Chapter Text
Back when they were kids, Katsuki and Izuku would play heroes at the local park, venturing into the forest as if on a mission. Sometimes it was their small gang of friends, but most of the time it was only the two of them who would spend time together there.
They would talk for hours about becoming heroes, plan their costumes, and let their imaginations run wild with what their quirks would be like. They were going to chase each other for the rest of their lives. Or more like, Izuku was going to be chasing after Katsuki. It was only natural, since Katsuki's quirk was so obviously going to be better and cooler than Izuku's.
Katsuki was going to be the number one hero. And Izuku was going to be right behind him, at number two.
Then it turned out the nerd didn't have a quirk. And just like that, their plans, along with their friendship, all went to hell.
Even then, Deku thought he could become a hero. Despite being quirkless. The nerd had deluded himself into believing that. Their relationship grew sour because of it.
Izuku was supposed to be beneath him, but it kept feeling like he was above him. He always felt like that powerless Deku was looking down on him. Izuku always found a way to make him feel like he wasn't the best.
He hated that. Hated how Izuku's heroism shined brightly, even without a quirk. He hated the hand that tried to reach out and help. He couldn't accept it; couldn't accept Izuku's heart. Hated how helpless and afraid it made him feel.
So Katsuki kept him at arm's length and started looking for ways to oppose him. He tried to act all superior by rejecting Izuku. Then that embarrassing accident happened at the start of their third year, Katsuki almost died thanks to that sludge villain. It was the first time in his life he felt deep helplessness without it being Izuku's fault.
His pride was hurt from having to be rescued. From being someone that needed saving, instead of being the savior.
Enough time has passed since then, that spring turned to autumn.
He has been ignoring Izuku. If the nerd wants to chase after some unrealistic dream, Katsuki is not going to stop him. He has other things to worry about, like getting stronger until no one can make him submit ever again. That had been working just fine, until the nerd asked him to talk after class out of nowhere. And Katsuki, ever so generous, decided to humor him.
So now he sits on top of a desk in their empty classroom. From his place near the classroom window, his mind wanders in boredom while looking at Izuku, who stands a few desks away, looking nervously at his red shoes. He notices how his freckles shine like stars across his round face with the setting sun. A memory from early childhood reminds him that the messy, curly hair the color of grass is soft to the touch.
"So…" Deku stammers.
Oh right, he was waiting for the nerd to speak. Annoyance tickles the back of his mind, and Katsuki kicks the chair in front of him.
"What the fuck did you want to talk about, nerd?" Katsuki asks, frustrated at wasting his time waiting for the nerd to spit out what he wants.
"Uhm… Kacchan I…" Izuku mutters, voice barely above a whisper.
Katsuki tilts his head back and glares at him. Louder than necessary, he says, "Hah!? I can't hear you."
Izuku flinches, clutching at the straps of his hideous school bag.
"Kacchan… I like you," Izuku says, trying to avoid looking up at Katsuki.
Katsuki hums, relaxing his face into a neutral expression. He gets up and crosses the room.
"I thought you were an otaku who couldn't think of anything but heroes." He closes the distance between them, leaning to say into Izuku's ear, "who would've known you could have such cute thoughts."
He lingers in the nerd's personal space for a few seconds, watching him sweat. Then he straightens to look down at him. Izuku pointedly avoids his gaze, looking anywhere but at him.
Katsuki knows the truth. He knows Izuku doesn't actually like him.
He knows the bastard got caught up in some extras' game and is being forced to confess to him.
Katsuki had just been going on with his day as usual. He ditched his friends for some much-needed quiet during break. He was looking for an empty place to relax in when he heard, "Rules are rules! You lost, so you gotta do it."
About to turn back, he stopped in his tracks when he heard Deku's voice.
"B-But… I never agreed to play…" Deku said.
Katsuki glanced around the corner. Izuku had his back to him. The class's most annoying extra—a stinky, bigoted guy who had a thing against Katsuki—had an arm slung around his shoulders, effectively caging him in. The rest of their gang of dumbasses crowded around the nerd, blocking any way out.
"You only have to confess! It's not like he will actually kill you," the guy said.
Now Katsuki knows that they'd been talking about him. Those damn extras surely set this up to use him as an excuse to bully Deku, then they'll make fun of Katsuki, for believing Izuku was being serious. Those dumb extras can't stand that he is better than them in every way.
The nerd looks like he's waiting to get rejected and be done with this whole mess. It's unpleasant. Katsuki isn't sure what pisses him off more. The nobodies that are trying to turn him into a joke without his permission, or the guy who can't hide that he's being forced into confessing.
It's a fucking annoying situation. Had he not known what is really going on, he would never even consider doing this, but he'd be damned if he just let them all play around with his feelings.
"…Fine," his lips quirk up into a condescending grin that he quickly suppresses, he smiles as sweetly as he can, placing a hand on Izuku's shoulder. Two can play this game. "I'll date you."
Izuku gapes at him, flabbergasted.
"Ka— Kacchan?! You'll date me!?" Izuku asks, his eyes widening and his mouth hanging open, looking like he was just proven the days pigs can fly has arrived. His reaction almost makes Katsuki break his facade, whether to laugh at his stupid expression or to yell in irritation, he isn't sure. "Me…?"
"Hah? You're confessing so desperately you're shaking, isn't it pathetic if I don't accept it?"
Katsuki takes a step forward, and Izuku takes one back in response. The nerd is so tense, cornered, his knuckles are white as he grips his ridiculous bag.
"But…" Izuku stammers, trying to make an excuse as Katsuki crowds into his space, their faces just inches apart. "There's no reason for you to want to…"
"Or what, are you going to tell me you don't want to?"
Izuku tries to hide his flinch, his wide emerald eyes locking with Katsuki's serious, crimson ones. Katsuki keeps his face as blank as possible. Be it by making Izuku feel guilty for lying, or by making him scared to admit his lie, he won't let him back out of this.
He can see the turmoil in Izuku's eyes. Izuku hesitates for several long seconds. Katsuki can practically see the gears turning in his head. He savors every emotion going through his face, all outcomes will only amuse him, after all.
Eventually, resignation settles over Izuku's face.
"Thank you, Kacchan," the nerd squeaks out.
Satisfied, Katsuki pats Izuku's shoulder in what is meant to be a comforting gesture, though it is perceived as anything but, by the way the other's shoulders shake.
I'll never let you go.
"Don't worry, Deku. I take good care of my things."
Izuku lays wide awake on bed, contemplating his life choices and everything that could have possibly lead to the situation he finds himself stuck in. He had been prepared to get blasted to the moon and back, but instead, he is now dating his ex-childhood friend… kind of.
What was Kacchan trying to do?
Groaning, he tries to come up with a reason as to why on earth it ended up like this. Surely Kacchan saw through his confession, right? There's no way he really believed him. Even if they aren't in the best terms, Katsuki is an expert in seeing through Izuku's lies. So why did he agree to date him? Is this Kacchan's new torturing plan?
Maybe he should start writing a goodbye letter to his mom just in case…
He spends the whole night tossing and turning, trying his best to get some shut eye before his alarm goes off. Yet his mind is never able to shut off and he can't do anything but groan once the time to get ready for school comes.