Incinerate

by KyuukaKoinu

Bakugou Katsuki is a workaholic hell bent on never dating because it's too much of a 'distraction'. Enter Midoriya Izuku: A walking contradiction that is giving Katsuki an actual lethal goddamn migraine along with a mysterious set of arsenal crimes that walked right into town with him. But the most frustrating part is that Katsuki can't seem to get his fucking mind off either.

16. Smokescreen

Hello! :) I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas if you celebrate!

First off, big I love and thank you to my beta nmatthews on ao3 for betaing like always! She's such an awesome person who helps bounce ideas and keeps me in check when I get too long winded.

Okay! Let's get started! :)

Warnings: Mentions of past assault. Adult conversations. Role-playing sex? Kinda? (Is it really roleplaying when the roles are pretty much true?)

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Chapter 16 - Smokescreen

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"Kacchan...Kacchan, stop," Izuku laughed lightly in their now shared bedroom. "We're going to be late at this rate."

"And who's going to write you up, hm? Me?"

Katsuki smirked into the soft exposed skin of Izuku's inner thigh. The green haired man laughed more, trying to push him off.

The giggly young man was currently on his back, sprawled out on top of the messy red comforter with Katsuki's head between his legs.

Sunlight poured into the room and dripped all over their entangled figures. Katsuki was fully clothed in his lieutenant's uniform, white shirt clean and fully decorated. While Izuku on the other hand was still half clothed, only in his plaid green boxers, having been interrupted and pushed onto the bed in the middle of getting dressed.

Now the blond had him laid out, legs spread, and sprinkling light kisses up his tanned thighs.

"I'm serious, it would look a certain way to Toshinori if we came late on my first day back in three weeks," Izuku protested. "It's bad enough he knows we're sleeping together! I want to keep it professional."

The lieutenant shrugged and continued to softly bite and trace his tongue around the sensitive spot on the young detective's leg he had recently discovered. By recent, he meant he discovered it the previous night and couldn't help but want to tease and play with it some more.

"We'll get there before nine, don't worry," Katsuki hummed, placing one more kiss to the spot. "Let me give you another damn good orgasm before we go in, I promise you it'll be worth it."

"Kacchan, no. We already went three rounds this morning and I'm sore. We're never going to leave if we keep this up!"

"You weren't complaining when I was eating you out while you were cooking breakfast—"

"—Kacchan! We need to go to work!"

The tall blond groaned because Izuku was right. If he had it his way, he'd keep Izuku in the apartment moaning all day. But, despite feeling the need to pamper Izuku more, he knew they had jobs to do.

Katsuki reluctantly lifted his head up and shot a devilish smirk towards his new roommate.

Izuku's face was flushed perfectly pink with a flustered yet irritated expression.

And Katsuki fucking loved it.

Izuku stood up again to finish getting dressed when Katsuki rolled himself off. Deep red eyes watched, fully enjoying the visual of Izuku putting on his too tight business pants that hugged his hips.

The handsome green-eyed man sprayed his rosy smelling cologne, buttoned up his dark blue dress shirt and reached for the black tie that lay discarded on the bed. When Izuku started struggling with it, Katsuki walked up behind and gently turned him around by the shoulders.

"You never do this right, here," the blond mumbled, taking gentle control and carefully wrapping the tie. Green eyes looked up at him with a matching smile as he did the tie around Izuku's neck correctly. "You're twenty-three, you should know how to do this by now. When are you going to take the time out to learn, nerd?"

The freckled detective just shrugged and gave a mischievous grin. "Why learn when I'm dating the lieutenant? Are you going to write me up for improper dress code, hm?"

Katsuki's hands stopped moving and his red eyes immediately lifted up from the tie to look into Izuku's.

"Dating?" He parroted, heart rate suddenly tripling.

Izuku's playful grin dropped and his large doe eyes got impossibly wider as the concept they never discussed sunk in. The shorter man immediately started floundering, face transitioning into a bright shade of red.

"O-Oh, I-I just—I-I mean," Izuku stuttered and Katsuki tried to make his brain work as he looked between the matching puzzle pieces around their wrists. "I-If we're not dating, then it's okay! I'm sorry! I just assumed w-with you accepting the bracelet and all—"

"—Okay."

Izuku paused and looked at him unsure.

"Okay?"

"Sure, okay. We're dating." The tall blond cleared his throat and shifted on his feet. A signature smirk melted onto his sharp features as he resumed tying the tie around Izuku's neck. "Let's make it an official thing—date and all after work today."

"R-Really? You would like that?"

"Yeah, of course I would like that," he answered back simply and finished tightening Izuku's tie all the way. "But if we're dating, I absolutely refuse to let my partner leave the house with his tie fucking crooked. Get your shit together, Deku."

"Will do right away," Izuku beamed up towards him and stood on his toes to deliver a sweet kiss. As Katsuki smiled into their joint mouths, he lovingly placed his hands on the smaller man's waist, soaking in the warmth.

Truthfully, Katsuki had been sitting on the idea for a while.

He wanted to attempt to just ask Izuku out on an official date since they hadn't actually done that yet. But it seemed like they were well past trying to eat dinner out together—the man was living with him after all.

Katsuki could picture himself with Izuku as a partner and move past the whole 'we were too busy fucking each other's brains out the last two months to discuss anything' issue they had.

Especially after realizing that he may or may not be in goddamn love with Izuku.

Katsuki had stayed up one day when Izuku was off work contemplating the logistics. He realized a relationship could very much work smoothly with the (sort of) blessing from Toshinori and Izuku was worth the risk.

The starry eyed green haired man broke the kiss and looked up at him with a sugar-coated blush.

They both headed towards the door laughing about the future day. But when Izuku put his blue winter coat, Katsuki paused.

He heard Shouto's voice in the back of his head when Izuku gave him another happy smile.

"Let's please all sit down and talk about Izuku's possible involvement with my dead brother when he comes back," he remembered Shouto saying last he saw him on Friday. "I just really need to know why he was at the funeral, Bakugou. Please. You understand that, right?"

"Hey, Izuku," Katsuki spoke up as Izuku was sliding on his shoes. The freckled man gave a soft 'hm?' of acknowledgement as Katsuki continued. "Shouto...wants to talk to you when we get to the station."

Like a switch, Izuku's happy expression was washed away.

The shorter male whirled around to look at him in surprise and it nearly made Katsuki wince at how ghostly white Izuku turned.

"Why does he want to talk?" Izuku whispered, regarding him with caution.

Katsuki stared at Izuku, not knowing how to approach the situation because there was a clear inkling of anxiety in Izuku's face.

"He says he remembers you...being at Touya's funeral." Katsuki watched how Izuku's face immediately flashed various mixed emotions before turning away from him. "He showed me the article about the fire in Makinohara. We both know it was the same fire: the one that took Touya and your parents," Katsuki whispered with care.

Izuku's shoulders stiffened and Katsuki could see a cluster of painful memories slowly start to arise in the freckled face. He stepped forward to try his best to come off as approachable.

"I also found the article about your last precinct," Katsuki confessed with a heavy sigh. "About how it was burned down."

This time Izuku nodded and sighed.

"I guess that was bound to come up sooner or later," Izuku whispered in a delicate voice, eyes looking dejected. "And I can talk to Shouto later, it's no problem. I knew I couldn't avoid him forever; it was just nice not thinking about certain things for a while."

Katsuki's ears perked up at the strange strained tone Izuku used.

"Is there anything you would feel more comfortable saying in front of me?" He tried to offer, assessing the green-eyed man carefully. "I don't think Shouto is really pressed about your precinct fire, he just wants some closure regarding his brother."

Izuku nodded in understanding and made a small thinking face. Katsuki could feel himself internally sigh before deciding to rip off the Band-Aid.

Now or never, he mentally prompted himself before sucking a breath in and asking the question searing through his thoughts.

"Do you know why your last precinct was burned down, Izuku?"

"No, I don't," Izuku answered truthfully.

Sincere green eyes turned towards him and there was a look of worry. Katsuki felt his heart churn at the wearisome expression he was given.

"I honestly don't know exactly why. All the evidence points towards All For One, so I assumed it was them...like always," Izuku whispered the end of the sentence with a bitter edge. "They have very deep roots in Yaizu and they've always been a direct threat on cop lives in that city. I was lucky enough to avoid the fire since I resigned that previous day."

"Why did you resign?" Katsuki asked smoothly, unable to stop the questions from flowing out of his eager mind.

"It was a forceful resignation," Izuku confessed with a shrug. Katsuki frowned because that was not the answer he was expecting. "I wasn't given much of a choice. Either I turned in my badge willingly or I would've been fired for assaulting my captain and stained my track record."

Loud brakes slammed inside of Katsuki's head.

"You did what?" He hissed before he could stop himself. "Izuku, what the hell? Why would you assault your goddamn captain out of all people?"

The greenette winced at the harsh tone and nervously fidgeted with the red scarf wrapped around his neck. Katsuki watched how he retreated into himself and his shoulders went rigid.

Forest green eyes searched his face carefully before speaking.

"You won't think less of me if I tell you the truth?"

Katsuki felt a lump in his throat at the question.

He took a small second out to listen to the ticking of the clock in the background and asked himself if he really wanted to know. But this was Izuku, he was good at the end of the day, like Toshinori said. So he trusted him.

"Of course not," he said with a solid tone, trying to reaffirm Izuku. "I would never think less of you but you have to tell me what happened that made you assault him."

"It wasn't exactly assault," Izuku muttered, glancing his eyes down to his shoes. "M-My captain had gotten a certain impression of me because I-I had slept with just about every single man at the precinct—higher ups included. He thought he was next in line then tried to force himself on me when I rejected him."

Now, that wasn't what Katsuki was anticipating.

Rage quickly boiled inside of his chest, filling him up until he could almost feel himself explode.

"He tried to fucking rape you?"

Izuku nodded, eyes still focused on the ground.

"I-I don't like to talk about it a lot," the smaller man said, hands tightly clutching the scarf around his neck. "I was really messed up mentally at the time. I let an unhealthy coping mechanism take the wheel whenever I felt the desire to be close to someone again after I lost everyone. But I-I was so terrified to get too close to someone again...so I took the cheapest, shallowest route."

There was a long pause, allowing Izuku to suck in his lips like he was contemplating his past decisions. Katsuki felt his own hands tense into fists because he wanted to so fucking badly wring someone's neck.

Preferably Izuku's old Captain's.

Katsuki felt his stomach knot and what tasted like acid slowly crept up to the back of his tongue when Izuku continued explaining.

"I didn't realize I had a problem until he was telling me it shouldn't be a big deal for someone like me and forcefully bending me over his desk. I ended up breaking his nose in self-defense."

"You should've reported him, Izuku. Not resigned."

"It was hard when I tried," Izuku said with a distant look in his eye. "There was a lot going on, especially when the precinct was attacked the next day. It was his word against mine, but I was doubtful people would believe me. I had a track record for being promiscuous while he was decorated and praised for his hard work. I decided to go ahead and resign before he could take any action against me."

"Izuku...I'm really fucking sorry that happened to you," Katsuki sighed out.

He lifted a hand to pinch the bridge of his nose because he had no idea that's what it would've been. No fucking wonder Toshinori emphasized getting the story from Izuku himself. That really was a fucking mess.

"It's fine, it's in the past. I feel a little happy I got to break a couple of his bones." The greenette gave a small smile and Katsuki chuckled a bit. "But, Mirio and Toshinori know that's why I turned in my badge...sorry, not the best story."

"Don't apologize for that," Katsuki grumbled.

He stepped forward without thinking and pulled Izuku into a tight hug, interweaving his hand into the soft curly hair. He could feel Izuku stumble a bit at the sudden embrace, before returning it, hugging him firmly.

"I'm glad you got to break some of that fucker's bones. Wish he got fired though," Katsuki muttered into Izuku's messy head of curls and he could hear the younger man lightheartedly laugh.

"It doesn't matter anymore. It's all in the past," Izuku said while smiling into his chest. Izuku's small hands gripped him tighter and the young detective nuzzled into him playfully. "If you ask me, I'm more excited about the fact that we get to go on an official dinner date later."

"Only took us nearly six months, huh?" Katsuki chuckled and laid a loving kiss into the side of Izuku's temple.

…

When they arrived at the precinct, everyone welcomed Izuku back with warm smiles and hugs just like they both were expecting.

What they weren't planning on was how Ochaco and Iida organized a small 'welcome back' party in the break room that included everyone giving Izuku small basic home items.

"I know Bakugou has very strict taste with colors, so I made sure to buy you things that fit into his place," Denki snickered as he handed Izuku a colorful bag with a bow.

It only half surprised Katsuki when Izuku reached down to grab what was inside, he pulled out a bright green mug that read 'I take fuck the police literally' in bright orange lettering.

Izuku's eyes went wide as he shoved it straight back down inside the bag with an awkward 'thank you' and nervous smile. Everyone joined in the laughter and it relaxed Katsuki to see Izuku rebounding well and feeling at home with their squad.

The happy expression on Izuku's face turned serious when Shouto approached him with a kind, welcoming smile. The duo colored sergeant had waited until everyone was distracted with their morning coffee and cases. Katsuki could see Izuku's eyes glance at him out of the corner of his eye.

Shouto politely asked if he could talk with him later and Izuku nodded with a genuine understanding look in his eyes.

The level of sincerity showed Katsuki that there was something there Izuku had been avoiding for the last six months but he was now ready to fully confront it.

When midday approached, the workaholic blond stayed seated in his office as he looked over different small crimes in Shizuoka City. Izuku had come in to give him a stack of reports from sergeant Yaoyorozu, but when they were sitting down to chat for a small break, someone knocked on the door.

"Come in," Katsuki called out.

Izuku peered curiously over his shoulder at who it could be, but his eyes softened when Shouto entered into the room.

"I figured this would be a good time, with all three of us," Shouto said, assessing the two lovers. "If it's bad timing I can just come back later."

"No, you're fine," Izuku said with a level of trepidation and a taut smile.

Shouto's face perked up and Katsuki motioned with his hand for his subordinate to shut and lock the door. The dual colored man did as he was told before taking an all too eager seat next to Izuku across from his desk.

Katsuki glanced down at how both men's hands were clasped tightly together, nervous.

"Hi," Shouto started off, unsure of how to go about it. But Izuku didn't seem like he minded and just gave a small smile at the awkward starter.

"Hi," the green-eyed man replied, accompanied by an apologetic look. "I'm so sorry about avoiding you all this time."

"It's fine," Shouto said quickly, looking at Izuku carefully. Katsuki could sense the millions of questions that were stockpiled inside of the youngest Todoroki's head, cramming together like a traffic jam and stunting his words.

"We can jump into questions you have," Izuku tried to offer when Shouto seemed unsure of what to say. "Katsuki already told me you reread the article about Makinohara and remembered me being at Touya's funeral? I don't really recall meeting anyone...it was empty when I went."

Ah. Katsuki resisted the urge to click his tongue. He was there. He placed his hand over his mouth to stop questions from shooting past his lips.

"It was quick," Shouto clarified. "You bumped into me on the way out when I had come back into the area with my mother."

Izuku's face lit up with familiarity and his eyes stared at Shouto with new light. "That was you?"

Shouto nodded and nervously rubbed behind his neck as he leaned in. "Yes. We got word from police in Makinohara about Touya's death based off the dental records. D-Did you know him?"

Izuku sucked in a deep breath and nervously smoothed out his black dress pants. Green eyes were so intensely focused on Shouto, but only in that moment did they briefly flicker over to Katsuki as if nervous again. The blond furrowed his brows at the action.

"I did," Izuku said barely above a whisper. "We dated for two years."

"What?" Katsuki spoke in an instant. "Two years?"

What the fuck was someone like Izuku doing with someone like goddamn Touya of all people? Touya who was involved in gangs and drugs since he was a teenager.

Izuku nodded and Katsuki could feel a 'sorry' teetering on the edge of Izuku's tongue like he was unsure of how Katsuki took the new information.

"After Enji kicked Touya out, he took a train to Yaizu. The two cities are really close distance wise," the green-eyed man whispered, glancing between the two other detectives. "We dated when I first got to college and lived together for the full two years. He didn't have a place to go when I first met him and again when I was eighteen, so I let him stay with me."

Shouto leaned in like he was captured with the new missing puzzle pieces about his brother, but Katsuki was still wrapping his mind around the fact Izuku was romantically involved with fucking Todoroki Touya.

"Did you guys date up until…" Shouto's sentence ran dry.

Up until he died. Katsuki finished in his head when Shouto started seeming too pained to finish. Izuku slowly nodded, staring at the ground between his and Shouto's feet.

"...Yes." Izuku said. "We never technically broke up." Izuku made a pained face. "Touya was complicated, but he meant the world to me at the time. I just wanted to save him—but I failed. Now he's gone along with everyone else I loved."

The sentence struck a deep chord in Katsuki as he studied Izuku closely.

His mind flashed back to the first painting of Izuku's he saw. He could perfectly envision the self-portrait that was deep shades of sullen blue and depicted the raw emotion of loss. He could see the bright red heart and the three orange flames surrounding it and everything about Izuku clicked into place.

Izuku's parents were the first two flames and Touya was the third.

Touya was the third person Izuku lost.

"He had called me the night before the fire," Shouto said, staring at Izuku like he was a bird about to fly away. And truthfully, Izuku looked as if he might.

His shoulders were tense, hands clutching his pants unnaturally tight and it seemed like it was taking years of training to keep him from running away.

"Touya said he was in trouble. He was planning on running and coming back here...with another person. Do you know who was running from?"

"Yes," Izuku let out shakily, blinking rapidly to hold back tears. "It was Shigaraki. The top lead for All For One." Izuku clenched his fists tighter. "I-I was the other person. It was my fault...everything was my fault."

"What do you mean?" Katsuki whispered, fully looking at Izuku with both intensity and sympathy.

Izuku looked over his shoulder from what felt like reflex before turning to the other two detectives with a gravely serious expression.

"You two have to promise that this stays in this room," the youngest detective said, looking at them with earnest eyes. "The only other person who knows what I did is Toshinori."

Shouto and Katsuki exchanged weary looks before both quietly nodding.

Izuku nodded back in return before carding a shaky hand through his hair and taking a deep breath in.

"There was going to be a police parade in Yaizu, to celebrate crime rates dropping and to try to uplift the city. Toshinori was going to be in it along with Mirio," Izuku said with an unsteady breath and dread of premonition sunk into Katsuki's bones. "I-I found out through Touya's involvement with All For One that they were going to bomb it and kill all the officers."

Izuku's voice cracked at the end and a lone tear escaped his eye.

"I-I couldn't—" he choked, before swallowing thickly and paused. Izuku took a deep breath in and re-centered himself, encasing his expression in a serious one. "I couldn't let that happen. I ended up tipping off my dad about it and made him swear that it would be anonymous. They stopped the bombing, were able to arrest several people and confiscate the bombs. It was a huge blow to All For One when some of the people arrested started talking."

"They found out," Katsuki bit out, face etched in a deep frown. Izuku looked at him helplessly and nodded.

"There was a mole at my dad's station that I guess must've overheard me telling my father. All For One burned down that building in Makinohara because of me as punishment and payback for my father dismantling several of their branches."

"I messed up," Izuku said weakly and gave a defeated expression. "I messed up really bad. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't save everyone. I've gone over it in my head repeatedly...and there's no outcome where everyone lived."

When tears started to flow out of Izuku's face along with a small sob, Katsuki sprung out of his seat and grabbed the box of tissues off his bookcase. He walked over silently in front of Izuku and handed him the box, making weary eye contact with Shouto.

Heterochromatic eyes looked right back at him with just as much worry about the information.

"Touya was involved in All For One that much?" Shouto asked, hesitantly touching Izuku's shoulder. Katsuki leaned on the front of his desk, hands gripping the ledge as he listened.

Izuku tiredly nodded as he wiped his face with the Kleenex. "Their claws were very deep inside of him—but it wasn't as forced as I wished to believe."

"What do you mean?" Shouto pushed and Izuku gave him a look a sympathy.

"T-Touya was complex...and he…" the greenette paused as if looking for the right words. "Touya was drawn to power. He always felt like he had no say all his life and they fed into that side of him that was hungry for control."

"You're saying Touya was an active member of All For One?" Katsuki pried. "And you still dated him?"

He didn't mean for the judgmental tone to slip into what he was saying, but the fact that someone like Izuku, who was sweet and selfless, would date a gang member...didn't feel right.

"He d-didn't tell me when we first got together," Izuku correctly quickly, looking at Katsuki cautiously when his red eyes seemed to be seeing him in a completely different light. "He had been involved prior to us dating. Then after about a year together, things happened. Next I knew, he was always hanging around them all over again."

Katsuki frowned at the vagueness of the word 'things' and the way Izuku's eyes skated off to the side.

"He wasn't all bad though," the green eyed man continued. "I wouldn't have fallen in love with him the way I did if he was. He was romantic for the most part. However, he was very selective with who he was empathetic towards. His world view was skewed dramatically, and his temper was sometimes dangerous."

Shouto sighed loudly and leaned back in his chair, crossing his legs. His mixed matched eyes looked at Izuku with a large level of understanding.

"I can agree with that—I think all three of us can," Shouto echoed, gesturing between the three of them. "While he was my brother, I understood Touya's wrath was something that ran deep but it was the only thing keeping him going. I still have to think about it every day I look in the mirror."

Katsuki grimace when Shouto motioned towards the burned half of his face and Izuku's eyes widened in horror.

"H-He gave you your burn?" Izuku asked, looking at Shouto in disbelief.

"Unfortunately, yes," The dual colored man gave a regretful expression. Katsuki recalled his own feeling of horror and disgust after hearing the story behind Shouto's burn. "Like you said, Touya was complicated. Did he...ever hurt you?"

This time an uncomfortable silence followed and Izuku's eyes darkened.

Katsuki already knew the answer when Izuku's leg started jittering.

"Yes," Izuku finally spoke, and Katsuki felt his stomach nearly fucking hurl at the thought. "H-He hit me sometimes—well...a lot. More than I like to talk about."

"The black eye and bruises you had in the article," Katsuki spoke up, the big picture coming together, and he didn't like a single fucking bit what he saw. "I assumed it was from the gang members attacking you. But it wasn't from All For One...was it?"

"No, it wasn't," Izuku whispered, not looking at either of them. "Touya found out that I tipped off my dad and when he confronted me about it, he was livid to say the least." Katsuki looked at how Izuku flexed his hands, like he was trying to keep himself grounded. "I wish things were different. I wish Touya wasn't in that building with me because he wasn't their target. But he defended me and look where that got him."

"Why did they let you go then?" Katsuki pushed. "If you were their target, you're clearly still alive. You stayed in Yaizu for three years after and no one tried to finish the job?"

"They decided to let me live in the end," Izuku said without any emotion in his voice. "They came into the hospital room and told me losing my parents and Touya would be a punishment worse than death to recover from. They told me if I talked again then they would make sure my death would clean and quiet."

Katsuki remained silent, taking in the information.

They let him live so they could watch him suffer. He thought to himself, disgusted at that thought but something else clicked. Then the precinct fire must've not been about him if they weren't going to off him, even if they were, they said clean and quiet. Fire isn't exactly clean or quiet.

"You did what was right in the end, Midoriya," Shouto comforted. "No one can blame you for pulling the plug on a bombing. That was a terrorist act that would've left hundreds of people dead and injured. You saved a lot of lives."

And took on their pain for them. Katsuki thought bitterly to himself.

Izuku saved the lives of many, but at what price? Why the fuck did the sweetest person Katsuki knew have to shoulder something as heavy as losing all of his loved ones, just because of Touya's fucking mess?

"I'm also sorry my brother hurt you," Shouto whispered, looking at his own hands. "I had a hunch he was involved with All For One given his history with shady people when I learned Makinohara was done by them. But I'm happy and thankful to finally get the full story behind everything. Thank you."

Shouto offered a soft smile and Katsuki watched as Izuku tried his best to return it.

"It's no problem, I'm happy that I got the chance to finally talk to you," the freckled detective said, looking at Shouto with new light. "I'm sorry again for avoiding you for so long."

"It's fine, Midoriya. It's not easy to talk about something like that."

"Touya loved you a lot," Izuku said with a sad smile. "He never spoke poorly of you except the cop thing, but he didn't really hold it against you from what I could tell."

Shouto shrugged with a half smirk on his face as he looked at the greenette. "He just hated cops. Could never persuade him on that stance."

"Blame Enji for that one," Katsuki muttered bitterly and they all nodded in agreement.

"And whoever was his intern was that summer," Izuku tacked on with an irritated tone. "He would always rant about some guy that worked with his father. Touya just...hated him. Loathed even. He refused to say his name because he despised the guy so much."

Both Shouto and Katsuki froze and the lieutenant's mouth hung open a bit, a loss for words.

Shit.

Izuku looked at them oddly, confused at the sudden speechless expressions. "What?"

"Um," Shouto started, clearing his throat. "That was Bakugou."

Izuku's eyes widened and his head snapped towards his now boyfriend. "That was you? W-Why would you do something like that? He said you were the one that got him kicked out."

The blond was at a loss for words because he knew what his nineteen-year-old self said was shitty. But the shocked, and judgmental look in Izuku's eyes made his throat feel tight.

"More or less," Shouto interrupted and Katsuki felt thankful for his long-term teammate in that moment. "I don't know what story my brother told you, but I can defend Bakugou enough to say it wasn't his fault in my own opinion. My father can be very manipulative."

Based off the conflicting emotions dancing across Izuku's face, whatever version of the story Touya told Izuku painted Katsuki poorly. Extremely poorly.

But he could also see Izuku trying to understand, looking at him with those damn doe eyes that admired him so much.

"Okay," the green-eyed man said, nodding, "Um, I-I guess Touya might've villainized it a bit? I would like to hear it from you one day, Katsuki."

The blond nodded. Well, at least this shit is all out in the open now.

"I have a lot of other questions I want to ask you, actually," Shouto added, leaning in towards Izuku more with a hopeful expression. "Not important questions, per se, or even relating to his death. Just about what he was like. I felt like I never really knew my brother despite always wanting to, and now that won't ever be an option. Can we do coffee sometime? To catch up?"

"That would be nice." Izuku smiled at Shouto as if he found a new friend. "I would like that a lot. I never really get to talk about Touya outside of therapy sessions."

Shouto returned the brilliantly soft smile and in that moment Katsuki understood the ghost they all shared.

He would have never guessed how tightly wound their lives were from afar, weaved neatly by the messy web that was Touya.

But that's how the redhead was.

He was a wildfire that burned and burned, even in fucking death the fiery man left behind ashes and only now the smokescreen of everything intertwined with him was clearly up.

The more Katsuki thought about Izuku's relationship with Touya, the more it made sense.

Izuku was kind and selfless. Of course he would offer Touya a home and of course he would be one of those people who saw the best in him despite how much the redhead was covered in red fucking flags.

It all made sense.

But in that moment when Shouto and Izuku while exchanging numbers, something dreadful clicked in Katsuki's brain. A memory that now had a completely different meaning to it now that the smoke had cleared.

"Am I wrong? Am I not your type?"

"No, you're completely right. It's almost uncanny how similar you are."

His brain supplied him the vivid imagery of him and Izuku at Kirishima and Mina's wedding. He remembers how full of both admiration and lust Izuku gazed upon him with and their passionate weekend together.

The realization hit Katsuki like a ton of bricks.

Izuku compared him to Touya.

…

The rest of the workday Katsuki was disquieted. No, in fact, he was past disquieted—he was completely fucking unnerved.

The fact that Izuku directly compared him to abusive fucking Touya plagued his mind more than he thought it would.

When Shouto and Izuku wrapped up their convo in his office, he watched the green haired man give Shouto a hug and witnessed the new budding friendship. He half listened when Shouto made a joke about catching up on six months of possible friendship because he was now worried.

Did he act like Touya?

He knew when he was younger, they had mirrored personalities but Katsuki thought he was different now.

He thought he had made an effort not to be like that—not to be like his mom, or dad, or Touya. In general, he thought he tried his damndest not to be fucked up and abusive.

Yet, here Izuku was comparing him to his fucking dead abusive ex-boyfriend.

It fucked with his head.

Katsuki grew silent for the rest of his shift and immediately Izuku noticed it when the subtle flirting in office went away. Green eyes lingered on his body and he could feel those gears in Izuku's big ass brain turning trying to figure out what was wrong or if Katsuki was off put by the talk.

Which is why he wasn't very surprised when it came time for them to walk back home, they were grid locked in a thick silence.

Neither of them spoke as they walked down the bustling sidewalk in Shizuoka City. The streetlights were already on because of the sun setting early, and families were out and about shopping. Both red and green eyes watched the gentle flurries that swirled around in silent thought.

"Did something I say today change your mind about dating me?" Izuku whispered into the early winter air.

Katsuki didn't say anything right away as he thought about it. He wanted to scream about how he felt years of hard work to not be like his mom were all shit now. Over one small comment.

But Katsuki held it in.

"No," he answered in a clipped tone. "I'm not changing my mind about dating you."

"Are you sure? You're being quiet. You can tell me if something is brother you," Izuku whispered, eyes focused on the snow falling. "Today was a lot of information...not all the best."

"Okay, okay fine," Katsuki groaned, head turning to the short man next to him. Izuku looked up to him and there was acceptance but some level of worry. "At the wedding when I asked if I was your type, you said yes...If I remember correctly you compared me to someone."

Izuku's body went rigid. "Oh—you remember that."

"Yes, I do. Were you comparing me to Touya?" Katsuki hissed, red eyes burning with hurt. "When you said we were similar to the point it was uncanny?"

"...Yeah, it was Touya," Izuku mumbled out. "Does that bother you?" Katsuki rolled his eyes and huffed.

"Considering I spent the majority of my life trying my best to fucking ensure I turned out nowhere near like my mother, who hit me every day, but then only to find out I'm similar to the ex that hit you—yes. It bothers me a whole fucking lot."

Izuku grew silent but didn't take his eyes off Katsuki as if he was waiting for more words.

The blond groaned out loud, heart feeling suddenly heavy to the point he stopped walking. Izuku paused beside him and the couple let the people on the crowded street pass them by.

"I would never hurt you like that, Izuku," Katsuki professed feeling desperate. His dark red eyes searched into Izuku's looking for something he wasn't quite sure of. "I wouldn't dare a day in my goddamn my life even consider fucking hitting you."

"I know you wouldn't, Kacchan."

"You know? Then why did you compare me to Touya? That's my worst goddamn nightmare! People always used to say that shit when I interned for Enji—how alike we were. It made me so goddamn worried like I was looking into a future mirror of myself that was twisted."

Izuku sighed and looked off to the side and for some reason the silence only worried Katsuki more so he continued, the words spilling out of his mouth like a fountain of thought.

"You heard what Shouto said about how Touya gave him his burn. What kind of person is capable of that? Is that what you really think of me?"

"No, of course not," Izuku exclaimed, looking back at Katsuki with a strange calmness. "When I said that I was more so talking about on the surface. You both have the same vernacular, similar upbringings, and you even had a shared love for baseball. Touya even drove a motorcycle...I felt like I was seeing double when I first met you."

Katsuki scrunched his face in displeasure, unsure if that was any fucking better.

"You first liked me because I reminded you of your dead ex-boyfriend?"

"Kami—no," Izuku firmly said, trying to get him to understand. "I like you because you're Bakugou Katsuki. The day I started, er, feeling things for you was the day I realized that you're not like him at all. Your cores are entirely different. You have a kind touch despite coming off grouchy and abrasive verbally."

"A kind touch?" Katsuki made a confused face and Izuku smiled a little.

"Yeah, kind. Your actions are sweet at the end of the day."

"I dunno if anyone would describe me as sweet besides you."

"You are, you're so sweet. It's why I like you," Izuku whispered, and a look of what could be closely named as affection translated through green eyes. "Touya wasn't. His words were sweet but Touya liked seeing things destroyed and his touch wasn't kind."

Izuku opened his mouth but then closed it again, looking down as if he was scared to say the next sentence.

Katsuki just silently waited, not minding the cold. His body was warm from the burning questions that were demanding answers in his head. He watched as tiny snowflakes collected in Izuku's dark curled that were peeking beneath his red hat.

"Katsuki...Touya enjoyed hurting people," Izuku finally muttered and the level of fear the words were spoken with threw the blond off. "You're not Touya and for that I'm thankful. I would never date someone like Touya ever again in my life."

Katsuki felt himself relax at the admission, his fears melting away underneath the warm gaze of Izuku.

"You're completely opposite of him. You don't even hit or fire at criminals when chasing them. You only do the bare minimum of physical take downs if needed," Izuku said, pleading viridian eyes looking up at Katsuki. "Please, understand I think of you two very separately. I like you because you're you. Touya is in the past for me. I've grieved him and I've moved on."

A gentle blush spread across Izuku's frosted cheeks and nose as he reached forward to take Katsuki's gloved hand in his own.

"I want to keep moving forward a-and I want you in that future with me as time goes on," Izuku confessed, holding onto Katsuki's hand gently. "If you'll have me still."

All the loud city noises in the background gradually faded the longer Katsuki stared at Izuku's handsome face. His red eyes only detected sincerity and an overabundance of affection. But they also picked up on fear of judgement.

Izuku's past was stickier than he expected.

Mirio had been right to want to give Izuku some sort of stability after all that.

"Of course I will," Katsuki finally said. He decided in his head that Izuku trusted him enough to tell him all of that so he shouldn't judge him. "We're fine. Just a lot to process today."

"I know...I'm sorry," Izuku sighed, giving his hand a light squeeze. "I should've told you about everything sooner. The precinct, my captain—Touya. I-I just assumed when I moved here, I could bury that all and leave it in the past. You know, start fresh without dragging my baggage around with me."

Katsuki laughed a little and squeezed Izuku's hand back, and like magic green eyes filled up with relief.

"You're talking to the king of baggage here," the blond muttered with a smirk. "You're within your right to want to try to move past all of that shit. The past should stay dead and you deserve to start over after that hell you were dragged through."

"Would starting over include a very special dinner with my new boyfriend?" Izuku flashed a mirthful smile and Katsuki smirk widened.

"I think it does," he chuckled. He grabbed Izuku's hand firmly before they started walking back home together again.

With their fingers interlocked Katsuki decided to give Izuku his wish.

The freckled man deserved a new life, and to be granted the right to move past all of that goddamn mess.

"Alright, all of that is done. We're together now and I have the perfect place in mind for dinner," he grinned cockily. "I like to be at the best at shit and I decided that I'm going to be the best damn boyfriend. I'm going to make sure you smile every damn day"

Izuku's unique laughter filled the air as he leaned into Katsuki's side while walking. "Every day? What about days I'm grumpy and don't wanna smile?"

"I think grumpy is my role, nerd. Sunshine in a bag is yours. It's officially my job to make sure you're smiling."

"Thanks, Kacchan," Izuku whispered, looking up at him. "I want to make you smile too."

Katsuki felt his chest expand full of realization. He looked into Izuku's eyes and the words spilled all over his thoughts.

I love you. He thought privately. I love you a lot.

"You already make me smile, nerd."

…

Katsuki has no idea how to tell Izuku.

He thought it over and over again about how exactly he should tell the man with artistic eyes that he was in love with him.

First, he considered doing it over dinner.

When him and Izuku finally got back to his apartment, Katsuki changed into his most expensive black dress shirt but the greenette changed into a beige cowl neck sweater and black jeans and fuck he looked gorgeous.

Izuku ran some product through his hair that made his curls look fuller and shinier. He even parted it to the left and Katsuki instantly felt lucky. He could do this. He could easily just blurt it out with Izuku looking like that.

But when they sat down at the upscale restaurant, and he was fully seated right in view of those sparkling emerald irises, Katsuki's felt his feet run cold.

What the hell was wrong with him? It's not like he was trying to propose to the damn man!

So why the fuck was it so hard to tell Izuku he loved him?

The man he was trying to confess to was utterly unaware of his inner turmoil. Izuku just gently held his hand from across the table, staring at him like he was worth a million stars.

But all things aside, the dinner date was as perfect as Izuku's smile.

There was a new air around Izuku that felt lighter with everything out in the open. Over wine and their meal Katsuki explained his side of the Touya story and learned the redhead completely neglected to tell Izuku about dragging him across a desk and punching him in the face.

There was a sad flicker in Izuku's face at the new information.

Katsuki tried his best to make it go away because he could sense Izuku realizing Touya skewed a lot of stories and left out detail by omission. The smoke veil was being lifted from Izuku's eyes and reality was sinking in very quickly.

But the freckled man shook it off and smiled nonetheless.

After the date Katsuki tried to tell Izuku a second time when they got into bed for the night after the long day.

He figured it would be perfect to whisper 'I love you' while he was reading his latest novel purchase and Izuku was just doodling in his new sketchbook. They were both propped up in bed peacefully with the TV in the background. Katsuki sported his glasses and Izuku was snuggled into his side. It would've been perfect.

But the second he tried, Katsuki choked up—yet again.

Finally, he decided maybe he should just casually slip it in at work. Try not to make a big deal out of it. They were adults and it shouldn't be like proclaiming an engagement. He could just give Izuku a quick peck on the cheek and slip in a 'love you' and boom. Like a Band-Aid, he'd rip off this heavy weight on his chest.

Which brings him to now, staring intensely at Izuku's backside as the greenette talked casually with Shouto unaware.

The youngest detective was laughing and smiling with coffee in his hand, looking as carefree and happy as ever. They had just arrived to work and were reviewing over the cases for the day. Katsuki figured it would be a great time.

But when he finally worked up the nerve to approach Izuku, Kirishima came rushing in.

"Hey, I don't mean to interrupt, but we have a witness from the Uchi Street fire," Kirishima said quietly into the break room. Izuku, Katsuki and Shouto all looked over their shoulders to the redhead standing at the door with a ghostly expression. "He says got a glimpse of someone we think might be The Cremator. He recognized his voice and face from a club he used to work at."

Shouto, Katsuki and Izuku all exchanged serious stares.

Well...this is a turn of events.

…

All four detectives walked to the holding room with tense bodies and shoulders, and all thoughts of confessing to Izuku were in the back of Katsuki's head.

"Now who is this guy exactly?" Katsuki said as he started through the one-way mirror at a very slim, clean looking man. He was average looking with long black hair that was pulled back into a ponytail. He looked inconspicuous and average with dark skin like Mina's and brown eyes that looked beyond tired.

"Sato Kiyoshi," Kirishima answered, his red eyes looking at the man. "He came in this morning and wants to make a statement about what he saw and how he remembers seeing the same guy where he used to work. It was a place called Gemuoba."

"That's a strange name for a club," Katsuki replied sarcastically.

"Why now?" Shouto whispered, looking distrusting. "It's been over three weeks since Uchi street burned down. If what he says is true, why is he just coming forward?"

"He was a bartender there for the past three years," Kirishima answered while looking at his notes. "Says here that he was let go last night. Part of his contract was keeping quiet about the clientele that came through, but in light of the fire that burned down his apartment, he's been feeling 'pissy'. His words not mine."

"Well, let's go talk to him," Katsuki said, eyes locked on the figure on the other side of the door. "Sooner we catch this pyro the better."

The lieutenant pointed confidently at Izuku and Kirishima and gave the signal to follow him inside while Shouto remained on the inside taking notes.

When the three of them entered the small grey room, the man named Kiyoshi perked up.

"Ah, perfect. Shizuoka City's symbol of victory," the deep voice hummed. "Just the man I wanted to talk to."

Katsuki took the lead naturally and sat in the seat across the table from the man. Shouto coolly and swiftly sat in the next available chair and Izuku stood on the opposite side of Katsuki with relaxed posture.

"Good morning Mr. Sato. I'm glad we can talk," Katsuki greeted. He reached his hand out at the man who grabbed it back in a firm handshake. "One of our other officers says that you know who is responsible for the arson on Uchi Street. You saw his face and heard his voice?"

"Yeah, I did. I had come back to my apartment and overheard a trio talking in the lobby. I didn't think much of it originally but when I saw his face, I remember him talking to Yotsubashi, that drug dealer you almost busted six months ago but got away."

"The one that was holding captain Aizawa captive," Kirishima tacked on.

"Yeah, that one," Kiyoshi sighed. "My boss keeps the club afloat by promising his place to be a middle ground for drug dealers, criminals, and gang members who like to host parties and make deals. I saw that ass-wipe pyro there a couple of times with Yotsubashi when he was trying to get the man to hand over that black haired cop to burn alive."

"What did he look like?" Katsuki asked, eyes sharp.

"He had pitch black hair and blue eyes."

"The hair color fits the bill on the guy who tried to kidnap Izuku," Kirishima muttered. "Any other distinctive features about him?"

"He was around a hundred and ninety cm—about the same height as you, lieutenant. He also had an extremely deep voice. But what you can't miss is how the guy's face is really messed up," Kiyoshi whispered and made a deeply disturbed face. "His entire neck and chin are covered in deep dark purple burns and he has them under his eyes too. But the weirdest part is he has the line where they stop pierced. Like Frankenstein."

"Sounds unique," Katsuki commented, trying to paint a picture of the disfigured man in his head. He imagined The Cremator to be someone that was burned by his own creation and looked like some demon, bent on destruction.

"Extremely unique. That's how I know he was the one who has to be responsible for these fires," Kiyoshi grumbled. "He has a weird thing with fire too from what I can remember. I think he's genuinely a pyromaniac."

"Do you have his name?" Izuku spoke up, drawing all attention to himself.

"He calls himself Dabi. No surname."

Dabi? Katsuki questioned in his head. Red eyes squinted slightly at the new information.

"You wouldn't happen to know if he'd be going back to Gemuoba anytime soon would you? Or any more information about his whereabouts?" Katsuki asked, trying to piece together a plan to catch this guy.

"Well, that's why I'm here, detectives," Kiyoshi said sounding both scared but determined. "Yotsubashi is hosting a costume party in two days and I happened to get a peek of the guest list right before I was so rudely let go. Sitting pretty right at the top for the V.I.P section was Dabi himself."

"Well damn," Kirishima whispered, raising his eyebrows surprised. "This is perfect."

"I figured you guys could do a raid and just end it all now."

"Easier said than done," Katsuki replied. The blond's eyebrows furrowed deeply as he tapped his lips with his index finger. His brain started to put together jigsaw pieces on how to go about this properly. "Dabi might have a connection to All For One. If we did a raid and made arrests, we lose the opportunity to get them too and set off warning bells that we're onto a trail. That would put people in danger."

—Izuku specifically. Katsuki knew they had to do this carefully if AFO was involved. They didn't take mercy and were just as efficient as the police system.

The dark-haired witness sighed and leaned back, seeming conflicted. There was a pause before his face looked as if it remembered something. He looked at all three detectives with an unsure face before continuing.

"Well, if you can't do a raid, the next option is stealth cover right?"

Kirishima nodded. "Yeah, but we can't exactly get into the V.I.P section right off the bat to get more intel on these guys. We're not on the list."

"You don't need to be," Kiyoshi supplied, piquing all of their attention. "Yotsubashi has a weakness that would be an easy into the V.I.P section."

Katsuki quirked his eyebrow, curious. "And that would be?"

"He's the biggest pervert on this planet."

"Excuse me?"

"He likes to roughly gang bang young men at his headquarters with other members of his inner circle," Kiyoshi sneered with a disgusted look. "They love short, slim guys that are just barely scraping the drinking age. He takes pride in being a sugar daddy for men half his age."

The dark eyes of the witness carefully assessed Kirishima, then Katsuki before settling on Izuku.

Katsuki felt his arm hair rise up at how long Kiyoshi's eyes stayed on Izuku like he was measuring him and up down.

"He fits the bill like a glove." And there it was. "How old are you? Twenty?"

Katsuki resisted the urge to ball his hands into fists. He heard Izuku stumble over his tongue, caught completely off guard.

"I-I'm twenty-three."

"Close enough. Just lie about your age," Kiyoshi said dismissively. "Put on some skimpy short kimono and bend over in front of him. He'll have you snuggled up to his side in the V.I.P section in no time. You could easily get his headquarters' address by leading him on."

"If this is all true, why are you just handing us blueprints to take down these men?" Katsuki interrogated. All of this felt too strangely easy and out of nowhere. "You worked for this shady bar for years. What do you gain from this now?"

Kiyoshi brown eyes looked at the blond man across from him with an intense burn. Slowly, wetness gathered inside of his eyes and the witness clutched his fists tightly as he leaned across the table.

"My wife died in that fire," the deep voice hissed, a tear slipping out. "I tried to save her, but I couldn't and now she's gone. I can't get her back." All three detectives looked at the man with pity as he started breaking down in tears.

"I had given the boss of the club a two weeks' notice when I realized I couldn't stand to be around that maniac. But instead of allowing a two-week grace period so I could get on my feet, he just fucking fired me then and there."

Katsuki turned his head to the side to look at Izuku who let a single tear roll down his face, looking at Kiyoshi with eyes that understood his pain. Izuku's resolve look as solid as an immovable mountain.

"That pyro took everything from me." Kiyoshi's nostrils flared with rage and the thirst for revenge clouded his eyes. "They can't keep destroying lives like this whenever they see fit."

The witness looked at all three before locking eyes with Katsuki and Katsuki alone.

"Make him and all those criminals pay for all the dead bodies they leave behind."

…

There was unmistakable chill in Katsuki's spine after the witness gave his statement.

The rest of the workday passed and the next day began but the chill was still there.

Knowing that The Cremator's name was actually Dabi added to the clearing smoke surrounding the case. But he couldn't tell why the closer they got to this the more dangerous it seemed. He had never dealt with an arsonist before—much less one that seemed so ruthless.

Kiyoshi had come in, full of hurt and it put everything in perspective for Katsuki about how many lives were at stake, and how many families had already been ruined at this man's hand.

But there was something so terribly eerie about the idea of Izuku being their key in.

Katsuki always trusted his gut, but in this instance, he wasn't sure if he could. He felt worried for Izuku to go on this operation even though he knew damn well the freckled detective could handle himself.

The blond figured it was his newfound emotions and the fact he's never been on a dangerous operation with someone he loved this deeply.

So, he pushed down the gnawing feeling when they all sat down in the debriefing room with Toshinori, Shinsou and Monoma to devise a plan for the next day.

And the plan involved Izuku as bait.

"Bakugou you're going to go undercover with Shouto, Shinsou and Izuku for this operation," Toshinori spoke in a solid tone. "Given the nature of how dangerous these men are I need four of you to navigate this. Izuku is the mark and make sure he doesn't get out of your sights too far. The second you find out any possible headquarters you're going to signal the rest of the squad and Monoma's that'll be waiting to take over."

Katsuki nodded his head in understanding but his heart twisted with uncertainty.

"Midoriya you need to make sure he notices you and get a spot in that V.I.P section without hesitation, can you do that?" Toshinori asked and Izuku dutifully nodded.

"Yes, sir. I can do that," the youngest detective said.

Katsuki turned his eyes to the messy white board in the front of the room. Lines and words of all colors created an intricate web of connections that they had gathered about the case so far. The one that stood out the most to him was the large acronym 'AFO' written in red with two blurry pictures of men that were believed to be Shigaraki senior and junior.

Katsuki traced the red line that connected them to the phrase 'weapon: incinerator bomb' that transitioned into another red line that connected to The Cremator, or now known as Dabi. Izuku did a rough pencil sketch of the man based off the description Kiyoshi gave.

It was tapped to the board and it made Katsuki's skin fucking crawl.

Dabi looked like he stepped out of the depths of hell with the massive surface burns he had covering himself all over.

The meeting was adjourned and most everyone went back to work but Katsuki stayed in the room looking at the board they had pieced together, trying to memorize it.

What the fuck do you want, Dabi? He thought while looking at the sketch.

His eyes traced all over reading the information, feeling like the answer was somewhere in the massive board.

Izuku came and stood beside him with his hand covering his mouth, looking in deep thought as well.

"My dad always believed the best route for stopping All For One was pulling them out by their roots," Izuku spoke softly. Katsuki turned his attention the greenette whose eyes were solely focused on the letters 'AFO'. "If we get the Shigarakis the whole system crumbles like a house of cards. He had notebooks upon notebooks filled with different strategies for taking them down."

At the mention of Izuku's father's note taking, the blond couldn't help but smile as he thought about the thirteen volumes of police notes sitting at Izuku's desk.

"I'm guessing that's where you get your obsessive note-taking from, nerd?"

Izuku chuckled and gave him a soft smile. "Yeah, it is. He always emphasized that it was important to study your surroundings closely. If I can get in close to Dabi and Yotsubashi and possible find out where AFO headquarters are too...there's a slim chance we can find All For One, or get a least get a lead on them. This could be a triple bust if done right."

"It's a far stretch considering the only connection to All For One and Dabi are these bombs," Katsuki muttered seriously, looking doubtful. The intense feeling of worry in his gut grew stronger. "But I guess it's worth a shot since it's such a specific connection."

His mind kept anxiously turning and it caused the blond to clench his teeth out of habit.

"You're worried," Izuku stated. "What's bothering you?"

"Nothing."

"C'mon, don't lie to me. I can see the telltale extra forehead crease in your brow. It only appears when your stressed out."

"I'm always fucking stressed out."

"Kacchan," Izuku whispered only for him to hear and, put his hands on his hips. He turned his body around fully to face the elder man. "Look at me. You know what I mean." Katsuki turned around and faced Izuku but it only made it harder.

"I'll be fine. I'm just not fond of the idea of using you as damn bait." Katsuki tapped his foot and crossed his arms, trying not to let his spiraling thoughts get the best of him. "I don't want anything to happen to you and for some reason I have this gut feeling this operation is going to get complicated."

"I can handle myself, Kacchan," Izuku tried to reassure with a gentle warm smile. "You have nothing to worry about, okay? I feel safe knowing I have you there watching to make sure nothing goes wrong. It'll be okay."

"I know." Katsuki sighed as he returned the warm look. "I think I'm just paranoid. This case has just been one of the hardest I have ever gotten. Even if we catch this guy, I still can't piece together what he wants. None of the three attacks have a pattern to them—not even the kidnapping."

"There could be one, you just haven't seen it yet—none of us have. Give it time," Izuku tried to reassure him. "If anyone can figure it out, it's you."

Katsuki took a deep breath and relaxed at the words. Izuku could always do that like magic every time: make him breathe in and take a step back.

Izuku gave him a firm pat on the back before his eyes looked up at the clock.

"Ah, I have to go do my patrols with Iida soon," the freckled detective announced. "I'll see you later tonight? I'm going to go directly after work and try to find some skimpy clothes with Ochaco and Iida for tomorrow."

Katsuki frowned at the mention of the skimpy clothes and nearly let out a groan. He raked his calloused hand through his spikes.

"You got the spare key right, Izuku?"

"Yeah! Of course," the freckled man chuckled and held up his new keychain. Dangling bright was Katsuki's spare key and it made the blond give a happy smirk.

"Okay, have a good day and I'll see you later then. Be safe."

Katsuki could see Izuku step forward towards him out of reflex, almost leaning on his tippy toes to deliver a quick kiss. But the short green eyed man stopped himself at the loud sound of Monoma's voice chatting with Shinsou.

"O-Okay! I'll see you later, lieutenant!" The greenette blushed at his near mistake and gave an awkward smile and wave before leaving. Katsuki's gaze followed behind him and he couldn't help but smirk.

Adorable fucking nerd.

As he was staring after Izuku, the tall blond didn't see Monoma approach him from behind, looking between the two detectives curiously.

"I heard through the grapevine that you and detective Midoriya are living together. Seems like that rumor checks out," Monoma spoke up from behind. Katsuki turned around and cut his eye at the other blond who looked way too smug.

Instantly Katsuki felt his defenses spike.

"Toshinori implemented the buddy system until further notice and Midoriya has nowhere else to go," he stated coldly with no emotions. Katsuki turned his attention back to the web of lines and pictures in front of him, trying to drown out the other lieutenant.

"I know, I feel sorry for him honestly," Monoma said with genuine sadness in his tone, but it didn't last long. "But it's nice that you're allowing him to stay with you temporarily. When is his move out date?"

"I told him he could take his time and move out whenever he's ready." Katsuki answered in a tight voice, quickly catching onto what Monoma was fucking implying and it made the anxiety in his heart churn miserably. "It's not a big deal, we're just roommates for the time being. My place is more than big enough for two people."

"Another very nice move for you. But I have to say, you seem to be awfully sweet on detective Midoriya recently. Is there a reason for that?"

"Where the fuck is this conversation going? Don't you have other shit to attend to?" He spat out unkindly and shot a glare as sharp as ten thousand daggers.

"Oh, I do. I'll attend to them in a minute. I'm just taking notes of small things," Monoma murmured.

Blue eyes quickly glanced down at the thin leather bracelet that was wrapped around Katsuki's wrist.

Monoma's eyes flickered back up to him and a fake smile was tossed Katsuki's way as the other blond bowed and took his leave. "I hope you have a good day and best of luck on the operation."

"You too, Monoma," Katsuki mumbled, turning away from the other to stare at the sketch of Dabi on the wall.

…

By the time Katsuki got home he was exhausted from running through all the theories in his head over and over again.

First, he assumed maybe Dabi wanted money. But then why did he not rob the Sekai bank on Kaze Ave before burning it down?

Then Katsuki thought maybe this was a bigger picture and there was a possible connection to the three arson fires on Kaze Ave, Ichirizuka street and Uchi street. However, the first was a bank, and the homes on Ichirizuka and Uchi streets were nowhere in distance of each other.

There wasn't even a connection putting all three together outside of the fact that more people died each time. One girl the first fire, three people the second and over ten for the last with even more injured from serious burns.

Then to complicate things was the attempted kidnapping of Izuku.

Katsuki groaned as he turned the lock in the door.

Why can't serial criminals ever make shit easy? Why is there always one dick with a complicated motive?

"I'm back," Katsuki tiredly called out to the large space.

Soft music floated to his ears and filled up the large apartment. Katsuki removed his outerwear and slipped off his dress shoes to go upstairs, following the humming melody. He rubbed his shoulders sore from the day and hunching over endless stacks of paper trying to draw a conclusion on this damn case.

"Welcome home, I'm upstairs!" The lighthearted voice called out. "How was the rest of your day?"

"It was shit," he called back, heading up the stairs. "I didn't make any more leeway on that damn arsonist. I was hoping to figure out what Dabi might want before the operation to...mor...row..."

Katsuki's sentence ran dry as his mouth did at the visual sitting really fucking pretty in his bedroom.

Izuku leaned back on the red sheets with an alluring smile and his legs crossed.

"How do I look, Kacchan?" Izuku asked in a flirty singsong tone. Katsuki swallowed thickly and approached step by step carefully into the room.

"Good...you look really fucking good," he rasped out hungrily.

The blond man had no doubt his eyes were blown fully to black, a small rim of red showing. His mind was trying to drink up the sultry image of Izuku on his bed and how he perfectly contrasted all the red.

The green haired man was dressed in exactly the item of clothing Kiyoshi told them would draw in their target.

The shortest and thinnest fucking kimono Katsuki had ever seen barely draped over Izuku's legs. It rode up to rest just above his mid-thigh and the texture looked soft and silky to the touch. Resting to nearly meet the hem of the kimono and covering Izuku's legs were a pair of thigh high black socks and he never would've guessed they looked so good on the greenette.

The kimono itself was a rich forest green, the same color of Izuku's curls. It was littered with intricate gold and white floral patterns that swirled around all the way up to the red slash tied around Izuku's slim waist and teased the hems of the low neckline.

"Doesn't look weird with my scars and burns? I-I got the thigh highs too to try to cover some of it up," Izuku asked with a small hint of insecurity in his eyes. Katsuki shook his head immediately and walked further into their bedroom.

"I doubt a king pin is going to give a single damn about scars when you look this good," Katsuki said in a low tone, ogling every inch of his boyfriend.

Truthfully, he didn't even register the scars on Izuku's legs that were peeking out. He had come to know every inch of Izuku as a masterpiece. And right now, the work of art in front of him looked incredibly—

"—fuckable. I at least look fuckable, right?"

Katsuki chuckled and nodded. "Yes. You look incredibly fuckable."

"That's good, it fits the role: a desirable sugar baby that's prowling for wicked gang members to take care of him," Izuku smirked and twirled a curl around his index finger. "Kami knows what type of bad stuff I've done or what type of dangerous criminals I've slept with."

Katsuki felt his dick twitch in interest.

"Is that so?" The blond whispered. "Sounds like someone needs to set you straight if that's the case," he replied back in a coy voice, playing along.

The blond felt heat gather underneath his lieutenant's shirt when Izuku's eyes darkened at the comment and a small sly smile appeared on his dimpled face. The freckled man uncrossed his legs and stood up slowly to make his way over to him.

Katsuki didn't dare make a move but he breathed in the cologne that smelled like roses when Izuku approached. Tenderly, Izuku ran his hands down his decorated uniform top, feeling his chest through the cloth.

They maintained eye contact until one of Izuku's hands toyed with his belt buckle and then the soft sound of a metallic chain jingling echoed out into the room.

Ah.

Katsuki curiously quirked an eyebrow at Izuku when the greenette's nimble hand continued to toy with the handcuffs hooked to his holster.

"I think if I need punishment, I know just the man for the job. How about we give this outfit a test run?" Izuku whispered, tugging suggestively on the silver handcuffs. "Right, lieutenant? It'd be responsible that we cover all the bases."

Katsuki mind was filled with the imagine of Izuku bent over, bound by his favorite pair of handcuffs but then an image of Izuku sore in the morning flooded over the former one.

"We actually shouldn't. You limping tomorrow for an undercover operative isn't ideal," Katsuki whispered breaking out of character for a bit. He was trying to use the logical side of his brain, but it short circuited the second Izuku bit his plump bottom lip.

Katsuki could feel his boyfriend's hardon so clearly pressed against his leg as Izuku moved in closer.

A mirthful look sparked inside the deep forest eyes as the younger man fully unhinged the rattling cuffs and began to reach down in his kimono's pocket for something.

"Can I persuade you?" Izuku smiled as he held up a tube Katsuki has never seen. "I think I really need to be taught a lesson."

Red eyes studied the tiny item in Izuku's hand before giving a feral smirk at the words 'cum lube' across the side.

All his logical thinking flew out the window as soon as his blood raced down to his groin.

…

"H-Harder!" Izuku screamed at the top of his lungs over the loud sound of skin slapping. Katsuki grinned like a mad man at the music of Izuku's beautiful desperate ragged breathing and the creaking of his bed.

Katsuki grunted in response and tightened his grip on Izuku's forearms, pulling him upright in their doggy position. Lust filled red eyes admired the silver handcuffs decorating Izuku's wrists and binding the green haired young man's arms helplessly behind his back.

"You look so damn pretty like this, cuffed and begging," Katsuki swooned.

He picked up the speed, plunging deeper into the wet hole that was overflowing with a mix of his cum and the thick white lube. Izuku's legs shook violently as the white liquid dripped down freckled thighs to pool into the cum already on the sheets from Izuku's previous two orgasms.

Katsuki zeroed in on himself sink inside of his lover's bent over figure over and over. He relished in the whimpering sounds spilling past the moistened pink lips. The flimsy kimono was pushed up all the way, exposing Izuku's presented position and it bounced with each vigorous thrust of Katsuki's thick cock stretching the twitching hole.

"M-More, fuck me more, Kacchan," Izuku moaned when there was a sharp impale directly against his pleasure button. The freckled man gasped at the ripples of intense pleasure raking through his body and arched his back against the large figure driving into him.

But within the second, Izuku screamed loudly at the feeling of a hard spank to his backside. Green eyes rolled back in rapture when the hot sting from the hit radiated through his body and a hand worked its way into his curls.

"Wrong name, 'zuku," Katsuki hissed as he pushed himself all the way inside of the shaking figure, reaching deep and resting against Izuku's prostate. He clutched the thick locks of hair in his hand, snapping Izuku's head to the side to make him look up at him.

At the new view of Izuku's face, Katsuki could see just how magnificently blissed out the younger man looked like this: helplessly handcuffed, bent over with his ass in the air and dick shoved deep inside of him.

There was a short whine as the freckled man pushed his ass back against him, urging him to move again and in return Katsuki gave another harsh spank.

"If you want my cock, you gotta say the right name." Katsuki applied more pressure to his grip on Izuku's hair and he could feel the tight ring around his length tighten in excitement.

"Please, lieutenant," Izuku groaned desperately and wiggled his hips more. "Keeping fucking me, please—hnn-ah!"

Katsuki snapped his hips again and began pounding into Izuku with a new speed. The spasms and the pleasure filled moans filled their bedroom like a choir of prayers. Izuku closed his eyes in riding the wave of euphoria flood inside of his body.

"Is this good? You like to get roughly handled by your superior?" Katsuki demanded as he used his free hand to reach around and start to stroke Izuku's neglected cock. "I take such good fucking care of you, don't I?"

"Y-Yes, you do, sir!"

"Then why the hell are you going around flirting with fucking drug dealers?" He hissed, slipping fully into his role and tightening his grip around the base of the thick shaft. "Do you think you deserve an orgasm after all the naughty shit you've done, hah? Fucking around with criminals?"

"No, sir," Izuku whined, shaking his head and pushed back helplessly trying to meet Katsuki's brutal pace. The cuffs dug into his skin and only added to the pleasure radiating like a pressure inside of him.

"You're lucky I'm nice. I'm gonna make sure you cum like you always do because you're my baby boy. Look at you, moaning and whining, always such a fucking slut for your lieutenant's cock." Katsuki deeply chuckled and gave a squeeze to the dripping length in his hand, thumb smearing precum.

"You've been really fucking bad, haven't you? You need the right cock to put you in your place."

Izuku gave a throaty moan of deep approval and bit his lip.

"Kami, yes," Izuku rasped out in deep satisfaction. "I-I've been bad. I need your cock! I really really fucking do. Punish me, lieutenant, please—m-more!"

Without missing a beat Katsuki let go of Izuku's length and leaned down to wrap his free arm around Izuku's back to pull him flush against his sweaty chest. He tightly wrapped his large arm around Izuku's body to hold him steadily as he fucked upwards inside the tight hole clenching around him and held on tightly to the narrow hips of his lover.

Without a doubt, Katsuki could feel Izuku's breathing becoming more erratic as the younger male threw his head back to rest on his shoulder. The beautiful freckled man seemed like he was drowning in heavenly feelings. Green eyes were closed and his was mouth agape as Izuku handed control over to Katsuki.

And it felt so goddamn good.

"Need the bad fucked out of you by the top officer of Shizuoka City, huh?" He rasped out several octaves lower than usual into Izuku's temple, hot breath tickling the sensitive skin along the shell of the pierced ear.

"Yes, yes," Izuku nodded feverishly. Out of habit, the young detective flexed his arms against the binds on his wrist only to be met with a snapping metallic sound, reminding him he was at his superior's mercy. "Do it! Do it, please—a-ah! Fuck it out of me, sir. Make me behave—f-fuck!"

"I think stuffing this tight ass to the brink with cum will do the trick, hah?" Katsuki groaned when more shocks of pleasure spiked through his body and he knew he was close. He snapped his hips desperately and grazed his teeth along the back of Izuku's neck. "What do you think?"

"Yes!"

Another hard spank and cry chimed out. Katsuki growled into Izuku's ear.

"Yes what, you fucking slut?"

"Yes, lieutenant!" Izuku's voice cracked when a series of unrelenting harsh thrusts rocked his body. His voice climbed higher and higher as soon as Katsuki started stroking his cock again, overwhelming him in intoxicating pleasure.

"S-Sir, I'm gonna c-cum again," Izuku warned in a breathless hoarse voice, body stiffening and tightening.

Katsuki squeezed his eyes closed at the searing wet heat that was wrapped around his girth. Pleasure rocked through his burning body as he worked with fervor to get Izuku off.

Right when he felt himself slam against his own peak, Izuku's delicate voice vehemently cried out his name in a shout that was bound to get them noise complaints tomorrow. The freckled man's cock twitched and sprayed out long ribbons of white cum all over the sheets and a small collection of wetness gathered on the edge of Izuku's eyes.

"F-Fuck, Izuku!" Katsuki hissed when he felt himself tip straight over the edge.

He tightened his grip on the quivering body and buried himself to the hilt. He groaned with deep satisfaction as he shot off spurts of cum deeply inside of Izuku's already full body. The overstimulated freckled man whimpered and tensed up, causing what felt like a damn river of liquid to flow out of his body and down his legs onto the sheets.

Katsuki loosened his hold on Izuku and he carefully guided them both down onto the sheets where cum wasn't sprayed all over.

The blond buried his face into Izuku's dampened hair and let out a huff of exhaustion.

"We always make such a fucking mess," he chucked and Izuku gave a sharp laugh in return.

…

After basking in soft kisses and chuckles, the pair eventually got up to clean their mess and shower. Izuku tossed the freshly purchased kimono into the washer and made a joke about hoping Katsuki doesn't try to ravish him tomorrow when he puts on the same outfit.

Katsuki grinned and didn't make a single promise as soon as Izuku snuggled back in bed with him for the night. While they were waiting for the piece of clothing to run through the cycle the pair spent the time under the covers, talking. Katsuki listened to Izuku go on about some new manga he had found while they played with their intertwined fingers.

"The lead character of the series reminds me of you," Izuku whispered into the darkness, staring at the dusky red eyes of the man across from him. "He's strong and noble."

Katsuki shrugged as he looked at their matching bracelets. "You're being way too nice again."

"It's true though. You are noble."

Katsuki hummed with a smirk on his face. "And you're being too sweet again."

When the kimono was fully dried and hung back up for the next day, the couple turned off the lights and cuddled together in bed. Katsuki wrapped an arm around Izuku's waist, pulling the smaller man's back against his warm chest as he buried his face securely into the back of Izuku's head, smirking into the mess of soft curls.

He breathed in the freshly showered scent that flowed freely of the man in his arms and tried his best to go to sleep. Izuku fell asleep first in the spooning position. The greenette held on tightly to his hand and a light snore filled the room.

But as the night moved forward, Katsuki didn't fall asleep quite as quickly.

He watched as the clock crept slowly into the late night with dread. Katsuki tried to bring himself to sleep by aimlessly studying the large, grey clouds in the sky. They strangely reminded him of smoke with how dark they were. He knew they weren't, and it was his own brain adding the imagery of fire related things.

His mind slowly began thinking about their mission tomorrow and the man named Dabi as Izuku's tranquil breathing filled the room. He knew he was only worried because of his newfound feelings for Izuku and the deep-seated fear that something might happen to him. But even knowing that didn't ease the worry growing in his stomach.

Katsuki shifted to hold the smaller body closer to him as he studied the top of Izuku's messy curls he'd come to love. Each curl was so unique, and only then did he realize there were different shades of black and deep forest green mingled into his boyfriend's hair.

The blond tiredly looked towards the digital clock on the dresser in front of them before he sighed. Katsuki shut his eyes and softly muttered into Izuku's temple the words that had been heavy on his mind.

"I love you," he whispered, barely above a whisper.

Katsuki didn't expect an answer back this late at night.

Quietness rang out for a long period of time. Slowly, Katsuki felt better about finally being able to get his tongue to form that phrase. Izuku's breathing was deep and steadily, and he had a feeling the green eyed man was still asleep, tired from the day.

Katsuki smiled into Izuku's curls. His chest suddenly felt lighter because he had finally released those three little words into the vast universe.

Gradually, the ash blond fell into a peaceful slumber, face buried into soft green hair. He remained completely unaware of Izuku being wide awake, staring at the smoke colored clouds in deep thought about what he heard.

---

Thank you so much for reading I hope you enjoyed! Please let me know what you think!

There's no preview this week because anything is spoiler going into the next chapter after discussing it with my beta. Next chapter is the full undercover mission at the club/headquarters!

Thank you so much for reading & reviewing! :')