Welcome back to another installment of the Heart Series. This is the first of four one-shots which occur after the main story of Marks On My Heart. Each of these one-shots can be read as a stand alone or part of a larger series, whichever you prefer.

While each of these one-shots centers on different characters I've made the conscious choice to continue to tell this story from Shouto's point of view. I enjoyed the challenge this presented when writing one-shots that focus on Katsuki and Izuku. I hope I did their stories justice through Shouto's eyes. Enjoy!

Cherish My Heart

Shouto blinked in the darkness, trying to make sense of his surroundings. It was warm and dark. The blankets around him were soft, but slightly rumpled because Katsuki liked to kick in his sleep. He wasn't kicking now though. Shouto's fingers flexed across the arm currently wrapped around his middle. Katsuki sighed in his sleep and nuzzled the back of Shouto's neck. Shouto's eyes fluttered shut. He always felt profoundly safe in his lovers' arms. It would be so easy to drift to sleep again…

Wait.

Something was off.

Shouto scrunched his nose and eyebrows, trying to ground himself in consciousness. What was different?

Something was…empty.

Shouto ran his fingers across the soft, rumpled fabric of the sheets and encountered only cotton. Izuku wasn't with them…

Darkness created a faint wash of static across Shouto's vision as the cones tried to perceive color in the absence of light. No, not completely absent. A faint glow was creeping around the edges of their bedroom door. Was it morning already? Shouto reached for the nightstand and his phone but was thwarted when Katsuki tightened his grip around Shouto's waist and pressed an uncoordinated kiss against his shoulder.

The low grumble that reverberated against his back evoked an answering hum of contentment in Shouto's chest. Wanting his lovers, and being wanted back, was the best thing that had ever happened to Shouto.

But he couldn't linger here until he knew why Izuku was absent. Out of the three of them Katsuki was the consistent early bird. If Izuku chose to get up in the wee hours it was usually to share breakfast or an early morning run with Katsuki.

Katsuki was just close enough that Shouto could press a kiss against Katsuki's brow when he turned his head. "Sleep well, Katsuki. I'll be back soon."

The muscles in Katsuki's arm tightened, pulling Shouto close once more, before growing slack. Shouto eased out of Katsuki's embrace, utterly charmed by the irritated grumble that slipped between Katsuki's lips. Shouto wanted to lean in to kiss him, but Katsuki would only grab him again.

"Soon," he murmured, curling his fingers into fists to better resist the urge to caress the side of Katsuki's face.

Shouto shuffled to the side of the bed; it always seemed so far away when he slept in the middle. His fingers brushed the smooth glass of his phone screen and it illuminated under his skin.

1:37am.

It was technically morning, but was too early for Izuku to be awake, especially on a work night. The pale light of Shouto's cell phone guided his way through their bedroom and down the hall. He took extra care to shut their bedroom door as quietly as he could. In the short delay this caused a muffled sniffle broke though the silence of the night.

Shouto turned his head towards the sound and the rest of his body followed, moving down the hallway like a shadow. A few steps revealed Izuku huddled against the edge of the sofa. His face was clearly visible, but his eyes were scrunched closed.

"Izuku?"

Wet green eyes snapped open and Izuku scraped the side of both hands across his cheeks. "Sho? Why aren't you sleeping?"

Scarred fingers curled in the soft cotton of Shouto's sleepwear, pulling him close as he settled beside Izuku on the sofa. Tremors and tension flickered across Izuku's muscles like guttering flames. He was almost shaking in Shouto's arms.

Shouto trailed the fingers of his left hand across Izuku's cheek and cradled Izuku's face when he leaned into Shouto's palm. "Did you have a nightmare?"

Fresh tears beaded across Izuku's lashes. He leaned into Shouto's embrace, crawled into his lap, and pressed his face into the curve of Shouto's neck. Shouto held him, curling around Izuku's body like a bulwark. Moisture pooled in the hallow of Shouto's collar bone and trickled down the planes of his chest. Shouto's arm was a tightly secured seatbelt around Izuku's waist and his other hand was buried in Izuku's thick green curls.

"I-it was stupid."

"Nightmares are not sentient; they cannot have any measure of intelligence." Shuddering laughter that was equal parts sobbing and humor rippled through Izuku's body, and Shouto held him closer.

They all suffered nightmares from time to time, everyone did, especially heroes. Katsuki had them the most often and responded with even more aggressive cuddles than usual. Neither Izuku nor Shouto minded holding him just a little bit tighter when he needed it. Shouto, after several long discussions, now felt comfortable waking one or both of his lovers and asking them to distract him by talking. These late-night rambles always came with long, lingering strokes up and down Shouto's back and at least one set of fingers happily disordering Shouto's bicolored hair. Izuku was the only one of their triad who retreated once the storm had passed.

Bare feet shuffled across the carpet in the hallway, coming closer. Katsuki was rumpled and resplendent in his disordered sleeping tank top and pajama pants. His hair was, somehow, even spikier than usual, and he was still rubbing the sleep from his eyes when he muttered, "What's wrong?"

Izuku rocked his head back and forth against Shouto's shoulder—the closest he could get to shaking it without showing his face—and sniffled loudly against Shouto's skin.

The corners of Katsuki's mouth pulled sharply towards his chin. "Don't try that stoic shit with me, Deku. You were never very good at it anyway." Katsuki knelt in front of the sofa and reached up to rub Izuku's back. "What's wrong?"

Katsuki's low, gentle tone revealed the endearment that the once bitter insult had become.

Izuku slumped sideways into Katsuki's waiting arms, but did not relinquish his death grip on Shouto's old cotton t-shirt. Shouto stroked the trembling muscles of Izuku's forearm and shuffled closer to reassure Izuku he wasn't going to leave.

"I've got you," Katsuki murmured. He kept one hand on Izuku's back and the other around Shouto's to stabilize their cuddle pile. "You don't have to carry the whole world on your shoulders, you know."

"Y-you guys are he-heroes too," Izuku hiccupped into Katsuki's hair.

"Technically I'm a nurse with a hero license." Shouto had stepped back from full time pro-hero work years ago first because he needed a distraction from what he'd thought was a one-way soulmate bond with Izuku, and second because his mother had taught him how to use her quirk to heal and it felt like a career Shouto could choose for himself.

Izuku's breath stuttered with snuffled laughter. It was a point of pride for Shouto that he could use his dry wit to evoke humor and often used this tactic for emotional first aid with his loved ones and patients.

Soft red eyes flickered to Shouto's face and Katsuki smiled. He leaned closer until he could bunt his head against Shouto's in the gentlest and most affectionate of headbutts. The arm around Shouto's waist tightened briefly.

"Yo-you are too a hero," Izuku sputtered, lifting his head from Katsuki's neck. He was still trying to catch his breath between bubbling mirth and stray tears. "You're both the best out there, fuck what the ratings say."

The corner of Katsuki's mouth kicked up in a toothy grin. "It's sexy when you get feisty."

Izuku choked on a wet laugh. "Yeah, I'm a regular centerfold right now." He turned his head to sniffle into his shoulder.

"You are, and you still need your sleep." Katsuki lifted one hand and traced the contours of Izuku's face with his fingertips. "Come back to bed with us."

A shadow fell across Izuku's face and he broke eye contact. "I shouldn't be keeping you both up." He glanced at the clock and grimaced. "It's a work night, too. I'm sorry."

"Hey." Katsuki's hand slipped under Izuku's chin and lifted it. "I didn't sign up for this relationship to half ass anything." He nestled his forehead against Izuku's.

Shouto snuggled close, letting his head rest against both his lovers and whispered, "You never have to fight your battles alone."

That brought a fresh wave of tears and a tremulous smile from Izuku.

"If you're too worked up to go back to bed," Shouto continued, passing Izuku some tissues, "we could talk for a while to help you calm down."

Izuku turned hopeful eyes on them. It was as close as he would get to asking right now.

"I have a good story." Katsuki shifted his weight so that he was properly sitting on the sofa beside Shouto, and Izuku was cuddled across both their laps.

Gratitude ballooned inside Shouto's chest as he settled one hand over the curve of Izuku's hip and the other on Katsuki's shoulder. As much as he felt comfortable with his lovers, talking still wasn't his strength. He was honest, and he still felt more than he said. He was better at listening and cuddles than he was at distracting rambles; Izuku had that market cornered. Katsuki was the best storyteller of each of them, and that might be just what Izuku needed in this moment. Shouto settled back into the sofa cushions to listen and provide what physical reassurance he could.

"Just after lunch today," Katsuki continued, "an emergency signal came in from a cell phone in Ueno Park. I was working with Shitty Hair, so we head to the park and start to zero in on the signal. We took it slow and tried to come in from above and at different angles because dispatch hadn't been able to talk to anyone on the other end of the distress signal; all they could hear was panting and what they described as chains clinking together."

Izuku had collected a small pile of crumpled tissues, and his face was considerably less damp. "Did a villain take hostages?"

"That's what we thought, right? Or it could have been a domestic violence call, or even a stupid ass villain who didn't fucking disable the sos signal in their phone. But it wasn't any of that fucking shit."

The corner of Katsuki's mouth jerked to the side. Pink and red hues were beginning to rush up the arch of his neck and race across his cheeks.

"What was it?" Izuku's sniffles were barely noticeable now.

"Someone's fucking dog stole their phone from their bag and enabled the S.O.S. signal while they were god damn running around with it. I spent over an hour chasing that little fucker."

A jolt of laughter rocked Izuku's body and his hands flew up to cover his mouth.

Shouto tipped his head to one side and caught Katsuki's gaze over Izuku's shoulder. "Please tell me someone caught this on video."

Katsuki's eyebrows slammed together. "Fuck you."

A trickle of steam escaped Shouto's mouth when he parted his lips to lick them. "Maybe later." He had the satisfaction of seeing Katsuki's blush return, even if his frown deepened.

"You're going to be a meme, Kacchan!"

"I'm already a fucking meme, Deku! Why do you think I was trying to keep you off your phone over dinner?"

Izuku sighed and leaned slumped against Katsuki's shoulder. His smile trembled into a frown. "I wish every patrol was like that." His fingers traced swirling patterns across the skin of Katsuki and Shouto's forearms.

This was heavier than fatigue from a long day and a somewhat sleepless night, and Shouto suspected he now knew the theme of Izuku's nightmare. He slid the backs of his fingers across the freckles on Izuku's cheek. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Izuku's breath hitched and his eyes swelled with tears. "We all know the risks of being pro heroes; it's stupid to be upset."

"No, it's not," Katsuki insisted. He pulled Izuku a little closer and rested his chin against Izuku's shoulder. "No it's not," he repeated. "I know the fucking statistics, that doesn't mean I wouldn't be devastated if I lost you." Katsuki nestled the side of Izuku's face. Shouto watched his arms tighten around Izuku's middle. "You've been my hero since we were kids."

"Kacchan, we all know that All Might—"

"All Might was a big inspiration to us both, but he didn't know us personally back then." Katsuki shifted so he could make direct eye contact. "You saw me, Izuku. You saw everything mean and bitter about me, all the shit going on with my mom, and you cared. You never stopped trying to be my friend, even when I didn't deserve it at all."

"You always deserved it." Izuku hiccupped around another sniffle. "You're a good person Kacchan."

"Yeah?" Katsuki bunted his head against Izuku, almost close enough to kiss him. "Well, I'm glad I have you around to keep pushing me to be even better."

They were kissing then, wet and messy and perfect.

"I love you, Kacchan."

"I love you too, Zuku."

Izuku collapsed against Katsuki's chest and squeezed Shouto closer with his legs. He was starting to tremble in their arms, a side effect of the adrenaline that had been racing through his veins.

Shouto followed the line of Izuku's shaking muscles with his fingers, cupping the back of Izuku's calf while leaning against Katsuki's shoulder.

Katsuki nuzzled against Shouto's temple. "Love you too, Icy-Hot."

Shouto leaned back just enough to lock eyes with soft sleepy red ones. "I love you too, Katsuki." He kept his voice low and deliberate. Shouto dipped his head and pressed his mouth against Katsuki's kiss-warm lips.

"God, I love seeing you happy."

The heat of Izuku's blush against Shouto's palm almost rivaled the warmth Shouto could generate with his quirk. "You and Katsuki contribute to my happiness a great deal."

"I—Ah!"

Izuku's muscles jumped and twisted under Shouto's fingers, which began kneading into the spasm on reflex. Katsuki stiffened beside them until Shouto said, "It's a muscle cramp."

Izuku nodded around the grimace contorting his features.

"Do you have any other pain?" Shouto asked, trailing his free hand across the planes of Izuku's body like a roving diagnostic tool.

"No." Izuku wheezed. "Sorry, my body hates me."

"Just breathe," Shouto encouraged. "It'll pass soon." His left hand flooded with heat and his fingers pushed against Izuku's muscles, trying to persuade them to relax.

"Deku…" Katsuki's narrow crimson gaze was sharp and flinty in Shouto's peripheral vision. "Did you stop working long enough to eat lunch today?"

Izuku's lips pulled back from his teeth in a self-conscious grimace. "Um…"

"You barely ate any dinner." Katsuki's voice dropped low and edged towards a growl. "Are you trying to fucking starve yourself?"

"Kacchan I was just tired."

"Do I even want to know how much water you drank?"

"It was a busy day, Kacchan. I—"

"Let's focus on now," Shouto suggested. Both his lovers turned to face him, breaking the tension they'd been building between each other. "I can keep applying heat and pressure. Katsuki, would you mind bringing Izuku some water and a small snack? Hydration and something with a little salt, calcium, magnesium, or potassium will probably help his cramp."

The hard lines around Katsuki's eased back just a little and something like his confident smirk adjusted his features. "Sure, Icy Hot. I'll just go warm up a multivitamin." Any harshness Katsuki's words may have held was dispelled by the obvious warmth of his tone, and the way he bent his head to press a kiss against Izuku's forehead. "You don't have to work so hard, dumbass."

"Sorry, Kacchan."

Calloused fingers smoothed through the edges of Izuku's hair, and Katsuki's voice dropped so low Shouto almost couldn't hear it. "I wish you were sorry because you thought you deserved to treat yourself better." Fresh tears glistened in Izuku's eyes and Katsuki wiped the first one from the crest of Izuku's cheek with his thumb. "I want to keep talking about this, but I don't want you to wait for water and a snack." Another kiss, this time to Izuku's lips. "I'll be back soon."

Katsuki eased Izuku fully onto Shouto's lap as he stood. Before he moved to the kitchen area, he lifted Shouto's chin with the tips of his fingers and pressed a warm, chaste kiss to his lips. "Do you want anything?"

"Water, please." Shouto leaned into Katsuki's palm when it rested against his cheek. "Thank you."

Izuku was sniffling quietly into Shouto's shoulder when Katsuki finally turned to the kitchen. The muscle under Shouto's kneading fingers rippled and pulled itself taunt until Izuku's leg almost vibrated from the pressure. Izuku's tears splattered against Shouto's shoulder and Shouto murmured, "I'm sorry."

"Wha-what are you sorry for?" Izuku sputtered.

"When I saw you were crying out here all alone, I wanted to comfort you, but I think you're more upset now."

Izuku shook his head. "Kacchan's right, I'm just causing trouble for you both."

"What makes you say that?" Shouto squeezed the muscles of Izuku's calf hard, possibly hard enough to bruise but it must have brought some relief from the cramp. Izuku's breathing eased out on a long sigh and shifted into something deeper and more regular.

"You both should be sleeping right now."

Shouto held Izuku tighter to his chest with the arm that wasn't focused on relieving his muscle cramp. "Why would we do that, when you never let Katsuki or I fight our demons without help?"

"Seriously, dumbass." Katsuki knelt beside them with two glasses of water and a banana. If you fought half as hard for yourself as you did for other people you wouldn't burn out like this." Katsuki handed Izuku one of the water glasses. "Drink."

Izuku brought the glass to his lips and tilted it back. Shouto almost thought he was trying to chug it to satisfy Katsuki, but when he pulled the empty glass away from his lips Izuku looked surprised.

"See? Your body knows you're thirsty. Here." Katsuki traded Izuku's empty glass for the full one and pressed the pre-peeled banana into Izuku's other hand.

"What about you?" Izuku's eyes darted from Katsuki to Shouto's face, but he didn't hesitate to bite into the fruit Katsuki had prepared for him.

Katsuki reached behind him and lifted yet another glass of water from the coffee table and gulped a few sips before offering it to Shouto. "Are you okay sharing?"

Shouto glanced meaningfully at Izuku. When his eyes met Katsuki's again he was smirking. "Obviously."

Izuku choked on his banana. "Oh my God, you two! It is almost 2am on a work night!"

Katsuki shared a wicked grin with Shouto which softened to an affectionate, if tired smile. "Seriously, Deku I think you should call out sick tomorrow."

Izuku startled and immediately frowned. "What? Why? I'm not sick."

"You've been pushing yourself too hard. Nightmares happen, and I know they happen for you more often when you're stressed out. Nightmares and muscle cramps? No lunch and barely any dinner? Are you telling me you're not going to get a migraine tomorrow?"

Wet green eyes drooped under the weight of Izuku's lashes. "I don't have a migraine now?"

"Izuku." Katsuki's voice was a snapped growl two seconds away from becoming a shout.

"If it helps," Shouto offered, "think about the example you're setting for your teammates. You deserve rest just as much as they do, and they're more likely to believe that if they see you taking care of yourself too."

The banana disappeared between damp lips and Izuku chewed thoughtfuly. Shouto and Katsuki shared a knowing glance. Their arguments were starting to tip Izuku's decisional balance.

"The Universal Hero Alarm is still a thing," Katsuki reminded him. "If there is any big disaster you'll still know."

Izuku's gaze slid from Katsuki to Shouto, who smiled at him and caressed the side of his cheek. "I love you, Izuku."

"I love you too, Shouto." The words came out on the end of a long sigh and Izuku slumped in his arms, a physical sign of his melting resolve. "Okay."

"You should call out too, Shouto."

"Excuse you?"

"You and Izuku have the market cornered on self-sacrifice. You might have actually eaten at dinner, but you were the last one to the table. You need a break too."

"I've been training the new nursing students," Shouto protested. "That takes time."

"And are they trained?"

"Yes, but—"

"No buts. You said yourself things were quiet on your unit. Take a breather before you start to suffer too." Katsuki expelled an exasperated breath in a huff and a tender note crept into his voice. "Besides, I'll feel better if you're here for Izuku when he does get a migraine."

"Kaccha—"

"Shhhhh." Katsuki actually pressed his fingers to Izuku's lips for a moment then pulled back and licked the remnants of banana off them. "I have a short day tomorrow. It'd be nice to come home and have an early night with you both. We could order in, watch a movie, go to bed early." Katsuki reached for Izuku and Shouto's hands and squeezed them. "Please."

Please was a rare expression of Katsuki's lips, and it required a vulnerability that Shouto couldn't resist. "Aia-san will be ecstatic."

Katsuki didn't waste a second. "I'll get your phones from the bedroom. Stay. There."

The weight of Izuku's head nestled against Shouto's shoulder and Shouto pressed a kiss into Izuku's hair. "I'd like you to get more sleep after we put in the calls, but I know that's not always possible after being upset." Shouto wished, for just one second, he could share his quirk between his two sides so that the hand rubbing long, slow strokes up and down Izuku's back could be just as warm as the hand that continued to gently knead his calf muscles. "What are you feeling?"

"Honestly? Wrung out and pretty tired. I think even my leg is starting to give up the fight."

It was, but slowly. The muscle that had been furiously wrenching itself into unnatural formations now only quivered with malintent. "I want to work on it a little longer."

Izuku muffled a yawn against Shouto's shoulder. "Please do. I like your hands on me." His words were all long exhalations and breathy sighs. He might already be falling asleep, which wouldn't be surprising given the amount of adrenaline that had just stressed his system. "Want to fall asleep cuddling you and Kacchan."

"I think that can be arranged."

Katsuki strode back into the room the same way he stalked into battle. He thrust their phones at them. "Call, now."

Izuku went first, then Shouto. For a task that felt so heavy it was over in minutes and they were free to take the rest they needed. Shouto told himself it wasn't a bad kind of selfish to ask. He had to try if he was asking Izuku not to feel guilty.

"I feel like I could sleep through tomorrow, well, today I guess." Izuku downed the last of his water, then passed the glass and phone to Katsuki.

"That might be what your body needs now." Shouto released Izuku's calf with a final squeeze and wrapped both arms tightly around his green haired soulmate. Izuku clung to him, grumbling sleepily into his shoulder.

"He's almost as grumpy as you when he's sleepy," Shouto observed to Katsuki, who'd just deposited their glasses in the dishwasher and was making his way back over to the sofa.

"Heard that…" Izuku muttered. The breath of his yawn ghosted up the curve of Shouto's neck. "…just want you both to cuddle me back to sleep."

Katsuki and Shouto shared an affectionate smile. Katsuki leaned down to run his fingers through Izuku's disordered curls. "Sure, Deku. Whatever you need."

"Mmmmh. Love you Kacchan. Love you Sho."

"Love you too."

Katsuki and Shouto had spoke at exactly the same time. Another shared smile passed between them.

"Come on, Icy-Hot. Let's get Deku to bed."

Shouto hooked one arm under Izuku's knees and tightened the other around his shoulders. It was a quick maneuver because Izuku was already sitting sideways in his lap. The weight that settled in his arms was reassuring and grounding. Izuku's fingers twitched, momentarily tightening in the fabric of Shouto's sleepwear. "He's almost asleep already."

Izuku hummed softly, but didn't muster a verbal response.

Katsuki turned off the lights as they went, closed the bedroom door behind them, and helped Shouto settle Izuku in the middle of their large bed. On wordless agreement Shouto and Katsuki slipped beneath the covers on either side of Izuku, bracketing him. Their arms stretched over Izuku's sleeping form and settled against each other. Shouto rested his hand in the curve of Katsuki's hip, relishing the press of Izuku between then. When Katsuki's fingers curled just under the waistband of Shouto's pajama pants Shouto buried his face in Izuku's hair and smiled.

"I'm glad you're here."

Shouto shifted and blinked at Katsuki in the darkness. It would be so tempting to say or think that Katsuki was glad of just an extra pair of hands, but Shouto knew, and at this moment he could feel, how much that wasn't true. Life wouldn't always be easy, but it wasn't always a disaster either, and Shouto wanted to experience all of it with Izuku and Katsuki by his side. His two soulmates. He held them both just a little bit closer. "I'm glad I'm here too."

Thank you for reading Cherish My Heart! I hope you enjoyed it. ^_^ If you're hungry for more from this universe I intend to post the next (and final!) one-shot in the Hearts series next Friday afternoon/evening; I hope to see you then!