There was a knock at the door. Izuku bolted up from his seat at the kitchen table and waved at Mom to sit back down.

"Ah, that's just Kacchan, Mom. We're going out." He froze and stared at her like a deer caught in headlights. "I-I-I don't mean going out. Just like, going outside, as in, out there." Izuku pointed out their window. "But not like, out the window. That'd be silly. Of course, me and Kacchan could jump out the window and be just fine. We're training to be heroes and all. But that'd be against the rules about using quirks in public. Ha haaa. We're just gonna... walk down the stairs like completely normal friends do all the time, in a friendly way."

Mom's eyebrows had been steadily raising throughout his mumble storm. She cocked her head at him. "So," Mom said carefully. "You and-"

"Bye Mom gotta go!" Izuku flung the door open and slammed it shut behind him, panting like he'd just ran a marathon. In front of him, Kacchan stood with his head bowed, and a hand over his eyes.

"You, uh, heard that then?" cringed Izuku.

"Deku," sighed Kacchan. "You are the least smooth person I've ever met. Never let anyone trust you with a secret."

Luckily, before Izuku could sputter about any secrets he might be keeping (namely, the truth about his quirk), he was distracted by something in Kacchan's other hand.

"Hey what's that?"

Kacchan actually blushed. "It's nothing." He kicked idly at the ground. "Just something I found in my room. I was going to throw it out but I figured you might want it."

Blinking, Izuku accepted the gift and his jaw fell open. "K-Kacchan! This is your limited-edition Battle-of-Tokyo All Might trading card! It's the most valuable card in your collection!" Izuku had spent most of their childhood salivating over it, while Kacchan bragged about it to all their friends. "I can't take this. It's too much."

Kacchan scoffed. "Come on. You seriously think I care about that thing even a tenth as much as you?"

It was a good point. Kacchan buried his hero trading cards in a desk drawer years ago, while Izuku still proudly displayed all his memorabilia. "A-alright Kacchan." He beamed. "Thanks for this! I'll treasure it forever!"

"Whatever Deku it's just a stupid card." Despite his words, Kacchan looked pleased that his gift was being so well received. "Let's go. You mom's probably listening at the door."

"Go?" asked Izuku, scandalized. "I can't take this outside! What if it got bent in my pocket, or I dropped it in a puddle? What if I got a finger print on it?" Izuku was horrified at the thought. "I'll put it in my room. Just a second!"

He burst back into the apartment and ran to his bedroom. (Mom stood suspiciously close to the entrance, as if she had been eavesdropping and only had a moment to move out of the doorway.) Vaguely, he was aware of Mom inviting Kacchan inside. She'd been unsure of Kacchan at first, but after years passed and they remained friends, she'd warmed up to him.

Izuku frowned at his room. He'd have to decide on the perfect spot for the card later, but for now he placed it carefully on the center of his desk, apologetically shifting an All Might action figure to the side.

When Izuku returned to the kitchen, Kacchan looked kind of harried while Mom was asking him increasingly probing questions. "Thanks Mom, we'll be out of your hair now," said Izuku desperately. He grabbed Kacchan's hand to pull him outside, but realized that he'd made a mistake when Mom's eyes locked onto their clasped hands like a heat seeking missile. Izuku blushed red to the roots of his hair. Rather than open his mouth and embarrass himself further, Izuku pulled a very willing Kacchan from the apartment.

Once they got downstairs, Kacchan took the lead and Izuku blushed for an entirely different reason. Holding hands was still new, and it sent a thrill through Izuku every time. "Ah, Kacchan, where are we going?"

"Ice cream place down by the arcade."

That was one of Izuku's favorite places. He grinned. "Great idea, Kacchan!" He continued to chatter at Kacchan while they walked hand in hand to the ice cream shop. Once they arrived Kacchan told him to grab a table, and got in line to buy their treats. Izuku worried his lip while he waited. His favorite flavor was strawberry and Kacchan always teased him for it. Kacchan thought that chocolate was the far superior choice, and whenever it was his turn to buy ice cream he'd get them both chocolate, despite Izuku's protests. He'd resigned himself to a strawberry-less afternoon until Kacchan came back.

"You got me strawberry," beamed Izuku.

"Duh," scoffed Kacchan. "It's your favorite. I don't know why though. Chocolate is way better."

While they debated about the merits of chocolate and strawberry, Kacchan sat down next to him. He was holding his cone in his left hand, and Izuku had his own in his right. That left them free to fit their empty hands together. Izuku's pulse quickened, and it sped up even more when Kacchan knocked their knees together under the table. After a couple of times making contact, eventually the two of them just sort of, uh, left them pressed up against each other. Izuku had never been so conscious of his freaking knee before, but with Kacchan's touching it, he felt tingly all down his leg.

The two of them chattered about class and about their upcoming rescue trials. Well, Izuku chattered and Kacchan nodded and grunted in the appropriate spots.

"And I wonder what hero will be in charge of it," mused Izuku. "Or iffffff..."

Izuku's brain short circuited when Kacchan casually reached over with a napkin and wiped at the corner of Izuku's mouth. Kacchan grinned cockily. "Sorry, you had a spot."

It took Izuku's breath away. Kacchan was so… beautiful, was the only word for it. Especially when he smiled so confidently like that. Izuku had always known that Kacchan was beautiful. Even before he understood what it meant, Izuku liked looking his friend. But back then he had to be careful not to stare too much, or allow his face to reflect his thoughts. Now, though, Izuku thought that maybe it would be okay.

Recalling how effortlessly Kacchan reached over and touched his face made Izuku want to be brave, too. Before he could talk himself out of it, he leaned over and pressed his lips gently against Kacchan's cheek.

"Um. Thanks for today, Kacchan. I've had a lot of fun."

Kacchan's mouth opened slightly in shock, and a slight pink tinge dusted his cheeks. "You- uh. Thanks, er, I mean you're welcome."

Izuku perked up, unable to contain his joy. "I made Kacchan speechless?" he asked gleefully.

The blonde's expression turned mulish, though the blush remained fixed to his face. "Let's see how well you handle it then, Deku."

Before he could properly process that statement, Kacchan leaned over and pecked Izuku's cheek. All the blood in his body rushed to his face. "Uh wha- but you, really? I didn't..."

Kacchan grinned smugly. "See?"

He ducked his head and beamed dopily down at the table. Izuku couldn't help but squeeze Kacchan's hand. This was easily the second-best day of his life, right after the one where All Might told him that he could be a hero.

"Hey Deku?"

He glanced up at Kacchan shyly.

"I still think that strawberry ice cream is shit though."

It wasn't even that funny, but Izuku couldn't contain his laughter. He felt like a pot that was boiling over, except instead of water he was filled with happiness. In that moment, Izuku felt like he could do anything. It was the best first maybe-date ever.

A/N: Don't listen to Izuku. There's no 'maybe' about it; that was definitely a date. Hopefully getting shot by this fluff-canon will adequately prepare you for the upcoming angst.