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It’s slightly embarrassing how much Katsuki can really sit down and think about Izuku.
He doesn’t really have any idea when it started or how to stop it, but Izuku’s always on his mind in some way, shape or form. When he’s training in his own time, he thinks about how Izuku would marvel at his movements and mumble while jotting down notes in that crappy notebook he has. When he eats meals clipped from his mother’s recipes, he thinks about how Izuku would love eating it when he isn’t around like when they were younger. When he studies, he thinks of a million ways Izuku would find himself sitting next to him just to be around in his space like he always seems to be.
Especially after the war, Katsuki’s mind races at the thought of Izuku being around. He always has dreams of that same sequence of visions he saw before he died for that short while on the field. Thinking of how to improve, of how to win, of how to save.. for him.
Always him.
Then he woke back up and the only thing he ever remembered seeing before confronting All for One was green. That certain shade of green hair, those bright green eyes full of power and tears, that stellar green suit that he’d grown so well into; Izuku has always been the base of Katsuki’s headspace for as long as he can remember.
Now, he sits in his dorm room and feels antsy, trying to regulate himself before that base knocks on his door with that stupid face of his beaming so brightly at him like it always does.
That damn face, Katsuki’s been able to get used to the new hairdo Izuku’s rocking because of his head injury, but he doesn’t think he’ll ever get used to that scar dragging down the right side of his face; mostly because it’s caused his some of his main freckles to disappear. That’s always been a vital feature of the boy, his freckles. Always that messy hair, his doey eyes, a kind smile, and.. cute freckles. A feature Katsuki’s admired on Izuku’s face, down to memorizing the specific amount of each and every one of them.
Deku calls him out for staring at times with a laugh and a gentle tone, soon Katsuki confesses he was staring at the new face he has to get used to after only ever seeing the same one for so many years; it makes Izuku blush and Katsuki takes the opportunity to brush his curls out of his face and cup his cheek.. to get a real good look at this face that now belongs to him after their battles, rubbing his thumb ever so lightly across those known freckles that still lay there.
“What’s with you?” Izuku asks with a small smile.
“Just.. counting the freckles on your face.” Katsuki says with a voice as soft as his can get before calling the other a dummy just to save face.
Moments like this happen more and more as they grow, especially after Izuku officially loses his quirk and can’t seem to be around as much anymore as him and Katsuki are forced to take different paths.
Eight years of his mind infesting different images of Izuku all over again, all becoming more overwhelming than the last because they all become mass produced fantasies until that faithful day where All Might spills to Izuku that he can be a hero again.
That he can return to Katsuki’s side again, for him to admire.
Katsuki thinks about all Izuku is. He always has and he always will, for the rest of their lives as promised.. and for as long as Izuku is by his side, all he’ll ever see are those special features, those flashy quirk traits, and those freckles that really make Izuku himself.
“..I love you, Izuku.” Is what he’ll say one day as they have a moment on rooftop while the sun sets, gazing at that same dopey face he’s had in front of him since they were in kindergarten.
Izuku will return the favor, saying “I love you too.” Bringing Katsuki not to be so embarrassed about thinking about Izuku all the time anymore.