Sweeter Than Revenge by KyuukaKoinu

by alkhuzamaa

“Please don’t look.” Izuku tried then to shove Katsuki away, ignoring the agonizing ache in his body. Katsuki glowered and easily caught his wrists, forcing him to still. They made eye contact and crimson eyes were wild, far deadlier than Izuku had ever witnessed in another person. “Who.” Katsuki spoke simply. “Tell me who did this to you.”

2. Ch 2

Every sound felt like white noise drumming against his ears.

Izuku could barely hear anything between the sirens, the police walking all over, and the crushing of glass underneath shoes. Every sound blended together like a nightmare. This was his worst fear come true, and he was dead center in the middle of it with the taste of iron on his tongue from his open gash.

Across the way was Katsuki. The quiet blond was leaning against the wall with his arms folded in a way that screamed pissed off. His ex-lover wasn't uttering a word, but his eyes were saying a million phrases. Even Katsuki's aura was tainted black and red, dripping in lethality and his face was stone cold.

After Katsuki had graciously offered to maim whoever had done this, Izuku viciously refused.

He didn't want Katsuki's help.

He knew what Katsuki's help meant: blood, violence, and illegal activity that Izuku could barely fathom. Even now, he could barely wrap his mind around why Katsuki hadn't left when the cops arrived.

Izuku assumed his ex would be avoidant of law enforcement—but it seemed to be the entire other way around. The second the men and women in uniforms arrived on the scene, they took a single glance at Katsuki, and their spines visibly turned to ice. Everyone stiffened. Those threatening red eyes bored into the officers, and not a single soul laid sight on Katsuki after.

They walked around Katsuki like he was their king, allowing him to quietly observe the scene without being disturbed. That was enough for Izuku to attempt to guess what Katsuki's current influence level was.

As the police took Izuku's statement, there was a low muttering of whispers all over the debauched bakery. Izuku tried to stop his voice from trembling, but it was hard. His hands were shaking. His limbs were quivering. Even his neck muscle got that awful twitch that only appeared whenever he slipped into his panic attacks.

When the cops finished investigating, they all gave him useless pitiful stares.

"Apologies about your bakery," the Chief of Police had muttered. "My son said he really enjoyed coming here ever since your grand opening. Hopefully we find the criminals responsible, and this can all get sorted out."

Izuku nodded, forcing himself not to tick.

All the cops left, giving him their numbers if he ever needed it but nothing further occurred.

Izuku stood there the same as they arrived: wading in the middle of his mess. He could still feel himself trapped in Isao's sticky web because what happened now? Would they try to still come for their money in four days like originally promised? Would they leave him alone? Would they try to come back and smash up his bakery some more? Izuku had no clue—but he did have fear.

He dared to glance at Katsuki, who was studying him carefully.

"Izuku." Katsuki spoke his name like a warning. "The cops can't handle this one. You know that."

Izuku averted his eyes. "I don't want to get involved with all of the gang problems, Katsuki," he whispered softly. "I really don't."

"You're already involved," Katsuki mumbled. His voice shifted in tone, a lot gentler.

Katsuki stepped forward, approaching Izuku as if he might run off. Once they were up close, the two ex-lovers held eye contact for a beat of silence. Katsuki's brows pinched together, pulling his perfectly unscarred skin taut.

Suddenly, Katsuki flicked his wrist out. Between two of his fingers was an all-black card with a red embossed symbol of a lion.

Izuku stopped himself from laughing sarcastically through his tears. How cliché. Katsuki's favorite animal growing up was always the lion—and it seems like that fact stayed unchanging even well into their adulthood. He remembered how his ex-lover always proudly emphasized the lion was the best animal because of how viciously protective it was.

"If you change your mind," Katsuki said. He pushed the card between Izuku's fingers concisely. "Call this number."

Izuku flipped the card over to see a telephone number embossed in red on the other side.

There was no name, no other info, or even an inkling of if this was Katsuki's number or someone else's. Izuku didn't try to speak, not trusting his voice.

Eventually, Katsuki took the first step backwards. He was clearly torn, but soon all that emotion was carefully hidden away behind his invisible mask. Now, he appeared regally lethal just like before.

Katsuki wordlessly walked through the shattered glass door and took his leave. Izuku stared after him for a moment, the wafting scent of his ex's cologne lingered behind him.

Cinnamon and ginger—somehow Katsuki still smelled the same. That aroma unwillingly evoked memories of Izuku's first time in a grocery store.

The soft nostalgia ran forward, painted in childhood innocence. His distress mind allowed it to cradle him and transport him to a more comforting time in his life. He could perfectly visualize him and Katsuki as awkward teens again, walking through the nearly empty stores of their old neighborhood. He hadn't known how to bake yet then. All he knew is that he enjoyed the way Kacchan smelled and bought a bunch of cinnamon and ginger as a result.

Later that day, the pair of them made the worst tasting cookies with the clashing spices.

A vision of young Katsuki smiling at him flashed in his mind. But once the smell of the warm spices faded, so did the memories. Izuku was pushed back into his dull reality.

He sadly looked around the bakery at all the shattered glass that reflected the same state of his dreams. Broken and irreparable. Izuku knew he should throw away Katsuki's business card. He wouldn't use it—but.

A small part in the bottom of his heart was reaching up towards the card. It wanted to clasp it tightly.

With trembling fingers, Izuku pocketed it.

The next two weeks passed without a word from either Katsuki or Isao.

Izuku was trying to decide if he was relieved about that or not. But he couldn't focus on either gangster due to the bill that he was currently staring at. He was now sitting in the umpteenth bank trying to figure out his insurance, loans, and getting all his equipment replaced.

He was drowning, to say the least.

"I'm sorry sir, but we can't give you another loan until you pay back the one you took out to help pay for the store," the clerk told him. The man's smile was soft and gentle. More than likely the employee was trained to be polite with the way the sincerity didn't bleed into his eyes. "If there's anything else I can assist you with, let me know but otherwise we can't help you replace all the equipment until your settled up with the past loan."

"But I was vandalized," Izuku emphasized. He hated how his hands were shaking. "I was—" He

swallowed. "—I-I was threatened, and they destroyed all of my things. I-I can't repay the loan because I'm out of business currently. Surely there is another way to get things settled?"

"Unfortunately, you didn't make a police report when they first threatened you," the clerk said stalely. "We can't say for sure that you didn't already have ties with them. Right now, it looks like it was an illegal deal gone wrong. We can't get entangled in illegal affairs. Especially ones around here."

"But they threatened to kill me," Izuku said with more force. "I couldn't go to the police—" "—Sir. I am simply telling you how our policies work."

Suddenly the niceness from the clerk faded away. He moved his seat slightly, and his posture shifted into closed. Izuku could see the annoyance in the other man's eyes, and he wasn't socially inept enough not to take the hint. There was nothing more than could be done here.

Izuku breathed in deeply and stood up with as much grace as he could.

"Thank you for your time," Izuku muttered sadly. He bowed at the waist out of respect and then turned to leave.

He beelined for the door, burning to go home and drown his sorrows in Nutella flavored ice-cream. However, once again his dreams were put on hold. Outside the window it was raining cats and dogs. Hail was even falling from the sky in an unruly storm Izuku didn't anticipate. The rain came down in large chunks and he could see people scattering for shelter from the strong winds and falling pieces of ice.

The logical side of him said he should simply stay inside, but the sour half of him didn't want to stay in this bank any longer. He glanced over his shoulder at the clerk who gave him another forced smile.

Izuku sighed and decided to wait.

He glanced down at the paper in his hand to pass the time. It was an excel sheet of all the damages and items he had lost. He had spent meticulous time going down everything he had lost in Isao's stampede. Counter tops. Mixers. Several marble tables. All the chairs. Even his single oven was destroyed past salvation much to Izuku's distress.

It all added up to several unfortunate commas in the total cost of repairs, but his insurance policies barely covered half. It seemed like they were being picky about what they wanted to help him replace.

This wasn't fair.

None of this was fair.

The ticking clock reminded him of each second creeping by as he sat in the lobby of the bank. One by one everyone began to leave, muttering about the storm. It wasn't until the clock reached 23:00 that the security guard finally told him he had to leave.

"Sorry, I know the storm is bad, but I can't allow you to stay much longer," the security woman told him. She seemed genuinely sorry and could understand his distress. "Is there anyone you could call to pick you up? The rain is really heavy."

Katsuki's business card burned in his pocket. He had kept it on his person for reasons he didn't

want to admit to.

"No." Izuku fiddled with his hands. "I-I don't have anyone I can call."

"I'm sorry then, but you have to probably brave the storm."

Izuku nodded and stood up. He looked outside with reluctance and decided if he could survive this shit show then he could survive anything. He pulled out his umbrella and ventured into the night.

As Izuku walked in the storm, he had his shoulders hunched and head down to prevent rain from splashing on his face. He was deeply looking forward to going back to his apartment and sinking into the couch face down and crying.

Izuku walked, he could see passing bodies running from the rain with their coats above their heads. One woman dressed in bright purple caught his eye and he naturally turned his head to follow her. But as he glanced behind him, Izuku laid his sights on a tall man dressed in all black with no umbrella.

Izuku frowned.

The man had a hoodie pulled all the way over his head with the bill of a baseball cap blocking out the view of his face. He was walking rather slowly, and he kept his eyes trained on the ground.

Normally, Izuku would ignore this type of thing. But given what occurred two weeks ago—the goosebumps on his arms raced up to his neck in an instant. With caution, Izuku turned back around, trying not to seem suspicious. He kept his pace steady, waiting for the man to possibly walk elsewhere but no detour occurred.

The crowds thinned out the closer he got to his apartment, and soon it was only the two of them cutting the corner into the quiet residential areas of the city.

Izuku then slowed his pace to see if the man would walk ahead of him—but the man slowed down as well.

Izuku then quickened his steps.

The man quickened his as well.

Adrenaline began pounding through Izuku when he realized what might be happening. He inched his head around again and this time cut his eye carefully at the man behind him—and the stranger was looking directly at him with ice blue eyes through a ski mask.

Izuku's heart dropped to his darkest pit.

Within a second he abandoned his umbrella and ran full speed.

The sound of running feet hitting puddles on the sidewalk echoed into the night. Izuku's labored panting hurled into the air with his cries for help as he pushed his body to a speed he's never gone. He ran with all he could, muscles straining with immediate pain as the rain and ice pelted him full force. He tried to shield his face from the oncoming force of nature, but the wind blinded his eyes. All his nerves screamed at him, and he gambled in that moment to glance behind. He regretted it instantly.

The man was running full force as well, keeping hot on his heels with a homed in glare.

In the dark, the moonlight caught on a sliver of silver, and it glimmered in the night. Izuku's whole stomach knotted. It was a knife. Izuku sobbed loudly, voice wrecked with pure pain. He ran quicker and began zig zagging as his body pushed into overdrive. He wasn't even running towards his apartment anymore—attempting his best to get to a more public area as he worked his way around the winding empty streets.

He began to jump over fences, hoping to lose the man. But the stranger was quicker than the wind.

Izuku began screaming louder into the dense darkness for help, but the only answer he got in return was the echoes of the storms.

A deep chuckle boomed with the roll of thunder.

Fear shot through Izuku, nesting itself inside of his ribcage like it was home. All his limbs were burning with heat as he saw a fast-moving highway. The headlights were simply streaks of white and red color, but they signaled a way out to Izuku. Then, Izuku decided to do something that would either get him killed or saved.

He ran straight into oncoming traffic.

A litany of blaring horns, screams, and blinding headlights overpowered Izuku. He tried his best to maneuver into the chaotic craze of cars swerving, heart rate tripled.

He was only half successful when one car swerved a little too late and hit him with light force. His world tipped upside down as he yelled, rolled on top of the hood, and then slid off on the pavement in the rain. His skull cracked against the pavement with a harsh force and nausea rocked his whole body.

The woman in the car shrieked and quickly unbuckled her seat belt to open her door.

"Oh my gosh! Are you alright!?" She screamed in the storm, but Izuku's heart was pounding too loud in his ears to hear a word she said.

"I'm sorry!" Izuku slurred his sentence. He felt dizzy as he attempted to get up. He gazed around like a wild animal with his hands out. "I'm so sorry—"

He urgently looked behind him to see the man had stopped on the other side of the street. Those cold blue eyes dug into him and Izuku got one more wave of adrenaline.

Get away. Get far away was all his brain was commanding from him. He quickly kept running, stumbling and ignoring the sharp shots of pain digging into his muscles. He dodged cars that came to screeching halts and ignored the puzzled woman who was left in the middle of the road with a sideways car.

When he reached the other side of the roaring highway, Izuku could see the man standing there. Fury rolled off his body more than the rain did. His sharp blue eyes were boring into him from across the busy highway and Izuku never felt such dread as he looked at the way the mysterious man was gripping that knife.

Izuku's whole body was trembling, and his chest was tight like someone was squeezing his throat. He back walked, eyes over his shoulder the entire time as he pulled out his phone.

His hands were unsteady and as a result, he dropped two things into a large puddle: The list of expenses from his bakery and Katsuki's business card.

A loud sob wrecked through his body as Izuku dropped to his knees on the wet ground. His battered reflection stared back at him in the body of water. It gave him pause. Izuku could see his face drenched in tears, rain and blood. The rain mixed with his new head wound, and scarlet- colored droplets drippled into the puddle creating vermillion ripples.

Acting on pure instinct alone, Izuku fished out the business card. All he could think was safety. He needed safety right now.

With shaky fingers, Izuku dialed the number written in red. It only took one ring.

"Hello?" Katsuki's raspy voice on the other line answered.

Izuku tried to form words but instead he broke down into tiny sobs on the sidewalk. He picked up his list that was soaked through, black ink ran off the page. The mixture of his tears, blood and rain hit the sheet and the white paper slowly turned red.

"Izuku? Izuku is that you?" Katsuki asked again, voice on edge. "Are you hurt? Where are you? Why are you crying?"

Izuku clutched the phone. "I-I need your help." "Tell me where you are, right now."

A car came for him within ten minutes. Izuku didn't question it, Katsuki probably had men at every corner ready to jump at the single bat of his eye.

The driver who arrived was a guy around his age with a thick head of raven colored hair. It cut off at his shoulders and his eyes were a deep midnight black. He was dressed in a suit but lacked the business professionalism that usually came with it. He had no tie, and his white dress shirt was unbuttoned all the way to show off his chest tattoos. The sleeves of his shirt were pushed up to reveal more colorful designs that were wrapped around his hands and forearms.

There was an underlying kindness in the man's eyes.

The unnamed driver quietly ushered him inside the black car without a single word. He helped him into the vehicle and gave him an icepack for the forming lump on his head from where he was hit with the car.

The windows of the car were tinted, and the whole interior smelled of cinnamon and ginger. Izuku laid down on the backseat, exhausted and ready to pass out at any given moment. He put his soaked hair on the leather and felt a twinge of guilt for getting it dirty. Filthy gravel from falling in the street was latched onto his hands and all Izuku wanted to do was disappear.

Was the masked man one of Isao's people? Was Isao really trying to hurt him now? Was he really going to kill him?

Izuku wept quietly when he realized he had no clue what to do anymore.

During the long drive to who knows where, Izuku's whole body shut down. He shivered in his state of pure wetness and shame rattled his bones like a natural disaster.

By the time the car came to a stop, Izuku wanted nothing more than to rewind time. He sat up slowly and tried his best to wipe his tears, but it was futile. More simply poured down his face to immediately replace the ones he had brushed away.

The driver parked the car and walked around to the back door. When the man opened it, Izuku didn't know what he was expecting. However, what he wasn't expecting was to see a house more beautiful beyond his imagination.

Izuku's crying stopped in pure shock.

They were out in some quiet side of the city, no other homes were around. In place of neighbors were lush, thick trees, and rows of green. The trees towered over the property giving a gentle shade as the moonlight snuck past the leaves. The soft light from the moon touched the house—or mansion—Izuku corrected in his mind as he gazed upon it. It was made of a gorgeous beige brick and had red and gold trimming all around.

In front of the house was a long driveway, lined by vibrant blue rose bushes. In the center, right before the doors, was a large fountain that glittered with white lights.

As he observed all the stunning details, one important one came busting through the front doors. Katsuki.

His ex-lover jogged lightly all the way up to the car before Izuku could tell himself to even move. He had been so stunned by the house in front of him he hadn't even gotten out of the car. The driver wearily looked at him and when Katsuki got close, his ex-lover's face was painted in deep pain.

Katsuki didn't say anything right away. Worried red eyes observed his face in horror and Katsuki reached a hand out experimentally to touch the bleeding part of his head. Izuku flinched and Katsuki's face twisted in distain.

"Can you walk?" Katsuki asked quietly. Izuku nodded. "Ye-Yeah I should be fine."

He stood up out of the car and immediately ate his words. Ironic shots of pain blazed up from his feet to his knees. He buckled lightly and Katsuki caught him out of instinct. Izuku was too tired to be embarrassed and held on to Katsuki's arms that cradled around him for purchase.

His ex-lover cursed lightly under his breath and held him up against him all the way for support. Izuku's head drooped into Katsuki's chest, too fatigued to keep it up and his nose was filled with the lovely smell of cinnamon and ginger once more.

Izuku held on tighter to him.

"Sero, go park the car in the back," Katsuki commended quietly. "I'm going to take him upstairs." The driver, who was now identified as Sero nodded and quickly returned back to the car in silence.

Izuku let Katsuki assist him all the way to the house. He lifted his head once they got to the doors, and the first thing he was greeted by was a golden lion sigil. Katsuki pulled the door open, and the beautiful mansion had a matching interior. Marble floors. Gold stairway railings. All the furniture inside were deep scarlet or maroon with black wooden shelving to match.

Izuku looked above to see a crystal chandelier that shone dazzling light onto them.

"I have a room ready for you upstairs," Katsuki informed him with a serious tone. "You should stay here until we can get this sorted out. You'll be safe under my wing until we can figure out what's going on."

Izuku weakly nodded, head pulsing.

He thought about that man's cold, icy glare and held on tighter to Katsuki.

The bedroom he was brought to was about as big as his whole apartment. It was the same color scheme as the rest of the mansion and had a full bathroom attached.

Katsuki had quietly tended to his wounds, hands gentle and precise as he disinfected the gash on his forehead. Every time he flinched, Katsuki's held him in place so that he could properly clean it. Once a bandage was fully on it, Katsuki brought him clothes that were slightly too big for him.

"Go ahead and get showered and I'll be right back," Katsuki said sternly. "I'm have to check up on something, but I'll be back in a moment. I got two people watching your door too. Okay? You're safe here."

Izuku gratefully nodded, nerves settling a bit.

Once Katsuki left, Izuku showered in the gold-plated bathroom without saying a word. The shock of the day was holding his tongue as he gazed around at all the luxe items. He marveled at the tiny crystal chandelier that hung above his head in the bathroom. What kind of bathroom had a chandelier? Izuku wanted to question this further, but left it alone. His body was ready to collapse at any moment under the weight of the terrible last few weeks.

He scrubbed his skin hard, attempting to wipe away the horridness of the day off—but it was impossible.

He could still feel the clerk's judgmental eyes. The strange man's dangerous aura. He could even still feel Isao's hands gripping his forearms in a deathly grip ready to drag him down. Izuku's face twisted in pain as his heart began to race again.

He changed into the oversized pants and t-shirt Katsuki provided once he was finished. As he wondered out of the bathroom and into the bedroom, he explored all the tiny details of his temporary room. There was a lot of fine art on the walls, and the pictures led to a balcony that over saw the whole mansion's backyard.

The large plot of land was an enormous garden. It was thriving with fresh fruits and vegetables, rows and rows of colorful berries, greens, and fruit trees. Izuku froze in shock at the sight. He furrowed his brows from behind the balcony's glass doors and walked closely to the window to make sure he was seeing properly.

This was something he used to talk about often with Katsuki.

"I want a garden in the back yard," Izuku could hear the memory of himself say with a small giggle. "Wouldn't that be nice, Kacchan? We could grow all the fresh foods for the bakery and meals right at home!"

He could still remember the way Katsuki smirked at him. The light in his ex-lover's ruby eyes

shimmered like star dust back then.

"That sounds fucking perfect, Sweet. I'll get you the biggest goddamn garden you can think of."

Izuku curiously looked at the rows of strawberries.

The door behind him creeped open and Izuku turned around.

Slowly, Katsuki shuffled in with intense concentration. His tongue was slightly sticking out and he was looking down, watching his feet. In his hands was a gold platter with a single porcelain painted teacup. Steam wafted from the top and exactly three sugar cubes were on the side, residing on a neatly folded maroon napkin.

"I, er, brought you some tea," Katsuki said awkwardly. He held up the golden tray in his hand for emphasis. "Decaffeinated, since it's late. And it's chai. Do—Do you still like chai? If not I can get another flavor."

"I-I still like chai," Izuku stuttered unwillingly. "Thank you." Katsuki tautly smiled.

He walked over to the nightstand and set the tray down, waving for Izuku to come over. The flustered baker gripped the hem of the oversized shirt as he walked across the room to his ex-lover.

Izuku couldn't help but notice small things this close up. Katsuki officially filled out in the last eight years. He was taller now—wider even from a bulk of muscle on his chest and arms. Probably due to the physical demands of his so-called profession.

Izuku sat down on the edge of the gold and red bed, admiring the smooth silky texture of the comforter underneath him. Katsuki handed him the teacup with care and allowed Izuku to mix in his own sugars. Which was exactly three cubes—Katsuki clearly remembered.

He sipped his tea in silence for a moment, then Katsuki finally took a seat next to him with a frown deep enough to leave an everlasting imprint on his face.

"Izuku. What the hell happened tonight?" Katsuki glowered and looked at him with a terribly concerned face.

"I was chased by a man, and he had a knife," Izuku said honestly. His eyes gazed down to the hem of the shirt he was wearing in humiliation. "I didn't get a good look at his face so I can't tell if it's related to the bakery. But I...I ran into traffic to lose him and got hit by a car in the process. I fell and hit my head on the pavement."

Izuku could feel all the amiability drain from Katsuki upon hearing what occurred. The other man's lips pulled into a sneer. His eyebrow twitched and his fingers dug into the silk covers on the bed. But he still kept his temper in line and his gaze unwavering.

"Okay," Katsuki breathed out with utter control. His nostrils flared. "Izuku. I'm going to need you to tell me from the start what happened with these so-called gangsters. Leave out no details—I mean it. If you have a name—tell me right now."

Izuku did.

He let all the events spill out, far too tired and at the end of his rope now to try to resist. He was involved with this mess and like the clerk had said—he should have gone straight to the police, but

he didn't out of fear. He thought that if he could pay Isao off that would be the end of it, but instead it was only the beginning.

As he told Katsuki Isao's name, he was waiting for some flash of recognition, but there was none. The only emotion enrapturing Katsuki's handsome features was pure, lethal rage and it was pouring all over the room by the time Izuku wrapped up his story.

He finished his tea in silence as Katsuki marinated over the details.

There was probably a million ways to slaughter Isao running through that blond head right now— and that terrified Izuku to an extent. He wasn't sure if he was fully equipped to handle seeing that side of Katsuki.

Katsuki nodded to himself, cracked his neck and then stood up slowly.

He cut his eye to Izuku.

"I'll get this sorted out for you," Katsuki promised in a low voice that sent chills down Izuku's spine. "I don't know who the hell Isao is—or thinks he is—but this entire city is under my territory. You can go ahead and get to sleep. If you need anything I'm down the hall and there's watchguards out at the front door for you the rest of the night, alright?"

"Alright," Izuku whispered.

He didn't know what else to say as he stared at his ex-lover in slight awe and trepidation.

His Kacchan—or no longer his Kacchan he supposed—had changed so much yet not at the same time. His face was so much sharper, older, and his hair was somehow lighter. His ash blond shade was so soft and entirely opposite of his personality. He was a more potent version of his past self to say the least.

Katsuki didn't spare him another glance as he walked towards the door with his fist balled up tight. Izuku thought maybe he was going to hit the wall with how tense his whole body was. But Katsuki held it in, as if he was saving the violent momentum for Isao.

When Katsuki reached the doors, a force inside Izuku forced him to speak up. "—Thank you," Izuku called out loudly.

Katsuki stopped and looked over his shoulder in surprise.

His red eyes were bright underneath the yellow hue of the lamp in the room, appearing nearly orange. Izuku mustered up the strength to give a fragile smile, ignoring the pain of the bruise on his face. His cut lip stretched with his gesture and Katsuki's anger melted for a brief moment at the sight. His fists relaxed all the way.

"Of course," Katsuki rasped out. A sad, longing expression trickled into his eyes. "Anything you need."

When Izuku fell asleep that night he dreamed of red eyes.

The penetrating scarlet hue shone through the darkness to stare right at him. Those eyes were unmoving, solid and swirling full of a type of compelling affection Izuku couldn't place. Then

suddenly those bloodlust eyes softened into a familiar image of young Katsuki when they were in university—right before they broke up.

A hand wrapped around his and pulled him in close and Izuku knew it was Katsuki's. He recognized the hills of the callouses and the placement of the scars, even in his dreams. He knew that touch anywhere.

"I'm going to make our lives perfect," Katsuki had promised once.

The dream warped prettily, shaping into a real memory. All the darkness shifted into light and now they were standing in the middle of their old University's cafeteria. Blurry bodies of students passed them by in slow motion as streaks of vibrant colors. Izuku could see their hands perfectly intertwined and remember how the contrast of his own tan skin against Katsuki's paler tone always felt like home.

"What does perfect mean?" Izuku heard his own voice question.

Katsuki leaned down to his height, red eyes were ignited with a dark passion.

"Perfect like you'll never have to sleep in the cold again," Katsuki whispered, voice low and dangerous. "Perfect as in I'll make sure we'll never have to fucking suffer again. I want to give you everything you ever dreamed of."

Izuku remembered how he hadn't listened to Katsuki's words that day—not fully. He had been distracted by things that no longer mattered like making sure to read all his lecture notes. Or see how his partners in class were holding up on the PowerPoint presentation. Even more so, he was sad about how he hadn't seen Katsuki in so long.

But now in this distant dream, Izuku felt the weight in those words. Katsuki's eyes burned brighter than the pits of hell.

The heaviness of the promise dragged him down and down until he suddenly found himself slipping away. The hand holding his slowly phased through him and the texture of Katsuki's skin went along with it. He woke up blinking and clutching the silky covers. Out of lingering instinct from the dream, Izuku brushed his palm across the empty bed searching for that familiar touch.

"Kacchan...?" Izuku called out, voice groggy. Then it hit him like a truck.

When he realized what he had said, he snapped upwards, fully awake. Izuku stared around wildly in the empty room, praying he was alone—and he was. The gorgeous room was filled with only him. He exhaled in relief and ignored the loneliness prickling against his skin.

He glanced at the vacancy in the bed and a strange string of conflicting emotions muddled inside of him, making them hard to distinguish. He decided to distract himself, not wanting to examine why he felt disappointed by waking up alone in Katsuki's house. He checked his phone only to find a giant crack on the glass stretching across it like a large spiderweb. He traced the fractures carefully, feeling their sharp edges.

I guess this happened when I hit the pavement yesterday. Yet another thing to pay for and fix.

Izuku shook off his bitter feeling and slowly climbed out of the giant bed. He stepped on the plush carpet and walked around slowly, admiring all the paintings on the walls he hadn't really paid attention to last night. He stopped in front of one of Katsuki himself. It was a side profile with a

dark hue that made him appear like a regal, moody prince.

"You always were the theatrical one, Katsuki," Izuku muttered to himself. He crossed his arms and tilted his head at the subtle lion sigil on Katsuki's shirt in the painting. "And the one who liked aesthetics."

Suddenly there was a clumsy bump in the hallway.

"He's awake—" A weary voice called out from outside the door. "Go get his breakfast! Warm it up before he notices us."

Izuku snapped his head to the golden doors and noticed that it was slightly pushed open.

He straighten out and slowly tip toed carefully to the cluster of voices from outside his room. He peeked through it, confused. There, he could see a man and woman with the brightest hair he's ever seen in his life on the other side. They both were dressed in the same type of casual business wear as the driver was last night.

"I don't know where the tray is!" A guy with bright blond hair said. He had a single black streak running through his locks and sunglasses hooked on his unbuttoned blazer. He shook his head like he was afraid, and his silver lightning bolt earrings caught the hallway light. "I can barely navigate that big ass kitchen. I'll get lost!"

"But you're the one who put it back downstairs," the other person hissed. Izuku squinted against the door to get a better look and he could see a woman with vibrant pink hair and dark skin in a power suit.

"I know, and I got lost doing it! I don't remember where I put it—"

"—Ugh, whatever. I don't know why Boss hired you sometimes, Denki," the woman said. She flicked her wrist flippantly and shook her head. "I'll go find it. Keep watch and don't scare him off either. Boss says he's not used to people like us and I'm pretty sure he'll skin us alive if we run this man out of here."

"Okay! You got it. I won't even speak," the man named Denki said.

"Bulletproof plan."

The woman power walked away, heels clicking angrily against the marble floors.

Izuku fiddled with his fingers and leaned away from the doors.

Breakfast? He thought to himself curiously.

He didn't think that he would be getting this type of treatment after everything—but he also didn't think too much in the first place what might happen if he dialed Katsuki's number.

Curiosity caused Izuku to backtrack all the way to the bed and slowly climb inside of it once more. He sat there, wondering what was going to happen next as he stared at the prince like portrait of Katsuki. He studied the way his ex-lover's blood-colored eyes were distant in the painting, almost as if he was thinking of something as he posed.

Then on cue a couple moments later, the doors to his room slammed opened.

"Hello there!" The woman greeted. She had a friendly round face and a bright smile. In her hands

was a golden tray stacked with food and beside her was the blond man, Denki. They both had tight grins and overly straight postures. "My name is Ashido Mina and your bodyguard for the time you're here and this is Kaminari Denki—your, er, other bodyguard."

"H-Hello!" Denki said nervously. He gave an enthusiastic wave. "Nice to meet you finally! This is really exciting to be honest, heh. We've heard so much about you—"

Mina swiftly elbowed Denki in the side without dropping the platter of food or her smile. Denki let out a small 'eep' and clutched at his side.

"—I-I mean we've have heard nothing!" Denki corrected in a haste. "Absolutely nothing about you. I don't even know who you are. I've never even heard of someone with green eyes or freckles or green hair."

Izuku blinked. Then blinked again.

"Uh, nice to meet you two," Izuku said shyly. "Thank you for looking out for me. I appreciate it a lot."

Mina's eyes softened as she held up the tray in her hands. "I have food for you. You must be tired after yesterday. Boss gave us a quick rundown of what happened. Hope you got some good sleep."

She walked over to Izuku, and Denki swiftly followed. In a quick, and very obviously rehearsed motion, Denki pulled out a bed table to position over Izuku's body and Mina elegantly placed the tray of delicious smelling food in front of Izuku. Denki then quickly dished out all the golden utensils and maroon napkins for Izuku as Mina poured a small glass of grapefruit juice.

Izuku noted all the food on the tray was his favorite breakfast foods.

"If you need anything else from us please let us know!" Mina said happily. We'll be waiting outside for you. There's also a fresh pair of clothes in the bathroom for when you're ready to get dressed."

Izuku nodded in understanding, and it was only then did he look at the clock and realize it was well into the afternoon. He had to stop himself from gaping. He had slept so long.

Mina and Denki smiled politely at him one last time before taking their leave.

Izuku stared in awe at the food in front of him. He poked at it slightly with his golden fork and tasted it. An explosion of delicious flavors seeped onto his tongue and Izuku hummed in delight. He began happily shoveling the pieces of fruits, vegetables and meat into his mouth, savoring every flavor.

While eating, Izuku bet Katsuki had a whole staff of gourmet chefs cooking his every meal. If this breakfast was an indicator of how well off Katsuki was, his ex-lover definitely got the life he always wanted. He probably didn't even have to lift a finger anymore. Izuku's eyes darted between the chandelier and the painting of Katsuki one the wall.

At least one of them got their dreams, Izuku thought sourly.

After finishing his food, Izuku decided to wander into the bathroom. Just like Mina had said—a pair of new clothes were neatly folded and waiting for him. There was a small note poised on top of the pile in perfect penmanship.

"Take your time getting ready today. If you need anything ask Mina and Denki while I'm busy."

—K.

Izuku pursed his lips to the side as he looked at the golden faucet.

By the time Izuku finished showering and getting dressed, he was feeling a little less like his nerves would explode.

Being inside of Katsuki's mansion was giving him a sense of security he hadn't felt in about eight years. However, the very large elephant in the room stuck out like a needle digging under his skin unkindly. Everywhere he looked he was reminded Katsuki gained all of this from blood money— and that kept him from falling into complete mindless security.

Even more so, the clothes Katsuki had picked out for him were a large reality check. They were...er, definitely in Katsuki's tastes.

His top was a tight fitting dark green turtleneck and a sleek pair of black dress pants that were hugging him a little too tightly. Izuku nervously studied himself in the full-length mirror. He could see every hill and dip on his body, especially on his arms, chest and narrow hips.

I wonder if he did this on purpose, Izuku questioned.

He pulled at the collar when a blush settled into his round cheeks. He looked nice, Izuku couldn't deny it. The dark green complimented his tanned skin and green hair, but Katsuki was definitely the opposite of him. His ex-lover enjoyed flashy things, or how Katsuki liked to describe it: "rightfully showing off good assets".

Izuku sighed and grabbed his cracked phone. He exited the room to find Denki and Mina playing rock-paper-scissors while leaning against the wall with silly expressions taped on their faces. When he was in their line of vision, both of them immediately straightened out and smiled brightly.

"Well, you look refreshed!" Mina said happily, clasping her hands together. "Let's get you to Boss. He wanted to speak with you when you woke up about the bakery situation. Are you comfortable with that? He says if you're not that's okay too."

"I-I'm alright with it," Izuku said quietly, then his head pulsed a bit with an underlying headache. The dull ache made him hyperaware of the bandage on his head from yesterday's fiasco. "Where is Katsuki?"

"He's in his office," Denki said. "He's meeting with a couple of clients today, but he said not to worry about interrupting. You can come in at any time since you're a special case."

Izuku nodded mutely and mulled over the word clients.

He glanced at the fresh, lovely maroon wallpaper and tried to hide his distain. Abruptly. the beautiful house didn't feel as enchanting as he realized the amount of blood that had to be shed to acquire all this lavishness.

When they arrived after their long walk, they were standing in front of two mahogany doors. There were twin lion heads mounted on each one and gold doorknobs were shined so well Izuku could see the fisheye reflection of himself.

Denki pushed his ear against the door and nodded to Mina before knocking politely. "Come in," Katsuki's voice drawled out loudly from the other side.

Denki pushed open the door and Izuku held a breath, bracing himself for the gaudiest show of wealth he'd probably ever seen—but Katsuki's office was not what he was expecting at all.

The whole office space was small, quaint, and quiet. Normal.

On the walls were pictures of Katsuki's parents and Izuku's heart stopped when he recognized one old photograph. It was tattered at the edges and framed delicately as if it was a golden metal. It was a news clipping of Izuku's regional bakery win from high school with the white truffles.

Izuku snapped his eyes to Katsuki, whose back was facing him.

His ex-lover was towering over a shelf of plants basking in the window's sunlight. They were purple African violets. Izuku curiously watched as Katsuki touched one drooping leaf with one hand as his other held up a phone against his ear.

"Listen. Kiri. I don't give a shit whose fucking fingers you have to cut off, get me the rest of the goddamn information," Katsuki's deep voice commanded in the coldest tone Izuku witnessed yet. "I want whoever is bothering Ms. Sano buried by fucking sundown."

Izuku stiffened upon hearing those words and so did Mina and Denki.

Mina wearily cut her eye towards Izuku then quickly cleared her throat. "Uh, Boss. We're here with Izuku."

Katsuki's whole body stiffened and then he whirled around.

Red eyes met green and there was an immediate tension that rose in the air.

Izuku didn't say anything, mind clouded by the gruesome visual of someone's fingers being possibly chopped off on Katsuki's command. He mustered up a tiny wave and meekly mouthed "hello". Katsuki waved back as well, mirroring his awkwardness. His ex-lover cut his eye to the plants in the windowsill and then turned around again.

"I have to go," Katsuki said in a murmur. "Handle them. I don't want to hear anything more about this."

Izuku could hear a long sigh and "got it, Boss" from whoever was on the other line before it cut off.

Katsuki straightened out his shirt and adjusted his black tie before turning back around.

"Good afternoon," Katsuki greeted stiffly. He placed the phone on his table and planted his palms face down on the wooden surface. "Sorry. Business call."

"It's alright. Good afternoon to you too," Izuku said back. He scratched behind his head and pressed his lips in a thin line.

"Did...Did you sleep well?" Katsuki asked carefully.

Katsuki strummed his fingers on the table and Izuku looked at all the silver and gold rings on his hands.

"I-I did. The bed was very comfortable." Izuku nodded and rocked on his feet. "And the bathroom was very nice! I like the decorations you put all around your home. It's...nice."

Izuku didn't miss the way Katsuki's chest puffed out slightly at the compliment. "Thank you." He gave a small smirk. "I picked out everything myself when I got this place built."

"I can tell." Izuku lightly chuckled. "Also thank you again for, uh, letting me spend the night after yesterday. I hope I didn't inconvenience you at all."

"Not a problem. You can stay as long as you want," Katsuki offered a little too quickly. Mina and Denki glanced between them curiously and Katsuki obviously caught it. He cleared his throat and rubbed his nape, hiding a hint of red that slowly crept up on his face. "I mean. You can stay as long as you need until this is all sorted out."

Izuku gave a soft smile and ignored the way his heart fluttered. "Thank you. I appreciate that. Hopefully it won't be too long. I don't want to bother you too long from your business practices."

Katsuki pursed his lips like he wanted to say something. Instead, he breathed in deep, and his expression was veiled by a familiar seriousness. "Well. Speaking of, I started the searched based off the details you gave last night. I think we got a couple of the guys who are involved."

Izuku stammered and rapidly blinked. "Th-That quickly?"

"Yeah. I work fast," Katsuki brushed off with a shrug. "The only thing I need from you is proper identification if you feel comfortable. They won't be able to see you, but if you could tell me I got the right guys that would be helpful."

Words jammed into Izuku's throat.

The attack from the bakery came forth again, and it made his whole body shake slightly. The shattering of glass directly next to his ear was still ringing inside of his head. Along with that, the cruel laughter of Isao as the man kicked and beat him was thick in his memory.

Izuku stayed mute, fidgeting with his fingers. He naturally averted his eyes down to his feet.

Then slowly, he could hear Katsuki approach him from across the room. Nerves entangled all over Izuku as Katsuki's all too clean black dress shoes lined up with his.

"Hey," Katsuki whispered gently. He reached out his hand and gingerly lifted Izuku's chin to look up at him. Izuku's heart thumped against his chest at the vision of the soft light haloing Katsuki. He looked like his Kacchan like this almost. "It's okay if you don't feel comfortable. You can go back to sleep if you want to. You don't have to be a part of this at all."

Izuku furrowed his brow. "What will you do if I don't identify them?"

"I..." Katsuki sighed exhaustedly and licked his lips. He retracted his hand and shoved it into his pants pockets. "I have other means of getting information out of people."

A picture of severed bloodied fingertips appeared in Izuku's mind.

"I'll come," Izuku muttered.

Katsuki quietly studied him for several moment.

Then he cut his eye to Mina and Denki, who had been quiet the whole time.

Katsuki gave a single flick of his wrist and that was all the two bodyguards needed before walking out of the room. His ex-lover then placed his hand on his shoulder with a reassuring expression.

"We'll head over right now. I promise this will be behind you before you know it." Izuku had to resist the impulse to grip him back.

Izuku was taken somewhere hours away in a car with Katsuki. The entire time Katsuki chatted with Sero, Mina and Denki like a regular person as if they weren't on their way to do an illegal interrogation.

Seeing Katsuki laugh and behave like a regular person thawed a part of Izuku that had been dormant for years. Soon it didn't take long for Izuku to laugh alongside with the other three people, finding his routine and natural like the past when he and Katsuki were together. When he finally cracked a small giggle, Katsuki's head whirled towards him like he had said something groundbreaking.

Izuku used his hand to cover his smile when they all started going around and telling embarrassing stories about each other. He tried to hide how hard he was laughing for everyone's sake but could barely contain himself.

"Boss here once scared an elderly man to death," Denki said with a mischievous chuckle. "He climbed into the wrong car without even thinking once."

"No way," Izuku laughed along. "You got into the car without checking the license plate?"

"Yeah," Katsuki admitted. He shrugged with a smirk. "Dumbass Pikachu here had texted me that he was outside in our getaway car, a blue sedan. I saw a blue sedan, so I climbed into it. Simple. However, he was actually in a green sedan. Besides, that old man didn't even say a word when I got into the passenger seat."

"Probably because you were covered in blood, Boss," Mina tacked on. "He was in shock from the staining you left all over his car."

"He did scream once we made eye contact," Katsuki muttered. He lazily scratched at his chin. "Must've been the bullet wounds."

Izuku couldn't help but laugh at the visual. He held his hand up to his mouth, trying to hold in belting out a loud giggle. He then glanced to his side to see Katsuki starring at him with a small smirk. His ex-lover's eyes were tender in a way that flustered Izuku's heart.

Izuku cleared his throat and tightly placed his hands in his lap.

"Feeling better?" Katsuki privately whispered as the convo carried on elsewhere. He leaned in close and Izuku nervously looked down at his hands in his lap.

"I am," Izuku muttered, suddenly aware of the way his face felt hot.

He glanced up at Katsuki and there was a satisfied smirk on his ex-lover's lips.

The warehouse was large and had more people dressed in odd suits and business casual clothes.

The symbol of a lion was subtly tucked in places like on the pavement, and on the walls.

Katsuki kept his arm around Izuku's shoulders the entire walk through the warehouse. The baker mulled over how the touch was warm and reassuring, cradling him almost. Izuku leaned into the other body at certain points when he could see individuals stealing glances at him. A lot of the people walking by did double take as if what they were viewing was an impossible sight.

When they finally stopped walking, they were standing in a small room with a lineup of ten men tied to chairs. Blood and bruises were littered all over their skin and it caused Izuku to flinch at the sight.

Katsuki firmly placed his hands on either one of Izuku's shoulders to steady him. With grace only Katsuki had, he leaned down slowly, lips grazing the shell of Izuku's ear slightly.

"If you want to leave you still can," Katsuki reminded in a low whisper. "Don't do something you're not comfortable with."

The heels of Izuku's feet were screaming for him to turn around and run. This was bad. This was so so bad and he didn't want to be here. This was everything he wanted to avoid, and his moral compass was spinning out of control in his head like all the gravity in the room had vanished.

However, when he scanned over the ten faces his whole body froze on the spot. He recognized five of the men.

The memory of them pushing him to the ground, kicking him, punching him and smashing in the glass in his bakery barged in brutally. He carefully noted all their faces, all the scars and the twisted scowls. It was them. Katsuki had really found them somehow—but not all of them. Isao was still missing along with several of his other goons.

Izuku stayed frozen on the spot as his mind ran a mile per minute.

"Are any of these faces familiar?" Katsuki whispered into his ear. The warm breath tickled his skin as they stared through the one-way glass. Izuku could see their reflection ghosted in the glass and Katsuki's red eyes shone so brightly. "This is one way mirror and soundproof. No one can hear or see you. Just say who."

Katsuki's fingers on his shoulders drew small circles with his thumbs. Izuku relaxed into the gesture on instinct, suddenly reminded how Katsuki used to do this same thing to help him destress when they were together.

Izuku swallowed thickly.

He looked at the men again, and even those the men couldn't see him he could feel the hate in their gazes burning through the glass. He looked into the bottomless gaze of one man, and it was filled with the same nothingness that hurled his life into the hurricane it was now. The memory of the sharp pain from where this one man punched him slammed the words out of Izuku.

"...The ones in purple, orange, blue, navy and yellow," Izuku whispered. Guilt weighted heavy on his tongue.

It tasted bad, as if curdled milk was forced down his throat from muttering those words. However, the ugly memory of seeing those men destroy all of his belongings quickly covered up all those feelings of shame.

He could still hear them degrade him as they shoved his own pastries in his face.

He must've looked sad because Katsuki stroked his hair in an attempt to comfort him. Izuku inched his gaze up to his ex-lover and Katsuki was surveying his face with an unreadable expression.

Then Katsuki nodded to the other people in the room, pointing to the five men Izuku identified. A sudden chill fell in the air and wrapped around Izuku like a burning rope of frost bite. Within the next moment, Izuku bared witness to Mina, Sero and Denki pulling out guns and knives from their blazers without a bat of an eye.

His eyes widened, shocked by the sudden shift in demeanor from the car ride to now—and Izuku waited for Katsuki to pull out a weapon as well. But one never came. It was then Izuku finally realized he hadn't seen Katsuki with a weapon. Not at the shop. Not in the house. Not in the car. Not even here, in a place filled with armed people who could possibly turn on him at any given moment.

Izuku concluded Katsuki's weapon was the snap of his fingers—and that was far more dangerous than any gun or knife.

"Well, this was a productive day! Eh, Boss?" Denki said with a bright grin. "Five bastards down, five to go! I say that's solid progress on this case. We should celebrate!"

They were all walking back from the car in front of Katsuki's mansion. Izuku watched as Mina casually cleaned her hot pink brass knuckles and double checked if she had broken a nail.

"No celebrating until we find whoever this Isao is," Katsuki quipped back, unamused. He raised a brow at Denki and shook his head. "We only found half of his group, we need to find the other half. I'll celebrate when he's in our hands."

"Got it, Boss," Mina, Denki and Sero chimed all together.

Izuku observed curiously as the four of them all blended back into casualness. Sero undid his tie once they stepped foot back in the mansion and Mina ran her hands through her thick head of hair. Denki pulled out his phone and began chatting with someone and Katsuki—Katsuki stared at him with that same unreadable expression.

Izuku stared at him back, feeling something in his chest flutter against his reasoning.

He was thankful, and more importantly he was feeling far more secure in living his life than he had a couple days ago. There wasn't a doubt in his mind that Katsuki would take care of this issue anymore. That simple act reminded Izuku of how Kacchan used to be: always taking care of him and protecting him whenever the opportunity arose.

Izuku shifted on his feet and blushed. "Thank you, Katsuki for doing all this."

Katsuki's eyes lit up. He turned his body inwards to him. "Of course. No need to thank me." There was a small moment of silence as the two ex-lovers gently smiled at each other.

"Ahem," Mina cleared her throat. "I'm going to try to get some quick shut eye in the guest bedrooms before Kiri comes back." She pointed to the basement staircase. "Sero, Denki, are you guys coming?"

Sero nodded quickly. "Yeah, we're gonna to come with you. Consider it a snuggle party." "What?" Denki scrunched his nose. "I'm not even tired. It's dinner time—"

Sero elbowed Denki in the side. He tried to be discreet but failed miserably and Izuku could clearly see what was going on. Next, Sero jutted his chin towards the two ex-lovers who were now blushing looking down at the ground.

Denki's eyes widened and he nodded quickly. "Oh, yeah. I am beat. Super tired! I have never slept before, who needs food when you have sleep."

Mina sighed exhaustedly and quickly dragged Denki by his collar towards the basement. They all waved goodbye and Izuku cocked his head.

"Are they really all going to cuddle together right now?" Izuku quietly questioned in a poor attempt to make what occurred less obvious.

"Wouldn't doubt it," Katsuki muttered. He was lightly scowling with his hands pushed in his pockets and a pink tint on his cheeks. "Ignore them. They are clinically sharing one damn brain cell."

"It seems like that one brain cell is really focused on sleeping and cuddling," Izuku said with a small smile.

Katsuki chuckled. "Are you hungry by any chance?"

"I could go for some food." Izuku smiled and placed a hand on his stomach.

"Perfect, me too," Katsuki agreed quickly, happy for a subject change. He gestured for Izuku to follow him down a hallway with a small smirk. "Let me show you the kitchen."

What they walked into was something straight out of Izuku's scrapbooks. He had to resist gawking like a fish and clasped a hand over his mouth. This was the most perfect kitchen he had ever seen.

It was sparkling white with black cabinets and everything that a professional cook could want in their life. A full row of stoves, electrical and gas. Walls of knifes, spoons, plates. Even mixers and whiskers were all set out. Hanging overhead was a delicate, non-gaudy abstract lamp that at added an artistic touch to the space.

"This is your kitchen?" Izuku whispered, utterly amazed.

"Yup," Katsuki muttered. There was an underlying mood to the way he said it as he tilted his head.

"Do you like it?"

"Like it? Katsuki, this is a baker's dream," Izuku said, astonished beyond belief. He walked up calmly to the four ovens in the wall and hesitantly touched the dial. "I've never even seen these types of ovens in person. I've always heard of having this many ovens in the magazines but never thought I would actually see someone who did it."

"Well, take a look around as much as you want."

Izuku did exactly that.

He happily strolled through the whole kitchen, exploring every inch up and down. He noticed from

this side of the mansion, the kitchen patio led out to the garden outside. All the lush fruits and vegetables were poised like something right out his dreams. Then, as he took a closer look it started to actually feel like one of his dreams.

Izuku's mood deflated a bit when he noticed the small truffle farm that was sectioned off in the garden.

Then Izuku started noticing more.

He started noticing that not only were the utensils high quality, but they were also the ones he wanted when he was in college. He noticed the counter tops were the same material and pattern that he always eyed in the stores—the same as the type he had installed in his own bakery. But moreover, he noticed the signature Yagi Toshinori chef's kit that was hitting on top of the cabinet.

Izuku's mouth ran dry.

Katsuki carefully walked beside him, smile slowly slipping off his face when he could sense Izuku's seriousness. "What's on your mind?"

"This kitchen..." Izuku whispered. He looked at the set of knives and traced his finger along the edge of one, the metal surfaced reflected both his and Katsuki's eyes back at him. "E-Everything in the house—the garden. The kitchen. This special knife set and even small things like how the kitchen is attached to the garden area—it's stuff I've mentioned before," Izuku whispered as his throat began to feel tight.

Katsuki went stiff and his eyes darted to the side.

That single glance away confirmed what Izuku thought. His belly knotted up and down.

"Please tell me you didn't make all of this for me?" Izuku painfully asked. "We—We haven't even spoken for so long. Why would you do this?"

"I did it before we broke up," Katsuki muttered. "What?"

"I had gotten a big bonus from that old gangster I worked for," Katsuki said sourly. He made a face like he had seen a painful memory. "He asked me why I was working so hard for him, and I told him the real reason—and the reason was you at the time."

Izuku's stomach dropped.

"Despite being a ruthless drug lord, the old bastard had a heart," Katsuki chuckled dryly. He ran his finger along an oven's handle. "He told me he could get a house build for us, so we didn't have to keep on livin' the way we were. He said he was happy to do it because I was like the son he

always wanted after he disowned his biological son. It was a gift for my 19th birthday." "...And he had this house built before that night?" Izuku whispered.

Katsuki nodded. "Not fully built. He put in the construction layout and finalized all the deals that week. I had gotten so carried away with talking shit with him and putting in all this useless fucking construction plans I forgot to—I forgot to come back for my birthday party and even more so, I forgot about spending time with you." He curled his fist.

Any word Izuku thought to say wouldn't express the way he felt. He stared at his perfect dream

kitchen in a new light but also he stared at Katsuki in a new light as well. His heart unwillingly clenched until he felt tears cling to the edges of his eyes.

Kacchan had been living in a house built for them this whole time.

"Why did you never mention it?" Izuku whispered, voice wobbly with hurt.

"Because I knew you didn't want to be involved with my lifestyle," Katsuki said curtly. He curled his upper lip in distaste and cocked his head. "The only trade off that damn old man had was that I help him run operations out of this house. Which as you can see—I'm doing exactly that. I wanted to respect both of your demands. His to continue on his legacy and yours not to be involved."

All the luxury felt just as bad as the moldy apartment he grew up in suddenly. He looked at the wallpaper and realized no matter how nice things were, there would always be secrets and pain festering underneath some surface.

"So, I guess. Here I am," Katsuki said sarcastically. He shrugged with a forced smirk that didn't fool Izuku. "I'm stuck in the perfect palace built for two by myself because I fucked up and kept things from you."

Izuku sucked in a breath, trying to ignore the tension that sparked. Katsuki was looking around at all the windows like he was a stranger in his own home.

"Well. I'm sure it's not a total waste." Izuku changed the subject when the tips of his ears grew hot. "Your kitchen staff must be very pleased with you. This is any chef's dream."

Katsuki dryly chuckled and rolled his eyes. "I don't have a kitchen staff." "What do you mean?" Izuku asked slowly. His face pinched in confusion.

"I, uh, never got around to hiring a kitchen staff," Katsuki confessed. He leaned against the garnet counter while looking upwards at the high ceiling. "I couldn't bring myself to do it."

"Then who cooked the breakfast this morning?" Izuku asked slowly.

Katsuki smirked and used his thumb to point to his chest. "I did, you fucking nerd." "What?" Izuku gasped, eyes going wide. "But it tastedgood."

"Hah? What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Katsuki shot back with a sneer. He walked over to Izuku and leaned into his space with a terribly handsome smirk. "Are you shocked I can cook, nerd? You know eight years is a long time to learn how to do something."

"N-No! I didn't mean it like that!" Izuku quickly corrected. He threw his hands up and shook his head. "I am surprised that's all. You usually burnt things to a crisp or added too much spice, so I'm a little taken back."

Katsuki hummed. "I haven't burnt anything in several years. I'm basically a pro at this point. Hell, I might even be better at cooking than you now."

"Ah. That's a bold statement," Izuku pointed out.

"Bold statement for the bold truth." Katsuki smirked a little too cockily. Izuku bit his lip and squinted his eyes.

Katsuki was undoubtedly baiting him, but he did it well because Izuku's naturally competitive side flickered. Izuku rocked on his feet slightly as he gazed into those mocking red eyes that dared him to feed into the challenge. Izuku tilted his head to the side and familiar banter rolled off his tongue like it was second nature.

"Y'know, I doubt eight years was enough for you to become that good of a chef," Izuku lightly said, bouncing on his heels. Katsuki's eyes lit up and his smirk grew fonder. "If I remember correctly, you messed up how to make rice. I will never forget that."

"Tch. That was one time."

"One time is one time too many to burn rice, Katsuki. I had to throw that pot out because we

couldn't get the charred remains off the bottom."

"Okay fine, you damn nerd. Since you want to be such a little shit, how about we make it a competition?" Katsuki proposed with a flex of a brow. "Let's bake something, and whoever bakes it quicker and better wins. We can make a prize out of it like old times."

Izuku broke eye contact to resist blushing.

His gaze fell onto the way Katsuki's chest was being hugged by his maroon button down. Specifically, Izuku was looking at the way a couple of the buttons were screaming, holding on to the fabric for dear life whenever Katsuki breathed in and his chest expanded.

Izuku subconsciously licked his lips. "And what would the prize be?"

"Anything."

"Anything like what?"

"Name anything you want," Katsuki emphasized with a wider smirk. "If you win I'll give you anything that big noggin' of yours could think up."

"Deal," Izuku agreed.

He shifted on his feet and his hand brushed with Katsuki's. Their eyes snapped down to where they had made contact and Izuku hadn't noticed they had gotten so close. They stared back up to the other's face but neither mentioned the proximity.

Izuku couldn't stop himself from blushing like a fool.

"If...If I win—" Izuku licked his lips. "If I win you have to make me all my meals until I leave."

Katsuki scoffed, entirely unimpressed. "Lame. That doesn't count if I was planning on cooking for you the entire time you were here, does it?"

"While wearing a maid's outfit!" Izuku hurriedly tacked on.

Katsuki's mouth dropped, and he raised an eyebrow. Izuku smiled like he had finally bested his ex- lover because there was no way Kacchan would want to do something like that. It would be perfect for a losing bet.

"Is that what you're into these days?" Katsuki teased. Much to Izuku's horror, Katsuki's smirk only grew wider, and he leaned in even more while dropping his voice to an octave that touched the bottom of Izuku's belly. "So, you're that kind of pervert are you? Want me to give you a lil'

show or somethin'?"

"N-No!" Izuku quickly hissed, recoiling like he had been burned. "I only said that because I know you would be embarrassed to put one on—"

"—Jokes on you. I would fucking rock a maid's outfit," Katsuki retorted. He gave a cocksure grin and flexed his brows. "Have you seen my goddamn body? I look damn sexy in anything I put on and if I flexed I probably would rip that thing right off of me."

Izuku's eyes flickered to the straining buttons again. He gulped.

"What do you want if you win?" Izuku bit in an attempt to shift the convo off Katsuki's body.

Katsuki licked his lips. He opened his mouth, but no words were formed right away. Izuku waited patiently when he could feel Katsuki hesitate—something he never did. The flicker of wavering only begged Izuku to be more curious for what his ex-lover had in mind. Katsuki's burning gaze grew more intense by the second until he finally spoke.

"If I win, you have to stay here with me for a month after I maim that Isao bastard for you," Katsuki said in a whisper.

Izuku's heart stopped.

Suddenly all the playful banter didn't feel so lighthearted. Izuku swallowed the lump in his throat when he could see the plea swimming in his ex-lover's eyes.

"Katsuki..." Izuku whispered seriously. He chewed on his bottom lip. "I-I don't think that's a good idea between the two of us. Even as a silly bet—"

"—Then don't lose," Katsuki quipped. He stood up straight and a mask shielding his emotions slipped on his face. "If you don't want to stay here with me, all you have to do is not lose. Shouldn't be too hard for a professional baker, right?"

Izuku fumbled on his response.

He tried to picture himself staying here with Katsuki for a month—even as a tiny bet—and he knew that was dangerous. His heart pulled too harshly and pounded too hard in his chest for this to be something that would have little effect on him.

Katsuki walked over to a specific door in the kitchen and pulled it open to reveal two barely touched maroon aprons. He held them up with an expectant look.

"What are we baking then?" Izuku asked. "You can pick since you're at a disadvantage." Katsuki raised a brow. "Chocolate beignets."

"Easy enough."

Izuku opened his hand, anticipating Katsuki to give an apron over to him, but was only partially surprised when that didn't happen. His ex-lover circled behind him; red eyes fully trained on his green ones like a fierce predator circling its prey.

Izuku stayed still when Katsuki stopped directly behind him and brushed their backs together. His breath hitched slightly when Katsuki tenderly placed the apron over his head. Katsuki tied the slash on the apron tight around his waist and then placed his hands on his hips.

His lips touched Izuku's ear lightly. "Don't lose, Izuku."

"I won't," Izuku shot back. He turned his head to look up at Katsuki who nodded in approval. It didn't take long for Izuku to switch gears and fall completely into his baker headspace.

The familiar feeling of being in the kitchen allowed him to breathe in without anxiety for the first time in a while. Izuku hadn't realized how much he missed losing himself in simply enjoying his craft.

As they buzzed around the large kitchen, Katsuki's own competitive side kicked in. Izuku found himself getting hip bumped out of the way of the fridge and playfully tugging back and forth with Katsuki for ingredients. The second Izuku tried to grab a whisker, his ex-lover placed it up on the top shelf, out of his reach, with a smirk and glint in his eye.

"That's cheating," Izuku objected in shock. "You can't put stuff on the top shelf!"

"Sucks to suck, short stuff," Katsuki said with a chuckle and ruffled his hair.

Izuku smiled despite himself. He quickly found a way around Katsuki's antics and began grabbing for the nearest chairs and making sure he could get everything he needed. They were both rushing to make the sweet pastries, maneuvering swiftly like ballerinas dancing around each other—and it didn't take too long for Izuku to get pulled into Katsuki's gravity.

His ex-lover was as charming as always. Playful in the right ways. Helpful sometimes even though this was a friendly competition. Katsuki shouted out to Izuku where some items like the sugar were since he was still unfamiliar with the kitchen. Izuku yelled back 'thank you', fully impressed with Katsuki's brand new baking skills.

The way he moved in the kitchen was doing things to Izuku's heart. Kacchan was always so amazing.

When Katsuki finished putting in his pastries in the oven, Izuku was still rushing to put his together. His ex-lover was blocking him and trying to slow him down more by grabbing his waist, tickling him, and stealing tools he needs.

When Izuku finally placed his in the oven, Katsuki had taken his out with a victory grin.

"Looks like I win," Katsuki smirked. "Better start clearing your schedule next week."

"Not yet," Izuku said. "You said faster and better. If mine taste better then I win."

Katsuki scoffed. "As if you're going to beat me." He grabbed for the powdered sugar, to place the final touch on his pastries but Izuku had other plans.

Following his ex-lover's shenanigans, Izuku grabbed for the powdered sugar and took a fist full to chuck at Katsuki. The other man was caught off guard so much he cursed out loud and gawked at Izuku.

Then a mischievous smirk blossomed on his sharp features. "So that's how you want to play this?" Katsuki warned.

Izuku laughed, took another chunk of sugar and flung it at Katsuki, decorating the air with tiny white flakes. Katsuki then took a fist full as well and poured it down on Izuku's head. The baker

yelled out in surprise and tried to run away but chaos erupted. One moment Izuku was flinging powder at Katsuki, the next Katsuki was ducking and throwing powder at him.

Their hair and clothes soon became caked in the white substance, and they found themselves harmonizing in laughter. Izuku looked up at one point and the sugar mimicked gentle snowfall. He caught view of Katsuki in the whirlwind—laughing with the biggest grin on his face.

Izuku's heart fluttered at the handsome sight.

Katsuki slowly tapered off his chuckles to look through the falling sugar at Izuku as well. For a second, Izuku could have sworn they were suspended in time.

"You uh, got some on your lip," Katsuki said in a low voice. Izuku lifted his hand to touch the side of his mouth and Katsuki shook his head. "Other side."

Izuku moved his hand around again, but when he failed to swipe the powder off his face, Katsuki reach forward for him. He gently swiped away the chunk of sweet powder, his thumb dragged along Izuku's plump bottom lip. They both stayed completely still. A shock of heat crawled up Izuku's spine when he realized just how close Katsuki was again. His heart began hammering as he looked at the other's lips and Katsuki himself froze.

His ex-lover glanced into his eyes, and they became grid locked in silence.

Katsuki had so many shades of pretty red in his eyes, Izuku thought to himself. He counted each shade, recognizing he missed doing that. He missed the scarlet. The amber. The crimson. Katsuki's eyes always shone perfectly in the dusk lighting of the setting sun.

As he was admiring Katsuki, with the upmost care, Katsuki ran his hand through Izuku's sugar filled curls. He did this gesture again and again as if trying to prove the person in front of him was real.

Then without notice, a painfully raw expression spilled on Katsuki's face. His perfect emotional veil cracked in half to reveal the eyes of the boy Izuku used to know. Such sad, lonely eyes glazed back at him and Izuku quickly felt like they never aged a day past nineteen.

"I'm sorry, Sweet," Katsuki whispered. His eyes watered slightly, and his lip pressed into a thin line. "I'm so fucking sorry for what happened."

Izuku knew he should move away—but his body did the opposite. The vulnerable expression in Katsuki's eyes was something too much to bear and Izuku's own emotional fortress came tumbling down. All the years of need and pain came hurling forward and Izuku's face crumbled like flimsy paper as he was held in Katsuki's hands. The calloused fingers in his hair cupped his cheeks and Izuku held back a sob.

In the light of the sunset, Katsuki didn't feel like danger. He felt like his old home. He felt like that wallpaper he would always tape up. Or the trips to the grocery store littered with tiny touches they exchanged. Katsuki felt like his best friend and the person he used to always rely on.

He felt like his Kacchan and the person he thought about every day for eight years.

Countless memories made Izuku's heart beat in tempo with Katsuki's, and he could feel them become in sync. The longing in their eyes melted into one and without a word, they slowly leaned in.

Katsuki kissed him like he was made of daydreams. Izuku kissed him back like he was made of

nightmares. He trembled in Katsuki's grasp, fearful of the line he was crossing while Katsuki pushed into him like a fleeting moment he could only indulge in once.

The kiss grew touchier as they pressed forward and Izuku was soon swept away underneath all the pent-up feelings. Katsuki's lips were still perfectly rough in the way he remembered as they kissed, steadily increasing the hunger for one another as they went. The sugar on both of their lips added in a sweetness that clouded all of Izuku's judgement. He grappled for Katsuki's arms and Katsuki's hand slid back to grip the hair at the back of his nape.

"My sweet baby," Katsuki whispered into his lips. They broke apart only for a moment as Katsuki trickled kisses all over Izuku's cheek, neck, Adam's apple and collar bone. "You have no idea how much I missed you, Sweet. I missed you so damn much."

"I missed you too, Kacchan," Izuku confessed, his words muddled.

His thoughts were overpowered by the scent of cinnamon and ginger directly in his nose. His eyes were blinking rapidly as they stumbled backwards into the counter. He grabbed onto Katsuki's shirt as his ex-lover kissed his lips again, much rougher and more famished. He closed his eyes and handed over the control to Katsuki as a tongue swiped at his bottom lip.

Their chests flushed together, and heat crackled all over Izuku's body. He tried to push backwards but only found himself trapped between Katsuki and the countertop—and was mortified that he liked it. Driven by desire, Izuku pulled Katsuki in deeper to the kiss, whispering his name on the other man's lips. Katsuki fiercely met his enthusiasm, snaking an arm around his waist and pulling him all the way against him.

Too busy lost with re-exploring each other, neither man heard the footsteps that came rushing into the kitchen.

"Boss, we got an emergency—shit. Sorry!" A voice cut in.

Izuku whirled his head to see a man with blazing red hair at the entrance. The newcomer quickly covered his eyes with his hands, and modestly turned away from them. Embarrassment snaked into Izuku's core when he felt one of Katsuki's fingers slide down his spine.

"Fucking go away, Kirishima," Katsuki bit out. "Can't you see I'm a little occupied? Handle whatever it is."

He didn't bother slowing down placing kisses on Izuku's neck. Izuku tried to shy away but the hand in his hair kept him in place and he felt like he was on a high of adrenaline. Katsuki was clearly very far gone too, eyes dilated all the way as he nipped on freckled skin. Katsuki's lips brushed against the sensitive spot on Izuku's clavicle that made his toes curl and eyes flutter shut.

"Ye-Yeah I normally would, Boss. But this is actually something you need to do—"

"—What did I just fucking say?" Katsuki snapped impatiently. He tore himself away from Izuku's neck and pierced a frightening glare into Kirishima. "If this is the Ms. Sano case, I told you to kill whoever is harassing her, I don't give a damn."

Izuku's eyes snapped open at Katsuki's harsh words.

The following second, reality hit him in the face harder than an avalanche.

All the sweetness of their past was buried underneath the realism that Katsuki hurt people for a living. Izuku saw flashes of blood, murder, and could hear figments of ghost men and women

screaming for mercy at the hands of his ex-lover. Izuku then remembered the bloodied brass knuckles he had found on Katsuki's 19th birthday.

He was callously reminded that Katsuki was a killer—no number of soft-spoken words would change that.

The sugar on his lips tasted sour with the thought.

"This isn't the Ms. Sano case," Kirishima muttered. "It's actually for, uh, the bakery issue. We got a lead on where the last few guys might be hiding. I figured you wanted to handle this round up personally like this morning."

This time Katsuki's attention was grabbed fully.

"I'll come in a second, let me get cleaned up," Katsuki said to Kirishima. He then turned his stare to Izuku. "Sweet, do you want to come with? If not I can come back for you, and you identify them later like we did earlier."

Pretty green eyes fluttered away because Izuku was too ashamed to meet his gaze. Embarrassment as hot as coals sat on top of Izuku's chest. How did he let himself get carried away that much? Izuku kept his head down and he curled into himself.

When he got no direct response, Katsuki made a worried face. He reached forward and lightly touched Izuku's shoulder. It was a soft touch, gentle and full of affection. However, with the visuals of blood and violence still running through Izuku's mind, the smaller man flinched at the contact when all he could see was scarlet pouring off Katsuki's fingers.

The moment was shattered entirely.

Katsuki retracted his hand, eyes wide with hurt and Izuku kept his head hung low.

"I'll stay here," Izuku said quietly only for Katsuki to hear. An onset of tears was creeping up his throat with bile. "I'm feeling tired. I th-think I'm going to go to bed."

Katsuki knew it was a lie—and Izuku knew he knew by the way he didn't push it.

"...Alright," Katsuki said. Disappointment was thick in the air. "I'll tell Denki and Mina that you're going to lay down."

He stepped away slowly and Izuku was left feeling cold from the retraction of body heat. Katsuki shimmering red eyes didn't leave Izuku until they had to. Katsuki painfully looked around the kitchen and the mess they had made in their temporary euphoria of forgetting who they were. He brushed the powdered sugar out of his hair and neatly tucked away his emotions.

"Let's go, Kirishima," Katsuki said coldly. He turned on his heel and didn't look back to Izuku. The two left, leaving Izuku alone in the kitchen.

The sunset eventually, leaving Izuku alone in the dark. He hadn't moved from his spot, too stunned by the way he had lost himself. It was only when the smell of burnt dough reached his nose did Izuku startle into motion. He whirled his head around to the expensive ovens to see smoke pouring out from where he had placed his beignets. Izuku cursed loudly as he went rushing forward to snatched them out.

They were burnt to a blackened crisp. Cracked and neglected.

Izuku finally broke down and cried.

Everything hurt as Izuku walked up the stairs with Denki and Mina behind him. His two escorts didn't say a word as he softly cried, they merely exchanged worried glances between each other.

Izuku dug his fingernails into his skin, wanting to rip his emotions from out of himself. Why did everything hurt? Why was he suddenly so confused?

He reached his room and closed the door up tight. His knees gave out and Izuku fell onto the bed, sobbing loudly as he replayed what happened in the kitchen over and over.

The rough feeling of Katsuki's lips on him was intoxicating and he hated himself for missing him. He hated that he wanted to be here and catch up with Katsuki more. The clashing feelings of terror and want wrestled inside of him for dominance, but neither won out. They struggled infinitely and tore Izuku apart from the inside out.

Bloodshot green eyes stared around at the large bedroom. All he could hear was the echo of Katsuki's confession about this mansion ringing loudly in his ears. His ex-lover had planned this place out for them to live happily—and now Katsuki was living in this hollowness by himself all these years.

Izuku didn't know how to process this at all.

How had this been something Katsuki kept to himself and not gone mad over? Izuku gripped at the carpet underneath him as shame piled into his body. Everything from the day began to pile up and conflict in his mind.

Hours passed as Izuku stayed curled up on the bed, too tired to move. Izuku looked up at the beautiful portrait of Katsuki on the wall. He admired the oil painting, hoping to find an answer for his confusion.

But before he could come to his own conclusion, fate had other plans. A knock on the door occurred in blended in with the vibration in his body. Izuku wiped his tears quickly, thinking it was possibly Denki and Mina, worried about his amount of sobbing and crying.

However, when he opened the door all he could see was cold blue eyes. Fear surged through him and Izuku acted fast.

He ran and screamed but the larger body overpowered him to the point of knocking him backwards. They struggled back and forth, and Izuku shrieked, clawing at the carpet as his skin burned with the surface friction. Within a flash, the point of a knife precisely pressed into Izuku's Adam's apple, and he went deathly still. His labored breathing echoed out in the room, and white noise filled his head.

His eyes inched up in full horror to the intruder.

The cloaked man slowly pulled off his ski mask to reveal his face. Copper colored hair shone under the bright chandelier with a matching wicked grin. It was Isao, chuckling like the devil himself and bearing a snide expression.

Izuku's eyes darted around for help, and his stomach dropped when he saw Mina and Denki face

down on the ground with the last of Isao's men overpowering them. Duct tape was being forced on their mouths and Mina was shaking her head furiously for Izuku not to move.

"Well, it looks like I was right about you," Isao said mockingly. He pushed in the knife to Izuku's throat shallowly, drawing just enough blood to make Izuku shed a tear from pain. "You really are that bastard's weak spot."