Resolutions [New Year 2k19]

 
Katsuki eyed the bags warily as Izuku set them down on the communal kitchen counter, raising an eyebrow when Izuku smiled in his direction. He'd never seen the nerd buy so many groceries at one time before, usually he opted for a bunch of snacks and maybe a few frozen dishes that he could heat up in the microwave oven when he got hungry.

"That's a lot of vegetables," he noted, as Izuku began unloading into his area of the fridge. "What's the deal? Your Mom been complaining?"

"I want to eat healthier this year! I'm gonna learn to cook and start making good meals instead of... Well, you know what my eating habits are like."

"You need a hand?"

"Would you mind?!" Izuku lit up in his excitement, eyes wide and shining. "I'm so bad at cooking, I was gonna try to follow cooking videos or something? But if you would teach me that would be amazing."

“Don’t see why not,” he shrugged. “I’ve gotta cook anyway, may as well help you out while I do.”

“You’re the best!”

He reached for a bag, helping to unpack, and Izuku didn’t dare to ask why, didn’t dare to jeopardise the comfortable moment between them.

“Um, listen,” Katsuki began, when their backs were to each other. “I’m sorry.”

“Huh?! For what?!”

“Just… Everything. I thought the new year might be a good time to… To improve, I guess. To apologise.”

“Is this your resolution?” Izuku smiled. “Mine is to be healthier, yours is to be nicer?”

“Yeah, something like that, I guess,” Katsuki mumbled. “And I’ve been a piece of shit to you more than anyone else, so it seemed like a good place to start. Do you think you could forgive me, one day?”

“Hmmm, that depends,” Izuku hummed, a smile toying at his lips. “Can I have a hug?”

“What the fuck, nerd.”

“I’ll forgive you if you give me a hug! A good hug, not a cheap hug!”

“Ugh, whatever,” Katsuki blushed, nodding all the same. “Fine, whatever. Get your ass over here.”

Izuku fell into his arms happily, squeezing him tight, and Katsuki had to admit it was… Kind of nice. It had been a while - a long while - since he’d last hugged someone for real, maybe he was missing out on something after all. 

To Izuku’s surprise, he was the first to let go. Katsuki must have really meant what he said.

“That was nice, thank you,” he beamed, when Katsuki looked at him with flushed cheeks. “I forgive you!”

“You shouldn’t.”

“But I do!”

Katsuki nodded awkwardly, looking away as he contemplated, but Izuku just waited patiently for him to find the words.

“We can do that again, if you want. Not all the time, obviously, but… Occasionally.”

“Hug?”

“Yeah.”

“That would be nice!” he grinned. “It wasn’t too awful?”

“It was… Fine.”

“Did Kacchan like it?” he teased. “Who are you and what did you do with my Kacchan?”

“Shut up,” Katsuki huffed. “I didn’t say that.”

“You didn’t need to.”

Katsuki turned to leave stubbornly, ready to storm out, but Izuku grabbed him by the arm with a slightly apologetic smile waiting on his lips.

“I won’t tease,” he said quickly, before Katsuki could pull away. “If you want a hug, any time at all, just come and find me. I promise I’ll hug you, and I promise I won’t tease.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah!”

Katsuki nodded, and Izuku slowly released his grip, but Katsuki didn’t run away this time.

“Thanks,” he said finally. “Um, I’ll see you tonight. To cook. Six o’clock, don’t be late.”

“I’ll be here! Thank you again!”

“Whatever,” he shrugged. “You help me with my resolutions, I help you with yours. It seems fair.”

Izuku smiled, nodding just once, watching Katsuki’s back as he retreated toward his quiet bedroom.

Maybe he’d make resolutions more often.