Work Text:
Kacchan 🌋
> get up
i’m outside
…
….
…..
“Sorry, mom! I gotta go!”
“Izuku!?” his mother yelled, wiping her hands on her apron as she rushed towards the front door. “Dinner’s almost ready, where are you—“
“It’ll be quick, promise!”
The green haired boy walked outside, jacket in hand. The crispy air outside shook him a bit, breathing out as he walked forward towards a blonde boy standing near a tree. “Kacchan!” he shouted and waved for the other to notice. As they got closer, Izuku spoke up a little quieter. “Did you.. need something? What’s going on?” he directed his gaze elsewhere, embarrassed that his voice became a little breathless when red eyes met his.
The other blew out a breath, one hand in his pocket as he motioned for the other to follow with a tilt of his head. “We need to have a talk.”
A sense of deja vu clouded his head, memories of the middle of their first year when Katsuki had asked Izuku to follow him. “It’s about your quirk,” he had said. His voice was rougher then, his eyes filled with confusion and hatred. Now his face was serene and his voice was more refined, more gentler.
Izuku followed blindly. It was just like when they walked through the forest as kids, or when Izuku followed Katsuki out to ground beta. The only difference? Katsuki was walking shoulder to shoulder with him. Something that Izuku had always dreamed of, thinking of something unreachable that he would never get in this lifetime.
He felt concerned as he sneaked a glance to his left, watching as Katsuki’s right hand swung as he walked. He now remembered that Katsuki had his arm broken during the war, although not the worst to happen during that battle, it’s the one thing he needs to work the most on right now. He gulped a little, his hand twitching before speaking. “Kacchan, where are we going? Don’t you think it’s too late to be out?”
“Tch,” Katsuki scoffed. “Nerd won a war and he’s worried about being out during the night.” he murmured under his breath. Izuku started feeling a little red in the face.
“It’s not that! It’s just— The doctor recommended a lot of rest for you! You should be taking advantage of that!”
“I’ll be fine, Izuku. Some pathetic minutes outside aren’t going to do shit.”
He smiled a fond smile at Kacchan’s attitude. “Of course. Stubborn as always,” he says.
“Hah? What was that, you stupid nerd?” Katsuki questioned aggressively with an eyebrow raised.
Izuku covered his mouth quickly with both of his hands. “Nothing!” he explained quickly while shaking his head. Katsuki growled, looking away with a sneer and Izuku allowed himself a minute to collect before asking, “Kacchan, seriously, where are we going?”
“Be fucking patient, nerd. You’ll see.” Katsuki said with only a side glance towards him.
They walked in silence again. The only sounds that reached the atmosphere where the chirps of the crickets, the flutterings of leaves as the wind passed through, and their footsteps on the sidewalk. It was peaceful. They continued, Izuku sneaking a few glances towards Katsuki as they walked side by side.
He looked so different now. You could describe it as mature now. Katsuki had gone through so much this year. He had done so much for Izuku and for his career as a hero. He’s improved, physically and mentally— Spiritually, also? At the very start of the year, if you had told Izuku that he would be walking side by side with Katsuki, properly talking as friends, as equals, he would’ve passed out from the shock.
At his nth glance towards the blonde boy, Katsuki turns his head and catches Izuku looking. They both turn away quickly, eyes comically wide as if they were caught doing something they shouldn’t have done.
What was that!
Katsuki takes a deep breath, raising his head up. “We’re here.”
In front of Izuku is a river so familiar it hurts. It’s a little different now. More weed has grown, the bridge they used to cross to get from one side to another was still there, a little old. Everything looked older, as if the river had grown with them. The water looks serene as it flows. Leaves are floating on it and animals are making noises all around. The moon reflects off the water and everything is so very clear in Katsuki’s eyes as Izuku meets them with surprise.
“The river we used to visit as kids?” he asked. Pursing his lips, Katsuki nodded sharply and continued to then stand near a tree closer to the river. Izuku followed blindly, as if Katsuki was pulling him with a leash that he didn’t mind on him. “It looks the same as all those years ago. I’m feeling nostalgic!” he said with a smile.
Katsuki huffed a small laugh, “Yeah.” He ducked his head for a minute, but then he raised up once more and tilted it as he stared at Izuku. His eyes were so, so red. They were glowing along with the moon and the gleam off it all reflected on his face as he scanned Izuku’s own. “Do you remember?” he asked softly. Izuku couldn’t breath now, his own lungs betraying him as he tried to find the willpower to look away from those red eyes burning into his heart.
“Remember what?” he asked, airless.
Katsuki took a profound sigh, he looked away first as he hid his face in his hands and rubbed his eyes with his hands. “Fuck, Izuku. I know we don’t have a lot of good memories and I know that’s my own fucking fault, but I just—“
Izuku furrowed his brow, taking a hold of Katsuki’s arm and making him stop in his tracks. “Kacchan,” he said, helplessly. “We may not have good memories from back then, sure, but we have a lot now! Don’t blame yourself when you’ve already apologized! You’ve done a lot to try and make it up to me, which really I never felt you had anything to make up for, but you did anyways! All those times you helped me train were some of the best moments for me, you’ve helped me improve a lot! Honestly, without you, I wouldn’t know what to do! Really! You’ve—“
Izuku stopped. He stopped because Katsuki had laughed. He had taken a hold of Izuku’s wrists, pulling him out of his mumbling trance with a laugh and glossy eyes, a wobbly smile playing on his lips. “I meant what I said, Kacchan.”
Katsuki smiled again with a nod. “I know, nerd. You’re too good for your own being. Forgiving me just like that, even after everything I did. Fucking idiot.”
“I forgave you a long time ago, Kacchan. You know that.”
“You shouldn’t have. You should hate me, don’t ya think? I was a little shit for years.”
At this, Izuku felt offended. He’s sure he looked like it too, because Katsuki went quiet looking at his face. He huffed out a gasp of disbelief. “I could never hate you, Kacchan. I would never be able to hate you. You’re amazing, you fight for what you want. I admire that and I admire you. The way you’ve changed for the better and how much you’ve proved that, Kacchan, it makes me so happy. If I didn’t have you in my life I never would’ve imagined myself here.”
‘You’re my image of victory,’ Izuku thinks, his mouth feeling bitter as he leaves that unsaid.
Katsuki is staring at him with an unreadable expression, it makes Izuku kind of embarrassed. His heart is beating so fast in his chest that he has to resist the urge to hit himself hard to make it stop. Control your heart, he thinks.
“Fuck.” Katsuki says, no further explanation added and he looks away faster than Izuku can blink.
“Kacchan, are you okay?” Izuku asks and puts the back of his hand on Katsuki’s forehead just to check if he feels sick. What he doesn’t expect is for Katsuki to jump as if caught completely off guard. Izuku immediately retreats his hand, feeling a little dazed at the contact, but mostly worried.
“What the fuck?” Katsuki asks.
“Sorry! I’m so sorry, Kacchan! I just wanted to check if you were feeling okay? You look pale.” Izuku says, concerned.
“I’m fucking fine, shitty Izuku.”
“Are you sure? If you’re not feeling well, we can go! It’s no—“ Izuku starts, but gets completely cut off by a shouting Katsuki.
“I said I’m fine!” he shouts. Izuku stays quiet for a second, his face no less tense at the way Katsuki reacted. I know Kacchan is a bit stubborn, but he shouldn’t try to act fine if he feels sick.
“Okay, Kacchan..” he says, his lips pursed in a simple thin line as he looks away. His knees are to his chest as he hugs them close, looking off into the river and resisting the urge to stare at Katsuki.
“Look. I just..” Katsuki blurts out. Izuku turns his head, paying close attention to the way Katsuki’s jaw clenches and the way his Adam's apple bobs back when he swallows forcibly, the way his hands are in the shape of a tight fist, and the insecurity in his usual confident way of talking. It's wobbly too, almost like he’s unsure if he’s doing things right. “I’m not the best at this emotional shit.”
“That’s—that’s fine, Kacchan!” Izuku said frantically, waving his arms around to get the point across.
Katsuki’s face blows up with rage. He growls, “It’s not that, dumbass! Listen to me, alright? And listen well! I’m going to emotionally talk the shit out of you, got it?”
“Um.” Izuku looks around, a little hesitant as he nods.
“Got it?!” Katsuki yells, pointing his finger at him rudely and poking his chest with unnecessary force.
“Got it..Got it!” Putting his hands in surrender, Izuku shouts back. Katsuki doesn’t look convinced though, but Izuku is already starting to lose the plot. What is going on? He gulps.
“Okay, nerd. Listen.” Katsuki starts. “I know I already apologized, like your sappy ass said, you forgave me a long time. Well, guess what? That’s not fucking enough. I don’t care if you’ve forgiven me, because I’ve still got a long way to go. I changed for the better, I got that. I fought in the battle for you. I lived thanks to Edgeshot and I will always be fucking grateful for that, but I also lived because I knew deep in my shitty soul that you needed support. After all, I’m the one who steps up when you can’t handle things, goddammit!”
And if that didn’t make Izuku’s blood sing, what else could? Katsuki’s looking away into the river now and Izuku gets lost in the gentle but rough features he has. It’s so harmonically put together. His slanted eyes, intense and deep. They burn into Izuku’s very soul and he has no choice but to let the fire they bring in and embrace. The dip of his nose, the quirk of his lips when he smirks; all smug and cocky. It’s great, Izuku feels a bit drunk whenever he sees it.
Katsuki continues, “When you reached your hand out to me..” Izuku feels a bit lost, he doesn’t really know what Katsuki is talking about. “In the river..” Izuku tilts his head a bit, focusing on how soothing Katsuki’s voice sounds. If he talked like this forever, he’s sure it could put Izuku to sleep in a way his mother’s old lullabies used to when he was a kid.
Ever since Izuku can remember, Katsuki’s voice has been kind of forced. It was rough, sharp, and it cut through his racing thoughts like a knife meant to damage. Right now though, it’s tranquil.
“At UA…” Izuku closes his eyes for a second, then opens them again and they focus on the wrinkle between Katsuki’s eyebrows. He wonders why it’s there and for a second, his hands reach out a bit closer to drag his thumb gently against it to release the tension there. He doesn’t, though. Katsuki is busy talking.
He is, he is busy talking. But Izuku cannot focus.
“I’ve learned, shit, I’ve learned..” The next thing Izuku notices is Katsuki’s jaw. It's chiseled, defined and sharp. His collarbones pop up a little more whenever Katsuki’s shifts and the skin on his neck looks smooth, soft to the touch. If only Izuku could run his hands through it.
“You can rely on whenever the fuck you want, Izuku. Especially right now that….” Izuku, Izuku, Izuku rings through his head. The way Katsuki says it will never fail to envelop Izuku into a warm hug and he melts into it like butter. Katsuki could probably be like, “Go insane, Izuku.” and just because he said so, Izuku would. Wait— No, that’s too ridiculous—is it? Would he maybe sacrifice everything to keep Katsuki by his side? Yes? Is that crazy to say? Katsuki would probably yell and scold Izuku, hit him in the back of the head with his warm palm or explode him for saying such crazy things, but the worst is that Izuku would take it.
Izuku, Izuku, Izuku, replays in his head. It sounds so much nicer than Deku in his voice.
“Look at me, nerd. Keep looking at me, Izuku, and I won’t fail you.” Izuku already is. He’s been looking since Katsuki was first introduced into his life. How could he ever possibly look away from the breathtaking sight that is Bakugou Katsuki? You’d have to surgically remove Izuku’s eyes and even then they would stay searching for Katsuki.
“Grab my hand and don't ever let it go. Never. If you ever decide to slip from my fucking grasp I’ll make sure to go to the pits of hell to drag you back. If you die, I’ll find a way to revive you and kill you again for dying, but this time I will follow. You don’t need anybody else, understand? You need someone to talk to? I’m here. You need a shoulder to support your hard headed reckless ass? My shoulder is right there. You get injured during a mission, a rescue, and you need someone to finish the job? I’m right fucking there. Grab my hand tight, Izuku, walk next to me because I’m sure as hell never going to let go and you best believe I’m never letting you fall behind.”
His fierce eyes make contact with his, determined. They don’t stray away, fixed solely on Izuku and that makes his heart skip multiple beats. His words themselves made Izuku feel like he tumbled over, his lungs are contracting and he doesn’t know what to do at the moment.
“Huh,” he says, a noncommittal sound. Katsuki stares for a few moments, before he stands up vigorously.
His mouth twists weirdly and his brows settle in deeply as he takes in the sight of Izuku. “What the fuck?” he yells, fisting his hands. Izuku stands up with him, a little shocked. “Were you even fucking listening?”
Izuku breathes in sharply, his eyes moving at fast speeds while he takes in the sight of Katsuki, furious, Katsuki. He notices a deep sadness, confusion in them too as if all hope was gone.
“Kacchan,” Izuku says a little desperately. “Kacchan, do you mean that?” he says, wobbly and unsure. His hands are twisting his shirt and his gaze doesn’t waver, but he does feel like he’s drowning. He might’ve not been listening attentively, but what he did hear.. It’s just possibly to assume that it was his brain making up delusions.
Did Katsuki really want to spend the rest of his life with Izuku? He said it once, in the hospital, but Izuku chalked it up to the medication and instability Katsuki had at the time making him a little—insane might be the word.
“I don’t say shit I don’t mean.” Katsuki says firmly.
“Kacchan.” Izuku knows that, he knows that.
“Listen, nerd. I don’t want you to feel like you have to go along with my stupid feelings just because you feel bad, okay? I don’t need pity. If you don’t feel the same, then fucking say it.”
“Huh?!” Izuku shouts just a little more loudly.
Feelings? Feelings as in..
“As in that sappy shit.” Katsuki finishes his thoughts. His eyes narrow a little dangerously, and he opens his mouth to yell. “Damn it, Izuku, were you not fucking getting what I was saying this whole time? I know you never got any fucking game at all, but to think I had to spell that shit out for your nerd ass. Crazy work.”
Izuku felt red all over. From his toes to the end of his curls at the top of his head, his face was burning as he stood there frozen on the spot. It took him a few awkward in which Katsuki stood with his hand in his pocket as he waited for the nerd to get over his crisis.
When Izuku finally spoke, it came out in intense waves of whisper-shouting that Katsuki could barely keep up with.
“You—You mean like go to an amusement park, share a crepe while holding hands? Ride the ferris wheel and kiss at the top? Or— watch a movie on the couch and cuddle? Go to a restaurant and share a dessert? Feed each other desserts?! Cuddle at night? Kiss???!!!!— Kissing Kacchan???!!!!—Do you mean like—like, um! Do you mean all.. all of that? With me? Me and you?!!! Be my boyfriend?!! Boyfriend!!!!!!!!!!!!!??”
By the time Izuku stopped to catch his breath and grasp tightly at his shirt, trying to calm the flushing mess that is his face, Katsuki had gone red too. The tips of his ears were red, and the smooth skin of his neck was slightly flushed as if someone had bitten it— would he get to do that if he dated him?—-Uh.
“What.” Katsuki said, speechless. He blinked a few times, clearly regaining back some senses as he coughed into his hand. “If you wan to do all that corny cringe shit, then yeah. I mean all that shit, all those—“ he waves his hand at this, trying to make it stop twitching, clearing his throat awkwardly. “—dates.”
His voice spikes up at the end, making it obvious that he was also nervous. Izuku would laugh at this if he wasn’t also trying to compose himself. Before he knows it, tears are running down his face and Katsuki had stepped closer to him, reaching his hand up to wipe them off, but he never gets to.
Izuku softly reaches out first and pulls Katsuki into a hug. He hides his face in Katsuki’s chest and puts his ear where his heart belongs, beating and alive. It’s beating faster than normal, Izuku smiles at this, but he nuzzles in deeper. Katsuki stands a bit awkwardly, but he reaches out and wraps his good arm around Izuku’s neck and pulls him closer despite groaning and saying, “You’re getting my favorite shirt wet.”
Izuku snickers at this, but it doesn’t make his tears stop running.
Katsuki dips his head into Izuku’s curls and breathes it all in. It feels right, it feels so right to be tangled together like this. Who knows how long they stand there, hugging and breathing in the scent, feeling the warmth of each other before Izuku slowly starts to raise his head and carefully encircling his arms around Katsuki’s waist. It’s sort of small, he thinks. His tears have stopped for now and they feel dry on his cheeks, Katsuki caresses them and cleans them away with a hesitant, gentle hand.
The moment would be ruined the second Katsuki started pinching and pulling, not stopping despite Izuku’s whines. “You’re such a crybaby, huh. Some things never change.”
“Yeah, you would know about that, Kacchan.” Izuku giggles and Katsuki stops for a second, “Mean as always.” At this, Katsuki only pinches and pulls harder. “Kacchan,” Izuku whines. “I’m sorry! I'm sorry!”
“Yeah, that’s what I fucking thought. Don’t start getting bold now just cause you got your arms all wrapped around me.”
At the reminder, Izuku only inches closer, firmly pulling on Katsuki harder. Their faces are closer now, practically sharing breaths as they look into each others. Izuku’s eyes travel throughout all of Katsuki’s face, taking everything in. He smiles and Katsuki’s eyes naturally navigate towards his lips. He gets closer and closer, his eyes closing and Izuku follows, expecting a kiss.
But it never comes.
What does happen though, is Katsuki leaning down to bite at Izuku’s cheeks, his fangs digging into the skin in a way that hurts, but Izuku doesn’t seem to push him away no matter how weird it actually is. Matter of fact, he finds this delightful amazingly quickly after the initial shock.
At his squirms and giggles, Katsuki stops, his mouth still touching the bitten cheek. He runs a thumb through it, trying to soothe the pain and wipe away the wetness of it all. Izuku has one of his eyes closed, just so the hair on Katsuki’s forehead doesn’t get into his eye, but the other is staring deep into Katsuki’s own.
Their lips get closer, and closer, and then Katsuki drops a tentative peck on his lips, once— twice— thrice, again and again with more confidence. Izuku basks in it all, in all the affection and attention that he’s the center of right now. It’s crazy how much it makes him smile, his stomach fluttering as well as his heart when it starts beating faster.
“Izuku,” Katsuki says just to say it. His breath hits Izuku’s lips and he bites his lips to stop himself from laughing silly.
“Kacchan,” Izuku says back. The hand in his hair twitches a bit, and the hand on his back only pulls him closer. He smiles harder. Katsuki isn’t smiling with him, but his eyes have the shape of a smile and they’re beaming with so much light that he considers it a smile, it’s a sight to watch.
He’s staring so fondly that Izuku almost gets the urge to hide in a hole forever.
A phone ringing makes Izuku jump. It’s All Might’s voice, extremely loud as he yells, “A call is here! A call is here!” while in the background his theme song plays. Izuku struggles a bit to get a hold of his phone and answer, but he eventually does. Katsuki rolls his eyes at the scene, but he’s smirking affectionately.
“I’m sorry. Yeah—yeah, I’m with Kacchan, mom, don’t worry! Now? Fine. Yes, okay!” He says with a sass in his tone that Katsuki almost laughs. When Izuku hangs up and meets Katsuki’s gaze, it’s a mocking one. He internally sighs.
“Being rude to your mom, Izuku?” he says with a smirk.
Izuku looks to the side with his lips pursed, his equivalent of rolling eyes. This makes Katsuki laugh. “Whatever, nerd. Your old hag need you home?”
“My mom, Kacchan. Don’t call her an old hag, she’s still very young!” Izuku defends, playfully. “But yeah, she’s sort of mad I ran out while dinner was almost ready.”
“Ran out, huh?” Katsuki echoes. “That excited to see me?”
Izuku flushes at this and hides his face, but he quickly recovers and nudges Katsuki a bit. “No! Your message was just a little bit threatening. Really, who says and I quote, ‘I'm outside.’ That’s sort of creepy, Kacchan, admit it!”
“Hah? What else are you supposed to say?” he says with his tongue out and his head tilted dramatically.
“I don’t know! You could’ve called, Kacchan, or sent a message that nicely informs me you’re coming to my house so I can be ready by the time you’re already there!”
“Too much work,” Katsuki says and Izuku sighs. “Well, let’s get you home, nerd. Your mom’s probably pissing her pants by now.” and he starts walking slowly, waiting for Izuku to catch up.
“That’s not nice,” Izuku reprimands, but he follows and catches up with Katsuki anyways.
“You know it’s true, shitty Izuku. Auntie worries 10x more than normal parents. I still remember that one time she went fucking crazy when….”
“Kacchan!”
If the two childhood friends somehow connect pinkies on the way back to Izuku’s house as Katsuki continues telling the story of how Izuku’s mom is definitely not normal, only the animals and the leaves will know.