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Izuku never liked the cold, not really.
Even now, wrapped in multiple layers that should have insulated him from the worst of it, he couldn’t shake the chill that crawled through his fingertips, threading up the bones in his wrists and along his spine. The air itself felt sharp enough to cut, and every inhale he took stung.
Moments like this made him wish he’d inherited something warm. A fire quirk like Shoto’s, or even something explosive and heat-rich like Kacchan’s. Anything that could push back the bitter cold that lashed at his face.
His father had a fire-breathing quirk and his mother had telekinesis. By all logic, Izuku should’ve been born with something like fire manipulation. Anything, to keep him warm.
But the world hadn’t been so kind to him.
Wind cut across the frozen lake like a living thing, dragging sheets of snow in wild spirals as Izuku squinted into the whiteout. The horizon had blurred into a single shifting wall of pale storm. He could barely distinguish anything, much less the direction they needed to be heading.
What was supposed to be a simple rescue mission had twisted into something far more dangerous than what they’d been briefed for. The ice groaned beneath every step and the sky cried from the coming storm. The scattered silhouettes of panicked children were growing harder to track by the second.
Somewhere just ahead, Katsuki’s explosions flashed like distant lighting, hot bursts of light in the cold haze.
Izuku forced his breathing steady and followed after him, heart pounding with urgency, and fear whenever Katsuki moved too close to the cracking edge of the lake. They needed to get the kids to safety and also stay together.
A few students from class 3-A had been sent to a remote mountain town where a sudden temperature spike had made a local frozen lake dangerously unstable. A group of children had wandered too far out just before the ice began fracturing. Now the storm rolling in threatened to swallow everything, including anyone foolish enough to remain on the surface.
Aizawa’s voice had been stern when he sent Iida, Todoroki, Momo, Katsuki, and Izuku out.
Locate the seven missing kids, bring them back before the lake collapses, and do not take unnecessary risks.
But nature rarely listened to orders.
Earlier, when they’d arrived, the scene had been deceptively calm. The town was nestled closely against the mountains with roofs dusted in fluffy snow. But the local’s voices had trembled as they explained what happened.
There had been a sudden temperature spike, an oncoming storm. It wasn’t until then that they noticed seven local kids were missing.
Parents had said their kids were skating on the ice, that they did it all the time. But they must’ve skated out too far and they were no longer in sight due to the low visibility. The storm rolled in faster than anyone predicted.
It was now up to Izuku and his friends to find the missing kids and get them off the ice before the storm made it too unstable.
Momo pulled her coat tighter as she stepped closer to the group. Frost stung her cheeks when she opened her mouth. “Alright guys,” She spoke up strongly, despite the shivers in her trembling voice. “We’re on limited time. We need to locate all seven kids and get them to safety.”
They all nodded, breath puffing into the frigid air in clouds.
Momo turned to Iida first. “Once we find them, you’ll use your speed to quickly transport them off the ice.”
“Todoroki,” She continued. “You’ll use your quirk to keep the kids warm. We don’t know how long they’ve been out here. If their body temperatures have dropped too much, we will need immediate heat.”
She turned to Katsuki with an authoritative steadiness that Izuku admired. “Bakugou, you’ll use your explosions for air mobility in the worst case scenario. Midoriya, you’ll use blackwhip for retrieval, stabilizing any fractured ice, and pulling anyone if they fall in. And lastly, I’ll create blankets and provide first aid if need be. Any questions?”
“Don’t tell me what to do damnit.” Katsuki huffed, crossing his arms.
Izuku rolled his eyes. Three years at U.A. and Katsuki still hated taking orders, even from someone as capable as Momo.
Still, he listened. They all did, because Momo’s plans were always solid and they were running out of time. Each second that passed was another second of these kids stuck on an unstable lake, cold and scared.
After they each received their tasks, they stepped onto the lake in a tight formation. It stretched in every direction, white and endless. Finding these kids would be difficult with this blizzard.
Izuku wrapped his arms tightly around his body. As much as he could with his heavy, puffy coat. He’s freezing, even wrapped in multiple layers. He could only hope that these kids had warm clothing suitable for this kind of weather.
He didn’t want to imagine finding them, skin cold and blue from the harsh winds.
But that was better than not finding them. Or finding a gaping hole in the ice where it was possible that they could’ve fallen through.
The thought made him shiver, a shiver that had nothing to do with the cold. They needed to work fast.
“Maybe we should split up?” Izuku suggested. “It might be easier to find them if we can cover more ground.”
“Good idea Midoriya.” Todoroki agreed softly, his breath misting. He didn’t seem to look that cold, probably used to the temperature. “Iida, Yaoyorozu, and I will head north while you and Bakugou go east.”
“WHAT?!” Katsuki exploded, voice echoing across the lake.
Ignoring Katsuki, Izuku nodded firmly.
Todoroki continued before Katsuki could protest further. “If you guys end up finding the kids before us, contact us on our earpieces and we’ll head in your direction.”
“Got it,” Izuku said, zipping up his coat and giving them a reassuring smile. “Be careful out there, guys.”
Which led them to this present moment, Izuku struggling to keep his pace with Katsuki’s as the storm worsened by the second.
He understood why Katsuki was going so fast. There were seven lives at stake, children, at that.
It’s not that Izuku wasn’t trying to go fast as well. It’s just that he couldn’t. His limbs were feeling stiffer as the minutes passed. Every time he tried to run faster, the cold bit at his body, slowing him down. He just wasn’t suitable for the cold. Izuku briefly wondered why Aizawa had sent him a long.
When his teacher explained the mission and called out his name, Izuku remembered hesitating, telling the tired man he wouldn’t be best suited for this mission. But Aizawa dismissed his complaints and sent him anyway.
And now he was on this frozen mission with his classmates. Well, was anyway. Now he was just with Katsuki, thanks to Todoroki pairing the two together.
Izuku didn’t have an issue with being paired with the explosive boy. It was just that the explosive boy had an issue being paired with him.
Katsuki and Izuku had gotten along fairly well once they reached their last year at UA, but there was still a weird tension between the two of them. Izuku could see it every time they met eyes. There was something hidden beneath those ruby irises that Izuku couldn’t figure out, and it bothered him to no end.
Izuku was usually good at uncovering those sorts of things. But whenever it came to Katsuki, he had no such luck.
It didn’t help that he had a massive crush on him either.
Izuku had been in love with his childhood friend ever since he learned how to speak. So when he was paired with said boy, he couldn’t help but feel flustered.
But at this moment, frustration was taking over that flustered feeling.
“Kacchan, can you please slow down?!” Izuku cupped his frozen hands while calling out, trying to make an effort at speaking over the howling wind.
Katsuki didn’t slow. If anything, his movements grew sharper, explosions flaring low and controlled at his palms as he carved a path into the storm. Izuku pushed through the biting wind after him, boots skidding on the slick surface as the lake’s groans deepened beneath the weight of the approaching disaster. He had to be careful with the amount of pressure he was putting on the ice as he ran, not wanting to crack it.
“Kacchan!” Izuku tried again, breath disappearing into the wind as soon as it hit the air. “The storm is getting worse!”
“I can hear it, nerd!” Katsuki shouted without turning, his voice rough. “That’s why I’m moving fast. We gotta find these damn kids.”
Damnit. Izuku swallowed the retort that rose in his throat. He just shook his head before powering up a little bit of One For All through his legs. Enough to give him a boost to close the distance, not enough to shatter the ice.
With his powered up legs, he managed to catch up to the blond boy, stepping in front of him so he couldn’t go any further.
“What the hell do you think you’r-”
“Can you just hold on? Please.” Izuku let out a tired exhale, fog leaving his mouth from the cold. “You’re going too fast. I could lose you in this storm.” Izuku watched as Katsuki’s face turned into scowl. The wind was whipping his blond locks, also turning his nose and cheeks pink. The color meshed well with his red eyes.
Pretty.
Izuku shook his head, snapping the thought out. Not the time, Izuku. There are kids in danger.
Katsuki’s frown deepened, the corners of his mouth pulling tight. “Then keep up, shouldn’t be hard with your quirk.” He shrugged, as if he was stating the obvious. The tone was definitely defensive, making Izuku clench his fists.
Izuku sighed, long and shaky. “Kacchan, I’m serious. I can’t use my quirk fully. I could break the ice.” His teeth chattered, probably making him look less serious than he felt. “If we’re far from each other and something happens, I don’t want-” His voice caught, swallowed whole from the growing storm.
I don’t want to lose you.
Katsuki’s eyes shifted. For a second his face softened.
Then he scoffed. “Fine, I’ll slow down. But don’t blame me if we find those kids too late.” He reached out, gloved fingers brushing Izuku’s coat sleeve to tug him to the left. “Ice is thin there. Fuckin’ pay attention, dumbass.” He turned around and continued walking forward.
Izuku blinked. He could feel the lingering warmth from Katsuki’s touch and felt his cheeks heat up, despite the cold. He smiled before following the other.
It was the little things like that that made Izuku’s crush grow heavier.
Katsuki would do something kind for him, and play it off by saying something rude or dismissive. But deep inside, Izuku always saw the act.
Snow lashed their faces, stinging like needles. Izuku squinted through the blur of white for any hint of movement. Any shape or sound that resembled a child. But the visibility was getting worse as they continued.
“Do you really think they wandered out this far?” Izuku asked. “Seems unlikely.”
“Dunno. Kids tend to run off when scared,” Katsuki supplied.
As they continued walking, his worry started to get bigger and bigger, sitting uncomfortably in his gut. They had been traveling for a while now. These kids shouldn’t be this far. What if-
Static cut through both their ears. “Mi- dor-, Baku- o.” The connection was obviously bad, but they could tell it was Todoroki speaking.
“Todoroki?” Izuku pressed a cold finger to his earpiece.
“-e foun- -ids.” We found the kids.
Izuku and Katsuki looked at each other, eyes wide.
“Thank god. We’ll head there now!” Izuku felt hope bloom in his chest. They would need to help them with gathering the kids and bringing them back, but the two of them would have to head all the way back in the opposite direction.
“No.” The only word that came clear to them. “Don’t co- this wa- yet.” Todoroki’s voice continued to cut out. The wind was making it harder to hear.
Izuku furrowed his brow, confused at what his friend was trying to say. He watched as Katsuki put a finger to his own earpiece. “We can’t hear you, Icyhot. This damn storm is ruining the connection.”
“Yo- can’t come th- -avy storm heading you- way.”
Izuku’s eyes widened further. The storm was getting worse. And it was heading straight for them.
“What do you mean heading our way?” Katsuki asked, his voice was low and his eyes held something that Izuku couldn’t place. There was no reply this time, only static. “Icyhot?” Nothing.
Katsuki lowered his finger. “Damnit! We lost connection. If what he said is true then we need to get off this lake. Fast.”
Izuku felt a chill run down his spine, and it wasn’t due to the cold. “What about the kids? Do you think they’re okay?” He asked, feeling the worry pooling in his gut again.
If the storm was getting worse than it already was, then they needed to get out of there. Izuku couldn’t help but feel worried for his classmates. What if they needed more help? Or what if the ice was unstable wherever they were?
They had seven kids they needed to save. With weather like this and unstable ice, it was a challenge for anyone.
“They’ll be fine. If the storm is heading in this direction, they won’t have any trouble getting the kids to safety. We need to go.” Katsuki turned around, still moving forward and not checking to see if Izuku would follow.
Izuku’s feet stayed planted for a moment. He looked over his shoulder, looking in the direction of where his friends were. He could only hope they’d be alright. The ice continued to groan as he faced forward, following after Katsuki.
~
The storm’s howl grew deeper, no longer just wind, but a low, haunting rumble that reverberated through the frozen lake like a warning pulse. Izuku walked behind Katsuki, eyes trained on his back as they continued their trek. Every step felt like walking on glass.
Every so often, Izuku would glance down and make sure the ice hadn’t cracked. There were moments when he’d hear a sound and look down, only to see the ice still intact. He was just being paranoid.
“Kacchan… how far do you think we are from the edge?” Izuku asked, hugging his arms tighter around himself as the cold gnawed at his joints. “It’s getting harder to see.”
“As long as we keep heading east, we should hit solid ground.” Katsuki’s voice was steady.
Izuku was glad he wasn’t alone. Katsuki always knew what to do in these situations. His presence was calming to Izuku, even when he was getting yelled at or made fun of. It was just how their relationship was.
He quickened his pace, carefully, until he was nearly shoulder-to-shoulder with Katsuki, breath puffing in frantic clouds. The cold was sinking deeper now, threading into his bones no matter how tightly he held himself.
Katsuki noticed of course. He glanced over once, the corner of his mouth twisting. “You look like a fuckin’ popsicle.”
Izuku let out a weak laugh. “I’m not that cold.” He definitely was, but he didn’t want to sound weak, because Katsuki wasn’t trembling nearly as bad as he was. Once again, Izuku wished he had a warming quirk.
“Tch, you’re shivering like a chihuahua. I can hear your teeth over the wind.”
“Oh. Um, sorry?” Izuku wasn’t quite sure how to respond.
Katsuki snorted. “Why the hell are you apologizing?”
Izuku huffed, fiddling with the zipper of his coat. “Habit I guess.”
Something flickered across Katsuki’s face, something fragile and unguarded. Hurt.
Izuku had seen it before in moments like this, whenever he mentioned old memories that involved the two of them or when he talked about old habits. Katsuki would stiffen, jaw tight and eyes darting away like he’d been struck. Izuku never called attention to it, but it always twisted something in his chest.
Katsuki cleared his throat and stepped close. Izuku was surprised but found himself also stepping closer, just an inch at first, then another when Katsuki didn’t snap at him. Their shoulders brushed and Katsuki didn’t move away.
God, he really did run hot.
Izuku’s heart tried to escape through his ribs, hammering so loud he was sure Katsuki could hear it through the storm. The cold air made it hard enough to breathe; being this close to Kacchan made it nearly impossible.
They fell into step side by side, leaning close to each other for warmth as the wind screamed across the vast, empty lake. Despite the danger, despite the cold biting through every layer, Izuku felt a small, helpless smile tug at his lips. Time with Katsuki was precious. Even in a blizzard and on unstable ice, he treasured every second.
Izuku glanced to the side, eyeing the other. He didn’t seem to be shivering but his face was still pink. “Kacchan, how are you doing temperature-wise?”
“Fine, nerd.” He scoffed, but it was light and didn’t carry his usual bite. “The cold doesn’t bother me like it does you.”
He knows I don’t like the cold, Izuku thought. His cheeks hurt from his continuous grinning. He probably looked like an idiot.
“Too bad Yoayorozu isn’t with us,” Izuku sighed. “She could’ve made some really toasty blanke- ah!”
Izuku almost tripped over Katsuki when the boy suddenly stopped. “Shit, Kacchan! Warn me next time! I could’ve broken the ice. Why did you stop?”
Katsuki stood completely still, not acknowledging Izuku.
“Kacchan?”
Katsuki lifted one gloved hand, fingers splayed to signal silence. His expression sharpened into something lethal, eyes narrowing as he turned his head slightly, listening.
At the expression Katsuki was giving, Izuku felt something inside him shift. He suddenly felt on edge, more than he already was. Then Izuku felt it. The ice under them trembled. A deep vibration that Izuku felt more in his legs than in his ears.
“Kacchan, what-”
“Shh.” Katsuki’s voice was barely audible. “Listen.”
Izuku stood still and held his breath. He strained his ears to listen. Then he heard it. A low, rolling thunder that wasn’t actually thunder. A gust of wind building in the distance, gathering force like a creature drawing its breath.
“...Is that-” Izuku began but Katsuki cut him off sharply.
“I said quiet.”
The rumble surged, louder.
“Deku,” Katsuki turned to him, fear evident in his eyes. It made Izuku’s stomach drop. “We need to run. Now!” Katsuki turned on his heels and used his explosions to propel himself forward. Izuku didn’t waste time to follow right after him.
But it was no use.
A violent wall of wind slammed into them, so powerful that it knocked them both off their feet. Izuku’s cry was torn away instantly, swallowed by the wind as he hit the ice hard and slid across its slick surface.
The crack that echoed as his head slammed onto the hard ice was deafening. He groaned in pain and lifted his now pounding head to see Katsuki skidding in the opposite direction, boots scraping desperately for purchase.
“Kacchan!” Izuku winced, closing his eyes and bringing a gloved hand to touch his head. When he brought his hand back and opened his eyes, he was surprised to see his glove lightly smeared with red. Shit.
The lake roared beneath them.
A sound like a gunshot cracked through the air and Izuku instantly froze.
“Deku, whatever you do, don’t fucking move.”
What?
Izuku looked down. That fear that he had before came back tenfold.
A jagged fracture bloomed out from under his left foot, a spider web of white, inching with terrifying speed.
Izuku swallowed hard, breath shaking. He looked up and met wide eyes with Katsuki, a silent plea for help.
“Stay absolutely still.” Katsuki’s voice dropped into something low and dangerous. It almost sounded terrified, but it was steady. “Just- just hold on. I’m coming to you.”
The storm screamed and the ice groaned. Izuku sat impossibly still, not allowing himself to tremble from the cold, balancing between survival and the drop below. His heart hammered violently in his chest, each beat echoing in his ears over the storm. He looked back down at the cracking ice below him, unable to meet the panicked eyes of his friend.
He finally spoke, hearing the tremors in his voice. “K-Kacchan..” His voice cracked and he hated how small it sounded.
“Don’t talk,” Katsuki snapped, but it wasn’t really a snap. It was too heavy. “Just keep your weight centered. I’m almost there.”
Izuku nodded, barely daring to move even that much. He looked back up slowly, eyes locking onto Katsuki. He was inching toward him with precision Izuku had only ever seen him use in real battle. Each step was controlled and deliberate, like he was approaching a live bomb.
“Good,” Katsuki’s jaw clenched hard enough that Izuku could see it even through the storm’s blur. “Just don’t-”
The lake groaned beneath him.
Izuku’s blood went cold.
“-move,” Katsuki finished, voice breaking.
A thicker crack shot across the ice, this one loud enough to vibrate through Izuku’s entire body. The web of fractures beneath him widened.
And the ice gave.
It simply dropped. A sudden, sickening collapse that yanked the ground out from under his body. The world tilted and cold air rushed past his ears. Izuku had a split second to gasp and then the lake swallowed him whole.
The last thing he saw was Katsuki shouting something before falling, the shock of water was agony.
A thousand needles stabbed into his skin all at once, stealing his breath, forcing the air from his lungs in a burst of panic. Darkness surged around him, thick and icy. His limbs flailed instinctively, but the cold was so consuming it felt like his muscles forgot how to move.
Above him, distorted by the water’s churn, he could just barely make out Katsuki’s silhouette. A frantic figure on the surface, shouting something he couldn’t hear.
Izuku kicked upward, but his legs felt heavy, slow. His boots dragged like anchors. His coat weighed him down. The cold was numbing everything. His fingers, his chest, his thoughts.
A dull throb pulsed at the back of his skull where he’d hit the ice before. His vision flickered.
No. Don’t close your eyes, Izuku thought. He needed to get back up. He had to. He needed to tell him.
His lungs spasmed. The burn in his chest grew sharp, desperate. The cold was winning.
His last thought before everything slipped away was Katsuki’s voice, bringing a sense of calm that made Izuku’s eyes shut.
The world around him went dark.
~
Izuku sat on the grassy hill behind their houses, knees hugged to his chest as he sniffled quietly.
The sky above him had gone purple, stars poking their way through. The world was quiet around him, except for the crickets that began their nightly song. It was his favorite spot to hide when he needed a moment of peace.
There was a shuffling sound to his left, loud enough to hear over his crying and the chirping bugs.
Katsuki stomped up the hill, small and stubborn for a child. “Oi, Deku! Why are you hiding up here?”
Izuku rubbed at his eyes, freckled fists tiny and fragile.”I-I’m not hiding,” he lied.
“You are.” Katsuki dropped onto the grass beside him. “Auntie said you left before dinner.”
Izuku flushed. He should’ve known better than to lie to his best friend. He could always tell. It was like an extra quirk of his. “I just- it was dumb. I messed up during our game of tag. I fell and everyone in our class laughed at me. They called me a useless Deku.” He felt his tears pool further.
Katsuki scoffed. “Yeah, but you got back up. You kept tryin’.”
Izuku blinked, still feeling cold tears roll down his cheeks.
Katsuki sighed. “You were like All Might. You didn’t quit.”
Of course at the mention of All Might, Izuku’s emerald eyes lit up. To be compared to his favorite hero, his idol, it made him feel instantly better. He smiled brightly at Katsuki and the blond boy smirked. “Wanna see something cool?”
Izuku nodded eagerly, leaning in when Katsuki cupped his palms. He let out tiny explosions, the orange and yellow hues lighting up their faces as the sky got darker. Izuku felt his mouth gape, watching the beautiful sparks dance.
He loved watching Katsuki use his quirk. It was breathtaking.
It made Izuku more hopeful about his quirk. He just turned six, it was only a matter of time before he would develop one.
“There,” Katsuki let his quirk die down and he turned to Izuku. “No more cryin’.”
Izuku looked back at Katsuki's face, really looked, and saw the sincerity beneath Katsuki’s gruffness.
Another wind swept over the hill, warm and sweet with summer.
“Kacchan is amazing.” Izuku murmured. He watched as Katsuki’s chubby cheeks dusted pink and he stood up abruptly. “Come on, I’m hungry and Auntie said I could eat with you guys.” He offered a small hand to Izuku and Izuku took it, no longer feeling sad. Katsuki had calmed him down.
He always had a way of doing that.
~
Izuku woke with a violent gasp.
The memory he had was so soft, so tender that the present feelings gave him whiplash.
Cold flooded his every sense. At first it was hard to breathe, as if he were still underwater. His body jerked upright on instinct before pain slammed into him all at one. It was nauseating.
He touched the back of his head, flinching when his fingers met the tender welt there. Pain bloomed white-hot behind his eyes. The world lurched sideways and he felt something soft beneath him.
A couch. He was on a couch?
Just a moment before, he could remember the ice. Feeling the dreadful fear that consumed him faster than the water had.
His breaths came fast, fogging in the frigid air.
He took in his surroundings. He was in a cabin of some sort. The room around him was dim, shadows swallowing the corners. It smelled of mildew and old wood. There was a single window that was iced over, muffling the raging storm outside.
There was a fire, a low one, crackling weakly in a stone hearth by his side. The warmth barely reached him, a small kiss against his skin that felt like ice.
Izuku shivered, teeth clacking uncontrollably. When he looked down, he felt his cheeks flush. All of his clothes were stripped bare, except for his damp underwear. Someone must’ve taken all of his heavy, wet clothes off.
Someone… Katsuki.
“Kacchan..?”
His voice rasped, barely above a whisper. Silence answered.
Izuku’s breath hitched and panic crept in like a frostbite. He twisted, looking around the small room. Where was he?
“Kacchan?” Izuku said louder, pushing himself to his feet.
The room swayed. His vision tilted, the edges blurring to black. His pulse roared in his ears, mismatched with the crackle of the fire to his right. He needed to find Katsuki.
Izuku stumbled across the room on stiff legs, one hand dragging along the wall for balance. His breath grew shallow. Every step felt distant, numb and disconnected.
His panic spiraled when he realized Katsuki could be back out in that storm. He blinked hard, but the black spots in his vision kept spreading. He opened his mouth to call out Katsuki’s name again but all that came out was a shaky, pathetic exhale.
He felt so dizzy. His vision continued to tilt and he pitched forward. He hit the floor hard, breath knocking out of him. Darkness threatened to consume him once again but he tried to fight it. Somewhere far away, he heard a voice.
“Izuku?! Hey!”
Izuku watched as Katsuki’s blurry form appeared, dropping blankets before dropping to Izuku’s side frantically.
Then everything went black.
~
When Izuku came to once again, he was met with red.
A fiery, beautiful red.
Katsuki’s ruby eyes burned into his own, narrowed and etched with worry.
When Katsuki realized Izuku was actually awake, that worry turned into fury. His mouth was moving but Izuku couldn’t understand what was being said. Everything felt distant and muffled, cloudy.
He narrowed his eyes and he could hear the words start to form slowly. “-iot, can’t leave you alone for five fucking minutes.”
Was Katsuki talking about him? Probably. Izuku wanted to close his eyes again, feeling too tired and numb. Sleep sounded nice. Maybe he could think about his sweet memory again. He was going to do just that when he felt something warm shake his shoulders. He opened his eyes once again to meet Katsuki’s.
“Hey,” the explosive blond said roughly. “Did you hear what I just said?”
Izuku opened his mouth, the word spilling out like gravel. “N-no.”
Katsuki’s expression changed, turning soft. He let out a long exhale before speaking again, softer this time. “I said, don’t close your eyes.” His voice held none of its usual bite, just a quiet urgency Izuku rarely heard.
Izuku blinked slowly, letting the room settle into place. The fire glowed by his side. He was back on the couch again and this time, felt something soft wrapped around his head. He furrowed his brows in confusion and flushed when he realized Katsuki was hovering above him, cheeks pink from cold and worry.
“Kacchan…” Izuku whispered, throat thick. “You’re s-shivering.”
Katsuki scoffed, but it came out weak. “Yeah, no shit. Water’s fucking freezing.”
Only then did Izuku realize that Katsuki’s clothes were soaked. Coat clinging tight to his chest, pants damp and slightly dripping onto the floorboards. His hair stuck to his forehead and his arms shook as he studied Izuku.
“Kacchan,” Izuku breathed, startled. “You’re wet. Why- why didn’t y-you change?”
Katsuki rolled his eyes. “Because I was busy tending to your dumb ass.”
Izuku felt his heart stutter when Katsuki’s voice grew incredibly quiet. “You scared the hell outta me.”
He pulled back, looking Izuku straight into the eyes.
“You went under so fast. One second you were there, and the next-” Katsuki swallowed, jaw clenching. “The ice swallowed you. I just.. I jumped.”
Katsuki had saved him.
Izuku’s chest tightened. “You… w-went after me.”
“Of course I did.” Katsuki said it like it was simple. “I couldn’t let you drown.”
He rubbed at his arms, teeth chattering slightly. His lips were starting to pale in color and it made Izuku worry. “Had to swim deeper than I expected. You sank fast. Your stupid heavy coat didn’t help.” He shook his head. “Got you up eventually. Then I walked, hell, I don’t even know how far. Carried your heavy ass all the way to the edge of the lake until I hit solid ground.”
Izuku flushed red. “S-sorry.”
Katsuki continued, looking off to the side. “Got lucky with this cabin. Just happened to spot it through the trees. I tried contacting IcyHot and Glasses, but our comms are fucked. The water damaged ‘em. Not like it matters anyway. Probably wouldn’t be able to get a signal with this damn storm.” He sighed once again. “So, we’re stuck here till the storm lets up or someone finds us.”
Izuku pushed himself up slowly, vision finally steadying. “Thank you, Kacchan. For saving me. I- I don’t know what’d I’d have done if you weren’t there.” He paused and his eyes raked over Katsuki’s shaking form. “We need to dry you off. You’re freezing.”
Katsuki grumbled. “I’m fine.”
“You are not!” Izuku protested, sitting up straighter despite the throbbing in his head. “You helped me, so let me help you. Please, let me make sure you stay warm. We both can’t get hypothermia.”
Katsuki opened his mouth, probably to argue, but Izuku looked at him with his wide, earnest eyes that always seemed to break through the walls Katsuki put up. It was laughable, really.
“...Tch. Fine,” he muttered, cheeks warming. “But only because I know you won’t shut up about it.”
Izuku smiled softly. “Come here.”
Katsuki shifted closer, sitting between Izuku and the weak fire. He looked away, ears bright red.
Izuku’s fingers touched the zipper of Katsuki’s wet coat and pulled it down. Once the heavy clothing was discarded, he reached for the hem of Katsuki’s soaked shirt. He carefully tugged the wet fabric upward. Katsuki shivered as the cold air hit his bare skin, but he stayed still, letting Izuku peel the shirt off his shoulders.
The action felt far too intimate, and neither boy could look at each other. How they went from being stranded on a frozen lake to half-naked together beside a fire made no sense to Izuku.
The fire crackled and their breaths mingled in the chilly air.
Katsuki continued to avoid meeting his gaze. “Kacchan, you need to take your pants off too.” Izuku’s neck felt hot when he said the words. God, this was so embarrassing. “Your pants are just as soaked.”
He scoffed before standing. “Whatever.” He turned around, his back meeting Izuku. Katsuki took off his boots and wet socks before pulling down his pants and throwing them with the rest of his clothes, landing in a soaking heap in the corner.
Once he was standing there with only his boxers on, he crossed his arms over his body and shifted on his feet.
They’d seen each other change countless times before, from when they used to share baths as kids to now, changing into their hero suits in the school’s locker rooms. But they were all alone this time.
Izuku watched as Katsuki stood there, obviously put on edge. He felt bad and hated himself for making the gruff boy feel this way. He fiddled with his aching fingers. “You should have the couch, Kacchan. You did a lot of work. I’m sure your body is tired from carrying me so far.”
Katsuki finally looked at him and scoffed. “Don’t be so damn modest, Deku. I’m not the one who almost drowned.”
Fair. “Okay,” Izuku murmured. “Then we can share the couch?” The words slipped out before he could stop them.
“Hah?!” Katsuki barked, eyes wide.
Izuku flushed instantly. “I- I just meant, there’s enough room for both of us to sit. You’re cold and tired and-” He made a vague gesture, suddenly very aware that he was half-naked under the blanket. “I don’t mind.”
Katsuki glared, but it didn’t have any heat behind it. In fact, his ears were pink. It was cute.
“Whatever,” he grumbled under his breath. “Move over.”
Izuku did, slowly, pulling the blanket tighter around himself as he slid onto his side of the couch. Katsuki sat beside him after a beat, lowering himself. His skin brushed against Izuku’s knee, and both of them froze for half a second before pretending it didn’t happen.
The fire popped softly.
A long, awkward silence settled between them, thick and warm. It was strangely comforting to Izuku.
Katsuki sat stiffly to his left, arms crossed over his chest and still shivering under his own blanket.
Izuku could hear Katsuki’s soft breathing and could feel the heat radiating from his skin, what little heat was there, anyway. It made Izuku sleepy. After a moment, he exhaled shakily and let his eyes drift closed. The exhaustion was still there, heavy and tugging at his bones.
The warmth from the fire and the presence beside him, it made him feel safe enough to relax. His head began to tip forward, sleep starting to pull at him aga-
“You’re still cold.”
Katsuki’s voice cut into the quiet.
Izuku startled slightly and blinked his eyes open. He was aware that he was still trembling, despite the rough blanket that wrapped around him and the fire in front of them. “I’ll be fine.” He was too sleepy to dive into a possible argument with the boy at his side.
Izuku tried to close his eyes again, pulling the blanket under his chin. He was just starting to drift off once more.
“Izuku.”
His eyes snapped open.
His name was spoken firmly, yet so soft. Unnaturally soft from Katsuki. It made him wide awake. He looked over and froze. Katsuki was watching him. Concern was etched into his features.
Izuku felt his heartbeat flutter unevenly, a warm bloom spreading through his chest. “Kacchan?” he whispered.
Katsuki held his gaze, unmoving, as if the words he was about to say mattered far more than he wanted them to.
Izuku swallowed, pulse skittering in his throat. Katsuki wasn’t looking away.
Something quiet moved behind those eyes he loved so much, something softer than anything he’d shown out loud. It made Izuku’s chest tighten in a way that had nothing to do with the cold. He was about to ask why Katsuki was looking at him like that, when Katsuki exhaled.
His shoulders dropped and he glanced away for half a second, as if gathering whatever courage he needed. Then he shifted on the couch, turning his body toward Izuku.
“You’re shaking. Body heat works faster than blankets,” he murmured. “Come here.”
Izuku’s breath hitched. “W-what?”
Izuku really did hit his head pretty damn hard. He just couldn’t believe his concussed self was picturing Katsuki asking him to move closer. But as Katsuki continued to stare at Izuku with an expression that was so different from his usual demeanor, Izuku realized this was actually happening.
The picture of him concerned now meshed with the image of the Kacchan in his childhood memory. The thought made Izuku’s throat grow tight.
“You heard me.” Katsuki’s cheeks were pink, but he didn’t look away this time. “If you fall asleep cold, your temperature could drop again. And my quirk can warm us both up. So just-” He let out a frustrated sound. “Just come here, nerd.”
Izuku stared, stunned.
Katsuki held out his arm open. The softness Izuku couldn’t place before flickered again, warm. He scooted forward hesitantly, and Katsuki’s arm wrapped around him, pulling him gently into his chest. The blanket shifted with them, swallowing the two of them in a bubble of warmth.
Izuku let out a breath he didn’t realize he’d been holding as he leaned into Katsuki’s solid heat, his forehead brushing Katsuki’s shoulder.
Katsuki tensed for a moment, then melted into the contact with a shaky exhale, chin brushing against Izuku’s damp curls.
“Thanks, Kacchan.” Izuku spoke softly and Katsuki nodded, pulling the blanket tighter around them both, his arm curling more securely around Izuku’s waist.
The closeness settled between them was so soft, so fragile in a way that neither dared to break.
Just like back then, in his memory, Katsuki had calmed Izuku down. Here he was, holding Izuku and keeping him warm, keeping him safe from the violent storm that continued to cry outside.
Katsuki had saved Izuku.
He didn’t hesitate, jumping into an impossibly frozen lake to save Izuku from drowning. Then he continued to save him by carrying him all the way to this cabin, making sure he was warm and comfortable. He even took care of Izuku’s head wound, cleaning it and bandaging it.
All of this proved that Katsuki was a soft person on the inside. A good friend.
Izuku’s thoughts tangled around themselves, warmth blooming where Katsuki’s arm held him close.
Friend.
The word ached in his chest.
But sitting here, wrapped in Katsuki’s arms, his breath brushing Izuku’s hair… It didn’t feel like just friendship.
Izuku swallowed, pulse fluttering unevenly. The fire crackled beside them, throwing soft orange light across Katsuki’s face, across the softness in his eyes that Izuku still didn’t know how to name.
“Kacchan,” Izuku whispered.
Katsuki hummed, chin dipping slightly toward him.
Izuku’s heart pounded so sharply he thought Katsuki must’ve felt it against his ribs. His breath puffed warm against Katsuki’s collarbone as he shifted, trying to find the right words. But everything in him trembled with the same urgency as the storm outside.
“I..” Izuku spoke quietly. “I need to tell you something.”
Katuski’s body tensed beneath his touch, but he didn’t pull away. He just waited.
Izuku squeezed his eyes shut for a second, gathering whatever courage he had left after nearly drowning and laying half-naked in the arms of the boy he’d loved forever.
“I thought I was going to die,” he whispered. “When the ice broke.”
He curled his hand around Katsuki’s blanket. “And I realized, I wouldn’t be able to tell you.”
Izuku pulled back just enough to see him, their faces inches apart. Katsuki’s eyes widened a fraction. “I like you, Kacchan.”
Katsuki froze.
Izuku whispered the rest before he could lose his nerve.
“I’ve… liked you for a long time. A really long time.” His voice cracked. “Not just as a friend. Not anymore.”
The silence that followed wasn’t cold at all. It was burning.
Katsuki stared at him, lips parted. His eyes flickered over Izuku’s face, searching for something.
Izuku’s heart dropped. This was a bad idea.
Katsuki was going to laugh at him, tell him how much of a helpless Deku he was. Maybe even push him off and walk out into the storm, leaving him here to cry pathetically. But he never did.
A warm hand cupped the side of his jaw and Izuku froze. Katsuki leaned in slowly, shakily. “You’re such a damn idiot.” Katsuki whispered.
“I like you too, Izuku.”
It happened before Izuku could even register those words.
Their lips collided, softly at first, barely a brush. Katsuki’s hand cradled the back of Izuku’s head, careful to avoid his injury, pulling him in.
Izuku made a small sound against his mouth, surprise mixing with relief, and Katsuki sucked in a sharp breath like the noise set him on fire.
The kiss turned hungry.
It was like an unspoken bond. A puzzle piece that had finally fit together after years and years of trying to force it to fit. Years of misunderstanding and stubborn pride crashing together.
Katsuki shifted, angling their mouths together, lips parting as the heat between them climbed faster than the tiny fire beside the couch. Izuku’s hands grabbed onto Katsuki’s bare shoulders, feeling the tension and adrenaline buzzing in them.
Katsuki’s lips moved against his with a kind of frustrated devotion, like he’d been holding this in for years and had finally come undone.
Izuku trembled when Katsuki’s thumb brushed his cheek softly.
It felt like coming home to a place he didn’t know he’d been missing. Like choosing each other, finally, without fighting or running.
Their foreheads pressed together as they stole breath after breath from each other, kiss after kiss. Katsuki tasted like caramel and fire. He tasted and felt like everything Izuku had always wanted and never expected to have.
His lips trailed the corner of Izuku’s mouth, breathing hard.
“Fuck, Izuku.”
The words were enough to set his skin on fire.
Izuku whimpered softly when Katsuki tugged at his lip before kissing him again, this time deeper, the kind of kiss that made Izuku’s toes curl under the blanket.
Katsuki pulled Izuku onto his lap without thinking, arms wrapping around him as if he needed Izuku’s warmth as badly as Izuku needed his. Izuku’s breath hitched, hands sliding to Katsuki’s chest as their mouths met again, heated and slow.
They stayed like that for a while, Katsuki holding him close while kissing him both tenderly and hungrily. All the while Izuku sat perfectly in his lap, relishing in the heat of the moment. It was like he was made for Katsuki’s lips.
The cabin disappeared around them. The cold didn’t exist anymore. Just Katsuki’s warmth. His love.
Izuku reached his hand upward and carded his fingers through blond strands. He tugged lightly, eliciting a groan from the boy beneath him. Izuku smiled faintly between kisses, forehead pressed to Katsuki’s.
“Kacchan..” he whispered softly, breathless.
They shifted positions and suddenly Izuku was laying on his back, Katsuki above him. Izuku wrapped his hands around Katsuki’s neck for purchase, pulling him down into another kiss, much softer this time.
They pulled apart and Katsuki smiled. Not one of his cocky smirks, but a genuine smile. He leaned down and pulled Izuku into a soft hug. It was gentle and spoke a thousand words that they both couldn’t say just yet.
Izuku shifted on his side, scooting over so that Katsuki could lay behind him. His still quickened heartbeat grew faster when he felt Katski’s warm, firm arms wrap around his body. His chin rested upon his shoulder and Izuku felt his hot breath against his neck.
He could no longer keep his eyes open, tired from the exhausting day and the comfortable heat that Katsuki provided as he held him. His eyes shut softly with a content sigh.
It was a horrible thing to say, but Izuku didn’t mind almost drowning. Not if it led him here, wrapped safely in Katsuki’s arms, finally uncovering the feelings that he’d dreamed of for years.
Izuku decided he could stay like this forever.
With a crackling fire, strong arms holding him close, and soft snores from behind, Izuku was able to drift into a comfortable sleep.
~
Shoto’s limbs cried in exhaustion.
The storm had soaked straight through his gear, snow clinging to his hair and mismatched eyelashes as he trudged through the words with numb determination. He and the others had managed to rescue all seven missing kids. They were terrified and freezing, but alive.
There was another issue though. Two people from his own team were still unaccounted for.
Midoriya and Bakugou.
When they had found the kids, Shoto tried contacting the two boys on his earpiece. Their answers were coming out in static bursts, but Shoto had to inform them of the incoming storm. He could only hope they were okay.
The knots in Shoto’s stomach had only tightened with every minute that passed without contact. Their comms had gone silent hours ago.
Now, with the children sent off with Iida and Momo, Shoto moved deeper into the trees alone, forcing his tired body forward.
The storm was calmer now, but the wind continued to howl through branches. The night was thick with snow and danger, his breath fogging unevenly.
Then he saw them. Footprints.
A chaotic, stumbling trail, half-filled from drifting snow. There was only one pair, but it was deep. Deep from possible added weight. Then something red caught his eyes. He looked closer, seeing a few speckles of blood that followed the trail of weighted footprints. Someone was injured.
Shoto’s heart jumped.
He followed the prints, pulse ringing in his ears. Branches creaked overhead and snow crunched beneath his boots as he pushed forward.
Finally, through the blur of white, an outline of a small wooden cabin appeared.
He approached cautiously, placing a hand on the door. The wood was cold under his palm, warped with age. Shoto pushed inside.
The hinge groaned faintly, the warmth of the fire inside brushing weakly against the bitter cold clinging to his face. Shadows danced along the walls, flickering with the flame that sat across the room.
He took in the room, discarded wet clothes in a heap, wet footprints leading in, and the couch pulled close to the fire.
Then he saw them.
Bakugou lay slumped against the back of the couch, head tilted slightly to the side with a parted mouth. His eyes were closed and he let out quiet snores. His arms were wrapped protectively around Midoriya, who was tucked against his bare chest under a heavy blanket.
Midoriya’s curls rested against Katsuki’s collarbone, his face peaceful.
A rare smile bloomed on Shoto’s face.
Knew it.