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Katsuki always feels the gloom first hit him during the transition from summer to fall.
The colors and mild weather he doesn’t mind, but fall is a precursor to the brutal winters that Katsuki has no control over.
The holidays are fine, he supposes—although it’s hard to show it, he does love his friends and family, and the holidays are a time to spend with his loved ones.
But the months after December are the worst. The snow saps the world of all of its color, and the bitter cold makes Katsuki want to stay in bed.
Most days, he keeps going anyway, because that’s what he’s always had to do.
But it’s his first winter after the war, and one day he finds himself stuck.
It’s early in the morning and Katsuki wakes shivering.
He sits up in bed, squinting at the window on the other side of his room.
Katsuki doesn’t even have to take a closer look to know what’s happening outside. His balcony is covered in white, and he can see the rooftops of the rest of the UA dorms are also white.
Katsuki huffs. He lays back down, pulling his covers over his head. He hugs his body for warmth, scowling to himself as he shivers beneath the blankets. He knows he can get out of bed and turn up the heat, but the effort feels like too much as the weight of the world pushes him back into his mattress.
For a while, he lays there, numbness creeping into his heart.
But then he hears it.
Bzzt, bzzt.
Katsuki sighs. Even with his phone on silent, he can recognize the ringtone based on the vibration patterns. Izuku’s number is the only one he’s bothered to change the tone for.
He sneaks a single arm out from beneath the covers and grabs his phone off his nightstand, before clicking his phone on. He squints at the brightness and looks down at the new message.
Izuku, 6:45AM: Hey Kacchan! Can I come to your room? :0 The heat in my room is broken and it’s FREEZING in here. ;n;
Katsuki snorts.
Katsuki, 6:46AM: Bring the weighted blanket.
Izuku, 6:46AM: ooo good idea
A few minutes later, Katsuki hears a knock on the door.
“It’s open,” Katsuki calls out, taking the blanket off his head and pulling it close to his chin.
The door opens and Izuku steps inside, arms full of blankets. Izuku grins when he makes eye contact with Katsuki.
“Kacchan, you look so cute all bundled up!”
Katsuki pulls the blankets back over his head. “Fuck off, I’m not cute. ”
Izuku laughs. The softness of it sends a small wave of serotonin into his brain, despite the snarky response Katsuki had barked at him just moments ago.
He hears footsteps inch towards the bed. Katsuki takes his blanket off his head once more, scooching over to give Izuku room to slide in.
Izuku places the blankets over Katsuki, starting with a fluffy All Might one, before placing the grey weighted blanket on top. Katsuki takes pleasure in the way it presses him further into the mattress—fuck, he could stay here all day.
Izuku then pulls the blankets up and crawls into bed with Katsuki. Katsuki quickly pulls Izuku into his chest, dragging out a startled squeak from his boyfriend.
Izuku giggles a moment later, burrowing into Katsuki’s arms. “You’re so warm.”
Katsuki doesn’t say anything, letting his eyes flutter shut.
He pays full attention to his senses. The hum of the heater, the warmth and weight all around him, making him feel safe in his own personal cocoon. Even Izuku’s cheap body wash, which Katsuki knows he’s made fun of him for, is pleasant. Izuku smells like fresh linens and green apple.
Katsuki listens to Izuku’s gentle breathing, placing a hand in his curls. Even mussed with sleep, they’re soft and bouncy beneath his fingers.
Izuku wraps his arms around Katsuki, pulling him closer. “I can’t believe it’s snowing already.”
Katsuki hums, not saying a word.
They’re quiet for a few beats. Katsuki continues brushing his fingers through Izuku’s curls. Izuku buries his face into Katsuki’s neck.
As they lay there, Katsuki thinks—he’s actually surprised that Izuku’s heat is out. Didn’t they just do maintenance on the building?
“Your heat’s not really broken, is it?” Katsuki asks.
“Wha— what? Why do you say that?”
But Izuku has always been a bad liar around Katsuki. Katsuki can feel Izuku tensing in his arms.
Katsuki snorts, rolling his eyes, even though neither of them are looking at each other.
“Because I know you.”
Izuku chuckles softly, caught. “Well…I know winter gets to you.”
“I’ve never said anything about it.”
“No, but I pay attention. You always get quiet when the first snow hits.”
Katsuki doesn’t know how to respond to that.
Izuku lets out a content sigh, pulling himself impossibly closer. “It gets to me too.”
Katsuki kisses Izuku’s forehead. “I know.”
Despite the grief now muted in his heart, Katsuki feels the weight lift off his body, even though he’s under twenty pounds of blanket.
Even now with the embers dying, Izuku continues to be a hero, expertly pulling those around him out of their gloom like it’s second nature.
Izuku has always been good at knowing when Katsuki needs saving.
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