Ludus – Playful Love
Years after their promise, Izuku Midoriya and Katsuki Bakugo have forgotten their promise. It will be years before they return to the closeness of their former friendship. Even though the two of them are at the same class for years, the two of them had drifted far away from each other, and even now, that the two of them are at the same class in UA, the two of them are still far from each other.
During their elementary and middle school years, Katsuki has always bullied Izuku, due to the latter lacking a Quirk. Even though the discrimination has come from all sides, it has seemed that Katsuki is the spearhead of the discrimination against Izuku, which contradicts their childhood promise of friendship.
The bullying continued until high school, even though the Izuku has gained a Quirk; but after the happenings that happened to them and their class, all those attacks by the League of Villains and the attack at the base of the Eight Precepts of Death, it has seemed that their relationship has turned for the better. Katsuki still badmouths Izuku, but he has shown care for how the other is faring, especially now that he knows his secret.
Izuku, meanwhile, liked this turn for the best in their relationship. Sure Katsuki still continues to badmouth him and others, but he now shows care for him, which reminds him of the times before Katsuki's attitude towards him changed. Little did Izuku know that the feeling of returning friendship would turn into something else.
It was the Saturday after the cultural festival. Izuku was hanging out in the living room, when Katsuki passed by in front of him.
"Well, I though you'd be a fucking rock on the dance floor," Katsuki said, smirking. "Not bad out there."
As Katsuki went his way, he left Izuku in a state he didn't really know. His cheeks felt hot, and so was his ears. His heart rate suddenly skyrocketed. His mind flashed back to the smirk Katsuki was giving him. 'God, it suits him,' he thought, but quickly admonished himself for thinking as such. 'What the heck, Izuku! Stop thinking like that!'
The feelings that Izuki felt stayed with him, no matter what he did. Every time he saw Katsuki, he would feel the blood race to his cheeks and his heart racing. He decided there was something wrong with him, and decided to avoid Katsuki altogether, but this proved to be hard for him, for as if his body is craving to see the ruby red eyes of Katsuki, his ash blond hair, and him in general, and, as if the universe is conspiring against him, he would always see Katsuki everywhere.
Izuku, in desperation, looked at the internet for the exact word To define what he is feeling, being to shy to ask someone. He was surprised at the definition that the net supplied him.
"In love…" he muttered as his eyes re-read the same sentence over and over again. "Why would I be… in love? I can't be! I mean, he's my childhood friend and he has tormented me for years on end, why the he k would I be in love with him?"
Izuku continued to deny his feelings for Katsuki. Every day, he persistently pushed the feelings to the darkest corners of his heart, and every day, the same feelings would resurface and make him feel giddy every time he saw Katsuki.
"Stop it, heart. I am not in love with Kacchan!" he said to himself one day, after Katsuki passed him in an empty hallway. He continued to where he was going, but was surprised to see Katsuki hanging out at a corner.
"Never expected that," he said coolly. "You're in love with me, huh, Deku?"
Izuku was positive his face was red as a tomato. Thoughts ran inside his mind. 'What is Katsuki doing here? Wasn't he going somewhere else? Why is he so goddamn nonchalant about it? He just heard me say I love him!'
"Why are you still here, Kacchan? I thought you were going… somewhere."
Katsuki looked up. "I noticed your actions this week. They were irritating, so I decided to know what's happening to I can put a stop to it. Never did I expect that you feel something for me."
Izuku bowed his head down, letting the fringe of his hair hide his face. "So… now you know… Do you hate me even more?"
His question was met with silence. Izuku looked up only to see Katsuki look back at him, his face a mask of curiosity. "Honestly, I don't even fucking know. Why did I hate you in the beginning? Maybe because you don't know when to give up? Maybe because you're so helpless? But I can't call you that now, can I?"
Izuku just stared into those deep, red eyes, the eyes that he once feared, now they look at him like they once did, not with disdain, but with care. He reached out a hand and placed it at Katsuki's chest. His heart was beating fast, just like his own. "Katsuki… What do you feel for me now?" he asked.
"I now respect you. You've become strong," Katsuki replied, "But you're still leagues away from me."
"You've broken the moment, dummy." Izuku chuckled.
Katsuki smirked. "So what? I hate mushy shit."
Izuku decided to face his feelings. "So yeah, I like you, Kacchan. Probably since, but because you are such a bully to me I forgot."
Katsuki laughed in response. He held Izuku's habd which is still in his chest and pulled the other close to him. "I'm not sorry for what I did, and I'm not sorry for what I'm about to do." He leaned in close and kissed Izuku's lips.
'Ah, so this is bliss?' Izuku thought as he is being kissed by the one he loved.
After only when they've become proper lovers that Izuku discovered that Katsuki actually fell in love with him after their fight. It was slow, but as he cared more for Izuku's well-being, his feelings for him grew. And now, the two of them are deeply in love with each other, promising to love each other for the rest of time.
A/n: "The Romans thought of ludus as a playful form of love, for example, the affection between young lovers. Ludus is that feeling we have when we go through the early stages of falling in love with someone, e.g. the fluttering heart, flirting, teasing, and feelings of euphoria."
HELP ME, I CAN'T DO A PROPER KATSUKI!!! I DESTROYED HIS IMAGE!!! AND THIS IS SOOO FAR FROM LUDUS AS POSSIBLE *sad emoji*