WMUWSE / Chapter 4 (ENG) (Patreon)

Izuku didn’t know what to think about his birthday evening at the bar.

He’d really had fun, he’d laughed a lot with his friends, he’d also drunk a lot, but not enough to make him forget anything about that moment. He hadn’t forgotten the burning look Katsuki had given him from the stage, he hadn’t forgotten the deep ache in his chest when the blond had left with some girl from the bar. And he certainly hadn’t forgotten that, when he got up at the crack of dawn to go to the bathroom, he ran into that same girl sneaking out of the boys’ cabin on tiptoe.

The young woman was really pretty; objectively, he understood why Katsuki had left with her. Her hair looked more orange now in the early morning light, pulled up into a high bun, a few curly strands framing her face. Her eyes were a light, almost golden brown, and her body was sprinkled with faint freckles on her pale skin. For a second, Izuku wondered if freckles were one of Katsuki’s kinks…

Izuku couldn’t stop himself from searching for marks on the bare skin of her neck and shoulders, thanks to the tank top she was wearing… But he didn’t find anything besides soft, pale skin. If Katsuki liked leaving marks on the people he fucked, well, then he must do it somewhere more discreet. Maybe on the hips, or the thighs…

He felt his face heat up and quickly cut off that train of thought.

When the redhead finally noticed Izuku, she gave him a smile and a small nod of acknowledgement, which he hurried to return shyly, then she slipped on her shoes and left.

He still hadn’t understood what had happened the night before, and he hadn’t had time to think about it either, he’d been more than drunk when he got back last night and he’d only just opened his eyes, but he knew that even if he did think about it, he wouldn’t understand. Because how could he? The blond had gone from warm and relaxed to cold and distant in a fraction of a second, leaving Izuku frozen and alone on stage.

Or maybe he was just overanalyzing things again, way too much, and Katsuki had just needed to get laid, because the blond had been really present lately, and didn’t seem as “active” as he had during the first days of the vacation.

Leaving the bathroom and heading back to his tent, he decided to get ready for a light jog around the campsite. It was still pretty cool out, the sun’s rays barely filtering through the tall trees of the area, so he was going to take advantage of it.

He pulled on black bike shorts and a loose t-shirt that fell over his hips, put in his earbuds, started the music on his phone before slipping it into the pocket built into his shorts, then headed out to run.

It had been more than two weeks since he’d had time to work out, apart from the few laps he’d swum in the lake, and stopping like that, when he was used to running every morning or dancing at the studio three or four days a week, was not doing him any good. He quickly felt a tightness in the muscles of his legs. But that wasn’t going to stop him.

After twenty minutes of running, he felt a tap on his shoulder and stopped to turn around. He was surprised to see Shoto, dressed in workout clothes, slightly sweaty and… was that a floral headband holding his hair back?

Izuku was too thrown off by the boy in front of him, so it took him a moment to realize Shouto was trying to speak to him, but Izuku couldn’t hear anything because of his earbuds. He hurriedly pulled them out of his ears.

“Shit… sorry, I didn’t hear what you were saying…” Idiot…

Shouto was smiling, and it was really soft, like the coolness of that morning or the gentle light flooding the place. “It’s okay. I was asking if it was your first time running here.”

“Oh, yeah. I got up early today so I thought… why not?” He smiled at the half-and-half boy, but his eyes quickly drifted back up to the headband on his head. It didn’t look like the kind of thing he’d wear at all. Should he ask?

“It’s my older sister’s. It’s pretty annoying having hair stuck to your forehead.”

Izuku blushed. “Did I mumble out loud again?”

Shouto let out a little laugh through his nose, or what seemed close to a laugh, Izuku wasn’t sure. “Does that happen a lot?”

“Yeah, I feel like my mouth is just trying to embarrass me…” He rubbed the back of his neck with a sigh. Ugh… he was already sticky with sweat…

“It’s kind of refreshing, if you ask me.” Refreshing? Izuku was sure he was going to die in the pit of his own shame one day because of that, and this guy thought it was refreshing? “Do you want to run with me?”

The change of subject caught Izuku off guard, but he nodded. They ran together for almost three kilometers, slowing down to walk, talk, and drink. Thank you, Shouto, for bringing a bottle of water they could share, because idiot Izuku was too much of an idiot to think of bringing water. Idiot.

They got back an hour later in front of Izuku’s spot. He’d learned a lot of things about the other boy. To start with, Shouto had a strange passion for soba, but who was Izuku to judge, knowing he could eat katsudon for every meal if he were given the chance. He’d also learned that Shouto was pretty literal and took most things at face value. For example, at one point Izuku was really hot as they were crossing an area with little shade, so he said, “I’d kill for some ice cream…” Shouto had gone pale, eyes wide, and replied, “Please, don’t do that.” which had sent Izuku into a fit of laughter, though he then had to clarify it was just an expression.

He then learned that Shouto was the youngest of his siblings, and that Touya was the oldest.

And then the topic quickly drifted to Katsuki. Because of course it would. He knew he and Shouto had been friends since childhood but hadn’t learned much about their relationship beyond that.

“He really said I forced our friendship on him?” Shouto asked. They had decided to walk along the path back, following the edge of the lake.

Izuku smiled. “Well, I don’t think Katsuki is the kind of person who ‘openly accepts’ a relationship. I’m pretty sure Kirishima and the guys just kind of fell on him and adopted him… like… um…”

“A stray cat?”

Izuku snapped his fingers. “That’s it!” He burst out laughing and Shouto followed.

“I can see why. He’s always been a bit… detached? He has trouble getting attached to people.” Shouto stared ahead and seemed to think for a moment, like he was trying to decide whether he should say more or not.

Izuku raised an eyebrow. “He doesn’t seem like the kind of person who has a problem socializing…”

“He doesn’t have a problem attracting people to him, I think he has a problem letting them in, you know, like… being vulnerable.”

Was he really talking about Katsuki? Because he seemed pretty open with Izuku… Despite the disaster of the previous night… But maybe that was just an act, maybe Izuku had just imagined that friendly closeness between them and it had only ever been one-sided…

Eventually, they reached Izuku and Ochaco’s campsite. She’d just woken up and looked miserable, probably because of the alcohol.

They exchanged numbers so they could plan to run together again.

And just like that, Izuku had a new friend.

After they parted ways, Izuku went straight to the showers. He went into the last stall at the back, as usual, undressed, and enjoyed his shower for long, long minutes. It felt great on his muscles, which were already sore. With his head under the water, he didn’t hear the footsteps quickly approaching, nor the opening of his stall door. He only felt the light draft against his skin as it closed again. He quickly rinsed his face to get the foam out of his eyes and opened them to see Katsuki standing there, his back against the door, his eyes, larger than Izuku had ever seen them, fixed on Izuku’s very naked, very wet body.

The water was still running over him, and neither of them moved for a few seconds… or light-years… Izuku must have fried a neuron; he no longer even knew what universe he was in. He was so thrown off that he didn’t even think to cover himself.

“Wh-what are you-” Izuku began, but in a fraction of a second the blond seemed to snap out of it and stepped toward him, slapping a hand over his mouth to keep him from talking. The rough push made Izuku’s back slam against the stall wall. Katsuki put the index finger of his other hand over his own lips to tell Izuku not to make a sound. It took a few seconds for Izuku to nod, right as he heard another voice in the shower hallway.

“Come on, Kats! You can’t avoid me forever!”

Izuku frowned, recognizing Touya’s voice. He looked at the blond and got a shrug in response as Katsuki pulled his hand away from Izuku’s mouth.

The man knocked on his stall door. “Hey, you in there, blondie? I can hear the shower running.”

Katsuki looked panicked and pissed. Okay, maybe more pissed than anything. Izuku had the impression he was about to explode.

“Sorry, but there’s no one here but me! And I’d like to finish my shower in peace!” Izuku’s voice echoed through the walls.

Katsuki stared straight into his eyes and Izuku suddenly felt very naked. Well, he was naked… But it was more like the blond was trying to understand why Izuku was helping him. But why wouldn’t he? They were friends, right? Okay, Katsuki was Izuku’s friend, even if the reverse remained to be confirmed.

“Oooooh… Little Zuku, that you?” Touya’s tone gave him goosebumps, and Katsuki seemed to pick up on it too, if his deeper frown was any indication. “You could let me in, you know? We could talk, just the two of us…”

“No thanks. Plus, my boyfriend wouldn’t like that.”

Silence.

Katsuki looked at him again, but this time with a raised eyebrow and an amused smile. Izuku gave him a small smile back and shrugged.

“Sure…” Touya replied, clearly unconvinced. “Well, if you see blondie, tell him I’ve got an offer for him.” The voice and footsteps faded away. And for another two minutes, or an eternity, Katsuki and Izuku just stood there, facing each other while the shower kept running over them.

Oh…

“Shit! You’re soaked!” Izuku pushed him back so he was no longer under the spray, even if it was already too late and his clothes were completely wet and dripping, his shirt clinging perfectly to each muscle of his… Shit, Izuku! Do not get turned on naked in the shower with him!

Oh shit!

He was naked!!!

He fumbled for his towel hanging on one of the hooks and hastily wrapped it around himself. Thankfully, it was big enough to cover his whole body.

Katsuki was laughing as Izuku’s face grew redder and redder. “Stop laughing! And why did you even come here? Did you just want to make fun of me?”

Katsuki stopped laughing, but he kept that asshole grin on his infuriating face. “In my defense, I didn’t know it was you. Kirby saw me running away from that pile of shit and told me she saw Kiri come in here… But you’re clearly not him.” He looked Izuku up and down as if to prove his point.

Izuku thought. Ochaco knew Izuku was in the showers since she’d seen him grabbing his toiletries; she also knew Kirishima was at Mina’s… And she also knew Izuku had a massive crush on the blond… It was official: he no longer had a best friend. The traitor had signed the end of their friendship contract and she was going to pay the divorce fees.

You know that scene in the movie 300 where Leonidas kicks the Persian messenger into the pit? Well, Ochaco was Leonidas and Izuku was currently at the bottom of the pit. The bitch.

He let out a tired, resigned sigh. It was clear the blond had now seen his entire body, and maybe that was only fair after Izuku had ogled the blond while he was changing in his room their first night… And besides, Izuku didn’t really have a problem with his nudity. He was definitely short for a nineteen-year-old guy, but he thought his body was decent enough, despite a few scars and lots of freckles.

“But why did you come into this stall? And how the hell did you get in? The door was locked…”

“I came in here because I thought it was the other idiot, he’d have helped me hide. Or maybe he would’ve walked out completely naked in front of Touya with his dumb smile, his sunshine aura and his dick swinging between his legs and probably scared him off…”

Izuku couldn’t hold in his laughter at that image.

“As for the door… it’s pretty easy to unlock, you just need something flat to turn the lock with the screw on the outside. A key or a credit card works.” He held up the cabin key to prove his point.

Izuku grimaced. “Yeah… that’s not the most reassuring thing to say…”

Katsuki tried to ruffle his damp hair but, failing that, just pushed his hair back from his eyes and forehead. “You’ll be fine, nerd. No one knows that, and no one’s gonna try it… except me.” He gave him a smile that was maybe meant to be reassuring, but Izuku could see the mischief in it.

He watched the blond, then noticed the hickey under his right ear. Well, if Katsuki hadn’t left a mark, the girl certainly had… And for a second, he was back at the table in the bar, watching Katsuki leave with that girl on his arm…

He wanted to ask. Not about the girl, Katsuki could do whatever he wanted. Or rather: whoever he wanted. But he wanted to ask why he’d left so suddenly, as if Izuku’s gaze on stage had physically burned him.

But he was currently in a shower stall, naked, dripping, and dying of embarrassment, so this was definitely not the right time.

And before he could open his mouth to say anything, the blond had already turned and started to leave.

And Izuku, in all his glory, just panicked and grabbed his wrist before he could slip away from him again.

Okay, now this was awkward. Like “I’m naked in a shower stall with my crush and I’m holding his arm so he doesn’t leave but I don’t know what to say without sounding like an idiot” awkward. Why had he even stopped him in the first place? He had nothing to say, he just didn’t want him to leave. But that was ridiculous, especially in this situation. What did he think was going to happen? That the blond was going to turn around and pin him against the shower wall and kiss him like in the fanfics he read? Idiot Izuku…

“Nerd?” Now Katsuki was looking at him, completely baffled. He hadn’t pulled his arm free, but he was watching Izuku with curiosity, almost as if he were expecting something from him. Or hoping…?

“Uh… are… are you doing anything today?” He had to come up with something to say…

The blond blinked at him. “Not really. I was thinking of resting, maybe writing. The guys are gonna spend the day at the lake, if you want.”

To be honest, Izuku didn’t really feel like going to the lake, he was exhausted physically and emotionally. He’d probably spend the day in bed, reading and maybe sleeping… “N-no… I think I’ll rest too…” He let out a small laugh and finally let go of the blond’s wrist.

There was a moment, a brief moment where Izuku thought Katsuki was going to reach for his arm again, but in the end he just lifted a hand to rake it through his hair, now wet from the shower. “You can come to the cabin if you want, it’ll just be me, and at least we’ve got a TV… Kirby can come too.”

Izuku sighed. “You know she hates that nickname.”

“And you know I don’t care.” He opened the door. “Later, nerd.” And he left.

Going back to his tent, he immediately went looking for Ochaco. But the little pest had already escaped. He grabbed his phone to call the devil, but she’d already beaten him to it by sending a text. “I’m going shopping with Mina all day, have fun with Mr. Grumpy 🔞👉🏼👌🏼💦”

Oh my god. It was official now: he was going to kill her.

As always, around noon, he ended up eating with the guys. And when they all announced, except Katsuki, that they were heading to the lake, Izuku said goodbye, and a few seconds later he was about to go out and head back to his tent and maybe sleep for the next forty-eight hours.

“Oi.”

Izuku turned to the gruff voice standing at the other end of the cabin, in front of his bedroom door. “Where do you think you’re going?”

“Sleeping,” Izuku answered automatically.

The blond crossed his arms over his chest and raised an eyebrow. “You’re going to sleep, in your tent, in this heat?”

“... Yeah?”

“What are you, a chicken? You planning to roast yourself in your fucking fabric oven? Tell me, I’ve got spices for seasoning, I think we still have some potatoes too.”

They stared at each other with neutral expressions for a long, long, very long moment, then, as if someone had flipped a switch at the same time, both of them burst out laughing.

“Okay…” Izuku tried to catch his breath between laughs. “So… I’m a chicken? What? Is it my thighs? I mean… I work really hard for those, you know… So I’d be really pissed if someone ate them.”

Katsuki laughed harder. “Your thighs? Dude, you’ve got T-Rex thighs.”

“Well, technically chickens descend from dinosaurs so-” He got a potholder to the face.

“Fucking nerd!”

“Hey!” He threw the potholder back at Katsuki in retaliation, but the blond caught it easily.

“Come on, dumbass.” Katsuki flashed him one last grin, set the glove back on the table, then turned toward his room, jerking his head for Izuku to follow.

And Izuku didn’t need to be asked twice.

He’d already seen Katsuki’s room through the doorway when he forgot to close it, but he’d never actually gone inside. He didn’t know what he’d expected. Actually, no, this was pretty much exactly what he’d expected.

A big double bed in the middle of the room that looked really, really comfortable, and after two weeks of sleeping in a tent on an air mattress, Izuku would have sold his mother to sleep on a bed like that. Okay, maybe not his mother… But he really wanted some comfort…

The rest of the room was basic. There was a small desk in the corner near the window that looked out toward Izuku’s campsite. It was covered in notebooks that looked well-used, plus some loose sheets of paper. There were also pens in different colors. Right next to the desk, facing the bed, was a three-drawer dresser with a TV on top. There was a black guitar case with orange stitching in one corner of the room, not far from the bed. And finally, the last piece of furniture in the room was the little bedside table between the wall and the bed, where an open box of condoms was sitting.

Which had most likely been used the night before…

Luckily, Katsuki was rummaging around in the mess on his desk and hadn’t seen Izuku’s burning face. He probably hadn’t even noticed the condoms were still out. Or maybe that was just normal for him… Did people usually leave that kind of thing out in the open like that?

“I can hear you mumbling, Deku,” the blond cut in, still shuffling through his papers until he finally found what he was looking for. “Ha! There it is!”

If Izuku hadn’t been red before, he definitely was now. Katsuki turned toward him then glanced at the condom box. Without a comment or question, he walked over to his nightstand, opened the drawer, tossed the box in, and shut it. “Better?”

Izuku watched him, not really sure how to react. So he just nodded dumbly.

“Good. Now…” Katsuki went over to the TV and plugged a small USB drive into the back… So that’s what he’d been looking for… Then he threw himself onto the bed and settled so he was sitting with his back against the headboard, long legs crossed at the ankles. He’d left enough room for Izuku beside him, but Izuku didn’t dare move. His feet felt glued to the floor. And, okay, maybe he was glaring at the bed like it had personally insulted him, but listen: Katsuki had done things with other people in that bed, at least one of them, and as recently as last night… So yeah, Izuku was a little hesitant to sit on it.

“Oh for fu-” The blond groaned, running a hand over his face. “The hell do you think I am? I changed the sheets, you idiot! Now get over here!” Katsuki must’ve had some sort of superpower for reading Izuku, because he understood his inner turmoil just by looking at him.

Izuku stiffened and obeyed automatically, crawling onto the bed on all fours and sitting down next to the blond, who was grumbling under his breath.

He turned on the TV and immediately started a movie from the USB. It took Izuku 0.1 seconds to know exactly which movie it was.

“No way! That’s Heroes Rising?!”

He didn’t notice the amused look the blond gave him. “Yeah. I know it’s like… fifteen years old? But fuck if it isn’t the best movie in the world.”

“Isn’t it though?!” Izuku bounced his legs with excitement as he stared at the screen.

Izuku remembered that movie because it was the first one he’d watched after leaving the hospital following his accident. To be precise, he’d watched it exactly five times that day, until it was late at night and his mom ordered him to go to bed. He’d seen all the figures, the posters, even a pillow and several plushies scattered across his bed, all referring to this movie. Curiosity got the better of him and he’d put the DVD into the player on the little TV in his room. And it had hit him like a truck.

Because that movie made him feel something.

Ever since he woke up, Izuku had felt empty and, strangely, not in his own skin. Like he’d taken over someone else’s body and life. And it was just… irritating. This movie was the first thing that made him feel like himself.

He remembered crying. A lot. But he didn’t remember if it was because of the story in the movie or because of his own feelings.

All that to say, yes, he loved that movie.

A little voice in the back of his head briefly wondered how Katsuki had managed to hit so perfectly on something he loved, but he pushed it away to focus on the film.

They started debating who the best characters were, Katsuki choosing, unsurprisingly, the hero with the explosion power. Izuku secretly agreed because he was really amazing, but just to annoy the blond he chose the second hero, smaller and softer, but with extraordinary strength and power.

He didn’t know at what point in the movie he’d ended up falling asleep, but when he woke up, the sunlight was shining a soft orange through the bedroom curtains… He was lying on his back, his sleepy eyes fixed on the ceiling, trying to remember where he was…

Oh, right… Katsuki’s room.

As he turned toward where the blond should have been, a warm wave flooded his chest. He wasn’t the only one who’d fallen asleep, apparently.

The other boy was facing him and sleeping peacefully, his face softened from all negativity, lips slightly parted, blond hair catching the sunlight behind him as if it belonged there…

He was beautiful.

And Izuku was totally screwed.

He probably should have gotten up, left, gone back to his tent, or maybe done the dishes while he waited for Katsuki to wake up, anything…

But instead, he rolled onto his side to face the blond, in the same position, one arm tucked under his head, and he watched him.

And, okay, he felt a little bad doing it, he felt like a creep… But damn, would he ever get another chance like this? He had to enjoy it while he could.

Katsuki Bakugou was captivating. Like a work of art you could stare at for hours and still feel the same intensity.

From this angle and this close, he could appreciate every detail of the blond’s face. His long lashes, darker than his hair, falling across his forehead and resting gently on his lower lids. The very faint freckles on his straight, narrow nose, too light to see from a normal distance. His soft, pink lips, so inviting Izuku wanted to lean in and taste them, just once. And his cherry-red eyes so deep they looked like—

Wait a second…

Red eyes…?

Oh shit… Shit!!!

He’d opened his eyes!

He’d opened his eyes and was looking at Izuku, who was staring at him like some kind of creep. Because let’s be honest, that’s what he was being. Who watches their friend sleep like this? Well, Izuku, apparently.

“Hey…” Oh sweet Mary… that sleep-rough voice was enough to start a war. A war between Izuku’s brain and his fucking dick…

“H-hey…” he answered nervously, trying to keep his voice steady. “Uh… we fell asleep…” No shit, Sherlock…

Katsuki still looked a little sleepy, maybe that’s why he let himself smile with a tenderness that was incomparable, and now Izuku’s heart was siding with his dick and leaving his brain in the gutter.

“Yeah… We didn’t sleep much last night…” the blond replied, his voice sounding a bit more normal now.

And Izuku might as well have had a bucket of ice water dumped on his head. It would’ve felt the same.

Because of course he had to remind him of last night and the intense fuck (imagined by his twisted brain) the blond had had with the redhead while Izuku was drunk on alcohol and heartbreak.

He sat up, now aware enough of himself to realize that “friends” had no business lying like that together. “Yeah…” he finally answered, without looking at the boy beside him, who was sitting up too. “I should go back to my tent.” He thought out loud.

“Why are you doing everything you can to get away from me?”

The question was surprising enough that Izuku turned toward the blond, who was now sitting on the edge of the bed, back to Izuku and facing the window.

“W-what?”

He vaguely saw Katsuki’s shoulders rise in a shrug. “Every time we end up alone together, you try to avoid me or run off…”

Really? Was that what he’d been doing?

… Oh…

Maybe…

But… “... You’re the one who left last night.” He probably shouldn’t have said that. It came out more aggressively than he’d wanted; honestly he hadn’t wanted to say it at all… But now it was out there, his heart pounding, and maybe he was finally going to understand what had happened the night before.

“... You reminded me of someone…”

Silence.

“I… what?” Izuku asked.

Katsuki sighed and ran a hand through his hair. He looked tense, though it was hard to tell without seeing his face. “There was someone important to me, I… fuck… I lost him… and… you made me think of him… And it pissed me off… I didn’t want to ruin your birthday with my shitty mood so… I left…”

It’s because you left that my birthday was ruined… Izuku wanted to say. But he didn’t. Katsuki had lost someone? Someone important enough to mess him up this badly? Family? A friend? … A lover? “How long ago?”

Katsuki turned toward him. “Almost twelve years.”

Oh… It had been so long… But the sad look in his eyes made it obvious this was a wound the blond had never managed to heal.

“I’m sorry…” because what else could he say?

Katsuki sniffed. “He’s not dead. But that bastard… Fuck…” He stood up and walked around the bed toward the TV to pull out the USB drive. “I can’t even blame him, it’s not even his fault. But when you’re that attached to someone and overnight they just disappear from your life… That shit hurts like hell.” He put the drive back on his desk.

Izuku could understand. He didn’t know what it felt like to be abandoned like that by someone, but he’d seen that same expression enough times on his loved ones when they realized Izuku didn’t remember them.

“He’s an asshole,” Izuku said simply.

Katsuki turned toward him, one eyebrow raised and a smile growing on his lips. “Fuck yeah, he is…”

They sat in silence for a moment after Katsuki sat back down on the bed. But Izuku still hadn’t answered his question.

“I’m not avoiding you…” He dropped his gaze to his knees. “I… I just don’t want you to see me as some charity case or something, and I don’t want to stop you from having fun… like… like with that girl…”

Katsuki didn’t answer. Instead, he grabbed a pillow and slammed it into Izuku’s face.

“H-Hey! What was that for?!” Izuku rubbed his sore nose. Okay, it didn’t really hurt, but it was the principle of it, and to try to make the blond feel bad. Judging by his shit-eating, proud grin, that was clearly not the case.

“Because you’re an idiot.”

Izuku gave him a look that said, “Seriously? You’re gonna have to do better than that.”

Katsuki tossed the pillow to him and Izuku caught it easily. “Do I look like the kind of guy who does charity?”

Well… actually, yeah. Izuku wanted to say, because ever since he’d met the guy, and despite his caveman manners, he’d always been kind and attentive to everyone. But that was definitely not the right answer, so he just shrugged, which earned him an eye-roll from those beautiful red eyes.

Not beautiful. Izuku, now is not the time…

“Asshole.” the blond muttered. “Listen, I don’t do anything I don’t want to do.”

Oh… Was that his way of saying he liked having Izuku around?

Izuku was about to say something when someone knocked on the front door, making them both freeze.

They exchanged a curious look, then heard a rough voice.

“KAAAATS~ I KNOW YOU’RE IN THERE.”

Touya…

The guy was really stubborn, Izuku had to give him that at least.

“Oh for fuck-” Katsuki got up with a terrible growl, apparently ready to murder someone or at least give them the worst time of their life.

He threw the bedroom door open so hard it slammed against the wall and stormed out, boots pounding on the wood floor until he reached the front door. Izuku didn’t know if he should follow or not, so he stayed in the doorway without leaving the room and watched the blond open the door and snap at the eldest Todoroki.

“WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU WANT?!”

“Hey, happy to see you too, handsome.”

Izuku could practically hear Katsuki’s eyes rolling to the back of his head.

The blond crossed his arms. “You’ve got two minutes.”

Touya was the same height as Katsuki, or maybe a bit taller? Maybe it was just his hair. Either way, he leaned his shoulder and head against the doorframe and flashed a seductive smile at the blond. “Oh, come on, Kats… We haven’t talked in so long… You could at least make time for an old friend.”

“1 minute 40.”

The older man’s smile faltered for a fraction of a second. He straightened and raised his hands in surrender. “Okay, okay. I just wanted—” His turquoise eyes shifted over Katsuki’s shoulder and landed directly on Izuku. The smile that followed was sadistic. “Ooooh… I see you’re having a good time, Katsuki…”

“Hah?! What are you-” the blond started.

“No, no. I’ll leave you to it. But I’m not done with you, golden boy. As for you…” He tilted his head slightly toward Izuku. “Don’t get your hopes up. That boy is already in love with someone, and even your pretty eyes and freckles won’t change that. You’d better pick someone who’s… available.” He gave him a wink that made Izuku’s skin crawl before turning to leave.

But Katsuki Bakugou had another idea.

He grabbed the other man’s collar and slammed him against the wooden pillar by the stairs on the little cabin porch. Izuku practically rushed forward to try to stop the worst from happening, but just as he got close enough, he heard Katsuki’s low growl in Touya’s face.

The words came out dripping with venom as he pressed his forehead to Touya’s, trapping his head between the wood and himself. No escape. “You look at him like that one more time, I’ll kill you. You talk to him again, I’ll kill you. You touch him, I’ll kill you. Got it?”

Touya looked more surprised than scared. Izuku, meanwhile, was a bundle of nervous, trembling nerves. He had no idea what to do and before he could react, the blond had already let go of the other man.

“Now, get lost. I’m not doing shit for your shitty band. Choke on the money you’re making with my music, see if I care. I don’t want to see your face here again, Burning Man.”

Izuku knew the blond was brutal with his words, hell, he insulted everyone and swore a lot. But this time Izuku knew he meant it. His eyes were blazing with deep rage.

With a sigh and a quick adjustment of his shirt, Touya left without another word.

Katsuki walked back into the cabin and headed for his room. Izuku followed automatically, not really knowing why. The blond sat on the edge of his bed and let himself fall back onto the mattress, arms spread out.

“Fucking cockroach…” he mumbled, closing his eyes.

Izuku stood in the doorway, like before their little movie session. “... Thanks…”

One curious red eye opened and looked at him.

“For… Well… For defending me and stuff… I guess…”

Even if I’m not the one you care about…

Katsuki pushed himself up on his elbows and studied Izuku.

“W-what?” Izuku felt naked under that stare. Like the blond could read straight through him just by looking.

“You’re thinking too hard. That guy’s an asshole. And not a ‘nice’ asshole like you or the other assholes…”

Izuku couldn’t help but laugh. “That’s a lot of assholes in your life.”

“Don’t remind me. I’m cursed.” He let out a little laugh and flopped back dramatically on the bed.

Feeling more at ease, Izuku sat down next to him at the foot of the bed. “Can I ask you a question?”

“Mmh? You wanna play 20 Questions, nerd?” Izuku couldn’t see him from this angle, him sitting and the blond laying down, but he could hear the smile in his voice as their knees touched.

“Why not?” he chuckled.

“Yeah, no, I don’t do that.”

“Come oooon… 15 questions?”

“Five.”

“Ten!”

“Fuck… alright, ten questions. Rules?”

“No lying, we can skip a question if it’s too personal or makes us uncomfortable!”

“Okay.” Katsuki sat up next to Izuku. “I’ll start.”

“What? But I-”

“Shut up, nerd. You wanted to play, so I’m playing and I’m starting.”

“... Fine.”

“Good… Why did you choose medicine?”

“I wanted to help people, I guess. And the doctors were really nice to me when I had my accident, so that made me want to go into that field too. But I also wanted to be a cop, or a firefighter… because that was the closest thing to being a hero! But which kid doesn’t dream of-OUCH!!!” Katsuki had flicked him on the forehead.

“I didn’t ask you for an essay, nerd.” The blond was smirking. “New rule: short, quick answers.”

Izuku pouted, rubbing his forehead. “Okay… My turn!” He thought about how to phrase his question. “You said you lost someone… was he a friend?”

Katsuki watched him for a moment before answering. “No. Not really.”

“He was more than that?”

“That’s another question, Deku.” Oh right… “Anyway… Have you ever jerked off to All Might?”

Izuku blinked.

Once.

Twice.

By the third time, the heat rushed to his face so fast he felt like a volcano erupting. “WH–WHAT?!”

“You said he was your gay awakening, so…” The blond shrugged. “And don’t you dare worm your way out. You have to be honest.”

Well… “... Maybe… once…”

“No way! I fucking knew it!!!” Katsuki burst out laughing.

Izuku was mortified. “I-I’m adding a rule: no making fun of the other’s answers!”

Katsuki ruffled his hair. “I’m not making fun of you, nerd. It’s just… Wow… Okay, the guy was old but I get it, he was hot as hell.”

With that comment, Izuku suddenly had a question burning his tongue. “Are you also into guys?”

They locked eyes. “You asking if I’m bi or some shit?” Izuku nodded dumbly. “I guess so then. I don’t really care what’s in the pants of the people I fuck.”

A simple “yes” would’ve been enough…

Well, that changed a lot of things. Actually, no. Not at all. Just because Katsuki was suddenly gay (not really) didn’t mean he was going to be into Izuku.

“My turn.” Katsuki shifted to face him, one leg folded on the bed and the other hanging off the edge. “Your piercing, what’s the story?”

Izuku tilted his head, confused. “What do you mean?”

“I mean… you’re clearly a momma’s boy, you don’t strike me as the type to make that kind of decision.”

“You think it’s stupid?”

“I think it’s hot. But that’s not the question. So?”

Wait… He… what? Did Izuku just have a stroke? Or Katsuki? Because what was that? The piercing was hot? Or the person it was on? Shit… oh, he was waiting for an answer… “Actually, there isn’t really a reason… I just wanted it so I did it…”

“Mmh… Barely acceptable answer. I should get an extra question for that.”

Izuku sniffed. “You’re the one who didn’t even want to play.”

“Yeah, yeah… Your turn.”

“Okay… So… Have you ever had a relationship with one of your band members?”

“The fuck?!!! No! Damn, Deku! Those guys are like family, that’s… ugh… that’s disgusting…” The disgusted look on his face made Izuku burst out laughing.

“Sorry, sorry…”

Katsuki grunted. “Anyway… So… Have you ever eaten shirako?”

…

“... Seriously?”

“What?”

“Your question is really asking if I’ve ever eaten fish sperm?”

They stared each other down with dead serious faces. “Yeah. So?”

“No, Katsuki… Not that I know of…”

“Mmh… Good to know.”

Silence.

Then they both burst out laughing.

“Shirako? Really?” Izuku had fallen back on the bed from laughing so hard.

“I’m improvising here, nerd, leave me alone.” He could say what he wanted, but judging by how he was laughing, he wasn’t handling it any better than Izuku.

“Oh, my cheeks hurt…” Izuku massaged his cheeks while lying there. “Alright, my turn… When was your first time?”

“First what?”

Izuku blushed. “... You know…”

“You’re gonna have to be more specific, nerd. If you’re talking about the first time I took a shit I don’t rememb-”

“Sex! I mean sex!”

Izuku wanted to wipe that smug little smile off his face…

“I was fifteen.”

Izuku blinked. “That young?”

“It’s not that young, but yeah…”

“With who?”

“That another question?”

Izuku nodded.

Katsuki hesitated for a moment before answering. “... Touya.”

Izuku suddenly had a million more questions, but most of all, fuck… “Wait, wait… wasn’t he… he was an adult, right?”

Katsuki shrugged, looking away from Izuku. “He was nineteen. It was just once. And to be honest, it wasn’t really sex… In the literal sense of the word, I mean. Like… no penetration.”

If Izuku hadn’t hated Touya before, he definitely did now. He was boiling with rage.

But why?

Jealousy?

No… It was the look on Katsuki’s face that made him want to eviscerate that bastard with his teeth.

“Your turn,” Izuku said with a smile when the blond looked back at him.

“Mmh… Who was your first kiss?”

Why did he keep picking such embarrassing questions?! “I… I haven’t… I mean…”

“Oh fuck… You’re a virgin…”

Izuku shot him a look. “Thanks for the analysis.”

“No, I mean you’re kiss-virgin, you’ve never kissed anyone? Not even in a game?”

Izuku shook his head.

“Holy shit…” Katsuki raked a hand through his blond spikes. “So nobody’s ever gotten to enjoy that?” He pointed to his own tongue before nodding toward Izuku.

“My piercing? Why would anyone ‘enjoy’ it?” Seriously, he did not get it.

“Well, you know…” No, he didn’t. “For some people it’s really satisfying. Kind of like giving your tongue a goal. The goal here being your piercing.”

“... That’s stupid…”

Katsuki laughed. “Yeah. Actually, tongue piercings are more appreciated when they’re used on a dick, from what I know. But I won’t ask if you’ve done that, virgin nerd.”

Izuku was as red as the blond’s eyes.

“Okay, that’s enough.” Izuku got up but was yanked back down by a strong hand wrapped around his wrist. He bounced on the mattress and somehow ended up sitting next to Katsuki, their faces way too close to be considered acceptable…

“No, I still have questions.” the blond said.

“O-okay…” Izuku panted.

“Do you wanna kiss half-&-ha-... Shouto?”

Izuku froze, for the hundredth time that day, seriously. Where did that come from? “What? Why would I want that?”

Katsuki pulled back and leaned on his hands. “I don’t know. I saw you two this morning, you seemed to get along.”

Well. That was kind of surprising. If Izuku dared say so, the blond almost sounded jealous. But that wasn’t possible of course… unless…

“Are you into Shouto?”

Katsuki looked at him like he’d just kicked a puppy with a grenade. “The fuck?! No!!! How can you be this… argh!!!” He flopped back on the bed and pressed his palms into his eyes. “Always… a fucking idiot… blind, stupid… fuck…” he muttered to nobody in particular.

“Uh… sorry?” Izuku said quietly.

He got a furious look in return. “That question counted as two.”

“But that wasn’t-”

“Too late.”

“... Okay.”

Katsuki stayed lying down, eyes on the ceiling. “You didn’t answer…”

“Huh?”

“You didn’t answer… if you wanted to kiss him…”

“Oh… No?”

Red met green. “No?”

Izuku suddenly felt very nervous. “I mean… he’s very… handsome? But… Mmh… How do I put this…” He thought for a second, gripping his chin between his thumb and index finger. “Oh, I know! He’s like those models on billboards, you know? They’re pretty and all but they’re kind of like…”

“Inanimate objects?”

“... Yeah…” Sorry, Shouto…

Katsuki threw his forearm over his eyes and started laughing. “Fuck yeah, that guy’s a ragdoll.”

“Don’t be so mean… He’s nice…”

“But ‘nice’ isn’t your type, is it?”

Well, no… Izuku preferred guys who were arrogant, rude, impulsive, funny… blond… red eyes…

Not that he was going to say that out loud.

He didn’t feel or see Katsuki sit up and lean toward him. “Is it?” he repeated in a murmur.

Izuku made the mistake of turning his face toward him, their noses almost touching. “... N-no… It’s not…” he answered in a trembling breath.

“I’ve got one last question for you, Deku…”

He wasn’t backing away… he was so close… so close Izuku could feel his breath against his lips, the tips of their noses now touching, and he vaguely felt the brush of a finger against his on the bed, but he didn’t know if it was the boy in front of him or his body going numb from the situation making him imagine things…

“Do you want to kiss me?”

Here lies Izuku Midoriya. Beloved son and friend. Thanks for these nineteen years. It was really nice while it lasted.

There was no way he’d just heard what he’d heard. Right? Or this was a really, really, really bad joke… Yeah, that had to be it…

Right?

But he was so close… If Izuku just tilted his head a little… Maybe…

“Tell me you don’t want this, nerd…” Katsuki whispered.

Izuku could feel the heat of his skin, his breath against his lips. His whole body was buzzing, his face was definitely bright red, and his heart was thudding so hard in his chest…

He looked up a little to meet the other boy’s deep crimson gaze… And if Izuku still thought this was a joke, now he could see in those eyes that the blond wasn’t kidding.

“Katsuki…” he murmured back, leaning in slightly. Unmistakably drawn to the blond’s lips like a magnet…

If he just leaned in a little more…

“IZU?! YOU HERE??” he heard Uraraka’s voice as she opened the front door.

Izuku jerked back and jumped to his feet as if the whole situation had burned him, then rushed into the living room without looking at the blond, leaving him sitting on the bed.

He felt numb, his cheeks were burning, and the look Ochaco gave him when he met her made him think he was probably glowing.

“H-hey, Ochaco… What’s going on?” he asked his best friend, trying to sound as natural as possible.

The girl looked at him silently, then tilted her head toward the bedroom, probably to check on Katsuki, before turning back to him. She looked like she had a lot to say but was holding back. Instead, she sighed and put a hand on her hip. “I’m gonna have to go home.”

Izuku stared at her for a second.

Then another…

And another…

“Wait… what? Did something happen? Your parents? An accident-”

She stepped forward and set her hands on his shoulders. “No… everything’s fine. It’s just… there’s a problem with my university file, they’re missing documents and if I don’t send them by the end of the month, I won’t be enrolled…”

“Oh… okay…” he breathed in relief. “Do you want me to come with you?”

“No, you stay here, I’ll be back in three or four days.” She looked around, thinking. “But I don’t want you to be alone…” Without warning, she brushed past Izuku and went straight toward the bedroom where Katsuki still was. She poked her head in to talk to him. “Is it okay if Izuku stays here a few nights?”

WHAT!?

No no no. Absolutely not. “OCHA-”

“Yeah.” Izuku heard the blond without seeing him. “Eij’s gonna sleep at Mina’s, he can take his room.”

“Cool! Thanks!”

“Ochaco!” He grabbed her arm as she walked back. “I’m not a kid, I can sleep in a tent alone for a few nights!”

She looked at him like he’d just said the dumbest thing in the universe. “No way, your dreams are too intense, you fall out of bed, you get headaches, I’m not leaving you alone. I know if you stay with the guys you’ll be safe.”

Or dead of embarrassment… he wanted to reply.

He heard the blond approaching before he saw him. Katsuki leaned a hand on the bedroom doorway and stared straight into Izuku’s eyes. He looked undeniably condescending.

Izuku’s skin prickled. How could he turn him into a nervous, blushing wreck like this and walk away without a scratch? Did this really do nothing to him? Was he really just playing with him…?

Izuku’s eyes flicked down to the blond’s lips against his will, and Katsuki’s growing smirk made it very clear he’d noticed.

Shit…

How did I fall in love with such an asshole…

Huh.

In love?

Oh no. This was really not the time to be having that sort of revelation about himself. And anyway, it wasn’t love.

Izuku wouldn’t let it be.

“Well, I’m off. I have a long drive ahead.” She hugged Izuku and whispered in his ear, “Don’t forget to use protection, baby.”

The boy rolled his eyes at that, though a faint blush spread over his cheeks again. Maybe he really did need another sunburn because this was getting ridiculous. “Text me when you get there…”

She let him go and winked. “Don’t worry about me, mom.”

“Oh, shut up…”

“See you later, Bakugou!” She waved at him.

Katsuki nodded back. “Take care, Kirby.”

And she left, closing the door behind her.

Izuku was standing in the middle of the living room, facing the front door. He could feel the blond’s eyes on his back but refused to turn around. The silence grew heavier and heavier.

“Thanks… For letting me stay, I mean…”

“Yeah.” The blond stepped forward and walked past Izuku without turning around. He started putting on his shoes in the entryway, and Izuku’s stomach twisted.

Shit…

He could feel Katsuki slipping through his fingers. No… no, not again…

Everything had been going so well up until now, he was even going to kiss him, for fuck’s sake…

His body moved before his brain could catch up. He walked up to Katsuki, who had grabbed his car keys and was about to leave, then wrapped his arms around the blond’s waist and pressed his forehead between his shoulder blades.

“Don’t go…” Why did that come out as a sob? Maybe because that’s what it was. His throat was tight with the fear of losing Katsuki. It was stupid, he knew that. He had no right to demand that the blond stay… And why would he anyway? Trade a good fuck for a few hours with a nerd like him? Izuku wanted to laugh at himself. He was so stupid… And that almost-kiss from earlier, had it really been a joke? Or just part of the game? If Izuku had had a bit more courage, he would have thrown himself at those lips before he could think… Now he was just full of regrets.

“Izuku…” the blond’s soft voice pulled him from his spiral. Katsuki hadn’t moved, hadn’t tried to pull out of the embrace. He just stood there, facing the door, while Izuku clung desperately to the front of his t-shirt in the living room bathed in the warm golden light of the late afternoon.

And then everything shattered.

Izuku heard the laughter and giggles of the others getting closer. He quickly let his arms drop, Katsuki turned toward him, but before he could say anything Izuku dodged him and bolted. “I’ll go get my stuff!” he yelled, almost crashing into Denki as he sprinted to his tent.

He unzipped it, got inside, and closed it.

The van was gone, Ochaco had left, and she’d put Izuku’s things on his mattress and hers so he’d be forced to sleep somewhere else.

But he didn’t have time to be mad… His heart was beating way too fast and too hard for him to think.

He sat down on the ground between the two mattresses and pulled his knees to his chest, wrapping his arms around them.

He felt awful. He wanted to scream and cry. His head was buzzing and all he could hear was “Katsuki Katsuki katsuki…” echoing in his mind over and over again… He felt like he was falling into a bottomless pit…

Shit…

Fucking shit…

He really had fallen in love…