Chapter Text
Yo was early again. He was already seated at Sugar Green when Izuku arrived. He stood up as the green-haired man approached, giving him a warm hug. When they both sat down at the table, the tall brunette gave him a sad smile. “You’re gonna dump me, aren’t you?”
“What?” Izuku’s eyes widened. “I-- no! I mean, well--”
“It’s okay,” Yo chuckled. “You kinda have a readable face, Izuku. I mean that as a compliment,” he clarified. “Can’t say I’m not disappointed, since I like you and all… But it’s not like we were together, either…”
Izuku sighed. “I’m really sorry, Yo. I like spending time with you, and our date was perfect. I just… I recently realized I’m in love with someone else. I’m sorry--”
Yo interrupted him before he could ramble too much. “It’s alright. I don’t want to date someone who doesn’t want to date me. How ‘bout you buy me dinner to make up for it?”
Izuku gave him a sheepish smile. “Okay.”
They ordered a few appetizers to share. Although there was a slight tension in the air, conversation flowed almost as easily as it did on their initial date. When they were finished eating, the two men hugged again before parting.
“Thanks for giving me a chance,” Yo said.
Izuku bit his lip. “Of course.”
“Whoever you’re in love with… they’re really lucky. ‘Night, Izuku.”
At school the next day, Izuku felt like his body was buzzing; he couldn’t sit still. During lunch, where the two usually sat in the cafeteria, Katsuki noticed.
“Oi, nerd. What’re you all fidgety for?”
“Huh?” Izuku jumped, his big green eyes making contact with narrowed red ones. “Am I?”
“Tch. You’re acting like you did when we had our first sports festival.”
Izuku gave a nervous laugh. “I guess I’m anxious because of the final exams. I just want my students to succeed!”
Katsuki rolled his eyes. “Relax. You’re a good teacher. If they study, they’ll be fine.”
Izuku smiled. “Thanks, Kacchan. You’re a good teacher, too.”
“I know.”
“You should stop swearing so much, though.”
“Shut the fuck up.”
Izuku and Katsuki didn’t get a chance to talk much over the next few days as they were busy with proctoring exams and sorting out the logistics for a summer training camp for the first and second-years. Three days before the last day of school, it was well into the evening when Katsuki and Izuku were the last ones in the faculty lounge grading exams.
The blonde suddenly huffed and stood up, pointing an aggressive finger at a surprised Izuku. “I can’t fuckin’ stare at these fuckin’ tests anymore. Let’s call it a night, nerd.”
“Kacchan, we have to finish these by tomorrow--”
“So let’s fuckin’ finish them tomorrow. We have until the end of the day.”
Izuku sighed. “Yeah, I guess it would be fairer if I graded the rest with a clearer head. Did you want to get food or something?”
Katsuki shook his head, smirking. “Let’s go to the roof.”
Izuku raised an eyebrow but followed him out of the room. “I didn’t even know that we had access to the roof.”
“Technically, we don’t,” Katsuki grunted. Once they were outside the building, he glanced at Izuku. “Grab on, nerd.”
Izuku’s eyes widened as he understood what Katsuki meant. But he listened, wrapping his arms around the blonde’s torso. When he had a tight grip, Katsuki launched them both into the air using his quirk, landing gently once they reached the rooftop. Izuku was quick to let go; he hoped Katsuki didn’t feel how hard his heart was beating from the brief intimate contact.
They sat side by side on the cool concrete and looked up at the stars-- they were brighter in this part of the city where there was less light pollution. Izuku glanced over when he saw Katsuki rummaging for something in his pockets.
Izuku gaped when he saw what it was. “Kacchan, you can’t be serious. We’re still at work!”
Katuski just smirked and brought the joint to his lips, sparking it with an old zippo. After slowly breathing out a stream of smoke, he sighed in contentment. “Chill out, nerd. I have a medical card.”
Izuku frowned at the joint that he was offered. “I’m not sure it’s allowed on campus…”
Katsuki rolled his eyes and took another hit. “Nobody cares, Deku. But I’m not gonna fuckin’ peer pressure you.”
“You’ve done this before? At U.A., I mean?”
Katsuki breathed out a laugh. “Half our class were stoners, Deku.”
“Oh.” Izuku’s stomach turned uncomfortably. “I didn’t know…”
“Hell, everyone was lighting up at your birthday party, remember?” Katsuki said, narrowing his eyes at Izuku’s reaction. “You can’t be that surprised.”
“I know,” Izuku said with a small smile. “I just can’t help but think I missed out…”
“Missed out on what?”
“I don’t know,” Izuku shrugged. “Just normal teenage experiences. Things like sneaking around and smoking weed with your friends. I guess I just feel like I missed out on things that you can really only experience when you’re that age.”
“Tch,” Katsuki scoffed. “What do you think you were missin’ out on, exactly? Watchin’ Hitoshi use his quirk to make Denki to do the robot while they’re both high as fuck? Do you want me to call them? I’m sure they still do the same stupid shit every week.”
Izuku laughed.
“Besides,” Katsuki continued. “Doesn’t everyone have regrets about things they should or shouldn’t have done when they were young? What’s the point of brooding about it?”
Izuku nodded, and finally accepted the joint. After taking a long, slow hit, he glanced at Katsuki. “Do you regret anything about high school, Kacchan?”
“Me? I regret nothing,” Katsuki said with a grin. “Doesn’t mean I would do everything the same if I knew what I know now. Wouldn’t have been as shitty to everyone. Especially you.”
“Why me?” Izuku blinked, trying to force himself to maintain a normal amount of eye contact.
Katsuki shoved him and took the joint back. “‘Cause you’re my best friend, idiot.”
Izuku grinned widely. “You’re so lovely sometimes, Kacchan. But still so mean.” He snatched the joint from Katsuki’s hands right before he was about to bring it to his lips. The freckled man took another long hit, raising an eyebrow at his friend’s scowling face as he breathed out smoke. “What? I have years of missed teenage experiences to make up for.”
The last day of class arrived too soon. Izuku promised himself he’d temper his emotions, but as soon as he stepped into the lively classroom and saw his first-year students talking and laughing with each other, he instantly burst into tears. His class stared at him; though long used to their emotional teacher, they were a bit concerned at this extreme level of blubbering.
“S-sorry,” Izuku choked out with a laugh. “I’m just so proud of you all! You did well on your finals, and even if there’s still a lot for you to learn, I know you’ll all be successful!”
They spent the rest of the period going over exam results and what they should do in preparation for the summer training camp. When class was over, his students said farewell to him, some lingering to ask last-minute questions. Finally it was just Izuku and the class representative, who shyly handed over a card before saying a final goodbye.
Izuku didn’t bother trying to hold back his tears again as he read the messages from his students.
After the school day was officially over, the cicadas were buzzing in the warm summer evening as Izuku made his way to Sugar Green. He smiled when he caught the scent of chocolate cake before he even entered the restaurant; Rikido was already putting the finishing touches on the icing. Izuku greeted him before helping set up decorations with Inko, Toshinori, Aizawa, Hizashi, Hitoshi, and Shino. CONGRATS ERI & KOUTA , the golden banner hanging over the bar read.
When the restaurant was ready, more guests began to arrive; Izuku tried not to melt in Katsuki’s arms as the blonde pulled him into a casual hug in greeting. Finally the two high school graduates in question arrived, still in uniform. Their faces were a bit flush, and they were giggling.
“I’ll pretend that I didn’t see you two and your delinquent friends taking shots while you were still on campus,” Katsuki growled.
“And I’ll pretend that you didn’t smoke the joint you confiscated from me the other day,” Eri shot back. Kouta barked out another laugh.
Shouta’s hair began to float as he glared at his daughter and her classmate. “You should have expelled both of them, Katsuki.” His voice was dangerous, his bloodshot eyes unblinking.
Hitoshi sauntered over to the two graduates and draped his arms around their shoulders. He gave his father a lazy smirk. “Ah, c’mon old man. Give ‘em a break. I seem to remember you looking the other way when you caught me smoking on the roof when I was their age.”
Eri gaped. “What?”
“I told you Hitoshi was his favorite,” Kouta murmured to her.
“Music!” Izuku said suddenly, a bit too loudly. “Hizashi, do you have your playlist ready to go?”
Hizashi grinned and nodded. “I’ll queue it up now!” He pecked Shota on the cheek. As music filled the air Hizashi wrapped his arms around Shota, who visibly relaxed and finally stopped glaring at the graduates so he could flash a loving smirk at the blonde.
Rikido emerged from the kitchen with the finished cake. “Congratulations, Eri and Kouta! We’re all so proud of you.” He began to pass out slices while Shino poured everyone a glass of champagne.
Izuku nudged Katsuki. “You should say something,” he murmured. “You were both their teacher, after all.”
Katsuki rolled his eyes, sighing. He cleared his throat crudely before stiffly raising his glass, directing everyone’s attention to him. “Oi. You two weren’t the worst students I’ve ever had. Maybe the most annoying. But whatever. You’ve grown a lot since I met you when I was your age. If you put your mind to it, you can do a lotta good things with your lives. So don’t fuck it up.”
With that, Katsuki took a sip of his champagne and everyone else followed suit-- some more confused than others, depending on how used they were to the blonde’s blunt attitude. Eri and Kouta just smirked at him, though their eyes were full of warmth.
“Thanks, sensei!”
With that, everyone began chatting again, swarming the two graduates to give personal well wishes. Izuku nudged his best friend again. “That was nice, Kacchan.”
He shrugged. “I just said what I was thinking.”
“I know,” Izuku smiled. He thought for a moment. “Was that joint we smoked the one you took from Eri?”
Katsuki raised an eyebrow. “Maybe.”
Izuku laughed. “Well, I guess I was the one who said they were missing out on teenage hijinks…”
They chatted by themselves for a bit, discussing the upcoming summer training camp, before they were joined by some more of their old classmates.
“Tell me, Katsuki,” Hitoshi drawled. “Is my baby sister dating that kid?” He nodded toward where Kouta was now shoving cake into Eri’s face.
Katsuki snorted. “Silver Hair dating Angry Boy? You fuckin’ kiddin’?”
“They argue a lot,” Izuku conceded. “But they seem kind of close, don’t you think?”
“Maybe,” Katsuki smirked. “But those two are definitely hooking up with other people.”
“W-what?” Izuku sputtered. “How do you know?”
“Like you said, Deku,” he shrugged, taking a sip of his champagne. “I’m their teacher.”
“Huh,” Hitoshi said, brow furrowed. “Wait, so who is my sister hooking up with?”
Katsuki rolled his eyes. “I’m not gonna fuckin’ talk about my students’ shitty love lives anymore. If you wanna know, fuckin’ ask her yourself.”
They all continued talking for a while before Mirio and Izuku stepped away to talk to Eri. They each hugged her; all three of them had tears in their eyes.
“We’re so proud of you, Eri,” Mirio said with his brilliant smile.
“I know,” she grinned. “But I wouldn’t be where I am without you two. I’ll never forget.”
“It’s the same for us,” Izuku said firmly. “Mirio and I are so much better off ever since you became a part of our lives.” Mirio nodded emphatically.
“God,” Eri laughed. “You’re always so earnest and dramatic.”
Izuku smiled. “I’m just saying what I think.”
Later, Izuku spoke to Kouta with Shino.
“Kouta,” the brunette smiled at her cousin before she lowered big brown eyes. “I know I could never replace your parents. But I’m grateful that I could be a part of your life, and do what I could to support you.”
“Auntie,” Kouta said, his soft smirk similar to one that Izuku had seen Katsuki given countless times over the years. “Thank you.” He pulled her into a hug.
When Shino appeared too choked up to continue, Izuku spoke up. “I never thought I’d like someone so much who kicked me in the balls.” Kouta laughed. “When I met you, you made me rethink what a hero could be. And for that I’m grateful.” He gave him a watery smile.
Shino pulled them both into a hug. Neither of the older adults even minded when the graduate shoved cake in their faces, laughing as they wiped frosting off their cheeks.
When the party began to wind down, Izuku made sure to say goodbye to each guest-- giving an especially heartfelt goodbye to each graduate and their families.
“Izuku!” Rikido said. “Want me to stay?”
“I’ve got it!” Izuku smiled. “You baked the cake, after all. It’s the least I could do.”
Slowly, everyone left the restaurant. Everyone, except Katsuki.
“Kacchan?” Izuku said as he placed the leftover cake in the fridge. “What’re you still doing here?”
The blonde was already walking over to the speaker so he could play music from his phone. “Gonna help you clean up, nerd.”
“You don’t have to--”
“Want to.”
Izuku nodded, looking down to hide his blush.
As music filled the air again, they took down the decorations and washed the dishes and wiped the tables. They were almost finished when Izuku realized he recognized the song that was playing.
Aquellos ojos verdes
De mirada serena
Dejaron en mi alma
Eterna sed de amar…
Izuku sighed as he hummed quietly along with the melody.
“Deku.”
The green-haired man looked up to find Katsuki standing closeby, his arm outstretched. “Kacchan?”
“Dance with me.”
“O-okay…” Izuku tentatively took his hand.
The blonde kept a firm grasp on him as he placed his other hand on Izuku’s hip. Instinctively, Izuku placed his own hand on Katsuki’s shoulder.
“Never got to dance with you on your birthday,” Katsuki pointed out.
“No,” Izuku breathed. He felt his eyes water again.
“Tch. Always crying. You’ve been crying all day. How the hell do you have any tears left?” Katsuki said, wiping away one of them as they dripped down a freckled cheek.
“I don’t know,” Izuku laughed quietly. “But now that you mention it…”
“What?”
“I still cry a lot--”
“No shit.”
“But lately, whenever I cry, it’s because I’m happy. Isn’t that strange?”
Katsuki shook his head. “Not strange, Deku. That’s how it should be. You should be happy.”
“Y-you think?” Izuku forced himself to meet Katsuki’s eyes.
“I want you to be happy.”
Izuku couldn’t breathe for a few moments. “I want you to be happy, too,” he said once he caught his breath.
“Mmm,” Katsuki hummed vaguely in response.
“You make me happy,” Izuku added, his voice barely above a whisper.
“Likewise, nerd.” He pulled them closer, and leaned in for a kiss.