Chapter Text
+Crush
Due to going to bed earlier than usual, Izuku found himself awake with the other early raisers of the class. He was at a little bit of a loss on what to do with his extra time, not used to hanging around some of them. He sat himself alone at a table with his breakfast, taking his time with eating and just taking in his surroundings.
Shoji sat upon the couch closest to the television, watching the morning weather report. Snuggled into his side was Tokoyami, face mostly hidden so Izuku was unsure if he was actually awake or not. Izuku was also unsure of when those two had grown so close but shrugged it off. It wasn’t any of his business after all, he also had things he didn’t tell people.
He was impressed with how much he was learning from just waking up earlier than usual, like Hagakure doing yoga in the warming morning sunlight or Yaoyorozu brewing coffee and tea for the other students who had yet to make their way down the stairs. Izuku also knew that Iida was an early raiser, but he was unsure if he had chosen to stay in his room this morning or left for class already.
As he was finishing up the last of his food, the doorway to the stairwell opened and Katsuki stepped into the common area. Izuku had already known that Katsuki was an early raiser, even if he did complain about it rather loudly. He was stomping his way through the room, causing Tokoyami to stir from his warm spot next to Shoji. “Ah, I see it is time to bask in the light.”
Shoji reached around and flattened his mused feathers before pulling him closer. “Not yet, he’s early.”
Izuku didn’t mean to stare at their exchange, he just never would have guessed that there were other couples within their class. He had thought he was pretty observant of his surroundings, but then again maybe he could be over thinking a close platonic relationship? He didn’t want to assume things but then again-
“Deku, it’s too early for you to be this damn creepy,” Katsuki voice cut through his thoughts, hissed in a whisper.
He sputtered, belatedly realizing he had been voicing his speculations out loud. At this point he was just embarrassed about the habit and no longer surprised. He lowered his head, face ablaze, “Do you think they heard me?”
“Hell if I know,” Katsuki shrugged, placing a mug onto the table before taking a seat.
“Are they dating?” Izuku whispered.
He didn’t get a verbal response, just another noncommittal shrug as Katsuki took a sip from his drink. “I just thought... with the cuddling...” Izuku continued, leaning forward for Katsuki to hear him better. “I never asked if you wanted to... um..”
His voice broke as his sentence trailed off, unsure if he should even ask such a question out loud. Katsuki, luckily, picked up on what he wanted to know. He barely lowered his mug before answering. “You can do whatever you want, I’ll tell you if I don’t like it.”
Izuku nodded, losing himself to his thoughts for a moment before he asked quickly, “Publicly?”
This time Katsuki put his mug down completely, “I’m not a damn coward, I’m not going to hide shit from anyone.”
This caused Izuku to laugh, a quick and wheezing sort of noise. He was too familiar with Katsuki’s lack of shame, being the type to openly walk about the showers completely nude or picking lint from between his toes while watching tv in the common room.
Izuku left the conversation at that, getting up to take his dishes to wash. After he finished, he only spared Katsuki a glance before making his way to the stairwell to go back to his room to get changed for class. Katsuki didn’t pay him any mind, instead turning in his seat to tune into the weather report still broadcasting on the television.
When he finally came back down the stairs, more students had found their way into the room. It was louder than before with their bustling to finish their breakfast and scribble out any last-minute homework assignments. The more diligent students were beginning to file out of the building to head to class and Izuku had found himself following that group out of the doors.
Katsuki didn’t necessarily wait for him, but Izuku was surprised to see that he was keeping a lazy and slow pace on the sidewalk. Other students were walking past him briskly which allowed Izuku the room to meet at his side. They had walked together in silence, picking up their speed to an average walk pace instead of Katsuki’s previous snail crawl of before. Maybe he was waiting for company after all, Izuku thought.
They were walking fairly close besides one another, giving their classmates ample room to walk around them if needed or desired. Their friends waved and wished them good morning but most stayed within their own groups as they walked. With the happy faces passing them by, the pleasant breeze of early morning, and the cheerful chirps of the birds, Izuku dared think this was a perfect morning.
Maybe that feeling is what sparked some bravery in him when his hand brushed against Katsuki’s. He only took a moment’s pause to think of Katsuki’s previous words, how he should think about himself. The implied message of it was okay for him to be selfish without the guise of selflessness. Emboldened, Izuku took Katsuki’s hand.
Only for that hand to be snatched away from him not even a second later. “What are you doing?” Katsuki demanded.
Instantly Izuku’s heart sank to his feet and he babbled out, “No hand holding! I’ll remember that!”
“Damn right no hand holding,” Katsuki confirmed with a sneer before he held up his hand and popped off some sparks. This behavior would have been seen as menacing to anyone else, but Izuku recognized it as a demonstration. “Do you want to get burned?”
While this alleviated his fears, it didn’t do much for his disappointment. He felt pretty stupid, of course he wouldn’t be able to hold Katsuki’s hand. Even if he was extra careful about controlling the temperature he outputted, he wasn’t able to stop secreting toxic chemicals from his palms.
Then he felt a tug on his sleeve, snapping him out of his thoughts. He watched, almost in slow motion as Katsuki maneuvered his arm and placed his hand at the crook of his elbow. Oddly enough, Izuku felt this was more intimate than simply holding hands and couldn’t help his flush.
“Do you remember what you said to me last week?” Katsuki began, voice surprisingly neutral. “About how I need to stop assuming the worst of you.”
Izuku nodded and gave Katsuki’s arm a slight squeeze in affirmation.
“Well, that goes both ways,” Katsuki said, looking at Izuku directly. “If we are going to do this, you need to talk to me instead of assuming I’m going to get angry about something.”
Katsuki lifted his arm slightly, pulling Izuku’s hand with it. “We need to be equals in this.”
Izuku smiled and gave Katsuki’s arm another squeeze. Of course, Katsuki was going to take a relationship as serious as his studies or hero work, he would probably freeze over hell itself before he would let people think he was bad at something. Izuku felt oddly proud.
They had lulled into a comfortable silence as they continued down the pathway toward the main building, only separating once they had reached the classroom. Izuku was pretty surprised that no one had mentioned or even murmured about the position they arrived in, but he chalked it up to no one wanting to set Katsuki off so early in the morning. He had a sneaking suspicion that someone would ask him about it when Katsuki wasn’t around.
And he was right, in a way.
During lunch, Izuku had opted to sit and eat with his friends. He felt comfortable knowing that neither of them were exceptionally clingy with one another’s attention. However, he started to double think his decision when his stretch of the table fell into silence when he sat down. He was confused, glancing between his friends. The silence was maddening and he couldn’t help himself from breaking it, “What’s going on?”
“Well,” Uraraka started, “Everyone saw how you were walking with Bakugou.”
Izuku frowned, unsure of the problem. “And that bothers you all?”
Uraraka shook her head, the motion alone dizzying. Iida took this moment to chime in, “We were unsure if you wanted us to say anything about it.”
This time Uraraka changed the motion of her head into fierce nodding, “You got so mad over Monoma saying things about your relationship yesterday!”
“Oh,” Izuku said, sitting himself back a little. “Well, Monoma was saying stuff to make me mad.”
“I wonder what his problem is,” Todoroki commented.
“So, you are fine if we talk to you about your relationship?” Iida continued; hand raised toward his head.
Izuku nodded, “I don’t mind.”
Uraraka let out a large sigh of relief before gushing, “The way you two came to class was super cute! I thought you said yesterday that he wasn’t your boyfriend!”
He flushed at that, “Well... he wasn’t?”
“Wasn’t?” Uraraka responded with a sly grin, almost reminiscent of Ashido’s. The two of them clearly had been hanging out too often.
He felt like his face was on fire, unsure of what he should even say to such a rhetorical question. Luckily, he didn’t have to, as Todoroki cut in, “Perhaps we could schedule a double date sometime.”
Izuku almost choked on his rice, “A double date?”
Todoroki nodded, face as impassive as usual. “I saw it in a show, is that not something people really do with their friends?”
He knew his face was completely contorted in confusion because it caused Uraraka to laugh out loud, “Did you not know Todoroki was dating someone?”
“I wasn’t trying to hide it,” Todoroki said earnestly.
“While I am happy that you are getting the attention you need, I must say it is a tad bit frustrating with how often I see you texting during class,” Iida said with a huff.
“Oh, I didn’t think I was being that obvious,” Todoroki confessed, not a hint of guilt upon his face.
Izuku had to agree, he never even noticed that Todoroki had been on his phone more often as of late. It felt weird to be the last one to know something, he always felt like his knack for over observing things around him was a defining character trait for him.
“I think Deku has been too focused on Bakugou to notice,” Uraraka laughed good naturedly.
“Maybe,” Todoroki agreed, “But no one has answered me about the double date question.”
“Don’t worry Todoroki, they are an actual thing people like to go do!” Uraraka confirmed, patting his shoulder affectionately.
Izuku laughed, “I can ask, but I don’t think Kacchan will like the idea too much.”
“Alternatively, we could just make it a group outing,” Iida suggested. “It will be nice to formally meet Todoroki’s boyfriend outside of a school related function!”
“You’re not dating someone at the school?” Izuku asked, “but we’ve met him already?”
Todoroki nodded, fishing out his phone from his pocket. He turned the screen toward Izuku to show him the lock screen. “You met Inasa at the licensing exam.”
Izuku hummed as he took in the image of the two of them standing side by side. It wasn’t an obvious couple’s photo but Todoroki was wearing the Shiketsu uniform cap and Izuku considered that quiet the feat of affection for his friend, “You didn’t like him much during the exam but I guess he must have won you over during the remedial lessons then.”
Todoroki nodded, pulling his phone back and unlocking it, “He helps me see a new point of view on situations I thought I had made my mind up about.”
Uraraka leaned forward and lowered her voice in a mockingly scandalized whisper, “Like changing his opinion on spicy udon.”
This elected a laugh for the group, besides Todoroki himself who merely muttered, “No, I still don’t like it.”
“I’m so glad you both are experiencing love and happiness!” Iida exclaimed with a wide smile, chopping his hand between the four of them. “I must say that I do hope you don’t let your budding romances hinder your performances in class.”
“Seriously?” Uraraka laughed, “As if Bakugou would ever let his grades slip!”
Izuku laughed in agreement to that sentiment, his heart full with his happiness.
The rest of the day passed without much fanfare, and Izuku found himself walking side by side with Katsuki back to the dorms. “Todoroki asked if we would go on a double date.”
Katsuki made a noise as if he had stepped in something disgusting. “No way,” he hissed out. “As if I’d sit and watch the blow hard try to flirt with that dense bastard.”
Izuku laughed, “I told him you wouldn’t like the idea. Iida also suggested we could do something as a group instead.”
He was answered with a groan, “Doing what?”
Izuku shrugged, “We didn’t really talk about anything specific, not even who all we wanted to invite.”
“If word gets out that I’m going somewhere, my friends are going to want to go too,” Katsuki responded with a deep frown. “Then Ashido will have a damn aneurism that she was out of the loop on who is dating who.”
This made Izuku raise a hand to his chin, “I thought you said you didn’t care who knew about us?”
“I don’t,” Katsuki clarified. “I’m not hiding anything, she’s just stupid.”
Izuku bopped him on the shoulder gently, letting his fist rest there. “That’s rude.”
“It’s true through,” was the response. Katsuki shrugged his shoulder to remove Izuku’s hand, lifting his arm away from his body for Izuku to settle his hand into the crook of his elbow. “When half and half got her number back, the wind bag texted him a bunch of sappy shit and she didn’t even notice.”
“Maybe she was just being polite and not reading his private messages?”
Katsuki shook his head and rolled his eyes, “She asked if it was from his mom.”
Izuku snorted, “In fairness, I didn’t know he was dating someone either.”
“It’s annoying that she prattles on about the likelihood of some of the guys in class getting with each other but doesn’t even realize the ones dating right in front of her.”
“I think it’s sweet that she wants her friends to find love,” Izuku said with a smile.
He was met with a sigh from his companion, “I’ll think about the group thing.”
As they neared the dorms, he slowed his pace and Katsuki matched him without comment, “I want to practice Float today.”
Katsuki took a moment to glance around them, the walkway and surround patches of lawn empty of students. “You sure? I don’t think All Might is going to make any deliveries this time.”
Izuku nodded, “Please, I don’t think this will take long.”
With a put-upon sigh, Katsuki turned toward the wooded area and began to walk. Izuku was quick to match his pace and soon found himself back in the same little spot they had been practicing at before. He could see the scorched patches of grass from where Katsuki had used minor blasts to launch himself into the air to catch Izuku, and the flattened-out areas were Izuku had simply fallen without assistance.
“Alright, what do you have today,” Katsuki asked, sticking one of his hands into his pocket.
Izuku took a moment to take a heavy breath, “I have an idea.” He started, “It might seem weird but... I’m going to trust you to trust me.”
With narrowed eyes, Katsuki merely shrugged. “I’m ready whenever you are.”
During the joint lesson from yesterday, Izuku knew he had managed to activate Float, even for only a split second. He remembered the feeling of the power spreading from his chest and out toward the rest of his limbs. Warm and comforting, a safety net on gravity itself.
He took a step forward, causing Katsuki to raise an eyebrow at him. Izuku wasn’t sure if this idea would actually evoke the feelings he was looking for, after all he had never been in a relationship before. He only had what movies and books had told him, so the probability of his idea working was as much a mystery to himself as it was to Katsuki.
Katsuki didn’t even know of the idea, Izuku probably should have voiced it out loud instead but with another step it was a bit late for that thought.
Izuku raised his hands and cupped Katsuki’s face delicately before leaning forward and kissing him. There was nothing at first, making Izuku feel a touch stupid for the idea. But then Katsuki slowly leaned into the touch, kissing him back. The feeling was soft like a whisper, Izuku felt Katsuki’s eyelashes on his thumbs as he had closed his eyes and he had leaned into the kiss more firmly.
All Izuku had said was to trust him and Katsuki did, so resolutely that it made his chest ache with affection. He felt warm as he shifted his hands back and gently looping his arms around Katsuki’s neck, the embrace was loose and relaxed. The feeling spread slowly as he felt Katsuki’s hands come up to grip onto his blazer before they had to separate.
They took a moment to just breathe together before a grin broke out on Katsuki’s face.
“Alright, your plan worked,” Katsuki confirmed. “But you can’t make out with me every time you want to use this power.”
This caused Izuku to blink, a touch bewildered. He glanced down and realized that his feet weren’t touching the ground at all. “I agree,” Izuku whispered, more in wonder at the sensation of this new power. “But this is a pretty big improvement from just falling in the dirt.”
Slowly, Izuku tried to will himself back onto the solid ground, digging the toes of his shoes into the dirt the moment he touched down. “I think I got a pretty good grasp on what the power is supposed to feel like now,” he said with a nod. “I’ll try not use it the next time we kiss.”
This comment made Katsuki flush, “Is that all you wanted to do?”
“Yea!” Izuku responded with a laugh, reaching out to take hold of Katsuki’s arm. “We probably could have done this in our rooms instead.”
“Whatever, it’s fine,” Katsuki bit out. “Let's just go get dinner before I end up saying shit that can be taken out of context.”
Izuku schooled his expression before saying in his best impression of Katsuki, “like ‘I can hold you down.”
Katsuki turned his head away, completely silent for a moment before he snorted on his own contained laughter. “Is that supposed to be me? You nerd, I don’t sound anything like that!”
Izuku laughed along, “I can try it again, how about ‘I can hold you down.”
More laughter echoed between them, “Alright stop that!” Katsuki all but cackled as he removed his arm from Izuku’s grasp and wrapped it around his head to muse his hair roughly. Izuku wheezed, pushing against Katsuki’s weight until they tripped over one another and landed on the ground.
They both stayed laying down until their giggles subsided and their breathing evening out, but nothing seemed to get rid of Izuku’s grin. He turned to face Katsuki, who was already looking at him with his own smile. This is nice, he found himself thinking. “I needed this,” Izuku admitted out loud.
Katsuki’s smile softened, and Izuku couldn’t help but to stare. Afterall, he couldn’t remember ever seeing this kind of look from him before. Katsuki leaned over to kiss Izuku sweetly through his smile.
There was a lot about Katsuki that Izuku was still learning, even after knowing each other for so long. Izuku was also sure there were things about him that Katsuki was also learning. And he knew that there were parts of each other that no one else knew. And for now, that was just how Izuku wanted it to be.