It was fucking stupid, how things changed after figuring out that you were in love.
Katsuki himself would be the first to volunteer if there were an opportunity to scream at cupid about how utter bullshit it all was. Just a little under two months ago, he was completely fine. Sneered at sparkly couples who cooed at each other in their sleep and wanted to spend every moment of their lives together. Wanted to throw up at the prospect of someone touching him so intimately. He'd rather sock someone in the face than have it anywhere near him.
But now with Izuku's outstretched fingers tangled into his, littered with scars but indents comforting the creases of Katsuki's own, those feelings warped dramatically.
Those things he complained about only a few days ago, they magnified tenfold after the dam of rejection had broken to let them free. What was once a stupid flip that Izuku's eyes did in the light now bathed his entire pupils in a galaxy of forest green that if Katsuki were living in a castle, would've long abandoned to set up a house in said forest long ago. Knowing what the feeling of having those blemished arms encircle him was like sent Katsuki into a state of hunger that he was pretty sure would never truly be quenched. Destined to never be satisfied, not even as the other's thumb brushed affectionately against his every few minutes.
Fucking Deku's fault.
The nerd had first offered his hand to take right after their second kiss. The day was still young, but some outside force had that cursed sun shining on Izuku like he was the center of the world. A burst of something tried to talk Katsuki out of taking it, he suspected it was pride or anger or another will that dominated his actions. But in one of the first times in his life, he didn't listen to it. Unlike before, there was understanding that Deku wasn't helping him from whatever crushed goals or broken heart, it was a yell. A yell of 'I'm here.'
So Katsuki roughly grabbed onto it, let Izuku hold him this minimal amount as they walkedto the subway. Squeezed back a little harder than necessary when Izuku did it first as reassurance that they were okay now. The actual trek back was mostly spent in silence, the two companions absorbing everything that had happened that day. It wasn't until the familiar glass entrance of the transport was visible around the corner that Izuku directed his attention back to him, nervous smile a permanent fixture on his face.
"Kacchan," a stray paper bag flew over them. It would've been god damn perfect if it smacked Deku in the head instead. "Would y-you like to stay over at my house tonight?"
That stopped the blond in his tracks. "Moving a bit quick there, aren't you, Quirkless?"
Only now realizing the gravity of his words, Izuku was a sputtering mess within seconds. "N-Not for that!" It was ironic how only an hour ago, this was the same man who was kissing him so ecstatically and with little shame. "Just… to try something new and hang out."
The idea wasn't clicking. "We've hung out before. I've seen your dumb face countless times."
Izuku let out a breath. A small hint of amusement bled through those nerves, relinquishing the fidgeting in exchange for a wobbly giggle. "I mean as a couple, Kacchan… we are a couple, right?"
Wow, okay, so now they were fucking boyfriends. That's right. Try as he might, and Katsuki always tried until he dropped dead, he couldn't stave off that rush of blood he just knew was creeping up to his ears. Some very rational and correct part of him was saying that Izuku was doing this on purpose. Being cute as shit, determined yet gentle enough to make Katsuki want throw up but not in the traditional sense but more in a 'throw up telling you everything about myself' kind of way.
Katsuki was damn proud of himself when he opened his mouth and what came out wasn't his life story, but an offhand "yeah" which had that revered smile aimed his way again. He wasn't keen to admit that too much was happening in one day for his body to keep up. Just a few hours ago, he was convinced that there was no hope of Izuku returning his feelings. Now they were going on a date. The blond looked away, choosing to glare at a fire hydrant instead. "My old hag of a mom is visiting tomorrow so I'd have to leave early though."
"O-Oh." Some complicated emotion that he couldn't identify as anything but worry over a sudden realization crossed over those damned freckles. "Should we keep this a secret from her?"
Grateful for the distraction, Katsuki maneuvered himself around his lingering boyfriend (?) and to the front,tugging the nerd with him as they walked. "I don't give a fuck. That old hag has been trying to set me up with everyone; men, women, Neanderthals, since I could walk. Besides, you're the one who was getting married.I should be the one asking you that question."
Feeling Izuku stiffen within his grasp, the blond felt a pang- annoyance, rage, jealousy- all wrapped up in a nice bow for him to blow into smithereens. He rounded on the hero with narrowed eyes. "If you're going to be half-ass about this, I'm breaking up with you right now. I'm no one'sgod damn love affair."
That statement seemed to hit Izuku harder than anything else. He promptly did a one-eighty. What was once a bundle of nerves hardened into a voice so compassionate that it nearly had the blond stepping back from its strength. "You're not a fling. I choose you, Kacchan. Always you and only you. That's why…" Here, the hero bit his lip the slightest, pulling Katsuki closer by their interlocked hands. "I'd like your help planning the wedding again."
"The fuck," Katsuki sighed."Deku, you're doing a shitty job of convincing me."
But Izuku didn't back down. He continued, choosing his words carefully. "It's not that. Momo-san already sewed the dresses and suits,Tenya-kun is helping everyone with their speeches, Satou-kun will have all the desserts ready, Ochaco-san is getting everyone into gear for last-minute touches like transportation, and Shouto-kun already confirmed that all the staff are good to go. There's almost nothing left to plan."
"Then what the hell are we talking about here?" Katsuki felt a growing headache at all of this. As painful as his decision back at the hospital was, at the root of it all, he was correct. Izuku didn't actually need him at all for the wedding. Maybe this was all some roundabout torture method and the nerd was actually planning to kidnap him. Or maybe this was all part of being in love.
Fucking stupid ass shitty cupid.
The last thing he expected was for Izuku to be able to save any of this confusing as always, the other rose to the challenge and excelled. Leaning over and with a hand cupped beside his mouth, Izuku whispered his plan like a well-kept treasured secret for Katsuki to spend to his will.
A few moments of silence then, "…you're serious." It wasn't a question, and Izuku nodded with a ridiculous freckled smile back in place.
"Yup! Kacchan, I know that the wedding is only a week and a half away so it will take a lot of work to change it, but will you help me?"
And seeing those eyes alit with such certainty, seeing Izuku bounce up on the balls of his feet with a childlike wonder that set his heart racing and their hands squeezing together once again the smallest amount, Katsuki didn't want to say no. That sentiment, that crazy sentiment Izuku had of wanting to see this wedding through with him until the end, crept up on the tips of his desires. He smirked. "With your pathetic last-minute decision, I guess I have no choice but to sign up as your brilliant wedding planner again."
"It wasn't last-minute!" The grown-ass man pouted, freaking pouted. It was a lot more adorable than it had any right to be."I came up with this a while ago. Some of my friends already know and agreed. You can ask Shouto-kun to confirm."
"As riveting as that sounds, I'd rather not talk to half-and-half if I can prevent it." Especially since the last time Katsuki saw him, they were practically at each other's throats. Their next conversation was not one he was looking forward to. "Just hurry your ass to the subway already, Deku. I don't know where your fucking house is so you better not get lost."
"Oh," as if just remembering their date, Izuku flushed an allurin- annoying red. In a flash, his smile turned cheeky yet somehow still boundlessly innocent. "R-Right! Do you mind if we take a detour? I was just thinking… We met each other and fell in love through wedding planning. Kacchan, don't you think our first date should be the last thing we have to organize for the wedding?"
Shit, Katsuki really needed to punch something fluffy in the face, repeatedly and preferably for a week straight to even begin making a dent in that sweet feeling fluttering up his chest. Uraraka wasn't kidding when she said Izuku was a hopeless romantic. He wasn't sure how he felt about being the target of that for however long this thing between them would last (forever, some small voice Katsuki killed in an instance whispered).
He grumbled in the affirmative. Luckily, the other seemed to get the message. Just this once, he let Izukudrag him around to whatever date spot he had planned. Ignoring his companion's quiet humming, his mind wandered. It was partly due to his own need to have every little thing covered and to make it the best it could be, but it didn't take long for Katsuki to start forming a mental checklist of crap that needed to be done for the wedding. Honestly, the hero owed him big time for dropping such a bombshell on him.
Just as well, he hadn't noticed when Izuku had them board a different line heading away from the city and further into the depths of their hometown. Two stops later when they were getting off was when Katsuki finally snapped out of it. To the jittering of Izuku's knee against the seat, the nerd most likely freaking out over every hair out of place on that green seaweed of a head, the blond snorted. Deku will always be Deku.
Exposing themselves to the cool afternoon air after ascending the underground staircase, there was finally enough distraction for Izuku to shake off a bit of his anxiousness and focus on the path ahead. Katsuki eyed a passing mailbox. It wasn't the kind squashed with others in a single line but one of those old ones you'd see on television from the nineties with the dumb-looking flag. He'd never been in this part of the town before. With apartments giving way to small one-floor houses whose density decreased the further west, there was nothing to really see. Barely anyone would talk about this side let alone venture out to it. This was new territory for him to tread.
About a block later, a wired fence peaked out between two deciduous trees. The worn structure surrounded what appeared to be a marsh filled with untrimmed greenery. Moss in the water, lilies grown to full height and well past what you'd see in people's gardens, a curiosity grew in his chest at where the fuck Izuku was taking him when the latter waved at the guard by the gate and led the both of them inside the area.
It took a passing tortoise searching for shade by a tree for Katsuki to process that this was a reservoir of some kind, a patch of land bought by a committee dedicated to protecting the animals that lived within it. There was a gardener out clearing away dead branches by the lake as the dirt path led straight into the water. A wooden canoe sitting attached to the dock greeted them at the end. Finally, the gardener from before emerged between the long grass, a worn smile on her face.
She was the designated tour guide. Their goal was the other side of the river where a small neighborhood resided on top of the rocky terrain. They were bestowed a few hours to explore the area before being hurried back to the canoe for the return trip. Izuku, being the gracious fuck who went out of his way to help others that he was, offered to take the paddle from the woman's shaky hands almost immediately after meeting her.
Yeah right, over Katsuki's dead body.
"Are you fucking kidding me?" Shoving Izuku aside, the doctortried to swipe the paddle from him with a scowl. However, the hero was quicker and propped the wooden object away. Green eyes blinked back at him, not understanding his own idiotic actions.
Not one to give up, the blond made it no secret that he was pissed as he gestured to the hero's form then to the entire town around themwith disdain. "Two hours, not even two hours into this dumb trip you dragged me on and you've already disobeyed my instructions three times, Deku!"
Line of sight following that accusing finger, Izuku's face finally lit up with understanding when it landed on his mangled cast. Katsuki was just about ready to have his way and confiscate the oar. But then Izuku had the damn nerve to frown even after understanding what he was getting at. Even after already knowing that the doctor took his job seriously and would never let a patient get away with a single muscle out of place. "I can paddle one-handed. This is our first date, Kacchan. I'm not making my boyfriend do all the work."
There that word was again.
Breathing in slowly, Katsuki didn't hesitate to land a well-aimed kick right at the other's shin. It wasn't hard, but it was enough for the man to yelp and discard the paddle for his 'boyfriend' to steal it with a victorious smirk. "What the hell do you take me for, Deku? With all that talk about winning and saving together, you're sure eager to run off and do everything on your own."
"I…" The distinct snap of a mouth closing was one of the best things Katsuki has ever heard. It would be fucking great if more conversations he had with people ended like this. Finally, with a resigned frown, Izuku made himself a spot in the canoe and settled for watching the woman and the blond take turns cruising on each side of the the motionless of the three didn't complain, he didn't seem too happy at the situation either. The only upside, it seemed, was getting the opportunity to silently admire the tendons of the blond's back with each stroke.
"Stop whining," Katsuki rolled his eyes. Nice guess Kacchan, but that's not the reason why your boyfriend is staring at you. "You know that your arm won't be ready to do something as advanced as rowing for another five months."
"But I want to help you."
"You want to help?" He spared a glance over his shoulder, fixing Izuku with a glare. It was irritating but he didn't blame the nerd. People don't change and get rid of all bad habits overnight. It would be a long process of disagreeing and havingconversations like this, maybe even months or years if they lasted that long. But somehow, Katsuki didn't mind the thought of going through all of that. "Then sit still, let me row the damn boat, and work on getting better so you can achieve that. For now, tell me what that is."
Izuku's attention was brought to a creature with wet fur chewing on a pile of sticks with its menacing teeth. As soon as he spotted the lodge, green eyes lit up in excitement. "Oh my gosh, that's a Shikoku Beaver, Kacchan! It's mostly nocturnal so I didn't think we'd see one in the day like this. They're the second largest rodent in the world and became endangered at one point due to hunting for its fur and glands. Despite all of that, they're actually really intelligent animals!Did you know that they can build canals to float large building materials closer to their lodge…?"
With those babbles permeating the trio the entire ride, Izuku pointing out this or that animal to him with excitement, it became pleasant background noise for Katsuki to fall back to. He wasn't dumb. He figured that the nerd would've went and studied every animal that this place boasted to have in preparation for some hypothetical date that might not have even ended up happening. That's just the kind of stupid thing Deku would do.
Soon enough, the short canoe ride came to an end. They stepped off at a patterned pavement with weeds growing out between the stones. If the previous road was foreign territory for Katsuki, then now he had no fucking clue what this place was. With a temple being the first thing they saw as soon as they turned around and a pathway lit up in Japanese lanterns being the second, it felt like he just stepped into a cultural festival at school.
Luckily, Izuku had a better idea of where they were headed. Turning away from the street and choosing a smaller path in the opposite direction, they set off with a wave to the rower. Despite wandering into a forest-like area, this path wasn't losing out to the main village. It was breathtaking in its own right, cherry blossom trees not yet in bloom but showing hints of pink filled the street like a welcome banner. After what seemed like forever, their destination was in sight. Barricaded off from the rest of the neighborhood was a small Japanese-style bridge overlooking a massive pond filled with specks of orange.
Curious, Katsuki carried his feet closer to peer down. At closer inspection, they were koi fish and a god damn ton of them. "Deku, I know you like these fuckers. But you have to stop this obsession of yours." Contrary to the harsh words, his voice came out soft and distracted. The swirl of patterns was hypnotizing.
"Don't be so mean, Kacchan. There're only fifty. We're going to be borrowing all of them for the wedding." At his companion's suspicious look, the hero continued with a chuckle. "I thought of it the other day. Instead of only a ceremony with vows, we could also have the bride and groom at the front with a giant tank at the altar holding all fifty koi fish. With the guidance of the owner, they're each going to take turns to net one out while blindfolded. Then, they can exchange the fish as a sign of trusting their hearts to each other. Remember how we had that giant cylindrical tank in the middle of the reception hall? We'll get someone to drop those two koi into the tank for the rest of the night."
Katsuki was flabbergasted. Who just pulls that kind of stuff out of their ass like that? "Did you just make up that traditional yourself?" He already knew the answer.
Sure enough, Izuku confirmed his suspicions. "Yep! It's more personalized that way. Just to make sure nothing goes wrong, I asked the owner if we can do a test run today."
Not taking his eyes off the surface of the water, Katsuki spoke. "You're a sly bastard sometimes, you know that, Deku?"
Suddenly, freckles became more pronounced as they became the forefront of flushed cheeks. "A-Ah, we don't have to do the exchange if you're not comfortable and-!"
"One big problem with your little game," Katsuki stood straight from where he was leaning over the pond to cross his arms. The sight of the hero making a fool of himself would be an image that he'd snapshot into his brain for another time. "You said so yourself that the theme of the wedding was only one koi. If you have two fraternizing all cozy as the centerpiece, it would ruin the entire intent. Unless you want to change that too and give me even more fucking work."
"It's still going to be one koi, don't worry!" A twitchy hand waved in the air to placate the blond's oncoming rant. He repeated. "It's still one koi swimming against the currents and overcoming all odds. Except now, they don't have to do it alone."
And really, what did Izuku expect when he said that, face all doe-like as he looked straight at Katsuki with that galaxy of forest green. Katsuki nearly lost it, devolved himself into smashing his face into the grass just to scream into it incoherently. But with what little willpower he had when it came to Deku being so utterly lovely to him, he glued his feet to the floor with a sneer. "You sap."
"Ah, there you are, Quirkless!" A voice interrupted them before Izuku had the chance to grace Katsuki's humiliating attempt to cover up what those words did to him with a response. Thank fuck. An old man with a few years on their rower popped out from the backyard, two plastic containers and a bundle of oversized nets clutched tightly in his hands. "I was beginning to think I had the wrong day."
Izuku was quick to walk up to the man and take the items off his hands to place on the ground. "Just Midoriya is fine, I'm not a hero right now."
"Nonsense," a crooked grin was sent their way. Shaky arms handed over the bright green container and a net to the ex-symbol. "Does one stop being a hero just because they're off-duty? You're always a good person no matter what time of the day it is, that's what I think."
"Th-Thank you for thinking so highly of me!" Gathering the items under his arm, Izuku bowed slightly with an embarrassed squeak. Katsuki eyed the equipment left over. Seeing as the orange container was the only one left, he had to settle for that didn't mean he couldn't take his sweet time choosing the best net in the pile. He'd be damned if he let Deku win due to faulty equipment.
They're soon guided to opposite sides of the pond for the owner to demonstrate the proper technique of fishing out koi without harming them. It was a pretty easy process. The container would be filled with just enough water so then when it was placed in the pond, it would be slightly the net, the koi could be guidedtowards the container. At the moment when the fish is close enough, the container would then be tilted to the side so the creature would swim right into owner was adamant on banning the act of leaving the fish flopping around helplessly without any water for even one second, so the two were required the take off their blindfolds once they snagged a koi in their nets.
Easy in theory, difficult as fuck in practice.
Katsuki swayed the net aimlessly for a while. With such a current, he couldn't distinguish between whether it was mother nature or the school of fish pushing his net around like a bully. Honestly, it was like going to see a Studio Ghibli film with shitty-hair and trying to get the red-head to not cry at least two times. God damn impossible, in other words. The owner holds in his chuckles at the scene of the fumbling men, occasionally giving encouraging comments. Unfortunately for him, Katsuki saw right through him and silently cursed his damn fish farm in his head. Threw in a curse towards Izuku for making him do this in the first place-
"Oh, you've got one, Quirkless! Stay still."
Shit, Deku managed to beat him. Katsuki seethed as the nerd removed his blindfold and the splashes of the koi being gently brought into his green container dispersed in the garden. He took the handle and smacked it into a rock in rage. Green is a dumb color anyway. The koi would probably jump straight out of it just to headbutt Izuku in the face for being so inconsiderate. Katsuki bets the fish was ugly as fuck too.
The distinct sound of plastic being placed on the rock beside him had Katsuki whirling on Izuku with a scowl. That didn't fazehis boyfriend however, who only smiled. "How's it going?"
"Shut up! My fish is going to be ten times better than yours!" Emphasizing this point by burying the net further and swaying it dangerously, Katsuki would've sent the other a death glare if the blindfold wasn't in the way. He'd better go take lessons on net fishing for the blind the next free Sunday he had. "Why the hell would I ever have to be good at this shit, anyway?!"
Finally, mercifully, from the cameras placed strategically at the reef, the man gave the signal for Katsuki to stop when he had a koi trapped between the net and a protruding rock. The blond wasted no time in tearing off the damn cloth to throw metaphorical daggers Izuku's way while the hero only innocently beamed back in amusement.
Eventually, with some maneuvers, he managed to lift the silver rim just slightly above the waves so then the koi would be visible from beneath the surface. So focused on the task of not losing this one, that would be humiliating, Katsuki didn't notice the soft gasp coming from the hero beside him. The owner chuckled, instructing his temporary pupil until sure enough, Katsuki had a matching koi resting on the rock bed next to his companion.
Katsuki compared their two fish, a smirk making way to his face. Yes, his was definitely better. With bragging rights under his belt, he was just about to say so to Izuku when he was fixed with shocked green eyes instead. "What? Why do you look like I just flipped over the Eiffel Tower?"
Seeing as the hero was a bit speechless, the owner took it upon himself to explain the situation. "Well, the koi that you caught is actually the only black one in the entire pond." Turning attention back towards Izuku, he looked at him with a mischievous glint in his brow. "This is a game you made up, isn't it, Quirkless? What did you say this meant?"
That seemed to snap Izuku out of it. At least he moved, but there was still a haze of surprise clouding his expression. Not trusting his own mind, he spouted out the explanation like a malfunctioning robot. "U-Um, yes! I requested forty-nine orange koi and one black koi to have at the altar. If either of the couple fish out the black koi, it means that they're soulmates."
Silence.
Then, like a flip being switched, chaos ensued.
Many things happened in the next millisecond. Detecting the shitstorm about to occur, Katsuki made a mad dash to his container so he could abandon the fucker back in the river. Best not to let Izuku get any funny ideas. Unfortunately, at the same moment, the green-head appeared to jolt out of whatever funk he was in and dived for it before Katsuki could make it. The only hope the blond had was to use his upper body to protect the container from the nerd's wandering hands.
Eyes bright, Izuku chimed. "Let's do the exchange now!"
"What, NO! Fuck off, you said we didn't have to do that, you lying fuck! FUCK." Katsuki smacked his companion's hand away, further curling on top of the koi like his life depended on it. Just to get his point across, he directing a seething glare up at the hero.
"Kacchan," Izuku laughed, gently trying to tug the orange plastic away but failing, "don't you want to be soulmates?"
Katsuki wasn't inclined to agree. "I don't need that shit! Leave my koi alone!"
Eventually, after a brief tug-of-war, the owner had to step in to stop the fish from being tousled around. Really, these two. So caught up in their exchange, they forgot that they had an audience. Luckily, at his presence, they halted almost immediately. At his redirecting their attention back to the koi, they both jumped apart to observe the idling- and still healthy- creature in relief. Izuku was quick to apologize while his friend scowled at a rock to dissipate his guilt. What a strange pair.
The man shook his head in fondness. Hopefully, one day, they'll come back and try the game again when they were ready to exchange hearts. "It's no problem. I understand. Now, let's put these beauties back."
To compensate for their earlier carelessness, both of them made sure to take extra care in returning the creatures back into their habitats- the blond being less obvious about it. Koi fish safe and sound back in their group, they figured it was about time to depart. Before leaving, Izuku turned to the man with a neatly folded piece of paper. "Please accept this invitation to the wedding. We'd love to have you there."
"That is unnecessary, boy. I'm already supervising this portion of the ceremony."
But the hero persisted anyway, kindness radiating from his smile. "You can stay for the reception too! It's the least I can do for lending us your fish."
Finally opting to accept the invitation, the owner met that smile with his own although much less whole. "Thank you. I don't care what those damn tabloids say. You're still our symbol of hope."
And that. That gratitude- appreciation and utmost belief in him as a hero is what helps keep Izuku going. He didn't have nothing anymore. He had his friends back, he still had support from a select few in the public, and now he also has Kacchan. "I'll do my best to live up to your expectations."
They meet the lady by the lake again not too long after. With a thermos of soup strapped to her lunch bag, she had just finished its contents when her two guests returned amidst the fall of cherry blossoms stuck to green hair and blond spikes. She excused herself briefly to refill her water bottle at a local well, leaving them with the canoe.
When Katsuki prepared to take the oar again, that was when Izuku made to remove the petal, hand lingering in the other's hair only a moment too long. The touch was gentle, caring, like Katsuki was some type of treasure for Izuku to pamper and- fuck, no one had any right to convey so much from just a little head rub. No one, especially Izuku, could pull off such a stunt without expecting retaliation.
Dropping the paddle, the blond's hands dived into green curls and ruffled them with no remorse. The effect was instant, the hero devolving into a strange combination of guffaws and grunts. "K-Kacchan…!" It was like he wasn't sure whether the sensation was ticklish or painful. "I-I give! No more-" he laughed again, swiping at the arms lightly. "No more!"
"Glad you see things my way, Deku." Gloating, he let the other off with a warning before picking the oar up again in high spirits. Call him petty, but Katsuki was damn proud that he had the better head rub. Let it be known that he wasn't a total loss in the romance department. Unfortunately, he had about five seconds to enjoy the victory before Izuku had to open his stupid mouth again.
"Thanks for coming." And, catching Katsuki off guard, Izuku had just enough time to swoop down and lightly peck their lips. It was chaste; nothing but the press of mouths together but once again, Izuku always managed to convey so much in a single touch.
Brain a mess, it took everything Katsuki had to not jump into the river on adrenaline and instead, fix the other with a narrowed gaze and bright red ears. "What was that for?"
Izuku remained unfazed- and boy, he was really starting to miss those days when the man would cower at a door slamming closed if Katsuki was the one slamming it. Instead of running, he stepped closer, right arm shooting out to rest on the blond's hip again. With eyes lidded, his sweet voice sent chills down Katsuki's spine. "Third."
Crimson pupils blinked back. "Huh?"
"That was your third kiss. I have that too." Not waiting for a response, Izuku leaned forward again. The telltale ghostly touch against the side of his mouth was the only indication Katsuki had that the next kiss had even happened. "Fourth."
Katsuki opened his mouth to retort but the other only went in for another peck. This time, the sensation of the hero's teeth catching Katsuki's bottom lip had him shutting up quicker than anything else ever has before. Screw yelling when he could be kissing Izuku back instead. It could wait. "Fifth."
"Sixth." Eyes closed, the wet sensation that came from salivating for something you yearned to taste more of was beginning to emerge.
"Seventh." Why the fuck was he even counting? It was embarrassing as shit- but even Katsuki had to admit, the seventh kiss, with Izuku gently tilting the blond's head to gain better access, was easily his favourite so far. If only because this was the one that drew out a sweet sound akin to a mewl from Izuku.
"Eighth." This one was a lot longer than the others. While the first few were a few seconds at most, they lingered in each other's warmth on their eighth encounter. He let him- let Izuku affectionately tug at his blond hair to test out every angle that their mouths could meet- let that hunger inside of him that would never be quenched move to the forefront, directing Katsuki's hands to clothed parts of the hero's back in slow strokes- let the other's very pink tongue swipe sideways across the expanse of his swelling lips-
Fuck as if he would let Izuku do the last one.
Katsuki promptly pushed the other away, face steaming. "Just for that, I'm not making out with you at your stupid house!"
He found some pleasure in seeing that the hero's cheeks were just as flushed. The heat of being so close to each other was quickly dissipating to make room for confusion. "What, I wasn't…" Izuku moved to deny because how ridiculous it would be if he invited Kacchan over to do such a thing. All he wanted was for them to talk, order some food together, and watch a few movies. If during their talk, they happen to hold hands, then that was a given. If during their meal, they would steal glances at each other and sit much closer than normal, then it would be fine. And if during the movie, those glances turned into action, into kisses in between scenes, then-
Oh god.
He totally did invite Kacchan over to do exactly that.
Seeing the horrified look on Izuku's face, the blond rolled his eyes. Good. Katsuki didn't feel as pathetic fumbling through this relationship thing if at least, Izuku was doing it too."Come on, you pervert. We don't have time for that anyway. There's a wedding to plan."
-HH-HH-HH-HH-HH-
Needless to say, when Katsuki was given a job, no matter how impossible, he'd do everything in his power to show everyone just how possible it actually was.
That's how he found himself in his office on a Friday night. Lord Murder was keeping him company by the printer, posed to stay awake with him but knocking out into deep slumber a few hours ago. Nearing midnight, the laptop screen shone brightly to display the open document containing a slew of lists and contracts. Katsuki suppressed a yawn, chugging down an extra gulp of coffee in its place.
So, this was it.
The wedding was tomorrow. With less than ten days to fix everything Izuku had messed up, the two hadn't had time to meet up at all since their short date which ended at the latter's house and resembled more of a business meeting rather than a get-together. Hey, Deku was the one who said that he wanted their first date to be about wedding planning. Trying to be all romantic and shit, he hadn't realized Katsuki would have it blow up on him later on.
On the topic of that nerd, Katsuki suspected that Izuku was just about freaking out right this second. He probably had Uraraka or half-and-half over for moral support as the three of them did each other's nails or whatever the fuck heroes did in their spare time. So when the blond was interrupted from typing out a particularly demanding email by the hum of his phone, the letters spelling out 'Deku' were the last thing he expected.
Not taking his eyes off the screen, he clicked to answer. "You better be really grateful, Deku. It was hard as fuck to arrange everything but I'll have the inventory sheets and confirmations ready on time."
No answer.
Raising a brow, Katsuki separated the phone from his head to check that the nerd hadn't hung up on him. Sure enough, the call was still active. Pressing the device back, all he could hear was the distinct sound of breathing on the other end. Then, he heard it. A hiccup mixed with a sniffle. Izuku was crying. "Deku, where are you?"
"In- in…" The breathing quickened. Shit, he wasn't just crying. "…In my room."
Hearing that calmed the blond somewhat. He slammed the lid of his computer shut, leaning back in the chair to address the hero fully. "Look up." What a coincidence, that Katsuki had said these exact same words when Izuku had broken down back at the aquarium.
Silence, except for the sobs.
"Are you doing it?"
"…Yes." His voice sounded so suffocated. So tortured, like the very air Izuku was breathing had it in a chokehold. It made Katsuki's blood boil.
"Great. You know that hideous glass swan that Todoroki gave you that you left on your desk? Stare at it. Don't you dare take your eyes off."
"O-Okay, I am." At least Izuku was still responsive past his panic attack. This would be a lot harder to do on the phone if he wasn't.
"Fucking fantastic. Tell me Deku, what do you think is its left wingspan?"
Swallowing nothing, Izuku spat out the words between bawls. "Wh-Why do you want to know-"
"Just tell me."
Taking a slower breath, there was a short pause before Izuku replied again. "It's… I'd say it's about 98 centimeters."
Katsuki stared at the ceiling, relaxing the slightest. "Okay, how many feathers does it have?"
Another pause, this time longer. "…54 sculpted on the longer one, 47 on the shorter one. Shouto did a good job." Tone still in distress but no longer sounding like he was dying, Izuku's wet voice recited his answer with a steadily growing strength.
"He did all right. Now go wash your face. I'll be right here."
"Can I… take you with me?" It was a ridiculous question but one that Katsuki understood very well.
"Knock yourself out, nerd. I drank too much coffee and need some fucking tea. Just focus on the sound of the boiler if it makes you feel better." There was no response to this other than footfalls, so Katsuki assumed that Izuku was making his way to the sink to do exactly that. As promised, he stretched out of his seat and crossed the minimal distance to where the cupboard containing the tea leaves was. He took great care in leaving the speaker next to the boiler as he rummaged for a mug.
Finally, after seating himself on the couch and nursing a full four sips, the familiar voice that always seemed to ground Katsuki in a weird way spoke again. "Kacchan…?"
He swiped the phone up in a second. "I'm still here, Deku. Now, what the hell happened?"
"It's just…" he struggled with the words for a moment, playing with the cast. "What if she doesn't show up?"
That was a legitimate concern but one he needed more details on. Patience was a must. After several instances of misunderstandings with classmates and patients, that was something Katsuki was working on. "What do you mean?"
It was almost like a dam was broken. As soon as he was asked, Izuku couldn't help but answer with everything that had been on his mind for the past few weeks. "I mean- what if she just doesn't come, because she's sick of me? What if our friendship is ruined? What if she stays in Paris and is really unhappy there? What if everyone hates me then? What if-"
"I can't answer that, Deku. It's not my life."
A bang, perhaps Izuku flinching into the counter, sounded between them.
Katsuki breathed in, continuing. "It's yours. Do whatever you want with it. As long as I don't call it stupid, obviously. If everyone turns on you for it again and you end up-" And this is where he ran out of the foresight to string words together in an eloquent way. But the intent was there. All he could do was get it out. "I mean, I… shit, I guess I'm just saying that… you aren't getting rid of me no matter what you god damn decide to do."
Quiet, then "thanks, Kacchan."
"Whatever. It's late as hell so I'm going to hit the sack."
"I wish I could cuddle with you right now." The fullness behind the emotions in Izuku's voice sent the blond reeling back for a moment. He still wasn't used to this. This entire drive within him to make Izuku the happiest person on earth. This sense of fulfillment at helping him and being helped in return. He didn't know how to address it other than a little at a time.
"I don't cuddle."
"Sure." Despite the words, Izuku didn't sound convinced.
"Fuck you, it's cheesy as shit. I'm not going to do it."
"I believe you, Kacchan." That was even less convincing than the previous reply.
"You bastard-"
"Goodnight." Izuku cut him off with an airy tone. He took a breath, letting the next sentence spill out in sincerity. "I really, really, really like you."
That extra 'really' added on since the last confession was not necessary, honestly. That didn't stop Katsuki's heart from being sent into overtime Olympic-levels of adrenaline. He grunted, clutching the mug of tea tightly as a center point. "You're not bad." Before hanging up.
Seriously, Deku was such a little shit. Dropping that on him with no warning was enough to keep Katsuki awake and staring into the darkness of his bedroom for an entire two hours before sleep finally took over. It just felt wrong all of a sudden, lying under the covers alone while Izuku ran a nerdy marathon in his head. It made no sense. He was just fine coming home to an empty apartment just a while ago, only to regress into a lovestruck teen wishing for their crush to be next to them. For Izuku to look at him with those shitty eyes just before turning off the lights every night.
The idea of Izuku of all people thinking the same thing about Katsuki right at this moment sent a shock of euphoria into his stomach. He hadn't understood what the big deal about dating was, but if this was what it always felt like, he couldn't exactly sneer at them anymore- or at least, he couldn't sneer at the prospect of dating Deku in particular.
Just as well, he hadn't fallen asleep until two o'clock, before being woken up at three by the alarm anyway. Having shoved all the materials into the backseat of his car the night before, all he had to accomplish was freshening himself up and checking any last-minute updates on the state of the wedding. The real time-consumer was the commute to Izuku's big ass penthouse at the top floor of one of the nicest buildings in the city. If Katsuki didn't know him personally, he'd label Izuku a giant snob. One of those rich corporate heads parading around a place where one square inch of tile probably cost more than the rent of Katsuki's entire apartment.
Thankfully, in his best suit and red dress shirt, no one at the lobby batted an eye at him. He rung for the penthouse, gaining access to the elevator which would take him to the roof. It was five am, much too early to start functioning yet Katsuki was already running through everything that had to be done when they arrived at the venue.
Finally hearing the ping of his arrival, Izuku is there to meet him in his own suit and- hell, what kind of way to wear a tie was that? Before he could make a snipe about it though, Katsuki found himself pulled inside the house and into a warm embrace. Despite the intimacy, the hero leaned down to bury his green curly head into the blond's collar. Tattered right fingers grabbed at the red of his shirt, unrelenting in wrinkling it up in their haste.
Izuku was shaking.
Coming down from the shock, Katsuki lifted up an arm to rub the other's back in soothing circles. "I don't settle for anything less than the best, Deku. You know that. And I'm here with you right now, so you can definitely do this."
The roundabout compliment had Izuku snorting a laugh into his chest. He lifted himself, eyes splotchy in worry and caked in cover-up for the bruise, yet all of that contrasted so jarringly against the smile he was wearing, an embodiment of all good things in this fucked up world. He took a moment to nuzzle his nose into blond spikes affectionately. Then, opting to finally separate and gather the supplies, gave Katsuki one last peck on the cheek.
Before getting into the car, Katsuki grabbed onto the other's uninjured elbow with a seething glare. "Wait a damn minute, Deku. If you think I'm going to let you walk out with that abomination of a tie, you have another thing coming."
By now, Izuku's eyes were less swollen and it looked more like he was simply a victim of a lack of sleep. He flushed the slightest pink in embarrassment but let the blond have full control over the mess around his neck. He'd never been able to tie a tie properly. Somehow all the fabric would choose to run out and he'd be stuck with a knot resembling an origami project. Normally it'd be one of his friends or his mom who would watch him in exasperation before taking over. But this moment, having Kacchan do it instead, made a giddy feeling crawl up his chest that no one but the blond could initiate.
And really, if Izuku wasn't stuck up on his spot in the clouds, he would've noticed crimson eyes studying the scrunch in his nose in concealed fondness.
With a perfect tie at his disposal, they make themselves at home in the car for the grueling drive that was in reality less than an hour. When they arrive, the caterers and baker are already parked near the front entrance. Focused at his task, Satou didn't notice their arrival in favor of quickly wheeling confectionaries and ingredients into the kitchen and back.
Unfortunately, they weren't so lucky with Kaminari. As soon as Katsuki parked his very noticeable red car into one of the free spots, the electric boy came bounding up to greet them in the dumbest outfit he'd ever seen. Lightning bolts coated the sleeves and collar in reflective material which no doubt was made to glow in the dark. Katsuki took one good look at the sprinklers in the other's clutches before fixing his 'friend' with a glare. "What the hell are you planning, Pikachu?"
"Only the best, grumpy man." Unaffected, Kaminari grinned with a thumb up. "Trust me."
The conversation would've continued as normal, with Katsuki berating the other blond for having the stupidest ideas known to humankind and the other laughing it off with his own well-timed quips. It would've, if Izuku hadn't chose that moment to slam the trunk after retrieving its contents, giving Kaminari a full-view of just who was in the passenger seat.
Predictably, he short-circuited. Not literally for once. "Uw-wa-who-I…!"
Seeing this, Izuku smiled kindly. Stepping up beside Katsuki, he reached out a hand to shake. "I'm Izuku Midoriya, it's nice to finally meet you."
Star struck, the other man could do little else than to accept the hand robotically. "I'm D-Denki Kaminari! It's so good to meet you, mister symbol sir! Man, you're like, one of my favourite heroes!"
The hero's smile morphed into something less professional. "Thank you. It's the support of great people like you who keeps us going."
"Jeez, this may sound like I'm a huge fanboy, but can I have your autograph? Who knows when another opportunity like this where you happen to be at the wedding I'm playing for will pop up again!" Katsuki almost laughed out loud at the irony behind that statement. If things keep progressing as they are, Kaminari would be seeing a lot more of Izuku in the future. Producing a complimentary aquarium pen, the Pikachu boy raided his own pockets in dismay. "Oh crap. I don't have anything to write on."
"If you don't have something to write on, you're being shit at your job." Katsuki didn't miss this opportunity to jab. "All the performers, equipment, and songs should've been documented by you."
"I did, I swear! Bakugou, who uses a pen and paper to write all that stuff down nowadays?"
"Um," Izuku piped up sheepishly. He thought back to the countless volumes of hero notebooks he kept- was still adding into to this very day. "I do."
"That's because you're organized, unlike this fucker over here." Katsuki pointed at his friend with a thumb and a scoff. Ignoring Kaminari's plea of 'hey,' he turned back around to address him. "If you want an autograph so badly, have him sign your forehead or some shit. Stop wasting time."
It was supposed to be a joke, something that Kaminari would catch on and laugh about before retreating but, to Katsuki's horror, the other's expression gradually rose up in excitement. "That's a great idea! Thanks, Bakugou."
"For fuck's sake." Kill him now.
Izuku, for all that it's worth, does a god damn excellent job keeping himself from bursting into laughter. It probably wasn't nice to laugh so suddenly at his boyfriend's companion without their permission. Katsuki swears that when the hero went in to complete the curl of his name, he barely managed to conceal a snort behind a well-placed cough. Deeming this all useless, the blond went into the backseat to retrieve some last-minute props as he waited for this shit fest to be over.
Only to nearly trip over his own two feet when he saw what was written- or rather, drawn onto Kaminari's forehead. For Izuku wasn't mean-spirited enough to refuse a fan his signature, but to the right of his name, also included a cartoonish doodle of Pikachu smack above Kaminari's eyebrow.
Oblivious to the entire ordeal, the DJ sent them both an excited farewell before being called into the building to check the lighting effects one last time. Katsuki waited until he was out of earshot, face blank, before calmly placing all the bags on the ground. Then, no longer able to hold it in, smacked a palm right into the middle of his mouth to let out the loudest guffaw of his life.
"PFT, fucking…" He snorted, attempting to keep the world from seeing such an expression on his face. "I didn't think you had it in you, Deku!"
Izuku makes a valiant attempt to appear innocent. However, the grin he sported gave it away. "You called him that! I thought he liked Pokémon or something."
"He does!" The blond nearly screeched, wiping at the tears spilling from mirth. "When he realizes, he won't wash his face for a month.""
The best fucking sound Katsuki has ever heard- Izuku's unsuppressed giggle- reached his ears. The ex-symbol was struggling to keep from laughing himself but it was a losing battle. "How long do you think it'll be before he notices?"
"Tomorrow at the soonest."
And that. Katsuki's serious expression when he said that combined with the thought of Kaminari going around the wedding the entire night with Izuku's name and bad drawing of all things, that was what finally set Izuku off. He dissolved into laughter along with his boyfriend. They both probably looked like idiots, standing in the parking lot with nothing but each other's own inside joke and company to keep them entertained. But neither of them would have it any other way.
"Izu?"
They both freeze. Moment dashed away, they turn around to the sight of a young woman in a red sweetheart dress, black hair curled and adorning a red rose. Beside her, All Might was watching silently from his own car. He'd just returned from the airport to pick the woman up, own suit in disarray but expression unreadable.
Izuku couldn't help it. All worries, all anxieties he's had since making his decision to not marry Atsuko all crashed into the forefront of his mind at once. His brain ran a mile a minute, sending signals through his nerves that sent his lungs into that familiar dance of panic and fear. But what was a disaster inside his body only showed up as a light stiffening of his back on the outside.
Still, Katsuki noticed it. Without remorse, he smacked Izuku in the head, snapping the hero out of it. At the other's bewildered glance, he smirked. "Good luck, you dick. Get another black eye."
And suddenly, it wasn't so difficult anymore. That's right, he had Kacchan. No matter what occurred in the next few hours, Kacchan would be by his side. Izuku focused on some spot on the pavement resembling dried gum and began counting pebbles, bringing his panic back to earth as he steeled himself.
Deep breath in his lungs, he sent Katsuki a smile, before going to her.
Katsuki watched them go. Leading the woman into the aquarium, he knew the intent but couldn't help the spike of something awful forming in his gut. He was quick to squash it down like an insignificant bug however. He trusted Izuku. He wouldn't change his mind again and run off with Atsuko. There was no point in dwelling on something that wouldn't happen.
Caught up in the whirlwind of emotions, the blond almost missed the strong presence of the symbol of peace joining him by the car. He sent a nod Katsuki's way, offering companionship in the form of a smile. "I believe we have yet to properly meet, young Bakugou. If you would like, we could get a drink inside to be acquainted."
Shooting one last look to the doors where Izuku disappeared, Katsuki distractingly agreed.
