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Katsuki had been lost in thought.
For quite a few days actually.
Kirishima and Ashido were discussing something irrelevant to Katsuki’s mind something about a game? Katsuki didn’t know or care until it was a walk back to the dorms after a training exercise.
“Yo bakugo cmon! It’ll be fun I swear!”
Both of them were up in Katsuki’s face, so he couldn’t really be blamed for blowing up their faces.
But after all their insistence Katsuki did become somewhat intrigued. Maybe curiosity will kill the cat, who knows?
…
So Katsuki heads up to his room and gets out his rusting vintage Xbox. It’s 4 pm so he should have time.
And the time he did use, at first he was figuring out the controls, how to run, slide and build.
And it was entertaining for the first hour or so, but after that, Katsuki just got bored and frustrated.
It became somewhat of an unhealthy addiction as he says he hates it, calls it boring and uses other inappropriate insults but at the end of the day, he keeps playing. Winning or losing it’s the same cycle.
But each time after getting off his mind wanders off to what it would be like to play with someone else.
And now that brings Katsuki’s mind back to the present as he glances around the living room.
All of his friends that he knows of who play video games are too exhausted to do anything else but nap after school hours, so that’s a no.
But he tries again today anyway.
“Oi, shitty hair!”
Kirishima looks at him expectantly.
“Do you…want to play that Fortnite game?” He looks away almost shyly.
Kirishima’s eyes widened from this and barked out a laugh.
“Sorry man! I’m wayyy too tired right now, maybe after the festival?”
Katsuki sighs as if he’s already heard this response a hundred times and tilts his head back in annoyance.
Now Katsuki knows everyone has a right to their own time, but seriously, he’s been asking for days!
Soon most of class 1A begin to trickle out of the commons and into their rooms for tomorrow’s new day.
And to Katsuki’s displeasure, Izuku is still here, though across the room.
It still doesn’t stop them from making eye contact with each other after Katsuki mentions Fortnite.
After a moment the blonde rolls his eyes, scoffs and gets up to head to his room. What could he possibly want?
And so Katsuki keeps playing, getting very good at it, but has a lingering feeling of loneliness. He doesn’t call it nor admit it, but his heart does ache a bit when thinking about it. Sitting in the dark alone, he even begins his night routine earlier than usual for this game! What is he doing with his life, really?
A few days later, at 6:44 pm Katsuki and Izuku find themselves both brushing their teeth, at the same mirror, at the same floor….at the same time.
Katsuki glances over once. Izuku glances over a few times, great. This is pretty awkward.
And for some reason, Katsuki is hyper-focused on the sound of their teeth clashing with the toothbrush, really not that interesting but he digresses.
After they both spat out the toothpaste and cleaned their mouths, Izuku still seemed like he had something to say.
Katsuki scoffs. “Got somethin to say, Deku?” He tilts his head.
“Uhh….erm-well actually—“
The blonde lets out an annoying sound before shoving him out of the way to leave the bathroom.
But he doesn’t make it very far down the hallway till a hand on his forearm prevents him.
“Kacchan! Listen to me!” Izuku had a desperate, no, more determined look in his eyes to which Katsuki rolled his eyes.
He shakes his arm out of Izuku’s grip. “What!?”
Izuku sighs and looks down. “Look I know we’re not really that close anymore, and we haven’t played together since elementary school but I overheard you and Kirishima and Ashido talking about that game called Fortnite, and well—“ He starts doing his nervous habits. “I think it would be really beneficial to our friendship if you and I played a few matches. And well I’m not exactly a pro at it I have played a few matches!” “Deku.” “Plus, I haven’t seen you play with anyone else yet! Not that I’m stalking you or anything it’s just I’ve heard others decline so maybe we could—“
“DEKU!” Katsuki pushed him before walking toward his room.
“I have no idea what you’re saying! And quit that rambling shit already nerd. Also, I don’t need your presence to have fun.” He shakes his head at the last point.
Of course, Izuku doesn't give up. Annoyingly so.
He grabs Katsuki’s arm again and tries to stop him again, leading to both of them wrestling in the middle of the hallway.
“Kacchan! Please—“ His face is shoved into Katsuki’s elbow. “Argh..let go you damn Deku!”
Katsuki was about to launch an explosion before they both reached the door. With Katsuki against it.
Both of them were fighting like one of them just killed their mother, at least it would seem so with how ferocious they’re being.
And for some reason, somehow, the doorknob twists and they both crash into the room. Groaning in pain.
While both Katsuki and Izuku were panting from their excursion, Katsuki gets that feeling of regret, something he NEVER usually feels, and it annoys the shit out of him.
And so:
Izuku and Katsuki stare at each other for exactly 7 seconds before Katsuki sighs, gets up and mumbles something out of earshot.
Izuku shifted his head trying to understand, “Kacchan?”
Katsuki groaned, tipping his head back before turning his direction again.
“Close the damn door Deku! Come on.”
“Oh! Right u-um of course.” Izuku stands quickly to shut the door and walks further into Katsuki’s room.
The room itself held no particular eye catchers other than some All-Might figurines and homework on the desk. But Izuku still couldn’t stop himself from inspecting quietly, or at least he thought.
“Oi nerd! Quit looking around my room with those creepy eyes of yours. Fucking weirdo.” Katsuki looked away last second before sitting down lazily and turning on the Xbox.
Izuku's cheeks flush before quietly sitting down next to him, not too far left to disrupt his view of the screen, but not too close as to accidentally touch him in any circumstances.
“Alright you get the red controller because it’s at stage 2 stick drift, this green one’s mine.”
“Kacchan…”, he gave the controller a look. “Are you sure you don’t have any spares?” Then Katsuki turns his head to give the same look to Katsuki.
“No. Now connect your controller already.” Katsuki said begrudgingly.
After a couple of minutes of trying to get the wifi to work, and a couple of “Dekus” and fussing, the two boys finally got started on the game.
But once Izuku got into their lobby, he hesitated. “Um, Kacchan..I just wanted to let you know I haven’t played in quite a while so..” He gave a weary smile while ruffing his hair.
Katsuki just rolled his eyes and said he didn’t care either way, that he just wanted to play and nothing else.
And so then two teenage boys, on a starry night indulge in something so similar to their youth, playing together once again.
The first couple of matches weren’t streaming quality, for sure. But while Katsuki was getting angered and beating his controller onto Izuku’s head, Izuku couldn’t help but laugh.
And laugh he did hard. Every single time they got 57th place, 8th place, 2nd place, and even 99th. There was just something so comforting about leaving all his worries about the future behind and just doing what teens his age were supposed to do. Not saving the world, just playing Fortnite with your best friend for hours on end.
But Izuku knew Katsuki would explode him out of his room if he ever voiced his enthusiasm about this. In fact, he wishes this moment would never end.
“YOU ABSOLUTELY MORON!! HOW DID YOU NOT SEE HIM!!” Katsuki threw his controller and strangled Izuku, but there wasn’t any pressure, just touch.
“Haaahaha, K-kaachan— ahahahaha!”Izuku started to cry from how much he was laughing, his cheeks strained, overworked from joy.
Katsuki groaned in frustration before knocking Izuku to the floor, hands on his wrist and legs intertwined with each other.
“Arrh..STOP LAUGHING!” Katsuki tightened his grip while trying to shake him.
“KACCHAN!! Ahaha!!! I-I CANT—“ Izuku was cut off by wheezing, he started becoming lightheaded and overwhelmed with laughter.
Katsuki appeared not to be faring any better, the more he stared at Izuku's flushed tomato face, his smile suddenly became infectious. And Katsuki found himself struggling to hold back his grin.
“Hmm…hmmfp—“ Katsuki’s chest tightened and he let out a loud wheeze, letting it out,
Katsuki didn’t even notice his body shifted, lowered his arms to his elbows and his head barely grazed Izuku’s chest.
Both boys were so absorbed in their moment of fun.
Katsuki collapsed and rolled next to the man he was dying with, shoulder to shoulder.
Izuku turned his head and stared for a moment, the room turned silent, with their only illumination being the blue lobby screen in front of them.
Izuku would’ve taken a moment to admire how pretty Katsuki looked if he hadn’t stifled another laugh, the blonde's face was just too priceless.
Izuku took off laughing once more and Katsuki was giggling at the reaction, it seems they both were drunk on elation.
Izuku took hold of the helm of Katsuki’s T-shirt, clutching it for dear life and he slammed his fist into the ground searching for some outlet.
Truly, from an outsider's point of view, they must look crazy, but both of them couldn't care less right now.
Of course though, with all beginnings, there’s an end.
Both the boys ran out of breath but after catching it, they became cutely aware of how silly this night had become.
Izuku doesn’t seem to care though, still flashing a smile at the blondie. Katsuki must be thinking the same, as he slightly grins in return.
The vibe shifted, the silent air, the slight noise from the Xbox and the blue light became their comfort. Both boys just enjoying the present.
But the peace didn’t last long, as Izuku opened his eyes and whispered,
“Wanna get some ice cream?”
Katsuki gave him a look.
The time was now 10 pm, not that Katsuki checked but it was quite dark outside now.
Both of them made their way down the stairs as quietly as they could, they were already being loud enough in Katsuki’s room and didn’t want to add salt to the wound, knowing they’d get an earful of Aizawa-sensei tomorrow morning.
Izuku got to the kitchen first, opened up the freezer and picked out pistachios, then asked Katsuki what he wanted.
Katsuki, who was now sitting at the island counter, replied with coffee, and with that Izuku just giggled.
“Oi. What’s so funny?” He tilted his head and frowned slightly.
“Oh nothing, I just think it’s befitting that you’d choose something sharp as an ice cream flavour.” He grinned back.
“Really? Well, I think pistachio is pretty unique too.”
Izuku snorted, “Really.”
“Really.”
They both ended up giggling again, Katsuki questioned why he was acting like this, he never laughs this frequently.
“Alright let’s go back up!”
“Wait I need—“ Katsuki stopped and saw that his favourite ice cream spoon was already stuck into the ice cream bowl.
He scoffed and took the bowl from the green’s hands and gradually came back into Katsuki’s room.
As they sat down in front of the large footrest, resting their back against the couch, they talked, for the first time in years.
They talked about the seasons, Izuku’s quirk, and how tight Aizawa sensei is, they both giggled while imitating his scolding.
And while Katsuki was talking, Izuku was thinking.
From Izuku’s view, he can see the clock. 11:44 pm. He started thinking about the next morning, how this night would probably be the last time he hung out with Katsuki as friends do. About how when dawn comes, they will resume their lives. In the same area but multiple walls in between.
Izuku smiled bitterly at the thought.
By now Katsuki had stopped chatting about how stupid Denki looked after his power consumption, realizing that Izuku was never listening in the first place.
But Izuku finally realized how quiet the room became and looked back at Katsuki.
“….”
“Kacchan..?”
He couldn’t decipher what Katsuki was thinking, is there something on his face? Is he red? Did he say something out loud again..? Was he accidentally rambling again! Oh gosh!
Katsuki watched as Izuku’s face went from blue to red really fast and furrowed his brows in confusion.
Then he gets up and walks over to his desk, pulls out some pills and walks back over.
Melatonins. Izuku realizes that he doesn’t consume them often, but he supposes he should. But a glance at the clock tells him that it’s way past the time they were supposed to be asleep.
Izuku takes them carefully and chews them while glancing at Katsuki, but he doesn’t say anything.
Perhaps both boys are afraid to leave this memory they’ve created willingly.
With every beginning there’s an end, but that doesn’t mean it has to be a bad one.
With the passage of time, Katsuki takes out a sleeping bag, two in fact. Both don’t mention that there’s already a bed and a floor, that Katsuki doesn’t need to be down here with him, or that Izuku needs to spend the night here at all.
Maybe it’s the exhaustion.
Even so, Izuku speaks one last time, at a volume not even the gods could hear.
“Kacchan.”
“…Goodnight.”
…
And so at 12:13 am, the dorm building fell completely silent at last. As the two boys fell asleep in their bubble, nobody will know of the fun they had, with the only evidence of their shared enjoyment being two bowls of ice cream drying on the glass and the blue illumination from the TV screen.
And nobody will know that Izuku stayed up just a little longer to watch Katsuki sleep.