Chapter Text
Courage
"Why the hell do I gotta be Deku's chauffeur!?" Katsuki scoffed, knowing damn well he was grateful to be so close to him after all this time.
"Thanks a lot for picking me up!" Izuku chuckled, smiling wide.
"C'mon, we're all going to the same place anyway." Eijirou shrugged. "Plus, we get to check out your sick new ride," he smirked.
"Whatever," the blond said, clicking his tongue.
"Hey, Midoriya, you think any of your students' quirks would pair well with mine?" Eijirou asked, turning to the backseat.
"Are you looking for a new sidekick?" The other man asked excitedly.
Katsuki tuned his friends out, eyes zeroing in on the road. The sun had already set, leaving only the street lamps to illuminate the highway. He let out a breath as he slipped into his own thoughts.
Tonight was his chance — his chance to finally ask Izuku to join his agency. He'd been looking for new heroes to take on, but none of them met his standards, and only a few had come close. None of them had the amount of drive and determination he was looking for. Hell, he'd never even met anyone who did Except Izuku. Although, he'd never admit it out loud, Izuku was everything he looked for in a hero partner.
Izuku had an unmatched amount of determination, he always did. In Katsuki's eyes, there was nothing Izuku couldn't do, as long as he put his mind to it. The nerd was born quirkless and still saved the world. No matter how much he tried to deny it, Katsuki knew Izuku was a greater hero than he'll ever be.
Katsuki had drive of course, he always did, but he also had pride. Something some would call egotistic. But to him, his pride kept him safe. Safe from being vulnerable, getting his feelings hurt. There were lots of things he'd never be able to admit, like the fact he needed Izuku to be by his side.
His whole life, the nerd had been by his side, whether he liked it or not. So, no matter how many people praised him, called him perfect, there was always someone to compete with. Little quirkless Deku followed him around, not just praising him, but challenging him, claiming he'd surpass him someday. When they got into U.A. and Izuku's quirk seemed to manifest out of thin air, he only doubled down on the challenge. They spent their whole first year not only working together, but fighting one another.
Katsuki remembers their fight at ground beta like it was yesterday, another thing he'd never say aloud. That night, they snuck out of the dorms, knowing the punishment they'd receive when they got caught. He remembered the exact moment he thought Izuku might just beat him and the exact move he used to flip the script. That night changed everything for Katsuki, he finally saw Izuku in a different light; stopped seeing him a pest rather than a true hero. The thrill of that fight stuck with him ever since.
So, if he couldn't find a single person worthy of joining his agency, he'd have to ask the one person he wanted to join his agency.
But to him, Izuku could never be someones sidekick, and Katsuki didn't expect him to be. He wanted Izuku by his side, competing for the rest of their lives. Chasing after each other for the rest of their lives.
After all, he didn't spend eight years funding that damn hero suit for nothing.
"Oh yeah, I heard you had a ton of sidekick applicants, Kacchan, but they all left their interviews crying," a familiar voice chuckled, breaking him from his thoughts.
"Shut the hell up, nerd!" He snarled, gritting his teeth.
"I bet all those kids applied after seeing your fight with All For One, thinking you'd be some heroic symbol," the redhead snickered.
"They probably realized their mistake pretty quickly, huh?"
The blond tsk'ed, scoffing. "I'm waiting for someone to say they want to surpass me, I'd hire them on the spot," he said seriously, eyes drifting to his prized All Might card.
Gentle silence fell over the car, save for the whir of the engine.
Katsuki took a quiet deep breath, before exhaling. "Hey, teach," he called, eyes darting to the rear view. Green eyes looked up, meeting his red ones. "You staying at U.A.?" He continued.
He watched those mossy doe eyes blink a few times before a small smile crept across freckled cheeks.
"I am." Izuku said softly. "I got permission to use the suit on whenever I want to, now I get to do hero work on the side," he nodded. "I've been traveling to other schools and training facilities to share my experience with others. With any luck I'll be able to inspire some of them," he smiled to himself, glancing at his scared hands. "Now I get to do two jobs that are important to me."
The blond nodded, ripping his eyes off the mirror. Eijirou turned in his seat, listening attentively.
"Even if I still had One for All, I'd still want to be a teacher." Izuku continued. "I got to save the world and make a ton of friends along the way! What else could I ask for?" He smiled, tilting his head.
Eijirou smiled before bursting out into deep laughter, earning a confused look from the freckled man.
"Dang! You just got rejected, Bakugou!" The redhead chuckled. "He was asking you to join his agency, Midoriya!"
"Huh!?" Izuku gasped. "Sorry, I can't," he said gently.
"Whatever! I heard the speech." Katsuki grumbled.
His friend continued snickering beside him, only earning a sharp glare from the blond.
"Look," he sighed, glancing back to the rear view mirror. "You need to start thinking highly of yourself and putting yourself first."
"That's… coming from you?" Izuku questioned, raising an eyebrow.
"What I'm saying is, if everyone is special to you, then no one really is." Katsuki said, a little softer than his usual tone.
"Awh, gettin' soft on us, Bakugou?" Eijirou teased.
"Shut up!"
Izuku chuckled softly from the backseat, only making his chest ache a little more.
Dinner was nothing special. He forced conversations with people he wasn't very interested in speaking to, attempting to ignore the way his heart throbbed. Izuku acted like the social butterfly he was, chatting and laughing with their old classmates. If Katsuki hadn't been paying attention, he wouldn't have noticed the way green eyes drifted towards Ochaco's brown irises every once in awhile.
The feelings swirling in Katsuki's chest were nothing new, just ones he'd been repressing for years. There had always been a lot unsaid between him and Izuku, words he wished he had the courage to speak aloud. During their time at U.A., they grew closer — well, their definition of close anyway. With a relationship as damaged as theirs, two people could only fix so much.
After the war, Katsuki learned to control his temper, and tried his best to mend things between him and Izuku. He hadn't realized how accustomed to the fact they'd be heroes together until One For All was gone. It broke him when he found out, and it hurt even worse to see Izuku smiling like it was nothing — because to Katsuki, it was everything. Izuku was his only worthy opponent, no one else competed like Izuku.
The embers still burned through graduation, but Izuku's power seemed to dwindle as they slowly faded away. Even still, they trained together. Through their recovery, through their second and third year. They trained harder every time, competing like kids.
And for a little while, it felt like maybe it meant everything to Izuku too.
For months after the war ended, Katsuki would wake up to urgent knocking on his door, only to find Izuku standing on the other side, paler than ever. Tears brimmed his eyes, threatening to pour out.
"I had that dream again." He'd say, sniffling.
Katsuki knew the one, it was the same one every time. The image of his lifeless body replayed in Izuku's head, taunting him. It horrified him, leaving him to toss and turn all night. So, he'd flip the light on and step aside, letting the other boy in.
"Just this once." He'd scoff, already grabbing a spare pillow and blanket.
In the morning, they never spoke about it, just continue with their morning side by side.
Movie nights with their whole class in the common room turned into All Might marathons in their dorms, just the two of them. Katsuki let his facade slip, just slightly, and let himself enjoy their time together. Sleepovers became more common, only because Izuku needed to be close enough to hear him breathe some nights. He'd never say it, but sometimes he needed Izuku too.
When they weren't training, they'd do homework together, shoulders bumping as they squished their things on Izuku's desk. Izuku would ramble about things Katsuki claimed to not care about, knowing he cherished those moments more than anything else. When he finally convinced the other to watch a horror movie, Izuku clung to him every time he got spooked, curls brushing his bare skin.
As graduation grew closer, Katsuki felt a pit in his stomach, knowing all of this was coming to an end. Izuku rarely showed up at his door in the middle of the night anymore. It should've been a good thing, it meant he was healing, no longer haunted by the memory, but it still made Katsuki's heart twist. In a few short months, they would go their separate ways. Everyone would move out of the dorms, finding their own homes. He and Izuku wouldn't live right down the hall.
No more movie marathons when they couldn't sleep. No more knocks on his door at 2 am. No more training sessions.
It was all coming to an end, and it scared him.
"Hey, man, you ready to head out?" Eijirou chimed, breaking him away from his thoughts.
"Yeah," he said noncommittally, shrugging.
He followed the rest of their class outside to the busy streets of Musutafu. A gentle breeze flew by, brushing his bare arms, sending a subtle shiver up his spine.
"You better have a way to get home," he scoffed halfheartedly, turning towards a familiar head of curls.
"I'll be fine." Izuku assured with a soft smile.
Katsuki could understand why Izuku wouldn't want to join his agency. He was horrible to him for so long, he was lucky to be forgiven in the first place. No amount of time or money could change that.
The blond cleared his throat. "I'll see ya' then," he said, offering a small wave.
"I'm doing a lecture on communication, you should stop by," the other chuckled.
"Better not use me as a bad example." Katsuki grumbled.
The freckled man laughed, baring his teeth as he waved before turning on his heel. Katsuki watched as he walked away, hands gripping the straps of his stupid yellow backpack.
If everyone's special to you,
His chest tightened with each step the other took. He swallowed hard.
then no one really is.
Without thinking, his body moved, taking hurried steps toward his childhood friend.
"Izuku!" Katsuki called out.
The freckled man looked over his shoulder, just as Katsuki grabbed onto his wrist.
"Kacchan?"
Red eyes blinked, darting across the other's face. His brain was still catching up.
"I- Just wait a second," he said breathlessly.
Izuku's own eyes scanned his expression before he nodded, Adam's apple bobbing as he swallowed.
"Why won't you join my agency?" Katsuki asked straightforwardly.
He watched as Izuku's mouth opened and closed, uncertainty laced in his expression.
"I'm just busy with teaching, that's all." Izuku replied simply, but Katsuki could see the lie in his eyes.
"Don't lie to me, Izuku," he said.
"I'm not lying-"
"I know you, Izuku. I've known you since we were four, I can tell when you're lying," he snapped back.
The teacher let out a sharp breath, one he'd been holding.
"I just," the other started. "I just thought after all this time, you'd see me as more than a sidekick." He frowned.
"That's not-"
"As much as I want to be a hero," Izuku continued. "I won't settle for being someones sidekick, not after everything."
"Goddamnit you idiot." Katsuki scoffed, dragging a palm across his face. "I wasn't asking you to be my damn sidekick."
Izuku tilted his head to the side, brows scrunching together.
"I was asking you to be my partner, to work along side each other." Katsuki said firmly, ruby eyes locking onto shimmering emeralds. "As if you'd be some lousy sidekick," he grumbled.
"You- what?" The other asked, eyes widening.
"We were supposed to keep competing, chasing after each other. You're the only-" he cut himself off, swallowing his pride. "You're the only person worthy of surpassing me," he admitted.
Izuku's expression softened, head tilting just slightly, as he looked at Katsuki in a new way.
"You want me to surpass you?" He asked slowly.
"I never said I'd let you." Katsuki scoffed halfheartedly.
A toothy grin spread across the other's freckled cheeks, holding back playful laughter.
"But you think I could?"
The blond looked off to the side, scowling.
Izuku let out a soft chuckle, one that warmed Katsuki's heart.
"Let me think about it, okay?" Izuku smiled. "We can meet for lunch soon and talk more," he nodded.
"O-Okay." Katsuki nodded, holding back his own smile.
"Ya' don't have to hide your smile around me, Kacchan, I've seen it plenty of times before." The other sassed playfully.
"Whatever, nerd." Katsuki snorted, cracking a smile.
"I'll see you later, Kacchan." Izuku said, a little softer this time.
"See ya', Izuku." Katsuki said, just above a whisper.
Again, he watched as the only person he'd ever let surpass him walk away, like it was nothing. Katsuki wanted nothing more than to know if Izuku felt the same way.
Three weeks. He waited three weeks to have lunch with Izuku. Sure, he'd been waiting eight years to even ask him to join the agency, but this was the longest three weeks of his goddamn life.
Between his hero work and Izuku's teaching, their schedules rarely seemed to line up — until this afternoon. He was lucky enough to get a Saturday off, one of the days Izuku also didn't work. So, they decided to meet up at their old ramen shop for a very delayed conversation.
"Kacchan," an all too familiar voice called, chipper as always.
The blond looked towards the voice, unsurprised to see a head of messy green curls and wide doe eyes.
"Hey, nerd," he greeted, nodding his head just slightly.
"Man, who knew our schedules would be so conflicting?" Izuku chuckled softly.
"I guess you're just as busy as you say you are." Katsuki shrugged. "C'mon, I'm starving."
The other man nodded, following close behind.
They settled into one of the booths and flipped open the menus, even though they both knew what they'd order. Silence blanketed over them as they browsed the selection of appetizers and soups, feet brushing every so often.
"So," Katsuki started, clearing his throat. "Have you thought about it?"
Izuku hummed softly, slowly looking up from his menu.
"Mm, I think I'm gonna get the katsudon," he shrugged, flipping the booklet shut.
"Not the food, idiot." Katsuki grunted. "My offer," he corrected, mirroring the other's motion.
"Oh!" Izuku chimed, raising his eyebrows in realization. "Of course, right, sorry," he chuckled. "I have," he nodded.
The blond blinked, waiting for him to continue, but only silence followed.
"And..?"
The freckled man fiddled with his thumbs as he opened his mouth to speak, slightly hesitant. "I want to, I really do," he assured, offering a soft smile. "But I want to see Eri and Kota graduate — their whole class actually," he continued, glancing to the side.
Katsuki nodded, trying to be understanding.
"Being a hero was always my dream, and I got to be one." Izuku said. "And now, being a teacher is something I love doing," he said, smiling to himself. "I guess I never gave it much thought. Being a hero again, I mean," he clarified.
"Just because you like being a teacher doesn't mean you should give up your dream of being a hero." Katsuki replied, shaking his head. "You saved the fucking world."
"Exactly," the other man said. "I got to be a hero already. Now, get to do something else I'm passionate about. I didn't just 'give up' my dream of being a hero, I already got to live it."
For a moment, Katsuki paused, tilting his head just slightly. His expression softened as he saw Izuku in a new light.
He'd never thought about his career like that, he always assumed Izuku only became a teacher because he couldn't be a hero. But now, he could be a hero, full time, and he didn't want to.
"You don't want to be a hero again, do you?" He asked, ruby eyes meeting emerald ones.
A beat.
"Give me two years." Izuku said, locking their eyes together.
Two years.
"I want to see Eri and Kota graduate before I retire from teaching, and in the meantime, I'll get back into the flow of using my quirk again," he continued.
Two more years.
He didn't want to wait, hell, he'd been waiting for eight fucking years. He'd been funding that damn suit for eight fucking years. Katsuki wasn't a patient person, but for some reason, he was always willing to wait for Izuku.
So, he swallowed the lump in his throat and wiped his palms on his jeans.
"Okay."
"Okay." Izuku smiled, nodding firmly.
After they ordered, silence fell over them again, only the soft flow of nearby conversations filling the space. The blond tapped his fingers on the table, unable to sit still, avoiding eye contact. He had this strange feeling in his stomach, one he'd only felt a few times before — one he'd like to not think about.
"Hey, Kacchan?" Izuku chimed softly, pulling him from his thoughts.
"Hm?" Katsuki hummed, forcing his gaze upwards.
"Can I say something? It's kinda… dumb," the other asked, slightly hesitant.
The blond nodded, intrigued.
"I kinda miss our U.A. days." Izuku chuckled dryly. "I know we spent our first year fighting, but after everything happened, we were… close," he continued, treading lightly.
Red eyes widened slightly, taken aback.
"After graduation, I guess we drifted a bit," Izuku shrugged, chewing his bottom lip.
"Yeah, we did." Katsuki said softly, almost breathless.
So, all this time, maybe Izuku did feel the same way he did. Maybe the time they spent together back at U.A. was more than friendly rivalry — maybe it meant something more.
"I remember, after we graduated, I still expected you to come knocking late at night," he chuckled, glancing down at the tabletop.
A gentle smile graced the other's freckled cheeks, just a enough to flash his teeth.
"Sometimes I'd think about calling, but I didn't want to wake you, especially after you started hero work." Izuku admitted.
"I still think about calling you sometimes," the blond confessed, shrugging it off.
"Awh, Kacchan," the other snickered playfully.
"Don't get all sappy." Katsuki grumbled, scrunching up his nose, only earning another chuckle from Izuku.
The blond let himself indulge in their playful banter, only now realizing just how much he missed it — how much he still needed Izuku. Maybe Izuku needed him too.
For the rest of the afternoon, they laughed and shared drinks, catching up on everything they'd missed lately. Sure, they still talked sometimes, but since graduation, there's been less and less communication between the two of them.
Katsuki left that restaurant with a new feeling in his chest. Izuku actually agreed to be apart of his agency.
He's already waited eight years, what's a couple more?