A/N: i loved the keychain concept from 'when your fire dwindles (i'll be there to reignite it)' so much i made some headcanons and expanded them
this can be read as a standalone tho! so here's some context: basically todo and baku have a keychain (official merch) of the other and they always take it around with them. they also use it as a system to check whether the other is home or not (they place it on the kitchen countertop)
happy reading!
The second Shouto realises, it's too late. What's left his hand is not one of his boyfriend's grenades. He has, in fact, flung mini-Katsuki at the villain. In this moment, he isn't sure whether to laugh or cry. He also isn't given any time to contemplate—the villain ruthlessly smashes the keychain, then charges at Shouto.
Shouto doesn't think it'll end up being that much of a fight. The villain's fighting style resembles Katsuki's, and Shouto has fought Katsuki countless times since the age of fifteen. After the two boys became somewhat closer, they started sparring with each other in hopes of bettering themselves. Katsuki, surprisingly, was the one who started it.
Right in the middle of lunchtime, around a quarter of the way into their second year at U.A., Katsuki came up to him and demanded, more than asked, for him to start training with him. His exact words were, 'It'd be good practice. We're both at the top, and I can't have you overtake me'. Shouto didn't bring up the fact that many of their other classmates were at the top too, instead nodding once, before Katsuki abruptly turned on his heels and walked away. Shouto returned to his soba almost immediately, not noticing Midoriya and Iida gaping at him.
Then, somewhere along the line, the two of them stopped concentrating on improving themselves so much. They began helping the other, giving advice on what they could do differently, and ways to combat their weaknesses. They still spar together now, and are arguably as familiar with the other's movements as they are with their own.
What raises the difficulty of the situation is the villain's quirk. The flashes of light behave like a stun grenade. When Shouto was first hit with it, he couldn't react quickly enough. The light penetrated through the thin layer of ice, and Shouto saw stars. Shouto thought he'd be better prepared now that he knows about it, but the villain doesn't rely heavily on the quirk. Shouto gets tricked into using his ice at the slightest of hand movements, only to have the villain jump up into the air and produce a flash when he responds. Using fire is also out of the question—he can't pinpoint where the villain will be, and there are too many things around that would burn if he unleashed his flames haphazardly.
Following the nth time being stunned, Shouto has had enough. Through the chaos, he's decidedly become very angry about losing his keychain, the first real gift Katsuki gave him. As soon as Shouto regains his senses, he drops to the ground, and slams his palm against the flat surface.
The ice seems to keep forming forever; Shouto's arm, as well as his entire right side, has long since been covered in frost, and he knows his body temperature has dropped to its lowest point, but in this blind rage, he just wills it to keep on growing. It stems out of the ground rapidly and steadily, like a rising platform, trapping the villain and holding them still. When he has finally expended his quirk, Shouto stands back up and heats himself, until he can no longer see his exhales.
Unfortunately, he can't do much but wait for the Police Force to arrive, as he's enclosed himself in the structure he created. Aside from the small circle where he stands, ice covers an entire half area of the town, and a few metres into its neighbouring forest. Property damage, because he may have lost control a bit and scraped up a few walls, resembles Katsuki more than it does him, but Shouto is furious and just wanted the job done.
He does somewhat regret it later when he melts it all down and basically causes a flood, but he promises the mayor he'll pay for any costs to restore buildings and whatnot, and seems to be forgiven. Coincidentally, one of the police officers has a quirk that makes their body function like a pump, so they're able to clear the water quite quickly. Shouto thanks them, and apologises for causing the mess.
As he leaves the scene, Shouto wonders whether he'll be reprimanded for his actions today, but quickly forgets about the issue. There's something much more important on his mind right now.
By the time Shouto gets home, his mood has changed entirely. Instead of being angry, he's become sulky. He feels empty without little-Katsuki dangling at his hip, and finds himself reminiscing on all the adventures they had together, all the battles they fought. He trudges on the path with heavy footsteps, constantly looking down at the now-empty spot on his belt. He thinks he hears whispers about his dejected state from those who have recognised him, but pays them no mind. He continues walking, and just hopes he'll feel better once he sees his boyfriend.
The matter is actually made worse when Katsuki notices and comments on the absence of his counterpart.
"Welcome ho— Hey, where's mini-me?"
At the sight of Katsuki standing behind the kitchen countertop in an apron and pointing a rolling pin nonchalantly at him, Shouto's mood shifts again. Suddenly, he's devastated, and honestly feels tears start to prick his eyes. Katsuki's expression changes right away as well. He drops the cooking utensil and dusts off his hands, before coming over to comfort Shouto.
He gently takes hold of Shouto's elbows and leans back a bit, scrutinising Shouto's face.
"What's wrong?"
"Today I—" The words are lodged in Shouto's throat; there's a rush of emotions coming to the surface. "I was fighting someone and accidentally—" And then it all comes out at once, "I threw my keychain instead of your grenade at the villain and it got destroyed!"
It takes Katsuki a moment to register the words. His expression is blank, until it isn't, and now he is throwing his head back and laughing, hard. In fact, he seems to find it so funny he retracts his hands from Shouto in order to fold his arms at his stomach, nearly doubling over.
The reaction shocks Shouto. He stands there, dazed, while he fully comprehends that yes, his boyfriend is laughing in his face about this. Rage starts to boil inside him again, and he shoves his boyfriend so he goes stumbling back.
That'll show him, Shouto thinks, while Katsuki struggles to maintain his balance. He stops laughing as well, finally, and Shouto is satisfied.
"The hell was that for, jackass?"
Now Shouto isn't the only one with fire burning within. Katsuki stalks right up to him, stands right below his nose, and stares daggers with his blazing red eyes.
Shouto, still angry, puts a finger to the centre of Katsuki's chest, and presses.
"How dare you?"
"What do you mean? I haven't done anything!"
"I'm clearly upset over this, and you don't care at all! Have some tact!"
Katsuki stares at Shouto in disbelief, "Are you serious? It's afucking keychain, Shou! Is it not more important that I am still here?"
"But mini-Katsu isn't!" Shouto shouts back.
"Do you actually care about him more than me?"
"No! Of course not! Although, I've arguably spent more time with him, so I don't think it's—"
"I don't understand why you're so hung up on it then! It shouldn't matter!"
"It was the first present you gave me!" This seems to catch Katsuki off guard. "Do you know how I felt when you put it in my hands? I was still half-convinced then that maybe you didn't actually want to date me, so that single action was monumental. I could feel myself start to burn, and had to legitimately think really hard so as not to set myself on fire. Is it so wrong that I just wanted to have it forever?"
Silence falls between them. And in it, only the sounds of their harsh breathing can be heard. When Katsuki finally replies, his voice is somewhat small, all the anger gone.
"I'm sorry." He holds his arms out tentatively, but Shouto walks into them without hesitation. He knows neither of them meant any harm. Katsuki tells him anyway, though. After his arms are wrapped around Shouto, and Shouto is surrounded by his warmth, he says, "I shouldn't have belittled your connection to little-Katsuki. And it was never my intention to hurt you, or make you feel like I thought I didn't mean anything to you. Sorry, love."
"It's alright," Shouto replies with a small smile. He rests his head against Katsuki's. "I'm sorry too. My emotions have been a bit of a mess today. I shouldn't have reacted so strongly."
Katsuki shrugs, something Shouto feels more than hears. "I think some good came out of it though. For example, I now declare that I will buy you as many keychains as you want."
"As many as I want?" Shouto lifts his head to look his boyfriend in the eyes. The fire he saw in them before has been replaced by something more mellow, free from all harshness. Katsuki smiles.
"As many as you want. And more. Besides, that first keychain… It's not really like I had the intention of gifting it to you. Plus, it was bought with Deku's money, which I will not stand for, so now I can have a redo."
"You'd really be okay with buying all that stuff of yourself?" It's not really something any hero does, Katsuki especially. In fact, Shouto once made a joke about it, and he actually got offended.
The pro hero hums, appearing to think for a moment. When he's arrived at a conclusion, there's a playful expression on his face. "It'll be fuckin' embarrassing having to pay for my own merch, yeah, but… anything for you babe," and he finishes with a wink.
Shouto scoffs. Katsuki can say all he wants now in that flirtatious tone of his, but when it comes down to it, Shouto doubts he'll actually step foot in one of those stores, and purchase something with his face on it.
"You are a funny man, Katsuki." Shouto moves out of their embrace, and reaches around his boyfriend's waist to pull apart the ends of the knot for his apron, untying it. He then takes hold of the strap at the neck, and Katsuki ducks his head so Shouto can remove the garment more easily.
Once that's done, he chucks it in the direction of the kitchen, and grabs Katsuki's hand. He starts to saunter backwards, purposely swaying a bit, and lets a devilish smirk show on his lips. Katsuki follows obediently, not saying a single word, but Shouto can see the hunger in his eyes.
Not for food though, no. And whatever Katsuki was making before will probably be forgotten for a long time. He's hungry for something else entirely, and Shouto knows exactly what, because he's starving for it too.
Despite the promise Katsuki made in the kitchen, as well as all the vows whispered into his ear in their bedroom, Shouto is still sad. The emotion is being kept at bay though, when Shouto wakes up the next morning just as light starts to stream through the slit in their curtains. Ever since he was young, Shouto has risen with the sun. It's a habit he can't get out even if he tried. Katsuki, on the other hand, usually wakes whenever he pleases. He can sleep like he's dead to the world until mid-afternoon if he doesn't any responsibilities, so it's not too often that they spend mornings together.
It isn't that big of an issue, however. Not when Shouto gets to see the white sunlight hit Katsuki at the perfect angle, framing his features like he's a piece of art. Not when Shouto gets to see his boyfriend in his most peaceful state ever, and is reminded again, of the fact that Katsuki truly is beautiful.
He thinks it's a bit unfortunate no one else gets to see him like this. The guy acts so brute and tough in his waking hours, it'd blow people's minds to see him with soft lines and gentle edges. Shouto thinks it's unfortunate, but he wouldn't think of changing it. It does something to him, to know that he is the only one who's allowed to see Katsuki like this.
Shouto observes his boyfriend for a moment longer, then leans forwards to kiss his cheek. When Katsuki subconsciously turns his head to try and meet his lips, Shouto pulls back with a soft chuckle, getting up to go to work.
The loss of his keychain had been suppressed to the back of Shouto's mind, but after he leaves the haven of his room, it starts to hit. It hits when he sees little-Shouto standing by himself on their kitchen table; it hits when he tops up the supplies on his belt, but doesn't have a small version of Katsuki to add to it. It hits when for the first time in years, he leaves without his good luck charm.
It affects him more than he thought it would, more than he thinks it probably should, however it's been with him since before he turned eighteen—he's attached. In the end, he decides he will feel however he damn well wants about it. And strangely enough, that gives him strength, just as his keychain used to. With a resolute nod, and his chin tilted high, Shouto marches onward, ready to tackle the day ahead.
Following his morning duties, Shouto returns to his office to eat lunch. Not long after, he receives a text from Katsuki.
Bakugou Katsuki
(12:03 PM) did u see the magazine article
You
(12:03 PM) No. Which one of us is it about?
The only time either of them pay attention to celebrity news and gossip is when they're involved. Shouto tries not to sigh, wanting to wait until after he finds out what it is. Maybe it won't be so bad.
Bakugou Katsuki
(12:05 PM) both, actually
(12:05 PM) here
(12:05 PM) Bakugou Katsuki sent an image.
Shouto's eyes are drawn to the headline immediately, which stands bold, and several sizes larger than the body text. 'Pro hero Shouto, pictured distressed. What happened? Has he broken up with high school sweetheart Ground Zero?' Shouto recognises the context behind the image right away, and lets out the sigh he was holding in. He skims the article, which just talks about witnesses spotting him walking with his hair dishevelled, so mussed up white and red blended into one. They also try to attribute the 'negative energy radiating off him' to relationship problems, referencing the fact he and Katsuki haven't uploaded a photo together in a while.
At this, Shouto groans out loud. Neither of them are big on social media; they appear on others' accounts more than their own, so it shouldn't be a surprise that there are no new pictures. And this isn't the first breakup rumour either—it seems that every time there hasn't been any public interaction in a while, and one of them appears to be in a bad mood, articles pop up saying they are on the verge of splitting up. Shouto doesn't get it. Is that really the only explanation they can come up with? It's not their fault they're so good at expressing negative emotions!
Bakugou Katsuki
(12:06 PM) i cant believe u were so upset u made the news
You
(12:07 PM) Shut up. And it's not news. You and I both know that
(12:07 PM) But sorry. I probably shouldn't have taken such a public route yesterday
Bakugou Katsuki
(12:07 PM) eh its fine
(12:07 PM) there was nothing that bad in it anyways
(12:07 PM) i mean, aside from the breakup thing
You
(12:08 PM) We gonna do something about that?
(12:08 PM) I can get someone to put out a statement
Bakugou Katsuki
(12:08 PM) ye dw, ill show em later.
(12:10 PM) u working rn?
You
(12:10 PM) No, having lunch
Bakugou Katsuki
(12:10 PM) soba?
You
(12:11 PM) Obviously.
Bakugou Katsuki
(12:11 PM) w
(12:11 PM) of course. soba loving freak
You
(12:11 PM) Hey, if you're not gonna make it at home, when else am I meant to eat it
Bakugou Katsuki
(12:12 PM) literally every time u took me out and we had to eat, we went to a soba place
(12:12 PM) and i made it so often for u early on! dont act like i didnt u ungrateful little shit
(12:12 PM) its just that i know ive got u forever now so i dont need to anymore
You
(12:13 PM) Keep insulting me and I'll prove that article right
Bakugou Katsuki
(12:13 PM) oooh scary
(12:14 PM) ur cold soba has turned ur heart cold too
You
(12:16 PM) …
Bakugou Katsuki
(12:16 PM) fine, that one was bad
(12:18 PM) alright
(12:18 PM) im about to head out, so see u later
(12:18 PM) I love you.
You
(12:18 PM) See you later.
(12:18 PM) I love you too.
By the time Shouto gets home, the sky outside has already started to darken. Katsuki probably won't be returning until a while later, but he always leaves a list of ingredients for their dinner in case he isn't the first one home, so Shouto can get them ready and speed up the cooking process for when he does come back.
There's not much to prepare today, so Shouto finishes quite quickly. He wonders whether he should start making the meal—it's a simple dish, he would manage it fine. But, he hears Katsuki barking at him in his head, and decides against it.
It's not that Shouto can't cook, Katsuki is just much better, and definitely enjoys it more. With Shouto's abilities, he always feels like he can speed things up with either his fire or ice. On many an occasion, this has left food burnt or watered down. Following an incident where he set the kitchen on fire, and promptly flooded it to put the flames out, Katsuki has been less willing to let Shouto do as he pleases with food when he's alone.
'If you're not going to appreciate the art of cooking, and if you're not going to respect the area, then get out. It's my kitchen now,' was more or less what Katsuki said. And ever since then, Shouto swears that when he steps foot past their island, he can hear the crackling of Katsuki's quirk firing up. He always treads carefully, as if the appliances are spying on him and will report back to Katsuki. Even when he's washing the dishes, he makes sure to never turn the tap on too high, wary of what it may do.
Of course, Katsuki is unable to stop Shouto from making food altogether—he has to cook on days when Katsuki's away, but he really does treat it like a chore, so he supposes Katsuki is right. In fact, Katsuki had to take Shouto through the steps of various recipes, because in the beginning, Shouto honestly preferred to just skip eating properly because he didn't want to make meals.
After washing his hands and wiping them dry, Shouto rolls down his sleeves, then goes to lounge on their couch, passing time on his phone. When Katsuki finally does walk through the door, it's later than Shouto expected, however he doesn't question it. That is, until he actually sees him.
Katsuki is wearing a black hoodie with the hood pulled well over his head, hiding his obnoxious blond mess of a hair, and a pair of sunglasses, even though it's dark out.
"What's with the get-up?"
In lieu of a response, Katsuki simply pulls down the glasses a little, so Shouto can see the cold eyes staring at him, unimpressed.
"It's a disguise, got it." Katsuki seems like he's about to walk away, but stops short when Shouto adds, "How come?"
"You know," Katsuki starts, then finishes with a vague gesture of his hands. As if that answers the question, he ends the conversation, quickly heading into their room.
Shouto watches after him, thinking in his head, No, I don't know. That's why I asked, dumbass. When Katsuki emerges from the bedroom, changed into a simple black t-shirt and grey trackies, he doesn't even glance in Shouto's direction, going straight to the kitchen instead. Shouto's head tracks the movement, but when he just ends up staring at the muscles of his boyfriend's back, he raises his left arm in a 'what the fuck' manner, and makes a face at Katsuki.
He contemplates whether he wants to make something out of this, but ultimately decides to let it go. It's been a long day, and he's sure he'll find out whatever it is soon enough.
Once they've eaten dinner and have cleaned everything up, they retreat to spend a lazy night in bed. Shouto sits against the headboard, reading a book, while Katsuki is at the other end on his phone, alternating between lying on his stomach and back. Whenever it's the latter, Shouto secretly hopes Katsuki will drop his phone on his face—they have a running tally, and Shouto is losing—but nothing happens.
The next time Shouto peeks over the top of his pages, Katsuki catches him. He narrows his eyes, and Shouto just smiles innocently. He thinks that's going to be it, since Katsuki goes back to his phone, but before he can take his eyes off his boyfriend, the man flips over and starts coming towards him.
Katsuki sticks close to the bed, moving as if he's crawling through mud, and holds the phone vertically in his right hand, as if he can't let it touch the covers. When he reaches Shouto, he makes his way up him, but pauses at his hips, where Shouto's book rests. He nudges it, lifting it slightly from the bottom, so Shouto knows to move it out of the way. After Shouto raises his arms, Katsuki continues until he hits Shouto's chest. Then, he turns around and lies against him, wriggling a bit in order to get comfortable.
Shouto has just lowered his arms, and is about to go back to reading, when Katsuki's phone obstructs his view. It's not just doing that though; it's also showing Shouto a reflection of himself. Katsuki has the front camera open. Shouto looks down at the top of Katsuki's head, trying to figure out what he's doing.
He gets an answer moments later, when Katsuki tells him, "Hey, look here," shaking his phone. Shouto does, and Katsuki takes the picture. Immediately after, he brings his phone back close to him to get a better look at the image. He zooms in a few times, does his signature 'tch', then holds his phone out again. Shouto looks at the camera without being told, but that's about it. He doesn't pose, doesn't smile. Katsuki seems to get frustrated at this, although it's pretty hypocritical of him, considering the fact he also looks like he's being forced into this.
"Could you like, I don't know, try to look like you're in love with me or something?"
The words confuse Shouto. He is in love with Katsuki. It's the one emotion that's always present in his body; if not at the forefront, it runs steadily in the background. How is he meant to show something he believes he expresses through every action and expression of his?
In love; in love; in love.
It repeats in his mind like a mantra. And then, it comes to him. His body moves on autopilot, as he drops the book in his hands and brings his arms up to wrap around Katsuki's chest. The sheer stability and security that comes with it fills his being with warmth. He is grounded; he is content; he is whole. He tilts his head down, so he can press his lips against Katsuki's hair.
And the feeling he gets, from the way Katsuki fits in his arms, from the solid mass against his body, tells him, so clearly, that this is real. That he is in a place, where he is loved so unconditionally by the one he would lay down his life for; that he has come so far, achieving his dreams and then some, with his life partner by his side; that this cosy apartment, and the hero office not too far from it, are all his. He knows, without a doubt, that this is amongst the best sensations in the world. And he just wishes he could show it all to his younger self.
Shouto's eyes are closed, and when he opens them again, the phone is no longer in front of them. Katsuki holds it beside him, turned off. Shouto is about to ask what the sudden photo session was for, when Katsuki jerks and twists around to face him. There's a brilliant smile on his face, and he takes hold of Shouto's cheeks, even with the hand holding the phone, to give him a big open kiss on the lips. He grins again after, before lifting himself off Shouto and plopping back down to where he was before. He takes out his phone right away, and seems to do something intense with it. His fingers move quickly, and there's such a rare level of concentration that Shouto can't bring himself to break it. He just leaves Katsuki to do his thing, and finally gets back to reading.
Sometime later, Shouto's phone lights up on the bedside table. He stretches over to pick it up, and sees two new notifications at the top of his screen: 'bakukatsu420 has posted a new photo' and 'bakukatsu420 has tagged you in a post'.
He opens the application, and notices the caption first. It reads, 'im still here, fuckers'. It registers instantly that this a response to the article earlier, making Shouto huff out a laugh. The photo itself isn't really a great one—it just shows Katsuki with a wicked smirk, and a blurry Shouto in the background. It makes him wonder why Katsuki asked him to pose when he didn't even use an image with him fully visible, but then he sees that there's another photo, and swipes to look at it.
That next picture, for lack of a better word, leaves Shouto breathless. It knocks all the air out of him, and he doesn't know how long he stares at it, but he thinks it's a while.
He sees himself kissing the top of Katsuki's head, which is nothing new; he was the one who did it, after all. What is new, is the way Katsuki responded to it. He has what Shouto can only describe as a blissed-out expression. His eyes are closed, his chin is slightly lifted, and he wears a small smile on his lips. Shouto's never seen anything like this before, their intimate moments are seldom documented. Looking at it honestly makes his heart beat faster.
He knows there'll be no uncertainty over the state of their relationship now, not when their love for the other is so obvious it's radiating off the screen. If it weren't him, he feels like he'd be choked by it.
During Shouto's captivation, his eyes momentarily drift to the numbers. They are high. Every time he refreshes the page, the digits seem to jump up by the thousands. On one of his refreshes, he notes that not even two full minutes have passed, yet the likes are approaching twenty thousand, and the comments, five. It makes sense, he supposes. The second image is one of the most tender they've ever put online, perhaps even more so than anything others have uploaded too. Shouto can already tell it's going to go viral. He clicks on the bottom bar and types out a single heart, then sends it. He may as well give the people something more to talk about.
The likes on his comment quickly go from a thousand, to two thousand, and he knows when Katsuki sees it, because he lets out a chuckle. Shouto looks at him, and when Katsuki glances back, when their eyes lock, everything is suspended.
Katsuki stops in the midst of laughter, and as Shouto watches, he gets to see his features change, seemingly in slow motion, settling on something resembling a neutral expression. It may appear blank to outsiders, some might even call it a 'resting bitch face', but Shouto knows.
Shouto knows that Katsuki's eyes hold so much more than words can even describe, that if they were in a manga, this would be when they're looking at each other in a large open grass field, the wind gently blowing their hair. It would be the moment where words are exchanged silently, the only sounds coming from the nature around them. It would be what audiences have been waiting for, the confirmation that these two characters are in love.
But this is not a manga.
So, instead of standing on luscious green, they sit atop their fluffy bed covers. Instead of being moved by a breeze, their hair is lit by city lights streaming through shut windows. Instead of noises from the living, the ambience is created from the operation of machines outside. Instead of the readers' desires, it's up to Shouto and Katsuki to make the next move.
And move they do.
Shouto launches himself at Katsuki, who catches him readily. The force sends Katsuki backwards, and he falls flat on his back with Shouto still wrapped tightly in his arms. Then, Shouto puts his hands on either side of Katsuki's head, and pushes up slightly, so he's hovering over his boyfriend.
After dinner, Shouto let his hair out. The front part had been tucked behind his ears, but the rest is able to fall freely now, down past his face and around Katsuki's. They're enclosed in this curtain of red and white, in this space that belongs only to them.
While the two stare at each other, nothing moves except for the rising and falling of their chests. Then, Katsuki runs a hand through the left side of Shouto's hair to brush it back, letting light in, before bringing him down so their lips can meet.
The touches start off featherlight, as if allowing time for their mouths to get acquainted. However, that part of their bodies, and all others, are already as familiar as their own souls, so it doesn't take long for Katsuki to tilt his head up and deepen the kiss. Shouto gets his hands in Katsuki's hair too, but he doesn't tug, doesn't pull. It's not that kind of thing right now.
What it is, is the soft strands of hair gliding between Shouto's fingers. It is Katsuki's hand tracing delicately down his back, in order to pull him closer. It is the cushion-like mattress dipping where they lie, moulding around them and keeping them in place. It is—
Little-Katsuki Shouto sees out the corner of his eye?
He pauses where he is, Katsuki and his lips forgotten, and turns to their bathroom. He swears he saw something just then, on the sink. Katsuki protests under him, but he ignores it. If he just leaned forward a little more… Katsuki grabs Shouto's backside and squeezes, but he ignores it. It couldn't be though; Shouto saw his keychain get decimated with his own eyes, and he hasn't had time to go buy another one yet. Katsuki now touches Shouto's hair, not persistent enough to hurt, yet too impatient to be affectionate, and Shouto can no longer ignore it. He lets his gaze settle back on his boyfriend, almost with annoyance, but that's all gone when he takes the sight of his boyfriend in.
Despite them not being rough, Katsuki's lips are swollen, and his hair is dishevelled. His shirt has ridden up, revealing a small section of skin, and Shouto can't help but put his hand there when he notices it. He feels Katsuki tense at the contact, he hears Katsuki's breath hitch, and he sees Katsuki wipe his mouth with the back of his hand to reveal a smirk after, teeth and all.
Shouto listens to Katsuki, as he says in a husky voice, "Nice of you to join us again. Now let me show you what happens when you ignore your man."
A few days pass, and there haven't been any more signs of mini-Katsuki. Shouto had inspected the bathroom in the middle of the night when he went to use the toilet, and found nothing. He is honestly starting to believe he was seeing things. So of course, that is when the keychain starts popping up in his field of vision again.
Shouto is currently chopping carrots. He keeps his eyes glued on the vegetable in front of him, not wanting to provoke the kitchen. Someday, he thinks, he will get over this. Someday, he and the kitchen will make amends. There's a sudden noise from the fridge, and Shouto jumps. But today is not that day.He sighs, wishing Katsuki will make it home soon.
He actually does. Within a few minutes, Shouto hears the door swing open, and Katsuki's loud footsteps coming in. He seems to loiter at the front for some time, before finally making it around the corner to where Shouto is. Shouto looks up in order to greet him, then goes back to the chopping board. He doesn't pay much attention to his boyfriend walking past him, but something on his bag catches his eye.
Katsuki's bag is pretty plain. It's a very dark grey, almost black, with white details. Only when he hangs his keychain of Shouto off it, is there some colour—blue and red. Never is there any yellow, and there wouldn't be. Shouto clearly doesn't have blond hair, and there's no yellow on his hero costume. So why then, did Shouto just see something bright contrasting against the darkness of Katsuki's bag? The only thing he can think of that stands out like that is Katsuki's hair, then he realises mini-Katsuki's hair is like that too, and his heart rate picks up.
"Hey," he calls out, stopping Katsuki in his tracks, "what's that on your bag?"
"Huh?" Katsuki lowers his head to inspect his bag, before turning around to face Shouto, holding it out for him to see. When Shouto sees what's dangling from the strap is not a pro hero keychain, and instead a charm of the sun, his emotions deflate. It wasn't what he thought, after all. "It's a gift someone gave me on my patrol today, isn't it cute?"
"Oh. Yeah." Shouto knows he's giving a half-hearted response, and he knows it isn't exactly fair, since he was the one who asked about it in the first place, but he can't help it. He hasn't felt the loss of his little companion like this in a while. Thankfully, Katsuki doesn't seem to notice, or just doesn't mind. He continues to their bedroom after the conversation ends, the bag out of Shouto's sight.
Shouto returns to the forgotten food in front of him, and notices one of the carrots he hasn't cut yet has rolled away. He shakes his head as he retrieves it.
"You're not going to get away from me," he tells it before putting it back on the chopping board.
"Who's not going to get away from what?" Katsuki may not be very close, but his voice certainly travels far. Apparently, his hearing is very good too. Shouto suddenly freezes, face heating up with embarrassment. He doesn't want his boyfriend to know he was talking to food.
Too late.
Katsuki's a smart dude, and with Shouto's phone charging in their bedroom, as well as the tasks Katsuki left Shouto, it's probably not hard for him to figure out the answer. Shouto grimaces when he figures out what's coming. And sure enough, like a volcano erupting, Katsuki starts to cackle.
There's nothing for Shouto to do, except listen as his boyfriend wheezes between breaths, then go back to laughing at him.
"Todoroki Shouto! Elite pro hero, top of the top, talking to a vegetable!"
Shouto grumbles under his breath about stupid kitchens and stupid boys. To Katsuki, he yells back, "Shut up!"
He gets another bout of laughter before Katsuki replies, "Or what? You going to tell your ittle wittle cawwot on me?"
That stupid baby accent just irks Shouto more, and when Katsuki walks back into the room, he lobs said carrot at his head. It lands right on Katsuki's hair, which does little to cushion it, then drops into his hands.
"What's this?" Katsuki clenches the vegetable, and Shouto thinks he heard it crack. He just shrugs in lieu of a response, wanting Katsuki to work it out himself. "Alright," comes a moment later. "If that's how you wanna do this, so be it."
And that's all the warning Shouto gets before Katsuki goes after him.
There isn't really anywhere for him to go—their apartment isn't massive, and he's not going to go outside. Still, he puts up a challenge. He moves around their kitchen island and leaps over the couch which acts as a divider for kitchen and living room. Katsuki follows him, also jumping over the piece of furniture, but by that point Shouto has come back to the other side and is heading down their corridor.
The silly game of cat and mouse draws laughter from within Shouto, and he feels like a child as he runs away from Katsuki. His sounds of joy only results in growls from Katsuki though, and at one point, Shouto's instincts tell him to duck, so he does, and watches as an orange object flies overhead.
After standing back up, Shouto feigns disappointment as he reprimands his boyfriend. "Katsuki. Are you playing with food? I thought we treated ingredients with respect in this household."
Shouto's proud of himself for coming up with that one, but his grin slips when he sees Katsuki's face twitch. When Katsuki starts walking towards him, Shouto immediately raises his hands in surrender, but the man just continues past him to where the carrot has landed.
After picking it up, Katsuki heads back to the kitchen, but not before pausing and declaring in a low voice, his breath hot in Shouto's ear, "You may have gotten the better of me this time, Todoroki, but next time, I will win."
The empty threat does little to intimidate Shouto, and he trails behind Katsuki feeling very pleased with himself. That's one more for the tally.
Following the carrot incident, which Katsuki keeps saying he'll get back at Shouto for, Shouto has his eyes peeled for anything that may be out of the ordinary. And right now, it's a certain something sticking out from the soil of one of their plants. The problem though, is that Shouto is currently unwell, and aside from being bedridden, he doesn't exactly trust his judgement.
He isn't sure if it's because his quirk operates at two very different temperatures, but any time Shouto is sick, his body kind of… goes haywire. One moment he's shivering, so he heats himself up, and the next he's sweating buckets, so he encases himself in ice. It's very ineffective, and only tires him out, so Katsuki has banned him from trying to counteract his symptoms like this. As a result, half the time Shouto can't tell whether something's actually happening, or if he's hallucinating.
The only plus side is that Shouto recovers very quickly. Within a day, two at most, he'll be fine and back in prime condition. He just has to suffer until then. Of course, it's a lot more bearable with Katsuki by his side, but it's not serious enough to make him stay home. He put a lot of effort into persuading Katsuki to leave today, and told him to work extra hard for Shouto. Shouto hates being out of commission, but he's glad at least one of them gets to enjoy being out and fighting crime.
So, Shouto is left in bed for the day, and should probably be resting so he can recover faster, but he swears their plant looks different!
In the furthest corner of their bedroom, Shouto and Katsuki have a collection of plants. Sitting on stands of various heights are different succulents, each with green leaves contrasting against stark white ceramic pots. Shouto can't remember who started buying the plants, but he knows they chose succulents precisely because they're easy to take care of. Also, they provide ammo for him and Katsuki to take jabs at the other with—Shouto says they suit Katsuki because they're both prickly, and Katsuki says Shouto should learn from them and stop being so high-maintenance.
The plant Shouto is investigating now is somewhat hidden behind another, which makes it harder for him to decipher if there's something that doesn't belong. He thinks he sees orange, skin colour, and maybe a hint of yellow? Luckily the leaves on this plant are on the lighter side, so Shouto is able to make out some dark green too, as well as black.
There's only one thing Shouto can think of that has this colour scheme, it's something ingrained in his memory, and the moment he puts the pieces together, he launches himself into a sitting position and—has to lie back down immediately. His head throbs, and his vision blurs. He decides to focus on getting better first, or at least wait for Katsuki to come back. The problem is, he's excited now, and also impatient, so he just ends up staring at the plant and what's sticking out of it, wishing he had a quirk that could bring objects closer to him.
When Katsuki finally returns, Shouto's eagerness renews. His skin buzzes as he listens to Katsuki get settled back home, and counts the footsteps until Katsuki enters their room. Before he can even get a word in though, Shouto cuts to the point.
"Katsuki, I'm so glad you're home. Quick, is something sticking out there?"
"What?" Katsuki seems confused by the rush of Shouto's words. He glances behind him, peers through the door, then turns back to Shouto after finding nothing. But of course he would, he isn't looking in the right place.
"In our plant."
"In our—" Katsuki now looks in the direction Shouto is frantically gesturing, and comes back to him frowning, his eyebrows knitted. "Shouto, don't tell me you were looking at that all day and didn't sleep."
"..." There are no words for Shouto to say. And when he sees the disappointment in Katsuki's expression, he's upset with himself too. Embarrassed, and in this feverish state of his, he pulls the covers over his head to hide from his boyfriend. Katsuki tries to bring them back down, but has to wrestle for control, as Shouto can still manage a tight grip.
"Come on," Katsuki coaxes him, "let me see your beautiful face." Shouto protests, shaking his head. He's sure Katsuki can see it. "Please?" At this, Shouto hesitates. Katsuki's voice is gentle, and sweet. It's alluring, to hear him ask so nicely, and Shouto would hate to be mean and ignore him. "I'm not mad at you. I'm just upset my boyfriend hasn't prioritised his health, which is something that happens all too often."
Shouto finally peaks his head out, pouting. It doesn't sound like Katsuki isn't mad. He's starting to get a bit angry though. Katsuki shouldn't lie to him. But then, Katsuki leans forwards, peering at him with this fond smile, and Shouto's heart starts beating faster.
"There you are," he says with that soft voice again, brushing aside Shouto's hair and letting his hand rest atop his head. "I'm gonna go reheat the soup, then I'll bring it here, and we can both rest, okay?"
Shouto nods wordlessly. He has no objections; not when Katsuki speaks like that, not when Katsuki takes care of him like this, and not when Katsuki will be by his side again. Whatever else there is can wait.
Katsuki's smile grows, and he leaves only after kissing Shouto once more. And Shouto, who had been fighting against fatigue, finally lets his eyes close.
Eventually, Shouto has had enough. He feels like he's going crazy with what he believes are all these sightings of mini-Katsuki. As soon as he recovered from his illness, he checked up on the plant, and found nothing unusual there. He's been snooping around all the nooks and crannies of the apartment too, but hasn't discovered anything. He swears he's been seeing it more recently—in their pencil holder, on the top shelf of their pantry, behind a light. However, as per usual, there's been no concrete evidence. Shouto decides it's time to ask Katsuki.
It happens on a day off. Shouto walks into the living room where Katsuki has his arm slung over the top of the couch, and gestures with his thumb, pointing behind him as he starts, "Hey, is it just me, or—"
Katsuki suddenly opens his hand. And right there, dangling from his middle finger, is a keychain of himself in his hero costume. Shouto is utterly shocked for a moment, unable to move. He can't believe he's seeing it again. Once the initial surprise subsides, he makes his way over to Katsuki at an incredible speed, and reaches out for little-Katsuki, only to have the actual Katsuki pull his hand away and close over the keychain before he can make contact.
"What are you doing?" Shouto tries for it again, but Katsuki dodges his movements.
"You're not even going to say thanks?"
Shouto pauses, stopping to think. His keychain was crushed by the villain. There's no doubt about that. This has to be a new one, except it wasn't bought by Shouto, which could only mean…
"Did you actually go out and buy this yourself?"
"No, idiot," is what Katsuki replies with, although his voice is dripping with sarcasm. "I had a friend of a friend whose cousin— Yes, I got it myself!"
"Oh…" Shouto is at a loss for words. It hasn't fully sunk in yet, that Katsuki put aside his own pride to do this for Shouto. He can tell Katsuki's unimpressed with the response, but before he can complain, Shouto blurts out, "I love you."
This time Katsuki is caught off guard. His eyes go a little wide, and his fist unclenches slightly. He isn't given the chance to respond though, as Shouto continues.
"I really— Thank you. So much." Somewhat overwhelmed with emotion, Shouto feels the need to add, "I love you. So much."
A wide grin makes its way onto Katsuki's face, the brightening of all his other features follows suit. "And I love you so much too," he tells Shouto, as he holds out mini-Katsuki for Shouto to take.
When Shouto goes to grab it, fingers itching to feel the keychain between them again, Katsuki pulls it back once more, much to Shouto's annoyance. He doesn't bother arguing, conveying his emotions through glares instead. Thankfully, Katsuki doesn't stall.
"But first, a question. Me, or him?"
"What do you mean?" Shouto asks impatiently.
"It's a simple question: me, or him?"
The way Katsuki presents the two options, with what may be a hint of jealousy in his voice, sounds incredibly familiar. Shouto forgets mini-Katsuki for a moment, trying to place the tone, when it hits.
During that 'fight' of theirs, on the day that caused all this, Katsuki had asked a similar thing. Shouto tries to fight off a grin, finding this incredibly cute, but thinks he fails, if Katsuki's expression is anything to go by. He looks like he just ate something sour, and almost like he's taking Shouto's silence as hesitation.
Shouto shakes his head, then grabs Katsuki's arms and manoeuvres them so he can sit comfortably on his lap. He takes the keychain from Katsuki's hand, placing it on the coffee table, so this can just be between him and Katsuki. He loosely wraps his arms around Katsuki's neck, and smiles when he feels Katsuki's hands settle at his waist.
"You are ridiculous, you know that? What more could I ever want from this world except you?"
A/N: i couldn't find a place to add this but btdubs in that photo captured of tdrk he had a man bun :) and you KNOW he pulls that shit off
also, at some point in time:
S: how come you use commas but not apostrophes when you text
K: because commas add ~flair~ to my words
also also, just a warning, this fic is probably gonna be pretty slow to update (I might post other fics for this series in between?). however, each chapter can basically be read as a standalone fic, which is why I thought it'd be okay if I did this. I didn't want to have to wait months until I could start posting, so I thought I'd just post as I write. sorry, and thanks for understanding! (feel free to ask for progress updates too on my social medias)
thankyou so much for reading! i hope you have a great day :)