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The gym was deserted at that hour. The only company I had were the echoes of my footsteps reverberating against the bare walls, the constant and slightly annoying buzz of the fluorescent lights, and the faint sound of my heavy breathing. The air smelled like rubber and sweat, a scent that sometimes felt so familiar it almost seemed like a second skin. My shirt clung to my chest, soaked in sweat, and my hair stuck in rebellious strands across my forehead, but not even that could distract me from what I was feeling.
A few steps away, Shinso calmly threw a towel over my shoulders. His half-smile, calm and a little mysterious, stirred something strange in my stomach, a mix of nerves and anticipation I couldn’t quite understand.
— I don’t know if this counts as training — I said, letting my heavy body drop to the polished floor — or some kind of disguised torture.
Shinso shrugged with a carefree air, walking toward me with silent steps.
— Maybe a bit of both — he answered in that slow voice that seemed to keep secrets.
I laughed, propping myself on my elbows and looking up at him. The light shone in his dark eyes, and in that moment, for a second, time seemed to stretch.
— Thanks for helping me train.
— I wanted to train with you — Shinso said, sitting beside me with a naturalness that was hard to read —. Lately, I’ve only trained with Izuku, and it can be a little… intense.
The silence that followed was thick. I felt my heart get out of rhythm, pounding behind my ribs like it wanted to burst out. I didn’t know whether to laugh or pretend nothing was happening.
— You’re quiet — I finally murmured, unable to help it —. I don’t know... different.
Shinso turned his gaze forward, serious, staring at some invisible point in the gym.
— I’ve been thinking — he said slowly —. About someone.
I straightened up, as if suddenly the air grew heavier. A feeling of expectation and fear twisted in my chest.
— Huh? — I managed to say.
— It’s not something clear, or defined. I just… spend a lot of time with that person. They make me feel calm. Like I can be myself without having to be on guard.
I swallowed hard. In my head, a shy, weak voice, full of hope, whispered that Shinso might be talking about me.
— That sounds... nice — I murmured, trying not to sound too eager.
Shinso nodded without looking at me, as if talking more to himself than to me.
— It’s like, even if I don’t understand everything he says, I always end up understanding myself. It’s weird. But good. And... I like how I feel with him. I don’t know what we are, but I think I’m starting to want it to be something more.
I felt a spark die inside me. The air turned cold. My body seemed to lose energy, like my battery just died.
I nodded quickly, too quickly, pretending to be enthusiastic.
— Sure. Makes sense. He must be someone great.
— He is — Shinso answered, and this time a slight smile appeared on his lips —. Even if he talks too much.
I laughed, but it was a hollow, automatic laugh that didn’t reach my eyes.
— I see. Well... thanks for the training. It was... good.
— You leaving already? — Shinso asked, turning to look at me for the first time.
— Yeah. I have to... I have homework. Electricity stuff. There’s always something to plug in, right? — I answered, grabbing my jacket without looking at him, not letting my throat win the fight against my dignity.
I wasn’t sure if I’d just humiliated myself or had simply misunderstood everything, but I wasn’t going to stay to find out.
— Denki — Shinso called just as I reached the door —. Are you okay?
I turned with a smile as wide as it was fake.
— Better than okay! Almost electrified with happiness.
And I left. I left behind the gym, half-spoken words, and the knot in my chest.
The hallway silence felt heavy, as if the air had gotten trapped between the walls. I clenched my jaw, trying to organize my thoughts, but the noise in my chest only grew.
I slammed open Mina’s door.
— I’m wrecked! Break my heart and throw it out the Todorokicopter! — I shouted, collapsing between Mina and Sero with glassy eyes.
Everyone turned as if a thief had entered.
— Huh? — said Sero, raising an eyebrow.
— Did you electrocute yourself again? — Kirishima asked, already used to that kind of shouting.
— WHO HATES ME SO MUCH IN THIS LIFE TO LET ME EXIST!?! — I screamed.
Mina jumped up.
— They broke my heart.
— Oh — said three voices at once.
— Again — Bakugo murmured from the bed, not looking up from his phone.
— Not again! — I argued, pointing at him like he was guilty —. This time it’s serious!
Kirishima, who already knew that tone, sat down with a sympathetic expression.
— Come on, bro. Tell us what happened.
— I tried to... — I paused for drama — ...ask Shinso out or something.
— Seriously!? — Mina and Sero shouted at the same time, now fully attentive.
— And what did he say? — Kirishima asked, with a knot of adolescent excitement.
I covered my face with both hands.
— He said there’s someone. Someone he spends a lot of time with. Who makes him feel comfortable. Who makes him happy.
— Oh no — said Mina, clutching her chest —. Who is it? Do you know him?
— WHO’S THE BASTARD? — Sero shouted indignantly —. WE’RE GOING TO FIND HIM AND—!
— I think it’s Midoriya — I said, dropping my hands.
Silence.
Like someone had unplugged the whole group.
Mina blinked.
— Izuku...? Midoriya?
— Yeah — I murmured, head down —. Shinso’s been spending all his time with Midoriya lately. And I... I was there, like an idiot, smiling.
Kirishima put a hand on my shoulder. He said nothing. Just squeezed it, hard, like saying “I get you, fallen brother of love.”
Sero let out a long, defeated sigh and dropped next to me on the couch.
Mina was already frantically searching for tissues.
— Izuku...? — Bakugo repeated from the bed, looking up for the first time —. WHO DID YOU SAY IZUKU IS DATING?
— Shinso! — everyone shouted in unison.
Bakugo blinked.
He froze.
And then—
— WHATTTTT!?
The emotional explosion was so big that even I stopped crying for a second. Mina threw a pillow at Bakugo’s face.
— Don’t shout, electric trauma in progress!
But Bakugo couldn’t let it go.
— Since when are that purple bastard and the nerd... together?
— I don’t know! — I whimpered —. But I was so sure! He said it was someone who made him feel comfortable and who talks a lot and—!
Bakugo froze.
“He talked a lot. He felt at peace.”
Bakugo fell back.
— ...I’m screwed.
— I’m an idiot! — I yelled, hugging a Pikachu-shaped pillow while sobbing —. I realized my feelings too late and now I’ve lost him!
Mina stroked my back tenderly, like comforting a puppy who was denied a bone. Sero, on the other side, offered me a pack of chocolates with a mix of pity and confusion.
— Bro… maybe it was a misunderstanding… — Sero tried to say, without much conviction.
— THERE ARE NO MISUNDERSTANDINGS! — I moaned —. THERE’S ONLY CRUEL FATE AND IMPOSSIBLE LOVES!
— I knew it — Bakugo murmured, hoarse and low —. That damn nerd and his damn freckles...
— What are you talking about? — Kirishima asked gently, sitting nearby.
— Izuku! — Bakugo spat bitterly —. HOW CAN HE BE DATING HIM? HE CAN’T BE DATING THAT PURPLE BASTARD. — Bakugo roared, standing as if about to explode for real —. NO ONE IS DATING ANYONE UNTIL I SAY SO, DAMMIT!
— Confirm what!? — Mina screeched —. Are you going to interrogate Midoriya like you’re the love police!?
— If I have to, I will! — Bakugo shouted, eyes blazing with fury and something else —. He can’t be dating Shinso! He just can’t!
— Why do you care so much? — Kirishima asked, crossing his arms with one eyebrow raised.
Bakugo opened his mouth… then shut it.
Silence.
Even I stopped sobbing.
— Because... — Bakugo began, voice lower than anyone expected —. It bugs me, okay? It pisses me off. Because that idiot nerd has been part of my life for as long as I can remember. And now he’s supposed to be with someone else, and I want to rip that damn Shinso’s face off.
A collective scream of shock filled the room.
— WHAT?! — Mina, Sero, and I howled at once.
— Since when do you like Midoriya!? — Kirishima said, incredulous.
— Since never! Since always! I don’t know! — Bakugo shouted, running his hands through his hair like he wanted to rip it out —. He’s annoying, drives me crazy, but I can’t stop thinking about him, and now it turns out he’s with that purple squid—!
— Katsuki… — Mina said carefully.
— SHUT UP, PINKY! I’M FALLING APART!
— AHH! — I complained from the floor —. I should’ve asked him directly! But now I can’t go back and say “hey, Shinso, every time I asked if you wanted to train with me, it was like you-know-I-want-to-go-out-with-you” because now it looks like I want to steal Midoriya’s boyfriend! I’M A BAD PERSON AND I DIDN’T EVEN KNOW IT!
— You’re a drama queen, not a bad person — Sero said dryly, passing me another tissue —. Which… is better, I guess.
Kirishima stood up slowly and looked at the two blondes with a resigned sigh.
— You know what? Let’s calm down and dry our tears.
— We’ll go buy ice cream — Mina answered without hesitation —. We’ll watch a cheesy movie and yell at the protagonists.
Bakugo snorted but didn’t protest. He just fell back on the bed, staring at the ceiling like it held the answers to the universe.
— … I want chocolate mint ice cream — he said, barely audible.
— Passion fruit for me — I murmured, already calmer.
The sun slowly spilled over the rooftops of U.A., dyeing the sky orange and violet. Around us, only the distant sound of birds and the soft murmur of sprinklers activating below. Izuku took a sip from his bottle and smiled.
—You talked more today than ever, Shinso.
—Is that supposed to be an achievement? —I replied without looking at him, though the curve on my lips gave me away.
—Knowing you… yeah —he laughed.
I rolled the bottle between my hands. I usually didn’t sweat from training, but Kaminari had made me run more than usual. Literally and emotionally.
—Do you think he noticed? —I asked.
Izuku looked at me, curious.
—Noticed what?
—That I’m trying to spend more time with him.
—Are you making it too obvious?
—I told him I like training with him.
—That sounds like something you’d say to someone you like.
—And what did he say?
—Nothing. You know how Denki is. I say, “Wanna go do something?” and he just thinks about Mario Kart matches. He doesn’t get that I’m actually trying to ask him out for real.
Izuku laughed, but then lowered his gaze.
—What about you? Made any progress?
He shrugged.
—No. But today he growled at me in the kitchen because I went ahead and put sugar in his coffee. But he didn’t take it away. He drank it. I guess that counts as a shared moment.
I nodded with absurd solemnity.
—Love through caffeine. I respect that.
We walked in comfortable silence for a few seconds.
—Did I tell you I almost put my hand on his shoulder today? —I said —But I was afraid I’d get electrocuted by reflex.
—That’s true love —he answered without hesitation.
We crossed the residence doors; the soft sunset light filtered through the windows, giving the place a peaceful atmosphere.
When we arrived, we bumped into Mina, Sero, and Kirishima, chatting animatedly as they walked out.
—Hey, Midoriya, Shinso! —Mina greeted with a wide smile, raising her hand— How’s everything going?
—Hey! —Izuku replied with a friendly smile and a wave— Good, thanks. And you?
—Just stepping out for some fresh air —Sero said with his usual carefree tone.
Kirishima nodded— Yeah, we needed to clear our heads before getting back to studying.
The trio continued on their way toward the exit as Izuku and I watched them walk away.
That’s when I heard Mina’s voice, suddenly commenting without meaning to raise it too much:
—So, mint chip ice cream and another passion fruit one, huh?
I frowned, but I noticed Izuku tense up. The air around him thickened; his hands trembled just slightly.
Izuku repeated softly, almost to himself:
—Mint chip…
—What’s wrong? —I asked calmly, watching him tense.
Izuku tried to look away but couldn’t. The worry weighed too heavily on him.
Mina’s comment echoed in his head like an alarm. His legs moved before he could rationalize it.
In a blink, Izuku was running down the hall after the trio, leaving me behind.
—Mina! Kirishima! Sero! —he shouted, voice urgent.
The three stopped abruptly and turned in surprise. Izuku was already in front of them, out of breath, eyes wide with concern.
—Are you going to buy mint chip ice cream? —he blurted, his voice trembling as if every word cost him a little more stability — Why? What happened? Where’s Kacchan?
Kirishima opened his mouth, confused.
—Hey, Midoriya, chill—
—Is he okay?! —Izuku interrupted, fists clenched at his sides, breathing fast and ragged. His eyes shone with anxiety — That ice cream... he only eats it when he’s feeling bad. Something happened to him, right? Is he hurt?
—No, no, nothing like that! —Mina said quickly, raising her hands.
—Where is he? —Izuku insisted, voice breaking — I need to see him.
Sero and Kirishima exchanged uncomfortable glances. Kirishima was the first to give in.
—He’s in Mina’s room... with Kaminari. We said we’d go get ice cream to cheer him up a bit. That’s all.
Izuku stood still for a second. The hallway spun slowly around him. I felt his whole body trembling.
Mina stepped forward, her expression softer.
—Izuku...
—I’ll... I’ll go see him —he whispered, before abruptly turning toward the stairs.
From behind, I watched silently.
Izuku left without waiting for an answer, rushing up the stairs like a whirlwind, heart pounding.
We stayed silent, watching him disappear.
—…Well —Sero murmured — that was intense.
Kirishima sighed, rubbing the back of his neck.
—Midobro really cares about Bakubro, huh?
—It must be tough for you... —Mina added with a sad smile, then turned toward me—
I frowned, confused.
—Excuse me?
—I mean —Kirishima jumped in, putting a friendly hand on my shoulder — seeing your guy run like that after another guy must hurt a little.
—You’re pretty great too —Mina assured, trying to comfort — More mature, calmer. Izuku clearly feels safe with you!
I looked at them like they were speaking another language. I blinked.
—Wait… you think Izuku and I are dating?
The three froze.
—Aren’t you...? —Mina asked, genuinely confused.
—No! —I said, completely lost between embarrassment and bewilderment — I just came to keep him company after training. He asked me for help with some breathing exercises. That’s all!
—Oh… —they said in unison.
Sero scratched his head. Kirishima clicked his tongue in surprise.
—But Kaminari said you two were dating —Mina whispered to herself.
I stayed silent.
I blinked.
—Kaminari said what?
—Yeah —Sero added, crossing his arms — He came back after his training with a nervous breakdown and concluded you and Midoriya were dating.
—I like Kaminari —I finally said, with an almost dramatic seriousness after the awkward silence.
Silence again.
Absolute silence.
Sero stood with his mouth open, like he’d just witnessed a close-range explosion. Mina blinked, confused. Kirishima let out a soft “huh?” that barely broke the heavy silence in the room.
—Have you told him anything? —Sero asked, leaning forward, more interested than ever.
—Yes. No. I mean… not directly —I answered, running a hand through my hair in near desperation.
—Why not?
I snorted, looking at the ceiling as if seeking divine help.
—Because he’s Kaminari. Because I have no idea if he’s flirting with me or if that’s just how he treats his toaster. Because he’s brilliant and chaotic and makes me an idiot. And because if he rejects me, I’ll have to keep listening to him talk about the best J-pop songs of the last twenty years without being able to look him in the eye with a broken heart.
Mina gave a small, stifled squeal and covered her mouth, eyes sparkling with excitement.
The door to Mina’s room was ajar. Izuku knocked softly twice before peeking his head in.
—Hello? Mina said you were—
He didn’t finish the sentence.
Because there were Kaminari and Kacchan right there.
The first, lying face down on the bed, quietly sobbing. The second, standing by the desk, completely stiff, as if petrified mid-existential crisis.
They both looked at him at the same time. Kaminari with swollen eyes. Kacchan with wide-open eyes and the expression of a man who just saw the light... and it spit in his face.
Izuku froze in the doorway.
—NOOOOOOOOOOO!
—WHAT?! —Izuku stepped back, alarmed— What happened?!
Kaminari covered his face with a pillow and screamed into it.
—I LOVE YOU MIDORIYA BUT I CAN’T SEE YOU RIGHT NOW!
Izuku blinked three times. Then four more just in case.
—What are you—?
—LET ME LIVE MY FIVE STAGES OF GRIEF! —Kaminari sobbed dramatically, kicking the bed— I’M ALREADY ON THE THIRD!
Katsuki, meanwhile, just stared silently. Frowning, fists clenched at his sides, wearing an expression pure conflict. He wanted to yell. He wanted to punch something. He wanted answers. But something was holding him still.
Izuku noticed it. And swallowed hard.
—Kacchan... are you okay?
—Are you... dating Shinso? —the blonde shot out, voice hoarse, tense, as if each word cost him.
Izuku took a step back, like he’d been hit with a surprise exam question.
—What? No! Where did you get that from?!
Kaminari slowly lifted his head, devastated.
—So... you’re not together?
—No! —Izuku yelled.
Katsuki let out a breath sharply, like a huge weight had been lifted off him. He closed his eyes, tilted his head slightly, and muttered something Izuku couldn’t hear.
Kaminari, on the other hand, stared at the ceiling with a defeated look.
—So... do I still have a chance? —he whispered.
Izuku looked at him, confused.
—With who?
—WITH SHINSO! —Kaminari shouted.
—WHAT?
—WHAT!
—WHAAAAT!?!?! —Shinso yelled, just arriving at the room.
Everyone fell silent.
And at that moment, from somewhere down the hall, Mina’s voice called out:
—Has everyone confessed already, or should I keep bringing ice cream?
Kaminari froze. Shinso was at the door. He’d heard everything.
Izuku blinked, processing the chain of events at lightning speed.
Shinso looked at him. Then at Kaminari. Then at nothing. Then back at Kaminari.
—Is that true? —he asked, voice low but clear.
Kaminari swallowed hard.
—Which part? The ice cream or the part where I’ve liked you since first year and just hide it with bad jokes?
Shinso blinked, visibly surprised. Opened his mouth. Closed it again.
—Since first year? —he repeated, like he needed to confirm he wasn’t hallucinating.
Kaminari nodded slowly.
—Yeah. It’s just... you were so mysterious, so quiet, and you had a voice that literally made my heart reboot. You left me in electric coma three times. I don’t know how you didn’t see it coming.
Izuku put a hand to his face.
—This is so romantic and chaotic at the same time...
From the hall, Mina’s spoon clinked against a bowl.
—Am I dying? Am I witnessing a miracle? Did Kaminari confess and not explode?
—We’re not done yet —said Kaminari, not taking his eyes off Shinso.
Shinso took a couple steps inside.
Izuku shifted uncomfortably, caught in the middle of the drama, unsure whether to intervene or get popcorn.
—Why didn’t you tell me before? —Shinso asked, softer this time.
—Because... I thought you’d look at me like I was joking. Like everyone else. Because I always joke. And you... you’re not one to waste time on nonsense.
A heavy silence filled the room. Shinso stepped a little closer.
—Sometimes... I wish you’d joke more with me.
Kaminari froze. Izuku held his breath.
—Does that mean…?
Shinso smiled, barely.
—It means we should talk. Outside of here. No audience.
Kaminari swallowed, still stunned, then laughed nervously.
—Okay. Yeah. Yes! Let’s go. Outside.
He took Shinso’s hand—almost afraid he’d vanish if he let go—and led him out of the room.
The door closed with a soft click.
And then silence remained. Just Izuku and Katsuki. And the tension.
Izuku turned slightly, about to say something, but stopped.
He noticed Katsuki hadn’t stopped staring at him for a second. That look wasn’t casual. It was fixed. Direct. Intense. Almost like being in the middle of a fight where the battlefield was Izuku.
—Kacchan... —he whispered, half curious, half confused.
Katsuki said nothing. He stepped closer. Took his arm gently but without giving him a chance to pull away.
Izuku let himself be pulled. Not because he couldn’t resist, but because he didn’t want to.
They walked down the hall in silence. No one stopped them. Mina barely looked at them with a smile that said: Good luck.
Katsuki opened the door to his room and let him in.
Izuku stood in the middle of the room. Familiar, but foreign.
The door closed behind him.
—What are you doing? —Izuku finally asked, eyes wide open, looking at Kacchan.
Katsuki leaned against the door.
He didn’t shout. Didn’t frown. Didn’t sigh.
He just looked at him. Like he was the best-kept secret of his life.
—I’m not going to keep this inside anymore —he said at last, quietly, with a raw honesty.
Izuku felt a sting in his chest.
—What... what do you mean?
—Since we were kids. Since before we understood what the hell it meant to care about someone like that. You were always there, following me. Looking at me like I was more than I am. And I... I didn’t know what to do with that. It scared me. It made me angry. It tore me apart.
Izuku watched him, still. Not interrupting. Just those big, attentive eyes. Always attentive.
—And then we grew up. You changed. You got strong. Stronger than me sometimes. And you still looked at me the same. Like I was still worth it.
Katsuki clenched his fists. He wasn’t shouting, but his voice carried the edge of every word like sharp blades honed by years of silence.
—And I spent all this damn time trying not to feel this. Pushing you away. Convincing myself that if I said nothing, it would go away. That I could keep being your rival and not your damn... whatever I am now.
Izuku took a step without realizing it. Katsuki noticed but didn’t move.
—But it didn’t go away. And I don’t want to keep pretending anymore. I don’t want to stay quiet every time I see you laugh with someone else and feel like breaking something. I don’t want to swallow this crap and pretend I’m fine.
He lifted his head. Red eyes, filled with more than anger. Honesty. Pain. Real courage.
—I like you, Izuku. And I don’t know how the hell to do this. But the only thing I know is I can’t keep pretending it’s nothing.
Silence.
Katsuki swallowed. Looked away for the first time.
—And if you don’t feel the same... that’s okay. I just needed you to know. Because if I stayed quiet, I was going to explode inside.
Izuku stepped closer. Step by step. Until he was right in front of him.
Katsuki lifted his head, like something inside him already knew what was about to happen. He opened his mouth. Maybe to say it wasn’t necessary. That it was okay like this. To forget everything.
But he didn’t have time.
Izuku grabbed the collar of his shirt and kissed him.
Without permission. Without asking. Without thinking.
A wild, broken, desperate kiss. Like their lips had been waiting for each other for years. It wasn’t soft. It wasn’t tender. It was furious, desperate.
Katsuki froze for less than a second. And then everything went to hell.
His hands grabbed Izuku’s waist, pushed him hard against him, without delicacy. He responded to the kiss with the same fierceness he had always lived with, with the same intensity he had always looked at him. There was no space between them. None.
Izuku moaned low, surprised by the strength, the heat, by how much it hurt to want like that.
Katsuki squeezed tighter.
Their mouths opened and closed, seeking, devouring. Teeth clashing, irregular breaths, swollen lips in seconds. It was like all the pain, all the rage, all the unsaid exploded out at once, turned into touch, hunger, the need to feel the other real, present, there.
Katsuki growled softly, catching his breath, more a sound of frustration than anger, and kissed him again. This time slower, deeper. Like he wanted to memorize every curve of his lips. Like he had to learn everything from scratch. His taste, his warmth, his trembling.
Izuku responded the same. Let his hands climb up Katsuki’s back, touch him without asking permission. He felt him burn. Vibrate. Breathe like every exhale cost him a war.
When they finally pulled apart, both were breathless.
Izuku’s forehead resting against Katsuki’s. Their noses brushing. Red lips. Hearts about to explode.
—I’m in love with you —Izuku whispered, barely a sigh— I’ve been for so long it hurts.
Katsuki closed his eyes. His fingers clung to his waist harder, with contained desperation.
—Izuku —he whispered— Don’t let me go. Not now.
Izuku kissed him again.
Like a promise.
Like an answer.
Like everything.