Two uneventful weeks of his regular life without Katsuki passed by. He didn't have Katsuki's number and he was grateful because he found himself wanting to text Katsuki about literally everything that was nothing.
Hey Kacchan, I saw this book and the angry guy on the cover looked like you.
My mom's cooking again on Sunday (which I guess I told you she does), she said she'd love to see you.
I can't smell popcorn without thinking about you.
Kacchan, did you know your forehead has a tiny wrinkle, you should probably stop frowning so much.
It got increasingly ridiculous, the conversations he had in his head, but by the end of the second week, his mind had resettled into work and finally shut up about Katsuki. When he realised this, he celebrated, by himself, in his office, with a tiny fistpump and a grin. See, Izuku, it was just a crush.
He thought he was alone.
"Hey, Izu."
Izuku almost toppled backward off his chair and he caught his balance before he rocked too far. It was Katsuki. Izu ?
"Kacchan?" Izuku thought he did it again, manifested Katsuki by simply thinking about him. "What are you doing here?"
"I, uh-" Katsuki's hand flew to the short hair at the back of his neck and he scrubbed at it. "I came to see if you were still being harassed by the press. But it seems like it died down."
Izuku narrowed his eyes. It was a long way to come to just check that. His stomach gave a hopeful swoop, hopeful because what if Katsuki wanted to reach out to him the way that he had? He must have taken too long to respond because Katsuki didn't step into the office, just hovered at the door.
"Sorry, nerd. I shouldn't have come-" Katsuki was already saying as he stepped back.
"Wait!" Izuku stood up and almost knocked over his chair. He laughed. "That was nice of you." Izuku's hand found its way up to the back of his head to mirror Katsuki's earlier nervous tell. He promptly dropped it when he realised and stepped around his desk. Katsuki's one foot was in the threshold and he only turned his head, his eyebrow pinched in the middle in more of a worried look than his usual scowl. "I'm fine, Kacchan, I swear."
"You're still hidin' back here, I thought maybe you were still being harassed." Katsuki turned a little and relief might have smoothed out the crease just a little.
"Well, I just like being back here it turns out. How did you get in?" Izuku was shifting slightly and that narrowed the distance between them by a couple inches.
"Ai let me in on her way out." Katsuki's lips hinted at a smirk. "You know it's almost 5, right?"
"I live upstairs, there's not much of a commute." Izuku shifted his eyes briefly to the ceiling to make his point. This felt like flirting, were they flirting? Their arrangement was done. If Katsuki was flirting it was because he wanted to, because it was choice, not obligation. Izuku thought his head might explode.
"My favourite restaurant is right around the corner." Katsuki blurted. Izuku thought that's what Katsuki sounded like if he blurted something, angry he was talking and instantly wanting to take it back all at the same time. Izuku laughed. Katsuki turned a little pink.
"Yea? Do you want to go?" Izuku didn't want to push him but it sounded suspiciously like he wanted to take him, to share with Izuku one of his favourite things. Katsuki's hand was scratching his neck again, the sound of his spiky hair making soft noises as Katsuki did everything to avoid looking Izuku in the eyes. "I'm finished with work anyway." Izuku decided what Katsuki did need was a little encouragement. His stomach hadn't stopped doing hopeful swoops and he was starting to feel nauseous.
"Yea?" Katsuki's eyes flickered to Izuku's face before he looked steadily down the empty dark corridor leading into the bookstore.
"Yea." Izuku said quickly, reluctant to pull away from their almost close proximity to retrieve his wallet from the top drawer of his desk. "I'm set. Let's go."
It was still winter, Katsuki wore a slack slouchy hoodie and Izuku pulled on his coat by the door leading to the upstairs apartment. He felt like Katsuki was peeking past him as hard as he could without getting caught and Izuku grinned at the thought.
Izuku knew this restaurant. It specialised in spicy food but there were non spicy dishes too. He just never liked spicy dishes, plus the place was so expensive, he always avoided it. But he would be lying if he said he was never enticed by the smells that wafted into the street every time the front door tinkled open. It was brightly lit inside and couples and families were filling every table. That didn't deter Katsuki who pushed in with confidence and held the door for Izuku. They were immediately engulfed by spices, garlic, oils, what smelled like grilled meat. Fire licked light onto the walls from the kitchen area and Izuku absentmindedly wiped his chin in case he was drooling.
Snickering and giggling broke Izuku from his bubble and he walked into the solid wall of Katsuki's back. Katsuki had gone stiff, his fists were clenched and Izuku would swear his hairs were bristling. Izuku slid his hand around one of Katsuki's fists and Katsuki jumped, looked over his shoulder and softened slightly. Then the snickering doubled and Izuku spun, searching for the culprits.
Three men and a woman were huddled into a corner and bore unabashed grins as they sneered at Katsuki, going as far as pointing. One of the men and the woman began to make kissing sounds, trying to get Katsuki's attention; Katsuki's fist in Izuku's hand was solid, like he was straining with his entire being not to spin around. Izuku took a step toward them, anger rearing inside of him like an unfamiliar explosion. Katsuki's hand held his forearm and he shook his head minisculely.
"No, Izuku. I'm used to it, it's fine." Katsuki barely turned his head to say it, but Izuku heard him. The snickering had died a little when they saw Izuku about to approach, but ramped up again as Izuku turned to Katsuki to hear his words.
"It's not fine. You shouldn't be used to that!" Izuku's anger made his words sound like a stranger was saying them. "You're a hero!" Then Izuku laughed because of course, this was probably instructions from the Hero Agency telling him to behave himself in public. "Kacchan, let me go-"
"Izuku." Katsuki's eyes were mildly panicked. "There's no use."
"You're just out for food, Kacchan. And they think because you're a public figure that they can just treat you however they like? They must know you have a temper and they're trying to exploit that!" Izuku was whispering furiously close to his face that he could feel Katsuki's impatient breaths on his cheek.
"Can we help you sirs?" A waiter had approached them. Izuku wanted to swat him away. Katsuki's eyes flashed to the man and he wilted a little. "Mr Bakugou. Your place at the back is free, whenever you're ready." Katsuki looked immediately sorry, but the man had disappeared before he could apologise.
Katsuki pulled Izuku along but they didn't go far enough to escape the rowdy foursome.
"Did you see the green haired guy? That the bookstore cutie that was all over the news?" The woman was speaking. "Imagine the sex they're having."
They sat, Izuku and Katsuki were both very still, and Katsuki looked a little green, his eyebrows met in the middle in a scowl without anger. Just restraint.
"Did you see the ass on Dynamight?" A man was talking now. "He should be the bottom, what a waste."
"What makes you think he's not the bottom?" The woman cackled. "I think he has a kink and likes to be manhandled, especially by cuties like his boyfriend."
Katsuki's shoulders were curving more and more inward. Izuku couldn't bear to watch it. The waiter had just arrived and Izuku was already on his feet. "Sorry, Kacchan, I can't listen to this anymore." Izuku approached them and they hushed, confused at first.
"I couldn't help but overhear the conversation." Izuku said with his bright customer service smile before it quickly slipped off his face and he glowered. "I think I need to remind you that Kacch- Dynamight is a person. You're talking about a person. I'm a person."
"What, did we hurt your feelings?" The girl sniggered and got laughs of approval from her peers.
"He doesn't deserve to be spoken about like that. He saves lives for a living." Izuku was being firm, but his words felt weak, at least because it didn't seem to be sinking in. Tears were starting to blur his vision and he was never more frustrated than now with his overactive tear ducts. A hand slipped around his wrist and tugged Izuku gently; it was Katsuki.
"Let's go, Izuku." Katsuki said into his ear. He sounded small. Izuku turned to go with him. Katsuki still spoke into his ear, "Thanks for trying, would've said somethin' if I was still a newbie-" He paused, Izuku stopped with him. "Y'know what?"
Izuku watched him, his hand was back on his fist, but his fist was loosening up and he threaded his fingers into Izuku's for a brief second, he flashed Izuku a smile, inhaled deeply, released his hand and strode past Izuku right up to the table of the offending party.
"Kacchan, no!" Izuku's dissipating anger was quickly replaced by fear.
"Hello, are you fans of mine? I have to apologise for him, he's very protective." Katsuki said in an uncharacteristically sweet voice. Izuku froze, and he realised the restaurant had fallen silent. Phones began to point up, rising like curious heads at the disturbance, wary and expectant. The teasing man and woman, the ones who had puckered the lips and made lewd noises, who spoke about Katsuki like all he was was a sex object, were both pink and red in the face, but everyone looked terrified. Izuku could see up close exactly how terrified of Katsuki people were and he wanted to defend him because he wasn't terrifying, they were just ugly people.
"Would you like me to sign anything? Take a selfie?" Katsuki went around behind them and stooped so that their faces were level. The both of them had gone stiff. Katsuki was smiling very wide, his incisors were sharp and flashed dangerously. Izuku still couldn't move. "No selfie? Aww, that's alright. I wouldn't want the world to know I was tainted by being in the presence of dick swabs like yourself."
Izuku thought his vision had blanked for a second. Did he hear that right?
"Anyway. My boyfriend and I will be sure to never see you again, because you're no longer welcomed to this restaurant. Enjoy the spicy tofu, it's really delicious." Katsuki said as he stood. My boyfriend, Izuku shook his head. It was just words. He was saying it to play it up. My boyfriend . Katsuki walked up to Izuku and slung his long arm over his shoulders and pulled him into a kiss on the temple. "Thanks, babe, for reminding me of my worth."
Izuku fell into stride with him and they stepped back into the cold air with Katsuki laughing at the streetlights where the beginning signs of snow began to streak through the beams.
"That felt good, Izuku." Katsuki was grinning, incisors gleaming in a wide grin that felt non threatening to Izuku and in fact, Katsuki looked beautiful washed orange and blue from the falling night and streetlamp. Katsuki was still laughing like he had inhaled a deep breath of happiness and he was just made of it. Izuku's heart was thrashing from adrenaline.
"The agency really makes you shut up and take it?" Izuku asked in a hushed voice. Katsuki's smile faltered. "No wonder you're angry all the time." Katsuki was a safe distance from Izuku again, not pulling at him and calling him boyfriend or babe and it cleared Izuku's head again.
"Jokes on them. The owner's an old friend of mine, and they are actually banned from dining there. The store has the whole thing on film, so the agency will have no choice but to back me. I'm protected this time around, I think." Katsuki walked away and Izuku jogged to catch up. "I've lost my appetite, nerd. How bout we call it a night?"
"That's fine, Kacchan. I've never eaten there and being in it made me realise I'm missing out." Izuku smiled at his feet.
"Gimme your phone. I'll take ya back there. Kazu will make us his best stuff, and you'd get spoiled rotten." Katsuki held his hand out expectantly. Izuku, without giving himself a chance to question it, dug into his pocket and handed it over, unlocking it with his thumbprint in one motion. Katsuki dialled his number and called, then saved his number under 'Kacchan". Izuku blushed and was grateful for the dark.
"I'll walk ya back to the store, then I gotta bounce." Katsuki held Izuku's phone back out to him nimbly and then continued walking in the direction of Bookmarked . When he shut the door behind him, he heard the telltale explosions of Katsuki blasting to the rooftops.
His stomach had found its way into his chest, and the hopeful feeling had swollen into his lungs so it was difficult to breathe.
What was happening?