Izuku's eyes flutter open as they were met with the incoming sunlight from outside. He pushes himself upright while rubbing his eyes, bringing a hand to his mouth as he yawns. He looks over at his alarm clock and sees that it was already 6:53.
His alarm usually went off at 6:30 so he could throw in some morning work-out before having to head to class. He supposes he must've forgotten to turn on the alarm last night after his date with Shouto. The thought makes him feel wide awake.
He went on a date with Shouto yesterday. They had spent the entire day together, holding hands, being close to each other, talking about themselves and in the end they… kissed. Butterflies flutter around in Izuku's stomach as he remembers it.
He was extremely drowsy last night as he was guided to his room, but he remembers every single detail about their kiss. How Shouto's lips had been so soft, his actions so gentle and caring, how his mouth had felt both hot and cold at the same time. It was dizzying. Izuku was starting to think it had all been a dream; nobody could have a night that perfect.
Already being too late for his morning work-out and having forgotten to take a bath the previous day, Izuku searches around in his pile of fabrics for a clean towel and heads to the common baths.
The baths were empty. It made sense, considering most of his classmates were either still asleep or already on their own morning routines as well. He quickly dressed down and slipped into the tiled bathroom, welcoming the hot water as he lowered himself into the tub.
The water was very soothing and usually helped get out the strain in his muscles he would get from training. Right now, it was just relaxing to him. The entire room was empty and there was nothing but the sloshing of the water and his own thoughts to pay attention to.
Yesterday hadn't been a dream… right? Shouto had asked him out earlier this week, because Shouto liked him. A whole new wave of feelings washed over him with that thought.
Shouto liked him, and Izuku had sincerely enjoyed their date, but he wasn't sure if he could call it love. He knew what love was, because it's what he felt for Kacchan.
Even though Kacchan was the only person Izuku had ever been interested in up until this point, he knew that what he felt was wholehearted, unconditional love. What he felt for Shouto was different. Not wrong. Just… different.
His stomach jittered as he thought of Shouto again. He had been so kind and thoughtful, taking Izuku to a place that Shouto thought he would truly enjoy. And he had.
Shouto had obviously liked Izuku enough to ask him out, but knowing that his feelings might not be reciprocated, he had kept his distance while also making it a nice date as well. Izuku was sure that if he had given any indication of not wanting the physical affection Shouto was giving him, the boy would've stopped immediately.
Voices poured in from the changing room, indicating that others had come to shower up as well. Only then Izuku realized how long he had been sitting in the bath murmuring to himself, and the skin on his fingers had started to wrinkle.
He scrunched up his nose as he hoisted himself out of the tub and forced himself under a cold shower. As he passed through the changing rooms to his locker, his eyes met a pair of crimson ones, sending shivers down his spine.
His gaze flickered down as he quickly dressed himself and headed back to his room to properly change into his uniform, rushing to the cafeteria to get some breakfast and then head to class for the day.
'Mido- uh – Izuku?' a voice outside his door came.
Izuku looked up from the magazine he was reading. 'Come in,' he replied. Izuku pushed himself up and crossed his legs as he watched Shouto close the door behind him. Izuku tried to smile warmly at him, though to Shouto it must look like a nervous grin instead.
Shouto sat down at the other end of the bed, looking at Izuku as he smiled himself. 'Did you enjoy yourself yesterday?' Shouto asks, keeping his gaze on Izuku as he talks. Izuku nods fervently. 'Yeah, I did! It was really fun! Thank you.' The tension in Shouto's shoulders disappears.
Shouto's gaze flickers to the hands in his lap. 'Do you… do you remember what we did last night?' Heat rises to Izuku's cheeks. Did Shouto really think he could forget something like that? He looks away too. 'Y-yeah.'
Shouto dares to glance over at him. 'Do you regret it?' Izuku's heart stops as he hears Shouto's timid voice asking that. If he regretted kissing him? How could he ever..! Did Shouto simply assume that because he was so tired that he either forgot about it or didn't give consent? Izuku shakes his head. It was too crazy for him to wrap his mind around. 'No, I don't.'
Shouto feels relieved. He had barely been able to sleep last night because he felt so stupid for kissing him on their first date. He knew about Izuku's situation, knew that his heart most likely belonged to someone else, and yet he pushed the boundaries for his own sake. It made him feel terrible.
'How do you feel about me?' he asked after that. It was a risky question, loaded with so many hidden intentions. Maybe it was too soon to ask such things, maybe Izuku needed more time to figure that out.
Honestly, Izuku wasn't sure. He liked Shouto. That much he was sure of. His eyes wandered over Shouto's body, eyeing him up like he was doing a physical exam and needed to know every single detail. He just hoped he wasn't gawking.
Being in the same room made Izuku's heart race, and he simply couldn't deny that Shouto was attractive. Fact was, Izuku had been subconsciously thinking about him all day. Instead of looking at Kacchan through the reflection in the windows, he would look at Shouto behind him, hoping not to get caught. During lunch he chose a spot closer to him so they could talk more about training and homework. He hadn't intended to be so close to Shouto all the time, but his instincts simply wanted him to be.
Still, he didn't have an answer to how he felt about him. He felt attraction and admiration, at the very least. Maybe these tingling feelings in his stomach were the start of a blossoming crush he was unaware of. But he couldn't so easily forget about Kacchan either.
Kacchan had been a constant in his life, ever since they were kids. Shouto was new, and even though Izuku loved new, it was also terrifying. He knew exactly what Kacchan must be thinking when he would lash out again, knew Kacchan's soft spots and irritations. He'd still have to discover all of that with Shouto. And somehow, that was exciting.
Besides that, Kacchan ignored him. Except for the occasional glare, clicking of his tongue and shove during classes, Izuku never interacted with the blonde anymore. Shouto was here, right in front of him, ready to accept him in whatever miserable state he was left in after middle school.
How he felt about Shouto? He couldn't say. But he knew that being with him, made him happy.
'I…,' Izuku starts, unsure of how to say this properly. Saying it wrong might hurt the dual-user, or let him believe things that aren't true. 'I like you,' he answered honestly. Shouto perked up.
'I'm not sure if I like you the way you like me,' Izuku added, 'but I do like you, and..' He was really insecure about saying his thoughts out loud. He didn't want Shouto to take it the wrong way. 'I.. I want to try. Us. I'm not sure if it'll work because..'
'Because you still like that other person,' Shouto finishes his sentence. Izuku pulls his hoodie up to his nose to hide the red flush of embarrassment. Shouto reaches out, taking Izuku's hands in his again.
'It's okay. I understand. It's not something you'd get over in a day.' Izuku looks down at their hands. 'I like you, I really do.'
'And that's enough for me,' Shouto says. Izuku looks up. One look at Shouto's eyes would tell anyone that he's fine with it.
Izuku does like Shouto. A lot. But he also likes Kacchan. He will never have a shot at being with the explosive blonde, though, and even though it pains his heart now, he's sure that this is the right decision. Shouto will give him the love and affection he deserves but that Kacchan would never be able to give him.
Shouto scoots over closer, wrapping an arm around Izuku and pulling him in as Izuku lays his head down on Shouto's shoulder. Somehow, all of this feels right. As he nuzzles closer into their embrace, Izuku's thoughts about Kacchan escape his mind, leaving room for nothing but Shouto.
He doesn't deserve it, but he's glad he has met this boy. Izuku blushes as he thinks about the fact that Shouto now is no longer just his classmate, he's his boyfriend.
He digs his nose deeper into Shouto's collarbone as the other simply chuckles, hugging him tighter as all that crosses his mind is that he didn't deserve Izuku either.
Katsuki picks up his pillow and pushes it over his face as he screams in frustration. Why in the goddamn world did Deku have to pay attention to him!?
It hadn't gone unnoticed to Katsuki that his childhood friend had spent the entire day hanging around that stupid half 'n half bastard. Usually Deku would sit near him during lunch, but this time he was on the opposite end of the table.
During class he would glance over at the reflection in the windows, hoping to catch Deku staring at him, and usually he did. But today, no matter how long he stared back at the nerd, his gaze wouldn't falter, which meant Deku wasn't looking at him, but at someone else. It annoyed Katsuki intensely.
Deku had spent his entire life chasing after Katsuki, and Katsuki liked that. He liked seeing the little nerd struggle to try to catch up with him, but always failing to do so. Even after they both entered U.A. and Deku had started to grow, much to Katsuki's annoyance, he still always kept chasing after him. It had become a feeling of familiarity to him. For it to stop so abruptly, it was alienating.
Katsuki flopped over to his stomach and pushed his pillow under his chin, his lower lip sticking out. Anyone else would say he was actually pouting.
There was a reason Katsuki liked seeing Deku chase after him. It didn't only stroke his ego, but also his heart. Katsuki had a crush on Deku, and quite a big one. He never wanted to admit it – how could someone like him fall in love with such a weak-hearted good-for-nothing idiot after all – but noticing that Deku's attention was now directed elsewhere… it hurt.
He growled as jealous feelings starting burbling in his chest. He had no good reason to be jealous; half 'n half didn't mean anything to his Deku after all. Still, seeing them interact like that, Katsuki had wanted to lurch at them and pull them apart.
He rolled over, blindly grabbing for his phone, as he started to look at the group chat messages. Everybody was always spamming that thing so much that Katsuki had left five times in the past three months, always being put back in immediately after by either the class president or his shitty hair friend.
Ignoring all of the messages sent, he went to check Deku's private profile. Last online 49 minutes ago. Katsuki looked at the time. It was already past nine and the group chat was still buzzing with life, but Deku had of course gone to bed early like the responsible guy he was.
Katsuki heaved a sigh and flicked his phone onto the other end of the bed, not caring whether or not it was charged by morning; he didn't need it during class anyways.
He rolled over, again and again, not feeling comfortable in any position until he just ended up starfishing while looking at the ceiling.
The nagging feeling of Deku getting all friendly with Todoroki was annoying him. What if the idiot ended up chasing that bastard instead? Katsuki had to prevent that at all costs, and he already knew exactly how.
