"Focus, Midoriya-kun!" Recovery Girl says sharply.

Izuku startles out of his wandering thoughts for the third time that day. "Sorry, Recovery Girl!" He apologizes, hastily continuing to fill in the mock-test she created for him.

His mentor frowns in disapproval. "Your exam is tomorrow," she says, "I don't know what you're so distracted about, but push it out of your mind until after you've gotten your license."

"Of course," Izuku immediately obliges, but internally he sighs. He wishes it was that easy.

God, he can't believe he fell asleep on Todoroki! Cuddling is one thing but that- He might as well have taken the friendship cake Todoroki made and thrown it up! Ugh, he's so embarrassed, he almost couldn't even bring himself to drag his sorry ass out of bed this morning. He was too scared to go down to the first floor for breakfast in fear of coming across Todoroki so he just stayed in his room and ate snacks that he had stored until it was time to go to training, then all but bolted out the door.

Izuku stifles a sigh, struggling to focus on his task at hand while his mind is busy running circles around Todoroki. There's only the barest sliver of hope for him and their friendship in the fact that Todoroki is rather naive when it comes to social intimacy. So he might not even be aware that Izuku falling asleep on him was a pretty… gay thing to do. Or that their whole cuddle session was maybe a little too cuddly to be considered normal for friends. Izuku can still hope.

The next sigh is a bit harder to stifle. He feels Recovery Girl's stern glare prickling his skin and ducks his head.

He does his best to not think about Todoroki throughout the rest of the day. Recovery Girl is right- he really does need to concentrate on preparing for tomorrow's exam. It's probably one of the most important tests he'll ever take in his life, but despite his efforts to focus, his mind keeps wandering back to the bi-colored boy.

It's frustrating- and it's exactly what he wanted to avoid! He knew he would get distracted by Todoroki! That's why he told himself to just be friends, to not try and pursue anything romantic because it wouldn't lead anywhere anyways, and look what happened! His provisional license exam is tomorrow, and all he can think about is Todoroki! God, he's such an idiot!

Izuku grits his teeth and stubbornly ignores the sharp ache in his heart. He pushes through the day, treating the decent number of hero students, from first to third-years, that come in with injuries from their training. He's just in the middle of healing Monoma, who hurt himself trying to use two quirks at once, when the person he least wants to see enters.

"-only a minor setback, of course," the blond is saying in a gloating tone, "I've already perfected three ultimate moves."

Izuku is busy analyzing his dislocated finger, but he lets false awe color his voice as he drawls, "Really? Three?"

Normally he doesn't really mind flattering his hero patients to make them easier to deal with, but today his heart's not really in it. Thankfully, Monoma still seems to buy it and tosses his head with a smug smirk.

"Yeah," he says, "Tomorrow's exam will be a breeze, no doubt. I just feel bad for the other examinees, they don't even know what's-" He suddenly cuts himself off and Izuku glances up to his face twisting into a too-wide grin. "Oh ho ho, what's this? The strongest student in class 1-A got injured?"

Izuku's eyes widen and he whips his head around. Todoroki is standing in the doorway of the infirmary, his face a bloodied mess. Their eyes meet.

"Isn't that weird? I thought class A was supposed to be better than class B? What's their star student doing here? Isn't that weird? Why are you-"

Izuku sets Monoma's finger without warning.

The blond lets out a strangled yelp and Izuku quickly heals him with his quirk. "Alright, time to go back to class, Monoma-kun," he says, struggling to keep his voice light and airy.

Monoma flexes his finger and opens his mouth to complain about the rough treatment, but there must be something in Izuku's expression because he seems to realize that that was an order and not a suggestion. He glances at Todoroki with an arched brow, then looks back at Izuku, then smirks and turns away with his nose in the air. He attempts to shoulder-check Todoroki on his way out, but the taller boy steps aside to let him pass, keeping his eyes on Izuku the entire time.

The greenette can't tell if it's nerves that make his heart flutter, or something else. God, he wishes Recovery Girl hadn't just stepped out to make a call a couple of minutes ago. Nothing good ever happens when he and Todoroki are alone lately, and after last night, Izuku can hardly stand to look at the other boy without wanting to melt into a puddle of sheer embarrassment.

There's a long pause, and then Todoroki's thick, nasally voice breaks the silence. "Can I come in?"

He sounds so different than usual that it's enough to jerk Izuku back to attention. Todoroki's nose is clearly broken and is bleeding pretty heavily. Startling, Izuku goes into healer mode and immediately ushers him inside, ordering him to sit on one of the beds while he pulls out gauze from the cabinet.

"How did this happen?" He asks, gently pressing the gauze to his nose.

Todoroki winces slightly and replies, "Bakugou was practicing one of his ultimate moves on a big rock and he accidentally, uh, blasted it into my face."

Izuku rolls his eyes and sighs, "Kacchan."

"It was an accident." Todoroki shrugs.

"Still, he should be more careful," Izuku says, trying to wipe away the blood so he can see the break better. He leans closer, tilting Todoroki's chin with his other hand as he analyzes the injury. It doesn't seem too bad, actually, most of the blood is coming from scratches from the rock, he could set the break itself pretty easily…

Todoroki's eyes flicker up to his. He suddenly realizes just how close they are as he peers at the other boy's face and jerks away, a flush creeping up his neck.

He mentally scolds himself. This is so unprofessional! Right now, before anything else, Todoroki is his patient! He should do damn well to remember that! Focus on his injuries and then anything else can come afterwards!

Inhaling sharply, he straightens up and forces himself to keep a professional tone as he says, "It doesn't look too bad, so I'm just going to set it now, unless you'd prefer to wait for Recovery Girl to come back in a few minutes. If not, then I'll go ahead, and I'll try not to make it hurt too much but you might get a gush of blood before I heal you, so get ready with that gauze, alright?"

Todoroki nods. "Alright."

He and Izuku switch out holding the gauze and the freckled boy gets to work on setting his nose. A quick push, a wince, and small energy transfer later, and Todoroki's nose is as good as new.

Izuku takes the now blood-soaked gauze from Todoroki and drops it into the trash can. Then, he grabs a fresh one and starts carefully wiping away the rest of the blood off of Todoroki's face. It's not really something he pays much mind to- it's something he would do with anyone because blood is kind of gross and he doesn't like to leave a mess, but, well, it does go a bit beyond his job to clean up heroes. He doesn't even really realize he's started to do it until about ten seconds in when he drags the gauze over where Todoroki's scar once was.

Izuku freezes. Todoroki's face is in his hand, the boy sitting still and compliant in front of him. His lashes- grey on the right, red on the left- flutter as he blinks, heterochromatic eyes watching him with a sharp, attentive gaze, as if calculating and analyzing his every movement. Izuku swallows, his mouth going dry.

It's a familiar feeling, to be held hostage by those eyes. They make his hands shake slightly as he slowly forces himself to continue cleaning up Todoroki's face, unable to tear his gaze away from the other boy's. The blood clears, but still, he remains trapped, feeling as if he's being held in a vice-grip, some unseeable force keeping his eyes locked with Todoroki's. His hand is still on Todoroki's jaw, his fingertips just barely brushing his hair, and he knows, he knows from experience, that if he slid his hand back into his hair, it would be as soft as silk. Would Todoroki let him? It's a crazy thought, but with how close they were last night, and with the way he's looking at him now, some part of Izuku thinks… maybe he just might…

Then Todoroki starts to stand. It's slow, he just shifts, inching forward, sliding off the bed. But he's taller than Izuku, and the height difference between them suddenly seems a lot more noticeable now that they're so close to each other. Izuku has to take a step back to let him get on the ground, and that makes his hand slip off his face, and then the moment- or whatever this charged tension between them was- is broken and Izuku loses his nerve.

Anxiety claws at his throat and he ducks his head, hastily backing away to give Todoroki space. His face burns and his chest feels terrifyingly tight, but he gives himself a mental shake and squeezes his eyes shut, forcing away the sting and only opening them again when he feels like he has somewhat control over himself.

When he lifts his head, he sees Todoroki still standing by the bed, looking at his reflection in the mirror on the wall. Izuku watches as he lifts his hand and touches the spot where his scar once was, then smiles softly.

"It still surprises me sometimes," he says after a long moment of silence, "I'll roll out of bed in the morning, pass by a mirror, and have to do a double-take." He lets out a quiet huff of laughter. Izuku knows he should smile in response, but he just watches warily.

"But I'm glad it's gone," Todoroki continues, still gazing at his reflection with an odd look in his eyes, "My mother cried when she first saw me without it." A spike of fear goes through Izuku, but Todoroki doesn't seem upset. Instead, his soft eyes grow a little warmer. "It'll be easier now without it. There'll be no constant reminder of what happened. We've both truly forgiven each other. And… we can move on now."

Even though there isn't much inflection in his voice, he somehow sounds immensely relieved. Izuku's heart aches.

Then, Todoroki turns to look at him. "It's all thanks to you," he says.

Izuku startles and shakes his head. "Oh, no-"

"No," Todoroki interrupts, hardly letting him get a word in, "Seriously, I owe everything to you." He takes a step towards Izuku, holding his gaze steadily as he says, "I would never have used my left side without you. I would have done exactly as you said and let my hatred for my father grow and hold me back and turn me into a bitter person." He takes another step. "And I would never have been brave enough to mend my bond with my mother. So seriously, Midoriya-kun." He stops in front of Izuku, gazing at him earnestly. "Thank you."

Izuku blinks owlishly, feeling his jaw go slightly slack. Cheeks burning, he swallows and stammers, "Oh- uh… you're welcome."

He gives a wobbly smile, but on the inside he's a little confused. Where the hell did that come from? His gratitude is heartwarming, definitely, but a little… out of the blue? Izuku isn't sure what prompted it.

Todoroki smiles back, but says nothing else. Silence falls between them. A bead of sweat trickles down Izuku's temple as his pulse flutters nervously. Why is Todoroki still here? Izuku already healed him, so what else does he want? Does he- Oh God, is he going to bring up what happened last night? Crap, of course, no wonder he's not leaving, he's going to take advantage of the fact that they're alone and Izuku can't run away.

Izuku can't run away, can he? He honestly considers it, but no- Todoroki is standing pretty close to him- too close- and Izuku's back is only an inch or so away from the bed, so he's trapped. As much as he doesn't want to, he has to have this conversation.

Izuku shifts uncomfortably and bites his lip anxiously, dropping his gaze to the floor. He sighs.

God, this is going to suck.

Taking a deep breath, he looks up. "Listen, Todoroki-"

Todoroki grabs his face and kisses him.

Izuku's brain short-circuits.

Stalls for about five seconds.

Re-routes.

Then,

"WHAT THE FUCK?!" He shrieks in a broken voice, pushing Todoroki away so hard the other boy's back hits the opposite bed. Todoroki stumbles and stares at him with wide eyes as Izuku sputters, "You just- I- you-" He touches his tingling lips. Confusion and frustration finally reaches it's breaking point and he screeches, "Todoroki-kun, what?!"

Todoroki stares like a deer caught in headlights. "I-I'm so sorry! I just- I thought- I-I mean, is this… is this not okay?" His alarmed voice suddenly takes on a hesitant tone that manages to cut through Izuku's panic. He goes still. "I thought after…" Todoroki says uncertainly. His eyes glisten with some emotion, and it takes a moment for Izuku to realize that they're shining with hurt. His heart jolts. "I mean, I thought after Kamino Ward…" He trails off, but the unspoken 'things were different' hangs in the air.

Izuku gapes at him, head spinning as he processes his words. Does… Does that mean…?

"Yes!" He squawks. Todoroki's head snaps up. "I mean, yes! But you- I- What?! I didn't think you thought- and then you never- gah!" He groans in frustration and clutches his head. "I didn't know where I stood with you! I mean, during Kamino we were running on adrenaline and emotions were high and… I don't know! I thought maybe it could have just been a heat-of-the moment kind of thing, so I didn't want to assume… anything, you know?" He sighs, fidgeting, "I don't know, I just didn't want to make you uncomfortable in case you… didn't want... that... too…"

He starts losing his confidence and trailing off because Todoroki is staring at him like he's insane.

"Are you crazy?" Todoroki asks incredulously, "Of course I want to be with you."

He says this so resolutely, so matter-of-factly, like there's not a doubt in his mind that that is what he wants out of life, that for a moment Izuku's heart stops completely, unable to withstand the power of Todoroki's sheer will. His breath hitches and he feels dizzy.

"I felt bad," Todoroki continues, "I took advantage of you when you were emotionally vulnerable and were- literally bleeding to death and- I just- I wanted to- We did things out of order!" He suddenly says the last part loudly and lets out a frustrated growl. Izuku blinks in confusion. "I just-" Todoroki clenches his fists and averts his gaze. "Sometimes I talk about you when I visit my mother-" Izuku nearly has a heart attack at this. "-And sometimes my sister is there too and my sister- she reads these shoujo mangas and they always talk about how you need to make a person like you first by talking to them and doing nice things for them and then you kiss them. So that's what I started doing." Todoroki's shoulders sag. "But I guess I wasn't very good at it if you were so surprised by me kissing you again…"

Izuku's jaw is practically on the floor. His brain can hardly process what his ears are hearing. It doesn't make any sense- shoujo mangas? Todoroki hasn't been copying from one of those, he's just been pretending like the kiss never even happened and very firmly sticking him in the friendzone. But… now that Izuku thinks about it…

"That's what that was?" Realization hits. "Wait, so when you came to my room during move-in day- that wasn't just awkward small talk, you actually wanted to know… just silly little details about my life? About my cat?"

Todoroki blanches. "You thought it was awkward?"

Izuku winces apologetically, then his eyes widen. "Wait, the cake too? That wasn't a friendship peace offering-" Todoroki looks incredibly confused. "-You were trying to woo me!" Izuku declares with a grin, pointing at Todoroki in triumph. The boy's confused expression turns into embarrassment and he flushes, averting his gaze. Izuku's heart melts. "Todoroki-kun," he says softly, "That's really sweet."

Todoroki instantly perks up like a puppy, eyes brightening. A smile grows on Izuku's face without him needing to think about it and he ducks his head shyly. "During move-in day, when we were alone in my room, you didn't say anything about the kiss, so I thought… maybe you just wanted to forget about it…" He explains.

Todoroki shakes his head rapidly. "No, I don't want to! I don't think I could even if I tried!" He immediately shuts his mouth right after, ears tinging pink.

Izuku can't help letting out a little giggle, immeasurable relief leaving him feeling like he's on cloud nine. "Me neither," he rasps.

Todoroki's eyes light up and he smiles. There's a brief moment of silence in which the two gaze at each other happily. Then, he gestures to Izuku and hesitantly asks, "So… Um… Can- Can I…?"

Izuku blinks innocently, then his eyes widen in realization. "Oh- Oh! Oh, right, yes- um-" He glances around quickly, not quite knowing what to do with himself. "Right, yeah, let's- let's do that- so, just, um, okay... okay, yeah, how should we- oh!"

Todoroki is already striding across the space between the two beds. Nerves shoot up from Izuku's stomach into his throat and he feels a blush blossom across his face. "Oh! Okay, cool, so-"

Then Todoroki's right in front of him and his hand is on his cheek and wow this is moving fast. Izuku knows his eyes must be wide eyes saucers and he clamps his mouth shut to prevent his heart from escaping his lips- but wait, should he open his mouth? No, that's for serious kissing, isn't it? How do people kiss? How the hell did he do this last time? Oh, fuck, Todoroki's face is really close now-

Warm lips press against his. It's… drier than last time. Probably due to the lack of blood and tears. They hold for a few seconds, and then Izuku thinks, 'Now what?'

There's a soft puff of air against his skin and Izuku suddenly remembers that he needs to breathe. That's probably why he's so dizzy. He exhales through his mouth and kind of ends up breathing directly on Todoroki's lips, which is a little weird, so he tries breathing through his nose instead. Much better.

They have to put a small, half-centimeter of space between them in order to exhale, but Todoroki immediately presses their lips together again. His hand curves around Izuku's jaw, tilting his head slightly so that their noses aren't smashed together, and this angle is a lot more comfortable now. Their lips don't move much against each other, but when they break apart slightly, they go right back into another kiss.

They're both hesitant, testing the waters to see what's okay and what's not. Izuku doesn't know what to do with his hands, but he kind of feels like he's two seconds away from passing out, so clinging to Todoroki for dear life sounds good. He slides hands up Todoroki's back and clutches his broad shoulders, digging his fingers into the hard muscle. In response, he feels Todoroki's free arm slip around his waist, and he nearly dies right then and there.

The kiss deepens. Todoroki presses a bit closer and tilts his head so that Izuku's bottom lip catches between his. The freckled boy inhales, a pleasant tingling starting to pool in his stomach. This is actually beginning to feel quite nice. Todoroki's other hand starts to slide towards the back of Izuku's head, fingers tangling in his curls as he gently guides him into his kisses. He seems to want to take the lead, and Izuku is more than willing to follow, but something niggles in the back of his mind.

After a few moments, he reluctantly pulls away and pants, "You're- haah- a lot better at this than the, uh, the first time."

Todoroki leans his forehead against his and whispers in a low, husky voice, "I Googled it." Before diving in to kiss him again.

Izuku struggles not to laugh.

Todoroki kisses him a bit more insistently this time. There's still some hesitance, and Izuku is still a little nervous, but he welcomes Todoroki enthusiastically, and the taller boy presses into him with a renewed eagerness. He steps closer, Izuku steps backwards, and his lower back hits the edge of the bed, and Todoroki steps closer still, leaning into him, forcing his head to tip back even further as he devours his mouth. Their lips move against each other, slowly at first, then they become a bit bolder, more demanding. Fingers tangle in Izuku's curls, pulling lightly at his scalp, and a little shiver of pleasure causes his whole body to tremble. Todoroki makes a low noise in the back of his throat.

There's a sudden sense of urgency in the air. Todoroki kisses him like he's finally eating a dessert that he's been waiting ages for, relentlessly claiming his lips over and over again like he can't get enough. Izuku feels like he's about to be swept away by the storm that is Todoroki Shouto, and by God, he is not complaining.

Teeth gently nip at his lower lip and Izuku's breath hitches, sparks shooting down his spine. A warm, wet tongue flicks briefly over the nipped spot, soothing it, and Izuku is starting to feel a little light-headed. He pulls away slightly, just to readjust, to give him some space to breathe, to think, but Todoroki chases after his lips persistently, determined to make his head spin endlessly.

Izuku clings to his shoulders like a lifeline as the coiling pressure in his stomach increases with every breath Todoroki steals from him. The arm wrapped around his lower back keeps him firmly trapped against Todoroki's chest, the taller boy practically bending him backwards as he leans him towards the bed.

All of the sudden, their pelvises rub together just so and a jolt of electricity goes through Izuku, a strangled whine escaping his lips. Todoroki lets out a guttural groan too and rolls his hips against his again, making Izuku hiss and dig his fingers into the hard muscles of his shoulders. Every inch of him is surrounded by Todoroki, by his scent, his touch- it's overwhelming, it's too much, it's not enough.

A foot steps between his legs, Todoroki reaches down with his hand to press his hip against the mattress and-

"Oi, Zuku do you know where- WHAT THE FUCK?!"

Izuku immediately jerks away from Todoroki with a wet 'plop' and whips his head around to see Kacchan standing in the doorway. The blond's face is white as a sheet, his jaw slack in shock and his expression a mix of pure, unadulterated horror and disgust.

Then, Kirishima's friendly face pops over his shoulder. When his eyes land on Izuku and Todoroki's compromising position, he breaks out into a toothy grin. "Oh, hell yeah, finally!"

Izuku's cheeks burn.

Kacchan just keeps staring at them with wide, horrified eyes. "What the fuck?" He whispers, aghast.

Kirishima, on the other hand, just keeps grinning. "Yeah, get 'im, Todoroki-kun!" He cheers, flashing him a thumbs up, "I'll take care of this guy!"

Hardening himself, Kirishima wraps his arms around a stunned Kacchan's chest and starts dragging him away, closing the door behind him with his foot. There's a moment of silence, then-

"Wait a minute, wait a minute, wAIT A FUCKING MINUTE GET YOUR FUCKING PAWS OFF HIM YOU BASTARD!"

The door shudders violently as Kacchan starts banging against it and, from the sounds of it, starts trying to blow it up. There's a grunt, and then sounds of scuffling occur as Kirishima presumably tackles him.

"Bro, I thought you wanted this to happen!"

"I DIDN'T THINK HE'D ACTUALLY FUCKING DO IT FUCK OFF IT'S NOT FUNNY ANYMORE!"

The grunting and explosions continue.

Izuku stares at the door in dismay. Somebody please kill him. Please, can the earth just open up and swallow him whole right now?

Todoroki, who hasn't moved a single inch and is still pinning Izuku against the bed by his hips, gazes at the door for a few moments, seeming entirely unconcerned by the interruption, before he turns back to Izuku and leans forward to kiss him again.

"Todoroki-kun!" Izuku sputters, turning his face away. But Todoroki doesn't stop, he just plops his forehead down on Izuku's shoulder and pouts. Izuku's heart flutters, but the sounds of Kacchan and Kirishima's scuffling are too close for his comfort. "They're right outside," he tells him.

It should be the end of it. Obviously, they can't make out with their friends mere feet from them. But when Izuku tries to squirm out of Todoroki's grip, the taller boy still doesn't let him go. Izuku hears him grumble unintelligibly under his breath.

"Todoroki-kun," he says chastisingly, "Come on."

Todoroki's hands flex on his hips, and his hair drags along his shoulder as he moves his head closer to his neck. Izuku can feel the hot puff of his breath on his collar bone. He swallows, suddenly growing nervous.

"We're in the infirmary," he says a little dizzily, "This is inappropriate."

Todoroki responds by kissing his neck and Izuku gasps, squirming even more. "To-Todoroki-kun! Oh-" His breath hitches when Todoroki's lips pepper kisses over the scarred skin of his throat.

"Come- Come on now, Todoroki-kun, that-that's enough," he stutters breathlessly, shuddering in the other boy's grasp. He tries to crane his head away, but that only gives more for Todoroki to kiss. His lips find a particularly sensitive spot underneath Izuku's ear and the freckled boy jolts, squealing, "Recovery Girl will be back any second!"

Finally, that seems to deter Todoroki enough for him to stop. Izuku lets out a sigh of relief as he pulls away, but the other boy looks so utterly disgruntled at having to do so that Izuku can't help but giggle.

His heart softens a little. Well, if Todoroki really has been trying for so long to woo him, can he really blame the guy for getting a bit carried away?

Smiling shyly, Izuku leans up on his tippy-toes and gently kisses Todoroki on the forehead. "We can, um, continue that another time," he says, blushing nervously.

Todoroki perks up.

The door slides open.

"Do I even want to know why there are scorch marks on my door?" Recovery Girl asks, eying said door warily as she walks in. Todoroki quickly steps away from Izuku and the latter immediately straightens up, trying to subtly fix his rumpled clothing without his mentor noticing.

"Oh! Uh…" Izuku glances at the empty hallway. Kirishima must've somehow dragged Kacchan away. "Kacchan was here and he was, uh, a little upset."

Recovery Girl sniffs. "Glad I missed that, then. Sorry I was gone for so long, Doctor Akada-san kept yammering on." As she starts walking over to her desk, she glances pointedly at Todoroki. "And you? Are you injured or-?"

Todoroki startles. "Oh! No- uh, no, he fixed me. I'll go now. Uh-" He glances at Izuku, then quickly looks away. "Bye."

He disappears without another glance at either of them, leaving Izuku alone with Recovery Girl. The greenette shifts uncomfortably, all too aware of the flush in his face and how messy his clothes and hair must be. His mentor gazes after Todoroki for a moment, an extra wrinkle in her brow, then turns to look at him. Dread curls in his stomach, and he prays to whatever god there is out there that she doesn't figure it out. But apparently the world is cruel and there is no god, because then her eyes widen ever so slightly in realization, and Izuku is doomed.

"You know what, it's almost 4PM-" Izuku says, glancing at the clock. Fifteen minutes 'till. Close enough, he can clock out early, can't he? "So, uh, can I just… go?"

Please?

Recovery Girl is feeling merciful today, because her face smoothes into neutral amusement as she nods and says, "Yes, yes, you may go."

"Thank you." Izuku gathers his things with lightning speed, not noticing that Recovery Girl has gotten up and made her way back across the room until she's meeting him at the door as he's escaping into the hallway.

"And Midoriya-kun?"

"Yes?" He turns around, his stomach sinking at the sight of the twinkle in his mentor's eyes.

She smiles. "I know Todoroki-kun is very cute, but please keep any intimate activities out of my office. Thank you."

The door closes in his face.

Izuku buries his face in his hands and lets out a long, pitiful groan of embarrassment.

Katsuki wants to burn his eyes out. The image of IcyHot chewing on Zuku's face as he pins him to the bed is seared into his brain, making the blond want to puke his guts out, and then blast the half n' half bastard all the way across Japan.

How fucking dare he?!

His pupils narrow into pinpricks, fiery, hot rage pooling into his veins.

"I am going to kill that motherfucker," he hisses as he stomps through the hallway, hackles raised.

Shitty Hair appears at his side, jogging to keep up. "Aw, come on, man, it's not that bad!"

Katsuki whips his head towards him. "Not that bad? Not that bad?" He snarls in his face, "He was fucking swapping spit with my Zuku!"

Shitty Hair blinks, sweat-dropping, and laughs nervously. "Haha, yeah, but, uh… you know… it seemed like he was having a good time?" Katsuki's eye twitches and Shitty Hair throws his hands up. "Midoriya-kun, I mean!"

Katsuki bares his teeth and swings back around, continuing to stomp down the hall. "Zuku is too soft-hearted for his own good- he'd fall for any moron with a pretty face," he growls dismissively, then narrows his eyes, "But that bastard- fuck, after everything, I thought maybe he fucking-" He cuts himself off, gritting his teeth as he glares at the ground.

He thought IcyHot fucking understood. Yeah, he knew the guy had a thing for Zuku, but that was just something to laugh at, an annoyance at most when the bastard got a little too close for comfort. He didn't think he'd actually act on it, he thought he understood how- what Zuku is to him! He thought he respected that enough not to act on it! But he still- Katsuki has laid out all of his insecurities before him, he knows just how important Zuku is to him, he knows all of this, and he still-

Katsuki grits his teeth, a sharp sting that feels far too close to betrayal pricking his heart.

"Damn it," he hisses under his breath.

Shitty Hair watches him silently. There's a hint of confusion in his eyes, but he simply plasters on a smile and puts a hand on Katsuki's shoulder.

"Hey, man- all that's important is Midoriya-kun's happiness, right?" He asks. Katsuki glances at him sharply. Shitty Hair tilts his head, gazing at him imploringly. "That's all you want, isn't it? For him to be happy?"

He thinks of new scars, of dark circles under tired eyes, of a haunted gaze after a bad nightmare, of all the lingering effect of his failure-

"Of fucking course I do!" He snaps.

"Good." Shitty Hair smiles. "Then it shouldn't be that hard." He shrugs. "I mean, I know you don't really like Todoroki-kun, but honestly, I think he could be really good for Midoriya-kun!"

"But why the fuck does he need him? Why the fuck am I not enough for him?" Kacchan blurts out, then snaps his jaws shut.

Shitty Hair hardly skips a beat though, and immediately shakes his head. "It's not that you're not enough! No way, man!" He meets Katsuki's agitated gaze and gives him a cocky grin. "It's just that you don't bake him shitty cakes or walk into walls at the sight of his delicious abs or nearly burst into flames when he falls asleep on your shoulder-" He laughs. "It's just different, man. You can like people in different ways, you know?" He sobers up slightly, his smile growing softer as he gazes at Katsuki. "And… what you have with Midoriya-kun… that will always be yours. I mean, Todoroki-kun's not gonna take that away from you. He couldn't, even if he tried! You guys have been by each other's side all your lives, and you'll always be there for him, so… you know…" Shitty Hair scratches the back of his head, struggling to find his words, before he just gives up and says, "You've got nothing to worry about!"

Katsuki stares at him, processing his words. What he has with Zuku…

IcyHot's words echo in his ears, "I know you have something special with him and I respect that, believe me, I do…"

He and Zuku do have something special, something that even IcyHot himself has acknowledged. Years of being by each others' side, of playing together, of fighting, learning, growing- of course Todoroki can't take that away from him! Did he really think that a pretty face and a few weeks of awkward flirting would replace years of friendship and loyalty? No way! Shitty Hair's right, he doesn't have anything to worry about!

The knot in his chest loosens slightly, and he starts to feel a little stupid. Of course Zuku wouldn't replace him with IcyHot. He may find him charming or whatever, but what they've got is different.

Katsuki blinks.

What they've got is different.

He glances at Shitty Hair. The redhead's friendship with him is a strange one. For some reason, Shitty Hair seems to actually like him, and for some other reason, Katsuki actually seems to like him back. He can be incredibly stupid and annoying at times, but Katsuki found himself relying heavily on his cheer to keep him calm during Zuku's rescue. He's not emotionally stunted enough to not be able to admit his own feelings to himself. Being able to admit them to other people is another matter entirely.

But as he trudges through the hallway with the redhead, he thinks of the way he likes Shitty Hair versus the way he likes Zuku. They're wildly different, but… both ways are equally important to him. The emotions aren't stronger on one side, even though he kind of feels like they should be since he's known Zuku longer, but... he really likes Shitty Hair and he can't imagine his life without the idiotic redhead in it.

So it must be the same for Zuku then. The way he likes IcyHot... it's the same way Katsuki likes Shitty Hair. And even though Zuku may hold him and IcyHot the same value in emotions… he's not being replaced by IcyHot. Because it's like they're not even competing in the same field.

Katsuki clenches his jaw. IcyHot... He thinks of the way Zuku looks at him with his sparkling eyes, how IcyHot's gaze softens at the sight of him. He thinks of how he made sure to include him in the rescue plan because he knew how important it would be to him, even though he could have gone ahead with the others without him. He thinks of the pain in his voice when he talked about how he failed to protect Zuku. He thinks of his determination to get Zuku back, and how it rivaled his own. How he did the most important thing of all, the thing that Katsuki still has trouble doing when it comes to Zuku- he succeeded. How he got all protective over him during the movie night and insisted on carrying him to bed, even when Katsuki teased and challenged him in front of everyone.

And the thing is- for all his taunting and nagging, IcyHot never let Katsuki push him around, never let him push him away from Zuku. Katsuki can- begrudgingly- respect that. It shows that he's not a little bitch that will run away as soon as things get hard.

It shows that he's serious about this.

Katsuki grits his teeth. Fuck. He doesn't like this. Part of him feels he's losing Zuku, in a way. And he still doesn't like IcyHot one bit. But, if Zuku's going to be dating anyone, then as his best friend it's Katsuki's duty to make sure that he's going to be treated like a goddamn prince.

So, he lets out a slow, steady exhale, and says in a deadly calm voice, "I need to have a talk with IcyHot."

"Okay…" Shitty Hair nods, eyeing him warily, "Just… don't kill him please?"

"No promises."

They reach Heights Alliance, and Katsuki stations himself right outside IcyHot's dorm waiting for the other boy to arrive. As soon as he steps out of the elevator and their eyes meet, Katsuki fixes him with a glare and jerks his thumb over his shoulder.

"Inside. Now." He growls.

IcyHot nods, expressionless, and moves to open his door. Katsuki follows him into his room, casting a quick, judgemental glance at the tatami flooring, before IcyHot turns to face him. He inclines his head, signaling him to speak.

Katsuki levels him with a glowering look. Not ten minutes ago, he was playing tonsil hockey with Katsuki's precious childhood friend. His lip curls.

"Listen here, you candy-cane primadonna, because I'm only gonna say this one fucking time," he spits, "That shit was fucking disgusting, and I don't ever wanna see it again." IcyHot stares at him, unphased. Katsuki sneers, "I still don't fucking like you, but for some reason, Zuku does. It boggles my fucking mind, really- I don't get what he sees in you. You've been a pain in my ass since day one at UA, but of course you're the one I catch Zuku dry humping in the nurse's office!" He lets out a sharp, bitter bark of laughter, gritting his teeth as he glares at IcyHot.

The other boy gazes at him impassively, his face carefully blank, like he's a fucking robot or something. It fills Katsuki's chest with hot rage. He's so different from Zuku- Zuku is emotional and soft-hearted and stubborn and far too kind for his own good but it's his best quality and how the hell will it work between someone like him and a stone-cold bitch like IcyHot who doesn't feel a fucking thing?!

-But that's not true. That's not true and Katsuki knows it because he's seen past his cold exterior, broken down by failure that he knows all too well, and he's seen the wildfire crackling beneath, blazing with determination to save Zuku. He knows that IcyHot is far from emotionless. And the icy facade only ever seems to melt when it comes to Zuku…

Katsuki huffs through his nose, chest aching. Zuku. How does he do this to them? Doesn't even have a combative quirk, and yet he has such a terrifying amount of power over the two strongest students of class 1-A. Probably everyone in class 1-A, if not the entire school at this point. It's just the effect he has on people. Katsuki has seen it throughout their entire lives; has watched people flock to Zuku like moths to an open flame, drawn to his genuine sweetness and warm smiles that he gives out so generously like they don't make everyone's day just a bit brighter and- fuck, it's really a goddamn wonder Zuku hasn't been snatched up by someone sooner. Katsuki needs to make sure IcyHot is damn well aware of just how fucking lucky he is that his friend has even decided to so much as lay eyes on him.

Taking a deep breath, he growls in a low voice, "I've known Zuku practically my entire life. I know him like the back of my fucking hand. I know that he is trusting, and that he is kind, and that he is more than you or I will ever deserve." He spits out the words, fixing the other boy with a fierce glare and ignoring the stinging in his eyes as he peels his lips back and snarls, "I don't fucking like you, but I love him, and you're gonna fucking make him happy whether you like it or not! Midoriya Izuku is the best thing in our lives, so everything you do from here on out is for him, alright? Every battle you fight, every sacrifice you make, is for him! You're going to give him everything you have, and then more! You give him the best life! Fucking got it?!"

His voice has risen to a shout by the end of it and he glowers at IcyHot with his teeth bared, waiting for him to respond. The other boy is silent, staring at him with slightly wide eyes, but after a moment his expression smoothes out and he presses his lips together, giving a short, resolute nod. His eyes are steely with a silent promise.

"Got it," he says.

Katsuki's nostrils flare. "Good!" He snaps, then adds, "And if you break his heart, I'm blasting you to bits!"

IcyHot nods again. "I wouldn't expect anything less from you."

God, he's so fucking calm, it just makes Katsuki want to-

"Good!" He whirls around, shoving his sweaty hands in his pockets. "Fucking bye, then!" He stomps towards the door.

Zuku would be upset if he blew up his new boyfriend.

Admittedly, maybe Izuku should have known better than to go to Todoroki's room. With Kacchan's room so close by, and the fact that he left the infirmary sooner than them, he probably should have been more wary. But he didn't hear any noises coming from the blond's room, so he assumed that Kirishima took him somewhere else! It was only natural then that he would hope that perhaps he and Todoroki could perhaps continue where they had left off in the infirmary.

But before he can even knock on the door, it swings open and Kacchan appears on the other side. Izuku lets out an embarrassing squawk and stumbles back in surprise. Kacchan doesn't even stop moving and just grabs him by the front of the shirt.

"Alright, you're next," he grunts, dragging him along as he turns and starts walking towards the greenette's room. He opens the door, glaring at Izuku for leaving it unlocked, and pushes the stumbling boy inside.

"Kacchan!" Izuku stammers, clumsily regaining his balance as he whirls around to see the blond kicking the door closed behind him and fixing him with an irritated look. He swallows nervously. "I… uh-"

"Con-fucking-gratulations or whatever on finally nailing IcyHot," Kacchan interrupts, wrinkling his nose distainfully.

Izuku flinches, cheeks heating up. "Kacchan…"

"That shit was disgusting," Kacchan grunts, "Keep it in your pants next time."

Izuku's face burns even hotter. He opens his mouth to reply, but Kacchan starts walking towards him, shoulders hunched, hands in his pockets. Before he can react, Kacchan is right in front of him, dropping his forehead onto his shoulder with a soft sigh. Izuku goes still as silence falls between them.

For a few moments, neither of them speak. Izuku waits.

"I know we already dealt with this shit earlier…" Kacchan says quietly against his shirt, "And I know I have no right to say this but…" There's a long pause before he finally says, "You're mine." He leans his head against the side of Izuku's neck, grumbling petulantly, "I've known you for almost fifteen years, I think I have some right to say that."

Izuku swallows and lets out a sigh, reaching up to wrap his arms around his back. He rests his chin on the blond's shoulder, humming in thought.

An old memory floats to the surface of his mind.

"I'm going to become the best damn hero this world has ever seen, and you're going to become the best damn healer. And you are going to be mine."

This isn't like that, though. Kacchan has long since grown past that. They both have.

Izuku inhales deeply, breathing in his friend's burnt sugar scent, and exhales, "I know. You do." He squeezes him briefly. "You're mine too," he giggles, then sobers up slightly, "But just because I'm gonna… be with Todoroki-kun, I guess, that doesn't mean I'm gonna forget about you."

"I know," Kacchan grumbles.

"You'll always be my bestest friend in the whole wide world," Izuku says teasingly.

"I know," Kacchan groans, a touch of annoyance in his tone as he sags his weight against him. "I just-" He presses his lips together. "Had to say it."

Izuku smiles and hugs him a bit tighter. Kacchan finally takes his hands out of his pockets and wraps his arms around him as well. For a couple of minutes, the two friends simply stand there hugging, taking comfort in each other's embrace.

Then, Izuku's eyes fly open.

"Wait a minute," he says, "Why were you in Todoroki-kun's room?"

"Oh." Kacchan shrugs. "I gave him my blessing."

Izuku blinks in confusion.

"You... what?"