Bakugou opened and closed his mouth a few times before speaking slowly, deliberately,

"What..was that, Deku?"

Izuku on the other hand was in full panic mode.

"Uh-erm, what I meant was-"

His mind was in scrambles. He couldn't believe he just used a corny pickup line on Kacchan; how does he explain that!? He desperately (dumbly) searched the page in front of him for help, hoping there was something-anything that could redeem him from this.

Conveniently enough, there was.

'If you happen to offend your significant other, say this line to make your troubles go away...'

That's it!

The teen repeated the line word for word, not reading it through yet again.

"I was feeling a bit off today but when I saw you, you turned me on!"

…

…

…

The headboard clashed noisily against the wall as Izuku's head was knocked against it. Katsuki was straddled on top of him, pinning his arms to the bed in a vice grip. The green haired boy gulped as red eyes glared menacingly down at him.

"You making fun of me nerd?"

"N-no! T-hat wasn't my intention!"

"What the fuck was your intention then, hah?" He hissed, face coming way too close to Izuku's own. Something stirred in his lower abdomen as Katsuki's breath hit his skin, something that made him want to reach up and mash their lips together until it eventually led to something else.

But the emotion behind Katsuki's eyes stopped those feelings dead in their tracks.

"Kacchan?"

"Don't fucking Kacchan me asshole-"

"Why're you crying?"

It seemed like Katsuki didn't even realize it himself as his previously angered features turned into one of confusion. He blinked then, an unshed tear falling and landing squarely on Izuku's freckles.

"I-" His voice cracked and suddenly another tear was falling, and another, and another.

"Kacchan," Izuku reached up to cradle his cheek but his hand was slapped away.

"Don't touch me!" Bakugou yelled, abruptly moving back and getting space between them. His brows furrowed with anger again, but the expression was more of a mask than anything else. Tears continued to steadily fall down his cheek and with them fell Izuku's heart.

"Kacchan, what's wro-"

"DON'T fucking use THAT tone with me, I don't need your fucking pity-"

"It's not pity Kacchan! I care about you, of course I would be concer-"

"YEAH I FUCKING KNOW!" Bakugou shouted, frame shaking with either anger, embarrassment or vulnerability.

Kacchan's voice shook as he continued, "I know-you care about me. But why?" He wheezed out the last word. Izuku stayed silent, figuring he didn't really expect an answer to that.

"Why?" Katsuki laughed cynically this time, "I've made your life a living hell, yet you still care about me? You still call me Kacchan and say shit like-" He cut himself off, cheeks flushing a dark red. "I just don't get it, how could you like being around me? Somehow we're friends again and I still don't know how that happened. How the fuck can you forgive me so easily when I've never even apologized? Have you forgotten all the times I've beat you up? Or how many notebooks I've burned? I don't understand-"

"Kacch-"

"I'm not done yet. I don't fucking get it but in a way, it makes sense. You were always too fucking kind for your own good and...and I-I'm grateful, that you're like that…" He trailed off, bringing his knees up to his chest for his chin to lean on. Izuku watched with pain as the ever present fire in Katsuki's eyes seemed to go out…

"I-I shouldn't be though. I don't d-deserve your kindness, or your f-friendship, much less your-" The flush on his cheeks deepened and Izuku turned into a fair shade of red himself when he realized the words that were left unspoken.

Adoration. Affection.

Love.

Bakugou sighed and covered his face with his hand, "How can you even stand me..?"

"...You're not a bad person Kacchan."

Katsuki stiffened at the words. Izuku moved closer and gently held the sides of his face,

"You were a kid then Kacchan. You couldn't have known how your actions affect others then-"

"You did." Katsuki argued as the other pulled his hand away from his face.

"I just matured faster than you." Izuku stuck his tongue out playfully. If Katsuki wasn't already blushing, he would be now.

"I know you never wanted to hurt me though." Midoriya smiled easily, "After we grew up a bit, I could see how much you regretted picking on me. And you're really nice to me now so why should I hold the past against you?"

"Because it still happened Deku-"

"And so what? Lots of things happen in life, it's always changing and so are people."

"..."

Izuku leaned his forehead against Katsuki's, who flinched slightly from the contact. The blonde held his breath as their noses brushed together.

"It's okay Kacchan." He reassured the other, eyes closed peacefully and arms wrapped around his shoulders now.

"I forgive you, I forgave you a long time ago and you do deserve compassion so don't say that you don't. You're an amazing person and you're incredibly kind too. Remember when you comforted me a few days ago? You've done that so many times in the past too, like when I found out I didn't have a quirk…" Izuku whispered, remembering that fateful summer day.

Katsuki shivered. He remembered that day as well. It seemed insignificant at the time but looking back, it was a day that determined the rest of their lives and brought them to where they are now.

And who they are now.

And everything in between.

"I'm sorry Deku." Katsuki whispered, a few more tears leaking out as he shut his eyes. A moment later, his hair was pushed out of the way and a pair of soft lips pressed against his forehead.

"Apology accepted." Izuku murmured as he pulled away. Katsuki gradually opened his eyes and they stared at each other for a bit, green to red.

"Deku, I…"

Out of the corner of his vision, he noticed a strange looking book and suddenly got distracted.

"What the hell is that?"

"BAHAHAHAHA!"

"It's not that funny Kacchan!"

"Yes it is!" Bakugou gasped, clutching his stomach, "Of course you would get a book on flirting, holy shit-"

"It's not mine! Iida lended it to me!" Izuku defended himself, ears burning.

"Yeah, sure."

"It's true!"

"You still tried them though." The blonde smirked.

Izuku blinked before remembering,

'I think there's something wrong with my eyes because I can't take them off of you!'

'I was feeling a bit off today but when I saw you, you turned me on!'

"Oh my god…" He groaned, burying his face in his hands.

Katsuki snickered once more before consoling him, "It's alright. They were pretty good, swept me off my feet."

"Really?" The green haired boy wondered.

"No, what the fuck?" The blonde howled with laughter. Izuku pouted in annoyance and took the book out of Katsuki's hands. He moved to his futon and when his friend finally quieted down, he asked,

"Hey Kacchan, do you have a pencil?"

"Huh?" Katsuki tilted his head, confused at the sudden question. "Uhh, yeah, on my desk. Why?"

"'Cause I wanna erase your past and write our future together."

"..."

"What? Not funny?"

"Shut up."

Izuku giggled and the blonde promptly turned off the lights so that the color on his cheeks would remain hidden. He then got in bed and pulled the covers over himself.

It was late, their heavy conversation having taken up the better half of the night. Even though it was near morning, both boys laid awake in their respective beddings, thinking through everything that was said today and the days previous.

It was a lot to think about.

They always had tomorrow though.