Archive of Our Own ^beta

When Izuku finally confessed his long-kept secret to his friend group after hours of drinking inside the izakaya and a not-insignificant internal debate, they stared at him for a long time, the conversation grinding to a sudden halt.

Then, an aborted ‘pft’, escaping someone’s lips, causing a landslide of loud, uncontrollable laughter.

Izuku could feel his face starting to burn in (some) embarrassment and righteous indignation, maybe even offense, as they all tried to get their breaths but continuously failed, some of their drinks spilling on the table as they chuckled and snickered like he just told them the funniest story they’ve ever heard.

“You’re all jerks,” he said (pouted) to his friends, who were trying to keep a straight face in consideration of his feelings, and failing miserably.

“Oh my gosh, that’s the best thing you’ve said all night,” Ochako wheezed, clutching the table as she tried to straighten up to look at Izuku. “I don’t know if it’s the alcohol talking but seriously, that was a great joke, Deku-kun.”

The traitor! Of all the people Izuku expected to believe him, his best friend was on the top of that list. So what if he talked to her about his analysis on Kacchan’s fights too many times? So what if she was present whenever he fawned over his boyfriend’s pictures over social media? Uraraka Ochako was his closest friend, his once-upon-a-time crush, his forever wingwoman and homegirl, and by that word alone should require her to trust Izuku’s words without question.

“Ochako-chan!”

“I’m sure you and a million other people have Dynamight as their boyfriend, mon ami.” Aoyama, breathless, teary-eyed, patted Izuku on the arm as if to console him, and his face burned even darker at the almost-condescension. “I don’t blame you, cherie, he’s quite the handsome snack, oui? But en vrai, we must make things… more realistic? Dynamight… is not the Hero you would introduce to your maman as a son-in-law.”

That… was a completely fair assumption, considering Kacchan wasn’t the easiest person to get along with. He definitely wasn’t typical “in-law” material, which was remarked by Todoroki multiple times in their continued friendship, to Kacchan’s continuing ire.

(“You could do so much better, Midoriya,” Todoroki had commented casually when he had run into them during his patrol and they were just wrapping up a date. “You shouldn’t settle for the familiar.”

“And what the fuck is that supposed to mean, Half-n-Half bastard?!”)

But Izuku loved him so much, is in love with him for the longest time, even before he knew what that word meant. He had already forgiven his boyfriend for all the hurt and pain he had caused Izuku in their younger years. His mother had concerns, understandably so, until Kacchan apologized to her for not knowing any better and hurting the person they both loved the most in this world.

And now, his mom loved Kacchan, because he promised to do better, because he was better, and simply because he made Izuku happy.

So yes, Izuku introduced his former bully to his mother as his boyfriend when the time came, and he was damn proud of it.

“But I’m not lying! He is my boyfriend!” He protested, choosing to ignore the fact that he was bordering on whiny, and the rest of the group giggled again, less explosive, but still. “You guys believed me when I said I was friends with Shouto and Ingenium!” Izuku cried at the injustice of it all.

“That’s because you introduced them to us first,” Ochako pointed out. “And Tenya— Ingenium literally crashed into our lunch break during that one time.”

“Midoriya-chan, it’s completely alright to have a crush on famous people.” Tsuyu said softly, nudging his shoulder in comfort, shaking him a little. “But it’s not healthy to fantasize about another person that deeply. You’ll find a person who would love you for you, don’t do this to yourself.”

“Do you maybe have some proof, Midoriya?” Shinsou asked seriously, the only person who hadn't laughed at him outright, but he still looked amused, and a little sad, which confused Izuku for a moment before he spoke again. “Because it’s completely okay to be single. Just because some of us are in relationships,” he said, glancing meaningfully at Tsuyu, who was in a long-term romantic relationship, and Ochako, who was currently dating the Hero she just said the first name of. Even Shinsou himself, who had just scored himself a date with their waitress tomorrow. “Doesn’t mean you have to be in one too. You don’t have to rush these kinds of things.” He finished, very sincere, which just made Izuku want to bang his head on the table and scream.

Somehow, being pitied felt worse. He would rather be laughed at.

“It’s not because—” He spluttered, before groaning and burying his face in his hands. “That’s not it. I am in a relationship with someone. Kacc— Bakugou Katsuki is my boyfriend. I’m not making that up.”

“Is there any way for you to call him or let us see him right now, Midoriya-chan?” Tsuyu asked in a reasonable tone, leaning forward in the interest of testing Izuku’s claim. “I mean… it’s not that we don’t believe you, you’re our friend, but it’s Pro Hero Dynamight. Everyone knows him.”

But not as much as Izuku, whose notebooks on his boyfriend’s Explosion quirk have now spanned multiple volumes and constant revisions as time passed and experience built. In fact, it could be argued that his childhood friend was the reason why Izuku chose a quick research as a profession; for all he watched videos of All Might’s considerable legacy as a hero, it was when Kacchan got his quirk in kindergarten that Izuku really started putting his thoughts on paper instead of just wondering about it inside his head.

No one could claim to know Dynamight, Bakugou Katsuki, Kacchan, as closely, as completely, as intimately as Midoriya Izuku did, and he would protect that privilege until his dying breath.

So Izuku fumbled for his phone, opening his gallery and punching in the password for the protected folder he had for their pictures before immediately stopping and exiting. Nope, bad idea. While his friends generally respected his privacy, the topic at hand might tempt them to swipe left and right to look for more evidence and there were definitely some pics that were for his eyes only.

He started to go through his contacts instead, before stopping as well. That’s right. The reason why Kacchan wasn’t with him right now was because he traded shifts with Kirishima-kun (aka Pro Hero Red Riot; Izuku couldn’t believe he knew so many Heroes now on a real name basis) so they could both go on that weekend dinner with both of their parents. Auntie Mitsuki had been demanding it recently, work keeping them all busy, and Izuku’s own mother, who saw Kacchan as another son now, had also wanted to see how he was faring as an active Pro Hero.

If there was anyone his boyfriend couldn’t refuse apart from Izuku, All Might and Kirishima-kun (sometimes), it was Midoriya Inko.

Still, Izuku made his boyfriend promise to call his parents every once in a while, just to stop them from worrying, and it seemed that the other male was keeping up with it, since Izuku hadn’t heard anything from Auntie and Uncle recently.

“I can’t call him right now,” he sighed, tapping at his phone. A gorgeous picture of Kacchan on the streets in full hero getup, taken by a fan after a villain attack, greeted him as his home screen. “He’s on patrol, and I don’t want to disturb him.”

He had a sort-of love-hate relationship with The Bombshells, otherwise known as the official Hero Dynamight fan club. Izuku loved the pictures and the fan merchandise, and the way they’re all so passionate and supportive of Kacchan’s continuing work as a Pro Hero. Naturally, he was Dynamight’s number one fan, Izuku would throw down for the title, don’t test him, and if there were others who also saw how awesome and how wonderful the burgeoning Symbol of Victory was, Izuku wasn’t about to get in their way.

But at the same time, Izuku was absolutely disturbed by some of the things they did. His boyfriend had to change his phone number continuously since strangers kept calling him, and his agency had to make sure that the food that their cafeteria served was monitored daily in case of any poisoning or tampering from a zealous fan. Salvageable parts of Kacchan’s Grenadier Bracers that managed to break off during villain fights instantly disappeared during clean-up operations, snatched up and taken away even under police and hero surveillance.

Never underestimate how deep fanaticism could go. He normally would call Kacchan at any time, his boyfriend had certainly told him he was welcome to, but even he wasn’t as thoughtless as to disrupt his boyfriend’s work schedule. Patrols required a hero’s complete attention, and no matter how idle and boring they often were (as shared by Kacchan himself), constant vigilance could mean the difference between a saved life and a dead one. His boyfriend worked incredibly hard to keep their cities and streets safe from villains, and his boyfriend’s agency wouldn’t approve of him being a distraction to one of their most effective and meticulous heroes.

The group exchanged meaningful glances, and Shinsou snorted, as if Tsuyu’s point was proven.

Izuku scowled. He stood up, nearly upending the table in the process, swaying on his feet.

It might be the alcohol, or it might be the simple unfairness of it all, that they wouldn’t believe him when he was clearly telling the truth. It also hurt, a little, because it implied that someone as dorky and nerdy as Izuku would never be able to get someone as beautiful and as unattainable as Kacchan.

(And to be honest, Izuku still wondered how he was able to get someone like Kacchan in his life as his partner, his other half, his forever. He had never been so thankful, to have Bakugou Katsuki return his feelings, to just be with him in all ways a person could stay with someone else.

Kacchan just… incredulously, amazingly, loved him back.

And Izuku would never, ever take that for granted.)

But he definitely wasn’t a liar. He was going to prove them all wrong.

“Fine! I’ll prove it to you!” Izuku declared, staring straight into Shinou’s four(?) eyes. He grabbed the bottle of sake they were drinking and downed it in one shot, exhaling as the warm liquor slid smoothly down his throat.

“You’ll meet Kacchan as soon as possible and once you do you’ll have to admit that you were wrong and admit he's my boyfriend in front of everyone else!” He slammed the empty sake bottle onto the table. “I’ll—” he hiccupped, getting up into Shinsou’s now two faces with narrowed eyes.

“I’ll show you that Kacchan is the best boyfriend ever!”

Shinsou’s eyes glimmered in hazy interest as he grabbed another bottle of sake, pouring them both a cup. “I don’t know if this is the drink talking, Midoriya, but I accept your terms. I look forward to meeting your… Kaachan.”

“You better! Let’s drink on it, Toshi-kun!” Izuku cried, and downed their shots together, the pact sealed, for better and for worse.

“… Toshi-kun…?”

After taking the next morning off to recover from a horrible hangover (Izuku would kill for a quirk that fixes one right about now), he threw himself back into the grind of real life and his real job, which included watching hours of hero footage and writing down all of his observations before arranging them in a way that was both semi-coherent and useful at the same time.

As an analyst, Izuku was beholden to nothing and no one except his own morals, and the hero community was keenly aware of their fortune to have Midoriya Izuku on the side of good. He refused to be tied down to a single hero or agency, no matter how large or tempting the bribes were, to comical levels (looking at you, Number One Endeavor Agency). For Izuku, it was about helping all heroes do their jobs, no matter how popular or not, and fought tooth and nail against any organization that tried to tie him down to an agenda, including the nebulous and mysterious Hero Commission.

He had the leverage of being useful, Quirkless as he was, and had a handful of Pro Heroes on speed dial the moment they realized Izuku was doing something against his will. It was also in the Heroes’ best interests to remain on Izuku’s good side; after all, quirk analysis doesn’t just benefit them.

So Izuku remained a free agent, working with all of the Agencies available in the country and even outside it, filling up his schedule to almost unbearable levels.

(It was mostly a fluke how Izuku got to where he was now, thanks mostly to Principal Nedzu of UA who he had worked under on a number of occasions to help further refine his analytics methodology. It was the man(? bear? mouse? what kind of animal was he?) who first called him “Professor” despite Izuku having done nothing to earn a university degree of some sort. And soon enough the title spread to the teachers in UA and consequently to the rest of the hero world, even if Izuku tried to correct them on the matter.

Kacchan thought it was hilarious. Izuku had grumbled about it for a while, at least until his boyfriend had leaned in, took Izuku’s glasses off from his face, and whispered into his ear.

“Come on Prof, time for extra lessons with your number one student.”

Needless to say, Izuku minded it a lot less afterwards.)

Which brought him to the present, huddled in front of his desk with a six-pack of energy drinks and wearing the summer version Dynamight hoodie, multiple monitors lit up around him as he took extensive notes. He had been working the moment his mind was out of its hangover haze, bare-toed and curled up in his squishy office chair, only taking breaks whenever the pangs of hunger or the call of nature became too much to properly ignore. His arrangements with each agency were on a ‘as needed’ basis, giving them meticulous, detailed packets for every Hero they requested him to study. He tended to work with sidekicks more often though, especially those who were up and coming and needed a lot of guidance with honing their strengths and minimizing their weaknesses. The more a Hero rose up the ranks, the less advice they needed when it comes to handling their quirks, though insight every once in a while was welcomed.

(But of course, making these documents was both a job and a labor of love, and for Izuku’s special people, there was always an updated dossier ready for their perusal, if they so needed it.)

“The fuck are you up so late for, nerd?”

Izuku startled, chair swiveling to the side to reveal Pro Hero Dynamight himself, well-built, gorgeous, eternally grumpy, and the love of Izuku’s life. His boyfriend was already in his usual sleepwear, a tank top and sweatpants, rubbing a towel through his damp, blond hair.

Once again, he was too preoccupied with work to notice his boyfriend coming home. He didn’t even hear the front door open. Thank goodness the apartment had the most sophisticated security system offered to private homes or he’ll get an earful from Kacchan again.

(“Always be aware of your surroundings, shitnerd! What if someone manages to break in while I’m not here and kidnaps you again?!”

“That was one time!”

“One time too many, asshole!”)

“Kacchan! Welcome home!” He reached up and delightedly nuzzled at his boyfriend’s cheek. “How was work? Was it a slow day for you? I saw the fight with Ashido-san and Sero-kun earlier, are they okay?”

A hand clamped over his mouth, his boyfriend’s handsome but scowling face lit up by the monitor screens.

“Motherfuck Deku, pipe down, it’s 3 in the morning.” Izuku blinked, surprised, and a quick glance to the nearest desktop confirmed that he hadn’t moved from his position for the last few hours. Has it been that long? “The hell are you doing? Are you trying to fuck up your sleep schedule more than it already is?”

No wonder his boyfriend was pissed.

“Um… I was working?” Izuku moved his face away from his boyfriend’s palm with a meek explanation, and Kacchan gave him a deeply unimpressed look. “I’m sorry! I didn’t realize how much time had passed! Go to sleep, you must be tired, I’ll just finish these last ones for the Gunhead Agency— Kacchan, no! Put me down!”

“Fuck that noise.” Izuku was unceremoniously plucked from his office chair by large, warm hands, and Izuku would have punched his boyfriend in the face if he wasn’t so used to it by this point. “Bed, Deku. Now. Or I swear to god I’ll blow up your computer so hard you won’t be able to recover your shitty analysis reports for the next hundred years.”

“Don’t threaten my life’s work!” Izuku squawked, reaching for his desk in vain as he was hauled out of their shared office space towards the bedroom. He smacked his palms against his boyfriend’s back in an attempt to wiggle out of his hold, trapezius and deltoids flexing under his touch, and a blush threatened to overtake Izuku’s cheeks.

Damn it, why did Kacchan always feel so… fit? It was unfair.

But naturally, his boyfriend wouldn’t give.

“Let me go back, I was almost done! Kacchan!”

Instantly, a palm cracked against the back of his thigh, and Izuku made a high-pitched noise, face immediately flooding with warmth despite the stinging pain. “Then manage your time better, shitty Deku! I’m already tired as fuck when I come home and then you pull off this kinda bullshit!” The bedroom door was kicked open, and Izuku was tossed onto the sheets, body bouncing lightly against the comforters. “Stop being a nuisance, goddamn nerd.”

“Wait—” As Izuku scrambled to get off the bed, Kacchan pounced, caging him between thick, powerful arms as he crowded Izuku against the soft, dark bed sheets. “I’m serious, I have to— mmph—!”

It was game over the moment the other had Izuku where he wanted him. A tongue slid into his mouth, tasting, demanding, and Izuku couldn’t stop the keening noise that escaped his throat, body sinking down into the bed and carding his hands through fluffy pale hair in an almost conditioned response. His quiet moan has an answering rumble in turn, and his body shuddered at the sound, made weak and trained to accept, to submit, to Kacchan’s firm, unyielding affection.

Izuku was dazed and out of breath when his mouth was finally released, tongue heavy and lips tingling as he stared up at the flawless skin, the sharp jawline, and the burning embers reflected in a sharp gaze that made up the entirety of Izuku’s beloved.

For a quiet moment, they simply breathed.

“Hi.” Izuku eventually whispered, a thumb brushing under his boyfriend’s eye, seeing the dark circles that made his vermillion colored irises more pronounced in the dim lamplight.

(Kacchan was getting more and more mid-shifts for patrols lately, and it wasn’t agreeing with his usual old man bedtime.

It still doesn’t decrease his attractiveness one tiny bit.)

“Hey yourself, troublemaker.” Kacchan murmured, ducking down to nuzzle at the side of his face as he settled himself more properly on top of Izuku, distributing weight more evenly throughout the bed. Izuku chuckled back, running his fingers through soft, ash blond locks. “Now shut up and go to sleep. Your shit’ll be there in the mornin’.”

“But isn’t it morning already, honey?” Izuku asked back, rather cheeky considering the late hour.

A sudden, vicious bite to his cheek. Izuku squeaked.

“Don’t be cute with me.” Another bite, and Kacchan let his entire 180 centimeter plus, 90 kilogram self drop down completely, completely pressing on Izuku from all sides. “Sleep, for the love of fuck.”

Izuku wheezed.

“Kacc— ack! Move! Can’t breathe! You’re heavy!”

And because his boyfriend was a dick, Kacchan did no such thing, wrapping his limbs more firmly around Izuku’s body. “Fuck you, are you callin’ me fat?!”

“Noooo,” Izuku coughed, wiggling back towards the headboard in an attempt to free his ribcage from his boyfriend’s amply muscled chest. “You, fat? Never. Just… let me get some air? Please?”

Just to be contrary, his boyfriend stayed in place for a few more seconds before letting up and rolling to his side of the bed, making Izuku exhale a relieved breath. And instead of escaping, Izuku followed after him, tucking his face under his boyfriend’s chin while wrapping an arm around his torso.

Kacchan’s body always ran hot, and Izuku hummed, sighing happily as the familiar scent of smoky, burned caramel reached his nose. Izuku resisted the urge to stick his face into his boyfriend’s neck and sniff like an addict.

They never said it out loud, but they always slept the best when they were beside each other.

“Morning, Kacchan. Sleep well.” Izuku murmured, sleep already drawing him deep the moment his head touched the skin of his boyfriend’s upper arm.

A huff of breath, long-suffering and almost-fond.

“You too, babe.”

It was close to lunchtime when they managed to wake up, and it was one of those slow, lazy days that made even Izuku’s normally regimented boyfriend loosen up a little.

It’s his boyfriend’s rest day, so they converged in the kitchen once they were fully conscious, trying to catch up with each other as much as they could. With their jobs as they were, it would usually take a few busy days before they managed to find the time for each other. It took active scheduling and coordination mostly on Kacchan’s part, since the nature of Izuku’s job allowed him more flexibility.

But once they did have the time, they both cherished it immensely. Kacchan, despite having rest days, was always on call for potential villain attacks, especially if the situation was serious and life threatening. And because his boyfriend was a public figure and he wasn’t publicly “in a relationship”, dates were usually confined to private spaces or unusual times, such as their apartment, or going out after midnight when there weren’t as many people around. To be fair, Izuku was also a public figure, but that was as far as the hero community was concerned, and the media always had an ear on the ground in that particular circle. Just in case.

“Kacchan, can we have pancakes for lunch?”

“That’s the unhealthiest idea I’ve ever heard,” his boyfriend snorted as he started pulling out the flour, salt and sugar from the cabinets. “We already missed breakfast. Eat better, dipshit.”

Izuku just grinned, swinging his legs as he perched himself on the counter. The only way he was allowed in the kitchen was if he didn’t touch anything, and he was quite content to watch fondly as his boyfriend started to portion the dry ingredients into a mixing bowl. “I already am, because Kacchan is taking care of me!”

“And who else would, hah? If I left your hikikomori ass alone you’ll be wasting away on caffeine and cup noodles. You’d be dead in a year, nerd.” Kacchan snarked back, hand already holding a whisk and mixing the dry ingredients together. “Oi. I ain’t eating this crap as it is. Get off your ass and get the shit we need, Deku.”

“Right!” Izuku hopped off the counter and opened the fridge, getting eggs, milk and the fruits covered in cling-wrap that were always carefully replenished every week. Strawberry and banana for him, blueberry and lemon for his boyfriend, because Kacchan liked the tang sour fruits left on his tongue. “Do you want me to bring out the nuts too?”

A grunt. “Might as well.” With approval given, Izuku carefully gathered everything needed into his arms and returned to his boyfriend’s side, the carton of milk plucked out of his hands the moment Kacchan saw him and he was close enough to be touched.

“Why would you try and bring them all at once?!” Kacchan barked as Izuku laid the rest carefully onto the countertop. “You’re lucky nothing didn’t spill! Don’t tempt the universe into fucking you up, you klutz!”

“It’s fine! Everything’s manageable!” Izuku assured, rather proud that he managed to carry everything in one go. “See? I did it, Kacchan!”

“You’re a walking disaster, Deku.” A large hand settled onto Izuku’s head, ruffling his hair roughly, but the care in the touch was unmistakable. “One day I’m just gonna keel over because you gave me a heart attack.”

Izuku paused, cringing a little at the sudden idea that popped into his head. Oh, this was going to be terrible, awful, but since Kacchan was practically asking for it…

So he cocked his head to the side, a show of innocent curiosity. “Because I make your heart stop?”

His boyfriend spluttered, the tips of his ears shading into a light pink as fingers immediately moved down to the side of his face and pulled.

“You cheeky little shit,” his boyfriend fumed, pinching his cheek just a tad harsher than usual, face a bright pink. It made Izuku’s boyfriend look more like a dandelion than usual. It was cute. “Saying whatever the hell you want without thinking of the consequences—”

“Ow! K-Kacchan!”

“Mind repeating that again, shitnerd? Haah?!”

“Nothing! I said nothing!”

Thoroughly reprimanded, Izuku moved away once the other decided to let him go, wincing and cradling at his abused cheek as he pouted at his boyfriend. But the smile didn’t leave his face, unable to disguise how utterly gone he was for the other male, and watched as his boyfriend’s ears turned bright scarlet.

So cute.

“Quit starin’ at me like a stalker, dweeb.”

“I can’t help that Kacchan looks handsome.” A peck on the cheek, and Izuku started to paw through the fruits he brought to the counter, unwrapping the plastic and plucking the first strawberry nearest him.

His boyfriend immediately noticed.

“Don’t fuckin’ pick at ‘em, you’ll get full. If you don’t finish this bullshit I’m makin’ for you—”

“Say ‘ah’, Kacchan.” A press of the fruit against a pale cheek stopped the oncoming tirade, and the glare the other leveled at him was enough to explode Izuku where he stood if his quirk had that ability (thank god it didn’t). But as it was, patience went a long way with Kacchan, and it was only a matter of time until Izuku’s waiting was rewarded and his boyfriend turned his head, eating the strawberry whole. Teeth nipped at the tips of Izuku’s fingers sharply, separating the fruit from the stem and small leaves, a tongue darting out to taste salty skin alongside natural, ground-earth sweetness.

Izuku’s surprised twitch and sudden blush received a roguish smirk.

“Woulda rather eaten this strawberry, though.”

“K-Kacchan!”

Smirk turning smug, Kacchan returned back to cooking, leaving Izuku to splutter at his back, still so unused to this side of the other despite their relatively long stint as boyfriends.

Izuku… really didn’t mind keeping their relationship quiet. In fact, he found it extremely freeing. He wasn’t made for the spotlight at all, and it made him feel like Kacchan was his alone, like what they had was something so precious and special it could only be reserved for themselves. It wasn’t as if seeing them together would also spark an immediate scandal; in his case, being his boyfriend’s ‘childhood friend’ was more than enough of a cover for their constant interactions, and their shared history was an adequate explanation as to why they were living together as ‘roommates’.

(Izuku knew, if Kacchan had his way, that they would be completely out to the world. Everyone from the rooftops to the basements would know that the Great Explosive Murder God Dynamight had managed to snag a rather awkward quirk analyst for a boyfriend. But fame was a fickle thing, and Kacchan’s agency was cautious of the potential effects when it comes to one of their top Hero’s “taken” status. Kacchan said didn’t give a shit, and probably always would, but if it would affect his boyfriend’s career, Izuku was willing to keep to the shadows a little longer.)

And speaking of his ‘roommate’…

He wasn’t nearly drunk enough to forget the conversation that ensued two nights ago, and the memory sobered Izuku up instantly. He couldn’t fault his friends if they thought that he was in the midst of a drunken ramble, since declaring that he was the partner of a Pro Hero within the Top 10 was quite the outlandish claim.

But then again, was the idea that Izuku of all people managed to nab a fine specimen of humanity (the finest, in his completely biased opinion) so unthinkable? He wasn’t that hopeless, was he? Izuku was well aware of his flaws and weakness; that Kacchan decided that he was worth it despite all of that was humbling, and something Izuku would forever treasure in the deepest, most silent parts of his heart. The years they had spent assuming and misunderstanding each other had finally culminated into this perfectly serene, domestic life of mutual companionship, and Izuku couldn’t be happier.

So why did it sting a little, when they didn’t take him at his word?

“Hey.” A nudge to his shoulder had Izuku looking up, blinking at the stack of fluffy pancakes that was now freshly done by his side. Kacchan had already turned off the stove and was standing in front of him, a crease in his forehead, a frown on his lips that was different from his usual scowl.

“You’re mumbling. Something happened.”

“Am I?” Izuku asked, distracted by his own thoughts. He attempted to smile, since there wasn’t anything wrong, not really, but as always, Kacchan always saw through it like a hot knife on butter. “Sorry, just lost in thought. Let’s eat, I’m starving.”

Kacchan squinted at him, clearly gauging if he was telling the truth. But in the end, his boyfriend relented, though his suspicion remained clear.

“… Tch. Your funeral.”

Lunch was quiet. His boyfriend kept stealing looks all throughout the meal, clearly bursting to demand what was up, but still gave Izuku the space he hadn't realized he needed. It was one of the small things that showed how much Kacchan matured throughout the years, and Izuku just adored him all the more for it.

Still, he knew he would have to say something soon. Kacchan hated being lied to, especially when he knew that something was already amiss. It wasn’t a big deal truthfully, all Izuku needed to do was to find a time when everyone was free, bring Kacchan along for the ride, and get everything over with.

(That was what his boyfriend did, at least. Izuku had been so excited when he was formally introduced to the self-proclaimed “Bakusquad”. More than Pro Heroes with really cool quirks, Izuku was grateful to and for them. His boyfriend couldn’t have had more dependable heroes by his side, helping each other avoid serious injury and teaming up to take down dangerous villains. Kacchan constantly acted like he was embarrassed to be seen with ‘the idiots’, but Izuku knew better.

If his boyfriend truly disliked his friends, he wouldn’t have bothered with them at all. His Kacchan had no tolerance for things he really hated.)

The ceasefire lasted until the dishes were cleared and cleaned; the moment the last utensil was placed in the dish rack to dry, Izuku found his wrist being clamped tight, dragged to the living room couch without a word. As physically fit Izuku was (which was mostly thanks to his boyfriend), he was still Quirkless, and no match for a professionally trained physique.

“W-Where are we going?”

He was answered via his boyfriend throwing himself on the couch, dragging Izuku along until he was situated in the other male’s lap, fingers locked around the small of his back to head off any attempts of escape.

Kacchan was looking at him directly, waiting, and Izuku fidgeted, studiously looking everywhere except in front of him and that impatient, expectant gaze.

The forearms at his sides noticeably tightened.

“Alright, shitty Deku. I’ve given you enough time.” An almost threatening squeeze. “Talk.”

“U-Um…”

Before Izuku could stop himself, words were spilling out of his mouth, vomited into the air like rotten food, as Izuku related what he could remember during that fateful night. Kacchan remained uncharacteristically quiet all throughout, taking in Izuku’s nigh-unstoppable mumbling with an unreadable expression until Izuku finally needed to take a much-needed breath.

To his surprise, his boyfriend fell forward, burying his face into the side of Izuku’s neck.

Izuku stiffened, glancing at the other in concern. “… Kacchan?”

“It’s my bad, isn’t it?” The words were lowly muttered against his neck. “Since I promised I’d be there to meet your extras.”

“Don’t call my friends extras.” Izuku sighed in fond exasperation, his own hand reaching out to pet his boyfriend’s hair. He didn’t realize how much of a burden it felt until now, and the surge of relief that followed afterwards, the tension that was steadily building inside him somewhat loosening. “And it’s not your fault. It’s nothing. You were at work, and I would never compromise you during a patrol.”

At his shoulder, Izuku felt the wrinkle on his boyfriend’s forehead deepen. “It ain’t nothing, Deku. Not when it’s botherin’ you this much.”

“Well… yeah,” Izuku admitted, “but it’s a ‘me’ problem, not theirs. I’m sure they don’t mean anything bad by it, and I already had more than a few beers during that time, so…”

“You still shoulda called me, stupid.” Kacchan continued to grumble. His hands slipped under Izuku’s hoodie, thumbs making small, soothing circles against his skin. “I woulda answered, put’em in their place real quick.”

“Not everything has to be a competition, Kacchan.” Izuku huffed, not quite able to hide his affectionate tone. “Besides, it doesn’t matter if other people believe it or not. I know we’re real, and that’s enough for me.”

His boyfriend lifted his head and narrowed his eyes at Izuku with razor-sharp focus. “Is it really, Deku?”

“I—” Izuku started, then faltered once the question set in properly.

Leave it to Kacchan to get to the heart of the matter without hesitation.

“Don’t defend your friends, idiot.” His boyfriend snorted after a moment of silence. “They fucked up and hurt your feelings.” Kacchan’s expression became deadly serious.

“And ‘cause of that, I’ll kick their asses.”

“No, Kacchan. Hurting civilians for upsetting your boyfriend is not a legitimate excuse.” Izuku said firmly, because knowing the other, Kacchan meant every word he said. “Besides, I’m sure they’ll apologize properly once they finally meet you,” he added, managing to insert a cheerful note in his tone. “If they managed to remember the talk even happening in the first place. I’m pretty sure it’s just drunk rambling,” he continued, thoughtful.

In response, Kacchan stared at him, long and hard, before rearing back and giving him a solid whack to the head.

The crack of skulls hitting was a rattle to his brain, jarring to the senses. It wasn’t as hard as Izuku knew his boyfriend could make it be, but it still hurt, dammit!

“Ow! Kacchan, what the hell?!” Izuku cried, clutching at the middle of his forehead as it throbbed after the impact. What did he do to get a headbutt like that?!

“You listen here, Deku, and you listen to me good.” Kacchan snarled back, forcing himself into Izuku’s space instead, grinding their foreheads together.

“You’re mine. Nothin’ and no one’s gonna ever change that.”

The hands on Izuku’s hips became like claws, pinning him in place as his face filled Izuku’s vision completely, blazing and righteous and breathtakingly beautiful.

“Not goddamn IcyHot, not our parents, and especially not your pansy-ass friends. You’re in it for the long-haul, you hear me?” Izuku was dragged closer, until they were chest to chest and hip to hip and Izuku could only throw his arms around his boyfriend’s shoulders for purchase, face becoming hot as bashfulness spread to every cell inside his body.

“K-Kacchan—”

Magma burned as their gazes finally met, the rest of the words drying in Izuku’s throat. The scent of melted sugar and gunpowder mixed and collided, until everything else in Izuku’s mind became a hazy blur.

“You’re gonna be with me when I finally become Number One,” Kacchan— no, Katsuki rumbled, voice weighted with promise, breath hot against Izuku’s parted lips. “And I’m gonna fuckin’ dip and french the fuck outta you in front of the cameras the moment they make the announcement. Got that, nerd?”

He sounded so sure, so matter-of-fact in his words, that it made Izuku’s stomach clench, head dizzy and heart flipping crazily in his chest. His fingers gripped at the collar of Kacchan’s tank top, suddenly helpless, and he could only nod in acceptance, swept away by the other’s unshakable confidence.

His insecurities weighed nothing compared to Kacchan’s crude but straightforward sincerity.

“That is the most romantic thing you’ve said to me,” Izuku blurted out the first thought that came to him, and was treated to the sight of his boyfriend’s steadily reddening face.

“Shut the fuck up.” Another nudge to his head, but gentler this time, and Izuku’s hand moved to cup his boyfriend’s cheek, relishing in the warmer-than-usual skin under his palm. It wasn’t often he saw Kacchan flustered, but it was a sight Izuku made sure to indulge in whenever the moment presented itself. “But you better fuckin’ believe it.”

And just like that, any worry Izuku might have had dispersed, like ashes crumbling away in the wind. His insides throbbed, the left side of his chest feeling tight, mushy and gooey all at once.

“I do. Thanks, honey.” A shy kiss to a bright red cheek. “You’re the best.”

“Tch. ‘Course I am, babe.” Kacchan rolled his eyes, with a pleased quirk at the corner of his lips that wasn’t as hidden as he would like it to be. “What, you expectin’ any different?”

“Hm… I don’t know… Todoroki-kun’s starting to give you a run for your money, based on his recent performance…” Izuku started lightly, and Kacchan’s eyebrow twitched.

“Haah?! The fuck are you mentioning that IcyHot bastard for, stupid Deku?!” A hard pinch to his side, and Izuku tried to squirm away with a giggle. “Don’t talk about other men while you’re sittin’ on my lap, shitnerd!”

Izuku tilted his head to the side, eyes wide and mischievous. “So should I sit on Todoroki-kun’s lap instead?”

“Fucking try it and I’ll blow you and Half-n-Half sky high, motherfucker.” Kacchan growled with a threatening nip on his shoulder, and Izuku started to laugh, squeezing his boyfriend tightly in gratitude.

“You’re amazing. I love you, Katsuki.”

“Gross. Miss me with that sappy crap.” His boyfriend groaned back, miming throwing up even as fingertips lightly skated up Izuku’s spine, making him shiver. “You kiss your mother with that filthy mouth, Deku?”

“I do,” Izuku pulled back to stare at his boyfriend, color still high on his cheeks, but his gaze and voice were as steady as it could be.

“I also kiss boyfriends who are really nice and deserving of one.”

Slowly, one blonde eyebrow was raised, cocky, sexy and intrigued all at once, making heat swirl in Izuku’s gut. “Oh, yeah?” Large palms gradually splayed against his back, smooth and soft and hotter than a brand, drawing him closer once more.

And Izuku went along willingly, pulled in by the orbit of Bakugou Katuki’s everything, as certain as the earth revolving around the sun, as constant as the waves crashing along the shore.

Teeth caught at his bottom lip, and at Izuku’s sudden gasp of breath, a pleased, victorious grin pressed itself against Izuku’s similarly smiling mouth.

“Then kiss me like you fuckin’ mean it, Izuku.”

The start of the work week eventually rolled around, finding Izuku inside an office building, slaving away on his desk in an attempt to complete the day’s deliverables. Izuku could very well work from home, and often did even during the weekends, but the change of environment was always nice, and being in the office allowed Izuku the opportunity to do additional things he otherwise wouldn’t have.

It gave him the time to see his friends, who he was fortunate to be working with, and finish other tasks that were also required of his job, such as quirk consultation appointments. All in all, there was never an idle time when he was in the office, and was forever grateful that he had a team that he could depend on to lessen his workload a little bit.

As expected, his friends were in their cubicles when he arrived at their floor that morning. Greetings were exchanged, as well as some light teasing from the last time they were together, but soon enough they left Izuku to his own devices, which was a blessing since there were stacks of paperwork on Izuku’s desk again when he was reasonably sure he finished them all the week before.

Izuku eventually lost the hours to his job, immersed in data and information as the rest of the world moved without him noticing. People knew better than to interrupt him when he was in the zone; as the company’s top analyst, Izuku had deadlines to keep, especially since his work focus tended to be on the top Hero Agencies. It’s only much later when his consciousness fully surfaced again to the present, assisted by a finger purposefully tapping with pressure on the side of his arm.

“Deku-kun! You should take a break!” Ochako informed him cheerfully, already carrying her small bento box. The rest of his friends were waiting at the edge of his cubicle, waving and waiting for him as per their carefully constructed tradition. Izuku tended to skip if left alone, and his friends made it a point to accompany him during meal times to make sure he had something in his stomach to last him throughout the day. “Let’s have lunch together! You can get back to work once you’ve eaten something.”

“Oh, sure!” Izuku started saving the documents on his computer, fixing what he could that was on the top of his desk. “I have to get something to eat downstairs first but I’ll join you! What did you bring today—”

On the other side of the workfloor, the elevator doors opened, and the people nearest to it stopped at the sudden disturbance happening within.

“Please wait!” A harried voice called out as a man strode out of the lift, the light-colored head and bare shoulders catching most people’s eyes as he made his way through the rows of desks and workstations without pause. “You may have the clearance to visit this floor, but Midoriya-san is a busy man! You cannot just come and barge in whenever you please!”

“DEKU!” A familiar roar cut through the din, alongside the purposeful stomp of boots that were steadily growing louder by the second as it neared their location. “Where the fuck are you?! Your office’s a goddamn maze, what the hell!”

Izuku’s knee slammed against the top of his desk, and he clutched at his newest bruise, swearing as he tried to recover from the shock. Around him his co-workers’ heads were starting to turn towards the developing ruckus, curious and intrigued.

It was all too soon before his boyfriend came into view, decked out in full hero gear, mask on but sans gauntlets, the juxtaposition between his green and orange bracers and the white paper bag in his grip absurdly comical as he slammed the latter on top of Izuku’s notes.

A small crowd had gathered behind his boyfriend by this point, but Izuku was too stunned to do anything about it.

“K-Kacchan?!” He coughed, straightening up as much as he could, injured knee notwithstanding. “What are you doing here? Not that you aren’t welcome, but you’ve never come to the office before!” Not for a lack of trying on Izuku’s part, but the times simply didn’t match up, and Izuku stopped the attempts after a while.

“You forgot your lunch at home! Again! When are you gonna stop wasting food?!” His boyfriend stared down at him, forbidding, with a glare that could put the fear of god into anyone that was unfortunate enough to receive the full force of it.

Thankfully, Izuku wasn’t just any ‘extra on the street’.

“You went back home just to give this to me? What about your patrol? Won’t they miss you?” The last time Izuku checked, there was definitely no bento when he left the apartment that morning, but then again, his memory couldn’t be trusted unless it concerned quirk stats. Maybe he just missed it on the way out?

Peeking into the bag, Izuku was both unsurprised but also deeply touched as he pulled out a three-tiered wooden lunchbox, complete with its own lid, lacquered glossy black with small sakura blossoms painted on the sides. Popping the top open had steam wafting lightly into the air, revealing the liquid gold sheen and brown crisp color of freshly-made katsudon, topped on fluffy white rice with mixed vegetables and tamagoyaki on the side. Izuku didn’t have to look at the other boxes to know what was inside of them; probably fruits, some fried noodles and octopus-shaped wieners, sushi and onigiri alongside a cake or muffin. Maybe even mochi?

“‘s fine, Discount Pikachu owes me one. I’ll be going back in a bit. But you really are a deku, you know that, right?” Gloved knuckles rubbed harshly on his scalp, but Izuku couldn’t help his ecstatic beam, giving his boyfriend an unmistakably starry-eyed look. The meal was almost too much for one person to eat alone, fingertips still feeling the residual heat from the box. “Stop missing meals, you piece of shit.”

To be honest, Izuku was planning on getting something from the nearest conbini, but this was a million times better. Nothing compared to his boyfriend’s home-cooked meals. He wasn’t going to call out his boyfriend’s obvious lie either, glancing at the other’s lightly flushed ears. “Thanks for this, Kacchan! I’ll remember next time, I promise!”

Kacchan clucked his tongue as Izuku closed the bento box, the fingers in his curls turning into a milder ruffle as Izuku caught his boyfriend’s softening, satisfied gaze. “You fuckin’ better.”

“Excuse me, but who are you supposed to be?!” Ochako’s stunned voice broke into the moment, sounding offended. “Don’t talk to Deku-kun like that!”

“Step aside, Round Face, this ain’t your goddamn rodeo.” Kacchan shot back, not even looking in her direction as his palm moved to cup the back of Izuku’s head. Izuku leaned into the touch easily, a hysterical giggle threatening to bubble out of his chest at the sheer ridiculousness of the situation. His boyfriend was less belligerent compared to how he would answer his own friends, which Izuku appreciated. “An’ stop callin’ him Deku, that’s my fucking nickname for him. Oh yeah, ‘fore I forget, what time you goin’ home, nerd?”

Izuku blinked, still a little shocked, trying to figure out why his boyfriend was asking that question. “Ah… six? If everything goes well today?”

“‘kay. You better be downstairs at that time, got it?” The grip on his hair tightened. “I ain’t gonna wait on your ass. Text me if something comes up, we can think of something else by then. Lemme know if you need a change of clothes.”

“Huh?” The abrupt change from one topic to another was making Izuku dizzy. He stared at his boyfriend, utterly lost, making the other give him a look that Izuku immediately interpreted as ‘you better not be this stupid, you airhead,’ give or take a few swear words in between.

It took a few beats until comprehension finally settled in, and Izuku’s eyes widened.

Was Kacchan telling him they were going out on a date?!

“O-Okay!” Izuku answered, tone amusingly high-pitched, overwhelmed by his now sudden plans for the night. “I’ll l-let you know l-later!”

An approving tilt on the Pro Hero’s lips.

And then Izuku was yanked forward by the nape, dragged into a kiss that was short and open-mouthed and utterly filthy in its intensity, his tiny, involuntary screech swallowed by a hot mouth and a dexterous tongue as Izuku’s body locked itself in place.

But as soon as it started, he was immediately let go, before Izuku could even manage to respond, let alone think. He slowly opened his eyes, not even realizing he closed them in the first place, before coming to the awareness of just exactly where they were.

His entire being lit up like a New Year’s firecracker, a deep flush crawling down his neck and up his ears as his eyes threatened to roll out of its sockets.

Oh. Oh, god.

Kacchan grinned down at him, licking at his lip, vicious and pleased. A thumb gently caressed Izuku’s cheek, right over the spot where his freckles were the most prominent on his face.

Izuku squeaked.

“Cool. See ya later, babe.”

Mouth hanging open, Izuku could only watch, struck dumb, as his boyfriend turned around and left the floor the same way he came in: explosive, attention-grabbing, and without taking a single glance back.

“Outta my way, side characters! Keep the elevator open!”

On complete survival instinct, the crowd immediately parted like the Red Sea, leaving ample space for the Pro Hero to stomp through without resistance. It was only when they were reasonably sure that the male was out of sight completely when everyone shuddered out a collective breath, still reeling from the earlier scene.

It was Tsuyu who eventually broke the stillness that enveloped the room.

“What… happened just now?” She turned to Izuku, still blinking. “Midoriya-chan?”

Izuku wanted nothing more than to melt under his desk, making a noise similar to a steaming kettle as he slowly collapsed onto his chair. He brought his hands up in an attempt to cover his face completely, but it wasn’t enough to hide the blush that still stained the tops of his ears.

Of course his boyfriend had to go Plus freakin’ Ultra.

“That was… um… Kacchan. My, ah… partner?” Izuku muttered into his palms, barely coherent to those listening. He would never be able to look any of his co-workers in the eye again.

Absolute silence.

Hesitantly, Izuku peeked one eye out, cautious about the lack of reaction.

“S-Sorry… for all the disturbance we’ve caused…”

But then—

“Great Explosion Murder God Dynamight is your boyfriend?!” Ochako finally burst out as the rest of the eavesdroppers erupted into total chaos, decibels amplifying by the second as the news spread. At this rate, the entirety of Japan would know about the details within the hour. “Since when?! Izu-kun, oh my god!”

“I did tell you! A few nights ago!” Izuku wailed, utterly mortified as he clutched at his lunch, like it would save him from his current predicament. “It’s not my fault you didn’t believe me!”

“And I’m so sorry for that!” Ochako said earnestly. “But right now, I need details! How long have you been together?! How did you two meet? How did you two become a thing?!”

Before Izuku could escape the sudden inquisition, a hand clasped itself around his shoulder, keeping him in place.

“Mon cher, je suis désolé for ever doubting your words,” Aoyama declared solemnly, expression awed, almost reverent. “We stand completely corrected. Normalement you would have such a passionate rosbif for a partner.”

“… Aoyama-kun, did you just call my boyfriend a… beefcake?”

An answering pat. “Close enough, mon ami.”

“Bakugo-chan will be coming to our next night out, yes?” Tsuyu cut in, placid compared to the other people losing their heads. She dipped her head towards Izuku’s direction, a deference and a quiet apology in her own way. “We would like to get to know him better, kero. I want to properly apologize to him too for dismissing your relationship, Midoriya-chan. It was insensitive of us, kero.”

“N-No, it’s okay Asui-san, you don’t have to!” Izuku shook his head quickly. “We were drinking that night, and it does sound unbelievable, so I don’t blame you at all—”

“Tsu, kero. And of course we have to, it’s still not right.” Tsuyu interjected, voice brooking no argument. “You shared something personal with us, but we just laughed it off. Even with the alcohol, it’s not an excuse, kero.”

“She’s right, Izu-kun!” Ochako bounced forward, already recovered and face determined as she grasped one of Izuku’s hands. “Let us say sorry properly for not believing you from the start! Dinner can be on us tonight, wherever you want! You can invite Dynamight too, if he’s free later! Right, guys?” She glanced at their friend group, and received multiple agreeing nods.

“Um… it’s really okay— but if you insist,” Izuku hastily changed his tune when Ochako’s shoulders started to droop down in disappointment, “can it be another time? I’ll even bring Kacchan if he’s available! It’s just that—” Izuku rubbed at the back of his neck shyly, “he’s gonna pick me up after work… later…” He trailed off awkwardly, feeling multiple eyes on his face light up in remembrance and recognition of their earlier conversation.

“Midoriya Izuku,” Ochako started, voice and tone deadly serious as her grip on his hand tightened.

“Did your boyfriend just come by today and give you a properly cooked lunch just to ask you out on an impromptu date?”

Framed that way, no wonder Izuku’s friends were still in disbelief. It sounds completely ludicrous, to have the temperamental Number Four Hero drop by in a not-so-random workplace just to do something that was, for all intents and purposes, sweet and undeniably romantic.

But no one was likely to forget the blond’s volatile presence in their small, humble office space, nor Izuku’s mumbled confession, any time soon.

So Izuku nodded after a pause, heat returning to his face against his will.

“Yes… I think?”

“Then I’ll be goddamned, Midoriya.” Shinou finally spoke, his larger pupils and raised eyebrow the only thing that betrayed his lingering shock. “And you’re right,” he drawled, his strangely conceding and suddenly unplaceable tone sending a fissure of unease through Izuku. “You got yourself a catch.”

And it was when Shinsou’s gaze slid over to the still chattering crowd around them, opening his mouth and pitching his voice louder, that Izuku realized what the other was going to do.

“Midoriya Izuku’s boyfriend, the Great Explosion Murder God Dynamight, is definitely the best one ever.”

A chorus of answering squeals. Izuku’s entire body burned.

“Shinsou-kun, can you please not?!”