One New Message

Happy New Year!!

This fic is a gift for Mellow's New Year's Bash exchange event! My gift is for Fence who will see it when I put it on Ao3 later lol (this post is scheduled, I'm sleeping ^^)

It's not New Year themed, just a New Year event, but please enjoy some nice hurt/comfortxfluff (because nothing I write is ever truly not fluff)

─────

Beep

“Hi Kacchan! It’s Izuku!” The familiar voice rang out through his cellphone speaker. “I guess you knew that from ‘Kacchan’ though, huh? And I should probably say ‘it’s Deku’? Do you even know my real name? Next time I’m gonna say ‘Hi Bakugou, it’s Midoriya!’ just to see if you know who it is!”

Katsuki’s grip tightened, the plastic of the phone creaking slightly in his hand as a bright laugh filled his ears.

“It sounds really weird when I say ‘Bakugou’ though,” Izuku continued. “I feel like I’m saying it wrong or something, it’s that unfamiliar. Bakugou. Bakugou. BaKUgou. BakuGOU. Am I saying it wrong, Kacchan? I can’t even tell anymore.”

The babbles continued, and Katsuki leaned his head on his hand, waiting for the rambling to stop.

“Stupid nerd,” he sighed. “Why are you like this?”

“Anyway! Sorry to miss you! I’ll be there soon, okay? I’m starving, I can’t wait to eat Kacchan’s cooking again! I’ve got about ten minutes left on patrol, then I’m gonna run to your apartment! I can’t wait to see you!”

Beep

“To replay the message, press one. To-”

Beep

“Hi Kacchan! It’s Izuku!”

It took every bit of Katsuki’s willpower to drag his eyes upward, to see the limp, bruised form lying before him under thin hospital sheets. Tubes and wires came out of every bit of bare skin, and Katsuki’s hand tightened around his phone again.

“Damn it, nerd,” Katsuki whispered to himself. “Dinner is cold.”

He finally ended the call, locking the screen to hide the bold “1:01:43” that sat there, judging him. Instead he laced his fingers through Izuku’s, holding him gently, closing his eyes and dropping his head to rest on the cold fingers.

“God damn it,” he whispered. “Why do you do this shit to me?”

His phone buzzed, the screen lighting up on sixteen text messages and four missed calls, but he couldn’t bring himself to look at it – at any of them. All his focus had to stay on Izuku. He refused to be distracted for a single moment until those stupid green eyes blinked open to look at him, to flash him that little smile and choke out that dumb “Kacchan” as if nothing had even happened.

“Mister Bakugou?”

He sat up, but still his hand remained clasped with Izuku’s. The other one moved to join it, to cup Izuku’s hand between both of his, to share just a little of his warmth and strength.

“His vitals are looking good, his condition has stabilised significantly. The drugs should start to wear off soon, but we’ll have to do some tests when he wakes up to know for sure how he’s doing.”

“Can I stay?”

The nurse smiled, nodding faintly as she glanced back at the empty hallway.

“We’ll turn a blind eye. Thank you for keeping the city safe.”

“It’s no big deal,” Katsuki shook his head. “Someone’s gotta do it.”

“We appreciate it. I’ll come check on you in about half an hour, but if he wakes up before then, just push the buzzer and one of us will come running.”

“Thank you.”

“Just doing my job,” she grinned. “Keep talking, your voice might help wake him.”

He nodded, waiting until she was around the corner in the hall before he shuffled his chair a little closer, pressing a tentative kiss to the scarred knuckles between his hands.

“I’m here, Deku,” he began, gnawing on his lower lip when there was no answer. He wasn’t used to seeing the nerd so quiet. “Can you hear me? The nurse seems to think you can, so I guess I should talk anyway. I feel like an idiot, doing this. You’d be laughing at me if you could see me now. But I’m gonna do it anyway, I guess.”

He sighed, watching again for any sign of movement, but other than the slow rise and fall of his chest, Izuku remained still.

“I made dinner for you,” he said softly, a tired smile tugging at his lips. “I finished early today, so I went all out for you. I had tonkatsu, and gyoza, and that onion soup I made when you were sick that one time, that you haven’t stopped raving about since? I wanted it all to be special for you.”

Izuku’s hand felt a little warmer between his, where his warmth was slowly seeping in, and with a little huff Katsuki dragged his chair to the other side of the bed, to hold the other hand instead, sharing his body heat.

“Wake up for me, okay? The nurse said it’s okay now, you can wake up whenever you’re ready. Open those eyes for me, nerd.”

Still Izuku didn’t move, and Katsuki let out a long, tired sigh. He leaned forward, resting his head atop their linked hands, and just for a moment, he closed his eyes.

“Kacchan?”

The word was barely a whisper, but to Katsuki it was the loudest thing he’d ever heard, his entire body shooting bolt upright to stare at the confused face, the dull eyes and freckles that were too stark on his pale skin.

“Deku.”

“What happened?”

“You tell me, nerd,” Katsuki huffed, wiping his eyes on his sleeve. “Your dinner is cold as hell.”

Izuku raised his arm slowly, ignoring the cables attached to him and going straight for Katsuki, gently stroking his fingertips over a sticky cheek. He wiped away a stray tear, and Katsuki tingled under his touch, Izuku’s callused hands setting his entire face on fire.

“Why are you crying, Kacchan?”

“Shut up, nerd, I don’t cry.”

“You are. Was it that bad?”

“You’ve been unconscious for hours,” Katsuki huffed. “After multiple surgeries. Of course it was fuckin’ bad. But I’m still not crying.”

Izuku cracked a smile finally, and suddenly everything in Katsuki’s world was right again.

“Sit with me, Kacchan.”

“I am, I have been.”

Izuku patted the mattress lightly, trying and failing to scoot over, and Katsuki shook his head faintly.

“The doctors need to come check you out, the nurse said she would come back soon. I’m meant to call her. And I need to call your Mom, and my Mom, and all our damn friends you scared the shit out of.”

“And then you’ll sit with me?”

Katsuki paused, but quickly found himself nodding, even before he could find the words.

“Yeah,” he said softly. “Then I’ll sit with you.”

“Thank you, Kacchan.”

He finally released Izuku’s hand, groaning as he got to his feet, rounding the bed to finally face the endless messages buzzing away on his phone. He pulled up his camera, pointing it at the dishevelled nerd in the hospital bed, and got a sheepish smile in return.

“Oi nerd,” he began, holding his phone away from his body a little so it wouldn’t blow out the microphone. “Tell them all you’re alive.”

“Hi everyone,” Izuku laughed weakly. “Sorry to worry you, I’m okay!”

“He has to do some tests to confirm he’s all good, but he seems just as nerdy as ever.”

“I’ll talk to you all soon!”

Katsuki stopped the video, sending it out to all their friends and family, and finally Katsuki reached to push the buzzer at the side of the bed. It took less thanten seconds for a nurse to arrive, flashing a wide smile at the pair as she began fussing over Izuku and his machines, and Katsuki sat back to let her do her job, clearing out his messages while he waited.

“Do you have someone at home to help take care of you?”

Katsuki felt like the room froze, in that moment – everything went still and silent, Izuku’s smile slightly pained.

“Um, n-no, I don’t,” he admitted. “I can ask my Mom to come, but it’ll take her a couple of days to get here, she’s not in the city.”

“I’ll take care of him,” Katsuki offered, surprising even himself.

“No, Kacchan, you can’t,” Izuku protested, eyebrows knitting together. “You have work, and I only have one bedroom, and-”

“You can come to my place,” Katsuki cut him off, turning his gaze to the nurse. “I have a spare bedroom he can stay in, and if I can’t get time off work I’ll call someone to come over.”

“Does that work for you, Mister Midoriya?”

“I don’t want to get in your way, Kacchan. You really don’t have to.”

“When have I ever offered to do shit I didn’t wanna do?” Katsuki scowled. “If you want to call your Mom, you can, but let me keep an eye on you until she can get here.”

“Okay,” Izuku conceded, smiling nervously. “Then yeah, I have Kacchan to take care of me at home!”

“Very good,” the nurse smiled. “I’ll go get a doctor to clear you, and then you should be good to go.”

“Thank you very much!”

Katsuki moved in again, while the bedside was clear, and Izuku flashed him a much warmer smile. He reached out, arm still a little weak, and when Katsuki accepted his hand, he lit up like nothing else in the world mattered.

“Thank you, Kacchan.”

“Whatever,” Katsuki grumbled, cheeks flushed. “You’re eating your damn dinner, even though it’s been cold for hours.”

Izuku laughed, and something in Katsuki shifted – in that moment they were just two friends hanging out, holding hands and laughing together, like they might have been if Izuku hadn’t gotten himself hurt. They could have been sitting in Katsuki’s apartment by now, stomachs pleasantly full, a couple of beers in hand, as they relaxed in front of the TV. If all had gone to plan, Katsuki could have reached for him, could have taken a deep breath and admitted everything he’d been feeling for the past… God knows how long. Years. Decades?

“I’ll take care of you,” Katsuki promised, gently squeezing the weak fingers. “I promise.”

“Thank you, Kacchan.”

─────

“Kacchan, seriously, they said I don’t have to use the chair!”

“No, nerd, what they said, was that you can walk sometimes, when and if you feel up to it.”

“And I do!”

“The chair won’t fit through the hallways in my apartment so you’re gonna be walking then, don’t wear yourself out now because of your dumb pride.”

“You’re surprisingly protective when I’m injured,” Izuku laughed, tilting his head back to see Katsuki pout. “Really Kacchan, I’m okay! You don’t have to fuss over me!”

“Deal with it, nerd.”

The elevator doors slid open, and Katsuki pushed the wheelchair down the hall toward his front door, the wheels squeaking quietly in the otherwise silent hall. He couldn’t even look at Izuku for more than a few seconds before he had to look away again, his chest tightening until it was difficult to draw a decent breath. He’d come so close to losing his best friend, to losing his-

No, it wasn’t the time for that. It had almost been the time, he’d had such grand plans to say it over dinner, as Izuku enjoyed his cooking, but the universe had clearly had other plans for them. All that mattered for the next few days was taking care of Izuku, making sure he was comfortable. He wouldn’t risk jeopardising things between them until Izuku was healed, or at least under someone else’s care.

Izuku carefully climbed up from the chair when they reached the entryway, leaning one hand on the wall for balance as he took his shoes off. Katsuki folded up the chair while he was waiting, setting it aside, then followed Izuku into the apartment.

“You did all this for me?” Izuku marvelled, looking at the plates and pots of cold food still sitting on the counter. “Kacchan I’m so sorry, I didn’t know-”

“It’s no big deal,” Katsuki cut him off, shaking his head. “Let me see what’s still good, I’ll heat you up something.”

“What can I do to help?”

“Sit down at the table and relax. Actually, the couch is more comfortable, go sit on the couch.”

“But Kacchan-”

“No. Go sit down and rest. Does someone have a spare key for your apartment?”

Izuku frowned slightly, tilting his head to the side.

“You do. Did you forget?”

“Other than me, dumbass.”

“No one. Just Kacchan.”

“Ugh. Do you wanna call one of your nerd-friends to come get it, then? They can go get you clothes and shit.”

“Oh! Right! Yeah, um, I’ll call Uraraka.”

“She lives down the street, right?”

“Yeah! So she won’t have to go out of her way to get the key and bring the stuff back, even if it’s a pain going all the way to my apartment to get stuff.”

“She won’t care.”

“Yeah! She’ll be happy to help!”

Izuku finally sat himself down in the living room, settling in with his phone, and Katsuki sighed as he looked over his mess of a kitchen. The soup was still safe, tucked away in the fridge earlier in the day to reheat later, and the rice sitting in the cooker was probably still good, but the pork and gyoza left out on the counter were a lost cause. The eggs, too, though at least they were easy to remake.

He grabbed a clean pot and began cracking a few in, whisking them up and sticking them on an element to start cooking while he cleaned up the rest.

“How hungry are you?” he called, putting the soup on to heat up too. “Starving?”

“Medium hungry,” Izuku laughed. “Not starving, but definitely hungry.”

“Alright,” Katsuki hummed, grabbing two bowls of rice first. “Coming right up.”

Izuku’s face lit up when Katsuki brought him his dinner, taking a long breath to appreciate the smells coming off it, and Katsuki made sure he was settled in comfortably before he handed over the tray. Izuku’s fingers were a little weak around his spoon, but he held on all the same, whining as he debated which one to eat first.

“Be careful,” Katsuki instructed, brushing a hand over Izuku’s arm lightly as he moved. “You want a drink?”

“Do you have beer?”

“Yeah, are you on any meds that you’re not meant to drink with?”

“Nope! They just gave me painkillers in case I need them.”

“Alright, beer it is.”

He switched the TV on as he left, letting Izuku flip through channels to find something interesting, and when he came back with two beers and his own dinner, everything felt… Strangely normal. Other than the bandages and bruises, and the stitches hidden beneath a pair of shitty scrubs the hospital had given him to wear home, it was just like every other Friday night they’d spent together since high school.

“Uraraka is gonna come over in the morning,” Izuku told him, muffled by cheeks stuffed with rice. “She’s working overnight, so she’ll drop by after her shift. What time do you have to work?”

“Shitty-Hair is covering me, already sorted it.”

“What? You don’t need-”

“Too late, suck it nerd.”

Izuku cracked a smile, and Katsuki couldn’t help but smirk back, taking a bite of his own food.

“You can borrow something of mine to sleep in,” Katsuki offered. “You need a shower, too.”

“Thank you. For the clothes, I mean, not for telling me I stink.”

“Whatever,” Katsuki snorted. “You should write a list of stuff for Round-Face to bring you, otherwise your whole apartment will end up in my spare room.”

“I will! I don’t need much, I promise I won’t mess your place up.”

“I don’t care if you do, bring whatever you need.”

“My whole merch collection?”

Katsuki’s stomach flipped. Something about the idea of merging their collections was…

Nope, he didn’t need to think about that.

“I’m pretty sure you don’t need that,” Katsuki narrowed his eyes, trying his best not to laugh at Izuku’s grin. “I said need.”

“I’ll pay you back for the food and stuff, too.”

“You don’t have to, I have plenty.”

“I should though, especially if it ends up being days.”

“You can stay as long as you want. Days, weeks, months… Hell, years. You know I don’t care about having you over, it’s… Nice, I guess. Seriously nerd, you don’t have to ask your Mom to come, I’m happy to keep an eye on you until you’re better.”

“I can’t impose on your for that long, Kacchan, it could be weeks.”

“I know. I don’t care. I’d rather have you here, where I can keep an eye on you. Your Mom has her own shit going on, she doesn’t need to spend hours on a train to come stay in your shitty little one-bedroom apartment. Just… let me do this. Let me keep an eye on you, for fucking once.”

Izuku stared at him silently, eyes wide and searching, and it was all Katsuki could do to stay in his seat. Every fibre of his being wanted to get out, wanted to never face him again after being such a sap, but he knew he couldn’t do it, knew this was his chance to do something right for once.

“Okay,” Izuku said softly.

“Okay?”

“If you’re sure,” Izuku nodded. “Thank you, Kacchan. It means a lot to me.”

“Whatever,” Katsuki grumbled, stuffing food in his mouth to give him a minute to think. “I’ll make up your bed after I eat, while you shower, then you can get some rest. Tell Pink-Cheeks to call me when she’s on her way, I’ll get up and let her in.”

“Don’t be silly Kacchan, I can let her in!”

“Don’t go letting people in my apartment without me around,” Katsuki huffed. “What if it’s a villain or some shit pretending to be someone you know? You sure as hell can’t protect yourself right now.”

“Okay,” Izuku smiled to himself. “Thank you, Kacchan. I’ll let her know.”

“Damn right, nerd.”

When their plates were clear, and Katsuki had sufficiently won the dishes debate, Izuku headed off to the bathroom to get cleaned up. Katsuki rinsed their plates and stacked them in the dishwasher, then got to work throwing away the ruined food – He thought it would be harder, thought he’d lament the waste of food and money more, but if that was what it took to be by Izuku’s side when he woke up, then… He really couldn’t have cared less.

When the kitchen was sorted, he headed for the spare room, pulling sheets and blankets from the closet to get the bed made up. He always kept the stuff close at hand, in case a friend showed up unexpectedly from out of town, or someone had a bit too much to drink at one of their get-togethers, but he couldn’t remember the last time it had been Izuku. Most of his friends were more than willing to impose, but Izuku had always been so careful to not outstay his welcome – not that he could, but Katsuki supposed he didn’t know that.

“Everything okay in there?” he called through the bathroom door. “Need anything.”

“I’m okay!”

“You sure?”

Izuku didn’t answer right away, and Katsuki cracked open the unlocked door, listening carefully.

“Oi, nerd, you sure you’re alright?”

“Yeah,” Izuku grunted. “S-Sorry, I’m just…”

“Did you hurt yourself?”

“I’m fine!”

“Are you sure?”

Izuku huffed quietly, and Katsuki pinched at the bridge of his nose – trying to be gentle and patient with the idiot was starting to give him a headache.

“I’m coming in.”

“You don’t have to!”

“You’re worrying me, nerd.”

Izuku looked up when Katsuki stepped inside, attempting a weak smile, and Katsuki hissed when he saw the damage – Izuku was more bruise than skin, every inch of him mottled with deep blues and purples, and he winced as he let his arm fall into his lap.

“You should have told me it was hurting,” Katsuki complained, closing the door behind him and stepping in closer. “Don’t be like this, dummy. I’m here, okay?”

“I-I know,” Izuku huffed, cheeks pink. “But you’re already doing so much for me, I can’t ask you to help me shower.”

“Then don’t ask, I’m already here.”

He laid a towel down to kneel on, reaching for the washcloth in Izuku’s hand, and with the lightest touch he could possibly muster, he ran it down Izuku’s spine. Izuku shivered under his touch, but relaxed a little all the same, and Katsuki couldn’t help but take that as a good sign.

“Tell me if anything hurts,” he instructed, gently soaping Izuku’s back and shoulders. “Just relax.”

“It doesn’t hurt,” Izuku assured him, his voice barely a whisper. “Thank you, Kacchan.”

“No need.”

Izuku sat abnormally still as Katsuki took his arm, lifting it gently in a cupped hand to hold the weight, the other hand cleaning off the remains of blood and dirt. He knew the nurses had given Izuku a quick clean on admission, to look for more wounds, and the surgery areas would have been doused in alcohol, but he’d been on the receiving end of those checks, too – he always felt grimy and disgusting after a stay in hospital, no matter how brief. So he made sure to get every inch of Izuku’s body, gently soaping away the remnants of the hospital bed – though he left a few more private areas for Izuku to handle on his own.

“Thank you,” Izuku said softly, when Katsuki was rinsing conditioner from his hair. “You’re far too good to me.”

“No more than you deserve,” Katsuki assured him, bundling him up in a fluffy towel. “You’re a hero, Deku – and a damn good one. Every so often, you’re allowed to let other people take care of you, okay?”

“You think I’m a good hero?” Izuku asked, lips twitching toward a smile. “Is that what you said?”

“I’m pretty sure I didn’t say that.”

“You did.”

“You have no proof.”

Izuku giggled, and Katsuki ruffled his hair fondly, watching unruly curls puff up under his touch. He threw a second towel over them, weighing them down, then turned his back on the towel lump, heading for the hallway again.

“I’ll grab you some clothes,” he mumbled. “Dry off a bit, and just come to your room when you’re ready.”

“Thank you, Kacchan.”

“It’s no big deal.”

“It is, to me.”

He refused to look back, refused to see the gratitude in Izuku’s eyes, or let Izuku see the smile on his lips. He just nodded once, acknowledging the words, and then he was gone again, hunting through his closet for something light and soft that would fit Izuku at least relatively well. Footsteps padded down the hall while he searched, so Katsuki went straight to the guest room with his pile of clothes, smile fading a little as he looked at Izuku’s bruised torso again, and this time the legs to match, poking out beneath his towel.

“It must hurt,” he mumbled, setting some clothes down on the end of the bed. “It looks…”

“Ugly, I know.”

“Painful,” Katsuki corrected him, picking up a soft, lightweight t-shirt and holding it out. “Here, I’ll help.”

Izuku slid his hands into the sleeves and let Katsuki pull it over his head, grateful to find it fitted his frame decently. He’d always felt like he and Katsuki were built so differently, like he was so much shorter and thicker where Katsuki was tall and lean, but maybe they weren’t so different after all.

He sat down on the edge of the bed next, letting Katsuki help him get a pair of sweatpants over his ankles, but thankfully he stepped away when that was done, averting his eyes as Izuku switched out from the towel.

“All better,” he smiled softly, when green eyes met red. “Thank you, Kacchan.”

“You ready to get some rest?”

“I am,” Izuku admitted. “Wake me up when Uraraka calls, okay? I’ll help with my stuff.”

“I will,” Katsuki assured him. “Did you send her a list?”

“Yeah, it’s not too long.”

“Then I’ll give her the key, and when she comes back with your stuff, I’ll wake you up to say hi.”

“But Kacchan-”

Katsuki’s eyes narrowed, and Izuku gave up immediately, smiling faintly as he sighed.

“Okay,” he agreed. “Thank you.”

“Get some rest. I’m gonna bring you a water bottle, in case you need it during the night.”

“Thank you.”

“Stop thanking me, nerd.”

Izuku grinned, miming zipping his lips all the same, and with a little roll of his eyes that didn’t feel remotely genuine, Katsuki stepped away.

Izuku slid into the clean sheets while he was gone, sliding into the comfort of a soft mattress and plush pillows, the down duvet pleasantly thick and warm on top of him, but without being too heavy for his bruised body. It was perfection, and there was no other place Izuku would rather be.

“Sorted?” Katsuki asked when he returned, setting a bottle down on the bedside table. “Comfy enough?”

“Super comfy,” Izuku hummed, pulling the blankets up to his nose. “I love this bed, Kacchan, it feels so good.”

“I’m glad. You’re gonna be staying in it for a while, after all.”

“I’m okay with that.”

Katsuki finally let his smile come out for real, and Izuku beamed beneath his blankets when he saw it, where he thought Katsuki couldn’t tell – stupid nerd, didn’t he know he wore all his emotions in his eyes?

“Are you gonna take a nap too?” Izuku asked.

“Yeah, just for a couple of hours, then Floaty should be done with work.”

“Don’t forget to wake me.”

“I won’t forget, I promise. Now get some sleep, you must be exhausted.”

“You too. I’m glad I’m here. With Kacchan.”

“Yeah,” Katsuki nodded faintly. “I’m… Glad you’re here too.

“Goodnight, Kacchan.”

“Night, nerd.”

─────

Katsuki halted Uraraka in the doorway, before she could squeal and cry and wake the nerd in a fit of fear at the interruption. Thankfully she had enough self-control to listen, to stay put when Katsuki glared at her, unintentionally giving her a perfect view to watch Katsuki step inside.

He woke Izuku with the gentlest touch, cupping his freckled cheek lightly and bending down to whisper his name. Uraraka couldn’t resist a smile, watching Izuku’s big eyes flutter open, his lips curling into a sleepy smile when he saw his Kacchan beside him.

“Morning, Kacchan,” he whispered.

“Morning nerd,” Katsuki snorted. “Your courier is here.”

“My- Oh!”

He jolted upright, making all three of them cringe, and Katsuki steadied him carefully, propping pillows behind him for support.

“Don’t get up,” Uraraka insisted, when he wiggled a little like he might try it. “I’ll come to you!”

She brought him a familiar gym bag, garishly patterned with bright colours and All Might’s big dumb face, and carefully avoided his legs as she set it down on the bed. Katsuki watched as she unzipped it, pulling out stacks of clothing and a collection of toiletries, ticking things off the list in her texts as she went, and Izuku smiled at her warmly as the bag grew emptier and emptier.

“And one last addition,” she grinned, reaching into the floppy bag and pulling out a dark plushie. “Just in case you need a hug!”

She tucked it into his arms pointedly, and Izuku’s face burned red, refusing to meet Katsuki’s eyes as he raised an eyebrow.

“You have my plushie?” he demanded, reaching for the thing and watching Izuku whip it away from him. “What the fuck, nerd, I can’t even look?”

“You’ll blow it up!” Izuku pouted, hugging it tightly. “I love him! He’s mine! You can’t have him!”

“It’s just a plushie.”

“It’s my plushie, and I waited in line for hours to get him.”

“I promise I won’t ruin it.”

“Or damage it or hurt it at all?”

“It’s a plushie,” Katsuki repeated, sighing. “Fine, I promise.”

Still wary, Izuku handed it over, and Katsuki grimaced at the thing. It had embroidered eyes that were far too big for its face, a squishy body that made him look like he had a beer belly, and stubby little arms that didn’t even have fingers, just grenade gauntlets with balls on the end for hands.

“He’s so dopey,” Katsuki sighed, handing it back and watching him hug it close. “No wonder they got discontinued.”

“They didn’t get discontinued,” Izuku insisted. “They were limited edition. Only a hundred were ever made, and I got to Hero Fest six hours early to make sure I’d be in the first hundred people in line.”

“You could have just asked me for one.”

“You’d have said no!”

Katsuki pulled a face, folding his arms as he considered it.

“Maybe,” he admitted, watching the fleeting look of victory that passed over Izuku’s face. “But even if I said no, I’d have done it anyway.”

“Then from now on I want all your limited edition merch.”

“No.”

“Is that ‘no’ like ‘no but I’ll do it anyway’ or a genuine ‘no’?”

“You’ll have to wait and see.”

“Kacchaaaaan!”

Katsuki grinned, messing up his frizzy curls fondly, then straightened up to pick up some of Izuku’s clothes. He hung the shirts in the closet, folded the pants over some hangers too, then tucked the socks and underwear away into the little baskets he kept there for purposes just like that one. Izuku whined the entire time he did it, still demanding an ‘actual answer’, but Katsuki just smirked at him and silently continued working.

“Thanks for the help,” he said quietly, when Uraraka laid out Izuku’s toiletries on one of the bedside tables. “Especially right after a shift.”

“No biggie,” Uraraka assured him, grinning at Izuku’s whines. “It’s good to see him so lively this soon after the accident.”

“Yeah, can’t keep this nerd down even if you try.”

“Let me know if I can do anything else, okay? It’s so good of you to take care of him. He’s so much more comfortable around you than anyone else, but I guess that makes sense with how long you’ve known each other. I think it’s the best place for him.”

“I’ll do my best,” Katsuki assured her, swiping for the plushie again in hopes of distracting Izuku from his complaints. “I’ll call if we need anything.”

“Oh and we’ve already sorted your shifts out,” she assured him. “We all shuffled things around and took an extra couple of patrols to cover you both. You’ve got the whole week free!”

“What?” Izuku demanded. “Kacchan, you don’t need to skip work for me! I’ll just- Mmph!”

He glared when Katsuki clapped a hand over his mouth, but with his words muffled and his friends ignoring his protests, Izuku knew he’d already lost.

“What he’s trying to say is thank you. You know we’d do the same for you guys.”

“We know,” she grinned. “You both would, you both have, so just take this week to rest and recover. You as well, Bakugou, you work too much!”

“Just call me if shit goes down, alright?”

“Of course! Alright, I’ll get out of your hair, you two get back to sleep!”

Izuku squawked something indignant, and Katsuki reluctantly moved his hand, sighing as he waited for the complaints.

“Hug!” he demanded, holding his arms out. “Thank you for the help!”

“It’s my pleasure!” she assured him, accepting his hug and returning it lightly. “You do what Bakugou says, okay? Let him take care of you. Make him wait on you hand and foot.”

“Aye aye, Captain.”

He grinned, and Katsuki just shook his head rather than try to figure the idiots out, moving the pillows again and getting Izuku settled back in for a nap.

“Night, Deku,” he said pointedly, tucking him in with the blanket firmly covering his mouth. “See you in the morning, don’t do anything stupid.”

“Night Kacchan,” he laughed through his blanket mask. “Night Uraraka!”

“Goodnight Deku,” she giggled. “I’ll text you tomorrow.”

“Looking forward to it!”

Katsuki showed her out, thanking her once more while Izuku wasn’t around to hear it, but as he headed back to his bed he saw a little green mop sticking up still, not tucked away into the blankets where he’d left it.

“What happened to going back to sleep? You thirsty or something?”

“No,” Izuku shook his head, pointing at the water bottle Katsuki left him earlier in the night. “I just… Would you sit with me for a bit?”

“If you want.”

Izuku hauled himself back up, letting Katsuki fuss again as he propped him up on pillows, and then they were sitting side by side on the mattress, a heavy silence hanging over them.

“Weird being in my place?” Katsuki asked, sneaking a glance at the nervous face adamantly refusing to look at him. “I don’t think you’ve stayed over before. It was a long time ago, if you did.”

“I haven’t,” Izuku agreed. “It’s a little weird, but not… bad. Just different.”

“What, the plushie isn’t good enough to comfort you?” Katsuki teased, picking it up from atop the blankets. “Better explode him after all.”

“No!”

Izuku reached for it, and Katsuki didn’t bother to pull it away. Usually he’d have kept it out of the nerd’s reach, made him whine for it, but with all the bruises covering him it was hard to torment the guy. So instead, he let Izuku snatch it, pouting as he hugged it to his chest for a moment before sitting it on the bedside table.

“Lonely?” Katsuki asked, much quieter this time.

“Yeah.”

“Okay. I’ll stay for a bit. You wanna talk, or just sit here?”

“I don’t mind.”

In a flash of boldness, Izuku leaned into Katsuki’s side a little, and for a moment Katsuki thought he’d somehow fallen asleep in the three seconds he’d been quiet. He didn’t fall like a dead-weight, though, or even seem to put himself there purposefully. It was gentle, barely-there, and made Katsuki turn his head quickly to look.

The expression on Izuku’s face was almost comical, frozen in fear of what his own body was doing, but still he leaned on the slightest of angles, just enough to press their arms together gently.

“You wanna lean on me?” Katsuki asked, watching Izuku’s eyes widen. “You can, it’s fine.”

“R-Really?”

“Mm-hm.”

“Because I’m injured?”

“What? No. Whenever, I don’t care.”

He shifted his arm, letting Izuku lean in a little closer, but snorted at the way he fell so stiffly into Katsuki’s space.

“Move in, nerd,” Katsuki instructed, adjusting himself to lean against the headboard a little more and make room for Izuku to snuggle in. “C’mere.”

“Really?”

“If you want.”

Izuku practically dove into the space, tucking himself under Katsuki’s arm and resting fluffy curls against his chest. Despite his brain yelling at him for even considering it, Katsuki let his arm fall back down, holding Izuku underneath in some half-assed attempt at a hug. He half-expected Izuku to get twitchy or start making excuses, but instead he seemed to relish the affection, nuzzling Katsuki’s shirt lightly as he got comfy.

“I’m gonna get stuck here if you fall asleep like this.”

“I don’t mind.”

Katsuki wasn’t sure what to say to that. Part of his brain screamed at him to take the chance, to shoot his shot, but the logical side told him no. It was too soon, right? What if he screwed things up between them all over again?

“M’comfy,” Izuku murmured, letting out a long sigh. “Thanks, Kacchan.”

“Any time. Uh, I guess. I mean…” He huffed, mentally kicking himself for how stupid he sounded. “Do you want to do this more?”

Izuku paused, and Katsuki was sure that a similar mental debate was happening inside of him. It wasn’t like Katsuki to doubt his own instincts, especially over Izuku, but he needed to be more than just sure. He needed… Certainty.

“You can say it,” Katsuki prompted. “It… Won’t ruin anything.”

“Was I mumbling?”

“No, I just… I think we’ve been thinking the same thing.”

Izuku shifted slightly, raising his head to see Katsuki’s pained expression, and with a trembling hand, Izuku reached for him. He ran his fingers down Katsuki’s cheek, making his skin tingle under the feather-light touch, and Katsuki tightened his pathetic hug a little in response. The hand continued along his jaw, making Katsuki shiver as it ran across the tense spots, until it stopped at his chin, millimetres from his lips.

“Can you say it first?” Izuku whispered. “Just… In case, you know?”

“And you won’t be upset if it’s… Not the same thing?” Katsuki asked, ducking his gaze.

“Not at all, I promise.”

“Then…” Katsuki took a deep breath, dragging his eyes back to Izuku’s face. He couldn’t quite reach the eyes, not with everything he knew had to be there, but he managed to get to the familiar little freckles that had been there all their lives. “Izuku, I… Like you. As… More than a friend.”

Izuku’s face lit up, like all the pain of the accident had been sucked from his body, like every awful memory in their lives just vanished in that moment. Katsuki finally looked up properly, finding an unbelievable amount of excitement and love waiting for him in Izuku’s gaze, his eyes all wrinkled at the corners where he squinted under his beaming smile.

“I like you too!” Izuku said brightly, like the words were no effort at all. “I’ve always liked Kacchan! I’m so glad you feel the same!”

“R-Really?”

“Really!” Izuku giggled. “I admit, I thought we’d last more than a day before everything… came out. But this is perfect, Kacchan!”

He leaned over, planting a kiss on Katsuki’s cheek that was so clumsy, so unpracticed, and yet so perfect. So them. They’d been together their whole lives so far, after all – was it really a surprise to anyone that they’d be together forever?

Katsuki burned bright red, and Izuku only giggled harder, cuddling into him happily and holding him tight. For someone who had always sneered at couples and their affection, Katsuki felt… Surprisingly good.

“I’m gonna kiss you now,” he blurted out, hating himself for it immediately. “I mean-”

“Yes please!”

Lips curling into a smile, Katsuki tilted his head, cupping Izuku’s cheek as he planted a chaste little kiss on his lips. Izuku’s smile couldn’t possibly have gotten any wider, Katsuki thought, as he found himself pinching one of the chubby cheeks.

“No wonder you have these,” he smiled to himself, when Izuku laughed at him for it. “They’re all stretched out from your damn smile.”

“Only for you!”

“Liar.”

“Okay, but it’s the biggest for you,” Izuku insisted. “You make me so happy, Kacchan.”

“I’ll try my best to keep it that way.”

“Well,” Izuku hummed. “Kacchan is the best at everything, right? So I’m sure you’ll succeed.”

Katsuki couldn’t help but laugh, leaning in to kiss him once more, lingering a little longer this time with Izuku’s soft lips against his.

“Best at kissing?” he teased.

“Absolutely,” Izuku laughed, squeezing him tighter. “Be my best boyfriend, okay?”

“Damn right, nerd.”

─────

Beep

“Hi Kacchan! It’s Izuku!” the voice rang out from where Katsuki had set his phone on the kitchen counter, unpacking his bags as he listened. “There’s probably no point leaving this, I’ll be home by the time you listen to it. But I’m on my way home now! Love you, see you soon!”

Beep

“To replay the message, press one. To forward-”

Katsuki hit the disconnect button right as he heard the keys in the corridor, jingling as he found the right one to shove in the lock. The door rattled a little, creaking as it swung open, but then his personified sunshine of a boyfriend was in the entryway, kicking off his shoes as he let the door swing closed behind him.

“I’m home!” he called. “Did you get my message?”

“I did,” Katsuki agreed, setting a pan on the stove to heat up. “I just got home, dinner will be a little while yet.”

“I’ll wait! Do you need any help?”

“Nah, I’m good.”

“A beer?”

“Sure, why not.”

Izuku took two from the fridge, popping them open and handing one over, watching as Katsuki took a long sip.

“Good,” he mumbled, when he found Izuku still watching. “Thanks. How was work?”

“Good to be back,” Izuku smiled, winding his arms around Katsuki’s waist from behind. “Missed you, though. Did you miss me, too?”

“Shut up,” Katsuki snorted, swatting at him lightly. “It was only a few hours.”

“I know! But I got so used to having you around!”

“Yeah,” Katsuki huffed, nodding. “I guess I did too.”

“So you did miss me!”

“Shut up,” Katsuki laughed, setting his beer on the counter. “Yeah, yeah, the big sap missed his boyfriend, okay? Shut it.”

Izuku giggled, but shut his mouth obediently, nuzzling Katsuki’s cheek fondly instead.

“I’m home, Kacchan,”

“About time, nerd.”