The boys came back to the house after the sledding debacle. The group of four were reduced to two since Izuku was still unconscious and Todoroki left earlier than planned because of an unexpected call from his sister.
The stoic boy didn't say much throughout the phone call, often just nodding his head before responding with a curt "Yes" when he realized she couldn't see him. The two teens watching him assumed it was good news though as Shoto's expressionless face lit up into a slightly less dead inside one. He gathered his clothes and other belongings shortly after their conversation ended.
"It's been a ride." The eccentric boy had said monotonously as he bid his farewells. An odd way to say he had fun but at least he was trying to express himself.
Communication was something they could all stand to improve upon...
"Sorry, could you repeat that again?" Kirishima asked while petting Jr. Explosion Murder. He was sitting on the left side of his bed and spoke in a low tone so as to not awaken Midoriya, who laid in the middle.
"Go fuck yourself on a cactus." the blonde hissed from the other side of the bed.
"No, no, I don't think that was it." Kirishima smirked. The smirk suddenly dropped. "Or was it? I really couldn't hear you, but! I think you asked…." he pointed a finger at the blonde as he squinted his eyes in thought.
"How do you...fret over a...rush?"
Katsuki stared blankly at the redhead.
"Yeah, that doesn't make sense-okay, how do youuuuu..let go of a...tush?" Kirishima's eyes widened in realization.
"OHHHHH! MIDORIYA'S T-OWW!"
"HOW DO YOU GET OVER A CRUSH YOU FUCKING MORON!?"
The room turned deafeningly silent.
Kirishima's hands froze on the area he was hit as he digested the words. Bakugou was currently hunched over Izuku's body, fists shaking on top of the mattress but ready to go should the redhead need another smack. The bed dipped slightly as Izuku rolled over on his side.
"Kaa..cchann.." the sleeping boy murmured softly. His nose scrunched like a rabbits' as he shifted closer towards Katsuki. Bakugou steadily turned into the color of Kirishima's hair as Izuku leaned his forehead against his knee and smiled that smile that always drove Katsuki crazy. The red faced blonde carefully shifted away from the teen as he sat back in his seat and looked anywhere except Kirishima's way.
He just knew the bastard was wearing a shit eating grin.
"Damn, you got it bad."
"Who the fuck asked you?"
The redhead gave him a pointed look.
"...I don't know who else to talk to about this shit. Google was no fucking help."
"Well, first of all," Kirishima clapped his hands together loudly, which startled the kitten off his lap, "Congratulations! You got over the hardest step-admitting it. I'm proud of you bro! Now, the second step depends on the route you wanna take." Kirishima bought his fingers together the way a doctor or therapist would.
I regret everything. Katsuki thinks.
"I'm guessing you don't want to pursue a relationship?"
Bakugou stayed silent, Kirishima took that as a yes.
"Why not?" the redhead questioned. Midoriya obviously likes you back Kirishima wanted to say but refrained from doing so 'cause of the bro code.
"Because," Bakugou groaned as he pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. "Deku's...Deku."
Kirishima waited for him to continue.
"He's Deku." Katsuki repeats. "The same annoying kid who's been following me around since pre-k, he's a nerd. And a loser. And a crybaby. A dumbass who rushes in to save everyone without any regard for himself. He's way too fucking kind and understanding and forgiving for his own good...that's why everyone loves him. He's sweet, and easy to talk to, he's one of the few people on Earth who'll listen to you and actually hear you and-fucking hell!" Katsuki abruptly cut himself off and slammed a fist down on a nearby drawer.
The sound echoed through the room. The atmosphere was suddenly thick with tension as smoke steamed through the angry teen's palms.
"I bullied him." Katsuki's fingers clenched and unclenched in a repetitive motion. "I made Deku miserable for years, how can I say I like him after that? It's fucking absurd." Katsuki chuckled cynically.
What a fucking joke.
Kirishima was quiet for a moment. He then tentatively says "...You know he forgave you Bakugou..."
"He shouldn't have." the other replies sharply.
"Dude, you're not the same person you were then. Hell, you're not the same person you were a few months ago. You've changed-for the better, everyone in 1-A's noticed. Midoriya most of all." Eijiro's eyebrows furrowed together. "Don't beat yourself up over the past."
Katsuki remained silent for a long time.
"...Either way, Deku deserves more…." Bakugou sighed exasperatedly. "So how the fuck do I move on?"
Kirishima sighs as well, unsure of how he could convince Bakugou that he is worthy of Midoriya's affection. The redhead decides that his friend needs a distraction from his predicament right now and so changes the topic.
"Let's go bake some cookies, that'll help you get over him!"
Izuku's eyes fluttered open at the distant sound of childrens' laughter amongst the clanging of pots and pans. A ceiling fan hung low above him, the color of the ceiling itself was indiscernible as it was littered with glow in the dark stars.
Why am I in Kirishima's room? Izuku wondered as he sat up. The thought was soon forgotten as a different question popped to mind.
What is that smell?
It smelled amazing, a sweet blend of chocolate hazelnut mixed with vanilla extract surrounded his senses.
A loud "GODDAMN IT!" rang out from the corridor, followed by a chorus of high pitched laughter. "SHUT UP YA BRATS!" This time Izuku giggled along with them.
He sounds just like Aunt Mitsuki right now. Izuku thought to himself as he went to the kitchen. The green haired boy stopped at the entryway, arms crossed as he simply watched his crush of eleven years.
The oblivious blonde was currently scraping crisp, tan cookies off the tray and into the trash while Kirishimas' young cousins gathered around him, attempting to snatch the cookies as they fell.
"Don't touch those you little sh-kids."
Izuku held back a bout of laughter at the blondes' subtle correction. His feet began shuffling towards his angry friend as Katsuki shooed the kids away. The blondes' hands seemed to slip slightly as he noticed the other boy approaching, tray falling almost completely in the trash.
"Why're you throwing them out?" Midoriya questioned. "They look amazing." He said as he took one of the surviving cookies. It was fresh out of the oven so Izuku blew lightly on it before taking a bite.
Mmmhhmm, soooo goood. The chocolate melted on his tongue, it tasted heavenly.
Katsuki's gaze settled somewhere around Izuku's shoulder as he replied, "I left them in too long...they're rough around the edges..."
Izuku blinked. Kacchan seemed awkward somehow. The tips of his ears were tinted pink and he wasn't meeting Izuku's eyes at all, not to mention his voice was unusually soft and hesitant, almost as if he was unsure of himself.
Is he...embarrassed? Of what, the cookies? Izuku bite down on his lip to prevent a squeal from escaping. Why is that so cute?
Izuku instead let out a small chuckle. "Ever the perfectionist I see." Katsuki merely rolled his eyes. After a moment he asked the green haired boy,
"...How's your head?"
"Eh? Oh, it's much better now, thanks to you." Izuku continued smiling despite the growing heat in his cheeks. The last thing he remembered was falling asleep against Kacchan's shoulders, he could only assume that Kacchan carried him all the way down the mountain.
Bakugou shrugged and set the empty tray in the sink. "I didn't do anything." he grumbled, going towards the fridge. He took two eggs out and cracked them in a bowl, preparing to make a second batch.
Izuku hummed, lightly rocking back and fourth on the heels of his feet in a childlike manner.
"Can I help?"
Katsuki thought he would have a harder time talking to Deku due to the circumstances but surprisingly, conversation flowed easily between them.
"He even had the 10th anniversary tapestry that wasn't for sale! I wanted it soooo bad, I wanted everything in his office-"
"You're telling me that Nighteye's an even bigger fanboy than you are?" Katsuki snorted as he whisked away at the lumps. "That's not possible."
"Kacchan, I swear! I'll introduce you one day, then you can see for yourself! Oh, but don't forget to have a good joke prepared before you meet him, okay?"
Katsuki held back a bark of laughter at imagining Deku's All Might face. How did Nighteye not laugh at that? That always managed to make Katsuki crack up in their younger days, and Deku hadn't even perfected it then.
Bakugou suddenly felt the urge to see it again.
"Lemme see your All Might face." He said, handing the bowl to Deku.
"No, I'm not making that face again! Not until it's perfect." Izuku said determinedly as he scooped the dough out onto the tray and began shaping them. Katsuki leaned against the white, kitchen island, face in his palms as he attempted to convince the boy.
"C'mon, just do it."
"Nooooooo." The green haired boy refused, carefully cutting the edges of the cookie into a tree shape.
"Ya know ya wanna." The blonde said with a temptatious lilt to his voice as he stepped closer.
"Um, no, I don't." Izuku replied, too focused on the task at hand to notice the step.
"Sure about that?" Katsuki asked, slowly inching closer.
"Yeah."
"Positive?"
"Yup."
"Are you really, really sure?"
"Yea-Ah! Kacchan!" Izuku yelped in surprise. His freckled face was currently smushed in between the blondes' rough hands, cheeks pulled upwards by calloused thumbs. Izuku laughed as the blonde tugged harder on his cheeks.
"S-stop it!" he gasped in between his giggles, struggling to remove the others' hold on him.
"I'm just trying to help, Nighteye said you were off by a few centimeters right?" Katsuki grinned as he trapped the smaller boy in between himself and the counter. He stretched the cute face out even further. "I'm gonna make you an exact fucking replica." He whispered by his ear.
"Is that a threat?" Izuku laughed, unaware of how close the blonde was.
"No, of course not." The previous statement was accompanied with a menacing smile.
Kirishima watched the scene from a distance, shaking his head at his pining friends. How do they not know? It's so clear. He thought inwardly as he walked away to the living room, giving the pair privacy.
Show him he's worthy, Midoriya.
It was finally time to leave the Kirishima household. Izuku stood besides Katsuki at the front door as he waved to Kirishima's family.
"Thank you for having us, it was nice meeting you all!" Izuku said, although he hadn't really met anyone. Regardless, they all shouted friendly farewells back.
"Goodbye!"
"Nice meeting you too!"
"Byeeeee!"
"Come again soon." Kirishima's mother smiled.
"See you later bros." Her son winked.
"Bye." Kirishima's father said last, abruptly slamming the door shut while everyone was still saying their goodbyes.
Izuku froze mid-wave and sweatdropped as a muffled "Why are you so you?" could be heard from the other side, most likely Mrs. Kirishima.
"Kirishima's dad doesn't seem to like us much..." Izuku said weakly to the blonde next to him.
"Nah, he's always like that, it's just his personality...reminds me of Aizawa kinda." Katsuki said thoughtfully.
"Huh, he kinda does.." The green haired boy agreed in wonder. "Mr. Aizawa as a famous clown…" Izuku shook the bizarre thought off.
"Okay, we should get going now." He was about to begin walking when a warm hand stopped him in his tracks.
Eh?
Izuku's curls whipped the air as he turned to stare dubiously at the teen holding his hand.
Vibrant red eyes stared back.
"Not yet." Katsuki said, defined features free of expression, giving Izuku no clue as to what the other was thinking.
A blush belatedly made its way up Izuku's face.
"Kacchan, what're you…?"
Katsuki ignored the unfinished question and tugged Izuku's hand slightly, pulling him forward. The confused boy could do nothing but open and shut his mouth like a fish out of water as the blonde came closer. He leaned down and pressed his forehead against the smaller boys'.
"Ka-Kac-chan..?" He stammered, beyond baffled at his childhood friends actions. Because seriously,
Where is this coming from?!
"Deku." Katsuki replied gently, sending shivers down Izuku's spine as the breath mingled with his own irregular breathing. Bakugou's other hand came up to cradle Deku's trembling jawline, effectively short-circuiting Izuku's brain when he tilted his chin upwards so that their lips were lined up.
Asdafbwvjbveftralkadnlkdnqwhivbquweoerhwhat? What!?
Izuku could hear his heartbeat in his ears as the tips of their noses touched. Time seemed to slow down yet speed up at the same time.
Ohmygodohmygodohmygod, is this actually happening? He could see every little detail in Katsuki's eyes, every variety of red and hints of brown in his irises. Izuku squeezed his eyes shut as his anxiety kicked into overdrive, nervous but excited at the prospect of what was coming next.
Meanwhile, Katsuki let himself smile genuinely now that Izuku couldn't see him.
He's so fucking adorable. Katsuki thought to himself, wanting nothing more than to close the gap between them.
But sadly, he couldn't.
Deku would react this way with anyone after all. He's an easily flustered nerd, so even if it looked like Deku wanted to kiss him just as badly, Katsuki couldn't be sure. He could be misreading the atmosphere, imagining things that weren't there.
And so he settled for a quick peck on the cheek since he could never have the real thing.
Forest green eyes sprang open in surprise and disappointment..? No, I'm seeing shit again, fuck I need to fix that.
Katsuki pulled away and put his hands in his pockets as Izuku tried to process what had just occurred.
"Wha...why?….."
Bakugou pointed upwards, amused by the others' dumbfoundedness.
Payback bitch.
Izuku followed his finger and groaned at what he saw.
A mistletoe.
"Now we're even." Katsuki smirked.
Edit-2/13/20 ...I'm all caught up with the anime now and I assume you are too...My kokoro is brokoro :'(
Soooooo for the timeline of this story, let's just pretend their break started before the whole Eri thing...