Katsuki hadn't flown truly high in a while, to the point that he had somewhat forgotten the exhilarating feeling of the wind whipping around him and tousling his hair. Small blasts from Katsuki's palms propelled him straight upward higher and higher, the orange and yellow flames from his Quirk-induced explosions reflecting in the glass of the outer walls of the dormitory tower. He didn't particularly care that people might see him, nor was he worried about falling. Aerial maneuvering was second nature to the boy, and blasting off straight into the sky allowed him to just escape everything he didn't want to deal with.

In entirely too short of a time, Katsuki crested the edge of the tower's rooftop and stopped blasting as he hung momentarily in midair at the apex of his final explosion. Katsuki stared down at the network of air conditioning units, industrial fans, radio equipment, and ductwork atop the building while scanning for his target. The shock of red hair stood out like a sore thumb amid all of the industrial trappings, and so, Katsuki fired off one final blast aimed behind himself to rocket toward the rooftop as he fell.

The blast propelled Katsuki down next to Daisuke, where he skidded to a stop amid a cloud of dust and debris kicked up from his landing. Daisuke didn't bother to react as the sudden rush of wind fluffed his hair into an even wilder style than usual. The lizard-tailed hero-in-training was leaning back into one of the raised cubic air conditioning unit boxes and wearing a simple outfit of track pants and a sleeveless black tee with a logo that Katsuki didn't recognize. Katsuki himself was clad in another pair of basketball shirts and a similar top, though devoid of any branding. The boys offered each other a synchronized, understated nod, though Daisuke's expression broke into a subtle smirk. Katsuki's remained unwavering.

"…quite an entrance," Daisuke complimented with a yawn. "I half-expected you to use the stairs."

Katsuki let out a snort as he moved to stand across from Daisuke. Eventually, he made his way to a horizontal length of raised ductwork and hopped up onto it, letting his legs dangle while bracing his palms atop the polished metal.

"…I like the feeling of flying," Katsuki said slowly. "That's why I didn't mind the suggestion to meet up here."

"Nothing beats it, man," Daisuke said, his smile growing wider. "Wind in your hair and at your back, that feeling of weightlessness, the view…"

"Yeah," Katsuki agreed with a sigh. He was aware of the passive tension in his shoulders and actively tried to dispel the knots. Over time, he managed to let them slump a bit as he adopted a more natural position. "It's… it's nice."

"You certainly seem to be in a better mood compared to this morning," Daisuke observed. "Everything going well?"

"Well enough, surprisingly," Katsuki admitted. "I got some things done that I wasn't looking forward to. Let's leave it at that. What happened with… uh…"

"Honenuki?" Daisuke asked, only to receive a nod in turn. "Not much. We both showered, talked about some pretty nebulous stuff, and he ended up leaving after me. One thing was a little weird, though- he never brushed his teeth."

Katsuki blinked, not following the line of thought.

"…and?"

"You… didn't notice he was wearing some kind of sophisticated mechanical mask?" Daisuke asked. "He never took it off, even in the shower, and he brought a toothbrush and paste into the bathroom with himself. Didn't bother using 'em."

"I didn't notice," Katsuki admitted, shifting slightly atop the duct. "I don't really pay attention to most other people unless it's necessary. Don't give me that look."

Daisuke's mouth had transitioned into a tight, unimpressed line. It was the facial expression of the unimpressed mother whose child had just received a "C" on their math test after she had been helping them study.

"…we're not all that bad, are we?"

"It's not a 'you' problem. I know I can't keep that attitude here," Katsuki acknowledged. "I'll… work on it."

"I hope you do," Daisuke replied as he transitioned to sitting down with his back up against the box. "I've liked hanging out with you so far… and I've spent some time with a few of the others, too. I think you might like them, if you give them a chance."

"Yeah, maybe," Katsuki said dismissively. "Any theory on… Honenuki? My guess is some kind of heteromorphic alteration that he doesn't want to show."

"That's almost certainly it, and what I was thinking, too," Daisuke said with a grimace. "Can you not call it an… alteration, though? 'Feature' or 'trait' would be better. A lot of us put up with a lot of shit from people without any heteromorphic qualities, and… while it might not seem like a big deal to you, the way people talk about us matters. Certain words get old after hearing them enough. 'Alteration's' not that bad, but… you know. Slippery slope, and all."

"…what's wrong with calling it an alteration?" Katsuki asked. "I'm not asking to be an asshole or sound dismissive… I just don't get it. Words don't really affect me."

"One day, they might," Daisuke said with a sigh. "A lot of people feel the same way until that one person says something that sends them over the edge in an instant before they even realize why. If you're being genuine, though, it's cool. 'Alteration' implies that not being a heteromorph is… normal. It's only a few steps away from just calling someone a freak."

"…got it," Katsuki replied, though he admittedly had a bit of trouble making the mental step himself. "I'll… try to remember that."

"And if you don't, I don't mind reminding you," Daisuke said with a shrug. "Intent matters. As long as you're not being malicious about it, it's all good. Come sit with me?"

Katsuki simply stared for a moment as Daisuke moved his tail out of the way to make room for him to sit.

"Why?"

"Well… I'm assuming you wanted to finish what we started down in the bathroom, and it's a bit of a touchy subject. It could get a little… weird and uncomfortable, I guess? Might be easier if you're closer."

"…why?" Katsuki asked again. "I don't really like being close to people."

"Yeah, I noticed," Daisuke said with a sigh. "You don't hug, you're not a people person, you don't like getting close…"

"And I've got reasons," Katsuki replied with a bit of bite in his tone. "Would it make you feel better if I sat next to you?"

"…honestly, yeah," Daisuke admitted. "I've been called a freak and harassed over more than just my tail, Katsuki. This is one of those things."

Katsuki could tell that whatever Daisuke was talking about, it was something serious and meaningful to the other boy. Without a word, he slipped off the duct and closed the distance to Daisuke before sitting down with his back against the industrial unit and a few feet of space between himself and the other hero-in-training. Katsuki closed his eyes and took a few slow, silent breaths, trying to get himself into the right mindset for whatever was about to be discussed.

After all, he had stepped out of his comfort zone for Kyoka. What made doing it for Daisuke any different?

"…we were talking about… relationships being a waste of time, right?" Katsuki asked, keeping his eyes on the ground. "And then you asked me if I would feel the same way even if I took a normal career path instead of this."

"That's right, yeah," Daisuke acknowledged. "And that's when Honenuki walked in. You started to say something, but got cut off."

"…I don't remember," Katsuki admitted. "But to answer your question… I don't know. I've never given it much thought. Keeping up with academics and just… making it through when I was at home took enough effort. Trying to manage someone else's feelings and whatever other shitty baggage comes along with that has never seemed like something that I wanted to bother with."

"And that never made you feel lonely?" Daisuke asked, his tone gentle and cautious.

Katsuki snorted derisively and offered Daisuke a shrug.

"…growing up with my parents… I learned how to self-entertain and just… deal with being on my own. Now, it's more satisfying than anything. I can survive on my own, take care of myself, I don't have to rely on other people for anything, and I don't have to make myself available for whatever stupid shit other people want to do. Being alone is a blessing."

Daisuke nodded along, though he didn't seem all that enthused by the answer.

"…in some ways, sure, but… once you get going in a group, you seem to do well enough. Maybe you're not the most enthusiastic, but you helped Tsu move in, you hung out with all of us for quite a while, you were a great sparring partner…"

"And after all that, I needed to get the hell away from people and just do my own thing for a bit," Katsuki grumbled. "People are just… exhausting, and a lot of them are stupid."

"A lot of them are, yeah," Daisuke agreed. "But to me, it just sounds like you're an introvert. Even introverts can wind up in a relationship. Sometimes with each other."

Katsuki couldn't help but reflexively roll his eyes.

"And what about you? The implication seemed to be that you don't care about relationships much, either."

"It's not so much that as it is that relationships are… a little different for me," Daisuke said cryptically. "It's difficult to find one that works, and I haven't been involved in one in a long time. Last one ended badly."

"…yeah, that's another thing," Katsuki added. "I've seen how serious relationships end. It destroys people. I'm not signing up for that."

"You're not wrong," Daisuke admitted as he fidgeted with the tip of his tail, scratching a few dry scales from it using his fingernails. "It's not just that, though. How do you feel about sex? Casual or otherwise?"

Katsuki finally managed to look up at Daisuke, his expression one of both confusion and annoyance.

"…why the hell would I want to talk to you about that?" Katsuki snapped. "We barely know each other."

"Because it has everything to do with what I actually want to ask you," Daisuke answered, meeting Katsuki's eyes. "I promise I'm not going to judge you, no matter what your answer is. I just… want to know, before we get into what this is all really about."

"…asking me how I feel about fucking is the lead in to the actual conversation?" Katsuki asked. "What the hell…"

"Just… can you please answer honestly?" Daisuke asked, finally sounding a bit frustrated. "If not, we'll just drop it entirely, and forget any of this ever happened. I was hoping I could share something with you because being in an entirely new environment and keeping secrets isn't exactly fun. Doing this with my friends in high school wasn't easy, and sometimes, it didn't end well. I wanted you to be an anchor… and now that I'm saying it out loud, maybe I'm just being a selfish asshole."

Katsuki raised his brow as Daisuke ranted himself into an anxious mess. Upon hearing the uncomfortable pause, he decided to seize the opportunity to commit to one of three paths before him. He could admit the truth, he could walk away… or he could lie, and tell Daisuke what he thought the other boy wanted to hear.

In Katsuki's mind, there wasn't actually a choice to be made at all.

"I don't know how I feel about sex," Katsuki admitted, turning his eyes back to the patch of gravel before him. "Never done it. Don't really care. You?"

"I have," Daisuke said. "But there's nothing to be ashamed of, and it's pretty impressive that you would just admit that so casually. Do you want to? Not with me, before you ask."

The corner of Katsuki's mouth twitched, and he narrowed his eyes as he focused in on an individual pebble.

"…again, I don't know. I don't think about it a lot."

"Do you ever?" Daisuke prodded. "Like… do you ever see someone and think to yourself, 'I'd love to spend a night with her', or fantasize about any of the girls in class?"

"Daisuke… this is getting fucking weird," Katsuki warned. "Don't push it. I mean… sure, on some rare occasions? I mean… I've looked at boobs before when a girl didn't know I was staring, or found myself checking out someone's ass when they bend over. I'm not proud of it, alright, but that's just something every guy does. Every guy thinks about sex…"

"I don't."

"You don't what?" Katsuki asked.

"Think about sex," Daisuke answered immediately. "Ever."

Katsuki couldn't help but look at Daisuke again, feeling more confused than ever before.

"…ever? What do you mean ever? You don't ever check people out, or…?"

"I'm asexual," Daisuke said as he stretched out his legs before interlacing his fingers and stretching his arms, palms outward. "I don't feel that urge you're talking about at all. Sure, I might check someone out, but I'm thinking 'man, they look really nice, I like their aesthetic.' Not 'god, I wish I could fuck them,' which… is apparently normal? It took me a long time to figure it out, but… yeah. That's where I'm at. Asexual. I was thinking you might be, too, but it sounds like you're probably not. Aromantic, maybe…"

"…I don't know what any of that means," Katsuki said, suddenly feeling overwhelmed as if he was being spoken to in a foreign language. "What the hell do you mean you're asexual? You're not about to split into another one of you…"

It was Daisuke's turn to roll his eyes and let out a weary sigh.

"…you're not asking from a place of malice, I know. Asexual in a biology class sense isn't the same as asexual in terms of human sexuality, Katsuki. For me and others like me… do you drink… let's say, grapefruit juice?"

Katsuki had to stop and think about the question for a moment, feeling ever more lost as the conversation went on.

"Uh… no…?"

"Have you?"

"I… once? Maybe?" Katsuki guessed. "Maybe twice? I know I have, but…"

"But you don't seek it out," Daisuke guessed. "You don't feel the random urge to start chugging it. You're not allergic, but you're not interested, either. Right?"

"Right," Katsuki agreed. "What are you even talking about?"

"Replace grapefruit juice with sex, and that's me," Daisuke explained. "I just don't feel the need. I don't think about people sexually, I don't crave it, I don't find it particularly enticing at all… I'm cool with just not doing it, and a lot of people seem to have a problem with that. Especially people in the dating scene."

"Why would…" Katsuki started before making the mental leap himself. "…because a lot of potential partners would call that a dealbreaker…"

"And a lot of potential friends would call me a loser, a freak, or say I'm making excuses as to why I can't get laid… or just shut me out because I'm different and they don't understand," Daisuke finished. "Or… tell me I haven't found the right person yet to make sex exciting, and offer- or force themselves on me and people like me as an example."

"…that hasn't actually happened to you, has it?" Katsuki asked, dreading the answer.

"No," Daisuke reassured. "Not to me, but it does happen. Usually to women. Being an ace male isn't easy, but…"

"Ace?" Katsuki interrupted.

"Right. Asexual. Ace," Daisuke clarified. "It's just a term people in the community tend to use."

"Okay…" Katsuki replied. "That's all… all of this is new to me, but I don't have a problem with any of it. I don't think any differently of you now than I did before. I guess it's nice that you trusted me enough to share all of this and try to make a connection between us? Sorry to disappoint that I'm not like you in that way…"

"It's not a disappointment at all- if anything, I'm thrilled that you don't give a damn," Daisuke said with a grin. "I was hoping you'd be accepting, but I honestly didn't expect this to go so smoothly. I have a lot I could tell you about all this over time, but the only other thing you should know about right away is this."

Katsuki watched as Daisuke held up his right hand, showing off a simple black ring around the middle finger. Unsurprisingly, Katsuki hadn't noticed the piece of jewelry before, nor would he have thought to question it if he had.

"…I don't get it."

"Black ring, right middle finger," Daisuke replied. "An ace calling card for those in the know. Gotta be careful though- any other finger is the sign of a swinger."

"That seems… inconvenient?" Katsuki said uncertainly as he watched Daisuke give the ring a tiny spin with his other hand.

"Hey, I didn't make the trend, I just abide by it so those who know what it means know something about me without having to have this conversation," Daisuke said. "But now… you know, too. Any questions?"

"Yeah, a lot," Katsuki said. "But I don't want to get into it all right now. There's really only one thing I want to ask at the moment- what's aromantic? Just… what it sounds like?"

"Pretty much," Daisuke confirmed. "Almost like being an asexual, but you don't need relationships, instead. Perfectly happy on your own, no drive or urge to go and find a romantic partner. You can be both, one or the other, or neither. Sexuality's a complicated topic."

"...more complicated than I thought," Katsuki considered. "And that… does sound like me. Aromantic…"

"Does saying it out loud feel 'right' to you?" Daisuke asked.

"Yeah, it kinda does…" Katsuki admitted, feeling some of the confusion seem to slip away like a tide going out in his mind. "Huh…"

"Don't rush to adopt the label right away," Daisuke warned. "But… keep it in the back of your mind. A guy like you? I think you could land a romantic partner that could do great things for you, and you could do great things for them. You're an introvert and kinda… prickly, sure, but you're a good guy. Accepting in all the right ways, good sense of priorities… don't just settle for being on your own because it's easy, Katsuki. Thrive. Explore. Figure out who you are, and what you really want… and go get it. I'd be happy to help you along the way."

"Where are you going?" Katsuki asked as Daisuke got up from the ground and stretched.

"I think… I'm gonna go for a little flight," Daisuke answered. "And I think you should take some time to yourself and just mull things over for a bit. It's all a lot to take in, isn't it? I'd think you would want an opportunity to just process it all alone."

"Yeah, I… think I do," Katsuki agreed. "Daisuke?"

"Mm?" the other boy asked as he looked over his shoulder.

"…thanks," Katsuki grumbled. "For telling me all of this. But if you… you know what, never mind. I'll ask next time."

"Next time," Daisuke agreed with a nod. "After all, this isn't the last time we'll be hanging out, is it?"

"…no," Katsuki agreed. "No, it won't be."

"And if you've ever got anything you want to get off your chest, I'd be happy to listen," Daisuke said with a smile. "See you around, Kats."

Katsuki watched Daisuke dive over the edge of the roof as a rush of green wind manifested around him. Without another word, the blond hero-in-training rested an elbow upon his knee and cupped his chin with his palm as he began to replay bits of the conversation in his mind. There was a lot to think about.

Author's Note:

100 chapters deep, and the beginning of a long, important deep dive into Bakugo's journey of self-discovery. Nothing is as clear-cut as it seems… for either of the boys.

-RD