Chapter Text
Ground Zero slammed the thief against the wall.
He was fuming. He felt ready to murder.
Why today, of all days, did every petty fucking thief decide they wanted to come out and play. And it wasn’t even all day. The beginning of his patrol had been boring as hell. Katsuki had been begging for some action to release some steam.
Instead, every criminal and their goddamn grandmother decided to make their appearance when Katsuki was in his final half hour of patrol. Now, he was twenty minutes over time and running late.
He stood over the unconscious thief, foot tapping as he waited for police to show. He did his best to smile at the lady who thanked him for getting her purse. He didn’t think it came across very sincere.
As soon as the blue lights flashed, he was moving.
‘G-Ground Zero! You can’t just leave-’
He blasted into the sky, keen on not meeting anyone else, villain activity be damned. He’d fill out whatever paperwork later, deal with the repercussions then. They were the least of his concerns.
He landed hard, wincing and hopping as pain shot up his knees.
‘You know, you’re only meant to use your quirk during patrol.’
Katsuki cracked his back and turned to face his old teacher. He was trying to look stern, but Katsuki could see the smirk building. He had long learned the difference between Aizawa and the act he put on as a teacher. They weren’t widely different, but there were hints.
‘Technically, I just got off,’ he drawled.
Aizawa rolled his eyes, before walking away. Katsuki followed close behind. He stared up at the Hero Commission’s Headquarters. Never before had the building looked so daunting.
He jumped when Aizawa put a hand on his shoulder.
'You seem tense.'
Katsuki swallowed hard, lowering his head.
‘I just…I just want to see him.’
Aizawa gave his shoulder a squeeze. 'Soon, kid. Soon.'
Five years.
Five years since Nedzu organised a Commission approved program for Izuku.
Five years where Izuku was healed, educated, trained, rehabilitated and approved to re-enter into society.
Five years since Katsuki had seen him.
Five years where Katsuki felt he couldn’t breathe properly, where half of him was missing.
He didn’t just want to see him. He was desperate for it.
It was different before, when Izuku had been taken.
Then he searched. He looked everywhere for his lost friend, even after Izuku’s funeral. He kept searching long after everyone told him Izuku wouldn’t be coming home. Then he mourned. When he finally accepted Izuku was gone, a part of him died as well.
And then Izuku came back and Katsuki felt like he was whole again.
This was different. Katsuki didn’t need to search this time. He didn’t need to mourn. He knew where Izuku was, walked past the building enough times they banned him. Assholes. Like he was going to try and break in. He wouldn’t risk Izuku like that.
Still, it hurt. He was right there, all Katsuki had to do was reach out. But he was blocked. A wall towered in between them, guarded by sense and protection.
And for some reason, that hurt so much more than Katsuki believing Izuku wouldn’t come home.
It took him a while to understand why he wasn’t allowed to see Izuku. At first, he had rioted. Yamada had brought the news to them one week after Izuku had woken up. It was supposed to be Aizawa, but he was too busy stewing in his own rage. Izuku hadn’t even recovered fully when they were told he would be taken away again.
It was a selfish anger, that Katsuki and Aizawa felt. They didn’t want to let Izuku go.
Technically, this was part of Izuku’s punishments. He would no longer be a ward of U.A., (even though he had Nedzu personally tutoring him), nor would he be officially arrested.
He had teachers, trainers, doctors and the best damn therapist they could get their hands on. Katsuki had met her a couple of times to sus her out; interrogated the shit out of her. She laughed at is brashness. He accepted she would do.
Aizawa and Yamada went to visit him too, to help with his rehabilitation. It was hard for them to leave him every time, but they assured Katsuki he was being well taken care of.
At first, Katsuki was allowed to visit. According to reports Izuku’s moods would become increasingly positive whenever he knew Katsuki was coming, but would drop to exceptional lows when he left. Often it would send him into panic at being left behind, believing he had been taken again. Reports from Izuku's last time with Ankoku mentioned a hallucinogenic quirk. When Izuku woke up from hospital he was confused why Katsuki was so uninjured. He told him what he saw, what Ankoku made him see; Katsuki being hurt and dragged away. Izuku's panic made sense.
Katsuki understood why he was prevented from seeing Izuku. In the long run, it would help Izuku’s recovery. It didn’t mean he had to like it.
Still, he wrote him letters. He never sent them, too cowardly, but they piled in his apartment. Maybe one day he’d sit down with Izuku and read them to him. Maybe.
A heavy body hit his back, pulling him from his thoughts.
‘Kitty!’ Eri squealed in his ear.
He manoeuvred her over his shoulder, spinning her upside down and relishing in her laughter. He couldn’t help smile himself as he set her back on her feet and ruffled her hair.
‘Eri. How you doing, kid?’
A sheet of paper was thrust in his face in response. A report card. All A’s. His smile widened.
‘Not only is today, like, the most exciting and best day ever. I am top of my class,’ she bragged.
‘Her cockiness and competitiveness I’m convinced she gets from you,’ Shinsou announced.
He sauntered over to their group, Yamada and Kirishima with him. They had decided on only a few faces to greet Izuku, not wanting to overwhelm him. Tsukauchi would bring him out and after that it was only the Aizawa-Yamada family with Katsuki and Kirishima. Katsuki had asked Shitty Hair to come along. He’d been more than ecstatic. Honestly, his friend deserved a medal for putting up with Katsuki. Kirishima had been the main person keeping his head screwed on those past years, picking him up when he fell.
‘It’s true,’ Yamada put in. ‘We had to hide Toshi’s report cards, so she’d stop comparing.’
Katsuki snorted at Shinsou’s forlorn face.
‘She did that with us too,’ Kirishima laughed. ‘Made a whole group chat just so she could compare results.’
They laughed together, easing into conversation. It was a nice distraction.
The doors slammed open behind them.
Katsuki stiffened. He turned slowly.
Red met green.
Katsuki’s breath hitched.
The other boy’s face lit up.
‘Kacchan.’
Katsuki was running.
They collided together, Izuku throwing himself into Katsuki’s arms. Izuku had grown. So much so, it took Katsuki by surprise, landing him on his back. He gasped and laughed, squeezing the younger boy to his chest.
Katsuki felt like he could finally breathe again.
They pulled back, both smiling wildly. Izuku looked so much better, happier. His good eye shone as bright as Katsuki remembered, his skin glowing and alive. Katsuki’s fingers ghosted Izuku’s healed scars. Not even they could mar his joyous beauty.
‘Hi,’ Izuku whispered. Katsuki smiled wider.
‘Hi.’
A loud squeal from behind had Izuku shooting up. Katsuki grunted as he was pushed down, Izuku leaping over him.
‘Eri!’ he called, running to her and spinning her around.
‘Zuku,’ she squealed.
He set her down, twirling her in a circle.
‘Look at you…oh my…you’ve grown so much…I mean, I’ve seen the pictures but, wow.’
Eri giggled before pulling him back into a suffocating hug. She wasn’t the only one who had grown. Izuku hadn’t gotten much taller, but he had toned up, rippling muscles seen through his shirt. Everything about him looked so much healthier.
‘C’mon, I want in on some of this hugging action,’ Kirishima chortled, lifting Izuku and Eri up in a hug. Katsuki rolled his eyes at his buffoon of a friend.
‘Kiri!’ Izuku laughed, and Kami, that was a sound Katsuki would never get sick of. ‘Wow! You’ve grown too!’
Shinsou snorted. ‘Grown is an overstatement. I don’t know what this man eats, but it’d be nice if he left some for the rest of us.’
Izuku fell against his hug, squeezing him tight.
‘Toshi,’ he breathed.
He looked up as Aizawa stepped behind Shinsou, lifting an arm out. Izuku moved to him, Aizawa pulling his head to his chest, pressing his face into Izuku’s curls. They were falling into his eyes. Katsuki would have to give them a trim.
Yamada came up behind and gripped them both. ‘Group hug!’ he yelled, blindly reaching for his son pulling him in as well.
Eri and Kirishima jumped in. Feigning annoyance, Katsuki let himself be dragged over. He really didn’t mind. (He liked it a lot).
‘Izuku,’ Tsukauchi called from behind them. They all turned to him, curious. ‘Don’t you have something to announce?’
Izuku sucked in a sharp breath, stepping away from the group. Then he held up a small card.
‘I passed.’
Celebrations erupted. Katsuki stared as Izuku got dragged around again. His chest felt warm and tight. Izuku skipped over to him, smile plastered on.
‘Didn’t you hear, Kacchan? I passed.’
Katsuki stared at Izuku, words processing.
‘Passed?’
Izuku’s smile somehow got wider.
‘The hero licence exam.’ His voice was soft and giddy. ‘I’m gonna be a hero, Kacchan. We’re gonna be heroes together.’
Katsuki blinked. Once. Twice.
We’re gonna be heroes together.
He took Izuku into his arms and spun him around. Laughter bubbled out of him.
We’re gonna be heroes together. Wonder duo.
‘Of course, you passed,’ he whispered into Izuku’s hair as he set him down.
He recognised that feeling in his chest now. It wasn’t just happiness, it was pride. He squeezed Izuku’s cheek and ruffled his hair. Izuku squawked at him, batting his hand away.
‘What’s your Hero name gonna be?’ Eri asked bounding over to them again.
‘You might not get it, but it’s something really special. Something I hold really close to my heart.’
He handed Eri his Hero License card. Even when she announced it to the group, it didn’t fully register. Not until Izuku had sidled next to Katsuki again. He pulled him close and whispered in his ear. Katsuki’s eyes widened. His heart stuttered. That feeling was back.
Red met green. They smiled.
‘Deku.’
What was it people said about fireworks?