Archive of Our Own

Izuku Midoriya loves Katsuki Bakugou. It was never much of a question, it was more like a fact of life. A constant variable. The Earth orbits around the sun, Todoroki’s family situation is nothing short of complicated, and Deku loves Kacchan. To Izuku, at least, it makes sense. It was never any kind of realization, never any moment when Izuku shot out of bed with wide eyes as he realized that Kacchan is the love of his life. Izuku always knew, since the day he was born in the general hospital sans his absentee father, that he was meant to love one person and one person only. And that person was a three month old baby with angry blond spikes, dark red eyes, and the heart of a hero, sitting in his mother’s arms right outside the hospital room. 

Izuku loves Kacchan. Izuku loved Kacchan when they first met, on Izuku’s very first day on planet Earth. Izuku loved Kacchan when they were three years old and their parents bought matching All Might costumes for Halloween, and they dressed up and paraded around their neighborhood. Kacchan wouldn't let any of the other kids hang out with them because, as he used to declare so loudly, once upon a time, “Izuku is my best friend. Only he can hang out with me!” Izuku loved Kacchan when they were four and Kacchan started teasing him for being quirkless, when they were six and Izuku became Deku. Izuku loved Kacchan when they were seven and Kacchan refused to take his hand, when they were eleven and the real bullying started, when they were fourteen and Kacchan told him to take a swan dive off the roof.

Maybe Izuku’s screwed up. He’s been quirkless, put down and bullied all his life. But Izuku’s heart never leads him astray, and Izuku’s heart has always been set on the path behind Kacchan, looking at his back and loving him from the sidelines. Chasing him until his legs were tired and his lungs were burning, but even then refusing to give up. Because Izuku loves Kacchan, and he promised himself to never stop chasing after him until Kacchan slowed to let Izuku walk beside him. So Izuku saved Kacchan from the sludge villain, got One for All to follow Kacchan to UA, and they were once again together for the next three years of their life. As they always should be.

Izuku’s not sure what a life without One for All would look like, because that would also mean a life without Kacchan. And Izuku has no idea how he would survive that, survive his orbit no longer consisting of Kacchan, his big bright sun. the person who makes his heart pound and his eyes shine. The person who made him cry onto his burnt notebook, but also the person who makes him happier than he’s ever been before. Since Kacchan apologized, after Ground Beta, and they became real friends again, Kacchan has been making Izuku smile time and time again. Kacchan tells Izuku that he’s sorry and Izuku forgives him every single time.

Because Izuku Midoriya loves Katsuki Bakugou.

Izuku never really entertained the idea of Kacchan loving him back, nor did he ever need it to happen. Izuku loves Kacchan but he always did, never lived in a world where he didn’t. Loving Kacchan has never changed a thing in Izuku's life, because his life has always consisted of loving Kacchan. And if Kacchan never loved Izuku back, that was fine. It wouldn’t hurt, it never hurt to think about Kacchan not loving him back. What hurt was thinking about them never becoming friends again. But Izuku’s so used to loving Kacchan that he knows if Kacchan were to love someone else, be with someone else, Izuku would be fine. Nothing would change, life would continue, the sun would rise and set. Izuku would keep loving Kacchan from the sidelines, just like he always had. So no, Izuku never once considered Kacchan loving him back.

Which was why it was so odd to learn Kacchan did.

But maybe, at the same time, not that odd at all. Maybe it made all the sense in the world for Kacchan to come to Izuku’s door at three in the morning one random night in their second year at UA, seeking comfort from his nightmares. Sharing a secret in the darkness, under the safe coverage of a shared blanket, noses brushing against each other. Arms under shirts and grazing skin, breaths landing on smooth, glycerin skin and scarred, freckled cheeks. Maybe it was meant to be all along, the way Kacchan confessed in a low whisper, one that screamed of I don’t deserve this, I don’t deserve you. Maybe it felt inevitable when Izuku put a broken hand on a broken heart, felt Kacchan’s chest rise and fall, and quietly admitted that if Kacchan’s heart ever stopped beating, Izuku’s might stop beating as well. Maybe it felt nothing short of right when Izuku said I love you, and maybe it felt like coming home when they kissed.

Maybe, Katsuki Bakugou loves Izuku Midoriya too.

Kacchan needs some time to play catch-up, first. Kacchan only just realized how much he came to care for Izuku, and Izuku has all the patience and more to wait for Kacchan to feel the way Izuku does. Izuku is so madly in love that whenever he even catches a glimpse of gold and red, smells a faint tinge of caramel wafting through the air, his heart speeds up in his ribcage and time stops, for just a moment, simply to admire the beauty of Katsuki Bakugou. Who wouldn’t stop time to admire him, Izuku wonders. And soon Izuku learns that Kacchan wonders the same thing about him. Because it doesn’t take very long for Kacchan to feel the same way about Izuku that Izuku feels about him. It doesn’t take long for Kacchan to tell Izuku how much he reveres those freckles adorning his face, the scars on his body that show he’s a hero, the green curls fanning his forehead that Kacchan loves to run his calloused fingers through.

And Izuku, despite his insecurities, believes him. Because this is Kacchan saying these wonderful things, and Kacchan never lies. Especially not to Izuku.

And that’s how it begins, with Izuku and Kacchan. And it continues like that, most probably until the end of time. With Deku and Kacchan, loving each other the way they were always supposed to, with everything inside of their big patched-up hearts and more. They break past each other’s walls, Izuku wraps his arms around Kacchan to shield him from the storm clouds of his own guilt and Kacchan kisses every single scar on Izuku’s body to dispel his insecurities. Limbs find each other to tangle with during cold winters and hot nightmares, during days when it hurts to be apart from one another, when it feels like if they unlink their hands the other will disappear.

If such a thing exists, Kacchan would be Izuku’s soulmate.

Because of how much Izuku loves Kacchan, he finds it hard to remember that not everyone else does too. Izuku is so used to looking at Kacchan like he’s the sun, the star that gives warmth and light to Izuku’s forlorn little planet. Kacchan makes Izuku feel like a real hero, not just someone who has to somehow fill All Might’s shoes. Kacchan makes Izuku feel beautiful and amazing, like a supernova. Like the brightest star in the night sky, the prettiest galaxy in the universe. When Izuku is in Kacchan’s presence, he feels like the most amazing person in the world. And when just seeing Kacchan erupts all of these feelings in Izuku, it starts to mess with his head. Make him believe that everyone else feels the same way, too. Sometimes Izuku forgets that not everyone loves Kacchan like he does. In fact, only a few people do.

For Izuku, it’s incomprehensible how someone could not love Kacchan. How someone could not understand that he just made mistakes, that he bullied a kid when he was a kid himself, that he grew up and acknowledged his wrongdoings and showed that kid how much he cared, every single day, and made that kid so happy. The happiest. Izuku's never smiled wider than he does with Kacchan. His Kacchan now, he supposes. Kacchan is his, and he is Kacchan’s. I’m yours, they tell each other during late nights when one worships the other. You’re mine, they tell each other when someone else looks at them the wrong way, the way that makes Katsuki question whether he deserves Izuku and fills Izuku with icy anger because Kacchan belongs to him.

And Izuku belongs to his Kacchan.

Izuku never realized how many people didn’t know that.

It starts on a Wednesday. Izuku and Kacchan agreed not to tell people about their new relationship for the first month, just so they could try it out and make sure that it’s working out and they won’t have any immediate problems. Kacchan didn’t even tell Kirishima, so as not to get his hopes up, and Izuku didn’t tell Todoroki. For the same reason. But now it’s been a month, to the day, and it’s their first anniversary so Izuku woke up early to make Kacchan breakfast in bed. He’s not the best cook, nowhere near as amazing as Kacchan, but he wants to give Kacchan a break on their anniversary. So Izuku opens the door to Kacchan’s room and finds Kacchan curled up around Izuku’s empty pillow, the one he vacated an hour earlier than he usually does.

Izuku allows himself ten seconds to smile at the sight.

And then he walks over to the bed, sitting down at the edge and placing the plates of food on the nightstand so he can card careful fingers through blond hair.

“Kacchan,” Izuku whispers, “wake up.”

Kacchan burrows his head into Izuku’s pillow (because it smells like me, Izuku thinks giddily), and groans softly. Big dark red eyes blink up at Izuku, disgruntled and absolutely adorable. Izuku holds back a squeal. “Don’t wanna.”

“I made food,” Izuku coaxes, “that spicy omelet I know you like.”

“Ugh, fine,” Kacchan finally says, sitting up against the pillows a little bit. Izuku grabs a plate and hands it to Kacchan, and then immediately sits next to Kacchan on the bed, letting his head go limp on Kacchan’s shoulder.

“Thanks,” Kacchan says after a bite, “‘s not terrible.”

Izuku grins brightly. “Happy anniversary, Kacchan!”

“What?” Kacchan blinks, “shit, that’s today?”

“Yeah,” Izuku giggles, “did you forget?”

“No,” Kacchan crosses his arms, petulant. Izuku just laughs some more.

“It’s fine, you know. It’s just the first month. I don’t care about anniversaries and stuff. I care about the fact that we get to finally tell everyone about us. Todoroki’s been giving me this look all month, he’s gonna kill me for hiding this from him-”

“Deku,” Kacchan interrupts. He puts his empty plate back on the nightstand and Izuku lifts his head up from Kacchan’s shoulder to look into his troubled eyes.

“What’s wrong, Kacchan?”

“I don’t want to tell.”

Izuku tilts his head confusedly, “you don’t want to tell anyone?”

“Kirishima and Kaminari,” Kacchan amends, “and you can tell Todoroki. But I don’t want to tell anyone else that we’re together.”

“Oh,” Izuku says quietly, “um, why not?”

“It’s not because I’m ashamed of you or some shit,” Kacchan is quick to say, eyes wide, “it’s because of my shit. It’s because I’m being selfish and stupid.”

“Don’t say that, Kacchan!” Izuku replies, alarmed, “it’s okay to be selfish sometimes, Kacchan. I’m not mad, I just want to know why.”

“They won’t approve,” Kacchan explains bitterly, “Kirishima and Kaminari are my best friends, they get it. Todoroki gets it too. Those three know everything, all the bullying shit, and they still get it. They still wanna be my friend. But nobody else likes me, you know. They all love you, you’re UA’s fucking sweetheart. The angel of Class 1-A. And you deserve that, Deku, of course you do. You’re-you’re fucking wonderful. No shit, they all adore you. But because they adore you, Deku, none of them like me. Doesn’t matter if they know about the bullying like Uraraka does, or if they just know that I’ve been an asshole to you since UA started like everyone else. They don’t like me because they think I don’t like you, because they think I still hurt you.

“Can you imagine the shit that would happen if we announced we’re dating? Uraraka would kill me. Everyone would disapprove, constantly askin’ you are you sure, you can still break up with him, is he bullying you into this? I don’t even want to know what they’d say to me. I know it’s shitty of me, Izuku, but I-I can’t. I can’t tell them.”

Izuku startles at Kacchan using his given name. That’s how Izuku knows it’s serious, because Kacchan uses Izuku when he’s apologizing, when he’s saying I love you for the first time, when he’s desperate. When he needs something. And that’s how Izuku knows it’s important, that this is important to Kacchan.

And confusing for Izuku.

“They do?” Izuku scrunches up his nose, “hate you, I mean. People in our class don’t like you? But when I told Uraraka about the bullying she said she wouldn't treat you any differently, and I don’t see why anyone else wouldn’t like you-”

“Uraraka hates me, Deku,” Kacchan scoffs, “it ain’t your fault. You deserve to have a friend to confide in. But me and her haven’t been friends for ages. And the other people in our class think I’m an asshole. What reason do they have to like me? Even Mina and Sero. They’re my friends, and I’m theirs, but even they wouldn’t approve of us. Everyone would think I’m forcing you into this, that you were scared into it or some shit. I know I’m being horrible, Deku, but I don’t want to tell them.”

“But-” Izuku furrows his brows, “how could they not   like you?”

Kacchan actually barks a laugh. “Are you kidding me, Deku? I bullied you for years, I’m a dick to everyone, of course they don’t like me!”

Izuku reaches across the sheets, intertwines his fingers with Kacchan.

“They’re wrong,” Izuku tells him firmly, “I’ve always loved you, and because of that sometimes I forget that not everyone does. They should, I think. I think it actually physically pains me that people in our class don’t love you as much as I do, but it’s okay. As much as it hurts me to admit, people are allowed to dislike you, they just shouldn't be awful to you because of it. And if you don’t want to tell anyone but the three people we trust not to treat you badly because of that, of course I’m okay with it. As much as I’d like to tell everyone how much I love you, how wrong they are about you, I won’t do it. Because, Kacchan, you matter to me more than anyone else.”

Kacchan hesitates. “Are you sure? I already ask you for so much-”

“Yes,” Izuku interrupts, “I’m sure, Kacchan. You didn’t ask for me to date you, I wanted to because I love you, and because you do deserve me. You didn’t ask me to give up sex for you, you told me your conditions and I agreed to do whatever makes you comfortable because that’s your right as a human person. And if you ask me not to tell anyone we’re together, of course I’ll say yes, because your feelings are important, Kacchan. And I’ll always respect them. I would do anything for you, you know.”

Kacchan sighs. “That’s not a good thing, Deku, you’re not allowed to die for me.”

“I know, Kacchan,” Izuku reminds, “I already promised not to be so reckless. Because you wanted me to, and I respected your feelings. And you do all kinds of things for me, Kacchan, and I don’t even have to ask. So it’s okay, really.”

“Okay,” Kacchan nods, squeezing Izuku’s hand back, “thank you, Deku.”

“Of course,” Izuku smiles, and leans over to kiss Kacchan’s cheek. Smooth and caramel, warm and sweet and wonderful. “I love you so much, Kacchan.”

Kacchan smiles, and Izuku’s breath hitches. Izuku could fill a hundred notebooks writing about that smile, the rare, special one Kacchan reserves just for Izuku. 

“I love you too, Deku.”

Kirishima knocks on Izuku’s dorm room an hour after Kacchan tells him.

“You’re dating Katsuki,” he says, inviting himself onto Izuku’s bed.

“Yeah,” Izuku agrees, “I’m dating Kacchan.”

Kirishima turns to look at Izuku, red eyes boring into his. His eyes are the same as Kacchan’s but also so very different, warmer and kinder than Kacchan’s fierce, angry ones. But right now, Kirishima’s eyes look cold, a threat and a warning. It’s so unlike anything Izuku has seen from the other boy before; he almost shrinks back.

“If you hurt him,” Kirishima starts, and oh, Izuku knows where this is going. His very first shovel talk! “I will hurt you back, Izuku. No hesitation, no regrets.”

Izuku blinks, eyes wide. Kirishima is someone so incredibly loyal to his friends; Izuku can only imagine what he might have said or done had Kirishima given up on Kacchan so easily instead of persistently becoming his friend. Despite Izuku’s jealousy, he knows that Kacchan deserves a friend who can be his equal, someone who he respects and doesn’t have a horrible past with. And while sometimes Izuku is loath to admit it, that person is Kirishima. Kirishima, whose generally bright face is devoid of a smile, expression more serious than Izuku has ever seen on him.

Izuku has no doubt that Kirishima means it.

“I won’t,” Izuku tells Kirishima, Kacchan’s best friend, his protector, the person who loves him with everything he has, wants nothing more than to keep him happy. 

“I won’t hurt Kacchan,” Izuku promises, “I honestly don’t think my body will let me, and even if I did by accident I wouldn’t be able to go five minutes without apologizing. The last time I hurt Kacchan I think I felt actual physical pain.”

Izuku remembers. He’d pushed Kacchan too far about his parents, tried to get Kacchan to answer his mother’s calls instead of using his father as a messenger. Izuku is quick to understand that he knows nothing about the Bakugou family, despite how much he used to pride himself on being an expert. Izuku still remembers the way Kacchan had looked at the contact of his mother in his phone, bitter and upset. But it wasn’t so much because of his mother than it was the way Izuku almost defended her. The idea that he had put that expression on Kacchan’s face twisted Izuku’s heart and brought burning hot tears to his eyes. Izuku had never apologized for something so quick, especially since Kacchan had tried so hard not to yell.

“Of course you did,” Kirishima’s expression returns to a small smile, “it was obvious to me that you love Katsuki, you know. From the first day of school. You looked at him like he was your entire world. I still don’t think there are actual words to describe how much you love Katsuki, but I just know you do. A crazy huge amount.”

“There has never been a time in my life where I didn’t love Kacchan,” Izuku tells Kirishima, “that feeling’s always been a part of me. I love Kacchan more than anything. Even I can’t find the words to understand it. Loving Kacchan, it’s just-it’s who I am .”

Kirishima nods, puts a hand on Izuku’s shoulder. “That sounds amazing.”

Todoroki finds out when Izuku tells him, the day after Kirishima shovel-talks him. They sit next to each other on Todoroki’s bed as Izuku explains everything. Todoroki isn’t surprised in the least, simply saying “it’s about time,” with a small smile. 

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you,” Izuku says, “we just wanted to wait a month to see how everything worked out. And even now we're just telling you, Kirishima, and Kaminari. Kacchan doesn’t want to tell anyone else about us.”

“That makes sense,” Todoroki nods sagely, “I wouldn’t advise it, either.”

Izuku frowns. “So it’s true, then? Not just Kacchan’s insecurities making him think the class wouldn’t approve of us? That they don’t like him?”

“His insecurities might increase it,” Todoroki says, “sometimes Katsuki worries that I see him like I see Endeavor, even though that couldn’t be farther from the truth. Katsuki is the one who helped me through my feelings towards Endeavor, and the only similarities I see between them is how hard they both try to atone and earn forgiveness for what they’ve done. But besides his worries about me, everything else is true. Most of the class minus Katsuki’s friends themselves see him as anywhere between just a common asshole to a genuine villain. Even Ashido and Sero sometimes worry about you two and your relationship, whether Katsuki might ever hurt you again. And I’m the only person in our friend group who genuinely likes Katsuki.”

“Wow,” Izuku says sadly, “I honestly didn’t know the people in our class felt this way. That some people think Kacchan is-is a villain? How? I mean, I knew that a lot of people didn’t necessarily like Kacchan, for some unfathomable reason, but-”

“It's not unfathomable,” Todoroki interrupts, “Katsuki is quite ill-tempered and is generally quite rude to most of the class. Still, their hatred is somewhat unjustified.”

“It’s completely unjustified!” Izuku argues, “if they want to dislike Kacchan, that’s fine, they can. But they shouldn’t take it out Kacchan!”

Todoroki sighs. “I know you want to, Izuku, but you can’t control them. You can’t control anyone or their feelings towards Katsuki. I know how hard that is for you, but you just have to trust that Katsuki tries his hardest not to listen to them. Remember when everyone told you you couldn’t be a hero, and you refused to listen to them, proved all of them wrong? Well, now people are telling Katsuki the same thing. You can’t stop them from doing that, but what you can do is support him and make sure he doesn’t listen to what anyone says. Which you’ve already been doing.”

Izuku closes his eyes, leans against Todoroki’s pillows. “I hate it. I hate it so much, that people treat Kacchan this way, think about him so horribly. Sometimes I wish I could leave UA and take Kacchan with me, escape hero society and go somewhere we won’t be judged. But I also know that’s impossible, because I’m supposed to be the next All Might and Kacchan wants so desperately to be number one. And what kind of partner would I be, if I so selfishly took his dream from him?”

“I know how that feels,” Todoroki admits, “sometimes I just want to take Natsuo and Fuyumi with me and escape our house, grab my mother and go to America or anywhere to escape Endeavor and hero society and the League. But then I think about how we all have lives here, people we love here, and how despite what the world thinks about us, we still have each other to rely on. You’re an extremely good person, Izuku, you always have been. It’s okay to want selfish things, but when they cross the line of being too selfish, you’ve always known when to draw it. And so has Katsuki, especially now as he learns how to be a better person. You’re a good partner, Izuku, and Katsuki is so lucky to have you. And you, Izuku, are so lucky to have him.”

“I know,” Izuku agrees, smiling, “I’m the luckiest. The happiest.”

Todoroki’s returning smile is faint, but there all the same. “I’m sure Kirishima has already given you this whole spiel, but-and don’t worry, I will say this to Katsuki as well-if you hurt him, Izuku, there will be consequences. I won’t hold back.”

Izuku laughs, small and quiet. “Yeah, I know. I wouldn’t want you to, anyway.”

Kaminari takes longer to find and threaten Izuku, most likely because he just wants to see Izuku squirm. And squirm Izuku does, waiting patiently but not very calmly for Kaminari to come to him. It finally happens after about a week of radio silence, a week of Kaminari occasionally stealing glances at Izuku, his brow furrowing worriedly as he turns to talk to one of the girls or someone in his friend group. The whole week saw Izuku confused, because he knows for sure Kaminari would be nothing but happy for Izuku and Kacchan being together. Unless maybe he’s worried about Izuku breaking up with Kacchan over something small, a miscommunication or misunderstanding. Or maybe he’s worried that Izuku will have pent-up resentment due to the bullying that rears its ugly head while they’re in a relationship? Not that Izuku has any.

Izuku’s never felt anything near resentment for Kacchan. Anger, sadness, loneliness, hurt, all of those. Pain, frustration, but never resentment, because when Izuku forgives he truly forgives. So all Izuku feels for Kacchan is love. 

“Do you know what Kaminari’s all worried about?” Izuku asks Kacchan one night. Kacchan looks up from his book and frowns at Izuku.

“The hell do you mean?”

“He keeps giving me these- looks,” Izuku tries to explain, “like all sad and worried, kind of. Nothing angry or upset, just sad. I honestly can’t tell why.”

“Huh,” Kacchan shrugs, “beats me. If it’s about you, he won’t be able to keep it a secret for long. He’ll probably spill whatever it is sometime this week.”

Kaminari does indeed spill that week. It’s another Wednesday, a week since Izuku and Kacchan told Kaminari, Kirishima, and Todoroki about their relationship. Izuku’s been fidgety all day, waiting for Kaminari to approach him. When he finally does, Izuku's sitting on his bed, Kacchan napping on his lap. Izuku loves moments like these, when Kacchan lets his guard down around Izuku and wholeheartedly trusts him to take care of them both. Izuku’s playing with the fingers on one of Kacchan’s hands, an old All Might movie playing quietly on his computer. It’s tranquil, peaceful.

Until Kaminari bursts in. 

“Yo, Midoriya!” Kaminari knocks once and then shoves the door open, but he immediately cuts himself off when he sees their positions.

“Shhhh,” Izuku says reflexively, gesturing to Kacchan.

“Sorry dude!” Kaminari whispers, “I didn’t know he was sleeping!”

“It’s fine, Kaminari,” Izuku reassures, “do you wanna talk somewhere else?”

Kaminari eyes the lump of Kacchan. “And risk waking him up?”

“His head’ll just land on the pillow,” Izuku shrugs, “it’s fine. Your room?”

Kaminari nods his assent. So Izuku carefully gets up and shifts Kacchan onto the pillow. He groans a bit in his sleep, but quickly adjusts to hugging the pillow instead of Izuku’s thighs. Izuku lets out a relieved sigh when Kacchan’s breathing evens out.

Izuku follows Kaminari to his room, and they sit down on his bed. Kaminari closes the door behind him, which Izuku finds odd simply because Kaminari always leaves his door open. He says it’s a habit from his strict parents back home, but in the dorms he generally keeps it propped open so that anyone who wants to can drop by and hang out. More than Izuku, Kaminari is really the person who’s friends with everybody. So Kaminari actually closing his door signifies that something is wrong.

“So,” Izuku prompts, “what did you wanna talk about?”

“Listen,” Kaminari’s voice drops to a lower volume; another warning sign, “Katsuki told me about how you two are dating. And first of all, congrats!”

Izuku blushes. “Thanks, Kaminari!”

“Yeah, of course,” Kaminari waves his hand, “second of all, if you hurt Bakubro I’ll kill you. And it won’t be fast. It’ll be painful, Mido. Very, very painful.”

“I figured as much,” Izuku says, letting out a small laugh. “Is there a third thing?”

“Yes, actually,” Kaminari’s eyes flit once to the door before he turns back to Izuku, leaning a little closer. “You can’t tell anyone else.”

Izuku blinks. “We weren’t going to-”

“No, you don’t get it,” Kaminari shakes his head, “the only girls who can know are Momo and Kyouka. The only other people who can know are the Tokoyami friend group, and that’s only because they just don’t care about the class gossip. Anyone else? I can’t even imagine the shit Katsuki’s gonna get. It seems so extra, you know? It's so dramatic for everyone to be so involved in the two of you, but I guess it’s because of how much everyone loves you, Mido. They just want to see you happy and safe, and nobody’s saying that’s a bad thing. Of course it’s not. The issue is that it means most of our class tends to see Katsuki as someone who won’t make you either of those things.”

Izuku brings his knees up to his chest, wrapping his arms around them. “We weren't going to tell because Kacchan didn’t want to, but-it’s really that bad?”

Kaminari nods. “You know, Uraraka’s been really shitty towards Kacchan in the last few months. Not to his face or anything, nothing horribly drastic. But she talks behind Katsuki’s back when he leaves the room, glares at him whenever he talks to you, that kind of stuff. You told Uraraka about the bullying recently, right?”

“At the beginning of second year, I think,” Izuku nods, “so a few months ago. She was pretty mad about it, but if I found out someone was bullying her I would be really mad too, you know? So I understood where her anger was coming from. But I never thought she would take it out on Kacchan, I thought she believed me when I told her he’s changed! But apparently her and Kacchan stopped being friends at some point, and now she hates him, and I didn't even realize until Kacchan told me just last week.”

“Well, it makes sense why he didn’t tell you,” Kaminari shrugs regretfully, “it really upset him. They were really close before, it was like the first friendship he’s lost since you, and it was for something he did years ago. But Katsuki would never want anything to happen between you and your first friend, either. So he didn’t tell you.”

“Kacchan was my first friend,” Izuku corrects, “and I guess I can understand why Kacchan didn’t tell me, even if it is really stupid of him. It’s my choice whether something comes between Uraraka and I or not. Which it won’t, because as much as I hate to admit it, she’s allowed to hate Kacchan. And she’s my friend, and I love her. But I also love Kacchan and-” Izuku pauses to breathe, “there’s not much I can do, I guess.”

“You’ve never liked to get in between people,” Kaminari notes, “you just want everyone to be happy. And that’s not a bad thing at all, Mido. Nobody wants you to lose both your best friends. All you can do is talk to her if you ever get evidence of her mistreating Katsuki, but don’t stop being her friend over it. Forgive her like you forgave Katsuki, you know? Otherwise, you’re a hypocrite. And if you ever see anyone saying shit about Katsuki, you come to me and Kirishima. We’ll deal with it instead.”

Izuku thinks about that. While the idea of Uraraka, his best friend, hating Kacchan fills him with a type of white-hot rage he’s never really experienced before, he has to think about this rationally. Izuku forgave Kacchan, why? Because he’s a kid with confusing feelings who made a big mistake. And Uraraka? She’s just a teenager with equally complex feelings who just wants to protect Izuku, even if she might be going about it the wrong way. If Izuku ever gets the evidence needed to confront her, and she acknowledges that she was wrong, of course Izuku will forgive her. Izuku just wants to have both Kacchan and Uraraka as his friends, without any animosity.

Why does that have to be so hard?

“I don’t know, man,” Kaminari slides an arm around Izuku’s shoulder, and he realizes he said that out loud, “and I’m really sorry this all sucks so bad.”

“I hate that I’m so rational,” Izuku admits, “I want to confront the entire class, I want to yell at them and make them see how much their words hurt Kacchan. I want to scream at them until my throat is fucking raw. Until my lungs burst. But I can’t, because that means hurting other people. And because I’m a logical person, I know that I can’t just treat people like that, no matter how much I love Kacchan.

“Sometimes-sometimes it makes me feel inadequate. Kacchan would yell at people if they hurt me, he would glare them down and make sure they knew how awful they were being. He would hunt them down without even a shred of proof. But me? All I can do is sit in silence and wait for actual evidence like a fucking coward.”

“Hey,” Kaminari squeezes Izuku's shoulder, “you’re not a coward at all, Izuku. You and Katsuki are just different people, is all. Being a logical person who thinks things through is an amazing ability to have. You’ve always been different from Katsuki, you’re only impulsive in the moment. Like a villain attack, or if you see someone get bullied. Just hearing about an incident isn’t enough for you, and that’s okay! Sometimes that can even be good. You’re not inadequate, and Katsuki would hunt you down for saying that. Just think about how feral and angry you’ll get when you actually hear someone say something bad about Katsuki. I hope I’m there to see it.”

That gets a laugh out of Izuku. “Thanks, Kaminari.”

“Of course,” Kaminari smiles, “and you know, if you ever need someone to talk to about this stuff, you should go to Kyouka. She’s got a lot of similar feelings.”

“Really? But I always thought she has no problem punching anyone who insults you.”

“Not that part,” Kaminari snorts, “the feeling inadequate part. Talk to her, if you ever need to. I know she’d be happy to help you. You can trust her.”

Izuku keeps that in mind. He trusts Jirou too; she’s levelheaded and not one to make snap judgements. “Okay. I’ll remember that. And really, thank you, Kaminari. You’re such an amazing friend to both me and Kacchan.”

“I try,” Kaminari smiles, “you’ll be okay, Mido.”

“I know,” Izuku agrees, “because I have Kacchan.”

After that, things slow down. Izuku continues to love Kacchan as much as he possibly can; most people in the class know that their relationship is mended and they’re friends now. Uraraka and Iida are still Izuku’s best friends, and Uraraka especially hasn’t been hostile towards Kacchan when Izuku is around. Izuku is glad for that, because as much as he wants to confront her he knows that’s not the best course of action. He would much rather keep his friends, and continue to become heroes together instead of letting drama get in between their relationships. Still, the little things matter. And Izuku cannot let everything go without consequences. 

So if he catches Uraraka giving Kacchan a glare behind his back, Izuku will gently tell her to leave him alone. Iida harshly chastises Kacchan for saying something mean to Izuku; Izuku firmly states that it’s okay, just teasing. Mineta will roll his eyes at the way Kacchan flinches whenever Midnight calls on him, and Izuku kicks him in the shins. Hagakure comments “Bakugou is still such an ass,” and Izuku asks her to cut it out, please. And that’s how it goes for the next few months, as second year passes into third. Izuku and Kacchan are strong as ever, basically sharing Kacchan’s room at this point. Comforting each other from their nightmares, reassurances of love blending with the whirring of the ceiling fan. Izuku loves Kacchan, just as it always has been.

Izuku doesn’t expect anything to change. His gestures of defense towards Kacchan are commonplace by now, and most people know to keep their opinions about Kacchan to themselves. So as they start to think about hero teams and what they’re going to do after graduation, living arrangements and agency placements, Izuku plans to do everything with Kacchan. They sit in Izuku’s room among all of his All Might memorabilia and, more recently, the Dynamight merchandise scattered all around the floor and tabletops. Izuku keeps his computer open and fills out applications for the Big Three’s agency, just in case Izuku and Kacchan can’t get the agency they plan to start together right off the bat off the ground. They both know how risky the decision is, but Kacchan is confident they’ll make it work somehow and Izuku has never done anything but wholeheartedly believe in him.

Izuku’s future plans revolve around Kacchan, and Kacchan's revolve right back around him. They search for apartments together in their free time, Izuku curled up on the bed scrolling through listings as Kacchan throws his legs over Izuku’s and comments his opinions on every apartment. The kitchen needs to be big, Izuku knows, so he makes sure every place he looks at has a large one. Kacchan vetoes any place without an extra bedroom, because he knows Izuku will want a place to put all of his merch and Kacchan plans on using the same room as a home gym to save space and money. They go to classes, come back to the dorms, and plan for the future together on one of their beds. It’s how Izuku always hoped his life would turn out in the end, with Kacchan by his side as they cuddle under comforters and plan out their agency, stealing kisses every couple of minutes. Izuku is so excited for their future together, for the rest of their lives.

And as third year passes by, Izuku learns about his other friends’ plans as well. Todoroki is going to work out of Hawks’ new solo agency, Kirishima and Kaminari are both going to Fatgum. Iida plans on taking over his brother’s Ingenium agency. The only person Izuku hasn’t heard much from is Uraraka, who stares at Izuku for a little too long and acts a bit too fidgety whenever they hang out together. Izuku isn’t sure where she’s going in the future, but he doesn’t want to push in case she’s still unsure of trying to make some kind of big decision. Sometimes Izuku hates how nice he is, always trying to be kind even when he wants nothing more than to push. But the only people Izuku has ever pushed are Todoroki and Kacchan; and one of those may have been the reason Kacchan was muzzled to a podium and the other, well-everyone knows how that turned out. Now Izuku has learned to leave people alone, sometimes.

But nobody ever said it was easy. Every time Izuku turns his head the girls are all giggling at him, with the exception of Jirou. Mina and Hagakure will look Izuku’s way and whisper, even Tsu and Momo will offer up small conspiratorial smiles. Izuku doesn’t know what they’re whispering about, or why Uraraka continually turns red and flustered whenever the girls finish one of their whispering sessions. Todoroki doesn’t care enough about gossip to figure out what they’re saying, and Kirishima isn’t as close with the girls as Kaminari is. But even Kaminari just shrugs, saying he refuses to get involved in their crazy drama unless it has something to do with his friend group.

Kacchan will sometimes frown at the girls’ backs, especially when someone like Sero or Ojiro joins in. Izuku wants to ask him what he thinks is going on, but once again, he doesn’t want to push. He trusts that if Kacchan is allowing Izuku to see his discomfort, then he will eventually voice his concerns to Izuku. Izuku just has to have patience, which he happens to have an endless supply of when it comes to Kacchan, and eventually Kacchan will come to him. So Izuku waits. He always will for Kacchan. And when Kacchan finally talks to him, it’s late at night. Izuku had thought Kacchan was asleep, his breathing quiet and even, Izuku’s head comfortably pillowed on Kacchan’s chest, rising and falling, heartbeat steady. Their arms are wrapped around each other, legs tangled in legs, and it’s nights like these Izuku doesn’t know where he ends and Kacchan begins. And it’s nights like these that Izuku doesn’t want to know.

Izuku likes this feeling; that Kacchan and him are one and the same.

“They’re trying to get you two together,” Kacchan finally explains. His chin is resting on Izuku’s curls, one hand stroking up and down Izuku’s back, warm hands slipped under his shirt. Izuku sighs out heavily, contentedly, and hums in confusion.

“You and Uraraka,” Kacchan clarifies, “the girls are making it this whole thing. Jirou ain’t involved because she knows about us, and neither is the Tokoyami friend group because they don’t give a shit about who’s dating who. But the rest of the class is. I suspected as much but I wasn’t sure at first, but then a couple days ago Mina came and bothered me a bunch because she wanted to know how you felt about her. She told me that basically the entire fucking class aside from the ones who know about us want you and Uraraka together, and pretty soon they’re gonna start bringing you into it.”

Izuku feels the way Kacchan’s heartbeat quickens, and he knows it's a natural reaction of fear. Even now, after almost a year together, Kacchan still has his doubts about whether Izuku truly loves him or not, and whether he deserves that love. And while that confuses Izuku to no end because he’s done nothing but love Kacchan his whole life, he understands that the insecurity comes from a place of guilt and pain. He refuses to make that worse for Kacchan by getting upset with him about his own insecurities. Kacchan never does that to Izuku, even when he hates how self-deprecating Izuku can sometimes become. So Izuku simply brushes a hand through soft blond spikes and nuzzles closer to Kacchan, brushing his nose under Kacchan's chin, tries to meld them into the same being. Tries to show Kacchan how much he loves him.

“Oh,” Izuku’s voice is quiet, “I didn’t know that. But it shouldn’t be such a big deal, right? If they bring me into it I can just say I don’t feel the same.”

Izuku feels Kacchan nod. “Yeah, I guess.”

Izuku frowns against Kacchan’s neck. “What’s wrong, Kacchan?”

“Nothin,’” Kacchan deflects, “I-I don’t fuckin’ know. It’s just-everyone keeps talkin’ about how perfect the two of you would be, and how you should become hero partners and all this shit. Maybe you two are compatible and perfect and soulmates and all this stupid fucking shit Mina keeps ranting about, you know? Maybe you should be with your first real friend, the first person to care about you unconditionally or whatever. The one who made Deku into something good. Instead of me, the asshole who bullied you for ten years. Some broken, screwed-up kid who doesn’t even fucking know how to love someone properly. You deserve better than me, Deku. Don’t you?”

The tears fall before Izuku can stop it, and it’s scary how fast they dissolve into full sobs. Izuku clings onto Kacchan as tightly as he can, circling his legs completely around Kacchan’s waist, crying into his neck and shuddering, his full body weight shaking, shoulders racking with muffled cries against Kacchan’s warm, comforting body. Kacchan is soothing him as quickly as Izuki starts crying, pressing butterfly kisses to his curls, soft presses along his hairline. Kacchan whispers sweet nothings into Izuku’s hair, tracing the scars on Izuku’s shoulder blades with light touches. 

Overcome with emotion at the comfort, at the idea that even after all this time Kacchan is still so doubtful, so insecure, so guilty, Izuku continues to cry, breaking down in the warm arms of the person he loves most in the world, breathing in his caramel scent as tears drip down the smooth skin of Kacchan’s bruised neck. Scars from sludge villains and chains and muzzles mark that neck, and Izuku cries into them as he remembers Kacchan’s burdens, the guilt he carries for ending All Might, bullying Izuku, causing Izuku so much hurt and pain both mentally and physically. 

Sometimes Izuku wonders who else would love Kacchan if he wasn’t there. Would Kirishima and Kaminari still be his friends if Izuku wasn’t around to constantly show how amazing Kacchan is? They would, Izuku believes, but sometimes he thinks Kacchan doesn’t believe the same. That Kacchan worries the love everyone gives him is conditional, because that was how his mother raised him and that was the treatment he’s been given from Uraraka and that’s how he acts towards himself. Kacchan is rough and rigid towards himself, forcing himself to be perfect, to be the best, number one. Forcing himself to be someone Izuku can forgive, someone Izuku might love.

How can Kacchan not know?

“How can you not know?” Izuku presses a kiss to Kacchan’s tear-soaked neck, feels the way he shivers at the touch, so gentle and unlike anything he’s known before Izuku showed him just how much he deserves to be loved. It hurts Izuku’s heart to know Kacchan was never given love, never shown what it means to be loved. It makes Izuku feel nothing but unrestrained fury at everyone who told Kacchan that strong people can’t accept help, who made Kacchan see concern as pity, love as a weakness. It took Kacchan so long to unlearn those ideas, to finally let himself be unguarded and vulnerable, to love Izuku and let Izuku love him. So how can Kacchan not know?

“I love you,” Izuku says, “ you, Kacchan. I always have and I always will. I loved you when I was a newborn in a hospital room who didn’t even know who you are. I loved you when we were four and best friends trading All Might cards. I loved you when we were seven and I became Deku; when we were eleven and you started bullying me, when we were fourteen and fifteen and sixteen and seventeen. There has never been a day in my life where I didn’t love you, Kacchan. I love you now and I always will, forever. I don’t care if I have some supposedly better-suited soulmate out there, Kacchan. I don’t care if someone else loves me or has it in their heads that they can be better for me than you are. Because I don’t want anyone but you, Kacchan. 

“I have never wanted anyone else but you. The very insinuation that I could ever just throw you aside, decide that I hate you and that I deserve better, that makes me hurt, Kacchan. Because it’s so wrong. How could you think that, Kacchan? I love you with every single fiber of my being. My entire life is a dedication to you. My very existence is coupled with yours. Can you understand that, Kacchan? Can you believe that? Believe that I love you more than anything in the world, believe that there’s nobody in the world I’d rather spend my life with than you. I’ve loved you since I was a little kid and you were the most amazing thing I'd ever seen. You’re still the most amazing person I’ve ever known. You’re the love of my life, Kacchan. I’m yours.”

Izuku hears a sniffle from above him, and then Kacchan is slipping a finger under Izuku’s chin to lift his face up and kiss him, burning and hot and just like Kacchan’s kisses are. Explosive and caramel, they always manage to make Izuku feel like the only person in the world worth looking at. Izuku melts under the way Kacchan’s mouth feels on his, sighs at how Kacchan somehow consistently makes Izuku feel like the most amazing person on this Earth, simply through a bite on his bottom lip and a small, chased-after butterfly kiss before pulling away.

“Izuku,” Kacchan exhales, breathless. Izuku’s heart stutters at hearing his given name out of Kacchan’s mouth; the occasions are so rare and that makes it even more wonderful to hear. Kacchan is crying now, Izuku sees, and he reaches up to wipe a tear away with his finger, careful and loving. Izuku smiles, wobbly and sincere.

“I love you,” Kacchan says. He’s not good with words, never has been. Izuku is the one who makes long-winded speeches, pages and pages for a simple love confession. Kacchan responds with kisses, calloused hands tousling hair, soft honeyed eyes, red like blood and roses and everything beautiful, a smile that Izuku can’t help but lean up and kiss. Kacchan responds with just three words, and it’s all Izuku has ever needed. It always has been, because Kacchan means it. The emotion in those three words, the sheer power of them, the trauma that was overcome to allow Kacchan to say those words so freely, devoid of stuttering and confusion, is enough for Izuku to know their true significance. They are more than enough for Izuku.

“I love you too, Kacchan,” Izuku beams, fingers gently wiping away Kacchan's tears, “so much.”

It ends on another Wednesday. A week after Izuku and Kacchan talked, a week of feelings finding their way out at the oddest of moments. Izuku catches Kacchan’s eyes across the cafeteria and has to fight back tears, Kacchan drags Izuku into a supply closet during one of their passing periods and pulls him into a searing kiss. That quickly evolves into making out for ten minutes and just barely making it into class on time, Izuku's hair a mess and the first button of Kacchan's shirt loose. It’s like they somehow found a way to love each other more. Izuku cries in Todoroki’s arms after an afternoon of sparring against Kacchan, getting pinned down by him and having an overwhelming rush of love wash over him. Kacchan can’t look at Izuku without blushing for an entire day, much to Kirishima and Kaminari’s amusement. So for Izuku, the week has been nothing short of amazing, filled with another seven days of loving Kacchan.

Nobody is expecting what happens on Wednesday, except for the girls who planned it. Not that Izuku knew that at all. For Izuku it’s just a normal day. A normal day of waking up to Kacchan kissing his forehead before he leaves for his morning run, Izuku coming down an hour and a half later to Kacchan cooking breakfast for them. They go to classes and Kacchan bickers with his friends, Todoroki kicks Izuku in the leg whenever he catches Izuku staring, all lovesick and fuzzy inside. Izuku eats lunch with his friends and Kacchan eats lunch with his; Izuku barely notices the way Uraraka blushes and squirms in her seat, Iida giving her supportive looks. Had Izuku noticed, maybe he would have been prepared for that evening in the common room.

It’s one of those days Class 1-A decided to spend all together in the common room, completely unspoken. There are just times they all want to be in the presence of everyone else, and nobody needs to say a thing. So they’re all gathered in the common room, sitting on the sofas and the floor alike. Izuku is sitting on a couch, Todoroki on one side of him and talking to Iida, who’s primly seated at the end of the couch with his hand on the armrest. Uraraka is on his other side, sitting with her legs tucked under her knees and leaning against the other armrest. She’s blushing a lot more than usual, Izuku notices from being this close to her. Izuku’s slumped against Todoroki’s side and writing in one of his notebooks, and Uraraka is content to lean over the armrest and talk to Tsuyu and Hagakure, who are sharing an armchair next to their couch.

Kacchan is on the couch across from theirs, squished in between Kirishima and Kaminari. Sero’s legs are dangling over one armest, head in Mina’s lap. Kirishima’s next to Mina, talking animatedly to Kacchan who just sits and listens. To anyone else, Kacchan’s expression would seem bored, but Izuku knows his neutral face is what shows that he really is listening. Kacchan is always listening, he’s always been more of a listener than a talker. He just never really shows it. Kaminari sits next to Kacchan, their hands linked together and resting on Kaminari's thigh. Izuku doesn’t think they even know they’re seated like that; Izuku smiles at how comfortable Kacchan's become with his friends. Kaminari’s talking to Jirou, who’s curled up on the edge of the sofa with her head on Kaminari’s shoulder. It makes Izuku feel a small pang of jealousy; sometimes Izuku really wishes he and Kacchan could be like that in public.

Maybe someday, Izuku thinks. Hopes. 

An hour or two passes like this, calmly and peacefully. Occasionally Izuku will look up and stare at Kacchan; sometimes their stolen glances will overlap. Izuku always offers a brief smile, then, and if nobody else is looking Kacchan will give a small smile back. It never fails to make Izuku blush a deep red, and he stares down at the floor, Todoroki giving him a knowing nudge every time it happens. There’s chatter surrounding Izuku, but he feels tranquil in his little bubble of friends. Until, that is, Uraraka turns around and taps him on the shoulder, looking equal parts curious and nervous. Izuku turns around and gives her a questioning look.

“Hey, Deku?” Uraraka asks, “I was wondering…”

“What’s up, Uraraka?”

“What are your plans?” Uraraka says, “for after graduation, I mean.”

In his peripheral vision, Izuku sees some of the girls squealing quietly. Had Izuku been more observant, he would have been able to put the pieces together as to why exactly they’re getting all excited about Uraraka just asking Izuku a simple question.

Izuku pauses to think about how he should answer the question. Nobody is close enough to hear anything they’re saying, since Todoroki and Iida switched couches a while ago and the common room furniture is so spread out you can barely hear the conversations happening on the sofa next to you. So Izuku doesn’t worry about saying anything Kacchan would be able to hear. Besides, Izuku doesn’t see why his plans with Kacchan would be interpreted in a romantic way, so he just tells the truth.

“Me and Kacchan are going to start a hero agency together!”

“Really?” Uraraka tilts her head, disbelieving, “why?”

“We’ve just always wanted to!” Izuku explains, “we used to talk about opening an agency together when we were kids, and now that we’re friends again we decided to do it. Our quirks work really well together and we’re super in sync when we fight, so it makes sense to just become a hero duo and open an agency together!”

“Huh,” Uraraka frowns, thinking on that, “Iida’s offering me a leadership position at Ingenium; I was gonna ask if you wanted to join us. Mina and Sero and Tsu are also joining, but it would be even more fun if you joined us!”

“That does sound nice,” Izuku says honestly, “but Kacchan and I have planned on having an agency together since second year! We’re just gonna do that.”

“Oh,” Uraraka blinks, “well, what about living arrangements, then? Do you maybe wanna get an apartment together, so we can still see each other a lot? I-I mean, we can invite Iida and Todoroki too, of course, so it won’t be weird or anything…”

Izuku feels kind of bad, Uraraka just wants to spend time with him. But still...Izuku doesn’t think he could spend that much time away from Kacchan.

“I’m sorry,” Izuku grimaces, “Kacchan and I are planning on getting a place...it just makes better sense since we’ll have an agency together and everything…”

“What?” Uraraka’s eyebrows raise, “why would you want to spend every hour of every day with Bakugou? And why would you live with him anyway? You know you don’t have to if it’s what Bakugou wants but you don’t, right? You can refuse him, it’s not like he has any right to be living with you in the first place, you know?”

Uraraka breaks off with a nervous little laugh, as if she was trying to make a joke but it didn’t quite land right. Even Todoroki’s frowning a bit, now.

“But...I want to live with Kacchan,” Izuku says confusedly, “Kacchan is my best friend and my hero partner…why wouldn’t I want to live with him?”

“I don’t know,” Uraraka huffs and crosses her arms, “because he bullied you? Because he’s an asshole to you? Because he’s just generally temperamental?”

The rage is curling around Izuku’s heart, threatening to burst. He tamps it down, telling himself to be patient. “He bullied me. Past tense. And he’s not an asshole to me anymore, hasn’t been for ages! And sure, he’s temperamental, but I’ve had years of experience dealing with it. And Kacchan is so much better now!”

Uraraka’s eyes narrow, arms still crossed, and expression slowly turning more hostile. Izuku crosses his arms back. “Deku,” Uraraka says patiently, like she’s talking to a child, “it took Bakugou ten years to even start acting like a decent person towards anyone, and even longer to start being somewhat civil towards you. He yells at you, he demeans you, he doesn’t even consider you a friend or an equal. Why are you living with someone who only pretends to like you so he can atone for the bullying and start his hero career with a clean slate? You know that’s why he acts like your friend, right? He might have changed, but only enough to realize that bullying is wrong, which every sane person kind of already knows. Honestly, I don’t understand why you call him your friend. He’s not a good person. Why would you want to live with someone like that?”

“What are you saying ?” Izuku draws back, shocked, eyes wide and offended. He’d thought his scoldings were getting into people’s heads, but apparently not.

“Kacchan is amazing!” Izuku cries, the noise loud enough for the people closer to them to look up, “how could you say these things, Uraraka? Don’t you know how hard it is to admit that you’re wrong, to change your entire worldview, get over trauma and complexes, all to work up the courage to apologize to someone? Don’t you know the guts and the courage that takes? Kacchan is so strong, so wonderful, I don’t understand how you could think these things about him! I want to live with Kacchan because he’s my best friend, and I’m his friend too! He’s told me that himself, and Kacchan never lies. Kacchan is the best person I know, and I’ve never felt more equal with someone than I do with Kacchan. He’s-he’s more than atoned for the bullying, and he would never do the things you’re insinuating! Kacchan is amazing !”

“Deku,” Uraraka sighs, “are you hearing yourself? Defending your bully? Why is it so hard to get through to you? How can you say these things about someone who hurt you for so long? How can he possibly be the best person you know?”

“Because he works hard,” Izuku lists, “Kacchan never takes a win he doesn’t believe he’s earned. Because he always strives to be the best version of himself that he can be. Because he understands that he was wrong to bully me and apologized, admitted he was wrong, and has more than made it up to me. Because he’s not only an amazing hero, but he’s my hero. Because he makes me happy. Kacchan makes me so happy.” Izuku sniffles, eyes dripping with tears. Uraraka stares at him, dumbfounded.

“You-” she blinks, “Deku, he hurt you-”

“Yes, he did. Very much so,” Izuku’s tone hardens, “but Kacchan's apologized over and over again, through both his words and his actions. He knows he was wrong. And now Kacchan does nothing but make me feel amazing every single day!”

Now they have spectators. The entire class is watching them, Kacchan sitting shell-shocked on his sofa. Todoroki’s stiff, Kirishima and Kaminari on alert. Kirishima's arm is slung protectively around Kacchan, a death glare in his eyes, and Kaminari is squeezing Kacchan's hand so hard both their knuckles are white.

“You just-” Uraraka looks away, runs a hand through her hair, “you make it sound like you’re in love with Bakugou or something, Deku. You glorify your relationship like someone in love would do. And you’re not in love with him-”

Izuku inhales, this is dangerous territory. “Uraraka, stop talking -”

“You can’t be in love with your bully, obviously I’m being insane-”

“Uraraka-”

“Bakugou wouldn’t love you back anyway, he’s probably incapable of love-”

“Will you shut up ?”

Both Izuku and Uraraka do shut up, both swiveling around to look at the source of that voice. It’s Kacchan, who’s gotten to his feet and walked over to Izuku and Uraraka, towering over their sofa, swaying dangerously from above them. His eyes are mirthless and cold, smirk laded with violence, twitching with the slightest bit of hurt. He’s glaring right at Uraraka. hurt in his eyes.

“You were my friend,” Kacchan hisses, “and you change your fucking opinion based off something Deku tells you from a year ago? You don’t think about why you became my friend in the first place? Because maybe I have redeemable qualities? And you just push all of that out of the way the moment your precious Deku gets hurt. The moment innocent angel Deku gets bullied you isolate me and treat me like trash. Just letting you know, that’s also bullying. This ain't the good cause you think it is.

“And what the hell is all this treating Deku like a little kid shit? Deku can take care of himself, you know. He’s allowed to live with whoever the shit he wants, be with whoever the shit he wants. And I get it, it sucks knowing that person might not be you. But you have no right to take it out on him. That’s not what Deku deserves. You’re supposed to be his friend. Deku can love whoever the hell he wants, and you of all people should know that anyone would love him back. Deku’s fucking great.”

Uraraka pales, the blood draining from her face.

“You know what?” Kacchan continues, “tell ‘em, Deku.”

“Wha-” Izuku blinks the tears out of his eyes, still elated at seeing Kacchan defend himself, “really, Kacchan? You’re okay with it?”

“It doesn’t matter at this point,” Kacchan gestures to the entire class, all looking different ranges of horrified, watching the spectacle laid out in front of them.

“Okay, Kacchan,” Izuku smiles. He’s always wanted to tell the world about him and Kacchan. He steels himself, inhales as he looks at the entire class, and speaks.

“I am in love with Kacchan,” Izuku announces proudly, “I love Kacchan with every bit of my being, with every single beat of my heart. And Kacchan loves me too. Kacchan is in love with me, too. We’re dating, we have been since second year. And we didn’t tell a soul because we knew that something exactly like this would happen.”

There’s silence, for one terrifying moment. Izuku stands up on shaky legs to face the class with Kacchan, who immediately puts a hand on Izuku’s shoulder to steady him. Izuku watches as the class stares at them, blinking, and then-

-and then they erupt.

“What?” Mina is the first to shriek, “why didn’t I know about this?”

“There’s no way this is gonna work out,” Sero mutters, “sorry dude, but it’s true.”

“Don’t do this, you guys,” comes Jirou’s quiet voice, "just let them be."

Tsu crosses her arms. “Bakugou is going to hurt you, Midoriya. You don’t deserve that. And Bakugou doesn’t deserve you.”

“Yeah, Bakugou is not a good person,” Mineta nods.

“Just shut the fuck up,” Kirishima interrupts, “you don’t know shit! Katsuki is one of the best people I know, okay? Just stop fuckin’ talking !”

“Villains kidnapped him because they saw potential in him,” Hagakure says, and then adds, “potential as a villain. As a villain for the League .”

“Bakugou does consistently show the behaviors of a villain.” Iida agrees.

You tried to murder Stain! Izuku wants to argue, but he refuses to sink as low as his friends are right now. Everyone was right-the class really doesn’t approve.

“Katsuki is not a villain,” Kaminari seethes, “he’s a hero.”

“A very good one, at that,” Todoroki adds, “and a really good person, as well.”

“Deku,” Uraraka pleads, whispering, “don’t you think you deserve better?”

Izuku feels shot in the heart. 

You deserve better, Deku. Don’t you?

“Stop it!” Izuku finally breaks, loses his fragile composure, “all of you, stop it!”

That does it. Everyone stops, the chaos ends, and they all look at Izuku.

“Just-” Izuku wipes his nose, sniffling, trying not to cry as he says this, throat dry and voice wobbly as he chokes through his words, “just stop. All of you, please. Just stop talking and listen to me. Don’t argue, don’t talk over me, just listen.”

Nobody says a word.

“Kacchan is amazing,” Izuku continues, “he’s amazing. I’ve loved Kacchan since the day I was born. No matter how tumultuous our relationship has been, I’ve always loved him. And yeah, Kacchan was a little late to love me back; years late. Yes, he bullied me. Yes, he really, really hurt me. But he apologized, and I forgave him. That’s my choice. Nobody else’s, mine. Not even Kacchan himself has a say in it. Kacchan tears himself up enough already, he’s so guilty and insecure and hates himself so much he can hardly believe it when I tell him I love him. He did all of that to himself; can you imagine what all of your hatred towards Kacchan is doing to him? It’s tearing him apart, and it’s breaking my heart. Because I don’t understand how you cannot like Kacchan. 

“He’s-he’s infallible. Kacchan is amazing, and wonderful, and he’s been my hero since we were little kids. He’s so bright it’s blinding, but he doesn’t burn. He’s warm to the touch, he makes me feel safe. When I’m with Kacchan, I know that nothing will ever hurt me again, because Kacchan is here. And Kacchan always wins. Kacchan is the person who makes me the happiest in the world, but he’s also made me the saddest. But I think that’s fitting, don’t you? Nobody has ever made me feel the way Kacchan does. Kacchan makes me want to-Kacchan makes me want to shout. 

“Kacchan makes me want to yell how much I love him from the rooftops, paint the walls with my admiration for him. He makes me want to paint murals and compose songs and write epics about how absolutely amazing he is. Kacchan makes me cry and he makes me smile and he makes me feel like the most beautiful thing in the universe. Kacchan’s so amazing he stops time, because the world can’t help but pause to stare at him. Kacchan makes me want to create something, to show how much I love him. But the thing is, I already have. I’ve already created something permanent to show how much I love Kacchan. And you know what it is? It’s me. My life itself-is an ode to Kacchan.”  

Izuku finishes, breathing hard, and everyone is looking at him, the entire class looking so, so regretful. Uraraka looks devastated, so Izuku offers her a small smile, a tentative promise of future forgiveness. 

“You were all wrong,” Izuku says, “you were all horribly wrong, but there’s always a chance to fix your mistakes. Kacchan is living proof of that, of redemption and atonement. Of forgiveness. I believe in this: if you are able to understand and admit that you were wrong, I will forgive you. Just please don’t ever say those things about Kacchan again. I love you guys, but Kacchan is the love of my life. Still, I know that we can all be friends again.”

When Izuku scans the room again,  everyone is crying. For many different reasons, of course, but everyone has tears running down their faces. Most notably Kacchan, who’s staring at Izuku with stars in his wet, adoring, eyes, looking at Izuku like he’s something precious, like he’s the only person in the world. Like everyone else has faded to the background, and all Kacchan can see is Izuku.

And that. That is how Izuku loves Kacchan. And Kacchan feels exactly the same for Izuku.

They were made to love each other. 

“Wow,” Kaminari is the first to break the silence, wiping a tear from his eyes, “that was really beautiful, Mido. You tell ‘em.”

“So manly,” Kirishima agrees, “how can someone not believe in you guys’ love?”

“That was brave of you two,” Todoroki states quietly.

“Thanks, guys,” Izuku says. He gives them a smile, and then turns to a still silent Kacchan, eyes still wide, the tiniest tear dripping down his cheek. Izuku smiles at him, reaches down to grip his hand. Kacchan squeezes back, still crying.

“Deku…” Kacchan finally says, his voice wavering, “I-you know I’m not good with words like you are. But I think maybe that’s okay, because words, they can’t fucking describe this. Words-they can’t come close to describing how much I love you, Deku.”

And the whole class is watching them, but somehow this seems like a moment for only the two of them. Izuku faces Kacchan, crying in happiness, green eyes shining, looking up at Kacchan, his hero, his partner, with all the love he has. Their hands are intertwined, reaching out to each other like they always have been, this entire time. And Izuku knows there are things they’ll have to deal with; the class’ opinions, for one. But Izuku can already predict how it’s going to go, with his analytical mind.

The class will come around, they’ll finally approve of their relationship. Uraraka will apologize, and Izuku and Kacchan will both forgive her. It takes courage to admit you were wrong, after all. A feat like that deserves nothing but forgiveness. Izuku and Kacchan will graduate UA as a public couple, and finally get to show the world how much they love each other. They’ll open a very successful agency, working closely with Fatgum and Ingenium’s agencies. Izuku will propose to Kacchan, and Kacchan will gripe about how he wanted to do it first. They’ll get married; Kirishima will be Kacchan’s best man and Uraraka will be Izuku’s maid of honor. 

She’ll have unlearned her harmful mindsets, the same way Kacchan did oh so long ago. And she’ll be supportive of them; the whole class will. Kaminari will walk Kacchan down the aisle, sobbing like a maniac. The only person crying harder will be Izuku’s mother. Izuku’s vows will be like a poem, his ode to Kacchan. Long, pages and pages long, but Izuku will mean every word. Kacchan’s vows will be only a few paragraphs, but it will mean more to Izuku than anything else in the world. Todoroki, the officiator, will tell them to kiss, and then they will. 

It will taste like caramel and explosions and fire and green apples, bring back memories of summer freckles on cheeks and hunting for beetles under the hot sun. Of childhood dreams and hands reaching out for one another, of broken relationships eventually mended. Of lakes and a school building, the red, white, and blue of a very loved hero. Of laughter and happiness, yelling and tears, of apologies and forgiveness. Of beauty and amazement, wonder and strength and heroism.

Of love. Of Deku and Kacchan.

A smile spreads on Izuku’s face as he imagines the future. He turns and looks into Kacchan’s eyes, and he knows Kacchan’s thinking about the future too. Their future, together. Izuku and Katsuki. So green eyes look into red, a scarred, freckled hand squeezes an unblemished glycerin one, and kisses are pressed to soft skin. Forehead to forehead, noses brushing against each other like the day they confessed, the class and the dorms fade around them. They are surrounded by nothing but each other. Together, for the rest of their lives, for all of Izuku's.

“I love you too, Kacchan,” Izuku says, and nothing has ever been truer. “I love you so much.”

‘Love is the whole thing. We are only pieces.’ -Rumi