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Okay okay okay, don’t panic… Izuku thought, but it was too late because he definitely was panicking by now. Why, you may ask? Well, because the empty bottle of beer was pointing directly at him. Shit.
He could already hear the giggles and the ‘oooh’s that the class threw his way.
For fucks sake. It's now essential that he spends the next seven minutes in the closet down the hall, kissing someone in his class. Not exactly his favorite way to spend his Saturday evenings.
It had been Mina’s idea because of course she was always the one to jump headfirst into other peoples’ social lives. She had devised this ‘fun’ get-together that morning, and had reveled in the idea of stupid games such as this, and had somehow managed to convince the whole class— including Katsuki (albeit after a few drinks).
Everyone at the party by now is pretty drunk, including Izuku himself. His fourth beer sits half-full next to him, pretty much forgotten. Why does he even drink that stuff anyway? It tastes like shit, and he doesn't even want to be drunk. Well it's too late now anyway, because the alcohol is already messing with his head. He feels a little pissed off, which is strange, because he doesn't usually feel this way for no reason.
He can see in his peripheral vision people moving; masses of colour swimming in his drunken haze, towards him, and yet he pays them no mind. He’ll cross that bridge when he gets to it – or rather, when they get to him.
Tiredness settles deep in his bones, a heavy feeling that eliminates all want to get up from the floor. Maybe he can just pause time, and stay here; sinking into the stained carpet – but no, the laws of time and physics do not allow that, and Izuku is forced to keep his eyes open.
The speaker on the other end of the room is playing some stupid pop song Izuku can't quite remember the name of, and yet still can hum the tune, or sing a lyric or two. It's strange how the memory works, seeming to only remember the basic or most important details of a subject. Or it could just be that he knows the title, and is simply too inebriated to recall it. Both explanations could be plausible, and Izuku continues this line of thought as a useless pastime to spare him from actually engaging in the so-called ‘fun party game’.
But when twenty or so pairs of eyes suddenly turn to him expectantly, paired with grinning faces, Izuku can do nothing but blink back with his own uncertain expression. Damnit, what've I got myself into now?! I knew I shouldn't have joined this stupid game.
A burst of noise cut through his inner thoughts.
Izuku hadn’t been paying attention to the game at all, and had no idea who he was supposed to make out with in the closet. But judging by the way Sero was elbowing him in the ribs and the way Kirishima was shaking his shoulders; it was probably Ochacko.
For the last month and a half, most of his friends had been not-so-subtly trying to get him and Ochako together, and for some strange reason, Ochako had been condoning this behaviour, and not-so-subtly flirting with him. It made Izuku uncomfortable, not only because he didn’t like her back, but because she had been his best friend since first year, and Izuku feared rejecting her would make things awkward.
So he ignored it. He played dumb, pretended not to notice her lingering touches, and certainly didn’t give her any indication of returned feelings. Izuku just wished that she’d get over it after a while, and they can pretend it never happened.
Because she was still his closest friend, and Izuku hated awkward situations.
But his other friends just had to go and ruin that. They had told her that he was ‘playing hard to get’ and ‘obviously liked her back’ when he had done nothing but act the way he always did with anyone. It was frustrating, and Izuku would love nothing more than to scream that he doesn’t like her like that, and only didn't in fear of breaking her heart.
Izuku stood on tired feet, having been all but pushed up and slapped hard on the shoulder by Kirishima. Slowly looking around, he saw that he was correct in his deductions, and that Ochako was also standing, giggling to the girls and very obviously blushing.
When their eyes met, she sauntered over with a small pep in her step, giggled, and tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear.
“Hey Deku! Looks like it’s us… we don’t have to do anything if you don’t want to, though!” She exclaimed, waving her hands enthusiastically.
“Uhm okay.” Her smile faltered for a second, just long enough for Izuku to notice. Fuck. He wasn’t supposed to actually hurt her feelings, but Izuku had always been incredibly transparent in his emotions, and struggled to put on a jovial facade in this particular situation.
Before Izuku turned the corner, he looked back over his shoulder just once, and his eyes met ruby red ones. Katsuki was already watching him, which wasn’t weird because everybody was watching them, whistling and laughing. The only difference was that Katsuki was only watching him, with an expression that was unreadable to Izuku.
He turned back around, but for a second, Izuku swore he felt the heat of Katsuki's eyes burning into his back. Watching him.
Izuku sighed as he was pushed down the corridor by Mina, his socked feet dragging on the stained carpet like he was walking towards his own personal execution. Like the wooden floor of the closet was in fact the cracked and rotting planks of the gallows towards which he ascended.
Izuku wanted to turn around, and stay in the common area with Katsuki, but it was too late, because the noose of Ochako’s unrequited feeling was already tight around his neck.
What was seven minutes in heaven for Ochako, was seven minutes in hell for Izuku.
Damn is kissing a girl really this bad? Izuku thought, though he couldn’t think about his gayness for too long because Mina was already pushing him into the cramped space of the closet, and setting the timer.
6:59
6:58
6:57
The timer glowed slightly in the darkness, being the only source of light aside from the gap under the closet door. The darkness made Ochako’s face barely visible, despite it being less than six inches from his own.
“Izuku, can I ask you something?” Izuku, not Deku.
Izuku did not want to hear the question.
“Yeah…?” For fucks sake. His voice carried a nervous tone, not for the reasons Ochako would hope, however.
“Do you like anyone?”
“No,” He answered truthfully. Izuku watched as her whole mood seemed to deflate slightly. Goddamn it I keep making this worse!
“Oh… well, can I kiss you anyway?” She asked. Izuku didn't answer, and for some strange reason, she took that as a ‘yes’.
Izuku’s hands remained firmly on his knees as she cupped his face, and his expression remained stoic as she softly giggled under her breath.
When she kissed him, it was so light he barely noticed. It was nice, but he didn’t feel a thing. Izuku tentatively shut his eyes, and moved his right hand to her upper back.
There were no fireworks, no lurching of his heart, and the butterflies in his stomach were still encased in their solitary chrysalises.
As her strawberry flavoured lip gloss smeared over his lips, Izuku wondered if this is just what kissing is like. He didn’t know what it was supposed to feel like, having no point of reference to go off.
But suddenly, in his mind, the brown hair that brushed his fingers was replaced with much shorter, spikier blonde hair, the strawberry-glazed lips replaced with thinner, more chapped ones, and the eyes became ones of deep ruby. Only then did Izuku begin to feel something.
Holy shit, that kiss was boring up until I imagined her as Kacchan…
Oh
Oh
Holy shit, I’m in love with Kacchan.
Izuku’s breath hitched and he stilled, causing Ochako to break the kiss with confusion painted on her features.
“Izuku? Wha's wrong? D’you not like the kiss? Oh 'm sorry if I was too forward!” She withdrew her hands as if she had been electrically shocked.
“No, no it's just, I…” He paused. She was slurring her words dramatically, and her cheeks held an unnaturally bright blush.
She was very obviously too inebriated to understand the scenario that they were both in, and so Izuku allowed himself to dream once again, and smiled down at her crimson eyes.
“Nothing. ‘M just tired, Ka–Ochako.” Izuku mumbled as he leaned down to kiss her again.
5:36
5:35
5:34
…
___________
By the time the chimes of the alarm sounded from Mina’s phone, Izuku’s mouth had already been smeared in Ochacko’s strawberry lip gloss, and so he quickly wiped his mouth clean with the hem of his t-shirt.
Over the seven minutes, his eyes had gotten used to the darkness, and so he brought his left hand upwards to shield them as Mina and a few others crowded around the open doors of the closet. Ochako was immediately besieged with questions from the others as they helped them both up and out of the closet, and Izuku used this time to slip away to the kitchen.
The kitchen was quiet, and when Izuku walked in, he noted that the only two people in the room were Kirishima and Katsuki, who were chatting over drinks. (Izuku’s heart only skipped one beat this time when he saw Katsuki, which in his eyes was already progress.)
The two hadn't noticed him yet, and seemed to be engaging in a conversation (which was mostly fueled by Kirishima), though as he turned to refill his drink, Kirishima noticed Izuku loitering in the doorway, and called out to him.
“Hey Midoriya!” he yelled excitedly, causing Katsuki to whip his head around to face Izuku, “Huh, ‘s been seven minutes already?! Hey, how was it being in the closet with Uraraka?”
His voice held a suggestive tone, though to be completely honest, Izuku wasn't listening too much; his gaze lingered on Katsuki. Fueled with his newfound infatuation, Izuku's eyes drifted to his lips, his hair, his eyes– every part of him was just so beautiful, and Izuku struggled to concentrate on holding a conversation with Kirishima.
God, what had he asked again? Something about Ochako and the closet I'm pretty sure…
“Oh… it was okay I guess.” Fuck, that didnt sound happy at all! Kirisima’s eyebrow raised as if he were saying ‘Just okay?!’
“I mean, it was pretty good, uhm…” He glanced at Katsuki’s lips, “We kissed.”
A wide grin split apart Kirishima’s features as he clapped a hand on Izuku's shoulder. His excitement rivaled that of a toddler. Katsuki however, held a contrastingly different expression; at the mention of kissing, his eyebrows furrowed and his hands curled into fists, and he looked overall very upset.
Katsuki was a very peculiar character– incredibly competitive he was, and so no wonder he'd be upset that Izuku of all people had surpassed him in the simple act of kissing. He probably hadn't had his first kiss yet, so with his abrasive nature, it was justifiable that he'd feel sour about this.
It was during the flow of questions from Kirishima’s mouth that Katsuki broke his silence. He asked just one question, though his eyes never met Izuku’s:
“Well, do you like her?” He inquired.
Izuku thought for a moment. If he were to say no, it could be passed on from Kirishima, and he could potentially hurt Ochacko’s feelings and ruin their whole friendship, all for the fleeting possibility of a further relationship with Katsuki. But regardless of this Izuku still replied;
“No, I don't think I see her romantically. To me she's more of a good friend,”
and watched as something in Katsuki’s eyes softened slightly.
Kirishima immediately turned to him, “What! Are you serious, Midoriya! I could've sworn you had a crush on–” Izuku internally rolled his eyes,
“Shut it, dumbass. He said he didn't like her, so take his damn word for it!” Katsuki interrupted.
“No, seriously! You probably know by now how much she likes you, and I could’ve bet my left arm that you were acting like you liked her back!” Kirishima yelled incredulously, advancing on Izuku with his eyebrows furrowed.
“Well, I didn't mean for anything to come across that way, I swear!” Izuku desperately attempted. Katsuki roughly shoved Kirishima by the shoulder, and yelled a “Hey!”, though it went completely unnoticed.
“She’ll be so upset when she finds out– and I can't believe that you were leading her on! That's seriously not cool man!”
“Stop gaslighting him, the nerd can like who he fucking wants, shitty hair!” Katsuki shouted. It was rare that Katsuki would stand up for him like this, but Izuku wasn't complaining, in fact, he found it endearing.
Katsuki turned to him, “He’s fuckin’ drunk. Low ass alcohol tolerance. Don't worry about any of the shit he says.” That was sweet.
Kirishima, sensing Katsuki’s growing annoyance, had backed off, preferring to occasionally frown and shake his head instead. Katsuki grumbled and mouthed ‘Fucking idiot’ under his breath, before turning to pour himself another drink.
Izuku couldn't help but stare. Katsuki had always felt so far out of reach, like such an unobtainable prize, and now, Izuku almost dared to think that he was in reach. They had grown closer throughout high school, constantly balancing on the threshold of friends, and Izuku was overjoyed to realise that they might just be finally moving forward.
…Platonically, of course.
Katsuki turned around again, the dim light catching his face and making it glow so beautifully. He had two cups of beer in his hands, and he wordlessly thrust one into Izuku's palm. As Izuku grasped the cup so as to not spill any of the drink, their fingers brushed. Katsuki’s fingers were warm, and incredibly soft. Izuku fought not to imagine what those fingers would feel like cradling the back of his neck.
Izuku glanced up, noting that Katsuki appeared to be lost in thought too; the rim of his cup rested against his lip, unmoving, and his eyes remained downcast.
Izuku felt like he’d been burnt where their fingers had brushed, and he could feel the blush on his face from just thinking about Katsuki.
Kirishima sighed, breaking the silence. He stood from where he'd been leaning against the kitchen counter, clapped Katsuki on the shoulder, and shook his head at Izuku.
“Whatever man, I'm gonna go check on the others.” He yawned, then left for the common area.
The tension however continued to prevail.
Izuku looked up from his beer, and saw that Katsuki was already looking at him, though he quickly looked away in a failed attempt to pretend he hadn't been staring. Izuku swallowed; it felt like he was under a microscope, where all of his flaws were on display for Katsuki to scrutinize.
Izuku took a sip of his beer. It didn't taste half bad when you were already drunk.
Izuku chewed on his lip. Katsuki shifted his weight. They were standing too close not to be having a conversation, and yet neither of them said a word.
Katsuki’s eyebrows were furrowed, and it seemed like he was debating whether or not to say something, and break the silence between them. Maybe he didn't want to risk imbalancing the equilibrium they found themselves in at this moment.
A few seconds passed, and Katsuki decided to speak. His voice came out calmer, slower, as if he was choosing each word carefully as he spoke.
“I- I’m… fuck I’m sorry about Kirishima… he gets pretty argumentative whe he’s drunk, I- I’m sure he didnt mean anything that he said.” Katsuki mumbled. He refused to meet Izuku’s eye.
This was a side of Katsuki that Izuku rarely got to see; stumbling over his words and stuttering, not to mention apologising in the first place– and on the behalf of another too. It wasn't like the Katsuki he knew at all, but it was a side that Izuku would be more than happy seeing more often.
“It’s okay, Kacchan, he probably just got overexcited about… y’know, Uraraka and I…” Izuku chose his words carefully, not wanting to ruin the moment.
Katsuki’s face soured at the mention of Uraraka, and hence what had transpired in the closet. Izuku kicked himself for accidentally ending the conversation as soon as it had started.
Katsuki did not respond, and the silence from before returned.
Izuku took another sip of beer. Katsuki bit the inside of his cheek. How long had they been standing there now? Izuku checked the clock on the far side of the kitchen. It had only been ten minutes.
Izuku looked back at Katsuki who, again, was staring at him already. But this time he didn't look away. A few seconds passed before Katsuki lowered his head and sighed.
“This party is so stupid.” he muttered.
“I agree.”
“It's too damn noisy down here.”
“Mhm.” Izuku nodded.
They both paused.
“Wanna hang out in my room?”
“Yes.” Izuku replied, probably far too quickly to be considered normal.
And grinning, Katsuki grabbed Izuku by the wrist and dragged him toward the staircase.
_____________
Katsuki and Izuku sat on the floor of Katsuki’s dorm room, cross legged, facing one another. Izuku’s cup of beer sat beside him, half-finished and forgotten. They had slipped into easy-going conversation, loudly joking and laughing with each other, and Izuku could not be happier.
“Hmm, Kacchan, kiss marry kill; Endeavour, All Might, or Eraserhead.” Izuku lazily asked.
“Fuck no, I'm not answering that, dumbass. I’d definitely kill Endeavour though.” replied Katsuki.
“Yeah obviously. I’d probably kiss Eraser and marry All Might. It’d be a bit weird to kiss my homeroom teacher though…”
“It would be a bit fucking weird to marry your mentor!?” Katsuki yelled incredulously.
Izuku burst out laughing. “Oh yeah, sometimes I forget I know him personally. You're right, it would be weird!”
“Idiot.” Katsuki muttered, but there was no aggression behind his words.
“Okay, kiss marr–”
“Nope. Not doing it.”
Izuku thought for a moment.
“Oh! Twenty questions! Okay go, who am I?”
“You’re All Might.”
Izuku sighed. “Yep.”
Katsuki sat up a bit straighter, and looked at Izuku very carefully for a moment.
“My turn, who am I thinking of.”
“A pro hero?”
“Nope.”
“A student?”
“...yes.”
“Hmm, are they in our class?”
“Yep.”
“Is it you?” Izuku asked, half joking.
“No. But I’ll give you a clue, he really likes to write about everyone’s quirks in this little notebook he carries everywhere, and he always talks like this.” Katsuki laughed, imitating Izuku’s voice by bringing his own an octave higher.
“Hey! I don’t sound like that!” Izuku said through laughter.
“Who said I'm talking about you, Izuku?” Katsuki grinned.
Izuku didn't pause to wonder why his name felt so exhilarating when it came from Katsuki’s mouth. Instead he just laughed, allowing himself to playfully shove Katsuki’s shoulder.
The seconds passed by in comfortable silence for a change, and Katsuki’s face continued to smile despite no longer laughing.
Katsuki’s balcony door was slightly ajar due to the heat of the previous nights, and from it Izuku could hear the faint music coming from the open Kitchen window on the ground floor. It was a song he’d heard before, however he couldn't quite remember the name. It was clearly about romance and ex-boyfriends, or at least something along those lines. How original.
Katsuki appeared to be thinking very deeply about something, and his smiling face fell into a frown.
“Izuku,” Katsuki said, as his eyes remained downcast, “...Truth or dare?”
Izuku was taken aback by the question, but nonetheless, he giggled and thought for a moment.
“Hmm… truth.”
Katsuki’s eyes kept flickering between Izuku’s and the floor.
“Did you really kiss her?” Katsuki said, his voice just above a whisper.
Izuku had to lean closer to hear him, which caused their knees to touch. He was confused by the question, but replied anyway, making sure to choose his words so they would not shatter the fragile moment.
He looked Katsuki in the eyes and said, “I didn't enjoy it… I don’t like her the way she likes me, Kacchan.”
Katsuki’s expression was unreadable. “Why? Do you like someone else?” he asked, his voice returning to its usual abrasive state.
Yes, you Kacchan. “It's my turn to ask. Truth or dare?” Izuku said, blushing and turning away.
“Bullshit! You just don't want to answer the question!” Katsuki shouted… fearfully? “You do like someone, don't you!”
It was late, the sun had set a while ago. He was tired.
Izuku sighed, “I do…” he admitted.
“Then who? If not her then who?” Katsuki quietly pleaded. His eyes raked over every part of Izuku’s face.
You, you, YOU, I LOVE YOU– “I can't say,” Izuku replied, leaning forward to rest his forehead on Katsuki’s shoulder, “ ‘s embarrassing.”
Katsuki shifted his weight and sighed. “Ask me again,” he said.
“What?”
“Ask me truth or dare again.”
Izuku closed his eyes and obliged, “Truth or dare,” he mumbled.
Katsuki’s left hand grasped his own, and Izuku almost had a heart attack.
“Truth. The truth is, Izuku, that I haven't been completely honest with you. There's somebody I like too.”
Izuku’s heart sank with the revelation that, whoever Katsuki liked, it probably wasn't him.
“Tell me about them?”
Katsuki laughed. “I’ll give you a clue.”
Izuku smiled sadly at the repetition from earlier. He sat back up, making sure not to disconnect their hands. “Well, go on.”
Katsuki smiled. “Well, he’s in our class, there's a start.” His eyes met Izuku's and didn't leave. In fact, there seemed to be a hint of confidence behind them.
Izuku noted that Katsuki had said ‘he’, which already narrowed down the class by about a third.
Katsuki looked out the balcony door and into the night sky.
“Hmm… he’s incredibly stubborn, but kind too. He’s one of the most intelligent people I know, but at times he can be really stupid.” Katsuki laughed like it was some sort of inside joke Izuku wasn't aware of.
Izuku tried to feel happy that Katsuki had found somebody that made him this happy, but he really couldn't. Not when some other guy was effortlessly put on the pedestal that Izuku had constantly fought to get even an inch closer to.
Katsuki’s ruby eyes met Izuku’s once again, scrutinizing them closely before he spoke.
“And his appearance… is beautiful.” He remarked, “He’s got these big, round eyes, and you can almost see them fuckin’ shine if you tell him he’s done well at something.”
Izuku wanted to interrupt, to sadly smile and tell Katsuki that he ‘seemed wonderful’, but Katsuki continued the string of praise before he could.
“His eyes are dark and green, and they match his hair, which somehow always looks like it's been messed up in the wind.” he laughed.
Izuku paused. Something wasn't adding up, there weren't any guys in their class with green hair and eyes… except Izuku himself. His eyes widened comically large.
“Kacchan?”
Izuku leaned forwards.
“Are you talking about… me?”
Katsuki smiled, and held Izuku’s other hand in his right.
“So what if I am? Would you have me?” A pretty blush spread across Katsuki’s face and he lowered his head.
Izuku got up from the floor and kneeled in front of Katsuki, who was still sitting, leaning against his bed.
Izuku had wondered what it would be like to hold Katsuki’s face, and this time, didn't hold back. He freed his right hand and gently cupped Katsuki’s cheek, tilting his head upwards to face Izuku’s as he ran a calloused thumb across his skin.
“Kacchan, you're the only one I've ever wanted to have.” Izuku said, breathlessly.
Katsuki leant forwards, and so did Izuku.
Their noses were three inches apart, and Izuku’s heart was hammering against his chest.
Izuku leant forward slightly to close the gap as his eyes fluttered shut.
It felt a million times better than in the closet.
Katsuki grasped the front of Izuku’s shirt and deepened the kiss by tilting his head to the side slightly, to which Izuku responded by running his tongue along Katsuki’s bottom lip. Izuku’s left hand tangled into Katsuki’s hair as their mouths slid against each other, and Katsuki opened his lips to allow Izuku to slip his tongue into his mouth.
They continued at this for a few minutes before Izuku gently broke the kiss. He kissed Katsuki’s cheekbone once and leant back just far enough to mutter;
“Does this mean we're dating?” A hopeful expression formed on his features. He was expecting some sort of confirmation, but instead Katsuki began to laugh.
“I thought that would be obvious by now, idiot.” He exclaimed. The sight of Katsuki laughing and smiling so carefree nearly took Izuku’s breath away; he was so beautiful when his face was not adorned with his familiar scowl, and it wasn't long before Izuku too was giggling.
The two continued to idly chat for a few hours more until the population of the party downstairs began to dwindle, as more and more people were wandering off to their respective dorm rooms. It became obvious that Katsuki was growing tired, having gotten used to sleeping early, however when Izuku offered to leave, Katsuki was having none of it.
“Just stay here!” He shouted incredulously, “It’s not very gentlemanly to leave your boyfriend all alone…” He teased, and smirked playfully before all but crawling from the floor into the bed.
Izuku’s blush was relentless as he shook his head and climbed in after him, placing a kiss onto his temple.
“Goodnight Kacchan, I love you.”
“Fuckin’ love you too or whatever…” Katsuki muttered, and rolled over. He tried to be nonchalant, but Izuku could hear the smile in his voice, so he snaked an arm around his waist, tucked his chin into Katsuki’s shoulder…
…and fell immediately asleep.