Archive of Our Own ^beta

It was getting late. 

The crescent moon hung low in the endless ink that was the sky. Stars and constellations peppered the black expanse with a dazzling shimmer, a few fuzzy clouds covering the shining meteors and denying their glow to come through the Earth's thick atmosphere. It was getting really, really late.

And Izuku wasn't done grading exams yet. 

With his back leaning too far against the wooden chair, Izuku ran a pair of calloused hands down his face, a low groan leaving his lips, highlighting just how exhausted he felt. Sure, he was an idiot for constantly putting off paperwork. He was a teacher now— an admirable one, too — and he needed to do his job properly in order for his students to respect and honour him.

But right now, as Izuku glanced at the digits on the tiny clock, which read 00:57 in bright letters, he was starting to regret his choice of grading the exams from 3 of his classes, all at once. He should really stop overworking himself. The constant self inflicted pressure and high achieving attitude aren't doing anything good for him. In fact, they just mess up his sleep schedule and ruin his mood for the next few days. 

With a sniffle, Izuku blinked past the bleariness in his jade eyes, attempting to somehow stay awake despite the sorrowful cries of his muscles. He slouched over the kitchen table, pupils glued on the words engraved on the tests that seemed to start to mesh and jumble into an incomprehensible mess. His students had the worst handwriting possible. 

Despite trying his hardest to keep his eyes open, it was to no avail. He found himself planting his chin on his palms and leaning his elbows on the desk, his eyelids fluttering shut just for a tiny little nap. The freckled male exhaled deeply, his mind succumbing to the dreamy state that was sleep, the back of his eyelids bursting with colours and hues like a khaleidoscope. But Izuku jolted out of his slumber quickly and leaned back with a huff, now scowling. 

The familiar footsteps of his roommate began to tap against the hardwood floor, and Izuku sighed. 

"Sensei, did you brush your teeth yet?" The explosive male shouted raspily, his footsteps getting closer. Izuku couldn't help but recoil at the stupid nickname, grumbling to himself tiredly. 

Kacchan jokingly gave him that nickname as soon as he started his job as a teacher, and Izuku couldn't do much about it. In fact, he couldn't do anything about it. Katsuki was as stubborn as a mule, and plus whenever Kacchan was determined to be a little evil, there was no point in asking him to quit. 

With every passing day, whenever Izuku got back home at frustratingly late hours during the afternoon because one of his students threw up, or he had a student ask for extra tutoring lessons, Katsuki would unapologetically taunt him with the nickname with each step he took. 

Izuku eventually got used to the nickname. As well as living every life with Kacchan by his side. 

Quite literally. 

They moved in together after Katsuki had to beg him on his knees for it. "My hero agency is close to the school," Katsuki would say, "It would be easier to just save on gas and let me drive you there, damn it."

But Izuku knew that it was all just an excuse. 

Kacchan just simply wanted to live with his best friend. 

Was there any shame in that? Katsuki would probably say yes. 

Except Izuku thought it was the total opposite. 

"Sensei?" Katsuki's voice pulled Izuku out of another momentary nap, and as Bakugou peaked through the door of the kitchen, he suddenly scowled.

"Izuku!" His voice gained a sharp edge as he walked inside. "You fucking idiot. What the hell are you doing here?"

Izuku whined, both hands rubbing at his eyes. He was expecting another light argument, anyway. "Grading papers."

"You said you'd be in bed by now."

"I, uh." Izuku cleared his throat. "Lied."

"Bullshit." Katsuki clicked his tongue, eyeing down the slouched male with a stern look. He walked into the room fully, revealing the half eaten pizza slice in his hand and a worn-out black shirt with a band print on the front. Katsuki took a quick bite of his food before asking. "How long have you been sitting there?"

Izuku began to fidget by slowly organising the papers before him. He frowned while placing each exam into the correct folder, a yawn slipping past his lips. "Hours. Days. Weeks. I can't tell."

Bakugou snorted and finished the pizza slice, mumbling through a mouthful of food. "Didn't you sit here after lunch?"

The curly haired one tensed. "Yes. I did."

"So, you've been sulking over numbers and letters for, what, seven hours straight?"

"Probably."

Bakugou sighed. "You can't be serious."

"I need this done by tomorrow, Kacchan." Izuku tried to convince his friend. "My brain literally won't relax unless I grade these tonight. That's just how I am!" 

"Your brain is a masochist."

"Please stop speaking. I don't think I'll understand Japanese for much longer."

Bakugou chuckled. "Too bad, sensei. Should've picked to work at my agency, but no."

Izuku groaned loudly, his head falling on the desk, on top of all the papers he was supposed to grade by now. He kept mumbling and crying on top of the sheets of paper for ten more seconds before Katsuki sighed out of pity. 

The blonde male began to approach the table, and once he got close enough, he took a kitchen towel to wipe his hands free from crumbles. "You tired, nerd?"

"Mmhmm." Izuku sobbed, nodding against the wooden table. After he collected himself and stopped faking his melancholy, he straightened in his seat and took a deep breath. "I can do this."

Bakugou walked around him, feet silent against the carpet. "I doubt it."

"Don't do this to me, Kacchan." Izuku whined, silently noticing the way Bakugou rounded him. What was he doing? 

"Sorry, nerd. Just speaking the truth."

Izuku lifted his elbows to lean on the desk, before burying his face in his palms. The coolness of his skin against his eyelids felt like a momentary pain relief. "Don't speak at all. Go to bed."

"Nah, nerd." Katsuki stopped walking around the nerd once he was out of his field of view, now standing behind his chair. "I'm staying up for the new season release, remember?"

"Oh, yeah." Izuku nodded wearily. "I forgot about your stupid show."

"Don't call it stupid, bastard."

"How many seasons does it have by now?" Izuku teased. "Twelve?"

"Not enough."

"You're ridiculous." Izuku laughed airily. 

Bakugou smirked. "You're a workaholic." 

The words were true, but Izuku didn't have the energy to retort or bicker. He simply gazed down at the mountain of papers in silence, one hand coming up to absently rub at his tired eye. He felt Katsuki's presence behind him, and he shifted in his chair to get comfortable, now starting to realise he was getting sore. 

But suddenly, the blonde male lowered his back down to Izuku's level and wrapped his arms around Izuku's neck loosely, letting his forearms rest on the nerd's chest.

Izuku's breath caught in his throat. 

It was rare — extremely rare, mind you— for Katsuki to allow physical contact. Barely ever did the blonde boy give Izuku the opportunity to hug him back in the day. Bakugou had strict boundaries when it came to affection. They only relied on fist bumps, sparring matches, and the occasional side hug. Nothing more.

But right now, as Katsuki suddenly hugged him from behind out of seemingly nowhere, Izuku's brain glitched, and he froze up.

Curious, Izuku let Katsuki get comfortable with the embrace and stayed quiet, their breaths mingling together in the serene silence of their kitchen. He could feel Katsuki plant his chin on Izuku's right shoulder before he stopped fidgeting, a low sigh leaving the blonde's lips.

"I can't even read that shit." Katsuki complained raspily while he stared at the papers, his tone deep yet calm. "How do you grade these every few days?"

The teacher smiled fondly at Katsuki's words, his body feeling warmer from the gentle embrace of his friend. "I—I can't say I don't struggle. But I do get used to it."

"Hm." His deep voice vibrated against Izuku's shoulder, and the nerd couldn't help but feel goosebumps rise on the scarred skin of his arms. "I dunno how you do it, nerd."

Izuku felt a smile bloom on his freckled face. "I'm a natural." 

There was a brief pause. And then, he felt a puff of air leave Bakugou's lips, alongside a snarky chuckle. "Damn right you are. I can't make out a single word."

Izuku blushed. "Wait until you see their homework. It's atrocious."

"I can only imagine." The blondie scoffed against him, his body heat becoming unbearable for the greenette. This was very, very new for the both of them, and Izuku was fighting every nerve in his body that tried to send him into another anxious spiral. This was just Katsuki. His best friend.

Best... friend. 

Katsuki began to shift. Very slowly, at first. Izuku noticed it once the blonde boy moved his forearms across Izuku's chest, and then he removed his chin from Izuku's shoulder. When he completely released Izuku from the embrace and stood tall behind him again, he moved his hands across Izuku's collarbone. 

Izuku gulped heavily. 

What was happening...?

"You like being a teacher?" Bakugou purred, palms now settling on both of Izuku's broad shoulders to rub and circle the muscles hiding underneath his shirt. His scarred, slender fingers worked on Izuku's tense shoulders with tenderness and intention, granting Izuku momentary alleviaton. 

Oh, right. 

Katsuki was just massaging him, nothing else. 

Izuku needed to get his shit together. 

The teacher sighed out of relief, more shivers rolling down his spine at the blissful sensation of Katsuki's blessed hands. His tone was a little nervous as he cleared his throat, still extremely confused by the sudden affection. "I do. I really do." 

Bakugou didn't answer. 

Instead, he continued to massage the nerd sitting in front of him in silence. His hands worked their magic as he gently rubbed and squeezed Izuku's muscles, his fingers moving around his skin with precision and care.

It's been a long time since Izuku's been touched like this. He didn't have a particularly touchy friend group— maybe Ochako was the most affectionate out of his inner circle— so suddenly having such skilled hands rub the pain away caused Izuku to burn up completely.

He wasn't sure why it was happening. Izuku thought he was just touch starved. Maybe that's why his cheeks turned completely scarlet as soon as Katsuki did as much as breathe a little too close to him, or his stomach churned whenever their knees bumped together.

He'll most likely never know.

"Get up." Katsuki commanded out of nowhere, succesfully dragging Izuku out of his mind. "We're going to bed." 

And Izuku did as he was told. 

Katsuki let go of Izuku's shoulders, and the nerd stretched in his seat before picking up the papers scattered across the kitchen table, letting out a yawn during the process. Bakugou picked up some of his folders, and Izuku glanced at him with gratitude before continuing to clean up their space.

As Izuku places the stack of papers on a nearby shelf, he found himself yawning yet again. The idea of sleep sounded so deceiving and enchanting right now. 

He walked over to Katsuki, his hand scratching at his shoulder blade to subtly stretch his spine. 

And Bakugou stopped in his tracks at the sight.

That familiar shift in the atmosphere appeared again.

Izuku stared, perplexed and intrigued, eyes scanning Katsuki's surprised deadpan as if he was trying to read Bakugou's mind. The blondie subtly tilted his head to the side, their eyes exchanging such high volts of electricity that the heat was becoming unbearable.

For a moment, they were both standing there, only ten inches away, waiting for the other to make a move, to resume what they were doing, to break this tension between them. But they both stayed silent and looked at each other as the clock kept ticking, reminding them of just how out of place this was. 

And then, Bakugou smirked widely, bringing up a single hand to grab Izuku's face and squeeze both his cheeks together. 

Izuku's eyes blew open wide. 

And then, he tried to cover his surprise by scowling. "Kacchan!"

A low, playful laugh left Katsuki's lips, his gleaming eyes now locked on something else. 

Izuku's cheeks. 

The nerd stood there with his face still squished in Bakugou's hand, an unamused look on his face. He thought Katsuki might let go by now, but nothing was happening. This whole night was just getting more and more confusing. Why was Kacchan suddenly so comfortable with touching him?

Izuku sighed and mumbled. "Kacchan, what are you doing?"

The blondie responded. "Counting your freckles. Give me a minute."

Izuku choked. "Huh?"

"Stop talking already."

"Why are you counting my freckles?"

Bakugou rolled his eyes. "Does it matter? Quit talking, idiot."

"I didn't know you counted them before."

"I told you to shut up." The blondie complained. "Now I forgot the number. I have to count all over again."

"Wh— Kacchan!" Izuku stumbled, his smile attempting to widen across his face despite the tight grip of Katsuki's hand that didn't allow him to grin. "I always have the same amount of freckles. And they'll probably be there for the rest of my life."

Bakugou let go of Izuku's face, seemingly getting consious about his actions. "Yeah, whatever. If you even live after 25."

"Huh?!" Izuku gaped at the other boy with a shocked glimmer in his jade eyes, not expecting the sudden jab. 

But Katsuki continued to annoy him, his smirk broadening. "I bet you'll die of insomnia."

Izuku frowned. "Kacchan, don't say that."

"No, actually, you'll die from just thinking too hard. Your mind will go into overdrive one day, and then, poof." Katsuki smirked. "Sensei plops down on the kitchen table."

Izuku rolled his eyes at the nickname and began walking towards the bathroom, ignoring the loud huff of laughter behind him. "You're so mean."

"Don't forget who pays the rent."

Izuku gasped, turning his head to gape at the blondie behind him. "I'm the one who brings half the money to the table!"

Bakugou snorted. "Yeah, right. And where does the other half go? Into All Might merchandise—?"

"No!" Izuku cut him off, now starting to stutter and stammer. His cheeks were getting progressively hotter under the dark gaze of his roommate, and Izuku didn't recognise this new feeling at all.

He huffed, now turning around. "I'm— You know what? Goodnight, Kacchan."

Katsuki leaned against the doorframe of the kitchen door, muscled arms crossing over his chest. "Yeah? And where do you think you're going?"

Izuku flushed furiously, stomping towards another room. "The bathroom."

"I'm heading there too, you know."

"I'll lock myself inside before you enter."

Katsuki laughed, low and mischievous. "The bathroom doesn't have a key."

Izuku paused in his tracks and stood in place in front of the bathroom, his back turned to Katsuki. His expression was unreadable and unseen as he stood there, inhaling sharply. Then, he turned around, one hand pushing the door open. 

"Get in before I barricade the door." Izuku mumbled.

Katsuki snickered again, already walking towards the bathroom door. "You're an idiot."

"Kacchan, can you lower the volume already...?"

Izuku complained quietly, his head peeking from underneath the fluffy blanket to gaze tiredly at Kacchan. The bed was just barely lit up by Katsuki's phone screen on which he played his animated show, his side profile illuminated by the white glow of his screen.

They finished getting ready for the night, brushed their teeth and put on their pajamas, and now was finally the time to sleep in their queen sized bed. Much to Katsuki's discomfort, the apartment they rented only had one room with a bed for two, and they were still saving up some money to buy a bed for each of them.

Yet, it seemed as if Katsuki was slowly becoming okay with sharing a bed with Izuku.

At the start, he would sleep on the couch after long shifts to avoid the awkwardness of sleeping together, but as time went on and his shifts got a little shorter, Katsuki seemed to change his mind.

Randomly, he began to slip into their bed once in a while with a bunch of excuses for his arrival, but then the excuses stopped, too. He would simply flop down on his side of the bed without a word and doze off, as if he wasn't weirded out at the idea of even seeing the nerd sleep, let alone sleeping next to him. 

And so here they were, laying side by side in the comfort of their apartment, attempting to somehow fall asleep. 

Or Izuku attempted, at least. 

"Nah." Katsuki mumbled back, unbothered by the constant sound effects of battle and destruction resounding from the illegal website he was on. "Not my fault you stayed up until one in the morning."

Izuku rolled onto his stomach, his head twisting to look at Bakugou with squinty eyes. He grumbled tiredly and sighed, his cheek squished against the pillow. "Is this my punishment for grading exams so late? "

The blondie chuckled quietly, still staring at the screen. "Yeah, nerd. Too bad."

Izuku frowned. "But I want to sleep."

"Not my problem." Katsuki shrugged. "I'm watching this no matter what."

"You can still lower the volume, though."

The blonde boy grinned. "Maybe I just don't want to."

With a sigh, Izuku turned around onto his back and stared at the ceiling, taking in the soft chirping of crickets outside their balcony and the sound of dramatic dialogue on Katsuki's mobile. He sank into the mattress, feeling the wamrth of the blanket wrap his body into a comforting cocoon, before another wave of exhaustion crashed into him.

The worst mistake Izuku could ever make is let himself sit in silence for too long. Because despite the determined, strong-willed and heroic personality he's had since early childhood, and the consistent wins, victories and achievements he gained with his own two hands, he was a fragile boy. 

He was just a fragile boy with a fragile heart that broke, over and over again with each loss, each defeat, and even though he battled through with bloodied fists and screams of pure courage, deep inside, he was afraid. An old, untouched wound sits inside his tiny heart, waiting to burst into flames and splatter blood across his soul, blur his vision and steal his heroism when he was blinded with fear. 

And right now, that fear slowly began to burn. 

The fear of not being good enough. 

"Kacchan." He suddenly broke the silence, his voice no longer carrying that playful edge. "On a serious note..."

The green haired male suddenly exhaled, feeling his throat clench and tighten at the topic he wanted to bring up. Sensing the discomfort, Katsuki paused his show and turned to glance at Izuku, confusion swirling in his crimson stare.

"Am I a good teacher?"

Izuku couldn't see it in the darkness of the room, but Katsuki's eyes went round with shock at those words. There was a moment of thoughtful silence as Katsuki contemplated his words, before he suddenly shifted on the bed.

"Why the fuck are you asking me that?" The blondie growled, switching to roll onto his side so he could stare at Izuku. His eyes blinked to get used to the lack of light before his pupils finally made out the shape of Izuku's side profile in the dark.

"I dunno." Izuku mumbled, sleep and sadness laced in his voice. "Just wondering, I guess."

Katsuki didn't know how to react or respond for a moment, his crimson eyes mindlessly dancing across the barely visible features of Izuku's face. The nerd didn't dare to glance back at him, instead keeping his gaze planted on the ceiling above them, his expression indistinguishable. 

"Of course you are." The blonde male spat angrily, trying to keep his tone as composed as possible. "Hell, you're probably better than All Might."

Izuku's mood lifted, a sweet yet forced smile curling his lips and brightening his dark features. A giggle burst out of his chest, shaking his head fondly as he tried to downplay his previous anxiety. "Thanks, Kacchan. I was just curious."

But of course, being the mind reader he was, Katsuki knew something was wrong. "What is up with you?"

Izuku flinched instantly. He tried to cover up his shock by plastering another confused smile, tilting his head to finally stare at his roommate. "What? I'm fine, Kacchan! It was just a stupid question."

"No, it wasn't." The blondie pressed. "I swear, if this is another one of your little fucking spirals—"

"I'm not spiralling!" Izuku tried to convince both Kacchan and himself, his smile tender. "Really. I was just..."

He trailed off, as he usually did whenever he got caught in a lie, and Bakugou glared at him with the strength of a thousand suns. Now embarrassed and ashamed, Izuku scratched his head awkwardly, curls bouncing against his fingers.

"Ah, I— I was just thinking, you know..." Izuku began to ramble, his palm rubbing the scar resting on his right cheek, as if he was fidgeting. "Sometimes it feels like I try my best, but... The outcome isn't quite what I expected."

The male next to him shifted on the mattress, propping his elbow on the pillow so he could rest his head on his explosive palm. He clicked his tongue, waiting for Izuku to finish his speech.

"Like—" Izuku paused, exhaling. "I give it my all and pretend I'm not straining myself and tiring myself out, but... Despite everything, I'm still... failing? I couldn't even finish grading a batch of tests without burning myself out." 

In the dark, Katsuki's eyes narrowed.

"I dunno, Kacchan." The jade haired one shrugged, a nervous giggle torn out of his chest against his will. "I'm most likely overthinking it."

The silence was deafening. 

The pitch black of the room wasn't helping the tense atmosphere around them. Izuku wished and hoped he could see the look in Katsuki's eyes, make out his expression, anything that could give him a single clue about how Katsuki felt. But as he lay there, unmoving and getting progressively more nervous, Izuku didn't know what to expect anymore. 

Katsuki wasn't good with emotional stuff. Never was, and most likely never will be. The blondie was a hot-headed idiot who could barely process his own emotions, so expecting him to suddenly turn into a professional therapist was like expecting for it to snow during July. Izuku was well aware of that.

His thoughts slowly simmered away as he heard the familiar low growl of his childhood friend. 

"You're such a dumbass, I swear."

The nerd felt his heart squeeze in his chest at the insult, his eyes widening. 

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" Bakugou spat angrily, the genuine concern in his voice not going unnoticed by the teacher. "Do you seriously think your efforts are for nothing? That all your genuine interest and care for your students is just, what? Not fucking important?"

The repetitive, quick heartbeat that rang in Izuku's ears slowly became louder, his soul overwashed with a sense of safety and comfort. He wanted to let his lips break into a smile and to sob loudly at dead of night at the same time. Katsuki was listening to him. Katsuki was comforting him. 

Such a rare, tender moment. Izuku couldn't believe this was happening as he slowly turned his head to the side, his body rolling to face Katsuki. The slow yet harsh breaths of his childhood friend gently drafted across his nose angrily, and Izuku could faintly make out the frown on his face. 

"Tell me, Izuku." The name rolled off of Katsuki's tongue like a melody. "You seriously think you're some fucking loser who doesn't give a crap about his students? You put in so much effort, every single day."

Izuku was genuinely at the brink of breaking down right now. 

"So, so much effort." Katsuki emphasised his words roughly, eyes narrowing. "I should fucking know because I watch you, every day. I see you at that damn table every day, pushing yourself to your limit to be the role model that you are."

A choked, ragged inhale entered Izuku's nose, his lips curling into a grateful smile. "Kacchan..."

"Shut up." The blonde one was quick to stop Izuku's denial, a scarred hand reaching and clasping Izuku's shoulder. "You matter, Izuku. To all your students, to the brats that still don't know how to use their quirk just yet, and to the ones that wait for you every day, asking for tutoring lessons, waving goodbye at the train station at you, waiting just a little more so they could see their favourite teacher."

The beating heart in Izuku's chest was at the verge of cracking open. He felt a warm glow bless his soul with all the affection and reassurance he was looking for, his voice cracking, smile widening." Kacchan, you're just saying that."

Bakugou suddenly stopped speaking. Izuku tried to make out the look in his eyes again, and noticed how wide they were after a moment of silence. "You think I'm fucking kidding, hah?"

Now uncertain and anxious, Izuku squirmed, feeling the warm touch of Katsuki's palm release his shoulder and flop onto the space between them. "I— I don't know. You can't speak on their behalf, Kacchan."

The rage in Katsuki's eyes was more obvious as the male exploded, his voice firm and earnest. "Of course I can! How could you fucking say something like that? I'm the one who cares about you the most!" 

The entire world stopped spinning, and Izuku could no longer tell if he was dreaming, or hallucinating, or watching a clone of Bakugou. Because as the words left Katsuki's lips, the male jolted, his brows scrunching up with something unreadable. 

As if he was holding something back. 

Katsuki choked. "Izuku, I—" 

The blondie stuttered again, and Izuku's eyes went round and big. 

But Katsuki tried again. "I love—" 

Suddenly, Katsuki stopped speaking and laid there wordlessly, his lips parted, his chest heaving. Izuku couldn't believe what was happening as he gaped at him, watching him breathe heavily, before suddenly, Katsuki's eyes went wide with something akin to fear. 

The explosive male snapped his head down, staring at his hands. 

Izuku was confused. 

What was going on? 

But luckily, Izuku got the answer to his question when he focused all his senses on the male in front of him. He heard the familiar but faint sound of snapping and popping, sniffed the well known smell of caramel and smoke, saw the way a soft, burning glow flickered to life and illuminated Kacchan's shocked face. It was as if something was...

Something was exploding. 

"Fuck, shit!" Katsuki yelled, his face suddenly lit up by a bright orange glow that kept flickering in and out of existence, and suddenly, everything clicked into place.

Katsuki's hands were making tiny little explosions. 

Now growling out of frustration, Katsuki clasped the edge of the blanket and threw it away from his body to sit up on the bed, his ignited palms facing the ceiling. The entire room was shining with a quivering, angry beam that left straight out of Kacchan's hands. "Are you kidding me?! Not now, damn it!"

"Kacchan!" In a haste, Izuku followed his movement and sat up next to Bakugou, eyeing his exploding palms with wonder and stress. "W—What's happening?!"

"Nothing, damn it!" The blonde male sputtered nervously, his palms reaching for the blanket so he could haphazardly hide his tiny, burning detonations. "Ah, fuck— Why is this still happening?! Are you kidding me, damn it?!" 

The more Izuku watched, the more he could figure out. First of all, Katsuki seemed equally terrified and confused as Izuku, except... he seemed to know more than he was letting on.

Secondly, the way his explosions looked now was a little different from their usual size. These ones seemed small, uncontrollable and impulsive, as if Katsuki had zero control over them. Plus, judging by Katsuki's reaction and his look of pure horror and disbelief, Izuku's theory seemed more and more reasonable. Which was both amusing and concerning at the same time.

How did they even appear?

What was the cause?

Kacchan seemed fairly collected the entire evening, except when they began having this heated conversation. Izuku rummaged through his short-term memory in a rush, trying to find the trigger to this silly problem. Katsuki was shouting at him angrily, Izuku recalled. He was getting very agitated and worried for Izuku while he rambled, and he—

Hold on. 

Were the explosions caused by Katsuki's emotions?

... Was Izuku himself the trigger?

"Fucking hell!" Bakugou shouted angrily, teeth gritted with frustration and confusion, his hands clenched in tight fists under the blanket. "Why is this fucking happening?!"

"Kacchan, Kacchan!" He called out for his roommate, his hand gently squeezing Katsuki's shoulder and shaking it.

Katsuki whipped his head around to glare at him, pouting. "What?!"

"What's going on?" Izuku begged for an answer, eyes drifting from Katsuki's eyes to the blanket on his lap. "Why are you exploding?"

"It doesn't matter! Shut up!" Bakugou stuttered, exhaling roughly and tilting his head low so he didn't have to look at Izuku.

Izuku hummed, reaching for the blanket. "So, you do know? Why won't you tell me!"

The blondie suddenly barked back. "Hey! Don't fucking—" Katsuki attempted to lean back, but Izuku was quicker, and he stole the blanket to reveal a pair of sparkling hands.

"Kacchan! You have to—" He paused, air knocked out of his chest at the sight before him. Izuku rolled the thin, fluffy fabric of the blanket in between his fingers nervously, jade eyes scanning the expression on Katsuki's face with awe.

Because Katsuki was full on blushing.

At first, Izuku didn't notice it. He was simply trying to steal the blanket, force Katsuki to answer his questions and understand the reason for this whole problem. But once he snatched the blanket, it ultimately released the glow of Katsuki's hands into their bedroom again, lighting up the space between them.

Lighting up Katsuki's cheeks. 

Highlighting every blemish, every smooth curve and sharp edge. Illuminating the scarlet colour of his pouty lips, that matched the colour of his entire face, especially the tip of his nose and ears. The burning crackling on Katsuki's palms flickered steadily, the soft yet mesmerising beam of light fading in and out across Katsuki's face.

He was breathtaking.

Kacchan looked so shy, so mortified and embarrassed in the prettiest, most enticing way possible that Izuku couldn't help but stare at him wordlessly. The wavering light that enveloped them casted a perfectly mesmerising glow that swirled in his ruby eyes, ultimately knocking the air out of Izuku's chest. 

He was whipped. 

Katsuki, now completely red and absolutely screwed, slowly glanced at the nerd with a harsh scowl, not realising why Izuku was staring at his cheeks so intently. He huffed. "You done staring?"

Izuku blinked, bashful, but recollected himself with a laugh, trying to switch the topic. "Kacchan, tell me what's happening!"

"No."

"Kacchan, you know what's happening! Come on, tell me!"

Bakugou tilted his head away. "Absolutely not. You'll fucking laugh at me."

"No, no!" Izuku denied with an airy laugh, contradicting his words. "I promise I won't laugh, okay? I just want to know what's going on!"

Katsuki huffed grumpily, shifting away from Izuku and curling his hands into fierce fists to hide his explosions. "Hell no."

"Kacchan." The nerd begged through another whine, shaking Katsuki's shoulders again. "I promise I won't laugh, okay? I just want to know! Please!"

With a growl, Katsuki shook Izuku off himself and spat. "Alright, fucking fine!"

Izuku beamed, his heart filling with a sense of happiness and ecstacy. A bright smile splayed on his face, his words genuine and kind. "Okay, go on! I won't judge, I promise!"

Slowly, Katsuki moved his gaze down to his lap, eyeing the miniscule little sparks that attempted to slip through the cracks in his fists. He crossed his arms to push down the explosions and sighed heavily, his eyes avoiding Izuku's stare once again. Bakugou was uncomfortable. "Sometimes, when you..."

Izuku listened carefully, his head tilting to the side. Once again, Katsuki seemed to lag and freeze up, his lips curling into an impatient frown. "Sometimes when you're frustrated, or being fucking stupid, my..."

Bakugou sighed raspily. "My quirk loses control."

The surprise in Izuku's expression couldn't be concealed. 

Nervously, Katsuki crossed his arms tighter, his eyes narrowing. "I don't know what the fuck it is, but whenever you start spitting bullshit like that, when you start doubting yourself or being all mopey, my... My quirk goes haywire."

That familiar, pounding heartbeat slowly returned and began to resonate in Izuku's ears, his wide eyes scanning Katsuki's scowl closely. 

"I still can't figure out why it does that." Bakugou huffed. "I guess it perfectly reflects how fucking angry I get when you start insulting yourself."

A bright bloom of emotions exploded in Izuku's chest, his lips stretching into an elated, gentle smile. He couldn't believe this was really happening, how blessed and lucky he was to have such a supportive best friend. His eyes glistened with happy, unshed tears as he laughed, holding back the lump in his throat. "Really?"

Katsuki grinned mockingly at the other male, noticing his emotional reaction. "Yes, fucking really. Is this how you want me to prove how much I care about you?"

Izuku was a fragile boy. 

He couldn't help the first hiccup that left his mouth. All the gratitude he's been harbouring, all the care, worry and respect he's carried for Kacchan felt like it has been returned tenfold, and his chest felt like it was overflowing with so many emotions that he felt overwhelmed.

His heartbeat hammered in his ears as he threw himself onto Bakugou's unsuspecting torso, arms wrapped tightly around the blonde's neck. His muscled forearms firmly squeezed the boy close, pulling a soft, pained groan out of Katsuki. But Izuku didn't care. 

Every bad thought, every ugly wish and hesitation, anytime he pondered how helpful he could be if he still had his quirk, how useful he could be if he had chosen the path he'd wanted all his life, suddenly disappeared. The harsh, uncontrollable storm in his mind cleared out as he poured out the tears of love, tears of happiness, sobs and laughter mixed together.

It has been a long time since he cried tears of such joy. Right now, he was on cloud nine, his soul feeling so light and carefree that all of his pain and misery felt like a grain of sand. Forgotten, useless, no longer pulling him to the depths of his mind where he drowned in doubt and self hatred. He was loved. Loved by Kacchan, by his students, by life itself. 

"Kacchan." He babbled past the waterfall of tears, tightening his hold on Katsuki's neck and earning a confused groan from the other boy. "You don't know how lucky I am to have you in my life."

Katsuki's heart exploded all over again, his throat closing up at his tone of voice. The explosions and sparkles on his palms slowly evaporated as Izuku settled against him and hugged him close, his hands no longer glowing and popping wildly. 

"W—What the fuck—" Katsuki breathed shakily, taken aback by the attack of emotions, his body tense and rigid. He didn't hesitate to wrap his arms around Izuku's muscled torso, pulling him close, chest to chest. "Are you crying, dumbass?"

"M—Mhm..." Izuku's voice broke as he stammered, his warm, happy smile reaching his ears, his cheeks flushed from his cries. "Thank you, Kacchan. Seriously, thank you so much."

Katsuki couldn't believe what was happening, his ruby eyes wide open. He felt the warmth of Izuku's exhales against his neck, sending harsh shivers down his back. "What the hell are you thanking me for? For exploding?"

"No!" Izuku burst out giggling, soft hiccups of joy mixed with his bubbly laughter. "For being here with me. I'm— I can't even thank you enough."

Katsuki melted in Izuku's arms, his breath lodging in his throat at such a vulnerable display of affection. Izuku was always so terrifyingly genuine, it made Katsuki want to squeeze him into a warm embrace forever and ever. 

"You idiot." The blondie whispered sweetly, his nose burying into the crook of Izuku's neck. "Of course I'll be there, fucker. Who do you think I am, huh?"

Izuku kept giggling bashfully at Katsuki's playful words, and Katsuki's heart set ablaze all over again, his ears enjoying the tender melody that was Izuku's laughter. How could someone have such an angelic voice? Not even sirens could compare to the sound that was Izuku's giggle, breathy and sweet and so mesmerisingly gentle that something as soft as a feather could cut it in half. What a beautiful being Izuku was.

Now feeling confident and affectionate, Bakugou pulled away from their heated hug, his neck and cheeks still tingling from the ghost of Izuku's body. The sight of tear stained freckles and a wide little smile shattered Katsuki's resolve over and over again, and he reached out, calloused hands cupping Izuku's gorgeous face. 

For a moment, he couldn't believe he actually dared to touch such an adorable boy. His thumbs gently glided across the wet surface of Izuku's cheeks, and he watched closely as Izuku's eyes went wider and wider, his pupils searching Katsuki's face in a hurry. Izuku giggled nervously again, his voice quiet. 

"Are you counting my freckles again?" The curly haired male asked teasingly, glossy eyes squinting from how brightly he was grinning.

Katsuki reciprocated the happiness with a smirk of his own. 

"No." His eyes darted down. "I'm waiting for you to kiss me."

Izuku's soul exploded into pieces.

The air around them became thick and intense with love, with buried feelings and longing and such intense want that Izuku was struggling to breathe. Blood rushed to his face, his mind overwhelmed with heat and warmth and gentleness and so, so much more. All the pieces fell right into place, and Izuku felt the answer to all his questions and dilemmas in his bones.

It was Kacchan all along. 

Kacchan was the one he was looking for. 

The missing piece he was looking for, the embrace he was missing every night, the careful whispers and boisterous laughter and the strong arms that carry and punch and hold Izuku together. The answer was right here, in front of him, the soulmate that people searched and wanted for years, the key to their lock, the destined partner.

Every single foolish dream, childish want, romantic fantasy, it all became awfully raw and terrifyingly real. 

Because he wasn't looking for a knight in shining armour, a soulmate that pulled him out of his melancholy, a saviour that was just perfect and just right for Izuku. 

No, because Kacchan wasn't anything like that. Not even close. 

Kacchan was simply existing. 

The reason for their simultaneous existence was to live life together, and the reason for their shared life was their existence.

They were simply destined to be together by creating that destiny. 

Every long conversation. Any time Kacchan left that last bite of katsudon for Izuku to have. Every heartfelt compliment that was disguised as an insult that Kacchan threw at Izuku, pretending as if he wasn't aching to hold him close. Any time they built their relationship into a strong, genuine bond that grew every day, pulled them closer and closer, intertwined their feelings into one. 

They created their destiny. 

And their destiny was created for them. 

Izuku didn't hesitate as he leaned in close, the smell of male perfume, spices and caramel brightening that fire that ached inside Izuku's tight chest. He placed tender palms on Katsuki's cheeks, their noses pressed together, breaths swirling together, eyes now closed. Existence was bliss in Katsuki's arms.

The first touch of their lips sent sparks flying through Izuku's being. 

It was soft. Soft, supple and infinitely delicate, and for a moment, he was genuinely wondering if everything right now was a dream. Because as he sits here, wrapped in the arms of the love of his life that grew tighter and tighter, enveloped in his smell and embrace and emotions and love, Izuku doubts that this is real.

But when Katsuki pulls back to laugh against Izuku's mouth, the nerd opens his eyes slowly, bringing him back into reality. 

"You fucking idiot." His warm palms rubbed Izuku's back with want and need, ruby eyes flickering across his freckled features. "Been waiting too long for this, you know that?"

Izuku shifts closer to him on the mattress, if that's even possible, his smile so genuine and real that it starts to hurt his cheekbones. "I know, I know. Me too."

Their embrace was warm. Warm and fuzzy with so many different feelings and sparks and the need to be even closer, even closer in a non-physical sense. They wanted to mesh their souls together and become a single being, a product of pure, unfiltered love.

Katsuki nuzzled close, his nose tracing the round cheekbone of his nerd with such unfathomable gentleness that Izuku couldn't help but laugh.

He planted one kiss. Two kisses. Then mumbled against his skin. "You have fifty eight freckles, by the way."

Now giggling breathily, Izuku held the blonde male close to his body, purring and buzzing with love and serenity and calmness that he has never felt before. "Really?"

"Yes." Katsuki said against his cheek, his body heat emitting steadily against Izuku's form. "Now, can I finish my damn show?"

"No!" The protest was immediate. Izuku reached for Katsuki's face again, holding their noses close together. "You have to kiss me again first."

"Really?" The male purred. "Well, if you insist."