Work Text:
Izuku knows he’s somewhat of a recluse. Years of being ostracized by his classmates, along with the painful betrayal of being cut off by his childhood friend for most of his adolescence, cruelly shaped parts of his personality and his ability to make friends.
While Midoriya has friends and enjoys talking with others, he also prefers to keep a safe distance. He’s not the type to reveal much about his personal life, even if directly questioned by the paparazzi or a coworker, usually only smiling while changing the subject. It’s not as if it necessarily bothers him, but rather, being in the public’s view only makes privacy all the more valuable.
It’s nice to keep certain things to himself.
Which is why he and Katsuki have always clicked. Even in the years when they fought, fists colliding against cheeks and words stabbing through the other’s heart, their battles were their own–no one else's.
Katsuki is firm in his boundaries, despite the constant complaints he receives about his attitude. Sure, he’d been a cocky kid refusing to be put in his place, but now, old enough to know better, he’s simmered down. Instead of shouting and sending an explosion to Kirishima when he says something corny, Bakugo only shouts now.
As steady as Katsuki’s confidence has always been, his relationship with Izuku has done a full 180 from what it had always been.
Maybe it had been the fight they had on the training grounds in their first year. Or the sight of Katsuki’s dead body during the final battle. Possibly even the moment Izuku agreed to join Bakugo’s agency.
Either way, it felt so obvious what path their relationship would take, up until the moment they actually revealed it.
The 26-year-old men are reclusive and strict with their boundaries.
So when a famous international magazine posts a video titled “Katsuki Bakugo’s Home Video: Hakone” to a popular website, the internet implodes in on itself.
The 23-minute-long video goes viral, to the degree that even Izuku’s mom texts him about how thoroughly she and Auntie Mitsuki had enjoyed it, which is only slightly embarrassing. Even Uraraka can’t stop gushing about the video, refusing to talk about anything else for the two days that follow its release.
It’s only on the third day, when they’re both catching up over tea in Midoriya’s barely cleaned apartment, that he finally admits he was too nervous to watch it. He blames it on that awkward feeling that comes with watching anything related to himself on camera, as well as having a strict rule about not engaging with negative comments about himself, something he’s had to learn the hard way.
Ochaco just smiles before grabbing her phone and connecting it to his living room television.
“You really need to get online,” she lectures while pulling up the familiar account of the editorial Katsuki had worked with during their vacation. “You’re the only person I know who doesn’t have an Instagram, Izu.”
Midoriya’s cheeks only slightly pinken as he mumbles about how he’s never been that type of person, but his pout is cut off when Uraraka plays a video full screen, the dark ambience of his apartment giving off a cinematic aura as the title is typed out onto a blurry screen. The sound of a car starting loudly plays from the speakers, and the background starts to focus in as the screen clears out.
***
The camera zooms in on Katsuki, who is staring down the lens with a focused glare as he wipes away a smudge. It looks silly enough that Izuku chuckles to himself, already immersed in the video as he leans against the grey couch beneath him.
Just as Katsuki seems satisfied with the cleanliness of the camera he’s recording with, a noise resembling a car door opening has the blond looking up, slightly out of focus due to the angle he’s now at.
“You finally ready?” Kacchan questions the unseen person, but his annoyance isn’t harsh, leaning more towards a familiar, playful tone.
A soft chuckle brings a blurred smile to Bakugo’s face, but he seems to remember himself, glancing down once at the lens before lifting the camera to focus on a thickly dressed Izuku Midoriya.
Izuku looks caught off guard, eyes wide as he glances between the camera and his childhood friend, mouth agape with an unspoken question before Katsuki explains, “I have to record this stupid ass video for work, remember?”
The camera is easy to move, seemingly only needing a single hand to loop through it as Bakugo shoves it into Midoriya’s face with the purpose of getting a clear view of every freckle on his cheeks. Unluckily for both men, the camera’s autofocus feature is amazingly precise, allowing viewers to notice the dark bags under Izuku’s rapidly blinking green eyes.
“I nearly forgot,” Izuku admits, eyes glued to the camera before he glances up to ask with a sneaky smile, “Wouldn’t it be better if I recorded you? I mean, this is your magazine spread; your fans want to see you, not me.”
Before Katsuki can retort that he doesn’t give a shit what those extras want, Izuku reaches up and slides the camera into his own hands. The device shakes the recording, but the clip abruptly cuts to the lens now focused on Bakugo, who looks very annoyed as Midoriya is heard giggling behind the camera.
The blond sighs before turning to put his seatbelt on, adjusting his seat as he plans, “Fine, you record the driving portions, and I’ll record everything else.”
The camera lowers just a hint as Midoriya starts to whine about how unfair that is, but Katsuki’s shoulders shift to face Izuku, an annoyed expression heavy on his face. Izuku is heard whining, “Kacchan, pretty please with a cherry on top,” as the blond reaches over to buckle the other’s seatbelt.
In the midst of his whines about being ugly on camera, Katsuki mutters a muffled “shut it, brat,” but Izuku can still hear its playful nature through the lens of a viewer.
Somehow, the shot barely catches the movement, but Uraraka still squeals at the close touches caught on camera, making Midoriya suddenly regret doing this with someone else around to watch his reactions. He’d honestly forgotten about the recordings since it's been months since his and Kacchan’s winter vacation.
The screen abruptly cuts to a shot of Katsuki pumping gas into the car, the cloudy sky allowing small flecks of snow to fall onto the car, where Izuku is safely nuzzled. Even with the lens struggling to find the proper focus on Bakugo as he sticks the finger at it, the footage is still decently clear.
Midoriya’s gasp reveals the moment he catches the obscene gesture, followed by his whine of “Kacchan!” and an unheard rant about the children that could be watching. When Katsuki returns to the car, shaking off his coat and tossing it into the backseat, he glances at Izuku for a moment.
Red eyes seem to glance at every feature on the cameraman’s face, an ominous silence settling while the tension on his brows eases a hint, but before he can begin to lean in, Katsuki’s gaze falls to the camera. Annoyance fills Bakugo’s face as he reaches forward, loudly complaining about the ‘damn camera being a cockblock’. This earns a loud laugh from Izuku, but the footage is cut again.
The footage abruptly changes, the TV now displaying an atmosphere of warm oranges and yellows as Izuku is recorded talking to a waitress.
Their conversation goes unheard; the loud ambience of the crowded restaurant around them is loud enough to hide the words they share, yet when Izuku says something that makes the waitress giggle in a flirtatious way, Katsuki’s grumbles are loud and deep behind the camera.
Just as she accepts the menu he hands back to her, the lens zooms into Midoriya’s face to capture the dimple on the left side of his face as he smiles politely. His lips form a “thank you” to the young woman just before she turns to walk away, leaving Izuku to finally face the man seated across from him.
At first, his smile widens as he starts to mention how polite the waitress was, but Midoriya stops himself as he absorbs the unseen expression on Katsuki’s face. Any other viewer might be confused as to what type of look the cruel hero would have to immediately silence someone like that, but present-day Izuku only smiles at the memory.
“Are you getting jealous, Kacchan?”
Midoriya is recorded simply smiling as Katsuki loudly starts to exclaim about how he’s not that childish, but the footage of his tirade is mostly cut out, abruptly ending the dinner scene at their first toast of the trip.
When their wine glasses clink together, both men speak in sync a quick “to winter vacation!’ before taking a deep swig of the dark red liquid.
The next scene takes place in their hotel room. Katsuki follows Izuku with the camera, silently recording as Midoriya walks a short path around every amenity they’d uncovered in the decently sized room. Even if the total square footage of the area was less than 250 square feet, the green hero was ecstatic to finally participate in the ‘room tour’ trend.
“And this is the bathroom.” Izuku flips the light switch to reveal a full tub and glass shower further in, along with a dual-sized vanity to their left. Both take a moment to actually let the fancy decor settle in, but Bakugo is the one to break the silence as the lens zooms into the large bathtub in front of Midoriya.
Just as the focus is perfect, Katsuki’s smirk is obvious when he retorts, “Hopefully this one doesn’t break.”
The inside joke takes a second to sink in, the camera zooming out just in time for Izuku to whip his head toward Bakugo, cheeks aflame bright red, as a glare is aimed at his unseen partner.
“Kacchan!”
Katsuki stifles a laugh, but Izuku’s pout disappears just as he rolls his green eyes, pushing past the amused man before continuing his tour.
After following Midoriya through his introduction to the window, the telephone, and the fancy flat screen in the room, the tour ends when Izuku falls backwards onto the bed, arms splayed out as the blankets curl around his body. Before he can fully settle into the plush sheets, the camera’s point of view shifts to look down onto Izuku, Katsuki easily stepping onto the bed to stand over the other man.
Almost as if aware of how silly the shot must look, Midoriya starts to laugh, chucking a nearby pillow playfully up while telling the other that the tour is over and that he just wants to take a shower and go to bed now. Katsuki’s chuckle is barely audible over Izuku’s dramatized whines, but it's obvious he’s entertained by the fake tantrum by how silly the camera angles start to become.
Bending down to a squat, Katsuki shoves the camera into a harsh fisheye angle that makes Izuku break out into a fit of giggles while shoving the other away. Their laughs join together in a sweet symphony that would make any viewer’s heart feel full.
The screen blacks out before the words “Hakone Day Two” suddenly appear in a bright white font.
Izuku’s voice breaks the sudden silence, light and airy as he explains, “You have to tell the camera what we’re doing today, so they won’t be confused.”
Slowly, the scene fades in, revealing Katsuki behind the wheel, no longer hidden behind the camera as per the agreement he’d forced upon his partner, gaze focused forward as he drives them toward an unknown destination. The sun is hidden behind what looks to be a very cloudy day ahead of them.
“Who made that rule, Deku?” Katsuki takes a moment to glance at the radio, pushing a few buttons in rapid succession that reveal his annoyance. “Why don’t I film you doing that when we get to the-”
But Izuku doesn’t let him finish speaking, instead interrupting Katsuki when he clicks his tongue, a disappointed stare luckily hidden behind the camera as he films his scolding of his childhood friend.
In a humorous attempt to keep the viewer entertained, the editing crew for the magazine decided to slice up most of the conversation into short snippets that cut to one another quickly, making Izuku’s scolding seem to take comically long. Each clip is perfectly faded into the next to also show a buildup of annoyance on Katsuki’s face as he’s stuck driving while being told off for not putting more energy into his own contractual obligation.
The funny editing ends when Katsuki suddenly shouts, “Alright! I get it dammnit! Just point the camera over here!”
Despite the slight jolt of surprise Izuku experiences, he still manages to quickly focus on a wide shot of Katsuki, perfectly eye-level with the other, as he clears his throat and mentally prepares himself.
When the moment drags on for a second too long, Katsuki breaks at a red light and turns to the camera, quickly explaining, “Eight a.m. sparring match and training session. Cafe break at noon before our one o’clock massage, after which we will go to the springs until our dinner reservations at 5:30.”
The robotic retelling of their daily schedule has Izuku struggling to stifle his snickers, even as Katsuki turns to drive when the light turns green, seemingly impressed by his actions.
“Have you actually ever watched a vlog, Kacchan?”
The teasing tone in Deku’s voice immediately pisses Katsuki off, his head whipping around to instantly glare at the only other person in the vehicle. His mouth pulls open, surely to shout about being made fun of on camera, but the screen cuts to the numbers ‘12:15’ atop a blurry background.
The sound of other people’s conversations melding into one jumbled mess creates a perfect ambience for the cafe that comes into focus, the camera seeming to have been placed atop a table.
Both heroes are in the shot this time around, Katsuki holding a mug with steam visibly radiating from its top while Izuku sips from an iced coffee in a clear container. Midoriya is dressed in a simple fluffy sherpa hoodie and plain blue jeans, while Bakugo wears a nice black hoodie and a thick matching coat atop, his jeans barely a shade lighter. Their hair looks freshly washed, a likely outcome from the sparring session Katsuki had mentioned in the prior clip.
After Izuku takes a quick taste of his drink, he ponders for a moment, the blond beside him raising a brow while watching.
Finally, Midoriya declares to the camera, “I rate this caramel macchiato a solid 8.9!”
He then turns to Katsuki, nudging the man to do something other than blankly stare at him, forcing the hero to finally sip his own hot drink. Instead of taking the time to let the flavor hit, Bakugo turns to the camera and simply states, “It’s a 7.”
Izuku gapes at him, bombarding him with questions about the quality, as well as wondering if they should ask for a sugar packet to sweeten it. Just as Midoriya rises from his seat with the intention of asking the workers if they can switch the drink out with another, Katsuki’s frustration reaches a peak, and he pulls him back down by the end of his light grey hoodie.
Through his plethora of curses to keep Izuku from standing up and making a ‘fool out of himself’, the blond manages to keep his voice at a reasonable volume, a useless effort to keep others from listening in on their conversation. Still, a few different heads turn in their direction, as if recognizing Bakugo’s harsh style of speaking better than the actual sound of his voice.
“Kacchan,” Izuku mumbles, a soft pink coating his cheeks as a few people start to gather closer to their spot by the front window. “Maybe we should start packing up?”
Abruptly, someone, barely out of frame, asks, “Are you Deku?”
Then, as if the metaphorical dam had been broken by this singular woman, an abundance of people crowd around their space, many different items being shoved into their faces as strangers’ voices meld together in a thick invasion of privacy.
“Can you sign my phone case?!”
“Are the rumors about-”
“What are you guys doing in-”
Katsuki grabs Izuku by the upper arm, his grip barely tight enough to pull him back to his feet while he grabs their belongings from the table. Izuku attempts to quell their growing audience, politely taking selfies and signing objects as Bakugo gathers the camera lazily in his hands.
The still-recording device captures the shaky sight of his glare as he shouts at someone to learn what personal space is, leading Izuku toward the exit of the cafe as he’s in the midst of him being recorded wishing someone a happy birthday. The footage is chopped into snippets of their exit and journey back to the car, fans still following in a loud clutter, demanding information and services from the duo despite their fleeing.
At one point, a clip even plays of a stranger reaching to cup Izuku’s cheek, just before Katsuki swipes his hand in their direction to swat the hand off of the other hero.
“Back the fuck up!”
When the camera makes its final cut to Izuku holding the device in his lap, the lens is pointed up at him as he stares at Bakugo’s unseen form. Still, his angry complaints about common decency are audible.
“I’m sorry, Kacchan,” Izuku mumbles dejectedly. “I’m the one who wanted to sit inside instead of ordering the drinks to go…”
Even with a blur on the lens, most likely caused during their swift escape from the crowd, the viewer can notice the exact moment tears start to fill Izuku’s pouting face. It’s enough to pull a coo from Ochaco’s mouth, Midoriya glancing over at his friend, surprised to see her still so attentive to the video she’s likely seen a few times by now.
Katsuki sighs in the video, and Izuku can recall the pitiful expression that filled the hero after the cafe incident, how truly apologetic he looked, as if he’d been the one at fault for how things turned out.
“Come here” is all he says before the video cuts out once again.
When the fade-in finally comes back, we see Katsuki filming Izuku, who’s dressed only in a simple fluffy white robe, standing in front of a well-lit mirror as he applies a lotion to his face. The camera once again zooms in too close just as Midoriya turns to the man behind the device to ask, “Did you already put some on, Kacchan?”
A matching white headband keeps his green bangs from falling atop his forehead, and the sight is so domestically cute that a pleased huff escapes Bakugo when he replies, “Not yet, Izu.”
Midoriya smiles as he approaches the camera, hands reaching past the recorder just so he can apply the same lotion onto Katsuki’s face. They are silent for a moment, the lens carefully focused on Izuku’s face as he fully concentrates on his task of moisturizing Kacchan’s face, even his tongue managing to poke through his lips in a moment of pure focus.
“Did you enjoy the hot springs?” Katsuki questions.
Izuku nods enthusiastically, still moving his hands gently across the other’s face.
“Should we cancel dinner and just stay here all night?”
At this, Midoriya finally breaks his concentration to display his surprise. “You said you had to make the reservation months in advance, Kacchan! I don’t want your efforts to go to waste.”
“I don’t care about that,” Katsuki admits, his voice unusually serious for a man who’s only ever heard shouting and screaming demands at those around him. “I just wanna do what makes you happy, Izu.”
Izuku’s smile returns to his lips immediately, and he has an amused glint in his eyes as he teases, “I’m always happy when I’m with you, Kacchan.”
The rest of the moment is filled with Midoriya teasing the other, even managing to flip the camera around to show the sweet look on Katsuki’s face just before he manages to piss the blond off by doing so, but Izuku is dragged out of the sweet moment when Uraraka grabs his arm and shakes him.
“I didn’t know Bakugo had such a caring side to him,” she squeals, almost as if she were demanding an explanation from her friend. She forcefully pauses the video just as the screen reads ‘6:00’, pointing toward the TV while admitting, “Why have I never seen him act like this until now?”
Midoriya chuckles, nervously scratching at the skin on his cheek, admitting, “Kacchan is a pretty private person; it’s part of the reason he didn’t want to do this video in the first place.”
Ochaco shakes her head and starts to list everything she’s learned about the blond just from the first eight minutes of the video, all of which vary from Katsuki being picky about coffee to him being a sappy sweet talker. Izuku can only laugh and agree before they start the video up again.
The clip begins with a waiter delivering their drinks: Izuku’s glass is filled with a fruity cocktail that requires a cherry, while Katsuki is handed a short glass with an orange peel within the dark liquid. They perform another toast, this time clinking their glasses with a matched “to Hakone” before sipping from their drinks.
Dinner is played in a series of short clips that play out like a long roll of film, constantly moving across the screen as the point of view is settled at the edge of their table, keeping both men in the shot from their side profiles. A popular love song plays above the video, the sweet tune perfectly setting the mood as both men go through their night.
Katsuki, filmed on the left side of the screen, is seen talking about a few items he notices, while Izuku looks over the menu and replies.
Their appetizers arrive, and Izuku snags the camera up to film a silent first reaction from Bakugo, the song still playing in the background as the blond takes a bite of the calamari. He looks surprisingly pleased by the flavor, immediately offering the other half of his food to Izuku, who seems to accept it from the way Bakugo’s hand returns to his side empty-handed.
The next shot shows a few adults gathered to snap a few shots of their children alongside the heroes, Izuku excitedly smiling as he kneels beside the five children between him and Katsuki, who doesn’t bother to smile as he keeps his hands in his pockets. Once the flashes from the parents’ phones cease, and they seem pleased that their request has been fulfilled, they pull their children back and thank the heroes, still inaudible as the same song softly plays in the video.
Until a few of the women seem to stop Katsuki, handing him their phone before posing beside Izuku, who is surprised while posing with three of the parents. Katsuki’s annoyance is halted when two of the dads beg him for a photo with an earnest bow, Midoriya thrilled to take the photos as he instructs their poses.
Finally, the last clip of their dinner settles, the song that had been overlapping the audio fading out just as Izuku comes into view, holding the camera in selfie mode as they are seen now within the protected walls of their hotel room.
“Dinner was amazing,” he gushes, standing in front of the single bed that Katsuki lies in, mindlessly scrolling on his phone while the other wraps up Day Two of the vlog. “Kacchan ordered this delicious risotto that had seafood in it, and we even got a piece of pie on the house from the staff!”
Katsuki glances up from his phone to interrupt, “They gave us the pie because you took photos with the kitchen staff, the hosts, and the manager.”
Midoriya ignores his words, twisting his body so that Katsuki is out of view, continuing, “I ordered this fancy dish that I can’t even pronounce, and it was the best thing I’ve ever had in my mouth, I swear.”
Bakugo can be heard cackling in the background, but Izuku only glares at him momentarily before returning his eyes to the camera lens.
“Anyway… tomorrow's our last day, so Kacchan and I are going to go snowboarding, walk around town, and eat somewhere local for dinner.” He pauses before turning to look off-screen at Katsuki. “Hey, Kacchan?”
The other hums.
“Can we get some hot chocolate at the ski lodge? Mina mentioned they’re known for their old recipe, which apparently has been around since before they were founded in 1892. I was actually reading their brochure last night and saw that the founder’s grandmother is the one who created the recipe, and she was from Rus-”
“Damn!” Bakugo shouts, though there’s a lack of harshness in his voice as he quickly agrees, “We can go wherever you want, so long as you turn that camera off and get into bed, Deku!”
This pulls another amused smile onto Izuku’s face, who shakes his head before lowering the camera just after he’s barely heard whispering, “It’s past Kacchan’s bedtime.”
The camera is turned off.
And immediately turned on to show Izuku struggling to lower his goggles onto his face, his thick gloves barely allowing him the ability to grip the plastic rims as he hopelessly stands atop a black snowboard. He’s wearing a thick sage green winter coat, along with black waterproof pants tucked into his sturdy boots.
The words appear in black, a stark contrast to the very pale ambience of the snowy mountain range around them: ‘Hakone Day Three’.
Just as the small hero looks ready to give up on his safety gear, another passerby approaches and can barely be heard asking if he needs help, but Katsuki rushes forward before Izuku has time to answer.
“Hold this,” he orders Midoriya, shoving the camera into his hands to allow his hands to lower the goggles properly around his eyes.
Izuku giggles, using the opportunity to record Bakugo’s red and black attire, their outfits being a near replica of one another, with only their boards and coats being different colors. It was the easiest way for them to keep track of one another, or at least, that's what Katsuki had explained when he bought their gear for the trip.
“How's that?” Bakugo asks once he’s satisfied with the placement of the goggles, but it’s only after Izuku verbalizes his approval that he takes the camera back and flips it to film the other. “Damn extras” is the last thing he mumbles before a scream interrupts the peace that's settled over the snow-covered mountain.
Midoriya turns to the bottom of the slope, where people run from the edge of the forest, dropping their boards and skis to improve their chances of escape. It takes only a few seconds before a younger-looking adult steps out of the treeline, different-sized snowballs hovering above their head before they’re launched at people’s bodies. When the first body falls to the ground, Izuku’s head whips to Katsuki, who grumbles about ‘everyone wanting to ruin their vacation’ before both heroes rush forward on their boards to reach the crowd.
At the base of the mountain, Katsuki shoves the camera into one of the staff’s hands, instructing them to guard it with their life, before following Deku into the fight.
Action music is added to the video as they barely avoid being pummeled by the hardened snowballs, the stranger holding the camera doing an excellent job of capturing the unexpected fight between Japan’s top heroes and a kid who looks no older than 19.
It isn’t a surprise when Izuku manages to wrangle the kid onto the ground, holding his arms behind his back while Katsuki keeps his heated palm against the offender’s head, loudly shouting harsh insults at him.
Izuku is recorded scolding the other, but the staff overlaps the audio by breathlessly admitting, “That was the coolest shit I’ve ever seen.”
Once again, the video cuts, but this time they’re seated in the ski lodge, two hot mugs of hot chocolate atop their table while the camera is carelessly placed between the drinks.
An older man in a suit bows to the heroes, and while Bakugo is caught smirking at the action, Midoriya quickly waves off the motion and bows his head just deep enough to get the manager to leave them alone.
“Wow.” Izuku finally turns back around to look over their mugs. “That was crazy, but at least we got free hot chocolate out of it!”
Katsuki raises a brow at him and admits, “That was the least they could’ve done for us. Could you imagine the reviews the place would’ve had if we weren’t here to save the day?”
Izuku pauses, looking up as if to push his imagination to actually think of how the outcome would’ve differed. “Something like ‘the mountain was beautiful, but the angry teenager knocking visitors unconscious with snowballs ruined the mood. Three stars.’ ?”
His earnest attempt pulls a laugh out of Bakugo, who replies, “More like ‘the day was great until a murderous teenager began to pelt my kids with snowballs as hard as rocks. 2 and a half stars’.”
Both men laugh at the silliness of it all, their gazes meeting in a softened moment that feels almost intrusive to watch from an outside perspective. It’s comfortable enough to settle before they both grab their mugs and clink the porcelain together, smiles aimed at one another as they take a deep sip.
While the screen begins to fade, Izuku can be heard admitting, “It really is the best hot chocolate I’ve ever had.”
Katsuki’s scoff is captured before he remarks, “Just wait till we get home; I’ll make you something better.”
Finally, the black screen displays the white words: ‘Shopping Montage’.
The clips used for the montage are sped-up versions of Katsuki’s filming while they’d been in town, the near four hours they’d spent wandering from store to store summed up in a three-minute collage of Izuku’s back-and-forth showing of different trinkets they came across.
They’d initially planned just to grab something for their parents, Toshinori, and Aizawa, but the list of people they’d actually bought souvenirs for ended up nearing 30 people. It was hard for Izuku to not grab something that perfectly suited someone in his life, whether it be a snowglobe for Tsuyu or a new pair of blue chopsticks that Todoroki would absolutely adore. Even Kota and Eri were mentioned in the vlog when Izuku came across the perfect planner for his two students, immediately grabbing matching pens for them so they’d have something new to write with as well.
Near the end of the montage, Midoriya manages to snatch the camera to film Katsuki looking through a few shirts with ‘Hakone’ plainly written across the chest, a unique and strange design for someone who’s usually pretty particular about what he puts in his wardrobe. When Izuku questions why he’s interested in the shirt, Bakugo looks mildly annoyed at the accusation.
“It’s not for me, Deku…I thought it would be something you’d like.”
The blond keeps flipping through the generic clothing before glancing at Izuku, his mouth dropping in surprise before he shuffles over to the other.
“Why the hell are you crying?” Katsuki whisper-shouts, hands reaching out and managing to block the camera.
It’s no surprise when the next scene is at a small stand on the side of an unpopulated road; Izuku filmed smiling with his coat open to reveal an unimpressive white-to-black gradient shirt that reads ‘Hakone’ in a bold font. He’s very clearly showing off to no one in particular as he snacks on a steaming plate of takoyaki, his slightly puffy eyes revealing the tears he’d shed moments prior.
Katsuki’s filming skills have improved as he slowly zooms in on the other’s face, daring to ask, “Are you happy, Izu?”
Midoriya shakes his head in a quick nod, and he even sticks his toothpick through a takoyaki ball before offering it to his cameraman. Bakugo chuckles before taking an audible bite, the two settling in their own world of silence as only the wind is felt around them, blowing softened cold air against their cheeks. For once, no one is around to notice the two famous men, besides the very polite older woman who owns the stall.
Neither dares to complain, especially Katsuki, who takes the opportunity to let the camera linger over each feature of Izuku Midoriya’s pleased face.
From his freckled cheeks puffed out with each takoyaki he inhales to the soft furrow of his concentrated brows as he watches the different stars that sit over their table, Izuku is a masterpiece of a painting that Bakugo is all too pleased to keep observing.
Finally, Izuku turns his attention back to the other, but is caught off guard by the look on Katsuki’s face, regretfully hidden behind the camera for only his eyes to witness.
He pauses before questioning, “Kacchan?”
The camera lowers, slowly, inch by agonizing inch, until it lands on the table with a deafening thump.
Izuku’s face is barely visible when Bakugo’s roughened hands reach over the table to grasp his own scarred palms, green eyes still wide even as he looks over the other’s expression in an attempt to read his childhood friend’s emotions.
“Izuku.”
A pause.
“Do you believe me now?”
There’s a conversation they’ve had that’s left out of context, something that definitely left an impact on both of them, as even Midoriya’s face twists into a version of confused hurt. He looks ready to pull free from Bakugo’s grip, if only just to hide his own shame as his cheeks turn bright red.
Still, Katsuki holds tightly onto him, the camera giving an up-close view of their hands and Midoriya’s flush as the blond continues.
“I meant it when I told you I want to be with you for the rest of our lives. I don’t care about the logistics or what you think any other shithead has to say; all I want is you.” Bakugo pauses, but Izuku’s eyes don’t leave his face for one second, stuck in a perpetual state of unblinking surprise. “Can’t you see how much I love you? How much I need you?”
Izuku lowers his head, desperate breaths escaping his mouth as he explains, “I told you that you could do so much better, Kacchan.”
Katsuki’s thumbs rub soothing circles over Izuku’s hand, but it doesn’t ease the stress building in the other when he shakes his green head.
“I’m quirkless,” Midoriya continues. “I’ll never be able to be number one, and one day, I’ll just be a teacher who couldn’t make the cut as a hero. You deserve more, Kacchan-”
“Says who?”
His snarky response forces Izuku to meet his red gaze, Katsuki’s anger palpable through the frustration in his voice.
“You might be quirkless, but none of that other shit you made up is true. It’s okay if you don’t believe me now; I don’t mind repeating it every day until you finally see you the way I do. I’ll shout it loud enough for everyone to hear if it means you’ll believe it.”
Suddenly, Bakugo jolts up from his seat, causing the camera to tilt upward, allowing the blond to be seen as he attempts to stand on the table between them. Before Midoriya can question it, Katsuki starts to shout, “Izuku Midoriya is the only person worth a damn in this world! Everyone else can rot in hell for all I care!”
Izuku scrambles out of his seat, forcing the camera to fall forward, facing the ground beside their seats as their argument is filmed.
“Get down, Kacchan,” Izuku whines, but they go ignored as the fierce blond continues from atop the table.
“Not until you believe me,” Katsuki calmly replies before exclaiming, “Izuku has a heart of gold that no one appreciates, and he likes to buy too many souvenirs for all the extras in his life! I didn’t even buy my old hag a gift, cause I didn’t feel like it!”
Midoriya’s feet shuffle in the frame of the camera, his knees barely visible as he can be heard attempting to safely pull Bakugo from his current position. Not necessarily out of concern for his safety, but from what seems to be pure embarrassment that he can’t hide in his voice.
Katsuki still ignores it. “He wears plain clothes because he thinks they suit him, but I think he only deserves to be dressed in high-end brands that I wouldn’t mind draining my bank account for! If anything, people should be begging to send him their products to wear; anyone would be lucky to have their items on his beautiful body!”
At this, Izuku gasps, his skin surely painted bright red from the impromptu humiliation ritual he’s being subjected to on the one vacation he’s been allotted all year.
“Kacchan!” He wails, but Katsuki’s boots suddenly stomp down from above, forcing Midoriya back a step as the camera captures Dynamight falling to one knee.
Even the woman owning the stall can be heard gasping in the background.
“Izuku Midoriya,” a sob is his only reply, “I’ll beg for the rest of my life if you want. I’ll stay on my knees until you tell me not to; whatever it takes for you to get the message through that pretty head of yours. I want every part of you, even the parts you don’t like. Give me everything you have; I promise I’ll cherish it all.”
Reaching into his back pocket, Katsuki manages to reveal a gold band from his pants, smoothly offering it to the other after the whole fiasco he’d caused with his abrupt confessions.
“Marry me, Izuku.”
The stall owner’s squeals don’t break the moment; instead, they only deepen the familiarity of their situation.
“Katsuki…” Midoriya’s hand lowers, and he seems like he’s about to give his official answer. “I-”
Then the video cuts out.
The screen is black for a few moments before a clip fades in, with small text in the center of the screen reading ‘Hakone Day One, 8:00.’
Bakugo films himself selfie-style, lying back against the pillows of their hotel room bed, glancing at the bathroom, where the shower can be heard running. Once he seems satisfied that he has privacy, he turns back to the camera.
“I can’t believe my manager forced me to film this ridiculous video…” His red eyes squint at the lens for a moment before he exhales heavily, his free hand rising to reveal the same ring he’d proposed with, twirling between his fingers. “Out of every moment to be publicised for the whole world to see…goddamnit.”
Katsuki shifts so that he’s sitting up in bed, popping his neck side-to-side before letting the camera sit in front of him, letting the wide shot capture him observing the ring closely. He places it a few inches from his face before holding it out far enough that it almost looks ridiculous.
When he seems to notice how silly he looks, Katsuki grumbles nonsensical words to himself, grabbing the camera to get a better angle of his face.
“If this doesn’t work and he rejects me,” Bakugo explains, “I’m going to retire from being a hero and become a monk- or whatever people do when they get rejected and ain’t got anything else going for them.”
He pauses, red eyes full of mischief, when he quickly adds, “This video better be number one online, or else I’ll-”
The shower shuts off, letting the camera pick up on Izuku’s humming when he starts to move around the hidden bathroom.
Still, Katsuki is visible as he looks over toward the separated area, a deep yearning in his eyes. For once in his life, he looks nervous, filled with a unique type of fear that only people about to propose can admit to experiencing. It’s humbling, and adds humanity to a hero that not many can agree can feel true humility.
Bakugo mumbles to himself, rather than the device he seems to have forgotten is in his left hand, “I don’t think I’ve ever wanted something as badly as this…I hope he says yes.”
“Kacchan, who are you talking to?”
Izuku’s clueless voice forces the blond to fumble the ring back into whatever designated hiding spot he’d maintained it in for the three days they’d spent in Hakone, before he dares to reply to the man he films exiting the bathroom, dressed in a frumpy large shirt and sweatpants that are just a hint too baggy on his hips.
“Nobody, just doing that vlog shit you mentioned, you know- selfie, or whatever.”
This brings a smile to Izuku’s face when he manages to flop onto the bed beside Katsuki, admitting, “I can’t wait to watch it when it comes out; it’ll be cool to relive the moment while knowing what happens, don’t you think so?”
Katsuki quickly glances at the camera, almost as if offering an inside joke with the viewer, before smoothly saying, “Yeah, it will definitely be weird…got anything to say before we end it for tonight?”
Midoriya hums, glancing around the room as if he’d left a reminder sitting around, but he shakes his head and cutely tilts his head while facing the other, “I’m just excited to spend time with you, Kacchan. Let's make plenty of memories here and look back on them someday with smiles.”
Bakugo’s voice can be heard murmuring a response about how cheesy that answer was, but their voices get muffled as they laugh together, Izuku barely audible when he makes a response as an image fades onto the screen.
It's one that the stall owner had taken after Katsuki’s impromptu proposal, her own stubbornness forcing the two men to pose as she told them they’d regret not having a memento of the moment they’d surely treasure for the rest of their lives.
Both men are tight against one another, Izuku attempting to hide his tears and flushed face with the very hand wearing his new gold engagement band, which catches the light in a way that reads just how thrilled he truly is in the moment. Katsuki, surprisingly, is genuinely smiling as he looks down at Midoriya, the tips of his reddened ears revealing his shyness at being caught doting on the only person he’s dared to love.
They look like the very picture of a couple deep in love.
Which only makes Izuku struggle to breathe more when the video finally ends, barely made aware of the tears that continuously pour down his cheeks when Uraraka hands him a box of tissues she’s already pulling from.
“How have I never seen this video?!” Izuku exclaims, blowing his nose into the first victimized tissue he can get his hands on.
Ochaco attempts to say something, but her voice catches in her throat, and she devolves into another round of happy cries.
It takes several minutes of self-soothing before either can form a single word, Uraraka being the first to break the silence when she asks, “Now do you see why everyone is talking about the video, Izu?”
He nods, ready to apologize for ever doubting her, but stops himself mid-apology.
“I need to go.” Izuku rushes to his feet, his socks nearly slipping against his wooden floor as he pushes himself forward. Uraraka stands as well, chasing after him with questions about what he’s doing.
Midoriya slides on two mismatched shoes, careful to avoid scratching his engagement ring as he carelessly grabs the nearest sweater hanging beside his front door.
“I need to see Kacchan!”
And he’s gone, running into the elevator of his apartment building while pulling out his phone to call the first contact on his favorites list.