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It has barely been a few days since he came back from a three week long mission abroad, but Hitoshi already resumed his typical late night patrols.
He wasn't exhausted from the trip anymore, and the jet lag had disappeared, so he supposed he could continue working. But he was so mad at Hitoshi from the past right now.
He can't wait until he can wrap up, he had gone around all night catching some minor criminals here and there, people really felt untouchable in the dark of the night, so getting them to answer to him was easier than he thought, falling easily into his quirk with only a little provoking, didn’t even use his artificial vocal chords more than once. It's one of the chillest nights he's had in a while, but even then, he dreads every moment of it. But what he hates even more is the paperwork and interaction he has to do when turning the people in, so repetitive and annoying. At this point, he only half-listened to what the police had to say, more interested in the idea of his bed, and Izuku waiting for him at home.
He must be more than asleep by now —or at least he hopes he is—, ever since he got the suit and returned to hero work, balancing that and teacher work is not easy task; he had seen the depth of his mentor’s eyebags back in his UA days when he too had to do the same, and now sees how much energy it takes from Izuku.
After all, they were going on seven years together in a few months, living together for two years, and a year engaged already.
So, it’s fair to say that he knows his fiance in and out, and even if he doesn't want to admit it, Izuku gets real tired, as every human does, but he isn't recognized for knowing his limits, taking more than he can bear healthily, and constantly forgets to take care of himself. Not that Hitoshi can talk much, with so many bad habits too, but it's his duty as his soon-to-be husband to look out for him and worry about his well-being.
This past year has been full of changes. Starting with them getting engaged after both of them had the same plan, with Izuku getting down on one knee as Hitoshi had the ring in his pocket so they ended up with two engagement rings because of course they would end up like that. Then, they could finally give the suit to Izuku, he still doesn't know how he kept it a secret for so long, but he's glad he could, because the happiness on Izuku's face after finally achieving his long-life dream, and knowing he was one of the contributors for it… his heart could melt out of happiness. And in all Izuku nature, of course he only needed three months with the suit to reach number 4 in the hero ranks, because his fiance is simply that amazing, and he's the proudest man in Japan and the whole world.
But it's because of all that, and adding his own missions —a lot of them being abroad— and patrols, it has been such a busy last few months. He adores his fiance and seeing him so happy with his new suit makes him happy, he doesn't wish things to be different in that way, but their couple time has been shorter and shorter for a while now because of their unsynced schedules and he hates that part. They couldn't even set a day for the wedding yet. He needs more hours in the day to set aside for their time together exclusively.
Thankfully, that doesn’t affect their love for each other —as they're not kids anymore, they don't need that type of constant reassurance anymore, their love grew into something more mature as did they—, but naturally, that makes him appreciate every second they have together before something has to interrupt their peace.
He longs to be cuddling with him in the warmth of their bed. Instead, he was at least 20 minutes from home, signing off some paperwork with the chilly air creeping on him even while being fully covered because apparently, the station’s heater doesn't work. Great.
To top it off, the policeman in front of him has been looking at him weirdly since he arrived, like he's trying to connect the dots when he finally says “Did someone tell you that you look awfully similar to Eraserhead? Hair and all”, well, that isn't a new one. At least he didn't ask to check his hero license again to make sure he wasn't Purple Eraserhead but Night Hide.
Maybe Eri is right and he does need to trim a little so the comparison stops a little. But at the same time, he likes his long hair (and honoring Aizawa in a way, even if he hasn't ever admitted that to his face). Thank god he's incapable of growing facial hair, so at least there's something else differentiating them apart from the coloring.
Fortunately, he doesn't say much before he finally offers Hitoshi the final set of papers and he signs them off happily, finally free. Maybe if he hurries up and uses some shortcuts, he can make it home quicker swinging between buildings.
While keeping an eye for any type of emergency visible from the air, he also can't help but think. His mind loves to do that, more than it has to, and that can lead him to dangerous places sometimes, but this time, all he can think about are gentle eyes and freckles.
He reminisces, he barely remembers a world without Izuku anymore. If he saw himself from 10 years ago, his middle schooler self would not believe where he's standing right now. Not only with an amazing and loving partner, but with everything he dreamed of as a teen late at night when tears prickled his eyes: a loving support system, a life full of good friends, and having worldwide renown as a reliable and good hero.
Not only that, but Shinsou Hitoshi from Class 1-C would probably faint at the idea that 8 years later he's going to marry Midoriya Izuku, the guy he ignored for most of the year because he didn't know how to face him and that weird frustration he felt towards him.
He still recalls the first few months as Class 2-A, still too stuck in his own shell, unable to let his guard down. But Izuku was patient, Hitoshi underestimated how persistent the boy really was, and it didn't take long before his charm started to work on the purple-haired boy, finally allowing himself to see how similar they actually were. Two sides of the same coin, you could say. Soon enough, you would see Hitoshi walking around with Izuku, training together, teaching him how to use his capture weapon, hanging out on their doorm rooms constantly —as they were neighbors, too—, and opening up to each other about things they swore to themselves they would never tell anybody.
It was only natural that it would happen, being so vulnerable, having a bond that was unlike the others they had with their classmates, being so intimately close, how could they not fall?
Yamada and Aizawa were the first ones to notice, even before Hitoshi did, they confessed when Hitoshi finally admitted to his crush on the freckled boy. “I thought you guys were already a thing, what do you mean you think you like him?” Aizawa had said when Hitoshi finally broke down, and Yamada had tried to stay serious and help him to process his first time being actually in love with someone. Looking back, he doesn't know how he didn't laugh at him, he probably did afterwards to Aizawa, and Hitoshi laughs at that now but he was so scared about ruining their friendship with his stupid feelings. Even when he feared the feeling wasn’t mutual, he was fine with that, because just loving Izuku from a distance was enough for him. Thankfully he didn’t have to hold back, and after months and months of torturing everyone around them with their obvious pining, they confessed to each other by the end of the second year. From then forward, it's history.
Hitoshi is so grateful that he and Izuku got to discover love together. With their highs and lows, their fights and makeups, he wouldn't like to forget a thing about them because he went through them with Izuku and they still stand strong after so many years.
He loves that man more than he knew he was capable of, but it had been inevitable. He fell in love with him for his kindness, his big green eyes that showed more than words and always made him feel fuzzy if he looked at them for too long, his optimism, the passion he has for everything he does even if it’s such a minimal thing, his nerd side, how helping he is, how understanding he is, how he treats Eri (so adorable that it had Hitoshi wishing for kids sometimes as a teen himself, yes, dumb, he knows).
But that love renews everyday since then, as they changed into different people than they were when they first met. All those things that first made him fall in love with him are still there, but now he loves him for so many more things too. For how he knows Hitoshi hates waking up early and prefers to just not talk about anything important before he's had his coffee. For how even after an argument, they try their best to not go to sleep mad if they can help it. For how sleepy Izuku gets when Hitoshi helps him do his hair. For how even fighting feels right with him, because he knows an argument isn't gonna break them. For how doing such monotone things such as washing dishes and cooking are so much fun when he's around. For how much they argue at night about Izuku being too hot while Hitoshi is too cold, ending up with the AC on and a hundred blankets on Hitoshi's side and how Izuku goes back to cuddling him when the room gets too cold for him (Izuku doesn't like to admit that defeat, so Hitoshi just enjoys the cuddling and doesn't say a thing in the morning).
They weren't lovey dovey kids in UA anymore, they were adults —still very lovey dovey in their own way—, ones that were fulfilling their mutual dream of being heroes, together.
He couldn't ask for a better life.
…Yeah, he's really in his cheesy, sentimental mood today.
Luckily for him, he was just about two streets from their apartment, so he decided to stop swinging, his arms already aching from all the use tonight. Tomorrow is going to be worse, but he doesn't wanna think about that.
His neighborhood was peaceful after all, because safety was a big factor when they started looking for places to move into. Being an underground hero himself, and Izuku a teacher at UA, the nature of their jobs wouldn't allow them to set for less. Also considering Izuku’s love for his morning runs, he couldn’t let him do that in a sketchy place.
Thankfully, Yamada had helped them out and recommended the apartment complex, as it's near UA and it has a good reputation. Paying for it had left Hitoshi very tight with money —as he also had to continue paying for the suit and had to hide a part of the money he was sending for it without Izuku knowing—, but it was a good decision.
His body was in automatic mode already, eager to get home already while he tapped in the code and opened the lobby's door with his keys, repeating the process with the elevator now. Again, safety was no joke, but when he has to remember 3 different codes, use his fingerprint at his apartment door and also use other keys to completely open it, Hitoshi thinks Yamada went a bit too far with insisting this was the bare minimum a hero should have.
Once he's in, he wastes no time getting rid of his boots, hanging his keys next to Izuku's, smiling at the detail of his little Deku keychain in them, —he loves that keychain, the collection was a limited edition one and he had to fight a few fans at the store just to get one, not his best moment, but he doesn't regret anything— next to Izuku's who had a keychain of a grumpy cat. Izuku says it represents Hitoshi. Rude.
Talking about cats, he feels how one of their cats, Oreo, is rubbing himself against his leg, and he's soon followed by his siblings: Muffin, the calico, with her eyes barely opened but she still meows her greetings, and Chai, the tabby, right next to Oreo to demand scratches.
“Wow, you guys really missed me today” he snorts to himself, entertained by how affectionate the cats are today. But he isn't complaining at all, it's like they sensed how he was feeling today, he's gladly gonna take the chance to give them all the love they want until they go back to ignoring him in the morning.
He sighs relieved, the domestic feeling wrapping around him, he really misses staying at home more. Maybe he shouldn't take abroad missions for a while if it was gonna make him this sentimental. He had a reputation to maintain after all.
After every member of the little royalty was satisfied with their share of scratches, he got rid of his mask and capture weapon, leaving them both on the sofa for now. All he wanted was to jump onto bed immediately, but he still had to shower. Izuku would kill him if he went to sleep so sweaty in the sheets he changed barely two days ago, so he couldn't escape it.
He went into their room as silently as he could, thanking the gods for Izuku being such a heavy sleeper when the drawer loudly squeaked when he opened it to look for his comfy clothes.
He’s getting too frustrated because he's not finding his go-to sleeping clothes to notice the other one’s movement.
“Hey, baby” a sleepy voice says behind him.
He turns to face the bed, catching just as Izuku yawns and gets a good view of his wild bed-hair which is too cute to handle.
“I didn't wanna wake you up” he says trying to match his voice to the softness of the scene.
“I know” understanding as ever, Izuku gives him a sweet little smile of his, the freckles on his face were more prominent this time of the year, as it’s getting hotter and the sun hits his face constantly at his training at UA, bringing out even more. Fair to say Hitoshi enjoys sunny weather just because of that fact.
He doesn't contain his smile, sliding in the bed, reaching to hug him and Izuku instinctively wraps his arms around him. It was a dance they had memorized by now, the version of Hitoshi who said he hated being touched was long gone, replaced by touch-starved Hitoshi, who discovered one of his main love languages was physical touch, which Izuku was more than happy to give everytime.
Izuku always knew when he needed it the most, Hitoshi naturally got better at asking for it with time, but there's times Izuku knows he needs a hug before he can even realize it. When he doesn't know how to express his feelings, Izuku always catches it and gives him more in case, and almost never lets go of the hug first —because he knows how touch-starved Hitoshi can be and how he struggles to ask—, as the thoughtful person and partner he is.
He makes sure to show how long his shift was and how much he missed him by holding him near and firm but loving, and by the way he's holding him, he thinks he understands. He's still in hero costume, but he can't care to move right now, he longs to live in his arms like this.
“You have to take a bath, Toshi” he whispers as a reminder, probably feeling how he is dangerously relaxing in his arms, but he doesn't move an inch, instead buries his head on his hair, placing a light kiss.
“I know. Just… give me 5 more minutes” he takes a big breath in and lets it out again, opening his eyes just to not fall directly on sleep's arms.
“Okay” his sleepy, raspy voice makes him feel butterflies in his stomach. Jesus. He wants to kiss his face, but he's too comfortable in his place to move. “Long night?”
“Yeah” he moves to hide his face in between the other's neck and shoulder, enjoying the silence for a few minutes. He knew he didn't have to explain, Izuku already could guess just by his clinginess, but he still doesn't mind saying it outloud. “I missed you so much”
“You only left for a few hours, Toshi” he jokes with a little giggle “But I did too”
“I know but I mean… I miss spending more time with you a lot. I just want to stay like this” he confesses, he knows it isn't the best idea to talk about that as they’re both drowsy, but he just wanted to express it.
“I know, and I miss you more. We haven't really had a lot of time for ourselves lately” he notices how Izuku takes a big breath, and moves to face him better, clearly trying to get himself more awake in case Hitoshi wanted to talk about it right now, so cute.
“Yeah, but we can talk about that in the morning. But this is enough for tonight” He caresses his face and places a tender kiss on his jaw.
“I left your favorite pajamas in the bathroom, by the way”
That makes him look up to meet his eyes, pretty sure of how his adoration is showing in his expression, because now he really wants to kiss him from head to toes. “You're amazing, my god. Did I tell you that? I could marry you right now”
“Maybe it’s a little late at night for that, babe.” Izuku snorted “Maybe in the morning. But you really should to go shower before you fall asleep like this”
“How did you know my plan?” he rolls his eyes, a smile still on his face. He lets go of the hug first.
“Remember to put your costume in the washing machine so I can set it to dry in the morning” Izuku adds.
“On it, sir” he jokes and goes in for a chaste kiss that Izuku returns, and Hitoshi has to use all his strength to break it when he doesn't want to.
He showers as quickly as possible, fighting off the fatigue creeping up on him while he puts on his clothes with eyes heavy.
As soon as he's done everything, he hurries into the bedroom again, careful not to bother Oreo sleeping on the edge of the bed when he resumes his place beside Izuku, snuggling against his chest to hear his heartbeat, it always helped to ground him and make him relax more on the nights he battled with sleep. Thankfully, this wasn't one of those.
He closes his eyes, already dozing off. He feels like this is already recharging his energy, he was so thankful he could find someone who could make him this happy. He's thankful he could find Izuku.
He really loves their little life.