeah,” Katsuki said. “I'm exhausted after everything.”
“I'm sorry,” Izuku apologized again.
It was basically a reflex at this point. Izuku knew it was.
“S’Fine,” Katsuki waved him off. “Shit happened and it turned out to be for the better anyways.”
“I guess you're right,” Izuku agreed. “C’mon, let's go to bed.”
Izuku started walking to his room, expecting Katsuki to follow him.
When he got to his room and heard Katsuki turn to go to his own, he stopped and tugged on the bottom of Katsuki's sleep shirt.
“You're not coming to my room?” He asked.
Katsuki froze, then turned around. “Do you want me to?”
Izuku chuckled. “Yes, Kacchan. I thought you knew that.”
The tips of Katsuki's ears burned red in embarrassment. “I didn't want to assume,” he admitted. “I've done enough of that when it comes to you.”
And Izuku's heart melted. This was the person he loved. He may have his flaws, but he was perfect to Izuku.
“It's okay,” Izuku told him. “I want you to come to bed with me.”
When Katsuki gave him a look, he corrected, “To sleep! Nothing else. Unless you wanted to cuddle…”
It was Katsuki's turn to chuckle. “I knew what you meant, I was just messing with you.”
He takes it back, Katsuki can be such a jerk(Izuku loves him).
They closed Izuku's window and then they crashed on Izuku's bed.
“Urg,” Izuku groaned. “Let's go to sleep, Kacchan.”
“Fine, fine,” Katsuki agreed as he lay next to Izuku on his bed.
After they got situated under the covers, they turned to face each other.
“Next time, we're sleeping in my room,” Katsuki said.
“What's wrong with my room?” Izuku asked, curious.
“Too much all might,” Katsuki answered.
Izuku playfully glared at the diss. “You can never have too much All Might merch,” he stated.
Katsuki snorted. “No, you definitely can.”
Not actually upset, but pretending to be, Izuku turned his back to Katsuki.
“Izuku!” Katsuki laughed. “I was joking.”
But Izuku wasn't done playing yet, no. Katsuki received silence as his answer.
Just as Izuku predicted, Katsuki scooted closer to Izuku and wrapped himself around him.
“I know you're not actually upset, nerd,” Katsuki whispered.
Not able to pretend anymore, Izuku said, “You're right, I'm not.”
“Ha!” Katsuki exclaimed. “Knew it.”
Izuku sighed fondly. “Let's sleep, Kacchan. You need to be energized for your birthday later.”
“What if I don't want to sleep?” Katsuki questioned.
“Well that's too bad. You need to.” Izuku replied.
“Being sassy, nerd?” Katsuki chuckled.
Izuku rolled his eyes. “Sleep, Kacchan.”
“Ugh, fine,” Katsuki relented.
They remained cuddled close together waiting for sleep to consume them. Katsuki fell asleep first, and Izuku smiled into the arm wrapped around his shoulder.
Dreams couldn't compare to this. The reality of it? It's more than he could have hoped. All the time he spent running from this seemed silly now. But tonight, he would stay here, wrapped in Katsuki's arms.
No, Izuku wouldn't leave this time. Not anymore.