Archive of Our Own ^beta

The bustling city noise faded as a high-pitched ringing filled Izuku's ears. He turned just in time to see the girl he'd bumped into, her face pale with fear. Izuku's hand caught hers as she wobbled, scrunching her nose and squeezing her eyes shut awaiting the impact from the floor beneath them.

Izuku's hand instinctively reached out, steadying her. "You're okay !" he reassured, his voice gentle. “Sorry mister..” she stammered, quickly realizing the ground hadn't hit her yet exhaling in relief. As Izuku steadied her and readjusted the bag he had been holding he could feel her breath hitch and eyes widening in panic.

"I... I'm so sorry," she trembled. "I didn't mean to-" She cut herself off, tears welling up.

Izuku blinked, kneeling to her level. "Wait hey calm down you're alright!"

Her tears flowed freely now. Panicking, Izuku flailed his hands. "Hey, don't cry! You're okay, Everything's okay!" Her crying continued much heavier and Izuku can feel his heart breaking looking at her tear stained face. “Okay! New question, what's your name! You have one right?”

"I'm Mari," she whispered, voice barely audible. She clutched the hem of her dress, staring at her feet.

Izuku's expression softened. "it's okay," he said gently.

Before he could say more, she blurted out, "I have a truth quirk.. I got scared when I bumped into you and when you grabbed me I used it."

Izuku's confusion deepened. "I'm sorry, I'm not really following. What?" he asked, trying to grasp the situation.

Mari's face flushed with embarrassment. "It's not like I meant to. I don't mean to make people say things they don't want to. But when I touched you, it just happened. And in.. 10 minutes you won't be able to lie for a while."

Izuku, ever the empathetic soul, offered a gentle, understanding smile. "It's okay, Mari. You didn't do anything wrong, trust me!" Izuku cleared his throat softly. “So uhm.. Do you have a parent around? Someone I can talk to or leave you with?”

Mari lifted her head “ah.. She's in the coffee place. I'll take you to mommy!” She quickly grabs ahold of Izuku's hand leading him down the busy street and into a small cafe.

“Mommy!” Mari calls out within the shop hopping towards a white haired woman and latching onto her.

“Mari! Did you find the rock you were looking fo-” she turns over to look at Izuku who had been awkwardly standing by. “Mari what did i say about talking to strangers..”

“I ran into him.. When he was helping me to not fall I used my quirk on him on accident..” Her mother sighs in response and looks back at Izuku now bearing a weak smile.

“I’m really sorry, she recently manifested her quirk and hasn't quite gotten the hang of controlling it yet, any kind of strong feeling and she's out using it on everyone... It should really only last a few days maybe four days at most so you don't have much to worry about.. It's just very inconvenient. Is there anything we can do to make it up to you?”

“Ahh no need to worry about it really, I understand it was an accident!” He shot her a warm smile

“Alright well, i dont know what Mari has told you or when exactly it happened but the least I can do is give you information about the quirk. Mister…?” she looked at the boy

“Ah im Izuku Midoriya! Any information I can get would be great, thanks a bunch!”

The woman nodded “alright Midoriya, im not sure if there are any lasting side effects from the quirk so if anything is wrong ill leave you my number for compensation. Other than that it takes a full 10 minutes to work, when asked a question directly you'll be forced to answer. Trying to lie will get you hurt so try not to. Further questions you can reach me here.” She hands him a small business card.

“Mari and I have got to get going.” she turns to her daughter "isn't that right Mari? Excited to see mama back home from her trip?” Mari beams jumping up and down in excitement. “I really am sorry about the whole situation Midoriya. Don't hesitate to reach out if anything.”

The duo leave soon after exchanging goodbyes.

Izuku leaves the small shop, his mind still reeling. The whole encounter felt like a fever dream, hardly believing it happened. The confusion left him with more questions than answers. Deciding it might be best to talk to Aizawa about it, he made a mental note to bring it up when he gets back to UA.

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Izuku made his way to UA, the usual excitement of returning to school now replaced by a creeping unease. The events from earlier lingered in his mind like a strange dream he couldn't shake off. As he walked through the gates, a subtle fear began to coil in his stomach. He clutched the grocery bag he's holding tighter in the palm of his hand.

The ringing from earlier still hasn't fully faded, “maris quirk.. Truth telling compulsion..? I haven't gotten the chance to see if I'm actually affected but it's strange.. What if it causes problems or something slips out….” Izuku muttered to himself, his mind racing. The more he thought about it the more his stomach tightened and churned.

Aizawa.

He had to tell Aizawa about it. It was the only logical thing to do but the thought of explaining it to him and possibly making himself the center of attention for something so weird filled him with a sense of dread. “What if Aizawa doesn’t understand.. What if I make it worse..” As he steps forward and reaches the door handle a voice cuts through his thoughts.

“What wouldn't I understand?”

Izuku froze, his heart skipping a beat. He turned slowly to see Aizawa standing at the doorway, his tired gaze fixed on him, as usual. Izuku’s mind scrambled to find the right words but his mouth worked quicker than he could.

“I ran into this girl earlier, her name is Mari and there was this situation with her quirk, she used it on me. They said it would wear off after a while like maybe a few days? It's a truth quirk, so I guess I'm not able to lie when asked questions and that's all I know.”

Aizawa raised an eyebrow and Izuku’s eyes widened. “I… uh.. Weird. I thought it'd be a little more controlled or something but I guess that makes sense that I just blurt out the answer...” His hands twitched nervously and he took a deep breath trying to calm himself down.

Aizawa stared at him for a moment, his expression unreadable. The usual exhaustion in his eyes seemed to deepen. “Youre telling me, you've been affected by someone's quirk?”

Izuku nodded, rubbing the back of his neck. “Yeah, I know it sounds weird I wasn't sure if I was actually affected but it's just strange, you know?”

Aizawa narrowed his eyes, his tone flat. “Well are you okay? Do we need to take you to recovery girl?”

Izuku takes a moment to think, trying to assess how he felt. He wasn't immediately blurting out an answer this time, maybe because he's calmer? “Im not hurt physically or anything im fi-”

Before he could finish a sharp, searing pain shot through his body, and he instinctively doubled over clutching his stomach. He hadn't realized what he was saying was a lie either.

Izuku winced, eventually forcing the words out “Honestly it's all making me really nervous and I feel like throwing up thinking about it. Not knowing exactly how it works, it's really scaring me.”

Aizawa’s sharp gaze softened just slightly as he observed Izuku’s struggle. “Thats the quirk, huh?” he muttered, stepping closer. “Youre not physically injured but you're feeling the effects of the truth compulsion. Seems like the more you try to deny the truth the worse it gets”

Izuku nodded trying to steady his breath, but the pain still lingered. “Yeah.. I didn't realize it would be like this. It's kind of.. A lot.” His brows furrowed as realization dawned on him.

Aizawa sighed, glancing away for a brief moment. “Youve got to be careful. Don't try to force your way around it. Just stick to the truth kid.”

Izuku straightened up, still a little shaken but trying to compose himself. “Yeah. Thanks, Mr. Aizawa. I guess I'll just have to make sure I'm careful for the next few days.”

“Seems like it, and for the record, I'd rather you not keep something like this to yourself. There's nothing I won't hear you out on or make an effort to understand.”

Izuku flushed, feeling a bit guilty for his earlier comments. “Yeah I know I just didn't want to cause any trouble.”

The older man sighed. “Youre going to be a hero. Getting caught up in every little thing like this won't help you much in the long run, you're not alone in this problem child.”

Izuku nodded, grateful but still unsure. “Right, thanks again..” Aizawa gave him a small nod before turning to walk away.

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Izuku quietly pushed open the door to the dorm entrance, the familiar hum of voices and laughter from the common room hitting him, like a wall. He winced, taking a small step back. Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to go back to the dorms right now, but his legs were tired, he needed to set down the bag of snacks he bought for everyone and he just needed some time to himself to process.

He took a deep breath, glancing around the hallway, mentally preparing himself. The dorms were full of people, and if anyone asked him any sort of question he'd be forced to respond in some way. Izuku didn't want to have to explain the situation, the thought of having to tell everyone about this truth telling quirk made him want to hurl.

He felt a slight pressure in his chest as he crept down the hallway, clutching his phone tightly. He hoped everyone was too busy to notice him sneaking around.

Step by step he made his way to the kitchen, setting down the bag and silently heading to his room. His heart raced, his mind spinning. ‘Okay.. just act normal, no need to panic, you're fine.’

There's a shout from behind him, “Deku! Thanks for going on a snack run. We really appreciate it!”

He turned to face the voice calling out, uraraka, “Y-yeah no problem!”

He hurried off back to his room before she could say anything else. He heard someone's footsteps behind him and his breath caught in his throat. ‘Breathe izuku.. Breathe, don't panic.’

The footsteps came closer and Izuku's eyes widened when he realized they were heading in his direction.

“Oi deku, the hell are you doing?”

Izuku spun around so fast that he nearly tripped over. Bakugou was standing a few feet away, arms crossed and his eyes narrowing at him in that usual suspicious way. Izuku felt his stomach tighten as his mouth went dry. In that moment, the afternoon sun fell across Bakugou's form in just the right way. The light caught the rigid curve of his muscles illuminating each line and shadow.

He inhaled sharply, his gaze locked. He could hardly believe how breathtaking his childhood best friend looked. There was something that always left him breathless each time he looked at him. Izuku forced himself to swallow, willing his racing thoughts into coherence. Whatever this was, the flutter in his chest, this warmth in his ears, he refused to let him notice just how he made him feel.

“Kacchan! I'm just.. I just got back! Yeah! I'm going to my room.” He technically wasn't lying, he just left out the part where he's avoiding everyone because he doesn't want to be asked questions he won't want to answer truthfully. He tried to smile but it probably came off as a nervous twitch.

Bakugou raised an eyebrow, not buying it for a second. “The hell you are. You're sneaking around like a damn rat. I saw the way you ran off from pink cheeks. What's up with you huh nerd?”

Izuku hesitated, his thoughts racing. ‘It's kacchan.. It'll be fine.’ His chest tightened as he began to explain the situation.

“I'm avoiding everyone.. I got hit with a truth quirk and don't want to explain it to people.. Its complicated and im still figuring it out but i just didn't want to make a big deal out of it”

Bakugou blinked for a second, eyeing the boy down “that’s what this is about?”

Izuku nodded, rubbing the back of his neck “Yeah, it's uh.. Weird, it's really hard to explain and I didn't want to worry anyone.”

Bakugou took a step closer inches away from his face, scanning izuku up and down “You think I give a shit about that?” he grumbled but there was a strange softness in his voice. “Youre acting like a freak sneaking around like this idiot.”

Izuku stood still, face flushed and backing away, startled by his reaction. “Youre not mad or anything?”

The blonde scoffed “Get over yourself Deku, you're being weird. You could've just told me normally, but no, I had to come ask you cuz you're hiding around like a dumbass. Not like you can help it or whatever, just get outta my face.”

Izuku felt a warmth in his chest, but before he could say anything else, Bakugou turned to leave. He had expected an angry outburst, or worse, being bombarded with personal questions, but instead kacchan had just.. Got it.

He stood there a moment still processing, his heartrate slowly returning to normal but the tension in his chest hadn't fully loosened. He hadn't expected bakugou to be so nonchalant about everything. It was a strange relief, something he didn't realize he needed.

He was about to let out a breath when Bakugou suddenly called out from the stairs.

“Deku.”

Izuku froze his foot halfway in his door. He turned back, his heart giving an anxious flutter. “Yeah..?”

Bakugou's back was to him but his voice has a slight edge of annoyance to it, despite the strange undertone of something else.

“Dont go hiding in your room the entire time. I'll drag you out myself. You're not getting out of this and you'll have to face it eventually, I'll tell your extras about the stupid quirk.” he huffed and left before Izuku could get a word in.

Izuku was left awestruck, the unexpected kindness in his blunt words making his chest ache just a little. This was all a lot to process, but for now, at least kacchan didn't think less of him. Maybe it's not as bad as he thought?

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Izuku flopped down on his bed with a heavy sigh, letting the cool sheets swallow him up. The sun was still high in the sky, casting an orange glow through the blinds, but it didn't matter to him. The afternoon light felt too bright, too loud. It was like it mocked him for feeling so off kilter. His legs ached, his thoughts tangled and his stomach twisted uncomfortably.

He rolled over, staring at the ceiling. There was a faint gnawing in his stomach, but he pushed it aside. He hadn't eaten since breakfast, not that he even planned to eat anything right now anyways. The thought of food felt too overwhelming right now, just one more thing to deal with when his brain couldn't focus on anything but the quirk affecting him.

“I'll deal with it later.. Or not at all.” It was stupid. All of it was stupid. He wished he could just sleep through the next few days but that wasn't an option. So he lay there, eyes wide open and tried to ignore the overwhelming urge to pull the blankets over his head and stay there forever.

He wasn’t sure if he could face anyone else. He didn’t want anyone asking questions about the quirk or anything else. He held many secrets, all of which he didn't want revealed to anyone, ever.

There was a soft knock on the door, and Izuku froze. His heart started thumping faster. His breath hitched. He turned his head towards the door, too late to ignore it.

“Midoriya? Are you there?”

The voice was unmistakable, Todoroki.

Izuku groaned internally. He hadn’t planned on talking to anyone right now. He considered just pretending to be asleep, but he could already hear Uraraka's calm voice joining him, and it made it clear they weren’t going to leave him alone. Bakugou must have told them about the quirk already.

“Deku? We’re coming in! Pardon the intrusion..”

Before he could answer, the door creaked open, and Uraraka popped her head inside, followed by Todoroki, who looked… well, as serious as ever.

“Deku?” Uraraka asked gently, stepping inside. “We heard what happened… Are you okay?”

Izuku sat up in bed, rubbing his eyes quickly, trying to shake off the remnants of his discomfort. He hadn’t planned for this. He hadn’t planned on any of this. “No” he said, too quickly. It came out strained and both Uraraka and Todoroki shared a quick glance.

Uraraka tilted her head. “Bakugou told us… about the quirk, is there anything we can do to help?” she clasps her hands together and smiles invitingly at Izuku.

“Oh no it's fine really! There isn't really anything you'll be able to do anyways.. I'm just hiding out to avoid questions..”
“Have you eaten anything, we could go eat lunch together.” Todoroki speaks up from behind.

Izuku shakes his head, “no its alright im not-” he was cut off by a burning sensation throughout his body “I am hungry… just don't feel like eating.” he breathes heavily as the pain subsides.

“Oh my god izuku, is that how the quirk works?!” The concern in Uraraka’s voice almost made Izuku flinch. Almost. He forced himself to smile, though it felt like it was cracking the whole time. “yeah..” he muttered, hoping they’d drop it and not ask any more questions. He could already feel the weight of their eyes on him, and it made his skin crawl.

Todoroki spoke up. “The truth thing?” His voice was quiet, but it held that ever-present seriousness that made Izuku feel like he was being analyzed. It made everything more real, and he hated it.

“Yeah.” Izuku forced himself to sit up straighter, but feeling the anxiety curling tighter in his chest. "I mean, it's... not a big deal, really."

Uraraka stepped closer to him, her voice soft but firm. “Izuku, we're your friends! We're gonna worry about stuff like this, so just let us worry, kay? Now come on, let's go get something yummy to eat!"

“Uh.. sure Uraraka..” Izuku stood from his bed slipping on house slippers to walk with them towards the kitchen. He looked around nervously, seeing the small crowd of his classmates made him anxious he’ll say something he's not supposed to.

“Midoriya, are you okay? You look pale.” Todoroki said, placing a steadying hand on his shoulder.

“No!” Izuku snapped, louder than he intended. He froze immediately, the words out of his mouth before he could stop them. His heart raced. He hadn’t meant to say it that loud, and now he was even more on edge.

“I… I’m sorry.” He lowered his gaze quickly, He didn’t want them to see how weak he felt.

Todoroki’s voice was calm as ever, but his eyes never left Izuku’s. “Im sure everyone would understand if you just told them, why keep it to yourself?” he asked, his tone cautious.

Izuku’s chest tightened. He couldn’t breathe. His thoughts spun, and for a moment, he wished he could just disappear.

His mouth ran dry as he shook his head rapidly, trying to push the words back down. “I don’t want to say something I'll regret.. Burdening anyone is the last thing I want to do.”

Uraraka’s frown deepened. “Deku, it’s not about burdening us. You do need to take care of yourself, though. Everyone is going to find out eventually, you're not going to be able to hide from people during school.”

Izuku’s face burned with frustration. He felt like he was spinning out of control, like his thoughts were going a million miles an hour but his mouth couldn’t keep up. “I know. Just, please, don’t ask any more questions.” He barely managed to get the words out, but his heart was beating too loudly, and his throat felt tight, like it was closing in on him.

There was a long pause. Todoroki’s gaze softened, and Uraraka hesitated, looking like she wanted to say something, but stopped herself.

Finally, Uraraka gave a small, reluctant nod. “Alright. But Izuku, if you change your mind… we’re here for you, okay?”

Izuku nodded quickly, not trusting his voice to say anything. “Thanks.” he muttered, looking anywhere but at them.

Todoroki gave him a brief nod before turning to the stove. “Looks like leftover soup..”

Uraraka served the three of them, heating the soup back up. “This is great! I didn't really feel like cooking anything” she laughed lightly, handing out the bowls.

Izuku sat there for a long while staring at the bowl, his head spinning. He felt exhausted, but there was no peace in the stillness. There was a suffocating silence that felt like it would crush him at any moment.

He picked at the food and ate it slowly, eventually giving up a few bites later when it got cold and he felt like throwing up. Overthinking about the quirk was eating him alive, they're right. He should just get it off his chest and talk with everyone, surely they'd know better than to delve into his personal life.

“Minas hosting another movie night! We should totally go this time, they're always so much fun!” Uraraka chirps, washing her finished bowl in the sink and setting it down on the drying rack. “She said even bakugou is going!! Isn't that crazy? He never shows up to stuff like that.”

“Kaachan’s going?” Izuku looks at her questioningly, receiving a nod in response. He thinks it over for a moment and ultimately decides it would be fun to go, and he could take the chance to explain to them what happened.

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As the sun finally came down, moonlight shining through in its stead over the UA dorm grounds, Izuku met up with Ochako and Todoroki. The three of them exchanged quiet smiles before making their way into the common room, where everyone else had slowly been gathering.

The soft hum of chatter and rustling of snacks filled the space as everyone claimed their usual spots. Izuku ended up comfortably wedged between his two friends on the big couch, a plush blanket draped over their laps. He let out a soft content hum as he settled in, waiting for the movie to start. No one had tried talking to him yet, that's a good sign.

There was something grounding about moments like this, about the way Ochako leaned lightly against his shoulder, and the way Shoto's calm presence radiated a quiet warmth beside him. He always felt safe around them.

And then there was kacchan. Even if he wasn't sitting right next to him, just knowing he was nearby— gruff, loud, but always watching out for them in his own way—made Izuku feel a little more secure. A little more whole.

Just as everyone was getting settled, Mina bounced into the room, her energy lighting up the space like a firecracker.

“Okay okay!” she called out, clapping her hands to get everyone's attention. “Movie night is officially starting! Hope you're all ready for some classic chaos, make sure to get snacks and drinks!”

A light laughter rippled through the room as a few people whooped in response. At that moment Bakugou strode in, hands stuffed in his hood pocket, his expression unreadable at first.

His sharp gaze scanned the couch and locked onto izuku, snuggled under the blanket between Todoroki and Ochako. For a split second his eyes narrowed and he let out the faintest huff— barely audible over the noise, but enough to catch Uraraka’s attention.

She blinked, then glanced between bakugou and izuku, a flicker of realization flashing across her face. Without making a fuss, she shifted slightly.

“Uhm.. I'm gonna go grab another pillow real quick!” she said, standing to the side and now partially behind the couch. She plopped down again, this time in between him and Todoroki.

Kaminari spoke “Yoo bakugou! You actually came! I didn't think all our begging actually worked!” he was seated between shinsou and kirishima

“Yeah bakubro! Glad you made it!”

“Whatever..” Katsuki rolled his eyes and made his way over to the now open spot next to izuku, he dropped heavily, arms crossed and eyes briefly flickering towards him. Their shoulders brushed for just a second before he adjusted his posture with a grunt.

Izuku glanced over at the blonde boy “hey kacchan!” he said.

Bakugou only gave a low “tch” under his breath but he didn't move away.

Mina oblivious to the quiet drama unfolding on the couch, beamed from her spot near the TV.

“Tonight's movie is.. the conjuring.. A total masterpiece!” she announced. “And after that we’re playing games so nobody go passing out halfway through!”

Groans and cheers echoed around the room as the lights dimmed, the screen flared to life and the opening credits rolled.

The room settled into a hush as the movie began, the flickering light from the screen casting shifting shadows across their faces. The opening scenes were tame enough, creaking doors, eerie music, but Izuku already felt his heart beginning to race in anticipation. He wasn't great with horror movies. Never has been. He could face villains and danger head on but jumpscares? Spirits and demonic possession? That's a whole different battlefield.

A particularly sudden noise on screen made him flinch. His shoulders tensed and without thinking, he inched just a little closer to katsuki. Their arms brushed again, but this time Izuku didn't pull away. He gripped the edge of the blanket tighter, eyes locked on the screen trying to steel himself.

Another scare, a loud thud accompanied by a jumpscare and izuku jumped slightly, a soft gasp escaping him. On instinct, he turned into the person next to him holding onto Bakugou's arm, his hands trembling just a bit clinging to the fabric of his sleeve.

Bakugou stiffened, caught off guard. “He looked down at Izuku, wide eyes for a split second and then let out a low exhale through his nose. He didn't push him away. Instead, his arms shifted, one resting slightly behind izuku across the back of the cough. Subtle. Protective.

“Youre such a fuckin baby” he muttered, voice low. Gruff but not unkind.

Izuku didn’t reply. He just stayed there for a moment longer, grounding himself in the steady presence of the boy he'd known his whole life. The room was dark, the movie tense, but with his friends it all felt a little more manageable.

As the movie continued Izuku and others would scream, earning a laugh from those who weren't scared. Eventually, the movie wound down, the final exorcism scene ending in a thunderous crash before the credits rolled. The lights came back up slowly and people began stretching, yawning, groaning, and immediately talking about what scared them most.

Uraraka was fast asleep against todoroki, Izuku let out a long breath. Finally pulling away from katsuki and blinking at the sudden brightness.

“You didn't cry” Katsuki said with a sideways glance smirking with his remark. “I guess that's progress.”

Izuku let out a soft laugh, cheeks slightly flushed “come on kacchan that was only when we were little kids! I don't cry like that anymore.”

Mina clapped her hands again, hopping up with renewed energy. “Alright movies over! Time for games! Any suggestions?”

The room is now loud, everyone giving their own suggestion on what game they want to play. They eventually decide to play truth or dare. The energy shifted from tense to electric, Izuku stood slowly, stretching the stiffness out of his limbs. But as the group gathered he found himself glancing back at bakugou, who as usual hadn't gone far.

He didn't say anything but the way Katsuki lingered near him said enough. “Oi im not playing your dumbass game. Neither is the nerd”

Izuku blinked at him “kacchan-”

Hagakure looked at izuku “really? You're usually down for this kind of stuff!”

“He got hit with some stupid truth quirk today. Has to answer questions honestly no matter what. That sound like a fun game to you idiots?”

The room quieted a bit after that

“Dont worry midoriya! You don't have to play if you don't want to!” kirishima breaks the silence

Mina put her hands up apologetically “okay! You're off the hook, promise! You can just spectate with blasty and judge everyone, no worries!”

Izuku gave her a sheepish smile, relieved he sank back down onto the couch, now with a pillow tucked against his chest. Bakugou didn’t sit but he stayed nearby, arms crossed and hovering.

The game started full of the usual chaos, Jirou dared kaminari to eat one of Sato's mystery protein bars. Sero asked Mina about her biggest fear. The energy in the room kept climbing.

Somewhere around the fourth round kirishima and kaminari had started arguing, loudly, over the type of person they were into. It started as playful banter but quickly spiraled into their usual stubborn competition.

“I'm just saying..” kaminari gestured with both hands “fun and spontaneous is great and i wouldn't necessarily mind them being attractive!”

“Pfft nah dude!” Kirishima countered, grinning. “Looks dont matter with this kinda stuff!! You just gotta be compatible! I want my person to be serious and manly!”

“What, like todoroki?”

“Exactly !! not that im interested in him though no offense, just an example!”

“No offense taken.” Todoroki answered with his usual unreadable expression.

Sero snorted. “I dunno man kaminaris got a point, someone who keeps things light you know? Like Mina.”

Mina threw her hands up. “ I am right here by the way!”

“Fine, fine!” Kaminari said. “Bakugou back me up dude, spontaneous or serious!”

Bakugou, who had up until now been ignoring the whole thing, scoffed. “Both of you sound like morons. Shut up and play the game.”

Kaminari sighs defeatedly before turning to izuku “Midoriya! What about you! What kind of person do you like?”

Izuku's head jerked up. The pillow in his lap slipped slightly as his eyes widened.

“Kaminari!” Jirou yelled before smacking him upside the head.

“Shoot im sorry dude!”

“I…” his voice, suddenly small, distant. “I think.. It doesn't really matter. Because when you love someone, it's not about type. It's how they make you feel like breathing is easier when they're around. Like the world isn't trying to crush you all the time…”

A hush fell over the room again. Izuku blinked, realizing everyone was staring.

“Bro.. that was beautiful…” Kirishima replies, once again breaking the silence. “So.. manly…”

“Yeah now i feel like an awful person, jeez midoriya never knew you could be so poetic” kaminari adds

Mina's eyes don't leave Izuku, she narrows in on him suspiciously. “You know.. With that kind of description it kind of seems like you already feel that way about someone.. Huhhhh midoriyaaa” she asks accusingly

Izuku covers his mouth trying to muffle out his answer. ”mmfph!”

“Oi stop that he's not playing your stupid game.” Katsuki eyes the group down.

Mina giggles mischievously “im just teasing, id never do that to him!”

Izuku slowly lowered his hands, still red-faced but clearly relieved. The tension in the room eased again as everyone laughed or rolled their eyes. Even Bakugou’s glare lost some of its heat, though he still looked like he was one wrong move away from snapping someone's spine.

Kaminari rubbed the back of his head sheepishly,”seriously though sorry midoriya, i completely forgot and i wasnt thinking..”

Izuku shook his head with a small smile. “It's okay, I know you didn't mean to.”

Kaminari looked like he was about to say something else but Izuku cut in gently, rubbing his eyes. “I think im gonna turn in for the night, im pretty tired”

“You sure?” Kirishima asked. “Were probably playing a few more rounds”

“Yeah,” Izuku said, already rising from the couch. “I think I've had enough excitement for one night”

He glanced beside him, where Kuraraka was still curled up against the arm of the couch, deep in sleep. Her breathing was slow and even.

“I’ll walk Uraraka to her room on my way,” he added, trying to lightly stir her awake. “She’ll probably be uncomfortable if she sleeps like this all night.”

Katsuki stepped aside to let him pass, his expression unreadable. Izuku gently helped Ochako sit up, and she stirred slightly, mumbling something incoherent.

“It's okay, just going to your room,” Izuku said quietly, steadying her as she leaned on him half-asleep.

As he helped her towards the elevator, he heard the game picking back up behind him, the chatter returning to normal. But someone (probably Mina) muttered something like, ”poor guy looked like he was holding something in, maybe i went too far with my teasing..”

Once Uraraka was settled safely in her bed, she gave him a quick thank you before snoring back to sleep. Izuku turned back down the hallway, arms folded tightly over his chest as he walked.

He didn't make it all the way to his room before a quiet voice called out behind him.

“Deku.”

Izuku stopped. He turned. Katsuki stood near the corner, leaning against the wall like he'd been waiting for him.

“You good?” he asked. Not harsh or teasing, just.. Asking.

Izuku hesitated “yeah. Kaminaris question just shocked me I guess.. I didn't really expect to answer something like that.

Bakugou didn't say anything for a moment. His eyes flicked up and down Izuku's figure scanning him. “That thing you said earlier.”

Izuku's stomach tightened

Katsuki looked away, arms crossed. “About breathing easier”

“Oh.” Izuku glanced at the floor “that was kind of stupid huh?”

“No.” Katsuki muttered. “I got it”

They stood there in silence for a while, then he shrugged brushing it off, though his voice had softened. “Get some sleep idiot.”

Izuku smiled faintly. “You too Kacchan”

With that, he turned and disappeared into his room shutting the door behind him. The light clicked off shortly after. He didn't get into bed right away.

Instead he sank down slowly beside it, his back pressed against the wooden frame, knees bent up to his chest. The room was quiet.. Too quiet. The kind that rang in your ears. He pulled the all might blanket off his bed and draped it over his shoulders like a shield, hoping the weight would anchor him. It didn't.

He sat there, and he thought. About the game, about the way everyone looked at him when the words slipped out. How his heart had been handed to the whole room without his permission, cracked wide open, secrets spilling out like broken glass. At this rate everyone would know. They would know hes in love with Katsuki, he had been trying to hide and suppress these feelings for what seems like forever. That could've been a huge slip up.

And katsuki.. kacchan said he got it

But did he? Did he really? What did that even mean? Did he understand the weight of it? Of knowing someone for so long and never being enough for them until suddenly maybe you are? Maybe? But maybe not?

His breath hitched, his mind slipping through his fingers no matter how hard he tried to hold on. His chest tightened achingly and he pressed his hand against it, trying to calm it, trying to push it down, but it kept rising. Screaming in the back of his mind like a siren that wouldn't shut off.

Izuku held many secrets, his suicide attempt in middle school, how he was bullied by his best friend, one for all and all mights secrets, but loving katsuki? That was something he could never allow himself to slip out.

They all know now. There's no way they don't.

He couldn't breathe. His throat was closing, his heartbeat stuttering against his ribs like it was trying to break out. His fingers went numb. His vision swam between static, tears gathering so fast they burned behind his eyes. His legs curled in together to his chest and his body shook, his skin buzzed while his breathing continued to quicken.

The blanket slipped from his shoulders and he couldn't be bothered to move it back. His whole world narrowed to a single thought, looping like a broken record and getting louder with every breath that wouldn’t come.

He pressed both hands over his ears, eyes squeezed shut so tight it hurt. He tried grounding, he tried counting, he tried anything. But nothing worked. There was no escaping the drowning silence and weight of this.

All he could do was sit there, shaking, trying not to fall apart completely because it already felt like he had. It didn't stop for a long time. But eventually the storm inside him began to dull, not because it passed but because he was to tired to keep feeling it. The tears dried on his cheeks, sticky and warm. His body slumped sideways, heavy and drained, his breath still shallow but no longer gasping.

He didn't climb into bed, he didn't even move from the floor. Just pulled the blanket back over his shoulders with shaking fingers and let his eyes drift closed, forehead resting against the side of the mattress. His breathing evened out slowly, almost cautiously.

═══════ஓ๑♡๑ஓ═══════

Izuku's eyes blinked open to the dull gray light of the early morning slipping through his curtains and his alarm yelling at him.

For a moment he didn’t move, his body sore from the way he'd slept, curled awkwardly on the floor, neck stiff and arms numb. His head throbbed faintly behind his eyes, and his chest ached in that echo of sobbing kind of way. But he was awake.

Routine would save him now. He got up quietly, changed into his running clothes and stepped outside into the cool air. It was misty, the grass damp beneath his shoes, the sky still groggy with sleep like he was. His muscles protested but he moved anyway, one food in front of the other, breath tight but steady.

He made it a few laps around the school before he noticed another figure jogging just ahead of him. Blonde. Tense shoulders. Kacchan.

Izuku fell into place beside him, and Katsuki looked over briefly startled.

They didn't say anything at first, just the soft rhythmic thud of their feet against the ground and the fog of breath in the morning air.

“You look awful” Katsuki muttered “you even sleep nerd?”

Izuku shrugged, eyes forward “not really”

Katsuki didn't push, he just ran. And izuku followed.

═══════ஓ๑♡๑ஓ═══════

The halls buzzed with life again, as they always did on Monday mornings. But Izuku wasn't really there.

His head was full of cotton. Every voice felt too loud, every laugh a little too sharp. His stomach was in knots. He remembers his untouched breakfast still sitting cold in his room. His hands trembled faintly around his pencil as Aizawa droned through announcements.

He tried to take notes. The words on the page doubled and blurred.

Iida raised a hand dutifully to ask a question. Izuku squeezed his eyes shut for a second.

get it together.

But he couldn't focus. Every sound grated. Every whisper behind him sounded like it might be about him. Like they were still thinking about what he said. Like they knew. Surely he's overreacting.

He stared down at his notes where his handwriting had started to slant unevenly. In the margins his fingers had drawn little circles over and over, cutting into the page. He didn't even remember doing it.

He could feel Katsuki's annoyance, he just sat there trying to pretend he wasn't unraveling again.

═══════ஓ๑♡๑ஓ═══════

The cafeteria was alive with chatter, clays clattering, chairs dragging across tile. Conversations buzzed from all directions, blending into a single overwhelming hum.

Izuku sat at the usual table, picking at but not really eating the lunch.

Uraraka sat beside him, rubbing sleep from her eyes. “I totally passed out during the movie,” she laughed, grabbing a water bottle. “Thanks for walking me to my room deku!”

Izuku nodded with a weak smile “of course no problem ocha!”

He picked up his chopsticks, hands slow and fumbling. Managed one bite. Chewed it until it turned to paste in his mouth. His stomach turned. Across from him iida and todoroki were discussing their afterneed hero course drills.

Somewhere across the cafeteria Mina was showing Jiro a meme on her phone. Kaminara had his head down, probably recovering from whatever punishment his brain had suffered during training that morning.

Everything around him felt distant. Like he was sitting behind glass. He took another bite, then stopped.

“Ochako..?” he said quietly

She looked up at the freckled boy. “Hm?”

“You want the rest of mine?” He pushed the tray toward her.

Her eyes widened slightly “wait– hey are you okay??”

“Im just not that hungry” it wasn't a lie. His body felt hollow and food had no place in it. Uraraka hesitated but accepted the tray with a gentle smile.

“Alright deku! Let me know if you change your mind though.”

Izuku nodded, sighing and leaning back against his seat.

Katsuki had been watching from where he was seated, quietly observing. He got up after seeing izuku sigh.

“Freckles.”

Izuku looked up.

“Come with me for a sec.”

There was no edge in it, not the way there usually was. It wasn't a demand, it wasn't even loud.

Izuku blinked then gave a small nod. “Yeah okay kacchan”

He stood slowly saying goodbye to his friends and followed Katsuki through the cafeteria doors and into the quiet hallway.

The noise fell behind them like a dropped curtain.

They didn't speak until they were halfway down the hallway, far enough from the cafeteria that the noise dulled into nothing. Katsuki led them to a side stairwell, quiet, shadowed, the kind of place you could sit and breathe without people noticing. He turned arms crossed but gaze steady.

Izuku stood there, fingers picking at the skin around his nails nervously.

“You didn't eat.” Katsuki said, voice low. Observant not accusatory.

Izuku shifted on his feet. “I wasn't hungry..”

Katsuki nodded slowly “yeah you said that.” he paused. “But thats not what im asking”

Izuku looked down at his shoes, jaw clenched tight.

“I'm not tryna use that dumb quirk against you. I'm not asking questions or anything. I just.. I wanna know what's going on.” he said oddly soft.

The words don't carry the usual bite. They were too quiet. Too careful.

Izuku's shoulders twitched. “Im just tired its fine Kacch-”

His voice caught like it tripped over something buried too deep to dodge. He swayed slightly, one hand bracing on the wall. The air thickened in his throat, impossibly heavy.

“Okay.. It's not fine.. im not fine” his chest seized, tight and cruel and the pressure built behind his ribs. He wrapped his arms tighter around himself, digging fingernails into his sleeves. His knees buckled slightly, and he dropped down to sit on the first step of the stairs. Breathing sharp and shallow.

“Shit izuku what the hell is going on”

Izuku was shaking now, his body curling in on itself. “I- i dont… i dont want this to happen again–”

“Okay,” Katsuki said. “Breathe idiot.” He sat down beside him on the cold step, close enough to feel the edge of Izuku's shaking but not touching. “I'm not gonna make you talk. Not unless you want to.”

Izuku clutched his head in both his hands, fingers tangled and pulling in his hair.

“Stop that deku.” Bakugou reaches to grab his hands, moving them from his head to his own chest so he can feel his breathing.

Katsuki's jaw tensed. He wanted to fix it. Wanted to punch a hole through whatever was doing this to him but he stayed where he was. Breathing steadily for izuku to follow.

“I didn't want anyone to know,” Izuku whispered, voice barely a breath. “I didn't mean to say it like that last night i just.. It just fell out of me..”

“That's what this shits about? You're a damn idiot freckles.”

Izuku laughed, short and hollow. “I never say that stuff. It's too personal.. I feel almost exposed.”

“Over them asking you your type? You're sensitive as hell.” Katsuki rolled his eyes

Izuku's eyes widened, this was fine. Anyone in the world could know he loved katsuki as long as katsuki himself never found out.

“Scared the hell out of me with your freak out right now, you know that?” Bakugou said gruffly.

Izuku blinked slowly, still breathless but grounding little by little. Katsuki's hand remained over his, firm and warm against his chest, rising and falling with every steady inhale. He was still there breathing.

“I scared myself,” izuku muttered.

Bakugou snorted softly, but there was no venom in it. “No shit.”

They sat like that for another moment, long enough for Izuku's shaking to dull, for the burning in his lungs to fade into something manageable. His head still throbbed, the raw edges of the panic lingering, but it was quiet now.

Or at least quieter than before.

Eventually izuku pulled back just enough to breathe on his own again, though Katsuki didn't move far, he leaned back on his elbows beside him, legs stretched out on the step, eyes flickering over to him every few seconds.

“Lunch is almost over, we should go.” Izuku rubbed his eyes.

They stood in silence for a few more beats before izuku finally pushed himself up from the stairs, stiff and sore like his bones were made of soaked paper. Katsuki followed with a grunt, brushing dust off his pants.

They didn't say much on the way back to class but izuku noticed bakugou kept pace with him. Close but not crowding. No one stopped them in the hall or asked where they had been. And that was good. Izuku still felt so.. Fragile.

Time blurred. He took notes, or at least he tried to. The words on the board swam sometimes and he caught himself zoning out more than once.

But every time his head started to drift, every time his chest tightened again or his hand began to tremble he glanced at Katsuki, just once.

They didn't exchange words, just a look. A flicker of understanding.

Izuku pushed through the rest of the day on muscle memory alone.

═══════ஓ๑♡๑ஓ═══════

As the last bell rang and students packed up for the day, izuku moved slower than usual. His body was running on fumes, sleep deprived and emotionally wrung out. His bag felt heavier than it should. His limbs ached.

But he kept it together, barely. Todoroki was waiting for him at the door with uraraka, both of them chatting idly until they noticed him.

“Hey deku!” Uraraka said slinging her bag over her shoulder

“Hi ocha! Todoroki!”

Todoroki gave a small nod in response. They headed off to the dorms. As they started walking, uraraka matched pace beside him, talking about the homework they'd been assigned, but Izuku barely caught half of it, her voice was soft and easy, trying not to ask him how he was but still giving him something to hold onto. He appreciated it more than he could say.

Todoroki walked on his other side, quiet as ever but close. Their presence flanked him like subtle guardrails, like they knew he needed it and wouldn't let him tip.

Izuku offered a tired smi;e when Uraraka glanced at him between sentences and she smiled back.

The dorms came into view not long after, golden light spilling out of the common room windows as students drifted in and out. It was warmer inside, the familiar hum of voices wrapping around him like a blanket he couldn't quite feel.

“Gonna head up,” he mumbled. “Need a shower”

“Okay!” Uraraka said. “Let me know if you want company later, we can chill or something.”

“Thanks chako”

Todoroki gently patted him on the shoulder, just once, then headed for the kitchen.

Izuku climbed the stairs slowly. His legs felt like they weren't entirely connected to the rest of him. Each step thudded up through his spine like it might crack something open again.

He showered with the water hotter than necessary, standing under the steam longer than he meant to. When he came out steam clinging to the mirrors he caught sight of himself.

Tired eyes, damp curls clinging to his forehead.

He dried off dressed in a plain tee and sweats and went down the hall to his room and paused. Because Katsuki was there leaning against the door, arms crossed, face pulled into something unreadable. His eyes lifted the second izuku turned the corner like he'd been listening for him.

“You gonna eat?” Bakugou asked, like it was the most normal question in the world for him to ask.

Izuku blinked “uh maybe later?”

“You should. I'm cooking tonight. You'll feel worse if you dont”

“Probably..” he said softly “okay kacchan, ill come down to eat later.”

Katsuki huffed “you better or ill come throw it at your face, got it?”

Izuku gave a faint, grateful smile. Katsuki stepped away from the door to let him pass and Izuku slipped inside. The room felt too quiet, but familiar and safe. He collapsed into bed, not even bothering with the blanket. He just curled onto his side blinking slowly at the wall and letting himself get the rest he so desperately wanted.

Maybe a few hours later he was stirred awake by a knock on his door, he grumbled something unintelligible burying himself deeper into the sheets

“Im coming in” The door opened and Katsuki stood there with a plate of katsudon in his hand. Izuku turned to stare at him a moment and squinted when the lights were turned on.

“Eat.” He shoved the plate in his face

Izuku stared at it for a moment then took it with a whispered “thank you”

Katsuki didn't leave. Just leaned against the wall with his arms crossed watching as izuku took a few bites humming happily.

“Kacchans food is always the best” he said between mouthfuls, not realizing how hungry he actually was.

“Better?” Bakugou asked quietly.

Izuku nodded, satisfied.

“Good” he pushed off the wall “dont think too hard. Im here if you wanna talk i guess.”

“Okay. thanks kacchan” he whispered

He felt warm that night, the softness Bakugou showed him setting him in the right mood to fall right back to sleep.

═══════ஓ๑♡๑ஓ═══════

The sun had barely risen when Izuku walked into the common room, hair messy and eyes still cloudy with sleep. He thought he was alone until he heard the clink of a spoon tapping ceramic.

Mina sat cross-legged on the couch, a bowl of cereal in her lap and a blanket around her shoulders. She perked up the second she saw him.

“Hey zuzu!” she chirped, spoon halfway to her mouth.

Izuku blinked blearily. “Mina? What are you doing up?”

“Dunno actually,” she shrugged. “Just woke up before my alarm got the chance to do its job i guess.”

Izuku hummed in acknowledgment, making his way past her to head out for a run.

She grinned devilishly. “You know zuku…That very poetic, emotional speech you gave during truth or dare? I found it moving…”

Izuku’s face went red instantly.

“I'm still curious, you know..”

“Mina, I told you—”

“I know I know but stillll come onnn”

“No- Mina, please, I really don’t think-”

“Who is it?” she leaned in, wiggling her eyebrows. “Come on. I swear I won’t tell.”

Behind them, the microwave beeped. Neither of them noticed that Bakugou had entered the room to heat up one of his protein meals, standing silently behind the counter with a scowl on his face.

Izuku squeezed his eyes shut. He tried to swallow it down. But the quirk wouldn’t let him.

“It’s Kacchan.” The word came out quiet. Small. But undeniable.

Mina blinked.

Bakugou taking his food out of the microwave froze.

Izuku opened his eyes again, already horrified. “Oh my god. Oh my god. I didn’t mean to- please don’t say anything. Why would you ask me that!”

“Holy shit,” Mina breathed, bowl tipping slightly in her lap. “Holy shit.”

And then, slowly, her eyes shifted behind him. Izuku turned.

Katsuki stood there, plate in hand, not blinking. Not moving. His face unreadable, save for the twitch in his jaw and the widening of his eyes.

“I didn’t mean for you to hear that I didn’t even want to say it,” Izuku croaked. His stomach rolled. His chest clenched. “please don’t be mad- I’m so sorry..”

“I’m gonna go,” Mina said abruptly, a tinge of guilt etched into her face, standing up and darting out of the room, cereal bowl abandoned.

Izuku stared at the floor. “Please just forget I said anything. Please. We don’t need to talk about it just.. pretend it never happened”

But Bakugou didn’t say anything, he just stared. Izuku’s whole body tensed, but the words didn’t come. And Bakugou, still silent, turned on his heel and walked back to his room.

Izuku sank onto the couch and stared at his trembling hands. He felt sick. Him not having said anything at all might have been worse than just yelling at him for it.

═══════ஓ๑♡๑ஓ═══════

He didn’t focus. Couldn’t. Everything was too loud. Too bright. The ticking of clocks, the chatter in the halls, even the scratch of his pencil. It all grated on his nerves.

And Katsuki hadn’t looked at him once. Izuku flinched whenever someone said his name. His thoughts circled endlessly, gnawing at the memory like a wound he couldn’t stop picking open.

He chewed on his nail nervously.

You said it. He knows. He knows and now everything’s ruined.

He sighed in defeat and set his head down for the rest of class, not wanting to see anything at all.

By lunch, he couldn’t even eat. He pushed his tray aside and offered half of it to Ochako, who gave him a worried glance but didn’t press. He couldn’t meet anyone’s eyes.

Mina came to his table to offer him an apology, he nodded in response reluctantly. He was definitely upset with her, but she’s still his friend and he wasn’t going to hold a grudge or anything.

It’s not like she was trying to humiliate him and ruin everything he had worked so hard to build between him and Bakugou.

And Katsuki…Still silent. Still unreadable.

His friends gave him worried glances from time to time, not wanting to pry but obviously realizing something was wrong.

Todoroki frowned upon seeing Izuku’s anxiety filled face.

The entire day left him feeling empty; he just wanted to curl up in his bed and cry. For now he just needed to get over the awkwardness of it all. Kacchan had been ignoring him, his friends were worried, and he admitted the one thing he swore he would never tell anyone.

He’d ruined everything.. That was the only thing playing in his mind over and over.

═══════ஓ๑♡๑ஓ═══════

He almost made it to the dorm stairs before he heard Bakugou’s voice. “Deku.”

He stopped. He thought for a moment to pretend he never heard anything, to keep walking. But that wasn’t fair to him, he slowly turned to face the blonde.

Bakugou stood behind him, arms crossed. His expression was... softer than it had been all day. No anger. Just a quiet tension, like a string pulled tight.

“We need to talk. Now.” He narrowed his eyes at the freckled boy “I’m not fucking around either so let’s go”

Izuku followed nervously without speaking. Surely he’d just have to endure getting yelled at by him and moving on. Right?
They ended up behind the training building, one of the only places that would be deserted at this hour. The concrete was still warm from the afternoon sun. Katsuki didn’t say anything for a while. He just stood there, breathing like he was trying to get a grip on something.

“Why?” He said finally

Izuku blinked. “Why what?”

“Why me?”

Izuku’s breath hitched. He looked down, fingers tightening at his sides. “I-”

“I’m not asking ‘cause of the quirk,” Katsuki said, softer this time. “I just want to know.”

Izuku’s chest ached. He swallowed.

“Because when I look at you, kacchan... everything inside me stops screaming.”

He kept his eyes on the ground.

“You’re not soft.. maybe sometimes. But you’re real. You’re always there, even when it hurts. You’ve never let me lie to myself. Even when I wanted to. Even when I was breaking. And... and somehow... just being around you makes me feel strong. Even when I’m not. You push me to always be better.”

His voice trembled.

“And I know you don’t always know how to say things. But when you do, they mean everything. I grew up watching.. admiring you from behind. I loved everything you did and… I buried these feelings deep inside of me. I shouldn't have fallen in love with you… I don’t deserve you… everything about you is perfect to me. Even if you, yourself, can’t see it.”

Bakugou stood there a moment, processing the weight of his words and what exactly he was saying. He took a deep breath organizing his own thoughts before beginning to speak.

This felt like an eternity to izuku, watching his face go from shocked to confused. Maybe he thought it was weird. Sure maybe it might’ve been, people don’t usually fall in love with their bullies.

“I’m not great at this feelings thing deku. But..When I look at you,” he said roughly, “I feel... something.”
Izuku froze.
“I didn’t know what the hell it was at first,” Katsuki continued, gaze intense but open. “I thought it was just guilt from how I treated you. Or history. But it’s not. It’s more.”

He stepped closer again, now inches from him.

“When I sit still long enough to feel, I don’t think about explosions or fights or being number one. I think about you. About whether you’ve eaten. About whether you’re sleeping. About that dumb look you get when you're overthinking or your stupid annoying muttering that only I’m able to keep up with.”

Izuku’s eyes went glassy in realization.

Katsuki’s voice dropped to barely a whisper. “I don’t know how it took me so long to realize but I got the slap in the face I needed when raccoon eyes asked you who you liked. You said I make things quieter plus all that sappy shit you said the other day.. You do that for me too.. izuku.”

Katsuki inched closer, slowly leaning forward inviting him in. His breath caught, trembling somewhere between hope and fear. He didn’t exactly think this through but then Izuku closed the gap between them kissing him. It was soft, like a question.

Tentative, as if he was waiting for the earth to tilt beneath them, for rejection to rise up and swallow him whole.

Their lips barely touched, but it carried the weight of everything unsaid. Every glance that lingered too long, every moment they almost said something real.

His heart pounded loud enough to drown out the silence, and for a split second, nothing else existed.

Bakugou came back to kiss him again, the first one not fully satisfying his need. Izuku melted into it, breath hitching in his throat. One hand clutched the front of Katsuki’s hoodie like a lifeline while the other wrapped around his neck. Tears flowed freely down his face.

Katsuki moved his hands down to Izuku’s waist

They broke apart soon after, and Izuku’s forehead pressed lightly to Katsuki’s.

“I thought this would ruin everything,” Izuku whispered, choking between sobs.

Katsuki huffed a breath against his skin bringing a hand to wipe away his tears. “You really are a dumbass.” But his hand found Izuku’s. Warm. Solid. Unshaking.

═══════ஓ๑♡๑ஓ═══════

They walked back slowly hand in hand. Neither of them said much, but Izuku’s chest felt lighter with every step.

As they headed for Izuku’s room a few of their classmates stared at them, noticing how they held onto each other's hand. Light gasping and a sigh of relief followed. (probably by Mina again)

Once inside his room, Izuku sank onto the bed while Katsuki stood by the door, shutting it closed behind him.

“Still tired?” he asked.

Izuku yawned and nodded, kicking off his shoes. “Emotionally exhausted.”

Katsuki rolled his eyes, but there was a smile in there somewhere. “You’re such a dork.”

Izuku chuckled and laid back. The ceiling was still the same. The silence still thick.

But it was a new kind of quiet now.

Katsuki walked over, and without asking, sat down beside him on the edge of the bed.

Izuku didn’t move, just leaned his head against Katsuki’s leg.

Katsuki placed a hand in his curls, brushing them back with a care no one else ever saw from him. He had always wanted to do this but never got an excuse to, dating him seems to be a pretty good reason now though.

“…You’re not gonna regret this?” Izuku asked.

“Not for a second.”

Katsuki waited for him to fall asleep completely before throwing a blanket on him. He kissed his forehead and stared at him for a moment, smiling.

His heart was full and warm, he couldn’t wish for anything more.