I wasn't leading you on girl (No, no)
I just forgot where I was goin'
I got way too attached
That wasn't the plan
I don't want to fall in love (No, no)
Love cuts just like a knife
You make the knife feel good
I'll fight you 'til the end
-KYLE, Don't Wanna Fall in Love
Katsuki sticks to Izuku like glue for the next five months.
It's only until days leading up to Valentine's Day that Katsuki realizes the reason for this.
He has a crush on her.
It's something he realizes he's had ever since the first time they played Heroes and Villains together, all the way back in September. Perhaps the crush started even before then, when she told him off to his face and beat him in that chokehold match. Maybe it started when she told him how he inspired her to become a better version of herself shortly afterwards.
But. Whatever the reason.
It's turned him soft.
For instance. Before he met Izuku, the games he played with his friends were way, way tougher than they are now. But ever since Izuku started actively hanging out with him and his friends, he's always refused to play any game in which she could get seriously hurt. Games like wrestling were vetoed from his part, and even when they played games that included little to no violence, like a sport or playing pretend, Katsuki made it clear to his friends that if anyone of that were too rough on Izuku, he'd teach them a good lesson in pain.
Not to mention, whenever his mom asked him who he'd like to have a playdate with, Izuku was always his first option.
He wasn't at all aware that this was due to the fact that he has feelings for her. Heck, even the constant teasing of his friends and mother actually didn't help in coming to terms with his feelings.
It's only when the teacher gives some crummy lecture on love in the days leading up to Valentine's Day that Katsuki has an epiphany.
All the things the teacher talks about when a person has a crush... The butterflies in one's stomach. The feelings of warmth whenever that person's around. The incessant longing to be around that person.
The need to protect that person.
Katsuki feels like screaming by the time the lecture is over.
What's worse is that he's subconsciously known he's had a crush for a while now. But now, he can't deny it to himself anymore.
And because of it, he's turned into something he previously wasn't.
A softie. Another thing his friends have been pointing out to him for months now, but something he just could never pick up on.
Katsuki can't even bring himself to look at Izuku by the time class is finished.
He's been a terrible influence on Izuku these last couple of months. He was supposed to be helping her reach her potential as a future Hero. He was supposed to encourage rowdy behavior in her, not avoid it like the plague.
How are they going to become future Heroes when he can't even bring himself to lay a finger on her?
He has no idea what to do next.
As Izuku walks home from school with her mother, she finds herself replaying the words of what their teacher told them that day about crushes, and love.
Her teacher's words made Izuku feel strange.
What their teacher described is exactly how she feels about Katsuki, and only Katsuki.
But what is she to do now with this information?
She's positive Katsuki doesn't feel the same way. The two of them are constantly teased by other people his friends for being a couple, a fact that Katsuki constantly denies. If he felt the same way, he wouldn't do that… right?
She decides to ask her mother what she should do.
"Mama, I have a question."
"Yes, Izuku?"
"Today at school, our teacher talked about what crushes are."
"Oh, is that so?"
Izuku nods. "I… have one on Kacchan, I think."
After having made that statement, Inko's lips curl into a wide grin. She looks like she's just won the lottery.
"Really?!" Inko squees. "Izuku! I'm so happy for you! I knew it all along!"
Pink grazes Izuku's cheeks and she coughs.
"Anyway… I wanted to ask you… well. What am I supposed to do now?"
Inko blinks. "Well, have you thought about telling Katsuki how you feel?"
"I—I don't know if that's such a smart idea. I don't think Kacchan feels the same way, and I really don't want to ruin our friendship."
"Well, I have an idea. Since Valentine's Day is around the corner, why don't you give him something special?"
Valentine's Day rolls around. And by the time recess starts, in Katsuki's eyes, Izuku has decided to do something incredibly stupid.
"I—I have something to give you, Kacchan." She says, rummaging through her pocket.
She pulls out what seems to be fancy chocolate, wrapped in red velvet.
"I made this with my mom the other day." She says softly, and she looks at him with this look that makes Katsuki want to bash his head on something for how mushy it is.
He stares down at her present, her present that she handcrafted for him and him only. He knows what it is; Honmei-choco.
And he knows what this now means.
He just sure as hell isn't going to roll with it.
"No thanks." He replies firmly.
"Huh?"
"I don't want it. Give it to someone else."
"B—but Kacchan—"
"Izuku. I don't understand why you would give me something like this."
Katsuki feels a sinking feeling in his stomach when he sees just how red Izuku's face turns at his comment.
"We aren't together that way." He says steadily, and looks at the sky. "You'd be better off giving that chocolate to someone else."
Izuku holds her breath.
She's not going down so easily.
"Kacchan… you're the most special person to me in my life right now. You might not feel the same way… and you don't have to… but at the very least, please accept this present. I want you to be the one to eat this chocolate. No one else."
Katsuki's well-aware that's as good as a confession as he's gonna get from her.
But he doesn't. Need it.
"You chose the wrong person to make that chocolate for," he tells her sharply and walks away.
