Izuku makes his way to the kitchen where his childhood friend – turned bully – turned rival – tuned best friend – turned roommate was cooking dinner. The label itself presents a lot of history to unpack but he wouldn't have it any other way.
When they had hit that rough patch back in middle school, he never imagined it would end up with the two of them planning out to go to the same university so that they could get an apartment together and pursue their goals side by side. It was almost as close as they could get to the dreams they had as kids, to grow up and be the best hero duo in the world, while they secretly stayed up all night watching All Might episodes, discussed what kind of powers they would have, and begged their moms to make their costumes the next day.
He chuckles at the memory. Maybe in another universe where superheroes exist… but right here, right now, he's much more thankful to be in this reality than his dreams.
"What's so funny, nerd?" his favorite blonde turns around and Izuku giggles even more. He was wearing a black apron with orange lettering that says'I Like Big Buns and I Cannot Lie'printed above an illustration of two cartoon burgers, scowl on his face and spatula on his hand.
"Nothing, Kacchan! Just happy to finally be in your presence." He says it teasingly but they both know he means it. After spending almost every day together for the past three years, the two weeks apart felt like forever. Izuku had been overseas to visit his dad and while they had texted daily and called twice, the conversations were short due to the time difference.
"Of course you are, I'm awesome." He turns back his attention to the food and Izuku goes around the counter to be next to Katsuki by the stove, tilting his head in curiosity before his eyes go wide.
"Kacchan! Are you making Katsudon!?" He can't help but bounce on his toes. He missed both homecooked meals and Japanese food so much since him and his dad had spent most days either eating out or having food delivered, all from local restaurants.
"So what if I am? Chill out and get out of the kitchen before you break something!" He tries to shoo him away but Izuku ignores his protests and wraps his arms around Katsuki's mid-section, pressing their bodies together. Since the blonde had a growth spurt in high school and now towers over him at 6'1', the top of Izuku's head only reaches his chest. He feels him freeze and relax before an arm circles around his shoulders and another curling around his head.
"Kacchan's the best! Coming here earlier than me to set things up, picking me up from the airport, letting me nap on your bed while you unpack my things, and now you're cooking my favorite food." He starts choking up, "I-I'm gonna make it up to you, I promise! I won't be a burden!"
He feels Katsuki tighten his hold and set his chin on the top of his head, "You damn crybaby. There's nothing to make up for. I do what I want to do so don't come to me with that burden crap."
"But still!" Izuku protests with a pout, slightly pulling away from the hug.
"No buts." The taller man pulls away enough to bend his head down so their faces are levelled, squeezing his cheek. "'sides, I know Auntie Inko cooked this for you every weekend. I can't have her crying about me to the old hag for causing her spoiled baby to lose weight. Now go sit down and be patient. I'm almost done."
"O-okay," he says reluctantly, "I'll set the table."
Shortly, Katsuki had finished cooking just as he promised and they talked about the past two weeks in more detail over dinner. Izuku shows him pictures of his trip and tells him his favorite parts. He tells him about the people he met and the new things he experienced. He doesn't tell him that the whole time, he was wishing that Katsuki was there with him too. He doesn't tell him how much he missed him.
Katsuki talks about what all they need for their apartment. He had grabbed their door and mailbox keys, set up utilities and wi-fi, and apparently a gym membership that he will be dragging Izuku to. His parents had given him their old flat screen TV to take since they got a new one, but he held off on buying other furniture for the living room so they can both choose since they still have a week before classes start to shop.
Izuku scolds his heart for skipping a beat. No matter how much these things sound like something a romantic couple would do, that's clearly not the case here. These are completely platonic activities that roommates do out of necessity. He shakes his head and focuses back on the list he's making.
Thankfully, they both have enough money to cover initial big expenses that they had discussed beforehand. The two of them were accepted with full academic scholarships. Both pairs of parents insisted on sending them monthly allowances, arguing that they should focus on maintaining their grades to keep the grant instead of getting part-time jobs.
Then comes the most difficult part for Izuku. They had discussed house rules early on which were all pretty standard. Him and Katsuki have known each other their whole lives and while living together as adults is going to be different, they know how to exist around each other in almost every aspect.
Well, except one.
"Uhm, Kacchan…" he starts awkwardly. "Should we talk about h-house guests?"
Katsuki looks at him with confusion, "We already talked about that, nerd. Just make sure to ask before you bring any of your extras around and we both have to be cool with it."
"I meant—" Izuku's face is red and he wants to throw up. Him and Katsuki have never talked about anything like this before, both always occupied with each other and school. He doesn't want to discuss it at all but he's not dumb. Katsuki has always been attractive but his blatant rudeness had driven people away in fear. Now that he's calmed down a little and worked out some of his issues, people have been getting braver and it's only a matter of time until he realizes what all he could have;whoall he can have. Even the self-proclaimed 'Baku-squad' had been teasing him relentlessly about all the 'action' he was going to get once they moved in together. And Izuku, well, he'd just rather not be home if anything err… 'exciting' was happening. The walls are pretty thin so he doesn't think his bruised little heart can handle even only the implications of inviting a romantic partner over, knowing that if Katsuki asked to do so, he wouldn't have a good reason to say no. He certainly can't tell—
Two fingers squish his cheeks together. "Oi. Stop muttering and finish your sentence"
"S-sexual partners." He barely manages to squeeze it out and he can't look Katsuki in the eye.
"Haaaaahhhh!?" the loud volume makes him jump and look up. His roommate had stood up, hand slammed against the counter, with one of the angriest scowls on his face. "What the fuck are you talking about, Deku!?"
They both flinch. He hasn't called him that since their first year of high school and while Izuku doesn't really mind it anymore, he knows Kastuki tried so hard to get out of the habit and only slips up when he's really pissed off.
Katsuki took a deep breath, his frustration palpable. "School hasn't even started yet and you're already thinking about that? And plural?"
Izuku flinched at the harshness in the blonde's voice, his face burning with embarrassment. "I-I just thought we should set some boundaries," he stammered, trying to defend himself.
"What, are you planning to sleep with the first five side characters you meet?" Katsuki continued, his voice rising.
Izuku's eyes widened in shock. "No, Kacchan, it's not like that! I just—"
" Why did you even agree to move in together? If you wanted to fuck someone else in our apartment, then you should've gotten your own shitty place. I'm not going to allow any STD-infested freak in here so you better go to a fucking motel or something," Katsuki finished, his voice laced with finality.
Tears stung Izuku's eyes, and he tried to blink them away. Katsuki's words cut through him like a knife and he felt a lump form in his throat. He didn't understand what he said to make the blonde this angry. If anything, he was being considerate! Sure, he was mainly trying to protect his own sanity, but he's doing Katsuki's future sexual partners a favor, because there's no greater turn off than hearing someone cry from heartbreak on the other side of the wall.
I mean, he's all for enforcing a no-sex-in-the-apartment rule, but Katsuki didn't have to yell at Izuku for asking. He didn't want to argue, especially after just moving in and honestly, it hurt like hell to hear Katsuki talk to him like this again. It reminded him too much of their middle school days, except this time, Izuku was no longer a punching bag and he knew better.
His childhood friend hasn't lashed out like this in a while, so whatever is bothering him must have struck a deep nerve. That doesn't mean it's okay, but he files it as a conversation for another time. Right now, he just wants to meet Katsuki half way takes a deep breath and calmly responds.
"Kacchan, I didn't mean it like that. I just wanted to be clear on the rules."
Katsuki turned around, his back to Izuku. He took a step but Izuku threw all his weight forward, his arms around Katsuki's torso for the third time that day (counting their reunion hug at the airport), holding him tightly.
"Kacchan!" He pleads before the hothead gets a chance to storm out. "I don't understand why you're angry and I think you misunderstood what I said. I'm not planning to bring anyone here. I just wanted us to be on the same page, and I don't think it's fair for you to be mad at me for wanting clarification. I don't want to fight but if I said something wrong, you have to let me know. I just want us to be okay."
There's another deep breath and some shuffling. Izuku sighs in relief when he feels the body turn around to face him and once again wrap his arms around him, this time, bending down to nuzzle his neck.
"I'm sorry, 'zuku," his voice was low and gentle, but there was still a sharp edge to it. "I'm sorry for yelling and for implying shit. I just… I get that we're both eighteen and in college so that stuff should be normal. If that's something you want—"
"No!" he shakes his head against Katsuki's chest but doesn't look up. "I don't want any to have s-sex with random people and I'm not trying to take anyone here. I just know that Kacchan will have people lining up and I-I don't want to hold you back. Whoever you choose to be your romantic or s-sexual partner will be so lucky and I'll always support you. I just wanted to make sure that you have privacy since our bedroom walls are right next to each other. I-I don't want to hear someone moaning your name!"
There's silence. And then, a chuckle. Izuku finally looks up and sees Katsuki shake his head with wide eyes and an amused grin. "Stupid Izuku, worrying your pretty little head about dumb shit. Like I would ever want to touch any extra. Never have, never will."
Izuku almost cries at the confirmation that Katsuki hasn't been with anyone and doesn't want to be with anyone. Even if it means that he doesn't want Izuku too, the selfish part of his soul celebrates that no one else will have him either; that he can keep Katsuki's affections to himself. But the rational masochistic part of him knows that he can change his mind any time, urging him to meet Katsuki's eyes and ask, "What if you meet that special someone and fall in love? Wouldn't you want to be with them in every way you can?"
"Oi, do I have to repeat myself?" One hand leaves Izuku's waist to run his fingers through blonde spikes, "I won't meet anyone and I sure as hell won't fall in love with them. I can promise you that. Like I said, I have no room for extras in my life. I'm here to be number one and I only want number one." The hand returns to pull him closer, unaware of the turmoil he's causing.
Izuku forces out a laugh so Katsuki doesn't hear his heart breaking, "I apologize, your highness,King Explosion Murder dare I suggest that any of these peasants are worthy of your love?"
He finds the humor and irony in the situation, because it's the same selfish part of him that hopes Katsuki is wrong. Hopes that he can and will fall in love with someone one day.
It's the same selfish part that wishes it could be him.
"Oi, I'm tired of hearing you mock such an awesome name. Don't make me explode you."
"Oh no. I'm so scared." He says in the most deadpan voice he could muster.
"You should be."
That was his only warning when suddenly he's lifted up and draped over a muscular shoulder. "K-Kacchan! What are you doing?"
"Shut up, nerd! It's bed time and you owe me two weeks of cuddles. We can set up your bed tomorrow."
Izuku decides to be selfish a little longer.