House arrest: punishment or blessing?

by Peffer90

Summary:

“You shitty Deku! Think I did that for fun? What the hell’s wrong with you?” he continued shouting. But his outburst triggered a question I couldn’t stop myself from asking: “Then why did you kiss me?”

Once again, my brain was too slow to stop me. I seriously needed to get a handle on this habit of blurting things out around Kacchan. Ever since this house arrest, it had been like a curse.

“Ugh…” Kacchan seemed to be thinking. His mouth opened twice, then closed again. He pressed his lips into a thin line before letting out a frustrated breath.

“Fine! After this, we never talk about this crap again, got it?”

Without waiting for a response, he leaned in and pressed his lips to mine for the third time that day - this time properly.

 

Or, after Ground Beta Izuku and Katsuki have to handle with all the complicated stuff between them.

Notes:

Hello everyone! This is a "little" story I've been working on for two years, which I’ve only uploaded in my native language on another platform until now. But I’m curious to see how it’ll be received here! With a current total of 59 chapters (sorry, I hate leaving out details), I’ll be uploading one chapter every other day.

I hope you enjoy this story! It’s meant to be a comfort story—something you can read over and over again, smile, and gush about. I hope I can achieve that goal with this!

Chapter 1: House Arrest

Chapter 1

 

This isn’t the story of how I became the greatest hero of all time. Sure, it’s still my goal, and I’ll achieve it someday, but aside from success, ambition, and intense training, there was something else that occupied and drove me during my school years. A relationship with someone I never could have imagined. I was always prepared for anything. But this one utopian twist... I hadn’t seen it coming.

Allow me to introduce myself: Izuku Midoriya, 16 years old, a hero student at UA in Class 1A. And I’ve just been put under house arrest. How did that happen? Well, let’s just say:

It had something to do with an explosive personality!

 

"Midoriya! Bakugo! I’ve had enough of you two! Every time something happens, at least one of you is involved!" Mr. Aizawa ran a hand down his face in exasperation. All Might had tried to explain that he was to blame for the dispute between Kacchan and me, but our homeroom teacher couldn’t just let it slide.

How could he? Kacchan and I had an unauthorized fight in the middle of the night on Ground Beta, where we beat each other senseless. And damn, it had felt good. We had spoken more openly during that fight than ever before. It was freeing, and I even made progress during the fight. I lost, sure, but I improved. And I no longer had to hide my secret from Kacchan, which lifted an indescribable weight off my shoulders.

Admittedly, not many people knew that All Might had passed his power to me, and I didn’t feel the urge to tell anyone in the class. But Kacchan... he was my childhood friend, even though things between us hadn’t been great over the years. Okay, understatement of the century: Kacchan had hated and bullied me for a while, and he still gave me a hard time. Honestly, I wasn’t even sure if today’s “conversation” had changed that completely. But it gave me hope - hope of getting closer to a long-lost friend.

"You’re both under house arrest!" Mr. Aizawa’s words pulled me out of my thoughts. "And you’ll clean all the common rooms in the mornings and evenings. On top of that, you’ll prepare breakfast and dinner for all of Class 1A!"

Kacchan next to me snorted, and I could only lower my head in embarrassment, my mouth twisting slightly.

But our teacher wasn’t done with us yet. "Which one of you started it?"

Still bound, Kacchan sighed before answering clearly, "That would be me." Shocked that he outright admitted it - though it was true - I quickly added, "I didn’t hold back either!"

Kacchan glanced at me, his expression unreadable. Was he annoyed that I defended him? Irritated that I showed sympathy he didn’t want? Or just surprised? Hard to say. With him, I was never sure.

I shot All Might a quick look. He was still trying to reason with Mr. Aizawa, who seemed ready to deliver his final verdict as the bindings around us slowly loosened. "Midoriya gets three days of house arrest, and Bakugo gets four. If either of you breaks the rules or clashes again, I’ll extend it to a whole week for both of you! Understood?"

We nodded obediently and were finally dismissed.

Just as we were about to shuffle out of the room like two scolded dogs, Mr. Aizawa called after us, "If your injuries worsen or don’t heal, go to the infirmary. But you won’t have Recovery Girl patch you up. The wounds you inflicted on each other will heal on their own."

I sighed and let my shoulders droop. Of course, my entire body ached, and I had a few small burns as well. Nothing new for me, considering I was always catching something from Kacchan. But not as seriously as during this fight. I couldn’t help but wonder how Kacchan was holding up. After all, I had used One for All at 8% against him for the first time.

 

We walked down the hallway in silence, heading for our rooms at last. I had no idea what time it was, but the fatigue hadn’t set in yet. The fight was still too fresh in my mind, and I knew I’d spend later replaying every word exchanged.

Before heading to my room, I wanted to say something to Kacchan. Something final, because I didn’t want to leave it like this. After all, the weight of everything had pushed him to the point where I’d seen him cry for the first time.

"Kacchan... I’m sor—" I started but was stopped by his sharp gaze. He snorted and said, "What are you apologizing for now, Deku?"

Huh, no “damn” or “shitty” before my name? He must’ve been really tired or completely out of energy to yell at me properly.

Still, I reverted to an old habit: glancing at him nervously, raising my hands in a placating gesture, shoulders hunched. Stammering, I tried again, "Well, everything. The punishment, not telling you before. And… that all this has weighed on you. With All Might and all."

My voice got quieter toward the end. Damn it, I’d wanted to look him in the eye to show I was serious. But I could only manage a timid sideways glance. He had turned away from me, staring straight ahead, looking resigned.

"Forget it, nerd. I don’t need your pity or anything else. Just drop it and move on," he said, unusually calm.

I held my breath, my eyes widening. Forget it? Forget the words exchanged? Forget that I’ve always admired him? Forget that he actually saw me as a rival? Forget his guilt? Forget that he always felt like I was looking down on him?

No! Never! What we said earlier was so freeing for me; there was no way I could just erase it from my mind. And he couldn’t possibly mean it. Dammit! Before I could even think of the best way to respond without making him explode, my mouth had already blurted out a firm, "No!"

Kacchan stopped in his tracks beside me. At first, he looked surprised, but then his shoulders started trembling slightly, and his clenched fists shook too.

"Listen here, you shitty nerd!" he began loudly. And there it was again—Kacchan as I knew him: impulsive, aggressive, and intimidating! I instinctively stepped back, feeling the wall behind me. Hm, maybe I should have chosen the common room for this instead of the hallway, where escape routes were limited.

I didn’t have time to dwell on it as he continued, "Just because we exchanged a few more words than usual and maybe – maybe - I was a little more emotional than normal, doesn’t mean everything between us is all sunshine and rainbows!"

"Why not? At what point did you decide there could be no sunshine and rainbows between us? Was it when you got your Quirk? When you realized I was just quirkless? Or when you were shocked to see I wasn’t quirkless anymore?"

Holy crap, where did that come from? I startled myself with my boldness, throwing something like that at Kacchan. Damn, damn, damn. I couldn’t back down now, though, even as I heard the crackling of sparks between his fingers.

I looked at him and was startled to see how hard he was trying to hold himself back. His teeth were clenched, and he was glaring at me so darkly that I pressed myself further against the wall, trying to gain even the slightest bit more distance.

"Don’t push it too far!" Kacchan growled dangerously at me. But he still hadn’t addressed anything I’d said.

"Do you really have to threaten me just because you can’t answer?" I snapped back. "Me, your pebble on the side of the road?"

And damn it, now I was mad too. I felt like we were back on Ground Beta, ready to fight again. And this time, I wasn’t planning to lose.

Kacchan’s face twisted in rage, so much so that I thought he might blow up the entire dorm. I activated One for All as he raised his fist to strike. Let him see that I wasn’t backing down this time. No, this was something I wanted to "talk" out.

Just as his hand started to spark, and I braced myself to counter, my energy abruptly dissipated.

Confused and suddenly fearful, I looked at Kacchan’s hand, which froze mid-motion as my quirk deactivated. He looked just as bewildered as I did. And as my brain offered up the only explanation that made sense, a familiar voice rang out beside us: "Bakugo and Midoriya! That’s enough!"

Startled, we both turned toward the entrance. Eraserhead stood there, his Quirk activated, nullifying mine. I heard a quiet "fuck" from Kacchan, and honestly, I couldn’t agree more. Fuck. It hadn’t even been ten minutes since Mr. Aizawa had warned us about harsher consequences if we couldn’t behave.

My pathetic attempt to explain with a, "Mr. Aizawa, this isn’t what it looks like—" was cut short as his capture weapon wrapped around us. Again. For the second time tonight. Could this get any worse?

Of course, it could get worse! The next words out of Mr. Aizawa’s mouth hit me like a truck.

"Seven days of house arrest for both of you! The only exception: Bakugo can attend his extra course for the provisional hero license on Saturday. Midoriya, you’ll handle all the cleaning alone on Saturday, and Bakugo will do it on Sunday. In addition, I want a fifteen-page handwritten apology essay from each of you! If you go at it again, or if I hear about any trouble from your classmates, I’ll either chain you two together until you work it out or expel you both from the school!"

I glanced at Kacchan, who looked just as shocked as I felt. His eyes flicked back to me, and for the first time, we silently agreed on something.

"It won’t happen again!" we said in perfect unison.

Mr. Aizawa gave us a hard, scrutinizing look, clearly annoyed. Probably because we’d already cost him too much sleep tonight. He finally deactivated his Quirk, letting me feel the familiar buzz of my power again, and unwound his capture weapon.

He turned away with a tired sigh and walked off. We stood there in the hallway, saying nothing. And just like that, the exhaustion hit me. It crashed over me so suddenly that I leaned forward, trying to shake off the tension.

Unfortunately, a body was in the way, and my head brushed against Kacchan’s chest.

Startled, I straightened up too quickly, and if Kacchan hadn’t instinctively reacted, I might’ve smacked him in the chin with the back of my head. Why was he standing so close to me, anyway? Oh, right - he’d been about to blow my head off earlier.

I sighed, aware that Kacchan was watching me. Whether he was angry, confused, or annoyed, I couldn’t tell. Without looking up, I mumbled, "Good night, Kacchan," and headed for my room alone.

The frustrating feeling that we hadn’t fully worked things out was buried so far in the back of my mind that, in this moment, I didn’t care. Maybe tomorrow. But tonight, I’d had enough.

 

Chapter 2: First morning

Notes:

Hello everyone!
After the first Chapter I change the summary of the story. Give you a small part of Chapter 9 ;) So stay patient, a lot of Bakudeku moments will come!

Chapter 2 – First Morning

 

My alarm went off way too early. God, I didn’t even get four hours of sleep. Turning onto my back hurt like hell, and that’s when I realized I had just collapsed into bed last night. I hadn’t showered, hadn’t changed, hadn’t even pulled the blanket over myself.

This day couldn’t possibly start any worse! Though, now that I think about it, when I said the same thing yesterday, Mr. Aizawa hit us with an even harsher punishment.

All because of Kacchan! ...Okay, I provoked him too. Less provoked, more like I wanted to confront him. The guy just has an aggression problem. With me!

I sighed and ran my less battered arm through my hair. My cheek was slightly swollen, my entire body ached, but it was bearable. I should probably start by showering, then get to making breakfast. And then the others would show up. Oh man, what was I going to tell them?

I froze. I hadn’t even thought about that yet. Should I ask Kacchan to make sure our stories matched? We couldn’t exactly blurt out my secret. What could have possibly triggered a fight otherwise? Maybe just a rivalry match. Yeah, we just wanted to test our limits! That sounded plausible enough.

A loud thud snapped me out of my thoughts. "Oi, damn Deku! You’re mumbling so loud I can hear it through the door! Get up and do your damn job already!" Kacchan burst into my room. He was freshly showered, fully dressed, and acting like last night hadn’t happened.

How? I was completely wrecked and would’ve loved to sleep for a few more hours. He looked wide awake and... was he looking me over? Why was he wrinkling his nose?

"Damn Deku suits you just fine, huh? Go wash up and get fucking dressed already! I’ll make breakfast while you start cleaning! Can’t trust you in the kitchen unless we all want to get poisoned!" he barked before vanishing as quickly as he’d appeared.

Okay, that was weird. So many words from Kacchan first thing in the morning! Had he even slept? Normally, he was grumpy in the mornings. He barely spoke before class. At most, he’d grunt, "Shut up!" or "Keep talking, and I’ll kill you." But that was about it.

Sighing, I pushed myself out of bed, grabbed some fresh clothes, and headed to the big communal bathroom. Of course, before I got there, I noticed the huge "SUSPENDED" poster taped to my door. Great, just the kind of conversation starter I needed. Maybe no one would notice. Then I could try talking to Kacchan again in peace. Maybe this time it’d go better than yesterday. And if he did blow up, nobody would notice it because at least everyone would be in class, including Mr. Aizawa.

"Good morning, Izuku! I saw the sign on your door! What did you do?" Kaminari’s voice startled me from behind. A few others were with him, including Ilda, who wasted no time.

"Midoriya, I’m deeply disappointed! I don’t have all the details yet, but being suspended is a disgrace to our class! We agreed to follow the rules after Bakugou’s rescue and the incidents that followed!"

Rubbing the back of my head sheepishly, I greeted everyone and quickly added, "Kacchan’s suspended too." Somehow, it made me feel a little better to share the blame. And if I could offload some of it onto my explosive friend, all the better.

Eyes widened all around me. Kaminari started laughing, while Ilda shook his head in resignation and continued, "Why am I not surprised? Of course, you two couldn’t hold back! That’s why we have training during class! There’s no excuse for this behavior! I won’t tolerate it!"

I let my shoulders slump, staring down at the floor. Whenever Ilda got started, it felt like a lecture from a strict 50-year-old adult, not a fellow classmate. But that’s just how he was, and he was great at piling guilt onto me.

Taking a deep breath, I said, "I’m really sorry, Ilda. It won’t happen again! I honestly don’t know how things escalated so badly yesterday!"

"What exactly happened?" Sero asked, joining the group at some point. I grimaced, waved it off, and told them I had to help with breakfast. A convenient excuse—and one I’d probably regret later if Kacchan saw me anywhere near his sacred domain.

Kacchan could cook like a pro, and he had no problem turning everyone else into his kitchen assistants. Of course, nothing was ever good enough for him. Vegetables were sliced wrong, ingredients weren’t washed properly, or the wrong pot was put on the stove.

His parents used to cook the most amazing meals back in the day. Balanced, fresh, and so delicious. Even now, just thinking about it made my mouth water. But that was over a decade ago. Still, it remains one of my fondest childhood memories - going to his house after kindergarten, playing hero, and having something delicious to eat.

Lost in thought, I barely noticed as I showered, got dressed, and walked into our big common area.

"Good morning!" I greeted the group. Most of them were already there, and I saw Kacchan being cornered by Kirishima. Oh no. This was going to end badly.

Uraraka ran over to me, concern written all over her face. She grabbed my arms and asked, "Deku, are you okay? Are you in pain? What did Bakugo do to you?" Her worried expression made me smile nervously. I quickly tried to reassure her.

"I’m fine! It looks worse than it is. We just had a little... disagreement. Nothing major!" I said, trying to play it down. There was no way I could explain the real reason for our fight. And I didn’t know if Kacchan had said anything yet, so I just hoped she’d let it go.

But her sharp glare toward Kacchan made me uneasy. She wouldn’t actually go over there and give him a lecture, would she? After all, she’d never believe I was the one who instigated it. And technically, I wasn’t. It was Kacchan’s fault! God, how many times had I told myself that already? Yet, I still found the fight freeing. Now, I understood why Kacchan looked at me the way he did—angry, aggressive, hateful. Overall, it had been a good thing. The punishment, though, was terrible. I’d miss so much class, and I didn’t know how I’d catch up.

A sharp voice broke through my mumbling, pulling me back to the present. "Hey, Round Face! If you’ve got something to say, spit it out. Question is, will you regret it?" Kacchan’s tone was threatening and arrogant, as usual, and it hit a nerve. I had to take a deep breath before I started setting the table.

The others must have already heard about our punishment from Kacchan, because otherwise someone else would have done it by now. But it looked like they were happy to take full advantage of their "all-inclusive" service.

Once everything was ready, and Kacchan had bossed everyone around to get the food on the table, my friends practically dove in.

They raved about the food, thanking Kacchan, who only snorted and ate his breakfast in silence. No one dared to bring up our house arrest—probably to avoid setting him off. Not that I’d put it past him to blow up the food if he got angry enough. Knowing Kacchan, he’d twist Mr. Aizawa’s instructions to justify it. We were only supposed to make the breakfast, after all. Whether anyone actually ate it wasn’t part of the deal.

I sighed as I listened to the others discuss their schedules for the day. I was going to miss so much! It made me slump even further. Damn it! Why did I follow Kacchan last night? I could’ve just said no and stayed in my room. Who was I kidding, though? Like I could ever say no to Kacchan. Although…

"Deku, what are you mumbling to yourself this time?" Uraraka’s question snapped me out of my thoughts. Damn, was I talking out loud again?

Embarrassed, I glanced around. Thankfully, no one else seemed to have noticed. Good. It happened often enough, and usually, I spoke so quietly and quickly that no one could understand me anyway.

Except for one person. Kacchan. He was glaring at me, the vein on his forehead pulsing. I quickly dropped my gaze. Oh no, this was not going to end well once the others left.

 

Soon, everyone was getting ready to leave.

"We’re heading to the trimester’s opening speech now. Too bad you’ll miss it, ribbit," Tsuyu said, looking between Kacchan and me.

"Hey, Bakubro! Have fun cleaning!" Kirishima teased with a wide grin.

A loud crack echoed through the room. Kacchan had crushed his plate in his hand.

That was all the encouragement Sero needed to shove Kirishima out of the dorm as quickly as possible, with everyone else following close behind.

And then there were only two of us left. Fantastic.

I started with the bathrooms while Kacchan cleaned the kitchen. There was an unspoken agreement about who would do what. We didn’t even discuss it - it was just clear.

So, I spent the first hour of the morning alone. The quiet was nice, though. It gave me time to think. Time to wonder how the next few days would go.

Then it hit me. We couldn’t even go outside to train. Maybe Mr. Aizawa would allow a quick jog around the campus? I needed the exercise - it had become part of my daily routine. Probably Kacchan too. It didn’t happen often, but on the rare occasions I trained early, I’d sometimes see him out jogging. He was just as driven and relentless as I was when it came to training. A connection we’d shared since coming to UA.

Once I finished the bathroom, I moved on to vacuuming the common area. It was huge, so Kacchan grabbed a vacuum too and started in another corner.

The silence between us was stifling. After last night, I wanted to break the ice somehow. But how? Continuing our conversation was out of the question - we’d end up expelled faster than I could blink. That left the fight itself. Maybe that could get him talking. Or could it?

Taking a deep breath, I gathered what little courage I had left after last night and hesitantly asked, "Hey, Kacchan. What did you think of my Shoot Style?"

Silence. Crushing silence. I didn’t dare turn around. After last night, I thought our shared secret might bring us closer. As rivals. As friends.

I’d just about given up on getting a response when his calm voice broke the tension. "Your movements are too big. Even when you got faster, I could still barely react. Not good for close combat."

Surprised, I turned slightly to look at him. He had his back to me. I processed what he’d said and found his analysis spot-on. And helpful.

"I see," I replied in the same calm tone, turning back to my work. But then he kept going.

"The way you combined kicks with your punches pissed me off."

For some reason, my chest swelled with pride. I felt happy to get such a "compliment" from Kacchan. Sure, most people wouldn’t call it that, but I would. It meant he acknowledged my fighting style.

"Thanks," I managed to say.

We finished the rest of the cleaning in silence and eventually retreated to our rooms. After all, we had an extremely long email full of assignments to complete over the next seven days. It was going to be exhausting.

Notes:

Thats it!
Hope you enjoy it!
What do you think? What will happen in house arrest?
See you an Thursday!

Chapter 3: Study Session

Notes:

Hello everyone!
Here is the new Chapter! I hope to maybe get a comment or two from you with this. I’d definitely appreciate it.
Enjoy! :)

I slumped over my desk in despair. This couldn’t be happening. How was I supposed to manage all of this?  

I’d been working on English nonstop for the last two hours and was about to tackle math. But nothing in the textbook made sense to me. Why would a hero even need this stuff?  

Math was going to defeat me this week. And with it, the entire trimester. There was no way I could teach it to myself. Maybe one of the others could help later? Then again, Mr. Aizawa - ever the sadist - had included a note in his email forbidding any classmates from assisting us.  

I groaned and rested my head on the desk, quietly lamenting my situation. That’s when I noticed my phone. I stared at it for a moment before an idea struck me. I dismissed it immediately. But deep down, I knew it was my only chance to avoid falling too far behind.  

I needed help. And there was only one person who was technically allowed to help me.  

Kacchan!  

Kacchan was better at math than even Momo. But would he help me?  

"Maybe I could offer him something in return. English or hero studies!" I mumbled, sitting upright and resting my chin on my hand. Worst case, he’d say no. Well, actually, worst case, he’d chase me through the dorm and try to blow me up. But we both knew he couldn’t do that if we wanted to stay at UA. And he did. How else could he surpass me and everyone else if we weren’t here?  

Yes, that was it! He couldn’t afford to fall behind either. It would be a win-win if we split the workload. That way, I’d have time to train in my room, something that seemed impossible with the long list of tasks we had - on top of cleaning and cooking duties.  

Determined, I grabbed my phone and found Kacchan’s number in our class group chat. Before I could second-guess myself, I typed as quickly as possible and hit send.  

Hey Kacchan! Have you looked at the math yet?  

Casual, not pushy or desperate. This had to work.  

My phone beeped, making me jump. Had he replied that quickly?  

Don’t fucking bother me, Deku! I’m working on English!  

Hmm. How could I strategize this so he’d take the bait without revealing that I needed him to solve my math problem?  

Three times I started typing. Three times I deleted it. Of course, Kacchan could see that I was typing. I should’ve disabled that feature beforehand.  

Why are you asking?  

Huh, he’d messaged again before I even responded. Was he thinking the same thing I was?  

I started math after English, but honestly, I don’t get it.  

Maybe the truth would work. After last night, I didn’t feel like making up excuses. We’d seen where that led when things were left unsaid for too long. Twelve years of bottled-up tension had exploded last night. And I don’t want a second Ground-Beta.  

How far are you in English?  

Short and to the point. Fine, I could do the same. Keeping it brief was probably safer.  

Page 51.  

I waited. And waited. Seven minutes and thirty-two seconds later, my phone finally pinged.  

Come to the common room and bring your English notes!  

I couldn’t suppress the huge grin spreading across my face. Yes! It worked! Kacchan must’ve wrestled with himself to send that. Or he weighed the pros and cons. Pro: he’d finish faster. Con: he’d have to spend time with me. But okay, he could live with that. So could I. I just needed him to help me get through this material.  

I stacked my school supplies quickly, grabbing them before heading out. I tried to rein in my excitement - Kacchan would take one look at me grinning like that and feel provoked.  

 

 

Carefully, I placed everything on the table and waited for Kacchan. Since I was thirsty, I grabbed a water bottle and two glasses, pouring some for both of us. Hopefully, Kacchan wouldn’t take even that as provocation. It was always a mystery what would set him off and what wouldn’t. It felt completely random, depending on his mood.  

I didn’t have long to think about it. Kacchan arrived with his bag, sat down across from me, and immediately eyed the glass of water I’d poured for him. He snorted and fixed me with a sharp look.  

"Listen up, shitty nerd! I’m not doing this for fun, got it? We’re just sharing the workload because those damn teachers went overboard! Understand?"  

"Yes, Kacchan," I replied meekly, raising my hands in a placating gesture and giving him an awkward, nervous smile. This was going to be a ride.  

He opened the math textbook, and I followed suit. He skimmed through the first few problems with a critical eye.  

"What don’t you get? We covered this in the last class," he said, snorting in annoyance.  

"Yeah, we started it, but we didn’t really practice it or go over it much. We were supposed to go through it today in class. But then the provisional lic—" I began explaining, only to cut myself off. No way was I finishing that sentence unless I wanted an explosion. And judging by the look on Kacchan’s face, I was right.  

Crap. His murderous glare froze the blood in my veins. I needed to apologize, fast, before he lost it. Bringing up the fact that I’d passed the exam while he hadn’t? Big mistake.  

"Sorry! I’m really sorry, Kacchan! I didn’t mean to bring it up. I swear I—" I started rambling, but Kacchan interrupted with a scoff, shaking his head.  

"I already told you last night to stop apologizing for every damn thing. I’ll deal with it myself. It was my screw-up. For once, you had nothing to do with it."  

What? I tried to keep my disbelief from showing on my face. Was this really Katsuki Bakugo sitting across from me? Or had I been duped by a shapeshifter? Maybe Himiko Toga from the League of Villains? But how would she even get into UA? And if she did, where would the real-  

"You damn nerd, quit mumbling nonsense, or I’ll blow your head off!" Kacchan snapped, cutting off my spiraling thoughts. Crap, I hadn’t realized I was thinking out loud again. Could I ever get rid of this awful habit? Or at least learn to control it?  

"Sorry," I muttered reflexively.  

Kacchan sighed, shaking his head before turning the math textbook and a sheet of paper toward me.  

"Alright, you idiot. Listen carefully. I’m only explaining this once. If you don’t get it, die. Got it?"  

I nodded obediently. Kacchan began explaining the problem. It wasn’t as complicated as I’d thought. At least, it seemed simple when he went through it. He asked me questions as we worked through the second example, testing if I’d been paying attention and could now solve it on my own step by step.  

When I finally solved the problem correctly, I beamed. "Thanks, Kacchan! You’re a lifesaver!" I said enthusiastically, grinning at him with the same admiration I’d shown as a kid.  

Kacchan leaned back, crossing his arms behind his head. He made a face like my reaction was a given and grumbled, "Well, at least you’re not as hopeless as Shitty Hair and Pikachu."  

I silently took it as the praise it was. Inside, I felt like I was glowing. This study arrangement was turning out better than expected.  

While I worked on the math exercises, needing only minimal help now, Kacchan grabbed my English notes and started copying them from where he’d apparently left off earlier.  

 

 

The next hour and a half passed in focused silence. It was peaceful, almost too peaceful, like the calm before a storm. But no storm came. In fact, I enjoyed it. It felt productive, even motivating, as if I could do more than I thought possible. Maybe even more than Kacchan!  

But I was reaching my limit. We’d both drained a bottle of water while working, and my head throbbed. My back ached from sitting too long - maybe some of Kacchan’s hits had done more damage than I realized.  

"I’m done, Kacchan," I admitted, sounding like a child. Kacchan barely glanced up, his head propped on one hand. I’d noticed him staring out the window a lot over the past half hour.  

No snarky comment like "I don’t care!" or "Weakling!" came, so I figured his focus was shot too.  

The clock read 3:00 p.m. Our classmates would be back in less than an hour, and I wasn’t keen on them finding me and Kacchan peacefully studying together. Why? I wasn’t sure. Maybe because it felt so rare, almost sacred, and I didn’t want it ruined by stupid comments.  

Kacchan sighed deeply, stood up, and stretched. His joints cracked, and he winced slightly as he raised his arms.  

We quickly packed up our school supplies and headed toward our rooms. Since I lived on the first floor and he had to go all the way up to the third, I asked, "Are we doing this again tomorrow? I mean, we made great progress today. If we keep splitting the workload, we could probably finish everything in three or four days. That’d be awesome, then—" I started rambling again, losing track of my point. Kacchan, of course, cut me off.  

"Tomorrow: hero studies and Aizawa’s theory lessons," he said bluntly, heading for the elevator.  

Wow. This was a day to mark on my calendar - right alongside last night’s fight. I wasn’t sure what had changed. Maybe Kacchan was just holding back to avoid further punishment. Or maybe, after All Might’s revelation, he was trying to be less hostile toward me.  

Whatever it was, if it stayed like this, the house arrest might actually be bearable.  

Notes:

That’s it!
Yes, they’re slowly getting closer. Not too slowly, or I’d have to tag this as Slow Burn. ;) See you Saturday, my lovelies!

Chapter 4: Dinner Talk

Summary:

Hello everyone!
OH MY GOD! I got comment!!!!! Thank you so much! Im so happy <3 Thx für the kudos, too =D
Enjoy this new little one!

Notes:

Hello everyone!
OH MY GOD! I got comment!!!!! Thank you so much! Im so happy <3 Thx für the kudos, too =D
Enjoy this new little one!

 

Of course, the harmony from studying didn’t last. Once the entire Class 1A gathered back in the dorm, we realized just how much we’d missed in a single day. On top of that, Mineta and Kaminari took it upon themselves to inspect every inch of the place.  

"Hey Bakugou, why’s there dust on the windowsill?" they grinned smugly. I could see Kacchan was on the verge of exploding.  

"That was Deku’s area!" he barked, then turned to me, growling, "What can you even do, damn nerd? Seriously, kindergarteners could clean better than you!"  

I gave him a sheepish smile, scratching the back of my head. "Sorry, Kacchan. I’ll fix it right away!" I tried to appease him. He snorted and stormed off toward the kitchen.  

While I collected trash to take out, I overheard Kyoka, Hagakure, and Ojiro chatting. "Hey, about the internships - I didn’t get a nomination. Can I even participate?" Ojiro asked.  

"Maybe you can go where you did your work-study," Hagakure suggested, and he nodded in agreement.  

Every alarm bell in my head went off. Internships? What were they talking about? I’d only missed one day of class, and already there was something new?  

Ilda’s oddly pitched voice broke through my thoughts. "I feel completely out of the loop after just one day. Yeah, you really look like it, Mr. Suspended!"  

I stared at our class rep, horrified. "That nickname is so mean! And what’s this about internships?" I whined.  

His brows furrowed, and he looked thoroughly displeased. Uh-oh. I could feel it coming. A lecture.  

Ilda took a deep breath, adjusted his glasses, and began scolding me. "I’m very disappointed, you know that? Mr. Aizawa specifically forbade us from discussing class material with you two. I’m sorry for both of you, but you’ll have to deal with this yourselves. Got it? Bakugou?"  

"Shut up! I know that, Glasses!" Kacchan snapped through gritted teeth. He looked furious. I decided it was a good time to take out the trash - at least I’d get some fresh air.  

 

Back in the dorm, I noticed Kacchan had roped Ashido, Kirishima, Kyoka, and Sato into helping him with dinner. With nothing else to do, I joined Todoroki, Tsuyu, and Uraraka on the couch.  

Bad idea.  

"Hey, shitty Deku! Set the table before you laze around! And make it snappy!" Kacchan barked.  

I sighed, offering my friends a resigned smile before getting up to do as he ordered. The others threw me sympathetic glances, but honestly, my day hadn’t been that bad. If Kacchan could only treat me like a normal person when we were alone, I could live with that. We still had six more days of house arrest to get through, after all.  

 

At six, we all sat down at the table. The students’ faces lit up as they admired Kacchan’s work. It was just curry, but it smelled amazing, and my mouth was already watering.  

Being the polite group we were, we folded our hands, bowed slightly, and said in unison, "Thanks for the food!"  

Then everyone dug in. And wow, it was delicious. I couldn’t help but think Kacchan had just thrown all the leftovers from the fridge into a pot. Maybe, if I watched him cook later this week, I could finally shake my bad reputation in the kitchen.  

"Bakugou, seriously," Kaminari said, grinning. "If you weren’t so damn hot-headed, you’d definitely win over any bride with your cooking."  

The girls shot him sharp glares, but Kacchan just snorted annoyed. "If I wanted to win someone over, I wouldn’t need to cook, dumbass! I’m not a loser like you," he snapped.  

Some eyebrows raised in surprise, but most of the class just continued eating, ignoring the exchange. I didn’t think much of it either - Kaminari and Mineta made those kinds of comments all the time, and Kacchan could never just let them slide.  

Thinking back, there was some truth to Kacchan’s words. In middle school, he was really popular. But I’d never seen him with a girlfriend. He was so focused on becoming a hero that he probably didn’t have the time or interest.  

I noticed Kaminari gearing up to retort but saw Kyoka smack him on the back of the head first. "Idiot, just eat and stop talking. No one wants to hear your dumb comments," she said, without even looking at him.  

 

The rest of the meal passed without incident. Everyone chatted in their usual groups, which had naturally formed over the past six months. I relaxed as Uraraka, Asui, Todoroki and Ilda discussed the opening speech. They left out all the important details, probably to avoid getting in trouble with Mr. Aizawa. He’d intimidated them pretty thoroughly.  

Sighing, I sank back into my chair and placed a hand on my full stomach. I felt like I might burst.  

When people began leaving the table, Kirishima made a comment that nearly caused another explosion.  

"Hey Bakubro, how about another fight with Midobro? Maybe then you’ll get kitchen duty for the rest of the year. That’d be a dream!"  

Kacchan spun toward him, his fingers twitching dangerously, sparks flying from his palms. The smell of gunpowder filled the air.  

"I’ll kill you, Shitty Hair!" he yelled, about to lunge. But I activated One for All and jumped between them. As expected, he immediately stopped, and I let my energy fade. Still, I felt a twinge of relief. It was pure naivety that made me confident Kacchan wouldn’t hit me. He knew we couldn’t afford another fight.  

All eyes were on us, and I felt awkward. I quickly turned away from Kacchan and faced Kirishima, who looked like he’d turned to stone. Hesitantly, I explained, "That’s probably not a great idea, Kirishima. Mr. Aizawa said he’d expel us if it happened again."  

Kirishima’s expression was apologetic, and he mumbled a quiet, "Sorry."  

Then Momo spoke up. "Honestly! Could everyone stop provoking Bakugou? It was bad enough that the principal mentioned them during the opening speech. Everyone stared at us - have you forgotten that?"  

An awkward silence fell over the room. Everyone looked unsure of how to end the situation, so I decided to change the subject.  

"Why don’t you all bring your plates to the counter? That way, we can wash up right away!"  

A growl behind me was all the clue I needed about how little Kacchan was looking forward to this. I could practically feel him restraining himself from either smacking me or wringing my neck. We hadn’t even decided who’d do the washing up. Why didn’t I ever think these things through? If he roped in more helpers, I’d end up tidying the rest of the room by myself. That’d speed things up, at least, and I could get back to my room faster.  

Lost in thought, I slowly headed to the kitchen when Kacchan’s low, controlled voice broke through: "You’re mumbling again."  

Surprised, I turned to face him, but his expression gave nothing away about how he felt toward me at that moment.  

"We can help if you want!" Uraraka offered cheerfully, and Momo nodded in agreement. But just as they started moving, a voice made everyone freeze.  

Mr. Aizawa had arrived.  

"Cleaning up is part of their punishment. I appreciate your willingness to assist, but they need to face the consequences of their own actions," he said calmly.  

Beside me, Kacchan ground his teeth but kept his composure. With our teacher here, we had to appear cooperative - at least not openly hostile.  

"Mr. Aizawa, would you like something to eat? Katsuki made an amazing curry!" I offered, already setting a full plate in front of him. I purposely used Kacchan’s real name, as I never addressed him by his nickname in front of teachers. Maybe All Might, but no one else.  

"Thank you, Midoriya. It smells excellent," Mr. Aizawa said, taking the plate. After a few bites, he added, "Hard to believe someone as hot-headed as Bakugou made such a well-balanced meal."  

"I’m still here, you know!" Kacchan growled from the sink. We had a dishwasher, but not many deep plates fit in it. We managed to load all the glasses, utensils, a pot, and a few plates, but the rest had to be washed by hand.  

Mr. Aizawa didn’t respond and continued eating. I grabbed a dish towel and started drying the items Kacchan handed me.  

After a while, our teacher asked, "How was your day?"  

Startled, I glanced at Kacchan, who returned the look. He gave a slight shrug, signaling that I should answer. Fine, I’d do my best to keep it simple and avoid stammering. I didn’t want to provoke Kacchan.  

"The day was fine. We completed all the cleaning and cooking tasks you assigned. We also worked on the school assignments for as long as the others were in class," I summarized briefly.  

Mr. Aizawa seemed satisfied. His next question, however, caught me off guard.  

"You worked on the assignments together?"  

Crap. Were we not supposed to? Was that considered cheating? Or was he testing if we could behave around each other? No matter how I answered, it could backfire. I didn’t want more assignments piled on us - especially not individually tailored ones.  

Sensing my hesitation, Kacchan spoke in an unusually even tone. "Of course, we worked together. With this much material, it made sense to use our strengths to help each other. Otherwise, Deku would still be stuck on the math problems."  

Naturally, he couldn’t resist throwing in a jab at the end. But I didn’t mind as long as Eraserhead didn’t bind us up again.  

"Good," Mr. Aizawa said simply, thanking us for the meal before leaving.  

I exhaled deeply, feeling the tension drain from my body. "Thanks, Kacchan," I said softly while continuing to dry the dishes.  

"Tch. Did you really think he’d accuse us of cheating?" Kacchan snapped, not pausing in his work.  

I tilted my head, looking at him curiously. "How did you know that’s what I was thinking?"  

His exasperated sigh said it all. "Damn, Deku! It was written all over your face, and I could nearly hear your fucking mumbling in my head!" he burst out, glaring at me with a sponge in hand.  

The situation felt both absurd and strangely touching. His words hit me somewhere deep. He knew me, after all. Despite what he’d said last night about never understanding my thoughts, he clearly did now.  

My face betrayed me, breaking into an admiring smile just like when we were kids and I used to look up to him. It felt a little like those simpler days when the world was just two four-year-olds playing heroes.  

Kacchan stared at me, then shook his head, trying to look irritated. But I was 100% sure I saw the corner of his mouth twitch upward for just a second.  

"Finish the rest and wipe the dust off the windowsills. I’m going to bed. I’m done with this crap," he muttered, draining the sink, giving it a quick wipe, and disappearing into the hallway.  

 

Notes:

Thats it!
Day 1 is finished now! What do you think happens on Day 2? Let me know ;)
See you on Monday

Chapter 5: Don’t Back Down

Notes:

Hello again and Welcome to Chapter No. 5! =D
Thx a lot for the positive comments! <3 Have Fun!

When my alarm went off at 6 a.m., I felt wrecked. I should’ve been well-rested after eight hours of sleep, but maybe I’d pushed myself too hard last night. After cleaning, I’d felt so energized that I squeezed in a quick workout. Squats, sit-ups, and dumbbell training - 500 reps of each!  

What an idiot. My body was clearly still beat up from our fight. I could almost hear Recovery Girl scolding me in my head.  

Groaning, I dragged myself out of bed, opened my window, and grabbed my clothes. Each of our rooms had a small bathroom with a toilet and sink, but the showers and large bathrooms were shared spaces on the hall.  

After a quick morning wash - I’d showered the night before - I headed to the kitchen and immediately spotted Kacchan. He was already there, preparing breakfast alone. Somehow, he looked completely at peace as he chopped vegetables and occasionally stirred a pot. It was a perfect, almost enchanting sight. What the…? Enchanting?  

I shook my head and greeted him, "Good morning, Kacchan!"  

All I got in response was a grunt. I smiled. Yep, that was normal morning Kacchan - quiet and monosyllabic. Not like yesterday, when he practically talked my ear off to get me out of bed.  

I decided to set the table, laying out placemats, tea glasses, and chopsticks. From the looks of it, Kacchan planned to serve everything directly from the kitchen. He was making a traditional Japanese breakfast: rice, vegetables, some fish, and classic miso soup. At UA, we’d been exposed to a variety of cuisines, but we all agreed we preferred our traditional meals. We didn’t always eat together either - some skipped breakfast entirely and ate lunch in the cafeteria instead.  

"Need help with anything?" I asked cautiously, feeling useless. Cleaning wouldn’t make sense yet; the place would just get dirty again once everyone came down.  

"Serve the rice," he said curtly, not even looking at me as he continued chopping. Probably for the best - I didn’t want to provoke him this early.  

Following orders, I scooped rice into twenty small bowls from the rice cooker and placed them on the table. Kacchan had already started plating vegetables and fish.  

With the soup added, we’d be left with a mountain of dishes to wash. Last night’s curry, where we only needed one plate each, was definitely more practical.  

 

The first students started trickling in.  

"Good morning, Bakugou! Midoriya! I’m glad to see you’re taking your responsibilities seriously," Ilda greeted us, his expression as neutral as ever. Though he often showed when he was upset, he usually came across as stoic, second only to Todoroki.  

Kaminari followed shortly after, along with a few other boys, and immediately slumped onto the table, looking dead tired.  

"Hey, shitty nerd! Make yourself useful!" Kacchan barked, snapping Kaminari out of his stupor.  

"Sorry, Kacchan!" I replied instinctively, grabbing two soup bowls and setting them in front of Kaminari and Kirishima.  

"Wow! What time did you get up to make such an amazing breakfast?" Kirishima asked enthusiastically.  

Scratching my head awkwardly, I replied, "Kacchan did everything. I’m just setting the table."  

A derogatory snort from the kitchen reminded me to stay focused on my task.  

Within ten minutes, everyone was seated. Mornings were usually quiet, with little conversation as everyone enjoyed their meal. Mineta was frantically copying homework from Shoji, clearly hopeless. Meanwhile, Ilda lectured him on the importance of completing assignments on time. The whole scene was pretty amusing.  

 

"Alright, Class 1A! Time to get ready for class!" Ilda announced after a few minutes, and everyone began clearing their dishes and placing them neatly on the kitchen counter.  

Uraraka gave me a concerned look as she passed by, trying to cheer me up. "We’ll be back in a few hours! Don’t let Bakugou bother you too much, okay?"  

I nodded sheepishly. Uraraka was always so caring, though I couldn’t understand why she thought Kacchan would torment me the second we were alone.  

"It’s not as bad as you think, Uraraka. Missing class hurts more than doing cleaning duty with Kacchan," I reassured her, hoping to ease her negative impression of him. Besides, I would never speak badly of a classmate. That rule applied even more so to Kacchan. Why more so? I had no idea.  

She let it go, giving me a playful poke on the cheek before heading out. A few others patted my shoulder encouragingly as they filed out the door.  

The moment the last student left, the door clicked shut, and Kacchan let out a disdainful snort. "They all act like I’m gonna slaughter you the second they’re gone. Tch, as if it’s all my fault."  

He grumbled, and I could feel his eyes boring into the back of my head. He probably wanted some sort of acknowledgment. But was it really not his fault? He’d started the whole mess, and I’d just defended myself. Well, maybe not just that - I’d fully engaged, even saying I wouldn’t be his punching bag.  

Suddenly, I felt Kacchan behind me. Not close enough to touch, but his body heat radiated against my back. Instinctively, I hunched my shoulders and lowered my head. Shit, had I been mumbling my thoughts again?  

"You really wanna get us expelled, don’t you?" His voice was low, almost a growl. It froze me in place. Holy crap, why was he suddenly so worked up?  

I cleared my throat, feeling smaller under the weight of his presence. I could hear the faint crackle of sparks and the way he struggled to control his breathing. The only thoughts running through my head were: Turn around or run .  

For some reason, I chose to turn around – slowly - and met his glare, clearly shaken.  

"Kacchan…" I began hesitantly. His teeth were clenched, his face twisted in anger. Why the hell was he so furious at me? I hadn’t done anything. Or was that the problem? Had I not responded quickly enough? Should I have said something like, Hey, Kacchan, we were both at fault. Everyone else is just overreacting. Was that what he wanted?  

"Run," he whispered menacingly.  

I should’ve listened. I really should’ve left him alone. But I didn’t understand why he was like this. Everyone was gone, and we could talk openly again. I’d hoped things would continue as "harmoniously" as yesterday.  

"I’m not running from you, Kacchan," I said firmly, surprising myself with the strength in my voice. Wherever this sudden courage came from, I decided to keep talking.  

"Sure, you started the fight, so part of it’s on you. I didn’t call you out in front of the dorm late at night. But… don’t interrupt me! ...I became just as responsible the moment I said I wouldn’t be your punching bag. And since you’ve got a reputation for being impulsive, of course no one blames me. You know that’s why they think it’s all your fault. So why the hell do you want to kill me right now? You don’t usually give a damn what people think!"  

Holy crap, did I just say all that to Kacchan? It felt like I was standing outside my body, watching myself confront him. This wasn’t like last night’s fight, where we spilled years of pent-up frustrations. This was something new. The tension between us felt dangerous, and I had no clue what Kacchan would do next.  

Then I saw it - that smug, condescending look he used to wear when he bullied me. The look that said he didn’t take me seriously. Or maybe… was it insecurity? Was he doubting his superiority?  

"Oh, look at that! The shitty nerd grew some balls overnight!" he spat, raising a crackling hand as if to push me back.  

If I backed down now, we’d be right back in middle school. No way. Not after everything we’d been through yesterday.  

I clung to the thought of what he’d admitted to me. Our study session, the way he’d taken time to explain things. No, I wasn’t going back. And if this ended with us getting expelled because he snapped, so be it. But not back to square one.  

Taking a deep breath, I grabbed his sparking hand. It burned for a moment before he froze in shock. I pushed his hand down, twisted his arm, and pinned him against the wall.  

"Damn it, Kacchan! Seriously! I’m not here to attack you or insult you, but I won’t let you treat me like crap either. Haven’t we moved past that? What’s really pissing you off? Tell me!"  

He stared at me, open-mouthed and struggling for words. He looked like he thought the world was ending. Honestly, I felt the same. Everything felt upside down - I should’ve been the one pinned to the wall, cowering and hoping he didn’t hurt me too badly.  

I hadn’t even realized I’d lowered my gaze slightly. When I looked back up, Kacchan was avoiding eye contact, biting his lip. His body trembled with barely contained rage. Oh, right, I was still holding his arm.  

"Deku," he hissed through gritted teeth, but there was less aggression in his voice now. Was he trying to calm himself down?  

I took a step back, giving him some space, and exhaled deeply. I hadn’t noticed how tense I’d been. Maybe I wasn’t as confident as I’d thought.  

A few moments passed, though it felt like an eternity. Maybe it was just seconds - I wasn’t sure. The whole situation was overwhelming, completely surreal.  

"You didn’t disagree with me," Kacchan finally said, his voice so quiet it sent chills down my spine. "And then your damn muttering - you were blaming me too. I didn’t expect that."  

His tone was low, almost vulnerable. I felt goosebumps, but I managed a faint smile.  

"Thanks," I said just as softly. I didn’t dare meet his eyes. "We’re both on house arrest. That pretty much means we’re both at fault, no matter who started it. I’m sorry if it sounded like I was blaming you alone."  

Staring at the floor, I saw Kacchan move. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed him lift his arm. He lightly smacked the back of my head - or rather, ran his hand through my hair.  

"You idiot nerd," he muttered as he walked past me, clearing his throat before adding, "Get started on the cleaning! I’ll take care of the kitchen."  

I couldn’t help but grin, a little too enthusiastically. "Got it!" I chirped, then hesitated. "After that… assignments?"  

He glanced over his shoulder. "You handle hero studies. I’ll work on Aizawa’s theory lessons. Two hours each, then come up to my room."  

Without waiting for confirmation, he headed off to his task. I stood there for a moment, stunned. Go to his room? Really? His room?    

As far as I knew, no one had ever been there. No one! But I wasn’t about to argue now. No way was I risking another confrontation.  

Notes:

That's it!
hehe...Now things are getting exciting! What do you think will happen in Kacchan's room?
See you on Wednsday!

Chapter 6: The Lions'den

Notes:

Hello everyone!
I'm back! Again! Like Monday xD'
Thx you so much for the two comments! I look forwards for more reactions! Maybe, when our two problem children start something...hehe
Have Fun!

Chapter 6 – The Lion’s Den  

 

My phone alarm went off. I turned it off, ran a hand through my hair, and stretched. Proudly, I looked over my completed tasks. After cleaning duty, I’d jumped straight into hero studies, determined to get more done in two hours than Kacchan. That competitive drive had pushed me to accomplish way more than I expected.

Would Kacchan appreciate it? Or had he tackled his work with the same mindset? It’d be frustrating if my effort wasn’t enough. Really frustrating. But at the same time, it’d only motivate me to do even more tomorrow.

Quickly gathering my materials, I made my way to the third floor. Strange - that was the best way to describe the feeling. I’d never even been near Kacchan’s room, except that one time when we all toured the dorms. Had he invited anyone else into his space before? It didn’t seem like it bothered him to have me there now. At least, it didn’t seem like it took much effort for him to summon me.

Still, the phrase the lion’s den floated around in my mind, bringing an odd sense of unease. It was just Kacchan, after all.

Maybe it was because he’d been the Kacchan who bullied me for years, who always tried to crush me. The one who admitted he felt provoked by my mere existence. But he was also the same Kacchan I’d never stopped seeing as a friend, even if he wouldn’t call me one. Even if it was one-sided, maybe this house arrest could help us build something more mutual. That was a dream I hadn’t had since my happiest childhood days.

"Dekuuuuu!" A threatening voice snapped me out of my thoughts. I looked up. Crap, how long had I been standing outside his door? And how long had he been standing there?

"How much longer are you gonna stand there mumbling to yourself in front of my room?"

Embarrassed, I scratched the back of my head and muttered, "Sorry, Kacchan. I didn’t notice." Damn, my habit of zoning out had gotten worse over the last two days. Was it because of him?

Kacchan turned and left the door open for me to follow. His room was simple and straightforward. The furniture matched the dorm’s standard layout, but the wall behind his bed, which seemed a bit wider than mine, was painted a dark gray. That was the same color he’d had in his childhood room, wasn’t it?

There wasn’t much else to see. He had an All Might poster, of course, and on his dresser stood a framed card: our All Might trading card. The only personal "photo" in the room. My face lit up seeing it. The fact that he’d kept it so carefully made my heart skip. It was the card we’d both drawn at the same time on the same day as kids. It was special. Especially since mine, similarly framed, sat in my own room.

"Done gawking yet?" Kacchan’s irritated voice broke my reverie. When I turned to him, I realized his gaze had been lingering on the card too. I smiled and said, "Your room reminds me of your childhood bedroom at your parents’ place."

He raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised. "You still remember that?" he asked skeptically, though I couldn’t read any other emotion on his face.

I nodded and moved to the desk, sitting on the second chair there. Where had he gotten that? I couldn’t imagine Kacchan keeping a second chair for guests - that seemed absurd. Then again, we hadn’t spent much time together in recent years. I couldn’t exactly claim to know him well.

"The chair’s from Kirishima’s room," he clarified, unprompted. Strange. Why did he bother explaining that?

I just nodded again and opened my completed assignments, handing them to him. I eagerly awaited his reaction, but he simply handed me his own work without a word. Slightly disappointed, I glanced over his papers, my stomach sinking as I realized he’d done just as much as me - maybe even more.

My eyes darted to Kacchan, who now wore his trademark smug grin. "What, did you seriously think you’d get more done in two hours than me, nerd?"

I sighed, letting my shoulders slump briefly. "Yeah, I kinda did. I worked nonstop," I admitted, a bit dejected.

"I’m still better than you - in fights and in school," he said confidently, though it sounded a bit cocky. His words reminded me of the night before, when he’d shouted his insecurities and burdens at me. All Might, the pressure, the weight he carried. Even so, I couldn’t help but smile at his comment. "Yeah, Kacchan, you are," I replied simply.

His hand slammed onto the desk, making me flinch. Startled, I looked at him. His eyes were fixed on my notes, his voice calm but firm as he said, "So you give that big speech downstairs about not being my punching bag anymore, and now you don’t even stand up for yourself? Idiot."

I blinked in confusion, unable to follow his train of thought. What was his problem now?

He must’ve noticed my puzzled expression because he sighed in annoyance, resting his chin on his hand before continuing in a quieter tone. "You said you didn’t want to be my punching bag, and you wanted to beat me. You didn’t want to take my crap anymore. So why aren’t you pushing back? I just handed you the perfect opportunity, and you didn’t take it."

"Uh…" was all I managed to say, eloquent as always. I needed a moment to collect myself, lowering my gaze and fidgeting with my pen. "Look," I finally began, "I like that we’re starting to… you know… understand each other better. This rivalry I feel toward you? It’s stronger now, after our fight. Stronger than my admiration for you. But do I have to prove that with every word you say? Every little thing?"

I paused, giving him a moment to absorb my words before continuing. "I like that we can talk like this. Seriously. Without your fist in my face or my foot in your gut. I’ll always compete with you, but I don’t need to make a scene every time. Is that a problem for you?"

A heavy silence settled between us, one I found uncomfortable. I hadn’t meant to open up that much. But when I glanced at Kacchan, he seemed to be seriously considering what I’d said.

Suddenly, he locked eyes with me, a mischievous smirk spreading across his face. Before I could react, he flicked my forehead.

"Stupid nerd. You’re way too damn emotional," he muttered, then turned his attention back to his work.

A warm, comforting feeling washed over me, and I couldn’t help but smile. That was Kacchan’s way of saying everything was okay between us, and it made me genuinely happy. I felt like a little kid who’d just found a new playmate at the playground.

 

We sat in silence, copying each other’s notes. Occasionally, I jotted down a question mark next to something I didn’t fully understand, planning to either look it up later or ask Kacchan.

I noticed him correcting a few mistakes in my notebook every now and then - some grammar, maybe spelling. It didn’t bother me. I’d rushed to complete as much as possible, so a few slip-ups were inevitable.

An hour passed, and after sitting at my desk earlier and now here, my lower back and shoulders were killing me. My concentration was shot. I needed fresh air and a chance to stretch out on a couch - or at least grab a drink.

I debated for a couple of minutes before finally putting my pen down, stretching with a groan, and standing to open the window. The cool breeze was a relief. I rubbed my lower back, which still ached, likely from the lingering injuries from our fight.

Kacchan had also put down his pen, leaning back with his hands behind his head as he swiveled slightly in his chair. "Giving up already, nerd?" he asked, smirking at me challengingly.

"I just need a short break. A jog would be amazing right now. Or maybe a nap," I admitted, feeling slightly embarrassed as the thought of curling up in my room sounded more and more appealing.

"Go lie down if you want. Doesn’t matter to me. I’m gonna keep working," Kacchan replied, picking up his pen again and resuming his tasks.

Was he trying to challenge me to keep going? The thought crossed my mind briefly, but I didn’t take the bait. I was genuinely exhausted and needed a quick rest.

Raising my hand as if to excuse myself, I turned to leave the room, but his voice stopped me.

"Where the fuck do you think you’re going, damn nerd? I’m not carrying your crap later. Just lie down here."

Wait, what? I froze, too shocked to respond immediately. He wanted me to rest in his room? Sure, I had no problem napping elsewhere, but I’d never slept in any of my classmates’ beds. We usually just hung out on the couches in the common room.

Cautiously, I approached his bed and sat on the edge. It was soft - softer than mine. Before I knew it, I let myself fall back, my legs still hanging over the edge. The mattress was ridiculously comfortable.

Without thinking, I kicked off my house slippers, slid fully onto the bed, and curled up with his pillow. It smelled faintly of Kacchan - an odd mix of spice and something fresh. I shut my eyes, feeling blissfully relaxed.

Just as I was about to drift off, I heard movement from the desk. Forcing one eye open, I saw Kacchan turn his chair around to face me. He sat backward, his muscular arms resting on the chair’s back, his head propped on them.

The way he looked at me made me self-conscious. Before I could say anything, he spoke. His voice was calm, almost curious.

"Why’d you switch to Shoot Style?"

I tensed briefly, opening my eyes fully and sitting up. If I was going to answer him, I didn’t want to be half-asleep.

His question wasn’t random - I’d forgotten to put on the black sleeve I usually wore to cover my scarred arm. Now the thick, ugly scar, along with several smaller ones, was in plain sight.

I tried to dodge the truth. "Like I said before, I wanted to make the power my own, not just follow in All Might’s footsteps. Since All Might always fought with his fists, I thought I’d try using my legs after watching you fight."

It wasn’t a lie, but it wasn’t the full story either. I wasn’t ready to explain the toll One for All had taken on my body.

But Kacchan saw through it immediately. He snorted and threw my words from earlier right back at me: "I thought we’ve moved past this bullshit."

Biting my lip, I tried to meet his eyes but failed. Maybe it was time for the truth. If I kept dodging, this fragile peace between us might shatter, and he’d pull away completely.

I sighed heavily, lowering my gaze. "Aside from what I just said, you can see it for yourself. I’ve pushed my arms too far too many times. When we were attacked by the League of Villains during the training camp, I went way beyond my limits fighting Muscular. It wasn’t the first time I broke my arms, but this time was more complicated. Especially since I used every last bit of strength, I had to save you from those villains."

I glanced up quickly, worried I might’ve struck a nerve by bringing up his kidnapping. His jaw tightened, but he stayed quiet, waiting for me to continue.

"When I woke up, the doctor told me that if I injured my arms like that two or three more times, I’d lose the ability to use them entirely. That’s the other reason I’ve been working on a new technique. And why I’m training to control the percentage of power I use. Right now, my body can handle 8% of One for All’s power without breaking. But if I hit with 100%, it’d still shatter my bones."

It felt oddly freeing to admit that, but I also had a knot in my stomach. I hadn’t shared this with anyone besides All Might. Now Kacchan knew too. Maybe this was the first step toward working together, like All Might had suggested. If Kacchan understood how the power worked and what it did to me, maybe we could grow stronger together.

"You’re such a damn idiot," Kacchan muttered, his voice tinged with resignation and doubt. Before I could respond, he added, "You don’t care about yourself when it comes to saving people, do you? Let me ask you this: if someone was in danger, like I was with the League of Villains, would you even think about what the doctor said?"

Damn it. That was a low blow, and he knew it. Of course, I wouldn’t hesitate. I’d rush in and give it everything I had, just like I always did. It was already like that back when I tried to save him from the sludge monster as just a quirkless person. He already knew that, so why ask?

My silence made him scoff. "You’re reckless as hell. Maybe it’s a good thing you’ve got me watching your back. If you try to push yourself too far, I’ll blow your damn head off first."

That warm, comforting feeling returned, spreading through me. I smiled and looked up at him. Kacchan, lost in thought, was staring out the window.

"Thanks, Kacchan. That means a lot to me," I said softly.

He only snorted in response.

Still smiling, I laid back down, this time on my stomach, and closed my eyes. For the first time in a long while, I felt safe. Secure. I didn’t have to worry about Kacchan teasing or tormenting me. That thought alone was enough to let me drift off to sleep.

 

Notes:

That's it!
I love to write the dialogue between these two! Hope you like it, too!
See you on Friday!

Chapter 7: Just a dumb thought

Notes:

Hello everyone and sorry for the late update! I did'nt had time yesterday.
Thx for the comments and kudos! =D I hope, this story will becoming more attention!
Enjoy the new Chap!

Chapter 7 – Just a dumb thought  

 

When I finally opened my eyes, I felt completely out of it. My body begged to keep sleeping, but my brain insisted it was time to get up. After all, I still had my duties to fulfill today.

It took me a moment to get my bearings. My memories slowly pieced themselves together, and I realized I was lying in Kacchan’s bed in his room. Apparently, I’d passed out completely. Damn, I only meant to take a short power nap.

My slightly dazed gaze wandered over to the desk. Kacchan had headphones in and was still working diligently. What time was it?

Rubbing the sleep from my eyes, I slowly sat up, feeling even more groggy than before. The pillow was far too tempting; it was hard to pull myself away.

"Well, Sleeping Beauty, finally decided to wake up?" Kacchan’s mocking voice rang through the room. I groaned, stretched thoroughly, and shuffled over to him, sinking back into the chair and trying to get my bearings.

"What time is it?" I asked, failing to spot a clock anywhere.

"Past 2 p.m. You slept for a solid hour," he replied casually, straightening in his chair and pulling out his headphones. I could still faintly hear loud music playing from them.

"Sorry, I didn’t mean to fall asleep this deep," I admitted, slightly embarrassed. Glancing at the papers on the desk, I noticed he’d already transferred everything. He’d even stuck little Post-its in my notebook next to the question marks, likely with further explanations. It made me smile, and I was about to thank him when he interrupted.

"Finish copying the rest. I’m getting something to drink."

With that, he left the room. I couldn’t help but wonder if he was embarrassed about doing something like this for me.

I rubbed my face, shook my head, and got back to work. Mechanically, I copied each word Kacchan had written without really absorbing it. I figured I could review it all properly later when I was more awake.

The sound of the door closing signaled his return. I didn’t bother turning around, focusing instead on getting through the tasks as quickly as possible. He likely wanted some peace and quiet, and maybe even a nap himself.

A small water bottle and a mochi appeared beside my hand.

"Where’d you get this?" I asked, beaming at the little rice cake. Making mochi from scratch was a hassle, so they must’ve been store-bought.

"I gave Aizawa a shopping list last night since we were running low on everything. Figured we’d need snacks while we’re stuck here studying all day. You still like them, right?"

I stared at Kacchan in surprise as he averted his gaze slightly. It amazed me that he’d remembered. Then again, there hadn’t been a time in my life when I didn’t devour these colorful little rice cakes. I’d often had them with me at school or picked some up on my way home after class.

"Yeah, I love them!"

My smile couldn’t have been any bigger as I took a bite and sighed in delight. God, it was so delicious. Sure, I watched my diet these days, but I could never resist mochi. How some people lived without sugar was beyond me. No amount of money in the world could make me give up this taste.

While I enjoyed the treat, my mind buzzed with thoughts in the background. I admired how forward-thinking Kacchan was. I wouldn’t have even considered organizing groceries. He must’ve had it all planned out. Was that why we were…

"Hey, Kacchan?" I turned my chair toward him. He was sitting on his bed with a mochi, leaning against the wall, one leg bent. He raised an eyebrow, signaling I had his attention. "Are we in your room today because people might’ve interrupted us for the groceries?"

The question stung, though I wasn’t sure why. Was it because it felt like Kacchan was ashamed to be seen working with me? But he usually didn’t care what others thought. Or did he think it made him look weak if he needed my help?

"Yeah, didn’t feel like being bothered. I hate interruptions when I’m working. They’d just piss me off," he replied bluntly, almost too easily, like he’d rehearsed the answer before calling me up.

You’re overthinking this, my inner voice scolded. It was right. What kind of nonsense was my brain conjuring up? Did I really have that little self-esteem around Kacchan?

But my high from the mochi had faded, replaced by a wave of self-doubt. How could my own thoughts drag me down like this? I found myself wanting to leave, to escape the strange tension building in my chest. Maybe I just wasn’t used to spending so much time with Kacchan. Just because we’d screamed and fought it out didn’t mean everything would magically be fine now. Right?

"Is it okay if I take your notebook downstairs? I’ll have it all copied by tomorrow," I asked, testing my escape plan.

"Bullshit!" Kacchan snapped, his voice sharp and annoyed. His eyebrows furrowed as he glared at me. "Get it done now, damn it!"

Well, that was that. He clearly wasn’t letting me off the hook. The conversation was over - for him, at least.

I sighed and turned back to the desk, flipping the page with a resigned air. Still two more pages to copy. I propped my head up with one hand and scribbled the words half-heartedly, one after another.

The room was quiet for the next ten minutes. Then, out of nowhere, Kacchan slammed his hand against the wall, releasing a small explosion. Startled, I turned to him. The vein on his forehead looked like it was about to burst.

"What the hell’s wrong with you, shitty Deku?" he shouted, storming over to me. He yanked my chair around so we were face to face, his expression furious.

I winced slightly, utterly confused. "What do you mean, Kacchan?"

He growled, grabbed me by the collar, and pulled me closer. "You’ve been sighing like I’m torturing you! I even brought you a fucking mochi because I thought you’d like it after your nap. And now you’re acting like being stuck in my room is the worst punishment ever!"

I swallowed hard. Yep, he felt provoked again, and once more, he misunderstood me. I didn’t feel tortured at all - just a little wounded.

"You’ve got it wrong again," I replied calmly, meeting his gaze as best I could. His pose reminded me of our middle school days, and I had to resist the urge to raise my hands defensively, bracing for an explosion.

"Then how the hell am I supposed to understand it, heh?" he barked, his tone even more aggressive. If I didn’t explain myself fast, this fragile truce would shatter.

"Well… uh… how do I put this?" I stammered, feeling his grip on my collar grow warmer. I blurted out the first thing that came to mind: "I just thought you were ashamed to study with me!"

There. It was out. I squeezed my eyes shut, not daring to look at him. God, how childish did that sound?

All I heard was our breathing. His started to steady, and then I heard him scoff. He shoved me back into my chair slightly, muttering, "Idiot."

He turned and headed back to his bed without another word.

I opened my eyes, but I didn’t turn to look at him. I silently hoped he’d say something else, but the room stayed quiet.

Fidgeting with my hands, I wiped them on my pants and refocused on the desk. Apparently, for Kacchan, the conversation was over. Unsatisfying. Now I was even more confused about the whole situation.

My phone buzzed in my pocket. I pulled it out and was surprised to see Kacchan’s name on the screen. Glancing over, I saw he’d turned onto his side, facing the wall.

The message read:

Stupid Deku! How the hell do you come up with such dumb ideas?! If I didn’t want you here, I’d fucking tell you!

 

I tilted my head, my ears warming slightly. A small smile tugged at my lips. Kacchan was unbelievable. The stubborn jerk couldn’t say something like that to my face? It was almost ridiculous - we weren’t even two meters apart.

"Kacchan!" I started to speak, but he cut me off with a sharp, "Shut up, nerd! Not a word! Just finish your damn work!"

My smile grew into a grin, and I barely managed to stifle a laugh. It was kind of cute how bad he was at dealing with this stuff. Not wanting to push him further, I got back to writing, this time without sighing or that uneasy feeling in my chest.

 

An hour later, I finally finished. Stretching with a relieved sigh, I rotated my shoulders and began gathering my things. The clock showed 4 p.m. Huh, weren’t the others supposed to be back by now?

I glanced over at Kacchan, who hadn’t moved. Was he asleep? Curious, I stood up quietly and leaned over to check his face. Sure enough, he was out cold. His expression was relaxed, his features soft and peaceful. It was hard to believe this peaceful Kacchan was the same guy who’d blow up over the smallest things.

Deciding not to wake him, I made a mental note to call him later if he didn’t wake up in time for dinner. There was no way I was cooking alone, especially since I had no idea what to make. Kacchan had sent Aizawa the shopping list, so I was sure he had a meal plan in mind. He was surprisingly organized like that - except when his temper got in the way during battles.

I quietly closed the door behind me and took the stairs down. A bit of movement wouldn’t hurt, and I wasn’t eager to run into anyone in the elevator and explain why I’d been on the third floor. That would’ve been beyond awkward. At the same time, I couldn’t help but berate myself. Hadn’t I accused Kacchan earlier of feeling embarrassed about being seen with me? Yet here I was, acting the exact same way. I really was such an idiot. Still, without those silly, childish thoughts, I wouldn’t have gotten such a nice message from him.

By some miracle, I made it back to my room without bumping into anyone. I dropped my school supplies onto my desk, freshened up quickly in the bathroom, and headed to the common room.

"Deku!" Uraraka greeted me enthusiastically, pulling me into a hug as if we hadn’t seen each other in weeks. Her cheerful "How are you?" almost made me laugh.

"I’m still fine, Uraraka! Not much can happen here with the dorms so empty," I replied, letting her drag me over to the sofas. A few others were already gathered there. After greeting everyone, I settled in to listen to their conversations about class.

While they weren’t allowed to explicitly share details, no one seemed to think casually reflecting on the day would break the rules. Thankfully, no one held back for my sake, which let me pick up bits and pieces of what I’d missed. To my surprise, Kacchan and I seemed ahead of the class in some areas.

"Where’s Kats, by the way?" Kirishima asked, interrupting the discussion. Everyone turned to me. I shrugged casually and said, "Probably in his room!"

No one needed to know I’d been there just half an hour ago.

"Shouldn’t you guys start cooking soon?" Kaminari reminded me. I smiled and replied, "We don’t always have to be perfectly on time for dinner, do we? Besides, I don’t know what Kacchan has planned."

"Soboro Don!" a familiar voice called out from behind me.

"Oh, hey, Bakubro! Decided to show up," Kirishima greeted him enthusiastically, throwing an arm around his shoulders. Kacchan immediately shrugged him off and headed to the kitchen.

"Spent the day working on class stuff while you were being spoon-fed by the teachers!" he snapped, grabbing a sack of rice to rinse.

"Man, someone’s in a mood," Mineta muttered, scratching his temple.

It was true - Kacchan seemed more irritable than usual, though less outright aggressive. I gave it ten minutes before someone’s comment set him off. I’d bet my provisional hero license on it.

"Nerd! Get in here and slice the green onions! And don’t screw it up!" Kacchan barked from the kitchen.

I swallowed nervously but got up, surprised by the tinge of excitement I felt. The others sent me pitying looks, which Kacchan pointedly ignored.

The kitchen was open, so everyone could see us working. Kacchan had laid out a cutting board, a large knife, and four bunches of green onions. I stared at the pile, wondering how I was supposed to handle so much at once.

"Uh, do I need to trim anything first?" I asked hesitantly, realizing I had never dealt with green onions before.

Kacchan rolled his eyes, shoved me aside, and showed me how to trim the roots and the tops. Then he sliced one into neat rounds as an example before shoving the knife back into my hand.

Without a word, he returned to the rice, setting up the rice cooker while I took a deep breath and started slicing. Slowly and carefully, I made my way through the onions, determined not to screw up.

 

 

The cooking process went smoothly for the most part - well, I wasn’t doing much cooking. After finishing the green onions, I got out bowls for everyone while Kacchan handled the ground meat. He added sake, mirin, soy sauce, and a few other things I didn’t recognize. The delicious aroma quickly filled the room, drawing the rest of the class back to the common area.

"Wow, Blasty! That smells amazing. Are you sure you still want to be a hero?" Mina teased as she stepped into the kitchen, leaning over the counter to inhale the steam rising from the woks.

"Get the fuck out or I’ll kill you, Raccoon Eyes!" Kacchan barked, his eyebrows drawn together in frustration as he chased her out of the kitchen. She only laughed and joined Kyoka and Momo at the counter.

"Deku! Fill the bowls with rice, now!" he ordered sharply.

I hurried to the rice cooker, scooping rice into a ladle to show him. He gave a quick nod, so I filled all twenty bowls with the same amount.

"Is it just me, or do you two seem to be getting along better?" Todoroki asked, his tone as calm and straightforward as ever.

I froze momentarily, unsure of how to respond. I shrugged nervously, a hesitant smile tugging at my lips.

"Shut it, IcyHot!" Kacchan snapped, his voice dripping with hostility.

I sighed internally, giving Todoroki an apologetic look. I always felt bad for anyone on the receiving end of Kacchan’s sharp tongue. If you didn’t know him, you’d think he was just a rude, arrogant jerk. But by now, we’d all learned to handle his temperament. It was easier to think of it as spirited rather than outright aggressive.

Once Kacchan finished preparing the meat, I carried the bowls of rice to the table one by one. At least everyone had set out their own glasses and drinks this time, which I silently appreciated.

Dinner was simple: rice topped with savory ground meat, green onions, and sesame seeds. It was probably easy enough for me to make, though I’d never season the meat as perfectly as Kacchan.

The compliments poured in from every side, and a few classmates even went back for seconds.

For once, the dinner conversation didn’t focus on provoking Kacchan or pitying me for being stuck with him. Our suspension wasn’t a hot topic anymore - only the meal service hinted at it. Even when I asked them to take their trash down afterward, it felt like a normal evening.

Uraraka and Asui suggested a movie night, and most of the class agreed, with one condition: nothing deep or heavy. Everyone was too exhausted from school and just wanted to relax with some lighthearted humor.

I enjoyed the evening and felt far less isolated than I had yesterday. I headed to bed relatively early, content and at peace.

 

Notes:

Thats it!
Hope, you liked it with a little 'sweeter' Katsuki in it. hehe....and the next day will be very interesting! Trust me!
See you tomorrow or Monday!

Chapter 8: Mind-Blowing

Notes:

Hello everyone!
Ahh, I can't hold this chapter back <3
Enjoy it!

Chapter 8 – Mind-Blowing

 

The next morning, a sort of routine started to take shape. I got up, freshened up, and headed to the common room. Kacchan was already in the kitchen, making breakfast. I set the table. Not a word was exchanged between us, but that didn’t bother me. There was a calm, pleasant silence between us, and I enjoyed it.

One by one, the others trickled in, sitting down sleepily but excited for another traditional Japanese breakfast à la Kacchan.

“I’m gonna miss these mornings when you two aren’t serving us anymore,” Kirishima said wistfully, scarfing down bite after bite. His attempt at a compliment earned him a slap from Kacchan, along with a few sparks. Good thing Kirishima’s Hardening made him immune to it. Maybe that’s why Kacchan tolerated him more than the others.

Some of the others laughed at the scene, silently agreeing with him. I chuckled too. Even though it was only day three, I’d come to appreciate this new morning routine. Sure, it came with work, but that didn’t bother me much. Honestly, I’d expected this punishment to be much worse. Don’t get me wrong! Missing class - especially practical training - was tough. But having Kacchan as a study partner made it more bearable.

“Hey, Izukuchan! What are you thinking about, ribbit?” Asui’s question pulled me from my thoughts. I blinked at her, surprised, and asked, “Why?”

She smiled and said, “You seem really content today.”

I looked at her, puzzled, shrugged, and honestly had no idea how to respond. The only thing that came to mind was: “I’m just getting used to the new daily routine. After the past few months, it’s kind of refreshing.”

Suddenly, several pairs of eyes were on me, staring in confusion, surprise, or perhaps disbelief.

It was uncomfortable. I felt my cheeks heat up and quickly added, “Not that it makes up for missing so much class and not being able to train properly.”

That seemed to satisfy Asui, and before anyone else could drag me further into the conversation, I got up and started clearing the dishes. They’d have to leave soon anyway. Where was Ilda with his overly punctual announcement to get ready?

I didn’t know why, but I wanted them all gone. I had the nagging feeling I’d said something I shouldn’t have. Something that didn’t was right. Had I just indirectly admitted that I was enjoying house arrest? Enjoying the time with Kacchan?

The thought made my cheeks burn even more. I couldn’t make sense of it. Was I embarrassed? Ashamed? Overthinking it?

I suppressed the urge to mumble under my breath - it always helped me process things. Talking to myself made thoughts feel less overwhelming, like I was one step closer to figuring them out.

As I loaded the dishwasher, the others said their goodbyes, though their looks this time seemed more questioning than pitying. I tried to ignore it and smiled brightly as I saw them off.

Once they were all gone, I exhaled audibly and leaned against the kitchen counter for a moment.

“What was that all about, nerd?” Kacchan’s voice startled me. I’d completely tuned him out until now.

I turned to find him leaning against the opposite counter, about a meter away. Somehow, that felt too close. Damn it, why did I suddenly feel like this?

Shaking my head, I waved it off and quickly said, “I’m gonna clean the bathroom now.”

Kacchan let me go without a word, and I was grateful for it. I had no idea what that weird moment was all about. It was nothing, wasn’t it? Why was my head spinning? Was my subconscious hiding something from me, making everything unnecessarily complicated?

 

For a full hour, I threw myself into cleaning. First the bathroom, then the common area. Kacchan was still working in the kitchen, seemingly prepping something for dinner.

Caught up in my cleaning frenzy, I didn’t immediately notice him watching me. I didn’t think much of it when our eyes met briefly now and then. Honestly, I had no idea what to talk to him about. My mind felt blank. No small talk topics came to me.

Suddenly, I felt a hand grab my arm. I looked up, startled, as Kacchan was already pulling me toward my room.

"That’s enough cleaning! Grab your damn schoolwork and get your ass upstairs!" he barked, clearly annoyed. I didn’t dare argue, though one question slipped out before I could stop myself.

"Shouldn’t we work separately first, like yesterday?"

Kacchan raised an eyebrow and cracked his neck from side to side.

"We’re doing a failed hero case today. Group assignment," he explained curtly. I nodded mechanically, opened my door, and headed to my desk.

While I gathered my materials, Kacchan leaned against the doorframe, wrinkling his nose and shaking his head. "This looks exactly like your old kiddie room. I figured you’d have outgrown your All Might obsession by now, at sixteen."

I flushed red. The countless posters and my 72 All Might figures probably should’ve embarrassed me. After all, guys my age usually had very different interests.

"Even though I inherited All Might’s Quirk, he’s still my idol. And now, he’s my mentor too. I just hope he never sees this room. It was mortifying enough when he saw my old one at home," I rambled, the words pouring out faster than I could stop them. My mouth wanted to keep going, but Kacchan cut me off with a precise explosion right in front of my face.

"Shut it, shitty nerd! Save that crap for someone who cares. Let’s go - we’re already behind schedule!"

Nodding, I quickly caught up to him, following him silently to his room.

When I compared his "teen room" to mine, I couldn’t help but think about putting some of my figures away. It had been slightly embarrassing during the dorm room tour too. But then again, Kacchan called me a nerd for a reason.

Surprisingly, Kacchan didn’t sit at his desk but plopped down on the bed. Since there was only one chair, I took it and set down my things. Then I turned to him and asked, "What do we need to do? I didn’t check the assignments after the movie last night."

Kacchan snorted and waved a small folder in the air. I gave him a questioning look, and he replied, "Our weird homeroom teacher left it in the kitchen this morning. So, let’s get to it."

Following his lead, I sat cross-legged on the bed beside him. When he opened the folder, I couldn’t hide my amazement. It was a replica of a real police case file. This was going to be interesting, and I felt a spark of excitement. I was genuinely looking forward to this. Reviewing the case, analyzing it, identifying mistakes, improving the approach—that was right up my alley.

We dove into the materials, thoroughly examining the reports, maps, and photos. It was fascinating. If being a hero hadn’t worked out for me, this would’ve definitely been my second career choice.

We began discussing the case, sharing our thoughts and exchanging ideas. Each of us had taken notes while reading.

“They should’ve just stormed in right away. That would’ve caught them off guard,” Kacchan blurted out far too quickly, his fingers twitching slightly. He probably wanted some action himself.

I mentally played out his head-first approach and came to the conclusion that at least one of the five hostages would definitely have been killed.

“No! They didn’t have enough information at that point. When they moved in, they still didn’t know how many hostage-takers there were or what abilities they had. Looking at the layout, there are four obvious entry points to the building: the roof, the back entrance, the delivery entrance, and the front door. But there are more discreet ways they could’ve used for reconnaissance…” I trailed off, mumbling softly. My hand rested under my chin as I racked my brain for the right solution.

I was so caught up in my analysis frenzy that I didn’t notice the hand on the back of my head until it shoved me face-first into the bed.

“Cut the damn mumbling, or I’ll kill you!” Kacchan barked, glaring down at me. His hand still held me down, making it difficult to turn my head and look up at him. His patience had clearly run out; the pulsing vein on his forehead gave that away. Had he let me ramble on, hoping I’d either stop or get to the point on my own?

“Kacchan!” I groaned in mild pain. Though the bed was soft, the pressure on my head was far from comfortable.

Finally, he let me go, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning against the wall. His heavy breathing told me he was trying to calm down.

“Sorry, Kacchan! Maybe I should step outside for a bit to think out loud, and when I’ve got a solution, I’ll come back!” I offered, but to my surprise, he shook his head.

“No, let’s take another look at the layout together,” he said, pushing aside all the materials before lying flat on his stomach on the bed, propped up on his crossed arms with the plan in front of him.

I couldn’t help but smile slightly. He looked just like he did back in the day, lounging on the floor in front of the TV while we admired All Might. Without hesitation, I lay down beside him, propping my head up on both hands as we both stared at the plan.

Minutes passed as we meticulously analyzed every inch of the layout.

“What exactly was the scout’s quirk again?” Kacchan asked after a while. Without missing a beat, I replied, “His Quirk was Mouseye. He could summon a mouse and see through its eyes. But it only worked within a straight-line distance of 50 meters. Beyond that, it disappeared.”

I grabbed the plan and rolled onto my back, holding it above me. Kacchan’s question was a good one. In the case, the scout had barely been used because the team had remained outside the building. The hostage-takers had demanded that no one approach. The scout had only sent his mouse briefly to the front door to peer through the glass. The information they gathered from that was far too limited.

Something was missing. It was driving me crazy. I sighed, tilting my head slightly to the side, and my temple brushed against Kacchan’s arm. His skin felt pleasantly cool, in contrast to my head, which felt like it was overheating. I glanced up and immediately locked eyes with the piercing red of his.

And suddenly, lying on the bed next to him felt strange. Too close. Not uncomfortable, just… strange.

Kacchan leaned in slightly, and my face started to burn. What the hell was happening?

To my surprise - and a mix of relief and disappointment - he simply turned onto his back beside me, looking at the plan. His blonde hair lightly brushed against my temple, feeling a bit bristly.

He raised a finger and pointed under the house. “The house doesn’t have a basement, but there’s a drainage connection to the sewer system,” he remarked.

I nodded wordlessly, still too confused by my own thoughts. Why had I been disappointed earlier? Had my body really misinterpreted his movement?

Suppressing the urge to shake my head, I tried to shove those odd thoughts aside. Maybe that small hit to the back of my head had scrambled something. Yeah, that had to be it.

“The scout could head down into the sewer and send the mouse up through the drainage connection. It could easily move around the ground floor without exceeding the 50-meter range. And if they then…” I began to explain but stopped mid-sentence, confused as Kacchan turned onto his side, propped his head on one hand, and looked straight at me.

“If you start babbling again, I’ll blow your damn head off!” Kacchan threatened softly. There was barely any aggression in his tone.

I gave him a slightly nervous smile and said, “If we send the scout in, we’ll get all the information we need. That there are only two hostage-takers. That the hostages are all sitting together. And that both the delivery entrance and the roof would be clear.”

“We’d still have no idea if there are explosives at the entrances,” Kacchan interjected. I bit my lip, grumbling under my breath. I tried roughly measuring the distance to the other entrances with my fingers. It was cutting it way too close to the limit.

I continued brainstorming feverishly, barely noticing that I’d started mumbling aloud again.

“The scout can only see through his mouse, not hear anything. So we’d need something on the mouse to provide the missing information, like a bug. But how quickly could we get one to the scene? Maybe we’d have to take the risk. If there were explosives on the roof, they wouldn’t harm the people on the ground floor. But the hostage-takers might get cornered and retaliate, possibly injuring or killing the hostages. Hmm, and we still don’t know their Quirks, so we should start by—”

I couldn’t finish my sentence. Something stopped me.

Something that completely shocked me.

Kacchan.

Kacchan’s lips.

Kacchan’s lips… on MINE?! WHAT?!

My brain shut down entirely. We locked eyes, and the anger radiating from Kacchan’s gaze made me want to shrink back into myself.

I had no idea how long the contact lasted. At most, it could’ve been a fraction of a second. Kacchan leaned back slightly, breaking the connection between us.

“Cut that damn muttering, you shitty nerd!” he growled.

I should’ve flinched, maybe even ducked my head. But I was frozen. My mind was stuck in a loop, desperately trying to process what just happened. The logical explanation was obvious, but my brain refused to accept it. I felt nothing but shock.

Kacchan flopped back onto his back, crossing his arms behind his head and exhaling in relief. “Finally, some peace and quiet,” he muttered, picking up the police report again.

Okay, status check. Come on, brain. Don’t fail me now.

I tried to pull myself together, mentally slapping myself back to reality. I needed to process this quickly. Analyze it.

Kacchan’s lips had just been on mine. No movement. From what he said, he’d clearly just wanted to shut me up. And considering his earlier threat, he had definitely just “blown my head off.” Metaphorically, of course - his house arrest meant no actual explosions.

But what was I supposed to make of all this? All I felt was shock. Maybe confusion too. Did I find it horrible? Disgusting? Wrong? Or… was it right? Good? Nice?

I turned to face Kacchan. He seemed entirely unfazed, ready to keep working as if nothing had happened. But I… I needed to understand what this was.

Before my brain could stop my mouth, I whispered, “Do it again.”

 

Notes:

That's it!
Aaahh, what do you think?
I'm so nervous and excited at the same time. (and hoping for a comment ^^')
See you on Tuesday!

Chapter 9: Confusion

Notes:

Hello, everyone!
And WOW! I’m absolutely blown away by all the comments. <3 You guys are amazing. And yes, the kiss was definitely unexpected. But I have to admit, I actually wrote the story and the first few chapters back in May 2022. So, I promise things will only get better in the upcoming chapters!

Enjoy the new one, packed with lots of BKDK! =D

Chapter 9 – Confusion

 

“Do it again!”

Now it was Kacchan’s turn to stare at me, dumbfounded, with raised eyebrows. He turned onto his side and asked, “Why?”

Yeah, why? Good question. No answer.

It was completely absurd. Why had he done it in the first place? And why did I want him to do it again? How could such a situation even arise? Between the two of us! Between Kacchan and me! Between Kacchan, who somehow hated me, and me, who just wanted to get back an old friend.

I heard an exasperated sigh beside me. Kacchan ran a hand down his face, pulling his features downward before shaking his head. Then, without warning, he leaned in quickly, pressing his lips against mine for the second time.

We locked eyes. He raised an eyebrow, and I glanced slightly to the side. Once again, the contact didn’t last long. This time, he pulled back only a little, staying close.

“Well? Enough for an analysis?” he asked mockingly, a smug grin spreading across his face. I felt my cheeks warm but managed to stammer, “It was… a little more insightful.”

“Uh-huh,” he replied simply and was about to turn away when I grabbed his arm. He glanced down at my hand and then back at me, clearly ready to snap, but I stuttered nervously, “Could you… maybe… try doing it… properly?”

Oh, great. That didn’t come out right. And honestly, I wasn’t even sure what I was thinking anymore. The contact hadn’t been unpleasant. Still, I couldn’t quite place the feeling. And seriously, what was wrong with me for asking Kacchan that? Where did I even get the nerve? Why couldn’t I stop thinking about what a proper kiss might feel like?

“Are you messing with me?!” Kacchan yelled in my face. I squeezed my eyes shut and raised my hands in a placating gesture.

“That’s not… I didn’t mean it like that! I just… I mean, normally… you’d… move your lips or something…”

Nope, I couldn’t talk any longer. God, how embarrassing was this? Why couldn’t I just do what Kacchan was doing and focus on our schoolwork? I felt utterly foolish. Clumsy. And naïve.

“You shitty Deku! Think I did that for fun? What the hell’s wrong with you?” he continued shouting. But his outburst triggered a question I couldn’t stop myself from asking: “Then why did you kiss me?”

Once again, my brain was too slow to stop me. I seriously needed to get a handle on this habit of blurting things out around Kacchan. Ever since this house arrest, it had been like a curse.

“Ugh…” Kacchan seemed to be thinking. His mouth opened twice, then closed again. He pressed his lips into a thin line before letting out a frustrated breath.

“Fine! After this, we never talk about this crap again, got it?”

Without waiting for a response, he leaned in and pressed his lips to mine for the third time that day - this time properly. His lips moved against mine, firm but not aggressive. Overwhelmed, I clumsily tried to mimic his movements, closing my eyes. I figured I’d treat it like a fight: observe, react, and feel.

The kiss lasted longer this time. Ten, maybe twenty seconds. Kacchan pulled away, quickly creating more distance between us. He sat up, leaning against the wall, one leg bent with his arm resting over it. His eyes stayed fixed on me.

And me? I just lay there, trying to process what had just happened.

It had felt… good. That much I was sure of. No disgust, nothing repulsive about it. There had even been a slight tingling in my fingers. And in the back of my neck. But… was it supposed to feel like that? Kacchan was a boy. Did it even matter who you kissed? Did kisses always feel like that?

I’d never kissed a girl before. Never kissed anyone, for that matter. How was I supposed to compare?

“What’s going on in that little bird brain of yours?” Kacchan asked calmly. His blonde hair fell slightly over his eyes as he tilted his head downward, making it hard for me to read his expression.

I hesitated, then turned onto my stomach, staring at the opposite wall. Away from Kacchan. Suddenly, my face felt like it was burning, and I couldn’t meet his gaze. How had I not felt this embarrassment before? How had I been so rational until now?

But the much bigger question: Why did he do it? So suddenly. Out of nowhere. I hadn’t seen it coming - how could I? Honestly, I would’ve expected him to literally blow my head off with his quirk before this. But this? What had gotten into him?

The silence was unbearable. Suffocating.

I sighed. I should answer Kacchan’s question. So, I spoke softly, calmly: “I’m wondering if a kiss always feels like that. I mean, I don’t have a point of reference.”

I heard a snort. This time, it sounded slightly amused. His voice followed, almost teasing: “You’re actually analyzing it? What a fucking nerd you are.”

Absentmindedly, I gave a slight nod, murmuring in agreement. My thoughts wandered. Why had he done it? And why did I feel so down now?

My mood sank lower with every passing second of silence.

“Deku?” Kacchan’s voice broke the stillness after a few minutes. It sounded uncertain. I couldn’t recall the last time - or if I’d ever - heard that tone from him. Arrogant, sure. Provoking, of course. After Ground Beta, even desperate. But this? This was different.

Did he realize he’d messed up? Had he even done anything wrong? Or was it me, with my stupid demand?

Everything had been going so well. It had been so… good. So why did it now feel like everything was falling apart?

“That was my first kiss, Kacchan,” I said quietly, my voice monotone. I couldn’t muster any emotion. The thought echoed in my head: I was the one who demanded that first real kiss. It could’ve just stayed at “shutting me up.”

The silence stretched again. The only sound was the rustling of papers. Was Kacchan putting the case file away? Should I leave? How were we supposed to complete the group assignment like this?

The bed shifted slightly. Kacchan seemed like he was about to get up. But we couldn’t leave things like this, even if he’d said we wouldn’t talk about it anymore.

I turned around, pushing my upper body up with my forearms. I bent one leg to block him from standing. He looked at me. And I looked at him. Red met green. Green met red.

“Why did you do it? And why like that?”

Kacchan sighed heavily, tilting his head back and rubbing the bridge of his nose. His voice was gruff, annoyed. “I told you - we’re not talking about this anymore—”

I cut him off sharply. “No! We’re discussing this, right here and now, so we can get back to the case file. Or we fight. Your choice!”

He looked at me, clearly impressed. He probably hadn’t expected me to say that. Neither had I. He sighed, resting his arm back on his bent knee.

“Don’t know. My body just moved on its own. It was instinctive.”

What an answer. I snorted. “So does this happen often? With Kirishima and Kaminari too?”

His expression twisted in disbelief. He stared at me, completely flabbergasted. His reaction would’ve been hilarious if the situation weren’t so absurd.

“OF COURSE NOT! WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK OF ME? I’ve never done anything like that before!” His voice was loud. Very loud. Good thing we were alone.

I opened my mouth to respond, but he cut me off. “And don’t you dare ask your fucking ‘why’ question now, nerd! I don’t know, okay? Are we done here?”

Reluctantly, I nodded and grabbed the file again. Focus, Izuku! Come on! Get back to the task at hand. Just don’t think about what had just happened. Probably impossible, but I could at least try.

I picked up the layout and said, “He could use the mouse to see the hostage-takers. If they’re in the police database, we could identify their quirks.” My voice sounded mechanical, like I was somewhere else entirely. Still caught up in that kiss.

Kacchan agreed and began flipping through the materials, looking for a database excerpt.

Meanwhile, my thoughts kept spinning, though this time I managed to keep quiet. I tried to piece together all the information in my head, just like we were doing with the case.

He’d said it was instinctive. His instincts always gave him an edge in battle. But this wasn’t something you could compare to fighting. And he’d also said he’d never done it with anyone else before. He hadn’t even responded to the fact that he’d stolen my first kiss. Had Kacchan ever kissed anyone? Did he have something to compare it to?

When I searched my own feelings, I had to admit it had felt… good. Good enough to want to repeat it. But wasn’t that something you only did with someone you liked? Then again, I’d always liked Kacchan. But as a friend. Friends weren’t supposed to do things like that, right? Still, wasn’t it normal to experiment at my age? Should I try kissing a girl instead? Could I ask someone?

The thought made my face turn red. I shook my head quickly. Had I seriously just considered asking one of the girls in my class to kiss me so I could compare it to kissing Kacchan?

“I can do this on my own if you can’t focus anymore,” Kacchan’s voice snapped me out of my chaotic thoughts.

My gaze wandered to him. He was staring at me, expectantly - or was it a challenge? Was he seriously trying to provoke me to cover up the shitty mood he’d created?

My body started to tremble. Anger welled up inside me. This rollercoaster of emotions was driving me insane.

“Why are you such an ass, Kacchan?!” I suddenly yelled at him. A lump rose in my throat, and I felt my eyes begin to burn. Just tears of anger. Nothing else.

I didn’t give him a chance to respond. I let my fury pour out: “YOU’RE the reason we’re stuck in this damn situation! YOU’RE the reason we have this stupid house arrest, spending so much time together! And then YOU go and kiss me for no reason! Just on a whim? To shut me up? Next time, just punch me in the face! At least then I wouldn’t be sitting here wondering if I’d want to do it again or if I should find a girl to compare it to!”

I was breathing heavily. Fuck, I couldn’t remember the last time I’d lost it like this without getting into a fight with him. Or sworn this much. But it felt oddly good to scream all that at him. I could kind of understand why he did it so often. It was freeing.

Kacchan looked at me, speechless. I couldn’t read his expression. So, I waited for a reaction, refusing to look away this time. Even though it was a little uncomfortable, I held my ground.

“You’re way too damn emotional, Deku,” he finally muttered, his voice low. Then he grabbed me, pulling me toward him, and pressed his forehead against mine. I didn’t resist. I was still waiting for more from him. An explanation. Something.

“I don’t have anything to compare it to either,” he muttered after a brief pause. His eyes were closed, his breathing steady. And I thought I could see a faint red tint on his cheeks.

I raised my eyebrows in surprise. “Was that… your first too?” I began to whisper, leaving the question unfinished.

He grumbled softly. “Honestly, I’m not good at this kind of thing.”

“At what?”

“Talking!” he shot back immediately. The situation was clearly just as awkward and unfamiliar for him as it was for me.

“So, what now? How do we deal with this… problem?” I whispered back. We were still sitting forehead to forehead on his bed, completely still, waiting.

“Is it even a problem?” he countered, opening his eyes to look at me. We were so close it was hard to read his expression.

I shrugged. That was a good question. My problem was that I didn’t understand it. The feeling itself wasn’t an issue.

“I don’t know,” I murmured, my voice now just a hesitant breath.

Silence. Again, only silence. The only sound was our breathing, and I could feel it too. It tickled my chin, each exhale spreading a brief warmth.

“What now?” I asked after a while. My mind was completely blank. I couldn’t think. I didn’t even know how to feel. I was just here. Next to him. Powerless to do anything.

“I always follow my gut in situations like this. I’m not a brainy type like you,” he replied. Our gazes avoided each other, neither of us daring to meet the other’s eyes.

“What does your gut say?” I asked, curious about what would happen next.

He lifted his head slightly, so our noses brushed. Then, slowly, his nose glided along mine until our lips touched again. Tentatively. Uncertainly. Yet it felt… nice.

I let it happen. Since I couldn’t think anymore, I just went along with it. It still didn’t feel wrong. It felt pleasant. Warm. Comforting.

Kacchan pulled back slightly. We both breathed a little unevenly before our lips met again.

What was even happening right now?

I felt his hand on the back of my neck, gently pulling me closer. Our bent sitting position was awkward - it seemed to bother him too. He pushed the file off the bed with his foot and shifted, pulling me down with him without breaking the contact.

Now we were lying on our sides, facing each other. His hand stayed on my neck, while mine rested on his side. He kept kissing me, deeper this time, more curious.

I sighed softly into the kiss as he played with the tips of my hair, gently scratching the nape of my neck. Instinctively, I shifted closer to him, letting my hand move to his back, savoring the warmth and the feeling of every kiss that followed.

Notes:

That's it!
Hope you like the dialogues and the 'action' hehe
Next Chapter got the title "absurd"
See you on Thursday for more =D

Chapter 10: Absurd

Notes:

Hello everyone!
I'm back with a new Chapter! Thx for your kudos and comments!
Hope this story got a bit more attention! I love your comments <3
Enjoy it!

Chapter 10 – Absurd

 

I completely lost track of time. All I felt was the sensation - and apparently, so did he. It was like being in a trance. I didn’t want to stop. I craved more of the feeling. The experience.

We both grew more confident. Sometimes our lips met fully; other times, it was just his top lip or his bottom lip. Occasionally, I felt his tongue brush against my lips. I followed his lead. We were clumsy at times, then calm, demanding, uncoordinated, and gentle again.

Every now and then, my mind tried to remind me how absurd this whole thing was - making out with Kacchan in his bed, completely forgetting the world around us. Occasionally, I managed to force out a quiet “Kacchan” to stop and talk, but every time, he’d just mutter, “Shut it, nerd,” and kiss me even more passionately.

It was all so new, yet strangely familiar. Kacchan’s scent calmed me. His lips on mine made me nervous. His hand at the nape of my neck sent shivers down my spine. His body heat enveloped me like a cocoon.

So many sensations from such small touches. Crazy. Absolutely crazy. And I was beginning to understand why you always saw teenage couples making out in parks or wherever. It was addicting. So addicting you couldn’t stop.

Kacchan’s phone suddenly rang, signaling a new message. But he didn’t seem remotely interested in checking it. When it rang a second and third time, though, he reluctantly pulled away, growling in annoyance.

I watched as he fished his phone out of his pocket and looked at the screen.

First, I caught a glimpse of the time. 1:24 p.m. Shit, how long had I been here? Then I saw the contact name: “Shitty Hair.” I smiled and rolled my eyes slightly.

Kacchan swiped across the screen, unlocking it with FaceID, and opened the messages. I didn’t want to be rude, so I didn’t try to peek. Instead, I took the moment to catch my breath and let my mind start working again. But then I heard an annoyed groan from him. His expression turned angry, and his jaw clenched.

“Argh! I hate that bastard!” he burst out, rubbing his eyes and running a hand through his hair. He growled again, then looked at me, his eyes flicking back to the phone, and then back to me.

I got the hint and glanced at the screen, reading Kirishima’s messages.

Hey Kats!
We just had a hero case in class.
Mr. Aizawa said you guys will present another one later! Did you know that? Maybe check in with Midoriya. 😉

“Oh!” I exclaimed, surprised. The words slowly sank in, and once they did, my eyes widened in panic.

“Shit, Kacchan! It’s already so late, and we haven’t prepared anything!” I shouted, jumping up in shock and scrambling to gather the file Kacchan had kicked off the bed earlier.

I took a deep breath. We had to prepare a full presentation while also analyzing the case. We’d barely made a dent in the material.

“Deku…” Kacchan began calmly, but I wasn’t ready to hear it. I placed the file on his desk and opened it.

“Deku!” he said again, this time more annoyed.

I glanced at him briefly, pointed to the file, and turned away.

I heard him let out a frustrated groan as he got up and walked over. He placed a hand on my shoulder, making me turn to face him.

He leaned closer, and I couldn’t back away, feeling the desk press against my lower back. His face stopped just short of mine as his voice dropped to a low, almost dark tone. “We’re not dumb, nerd. So stop freaking out.”

I nodded, my gaze locked on his lips. And shit, what was it about them that made me so drawn to them? The last hour must’ve seriously messed with my head. Without thinking further, I closed the gap and kissed him for the first time consciously, on my own.

Heavenly. Soft. Intoxicating.

Kacchan didn’t hesitate to kiss me back, pressing against me so firmly that I had to brace myself against the desk with my arms. There wasn’t even a sliver of space left between us. My heart pounded wildly. We hadn’t been this close earlier! What if something happened now that I couldn’t control in my teenage state?

Panicked, I pushed him back slightly, trying to calm myself. My cheeks felt like they were on fire.

I looked up at him, seeing his raised eyebrows and questioning gaze. I cleared my throat once, then twice. My throat felt scratchy.

He smirked, a teasing and provocative grin spreading across his face. Did he guess what had just run through my mind?

Suppressing the urge to shake my head, I said hoarsely, “Let’s work on the presentation.”

Kacchan dropped into his desk chair while I stood there like an idiot. Should I sit on the bed again? Stay standing? Or maybe sit on the floor?

I was struggling with myself. He hadn’t said another word, and it was making me nervous. I couldn’t imagine what he was thinking or how he felt about this situation. He had seemed amused by my behavior earlier. But what had been going through his head during all that kissing? I couldn’t even remember my own thoughts at the time.

I sighed and asked, resigned, “Could you maybe go grab the chair from Kirishima’s room again?”

He rolled his eyes, stood up, and left the room without a word.

That finally gave me a moment to catch my breath. A moment to gather my thoughts. It wouldn’t be much time - maybe a minute before he came back - but I needed that minute for myself.

So many questions were running through my head again: What was this now? What did it mean to me? How did Kacchan feel about it? Were we going to talk about it? Or would he stay silent? Did his silence mean anything? And if so, what exactly?

Internally, I laughed at myself. This whole thing was absurd beyond belief. First, we’d been at each other’s throats. Then we’d talked a little more openly. And now, we’d spent the entire midday lying on his bed. Together. Kissing. Over and over again. And then there was what had just happened at the desk. Did that… actually turn me on a little?

I swallowed hard, shaking my head repeatedly. I didn’t want to think about it. Honestly, I was scared to think about it calmly. And how was I supposed to act normally around the others later, especially if he was there?

The full weight of our little teenage escapade - God, now I sounded like Ilda in my head - hadn’t even fully hit me yet. Fuck, I’d kissed Kacchan! No, worse: we’d been making out. All noon! Holy shit!!!

I buried my face in my hands. Some kind of bubble in my head had just burst. I suppressed a squeak, trying to calm myself down. Why was it only now hitting me so hard?

I tried taking a few deep breaths. Get a grip. Don’t think about it! Save it for later! I scolded myself internally. It helped a little. But my cheeks and ears still felt very warm. Maybe I should open a window?

The sound of the door closing startled me. Kacchan didn’t comment on it, or maybe he just hadn’t noticed. Though that seemed unlikely - he always noticed everything.

He pushed the chair next to his and sat down again. I took my seat beside him, but somehow, I didn’t know how to work with him now. The feelings, the touches - they were too fresh. And the fact that I could glance at the bed wasn’t helping.

I exhaled deeply, trying to calm the whirlwind of thoughts in my head. I grabbed some papers from the file and began reading. Or at least, I tried. I was reading, but not a single word was sinking in. My brain seemed to have shut down.

Kacchan must’ve noticed my absence of focus because suddenly, he slammed his hand on the desk and let off a small explosion with the other.

Startled, I stared at him, waiting to see what he’d do next.

“Get your damn head in the game, shitty nerd!” he snapped. “We’re doing this the same way we did the last two days! Pull yourself the fuck together! You can analyze all that crap later! I’m not giving that damn scarf freak the satisfaction of us screwing this up!”

Despite my tension and his yelling, I couldn’t help but smile a little. Yeah, this version of Kacchan… I liked. He grounded me and pulled me back to reality.

“Sorry, Kacchan! I—”

“And stop apologizing all the damn time! It’s annoying!” he barked, though his tone was no longer as loud or impulsive.

I scratched the back of my head, nodded, and slid back properly to the desk.

 

I had no idea what switch Kacchan had flipped in me, but from that moment on, our collaboration worked seamlessly again. After a solid 90 minutes, our presentation was finished to the point where we were both satisfied.

I stood up and stretched. I was completely drained and would’ve loved to go straight to bed. If there were time, I’d do just that. But it was already 3 p.m., which meant the others would be back within the hour.

“Should we act surprised later when Mr. Aizawa brings up the presentation task? I don’t think Kirishima was supposed to tell us,” I asked as I sat back on the bed. It was just so much more comfortable than the chair.

Kacchan turned to me. “If you can act that well,” he replied in that challenging tone of his, accompanied by his usual smug expression.

I grinned. “I’ll manage. Not so sure about you, though.” I surprised even myself with that bold statement. Ground Beta had made me a little braver - or maybe I was just being reckless.

Kacchan stood up, walked over to me, and stopped right in front of where I was sitting. He looked down at me, his gaze condescending as he asked, “Getting cocky now, little Deku?”

I pouted. Little Deku? That was new. Usually, there’d be a curse word in front of it. The “little” part somehow stung, though I couldn’t explain why.

“I don’t know, you tell me, Ka—Katsuki!” I shot back, trying to keep the harmless banter going. His name felt heavy on my tongue. It was strange addressing him that way. I couldn’t even remember the last time I’d called him by his real name.

Apparently, neither could he, judging by the way he gave me an unreadable look. What was going through his head now?

Kacchan took another step closer, positioning himself between my legs at the edge of the bed. The proximity made me uncomfortable, and I subconsciously scooted back against the wall, my legs stretched out on the bed. Damn it, my newfound confidence had vanished just like that, dissipating the moment he moved closer.

His grin widened, and he took his hands out of his pockets. He climbed onto the bed, settling on my legs. I swallowed hard. Now I really couldn’t escape. Was he planning to pick up where we’d been interrupted earlier?

“Kacchan…” I whispered uncertainly, unsure of what to say. My hands were braced stiffly on either side of me, sweaty from either fear or excitement - I couldn’t tell which.

“For someone who told me to kiss them properly earlier, you’re awfully nervous now,” he mused aloud, his smug expression unwavering.

I dropped my gaze. I felt like I could sink into the floor. My cheeks were practically on fire. I felt overwhelmed, unsure, embarrassed. And our current position wasn’t helping. He exuded a self-assurance and dominance that I couldn’t help but admire. But hadn’t he been just as uncertain earlier?

His name caught in my throat as I felt his fingers on my chin, gently tilting my face back up to meet his gaze.

“Listen, little nerd, let’s get one thing straight: You clearly enjoyed what happened earlier, and so did I. What it means, we don’t know. And honestly, I don’t care right now. So let’s just accept it, okay?”

Well, I hadn’t expected that. I wasn’t even sure if I liked his words or not. I nodded mechanically, too afraid of how he might react if I shook my head. Though “afraid” wasn’t quite the right word… but I couldn’t think of a better one at the moment.

“So, are we done now?” I asked hesitantly. I saw him tilt his head slightly, as if he didn’t understand the meaning behind my words. Then again, I wasn’t entirely sure myself.

He leaned forward, his grip on my chin tightening slightly. Just before our lips met, he paused, letting me feel his warm breath.

“Outside this room, nothing happened, got it? But that doesn’t mean we have to stop while we’re in here.”

My ears burned. How could he be so damn direct? He didn’t seem embarrassed at all, nor did he show any doubt about what he was saying. Or maybe he was just an exceptionally good actor.

His commanding lips found mine again, reinforcing his words. I couldn’t respond - I was still regaining my composure. His confidence was overwhelming. And yet… hadn’t things been more balanced earlier? Was he using this to mask his own insecurities, like he used to back in middle school to push me away?

“I should head downstairs before the others get back,” I tried to say, shifting slightly to free myself from under him.

“Bullshit! Shitty Hair warned us, so it’s not suspicious if you’re up here,” he grumbled against my lips, immediately reclaiming them. His hand braced beside my head, and I gave in. Why not? This felt even more intense than before.

Kacchan kissed me with so much force. His hand moved from my chin to tangle in my hair, holding me in place, guiding me.

The carousel of emotions started spinning again. Goosebumps spread down my body - from my neck to my shoulders, chest, and arms. What was he doing differently this time?

Panic bubbled up as he settled his full weight onto my thighs. I raised my hands, pressing against his chest, creating just the tiniest bit of space between us.

“Kacchan!” I gasped, my voice slightly higher than usual. I cleared my throat and swallowed. He looked at me, briefly confused, then slowly withdrew his hand from my head.

“What?” he asked, trying to sound annoyed, but it seemed like he’d just realized how forceful he’d been. His ears were slightly red.

I hesitated, unsure of what to say. It had felt amazing, but it had also scared me.

“Scared, huh?” he provoked.

I looked at him, torn about whether to speak my thoughts aloud. He was goading me. “If you’re just as inexperienced as I, why does it feel like you’re always one step ahead of me?”

“Because I’m better than you at everything,” he replied smugly.

I rolled my eyes. Was that seriously his answer? I tried to gather myself, to be honest with him, but he interrupted.

“You overthink everything!” he said, his hand resting gently on my cheek.

I barely shook my head, savoring the warmth of his hand on my face. “Right now, I can’t think at all.”

Kacchan grinned, almost as if he was about to laugh. “So I really did blow your mind, huh?” he teased, clearly amused.

I pouted, crossing my arms over my chest. What kind of image did I make in his eyes?

Kacchan sighed, cracking his neck as he tilted his head left, then right. “Can you just shut up for once and follow your instincts?”

I wanted to protest, but my lips twitched into a small smile. I nodded and allowed myself to get lost in another kiss. I could still think about all this later tonight.

 

 

What happened next was just like before, and I simply enjoyed every touch from Kacchan. I grew bolder and more excited as the kisses changed. When Kacchan’s tongue began brushing over my lips more frequently, seeking to part them, I instinctively followed his lead, just as he’d advised. I didn’t want to waste another thought on whether any of this was right or if I needed a comparison.

Tingling sensations spread through my stomach, my whole body. An incredible feeling as Kacchan’s tongue brushed against mine for the first time. A bit strange, but the exhilarating sensation won out. A contented sound escaped me, too caught up in the moment to feel embarrassed. And honestly, Kacchan seemed to have completely erased the concept of “embarrassment” from his mind. Was it as intoxicating for him as it was for me?

A knock on the door shattered our little bubble. Startled, we pulled our heads apart. I gasped for air, breathing heavily. Glancing at Kacchan, I noticed he was in the same state. I hadn’t even realized I’d only been giving my lungs the bare minimum of oxygen.

“Hey, Bakubro! You in there?”

Notes:

Thats it!
Ah, i think i need to make the ends of a Chapter a little bit more...exciting ;) Because - at the last last chapter, i got a lot of comments after the "do it again!" hehe
See you on Saturday <3

Chapter 11: Normalmode

Notes:

Hello everyone!
Welcome on this lovely (rainy -.-) saturday! Perfect for reading =D
Thx for your comments and the kudos! I hope you like this new chapter!
Enjoy it!

Chapter 11 – Normalmode

 

“Hey Bakubro! You in there?”

 

Kirishima’s voice boomed through the door. No! No, no, no! Had that much time already passed again?

Kacchan cleared his throat and yelled back irritably, “Don’t bother me, Shitty Hair!”

It was crazy how quickly he could switch back into his usual Katsuki mode. I wasn’t sure my voice would’ve sounded steady or clear if I had to respond right now.

“Mr. Aizawa sent me to get you. Do you know where Midobro is?” came another question through the door.

I was a bit surprised that Kirishima hadn’t just barged in after Kacchan answered. Apparently, even he wasn’t brave enough to enter the lion’s den uninvited.

“That jerk can wait! We’ll be down in a minute!” Kacchan shouted toward the door.

I stared at him in shock, while silence fell outside. “Kacchan, you said we!” I whispered, panicking.

His angry red eyes glared at me. “No shit, genius! How else were you planning to get downstairs from here?”

“But—” I began nervously, only to be interrupted. “We worked on the assignment together, so chill out. As if anyone would actually believe we were doing what we were just doing!”

I nodded. Okay, that kind of made sense.

I perked up when Kirishima’s hesitant and confused voice finally came through the door: “Midoriya is… in YOUR room?”

He sounded almost hysterical. I couldn’t help but laugh quietly. This was absurd. Even Kirishima couldn’t believe what was going on. His world must’ve been crumbling at that very moment.

I felt a light punch and looked at Kacchan innocently. Come on, it was just too funny.

Kacchan got up, and I rubbed my thighs, now feeling the strain from having Kacchan’s weight on them for so long. Not that he was heavy, but no one had ever sat on my lap for that long before.

He disappeared into the bathroom, leaving the door open, and I could hear the sound of water running as he washed his face.

“You should freshen up too,” he said upon returning, drying his face with a towel. He pointed at his lips with a finger, and I understood. They were probably slightly reddened, like his had been. The cold water seemed to have reduced it.

I quickly jumped off the bed and went into the small bathroom. Looking into the mirror, I saw my reflection. My hair was a little messier than usual, but nothing too noticeable. However, my lips were indeed a bit darker than normal.

I cupped some cold water from the faucet and splashed it onto my face. I repeated the process three times, grabbed the towel next to the sink, and dried my face. Feeling refreshed, I checked the mirror again. My reflection now only barely hinted at what Kacchan and I had been doing minutes earlier.

As I walked back to Kacchan, I ran a hand through my hair and gave it a shake. That should make it look normal again.

Kacchan had already grabbed our notes, shoving them into my hands, and was dragging Kirishima’s chair behind him.

“You’ll stash the stuff in your room for now, and when Aizawa calls on us, you’ll go grab it. Then we’ll present exactly like we planned. Got it, Deku?”

Okay, Kacchan was fully back in his usual mode. Should I be surprised by that, or not?

I nodded and took a deep breath before Kacchan opened the door. To my surprise, Kirishima was standing in the hallway, apparently wanting to confirm with his own eyes that I had truly been inside the sacred domain of Katsuki Bakugou.

“Hey, Kats! Hey, Midoriya!” he greeted us. I smiled at him, while Kacchan just grumbled, his face set in an annoyed expression as he slouched toward the elevator with his hands in his pockets.

I shook my head and followed him with Kirishima. Naturally, Kirishima slung an arm around my shoulders and immediately started talking: “How did you pull off getting into his room? I’ve only ever caught a glimpse of it twice!”

Kacchan turned to us with a menacing look. I offered a nervous smile and replied, “We had to work on the assignment together, and Kacchan said the rabble should come to him.”

Kirishima nodded, and with a quick, subtle glance at Kacchan, I allowed myself to think that he approved of my response. Internally, I sighed in relief. God, this was going to be exhausting. There was no way I could slip back into normal mode so easily. Or could I?

“How was your day at school?” I asked Kirishima casually as we got into the elevator. He immediately launched into a story about all the funny things that had happened: Kaminari tipping over while leaning back in his chair, Mineta hitting on some girls from Class 2, and Ilda trying once again to bring order and discipline to the cafeteria.

I chuckled softly, a little annoyed that he skipped over the actual class content.

 

When we arrived downstairs, I followed Kacchan’s instructions and quickly placed our materials on my dresser. They waited briefly before we headed to the common area together. The entire class was there, and even Mr. Aizawa was sitting at the table.

“Hello, Bakugou, Midoriya. I left a file with an assignment in the kitchen for you this morning. Have you completed it?” our teacher greeted us, wasting no time.

I nodded while Kacchan spat out a curt “Of course.” Internally, I rolled my eyes. Couldn’t he be a little more polite to Mr. Aizawa? The man could easily extend our house arrest if he felt like it. He’d surely find a reason.

“Good. Then I’d like you to present it to me and the entire class in the conference room.”

“There’s a conference room here?” someone in the room asked. I couldn’t pinpoint the voice - I was far too tense. My mind was preoccupied with the irrational hope that no one could tell anything was different about us. A dumb thought, I knew. But it still lingered.

“Yes, next to my office. We’ve never used it before, but we’ve also never had anyone on house arrest before,” Mr. Aizawa replied flatly, already turning to leave.

“I’ll grab our stuff real quick!” I said, stumbling over my words as I spun on my heel and practically fled to my room.

Unfortunately, there was no time to catch my breath - it would’ve been far too suspicious. I grabbed our file and notes and headed back. Kacchan was waiting for me. Alone.

We walked silently to the designated room. I glanced nervously at Kacchan, who just rolled his eyes in irritation when he noticed my look.

“Listen, nerd. Just focus on the presentation. Nothing else matters right now, got it? I just want to crush this guy with it,” he said bluntly.

“Yes, Kacchan,” I replied obediently, maybe even a bit uncertainly.

The room was set up with the tables arranged in a large "U" shape, and everyone had already taken their seats. Mr. Aizawa stood by the window, observing us.

I opened the file and began pinning the key materials to the board with magnets. Once our setup was complete, we launched into our presentation, sharing everything we’d managed to piece together in our focused work.

 

 

At the end of our presentation, the entire class tapped their desks in approval. Some of them looked impressed, others simply acknowledged our work. I was satisfied, while Kacchan just looked as smug and self-assured as ever, staring down Mr. Aizawa.

“You’ve done a very good job! Your analysis is 100% satisfactory. I have no criticisms,” Mr. Aizawa said, then added, “And you worked on this together?”

There was skepticism in his voice. I nodded while Kacchan grumbled a curt “Yeah.” For me, that settled the matter. But of course, Kirishima had to loudly declare at that moment, “No doubt about it, Mr. Aizawa - I picked Bakugou up from his room with Midoriya!”

Our classmates’ eyes widened in shock before Kaminari blurted out, “WHAT? Together in BAKUGOU’S ROOM? Yo, bro! You’ve never let any of us do homework in there!”

Heat rose to my face, and I wanted to disappear into the floor. This was unbearably embarrassing - especially since we hadn’t just been working on school stuff. In fact, we’d done the least amount of schoolwork in there today.

“Shut it, Dunce Face! My room couldn’t handle that much concentrated stupidity,” Kacchan barked, sparks flying dangerously from his hand. The others started whispering among themselves. Uraraka looked at me in surprise, and I gave her a sheepish smile and waved it off.

Kacchan made it surprisingly easy for me in that moment to avoid thinking about the rest of the day. Maybe that was his intention - or maybe he was just being himself.

I gathered our materials and handed them to Mr. Aizawa, who gave me a questioning look. Trying to reassure him, I said, “Everything’s fine. The teamwork went smoothly.”

He nodded and dismissed the class. Finally, a chance to breathe. I walked over to Uraraka, Asui, and Todoroki, while Ilda tried to calm down Kacchan and his group.

“Hey, guys!” I greeted them, dropping into the seat Ilda had just vacated.

“Great work, Midoriya. It’s impressive how thoroughly you analyzed the case. I wouldn’t have thought of the sewer approach,” Todoroki said calmly, as composed as ever.

“Thanks Todoroki! We solved the case surprisingly quickly. And Kirishima gave Kacchan a heads-up that Mr. Aizawa would expect a presentation,” I admitted.

“And everything went smoothly? Or was Bakugou losing it the whole time?” Uraraka asked, lightly brushing her hand over my arm. The touch surprised me - it felt out of place, and I didn’t understand why she did it. All I knew was that it made me uncomfortable, and I glanced briefly at Kacchan, who was busy with something else.

“No, it was fine. He didn’t want to look bad in front of Mr. Aizawa, so we actually worked pretty well together,” I explained. After these three days, I could barely remember why everyone was so worried about whether my head would still be attached by the end of the day. I pushed thoughts of Kacchan’s previous behavior toward me deep down. After today, I just didn’t care anymore.

Before she could say anything else, a familiar voice called out: “Hey, shitty Deku! Get your ass to the kitchen! I’m not doing this crap alone!”

I sighed loudly, holding back a smile. I wasn’t sure why, but for once, I didn’t feel the need to duck my head. I just felt… good.

Resigned, I followed Kacchan and the rest of the class into the common area and then into the kitchen.

“What’s the plan, and what do you need me to do?” I asked, glancing at the clock. Time was flying today. It was already close to 6 p.m.

“Get the bowls and peel the eggs. I prepped everything for ramen this morning.”

His voice sounded less aggressive than usual, even though he tried to sound annoyed. Maybe I was just imagining it.

 

The atmosphere was pretty relaxed. A few people had gathered around the kitchen counter, watching in fascination as Kacchan worked his magic again. Some envious and a few snarky remarks flew around, prompting Kacchan to pause occasionally and wave his knife around menacingly.

We laughed, and soon after, we were all able to sit down at the table together.

“Hey, even though your house arrest this week, should we keep having meals together like this?” Momo asked, looking around the group.

“Oh, yes! We could make a schedule, not just for cleaning the kitchen but for cooking too. Some people always find excuses to avoid cooking,” Kyoka remarked. Of course, Fumikage had to add, “Or maybe we didn’t want to be poisoned.”

I lowered my head, feeling a bit called out. Maybe after today, I could ask Kacchan to teach me a few simple dishes.

The class agreed - or rather, no one objected.

After dinner, Kacchan and I cleaned up the kitchen, took out the trash, and then I quickly retreated to my room. I wanted to fit in a bit of exercise, which I had completely skipped today. Working out always cleared my head, and I needed that more than ever.

Before leaving, I stole one last glance at Kacchan. Casual, or so I thought. But our eyes met briefly. I felt warmth rise to my face and hurried off to my room.

 

I sighed as I closed my bedroom door. Finally, some time alone! I pulled off my shirt, laid a mat on the floor, and started doing push-ups. Since I was confined to my room and couldn’t go outside, I skipped the usual warm-up run.

I didn’t bother counting today. No, today I wanted to reflect on the day. It felt like so much had happened, yet nothing at all: I’d been in Kacchan’s room - apparently the first from our class to do so. He kissed me out of nowhere, and I’d asked him to do it again. Then we’d spent the entire lunch break making out, lying side by side on his bed.

A shiver ran through my body. It had really been a wonderful feeling, and before I could stop it, a smile spread across my face. Would we do it again tomorrow? Or was it just an experience Kacchan wanted to try? He’d said he liked it and that it would remain a secret confined to his room. Did that imply it could happen again if we were alone in his space? Would I want that?

I couldn’t dwell on the last question for long. Everything in me screamed yes. And my own thoughts made me feel flustered.

I sighed, stopped my push-ups, and stretched my arms out in front of me. I stared at the ceiling, thinking back to the feeling of Kacchan’s lips. Damn it, it had been intoxicating. So indescribably warm. Just the memory sent tingles from the nape of my neck down to my toes. Why? Did I have feelings for him?

I quickly shook my head and slapped my cheeks with both hands. No, no, and no. I couldn’t have seriously just thought that, could I?

I sighed again, switching to a plank position, trying to figure out whether it was Kacchan or just kissing in general that made me so jittery. After all, I had no point of comparison.

Could I imagine this day playing out the same way with someone else and enjoying it just as much?

My mind was full of hypothetical scenarios, but I let it run through them.

The first person who came to mind was Uraraka. Would I have wanted her to kiss me? After all, she seemed to touch me often - or at least, it felt that way earlier in the conference room. And this morning, she’d pinched my cheek too. But thinking back to her touch, it felt more awkward than pleasant. Or was it because Kacchan had been in the room?

I snorted. No, brain, five minutes without thinking about Kacchan, please, I scolded myself internally and replaced him with Uraraka in my memory.

And it felt wrong. Was it because she was a girl? What if, instead of Kacchan, I imagined one of the other boys in the class? After all, I’d never seriously considered whether I had a preference for one gender over the other. I’d always just assumed it would be girls.

I mentally went through the seating chart in our classroom, desk by desk. The first names made me shudder a little with disgust. God, how mean and petty could I be? But the thought of Mineta, Shoji, or even Fumikage gave me chills. Even Kaminari, who was at least blonde, and Kirishima didn’t feel right. I continued down the rows and landed on Todoroki.

Todoroki was considered very attractive by many of the girls. His calm demeanor and strength were impressive. But not as captivating as Kacchan. And when it came to emotions, Todoroki couldn’t read them and hardly showed any himself. He was too reserved and quiet. Too much like me? Did I need someone to balance me out?

So, in the end, it came back to Kacchan.

“Argh!” I groaned, unable to hold it back. This was so frustrating. Did I really have to admit that I couldn’t imagine kissing anyone else but Kacchan? Or was it simply because he was so fresh in my mind today? Maybe it would change after a good night’s sleep.

Groaning, I sat up, grabbed my dumbbell, and started my usual exercises with my left hand. Strengthening my arms was important, after all.

I began counting, just to clear my head. And it worked. I went through my routine, first with one hand, then with the other.

 

Completely drenched in sweat, I finished my last squat before collapsing onto the edge of my bed, breathing heavily. God, it felt amazing to push myself like that. I wiped the sweat from my forehead with my forearm and took a few deep breaths before hauling myself back up. Time for a quick shower and then straight to bed.

Grabbing a change of clothes and a towel, I headed down the hall to the communal bathroom. Silence accompanied me. It seemed everyone had already retreated to their rooms. No surprise - it was just after 9 p.m.

I felt a small wave of relief at having the bathroom all to myself. I turned the shower up to over 40°C and let the hot water wash away the sweat from my body. Taking a hot shower was pure relaxation, and since no one else was around, I could afford to linger a little longer under the stream.

After just standing there for a few minutes, I quickly washed up. My post-workout evening routine was simple, and ten minutes later, I was back in my room.

With a sigh, I flopped onto my bed face-down and pulled my pillow under my head. That’s when I realized just how exhausted I was. Somehow, the day had worn me down completely. Maybe I’d just overthought everything too much.

“Well, first sleep, then see what tomorrow brings,” I mumbled to myself, already halfway to dozing off when my phone buzzed with a message.

Groaning, I cracked my eyes open and fumbled for the device on my nightstand. When I looked at the screen, Kacchan’s name lit up.

Really? Now? I was just about to shut my brain off.

I let out a frustrated groan and rolled onto my back, tempted to ignore the message. Especially since I had mentally closed the book on today. But curiosity got the better of me, and I opened the message.

Awake?

 

Notes:

That's it!
Hehe....i love this ending...Why the hell did Kacchan sent this message? Any Ideas? =D
See you on Monday!

Chapter 12: Let's find out

Notes:

Hello everyone and Oh my gosh!
I got 3 comments <3 and a lot of kudos! I'm soo happy and thats why i uploaded this chapter right now and not in the evening!
Enjoy it!

Chapter 12 – Let’s find out

 

Awake?

My eyebrow shot up as I skeptically read the single word at least four more times. A low grumbling sound escaped my throat as I debated whether or not to reply. But, of course, he didn’t give me much time. Another message popped up.

You read it.

Damn it! I decided that I would turn off that setting as soon as I replied.

What do you want, Kacchan?

Come up.

Huh? Why would I go to his room at this hour? Was he out of his mind? And why did I already feel like a large part of me was ready to head upstairs?

Goodnight, Kacchan.

Don’t you dare contradict me.

If you want something, come down here.

Okay, maybe I should tone it down a little. But I really was tired. I just wanted a bit of peace before I had to deal with everything again tomorrow.

Where’s this sudden courage coming from, nerd?

You’re not standing in front of me. :P

I grinned. This was actually starting to be fun. I’d never really texted with Kacchan before—at least not like this. Why would I? To get insulted?

Then come up, and we’ll change that.

I’m really tired. Why should I come up to you? Oo

Stop asking! And stop using those fucking emojis. Are you a girl?

I grumbled. I wasn’t sure how to respond to that.

If I come up, I’d want to talk.

I don’t.

Then I won’t come up.

Why the hell do you want to talk, shitty nerd?

Why don’t you?

There’s nothing to talk about.

So, what happened this afternoon didn’t mean anything?

God! You’re acting like I took your virginity or something.

“What?!” I squeaked quietly, nearly dropping my phone. How could he write something like that? Heat rushed to my face, and I wanted to sink into the floor. God, this was mortifying. And, of course, the next message showed me that Kacchan knew exactly what he’d just done with that line.

Stop being a pussy! Come up!

How can you even write something like that?

Quit whining.

I’m not! That was embarrassing.

Asking me to kiss you again wasn’t?

Great. Now I probably couldn’t even look at myself in the mirror. How did he manage to make me want to disappear through a phone screen?

Clearing my throat, I tried to regain my composure and typed:

You didn’t hesitate, though?

Why would I hash this out with you over text?

Because then I might consider coming up?

Fuck off, dumbass.

Kacchan, hey! =(

I don’t take orders from you, and I sure as hell won’t be blackmailed, shitty nerd. If you don’t want to, tough luck.

Then are you just going to go find someone else?

What’s wrong with you?

Don’t know. Had time to think.

Idiot. Come up here, and I’ll blow your damn head off.

If it was even possible, I turned even redder. Images flashed through my mind, particularly the scene at the desk. I tried to suppress the nervousness and tingling in my body. Damn, it had honestly turned me on a little earlier, hadn’t it?

Is that supposed to be an order or more of a request?

I’ll kill you.

In your room or mine?

I took a deep breath. Shit, what was I writing? I’d have to make breakfast with him and handle cleaning duty tomorrow morning. He was definitely going to kill me by then.

I dragged a hand down my face. Two agonizing minutes passed. I didn’t want him to end the conversation now. It made me… happy?

Is everyone upstairs already asleep?

Take the stairs, and don’t knock.

Sighing, I got up from my bed and threw on a pair of shorts. I had no idea if this was a good idea, but if he was messaging me this much, maybe I could get a word or two out of him. Who knows? Maybe we’d even come up with a name for whatever this situation between us was.

I opened my door and looked around. No one was in sight. The hallway lights were already off. Moving quietly, I crept toward the stairs, feeling like some kind of villain about to do something forbidden. Damn, should I just turn back?

I took a deep breath before heading up the stairs. My legs ached from all the squats, and my body screamed for rest. And I seriously wondered when I’d get any sleep if I went to Kacchan’s room now.

 

Lost in thought, I reached the top floor. Carefully peeking around the corner, I saw that everything was quiet and dark here too. Moving as silently as possible, I made my way to Kacchan’s room and followed his instructions to just walk in.

I quickly closed the door behind me and took a breath before finally looking around the room.

The lighting was dim. Only the reading lamp on Kacchan’s nightstand lit the space. Kacchan himself was lying on his back on the bed, looking over at me.

I cleared my throat, glancing to the side in embarrassment. Nervousness and anxiety coursed through me - I had no idea what was going to happen now.

“Well, nerd? Not so chatty and bold in person, huh?” Kacchan teased. He got up and strutted toward me as confidently as ever. He stopped right in front of me, smirking down at me.

I pressed my lips together, trying to steady myself, and mumbled, “Hey, Kacchan.”

“I must’ve been texting with someone completely different,” he muttered softly. His voice was still amused, and I felt the door against my back as he pushed me slightly.

I lifted my gaze, trying to meet his eyes with confidence. Did I succeed? No idea, but I was trying to hold it together. “So, here I am. What now?”

Before I could process what was happening, he pinned me against the door and kissed me. Startled, I gasped, needing a moment to collect myself before closing my eyes and kissing him back. The kiss felt urgent, intense, as if it had been months since the last one and not just a few hours.

I wasn’t sure how to handle Kacchan’s assertive approach, so I quickly pressed my hands against his chest, trying to create some distance.

Kacchan growled, letting go of me and raising an eyebrow. Slightly out of breath, with undoubtedly flushed cheeks, I looked back at him, my hands still acting as a barrier between us.

“What, nerd?” he muttered, his voice low as he noticed I couldn’t get a word out. Why had my voice disappeared all of a sudden? The kiss had completely overwhelmed me, and my mind was now flashing alarming scenarios of how this might continue. Damn, why was my inner self acting so… adolescent?

Kacchan snorted, clearly losing patience, and grabbed me by the wrist. He pulled me toward the bed and shoved me onto it. I scooted back until I was against the wall, and Kacchan lay down in front of me.

Okay, this position I knew. It was familiar, and it allowed me to breathe a little easier.

“I don’t want to talk,” Kacchan started, giving me a skeptical look. I nodded, suppressing a sigh. This whole situation was just too complicated. I bit my lip and stared down at the blanket.

Suddenly, a hand brushed over my hair and around my ear, gently but firmly guiding my gaze back to Kacchan.

“But I’ll listen for a moment if there’s something you want to say.”

I looked at him in surprise. He was willing to let me talk. Why should I share all my thoughts if he wasn’t going to do the same? Or… would he react to something I said?

“Just one question,” I began, watching him for a reaction. His expression gave nothing away, so I continued: “Where is this going?”

Kacchan raised an eyebrow, shrugged slightly, and replied, “Let’s find out.”

I grumbled in frustration. That wasn’t a satisfying answer. I thought for a moment before asking my next question: “This is just between the two of us, right?”

A snort. “No, you know, I’m just itching to fuck the entire class, one by one.”

My face fell, and heat rushed to my head. I practically flung myself onto my stomach, burying my face in his pillow. Holy moly, seriously? Had he really just phrased it like that? A faint squeak escaped me as I silently prayed for the ground to swallow me whole.

“Idiot,” Kacchan muttered beside me, apparently shifting into a different position as well.

I took a moment to collect myself, glancing at him sideways. He was staring at the ceiling, arms crossed behind his head.

“Why do you always have to say things in the worst possible way?” I mumbled into the pillow, still embarrassed. I didn’t expect an answer. And I didn’t get one. Taking a deep breath, I continued: “But you were just exaggerating, right? Like earlier in your message.”

Again, no answer. Damn, why was he like this? And why did his bluntness embarrass me but not scare me in the slightest?

“Kacchaaaan,” I dragged out his name, hoping to get some kind of reaction. All I got was an eye roll.

I sighed, mustered all my courage, and pushed myself up onto my forearms, leaning slightly over him. I looked at him, and he met my gaze. Quietly, he said, “I said I’d listen, not that I’d answer all your weird questions.”

I frowned, gathered myself, and spoke softly: “I’m sorry. It’s just… weird. I mean, three days ago, we were seriously fighting. There was so much left unsaid between us. And now here we are, lying here and… and… well, you know… this afternoon and now… I’m a little overwhelmed and don’t know how to handle it. And then you go and casually say things I wouldn’t even dare think.”

As I stammered my way through, I ended up back in the pillow, mumbling the last words more out of embarrassment than confidence.

I felt completely vulnerable. I hadn’t meant to reveal so much. What was he thinking now? Looking up wasn’t an option at the moment, and every second of silence made me more restless. Maybe I should just get up and leave. But to do that, I’d have to climb over Kacchan.

A hand on my head interrupted my restless thoughts. Cautiously, I peeked out from the pillow at Kacchan, who had turned onto his side. His right hand rested gently on my hair, but his gaze was fixed on the wall behind me.

“That ‘Let’s find out’ was just between you and me. And I meant it. I don’t even know why I started… whatever this is between us. All I know is it doesn’t feel wrong, and now I’m damn curious. Is that enough for us to stop talking now?”

His words sounded thoughtful, not just something casually thrown out. Somehow, they gave me a sense of security and a warm feeling in my chest. The phrase ‘between us’ sent a thrill through me. It sounded… nice. So nice, in fact, that I found myself smiling lightly despite my uncertainty.

Our eyes met, and as soon as he had my full attention, I nodded. I was just as curious to figure out where this would go, what it would mean for me - or maybe what it wouldn’t mean. And besides, I wasn’t as weak as I used to be. If it ever came to a point where something didn’t sit right with me, I could still stand my ground.

“You’re overthinking again,” Kacchan muttered, his voice tinged with annoyance as I felt his hand at my side. He pushed me onto my side to move closer, and then it happened again - the same thing that had happened countless times today. He kissed me. Not hesitantly, not gently. He was bold and demanding. Instinctively, I closed my eyes and leaned into the kiss, feeling Kacchan press his body closer to mine. That warmth felt so good. Not stifling. Not intimidating. I felt safe.

 

The soothing warmth and the comfort of the kisses soon began to take their toll. My movements slowed, my head grew heavy. I was so damn tired.

“Kacchan…” I began, pulling back slightly and trying to stifle a yawn.

He raised an eyebrow, then shook his head and got up.

“You’re sleeping here,” he declared firmly, his tone leaving no room for argument. Still, a flicker of unease stirred within me, especially when Kacchan casually pulled off his sweatpants, leaving him in just shorts and a t-shirt. Sure, it wasn’t a sight I hadn’t seen before, but there was a big difference between seeing him in the locker room with everyone else and seeing him here, alone, in this situation.

I swallowed hard and scooted toward the edge of the bed. He pulled back the covers and gave me a challenging look.

“Kacchaaaan…”

My voice cracked. I cleared my throat, too hesitant to say anything else. Kacchan, impatient as ever, took over: “Cut the crap, nerd! Pants off, bed now. Seriously, we’re just sleeping, not whatever dumb shit you’re thinking.”

I squeaked, and my face grew hot.

“I wasn’t thinking anything like that at all,” I defended myself, wishing I could sink into the ground. Damn it. Of course, for a brief moment, my mind had wandered somewhere else, but that was only because he’d said something so crude earlier.

“Whatever! Just hurry up already!” Kacchan dismissed, nudging me with his foot to finally get up and get ready for bed.

I swallowed hard, trying to push my overwhelming embarrassment to the back of my mind before standing up with trembling hands. I took a deep breath, turned slightly away from him, quickly pulled off my sweatpants, and darted under the covers.

When I looked at him, he rolled his eyes, though there was a hint of amusement in his expression.

“Idiot,” he muttered, clearly entertained, before switching off the bedside lamp and sliding under the covers himself.

I lay there stiffly, not daring to move or find a comfortable position. Shit, how was I supposed to sleep like this?

I heard Kacchan sigh tiredly. He turned onto his back, slid his arm under the pillow my head rested on, and pulled me closer. Carefully, I adjusted myself, resting my head half on his chest, half on his shoulder. My arms hung limp and straight down my sides.

“Uh…” I started, then stopped when Kacchan grabbed one of my arms and draped it across his stomach.

“Seriously, Deku. Stop overthinking everything. If I didn’t want it, I’d blow you away,” he said, his voice a low grumble.

“Sorry… I’ve just never shared a bed with someone like this before,” I murmured, burying my face against his chest in embarrassment.

Kacchan snorted. “You think I have?”

I couldn’t help but grin slightly. The thought of Kacchan cuddling up to anyone before was such a bizarre and unrealistic image. It made me relax a bit. I took a deep breath and dared to nestle closer to him.

“Thanks,” I whispered, and then mumbled, “Goodnight, Kacchan.”

The thought crossed my mind that I wanted to kiss him on the cheek. Taking his words to heart, I shoved aside all my doubts and did it.

He grunted, pulling me closer with the arm resting on my back, and closed his eyes.

I stayed awake for a moment longer, settling myself in comfortably. It took me a few minutes to fully relax, but as I listened to his heartbeat – steady, strong, calming - and felt his warmth, I finally drifted off to sleep.

Notes:

Thats it! <3
Aww, i love the picture in my head. Both, cuddling peacefully <3
Hope you liked this chapter! Now it will be more action between them! Trust me!
Have a wonderful week!
See you in 2 Days ;)

Chapter 13: Oh, you lovely sweet Breakfast!

Notes:

Hello everyone!
OMG! What happens????? Oo
I got soooo much comments! I'm in heaven! You are amazing, guys!!!!!! <3
And thats why: Sorry, this new Chapter don't come in the Morning!
But now: Here it is!
Enjoy it!

Chapter 13 – Oh, you lovely sweet Breakfast!

 

Shrill. Annoying. Aggressive.

Those were the first words that crossed my mind when the most obnoxious alarm clock in the world ripped me out of sleep. WTF, who would willingly buy such a god-awful thing? It was the perfect recipe for starting the day in a bad mood.

I pulled the blanket over my head and noticed movement beside me. The blaring noise suddenly stopped.

Slowly, my memories trickled back, and when I cautiously opened my eyes, I was staring at a gray wall - not my usual sunny yellow one. Shit, I was at Kacchan’s place.

That’s when I felt it too: his warm back against mine. At some point during the night, we must have turned away from each other - after we’d fallen asleep, cuddled up together. Oh my Gosh! My cheeks began to burn, and I tried to swallow the rising panic.

I turned onto my stomach slowly, ignoring the typical morning male problem. With a slight tilt of my head, I carefully peeked over at Kacchan. He had rolled onto his back and was rubbing his eyes with the heels of his hands before letting them rest there, breathing in and out steadily a few times.

“Morning,” I mumbled more into the pillow than toward him. He just grunted, lifted one hand from his face, and glanced at me. His expression made it clear that I shouldn’t try to talk to him just yet.

Sighing, Kacchan threw off the blanket and sat on the edge of the bed. His forearms rested on his thighs, and it seemed like he needed a moment before mustering the energy to stand. The image was oddly fascinating. Kacchan never looked tired in the mornings. Grumpy, sure, but he always seemed perfectly put together, as if he’d never known a bad night’s sleep.

My observations of him came to an abrupt end when he stood up and walked to his closet. The slight bulge in his shorts was hard to miss. Crap, I thought, burying my face in the pillow. God, how embarrassing. I wanted to disappear into the floor. But really, it was perfectly normal. Every guy - or nearly every male on the planet - dealt with it in the morning. So why was it so embarrassing for me? It wasn’t like I had stared on purpose. And why was he so unfazed, acting like it didn’t bother him at all?

“You should get back to your room before everyone else wakes up,” he muttered, the only words he offered before disappearing into the bathroom.

 

I took a deep breath. Everything felt different. I mean, nothing else had happened. But damn, all that kissing had completely scrambled my brain. Maybe he could even make my mental synapses explode.

I sighed, threw off the blanket, and followed Kacchan’s advice. First, I’d sneak back to my room. Later, when everyone was gone, I could figure out what to make of his whole ‘Let’s find out’ thing.

Peeking cautiously into the hallway, I found it still quiet and empty. With my heart racing, I crept back down the stairs and darted into my room.

Relief washed over me as I stood in the familiar space. Finally, alone. Not that I hadn’t enjoyed what had happened yesterday, in some way. But I needed to pull myself together. I needed to figure out how I felt about everything - what exactly I wanted to figure out. Kacchan seemed to already have a plan to satisfy his curiosity. There was no way I would have come up with the idea to spend the night in his bed. Hell, I’d have died before suggesting it - first from sheer embarrassment, and second, probably from one of his explosions. Though, honestly, I wasn’t so sure about the latter anymore.

I sighed.

I was lost. Hopelessly lost. And I had no idea where this was going or how we’d ever put an end to it. All I wanted was a halfway normal friendship again after finally sharing my secret with him. A secret that had weighed so heavily on me because of how much it had seemed to make him hate me even more. It was like he thought I had been mocking him all those years while he bullied me.

I sighed again as my body automatically went through its morning routine. Brushing my teeth, washing up, getting dressed—these were movements and tasks that felt familiar. They calmed me.

But it didn’t take longer than ten minutes.

For the first time that day, I glanced at a clock. 6:15 a.m. “Kacchan’s alarm must’ve gone off around 5:30 or so,” I murmured quietly to myself, grimacing. I never wanted to hear that horrible alarm again in my life. If it ever happened that I stayed over at his place again, a new alarm clock would be mandatory. The current one would meet its demise with a single blow if it ever ripped me out of sleep like that again. I should probably go ahead and order a new one now. Why even use an alarm clock? A phone worked just as well. Or did Kacchan just not wake up to his phone?

While I was still fuming over that awful alarm - how could an inanimate object irritate me so much? - my feet carried me into the kitchen.

 

I smiled when I saw Kacchan already preparing breakfast. The thought I’d had yesterday was becoming more and more apparent: kitchen duty seemed to do him good. It was as if it made him more balanced.

“What’s on the menu today?” I asked casually, glancing at him from the side and trying to guess the dish from the items on the counter in front of him.

“Anman,” he replied curtly. My eyes lit up. Something sweet in the morning was a dream come true. Sure, rice, fish, soup, and vegetables were great too, but deep down, I always preferred something sweet to start the day. And besides mochi, I absolutely loved those delicious steamed buns.

My excitement must have been obvious because Kacchan glanced at me and rolled his eyes. “A sweet tooth and being a hero don’t exactly go hand in hand. Unless your quirk’s like that sugar freak.”

Kacchan’s voice sounded more amused than annoyed, and I shrugged it off. The atmosphere felt more relaxed than it had been the past few days. Was it because of yesterday?

“Cut the fruit and stop staring into space!” he suddenly ordered, snapping me out of my thoughts. I probably had drifted off mentally.

Nodding, I moved to the other side of the counter. Kacchan had already laid out cutting boards, knives, and plates. Some of the fruit was even pre-washed. Another reason why I admired him - he never did things halfway. And on top of that, he seemed to be good at everything. It was infuriating. It made me a little jealous.

“Uh, Kacchan? Should I put each kind of fruit on a separate plate? And how small should I cut them?” I asked, feeling overwhelmed. I didn’t want to mess this up.

Kacchan tilted his head back and groaned in annoyance. He walked over to me and pointed at the items in front of me one by one. “You’re making four mixed plates. Halve the strawberries, leave the other berries as they are. Cut the pineapple into pieces and do the same with the mango. And make sure the plates look decent!”

I nodded obediently, already knowing I was going to fail. But for now, I left him alone and started with the strawberries - mainly because I had no idea how to cut a pineapple or a mango. Maybe I could sneak away for a second to watch a quick video and save myself from further embarrassment in the kitchen.

 

While I busied myself with the fruit, I kept glancing over at Kacchan. Fascinated, I watched the way he handled the dough. He divided it, forming many perfect little balls. He stretched the dough as if it were chewing gum, only to roll it back into perfect shapes again. How the hell did he know how to do this? Did he pick it up at home alongside school?

Enviable. I’d never had to do anything at home. My mom had taken care of everything. All I’d ever needed to do was tidy my room and take out the trash.

“Nerd! Stop staring at me like I’m some kind of zoo animal and get back to work!” the blonde suddenly snapped at me. Huh?

Crap, I hadn’t realized I’d stopped working. Watching him knead the dough was so calming - almost hypnotic.

“Um…” I stammered yet again, clearing my throat nervously before continuing, “I don’t know how to cut mangoes or pineapples.”

Kacchan’s head snapped around, his expression dark. “What the hell can you do, you damn nerd?!” he yelled, his breathing heavy and threatening.

I instinctively went into defense mode - shoulders hunched, head drawn in, eyes slightly squinted. All thoughts of yesterday’s events vanished. Everything suddenly felt like it always had.

“Sorry, Kacchan, but I’ve never…” I raised my arms in a placating gesture, realizing how often I seemed to do that.

“Idiot! Come here and help me stuff the buns. Once they’re steaming, I’ll show you how to handle the fruit!”

My eyebrow slowly rose as I stared at him in surprise. His mood had shifted in an instant. Was he seriously offering to show me how to do it calmly? Or was he just trying to hold himself back from slicing me up with the knife?

I slowly made my way over to him, standing beside him at the counter and looking just as cluelessly at the ingredients as I had on my side of the kitchen.

“Listen up, little Deku! I’m only showing you this once, and I’m going slow. If you don’t get it, I’ll kill you - no matter what the damn bandage freak says. Got it?”

I nodded obediently, though I grumbled inwardly at the little Deku. Seriously, if he was going to call me something, I’d rather he stuck with damn or stupid. I was only about six or seven centimeters shorter than him now!

He smirked smugly, clearly aware of how much the new nickname annoyed me. Damn it, he knew, and he was enjoying it.

He nudged me lightly in the side with his elbow, snapping me out of my thoughts. Then, he began demonstrating. He pressed the dough ball flat and carefully stretched it outward at the edges, placing it flat on his hand. With the other hand, he scooped a dollop of the red paste onto the dough. Finally, he brought the edges together at the top, sealing the filling inside. It almost looked like he was pulling layers of dough together—had he folded it beforehand?

“Uh… I don’t get it,” I admitted honestly.

“Idiot! It’s yeast dough. You can stretch it like chewing gum. Just try it,” he explained, handing me one of the dough balls. It felt soft and velvety in my hand. Amazed, I attempted to fill dough for the first time in my life.

Kacchan watched me, his foot tapping impatiently. It must have been driving him insane to see my clumsy fingers fumbling so awkwardly, trying to imitate his work.

“What the hell can you even do?” he snapped irritably. He yanked the dough out of my hands, grabbed my wrist, and slammed the dough back onto my palm. Flattening it a little more, he added some filling.

“Hold your hand like this and pull this corner up!” he instructed. I mimicked his movements, and our corners met at the top. With considerable force, he pressed my finger and the dough into place against the other end. Then he finished the rest of the steps himself, explaining that the dough wouldn’t tear and that I shouldn’t be so delicate with it.

I sighed and started a new attempt.

 

While Kacchan stuffed one bun after another and prepared them for the steamer, I struggled with my second, then my third.

Footsteps behind me distracted me from my work, followed by voices echoing down the hallway.

Smiling, I turned around to greet my classmates. They greeted me back, but their expressions shifted between surprise, amazement, and outright shock.

Just as Uraraka - who had arrived with some of the other girls - was about to comment, I got a smack to the back of my head.

“Get your damn work done, shitty Deku! You can gossip when the food’s ready,” Kacchan barked at me. Apologetically, I turned back to the task at hand.

“Bakugou! You could at least be a little nicer to Deku,” Uraraka said, stepping in to defend me, while Mina tried to hold her back, clearly not wanting her to provoke Kacchan.

Kacchan turned smugly toward her, continuing his work without even looking. “I’ll talk to him however the hell I want, Pink Cheeks! And if you’ve got a problem with that, why don’t you come over here and try to hit me if you’re so determined to defend him?”

I tilted my head, watching as Uraraka turned red and glared at Kacchan with a challenging look. Had I missed something?

“You’re such an ass, Bakugou!” she shouted at him, her voice at least two octaves higher than usual, before stomping away. Mina shot Kacchan a dirty look and grumbled, “Was that really necessary?” Then she followed Uraraka and the other girls, who had retreated to the couch area.

I was confused. “Kacchan?” I asked uncertainly, dragging out his name a little longer than usual.

He smirked at me. “You seriously don’t get anything outside of your hero analyses, do you?”

The mischief in his eyes spoke volumes. He seemed to have won some kind of victory, but I had no idea what it was.

 

Half an hour later, we actually managed to get breakfast on the table. While Kacchan had filled what felt like 100 buns and sliced the rest of the fruit, I had managed a grand total of nine. I was so hopelessly outclassed by him in the kitchen.

Many were raving about the unusually sweet breakfast. They looked at Kacchan with the same admiration I often felt. “Seriously, Kats! You always manage to surprise us. It’s really great how much effort you put in for us.”

“Shut it, Shitty Hair! Unlike you, I give 100% at everything I do!” Kacchan snapped, and I smiled inwardly. At the same time, I wondered if that 100% extended to our... situation.

“How do you even survive with this arrogant, overbearing idiot?” Uraraka grumbled quietly, puffing her cheeks as she looked at me. She was still a bit mad at him. And after Kacchan’s comment earlier, I really must’ve missed something.

“I’ve known him like this forever, so I guess I find it less awful than you do. Sorry that he’s always so mean to everyone,” I replied softly, but she shook her head immediately. “You don’t have to apologize. He’s the idiot.”

I gave her a lopsided smile, unsure of what else to say, and was relieved when Asui changed the subject. I definitely needed to talk to Kacchan about this later. I was also grateful he didn’t seem to have overheard the conversation. Otherwise, there probably would’ve been a bigger confrontation.

After a while, Ilda practically jumped up from his seat. “Thank you for breakfast, Bakugou! Midoriya! We need to get to class now! Class 1A, grab your things and head to practical training.”

Most of them sighed, but everyone got up and resigned themselves to their fate. I watched them leave longingly. How I wished I could join the practical lessons. My fingers itched for it. A practice fight would’ve been exactly what I needed right then.

 

Once everyone had said their goodbyes, I began clearing the table and bringing everything to Kacchan in the kitchen. He seemed preoccupied tidying up the remaining food in silence, clearly not in the mood for conversation. But one question had been burning on my tongue throughout breakfast.

"You, Kacchaaaan?" I began, and he turned to me. There was something in his gaze that I couldn't quite decipher. Anger, maybe?

I was about to continue when, in the blink of an eye, he pressed me against the kitchen counter and kissed me. I gasped in shock, overwhelmed by how to react. Before I could do anything, he had already pulled away.

"This isn’t your room," was all I managed to stammer, my cheeks predictably burning red again.

He just shrugged indifferently and said, "I felt like it. Would’ve been funny if I’d done that in front of Round Face earlier."

His expression turned wicked, almost gleefully malicious.

"Why?" I asked. Somehow, I couldn't string together a longer sentence, despite all the questions racing through my head.

Kacchan rolled his eyes. "Seriously, Nerd! You can observe and analyze heroes, but you’re completely clueless about the people around you."

I tilted my head, looking at him expectantly. "I don’t know what you mean."

"Man, how dense can one person be?" he snapped, throwing the dish towel he’d been holding into the corner. He squared up in front of me. "That dumb chick has a crush on you, you idiot!"

"Oh!" The word slipped out, full of shock. I couldn’t stop myself from repeating it two or three more times before practically shrieking, "No, no, no! That can’t be true. She’s just a good friend."

In front of me, Kacchan ran a hand down his face, then suddenly pressed me against the counter again, leaning down to my ear. "Deal with it. And besides, you shouldn’t care…."

He didn’t finish the sentence. Instead, he kissed my ear, and I felt goosebumps spread across my entire body.

I opened my mouth to say something, but all that came out was a shallow gasp as his lips moved from my ear to my neck.

Oh no! Stop, stop, stop! This was definitely too much. But my lips stayed silent, and my head tilted to the side, giving him more room. WTF! Hello? Body? Could you please do what I wanted?

Then again... The sensation he was giving me was incredibly intense. Sparks shot down my entire back and through my stomach. My legs felt like jelly. I breathed his name in a desperate whisper.

Kacchan’s lips returned to my ear. His breathing was a little heavier now. "Up to my room. Now!"

I swallowed hard, trying to pull myself together. "But down here…"

"Don’t argue with me, Nerd!"

Those were his final words before he impatiently dragged me upstairs.

 

Notes:

That's it!
That was so much fun to write! The Alarm clock, the little cooking session! I love it and i hope, you love it, too!
And now...hehe, the next Chapter will be interesting, right?
See you on Friday!

Chapter 14: From Intense to Aggressive

Summary:

Good Morning everyone!
Ahhh, you're sooo cute <3 Love your comments!
And i don't want to let you wait any longer
Soo have Fun!!!!

Notes:

Thats it!
I like the end, you too? ...hehe
How was it? Any notes for me for a change in the future?
Let me know!
See you on Sunday!

Chapter 14 – From Intense to Aggressive

 

I had simply let myself be pulled along, unable to make a sound. What was Kacchan going to do now? What had just happened in the kitchen felt so different. Judging by my own reactions, I’d say it had turned me on more than I wanted to admit. The thought alone made my cheeks burn.

We took the stairs - probably because the elevator was too slow for him - and in no time, we were in his room.

The door slammed shut with a loud bang as he pulled me past him and pushed me toward the bed.

“Kacchaan, wh-what…?” I stammered, not even knowing what I wanted to say. His dominant, merciless aura left me no room to think - only to react.

“Shut up! And don’t you dare start thinking!” he growled at me. His voice wasn’t aggressive. Maybe darker than usual, but there was no anger in it. Maybe it was more like…?

No, I didn’t want to go there. Without realizing it, I shook my head, earning an annoyed glance from Kacchan.

“You really are a nerd!” he grinned, then suddenly shoved me onto the bed. If that hadn’t already shocked me, then the moment he crawled over me, propping himself up next to my shoulders, definitely did.

“Turn your brain off for once and just go with it!” he ordered from above me before sealing my lips with his.

The kiss was just as forceful, demanding – hungry - as the one in the kitchen.

Completely overwhelmed, I tried to internalize his words and convince myself to just go with it. Surprisingly, I managed to do it - at least a little. My arms lifted and wrapped around his back.

It felt so unfamiliar, and my heart pounded hard and fast in my chest. I was trembling, and my arms sank back down, unable to hold them up. Kacchan didn’t seem to care - he kissed me again before moving his lips down toward my neck.

Instinctively, I tilted my head to the side to give him more room, and my mind went blank. Thinking was impossible anyway. Kacchan was right: just go with it.

Kacchan’s lips on my neck sent another shiver through my body. My breathing quickened. It became even faster when I suddenly felt his tongue. And his body on mine. He had let himself drop a little, no longer just hovering above me.

“Kacchan… wait,” I gasped, trying to push him up slightly. My face burned as if I had a fever. I felt unbelievably hot, and my breathing was faster than after any training session here at U.A.

He complied with my not-quite-formed request, pushing himself up on his arms, his head still hovering close above mine.

“What is…?” I began, trying to collect myself. Eyes closed, deep breath, eyes open.

It didn’t help. Damn it, my throat was dry, and my voice wasn’t steady enough to make a sound.

“No idea, nerd! I just want this right now, and so do you,” Kacchan’s deep voice rumbled against me. Damn, since when did his voice sound like that? The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end, and now I noticed his cheeks were slightly flushed too.

“I don’t know if…” I started, trying to wriggle out of the situation. I really didn’t know if I wanted things to escalate this fast. I mean, kissing was fine, but this was starting to feel like something more. And I had absolutely no idea how to handle more.

I felt Kacchan’s thigh on my crotch and fuck, I groaned. Only now did I realize that I was really aroused. Aroused by him. Shit, I had a fucking boner in my pants. Just from the kisses and Kacchan’s weight on me.

Ashamed, I closed my eyes, looking for a way out. But did I want one?

“Pull yourself together! You’re not alone,” Kacchan’s voice snapped me out of my shameful thoughts. I looked at him after all and when he placed one leg between my legs and one leg next to my right thigh, I realized it. He really felt the same as me. And this unfamiliar feeling of his boner on my leg made me shudder. In a positive way. Hallelujah, if everything hadn’t been pulling and twitching in my abdomen before, it would have been now at the latest. What was that damn guy doing there? What was he doing to me? And why the fuck was he so fucking confident?

I tried to calm myself down. To take a deep breath, but when Kacchan’s thigh moved slightly, my head automatically dropped a little more into my neck. Damn. There were three layers of fabric between us. How can the touch so intensive?

"Deku!" a voice whispered threateningly into my ear before pressing a kiss against it. "Turn off your brain and kiss me! Or are you even losing to me here?"

I snorted. That guy had to be out of his mind. As if I’d fall for such a simple provocation!

At least, that’s what my brain thought. But my body had other plans. My hands grabbed Kacchan by the nape of his neck, and I pressed my lips against his with force, holding his head firmly in place as I arched my back. I pushed my thigh harder against his crotch. And shit, it was heavenly - liberating, even - to finally break out of my frozen state. And my brave act was rewarded with a gasp from Kacchan against my lips.

I moved my hand away, giving him a bit more space, and was met with a grin. I had only ever seen that look on him when he was truly enjoying a fight. But this wasn’t a fight… was it?

I didn’t get any further with my thoughts because he kissed me again. Hard, fast and short, before he turned his attention back to my neck. I clawed my hand into his hair. I would never have thought that this part of my body was so extremely sensitive. But it sent one lightning bolt after another through my body. Over my rump, straight to my crotch.

The additional erratic and uncoordinated movements of our bodies on and against each other were driving me crazy. I exhaled more and more often, panting, closing my eyes because the head on my cheeks was so unbearable. I was sweating. My heart was pounding like hell.

This tingling sensation was driving me crazy. I groaned as Kacchan bit my bottom lop. When did he move up a bit again?

Kacchan’s cheeks were red, his gaze slightly veiled as he finally returned his attention to my lips. And I joined in. I felt his tongue, pushed mine into his mouth, clawed my hands into his shirt. The friction on my crotch increased. Made my legs twitch a little more too. Felt his muscles tensing again and again. Felt the endless pressure building up to my abdomen.

Everything inside me tightened, I moaned into the kiss, reared up a and came into my pants.

 

My ears were ringing. My vision so blurry that I closed my eyes. After one last kiss from Kacchan, I felt his full weight press down on me. It made it harder to breathe, but I relished his warmth. I could feel his hammering heartbeat against my chest.

Slowly, my consciousness crept back in, whispering to me what had just happened. I trembled, and if it was even possible, my face flushed so red with embarrassment that even Kirishima’s hair couldn’t compete.

The realization hit me like a blow: Oh my God! I had rubbed myself against Kacchan. And I had come! So damn quickly!

I wanted to scream, I wanted to hide. To run. But Kacchan was still on top of me. I didn’t dare look at him. Instead, another squeak escaped my throat, and I buried my face against his shoulder.

An endless mantra started looping through my head: That didn’t just happen. Over and over again. I had no idea if it only felt like it was repeating endlessly or if it truly was. Right now, I had no sense of time. In fact, I didn’t even know what I wanted to feel. My body was both relaxed and tense at the same time - relaxed from the climax, tense from sheer embarrassment.

I heard Kacchan sigh.

“So, is your brain back yet?” he asked, his voice unusually quiet.

I only buried myself deeper against his shoulder and started mumbling nonsense: “Kacchan… I… uh… I… sorry… I didn’t mean… I just… I… I shouldn’t have… but…”

I felt Kacchan’s hand at the back of my head. He gave my hair a light tug, pulling me off his shoulder without much care. I stared down at his chest, still unable to meet his eyes. The fear of seeing how he was looking at me now was too overwhelming.

I wasn’t as if I had never touched myself before. I was just a boy. And that was surely the most normal thing in the world. But here, with a childhood friend, doing something like this. That it had happened to me. And especially like this. Just from a few movements. Fully clothed. In mere seconds. God, it was unbearably embarrassing.

“Deku! Pull yourself together already!” he snapped impatiently. It didn’t help. I still couldn’t look him in the eyes.

I tried to turn away, noticing the cold, sticky liquid in my shorts. The feeling wasn’t really pleasant.

“Fucking hell! Get a grip! You’re not the only one here with wet pants!” Kacchan blurted out above me. And it snapped me back to reality. I jerked my head up, staring at him with wide eyes. He was looking slightly past me, his cheeks flushed. Flushed with embarrassment? Kacchan seemed to be just flustered as I was. And what he had just said…

Another squeak! I seriously needed to get checked to see if there was a guinea pig somewhere in my genetics. But in that moment, I couldn’t control it. I grabbed Kacchan by the shoulders, quickly glancing down between us. Nothing was visible. Neither on him nor on me. But he wouldn’t lie about it. Did that mean that the situation had turned him on as much as it had me? After all, he was the one who had somehow set all of this in motion. But the fact that it had happened to him too—- with such relatively light touches, so many layers of fabric between us, and in such a short amount of time?

That thought actually calmed me. Kacchan had said he hadn’t done any of this before either. Maybe he had experienced everything just as intensely as I had, right?

“I’m overwhelmed!” the words shot out of my mouth before I could stop them, immediately catching his attention.

He curled his lips into a small grin. “Oh really? Hadn’t noticed,” he replied sarcastically.

I punched him lightly in the shoulder. “Quit acting so confident! This is embarrassing for you too!” I complained - though I still added a hesitant, whispered, “Right?”

Kacchan snorted. “You do know I was born with the confidence of an entire army, right?”

“Could you stop playing it off like this is an everyday thing for you?”

“And who says it isn’t?” he shot back, clearly trying to deflect.

“You! Yesterday!” I replied, short and to the point.

He pulled a face, looking amused. “I’ve been talking way too much around you ever since Ground Beta.” By now, I had noticed it too, though I didn’t see it as a bad thing. And judging by Kacchan’s tone, neither did he. Or at the very least, it bothered him less than he probably would’ve expected.

“Kacchan?” I tried to get us back to the actual ‘problem’, even though I could’ve slapped myself for it.

He looked at me, rolled his eyes slightly, and then finally flopped down beside me completely, grimacing in the process. His soaked boxers probably didn’t feel any less disgusting to him than mine did to me.

I hesitated, fumbling for words. Everything I had wanted to say just moments ago had vanished from my mind. Completely wiped away.

“Damn, that felt fucking good,” Kacchan said, as casually as if he were talking about the weather. This guy was going to be the death of me. Yep, one hundred percent.

Shame surged up through my body again. I slapped my hands over my face and buried myself in the pillow. Could he not be just a little less blunt and direct?

A quiet, amused chuckle made me peek out from the side. Kacchan was laughing lightly. Really laughing. And it sounded so relaxed. Fascinating.

“This is way too easy,” he grinned at me, running a hand through my hair.

I grumbled but found myself smiling as well. “Can you stop embarrassing me?”

“Nah, this is way more fun than yelling at you!” he shot back.

We looked at each other and stayed where we were, lying comfortably. Even though we hadn’t really talked about what had just happened, I felt a little more at ease. Everything still felt the same. Like nothing had changed. Had anything changed for me at all?

A few minutes passed in silence. What was he thinking about all of this? Kacchan always acted like he didn’t give a damn about anything, making impulsive decisions more often than not. But if you knew him well enough, you’d know that wasn’t entirely true. He analyzed things too - just differently than I did. And he was much better at reacting to situations.

The shifting weight on the mattress beside me pulled me from my thoughts. Kacchan propped himself up on his forearms, seemingly about to get up.

“Let’s shower and then clean up downstairs,” he said, laying out his plan. A plan that could definitely be misinterpreted. Just like my brain was doing right now. It tried to plant images of Kacchan and me in the shower together.

Oh god. That’s not what he meant, right?

My face instantly burned again. I had just managed to calm down.

I felt a kick to my side, and with a yelp, I tumbled off the bed. Rubbing my sore tailbone, I looked up at Kacchan. His expression was anything but relaxed now.

“What the hell is going on in that tiny bird brain of yours?!” he yelled before continuing, “Obviously, we’re showering separately! What the fuck is wrong with you?!”

I looked away in shame, silently praying: Oh great earth, please open up and swallow me whole so I can disappear forever.

On a scale of 1 to 10, this was definitely a 100 in terms of embarrassment! Man, why the hell had I even thought something like that? I seriously needed a Kacchan break so my brain could start functioning under normal conditions again.

I barely registered that Kacchan had gotten up, stepped over me, and was grabbing some clothes from his closet. My gaze followed his movements without thinking. And sure enough, as my eyes slowly wandered over his body, it really did look like his pants were sticking a little in the front.

I looked away immediately, my cheeks burning. Again. Or still? I just couldn’t wrap my head around the idea that I might have been the cause of that. Or was it just the situation? The fact that neither of us had ever been this close to anyone before?

"Move your ass already!" Kacchan’s voice rang in my ears. I didn’t look at him - I had no idea if he was pissed off or smirking smugly just to mess with me.

"See you in a bit," I mumbled, keeping my gaze down as I stood up and brushed past him. He let me go. He didn’t stop me anymore, and I walked out of the room.

I finally took a deep breath as the door shut behind me.

 

My legs carried me swiftly to my room. The fact that they felt like jelly? I ignored it. Honestly, my mind was blank. Like every thought was trying to break through at once, only to block each other in the process. And before those thoughts could reach me, I grabbed my things and headed straight to the shower.

I peeled off my damp pants and boxers. God, that felt disgusting. And at the same time, I realized that there was a lot of…fluid.

How could I be such a coward that I couldn’t even bring myself to name the damn thing - not even in my own thoughts? But I just couldn’t. Maybe if I were angry one day. But here, alone and in complete silence? No. I felt ashamed of every word that could have described what had happened between us without sugarcoating it.

I stepped into the shower and let the hot water run over my body. Grabbed my body wash and scrubbed away any trace of what had just happened. I didn’t look down. I didn’t dare look down. It was ridiculous. Damn it. Kacchan had even admitted that he’d liked it. That it wasn’t a big deal. So why did it feel like such a big deal to me now? Was it because I didn’t know what it meant? Because I didn’t know if I’d want to do it again? Because I didn’t know if there would be another time?

I slammed my fist against the wall. I didn’t want to keep obsessing over this. It wasn’t going to get me anywhere. If I wanted answers, I’d have to talk to Kacchan.

Kacchan, whose lips suddenly felt on my neck again. On my ear, on my collarbone when he pushed my shirt aside a little.

I trembled. I felt my heartbeat quicken. Warmth spread my entire body. Pulled in my abdomen. Fuck!

The reaction of my body to those memories shocked me so much that I suddenly turned the thermostat to cold.

A quiet yelp escaped my lips. That was definitely too cold. It burned. I quickly turned the water back to a normal temperature. My body couldn’t quite handle the sudden shift. But at least the sensation between my legs was gone.

How was I ever supposed to face Kacchan again? I cursed, I muttered. I tilted my head back and let out a frustrated growl. Yeah, this was beyond frustrating. Why was my brain so determined to keep shoving images into my head that definitely needed an age restriction?

 

I had no idea how long I stood there. How many times I had lathered up and rinsed off. But the more time passed, the more vividly the memories from Kacchan’s room came crashing back. So intensely that I gave myself another blast of freezing water.

Another sharp yelp. A gasp. Yeah, I was definitely a hot shower type, not a cold.

“How long are you gonna keep up this little game, Deku?”

I flinched. Had I just imagined that? Nervously, I dared a glance over my shoulder.

Kacchan was standing at the entrance to the shower room, leaning casually against the wall, arms crossed. How long had he been there?

“Get out, Kacchan!” I yelled at the wall in front of me. I didn’t want him here. He could see me. Naked. And I felt completely defenseless against him.

“Just wanted to make sure you didn’t drown yourself in shame,” I heard his amused voice say.

God, he made me angry. Was he seriously saying this right now?

Suddenly, I didn’t care that I was completely naked. I turned to him, glaring, and growled, “If I wanted to shower with you, I would’ve stayed upstairs. So get out!”

He raised an eyebrow in surprise - maybe even approval. The corner of his mouth twitched upward.

“Well, guess you didn’t forget how to talk after all.”

I ignored the way his gaze shamelessly wandered over my body. I just wanted him gone. I still couldn’t think straight, and I needed space. Distance from him. I was so fucking overwhelmed.

“Out!” I snarled again, and without even realizing it, One for All activated.

Kacchan tilted his head, pushed himself off the wall and said on his way out, “Whatever the hell that bird brain of yours is freaking out about - everything’s fine between us. So chill out. But, you know, not too much, yeah?”

My body moved before my mind caught up. The shower gel flew straight at the door at insane speed. In a flash, Kacchan slammed the door he had half stepped out of and then…boom.

I turned pale as a sheet, staring at the door - where my shower gel was now stucked.

Fuck. How the hell did a plastic bottle do that much damage? Oh. Right. I had thrown it with my Quirk.

“No, no, no,” I whispered in shock, still staring at the wrecked door.

Just then, the door slammed open again.

“Are you out of your fucking mind?!” Kacchan roared, looking between the door and me.

I dropped to my knees, feeling my lip tremble. We were going to get expelled. Fuck. How the hell was I supposed to explain this to Mr. Aizawa without him getting the wrong idea?

“We’re dead.”

Chapter 15: Normal or not?

Notes:

Good morning everyone!
It's Sunday and I'm here with a new Chapter...
Honestly, I’m feeling a little unsure after the last chapter. There weren’t many responses, and now I’m not sure if that scene was what you wanted. It might have been a bit sudden, but both of them are experiencing everything here for the first time, and things aren’t going exactly the way you’d typically imagine. ^^' Well, I just wanted to say that... oh, and that the smut in this fanfic will be limited since I’m not very good at writing it.

So that's enough xD'
Have Fun!

Chapter 15 – Normal or Not?

 

“We’re dead,” I whispered absentmindedly. I was completely in shock. The fear of being expelled from U.A. was so overwhelming that I didn’t even care that I was sitting naked on the bathroom floor.

I couldn’t tear my eyes away from the broken door. How could I have lost control like that?

I felt Kacchan’s hand on my shoulder. I looked up at him without really seeing him. My mind was flooding me with images - me packing my things and leaving U.A., All Might looking at me with disappointment, my mom trying to comfort me.

Suddenly, pain shot through me, snapping me out of it. Kacchan had slapped me.

“Damn it, Deku! Pull yourself together! It’s just a damn door!” Kacchan snapped, pulling me fully back to reality.

“But… but… Mr. Aizawa…” I began stammering, but he cut me off.

“He’ll never find out.”

I was trembling and leaned slightly against Kacchan, but he immediately pushed me away.

“Dry yourself off and get dressed!” he ordered, getting up and lifting the door off its hinges. I couldn’t help but admire him. He looked so composed, so calm - like this was just another normal day for him.

“Quit staring like an idiot, shitty nerd! This isn’t the first broken door while I’m around. Now go get fucking dressed already!”

My cheeks warmed as I looked down at myself, realizing I was still sitting completely naked on the tile floor. Hastily, I stood up and went back to the shower room to grab my towel. I dried off quickly, pulled on a pair of U.A. gym shorts and a t-shirt, and carried my wet, dirty clothes back to my room. I was definitely washing them myself.

Shaking my head, I left my room and looked around for Kacchan. When I didn’t see him, I decided to head upstairs. But as I reached the staircase, I heard the sound of the elevator arriving.

Kacchan stepped out - with a door. A perfectly intact door.

“What…?” I began, but he kept walking steadily toward the communal bathroom.

There, he reattached the door and turned to look at me.

“Seriously, how can you lose your shit over a fucking door like that?”

He raised an eyebrow, waiting for my response.

“Where did you get that?” was the only thing I managed to say.

“Upstairs. You’ll just have to get Ponytail to create a new one for the top floor later,” he explained, his tone calm - almost soothing.

I took a deep breath, still struggling to fully grasp that Kacchan had taken care of the problem I’d caused without a single complaint. That he had actually helped me.

“Thanks,” I whispered, letting myself lean against his shoulder. I was so drained from all the emotions I’d already gone through today that I just needed a moment to steady myself.

He let me. He let me lean against him, but he showed no reaction.

“Seriously, nerd. You can come up with fucking brilliant strategies for any damn hero situation, but you break down crying over a broken door. You’re such a hopeless idiot.”

His voice didn’t sound angry. It was still calm - slightly exasperated, but also somehow a little amused. I had no idea how he managed to fit all those emotions into that one sentence, but it made me smile bitterly.

“Sorry, Kacchan,” I said weakly, standing back on my own two feet and looking around.

“I guess we should probably start cleaning now,” I muttered to myself before heading off to grab the vacuum.

 

And Kacchan left me alone. I started by fixing up the bathroom, then moved on to vacuuming and mopping the entire common room. I wiped away dust and cobwebs, occasionally catching a glimpse of Kacchan’s blond hair out of the corner of my eye. He seemed fully occupied with the kitchen.

What a day! I honestly couldn’t tell if it had been good or terrible so far. Waking up to that alarm clock in the morning? Awful. Breakfast and prepping everything with Kacchan? Wonderful. The scene in Kacchan’s room? Indescribable. And what had just happened in the bathroom? Utterly ridiculous.

I sighed as I put the vacuum away and collapsed onto the couch.

How was this supposed to continue? And how was I supposed to face Kacchan now? His quick thinking and “rescue” made me feel giddy, but that accident in his room left me flustered and embarrassed. Still, he’d told me in the shower that everything was fine between us. But was it fine for me?

I was still mortified that I had just… came from a few simple movements. That I had gone along with it without giving it much thought.

I draped my arm over my eyes and tried to catch my breath. I didn’t want to deal with anything anymore. Really. My body felt like all its strength had drained away.

As I took a deep breath, I suddenly caught the scent of something sweet.

Cautiously, I removed my arm from my eyes, blinking once or twice, and saw a steamed bun floating above me. Wait, it wasn’t floating. Kacchan was holding it so close to my face that it only looked like it was.

“Sugar for the nerd,” he commented with a grin, but he looked a little unsure. Did he feel it too - that the whole day had been weird so far?

Even though I wasn’t hungry, I took the bun, placed it on my chest, and looked at him. I sighed and said weakly, “You’re exhausting me.”

Kacchan, who was leaning on the backrest of the couch with one arm, looked at me and shook his head, amused. “No, little Deku! You’re exhausting yourself with that brain of yours.”

“Maybe.”

I had no energy for a verbal sparring match. The anger, the embarrassment, and the uncertainty had all faded into the background. I just felt completely drained. And it was only lunchtime.

Then suddenly, Kacchan ran a hand through his hair and growled, coming around the couch and yanking me up with a single pull. As if I weighed nothing. And just like that, he snapped me out of my lethargy by throwing me over his shoulder.

“Woaaah…” I yelped in shock, trying to push myself off of him.

“Your damn moping is pissing me off! Get your shit together, or I’ll kill you!” he snapped, continuing forward without a second thought.

It was a short trip. He dumped me onto a chair in front of the large dining table.

“We’re finishing the rest of the assignments now! And if I hear one more whine or sigh from you, you’re dead,” he ordered, sitting across from me.

To my surprise, all of our school materials were already here. Even mine. Had he just gone into my room and grabbed them off my desk like it was no big deal? Like invading my privacy was normal for him?

“Seriously, Kacchan! I need a break. From everything. Just let me take a quick nap. I need to clear my head,” I began, continuing when I saw the grumpy look on his face.

“I’m serious. You’re exhausting me. I don’t know what to think or feel right now.”

“Why do you have to know?” he shot back, and I could tell from his tone that he was serious too.

“Hello? Did you forget what just happened upstairs in your bed? Between us? Am I supposed to ignore all of that? Damn it! Both of our pants were wet - just from lying on top of each other. That’s not normal!” I blurted out, not realizing I had stood up and slammed my hands onto the table.

Silence.

We stared at each other.

I was furious. Kacchan was calm. It was completely backwards.

Why was I yelling, and he wasn’t? Why wasn’t he the one losing it?

I wanted the world to go back to normal. I wanted nothing more than to rewind two days - back to when there were no kisses, no touches.

“We’ve never been normal,” Kacchan’s quiet voice finally broke the silence. It was a few shades darker than usual. There was something almost sad about it.

I stared at him, suddenly scared. What was coming next?

Kacchan stood up, walked around the table, and stopped right in front of me.

“We’ve never been normal. Me, the guy who bullied you, and you, the little masochist who kept following me anyway. Why, how, and for what reason - we made that pretty clear on Ground Beta, didn’t we? But apparently, you kicked me in the head so hard that I actually want you close to me again like we were kids. Maybe closer than either of us is comfortable with - or at least you. That’s all I can tell you.”

My mouth hung wide open. My eyes were widened. I was struggling to process what he had just said. My gaze darted nervously between his eyes and his mouth. Had he really just admitted that he wanted this thing between us? Was it as clear to me as it was to him?

If I listened closely to the deepest part of myself, then yeah - I wanted to figure out what this was between us. What was developing.

“Kacchan…” A whisper. That’s all my voice could manage.

“So, should we keep going normally or not-so-normally?” he grinned at me, and suddenly, that smug, overconfident expression returned to his face.

Apparently, he wanted to change the mood quickly. He had already said talking wasn’t really his thing. Although, I didn’t feel that way. What he’d said just now had been beautiful.

“Not-so-normally, but at a slower pace?” I replied hesitantly, resisting the urge to fidget with my hands. And there it was again: the embarrassment.

“Slower? Come on, we weren’t even naked earlier!” he teased, causing heat to rush all the way to my ears.

“I hate you!” I squeaked, trying to shove him.

He grabbed my wrists, pinned them down, and leaned in closer to whisper in my ear, “I can live with that.”

I swallowed hard, listening to his breath against my ear. Goosebumps spread across my neck, traveling down my arms. How the hell did he do that?

“Should we start on our assignments now?” I tried to dodge the situation. I wasn’t even sure if that’s what I actually wanted.

Kacchan let go of me, walked around the table without another word, and sat back down.

I did the same, grabbed my English workbook. He opened his math book. And we began working. In silence. At first, it was hard to concentrate, but I forced myself to stay disciplined and pushed all other thoughts aside.

 

I had no idea how we managed it, but somehow, we’d settled into a relaxed working atmosphere.

After a good hour, we swapped assignments.

That’s when I realized Kacchan had completely finished his math. I envied him for how effortlessly he seemed to handle equations.

And, yeah - maybe it was wrong to copy his answers instead of solving them myself, but I did it anyway. I didn’t feel like struggling with them later. Besides, we needed to finish at some point. The day had flown by so quickly that it was already half past one.

“This just never ends,” I mumbled to myself.

I had no energy left for these assignments. I was still tired. The night had been short, and the morning had been emotionally draining. There was still a little over an hour before the others would be back.

“Quit whining and keep going! We’ve almost finished the entire list,” Kacchan grumbled, clearly not even considering the idea of a break.

I sighed. “I really envy your stamina,” I admitted, looking over at him.

He propped his head up with his hand and looked back at me.

“Unlike you, I actually want to get this done. Then we won’t have to do much tomorrow.”

A grin crept across his face, and my cheeks immediately flushed.

Damn it. That sounded way too suggestive in my head, and I quickly looked away in embarrassment.

“And if we didn’t have to make that damn breakfast, we could just stay in bed,” he continued, making me drop my head onto my arms, which were folded on the table.

Oh god, I was dying inside.

“Kachaaaan,” I groaned into the table, trying to block out the images flooding my mind and the overwhelming embarrassment they brought with them.

And then it hit me - he had indirectly said that I should sleep in his room again. Or was I imagining that?

“How can you be so uptight?”

“How can you be so shameless?” I shot back without missing a beat.

Seriously. I just couldn’t understand how he could tease me like this without any hesitation, while it left me completely flustered.

I heard a chair scrape against the floor. Not even two seconds later, the chair next to me was pulled out. I briefly felt Kacchan’s warmth pass by my side.

“I’m not shameless - I’m just not as complicated as you are,” he retorted.

I peeked over at him from the corner of my eye and saw him sitting next to me, facing me, studying me.

“And I know what I want, even if I can’t always explain it.”

I swallowed, hanging on his every word. I mean, the last time we had kissed was earlier in his room. It had been quite a while.

“For example, right now, I want you to sit on my lap and show a bit of initiative.”

I stared at him in disbelief. My face burned. He couldn’t be serious, right? My mouth opened, then closed again. Nope. I wasn’t getting any words out right now. And if I did, they’d be anything but masculine.

He continued to look at me patiently. No fake grin. No raised eyebrows. He was just waiting for me to do as he said. And I thought about it. He had told me to do it. So it wasn’t wrong. So, I could take the risk.

I swallowed again. My legs trembled slightly as I pushed myself up with my arms.

Since when did my body feel so heavy and sluggish?

Kacchan’s eyebrows rose in surprise. The corners of his mouth twitched, probably because I looked like a scared little rabbit in front of him.

Awkwardly, I lowered myself onto his thighs. I didn’t dare put my full weight on him and kept my feet partially on the floor to support myself.

“You’re such a fucking coward,” he snickered softly, grabbing me by the ass and pulling me fully onto his lap, making my feet lose their grip.

Startled, I clung to his shoulders, a quiet yelp escaping me. The heat in my cheeks was unbearable.

Damn it, I didn’t want to lose my composure like this. We had been much closer in his room earlier.

“I told you before - I’m overwhelmed,” I tried to explain.

“And I’ve told you before to shut off that damn brain of yours,” he growled back.

Not angry. Just mildly frustrated.

I bit my bottom lip, took a deep breath, and closed the short distance between us. I kissed him gently, softly, and calmly. And not for very long.

Kacchan looked at me, started grinning, and said, “Can you do that properly?”

Really? He was using my own words against me again?

I had to admit, he had a damn good memory. And I couldn’t help but grin, too.

Feeling bolder, I let one of my hands glide to the back of his neck, tangling my fingers in his hair as I gently pulled his head back.

Now, I was looking down at him.

The view was something else - especially with that mischievous grin on his face.

I lowered my head slowly, this time pressing my lips against his with more intent. And damn, it tingled. Yeah, this was such a damn good feeling.

After all the stress with the door, I had completely forgotten how good it felt to kiss him. I couldn’t deny it. No, this feeling was simply indescribably good.

But we were still in the common room. In the afternoon. The others would be back soon. So, I reluctantly pulled away from him and whispered, “Class is almost over.”

Kacchan rolled his eyes, pulled me back toward him, and continued kissing me without missing a beat. I grumbled, trying to say his name between kisses. He kept cutting me off.

But when I pressed my hands against his chest, he finally growled, “Fine, I get it!” Then he added, “Guess, it looks like we’ll need to change locations.”

His hands gripped my backside more firmly, making me gasp, before he stood up with a sudden motion.

At first, I clung to him to avoid falling, but then I realized our position.

“No, no, no, no, no! Put me down, Kacchan!” I squeaked, almost panicking, my words tumbling out way too fast. I wriggled out of his grip and practically jumped from his arms.

“What?” he asked, now sounding a bit irritated.

I took a moment to collect myself while my brain tried to conjure up images I had to suppress. Yes, had to.

“I can walk on my own!” I said breathlessly, hearing him snort in response.

“But it would’ve been way more fun! Especially if I could’ve pinned you against a wall somewhere.”

Blunt and direct, as always. God. He was seriously going to kill me. Not physically, like before, but mentally.

“You’re terrible,” I squeaked.

Oh yeah, that sounded great. I hated how I couldn’t even come close to being as confident as he was.

The grin on his face wasn’t helping, either. Was that just his permanent expression now?

“Let’s pack up our stuff and head upstairs,” he suggested, already gathering the materials.

I cleared my throat and, without fully thinking it through, said, “I’d like to have a bit of time to myself. Maybe just sit with the others for a while.”

I looked at him nervously. He shrugged, trying to appear indifferent, but something felt off. Had I hurt his feelings? Did he feel like I was pushing him away?

“Do whatever you want, nerd,” he muttered, already heading toward the elevator.

Guilt spread through me. I called after him. He turned his head slightly over his shoulder, looking at me impatiently.

“We can sit on the couch and watch TV until the others get back. You don’t have to leave,” I suggested.

I didn’t want him to leave. I just needed a bit of space.

“Forget it. If your tiny bird brain needs time to make up some dumb shit, I won’t stop you.”

Ouch. That was harsh. And it hurt - deep down.

I bit my lip, my shoulders trembling slightly as I tried to keep it together. I wanted to salvage the situation without giving in too quickly. I did enjoy being with him, but how were we supposed to explain it if I went back to his room again?

Was it really that obvious?

Or did it just feel that way because I knew what was happening up there?

I gathered all my courage to show him that I wasn’t overthinking things: “Can I sleep in your room again tonight?”

Kacchan, who had already been on his way out, stopped. He didn’t turn around. But his words made me smile: “Tch. Like that was up for debate.”

Notes:

That's it!
How did you like it? Did you enjoy Kacchan, the savior in distress? I sure did.
And yes, Izuku throwing him off a bit now... sorry about that. ^^'
See you on Tuesday! <3

Chapter 16: Friends

Notes:

OH MY GOSH!!! GUYS!!!! You are Crazy as Shit!
Holy Fuck! 14 Comments?????? <333
I‘m sooooo touched…and sooooo happy! I‘m kind of speeceless!
I want to thank you all for this Support!
That‘s why you got a new Chapter now and not tommorow =D
Have Fun!

Chapter 16 – Friends

 

I sat on the windowsill, waiting to spot the others from a distance. My body craved the outside world. To run. To train. Or to simply let the pleasant afternoon breeze blow through my hair. I never thought house arrest would make me appreciate such simple things. The little, everyday things you take for granted. Stimuli you need.

Stimuli.

House arrest had introduced me to a whole new kind of stimuli. Feelings I had never experienced before. Sensations I had never felt. Confusion that was suddenly sending my puberty into overdrive.

Chasing after All Might had pushed those things into the background. Sure, I’d always been a bit nervous around girls. That reaction always made sense to me. You were supposed to be shy around girls. Because they were the ones you’d end up doing things with. Things you didn’t do with boys. How stereotypical. How outdated. Honestly, it was almost embarrassing to think about now.

And if I’d learned one thing over the past two days, it was that feelings like these had nothing to do with gender and everything to do with the person.

Kacchan.

Kacchan was the one who had awakened these feelings in me. The tingling. The excitement. The arousal.

Fuck, I couldn’t deny it anymore. Kacchan had turned me on. He probably would again the moment he stood in front of me.

As long as I’d been sitting on the windowsill - had it been thirty minutes or an hour? - my thoughts wouldn’t stop spinning. And they all led to the same conclusion:

I found Kacchan attractive.

I found his kisses thrilling.

And damn it, right now, I didn’t want anything more than to storm into his room, throw myself onto the bed with him, and lose myself in his kisses. Just enjoy it. Why? Because it felt good. Or, to put it in Kacchan’s words: because it felt fucking good.

My own thoughts made me feel embarrassed, but I couldn’t suppress them. And the worst part? I had no idea where - or if - I would ever draw a line.

I knew the basics. Mostly about classic relationships. But with a guy, it wasn’t all that different. Well, maybe a little. But I wasn’t about to search for anything online. My overwhelming sense of shame would win that battle every time.

The fear of the unknown was slowly being replaced by curiosity. The curiosity about what might happen tonight was driving me insane. And that insanity kept sending images of Kacchan straight into my mind.

Damn it, was this even normal anymore? And why couldn’t I just shut my brain off and admire the beautiful weather? Why was my sixteen-year-old, hormonal inner voice nagging me, demanding that it get its turn now too?

My goal was to become a hero like All Might. I wasn’t supposed to get distracted by things that wouldn’t bring me closer to that goal.

But like I said - my curiosity was here. And it was growing by any minute. By any second. Every moment that I thought about Kacchan but couldn’t see him.

Why hadn’t I just let him carry me earlier?

Ever since I’d cut that scene short, my brain hadn’t stopped replaying it - each time with a new variation. And by now, I liked all of them.

But no. Instead, I was sitting down here, waiting like someone who’d been stood up, hoping for my classmates to return so I could spend the afternoon and evening with them. Pretty stupid of me.

I sighed and pulled my phone from my pocket. Should I text Kacchan? But what would I even say?

A bunch of ideas ran through my head, but they all sounded embarrassing or ridiculous. Maybe I could lure him out a little first.

Sorry

He’d told me more than once over the past few days not to apologize for no reason. He’d definitely respond to this.

I stared at my phone. One minute. Two minutes.

I saw that Kacchan had read my message.

Waited again. Nothing.

Resigned, I let my shoulders sink. It was too late to head upstairs. The others would be here any minute. I tried again.

Kacchan?

Nothing.

Can I really come up later?

And there.

He was typing. I stared at my screen, waiting.

Think of the door.

Wow, seriously? That was all he had to say to me right now? Was he mad at me? Did he see it as a defeat that I hadn’t gone upstairs with him earlier?

Sighing, I put my phone away. At least he hadn’t said no, which meant I could sneak upstairs again tonight. And if he didn’t want to talk, fine.

The persistent voice of my inner teenager whispered that there were plenty of other fun things we could do instead of talking.

I shook my head. I needed to get that stupid voice under control - and fast. Preferably silence it for good. Or at least whenever I wasn’t in my room.

The sound of voices pulled me from my thoughts. I looked out the window and spotted most of the class returning. They looked a bit worn out. A few of them had scrapes and bruises. Today’s practical training must have really pushed them.

“Hey Deku! Were you waiting for us?” Uraraka greeted me cheerfully. A few others just raised their hands in acknowledgment before collapsing onto the sofa with groans.

“It’s always pretty quiet without you guys here, so yeah!” I replied with a sheepish smile, scratching the back of my head.

I looked around the room once more before asking, “What did you guys do today that has you all looking like you got beaten up by All Might?”

Some of them pressed their lips together, reluctant to speak.

Only Todoroki answered. “Not All Might. A single third-year fought all of us at once - and won.”

My eyes widened. My mouth fell open.

“One person took on all of you?” I asked again.

They nodded awkwardly, and then Ilda said the one thing I didn’t want to hear: “Midoriya, due to your punishment, we’re not allowed to discuss it. I kindly ask you to drop the questions.”

I frowned. I was curious. And it frustrated me that I wouldn’t get any more details. Would Kacchan be able to get more information out of Kirishima? Should I ask him?

Speaking of which - my eyes darted around the room until they landed on Yaomomo, who was just about to head to her room.

I jumped up and called out, “Wait, Yaomomo! I have a favor to ask.”

I didn’t care that the others were watching me skeptically. Yaomomo stopped, smiled at me, and asked, “What can I do for you, Midoriya?”

I looked at her, feeling a bit awkward, and said, “Could we talk in the elevator for a moment?”

She looked surprised but nodded. It was only a few steps, and once we were inside the elevator, I pressed the button for the third floor.

“Why are we heading all the way up?”

“Well, this is a bit embarrassing to ask, but something may have gotten broken this morning, and I was hoping you could recreate it before Mr. Aizawa finds out,” I stammered, clasping my hands together and giving her a slight bow.

“Midoriya! I’m the vice class president,” she began, following me out of the elevator toward the bathroom. There was no door. I’d have to ask Kacchan later where he had hidden the broken one.

“What did Bakugou do to the door?” she asked, sounding surprised.

I ran a hand through my hair, embarrassed, and mumbled, “It wasn’t Kacchan. I broke it. The one downstairs. Kacchan just switched the doors so no one would notice right away.”

Yaomomo sighed. “Oh, Midoriya. You’re so level-headed. I can hardly imagine it.” She started to go into more detail, so I quickly added, “Kacchan might’ve provoked me, and I kind of lost my temper for a second.”

Another sigh.

As she lifted her shirt slightly to help me out of this mess, she asked, “How does Bakugou always manage to push you this far? That you’re brawling with him in the middle of the night on Ground Beta. And now breaking doors. No one else can get under your skin like he does.”

I hesitated. What could I say?

“Maybe it’s because we’ve known each other for so long, and he just knows exactly what to say to trigger me. I’m really sorry. And if our future as heroes didn’t depend on it, I wouldn’t have asked you. Please don’t tell the others, okay?”

I looked at her pleadingly, widening my eyes and trying to appear as sweet as possible. I’d probably crawl on my knees if that’s what it took.

“I won’t say anything. But, Midoriya, promise me this: If Bakugou provokes you like that, take a step back, okay?”

I nodded quickly, knowing full well that I was lying to my savior. But I couldn’t exactly tell her that I couldn’t stay away from him because my teenage urges wouldn’t let me.

I thanked her at least a hundred times as we walked back downstairs. She waved it off with a smile. Yaomomo was so kind and calm, and I was genuinely grateful that she had helped me without making a big deal out of it.

She said goodbye on the second floor, and I took out my phone.

Can you put the door back in place? Momo made a new one. It’s leaning against the wall.

A response came immediately.

Too weak to do it yourself?

I smiled.

Now that sounded like Kacchan.

I just figured it would boost your ego if I left this hard job to the mighty amazing Kacchan.

My ego doesn’t need boosting, shitty nerd.

I let the conversation end there, tucked my phone away, and returned to the common area to join the others and take a break from everything.

 

Around half past five, Kacchan finally showed up. I tried not to look too eager as I glanced his way, but he immediately ordered me to take care of the table while he dragged Ashido and Sato into the kitchen. He seemed very annoyed and moody.

Sighing, I got to work.

For once, I got a bit of help from Todoroki, and I made sure to leave Kacchan alone.

Tonight’s dinner was more like a colorful little buffet. While I had been too caught up in my cleaning frenzy this morning - lost in my chaotic thoughts and feelings - Kacchan must have been in the kitchen preparing all the trays. Only the fish and meat were being cooked fresh now.

“Bakugou! It’s probably not smart to give your ego any more attention, but if you keep making meals like this for us, I’ll carry you through U.A. on my shoulders,” Kaminari gushed, enthusiastically bouncing in his seat as he stuffed another piece of meat into his mouth.

“Tch, as if I’d care about a compliment from you, Dunce Face,” Kacchan replied indifferently, not even bothering to look at him.

Kaminari puffed out his cheeks and asked in an exaggerated voice, “Oh, great sir, whose praise would be acceptable to you, then?”

Instead of a response, Kaminari got a piece of meat thrown directly at his face.

“Keep annoying me during dinner, and you’re dead, Pikachu!” Kacchan snapped.

I flinched for a moment - just a reflex at this point when his voice hit a certain level of aggression. I really needed to work on that.

“Aw, come on, Bakubro! Don’t act like you don’t love it when we shower you with compliments,” Kirishima chimed in with a grin, throwing an arm around Kacchan’s shoulders.

Kaminari nodded in agreement, and both of them grinned at Kacchan.

I swallowed, watching as his shoulders tensed and his expression darkened further.

“Go fuck yourself!” Kacchan growled, standing up and stomping out of the room, his hands twitching as if he were barely holding himself back from doing something reckless.

 

The entire class watched him leave. I watched him too - more longingly than with the resignation the others showed. And it hit me that I’d probably have to clean everything up by myself later.

I sighed and set my chopsticks down, my appetite fading.

A loud voice at the other end of the table snapped me out of it.

“You two idiots! What’s wrong with you?” Mina scolded, standing up and giving both Kirishima and Kaminari a solid smack on the head. Kirishima hadn’t even hardened.

“Blasty just made the best meal we’ve had in a long time, and all you two can do is provoke him!”

“I really just wanted to compliment him at first,” Kaminari muttered, rubbing his head with squinted eyes.

“Then next time, just say, ‘Delicious, thanks Bakugou!’ and leave out all that extra crap!” Jiro chimed in.

A few others agreed with her, and the two boys looked like they understood they had messed up. It was written all over their faces.

“You’d probably be dead right now if he weren’t under house arrest,” Sero added.

“But seriously, that wasn’t that provoking,” Mineta defended them.

I internally facepalmed. Were they really going to turn this into a full-on debate?

“I think Bakugou’s nerves are more strained because of the house arrest,” Todoroki explained in his usual calm, monotone voice. “After all, he’s missing a lot, and he’s reminded us of his ambitions more than once.”

That explanation sounded the most logical to me. Or maybe it was because of our messy situation and the fact that I might have annoyed him earlier, too?

Shit, that thought hadn’t even crossed my mind until now. Could I have been the trigger?

I shook my head internally. No, Kacchan often blew up for no reason. The little scene between us earlier definitely wasn’t to blame.

I noticed that the discussion about Kacchan was winding down and that new conversations were starting to form, so I began clearing the table.

“Midobro! We’ll help you,” Kirishima said immediately, looking at me with a guilty expression.

I smiled at him and shook my head.

“It’s okay, Kirishima. Kacchan made all this without me, so it’s only fair that I handle the cleanup.”

Uraraka shook her head.

“You’re way too good for this world,” she said, smiling as she brought her dishes into the kitchen.

The others got up too, helping clear the table before I could stop them.

“Really, guys, I can do this alone! If Mr. Aizawa walks in now, we’ll all get in trouble,” I tried to argue. But instead of listening, they laid comforting hands on my shoulders and smiled at me as they continued helping.

It felt nice, realizing that they wanted to help me. That they were doing it voluntarily, just to be kind. Okay, maybe Kirishima and Kaminari still felt a bit guilty.

But at least half the class was doing it simply because I could genuinely call them my friends.

Real friends. Friends I hadn’t had for a long time - because of Kacchan.

Middle school had been tough. But Kacchan had also shown me that no matter how hopeless or difficult things seemed, you never gave up. I had held it against him back then. But I couldn’t recall ever truly hating him. No, I had never felt hatred toward him.

“You guys are the best!” I blurted out, beaming at them.

“We’re happy to help, Deku! You always help us, no matter what,” Uraraka explained, nudging me lightly with her elbow.

Her smile was as warm and kind as ever, but it made me feel a little awkward - especially after what Kacchan had said this morning about her possibly having feelings for me. Would I have been able to reciprocate if things with Kacchan weren’t happening right now?

“And it’s probably nice for you to have a little break from Bakugou, ribbit,” Tsuyu added.

I tilted my head, and before I could think it through, I said, “That’s not it! I don’t mind doing the assignments with Kacchan. I think we’re getting along better now.”

“Well, anyone who’s allowed into the great Katsuki Bakugou’s room can say that,” Kirishima teased.

“Right, you were in Bakugou’s room yesterday. What does it look like?” Kaminari asked eagerly, leaning forward. Even the girls seemed interested. After all, Kacchan’s room had always been a bit of a mystery, since he never let anyone inside.

“I thought you’d already had a look in there, Kirishima,” I countered, trying to protect Kacchan’s privacy.

“Well, only through the door crack. No idea why he’s so secretive about it. We’ve come up with some pretty wild theories.”

I looked at him and Kaminari skeptically. Honestly, I didn’t even want to know what kinds of things they’d imagined.

“So, Midoriya! Spill a little. What’s the great Katsuki Bakugou’s room like?” Kaminari pressed again.

I thought for a moment before saying, “Why don’t you just ask Kacchan yourself?”

Annoyed groans from a few of them. I tried to get back to my work, but before I could, I felt Kirishima’s and Kaminari’s arms draped over my shoulders. They were leaning on me heavily.

“Come on, Midoriya! You heard him. I’m seriously wondering what you did to get into his room,” Kaminari teased.

I swallowed, feeling heat rise to my cheeks. I quickly tried to compose myself.

No, he had invited me. And back then, we hadn’t done anything but schoolwork.

Pull yourself together! I scolded myself internally as I came up with a good excuse.

I cleared my throat and said, “It’s only because Kacchan didn’t want to set foot in my room. There were too many All Might’s for him.”

Loud laughter erupted around me. Kirishima and Kaminari were practically howling. A few of the girls giggled. Todoroki and Ilda, as always, remained calm and composed. And with that, I knew the topic was closed.

I mentally congratulated myself. Everyone knew what my room looked like - it resembled more of a fan shop than a teenager’s bedroom. Who would’ve thought that would actually come in handy someday?

Thanks to everyone’s help, the kitchen was cleaned up in no time. I, like a few others, retreated to my room.

They went to do homework. I went to wait for everyone to go to bed. And until that moment arrived, I got started on my evening workout and kept trying to keep my hormonal self in check.

Notes:

Thats it!
A Little unsecure Izuku this Chapter…and not a lot bkdk, but we have to need this too.
Hope you enjoy it!
See you now on wednesday!

Chapter 17: Scaredy-Cat

Notes:

Hello everyone!
I’m back with the usual 2-day update! Monday was a small exception because you guys are just so incredibly amazing, and you left me so many lovely comments. <3 But I can’t always do that, since I need to keep up with translating, and I only have a ‘few’ chapters left in reserve (43 cough). xD
Have Fun!

Chapter 17 – Scaredy-Cat

 

When I stepped back into my room, freshly showered, the clock read just past half past nine. The hallway outside my door was already dark and quiet. Kacchan hadn’t messaged me again, and I felt a bit unsure about whether I should just go upstairs. Maybe he was still angry and needed some space.

Sighing, I sat down on my bed, rubbing my hair dry with a towel. I glanced out the window briefly, then at my phone. Should I ask him first? Maybe he was already asleep.

Anxious and a bit nervous, I started typing. Then I deleted the text. Started again. Deleted it again.

I should keep it as short as possible, I think.

Each time, the message got shorter, and yet I still couldn’t bring myself to send it. Eventually, I was left with just a single character. All the previous words had seemed too embarrassing, childish, or silly, so I settled for it.

?

I didn’t have to wait long for a response.

!

“Huh?” I blurted out, staring at my phone. What the hell was Kacchan trying to say with that? My question mark had been perfectly logical, but was the exclamation point supposed to be an invitation to come up or a warning to leave him alone?

Shit. Now I’d have to send him an actual message. And for some reason, it felt embarrassing - like I was begging.

Can I?

What?

I groaned in frustration. He was doing this on purpose, right? He wanted me to actually ask so that he could flash me that smug, superior grin. Should I just throw him off with something unexpected?

I grinned a little and typed:

Never mind, forget it.

I looked over my words again, feeling proud that I hadn’t begged. At least he wouldn’t know that I was practically ready to sprint upstairs. But his next response had me spiraling.

OK

I stared at my screen in shock. I hadn’t expected that. A response filled with insults and a demand to come upstairs? Sure. But a simple, dismissive Okay?

Was that it? Had I just ruined my own chance to go see him?

I bit my bottom lip, thinking hard about how to get out of this mess without completely throwing away my pride. I wanted to keep at least a little dignity and not get completely crushed under his dominance.

The annoying voice in my head whispered that I actually found that pretty interesting. I shook myself and tried to ignore it. If this kept up, I’d need a doctor eventually.

Sighing, I collapsed onto my bed, ran my hands over my face, and glared at my phone. I clenched my teeth.

Should I just go upstairs and confidently act like his “stay-over offer” from this afternoon was still on the table? Was I brave enough to face him like that? Could he keep from blowing up and announcing to the entire dorm that I was in his room at that moment?

I hesitated. Uncertainty crept over me but didn’t push away the desire to go see him. Why hadn’t I just asked?

Maybe it was time to not ask for once.

I took a deep breath, got up from my bed, and typed with newfound determination:

I’m coming up now!

I shoved my phone into my pocket. If he didn’t want me there, he’d have to reply. He’d have to stop me. Although… he could just leave me standing in front of his door.

And I couldn’t stand in the hallway for too long or make noise - someone else might notice. But it wouldn’t look suspicious if he left me there. I would be the one who had to explain it, not him.

Feeling anxious, I stepped quietly into the hallway. I’d sent the message, so I couldn’t back out now. I let out a long breath and climbed the stairs quickly and silently, listening carefully for any sound.

It felt just like yesterday. Like I was a criminal. Like a villain.

 

When I reached the third floor, I checked my phone again. Kacchan hadn’t responded. I couldn’t tell if he’d even read my message. But I was already here, and I wasn’t going to turn back.

The hallway was dark and quiet, just like yesterday. My feet carried me toward Kacchan’s door. I reached for the handle, pressed it down, and stepped inside. It was dark. Pitch black. He must have lowered the blinds completely. I couldn’t see anything, and there was no response. Was Kacchan already asleep? Should I leave?

I opened my mouth, intending to softly call his name, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. Instead, I turned around, ready to leave the room. I sighed, slightly disappointed, and started to press down on the door handle when a quiet voice cut through the darkness.

“Leave the door closed, nerd.”

I flinched, startled, and turned back around, staring into the black void. Since I didn’t know his room as well as my own, I didn’t dare take a blind step forward. I heard his blanket rustling. Heard soft footsteps. Slowly, as my eyes adjusted to the darkness, I could make out faint outlines.

“So, you had the guts to come up here after all?” his voice teased, a whisper that sent a shiver down my spine. I could feel the warmth radiating from his body, felt his breath near my face. My heart began pounding wildly. Excitement spread through me. The lack of vision heightened my other senses.

I swallowed and instinctively stretched out my hand, trying to create a mental image of him. My fingers met his firm abdominal muscles first. He was wearing a fitted shirt. I swallowed again, the sound echoing in my ears like thunder. My hand continued upward, brushing over his chest, then his shoulder, his neck, until it finally reached his cheek. I felt him shudder lightly beneath my touch and smiled. The sensation calmed me internally. I felt a rush of happiness knowing he’d let my hand explore without stopping me.

I could hear him breathing - steady, but with a tension he couldn’t hide. His reaction made me bolder. Cautiously, my thumb brushed along his cheek, moving toward his lips. I missed slightly at first, brushing against his nose, before adjusting and finding his mouth. My hand began trembling as my thumb traced over his lips. Fuck, what even was this situation? Why was I doing this? And why did it make my entire body tingle?

Just as I was about to pull my thumb away from his lips, I felt his mouth move. Something warm and wet brushed against my thumb. I gasped and instinctively pressed myself against the door, my legs trembling. My cheeks burned with heat. Was that his tongue just now? Why had the sensation felt so intense against my thumb? Was it because I couldn’t see?

Kacchan’s body was suddenly against mine, giving me no time to think. I felt strands of his hair tickling my cheek. Felt his hot breath against my ear. I held my breath and pulled in my stomach. Fuck, I needed light. The darkness was driving me crazy.

“Interesting how bold you are when you can’t see me,” he whispered into my ear, making me shiver. His voice continued, soft and teasing: “Would you have done that if the lights were on?”

I swallowed. The sound was far too loud in my ears. I exhaled shakily and quickly sucked in another breath. Maybe I’d been holding it for too long. I cleared my throat and opened my mouth to say something – anything - but then I felt Kacchan’s hand glide along the waistband of my pants, brushing against the skin near my hip.

I gasped.

At the same time, his lips traveled down from my ear to my neck. Damn it, what was this guy doing?

I lifted my hands slightly and reached forward, finding his hips. I tried to push him back, but he resisted, holding his ground.

“You’re going to have to try harder than that,” he whispered, his breath warm against my neck. Then I felt his hand slip under my shirt, trailing up my back. My muscles tensed automatically.

Calm down. I needed to calm down. But the way his lips moved against my neck was overwhelming. His hand on my back was burning hot. Damn it.

Without thinking, I pulled Kacchan’s hips against mine, causing our lower bodies to collide. I gasped, and a moment later, I heard him do the same. He lifted his head. His reaction gave me courage.

If I couldn’t see him, he couldn’t see how red my face must have been, how uncertain my gaze was, or how panicked I felt in this moment.

I took one hand off his hips, sliding it up his side and gripping the back of his neck. I pulled him toward me. I didn’t quite hit his mouth at first - landing a bit off to the side - but we found each other.

And damn, the kiss was indescribable. Our lips moved against each other hungrily. I felt Kacchan’s tongue brush against my lips, and I opened my mouth slightly, giving in to his game.

So many sensations, so much stimulation crashing over me all at once. The lack of vision intensified every touch.

Both of Kacchan’s hands had slipped under my shirt by now, gripping me firmly as they roamed across my skin, tracing the muscles of my back in rough, hurried movements.

I removed my other hand from his hip and wrapped both arms around his neck, pulling him closer and pressing my body against his.

His body against mine felt so good, and the door against my back kept me grounded.

At the same time, the way he was pinning me against it turned me on like crazy. What else could I say? This was turning me on.

Shit. I’d just wanted to sleep next to him again, and now it felt like everything was spiraling out of control.

My brain finally kicked in, demanding that I stop this. Take a break. My body resisted, but I managed to move my hand between us, trying to create some space.

“Ka...” I tried to say, but Kacchan growled, pressing his lips against mine forcefully and grabbing my wrist. Before I could react, he ripped my hand away and closed the gap between us again.

“I’ll kill you if you pull the same shit you did downstairs,” he whispered threateningly, gripping my ass and lifting me up. I gave in, wrapping my legs around his waist as he turned us briefly and pressed me against another wall.

I exhaled with a moan. Yeah, this was exactly how I’d pictured it earlier, before I stopped it downstairs. God, this wasn’t normal.

“Slow down,” I managed to whisper.

Kacchan scoffed. “We’re not naked.” I swallowed hard. His tone didn’t exactly make it sound like he wasn’t thinking about changing that.

I grabbed the back of his head, pulling on his hair like I had when I’d sat on his lap earlier. My other arm wrapped around his shoulders for support. God, I wished there was light. I wanted to see his face right now.

I pressed my forehead against his, taking a deep breath before kissing him again. I let my lips trail down his cheek, barely brushing against his skin before I dared to move to his neck. I barely touched him, just the faintest graze of my mouth. But the deep rumble that escaped him made him press me harder against the wall. Apparently, Kacchan liked this just as much as I did.

My mind drifted away, leaving my instincts to guide me. Whatever I felt was right—I followed it. My lips curled into a grin before I opened them slightly and ran my tongue over the sensitive skin on the side of his neck. A low moan filled the air, encouraging me to keep going. I alternated between kissing and licking his neck, occasionally dragging my teeth lightly over his skin, which made him shudder and let out a soft gasp.

“Fuck, nerd,” Kacchan muttered breathlessly, grabbing a fistful of my hair and pulling me back roughly. He was breathing heavily as he removed his hand from my ass, forcing me to stand on my own again. I must have thrown him off balance, because suddenly the room lit up slightly. Kacchan was releasing tiny sparks from his hand.

I blinked, briefly squeezing my eyes shut before slowly opening them. For the first time that night, I could see Kacchan’s face. His cheeks were slightly flushed, his eyes locked onto mine with an intense gaze, and a lascivious grin curved across his lips. Fuck, why did he look so damn... so damn... hot right now?

I swallowed hard and glanced down, seeing the result of what I’d done to him. Heat rose to my cheeks, spreading to my ears. God, how had that been so easy for me? And why did I suddenly feel so uncertain and embarrassed?

I let out a squeak as his hand grabbed my hip and his thumb slid slightly under the waistband of my pants. My body trembled, tingled, and I didn’t dare say anything.

“Where’d all that courage go?” he asked, moving his thumb back and forth under the waistband, tracing along my hip bone.

“With the light,” I replied softly. My voice sounded a little rough, so I cleared my throat.

The sparks vanished from his hand, and the room went dark again.

“And now?” he asked.

“I’d really like the light back,” I whispered, feeling even more unsure. My excitement had settled somewhat, but his thumb was still there, keeping me on edge.

“Take off your shirt and pants, and I’ll turn it back on.”

Another unmanly noise escaped my lips, followed by a breathless, horrified “Kacchan!”

A quiet laugh escaped him. His other hand rested on my opposite side and pushed my shirt up slightly.

“The shorts can stay on. Besides, I hate sleeping with so many clothes on,” he explained, moving closer to me again and pressing a brief kiss to my lips as he finished speaking.

I was scared my legs would give out.

I didn’t know whether I should be embarrassed, aroused, or scared. Whether I felt joy or panic.

So, I tried to repeat the words from earlier today: “Unnormal in a slower pace?”

He growled. “I haven’t ripped your clothes off yet! Besides, that was your tongue on my neck!”

His voice sounded slightly irritated. Was this already too slow for him? Had I just triggered something without even realizing it? And what exactly did he want?

I’d come here thinking we’d just repeat last night. Lying on the bed, making out a bit, falling asleep together. Because it had felt so damn good. And if it hadn’t been for that alarm this morning, I could’ve imagined waking up just as beautifully.

But this? This felt more like what happened earlier today. Wet shorts. Something... more intimate than just kissing.

“You’re going to kill me,” I whispered, closing my eyes even though I couldn’t see anything anyway.

With trembling hands, I reached for the hem of his tight shirt and pushed it up slightly. Fuck, what was I doing? Should I really be doing this? I mean, earlier, I had been pretty sure I wanted to. Wanted to do more. But theory and practice were proving to be very different things.

My heart felt like it was about to leap out of my chest, and my breathing was irregular.

“I just want to blow your mind,” he murmured. Damn, that voice again. Deep, rough, almost threatening. Or maybe just... masculine?

He pushed my hands aside, and I heard the sound of fabric being pulled over his head. Then I felt his fingers on my shirt. I swallowed, holding my breath and squeezing my eyes shut as if that would somehow make me invisible. Before he could do it, I quickly pulled my shirt over my head and tossed it to the floor.

Goosebumps spread across my upper body as the cool air hit my heated skin. And then, hands. Hands traveling up my stomach. Up to my chest.

I gasped. I trembled.

There was a pulling sensation. A tingling. I didn’t know what I was supposed to be feeling first.

I felt the sensation shooting like lightning from my stomach, down my spine, and into my core. It was too much.

I stood paralyzed against the wall. My arms wouldn’t move. I wanted to grab Kacchan’s hands. Stop him. And at the same time, I didn’t. I felt weak. I felt good. I felt incredibly uncertain.

“Kacchan,” I stammered, and his fingers suddenly stopped.

I heard the rustling of fabric, followed by footsteps moving away from me. I exhaled. Slowly. I opened my eyes - and saw nothing.

Suddenly, Kacchan’s bedside lamp switched on. I threw my forearm over my eyes, squeezing them shut. Soft footsteps approached me again, and his hands gently pulled my arm away from my face.

“Eyes open and brain off,” Kacchan ordered quietly, slowly guiding me toward the bed - or at least that’s what I thought. I didn’t dare look. But when I felt his hands grab my pants and start tugging them down, my eyes shot open, even though I was momentarily blinded by the light.

Instinctively, I grabbed his wrists, stopping him from what he was trying to do.

My vision gradually cleared, and I locked eyes with him, making sure not to look anywhere else.

“What... what are you doing?” I whispered. I wasn’t capable of speaking any louder, and the thought of our classmates lying in the neighboring rooms didn’t leave my mind.

“Exactly what I said,” he replied firmly but didn’t pull away from my grip. He waited.

I avoided his gaze, and only then did I realize that he was standing in front of me wearing nothing but black boxers.

I gasped, biting down on my lower lip as I felt my face heat up. Shit, the sight of him completely threw me off balance.

I knew this sight. I’d seen him like this plenty of times. But somehow, it felt entirely new. Maybe because, this time, something was much more obvious in his shorts.

“Should I take them off completely?” he asked, clearly amused, knowing exactly how much he was making me want to disappear into the floor from embarrassment.

Instinctively, I wanted to hide my face, but I sure as hell wasn’t going to press it against Kacchan’s bare chest right now.

"Stop being so damn confident," I squeaked, my voice more desperate than firm. There was a hint of frustration in it, and he seemed to notice.

“We already slept in shorts yesterday. All that’s missing now is the shirt. So stop freaking out,” he explained calmly. And it actually calmed me down. The heated tension between us had eased, and I was grateful for it. Otherwise, my heart would have probably burst out of my chest. I hadn’t even had a pulse this high during the fight with the League of Villains.

I looked at him, uncertain. Probably even a bit lost. Lost enough that he freed one of his hands from my grip, ran it through my hair, and gently pulled me into a soft, slow kiss.

I sighed and relaxed, resting my forehead against his chest afterward. “Thank you,” I mumbled.

“No problem. Though, I really wouldn’t have minded doing a little more, especially after you made me so fucking horny,” he said casually.

I groaned, lightly pounding my fists against his chest.

“I hate you,” I whined, but I didn’t stop him when his hands returned to my waistband.

He waited. I nodded, bringing my hands down to help him slide my pants off. I stepped out of them and stared at the floor, unsure of what to do with myself.

Kacchan understood. He took a step back, walked to the window, and opened the blinds just slightly.

I watched him, seeing how he turned off the bedside lamp, leaving the room dimly lit by the soft glow of moonlight.

He walked to his bed, lying down on his back near the wall and leaving enough space for me.

I smiled faintly, still feeling the lingering embarrassment and uncertainty, but I moved toward him and lay down next to him, facing away.

I could feel my own disappointment in myself, frustration welling up. My eyes stung slightly, but I held back the tears and took a few deep breaths to calm down.

“Are you disappointed?” I whispered into the quiet room, anxiously waiting for his response.

But he didn’t answer right away. Not for the next minute, at least. The silence tested my emotional resolve. Fuck, I didn’t want to cry. Not because I was angry at myself and disappointed that I couldn’t be like Kacchan. He seemed able to just go with the flow.

A shift in the bed pulled me out of my downward spiral. I felt a warm torso press against my back, and an arm wrapped around my stomach. I suddenly felt safe.

I could feel Kacchan’s breath on my neck, his hair lightly pricking me.

“Maybe a little,” he murmured quietly against my neck, sending shivers down my spine.

His words made my chin drop to my chest, and I pulled my legs closer to me, trying to curl up like a child.

His arm tightened around my stomach, and the feeling of lying there with him was both the most comforting and most agonizing sensation I’d experienced in a long time.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered.

“At least you’re not mumbling to yourself yet, dumb nerd,” he grumbled playfully into my neck, making me smile.

Then he added, “Even if it’s frustrating as hell... let’s just sleep.”

I sighed, nodded, and accidentally tickled myself with Kacchan’s hair. Closing my eyes, I tried to relax.

Easier said than done.

Because then I heard him say, “I can still blow your head off tomorrow.”

And once again, that ridiculously unmanly noise escaped my throat, followed by a soft, indignant, “Kacchan!”

He smirked, turned away from me, and said, “Good night, little Deku.”

I flipped onto my stomach and growled into the pillow.

Argh! He was driving me insane. And his words kept me from calming down for a long time. I envied him for falling asleep so quickly.

I sighed. It was going to be a long night with nothing but me and my thoughts.

Notes:

That‘s it!
Don‘t hate our Little Deku! He‘s still so innocent (but how long?…hehe) and overwhelmed.
Hope You Like this Chap! I had Fun to Write the beginning with this short messages!
See you on Friday! <3

Chapter 18: The facets of Katsuki Bakugou

Notes:

Hello everyone!
Sorry! I'm late today. But i had no time all day long. Hope you can forgive me!!!!!!!!
I'm thinking about deleting the final chapter count! ^^' I may have shocked you a little with that, right?....hehe I'm sorry (maybe not :P) for that!
Have Fun!

Chapter 18

I hate him!

And no, for once, I didn’t mean Kacchan. Worse than him was that stupid annoying alarm clock of his!

My body felt so damn heavy. The night had been way too short, and the shrill, obnoxious sound of that alarm irritated me even more because of it.

I growled, swung my arm, and knocked the damn thing off the nightstand. I heard it crash somewhere on the floor.

With a relieved sigh, I settled back onto my side. I was almost asleep again when I suddenly felt a bare chest pressed against my bare back.

I flinched briefly as an arm wrapped around my waist, pulling me closer. Warm breath brushed against the back of my neck, making the hairs there stand on end.

“Deku, you owe me a new alarm clock,” a rough, sleepy voice mumbled behind me.

I smiled, surprised to hear so many words coming from Kacchan this early. I enjoyed his warmth and murmured, “No problem. As long as that damn thing never makes another sound again.”

“I liked that sound,” Kacchan replied, and I felt him trail his nose along my spine. That simple touch was enough to make me momentarily forget how to breathe.

I gasped for air and quickly responded, “Only psychopaths like a sound like that!” I tried not to be distracted by his touch - his hand was now gently stroking my stomach.

“If I were that crazy, I wouldn’t have stopped yesterday, no matter what you said,” he whispered roughly into my neck, planting kisses along it. I let out a sharp breath as heat shot through my body.

Damn, how did he keep doing this? Was I really that simple? Or just completely uptight?

He moved lower, kissing my shoulder as he pressed himself more firmly against me. I could clearly feel his morning wood. It made me nervous. It turned me on. I wanted his touch. I didn’t want it.

“Since when are you so talkative in the morning?” I blurted, trying to distract myself. My voice was anything but steady. I could practically see the grin on his face, even though he was lying behind me. Yeah, he was enjoying this. No doubt about it.

“You like to talk,” he murmured against me, gently nipping my shoulder with his teeth.

“Fuck,” the word escaped my mouth uncontrollably, and I tilted my head back as far as I could. I heard Kacchan’s knowing laugh.

Damn it, he was really enjoying this. And my reactions were only encouraging him further.

But, to my relief - or was it disappointment? - he suddenly pulled away and sat up slightly.

“As fun as this is, I need to brush my teeth. This morning breath is a real turn-off,” he said, looking at me expectantly.

With burning cheeks, I turned away from him, lying on my stomach. God, I couldn’t get up right now. And neither could he.

And as if he knew exactly what was going through my head, he said firmly, “Stop being so difficult, Deku. Come to the bathroom with me. I have a spare toothbrush.”

I squeaked and shook my head into the pillow. “Just give me a moment,” I mumbled. I wasn’t sure if he could even understand me, but Kacchan was relentless. He yanked the blanket off me, climbed over me, and smacked me firmly on the butt.

Yelping, I covered the sore spot and glared at him from the corner of my eye. I wanted to punch that smug grin off his face.

But first, I’d have to get out of bed. Even though everything inside me protested at the idea of standing up in just these tight boxers, I did it. I had no other choice. It was already a miracle that Kacchan was being this chatty, but I had no idea how long his patience would last. And I didn’t want him losing his temper and drawing attention from the others.

I stood up awkwardly, silently vowing to buy myself some loose boxers again, and walked over to him. His scrutinizing gaze didn’t exactly make me feel any more secure. Quite the opposite. Once again, I felt exposed around him, but at the same time, I used the opportunity to let my eyes wander over him too.

Taking in his body.

Even though I’d seen it before, I’d never really looked at him like this in the locker room. His muscles were impressive, but he didn’t look bulky. His shorts hugged his thighs and his ass perfectly. I did my best to avoid looking elsewhere. Otherwise, I’d probably want to sink into the floor right then and there.

Wordlessly, he walked into the bathroom, and I followed him, watching as he grabbed a new toothbrush still in its packaging from the mirror cabinet. He held it out to me, and I took it with a quiet thanks.

This was another one of those absurd situations. Just like so many others over the past two days.

Here we were, both standing in just our shorts, in a bathroom that was way too small, brushing our teeth in silence.

I only dared to glance at him through the mirror from time to time. He, on the other hand, seemed to be staring aimlessly into space, bored.

I sighed internally. Where exactly was this leading? Kissing was one thing. But going all the way? Why would we? Did we like each other? Or was Kacchan just trying to experiment? To let off some steam?

I was the first to rinse my mouth, leaving the bathroom without a word to grab my pants and shirt. I should probably leave soon, before the dorms woke up.

“You’re running away?” Kacchan’s surprised voice called after me.

I turned to see him raising a skeptical eyebrow, still standing there in nothing but shorts.

“Well, the others will be waking up soon,” I explained, bending slightly to slip into my pants.

Kacchan snorted but let me continue. For a brief moment, I was genuinely afraid he’d stop me, but he didn’t. I exhaled in relief, which earned me another snort from him.

“At least wait for me if you’re in such a hurry to leave.”

I looked at him, caught off guard, and mumbled, “That’s not it, Kacchan!”

I fumbled with my shirt, which I hadn’t put on yet, avoiding eye contact. Guilt gnawed at me. Had I hurt his feelings?

“I like being here,” I added softly and then, almost inaudibly, “with you.”

God, seriously? Had I really just said that? My face probably matched the color of a Ferrari by now. I was so embarrassed. But at the same time, it was the truth.

I saw Kacchan’s legs as he stepped in front of me, his hand firmly cupping my chin. He gently lifted my head - not too forcefully. I met his eyes, feeling insecure. He was smiling. Not his usual smug or cocky grin. This was... different. Softer.

“Then show me more of that,” he said quietly, waiting for my reaction. I gave him a small, shy smile, stood on my tiptoes just slightly, and pressed a soft kiss to his lips.

It was just a brief touch, but it felt different from the other kisses we’d shared. A warm, pleasant sensation bloomed in my chest, making me feel happy.

Kacchan let go of my chin, turned to his closet, and pulled out another sleeveless, fitted shirt. He paired it with UA athletic shorts like mine.

I quickly slipped on my own shirt - light blue and baggy. Compared to him, I felt pretty unattractive in these clothes.

Kacchan, on the other hand, was probably the secret dream guy of many UA girls. Well, at least the ones who didn’t know about his temper. Although, I had read once that some people were into that bad-boy vibe. Did he give off that kind of energy?

A flick to my forehead snapped me out of my thoughts.

“What’s going on up there, nerd?” he asked, standing far too close. Embarrassed, I turned my head slightly to the side. I definitely wasn’t about to tell him what I’d been thinking.

“Nothing,” I replied quickly, brushing past him to open the door.

I heard him sigh in frustration, probably rolling his eyes while shoving his hands into his pockets. That’s exactly how I pictured him.

Just to check, I turned around as I pressed down on the door handle. I couldn’t help but grin. Yep, he was standing exactly as I’d imagined.

“WHAT?” he grumbled, trying to keep his voice down so no one else would hear.

I just shook my head and smiled at him. “Let’s head down quickly.”

Together, we walked down the hallway and took the stairs. We both preferred it since we hadn’t gotten much movement in recently. The elevator just didn’t appeal to us - it didn’t offer any escape options.

But luck wasn’t on our side today because, on the second floor, we ran into Mina and Kyoka.

“Oh, good morning, you... two?” Mina greeted us, sounding slightly incredulous. Panic rose within me, but I tried not to show it.

Why were they up so early? And why weren’t they taking the elevator like everyone else?

“Good morning, Mina! Good morning, Kyoka!” I greeted them with a friendly smile, just like I always did.

And Kacchan? He just grunted in their direction and kept walking, leaving me standing there with the two girls.

Great. Thanks a lot. Just leave me here to explain everything.

“Good morning, grumpy cat!” Mina called after him, only to be met with his middle finger.

“As chatty as ever,” she laughed, then turned to me. “Where are you coming from, Midoriya?”

In my head, dozens of tiny versions of myself were running in my head around in circles, waving their arms in panic. Shit. I needed to stay calm and act like nothing was wrong.

Kacchan was right - no one could see it on us, and no one would suspect anything. Especially since we were technically still under house arrest for fighting each other.

“Well, Kacchan wasn’t downstairs yet, and I panicked a bit because I didn’t know what he was planning to make for breakfast. So, I ran up to check on him and make sure he hadn’t overslept. But yeah, it didn’t exactly improve his mood,” I explained, scratching the back of my head with a sheepish smile.

Internally, I patted myself on the back for the excuse I’d come up with while leaving his room - though it wasn’t too far from the truth.

“Wow, you’re brave,” Kyoka said, shuddering as if she had just imagined something horrifying. “Ugh, scary. Katsuki with his morning mood is terrifying.”

We laughed, and I walked with both of them, feeling more relaxed, down to the common room. I saw Kacchan in the kitchen, inspecting every container in the fridge. Oh, right - he had left during dinner yesterday and didn’t know how we had put everything away.

“Get over here, Shitty Deku! What the hell did you do in here yesterday?” he barked at me. I puffed up my cheeks, ready to complain about his tone. I didn’t appreciate it. Damn, I’d gotten used to the we’re-alone-Kacchan by now.

“Sorry, Kacchan. I wasn’t really sure what to do. The others helped me yesterday,” I mumbled sheepishly as I stepped toward him. Mina and Kyoka had quickly made their way to the couch area. And honestly, I couldn’t blame them – grumpy-morning-Kacchan was terrifying. Though, deep down, I knew he wasn’t as bad as he let on.

I played along with the act, but it seemed like Kacchan was genuinely a little pissed off. Probably because I had disturbed his sacred domain. I didn’t dare speak openly since Kyoka, with her Quirk, could easily eavesdrop on us. And even though she didn’t act like a typical gossip, all the girls loved some juicy drama.

Kacchan huffed, instantly drawing my full attention again. He tilted his head, silently signaling me to step closer. I did, and for a moment, I thought I saw an almost apologetic look in his eyes.

My brain needed a moment to process.

Was I imagining things?

Otherwise, I was about to mark this day on the calendar and maybe even petition for a national holiday. What the fuck! I never would’ve thought he’d care about sounding too harsh. That was just his default setting, wasn’t it?

“Uh... what do you want me to do?” I stammered, confused.

I’d already used up all the acting skills I had earlier with Mina and Kyoka. Kacchan’s behavior was throwing me off so much that I couldn’t decide which of his many new sides was the most confusing - or the most appealing. The Normal-Mode-Kacchan, the Embarrassment-Inducing-Kacchan, the Kind-Kacchan, or the Cocky-Kacchan... Given more time, I could probably come up with a few more.

“Heat up the anman buns from yesterday in the steamer. We’ll make some more platters with the leftovers, and I’ll fry up some meat and vegetables,” he said calmly. He didn’t sound commanding at all. Did he forget about Kyoka’s Quirk? Or was he confident that she wasn’t listening because she was too scared of him? Then again, Mina was part of his circle, and she certainly wasn’t afraid of him. She even had Kaminari under control.

I nodded and tried to follow his instructions. The only problem was that I had no idea how to use the steamer. Seriously, the only kitchen appliance I was good with was the microwave.

Slowly and carefully, I placed all the buns on the tray. And that’s where my knowledge ran out. God, he was going to kill me!

Feeling nervous and completely embarrassed, I turned toward Kacchan, who was somehow managing five tasks at once with ease.

I swallowed hard. “Kacchan?” I called, my voice uncertain and a little shaky.

He turned around, glanced at the steamer, then back at me, and his expression darkened.

“Are you fucking kidding me?” he yelled, and I shrank back, shaking my head and raising my hands. “I’ve never used one of these things before,” I whispered, stammering.

“I could operate this thing when I was four!” he snapped, abandoning the pans and walking over to me.

I pouted and mumbled under my breath, “Then you should’ve taught me back then.”

Probably not the smartest thing to say.

A vein on his forehead pulsed, and his fingers twitched. I bit my lower lip and squeezed my eyes shut, bracing myself for an explosion. But instead of going off, he just gave me a light smack on the back of the head. It was far too gentle to be taken seriously.

I opened my eyes again.

“Come here, dumb nerd! I’m only showing you this once. If you can’t do it next time, I’ll kill you. I don’t give a damn what Eraserhead does about it.”

I nodded quickly and watched closely. It really was simple. Just add water, cover it with the lid, and turn the dial.

I probably could’ve figured it out if I’d thought it through a bit more. I did understand the theory of steaming, after all. But Kacchan made me so nervous. And the thought of our classmates nearby didn’t help either. Everything I did felt like it was under a spotlight.

 

Breakfast went by relatively quietly.

Kacchan didn’t sit at the table with the others. Instead, he immediately started cleaning the kitchen, saying he didn’t want to listen to any stupid chatter.

Because of that, the others left pretty quickly, and soon, it was just the two of us again. Thanks God.

 

I exhaled in relief and carried the last dishes from the table into the kitchen. I leaned against the counter, watching Kacchan as he packed up the leftover food or tossed what wasn’t usable anymore.

“Quit standing around like an idiot and make yourself useful,” he said after a while, turning toward me.

And there we were again, leaning against the counters just like yesterday. Yesterday, he had kissed me in the kitchen. Yesterday, we had ended up in his room shortly after.

I swallowed and nervously scraped my foot against the kitchen tile.

“What is it, nerd?” Kacchan asked, and I could hear his smug grin in his voice without even looking up.

I stayed silent, not trusting my voice. What did I even want? For things to continue like yesterday? To go further? That more that I had stopped yesterday?

While the others had been here, it had been hard not to keep glancing at him. I couldn’t properly focus on the conversations around me. The images playing in my mind were too vivid. The scene in bed this morning.

Mentally, I was a mess.

But my body? It was reacting to everything, overly sensitive and wanting to feel.

I sighed, frustrated. I wanted to tear my hair out.

When I finally lifted my gaze, Kacchan was still looking at me, waiting. I never would’ve expected him to have this much patience. Unfortunately, now I had to say something.

“Blow my head off,” I whispered, looking down at the floor in embarrassment. It summed up everything without sounding completely humiliating. The more my thoughts spiraled, the more uncertain I became.

The more I wanted to understand everything.

The more I wanted to retreat and think it all through.

Kacchan walked slowly toward me, stopping right in front of me. His arms hung loosely at his sides - there was no sign that he was about to grab me.

“Is that all I’m here for?” he murmured, making me blink up at him in confusion.

“What do you mean?” I asked, not understanding where he was going with this.

“If your head says we shouldn’t be doing this, then we shouldn’t,” he said. His tone was unreadable to me.

I stared at him, slightly alarmed, and quickly explained, “That’s not it! I just don’t understand it! And I want to understand it! But that takes time. And at the same time, I also want to spend this time with you and... enjoy it.”

By the end, my voice had grown quieter again. There was no trace of confidence in it. I was nothing but a giant coward.

“What don’t you understand?”

“Why we’re doing this,” I replied.

“Why do people kiss?” He was trying to get me to realize something. Something he clearly already understood.

“Because it feels good?” I said hesitantly, completely unsure.

“So, it’s not a bad thing?” Was that a statement or a question?

“No, I don’t think so,” I answered. Was this supposed to be a breakthrough moment for me?

“If it’s not bad and it’s not wrong, then what else do you need to understand?”

“Why we are doing it. Sure, it’s fun. It’s exciting, and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t curious about it. But... we’re friends, right? And friends don’t normally do this kind of thing, do they?” I admitted my thoughts, suddenly feeling exposed.

“Says who? Who says friends can’t do this?” Kacchan shot back.

“We do, by making this something just between us. You’re not doing this with Kirishima, and I’m not doing it with Uraraka.”

Kacchan gagged briefly. “Did you have to bring up Round Face?”

I laughed softly, forgetting for a moment about the tension I had caused. Again.

“You’re seriously stressing about this because you can’t label what’s going on between us?” Kacchan asked, hitting the nail on the head.

I nodded hesitantly, feeling his hands on my hips. I flinched when he suddenly lifted me. Instinctively, I braced myself on the counter as he set me down on it. He wedged himself between my legs, now looking slightly up at me.

“Come up with a label if you want. I don’t care. I just want to do this. With you. We could’ve been rolling around naked in bed by now if it weren’t for that dumb birdbrain of yours.”

And there he was again - the blunt, direct, and shameless Kacchan. I had forgotten to include him in my earlier mental list.

And damn it, he was the one I hated the most.

I squeaked and tried to push him away, but he didn’t budge, grinning at me with that lascivious smirk. This guy was going to be the death of me. One hundred percent. And not because of a heroic mission.

Since I couldn’t get away, I buried my face in his shoulder, desperately trying to cool down my burning cheeks. I had to do something. If I kept reacting like this, he wouldn’t stop. But, damn it, how was I supposed to not be completely flustered by him?

“Too easy, little Deku,” he teased, running his hands up my thighs and stopping halfway when he felt me trembling. I heard him take a breath.

“So, to give your annoying brain some time to catch up, here’s the plan for this morning,” he began, instantly capturing my attention as he continued. “Once the kitchen is clean, we’ll go to my room, strip naked, and get into bed. After that, we’ll improvise.”

“I hate you,” I whined, completely overwhelmed by my embarrassment. I wanted to run.

At the same time, my heart was pounding so hard that I couldn’t deny the mix of emotions his plan stirred in me.

Embarrassment. Nervousness. Excitement. Was that... arousal?

“You’re repeating yourself,” he murmured casually, letting go of me without any further touches or kisses before returning to his tasks.

Oh my God!

The next fifteen to thirty minutes in the kitchen were going to kill me. My mind was spinning out of control, bombarding me with every possible scenario from movies, TV, and the internet in rapid succession.

 

 

Notes:

Thats it!
hehe...you like the end?
I hope you'll be excited to Sunday!
See you!

Chapter 19: Insanity

Notes:

Hello everyone!
Sorry that the chapter is being posted this late again. To be honest, I’m really not that great at writing explicit scenes in my native language… and translating them into English made it even trickier. It took a bit of time! But it’s finally here, and I hope it reads somewhat decently! Have fun! ^///^'

Chapter 19 - Insanity

I slowly ran the cloth over the countertop. I had actually finished cleaning a few minutes ago but didn’t dare announce it. I didn’t dare turn around to face Kacchan.

My pubertal part kept sending me one image after another in front of my inner eye. I had to concentrate not to get lost in them. Pictures of us kissing. Of yesterday morning. Of a fucking high when his thigh had rubbed against me. Fuck! I barely managed to keep my private part under control. What had he awakened in me? And why was I almost scaring myself with it?

“You’re such a coward,” Kacchan’s voice suddenly murmured into my ear from behind. I felt his body pressing into mine, pinning me against the kitchen counter so firmly that I had to brace myself to avoid falling forward.

“Kacchan!” I gasped, startled. Had he been watching me? Or had he just finished at that very moment?

“But I have to admit that it turns me on when you act so coyly,” he murmured, kissing my ear and I could do nothing but gasp. Felt the traitorous heat rising in my face.

His hands settled on my stomach, stroking up my torso as his mouth worked my ear.

Fuck, I couldn’t fight back! Whatever he was up to now, I was hopelessly at his mercy. Because my pubescent side seemed to want to lock away my thoughts and my resistance completely. My body was tingling. Lightning bolts shot down my spine. My eyes closed. How could I have stopped these feelings yesterday?

I was breathing heavily, trying to push myself off the kitchen counter with the last of my strength. I automatically pressed myself closer to him. Sensed that he was aroused. Sensed that he had apparently been struggling with similar ideas in his head for the last few minutes.

“We have to leave,” I said with difficulty. I moaned as he went under my shirt and stroked my chest unabashedly.

“And you're not being coy now?” he asked quietly. With a grin. Arrogant. And so damn confident.

I shook my head, trying to counter: “And you know what you're doing?”

He let out a raspy laugh, giving me goose bumps. Made my whole body tremble. Damn, why did his voice sound so damn dark again? And why was I reacting to it so intensely?

“Nope, I don’t have a fucking clue,” he replied and I froz. A flicker of panic rose in me, yet at the same time, it was oddly comforting to hear him finally admit that he’d never done this before either.

“But,” he began, continuing to kiss my neck, “I don’t think anyone watches tutorial videos for this beforehand.”

I chuckled slightly. The thought really was absurd. But I could hardly cling to the thought because Kacchan's hand was stroking my nipple.

I gasped sharply, my entire upper body jerking back. I couldn’t tell if the touch just now felt good or bad. Exciting or unpleasant. Everything felt way too intense.

“Please… up,” I managed to say with great effort, still trying to create some space between us. But Kacchan took advantage of the distance between me and the kitchen counter to let his hand wander down and stroke my crotch - at least it stayed above my pants.

Moaning, I threw my head back, directly onto his shoulder. I kept my eyes closed and tried to calm my wildly beating heart. Tried to get the heat out of my face. Fuck, what was he doing here with me? In the fucking kitchen!

Suddenly I felt Kacchan's lips against my ear again. His breathing was unsteady. “Fuck Deku! Why does this turn me on so much?”

I didn't know if he was asking the question to me or rather to himself. His lower body pressed against my ass while his hand now applied pressure from the front. I thought I was going to explode from all the sensations. Everything was so tense that I seemed to lose control a little. At least One for All was activated for a millisecond. Kacchan freeze.

“Deku?” he asked uncertainly, pulling his hands back and creating some space between us. I sighed in relief as the heat finally had room to dissipate.

It took me a moment to realize that I had actually activated my quirk. “Sorry,” I panted, turning to face him. Embarrassed. Flustered. Completely out of breath.

“I wasn’t on purpose,” I added quickly, swallowing as I ran my hands over my face and through my hair. I hadn’t even noticed that I had started sweating.

We stood there, faces flushed, both of us slightly breathless. Both at a point that felt far too intense. All because of a few damn touches. And those damn touches felt so damn good. Had I mentioned how insanely intense everything was?

“Back to the original plan?” I asked, surprising myself with a burst of confidence. Where had that come from? Or was my mind too fogged up to continue drowning in embarrassment?

Kacchan grinned, raising an eyebrow. “Hell yeah, Nerd!” he said, pressing me back against the kitchen counter and kissing me eagerly. Bold. Demanding.

I moaned with pleasure, let my hands wander to his bottom and grabbed him. Pressed him closer to me. I rolled my eyes beneath my closed lids. Damn, this wasn’t normal. I had never felt anything like this before. Never. And we were still fully clothed, standing in the damn kitchen!

My plea to leave the kitchen was completely ignored by him. Was he just as lost in the moment? The walk to Kacchan's room also seemed far too long for me. And my legs were already feeling a bit wobbly.

Kacchan pulled up my shirt. My body just reacted. Raised my arms, let me take it off. He did it to himself. Our heated upper bodies met again directly. Our hands stroked our backs, stomachs and chests. Our kisses became more uncoordinated. More eager. Wilder.

Only our heavy breathing echoed through the large room. Kacchan's gasps was so arousing. His low growl sent a shiver down my spine. If this continued, it would end just as quickly as it had in Kacchan's bed.

Suddenly, I felt his hands at my waistband, trying to pull it down. I reacted instinctively, grabbing his wrists and locking eyes with his intense ruby-red gaze.

“Kacchan! We can’t keep going here, or I’ll never be able to enter this kitchen again,” I blurted out, panicked.

“Not my problem,” he growled back, moving his hands so quickly that he slipped out of my grasp and grabbed me instead. He stared at me, guiding my hands to his waistband.

“Here and now,” he said darkly. My fingers automatically hooked onto the fabric, and he pressed them downward, inch by inch. I swallowed hard, refusing to look down. The familiar wave of uncertainty washed over me again, and I pushed against his grip.

“Kacchaaaan!” I growled back in warning.

“No!” he snapped; his tone sharp. He looked at me with a piercing gaze, exuding a sudden dominance that made my resistance begin to crumble. And this resistance broke completely when he simply grabbed in the front of my pants with a lightning-fast movement.

Fuck! He was really touching me. I groaned. Shit. My brain shut down. So did my heartbeat. Desperately, I gripped his upper arms, letting my forehead rest against his shoulder. I needed support. I wanted to push his hand away and, at the same time, I didn’t. Felt him stroking my tip with his thumbs. It felt wet. And damn good.

I muffled my moan against his shoulder as his hand began to move a little unsteadily and awkwardly. Probably because the waistband and shorts left him little room to move. It bothered me too. And if we were already that far along, I didn't need to think about it or hesitate any longer.

I took my cramped hands off his upper arms and pulled the rest of my clothes down so that my arousal was exposed. I kept my eyes closed. I couldn't look at him now. I couldn't look down either. Even though I was curious. I was probably going to explode. More from shame than from excitement.

"That's better," Kacchan breathed. His voice no longer seemed so confident. He took hold of me properly and slowly began to slide his hand up and down. Not quickly. With a certain amount of pressure. Just like he probably did with himself. Like I did with myself. Just right.

My body twitched. Trembled. Shook. Tingled. Heat, so unbearable it overwhelmed me. My heart, pounding way too fast. My mouth, unbearably dry. My hands, which went to Kacchan's pants without me being able to control them. That slid under his pants and stroked his ass.

Kacchan’s moan was the answer. Made his movements freeze on me. I grinned. I had no idea why. Something in my head just broke. Falling into the insanity. The insanity of what we were doing here, right in the middle of the dorm kitchen. A insanity I didn’t want to escape.

My mind demanded that I follow Kacchan’s lead. Any trace of embarrassment, uncertainty, or shame was forgotten. Right now, I didn’t care. Kacchan's hand on my hardness made everything foggy. It awakened a lust in me that I could barely contain.

My hands went to the waistband of his pants and pushed them and his shorts down slightly. Until the slight resistance was gone. I knew that his boner was now exposed. I reached for it blindly and heard a surprised, throaty moan from Kacchan. Holy Shit! The sound alone almost made me come.

Kacchan's left hand was resting next to me on the kitchen counter, his body leaning heavily against mine as I began to move my hand. Our heads were now resting sideways against each other. I could only feel it. Because I still couldn't open my eyes. No! That would be too much. And it was so damn intense that I didn't need to watch it.

“Fuck!” came out of Kacchan's mouth as I increased the pressure a little. I did as I saw fit. His cock - the word was still running through my head despite the situation, making my abdomen twitch - didn't feel much more dissimilar to mine. Made it easier for me to imitate movements I'd tried on myself.

Kacchan's hand had been resting the whole time. Had only embraced me while I had taken care of him. Now he resumed the movements. I did the same. Made me moan without restraint.

Our breathing became faster and faster. Our movements became more erratic. The heat between us increased. Our skin was sticking together slightly from the sweat. The pressure of our hands increased.

I couldn't take any more. Tingling, twitching and the strong pull in my abdomen heralded my climax. I subconsciously tightened my grip on Kacchan. He did the same, pumped hard and a little slower. Made me come.

I moaned loudly and felt myself releasing. Thrust by thrust. Kacchan followed me. I felt a strong twitch in my hand and liquid splashed against my upper body. Spread over my fingers.

Fuck! I was so out of breath. My lungs weren't getting enough oxygen. I was panting. Heard that Kacchan was no different. My legs were shaking. Felt like jelly.

 

We both hung on to our orgasms. We stood there for what must have been a few minutes until I suddenly heard Kacchan’s voice: “Looks like you’ve got some guts after all.” He grinned. I didn’t look at him, but I knew he was grinning - I could hear it.

And I mirrored him, grinning stupidly to myself as I replied, “I’m not letting you leave me behind anymore.”

“Sassy nerd,” was his only response. He leaned back slightly, just enough to press his forehead against mine. He gently tilted my head up and planted a kiss on my lips. It tasted salty. Salty from sweat.

“Then be brave enough to open your eyes,” he suddenly challenged after breaking the kiss. I swallowed hard. All the feelings I had pushed away during everything came rushing back at once. Uncertainty. Embarrassment. Oh shit, I was terrified to open my eyes.

Still, I did it. Slowly. My vision was hazy. I blinked a few times until Kacchan’s face came into focus. He was grinning. Not arrogantly – more like… satisfied. The expression was similar to the one he wore after winning a fight. His cheeks were still slightly flushed.

I let my gaze wander slightly downwards, swallowing hard when I saw the splash on his chest. Damn, had that really been so intense? The fact that I had once come up to my belly button, okay. But this was on a whole different level.

Squinting, I took a quick look down. I saw our two relaxed dicks and our fully lubricated hands. And after my head had processed this view, I squeaked. I immediately closed my eyes again and quickly pulled my pants up, wiping Kacchan's evidence of orgasm on my hip. I scrunched up my nose. Gross.

Kacchan let out a quiet laugh, his voice still a bit rough. “So, is your head back on straight?” he asked, and I noticed him tugging his pants back up. I cracked my eyes open just slightly and saw him casually wiping his hand on his pants. I followed his lead, but the remnants on my torso stayed. Just like the ones on his.

"Kacchan..." I began, unsure of what to say. Everything sounded wrong. Everything sounded embarrassing. I wanted to disappear. And at the same time, the voice in my head whispered that I should repeat what just happened as soon as possible.

“We should shower,” he quickly suggested, glancing down and giving a slightly crooked smile. “And maybe clean up our shit off the floor, too.”

“Whaaaat?” I blurted out, panicking. My eyes darted to the floor, spotting a few drops on the tiles. I tilted my head back and groaned, wanting to cry from sheer embarrassment but settling for whining instead.

Kacchan stepped back slightly, picked up his shirt, and wiped it over his chest. Then, with that smug grin plastered on his face, he used it to wipe my stomach too - spreading it around more than actually cleaning it. I squeaked, scrunching my face in frustration as heat spread across my cheeks.

“You’re disgusting,” I whined in an embarrassingly high-pitched voice. He rolled his eyes, tossed the shirt to the floor, and started using it like a mop. I scrunched up my nose again. Was he serious right now?

“I was actually hoping for a ‘You're fucking awesome’ after I've already jerked you off. But apparently that's not the case.”

I hated him! That damn…

Silently cursing, I punched him lightly against his bare chest, grabbed my shirt off the floor, and turned around to finally leave this kitchen. God, I could never, ever, ever step foot in this place again! Seriously! Never again!

My legs carried me to my room in a hurried escape. Kacchan followed right behind me. Damn it, couldn’t he leave me alone just for a moment? I needed time to process all of this. Because…we had jerked each other off in the kitchen. Why had I given in so easily? Why the hell didn’t I stop it?

Because you wanted it, the annoying pubescent voice in my head chimed in. Ugh, I wanted to strangle it. But how do you kill something that only exists in your mind?

I took a deep breath in and out, shook my head, and entered my room. I didn’t look around. I wasn’t sure if Kacchan had kept following me or gone somewhere else. Without bothering to close my bedroom door, I opened the bathroom door. I stripped off my pants and tossed them onto the pile of other stained clothes. Washed my hands. Dried them. Then stepped back out.

I spotted Kacchan standing in my doorway, watching me. Attentively. Amused. And for fuck’s sake, without a hint of uncertainty. God, I couldn’t stop mentally cursing. Was this what complete and utter overwhelm felt like?

I huffed, walked to my wardrobe, and grabbed clean clothes and a towel. The only problem? Kacchan was still standing in my doorway.

"Are you going to let me pass so I can shower?" I asked, my voice relatively steady. I wasn’t sure if I was angry or just overwhelmed.

"We’re showering upstairs," he stated firmly, waiting for my reaction. I bit down on my lower lip.

"Kacchan... please," I began, but he grabbed my arm roughly.

"We’re going up now."

"Why?" I asked, not so much resisting as whining.

"Because your head sucks!” he answered bluntly, dragging me into the elevator and pressing the button for his floor. He looked at me, mildly annoyed. The high we’d been riding moments ago seemed to vanish into thin air, just like yesterday. Was that my fault? Was I the one ruining the mood? Maybe Kacchan was right about me overthinking everything.

I sighed and let my shoulders drop. The fact that I was standing in the elevator with Kacchan wearing nothing but shorts and slippers was something I pushed aside. I simply didn’t care. My mind clung too tightly to what we had done in the kitchen, and my face flushed as I dwelled on it for even a millisecond longer.

Suddenly, I felt Kacchan’s hand on the back of my neck. I looked up and realized that he had stepped directly in front of me. “I’m serious. You’re overthinking this again,” he said, his voice surprisingly gentle. Calm. Maybe even a bit resigned.

“I’m sorry, Kacchan. It’s just… too much again,” I mumbled, feeling my shoulders start to shake. Fuck, was I really about to cry again out of sheer frustration?

He pulled me against his chest, his hand gently stroking the back of my head. I let it happen. I took a moment to catch my breath, trying to calm down.

He leaned down to my ear, his warm breath sending shivers down my neck, and then I heard his smug voice: "You were pretty dame horny there for that!"

I growled, gave him a light shove, and repeated the sentence I had already said and thought countless times over the past two days: "I hate you!"

He grinned at me, raised his eyebrows, and replied, "I know."

I tried to punch him, but he easily blocked my fist and strolled out of the elevator as if nothing had happened.

" As long as you make it this easy to mess with you, why would I ever stop!"

"You’re such a... a..."

"Yes? I’m listening," he urged, smirking.

"Argh! Go to hell!"

"I was hoping for something a bit stronger, Little Deku! Come on, try harder!" he taunted, pushing the door to his room open.

I clenched my hand into a fist, stomping in after him, frustrated that I couldn’t come up with a better comeback. Because, damn it, he was right. His blunt comments drove me up the wall. Made me flustered. And I couldn’t stop reacting to them. If he were as easy to tease as I was, maybe I’d be doing the same thing to him. Maybe, if he weren’t Kacchan. Okay, who was I kidding! I couldn’t mess with anyone like that—it just wasn’t in my nature!

Sighing, I stood in the doorway, watching Kacchan toss his dirty clothes into the laundry basket. All of them. What the hell! He was casually stripping right in front of me without a care! What was wrong with this guy?

Embarrassed, I lowered my gaze and focused on Kacchan’s shoes by the door. Two pairs of sneakers. A pair of boots. And flip-flops. Fascinating! Yep, way more interesting than a naked Kacchan. No doubt about it!

“Hey, shitty nerd!” Kacchan called out to me. I didn’t respond. Instead, I turned around to head toward the communal showers.

Kacchan’s amused voice followed behind me, “Seriously! You already know what I look like naked and you just had my cock in your hand. And now you don’t even dare to look at me?”

Argh! This guy! How had I even ended up doing any of this with him? He drove me insane. And at the same time, I wanted to disappear into thin air. Damn it. He was making me lose my mind. And I wasn’t talking about the thrilling kind of insanity from what we’d done in the kitchen—no, this was the kind of insanity that could drive people to murder.

Reluctantly, I turned around, locking eyes with him, exhaling sharply, and nearly shouting, “Seriously, Kacchan! If you don’t want something else breaking around here, then back the hell off! I’m not as blunt as you! I don’t know where you get all your self-confidence from, but you were shaking and moaning down there just as much as I was! So cut the damn act!”

Kacchan fell silent. His intense gaze met mine briefly before he looked away. I watched him move, stopping beside me, and whisper, “I don’t know how else to handle it.”

There it was. The honest answer. The answer that calmed me, showing me that I wasn’t the only one overwhelmed by this situation. And I silently thanked him for it.

My anger faded, replaced by a soft smile. I noticed a faint pink hue on Kacchan’s cheeks. My hand found his, our fingers intertwining briefly. I wanted to touch him. I wanted some grounding. But I couldn’t bring myself to hug him - not with him standing there so exposed.

“Let’s shower, Nerd! This is getting awkward!” he mumbled, breaking our brief handhold and disappearing into the communal shower.

I shook my head slightly. Where was this all heading? How was this supposed to continue?

 

Notes:

That's it!
Phew, that was a bit exhausting. And as you can see, Izuku is still struggling to process everything... poor little nerd.
The next chapters will definitely be lighter, and I’ll get them uploaded sooner!
Thank you so much for all the lovely comments you’ve left me! I’m so happy that the story is being so well-received, even though it’s turning out to be quite long.
See you on Tuesday, everyone!

Chapter 20: Mood Killer

Notes:

Hello everyone!
Here I am! (again xD)
The last (a little smutty) chapter was hard for me. But this chapter came with a different kind of challenge!
Have Fun!

Chapter 20 – Mood Killer

 

Water splashed against the tiles. Against bare skin. Steam rose from the floor. The dampness in the room was incredibly high.

We had been standing under the shower for at least five minutes now. Each of us keeping to ourselves, with two free showerheads acting as a buffer between us.

It was a strange situation, but the mood wasn’t exactly tense. I was deep in thought, and Kacchan seemed caught up in his own too. Should I break the silence? But what could I even say?

We had gotten closer in the kitchen - closer than friends were supposed to. Okay, we’d already crossed that line several times over the past few days. But what had just happened topped everything so far. And it had made me so fucking aroused. I couldn't convince myself that it was only because no one else had ever touched me like that before. The thought of having made him produce those sounds with my hand, of pushing him to the brink of insanity, was overwhelming. It still was. I regretted keeping my eyes shut the entire time. I would have loved to watch him. I was ashamed of the thought, but at the same time captivated by the idea. What had his face looked like during that moment?

I dared to sneak a glance at him. His eyes were closed, head slightly lowered, with hot water cascading down his neck. He looked handsome. Not just handsome - attractive. Captivating. Fascinating.

I swallowed hard and shook my head when another word crept into my thoughts. Damn. Had all of this consumed me so much? So much that I was tempted to walk over to him?

Sighing, I leaned back against the tiles, nearly avoiding the hot water streaming down in front of me. I watched the droplets falling steadily to the floor, losing myself in the sight. Letting it calm me. Distract me. How many liters of water was I wasting here per second? When would the hot water finally run out and force this entire situation to end? Who would leave first? Did I even want Kacchan to leave first? Did I want him to leave at all?

I suddenly noticed a movement beside me. I turned my head and saw Kacchan leaning against the tiles next to me, staring at the opposite wall. We both stayed like that for a moment, waiting in silence, until he broke it: “What’s on your mind, Nerd?”

I tilted my head slightly back, looking up at the showerhead still spraying hot water.

“When we’ll run out of hot water,” I answered absentmindedly. I had nothing better to say since, well, it really was on my mind. The thoughts before that? Yeah, no chance I’d share those.

When I glanced back at him, I caught him shaking his head, a grin on his face—a mixture of amusement and resignation. It was an odd expression. Something about it unsettled me.

“Are you regretting it so much that you’re thinking about stuff like that?” he asked, his voice low but audible over the fading sound of water.

I looked at him, wide-eyed, ignoring the fact that we were both naked. I didn’t want Kacchan to misunderstand me again. Not like he had back in middle school.

“No!” I blurted out, panicking. “For God’s sake, no!”

He stared at me, watching every flicker of emotion on my face. Was he trying to understand me?

I gathered my courage and took a deep breath. I turned off the water, so I wouldn’t have to raise my voice over it.

“It was nice.”

Three words. Three simple words. Three simple words that felt so heavy to say, even though they were the truth.

“Then why are you acting so weird? Same thing yesterday,” he continued, his gaze still fixed on me.

I gave him a crooked smile, a little strained. Maybe, even though it was against my nature, I should just say what was on my mind. I could still be embarrassed about it afterward.

“Well, it’s not exactly normal to just casually kiss your childhood friend. Or rubs up against him and cum in your pants. Or jerk each other off in the kitchen, and then go back to acting like nothing happened,” I said with a calmness that even surprised me. I kept my gaze steady on him, maybe a bit shy, but I hadn’t looked away.

Kacchan looked at me, visibly surprised. I could’ve sworn his cheeks were a little red - or at least the tips of his ears. I still felt completely calm, like I was wrapped in cotton, with no shame or panic seeping in.

“Uh…” His voice broke the silence as he turned away. Was he speechless? Had I just done the impossible - embarrassing Kacchan?

Silence fell again, the sound of the water gone. We both stared at the wall across from us. A light shiver ran down my back now that the warm spray had stopped.

“Didn’t know you could be that direct,” he said suddenly. I didn’t meet his gaze. Instead, I looked down at my feet, catching the view of my whole body out of the corner of my eye. A familiar sight, but the kitchen had revealed a new side of myself that made me think differently.

I sighed, feeling my thoughts and emotions creep back in like an unavoidable tide. I nervously squeaked my foot against the tile and fidgeted with my fingers before whispering, “Well, I didn’t want you to misunderstand me again. I’m really not in the mood for a second Ground Beta.”

Another pause. Another moment of silence. I didn’t look at him. I waited for a reaction.

“So, you’d rather have a second kitchen moment than another Ground Beta?”

Kacchan’s unexpected question left me slack-jawed. I turned to him, unable to form words. His gaze was back on me, intense and piercing, though I sensed there was more to it than just that. Damn it, what was I supposed to say to that?

I struggled to breathe steadily and averted my eyes. From the corner of my vision, I noticed that Kacchan was now staring back at the wall too.

A heavy silence fell once again. It weighed on me. On us. With that statement, hadn’t he indirectly said he’d do it again? Or was he trying to figure it out for himself? What would be the consequence if I agreed with him now? Would we repeat it? Today? Tonight? Or even right now?

My head wanted to keep working. Wanted to think. Wanted to weigh everything out. But I forced myself to shake off the thoughts. If I didn’t say something now, I’d overthink it so much within five minutes that my answer could end up changing everything between us.

"Maybe not the kitchen specifically, but yes," I breathed. I couldn’t imagine he even heard it. But a sideways glance at him revealed a slight grin on his face. Triumphant? Was he just trying to score a win here? Or was he taking this seriously?

Too many questions. Too few answers. It was driving me insane. Really.

"Kacchan?" I asked cautiously. I needed at least one question answered. An honest answer. One that would make me feel more certain. One that would stop me from regretting what I’d just said.

"Hm?" he responded simply, as if waiting for me to continue. I didn’t look at him. Was he looking at me? No idea. I just didn’t have the courage.

"You’re not doing this just to beat me at something else, right?" I whispered, folding my arms around my bare torso, turning my head even more to the side. The uncertainty was creeping in again.

I heard him growl. A scoff. "Is that what you think of me?"

He sounded hurt. Really, genuinely hurt. I looked up, just in time to see him push off the tiles and start to walk away. Instinctively, I grabbed his wrist and held him back. He didn’t turn around. He just stood there. I could feel him trembling.

"No! I…I’m just a little scared," I admitted, swallowing the lump in my throat before continuing softly, "I mean… it’s weird to…ugh, how do I put this?...um…to let go like that. I mean…don’t you also feel kind of…vulnerable?"

Did he understand what I was trying to say with all that rambling? I saw his head lower slightly. He still didn’t turn around. I was still holding his wrist. He didn’t resist.

“No, because you’re Deku,” he replied quietly, turning around now and looking me in the eyes. He seemed both angry and a little disappointed: “But you think like that because I’m me?”

I flinched, barely noticeably. A heavy pressure spread through my chest. I could feel that I had hurt him. Not physically. Psychologically. I could feel the guilt eating away at me. I cursed myself for even asking that question. I wanted to take it back. Right now.

Kacchan lightly tugged at my grip, trying to break free. I loosened it, but as he slipped his wrist away, I grabbed his hand instead. I held him tight again, pulling him a bit closer. He had to slightly turn toward me. Nervously, I fidgeted with his fingers. And he let me.

“I like what we have right now,” I breathed more than spoke. I took a deep breath and looked down, my shoulders drooping slightly as I resolved to speak from the heart. “I’m just scared that it’s going to fall apart again, like back then. You got a quirk, and I was left without one. We experienced this together now, but… you seem stronger again, and like you have a clear goal.”

“Deku—”

“And if I can’t keep up, this will fall apart again, won’t it?” I said, my voice shaking. My shoulders trembled. Damn it, why did I feel like crying now?

I heard a long sigh. Felt Kacchan gently pull at our hands, making me stumble two steps closer to him. I squeezed my eyes shut in surprise when I noticed his feet barely entering my field of vision. I didn’t want to see more of him.

His fingers cupped my chin and lifted it. Hesitantly, I opened my eyes. Felt the heat under them. Felt the hot liquid and the stinging sensation. Fuck, I was really tearing up. I was such a crybaby.

“Why the hell is your head so fucking screwed up?” he asked softly and kissed me. Gently. Almost hesitantly. There was something tender about it, maybe even loving.

My cheeks grew warm. We stood so close, with barely any distance between us. Naked. And that kiss - it was so full of emotion, it almost scared me.

Kacchan pulled away, looking deeply into my eyes. His ruby-red eyes radiated a calmness I had never seen from him before.

“I hate talking,” he said quietly, brushing some hair behind my ear with his free hand. “But I hate it even more when your brain comes up with shit that questions something that doesn’t need questioning.”

I raised an eyebrow, accidentally nuzzling my head against his warm hand. I saw him open his mouth, hesitating before continuing: “I already told you yesterday after our little ‘incident’ that everything between us is fine. Two – or three days ago? - we agreed we’ve moved past that. So stop imagining things. I’m not here to hurt you. And I’m not just using you to fool around, understood?”

My heart skipped a beat, only to start racing twice as fast. My throat suddenly felt so dry, and all I could do was stare at him. What the fuck! What had he just said?

I opened my mouth, but no words came out. My eyes frantically searched his face for any sign of emotion. My mind struggled to process his words, but it felt blank. My body trembled, yet remained completely frozen.

"Stop looking like a scared deer!" he snapped, pulling me into a hug. A naked hug. One that sent my system into overdrive with flushed cheeks, a squeaky sound, and a panicked attempt to push him away.

Kacchan grinned knowingly. "There we go!" he teased, watching me closely. But I still couldn’t form a coherent sentence. Instead, my eyes darted to the floor, struggling to regain my composure. His words had already messed me up, but now this - the feel of him, completely pressed against me with no barriers - had utterly blown my mind.

"One thing's for sure, Deku," he said again, shaking his head with a grin before turning away. "You definitely know how to kill the mood."

I tilted my head, finally managing to speak, though it came out as a simple, clueless, "Huh?"

Kacchan glanced over his shoulder as he grabbed a towel. "We could’ve kept going. Right here. Right now. But no, you had to go and ask a ridiculously stupid, pointless question!"

I lowered my head, feeling like a scolded puppy. He wasn’t wrong. My question had been dumb. I hated my brain for blurting it out. I hated myself for ruining the moment. I had enjoyed what happened in the kitchen, so why had I sabotaged this with an unnecessary and awkward conversation?

My hands balled into fists as my jaw clenched, teeth grinding. I was such a damn idiot. I messed everything up, forcing Kacchan to be the one to fix it. Forcing him to say those beautiful words. Had I done it on purpose? Subconsciously? Just to hear him open up? I couldn’t deny how deeply his words had touched me. How they’d made my pulse race. How they’d drawn both tears of frustration and joy from me.

"Come on, Nerd! Dry off and get dressed already. We actually need to get stuff done," Kacchan commanded, snapping me out of my thoughts before they could spiral further.

I forced a smile, looked up at him, and nodded. I couldn’t help but wipe my eyes quickly as I said, "Thanks, Kacchan."

He raised an eyebrow, looking at me skeptically before shaking his head. "I’m starting to think you’re the one driving me insane," he muttered, exhaling as he walked into the other room to get dressed.

I chuckled quietly to myself, feeling a wave of warmth settle in my chest. And at that moment, I realized something important: I didn’t just admire this guy - I liked him.

 

Silently, we rode the elevator back down. Standing side by side, I wasn’t really sure what to do. But did something have to happen between us every single minute? I mean, despite him saying we’d only do things in his room, we’d kissed outside of it. Hell, we’d made out outside the safety of those four walls - on the ground floor, no less. More than made out. But did that mean I had to keep touching him now? To kiss him again? Or was that just what I wanted? Right now? In this very moment? During the remaining time we had alone before the others came back?

“Kacchan?” I asked softly, feeling the faint warmth rise in my cheeks. He turned his head toward me as the elevator doors slid open.

“Uh… what happens now?” I asked quietly as we walked down the hallway.

“What do you want to happen?” he replied, answering my question with one of his own. I glanced at him. His hands were in his pockets, and he looked as laid-back as ever. Like nothing out of the ordinary had happened. Well, technically, he wasn’t wrong. Except for - God, I still didn’t know what to call what had happened earlier in the kitchen. And in the shower.

I nibbled nervously on my bottom lip, lowered my head, and mumbled, “Well, maybe that we go back to your room later?”

“And then?” Kacchan asked in a low voice from the side, moving closer to me until our arms were almost touching as we neared the kitchen. His fingers brushed lightly over my forearm, sending a shiver down my spine.

I shrugged. “I don’t know,” I whispered, feeling the heat spread across my cheeks and ears.

Kacchan scoffed, and this time, it sounded amused.

“So, being upfront was just a one-time thing for you, huh?” he teased, as if trying to provoke me. But I didn’t take the bait. I only nodded slightly and shrank back a little more without meaning to.

He sighed and gently grabbed my wrist, stopping me. I automatically turned toward him, looking at him shyly but somewhat captivated. He opened his mouth, leaning in slightly, and just as I was wondering if he was about to speak - or kiss me - a voice called out:

“Young Midoriya! Young Bakugou!”

Startled, we both jumped apart and turned toward the voice. It was All Might, approaching us. Crap, had he seen how close we’d been? Did our pose seem suspicious? Or did it just look like we were about to argue again? Surely, he wouldn’t misinterpret the expressions on our faces, right? Because I definitely hadn’t been looking at Kacchan with anger. Quite the opposite, actually.

My heart pounded as I swallowed my nerves and tried to sound as normal as possible. “Hello, All Might! What brings you here?”

He stopped in front of us. Kacchan, ever so casually, took another step away from me and shoved his hands back into his pockets.

“I haven’t had a chance to check on you all week, but it seems my worries were for nothing,” he said with a warm smile.

I froze. What was that supposed to mean? Breathe, Izuku! Breathe and respond! I urged myself mentally. But I couldn’t. I realized I wouldn’t be able to say more than a stuttering mess, and I was grateful when Kacchan let out an annoyed “Tch” and brushed past us toward the kitchen.

“I’m not allowed to kill him, apparently,” Kacchan said, his tone both calm and exasperated, as he filled the kettle with water.

His comment made me smile awkwardly and calmed me down a bit. I rubbed the back of my head and suggested, “Everything’s fine, All Might! Should we sit down?”

I gestured toward the couches. No way could I sit with him at the kitchen counter - not with the thoughts it would bring up. Just imagining it made my cheeks burn.

My mentor followed me to the couch, and once we were seated, he took the lead in the conversation. “I wanted to apologize again for you being suspended because of me. I should’ve kept a better eye on you two.”

The statement made me uncomfortable. It wasn’t his fault at all. If anything, I owed him thanks. Despite my chaotic thoughts, my insecurities, and my fears, this week had given me experiences I hadn’t expected. Experiences I hadn’t even known I was missing but now knew I’d long for if they were gone.

“All Might! Really, there’s nothing to apologize for. What happened between Kacchan and me goes way back. And thanks to everything that’s happened, we’ve finally had an honest talk. We’re taking your advice to heart - how we can achieve more when we work together and all…”

My confident tone faded as I finished speaking, and my voice grew softer. I snuck a glance at Kacchan. Had what I just said sounded too obvious? Kacchan would probably smack me for even wondering, calling the question ridiculous. I really needed to convince myself that nothing about us seemed suspicious. Nobody would suspect that we were doing more than just making up.

I saw a smile spread across All Might’s face, and I couldn’t help but smile back. Who would’ve thought I’d be sitting with my idol so often? That he’d give me his power and train me? It was a dream come true. And now, Kacchan wasn’t hostile toward me anymore. Honestly, I couldn’t ask for much more happiness right now.

Three steaming cups of tea appeared in front of us as Kacchan placed them on the table. He sat down next to me on the couch, keeping a bit of distance. His arm draped lazily over the backrest, and he crossed his legs with an air of nonchalance.

All Might thanked him for the tea and asked, “So, how have you two been getting along?”

I smiled and answered without hesitation, “Good! We’ve been keeping up with our assignments and chores. Kacchan’s been cooking amazing meals all week. The only things we miss are the classes and training.”

Our teacher nodded, while Kacchan remained silent, gazing off toward some random corner of the room.

“Well, I spoke with Shota about possibly bringing you both to the training hall tomorrow, while young Bakugou and young Todoroki attend their special course. But Present Mic and I will be supervising,” All Might explained, showing his thoughtfulness. Did he even realize how much that meant to me? How much it motivated me?

“Thank you so much, All Might! That’s really kind of you,” I beamed at him. But then Kacchan asked, “So, is Deku allowed outside tomorrow?”

Oh, right! Didn’t Mr. Aizawa say something about me being allowed out tomorrow, while Kacchan had to stay behind and cover everything on Sunday?

All Might scratched the back of his head awkwardly. “Oh, has he not told you yet?”

We both shook our heads, and All Might sighed in defeat. “Then maybe I shouldn’t have mentioned it just now.”

Seriously? I stifled a laugh, raised my hands to reassure him, and said, “Don’t worry, All Might. We won’t tell Mr. Aizawa.”

Our former Number One hero nodded gratefully and gave us a few updates about the week. I soaked up every word of our conversation. It felt good to hear details again. He also told us about the internship opportunities coming up, and my face lit up when I heard about the hands-on experience we’d be getting. At least, I would be - Kacchan wasn’t eligible just yet. But he didn’t seem to mind, content to listen quietly.

The atmosphere was so peaceful, a welcome change from the chaos of the morning. It was exactly what I needed.

After all, it was only midday. We still had three hours before the others would be back. And now that All Might had mentioned it, we also knew Mr. Aizawa would be stopping by. Did that mean we’d have time for a little more “alone time” before the night ended?

Notes:

That's it!
Do you like it?
See you on Thursday!

Chapter 21: No ifs or buts

Notes:

Hello everyone!!!!!!!!!
It's Thursday! Yay! =D And I have a new chapter for you!
Seriously, I'm so happy with all your comments!!!!! =D Thank you so much!
I hope you like it!!! (And yeah, Kacchan cleaned the kitchen floor while I prepared the tea. ;D)

Chapter 21 – No ifs or buts

 

"Do you do this often?" Kacchan suddenly asked as I cleared the cups from the table. All Might had just left.

I looked around and studied Kacchan’s back before replying, "Well, kind of. But usually, we meet in his office."

"Aha," was all he said as he walked into the kitchen to unload the finished dishwasher.

I watched him as my gaze wandered through the kitchen. My face heated up. A shiver ran down my spine. Fuck, I couldn’t bring the cups in there. The images in my head were too vivid. The ones I had to imagine with my eyes closed. The ones that felt so real because of how intensely I had experienced them. So electrifying.

My heart pounded. My pulse was racing. Damn, how was I ever supposed to enter this room without thinking about it?

I tried to calm myself. My thoughts were running wild. My feet refused to move even a single inch forward. It was just a simple room. A kitchen. A kitchen where someone had touched me intimately for the first time. Where Kacchan had touched me. And I had touched him. Fucking hell! I would never be able to get that thought out of my head.

I was so lost in thought that I flinched violently when I suddenly felt hands on me.

Confused, I looked up and saw Kacchan taking the cups from my hands.

"You really meant that earlier, huh?"

Heat flooded my face. I was definitely as red as a tomato. Still, I forced myself to keep looking at him and simply nodded in embarrassment.

"Well, then I guess we’ll have to make some new memories for you somewhere else, so you can step into the kitchen again, right?" Kacchan grinned at me challengingly.

I swallowed. I trembled. I wasn’t sure whether it was from uncertainty or excitement. His tone sent a shiver down my spine - an intense, tingling shiver. Inside, a wave of anticipation rose.

"It’s already late," I pointed out, but my body was trying to crush any resistance before it could even form.

I cursed myself for saying that because, deep down, I wanted exactly what Kacchan was suggesting. I wanted to experience it again. With my eyes open. To take in every sensation, every spark, and every single image, to store them away forever.

And I believed that Kacchan knew that, too. Because he silently took my hand and dragged me toward the elevator.

"So, Nerd, before you start coming up with excuses: School doesn’t end for almost two more hours! We always have Aizawa on Fridays, so he won’t be here any earlier. All Might already checked on us, so nobody’s going to show up. Got it?"

His voice was matter-of-fact and slightly irritated. He hadn’t looked at me while he spoke, just stepped into the elevator and pressed the button for his floor.

And what did I do? I stood there like a statue, listening to him without reacting, just waiting. My voice was gone. My head was empty. He had taken away every argument I might have had, and my brain refused to come up with new ones.

Maybe I should just surrender to the situation. Give in to my desire.

Because, right now, there was nothing else inside me.

Pure, unfiltered desire to do it all over again. To relive it—this time consciously.

And there was nothing my mind could do to stop it.

Because if I was really honest with myself, I knew that I wanted it.

Now.

Right now.

Immediately.

No ifs or buts.

No hesitation.

Because I remembered the feelings. The indescribable, exhilarating tingling with every kiss. With every touch.

‘Ah, screw it,’ my brain finally gave in. There was no point in resisting. Kacchan had said it himself - there was nothing stopping us now. No one would come by. No one would notice. And before these elevator doors opened again, I wanted to show him that I understood. That I felt the same way he did about all this. That I wouldn’t stop it. That in this exact moment, I was letting go of my hesitation and resistance. Or at least putting them on pause.

Before any doubts could creep back in, I closed the small gap between us, grabbed his shoulder, spun him around, and pressed him against the wall. His eyes widened in shock, completely caught off guard by my sudden assertiveness. Not that I could blame him - I wouldn’t have understood it either if I were in his shoes. He couldn’t see what was going on inside my head.

I kissed him, pressed my body against his, and wrapped my arms around his neck. Damn, it felt incredible. In that moment, I knew for sure I had made the right decision. I moved my lips against his, pressing them more insistently.

Kacchan let out a quiet gasp against my mouth, his hands gripping my hips as he responded to my movements. He deepened the kiss with his tongue, making me shiver, making me sigh in pleasure.

The elevator doors slid open. I didn’t see it - I only felt the rush of air. Neither of us paid it any mind, too caught up in each other. I pulled him down more, drawing him away from the wall. His lips twitched. I knew he was grinning. And I did the same - because right now, my happiness was overwhelming. And that wasn’t the only thing running wild inside me.

His hands moved down to my ass, pulling me tighter against him. I rolled my eyes beneath my lids, feeling just how much we were both enjoying this.

“We should… get to the room,” he murmured between kisses, his voice slightly rough. I opened my eyes, needing a moment to focus as my vision cleared. My breath was heavy, heat spreading across my face - not from embarrassment or shame. No, this was different. It was the same rush I’d felt earlier in the kitchen when I had given in.

I tilted my head slightly, unable to answer him with words. Instead, I pulled him down further, pressing my lips against his neck. A pleased sound escaped him as his hands slipped under my shirt.

His voice wavered slightly when he spoke again. “Deku, do you want to ruin the elevator for yourself too, after the kitchen?”

I froze. Blinked at him in surprise, then glanced around. Right. We were still in the elevator. And maybe, just maybe, I should actually listen to Kacchan for once. I took a step back. But he stopped me. His grip on my ass tightened, pulling me back against him, and a soft moan escaped my lips.

“Kac…,” I tried to say something, but he simply lifted me up, spun us around in a flash, and shoved me roughly against the elevator wall. My face twisted briefly in response to the sharp jolt of pain, an unintentional groan slipping out.

“This time, we’re doing it the way I wanted to yesterday,” he growled, his voice thick with intent, crashing his lips against mine once more. I barely had time to react before I felt one of his hands slip away for a second. A quick glance downward showed him reaching for the button to reopen the elevator doors.

I grinned.

Damn, this was just - thrilling.

Nothing else filled my mind. No second thoughts. No hesitation. Just the raw, electric excitement surging through me. I swore to myself in that moment - I wasn’t going to hold back. I was going to let go completely.

 

He tossed me onto his bed without much care, immediately crawling over me before sitting up briefly to yank off his shirt. I pushed myself up as well, quickly following his lead. The walk to his room had felt like an eternity - so many times we had stopped just to keep fueling the fire between us.

Never in my life had I been this impatient to finally get started.

"Deku...," Kacchan murmured against my skin, letting his weight press down on me as he trailed from my neck to my collarbone. I tilted my head back instinctively, giving him space, my fingers brushing over his shoulders before tangling themselves in his spiky blond hair.

I couldn't regulate my breathing, nor could I control the sounds slipping past my lips.

Suddenly his lips were on my nipple. Made me moan louder.

I arched up against him, craving more. The sensation was breathtaking - electricity coursing through my body, tingling down my spine and shooting into my toes. My muscles twitched involuntarily, as if lightning were surging through my veins.

Fuck! I needed to touch him. To feel him. These damn shorts - both of ours - had to go. The tight fabric was unbearable, suffocating. I slipped my hands from his hair, trying to lift my hips and rid myself of the restrictive material, but it was impossible with Kacchan's weight pinning me down.

"Argh, fuck! Get up," I growled at him, startled by how demanding my voice sounded. When he sat up slightly, I locked eyes with him. He smirked at me - predatory, taunting, hungry.

He settled onto my hips, shifting just enough to make me lose control. My head fell back, a raw moan escaping before I could stop it.

That bastard!

"Getting all impatient and bold all of a sudden? Where’s that coming from, little Deku?" he teased, grinning down at me. Provocative. Unrelenting. Still in complete control.

I squirmed beneath him - restless, burning, powerless.

"Cut the crap!" I growled, surprising even myself with the roughness in my tone. My desire had completely taken over, shoving aside hesitation, trampling over second thoughts. But at the same time, I knew - I just knew - that I was playing right into Kacchan’s hands.

He moved down a little so that he was sitting just below my crotch. I could see his hands stroking down my sides. One hand stayed on my pelvis while the other stroked roughly over the clearly visible bulge in my pants.

I tried to suppress a groan. I let out a controlled gasp, then pressed my lips together tightly. I hated him for his confidence, for the way he was turning this into some kind of battle - one where he undoubtedly had the upper hand.

"I don’t know what’s been going through your head for the last half hour, but I have to admit—I kinda like it," he teased, still keeping me pinned as he watched me closely. If I wasn’t silently cursing over how slow this was going, I might have actually felt self-conscious. But that wasn’t the case. No, he had just lit a fire in me. No doubt about it.

So I just grinned at him, pushed myself up onto my forearms, and shot back challengingly, "You do realize I could flip this whole situation in a second with One for All, right?"

Kacchan raised a brow, regarding me with clear skepticism. Tilting his head slightly, he replied smugly, "And we both saw on Ground Beta that no matter how much power you have, I’ll still put you on your ass in the end. No matter what you do."

"You wanna test that theory?" I challenged, eyes narrowing.

"Would love to, but if we end up wrecking my room, that might be a little hard to explain."

We both knew that was the ultimate argument. The one that forced me to surrender. That meant I had to let Kacchan stay in control. And honestly? I didn’t really mind. No, actually, I liked it this way. The other way around would have felt… off. Maybe it wouldn’t have even gotten to me the way this did. Because this - this was fun. Insanely fun.

With a dramatic sigh, I let myself sink back into the pillow, smiling in mock defeat, waiting for Kacchan to continue. He didn’t hesitate. He followed me down instantly, kissing me hard, pressing his body firmly against mine as his fingers tangled roughly into my hair. His lack of gentleness sent a shiver down my spine. Damn it - did he really have such good instincts that he just naturally knew exactly what I liked? Or was it just luck?

His lips left mine, trailing over to my ear. I braced myself, expecting him to whisper something - some smug remark. But he stayed quiet. Instead, his mouth found my earlobe, teasing it, his tongue tracing the shell of my ear. Without meaning to, I arched up against him, my breath growing even more ragged. My own pulse pounded in my ears, a steady, relentless beat. Fuck, was there anything he wasn’t perfect at? Whether it was fighting, school, or even cooking - damn him, he always gave everything 100%. And apparently, this was no different.

Then, suddenly, I heard it. A low, rough, self-satisfied laugh right next to my ear.

"Let me guess - you’re cursing me in your head right now, aren’t you, nerd?"

I couldn’t hold back the soft, growling response: "I hate you."

He pulled back just enough to meet my eyes, that smug grin of his stretching wider.

"Oh, I seriously doubt that right now," he taunted, clearly enjoying every second of this. And as if that wasn't enough, he grabbed my crotch again and stroked it roughly a few times. Made me groan in surprise. Turned all anger into lust. That asshole was just too damn good at this. It almost made me laugh. Damn it - he was driving me crazy.

"Too easy, Nerd!" he taunted again, his voice dripping with amusement. I watched as he sat up, fingers deftly working at the knot of my athletic shorts. In an instant, my nerves came rushing back. My heart kicked up a notch, and that damn lump in my throat was back. Shit - just moments ago, I couldn't get out of these fast enough.

I shivered slightly as Kacchan’s fingers brushed against the skin just above my waistband, hooking under it deliberately slowly and giving a slight tug. He shifted, sitting back on his shins, lifting himself slightly off of me.

I squeezed my eyes shut and exhaled louder than intended, trying to steady my racing heart. In just a moment, I’d be completely bare beneath him. The thought sent a whirlwind of emotions through me - fear, embarrassment, relief. I wasn’t sure which was stronger.

"Hey! Eyes stay open, you damn coward!" Kacchan’s voice suddenly cut through my thoughts. He didn’t sound angry - just firm. Commanding. Undeniable.

I obeyed, locking onto his crimson gaze. They practically burned - at least, that’s how they looked to me. I saw satisfaction in them. Oh yeah, I was doing exactly what he wanted.

He smirked before slowly sliding my shorts down, his grip shifting slightly to my thighs as he tugged them past the middle of my calves. The rest, I awkwardly kicked off myself. And now I was completely naked underneath him. For the first time. And that did end up embarrassing me, making my face practically burn. I instinctively moved to cover myself with my hands, but he caught my wrists before I could. He looked unabashedly at my dick, which blatantly signaled to him that I liked it so far.

I watched as he briefly pulled his lower lip between his teeth, biting down before leaning over me. In the process, his bare chest brushed against mine, sending a sharp breath hissing through my teeth. Fuck, I had already felt his hand on it. I had felt his body through a few layers of fabric before. Had even felt his bare skin against mine for a brief moment during our hug in the shower. But this - this was different. So much more intense. I couldn't find any other way to describe it. It was just a sensation unlike anything I had ever known.

"You’re awfully quiet," he murmured against my lips before kissing me. It felt like he was giving me a moment to catch my breath rather than trying to provoke me. I closed my eyes, let myself adjust to the feeling of his body against mine, tried to calm the whirlwind inside me. Was he doing this to make sure I didn’t slip back into uncertainty? Or…

I didn’t have time to finish the thought before I was suddenly flipped over. I squeaked in surprise. I was shocked to realize that I was now on top and Kacchan was underneath me. He smirking triumphantly, his arms casually folded behind his head.

"There you go! Tables turned," he said matter-of-factly, watching me expectantly.

Internally, I growled. This bastard. This absolute bastard.

I looked at him, completely overwhelmed. The heat inside me wavered, giving way to shaky hands and an unsteady breath. I tried to process the situation, forced my gaze to roam over him carefully. And fuck - he looked incredible beneath me. I swallowed hard. Damn it, he was just insanely hot. I couldn’t deny it. That toned chest, the easy confidence in his pose, the way he grinned at me like he had all the time in the world. The entire sight of him was just… perfect. So perfect that I felt like I might ruin it with my scarred hands.

"I… Kacchan…" I stammered, my voice barely more than a whisper.

Fuck. Why had everything he did earlier seemed so effortless? So natural? The way he handled me, the way he touched me - it had felt like second nature to him. Why was my mind completely blank now? Why didn’t I know what to do? Wasn’t this supposed to be instinctive? A basic, primal urge?

Kacchan’s sigh pulled me from my downward spiral. He tugged at my arms, pulling me down to him, his hand sliding to the back of my head as he kissed me. His other hand grabbed mine, guiding it to his waistband.

"Just take my damn pants off, Deku. That’s all you have to do," he growled against my lips. He sounded impatient, a little annoyed - but despite that, I silently thanked him for telling me exactly what to do.

I rested my forehead against his, took a steadying breath, and kissed him again, this time with a little more certainty. I had to pull myself together. I had to stay calm. I thought back to what I’d decided in the elevator - I wanted this. No ifs or buts.

‘Don’t be a damn coward and do it.’, I told myself silently.

My hands caught on Kacchan's waistband. I didn't think any more about it and pulled them down. Did the same as he had done before. I stood up slightly, pushed them down as far as I could and he did the rest.

I carefully let myself fall onto him again. Felt his naked skin on mine. A shiver went through my body. It literally burned in those places. At the same time, it felt pleasantly soft and velvety. I could hear that Kacchan was experiencing the same. A pleasant sound left his throat as he grabbed me by the back of the neck and pulled me completely on top of him. It felt heavenly. And my pulse went straight up again.

Kacchan's hands wandered up my back and then down. Stroking my ass. I gasped into his mouth. It pulled slightly in my abdomen. From there it spread throughout my whole body. It tingled so intensely that I was tempted to shake myself completely. Wow, what was that now?

I felt Kacchan's grin on my lips as he pushed my pelvis down onto his. Felt his hard cock on my stomach and also on my own. Moaned in sync with him. Okay, that topped everything again. My heart was pumping. I gasped for air for a moment. Closed my eyes and leaned my head against his. I was overwhelmed by the sensations that were crashing down on me. At the same time, I wanted to feel more of it. Even if I couldn't process them. Not yet. But this feeling was unique. Indescribable. And we were just lying naked on top of each other. Damn, that definitely wouldn't last long here. At least not from my side.

“Kacchan.” I breathlessly breathed. Wanted to say something, but I didn't know what. Couldn't manage a sentence either.

He just kissed me and felt himself pushing against me. Not a second later, he was on top of me again, having barely broken our lip contact for a millisecond. He knelt over me, creating a space between us. A space that he used directly to grip my cock with his hand.

“Fuck!” I moaned. I couldn't control it again. I reared back against him, closed my eyes briefly. But opened them again straight away and looked at him. Surely with flushed cheeks. Certainly, with a transfigured look. Because my head was suddenly foggy.

But his face also looked slightly heated. The slight grin on his face showed how much he was enjoying it. How much he liked it. He also continued to radiate pure self-confidence. I couldn't care less. I concentrated on the hand that started to move.

I pressed myself into the mattress. Let myself fall. Enjoyed the touch. His hand slid slowly up and down, stroking my tip from time to time. Felt the wetness on it. Rubbed it with his thumb.

My eyes had closed again to internalize the feeling. To enjoy it. The momentary embarrassment had disappeared again. Didn't come back with the pleasurable sounds from my mouth either.

Suddenly the pressure eased a little. Kacchan had opened his hand, taking it slightly away from me. Confused, I opened my eyes and looked at him. His gaze was veiled in lust. He grinned lasciviously. Silently asked me to look down.

I did so, groaning in surprise, shock and overwhelm the next moment as Kacchan's cock rubbed directly against mine. I saw him grasp us both with his hand and resume his movement.

He moaned harshly. Dark. Unrestrainedly loud.

I swallowed hard. Goose bumps spread over my body. It tingled. My abdomen twitched uncontrollably. Heaven and hell. That's what it felt like. The image had burned itself directly into my retina. It made my heart pump so hard that it almost hurt. The noise in my ears increased. I had the feeling that my perception was somewhat clouded.

The heat that suddenly arose made me sweat. My breath was a single gasp. And Kacchan didn't let up. He kept pumping our lengths relentlessly. I was incapable of doing anything. Like yesterday, my arms felt far too heavy to lift. Instead, I desperately clawed at the blanket. I didn't want it to end yet. But I couldn't take any more. This rising feeling was indescribable. My head was too foggy to find a suitable expression for it.

I couldn't take any more, moaning far too loudly as I realized how everything was tightening and the pressure was increasing. I came in bursts, feeling myself squirting on my chest. I noticed from the edge that Kacchan hadn't followed me.

Breathing heavily, I opened my eyes. Looked him in the face. His eyes were closed, his breathing was also heavy. Instinctively, I lifted my hand. Stroked up his thigh to his hand. Interrupted him, displaced it and now gripped his hard cock.

He opened his eyes, looked at me and threw his head back as I continued his movements with determination. It was difficult for me as I hadn't caught my breath yet. I was still chasing my own orgasm. But I didn't want to have been completely idle. I wanted to look him in the face when he came.

It didn't take a minute before I felt the familiar twitching in my hand. I pumped hard and a little slower. Kacchan groaned throatily. If I hadn't been so broken and overwhelmed, I would probably have gotten hard again at that moment. He looked so incredibly hot. His flushed cheeks. The fine blond strands that stuck to his forehead and the back of his neck.

His orgasm was intense. I watched as he poured himself all over me. I shuddered when my shoulder took a hit.

Kacchan braced himself on either side of my head, arms fully extended, breathing heavily. He peered at me through narrow slits, his usual grin replaced by an unreadable expression. Did he look satisfied? Fulfilled? Overwhelmed?

“Fuck, Deku!” he panted, pushing himself up with his left hand before collapsing onto his back beside me. His chest still rose and fell rapidly, while my own breathing had finally begun to steady. But my eyes burned from the lingering heat in my face. I could feel the damp traces on my torso but had no strength left to wipe them away.

I turned my head to look at Kacchan. He had draped an arm over his eyes, and damn, he made for a fascinating sight. My mind replayed everything we had just done in rapid flashes, sending those images straight to the front of my thoughts. The feelings washed over me, overwhelming and intoxicating. I couldn’t help but let out a quiet, breathy laugh. All these endorphins had to escape somehow.

That caught Kacchan’s attention. “Did I break you?” he asked, his grin creeping back as he turned onto his side to watch me.

I just shook my head. “Just a little crazy,” I managed, voice light, still unable to properly put into words what I was feeling. How could I even explain something I hadn’t fully processed myself? This had been a whole different level from what happened in the kitchen. And damn, there were definitely still levels beyond this. After all, you couldn't really call it sex or anything like that yet, could you?

“In my nightstand, there are tissues,” Kacchan’s voice pulled me out of my thoughts. I glanced at him, trying to process his words, then shifted my gaze to his nightstand. Debated for a second whether it was worth the effort to reach for them or if I should just stay put. Option two seemed a lot more appealing. So, I simply closed my eyes and let myself sink into the feeling of pure satisfaction. Oh yeah, that’s exactly what this was. That weightless, blissful feeling.

Kacchan grumbled. I felt movement beside me and lazily cracked one eye open to peek at him.

“Seriously, your mess is about to drip onto your shoulder. I’m not changing my damn sheets.”

Ah, straight to the point, as always. I sighed. Saw him hook his boxers with his foot and then - seriously? - toss them onto my chest.

I wrinkled my nose in disgust. “That’s not even mine!”

He smirked and grabbed the boxers back, using them to wipe me down. Cleaning me up. Getting rid of the evidence. It felt kind of gross, but at the same time, I… kind of liked that he was doing it.

I couldn’t stop smiling like an idiot. Staring at him, completely mesmerized. Captivated by all these overwhelming, incredible feelings.

“Kacchan?”

“Hm?”

“That was really good.”

“Huh? You mean fucking amazing.”

 

Notes:

That's it for now!
And phew, that was the last smutty chapter for the time being! These horny teenagers seriously need to take a break!!!!! xD
Hope you liked it and that it wasn't too over the top ^^'
See you again on Saturday!
Have a great day!

Chapter 22: The Door Incident

Notes:

A wonderful Saturday, everyone!!
It's time for a new chapter again! And as promised, the smutty stuff is on hold for now, so we can focus on other things for a while. Aizawa, for example! He’s getting one of his bigger moments today - one of many, actually. 😆 Get excited, because I love him just as much as his problem children!

Oh, and just a heads-up: The chapters will be a bit longer from now on!

Enjoy! 🎉

Chapter 22 – The Door Incident

 

I must have dozed off for a bit, because a slight shake woke me up.

After what we had just done, we had pulled the blanket over us. It was a bit too cold to stay uncovered. And I had neither the energy nor the motivation to get dressed again.

“We need to head down, Nerd,” Kacchan grumbled beside me, sounding just as sleepy. I made a mental note - Huh? Why was I so sure there would be a next time? - to set an alarm. It would be a disaster if we actually overslept and I couldn’t sneak out of his room unnoticed.

With a sigh, I pushed the blanket away and swung my legs off the bed. But that was about as far as my enthusiasm went. I was exhausted. And for some reason, I felt like I needed another shower. But one look at the clock told me there was no time for that. We already had to hurry if we wanted to be in the common area before anyone else got back.

Groaning, I reached for my boxers and pants on the floor, stepping into them quickly before pulling them up. I ignored the creeping embarrassment that came with feeling Kacchan’s eyes on my back. Was he watching me? Checking me out again? What was going through his head?

We hadn’t talked about what had just happened. We had just grinned like idiots before dozing off. I hadn’t even had the chance to fully process it yet. To break down every sensation, every touch. All I knew was that I had liked it - so much that I didn’t want it to stop. But what did that mean?

“Hey, Nerd! Save the thinking for later! Move, so I can get up too,” Kacchan’s impatient, slightly annoyed voice snapped me out of my thoughts. I turned to him - only to whip my head toward the window the next second.

He had been lying there completely naked without a care. Then, just as casually, he got up and walked over to his closet to grab a fresh pair of boxers, tossing the old ones onto the dirty laundry pile in the bathroom.

He showed off his backside in all its glory, nearly making me weak enough to reach out and touch him. I barely managed to stop myself. Why was he suddenly so damn mesmerizing? Why did I have to swallow hard just from seeing him naked in front of me? And why the hell did I want to drag him right back into bed this very moment?

“You’re drooling,” he suddenly said, yanking me out of my internal meltdown.

Shit.

I felt my face heat up even more as I looked down, mumbling a quiet, “Sorry.”

Kacchan chuckled, shaking his head. “Idiot,” he muttered, grabbing a handful of my hair and tugging on it lightly. “If you look at me like that downstairs, you’d better come up with a damn good excuse.”

I swallowed hard and stole a glance at him. Right. No one could know. I had to get it together. But damn, I’d really been staring, hadn’t I?

Clearing my throat, I shrugged his hand off and made my way toward the door, pausing to wait for him to follow. I had no idea what to say. This whole situation was suddenly… uncomfortable. Funny, considering how bold I had been just an hour ago.

And when Kacchan finally finished dressing and walked toward me, I felt this urge - this overwhelming urge - to kiss him. Because I knew we couldn’t do anything for the rest of the day. No touching, no kissing, and definitely nothing beyond that. Not until tonight.

“Kacchan?” I asked hesitantly, staring at the floor. He raised an eyebrow but stopped in front of me, hands shoved into his pockets.

“Can I… uh…” I started, then stopped.

What the hell was I doing? We had literally touched each other everywhere just now, and here I was, asking if I could kiss him?

“What?” he prompted, sensing my hesitation.

‘Just do it!’ the voice in my head screamed, slamming against my self-control, demanding that I snap out of it. That I stop hesitating like a damn coward.

„Ah, screw it,“ I blurted out before stepping closer and pressing a quick kiss to his lips. Barely even a touch - just the lightest brush. But somehow, I needed it. A small moment before we headed downstairs.

I turned away quickly, reaching for the door handle, when Kacchan’s smug voice rang out behind me.

“Oi, Nerd! Can you do it properly? I’m not your damn mother!”

My cheeks puffed up in irritation. I huffed. That bastard! Could he not just let me have this one moment without provoking me?

I spun back around, narrowing my eyes at him. Stepping toward him with determined strides, I grabbed the back of his neck and crushed my lips against his. I felt the curve of his smirk against my mouth as he kissed me back, still keeping his damn hands stuffed in his pockets - cool and collected as always. But despite that, this - this was a proper kiss. A real one. And it left me feeling a hell of a lot more satisfied than my weak attempt before.

“Much better!,” he murmured against my lips, grinning as I slowly pulled away.

I chose not to comment.

 

"Hey Deku!" Uraraka greeted me as warmly as ever when the class gradually trickled back in. I had deliberately seated myself on the couch, waiting for them while Kacchan had wordlessly disappeared into the kitchen again. Whatever he was up to this time.

"Hey, you’re finally back!" I smiled at my friends, nodding in greeting to Asui, Todoroki, and Ilda. "How was class?" I asked, expecting the usual disapproving look from our class representative. But instead, Tsuyu spoke up: "Very demanding! This whole week has been exhausting."

I nodded in understanding, having had to work through the material myself. I also knew that without Kacchan, I would have been utterly lost. And on top of that, the others had practical training, which we hadn’t been allowed to do. ‘You and Kacchan had your own kind of practical experience,’ the voice in my head whispered mockingly. I shoved it far, far away and tried not to blush at my own thoughts.

"I have to excuse myself now! My train leaves in an hour," Tenya suddenly announced. Oh right, it was Friday, and many of them were probably heading home for the weekend. Last weekend had been the provisional license exam, after all. I wondered how many of them would be leaving.

"Oh yeah, I still need to pack. You’re staying because of the special course, right, Todoroki?" I heard Uraraka ask. He simply nodded. I gave a small, lopsided smile. Todoroki was really a man of few words around most people. I could have decent conversations with him now, but with others, he often remained short-spoken. Small talk wasn’t exactly his forte. Neither was reading emotions. Or sarcasm.

While Uraraka and Asui briefly discussed their weekend plans and I half-listened, I spotted Mister Aizawa entering the dorm. My body tensed instinctively as I waited for him to call me over. It didn’t take long.

"Midoriya. Where’s Bakugou?" he asked, getting straight to the point with no wasted words.

I nodded toward him in greeting before turning slightly to glance at the kitchen. I forced myself to push aside all inappropriate thoughts when I spotted Kacchan surrounded by Kirishima, Kaminari, and Hanta. He actually didn’t look as annoyed as usual.

I still found it baffling how quickly he had formed a connection with those three. How he had come to trust Kirishima enough to let himself be rescued back then from the League of Villains. He never let me do that. I knew it back then. And honestly, remembering it now stung a little.

I mentally shook myself. Pushed the thoughts aside. I could feel myself drifting again when I owed Aizawa an answer. But it seemed he had followed my gaze because he simply gave me a short instruction:

"Get Bakugou, grab all your completed assignments, and meet me in my office."

With that, he walked off toward his quarters.

I sighed, got up, and said goodbye to Todoroki and the girls before taking a deep breath and heading toward that room. The room that made my face heat up just thinking about it. The room that now carried a different meaning. I could already feel the embarrassment creeping in.

This was ridiculous. It was just a kitchen. Just a kitchen. A kitchen where someone had touched me intimately for the first time. Where Kacchan had touched me. Where I had touched him.

Shit. I was never getting that thought out of my head.

My feet refused to move forward, so instead, I just called out from a safe distance:

"Hey Kacchan! Mister Aizawa wants us to bring our assignments to his office."

Kacchan immediately turned to me, nodded in mild irritation, and - perhaps I imagined it - but I swore I saw a flicker of mischief in his eyes for a split second. He knew. He knew I was avoiding that room like the plague. The room we had defiled. The room with that kitchen counter, where Hanta and Kaminari were currently standing, completely oblivious.

Oh, God.

I was going to die at dinner. And Kacchan was going to love every second of my suffering.

 

 

“Amusing how you’re still avoiding the kitchen,” Kacchan greeted me. I had deliberately waited for him outside the office, but after his remark, I almost regretted it. I didn’t want to respond, so I just grumbled and turned away - only to feel him standing far too close behind me a second later.

“Pouting?” he asked, his breath lightly brushing against my ear.

“Let’s just go inside,” I deflected, taking a deep breath internally. Damn it, he was really making me nervous. And it felt like it was getting worse by the day.

I quickly knocked on the door and stepped into our homeroom teacher’s office with Kacchan. I felt relatively safe - after all, All Might had reassured us earlier.

“Glad you came so quickly! Sit down,” Aizawa greeted us in his usual calm manner, gesturing toward the small couch in front of him. We followed his instruction, with Kacchan settling at one end of the couch while I took the other. Aizawa turned his desk chair to face us, his gaze scrutinizing, which made me feel a bit uneasy.

“We completed all the assignments and brought them with us,” I said quickly, trying to prevent any awkward tension from settling in. I placed my folder on the table in front of us, and Kacchan did the same, though his entire demeanor radiated boredom. He crossed one leg over the other and lounged into the couch with an air of complete indifference.

I looked at Aizawa, expecting him to glance at our work, but he made no move to do so. Instead, he continued watching us, arms crossed over his chest as he leaned back slightly.

“I called you here to discuss the remainder of your house arrest,” he finally stated, pausing briefly. I nodded quickly to signal that I was listening, though Kacchan simply stared at him impatiently.

“Tomorrow at 6 AM, Bakugou will attend the special training course with Todoroki. All Might and Present Mic will be accompanying you. I don’t have a precise end time for the course yet. However, since Bakugou will be allowed to leave the dorm for it, you, Midoriya, may also go home for the day if you wish - but you must return the same evening.”

“Thank you, Mr. Aizawa,” I replied politely, genuinely grateful for the opportunity. I was happy to finally be able to go out. I could visit my mom for a bit and, most importantly, train. Maybe even head to the beach where I had trained with All Might for U.A. The thought alone made my legs itch with anticipation. Oh yeah, I really wanted to push myself to the limit.

Before I could get too caught up in planning my Saturday, Aizawa continued, “That being said, tomorrow is an exception for both of you, which means you would still be under house arrest on Monday and then return to classes on Tuesday.”

I perked up slightly, furrowing my brows in confusion. Why was he speaking in hypotheticals?

“And why does it sound like that might not be the case?” Kacchan asked coolly, his eyes narrowing slightly in suspicion. He sat up straighter, elbows resting on his knees, exuding an air of mistrust and defiance.

“That depends entirely on you,” Aizawa said calmly - too calmly.

I tilted my head slightly, glancing at Kacchan, but he looked just as puzzled as I felt.

“Could you be a little more specific, Mr. Aizawa? We don’t really understand what you mean. We’ve done everything that was assigned to us, and we haven’t broken any rules,” I pointed out.

“Haven’t you?” he countered; his tone unreadable. “Or is there something you’d like to tell me?”

I swallowed hard. What was he getting at? We hadn’t left the building. No one had come to check on us throughout the week. And even if someone had been watching from outside, they would have seen that we never stepped out. So, what was this about?

I cleared my throat, my mind racing to piece together the past few days. But instead of replaying our assignments, my thoughts were filled with Kacchan. Kacchan kissing me. Kacchan smirking at me. Kacchan in the kitchen - oh god, stop! These were definitely not the right thoughts to be having right now.

“What exactly are you accusing us of?” Kacchan asked sharply, leaning forward with a challenging glare at our teacher. I internally prayed that he wouldn’t say or do anything reckless. He was quick to anger with most people, but I knew he had a deep respect for Aizawa.

“How is your relationship after Ground Beta?”

I held my breath, feeling my throat tighten. The question was strange. And now, the images in my head were even more vivid. Had he noticed something? Had he been secretly watching us? Had he been in the dorm at some point without us realizing?

Internally, I was battling the rising panic. What were we supposed to say? What did he want to hear? What did he know? Did he even know anything? What kind of conversation was this? All Might had said earlier that he was just going to tell us the weekend plans. That he’d let me know I was allowed to leave. So, what was he trying to get out of us now?

“Your wording is too vague for me to answer that.” Kacchan’s voice was snippy, but he remained completely calm. He seemed a little annoyed, but not at all nervous. Could he tell I was a total wreck right now?

“I want to know if you two problem children are still at each other’s throats,” Aizawa replied, his voice slow and deliberate. He was watching us closely, and I suddenly had the feeling that I’d be feeling his binding cloths at any second. At the same time, I exhaled in relief. He just wanted to know if another Ground Beta had happened—or if one had already taken place behind closed doors.

I smiled, reassured, and glanced at Kacchan. He didn’t seem inclined to answer, so I took it upon myself, now feeling a bit more confident.

“No, Mr. Aizawa! Quite the opposite! We really get along well now. You don’t have to worry.”

“So there haven’t been any incidents?” he pressed further.

I was about to open my mouth to reassure him again. I really was. But then it hit me like a ton of bricks.

The door.

The one and only incident he could have noticed—the damn bathroom door. I had no idea where Kacchan had hidden the broken one. Back then, I had been so relieved that he had taken care of everything, I didn’t even think to ask.

While I was putting the pieces together, I must have lost control of my expression because I heard Kacchan sigh heavily beside me. He must have realized it too.

I turned to look at him, but he only shrugged, looking just as clueless as I felt. Denying it wouldn’t work. Our reactions and silent exchange had already given too much away. Not against Eraserhead. His observation skills were too sharp. Had he really seen the door?

“How long are you two going to keep up this silent conversation?” Aizawa asked, growing impatient. There was a hint of irritation in his voice now.

I lowered my gaze apologetically and, in the smallest voice possible, admitted, “There was an incident, but it wasn’t really an incident, Mr. Aizawa. Please, let me explain.”

I glanced up slightly, noticing how he leaned back in his chair, clearly waiting for a damn good explanation. I swallowed hard, trying to ignore the tightness in my chest. The uneasy feeling in my stomach was impossible to shake.

“Just to be clear from the start,” I began, my voice steady. “Kacchan and I are really getting along better now. Ground Beta won’t happen again. But there was one day this week where I… um… didn’t exactly have my emotions under control. But Kacchan didn’t do anything! Well… okay, maybe he said something that provoked me a tiny bit… but it wasn’t anything serious… and maybe… actually, not maybe… um…”

My words dissolved into a complete mess. I could feel Aizawa’s stare burning into me, and I was spiraling fast.

Kacchan sighed. Hard. Apparently, my rambling was too much for him because he just blurted it out.

“He threw a bottle of body wash at me. I dodged, and it got stuck in the door.”

Aizawa raised an eyebrow. His skeptical expression made it clear that he didn’t believe a word of it.

“A bottle of body wash doesn’t break a door,” he said flatly.

I fidgeted, nervously playing with my fingers, only for Kacchan to kick me lightly in the shin. I instantly stopped.

“…Maybe if it was thrown with a tiny bit of strength from an enhancement Quirk,” I whispered, my voice barely audible.

Aizawa let out a long, exhausted sigh and ran a hand over his face.

Panic flared in my chest, so I hurried to explain. “But it was really an accident! I didn’t mean to-”

I was cut off. By his capture weapon. Ah, shit. Really?!

“So, you expect me to believe that after sneaking out to fight each other in a training facility, you’ve somehow become best friends? And then, despite knowing full well the consequences of breaking the rules, you went ahead and destroyed a door with your Quirk—over some offhand remark? Are you trying to make a fool out of me?” Our teacher’s voice seemed annoyed. He sounded just as pissed off as he had on Monday night when he extended our house arrest.

And to make things worse, Kacchan simply huffed and said, “Believe it or don’t. I don’t give a shit.”

I stared at him in disbelief, only to watch as Aizawa’s capture weapon restrained him as well. But instead of showing any kind of fear, Kacchan just sighed heavily, rolled his eyes, and looked completely annoyed.

“You do realize that I could exclude you from your special training course, Bakugou?” Aizawa’s voice carried a warning, and I felt a jolt of panic. I shifted restlessly, struggling against my restraints as the binding cloth around my mouth loosened just enough for me to speak.

“No, Mr. Aizawa. Please, listen! This wasn’t Kacchan’s fault. I was the one who broke the door. If anyone should be punished, it’s me. Kacchan actually helped me afterward - he switched out the doors so you wouldn’t notice, because I was so freaked out by what I’d done. So please, don’t take his special training away from him!” The words spilled out of me, my heart hammering against my ribs in sheer panic. The thought that Kacchan might be punished because of my stupidity was unbearable. I couldn’t let that happen.

Suddenly, the bindings around me slackened, and I realized that Aizawa was staring at me - not just surprised, but outright stunned. Kacchan was looking at me too, wearing an equally startled expression. Had he not expected me to defend him like that?

Silence.

I had somehow rendered both of them speechless with my outburst. My determination. My desperate plea. Had I been too forceful? Had I sounded suspicious? No - what I said was exactly what I meant. I couldn’t face Kacchan if he had to wait another year for his provisional license because of me. He’d hate me. And everything that had happened between us would be gone. And that thought - it hurt. Because whatever this was between us, I didn’t want to lose it. Even if I couldn’t name it. Even if we hadn’t talked about it. I just knew I didn’t want it to end.

“I provoked him, so it’s partly my fault too.” Kacchan’s quiet voice pulled me out of my thoughts. I turned to him, biting down on my lower lip. Shit. I needed to get a grip. My body wanted to cry - for what? Out of fear that this would all fall apart? Out of relief that Kacchan wasn’t letting me take all the blame? Or was it just from the sheer overwhelming weight of everything happening at once? I had no idea.

The bindings around Kacchan unraveled as well, and our gazes, which had been locked on each other, returned to Aizawa. He was scrutinizing us with sharp eyes, but at the same time, he looked… puzzled. Was he trying to make sense of our behavior?

“What exactly has happened between you two since Ground Beta?” he asked, his voice calm but unwavering. It was clear that he was analyzing our every reaction.

My throat went dry, and I couldn’t help but glance at Kacchan. He clenched his jaw, staring down at the floor. I wanted to move closer. To lean against him. To share this suffocating feeling with him. But I couldn’t. Not with our teacher sitting right in front of us. And not when he was asking a question that I didn’t know how to answer - at least, not in a way that wouldn’t sound suspicious. Or too honest.

“I have time,” Aizawa said. “And until we clear this up, I won’t make a decision about the door incident.”

A thinly veiled threat.

I let out a quiet sigh, catching a glimpse of Kacchan’s expression. He looked uncertain. What were we supposed to say? I was sure he didn’t want to tell the whole truth any more than I did. And honestly, I couldn’t imagine Aizawa reacting too harshly. But this - this was something just between me and Kacchan. It was ours. It wasn’t something anyone else needed to know. Especially when even we didn’t know exactly what it was.

So no. That wasn’t an option.

And when Kacchan gave me the slightest shake of his head, I knew we were on the same page.

I thought back to our conversations before Ground Beta. They hadn’t been many. Most of the time, Kacchan had either yelled at me, insulted me, or outright tried to attack me. Even on the first day, when Mr. Aizawa had us throw the softballs, and I had barely managed to throw mine 0.1 meters farther. So really, our teacher had never seen us... this close. That was something I could use to our advantage, right?

My mind was racing. Within a millisecond, I had several different ways to spin this situation in a way that might get us out of trouble. I glanced at Kacchan again and gave him a small, confident smile, watching as his eyebrow twitched upward in response. But instead of questioning me, he leaned back lazily. Was he actually trusting me? Trusting that I’d find a way to talk us out of this?

“Well, Mr. Aizawa, to answer your question,” I began, pausing briefly to make sure I had his full attention, “there’s really only one honest answer we can give.” Another pause. A deep breath. Then, I continued, “We just learned how to talk to each other again. Like we used to when we were kids.”

As I spoke, I kept my eyes on our teacher, watching closely for his reaction. For a fleeting second, his usually impassive face slipped - just a fraction - before settling back into its usual bored yet skeptical expression. Kacchan, on the other hand, had closed his eyes, arms folded behind his head, looking as relaxed as ever. Whether he was truly satisfied with my answer or just keeping his emotions in check, I couldn’t say.

“That’s good to hear. Then how do you explain the incident?”

Seriously? My answer had been perfect! Couldn’t he just let it go?

My hand clenched into a fist for a brief moment before I forced myself to stay composed. But before I could think of a response, Kacchan spoke up.

“That process wasn’t exactly easy for us. And it’s still not perfect. We’ve had twelve years of baggage between us.”

“And he’s not exactly great with words,” I blurted out before I could stop myself.

Shit. That was not tactically sound.

The second the words left my mouth, I slapped a hand over it in horror, my eyes darting toward Kacchan.

He was glaring daggers at me.

“Say that again, nerd. I dare you,” he said, deceptively calm - but his tone was far more terrifying than any villain I had ever faced.

I gave him a sheepish smile, raising my hands in surrender and mumbling, “I’m sorry, Kacchan.”

He kept glaring, and I braced myself for an explosion. But before he could do anything, Aizawa’s voice cut in.

“All right, I suppose I believe you. Even though I can’t shake the feeling that you’re still keeping something from me. So, you’re both staying on probation. Understood?”

I nodded quickly, bowing slightly despite still sitting down. Kacchan, surprisingly, also gave a small nod, though he didn’t say anything.

“That means you’ll remain on house arrest until Tuesday, including extra assignments on Monday and Tuesday,” Aizawa continued. “You’ll be working in pairs for those assignments so you can continue proving to me that you’re not just putting on a show. After what happened with the League of Villains, you still need to earn my trust again. I assume you both understand that.”

I nodded again without hesitation. And for once, Kacchan did too, without any complaints.

“Good. Then you’re dismissed,” Aizawa said, finally letting us go. But just as we were getting up, he added, “Oh, and you don’t have to handle kitchen duty over the weekend. But you will on Monday and Tuesday.”

We nodded once more, gave him a silent thanks, and left the office.

The second the door shut behind us, I let out a long breath, momentarily forgetting that we were still in the hallway. Without thinking, I leaned back slightly, resting against Kacchan’s chest. That conversation had drained me.

“Hats off to you, nerd. I wouldn’t have come up with that whole ‘talking’ thing,” Kacchan murmured next to my ear. His body heat was grounding, comforting. And for a second, I just wanted to sink into it. To turn around and kiss him.

Instead, he shoved me off and casually stuffed his hands into his pockets, heading back toward the common area.

“Thanks, Kacchan,” I said, falling into step behind him. “But it wasn’t even a lie. I am glad we can talk properly now. You know… besides the other stuff.”

My voice dropped to a near whisper toward the end, suddenly feeling self-conscious.

Kacchan didn’t look back at me, just kept walking.

And then, just before we reached the others, he said something that caught me completely off guard.

“The course tomorrow’s important, and I have to get up early. Don’t come up tonight, yeah?”

 

Notes:

Thats it!
And, did you enjoy Aizawa? What do you think will happen with those two over the weekend?

I’m excited to hear your thoughts!
See you on Monday! 😊

Chapter 23: Missing you

Notes:

Hello everyone!

First: Thank you so much for so good and lovely comments <3
Second: Have Fun!

Chapter 23 – Missing you

 

"The course tomorrow is important to me, and I have to leave early. So don’t come up tonight, okay?"

"Okay."

 

The only reaction, the only response I had given was a fucking okay. What the hell was wrong with me?

After Kacchan’s words, we had silently walked back to the others. Kacchan had made a big pot of curry in the kitchen, fulfilling his duty for the day. He had prepared it earlier before we met with Aizawa. Then, he had served himself a plate and disappeared into his room without another word.

Meanwhile, I had joined the remaining classmates on the couch. There weren’t many left. It was just Shoto, Fumikage, Denki, and Mina. The latter would also be leaving for the weekend the next morning.

We chatted for a bit, and I told them that we’d finally be back in class starting Wednesday. Seeing their questioning looks, I explained that the weekend didn’t count toward the punishment. I didn’t want to tell them about the door. I had no interest in answering any follow-up questions.

No, my thoughts revolved entirely around Kacchan. Around the fact that I wouldn’t be seeing him until tomorrow night.

Despite my thoughts, I tried to stay engaged in the conversation, listening as best I could. We ate together, enjoying Kacchan’s fantastic curry. Shoto had been kind enough to bring me a plate from the kitchen upon my request. I was grateful to avoid that room. Just thinking about it made my face heat up.

After dinner, I quickly excused myself. I wasn’t in the mood for small talk. Not after a day like today.

 

I sighed as I lay on my bed, staring up at the ceiling, lacking any motivation to do my nightly workout. No, my mind wanted to process the day - a chaotic, exhausting day.

Honestly, I should be grateful to Kacchan. Now, I actually had time to think everything over. Starting with the beautiful morning, the scene in the kitchen, and, as if that hadn’t been enough, we had ended up in his room again after showering.

Okay, that sounded a bit vague, but I didn't want to name it in my thoughts right now. It was enough that I had the images in front of my eyes. From this afternoon in Kacchan's bed. Damn, my heart immediately started pounding painfully in my chest. I felt the rush of excitement flooding my veins as I recalled the images of his naked body above me. Fuck! Why did my abdomen start twitching immediately?

I turned onto my stomach and let out a muffled scream into my pillow. What the hell had this guy done to me? Why was my body reacting like this?

After all, it had already happened twice today. Once in the kitchen. Once in his room. Twice, he had touched me. Twice, he had taken me all the way to the edge. Normally, I wouldn’t even think about this twice in one week, let alone twice in a single day. But now, my body was practically demanding a third time. Damn it!

I groaned again into my pillow, then rolled onto my side, my warm breath making the fabric slightly damp. It felt uncomfortable. I whined quietly, my lips pressing into a pout. This is driving me crazy. It couldn't be that I longed for him. That I wanted him......

I swallowed hard. My breath came in slightly shaky gasps before I dared to finish my last thought: That I missed him.

It had only been two hours or so since he'd left. Okay, if you were to be precise, we'd been at a distance again since we'd left his room and waited for the others. That had been just before 3pm. Now it was 9 pm. Six hours already. So, an understandable reaction, right? But knowing there were still another 24 hours ahead of me? That was torture.

I sighed, shifting onto my back again, my eyes locking onto the ceiling. I had 24 hours to process everything. Twenty-four hours to think through what had happened between Kacchan and me. Twenty-four! I should at least be able to process everything and perhaps become a little clearer about the situation at the same time.

So, let’s start from the beginning: We had kissed. Then came the whole “Let’s find out” and “We both kinda like it, so let’s just keep going.” I had stayed over at his place, and we had just cuddled a little. And then - my face burned with embarrassment - it somehow became sexual.

I shook myself. No, I couldn’t think about it like that. I just couldn’t. Especially not phrased so awkwardly.

“Damn,” I muttered as my fingernails dug into my palms. How childish could I be? God, we had jerked each other off. Twice. In one day. And it had been so good that I was about to do it again.

I exhaled deeply. My own thoughts were actually exhausting me. I really needed to start calling things by their proper names. The crude words that rolled so easily off Kacchan’s tongue - I had to learn to use them too. I really had to. Maybe then I wouldn’t be so ridiculously flustered every time Kacchan decided to tease me. And if I could get past all that, I could just be braver, let myself go more. Let myself go with him. Let myself go with what we were doing.

But what were we doing next?

And maybe - shouldn’t we actually talk first and clear a few things up? Like, for example, what exactly this thing between us even was?

Sighing, I ran my hands over my face, letting them rest there as I breathed into my palms. If I was really honest with myself - if I hypothetically replaced Kacchan with some random girl - I’d probably have a clear label for whatever this was. But the moment I tried to apply that to him, my brain completely shut down. It just wouldn’t compute.

Was I subconsciously forbidding myself from admitting that this maybe – theoretically - went beyond just friendship?

I shook my head. No, that couldn’t be it. But friends didn’t do things like this. We’d at least already established that much. And Kacchan had said I could come up with whatever label I wanted for us.

But…did I want that? Would putting a name on it ruin things? Or just make it more serious? Was this even serious?

The beep of my phone yanked me from my never-ending, spiraling thoughts.

Sighing again, I glanced at the screen. The name flashing there belonged to the very person responsible for my growing headache.

Whatever you're thinking right now. Quit it and go to sleep.

I had to smile. How did he know me so damn well all of a sudden? Or was he just saying this as a precaution to keep me from overthinking?

Was he worried that his last sentence might’ve made me start imagining something ridiculous?

All good! But we should talk tomorrow.

Before I could second-guess myself, I hit send. Then immediately panicked. Shit - did that sound bad? Wasn’t this exactly how breakups always started in movies?

I’ll kill you!

It’s nothing bad! That just came out wrong!

Better be.

A thousand thoughts rushed through my head - embarrassing thoughts, ones that sounded more like something a clingy girl in a romance drama would text.

I held myself back from typing out that I wanted to be with him right now. That I wished I could sneak back upstairs. That I wanted to do what we did earlier all over again.

Instead, I let those thoughts sit heavy in my chest.

Good night, Kacchan.

Night, Nerd.

Feeling strangely weighed down, I put my phone aside, curled up on my side, and pulled the blanket tighter around myself.

Just sleep. I just needed to sleep. And maybe, after a little distance tomorrow, things would feel easier. Maybe then, I’d finally understand what I was feeling.

 

 

Of course, the whole just-go-to-sleep thing hadn’t worked out. My thoughts kept spiraling until two in the morning - until all I could picture was Kacchan’s bare body on top of me. Kacchan, with his hand on both of us. And yeah, dammit, I only managed to fall asleep after I took care of myself one last time. Fucking annoying.

I’d completely ignored my alarm and kept sleeping. I just couldn’t bring myself to open my eyes. So, it wasn’t until nine that I finally dragged myself out of bed and started heading home. I’d texted my mom beforehand - she was thrilled. And honestly, I was looking forward to it too.

But I still kinda wanted to know how Kacchan’s special course was going. Could I maybe text All Might and casually ask? No. That would come off so weird. I just had to be patient. Kacchan would text me when he felt like it. Or I’d see him tonight.

Until then, I should just enjoy my freedom. Stick to my plans. Spend time with my mom. Train. Then head back to UA. That was the plan.

Kacchan wasn’t part of my schedule today. End of story.

 

 

“Hah, Izuku. It’s so nice to have you home again,” my mother greeted me with a beaming smile, pulling me into a hug that nearly crushed me. I laughed and hugged her back just as warmly.

“I’m happy to see you too,” I replied, pressing a quick kiss to her cheek. She smiled at me lovingly before her face lit up with excitement. “Now, show me your hero license already!”

I quickly pulled the card from my pocket and explained, “It’s only a provisional license, though. I won’t get my real one until I graduate.”

“Oh, that doesn’t matter! I’m so proud of you,” she said, gazing at the small card like it was the most precious thing in the world. The warmth in her voice filled my chest with happiness. Knowing how much she had worried about my decision to become a hero, seeing her so genuinely proud meant everything to me.

After a few moments, she handed the card back and cleared her throat. Her expression turned a little more serious. “Still, I have to say, I was disappointed when Mr. Aizawa called me about what happened between you and Katsuki. And that you were placed under house arrest.”

Oh. Right. We still hadn’t really talked about that.

I shrank back a little, giving her an apologetic look before quietly sitting down with her on the couch. Taking a deep breath, I finally responded, “I’m really sorry. It was a stupid thing for us to do. But—”

I didn’t get to finish.

“This was all Katsuki’s doing, wasn’t it?” she interrupted. “He’s always been such a troublemaker.”

“But, Mom, I fought him too,” I protested quickly, instinctively defending Kacchan. “He might have challenged me, but I didn’t have to accept.”

She studied me carefully before sighing. “I talked to Mitsuki. We both agreed that Katsuki has always been incredibly impulsive. And he used to pick on you so much.”

I bit my lip. Why was she bringing Kacchan’s mother into this? And why were they still such good friends, even after everything that had happened in middle school? A normal parent would’ve cut ties with a family whose child had bullied theirs. But my mom had always been open about it with Mitsuki. I knew she had confronted her about it, and I also knew that Mitsuki regretted a lot of what her “brat” had done. And yet, I had always brushed it off. Maybe that’s why things had never escalated. Maybe it was because, deep down, I had always been forgiving when it came to Kacchan. Because I had never stopped admiring him. Because I had always held onto our childhood. Because, even back then, my view of him had been too clouded to fully recognize how cruel he had actually been.

“Mom, that fight was important. I really do get along with Kacchan a lot better now. We managed to… talk things out. And now, well… things are okay between us,” I explained, fumbling over my words, trying to make sense of something I still couldn’t fully define. Everything beyond that was a secret. Our secret.

My mother let out a deep sigh, then gave me a resigned smile. Her voice was unreadable as she said, “I hope so, Izuku. Your relationship with him has always been complicated. If this fight really did help you two move forward, then I’m glad. And I know Mitsuki would be, too.”

I swallowed hard. Her words left me speechless. Or rather, one word did.

Relationship.

I knew she was talking about our history. About everything from childhood until now. But my mind twisted it into something else. Something that belonged to the present. Something that had shifted over the past week.

Could you even call it that?

A dull roar filled my ears. My chest tightened - not just with nerves, but with something closer to fear. Maybe even panic.

“Izuku, are you okay?” my mother’s voice pulled me back before I could spiral into endless, incoherent muttering.

“Yes. Everything’s fine!” I smiled at her reassuringly before quickly changing the subject. “Do you have any plans for today?”

 

It was definitely the wrong question. D-E-F-I-N-I-T-E-L-Y!

First, I had to carry some furniture downstairs because she had bought a new bed and dining table last week. The old furniture had only been held together by an endless number of extra screws. After that, I had the pleasure of helping her assemble everything, take out the trash, and finally, go grocery shopping with her.

Of course, I enjoyed spending time with her. It was fun. I told her about everything that had happened at school in the past weeks and even raved about Kacchan’s cooking. At first, she looked surprised, then just as enthusiastic as I was. Apparently, I had infected her with my excitement.

Time flew by, and my original plan to train properly went down the drain. By the time we had finished everything, it was already 4 PM.

“Oh, Mom, I have to get going soon,” I realized as I finished putting away the groceries and flopped onto the couch for a moment.

“Already? Stay the night! I’ll make you some delicious katsudon. I’m sure Katsuki didn’t cook that for you this week,” she tried to tempt me, laughing slightly. I felt my face heat up a little and mumbled, “Well, we had to cook for the whole dorm. It’s not like he was cooking just for me.”

I trailed off toward the end, feeling somewhat awkward. Bad move - my mom was now looking at me skeptically. Her eyebrows twitched in confusion before she said, “That sounded a little disappointed, sweetheart.”

Internal alarm bells went off. Was I being obvious? Acting weird? I mentally shook my head, forced a laugh for my mom, and waved a hand dismissively. “Oh, no way! Maybe I’m just upset because I’m missing out on the best katsudon in the world. But I still have house arrest and need to be back at the dorm by evening. Aizawa’s orders.”

I exhaled internally, satisfied with my solid excuse.

“Oh, but I thought the weekend didn’t count?” she noted. I sighed, smiling as sweetly as possible before quietly admitting, “Maybe I broke a door this week when I tried to throw a bottle of shower gel at Kacchan’s head.”

Instantly, my mom squared up in front of me. Shit! I should’ve just kept my mouth shut.

“IZUKU MIDORIYA! That is not how I raised you!” her voice boomed deeper than usual. I had the distinct feeling the entire apartment complex now knew I was getting a well-deserved scolding from my mom. Pretty embarrassing for an aspiring hero.

“I’m sorry. It won’t happen again. And please don’t start from the beginning again. Everything’s fine. Kacchan and I are friends, and we’re not doing anything reckless anymore.”

‘She would definitely consider your teenage activities “reckless behavior,”’ whispered that annoying little devil in my head.

I wanted to yell at it or at least growl in frustration. But I refrained. The last thing I needed was my mom sending me to a psychiatrist because I’d started arguing with myself.

 

After having to explain myself again and enduring another lecture from my mom, it was already 5 PM by the time I arrived at the train station. I sighed. Originally, I had planned to catch an earlier train so I would already be back at the dorm by now. But there was no changing that anymore. Besides, it really did feel good to spend a day with someone other than Kacchan.

Not that I hadn’t thought about him anyway. And, of course, I had to admit that I had missed his presence somehow. That I had missed his warmth, his touch. That I had wanted to kiss him the entire time. But at the same time, today had helped me realize a few things.

Namely, that it really was Kacchan as a person whom I missed. Never in my life had I felt this way before. This feeling of longing. Sure, back then, I had longed for a Quirk more than anything else. Every time I had seen a hero, I had wished for one. But this feeling was different. Was it because it wasn’t just my mind but also my body that yearned for him?

Lost in thought, I stepped onto the arriving train, stopped near the door, and stared outside. Yeah, this longing scared me. But at the same time, it filled me with so much anticipation. Technically, I could have stayed home until the last train of the day. But honestly? I didn’t want to. As much as I loved my mom, right now, I wanted to be with Kacchan more. Any version of Kacchan—grumpy or affectionate. It didn’t matter. As long as he was there.

The buzzing of my phone pulled me out of my thoughts. And when I glanced at the screen, my heart started beating just a little faster, while my mouth curled into a grin. Fuck, why?

Where are you?

I couldn’t control my expression as I read the short message. God, the ridiculous grin on my face must have looked insane. I wanted to jump into the air. And at the same time, I cursed myself for not being back already. I could have been with Kacchan by now.

On the train. 30 minutes and I’ll be at the dorm.

Ok

I smiled and, even though I probably shouldn’t, I activated One for All as soon as I stepped off the train and left the station. It just felt so good to use his power, even if only to launch into an insane sprint.

As I approached UA’s gate, I slowed down and tried to appear as casual as possible on my way to the dorm. And damn, that was not easy. After all, we hadn’t seen each other all day. I ached to see Kacchan’s face, to smile at him and watch his overconfident, slightly annoyed expression while he stood there with his hands stuffed into his pockets. I wanted to hug him, kiss him, touch him.

Fuck, this was definitely not normal anymore. And with the thought my mother had planted in my head earlier, I really should have been getting worried by now. Because, if I were being completely honest, wasn’t this already more than just admiration? More than just being happy to see my childhood friend again?

But I wasn’t ready to define it just yet—even though maybe I could. No, before I did that, I just wanted to enjoy Kacchan’s presence and keep observing the way things unfolded between us.

Before I even realized it, my feet had carried me straight to the entrance of the 1A dorm. Immediately, the most incredible, mouthwatering aroma filled my nose.

Holy hell. That smell was so familiar that my mouth started watering instantly.

Was Kacchan… cooking that?

Faster than I could control, I stumbled through the door and looked around. A few more steps, and I spotted Kacchan in the kitchen. Apart from him, the place was empty.

"I'm back," I announced, stopping at the dining table and waiting for the blond head in front of me to turn around.

He didn’t fully turn, just glanced over his shoulder and said, "Come here, Nerd."

I smiled, but as I moved, my face heated up. Shit, I really hadn’t set foot in this kitchen since yesterday morning. That was ridiculous. And yet, I wanted to go to Kacchan right now.

He finally did turn, crossing his arms over his chest, shaking his head with a grin. "Still too much of a coward to walk in here, huh?"

I sighed, barely holding back a chuckle. Somehow, his words sounded more like an invitation than a taunt. And suddenly, everything felt easier.

Without overthinking it, I stepped toward the person I hadn’t seen in twenty-four hours. The simple act of standing in front of him filled me with happiness.

"Hey, Kacchan," I greeted him again, stopping an arm’s length away. After all, we were still in the dorm kitchen. Though that hadn’t really stopped us yesterday.

And apparently, Kacchan was thinking the same thing because, without warning, he grabbed my belt and yanked me forward. My startled glance around the room made him smirk before he pressed his lips onto mine. Automatically, my eyes fluttered shut as I let myself sink into the feeling. But I hesitated to wrap my arms around his neck, even though I wanted to. I wanted to pull him closer, to feel his body against mine.

Damn, that would only make the tingling inside me worse. And damn, this tingling made me realize just how much I really liked this guy.

Kacchan was the first to pull away, barely sparing me a glance before turning back to whatever he was flipping in the pan. Curious, I peeked over his shoulder, and my face lit up. "You're making Katsudon?"

So I had smelled correctly earlier. What a coincidence. Hadn’t my mom just said that Kacchan probably wouldn’t have made it?

"I grabbed some stuff on the way back from the course," Kacchan muttered in explanation, his voice… a little awkward?

I didn’t know what to do with all the happiness bubbling inside me. Had he gone out of his way to buy ingredients just to cook my favorite meal? How did he even know I loved it so much?

Okay, that last question was obvious. I’d loved it forever. I had first eaten it at Kacchan’s house when his mom made it, and from that moment on, I’d been obsessed.

That sounded… kind of cheesy. Or like fate. Both were weird.

God, I wanted to kiss him so bad right now. And, well, he had kissed me first.

Glancing around and confirming we were still alone, I lifted myself slightly onto my toes and pressed a kiss against his cheek. "Thank you! This really makes me happy."

Kacchan rolled his eyes, but even he couldn’t hide the small, amused smile tugging at his lips. Had that always looked so good on him?

"Whatever, Nerd. Grab two bowls so I can plate this up," he dismissed me, clearly embarrassed.

It made me laugh internally. After all these days of him making me want to sink into the floor, I was finally getting to see him flustered.

Kacchan quickly finished cooking, and, for a change, we sat down on the couch with the small table between us, each armed with a bowl and chopsticks.

"Bon appétit," I said before taking my first bite.

God, it was perfect.

My mom had been making Katsudon for me for years, but somehow, this tasted even better. Maybe my mind was playing tricks on me, making everything feel better when it involved Kacchan.

"So good," I sighed happily, already halfway through my food before I realized it.

I ate way too fast, unable to help myself. Meanwhile, Kacchan was only halfway done. I could feel his eyes on me. He hadn't said much, but the silence between us wasn't uncomfortable.

"Thank you so much, Kacchan! I love Katsudon," I beamed at him.

He turned slightly toward me, sitting half-cross-legged on the couch, setting his chopsticks down.

"I know," he simply said, then placed his bowl on the table.

I blinked. Had he not liked it? Or had he already eaten earlier?

Faster than I could process, Kacchan tilted his head slightly, reached out, and grabbed my wrist.

"Come here," he demanded.

I hesitated, glancing around again. "But-" I started, but he shook his head and explained, "We’re alone. Half-and-Half went home after the course because his old man’s not around. Birdbrain left to check out some internship offer. And I told Pikachu I didn’t need his pity presence."

"Oh! That was kind of harsh on Kaminari. He probably just wanted to do you a favor," I pointed out.

"He did me a favor by not being here. Now get over here, Nerd," Kacchan repeated, tugging me toward him.

I ended up sitting in front of him, way too stiff and awkward.

With a sigh, he pulled me onto his lap, sliding down slightly so that I lay against him. And, for once, it didn’t make me immediately nervous. No, it just felt good. Right.

So, I kissed him.

I had missed this. I felt the warmth spreading through me, the way my body just knew this was what it wanted. I was hopeless. Absolutely hopeless. And I had no idea what Kacchan thought about it.

His grip tightened on my hips, steadying me so I wouldn’t slide off the couch, while one of his feet remained planted on the floor for support. The couch was way too narrow.

But it didn’t matter. Not right now. Because, apparently, I wasn’t the only one who had been missing something today.

Kacchan barely gave me a chance to breathe. His lips kept finding mine, moving in every way possible - his lower lip, his upper lip, teasing me with his tongue, nipping at me with his teeth. His touch pulled a pleased sigh from my lips, and he mirrored the sound when I ran my fingers through his hair.

Eventually, I managed to pull away, supporting myself on one arm as I looked at him, breathless.

"Kacchan?"

"Hm?"

"Should we go up to your room? You know, just in case someone shows up?"

"Not in the mood," he muttered, trying to pull me back down.

I laughed, tilting my head to the side so he only brushed against my cheek before reaching my ear. The feeling of his breath against it made me hold my own.

My body tensed, and goosebumps rippled down my neck and all the way to my calves when his lips and tongue traced along the shape of my ear.

Okay, now I was nervous.

I cleared my throat, trying to steady myself, and broke free from his hold, pushing myself up slightly.

Now I was sitting on his hips.

Great.

Because this position was definitely not helping my self-control.

"Come on, let’s really go upstairs. I also wanted to talk to you," I mumbled, attempting to stand.

Kacchan didn’t let me.

I looked down at him, and his smug, grinning face told me I was not going to like what he was about to say.

"I’ll only talk naked. And after a little fun first."

God. We hadn’t even been back for an hour, and I could already feel that unbearable heat rushing to my face.

I dropped my gaze, nowhere to hide my expression.

Damn it, I hated him. Yeah, screw everything I might have thought today. He was just awful.

"You’d think that after yesterday, you’d start getting used to this," he teased.

I cautiously glanced up at him, only to be met with that infuriatingly smug look. This guy was driving me insane.

"Sorry, I had a whole day without your terrible shamelessness. Gotta warm up again," I muttered, mentally punching myself for immediately handing him another perfect setup. I was such an idiot.

Sure enough, he grinned and of course said exactly what my brain had also just thought: "I know exactly how to warm you up real quick."

"Oh my god, Kacchan, that was so bad," I whined, pained, and lightly punched him in the stomach. Not that it did anything.

"I know," he admitted shamelessly, "but I had to say it. So? Fun first, then talking?"

His hands slid under my shirt.

I shivered.

"Deal."

 

Notes:

That's it!
Hm, maybe the next chapter has a little smutty part... ^^' I forgot about it because I wrote these chapters a long time ago.

Did you like today's chapter? Anything confusing, or is everything good?

See you on Wednesday!

Chapter 24: First fun, then...talk?

Notes:

Hello everyone!
And sorry for this late upload, but the chapters are getting so much longer, and I seriously underestimated how much time it would take to translate everything. I really hope I didn’t upset you with the delay, especially since you’ve been leaving me so many amazing comments and kudos! 💖 Thank you so much for your support, and I hope you enjoy this chapter!

Chapter 24 - First fun, then...talk?

 

Hurriedly, I gathered a few things in my room so I wouldn’t have to come back down later. I figured we’d be spending the rest of the evening in Kacchan’s room. And the night. And the morning. God, just the thought of it had me grinning like an idiot. What the hell was wrong with me?

"What’s going on in that nerdy head of yours?" I heard Kacchan’s voice behind me. He was leaning against my doorframe again, waiting for me to finish.

"Nothing," I replied quickly, avoiding his gaze. Honestly, I wasn’t really thinking about anything. Not actively, anyway - more subconsciously. Because my subconscious was already sending me flashes of yesterday’s sensations. Sensations that had sent my body into overdrive. That now made me feel like I was burning from the inside. That left me with a damn rush.

Suddenly I felt arms wrapped around me from below. A hand wandered down my stomach and placed itself unabashedly on my crotch. “But it doesn't feel like nothing,” Kacchan whispered in my ear. He grinned. Definitely. Even if I couldn't see it. And now, it seemed like I had triggered his imagination as well. Unfortunately, I couldn't deny that something was stirring up in my pants.

Kacchan stroked the slight little bulge once, kissed me behind the ear and whispered to me: “If you're not finished right away, the hallway will be the next place you'll avoid.”

I swallowed hard, wriggled out of his arms and exhaled noisily. “I have to take a shower first,” I said nervously. My voice sounded brittle and raspy. At the same time, I grabbed my pants to straighten myself out so that it wouldn't be so obvious that I was a little aroused.

But even that slight movement seemed to draw Kacchan in again. Before I knew it, I was pressed lightly against my wardrobe, his body pressing into mine.

"Then we'll shower together," he murmured, his breath hot against my ear. I felt his lips brush against it, his hands already making their way down - over my sides, my chest, my stomach. I grabbed them. Stopped them. Were we both completely incapable of holding back now?

"We're going upstairs. Now." I tried to sound firm, pushing my back against him. I felt him. Felt that he was getting a little excited too. Tried to ignore it. At least I tried. Damn it, why was I suddenly struggling to hold back myself too? What the hell were we doing here? It had only been a little more than 24 hours. And before that, we’d only done this twice.

Yeah, ONLY twice, the voice in my head whispered teasingly. Like it was trying to convince me that wasn't enough. Not nearly enough. That it shouldn’t stop there.

I felt Kacchan pull away. When I turned, I caught his grin just before he stepped out of my room.

"Five minutes. Upstairs. In the showers. If you start chickening out or come up with some dumb excuse, I’ll kill you," he said, disappearing from my sight.

I could only stare after him, dazed. He was driving me insane. And the worst part? There wasn’t even a trace of embarrassment left in me after what he’d just said. Whether that was a good or bad thing… my brain was no longer functional enough to decide. It had checked out, leaving my hormone-fueled teenage instincts in charge.

 

I was the first to arrive in the shower room, so I undressed and neatly placed my clothes in the designated compartment. Then, I hung my towel within easy reach on the hook and stepped under the showerhead, the one that wasn’t immediately visible.

My hands trembled as I turned on the water. Damn it, I was suddenly so nervous. Or was it excitement? Whatever it was, I needed to calm down. Take deep breaths and let the cascading water relax my shoulders. I kept my eyes fixed on the wall. I didn’t want to present myself to Kacchan so openly. I couldn’t predict how my body would react. I didn’t want to embarrass myself by having something stand at attention just from a single glance. I didn’t want him to realize the effect he had on me.

"How can you be so lost in your own thoughts that you don’t even notice when someone sneaks up on you from behind?"

I jolted in surprise. Fuck, where the hell had he come from? I hadn’t heard a single sound. Not even a hint of movement. Normally, my senses were sharpened for things like this thanks to my hero training.

“Um...,” I started, but immediately trailed off as I felt Kacchan’s bare body press against mine. Made me shiver a second time. Felt the warm skin, which felt a little dull from the pelting water. Felt the warmth emanating from him. Felt his arms wrapped around me. Felt his hardness pressing so unabashedly against my butt. Pushing my cheeks apart a little.

My breath caught while my throat went dry as dust. Because this contact down there made my legs tremble, my heart pump and my blood head south in a matter of seconds. So I tried to wriggle out of the hug, to move my pelvis a little away from his, but this only made his grip tighter.

"Don't fuss, I said," he murmured into my ear, resting his chin on my shoulder and letting his breath ghost over my neck.

And what did I do? Just stood there. Tried to get used to all the physical contact somehow. It didn’t feel bad. No, it actually felt damn good. Just maybe a little strange. Unfamiliar. But deep down, I didn’t want it to stop. Only Kacchan's cock on my ass made me nervous as hell. Messed with my thoughts. Because right now, I was seriously wondering if we could—no, if we would—end up doing exactly that someday.

"Kacchan...," I began softly, resting my head lightly against his, but trailed off before finishing my sentence. I couldn’t focus enough to form a coherent thought. Instead, I slowly moved my arms backward, tracing my fingers along his hip down to his bottom - the only movement his hold on me allowed. To my satisfaction, I noticed a slight tremor run through his body.

We lingered in that position for a moment. My nervousness gradually faded, replaced by the simple pleasure of feeling him against me. And apparently, he felt the same. His body leaned into mine more and more, completely relaxed.

“What do you wanna do?” he eventually asked, lifting his head just enough to press his lips against my ear.

I shrugged, caught off guard by the sudden question. Unsure, I simply replied, “Repeat yesterday?”

Kacchan let out a satisfied hum, loosening his arms and slowly running his fingers down my chest. His touch trailed lower, and instinctively, I tensed my stomach muscles, sucking in slightly. I shifted backward, pressing into him just a little, trying to escape the tingling sensation his touch sent through me. It was just stupid that I pressed myself more against his crotch. I could feel his erection much more intensely now. But I also knew that the whole thing definitely didn't leave him cold. That he perceived it the same way I did.

A gasp escaped me when his hands reached my hips. He ran his entire palms along my pelvic bone from the outside in. Pushing past my hard cock without touching it. Instead, I sucked in a startled breath as his hands moved further and I felt the backs of his hands lightly on either side of my balls. Fuck, what was this supposed to be now?

The hands halfway between my inner thighs felt so unfamiliar. Exciting. Arousing. My body responded by spreading my thighs minimally. Leaned more against Kacchan's upper body for support. The back of my head fell onto his shoulder. He, on the other hand, pushed my shoulders down a little so that he could drive me further into insanity with his hands.

I just let him do it. Closed my eyes. Enjoyed how he stroked from the insides of my thighs back outwards. Massaging me with gentle pressure. Back up to the top of my hips and then repeating the procedure. Always very close to my most sensitive body part. I didn't even notice how I eventually clenched my teeth in frustration and exhaled in a huff.

"What’s wrong? Getting impatient?" Kacchan murmured in my ear, his voice low and teasing. He ran his tongue over it, driving me insane.

"Just touch me already!" I growled, the words bursting out as he continued to tease everywhere except where I needed him most. My self-control had shrunk to almost nothing. Shame and embarrassment didn’t exist in my vocabulary at this moment—no, those feelings had been completely overridden by frustration and impatience.

I had the distinct feeling that he was toying with me. Not in a bad way—no, he was doing it to drive me insane. To push me past my limits. And damn it, it was working. It made me so angry. Furious. I wanted to wipe that smug grin off his face.

"I told you, a little fun first," he said as if his teasing was the most natural thing in the world. Or rather, his lack of action.

"Oh, so by 'fun,' you meant fun for you?" I snapped, my voice edged with frustration. I didn’t care how I sounded. I just wanted him to finally do what my body craved—what I had asked him for.

I tried to catch a glimpse of him, but the steady stream of water made it difficult, and my damp hair clung to my face, getting in the way. I wanted to push it aside, but I didn’t move. Any friction between us would only make this worse—make me more desperate. So desperate that I was afraid I’d push myself over the edge before he even touched me. Was this normal? Or was I just really bad at this?

Then suddenly, he pulled away completely. I blinked in confusion as he took a step back, moving out of the stream of the shower. Without his warmth, a shiver ran down my spine, and I couldn't help the slight tremble that overtook my body.

"I don't think I was the only one having fun just now," he continued, gripping my shoulder and spinning me around before pressing me against the wall. My head finally escaped the stream of water.

He immediately brushed the water from my face, slicking my hair back slightly. I peered at him through the mist and droplets, taking in the way the water hit his hips and ran down his body while his head and shoulders remained outside the shower's path.

"What do you want me to do?" I asked, impatient, trying to calm the frantic pounding in my chest.

Kacchan raised an eyebrow, a smirk curling his lips. "Show me that you're my equal."

A challenge? Seriously? What the hell was wrong with him? As if I wasn’t already overwhelmed by all of this. What did he expect me to do to prove I was his equal?

"Stop thinking, Nerd," he reminded me, his gaze locked onto mine as he waited. Damn it, I knew that. I knew I was supposed to act on instinct. Like in a fight. Just do! I had to do something!

I let out a frustrated huff, trying to collect myself. There was no time to make a plan. But I did know one thing - I wanted to touch him. I wanted to make him react the way he made me react.

I reached over and turned off the water, then took a step closer. My eyes raked over him from head to toe - deliberately. I tried not to let my gaze waver. Tried not to blush. I mostly succeeded. But there was no hiding the nervous breath I took before reaching out, my fingers grazing cautiously over his chest. I let my hands wander up over his shoulders and then back again, running them briefly over his nipples. He heard him draw in his breath sharply.

I smiled before letting my hands trail around his back without much thought, pulling him into an embrace. My bare body pressed flush against his, and the contact between our lower halves sent a shiver through both of us.

It steadied me. Made me feel more certain.

Growing bolder, I kissed my way down his neck, tracing along his collarbone. Spread light kisses on his chest until - no idea where my courage came from at that moment - I cheekily licked his nipple.

He moaned. Surprised. Unrestrained.

The sound sent lightning bolts shooting through my spine straight to my abdomen. Heaven. I couldn't believe how much this sound turned me on. How much it fascinated me and captivated me. Addictive. So addicted that I wanted to hear more.

My hands wandered down his back. I stopped briefly at his tailbone because I turned my attention back to his chest. To the other side. I noticed that he seemed to like it. So much that I thought I could hear my name in his moans.

Like in a trance, I continued spread kisses all over his chest. Used my tongue. Used my teeth. Wanted to go a little deeper. But Kacchan pulled my hair. Forced me to look him straight in the eye.

"Why not like this from the start?" he muttered, his voice slightly unsteady. He cleared his throat quickly, but his gaze was hazy, unfocused. His cheeks were flushed.

God, he looked so incredibly hot right now, like a picture I wanted to burn into my memory forever. It was driving me insane.

Pushing me right back to that point where any hesitation, any shyness, simply ceased to exist.

I groaned when Kacchan suddenly pushed me against the wall and took my cock in his hand without forewarning. I felt his lips hard on mine as he started to stroke me.

My legs trembled betraying me. I braced my hands against the wall for a moment to keep from collapsing. Needed a second to regain control. Failed. Had to grin. Rolled my eyes beneath my closed lids and simply let him take over.

Allowed him to kiss my neck. Allowed him to bite into my shoulder. Allowed him to gently suck on the aching spot.

His touch made me melt like butter. My body tingled. I twitched. I trembled. Felt the warmth beginning to flow through all my veins. Felt the heat in my cheeks. Made my eyes burn. Made my heart pound so damn hard, loud and fast. Elicited one gasp after another.

Kacchan's hand movements became slower, his kiss a little more aggressive. He braced himself against me. His head turned a little. Felt his mouth against my ear again: “Damn Deku! Just touch me already," he growled at me. Used my words again. And I couldn't help but open my eyes slightly and grin at him. A dirty fucking grin. At least that's what it felt like.

“What's wrong? Getting impatient?” I used his words as well, hissing when he squeezed a little harder with his hand. It hurt slightly. But it somehow turned me on at the same time.

"Don't run your mouth when you're in my hands," he whispered lasciviously into my ear. I could picture his crazed expression all too well. I'd seen it in our fights - always when things got intense, always when we reached the breaking point. And that was exactly what he wanted. What I wanted too.

I confidently grabbed Kacchan's cock and stroked the tip with my thumbs. I heard him gasp, which made me start to move my hand. Sliding up and down. Changing the pressure again and again.

Like in the kitchen, Kacchan leaned heavily against me with his shoulders. His forehead rested lightly against the wall behind me, while his head lay to the side of mine. His mouth on my ear. My mouth to his ear. So that I heard every sound from him unfiltered. I wouldn't survive that. At least not for too long.

We stroked each other. Otherwise, we only supported each other so as not to lose our footing. No kisses. No more touching. We both concentrated fully on the center of our bodies. Filled the room with our voices. Quietly at first, then louder and louder. More uninhibited. Our breathing was fast. I felt the pressure building up inside me. The tingling increased. Everything slowly tightened inside me.

Kacchan couldn't stop it either. Our climax came relatively quickly. Not at the same time, but almost. The feeling overtook me. Made me see a few stars for a moment. Damn. No comparison to the feeling when I did it to myself. So intoxicating. So engaging. I never want to miss it again.

I lingered in the sensation. My mind was pleasantly quiet. Empty. Relaxed. My heart pounded hard and strong against my ribcage, trying to settle down. It would probably take another minute or two.

We didn’t say anything. Not a single word. I just listened to Kacchan’s breathing. And he was probably listening to mine. It seemed to be enough for both of us.

A minute or two later, I suddenly heard Kacchan chuckle in disbelief. I barely turned my head, leaning against him a little more. I didn’t have the strength for bigger movements yet.
“What?” I murmured sluggishly.

“Never thought I’d need this so bad,” he admitted, and I felt him just slump against me. He seemed a little drained. Had the special course today been exhausting? I hadn’t even asked him yet. Well, how could I, when he had to get straight to business right after dinner? Not that I had stopped him. God, I would never stop him again. These stupidly blissful feelings were way too good.

“Turn the water back on, Kacchan. Then we can get in bed. You seem tired,” I said calmly, wrapping my arms around him to give him a little support. I smiled slightly because I already knew exactly what he was going to say. I knew it before I had even finished my sentence.

“Shitty Nerd! You trying to say I’m weak?” he grumbled, though with way less aggression than he probably intended. It made me chuckle.

The rushing water kept Kacchan from getting truly mad. It washed away the traces of what we’d done. This was definitely better than cleaning up with tissues. Maybe we should just do this in the shower more often - less of a mess in the bed.

I froze for just a second, startled by my own thought as I reached for the soap. Had I really just thought that? So casually? It felt like I had already accepted it. Accepted that this was something we did now. Something we would keep doing.

 

 

We had showered off without a word and dropped into Kacchan's bed as God had made us. Exhausted and naked. Didn't bother me this time. It didn't feel embarrassing, it felt right. It would have been pretty awkward too. After all, we had already touched each other almost everywhere. We'd jerked each other off three times. So that shouldn't be a problem now.

Kacchan lay on his stomach, arms folded under the pillow, his head resting on top. He looked like he could fall asleep at any second, so I asked softly, “Kacchan, do you want to sleep? Or should we talk first, like we agreed?”

I heard him hum in response, and I couldn’t help but smile to myself. Since when did he have a side to him that was almost… cute?

“Yeah, go ahead. If it’s boring, I’ll just fall asleep,” he mumbled, lazily glancing at me.

I couldn’t suppress the urge - I reached out and gently ran my fingers through his hair. Surprisingly, he let me. Didn’t even try to swat my hand away. My heart flipped inside my chest. Why? Because it felt nice. Kacchan’s reaction felt nice. It felt like he accepted me. Trusted me. A warmth spread through my whole body.

“I’ll try to keep it short…” I began, but was immediately interrupted by a scoff.

I pouted and shot him a halfhearted glare. He gave me a brief, tired smirk. Was this really the right moment to bring up our situation?

Taking a deep breath, I started again. “Yeah, yeah, I know. I’m not great at keeping things short. But I really am trying because you look exhausted. The special course must have been rough. I haven’t even asked about it yet - sorry about that. Do you want to tell me how it went? Who was there? What did you guys do? I’m guessing it had something to do with rescue operations since in the exam you-”

I was rambling. Talking without pause. Slipping into that mindless, excited murmuring. And of course, I got exactly what I deserved - a smack to the head.

“You call that short?” Kacchan barked, then smacked me again.

I gave him an apologetic smile and opened my mouth, but he cut me off, telling me to turn around. And I obeyed. Felt his arm slide around my waist. Felt him pull me closer. Felt his nose brush against the back of my neck. Felt his whole bare body pressed up against my back.

And for once, it didn’t make me nervous. No - it did the opposite. It made me feel safe. Secure. Loved?

I stopped breathing for a second. My heart skipped before racing twice as fast. Was that it? Was this feeling between us really that simple to name?

I bit my lower lip. Of course, that word had crossed my mind before, but I had always pushed it aside. That L-word was just too significant. Too big. I couldn’t connect it to Kacchan. No. That would be way too soon, wouldn’t it? Something like that didn’t develop in just a week. Especially not when we had practically been "enemies" before.

“You gonna start talking or not, Nerd?” Kacchan grumbled against my neck, kissing it lightly. A shiver ran down my spine, pulling me out of my thoughts.

“Uh, yeah!” I stammered, internally taking a deep breath before continuing. “So, you said I could label… whatever this is between us. That’s been on my mind since yesterday. Anyway—”

He cut me off again. “Get to the point, Deku.”

“Well, um… when I was talking to my mom today, she said something weird about us… or, well, maybe not weird exactly… but, you know—”

Suddenly, Kacchan shot upright, flipping me onto my back. He loomed over me, eyes wide, his voice sharp and panicked as he yelled, “You told your mom what we’ve been doing?! Are you fucking crazy?”

I stared at him, frozen in shock, before frantically waving my hands. “No, no, no! Kacchan, let me finish!” I stammered, my voice rising in panic.

He still glared at me, his body tense. The warmth of his embrace was gone. He wasn’t holding me anymore. Instead, he radiated raw aggression, suddenly wide awake.

Clearing my throat, I hurried to explain. “Look, your mom and my mom talked about the fight, and they both thought it was all your fault - NO! Shut your mouth and don’t interrupt me, Kacchan!!!” I snapped quickly, seeing his lips part, ready to bite back.

I swallowed hard before rushing on. “So, yeah, they blamed you, but I told my mom that wasn’t true. That we were both involved and, actually, the fight helped us. That it was good for us. That we became friends again because of it.”

Kacchan gritted his teeth, his impatience practically rolling off him in waves. Okay, fair. I still hadn’t gotten to the damn point.

“So… uh, while I was talking to her, she said that our relationship has always been complicated.”

I paused, watching his face carefully.

Nothing. Not a single reaction. No widening eyes, no twitch of his lips. Just a raised eyebrow.

My stomach twisted uncomfortably. Why was he so unbothered by the word relationship when it had sent me into a full-on crisis? Had I been overthinking it?

Nervously, I started fidgeting with the corner of the pillow, gripping and twisting it in my hands. Focused on it like it was the most fascinating thing in the world, hoping to avoid Kacchan’s gaze. Didn’t work.

His fingers caught my chin, forcing me to look up.

“Is there more, or are you just wasting my time?” he asked, voice flat, eyes drilling into mine.

I swallowed hard; my throat suddenly dry. I hesitated.

His grip tightened. Not painful, but enough to make me flinch.

“Listen up, Nerd,” he growled. “Either spit it the fuck out, or let me sleep. I don’t have time for whatever this drawn-out bullshit is, got it?”

His voice was sharp, his patience running thin. He sounded like his usual grumpy morning self - the one you don’t mess with.

I stared at him in desperation, scrambling for my last bit of courage. Tried to form the right words. I was sweating.

Shit. Why couldn’t I just say it? How would he react? Would he throw me out? Laugh in my face? Agree with me? Reject me?

„This is too stupid for me,“ he grumbled, giving my head a light shove before switching off the light. In the dim glow of the moonlight, I saw him turn away, pulling the blanket up to his shoulders.

I sighed. Frustration burned in my chest. I was annoyed at my inability to get to the point. I was so mad at myself. Why was I always like this? Damn it! Why was I able to do such shameless things with him in the shower, yet completely incapable of talking straight with him here? Why couldn’t I just say what was on my mind?

I wanted to scream into my pillow in frustration. Curl up and wallow in self-pity. But that wouldn't change anything. It wouldn’t help either of us. And yeah, since yesterday, I’d caught myself thinking more about us instead of just me. About how I kept including Kacchan in everything, no matter what it was.

"Kacchan?" I asked hesitantly. Wanted to give it another try. He didn’t react. Maybe he really was exhausted and had already fallen asleep. Maybe that gave me the courage to say the next words.

"Do you think what my mom said could apply to us now? I mean… could this be called a relationship? Like the kind between a man and a woman?"

My voice was barely above a whisper, trembling with uncertainty. I felt my hands grow cold, my throat tighten. Damn it! I wanted to take those words back instantly. Why did I say it like that? Why not differently? Better? More vaguely?

I trembled with fear. The suffocating weight in my chest grew heavier with every passing second of silence from Kacchan. Maybe I was lucky, and he really had fallen asleep?

It seemed that way. He didn’t move. Didn’t answer. His breathing was steady and even as I watched him intently.

With a long sigh, I buried my face into my pillow after two more agonizing minutes. Frustrated that my courage had gone unrewarded. The courage to speak my thoughts aloud. This was absolutely maddening. I would never be able to say it like this again. My own mind was making sure of that. It hammered into me that I had imagined everything. That those words had been wrong. That I should just forget them.

Silent tears rolled down my cheeks. Damn it, I didn’t want this. I didn’t want to be such a damn crybaby. Maybe I should leave before I actually started sobbing. Yeah, that was probably the best idea. At least then it wouldn’t be as embarrassing if I looked all puffy-eyed in the morning. Or worse, if I ended up waking him up because of it.

Carefully, I pushed the blanket aside and swung my legs over the edge of the bed. I reached for my phone on the nightstand, using the screen’s glow to search the floor for my boxers.

Just as I was about to get up, I felt Kacchan’s hand wrap around my wrist.

"Lie back down, Deku," he murmured, his voice quiet. He didn’t sound sleepy at all. So I hadn’t woken him up? Had he been awake this whole time?

"But…," I started, only to stop immediately. My voice came out unsteady, too high-pitched. He definitely knew I was crying. No way he hadn’t noticed.

"Stupid nerd," he whispered. He let go of my wrist and turned over, looking at me with a neutral expression. Or maybe it just seemed that way in the dim glow of the moonlight.

I didn’t know what to do. I was torn. Stay or go? Say something or keep quiet? What was the right choice? Was there even a right choice? Had he heard what I said earlier?

So many questions swirled through my mind, pounding at my temples, giving me a headache. But the dull throb at my skull faded the moment Kacchan lifted the blanket and stretched out his arms toward me.

My lower lip trembled at the sight, and before I could think twice, I threw myself into his embrace. Buried my face against his chest as he wrapped one arm around my shoulders and the other around the back of my head, his fingers gently running through my hair.

Minutes passed in silence as I slowly calmed down, melting into the warmth of Kacchan’s body. The gentle strokes against my scalp made me want to purr. It felt so unbelievably good. Once again, I felt safe. Sheltered. Loved.

That word again. Fuck. Had I really fallen for Kacchan? Was that what this was? Should I even be thinking that? Or was there some other, more rational explanation for our behavior? For my reactions to him?

Before my mind could spiral any further, Kacchan’s voice cut through my thoughts.

"Let me think about your words overnight, okay?"

I looked up at him, captivated by his expression. He was smiling at me. Honestly. Sincerely. Maybe even a little apologetically. And I couldn’t do anything but nod in response. The way he looked at me eased some of my worries. At the very least, he wasn’t kicking me out or yelling at me.

He pressed a kiss to my forehead, murmured a quiet, "Good night," and let me rest in his arms.

And even though I should have been anxious about waiting for his answer, I fell asleep soon after. Because I felt safe. Because Kacchan’s presence calmed me.

Notes:

That’s it!
Phew, these smutty parts are really killing me 😂💀 I hope it turned out okay, and maybe you even noticed a slight improvement in them? And about the conversation… I’m really curious to hear your thoughts on it!

Regarding the translations: Since the chapters will stay this long, and I also have a full-time job, a house, and a kid to take care of, I just can’t manage to upload a finished chapter here every two days anymore. So from now on, a new chapter will be posted every three days. I hope you understand! 🙏💖

With that said—see you on Saturday! 😊✨

Chapter 25: Admission

Notes:

Happy Saturday everyone!
Finally, I can bless you with another chapter! And to be honest, I really like today’s chapter. I hope it gives you a good feeling while reading.
Enjoy! 😊

Chapter 25 – Admission

 

The sound of rustling pulled me from my peaceful sleep. But I wasn’t ready to open my eyes just yet. Instead, I snuggled deeper into my pillow, enjoying the warmth of the sunlight streaming through the window. The pleasant heat made my body feel heavier, lulling me back into drowsiness.

But then, a hand gently ran through my hair, trailing down my cheek, over my shoulder, down to my hand, and back up again.

I sighed contentedly, melting into the touch that was waking me so softly. It felt comforting, familiar. And because it felt so good, I kept my eyes closed, simply basking in the tender strokes. A smile found its way onto my lips before I could stop it.

"Morning, crybaby," a still-raspy voice greeted me teasingly.

I just let out a low grunt in response and leaned into the hand that continued to ruffle my hair. Another sigh escaped me as I scooted closer to the warm body beside me, resting my head against Kacchan’s chest. Without thinking, I wrapped an arm around his waist, tangling our legs together. Clinging to him. And he let me. He even continued to run his fingers through my hair.

I had to be dreaming. Either that, or I was in heaven. Seriously. Lying here, half on top of him, felt so unbelievably nice that I couldn’t help but beam. It had been so long since I’d felt this safe, this at peace. Most of the time, I was stressed, exhausted, lost in my thoughts -because of school, the villains, All Might, and so much more. But right now? Right now, I was just here. Just feeling. No overthinking, no worries. Wasn’t that insane?

"I'm not your damn Plushie," Kacchan grumbled, snapping me out of my little daydream. At the same time, I felt him pull the blanket back over us.

"You’re way too muscular for that," I mumbled into his chest, focusing on not drooling on him.

"Are you seriously complaining about my body, nerd?" Kacchan asked, his tone making it clear that one of his eyebrows had probably shot up. Maybe his mouth had even twitched into an amused smirk.

I’d only know if I finally opened my eyes. But I didn’t want to. I wanted to stay in this moment just a little longer. To soak it all in.

Yet, I was also curious about the time. Kacchan had clearly been awake before me. Rubbing my eyes, I tried to clear the dried traces of last night’s tears. Right… that happened. The words from the night before crept back into my mind, slowly filtering through and making my body tense up.

Hesitantly, I opened my eyes, only to be greeted by the sight of the blanket and the wall. The brightness made me blink a few times to adjust. But even once I had, I still couldn’t bring myself to turn and face him. There was a small, nagging fear holding me back.

"No Good morning, nerd?" Kacchan’s amused voice pulled me from my hesitation, followed by a light kiss on my head.

Instantly, the corners of my mouth twitched upward. His words, that simple affectionate gesture - it was enough to push away my worries.

Carefully, I propped myself up on one elbow, loosening my hold on him just slightly, and finally turned to face him. His expression was relaxed. Really relaxed. So much so that it was almost unsettling.

"Morning, Kacchan," I mumbled, caught between fascination and embarrassment - fascination at seeing him like this, and embarrassment over my words from last night.

"You still look like you’ve been crying," he noted bluntly, pressing his hand against my cheek and swiping his thumb a little roughly over my eye.

I instinctively pulled away, trying to gauge the situation. Did he really spend the night thinking about it? If he had, then at least it hadn’t ended badly - otherwise, I doubted I’d still be lying in this bed. But maybe he just decided to ignore it? If that were the case, wouldn’t it have been smarter to avoid bringing up my crying at all?

"Kacchan..." I started, only for him to shake his head and push me away slightly.

"Go brush your teeth first. I can’t talk to you like this."

I clapped a hand over my mouth, my face instantly heating up. Did I have morning breath? I mean, that wouldn’t be unusual, right? Everyone did in the morning. But was mine really that bad?

"The hell are you thinking?" Kacchan groaned, clearly reading too much into my reaction. "Idiot. I already went to the bathroom, and I just don’t like it, okay? Call it a flaw or whatever. Just hurry up."

He turned away, staring at the wall, and… was that a faint hint of red on his face? Was he embarrassed? Either about admitting something personal or about revealing something he didn’t have to?

"How long have you-" I started again, only to get a smack on the head and a pointed finger toward the bathroom door.

I sighed, rolling away from him, finally slipping out from under the blanket. But just as I was about to stand, reality hit me like a truck.

I was naked, and the room was flooded with broad daylight.

Last night, I had been too exhausted to care, and the darkness had offered me a sense of security. But now… could I really just get up like this? Completely bare? Would he watch me? Would he glance, even just for a second? Or would he turn away out of courtesy?

Panic flickered in my chest. My eyes darted around the room, searching for my boxers - only to spot them way too far from the bed.

Shit.

I wanted to curl up and die.

And it was so stupid. We had seen each other naked more than enough times now. Just moments ago, I had been wrapped around him like it was nothing. Hell, I probably even had a bit of a morning wood pressing against him, and that hadn’t stopped me from cuddling into him. Fuck. How did I manage to completely ignore that until now?!

"Deku! Don’t act like I haven’t seen you naked already! Move your ass or I’ll kill you!" Kacchan snapped. I sighed and got up on shaky legs. I knew he’d probably make good on his threat.

Keeping my gaze down, I hurried toward the small bathroom and shut the door behind me with a quick motion. How ridiculous was I being? God, what was wrong with me now? Had I overestimated my own confidence after what had happened yesterday? Had my mind just been too fogged up - too intoxicated by it all?

"Guess I can’t shake it off that easily," I muttered to myself, trying to accept that, despite everything, I still couldn’t completely push away my sense of embarrassment. Maybe that wasn’t such a bad thing. Though, if I was being honest, I had no idea what the benefit of it could be. Nothing came to mind.

I tried to steer my thoughts away from Kacchan while brushing my teeth and going through my morning routine. Instead, I wondered what kind of tasks Mr. Aizawa would give us for the next two days. At least it was only two more days of house arrest - though I’d already stopped counting today - before I could finally return to class. Before we could return to class.

At the same time, the thought felt a little strange. How were we supposed to act then? Normal? Not like friends? Or maybe just a little friendlier toward each other?

Annoyed at myself, I rolled my eyes while drying my face and stepped out of the bathroom. Seriously. No matter what I tried to think about, I always ended up right back where I started - with that blonde, slightly-less-aggressive jerk who was currently watching me unabashedly from the bed.

…Wait, what?

My cheeks grew hot as I quickly averted my gaze and dove under the covers in record time. My actions were met with an annoyed groan, and when I cautiously peeked at Kacchan, I saw him running a hand through his hair, shaking his head.

"Deku! Stop acting like a kindergartener and handle this like an adult. How many times have I had your cock in my hand? Three times? Seriously, you—"

I squeaked and slapped my hand over his mouth before he could finish that horrifying sentence. I felt the corners of his lips twitch against my palm, his gaze glinting with amusement and mischief.

"Can you please stop talking like that?" I mumbled, barely above a whisper, before quickly pulling my hand away and burying my face into the pillow. I couldn't look at him. Not while my entire face felt like it was on fire. Not while my heart was hammering so violently that I swore it might just give out on me one day because of him.

I heard him scoff in amusement before suddenly, I felt his weight press down on my back. He had thrown himself on top of me while I was still lying on my stomach. Shit. This felt good. Too good.

"I talk however I want. Always have," he murmured against my neck, pressing a kiss there. His hand traced down my side in slow, teasing strokes, and I became hyper-aware of how much of him I could feel against me.

"Kacchan, what are you doing?" I asked, my voice unsteady, way too high for my liking. I hated that I sounded breathless already. How does he do this? And more importantly - why wasn’t I pushing him away?

"What does it look like?" he shot back, far too amused. I could feel him stroking one of my buttocks with his hand. Suddenly started to knead it lightly. I gasped because the touch was so intense and made me tingle. Made my leg twitch uncontrollably.

I cursed internally. No, I had to put a stop to this. And why was he already starting again? Yesterday, I thought he had awakened something in me that made me a little nervous. But now, I was beginning to think that idea was ridiculous. Because, apparently, there had always been something much wilder, much more intense, slumbering in him.

Unfortunately, I couldn’t claim that any of this left me unaffected. Quite the opposite. My rational thoughts were on the verge of being drowned out. I was moments away from letting my body and my desire take control. But not yet. Not now. First, I wanted to talk. And then… then I’d give in to the feeling and let myself absorb every sensation he gave me.

With the last shred of self-restraint I had, I caught Kacchan’s hand as it boldly tried to slide between my body and the bed.

“Kacchan,” I forced out between my lips, “We were supposed to talk after the fun.”

“Yeah - after.”

“We already had fun yesterday!” I hissed, reminding him. I heard him chuckle darkly before he pressed even closer, bringing his lips right to my ear.

“Can’t really remember that too well,” he murmured, his voice a dangerous purr. “How about a little refresher?”

Argh, that damned voice of his - low, rough, and way too seductive. Seriously, when had he learned to sound like that? Had he always been capable of this? Because I, for one, couldn’t imagine ever being able to sound even remotely as enticing.

“I hate you,” I muttered, yet I still gave in to him, even though I hadn’t wanted to.

Why?

Because, if I was being completely honest with myself… I wanted this now too.

 

 

Gasping for air, we both lay side by side, while our mess was simply wiped away with the blanket. We’d definitely have to wash that. Today.

“Well, now I’m ready to listen,” Kacchan panted, grinning stupidly as he closed his eyes, seemingly trying to steady himself.

I let out a quiet laugh. This was so absurd. We had already done it again, barely a day after yesterday. And even crazier—I hadn’t needed much time to work up the nerve to touch him. Actually, none at all. Maybe it was because I was finally learning how to shut my brain off in these moments. Hmm, was this like fighting? The more experience you gained, the easier it got? Probably no different.

"Good," was all I could manage in response to his words. I was still too caught up in the intoxicating sensation of release. God. I was seriously becoming addicted to this.

A silence settled between us as we calmed down. We didn’t look at each other, just lay there, relaxed on our backs, staring at the ceiling. But the longer the quiet stretched, the more nervous I became. I wanted to start the conversation somehow. I just had no idea how.

While I was still searching for the perfect way to begin such an important talk, I felt Kacchan shift onto his side, his gaze settling on me.

So, I turned my head slightly, meeting his eyes. He looked... thoughtful. That was the only emotion I could really read. Nothing else.

"About yesterday..." he started, his voice quieter than usual. I saw the way he bit his lower lip and looked away. Was this just as hard for him as it was for me? Was he also struggling to find the right words? Suddenly, I felt guilty for pushing him into this conversation.

I raised my hand, reaching for his cheek, wanting to comfort him. But he caught my wrist abruptly, squeezing his eyes shut as he growled, "Damn it, shitty nerd! You’re way too emotional."

His tone was rough, but somehow, I got the feeling he was more frustrated with himself than with me. I forced a pained smile and freed my hand from his grip. Instinct took over as I reached up, grabbed the back of his neck, and pulled him into a kiss. It just felt right.

I felt him relax slightly, bracing his forearm beside my head so he wouldn’t press his full weight onto me. Slowly, he deepened the kiss, but he didn’t rush. Even though I had pulled him closer, I simply followed his movements, savoring the warmth of his lips against mine. A quiet sigh escaped me.

The conversation we were supposed to have was completely forgotten. Instead, we got lost in kisses and gentle touches. My fingers tangled in his unruly, spiky blond hair, holding him close, not wanting him to pull away for even a fraction of a second.

I was done for. Completely lost. Because I craved his warmth. His touch. His closeness.

Hell, at this point, I’d probably even welcome one of his usual insults with a stupid grin on my face.

Shit.

I really had to admit to myself that my admiration had morphed into something else entirely. Maybe I should look up the phrase "falling head over heels in love" to see if it matched my current situation.

Meanwhile, Kacchan’s lips trailed down to my neck. He brushed his nose over the sensitive skin before pressing the lightest of kisses there.

I sighed softly, pushing away my thoughts. Because I was pretty damn sure Kacchan would actually kill me if I ever said any of this out loud.

"I'm okay with it," Kacchan suddenly said, completely out of the blue. I almost didn't catch it because his voice was so damn quiet.

I opened my eyes and, for once, gave his hair a slight tug to make him look up at me. He furrowed his brows in irritation but straightened a little so he was hovering over my face.

"What do you mean?" I asked, confused. Had I said something before that would’ve led to this response?

"You know… the thing about what to call whatever this is between us," he said, glancing slightly to the side. For once, he didn’t seem able to summon his usual unwavering confidence.

The gears in my head turned so loudly I was sure he could hear them before all I managed to say was, "Oh."

Was he serious? Was this really his way of having that conversation?

I stared at him, speechless and stunned, completely incapable of forming a proper response. And I could tell my reaction was unsettling him. His eyes darted around, as if he were searching for an escape.

"Uh…" was all Kacchan got out, his gaze flitting about restlessly. Like he was suddenly looking for a way out. It was weird - he never reacted this way. Normally, he’d brush things off, act like nothing fazed him. If anything, he’d be mocking me right now, throwing an insult my way.

Instead, all I could say was, "I find it really interesting how you interpret the word 'talk'."

I was surprisingly composed, even amused. My initial shock was pushed to the back of my mind, because honestly? I was too fascinated by him right now.

"Are you trying to criticize me?" Kacchan snapped, immediately defensive.

I shook my head with a quiet laugh. "No, I just imagined this conversation going a little differently."

Kacchan huffed, still glaring at me. Then he grumbled, "I hate talking. Why would you expect anything else?"

I furrowed my brows in thought, then playfully shoved him off me and sat up. My eyes wandered toward the wall as I quietly admitted, "Honestly, in the last few days, you've been the one who’s found the right words when it really mattered. I was nervous and confused. Even a little scared, you know? But you were always sure of yourself. You always knew what to say in every situation. It calmed me down. And it kind of surprised me, too. Um, I hope that makes sense."

By the end, my voice had lost some of its confidence, and I found myself rubbing the back of my head, glancing down in embarrassment.

Before I could react, I felt Kacchan grab my shoulders and pull me back onto the mattress. He hovered over me again, a smug grin on his lips.

Then, with one hand resting on my cheek, he leaned in close and murmured against my lips, "You're such an idiot."

And just like that, I melted inside. My heart leaped, flooded with warmth. I didn’t need to deny it anymore. Not to myself. Not to anyone.

Damn it, this bastard had me completely wrapped around his finger.

I was in love - with his face, with his body, with his touch. With every side of him. The rough, aggressive side that used to scare me. The gentle, affectionate side he only showed when we were alone. Every part of him fascinated me. And really… how could I not fall for him?

"I can hear your brain working," he suddenly whispered against my lips, pulling back from the kiss to watch me. I hadn’t even noticed - I’d been too caught up in my own realization. A realization that I definitely wasn’t about to share with him. Not yet. Not unless I got something more from him first.

In words.

But before anything else, we needed to actually finish this so-called conversation and get some clarity.

I took a deep breath, locking eyes with Kacchan’s strikingly red ones before I hesitantly asked, "So… does this mean we’re, like dat… together now?"

I watched as his shoulders lifted in a shrug, his eyes briefly closing.

"I guess so. That’s what you were trying to get at with your little speech yesterday, wasn’t it?"

I stared at him, taken aback. Was that supposed to be a complaint?

"You could’ve said something against it just now if you wanted to," I muttered, watching the faintest twitch of his lips before he replied, "Nah. It’s fine. I mean, it doesn’t change what we’re doing."

And, well, he wasn’t wrong. But there was one thing that felt different now. One thing that mattered to me.

"It does, though. It gives me the certainty that this is something. That we’re something. That neither of us is just going to move on to someone else."

Kacchan’s eyes widened slightly in surprise before his expression twisted into mild irritation.

"Are you seriously trying to say that if I hadn’t agreed to this just now, you’d be making out with someone else next week? Hah?!"

I flinched.

Wait, what? How the hell did he get that from what I said?

"Kacchan! No! Of course not. I just… ugh, damn it… how do I even say this without making it sound all cheesy?" I grumbled, mostly to myself. I had no idea how to phrase it in a way that didn’t make me sound ridiculous.

But Kacchan’s impatient stare - paired with that simmering aggression - forced the words out of me.

Screwing my eyes shut, I mumbled, "It makes me happy that you’re willing to call yourself my…my b-bo-boyfriend."

"Why?" Kacchan's voice was barely more than a whisper.

I had the distinct feeling that we had both just stopped breathing. That we were both, all of a sudden, completely overwhelmed by this conversation.

Cautiously, I opened my eyes, realizing that they stung slightly. Fuck, why the hell were tears welling up in them now? Was it fear?

"I like you."

Three words.

Once again, three words that made me want to curl up and die. Different from the ones I had said after that first time in the kitchen. But these three words carried far more weight than an "It was nice."

To me, they sounded like a confession. Even if they weren’t. Not really.

"Stupid nerd," was Kacchan's only response before his lips crashed onto mine.

He pressed himself against me, kissed me with force, with certainty. Dominant and overwhelming. And I let myself be swept away by it. My fingers tangled into his hair as he lowered himself fully onto me, our bodies melting together once more. To do exactly what he apparently couldn’t get enough of. What we had just recovered from. How the hell was he this insatiable all of a sudden?

God, if things kept going at this rate, we weren’t leaving this bed today.

And, honestly?

I didn’t think I’d mind. Not at all. If anything, I wanted to deepen this, to explore what else we could do now that we were… in a relationship.

Because whatever lingering doubts I had left had just been completely and utterly replaced by trust. And Kacchan, with only a few words spoken, had somehow managed to convince me.

Because, in the end, actions spoke louder than words. Didn’t they?

Notes:

That's it!
How did you like it? Too fluffy? A bit awkward? I think that at the beginning of relationships (especially at that age), conversations can be really weird and not so easy. I hope that came across well. After all, these are two teenagers who first need to grow into this new situation.

And you know what the best part is? We’ll keep watching them figure things out in this story! 😉 You have my word on that!

See you on Tuesday!
Wishing you all a sunny and wonderful weekend! 🌞💖

Chapter 26: Surprising Sunday Afternoon

Notes:

Hello everyone!

Phew, it’s still Tuesday—barely 10 minutes left, but hey, I made it on time! ^^'
Sorry, things have been so hectic for me lately. So annoying. I just want to upload some nice chapters here in peace. 😩
But wow, since the last chapter, so many kudos have come in! O.O Seriously, thank you so much! 💕

Enjoy today’s chapter! 😊

Chapter 26 – Surprising Sunday Afternoon

 

After going at it for the second time that day, we had actually dozed off again for a bit. But it didn’t last long, because my stomach growled so loudly, it probably echoed across the entire UA campus.

"What the hell is wrong with you, Deku?" Kacchan grumbled beside me, looking a little squished from the pillow. Honestly, kind of cute. He reminded me more of his four-year-old self than his usual self.

"I'm hungry. I mean, it’s already… uh… wait…," I mumbled, blindly reaching for my phone on the nightstand. But when I saw the time, I jolted in surprise, needing a moment to process it.

"Fuck, Kacchan! It’s already past 1 PM!"

While I was flailing around like a panicked chicken, Kacchan just lay there completely unfazed, yawning before turning over. I shook his shoulder, but all I got in return was a low growl.

"Damn it, Nerd! Who cares? It's Sunday," he complained, fully intending to keep sleeping.

He couldn’t be serious! We still had to do laundry and make lunch before the others came back to the dorms. That was usually around 4 PM. Almost no one returned earlier from their weekend trips. Plus, we should probably shower again to wash off the - my face heated up - now dried traces of everything we’d done. I could still feel them with the slightest movement.

With a heavy sigh, I sat up and glanced over at the blonde beside me. I needed to figure out who exactly this was lying next to me, because Kacchan would never say something like that. Ever.

Everyone knew that Kacchan followed a strict daily schedule and stuck to it religiously. He always woke up early, and he went to bed at the same time every night. Well, maybe I had already messed up the latter with all these sleepovers. But he also never skipped his meals. Eating well-balanced, nutritious food was just as important to him as training, making his workouts even more effective. So why did he suddenly not care? And how could he not be starving after last night and this morning - or whatever we were calling it at this point?

Meanwhile, I felt like my stomach was about to devour itself.

Letting out another sigh, I threw the blanket off me. There was no point wasting time thinking about it.

"I'm gonna take a shower. Can you strip the bed? That way, I can start the laundry while you’re showering," I told him, picking up a fresh pair of boxers, a loose shirt, and some pants from the pile of clean clothes.

Kacchan’s only response was an irritated, "Don't tell me what to do, shitty nerd."

I just shook my head with a smile and headed out of the room. He’d do it - I was sure of that.

 

 

We briefly crossed paths in the bathroom - he was coming in as I was heading out. No words, no comments. I left it at that since he still looked kind of grumpy. As I stepped into the hallway, I let out a small chuckle. It seemed like Kacchan’s usual morning grumpiness had just been… delayed. Weird.

But to my surprise, when I returned to his room, I found that he hadn’t just stripped the bed - he had completely remade it. On top of that, he’d tidied up a little, and the laundry bag was neatly placed by the door.

"Say what you want about him, but he’s the definition of order," I muttered under my breath, grabbing my phone and the laundry bag before heading to my own room to gather my dirty clothes as well. After all, I couldn’t just hand him a task and not do my own. No way. If I tried that, Kacchan would probably kill me.

Kacchan. My… boyfriend.

A goofy grin spread across my face. God! Why did I suddenly feel the urge to squeal after thinking that? Or jump up and down? Damn it, I was acting like a total girl. At least, that’s what I had observed in class whenever Ochako or Mina got really excited about something. When they were happy, they’d sometimes bounce around and let out those ridiculously high-pitched squeals. Most of the guys would roll their eyes. I’d always just smiled awkwardly, not really getting it.

Well, now I kind of understood.

Only, in my case, it wasn’t over something materialistic or a cute cat video - it was about Kacchan. A person. Someone who had completely thrown me off balance this week. Someone who had beaten me up. Someone who had insulted me. Someone who had opened up to me. And someone who had kissed me.

Damn it, he had turned my whole world upside down. And it was only getting worse. Where was this even going to end?

I sighed as I dumped the laundry into the basement hampers, crouching down to sort everything - whites, darks, delicates. Since no one else was around, I could take up three machines at once. No one would care, and we’d be done with laundry in three hours.

One thing UA definitely did right: They planned for everything. Even fast, high-tech washer-dryer combos.

‘Weird what kind of things you find yourself appreciating, huh?’ I thought to myself with a smirk, shaking off the urge to scratch my temple.

Instead, I headed to the kitchen because my stomach was practically composing a symphony with how loudly it was growling. Seriously, I had never felt this kind of hunger before. And I’d had the best katsudon of my life last night! But since then, well… we had been very active.

I really wouldn’t have thought that what we’d done - only using our hands, really - would burn so much energy. Or maybe it was proportional to the number of times?

I placed a hand on my chin, overanalyzing the whole thing. It was honestly ridiculous to even think about, but I couldn’t help it.

I only snapped out of it when a dish towel smacked me in the face.

"What the hell are you mumbling about now? Get over here and help me, Nerd!" Kacchan’s loving greeting rang out. Well, as loving as it probably got with him after waking up. Though, considering it was already afternoon, that excuse was getting weaker.

"Sorry, Kacchan," I quickly replied, moving to join him in the kitchen. I glanced over the counter, curious about what we were making for breakfast. Or lunch, really. Was he reheating the katsudon from yesterday?

Before I could finish my thought, though, I was suddenly shoved backward, pressed against the opposite counter, and kissed - so quickly that I had no time to react.

And just as fast as he had kissed me, Kacchan pulled away before I could even return it.

I opened my mouth to say something, but he had already turned back around, barking orders instead:

"Put rice in the cooker!"

Still feeling completely blindsided, I just nodded mechanically and did what he said, even as my brain struggled to process what had just happened.

I felt… disappointed.

I had wanted to kiss him back. Wanted to wrap my arms around him, soak up his warmth.

But instead, my brain flooded me with entirely different images - ones that were not as innocent as a simple kiss.

I quickly shook my head, trying to clear my mind as I focused on the task at hand.

A snort from beside me made me pause.

"What?" I turned to look at Kacchan, who was still staring at the stove, not even glancing at me.

"Kacchaaaaan," I whined a little, hoping he’d explain.

Finally, he let out a low chuckle and spoke:

"I think I’m corrupting your thoughts."

I frowned, now even more confused.

To my small delight, though, he finally turned to look at me.

"Judging by your red face and the way you shook your head just now," he said smugly, "I’d bet you were thinking about doing something other than cooking with me in this kitchen."

My jaw dropped. I held my breath, completely stunned. How the hell did he know that? Was it that obvious? Had I seriously just turned red from my own thoughts again?

I reached up and touched my face, even though it didn’t help at all. But that small movement was enough to confirm Kacchan’s suspicions, and I immediately regretted it.

Damn it. I needed to learn how to lie in these situations. Immediately.

"Hm, looks like ever since we started making out, I’ve had some kind of enlightenment. At least, I can’t understand why I never managed to read your behavior properly before," Kacchan mused, grinning smugly. "You’re so ridiculously easy to read, it’s almost painful."

I grumbled and crossed my arms over my chest. Did he really have to rub it in? Couldn’t he have just left it at the first remark? Tch, what an ass, I thought sulkily, leaning against the counter. Not like I was of any help in the kitchen anyway. So what was the point in trying? Mr. Perfect could just handle everything himself.

"Are you pouting?" Kacchan asked again, surprisingly talkative, even though he wasn’t expecting an answer. Or maybe he already knew I wasn’t going to give him one. Whatever. Let him do what he wanted. I wasn’t going to let him mess with me any further. If he wanted someone to tease, he could find someone else.

A sigh pulled me from my grumpy thoughts. I looked up - only to find Kacchan standing directly in front of me. Huh? When had he gotten so close again?

"You do realize you’ll have to live with the fact that I’m always going to mess with you if you keep making it this easy for me, right?" he asked, crossing his arms in front of his chest, looking me over with a smirk.

Instead of answering, I turned my head toward the window, staring outside in stubborn silence, trying not to let his words get to me. But that probably had the opposite effect. Because Kacchan didn’t back off. No. He stepped even closer, completely leaning into me, planting his hands on the counter on either side of me while his mouth hovered near my ear.

"You’re unbearable when you’re hungry. And yet, I kinda like it." His voice was low, dark, teasing.

Every fine hair on my arms stood on end. My breath hitched. Dammit. How was I supposed to stay mad like this?

He kissed the skin behind my ear, making me shiver. And just as I turned my head to kiss him back, he pulled away, walking back to the stove like nothing had happened.

No. Freaking. Way.

"You’re driving me insane," I growled, marching right after him and grabbing his arm, spinning him around to glare at him.

He just grinned down at me, eyebrows raised in amusement, looking so damn smug. Ugh! How the hell did I end up falling for this cocky, arrogant, infuriating jerk?!

"I hate you!" I spat through clenched teeth before stomping off to the couch, throwing myself down with a huff. I needed a moment to cool off.

Honestly, I wasn’t even sure if I wanted to punch him or rip his clothes off. Damn it. I really couldn’t tell. I was actually losing my mind. Maybe I needed to rethink this whole being-with-Kacchan thing.

 

Not even ten minutes later, Kacchan shoved a bowl of katsudon into my hands. He, however, had made himself something else. I couldn’t quite see what it was as he walked over to the other end of the couch, sitting down in a half-crossed-leg position, leaning against the armrest. He looked incredibly elegant while doing it. I’d never really noticed that before.

My previous childish annoyance vanished in an instant. It was ridiculous anyway. I knew Kacchan, and honestly, he hadn’t even said anything that bad.

"Eat already, you little diva," Kacchan urged, his gaze softer than I expected. Another reason my irritation faded.

"I’m not a diva," I mumbled weakly, already half drooling over the food in my hands. As if to betray me, my stomach chose that exact moment to growl loudly again. The ultimate traitor.

"Hungry, you do act like one," he remarked before digging into his own meal. I watched him for a brief moment before finally giving in, practically inhaling my food. With each bite, I could feel my mood improving. Had I always been this cranky when I was hungry? Or was it just because so much had changed for me in the past week? Could someone even change that quickly? Or develop new habits so fast?

"You’re mumbling, Deku," Kacchan pointed out. Startled, I glanced up at him and then quickly smiled apologetically. No, you couldn’t change that fast. I was still the same.

"Thanks for the amazing food, Kacchan."

"Do you still want to claw my eyes out, or are you coming over here?" he asked, amusement lacing his tone. I tried to pout, but my face refused to cooperate, stretching into a smile instead. How embarrassing.

Shaking my head, I stood up and walked over to him. I hesitated for a second, unsure of what to do, but Kacchan simply adjusted his seat and pulled me onto his lap. My heart pounded, and my cheeks flushed with warmth.

Even though we had already touched each other so many times, this still felt different. Was it because we had now decided to be together? Or was it just because someone could walk in on us at any moment?

"Kacchan, the others—" I started, but my words were cut off by his lips. Nervously, I glanced toward the dorm entrance before giving up and closing my eyes. No one would come in right now. And even if they did, the kiss was worth it.

I loved this feeling.

Our first kisses had been uncertain, experimental. But now, they were something else - more coordinated, better, more intense.

My hands rested on his sides as Kacchan slid one of his into my nape, pulling me in closer, guiding me. The warmth pooling in my stomach, the tingling running down my spine, the goosebumps spreading from my neck - it was all so much. But instead of feeling overwhelmed, I let myself sink into it, embrace it.

I sighed softly as Kacchan’s fingers began to lightly scratch the back of my neck. My forehead instinctively leaned against his, our lips barely inches apart.

It was nice to just stay like this for a moment.

I listened to his steady breath, inhaled his familiar scent. Despite knowing him for so long, I still couldn’t describe it. I had nothing to compare it to. Maybe because, to me, it had always just been Kacchan’s scent.

"I’m gonna clean up the kitchen real quick, then head back to my room. No way I’m running into anyone," Kacchan murmured, his voice calm and steady.

It was unfamiliar, this tone of his. Usually, he was irritable, restless, frustrated. But I liked this sound - this softer version of him. Even the darker, lower tone he sometimes used. It felt like a side of him only I got to hear.

Like I was the only one who got to see this Kacchan.

"I can come up with you," I murmured absentmindedly, stealing a quick, soft kiss. Then, I nestled my head into the crook of his neck, simply enjoying the feeling of sitting on his lap and being able to cuddle into him.

"And how exactly do you plan on getting back down once all those idiots start showing up?" His voice was skeptical, almost lecturing, as if he was making it clear that I hadn’t thought this through.

"Hmm, you’re probably right. That’d be dumb," I grumbled against his neck, disappointed that we’d have to part soon - again, until it was time for bed. We hadn’t talked about it yet, but I had a feeling Kacchan wanted to keep whatever this was between us a secret. I wanted that too - for now. But… forever?

"Kacchan…?" I spoke up again, straightening a little, sensing that I was about to doze off. He looked at me, and I felt his hand leave my nape, trailing down to my hip, where it rested, his thumb idly stroking back and forth. He didn’t say anything - just waited for me to continue.

"We’re… not telling the others? At least, not yet?" I asked hesitantly, nervous about how he would react to the not yet. I wasn’t sure where he stood on that.

"I don’t plan on telling anyone," he stated firmly, and the sheer certainty in his crimson eyes nearly made me shrink under its weight. It dampened my sentimental feelings a little.

"Yeah, me neither, but… what if…" I started to stammer. Damn it. I was afraid of his reaction. What if he never wanted anyone to know? Would I be okay with that? Right now, I was really happy. But the idea that I couldn’t tell anyone - couldn’t show anyone - put a slight shadow over that happiness.

"Deku," he said, his tone calm. I looked up at him again, realizing I had unconsciously lowered my gaze. "You’re overthinking things that don’t even matter right now. Let’s just see what this even is first. Weren’t we both fine with figuring out how far this goes? Until we do, there’s no point in stressing over anything else."

His voice was so steady, so rational. How did he do that?

But maybe his own words embarrassed him. Maybe they sounded too emotional in his own ears. Because almost immediately, he tacked on in pure Kacchan fashion, "Besides, I really don’t feel like dealing with those nosy extras watching us like hawks all the damn time. That’d be annoying as hell."

I just nodded, forcing a small smile. I wasn’t sure what I wanted either.

"Now get off me, Nerd, before someone actually walks in."

Without another word, I got up, and Kacchan grabbed our empty bowls and headed to the kitchen. I hesitated, watching him go, then quickly decided to follow and help him - just to enjoy his presence a little longer. After all, we’d be going our separate ways again soon.

 

Todoroki was the first to return to the dorms. And it had only been ten minutes since Kacchan had left. That had been way too close.

"Hey, Todoroki! It’s great to see you," I greeted him with a bright smile. I was genuinely happy to see another familiar face. Plus, I liked him. He was strong - someone I was glad to have by my side, whether in school or in battle.

"Good afternoon, Midoriya. Were you waiting down here?" he asked, stopping behind the couch and looking at me. I scratched my temple and replied, "Well, I didn’t really have anyone to talk to today. And Kacchan wouldn’t tell me anything about your special training course. So yeah, I’m happy that you’re the first one back."

A brief, soft smile crossed his usually expressionless face before he set down his bag and took a seat next to me on the couch.

"Well, it is Bakugou," he said simply before actually starting to tell me about the day. I was glad. Kacchan probably would’ve told me about it eventually, but somehow, we never got around to that topic. Then again, we had been way too focused on each other. Not that I was complaining. Far from it.

I listened intently, asking a few questions along the way. I couldn’t help but laugh when he talked about the partner exercise between him and Kacchan - one they had almost failed. But Todoroki didn’t complain about it, which made me admire him a little more. If it had been me, I probably would’ve ended up arguing with Kacchan or even fighting him before we finally managed to work together.

We really needed to take All Might’s words to heart. We had already nailed the whole "mutual acceptance" thing - probably even more than he had ever expected. Now, if we could just apply that to actual combat, we’d be unstoppable. I was sure of it.

 

One by one, the dorm started to fill up again, and most of our classmates joined Shoto and me after putting their things away. Their weekend stories quickly distracted me, which, honestly, was a good thing. I really liked my classmates. Thanks to the dorm system, we had grown close - almost like one big family.

But that peaceful atmosphere didn’t last long. Out of nowhere, I heard Kacchan’s furious voice echo through the dorm.

“SHITTY DEKU! WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU?”

I flinched and turned toward the hallway with a mix of apprehension and dread. I could feel Uraraka shift slightly closer to me. She was probably trying to be reassuring, and I would’ve been grateful for the gesture under different circumstances. But right now? I had the sinking feeling that this would only make things worse.

So, I quickly got to my feet and walked a few steps toward Kacchan before he could get any angrier.

“What’s wrong, Kacchan?” I asked, trying to keep my voice as normal as possible. It wasn’t easy. There was no way to completely hide the nervousness creeping into my tone.

Kacchan stormed into view, his entire posture rigid with rage.

“CHECK YOUR FUCKING EMAILS! NOW!”

Confused, I tilted my head slightly, though I could already feel the curious stares of my classmates burning into my back. Ignoring them, I reached into my pocket and pulled out my phone.

My eyes immediately landed on a new email notification from Aizawa.

My stomach twisted.

The subject line - Assignments for the Remaining Duration of House Arrest - along with Kacchan’s absolute fury could only mean one thing: We were screwed.

Feeling uneasy, I shot Kacchan a glance, but his expression was unreadable. So, swallowing hard, I turned my focus back to the email and opened the attachment.

The color drained from my face.

“What the…?” I gasped, scrolling through the five attached pages. Up. Down. Up again. How the hell were we supposed to finish all of this in two days? There was even more work than we had gotten for the entire week. And some of these assignments… what were they even asking us to do?

“I don’t know what the hell that sleep-deprived bastard was thinking,” Kacchan growled, “but this is bullshit! We’re going to him! NOW!”

With that, he grabbed me by the collar, already yanking me forward like he was about to drag me straight to Aizawa’s office.

“Wait, Kacchan!” I protested, digging my heels in and stopping him. “We’ll just make it worse!”

“Hey, Bakubro! What happened?” Kirishima cut in, his voice full of concern.

Before I could answer, Kacchan chucked his phone at him. It bounced off Kirishima’s head with a soft thud, and Kacchan slumped into a seat at the dining table, arms crossed and sheer annoyance.

I watched in silent horror as the rest of the class immediately swarmed around Kirishima to read the email. Meanwhile, I hesitantly took a seat near Kacchan - keeping a small bit of distance between us. I was being careful. Making sure I didn’t do anything that might stand out.

“Whoa! What did you guys do to deserve this?” Kaminari exclaimed, staring at the phone screen in disbelief.

I bit my lip. What were we supposed to say? No one knew about the whole door situation. And honestly? I couldn’t think of any other reason why Aizawa would dump all of this on us.

…Or was this about our conversation on Friday?

Was he testing us? If so, what exactly was he testing? Our teamwork? Our problem-solving skills?

"You’re mumbling,” Kacchan muttered under his breath.

I tensed. Right. I needed to be careful about that. I glanced at him apologetically, but before I could say anything, a calm, collected voice cut through the commotion.

„Did Mr. Aizawa find out about the door?“

My jaw dropped. My heart skipped a beat. Had Momo really just asked that out loud?

Oh god, I really didn’t want this to get out. Because if it did, someone was bound to ask how exactly it had happened. And then I’d have to explain why I’d lost control. What Kacchan had said to provoke me. I really didn’t want to go there.

Like I was trapped in a bubble, I distantly heard Kacchan let out an irritated groan beside me.

Saw him rub his hand over his forehead, just as an avalanche of questions from our classmates came crashing down on us.

"What door?"

"What did you guys do?"

"Why does Momo know something we don’t?"

"Did you fight again ?"

The sheer number of voices talking over each other was overwhelming. The same questions being thrown at us repeatedly, over and over, like an interrogation.

And then - like always - Kacchan came to the rescue.

“SHUT YOUR FUCKING MOUTHS OR I’LL KILL EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU!” Kacchan roared at the entire group in front of us.

And just like that - absolute silence.

I had to physically hold myself back from laughing or sighing in relief. Or worse - leaning against Kacchan in gratitude. Sometimes, his explosive temper really was convenient.

While the rest of the class still stared at us, wide-eyed, Kacchan turned to me with an impatient growl.

“Explain it, Nerd!”

I fidgeted nervously, my fingers twitching slightly as I tried to put my words together. My eyes dropped to the floor as I spoke - somehow, it felt less humiliating that way.

“So, uh… to keep it short…” I started, choosing my words carefully. “I… kind of broke a door this week. I threw something at Kacchan’s head.”

A few gasps sounded from the group, but I quickly continued.

“But we didn’t fight! It was just a small argument. Nothing serious. But… Momo was kind enough to make us a new door so that Aizawa wouldn’t find out. And, well… turns out he did find out. So yeah. That’s why we got stuck with all these assignments. And why we’re still in house arrest until Tuesday.”

There were all sorts of reactions. Some laughed, others looked at us with pity. A few were completely stunned. I could also hear some murmuring. I wasn’t even able to tell who reacted in what way - my mind was too occupied with that enormous list of tasks.

Yaomomo’s voice pulled me out of my thoughts once more.

“I don’t think it’s really our business how it happened. So, how about we focus on making dinner together and let them be for now?”

“If Bakugou’s cooking, count me in,” Sero commented shamelessly.

Kacchan immediately ground his teeth. I could already sense the brewing storm beside me. Before I could say anything to de-escalate the situation, the chair next to me scraped loudly against the wooden floor, and I barely managed to catch a glimpse of his furious expression from the corner of my eye.

His body was trembling with anger. Tiny sparks crackled in his palms. He was doing everything in his power to not immediately launch himself at Sero. Or maybe even the entire class.

Without thinking, I jumped in, quickly turning Kacchan toward the elevator as I hastily said to the rest of them, speaking at an inhuman speed, “We’re not on kitchen duty until tomorrow. Sorry, Sero, but we’re gonna start working on our assignments. Bye.“

With that, I shoved Kacchan away from the others.

I had to endure an endless stream of cursing from him all the way to the elevator, but he didn’t fight me. That alone told me he didn’t mind that I was pulling him out of the situation.

 

I let out a relieved breath as soon as the elevator doors closed. The tension drained from my body, and I slumped slightly against Kacchan’s shoulder.

“Thanks, Nerd,” he murmured quietly, resting his head lightly against mine.

We simply stood there in silence, shoulder to shoulder, taking a moment to breathe.

“What now?” I asked as I noticed we were almost at our floor.

“What you said - we check out the assignments. Makes sense to figure out a plan on how we’ll get through all of them,” he explained. Then, with his usual fighting spirit, he added, “Tch, we’ll show that damn sleeping bag freak how it’s done.”

I let out a quiet laugh at Kacchan’s words. Before I could think too much about it, I turned my head slightly and placed a quick kiss on his cheek.

It just felt right. And I hoped he liked the gesture, too. At the very least, he didn’t complain.

No, in fact, he actually grinned at me. He was just about to reach for my face, probably to kiss me properly, when the elevator let out a loud ding, signaling our arrival.

We immediately took a step away from each other.

Thank god!

Because standing right outside the elevator was a panting Kirishima. A panting Kirishima… holding Kacchan’s phone.

Shit, that could’ve been bad.

The thought shot through my mind as I instinctively took another small step away from Kacchan.

“What do you want, Shitty Hair?” Kacchan snapped, brushing past him into his room.

I stayed with Kirishima, offering him a friendly smile.

“I still had your phone,” he said casually, walking alongside me as we followed after Kacchan.

Kacchan ignored him completely, only lifting a hand over his shoulder in a silent demand for his phone.

I sighed internally.

Kacchan and Kirishima were actually good friends - so why was he acting so cold toward him? What was the point of giving him the silent, annoyed treatment?

I stayed quiet, just observing the way they interacted. For some reason, I suddenly felt a little out of place. Like an unnecessary extra just tagging along.

It wasn’t like I usually stuck around Kacchan like this. Normally, it would be Kirishima, Kaminari, or even Sero standing here, not me.

And honestly, it felt… weird.

I didn’t know if I should say something or just leave them alone. But then again, it wasn’t normal for anyone to just casually walk into Kacchan’s room.

The guys had made that very clear last Wednesday, and they’d even brought it up a couple more times since then.

Why was Kacchan so secretive about his room, anyway? It wasn’t like he had anything special or deeply personal in there.

“Oh, Midobro! Are you allowed back into the sacred territory again?”

Kirishima’s sudden comment snapped me out of my thoughts. I blinked at him in surprise, my brain scrambling for an answer. But before I could say anything, Kacchan cut in.

“Oi, damn Deku! Get inside already! I need to talk to this idiot.”

I obediently nodded, gave Kirishima a small wave, and slipped past Kacchan into his room.

He shut the door immediately behind me. Guess I wasn’t supposed to hear whatever he had to say. But damn it - that just made me even more curious.

For a second, I hesitated. Should I try to listen in? But I quickly shook my head.

No. That wasn’t something I would want someone doing to me.

Instead, I went over to Kacchan’s bed and flopped down on my stomach, hugging a pillow beneath me as I reached for my phone.

“I should just read through the assignments instead of being nosy,” I muttered to myself, sighing heavily.

Hopefully, there’s some kind of loophole hidden in that mess of words.

Notes:

That’s it!

And yes, you might as well get used to the weekends in this story being quite long ^^' I just don’t want to skip a single moment between these two. 😆

How did you like it? Do you think they’ll manage to finish all their assignments? …Hehe 😏

See you on Friday! Have a great rest of the week! 😊

Chapter 27: Ouch!

Notes:

Hello everyone!
Finally, it's Friday! =D And that means I can treat you to a new chapter! I'm so excited because we're slowly getting to the chapters that I absolutely love!
Thank you so much for your comments - I’m really happy that you enjoyed the cozy chapter as much as I did! ^//^
So, Enjoy this one too!

Chapter 27 – Ouch

 

I hadn’t even finished reading the first page when the door behind me clicked shut, and a visibly irritated Kacchan approached me. I didn’t turn around but only glanced over my shoulder. That was a mistake, because the next second, he threw himself onto me with his full weight, completely knocking the air out of my lungs and making me gasp.

“Kacchan, you’re heavy,” I croaked, struggling to inhale properly. It wasn’t easy to fill my lungs when something was pressing down on me, making it impossible for my ribcage to expand.

“Then try a little harder,” he replied, sounding annoyed. I felt his breath at the nape of my neck, and his spiky hair tickled my temple and cheek, making my skin itch slightly. But since I was practically pinned down, I couldn’t even reach up to scratch it.

“Kacchan, seriously!” I managed to gasp, and finally, he let out a sigh before rolling off me. I inhaled deeply, grateful for the relief, while he remained lying next to me.

One glance at his face told me he was either exhausted or just incredibly annoyed. He had one arm draped over his eyes, as if he needed a moment to himself. I decided to leave him be and unlocked my phone to continue reading.

‘There has to be some loophole somewhere. There’s no way he seriously expects us to complete more assignments in two days than we did in an entire week,’ I thought as I carefully scanned page after page.

To my disappointment, they were all actual assignments for different subjects. But it was hard to ignore the fact that the list of tasks for Mr. Aizawa’s class was suspiciously long. He had even mentioned additional materials he would be providing. On top of that, he had specifically requested that everything be handwritten.

Was this still about the door? Or had something we said during our conversation on Friday irritated him even more?

“Deku?” Kacchan’s voice suddenly broke me out of my frustration.

I turned my head toward him, but he hadn’t moved much.

“What is it, Kacchan?” I asked. To my surprise, he finally turned toward me, shifting onto his stomach and resting his head on his arms. He looked… frustrated.

“Did you find anything?”

I shook my head guiltily, which made him sigh before he let out a low growl. His hands clenched into fists, and it was clear that his frustration was only growing.

Wanting to calm him down, I quickly started rambling: “It looks like Aizawa’s assignments are partner tasks, so we can do those together. That means only one of us has to write everything down, and we can just make a copy for the other. He can’t possibly object to that, right? And as for the other subjects, we can split them up again. You can do math, and I’ll take care of English. That worked really well last time, especially since I’d never finish math on my own. I can also take hero studies, and you can do—”

Kacchan’s hand clamped over my mouth, cutting me off mid-sentence.

“If you want to die today, just say so, Deku,” he growled in a threatening tone, pushing himself up and looming over me.

My heart instantly started pounding as my hands instinctively wanted to pull him down toward me. Damn it. Why was I reacting so intensely to such a simple gesture? Or was it the way his gaze darkened and his voice took on that deeper, husky tone? Was I actually into that?

Heat rushed to my cheeks under Kacchan’s intense stare. His hand moved from my mouth to my cheek, his fingers tracing along my skin. At the same time, he propped one knee between my legs, practically hovering over me now.

“Listen up, little Deku,” he murmured, his breath warm against my ear. He had to know exactly what he was doing to me.

“We’re going to sit down and make a clear plan for today and tomorrow. We’ll write it all down, and then, once that’s done, we can get back to focusing on us.”

Holy Shit! That voice and the way he was acting were making me weak.

Hadn’t we just been stressed out and furious about all these assignments? How had the mood shifted so quickly? Just because he had put his hand over my mouth?

‘That’s kind of how this whole thing started, isn’t it?’ the annoying voice in my head reminded me.

It wasn’t wrong.

Back then, it had been his lips instead of his hand. A tiny gesture that had led to something so much bigger. Something incredible.

“What’s wrong, Nerd? Cat got your tongue?” he teased, pressing his lips to my neck, his tongue running along my skin.

I could feel my blood rushing south, and my breathing quickened. Damn it, he was too good at this. Or maybe I was just way too sensitive?

“Good plan,” I managed to say, my voice shaking as I tilted my head to the side, giving him more access.

A quiet gasp left my lips as his hand slipped under my shirt, fingers tracing the contours of my stomach.

His lips and touch were driving me crazy, making it impossible to think straight. All I could focus on was how much I wanted this. How much I wanted him. For the third time today.

I didn’t even have the chance to fully surrender to the sensation before, just as suddenly as he had started, Kacchan stopped. He got up and walked over to his desk.

I stared after him, completely thrown off.

My breathing was still uneven, my body aching from the sudden loss of contact.

“What?” I asked, still catching my breath, not understanding what had just happened.

“We’re making our plan now, Nerd. You agreed to it, remember?” Kacchan said flatly, settling into his chair.

A low growl escaped me as I glared at him in frustration. He was seriously going to pull this on me now?

That was just cruel.

“Kacchaaaan,” I growled menacingly, my fingers clenching into the bedsheet.

“Yes?” he responded, bored and uninterested. But I knew damn well that, deep down, he was patting himself on the back for what he had just done. Absolutely. He always enjoyed getting under my skin, and once again, he had succeeded. There was no denying it.

“You did that on purpose,” I accused him, only to be met with his smug grin and a nod. A frustrated growl escaped me as I turned onto my stomach and stared sulkingly at the wall.

“You’re an ass.”

I felt the embarrassment creeping up inside me. Damn it, why was I so easy to rile up? I didn’t want to be this easily flustered. On the other hand, it probably showed him just how much I enjoyed whatever this was between us. So maybe it wasn’t such a bad thing? It was only frustrating when he used it to mess with me and took joy in teasing me.

“I’m still waiting for your ‘I hate you!’” Kacchan’s mocking voice rang out.

I suppressed a huff and ignored him. Not reacting was probably the best reaction in this situation. Even if it took every ounce of willpower I had. After all, ignoring Kacchan was something I had never been able to do. Not in all the years I had known him. No matter what he had done. Or maybe… precisely because he had always done something. Whether good or bad was another matter entirely.

“That was really mean, Kacchan,” I finally said after a brief pause, my voice deliberately laced with disappointment. Hoping, maybe, to guilt-trip him a little. I still didn’t turn to look at him.

“Oh, don’t be such a baby,” came his exasperated reply. He clearly wasn’t moving from his spot and was still expecting me to come to him.

“If I had done that to you, I probably wouldn’t be alive right now.”

“As if you’d ever have the guts to get me all turned on just to drop me cold.”

There was that mocking tone again. Did he not take me seriously at all? Why couldn’t he just be nice for once and cuddle with me, like he had this morning? That had been so nice. But no, of course, Mr. Provocative had to make an appearance instead of just enjoying the quiet moment together.

Not that we hadn’t already had plenty of those today. But I wanted more.

“You’ll see. Someday,” I grumbled under my breath, keeping my position stubbornly.

Though, now that I thought about it, when had I become so prone to sulking? Had I always been like this? Or was it just because of all the emotional chaos in my head?

I heard him sigh, then the sound of his chair scraping against the floor. A moment later, the mattress dipped beside me, and an arm wrapped around my waist.

I couldn’t stop the smile spreading across my lips. Yes, this was exactly what I had wanted.

Which meant… I had won. Yes, definitely.

“Come on, Nerd,” Kacchan murmured softly. “Let’s get this done, so we can lie here longer afterward, okay? I won’t tease you anymore until then.”

I felt his head rest against my shoulder blade, and I thought - though I wasn’t entirely sure - that he might have pressed a small kiss there.

“You do realize this truce is only going to last for an hour at most, right?”

“Obviously. As if I could go any longer without messing with you. That would be actual torture.”

I shook my head with a smile. I could never stay mad at him. So, I turned around and gave him a brief kiss on the lips.

“That’s probably the best I can expect.”

 

                  

It had taken us over an hour to come up with a really solid work plan. We had gone through the books, determined the scope of each assignment, and planned everything down to the last detail. Sure, we probably could have completed one or two tasks in that time, but this way, we would know exactly what to do first thing tomorrow after breakfast.

Although, I wasn’t exactly thrilled that we’d each be working on our respective assignments alone in the morning. Kacchan would handle everything involving formulas and numbers, while I focused on analysis and interpretation. If nothing else, our week of house arrest had at least improved our teamwork and division of labor.

“Well, now that the work’s done, time for some fun,” Kacchan grinned mischievously before yanking me off the floor and throwing me onto the bed. He wasted no time crawling over me the very next second.

Surprised, but not in the least embarrassed, I looked up at him - hesitating only for a moment before pulling him down to me. As much as I had managed to ignore him while we were working, the moment that self-satisfied smirk of his returned, I was completely drawn to him again.

How the hell had I been able to concentrate for so long with this guy sitting right next to me?

“Ooh, is the nerd finally getting a little bolder?” he teased.

I simply punched him in the side without a word, my hands slipping under his shirt soon after. His skin felt even better with each touch. No matter how many times my fingers glided over his back, I never found a single imperfection. His skin was just perfect. Maybe it had something to do with his Quirk?

“You’re an ass,” I hissed against his lips, knowing full well I was repeating myself. But I couldn’t think of a better comeback at the moment - not when Kacchan’s touch, his scent, and everything about him consumed my senses.

I heard a low, deep chuckle before he pulled away from my lips and reached for the hem of my shirt. He started lifting it over my head, and I arched my back slightly to help him. Just as I felt the cool air hit my exposed skin—

A knock at the door.

In perfect sync, we both let out a frustrated growl, turning our heads toward the sound.

“WHAT?!” Kacchan barked aggressively toward the door.

“Hey, Bro! Dinner’s ready, and I wanted to see if you were coming down,” Kirishima’s nervous voice answered.

Kacchan hesitated, seemingly debating his response, while I silently wondered if he had locked the door. Or did he still believe no one would just barge in unannounced?

If I were him, I wouldn’t be so sure anymore.

After all, I was here now. And I wasn’t exactly part of his usual group. If even I had made it into his ‘forbidden room,’ shouldn’t he expect that someone else might one day just waltz in?

“Don’t get on my damn nerves. I’ll be down in a minute,” Kacchan finally responded, clearly annoyed.

He let out a frustrated sigh, sitting up and tugging my shirt back down over my torso.

“God, they’re so fucking annoying,” he grumbled to himself, standing up and adjusting his clothes.

I sighed, mirroring his actions. Honestly, we were lucky Kirishima had knocked when he did. A few moments later, and stopping wouldn’t have been so easy.

Suddenly, I felt Kacchan’s hand grasp mine. I blinked, startled, looking at him in surprise. But he simply yanked me toward the door without hesitation.

And the moment he opened it - he let go.

I tried not to grin too foolishly. My heart was doing somersaults. It had lasted barely five seconds. But for five whole seconds, we had held hands. Ridiculous to get excited over something so small, right?

Probably just my imagination that my hand was still tingling. But my thoughts were wrapped in a fluffy haze of bliss, and honestly, I felt a little embarrassed about it.

Only the surprised look on an equally surprised Eijiro kept me from drifting into daydreams.

“Oh, Midobro! You’re still here,” he remarked, blinking between Kacchan and me with a questioning look. It made me nervous. Very nervous. But really, there was nothing for him to see. Well, maybe just the fact that Kacchan had briefly held my hand. But I could still say that he had just yanked me out of his room because I was too slow for his liking. Yeah, that sounded realistic, right?

“You saw that damn assignment list, Shitty Hair! Think it’s gonna do itself?” Kacchan grumbled, striding ahead once again. He left his waiting friend and me standing there. But I realized he had probably just saved me from some awkward questioning.

Damn, why did I always get so panicky? No one would notice. No one would see it. It was way too absurd!

‘Absurd, but damn good!’ shot through my head, and I had to try really hard not to let that thought show on my face.

"Hey Midoriya, can I ask you something?" Kirishima asked me somewhat shyly as we walked toward the elevator. I noticed Kacchan tilt his head slightly back at the question. I didn’t let it distract me, instead looking at Kirishima in surprise before nodding with a friendly smile. Polite, open, and approachable - that’s how I was with the others. That wasn’t going to change.

"Well, uh… so… um… are you and Kats… uh… are you, like… good friends?"

I nearly tripped over my own feet at that question. Fuck! What was I even supposed to say to that? And why did my face suddenly feel so ridiculously warm?

Helplessly, I glanced over at Kacchan. He had come to a stop, just like we had, but hadn’t turned around yet. Instead, he stood there, completely relaxed, hands stuffed in his pockets - just like always.

"Uh…" I started, only to trail off immediately. Nervously, I ruffled my hair and lowered my gaze. Would Kacchan get mad if I said yes?

Apparently, Kirishima noticed how awkward the question had made things, because he gave me a reassuring pat on the shoulder before adding, "I mean… I was just wondering… you were up there again… and, uh… I didn’t hear you guys arguing or anything… so I thought… well… you know—"

"Can you moron spit out a proper sentence for once? You’re as brain-dead as Dunceface!" Kacchan suddenly barked, taking two steps forward until he was standing right in front of Kirishima.

I swallowed hard at his expression. He looked irritated.

Under Kacchan’s glare, both of us shrank back slightly, guilt-ridden. But his next words caught me completely off guard.

"We’ve managed to tolerate each other - for now. Got a problem with that?"

Kirishima immediately shook his head, and I exhaled in relief as Kacchan turned away and pressed the elevator button.

"God, he’s always so terrifying," Kirishima sighed beside me, making me chuckle lightly. Yeah, that was definitely true. But honestly, I’d always assumed Kirishima just ignored it. He usually seemed unfazed whenever Kacchan yelled or insulted someone.

"That’s just how he’s always been," I agreed.

I was still smiling when I suddenly noticed that Kacchan had already stepped into the elevator - and was about to let the doors close without us.

Quickly, I lunged forward, sticking my foot between the doors just in time for them to slide back open.

"Kacchan!" I protested, but he just dismissed me with an irritated "Tch."

I sighed, already feeling exhausted by this act we had to keep up. And that was just with Kirishima. Was it harder to hide in front of one observant person rather than blending into a group?

"Hey, Bakubro! No need to get all pissed off," Kirishima said, stepping into the elevator with me. "I just asked a normal question."

Then, before I could mentally prepare myself, he added, "Oh, and I have another one."

Oh no. My stomach dropped. What now?

Kacchan, standing in the corner with his arms crossed, was visibly holding back his irritation. I could practically see the vein throbbing in his temple as he tapped his finger impatiently on his bicep.

"Does that mean Midoriya’s part of our Squad now?"

I tilted my head. "You mean, like… your group?" I asked, confused. Squad sounded weird. More like something the police would say. And why was he even assuming that I was suddenly part of their group? Did Kacchan get to decide who belonged and who didn’t?

"Yeah! But ‘squad’ sounds way more manly," Eijiro said proudly, flexing his bicep for emphasis.

"But… Mina’s part of your group too?" I pointed out.

The question marks floating above my head multiplied. And now I was wondering if Kaminari’s carefree attitude had started rubbing off on Eijiro - though in this case, "carefree" was putting it nicely.

This was Kacchan’s question to answer, not mine. And unfortunately, I already had a pretty good idea of what he was going to say.

"Has your brain turned to stone? As if I’d willingly spend even more time with this shitty Deku!" he snapped, grabbing Kirishima by the collar while tiny sparks flickered in his free hand.

Ouch!

The only thing I could think was that it hit me much harder than I had expected. I had seen it coming, but he had said those words with such conviction that, without realizing it, I bit down on my lower lip, struggling to keep my composure. Fuck! Why were my tear ducts suddenly kicking into gear? He didn’t mean it that way. It was just because of our agreement. No one was supposed to know. That was what I wanted just as much as he did. So why was there now a huge lump in my throat, making it hard to breathe? Why couldn’t I hide how much his words had shocked me?

I lowered my head and turned away from both of them. I was endlessly grateful that, at that exact moment, the elevator doors slid open, giving me the chance to step out.

"I just need to grab the laundry real quick. I’ll be up for dinner in a bit," I said hastily, making a beeline for the staircase next to the elevator and heading down to the basement.

"Hey Kats, wasn’t that kinda harsh?" Kirishima’s voice still reached me. Whether Kacchan responded or not, I didn’t know. I didn’t want to hear another insult. No, I simply couldn’t. Damn it! Who would’ve thought this would get to me? Normally, I just smiled at Kacchan’s words. I had long stopped taking his insults personally. Or at least, I thought I had - until now. But this? This hurt. It hurt like hell.

"Shit!" I muttered under my breath, pressing my lips together as I slammed my fist against the wall. What had he done to me that I was reacting so sensitively?

‘You’re just hopelessly in love with this impulsive blockhead,’ my mind supplied the only logical answer.

I quickly shook my head, refusing to acknowledge it. I needed to think rationally again. He had only said that so we wouldn’t get caught. So we could first figure out where this whole thing between us was going. But goddamn it! We had literally just decided this morning that we were together. How was it already so difficult just a few hours later? And how the hell was I supposed to survive once we were back in class?

"Hey, Nerd," a voice I knew all too well suddenly pulled me out of my downward spiral of thoughts.

His voice sounded so apologetic. So soft. So different. So different that a single tear slipped from the corner of my eye.

"It’s okay, Kacchan. I know you didn’t mean it like that," I said weakly, my voice breaking as I hurried down the last few steps, opened the laundry room door, and stepped inside. I didn’t hear the door close behind me. Instead, I heard footsteps echoing through the basement.

"Then why the hell are you crying if you know that?" he growled. His voice carried an edge - frustration, maybe? Frustration at this new, messed-up situation we found ourselves in? A situation that might have been overwhelming both of us?

Suddenly, I felt two arms wrap around me, pulling me firmly against the warm body behind me. Kacchan buried his face in my hair. I could hear him take a deep breath.

"Sorry, Kacchan. I don’t know why I reacted like that," I admitted honestly, slowly starting to calm down again.

Yeah, he was the one who calmed me. It was insane, the emotions he could stir up in me. I was convinced there wasn’t a single feeling he couldn’t pull out of me.

"Idiot."

I sighed, stepping out of his arms and turning toward the dryers, pulling the laundry out in a hurry. I stuffed everything haphazardly into both bags, smiling at the thought that later, both would end up in Kacchan’s room.

"Just put everything into one. Toss yours into your room real quick before we head back upstairs," Kacchan suggested.

The simple comment made my heart skip a beat. A warmth spread through me, a quiet kind of happiness.

I really was an idiot. A hopelessly emotional idiot.

 

The others were already eating by the time I joined them. Kacchan had gone upstairs ahead of me with the laundry bag, but not before landing a smack on the back of my head and telling me to pull myself together. I had nodded and, as ordered, taken the empty laundry bag back to my room. There, I took a moment to look at myself in the mirror before splashing some cold water on my face.

"Deku! There you are at last," Uraraka greeted me enthusiastically, patting the empty chair beside her. A wide smile spread across my face as I thanked her and took the seat. I was tempted to glance at Kacchan but resisted the urge, choosing instead to enjoy the group dinner.

I joined in the conversations happening around me, listening as some of my classmates excitedly shared that they had secured internship placements with well-known Pro Heroes. Fumikage was going to Hawks. Uraraka and Asui to Ryuko. I was genuinely impressed, but they explained that it had to do with their connection to UA’s Big Three. I accepted the explanation - hopefully, I’d finally get a proper rundown on everything by Wednesday.

What surprised me most was how easy it was to act like nothing had changed. Kacchan faded completely into the background. Everything felt just like before. Did being in a group setting really make that much of a difference? It seemed like multiple factors had played into what had happened earlier.

Factor one: We had been alone in his room and had planned to enjoy more time together.

Factor two: Kirishima had seen both of us leaving the room.

Factor three: We had been asked questions that were directed specifically at the two of us.

When you multiplied all those factors together, the result was a full-blown mental catastrophe on my part.

‘Huh, I guess I did pay attention in math class after all,’ I thought in amusement as I glanced around the room, comparing this situation to the one from earlier. Sitting together at dinner, there was no direct link between Kacchan and me. Everyone was engaged in their own conversations. No one was speaking to just the two of us. We were sitting too far apart. Besides, everyone still saw us as rivals. And according to Kacchan’s statement, we were only in a temporary ceasefire.

"Deku. Hey, where did you wander off to?" Uraraka whispered, nudging me in the side with her elbow. I flinched in surprise, needing a moment to reorient myself. Damn, had I been mumbling again?

"Aizawa-sensei is coming, ribbit," Asui added in a hushed voice. My eyes scanned the room, and sure enough, our homeroom teacher was stepping out of his hallway, looking as tired and uninterested as ever.

"Good evening, Aizawa-sensei! Would you like to join us for dinner?" Yaomomo asked politely as we all greeted him. I couldn’t help but notice how Kacchan deliberately turned his gaze in another direction. Was he holding himself back from trying to murder him on the spot?

"Good evening," Aizawa replied. "I’m only here because I need to speak with Midoriya and Bakugou. Come to my office once you’re finished."

With that, he turned on his heel and disappeared as quickly as he had arrived.

My gaze met Kacchan’s. He ignored all the murmurs and glances thrown our way, instead silently signaling me to follow. And I did - what other choice did I have?

"Good luck, you two!" someone called after us.

Kacchan’s steps slowed for just a second, but he must have sensed my warning glare because he simply continued walking without a word.

Somehow, that made me proud.

 

"Sit down," he instructed. We took the same seats as we had on Friday.

"You've already read my email?"

"Yes, we have. But, Aizawa-sensei, what you're asking of us is impossible," I said outright. I didn’t want to beat around the bush. Today, I was going to be a little more direct.

"With your newfound communication and determination, it shouldn’t be a problem."

Oh. I hadn’t expected that provocation. And his emotionless tone didn’t make it any better. I wasn’t sure how to respond, but thankfully, Kacchan took over for me.

"We’ll get it done. We just thought we’d mention it," Kacchan said with an unmatched level of indifference.

I felt uneasy. Somehow, it seemed like sparks were flying between Kacchan and Aizawa-sensei. Were they mentally squaring off against each other? Or was I imagining things?

"Good. I just need to give you the case files for the assignments. Out of the five listed, I expect three to be presented by you tomorrow. I’ll be in the common area at 12:30. Any delays will result in a grade deduction," he stated, bored as ever, as he handed us five case files - similar to the ones from Wednesday.

"Thank you," was all I managed to say, though internally, I was already spiraling. We had to analyze, work through, and present three cases in just one morning? How was that even possible? At least, if we wanted to do it thoroughly. And why had we spent all that time meticulously planning our schedule if he was just going to throw everything out the window?

"Can we go now?" Kacchan asked irritably. The moment I saw our teacher nod, he stood up and pulled me along out of the room.

 

We walked toward the common area in silence. The files in my arms felt oddly heavy - meaning there was going to be a lot to work through.

"We’re going straight upstairs. If anyone makes a dumb comment, ignore it. I’ll deal with it, got it?" Kacchan ordered. I nodded mechanically, too busy mentally calculating how much time we had for each case.

"Oh, there you are! What did he want?" I heard Mina ask as she suddenly jumped up and strolled next to Kacchan, clearly fishing for answers. Her curious eyes flicked between me and the case files in my arms.

"He gave us material for the assignments. Now fuck off, Alien! We’ve got work to do," Kacchan snapped at her. I felt the weight of the questioning stares on me.

Offering my friends an awkward, apologetic smile, I simply waved before following Kacchan into his room.

Yet again.

 

Notes:

That's it!
I absolutely love these little dialogues between Kacchan and Izuku, and there will definitely be more of them!
The next chapter will be XXL, and it might even surprise you a little... hehe.
And just a little heads-up: Chapter 32 will finally bring us back to school! That one’s going to be even longer than the next and is actually my absolute favorite chapter! =D

Have a wonderful weekend! <3
See you again on Monday!

Chapter 28: Longing, Shock, and Sincerity

Notes:

Hey everyone!
It's Monday morning, and I can finally bless you with this chapter.
I was so excited about it all weekend! I remember being super unsure about this chapter back then, but now I really like it.
And it's extra long just for you!
So - enjoy! =D

Chapter 28 – Longing, Shock, and Sincerity

 

What did I do to deserve this?

That question had been haunting my mind all evening. And again, the moment my alarm went off. Seriously. Was there anyone on this planet who felt like the picture of health after only four hours of sleep?

We had worked on the case files until half past one last night. And yet, we had only managed to fully complete one and solve the second. But I had dozed off so many times while writing that Kacchan eventually took pity on me. Of course, not without throwing in a few comments like “weakling” and “loser” my way. He probably would have worked through until noon. That stubborn idiot! How could someone be so obsessed with proving something to our teacher?

The snooze button was my best friend this morning. I pressed it and snuggled back against the warm body beside me. He hadn’t even heard the alarm. Probably one of the reasons he used to have the world’s most obnoxious alarm clock. But that was fine with me. Maybe in ten minutes, I’d feel more motivated to get up. And if not - screw breakfast duty. The others would surely understand. After all, they had to feel at least a little sorry for us because of this punishment, right? I couldn’t imagine them reacting any other way. Well… except maybe when it came to Kacchan’s attitude.

As I was drifting back into my thoughts, I suddenly flinched when my phone rang again. This time, Kacchan stirred beside me as well. I watched him, smiling, as he turned onto his side and blindly reached for my phone. I simply took the opportunity to cuddle closer into his arms, burying my face against his chest and savoring the feeling of being close to him. After all, thanks to his workaholic tendencies last night, I hadn’t even gotten a kiss. Or any other affectionate gesture.

“Dekuuuuuu,” he suddenly growled threateningly, just as I was about to doze off again.

I only let out a sleepy “Mh?” and clung to him even tighter. Kacchan probably just had his usual morning mood.

“How many times did you hit that fucking snooze button?” he grumbled, his voice still rough and sleepy, though it didn’t lessen the irritation in his tone.

“Just once! Why? What time is it?” I asked groggily, finally looking up at him. He shoved the phone’s display right in front of my face. My eyes widened in shock when I saw that it didn’t say ten past five-thirty, but straight-up six o’clock. Shit! Had my snooze not been set for ten minutes, but thirty?

“Shit,” I muttered breathlessly, giving Kacchan the most apologetic look I could muster. He only groaned in frustration before shoving me off of him.

“Hurry up! Get dressed, wash up, and get downstairs before the others wake up.”

I obeyed his order, even though it took all my willpower to drag myself out of bed. But if I so much as let out a single complaint or started whining, Kacchan would probably murder me.

 

Grumbling, I stood in the kitchen while Kacchan inspected the cabinets. From the looks of it, we didn’t have many ingredients left in the fridge. Had the others been that careless with the leftovers last night? Kacchan always seemed to plan everything meticulously, knowing exactly what was in stock throughout the week.

“Those damn extras!” he growled again. I let him grumble and think while I set the kettle on for tea - one of the few things I could actually do.

“Make some sushi rice,” Kacchan suddenly ordered as he placed various ingredients on the counter. I couldn’t quite piece together what he was planning yet, but I grabbed the requested rice and filled both rice cookers with it.

When I turned around, Kacchan had already set out several bowls. To me, it looked like he was just throwing random things into them and stirring. And since I was curious, I took a step closer to my grumpy boyfriend, peeking over his shoulder - partially to sneak in a bit of body contact. At least a little.

“What are we making?”

“You’re making onigiri, and I’m making tamagoyaki and some veggies to go with it. Think you can handle that, nerd?”

“If you prep the fillings for me, yeah. And if we have one of those mold thingies. I can’t do it with plastic wrap and all that,” I admitted, giving him an apologetic look. I chose to ignore his scoff and exaggerated eye roll.

 

In record time, with several loud commands from Kacchan and help from the others, we were all seated at the breakfast table right on time. Well, except for Kacchan - he had stayed in the kitchen. Which was probably for the best, considering he was basically a ticking time bomb, ready to explode at the slightest wrong remark. So, I left him alone with his cup of coffee and tried not to fall asleep at the table myself.

“You look tired, Midoriya. How late did you guys stay up working last night?” Todoroki asked, instantly drawing the attention of several others to me. I mumbled something and rested my head on my hand before sleepily replying, “I stopped checking the time after half past twelve. Kacchan is a slave driver.”

“I CAN HEAR YOU, DEKUUUU!” came the familiar roar from the kitchen. I instinctively flinched, shrinking in my seat. Hadn’t I just been thinking about leaving him alone until his mood improved? And since I wasn’t dumb enough to make things worse, I held back the “Mh” that was right on the tip of my tongue.

“Oh my god! Why would you do that to yourselves?” Uraraka asked, shocked. I explained that Aizawa was coming to check on us later. The pitying looks I received in response didn’t exactly lift my spirits.

The only thing that did was the fact that ten minutes later, everyone headed off to class, and I could finally go find Kacchan. Though, to be honest, I would’ve preferred my bed over him at the moment. Seriously, after barely any sleep and the morning chaos in the kitchen, I was completely drained. Not to mention that Kacchan’s blows and insults over my ugly rice balls had taken a toll on me. I hadn’t even tried to argue back - just silently accepted it and endured it. What other choice did I have when dealing with this version of Morning Kacchan?

“What are you thinking about now, nerd?” Kacchan asked, pulling me toward him by my hips.

“I was just wondering if mean-Morning-Kacchan is finally gone,” I replied truthfully, my tone childlike. Kacchan gave me a skeptical look, but instead of responding, he simply shook his head, let the corners of his mouth curl into a faint smile, and finally kissed me.

It had been way too long since the last one. Thanks to Aizawa. And Kacchan’s stubbornness.

But just as I was about to melt into his arms and deepen the kiss, he pushed me away again.

“We have work to do,” he said seriously, clearly about to give me a list of orders. But I beat him to it - quickly wrapping my arms around his neck and taking exactly what I wanted: good morning kisses, a little bit of closeness, some warmth, and Kacchan’s scent filling my nose.

I heard him grumble into the kiss before his shoulders relaxed and he wrapped his arms around me. Finally. This was how the Monday morning should have started - not with stress and complaints.

But, of course, the moment didn’t last long. Kacchan pulled back and lifted my hands from his neck.

“Deku,” he said, looking at me with an expression so calm and peaceful that I wasn’t sure what to make of it. “We’re gonna get our work done, show Sleeping Bag that I’m the best, and then you can take your precious nap. Alone or with me, if you want.”

God. How could someone sound so lazy one second, then cocky, and then just downright suggestive in the same breath? My face heated up instantly. Just the thought of crawling back into bed with him made my heart race and my imagination run wild. Damn it. How did he get to me so easily? All I could do was nod and take a step back.

“Good. Now clean up the table while I go grab our stuff,” he said, slipping back into his usual bossy tone as if nothing had just happened.

I sighed and did as he said, watching him walk away with a longing gaze.

This was so unfair. We finally had the whole dorm to ourselves, and we couldn’t even enjoy it. I would’ve taken anything - but not chores and schoolwork! This was just plain stupid.

 

Grinding my teeth, I got to work with Kacchan. I had left some food out for him, which he acknowledged with nothing more than a glance and a nod. That alone nearly made me furious - I had no idea what was going on in his head. But I held back my frustration, and because of that, we were able to focus completely on our work. I had no clue where I was even pulling the energy from after such a short night. Maybe it was the promise of a long midday nap with Kacchan. And, surprisingly, I wasn’t even thinking about anything suggestive. No, I just wanted to lie in bed with him and feel him curled up behind me, his arm wrapped around my waist. That was all. Nothing more, nothing less.

“Hey, nerd! Stop daydreaming - we’re almost done,” Kacchan snapped, snapping me out of my little moment of indulgence. I sighed as he suddenly dropped the fourth case file in front of me.

I looked at him skeptically, just about to protest, when he spoke first.

“It’s barely past ten! We’re finishing the fourth case too. That way, that asshole of a teacher can’t say anything.”

Internally whining, I opened the file. There was no point in arguing. Not when Kacchan was in this kind of mode. I had already failed miserably at it last night. Actually, it was worse than just failing. As punishment, he had completely blocked any attempt I made at getting close to him and had gone to sleep without even a “good night.”

Something about that one word - “relationship” - seemed to have made him act a little differently. It was just a feeling, but I had a hunch he was thinking about it more than he let on. Speaking of thoughts, he always asked me what I was thinking, but I had never done the same to him. Maybe I should change that later.

I pondered a little as I worked through the fourth case. I quickly realized that I was getting the hang of the patterns in these assignments. By now, this was the fifth case I had solved using this style of problem-solving, counting the one from Wednesday. But if I finished this one too quickly, wouldn’t Kacchan just throw the last case file at me too?

“Of course, I would,” Kacchan suddenly interrupted my thoughts, making me flinch.

And after a solid ten seconds of complete brain failure, it hit me.

I had said that out loud. Again. Damn it. Was it because Kacchan’s presence had become so natural to me that my brain acted like I was alone in the room? I rarely mumbled to myself outside of my own space before.

“Kacchan?”

“Hm?”

“Instead of the last file… if we finish the fourth one, could you make me something sweet?” I asked, a little shyly, stealing a cautious glance at him.

His brief look of surprise amused him, and I could see it clearly in his face. He rolled his eyes and then nodded.

And just like that, I was happy.

 

Sure enough, just after 11 AM, we finished the fourth case. I stretched my arms above my head in relief and couldn’t hold back a victorious “Yes!”

God, finally!

And my craving for something sweet was just as strong as my desire for a kiss from Kacchan. Maybe I’d get both.

Kacchan just sighed, stood up, and ruffled my hair before heading into the kitchen and setting a pot on the stove.

Curious, I followed him and perched myself on the countertop behind him, letting my legs dangle freely. It didn’t take long to figure out that he was making pudding.

“You’re drooling, nerd.”

Huh?

My face warmed instantly. Shit. Had I really been staring at the pot that intensely? But the thought of delicious pudding with fresh strawberries was just too good. Almost as good as mochi.

“Sorry. I just really like sweet things,” I mumbled, a little embarrassed, lowering my head.

“I know,” Kacchan replied.

His voice was so soft.

And then, his blonde head entered my vision as he stepped between my legs, placing his hands on my hips. I couldn’t help but beam at him. He looked so good standing there, gazing up at me slightly.

Without thinking, I scooted a little closer to the edge of the counter, trying to be nearer to him.

I bit my lip nervously as my mind flashed back to the last time we had been in the kitchen like this.

And as if he could read my thoughts, Kacchan suddenly smirked wider, his gaze daring me to kiss him.

So I did. Without a second thought. Because it was exactly what I wanted.

Screw the pudding. Kacchan was sweet in his own way. And I loved the feel of his lips on mine.

We had kissed quite a few times now, yet it still felt just as exciting and amazing every single time. I wondered if that would ever change.

“Deku?”

Grumbling, I pulled back slightly and looked at him longingly.

“Let’s go over everything again. And once Aizawa is gone later, we can head upstairs, okay?”

I sighed, nodded, and still leaned down toward him. Kacchan rolled his eyes but didn’t stop me as I pressed my lips to his again, grinning unabashedly into the kiss. Hopefully, we could get upstairs soon.

“Then we shouldn’t waste any more time, right?” a voice suddenly rang out behind us.

Startled, I tore myself away from Kacchan, freezing in place. My mouth fell open as I turned to him, only to see him looking just as horrified. The color had completely drained from his face, his eyes wide with shock, his entire body stiff as if he had been caught in some unforgivable act. His hands, still gripping my hips, were clenched so tightly that they almost hurt - a physical reminder that I still needed to breathe.

Like in slow motion, I turned my head slightly and caught sight of Aizawa, standing in the middle of the room, hands shoved into his pockets, watching us with a grim expression.

Fuck.

How long had he been standing there? Why the hell hadn’t we noticed?

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

My brain couldn’t process a single coherent thought.

What the hell were we supposed to do now? What were we supposed to say?

“M-Mi-Mister Aizawa…,” I stammered weakly, my voice barely above a whisper. The disbelief in it was unmistakable - anyone could hear it.

"You’re too early," Kacchan muttered in front of me, his voice oddly flat. I had expected at least a little more anger.

"There was a slight schedule change at school," Aizawa explained before speaking again. "Shall we get started? It seems like you two had other plans."

If I had been frozen and pale before, I must have turned as red as a fire alarm now.

Oh my god. He did not just say that. What the…

I couldn't suppress the small, embarrassed squeak that escaped me. My head dropped in shame; eyes fixed on the floor. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Kacchan step away from me, letting me slide down from the counter. Then I felt his hand take mine, guiding me toward the table. He was trembling.

From fear? From rage?

I had no idea. My own head was a mess - thousands of thoughts flashing through my mind, yet not a single clear one among them. I couldn't focus on anything else, not even Kacchan. Only the grip of his hand offered me the smallest sense of security.

I sat down stiffly, feeling like my body was locked in place, while Kacchan busied himself with organizing our notes - probably to calm himself down.

"How many cases did you complete?" Aizawa asked, his voice neutral. He sat across from us, but I had the distinct feeling he was observing us far more closely than he had on Friday.

"Four," I answered quietly, not daring to look him in the eye. My focus remained glued to the papers Kacchan pushed toward me - Case Two and Case Four.

Was he giving me a little more time to pull myself together? If so, that was kind of sweet. Not that the thought helped much right now.

"Good. Just give me your conclusions - no explanations, no reasoning. Then we’ll move on to Case Five."

I swallowed hard. He was trying to torture us. Definitely. Or maybe he was just testing us? How was I supposed to clear my head for this after what just happened?

Then again… despite catching us literally making out, Aizawa wasn’t acting any differently.

No surprise.

No disbelief.

No… disgust.

Shouldn’t that be a good sign? Shouldn’t that help me relax?

Still caught up in my thoughts, I barely noticed as Kacchan started speaking. His tone was calm, confident, completely unfazed - like none of it had ever happened. And Aizawa… Aizawa was as unreadable as ever.

What the hell? What kind of monsters was I sitting with? They couldn't possibly be human.

"Good. No issues," Aizawa finally said, nodding slightly. "Midoriya, continue."

I flinched at the sound of my name.

"Uh - y-yeah!" I stammered, scrambling to pull myself together.

Slowly but surely, I felt my nerves settling. Maybe it was because we were just… doing this. Just going through the assignments like normal, instead of addressing anything else.

Maybe this really wouldn’t come up again. And honestly?

That would be the best-case scenario.

 

We continued like this. Kacchan explained the third case, and I the fourth. Mr. Aizawa seemed satisfied with each of our answers. He explained the fifth case to us, and we had to come up with a solution on the spot. It wasn’t particularly difficult. By now, we had done this type of task often enough. So, a short while later, Mr. Aizawa’s verdict came:

"Everything was solved correctly, so you receive full points for completing the assignments. I’ll update your performance records accordingly."

I exhaled loudly as the tension slowly drained from my body. I leaned back a little and closed my eyes for a moment. I even managed to smile. That smile only widened when I briefly felt Kacchan’s foot nudge my ankle. I nudged him back discreetly, silently thanking him for the support he had given me during the last hour. I was surprised to realize that we had already been sitting here for an hour.

When I opened my eyes again, I tensed up. Aizawa still hadn’t moved an inch. Instead, he had leaned back, crossed one leg over the other, and folded his arms across his chest. The look he was giving us sent a shiver down my spine. Had I relaxed too soon?

"Is there something else?" Kacchan asked bluntly, his posture just as defensive as our teacher’s. Only his gaze was far more aggressive.

"No. I was just wondering since Friday what exactly you two were so determined to keep from me. That things between you have turned out this way - I honestly didn’t expect that. But it does make sense now. It just makes you even more of problem children," he stated calmly, his sharp gaze shifting between Kacchan and me.

Heat rushed to my face, and I had no idea how to respond. Apparently, Kacchan didn’t either, because an uncomfortable silence settled over us. A silence so stifling that I started to sweat. A silence so heavy that my heart pounded in my chest, and I anxiously began picking at my fingernails. That was, until Kacchan smacked my hands away.

"Cut it out, Deku!" he snapped at me. His irritation pulled me out of my spiral, forcing me to react normally again. I raised my hands in surrender and muttered an embarrassed, "Sorry, Kacchan." I glanced at him, trying to read his reaction to all of this.

Before I could make sense of his expression, I heard the screech of a chair against the floor. Mr. Aizawa stood up and spoke in a calm yet detached tone:

"If you don’t want anyone to find out, I’d suggest avoiding stunts like earlier in common areas."

Shame and disbelief crashed over me as I watched our homeroom teacher leave. I had no idea how to process what had just happened. I flinched when Kacchan practically exploded next to me.

"FUCK!" he roared, slamming his fists onto the table. I was relieved that the furniture didn’t break under the impact. His fury sent a shiver down my spine, yanking me back to memories of middle school. But only for a split second.

"Kacchan…" I tried to calm him down, but he shook his head. His teeth clenched, tiny sparks flaring in his palms.

I felt helpless. I just sat there, watching him tremble, watching him battle with himself. The frustration gnawed at me. And suddenly, tears welled in my eyes. Damn it. Why now? Why did seeing him like this hurt so much?

One tear slipped down my cheek. Then another. A third was on its way when I suddenly felt a hand on my face. A rough thumb wiped away the wet trail.

"Don’t start crying," Kacchan grumbled.

That only made it worse.

"S-sorry," I choked out between quiet sobs, unable to stop myself. Shit! Was I only now processing what Aizawa had said? Had the shock left me frozen until now? Or was Kacchan’s reaction what really set me off?

I didn’t know. I hated that I couldn’t help him. That now, once again, he had to be the one taking care of me - when he was probably feeling just as messed up as I was.

"I'll clean up, and I’ll finish making lunch. Then we’re going upstairs," he said almost mechanically, ruffling my hair before pressing a kiss to my forehead. Completely ignoring Aizawa’s advice. But he didn’t seem to care.

Maybe he needed the contact to ground himself, to calm down.

I definitely did. And it worked.

 

Lost in thought, we lay on the bed. We had carelessly placed our things on the desk before Kacchan had thrown himself onto the mattress, lying on his back. He gestured beside him, and I followed. Now, I was lying on my side, resting my head half on his shoulder, half on his chest, while his arm supported my back. Held me.

We didn’t say a word. Not for five minutes. Not for ten minutes. I had to process everything first. Think about possible consequences. What was Kacchan thinking? He stared so blankly at the ceiling that I couldn’t read him at all. Was this the right time to ask? Probably.

I took a deep breath before finally forcing myself to ask a simple, “Kacchan?”

He didn’t move. No reaction at all. That made me uneasy, so I bit my lower lip.

“What are you thinking, Kacchan?” I tried again. This time, he exhaled and closed his eyes.

"How the hell you managed to distract me so much that I didn’t even notice that damn sleeping bag bastard," he said calmly, still staring at the ceiling instead of at me.

His answer surprised me. At the same time, I didn’t know if I should feel happy or worried. Was Kacchan upset about being caught off guard - or was he upset that I was the reason for it?

A lump formed in my throat. What if this had shaken him so much that he’d push me away again? What if he pulled the plug before this went any further? Was this just something purely physical for him? Just an experience? Had Aizawa’s words unsettled him?

I sighed as even more negative thoughts flooded my mind. This was absurd, wasn’t it? The idea of Kacchan being in a relationship with me. We were complete opposites. And he was so talented and smart. Maybe that’s why he wanted to keep us a secret. Was I an embarrassment to him? Did he feel ashamed in front of Aizawa because of me? Was he afraid that this would ruin his image?

“Are you ashamed?” I whispered, clinging to his shirt. I was scared of the answer.

His hand started rubbing slow circles on my back. I heard him take a deep breath before he spoke.

“Of course I’m embarrassed. Who the hell wants to be caught by their teacher the day after deciding to keep things a secret? That’s fucking annoying!”

I buried my face in his chest and nodded faintly in agreement. I didn’t say anything else.

“But since your little broccoli head is probably spiraling again: You are not the reason I’m embarrassed, okay?”

Surprised, I looked up at him. He was still avoiding my gaze.

“Why not?” I whispered, yearning for his answer. But all I saw was Kacchan’s brows pulling together.

"Why the hell would you even question that?"

I chewed on my lower lip. Pushed myself up and sat beside him, staring at the wall, my shoulders slumping.

“You know, Kacchan,” I began quietly, shocked at the sadness in my own voice, “You’ve always asked me what I was thinking. Now, you seem to know without me even saying it. But I’ve never asked you. I didn’t want to push or annoy you. But at the same time, it makes me insecure. Because sometimes, I really don’t know what you’re thinking.”

"If you want to know, then just fucking ask me directly!"

I considered his words for a moment. I was dying to know what went through his mind. But there was one question I had been holding onto since yesterday.

“Do you like me?”

"I thought you wanted to know what I was thinking!" he dodged.

That hit me like a punch to the gut. It wasn’t a yes. I would have answered that question with a yes immediately. I had already told him yesterday. And all he had given me in return was something along the lines of "dumb nerd."

I couldn’t even remember his exact words. It had only been a day, but the memory was blurry - probably because he had never really answered.

"Forget it," I murmured, lying back down and curling up against his chest. I tried not to sound disappointed.

But I was. His lack of an answer only made me more unsure. It validated my worst fears. Even though he had said he wanted to be close to me after Ground Beta. Closer than I could probably handle. Those had been his words. And he had also said that he didn’t want to hurt me. So why couldn’t he just answer?

"De—"

"I'm tired," I cut him off quickly, turning away from him. I didn’t want to talk about it anymore. I wasn’t even sure if I could sleep. I only knew that his closeness suddenly hurt.

But I should have known - Kacchan wouldn’t just let it go.

I was grabbed roughly by the shoulder and flipped onto my back. Kacchan loomed over me, pinning my wrists down next to my head.

"WHY THE HELL DO YOU DO THIS?" he shouted, his voice raw with anger.

But his expression was pure desperation. And just like that, guilt gnawed at me. I didn’t even know why. But the way he looked reminded me of Ground Beta - when he had clutched his shirt, doubting everything. When he had asked if his admiration for All Might was wrong because I was the one chosen. When he had wondered if he was to blame for All Might’s downfall. That moment had shaken me to my core.

And now? Now, it pierced right through my heart.

"Kacchan, I don’t under—"

I cut myself off when he suddenly collapsed on top of me. His head dropped beside mine, his entire body pressing against me, heavy and unmoving.

I had no choice but to wrap my arms around him, holding him tightly against me. His body trembled slightly. Shaking.

Was he crying?

No. His breathing was too steady for that. Then what the hell was making him like this? Was it what happened with Aizawa? Our entire, messed-up situation? Or my question?

"I can’t do this," he whispered breathlessly.

"What?" I whispered so quietly, afraid to speak any louder. I didn't quite understand what was happening.

"Your question. I can't say it. I… I've never said it before."

I froze. What? He had never told anyone that he liked them? What the fuck. He was already sixteen. Surely, at some point, he'd told someone - at least a relative or a very, very close friend - that he cared about them.

"Not even to your parents?" I asked, completely in disbelief.

I felt a slight movement of his head against me. Interpreted it as a "no."

A silent answer that still managed to shake me. Was it really that hard for him to say?

When I thought about it, I told my mom I loved her almost every week. I even wrote it to her. And sure, I had never really told anyone outside of my family that I liked them, but I had used the word admiration before.

Still, I didn’t think it would be that difficult for me to say it to friends, at least in a purely platonic way. My heart had always been on my sleeve - especially since I started at UA. Since I met All Might. Since he gave me One for All.

But if it was so difficult for Kacchan, how could I make it easier for him? Could I teach him how to talk about these things?

After all, he'd already proven multiple times that he could speak honestly and openly when it mattered. He was always direct, so why was he blocking himself now? Why was it so hard for him to talk about emotions that weren’t anger, fury, or hatred?

"I'm sorry, Kacchan. I didn’t know… I mean, that this was… something big for you… Okay, wait... um… different question: What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you’re here with me?"

"Peace."

I furrowed my brows, staring skeptically at the blond strands of hair that had fallen into my line of sight. What kind of answer was that? Was he messing with me?

"Okaaaay, uh, I… I don’t really get what you mean by… peace." I admitted truthfully, hoping to draw more words out of him.

Silence.

For several seconds, I heard nothing but Kacchan's breathing beside me.

I held him a little tighter. It felt strange. Usually, he was the one holding me. He was the stronger one. The more confident one. The dominant one.

This vulnerable side of him was completely new. And yet, somehow, it made my heart feel lighter - because he was showing that vulnerability to me.

"I hated you. Every time I saw you, I was pissed off and angry."

I froze. I almost flinched at the sound of his voice. His words were so resigned. So quiet and sad. It didn’t sound like Kacchan.

"Every time I looked at you, I doubted myself. I felt superior to everyone else. But never to you. And since UA, not to anyone at all. I felt like I was falling behind. Especially behind you. Because you got so strong. Because All Might chose you."

I felt uneasy. At the same time, curiosity burned in me. Where was Kacchan going with this? And how did it all connect to the word "peace"?

"When All Might told me the whole story, and when you showed me that all my thoughts about you were wrong… I spent the entire night and the days after thinking about it. About the past. About my behavior. About you. And maybe that’s why I kissed you. Because everything I thought I knew suddenly looked completely different."

He paused, and I stayed silent. I didn’t know what to say.

Instead, I just started running my hand up and down his back. I wanted to give him as much warmth as possible. As much comfort as I could.

"Now that we’re together, I don’t feel that doubt or hatred anymore. I feel calm and free. Relaxed. I think… you’re the reason for that. The reason I can finally let go."

His voice grew quieter and quieter. But it still didn’t have the usual strength I was used to from him.

Meanwhile, my heart was racing. I was trembling.

"Kacchaan…"

It was barely more than a breath. His last words had shaken me so deeply that I had to fight the urge to cry.

God, what kind of revelation was this?

Such honest words. So raw.

And yet, it felt like a dream. Unreal. Utopian. And all because I had asked him, for the first time, what he was thinking? What he was feeling?

I heard him take a deep breath beside me. Felt him lean his head against me a little more. His hands slid beneath me. Wrapped around me. Held me.

"I feel good when I’m with you… Izuku."

 

 

Notes:

That's it!
Phew, a long chapter with, I think, a lot of emotions. How did you like it? Did Kacchan seem a little too… soft? Anything that didn’t make sense?
I know I kind of borrowed a little something from Season 6, but I felt it fit well as an explanation for his sudden inner peace. Or do you disagree? Let me know! ;)

See you on Thursday with the continuation of this!
Wishing you all a great start to the week!

Chapter 29: Call things by their names

Notes:

Hey everyone!!!
And WUHU! We've hit 500 kudos, and omg, you guys left me 12 comments! <3 You’re the best!!!!
I’m so happy that you all enjoyed the last chapter so much. Does that mean the bar is set really high for this one now? ^^'

I just hope this entertains you a little! And that it comes across well. I had to tweak it a bit since some expressions just don’t translate the same from German to English.
Enjoy!

Chapter 29 – Call things by their names

 

"I feel good when I'm with you... Izuku."

 

My eyes shot wide open. My breath hitched. Had he really just said my name? My real name?

Shit.

I really couldn’t hold it in anymore. His closeness. His words. And now this. I couldn’t stop it. I sniffled. Felt the tears streaming down my cheeks. Some got caught in Kacchan’s strands of hair. A few even dripped into my ear. But none of that mattered. All I could think about were Kacchan’s words. They had shocked me. They had moved me. They had overwhelmed me. Never in my life would I have expected him to be this open with me. To me, it sounded like a clear “I like you.” Maybe even more.

"Stop crying," I heard Kacchan’s unsteady voice, muffled by the pillow. He was still clinging to me, and I was still clinging to him. Like two people drowning. Overwhelmed by the situation I had brought upon us. Maybe Aizawa had, too. The shock ran deep, surfacing only slowly and in waves. It had made me think. Apparently, Kacchan too. There was no other way to explain this confession. And honestly, I didn’t even want to analyze it further. I should just enjoy this moment. But it was tearing me apart. Emotionally tearing me apart.

"Sorry," I sniffled, turning my head slightly away from him. Wiping one side of my wet face into the pillow.

"Why the hell do you make me just as damn emotional as you?" he muttered into my ear. His voice sounded annoyed again. He was probably realizing just how open he had been. I felt the weight on me ease, and suddenly, Kacchan’s face was hovering over mine. His eyes were slightly red, his mouth twisted into a grimace as he wiped his face with his forearm.

Seeing him like that, I just couldn’t help but smile. A happy, completely tear-streaked smile. Another "I’m sorry" slipped from my lips. I closed my eyes for a moment and wiped my face with my hand as well.

"Quit smiling at me like an idiot," he grumbled, glancing to the side. He wouldn’t look me in the eyes. I found it way too cute and just had to say it: "I feel good when I’m with you too, Kacchan."

A scoff - and then his cheeks turned red. Perfect. I never would have thought it’d be this easy to make him flustered.

"Can we stop this stupid emotional crap now?" he grumbled, still looking away.

I laughed, lifted my hand, and placed it on his cheek. Gently turned his face back toward me. Nodded at him and said happily, "Of course, Kacchan."

I pulled him down, but just before our lips met, I whispered, "Thank you."

He let out a low hum into the kiss but didn’t pull away. I felt how he shifted his weight, supporting himself more. Relieving some of the pressure on my body - but pressing his lips even harder against mine. It felt more intense than before. More eager. Warmer.

He barely let me catch my breath. I couldn’t keep up. I pushed against his chest, and he finally backed off. Breathing heavily, I stared into his face. Kacchan was grinning. Something devilish flickered in his eyes.

"I should make you cry more often," he said casually. He was just about to dive back down, but I stopped him again, looking at him - half skeptical, half confused. And he answered my silent question: "When you cry, your lips get all hot. Feels kinda nice."

I scoffed in indignation, but he didn’t even give me the chance to respond. He grabbed my wrists, pinned them beside me, and kissed me again. Stole my breath all over again. It felt damn good. I was surprised by how quickly he could flip the mood. Or was he doing it on purpose? So, he wouldn’t have to talk anymore? So, he wouldn’t have to think about what he had just said?

As he pulled back briefly to catch some air, I quickly muttered, "Are you serious?"

Kacchan grinned. Sat up and deliberately shifted against my hips. Nodded and ran his tongue over his lips.

"Then at least say nice things while you do," I shot back, trying to steady myself. Because after his words and those kisses, my mind had started wandering elsewhere.

Kacchan just scoffed, raising an eyebrow before grumbling, "Forget it. I’m never getting that damn emotional again, got it, Nerd? Never again, you hear me?"

I laughed and shook my head. Knew it wasn’t true. Why? Just a feeling. Besides, I was still way too caught up in him.

"Of course, Kacchan! I wouldn’t expect anything else," I blurted out - more sarcastically than I had intended.

The instant response was a growl.

"You begging for trouble, right, Nerd?" he snarled, leaning down again and grabbing a fistful of my hair. Tugging slightly. I squeezed my eyes shut for a second. But damn - it kind of turned me on. Not just a little. Enough that any embarrassment or hesitation completely vanished. They weren’t even there anymore. Because the need for him was just stronger.

"Not exactly trouble… but I wouldn’t say no to a little chaos." I smirked at him confidently.

He understood. I knew he did. Because that stupid, cocky, battle-hungry grin spread across his face before his hand slipped under my shirt.

"As you wish, Nerd."

 

 

Grinning to myself, I lay on Kacchan’s chest, which was still rising and falling a little faster than usual. I felt lightheaded, almost intoxicated - just really, really good. At the same time, this time had felt… different. Was it because of Kacchan’s "confession"? Had I never fully let go before?

Kacchan let out a low hum while I traced lazy circles over his torso with my finger. My fingertip followed the lines of his abs, always finding a different path from his chest to his navel and back. I was fascinated by how his skin felt under my touch. By the way the fine hairs below his navel stood on end whenever I got too close to his lower abdomen.

I got lost in my thoughts. Thoughts about what else we could do. What we had just done had been good - more than good. But something about today had sparked something in me. I wanted more. I wanted to be even closer to him. I wanted something that was just ours. Something physical.

"What are you thinking about, Nerd?" he asked sleepily, his fingers moving to massage the back of my neck. It made me practically purr, a pleasant shiver running through me.

I stayed silent. There was no way in hell I was telling him what was going through my head. What would he even think of me? And how the hell was I supposed to say it without sounding endlessly awkward? Neither the direct wording nor some overly cheesy version would ever make it past my lips. No way. Not happening.

"Deku?" Kacchan's voice suddenly sounded a little more alert. That was when I realized - my fingers had started drawing circles lower, just beneath his navel. Always stopping just short of his most sensitive spot.

Shit.

I yanked my hand away, placing it flat against his stomach instead. What the hell was I even doing? Was I so caught up in thinking about going further that my body just started acting on its own?

Face burning, I buried my head in his chest. But Kacchan tugged my head back, pushing me off him slightly. He rolled me onto my back and shifted to lie on his side next to me.

"Well, whatever you were just thinking about - if you wanna go again, I’m definitely not stopping you," he said with a cocky grin.

I swallowed hard, my gaze trailing over his body. He wasn’t even trying to cover himself. It completely short-circuited my brain for a moment.

How the hell did he do that?

Heat rushed to my face as I tore my eyes away from him and buried myself into the pillow with a helpless squeak.

Shit, had I really just stared that shamelessly? And why the hell was every part of me screaming to reach out and touch him again?

"I hate you," I groaned into the pillow, only to hear a rough chuckle from him. Then I felt a shift - and his lips against my ear.

“You just stared at my cock like you wanted to eat it.”

I moaned and tried to push him off me with one hand. Wanted to cover my ears. Squeezing my eyes shut, unfortunately, didn’t make the situation disappear. And Kacchan wasn’t making things any better when he shifted, pressing half of his naked body against mine.

Fuck. Was he serious?

"So, my little nerd, what kind of filthy thoughts were running through that head of yours just now?" he teased, his hand sliding down to my ass - giving it a firm squeeze. On the other side I felt it - he was hard.

Shit. It felt so damn good. And the realization hit me like a punch to the gut. I wanted him. I wanted to feel him even more. I wanted...

"Kacchan, please, I can’t say it," I whined, utterly embarrassed, while my mind tried to burn images into my brain.

Fuck.

Just the thought alone was driving me insane. And I didn’t even know what it actually felt like. For all I knew, it could turn out to be awful.

"Just say it. Or I’ll take a guess," he murmured, lips brushing against my shoulder blade as his hand squeezed my ass.

Made me whimper. Made me gasp. Made me hard.

"I don’t know how to say it without it sounding weird," I forced out, trying to calm myself down.

Kacchan wasn’t making that easy.

"Try," he said, voice dark, as his hand trailed up my spine from my ass—only to slide back down. Stopping right where my lower back curved.

I sucked in a sharp breath, letting it out in a slow, shaky exhale. My pulse skyrocketed. My body was burning and freezing at the same time, breaking into a sweat.

Fuck. What the hell was happening right now? He had never really touched me there before.

"I’m waiting," he prompted again. That cocky tone in his voice. He was enjoying this way too much. Loved messing with me.

I shoved my face into the pillow and let out another muffled groan before turning my head, stammering: "Well… um… I mean… what we just did… wasn’t… you know… everything yet and…"

My voice gave out. I just couldn’t say it. I wanted to bury myself six feet under.

Kacchan sighed above me. I felt his weight lift off my back, watched as he rolled onto his side next to me, propping his head up with his hand.

"You’re such a lost cause," he muttered, rolling his eyes.

I looked down in shame. Couldn’t bring myself to meet those piercing red eyes. I gave a small nod, already feeling the familiar sting of disappointment settle in.

"But you’re not getting off that easy."

"Huh?"

I blinked at Kacchan in confusion. What was he playing at now?

"I just had to say something I didn’t wanna say either…"

I cut him off, snapping: "I didn’t force you to say it, Kacchan!"

This time, I did look at him - my face tinged with frustration.

"Whatever," he dismissed it with a wave of his hand, his face a mix of boredom and annoyance. Almost like Mr. Aizawa.

"If you can’t even call things by their name, then let’s just drop this whole thing."

He said it so matter-of-factly, lazily motioning between our lower bodies with his finger. His expression was unreadable. But somehow, I had the feeling he meant it.

"Why are you like this now?" I shot back, exasperated. I just couldn’t understand why it was so important to him that I actually said it out loud. He knew what I meant! So why the hell was he messing with me like this?

"Because at some point, it stops being funny! You flinch just from hearing the word cock - THERE! See?! Again!"

He cut himself off, tapping me against the forehead. And yeah - damn it - I had instinctively tensed up, pressing my lips together in embarrassment.

With a whine, I flopped onto my stomach, hugging the pillow and practically burying myself in it.

"I just… can’t say stuff like that as casually as you, Kacchan! It makes me uncomfortable. I… I’m just not that type of person," I mumbled into the fabric, trying to disappear into it.

"You’re just surrounded by a bunch of weaklings," he said, and I knew damn well he was trying to provoke me.

And, fuck - he was succeeding. I growled. I knew he couldn’t stand my friends. Especially Uraraka and Todoroki seemed to get under his skin the most. For whatever reason. But there was no way in hell I was letting that slide.

"Oh, and your squad is so tough?" I snapped back at him.

"At least they talk about girls more—and way more openly. Whether it’s about our classmates or pro heroines, doesn’t really matter. No one flinches when someone mentions jerk-off material or tits."

God, he was so fucking awful!

My heart was racing at his words, and my hands were getting sweatier by the second. Good thing I had the pillow. To wipe them off. And to hide. This was just so insanely embarrassing.

"And what do you contribute to those conversations?" I asked, half pissed, half genuinely curious.

I could totally picture Kaminari and Sero talking like that.

But even with Kirishima, I was sure some of it had to embarrass him—because, deep down, he just didn’t have the confidence for that kind of talk. No matter how much he tried to play it off.

But of course, Kacchan didn’t even bother answering my question.

"Why are you changing the subject?"

"I’m not."

"Yeah, you are."

"No, I’m not!" I practically yelled in his face, pushing myself up slightly just to glare at him.

"Yeah, you are," he repeated, looking way too smug about it.

And it was really - and I mean really - starting to piss me off.

"Oh, fuck off!"

"Didn’t you mean “Fuck me”?" he grinned, all cocky and victorious.

Like that was exactly where he’d wanted this to go. Which was just completely absurd! Or had he just been waiting for the perfect setup?

Either way, he’d won. And I probably looked like a fucking tomato. Completely defeated, I threw myself back into the pillow.

The bastard.

"No! I meant it like ‘Go to hell’!" I howled, trying to process his endless shamelessness.

God. Why was he so determined to kill me? And to think - I had just started to believe he actually liked me.

Kacchan, lying next to me, seemed satisfied with my reaction. He stretched out on his back, arms folded behind his head, eyes closing in total relaxation. Then, as if this was the most casual conversation in the world, he said, „Alright. But since the word’s already been dropped - are you gonna tell me what’s on your mind or not?“

I sighed, turning my head to the side, pressing myself even deeper into my protective pillow.

Somewhere, deep down, I knew he was right. It was childish. Ridiculous, even. I was fully aware of that. And nothing would actually happen if I just said it. Kacchan wasn’t going to laugh at me. Quite the opposite - he’d probably be relieved. Or satisfied.

But why? Was it because I always danced around things, mumbling like an idiot whenever I got stuck on something?

Another sigh escaped me. The silence between us stretched for a few more minutes, but Kacchan didn’t seem in a hurry to break it. He was actually being… patient.

Defeated, I rolled onto my back, still clutching the pillow tightly to my chest. Holding it like a shield, hiding half my face behind it, so only my eyes could sneak a glance at Kacchan. My shield. My safe space, just in case I wanted to sink into the ground from embarrassment.

„So…“, I started, searching for words, my breath warm and damp against the pillowcase. Uncomfortable, but still better than just spitting it out.

„I was just thinking earlier… you know… well… we’ve only used our hands and … and… if… well, I mean, if a girl and a boy were here, then…“

„Dekuuuuuuuuuuu!“

Kacchan’s growl sent every alarm bell in my head blaring.

I flinched. Goosebumps ran down my arms - the bad kind. I squeezed my eyes shut, biting down on my lip.

‘I can’t do this!’ ran through my head over and over again, like a never-ending loop. My breathing turned uneven. The pressure was getting to me. This situation was stressing me out more than any fight. More than any school exam.

Fuck! This felt like my final boss battle.

Somewhere inside, I was laughing at myself. This was pathetic. Just a few words. After everything I’d been through, was I really about to let a single three-letter word defeat me? Pathetic. Laughable.

I felt Kacchan move beside me. My eyes were still shut, but I felt his chest press against my arm, his hand sliding through my hair. And suddenly, my eyes stung. I heard his heavy sigh - long, resigned. It sounded like pure disappointment.

And I didn’t want to disappoint him. Not after what he’d confessed.

I cracked my eyes open, looking up at him. And then, with a shaky, way too whiny voice, I somehow managed to say, „I think… I might want to sleep with you.“

Too cheesy. Too romantic. He was totally going to laugh. Or push me off the bed.

This wasn’t how I wanted to say it. This was just - peak embarrassment. Actually, scratch that. This was beyond embarrassing. I sounded like some heroine in a Hollywood rom-com. Not like a man.

Couldn’t a lightning bolt just strike me down already?

Kacchan made a noise.

„Hm.“

That was it. That was all he gave me.

It made me even more nervous. I pressed the pillow completely over my face, burying myself in it. I couldn’t even look at him.

The silence stretched. It was making me restless. I had no idea what was happening on the other side of this pillow. And, honestly, it was getting kind of hot under here. I turned my head to the side - away from him - but still managed to mumble out a hesitant, „Kacchan?“

He let out a low hum and muttered, „You were right. That did sound kinda weird.“

If this were a comic, I’d be lying on the floor with a giant ‘WHUMP’ sound effect over my head. There was no other way to describe what just happened inside me.

What the fuck. What the actual fuck. Had he seriously just said that? After all the courage I had just mustered? Seriously. What the hell was I even supposed to say to that?!

"Why couldn’t you just say sex?" he sighed.

And me? I squeaked. Wriggled around, trying to shake off the embarrassment he was so effortlessly dragging out of me.

But before I could escape, two strong arms grabbed me, ripping the pillow away from me by force. I instantly squeezed my eyes shut as tightly as I could, my entire face probably scrunching up in the process - and burning hot.

I heard him laugh, amused as ever, before I felt his hand cup my cheek.

"I hate you," I whined, finally opening my eyes to see Kacchan’s smirking face.

He was loving this. Completely reveling in my humiliation. God, hadn’t I already said I hated him? I should say it again. Louder.

"Yesterday, you said you liked me, Nerd. So which is it?" he asked, hovering over me like a wolf ready to devour its prey.

"I take back what I said yesterday. You’re way too awful to like," I grumbled, though I could feel the tension easing a little.

"You started all of this. It didn’t come from me."

I opened my mouth. Closed it again. He… had a point.

So instead, all that left my lips was a small, "Oh."

My brain kicked into overdrive, gears turning, but I reached no conclusion. So I gave up thinking altogether and, in a voice far too naive, asked, "So… you don’t want this?"

"I do."

"But?" I pressed, suddenly noticing that even he didn’t seem so sure anymore. I tilted my head slightly, genuinely wondering what was going through his mind.

Kacchan rolled onto his back, dodging my gaze. He stared at the ceiling for a moment before mumbling, "Well, it’s not like it’s that simple, right?"

I blinked at him, caught off guard, and stammered, "N-no - I d-didn’t mean like… right now… or anything."

My face, which had finally started to cool down, flared up again. But I also noticed a slight flush creeping up Kacchan’s nose.

"That’s why I wanted you to talk about it more openly," he said calmly, still not looking at me.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, do you wanna just jump into this without a clue? Or have you actually looked into it? Like, how it works between two guys?" he asked bluntly.

I fidgeted, running a hand over my stomach as if smoothing out my shirt. I did that sometimes. A subconscious habit.

"Well… not really… but theoretically, there’s only… one way, right?"

God. Why was this getting even more embarrassing?

Kacchan let out a quiet chuckle beside me, shaking his head. He clearly found this just as ridiculous.

Then he spoke again. "Yeah, no shit, Sherlock. But that’s gotta hurt like hell. So, we’d have to make sure it doesn’t."

I paused, glancing down at my right hand. Scarred. Bent. Then, without thinking, I muttered, "Well… pain doesn’t really bother me that much."

I heard Kacchan’s breath hitch. Turned to see his utterly shocked face.

"What the hell is wrong with you, Nerd?" he asked, and for once, I had actually thrown him off.

And there went any hope of my face ever cooling down.

"I… I think that came out wrong," I whispered, looking away again.

For a split second, I genuinely considered getting dressed and bolting. But then Kacchan sat up and smacked me over the head.

"Okay, seriously. Do you want me to just shove my dick up your ass or what?"

His sheer disbelief caught me so off guard that I actually ignored how crude that was.

"No! That’s - not what I meant - but, ugh, I don’t know! I… I just don’t want you to… um… be scared of it or something."

As expected, he snorted. Him? Afraid? Of course, he’d never admit that he was actually worried about it. But to me, it sure sounded like he was. Definitely.

"I don’t really wanna do this for the first time in the dorms," he added.

I was surprised that he didn’t throw in a snide remark about being scared. But I let it slide.

"Yeah? And where then?"

Silence. Thinking.

I watched as Kacchan actually started seriously considering an answer. I gave him time and used the moment to think for myself, too. Did I really want to go through with this? If I did, I’d definitely prefer something more private. Especially a bathroom just for us. I didn’t want to have to walk across the hall before or after.

Another sigh from Kacchan. This conversation was draining him just as much as it was draining me.

Okay, fair. It wasn’t exactly something we talked about every day. Or ever. And I doubted most people in our class ever had to think about this topic at all.

"My folks are out of town until Sunday night. We could meet at my place after my special training. Could even stay the night. I’m supposed to check on the house anyway."

I looked at him, surprised. I hadn’t been to the Bakugou household in a long time, but I remembered it being a big, beautiful house with an open and welcoming atmosphere. Back then, I’d always felt safe and comfortable there. It really would be a good place.

And, if I was being honest, I was a little curious about how much Kacchan’s room had changed over the years.

"Yeah, okay," I answered simply.

I exhaled, relieved that this conversation was finally over. At the same time, my whole body buzzed with anticipation. The thought of what we were planning for Saturday sent a rush of excitement through me. And then I realized - it was only Monday.

Hopefully, the week would go by quickly. Or… maybe not?

"I’ll set everything up, and we can order food. You just need to bring a change of clothes and all that stuff," Kacchan said, sounding like he was already planning things in his head.

Somehow… it was kind of cute. Like he was planning a date night.

I had to stop myself from squealing at the thought. Had to fight the grin creeping onto my face. But then, another thought hit me - an important one. We still had an entire week ahead of us.

"And until then… everything stays the same?"

He raised an eyebrow at me. "Why? You got more fantasies you wanna share with me?"

I quickly shook my head, barely managing to stifle a squeak. Or a whimper. I threw myself onto my side with a sigh - only to feel Kacchan move in behind me, pressing up against me.

No teasing. No smug remarks. Just quiet warmth.

"Good. Now that that’s settled, we should catch up on sleep. We’ve got about two hours until the others get back."

"Okay," I murmured, surrendering to my exhaustion, closing my eyes.

Then, just before drifting off, I whispered, "Promise me we’ll never have to have such an embarrassing conversation again."

I felt Kacchan’s breath against my neck as he let out a low, raspy laugh. A shiver ran down my spine. Not just from his voice. From the warmth of his breath on my skin. From the goosebumps spreading across my entire body.

"I can’t promise that. Who knows what’s ahead of us?" he murmured. "Just think about Aizawa."

I gritted my teeth. I had completely blocked that incident from my memory. Though, honestly, I didn’t think anything would come of it. From what I knew of Eraserhead, he wouldn’t interfere in personal matters. And he’d definitely keep private things… well, private.

I was sure of it. At least, as far as teachers catching us making out went, he probably wasn’t the worst one.

I only let out a quiet hum in response, pushing the conversation aside. And before long, I drifted off. Maybe it was because of the warmth behind me. Or the way he was holding me.

Either way, I smiled. And let myself just be happy.

Yes. I wanted this on Saturday. With Kacchan. No one else.

He was the only one I trusted. The only one I liked enough to want something like this with. And even though this entire conversation had been painfully embarrassing…

I felt at peace. Because he was thinking about me just as much as I was thinking about him. And that - that was the best feeling he could give me right now.

 

Notes:

That's it!
Yeah… that was all a little… awkward ^^' Hope you didn’t sink into the ground from secondhand embarrassment like Izuku. xD
What did you think? Do you feel like they’re moving a bit too fast? ^^'

By the way, there are only two more chapters before it's finally time for school again! And trust me, that’s when my next favorite little chapter comes up. <3 Get excited!
See you all again on Sunday!

PS: A little self-promo - A few days ago, I uploaded a small BKDK fic for a quick read in between. So if you're in the mood and have some time to kill, feel free to check out 'Nothing Stays Secret Forever' ;D"

Chapter 30: From Theory…

Notes:

Hey everyone!

It's finally Sunday! I actually wanted to upload this chapter earlier today, but the weather was so beautiful that we had to clean up the terrace first for our little BBQ at noon.
And now that I'm completely stuffed, here's this little chapter as dessert.

Enjoy! 🍽️✨

Chapter 30 – From Theory…

 

Right on time, at 3 PM, Kacchan’s phone alarm went off—the one he must have set before falling asleep. I silently thanked him for that, because I had completely forgotten. And there was no way I would have woken up on my own. I felt groggy and just wanted to sleep a little longer.

"Nerd, get up," Kacchan grumbled behind me, sounding just as tired. I heard him ruffle his hair and could easily imagine him rubbing his face, trying to wake up.

I just groaned in response but forced myself to sit up anyway. Stretching with a deep sigh, I leaned left, then right, trying to shake off the stiffness. I felt rusty. And guilty—because I had completely slacked off on my training during house arrest. Ever since my encounter with All Might, I had been so disciplined… until now.

"You should go downstairs," Kacchan muttered, though he didn’t sound all that convinced himself. He just sounded grumpy.

His tone made me smile. I turned toward him and gave him a kiss. As expected, he pulled me back down into bed, catching me with his lips. Wrapping his arms around me. Holding me close.

I sighed in pure contentment, melting into him, and before I knew it, another five minutes had passed. Then the phone rang again.

He must have only hit snooze earlier. Out of pure precaution?

I groaned and burrowed deeper against him, already half under the covers again. But, of course, I wouldn’t be so lucky.

"Deku, seriously," he grumbled between kisses.

I surrendered with a sigh and pulled back - only to nuzzle into the crook of his neck instead. I pressed soft kisses against his sensitive skin, hearing a low growl rumble from his throat. Grinning, I went to do it again - and was suddenly shoved away.

"Don’t start something we can’t finish," Kacchan growled, his eyes narrowed. He looked aggressive - definitely not unwilling - but clearly holding himself back.

And, damn, that look was hot.

"I don’t have to go downstairs. We can just ‘do homework’ up here. That excuse has always worked before," I murmured, sliding back toward him.

Only to be stopped immediately by a crackling, sparking hand in front of me.

"No! Hasn’t Aizawa today been enough for you? Do you really want other people getting suspicious too?" he snapped.

His words were meant to appeal to my common sense. And they worked.

I sat back with a disappointed huff, pouting slightly.

"Yeah, yeah, you’re right," I mumbled, finally standing up.

Still, I couldn’t help feeling a little rejected. It was ridiculous, really, but… the feeling was there.

"I don’t mean it like that. But let’s just keep a little distance until tonight, okay?"

His voice wasn’t as firm and confident as usual. If anything, he sounded almost… apologetic. That was new. And, oddly enough, kind of reassuring.

So I simply smiled at him, stood up, and nodded. Grabbing my clothes, I got dressed and left his room - without turning around, without stealing one last kiss.

Because if I did…This whole thing would just start all over again. And it would be my fault. Because I really, really didn’t want to leave him right now. Not even for a second. I just enjoyed being with him too much. Loved it.

 

 

The rest of the day passed by completely uneventfully. I spent my time sitting with my friends in the dorm courtyard. It was technically allowed, so no one could say I was violating house arrest. Honestly, I was annoyed that I hadn’t thought of this sooner. It felt so good to sit outside, breathe in the fresh air, and let the sun warm my face. It made me smile even more than I already was.

Asui and Uraraka even commented on it, asking why I looked so happy. I had an excuse ready in no time - scoring full marks on an evaluation from Aizawa and the fact that house arrest was almost over. It was too logical to question. I mentally patted myself on the back for that one and was just happy that I could be happy.

Sounded weird, but that’s just how it was.

Dinner was cooked by a very annoyed Kacchan and a few unwilling helpers. Once again, I was stuck setting the table. Left him alone otherwise. Just like we agreed. Still, he wasn’t as aggressive toward me as usual. And, damn it - it was really hard not to secretly admire him from the sidelines.

Because even at the stove, he looked damn good.

I was also kind of jealous that Kirishima and Ashido kept hovering around him the whole time while I had to watch from a distance. But I’d just have to get used to that.

 

 

Exhausted, I let myself fall onto my bed. I had just finished playing cards downstairs with the others. It had been fun. Really fun. Had even managed not to think about Kacchan for a few minutes. Hadn’t been counting the minutes until I could go back to him.

Smiling, I hugged my pillow and rested my head against it. What was Kacchan doing right now? Was he also thinking about everything that had happened today? So much had happened. I wondered if that made it a good or a bad Monday. But honestly, the good outweighed the bad. Because of Kacchan’s words. Because of his hidden "I like you."

Thinking back on it, I almost felt like crying again. I couldn’t help but sigh softly into my pillow. He had made me so happy. So happy that we had agreed to meet at his place on Saturday. To…

My heartbeat sped up. My face grew warm. Shit. We had actually decided to do it. I wanted it. I was sure of that. I trusted him. But I was already starting to feel a little nervous. After all, I had no idea what to expect.

With a sigh, I reached for my phone. Maybe I should read up on it a little. But what the hell was I even supposed to type into the search bar without ending up on some porn site?

Swallowing hard, I opened the search field and simply typed "sex between men."

I blinked. 12.8 million results popped up. At least, that was the number displayed under the search bar. Curious, I scrolled through the first page of results, reading the headlines.

"Gay Sex: How It Works for Male Couples."
"Gay Sex: A Guide to How Two Men Do It."
"Gay Love: Tips for a Fulfilling Sex Life."

And so on. The whole page was filled with stuff like that. And, surprisingly, I didn’t feel embarrassed at all. If anything, the opposite. I was actually curious. I wanted to learn. Maybe knowing more would make me feel more confident. Maybe it would stop Kacchan from calling me a coward.

"This could actually throw him off," I muttered to myself as I clicked on the first link and started reading.

I quickly realized the article was well-written. It started by stating that two men could be just as affectionate with each other as a man and a woman. That it was completely normal to want to kiss, touch, and hold each other.

It made me smile. Yeah, I wanted that too. And we had already touched each other plenty of times. I had never thought of it as "unnatural." How could it be, when it felt this good?

I found it ridiculous that this even needed to be said. I figured the next pages would probably keep repeating the same thing.

I kept reading. I came across words like "intense experience" and "gentle, respectful approach." It also explained the roles of the active and passive partner. I didn’t even need to think about it. If we really went through with this on Saturday - and thinking back to what Kacchan had said - he would definitely be the active one. And, weirdly enough, I was completely fine with that. Not even the tiniest part of my usually hesitant, overthinking brain questioned it. Kacchan was simply the more dominant one between us. And I didn’t mind. Not one bit. In fact… it had already turned me on in some situations.

"I really should have looked this up way earlier," I murmured quietly. I could feel myself growing calmer inside. Even though I was reading about things I had struggled so much to say out loud just hours ago. Was it because I was alone? Or because my brain categorized it as a normal hero analysis and research? Just—without heroes. Maybe it was simply because the first article had been so logical, factual, and explanatory. It hadn’t sparked any fantasies. No. It had just given me more knowledge and helped me understand things better.

 

For a while, I clicked from page to page. Read some personal experiences and landed on a few teen magazine websites that approached the topic very gently. It was honestly interesting. But one word slowly but surely burned itself into my brain - making my heart race with a mix of curiosity and nerves.

Oral sex.

It wasn’t unfamiliar to me. Hell no, I wasn’t that clueless. But the more I saw it mentioned alongside words like "alternative" and "foreplay," the more my mind drifted back to earlier - when I had been lying on Kacchan’s chest, tracing my fingers over his stomach.

I had stared at his crotch. Unintentionally. But now, something was whispering in my ear… that instead of letting my fingers wander, I could have moved my head lower instead.

Fuck!

I let out a squeaky noise into my pillow and threw my phone to the side. What the hell was I thinking? Had I really just imagined myself… going down on Kacchan?

"Oh god, what is wrong with me?" I whined into my pillow, cutting off my own thoughts as I rolled onto my back. Hugging the soft, fluffy thing against my chest, trying to calm down.

Well, looking at it logically, I was kind of curious. I wanted to know how it would feel. How Kacchan would look. Would he like it? Would he even let me?

I swallowed hard. The thought of taking him into my mouth made me nervous. Really nervous.

I wasn’t against it. If anything, I kind of wanted to try it - just to see if I’d like it or not. I couldn’t really tell otherwise. But the thought… it definitely had something to it. Really.

But after everything today, could I really bring this up? Could I talk to him about it? Hadn’t I just said I never wanted to have another embarrassing conversation again?

"If I just did it, then I wouldn’t have to talk about it," I mumbled to myself, completely lost in thought.

"What do you want to just do, Nerd?"

I jumped, startled, and snapped my head toward the door. Kacchan was standing there. Out of nowhere. Hands stuffed in his pockets, a skeptical look on his face.

"K-Kacchan, w-what are y-you doing here?" I stammered, completely caught off guard.

Why was he here? And how the hell had I not noticed?

I watched him sigh, shaking his head as he glanced around the room before sitting on the edge of my bed. I scooted over, making space for him.

"It’s almost ten-thirty, and you still hadn’t come up," he explained, giving me a light shove before lying down beside me. He smiled, pulling me into him, pressing a quick kiss to my forehead.

"You could’ve just texted me."

"I had to grab a drink anyway. So, what were you doing that made you forget about me?"

I definitely turned red. My face felt hot. I had read all those texts so logically and calmly - but now, with Kacchan lying right next to me, every single word I had just read was racing through my head. And damn it, why was I getting visuals now and not earlier?!

"Uh… I-I, well. I was just reading something," I mumbled quickly, shoving my pillow from my chest onto my face. Seriously. I did not want to be embarrassed by this. And yet, here I was. As long as he didn’t—

The second I thought about my phone, an arm shot past my head, snatching it up from where I had thrown it into the corner of my bed out of pure shame.

"Give that back right now, Kacchan!" I protested immediately, reaching to snatch it from his hands, but he effortlessly blocked me with his other arm. And just to make things worse, he got up in a flash, dodging me entirely as he retreated to my desk chair, smirking triumphantly.

I puffed out my cheeks, grumbling. At least my screen was still locked with a pin. So he couldn’t-

Why the hell was he tapping on my phone?!

"Kacchan! Stop it! Don’t lock me out of my phone - I won’t be able to get back in!"

"Relax, little Deku. It only locks for a minute at first," he said casually, that damn smug grin still on his face. "Besides, I’ll have it figured out in no time. You’re way too easy to read these days."

God, I wanted to wipe that look right off his face.

His forehead creased for a moment, as if he was thinking. He had probably entered the wrong pin again. As if he’d ever figure it out, I thought to myself and turned away from him. I just needed a moment to breathe, to process everything I had read - without having to look at him.

But when a drawn-out "Ooooh" left his mouth, I practically shot up in bed, staring at him in horror. With a victorious smirk, he turned my phone screen toward me, showing my open browser. The page. The one full of way-too-explicit information.

Fuck. Fuck. How….?

I let out a squeak and threw myself onto my stomach, burying my head under my pillow. God, it wasn’t just that he had seen it… No! He knew my pin! He knew my damn pin, and it couldn’t have been more embarrassing. Because it was…

"Oh, my little nerd," Kacchan cooed, his voice dripping with amusement. "Kind of cute that you used my birthday as your pin."

I died. Right then and there, and I wanted to. I tried to summon the biggest, deepest hole in the ground to disappear into forever. At the same time, I cursed my dumb, lovestruck self for changing the pin just yesterday. Though, he had probably tried my birthday first anyway. I really needed to come up with something more secure.

"Well, there were only four real options, Nerd," he said flatly, not even hesitating as he started reading through the open article.

"Four?" I asked, trying to distract him.

Should I use One for All and just snatch the phone back? Would it make too much noise? Most people were probably asleep by now.

Kacchan glanced up at me, flashing a sharp, toothy grin before explaining, "Your birthday, Auntie’s, All Might’s, or mine. And you really went with mine… Damn, didn’t know I had you this whipped.”

I let out the quietest whimper possible. Internally sobbing. So much worse than externally.

Muttering a weak, "Kacchaaan, please," I prayed for mercy.

But all I got was an amused snort and a dry, "Wait ‘til I’m done reading this."

I whined, peeking out from under my pillow, watching his face as he seriously read through the article on my screen.

He actually looked calm. Just like I had been earlier. Before he barged in. Honestly, it was already a miracle that he had willingly stepped foot into my nerdy sanctuary.

"You’re really overthinking this, huh? Have you started taking notes already?" he asked, a little amused. Though, at the same time, it also sounded like he was making fun of me and my weird habits.

I frowned. What an ass. My response came out snappy. "Of course! If you want to read the analysis of your kissing skills, just check your hero analysis."

His eyebrow shot up skeptically. "You’re serious, Nerd?"

Obviously, I was lying, but the way he said it annoyed me, so I doubled down. "Of course!"

Kacchan immediately sprang to his feet and made a beeline for my bookshelf. Without hesitation, he pulled out the slightly singed Notebook No. 13 - the very same one he had thrown out the window back then. The day the sludge monster got him. The day I met All Might. And he knew that in that exact notebook, I had dedicated several pages to him. More than to anyone else.

Eight pages, to be exact. Because, whether consciously or not, he had always been my hero.

His loud exhale pulled me from my nostalgic thoughts. I grinned. Had he actually been worried that I had documented and analyzed everything we had been doing?

"You little bastard," he growled, putting the notebook back before striding toward me.

I laughed, surrendering as I flopped onto my back, letting him crawl over me.

"Oh? You were scared for a second, weren’t you?"

"As nerdy as you are, I wouldn’t put it past you," he shot back, smirking mischievously.

Pinning my wrists, he held my gaze, leaning in close to my ear as he murmured, "But right now, you’re the one who should be afraid. I really don’t like being messed with."

I exhaled shakily. Why did that sound more suggestive than threatening? And why did that one word pop into my head again? Along with some very specific images. Images that, for some reason, combined my repressed middle school self with a very dominant Kacchan.

I swallowed hard. Shit. I needed to get those images out of my head immediately.

“What's going on in your head right now, nerd?” Kacchan asked me, seeming to notice my unease. He looked at me with a raised eyebrow. At the same time, I saw his gaze wander down briefly, felt him let go of me with one hand and briefly stroke my crotch. Shit? Why the fuck did I have a boner now?

I started stuttering. Random syllables spilled from my mouth, making no sense at all. I tried to pull myself together.

What the hell was wrong with my brain right now? And why was my body reacting so obviously to it?

Since I wasn’t giving him an answer, Kacchan shifted, settling himself onto my lap. He adjusted his position - definitely on purpose - sending a tremor through my body, heat prickling across my skin.

"So?" he pressed, crossing his arms over his chest, looking down at me.

"One embarrassing conversation is enough for today," I shot back, turning my gaze away and folding my arms as well.

No way was I telling him. Or… should I be bold and show him instead?

Kacchan scoffed in contempt, shifting again. I bit down on my lower lip in response, now glaring at him with pure irritation. He was still grinning. Challenging. Provoking.

It pissed me off. I had the overwhelming urge to knock him down a peg.

Grabbing his arm, I yanked him off me, flipping the situation in an instant. Straddling him, I pinned him down. Maybe - just maybe - I had used a tiny bit of One for All. But only because he had really pissed me off.

For a split second, I saw the surprise flash in his eyes before his brows furrowed and his teeth clenched.

"You Shitty Nerd! If you’re gonna do it, do it with your own strength," he snarled, struggling to break free.

But I held him down. Even I was surprised at how bold I was being right now.

"Then stop provoking me," I shot back, keeping some distance between our faces.

"But that’s what always gets you worked up. And when you’re mad, you get bolder. More direct," he grinned at me, tone unmistakably suggestive.

God, I wanted to wipe that smirk off his face.

But instead, I leaned down, pressing a kiss to his neck. And just to get back at him, I bit down - lightly.

"Fuck! Deku! Cut it out!" he protested, trying to push my head away. "I swear, if there's even the slightest mark, I'll kill you. Slowly. Painfully. Twice."

I laughed quietly, amused by his reaction. Let go of one of his wrists and slipped my hand under his shirt, pushing it up, completely forgetting that just moments ago, I had been trapped by my own embarrassment.

Kacchan didn’t do anything.

I had expected him to shove me off, to fight back. But apparently, he wanted to see what I was going to do first.

Good - because I wanted to know too. Somehow, this was all happening on its own, without me fully controlling it. Had I really been that affected by everything I had read?

My head moved lower. I pressed kisses along his chest, then his stomach. My hands roamed up and down his sides, shaky and restless. I inhaled his familiar scent. It clouded my thoughts. Pulled me in.

A sharp gasp from Kacchan was my reward. It sent my pulse skyrocketing. Fueled me to keep going.

I covered his torso with kisses, barely leaving any space untouched. Used my tongue. Grew bolder as I glanced up at him. He lay there with his eyes closed, cheeks slightly flushed, trying to steady himself. And somehow, that only spurred me on even more. And there it was again - that insanity that refused to let me think clearly. That wanted to shut away my embarrassment completely. The insanity that shut off my mind.

My grin turned slightly devilish before I put my mouth over his nipple and sucked on it. I added my tongue. And then my teeth.

"Fuck, wa…," Kacchan gasped breathlessly, his body unconsciously arching toward me. His reaction did something to me, turned me on, made me want more. So I repeated the same motion on the other side, feeling the way his body twitched beneath me. I noticed him trying to resist - halfheartedly. Was he struggling with himself? After all, he was losing the upper hand.

I shook my head, barely noticing. No, I shouldn't think about that now. Not as long as I had the courage to do this, not as long as I hadn't started doubting, overthinking, questioning everything. Instead, I focused on the image my mind had planted just moments ago - an image of me kneeling in front of Kacchan. Fuck. Where the hell was all of this coming from?

My wet trail continued downward, past his navel. I pressed a kiss to the soft skin below, feeling the bulge in his pants brush against my chin. Swallowing hard, I started to tremble - out of excitement, out of nervousness.

My heart pounded hard against my chest, my entire body burning with heat. Slowly, doubt began to creep in, pushing aside curiosity and desire. Still, I lowered my head slightly, letting the tip of my nose brush over the skin just above his waistband. Gathering the last bit of my courage, I pressed my lips briefly against the fabric of his pants - only touching him indirectly.

But apparently, that was enough to snap Kacchan out of his daze.

I was yanked up by my hair, forced to crawl back up to him. My eyes met the flushed face of my boyfriend. He was slightly out of breath, no doubt about it. His eyes looked a little dazed, and he licked his lips. He seemed completely out of it.

"What the hell was that, Nerd?" he asked, and since when could his voice go up like that? Had I really thrown him off so much that he wasn’t completely in control anymore?

He looked panicked. And embarrassed. Really embarrassed.

It made me smile.

"Uh… well… I just wanted to, um, try it out. Because in the article earlier, it sa—" I started to explain, but Kacchan cut me off, tugging me again and forcing me to lie down next to him.

"What the hell is wrong with you?"

"Uh…"

“You couldn't say the word ‘sex’ at lunchtime today, but now you want to give me a...blow job?”

His voice was shaky. Not as confident as usual. Still at least a tone or two higher than normal. And at the same time, his words snapped me back to reality. It slowly dawned on me. Dawned on me what I had just attempted far too boldly. My cheeks turned red. I fought the urge to crawl away and hide. No. I had done it because I wanted to. There was nothing to be ashamed of. No. No. No.

"Kacchan! You always complain that I’m a coward, and now that I actually have some guts, you stop me," I huffed, my voice quiet but steady. I had dared to say what I was thinking.

There was a brief silence. Surprisingly, Kacchan was the one to break eye contact first. He looked away and mumbled, "I don’t want you to do that."

Oh. I hadn’t expected that. Tilting my head, I asked, naively, "Why not? Every article said it’s supposed to feel good, so I thoug—"

He cut me off. Again. Just pressed the back of his hand against my mouth for a second before turning away from me.

I was confused. Completely confused. Normally, I was the one who hesitated and turned away. And Kacchan was the one pressing for answers or eventually giving up. This was all backward. Just like earlier today, when I had been the one holding him.

"I don’t want you to do it because I don’t know if I can," Kacchan finally said after a moment. His voice was steadier now, still quiet, but at least firm.

I thought about his words for a second. Was he seriously worrying about that? I mean, I didn’t know if I’d like it either. But trying was the only way to find out. It had been the same with our first kiss. Back then, my curiosity had taken over for a brief moment too. I had only realized it - only felt embarrassed about it - after the fact.

"It's not a big deal."

"Yes, it is."

"Well, at least I'd have one thing over you," I teased, earning a low growl in response. I laughed and snuggled up against his back, cutting off the silence before it could settle.

"Kacchan?"

"Hm?"

"I really do want to try it. Just to know what it's like. And I wouldn’t mind if I was the only one doing it. I think," I said calmly, waiting for his reaction. He still seemed to be wrestling with himself.

I understood his hesitation, of course. It wasn’t just about me being ahead of him in something - admitting that he was unsure about something at all was probably already catastrophic enough for him.

"But not here. And not now."

Firm. Decisive. Non-negotiable.

"Why not?"

"The extras are sleeping all around us, and I’ve got All Might staring at me from every direction."

I chuckled softly and, for once, couldn't resist messing with him. "Didn't seem to bother you much earlier."

"You little shit—"

" Yeah, yeah, I like you too, Kacchan."

He huffed, and my heart skipped a beat. That had just slipped out. I hadn’t meant to say it like that. Though, people said that to their friends all the time, without any deeper meaning.

But unfortunately, it did have a deeper meaning. I knew it. Maybe Kacchan did too.

But instead of addressing it, he just grumbled, "Go to sleep."

"Here?"

"For once! And because I can’t be assed to walk upstairs," he muttered, tucking his arm under his head and closing his eyes.

I watched him for a moment, smiling, before letting my head drop onto the pillow beside his. But this bed was really small. The pillow too.

"I still need to get ready for bed," I mumbled, climbing over him to head to the bathroom.

Five minutes later, I returned to find Kacchan already under the blanket. His shirt and pants were gone. He was standing there in just his boxers, waiting, before shoving me into my far-too-small bed.

His 1.40m bed was definitely more comfortable than my narrow 90cm one. But at least here, we had to cuddle.

"Good night, Kacchan," I whispered, pressing a soft kiss to his lips. He just let out a low grunt in response and pulled me closer. We both closed our eyes, already drifting toward sleep.

But there was one thing that had been on my mind all night.

Grinning, I whispered, "By the way, you totally killed the mood today."

"Shut up."

I laughed quietly as a wave of contentment washed over me. I felt at peace. I felt calm. And despite everything - despite the ups and downs of the day - I was just happy.

 

Notes:

That’s it!
I hope this chapter managed to make you smile a little.
This was more of a filler before we get to the next big point.
Next chapter will have a tiny bit more smut, and then it’s finally back to school!

Have a great Sunday, and I’ll see you again on Wednesday!

Chapter 31: …Into Practice

Notes:

Hey everyone!

Ha! Finally, I can bless you with a new chapter after all the wonderful comments you’ve left me! 💖 And the kudos… I still can’t believe they keep coming! Thank you so much!

And as a reward, you’re getting an extra-long chapter today—though that wasn’t exactly planned. When I reread the original version of this chapter, I really wasn’t happy with the little smut part. It felt… too rough for a first time. So, lucky you - I rewrote everything and hopefully made it better! 😆

Just a little heads-up: They’re trying something for the first time again, and Izuku is and will always be an adorable little nerd!
Enjoy!

Chapter 31 – …Into Practice

 

The last day of house arrest had arrived. Still, the thought made me feel a little wistful. After this, I wouldn’t get to spend the day alone with Kacchan anymore - we’d be back in class, surrounded by everyone else. Stuck in lessons and training until late afternoon, only really seeing each other at night before going to bed. Were there any other ways we could secretly meet up during the day?

That question lingered in my mind as I brushed my teeth. Kacchan had already disappeared into his room to get ready as well. The thought of our planned morning only dampened my mood further. Because essentially, today’s schedule consisted of making breakfast and then grinding through English and math until noon. Exactly what we had originally planned for Sunday before Aizawa interrupted us.

And he was dead serious about it. No unnecessary kisses. No distractions. No fooling around.

Honestly? I had always thought I’d be the one saying something like that someday. Not him! But the fact that Kacchan was so hellbent on getting the best possible results on these assignments - and was willing to butcher our last full day together for it - was just so unfair.

But whining wouldn’t change anything. So, I gave in to my explosive boyfriend’s demands. Spent the entire morning following his lead. Left him alone. Let him smack me over the head when I didn’t get a math problem right away. Let him do his thing while I waited - waited for him to cave first, like he always did. Waited to be pulled into his lap or dragged somewhere else.

Instead, we just kept studying. In the common room, no less - probably so there wouldn’t be any temptations. That traitor.

And yet, my mind kept drifting back to yesterday. I still wanted to try it. No one was here. We could sneak off to his room whenever we wanted. There was no real reason not to.

"Hey, Kacchan?" I started hesitantly, immediately earning a What-is-it-now? look from him.

"Can we take a break?"

"Why? You hard or something?"

Ugh. Straight to the point, as always. So, he was fully back to his usual self.

I groaned and dropped my head onto the table, then turned slightly to peek at him.

"Maybe?"

He stopped writing, propped his head up on one hand, and raised an eyebrow. His expression was hard to read. Somewhere between surprised, annoyed, and confused. But then he grinned.

And suddenly, I wasn’t so sure about this anymore.

Then came the words that made me want to die on the spot.

"Then go to your room and jerk yourself off if you’re that desperate."

Argh, this asshole!

I let out a dramatic whine, squeaked, and managed only a very weak, "I hate you!" as my cheeks burned hot.

"As long as the assignments aren’t done, you should focus on them instead of anything else," he scolded me sternly. And God, his words annoyed the hell out of me. Made me angry. Left me pouting.

Kacchan kept writing while I still didn’t have the energy to lift my head from the table. I was just way too unmotivated. Seriously. I did not want to be doing schoolwork anymore. Maybe I sounded like a sulky kid, but I didn’t care. We’d done enough this week. I was done with it.

I let out a heavy sigh, closing my eyes as I tried to think of a way out. How could I get Kacchan to focus on me instead? Would he follow if I actually got up and walked away? If I made it seem like I was going through with what he had suggested?

Hmm, worth a try.

Determined, I pushed my chair back and stood up. Immediately, I got Kacchan’s attention. At least that part worked - he wasn’t completely ignoring me.

But I ignored him instead, walking away from the table toward the hallway. My heart pounded a little, and I had to fight the urge to glance back. I wanted to know if he was watching me. If he was going to stop me.

Just before I likely stepped out of his sight, his voice rang out.

"Where do you think you’re going, Nerd?"

Internally, I exhaled in relief. Outwardly, I forced myself to sound as nonchalant and cool as possible. He could not know how much of a whirlwind this whole act was causing inside me.

"I’m going to my room. You said it yourself."

I didn’t turn around. Just kept walking. I didn’t hear him follow.

With a deep sigh, I shut my door behind me.

Shit. Was this really the right move?

"Dammit," I muttered, pacing my room. Back and forth. Over and over. Sat on my bed. Immediately stood up again when the reality of what I had implied sank in.

Fuck. I had just told Kacchan, indirectly, that I was going to jerk off.

God, that was embarrassing!

Minutes ticked by as I tried to shake off my growing humiliation. I kept reassuring myself, but disappointment crept in. He really wasn’t following me.

How else was I supposed to lure him in?

It wasn’t like I wanted anything crazy. I just wanted a hug. And a kiss. And to cuddle. I just wanted – needed - one last moment in the middle of the day to feel his warmth. Because after today, it wouldn’t be possible anymore.

Starting tomorrow, we’d have to keep things secret all day long. I wouldn’t be able to just stare at him. Smile at him. So why couldn’t he just give me this? Did he not feel the same way? Was I just not that important to him? Or was he deliberately acting distant to help me get used to it?

Scowling, I pressed down on my door handle. Ten minutes had passed since I had come in. No point keeping up this stupid act - it obviously hadn’t worked.

I swung the door open and stepped into the hallway. Nothing. No Kacchan.

My mood plummeted even more as I dragged myself back to the common room. And there he was. Still sitting at the table. Completely unchanged.

Even though I was embarrassed, I sat back down in my chair and silently picked up my pen. And damn. I hadn’t even done anything, yet I was still unbelievably flustered. Trying to cover it up, I reread my last few sentences and forced myself to continue the assignment. Still, I snuck a quick glance at Kacchan, who was also writing.

"So, did you let off some steam?" he asked, not even bothering to look up as he continued working.

I bit my lip and mumbled almost inaudibly, "I-I didn’t… I mean… I wasn’t—"

Suddenly, I heard Kacchan laugh, and I looked up. As always, he was grinning at me smugly.

"You really thought I’d fall for that?"

"Well, I… kinda hoped," I muttered, lowering my head and staring at my notebook. I couldn’t look him in the eye. It had been a childish move, after all.

"Why?"

A simple question. His tone sounded genuinely curious. That surprised me. Still, I couldn’t bring myself to meet his gaze and just kept mumbling quietly, "Well, it’s our last day. And, um, maybe it doesn’t matter to you, but… but I like it when we’re, you know… close. And… um… tomorrow…"

I trailed off as I heard Kacchan let out a long, heavy sigh. I gripped my pen tightly, hoping it wouldn’t snap in my frustration. Yeah, this was frustrating. And at the same time, I felt a deep sense of sadness creeping in.

"Deku."

I heard him call my name, but I didn’t look up. Instead, I pressed my teeth together. If he could ignore me, then surely I could do the same, right?

He called me again, but I stayed firm, staring stubbornly at my notebook, pretending to focus.

"Izuku."

My head snapped up, and my heart immediately skipped a beat. Shit. How could he have this much of an effect on me just by saying my real name? And why did it instantly make me happy?

His gaze was soft. Unusually soft. And he was smiling at me - understanding, gentle. It completely threw me off.

"We’ll be done here in forty minutes at most. That means it’ll barely be past noon. Think you can hold out until then?"

I tilted my head and exhaled deeply, my shoulders slumping slightly as I nodded. I heard Kacchan sigh as well, then the sound of his chair scraping against the floor. I looked up just as his hand found the back of my neck.

Automatically, I leaned forward, standing up just a little as he did the same.

Our lips brushed together for just a second - soft, fleeting. But it sent a spark through my entire body. Like tiny shocks dancing under my skin.

It made me smile. It made me glow.

"Idiot," Kacchan murmured, ruffling my hair before pushing me back slightly.

"Thanks, Kacchan."

"Don’t get used to me being this nice to you, got it?" he huffed.

I laughed behind my hand. It seemed like even Kacchan got a little uncomfortable when he was being too soft. But I had to admit - I really liked it.

 

"Done!" I practically shouted, slamming both my notebook and textbook shut. I grinned broadly at Kacchan, who only rolled his eyes. But there was the faintest smile on his lips too.

"So, what do you wanna do now?" he asked immediately, already gathering his things.

My face warmed up as inappropriate thoughts shot through my head. Shyly, I stammered, "Well, um… I thought we could… go to your room?"

"Oh?" He dragged out the word, his tone making me even more flustered. And, as if that wasn’t enough, he just had to add, "And what kind of dirty thoughts are you planning to act out on me?"

I squeaked and dropped my head onto the table, shielding myself with my arms as I groaned. Seriously. Why did he always have to be like this? Okay, fine, maybe I deserved it after what I pulled earlier, but still…

"I don’t wanna do anything," I muttered. "I just… I just wanna cud…lie down with you for a bit…"

My voice was several octaves too high again. And there was no way I was saying the word cuddle. That would sound way too soft. Way too sappy. And I had no idea how Kacchan would react to that.

While I was still busy drowning in embarrassment, I felt his hand on my arm. Without me even realizing it, he had moved around the table and was now pulling me up. Then, without another word, he started walking ahead. Typical Kacchan. Hands in his pockets. Shoulders slightly hunched. Looking effortlessly cool. And yet, somehow, this image burned itself into my mind, along with so many others, under the label: My boyfriend.

I followed him and stopped beside him at the elevator, nervously kneading my hands. I needed to get my pubescent thoughts under control. Maybe school starting tomorrow was actually a good thing. Maybe it would help get my mind off all this. Hopefully.

Kacchan’s voice pulled me from my thoughts. "Still got the urge to suck me off?"

Wump.

Internally, I collapsed onto the floor. What the fuck?! Where did that even come from?! And why the hell did he always have to say things so dryly, out of nowhere?!

I was going to die. If not from embarrassment, then from an actual heart attack. I was sure of it.

He was looking at me with a raised eyebrow. I, on the other hand, was only sneaking glances at him - too afraid to meet his gaze properly. Instead, I turned my head away and rubbed the back of my neck nervously. My heart was racing wildly as I tried to gather the courage to answer.

"Well… I mean… I think it’d be… interesting… to know," I mumbled toward the floor. God, this was so embarrassing. So painfully embarrassing.

How had I been so bold about this yesterday?

"Riiight… interesting.," he hummed. Then, after a brief pause, he added, "Y’know… I kinda feel like a science project with you right now."

His voice was oddly flat, almost emotionless. It made me look up at him again, confused. His expression reminded me a little of that time at Ground Beta - only without the anger.

"Huh?"

Brilliant response. But I was thrown off. What did he even mean by that? Especially after that comment just now.

Kacchan leaned against the wall, eyes flicking up to the floor indicator. His voice was calm as he continued, "Back then, when I shut you up with this ‘kiss’, I never in a million years thought about doing it again. But you were so obsessed with understanding that feeling that I ended up doing it a second time. And yesterday, you had the exact same look. You read something. Tried to understand it. But to really analyze it, you’d have to feel it yourself. And that’s when you get so tunnel-visioned that you forget to even be embarrassed. Your curiosity wins."

He cut himself off with a short laugh. It sounded like even he found the whole thing absurd. Then he scoffed, throwing in a casual, "You’re such a nerd."

I had absorbed every word he said, completely caught off guard. By the time I snapped out of it, we had already reached his floor. Just like last time, the doors had opened and closed again without either of us stepping out.

We stood there, together. And yet, for some reason, I felt a distance between us. I couldn’t explain why. Was it because of what he had said? Had I pushed too hard? Forced this whole thing just because I couldn’t leave it alone?

"Do you regret giving in to my request?" I asked quietly but firmly. My fists clenched at my sides as I held his gaze.

Kacchan’s eyes swept over me. From the top of my head down to my feet. And then back up again, lingering on my eyes. I saw the shift in his expression - the slight softening around his eyes. Then his grin turned mischievous.

God. Did he have any idea how stupidly breathtaking he looked when he smirked like that?

His hand reached out. Two fingers hooked onto the front of my waistband, tugging me forward. I stumbled the small step toward him without hesitation. I could feel his breath against my face. I could feel the warmth radiating from his body.

„No, I don’t think so,“ he murmured against my lips. It made me swallow hard. Made me shiver. Filled me with an overwhelming sense of happiness. And anticipation. My whole body was buzzing with emotions before he pulled me into a kiss that completely clouded my senses.

Damn.

How had he gotten so damn good at kissing in such a short time? So good that I practically melted in his arms. So good that I couldn’t help but fall for him - completely, hopelessly. So good that I trusted him without question. So good that I had already handed him my heart without hesitation.

"Come on, Nerd. Time to satisfy that curiosity of yours," he murmured into my ear once he pulled away.

His voice was so deep, so dark, so utterly sexy that my blood rushed downward instantly. A bolt of heat shot straight down my spine and settled in my core.

Fuck.

Everything about him turned me on. And there was no point in denying it.

 

Hesitantly, I cuddled up with him in bed. Both of us were down to just our boxers under the blanket. Kissing. Touching. I could feel both my own arousal and his.

And yet, I couldn’t bring myself to make the first move. Because now, it was out there - he knew what I wanted to do. And that somehow made it embarrassing.

Yesterday had been different. Yesterday, he hadn’t known. I had just acted on instinct. How was I supposed to start now? Just like yesterday? But I couldn’t exactly surprise him with it anymore.

"You’re mumbling into my mouth, Deku," Kacchan grumbled.

His hand on my cheek forced me to pull back slightly, and I met his smug, knowing expression. Shit. He knew exactly what was going on in my head. And it amused him. Which was rich, considering he had chickened out yesterday. Asshole.

"This is awkward," I whined, hiding my burning face against his neck.

"You’re the one making it awkward."

"Oh, and whose fault is that? I would’ve done it if you hadn’t stopped me yesterday."

Kacchan growled. I grinned. Kissed his neck. Slowly, I started feeling a little more confident.

"Shut up, Nerd, and just do it. I’ll blast you away if you screw up."

His words eased some of my uncertainty. He had given me the okay. Let me take the lead. Lay beneath me without resistance.

So I shifted fully on top of him, locking eyes with him. That intense, usually aggressive red looked different today. He seemed a little nervous after all. Just like me.

I pressed my lips against his, my hand finding its way into his ash-blond hair. I grabbed hold, using it to guide him slightly, trying to match the same boldness he usually had.

It felt strange. Because, for once, he wasn’t taking control - he was just reacting. It was usually the other way around. Was he struggling with this just as much as I was, while I awkwardly fumbled to take the lead.

Kacchan let out a low hum against my lips. It sounded like a mumbled "Turn your brain off."

I smirked slightly. Pulling away from his mouth, I moved to his ear, then slowly down to his neck.

A soft, hitched breath escaped him. I saw the way his chest rose and fell a little quicker. I couldn’t deny that I felt the same. My heart was racing, my whole body buzzing with anticipation and nerves, because I knew where my lips would end up.

My hands roamed over his torso as I trailed a damp path from his neck, down over his collarbone, to his hardened nipples. Just like yesterday, I covered one with my mouth and sucked lightly, feeling Kacchan tense beneath me as a quiet moan escaped his lips.

It made me let out a shaky breath of my own, the growing tightness in my boxers becoming impossible to ignore.

Fuck.

Why was this already turning me on so much?

As I stayed focused on his chest, my hands moved lower, pushing down the waistband of his boxers. I was careful not to leave any marks, but I still kissed, licked, and sucked at his skin. Grazed my teeth over it.

I could feel his heart hammering beneath his ribs.

A quick glance upward told me I wasn’t messing anything up.

Kacchan was enjoying it. He lay there, arms relaxed at his sides, head tilted back just slightly. Flushed cheeks. Slightly parted lips.

Damn, like a work of art.

Bravely, I continued my way downward, tracing the lines of his abs as I pushed the blanket off us.

I glanced down and swallowed hard. I had never been so close to his cock before. If I lowered my head just a little more, I’d practically feel him against my chin.

Damn. Was I getting cold feet?

"Quit staring at it! That’s weird," Kacchan suddenly muttered.

I hadn’t even realized that I had completely stopped touching and kissing him.

I mumbled a “sorry” before my hand hesitantly closed around his shaft and straightened him up a little. His cock was now right in front of my face. Somehow everything looked a little different this close. Trembling and nervous, I lowered my head and breathed a kiss on his tip. I then heard Kacchan draw in his breath with a hiss.

It felt... strange.

Soft, velvety, yet somehow firm. I had nothing to compare it to - nothing I had ever had against my lips before.

He smelled faintly of soap. Probably from when he’d been in the bathroom earlier.

But there was no discomfort, no hesitation rising in me. So I gathered my courage and wrapped my lips fully around the tip, letting my tongue glide around it, flicking over the top.

"Fuck," Kacchan hissed, the word almost rumbling out of him like a growl.

I let him slip from my mouth again, taking a steady breath as I tried to calm myself. I was so incredibly nervous it almost knocked the air out of me. But honestly… it was interesting. It felt good. A lot less weird than I had expected.

My hand on his cock moved down, pulling down the thin protective skin. Collected enough spit before I slid my mouth back over his tip. Wetting the sensitive skin with my tongue. I knew how strongly it reacted to being touched.

It felt infinitely smooth on my tongue as I carefully explored every inch of it. I found the small indentation, ran it over the frenulum and once around it.

Was rewarded with a throaty moan from Kacchan. Made my abdomen throb uncomfortably and build up more and more pressure. Shit! That was awesome! I liked it. I hadn't even done much yet.

I sucked on him carefully. Started to move my head up and down in time with my hand, which still gave me the security of not taking him too far into my mouth. Felt Kacchan tense beneath me. Heard him breathing heavily. Heard him moan. Only made me more eager.

"Shit, that’s insane," he panted, completely caught up in my touch.

If I had thought he looked good before, now he was absolutely breathtaking.

Fuck.

The feeling of doing this with him made my blood rush, sent a tingling heat through every inch of me. I wanted to touch myself. Badly.

I swung a leg over one of his, granting myself a bit of friction in the process while my tongue continued to swirl around his tip. Then I let him slip out of my mouth because my cheeks were aching. And my jaw too. I never would’ve thought it would be this exhausting. But well, when had I ever had something so big in my mouth for so long?

I rested my head briefly against his hip bone, letting my hand move slowly along him as I took a short break.

My gaze roamed over him, taking in every detail. It was really interesting. Of course, I had the same thing hanging between my legs, but I had never looked at one from this close up before. And honestly? It was fascinating. Totally fascinating.

I caught myself mid-thought. Kacchan was so right. I was a nerd. A nerd who couldn’t help but analyze even this. God, I was really a lost cause.

Internally shaking my head, I let out a small grin and glanced up at Kacchan. He was still lying there, eyes shut, completely lost in the sensation. And I wanted to give him more of it. Because, judging by his reaction, it was completely overwhelming him.

I took him into my mouth again, determined to take him even deeper this time. Instinctively, I took a deep breath, swallowed, and slowly eased him in, inch by inch. I felt him on my uvula, my gag reflex kicking in for a brief moment. But it still felt so exciting. I could literally feel the blood pumping through his cock.

I swallowed again, closed my eyes and was just about to let my head sink even deeper into his lap when Kacchan suddenly jerked his hips towards me.

My head snapped back on reflex as I coughed and gagged, my throat protesting the intrusion. I blinked away the sudden sting of tears, quickly rubbing at my face while I tried to suppress the nausea bubbling up inside me.

"Sorry," I heard Kacchan say breathlessly.

I shook my head. Bringing my hand back into play, I wrapped my lips around him again, sucking gently. I blinked away the lingering tears, feeling the nausea slowly subside. But I knew one thing for sure - I wouldn’t be taking him that deep again. Otherwise, this whole thing would end badly.

I picked up the movements again, working in sync with my hand.

I sucked harder each time I moved upward, letting my tongue swirl around him over and over. I could feel him growing even firmer in my mouth, his body reacting to every touch.

Low, rough sounds spilled from Kacchan’s lips - one after another. His moans were intoxicating. So arousing. So damn sexy.

I picked up the pace, tasting a drop of pleasure as I licked over his tip. Letting my tongue flick briefly over the small indentation -

And then I froze.

A faint crackling sound met my ears. A hint of something… slightly burnt lingered in the air.

Startled, I pulled away and glanced at Kacchan’s hands. They were clenched tightly into the sheets, his fingers digging in so hard they’d left faint scorch marks.

"Kacc…?"

"Fuck, damn it! I – just - don’t stop… fucking Nerd!" he growled at me.

His words were jumbled, his usual sharpness dulled by pure need. His glare burned into me, but his eyes were clouded with lust. A thin sheen of sweat covered his forehead, his cheeks and ears unmistakably flushed.

I was wrecking him.

A grin spread across my lips - almost manic.

Fuck, this was so good.

And that was with all the ridiculous thoughts and overanalyzing still running through my head. I wanted to do it right, even though I had no clue what right or wrong even was.

The little mishap hadn’t dulled his excitement in the slightest. No - he was still hard. Still big. Like he was already on the verge of release.

So I wrapped my hand around his shaft again, my lips sealing over his tip once more. I sucked a little harder this time, taking him back into my mouth, inch by inch.

With my free hand, I slid my fingers under his ass, pressing lightly - silently encouraging him to move. Because, if I was being honest, my neck and jaw were definitely reaching their limit. Huh, did this even use a completely different set of muscles?

I didn’t have time to dwell on it, because Kacchan had understood.

I felt the way he held himself back, only thrusting ever so slightly into my mouth - controlled, but barely. The tremors in his body were unmistakable. His legs tensed and twitched, and the subtle friction sent another wave of heat straight to my own cock. I couldn’t hold back a moan.

Fuck - how was it possible that I was this close, too?

Suddenly I felt his hand on the back of my head. Felt the pressure he was exerting to hold me in place. Holy shit! Images flashed behind my eyes. Showed me the fantasy I had yesterday. A fantasy that had turned me. A fantasy that felt so much more real today - so real it was driving me insane, just like my mouth was doing to Kacchan in that moment.

I moaned. He did too. Felt his light thrusts becoming a little more erratic and irregular. I also felt him suddenly pull my hair and try to direct my head out of his lap. Didn't understand why and instead sucked harder on him. Heard him gasp breathlessly. Felt his cock twitching and pulsating harder in my mouth. Felt the veins stand out on my tongue.

I couldn't think straight and pressed my head into his lap one last time, letting my own crotch push out against his knee as I felt the hot liquid on my tongue, all over my mouth. I heard Kacchan's throaty moan before he continued to pour himself into my mouth in thrusts.

I struggled to swallow it all. The salty, bitter taste in my mouth didn't disgust me, no, it just felt a bit dull on my tongue.

I gave his tip one last slow lick, feeling the way he trembled beneath me from the overstimulation.

And that alone - That alone sent a deep sense of satisfaction through me. Because I was completely overwhelmed by what had just happened. I could barely process it.

A laugh almost bubbled up in my throat, simply because I had no idea what to do with the flood of sensations crashing over me.

Slowly, I crawled back up to him, settling on my side as I propped my head up and took him in. Shit, he looked good. His hair was a little messy, strands sticking to the nape of his neck and his temples. His chest still rose and fell faster than usual, and for a second, I swore I could see his heartbeat.

I couldn’t get enough of the sight of his flushed skin. Everything about him was fascinating. It pulled me in, made me want to stay in this moment just a little longer.

Only now was it really sinking in - what I had just done, what I had felt, what he had felt in my mouth. It had been intoxicating. Completely. And, honestly? I’d do it again. And maybe… maybe I’d even like to feel it the other way around. I thought I would.

Kacchan still looked wrecked, like he was struggling to come back down from it. Fascinating. That was all I could think. And hot. So fucking hot.

His half-lidded gaze met mine, like he wanted to say something but couldn’t find the words. So I smirked and traced lazy circles over his chest with my finger.

"Did I leave you speechless?"

A fist landed against my arm.

Kacchan's grin was downright smug. His entire expression was pure satisfaction, more so than I’d ever seen on him before. It must’ve been way more intense than just using his hand.

"Fuck, Deku. That was amazing," he finally got out, still breathing a little unevenly.

I grinned and leaned down toward him, but he suddenly wrinkled his nose and stopped me with a hand to my chest.

"You swallowed this, didn’t you?" he asked, and I nodded.

"It’s not a big deal. Or have you seriously never tasted your…own… before?" I asked, naively as ever. To me, it seemed completely normal for a guy to get curious at some point and try to figure out what exactly came out of him when he got himself off. Or was that just another result of my so-called research tendencies?

Kacchan shook his head. A little too fast. Like he was trying to physically shake the thought out of his brain. I just laughed, grinning at him.

"Guess I’m ahead of you in more ways than I thought… coward." My voice was nothing but teasing, challenging.

I had no idea where this boldness was coming from. Maybe it was just the rush of endorphins still dancing through my veins.

"Getting real cocky now, aren’t you?"

"Then shut me up."

I barely had time to yelp before Kacchan was on top of me, pinning my wrists beside my head.

“Did you swallow some of my self-confidence with my sperm, nerd?” he asked with a growl.

And shit - he had me. I felt the embarrassment creep up, the warmth spreading over my cheeks. I shook my head. This was stupid. I had just felt so smug, so on top of things. But calling stuff by its actual name was still hard for me.

The cheeky "Maybe" got stuck in my throat.

Instead, I just looked at Kacchan and smiled, my voice barely above a whisper. "So, are you gonna do it or not?"

He let out a low growl before crashing his lips against mine.

I deliberately kept my eyes open, catching the way his nose scrunched up slightly when I nudged my tongue against his. But he went with it anyway. Not that I thought he’d taste anything - plenty of time had passed, and by now, my saliva should’ve erased all the evidence.

I laughed when he let out a quiet grunt, a sound I’d never heard from him before. At least, not one I’d consciously noticed.

"So bad?" I asked, tilting my head, and he just shook his head before finally letting go of my wrists and trying to sit up - only to immediately wince.

"Your boxers are wet," he muttered, sounding slightly disgusted, before crawling off me. I had to bite back a giggle. He was being weirdly sensitive about it.

"Well, I mean… it was really good. Even if, you know… it was mostly about you," I mumbled, more to myself than him. Of course, I’d realized I had finished too. Not in the way I usually did when Kacchan touched me - this had been just from grinding against his thigh. But yeah, I couldn’t deny it. And I also couldn’t deny that I’d like to do it again. No - I really wanted to do it again.

"Go clean yourself up. I’ll fix the bed."

Only now did I actually take a good look at the sheets, spotting dark scorch marks on both sides. Two small burn holes, too. Surprised, I glanced at Kacchan. He must've lost control for a second - something I’d only ever done once myself, back when One For All had activated for the first time in the kitchen.

"Don't look at me like that! This isn't the first charred bedsheet. When I was a kid, the old hag had a whole closet full of them for when I couldn’t control it yet," he said offhandedly. But still, the fact that he told me that so casually - without any defensiveness, without acting like it mattered - made something warm settle in my chest. Kacchan never admitted to slip-ups. And yet, this time, he had no issue doing so.

I nodded, then hesitated at the doorway before glancing back. "I’d like to do that again sometime. I mean… what we just did."

I barely managed to slip into the bathroom before I heard his response.

"Okay."

 

 

Notes:

And that’s it!
I hope you enjoyed it at least a little! Writing first-time experiences isn’t exactly easy… it’s been a while *cough*

With the next chapter, we’re finally wrapping up the house arrest and heading back to school!
God, I’m so excited for it. What do you think might happen on the first day back? Let me know! 😏
See you on Saturday!

Chapter 32: Back to School

Notes:

Hello everyone!

Yep, I'm a little ahead of schedule today! =D
I really like this chapter, even though it might not seem all that special at first.
So, enjoy this XXL chapter - hopefully packed with a few sweet little BKDK moments!

Have fun reading! 😊

Chapter 32 - Back to School

 

At the very first chime of my alarm, I practically jumped out of bed. Finally, the day had come. Wednesday at last. Back to school. Back to hero training.

Only one thing slightly dampened my excitement. And that thing was currently grumbling in frustration right next to me, shooting me a look that should have instantly killed me. Twice.

"Good morning, Kacchan," I greeted my grumpy morning-hating boyfriend with a bright smile. He just grunted and turned toward the wall, ignoring me completely. Well, he still had some time. But I had to get back to my room before anyone else started wandering the halls.

"I'm heading down," I said, running my fingers through his hair once before making a move to crawl out of bed. But before I could, a firm grip caught my wrist.

I smiled dreamily when his lips brushed against my cheek, savoring the last bit of contact we’d be able to share for now. The full reality of returning to school probably wouldn't hit me until later. Right now, all I felt was excitement.

 

"Good morning, Uraraka! Asui!" I greeted my two friends enthusiastically, flashing an impossibly bright smile at everyone else as well.

"Wow, someone’s shining brighter than Kaminari when he short-circuits," Kyoka laughed as she joined in on the greetings.

Almost the entire class was already gathered in the common area. Now that Kacchan and I were no longer under house arrest, Mr. Aizawa had put our class back on the school's regular breakfast program. But as I looked down at the food on my tray, I understood why everyone around me looked so dejected.

"Man, Midoriya! You guys really spoiled us with the food, huh?" Kirishima sighed, his disappointment echoed by the others around us. I couldn’t blame them.

Today's breakfast consisted of a bowl of salad, scrambled eggs, bacon, a bread roll, and some yogurt. I couldn’t help but miss Kacchan’s usual cooking - the meals he had always prepared with such careful precision.

"Quit whining! Like I’d play kitchen maid for you extras forever," a familiar voice snapped.

Ah, there it was - the voice I had missed.

I tried to glance over at Kacchan without making it obvious. He stood in the kitchen, making himself coffee, pulling a leftover onigiri from the fridge instead of touching the provided breakfast.

I had to physically force myself to look away. But since we’d started - it still felt weird to say it – dating, I hadn’t seen him in his school uniform. And he wore it the same as always: pants hanging a little too low, no tie, the top buttons of his shirt undone. It had that usual rebellious edge to it. Before, I thought it was just normal. Now? Now, I thought it was unfairly attractive. Unfairly se…

Shit!

Dangerous thoughts. Very dangerous thoughts.

I need to stop that! Because my brain was already in the process of undressing him. I quickly shook my head, subtly lowering my gaze to my food. I focused on eating. Tried to tune into the conversations around me. But I wasn’t doing a great job. Shit. I thought it would be easy - just going back to normal. But since we had thoroughly enjoyed our time together yesterday, I found it hard to push my teenage hormones aside.

I silently prayed that school would be a good distraction.

The vibration in my pocket pulled me from my thoughts. I pulled out my phone and saw Kacchan’s name on the screen. Opening the message, I knew Todoroki, sitting beside me, wouldn’t try to read over my shoulder. No. He was too polite for that. And probably completely uninterested.

Stop staring at me, Deku!

I flashed a guilty smile. Of course he noticed.

Sorry! Won’t happen again

Idiot

I bit my lip briefly. I had already typed out, "That school uniform really looks good on you," but quickly deleted it. No way I was gonna prove him right after that last word.

Still smiling slightly, I slipped my phone back into my pocket just as Asui turned to me.

"Midoriya-chan, everything okay?" she asked, her tone a little suspicious.

I blinked at her then quickly lied, "My mom just wished me a good day at school."

Asui’s skeptical expression didn’t go unnoticed, but I chose not to acknowledge it. Thankfully, Ilda chose that moment to announce it was time to head out.

In the background, I heard Kacchan snort. I had a feeling that one was directed at me.

 

We were greeted in an overly enthusiastic and energetic manner right at the start - by none other than Present Mic. I could already imagine how much Kacchan must have hated him. So much cheerfulness in the morning, and at such an annoying volume, was definitely not his thing. Though, to be fair, he'd been surprisingly tolerable in the mornings with me. Almost always. And even chatty. Well, somewhat chatty.

"Good morning, my dear beloved Class 1A! And look who we have here - Midoriya and Bakugou! Man, I almost forgot what you two looked like!"

The class chuckled lightly. I gave a crooked smile. Kacchan, sitting in front of me, let out an annoyed grunt and stared demonstratively out the window.

"And since I heard from Mr. Aizawa that you’ve both been studying hard - and because I’ve been deprived of your lovely voices for so long - why don’t you two come up to the board?"

I froze. My throat went dry. No way. Did Aizawa actually arrange for us to be tested?

Internally, I started sobbing. I hated being tested at the board. Written tests were fine. But oral ones? In front of everyone? I despised them. Absolutely loathed them. I just couldn’t handle that kind of attention. I didn’t want to embarrass myself. But maybe it wouldn’t be so bad. After all, Kacchan was up there with me. My Kacchan.

He stood up without hesitation, looking as bored as ever, and shot me a sharp glance - one that made me immediately get to my feet as well.

And then, it began. Present Mic had no mercy. First, vocabulary. Then, grammar. Then, random questions from the entire school year. I was pretty sure he was doing it just because neither of us had gotten anything wrong so far.

Since he directed the questions to both of us, we could take turns answering. Kacchan was, of course, more confident and quicker to respond than I was. But that was normal. He had always been better at school than me. Always. No idea how he did it. If I was a nerd, then Kacchan was definitely an overachiever. He wasn’t a typical "Straight-A student" like Ilda, but sometimes his grades were even better than our class rep’s. Honestly, he just had to be the best at everything.

"Wow! Seriously? Can’t you guys get anything wrong? This is so boring!" Present Mic groaned dramatically, pacing the classroom while I remained stiff as a board at the front. Kacchan, as usual, looked effortlessly relaxed. It was almost impressive.

“Alright, everyone else! Got any tricky questions for them?" I heard our teacher call out to the class. It did seem a bit mean - maybe not the most professional approach from a teacher’s perspective.

"Present Mic! Bakugou will kill us if we ask something dumb," Kirishima protested, as the teacher continued to lament over our flawless answers.

The scene was so bizarre. But also funny. Then again, that was pretty normal in this class. With this teacher. It’s what made him kind of likable.

I sneaked a look at Kacchan. That nasty smirk said it all - whoever spoke up was getting an explosion to the face.

"Then ask Midoriya something!" Present Mic grinned at me instead. I tensed up again, feeling suddenly exposed, and cast a wary look at the class.

But my friends just smiled at me warmly, and Ashido cooed, "We’d never be mean to Midoriya! Just look at that sweet little angel."

My cheeks heated instantly. It was a sweet compliment. But also embarrassing as hell. The scoff Kacchan let out beside me didn’t help either. Yeah… after yesterday, he probably didn’t think of me as such an angelic person anymore.

"You’re right. Alright, you two can go sit down," Present Mic finally relented, clapping his hands together.

I exhaled in relief, returning to my seat and – honestly - feeling pretty proud. We had handled that really well.

Present Mic gave us some more praise before getting sidetracked, launching into a discussion with the whole class about whether having one self-study day per week might help everyone improve. After all, it had worked out wonderfully for Kacchan and me.

As the conversation continued, I tuned out a little. I doubted we'd be doing much more in English today, so instead, my gaze drifted to the spiky, ash-blond hair in front of me. I studied him carefully. Damn. His shoulders had gotten so much broader since we started at U.A. He used to be leaner, but now… now he was built. His blazer covered his arms, but I knew what they looked like. What they felt like. Shit. Why were my fingers tingling? And why was I so warm all of a sudden?

Think about something else, Izuku! I screamed at myself internally. Tried to focus back on Present Mic’s voice. But it was so hard. The memory of my hands on his bare back was way too fresh. And my traitorous, hormonal body was not helping. Damn it. I really needed to get myself under control. Fast. Before something embarrassing happened. Kacchan would murder me if I didn’t.

While I continued wrestling with my stupidly lovesick, hormonal self, the first period finally came to an end. I was so grateful for the break.

I watched as some classmates stood up to chat, while others left the room altogether.

I walked over to Ilda and Todoroki, chatting with them for a bit. Ilda praised my performance in class and immediately launched into a monologue about the importance of consistent, independent studying.

"Truly impressive that you managed to stay so focused on your studies despite your dispute, Midoriya," he concluded his lecture before adding, "Nine minutes until Ectoplasm’s class begins. Excuse me."

With that, he left the classroom - reminding me of our next lesson in the process. My nerves kicked in. Math was up next. What if we got called to the board again?

"I should probably take another look at my notes. See you later, Todoroki," I said quickly, heading to my desk. I opened the assignments Kacchan and I had worked on yesterday. Damn. How did we even start these again?

Hero studies had never been a problem for me. Quite the opposite - I loved them. But math? Math had never been my strong suit. Of course, I understood the importance of basic arithmetic in daily life. Percentages and interest calculations? Sure, they had their uses. But these weird equations?

"Kacchan?" I asked in a hushed voice. He was sitting alone in front of me, apparently not in the mood to hang out with his usual group. I was relieved when he started tilting his chair back slightly, just enough to angle his head toward me so I could whisper in his ear.

"Do you think we’ll get called up in math too?"

"What do you think, Nerd? Sleeping Bag set us up. Just to piss us off," he replied, his voice tinged with irritation. I could almost hear his teeth grinding. And yet, I also knew he saw it as a challenge.

"Can you explain to me again how to even start solving these problems… please?"

My words came out quietly and hesitantly. I knew we weren’t alone. I knew Kacchan wasn’t the type to just help me outright. That wasn’t how we operated. It would definitely attract attention. But I was genuinely scared of making a fool of myself.

I heard him sigh, and my eyes widened when he suddenly stood up and turned his chair around, sitting on it backward with his arms casually folded over the backrest.

"Only because you'll start crying otherwise," he grumbled at me, grabbing a pen from my pencil case without hesitation, flipping to a blank page in my notebook, and scribbling down an equation.

My heart skipped a beat with joy. I was so endlessly happy and grateful that he was actually helping me. Here. In the classroom. In front of everyone. It also made me a little nervous. So I tried not to look directly at him.

"Just this once, Nerd! If you don’t get it now, go die."

I nodded quickly, trying to look a little unsure. But honestly? That was getting harder and harder to fake. After a week of studying together, this had almost started to feel normal. Just like it was with the others. Except with them, I didn’t have these annoying little butterflies in my stomach, constantly reminding me how ridiculously into the guy in front of me I was.

As I tried not to stare at his lips and instead focused on his hand gliding effortlessly across the page, I became vaguely aware of the classroom growing quieter around us. I tried to ignore it. Tried not to let it make me nervous.

But then, a loud voice cut through the air - one that definitely didn’t belong to our class.

"What’s going on with them? Did they get a behavioral therapy session along with their house arrest?"

Both Kacchan’s head and mine snapped up. I looked a little embarrassed; Kacchan, however, looked outright pissed. I quickly realized that a lot of our classmates were staring - some in shock, others in disbelief.

I turned my gaze to the girl with the ponytail standing in the doorway. It was Itsuka Kendo, class president of 1B. She was nice, a good student, and the only one who could keep that scheming, smart-mouthed Monoma in check.

"Got a death wish, Ginger?" Kacchan shot back immediately, his voice aggressive. I just sighed and rubbed my forehead. Was there anyone who didn’t get a nickname from him?

I saw Kendo smirk before turning to Ashido and saying, "Okay, maybe not, after all." Then she left just as quickly as she had arrived.

I watched her go for a moment, then glanced at Uraraka’s shocked expression and the skeptical looks from some of our other classmates. I could only offer them an awkward smile.

Kacchan growled in front of me, gave me a light headbutt, and snapped, "Eyes on the damn page!"

"Sorry, Kacchan," I whined and refocused on the problem. He even went over a second type of equation without me having to ask. I struggled to keep myself from smiling too much.

And honestly? I really wanted to kiss him right now. Just on the cheek. But that wasn’t an option. I was only now fully realizing what freedoms we had lost. We couldn’t just hug. Couldn’t kiss. Couldn’t cuddle. And it was only 10 AM. There were still so many hours to go until tonight. Even after school, it would be another six hours before I could sneak up to his room.

"If you screw up at the board, I swear to God—" Kacchan cut off his explanation with a warning glare.

I put on my best "intimidated" look and nodded in submission, watching as he turned back around and stared out the window again.

I tried not to sigh. Not to look disappointed or longing.

I just wanted to touch him. Just for a second.

 

Of course, Ectoplasm called us up to the board just like Mic had earlier. Thanks to Kacchan, I managed to solve the problems without any trouble. He did it more effortlessly than me, of course. But that was fine. I was just relieved I didn’t embarrass myself in front of the entire class.

We got recognition again. Got full points again. If this kept up, I might actually improve thanks to house arrest. Maybe we should get into another fight on Ground Beta before the midterms. Couldn’t hurt, right?

Near the end of class, Mr. Aizawa walked into the room. I tensed up a little. We hadn’t seen him since he caught us in the kitchen. Back then, he hadn’t said anything or given anything away. He didn’t now either. He just gave us instructions for after lunch:

"Midoriya and Bakugou, put on your hero costumes. Everyone else, wear your gym clothes. We’ll meet in the large training hall."

And with that, he left.

I was intrigued. Were we going to fight each other? After a week and a half, I would really love that. Especially against Kacchan. It would give me a chance to touch him directly. Sure, with punches and kicks. And I’d probably have a dozen explosions thrown at me. But I didn’t care. As long as I got to interact with him.

Even if we beat the crap out of each other.

Because one thing was certain: Even though we were together now, neither of us would ever want to lose a fight. Not a chance.

 

During lunch in the cafeteria - I was missing Kacchan’s cooking more and more - we discussed what might be in store for us during practical training with Mr. Aizawa.

"Hm, if only you two have to wear your hero costumes, maybe you’re supposed to fight each other," Uraraka suggested. Well, I had already considered that. I just didn’t say it out loud and simply nodded at her instead.

"Perhaps he intends to assess whether the two of you can exercise restraint in a fight and avoid resorting to the kind of reckless brawling that occurred on Ground Beta," Ilda added before Todoroki chimed in, "It would make more sense to have them fight together to test that."

I looked at Todoroki, surprised. Yeah, that actually made the most sense. But who would we be fighting against then? Or could it be some kind of rescue mission? That would at least be something Kacchan needed to practice after the whole provisional license mess.

"Well, if you can hold yourselves back in a fight as well as you did earlier during the break, then it shouldn’t be a problem, right? Ribbit."

I gave Asui a crooked smile and looked at her. She had already seemed kind of skeptical toward me earlier. I had the feeling that she might suspect something. But I was probably just imagining it. There was no way anyone would come up with such an absurd idea. Even though it stung a little to think that, it was simply the truth.

"So, are you and Bakugou officially friends now?" Uraraka asked next.

I pretended to seriously think about it. Meanwhile, total panic erupted inside me again. But I played it off well. Or at least I thought I did. I hyped myself up, took a deep breath inwardly, and then said, "I guess I get along with Kacchan better now. We had to work together a lot on all those assignments. But I don’t think we’re at the point where we’d, like, hang out in our free time like I do with you guys. Maybe you could call it a truce or something."

The group around me nodded in understanding. I had summed it up pretty well. Well, the lie, at least. I obviously couldn’t tell them the truth. But it was believable. And I was convinced that if people thought we were just getting along better, it would help us act a little more naturally in front of others. That would at least make things a bit easier.

 

In the locker room, I ran into Kacchan again. While the others had changed fairly quickly, our hero costumes and support items took a bit more effort. So it really did end up with just the two of us left in the room. My heart beat a little faster. Maybe I could steal a quick kiss?

"Kacchaaa..." I started carefully, only to be yanked around the next second, shoved against my locker, and kissed with such intensity that my head spun. Woah, what was this?!

Stunned, I looked at Kacchan’s face for a moment. He met my gaze, grunted, then closed his eyes. I did the same, melting completely into the feeling of his lips. It felt so damn good. We hadn't kissed at all yesterday morning, but this was different. It was already past noon, and technically, I wasn’t even supposed to look at him. And keeping up this act was taking a lot out of me. Was it the same for him?

Panting heavily, we pulled apart, both of us needing air. That had definitely been one of our longest kisses. At least, that’s what my dazed brain was telling me. I opened my mouth to say something - though I had no idea what - but closed it again, simply staring, fascinated, into the glowing red of Kacchan’s eyes.

"Don’t say anything embarrassing, nerd," he muttered, pressing a quick kiss to my lips before stepping back to put on his gloves.

I just smiled and shook my head, slipping into my shoes as I said, "Todoroki mentioned earlier that we might be fighting together."

"Hmm, IcyHot might actually have a point. I don’t think that jerk of a teacher is gonna have us fight each other after Monday. Or maybe exactly because of it."

Oh. I hadn't even considered that possibility. But I really couldn’t imagine Aizawa thinking that our relationship would hold either of us back from aiming to be the number one hero. "You think he thinks we wouldn’t take a fight against each other seriously?"

"No idea. Let’s find out."

I grinned. That phrase sounded familiar. The last time he had said that, we had been unsure about what was happening between us.

"Ugh, nerd, seriously? Didn’t I just tell you not to be embarrassing?"

Surprised, I looked up at him. He was fully dressed now, standing before me with his hands on his hips. Wait - did he know what I had just been thinking about?

"That dumb grin on your face makes it obvious you were thinking about something else when I said ‘Let’s find out.’" Kacchan added, looking at me with mild irritation.

"I just think it’s nice that you remember," I said, tilting my head slightly.

"Idiot, it was only a week ago," he grumbled and turned toward the door. Quickly, I fastened the last straps on my shoes and sprinted after him, brushing my hand briefly over his. I got a scoff in response. And a small grin.

And then we stepped into the training hall.

 

The first thing we saw was Aizawa and All Might standing side by side. Our class was seated on the benches, and in front of them stood three students I didn’t recognize.

"Oi, I think I know what’s coming, Kacchan," I murmured, earning a skeptical glance from him. But he didn’t get the chance to ask, as we had already reached our teachers.

All Might greeted us as enthusiastically as ever, making me wonder if I would ever get the chance to tell him about our new little secret. "Young Midoriya! Young Bakugou! It’s wonderful to see you back in class!"

"Hello, All Might," I greeted my mentor with a smile, while Kacchan just let out his usual "Tch" and gave our childhood hero a brief nod.

I turned my attention to Aizawa, waiting to hear what he had planned. He simply gestured toward the bench. Without complaint, we took our seats among our classmates before he spoke.

"Now that Midoriya and Bakugou are back in class, I’ve arranged for the Big Three of UA to join us for today’s practical lesson. Togata will be fighting both of them at the same time. The rest of you will observe the match. Afterward, all three of them will train with you in groups. Since they’ve already gained a lot of herowork experience, this will be a valuable opportunity for you to learn from them. Especially for those of you who have recently started - or are about to start - your internships."

"But, Mr. Aizawa, isn’t it kinda unfair that the two of them have to fight Togata alone? We lost to him as a full class last time," Kirishima protested, earning himself a sharp glare from our teacher. The kind of glare that could make anyone shrink back.

"They’re more than welcome to prove themselves. If they’re capable of sneaking off to an empty training ground for a fight in the middle of the night, they can certainly demonstrate that they’re not just a couple of brawlers with no sense," Aizawa stated flatly.

I slumped my shoulders with a sigh. Something told me he wasn’t going to let us live that down anytime soon. Just another thing on top of the trust issues from Kacchan’s rescue. I had really put Aizawa through a lot. And so had Kacchan. No wonder he was setting us up to take a fall today.

"So, you’re the two hotheads everyone’s been talking about," came a cheerful voice, snapping me out of my thoughts.

The blond guy in front of us had an easygoing smile and an instantly likable energy. "I’m Mirio Togata from Class 3A! I take it you already know my Quirk?"

I shook my head and looked at him expectantly. A Quirk that could take down an entire class had to be seriously impressive. My little nerd heart was racing. I would have loved to grab my notebook. His hero costume didn’t give much away either. Kacchan’s was a lot more obvious in comparison. Speaking of Kacchan - if he could hear my thoughts right now, he’d probably be rolling his eyes and calling me a nerd. Yeah, that was definitely what he’d do.

"Wow, really? No one told you?" Togata asked, glancing around at the class. They all shook their heads hastily and stole quick looks at Aizawa.

I barely held back another sigh. Seriously? No one had said anything? That was kind of frustrating.

"You’ve got your class well under control, Mr. Aizawa," Mirio said, sounding impressed.

"Aside from these two troublemakers, sure."

And there it was, another sharp remark. Hallelujah. What had we done to deserve this constant roasting? Oh, right: kidnapping, unauthorized rescue missions, an illegal fight, house arrest, destruction of school property. And to top it all off, a secret relationship.

The list just kept getting longer. And if I really thought about it… yeah, okay. I could kind of understand where Aizawa was coming from.

But only kind of. I mean, there had to be other students who caused trouble too.…Right?

I tried to think of one. I came up blank.

 

We had squared off against each other - Kacchan and I on one side of the field, Togata on the other. A good hundred meters separated us, enough distance to quickly strategize.

“Plan?” I asked, keeping it short and to the point.

Kacchan shot me a sideways glance, grinned, and said, “You’ve got the same one as me, don’t you?”

I grinned back. “Then I’ll just wait here.”

Yeah, when it came to fights, we had an understanding now. Back on Ground Beta, we had realized that Kacchan was better at reacting instantly, while I preferred analyzing the situation first. It only made sense for him to go in for the first strike while I observed, trying to figure out our opponent’s Quirk.

Crazy how many benefits had come from our little unauthorized fight.

"Good luck, you two!" Togata called out cheerfully. "Mr. Aizawa told me not to hold back."

He looked genuinely happy to be fighting us. Just how strong was he? Judging by Aizawa’s setup, our teacher didn’t expect us to win. He probably thought we were in for a serious beating.

"I’m gonna kill you, you dumb cartoon face," Kacchan growled, poised to launch himself forward.

The signal rang out, and Kacchan blasted off toward Togata at full speed. I saw Togata move as well, but just as Kacchan swung his right arm - he suddenly sank into the ground.

My eyes darted wildly across the field, trying to process what had just happened. I had no time to figure it out before he shot out of the ground in front of me like a damn spring-loaded trap.

I barely managed to dodge and leapt backward.

"What…?" I started, but Togata was already charging at me.

I sprang forward too, aiming a kick straight at his chest - only for my foot to pass right through him.

And then I felt the impact. A brutal hit slammed into my back, sending me flying straight toward Kacchan.

He caught me, our feet sliding against the ground as we steadied ourselves.

We stood side by side, both confused as hell, staring at Togata.

"Explanation, nerd?" Kacchan grunted.

"Not really… He can… I don’t know. I went straight through him, like he wasn’t even there. But I could still see him. And he could still hit me."

What the hell was that? And how had he sunk into the ground like that? I had no time to dwell on it. He was already coming at us again. A few meters away, he disappeared into the ground once more.

"At that speed, and if it's like before - KACCHAN, THREE METERS IN FRONT OF YOU!" I didn’t even think - just shouted it out, my gut telling me that was where he’d pop up next.

Kacchan reacted instantly, propelling himself upward and firing an explosion exactly at the spot I had called out. Togata did emerge there - but the explosion barely grazed him before it passed right through. Unfortunately, that put him on a direct path toward Kacchan. He swung a fist straight at his gut, but Kacchan blocked with his left arm and tried to fire off another explosion with his right - only for his hand to go straight through him again.

Gritting his teeth, Kacchan blasted himself away from the attack and landed back at my side. "He can turn intangible at will," I muttered, watching Kacchan process the information.

"What a load of shit. How the hell are we supposed to hit that bastard?"

"Keep attacking. He has to materialize eventually. If we pressure him enough, we might be able to force an opening."

I glanced at Kacchan. He cracked his neck, shot me a sidelong look, and grinned. "Only if you can keep up, nerd."

Cocky. Provocative. Challenging. I loved it. It made fighting him exciting. Pushed me to give my all.

"Are you two done with your little coffee break?" Togata called out. He stood a short distance away, waiting patiently for us to engage again. I hadn't expected that. Had he been this patient with our classmates? Or had he just bounced around like a pinball, taking them down one by one? His punch had packed a serious amount of power - my back still ached. But pain was nothing new to me.

I activated eight percent of One for All. Kacchan took it as his cue. We lunged forward together. Kacchan zigzagged with his explosions while I charged from another angle. We attacked simultaneously - And passed straight through him. Again.

It was frustrating as hell. We had to be careful not to hit each other, but Togata wasn’t sinking into the ground this time. Which meant his feet had to remain solid.

"Kacchan!" I saw him flying toward me and threw out my hand. He grabbed it instinctively. Spun midair. Using the momentum, I twisted my body and aimed a kick at Mirio’s feet. He reacted a fraction of a second too late - My foot made contact.

But instead of stumbling, he instantly countered, swinging a punch straight for my head. I barely had time to brace - Then I felt a sudden tug on my arm. Kacchan hadn’t let go. He blasted us both away from Togata at the last second.

"You guys really aren't bad," we heard Togata say enthusiastically. He seemed to be having a blast - almost enough to make it contagious. Internally, I thanked Kacchan for saving me and giving me a short breather. The surprised murmurs from our classmates barely registered, but judging by their reactions, we were lasting longer than they had.

"This guy is pissing me off," Kacchan grumbled next to me. I let out a quiet chuckle, fully understanding his frustration. It was beyond irritating to put all your strength into a hit and still only strike air.

"If he's in contact with something, then that's the moment we can hit him."

"That's why the feet."

I nodded. Kacchan understood and immediately shot forward. I followed right behind him. He fired his AP Shot at Togata’s feet, forcing him to jump back. But then he took another running start and phased straight into the ground. We had already caught on to that trick.

I jumped toward the spot where he would reappear and slammed a Smash directly onto the ground. Dust exploded into the air, and in the small crater, Togata was kneeling. And yes - I had hit him.

"So, you figured it out," he said with a grin, looking even more eager to fight than before.

Behind me, Kacchan scoffed. "Tch, basic physics. Even a grade-schooler could figure that out."

I groaned internally. Did he always have to run his mouth? We hadn’t even won yet. And honestly, I doubted Togata had even started getting serious.

And, of course, I was right. He came at us hard. We dodged over and over again, but every time we tried to land a hit, we went right through him. It was enough to drive a person insane. And it was exhausting. Seriously. I could already tell I was out of practice. Rushing in, kicking, punching, dodging, taking hits - it was all wearing me down.

It must have been a few minutes of this back-and-forth before I messed up and took a direct hit to the stomach. I gagged as I was sent flying through the air - straight toward Kacchan, who had just taken a hit himself. But mid-flight, an idea hit me.

"Kacchan!"

"WHAT?" he panted. He was out of breath - his frustration probably only making it worse.

"Back - then AP!" I yelled cryptically, hoping he'd get it. And, of course, he did. Fighting was something we just clicked on. We were on the same wavelength. As kids, we'd watched countless hero fights together, especially All Might's. Later, we’d analyzed them in our own way and developed a shared instinct for battle. Our approaches were different, but we complemented each other frighteningly well.

Kacchan reached his hand up. I grabbed it. He spun us around two or three times, gaining momentum, then hurled me straight toward Togata with full force. Togata grinned at me confidently as I flew at him, foot first. I heard Kacchan’s AP Shot fire behind me - perfectly timed. Damn it, I hated how perfect his execution always was. That ass. That damn brilliant ass.

I grinned right back at Togata. My foot was just about to phase through him, and his fist was flying toward me. It all happened in an instant, but it felt like slow motion. As best I could, I arched my back, jerked my head as far back as possible, and felt Kacchan’s AP Shot graze right past my nose. And then - he hit Togata’s fist.

Mirio hissed in pain - but unfortunately, it didn’t stop him. He still swung at me with full force.

Fuck.

I went flying backward, slamming against the ground over and over, bouncing like a skipping stone across the surface of a lake.

I barely registered Kacchan cursing in the distance. I knew he was going after Togata now, but I couldn’t see it. I felt dazed, just lying there. Then, I heard Kacchan groan - and suddenly, a body crashed into mine with full force.

A pained grunt escaped me. Shit. He had really wiped the floor with us.

It took me a few moments before I managed to crack one eye open. Kacchan was lying next to me. He was still fighting - still trying to get up - but Togata had done a damn good job. Fuck. My whole body ached, and honestly? I didn’t feel like moving anymore. My limbs felt way too heavy.

Then, Mr. Aizawa called the fight. I saw Kacchan’s fist lightly hit the ground. Damn, he was pissed.

I, on the other hand, wasn’t even that mad about losing. If anything, I was happy about how well we’d fought together. Yeah, fighting with Kacchan had been fun. A grin spread across my face as I lay there, still trying to catch my breath.

"Shitty damn nerd! Quit enjoying a loss so much," Kacchan growled at me.

I chuckled weakly. "But that fight was fun." My bruised face protested against my grin, but I still saw the corner of Kacchan's mouth twitch up. That grin after a good fight.

"Just shut the hell up, Deku," he huffed - but then, I felt it. A brief tap of his fist against mine. A fleeting touch, but one packed with meaning. A touch that told me he acknowledged me. That told me he’d fight by my side anytime.

 

Notes:

That’s it!
So, what did you think about their return to school? And which moment of the day did you like the most?
I definitely have one <3 - one I absolutely love because I had that scene in my head for so long before I could finally write this chapter.

See you again on Tuesday!
Have a wonderful weekend! <3

Chapter 33: Confusing New Emotions

Notes:

Hey everyone!
Sorry for the slight delay - my little one had other plans yesterday, so I couldn’t quite get to this in time. >.<
But here it is - the rest of their first day back at school!
Enjoy!

Chapter 33 – Confusing New Feelings

 

 

"Bakugou? Midoriya? Can you stand up?"

Mr. Aizawa’s voice reached my ears, slightly muffled. I understood the words, but my body wanted just a little more rest. Unlike my fight partner, though. Kacchan immediately growled back a sharp, "Of course!"

I gave a lopsided smile. No use resisting. If I stayed down any longer, he’d probably smack me. So, with a groan, I pushed myself up, taking a deep breath or two, and turned to check on Kacchan. He didn’t look much better off than me. Damn, that Togata had landed some seriously good hits.

With a sigh and great effort, I activated just a tiny bit of One for All and used my arm to propel myself up, only to nearly launch myself into a stand too fast. My face twisted in pain. Probably just a few bruises, but they hurt like hell - especially around my ribs. Still, I really wanted to keep training.

I turned to Kacchan, who was still sitting on the ground, teeth clenched. Stretching out my hand, I asked, all too innocently, "Need a hand, Kacchan?"

Naturally, he smacked it away. Exactly as expected. Exactly as I had provoked him to. His grumbled "Shut up, shitty nerd!" made me smirk inside, just as he suddenly stood beside me. Yeah, some things just didn’t change, no matter what kind of relationship we had. At least not with Kacchan. Accepting help? Against his pride. And especially now, he wasn’t about to show any weakness in front of Mr. Aizawa - since the two of them seemed to be having some silent power struggle. For whatever reason.

Slowly, we dragged ourselves back to the others and collapsed onto the bench. Todoroki and Kirishima had made some space between them so we could sit next to each other. It hurt a little, but I really didn’t want to rely on my legs anymore. They seemed pretty untrustworthy after that fight.

"Not bad! You guys are the first first-years - no, the first UA students - to keep up with me this well on the first try," Togata praised us. I heard Kacchan scoff beside me while I muttered a shy thank you.

I glanced around as Mr. Aizawa spoke up again. "Alright. You all watched the training match. What did you notice? And what was different about Bakugo and Midoriya’s fight compared to yours last week?"

"Yo! Their teamwork was insane!" Kaminari shouted.

"They quickly analyzed Togata’s Quirk and came up with countermeasures," Yaomomo added.

"They kept coming up with new strategies and executed them immediately. Plus, they barely communicated, so they didn’t give Togata any extra information."

"We, on the other hand, just kinda stood there, totally clueless about what was happening."

And so, the observations continued. Some points were repeated, especially about how well we had worked together. It made my heart nearly burst with pride. I tried not to show it too much. Just kept smiling modestly and nodding whenever someone addressed me directly.

But then, all of a sudden, the third-year girl jumped right in front of us, making me jolt in surprise.

"You guys are incredible! Seriously! I’ve never seen anyone react that fast. And how did you even know where Mirio was gonna pop out? Amazing! Also, how does a first-year already have muscles like that?!"

She was talking a mile a minute, not even pausing for breath. To me, she seemed a little too overbearing. Especially when she just casually grabbed Kacchan’s arm. He responded with a low growl, making her flinch slightly.

"Geesh, with that face, you could totally pass for a villain," she laughed, still bouncing excitedly.

Her energy was contagious. I had to bite my tongue to keep from laughing. Meanwhile, Kacchan was visibly restraining himself from blasting her into next week.

"Nejire, you’re way too pushy. You can’t just touch people you don’t know," the third member of the trio finally spoke up. He looked incredibly uncomfortable, keeping his distance as much as possible - like he wished he could just disappear.

The girl just puffed out her cheeks before finally retreating back to her seat. Thank god.

Mr. Aizawa took over again. "You’re right about what you observed. They worked together better than expected. Their analysis was faster. Meanwhile, last week, you all were too shocked and afraid to react at all. If this had been a real fight on the street, you’d all be dead, and Midoriya and Bakugou would be in the hospital. You need to train your awareness. Relying only on your Quirk and assuming it will be enough won’t get you far in your internships."

He went on with a long lecture, breaking down different moments from our fight and comparing them to theirs. He stayed neutral and factual, at least. No more jabs at us.

And then, Togata finally got to explain his Quirk. The others already knew about it, but they still listened attentively as he repeated it for our sake. It was fascinating. How he had turned what seemed like a totally useless Quirk into such an incredible weapon. I couldn’t stop beaming. Damn, I really wanted to take notes. But I couldn’t right now. Besides, my right hand still hurt - along with the rest of my arm. Maybe I should’ve used my feet more. Or was it from the force of Kacchan’s explosions whenever he yanked or threw me around?

 

The rest of the session was spent dividing into groups. I pulled myself together and trained with the others as best I could, soaking up every bit of information like a sponge. Kacchan, who was also in my group, didn’t let his pain show either. Or at least, he tried not to. But every now and then, his eyes would narrow just a little too much. His exhales would last a second too long. His movements would be just a bit heavier. No, it wasn’t invisible to me. Did the others notice it too?

Around three o’clock, the lesson ended, and we were allowed to change. Mr. Aizawa reminded us to stop by the infirmary. Well, actually, we were ordered to after Kacchan protested.

 

"Hey, Midoriya! Want to meet up in the cafeteria later?"

Surprised, I turned to Togata. Yeah, we’d already had a good chat while training, and I had shown interest in learning more about his Quirk. Apparently, he was taking me at my word.

I smiled and nodded, explaining that I had to stop by Recovery Girl first. We agreed to meet in half an hour. But as I did, I felt an unsettling chill at the back of my neck. Was Kacchan looking at me? Was he mad? Not okay with this? I could definitely sense his threatening presence creeping up behind me, sending a shiver down my spine.

 

 

„So, you’re actually meeting up with that comic book face?“ he asked as we made our way to Recovery Girl. We’d both just thrown on our gym clothes and were trudging down the hallway, still moving sluggishly from the fight.

„Yeah, why?“

„I don’t like that constantly grinning idiot,“ he grumbled, not even looking at me.

„You’re just pissed because we didn’t win,“ I guessed out loud, glancing at him and clearly seeing how sour his mood was.

Silence. No argument. No reaction.

We walked to Recovery Girl’s office without another word. She was happy to finally see us again and actually gave both of us a ‘kiss’. Not without reason, of course - I hadn’t even noticed I’d cracked two ribs. Kacchan’s upper arm was pretty banged up too. So, along with the bigger injuries, all the smaller aches and bruises disappeared, leaving us feeling ridiculously relaxed afterward.

„I don’t want to see you back here first thing tomorrow. Don’t overdo it just because you’re finally allowed to wreak havoc at school again,“ she said with a knowing smile before practically shoving us out of her office and slamming the door in our faces.

„I feel like we’re getting snarky comments from every direction now,“ I mused aloud, still staring a bit dumbfounded at the closed infirmary door.

„So what? Let them talk. I don’t care.“

„But you do care that I’m meeting up with Togata?“ I teased, though a hint of uncertainty crept into my voice. I wanted to know if he actually had a problem with Togata or if he just didn’t like the idea of me meeting him alone.

„Oh, shut up, Nerd,“ he grumbled, and before I could react, he leaned in and pressed the quickest kiss against my lips. It barely lasted a nanosecond, but it was long enough to make my heart stutter.

I immediately glanced around in panic, but the hallway was empty.

Kacchan just grinned, ran his tongue briefly over his lips, and leaned down to whisper in my ear, „Remember where you’re sleeping tonight.“

Then he straightened up, turned on his heel, and walked off, leaving me standing there, completely frozen.

The rushing in my ears drowned out everything else. My heart slammed against my ribcage. And my face - shit, my face was burning.

What the hell was that?!

 

 

The conversation with Togata had been really enjoyable. He’d talked a lot about his years at UA. We’d chatted about All Might, villains, and everything else hero students usually talked about. It had been fun. I was convinced we’d hit it off right away. Felt genuinely happy to have such a strong new acquaintance - someone who could probably help me out someday.

But then, the vibration of my phone in my pocket distracted me at the end.

I excused myself and checked my messages - four of them. The number alone nearly knocked me off my chair.

Where the hell are you?

Get your ass back to the dorms. We’re on dinner duty for the rest of the week

I swear, if you’re not in the kitchen with me in five minutes, you’re dead!

DEKU!

After that, I quickly wrapped things up. Told Togata that our punishment wasn’t completely over yet and that I had to head back. He understood and said we should do this again sometime.

I was happy. Really. His approach to being a hero was surprisingly similar to mine.

 

 

When I got back to the dorms, I headed straight for the kitchen. Kacchan was already there, busily chopping something. I was surprised to find him alone. There were a few people in the common area, but apparently, no one had dared to keep him company in the kitchen.

"I'm here," I said, feeling a little awkward. I stood there for a moment, unsure of what to do. He seemed to have everything under control. So why had he summoned me with such urgency?

"You can chop the green onions," he said flatly, barely glancing at me before turning back to the tofu on his cutting board.

I sighed and moved to the designated spot, picking up the knife and getting to work. We stood side by side in silence. I focused on cutting the onions evenly. He worked on the tofu. We'd done kitchen duty together plenty of times by now. We'd even worked in silence before. But this time, it felt different. It felt... uncomfortable. Like he was pissed off.

Because of Togata? Was he... jealous?

"Togata told me a lot about his time at UA," I said casually, sneaking a glance at him.

Kacchan just scoffed. "Aha."

He didn’t sound amused. He sounded the exact opposite. Annoyed.

I glanced around the room, making sure no one was within earshot. They weren’t. Still, I kept my voice low.

"Why are you so pissed?" I asked. "I just talked to Togata. It’s not any different from when I talk to Todoroki."

Kacchan's chopping became more aggressive. He was practically pulverizing the tofu instead of slicing it. A weird feeling settled in my stomach. But why?

"I'm not pissed," he muttered through clenched teeth.

Not convincing.

But suddenly, it made sense. Kacchan wasn’t mad that I’d met up with Togata. He was mad that it bothered him at all. That it annoyed him, even though it shouldn't. Even though there was no reason for it. Even though the whole idea was ridiculous.

I let out a quiet laugh without meaning to. That earned me an instant glare. I held his gaze, hoping he could see that his reaction... kind of made me happy.

He grumbled something under his breath before muttering, "We’ll talk about this later."

Then he went back to chopping.

I gave a small nod and continued following his instructions, still not entirely sure what we were even making. But I didn’t need to know. I trusted that whatever it was, it would taste amazing. Anything less would be beneath Kacchan’s standards.

 

“God, this is heavenly. Katsuki, I think I wanna marry you,” Ashido gushed, shoveling spoonful after spoonful into her mouth. She wasn’t the only one. Everyone was raving about his mapo tofu. I wondered if anyone else at the table, besides me, knew it was his favorite dish. Somehow, I doubted it. And yet, that thought filled me with a quiet sort of pride. It showed just how well I knew him, even after all the difficult years.

“No interest, Racoon Eyes,” came Kacchan’s bored reply. I smiled slightly as my lovestruck, hormonal teenage self couldn’t help but wonder - would he have given me a different answer? I quickly shook off the thought. God, that annoying little voice in my head was starting to get embarrassing. And way too… girly. At least, it felt that way.

“I can cook something for you too,” Mineta chimed in, his voice dripping with innuendo.

Immediately, several disgusted groans sounded around the table, and Sero’s tape shot out, wrapping around the smallest member of our group and flinging him away. His protesting scream was completely ignored. Honestly, we had a pretty great class.

“Thanks for handling kitchen duty until the end of the week,” Yaomomo said with a warm smile, swiftly steering the conversation away from Mineta’s remark.

“Well, organizing groups and picking meals takes time,” I said understandingly, though I hadn’t actually done any of that myself. Kacchan had. He’d taken charge of everything, even deciding that we’d continue cooking dinner for the rest of the week. Or rather, that he would cook, while I just stood in the kitchen, doing whatever simple tasks he deemed me capable of. The kind even a grade schooler could handle.

But I had a feeling Kacchan had taken my words into account. He’d never admit it, of course. If anyone asked, he’d probably claim he just wanted some peace and quiet over the next few weeks. That he’d already wasted enough of his precious time on this circus act of a class. Or something along those lines. Maybe not quite as politely as I was imagining.

I was pulled from my thoughts when Kaminari spoke up.

“But seriously! What the hell was that teamwork earlier? Have you guys been secretly training while we were at school?”

“Yeah, really! It looked like you understood each other without even speaking, ribbit.” Asui added.

That one worried me more. She’d been eyeing me kind of suspiciously all day. Why, though? Did frogs have some kind of instincts I wasn’t aware of? Should I look into that?

Expectant stares. All of them were focused on Kacchan and me. It made me deeply uncomfortable. I had no idea what to say. And Kacchan’s brief glance my way wasn’t much help. I already knew he wouldn’t say anything.

“Well, we had plenty of time to analyze our fight at Ground Beta,” I said casually, hoping it would be enough.

Of course, it wasn’t.

“How did that even happen in the first place?” Sero asked. More curious stares. My body tensed. My face felt warm.

Wait. Had we never actually explained that?

“Uh…” was all I managed to get out as I frantically tried to remember if I’d ever told anyone anything about it. I couldn’t afford to get tangled up in my own lies. Maybe I should start keeping a notebook just for tracking all the little excuses I had to make because of our secret relationship. Might be safer.

“Yeah, we didn’t press you guys about it that morning since you didn’t want to talk, but now’s a good time to spill, don’t you think?” Ashido added.

Damn it. That damn Bakusquad. It was all coming from his friends - except for Asui. So shouldn’t he be the one answering?

Unconsciously, I bit my lip and glanced at Kacchan. He looked beyond annoyed. But then, to my surprise, he actually responded for me.

“As if I owe any of you idiots an explanation. Hell no.”

Classic Kacchan. He practically spat the words out, furious and unbothered in equal measure. He dropped his chopsticks onto the table, clearly fed up.

I just hoped they hadn’t completely ruined his appetite. After all, this was his favorite meal.

Still, for some reason, I felt guilty. Even though it wasn’t me who had disrupted the mood with their nosy questions.

I heard protests from around the table.

“But Blasty—”

“But we’re your friends—”

“Come on, Bakugou!”

Ashido. Kaminari. Sero. They were all pouting now, practically begging him to answer. But Kacchan’s face remained impassive. It was almost impressive how long he held out without snapping.

Unfortunately, he lasted just long enough for them to turn their attention back to me.

Great. I had really been hoping they’d just forget about me entirely.

“Come on, Midoriya! You say something, at least. That grumpy cat over there won’t budge,” Ashido whined, leaning forward with a pout. Was this her way of manipulating people?

I just grimaced. Thought for a second. Glanced at Kacchan.

His eyes were closed, arms crossed over his chest. A clear stay the hell away from me stance. Hard to read. But one thing was obvious - if we didn’t give them something, they weren’t going to let this go anytime soon.

So I chose my words carefully.

“Sorry, but I have to agree with Kacchan. What happened at Ground Beta is something between us. Something from before UA. I’m sure you guys understand. Everyone’s got things from their past they don’t go around talking about.”

An awkward silence fell over the table. Heads lowered. Expressions turned thoughtful.

I must have hit a nerve. Because despite how young we were, all of us had something we carried. Some kind of baggage.

For Kacchan and me, it was a weight that had grown heavier with each passing year. Years full of confusion. Full of pain. Full of doubt.

It was our past. Ours alone. A past that had shaped who we were. That had led us to where we stood now. Together. As hero trainees. As classmates. As rivals. As friends. As... a couple.

"Yeah, I get it," Kirishima said with understanding. I smiled. Sincerely. A little sheepishly, too. Pushed the thoughts creeping in to the back of my mind. Others nodded as well. Still, the mood had shifted slightly.

"But if you guys wanna know who won the fight - well, it wasn’t me," I tried lightening the atmosphere. Smiled. Looked at Kacchan. Openly. Not secretly. He looked back at me, grinning slyly, raising an eyebrow as he shook his head. God. If I could, I’d kiss him right now.

"And where does that put the score now?" Kaminari smirked, throwing an arm around Kacchan’s shoulders. I watched as Kacchan immediately shrugged him off, scoffing. "Zero wins for the nerd."

I pulled a mock-offended face. Thought for a second about a comeback. But nothing came to mind fast enough, so I just shrugged, stood up, and started clearing the table. I didn’t want this conversation to get any more exhausting. Kacchan was already being nice enough. Not that I didn’t like it - but here, in front of everyone, he seemed too tame.

"Wait, I’ll help you, Deku!" Uraraka offered immediately, smiling as she took a few dishes from my hands. I thanked her with a smile, gathered more bowls from the others, and followed her. Noticed Kacchan getting up as well.

I had a pretty good idea of what was coming next. And I was right.

"Oi, Round Face! Get outta my kitchen," Kacchan said the moment he stepped inside.

Uraraka turned around, puffing out her cheeks and crossing her arms. "I don’t remember this being your kitchen, Bakugou," she shot back.

Internally, I winced.

Was Kacchan only acting like this because she was standing next to me? Because he thought she liked me more than I realized? Yeah, he definitely seemed tense again. Just like earlier with Togata.

"My kitchen, ‘cause I’m on kitchen duty. So fuck off," he growled.

Uraraka just huffed, unfazed. "Deku’s on kitchen duty too, and he appreciates my help."

Shit. Seriously? What was I supposed to say to that without making this even more awkward?

I didn’t want to brush Uraraka off. But on the other side was Kacchan. And everything in me screamed to take his side. What a mess.

"No one here needs your help," Kacchan shot back, smug and provoking.

And before I could even form a plan to diffuse the situation, I acted. Stepped in between them. Back to Kacchan. Close to Kacchan. Felt his whole body against my back. Raised my hands in a placating gesture toward Uraraka and quickly said, "It’s fine, Uraraka! We’ve been doing this together for a while now. I really don’t mind washing up alone with Kacchan."

She looked surprised. And... a little disappointed. That made my chest feel a little heavier. My guilty conscience kicked in. But I’d had to choose.

And Kacchan came first. He always had. Even before All Might.

"If you say so, Deku," she said quietly before adding, more sharply, "not like I wanna be in the same room as this idiot anyway."

Oh, come on.

Immediately, I heard Kacchan growl. Felt his muscles tense. Heard the sharp inhale he took, preparing to yell something back.

I reacted. Elbowed him in the side. He let out a quiet hiss. And I knew he was glaring daggers at me now. Teeth clenched. A low rumbling in his throat.

"Uraraka, please, no fighting! I like doing this with Kacchan just as much as I like doing it with you."

Bad idea, Izuku Midoriya. Very bad idea.

The second I said it, I knew it was a mistake.

Had I just put Kacchan and Uraraka on the same level? And worse - did she now think Kacchan was as much of a friend to me as she was?

No matter how I looked at it, that sentence had been stupid. And now, I had no idea how to fix it.

"Then I’ll just head to my room. Have a nice evening, Deku," Uraraka said stiffly. Her smile was forced. Her eyes - searching. But she turned and left.

I let out an internal sigh of relief. For about half a second. Because the dismissive scoff behind me - and the sudden absence of Kacchan’s warmth - told me that I had just gained a new problem. God. Why did every single interaction that wasn’t just between the two of us suddenly have to be so complicated? Or was it just Kacchan?

Maybe he just hated people in general. Or maybe... he just didn’t like the ones who were close to me.

Fuck. After one day back at school, my brain was already fried. And it didn’t help that Kacchan was completely ignoring me as we finished cleaning up.

He did everything just as he normally would - but not once did he look at me. Not once did he give me one of those barely-there touches. Not once did his hand brush against mine.

Well. Tonight was gonna be fun.

 

 

Shortly after ten, I snuck back upstairs to Kacchan’s room. I really couldn’t hold out any longer. The scene in the kitchen was still weighing on me a bit. At the same time, I felt a buzzing anticipation. Two opposing forces, making my body tremble.

Slipping quickly into the dimly lit room, I shut the door soundlessly behind me. Glanced around - but Kacchan wasn’t there. I could hear the sink running in the bathroom, though. So, I just went straight to the bed and crawled in.

Waiting. Excited. Uncertain.

It didn’t take five minutes before Kacchan stepped out of the bathroom. Dressed only in his boxers. A sight I just couldn’t get enough of lately. But the look he gave me was anything but affectionate.

"Hm. Didn’t think you’d actually come up," he muttered, crawling over me to his side of the bed. Slipping under the covers, he turned onto his side, facing me. Studied me. More skeptical than eager.

"Why not? Are you mad about what happened in the kitchen?" I asked innocently. I didn’t want to apologize right away - I wanted to hear him out first.

But there was nothing to hear. Kacchan stayed silent. Closed his eyes. Turned onto his back.

Was he seriously planning to just go to sleep? No kiss? No hug?

I huffed in frustration. I didn’t understand his moods today. So I just curled up against him, resting my head on his chest, exhaling in relief when I felt his arm settle against my back.

I soaked up his warmth, letting the day replay in my mind. Breakfast had been normal. At school, he’d been surprisingly gentle. In the locker room, impulsive. During the fight - an absolute force. After Recovery Girl - mysterious. In the kitchen - his usual self. But at the end… I had no words for what that was.

Sighing, I traced soft patterns across his stomach. Let my fingers follow the shape of his muscles. Felt the slightest shiver under my touch. Smiled to myself.

"If I hurt you earlier, I’m sorry."

No response.

I sighed again and continued, "I didn’t mean to put you on the same level as Uraraka. It’s not like I could just say I prefer being in the kitchen with you. Or that I just... like being around you more in general."

Still, silence.

I wanted to say more. I started with, "Kacchan—" but his quiet, slightly husky voice cut me off.

"You didn’t hurt me."

"Then tell me what’s going on?"

I felt his hand run slowly over my back. Felt him press his face into my hair. Felt the warmth of a soft kiss on the top of my head.

I relaxed. Nearly purred.

"...I dunno. It pisses me off that I reacted that way," he admitted bluntly. I could hear the irritation in his voice - but not at me. At himself.

That was new. Unfamiliar.

"Hm."

That was the only sound I made.

For a while, we both just lay there, lost in our own thoughts. Sinking into each other's warmth. At least, I was soaking it up completely. Even if the mood wasn’t exactly cheerful.

Eventually, I broke the silence. "Thanks for saving me in math today. I really wanted to kiss you for that."

To prove my point, I pressed a light kiss to his sternum. Then another. And another.

"Yeah. Couldn’t tell at all," he said, voice dripping with sarcasm. But he actually sounded a little amused now. Less grumpy.

I chuckled. Pushed myself up and looked him in the eye. Leaned down and kissed him. Felt his hand find the back of my head. Felt him guide me. Pulling me closer. Holding me in place.

The kiss was slow. Gentle. Steady. I poured everything into it. I wanted him to feel it. To know that I was completely his. That I liked him. That no one else mattered.

When we pulled apart, I ran my fingers over his cheek. Then up, pushing his bangs back slightly. Let my hand drift through his messy blonde hair.

"Today was hard," I admitted softly. "And acting like ‘normal’ felt... weird."

Kacchan gave me a soft smile. Kissed me, briefly but sweetly. Then murmured against my lips, "You make me weak as fuck, you know that?"

I pulled back slightly, raising an eyebrow. Blinking in surprise.

Kacchan let out a rough laugh and clarified, "I don’t feel like barking at you all the time. Or at the others."

I tilted my head. "That bad?"

"Fuck yes," he muttered. "But right now... I’m just not angry. I’m relaxed and... I dunno. Just calm." His voice softened near the end. Almost uncertain.

"Well... isn’t that kind of the point? We did say we understand each other better now."

"Yeah. But this much?"

"Let’s just see how the next two days go. Maybe it’s just weird getting back into the school routine again."

Kacchan grunted. Pressed a kiss to my forehead. Then pushed me away a little. Grunted again before turning his back to me.

Guess it had all worn him out more than me. And his word quota for the day had officially run out.

So I just whispered a quiet good night. Pressed a kiss to his shoulder blade.

Then turned onto my side. Eventually, I drifted off. Dreamed. Slept restlessly. Processed everything.

The day had been full of too many impressions. Too much stimulation. Too many interactions I had to adjust to.

Because even though our school days hadn’t changed technically - I no longer just walked into class as a regular student.

I walked in as a student secretly dating his childhood friend. His fiercest rival.

I could only hope it would get easier with time.

 

Notes:

And that’s it!
How did you like it? Do you think the two of them will settle into their situation a bit more?
I hope I managed to keep the characters true to themselves and that you can see the uncertainty they both feel in all of this!

We’ll see each other again this Friday! After all, it’s my fault this chapter was a bit late. ;)

Chapter 34: Thursday

Notes:

Hey everyone!
Finally Friday! This week was honestly rough for me, so I’m super glad to have a little time to breathe.
And honestly? I only made it through thanks to all the sweet comments you left me! Yessss, I’m loving this jealous Kacchan too - especially when he’s annoyed at himself for feeling that way… hehe… this is gonna get fun! 😄
So with that, enjoy the new chapter!

Chapter 34 – Thursday

 

For once, I wasn’t woken up by my alarm. The sky outside was still faintly dim when I cracked my eyes open just a little. But the soft caress against my skin, the warmth of a body pressed against my back, and lips brushing over my shoulder slowly pulled me out of what had been far too short of a night.

I let out a low murmur, trying to stretch a little. Didn’t get far. The arms around me only tightened, locking me in place.

"Kacchan?" I mumbled sleepily, clearing my throat as I barely turned my head, peeking at him. All I could see was his wild, ash-blond hair, his face still buried against my shoulder. His lips trailed a damp path to my neck, sending a shiver through me. I sighed softly in pleasure. Oh yeah. I could get used to waking up like this every morning.

A low hum vibrated against my skin as Kacchan pressed himself closer to me. I could feel the firm muscles of his torso. And, without a doubt, his very much awake lower half.

Had that been the reason he woke me up?

"What time is it?" I asked quietly, feeling a little flustered. Nervous. It was definitely still early. Way too early to be up. So why was this self-proclaimed morning-hater already awake? And – seriously – this awake?

"Four-thirty," came his short, clipped response as his hands slid up from my stomach, his fingers ghosting over my chest, stroking sensitive spots in a way that was both gentle and undeniably firm.

God, what the hell was wrong with him? As if the night hadn’t been short enough already.

Muttering, I squirmed out of his grip, rolling onto my stomach and shoving my face into the pillow with a groan. As amazing as his touches were, we still had another hour before the alarm would go off.

"Why are you even awake?" I asked groggily, tilting my head just enough to peek at him. Kacchan’s eyes were sharp and intense, his expression unreadable. Maybe a bit… frustrated?

"Couldn’t sleep anymore."

"And because of that, I’m not allowed to sleep either?"

Kacchan let out a low growl. Seemed like he didn’t appreciate my tone. And yeah, maybe I felt a little bad for it. But I couldn’t help it. I was exhausted. And waking up this early just didn’t make any sense. We already got up earlier than most of the others because I had to sneak back to my room. Some of them didn’t even roll out of bed until seven. That was way too rushed and stressful for me, personally. But seriously! Seven was still two and a half hours away. And class didn’t start for another three and a half.

So why exactly should I be paying attention to Kacchan right now?

‘Because you don’t have time for this during the day,’ the annoying little voice in my head whispered. And… okay, fair point. But still, I wasn’t convinced. Not in this moment. Damn. Why was I so grumpy this morning? He’d woken me up in such a nice way, too. But God, a little more sleep would have been nice. We’d probably get hit with another in-class test today. And if my concentration was—

"You’re mumbling," Kacchan cut in.

I blinked at him, refocusing. He was lying on his side, head propped up on one hand. He looked… restless.

"So what?" I shot back, a little snappy. His response was just a sharp exhale before he reached out, wrapping an arm around my back and trying to pull me onto my side again.

I resisted. Glared at him.

"Why are you even up this early? And why do I have to—"

"Because yesterday was fucking frustrating and unfulfilling!" he snapped, voice rough with irritation. And too damn loud. Too loud for this hour. I could only pray no one in the neighboring rooms had heard him.

"It's not my fault!"

The moment the words left my mouth, I regretted them. I bit my lower lip, glancing at Kacchan uncertainly. But to my surprise, he only clenched his teeth and muttered, "Yeah, I know that already."

Huh?

Was this really Katsuki Bakugou lying next to me? The worst morning person ever? The guy who usually refused to talk in the mornings? And, more importantly, the one who never admitted fault without a fight?

Completely thrown off, I lifted my arm and placed my hand on his forehead, half-expecting him to be running a fever.

"Deku," he growled before swatting my hand away with an irritated huff.

I let out a small chuckle. This had officially turned into the most absurd morning of all time.

Still, maybe because Kacchan was glaring at me with such barely restrained annoyance, I rolled onto my back and stretched out my arms.

"Sorry. And good morning, Kacchan," I said with a soft smile, watching as he let himself collapse against me. His lips brushed my cheek before he buried his face in the crook of my neck.

"One day, I'm gonna kill you, Nerd," he mumbled.

His warm breath sent a shiver down my spine, making me sigh in contentment.

"Should we take care of the reason you woke me up first?" I asked teasingly.

I had no idea where this sudden boldness and lightheartedness came from. But my earlier grumpiness had completely faded, replaced by a warm, comforting feeling.

And the little voice in my head was right. We should make use of whatever time we had.

 

I had said goodbye to Kacchan right after and gone back to my room, setting my alarm for ten past seven.

And now I was annoyed with myself. Because it had turned into a rushed mess - getting dressed, grabbing breakfast, and sprinting to class.

"Good morning, Midoriya! I was just about to go to your room to wake you up," Ilda greeted me. I flashed him a sheepish smile and grabbed my breakfast, taking a seat at the table with the others, who were already almost finished.

"Good morning," I greeted everyone first before turning to Ilda. "Sorry. Yesterday felt strangely exhausting, and this morning I just couldn’t get out of bed. I can’t even remember the last time I was this tired."

They laughed and immediately pulled me into their conversation. I only glanced over at Kacchan once. He sat next to Kirishima, looking pretty annoyed, and wasn't listening to Sero at all. I forced myself to resist the urge to admire him, especially since he had sent me a message earlier.

Leave me alone during school today, Nerd!

For a moment, it had made me feel disappointed and a little wistful, but he wasn’t wrong. And besides, we had already spent our time together this morning. There was no point in dwelling on it or feeling down about it now. We had both decided to keep this a secret. It was only the second school day. And in just two days, it would be the weekend. That alone was enough reason to pull myself together. After all, I was going home with Kacchan then. We’d be completely alone at the Bakugou house. Alone. Undisturbed.

Damn it! I needed to stop thinking about that. I could feel my cheeks heating up. Fuck! And I was still sitting at the breakfast table.

"Everything alright, Midoriya-chan? You look a little red, ribbit," Asui asked. I groaned internally, forcing a crooked smile and quickly replying, "I just feel so tired and keep trying to stifle a yawn. Maybe that’s why."

God, what a lame excuse! But I couldn’t think of anything better on short notice. I was just relieved when Ilda urged us to get going. That’s when I realized I had barely touched my breakfast. Whatever. I wasn’t all that hungry anyway. And lunchtime would come quickly enough.

 

Today's school day was much easier than yesterday's. Of course, Kacchan and I were called on in both Cementoss’s and Midnight’s classes. It wasn’t too difficult for either of us, though Kacchan did slightly better. That annoyed me a little, especially since hero literature was one of my strongest subjects. But somehow, I was way too nervous again, having to stand up front and present something all on my own. Kacchan, on the other hand, as always, couldn’t have cared less about everyone watching and listening. He even snapped at his Bakusquad during his presentation because they had the audacity to whisper and make stupid faces at him. It had been pretty funny to watch. Helped distract me from dreamily staring at Kacchan’s back the whole time.

My search for an internship also kept me away from Kacchan. After calling Gran Torino during lunch, I was now on my way to the teacher’s lounge. He couldn’t offer me a spot but had referred me to All Might, suggesting I ask about his former sidekick, Sir Nighteye. Just hearing that name had sent a rush of excitement through me. If I got into his agency, I’d surely learn a lot. Experience a lot. At least, that’s what I hoped.

Nervously, I knocked, waited, and was immediately greeted by Midnight.

“Oh, Midoriya, what can I do for you? Do you have a question?” she asked right away, flashing me a smile that was far too seductive for a teacher. But that was just how she was - always a little flirty, even when it was inappropriate. Still, I kind of liked her personality. It was just her way of having fun, and some people got so flustered that they forgot how to speak. That would probably happen to me too. But only if Kacchan were the one standing in front of me, looking at me like that.

“I’d like to speak with All Might. Is he here?”

She glanced behind her before opening the door wide, silently inviting me in.

It was always fascinating to be in the teachers’ lounge and see them in a different light. Of course, UA wasn’t like other schools, but these were still our teachers. Though All Might had already shared some of their casual conversations with me before. Just because it was all new to him, and sometimes, he needed to vent. It sounded a bit odd. Maybe it was. But at the same time, the teacher’s lounge gossip about students was... informative.

“Young Midoriya! What can I do for you?” he asked, surprised. I couldn’t blame him. We had class right after lunch, and I was pretty sure this was the only lesson where Kacchan and I wouldn’t be called to the board.

“Well, um, I called Gran Torino earlier about my internship and, uh…” I began, explaining my situation. I could tell it made him a little uncomfortable. Things got awkward when he admitted that his relationship with Sir Nighteye wasn’t in the best place right now. His colleagues immediately jumped in with teasing remarks. I felt a little bad. After all, I had put him in this position. But, as always, he took it like a true hero and said in the end, “But I know someone who could help us reach out to Sir Nighteye. Come to my office after class.”

I beamed at him, feeling incredibly happy that he was willing to help. But then he added, “Bring Young Bakugou with you.”

I raised an eyebrow and glanced briefly at Mr. Aizawa, who had been working at his computer the whole time. But he didn’t acknowledge me at all. Had he said something to All Might?

I shook my head internally. No, he wouldn’t do that. Maybe All Might just wanted to talk about our fight yesterday. That had to be it. Everything else was just my imagination. God! I was getting paranoid. But wasn’t that normal? After all, this was a huge secret. A secret we guarded carefully because everything between us was still so new. Just at the beginning. And yet, somehow, it already felt normal. Like this connection had always been there. Like it hadn’t just been a little over a week.

 

I had said goodbye to the teachers' lounge and didn’t bother going back to the cafeteria. Instead, I just grabbed a small snack from the vending machine and stretched out on a bench. I enjoyed the warm feeling of the sun's rays on my face and the wind ruffling my hair. Felt relaxed. Right now, I didn’t want to analyze and overthink the scene in the teachers' lounge. Didn’t want to dwell on it. I just wanted to shut off my brain for a little while.

Of course, that didn’t last long because my phone vibrated in my pocket.

Where the hell are you?

I smiled. Had Kacchan actually missed me at lunch? Had he been looking for me?

I was with All Might about the internship.

And?

He wants me to come to his office after class. You too.

Why?

No idea. He didn’t say. Maybe because of yesterday?

I waited for a reply. But it never came. And then the bell rang again. Lunch break was over, and I had to head back to class.

I smiled. I would see Kacchan again. Wouldn’t talk to him, since he had asked me not to this morning, but at least I could see him and be somewhat close to him. Only now did I realize how good our seating arrangement actually was. I sat behind him. Just like in middle school.

A strange coincidence. A strangely nice coincidence.

 

"No idea why I have to tag along for this," Kacchan grumbled as we made our way to All Might’s office. I’d only heard from Uraraka and Asui that Kaminari and Kirishima had apparently annoyed him so much during lunch that he’d stormed out of the cafeteria in a rage - not without throwing a few death threats at his squad on the way out. That was probably why he had messaged me.

I sighed and glanced at him. He really did seem pissed off. He didn’t show me even the slightest bit of warmth. That stung a little. But fine. The day wasn’t over yet. There were still a few hours left. At least six more hours. Six long hours without touching him. God, I wanted to kiss him. Right now.

"Quit looking at me like that, nerd," his voice grumbled at me. I saw his gaze flick toward mine just for a split second before he stubbornly looked straight ahead again.

"Sorry."

"Stop apologizing all the fucking time."

"I know," I mumbled, barely whispering, "I just really want a moment alone with you right now."

Kacchan stopped in his tracks for a moment. I halted as well and looked at him - not questioning, not confused, just longing. Hoping that, in this empty hallway, he might give me something. Something physical.

"Oi, nerd. Stop being so damn emotional," was all he said before moving again.

And me? I just trudged after him and accepted it. Or rather, I forced myself to. Because I definitely wasn’t okay with it. Not at all. I was starting to realize how much I missed him. Yesterday, at least, we’d had a few interactions throughout the school day. But today? Today, we had really avoided each other. Barely exchanged a single word. No, that wasn’t true. We hadn’t spoken at all until now.

I didn’t have time to dwell on it further, though, because we had reached All Might’s door. I knocked and entered when called in.

"Young Midoriya! Young Bakugou! Glad you could make it," we were greeted warmly. I smiled at him and took a seat across from him on the green couch. I watched as Kacchan scanned the room intensely before sitting down as well - at the other end. One seat away. Just like we had sat in Aizawa’s office.

It felt wrong. It didn’t feel right at all. He should be sitting right next to me. Holding my hand. Turning toward me. Kissing m—

God. Could it be evening already? I had no idea what was wrong with me right now. Maybe I was just having a weird moment. Like how girls supposedly had mood swings. At least that’s what movies always showed. And my emotions were all over the place right now. Just a moment ago, I’d been happy that All Might was helping me find an internship. But right now, I was overwhelmed by this ridiculous longing for Kacchan. Even though he was sitting right next to me.

Crazy.

"So, is this your secret meeting spot to talk about One for All?" Kacchan blurted out, direct and blunt.

Okay. That was definitely not the opening line I had expected. It left me speechless for a moment.

But All Might just smiled at him and said, "Yes. There aren’t many places where we can discuss it privately. And now that you’re in on the secret, Young Bakugou, you’re welcome here anytime. Either on your own or with Young Midoriya."

Kacchan scoffed and crossed his arms over his chest. He swung one leg over the other and grumbled something unintelligible. It made me smile. Because deep down, he was pleased that his idol, All Might, was offering him this. But of course, he would never admit it. Never in a million years.

"So why did Kacchan have to come along today?" I asked, looking at All Might.

I never called him Katsuki when talking to All Might. I did it with the other teachers, but with All Might, it just felt wrong. Maybe because he had a different kind of relationship with me than Aizawa did. He had given me his Quirk. He was my mentor. He was closer to me than any other pro hero.

And yet, even he had never quite overshadowed Kacchan.

"I just wanted to let Young Bakugou know that he’s welcome here. And I also wanted to tell you both, face to face, that your fight yesterday was truly impressive. I felt like you really took my words to heart. And I must say, I was very proud. I told you before that you could achieve more together, but seeing just how strong you are as a team and how well you work together was incredible."

I felt my cheeks grow warm. Fuck. This was embarrassing. And yet, it was also so nice to hear. It made me want to grab Kacchan’s hand even more. Instead, I clenched my hands in my lap to calm myself down, smiling sheepishly. I had no idea what to say to that.

Kacchan just scoffed and muttered, "Well, you can’t exactly leave the nerd to fight on his own. Someone’s gotta knock some sense into him when he ignores his limits."

"Kacchan!" I exclaimed in protest, feeling the heat in my cheeks intensify. My whole face was probably burning up.

"So, does that mean you’ve been exchanging thoughts about One for All in more detail?"

We both nodded but didn’t add anything else. I didn’t know what to say, and honestly, sitting here with Kacchan in front of All Might felt weird. Usually, these were the moments where I talked to him alone. Without Kacchan. Without anyone else.

"That makes me happy to hear! And I know that this past week wasn’t easy for you. And neither were these first two days. Eraser had everyone keep an eye on you."

"Wow, really? Didn’t notice at all," Kacchan shot back sarcastically, rolling his eyes.

"But he doesn’t mean it in a bad way! Quite the opposite. He’s thinking about you two and trying to understand you," All Might revealed, making me perk up. And from the way Kacchan’s breath hitched slightly, I could tell he was caught off guard too.

"What do you mean, All Might?" I asked, feeling my pulse quicken. My thoughts immediately started spinning wild theories, fabricating conversations between Aizawa and All Might that had probably never even happened.

All Might took a sip of his tea before continuing, "He just wanted to know if I had any knowledge of what your relationship was like before U.A."

My heart stopped for a second. The word "relationship" in connection with Kacchan made me nervous, even though I knew All Might definitely didn’t mean it in the way I thought of it. No, this was just about how we had been in middle school. And the answer was simple: badly.

Was Aizawa trying to find out if All Might knew about us? If we had already been… together back in middle school? I swallowed.

Before my thoughts could spiral any further, All Might pulled me back: "Of course, I told him that I didn’t know anything. Because that’s the truth. I never asked you about it, Young Midoriya, because it’s too personal. But I do think he’s genuinely concerned about you. He… likes you two. And that’s a rare thing for Eraser, at least according to what I’ve heard about his relationships with past students."

I stared at him, speechless. I didn’t know if his words should comfort me or terrify me. Maybe we really should have a talk with Aizawa sooner rather than later. If he was already reaching out to his colleagues about us…

"That damn scarf-wearing bastard should mind his own business," Kacchan grumbled.

While I was still struggling to find something to say, his comment made me chuckle softly. All Might laughed too, and before the topic could go any further, I quickly changed the subject: "About my internship…"

"Ah, yes! He should be here any moment…"

"Who?"

"Young To—" All Might began, but he was cut off by an announcement over the intercom, calling him to the staff room.

"Oh, excuse me for a moment! I’ll be right back."

With that, he stood up and left us alone.

Alone. Finally alone.

I turned eagerly toward Kacchan, who had also shifted toward me. But his expression looked pensive. Hmm… could I risk getting a little closer to him now?

"Kac—" I started, only to be interrupted by a low growl.

I blinked at him, confused. Was he… mad at me? But why?

"That dumbass homeroom teacher is seriously getting on my nerves," he grumbled in explanation. And even though he sounded completely pissed off, his arm reached out, grabbed my wrist, and pulled me toward him.

I could only smile. I didn’t say anything in response. Just looked at him, full of longing and silent pleading. I saw him roll his eyes before grinning. His hand grabbed my chin firmly before his lips crashed onto mine.

He kissed me. Properly.

And I couldn’t help but let out a pleased sigh. Relief and happiness coursed through me. God. I had missed this. I had really missed this. It had been more than ten hours. Ten hours without any sort of touch. Absolute torture.

And honestly? I was a little embarrassed at how my brain kept count of how many hours had passed since our last kiss, or since… other things. But I couldn’t help it. My mind just did it automatically. It was kind of ridiculous that my brain wasn’t even warning me about the fact that we were kissing in All Might’s office.

But the teacher’s lounge was all the way down the hall. He would take at least a few minutes.

"Nerd, seriously. Can’t you hold yourself together until tonight?" Kacchan muttered against my lips, amused. He kissed me again, briefly. Then, he locked eyes with me, his thumb brushing over my lower lip.

And me? I just smirked. I couldn’t help but fire back - because I already had the perfect comeback. "Says the guy who woke me up at an ungodly hour because he couldn’t hold himself back."

Kacchan smirked in return. "Touché," was all he said. He didn’t even try to argue. Because I was right. And I had reminded him of our very eventful morning.

His smirk turned a little dirtier.

And damn. That did things to me.

Shit. When exactly had I become this obsessed with him?

"Interesting how bold you’re getting," he murmured, tilting my head slightly with the hand still holding my chin. He kissed my ear, then bit down on my earlobe.

I gasped. My whole body shivered. I jerked away, scrambling to the far end of the couch, my face absolutely burning.

What the hell was that?! Was he trying to give me a very obvious problem in my pants?

I shot him a look, seeing his knowing expression.

That bastard! He couldn’t just do that here!

I cleared my throat and forced myself to sit properly again. Not a second too soon. Because at that very moment, the door opened. And to my surprise, All Might wasn’t alone. Standing behind him was none other than Mirio Togata.

Oh shit.

One quick side-glance at Kacchan was enough to tell me just how thrilled he was to see him.

Was this my potential internship connection?

"Hello, Midoriya!" Togata greeted me cheerfully before turning to Kacchan, opening his mouth to greet him as well.

But Kacchan just stood up, stuffing his hands into his pockets, and grumbled, "This place is getting too damn crowded. I’m out."

I watched in mild shock as he pushed past the two of them toward the door. But just before stepping out, he threw a glance over his shoulder.

"Oi, shitty Deku! You better not be late for kitchen duty again. There’s a lot to chop today."

And with that, he was gone.

Wow. What an exit. I shook my head internally.

Did he really hate Togata that much? And if so… why?

 

The question remained unanswered while we cooked since we weren’t alone in the kitchen. Kacchan had planned a meat stew and, besides me, had also roped in Jiro and Ashido to help us. It was actually nice because I got along well with both of them. It made the atmosphere feel lighter. Of course, if it had just been the two of us cooking, the tension would’ve only been pretend tension. But this way, I could be more cheerful in general. It was fun. And I enjoyed that Kacchan wasn’t complaining too much and even seemed a little more relaxed himself.

But the moment I mentioned to the others that I’d be going with Togata to Sir Nighteye’s agency on Saturday to introduce myself, he briefly lost his composure. He ended up slightly burned the wooden cooking spoon. Then, he started yelling at us for not cutting the vegetables properly. I knew it was just an excuse. I knew that the real issue was how much it clearly pissed him off that I was going to the same agency as his newly self-declared nemesis.

Oh man. I had a bad feeling about tonight.

 

"Kacchan, seriously! Can you explain to me what your problem with Togata is?" I cut straight to the chase as soon as I stepped into his room, but he barely acknowledged me, continuing to scroll on his phone.

He just grunted. Stayed silent.

I sighed, climbed on top of him, and ran my hands over his back. I saw him finally put his phone down and rest his head on the pillow, letting out a contented hum.

Even though we’d never been in this position before, I didn’t feel awkward about it. Quite the opposite - I kind of enjoyed massaging his back, watching the tension between his brows slowly disappear.

We stayed quiet. Every now and then, he’d let out another low hum whenever I hit a good spot. I focused on those areas, pressing a little deeper. I could feel something loosen beneath my fingertips, muscles shifting under his skin. It made me wonder why we didn’t have physiotherapy sessions at UA. With the amount of injuries we all sustained, it would be a great recovery measure.

“I just can’t stand that comic-book-faced bastard,” Kacchan muttered at some point, making me smile. He’d already said that before.

And then, I decided to take a gamble. “Are you jealous, Kacchan?”

Maybe I shouldn’t have asked.

Because in the next instant, he flipped us over, pinned me down, and growled. His expression had darkened, completely erasing any trace of the relaxed state he’d been in just moments ago.

“Don’t get ahead of yourself, Nerd.”

I gave him a crooked smile, closing my eyes for a brief second before locking onto his gaze again. “Then what’s the problem? I mean, he…uh…”

I trailed off.

The thought that had crossed my mind was way too embarrassing to say out loud. Way too obvious. It would scream the feelings I wasn’t ready to admit yet. The feelings I knew were there.

“What?” Kacchan tightened his grip on my wrists. “Spit it out, Nerd.”

I winced slightly. His hold was a little too strong. Not unbearable, but enough that I knew he wasn’t letting me go. And when I turned my head away, too flustered to look at him, his fingers squeezed even more.

“Deeeekuuuuuuu,” he rumbled impatiently.

I let out a small, panicked squeak. My voice came out way too high-pitched. “I can’t say it! It’s too embarrassing!”

His growl deepened. His weight pressed down more, pushing my wrists harder into the mattress. A sharp gasp slipped from my lips. And immediately, his grip loosened. Not completely, but just enough.

“What could possibly be more embarrassing than admitting you wanna sleep with me?”

Oh my god. I hated this man.

Really. Truly. Hated him.

I couldn't stop myself - I whined, “I hate you!” and desperately wished I could bury my face somewhere, anywhere.

Did he seriously have to bring that up right now?

“Well?” he pushed again, waiting. He wasn’t going to drop it. Not a chance. And honestly? That was one of the things I admired most about him. His persistence. His relentless drive. His refusal to give up.

But right now? Right now, I hated it.

I had already lost this battle.

Letting out a slow, heavy breath, I forced myself to speak. I kept my head turned away, mumbling under my breath, “He doesn’t even come close to you.”

Kacchan’s eyebrow shot up immediately. He looked at me in confusion.

Really?

Did I actually have to explain it to him? And if so, how?

I could say Togata wasn’t my type. But until two weeks ago, I didn’t even know I had a type. Much less that it was apparently male, blond, impulsive, easy to piss off, fiercely ambitious, and obsessed with winning at all costs.

Suddenly, the pressure on my wrists disappeared.

Kacchan sat up, arms crossed over his chest, and with the smuggest look on his face, declared, “As if anyone could ever measure up to me. Pah.”

I just shook my head, sighing. “Wow.” That was all I could say.

“Don’t ever assume I’d be jealous of anyone.” He scoffed. “That’s ridiculous.”

Now I couldn’t help but smile.

I stretched my arms out, and Kacchan, understanding my silent request, leaned down to kiss me. It was soft. Light. Affectionate.

Then I asked, “So, you don’t mind me going to Sir Nighteye’s agency with Togata on Saturday?”

He answered by kissing me again. Harder this time. More insistent. Without stopping.

I gasped against his lips as he shifted, settling his weight fully on top of me, his hands slipping beneath my shirt.

And just when I thought the conversation was over, he murmured in a low, gruff voice, “I only mind that you're going on your first patrol with him - and not with me.”

My breath hitched.

My heart pounded.

His words threw me off completely.

But he didn’t let me respond. Didn’t let me think. He scattered my thoughts with the way his hands roamed. Because they weren’t under my shirt anymore. No.

They had wandered lower. Distracting me. Closing the subject.

Because, as Kacchan himself always put it— This was getting too damn emotional and awkward.

And if there was one thing I’d learned this past week, it was that Katsuki Bakugou hated talking about his feelings.

But that was fine. I wasn’t really in the mood for talking either. Because his insistently wandering hand was making me forget everything else.

 

Notes:

That’s it for now!
I hope I could make you smile a little with this one. So tell me—what did you like more, the beginning or the end?
The next chapter picks up the following day, and then… we’re heading into what might be a very intense seven-chapter weekend arc 😅
You won’t want to miss what’s next ;)

Chapter 35: All Might and Aizawa

Notes:

Hey everyone!
First of all: OMG, you’re all absolutely insane (in the best way)!!!! After the last chapter, I got so many wonderful comments from you <3 I didn’t even know what to do with all that joy! Seriously – thank you so, so much!
Second: Today’s an early upload (yes, because of the comments too ;)) so you don’t have to wait too long.
Enjoy!

Chapter 35 – All Might and Aizawa

 

Finally Friday. That was the first thought that went through my head when the alarm clock rang in the morning. The second? Just one more night until Kacchan and I...

I didn’t dare to finish that thought even once all morning, and at the same time, it electrified me. I was excited and jittery. I could hardly wait for the day to be over.

Of course, Saturday also meant the meeting with Sir Nighteye. Another reason to freak out. But what we had planned for the evening was just so much more present in my mind. It made me insanely nervous. Made me a little more distracted.

I somehow managed not to stare at Kacchan’s back the entire lesson and swoon over him. Instead of falling into daydreams, my thoughts kept drifting back to what we were planning. I wondered if there was something I should still look up. After all, it was something we hadn’t done before. Of course, I knew how it worked in theory. But actually doing it? What if I did something wrong? Or it didn’t work? Maybe I really should use my Kacchan-free evening to read up on things a bit more. Maybe I should even watch something. Oh god. Just the thought made me blush. And thoughts like that didn’t belong at the breakfast table, or in class. Hopefully the day would pass quickly!

 

I got scolded several times throughout the school day, apologized, and ended up doodling all over the margins of my notebook to distract myself. Circles. Triangles. Little bombs. Shit! I really had to pull myself together not to draw a few hearts next to the bombs, too. The bombs alone were already an obvious symbol for Kacchan.

Oh damn it! The whole morning was cursed. And the fact that our last kiss, the last touch, had been way too long ago didn’t make it any better.

But at some point, I must have been so fidgety that Kacchan just yelled at me during Mr. Aizawa’s class.

“DAMN DEKU! KEEP YOUR FUCKING FEET STILL OR I’LL CHOP THEM OFF!”

I apologized quietly while we both got scolded by Mr. Aizawa, who then went back to sleep as we continued working in silence. I could feel my cheeks getting warm. Heard some classmates giggle, while others just shook their heads. I was kind of happy about the whole scene, because it was a totally normal little interaction. Something everyone had seen from us before the house arrest. Finally something that wasn’t so obvious. That showed me we could still act ‘normal’ in front of the rest of the class.

 

Nevertheless, I was glad to finally be sitting at the lunch table and enjoying a decent curry. Well, decent for cafeteria food. There were so many other meals here that didn’t taste good at all. I would never compare them to Kacchan’s cooking. If I did, I’d probably rather starve here.

God! I was almost making myself sick by praising everything about Kacchan to the skies. Comparing everything to him. Classmates, food, behavior, interactions. Literally everything happening around me, I tried to connect with that damn handsome blond guy I seemed to be falling for more and more by the minute. Who I also missed like crazy. Who I knew I wouldn’t be sleeping next to tonight.

“Deku! You’re really not yourself today,” Uraraka pulled me out of my thoughts, which seemed even more chaotic than usual today. Maybe because so many weird things were running through my head at the same time.

I looked at her with a questioning glance, before I easily came up with a fitting explanation: “Yeah, it’s… I don’t know. Sorry. But when I think about meeting Sir Nighteye tomorrow - I mean the Sir Nighteye, All Might’s sidekick, his most well-known sidekick… God, I’m so nervous. What if he doesn’t want me? And did you know that his Quirk is foresight…”

I started rambling. Was grateful that Saturday’s event was a good excuse. Of course, I was really thinking about it. But Kacchan was still at the very top of the list. Because he held first place in every part of my mind.

Seriously? Can you stop with this lovesick rambling already? I scolded myself internally, surprised that my inner voice didn’t chime in to whisper other things to me. But all the pink, fluffy cotton in my brain must’ve caused such a sugar shock that even that voice stayed quiet today.

I was sick! This couldn’t be healthy, what was flashing through my head every second. And it definitely wasn’t normal. This whole mess was really getting to me.

“Wow, I didn’t know it was possible to know that much about Nighteye, ribbit,” Asui eventually said, looking at me kind of overwhelmed. I hadn’t even noticed I was still mumbling to myself. Kacchan would totally laugh at me now and call me a nerd. Which brings us right back to dear Mister Bakugou. Damn! Asui’s interruption didn’t help for long.

“It’s always amazing how much hero knowledge you’ve already gathered. And that you remember all of it,” came Todoroki’s calm voice, and he gave me a soft smile. I smiled back just as gently and ran a hand awkwardly through my hair.

“Have you updated our hero data recently? I mean, your last observations were super helpful,” Uraraka said, and I looked at her in surprise. Yeah, of course I had analyses for the whole class - their Quirks, their costumes, and their development - but at the same time, I felt kind of embarrassed that I had so much info on everyone. I didn’t feel that way with other heroes I didn’t know personally.

“I don’t think so! The last time I wrote something down was when we moved into the dorms and started working more on improving our Quirks. So much happened after that, I never got around to it again,” I replied, catching out of the corner of my eye that the Bakusquad got up to clear their trays. My gaze automatically drifted to Kacchan. God, how much I’d love to go with him now. To stand next to him. Maybe let my hand brush against his.

I flinched inside when I suddenly noticed Kacchan looking at me. His expression was, as always, kind of annoyed and uninterested. But there was something sharp in his eyes. And maybe I was imagining it, but when he looked away again, the corner of his mouth seemed to twitch up for a second and he gave the slightest shake of his head. Was he amused that I couldn’t keep my eyes off him? I mean, I hadn’t looked over at him at all during lunch. Had he maybe been watching me from time to time instead?

Ilda’s commanding voice brought me back to what was going on: “Class starts in ten minutes. Put everything away properly and head back to Mr. Aizawa.”

I thanked him inwardly. Who knows how much longer I would’ve kept staring in Kacchan’s direction. That would’ve been way too obvious. Especially since Kacchan had already complained last time that my stares were way too noticeable.

 

The afternoon session dragged on. Mr. Aizawa’s voice didn’t help either. I wondered why he was doing so much lecturing today. Usually, we did more independent work. But with all the internships coming up, it seemed like he wanted to focus more on sharing experience and advice. We also went through everything we were allowed to do with our provisional hero licenses, what to keep in mind during patrols, and how to work with the police. All super interesting. Definitely. But I really couldn’t care less today. I’m sorry, Mr. Aizawa, but those damn spiky blond hairs in front of me were way more interesting. Watching how little they moved despite the airflow in the room. As if Kacchan had fixed them with gel. But I knew he didn’t own a single styling product for his hair. I’d gotten ready in his bathroom often enough by now. Maybe it was just genetics? After all, Aunt Mitsuki...

“Midoriya, can you answer the question for me?”

Shit!

Still a little absent-minded, I looked up, trying to focus on my teacher instead of Kacchan’s hair. Where were we right now? And what had we been talking about for the last five minutes? Or had I been drifting off for even longer?

I opened my mouth to say something, saw out of the corner of my eye how Kacchan ran his left hand through his hair. A normal gesture. But he only showed three fingers with that hand. Not normal. Why were his fingers bent like that? Was he trying to tell me something? Help me?

Without thinking too much, I said the number out loud. Mr. Aizawa looked at me skeptically. I also saw his gaze flick briefly to Kacchan. But he now had both hands behind his head and was staring out the window.

“Correct,” my teacher just sighed before continuing. I focused on him now, too. Quietly thanked Kacchan for the help, while I tried hard not to let a dumb grin spread on my face. Because inside, I was doing a little victory dance. Kacchan had helped me. Had saved me. I really wanted to thank him for that right now.

I was so relieved when the bell finally announced the end of the school day. I liked class a lot. Even with Mr. Aizawa. But today? No. I just wanted the day to be over. I wanted to get a spot with Nighteye tomorrow and then finally spend the evening with Kacchan. And the night...

“Oi, nerd! Where the hell were you with your thoughts?” Kacchan’s voice brought me back again. I looked at him. Tried to look apologetic instead of smiling at him. Didn’t really succeed. Got an eye-roll from him right away.

“Thanks for the help earlier. I was really a bit distracted,” I mumbled, letting my eyes wander through the room instead of looking at him. I still felt a little embarrassed. Noticed that our classmates were quickly leaving the room. Not paying us any attention. Some even wished us a quick nice weekend as they passed. Probably because a few of them were heading home again. Or to their internships. Made me a little jealous. I really wanted to get started too.

“What were you distracted by?”

I gave a crooked smile. Felt the warmth in my cheeks. Stayed silent. We weren’t alone yet. And Kacchan understood. Groaned in annoyance and slung his bag over one shoulder. Turned away from me to leave.

“Are you waiting for me?” I asked quickly as I carefully packed my notebooks into my backpack. And to my surprise, he actually stopped and leaned against one of the desks. One hand gripping the strap of his backpack, the other casually stuffed in his pocket. Looking out the window like he was annoyed, and I thought I knew that he was just pretending. At least I hoped so. But despite - or maybe because of - that expression, he looked ridiculously attractive. Not just attractive. God, I’d give anything right now to wrap my arms around his neck. To pull him close and kiss him. To feel Kacchan’s hand slide loosely around my back and slowly wander lower. Brush over my butt. Pull me closer. Hold me...

I swallowed hard. Took a deep breath and shook my head just a little. This was definitely not the place for thoughts like that. I got a raised eyebrow in response to my weird behavior. Did he know what I had just been thinking? I hoped not. Or maybe I did?

“What are we cooking tonight?” I tried to start a casual conversation. Pushed in my chair and slung my backpack over my shoulder.

“We cooked enough stew yesterday for it to last today too. The extras won’t be around anyway,” he said casually and walked out of the classroom with me. Didn’t give me another glance, just walked next to me like always. Next to me. With others, he always made sure to walk at least half a step ahead. He’d always done that. I knew he didn’t like it when someone walked in step with him. But with me, it didn’t seem to bother him anymore. That made me kind of happy. It was just a small thing. But a small thing that told me I was something else to him. Something special?

I thought about what else I could talk to him about without anyone around us picking up on it. But all I could think about was tomorrow evening. When we’d meet. How the night would go. Whether he had anything planned. Nothing suitable for a hallway conversation. But when All Might’s voice sounded behind me, I didn’t have to keep wondering.

“Young Midoriya!” came my mentor’s voice, a little out of breath. I stopped and turned around to him. Kacchan did the same, raising a skeptical eyebrow.

“Hello All Might,” I smiled at him, waiting for him to catch up and stop in front of me.

He greeted Kacchan too, before saying, “I just got the confirmation that we can use the training hall from four o’clock on. So everything stays as we planned yesterday.”

My smile turned into a wide grin. I knew my eyes had to be shining with excitement. And All Might’s excitement seemed to grow, too. I had almost forgotten that I was supposed to show him eight percent of One for All today. He’d only seen it briefly on Ground Beta. And when I told him about the improvement, he wanted to see it more closely.

“That’s great! I’ll just go get changed real quick, then I’ll come,” I answered him excitedly. All Might just nodded, then looked back and forth between me and Kacchan. He seemed to be thinking. I thought I could guess what was going through his head. It made me smile even more.

“Can Kacchan maybe train with me?”

“Nerd! I’ve got the special course tomorrow,” he cut me off right away, before All Might could even respond.

Surprised and at the same time disappointed, I looked at him. My enthusiasm vanished immediately. Did he not want to train with me? Or was he really afraid he’d push himself too hard?

Ignoring and forgetting All Might, I turned to Kacchan, clapped my hands flat together, and bowed my head slightly.

“Please, Kacchan! Just a little! We didn’t get to do much during house arrest.”

I heard teeth grinding in front of me. Resisted the urge to look up. Instead, I pressed my eyelids tightly shut and silently prayed he’d agree. And when a sigh suddenly sounded in front of me, I knew I’d won.

“If All Might doesn’t mind, whatever! But don’t think I’m gonna go easy on you!” he grumbled. Toward the end, I could hear a smile in his voice. Ha! He was just as eager to spar with me as I was with him. Not real fighting, of course. But a match to see who had the upper hand. Who was stronger. Who was better.

“I’d be happy if you joined our little extra training, Young Bakugou! But Eraser won’t like this plan,” our teacher replied. Made me smile. I laughed softly when Kacchan said, “Don’t give a damn what this homeless jerk thinks.”

All Might gave a crooked smile and turned around. He should have lectured us that you shouldn’t talk about your teachers like that. Especially not your homeroom teacher. But I’d noticed before that he often let it slide with Kacchan. Because he knew Kacchan respected Mr. Aizawa. Respected him a hell of a lot, actually.

“See you in a bit, All Might!” I said, catching myself almost grabbing Kacchan’s wrist. I had wanted to unconsciously pull him along with me. Pulled my hand back halfway and grabbed the strap of my backpack instead. I needed to hold on to something so I wouldn’t actually reach for Kacchan’s hand. It was so close.

 

We didn’t get a single moment alone until we were standing in the training hall. Since we had each gone to our rooms to change into our gym uniforms and the shoes from our hero costumes, we hadn’t even shared a second in the locker room. Damn it! I had really hoped we’d be out of sight just for a short moment. And on the way here, there had just been way too many people around. Why were there so many people on the UA campus?

“Get a grip, Deku,” Kacchan had said to me quietly once on our way. After that, it had been silent between us. Not an uncomfortable silence. I had simply enjoyed his presence beside me. Somehow, even without touching, it felt satisfying. But this total distance thing really sucked. And it was only day three. Or maybe it just annoyed me because I still had to get used to the new routine.

 

All Might gave us instructions. He wanted to see my movements with eight percent first. So Kacchan sat down next to him on the bench while I pushed myself a little. Ran, jumped, and kicked around. Even punched one of the rocks that Cementoss had built all over the training grounds for lessons.

We were shocked to see that I completely shattered it - and even the one behind it got damaged.

“Impressive how strong you’ve already become,” the former Number One smiled at me and clapped his hands once.

“If Young Bakugou is ready, I’d like to observe things more closely in a sparring match. But please be careful not to injure yourselves. I have to attend the special course tomorrow and I don’t want to hear beforehand that one of my students couldn’t come because of an injury.”

He didn’t give that warning for nothing. Even if he had praised our teamwork during the fight against Togata and analyzed it with excitement. I had the feeling he still didn’t fully trust this peace between us. And deep down, I knew that hesitation and doubt were justified. After all, we had more than once beaten the crap out of each other in the past. Had clashed way more often in battle. Because we always wanted to prove ourselves. Because Kacchan wanted to show that he was the strongest. That I hadn’t surpassed him. That I wouldn’t surpass him.

We both nodded, walked a bit away from All Might, and faced each other.

“Hey Nerd! I’ll let you go first. But don’t expect me to hold back,” Kacchan grinned at me arrogantly. Provoked me. Pushed me. Sent adrenaline rushing through my body. Made everything tingle.

Oh yeah! This was something different between us. Had nothing to do with the things we did in his room. No. This was just the thrill of being allowed to compete. The fighting spirit that slept inside both of us and came alive whenever we stood face-to-face. The ambition not to lose. The urge to win.

I lunged at him, but he dodged skillfully, throwing an explosion at me. But I managed to duck just in time. At the same time, I launched a kick. He countered. We jumped apart briefly, only to attack again immediately.

It went back and forth between us for quite a while. Kacchan had gotten used to the eight percent shockingly fast. It annoyed me that even with faster movements and stronger attacks, I couldn’t land a real hit. The only silver lining: he couldn’t either. And still, I was having fun.

We had no idea how long we’d been dancing around each other when All Might finally called out, “Stop.” He called us over to him.

He analyzed his observations. Gave tips. Gave praise. Pointed out flaws. And Kacchan seemed to want to join the discussion - in his own way.

“Oi, Deku! What did I tell you after Ground Beta back in the dorms?”

I looked at him, confused. Put my hand to my chin and thought. Remembered that I had asked him about it the next morning during my Shoot Style training. Also remembered what he had said.

“That my movements are too wide?”

“Yeah! And what else?”

My head tilted from one side to the other while I tried to recall his exact words. Took me a moment before I repeated them in a monotone voice: “That you combined the kicks with your punch seriously pissed me off.”

Kacchan snorted in amusement. Mumbled, “Damn nerd.” And waited for me to reflect on our little training session on my own. All Might suddenly stayed very much in the background. Maybe he trusted us to find a way to grow stronger together. Just like he had told us almost two weeks ago that night. Because together, we’re stronger. Together, we’ll reach the top. Someday. Hopefully still as partners, too.

I rolled my eyes internally at that last thought, when suddenly an idea came to me and I said, “Should I come up with a combo where I use both in sequence or alternately?”

Kacchan nodded, then suddenly grabbed my wrist and pulled me a bit further away from All Might.

“Watch, Nerd! Dry run, no Quirk activation, got it?”

I nodded obediently, and he showed me a combination that reminded me a little of Mashirao’s fighting style. Kick, light turn, heel kick with the other foot, land, jump, punch.

He showed me the same thing again, slightly adjusted. I tried to follow right away. Got a smack to the head and an elbow to the side as he guided me. Corrected me. And I just enjoyed this little lesson. Was happy that he was working with me like this. That we were spending time together this way. The small touches were enough to send electricity through my body. Made me happy, even though we weren’t touching and holding each other like we normally did. I didn’t even miss a kiss right now. No, this was just as fulfilling. And it was helping us grow.

“All right, now the whole thing with One for All, Nerd!” Kacchan said once the sequence had worked a few times.

“You’re gonna dodge, right?” I asked a bit uncertainly. Got nothing but a dismissive snort in return.

We took a bit more distance from each other and got into position. I activated my Quirk and let small green sparks dance around me as I regulated my power properly. And then, without another word or signal, I jumped forward.

Kacchan dodged my first kick with ease. I spun in the air and tried to hit him with my other foot. But he blocked that one. Jumped back a bit, landed for just a millisecond before pushing off the ground with force to leap at him with a raised fist. But instead of dodging again, I took a full explosion to the face. I was too surprised to block it properly and ended up on the ground.

“Come on, Kacchaan! You said you’d only dodge,” I grumbled, rubbing my tailbone.

“I never said that! And besides, this is the only way you’ll learn how to improve! So use that damn broccoli-head of yours and think about how I react to your movements! And fucking adapt to it!” he lectured me. He was telling me, indirectly, that I shouldn’t just execute what I’d learned. I had to use my instincts. Just like he did. That’s why he was always ahead of me. Because he just reacted and had a solution right away. And didn’t analyze first. That’s why he was the one who attacked Togata first back then, while I just stood there watching.

I growled, clenched my teeth, and got back up. God, how much I hated his arrogance and superiority sometimes. I didn’t want to give him the satisfaction of beating me. Fuck! He was one giant provocation. Not in a negative way. But in a way that made me forget myself when we fought. And I hoped I wouldn’t go overboard. Like I had on Ground Beta.

My face wore a wild grin. The expression of pure fighting spirit. He mirrored it. Cracked his neck and silently challenged me to attack.

I stormed at him again, but just as I was about to kick and saw his palms already smoking, One for All suddenly cut out. And Kacchan also looked briefly confused but reacted faster, catching me as I flew toward him with too much momentum and stumbled without my power.

“What are you two doing here?” we heard a very familiar voice.

I groaned from the slight pain as I got up, pulling Kacchan up with me. I looked up and saw none other than our homeroom teacher standing next to All Might.

“Mr. Aizawa!” I blurted in surprise. Kacchan, on the other hand, immediately went into defensive mode and started his ‘silent’ battle with him.

“All Might! Why are you training with the problem children after school? You do know that Bakugou has the special course tomorrow and needs to be rested for it.”

Kacchan and I stared at the teachers in disbelief. It was weird that, for once, All Might was the one getting a lecture from Eraserhead. He seemed pretty flustered too, laughing nervously and accidentally slipping into his muscle form for a second.

“You see, Shouta, Young Midoriya and Young Bakugou missed so many practical lessons during their time off that I wanted to do them a little favor. And they promised me they wouldn’t get hurt or overdo it,” our Symbol of Peace stammered, somehow seeming smaller as he said it.

“Special sessions like this are supposed to be cleared with me! You know that! Especially with these two!” he said, pointing at us. Hm, would we ever overcome this mistrust?

“Why are you here? How can I help you?” All Might tried to change the subject. Made me smile. I wasn’t used to seeing him dodge like that. Kacchan, meanwhile, looked a little annoyed and walked a few steps away to lean against a small rock. I quietly followed him. Leaned against the rock right next to him. Felt the warmth of his arm, as we were almost touching. I really wanted to lean on him now. Rest my head on his shoulder and close my eyes for a few minutes. Breathe in his scent and sigh happily. Maybe he’d give me a kiss on the head. Ahh, daydreams were so sweet.

“I need to talk to you about tomorrow,” I heard Mr. Aizawa say before he called both of us over. Ugh! I had been just about to lean against Kacchan.

Still, a queasy feeling rose in me as we walked toward him. After all, he had caught us making out in the kitchen. Had caught us clearly showing that we’d much rather spend time upstairs alone than go over tasks with him. We hadn’t said a word about it since. I just hoped he wouldn’t out us in front of All Might. Or talk about it with anyone at all.

“Go back to the dorms! Your training is over.”

My jaw dropped slightly, and Kacchan also looked like he was about to protest. But the capture scarf that wrapped around us said more than a thousand words.

“No arguments! And I want both of you in my office Sunday morning. We need to talk about Monday again.”

I bit my lower lip and glanced at Kacchan. Maybe we should tell him that we weren’t exactly in the dorms on Sunday mor—

“We won’t be in the dorms this weekend,” Kacchan interrupted with that statement. My eyes widened, and I stared at him in disbelief. Had he really said we?

“And where will you be, if I may ask?” Mr. Aizawa replied skeptically. And damn! I could feel my cheeks heating up and looked awkwardly down at the floor. Immediately, the plan for Saturday evening came to mind. We’d probably want to sleep in afterward. I wanted to sleep in with Kacchan. Enjoy the peace and quiet and closeness we’d have at his place. God, I really had to pull myself together and not keep imagining our plans. I had to focus on the two teachers in front of us. And on Kacchan.

He just looked off somewhere, refusing to meet anyone’s eyes. Probably wasn’t even really focusing on anything. Looked defiant instead. Didn’t seem to be putting any thought into answering our teacher.

Suddenly I heard a sound from Mr. Aizawa I couldn’t quite place. Then a muttered, “I’m definitely not paid enough for this.”

I looked up, confused. Saw a just as confused All Might, looking between the three of us.

“Have they done something again, Shouta?” he asked, clearly clueless.

“Well, sort of, All Might. But that’s something that currently only concerns the two of them and me,” he replied, before turning back to us: “And now go already! Let me know when you’re back on Sunday.”

I nodded obediently, while Kacchan just snorted. All Might gave me a look filled with a bit of disappointment. My guilty conscience stirred. It didn’t feel right to keep something this big from him. He had opened up completely to me. Had shared his whole story with me. And his Quirk. Maybe I should talk to Kacchan about it. But he’d probably say no. Still - why were we hiding something this important from him, the Symbol of Peace and our childhood hero? I mean, he wouldn’t judge us. He’d probably be happy for us. But would he be disappointed if it didn’t work out and fell apart?

“Come on, Nerd! We’ve got to reheat dinner anyway,” Kacchan said calmly. So calm it would confuse the other two. It did. But Kacchan ignored their reactions. Didn’t feel like acting aggressive right now, apparently. Instead, he grabbed my wrist and pulled me away from our teachers. I still noticed Mr. Aizawa’s warning glance. And the incredibly confused one from All Might. He didn’t seem to understand anything anymore.

On the way back to the dorms, Kacchan only gave short commands, having let go of me again.

“Shower! Then come upstairs! We’ve got an hour before dinner.”

I just nodded and was happy I’d still get to spend at least a little more time with Kacchan. And since some students were probably already gone or in their rooms, hopefully no one would notice that I was sneaking off with him. I’d definitely bring my school bag up with me as cover. Yeah, good plan!

 

Instead of a bag, I only had two notebooks in my hand when I walked into Kacchan’s room. I smiled when I saw him lying on the bed in boxers and a t-shirt. A towel on his pillow, since his hair still seemed a little damp.

Smiling, I walked over to him, set my stuff down on his desk, and saw him immediately make space for me beside him.

And before I had even fully laid down, he rolled over me and kissed me. Without a word. Without any other greeting. He just kissed me. Calm. Gentle. Slow. And yet it felt so damn intense. Sent a pleasant tingle through every inch of my body. Neck. Arms. Stomach. I could feel the kiss all the way down to my toes. Made me sigh. Made me relax.

When he pulled away for a second, I raised my arm, tangled my hand in the hair I’d already spent so much time staring at today, and pressed his lips back to mine. Felt the corners of his mouth curl into a grin. And me? I just enjoyed his touch. His weight on my body. His scent in my nose.

Damn! I was addicted. To physical contact. To Kacchan. And only the little bit of training had helped me hold out until now. The thought of waiting until evening had become more and more unbearable.

“You need to get it together,” I heard Kacchan whisper to me, kissed me again, then slid halfway off of me. I pouted, trying to pull him back down by his shirt. But he stayed right where he wanted to be. Thirty damn centimeters above my head, watching me with those damn ruby-red eyes.

“I’m serious. You were distracted. Especially with Aizawa around! That’s like handing him a free shot!” he explained. He didn’t sound angry. Maybe a bit grumpy. But not angry.

“I’m sorry. It’s just dumb that you sit in front of me. Can’t we switch seats?” I whined, trying to explain myself right away. Got a quiet, amused laugh in return. God, I melted on the spot. Seriously. How had I never realized how good-looking Kacchan was? I mean, all the girls should be falling at his feet. I certainly was. More and more with every passing day.

“Changing the seating chart would be way too obvious. And what reason would you give?”

I felt myself starting to pout. And did it. Like a little kid. Why was I acting like this around him all of a sudden? Did I want that? Did I want him to look at me differently? To be gentle and understanding with me?

“Let’s drop it. We have to go downstairs soon anyway,” he said, leaning down to me again. But instead of kissing me, he kissed my ear and said, “And you better not be so obvious downstairs again. Or I might rethink letting you sleep in my bed tonight.”

I perked up and sucked in a loud breath. What had he just said? But - this morning, he said I shouldn’t because of the special course.

“But—” I began, only to get a light headbutt.

“No buts! You’re hopeless without me anyway. Aren’t you, nerd?”

Heat rose to my face. I squinted my eyes and turned my head away. What was going on now? Why was he saying stuff like that?

“It’s not like I can’t sleep alone,” I muttered. Heard how my voice went higher again. Terrible.

“But you don’t want to.”

“Do you want to?” I shot back. Wanted to steer away from my embarrassment. Looked up into a surprised face - until Kacchan started grinning. He didn’t answer, just kissed me. And then? Then he just got up and went to his closet to grab his sweatpants.

“From now on, nerd! Dinner and then off to bed! Tomorrow’s gonna be a long and exhausting day!”

There was no missing the double meaning in his voice. Or the more-than-dirty grin on his face. Oh fuck! He was absolutely right. I was hopelessly lost without him! Because I wanted him! Physically and emotionally. I was one damn lovesick idiot! What had I gotten myself into?

 

 

Notes:

That’s it!
Yep, the week is officially over and we’re finally heading into the long-awaited weekend!
I think you might’ve noticed that Izuku is very excited about it - and I hope you are too :D
It’s definitely going to be... interesting :D
So stay tuned and let yourself be surprised!
See you Thursday... or maybe Wednesday if you leave that many comments again ^///^

Chapter 36: Preparing

Notes:

Hey everyone!

And HOLY SHIT – you absolutely went wild with your comments *__* <3<3<3<3
God, I freaking love you all! Seriously. I was honestly speechless yesterday and just sat there grinning like an idiot.
So as a little thank you (and maybe because I kind of jinxed it myself)… here’s the new chapter a day early! :D

Enjoy!

Chapter 36 – Preparing

 

“Heyyy, Kacchan?” I said softly, my head resting comfortably on his chest.

I had dared to come up a bit earlier today, since the dorm had been pretty empty during dinner. And so now, a little after eight, we were already lying in bed. Totally relaxed. Wearing only our boxers, since Kacchan had made it very clear that I was allowed to sleep here - but he still wanted to be well rested for tomorrow. Of course, he insisted it was because of the special course and not because of our plans afterward.

“What, nerd?”

Surprised, I lifted my head. Kacchan’s voice already sounded pretty sleepy. I’d heard him hum a few times earlier, while I had been gently stroking his stomach and sides. Softly, without any ulterior motive. I just liked the feeling of his bare skin. It felt smooth and warm. Not to mention, he was ridiculously well-toned. Tracing his abs was fascinating and somehow calming at the same time.

I saw his closed eyes and relaxed face. He looked so peaceful and content. It reminded me of the four-year-old, snotty blond kid who had already captivated me back then - with his confident, cocky grin, his impulsive nature, and the way he used to protect me. I remembered those bright eyes whenever we watched All Might on TV. God, when I thought about it now, I must have been falling for this guy my entire life - without even noticing.

Now I wanted him to look at me with that same kind of fascination. But he seemed more interested in dozing off than giving me attention. Didn’t he miss the warmth of my head on his chest?

“About tomorrow…” I began, immediately hearing him sigh. He didn’t move, just stayed lying there, apparently waiting for me to continue. Eyes still closed. His sigh made me grumble. I felt the pouty little kid inside me wake up.

“If my being here bothers you, I’ll just go,” I muttered. Suddenly, I felt a hand on my head. Felt his fingers gently running through my unruly curls. Felt the pressure he used. He started giving me a soft scalp massage. My eyes nearly fell shut. But I still saw his ruby-red eyes half-open and sparkling at me. Saw that mischievous smile that made my heart skip a beat.

He didn’t say anything. Instead, he pulled me into a kiss, then pushed my head gently into the crook of his neck and kept running his fingers over the back of my head. It felt heavenly. Tingly. Relaxing. Gave me goosebumps.

“And here I thought you were all nervous because of Nighteye. Apparently not,” he laughed quietly, his voice low and rough, curling his fingers a bit more so the scratching became even more intense. I had to fight not to purr or drool. Damn! He could seriously do this all night.

Unconsciously, my eyes rolled back, my eyelids fell shut, and I just managed a, “Mhhmm.” That was all I had left in me. I shook my feet briefly, because the tingling was almost too much. Still - he definitely shouldn’t stop. It felt indescribably good. I kind of understood now why cats loved to be petted all day. Along with the tingling, I felt my body grow pleasantly heavy. Made me float and sink at the same time. I didn’t want to fall asleep. Not yet. I still wanted to enjoy the evening.

And as if Kacchan had heard that silent wish, his voice pulled me out of my hazy state: “You wanna say something ab—WAIT, ARE YOU DROOLING ON ME?!”

Startled, I lifted my head. Realized the corner of my mouth was actually wet and wiped it off quickly. Shit! I had just thought about making sure that didn’t happen.

“Ah Kacchan… it’s… I mean… I’m sor—”

“I’m never scratching your head again.”

Shocked, I stared at him and started to stammer, “N-no, p-please. It won’t h-happen again. It was… just… really nice.”

Right after I said it, almost panicking as I looked at him, I saw the corners of his mouth twitch up and his gaze suddenly take on a more mischievous look.

“Are you gonna drool on me tomorrow too?” he asked in a much deeper, almost suggestive tone. Made me blush. I felt embarrassed. And at the same time, my stomach fluttered with excitement. God, how did this guy always manage these awful transitions?

“Kaaachaaaan!” I wailed and let my head fall onto his shoulder to hide. Heard him laugh.

“What? Totally fair question,” he kept teasing. I tried to literally shake off my embarrassment and countered, “We don’t even know if it’s gonna be nice yet.”

Kacchan snorted in amusement.

“If you really thought it wasn't gonna be good, you wouldn’t have suggested it in the first place, right?”

I peeked up at him again. Was met with a similarly sideways, thoughtful look.

“No, I mean yes, I mean - you know... I…”

“Dekuuuu,” I heard his warning tone. I exhaled heavily. Didn’t want to start stammering again.

“Yes, damn it! I just had this feeling that I’d like to go a bit further with you than just, you know… hands and stuff… and… well, other people do it too… and… people wouldn’t do it if it was awful, right?” I said quickly and all jumbled up, my eyelids squeezed tightly shut.

I heard Kacchan laughing again. He rolled onto his side, pulled me against his chest. I felt his lips on the top of my head.

“Then stop freaking out. Sex really doesn’t seem that hard.”

I groaned in frustration. That word really wasn’t necessary right now. It sounded forced to me. Yeah, he still wanted to make me squirm. To tease me. To provoke me. And yet - I couldn’t help but wonder what exactly he meant.

“How would you know?”

Instead of his lips, I now felt his chin resting on top of my head, his arm draped loosely over my shoulders.

“Well, after you did all that reading and then went and demonstrated it for me, I figured I should probably look into it too.”

I squeaked. Lightly drummed my fists against his stomach, trying to shake off the rising embarrassment. That smug bastard! Why did he enjoy this so much?

“Too easy, Deku,” he kept laughing, burying his face in my curls again and tightening the hold around my shoulders.

“I hate you,” I mumbled quietly, rubbing my nose lightly against his chest. Planted a soft kiss on his warm skin. I hated how much he teased me. How much he could throw me off. And at the same time, I loved it. I remembered something my mom used to say: Those who tease, love.

And he teased me. So… he definitely liked me. Yeah. Definitely!

It went quiet for a moment. I was grateful, so my face could finally cool off again. Thought about what he’d said. Then asked, a little uncertainly, already mentally bracing for whatever outrageous answer he was about to give: “How did you look into it?”

Maybe I was imagining it, but after that question, I could hear the massive, evil grin spreading across his face. Oh, I was definitely going to hate him even more in a second. No doubt about it.

And right on cue came his dry answer: “I watched a porn.”

Argh! Every possible curse word shot through my head aimed at him, while the heat spread across my entire face. For god’s sake! I really needed to break up with him. Seriously! His blunt way of talking was going to send me to an early grave.

I didn’t know what to do with all the embarrassment building up inside me. Felt a tightness in my chest while trying to breathe deeply and calmly. Didn’t work. God - he actually watched a… porn? With two guys? Just like that?

“That’s weird,” I whispered, still trying to shake the redness from my face.

“No, nerd! It’s normal!” I heard Kacchan say. Felt him pull away from me slightly, pushing me just far enough to force me to look at him.

“B-But… Kacchan… that’s… I mean… why?”

I heard a long sigh. Kacchan ran a hand down his face before speaking: “You’re just such a damn pussy about this stuff.”

Outraged, I puffed up my cheeks. “Am not!”

“Have you ever watched a porn?”

I hesitated a bit and just nodded. But when I saw Kacchan’s surprised look, the words started pouring out of me:
“But only once! Just out of curiosity! I swear it was just curiosity! And because I wanted to understand why the others always made those shameless comments in the locker room. And I looked it up first, on what sites it’s safe to watch. And then I just clicked on something that didn’t look too weird from the thumbnail. But it really wasn’t that great. I mean, I didn’t watch for long. It wasn’t a long video either. But it just felt so weird. And I didn’t really get what everyone liked about it. I mean, it’s all so staged. And after the research I did beforehand, it just seemed so unrealistic. I mean - they were just doing it. Like, no story. And if there had been a story, I probably would’ve found that even weirder. And—”

“DEKU!”

Startled, I flinched and looked at him again. I’d lowered my gaze while talking. Noticed I was shaking. Noticed I was a little out of breath.

“Whoa! Chill the fuck out! What the hell was that panicked rambling just now?” Kacchan tried to calm me down.

I looked at him a bit nervously. Wanted to hide between his arms again. But he held me back and said,
“There’s nothing bad or embarrassing about watching that kind of stuff. And it wouldn’t have been a big deal if you jerked off to it either. Come on, Deku! You’re fucking sixteen years old! What the hell’s your fucking problem?”

“It’s embarrassing.”

That was all I could say. I couldn’t think of anything else. Tried not to show that Kacchan’s blunt wording wasn’t exactly helping.

“God! If you don’t get a grip on this soon, we’re canceling everything tomorrow!”

“NO!”

“Then stop being a pussy and take it like a man! God! You’re acting like a twelve-year-old in health class during sex ed!”

Silence.

My mind went completely blank. I didn’t know what to say. Didn’t know what to think except: He was absolutely right.

But how was I supposed to get rid of something that was just part of my nature? Everything was just embarrassing to me. Everything felt awkward. I couldn’t deal with praise, let alone topics this intimate. The only time I forgot all of that was when I was fighting. In a fight, I didn’t have time to think about how I came across. Whether I chose the right words. Whether something was inappropriate. I didn’t worry about stupid little things like that in a battle. But in everyday situations? How was I supposed to turn that off? I never wanted anyone to think I was weird or wrong in any way. Maybe I bent over backwards too much when it wasn’t about being a hero. I was always sincere, but still - I didn’t want to be a burden to anyone. I wanted to be helpful. And I wanted to be liked. Even more so since coming to U.A. Because the time before… hadn’t been easy.

“Izuku…”

Slowly, I looked up. Met Kacchan’s understanding face. His expression looked so soft. So kind. So incredibly beautiful. Hearing my name from his mouth made my pulse skyrocket - and at the same time, I felt a calm warmth growing inside me. I felt safe and protected. Watched over and held.

“Everyone likes you just the way you are. You don’t have to keep trying so damn hard to please everyone. They already do. Fo…”

He paused for a moment, then suddenly kissed my forehead. I heard him whisper, barely loud enough to catch:

“For me…you are good just the way you are.”

My eyes widened as Kacchan cleared his throat. Cleared it again and quickly added in a firm voice:

“But this whole embarrassment thing needs to stop! Or I’m just gonna keep using words that throw you off until they don’t anymore!”

I smiled, blinking away a tear.

“Okay, Kacchan.”

 

 

“Hi Mom! I’m home!” I called out as I stepped into my mother’s apartment. Beaming. Because the day had gone unbelievably well so far. After a truly restful, peaceful night, I’d said a relaxed goodbye to Kacchan, gone with Togata to see Sir Nighteye, and - after a pretty tough test - finally landed an internship. The only downside: I found out that Togata had actually once been considered to inherit One for All. That had made me a little thoughtful. Left me with a bit of a tight feeling in my chest, especially when I thought about Sir Nighteye’s skeptical look. But those were problems and thoughts for after the weekend. No. I wasn’t going to dwell on that today. The rest of this day was all about Kacchan - and our plans.

“I’m in the kitchen, sweetheart,” I heard my mother call back. I smiled, put down my backpack, and took off my shoes. Her voice always gave me a warm feeling inside. She was simply the kindest person on the planet. And the most anxious. And maybe someone who teared up even faster than I did.

When I saw her, I was immediately pulled into a hug. A warm one. That’s what her hugs were like. I always felt loved. Always safe. I’d never thought there could be a second person in my life who made me feel that same way.

“Mom, you’re squishing me,” I laughed, feeling her slowly let go and pat me on the shoulders.

“Oh, Izuku…” she began, apparently about to say something - but I had to tell her my news first:
“I get to start working with Sir Nighteye next week!”

She looked at me in surprise, and I saw both joy and a little worry flash in her eyes. But when she pulled me into another hug, I knew the joy had won out.

“Congratulations, Izuku! I’m really happy for you. I just hope you’ll be in good hands at that agency.”

“I’m sure I will! I’ll mostly be doing patrols in the district for now. So don’t worry. I’m not about to run into some super powerful villain or anything,” I explained reassuringly. Still smiling, I hugged her back a bit before she finally let go.

“Good,” she said, quickly turning back to the stove to stir whatever was in the pan.

“I made you a quick lunch,” she said. She sounded a little rushed. Made me pause for a moment.

“Just for me?”

She let out a heavy sigh and gave me an apologetic look.
“Someone at work called in sick, and I have to cover their shift until someone else shows up later. I’m really sorry, Izuku, but I should be back by 7 PM at the latest, and then we can celebrate your success.”

I bit my lower lip and cursed silently. I already felt bad about what I was about to tell her. But I couldn’t bail on Kacchan. Damn it! I didn’t want to bail on him. I mean, I could always come back tomorrow. But this free evening with Kacchan… I might not get another chance like that anytime soon.

“Is something wrong?” my mom asked when I still hadn’t replied.

Now I looked at her apologetically, shrugged a little, lowered my head, and fidgeted with my hands.

“Um… Mom? I’m actually heading out again later.”

“Oh! I figured you’d stay this time, since you had to leave again last week.”

Her voice sounded disappointed. And a little sad. That made me feel awful. I had been coming home less lately. But we both knew that, after everything that had happened, visits would be less frequent anyway. What I hadn’t expected was that something else would come into my life. Something important. Something meaningful.

I considered pretending I had to return to U.A. But I just couldn’t bring myself to lie to her like that. So I took a deep breath and told her the truth:
“I’m meeting up with Kacchan later.”

“Oh.”

That was all she said. Just a confused look. She apparently didn’t know what to make of it. Didn’t know what to say. So I just kept going - and now I did bend the truth a bit:
“We have something to prep for next week. Mr. Aizawa gave us a ton of work.”

“But isn’t Katsuki supposed to go home today? Because Mitsuki and Masaru are away on a business trip,” she said, and I froze for a second. God, do our moms talk about everything?

Mentally, I groaned and dragged a hand down my face. Outwardly, I gave her an awkward little smile.

“Yeah. He is. And that’s why we’re meeting at his place. And… I’m staying over.”

“Oh.”

Seriously? Could she say anything else? Or had I completely thrown her off with everything I’d just said? Was this bad for her? Or just unexpected?

“Um… everything okay, Mom?” I asked now. Looked at her, waiting. Saw her give a small nod before offering me a smile:
“Of course, Izuku. It’s just a bit surprising, that’s all. You told me you two became friends again, but I didn’t expect it to be close enough that you’d spend the night at his place.”

“We don’t really get much peace and quiet in the dorms, so we agreed on this,” I added to my earlier explanation. And I was glad it wasn’t even a lie. We really had planned it so we could be alone. The fact that we wouldn’t be doing homework... yeah, I tried not to think about that part too hard right now.

My mother nodded. I noticed her glance at the clock, then she quickly turned off the stove and rushed out of the kitchen.

“Oh Izuku! I’m so sorry. I only had these few minutes with you.”

You could practically hear the guilt in her voice. So I pulled her into another hug and said gently,
“I’ll try to come by again as soon as I can. And next time we’ll take even more time than we did last Saturday.”

She smiled at me warmly and playfully pinched my cheek.
“My sweet boy! What did I do to deserve you?”

Tears welled up in her eyes. And in mine, too. Damn it, emotional crying really did run in the family.

 

 

After she had finally left, I served myself some food and sat down at the new dining table we had put together last weekend. Ate with one hand and scrolled through my phone with the other.

I was a little disappointed. I had texted Kacchan right outside the entrance of Sir Nighteye’s agency, telling him I got the internship spot. But he hadn’t even read the message yet. Didn’t they get a lunch break during the special course?

Well, if he didn’t have time, that’s just how it was. The special course was important. Just like Sir Nighteye had been important to me this morning. But now, all my thoughts were circling around tonight. God. We were really going to do it. I mean - we would do it. Unless I chickened out. But I had brought it up. And I was really excited and nervous about it. In a good way. So backing out? Not an option. Nope.

Now that I was finally alone, I had the peace and quiet to sort out my thoughts. Go over yesterday’s conversation with Kacchan again. When I was by myself, it didn’t feel that embarrassing. Almost not at all. And somehow… I didn’t want to fall behind Kacchan in anything. He had done way more research. He probably wanted to do a lot of things right tonight, too. We should be able to manage it. I mean, it wasn’t exactly something that no one else could do.

“Man, Izuku! Calm down,” I muttered to myself, finishing the last bites of my food while scrolling through general hero news. Then I put my plate away and went to my room. Turned on my computer.

If my mom wasn’t home for once, then I really could take the time to do a bit more research. Because there was one thing that was super important to me. And yeah, it sounded kind of embarrassing, but… I wanted everything to be really clean.

I mean, with sex between two guys, you used that one place where… not-so-great stuff normally came out.

I sighed at how awkward the phrasing in my head was. Shook my head. Damn it! Kacchan had already complained about that last night.

Before I could drift off again, I actually started looking up proper guides on how to clean yourself. Read everything in a totally neutral way. It was a little uncomfortable, but it would be way worse if Kacchan ended up grossed out because of me.

While I was reading, a few suggestive ads popped up on the side. Made me swallow. At the same time, I was curious. Kacchan had watched a porn this week. Between two guys. Said it was for research. Should I do the same? He said it was totally normal at our age to watch stuff like that. And he had even admitted it himself. So…

Before I had even fully decided, I was already on the same site I’d used back then. Clicked that I was 18 or older. A lie. But hey, basically everyone lied about that online. So I didn’t feel guilty about it.

The images that popped up right away kind of freaked me out. Tried not to look too closely. Clicked on the little rainbow flag instead. The images changed instantly. Instead of seeing videos between men and women, it now showed videos between people of the same gender. Some solo videos were mixed in. There was such a huge variety, I really wondered if anyone had ever actually watched all of it. Didn’t even think it was possible for just one category. And even crazier than that - someone had to film all this stuff. People actually just did this at home.

Kacchan had been right. Sex was normal. Porn was a regular part of life. More for some, less for others. Just like other people had different things that mattered to them.

I browsed through the most popular tags and tried to figure out what I actually wanted to watch. Mentally filtered what would be useful for my research. Meanwhile, I could practically hear my inner voice laughing its ass off at me.

“Just watch something and see if you like it,” she whispered inside my head. And well - she kind of had a point. So I clicked on the first video where I could recognize two men. Or at least their bodies. I was definitely aware that I preferred something without faces. The faces had freaked me out last time. Just not my thing. Killed the fantasy, made it harder to imagine the scene in real life. Well - more like in a dream. Though tonight it was actually going to become real.

First thing that happened? I freaked out because the volume was way too loud. The moaning of two strange men echoed through my room. I frantically clicked the mute button with my mouse. Holy shit! If Mom had still been home… that would’ve been so humiliating.

The weird part was that the sounds had actually kind of turned me on. At least I immediately felt a twitch and a pull in my lower stomach. Oh god. What was happening?

I tried to refocus on the video. The guys were already going at it. Okay, maybe not the best choice if you wanted to see how to start things. But… god, why couldn’t I look away from the screen? And why was my heart suddenly beating faster?

Oh my god.

It didn’t even take a full minute before the realization hit me in the face: I was actually turned on by this. Not just turned on. No - I found this whole thing seriously hot. Turned the sound back on, but just a little, and noticed myself twitching every time one of them let out a deeper, throatier moan. It kinda reminded me of Kacchan. Or more like - it triggered the memory of him.

Either way, I definitely couldn’t say this video was disturbing. Not like it had been last time. No - on the contrary. Shit! I had a full-on hard-on in my pants. From a four-minute video. From a four-minute porn video! This couldn’t be real.

Shocked and frozen, I sat in my chair until the video was over. Until both guys had finished. Watching it happen, that up close and direct, didn’t even bother me. Why wasn’t I embarrassed right now? And why was I seeing Kacchan’s face in my mind? Kacchan’s face from when my head had been between his legs. When…

I jumped up. Tried to shake the thought from my head.

“Get a grip,” I hissed at myself, pacing around my room. Hurried back to my PC and closed the site. Deleted my browser history. Then shut the whole thing down. Still felt a lingering heat in my pants. Reached inside to adjust myself so it wouldn’t hurt. So I could try to ignore it.

God, what would Kacchan even think of me?

I actually asked myself that for a moment. Really worried about it for a second. But then I remembered how he had called me a pussy yesterday for making such a big deal out of something so small.

“It’s completely normal. Kacchan would be proud of me. Everything’s fine. It’s okay that I liked it. So many other people like it too, otherwise there wouldn’t be so many videos. Yeah. It’s all fine,” I whispered to myself, basically pacing through the entire apartment. Running my hands through my hair again and again.

I had finally made it to the bathroom. Splashed some cold water on my face first, trying to get my composure back. Looked at myself in the mirror. Saw the faint pink coloring in my cheeks. I was such a damn uptight idiot. Kacchan would have a field day with this.

I needed a moment. Sighed in resignation before pulling off my shirt. I needed to distract myself. And I really wanted to get properly clean. Yeah, back to the original thing that mattered to me. I tried to push everything else out of my head.

Turned on the shower and took off the rest of my clothes. My arousal was completely gone again. Thank god. Let me breathe a little. And at the same time, made me shake my head again. I had to laugh at myself. I could practically picture Kacchan rolling his eyes.

The warm water hit me gently. Ran down through my green mess of hair. Took a moment for it to really soak all the way through. I enjoyed the feeling of the water finding its way over my body and down to the floor. Tracing lines across my skin. Turned the heat up a little more. Let myself relax. Took five full minutes just standing under the spray, doing nothing. Thinking nothing. Letting it all go.

Eventually, I grabbed my body wash and started lathering up. I was honestly nervous washing down there for the first time in my life. A little anxious as my right hand slid through the crease and I spread the foam around the muscle there. Tried not to overthink it and gently pressed my fingertip against the opening.

It wasn’t like I’d never done this before. I mean, every normal person probably did something like this without thinking, just to get properly clean. But now, doing it on purpose, focusing on what it felt like… it was weird. Strange. Unfamiliar.

I felt the tight muscle close firmly around my finger, and I really wondered how anything bigger, much bigger, was supposed to fit in there. I wasn’t sure what to make of the feeling of having my fingertip inside me. I pushed it in a little further. It pressed. Burned just a little. Okay. Maybe using body wash for this wasn’t the best idea. Speaking of… Kacchan had said he’d prepare everything. Did that mean he had, like… lube?

I swallowed and pulled my finger out again. The sensation of it sliding back out felt very different. Weirder. Not as nice as going in. I looked at my finger. Everything was clean. Hesitated for a second… then cautiously sniffed it. God, what kind of weird person was I? But all I could smell was the shampoo. That was a relief. And holy crap, I really hoped no one would ever find out about this. It was honestly kind of embarrassing.

Kacchan would totally laugh at me.
Or would it maybe even turn him on if he saw me like this? Me with my finger in m—

I swallowed hard and took a deep breath. Damn. What would he do if he walked into the bathroom right now? We’d already showered together before. We’d touched each other under the water. He had pressed up against me from behind. I could still clearly remember his cock. How it had rubbed between my cheeks. That was the first time I’d had the thought that I wanted to feel more of him. That I wanted more than just his hand on my dick. From that moment on, the desire had stuck in my head.

Without even realizing it, my hand had wrapped around my half-hard cock. I let out a quiet gasp as I started to move. Shit. What was I doing? We were supposed to be doing this together later…

I stopped, bracing myself against the tiles with my free forearm. Rested my forehead against them. Stopped thinking altogether. I pictured Kacchan’s face. His sounds. They blended with the images from the porn.

Fuck. It was intense.

I panted. Moaned his name softly. Damn. It didn’t take long. I could feel the pressure building in my lower stomach. My cock was so damn hard in my hand. I felt the veins. Ran my thumb over the tip. I knew exactly how to touch myself. Remembered how Kacchan touched me.

"Ka…chaa—" slipped out of my mouth, a little louder now, as I felt another kind of heat spill down my hand. My breath caught. My legs trembled a bit. Damn. Did I really just jerk off in the shower? Just because I’d thought about Kacchan? Thought about tonight? About how we’d been standing under the shower a few days ago?

I cursed and laughed at the same time in disbelief. I had actually left myself a little speechless.

 

 

When I stepped back into my room, dry again and still rubbing my hair with a towel, I saw my phone blinking. I practically sprinted over and saw Kacchan’s name on the screen. Made me grin. Felt excitement rise up inside me.

Congrats, nerd

6:30 PM at my place

That was all it said. Short and to the point, as always. I couldn’t help but smile. I hadn’t expected more anyway. I wasn’t disappointed - just nervous when I saw the time. I looked at the clock. 1:30 PM. Still five whole hours to go. Oh, they were going to be hell.

Sighing, I grabbed my notebooks from my bag. Might as well prep for next week’s classes. I had packed all my school stuff along with everything for the sleepover, so I might as well put it to use.

 

 

When the clock finally read just before 6 PM, I left our apartment. My mom hadn’t gotten back any earlier. I had passed the time with schoolwork. Even did the dishes and took out the trash. Fluffed the pillows on the couch and folded the blanket. If she had to work extra on a Saturday, she should at least come home to a nice, quiet evening. Even if I wouldn’t be there.

The walk to the Bakugous’ place brought back a lot of memories. I hadn’t walked this way in a long time, and yet it felt like it had only been yesterday. Past the playground. Past the little bakery where we used to buy sweets now and then. Well - I used to buy something. Kacchan wasn’t really into sweet stuff. But he always came inside with me, because I was too shy to talk to the lady at the counter. I smiled at the memory. Could almost see our tiny selves standing there in front of the display case. It made me happy.

My nervousness grew as I turned into the right street and saw Kacchan’s big, impressive house from a distance. Since my mom and I lived in an apartment building, a house like that had always seemed huge to me. Like a palace, back when I used to come over to play. But Kacchan had never said anything mean to me about living in a small place. On the contrary - he had always felt just as comfortable at our place as I did at the Bakugous’.

There was light in the lower floor. So Kacchan was already home. And I was ten minutes early. I realized my cheeks were starting to hurt. Hadn’t noticed how wide I was smiling. God, I was excited. I was happy. And I was suddenly so damn nervous. How would the evening go? And the night?

I took a few deep breaths in and out before raising my hand and pressing the doorbell. And just as I did, Kacchan’s words from about a week and a half ago echoed through my head:

Let’s find out.

 

 

 

 

Notes:

That’s it for now!
And with that, we’re slowly but surely heading into the weekend.
And yes… in the next two chapters there might be a little bit of smut again (it’s been a while, after all).
After that… well, we’ve still got a few weekend chapters ahead.
What do you think might happen? Let me know!

Big hugs and see you on Saturday!

Chapter 37: Just How Do You Start?

Notes:

Hey everyone and happy Saturday! 😄

I hope you're all on the edge of your seats, because here it is… the insanity begins! 😆
Thank you again for all your wonderful comments – some of them are sooo beautifully long! 💖 I love it! I'd honestly love to reply to each and every one of you, but I just don’t have the time most days.
But! I took some time last night to get ahead, so this week, you can count on the chapters dropping right on time! 😉
Enjoy!

Chapter 37 – Just How Do You Start?

 

“As always, perfectly on time, nerd,” was how Kacchan greeted me, a mischievous grin on his face. I had to swallow hard as I looked at him. He was standing there with his UA shirt unbuttoned, the tight undershirt underneath giving a clear glimpse of his perfectly toned chest. He looked so damn good. Wild and irresistible. Just… mouthwatering.

But just as I was thinking about throwing myself into his arms, he turned around and walked into the house. I pulled a slight face and followed him. Well, we had the whole evening ahead of us. I could be patient for a few more minutes. Maybe just one. Not a few.

“Hi, Kacchan,” I called after him, while he just gave a short wave and went upstairs, leaving me standing in the hallway.

“I’m getting changed quickly. I just got home too,” he called down. Gave me an explanation - maybe because he thought I’d otherwise wonder if I’d done something wrong.

I grinned a little to myself at the thought that he might be starting to understand the kind of dumb thoughts my brain sometimes came up with. I gave a little shake of excitement. I wondered if maybe we could’ve always gotten along like this, if we had just been honest with each other. If we’d actually talked. If maybe we would’ve gotten together sooner. Kissed sooner?

I shook my head slightly and pushed the thought away. What-ifs and maybes were nothing to waste time on. We couldn’t change the past. Only what lay ahead of us. And today, I didn’t have time for any of that. Not today. I’d been looking forward to this evening all week. Nervously, and with more than enough embarrassment. So - head off!

I quickly slipped out of my red shoes and placed them neatly next to Kacchan’s boots under the coat rack. It was still the same one from back then. The wall color hadn’t changed either. The walls were still that soft sandy beige. Felt warmer and cozier than plain white. I felt right at home. And it had been, once - at least until middle school. I’d still come over sometimes during elementary school because of our moms. Our relationship had already been a little rocky by then, but not as bad as it got later.

Whatever. Water under the bridge!

I set my backpack down beside the stairs so I could take it up later. Then stepped into the big open living area. Most of the furniture hadn’t changed, except for the couch and the rug. A bigger TV hung on the wall now, and over the years a few more books had been added to the shelves.

Curiously, I walked along the bookshelf. My heart skipped a beat when I spotted a picture of Kacchan and me. Not just one. Three, actually. One from kindergarten. One from a shared Christmas Eve. And one in the garden, fast asleep on a picnic blanket, surrounded by All Might figures, toy cars, and dinosaurs. I sighed and looked at our younger selves. That time felt so long ago. And yet I remembered so much of it. Playing together. Sleepovers. Just being around each other. It warmed my heart. Made me blink quickly. Those were more than happy memories. And when I thought about what had come after… my heart felt a little heavy.

“Oi, nerd! You’re really getting emotional over this?”,” came Kacchan’s voice behind me. I felt two strong hands on my hips. He pulled me back against him, and then I felt his lips at my ear. Heard a whispered “crybaby” before his mouth brushed against me briefly.

I sucked in a sharp breath and only just realized that a tear had made its way down my cheek. Great. So much for a smooth start.

I cleared my throat quickly, shivering a little at the warm, damp breath on my ear, before saying softly, “I was just surprised those pictures are still here. I… I like them.”

Kacchan huffed and muttered, “The old hag never let me swap them out.”

“You wanted them gone?”

Kacchan exhaled a little deeper as he slid his arms fully around my waist, pulling me in until there was barely any space left between us. I felt his chin rest gently on my shoulder. I turned my head slightly, just enough to glance at him - but most of his eyes were hidden behind his hair.

“For a while, yeah.”

“And now?” I asked, unsure how I was supposed to feel.

“Now, I don’t think so.”

With that, he straightened up behind me, gently turned me around to face him, and kissed me before I could even really look at him. My lips pulled into a smile mid-kiss. I felt that flutter in my stomach. That warmth spreading through me. I couldn’t help but be happy.

Euphorically, I wrapped my arms around his neck. Pulled him down a bit and practically pressed our mouths together. I didn’t want to let go of him. And he didn’t pull away either. Kissed me back with the same intensity.

The kisses were slow and gentle. Longing, but not desperate. Full of feeling. Passionate. But not arousing. No - we both just wanted to soak in this feeling we’d been waiting on all day.
At least, I did. And I was pretty sure Kacchan felt the same. I hoped so.

“By the way… congrats,” he murmured at some point against my lips, then grabbed my forearms and gently broke our embrace.

I tilted my head in confusion. All my thoughts had already flown out the window. I’d just been enjoying the feeling of his lips.

“Nighteye,” he added to jog my memory.

“Oh - yeah! Uh, thanks,” I said, smiling awkwardly and rubbing the back of my neck. Then I asked, “And how was your special training course?”

Kacchan’s snort and eye roll were almost enough of a response on their own. He walked into the kitchen and pulled two glasses from the cupboard before saying, “A nightmare. Kids are the worst.”

“Huh? Why?”

But he just shook his head. “Food’s on the way. Then we can talk properly… unless you had something else in mind before that,” he said, eyebrows raising twice in a teasing little wiggle. Don’t even get me started on that smug grin.

I winced inside. Felt heat rise in my face. Why did he have to jump straight to that topic again? I mean, yeah, okay, that was kind of the reason we were here tonight. But still - it would’ve been nice to build up to it a bit. Right? Or was this like sparring, where you just got a signal and went for it?

I felt my body tense a little. My pulse sped up. Yeah, how were we even supposed to start? It was weird enough that we had basically planned this. That this was the whole goal of the evening. But a little build-up would be nice. Talking, maybe cuddling for a bit. Showering again would be good. And then maybe start with…

“DEKU! Chill out!” Kacchan snapped me back to reality. I hadn’t even noticed he’d stepped right in front of me. Crap. Had I been thinking out loud?

Eyes wide, I stared up at his annoyed face. At his sharp red eyes, which still looked a little tired.

“Sorry…” I murmured, resting my forehead against his chest. Let my arms hang down. Took a breath.

“How the hell did you even survive the whole day like this, bundle of nerves?” he asked, amused. I even heard a quiet laugh.

“Well, in the morning I was still busy with the internship,” I started, but then my thoughts went straight to my afternoon. The “educational” film, the shower, and—

“Then you were at your mom’s place?” Kacchan asked when I didn’t go on.

I just nodded against his chest. Enjoyed his warmth and his scent. Tried to push the embarrassing parts of my day out of my mind. No way was I telling him all of it. Especially not if he could use it against me - which he definitely would. He’d proven that often enough these past two weeks.

“When did you order the food?” I asked, trying to steer the topic elsewhere. I wrapped my arms around him after all and leaned more into him. Felt him shift back slightly, bracing himself against the kitchen counter. Felt his hand in my hair.

“While we were on the train. Just ordered it on my phone real quick.”

“So… you actually picked something out ahead of time?” I asked, glancing up at him - just in time to catch the faint color rising in his cheeks as he quickly looked away.

Cute, my inner voice screamed. And I agreed.

“We always order from there, and I know it’s good. And you’ll eat anything that’s not spicy, so it wasn’t exactly rocket science,” Kacchan grumbled. I just smiled at him dreamily. Couldn’t help but give him a kiss on the cheek.

“Didn’t think you’d plan ahead like that,” I admitted, which earned me a slightly pissed-off look.

“What’s that supposed to mean, Deku?” he growled. I looked at him apologetically and said, “Well, I mean, you told me I just had to bring a few things and you’d take care of the rest… and I know you always go one hundred percent with stuff… but still, I didn’t think you’d really plan the whole evening like this - like, the food and all… I mean, we could’ve done that toge—”

“Stop stammering already, for fuck’s sake! God, seriously! I had a fucking elementary school class to deal with today! Don’t ruin it now and just accept that I’m the best at everything. Including planning a da… an evening!”

My jaw dropped. Had he almost said date? I mean, he meant to say it, right? He wanted to say date! Holy…

I had no idea why, but I was completely freaking out inside. Mentally squealing, dancing, throwing my arms in the air. Somehow managed not to show any of it. Well… maybe a tiny excited noise slipped out.

“Ugh… I should probably just kick you out, you annoying little pain in my ass,” he muttered more to himself, rolling his eyes. But I could still see that tiny smile on his face. He definitely thought it was kind of funny too. No doubt about it.

The doorbell interrupted us. Kacchan let go of me and went to get the food. I heard the delivery guy thank him. He must’ve tipped him too.

I watched as Kacchan came back with two bags filled with sealed containers. A delicious smell immediately spread through the kitchen. Damn, what had he ordered? Even the packaging looked fancy.

I swallowed hard as Kacchan unpacked the food and spread the bowls out on the kitchen counter. So many bite-sized delicacies. I could now also make out the label on the packaging - it was from one of the really good restaurants in the area. Crap, this must’ve cost a fortune.

“Wow, Kacchan! This… looks amazing,” I mumbled, looking at him nervously. “How much do I owe you?”

The unimpressed, almost offended look he gave me hit harder than the light smack to the back of my head that followed.

“Idiot! I invited you, so of course I’m paying for the food!”

“But Kacchaan…”

“No buts! Don’t get all worked up over it! It’s not even a week’s allowance for me. So chill, nerd!” he said, clearly annoyed, rolling his eyes.

I still felt a bit uneasy at the thought of him paying for everything. Bit my lower lip as my gaze wandered over the fine pastries, the meat and veggie platters. I didn’t even want to imagine how much this had cost. I also spotted a rice dish, tempura vegetables, okonomiyaki, and sashimi. The mochi - only now catching my eye - made me smile and made my mouth water.

“Kacchaa—”

“NO!” he cut me off louder this time, grabbed my chin, and turned me to face him. “I don’t wanna hear it! Enjoy the food or I’ll kill you!”

I nodded obediently, smiled, and felt a little happy tear prick at the corner of my eye. Did he even know how much this meant to me? How happy he was making me - and at the same time, how overwhelmed?

He sighed, his expression softening before he gave me a quick kiss. His hand left my chin, and he went to get chopsticks and two porcelain plates from the cupboard.

“Take whatever you want. We’re eating on the couch!” he instructed.

I watched him fill his plate with some lighter stuff. I followed his lead. Probably wasn’t a great idea to eat too much right now anyway. After all…

“Kacchan?”

“What, nerd?”

“Um, about… our… plan…”

“Deku! Don’t go full Glasses on me now,” he growled and gave me a look. I sighed, sending a quick prayer to the heavens to please take away this horrible sense of shame, and then said, “So… are we just eating a little now and maybe… later… I mean, we shouldn’t eat too much before, right?”

God, where was that hole in the ground I could crawl into already?

Kacchan looked at me, clearly amused, and then said, “We should have something in our stomachs. Don’t want you passing out on me later.”

It was kind of embarrassing, but I was also a little surprised that he said it so… straightforwardly. So un-Kacchan-like. I’d been bracing for something worse. I sighed and filled my plate with some lighter stuff too. Reluctantly ignored the mochi.

 

I sat a little stiffly on the couch as we ate in silence. I didn’t really dare to start a conversation. The closer it got, the more I realized what we might be about to do. I was so nervous, my hands wouldn’t stop trembling - and my food kept slipping off my chopsticks. Damn it, why were my fingers shaking like this?

I heard a heavy sigh next to me, followed by the clink of porcelain. I glanced sideways at Kacchan, who had set his food aside. Then he reached for my plate and placed it on the coffee table too.

“Deku…” he began, voice calm at first, but then a little more irritated: “What is your fucking problem?”

I looked up, startled. Felt a little guilty - though I wasn’t even sure why. Maybe because my nerves were starting to mess up the whole evening? The one Kacchan had actually taken the time to plan. Plan in a way that would make it easier for me.

“I… I don’t really know how to say it,” I murmured.

“Just spit it out, idiot.”

I clenched my teeth for a second and pouted, then took a deep breath and asked quietly,
“When are we going… upstairs? And… do we do anything first?”

Kacchan blinked at me, looking momentarily confused, before he replied, “What, are you that desperate?”

“Maaaan, Kacchaan! I just don’t know how this night is supposed to go!” I whispered, flustered and overwhelmed.

“As if I’ve got this shit scheduled down to the minute! Seriously, nerd! How did we end up in bed the other times, jerking each other off?”

His red eyes glared at me. My cheeks were burning. God, this was so embarrassingly awkward. And all because I was being so ridiculously tense. And now I had no idea what to say. Kacchan had ordered all this amazing food - and I couldn’t even enjoy it. Neither could he, probably.

“Get up, shitty nerd,” he growled, suddenly standing and grabbing my wrist. Without hesitation, he pulled me toward the stairs, grabbed my backpack with ease, and dragged me into his room.

I didn’t resist. Barely registered the details of his room - it was dark, and I was way too focused on the boy pulling me along.

He pushed me down onto the bed without much gentleness, then followed, pinning me against the mattress.

“Is this how you want it? Should I just get started?” he snapped, already undoing the belt on my pants without hesitation.

I panicked, grabbed his wrists, and stopped him.

“W-Wait… n-no, of course no-not… Kacchan… I…”

Overwhelmed. Completely overwhelmed. My body was frozen, my head empty. Damn it - this wasn’t how I imagined it at all. What had I even imagined? And wasn’t it my fault we ended up like this in the first place?

Kacchan looked at me with a sigh, then leaned down toward me. I felt his hand gently comb through my hair, then stop at my cheek. His thumb brushed softly across my skin.

“Seriously. It’s not like we haven’t done stuff like this a hundred times lately. Why are you such a tense little idiot?”

His voice wasn’t angry. Or disappointed. It sounded more amused, a little disbelieving… even gentle? Like he couldn’t quite believe how absurd this situation had gotten - but in a weirdly fond way. Still, I was surprised when he just kept talking: “I don’t know what kind of weird-ass movies you’ve been watching or what you’re expecting, but I just wanted to hang out with you downstairs, talk for a bit, pull you close at some point, tease you until we ended up here. So, what’s up with you?”

The way I looked at him must’ve screamed sad, guilty, ashamed - something along those lines. I didn’t really know why I was acting like this either. I mean, when you agree to - I forced myself to think it - have sex, how are you supposed to act? Especially when it’s your first time. Your first time with someone who actually means something to you. Means a lot.

“I’m just nervous,” I muttered.

“You’re the one who suggested it,” he said, grinning, leaning in to brush a kiss against my lips. He hovered there, just barely above me.

“I’m sorry for kind of ruining the mood…”

“Kind of?” he cut in with a pointed look. Then added, “But fine. I’ll hold back now. Promise.”

His amused snort made me smile a little too. He was right. We’d spent almost every night this past week in bed together. Naked. Touching. Turning each other on. Getting each other off. So what the hell was my problem now?

Was it just because we were going to try something new?

I mean, I’d already done something new - with him. And he’d just gone with it. Okay, well, after the second time. The first time had been kinda awkward too. But then it had just… become normal.

This would be the same.

I reached up, grabbed the back of Kacchan’s neck. Twirled his short hair with my fingers and pulled him down to me. Kissed him.

I sighed as his tongue brushed mine. His hand moved from my cheek into my hair. I pushed everything else away - forgot about the amazing food downstairs going cold, forgot that we were about to do something we’d never done before. Right now, all that mattered was Kacchan.

 

We kissed. Touched. At some point, our shirts and pants had slipped off our bodies. Our movements were calm, coordinated, and unhurried. There was no rush, no eagerness - just the warmth of Kacchan’s skin, the firmness of his muscles, the smoothness of his touch. I relished every second - his lips on my mouth, my cheek, my neck. I gasped softly when he started sucking on my collarbone and bit down lightly. At first, I wanted to pull away, afraid the mark would be too visible, but in the end I let him. Maybe I even wanted it. Something left behind to prove I belonged to him.

Kacchan’s hand kept drifting over the waistband of my boxers. Slid lower. Slipped beneath the fabric at my thigh. Moved upward toward my butt. He pressed more firmly now - then suddenly grabbed hold. Made me gasp. My body arched into his.

“Kacchan,” I breathed out, as his other hand also found its way down my thigh, under the Boxers, to rest against me. Both of them now, steady on either side. It felt incredible. His strong, large, warm hands. Just the way he held me made every inch of me tingle. Sent a deep warmth spreading through my whole body. And still - my nervousness spiked. He was only a finger’s width away from the spot no one had ever touched before.

My unease made him look up. He’d just been busy with my upper body. But his evaluating, questioning glance said more than words.

“I’d like to freshen up,” I whispered, my face burning. Kacchan grinned, and instead of saying anything, his tongue drew a slow line down my chest, pausing at both nipples. I moaned softly.

“We’re showering together,” he said with finality. I opened my mouth to protest, but he silenced me with another lick and a small bite that left no room for argument.

I sighed in defeat and let him pull me up. I adjusted the bulge in my boxers; he did the same - though not without running his hand across mine and stealing one more kiss. “Go on ahead,” he said casually, giving my butt a quick slap that made me grin. I walked toward the bathroom like I’d done it a hundred times, even though it had been years.

The room had been completely redone. Dark tiles, a huge walk-in shower with a rain head and massage jets, and what looked like a larger tub. Warm lighting and simple decor made the space feel both modern and comfortable. “Wow,” I murmured. Kacchan stepped in behind me. “It got remodeled last year. I said the shower was too small.”

I had to laugh to myself. At home, my mom and I only had a bathtub with a shower hose. Just having a proper shower stall in the dorms felt like luxury. But of course, Kacchan was used to something more. Not Yaomomo-level rich, or like Todoroki, but still not far behind.

He brushed past me and turned on the shower while I stood there staring. I snapped out of it only when something landed on my face - his boxers. “Hey!” I protested, pulling them off - only to look up and find him completely naked in front of me. “Let’s go, nerd. You can drool over the bathroom later. I’m first.”

God, that smirk. I was melting. I couldn’t even come up with a comeback. I was too busy watching him step up to me, slide down my boxers, and run his hand over my now very exposed crotch without a hint of hesitation. I twitched at the touch, a full-body shiver following right after. My heart was racing, but I stepped out of the fabric and let him guide me into the shower.

He had adjusted the setting so the water wouldn’t hit our heads. Instead, the warm stream trickled down my shoulders and back, winding its way between our bodies before sliding off my skin and onto the tiles below.

I looked at Kacchan, dreamy and mesmerized. Watched the stream of water flow down his toned chest and abs, trailing lower. I licked my lips without even realizing it. I wanted to follow the water. But a hand at the back of my head and demanding lips cut off any coherent thought. Cold tiles pressed against my back, stealing my breath. I gasped as Kacchan’s hands began to move more urgently over my torso - up and down my sides, gripping my hips, pulling them against his.

I could feel him. Hard. Pressed up against me. The contact made me moan into his mouth. Gave his tongue a way in.

God, if he kept this up, I’d lose my mind before anything even started. We were just supposed to freshen up, damn it.

Panting, I pushed him back a little. My gaze lingered on the dazed look in his eyes, the blush on his cheeks, the slightly swollen lips. How could anyone look that good? It was completely unfair.

“Fuck. How is anyone supposed to hold back like this,” I heard his low, rough voice say. It sounded more like he was talking to himself. I watched as Kacchan took a few deep breaths, then pumped some body wash into his hand. He looked at me, smiled softly, and started to gently lather me up.

I sighed and let myself sink into the light massage, into the soothing warmth that spread across my skin and took the edge off both my nerves and the heat from earlier. It made me relax.

After a while, I mirrored his movements - spread some of the fragrant gel across his chest, stepped closer to wrap my arms around him, and worked my way over his back too.

We both enjoyed the process. And now I realized how unnecessary my nervousness had been earlier. We were just doing what felt right -  consciously or not. We were easing into things. Letting the mood build naturally. That overly dominant idea of sex faded more and more into the background.

Kacchan’s hands kept wandering down to my ass. I shivered when one of his fingers brushed teasingly along the line, though never pressed in between.

“Kacchan…,” I murmured, wanting to stop him. Even though I’d washed thoroughly earlier, I had planned to do it again. But he only kissed me in response, humming lowly against my lips. His hands moved up again, kneading my shoulder blades. I melted into his touch like butter under the sun. My legs trembled slightly, and I barely resisted the urge to tilt my head back and moan. God, everything he did just felt so good. None of it felt like it was meant to turn me on.

I rested my head against his shoulder and kissed his neck. My hands settled gently on his mid-back. Maybe it was selfish - but I wanted to stay like this. Wanted to savor every single feeling he was giving me. Because this soft, quiet, peaceful moment… it was new. Sure, we’d touched before. We’d even lain together naked in quiet moments. But here, in the shower - with the warm water, the steam swirling around us, just the two of us… it was indescribable. A moment of holding. Of simply being.

I wondered what was going through Kacchan’s head. But I didn’t want to break the silence. So we stayed just like that, probably for a few more minutes, until he finally picked up the shower head and began rinsing the foam off us. First himself, then me.

I let out a soft gasp as he touched me again. Watched as he washed my lower half, his hands sliding over my half-hard dick more than once. I bit my lip, trying to keep quiet.

When I looked up at him, his sharp red eyes were locked on mine - and something in them had changed. There was hunger now. Heat. And just like that, the moment shifted. Like someone had flipped a silent switch.

Kacchan kissed me with force, his hands now grabbing my butt more firmly and pulling me against him. He let out a pleased growl. I mirrored him, buried my fingers in his hair and tried to press our lips even harder together. I felt him spreading my cheeks slightly. I gasped and instinctively tried to grab his wrists, but he pushed my shoulders firmly against the tiles, keeping our hips tightly pressed together.

“Kacc… wa?” I began, only to freeze when one of his fingers slid gently along my crack, brushing lightly over my entrance. My heartbeat faltered for a moment. It felt so different. So different from when I had touched myself earlier. It sent my entire body into flames, and I had no idea how to process the feeling.

“Let me do it,” I heard Kacchan’s low voice whisper in my ear. He kissed the edge of it, then ran his tongue slowly along the curve of my ear. My eyes rolled back and my head tilted back on its own.

I heard a click, but didn’t look. I couldn’t open my eyes - everything I felt was too overwhelming. My instincts spoke before I could think.

“Not that, Kacchan.”

“Why?” I heard him ask with amusement. A cool, slick finger slid between my cheeks.

“Shampoo burns,” I managed to say. I wasn’t thinking. I didn’t even feel embarrassed - though my cheeks were on fire.

Kacchan paused. I opened my eyes again and saw his slightly bewildered expression. Apparently, I’d caught him off guard with that one. I gave him a sheepish smile and explained, “I tested it earlier while washing up at home.”

His expression shifted into a wicked grin again. “So, the picture of innocence shoved a finger up his ass in preparation, huh?” he said, completely unfiltered. Teasing me. Like always. And just as embarrassment threatened to take over again, I felt his finger near my entrance.

A startled sound escaped my throat as my hands instinctively grabbed his shoulders. I looked at him, nervous, but he simply kissed me - while I felt him rubbing over my entrance. It felt different than with shampoo. I couldn’t ask what it was, just focused on not tensing up. On letting it happen.

“Shhh. Don’t worry. It’s lube,” I heard his gentle voice, felt his lips on mine - and then the careful pressure of his fingertip pushing in. I gasped into his mouth, my legs threatening to give out.

“N-Not… not here,” I managed to whisper, a little panicked. Was he really planning to do it here, in the shower - for our first time?

“Relax, Nerd. I’m not planning to fuck you right here,” he chuckled devilishly, fully aware of how much that blunt statement would fluster me. I growled back at him, completely unable to come up with a proper response. God, what was he doing then? And why? Was this… was this just some kind of preparation?

His finger slipped out again, giving me a moment to catch my breath. My whole body was burning, caught somewhere between confusion and craving.

“Do you trust me?” Kacchan asked quietly. I finally noticed the small blue tube in his hand.

So that’s what the clicking sound was earlier…

He squeezed a bit more of the gel onto his index and middle fingers, rubbing it between them with his thumb. Then he looked at me - no smirk, no teasing expression. Just calm. Patient.

I nodded. And he smiled.

His chest leaned gently against mine as his hand found its way back to my ass. He held my gaze, searching my eyes like he needed one last sign that this was truly okay. There was something uncertain in his expression too - something he’d been trying to hide behind his usual confidence. What was he planning?

He kissed me. Softly at first, then deeper - just before his finger brushed over my entrance again. I was trembling all over. He must’ve felt the way my lower body twitched, how sparks of sensation shot up through my legs and spine as he slipped his finger back inside.

It didn’t hurt. There wasn’t much resistance. I trusted him. And it felt… good. Maybe that made things easier. Maybe it was his mouth, distracting me - his lips leaving mine to trail lower. I felt his tongue draw a warm, wet line along my neck. Then lower still. His lips closed around my chest, teasing my skin, making me gasp.

At the same time, he pushed his finger a little deeper into me. Curved it slightly. A quiet moan escaped my lips. That warm tingling spread further through my lower body, settling deep in my pelvis. I could feel the blood rushing down, the pressure building in my dick - tight and uncomfortable now.

What the fuck. It was just a finger. How the hell could that alone get me this hard? And why did it feel so completely different from when I’d done it myself?

I couldn’t finish a single thought. Not with Kacchan’s finger inside me and his lips now teasing my nipples. There was no space left for thinking.

My eyes stayed shut. I pressed the back of my head against the tiles, trying to calm myself - unsuccessfully. My breath was fast, ragged, and my heart was pounding so hard it hurt. My mind had given up trying to make sense of any of this. Every sensation, every spark of pleasure hit me unfiltered.

I only noticed that Kacchan had stopped touching my chest when the heat of his mouth left my skin. Confused, I blinked my eyes open. They burned slightly. It took a second for the haze to clear, and when it did - I nearly lost my mind.

Kacchan’s gaze locked onto mine - sharp, unwavering - as he slowly moved further away, the distance between our faces growing. And then, suddenly, he was kneeling in front of me now, wearing that superior grin - a look that said, clear as day: I’m not about to fall behind. Not now. Not ever.

I forgot to breathe as I watched him wrap his free hand around my shaft. Watched his eyes flick down to my dick, then back up again - with a self-confidence that dared the world to find its equal. Challenging. Provocative.
He slowly leaned in toward my tip, mouth opening, and didn’t break eye contact until his lips closed around me.

Fuck!

What I was thinking slipped out as a moan. My breathing turned ragged as the air slowly left my lungs. Oh my god - his hot mouth around my…

I couldn’t think. Every sensation was too much - completely overwhelming. The sight in front of me burned itself into my vision. My knees went weak like jelly, and I scrambled to find some kind of grip against the tiles. That’s when I felt his finger again - deep inside me.

My eyes rolled back. I moaned with every breath I let out. Fuck! What was he doing to me? Was he trying to kill me?

It felt like every synapse in my brain was short-circuiting. I shut my eyes, trying to calm down, to pull myself together.

It didn’t work – so I gave up.

I let myself be taken over by the burning heat in my body. By Kacchan’s skilled tongue circling my tip. By the way his mouth sucked on my cock. By the hand that moved in sync with the rhythm of his head. I couldn’t tell if it tingled, pulled, or burned inside me. I was overwhelmed. Overstimulated.

I winced when Kacchan tried to push a second finger into me. It pulled me out of the storm of feelings just a little. I let out a low groan and tried to relax. Felt how Kacchan let go of me for a moment and started kissing along my hipbone.

“Kacchaaaan… you’re gonna… kill me,” I managed to get out, my mouth twisting into an uncontrollable grin. I looked at him. At those eyes that now seemed so much darker. Watched as he stuck out his tongue, locking me in with his gaze. How he slowly, teasingly, licked along my entire length - before wrapping his lips around me again and sucking.

I shut my eyes. Moaned into the air. Let my head fall forward as I tried to calm down. But I could already feel it - getting closer.

And then two fingers actually slipped inside me - more easily than before. There was a brief sting, but the pain vanished almost instantly as Kacchan kept working my cock with both his hand and mouth so intensely that my whole body shook.

I moaned loudly. Saw stars dance in front of my eyes for a second as I braced myself against the opposite shower wall to keep from collapsing forward.

Fuck.

I looked down at his now-soaked ashblond hair. It was a sight I’d never forget. He looked so fucking hot. That mouth of his was driving me insane. And those fingers, slowly moving inside me now, were just too much. I couldn’t take it anymore. I tried to warn Kacchan - but all that came out was a breathless moan.

But I saw how he pulled away just before I came. Kept working me with his fingers inside me and his hand around my cock. Pushed me over the edge.

I shook. Felt the overwhelming pressure in my lower body. Saw myself spilling into his hand and onto his shoulder. Felt that relaxing, satisfying warmth spread through me. Like I was floating. At the same time, my legs gave out beneath me.

I only half noticed when his fingers slipped out of me. It didn’t feel great, but Kacchan had to catch me as I collapsed against him. I let him hold me on the shower floor. He chuckled quietly while I was still struggling to catch my breath. I couldn’t even hear what he was saying over the ringing in my ears.

Damn… what the hell was that just now? That wasn’t even what we’d planned to do! And yet, it felt… indescribable. Something I couldn’t have imagined before - still couldn’t, even now.

“Still alive, Nerd?” I eventually heard his voice.

I huffed against his neck. “God, Kacchan!”

That low, dark laugh again. “Just ‘Kacchan’ is enough, Nerd.”

That made me chuckle, too.

“You’re killing me. That was… I… it…”

“Speechless? That’s rare for you,” he said simply, then stood up and pulled me with him. I instantly fell back against him - still couldn’t stand on my own. My legs had nothing left.

“You do realize that was just the foreplay for tonight?” he murmured into my ear, kissed it, then licked it. I shivered. It felt… a little much. My body was still completely overstimulated.

“You’re really trying to kill me.”

“Nope - just planning to blow your mind for good.”

 

Notes:

And that’s it!
Whew, that was quite a bit of work, wasn’t it? 😅 I hope you’ll forgive Izuku for being such a bundle of nerves… but hey, can you really blame him? They’re still so young and inexperienced, after all.
So now the big question is: was that it for their Saturday night… or is there more to come? 😏 I mean, Kacchan did tease a little there at the end…
But is Izuku still up for it?
You’ll find out — on Tuesday! 😄
Have a lovely weekend, everyone. Sending big hugs your way!

Chapter 38: Just Once Doesn’t Count

Notes:

Hey everyone!

I’m back – a bit later today, but I just couldn’t make it earlier. Even though I’m dealing with a bit of a fever, I didn’t want to keep you waiting any longer. You’ve given me so many beautiful words, and I can’t thank you enough! 🧡
Your comments are such a huge motivation to keep sharing more of this story with you.

And now, onto today’s chapter… uhm, yeah… it might get a little awkward. 😅
Enjoy reading!

Chapter 38 – Just Once Doesn’t Count

 

I was honestly grateful to be able to dry off first. I actually sat down on the edge of the bathtub because I still didn’t fully trust my legs. My head also felt a little foggy. Was this what drinking alcohol felt like? At the very least, I was still so caught up in the sensations that I could only sit there, grinning stupidly to myself, not really focusing on anything with my eyes.

Well, at least until Kacchan stepped into my field of vision. I thanked him silently for crouching in front of me instead of shoving his private parts right into my face. I really wouldn’t have known how to handle that on top of everything else.

“Hey, Nerd! Back to your senses yet?” he asked teasingly. I had the feeling he was trying to analyze every single change in my expression. That was usually my job.

“That was really intense, Kacchan,” I said softly, shivering slightly at the memory of him kneeling in front of me. I swallowed hard and looked at him with longing. God. That was the understatement of the century! But I had no other way of putting it. And I needed to hold back anyway. He’d called that just the foreplay, for god’s sake!

His fingers had felt amazing. But I hadn’t been able to focus on them, since his lips - on my… yeah - had been so much more dominant. So much more overwhelming. I wondered if it had felt just as intense for him when our roles were reversed. Was that why he’d lost control of his quirk for a moment back then?

“Izuku?” I suddenly heard him say my name. My head snapped up. I only now realized that Kacchan had stepped over to the sink and turned his back to me. He was brushing his teeth and seemed to be watching me through the large, lit mirror on the wall.

“Sorry! I… I’m just…processing…” I admitted, taking a deep breath before giving my jello legs another chance. And they actually held me up this time. I smiled a little and practically floated over to Kacchan. I felt light as air. I hugged him from behind, pressing my naked body against his. Ran my hands over his stomach, up to his chest. Kissed his shoulder blade.

“Do you still want to have sex?” he asked bluntly, as usual. It made me freeze in place for a second. I’d bitten down on his shoulder in surprise. I saw in the mirror how he winced.

“Oi, Nerd! That better not leave a mark!” he grumbled. I shot him a look and stepped back. Looked in the mirror and pointed at the dark spot on my own collarbone.

“Seems only fair,” I replied dryly. I felt lighthearted and relaxed. Maybe even a bit overconfident. It made him flash me one of his trademark dirty grins.

“Don’t expect me to apologize for that.”

I grinned just as boldly back at him and stepped up again. “Then I won’t either.” My voice sounded cheeky. Bold. On purpose. I didn’t waste a second before pressing my lips to his shoulder again and sucking hard on his skin. I felt him trying to shove me away. But sometimes he forgot that I wasn’t small and scrawny anymore. That I could push back.

“Nerd!” he growled, but I wasn’t fazed. I slowly let go of him, admired my handiwork, and looked at him with a challenge in my eyes. Held his fiery gaze through the mirror as I leaned in again, provocatively licking over the fresh mark I’d just left. God, I had no idea where all this confidence was suddenly coming from - but everything about this moment just felt right. There was a certain tension in the air now. A kind of anticipation, like something was about to happen.

Kacchan reacted within a split second.

He growled, spun around, tossed his toothbrush onto the sink behind him, and grabbed me.

“You’re gonna regret that, Deku,” he growled low and threatening as he dragged me straight out of the bathroom. Back into his room. Threw me onto the bed and climbed over me.

Hm. I was definitely getting déjà vu. We’d been here before - right before the shower. But unlike before, I wasn’t nearly as nervous now. My body actually seemed excited. And for once, my head wasn’t getting in the way.

“You’re feeling cocky now, huh? Let’s see how long that lasts,” Kacchan murmured as he leaned down to me. I felt his lips on my cheek. They trailed in a light line toward my ear. I gasped when he suddenly bit down on my earlobe.

He was playing with me. His tongue lingered at my sensitive ear. Made goosebumps ripple across my skin. Made my breathing quicken.

“Kaa~cchaaan,” I whimpered, trying to push him away with my hands. I felt heat spreading through my body. “You’ll have to try harder than that,” he challenged me. I struggled to push him off me. But I couldn’t do it. His breath, his lips, and his teeth at my ear were making me weak. Then I felt his other hand stroke up the side of my face, brushing my messy hair back from my forehead before he grabbed it and tugged.

I winced, let out a short yelp, and dropped my head back to escape the tugging and pulling. I heard Kacchan’s thoughtful little laugh before I felt his spiky hair brush against my cheek and then my chin.

I gasped when his slightly rough, wet tongue suddenly licked across my throat. Woah - what the hell was that?

My whole body trembled. I squirmed beneath him. It felt so good - and at the same time, it was too much. Overstimulating. Almost uncomfortable.

“Kacchan… s-stop, please!” I begged him, breathing a sigh of relief when he lifted his head and looked at me. Of course, he was grinning.

“What’s with the timid voice again?” he asked, letting go of my hair and running his hand down my side before grabbing my ass. I bit my lower lip and glared at him slightly. Refused to let out the sound pressing in my lungs.

“You’re awful…”

“Yeah, yeah, and you hate me too,” he brushed it off, amused, and kissed me. I only rolled my eyes. This guy was unbelievable.

Meanwhile, my racing heart slowly calmed down. The kisses Kacchan gave me now were a little gentler. Gave me space to breathe. But I could still feel his hand, stroking over my left cheek, inching closer to my crease - but never slipping between.

Was he really planning to just continue right where we’d left off in the shower? What was I supposed to do now? Was I supposed to do something? Or should I just let him take the lead?

“Deku! Get out of your damn head!” Kacchan growled against my lips. He bit down lightly on my lower lip - and yeah, that definitely got my full attention.

“Sorr—”

A growl shut me up instantly. Maybe I should just keep my mouth shut and let him do his thing. That stuff earlier at my ear and neck had been more than good, after all.

I sighed and closed my eyes. Tried to relax under him - and Kacchan seemed to notice. He kissed the corner of my mouth and gave a low, satisfied hum before slowly trailing his lips downward again.

He kissed and licked along my neck, placing his other hand on the opposite side of my ass. His touch was light, almost like a massage, and it made me practically purr. It felt so relaxing. I arched into his hands as he moved lower, kneading gently around my tailbone. God, he was really good at this. The sensation wasn't the same kind of satisfaction as after an orgasm, but it wasn't any less intense. I felt like I was melting into his hands. Floating. My eyes stayed closed as I soaked in every touch - his hands on my lower back, his lips trailing down my chest.

He steadily increased the pressure of his hands, while his kisses turned into licks, then gentle nips. I couldn’t help but moan when he licked over my nipple and bit down just enough to drive me crazy. God, the feeling was just—

“Fuck…”

I looked down at him, confused, just as he sat up and started climbing off the bed.

“Wha—?” I began, then quickly bit my tongue when I realized I was absolutely staring at his rock-hard dick. Had he really gotten that turned on already? Or - wait. Had he even come back in the shower?

“I left the lube in the bathroom,” he muttered, giving me a full view of his back as he left the room. I was left behind, speechless… and suddenly feeling kind of guilty. Shit! I’d been so overwhelmed by everything earlier; I hadn’t even thought about him. Was that selfish of me? Would he hold it against me later?

The more I thought about it, the more my arousal faded. I started feeling insecure again. Should I say something? Or would that just kill the mood?

I ran both hands over my face, holding my hair back against my forehead. Kacchan was making everything feel so natural, so easy. He wasn’t teasing me on purpose, and I didn’t feel like I had to crawl into a hole and die from embarrassment. It was just… really nice. And insanely hot.

Kacchan’s annoyed groan snapped me out of it. I looked up to see him standing in front of me in all his glory - half-hard. Me? Soft and… kind of pathetic. Dammit. Had I really gone that far into my own head again?

“What the hell are you thinking about now, Nerd? Seriously, if you’re gonna ruin the mood, we’ll just call it a night and you can leave,” he grumbled, sitting down right below my hips like it was the most normal thing in the world - our lower bodies now touching.

I looked at him, a little uncertain. I didn’t want to tell him everything that was spinning around in my head, so I tried to keep it simple and asked a question that wouldn’t completely ruin the mood: “I was just wondering if you… y’know… came too. In the shower.”

“How would I? I didn’t even have a hand free!” he shot back immediately, grinning at me wickedly like he was just waiting for my reaction.

My hands shot down from my forehead to cover my face again. Fuck! I hadn’t even thought of that.

Two strong hands grabbed my wrists and pulled them away. He pinned them to the mattress, leaning down over me.

“And it’s not a big deal. Unless you wanna stop now,” he smirked, then kissed me. It actually helped me relax. A little.

I smiled into the kiss, finally managing to get my arms to move. I ran them down his sides and across his back until I reached his ass. I gave both cheeks a squeeze, earning a low growl from him. That just encouraged me to keep going. I pushed him down slightly so our hard cocks rubbed against each other. I could feel the goosebumps rise under my hands. That reaction made me grin.

“My turn,” Kacchan growled as he grabbed my wrists and pulled my hands off his ass. He shifted us slightly so we were lying on our sides, face to face. His crimson eyes locked onto mine with such intensity, I forgot to breathe. I’d always thought his eyes were beautiful, but ever since we got together, they looked completely different. Darker. Hotter. Hungrier.

I hesitated for a second, unsure of what came next. But Kacchan had said I should just say things instead of overthinking them, so I asked, “So… now what?”

“Three guesses why I just went to get the lube,” he replied with a mischievous glint in his eyes. I felt his fingers trailing down my back, lightly sliding between my cheeks. I twitched, instinctively jerking away from the touch - and ended up pressing myself even closer against him.

I couldn’t get a word out. Just stared as he pulled his hand back, turned slightly toward the nightstand, and grabbed the small blue tube. Then he handed it to me.

“Go on, put some on my fingers,” he said casually. Still looking way too confident.

“Me?” I squeaked. My nerves flared up instantly.

“You’ve got your head on my other arm,” he said flatly, rolling his eyes.

“Oh.”

“Now go.”

I nodded, clicking the cap open with my thumb. Carefully, I squeezed some of the gel onto his fingers. He immediately rubbed them together.

“Is that enough?” I asked, watching his face. He just gave a half-shrug.

“I’m sure you’ll tell me soon enough.”

The heat in my cheeks eased a little. Yeah, it was embarrassing, but I was also… curious. I added a bit more to his fingers. He raised an eyebrow, watching me toss the tube behind me.

Then my fingers drifted to his hand. I took a little of the gel with my index finger, pressing it between two fingers and pulling them apart again. Testing the texture.

It was a weird consistency. Slightly sticky, slick, and cool. But different from lotion or body wash. I vaguely remembered that boxers used something similar to protect their skin during matches. Though this stuff seemed more… fluid—

“Seriously, Nerd?” Kacchan’s voice cut in. He was watching me with a look of utter disbelief.

I gave him a calm look and smiled as he shook his head.

“You can analyze it later, but right now I’m literally about to rub it on your ass, Nerd.”

Now it was me who let out a low growl. Still, I felt a little embarrassed. I had completely forgotten that we were actually just about to really get started. I wanted to apologize, but that would probably just earn me another scolding.

So instead, I just gave Kacchan an apologetic look - then let my gaze shift into something more challenging. I had no idea where I got the nerve, but I pressed my gel-covered fingers to my entrance myself, wiping the excess off. I could feel Kacchan’s eyes locked on my hand the entire time. I heard another quiet growl escape him.

Touching my entrance myself didn’t trigger the same rush that Kacchan’s fingers had in the shower. But the look in his eyes made something tingle all the same.

And before I could see more of his reaction, he practically launched himself at me. Pushed me flat onto my back, making me instantly let go of my own ass.

I gasped as he braced himself beside my head with one arm and gave me that fiery look. He suddenly felt so present, so dominant. And for some reason - without him saying a single word - I spread my legs. It made him grin instantly. He looked even more smug when I couldn’t help the moan that slipped from me.

Fuck! When had he even moved his hand to my ass? And why hadn’t I noticed? And why was he already pushing his fingertip back inside?

“No more playing around,” he whispered into my ear before pulling me into a kiss. He was clearly trying to distract me. But it only worked so much - because there was no ignoring what I was feeling. My breath hitched. My heart raced. I was starting to sweat.

It didn’t burn, but with every little movement, with every bit he pushed deeper, I shuddered. Soft gasps slipped from me. The feeling was indescribable. It wasn’t anything like when he touched my dick with his hand. This… this went deeper. In every sense of the word.

Suddenly, he pulled his finger out completely. It felt a bit uncomfortable - definitely not as good as the other way around.

I opened my eyes just a sliver and saw him squeezing more lube onto his fingers, right before I felt them press against my entrance again. I spread my legs a little wider, instinctively pushing toward him.

Only one finger slipped in at first. I gasped softly, every trace of hesitation from before vanishing. A breathy “More…” escaped my throat.

And Kacchan didn’t hesitate to grant my request. He pulled his finger back just for a moment - before suddenly pushing in two at once. I moaned out loud. Not from pain. No, it just felt insanely good. There was a bit of pressure at first, but otherwise… it went surprisingly well.

My eyes stayed shut the whole time as I soaked in every sensation, every tiny movement. It was intoxicating. The jolts shooting through my lower stomach shut off all rational thought and left my body to react on its own. I pushed back against his fingers, gasping when he curled them slightly.

“Good?” Kacchan asked. I cracked my eyes open just a sliver - only to feel them sting from the heat burning across my face. My brain was mush. I couldn’t think, let alone speak properly. I wanted to tell him how it felt, to describe it somehow, but in response to his simple “Good?” all I managed was a breathless, “Better.”

I flinched a little at how rough and raspy my voice sounded. Cleared my throat. Looked at Kacchan - saw that grin. Mischievous. Devilish. And just as I opened my mouth to say something more, he started moving his fingers. Just small motions. In. Out. But it was more than enough to drive me insane.

Shit! And this was still just the prep - so why the hell did it already feel this intense? Why did it feel like I was about to explode?

And God - I wanted him. Now. How insane would it feel when it wasn’t just his fingers inside me?

“Kacchan… please. I want…” I panted, forcing my eyes open to look at him. Hungry. Desperate. That was what I felt. Completely and utterly consumed.

Kacchan let out a low growl, clearly torn. His voice came out rough, uncertain: “You’re supposed to do three fingers before—”

“Doesn’t matter! Two already worked!” I cut him off sharply.

Shit, where the hell had that come from? What dark, depraved corner of my subconscious had just broken loose? Kacchan seemed just as surprised, judging by his raised eyebrow and the slightly puzzled look on his face.

But the surprise didn’t last long. His face shifted in an instant.

“Oi, Nerd! Am I driving you that insane?” he asked with a teasing smirk, locking eyes with me. Then he leaned down and kissed me - just as his lips curled into that wicked grin, he suddenly thrust his fingers deep inside me, hard and fast.

I moaned uncontrollably into his mouth, my eyelids fluttering. That damn bastard! God, I loved him. No doubt about it. And at the same time…

“There are condoms on the nightstand. If you’re so impatient, put one on me!”

Heart stop.

Shock.

And just like that, my old self was back.

What did he just say? And why me?

A little panicked and deeply embarrassed, I looked up at him. Then glanced toward the small nightstand next to me. Sure enough, there was a box sitting on it - and it could only be that.

I swallowed hard and said in a quiet, still slightly hoarse voice, “I only ever practice it once in health class…”

“You do realize I was in that class too, right?” he cut in immediately. It was kind of weird having this conversation while he still had his fingers inside me.

“Do we even need it?” I asked, maybe a little naively. But it was an honest question. After all, neither of us had ever been with anyone else before. And ever since the League of Villains thing, we’d been getting monthly full-body checkups. We were both healthy and in good shape. So technically, there wasn’t anything we needed to protect ourselves from… right?

Kacchan seemed to pause at that, as if I’d given him something to think about. Then he said quietly, “I just read that some people don’t like the feeling of someone coming inside them. And others say it gives you stomach cramps. That’s why I bought them.”

His answer surprised me - made me smile. Damn it. He had really thought this through. How… sweet. I honestly hadn’t expected it from him. Or at least I hadn’t thought he’d be the one to do more research than me. Well, I guess that’s how he always ended up one step ahead.

Without thinking, I reached for the back of his neck and pulled him down into a kiss. Shifted my hips a little so his fingers would start moving inside me again. My whole body trembled at the sensation. I pressed my lips more firmly to his.

And him? He started moving his hand again. Made me gasp. I bit his lower lip.

“So?” he asked between kisses.

I answered simply, “Without!”

I felt his grin. Grinned back. No idea how dumb I must’ve looked - but damn it, this felt so good. Even if the talking in between was kind of weird.

Without any further hesitation, Kacchan kept going. He kissed my lips. Kissed my neck. All the while, his fingers kept sliding in and out of me in small motions. I could feel how he gently spread them apart inside me. My face twitched slightly at this feeling - it felt a bit uncomfortable. But just as quickly as it had come, it faded again.

My hand tried to make its way between our bodies. I wanted to touch Kacchan. But he dodged me and slapped my hand away with his free one.

“Hands off, Nerd!” he growled, then moved lower and bit down lightly on my nipple. I groaned - half in pain, half in pleasure. Unrestrained. Shameless.

Suddenly, Kacchan’s fingers slipped out of me. It left behind that same uncomfortable feeling again.

"Turn around," he tried to order, but added a quiet, "if that’s okay."

His voice sounded a little unsteady. Was he nervous? Unsure?

I gave him a questioning look as I rolled over. It was actually kind of nice to press my face into the pillow for a moment.

I kept glancing back at him over my shoulder, waiting for an explanation. He didn’t make me wait long.

"They say it’s better this way. So… you can control the pace at first. Because of the pain… and… yeah."

I slid my arms under the pillow and lifted my head a little so I could see his face. Kacchan’s cheeks were flushed - and definitely not just from everything we’d been doing. I could tell he wasn’t unaffected. But somehow, he also looked… a little shy.

So sweet!

That was the only thought my brain managed when I saw him like that. I never would’ve expected him to be so gentle and considerate. Especially after how confident and pushy he’d been that first time in the kitchen.

"I trust you, Kacchan," I whispered, then buried my face into the pillow - my cheeks burning - as I bent my legs and spread them slightly. Completely exposing myself to him. On a silver platter. God. I kind of wanted the floor to swallow me up again.

Maybe that position made Kacchan even more nervous. Even more unsure. So I just stayed still - despite the embarrassment - and waited. Heard his slightly louder exhale and the familiar click of the lube bottle. Heard him suck in a sharp breath.

I almost turned around to see what he was doing… but decided against it. Tried to be patient. Restless, but patient.

His hands grabbed my hips. I felt him shuffle closer.

"I trust you too, Izuku," I heard him whisper behind me. My heart skipped a beat. My breath caught in my throat.

I didn’t even have time to fully process his words - because suddenly, I felt his tip press against me. And fuck - why did that feel so much bigger than his fingers?

His hand was down there too - probably helping him line things up, making sure he wouldn’t slip. But damn - I couldn’t focus on that anymore.

I felt him press slowly against my entrance, and – God - it definitely wasn’t ready to take in something that big. Maybe three fingers beforehand really would have been better… But I didn’t want to back out now.

“I’ll stay still - you just do whatever works,” came Kacchan’s controlled voice.

He probably meant to sound firm and non-negotiable, but it came out strained - like even he was thrown off by the feeling of it all.

After those words, I really had to take a deep breath and try to pull myself together. He was actually letting me take the lead?

I shifted experimentally, pushing back against him a little. Bit down on my lower lip when I felt a sharp sting - Or was it more like a pulling feeling? Something like that, at least. Definitely not pleasant. Maybe it was just the angle?

My trembling arms pushed my body upward. I was now on all fours in front of him. Pressed back against him again, just a little - and immediately noticed that it felt better. But constantly pushing back like that felt wrong somehow. Instinctively, I started rocking forward and back, just a little. Gasped as I exhaled when he slid in a bit deeper. Kacchan let out a low moan, too. Sounded a little strained.

"Everything okay?" I asked, a little unsure, glancing back over my shoulder. And the sight that met my eyes sent my blood rushing all over again.

Kacchan’s breathing was a bit faster, his cheeks flushed red, and his hair stuck lightly to his temples. His gaze - dark and heavy. And that position! Fuck. I was this close to a heart attack.

His eyes were half-lidded, but he gave me a strained little grin and said, "Yeah. Just… a little tight."

I swallowed hard and quickly turned back around. I should probably just shut up for the rest of this. It was embarrassing - and somehow insanely hot at the same time. The way his voice sounded so different again…

Just hearing that sent a shock down my spine - straight to my dick.

A sharp sting pulled me back to reality. Kacchan had moved forward a little - pushing in deeper. Then he held still again, letting us both catch our breath.

"Fuck. Shit. I’m not gonna last like this," he admitted, voice rough.

He groaned when I pushed back against him a little more. It hurt - a bit more this time.

I clenched my teeth and pulled away just slightly. Took a shaky breath… then pressed myself against him

God! The moment the pain faded, the feeling was just - insane. It filled me with… I don’t even know what. I couldn’t describe it. I was completely speechless. Even in my head. Maybe I should just stop thinking altogether. Just go with it. Feel it. Enjoy it.

I flinched and gave a small shiver when Kacchan dropped a bit more of the cold gel between my cheeks. Felt his finger spreading it around. Let out a low hum of pleasure at the sensation.

Kacchan started to move – slowly - just like I had done before, and I could feel him pushing in deeper with each motion. Damn! This was… wow!

I moaned, and so did Kacchan, a bit more freely now. My whole body was burning. I trembled from this tingling, overwhelming feeling so intensely that I couldn’t hold myself up on my hands any longer. I collapsed onto my forearms and let out a loud moan as Kacchan slid all the way in - or at least that’s how it felt. Part of it was pain, part of it was sheer arousal.

Kacchan paused. His breathing was rough as he asked in a low voice, “You okay?”

“Just do it!”

“You sure—?”

“Damn it, yes! Just keep going!” I growled, the words ripping out of me. And Kacchan obeyed. More intense and rougher than I expected. He pulled out nearly all the way - then thrust back in hard.

Kacchan’s voice reached me again, low and strained. “Izuku?”

“Fuck!” I groaned, overwhelmed by the mixture of pain and pleasure surging through me. My whole body tensed from the pressure, from the fullness, from the pulse I felt throbbing at my own cock.

His voice was rough, barely holding itself together - and I knew he had to be feeling it too. Just as intense. Just as hot. Because while I was gasping at the sensation of being stretched and filled, for him, it must’ve been unbearably tight. Just the thought alone… sent another wave of heat through me.

“Fuck!” I gasped, the mix of pain and pleasure crashing down on me all at once. It was overwhelming - my cock throbbed with the pressure, the fullness, the heat building deep inside me.

“Izuku?” Kacchan’s voice came again, dark and uneven. He sounded strained, like he was holding himself back. And I could only imagine how it must feel for him - how tight it was. Just the thought made my pulse race even faster.

“Small movements.”

That was all I could manage to say.

Kacchan moved inside me, only slightly - but it was more than enough to drive me insane. It sent shockwaves through me, igniting the overwhelming urge to touch myself. To ease the pressure that kept building in my lower stomach. To escape the heat that had completely taken over my body.

The rushing in my ears grew louder as Kacchan's movements suddenly became quicker, rougher. I heard his growls, his moans, his curses.

Felt his hands leave my hips only to grab me by the stomach and pull me upright. I was suddenly kneeling, pressed against his chest - his entire upper body slick with sweat and burning hot.

“Touch yourself,” he growled into my ear, pulling me into a brief embrace and resting his forehead on my shoulder. Trying to steady himself.

I let my hands glide over his, held them for a moment, gave them a squeeze. With everything going on, being held like that - just for a second - felt grounding. Calming.

Then, almost in sync, our hands moved back down. Kacchan’s to my hips. Mine to my dick. I could feel how soaked the tip already was - how hard I was. Yeah, I wasn’t going to last much longer.

And it really was just like that. Kacchan started moving again - slow, steady - and I matched the rhythm with my hand. Every breath I exhaled came out as a moan. Uncontrolled. Louder each time.

It couldn’t have been more than a minute before that tight, hot, tingling feeling started to build in my lower stomach. I felt Kacchan’s grip tighten on my hips as he slammed into me one last time, growling as he came. I felt him twitch deep inside me - felt the release - and that was all it took to push me over the edge too, spilling into my hand and onto the sheets beneath us.

Panting, we collapsed forward - completely overwhelmed by everything we’d just felt. Gasping for air. Trying to calm our racing hearts.

I couldn’t think. My entire head felt like it was filled with fog - just like it had been back in the kitchen. All I could do was smile stupidly. Grin like an idiot. I felt Kacchan slide out of me, and damn, that feeling was far from pleasant. It burned. Stung a little.

Kacchan rolled onto his back beside me, while I stayed lying on my stomach. I could feel my own cum sticking to my skin… but honestly, I couldn’t care less right now.

My head turned toward Kacchan. I saw his beautifully flushed, sweaty face. The relaxed expression, the corners of his mouth definitely tugging upward.

“Fuck,” was all he managed to say.

I let out a soft laugh and closed my eyes, trying to listen inward. I felt that slowly rising, endless calm settling deep inside me.

But just as I gave in to the floating, lingering waves of orgasm still hanging over me, something else popped into my head - something oddly amusing. I chuckled quietly, unable to hold it back.

Kacchan shot me a suspicious glance.

“Did I break you again?” he asked with a grin.

I shook my head, reached for his hand, and laced our fingers together.

“Nope. But now I’m hungry.”

 

 

Notes:

And that’s it!
Phew, we made it – the first time… I really hope I managed to capture it well. It’s super important to me that it feels at least somewhat authentic… and that includes all the awkward, uncertain questions along the way.
I just hope you enjoyed it 😅

One more chapter and we’ll finally hit Sunday! I’m so excited – and I hope you are too 😄
The next chapter will be a very cozy one.
See you Friday! 🧡

Chapter 39: Carefree

Notes:

Surprise!!!
Yes, I'm a little early… probably because, thanks to my "wonderful" tonsillitis, I can’t really do anything except lie in bed and whine about how miserable I feel.
So today, you’re getting Chapter 39 already!
And since this one’s a bit shorter than the last few… well, and because of another reason I’ll tell you at the end… hehe!
Enjoy! 😊

Chapter 39 – Carefree

 

We had probably lain next to each other in silence for another ten minutes, just trying to process everything that had happened, before we finally began to move again. Or at least I did - mostly because of the gross, sticky feeling between my chest and the bedsheet.

No words were needed between us. I headed to the bathroom. Kacchan would strip the bed and set up the food downstairs. As if it was the most natural thing in the world. As if it had never been any different between us. A sense of bliss settled over me. The past two weeks had meant so much - for both of us, but especially for me. And it didn’t feel like it had only been two weeks since we’d gotten closer. That physical intimacy had changed everything. Somehow. It had taken everything to a new level. One I never wanted to step down from again.

 

 

Cleaning up had felt a little uncomfortable, and when I walked down the stairs, I noticed a dull ache - but no pain. No stinging or burning either. I’d read different things in various experience reports - god, I still blushed thinking back on that - but this was good. So good that, honestly, I already kind of wanted to do it again.

God, Izuku! What’s wrong with you? I scolded myself mentally, shaking my head. How could I already be thinking about that again? Although… after that first time in the kitchen, it had been the same. And despite the little awkward moments and pauses, it had felt so damn good. More than good. Indescribably good.

“Oi, Nerd! Quit spacing out,” Kacchan’s voice snapped me back to reality. I turned my head from the last few steps and spotted him in the kitchen.

Where else would he be? flashed through my mind instantly, making me smile softly before walking over to him.

“Need any help?” I asked, though I always felt a bit useless whenever I was in the kitchen with Kacchan. Even though, in the past two weeks, I’d definitely made some progress in my cooking skills. Definitely!

“Take this over and don’t drop it,” he replied simply, pulling a plate out of the microwave - one he’d arranged with a few delicious-looking items.

I carried the two plates to the table and noticed he’d already set everything else up. The TV was playing quietly in the background, showing the latest Hero News. I flopped onto the couch and immediately got caught up in the first report, which was about the current discussions around the Top 10 heroes.

“It sucks that there’s so much talk now that All Might’s out of the picture,” Kacchan grumbled beside me as he sat down cross-legged, one leg bent up to rest his arm on.

“Yeah! I mean, even though everyone’s doing their best, the crime rate has already gone up by 3% - in just one month. And we’ve got experienced, capable heroes in the Top 10. The problem is that the new Number 1 can’t really fill All Might’s shoes. Sure, Endeavor is strong, and physically he kind of resembles All Might, but their personalities are totally different. Endeavor gives off more of an untouchable, aggressive vibe. Some people are scared of him rather than comforted by his presence. Hawks, on the other hand, who’s in second place, has way more likeability points. Plus, his quirk is more—”

“Deku!” Kacchan cut me off before I could fully drift into a ramble. I smiled sheepishly and scratched the back of my head.

“Sorry.”

"Eat. Don’t talk," Kacchan ordered flatly, rolling his eyes as I nodded with a huge smile. God, my cheeks were already starting to hurt from all the grinning.

 

We started eating in silence, eyes still on the broadcast. I savored every bite, trying a little of everything on the plate, letting out a satisfied hum each time a new flavor unfolded on my tongue. Damn, the restaurant Kacchan had picked was insanely good. I tried to shove the insanely expensive part out of my mind - he’d already made it clear he was treating me tonight. It still felt a little weird… and yet, I wanted to bounce off the walls with joy. This was the first time he’d ever really “taken me out,” even if we weren’t at the restaurant itself.

"This is so good, Kacchan! Almost better than what you cook."

I heard him scoff beside me and couldn’t help but smirk when he grumbled, "You’re lucky you said almost."

If it was possible, my smile grew even wider. No, it was more like a goofy, content grin. Sitting here on the couch with him, eating, watching TV - this was the most normal thing we’d done in years. And it was just… nice. I wanted to hold onto this moment. Stretch it out. Never let it end.

“Wanna tell me more about your special course?” I asked after a moment. Kacchan groaned but eventually started explaining the whole thing in detail.

“What a load of crap from Gang Orca! ‘Win the kids’ hearts,’ blah blah blah! Stupid little brats! What kind of dumbass task was that?” he ranted right from the start.

I laughed more than once. The image of Kacchan - and Todoroki - dealing with a bunch of elementary school kids was just too perfect. Neither of them was built for children. I could only imagine how overwhelmed and frustrated they must have been.

Kacchan kept grumbling and swearing as he went on, but he answered all my questions without hesitation. Complained about a few things. But to my surprise, he even admitted to enjoying certain parts of it. Honestly, I was kind of amazed. He talked about it all so naturally - without sounding arrogant or like he was trying to show off. It made me feel so light. A warm feeling spread through me, one I couldn’t quite name. All I knew was that I was really, truly happy.

“Endeavor showed up too, by the way. Tried to talk to his bastard son,” he added at the end, then took a huge gulp from his barley tea. Probably had a dry throat from talking so much. I couldn’t help but smile. It had been ages since he’d spoken this much all in one go. Maybe he never had.

“Tried to?” I asked, curious, waiting as he set down the bottle. He cleared his throat, his tone shifting to something a little more thoughtful.

“Half-and-Half just flat-out ignored him. But when we were leaving, Endeavor actually said - sounded kind of humbled - that he’d prove he could become a Number One Hero his son could be proud of. Or something like that.”

“Hm…” I hummed, thinking aloud. “Yeah, their family stuff is really complicated. And now that Todoroki is using his fire too, it’s probably even harder between them. Endeavor’s getting his hopes up, but Todoroki still hates him.”

“Well, with that kind of background…” Kacchan muttered under his breath, eyes drifting absently back to the screen.

The topic of Todoroki did dampen my glowing mood just a little. But at the same time, it sparked a question in my head.

“Hey, Kacchan, did Todoroki actually tell you about his family history?”

His shoulders twitched slightly, like I’d caught him off guard. He glanced over at me with a slightly shocked expression. I tilted my head, confused by the reaction.

He sighed, ran a hand down his face and through his hair, then looked back at the TV and mumbled almost guiltily, “I overheard you two at the Sports Festival. By accident, obviously.”

My jaw dropped. He’d eavesdropped on us back then? And never said a word?

“‘By accident, obviously,’” I echoed, disbelief clear in my tone.

I was immediately hit with one of his signature glares, but before he could yell at me, I raised my hands in surrender and quickly said, “All good! I believe you. You’re not the type to sneak around and listen in on people. If you want to know something, you usually just ask - straight out.”

That satisfied him. He gave me a moment to breathe.

A short silence followed, both of us drifting into our own thoughts. Todoroki’s past hadn’t been easy. His childhood sounded nothing short of traumatizing. Would I have still had the will to become a hero after something like that?

“I wouldn’t’ve been surprised if Icyhot turned villain, just to screw over his old man,” Kacchan eventually muttered. And yeah, now that he said it - it actually did make a weird sort of sense.

“Then we’d have a really strong enemy on our hands,” I added, glancing at him with a slightly strained smile. “He might’ve even ended up joining the League.”

Kacchan just shook his head, flashing me a grin.

“Tch. Like that bastard could ever hold a candle to me!”

I let out a small laugh.

“Of course you’d win.”

“Why did that sound like you didn’t mean it?”

I tried to give him an innocent look. Flashed him a mischievous grin instead. Apparently, that was provocation enough. The next thing I knew, he pounced and pinned me down on the couch.

“You’re getting pretty cocky,” he remarked, leaving me zero room to move. Not that I even tried to fight him off. I actually liked being in this position.

“Must be the bad influence of my boyfriend,” I replied with a grin, meeting his gaze with a bold challenge in mine. And yeah… I regretted it a second later.

“Oi, Nerd! Don’t push it!” he growled, smirking like he already had the upper hand. And before I could even think about escaping, his hands were at my sides - right under my arms.

Fuck. He knew I was ridiculously ticklish there.

Game over.

I burst out laughing, thrashing under him as he mercilessly kept going, his weight holding me firmly in place. There was no way out.

“Kacchan - please!” I gasped, tears gathering in my eyes from how hard I was laughing. His fingers trailed down my sides, still moving, still torturing.

“Still ticklish, just like back then,” he said smugly, clearly proud of himself.

My abs hurt. I was laughing so hard I couldn’t breathe, and he gave me zero mercy. I could hear him chuckling too, though I couldn’t see much through the tears as I kept swiping at my face.

“Time out! Time out!” I cried, completely surrendering as my legs kicked aimlessly. I must’ve thrown him off balance, because he toppled forward onto me.

Immediately, I wrapped my arms around his torso to trap him. Just in case he tried to go in for another round.

I was breathing heavily, still catching my breath, while Kacchan just exhaled with amusement against my neck.

Slowly, we calmed down, but we didn’t move from our position. I soaked in his warmth and the steady rhythm of his breathing. It felt so good. So peaceful. So right. Like this had always been his place - so close to me.

God, what was I thinking? Why was I suddenly getting so emotional? So sentimental? Was it because of what happened earlier?

“Kacchan?” I whispered softly, noticing how he moved his head slightly, brushing his lips gently against my neck. It wasn’t a touch meant to turn me on - it was the kind of touch that quietly spoke the thoughts running through my head.

“Thank you… for tonight,” I continued in a low voice, tightening my arms around him just a little more. But I felt him push himself up, slipping out of my embrace to look at me. His crimson eyes sparkled - intense and soft at the same time - and for a moment, I forgot how to breathe. That look… that expression… This familiar, nostalgic atmosphere. Here, with him. In this place where we had spent so many hours as kids. Happy and carefree. Fuck, I loved him. I loved him with everything I had. With every fiber of my body. My soul.

“Ka-chan, I—” The words started to form on my lips on their own, but Kacchan simply shook his head and slowly leaned down to place a soft, quiet kiss on mine. So tender I felt a lump in my throat. Shit. Why did I suddenly feel like crying again?

“How was it at Sir Nighteye’s?” he asked, throwing out a distraction as he pulled away. I bit my lower lip and brushed my fingers along his cheek. What had gotten into me just now that I nearly blurted out how deeply I felt about him? And why did Kacchan react that way? Did he not want to hear it? Did I even want us to change the subject?

I sighed internally, thinking back to Sunday. When my “I like you” had completely thrown him off. When he had told me he just couldn’t do that kind of thing. That he never wanted to get all soft and emotional like he had during his own confession again. Those raw, honest words of his had meant so much more than my little “I like you.” But now… would saying more only overwhelm him again? Would I ruin what we were building just by trying to put it into words?

Kacchan wasn’t good at expressing his feelings. Every vulnerable emotion he had, he buried under aggression and arrogance. He always deflected. Because it made him uncomfortable. Because no one ever taught him how to open up and speak honestly. It was seen as a weakness. But in reality, not being able to speak his truth - that was the real weakness. I couldn’t imagine what it must be like, to be unable to let positive feelings in. If I were built like that… I probably would’ve shattered a long time ago.

So I just needed to hold back for now and enjoy this. He was already showing me so much emotion - so much feeling. Why did I even need to say anything? Just because I had the sudden urge? Just because my brain was too clouded by endorphins and dopamine to think clearly? No. There would be a better moment. And even if that moment didn’t come for a few more months, that was okay too. As long as things between us stayed the way they were… or kept growing.

Smiling, I wrapped my arms around Kacchan’s neck. He already looked a little impatient - though mostly nervous. I pulled him down and pressed my lips against his as firmly as I could. I had to let my emotions out somehow, and what better way than with a kiss that warmed me from the inside out? That made everything feel calm and safe?

We stayed like that for a while. Letting our lips speak what words couldn’t - what words shouldn’t. I soaked in the comfort. The pleasant tingling. Completely enchanted, I felt Kacchan cup my face in his hands and deepen the kiss. I was in heaven. There was no other way to describe it.

When we finally pulled apart a little, the air between us felt charged. One more deep look from him, and it shut my brain down completely. Not thinking anymore, I whispered, low and breathless, “I want to do it again.”

Like a switch had flipped, Kacchan got to his feet and pulled me up with him. Lifted me off the ground. I instinctively wrapped my legs around his waist.

 

No more words were needed. Once again, we moved like we did in battle - understood exactly what the other wanted.

Kacchan lowered me onto the bed this time, gentle and steady. A fresh sheet was already in place. The stripped blanket lay carelessly on the floor. Whatever. None of that mattered. Neither of us wanted to ruin the mood with thoughts that had no place here.

Our clothes came off almost on their own. I stayed on my back, looking up at Kacchan with a mix of anticipation and desire. We didn’t waste a single second. I heard the familiar click of the lube cap. Then immediately felt his hand at my entrance, a single finger slipping inside - effortlessly.

I moaned, my head falling back as I gave myself over to him completely.

Everything suddenly felt easier. Lighter. More natural. There wasn’t a trace of hesitation between us anymore. Just the raw urge to feel each other. To drive one another insane. It was as if earlier had only been a test run - for what was now the true first time.

At least that’s what it felt like. This was better. More complete.

We both moaned with lust when Kacchan finally pushed into me. It felt so much better. The prep had clearly paid off.

We quickly found our rhythm, and I savored every thrust. Felt the heat. The tingling. The electric jolts running through my lower body. I wrapped a hand around my cock and matched his pace.

We were sweating, unable to hold back under the overwhelming sensations. Especially not when Kacchan suddenly thrust in deep - steady and slow. Hit a spot that nearly broke me.

God, what was that?

A loud, guttural moan escaped me before I could stop it, and I slapped a hand over my mouth in shock. Kacchan saw it. And that look in his eyes - satisfaction. Pure, smug satisfaction. He grinned and grabbed my wrist, pulling my hand away.

“No one around to hear you,” he said darkly.

And then he picked up the pace - driving us both over the edge in a loud, shuddering climax just moments later.

 

 

Panting, we lay side by side. Damn! How many levels of orgasm could there possibly be? I’d thought under the shower it couldn’t get any more intense, and then again right after - but now? Now I could only laugh at that. Heaven! God! Whatever! It was just... overwhelming. That feeling.

“Fuck,” was all Kacchan could get out again, one arm thrown over his eyes. He looked totally spent. Just like me. Wrecked by the high we’d dragged each other into.

And it had been even more incredible, getting to watch him the whole time. Seeing every twitch, every reaction. That sight was burned into my memory for good now - his sweaty skin, flushed cheeks, dazed eyes clouded with lust. And that low, dark moan... I’d never forget it as long as I lived.

“Kacchan...,” I started, breathless. I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath. “That was… absolutely… insane.”

Kacchan laughed - rough and low. “Oh yeah.”

I listened to the sound of his breathing. Slowly, sleepiness crept in. It was already way past midnight, and the day had been so full of everything that I was honestly surprised I hadn’t collapsed hours ago.

“Shit!” Kacchan suddenly groaned beside me. He didn’t sound angry - more like exasperated in a half-laughing way.

I turned to look at him, confused, until I saw his resigned grin as he muttered, “Seriously! There’s no way we can have sex back in the dorms without someone hearing us. But fuck me - that was way too good to give up.”

I laughed. He had a point. Strangely enough, I didn’t even feel embarrassed that I’d been so loud.

We’d been pretty quiet the last few nights when we’d been intimate, careful not to wake anyone else up. But now I really understood what he meant. How were you supposed to stay quiet when it felt like that? That would’ve been impossible.

“We’ll have to come up with something,” I replied with a grin, pushing myself up off the bed with effort and rolling to my feet. I could already feel some of the… leftovers starting to leak out.

“I’m gonna head to the bathroom real quick,” I mumbled, making my way out to clean up and get ready for bed. There was no way I was going back downstairs now. I was way too done. My legs were shaking so hard, even jelly would’ve felt like reinforced concrete in comparison. It was still burning a bit down there, but the warm shower helped a lot.

 

 

"Everything okay?" Kacchan asked when I came back into his room. He’d put fresh sheets on the bed while I was gone and was now lying on his stomach, looking just as exhausted as I felt.

"Yeah," I mumbled as I flopped onto the bed like a wet sack. I heard a brief protest before Kacchan threw the blanket over me. I grunted a quick thanks and was already half-asleep when I managed to ask one last thing: "Aren’t we supposed to put the food away downstairs?"

Kacchan groaned, turned his head toward me and barely cracked one eye open.
"Screw it. We’ll do it tomorrow," he muttered, before letting his eye fall shut again and starting to snore softly.

Damn, he must be totally wiped out. But I guess after three rounds and a special course full of kids, it made sense.

I smiled, brushed my fingers one last time through his hair, and let myself drift off to sleep - happy, content, and looking forward to spending the rest of Sunday alone with him.

 

 

Maybe my last thought before falling asleep had been a challenge to fate. Because I wasn’t woken up by soft, gentle rays of sunlight the next morning. No, it was a loud thud somewhere in the house and a very angry voice that pulled me out of sleep.

Still too drowsy to move in any meaningful way, I just hugged the pillow tighter and vaguely wondered why Kacchan was already this pissed off so early. But then, a shift beside me made it clear - it couldn’t be him storming around the house.

Shit. No! Please no! No, no, no, no, NO!

That was the last coherent thought I had before a furious voice rang out right outside the door.

"HOW DARE THIS DAMN BRAT LEAVE THE LIVING ROOM IN SUCH A MESS?!"

And then the inevitable happened.

The door slammed open with a bang - just the way Kacchan always did it.
And there was only one other person I knew who radiated that same level of aggressive energy.

"KATSUKI BAKU—OH… OOOH!"

Fuck! We were doomed.

 

 

Notes:

Hehehe… and that’s it for now!
Why am I giving you this chapter today? Well… let’s just say I really like that cliffhanger 😅 (sorry!)
So, what do you think is coming next?

Thank you all for the wonderful comments! I hope this cozy chapter will bring a few more out of you 💕
See you again on Sunday!
Sending hugs your way 💫

Chapter 40: The Apple Doesn’t Fall Far From the Tree

Notes:

Hey everyone!
And yessss, I’m a day early again – but seriously… 19 comments?? Are you kidding me? xD'
I just had to reward you with another update. Especially with this chapter.
Back when I first wrote it, I thought it was totally over the top and maybe a bit too much... But knowing how the rest of that Sunday unfolds – I've actually grown kind of fond of it. ^^'

I can’t promise you won’t want to bury your face in a pillow while reading.
You’ve been warned!

Chapter 40 – The Apple Doesn’t Fall Far From the Tree

 

“KATSUKI BAKU… OH… OOOH!”

 

I was dying inside. I buried my face in the pillow. I didn’t need to turn around to know that Kacchan’s mother was standing in the doorway.

Shit! What now? was the only thing running through my head. My heart was racing and I felt slightly sick. Should I say something? Greet her? Or just stay quiet? What…

Kacchan’s growl next to me stopped the panic from bubbling over. I peeked to the side and saw him sit up and run a hand through his hair. I swallowed at the sight of his bare chest. Thank God the blanket still covered his lower half. At least you could pretend he was wearing boxers.

“Try knocking first, old hag!” he growled at his mother. I was surprised he didn’t start yelling right away - but that was probably just because he wasn’t fully awake yet.

“Tch. As if I need to knock in MY OWN house!” she snapped back.

“I’m sixteen!” Kacchan shot back, clearly trying to make the point that you don’t just barge into a teenager’s room unannounced.

“And I’m your mother!”

Oh god. I could see this argument escalating already. Damn, I’d completely forgotten how alike the two of them were.

“You’re just a crazy old bat! Now GET OUT!”

“I’LL SHOW YOU CRAZY OLD BAT!”

“GO AHEAD - IF YOU WANNA DIE!”

“KATSUKI BAKUGOU!”

“I KNOW MY NAME! NOW GET THE FUCK OUT ALREADY!”

“YOU DO NOT TALK TO ME LIKE THAT!”

“I’LL TALK TO YOU HOWEVER I DAMN WELL WANT!”

“NOT IN FRONT OF GUESTS!” she roared, only to suddenly lower her voice into this weirdly sweet, almost terrifyingly calm tone as she added, “Good morning, Izuku!”

I heard Kacchan grinding his teeth. He was furious.

“Good morning, Auntie Mitsuki,” I mumbled into my pillow. I was so mortified, lying here in bed with Kacchan while she was still just standing there. Seriously, couldn’t she take the hint and close the damn door?

An awkward silence followed. I didn’t know what kind of look she was giving us. All I could see was Kacchan, still glaring at his mother with fire in his eyes. But I noticed the faint blush on his cheeks, though. Huh. I wouldn’t have thought he’d be embarrassed after all that yelling. I figured the anger would have completely drowned it out.

“I’m making lunch now! Come down when you’re done,” Mitsuki called, her voice full of double meaning.

I wanted to scream into the pillow. God, that was definitely meant to sound suggestive, right?

I wanted to cry, to groan, to bury myself alive in the mattress. This was even worse than when Mr. Aizawa had caught us. At least then we were just kissing. Now we were lying in bed together. Not even touching, sure - but still. Anyone with a brain could guess what had happened.

The slam of the door and her next shout confirmed it: “MASARU! I THINK KATSUKI AND IZUKU HAVE BEEN DOING DIRTY STUFF!”

I whimpered and shook my head violently. Rubbed my face into the pillow again and again, hoping I could somehow scrub the embarrassment off my skin.

Please! Let a lightning bolt strike or a meteor fall from the sky! I thought desperately, praying the universe would somehow release me from this nightmare. Damn it, why were his parents even back already? Kacchan had said they wouldn’t return until Sunday evening. And now it was… Yeah, what time even was it?

I heard Kacchan groan weakly next to me as he flopped back down into the pillow. Both of his hands covered his face, rubbing over it slightly before he mumbled, “C’mere, Nerd.”

Hesitantly, I crawled over to him until he pulled me in completely, pressing me against his chest. I felt him bury his nose in my messy green hair, taking a few deep breaths. I smiled softly at the gesture and noticed how his body slowly began to relax.

He let out a growl before his irritated voice grumbled, “Can nothing ever just go according to plan?”

I tilted my head back and looked at him questioningly, only to be met with a pained smile and a kiss to my forehead.

“It’s not even noon yet. They weren’t supposed to be back until around six,” he explained, then cupped my chin and gave me a soft kiss. Just a brief brush of our lips - but it was enough to calm me down. To chase away the panic building in my chest.

“What do we do now?”

“Wash up, get dressed, and go face the witch. Otherwise she’ll be back up here in no time.”

I grimaced, sighed, and buried my face in the crook of Kacchan’s neck. Pressed a little kiss to his skin before whining, “Can’t we just sneak out the window?”

Kacchan snorted in amusement. “Don’t be ridiculous, Nerd,” was all he said before crawling out of bed.

I watched him as he moved and once again found myself marveling at his body. Perfect proportions. Tall. And I had no idea why, but even though he was completely naked, my eyes were weirdly drawn to his calves. Muscular, but not bulky like his shoulders - athletic, defined, somehow really attractive. God, was I developing some kind of strange fixation?

“Come on! You can admire me later!”

My face warmed as I quickly looked away, caught red-handed. Still, I stood up and followed him into the bathroom.

 

We stood side by side brushing our teeth, quiet, both lost in our thoughts. Kacchan radiated a low-level aggression that hadn’t been there in the past few days. Then again, I wasn’t exactly calm either. After all, it was his mom who had just walked in on us. God, what if she’d barged in while we were actually doing it?

The thought made my face flush. I could see how red I was in the mirror and instinctively wanted to hide again. Damn it, if she’d come back late last night... she definitely would’ve heard us, right?

“Thinking dirty thoughts, little Deku?” Kacchan asked, eyeing me sideways.

I avoided his gaze, quickly spit out my toothpaste, and rinsed with water. No way I was responding. If I said anything, he’d tease me to hell and back. And just thinking about what was probably happening downstairs right now - ugh. Mitsuki was just like Kacchan. She never held back. I could already feel my impending death by sheer embarrassment.

“Doesn’t it bother you at all?” I muttered as I tried to tame my hair. “I mean, your mom saw us in bed together. Naked - at least from the waist up.”

Kacchan let out a grunt, rinsed his mouth, and said, “We were just sleeping. Would’ve been a little awkward if she caught us fucking, though.”

“A little awkward?!” I squeaked, staring at him in horror. What the hell was wrong with him? And why did he always have to say stuff so bluntly?

“Yeah, Deku! What do you think, we were delivered to our parents by stork? There’s nothing wrong with it.”

“That’s not the point! It’d still be super embarrassing. I wouldn’t be able to look my mom in the eye ever again!”

“Because you’re a wimp.”

I huffed and stormed out of the bathroom. I seriously wasn’t in the mood to argue with him. Why did he have to be so damn blunt all the time?

“Oi, Nerd! Don’t be like that,” Kacchan called after me. He caught my wrist and turned me around. I pouted and glared at him with a bit of a scowl, but he just gave me that amused little smirk. I wanted to stay mad, but then he kissed my cheek, and my lips twitched before I could stop them. Damn it, how was I supposed to stay mad after something that sweet?

“As if you could ever actually be mad at me,” he whispered smugly in my ear, then nipped my earlobe and turned toward his closet. We were both still just standing around in boxers, after all.

“Jerk,” I grumbled, grabbing a pair of joggers and a shirt from my backpack and quickly putting them on. I flopped back down onto the bed, watching Kacchan still standing exactly where he was before.

I raised an eyebrow as I watched my boyfriend silently stare at his open closet, apparently unsure of which black shirt to pick.

“Kacchan?” I asked after another minute of watching him shuffle through clothes.

“What?”

“Are you looking for something specific?”

He grunted. “No. That old hag snuck more of her crap into my closet again. Like I’d wear any of that stuff. I’m not five anymore!”

I watched him as he sorted through the stacks, and a smile tugged at my lips. I remembered how Kacchan had started wearing clothes that pissed his mom off back in the day, after being used as her personal dress-up doll. I guess not much had changed. He actually had decent fashion sense, but he usually stuck to his favorite black shirts and baggy pants - just because she hated it. Kind of hilarious, really.

I let myself fall back on the bed, lost in thought. I was still kind of tired. I had no idea what time we’d even fallen asleep last night. Between our relaxed conversations on the couch and... everything that came after, I hadn’t paid attention to the clock. If I had to guess, I’d say it was well past three in the morning.

A familiar blond head came into view, pulling my wandering gaze back into focus. I smiled up at him, catching the eye-roll - equal parts annoyed and amused - before he leaned down toward me and stopped just short of my lips.

“I’d love nothing more than to repeat what we did yesterday,” he whispered darkly.

I swallowed hard, closed my eyes, nervous anticipation building as I waited for a kiss that never came. Instead, the warmth in front of me vanished. I opened my eyes just as he yanked me upright.

“Wha…?” I started, but Kacchan waved a hand dismissively and said dryly, “If I’d kissed you just now, I wouldn’t have let you out of bed.”

My heart skipped a beat. Damn, he made it sound so tempting. He sounded so tempting. The idea of curling back into bed with him was more than beautiful - it was irresistible. I’d give anything for a relaxed Sunday morning like last week, when we didn’t crawl out of bed until almost half past one, starving after several long and intense rounds of… well, everything.

“Better prepare yourself - she’s gonna be direct,” Kacchan warned, snapping me out of my daydream. I gave a small nod, head down, already bracing for the mortification. I knew she would be, but that wouldn’t stop me from wanting to disappear into the floor.

“Should we maybe deny it? Or brush it off?” I asked quietly as we left his room.

“Tch, as if she didn’t notice the lube and condoms on the nightstand,” he shot back.

Shit. I hadn’t even thought of that. The heat flared in my face again. I could feel it rising up my cheeks, burning at my ears.

“Oi, Nerd! Not already! I didn’t even say anything embarrassing yet!”

“Yeah but… if she—”

“She definitely saw it,” he cut me off, clearly exasperated. He grabbed my wrist and made me look at him. I froze when I caught the surprisingly gentle look in his eyes. He gave me a small, crooked smile that made my insides melt.

“It’s okay. For me,” he whispered, leaning in to press the softest kiss to my lips. Then he studied me, like he was trying to read what I was thinking.

“Then it’s okay for me too,” I whispered back, a little shyly. I pressed my face briefly against his shoulder and took a deep breath. Could he even imagine what his words just did to me? His smile? That calm, quiet way he had just now?

“You better not start crying,” he muttered.

I laughed softly and shook my head. “I’ll hold it in. Promise.”

“Dork,” he grumbled, turning away. But I saw it - how flustered he was. It was kind of adorable, how easily thrown off he got when things got emotional. Harsh language and crude talk? No problem. But feelings? That was a different story. The opposite of me, really. I was quiet and soft-spoken. He was loud and aggressive. I guess there really was something to that whole “opposites attract” thing.

 

My whole body was shaking with nerves as we stepped into the kitchen. Auntie Mitsuki was still cooking. I couldn’t help but notice how her movements resembled Kacchan’s when he cooked. No - actually, they were nearly identical. So he had picked up everything from his mom. Although I had to admit, she didn’t look nearly as calm doing it.

“Hello, Izuku! Katsuki!” came the gentle voice of Masaru from the other side of the room, who was setting the table. I smiled back at him, grateful to have at least one peaceful soul in the room I could maybe cling to, and greeted him in return.

“Hello, Uncle Masaru! Nice to see you again.”

Kacchan just gave a grunt in response, instantly tensing when his mom called out, “Don’t just stand around like a lazy brat, Katsuki! Make yourself useful and help me!”

“Why? Can’t handle your witch’s brew on your own?”

Mitsuki growled at him, and I watched helplessly as the two were once again on the verge of going at each other. I wondered if they’d ever managed to have a normal conversation. One that lasted more than thirty seconds, anyway.

“I’m cooking here out of kindness, after you two clearly had a very thorough time together!” she said provocatively. Challenging. Amused.

“Didn’t ask you to. I can cook for the both of us myself!”

“The both of you, huh?” That tone in her voice - sharp, baiting, still wildly entertained. She was clearly enjoying this. Honestly, I would’ve expected her to be shocked, or at least a little surprised. But it all felt strangely normal to her, catching her son in bed with another boy. And Kacchan had told me he had no prior experience… so why was she teasing us like this instead of asking the obvious questions?

“Of course both of us! If I let Izuku starve, Auntie’s gonna murder me!”

Wait - Izuku? He’d used my actual name? He usually only did that when he was unsure about something or trying to pull me out of my head.

“So you’re afraid of Inko, but not me?”

“Why would anyone be scared of an old hag like you?”

“OLD HAG?!”

“WOULD YOU PREFER WICKED WITCH?!”

And just like that, they were yelling again, hurling insults at each other I wouldn’t have dreamed of saying out loud. The two of them had such a special dynamic.

“Could you two calm down a little? Izuku’s still here,” Masaru tried to step in gently. I was about to silently thank him, but all I felt was secondhand sympathy when both of them snapped back at once: “SHUT UP, OLD MAN!”

I watched him slump in defeat and take a seat at the table. Feeling a bit out of place, I followed suit and quietly sat down beside him, just observing the scene. Uncle Masaru gave me an apologetic smile. I waved it off - this wasn’t my first time at the Bakugou house. Though Kacchan hadn’t been quite this rude to his mother back then.

 

Fifteen minutes later, and without another word about the two of us, lunch was on the table. Kacchan sat beside me, while his parents sat across from us. The whole thing felt… awkward.

“Enjoy your meal, Izuku,” Mitsuki said with a smile. I thanked her, though it struck me as a bit odd that she didn’t say the same to her own son. Then again, he had helped - more or less. It was more like he’d gone around tasting everything and then asked her if she’d lost her sense of taste during her trip. I probably would’ve laughed, if I hadn’t been so scared of the fallout.

We started eating in silence. It was really delicious. There was nothing to criticize when it came to the Bakugous' cooking. The taste even brought back a few childhood memories - kind of like what people described when they said eating at their grandma’s felt like coming home. Only in my case, it wasn’t a grandma, but - my thoughts stalled - possibly, one day… God, how childish to think so far ahead… my in-laws? Shit! That idea alone nearly killed me on the spot.

“So, come on - spill it already!” Mitsuki suddenly said, making me freeze mid-motion, my chopsticks halfway to my mouth. Breathe, Izuku! It’s fine! I told myself, slowly lowering the food again. I didn’t trust myself to swallow without choking. Who knew what was coming next?

“There’s nothing to talk about,” Kacchan replied flatly, still eating as if nothing was happening. He didn’t look up once, didn’t show even the faintest interest in having a conversation. Great. So I was just going to be left to deal with it all on my own, huh?

“So you didn’t have sex up there?”

I instantly choked on my own spit! God - why was this family so unbelievably blunt? Well, not the whole family - just Kacchan and his mom. Because Masaru rushed to my aid right away: “Mitsuki, you can’t just ask something like that! I’m sure it’s embarrassing for them.”

“No, only Izuku’s embarrassed. I don’t care what anyone thinks.”

Internally screaming. I wanted to cry. To disappear. There was no way I was making it through this conversation without emotional trauma.

“Please, Kacchan,” I whispered to him, probably looking at him with a face as red as a tomato.

I heard him sigh, and flinched slightly when he suddenly ran a hand through my hair and down my back. Then he turned toward his mom and said, “Yeah, you saw right. Anything else?”

A delighted grin spread across Mitsuki’s face. She looked practically thrilled. Enchanted, even, by the fact that her son had just given me a subtle, affectionate gesture.

“You’re okay with this, Auntie Mitsuki?” I asked cautiously, my voice barely more than a whisper. Still, I was proud of myself for saying anything at all.

“Oh, please! I always knew no woman in the world would ever be able to handle my son. So I figured this was bound to happen. But the fact that it’s you, Izuku honey, oh, that makes me so happy! I always hoped we’d have you in the family someday!”

She was rambling now - positively giddy - and it was starting to scare me a little.

I lifted my hands and tried to gently interject, “Auntie Mitsuki, um, maybe you’re kind of…”

“Don’t call me Auntie anymore, Izuku! It just sounds weird now. I mean, you are sharing a bed with my loudmouth brat!”

I let out a soft whimper. Why couldn’t she just wait and listen before bombarding us with even more painfully awkward remarks?

“You old—” Kacchan growled, his nails digging into his palms beneath the table. He was clearly holding himself back.

“Mitsuki, maybe let them explain first?” Masaru tried again. I really was so thankful he was here - though it didn’t help much, since neither his wife nor his son ever listened to him.

“Why? It’s obvious. They’ve been in love since preschool! And if they’re already hopping into bed together, it must be serious, right?” she chirped, so naïve it made me want to fall off my chair. God - how had she even remembered our preschool days? I mean, sure, it was technically true, but we were like, three! You couldn’t just project that onto the present!

She turned to face us, suddenly seeming to have had another thought. I instinctively took a deep breath and braced myself for the worst. “Or did you only do it because you felt like you had to? Izuku, did Katsuki force you into anything?”

Wait, what???!!!

“N-No!!!!!” I stammered, shaking my head violently and flailing my arms for emphasis. Could this possibly get any worse?

“Hey, the whole fucking thing was Izuku’s idea, okay? Stop always assuming the worst about me!”

Why had I even asked? Of course it could get worse. How could I ever underestimate Kacchan like that? I couldn’t take it anymore. I let my head fall forward onto the table and shut my eyes. Next to me, I heard an amused snort and then felt a hand sneak onto my thigh, giving it a quick squeeze. Was that supposed to be encouragement or an apology?

“Could you two maybe tone it down a bit?” Uncle Masaru tried once more to intervene. Have I mentioned how grateful I was that at least one sane person was in the room?

“Shut it!” Kacchan snapped at him right away, only to immediately be scolded by his mother - though not without her first snapping at her husband: “Masaru, stay out of it. And you, don’t talk to your father like that!”

“You’re not the boss of me!”

“I am your mother!”

“So what?”

Okay, I had had enough. Seriously, what was wrong with these people? Couldn’t they have one single normal conversation?

And before Kacchan and his mom could get into another shouting match or someone threw another awkward question at us, I spoke up - calm and serious: “Kacchan and I have only been together for a little over a week. We weren’t planning for you to find out like this, and we’re definitely not at a point where you can start planning weddings, Aunt Mitsuki. Can we please just have a normal conversation now?”

Everyone at the table froze and stared at me in surprise. Even Kacchan was speechless for once. Had I gone too far?

Of course it was Mitsuki who found her voice first - just in time to throw in another line that absolutely no one needed to hear.

“Already in bed after a week, huh. Kids these days really don’t waste any time.”

God, I wanted to strangle her. Or sink through the floor and disappear forever. This lunch was an absolute rollercoaster of emotions, and after this, I’d definitely need a nap to recover.

“But sweetheart! You weren’t any better back in the day! And we hadn’t known each other nearly as long as these two!” Masaru added, smiling at his wife, who – surprisingly - returned the look just as lovingly.

It was instantly followed by a gagging noise from Kacchan. “Ugh, I’m gonna puke.”

I chuckled softly. Under the table, I dared to reach for his hand. I needed a little support. I hadn’t even noticed how fast my heart was still pounding or how my body was trembling slightly. But now, slowly, the tension was starting to fade. And even the shame. At least the heat in my face was starting to ease a little.

“I’m genuinely happy for you,” Masaru said warmly. He gave us such a gentle smile - one I’d only ever seen in the faintest hints on Kacchan’s face. Mitsuki’s smiles were always more mischievous.

“Wouldn’t matter to me if you didn’t approve. The nerd belongs to me now. Deal with it,” Kacchan snapped back, making me beam.

“Izuku has a name! How many times do I have to tell you, Katsuki?” his mother scolded him right away. It made me pause and think. I had noticed that Kacchan had been calling me by my first name the entire time we’d been with his parents. Was there a reason for that?

“I didn’t even call him Deku! And that’s his hero name now, so quit nagging me,” he shot back at her. I gave him a questioning look, but his eyes clearly said, Later. And I respected that. He did seem more tense than usual. Was it just his mother?

“Is that why you fought?” Mitsuki suddenly asked us, changing the topic just as quickly as she shifted moods. God, this woman. How did Uncle Masaru put up with her?

I shook my head hesitantly and mumbled, “No, it was… something else. But we kind of… cleared the air during that fight.”

That answer was enough for her, and I was grateful she didn’t dig any further. It was the first bit of tact she’d shown all day. Whether it was because of my or Kacchan’s body language, I couldn’t tell.

We continued eating in silence as Mitsuki and Masaru started talking about work and wrapping up their business trip. It was interesting, actually - hearing about a profession that had nothing to do with heroes. My entire life had revolved around the dream of becoming one. Same for Kacchan, I was sure. But he had probably been exposed to more of the business world through his parents than I had.

“Why are you even back already?” Kacchan suddenly asked. His parents looked surprised by the question. But Mitsuki’s answer didn’t sit too well with me.

“Inko called me from the car yesterday. She said Izuku told her he was staying over here, and she sounded a little worried the house might not survive the night. Then she asked if my dear son had mentioned this to me - which, of course, he hadn’t, right Katsuki?”

Kacchan just grumbled something like “None of your business,” and didn’t bother answering her directly. Instead, he turned to me. “Why’d you tell your mom you were staying over?”

I nervously started fiddling with my fingers. Was it really my fault his parents had caught us? Because I couldn’t lie to my mom for once?

“Well, I didn’t want to lie to her. And I figured she should know we were getting along better again. That’s what I told her - that we’re friends again,” I explained, trying to sound as innocent as possible. Kacchan just sighed heavily beside me, then ran his hand over my thigh and said with a slightly amused tone, “Mama’s boy.”

“I’d also like it if you’d open up a little more,” Mitsuki immediately chimed in with a sharp comment. Of course she had to jump on that. Just like Kacchan - never letting a good setup go to waste, no matter how inappropriate.

“Shut up!”

“Katsuki Bakugou!”

Kacchan groaned, clearly fed up, ignoring his mother’s furious stare and instead finishing the last bites on his plate. I followed his lead. Once I was done, I thanked them for the meal and leaned back in my chair, satisfied.

“Well, if you’re finally finished, then go clean up that disaster in the living room. As if letting that expensive food go to waste wasn’t bad enough.”

 

This woman was exhausting. That was the only thing going through my mind after the entire meal. She was pushy. She was blunt. She had zero sense of tact. And Kacchan wasn’t my Kacchan when she was around.

“God, I hate her,” Kacchan grumbled as he started scooping the leftover food onto one plate. I stood there awkwardly, watching him work. He moved with such practiced efficiency that it almost looked like he needed the cleanup to cool off.

“Take this to the old hag,” he ordered, handing me the plate of leftovers. I just nodded obediently and brought it to the kitchen. Mitsuki took it from me with a thankful smile - but before she could say anything, I turned and went straight back to Kacchan.

To my surprise, even though he’d already stacked the dishes, he was now sitting on the couch, rubbing his temples.

With a small internal shrug, I dropped down next to him. I turned slightly and gave him a look full of sympathy.

“Not exactly easy between you and your mom,” I said softly, earning a tired sideways glance from him.

“Never has been, nerd,” he muttered, then reached over and pulled me in by the nape of my neck, pressing me to his shoulder. His warmth made me let out a contented sigh. I rested my head against him, and he draped an arm around my shoulders. I felt safe. For the first time since we’d left his room, I actually relaxed.

That quiet moment - sitting together, curled up on the couch - pushed the chaos of the morning to the back of my mind. We just stayed there, letting our thoughts settle.

I was still surprised by how calmly Kacchan’s parents had taken our sudden confession. I’d been shocked enough by Aizawa’s reaction, but this was on another level. Still… I guess there was nothing really bad about it. I loved Kacchan. And he probably liked me too - otherwise he wouldn’t have said I belonged to him earlier.

God, he really said that. That I belonged to him. Damn. It was only just now sinking in how much that actually meant. How much it meant to me. I couldn’t hide the stupid lovestruck grin on my face. I barely managed to suppress a squeal, hoping Kacchan wouldn’t notice how giddy I was. My whole body felt like it was ready to explode from sheer happiness.

“What’s up, nerd?” he asked, probably noticing how I’d started squirming.

“Nothing,” I said quickly, still grinning to myself. I couldn’t hide it.

“Spit it out!”

“I’m just happy.”

“About what?”

“About what you said,” I replied vaguely. I didn’t want to say it out loud - it was kind of embarrassing.

“What did I say?”

I hesitated. Then I felt his fingers on my chin. He tilted my face up toward him, forcing me to meet his eyes. And just like that, the nerves faded, replaced by pure joy. His crimson eyes were so beautiful. He was beautiful. And he was all mine.

“Say it,” he demanded, voice low and deep.

I whispered against his lips, “That I belong to you.”

“Dork,” he murmured, amused, rolling his eyes before kissing me. It was such a soft, loving kiss. It made my heart dance. That warm, fluttery feeling spread through my whole body. Damn. I loved him. And I was realizing it more and more each time. At this rate, it was going to slip out of me sooner or later. No doubt.

The click of a phone camera made us spring apart instantly. I cursed whoever had ruined that beautiful, intimate moment. I turned toward the kitchen and saw Mitsuki standing in the doorway, absolutely smitten.

“God, I never thought you two would look this cute together. So sweet! I have to send that to Inko later!” she said happily.

“No!” I panicked and was about to jump up, but Kacchan held me back.

Instead, he turned to his mother, voice deathly calm: “Auntie doesn’t know about us. So you’re not sending anything, or even mentioning it.”

She looked disappointed. But I’d already decided earlier - this woman wasn’t just exhausting. She was the devil. No wonder Kacchan turned out the way he did.

“Oh, don’t be silly! I’ve already invited her over for coffee. We’ll tell her the happy news then!”

WHAT THE FUCK!!!!!!!!!

 

Notes:

That’s it… with a slightly… smaller? ^^’ Cliffhanger???
I’m sorry, the worst part is… this was just the first quarter of Sunday. And maybe - just maybe - the next chapter will end the same way.

What did you think? How did you like Kacchan’s parents? Was there anything you didn’t enjoy at all? Or any theories for what’s coming next?
Let me know! I’m always super happy when you leave me a few words ;)

So… see you Tuesday this time…Really…Maybe....hehe ;D

Chapter 41: Words of Affection

Notes:

Hello everyone!

God, do you even realize how sweet you all are? Honestly - just amazing!
I just reread your comments and I was like: oh my god, I'm dying!!! (Of overwhelming happiness, of course 😉) Thank you so, so much for all the love!

I really wanted to surprise you with a new chapter earlier again, but I have to start thinking ahead a bit… I mean, eventually I’ll run out of pre-written chapters for you (still stuck at chapter 62, oops ^^’)

So for now - enjoy Sunday: Part 2 of 4! 💚🧡

Chapter 41 – Words of Affection

 

Shocked, we sat frozen on the couch. Unable to react. What was she thinking? Why would she try to push us into something we weren’t ready for? I definitely hadn’t processed yet that Kacchan’s parents suddenly knew. And damn it, we’d barely been together for two weeks. Who knew if this whole thing wouldn’t suddenly fall apart again? Maybe Kacchan would just lose interest in me at some point.

Kacchan’s threatening growl snapped me out of my little panic spiral, shutting down my thoughts instantly.

“No one is telling her anything!”

Kacchan’s voice was so threatening, so final. He wasn’t yelling. He was calm. Scarily calm. Terrifyingly calm.

“Why not? She’ll be happy for you. And I don’t have to keep it from her,” Mitsuki argued. She somehow sounded… naïve?

“You wouldn’t know anything either if you hadn’t come home early. And I sure as hell wouldn’t have told you anything myself!”

“We’re your parents!”

“So what? That doesn’t automatically mean I have to tell you everything! I don’t owe you shit!” he spat at her. I could see him start to tremble.

For the first time that Sunday, Mitsuki seemed speechless. And maybe a little hurt. I knew they didn’t have a close relationship. It was more distant. And both of them struggled to express any kind of affectionate emotion. Did she tell Masaru she loved him often?

“Izuku already said this thing has just started. Maybe it’ll be over just as fast. And then Auntie would be sad and disappointed. So this stays between us!” Kacchan continued, his teeth clenched. He didn’t show the slightest regret toward his stunned mother. He clearly didn’t care what she thought or wanted.

And yet, it hurt hearing him say that. Of course, I knew the magic between us could vanish just as quickly. Maybe this whole thing really was just a phase. But seriously? How was I supposed to stop feeling the way I did about him?

“You really mean that, Katsuki? You’ve known each other your whole lives. Gone through good and some really bad times - mostly because of you. And now I have a photo of you two kissing. Looking happy while doing it!” Mitsuki shot back. I was surprised she didn’t raise her voice. She stayed calm and matter-of-fact, as if she was trying to tell her son our relationship wasn’t something that would break so easily.

But at the same time, she’d reminded us of middle school. I saw Kacchan lower his head slightly. I knew it still weighed on him. He’d just recently been thinking about all of it. After Ground Beta. He had, in his own way, apologized for it. And I’d already forgiven him. After all, he’d been the one constant in my life - the one who’d helped shape me into who I was now. And if our fights kept improving like the one against Togata, nothing could stop us. No matter the past.

I could see Kacchan struggling, searching for the right words. I didn’t want to just sit there. I grabbed his hand and gave it a gentle squeeze, smiling at him encouragingly before I turned to his mom and said, “That might all seem very logical to you - that something’s going on between us. But give us the time to figure out what that really is. And until we know, we’ll decide who to tell and who not to.”

“But why don’t you want to tell your mom, Izuku? Inko always says how close you two are. That you tell her everything,” she countered, instantly back in discussion mode. I felt the pressure in Kacchan’s hand tighten around mine. Tried not to wince at the pain. Damn this messed-up right hand of mine.

“I do. But I want to do it right. At the right time. When I have more to say. And she won’t be mad at you if you found out first. She’ll be glad you respected my wish to wait until I’m ready.”

I had no idea how my voice stayed that calm and soft, yet firm. Honestly. But I noticed both Bakugous settle down. They relaxed. And for the first time today, Mitsuki didn’t have some embarrassing comment locked and loaded.

“Inko’s still coming over for coffee,” she added, a little sulkily, and disappeared into the kitchen - past Masaru, who was standing in the doorway, smiling at everything.

I heard Kacchan exhale quietly, felt the tension leave his body. “Let’s go upstairs, nerd,” he muttered and stood up, pulling me up with him. I smiled and let go of his hand.

“I’ll just take the dishes to the kitchen. I’ll be up in a sec,” I said calmly. I could tell he needed a few minutes alone. A break from all of this. Especially from his mother.

He just nodded and trotted toward the stairs, lost in thought. I watched him until he disappeared completely. And then the tension inside me finally eased. I groaned, exhausted, and let myself fall back onto the couch. Closed my eyes and rubbed my face with both hands. Hallelujah. What a Sunday! And it wasn’t even close to being over yet.

I felt the couch sink beside me. Opened my eyes again and saw Masaru’s smiling face.

“Uncle Masaru!” I said, surprised. I hadn’t expected him to come over to me now.

“I’m a little jealous of you Midoriyas, you know that?” he started, leaning back in a relaxed way and gazing out the window. Wait, what?

“What do you mean?” I asked immediately, completely confused by this conversation opener. What was happening now? Should I maybe run before the next terrible conversation began? Although… sitting next  of me was Masaru Bakugou. The most oddly peaceful person on this planet. I’d always liked his calm nature. After that scene with his wife, I could only admire him more. How did he endure all that tension between his wife and son? Or did he secretly take calming pills just to survive in this household?

“No matter if it’s Inko or you. As soon as you’re nearby, Mitsuki and Katsuki calm down. I rarely see my son as peaceful as he just was on the couch. And relaxed. That was really nice to see,” he explained, sounding so endlessly proud.

My cheeks warmed at his words. Kacchan’s words came back to me, too, the ones he’d said when I asked him how he felt when I was around. It had only been one word. Peace. And now his father had seen the same?

I scratched my head, embarrassed, and mumbled a thank you. A short silence followed before something else came to mind: “But they were yelling at each other the whole time earlier.”

“Yeah, until you said something at lunch. They listened to you. Not to me,” he said calmly, with such a loving smile on his face that I really wondered why Kacchan had never shown any kind of affection toward his father.

“I didn’t even notice…” I murmured, trying to remember the scene again. Still couldn’t quite believe his words. “But Aunt Mitsuki…”

I saw Masaru shake his head. So I stopped my objection, because his expression suddenly looked so apologetic: “I need to apologize for my wife. She was really rude in the beginning. But she didn’t mean it in a bad way, Izuku! She was just nervous and unsure. Haven’t you noticed with Katsuki that he also starts exaggerating when he’s unsure of himself?”

Oh… OH!

Now that he said it, a bunch of scenes came to mind. Especially the one after the kitchen. Back then, I’d snapped at him for his arrogant words. And he’d said he didn’t know how else to deal with the situation. Oh my god! What would happen if I pointed out to Kacchan that he was like his mother?

I had to laugh a little. I couldn’t hold it back. God, I’d be so dead. And at the same time, I could picture him blushing for once.

“Uncle Masaru?” I got his attention again, standing up and picking up some of the dishes. “I’m really glad you’re in this house with us.”

He just nodded and immediately took the plates from my hands.

“Go on up to him, Izuku! He should have calmed down by now.”

I gave him a thankful nod too, then dashed up the stairs.

 

 

Kacchan’s room was dimly lit when I entered. I saw him lying on the bed on his back. His eyes closed, one leg bent, the other resting on top of it. His arms crossed behind his head. Another image burned into my retina. It was a typical pose of his, but that’s exactly what I liked. So unfiltered.

“What took you so long, nerd?” he grumbled at me without moving. I just smiled and climbed into bed with him, snuggling into the crook of his shoulder. I immediately felt him wrap his arm around me. Felt his warm hand on my lower back. Just so nice.

“I talked to your dad for a minute,” I mumbled quietly while breathing in his scent. Letting it wrap around me. I wrapped my arm around his stomach and forced him to straighten his legs so I could tangle mine with his.

Kacchan raised an eyebrow slightly, but stayed relaxed. Didn’t ask questions. Seemed to be waiting for me to go on. And I did - but only cryptically.

“I like your dad.”

“Tch. Why that wimp of all people?”

“He’s kind and calm. Exactly the counterbalance you both need in this house,” I defended him, kissing Kacchan on the cheek just as he was about to protest. Then I whispered in his ear: “And I know you like the way he is too. Because unlike your mom, he doesn’t provoke you.”

I heard the dismissive grumble before he turned on his side and pushed me onto my back. Slid on top of me and looked down at me intensely. I swallowed under his gaze. He suddenly seemed so different. Gave off his own kind of aura.

“The only kind I like is yours, nerd!” he growled firmly before pressing his lips to mine. And for a brief moment, I was too frozen to kiss him back. Kacchan had said he liked me. Well, my kind. But still - he said it. Just like that.

A lump formed in my throat. My heart literally hurt; it was pumping so hard. I felt the burning, hot wetness under my closed eyelids. Shit! Why was this throwing me off so badly?

“Emotional, stupid little nerd,” Kacchan mumbled. He must’ve noticed my slight trembling. I felt his lips gently on my eyelid. Then on the other one. He kissed my cheek. The tip of my nose. And my lips again. Featherlight. Soft. Loving. I felt weightless and overwhelmed at the same time. Noticed the butterflies in my stomach. It had to be thousands, it tickled that much.

Like someone drowning, I wrapped my arms around his neck, practically pressed him to me, and got lost in his touch. A few tears still found their way down my face. I couldn’t hold them back. I was overwhelmed by those few simple words. And by these touches that felt so different from the ones in the past days. So much deeper in emotion.

Eventually, we pulled away from each other. Eyes closed. Our foreheads leaning together. Breathing a little unsteadily. We calmed down. No tension building here. No urge to rip each other’s clothes off. No, I just felt an endlessly warm feeling. A feeling of being held. A feeling of being loved.

“Kacchan?” I whispered softly. Opened my eyes just a sliver. He did the same, the corners of his mouth curved in a sly smile.

“I like you. And I like this thing between us. And…” I paused for a moment, swallowed hard. Tried to wet my lips, “And I don’t want it to… to end. Ever.”

Kacchan’s reaction told me more than words ever could. His gaze looked a little blurry - maybe I imagined it. But when his hot hands framed my face and he kissed me with so much pressure, I knew he felt the same. And that was enough for me. More than enough. Because these feelings shooting through my body. The way they completely fogged up my brain. These feelings just couldn’t be put into words.

And at the same time, one thought crossed my mind: I was turning into a damn cheesy, cloud-nine-floating, rose-colored-glasses-wearing dork!

 

 

At some point, we had dozed off. Between caresses and gentle touches. We hadn’t said anything more. I’d enjoyed his closeness, and he’d enjoyed mine. We both enjoyed the silence. The quiet we needed after such a turbulent start to the day.

The soft knock on Kacchan’s door woke us up. Unlike this morning, I didn’t get scared to death - just slowly woke up. Kacchan next to me just grumbled a “What?” toward the door. Loud enough to be heard outside.

“Inko’s here. Are you two coming down in a minute?” I heard Masaru’s calm voice through the door. I smiled because it was him waking us up. And at the same time, I got nervous because my mom was downstairs while Kacchan and I were up here together in bed.

“We’ll be down in a bit,” Kacchan called back before burying his nose in my neck again and pulling me closer. I could only smile dreamily as his warm chest against my back almost lulled me right back to sleep.

“Oi nerd! Don’t fall asleep,” Kacchan grumbled. His hot breath made all the little hairs on the back of my neck stand up. I felt a pleasant shiver run down my spine. I couldn’t help but shudder once. Rubbed my arm, now covered in goosebumps.

I quickly wriggled out of his arms as he started planting soft kisses on me. He grumbled, but then rolled onto his back and rubbed his face.

“Let them wait down there,” he muttered, but in the end he sat up anyway. I did the same. Swung my legs out of bed right away and took a moment to gather myself.

I sighed into my palms as a very clear thought crossed my mind.

“Should we tell my mom?” I whispered uncertainly. I wasn’t even sure myself whether I wanted to or not. I thought about it while I waited for Kacchan’s reaction.

“What do you mean?”

“I know we just had that big scene with your mom downstairs about how we didn’t want to tell anyone. But somehow, I… I don’t know, wouldn’t it be super awkward now if everyone at the table tried to pretend nothing’s going on?” I explained my sudden change of heart. I still wasn’t sure how I felt about it. And I had no idea how to even tell her. But somehow, it felt unfair to keep her in the dark.

A short silence followed. Kacchan seemed to be thinking about what I’d said. I eventually heard an annoyed sigh from him before he grumbled, “Don’t care! Your call!”

But I had the feeling it didn’t really not matter to him. Like something was still bothering him.

“What’s bothering you about it?” I asked, which earned me the cold shoulder as he got up beside me and walked to the mirror to fix his hair. He ignored my question. Definitely on purpose.

“Kacchan…”

“Nothing’s bothering me. I just said that. I don’t care.”

“I don’t believe you,” I insisted. I heard a frustrated sound from him before he turned around. I couldn’t read his expression. He looked unsure and angry at the same time. Angry at himself.

But I didn’t back down. I looked at him and waited. But he kept ignoring it. Just wanted to leave the room. I reacted just in time to grab his wrist.

“Kacchan!”

He turned to me, but kept his head lowered. I saw his shoulders trembling slightly. Was he angry?

“If you don’t want to, just say so. It’s okay with me,” I said to him. I had the feeling I’d done something wrong. Felt that sinking feeling in my stomach that always came with guilt, even though I didn’t know why.

I leaned down a little to see his lowered face. His lips were pressed into a hard, straight line. His eyes glanced to the side when I moved into his field of vision. Why?

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to—”

“You don’t always have to apologize! Especially when it’s not your fault!” Kacchan cut me off harshly. He looked at me now. Seemed sad.

“Can you at least explain it to me?” I asked quietly. Suddenly I felt his hand on the back of my head. He pulled me against his chest. His chin pressed sharply into my hair. I heard him inhale again. Felt him bury his face in my hair. I slid my hands under his arms to his back and held him. Waited. Didn’t have to wait long.

“Auntie’s probably not going to be okay with it,” he muttered, still not letting me go. Maybe he didn’t want me to look at him right now.

“Why not?”

“Because I’m not good enough for you.”

My eyes flew open in shock. I pulled my arms back and pushed off his chest with all my strength. Looked at his averted face in disbelief.

“Are you stupid or what?” I spat, relatively quietly. I didn’t want to speak too loud. Who knew how thin the Bakugou walls really were.

“What? I made your life a living hell, for fuck’s sake. Who would want their son with someone like that?” he growled at me. I could tell it still haunted him. Even though we said we were past that point.

“I’ve always admired you and defended you to her. Always! No matter what she said. So stop thinking like that! Besides… I’m the one with the stupid thoughts, remember?”

My voice softened toward the end. I wanted to cheer him up. Why was he doubting so much right now? He was confident. He was strong. Why was my mom suddenly throwing him off so much?

“Izuku…”

“No! She’ll be happy. Because I’m happy right now. And so are you… right?”

A pained smile crossed his face before he nodded so gently I almost didn’t catch it.

“Everything will be okay,” I said to both of us, mumbling under my breath, “Because I really can’t take anything else today.”

I looked up when I heard Kacchan chuckle softly. He ruffled my hair and pressed a kiss to my forehead. “Idiot.”

“You know that this idiot won’t leave your side now, right?”

“When have you ever left my side in my whole life?”

Now I laughed too. Because damn, he had hit the nail on the head. I must’ve been one hell of an annoying little cling-on.

 

 

When we entered the kitchen, everyone was already sitting at the table. My mom jumped up right away and pulled me into a hug.

“Oh, sweetheart! We finally get to see each other after all! Everything okay?” she started fussing over me instantly. Planted a loud kiss on my cheek. Looked me over quickly from head to toe. I just laughed and shook my head, saying, “Everything’s fine, Mom! Kacchan was with me the whole time.”

We hadn’t talked about whether we’d tell her or not while we were upstairs. But I wasn’t going to pretend or hold back. Either the right moment would come, or it wouldn’t. Maybe little hints like that one would be enough for the penny to drop. At least then we could skip the awkward, stammered confession.

My mom must’ve noticed the sparkle in my eyes. She just laughed, let go of me, and looked at Kacchan, who was standing slightly behind me.

“Hello, Katsuki!”

“Hi, Auntie,” he replied a bit stiffly. Tried to give her a faint smile. It was honestly a little creepy to see. But my mom was my mom. And I loved her for laughing anyway and pulling him into a quick hug. I noticed how stiff Kacchan suddenly became. He really didn’t like being touched, let alone hugged. And because she probably noticed it too, she let go quickly. Turned back to me, gave my cheek a little affectionate pinch, and went back to the table with us.

Kacchan and I sat down in the same seats we’d had at lunch. Across from us were our moms now, and Masaru sat at the head of the table. I felt a bit nervous, but the cake on the table quickly distracted me.

“Oh, Aunt Mitsuki! Where did you pull these out from?” I asked, my mouth already watering. One looked like a chocolate cake and the other was a delicious, fresh strawberry tart. Even our mochis, which we hadn’t eaten yesterday, were on the table.

“Well, since Inko told me you two were staying here, and we passed by a famous patisserie on the way back, we decided to get a few extras,” she explained excitedly, then added, “But be careful with the chocolate tart. I got that one for you, you ungrateful brat!”

Kacchan’s expression darkened for a second - he was just about to snap back when I nudged his hand under the table and asked, “What’s in it?”

I noticed Masaru’s amused face from the corner of my eye. I definitely liked him more and more.

“Salted caramel, and the ganache on top has red chili jalapeño and sea salt flakes.”

Oof, that really did sound… interesting. Okay, not for me. It sounded too spicy and intense. But I knew Kacchan didn’t like sweet stuff. And honestly, I thought it was kind of sweet of her to bring something especially for him. I wondered if he appreciated that too?

“Coffee would’ve been enough,” was all Kacchan said in response, of course. I sighed internally. At the same time, it kind of made me mad. I jabbed him lightly in the side with my elbow. Our eyes met, and after a few eyebrow wiggles, he finally muttered, “Thanks anyway, old hag.”

I smiled, satisfied, but immediately noticed the skeptical look from my mother. Her expression quickly softened though, and suddenly she said, “It’s nice to see you two getting along again. Feels almost like back then.”

“Yeah right, they’re kinda cute together,” Mitsuki chimed in cheerily. That sounded way too obvious to me, so I held my breath for a second. But Masaru quickly poured everyone some coffee. I held my hand over my cup and shook my head with a polite smile.

I turned to Kacchan just as he pushed back his chair and walked into the kitchen. I watched him take a cup from the cupboard and fill it with milk. Grinned, because I knew exactly what he was doing.

“How was your business trip?” my mom asked. It was nice to see how quickly they all slipped into casual chatter. And honestly, it was a bit of a relief for me. Gave me a moment to think about whether I really wanted to drop the bombshell or not.

I listened to them chatting until Kacchan came back to the table and placed a hot chocolate in front of me. I felt the faint brush of his hand on my back as he sat down next to me again. That tiny gesture alone made my heart flutter. And it fluttered even more when I noticed the three little marshmallows.

Kacchan just rolled his eyes, then sprinkled some of the cinnamon he’d brought into his coffee. His face twisted a little. Black coffee really was the nastiest thing I’d ever tasted. I couldn’t even drink it with lots of milk and sugar. So the idea of drinking it black with cinnamon was just beyond me.

“Don’t look at me like that, nerd! I’d never in my life drink your sugar-infested chocolate either,” he grumbled at me.

“You just don’t have any taste!” I shot back instantly, earning a dirty look. I smiled innocently and made him sigh. He didn’t say anything else, just took a sip of his hot coffee and leaned back.

I just smiled and let Masaru serve me a slice of strawberry cake. I took Kacchan’s plate too and handed it over to Masaru, who placed a piece of the chocolate cake on it. And as I looked at the cake, I really had to be careful not to drool. I wasn’t usually the biggest fan of caramel, but the center of that cake still looked a little gooey and made it look insanely moist. Just appetizing.

“Not for you,” Kacchan muttered after taking a bite. Seemed pleased with the taste. Mitsuki also ate from the cake, while the rest of us stuck with the regular ones. Still, I was curious.

“Can I have a bite of your cake, Kacchan?”

“It’s too spicy for you,” he rejected it immediately, but all it took was a quiet “Please?” to get him to cut me a tiny piece with his cake fork after all. He held it up to my face with a smirk, and I was honestly tempted to just open my mouth. But we were sitting here with our parents. With two of them in the know and one in the dark. It would be embarrassing no matter what.

So I took the fork from his hand and fed myself the bite. Regretted it a minute later. Dear god. Why was it so spicy? A couple of chili flakes couldn’t possibly bring that much heat! But the flavor was amazing. Really. That sweet-salty combo was a delight on my tongue. Just… not the chili part.

I quickly took a big sip of my hot chocolate and was relieved it toned it down a bit.

“Told you so,” came Kacchan’s inevitable comment as he took his fork back to eat the rest of the piece right away. Probably to save me from doing something dumb again. Because honestly, the cake was delicious. And I might have wanted another bite. It was just mean of him to eat it all like that.

I pouted a little. Tried not to, but I definitely did - just a bit. Kacchan smiled at that and shook his head. I caught a twitch of his arm out of the corner of my eye. Had he almost ruffled my hair?

I didn’t even notice how quiet the rest of the table had gotten. Not until I glanced over at our moms. Saw Mitsuki’s delighted expression and my mom’s slightly confused one. Felt my cheeks grow warm. God, I’d been so deep in my Kacchan-bubble since yesterday that I could barely keep it together. I wanted to look at him. Gaze at him. Touch him. Just lie in his arms and enjoy it. Maybe last night hadn’t been such a great idea - at least not for my emotional mess.

“You two are something else! First fighting in the middle of the night and now acting like you’re four again,” my mom laughed, and I laughed with her. A little awkwardly, but she seemed to tolerate our rekindled “friendship.”

My mom had always believed in talking at the dinner table. She always said shared meals were meant for interaction. For exchanging thoughts and building connections. Whether it was business dinners, lunch with colleagues, or with family. So, naturally, she brought up a topic she didn’t realize didn’t actually exist.

“So, how was your evening yesterday? Did you manage to finish everything for school?” she asked innocently and kindly. Unfortunately, it was the perfect setup for Kacchan’s mom. Because Mitsuki choked on her coffee. Then burst out laughing. Kacchan growled, and Masaru gave her a warning look. And me? Yeah, I felt utter shame thinking about what we’d really done last night. Because my mom had no clue that I wasn’t quite as innocent as she still believed.

God, this was like a scene from a really bad movie. But what came next in movies like that? An awkward confession? A slip-up from someone who knew? Panicked lying that was way too obvious to be believable? Shit, what was the right move?

I could just tell her. Say that we didn’t meet up for homework. But how was I supposed to say it? And was Kacchan actually okay with it? I didn’t even know how my mom would react. That was the whole reason Kacchan had doubts earlier. And I couldn’t exactly tell her we met up here to ha—

“Izuku!” Kacchan’s voice snapped me out of it. I looked at him, startled, and instantly slapped my hand over my mouth. Had I mumbled something?

And as if Kacchan had read my mind, he answered the silent question: “Don’t worry! You were just about to start mumbling.” Internally, I thanked him. Thanked him for stepping in – finally - because he’d been noticeably quiet at the table. So quiet that of course my mom had picked up on it. Especially after Mitsuki’s reaction.

“What’s going on here? Did you two do something?” my mom asked seriously. She said it in that strict, motherly tone. The one that used to make me drop my head instantly as a kid because I knew I’d done something wrong.

“Uh, well, not exactly ‘did something…’” I started quietly, glancing up and catching Mitsuki’s twitching eyebrows and amused face.

“Are you grounded again?” she pressed, laughing now and shaking her head.

“No, we’ve had enough of that for a while.”

I looked to Kacchan for help, but he had his lips pressed tightly together again and was staring off in another direction. He clearly wasn’t comfortable. But what could I say now that would be believable enough to make her drop it?

“I’ll get us a bit of sake,” Mitsuki grinned, which only confused my mom more. She called after her longtime friend, “Did they break something in the house?”

“MOM!” I yelped, totally mortified. God! What did she think we’d done?

“Oh, Inko! Trust me, it’s nothing bad. I think everything’s still in one piece. Right, boys?”

Kacchan beside me was shaking. My face was burning. I saw the tips of Kacchan’s ears turn red. This was way more uncomfortable than anything we’d experienced so far. Aizawa catching us kissing in the kitchen, or Mitsuki barging into the room this morning - those were nothing compared to this. Even the awkward sex talk was a walk in the park next to this.

“Mitsuki! We talked about this earlier,” Masaru now chimed in, gently scolding her. She gave him an apologetic look. I didn’t buy it. She looked way too pleased about the whole situation. Why did she seem to enjoy this so much? She acted like she was watching her favorite soap opera.

I looked back at my mom, who had now crossed her arms and was giving me a very serious look: “Izuku Midoriya! You’re going to tell me right now what’s going on here!”

I whimpered and instinctively reached under the table for Kacchan’s hand. He laced our fingers together immediately, and because I was way too embarrassed to say anything or even look her in the eye, I took a deep breath and slowly lifted our joined hands. Kacchan didn’t resist, so I held them up between our shoulders for everyone to see.

And then came just one thing: silence.

No one said a word. After what felt like minutes, I heard someone take a deep breath. Seemed like it was my mother. I peeked up just a little and saw her pale face. And right in that moment, my heart sank straight to the floor.

 

Notes:

That’s it!!
Uhm... sorry for the next cliffhanger????? I think it might be the last one for now ^^'
What do you think about the progress those two have made? Kacchan did admit to a few things after all! <3
And what about Inko showing up? What do you think will happen next???? 👀

Fun fact: This story was originally supposed to have only 40 chapters ^^' back in the very beginning… Now I’m not even sure if I can wrap it up by chapter 70 ^^'
So yeah - we’ve still got some time left with those two <3

Have a lovely week! I’ll see you again on Friday! :* 💚🧡

Chapter 42: Emotional Roller Coaster

Notes:

Hey everyone!
Woohoo! It's finally Friday – and finally time to end that last cliffhanger 😅 Sorry again for that one. But your comments were... absolutely hilarious, hehe.

Before you dive into this chapter, just a quick little note: Our boys are teenagers, and, well… teenagers react very differently than adults in certain situations. They're more dramatic, more emotional, more intense – and way less rational. Trust me, I see it all the time with my students 😅

Have fun! 💚🧡

Chapter 42 – Emotional Roller Coaster

 

“W-what?...W-what is the meaning of this?” was all my mom could stammer, completely shocked. I swallowed hard as a heavy stone settled in my stomach, so heavy I thought I might throw up. At the same time, my mouth felt bone dry. Why had I done that just now?

“Oh, Inko, sweetie! Isn’t it obvious?” Mitsuki said, and I saw her pat my mom’s shoulder as she sat back down. I didn’t know if I should feel relieved or annoyed that she was the one answering. But I couldn’t get a word out right now anyway. Somehow, Kacchan’s fear seemed to be coming true. And that was something I really hadn’t expected. Not from my open-hearted mother. Not in a million years.

“You knew about this?”

“Only since I walked in on them in bed together this morning—” Mitsuki started, but I interrupted her in a panic: “We were just sleeping.”

My ears were ringing, and my head felt like it was about to explode. God, could someone please get me out of here? Or make Mitsuki a little less ambiguous? I mean, she wasn’t wrong. But this morning we really had just been sleeping. Next to each other. Without any physical contact.

“Izuku…” I heard my mom’s voice. I couldn’t place her tone. Was she shocked? Disappointed? Or just overwhelmed?

“Kacchan and I may have made up a little more than I told you. And since Mitsuki and Masaru found out by accident this morning, we didn’t want to be unfair and keep you in the dark,” I explained quietly. Mumbled it more to my plate than looked her in the eye. I wasn’t ashamed of Kacchan. God, no. I could only be proud of this handsome, brilliant, and intelligent guy. But right now, my mother made me feel like I’d done something wrong. Wrong in her eyes.

And the next thing she said confirmed it - making all the blood in my veins freeze.

“B-but… what about that sweet brown-haired girl from your class?”

Kacchan’s hand tightened. I felt his whole body tense up while I just stared at her in disbelief. I caught the slightly shocked look on Mitsuki’s face out of the corner of my eye. Maybe it felt like a slap to her too? After all, it seemed like her son wasn’t the first choice for her best friend’s son. No, quite the opposite. She seemed to outright reject the idea.

How could she say something so heartless, so hurtful, while we were all sitting here? Didn’t she realize she’d just hurt everyone at the table?

“Mama…” I barely breathed out, completely stunned, and then suddenly Kacchan stood up next to me. He let go of my hand before I could even register it or stop him. Walked out of the kitchen without a word.

“Kacchan!” I called after him, jumping to my feet and watching him go. He paused for a moment and glanced back over his shoulder.

“I’ll go pack our things. We have to head back soon anyway.”

I couldn’t respond. His voice was so calm and flat. Completely void of emotion. I swallowed hard. And as he slowly disappeared from view, so did my clarity. Damn it! How could my mom do this to him?

Without thinking, my body wanted to follow him - but after just one step, I heard my mother’s voice again, calling my name in shocked disbelief.

Something started to boil inside me. All the disappointment. Every bit of shock. It all turned into pure anger. Anger over how my mom had reacted. It pushed away any objectivity, any chance for calm. I couldn’t think rationally. Because I was angry. Angry that she had hurt Kacchan with that one sentence. That she had hurt me.

“Why are you like this?” I started. I felt my voice shake. It got darker. I narrowed my eyes, which only made my already blurry vision worse. But I didn’t need to see her clearly. I knew she was sitting in front of me, and that she had just driven away Kacchan, my boyfriend.

“Why couldn’t you just be happy for us like Masaru and Mitsuki were? Why couldn’t you smile? Why bring up Uraraka, who’s just a damn friend? Nothing more! Nothing less! Damn it! I wanted to tell you! Kacchan was scared of how you’d react! And what did I do, like a fool? I told him not to worry - because I had such a kind and loving mother. But apparently, I was wrong!”

It all just came pouring out of me. I dumped everything that was racing through my mind at her feet. Saw her eyes fill with tears too. Watched as she reached out her arms toward me. Heard her desperate, “Izuku, please, let—”

But I didn’t let her finish. I didn’t want to hear anything right now. All I could think was that she wanted to take away everything I loved. Being a hero. Moving into the dorms. And now Kacchan. She had to be convinced about everything. But this time, I wasn’t going to beg her for permission like All Might on his knees. Hell no! Absolutely not!

I didn’t look at her again. Walked away from the table and toward the door. But before stepping out, I turned back and spoke as firmly and seriously as I possibly could: “Kacchan has always belonged with me. And that’s never going to change. Now even less than before. Because he means more to me than anything else in the world! Anything!”

With that, I walked out of the room. All I heard was a long, drawn-out, resigned “Inkoooo” from Aunt Mitsuki. And a tiny part of me hoped that she’d talk to my mom in peace. Something I definitely couldn’t do anymore today.

 

 

When I finally stepped into Kacchan’s room, I didn’t look around. Yeah, I wanted to check on him, but my body just had no strength left. Too many emotions had hit me since last night. Too many conflicting emotions. Emotions that left me completely drained, sliding down the door. I couldn’t take it anymore. Pulled my legs up, curled into a ball, and without any hesitation, let my feelings out. I cried. Sobbed. Wept.

My thoughts began to spin. Dizzyingly fast. Why had it escalated like this? Had I reacted the right way? Had I overreacted? Should I have tried to talk calmly? Maybe she hadn’t meant it like that? Maybe this was just one big misunderstanding?

Questions swirled through my mind. Questions my heart answered with a firm ‘No.’ Because Kacchan had been the one hurt. No doubt. That tension in his body, that emotionless tone in his voice - it hurt more than any of the anger he usually threw at people.

“The floor’s cold,” I heard a soft voice in front of me. I lifted my head and saw red eyes. Eyes with faint traces of tears. Had Kacchan been crying?

“I’m so sorry,” I sobbed out immediately. Way too high-pitched. Cracked. Choked.

I felt a gentle hand on my hair. It wandered down to my cheek. Tried to wipe the wet skin dry. But it was impossible - the tears wouldn’t stop. No, Kacchan’s warm hand only made more of the hot, salty water flow.

“Come here, nerd.”

He pulled me to my feet. I practically collapsed into his arms right away. He pulled me a little more until he could at least lean back against the bed frame.

We sat on the floor in front of the bed together. I was on his lap. Clinging to him, crying into his shoulder. I felt his hand on my back, the other on my neck. Stroking. Massaging. Trying to calm me down. I noticed subconsciously that he was trembling slightly too. Felt guilty - because he needed comfort as well. I should’ve been giving him my attention. But the shock inside me was too deep. I needed to find myself first.

“She hates me,” I managed to say eventually, which made Kacchan’s hand stop moving at the back of my neck.

“I think you’re getting that mixed up,” he whispered bitterly in my ear. I sensed that he thought the hate was directed at him instead. I shook my head, wiping my tears on his already damp shirt.

“No, really! Everything that makes me happy… everything I wish for… she wants to take it all away from me,” I sobbed into his shoulder. My fingers clenched the fabric of his shirt tightly.

“What do you mean?” Kacchan asked calmly, murmuring it into my ear in such a flat tone that it almost soothed me. And it worked. I felt that pleasant tingle from his warm breath. Still couldn’t bring myself to look up.

Instead, I gave him a shaky, sniffling explanation: “She didn’t want me to become a hero. She only accepted my application to U.A. because she thought I wouldn’t stand a chance without a quirk.”

I paused for a moment and sniffled because my nose had started running from all the crying. I could taste it on my lips. I imagined Kacchan cringing in disgust. But he didn’t say anything. He just took one hand off my back, and for a second I felt like we were going to fall sideways. I peeked up and saw him reaching toward the nightstand for tissues. I took one gratefully and blew out everything that had come loose during my emotional breakdown. Kind of gross. But I couldn’t help it.

Kacchan waited patiently, looking at me with quiet concern. I sat up a little, looking down at his lap. Fiddled with the hem of his shirt with my fingers.

“After the summer camp, she wanted to pull me out of school. I prayed and begged. Promised her I wouldn’t break anything anymore. She wouldn’t listen. And then All Might came and told her about the dorms. And she said no. She didn’t want it. I felt so powerless in that moment. Powerless against my own mother. For the first time, I really understood what it meant to have a legal guardian - what they could take away from you.”

I laughed bitterly. Wiped my eyes with the tissue, making a face because it was sticky and damp.

“Izu…” Kacchan started softly, but I shook my head and looked up at him. “Do you know what All Might did? Do you know what my mom indirectly made him do, just so I could live with you in the dorms now?”

The blonde head moved slightly left and right. Kacchan’s gaze was alert - and somehow unsure. Maybe this was overwhelming him too?

“He crawled on the floor in front of my mom. Got on his knees and bowed so deeply, his forehead touched the ground. The Number One Hero, the Symbol of Peace, our superhero - he had to bow down to my mom so I could go to the dorms. Because she wanted to crush my dream. Wanted to forbid it. She’d lock me in a glass case if she could. At least that’s how it feels.”

“She’s just worried. She doesn’t hate you,” I heard Kacchan say softly. I was surprised that he was defending my mother. I couldn’t understand it. She was clearly against him. How else was I supposed to interpret it when my boyfriend was sitting right next to me and my mom asked about some girl instead? A girl she would have rather seen at my side. Rather than Kacchan.

“She doesn’t want me to be happy. What else could explain saying something so heartless? While you’re sitting right next to me and I practically came out to her just before? How could she hurt you like that?”

My voice was barely a whisper by the end. I’d lowered my head again and leaned it against Kacchan’s chest, while more tears flowed from my eyes. Dropped straight into his lap. I bit my lower lip, but I couldn’t stop the next sob. Damn it! I just wanted to rewind the last half hour and undo it all. Then maybe things wouldn’t be such a mess now.

“It’s okay. I expected it,” Kacchan whispered to me softly, placing a kiss on the back of my head. I heard that sad, resigned tone in his voice - and it made my eyes burn even more, made my heart clench. I felt the weight of his head resting on mine. He let it hang, just like I did.

“It’s not fair.”

“Your mom just reacted like anyone would. I bullied you and tormented you. For years. How would you feel if, say, the worst guy in school - the one who made your mom’s life hell back then - suddenly showed up as her new boyfriend?”

“You weren’t the worst, Kacchan! You were always the best,” I shot back instantly. I lifted my head and nudged his up too. Looked at him with a bit of anger. Why was he bringing this up again? I’d told him I never really held it against him. Told him he was always my number one hero. Why was he still clinging to that role?

He looked at me with wide eyes. Seemed unsure how to respond. So I kept going, answering his earlier point: “Besides, that would be totally different. They wouldn’t have seen each other for years. We were always together. I was always by your side. I never took my eyes off you. You were always my friend, no matter how you acted at school.”

“Deku…” he began, but I shook my head again. Firmer. More determined.

“No! And I know you couldn’t be without me either. If you’d really hated me, you could’ve just ignored me. But you didn’t. You always sought me out. Even if it hurt me sometimes, that doesn’t matter now. That’s the past. The fact is - we were always together. And I always defended you to my mom. I always talked about your Quirk like it was the most amazing thing ever. I always watched you. Analyzed everything you did. Wrote it all down. I - God, that sounds kinda creepy now…”

Kacchan laughed quietly as I interrupted my own rambling, realizing how embarrassing I was starting to sound. I smiled back at him shyly, enjoying the warmth of his palm resting against my cheek. It pushed away the heat rising in my face.

“Stalker.”

I closed my eyes as he brushed his thumb gently over my wet lashes. Trying to make me forget the tears.

“Now I lost my train of thought… um… what I was trying to say—”

I couldn’t start rambling again. Kacchan’s lips stopped me. Made me sigh. Felt so comforting against my hot mouth. And they calmed me down. Let me forget the awful scene downstairs for a moment.

“It’s only gonna get more embarrassing if you keep talking,” he murmured between kisses. His other hand found its way to my other cheek. Framed my face. Pulled me closer. Held me there. Kept me from pulling away to say anything else.

His touch relaxed me. The tension in my shoulders slowly melted away. The anger faded. And even the tightness in my chest loosened a little. All thanks to Kacchan. He gave me these feelings. There couldn’t be anything wrong with that. She just had to accept it. Tolerate it. Even if it meant my close bond with my mom would suffer - I’d accept it. For Kacchan. Because I couldn’t imagine him not being at my side anymore. I never could, but now even less so. I never wanted to miss his touch, his closeness, his warmth ever again. A very naive thought. But my heart wasn’t allowing any other right now.

Kacchan slowly pulled away from me. Looked deeply into my eyes. His features were so soft. I sighed happily when he gave me a kiss on the forehead before his hands left my cheeks.

The loss of warmth made me shiver briefly. So I threw myself right back into his arms. Wrapped my arms around him and rested my head on his shoulder. Turned my face away from him.

A short, pleasant silence settled between us. I enjoyed his warmth. Focused on his steady breathing. Closed my eyes. I could’ve sat like this with him forever. I felt so free and weightless. Unburdened. Despite how awful the day had been so far. Who would’ve thought that coming out like this would be so exhausting?

It suddenly made me feel sure that we should keep it a secret. Even if the longing during the day would be unbearable. I couldn’t take any more reactions like that, or comments, or awkward conversations. Not again - not so soon.

At the same time, I had the feeling that all of it had brought us even closer together. Kacchan had been so gentle and affectionate with me. So caring and soft. I cherished every little gesture he made toward me. Whether it was the hot chocolate, his “He belongs to me now,” or the kiss on the couch. So many small, beautiful moments that I was sure I couldn’t even name them all anymore. And that was just in half a day!

I snapped out of my thoughts when Kacchan suddenly shifted a little. I heard him inhale more deeply. Felt his fingers, which had been drawing lazy circles on my back, suddenly stop.

“What happened downstairs while I was gone?” he asked me. He didn’t force me to look at him. Seemed like he was speaking in the opposite direction.

I had to think for a moment. Then I felt the uncomfortable heat rise in my cheeks. God, I’d just blurted everything out down there. An indirect love confession to Kacchan. And I’d probably really hurt my mom in the process.

“Izuku?” he prompted again when I didn’t answer. I felt his hands on my shoulders. He gently pushed me back a little.

He must’ve seen my red cheeks. Nothing else could’ve prompted his next words: “What kind of embarrassing crap did you say down there?”

“Uh…” I mumbled, unsure, glancing up and seeing Kacchan’s resigned look. But there was no sadness in it anymore. More like mild annoyance. And the long sigh that followed made me smile at him uncertainly.

“Spit it out!” he demanded, running a hand over his face before leaning further back against the bed frame.

I nervously fidgeted with my fingers before I mumbled softly and nervously: “Maybe… something like, you’re more important to me than anything else in the world?”

“Oh my god, Deku!” Kacchan groaned, throwing his head back. It landed on the bed. He slapped his hands over his face and let out another dramatic groan.

I looked at him, embarrassed - but then I noticed the bright red tips of his ears. I couldn’t help but grin. So I had embarrassed him with that. Kind of cute.

“What else was I supposed to say?”

“I don’t know! Something not so… not so… oh fuck! You’re so fucking emotional and dramatic!”

I opened my mouth to protest. Had to collect myself for a second before countering, “You were the one who said, ‘He belongs to me!’ So what’s the difference?”

Kacchan growled and tried to glare at me. I laughed. His face was bright red.

“Shut up, nerd!” he snapped right away, which only made me laugh harder. Now I could kind of understand why he always made me blush. It was just too good to see.

I giggled to myself a little until Kacchan finally punched me lightly on the shoulder.

“This is all your fault,” he grumbled, folding his arms. I raised an eyebrow at him.

“Why is it my fault now?”

“Because your damn emotional nonsense is rubbing off on me,” he complained, waving his arms around a bit. I grabbed his hands and objected, “No, it’s not!”

“Oh yes, it is! Forget about me ever saying girly crap like that again!”

“That has nothing to do with being girly - just means you’re actually saying what you think or feel.”

Kacchan opened his mouth to fire back, but I didn’t give him the chance: “And it doesn’t make you look weak either. Isn’t it a sign of strength when someone can say stuff like that out loud?”

Kacchan just clicked his tongue in annoyance. I watched as he fiddled with my fingers until he ended up interlocking them with his. I smiled as I looked down at our hands before hearing him grumble, “Still sounds super gay.”

I had to grin. And before my brain could catch up, I blurted out straight from the gut, “Says the guy who fucked me in the ass last night.”

Oh….OH!

I slapped both hands over my mouth in shock. Had I really just said that? Out loud? Oh god! That couldn’t have come out of my mouth. Not like that!

Panicked, I looked at Kacchan’s face. Saw a brief stunned expression - before it turned into a dirty grin.

Ah shit! I really had said that. Exactly like that. Hell!

My face felt like it was going to explode from the heat. I wanted to sink into the floor. God, this was so embarrassing. I wasn’t just covering my mouth anymore - I was hiding my whole face behind my hands.

I heard Kacchan’s quiet, dark laugh.

“Well, nerd! Seems like my filthy mouth is rubbing off on you too.” He sounded so amused. That bastard.

“Kacchaaaan,” I whined and already wanted to hide back in the crook of his neck, but he stopped me and pulled me into a kiss instead. I rolled my eyes behind closed lids as the corners of my mouth betrayed me and curled up again. Shit. He had me completely under his spell. No matter what he said. Whether he made me mad or embarrassed me to death. One kiss, and everything was forgotten. One kiss, and I’d do anything he wanted. When had I fallen so hard for him? Or maybe it was just my teen hormones going wild - still stuck on that intoxicating, indescribable feeling from last night?

When Kacchan pulled away from me, I immediately tried to chase his lips again. But he dodged me. I let out a little grumble. Pouted just a tiny bit. He just smirked slightly, but then asked a little more seriously, “Anything else happen down there?”

I sighed. Why did he have to dig further now? Couldn’t we just leave it at that and forget everything that happened downstairs? I’d much rather enjoy a few more quiet moments up here and then sneak away unnoticed.

But Kacchan wasn’t going to let it go. So I took a deep breath and said quietly and honestly, “Maybe I told my mom that I was disappointed in her and that she wasn’t as loving as she seemed.”

Kacchan groaned and gave me a reproachful look. “Oi, nerd! How can you say something like that to Auntie?”

“She hurt you.”

“She’s still your mom,” he countered, looking at me seriously. He clearly didn’t like that I’d argued with her because of him. Though calling it an argument might be a stretch - I’d mostly just hurled my opinion at her.

So I stayed in my stubborn stance and tried to deflect: “You don’t exactly hold back with your mom either!”

“Tch, yeah, well - I don’t need to. You can’t hurt someone who doesn’t have feelings.”

“Kacchan!” I said, appalled.

“What?”

“Your mom was really hurt when you said you’d never tell them anything willingly,” I replied. I saw him cross his arms and growl, “You imagined that.”

I sighed. Their relationship wasn’t something that could be fixed in a day. But I’d manage it somehow - get them to talk openly one day. Without yelling or insults. Even if it took me years. Assuming we stayed together that long.

We looked at each other and sighed at the same time. I smiled a little and said quietly, “We’re kind of in a really weird situation.”

Kacchan snorted. “More like absurd.”

“Absurd but nice.”

“Oi, nerd! Don’t start again,” Kacchan warned quietly. I knew he didn’t want to keep talking about feelings and all that. I gave him a small smile and gently ran my hand along his forearm.

“So I’m not allowed to say again that I like you?”

A whisper. I didn’t dare say it louder. My fingers continued brushing softly over his arm. I watched the little blond hairs stand on end. Saw a slight shiver. Fascinating.

“No! We’re done with the emotional crap for today,” he grumbled, pushed my hand away, and rubbed his arm. Maybe it tickled?

I paused for a second, then my lips curled into a mischievous smile. I looked at him while a wild thought raced through my head.

‘If I can’t say it… then…’ I thought, shifting on his lap so I wasn’t just sitting on his thighs anymore.

“I hate you,” I grinned at him, dug my hands into his sides, and kissed him. Caught his lower lip and gently bit it. Felt him shudder. Smiled as innocently as possible while imagining I saw his eyes darken just a little.

And then came something I hadn’t expected. Suddenly, he grabbed me by the hair, pulled my head back slightly and to the side, while his other hand grabbed my ass.

I shut my eyes briefly to suppress the shiver of arousal that ran through me. He wasn’t making it easy when his hot breath brushed past my ear.

“I hate you too, nerd!” he growled in my ear, then bit my earlobe. Made me gasp audibly as my heart started racing. He’d said it back. Would he have done that if I’d said love instead of hate? Or could he only say it like this because, deep down, he told himself it didn’t count as a love confession?

I couldn’t think any further, because his mouth moved from my ear down my neck. His hand on my butt pulled me closer against him. I felt - through our clothes - that it was kind of turning us both on. Not enough that I wanted to rip my pants off just yet, but it was definitely heating me up.

“Kacchaan,” I breathed, half a warning, trying to pull away a little. I wanted to lie down with him on the bed - but our parents were still downstairs.

“Screw it,” he said darkly, and I felt him lift me as if I weighed nothing. He shifted onto the edge of the bed and let himself fall backward, pulling me with him.

I swallowed at the sight of him beneath me. That view had always fascinated me. Even back then - God, I say back then like we’ve been together for ages - but it had made me nervous too. That was after the kitchen. The first time we’d touched each other completely naked. God, that was barely two weeks ago. How had we done it so often in that short time?

Kacchan under me growled, and I looked at him apologetically. Guess I’d drifted off again.

He pushed himself up from underneath me, grabbed me, and rolled us over. I squeaked in surprise when I suddenly found myself lying on the bed. Looked into Kacchan’s deep red eyes. Instinctively grabbed the back of his neck and pulled him down to me. Brain off! Or like he said: Screw it! No one was gonna come in.

Well… in theory.

Reality, however, was that Kacchan had just made it to my neck and his hand had found its way under my shirt - when there was a knock on the door.

I groaned in frustration, while Kacchan just rolled his eyes with a grumble. I watched him sit up and glare at the door. I pushed myself up onto my elbows.

“Izuku?” came the hesitant, uncertain voice of my mom. I immediately had a bad feeling in my stomach and started nervously wiggling my legs. Wanted Kacchan to get off me.

He looked at me, annoyed, but then we both froze when we heard the much louder voice outside the door.

“Oh come on, Inko! No one’s gonna open up if you’re that timid. Let me show you how it’s done.”

I heard a quick throat clearing, then the unmistakable voice of Mitsuki Bakugou boomed:
“YOU HAVE FIVE SECONDS BEFORE I OPEN THIS DOOR! YOU BETTER BE DRESSED!”

I barely heard my mom’s small protest before my mind started counting down from five. Without moving a muscle. Shit! Had I even locked the door earlier?

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Kacchan starting to move. Not fast enough. Because the door slammed open just as he was about to get off me.

God, seriously?

Shame washed over me instantly as I quickly sat up. Sat down very properly, a bit apart from Kacchan, while I faced a grinning Mitsuki and my embarrassed, uncertain mom.

“Ever heard of privacy?” Kacchan snapped at his mom right away. Though this time, his tone was much quieter and not nearly as sharp as this morning.

“Zip it, brat! I’ve calmed my Midoriya-half. How’s yours doing?”

I tilted my head slightly at that comment. Was this a competition now? And why did she seem so amused that Kacchan now had a part of my family clinging to him, just like she had me to hers?

Feeling uncertain, I looked from her to my mom, who instantly teared up again. And no matter how angry I’d been at her. No matter how convinced I was that I wouldn’t forgive her so easily. No matter how badly I wanted to stay mad at her. Seeing her like that - like a crumbling mess - I couldn’t bring myself to just coldly glare at her. Damn it, I was still too much of a Midoriya for that. Emotional, weepy, and soft.

I glanced at Kacchan briefly, unsure - but he gave me a little nudge off the bed with his hand. I saw Mitsuki sit down next to him, bumping her shoulder against his. She grinned. He rolled his eyes. It was nice to see - but I couldn’t focus on it. Instead, I walked toward my mom.

She threw herself into my arms. Clung to me and cried. And I? I started crying too. Felt that all-too-familiar burning in my eyes. Smiled at my ridiculous reaction, then wrapped my arms around her.

“Izuku! I-I’m so sorry! I… it…,” she stammered. I could only barely make out what she was saying through her sobs. Her voice was so high-pitched it almost hurt my ears.

“Mom, please calm down,” I said softly. Tried to sound as firm as I could, even though a few tears still ran down my cheeks.

It took a moment before she let go of me and wiped her face with a tissue. She looked up at me and spoke in a still-shaky voice, “I didn’t mean to hurt you. It all just happened so suddenly and… and it caught me off guard. You both overwhelmed me.”

I didn’t say anything. Waited for her to continue. In my heart, I’d already accepted her apology. Was I too quick to forgive?

“I mean, what mother expects something like that? I mean, I thought - I…,” she trailed off. I watched her take a few deep breaths. Smiled a little, because I did the same thing when I tried to collect myself and organize my thoughts. “I never imagined you’d be thinking about something like that before graduating. I mean… you’re still my little boy.”

My cheeks went warm. I wanted to interrupt her. God. Kacchan was definitely laughing on the inside at that one. A hundred percent. I would’ve too if Mitsuki had said something like that. But well - while the Bakugous were blunt and crass, we were emotional and naive.

“Mitsuki talked to me and explained it. That it… just happened recently. Between you two.”

“What exactly?” I asked quietly, turning to her a little nervously. But Mitsuki just waved a hand and said, “Don’t worry, Izuku! I left out the naughty stuff. Otherwise, sweet Inko would’ve died of a heart attack.”

My face went pale and I froze. Her words made me want to scream and cry internally. Why had I even looked over at her?

But looking at my mom wasn’t much better. Wide eyes, red cheeks, and a hand clamped over her mouth. Yeah, time to start praying again. For a giant hole to open up and swallow me. Or maybe for a meteor to strike me down?

Her flustered and stammering voice, even higher than before, yanked me back to reality:
“N-n-naughty… s-s-stuff?”

I raised my hands innocently and waved them around in a panic.

“No, Mom! Aunt Mitsuki is just… teasing us. Really! We didn’t d-do… anything like that. Really! We… we just h-had dinner together,” I stammered, mentally apologizing to Kacchan. But seriously, I couldn’t just tell her what Kacchan and I had done last night. Twice! No! I’d rather die.

She looked at me skeptically - and for the first time, I noticed her eyes shift toward Kacchan. He avoided her gaze immediately. And damn it! Why did he, the overly confident and arrogant guy, suddenly look like a tomato?

‘Oh, if he ever teases me again about anything, I’ll remind him exactly of this moment.’

I whimpered softly, already seeing the look on my mom’s face - it was crystal clear that she didn’t believe me.

“Izuku Midoriya! You’re both only sixteen!” she cried out, her shrill voice echoing in my ears. Maybe now was the time to just play dead. Or jump out the window. Although I’d probably survive the fall. Were there other options?

Yes. And she came in the form of Mitsuki Bakugou.

“Inko! Don’t be so uptight. Just say what we talked about downstairs,” Mitsuki stepped in. She gave my mom a curious look, despite my surely glowing red face.

“Mama?” I asked, nudging gently, when a full minute passed without her saying a word. She seemed to be searching for the right thing to say.

Then she pushed me toward the bed and made me sit next to Kacchan. I looked at him briefly, confused, then back at my mom - who suddenly bent down and wrapped one arm around each of our necks. Pressed me against one cheek and Kacchan against the other.

“Please forgive me! I’ll admit… I still need a little time to get used to all this. But if you’re happy - then I want to be happy too,” she said softly and calmly. I felt her squeeze us a little tighter. I was used to it - but I knew it was probably awkward as hell for Kacchan. So I was relieved when she finally let go.

I was just about to say something - thank her, apologize - when her eyes turned to Kacchan. Only to Kacchan. And for the first time in years - actually, since we were maybe four or five - Kacchan looked at my mom with the same old awe and wariness. Like he was about to get scolded. A scolding he’d never get from his own mom.

“Katsuki,” she said seriously, and it startled me a little. Kacchan looked at her and waited. Gave a small nod.

“If I hear even one thing about you hurting him, then—”

“I won’t, Auntie,” he cut her off quickly. Calmly. But he looked just like the little boy who’d always had respect for my mom.

I, on the other hand, buried my face in my hands. God, could this get any more embarrassing? What kind of Hollywood moment did I still have to endure today? At least one more - because Kacchan’s mom was still in the room. Though honestly, I probably owed her thanks. She must’ve really talked things through with my mom. Enough that she’d apologized. Accepted us.

I’d have to talk to her again. Just the two of us. Even if it would be insanely awkward with Mitsuki involved.

“Well then, if that’s settled and I can go back to planning your wedding decor in my head, let’s head downstairs. The sake’s getting warm.”

My mom and I chuckled softly, while Kacchan just rolled his eyes. I felt his hand slip into mine as he helped me to my feet. That sudden wave of embarrassment crept right back in. Standing here like this in front of our moms was definitely awkward. But thankfully, they didn’t comment. They just walked ahead and left the room.

With one last, slightly relieved look at Kacchan, we followed them.

 

 

Notes:

That’s it!
Part 3 of 4 – done! And I promise things will calm down a bit from here on out… well, maybe just a little awkward still 😅

What did you think?
Did Inko’s reaction catch you off guard?
Let me know – I love hearing from you, every single word means the world to me 💚🧡

See you Monday! Sending hugs your way! :*

P.S. A tiny bit of self-promo: I uploaded a little story for Kacchan’s upcoming birthday! It’s called “The First Time Without You” – just a heads-up, it’s a bit more emotional.

Chapter 43: Finally Done

Notes:

Hey everyone! 💚🧡
I hope you all had a great start into the new week! And for those of you who haven't started it yet: here comes the final part of Sunday! =D
Thank you so much for all the lovely feedback on Inko’s reaction and the character interactions in general. You’re absolutely amazing! 🧡💚
Enjoy!

Chapter 43 – Finally Done

 

When we got downstairs, I saw Masaru sitting at the table with a tablet in front of him. The coffee setup and sweets were still out.

“Oh, there you are again,” he smiled warmly at us, setting the tablet aside. Apparently, he’d used the time effectively to get a bit of work done. He had always been like that. Kacchan’s father wasn’t just incredibly creative - no, he’d always had so many ideas that he was constantly working. Even when we sat at the kitchen table with him, coloring in our picture books, he’d end up sketching little things along the edges. We used to be pretty mad at him when he’d take our coloring books just to rework his designs. But we forbade him from tearing pages out. Well - Kacchan did, and I supported him. After that, Masaru had brought his own sketchpad to the table whenever he drew with us.

I had to stifle a laugh when I practically saw that whole scene play out in my mind. The kitchen furniture hadn’t changed at all over the years. But I couldn’t keep daydreaming - Kacchan nudged my shoulder lightly and gave me a raised eyebrow.

“Later,” I mumbled with a small smile and sat down again in my usual seat. Kacchan beside me, and our mothers across from us again. I immediately felt that slight tightness in my chest return, but thankfully there was Aunt Mitsuki, with her complete lack of social sensitivity. She kind of reminded me of Todoroki that way. He didn’t have much of a filter either.

“What were you just working on?” Mitsuki asked curiously and snatched the tablet up without hesitation. She unlocked it, and her eyes instantly lit up. Even my mom seemed fascinated by the work and looked on with tears glistening in her eyes. That made me really curious - and also a little annoyed that I couldn’t see it. Apparently, I wasn’t the only one.

"Gimme that!" Kacchan grunted and ripped the tablet out of her hands. So fast that she didn’t even have time to react.

The screen tilted back and forth briefly before the image on the display finally became visible to me. And what I saw made my jaw drop.

Masaru’s sketchbook was open, showing designs for two hoodies. Two damn cool-looking hoodies. Both black, incorporating elements from our hero costumes. One had a big orange X on the front. There was an orange stripe on the arm too. Even the drawstrings on the hood matched the color. The other hoodie had green accents on the shoulders and matching strings. It also featured a front pocket. It was just… fascinating. Like he’d designed merch for us.

“Uncle Masaru…” I managed to say, completely speechless.

“When did you draw this?” Kacchan asked, sounding a little skeptical.

His father just smiled and replied, “The idea came to me during lunch. And when you were all upstairs, I had to get it out of my head real quick.”

Kacchan next to me just grunted, picked up the stylus lying next to his dad, and started selecting a different drawing tool in the program.

“There’s not enough on the nerd’s one to even recognize him,” he muttered, and I watched in amazement as a pair of shorts appeared next to my hoodie - exactly the right shade of green. He quickly sketched in black athletic leggings under the baggy sport shorts to finish the look..

“I only just started, Katsuki,” Masaru explained calmly, receiving a quick, stern sideways glance from Kacchan. But he kept drawing, completely unfazed.

“Like father, like son,” Mitsuki said dreamily, while I was entirely focused on Kacchan’s hand gliding so smoothly and gracefully across the display. I only heard him snort before he handed his - not quite as perfect - sketch back to Masaru. Still, the fact that he could do this - and so quickly - was news to me. Seriously, when had he learned all this next to everything else he already did? Why could he do everything?

“Interesting idea,” Masaru murmured in the same calm tone, taking the stylus back from Kacchan and continuing his work. He was immediately absorbed again. So absorbed that Mitsuki suddenly groaned in frustration.

“Okay, I guess we’ll just say goodbye to my husband now. Inko, why don’t you go to the living room with Izuku and get comfortable? I’ll make some tea. And you, Katsuki…” - no idea why, but her voice suddenly turned louder and a bit aggressive - “clear the table and help me!”

Kacchan growled, but got up without complaint. Didn’t even glance back at me. He was too busy shooting death glares at his mom. I just smiled and shook my head - pretty sure this was Mitsuki’s small gift to me: the chance to talk to my mom alone for a moment.

 

I sat down sideways on the couch so I was facing my mom. She looked at me with a gentle smile, but her hands were nervously fidgeting in her lap. A gesture I’d clearly picked up from her over the years.

There was a short, slightly awkward silence between us. Apparently, she didn’t really know how to start either. But by now, I knew I’d overreacted earlier. With that clumsy confession, I hadn’t given her any chance to process it properly. But I’d always reacted a bit more intensely whenever Kacchan was involved. Still, that didn’t give me the right to speak to her like that.

“I’m sorry, Mom,” I said quietly, remorsefully.

“It’s okay, sweetheart! I think we both reacted a bit weird,” she smiled at me forgivingly and brushed her hand lightly against my cheek. Made me smile. She always did that when she wanted to comfort me.

“I’ve never done anything like this before and… well, we’ve never really talked about stuff like this either. I’m sorry if I overwhelmed you. And also, if I maybe reacted a bit… too sensitively. But it’s all… I don’t know, new and—”

My mom chuckled softly. I could feel how warm my face had gotten as I spoke.

“Izuku! I really don’t mind - as long as it makes you happy. I was just… really shocked. The idea that you suddenly had someone by your side was just too much to take in all at once. And as wrong as it may sound to you now, I always thought that one day you’d bring home a lovely girl. But when you left the room and Mitsuki talked to me… I realized I’d really reacted terribly. And now that I think about it… Katsuki really has always been the center of your world. Through the good times and the bad.”

I swallowed. And at the same time, I wanted to sink into the ground with embarrassment. God, now I totally got how Kacchan must’ve felt every time I said something embarrassingly cheesy. It really did feel awful.

“Mooooom,” I groaned and hid my face in the crook of my arm. I’d rested it on the back of the couch earlier, and now it served as the perfect hiding place. Also hid the few small tears that had welled up from her words.

My mom just laughed before a short pause settled between us and we both took a deep breath at the same time. Made me smile. I thought about what she’d said. Kacchan as the center of my world?

If you looked at it honestly, he really had always been there. My mom had always been a constant in my life too, of course - but Kacchan was different somehow. Next to All Might, he’d always been my hero. My real, reachable hero.

When had that fascination, that admiration, turned into something deeper? Had it always been there, and I’d only just realized it with that first kiss? Or could a connection like the one I felt now develop that quickly? I felt like we’d been in this relationship way longer than we actually had. I couldn’t imagine building that kind of deep trust with anyone else in such a short time. And if you felt something like that - didn’t it make everything else irrelevant? Whether the person in front of you was a man or a woman?

“Mom?” I called softly, drawing her attention back. She’d seemed lost in thought, just like me. I looked into her familiar green eyes - the same ones I had.

Shit. Kacchan and I had both inherited our mothers’ features. How had I never really noticed that before?

“I think… I don’t care. I mean, that Kacchan’s a guy. If he’d been a girl from the start, I think this still would’ve happened somehow. I mean… it’s just Kacchan.” I smiled at her warmly. Felt that proud, glowing warmth in my chest. Yeah - I just loved Kacchan.

A tear slipped from the corner of my mom’s eye and rolled down her cheek. I looked up, a bit startled, and reached out - but she grabbed my hands first and smiled at me with so much love. That was the mom I knew. And that was the expression I had wished for earlier. But, well… I guess part of that was my fault too.

“Yeah… it’s just Kacchan,” she laughed, while more tears ran down her cheeks. She pulled me into a hug. One of those hugs I knew so well. A hug full of warmth and security. Of affection and love. The same kind of love she’d always given me. And now I knew I hadn’t damaged our bond - not even after talking to her the way I had for the first time in my life.

Suddenly, she pulled away, held me by the shoulders - and I could tell that the awkward tension that had been hanging between us was gone.

“Now you can calmly tell me how this happened between you two,” she said, switching topics so abruptly that I literally forgot to breathe for a second. And right on cue, heat rushed to my face as I glanced nervously toward the kitchen door. I heard dishes clinking and the louder voices of Kacchan and Mitsuki. But no one seemed to be coming in here just yet.

“Uh, Mom, well… it’s not like we…” I trailed off. I had no idea what I was supposed to say. What could I tell her, and what should I leave out? Do people even talk about this stuff with their moms? Wasn’t that more of a mother-daughter thing?

“You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to,” she said quickly. She probably felt bad right away for putting pressure on me.

I gave her a crooked smile and scratched the back of my head. “It’s not that I don’t want to, Mom! But, um… if I say something… inappropriate… you’ll tell me, right? I mean… we’ve never really done this before.”

She also looked a bit embarrassed as she glanced down into her lap. Then she gave a small nod and said, “Yeah, I thought you’d take a bit more time with all this. And if I understood Mitsuki’s words correctly… there are definitely things I don’t want to know.”

Oh my god. Did she really have to say that? Like the conversation with Kacchan back then hadn’t already been bad enough. And now his mom just wouldn’t let the topic die…

I sighed inwardly, almost whining, and mumbled more to myself than to her, “Well, we kind of… had a very intense discussion at Ground Beta. And we realized that maybe we’d misunderstood each other in the past. So then, when we were stuck in house arrest… You know, Mr. Aizawa and the other teachers gave us tons of work and new material to go through… um… yeah, and to keep up with all that, we started working together. And then somehow…”

I trailed off. God, there was no way I could tell her that Kacchan had shut me up with a kiss and I’d wanted more afterward.

My head felt like it was boiling. I swore I could feel little wisps of steam rising from my scalp.

“While studying together, huh?” she repeated, her cheeks now slightly pink. At the same time, she looked kind of dreamy. Had she maybe had a teenage love story of her own? Something similar?

Now I realized - I didn’t know anything about my mom’s love life. Okay, granted, I didn’t want to know as her son. That topic had always been kind of taboo. Especially since I barely knew anything about my dad either. But whatever - that was a conversation for another day.

“Well, yeah. We kissed, and it didn’t feel wrong or weird. And then… we decided to see where it goes from here,” I explained - pretty cryptically. I just couldn’t go into any more detail.

Crap! Why was I only now realizing that we’d spent most of our time either kissing, making out, or cuddling? And the rest had just been school. Shit! Was it okay that our whole relationship was so focused on physical stuff?

“And who made the first move? I bet it was…” my mom began, but trailed off when suddenly a tray landed on the table. I flinched slightly as Kacchan’s blond head came into view. Watched him silently set out the teacups and pour for us.

“You can keep talking,” he muttered, though I could tell he wasn’t thrilled about being watched by my mom.

He must’ve heard her last question too - but he pretended not to. Still, his whole demeanor was smaller, quieter than usual. Definitely because my mom was here.

“I was just asking who made the first move. It was you, wasn’t it, Katsuki?” she repeated, now overly sweet - like she wanted to show she’d be fine with any answer.

Even so, I saw Kacchan freeze in his motion, just briefly, before he looked at her uncertainly. He cleared his throat and sat down on the armrest behind me.

“Yeah… but Izuku’s the one who didn’t want to stop at just one kiss,” he mumbled the rest.

My jaw dropped slightly, and I turned toward him with the most incredulous expression.
What the actual fuck! Was he seriously trying to pin all of this on me?

“Oh really?” my mom asked, clearly curious. But before I could stammer out anything to defend myself - of course Mitsuki had to show up.

Why? Just why couldn’t this awkward family gathering have happened, like… weeks later?
Why right at the beginning?!

“So, what were you able to get out of them?” Mitsuki asked playfully as she sat down on the other couch.

I immediately felt like I was being watched by both of them. And the way Kacchan was sitting weirdly behind me made me nervous too.

My mom just laughed - and to my surprise, she got up from her seat and sat down next to her friend.

I glanced at her in confusion, but she just smiled and said, “That way Katsuki can sit properly.”

“I could’ve just taken the armchair,” Kacchan muttered, but then nudged me over so he could wedge himself between the armrest and me.

I was still sitting sideways and started to turn properly, but Kacchan draped his arm over the back of the couch and bent it forward in front of me. Then he pulled me a little closer, so I ended up leaning sideways against him. That familiar, slightly embarrassed feeling rose up again. I’d honestly expected us to sit like we had with Mr. Aizawa - each of us tucked in a separate corner. But this? This felt... really nice. It made me happy to realize that Kacchan didn’t seem to mind sitting this close with me even when other people were around. Really nice.

“So, what did I miss?” Mitsuki asked brightly, trying again.

Kacchan let out an exasperated sigh, and when I glanced up, I caught the quick roll of his eyes. I gave a crooked smile, thankful he was here with me - because honestly, if I’d had to face this alone, I probably would've died from embarrassment.

“Just that they got together while studying and that Katsuki made the first move. And you won’t believe it, he said Izuku then—”

“MOM!” I cut her off, squeaking, and immediately buried my face in Kacchan’s arm.
How could they just start chatting about it like we weren’t sitting right here?

“Oh come on, boys! Let your mothers have a few details,” Mitsuki laughed, taking a sip of her tea.

I heard Kacchan let out another loud sigh. He rubbed a hand down his face before speaking, short and blunt as ever: “I kissed him, he wanted more, we were making out between homework, finished our punishment assignments, and have been sleeping in the same bed ever since. That enough?”

I stared at him in disbelief.

He didn’t just say that, right? He didn’t really say making out in front of our moms? Seriously?! What was wrong with him?

“Kacchaaann,” I whined softly again, daring a glance at our moms.

And yeah - what was there even to say?

My mom looked mortified, while Kacchan’s mom was practically beaming at us. How could two such completely different personalities even be best friends? Then again… if I really thought about it, Kacchan and I kind of resembled them in some ways…

I quickly shook my head. Oh no. That was a thought I would never ever ever think again.

“You do realize this is a pretty wild jump,” Mitsuki said with a grin, “from beating each other up in the middle of the night… to jumping into bed together?”

“MITSUKI!” my mom exclaimed, clearly scandalized. She shot her friend a stern look and said, “Our sons are sitting right in front of us! So please, watch your language.”

I silently thanked her for that. At least my mom was drawing the line somewhere. It gave me a sliver of hope that I might actually survive all this.

And at the same time, I suddenly understood what Masaru had meant earlier. Because the impulsive Bakugou wasn’t being loud or aggressive with my mom. If Kacchan had said something like that to her - okay, definitely not as politely -  you’d probably have been able to hear them screaming at each other all the way in Australia.

But now? She just looked at my mom apologetically, smiled, and said, “Sorry, Inko-dear! I promise I won’t make any more inappropriate comments in front of the boys while you’re around.”

“In my absence too, my dear!” my mom replied sharply.

“Oh come on, where’s the fun in that? Besides, my son doesn’t exactly hold back with his language either! You’re just way too uptight and prudish, Inko!” she started to argue.

And damn - why was I suddenly having déjà vu? Hadn’t Kacchan and I had almost this exact same argument once? All because of how blunt he always was?

“No, you’re just way too crude around minors,” my mom countered.

“These minors arranged to meet here yesterday to have sex undisturbed!”

And once again, I realized: This wasn’t hell. This had to be purgatory.

I felt like I was about to explode from shame. My mom’s face was bright red, and for once - even Kacchan was too flustered to say a single word.

“Mitsuki! Don’t ruin the illusion of my innocent child!”, my mom whined and started frantically pounding her fists against Mitsuki’s shoulder like she could physically beat the mental image out of her brain.

I immediately caught the quiet, disdainful snort from Kacchan. I didn’t even look at him. I just jabbed my elbow straight into his ribs.

He growled in response, so I finally turned my head and gave him a Don’t you dare say anything glare. And of course - his mouth twitched. God, that smug little grin... I honestly wanted to wipe it off his face right then and there.

But I couldn’t say anything. Not really. Because “innocent” didn’t exactly describe me anymore.

And then something happened that I never, ever would have expected. Before I could even react, Kacchan leaned over and pressed a kiss to my temple.

I looked at him in surprise, certain that my cheeks were turning red again. I didn’t dare glance over at my mom, so I turned back around and stared down at my hands, a blissful, happy smile tugging at my lips.

“They’re adorable together, don’t you think? Almost as sweet as they were back then,” I heard Mitsuki say. At this point, I was starting to understand why teens in movies always found their parents so embarrassing - or downright unbearable. It wasn’t exaggeration. It was just fact. Or maybe a special talent parents had - to say the most mortifying things imaginable.

“Say ‘sweet’ one more time, old hag, and I swear I’m never coming back,” Kacchan growled at her.

I chuckled softly. I’d expected him to hate that adjective. Apparently, so did he - because the second he noticed me laughing, he shoved me away and crossed his legs. He looked a little offended. Or maybe just annoyed? Either way, it gave me a chance to sit up properly and take the warm teacup into my hands.

And the moment I took the first sip, a wave of sentimentality hit me. My eyes widened as a bright smile spread across my face. I felt Kacchan’s hand gently glide across my back and turned to him, giving him a look full of wonder. I hadn’t even realized… He’d added honey to my cup. Did he really remember that I always found green tea too bitter - and only drank it with honey?

“Don’t look at me like that, Nerd,” Kacchan sighed, clearly annoyed, rolling his eyes. But I could see it - his mouth wanted to smile. I really wondered why he was holding it back. Maybe because of his mom?

I tried not to think too hard about it or provoke him with my sappy gaze. Instead, I looked away and let my eyes wander around the room, landing on the big wall clock. I flinched slightly - just past five? Holy crap, where had the time gone?

“Oh shit! Kacchan, we have to go! Mr. Aizawa said we’re supposed to stop by his office today!” I said in a panic, already about to get up, but his hand on my back clenched into my shirt and held me down.

“Relax. That binding freak can wait ‘til tomorrow. After today, I don’t have the energy for another serious talk,” he grumbled, leaning his head back and closing his eyes.

I smiled a little crookedly and was just about to turn toward him and run my hand through his hair when my mom’s voice suddenly cut in.

“Why do you have to meet with your homeroom teacher?”

I jumped slightly. Oh. Right. I’d completely forgotten she was even here - somehow tuned her out completely while my whole attention was locked onto Kacchan. Damn. I really needed to work on that once we were back at the dorms.

I bit my lip and looked at Kacchan for help. He didn’t say anything either, clearly stuck between telling our moms the humiliating truth or scrambling for an excuse. But since he stayed quiet, I guessed he was just as lost as I was.

With a sigh, I turned to my mom. She already had that strict look back on her face. Seriously  - today was not our day.

“We, uh… kinda owe Mr. Aizawa an explanation… about… y’know… us,” I mumbled so softly I hoped maybe she hadn’t heard.

But the shocked tone from my mom and Mitsuki’s amused giggle proved otherwise.

“You got caught by your teacher?”

“Not on purpose,” I muttered, eyes lowered.

“Oh, now that’s a story I want to hear!”

I tried to shrink into myself, leaning back against Kacchan. I felt his arm slide around my shoulders, his hand gently rubbing my upper arm. And again I wondered why he was so affectionate around our moms - why he didn’t seem to care. And at the same time, I worried if I gave him enough in return. Maybe he needed comfort just as much as I did after this weekend. Maybe I wasn’t showing him that enough.

“He came early Monday morning for a progress check. An hour earlier than scheduled. Found us making out in the kitchen and said we’d need to talk about it properly later. That ‘later’ is now. Happy?” Kacchan said flatly, like he was reading a memo.

“Oh boys…” I heard my mom sigh before her voice sharpened again. “Does anyone else know?”

I shook my head, and Kacchan added, “We were planning on keeping it to ourselves.”

“For now,” I added, giving him a long look. I could feel his eyes lock on mine - yep, that was definitely a conversation we still needed to have. After today’s whirlwind of reactions and awkwardness, I was kind of done with the topic for now. But eventually, I would want to tell someone. A friend. Someone who could maybe cover for us if we wanted to keep it secret a little longer. It just made sense to me. Whether it did to Kacchan was another question.

“I’m heading home soon too. I can drop you two off at UA if that makes you feel better,” my mom offered.

And yep - my whole body tensed up. No, thanks! I needed a break from our moms. Desperately. I wanted to enjoy the walk back with Kacchan, just the two of us, before we finally collapsed into bed tonight.

“No, Mom! You hate driving at dusk. We’ll pack our stuff now and head out - we’ll be there by seven. And it’s not like we’re little kids. We’re together, we’ll be fine,” I replied quickly, downing the last sip of my tea and standing up. I tugged Kacchan up with me.

My mom looked like she wanted to argue - but thankfully, Masaru appeared from the kitchen just in time.

“I’ll drive them if that makes you feel better, Inko,” he offered.

And since Kacchan didn’t object, I didn’t either.

 

I dropped onto the backseat, completely spent, while Kacchan got in on the other side. I’d already felt how drained I was while we were packing our bags. Not to mention the farewell, where my mom nearly squeezed me to death. And Kacchan too. God, that was seriously embarrassing.

I also noticed Mitsuki saying something to her son before we left, but I hadn’t caught what it was. Still, since there wasn’t any yelling in the end, it couldn’t have been anything bad.

“You survived, boys,” Masaru laughed, smiling at me through the rearview mirror.

I gave him a crooked smile back and leaned my head against the cool window. Felt Kacchan’s fingers brushing mine, which I had placed on the middle seat on purpose. That familiar little tingle ran through my hand. I gave his fingers a gentle squeeze and started tracing slow lines over his skin.

“Can you tell that damn old hag to stop being so fucking nosy?” Kacchan growled right away. But despite the words, he actually sounded a lot calmer and more relaxed than usual.

“You know how she is,” Masaru replied simply and started the car, leaving us in peace for the ride. I was grateful for that. I didn’t even have the brainpower to process everything yet. That could wait until tonight - or maybe tomorrow. Right now, I just wanted to get back to the dorm and collapse straight into bed. Or rather, into Kacchan’s bed.

Masaru let us out at the UA bus stop. On Kacchan’s insistence, he didn’t drive all the way up to the gate - too risky someone might see us, apparently.

“Thanks for the ride, Uncle Masaru!” I smiled as we got out. He had rolled the window down and said in that calm, soothing voice of his, “Anytime. And remember - your mothers don’t mean you any harm.”

Kacchan snorted, making me laugh softly. I gave Masaru a quick nod before he drove off.

Finally. Finally, alone - and able to breathe again.

“What a day,” I groaned, my shoulders slumping as we walked slowly onto the school grounds.

“Next time, we’re doing it at the dorm! Not even ten horses could drag me back to that madhouse any time soon.”

I grinned and shot back playfully, “You do realize you’re part of that madhouse, right?”

“Shut up.”

I laughed - free and unburdened. Because we’d made it through the day. And now, we were definitely closer than ever.

 

Notes:

That’s it!
We finally made it to the end!
I really hope you’ll forgive me for not being able to keep things short 😅 I honestly struggle with leaving stuff out ^^'
That’s why this one weekend turned into so many chapters…
And let’s just say… the next weekend won’t be any shorter either… hehe… sorry in advance! 🙈

How did you like it? Was it super cringy to read? 😳
Sending hugs your way 💚🧡
See you again on Thursday!

Chapter 44: Why Not Just Be Normal for Once?

Notes:

Hey everyone!
Hehe, for once I’m right on time - well, according to my clock it’s 12:20 AM! =D
Before you dive into the chapter, just a quick heads-up: I skimmed through Season 1 again and couldn’t really find any info confirming that the class knows how long our two favorite boys have known each other.
So if I missed something and there’s a tiny canon mistake in there - sorry! I’m doing my best to loosely stick to the original events ^^'
Enjoy the chapter! 💚🧡

Chapter 44 – Why Not Just Be Normal for Once?

 

Back at the dorm, things were thankfully pretty quiet. No one really seemed to care that we arrived together or that we disappeared again right away. I just dropped by my room for a second before heading to the common area to join the others. I listened to them talk about their internships and shared that I’d gotten a spot with Sir Nighteye. I was so happy that everyone was genuinely excited for me, and I just soaked in the sense of community that had only grown stronger since we moved into the dorms.

Kacchan didn’t come downstairs again. I wasn’t all that surprised - after all, the day must’ve been just as exhausting for him. Probably way too full of emotions in his opinion. And he’d opened up a lot more today than he probably wanted to. Maybe he needed a break from me too?

Still, I snuck upstairs to him a little after eleven. I’d gotten caught up in conversation, and it had gotten pretty late. I stood dreamily by his bed for a moment, watching his sleeping, relaxed face. I could hardly believe how lucky I was. And even though the day had been nothing short of chaotic, this sight alone almost made up for it all. And just the thought that he officially wanted me by his side - because now, I was part of his life the way he had always been part of mine.

 

A gentle touch at the nape of my neck and the weight of something resting on my head slowly pulled me from my peaceful sleep. I squinted a little, letting out a soft sigh, and felt myself being drawn tighter against Kacchan’s chest. I smiled and let out a quiet yawn.

“Morning, Kacchan,” I mumbled, hearing him inhale a little more deeply. Was he smelling my hair?

Instead of replying, he pressed a kiss to the top of my head. I savored the tingling at my neck and the goosebumps that spread down my arms. I loved being held like this. Loved the warmth that radiated from his body.

We didn’t say a word. Just lay there quietly, cuddled up, and I think I might’ve dozed off again. Because the next thing I noticed was the sound of the alarm. I reached behind me to grab the phone, but Kacchan leaned over me and silenced the soft melody before I could. And instead of tossing me out of bed like usual, he wrapped his arms around me again and buried his face in my hair. His new favorite place?

I sighed and smiled, puckering my lips to plant a few feather-light kisses on his chest. Saw the goosebumps that followed. So I wrapped my arms around him and traced the shape of his back, admiring every inch of his perfectly sculpted body.

I couldn’t remember us ever waking up like this over the past two weeks. No rush, no lust, no tension. Just peace. I felt weightless. Completely and utterly relaxed.

When the alarm went off again, I finally heard Kacchan’s familiar grumble, something I’d kind of missed.

I chuckled and greeted him again. “Morning, Kacchan!” I tilted my head back and looked up at his face for the first time today.

His eyes looked sleepy and dazed, his cheeks were still a little flushed, and his hair was even messier than usual. God, I was dying inside from how cute he looked. Seriously. How could my heart beat this fast and still manage to skip a few at the same time? And why was it hitting me so hard right now? This wasn’t the first time we’d woken up together, or cuddled, or said good morning. But it felt... different.

“Oi, Nerd,” Kacchan muttered sleepily, snapping me out of my daze. But only for a second - because when he pressed a soft kiss to my forehead and left his lips there, breathing in and out a few times like he didn’t want to let go of the moment, my heart just melted again.

Was this really Katsuki Bakugou? This snuggly, sleepy guy beside me who was usually a complete menace in the morning? Did I miss something overnight? Was I sure this wasn’t Himiko Toga in disguise?

I could freak out later. For now, the alarm had made it clear that I needed to get up and sneak back to my own room. So I tried to wriggle out of his arms - but he just held me tighter. I sighed. Then smirked.

“Five more minutes. Just hold still,” he whispered into my ear, tracing his nose along the curve of my ear before planting a kiss right behind it. It made me shiver. I sucked in a sharp breath. And I was so stunned I couldn’t even argue - I just gave in and melted into this snuggly version of Kacchan, falling for him a little more with each passing second.

But when the alarm rang again, it was like someone flipped a switch. He shifted me off him and fell back onto the mattress with a frustrated sigh. Like he’d just accepted that the morning had officially begun.

I sighed too, watching him. He looked like something you never wanted to look away from.

Dreamily, I ran my fingers through his spiky hair before finally swinging my legs out of bed to sneak back to my room.

“Oi, Nerd,” came his gravelly voice again just as I was already half-dressed. I turned, confused, and saw Kacchan still lying on his back, blinking at me with a sleepy look.

I smiled and stepped back over to the bed. Without a word, he reached up, grabbed me by the neck, and pulled me down for a kiss. I sighed happily.

I kissed his nose and his forehead before straightening up again. I couldn’t resist teasing him a bit when I saw him still grumbling and groaning in bed.

“See you later, grumpy cat!”

The pillow he threw missed me.

 

I was one of the first to make it to breakfast - together with Ilda, who I’d run into on the way downstairs. I listened with interest as he went through his long to-do list out loud. I always had respect for everything he took on as class rep, especially since Mr. Aizawa entrusted him with a bunch of stuff that probably should’ve been the teacher’s responsibility. But then again, Aizawa had enough on his plate dealing with problem children like Kacchan and me. Besides, no other class before ours had ever had this much contact with a major villain organization.

My first stop was the kitchen to make myself some cocoa. At the same time, I put on some water for tea. It had become a habit during house arrest - if I couldn’t help with making breakfast, I could at least make tea for everyone. Without thinking, I also made coffee for Kacchan. And the moment I realized, I wanted to slap my forehead. But if anyone asked, I could always blame the house arrest routine.

“Good morning, you two!” Yaomomo greeted us cheerfully as she entered. She used to take care of the tea before our house arrest, and apparently, she was about to do that again - until she noticed I’d already started.

“Thank you, Midoriya,” she smiled at me, and I smiled back. She took over the tea task from there, while I grabbed my mug from the microwave and stirred in the cocoa powder. I probably should’ve gone with Yaomomo’s green tea instead of dosing myself with pure sugar first thing in the morning, but I just couldn’t give up this sweet, chocolaty drink - no matter how childish it looked. And I wasn’t the only one. Sato and even Kaminari often made themselves a hot chocolate too - though the latter only if he managed to show up downstairs on time.

The common area gradually filled up. Everyone grabbed their breakfast trays and found a seat at one of the long tables. A pleasant hum of chatter filled the room as we ate, and eventually Ilda began reviewing our class schedule for the day. As if it had changed since last Monday. But okay, he was just extremely responsible - and somehow that made him kind of endearing.

Mostly, though, I was waiting for a certain spiky blonde head to appear. Kacchan was taking his sweet time today, trailing in with Kaminari, Hagakure, and Aoyama. I glanced down at my phone. No messages from him. But the clock showed it was still pretty early - we had plenty of time before class started.

Just as I slipped my phone back into my bag, he finally showed up.

“Kats!” “Bakubro!” “Morning, Bakubabe!”

Kirishima, Sero, and Ashido yelled out to him. I watched as Kacchan gave them all a death glare and growled his way into the kitchen. Their reactions earned a few laughs from the class - or some eye rolls. Everyone should’ve known by now not to talk to him before he spoke first. Preferably without cursing.

I tried to watch him without being obvious. Saw him pause, confused, as he picked up the coffee pot - probably realizing it was already ready. I could just imagine the raised eyebrow. I was genuinely surprised when he glanced at me out of the corner of his eye. I gave a small shrug in return. An innocent little gesture that said, I made it for you. He turned back without a word and gave a tiny shake of his head. I could so clearly imagine him grumbling stupid nerd under his breath with an amused little smirk. Just the thought made my heart flutter. Damn it. That wasn’t good.

“Hey, Kats! I didn’t even notice you came back last night,” Kirishima greeted him at the table. He went to clap him on the shoulder, but Kacchan leaned away to dodge it. Classic.

“He came back with Deku last night,” Uraraka added casually from beside me. I sighed inwardly. Didn’t I just think this morning was going so well? Why did it suddenly feel like that was about to change?

“Oh really?” came Kirishima’s surprised reply. Didn’t they have anything else to talk about? And why were they chatting with each other if Kirishima had asked Kacchan?

“We live in the same area,” I said calmly, even though I was already getting that familiar nervous feeling in my stomach. But there was no reason to panic. It was the truth. As long as no one saw us arrive togeth-

“So I wasn’t imagining it—you two did get out of the car at the bus stop last night?” Mineta suddenly interrupted my thoughts.

Fuck! Seriously? Was this some kind of curse? Like, who up there in the sky had it out for me?

Panic bubbled up in my chest, making it hard to breathe. I tried not to show it and silently counted down from ten. There had to be a logical explanation for everything. We just needed to come up with a decent excuse. That was all. It wasn’t a crime for the two of us to - God, no! It made zero sense that we of all people had gotten a ride to school together.

I barely registered the confused and curious glances from our classmates, because right then, Kacchan spoke up: “Can you all just shut the fuck up until I’ve had my damn coffee?”

Most of the class fell silent - whether out of fear or respect - but of course, his friends weren’t so easily fazed. Mina jumped in cheerfully: “Who drove you guys? Why? Why together? Did you do something this weekend? And why have you never wanted to hang out with us before? Come on, Bakubabe, spill!”

She fired off question after question while waving her chopsticks in his face. I could practically see the vein throbbing at his temple.

I sighed. If no one wanted Kacchan to blow up the whole common room, they really needed to quit it. Or I could save him by speaking up - would he be okay with that?

I hesitated for a second, but when I heard the all-too-familiar crackling sound - probably inaudible to most, but I’d been sensitized to it since we were kids - I opened my mouth and said, smiling politely and trying to sound relaxed, “Kacchan’s dad gave us a ride yesterday. I had coffee with my mom at their place because, well… our moms weren’t exactly thrilled that our house arrest got extended. So, yeah… we got a bit of a lecture.”

I gave a sheepish smile at the end and scratched the back of my head. But inside? I was handing myself an Oscar. What the fuck? Since when was I this good at lying?

Everyone's eyes bounced between Kacchan and me, clearly surprised and a little speechless. Only Asui’s gaze held some suspicion. Why her? Why did she look so doubtful? Had we slipped up somewhere? At some point? I mean, it wasn’t like it hadn’t happened already in the last couple of weeks. Seriously, we were terrible at keeping this a secret. But we were determined. That much had been made clear yesterday. So we couldn’t afford to show any cracks now. No one would suspect we were actually in a relationship - one that went way beyond friendship. And the more I repeated that in my head, the more I hoped I’d believe it myself.

“Why…?” Sero started to ask, but Kacchan abruptly stood up, muttered curses under his breath, and walked out with his coffee to the courtyard.

Something about “fucking extras,” “a bunch of nosy assholes,” and “don’t they have their own lives?” could still be heard before he slammed the patio door behind him. Honestly, I was surprised the glass didn’t shatter.

A general sigh went through the room before Kirishima spoke up. “Guys, maybe we should tone it down a bit in the morning.”

“But come on, it was interesting! Don’t you think so, Midoriya? Or does that kind of thing happen more often?” Ashido turned her attention back to me.

I shook my head and mumbled, “No… I think the last time I was at Kacchan’s place, I was like eight or nine?”

“Huh? But I thought you guys went to middle school together?” Kyoka chimed in for the first time, sounding genuinely puzzled.

Internally, I was crying. Why? Seriously, why did this have to happen? I didn’t want this. I didn’t want to be the center of attention, and I definitely didn’t want people digging into Kacchan’s and my past - especially not now, not with our situation being what it was.

“Didn’t Midoriya once say they actually met even earlier than that? Was it in elementary school?” someone else added.

Uh - hello? I was still right here.

Now I was the one looking around the room in confusion. Had we really never talked about knowing each other basically our whole lives? That couldn’t be right. We had nicknames for each other, after all. That alone should’ve made it obvious. Especially with Kacchan. That name screamed childhood.

Sighing, I dragged my hand down my face and quickly debated how much to say - and what not to say. I had to be very careful with anything personal. Otherwise, Kacchan might just murder me.

“Well then, before we head to class, here’s a quick summary - if it means you’ll stop risking blowing up our dorm in the process,” I said, trying to joke. But damn, having everyone’s attention made me really nervous. Maybe not everyone was looking directly at me, but the ones pretending not to listen were definitely eavesdropping. I was sure of it.

“Um, so… Kacchan’s and my mom have been friends since high school. Because of that, Kacchan and I have known each other for a long time too. And since they were both pretty upset and embarrassed about Mr. Aizawa’s call, we had to… well, have a talk yesterday. And since it got kind of late, Uncl - Kacchan’s dad gave us a ride back.”

"Woah! So you guys have literally known each other since diapers." Kirishima said, totally stunned. His tone didn’t sound negative - just surprised. Honestly, I’d half expected him to sound a little jealous. He was the first one Kacchan had really become friends with here at U.A. The one Kacchan had reached for during his rescue. That thought stung a bit.

“But wait, then why are you two so…,” Uraraka started, but at that moment, Kacchan re-entered the room. I hadn’t noticed him coming back.

“That’s none of your fucking business! And you, damn Deku!” he growled, making me shrink in my seat. “What the hell gives you the right to spill private shit like that!”

I raised my hands in defense, ready to apologize, but he marched over and grabbed me by the collar.

“Move it, Nerd! We’re settling this outside. Just you and me!” he hissed dangerously close. I didn’t even have to fake being a little intimidated - I was. But only because I’d upset him. I didn’t want tension between us. And another fight? No way. Mr. Aizawa would personally kick us out of U.A. with one blow.

The protests from our classmates were quickly silenced by some very colorful language from Kacchan. I signaled that it was okay and let him drag me out of the dorm, across the campus, until we reached the wooded area behind U.A. - far away from any paths or buildings.

Before I could even explain, he pushed me up against a tree trunk and ran his hand through my hair, yanking my bangs up so I instinctively tilted my head back.

“God! This class is so fucking nosy,” he muttered - and then kissed me. It wasn’t long, but it was firm. Rough. Like he was trying to tell me something. Not that my brain was in any shape to decode the message.

“I’m sorry, Kacchan! I just thought it would sound more believable if I explained it,” I mumbled, still looking at him nervously - even after the kiss, even with him leaning on me slightly.

He let out a sigh and let his forehead rest against mine, his body suddenly heavy and still.

“You did good, Nerd,” he muttered, not moving an inch.

We stayed like that for a while. I couldn’t help smiling a little at his words. At the same time, I felt just as drained as he did.

There was a peaceful silence between us. I listened to his breathing. The rustling leaves above us. The sounds of little animals in the woods around.

“I just wanted a normal morning,” I mumbled eventually. No idea if it had been a minute or five.

I felt Kacchan’s lips barely brush mine before he straightened up and turned his back to me.

“Me too, Nerd,” he said quietly, ran a hand through his hair, and started walking toward school. I waited for a bit and watched him go. And for some reason, in that moment, I honestly wished we were still under house arrest. Then we wouldn’t have to go back to the classroom right now. We could’ve just spent the morning together. Alone. Unbothered.

 

To my surprise, everyone left us alone. No one brought up the topic again. So I figured it was probably over and done with for them. And honestly, that thought really calmed me down. I could finally focus on class for once. Well - almost. I still hadn’t fully processed the weekend. But I decided to save that for the afternoon, when I could hopefully spend a little quiet time alone in my room. I was only just realizing how little time I actually had to myself lately. Usually, it was just an hour or two before I’d sneak upstairs to Kacchan’s. And before that, there was always something going on - cooking, hanging out in the common room…

When it was finally time for class with Mr. Aizawa after lunch, I brought him my internship form - already stamped by Sir Nighteye’s agency - before we started. He looked at me with a somewhat skeptical expression, followed by a warning one. I blinked, a little confused, until he spoke in a low voice, quiet enough that no one else could hear: “You never came by yesterday.”

Oh. So that was the reason for the weird look. I watched as he carefully placed my internship form into a file labeled 1A Internship. So… at least that wasn’t a problem. He really was just annoyed that we hadn’t followed through - again. Shit. He’d clearly told us to come see him Sunday after we got back. I hadn’t thought it would be such a big deal if we waited until today or tomorrow. The situation wasn’t going to change. I was with Kacchan. End of story.

“Um, it got kind of late yesterday…” I started, but he cut me off.

“My office. After class. And the extra training All Might requested for today - I’ve canceled it.”

I nodded, lowering my head in defeat. There was no room for debate or excuses. That would’ve drawn even more attention. And besides, class was starting. But fine - we’d see him later. I’d just have to prepare myself.

On the way back to my seat, I caught Kacchan’s subtle, questioning look. I met his gaze for a second, but gave no reply. Later. I just couldn’t deal with another interaction between us getting noticed, commented on, or scrutinized. I’d had enough for one day. And I still had to survive the talk with Aizawa.

Why couldn’t we just have a normal, boring, uneventful day for once?

 

 

Notes:

And that’s it for now!
More of a transition chapter this time, but… I think we still got a few cute bkdk moments in there. Or what do you think?
I’m really looking forward to hearing from you again - your comments are always SO good! Every time I get a notification that someone left one, I light up like a little happy bean 💚🧡
You’re amazing!
Big hugs and see you on Easter Sunday!

Chapter 45: A Clarifying Conversation

Notes:

Hey everyone, and Happy Easter! 🐣💚🧡
A huge sorry - I’m actually 23 minutes late this time. I’d originally planned to upload this chapter in the morning, but I just couldn’t finish it before our guests arrived... and since they ended up staying way longer than expected, I only just managed to sit down now.
But there was no way I could go to sleep without posting it first. You always leave me such wonderful, funny, and touching comments - I just had to do it tonight.
So, here you go: enjoy the chapter! 💚🧡

Chapter 45 - A Clarifying Conversation

 

 

“Hey, Katsuki! You coming to do homework with Kaminari?” I heard Kirishima call out. I looked up and saw him standing by Kacchan’s desk with a big grin on his face. Kacchan just grunted and – surprisingly - turned to look at me. That one glance was all I needed to know what he was asking. I gave a quick nod.

He scoffed and rolled his eyes before replying to his red-haired friend, “Later. Gotta see the Binding Mummy first.”

“Oh Bro, what did you do this time?” Kaminari asked as he came bouncing over, throwing an arm around Kirishima’s shoulder with so much momentum it nearly knocked him off balance. I saw Kacchan open his mouth just as Kaminari turned to me. “You too, Midobro?”

I nodded slowly and lowered my head a bit, embarrassed. Yeah... it really was kind of humiliating to get called in by our teacher this often. And now we were leaving together again, which - let’s be honest - was starting to look a little suspicious, even to our classmates.

“Going over punishment assignments,” Kacchan muttered, cutting through the awkward silence. His chair scraped back sharply against the floor, the sound making me jump a little before I hurried to stand up too.

I quickly gathered my notebooks and stuffed them into my bag, slinging it over my shoulder. Kacchan was already tapping his foot impatiently, one eyebrow raised. He was even growling a bit. Was he actually mad? At me? Or was this just for show?

“Hurry the hell up, Nerd!”

“Sorry, Kacchan!” I said and picked up my pace. He’d already started walking. I gave Kirishima and Kaminari a small wave as I caught up, and they smiled back at me - just a little sympathetically. Well... at least to them, this probably looked normal. Honestly, that made me feel a bit better.

And Kacchan hadn’t even insulted me. I mean, okay, he called me Nerd - but that was it. No damn, no shitty, not even a plain old Deku. That made me smile a little. Maybe we could actually keep this act going without him having to throw in one of those fake insults that still kind of hurt.

Even if I knew he didn’t mean them, it still stung a little sometimes. Like last week, when he’d snapped at Eijiro that he didn’t want to spend any more time with me than necessary. That had hurt. For no good reason. But apparently, my dumb heart overruled my rational brain more often than I liked to admit.

 

 

We made our way to Mr. Aizawa’s office in silence. I kept sneaking little side glances at Kacchan, but he ignored me completely. Not that I blamed him - we’d run into a few other students on the way, and thanks to Principal Nedzu’s opening speech and the general gossip mill, everyone around here seemed to know who we were. First-years, second-years, even the third-years. It was kind of embarrassing to be known for an unauthorized fight in the middle of the night. Then again, I bet it looked cool from the outside. Were there recordings of it? If so, hopefully without audio.

“Quit mumbling dumb shit, Nerd,” Kacchan snapped, yanking me out of my thoughts. His voice was still sharp. But maybe it wasn’t about me. Maybe he was just irritated about the upcoming talk.

I opened my mouth to apologize - like I always did - but Kacchan suddenly came to a stop. I glanced around and saw we’d already arrived.

He didn’t wait. He just knocked on the door, leaving me no time to mentally brace myself. I had no idea how this conversation would go. Only one thing was certain: it was going to be awkward at best - and probably uncomfortable as hell.

“Take a seat,” our teacher said in his usual bored tone when we walked in. We sat on the sofa - me on the left, Kacchan on the right - with a safe bit of space between us.

I quietly exhaled and shifted around a little, feeling completely tense. The mood in the room wasn’t helping. Mr. Aizawa kept shuffling his papers around in silence, making us wait. Was that on purpose? Was he trying to make us even more nervous?

I glanced at Kacchan and saw his clenched jaw. He was probably grinding his teeth just to stop himself from saying something reckless. He hadn’t looked away from our teacher once. It felt like some kind of silent staring contest - just like last time.

I looked back toward Eraserhead, who finally stood and sat across from us. He crossed one leg over the other, leaned back, and folded his arms. His expression was deadly serious. Somehow, I had a feeling this was going to be more than just embarrassing - it was going to be uncomfortable.

“You didn’t follow my instructions yesterday,” he began, and my pulse spiked instantly. I felt my palms get sweaty as I tried to explain, “I’m sorry, Mr. Aizawa. I told you earlier - we got back pretty late. We didn’t want to disturb you at that hour.”

His face gave away nothing. Just a perfect poker face. Classic Eraserhead.

“The instructions were to report to me Sunday as soon as you returned. That was not optional. But you, Midoriya, seem to have a hard time following my instructions in general.”

I bit my lip and lowered my head. That stung. He was still referring to how I’d acted after Kacchan got taken. I knew it had been reckless. I knew it was dangerous. But I’d do it again in a heartbeat. There was no way I could’ve just sat around doing nothing. Not when it came to Kacchan. Never.

“So is this just about yesterday, or is there more?” Kacchan cut in sharply. “Because if that’s it, I’m leaving.”

Mr. Aizawa shifted his gaze from me to meet Kacchan’s glare. Another heavy silence followed - one of those stare-downs again - before he finally responded.

“No, Bakugou. That’s only one of the things we need to talk about.”

I heard Kacchan growl quietly beside me. I wanted to reach for his hand or nudge him with my elbow, just something small - but the space between us made it impossible. And there was no way I was going to scoot closer, not with everything going on.

“Then get on with it already instead of wasting my time,” Kacchan snapped again. Why was he being like this?

Another pause. Mr. Aizawa was definitely doing this on purpose - to provoke Kacchan and throw me off. And it was working. His scrutinizing gaze was driving me nuts.

“I want to talk about the incident.”

“Our fight on Ground Beta?” I asked quickly, even though I knew he meant what happened in the kitchen on Monday. Still... I really didn’t want to talk about that.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Kacchan smirk slightly, while a brief flicker of disbelief crossed Mr. Aizawa’s face. I mentally congratulated myself for cracking his poker face - if only for a second.

“No, Midoriya. I meant the kitchen incident,” he said, still cryptic, like he didn’t even want to say out loud what he’d seen. But that choice of words... it sparked all kinds of other images in my head. Because when I heard “kitchen incident,” I wasn’t just thinking about a harmless kiss. Shit. I really didn’t want to start blushing now.

Kacchan must’ve noticed the weird look on my face, probably guessing where my brain had gone, because he jumped in: “You saw something you weren’t supposed to. After that, we aced your performance test. So I don’t see what the hell else there is to talk about.”

He crossed his arms tightly over his chest, clearly pissed and annoyed. That kind of mood was never helpful. He always got way too impulsive when he was like this.

Mr. Aizawa didn’t react. Instead, he shifted positions - uncrossing and recrossing his legs in the opposite direction. Arms still folded. Face unreadable.

“I think that first point alone is worth discussing, especially considering the school rules,” he replied, calm but dead serious.

The rules. I had actually looked them up after last Monday’s incident. I remembered hearing something during the provisional license exam about Shiketsu High having a strict no-relationships policy. At U.A., the wording was vaguer. It only said that physical interactions of a romantic nature were prohibited. Which... yeah, okay. We’d definitely broken that one. Still, technically, being in a relationship wasn’t against the rules. The question was: how exactly did they define “romantic interaction”? A kiss on the cheek or a hug could be seen as friendly gestures and were often tolerated. So... were our answers now going to be the deciding factor in how bad this got?

Since neither of us answered right away, Mr. Aizawa continued with a question we’d heard before, in one form or another: “How would you define what’s going on between the two of you?”

I glanced at Kacchan. He was looking at me, too - but there was something mischievous in his expression. What the hell was he thinking? Maybe we really should’ve rehearsed this a little beforehand.

I was surprised when he suddenly spoke up - but not in the way I hoped: “Your definition. Your explanation.”

I grumbled and bit my lip. Was he doing this just to mess with me, or because he remembered how well I handled things the last time?

I took a deep breath. Alright, then - here goes nothing.

“We’re…in…a…relationship,” I told Mr. Aizawa.

“Can you be more specific?” he pressed. His tone made it clear this wasn’t going to be a one-sentence conversation. I mentally prepared myself for a drawn-out back-and-forth. Just stay calm, keep it short. Don’t ramble. Don’t start mumbling. Just channel a little Kacchan - how hard could it be?

“No. And I’m aware that the school rules don’t forbid being in a relationship.”

“That rule doesn’t apply to romantic—”

I cut him off before he could finish. “No. What it says is: physical interactions of a romantic nature are not allowed.”

God. Where had that courage come from?

“And a kiss isn’t a romantic physical interaction?” he shot back, eyebrow raised.

Kacchan scoffed. Honestly, it was a miracle he didn’t throw a fit just from hearing the word romantic. But he stayed slouched on the couch, simply observing. Letting me take the lead. Unusual - but nice. It made me incredibly happy to have earned that kind of trust from him. Well... either that, or he just didn’t trust his own ability to communicate. I hoped it was the first, though I was pretty sure the second played a big part too.

“He doesn’t have to,” I replied.

“It looked quite intimate between the two of you.”

God, could he not have a comeback just once? I bit down briefly on my lower lip before answering, “We’ve known each other for a long time. It might give that impression.”

“Funny. No one noticed that until now.”

“Well, that’s not really anyone’s business.”

“Your fights - and the unauthorized duel that came from them - are everyone’s business.”

I looked down, clutching the fabric of my pants.

“You’re right,” I said quietly. I only realized now how tense I really was. That sense of unease creeping back in. But hey - I’d managed to steer us away from the kiss and back to Ground Beta. Small win.

And then - Silence.

Uncomfortable, but also a bit of a relief. I could breathe. Try to mentally sort things out and figure out what to say next.

Or... at least I would have, if it weren’t for the impulsive blond sitting next to me, who suddenly couldn’t sit still anymore.

“What is it you even want from us?” Kacchan snapped. “If you were gonna report us, you would’ve already done it. You wouldn’t have waited a whole damn week. Or is it that you can’t prove anything?”

“Kacchan…” I tried to stop him, but he just shot me a sharp look.

“Don’t ‘Kacchan’ me! I’m right, and you know it. If he wanted to punish us or kick us out, it would’ve happened by now. This whole conversation’s a farce!”

I had to admit, it was a solid point. I hadn’t even considered that angle. I’d been too focused on trying to defend us, trying to find a way to talk ourselves out of this. But he was right. Why hadn’t Mr. Aizawa gone to the principal? Why hadn’t he taken action? Why was he waiting patiently for us to explain?

“You two, despite the issues you cause me, are still promising hero candidates,” our teacher said calmly. “I have no intention of damaging your reputations or accusing you of anything. Situations like this can have consequences that affect your entire school career. And rushing into a decision with a topic this sensitive would be… foolish.”

Was that why he warned us to keep those kinds of interactions to our room? Was that... his way of being okay with it? Was he trying to protect us?

“Mr. Aizawa…” I began hesitantly, but trailed off again. I didn’t really know what to say. I wasn’t even sure how to feel about this whole conversation anymore.

“I’m your teacher. And I’d appreciate it if you were honest with me. You two, of all people, should know what a lack of communication can lead to, right?” he continued, sounding so calm and trustworthy. God, it felt less like talking to a teacher and more like talking to a counselor - or even a parent.

Overwhelmed and unsure, I bit my lower lip. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Kacchan watching me like a hawk. And the moment our eyes met, he sighed and shook his head with a crooked little smile.

“What exactly do you want to hear? And what can we say without you throwing us under the bus anyway?” Kacchan asked. He leaned forward, resting his forearms on his knees.

“The truth,” Aizawa said plainly. “About the two of you. According to your files, you went to the same elementary and middle schools. You were both involved in the Sludge Villain incident. And you were born in the same district.”

I nodded slightly. He’d done his homework. Although, I noticed he hadn’t mentioned kindergarten - that probably wasn’t in our files. But the villain incident being in there? That surprised me.

“Mr. Aizawa, I don’t really know what you’re expecting to hear,” I said quietly. “But the way we’ve acted around each other up to now… that’s just how our relationship was. Over the years, we grew apart… and probably misunderstood each other a lot too.”

He seemed to consider that. Like he was dissecting every single word, looking for something hidden between the lines. After a short pause, he finally broke the silence again.

“How long?”

Vague as ever. But I could guess what he meant - the kiss. Our relationship.

“Not until after Ground Beta. So… about two weeks,” I admitted shyly, feeling the heat rise in my cheeks. I prayed he wouldn’t start asking awkward questions like our parents had.

“Nothing before that?”

I shook my head quickly and added, “We weren’t lying to you last time, sir. That fight helped us finally deal with all the crap between us from before U.A. What’s happened since then… none of it was planned. It just kind of—”

“—got kicked off by some stupid moment,” Kacchan cut in when he noticed I was struggling to put it into words. He sounded a little gruff, but not unkind.

“And who else is aware of your relationship?”

“My mom. Kacchan’s parents. And you.”

“Your parents know? How did they rea—”

“That’s none of your damn business,” Kacchan cut him off sharply.

I rolled my eyes, scooted toward the middle of the couch, and gave his shin a nudge with my foot. He growled and shot me a glare. I stared right back, unfazed.

“They’re fine with it,” I said, not breaking eye contact.

Aizawa gave a small nod and didn’t say anything else. He seemed to be thinking again - maybe trying to decide what to say next, or maybe just watching how we interacted. Whatever it was, it made the silence between us even heavier.

I had no clue how to deal with it. Should one of us say something? Ask if we were dismissed?

I glanced toward Kacchan, who looked like he was already getting annoyed again. I gave him a tentative, apologetic smile. He just let out a sigh through his nose. I had to fight the urge to reach over and run my fingers along his hand or give him some other comforting gesture. Even with our teacher present, it was hard to resist.

I jumped a little when Aizawa cleared his throat, immediately pulling all my attention back to him.

“I don’t care what students do in their free time or who they do it with,” Aizawa said evenly. “But I’m aware that same-sex relationships still raise eyebrows in today’s society. That’s why I’d prefer we avoid another incident like the one on Monday.”

I nodded obediently, about to say something, but Aizawa continued: “Nevertheless, I need to inform you that aside from what I’ve already mentioned, there are extra dorm rules you should be aware of. It was added relatively recently - at the request of certain parents.”

I frowned and noticed Kacchan reacting the same way. Extra dorm rules? I thought I’d reviewed the school regulations after last week’s mess—had I missed some kind of dorm-specific section?

“Sex between students is strictly forbidden in the dormitory.”

Flat and completely emotionless, the words left his lips - words that made my face burn instantly. Seriously? He wasn’t actually going there… right?

God, I barely managed to stifle a squeak. My gaze dropped, shame flooding through me. I had no idea how to respond or where to look. Why - just why did we keep circling back to this topic?

“And how exactly do you plan to enforce that?”

My head snapped up. I stared at Kacchan in disbelief as he sat there calm and composed, legs crossed, one arm draped over the back of the couch. Why the hell did he look so relaxed - so smug and provocative?

And just like that, it started again: the silent staring contest between Kacchan and Aizawa. I still didn’t quite understand it, but I was grateful that I didn’t have to be the one talking right now. This was definitely Kacchan’s territory. I’d already used up all my nerves on this topic yesterday - with Aunt Mitsuki.

“Bakugou. Are you seriously trying to tell me that you intend to deliberately break this rule?” Aizawa pressed.

Inside, I was already crying. Please, Kacchan, just don’t say anything. Don’t say that we’ve had sex, or that we’re going to, or that we even want to. I begged him silently, staring at him, pleading with my eyes.

But of course, he ignored me completely.

Instead, I held my breath as his mouth opened again.

“This rule only exists because the school doesn’t want to take responsibility if some girl ends up pregnant. It doesn’t apply to us. Neither I nor Deku have a uterus.”

And that was it. I let out a strangled squeak and folded forward, burying my face in my hands. Why, Kacchan? Why??

“The rule applies to all students!” Aizawa shot back.

“Oh, so are you planning to stand in front of our room every night and listen to make sure we’re not breaking it?”

“Your room?” Aizawa echoed, his brow rising skeptically.

I swallowed hard, but Kacchan looked completely unfazed by the teacher’s death glare.

“You can’t keep track of who sleeps where, and you sure as hell aren’t going to start checking every night. Too much of a hassle, isn’t it?”

“Kacchan…” I whispered, a warning in my voice.

He smacked me lightly on the back of the head but kept going. “Doesn’t matter what you say. The nerd’s still sleeping in my room. And whatever happens behind a closed door is none of your damn business.”

“Bakugou. Consider this a formal warning - that rule exists for a reason!”

“Screw the rule.”

“Breaking it can lead to suspension or even expulsion! Is it really worth that?”

The smug grin that spread across Kacchan’s face made my panic spike. My hands moved on instinct, slapping over his mouth to shut him up.

“We obviously follow the rules, Mr. Aizawa! We’d never do something like that. Especially not... I mean, not at our age or anything! Really, no need to worry - we’re totally innocent! Kacchan didn’t mean any of that, I swear. We’ve never slept in each other’s rooms. Nope. Not even once. We wouldn’t risk anything after being on house arrest. Really. Seriously. Honestly.”

I rambled so fast I could barely breathe, knowing full well I was lying through my teeth - and that Aizawa could see right through it. But still, it was better to make it seem like we were trying to follow the rules.

“That’s what I wanted to hear, Midoriya,” Aizawa began, running a hand through his hair before continuing in a stern voice. “Should I notice anything, I’ll inform your parents.”

It was probably meant to sound threatening - meant to be a warning. That had to be his intention. But honestly, it just had the opposite effect. Kacchan barked out a laugh like he’d just heard the best joke in the world, and I couldn’t help the crooked grin that spread across my face. God! Aunt Mitsuki would probably die laughing if Mr. Aizawa actually called to inform her that her son and his boyfriend were up to inappropriate things in the dorm. Shit - she’d probably ask for details while imagining wedding bells.

Judging by his expression, our teacher definitely hadn’t expected our reaction. He stared at us like his brain had short-circuited. For once, every bit of that infamous poker face had completely fallen away. Kacchan couldn’t resist and threw out another comment: “If you want, just call my mom now and give her a heads-up. Or better yet - ask for her written permission. She’d be thrilled to send it over.”

God, the smug grin on his face. What was wrong with him? Did he have to say it like that? I cursed him silently as I tried to breathe normally. Why the hell was I even dating him again?

Still, I had to admit - he’d rendered Aizawa speechless. Totally. The look on our teacher’s face was something I’d never seen before. And if this weren’t about such an incredibly awkward topic, I might’ve even laughed. Instead, I turned away from our teacher and shot Kacchan a glare.

“That’s enough, Kacchan!” I burst out, getting his full attention. He raised a brow, confused about what my problem was.

I clarified, maybe a bit too eagerly, “We both know how your mom is, but if my mom finds out about this conversation through Mr. Aizawa, she’s gonna give us an earful. You really want that after yesterday?”

Even I was a little shocked by the sharpness in my tone. I was about to apologize when Kacchan’s shoulders sank slightly, and he gave me a sheepish look. Almost… remorseful. Oops - maybe I’d pushed a little too hard. I knew how seriously he took it when my mom gave him a talking-to. Especially with how guilty he still felt over everything that happened back in middle school.

He sighed, turned back to Aizawa, and said in a calm, respectful tone, “We’ll stick to all the rules. Obviously.”

Aizawa’s eyes widened even more. He probably couldn’t understand how Kacchan could shift gears that fast. Maybe he was even a bit impressed that I apparently had some sort of calming influence on the guy.

“Thank you,” I whispered, eyes dropping to my hands again. I didn’t dare say anything else - just waited for our teacher to speak.

“Alright. If that’s clear, I’m choosing to ignore the kitchen incident. But if there’s another incident, or the class finds out and rules are broken, I’ll have to take appropriate action.”

I nodded quickly, silently thanking every higher power. That was the best outcome we could’ve hoped for. He wasn’t going to watch us like a hawk - he’d simply keep pretending not to notice, like he’d already been doing all week. Though I had no doubt he’d still be watching us with a sharp eye.

“What about fighting each other? Can you…?”

Before he could finish, Kacchan and I said in perfect sync, “Anytime, anywhere.”

We grinned at each other, practically vibrating with anticipation. I loved fighting alongside Kacchan. But even more than that - I loved facing off against him. Every time we clashed, it lit a fire in me. A hunger to win. To prove I’d grown stronger.

“Good. Then you’re dismissed.”

I breathed a sigh of relief and stood from the couch. Kacchan followed, and after a quick bow, we made our way to the door. Just as I reached for the handle, Aizawa’s voice rang out one more time.

“Midoriya! Bakugou!”

We turned - and saw him smirking like the devil himself.

“Thanks for your honesty. That said, I think I’ll make two very interesting phone calls now.”

I froze. The color drained from my face. Was he serious? Was he really going to call our parents now? Or was that just one last jab?

Kacchan opened the door for me, placed his hand on the small of my back, and shoved me out of the room. “Do whatever you want,” he grumbled lazily, and I was beyond grateful he was pulling me along.

God! Why couldn’t I just have one normal day?

 

 

Notes:

And that’s it for now!
What did you think of the conversation? I have to admit - expressing all those subtle nuances is so much easier in German. Writing this in English as a non-native speaker was definitely a bit of a challenge. 😅
Still, I hope it was clear enough - and maybe just a little awkward and funny, as always! ;)
As for why the rules are so vague… well, maybe that’ll make more sense later on in the story. Just saying. 😏
For now, I’m wishing you all a beautiful Easter and I’ll see you again on Wednesday!
Sending hugs your way 💚🧡

Chapter 46: Too Much?

Notes:

Hey everyone! 💚🧡
And holy shit! I totally forgot that today’s supposed to be update day 😅
So I actually got out of bed right before falling asleep to finish the chapter for you (please forgive me if there are a few little mistakes 🙈).

But I had to – because you left me so many wonderful comments, and we’re almost at 1000 kudos!!!!!!! 😭✨ Like… what?! That’s insane!
Thank you so, so much for that. You guys are amazing. 💕

Now – enjoy the new chapter! 🥰

Chapter 46 – Too Much?

 

 

I was whining and sniffling as Kacchan mercilessly dragged me down the hallway. When I had refused to move after we’d left Mr. Aizawa’s office, he’d simply grabbed my wrist and started leading me through the seemingly endless corridors of the school building. And me? I was so lost in thought I didn’t even try to figure out where we were going. Kacchan would get me back to the dorms. I was sure of it. I trusted him.

Was Mr. Aizawa really calling our parents right now? What would my mom say? Would she be ashamed of our behavior? Would she give me a lecture? Or would she be so mortified that she just wouldn’t talk to me at all? Would we end up having another “weekend meeting”? If so – God - I wouldn’t survive it. I was still recovering from yesterday!

Out of the corner of my eye, I vaguely noticed Kacchan doing something on his phone. I was only snapped out of my spiral when a door suddenly flew open, he yanked me around the corner, and shoved me up against a wall. I yelped in surprise as he kissed me - right here? In school?!

The feel of his lips didn’t distract me - if anything, it had the opposite effect. I’d been so caught up in my thoughts that the sudden contact triggered a flicker of panic, and I tried to reorient myself.

“Turn your fucking brain off,” Kacchan growled against my lips, gripping my chin tightly. It hurt a little, which made me squeeze my eyes shut. I still needed a second to actually relax into the kiss. But the moment he pressed me harder against the wall, sucking on my lower lip and giving it a light bite, I melted. That touch short-circuited my entire train of thought, sent a shiver through me, and somehow made all my tension slip away. I hadn’t even realized how tight my shoulders had been.

I let out a soft sigh as Kacchan only allowed me a moment to catch my breath. My arms wrapped around his neck like it was the most natural thing in the world, and my right hand tangled in his hair. God, it felt so good. It was exactly what I needed after that conversation. After this whole damn day. It had been way too long. Since the last kiss. Since the last time he touched me.

I rose onto my toes, pulling him closer with my arms. I pressed myself against him, needing his warmth, needing to feel his body against mine like it was as vital as breathing. And that air? The little I could get in between kisses didn’t feel like enough.

Somewhere in the back of my mind, I noticed something vibrating against my thigh. I only started registering it properly when it happened again. I heard Kacchan grunt - and the next thing I knew, a sudden rush of cool air slipped between us. Just moments ago, not even a piece of paper could’ve fit in that space.

I looked down as Kacchan pulled out his phone and unlocked it. I used the moment to glance around - and the second I recognized where we were, I felt my brain short-circuit all over again.

We were in our classroom. Right in the front corner, near the door. The exact corner where Mr. Aizawa usually curled up in his sleeping bag to nap. Fuck. Had we seriously been making out right there? In his spot?

My face felt like it was about to burst into flames from sheer embarrassment. Crap. This was so bad. I grabbed Kacchan’s jacket, buried my face against his chest, and let out a miserable, whimpering, “Kacchaaaaan.”

“What, nerd?” he asked, sounding slightly confused, like he didn’t get why I was freaking out.

“Why here? In our classroom?” I whimpered, still not looking up, too mortified to function. How was I supposed to sit here again tomorrow without picturing us kissing in this exact spot? Honestly, if his phone hadn’t gone off, we probably wouldn’t have stopped. And how far would we have gone?

“Because I realized something,” I heard him say, now sounding amused. I finally dared to look up at him, but he was still busy texting. I leaned in, trying to sneak a peek at the screen.

“Quit it, lemme finish my message, then you can read it, nerd,” he grumbled, nudging me back a little. I barely caught the name saved on the screen. Or rather, the nickname. “Old Hag” was what it said. I had to smile. Did Kacchan ever save anyone under their real name?

Sighing, I let myself slump against the wall and took a deep breath. Tried to calm down while watching him. That familiar scowl. That focused look. The way his fingers moved across the screen. It made my heart race. And yeah, I kind of couldn’t look away.

How could he stay so calm? And what was he texting his mom about? Was he actually warning her? Voluntarily? Yesterday, it hadn’t really seemed like they talked often. And definitely not because he started the conversation.

“You still with me?” he asked, snapping me out of my thoughts again. I looked up and saw that mischievous grin on his face. Mischievous? Honestly, it looked more like… suggestive. What was he planning?

I opened my mouth to ask, but he held his phone up to my face. I gave him a questioning look, but he just nodded, so I took it and started reading:

 

Oi, Old Hag!
If Aizawa calls, fuck him up the way you fucked us up yesterday. Just more.

...Is that how you greet your mother?

What did you do?
Did you get caught again?
Doing what this time?
Sex in the classroom?

 

No, we just had the talk we told you about yesterday.
So don’t ask more.
You’ll see what he wants soon enough.
And he better not look at me with a red face tomorrow.

 

Oh, so it was that kind of talk?

Don’t worry. I got this.

Anything else?

 

He wants to call Auntie too…

 

Okay! I’ll take care of it.

Tell my sweet Izuku I said hi. And if he ever gets tired of you, I’ll just adopt him and his mom.

 

…Fuck you!

With wide eyes and burning cheeks, I read through the messages between Kacchan and his mom. Holy crap. What kind of family had I gotten myself into?

And yet… it somehow calmed me. Kacchan had really sicced Mitsuki on our teacher—and even taken care of the problem with my mom, too. Had he done that… for me?

Despite my embarrassment, I must’ve been looking at him all touched, because he rolled his eyes, snatched the phone from my hands, and stuffed it back into his pocket. He smiled as he cupped my cheek and gently ran his thumb beneath my eye.

“Feeling better?” he asked, and I gave him a hesitant nod. My thoughts were still spinning in the background, but it wasn’t as loud or chaotic as before.

“Good,” Kacchan grinned, then slid his hand behind my neck and kissed me again. Deeply. Eagerly. Hungry.

My body tensed up as my hands pressed lightly against his chest. There was no mistaking it - he definitely didn’t plan to stop at just kissing.

Damn it, Kacchan! How can you even be thinking about that after the talk we just had?

A growl against my lips and the sudden tearing of my arms apart made me flinch. Kacchan had grabbed my wrists and pinned them to the wall beside my head. I felt one of his legs push between mine - deliberately pressing against my crotch. I let out a soft gasp.

“No,” I whispered against his lips, though it was only my brain trying to stop. My traitorous body had already surrendered to his touch and was craving more.

Kacchan just chuckled darkly, trailing his lips along my cheek up to my ear.

“You know what I realized, Nerd?” he breathed into my ear, then licked slowly along my earlobe.

Fuck! How was I supposed to not melt from that?

He paused for a second. I couldn’t answer. My mouth was bone dry. My breathing had picked up, and I was trying desperately to pull myself together. God! We couldn’t make out in our classroom! No way! I’d have to switch classes just from the embarrassment. And besides… did he seriously want to break a rule right after being warned? What the hell was he thinking?

“When Aizawa said that sex between students is prohibited, he was only referring to the dorms, wasn’t he? Or am I wrong?” Kacchan’s rough voice rang out again.

It took me a second to process what he’d said. I thought about it - what exactly he meant. And then it clicked. Mr. Aizawa had said: Sex between students is prohibited in the dorms. Only in the dorms. That didn’t include the school building.

What the fuck?! Had Kacchan really picked up on that right away? Had he instantly thought of a way to bend the rule? Is that why he brought me here - to our classroom?

I had no idea where I found the strength, but I pushed Kacchan away, arms locked out in front of me to keep him from immediately closing the distance again.

“Kacchan!” I said firmly, meeting his gaze head-on. I could guess my cheeks were bright red. I could also imagine my body was sending him some pretty conflicting signals compared to my words. But no. We couldn’t do this. Not here. Not in our classroom. Not in Aizawa’s corner. No way.

“I don’t want this. Not here!”

My voice sounded surprisingly steady. Final. Non-negotiable. I’d said it with such conviction, there was no room for him to doubt it. And I didn’t doubt it either.

“Funny, ‘cause the bulge in your pants is telling a different story,” he said flatly, his voice cool and controlled. Predatory. Like a lion waiting for its prey to slip up.

“I mean it! It’s just a few more hours. Can’t you just hold back for that long? Seriously! And stop looking for loopholes just to get back at Aizawa,” I snapped, pushing off the wall and reaching for the door. But I froze the moment I heard him growl. That quiet pop sound in his palms - his quirk reacting.

“I’m not looking for loopholes for Aizawa,” he hissed between clenched teeth. The look he shot me made my whole body go rigid. Why was he so angry all of a sudden?

I opened my mouth to say something, but Kacchan shoved past me and stormed out of the room without another word. His footsteps echoed down the hall, each one sharp and purposeful. All I could do was watch him go.

God - what did I do wrong this time?

 

 

On my way back to the dorms, I kept replaying the whole scene in my head. Was he upset because I rejected him? Or was it something else?

All in all, we’d handled ourselves pretty well during the talk with Mr. Aizawa. In the end, I was so stunned that Kacchan had just dragged me off like that. And then he’d messaged his mom - voluntarily. Totally unlike him. Did he do it for himself? For me? For us? But he’d asked if I felt calmer afterward. So it was to help me. But then... why had he tried to make out in the classroom if it wasn’t just a petty revenge move against our teacher?

I ran a hand through my hair and crouched down, lowering my head. Dammit, Izuku! Think! “I’m not looking for loopholes for Aizawa.” Kacchan’s words echoed in my mind. Not for Aizawa. So… oh my god. Seriously?! How can one person be this stupid?

Fuck! Of course he didn’t do it for our teacher - he did it for us. For me! And I shoved him away like he was just some horny creep.

“Is that why he’s really mad at me?” I muttered to myself, sighing as I opened the door to the dorms. A few classmates were hanging out in the common room and greeted me right away.

“Yo, Midobro! What’d Aizawa say to you guys?” Kaminari came rushing over.

I blinked at him, confused, tilting my head and raising an eyebrow. I was just about to ask what he meant when he kept rambling.

“Bakubro came back totally pissed! Dude, he almost fried me! Would’ve lit me up if Sero hadn’t yanked me back with his tape!”

Ah. So that’s what they were talking about. Shit. What was I supposed to say now? The truth? That he wasn’t mad about Aizawa at all - but about me?

“Um…” I tried to start, my brain scrambling for a cover story.

Curious stares drilled into me, making me even more nervous. I could feel my hands tremble a bit, and my voice followed suit: “Well, it, uh… got a little tense during the talk. And Mr. Aizawa said he’d be calling our parents again tonight. That’s really all.”

A chorus of “Ooohs” followed. Some shocked expressions. A few sympathetic looks, too.

I just gave them a lopsided smile and excused myself to my room. I didn’t want to be the center of attention. I didn’t want them to keep asking questions. I didn’t want to come up with more lies. I’d have to tell Kacchan what I said, too.

A few of them protested, offering their homework to me like always, but when I told them I needed to do it myself this time to actually learn something, they finally let it go.

 

 

Exhausted, I let myself fall onto my bed and groaned softly. Man, what kind of day had this been again? All I’d wanted was a normal day to process the weekend - a weekend that had been both wonderful and horribly embarrassing. Though, the wonderful parts definitely outweighed the rest. Kacchan’s words. Those incredibly open words that had shown me so much affection. That made me believe he really liked me. Really, truly liked me.
And then the sex! God, just thinking about how it had felt to have him inside me set my whole body on fire again. Did he feel the same? Had it been just as overwhelming for him? Was that why he’d wanted to seize the chance in the classroom?

I sighed and rolled onto my back, staring blankly at the ceiling. The one spot in my room where you couldn’t see All Might. Thank God! With thoughts like these, it would’ve been kind of embarrassing.
Maybe I should actually put away a few of those figures.

I was starting to get annoyed. I was lying here on my bed, knowing Kacchan was mad at me. And yet we could’ve been enjoying some time together - some time just for the two of us. Time we’d only really get in the evenings from now on. And even if we did sleep in the same bed, the night didn’t exactly count.

Should I have just gone along with it earlier? Should I have shut off my damn brain and given in? Could I have ignored it the next day during class?

Frustrated, I scrunched up my face and closed my eyes. This was driving me crazy. Why was I asking myself questions I couldn’t possibly answer? I should be thinking about how to apologize to Kacchan instead.

Uncertain, I grabbed my phone. Maybe I could just text him. Or call? What would I even say? Did he want to talk to me? Maybe he wasn’t even mad anymore?

Hesitantly, I opened our chat. Maybe I should start with a heads-up about dinner - let him know the excuse I gave the others so we wouldn’t mess anything up. Yeah. That was probably the safest approach.

 

Hey Kacchan!
The others asked why you were so pissed. I told them the meeting got a little heated and that Mr. Aizawa wants to call our parents again. It was the best thing I could come up with on short notice.

 

Before I could even read it over, I hit send. Should I follow up with a “sorry”? Or wait?

Nervously, I stared at the screen. One minute. Two. I saw that he’d read the message. I waited another two painfully long minutes… but nothing. Then the screen showed he’d gone offline.

Groaning, I flopped onto my stomach. This was bullshit. And dammit, how many times had I cursed in my head today? Was this Kacchan’s influence? Or had I always been like this?

Fine. If he didn’t want to reply, then I’d just do what I did best - apologize and annoy him.

 

Sorry about earlier
I was being dumb
I didn’t mean to reject you. I just got overwhelmed. And I was scared I’d never be able to walk into that room again.
Please don’t be mad at me =(

 

Hopefully that would be enough to calm him down. All I wanted was to hear from him. Kind of ironic, considering I’d just denied him any contact a short while ago. But I guess that’s how it always was, right? You always wanted what you couldn’t have in the moment. I remembered reading something like that in a book back in elementary school. How did the quote go again? “He doesn’t want what he has, and he wants what he doesn’t have.” Something like that. For some reason, it had always stuck with me. No idea why. My brain was weird like that - always storing the dumbest stuff. Like that poem I had to memorize in my first year of middle school. Or the full class list from my last year of elementary school. God, why was I thinking about this now? Was I just trying to distract myself so I wouldn’t count the seconds he wasn’t replying?

Anxiously, I looked at my phone. I’d sent those messages five minutes ago. I saw he’d read them. And I realized, with a sinking feeling in my gut, that he still hadn’t replied.
Fuck. I felt sick. Seriously. Was this his punishment for pushing him away? I mean… he couldn’t actually expect me to be in the mood for that kind of thing all the time, right?

My phone started ringing, cutting through my spiraling thoughts. I looked at the screen hopefully. But it wasn’t Kacchan - it was an unknown number. Huh…

With a nervous, “Midoriya?” I picked up, immediately relaxing when I heard the energetic voice on the other end: “Izuku! Sweetheart! At least you still answer your phone!”

“Auntie Mitsuki!” I blurted out, surprised. Where the heck did she get my number?

“The brat won’t pick up his damn phone, so I got your number from Inko instead,” she started rambling right away, making me chuckle. She sounded more amused than angry.

“What did you want from Kacchan?” I asked immediately, curiosity getting the better of me. I definitely hadn’t expected her to be the one calling me.

“I talked to your teacher!” she announced proudly. Her voice was laced with mischief and satisfaction. God, why was I already blushing when I didn’t even know what she was about to tell me?

“Oh! Um… how was it? I mean, the talk?” I asked hesitantly. Probably should’ve kept my mouth shut, but what else was I supposed to say?

And so, full of shame, I listened as she told me how she’d told Mr. Aizawa exactly what Kacchan expected of her. That she thought what we had was a good thing. That he should think back to how he was at sixteen. That she herself hadn’t exactly held back at that age. That she’d be happy to provide a written statement of consent if it meant not being bothered by such nonsense again. She was a businesswoman, after all, and time was money. She told him he should only call again if we were burning the school down. Everything else was either none of his business - or very much welcome in her book.

God. Had she really said all that to Mr. Aizawa? Out loud?

When she was finally done, all I could manage was a mortified, pitiful, high-pitched: “Auntie Mitsukiiiiii…”

I couldn’t deal. I seriously didn’t think I could ever look our teacher in the eyes again. Why did she and Kacchan always have to be so brutally direct?

“What? Izuku? He didn’t call Inko after that either. Or maybe he’s still recovering from me,” she laughed into the phone, just as carefree as yesterday.

“Thanks for standing up for us,” I mumbled quietly, voice small and shy.

“For you? Anything.”

“Not just for me. For Kacchan, too!” I protested - soft, but firm. She couldn’t just leave him out.

“Of course, for the little brat too! But don’t tell him I said that. Actually, tell him to thank me properly for once!”

“If he ever talks to me again, I will,” I replied, a little sadly. Crap. Did I really just bring that up? But who else could I talk to about this?

“Why?”

“It’s nothing! Really. Nothing I can’t fix,” I deflected quickly. No way I’d burden her with such a petty issue. And honestly, Kacchan would probably be more pissed about that than about what happened in the classroom. No question.

“Alright. But if something is wrong, call me. You know I’m here for you - just like your mom is. Even if it didn’t always seem that way these past few years.”

Whoa. Why did she suddenly sound so… soft?

“Thanks, Auntie Mitsuki. I really appreciate that.”

“Besides, no matter what happened, there’s no way he can stay mad at you, sunshine. God, I’ve never seen my son look as lovesick as he did yesterday.”

Dammit! Of course she had to end the call with that! My face burned even hotter as I mumbled, “I’m gonna hang up now…”

I heard her laugh again, and once she said goodbye, I quickly ended the call, yanked the pillow from beneath my head, and pressed it into my face.

Then, as quietly as I could, I screamed into it. I had to let out this all-consuming embarrassment somehow. God! Goddammit! That woman was going to be the death of me. Seriously! And yet… talking to her had felt kind of good. Her blunt way of speaking had something about it - something that reminded me of Kacchan.

I sighed, rolled over onto my stomach, and hugged the pillow tight. Then glanced at my phone again. Kacchan still hadn’t replied - not even during the half hour Mitsuki had been talking my ear off.

But suddenly, I had an idea. A grin spread across my face. If he wasn’t going to respond to an apology, then I’d just have to provoke him. Tease him. Just like he always did with me.

Without thinking too much, I typed out the next message - our seventh exchange of the day.

 

Just talked to your mom.

 

I hit send immediately and waited, feeling almost smug. Yeah. That one he wouldn’t be able to ignore.

But to my disappointment, even ten minutes later, there was still no reply.

Stupid Kacchan. Dumb, stupid Kacchan, was all I could think after that. Pouting, I finally forced myself to focus on my homework. There was no point in waiting anymore.

 

 

Shortly after ten, I snuck upstairs. Kacchan hadn’t replied to any of my messages, nor had he paid me the slightest bit of attention during dinner. He hadn’t even responded to his crew’s questions when they asked what had happened with Mr. Aizawa. I’d kept to the background, too, and silently thanked my friends for not being overly nosy. Instead, they just chatted with me about homework and upcoming exams.

Nervously, I tiptoed toward Kacchan’s door. The hallway was completely dark and quiet. Luckily, it always was. I didn’t want to push my luck, so I quickly grabbed the doorknob, planning to slip in like always. “Quickly” being the key word - because I assumed the door would be unlocked like usual.

Instead, I smacked face-first into it and realized with a shock that Kacchan had locked his door.

What the fuck?

What was that supposed to mean? Or… was he not in his room?

Was he seriously leaving me hanging like this? Despite the risk of being caught?

Wincing, I rubbed my nose. The thud had sounded pretty loud in my ears, but probably not enough to alert anyone. Still, what was I supposed to do now? Knock? Walk away?

Uncertain, I pulled out my phone and hit call. At least his phone wasn’t off - but I couldn’t hear a sound from his room. Nervously, I waited until his voicemail kicked in. Was he seriously doing this right now? How childish could he be?

It wasn’t even that big a deal! He knew how I was!

I quickly opened our chat.

 

Kacchan! Open up!

 

No reply. But he had read it. Grr, how could he?! Was he really going to let me get caught out here?

 

Please, Kacchan!

 

Still nothing. I didn’t even wait thirty seconds before typing again.

 

Open the damn door or I’m leaving.

 

No response. No sound. No footsteps. Nothing. Absolutely nothing.

God, it was driving me insane. Making me furious.

Why the hell was he so damn stubborn?

 

Open the fucking door, KATSUKI!!!

 

That message must’ve hit the right nerve, because not even ten seconds later, I heard the click of the lock. And - just as I’d expected - I was yanked in by the collar and dragged into the room. Slammed up against the wall and met with a furious glare that glinted at me in the dim light.

“What did you just call me?” he growled at me. I reached for the fist still clenched in my shirt and looked him straight in the eyes.

“Come on - what else was I supposed to do to get you to stop pouting and actually talk to me?”

“Pouting?!”

“Yeah! What else am I supposed to call someone acting like a sulky kid who didn’t get what he wanted?”

I had no idea where I got the courage from, but I was just plain angry. Angry that he was ignoring me even after I apologized. And seriously! How could anyone stay that mad for this long over something like that? He was completely overreacting!

He growled again before letting go of me - shoving me against the wall in the process. I felt a dull thud at the back of my head but chose to ignore it.

“You told me to back off earlier—so how about you return the damn favor?” he growled into the room. I watched as he slunk back to the bed and lay down. He turned toward the wall, clearly wanting to ignore me.

“Kacchaan…” I said, more quietly this time. I followed him and sat down on the edge of his bed. He didn’t move. But he also didn’t tell me to leave.

I sighed, fiddled with my fingers in my lap, and spoke with my head down. “I already wrote you… and I know you saw it. I’m sorry. I just… panicked a little, and maybe I reacted too coldly.”

A short silence fell between us. I longed for Kacchan to finally say something. I watched the digital clock tick from 10:18 to 10:19 PM. I kept my eyes on it, waiting for the next minute to pass.

But before it did, Kacchan’s voice cut through the silence - quiet, but sharp:
“You acted like I was gonna fuck you on the teacher’s desk.”

I stifled a squeak, tried to keep breathing evenly, and willed the heat in my face not to show. God, how I hated his choice of words sometimes. Just… sometimes.

“Well, I mean… after the way you interpreted that rule, what was I supposed to think?”

“Hmph,” was all he said. More silence.

I rubbed my arms. It was chilly in the room. Kacchan must’ve noticed, judging by what he said next: “Lie down and cover up already.”

My mouth curved into a smile. I quickly stripped off my pants and shirt, and in just my shorts, snuggled up next to him in bed. Without hesitation, I pressed myself against his back and wrapped an arm around his waist. I inhaled his scent deeply, resting my nose against the back of his neck. It felt so incredibly good.

“You’re gonna be the death of me, Izuku,” I heard him whisper. I didn’t react. I didn’t move - just waited for him to keep talking. I knew he was probably wrestling with himself.

I flinched when he suddenly turned around in my arms and looked at me with a slightly strained expression.

“Seriously! First all that emotional crap yesterday, and now this fucking mess today! It’s driving me insane!” he burst out. He didn’t sound angry - just overwhelmed. Were the last two days really that much for him?

It started to dawn on me why he was upset. The moment I’d let myself get pulled away earlier… when I’d let him take care of things because I was overwhelmed - he had needed support too. But instead of giving it to him, I relied on him to guide me back, to fix everything, while I just sorted out my head. Maybe he had wanted to do the same.

Because if I’d learned anything from Ground Beta, it was that Kacchan was a thinker too - even if he’d never admit it. He got overwhelmed by things too. It was just… human.

What he probably wanted in that moment was something to ground him. Something to calm him. And that something - he’d basically told me himself - was me. I was his calm. His peace.

And I, idiot that I am, had been so wrapped up in my own head that I hadn’t thought once about how he felt after everything.

I swallowed. I couldn’t help but pull him into a hug, pressing his head against my chest and, for once, burying my face in his hair. It poked a little, but it was strangely comforting.

“I’m sorry, Kacchan,” I murmured, feeling his body slowly start to relax. I heard a quiet, mumbled, “Yeah, me too.”

We stayed silent. I soaked in the warmth radiating from him. I noticed he’d tilted his head a bit, resting his ear against my chest. Was he listening to my heartbeat? I smiled at the thought and gently stroked his shoulder.

We lay like that for a while, until I finally whispered: “You’re always so direct. So why can’t you just say what you really want? Or need?”

A scoff against my chest. It tickled.

“Are you serious?” he muttered, making me laugh softly.

Okay - maybe now wasn’t the time to push that topic.

Instead, I gave him a kiss on the top of his head. I was kind of proud of myself - for having understood him in the end. Even if it took me a while. And I could feel he was silently grateful I wasn’t pushing him further.

So I just gave him what he needed - what he struggled to express on his own: warmth and safety. Peace, so he could process everything that had happened over the past few days.

 

 

 

Notes:

Soo, that’s it for now!
This chapter was a bit different than usual – and I hope you’ll forgive Kacchan for his little outburst and maybe give the poor guy a hug or two 😉
And of course Mitsuki had to make another appearance (and no, it definitely wasn’t her last one either 😏 hehe).

Since I’ll have visitors over the weekend, you’ll have to wait until Sunday for the next chapter – sorry about that!
As always, I’d love to hear your thoughts if you feel like leaving a comment 💚🧡
Sending hugs your way and see you soon!

Chapter 47: A Plan

Notes:

Hello everyone! 🌸 I'm finally here!
My friends just wouldn't leave today 😅, so it took a little longer – but now I'm here! Thank you all so much for writing so many comments and for patiently waiting for the new chapter! 💚🧡 I'll see if I can reply to some of you, because your comments made me so happy (the kudos too!!!! <3). Especially one comment really touched me – it pointed out exactly what I want to achieve with this story!
A comfort fic... yes, that's exactly what this is meant to be: a story that makes you smile, laugh, squeal, and feel deliciously flustered. Seems like I've already managed to do that for some of you! Thank you so, so much for that. 💚
And now – have fun! 🎉

Chapter 47 – A Plan

 

 

Once again, it was the sound of my phone alarm that woke me up. Grumbling, I ran a hand over my face before slowly reaching out toward the noise. But before I could grab it, I felt the weight of Kacchan’s body pressing down on me. I cracked an eye open and saw him silencing the alarm.

I smiled dreamily at the sight and was about to wrap my arms around him when he simply got up and walked wordlessly into the bathroom. Confused, I stared at the spot where he’d disappeared from view. Was everything still not okay between us? I mean, we hadn't really said much to each other after last night. I also hadn’t gotten the chance to tell him about the phone call with his mom yet. Maybe he just really needed the bathroom?

I sighed and stared at the ceiling. I needed another minute to fully wake up. I knew I should probably get up and head downstairs. Though... what time was it anyway?

A glance to the side answered that question. It was only a quarter past five. Way too early to get up. Why had Kacchan set the alarm for so early? Did he want to spend a little more time with me? Should I hurry and brush my teeth so we could cuddle a bit before everyone else woke up?

Feeling hopeful, I pushed the blanket aside and stood up. But just as I headed for the bathroom, Kacchan was already coming out.

"Morning, Kacchan," I greeted him softly, reaching out to take his hand. But he just grunted in his usual grumpy morning way and walked over to his closet. I watched him, confused. The closet? Was he really getting dressed?

Nervously, I finally asked the question that would clear things up: "Why did you set the alarm so early?"

Kacchan looked at me, his eyebrows drawn together. He didn't look awake or particularly willing to answer me - but at least he did: "I’m going for a run. I’ve been slacking on training 'cause of you."

Ouch.

I sucked in a breath and dropped my gaze. Why would he say something like that? And why like that? Why did it feel like a stab straight to the heart? Maybe because I felt like I had done something wrong? Because it reminded me of how frustrated he had been yesterday?

I bit down on my trembling lower lip and went back to the bed to pick up my pants and shirt from the floor. I could feel the lump rising in my throat. The burning sting behind my eyes. Damn it! I didn’t want to cry now. But this cold, distant behavior from Kacchan - it just hurt.

Why? Why was I reacting so strongly to it?

Swallowing hard, I pulled on my pants and tugged my shirt over my head without lifting my gaze. I didn’t look at him. I didn’t say ‘See you later.’ I knew my voice would give me away. Would betray how close I was to breaking down like some little kid. This sucked.

I quickly grabbed my phone, desperate to get out of the room. His words could only mean one thing, right? He wanted space. Maybe he just needed to clear his head. But what if he realized that this whole thing between us was starting to feel like too much work? What if he decided it wasn’t worth it? But... his words from Sunday had felt so different. They had told me he liked me. Maybe even...?

"Izuku," Kacchan said quietly but firmly. I hadn’t even noticed he had grabbed my wrist while I was already halfway through opening the door. My hand dropped from the handle. It just hung there - just like my head. I was too afraid to turn around.

But a sudden tug spun me around and made me stumble into Kacchan. I instantly felt his strong arms wrapping around me, pulling me against him. I felt the familiar warmth he radiated. Felt the lump still lodged in my throat. Felt the tears still threatening to spill from the corners of my eyes. God, why was I always so close to crying?

I felt his hand under my chin, gently forcing me to look up. I saw the soft look on his face. Saw the bright red eyes that now held something apologetic in them.

"Stupid nerd," Kacchan muttered, before giving me a soft, steady kiss. He didn’t move his lips - he just pressed them gently against mine. God, that was unfair. The softness of his kiss slipped past my defenses. A single tear escaped down my cheek - and he gently wiped it away with his thumb.

"What’s going on in that dumb head of yours now?" he whispered against my lips, barely pulling away. His forehead rested lightly against mine, and I could hear him taking slow, deep breaths.

"Are you still mad at me?" I asked, my voice trembling. It was barely more than a squeaky whisper. I heard him sigh before he answered, "You think that just because we actually got up right away for once?"

Ashamed, I looked down and fidgeted with the bottom of his workout shirt. Had I overreacted again? Misread things? Misunderstood everything?

"I’m not mad," he said quietly, pausing a few times like he wasn’t sure how to explain it. "I just... want to get back...to our routine. So it’ll be...easier…for us."

"It just felt like you were pushing me away," I mumbled, pressing my forehead against his chest again. I still couldn’t bring myself to look at him. But Kacchan grabbed my shoulders and straightened me up. Forced me to meet his eyes.

"Izuku! You know that I... we... ugh, fuck! It just sounds so fucking sappy..." he cursed under his breath, clearly frustrated with himself. I noticed the faint red tint creeping up his cheeks. It was kind of cute. But I still didn’t know exactly what he was trying to say.

"I... It's fine between us, okay?" he blurted out quickly, after struggling to find the right words. Even if he hadn’t said it perfectly, it made me happy. Because he didn’t just brush me off. And because he hadn’t let me walk out the door. He must have noticed something was wrong.

"Sorry, Kacchan! I'm just... a little oversensitive right now. After yesterday. And after the weekend and everything."

"Stop overthinking. I’m not gonna push you away anymore. Even if it might... sound like that sometimes. I... Talking's just not my thing. You know that, right?"

I nodded quickly, like a little kid. Probably looked at him with wide eyes too. But at least my vision wasn’t blurry anymore. His words had calmed me down. Had brought a small smile to my face.

"Then…can we maybe... spend a little more time together tonight?" I asked shyly.

God, even to my own ears, my voice sounded... weird. Kind of needy. Kind of embarrassing. But I just needed to be close to him. More than ever. After Saturday night. After Sunday. After yesterday.

And even though the thought made me want to sink into the floor out of pure shame: I wanted him. I wanted to hug him. I wanted to kiss him. I wanted to bury myself in him and feel his warmth. But more than anything... I just wanted to…

"What, feeling horny already?" he teased with a wicked grin, as blunt as ever.

I felt my whole face burn. I wanted to cover it with my cold hands, but I shook my head instead. Damn it! We had slept together over the weekend - this kind of conversation shouldn’t still be this awkward. Or so I thought. But it was just impossible for me to change who I was.

"N-No... I mean... like... just talking and... cuddl...lie together in bed... and... stuff," I mumbled, nervously twisting his shirt between my fingers.

"Oh, so just lying in bed and talking, huh?"

"Well... and maybe... uh... possibly...m-mor…come on, Kacchaaaan! Why do you have to tease me?!" I whined, feeling like I was about to evaporate from sheer embarrassment.

Kacchan laughed and ruffled my hair. And that laugh - it was so honest, so pure, so unmistakably him. The Kacchan I had missed for such a long time. I could feel the warmth spreading from my chest through my whole body. God, did he even realize what that laugh did to me?

" Then let me go for my run, and tonight I'm gonna make a real mess out of you.” he said with a devilish grin, his voice dropping into that low, sinful tone that made my heart race - almost skip entirely.

"Kacchaaaan!" I squeaked, quickly turning away and covering my face with my hands. Now I definitely wanted to flee. If he kept talking like that, my head would explode. Or maybe... another part of me would.

"Get out here already, Nerd!" he said, amused, and gave me a playful slap on the butt. Stupid Kacchan! Seriously!

 

 

The rest of the morning passed quietly. I had also picked up my daily training routine again in my room - sit-ups, squats, grip strength exercises.

The whole time, Kacchan’s words kept echoing in my head. I also kept wondering how we were supposed to spend the whole evening in bed together if I could only sneak upstairs after ten again. We couldn’t exactly stay up as late as we had on Saturday. We had school the next day, after all.

Sighing, I eventually made my way to the breakfast table and did what I had been wishing for since yesterday: I acted normal. I stayed low-key with my group. Did everything just like I had before our house arrest.

I didn’t pay Kacchan any extra attention. I just reacted like the rest of the class when he shoved Kaminari off his chair because he was getting on his nerves.

And somehow, it felt good - to just blend into the crowd again.

 

 

It wasn’t until after lunch that the first unusual thing happened - something nobody else noticed. Well, nobody except me and Kacchan. Because when Mr. Aizawa entered the classroom - and honestly, by that point I had really managed to push the image of us making out in the corner out of my head - his eyes landed on us. A look I couldn’t quite read. Embarrassed? Or more like resigned? Hard to tell. But the slight glance Kacchan threw over his shoulder, paired with his devilish grin, told me everything: He knew it. He knew his mom had done her job. God, these Bakugous!

And somehow, I got the feeling that Mr. Aizawa was avoiding us during class. It wasn’t like I raised my hand all the time, but when I did, someone else always got called on. It could’ve just been random. After all, a teacher had to make a split-second decision about who to pick. And if Kaminari, of all people, actually raised his hand for once, it made sense from a teaching perspective to call on a student whose grades weren’t exactly top-notch.

Still, I noticed the pattern. And apparently, so did Kacchan, because he kept glancing sideways at me now and then, raising a questioning eyebrow. Each time, he gave a slight shake of his head. And for the first time in my high school life, I was actually tempted to write a note and sneak it over to Kacchan. God, weren’t we supposed to have grown out of that by now?

"I want those essays on my desk in one week. If you have questions, find someone else. Not me," Mr. Aizawa said lazily as he wrapped up the lesson. His last remark earned a few chuckles. We all knew he wasn’t joking, but maybe that was exactly what made it funny.

I packed up my folder and turned toward Uraraka and Asui when Mr. Aizawa’s voice rang out again: "Bakugou. Stay for a moment."

Of course, the whispering started immediately. I caught a few faces lit up with a little too much satisfaction. I bit my lip and sneaked a glance at Kacchan, but he just kept stubbornly staring at our teacher, looking none too pleased.

And while everyone else kept glancing back curiously, I simply walked out of the room with my friends. Because I already knew: I was probably the only one who’d find out later what that conversation was about.

 

 

Startled, I fell to the ground. I had been right in the middle of training out in the woods, practicing some kicks, when my phone suddenly started ringing loudly. I was so focused that I completely jumped and lost my balance. In my head, I could already hear Kacchan’s mocking voice: "Idiot." Yeah, he would’ve definitely found that hilarious.

Groaning, I pulled out my phone. There was no name on the screen, but I still answered with a not-so-happy, “Yeah?”

“What’s up, Nerd?” came the voice I knew so well. Hearing him made me instantly forget my little fall. I rolled onto my back, stared up at the sky, and explained, “Nothing! I’m just training. All Might sent me a new plan earlier.”

I heard a low grunt, but no real reply. We hadn't talked much on the phone before. It felt kind of strange... but also exciting. I got a little nervous and asked, “So... why are you calling?”

There was a rustling sound on the other end. I couldn’t figure out what it was, but then Kacchan spoke again. Somehow, his voice didn’t sound as steady and confident as usual.

“I came up with something.”

My eyebrows furrowed instinctively, even though he obviously couldn’t see me. “Uhm... yeah… okaaaay?”

“For tonight.”

Oh! So that’s why he was calling.

“Okay.”

“No questions?”

“Of course! I mean… yeah, questions! Like... I thought you’d just… keep talking… or something...”

God, what was I even saying? It was just Kacchan on the phone. The same Kacchan I’d spent so much time with lately. We’d talked so much - so why was this suddenly so awkward? Because it was a phone call? Or maybe because we’d also done a lot of other things that had nothing to do with talking…

“Am I making you nervous… Izuku?”

There it was again. His voice. But now it sounded different - lower, rougher. I could picture his expression perfectly: that teasing, knowing grin, his eyebrows raised just enough to be provocative, and those deep, dark red eyes watching me closely, waiting to make me squirm, to mess with me.

And the way he said my name...Shit. That tingling feeling shot right through me.

“N-No! Of course not,” I said quickly, swallowing hard and clearing my throat as quietly as I could. God, he had hit the bullseye so hard it almost hurt.

And hell - if his voice got even a little sexier, I was going to die. Right here. Right now.

What a stupid way to go. And when they found my body, what would they even put on the report? Cause of death: heart failure from an insanely sexy voice? God, that was so ridiculous. Almost as ridiculous as the crazy thoughts spinning through my mind. From my cold, lifeless body straight to the image of Kacchan, naked and hovering over me. Fuck. What the hell was going on in my brain?

Vehemently, I shook myself and tried to stop my runaway thoughts. I needed to focus on the phone call. Focus on Kacchan. Not on what Kacchan could do to me. A soft throat-clearing sound startled me. Did he somehow know I had just gotten completely distracted?

“Is your brain done glitching out?”

Panicked, I widened my eyes and blurted out in a way-too-high voice, “Was I mumbling?!”

“No idea. You were making some weird noises though. Sounded almost like I blew your head off. That can’t be it, right, I-zu-ku?” he said, voice low and rough. And hell - how could he still sound so ridiculously seductive? He was doing this on purpose. No doubt about it.

“Got a frog in your throat? You sound kinda weird,” I shot back weakly, trying to throw out some kind of counterattack. Anything to escape the rising embarrassment that kept flooding me with vivid images I really didn’t want to think about right now. Especially not after all that research I had secretly done last weekend… and words like phone sex popping back into my mind. God, Izuku! You’ve had sex twice! What the hell is wrong with you?! my inner voice screamed at me, just as horrified as it was exasperated.

“Pretty sure that weird tone is turning you on.”

Blunt and merciless.

“I hate you!” I squeaked out. It was the only thing my brain could produce.

Laughter echoed through the phone, but he didn’t say anything else. I could only hear his quiet breathing through the speaker. It weirdly calmed me down a little. Like he had just been waiting for those three little words, knowing he’d won.

Taking a deep breath, I pushed myself to ask calmly, “So... what’s your plan?”

“You leave dinner first.”

I tilted my head, even though he couldn’t see it. Was he expecting me to figure the rest out on my own, or was that really all the information he was giving me?

“Uh… can you be a little more specific?”

I heard a long, suffering sigh from his end, but I didn’t let it discourage me. I added, “I’m not a mind-reader, Kacchan.”

“You usually don’t need much to make shit up.”

“But you said you had a plan.”

I didn’t know why, but my lips twitched upward into a smile. None of this made much sense, but somehow, it was fun. It felt like he was sitting right next to me.

“Oi, listen: your phone rings while everyone’s still eating, you make up some excuse and head upstairs to my room. Done.”

Ah, okay. Pretty straightforward, actually. He’d probably call me in the middle of dinner. But then - shouldn’t I eat quickly so I wouldn’t miss anything? When exactly would he call? Some people like Koda and Fumikage didn’t hang around the common room long. And who was going to clear my plate? Was he even going to leave his precious door unlocked for me?

Almost like he could read my mind, he answered out of nowhere: “Got snacks in my fridge if you’re still hungry. And kitchen duty’ll clean up your plate.”

Had I been muttering again?

“Kaccha…”

“I’m heading to the gym. See you later... Izuku.”

Before I could even reply, he hung up.

Confused, I stared at the screen. That had been abrupt. Was he embarrassed about putting so much thought into this? Back on Saturday, he’d planned everything out too…

While I wondered if I was letting him handle too much, I got back to my exercises. Kacchan was right - we’d both been slacking. And All Might’s new training plan was brutal. It was tailored for my eight percent One for All, and normally, I trained before and after classes. I needed to get back to that. Sometimes I even trained after dinner when it was already dark out. But lately, every evening revolved around Kacchan. Actually, not just the evenings - everything revolved around Kacchan.

I couldn’t even shut off my mind now. No matter how intense the movements or how much my muscles burned, my head was still replaying everything from the last few days. Talking to our parents. Talking to Mr. Aizawa. Kacchan’s words. That I belonged to him. That he liked the way I was. That he kept looking for ways to carve out time for us. He had given me so much over the past few days - even if he hadn’t straight-up said "I like you," his “I hate you too” had felt pretty damn close. Was I allowed to hope it meant even more?

I squeaked and dropped into a crouch, trying to catch my breath. I hadn’t even kept track of my reps. Was I supposed to start the next exercise already?

Shit, Kacchan had really been giving so much. And what had I done in return? I had cried on him. Made him mad. Never planned anything myself. All the initiative came from him. Should I change that? Did he want me to?

Letting myself fall backward onto the ground, I sprawled out and stared up at the blue sky. I watched the fluffy clouds drift lazily by.

Should I really change something? Or was I just overthinking it like always? Maybe Kacchan would just roll his eyes at me if he knew what was going through my head.

“Fuuu… Who would’ve thought a relationship could be even more exhausting than hero analysis,” I muttered to myself, covering my eyes with one arm, trying to pull myself together enough to actually finish today’s training properly.

 

 

"Hey, Deku! Where have you been all this time?" Uraraka called out to me as I stepped freshly showered into the common area. I smiled at her and at Asui, who were both standing by the kitchen counter, watching the weekly cooking team prepare dinner. Tonight’s team consisted of Yaomomo, Kyoka, Sato, and Shoji.

"I was training a little longer. I have some catching up to do after the house arrest," I explained and joined them at the counter, curiously watching what the four were doing in the kitchen. And honestly, I felt a little proud that I could recognize the dish. Well, it was either fried rice or a rice omelet.

"Didn’t look like you were missing anything during your fight against Togata last week," Kyoka commented casually while grabbing eggs from the fridge. It sounded pretty offhanded, but not suspicious at all. I still had this lingering fear that someone might eventually catch onto the idea that there was something more going on between Kacchan and me. And Kyoka, with her hearing quirk, was definitely a potential "threat."

I smiled openly and explained, "The fight was really good! And afterward, Togata explained everything to me in detail. His quirk is truly fascinating - especially how he’s mastered and refined it."

A light laugh rippled through the kitchen before Uraraka added, "Of course you made him explain everything to you. Did you also find a weak spot we could use next time we fight him?"

I blinked in surprise, then started answering her question. I was totally in my element and felt right at home. I listened carefully as they also explained the quirks of the other two third-years. Since I had only been in Togata’s group, I hadn’t seen much of them. And I didn't even notice how I slowly slipped into my usual hero mumbling.

It wasn’t until a smack to the back of my head and a loud "Oi, nerd! Cut out the damn mumbling already!" that I snapped out of my tunnel vision. I rubbed the back of my head and looked over my shoulder - only to flinch slightly when I saw Kacchan standing right behind me, with Kaminari and Kirishima trailing after him.

"Kacchan!" I greeted him, surprised, but he just scoffed and said, "Stop annoying everyone! You’re making the extras dizzy."

Embarrassed, I glanced around the room and got a few strained, apologetic smiles from everyone. Oh... yeah. I had definitely gotten a little carried away again.

"Sorry," I said quickly, bowing in apology.

"It’s fine, Deku! We’re used to it by now," Uraraka said with an understanding smile. Kyoka chuckled lightly and added, "Honestly, it’s good training for me. One day, I’ll actually understand everything you’re mumbling about."

I could feel the warmth rising in my cheeks. God, it was a bit embarrassing. But when it came to quirks and special moves, I just couldn’t help myself. Especially without a notebook to properly organize all my thoughts.

"Hey, Bakubro! Do you actually understand his mumbling? I mean, you guys have known each other forever," Kaminari asked - and I honestly wanted to throw him out the nearest window. Why did he have to bring that up again? And more importantly, what was Kacchan going to say?

"Of course. I had to listen to that crap for years," Kacchan snapped back. And even though it sounded rough, his words made me ridiculously happy. It meant he had always listened to me - whether he’d wanted to or not.

I flinched a little when Kacchan suddenly shoved me aside and started inspecting what the kitchen crew was doing. His expression turned suspicious as he eyed their work.

"Which one of you idiots thought it was a good idea to make a fucking rice omelet for every single person here?" he barked so loudly that Kyoka ended up dropping an entire cracked egg - shell and all - straight into the egg mixture.

"What’s wrong with that, Bakugou?" Yaomomo asked, calm and composed as always. It was honestly amazing how steady she could be - almost like Todoroki, except she was way better at reading and reacting to emotions.

"You can’t make 20 omelets at the same time. If you do them one by one, the first ones will be cold by the time the last ones are done. And the centers won’t stay runny either. It’s a bad choice for this many people," he explained, his voice steady and serious.

Everyone - including me - looked surprised. But the logic behind his words was undeniable. You could practically see the realization dawning on everyone.

A collective "Ohhh" ran through the group, and for a moment no one said a word. The kitchen team looked a little guilty, staring down at the floor - and honestly, I felt kind of bad for them.

"Maybe Kacchan can hel—"

"Oi, shitty Deku! Who the hell said you could—"

Just like he had done before, I cut him off with my most innocent smile and said calmly, "You always claim you’re the best cook among us. So, I’m sure you have a solution for them."

The atmosphere shifted immediately from awkward silence to tense anticipation. I could almost feel everyone holding their breath. Even I felt a flutter of excitement. Sure, I hadn’t wanted to draw attention to myself tonight - but I couldn’t resist. I wanted to interact with Kacchan. I wanted to help the others. And honestly, there was no way I was letting this chance slip by.

Kacchan growled. His jaw was so tight I thought he might crack a tooth. But instead of answering me, he moved - bumping into me as he passed - and marched behind the kitchen counter.

"Watch and learn, you useless kitchen assistants!" he barked and immediately started working his magic, just like he had over the past two weeks.

 

 

"That was really brave, ribbit," Asui said, sounding genuinely impressed as we all sat down at the table. I could only smile sheepishly in response and turn my attention to the plate in front of me.

To everyone’s surprise, Kacchan had managed to use all six stovetops and every pan - big and small - in the kitchen to cook two omelets at a time. And damn, they were perfect. Fluffy, slightly runny in the center. No restaurant could have done it better. He had even seasoned them to perfection. In just two rounds, he had finished making all the plates. Sure, the portions were a little smaller, but the taste more than made up for it.

"Thank you very much, Bakugou! We’ll make sure to pick more practical recipes in the future," Yaomomo said, thanking him once more before wishing everyone a good meal.

Kacchan didn’t respond. He just stayed by the kitchen a little longer while everyone else started eating. I dug in too - mainly because I knew I probably didn’t have much time. We had a plan to follow, after all.

The atmosphere was calm and relaxed. Everyone seemed to be enjoying their food, so no one was really talking much.

Which made it all the more noticeable when my phone suddenly started ringing loudly from my pocket.

Startled, I dropped my spoon with a clatter, quickly apologized, and fumbled to grab my phone. Of course, the screen flashed "Kacchan," and I had to really fight the urge not to glance toward the kitchen. Was that why he had stayed there - to call me?

"Excuse me! It’s my mom. Might take a while," I said hastily as I stood up and rushed out of the room. No one seemed particularly suspicious, which made me breathe a little easier.

I rejected the call but held the phone up to my ear anyway and said, "Hi, Mom! Everything okay with you?"

Trying to sound as natural as possible, I made my way toward the stairs, chatting a bit more as I climbed up. Once I was safely out of sight, I slipped the phone back into my pocket and quietly sprinted toward Kacchan’s room.

Taking a deep breath, I stepped inside - and a giant, dumb grin immediately spread across my face.

I barely managed to hold back a squeal. God! We actually had the entire evening to ourselves!

The only question was: when would Kacchan come join me?

 

 

Notes:

That's it for today! 🌟

There were a few more little time skips in this chapter so I could finally make some progress. 😅 It's really hard for me to leave things out – as you probably noticed by now.
I hope you enjoyed it and that I could make you smile a little!

The next chapter will include some smut (just a small warning 🔥), although I've noticed the no-smut chapters seem to be way more popular (and get a lot more comments, hehe). But it’s already written, so here we go!

Wishing you all a sunny Sunday! 🌞 See you again on Wednesday!
Big hugs to all of you! 💚🧡

Chapter 48: The Effect of One's Own Name

Notes:

Hello everyone on this sunny Wednesday!
God, do you have any idea how much your comments made me blush? ^///^ Turns out my worries about the smut chapters were completely unfounded.
Thank you so much for your kind words (over 10 comments!!) and an incredible 30 new kudos! 💚🧡
Wow, I honestly never thought it would be that many!
It just makes me so happy — and honestly a little proud, too! 😊
So I really hope this new chapter will once again sweeten your day (or spice it up a bit 😏).
Enjoy!

Chapter 48 – The Effect of One's Own Name

 

It took exactly 37 more minutes before I noticed quite a few voices out in the hallway. I had just been playing on my phone and basking in Kacchan’s scent on his pillow during that time. Sounded embarrassing. Probably was, if anyone found out. But I was alone and had to patiently wait for him to finally come back to me.

All the more surprised and a little scared, I tried to analyze the tangle of voices in the hallway.

"Come on, Bakubro! Midoriya got to see your room too!"

Definitely Kaminari‘s voice. Shit. Were they really planning to storm into his room?

"Get the hell off my back and piss off!" I heard Kacchan yelling at them, but all he got in return was a round of laughter. Hm, that could have been Sero too, besides Kaminari. I wasn’t sure about Kirishima; he might be holding back a bit more with Kacchan. After all, he had developed a slightly better sense for these things. At least that’s how it seemed to me. I liked it in a way. But at the same time, it also made me a little jealous.

"Just for a second! It’s not even your bedtime yet."

My heart started to race. What was I supposed to do if they actually barged in? Should I quickly hide in the bathroom? Would it be enough to just crawl into the bed niche?

"What part of a fucking NO do you not understand? My room is an extras-free zone!" Kacchan kept growling. More aggressive. Angrier.

I swallowed. Damn! If he came in with a mood like that, the whole idea for the evening would fall apart. And I wanted nothing more than what he had promised me this morning. What he had said so shamelessly.

While I tried to sneak toward the bathroom as quietly as possible, another voice rang out: "Isn’t Midobro kind of an extra for you?"

I heard a growl, a small explosion, and Kaminari yelping.

"Get lost already or I’ll kill you!"

Oh! Oho!

The hairs on the back of my neck stood up and I froze mid-movement. I was just about to close the bathroom door and hide, but Kacchan’s voice... Fuck! It was simmering. Sounded so threatening. And the worst part: he hadn’t shouted those words. A pretty clear sign that the others should make a quick exit. Because a quiet, angry Kacchan was a dangerous Kacchan!

I quickly closed the door and sat down in resignation on the toilet lid. Rested my head in my hands, my elbows on my knees, and cried inwardly. As fired up as he sounded now, it would probably take forever for him to cool down again.

I flinched when suddenly the door was flung open. Looked into red, furious eyes. Just gave a small, timid smile and stayed silent. I couldn’t really tell what I was allowed to say now.

But against my expectations, Kacchan just let out a deep breath in front of me. I saw his shoulders drop.

"Come with me," he ordered, but he sounded unusually flat. Exhausted. Worn out.

I quickly jumped up and hurried after him. Watched him as he lay down on the bed on his back, folding his arms behind his head. He closed his eyes. Didn’t seem to pay any further attention to me. But the space he had left next to him was a silent invitation. A request?

A soft smile spread across my lips. Maybe things weren’t as bad as I had feared.

Carefully and slowly, I lay down sideways next to him. Gently ran my hand over his side and looked up at him a little. Immediately, he moved his arm behind my back, silently asking me to snuggle up to him. I did so at once. Rested my head on his chest and tangled my leg with his. My arm wrapped around his waist. Pressed myself even closer against him. And I couldn’t help but sigh. I was just infinitely happy to feel his warmth. To have his scent in my nose. And to hear his heartbeat. It calmed me down so much. Made me feel infinitely light.

The silence lasted for a few minutes. I just enjoyed lying so close to him. Enjoyed the way his hand stroked my back. It probably would have felt even better without a shirt, but I didn’t want to break our contact. Besides, I didn’t want to just take off my clothes like that. After all, we hadn’t even talked properly yet.

"Why the hell did I end up picking the biggest idiots in the class?" I suddenly heard Kacchan grumble. It took me a moment to process his words, because I hadn’t expected him to be the first one to speak.

But then I just smiled at his question and answered calmly, "Because they’re lovable idiots who respect you and don’t immediately back down. That’s why you like them."

"Tch, I tolerate them. Nothing more. The only one I li..." he started grumbling, but then abruptly cut himself off. I heard his breath catch. Looked up at him, just as excited. I knew exactly what he had actually meant to say.

A faint blush spread across his cheeks as his gaze nervously searched a spot in the corner. I smiled lightly at the sight. Held back the "cute" that was on the tip of my tongue.

Theo suddenly, he grunted. I watched him run a hand through his hair.

"Ah, screw it!" he muttered to himself.

Faster than I could react, he pushed me onto my back and rolled over me. His gaze looked determined and at the same time gentle. I felt his hand at my cheek, moving from there to my ear, getting tangled in my hair.

"The only one I like is you, Nerd! Screw the extras," he mumbled against me, before quickly sealing my lips with his.

Even then, I noticed the red tips of his ears. Thought I could feel his racing heart. And me? I was just as excited, my body releasing a million happy hormones.

Had he really said it? Or was it just my imagination? Heaven! God! I wanted to squeal. I wanted to cheer. I suddenly had so much excess energy that it was hard to lie still and focus on the kiss.

He had said that he liked me. He liked me. He really liked me. Liked me more than his friends. Damn! Why did that make me so stupidly happy? Why were my eyes feeling damp again?

He pulled away from me and let his head drop beside mine. I felt his cheek against mine. Heard his low, dark voice: "If you say anything about it now, you're dead."

I inhaled sharply. Pulled my lips between my teeth and bit down on them. So many thoughts were rushing through my head. I knew that so many words wanted to pour out of my mouth. And Kacchan knew it too. There was no other way to interpret what he had said.
But why wasn’t I allowed to say it back? Why wasn’t I allowed to look him in the eyes right now?

Kacchan’s teeth on my neck snapped me back. Made me gasp in surprise. At the same time, I felt his hands start to wander. Stroking me. Teasing me.

"I want you. Now."

There it was again. That husky voice. That rough tone that sent shivers racing down my spine. That made my lower body twitch. Damn! It was just a damn tone! Just a nuance in his voice. But that alone was enough to drive me insane. Insane in a way that almost made me addicted.

"Someone could hear us," I tried to protest half-heartedly, while Kacchan’s cold fingertips were already slipping under my shirt. I felt them on my chest. Had to suppress another sound when he simply pinched my nipple. Arched toward him, while my head pressed deeper into the mattress.

"Then you’ll just have to make sure that doesn’t happen, I-zu-ku," he whispered into my ear, dragging out every single syllable of my name. His voice sounded so seductive it almost seemed threatening.

I could only nod. But slowly, my mind started to clear and I grabbed him by the hair. Pulled him up so I could finally look at him. He was grinning. Arrogantly. Provocatively. In eager anticipation of a 'fight'.

Any embarrassment he had shown earlier with his words was gone. Probably covering it up. And I accepted it. What else could I do? After all, I wanted exactly the same thing he did. Had been yearning for it all day.

Without another word, he kissed me, immediately fumbling with the waistband of my pants. Pushed it down a little and ran his thumb firmly over my hip bone. I groaned into his mouth. Wanted nothing more than to be naked as fast as possible. And to feel him on top of me just the same.

My hands moved on their own. Skillfully untied the knot of Kacchan’s sweatpants. As if they had never done anything else in their whole life but undress this insanely hot guy above me.

I kept kissing him while my fingers sneaked under the waistband of his pants and shorts, pushing the annoying fabric down over his hips. Stopped at his thighs. Let my hands wander back up. Traced over his firm butt. Boldly grabbed it before arching up slightly toward him.
Kacchan gasped into my mouth. He broke the kiss and looked at me with a damn dirty grin.

"So impatient, I-zu-ku?"

There! Again! God, if he kept saying my name like that, this was going to be over before it even properly started.

"Stop that!" I growled back at him, but all I got in return was an amused laugh.

"Why? Does it drive you crazy? Am I making you... nervous?" he whispered against me.
Meanwhile, he had moved back to my neck, letting his tongue glide over it. Damn! Those two days of pause had somehow made me even more sensitive than I already had been before. Was that even normal?

"Hurry up... please, Kacchan," I whined, writhing under his touches.

I felt his hands on my butt, sneaking quietly under the fabric of my pants. Felt his lips and tongue wandering from my ear down to my collarbone and back again. Felt his teeth nipping at me over and over.

God! It was driving me insane. And we weren't even naked yet.

That changed quickly. Without another word, Kacchan granted my request. He sat up briefly and pulled his shirt over his head, tossing it carelessly into the room. And because it was too much of a hassle, he stood up for a second to get rid of his pants and boxers, which were already hanging halfway down anyway.

"Come on! Clothes off!" he demanded, giving me a look so intense that I had to swallow hard.

Couldn’t he be just a little embarrassed? After all, he was standing there visibly aroused and completely naked right in front of the bed. A sight that made me feel a little shy - but at the same time was so damn hot that my brain simply shut off.

His gaze was expectant. Challenging. As if he was waiting for a reaction from me.

And I completely lost my embarrassed self when he shamelessly ran his hand once along his length under my gaze. Grinning with such confidence that my body reacted on its own.

Without even realizing it, I sat up, pulled my shirt over my head, and slid off the bed onto my knees. Looked up at him. Saw his surprised expression. Saw his Adam’s apple move. Seemed like he had to swallow hard at the sight of me.

And now I was the one who couldn’t hold back a knowing grin.

Before I could even entertain a single doubtful thought, I wrapped my hand around his shaft and, without much warning, slipped my lips over his tip.

For the whole time, I kept my eyes on his. Watched him bite his lip and suck in a sharp breath, clearly trying to suppress any sound.

Satisfied with his reaction, I closed my eyes and tried to focus on what was in front of me. I had only done it once before. But I had liked it. And damn, it had seriously turned me on.

Carefully, I circled his tip with my tongue, gathered more spit, before taking him deeper into my mouth.

I felt Kacchan’s hand clawing into my hair. It gave me goosebumps, as my mind immediately pictured him pushing me down into his lap. And just the thought alone made it throb painfully between my legs. Had that always been hidden somewhere inside me?

Gently, not too forcefully, I worked on him. Moved my head and hand at the same time. Sucked on him. Let him ‘pop’ out of my mouth only to lick teasingly over his tip.

I heard his heavy breathing. Felt the tremble in his legs.

"Izuku..." he breathed out, while his hand firmly pulled me away by my hair.

For the first time, I looked up again. Saw his flushed cheeks and the slightly dazed look in his eyes. Saw his lips, unusually red. Had he been biting them the whole time to keep quiet?

"Stop," he added breathlessly.

I just smiled at him innocently, shaking my head slightly.

Grinning, I opened my mouth again, ready to wrap my lips around him once more - but the pull on my hair grew stronger.

I winced slightly before I was practically forced to stand up. His arousal pressed against my lower belly, that’s how close we were standing.

"So bold today?" he asked me now, his voice a little firmer, challenging even.

And I had no idea where I got the confidence from, but I didn’t back down. I just answered cheekily, "Why? Am I making you... nervous?"

He growled before shoving me onto the bed. Bent down and finally pulled the last bit of fabric off my legs. Pushed me further up the bed while crawling over me — like a predator trying to corner its prey.

"Oi, that’s how I like it," he said darkly, his sheer presence pressing me deeper into the mattress.

He came closer and closer, stopping just a breath away from my lips before continuing: "Because it’s way more fun when you end up writhing and moaning under me."

And right then, he had me!

Damn! I squeaked and squeezed my eyes shut, turning my head slightly to the side. God! Wasn’t he embarrassed to say stuff like that? How could he?!

A rough laugh and a kiss on my cheek were his only response.

"Would’ve been surprised if that hadn’t gotten a reaction out of you," he teased, just about to kiss my ear, but I turned my head and looked him straight in the eyes.

With a pouting expression, I grumbled, "I hate you."

"I know."

And before I could say another word, his hand had already wrapped around my dick. It wasn’t exactly hard anymore - but Kacchan changed that in no time.

 

My breathing grew heavier as he teased me with uneven movements. Lips pressed tightly together, I panted hard. Never thought it could be this much of a challenge just to hold back a sound.

His hand vanished, and he pushed my legs further apart. His chest pressed against mine - and for a moment, I couldn’t tell if it was his heartbeat or mine pounding that hard between us.

Then, without warning, he kissed me - only to take away my breath a second later by dropping his full weight onto me. The arm that had been holding him up moved to the nightstand. Squinting, I caught a glimpse of him opening the drawer and pulling out a small tube of lube and a condom.

My eyebrows drew together in brief confusion, but the reason clicked quickly. There was no shower in this room. And after the first two times, I’d had to wash up right away because we hadn’t used that little thing. That wasn’t really an option here — not unless we wanted to risk getting caught.

"What are you staring at, Nerd?" he asked, snapping my attention back to him.

He’d sat up again and was giving me one of those skeptical looks, an eyebrow raised.

It was both fascinating and a little awkward how he sat between my legs, my thighs resting wide open across his knees. I kept trying to hold his gaze - or at least look somewhere near it.

"Nothing... I... I get it now. I was just… confused for a second… about… that," I stammered, pointing awkwardly at the small packet in his hand.

Kacchan sighed and ran his hand down my thigh, stopping at my hip.

"Should we talk about this beforehand next time?" he asked, sounding both annoyed and strangely understanding. A weird mix.

I quickly shook my head, threw an arm over my eyes, and mumbled to the side, "No, and… just do it. T-talking feels so weird in this position."

He let out a low, rough laugh. A moment later, he pulled my arm away from my face and leaned down.

His warm breath ghosted over my neck.

"You should stay quiet anyway. Think you can manage that?"

His voice was rough and so quiet that I really had to focus to understand him. Not easy, with his lips moving right against my neck. It surprised me how quickly Kacchan was able to shift the atmosphere.

I couldn’t suppress a sound when suddenly a finger slid between my legs and brushed against my entrance.

Fuck! When had his hand gotten down there?

"No sound, I-zu-ku!"

Commanding - and somehow incredibly arousing.

He really needed to stop saying my name like that. Seriously. It was driving me insane!

Cursing silently to myself, I bit down on my lip. Kacchan had already slipped a finger into me. I arched toward him, heat spreading through my body. The tingling. The anticipation of getting more of that sinful feeling.

He prepared me carefully, while his lips roamed across my entire upper body. Not leaving out a single spot. Driving me crazy with that alone. God, I was burning up. And I tasted blood as he slipped in a third finger and I had bitten down so hard on my lips just to stay quiet.

A breathy "Fuck" escaped me. I panted and could no longer hold back a soft moan when he gently curled his fingers inside me. Had it been this intense on Saturday too?

Through my burning eyes, I saw Kacchan lean down to me and take my lower lip between his. He sucked on it. Kissed it. His tongue slowly ran across it. It stung a little. But at the same time, it tingled like crazy.

"Stop that. How are you planning to explain crusted lips tomorrow?" he asked after pulling back slightly, still hovering close.

I needed a moment to collect myself. My thoughts were a mess. I nodded, trying to speak:
"But Kacchan, it... aaah—"

A moan. Cut off by Kacchan’s flat hand over my mouth. He held it there. God, why did my body burn even more now?

But it was his own fault. He had moved his fingers. Maybe he hadn’t liked the “but” - maybe he just wanted to shut me up. He looked at me with surprise, almost a little shocked. Guess he hadn’t expected that kind of reaction.

"Turn around."

It confused me. Why?

"If you can’t keep quiet, then scream into my pillow," he explained. Suddenly gave me a devilish grin. Pressed his hand more firmly over my mouth as he began moving his fingers in and out.

I rolled my eyes and moaned directly into his hand. It muffled the sound. Everything in my ears was muffled anyway. Everything was buzzing. Pounding. Throbbing. My heart felt like it could barely handle the excitement.

"Fuck, why does that turn me on so much, Nerd?" he whispered into my ear before sitting up again.

I whimpered softly when he pulled his fingers out of me. It left a weird emptiness behind. I wanted to feel him again. Damn it! He needed to keep going. I was so completely taken by him that even his talking didn’t bother me right now. I’d probably feel weird about it later. But not now.

I watched him tear open the condom wrapper. Turned over onto my stomach without hesitation, slid my arms under his pillow, and buried my face in it.

I remembered how I’d liked it better the other way on Saturday. I wanted to see his face. His flushed cheeks. His dark red eyes that always seemed to burn. I just wanted to watch him - the way his lips parted ever so slightly when a sound escaped them. God! That perfect image had burned itself so deeply into my memory. Just remembering it made my lower body twitch wildly.

I pressed my cock harder against the mattress. The friction made me sigh. Brought me a hint of relief. Slightly dulled the unbearable feeling of being about to implode.

Kacchan’s hands grabbed my hips, pulling me slightly onto my knees while he settled between my legs. I felt his hand and something slick, cold, and smooth at my entrance. Was it the condom that made it feel a bit different?

"Ready?" he asked softly, sounding focused - and at the same time a little impatient.

I just nodded into the pillow, propping myself up slightly on my forearms as my hands pressed the pillow tighter against my mouth.

The pressure at my entrance was a little uncomfortable. It felt again like something was about to tear. So I let my legs slide farther apart, lowered my hips — and suddenly, Kacchan slipped into me way easier and way faster than expected.

I was grateful the pillow was right by my mouth. Moaned loudly into it. My face burned with heat. It made everything feel even more intense — the sensation shooting from my lower body into every fiber of me.

I heard Kacchan’s muffled moan. Heard him panting. Cursing. Apparently, even he was caught off guard by how easily he’d just... slid in.

"Argh! Fuck! Shit! Was that... God, it’s so fucking tight," he got out, mostly muttering to himself.

Seemed like he was trying to calm himself down.

I cursed silently that I couldn’t see his face. And he cursed me a second later, because my body just moved on its own. I shifted my hips away from him slightly, then pressed back into his. Moaned. Clutched the pillow tighter in front of my face to muffle the sound.

God! Just like the weekend — it felt indescribable. Intoxicating. Arousing. Just plain amazing.

"Fuck! IZUKU!" he growled, breathless and rough. Guess he hadn’t expected me to just move like that.

I felt him lean over me, his forehead pressing against my back. Winced myself when his hand clutched hard into my hip, almost painful.

"Don’t just move like that! Fuck! That... shit, no one’s supposed to hear us, damn it!"

His words were a little scrambled. Like he wanted to say too many things at once. But apparently, I wasn’t the only one going crazy — I was driving him just as insane.

"Then... Kacchan... please," I whimpered back at him, rocking my hips again. Closed my eyes just to feel more — the sparks, the jolts, the tingling, the unbearable heat.

 

We found our rhythm.

I couldn’t even begin to say if what we were doing lasted one minute or ten. I completely lost myself. Gave in to him. At some point, my hand wandered between my legs, moving in sync with Kacchan’s hips meeting my ass. Not too hard — the sound of our skin slapping together was way too loud. Why the hell did we have to live in this damn dorm? With so many people around us?

It didn’t take much longer. I knew I couldn’t hold it back anymore. And neither could Kacchan. His movements slowed, but became more intense. He almost pulled all the way out, only to push back into me with firm, deliberate thrusts.

I couldn’t keep it together. My whole body pressed into the mattress. Moaned into the pillow, lungs desperate for air. The lack of oxygen only added to the haze in my head.

My hand and Kacchan’s thrusts pushed me right over the edge. I didn’t hold back. The orgasm crashed over me like a wave. And the way my body clenched around him must’ve triggered his end too.

 

Breathing heavily, we lay next to each other, once again overwhelmed by all the sensations we’d given each other. Fuck! It was so damn addictive. I wanted that satisfaction to be a permanent state. That warmth, that wildness paired with this strange calm flooding my body - there was simply nothing else in the world that could compare.

"God! Pray no one heard you, even with the pillow. Seriously..." Kacchan burst out next to me. I glanced over at him, a little embarrassed. Didn’t help when I saw how awkwardly he was fumbling with the condom, tying it off. He was staring at the little pool of fluid that had collected inside. Did it always look like that? Or did it vary depending on how intense or long it had been?

"Oh please! Don’t look at it like you’re about to run tests on it!"

Startled, I turned my gaze to Kacchan.  "I wasn’t!" I defended myself - not very convincingly.

I heard Kacchan’s rough laugh, felt his lips on my cheek before he gave me a wicked grin and said, "Here, in case you want to weigh it before throwing it out."

I let out a tiny squeak when he smacked the thing onto my chest. It was gross - and for a second, I wanted to flick it off. But I didn’t. There was nothing to be disgusted by. Though that latex smell really was kind of unpleasant. So I just picked it up with my fingertips, scrunching up my face anyway, and got up to head to the bathroom. Tossed it into the trash.

I heard Kacchan snort behind me, clearly amused.

 

Half an hour later, we were lying side by side in the freshly made bed. We really had to come up with something about that. It would definitely be suspicious at some point if we kept washing the bedding all the time. Well - if Kacchan did.

"You’re mumbling," I heard him say. I gave him an apologetic smile out of reflex.

"And don’t worry about it. I can always blame it on my Quirk as an excuse," he added.

I nodded, stretched out, and glanced at the clock. It wasn’t even nine yet. I was happy about that. Meant we still had time to talk. Or I could just cuddle up to him and soak in his warmth.

"What did Mr. Aizawa want from you after class, anyway?" I asked him. It had just come back to mind.

"Ah, the old bastard just reminded me of the rule again. Said that even if my mom gave us a free pass, there would still be consequences if we broke it," he replied, sounding completely bored as he folded one arm behind his head.

I, on the other hand, suddenly sat up from his chest and stared at him in shock.

"The rule we just broke?!" I asked, my voice rising in panic.

The corner of Kacchan’s mouth twitched. He opened his eyes and gave me a mischievous look.

"Yeah! That one!"

"But—" I started, but he grabbed the back of my neck, kissed me, and rolled on top of me again.

"And I think we’re going to break it again tonight."

He kissed me again. Teased me with his lips. His tongue. Silently inviting me to another round.

Resisting was pointless. I tried to push him off me, but he used his full weight to hold me down. And to be honest, I wasn’t that serious about stopping him either - because Kacchan’s large, strong hands were already running down my sides again.
And my brain? It just shut itself off.

 

Notes:

That’s it for now!
I hope this little chapter managed to pull out some big emotions from you XD — and by that I mean less spice and more awkward, flustered... hehe.
And hopefully, it made you smile and maybe even laugh a little, too!
So... what’s next? Let’s just say: the next chapter is going to be a little... Class 1-A focused!
See you again on Saturday!
Sending hugs 💚🧡

Chapter 49: What Does a ‘Normal’ Relationship Even Mean?

Notes:

Hey everyone!
I’m a little late today — so sorry about that! I was out all day and then ended up reworking this chapter quite a bit. It was one of those that I wasn’t entirely happy with... even in my own language. So, I added around 500–600 words to smooth it out and make everything feel a little more complete. ^^'

Oh, and… I think I might’ve misled you a bit with my last chapter and closing lines, hehe. A lot of you seemed to think someone heard them... =D
But see for yourselves! 💥💚🧡

P.S.: 1005 Kudos!!!!!!!!!!! You are amazing – thank you so much!

Chapter 49 – What Does a ‘Normal’ Relationship Even Mean?

 

"God, what was up with All Might today?" Uraraka groaned as she let herself fall onto the couch across from us. I had taken a seat next to Todoroki on the other one, still processing that intense training session. At least it had been intense for me. For the rest of the class - with a few exceptions - it seemed to have been pure hell.

"He was clearly trying to kill us today," Hagakure started whining behind me. Part of the class had already disappeared from the common room. Kacchan included. But some didn’t even have the strength to move and were just lying around like sandbags. And I really meant lying around.

Kaminari and Mineta had collapsed just past the doorway, arms and legs spread out, both of them snoring loudly. Sero, Asui, and Ashido had at least made it as far as the table. Yaomomo was slumped in front of the kettle, waiting for her tea water to finish.

"He was unusually motivated today," Todoroki said calmly next to me. I just nodded and replied, "Yeah, it was really energizing. Everyone tried to push past their limits. I feel great right now."

Unintelligible groans and muttering went through the room.

"Mido-sweetie! With all due respect, how can you possibly feel good after that session? I’m discovering muscles in places I didn’t even know existed!" came Mina’s whiny response. I turned toward her and saw that she didn’t even have the energy to lift her head while speaking.

"What places exactly?" came Mineta’s lewd voice out of nowhere. I saw the girls visibly shudder. At the very least, they all flinched.

"Ugh, Mineta! Be glad I’m too wiped out to tape you out of the room right now!"

I gave a crooked smile and turned back to Todoroki, who was probably the closest to my fitness level. "Mr. Aizawa did say we really need to work on our physical conditioning."

Shoto nodded. "He called it vital for survival. And said we shouldn’t rely only on our Quirks."

"Are you seriously trying to make what happened today sound positive?" Uraraka said in disbelief. And slowly I began to realize that thanks to my training with One for All, I had gotten way ahead of most of the class - at least in terms of stamina and strength. And that made me feel quietly proud.

When I thought about it, it really was only Kacchan and Todoroki who still seemed somewhat fit after the session. And, of course, myself. Kirishima had held his ground well. Tokoyami had managed too. But everyone else looked like they were on the verge of death. Probably even more so tomorrow, once the muscle soreness kicked in. Hmm... should I tell them that we had another training session with All Might tomorrow?

I grinned slightly to myself as I followed that thought - apparently obvious enough for Tsuyu to glance over and ask skeptically, "Midoriya-chan, what’s with that smug little smile?"

Caught, I scratched my cheek a bit sheepishly and said, "Uh, this might sound a little mean, but I was just wondering if any of you remembered that we’ve got another training session with All Might tomorrow."

Horrified groans. Wailing. Complaints. Protests. I heard it all - coming from every corner of the room. Even a "Midoriya! That’s seriously cruel!" from Hagakure.

But then came a comment that made my face heat up a bit: "Sounds like someone spent a little too much time with Bakubabe during house arrest!"

I laughed it off a little awkwardly. The others joined in. Someone walked behind the couch and ruffled my hair. They liked doing that lately, and I’d gotten used to it. Besides, I knew exactly that the hand hadn’t been Kacchan’s. His touch felt different. He ran his fingers through more slowly - or grabbed on. Sometimes he twirled one curl between his fingers. Every time, it sent the most wonderful shivers through me.

"He wouldn’t have said it that nicely! It would’ve been something like, ‘Quit whining, extras! Your lazy asses deserved it!’ or something," Kaminari chimed in from the floor. He even tried to mimic Kacchan’s voice - and failed miserably. So much so that we all burst out laughing again.

And once more I felt how happy it made me to just be here with my class. It was always such an experience. I felt completely comfortable here. Safe. Even if Kacchan wasn’t here right now. But with Kacchan... it wasn’t just comfort and safety. With him, it felt more like... home.

"Should we watch a movie together after dinner tonight?" Yaomomo suggested from the kitchen.

Instant agreement from all sides.

"Oh yes! Our last movie night was way too long ago!"

And just like that, it was decided. Now the only question was - what should I do? Stay here, or take the chance to sneak off to Kacchan?

 

 

The question answered itself pretty quickly when Uraraka and Asui practically dragged me over to the couch after dinner. During the meal, Kacchan had just grumbled that they should leave him alone with that kind of "crap." But the brief glance he gave me afterward had been enough to tell me it was okay for me to stay downstairs.

And so, I ended up squished on the couch with my group. Asui had kindly settled herself on a pillow on the floor, so Todoroki and Ilda could still fit next to me. The fact that Uraraka was sitting on my other side made me nervous. Not just because she was a girl. No. I’d always been uncomfortable getting too close to girls, but now I was more nervous that Kacchan might see us.
I didn’t have any ulterior motives. I was so completely gone for Kacchan that the thought wouldn’t even cross my mind. But he’d always been weirdly hostile toward her - probably because he thought she had feelings for me. But just because we were friends didn’t mean there had to be more. If that were the case, I’d have to be jealous of Ashido. Though with his group, it was more like... Kirisihima…

"Who’s our lucky lottery hand tonight?" I heard Kaminari ask, snapping me out of my spiral. Thank God! I’d almost started mumbling to myself. Although honestly, that rarely happened anymore outside my room - or lately, outside Kacchan’s radius.

"ME! I WANT TO!" Hagakure shouted enthusiastically, and you could see her - or rather, her pajamas - bouncing up. She walked over to the big glass bowl Yaomomo had created when we first moved in and placed on top of the dresser. Inside were film suggestions from every resident of Dorm 1-A.

I don’t even remember who came up with the idea. It was probably during our first planned movie night. We hadn’t actually watched anything back then - turned out it was basically impossible to get twenty teenagers to agree on a film. So someone had suggested we each write down our favorite and toss it into the bowl. Ever since, we’d just draw one name before each movie night. No more arguments. Well... almost none.

"Oh! Can we agree in advance that if she draws Deku’s suggestion, we draw again?" Uraraka’s voice came from beside me.

I turned to her, raising an eyebrow, already about to ask why - but her mouth opened again first: "No offense, Deku! But I’m guessing you wrote down an All Might movie. And I’m really sorry, but I’ve had enough of All Might for one day."

Murmurs of agreement followed, while my face started burning. God, that was kind of embarrassing. Even worse? She was absolutely right. I had written down my favorite All Might film. Unknowingly, it was even the one Kacchan and I used to watch over and over again. Pure coincidence?

"Alright, if everyone agrees, then let’s begin. And… sorry, Midoriya," Yaomomo added a little sheepishly.

It made me smile. I nodded at her in understanding, and once again today I realized just how amazing the people around me really were.

"And the film we’re watching tonight was suggested byyyyyy..." Hagakure began loudly, with Sero, Kaminari, and Kirishima doing a little drumroll, "MINA! And it’s a beautiful romantic comedy! Oh my god, I love this one! Mina, I could kiss you!"

The squeals and hugs from the two girls probably echoed all the way up to Kacchan’s room.
We just laughed - mostly at them, not the movie. Because let’s be honest, I’d much rather have watched an action flick. And I wasn’t the only one.

"Should we already put a box of tissues on the table?" Kaminari joked, and got smacked on the head by Ashido and hit with a tiny soundwave from Kyoka.

Mineta’s comment about offering his shoulder in case things got emotional was completely ignored by everyone.

 

 

"Oh my god! How long are they going to keep dancing around each other?! Can’t they just talk and get together already?" Sero blurted out at some point during the movie. And yeah, I could totally understand him.

The movie was already halfway through, and the main couple kept not getting together - every single time because of some dumb misunderstanding. Sure, it was just a movie. But still, it was frustrating to watch how it kept falling apart right before it could actually happen.

"Tch, things don’t move that fast in real life either! So it’s super realistic!" Ashido snapped back at him.

"As if people constantly miss each other or there’s someone sabotaging everything nonstop in real life!"

"Of course that can happen. And besides, you can’t just go and confess your love right away, just because you had love at first sight," Ashido argued further - and honestly sounded like she was ready to start a real debate.

"Tch, seriously - if you’re into someone, just say it instead of beating around the bush. That way at least you know where you stand and can either go for it or move on."

"No! Getting to know each other slowly and growing closer is way better than just bursting in with a confession. How else are they supposed to really fall in love?" Hagakure joined the conversation now.

I sensed trouble - but at the same time, their whole argument had my full attention. How did other people imagine relationships starting? The way I’d ended up with Kacchan had been... well, more like: “Guess we’ll call it that, then.” Not exactly a big dramatic movie moment. Having something to compare it to - even if just in theory - would be kinda nice.

"Yeah but come on, even a blind guy with a cane could see they’re both into each other!"

"Love makes you blind, remember? And anyway - have you ever confessed your feelings to someone? Don’t act like it’s that easy."

Sero pulled a face. "No, not yet. I’d have to meet the right girl first. I’m not like that little creep who hits on everyone."

"HEY!" came the immediate protest, but I only saw Kirishima quickly chuck a pillow in Mineta’s direction. Probably for the best. Who knew what would happen if he jumped into the discussion.

"See! So you can’t really judge!"

"Yeah well, all that stuff is just way too stressful. I couldn’t be bothered."

"That’s just how it is."

"You don’t know that either - or are you suddenly in a relationship? Did you get a love confession I missed?“ Sero challenged.

And somehow… yeah, somehow my gaze wandered over to Kirishima after that question - who was now staring at his lap, looking a little embarrassed and unsure. And I had a feeling I knew why. Did Sero really not know that his friend was dealing with the exact same thing as in the movie? A really close friendship within a group - one that was incredibly hard to cross over from. Something that could easily mess up the whole dynamic?

"No, of course not! But when it happens, I want it all classic, just like in a romance anime! A love confession behind the school building. Going on dates. Texting during the day. Holding hands," Ashido said, and you could practically see the hearts floating above her head.

"Well, maybe a bit faster than in anime. I mean, in the last one I watched, it took twelve episodes just to get a kiss! And they’d already been dating for a year!" Hagakure protested.

A year? I really had to pull myself together not to let my face completely give me away. But okay… they were talking about anime, not real life.

"Yeah okay, I wouldn’t wait a year either, but I wouldn’t just throw myself at him either," Ashido replied, looking around for agreement. I saw Uraraka and Yaomomo blush slightly and nod back at her, a little awkward.

"I guess it depends on your age too, ribbit?" Asui said flatly. Made me tilt my head slightly.
Did she mean we were already old enough to take things faster?

"I agree with Asui! We’re still minors and should begin romantic relationships slowly and keep them platonic until we reach adulthood," Ilda declared.

Okay, that one got me. My jaw actually dropped for a second. Platonic? Until we’re 18? Damn… I was starting to understand why Kacchan kept calling my group way too uptight.

In my head, the carousel started spinning again. God, Kacchan and I had done the exact opposite right from the start. No - before the start. I mean, we kissed first. We even did more than that before we ever talked about what was between us.

"Midoriya-chan, do you think differently? You’ve got a weird look on your face, ribbit."

I bit my lower lip and looked at Asui. Really? Did she really have to ask me that out loud? What was I supposed to say? What did she want to hear?

"Uh…" I began, brilliantly. Cleared my throat and stumbled on: "Well, if you know each other really well, and both of you want to be together, then I think it’s okay to take a step further. At least in high school. I mean, we’re already doing hero work. I think we don’t need to draw such a strong line between us and adults anymore."

Okay. That sounded… kinda rational and mature, right?

"Who would’ve thought our innocent little sunshine thinks like that?" Sero grinned, and Kaminari chimed in, "Someone sounds like they’ve got experience!"

I swallowed. My face was on fire. Quickly, I shook my head and held up my hands in defense.

"O-of course not! I mean, as hero trainees we… we don’t even have time for that kind of stuff… right?"

God, I felt awful. I felt so guilty for denying Kacchan like that - and for lying to everyone else in the room. But what else could I have said? Was I supposed to admit I had experience - without mentioning Kacchan? Would they have left it at that? Probably not. So I had to stick with it. Yeah. I had to. It was the right thing… wasn’t it?

"Yeah, you’re kinda right," Kaminari said, thankfully shifting the topic. "Though I would love to have a cute girlfriend."

"My Kami-sweetie! If you really want that, then you have to slowly get closer to a girl first. Best start as friends, and don’t run after her like some love-crazed idiot," Ashido grinned cheekily at him. Why? Well, Kaminari wasn’t all that different from Mineta in some situations - at least when it came to worshipping every girl around. Only… he wasn’t as - God, how could I think something so mean? - grossly pushy.

"Once you’ve managed that, invite her on a date. Something casual and normal, like going to the movies or shopping," Hagakure picked up, before Ashido jumped back in: "And then there’s a second and a third date! And the third one is the big one! That’s when you get together - ideally after a romantic dinner or at an amusement park."

"Oh yes! And it ends at sunset in a Ferris wheel! With a love confession. And a kiss!" Hagakure squealed, and Ashido squealed right along with her. I seriously tried to hide my skeptical - and slightly baffled - expression. The two of them were really getting carried away. And it honestly sounded more like stuff they’d seen or read than experienced. Still, they made for a hilarious pair.

“And that’s the way to get a girlfriend, because a relationship can’t start without a proper date.” With that, Ashido closed out her very own ‘How to Get a Girlfriend’ manual.

A round of groans and exaggerated eye rolls followed - the kind you gave when something was so over the top, but still kind of funny. No one really argued, though. Even Denki muttered something like, "Guess that makes sense..." before flopping back onto the couch with a dramatic sigh.

I smiled quietly and watched the others react, letting Mina’s words sink in. It all sounded a bit exaggerated - straight out of a movie, really. But one thing stuck with me. That “no relationship without a date” thing. Was that really necessary? And what even made a real relationship?

And before my brain could stop my mouth, that exact question slipped out of me. "So… what even is a real relationship? And when does it actually start?"

Silence. All eyes widened and locked on me. Shit. Why had I said that out loud? And suddenly, confusion spread through the room. Maybe because none of them had really been in a relationship yet? Or maybe… someone else was hiding something too? Like I was?

"Uh… why do you ask, Deku?" came Uraraka’s hesitant voice from beside me. She seemed confused - and a little embarrassed to even ask me that question.

"Well, since everyone apparently has a different idea of how a relationship begins, wouldn’t it make sense to first figure out when someone considers it a relationship? And what conditions would need to be met?" God, I had the sudden urge to push up my imaginary glasses - that sounded way too much like Ilda. But I wanted to keep it rational and scientific. Anything else just felt too obvious - or too... girly in my head.

"Whoa, Midobro! That’s, like… a super manly way to talk about it," Kirishima said, clearly surprised. Though something about his tone didn’t quite match what he meant. Still, I just accepted it and gave a shy smile to the group.

I noticed Yaomomo and Kyoka each tapping their chins thoughtfully with one finger, while Kaminari leaned back with his arms crossed, actually looking like he was thinking about it seriously.

"Well, I think for my parents, the relationship started after they told each other they were in love. They met at university and went on a few dates before that… but I don’t remember their story all that well," Uraraka explained.

I saw Kyoka nod in agreement. "My parents met in a music club and went out for a while before realizing they wanted to be together."

"I have no idea about mine. They’re not together anymore either," Kaminari added.

"I’d have to ask mine first," Kirishima said honestly, and Sero agreed with him.

Hmm. Was that maybe the kind of topic more common between mothers and daughters? I had never really talked about stuff like that with my mom - or even considered asking her. But then again, I didn’t have any real memory of my father either. And when I thought about a father figure, the only one that really came to mind was Uncle Masaru.

"What about your parents, Midoriya?"

I gave a crooked smile. "I’m not sure. I only vaguely know how Kacchan’s parents got togeth—"

OH SHIT!

I snapped my mouth shut. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck! Kacchan was going to kill me. And the sparkling eyes of his squad confirmed it immediately.

"You know how Bakugou’s parents got together but not your own, ribbit?" Asui asked.

I clenched my teeth, trying not to grind them, and started counting down from ten in my head to calm myself. Alright. I just had to make the topic uncomfortable enough for everyone, and they’d drop it. Which meant I’d have to share a little more about my family situation. But that was still better than having Kacchan never look at me again. And damn - he really did have a great ass.

Shut up, you cursed voice in my head, I practically yelled at myself, before clearing my throat and explaining a bit quietly, "I don’t have many memories of my dad. It’s pretty much always been just my mom and me. And since we used to spend a lot of time at Kacchan’s place, and Aunt Mitsuki always talks a lot and loudly, I just kind of picked it up once when our moms were going through old photo albums."

I looked around the room and got exactly what I expected: awkward faces. I could feel the guilt welling up in everyone - and in myself, too. It felt unfair, burdening them with my family situation just so I could dodge the truth. So I could hide the fact that there was more between Kacchan and me. But there was no other way. Not right now.

Maybe... I thought to myself... maybe one day, we’ll be able to tell them.

But before the mood could really crash, the film - which everyone had basically forgotten about - came to our rescue. The loud burst of fireworks on-screen caught our attention again. The couple on screen finally embracing, gazing longingly into each other’s eyes, and finally sharing a dramatic, movie-worthy kiss pulled everyone’s eyes back to the TV.

"That’s exactly how it’s supposed to start!" Hagakure squealed excitedly, followed by a few dreamy sighs from others in the room.

And I smiled too. I even laughed to myself a little - because my first kiss with Kacchan had been more of a mouth-stopper. A tiny, brief touch. Nothing like what had come after.

 

 

While a few people wiped away the last happy tears from their eyes, I helped Todoroki, Kirishima, and Sero carry the glasses into the kitchen.

"Man, that got kinda intense in the middle there! Who would’ve thought a cheesy romance flick would stir up that much discussion," Sero said, sounding worn out.

Todoroki had stayed quiet and neutral the entire time - and still didn’t say a word. And I had a feeling why. His parents' “love story” wasn’t exactly something you’d go around sharing. It definitely didn’t fit anyone’s idea of a healthy relationship.

Then again… neither did mine and Kacchan’s, apparently. Maybe we were going too fast?
Were we being too physical? Or was it just because we were both boys?

"Man, the stuff the girls expect is kinda wild! I might seriously need to buy a ‘How to Plan a Date’ book someday," Sero said with a grin, clearly more amused than worried. Then he laughed and added, "Ashido and Hagakure are totally brainwashed by all that manga-girly stuff. That can’t be the standard, right? And if it is, well… I’ll just switch teams or throw myself out a window — whatever’s easier."

I saw Kirishima chuckle and pat him on the shoulder. "Not a bad idea, bro," he replied.

And somehow… that loosened a small knot deep inside me. Because the way they joked about it - so casually, so easygoing - made me feel like… they probably wouldn’t have anything against same-sex relationships after all.

 

 

My thoughts kept circling as I kept glancing at the clock. Just a few more minutes, then I could sneak upstairs. I kept wondering whether I should tell Kacchan about the topic of tonight’s discussion. Would he be annoyed? Would he actually talk to me about it seriously? Or would he just laugh in my face?

Honestly, with him, anything was possible. But okay - I wouldn’t know unless I actually brought it up. Had we even come to any sort of conclusion about what the class considered a “real” relationship?

Sighing heavily, I got up and moved. I was glad that everyone else seemed to be sticking to the curfew. Well… almost everyone. Technically, I now counted as one of the rule-breakers. Which made me Problem Child No. 1 in Aizawa-sensei’s eyes - on top of all the other things I’d managed to pull so far.

I slipped quickly through the door into Kacchan’s room. He was lying there under his reading lamp, a book in hand, completely immersed in it. And just like every night, the sight of him made me melt. God, I know I keep saying it, but how could someone look so perfect just doing nothing? And how had I never really noticed before house arrest?

"Get in bed and stop staring at me, Nerd," he muttered without even looking up.

I grinned and quickly stepped out of my pants, folded them neatly over his chair, and laid down beside him on my back. The warmth from him reached me instantly - brushing along my arms and feet. I didn’t cuddle up to him right away, just glanced over to peek at his book. At first glance, it looked like non-fiction. But the few sentences I caught didn’t give much away. Before I could read more, Kacchan closed the book with a thump and tossed it over to the corner of the bed.

We stayed like that, side by side, both staring up at the ceiling - until his voice broke the silence, low and quiet: "Your weird movie night went on forever. What’d you watch?"

"A movie Mina picked. It was..."

"A cheesy romance," he cut me off immediately, rolling his eyes and wrinkling his nose.

I couldn’t help but smirk at his reaction. Leaning over, I gave him a quick kiss on the cheek, then stayed lying on my side, watching him. His eyes met mine - waiting.

"The movie wasn’t that bad. It actually sparked some good... discussion," I began slowly, tracing little circles across his chest with my hand. My fingertips brushed along the hem of his shirt, and I had the sudden urge to slip my hand underneath. But instead, I rested my head on his chest, wanting to avoid his gaze.

"What kind of discussion could a basic-ass film like that start? Two people obviously want each other, they mess around for half the story, and after some shallow drama, you get the big happy ending. Lame and predictable," he muttered. I felt his hand in my hair and let out a small sigh when he started massaging my scalp. Absolute heaven.

"Nicely summed up," I murmured, practically purring from his fingers in my hair. I let him do his thing, snuggled closer, and had to actively resist drooling on his shirt.

"And that’s what you stayed downstairs for...?" he muttered eventually, clearly trying to provoke me. I ignored him, instead sliding my hand along his thigh, down to his knee, then slowly back up his inner thigh. I felt his body tense beneath me. It fascinated me. And at the same time, Ilda’s words from earlier floated back into my mind. Made me smile a little crookedly.

Before I could stop myself, I said, "Do you think the way we’re doing this is right? Are we in a...'normal' relationship?"

I felt his hand in my hair freeze instantly. His entire upper body went stiff for a moment. Then came the sharp tug at my hair that made me yelp as I scrambled up to escape the pull.

His furrowed brow and sharp, skeptical look were the first things I saw. I couldn’t read his expression. Had I gone too far with that question?

"What kind of bullshit were you all even talking about down there for you to end up asking me something that dumb?”, he growled, giving my hair another tug that made me squint my eyes shut. Ugh - could he please learn to be a little gentler? Seriously! At this rate, I’d go bald from all the hair pulling.

"Well, it wasn’t all that uninteresting, and... well, kind of everyone... or more like the girls... actually just Ashido and Hagakure... and maybe Sero... um... and then Asui and I... uh... wait, I... I— OW OW OW, Kacchan!"

He yanked me down onto my back, not at all gently, and immediately hovered over me. He looked kind of intimidating in that moment.

"Stop that damn stammering and just tell me what everyone said. You should know by now you can’t summarize for shit unless you’ve written it all down in one of your weird notebooks."

I swallowed, cleared my throat, and did as he ordered - repeated the whole conversation back to him, monotone and word for word. And weirdly enough... that made it a whole lot easier. Maybe that’s exactly what Kacchan meant.

I was honestly surprised that he let me talk without interrupting. Sure, he scoffed here and there, clearly unimpressed, but he kept telling me to just keep going. And somehow, that felt... nice. Because in the past, he would’ve cut me off after the first sentence. But now, he seemed more patient - maybe even a little curious. Maybe one day he’d even stick around the common room during one of these conversations, just to jump into the argument himself?

"Good thing I stayed upstairs. I wouldn’t have survived that much crap," Kacchan muttered once I’d finished, dropping heavily back down beside me. A little disappointing, honestly. In that position, he could’ve at least given me a kiss.

Silence settled between us. It felt a bit awkward. I didn’t know if I was supposed to say anything else - or if I even could. Were we just going to fall asleep now? Would I get a kiss before that? Maybe even something more than a kiss? Or was my question just going to hang in the air unanswered?

I sighed and tugged the blanket out from under me, about to pull it over myself, when Kacchan suddenly turned to the side and stopped me. "Nerd. What kind of answer were you even hoping for with that weird-ass question?"

I looked at him, surprised. It was a good question. Even I couldn’t really explain it. I was just still thinking about everything from downstairs.

This time, Kacchan sighed. I let out a startled squeak when he pushed me flat onto my back again and leaned over me. He brushed my bangs up and stared down at me seriously.

"What exactly about this doesn’t seem normal to you?" Kacchan whispered the words, barely audible, before leaning down and giving me an answer, I could feel.

A kiss on my forehead. A kiss on my lips. A featherlight kiss near my ear.

I shivered. Tried not to forget how to breathe. Cleared my throat, scrambling for words. Not easy after that. God. I could cry from how happy and full of love I felt in that moment.

But I pulled myself together - at least on the outside. Inside, I was just a nerd floating on cloud nine, wrapped in pink cotton candy.

"I know the question was stupid. This... what we have... it feels completely natural. Like it’s always been this way, somehow. But… the others all had such different ideas. And we... well, we kind of started with kissing right away, and... in movies, that’s always the big climax. So maybe that made me wonder… or something."

By the end, I was staring down, avoiding his eyes. My fingers clenched the fabric of his shirt, fiddling with it. I needed something to mess with. I felt way too nervous.

Another sigh. And then Kacchan dropped his full weight onto me, burying his face in the crook of my neck. I felt his lips against that sensitive spot just below my ear.

God. How did just his breath give me goosebumps everywhere?

"If you wanna do some sappy-ass crap to make it feel more ‘official’ for you, I’m not gonna stop you."

The words were soft. I had to really focus to hear them. And suddenly his face felt incredibly hot - or maybe I was just imagining things.

"Really?"

I couldn’t keep the disbelief out of my voice. It just sounded so surreal.

"Don’t push it or I’ll change my mind, you dumb broccoli head!"

I giggled softly. God, he was so flustered. And just so stupidly cute. So cute I wrapped my arms around him and buried my nose in his hair. This position felt nice. I was starting to understand why Kacchan liked sticking his face in my hair all the time.

"Then maybe… can we go on a date?"

A quiet hum in agreement. Followed by a low growl: "But none of that romantic, cheesy-ass movie shit!"

I nodded enthusiastically, grinning from ear to ear.

"And can I plan it?"

"Yeah, yeah! Can we end this dumb conversation now? It’s already past eleven!"

I hugged him a little tighter, trying to keep my Midoriya-style happy tears in check. God. There were so many happy hormones dancing in my system, I didn’t even know what to do with myself. But I didn’t want to push him or annoy him more.

So all that came out was a quiet, completely overflowing, "Of course, Kacchan."

Now I just had to somehow fall asleep with all this excitement in my chest.

 

 

 

Notes:

That’s it for now!
Like I said — a little more of Class 1A this time!
So… what did you think of this slightly different chapter? (Yes, I know… not much Kacchan 😅) And what do you think our dear Mr. Sunshine might be planning next? =D

As always, I’m really looking forward to your thoughts and theories. Believe me — they’re pure soul-soothing magic for me. (And currently my favorite way to deal with stress 😉)

See you again on Tuesday! Big hugs to all of you 💚🧡

Chapter 50: Deal with the Devil

Notes:

Hey everyone!
It’s Tuesday – and here I am!
I rushed home from work extra fast today (especially thanks to that lovely Tuesday comment song ;)) just to reward you with a beautiful new chapter.
Okay, maybe not beautiful-beautiful… but I really love this one. And the next one. And the one after that. AAAAND the one after that xDDD'

And just in case you’re wondering “But didn’t they already have a date?” – I’ll let Izuku explain that one for you ;)

Enjoy! 💚🧡

Chapter 50 – Deal with the Devil

 

 

12:43 a.m.

Shit! How had it gotten so late already? And why couldn’t I just shut down and fall asleep?

Kacchan had passed out pretty quickly. But I kept going over ideas in my head, obsessing over what kind of date we could go on. When, where, and what - the three key questions. But also: how are you supposed to behave on a date? How do we act in public? How does the evening end? God, where was I even supposed to start?

I sighed and reached under my pillow to grab my phone again. I had the brightness set to minimum so I wouldn’t wake Kacchan by accident. I kept scrolling through my search results.

It had to be on a weekend - that much was clear. Since Kacchan always left early on Saturdays, Friday nights were off the table. So… Saturday evening or Sunday? But I had my internship this Sunday. Which meant it was either this Saturday night, or we’d have to wait at least another week for anything remotely date-like. And honestly? I was already going crazy. No way I could hold out another whole week. But if we wanted to go out this Saturday… I had barely two days left to plan.

I groaned quietly and ran a hand through my hair, shifting a bit in bed. I froze and locked my phone as soon as Kacchan stirred behind me. I held my breath until he stilled again, then slowly exhaled.

Once I was sure he was asleep again, I unlocked my phone and resumed my search: date ideas. There were so many. Movies, shopping, going out to eat - the top suggestions. Zoos and amusement parks were surprisingly popular too, just like Ashido and Hagakure had said. But shopping was a no-go — Kacchan would never wander aimlessly through a crowded street. No, he was the kind of guy who got in, got what he wanted, and got out. The movie theaters weren’t showing anything that interested us and the stuff that looked decent was way too heavy. Zoos and amusement parks weren’t open that late anyway. And a zoo… honestly felt kind of childish. So, what the hell was I supposed to do...?

"Deku. Sleep, for fuck’s sake already," came a grumble from behind me. I jumped and glanced over my shoulder. Kacchan had rolled toward me. I couldn’t tell if his eyes were open, but I felt his arm wrap around my waist, pulling me back firmly against him, his face resting near my shoulder.

"Sorry, Kacchan. I didn’t mean to wake you."

"What time is it?"

"Not that late," I lied, hoping his half-asleep tone meant he wouldn’t check.

"What time?" he repeated, more firmly.

"One," I mumbled, freezing when I felt his grip tighten. He sighed - tired and resigned - and his groggy voice murmured, "If you’re still awake because of earlier, we’re calling the whole thing off."

I froze. My heart skipped a beat - and then sped up.

"I..."

He sighed again, and I felt his lips brush my shoulder.

"Give me your phone."

"But—"

"Give it."

I let out a long breath and blindly handed it over my shoulder. He took it and shoved it somewhere on the bed that I definitely couldn’t reach anymore. I didn’t even try to argue. I wasn’t suicidal.

"And now sleep."

"I’ll try, Kacchan," I mumbled, trying to settle against him. But I knew my brain wouldn’t stop spinning. How had Kacchan managed to plan that evening at his place last Saturday so effortlessly, anyway? Well, I guess we’d just eaten... and then ended up sleeping together. That didn’t really count as a date, did it? I mean, I’d called it a date in my head, but the girls had made it sound like you’re supposed to actually go out for one. Then again, a girl probably wouldn’t just go over to a guy’s place alone like that either. Who knew what kind of person they’d turn out to be?

I couldn’t dwell on it long. Kacchan’s voice cut in: "I can just knock you out if that helps."

My jaw dropped. Wait - was he serious!?

"Kacchan!" I hissed, trying to keep my voice down. I rolled toward him, only to hear the softest amused exhale. More of a breath than a laugh. Barely audible. And still, it made my stomach flutter. Because it sounded so real. So unexpectedly sweet. Just... perfect.

"Good. Now close your damn eyes. If you wake me up again, I’ll do it for real. Got it, Izuku?"

"...Yeah."

 

 

Thank Kacchan, the night hadn’t gotten even shorter - I actually managed to calm down not long after and finally fell asleep.

It still wasn’t nearly enough, though.

Classes dragged on forever today. I felt completely wrecked. Not that anyone noticed - most of the others were still just as dead from yesterday’s training, so I just blended in with the rest of the sleep-deprived crowd.

But after lunch - during which some had already started crying in anticipation of training - I was suddenly wide awake again. Totally alert. Okay, maybe that was because of motivation more than rest. I wanted to prove to All Might, once again, that he’d made the right choice in giving me One for All.

I pushed myself hard. And for once, I was able to shut off those nagging thoughts from the night before. It was such a relief. Especially when All Might set up a three-way match between Todoroki, Kacchan, and me.

God, it was so good. Trying to keep track of two opponents was a real challenge - and it was just plain fun to push each other to our limits.

 

 

"That was our last practical exercise for the week, right?" Hagakure asked with a pitiful tone in her voice. You couldn’t see her face, of course, but the exhaustion in her voice was impossible to miss.

We were on our way back to the dorms. I was walking beside Ilda and Todoroki. The girls trudged along in front of us. I was tempted to pass them, but didn’t want to come off as weird, so I matched their snail’s pace. Well… no need to mention that a certain someone would never hold back like that, right?

"Just one more day, and then it’s the weekend!" Uraraka said happily.

"But we’ve got internship, Ochako-chan," Asui reminded her.

"Yeah, but I’m looking forward to that."

"I just want to finally get a placement," Ashido grumbled - though her tone wasn’t bitter. And honestly, I kept noticing how everyone in our class genuinely seemed happy for each other.
Was it because of our personalities? Or maybe all the crazy things we’d already been through together?

"Aw, Mina, at least we’ve got the weekend off. Our plan’s still on, right?"

"Of course, Toru! I can’t wait!"

If I didn’t know any better, I’d swear she was sparkling like Aoyama right now. But maybe that was just in my head.

"What are you two planning?" Kyoka asked - and I silently thanked her, because I was just as curious. I wondered for a second if it was rude to eavesdrop, but honestly, they were being so loud there was no way not to hear.

That was still a mystery to me, by the way - how Kacchan of all people had the most hyper girl in his group.

"We’re going to a summer festival in Toru’s neighborhood! And before that, we’re shopping until we drop!"

"Yeah! We’re getting totally dolled up in yukata and on the lookout for some festival hotties!"

Summer festival?

Right! It was that time of year again, when festivals were held all over the city. I hadn’t been to one in ages - even though I’d always loved them. The glowing lanterns, the smells, the fireworks at the end of the night… It was all just magical. Every time I’d gone, it had turned into a special memory. Always something to treasure.

"Special..." I whispered without meaning to.

Startled, I glanced at Ilda and Todoroki, but they were deep in their own conversation. I breathed a quiet sigh of relief, then let my mind drift off into those old festival memories again.

Yes! That was it!

That would be a perfect date location. There was food. There were little stalls with games and challenges. You could just walk around and soak in the atmosphere. Only downside: lots of people. And Kacchan hated people. Okay, maybe not hated, but he didn’t like big crowds. Still… that meant we’d just blend in. No one would notice us.

Mentally, I thanked the girls and said a quick goodbye to everyone once we reached the dorms. I made a beeline for my room. I needed to find out where there was a festival this Saturday – as soon as possible.

 

 

I must’ve done something right lately, because luck was clearly on my side - the summer festival was happening this weekend in Musutafu. In our part of town. Yes!

I couldn’t stop the grin from spreading across my face. God, how long had it been since I last went? I must’ve been eleven or twelve. I’d watched the fireworks with my mom. That was also the night I got my 52nd All Might figure – The Silver Age All Might.

My gaze wandered over to the figure in question. God. How much of a nerd was I? But… that’s just how I was. And Kacchan knew me that way. And honestly? Why should I ever hide my passion for my idol when the person I was dating accepted me just like that? Besides, Kacchan was just as much of a nerd - he just didn’t show it to anyone.

I flopped backwards onto my bed with a sigh of relief. Okay, now I at least had the location for our date. Next question: where would we go afterwards? Back to the dorms? Maybe my place?

We’d need to spend the night somewhere, after all. And according to Kacchan last Sunday, his house was off the table. Especially if his parents were home. Dear god - I would not survive another round of comments from Aunt Mitsuki. Not in a million years.

I quickly checked my email and pulled up my mom’s shift schedule. She sent it to me every month so I could plan visits - and so I wouldn’t worry if I couldn’t reach her on the phone.

I let out a disappointed grunt as I saw she was on late shift. That meant she wouldn’t be home until 10:30 p.m. Not ideal. If I brought Kacchan over shortly before that, there wouldn’t be time to do anything but sleep. Normally, that wouldn’t be a problem. But this time - god, my face felt stupidly hot - I wanted to repeat what happened last Saturday. Without having to hold back like we did at the dorms.

And at my place, we’d have to sleep on the couch - since my old childhood bed was way too narrow and, well... looked like it belonged in a preschooler’s room.

Hotels were out. We were too young. And it would definitely blow through my entire allowance. Kacchan’s probably not - but I didn’t want to borrow money from him either.

Shit. So the dorms were our only option. And there was no telling who else would be around that weekend.

I groaned and ran my hands over my face.

The Bakugous’ place would’ve been perfect last week - if only his parents hadn’t come home early. Which… probably wouldn’t have happened if I hadn’t told my mom I’d be out.

But there was no point dwelling on that. It wasn’t something I could undo anyway. And honestly, Kacchan had said so many amazing things that day, it still turned out to be one of my favorite memories. So… positives. Definitely.

Bottom line? Nowhere but the dorms was an option. Not my mom’s place. Not Kacchan’s house. Not a hotel. So now what? Just accept it?

I let my thoughts wander, closed my eyes, and dozed off a little. Tried to play the evening out in my head. In my imagination, it seemed absolutely perfect. And somehow, it always ended in Kacchan’s room - thinking about our first time. Or maybe the second.

“Damn it!” I blurted out uncontrollably. I bit my lip, tangled my fingers in my hair, and rolled from side to side. This was driving me insane! And the only idea I had right now… I couldn’t go through with it. No - I wasn’t allowed to… or was I?

I sighed heavily and picked up my phone.

“Kacchan’s going to kill me… twice,” I muttered, sitting up as I scrolled through my call history. I paused on one number. One number that would probably be my doom. At least mentally.

I took a deep breath and hit the green call button, holding the phone to my ear. It didn’t take long before a very enthusiastic voice answered: “Well, well, if it isn’t my favorite boy! Trouble with my gremlin again, or why did I earn the honor of two chats with you in one week?”

I sighed again. This was definitely the worst idea I’d ever had in my life.

“Hi, Auntie Mitsuki.”

“None of that ‘Auntie’ stuff!” she corrected me immediately.

I scratched the back of my head. “I told you on Sunday, it’s not that simple. Besides, it’d be weird to just call you by your first name.”

“What’s way weirder is being called ‘Auntie’ by your future son-in-law.”

Oh my God! I should hang up. Right now!

I let out a weak whimper, some incoherent jumble of syllables. I wanted the ground to swallow me whole. Why was she like this? To her, this whole thing seemed set in stone already. And even though the hopelessly-in-love part of me was doing a happy dance in my head, I was just mortified.

“So… the reason I’m calling…” I started - and froze. Shit, I couldn’t do this. I was such a coward.

“Come on, just say it. What is it you want from me?” she asked gently. Her voice was surprisingly warm - almost like my mom’s whenever she encouraged me to talk about what was bothering me. Unfamiliar, yet strangely familiar. In my memories, Auntie Mitsuki had always treated me just as caringly as my own mother. Just… not with Katsuki. In that dynamic, it was more like Uncle Masaru had taken the mom role.

Okay. Definitely a thought for another time.

I took another deep breath. My heart was pounding in my chest. But her tone had encouraged me. Alright. Here goes nothing.

“I have kind of a huge favor to ask. Of you. Or more, you and Uncle Masaru,” I began nervously, scratching at a mosquito bite on my calf. I pressed an X into it with my fingernail - just something to distract me. To help me speak.

“And that would be…?”

“Well, um, you know… th-this Saturday is the summer festival in your area…like every year. And… we wanted… I mean… we’ve never actually gone out anywhere together and… I asked Kacchan if we could go on a d-d-d-date. And…he said yes. And I said I wanted to plan it. So… the summer festival… and afterwards… um, yeah… I—”

Oh god. I couldn’t even form a proper sentence. Crap! This was so incredibly embarrassing. How had I come up with this ridiculous idea in the first place?

I heard laughter through the receiver. Glad she’s having fun with my incoherent babbling, I grumbled to myself, about to open my mouth when Mitsuki’s voice chimed in again - far too mischievously, if you asked me.

“Well, my dearest Izuku! I think it’s absolutely adorable how much effort you’re putting into handling my brat - and that you’ve got the guts to call me about it. Let me guess: you want to book my house after the summer festival to do some dirty things with my son?”

“Aunt Mitsukiiiii,” I whined, burying my burning face in my arm. My cheeks were on fire. I was dying. Why hadn’t I just accepted the stupid dorm as our only option?

Mitsuki’s laughter rang out on the other end. She was clearly enjoying this way too much. What must her own mother have been like? Just like this? Or could someone turn out this chaotic without parental influence?

“So, Izuku! Should Masaru and I conveniently disappear that evening?”

I bit my lip before mumbling a defeated, “Yeah… if that would be okay.”

“Hm, I’m not so sure. If your mom finds out I’m supporting you two in something naughty like this, I’m gonna be the one catching hell.”

She didn’t sound worried. She sounded amused. Definitely a trap. Some kind of setup. But I’d started this, so I had to see it through - with what little dignity I had left.

“What’ll it cost me for you not to tell my mom?”

“Ah, I always knew you were a clever one.”

That enthusiasm… it scared me. Why was this woman so excited?

“Aunt Mi—” I started, but she cut me off with a victorious, “I get to pick your outfit for the date.”

Wait - what?

I froze. A chill ran down my spine. I knew how much Kacchan hated it when his mom tried to force clothes on him. Was she trying to live out her fashion dreams through me now?

“Uhm…” I answered brilliantly. My brain had gone completely blank.

“Don’t worry, sweetie! I’ve already got the perfect look in mind. One that’ll make my damn brat’s jaw hit the floor,” she said, positively thrilled. I could practically see her oversized, slightly manic grin. It reminded me a little too much of Kacchan’s when a fight was just getting good.

“I’m not sure… Kacchan might not really…”

“And I’m not letting you show up to your first date in that one shirt you have that literally says ‘Shirt’ on it. For the love of God, Izuku - no.”

“I like that shirt.”

“I know! And I know you’ve got a whole wardrobe full of those plain, boring things. You can wear them anytime. But for a date, you dress up.”

…Okay, not entirely wrong. But I had completely blanked on that part. I mean, wasn’t that more of a girl thing? The whole Oh no, what do I wear?! panic?

Still, the thought made me a little uneasy. Mitsuki clearly knew what she was doing -otherwise, the Bakugous wouldn’t be doing so well financially. She and her husband were constantly away on business trips. And Katsuki had actually worn some really cool clothes when we were kids - at least until he rebelled against her choices.

But what exactly did she have in mind for me that would make him want to jump me?

I didn’t even wear tight clothes. They just weren’t comfortable. Even though I wasn’t skinny or scrawny anymore. Objectively speaking, I had a pretty decent build now. At least I didn’t really look much different from my classmates anymore.

“You still there?”

“Oh! Sorry! I was just... a little unsure,” I said quickly. God, how could I get so lost in thought when Kacchan’s mom was still on the phone?

“Izuku! Don’t you trust your dear future mother-in-law?”

Cruel. Completely out of line. I liked her, but at the same time... I kind of didn’t. If Kacchan and I had been together for years, maybe I could let that mother-in-law thing slide - but we’d barely hit three weeks! Speaking of which... next weekend would be our one-month anniversary. Didn’t girls in romance anime always celebrate that kind of thing?

I sighed - and so did Mitsuki.

But when she spoke again, her voice was unexpectedly gentle. “I promise you can still wear your red sneakers, okay?”

A smile tugged at my lips. I hadn’t expected that. But somehow, her words eased my nerves enough to let me agree.

“Okay.”

“Perfect! So, what time can you come by on Saturday?”

“Uh... I’ve got internship until 3 PM. I could come over after that. It’d take me about-”

“You’ll have to come to my workplace, Izuku. It’s right near the main train station.”

My eyebrows shot up. Her workplace? On a Saturday?

“Um... okay. If I have to. It only takes about twenty minutes to get there from the agency, I think.”

“Great! I’ll send you the address later. This is going to be so fun. Trust me.”

“If you say so,” I replied with a shaky little smile. She couldn’t see it, but maybe she’d hear it in my voice.

"So, how’s your week been so far?" she asked, suddenly steering the conversation in a completely different direction. Seemed like she was satisfied now that she’d gotten her way.

I chuckled a little and ended up telling her all about our lessons and training. It felt surprisingly natural. Like I was talking to my own mom. Maybe it was just because I’d known her for so long. Or maybe because - for once - I didn’t have to brace myself for another one of her loaded comments. Probably a mix of both.

 

 

I was a little startled to see how late it had gotten - almost dinner time. Crap, we’d really talked our way through the afternoon. But somehow, we’d gone from school stuff to hero costumes. I mean... what can I say? It was the perfect topic to get completely lost in. A total nerd, through and through. No denying that.

“Auntie Mitsuki! I think I’ve gotta go eat dinner now.”

“Oh? Is it that late already?”

I scratched the back of my neck, a little sheepish, about to say something - when she just kept going.

“It’s just so fun talking to you or Inko. Unlike my brat, who can’t even be bothered to check in once a month unless he wants something.”

“Well, Kacchan’s not really the chatty type,” I offered, trying to brush it off. But I knew it wasn’t just him. Their dynamic was... a whole thing. Both of them had that explosive, stubborn streak.

“I bet he talks more with you.”

I laughed softly and got up from my bed. Honestly, now that we were stuck together during house arrest, he probably did talk more to me than to his own mom. We shared more of our day-to-day stuff, being hero trainees and all. Although... if I was being completely honest, lately those hormone-fueled ‘other things’ were getting more of our attention. Not that I’d ever tell her that.

“Well, I guess it’s just ‘cause we have the same daily routine,” I said simply, surprised she didn’t throw in another sly comment.

“Alright, Izuku! See you Saturday at the office. Trust me, you’re gonna love it!” she practically sang into the phone.

I gave a crooked smile. That uneasy feeling crept back in, but I still said, “I’m sure I will. See you Saturday.”

After her cheerful reply, I ended the call and looked at the screen. Almost two hours? Seriously?

What was even crazier was that she’d actually agreed to let us have the house for ourselves Saturday night. All it cost me was letting her choose my outfit.

I swallowed hard. Had I really just agreed to that? And why, for the love of all that was holy, did my brain insist on telling me that I’d just signed a deal with the devil?

Sighing, I stepped out of my room, shoving the thought into the farthest corner of my mind.

Good. That was a problem for Saturday-Izuku.

 

Notes:

That’s it for now!
Sooo… what did you think?
I know I already said it at the beginning, but I’m gonna say it again (without sounding full of myself, I promise): I love this chapter! I’ve really grown so fond of Mitsuki, and I’m super happy I got to include her here – and again in the next chapter! <3

So… any guesses what kind of outfit she’s picked out for him?
And on a scale from 1 to 10… how secondhand embarrassed were you while reading this chapter? xD

Ah – and now for something less fun:
If I keep uploading chapters at this pace, I’ll run out by June 11.
To give myself a bit more time to keep the updates coming and continue writing the rest of this story, I’ll be changing the update schedule just a bit:
One chapter – then a three-day break – then another chapter. I’m really sorry about that. 💚
That means I’ll see you again on Saturday!

Until then, sending you all a big hug — and I hope you have a lovely rest of your week! 💚🧡

Chapter 51: Styling

Notes:

Hey everyone!
Here I am (finally) again! Did it feel like forever to you too? 😅
I was seriously tempted to upload sooner, because your comments were just too good. Honestly… they were absolutely bow-down worthy.
So now I really hope today’s chapter will bring you just as much joy. I, for one, totally love it 💚🧡
Enjoy!

Chapter 51 – Styling

 

 

“And you're really not giving me any info for tomorrow?” I heard Kacchan ask again. We’d been lying in bed for a good hour now. There were still a few people in the dorm, and surprisingly many were staying this weekend, but I’d still dared to sneak upstairs. I had prepared several excuses for several people - luckily, I hadn’t needed to use any of them.

What made it even more amusing was that Kacchan, between kisses, teasing affection, and maybe even a bold hand in my pants, kept trying to find out what we were doing tomorrow. I couldn’t tell whether he was just unsettled not knowing what would happen, or simply curious.

“The only thing I can tell you is that we’ll be outside. But the forecast says it’ll still be over 20°C late into the evening! So you probably won’t need a jacket,” I offered vaguely.

“Are we coming back to the dorm afterward?” he pressed, his hand sliding from the front around to my butt. It stayed there, calm but threatening - as if ready to squeeze if I gave the wrong answer. It made me nervous. And a little turned on.

“I’ll pick you up at the train station tomorrow. You just need to text me when you’re there,” I dodged, feeling the pressure of his fingers increase. I breathed in slowly, trying to stay calm, biting down on my lips.

Kacchan growled and ran his tongue over my neck, sending a pleasant tingle down my spine.
“Since when are you so stubborn, Nerd?”

I laughed, unable to stop the smile from stretching across my face. This whole situation made me endlessly happy. And honestly? It was kind of fun to let him squirm for once.

“Since when are you so impatient and curious, Mr. Bakugou?”

Maybe that was pushing it a little too far - but not in a bad way. I felt his teeth on my collarbone and both his hands grabbed me, kneading my butt. I couldn’t help but laugh and let out a breathy moan. I wasn’t sure where this new confidence was coming from, but I definitely wanted to create more moments like this.

“You’ve gotta at least tell me something so I know what clothes to pack,” he grumbled as he kept working at my collarbone. I was starting to worry he’d leave visible marks.

“Just wear your usual kind of outfit for the evening. I’ll take care of everything else. Just trust me, okay?”

My voice trembled slightly, ending in a soft moan as Kacchan kept teasing me, driving me crazy on purpose.

He only snorted and mumbled something under his breath before letting his lips continue their way down my torso. I guess he had finally accepted my answer - or at least had decided he was more interested in driving me insane than pushing for more information.

 

 

I jumped off the train in a hurry. God, I’d almost missed the stop. It just felt so strange getting off at the central station.

I had just finished my first shift. My first patrol with Togata had been quiet, pleasant, and, most of all, informative. He explained how everything worked, what I needed to watch out for, and so on. I felt much closer to my future as a pro hero now and hoped this experience would help me down the road.

But now I was standing in front of a huge building made entirely of glass. The information panel at the entrance said that several companies were located here. The Bakugous' workplace was somewhere between the 14th and 20th floor - at least that’s where the fashion label they worked for was listed.

I had stayed strong that morning and hadn’t told Kacchan anything. I was a bit nervous, meeting his mother without his knowledge. And I wasn’t entirely sure if this had really been such a good idea. Then again, it hadn’t exactly been my idea. It was just the condition she gave me in exchange for letting us be alone tonight.

When I entered the large lobby, I had to go through a security checkpoint. The guard was friendly and directed me to the reception desk, where a young woman greeted me.

“Name and reason for your visit?” she asked. And as brave as I was in a fight, I suddenly felt awkward and shy. Honestly, I was a bit embarrassed. So I answered quietly and avoided eye contact:
“Midoriya, Izuku. I, um… have an appointment with Mitsuki Bakugou.”

I glanced up nervously. She typed something on her computer before looking back at me.
“You’re expected. Please take the elevator on the right and press Number 19. Someone will come meet you there.”

I gave her a thankful nod and headed toward the elevator. My heart was pounding so hard from excitement I felt like I couldn’t breathe properly.

Who would be picking me up upstairs? Aunt Mitsuki herself? Were there lots of people working here on a Saturday? What would I say if someone asked about my relationship with her? Should I say I was a hero trainee? Her son's friend? Or maybe... her son's boyfriend?

Just the last thought alone made me squeak internally. And the slow-moving elevator wasn’t helping either.

“Stay calm and breathe,” I whispered to myself, just as I heard the soft ding. But it wasn’t the ash-blond hair of Kacchan’s mom I saw. No - standing in front of me was another young woman, maybe mid-twenties, with brightly colored hair and a rather eccentric outfit. Well, eccentric to me - probably super stylish to everyone else.

“Hi! You must be Midoriya. Mrs. Bakugou sent me to bring you to her,” she beamed at me with perfectly white teeth. I gave her a nervous smile in return.

“Y-yeah, uh, hi... and, uh… th-thank you.”

I didn’t really know what else to say, but she nodded kindly, turned, and led the way down the long hallway. I followed quickly, glancing around as we went. Because of the many glass walls, the whole place felt flooded with light. Most offices were visible from the hall. There were sketches, design drafts, diagrams, and advertising posters everywhere - but not a single piece of clothing. That part I’d imagined very differently.

"By the way, I’m Haruka. But just call me Ruka. ‘Haruka’ makes me feel old," she said with a bright smile, trying to start a casual conversation. I kind of envied her for how open and easygoing she was. I still got embarrassingly shy when I had to talk to women. Apparently, not even being in a relationship with Kacchan had changed that.

I couldn’t help but smile a little at the thought, and just as I was about to respond, she kept on chatting cheerfully: "I’m a fashion and design student and spend every free minute working here under the Bakugous. Especially Mr. Bakugou’s designs - they blow me away every time. You have no idea how creative and imaginative that man is. He’s constantly sketching something new. And when Mrs. Bakugou told me someone important was coming this afternoon, I was so curious. I didn’t expect a UA student to show up! Are you from the business class? Support? Hero course? What’s your connection to Mrs. Bakugou? And what important thing are you two doing today?"

She had stopped and turned to face me. Her curiosity was written all over her face. Honestly, I couldn’t even remember what her first question had been - her last one stood out the most and was the hardest to answer. Still, she didn’t seem shady or two-faced at all - just bubbly and open. So I tried to answer as casually as I could: "I’m in the hero course at UA with her son, and uh… yeah, she’s helping me with something today."

Could I tell her that Mitsuki was picking out clothes for me? Was that even allowed? What position did Mitsuki and Masaru actually hold in this company, anyway? Questions I’d never really thought about - until now. Honestly, I was kind of amazed she hadn’t told that woman anything. I would’ve expected her to blast it through the studio with a megaphone, announcing to the world that she got to dress her future son-in-law today. You know, typical Mitsuki. But apparently, not this time.

"And what’s she helping you with?" Haruka asked, following up. I sighed inwardly.

"Uh, well, I mean…" I began to stammer, scratching the back of my head nervously. Crap, what was I even supposed to say? Maybe—

"HARUKA! GET YOUR ASS IN HERE ALREADY! I’M NOT PAYING YOU TO CHITCHAT!" a powerful voice bellowed from somewhere in the back. I silently sent up a prayer of thanks when I saw Mitsuki. After last weekend, I never would’ve thought her sudden appearance could make me feel relieved - but there she stood, hands on her hips, eyebrows drawn together in exactly the same scary way her son did. And just like that, I relaxed.

"Sorry, Mitsuki! I didn’t mean to dawdle or chat. Midoriya and I were just—"

She didn’t get to finish her sentence before Mitsuki cut her off. "Save your breath. Don’t waste it on excuses!"

"But—"

"No buts! Izuku may look like an absolute ray of sunshine, but he’s way too shy for small talk with girls."

My cheeks were burning as I wondered how she could still read me so well after all these years without regular contact. Was it because my mom told her everything? Or did she see the same behavior in my mother and just project it onto me?

“Aunt Mitsukiiii…” I groaned out of habit, wanting nothing more than to sink into the floor - especially when I caught Haruka giving me a puzzled look. Was it the word Aunt that confused her?

“Come on now! I’m guessing we don’t have all day, do we?” she grinned, instantly putting me in motion. I felt a little bad for leaving Haruka behind so suddenly, but instead of a formal greeting, Mitsuki just ruffled my hair as I stepped up to her.

“We’ll have to do something about this mop too,” she muttered.

Blunt and direct. Well, I guess Kacchan had to get it from somewhere.

“I hope you’re having a nice day too,” I replied with a crooked smile. In return, she gave me a playful little punch to the cheek with her fist.

She led me into what she called her office - though it looked more like two rooms fused together. One half was perfectly organized, while the other was complete and utter chaos. Seriously. There were papers everywhere, pinned sketches covering the walls, scraps layered over other drawings. You could barely make out the desk underneath. And strangely enough, I kind of liked it. It reminded me of the chaos my notes were always in before I managed to organize them into my notebooks. In the beginning, my room had looked the same - covered in small info slips about all my classmates’ quirks before I’d sorted and written everything down.

“Just ignore Masaru’s domain. And don’t touch anything. That mess has a system only he understands,” she said.

I nodded, but still took a few cautious steps into his territory because I noticed some printed sketches hanging on the wall. They were the same ones he’d drawn at the kitchen table last Sunday. But now they’d been expanded - there were even several versions of Kacchan’s hero costume. I gasped softly when I spotted one labeled Winter Costume. I swallowed hard as my mind conjured up an image of Kacchan wearing it. That tight, jet-black top with the wide collar… God, he’d look amazing in it.

“Let me just wrap this up, then we’ll head upstairs. How much time do we have?” Mitsuki asked from somewhere across the room. Her voice sounded a little distant - probably because I was way too distracted by the mental image of Kacchan in his winter outfit. God, I really hoped I didn’t look like I was about to drool.

“The winter version’s already at UA. You’ll get to see it on him once it gets colder. After all, he needs to—”

“Stay warm for his quirk,” I finished with a smile, stepping back toward her desk, trying to push aside the awkward feeling crawling up my neck.

Mitsuki chuckled. Of course she’d noticed. Honestly, why had she even brought it up? She had to know I knew his abilities inside and out.

“So, when exactly are you supposed to pick up my brat?” she asked.

Oh. Good question.

I pulled my phone from my pocket, and sure enough, there was a message from Kacchan.

5:08 PM, Main Station

Wow. Ever the chatterbox, I thought, shaking my head with a quiet smile as I slipped the phone back away. What else had I expected?

“I need to be back at the station in 80 minutes,” I answered quickly, noticing the impatient look she was already giving me.

“Plenty of time, then we could still… HARUKA!” she began thoughtfully, before suddenly yelling her student’s name at full volume. I flinched. Definitely hadn’t expected that.

And sure enough, Haruka appeared in the doorway almost instantly. “Yes?”

“Chizu needs to be in my studio in 30 minutes. With her suitcase. Go tell her.”

Haruka nodded and disappeared again. I was a little startled by how sharply Mitsuki spoke to her compared to how she treated me. Was it just because she was her employee?

But before I could even think to ask, Mitsuki turned to me with a grin and said, “Alright, sweetie - let’s go!”

 

 

I stood there, dumbfounded, in a fairly large studio. In front of me were three stations with large, illuminated mirrors for makeup and styling. Behind me, one clothes rack after another stretched across the room - each one packed with clothes. I seriously wondered how anyone could keep track of all this. I’d be completely overwhelmed just trying to put together a full outfit from this chaos. My gaze eventually landed on a photography set in the back. I silently prayed it wasn’t set up for me.

And as if she could read it on my face, Mitsuki said with an amused smirk, “Don’t worry! We only agreed on one outfit - not a photoshoot. Though I bet the pictures would turn out stunning.”

“I’m not exactly photogenic,” I mumbled, keeping my eyes on Kacchan’s mom as she made her way confidently along the clothing racks, pulling out one piece after another.

So someone really does have a system here, I thought as I eyed the selected clothes. Beige jeans, a white tank, and a green checked button-up. Surprisingly normal. Comfortable. My pulse slowly started to settle again.

“Here, try these on. I’m guessing you wear one size smaller than Katsuki, right?” she asked as she handed me the clothes without waiting for an answer.

“Probably,” I replied as I inspected the items in my arms. The fabric felt high quality. The beige jeans were heavier than I expected, while the other items were light and soft to the touch. Still, I had a hard time picturing them on me.

Before I could dwell on that any longer, I looked up again and turned my head in all directions. Something important had just occurred to me.

“Uh, where should I change?”

Mitsuki tilted her head, as if the question didn’t make any sense. Then she replied casually, “Right here.”

Heat rushed to my face. She wanted me to change here? In the middle of the room? Right in front of her? Was this a joke?

“Um, here?” I asked hesitantly, watching as Mitsuki crossed her arms with growing impatience.

“Of course here. You think models run off to a changing room every time during a shoot?”

I bit the inside of my cheek, holding back all the things I wanted to say. Tried to shake the blush from my face. Tried to protest - because as natural as it might’ve been for Mitsuki to see people undress, it was not normal for people who didn’t work in this business. Otherwise, fitting rooms in clothing stores wouldn’t exist.

“Oh, stop being so fussy! I’ve changed your diapers, and I’ve seen you naked in bed with my son,” she added, twisting the knife in my shame just a bit more. I cringed internally and caught my reflection in the mirror - I was red as a tomato. Great. But what else could I do?

With a heavy sigh, I shrugged off my blazer and button-up. Didn’t hesitate long before pulling off the T-shirt underneath as well.

“It’s honestly impressive how well you’ve been hiding that defined body. Feels like a waste, really,” she noted with a click of her tongue. Of course, I was uncomfortable being looked at by her, but she had a point. She’d known me since I was a baby - it was basically the same as changing in front of my mom. At least, that’s what I tried to tell myself.

“I just prefer loose clothes,” I mumbled, reaching for the white tank Mitsuki had given me. The moment I slipped my arms through it, I could feel that it was definitely more form-fitting than my hero costume. I gave myself a silent pep talk as I pulled it over my head and down to my hips. And yeah - it clung to me. Kind of like the muscle shirts Kacchan wore.

“Now that looks way better,” Mitsuki clapped her hands behind me, clearly pleased, before she started tugging at the shirt without warning. She adjusted it deliberately to create folds - or were they supposed to be waves? - before stepping back, satisfied, and holding the plaid button-up out to me so I could just slip my arms into the sleeves.

“You still have to wear that compression wrap, right?” she asked as she rolled up the sleeve on my left arm just to the elbow.

“My arm’s still pretty messed up. Without it, it starts hurting pretty quickly,” I explained briefly, and noticed the way her expression turned rigid. Her lips pressed into a thin line. Kacchan did the same when he wanted to say something but couldn’t. Or didn’t know how.

Without a word, she rolled up the other sleeve too. Then she stepped back again, only to return and roll the left one down halfway along my forearm.

“Yeah, that’s better,” she murmured more to herself, then straightened my collar and walked a slow circle around me. I felt like a damn dress-up doll. Was this the feeling Kacchan hated so much? Was this why he always wore whatever his mom didn’t pick?

I turned to the mirror and was genuinely surprised at how well the outfit looked on me. The shirt didn’t seem nearly as tight anymore under the loose green plaid button-up. The dark and green tones in the oversized pattern matched my hair eerily well.

“We’re not done yet,” Mitsuki warned, her impatient gaze catching mine in the mirror. And so I gave in to my fate and took off my pants. With significantly less hesitation this time. Maybe I really was getting used to this.

Well… at least until a shocked “Shit!” rang out behind me.

I turned around in confusion, only to see Kacchan’s mom staring at my legs like she couldn’t believe her eyes. Okay… that was weird. I opened my mouth to ask what was wrong, but she found her voice first.

“How the hell did you manage to hide those thighs? Damn, I need to submit a formal request to UA - your uniforms need a better cut. Holy shit! The pants I picked aren’t gonna work with those legs.”

She kept muttering to herself while her eyes were already scanning the nearby clothing racks.

I stood there, a bit unsure, but eventually grabbed the beige jeans and slipped into them. To my surprise, they went up pretty easily and didn’t feel nearly as tight as I’d feared after her comment.
Only problem—they were a bit long.

“Aunt Mitsuki?” I tried to get her attention as she battled her way through the endless rows of clothes.

“The pants fit,” I let her know.

It took a moment before she turned around and eyed me skeptically. I’d looked in the mirror myself and noticed that the pants were a bit tight around the thighs, but not so tight that they were unwearable.

“Nope, take ’em off. We need a different cut. Straighter,” she said shortly.

I sighed and slipped out of the pants again, neatly hanging them over the chair. My gaze wandered over the seemingly infinite collection of clothes.

“You’ve definitely got chunkier legs than Katsuki,” she muttered as she pushed one rack aside to get to the one behind it.

“Well, Kacchan does a lot of running for his stamina. But for combat, he needs the muscle more in his upper body,” I began, and couldn’t help but casually explain to her that I’d switched to a more leg-based fighting style. She smirked as I rambled on about the differences between Kacchan’s quirk and mine.

I only stopped when she let out a pleased noise and handed me another pair of pants. Same color, but the fabric felt a bit lighter.

Without comment, I stepped into them - only to flush when Mitsuki suddenly crouched down in front of me and began rolling the pant legs up a little.

“Aunt Mitsuki! I can do that mys—”

“No, you’d mess it up!” she cut me off immediately.

I was about to protest when a voice beside me interrupted: “Don’t even bother, kid. Dress-up dolls don’t get a say with her.”

Startled, I turned to look. A woman around Mitsuki’s age, maybe a bit older, stood there with her black hair tied into a ponytail. I could just barely see Haruka behind her.

“Don’t mind her, Izuku-sweetie! Of course you’re not a dress-up doll to me. That’s more for the dim-witted models we get parading through here all day,” Mitsuki said, still tugging at the pants before she stood up again.

I felt… pretty awkward. Like a little kid being dressed by his mom.

“Now that’s more like it,” she grinned at me and gave me another slow once-over.

“Those dim-witted models are the ones promoting your brand, sweetheart,” the woman - Chizu, apparently - teased as she walked over and nudged Mitsuki with her elbow. “Now spill it - who’s the cutie here?”

If I hadn’t been red already, I definitely was now. Was this evening really worth all this suffering?

“That’s the cutie whose mop you’ve got twenty minutes to tame.”

I could feel her evaluating gaze, but even more distracting was Haruka’s from the doorway. She looked stunned… and fascinated. Great. Just great.

“Don’t you have something to do, Haruka?” Mitsuki’s sharp voice rang out. Haruka visibly flinched.

“Y-Yeah, of course! I just… I didn’t expect - wait, were you always that muscular?” she blurted, unable to hide her disbelief.

I gave a sheepish smile and scratched the back of my head. I didn’t really know what to say, but of course Mitsuki couldn’t help herself:

“See, Izuku! If Haruka is reacting like that, just imagine the look on my damn gremlin’s face when he sees you.”

She was grinning like mad now. Smug. Practically cackling. Was she just doing this to mess with Kacchan?

“Ohhh, is that the future son-in-law you’ve been gushing about all week? Adorable!” the other woman chimed in. I saw Mitsuki nod proudly while Haruka clutched the doorframe in shock. Should I get her a chair or something?

“Alright, enough chit-chat. Do his hair. We don’t want him making my son wait on their first date.”

Yep. I was definitely going to die here.

 

 

Notes:

That’s it!
Hehe, what did you think? Kacchan only had a small moment in this chapter, I know – but I promise he’ll be back in full force in the next one!
As for Mitsuki, we’ll have to say goodbye to her for now. I think she’s had enough screentime for the moment – she might still pop up once or twice with a tiny scene, but nothing major anymore.

So, the next chapter will dive straight into the date!
…Well, kind of. I did warn you it’s going to be a multi-parter, didn’t I? 😅
Have a great weekend! Sending hugs!
See you on Wednesday 💚🧡

Chapter 52: Date Part I: A Beginning with Bumps and Blushes

Notes:

Hey everyone!
Sorry I'm a bit late... I actually meant to be done much sooner, but my son lost his very first tooth and, well, that was obviously a big deal! 😅
I won't ramble on too much this time - so I'll just go ahead and wish you lots of fun reading!!!! 🧡💚

Chapter 52: Date Part I: A Beginning with Bumps and Blushes

 

 

Shit! Shit! Shit!

This couldn’t be happening. Damn it! I had really tried to think of everything beforehand, tried to plan everything out so the evening would go well - and now it was already failing because I couldn’t make it to the train station on time? And all because of the agreement with Mitsuki. Well, maybe also because of Chizu’s fascinating Quirk that was just perfect for her job. I’d been so fascinated while she’d been trimming my hair that I couldn’t help but jot down the most important details. I’d been really glad that I’d packed my notebook. And even though she’d looked a bit confused at first, she’d answered every single one of my questions. And in the end, she told Mitsuki she understood why she liked me so much.

Embarrassing. And yeah, I’d been pretty flustered afterward - and at the same time, kind of proud. Maybe it was actually a sign that I wasn’t as weird as I sometimes imagined myself to be.

Still, I was late now. It was only ten minutes, but ten minutes that Kacchan would have to wait for me. Ten minutes that would most likely affect his mood. And ten minutes he’d probably hold over my head for the rest of the evening.

I sighed as I hurried my way toward the main entrance of the station. I had already texted Kacchan to let him know I’d be a little late. Told him to wait for me at the entrance. All I got in reply was “…” At least it wasn’t an insult - though I couldn’t say that for sure. Because maybe I’d been so scared afterward that I hadn’t dared to check my phone again.

But now it didn’t matter anyway, since I only had to turn the corner and push my way through the crowd. I was honestly surprised how full it was in front of the station. Sure, we were in the middle of the city, surrounded by restaurants, shopping malls, and a few tourist attractions, but I still hadn’t expected this many people in one place. Maybe it was also because we’d grown up in a quiet part of town - and up at UA on the mountain, we were always surrounded by a relatively small crowd, too.

I stopped for a moment and took one more deep breath before covering the last few steps. I tugged at the still rather tight white top and adjusted the button-up that was meant to cover most of it. Oh, Aunt Mitsuki would lynch me for this. She had clearly explained that I was supposed to pull the button-up aside a little if I, for example, put my hand into my pants pocket. And that I shouldn’t even think about changing anything - because her son’s eyes were supposed to pop out, after all.

I smiled slightly. The look in the mirror earlier had shown me a more attractive version of myself. A very unfamiliar version, I had to admit. But I also had to acknowledge that I liked the look. Still, I was nervous about how Kacchan would react. So I ran a hand through my hair and then quickly wiped it off on my shirt. I was a little grossed out by the feeling of the hair wax Chizu had used at the end. I didn’t really like that kind of stuff, but my usually wild mane looked neat and styled - and actually really nice. And above all, still totally natural.
Shaking my head, I took one last deep breath before turning the corner and letting my gaze wander. I tried to spot that ashy blond head while I kept moving forward.

A warm feeling flooded my body when I spotted him. Just his hair, since the crowd was still blocking the rest of him. I picked up my pace and was almost running the rest of the way. I couldn’t hide my grin anymore. Couldn’t stop the wave of happiness hormones flooding my entire body.

“Kacchan!” I called out just before I reached him. He was still standing with his back turned toward me. Wearing black skinny jeans and a white shirt that was a bit longer and looser. And fuck! I definitely couldn’t walk behind him tonight. Damn, how could a pair of jeans look that good on someone? The curve of his butt and those slim but athletic legs were already taking my breath away. And at the same time, that old feeling crept back in - that something must be wrong with me, because I was way too fascinated by the view of his legs.

I saw him turn around. Saw him spot me, and his eyes widened with surprise as his mouth parted slightly. He looked shocked and confused at the same time. I felt a triumphant sensation rise up inside me. That must’ve been what they called “eyes falling out,” or at least it came close to what Mitsuki had predicted.

But just as I was about to say something, I noticed another head of hair in the corner of my eye - one I knew all too well. Red and white. Shit, what was Todoroki doing here?

Frozen, I stopped two or three steps before reaching them. I could feel the nervousness rising inside me. Felt my hands starting to sweat. I wanted to wipe them instinctively, but held back.

“Oh, Midoriya! What are you doing here?” Todoroki greeted me in a tone that sounded almost surprised. His face showed mild confusion. It still wasn’t very common for him to show much emotion. But ever since our match at the Sports Festival, it had gotten a little better.

“H-Hi Todoroki! Uh, it’s…nice to see you…uh, you both,” I started awkwardly and glanced at Kacchan. But he just let his eyes slowly roam over my appearance, from head to toe. Was he trying to figure out why I looked the way I did? Or had he already guessed?

I cleared my throat. Shit. I still hadn’t answered Todoroki’s question.

“Um, I was nearby after my internship, and Kacchan… well, you know…”

I kept stammering. I just couldn’t come up with an excuse for why I’d be meeting up with Kacchan out of the blue. After all, just a few days ago I’d claimed that we weren’t really close enough to hang out outside of school.

But before I could say anything else, Todoroki said, “You look different today.”

I gave a crooked smile, suppressed the urge to scratch the back of my head, and cleared my throat again. God, was it because I was so nervous that I suddenly felt this hot?

“I had a little time after the internship, so I went shopping and, uh, to the hairdresser,” I explained, hoping he had already forgotten his first question.

“Oh, I see.”

An awkward silence settled over us. The sounds of the people around us had somehow faded into background noise. The pounding of my heart in my ears was so loud - it drowned out everything else.

“What are you doing here, Todoroki?” I asked kindly, and finally heard a sound from Kacchan. It wasn’t more than a grumpy growl.

“My sister wanted to meet me here! Bakugou was kind enough to walk me to the main entrance.”

“Yeah, because you’ve got a sense of direction like a piece of wood, you dumbass!” the person in question snapped immediately. But Todoroki didn’t react at all, which made it really hard for me to hold back a laugh.

“Let’s go, Nerd! I’m not in the mood to waste any more time with that Half-Half-Bastard,” Kacchan growled, took a step toward me, and grabbed my upper arm. I looked up at him, startled, already bracing myself - when Todoroki’s voice spoke up again: “Oh, do you two have plans together?”

Kacchan froze in place. I felt his grip tighten a little. He didn’t react at all, just bit down on his lower lip. What were we supposed to say now?

“So what? Got a problem with that?” Kacchan barked back at him, let go of me, and shoved both hands grumpily into his pockets. He seemed annoyed - and somehow tense, too. Was he nervous as well?

“No! Midoriya just said…”

“Uh, you know, I-I overheard something yesterday about Kacchan wanting to see a movie at the theater. And it just so happened to be the same one I’d planned to see this weekend. So, um, now we’re going to the movies together,” I explained quickly, of course catching Kacchan’s narrowed eyes. He’d definitely want to know what I’d told Todoroki.

“Which movie?” Todoroki asked. In my head, I growled like Kacchan. Since when did he ask this many questions? He usually just accepted whatever you told him. Why not now, of all times? Why couldn’t anything ever go smoothly?

I felt Kacchan’s upper arm against mine. I glanced sideways in confusion and noticed that he had moved a bit closer to me. What was that now? Weren’t we standing way too close together? And why was he glaring at Todoroki so aggressively?

Luckily, I didn’t have to make up a movie, because just then a young woman with red-and-white hair joined us. Her hair was mostly white, with just a few red strands. Did she have two Quirks, too? Or was her mother’s ice Quirk dominant?

I shook my head slightly. Heavens, Izuku! Now was really not the time to be wondering about her Quirk.

“Shoto! There you are! I wan—oh, hello!” she greeted us and gave a small bow. I bowed in return, while Kacchan only gave a quick nod.

“I remember you from the Sports Festival. Are you friends of Shoto’s?” she asked right away, then quickly covered her mouth in surprise and added, “How rude of me! I’m Fuyumi Todoroki! Shoto’s older sister.”

“Nice to meet you! I’m Izuku Midoriya, and next to me is…” I began with a friendly smile, but Kacchan cut me off and said harshly, “Katsuki Bakugou.”

“Are you all in the special course?” she asked, looking us over. Probably wondering why only Todoroki was wearing a school uniform.

“No, not me. I’m just here on my own,” I explained quickly, feeling Kacchan’s impatience next to me - his arm twitched slightly against mine. Like he was holding back a tremor.

“Midoriya and Bakugou are going to the movies,” Todoroki explained matter-of-factly. And even though there was nothing suggestive in his tone, I felt warmth rising in my face. Because Fuyumi suddenly looked back and forth between the two of us. As if she could tell we weren’t just hanging out as friends.

“Oh, I see,” she simply said, turning toward us, and it seemed like she was about to say goodbye when Todoroki added, “I haven’t been to the movies in a long time.”

I couldn’t stop my mouth from falling slightly open in shock. Did he want to come with us? What was I supposed to say now? After all, we weren’t actually going to the movies. Though… I was the only one who knew that so far. Kacchan didn’t know the plan yet either.

While my mind scrambled for an escape route, I saw Fuyumi grab her brother by the collar and say, “No, Shoto! We have other plans today. I’m sure these two will go to the movies with you some other time. Or I will. So don’t be rude and invite yourself along.”

She gave me a quick wink as she said goodbye so fast I barely had time to react.
Fuck! Had she figured it out, even though we hadn’t done anything? Or was the heat in my face that obvious?

“She totally figured it out,” Kacchan grumbled next to me, then added, “No wonder, with that strawberry standing right in front of her.”

“Strawberry?”

Kacchan gave me a mischievous grin and explained, “Well, bright red face, freckles, and a green head. On Halloween you wouldn’t even need a costume. Someone just needs to keep you embarrassed the whole time.”

“You’re mean.”

“Honest, Izuku! Just honest,” he grinned - and before I could react, he leaned down and gave me a quick kiss right on the lips, in the middle of the station.

Startled, I took a step back and held a hand over my mouth. He couldn’t just do that. Not here!

“Kacchan…”

“Relax! There are so many people here, no one’s paying attention. Besides…” he began, then trailed off. I noticed again how his eyes traveled over my entire body.

“Uh yeah, guess you’re right,” I said quietly and looked down in embarrassment. He made me so damn nervous. And then he looked different today, too. Even though he was just wearing a simple white shirt. It was pretty loose, so you couldn’t even really see his build. He wore a black leather bracelet on his wrist. The white sneakers completed his look. It felt so casual and still so stylish. I couldn’t quite explain it. I only knew one thing for sure: he looked damn good.

“So, to the movies?” he asked, making no further comment.

“N-no! That was just the first excuse I could think of. We need to go, um, two stops further,” I quickly explained and took a step toward the inside of the station. Saw how Kacchan immediately moved with me.

 

 

We walked next to each other in silence, scanned our train passes - which we could use throughout the whole prefecture thanks to school - and made our way to the platform we knew so well. After all, it was the same train line that took us home. We’d just need to ride three more stops later.

Kacchan’s eyebrow twitched skeptically upward before he spotted our destination on the map. It didn’t take long before he quietly said, “The summer festival, huh.”

I swallowed nervously before turning to him and asking uncertainly, “Not good?”

“I didn’t say that. Why so unsure, Nerd?”

“I… uh, well, I thought a lot about where we could go. And, like, Ashido and Hagakure were the ones who gave me the idea. And here, it’s always one of the last festivals of the season. And, um…”

“It’s a good idea,” Kacchan cut off my nervous rambling. I looked up at him in surprise and just smiled. I wanted to hug him. Or kiss him. But this platform wasn’t quite as busy as the upper level.

Kacchan rolled his eyes, but one corner of his mouth twitched upward for a moment. I was just about to fall into another round of silent admiration when he suddenly muttered, “Hm, kind of weird she didn’t stick him in a yukata.”

Had he meant for it to sound like he was just thinking out loud? Or had it really slipped out? Either way, it completely unsettled me. I shivered and just glanced at him sideways, hoping the train would finally arrive. But according to the schedule, there were still four minutes to go.

I stayed quiet, and so did he - though Kacchan looked so damn relaxed while I was barely holding myself back from hopping from one foot to the other. Should I tell him? Should I ask what he meant by that? But wouldn’t he have already blown up if he did know what had happened? I mean, he kind of seemed to know. At least, his comment couldn’t really mean anything else… right?

“Izuku!”

My head snapped up in surprise. So many questions had been running through my head that I must’ve spaced out for a moment. The train was pulling in.

“Sorry, Kacchan! Did you say something?” I asked innocently as I stepped into the train. It was relatively full. There were quite a few people wearing yukatas, sitting and standing. A group of high school girls especially stood out. They were wearing really elaborate yukatas and had their hair done up fancy. I wondered if Ashido had dressed up like that too - after all, she and Hagakure were going out tonight as well.

Kacchan didn’t answer me. He just shook his head. Probably didn’t want to speak up with so many ears around us. He also hated crowded spaces like this, so he just leaned against the opposite door, grumpy as ever, while I stood in front of him.

Hm. In a typical romance, I’d probably lose my balance right now and fall into him, right?
The thought made me smile. I wouldn’t mind some accidental body contact. But it would be kinda weird and obvious if I suddenly couldn’t keep my balance with such minor jolts. I’d trained on way shakier ground than this - and had used five percent of One for All while doing it.

I looked up at Kacchan, who was now eyeing me curiously. I just shook my head and grinned. Mumbled, “You don’t wanna know.”

And there it was - a mischievous smirk spread across his face, making him look so insanely attractive. God, it made my knees weak. Or maybe it was just because I was completely head over heels for him.

 

 

The train stopped and we let the crowd go first before stepping off near the end, along with the giggling group of girls. They threw secret glances our way - of course we noticed. I heard Kacchan grumble in annoyance as he ran a hand through his hair and gave them a look that clearly said, Get lost and leave me the hell alone. But either they were suicidal or just plain dumb, because they suddenly stopped in front of us on the platform.

“You guys going to the summer festival too?” asked the girl who seemed to lead the group. She was probably the most confident, since the other three shrank back a little behind her.

“I don’t see how that’s any of your business, brats,” Kacchan grumbled right away, earning some surprised and slightly intimidated looks. Only the one who had spoken seemed unfazed and kept smiling. “We could go together, if you don’t have anyone else with you.”

“So desperate you just walk up to strangers?” Kacchan snorted, looking at her with a challenging glare. Meanwhile, my stomach did a nervous flip. But at the same time, another feeling stirred inside me - one that made me want to grab Kacchan’s hand and show them that he was taken. That he was mine.

Oh shit. Was I seriously jealous?

“You’re kinda rude to ladies,” she remarked, now sounding a bit offended.

“Tch. Lady? Have you looked in the mirror lately?”

“Wow, what an asshole,” she muttered more to herself, rolling her eyes in irritation before turning to me. “How about you, cutie?”

I was way too stunned by the “cutie” to react right away. And I wasn’t nearly as blunt or sharp-tongued as Kacchan. What was I supposed to do no—

I didn’t get the chance to think further, because Kacchan suddenly grabbed my hand and laced our fingers together. He also stepped slightly in front of me and hissed, “Piss off already!”

The group stared, first at Kacchan, then at our hands. Their faces turned red before they spun around awkwardly and quickly made their escape.

I stood there frozen. Heard my heart pounding in my ears while I tried to process what had just happened. God, what was that just now? I mean, I had never been approached by a girl before, let alone… flirted with? Could you call it that? She had called me “cutie.” That implied she found me attractive, right? Was it because of the clothes? Or did Kacchan’s presence somehow make me seem more interesting?

“Come on, Nerd,” Kacchan snapped me out of my thoughts, still holding my hand as he dragged me through the station toward the lockers. I let him, but lowered my head, because a few people were definitely giving us some weird looks. I felt kind of awkward, but it didn’t seem to bother him at all. At least, he didn’t show any sign of it.

“I’m assuming we’re coming back here later?” he asked, looking at me questioningly. I just nodded and whispered, “Yeah, we’re heading further after that.”

“Further? Not back?” he replied right away, sounding a little confused.

“I’ll explain later,” I murmured, giving him an uncertain smile while watching him sigh and stash his bag in one of the lockers. I hadn’t even thought about his luggage. Aunt Mitsuki had just taken mine, since she had to pick up Masaru from home anyway.

“Oh, I’m waiting for a lot of explanations from you today,” he said provocatively, came in close for a second, then walked past me and signaled with a nod for me to follow. I quickly hurried after him and matched his pace.

 

 

“Uh, Kacchan, what… did you mean earlier?” I asked hesitantly. I could already guess where this was going, but I didn’t want to just walk silently next to him until we reached the festival. I wanted to have a nice evening with him - and that meant getting everything out of the way beforehand.

“Hm, maybe I meant… when you suddenly grew a fashion sense?”

I pressed my lips together and stopped walking. Looked down at the ground, not sure what to say. The whole story? Or just a part of it? I still had to tell him that we were spending the night at his place—even though he didn’t really want to go back there anytime soon.

White sneakers moved into my field of vision. And a hand reached out, gently lifting my chin, making me look up at him.

I nervously glanced around. No one else was nearby. Probably the next wave of people wouldn’t come until the next train.

Kacchan didn’t look away. His eyes looked so intensely red in the evening sun. And then his lips moved - his voice low and rough as he said, “Normally, I’d rip your head off for letting that old hag use you as her dress-up doll, but…” He paused for a second. Made me suck in a shaky breath. That jerk. He was doing this on purpose. “But she did a damn good job. Fuck! I never thought anyone could make those ugly red shoes of yours actually work.”

Before I could even reply, he kissed me. Hard and hungry. He didn’t let go of my chin. His other hand slid between my button-up and top, tracing my spine until it stopped at the waistband of my pants.

I gasped softly into the kiss, pushing aside the alarm bell in my head telling me we were surrounded by buildings. My hands found their way into the back pockets of his jeans. God, that felt so good.

But all too soon, Kacchan pulled away again and took a small step back. Rubbed the back of his neck and mumbled, “The clothes really do suit you.”

My eyebrows shot up in surprise. My mouth curled into a huge, happy smile. I couldn’t control it. Especially not when I saw Kacchan’s red-tipped ears. And the slight blush on his face.

“You look really good too, Kacchan,” I said, returning the compliment and soaking up the moment. Burning it into my memory. Because the sight of him being this shy - it was just indescribably beautiful.

But it didn’t last long. Kacchan quickly switched back to his “normal” face and snapped, “You better not tell that old hag about this, got it?”

I just laughed.

“I won’t, Kacchan. Promise!”

“Good. Now out with it. What did she bribe you with to get you to do it?” he asked, turning away from me.

I smiled softly. Somehow, my anxiety was gone. And even if I still felt a little awkward, I followed him, brushing my fingers lightly against the back of his hand. Took a deep breath and explained, “I asked her for something… and this was, um… the price for it.”

“What did you ask her for?”

“I’m guessing it’s not enough if I say I’ll explain after the festival?”

Kacchan shook his head and gave me a quick sideways glance. I looked away, already feeling that awful heat rising in my face again - until I finally gathered all my courage and said, “I asked your parents to let us have the house to ourselves tonight.”

Since I was still looking down, I didn’t notice right away that Kacchan had stopped walking.

Surprised, I turned around - and was even more surprised to see the completely overwhelmed look on his face. God, had I just… blown his mind?

I couldn’t help it - I started laughing. Making him speechless didn’t happen often. Actually, I could only remember a few moments in my life where that had ever happened. God, how much I wished I could’ve taken a photo right then. Just to show him later how he looked exactly like Kaminari after hitting his limit.

“You okay, Kacchan?” I asked, still giggling a little. Watched him slowly snap out of it.

“You seriously asked the old hag to clear the house so we could fuck in peace?”

Argh, damn you, Katsuki Bakugou!

I choked on my own spit. Coughing. God, why did he always have to put it like that? And out in the open, no less! Okay sure, we might’ve made out a tiny bit just earlier, but shouting stuff like that in public? He was definitely going to be the death of me one day.

“You know I didn’t say it like that, Kacchan!” I rasped, cleared my throat again, trying to get that last annoying drop of spit out of my windpipe that kept making me cough.

“Never in a million years would I have thought you had the balls to do that,” he burst out, catching up with me again.

I was about to reply when he suddenly grabbed my wrist and started dragging me back toward the station.

“Kacchan, what are you doing?”

“Come on. If we’ve got the house to ourselves, then let’s go! Seriously! That damn light-colored pants you’re wearing makes your ass look so fucking good I just wanna rip them right off.”

Now I was the one staring dumbfounded. And yeah, my face had probably turned the same color as Kirishima’s hair. Was he being serious right now?

“B-But Kacchan… our… date,” I said, stopping him.

“You’ve got your internship early tomorrow, right?”

I nodded. Waited for him to go on.

“If we spend hours at the festival now, the night’s gonna be very short for you,” he said with a sly grin, raising his eyebrows. Oh, this guy.

“I’m aware of that, yeah.”

“Really?”

“Really!”

I could see him hesitating. The idea of uninterrupted alone time clearly tempted him. I couldn’t blame him - I felt the same. Only having short evenings during the week was honestly frustrating. But I really wanted to do something… well, something couple-like. Something normal couples did. To know what it felt like. To remind ourselves that our relationship wasn’t just about the physical part.

I watched him sigh. And then I saw it - the softest, most beautiful smile he had ever given me. Made my heart flutter. I felt butterflies explode in my stomach as his hand came to rest gently on my cheek.

“Then let’s go to the festival, Izuku.”

 

 

Notes:

That’s it!
Yep, we're officially on our way to the date 😅
I left out another little scene at the beginning with Mitsuki and the others - otherwise this would’ve gotten way too long.

So, what did you think? Were those little surprises along the way okay until they finally made it to the festival? Was there a moment you especially liked?

I'm super excited to share the next part with you soon! <3
And of course, I’d love it if you left me a few kind (or funny) words.
Sending hugs - see you on Sunday! 🧡💚

Chapter 53: Date Part II: Summer Festival

Notes:

Hey everyone, and happy Sunday!

It’s finally time to bless you with a new chapter again - after all those sweet comments, you’ve definitely earned it! 😍
I have to admit though... this one wasn’t that easy to write. Describing action scenes in German is already tricky, but doing it in English?? 😅
But see for yourself - enjoy! 🧡💚

Chapter 53 – Date Part II: Summer Festival

 

 

As expected, it was pretty crowded. Even at the entrance, lots of groups were pushing toward the festival grounds. Some seemed to be waiting for their companions. I also spotted a few heroes patrolling the area. They were probably lesser-known sidekicks, because I’d never seen them before.

I snuck a glance at Kacchan, who was watching the crowd with a slightly annoyed expression. Was it really the right decision to choose an event like this?

“What, Nerd?” Kacchan asked, having clearly noticed my stare. I quickly shook my head and smiled at him.

“Thanks for coming to the festival with me.”

Kacchan rolled his eyes, but there was a mischievous little smirk on his face. He turned toward me and gave me a light jab to the stomach. His hand lingered for a moment. I felt how he gently brushed the spot with his knuckle. I enjoyed the subtle touch. Looked up at him - and startled slightly when he leaned in. But to my relief - or was that disappointment rising in me? - he didn’t go for my lips, just leaned toward my ear.

“You do realize we can’t be holding hands or doing any of that other coupley crap while we’re out here, right?”

I nodded automatically, while my brain tried to process what he had just said. Coupley crap. The way he said it - so casually, like it was no big deal - completely scrambled my thoughts. He’d just called us a couple. Like it was nothing. Like it was obvious. And suddenly I wanted to scream. Or cry. Or both. Because - holy shit - he really saw us like that. As a couple. An actual couple.

God, my heart. I could burst. Or melt. Or just explode right here in the middle of the crowd.
It was so unexpected, so simple - and yet it hit me like a truck full of fireworks.

I couldn’t even look at him properly. Not with that stupid, giddy smile tugging at my lips.

I cleared my throat and tried to pull myself together, since Kacchan was already giving me that questioning look. So I quickly said, a little sheepishly, “I know. And I know it’s kind of dumb. But still, you know, I’m just happy to do something with you. To spend time with you. Not just… in your room… and… stuff.”

Toward the end, I just trailed off into nervous mumbling, which made Kacchan shake his head with a small grin. I saw his hand move from my stomach to my cheek, and he gave me another gentle “punch.”

“Sappy nerd,” he muttered before asking more firmly, “So, what do you wanna do first?”

“Food would be great. I only had a quick piece of toast this morning,” I explained, immediately catching Kacchan’s accusing look, so I added, “Didn’t have time during the internship. And right after that, I went to see your mom.”

I saw that Kacchan was about to say something, but another thought popped into my head. I quickly swung my small shoulder bag around and unzipped it.

“Speaking of your mom! She asked me to give you your allowance since you forgot it last Sunday.”

While I was searching for it, I heard Kacchan snort. I looked up, confused. Was he making fun of me?

“What…?” I began to ask, but he just patted my shoulder and said, “So the old hag tricked you, huh?”

I tilted my head. I couldn’t really follow. What did he mean by that?

“I get my money transferred to my account every month,” he explained.

It took me a moment to process that information. I looked into the bag at the massive wad of cash, then back at Kacchan. Then at the money again. And back at him. Finally, it clicked.
“B-but then why did she give me so much money?”

Kacchan took the bills from my bag, counted them quickly, muttered, “stingy old witch,” and then put them back, saying, “That’s just my allowance for half a month.”

My jaw dropped, and I stared at him with wide eyes in disbelief. What did he just say? Half a month? Damn! That amount would last me half a year. No - more like seven months. Seven!
I knew the Bakugous were well off. But they didn’t flaunt it. Their house was big, sure, but not overly luxurious. Nothing about their style felt extravagant - not like Yaomomo or Aoyama, for example. They were more grounded. Just a little… eccentric. At least the mother and son. So why…

“She figured you wouldn’t accept it if she told you it was for us to have a nice evening,” Kacchan explained, as if he’d read my unspoken question right off my face.

I pressed my lips together. Of course I would’ve turned it down. Especially since I was the one who’d wanted this date. So naturally, I’d assumed I’d be paying for our food tonight. After last week, it was my turn anyway. I’d even grabbed money from my All Might piggy bank this morning. So now what were we supposed to do with Mitsuki’s money? Leave it on the kitchen table? Or use it? Could we really do something that selfish? Could I live with spending someone else’s money like that?

I was about to spiral even further when Kacchan simply grabbed the cash and stuffed it into his pocket, then put his phone and wallet into my bag instead.

“Well, if the old hag went out of her way to give us something extra, let’s blow it on dumb stuff. Best case, we buy some crappy lottery tickets. Or something ugly to stick in her house.”

And there it was again - that wicked, mischievous grin he always wore when he was plotting against his mom. Would he ever grow out of that?

“Kacchan! We can’t just waste it on stuff like that!” I said, scandalized.

He just snorted and grabbed my wrist, pulling me toward the big entrance archway.

“Coward,” he grumbled, adding, “At least use it to eat until you’re full. And don’t you dare look at any prices.”

I smiled and quickened my pace so I wasn’t being dragged anymore, but walking beside him. By his side. That’s how it should be, right? On our very first real date.

 

 

So many different smells, sounds, and colors hit us all at once. We’d only walked a few meters into the festival, but I was already completely fascinated. The lanterns hanging above us. The vendors calling out their offers. And all the little kids excitedly begging their parents to let them try something from every stand.

Kacchan and I walked close together, our arms brushing almost the entire time. At one point, I even let my pinky finger graze his. He only rolled his eyes. But not in an annoyed way. No, he’d had a smile on his face the entire time. A beautiful, content smile that made my heart feel all warm.

Damn. When was the last time he’d looked this relaxed for such a long stretch of time? I honestly couldn’t remember. Would this become a new state of being tonight? Would his cheek muscles start hurting from being so underused these past years?

“Got something on my face?” he suddenly grumbled at me.

And before I could think, my mouth said, “A smile.”

He looked at me, surprised and confused, slowing his steps a bit - but not stopping. I felt the heat rising to my face and tugged lightly on his sleeve to pull him down toward me. I whispered in his ear, “I like it when you smile.”

Instead of answering, he bumped his forehead against mine in a way so gentle you couldn’t even really call it a headbutt. Was this his new form of public affection? Punches, taps, and forehead bumps?

“Dumb nerd,” he muttered, and immediately pulled me over to a takoyaki stand.

I laughed softly because the tips of his ears had turned red. God, he was ridiculously cute when he was embarrassed.

He didn’t ask me what I wanted - he just picked out a few different kinds of octopus balls for both of us. I was practically drooling as he handed me my portion.

“Thank you,” I said, and we walked behind the rows of booths and, like many others, sat down on a low wall.

I skewered the first ball, blew on it briefly, and popped it into my mouth - only to open it again in a panic to escape the burning heat. Damn! These things were still boiling.

“Someone got a little greedy, huh?” Kacchan teased me. He hadn’t even started eating yet and was already smirking.

Eyes watering, I chewed quickly and forced it down, feeling it travel all the way down my throat.

“I’m just hungry.”

“This is just a snack! You’re eating at least two more things!” Kacchan insisted, while I carefully blew on the next ball.

Honestly, when it came to meals, Kacchan reminded me a little of my mom. She always made sure I ate properly. Or maybe it was just that both of them knew I tended to forget. Whether it was back in the day with my analysis notes or All Might marathons, or now with schoolwork and training.

But seriously - if Kacchan kept pestering me about food like this, wasn’t there a real danger I might gain weight? Would that be like… a relationship belly?

While I scarfed down one takoyaki after another, Kacchan ate slowly, observing the people around us carefully.

“How was the special course, by the way?” I asked, trying to start a conversation, stealing a bite of his food while I did.

Instant regret - it was spicy. But Kacchan didn’t comment on it. Instead, in a surprisingly calm voice, he started ranting about everything. It made me smile.

It was kind of funny - how he could grumble so calmly. It didn’t really match. And somehow, it made him feel even more genuine. Honest. And kind of… nice.

As he complained about all the group projects, I kept asking questions. Especially about the Quirks of the Shiketsu students. And Kacchan explained them to me exactly the way I’d write things down in my notes? Were our analysis styles really that similar? Or had he just learned how I thought by now?

 

 

We kept walking through the festival. At times it got pretty packed, so Kacchan ended up grabbing my wrist and pulling me slightly behind him - at least until the crowd thinned out again.

He got me some yakisoba and gyoza. I ate them with great delight, telling him all about my patrol with Togata and Sir Nighteye. I went off into full-on ramble mode, but he let me. Didn’t interrupt - just kept walking down the long street with me, completely relaxed. We only stopped now and then so I could finish eating in peace.

The atmosphere was indescribably beautiful. I kept asking myself over and over whether we’d ever had such a peaceful time together before. He wasn’t teasing me. He wasn’t provoking me. He wasn’t even cursing about the endless stream of people moving past us. It was almost unsettling. Like I’d landed in a parallel world.

And yet it was so wonderful I didn’t even know how to handle all the happiness hormones rushing through me.

Just as I was about to tell him about the encounter with his mom, I noticed something out of the corner of my eye. I stopped abruptly, immediately earning complaints from the people behind us.

“Izuku?” Kacchan asked, but I grabbed his hand and pulled him off to the side, near a shooting booth. I raised my arm and pointed with my index finger toward the top right corner. I didn’t even check whether Kacchan followed my finger - because I was way too fascinated by the grand prize.

“Seriously, Nerd?” he asked, and I could practically picture him smacking his forehead and shaking his head in disbelief. I didn’t really care. I could feel the excited joy bubbling up in me as I turned to him and probably started talking way too fast and way too enthusiastically: “That’s the first edition of the All Might comic! In perfect condition! Look at it! It’s so rare. Like, super rare. So rare you can only get it with a lot of luck and money. There was never a second print run either, because back then All Might was still on his way to becoming the greatest hero of all time! Kacchan! We have to get it!”

The blond tilted his head and crossed his arms in front of his chest. He looked at me skeptically before saying, “I seem to remember you already had that comic back then.”

Caught, I scratched my temple and mumbled, “Back then I didn’t know it’d become a collector’s item. And, well… mine’s kind of… worn.”

“You’re fucking serious?”

I don’t know why, but I couldn’t help putting on my best pleading look. I knew it had worked on my mom plenty of times. Otherwise, my collection probably wouldn’t be half as big as it was. She always complained about it, but then she’d end up ruffling my hair and giving in with a laugh.

So I froze for a moment when I suddenly felt Kacchan’s big hand in my hair and saw him grin at me mischievously.

“Well, I did know what I was getting into with you, didn’t I, Nerd?”

I sucked in a sharp breath and bit my lip. Fuck. Why did I feel like crying all of a sudden?
Why did that gesture get to me so much?

I wanted to say his name. Wanted to hug him. And I think he saw it on my face. I heard him sigh in amusement. Felt his hand wander down from my hair to my upper arm. He pulled me in, and I felt his lips move by my ear.

“Crybaby.”

My shoulders trembled. I instinctively wanted to turn my head and catch his lips - but luckily, a man suddenly shouted angrily nearby:

“WHAT the hell?! This is a scam! Total bullshit!”

I quickly turned my head toward the booth, where a group - mostly guys - were loudly complaining. I heard words like scam and rip-off. Heard a few curse words. Saw the angry young man being pulled away from the stand, while the booth operator just waved after him with a grin. Was he seriously laughing to himself about that?

“Let’s watch and see if someone else goes up next,” Kacchan muttered. We positioned ourselves slightly off to the side of the booth.

It was a pretty modern-looking booth. Normally, these stands were just little wooden stalls with a roof. But this one was more like a mini-container, all decked out in All Might colors. There were two “cabins” to shoot from. On the wall, targets moved across three levels, and a digital display above them showed how many shots you’d hit in a row.

“STEP RIGHT UP! STEP RIGHT UP! Test your aim and win the grand prize! The very first All Might comic in pristine condition! Try your luck and win this rare treasure from our former Number One!” the booth operator shouted into the crowd. And sure enough, a new group of guys stepped up.

“This is gonna be easy,” one of them said smugly.

I watched carefully. Saw him aim with the gun - obviously not one that could actually harm people. Heard the cheering as he hit his 14th shot in a row. But something was off on the next one. After hitting shot number 15, the 16th somehow landed to the side.

I glanced sideways at Kacchan. He’d raised an eyebrow and narrowed his eyes before looking straight at me. I tilted my head slightly - and he nodded. Good, so he’d noticed it too: the second shot had fired off on its own.

Was that what the earlier complaints about cheating had been about?

I watched the next guy take his turn, but he only made it to six hits. A big sign on the booth said you had to hit fifty shots in a row, and within ninety seconds, no less. Basically impossible. Which meant…it was perfect for us, right?

I nudged Kacchan in the side with my elbow and saw that fiery, battle-hungry look in his eyes.

Oh yes. He wanted to try just as badly as I did. And honestly, just because something sounded impossible didn’t mean it was. Not for us.

“Oi, old man! Two tries!” Kacchan called out in classic Kacchan fashion. It made me cringe a little, but I still stepped up beside him.

“Keep talking like that and you can leave right now!” the man snapped back, then added, “2,000 yen per round! Hope your allowance can handle that, kid.”

Oof… this was gonna be interesting. Especially since the price bordered on ridiculous. At other booths, you usually paid somewhere between 100 and 500 yen per try. But Kacchan didn’t care. He pulled out the small roll of bills from his pocket and slapped the money down on the counter.

Not sure if that was the smartest move, showing the guy how much cash he had on him—because suddenly, the man’s expression turned… sly.

“Don’t waste your money, kids! This place is a total scam!” someone behind us shouted. I also heard, “We should report it.”

And I started to wonder - were we doing the right thing? If that many people said something shady was going on here, shouldn’t we - as future heroes - be calling the police? Or at least notifying the festival staff?

I must’ve had that thought all over my face, because while we positioned ourselves, Kacchan leaned in and muttered, “We’ll grab the prize and look for proof while we do it. Then we can bust the guy afterward.”

I just gave a small nod and leaned forward over the counter. Took a deep breath. Then the start signal blared.

Almost automatically, my body and mind switched into some kind of combat mode. It was honestly a little creepy how I hit one target after another. It was like I was watching myself from the outside.

I focused as I lined up my 15th shot. Pulled the trigger and quickly adjusted the barrel upward.

I cheered inside - I’d made it past the double-shot. I glanced at the operator. Saw him clenching his jaw. And I understood why - because when I looked at Kacchan, he was already on shot number 25.

I was so fascinated I missed my next shot completely.

Grumbling softly, I refocused - watching Kacchan and the targets.

My breath caught when the targets suddenly started moving a little faster. But Kacchan didn’t disappoint. He always relied on instinct. He reacted fast - faster than most people could even think.

But on the 30th shot, another double-fire triggered - and this time, he missed.

He growled. I heard sympathetic sounds behind me. But there were surprised gasps too - and even some applause.

Turning, I realized a small crowd had gathered around us. We were drawing some attention. And I couldn’t help but smile a little.

I almost laughed as Kacchan slammed another bunch of bills onto the counter.

“One more round. For both of us.”

“Of course!” the operator said with a smile - but it wasn’t a real smile. No, you could practically see him boiling underneath. Maybe it was anger. Or fear. Maybe both. I wasn’t quite sure.

But I didn’t have time to analyze it - because Kacchan barked at me: “Don’t slack off this time, Nerd! Can’t believe you didn’t even hit twenty shots!”

I knew he was trying to provoke me. My brain knew that. But still - it fired up my competitive spirit. So dumb. And yet, I couldn’t help the excitement I felt about another round.

 

 

We were both on our fourth try. By now, we’d figured out that the targets sped up after shot number 26. After shot 30, there was another double-shot. So I figured there’d probably be another one after shot 45. Kacchan’s shoulders had practically been shaking after his third attempt. Because on shot 38, the targets had suddenly paused for a moment. And ninety seconds was honestly really tight - for all the aiming, shooting, and trying to catch every trick they threw at us.

By now, a pretty big crowd had gathered. I heard Kacchan curse as he had to accept another failed run. I smirked, since I’d made it four shots farther. So the score stood at 2:2 between us now.

“ONE MORE TIME!” Kacchan practically shouted, suddenly yanking on my backpack. I stumbled toward him but caught myself quickly. Looked at him skeptically as he pulled out his wallet. Fuck. Had we really burned through all of Mitsuki’s money already? Well, we’d had eight rounds total so far. Sixteen thousand yen. (Quick note: That’s about 98 euros/ 110$)

“Kacchan, maybe we shou—”

“Shut it! This one’s gonna be it!” he growled at me, brimming with frustration. I just gave him a crooked smile - until the booth operator said, “I think I’ll have to ask you to stop now. There are other customers who want a turn.”

I saw the sweat on his old forehead. He actually looked worried. Well, we had nearly beaten the damn thing. But was it really worth the money? I mean, I was having a ton of fun. Kacchan, on the other hand, was deep in the zone - probably more pissed than anything. But somehow, that only fired me up more. I could feel the heat coming off him beside me. And yeah, no need to mention that his pride wasn’t exactly helping. Losing? Not an option. Never had been.

“What’s wrong, old man? Getting scared?” I heard Kacchan ask smugly. I sighed. Did he really have to provoke other people too - besides me?

“N-No, of course not! I’d be happy if someone actually managed to win. But still, everyone deserves a fa—”

“Cut the crap!”

“But—” the operator started to argue again, but this time the crowd behind us jumped in with their support.

I felt my face flush. God, this was kind of embarrassing. Why couldn’t we not draw attention for once? Mr. Aizawa would probably already be tearing his hair out. Or having a drink because of us.

“All right then! That’ll be 4,000 yen,” the man grumbled, took the cash, and muttered, “Who gives two little punks this much money anyway…”

I gave a crooked smile and sighed again. I felt Kacchan’s gaze on me and gave him a nod.

“You owe me after this, Nerd,” he grinned, stepping up.

“Tch. Don’t cry when I beat you,” I shot back, already getting into position too.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw that wild grin on Kacchan’s face. A sight I loved. It felt almost like we were fighting each other. Damn it - I really didn’t want to lose to him!

 

 

The crowd behind us had gone completely silent. The air around us practically burned. I could feel every tense muscle in my body as I hit one target after the other. I blocked out everything else. Who would've thought a simple carnival game would demand this much focus from me? So much that I was actually using my hero training for it? It felt surreal. Absurd and ridiculous. And at the same time, I was more excited than I’d been during the Provisional License Exam.

Forty-two. Forty-three. Forty-four. Careful - double shot! Forty-five and forty-six. I felt the excitement building inside me. I was gonna make it. This time I’d make it! I was going to beat Kacchan! I was so close. I heard the final ten seconds counting down. Forty-seven. Forty-eight. Just two shots left. I lined up the 49th and fired. Moved the gun and was just about to pull the trigger - when the crowd behind me suddenly started cheering.

I fired. I hit the mark. But I saw Kacchan had already lowered his weapon. Damn it!

“YES!” he shouted, looking down at me triumphantly. But it felt different from usual. Sure, he was celebrating his win - but this time, he was celebrating with me. He didn’t start mocking me or putting me down. No, he smiled at me with the kind of victorious grin I hadn’t seen in ages. The kind from when we were little, and we “saved the world” together. When we “beat the bad guys” and got ice cream from Uncle Masaru as a reward. That exact grin. And it hit me like a ton of bricks. Had I really not seen that expression in twelve whole years?

“All right, old man! Hand over the damn comic already!” Kacchan yelled smugly as he turned away from me. Which was probably for the best. Otherwise I might’ve started crying. Or jumped him. Or both.

Fuck. I was hopelessly in love with him. This cocky, infuriating, gorgeous guy who was strutting around like he’d just defeated an actual villain. And in a way, he had - considering all the dirty tricks programmed into this game.

“You cheated! You must’ve used your Quirks! No adult has ever beaten this in years!” the booth owner suddenly started shouting. Oh! I hadn’t expected that. Was he really refusing to hand over the prize?

“Tch. How would this,” Kacchan said, lifting his palm in front of him and letting small, soft explosions flicker across it, “help me shoot, huh? Now give me the damn prize already, or I’ll report your shady little shack myself!”

I sighed and ran a hand over my face. Couldn’t he have phrased that a little more politely? You know - given the crowd?

The owner grumbled and opened his mouth to say something else, but a group of guys behind us started booing. The mood around the booth turned sour fast. I felt a brief flash of confusion - followed by worry. We couldn’t let this turn into a scene. With so many people around, things could get out of hand quickly.

God. What should I do? Try to calm the crowd? Step in between Kacchan and the guy? Wha—

“Fine! Take it and get lost already!” The old man’s voice cut through my panic. He shoved the comic at Kacchan’s face and then turned off the booth’s lights. Guess that really was the end after losing the grand prize.

“Hey! We’re still owed nine consolation prizes for all the failed rounds!”

“Kacchan!” I gasped in disbelief, but he just slapped a hand over my mouth and looked at the man expectantly.

The guy huffed, grabbed a bag, stuffed all sorts of things into it, and slammed it onto the counter - then walked out the back of the booth.

Kacchan grinned, grabbed the bag and the comic, and turned to me. “Here. For you, Nerd.”

I smiled at him, overwhelmed by his cheeky grin - but even more by the joy bursting in my chest as I reverently took the comic into my hands.

“Thanks, Kacchan!”

He just rolled his eyes and pulled me away from the booth by the elbow - just as the canopy slammed down and sealed the stand completely. Guess that really was it.

“Let’s keep moving,” he murmured, then suddenly spun around and yelled, “Move it, you extras! Nothing to see here!”

The crowd parted, even as we were still getting curious looks. It was a bit awkward - but Kacchan just led us right through. I watched the scene slowly dissolve behind us until we found a quieter spot to stop.

I ran my thumb along the edge of the comic, then looked up at Kacchan standing in front of me.

“Thank you, Kacchan,” I repeated, wanting to kiss him so badly. Maybe just on the cheek? But instead, he ruffled my hair.

“Anytime, Izuku,” he said gently, lowering his hand - his fingers brushing down my upper arm as he did.

I felt the burning in my eyes, and the pounding of my heart. God, how could he suddenly be this sweet? And why weren’t we alone right now?

“Kacchan, I…” I began, wanting to say something - to show what I was feeling - when suddenly, behind us, a voice called out: “Bakugou? Is that you?”

 

 

 

Notes:

That’s it for now!

I hope you were able to picture the shooting booth scene clearly—it honestly wasn’t the easiest to write 😅
And yeah… I hope Kacchan isn’t getting too soft for your taste.
But I’m honestly beyond happy that some of you have noticed and appreciated these little shifts in their characters and their dynamic. 💚
Thank you for that! And thank you for still being here after 53 chapters. That’s the biggest compliment you could ever give me. 🧡

Oh - and sorry for the cliffhanger at the end 😅 Any guesses who it might be?
You’ll find out soon enough… on Thursday!
Sending hugs your way until then! 🤗

Chapter 54: Date Part III: Roller Coaster

Notes:

Hey everyone!

I'm a little late - sorry! But with that fever, it was really hard to sit in front of the screen 🥵
Thank you so much for all your comments after the last chapter! They were truly entertaining.
I guess I should include more cliffhangers... hehe!
And some of you even guessed right! But see for yourself =D 🧡💚

Chapter 54 – Date Part III: Roller Coaster

 

 

“Bakugou, is that you?” I heard a voice behind us. My shoulders instantly tensed up as I looked at Kacchan with a nervous, uneasy glance. Fuck. Who could that be? And why did the voice sound so strangely familiar and yet completely unfamiliar at the same time?

Kacchan in front of me growled and turned around. I noticed how his shoulders tensed briefly too before he responded to the question, “Yeah. Got a problem with that?”

“Dude, no way! Long time no see! How’s it going? I saw you on TV during the Sports Festival! You were totally badass, man!” the boy in front of him blurted out excitedly. I dared to peek past Kacchan - only to immediately feel small and insignificant. Standing in front of us were our old classmates from middle school. One of them – Takedo - I had known since kindergarten. A follower who always hid behind Kacchan and cheered him on for every nasty thing he did.

Unfortunately, my glance didn’t go unnoticed. That somewhat chubby guy tilted his head and spotted me. “Whoa, Bakugou, seriously? You here with Deku?”

The other guy next to him laughed. I stepped forward a little, still staying slightly behind Kacchan. Damn it! I just couldn’t bring myself to face them directly - even though I’d grown so much stronger. Even though I wasn’t quirkless anymore. What the hell was holding me back?

“Hello Takedo. Mizuhara,” I greeted them, a bit shyly. I gave a strained smile as I recognized the second one too. He’d only transferred to our school in middle school. He’d latched onto Kacchan’s strength and used to scam kids at the arcade. Kacchan hadn’t approved of it, but he also hadn’t stopped him. The only person Kacchan had really bullied was me. He’d insulted and given nicknames to the others, sure, but that was about it. Man, why did we have to run into these two of all people? Things had just been going so well.

“If you two asshats have a problem, then piss off!” Kacchan growled, and I had the feeling he was stepping in front of me - like he was protecting me.

“Hey hey, chill out! I was just surprised. I mean, you two haven’t hung out since grade school,” Takedo said, raising his hands defensively. Still, he watched us both with suspicion, practically analyzing us.

“Well, we did see it during the Sports Festival, didn’t we, Takedo? This useless shit got a Quirk now. Guess that means he’s finally good enough to trail after you again, huh, Bakugou?” the tall brown-haired guy with razor-sharp teeth added. I remembered his Quirk had something to do with his teeth. But I wasn’t quite sure anymore. Back then, all my attention had been on Kacchan.

I tried to concentrate on my memory and let the words bounce off me. It worked - at least for me. But not for Kacchan. I could feel the tension vibrating off his body next to me. I wanted to place a hand on his shoulder - but I didn’t. Out of fear.

“Fuck off! I don’t want anything to do with you idiots!” I heard Kacchan say, his voice sharp and angry now.

“But we were such good friends,” Mizuhara replied, overly dramatic and clearly trying to provoke him. And of course, I knew Kacchan couldn’t just walk away.

“Screw you! You two only ever followed me around because your dicks are so small you couldn’t do shit on your own!”

Internally, I facepalmed. Couldn’t he just leave it at that and go? We’d already drawn so much attention earlier.

“Wow. Still as charming as ever. Guess hero training hasn’t fixed that yet, huh?” Mizuhara snorted.

I saw Kacchan’s fingernails digging into his palms - his fists trembling with rage. I swallowed and gathered every ounce of courage I had. We didn’t want this to escalate. And we still wanted to enjoy the rest of the festival.

“I think we should go now. It was nice running into you,” I said with a forced smile as I stepped next to Kacchan and gently grabbed his wrist to pull him away. “Come on, Kacchan.”

I’d spoken softly, and the moment we made contact, I could see him exhale a little. He looked at me - and it seemed to help.

“Whoa, Midoriya! Look at you! You’ve seriously put on some muscle!” came Takedo’s amazed voice. I remembered that he could extend his fingers. And that he was one of the biggest cowards alive. Not the brightest, either. He’d always had that kind of dumb energy to him.

“Uh, thanks. Well… we do have to train a lot,” I replied politely, trying to lift the mood a little.

“I really didn’t think you’d actually make it into U.A.! Where’d you get your Quirk from?” I could feel that Kacchan was about to say something, but I gently tightened my grip on his forearm - and he held back. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him shove his hands into his pockets and slip into that bored, half-aggressive stance he always used when he was trying not to do something reckless. Was he actually trying to hold himself back?

I tried not to get too lost in my own thoughts and answered, “The doctors said I was a late bloomer. Apparently, there are rare cases where a Quirk doesn’t show up until puberty. That’s what happened with me.”

“Oh, and then your oh-so-amazing Kacchan finally decided to acknowledge you again?” Mizuhara chimed in, needling. I knew he was sneaky. He was just a jerk. I never understood why Kacchan had tolerated his presence at all. But then again, I don’t think he ever really saw them as friends. They were more like background extras - unimportant grains of sand at the edge of his path. None of them had ever been a pebble the way I was. At least… I hoped I was. I believed I was. I told myself I was.

“We’re in the same class, and we have the same goal,” was all I managed to say - cryptic, vague words. I had no clue how else to respond. I bit my tongue a little. God, how I hated hearing someone else say Kacchan’s nickname.

And just as Mizuhara opened his mouth again, Kacchan growled dangerously, “Say one more wrong word, and I’ll be happy to help you get fitted for new teeth.”

Mizuhara raised his hands in mock surrender and said, “Whoa, take it easy! I’m not gonna hurt your little friend. Besides, he’s strong enough to fight back now, right? Or is he still letting you beat the crap out of him?”

Oh fuck!

That was a provocation. At Kacchan. At me. I could practically feel One for All start to stir inside me. And for the first time in my life, I wanted to punch someone in the face. Badly. Shit! It was like he’d pulled every horrible memory from middle school back up and turned it into pure rage. But I couldn’t give in. I had to stay calm. I had to stay calm. I had to—

Shit!

I didn’t even have time to think. My body moved on its own. Not to punch our old classmate - but to stop Kacchan from doing something really stupid. I had to activate One for All at one percent just to hold him back. Why the hell did he have to be so damn strong?

“Kacchan!” I scolded him, right as Takedo added from beside me, “Mizuhara, that’s enough. Seriously. You don’t have to be such a jerk to them.”

“Tch. I’m just sick of all these wannabe hero types acting like they’re better than everyone,” Mizuhara muttered. He still sounded pissed, but there was something off in his voice - less sharp, like he wasn’t quite as bold anymore. Maybe Kacchan’s outburst had shaken him after all.

Then he turned and walked away. I let out a breath of relief and released Kacchan, who breathed out sharply, eyes fixed on me with something unreadable.

Next to me, Takedo seemed unsure of what to do, then said, “Uh, sorry about all that. He’s been having a rough time at our school lately. It was nice seeing you guys though. Take care.” With that, he turned and left too - just as quickly as he’d shown up.

I took a breath, trying to steady myself - just as Kacchan leaned forward and rested his forehead on my shoulder. “…Thanks,” he murmured. His voice was soft, almost worn-out. I could feel the tension slowly draining from my own body too. And if we hadn’t been at a crowded festival, I would’ve wrapped my arms around him right then and there. Instead, I ran my hand gently along his forearm - subtle, but I could practically feel the goosebumps forming beneath my touch.

“Kacchan…” I started, though I had no idea what I even wanted to say. But he just lifted his head, gave me a faint smile, and bumped his forehead lightly against mine before standing up straight again.

“How the hell did I ever put up with those two losers?” he muttered, and suddenly, he lifted his hand and gently cupped my cheek.

I swallowed hard and looked at him in surprise. His voice was soft again, almost a whisper. “How did I put up with them… and not with you? I don’t get it, Izuku.”

“Kac—” I began, but he just brushed his thumb over my lips and took a step back - grabbing my hand in the process.

“Come on. Let’s go watch the fireworks,” he said simply, still holding my hand as he led me through the crowd that had begun moving toward the river.

 

 

We both drifted off into our thoughts. I wasn’t the only one struggling to shake off that unexpected encounter - Kacchan seemed affected too. But I didn’t bring it up. I figured I’d give him a little more time to process. After all, it had become more and more clear over the past few weeks that he tended to work through things on his own. You only had to talk with him once he’d already made sense of it himself. Because as complicated as my head was - his wasn’t any simpler.

It made me a little sad. Our date had been going so well. We’d had good food. We’d had fun. He’d even given me a few soft touches here and there. Damn those two for interrupting us. Why couldn’t this just be smooth and sweet, like in every cliché romance anime? Like in every movie? Though in the movies, this would’ve been the moment you bump into your ex. For us, it was just two guys from middle school. The worst kind of guys.

I sighed and slowed down a little without meaning to.

“Oi, Nerd!” Kacchan snapped me out of it. I looked up and saw a not-so-happy face. He still looked a little pissed off. And thoughtful.

“Sorry! Can we sit down somewhere for a minute?” I asked, out of nowhere. Even I was surprised by my own question. But somehow, I wanted to get all of this out of the way. Damn it, I just wanted that feeling from earlier back - that light, warm feeling. That pure rush of being in love. Yeah, it sounded cheesy. It was cheesy. But I honestly didn’t care.

He nodded and pulled us behind the stalls toward a bench. Since the fireworks were about to begin, there was practically no one back there. All eyes were on the river now. Perfect.

Kacchan still hadn’t let go of my hand. I traced my thumb over his knuckles, then fully laced our fingers together. I looked from our hands up into his eyes. Those beautiful ruby-red eyes. Only now, they didn’t burn like usual. No. Right now, they looked heavy. And sad.

I couldn’t help myself. I leaned forward, placed my other hand gently on the back of his neck, and softly pressed my lips to his.

It felt so good. So right. That warm flutter lit up in my stomach again, and a rush of relief spread from my shoulders down through every limb. The kiss wasn’t demanding. It was just our lips resting gently against each other. A light, tentative touch. And yet it still took my breath away.

I heard Kacchan sigh into the kiss before his strong hand cradled the side of my head. His fingers brushed past my ear and tucked one of my curls behind it. Then he pulled me in with a bit more pressure - but instead of deepening the kiss, he rested our foreheads together and let our lips part.

“This emotional crap is too much,” he mumbled, before kissing me again. He didn’t look around to see if anyone was watching. I didn’t either. I didn’t care. The only thing that mattered right now was Kacchan. Kacchan’s lips on mine. Kacchan’s scent in my nose. Kacchan’s warm hand on my head. Kacchan’s fingers gently brushing against mine.

I had everything I needed. I felt that blissful warmth fill my body, washing away the heaviness of the moment before.

But Kacchan didn’t seem entirely done with it. He pulled back slightly and sat up straight on the bench, turning away from me - but not letting go of my hand.

“Sorry about earlier. That damn rat… it just…” he began, but trailed off. I could imagine what he was trying to say. The memories of middle school had resurfaced for me too. But I smiled and looked up at the sky, even laughed a little under my breath. He turned to me, puzzled, and I tilted my head just enough to shoot him a cheeky sideways glance.

“Whatever happened back then… remember what we agreed on in the beginning? Do you remember what we said?”

Kacchan gave me a small grin, shook his head, and whispered, “We’re past that point.”

It made me so happy that he still remembered our early conversations as clearly as I did. Yeah, we were past that point. We’d both decided to leave those middle school years behind. Kacchan had apologized. He’d explained himself. He’d told me that I brought him peace. Damn it, he’d told me he liked me.

“Then let’s just forget those two, okay? You usually don’t give a damn what other people think anyway.”

“I don’t care what people think about me. But I don’t want them talking shit about you,” Kacchan said plainly.

And just like that - I forgot how to breathe. How could he say something like that so casually?

I stared at him, stunned and moved all at once. But he wasn’t looking at me. His cheeks and ears had gone red, and it was obvious that he realized just how “embarrassing” that must’ve sounded.

Fuck. I wanted to kiss him. I wanted to hug him. I didn’t want to let go.

A loud bang kept me from just throwing myself at him without a second thought. I flinched and looked up. Pink and golden trails exploded in a wide circle across the sky. The fireworks had started. Hm. Technically, we were supposed to be standing by the river right now.

I glanced at Kacchan, who was also watching the colorful display - until our eyes met. And he smiled. Honestly. Genuinely. Softly. His gaze briefly swept over our surroundings before, all of a sudden, he tugged on my hand. I stumbled forward and felt him catch me by the side, pulling me right into his lap. I didn’t resist. I just looked at him - slightly flustered - then glanced around. But there really was no one back here on the sidewalk. Everyone’s eyes were clearly fixed on the sky over the festival street.

Ours weren’t.

No, I found myself completely immersed in those glowing, ember-red eyes. I soaked in the warmth of his hands resting on my hips. My own fingers slid up into his messy, ash-blond hair without thinking.

I swallowed, because words were trying to push their way out of my mouth - words I had never said to anyone before. Words I wasn’t sure Kacchan was ready to hear. So instead, I took a deep breath and whispered, just before our lips touched, “I really like you, Katsuki Bakugou.”

I didn’t wait for a reaction. I kissed him. Pressed our lips together as my stupid heart did somersaults. My tear ducts decided to join in and filled my eyes with tears of joy. Damn it! I loved him. And I wanted so badly to say it out loud.

Kacchan’s hands slid up my back and pulled me in. He held me tightly. We clung to each other like two people drowning, kissing like we couldn’t get close enough. It felt so incredibly good.

And yeah - it was one of those overly romantic, totally unrealistic scenes from a movie. A kiss during fireworks. A kiss that lit up something inside. That kicked every happy hormone into overdrive and made them explode, only to multiply.

Yeah, it was that kind of sappy moment. And every fiber of my body loved it. Because I got to share it with Kacchan.

He was the one who pulled back first, shook his head slightly, and brushed his thumb across my cheek. I hadn’t even noticed a tear escaping the corner of my eye. What surprised me more, though, was the subtle shimmer in his eyes.

“Fuck, Nerd. You have no idea how much I hate you for this. You miserable, emotional litt—” he started, but I kissed him again. Just briefly. I looked into his eyes and let my hands slide from his hair down to his cheeks.

“I hate you too,” I grinned cheekily. And there it was - that mischievous grin of his. The one I’d come to know. The one I’d come to love.

“You really are one of a kind, Izuku Midoriya,” he said softly, before placing his lips gently against mine once more.

God, please. If there’s anyone out there - please don’t let this moment end. Let it stay, just like this. Forever.

 

 

I had no idea how long that moment had really lasted. But as the fireworks started coming faster, and we realized it was building toward the grand finale, we finally pulled apart. We both sat there quietly, breathing steadily, just looking at each other while I slid off his lap. It had been different than the first time. It wasn’t some wild make-out session on a bed. It wasn’t something that made me want more. No. The kisses had stayed gentle. Light. Barely more than a whisper. And they’d held so much feeling that I genuinely believed I’d told him everything through them.

My whole body was still buzzing from the rush of happy hormones. I kept rubbing my thumb over my fingertips, trying to shake the tingling somehow. I gave myself a little shake all over - only to hear a low, raspy laugh.

“Oi, Nerd! Did I blow your mind?”

“Not just my mind,” I shot back cheekily, grinning before falling into a comfortable silence beside him. We watched the final fireworks explode in the sky. I stared in awe at that last massive burst of color, and I remembered the boy sitting next to me. Everything about today would always remind me of him. I was sure of it. At least that’s what my love-struck, teenage heart whispered to me.

“I want to watch the fireworks with you again next year,” I blurted out, right as the sky went dark again. I saw the slightly startled look he gave me - but it quickly twisted into that damn smug smirk of his.

“If I manage to put up with your nerdy ass until then, sure.”

“HEY!” I laughed and gave him a light punch to the arm. He laughed too, then ruffled my hair before his hand slid down my back and came to rest on the base of my spine. I felt his pinky trace just along the curve of my butt, annoyingly playful.

“But yeah, I think we’ll manage,” he added, then stood up and stretched. His neck cracked in every direction.

“So! What’s next on your sappy romance-crap checklist for making this a proper date?”

I stared at him, jaw dropping, and shot to my feet. Hands planted on my hips, I huffed, “I don’t have a list like that!”

“But you still wanna do something else, right? Or are we heading home now?”

I thought for a second, and then one last thing came to mind. Smiling shyly, I said, “I want to eat a crêpe with you.”

“You do remember I don’t like sweet stuff, right?”

“I know, but one bite won’t kill you,” I winked, watching as he sighed in defeat and started scanning the stalls with me in search of a sweet, delicious treat.

 

 

“Oh God! This is insanely good,” I mumbled with my mouth full. Kacchan had bought me a crêpe. Or more like a massive crêpe-waffle filled with whipped cream, strawberries, and chocolate sauce. I was in heaven. Took another huge bite and fished out a strawberry, stuffing it into my already full mouth. I was grinning from ear to ear. Oh yes! This was the perfect way to end the night.

“Eat like a normal person! You’re not four years old,” Kacchan grumbled beside me. But when I looked at him, there was the smallest, cheekiest smile tugging at the corners of his lips. I wanted to freeze it right there. He looked so ridiculously handsome when he smiled like that. Not that he wasn’t handsome already - damn it! Anyone with eyes could see how unfairly good-looking this blond, perpetually grumpy guy was. Although, grumpy didn’t quite fit him today.

But before I could fall any deeper into my lovesick daze, my brain rewound a few steps. I wanted to capture that smile. Desperately. And the best way to do that - was with a photo. But… could I ask him for one? Could we really take a picture together, right here in the middle of the festival? Standing close? Would that be okay?

I took another bite and glanced sideways at him. Mitsuki had snapped a photo of us kissing just last Sunday. I should definitely ask her to send it to me. But it would be really nice to have a regular photo too - as a memory. It was our first date after all. And you’re supposed to commemorate firsts - well, the ones that aren’t, you know, too intimate. So should I ask him? Or could I sneak one in without him noticing?

“What’s on your mind?” Kacchan suddenly asked. He must’ve noticed my glances. Not like I could answer with my mouth still full. At least, I hoped I couldn’t.

“Uh, why do you ask?” I tried to play dumb. No idea why I couldn’t just ask. Was I embarrassed? Did I think he’d feel awkward about it?

But Kacchan’s raised eyebrow and skeptical expression told me I wouldn’t get away with dodging it.

I took a deep breath, swallowed my bite, and then mumbled awkwardly, “I was just wondering… like… it’d be really nice to have a memory of today. Like, a photo or something. But I know you don’t really like taking pictures - because your mom used to take so many, and yeah, I mean, we don’t have to. It’d just be nice, you know, like a picture of the two of us and… especially since you’re smi—you just look really happy right now and…”

Kacchan sighed and gave me a light smack on the back of the head, effectively shutting down my panicked ramble.

“Can’t you just say what you want for once?”

I scratched my temple, giving him an apologetic look. Took another deep breath and asked more clearly, “Can we take a photo together?”

Kacchan gave me a mischievous grin, and for a second I thought he’d say no. But then he stopped walking, pulled me slightly off the path to the side, and simply said, “Sure.”

The excitement must’ve been written all over my face, because he chuckled softly and leaned down to whisper in my ear, “Cute nerd.”

My whole face lit up like a firework. Cute nerd? What?! What happened to dumbass? Or idiot? Or shitty nerd?

I stumbled a step away from him, let out an involuntary squeak, and had to fight the urge to cover my face with both hands. Holy shit - I had no idea how to react to that.

A single shutter sound snapped me out of my spiral. I stared at Kacchan, stunned, as he held his phone up right in front of my face, grinning wickedly. He turned the display toward me and showed me a photo of my flustered, blushing face.

“And? Can you spot the strawberry in the picture?” he asked, amused. I puffed out my cheeks and glared at him with mock offense before grumbling, “Yeah, in the crêpe!”

He had one hundred percent said the word cute on purpose. Just to mess with me. And honestly, I could only pretend to pout. Because in my mind, a whole crowd of tiny Izukus was throwing confetti hearts in every direction. Oh no. If he said something like that again out of nowhere, my brain would probably either shut down entirely - or spiral into total insanity. One of those two was definitely going to happen.

“You want one or not?” he asked, still holding his phone and watching me expectantly.

Oh - right!

“Yeah, of course! Uh, are we taking a selfie? Or should we ask someone?”

“There’s no way in hell I’m asking anyone here! Just get over here!”

Before I could react, Kacchan was at my side. He slung his arm around my shoulders, grabbed my upper arm, and pulled me against his chest. Holding the phone slightly above us, he switched to the front camera.

It was honestly weird seeing myself next to him on screen. I mean, I’d only ever really looked at him. I’d never actually imagined how we might look together. But what surprised me most was that we looked… good. Like, really good. And it made me happy. Normally, I hated how I looked in photos. But with Kacchan beside me, I didn’t mind at all.

I smiled brightly at the camera, trying my best not to blink. Kacchan, on the other hand, wore only the faintest of sly smiles. And hell - it made my entire body tighten. Damn it. Absolutely bite-worthy, I thought, just as he hit the shutter.

He lowered the phone, and we both looked at the picture. It was perfect. Almost. One thing bugged me.

“Too bad there’s a half-eaten crêpe in it.”

“Then finish it and we’ll take another.”

I looked at him, then at the half-devoured crêpe in my hand. Thought for a second, then said, “You wanted a bite too.”

“I’m supposed to. That’s different, Izuku!” he shot back. I pouted automatically, and he sighed in resignation. He met my eyes briefly - then suddenly reached for my hand. Everything that followed felt like it happened in slow motion. I realized he was leaning in while also guiding my hand, crêpe and all, toward his face. I held my breath, watching as he took a bite out of the treat I was holding. And as if that wasn’t already enough to wreck me, he half-opened his eyes and looked at me with that exact same seductive expression from the shower. From a week ago. When he’d dropped to his knees in front of me…

Fuck. Fuck. FUCK. Did he even realize what he was doing to me?

My entire body shuddered. I could feel the twitch deep in my gut. The heat pulsing through my limbs. The sheer desire flooding every one of my senses.

What the actual fuck! How did we go from “Let’s take a picture” to “Take a bite of my crêpe” to “Let’s do it right here, right now”? God! I was seriously going to die on the spot. I didn’t know what to feel or think anymore. I just stood there, frozen, as Kacchan chewed the bite. I watched his Adam’s apple bob as he swallowed, then saw him lick his lips.

I swallowed hard. My mouth hung open. My lips felt dry. Not a single sound escaped my throat.

“Guess I really broke my Nerd this time,” said that stupidly hot, stupidly smug blond, flashing me a grin. And as if that wasn’t already enough, he winked at me and added, “Finish the crêpe and wait for me.”

With that, he turned around and disappeared into the crowd.

And me? I just stood there, rooted to the spot, my heart pounding in my ears, trying desperately to calm itself down.

Only a few breathless words made it out of my mouth: “Fuck. I love that bastard.”

 

 

Notes:

So, that’s it for now!
What did you think? And yep, a lot of you were right about the old middle school classmates.
By the way - couldn’t find any official names for them anywhere, so I just made them up. If they do have names, feel free to let me know!

And everything after that... too cheesy? Too fluffy? Or just right?
Can’t wait to hear what you think!
See you on Monday for the final part of the date!
Until then: sending hugs your way 💚🧡

Chapter 55: Date Part IV: A Grand Finale?

Notes:

Hello everyone! And especially hello to all the impatient ones out there xD

Weekdays are pretty rough when it comes to uploading a chapter on time - especially when the final polish isn’t quite done yet ^^' I’ll try to be better prepared next time ;)

Thank you so much for all the lovely comments and kudos! I can hardly believe it’s still growing from chapter to chapter. Truly amazing!!!
And now, enjoy the final part of our date (about time, right?) 💚🧡

 

Chapter 55 – Date Part IV: A Grand Finale?

 

It must have been ten whole minutes. Ten minutes in which I slowly nibbled on my crêpe, still completely lost in the scene from before. Fuck! Why did it throw me off like that? It wasn’t like we hadn’t gotten close before. Hell, we’d had sex - and everything else that came with it. So why the hell was my body reacting this strongly?

“Nerd, you back with me?” a rough voice cut through my daze. Only then did I realize I’d been staring blankly into the distance. My vision refocused - and there they were: those spiky blond hairs and crimson eyes watching me with quiet amusement.

“K-Kacchan!” I stammered, my mouth already halfway open to say more - until I noticed something in the corner of my eye. I looked down and saw a fresh crêpe in his hand. It took me a moment to process what I was seeing. God, why was I so slow right now? Maybe my brain was clogged with all the pink fluff this date had planted in it - completely jammed up with sugary, starry-eyed nonsense.

I opened my mouth to say something, but Kacchan beat me to it. “Now you can get your perfect photo. That’s what you wanted, right?”

He looked a little embarrassed. Again. Not the first time this evening - and not the first time I found it unbelievably cute. All these little things he did… they made me so stupidly happy. I never in my life would’ve imagined that Katsuki Bakugou - the Katsuki Bakugou - would turn out to be such a sweet boyfriend. And the best part was, he wasn’t even really trying to cover it up anymore. He just seemed unsure. And honestly? That was the most precious thing he could’ve given me tonight.

I laughed, took the crêpe with a grateful smile, and stepped away briefly to toss the old one - with just a bite or two left - into a nearby trash bin. I shoved my guilt over wasting food aside.

“All right, take two, yeah?” I grinned as I returned. I didn’t need another prompt. I leaned my shoulder against his chest again, and watched as he unlocked his phone and opened the camera app. His arm came around me again, hand resting on my upper arm - steady, warm, and just a little possessive. He pulled me in a bit closer and angled the phone overhead.

And this time? The photo came out perfect. Absolutely perfect.

I beamed as he showed it to me.

“Can you send it to me?” I asked sweetly. He nodded. “Now eat your crêpe.”

Oh. Right. The thing in my hand was still actual food.

“Ugh, Kacchan, if I eat another bite I’ll burst,” I groaned - then took another bite anyway. A blissful sigh escaped me as the sweetness hit my tongue: Crispy crêpe, creamy whipped cream, silky chocolate sauce, and the fresh tang of strawberries. It was divine. But there was no way I could finish the whole thing. Seriously, what hadn’t I eaten at this festival so far? Probably more than I normally had in a week.

“Whatever you can’t finish, just toss it,” he said casually, watching me.

I grimaced a little. “But it was expensive... feels like such a waste.”

“If you throw it up later because you forced it down, that’d be the same as not eating it at all.”

‘Huh. Good point,’ I thought.

I paused, then tried my best puppy-dog eyes. “You could have some too, you know.”

He just rolled his eyes and shook his head. Argh! How could someone be so opposed to sweets?

“Just eat and tell me where you wanna go now.”

“We can head home,” I replied without really thinking. It was almost ten, and my feet honestly hurt. Not that surprising, considering the day I’d had - my first real day of 'work', rushing to Mitsuki’s, then meeting up with Kacchan, and the whole festival on top of that. I didn’t even want to check how many steps my smartwatch had tracked. Twenty-five thousand at least. Probably more.

Kacchan looked like he was considering something. He glanced to the left and right, then asked, “Wanna go back through the residential streets or along the river?”

It caught me off guard - he was actually thinking about stuff like that. It just showed me again how much this evening mattered to him too. Didn’t take me long to decide though. The river path was way nicer. Hopefully quieter too.

“You decide,” I said softly, hoping he already knew which one I’d have picked.

 

There were actually more people by the river than I had expected. Lots of groups and couples had settled on the slope, chatting, eating, and drinking. Most of them seemed to be around our age or a few years older.

We walked side by side in silence - Kacchan with his hands shoved into his pockets, and me gripping one of the straps of my backpack slung across my chest. I had to. Subconsciously, my hand kept drifting toward his. I’d even brushed his forearm once. I could feel how badly my body craved contact. I sighed internally. It would’ve been so nice to hold his hand right now. The sound of the river, the soft moonlight, and the lanterns along the path - it was all so romantic. A few street vendors had even set up little stands nearby, trying to make some extra sales with the festival crowd.

My eyes landed on a young couple a little further up the hill, off to the side of a group they seemed to belong to. I caught a few glances being thrown their way. Had they just gotten together? Or were they about to? Their eyes met shyly, fingertips brushing in the space between them. Their faces slowly inched closer, and I quickly looked away, suddenly flustered. I could hear my heartbeat pounding in my ears. What the hell? Why had that scene just hit me like that?

“What’s wrong?” I heard Kacchan ask. I didn’t look at him and just mumbled quickly, “Nothing.” I noticed him slow his pace a bit. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him tilt his head to the side - and then that damn smug grin spread across his face.

“Ah, I see what this is. Can’t make out yourself, so you just watch others do it instead!”

I jumped away from him with a startled squeak. “No! It’s not like that!”

I had said it a little too loudly, apparently, because Kacchan added, “Well, now you just ruined the guy’s shot.”

Horrified, I turned around - only to see the girl’s flushed face and the guy looking extremely embarrassed and irritated. I also heard the groans and sighs of their group next to them. God! I wanted to sink into the ground. Had I just ruined someone’s magical moment?

Kacchan, of course, thought it was hilarious. He called out to the couple with a mocking tone: “Your own fault for letting something like that distract you!” Some of the others laughed. The boy, on the other hand, raised a fist and started to yell, “What kind of ass—?!”

He didn’t finish. And I could explain why. Because while he was yelling, I suddenly felt Kacchan’s hand grab my chin - and a second later, his lips were on mine.

Eyes wide open, I stared at him. He wasn’t even looking at me - his gaze was aimed right at the hill. I pressed my hands against his chest, flustered and shocked, and gently pushed him away. Then I smacked his upper arm.

Cheering and whistles erupted around us. I ducked my head, absolutely mortified, while Kacchan - utterly unfazed - called back to the boy: “See? That’s how you do it! Easy!”

I glared at him and stomped ahead, ignoring the surprised shouts behind us: “Wait, did he just kiss his buddy?” “Toji, grow some balls like him!” I mostly felt bad for the girl.

And yet - even though I had no idea what exactly I was feeling, a small smile tugged at the corners of my mouth. I couldn’t stop it. My stupid, lovesick heart was reacting to the kiss - even if it was one-sided.

 

Kacchan caught up to me quickly, his satisfied expression making it more than clear that he had thoroughly enjoyed the whole scenario - in his own twisted way. I sighed and muttered, “You do realize you probably ruined what could’ve been that girl’s magical first kiss moment?”

His raised eyebrow told me instantly he had no idea what I was talking about. Another sigh escaped me before I turned to him, lifting a finger like I was delivering a lecture. “Every girl dreams of their first kiss with their boyfriend being something really special - like fireworks and all that. Remember what I told you about Ashido and Hagakure? For them, it’s supposed to be something magical.”

Kacchan snorted. “Tch. If something like that already ruins it for them, then it’s a damn good thing they didn’t kiss. Besides, there was a whole crowd of gawkers right next to them.”

I pursed my lips, already feeling a hint of annoyance bubble up in my chest, but before I could say anything, Kacchan added, “At least I got the chance to kiss you. Don’t care who had to suffer for it.”

I stared at him in disbelief, and then - burst out laughing. Loudly. God! Seriously, this guy’s brain worked in ways no one would ever fully understand. And maybe, just maybe, he was a little nuts. But I figured I’d better keep that particular thought to myself.

 

Relief washed over me as we finally stepped into the Bakugou house. The rest of our walk back had been uneventful - we’d just walked side by side to the train station in comfortable silence. On the train, I’d only then realized how exhausted I actually was. It took real effort just to keep my eyes open.

So a long sigh slipped out as I kicked off my shoes. I dropped my bag and went straight to the living room, collapsing onto the couch. Funny how this place felt just as normal as being at home.

Kacchan trailed in behind me but didn’t sit down. Instead, he leaned over the back of the couch, resting his forearms along the edge and looking down at me.

“What’s up? Tired, Nerd?” he teased. I answered with a sleepy smile, because it was obvious he was just as wiped as I was.

And that’s when guilt started creeping in. When I’d told him about where we were spending the night, he’d looked at me skeptically and asked if I’d even have enough energy left for the night. Well, clearly not. Crap. What was I supposed to say now? Or would my exhaustion magically vanish once we got started?

“Kacchan…” I began, but he just ran a hand through my hair, then stretched in all directions and said, “Let’s shower and sleep.”

“Together?” I asked hesitantly. I really didn’t want to disappoint him.

But the raised eyebrow and snort he gave me were all the answer I needed.

“Together, yeah. But not together together,” he smirked, then disappeared briefly into the kitchen. He came back with two bottles of water and gave a quick tilt of his head, silently telling me to follow him upstairs.

It took me a moment to get up - groaning and creaking like some old man - but I followed him into his room.

My backpack was already at the foot of the bed. And of course, right there on his nightstand, was an extra-large bottle of lube. I squeaked and felt my face go up in flames. Damn you, Aunt Mitsuki!

“Ha! That old hag really is in a giving mood,” Kacchan chuckled, picking up the bottle to inspect it before shaking his head and setting it back down. It only added fuel to my guilt.

“I’m sorry, Kacchan,” I blurted out - not loudly, just soft and tired. I stared down at my feet. I’d really been looking forward to the after part of our date - no matter how silly that might sound. But now I just wanted to fall into bed and pass out. Who knew one ‘workday’ could be so exhausting?

“What are you apologizing for?”

“Well, you were ready to turn around earlier, and I was all cocky, saying it’d be fine later and all… but now I’m just dead. But if you want to, then—”

A flick to my forehead cut me off. I yelped and rubbed at the spot, puffing my cheeks out automatically. “That’s the second time today!”

“Yeah, and you earned both.”

I scowled and was just about to retaliate when Kacchan brushed his hand over my forehead, then my cheek. He pressed a quick kiss to the other cheek and whispered, “I really enjoyed tonight. It was perfect - and it still is, even without sex. So stop overthinking it.”

I gasped, eyes wide with surprise and emotion. A tight knot formed in my throat, the kind that came with the threat of tears. I swallowed hard and stammered, breathless, “God! I... I...”

But he just gave me a soft smile and cut me off. “I know. Now come on - let’s shower.”

I nodded wordlessly, blinking a little too much to hide the tears that wanted to spill, and followed him down the hallway. Like him, I took off my shirt on the way - well, the button-up. We both tossed our things into the laundry hamper waiting in the bathroom.

Kacchan turned to face me and let his eyes shamelessly roam over me in my tight white T-shirt.

“Fuck, the old hag really knows what she’s doing,” he growled, and I felt his hands settle on my hips, pulling me against him. Despite my exhaustion, there was a hunger in his eyes that caught me off guard. I was mesmerized and swept away all at once as he leaned in and pressed his lips firmly to mine. His hands slowly started to move, tracing the muscles along my back before slipping beneath the hem of my shirt, baring more and more of my skin. His touch was both hot and cold, sending a shiver down my spine. I inhaled shakily, eyes fluttering shut as his fingers worked slowly and deliberately, undressing me.

“As good as it looked, I definitely prefer you naked,” he murmured into my ear, pressing a kiss to the sensitive skin just behind it. It made me sigh, made my heart race, made me melt into him.

I slowly opened my eyes again, puckering my lips to place a kiss on his cheek. He instantly turned his head and caught my lips with his again - twice, soft and brief. Then he pulled back just far enough that I could look into the glowing red of his eyes. I swallowed hard. Fuck. Was this really happening?

My gaze dropped down his body as my arms moved on their own. I undid the button on his pants and slipped my palms underneath the fabric, pushing them down while pulling him closer against me.

God, what a feeling. His bare torso pressed up against mine - I’d never get tired of it. I sighed in contentment and rested my forehead on his shoulder, placing featherlight kisses along his neck. As I pushed his pants lower, I felt his jaw twitch against my skin. Oh, I’d bet my life he was grinning right now. Smug. Knowing. Completely satisfied.

 

There was no rush in our movements. No hurry. No frantic passion. The path we took, naked, under the hot stream of the shower was slow and quiet - like any sudden motion might shatter the moment. Like any loud sound might break the spell.

I didn’t know what kind of bubble we had shut ourselves into, but I didn’t care. I absorbed every feeling, drank in every second of it. And Kacchan seemed just as lost in it as I was.

We just stood there under the water, breathing so softly you could hardly hear it. It felt unbelievably good to be held by him like that. To feel his skin against mine. So different from how it felt when we were tangled up in bed, caught in the heat of the moment. My thoughts wandered back to the festival, to that bench where we had kissed with the same quiet affection. Only back then, there had been something else in the air. Right now, there was only peace. And I was beginning to understand what Kacchan had really meant when he used that word.

Slowly, I lifted my head and guided Kacchan’s up with it. First, our foreheads touched. Then the tips of our noses. And finally, our lips. I couldn’t hold back a small noise when he pulled our bodies closer together. His hands slipped from my back, reaching behind me for the shampoo.

“You’re already all wrinkly, Nerd,” he teased with a grin - and I squeaked when he dropped the cold shower gel not onto my back, but lower… way lower, right above my butt. The tender atmosphere broke like a bubble. Pulled us both back to earth - wherever it was we had drifted off to. It was a kind of moment we’d never shared before, and I couldn’t even find a proper word for it. But it didn’t matter. I focused on the wonderful massage instead.

“Mmh, you could do that more often,” I purred, eyes fluttering closed as his strong hands worked down from my back to my chest. He kept lathering me up, slowly working his way lower. I stopped him just before he reached my hips.

“My turn now,” I said, shooting him a loaded look - and he understood immediately. With a quiet huff, he raised his hands and turned his back to me.

Fuck. That view. Those shoulders. That back. That...

I bit down on my lip, stopping my own train of thought. Swallowed hard and gave my head a quick shake. Focus, Izuku.

Feeling a little more flustered than I’d expected, I poured some gel into my hands and started running them gently - but with purpose - across the muscles of his back. I could feel how the tension in certain areas began to melt under my touch. Heard him give a low hum of appreciation. Smiling, I let my hands travel from his shoulders down his arms. Then back up, tracing his spine downward, until I reached his hips. I slid up his sides and finally pressed my front to his back, spreading the lather across his chest from behind.

For someone who’d nearly fallen asleep standing, there was now definitely another part of me wide awake. It pressed up slightly between his cheeks, and the sensation was indescribable - strange, but so good. Exciting. I couldn’t help but wonder what it would feel like if...

Kacchan tensed at the unfamiliar contact - just for a second - but then relaxed again. I wasn’t trying to do anything. He probably knew that, too.

Still, he turned back to me, a mischievous, slightly suggestive look on his face.
"Hm, not that tired anymore, huh?" he murmured, placing his hands flat against my chest. I followed their path as they moved downward - until one of them boldly wrapped around me. Not tightly. Just a light touch. Barely there.

I cleared my throat nervously, watching as he calmly lathered me up, washing me like it was the most natural thing in the world. I gasped sharply when his hand wandered lower - gripping something he hadn’t quite dared to touch before.

"Kacchaan," slipped out of me, breathless. I leaned back against the cold tiles and trembled, my legs parting a little on their own.

"Yeah?" he asked casually, totally unfazed. But when I opened my mouth to respond, all I could do was moan - his grip around me had grown firmer, his hand starting to move. I bit my lip, trying to find some kind of hold on the slippery wall behind me.

"I thought… we were just gonna shower and sleep," I managed between shaky breaths, my face burning. The steamy air around us wasn’t helping.

"We are showering. And washing. Obviously," he replied, like we were discussing laundry. I couldn’t help but laugh, incredulous.

"You call this washing?"

"I gotta be thorough, right, I-zu-ku?" he purred into my ear, resting his head against mine. I gasped softly, feeling my legs tremble again. God, I seriously didn’t have the strength for this.

My hand found his shoulder for support. I half-smirked, eyes still barely open.

"Then I guess… I better return the favor, right, Kat-suki?"

I saw his throat bob with a swallow. For a second, he actually seemed caught off guard - until I heard his amused snort and a casual, "Do what you gotta do."

I shook my head inwardly and smiled. Let my hand glide down his chest, picking up some of the remaining foam. Without hesitation, I ran my middle and ring finger along his length, all the way to the tip. Saw his shoulders tense, then relax with my first real stroke, followed by a deep breath from him.

"Fuck," he groaned as I immediately increased the pressure and pace. I hadn’t even realized he’d paused on me for a moment - but now his hand was moving again. Faster than mine. Rougher than mine.

I moaned. Why did this feel so intense today? Was it the shower? The thick, humid air clinging to our skin? Or the emotions that had been washing over me all evening? I didn’t know. I just knew I was already close. Shit. That fast?

I struggled to keep my hand moving. My body leaned heavily against Kacchan’s, breath coming fast and shallow. My heart felt like it was going to explode.

His whispering in my ear didn’t help. I couldn’t make out the words, but the tone alone was enough. That low, rough voice. That seductive edge. Fuck - it was driving me insane.

My whole body felt like it was on fire. That familiar tingling gathered in my lower stomach. No, I couldn’t hold out.

My moan echoed in my own ears. If I’d had a single clear thought left, I might’ve been embarrassed. But right then, my mind was completely blank. I felt the twitch in my cock. The steady pressure of Kacchan’s hand. His thumb teasingly brushing over my tip one last time - before I gave in to my orgasm.

Black dots and little stars danced in front of my eyes. My legs gave out beneath me, trembling, and I quickly leaned back against the tiled wall, sliding down.

Kacchan seemed startled. I heard a hesitant, almost panicked, “Izuku?”

I gave him a weak grin and tried to catch my breath. Fuck. Why had I come so fast? And why the hell had it hit me that hard?

“Sorry,” I murmured, cracking my eyes open just a sliver to look up at him. He still stood there a bit helpless, before a slightly stunned smile tugged at his lips and he ran his fingers through my hair.

“Extra sensitive today, huh?” he asked, and I lowered my gaze in embarrassment. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught a glimpse of his still-hard length. Well… no wonder. I’d barely done anything.

“Kacchan?” I called for his attention. He turned his head slightly in response.
“Could you hand me the showerhead?”

Without hesitation, he adjusted the setting and handed it to me. And me? I grinned.

Flooded with endorphins and that warm, satisfied feeling, I didn’t even think about it. No, my body just reacted. I took the showerhead and let the fine, firm streams of water run down over his cock.

I heard him suck in a surprised breath. Heard a quiet “What…” leave his lips, but he trailed off the moment our eyes met.

I knew how I looked at him. Hungry. Covered in lust. Insane.

Despite my tiredness, I took his best piece in my hand before kneeling forward and putting my mouth over his tip without hesitation.

Oh yes, that was much better than working him with my hand. It was much more fun. Even if there was a slightly bitter taste in my mouth thanks to the shampoo. But I ignored it and sucked on it. I let my tongue circle. Nudged into the small indentation at the tip.

He moaned loudly. Felt the hand in my hair, clawing into it mercilessly. Searching for support. And at the same time tried to press me into his lap.

Noticed how Kacchan tried to control himself. But I had to admit that I was still pretty tired and my body was heavy from the orgasm. So I pressed my hand against his on the back of my head. Signaled to him that it was okay. Didn't look up. I simply couldn't because my wet curls were in the way and the water would drip into my eyes.

Kacchan began to move, always careful not to thrust too deeply into my mouth. And heaven! I loved it. No idea why. No idea if it was weird either. But this feeling turned me on just as much as when he was doing something else to me.

His movements became a little more irregular. Harder. More unrestrained. It wasn't a problem. Enjoyed the way he clawed my hair and held my head. Breathed through his nose and swallowed in between.

“Fucking hell! Fuck! It...God, Izuku,” he said haltingly as he finally groaned loudly and I felt the hot liquid in my mouth. Tried to swallow it, but couldn't. I could feel it leaking out of the corner of my mouth.

Kacchan pulled back, tugging at my hair so I ended up looking up. His rough hand brushed over my eyes, wiping the water away before pushing my bangs from my forehead.

His chest was rising and falling quickly. His face was bright red. From exertion?

“God, how…,” he began, then trailed off again. Apparently, I had actually left him speechless.

I chuckled quietly, then grabbed the showerhead to rinse my face. I rinsed out my mouth and wiped the corners of my lips. Huh? The skin there felt a little… less smooth than usual?

I quickly shook my head. No weird thoughts now!

“Can you stand?” I heard Kacchan ask. I looked up and raised my arms. He understood right away, grabbed me under the arms and helped me up - pulling me right into his arms.

We stood there for maybe two minutes, saying nothing, simply holding each other. Drenched in emotions from what had just happened - and from the whole day.

I sighed happily. Yeah, this was definitely a day I’d never forget.

 

 

Notes:

Soooo, that’s it!
Finally made it through - with a slightly more explicit ending... but not too much, right?
How did you like the date overall? Too much? Just right? A little too cheesy?

Feel free to let me know what you think, and I’ll see you again on Friday! This time more on time – I’ve got the day off ;)

Sending hugs your way! 💚🧡

Chapter 56: Surprising Sunday

Notes:

Hey everyone!
As promised, I’m right on time with this chapter today (big thanks to my son, who never sleeps past 6am 😅)
I’m so happy you enjoyed the date! 💕 And someone in the comments even guessed correctly what’s coming next
Enjoy! 🧡💚

Chapter 56 – Surprising Sunday

 

 

Even though the night had been short and I kind of wanted to curse my alarm, I couldn’t really do it. No. I felt way too happy to complain.

Instead, a satisfied smile played on my lips. It grew wider when I cracked one eye open and caught sight of Kacchan’s wild ash-blond hair. I sighed happily and reached for my phone to silence the alarm.

Automatically, I leaned against his warm body. That one touch was enough to send a pleasant shiver down my spine. Without a sound, I pressed my lips briefly to the back of his head before I finally pushed myself up. There was no use. I had to get up. My internship was waiting. And honestly? As much as I had looked forward to it, right now it just felt annoying. If it weren’t for that, I could’ve just snuggled up to Kacchan for a few more hours, basking in his body heat. But that wasn’t going to happen.

With a heavy sigh, I sat up and ran my hand through my hair. Rubbed the sleep from my eyes and needed a moment before my vision cleared. I placed my hands on my knees and was just about to get up when suddenly a hand grabbed my forearm and pulled me right back down.

Kacchan’s arm wrapped around my chest, pulling me closer to him. I grinned, turned my head to look at him. And those sleepy, yet fiery eyes left me speechless. I forgot how to breathe.

Fuck! Had he always looked at me like that in the mornings?

He didn’t say anything. Just stared at me, and I knew exactly what he wanted to say. ‘Were you really planning on getting up without saying good morning to me?’ Yep, that’s exactly what that look said. And at the same time, it felt like he was going to devour me.

I inhaled sharply. I hadn’t even noticed that I’d been holding my breath. And then again, when he suddenly propped himself up and half hovered over me. With a mischievous grin on his face. With a look so seductive I could only lie there, frozen. What was this now? I didn’t have time for this.

He bent down toward me. It felt like slow motion as he leaned past my face to my ear. I felt his hot breath there. Goosebumps and that all-too-familiar tingling were my body’s immediate reaction.

“Good morning, I-zu-ku!”

Holy shit! Just the sound of it made the blood rush in my ears. My mouth went dry all of a sudden. I cleared my throat and managed to stammer out a “G-Good m-mo-morning.”

Damn! I needed to get out of bed. Fast. Otherwise I’d need a damn good excuse for being late on my second day.

“Were you trying to sneak off without saying goodbye?”

That whisper in my ear made me close my eyes. He definitely had me at this point. God, why hadn’t I just jumped out of bed earlier when I still had the chance?

Still, I managed to gather the last of my self-control and said, “I didn’t want to wake you.”

“And leave me behind? Without a goodbye kiss?”

What the hell was up with him today? He had just woken up, hadn’t he? Why the hell was he acting like… like… well, like this?

I cleared my throat again and spoke softly. “I just wanted to brush my teeth and get dressed. I-I would’ve said goodbye.”

The way his fingers were tracing along my side made me shift restlessly on the sheets. I wanted to escape the touch. But at the same time, I didn’t want to escape the touch. But I had to. And yet I was this close to giving in…

A rough laugh and dry lips on my ear made me suck in another sharp breath.

Then suddenly the contact vanished, and Kacchan sat up next to me. He braced himself with one arm, the other resting on his bent knee. The blanket barely covered the essentials of his naked body.

Damn! That sight was just unreal! Really! With the soft golden light shining through the blinds, he looked like he was in the middle of a photoshoot, posing. Was it really possible to look that perfect right after waking up? Or was it just that I was completely obsessed with him and seeing him through rose-colored glasses?

“You’re drooling, Nerd,” he grinned at me, then turned away and ran a hand through his hair. Rubbed his eyes and then his entire face like a dry cat wash. He did that every morning. And I loved watching him do it every single morning.

“Shouldn’t you be getting up by now?” he asked, snapping me out of my daze. I looked at my phone and jumped up in shock.

“Ah Kacchan! This is all your fault!” I gasped and sprinted to the bathroom. Heard an amused, “I didn’t even do anything!” behind me.

Ugh! Yeah, right! He’d done that on purpose. And he totally enjoyed it! And now he was probably proud of himself too! But fine, I couldn’t exactly say I hadn’t enjoyed it either.
Definitely a wake-up moment I’d be thinking back to with a grin later. Oh yes!

Just one look from him had made me forget several times that I was supposed to be brushing my teeth.

How could a guy that sexy actually want to be with someone like me?

 

When I returned to the room, I saw Kacchan standing in front of his wardrobe in nothing but boxers. Arms crossed. Eyebrows raised. Just like last time. Was he looking for something to wear again?

I just shrugged, grabbed my school uniform from my backpack and had barely pulled on my pants when something suddenly hit me on the head.

Confused, I pulled a green T-shirt off my head and turned to Kacchan – only to get hit in the face with another piece of clothing right away.

“Hey…,” I began, ready to complain, but he cut me off with, “Congrats, Nerd! You’re now the official owner of the right half of my wardrobe!”

I must’ve had the dumbest look on my face, because Kacchan just snorted in amusement, mumbled a “Goofball,” and pointed at a note stuck to the inside of the wardrobe door. I had to take a step closer to read it:

Hey brat! Since you keep boycotting me, I put a few things in the wardrobe for Izuku! Don’t you dare take them out again or you can forget about ever getting the house for your fun again!!!! Lots of love to Izuku!

My jaw dropped as my eyes wandered down the wardrobe. Holy crap! That half was packed! That’s what she called a few things? Where the hell had she gotten all of it? And when had she even done this?

“What...?” I started, then trailed off, trying to collect my thoughts. Kacchan spoke up: “Tch, your fault! You let the old hag do it once. Now live with the consequences - she’s gonna drown you in clothes.”

“B-b-but…”

“Welcome to my life, Nerd,” he snorted and grabbed some workout clothes from the wardrobe. I got distracted for a second watching him pull up his pants in one smooth, elegant motion. Was he doing that on purpose, or was I really starting to lose my mind?

“Come on, get moving! Pack the pants and that shirt. It’ll look good on you. Oh, and my old man made you a bento for today. Saw it in the fridge yesterday,” he said offhandedly as he disappeared into the bathroom.

I couldn’t say anything. Didn’t even know what to say. I was completely overwhelmed by everything the Bakugous had done. Did it make me uncomfortable that they were taking such good care of me? Or was I... touched? Should I just accept it? Should I thank Masaru and Mitsuki? And if so, when?

Questions I couldn’t answer. Questions I’d think about on the way to my internship. While running. Since, you know, I was late.

 

 

“Wow, Midoriya! Your bento looks amazing! Did your mom make it for you?” Togata asked in awe as I opened my lunchbox. We had just finished the first round of our patrol and were taking a lunch break. We’d successfully stopped a minor shoplifting attempt. It had been pretty exciting. Sure, it wasn’t anything like fighting the League of Villains or going up against Kacchan on Ground Beta, but still - it was pretty cool. Even the follow-up with the police. Oh God! I had actually done real hero work. With all the bells and whistles.

The thought made me so overwhelmingly happy I could’ve started crying again right then and there. And even more so when I looked at the contents of my bento - though I also felt a bit embarrassed.

Why? Well, the answer was pretty simple. Next to the rice and salad, there were all sorts of lovingly prepared treats: rolled omelets, steamed broccoli, kahage, and octopus-shaped sausages! Damn, I hadn’t had those since elementary school. Could that have been Uncle Masaru’s doing? I remembered perfectly well how he used to make those super cute bentos for Kacchan, too. Something Kacchan always hated with a passion. He thought it was beyond embarrassing to get greeted by a panda-shaped onigiri.

I had to stifle a laugh at the memory. Yeah, it had been so awkward for Kacchan that he’d always sneak a peek into his lunchbox alone. And if something inside was too cute again, he just wouldn’t eat it. Or he’d take the whole thing up to the school roof and eat by himself.

“Uh, yeah! Something like that,” I smiled sheepishly at Togata. I wasn’t sure what to say. Lying was probably the right move here, but for some reason, it felt really hard. Especially since Togata was beaming at me so sincerely. You could tell how genuinely happy he was for me. That guy was just pure-hearted to the core.

And Kacchan totally hates that about him, flashed through my mind as we quietly started eating. Though I couldn’t help feeling a little guilty. Togata only had two sandwiches with him - probably made by himself that morning.

 

We chatted a bit about our morning. Togata asked me a few things about my class and about the incidents involving the League of Villains. In return, he told me about his internship experiences - and also about his final year at U.A.

It was a pleasant conversation. Honestly, I found it really easy to talk to him. I felt relaxed and free when I spoke. That didn’t happen often with people I hadn’t known for very long.

Only the buzzing in my pocket interrupted us.

“Sorry,” I said quickly to Togata and pulled out my phone to check who had messaged me. I smiled when I saw Kacchan’s name.

I’ll pick you up later! What time are you done?

3 p.m.! Why?

Wear the stuff from this morning!

Okay! But why, Kacchan?

See you later.

I stared at my phone, confused. What was that about now? And weren’t we supposed to go back to U.A.? Was he really going to pick me up? In front of Sir Nighteye’s agency?

“Everything alright, Izuku?” Togata asked. I blinked at him blankly before I snapped out of it and said, “Yeah, all good!”

But when I answered, I remembered that I was actually supposed to head back to U.A. together with Togata. We had planned to go back to school together. And seriously, why the heck wasn’t I supposed to wear my school uniform?

“Hey, Togata?”

“Yeah?”

“I’m really sorry. We were going to head back together later, but something came up. I hope you’re not mad!”

Togata laughed. “Oh come on! Why would I be mad? It’s no big deal! Does it have to do with that message just now?”

I nodded, a little unsure. Tried to hide the flustered feeling creeping up on me. I kinda wanted to say that my boyfriend – God, that still sounded a little awkward - was coming to pick me up. God, why was I even thinking something so embarrassing - and why did it make me so damn happy?

“Wait - do you have a girlfriend, Midoriya?” Togata asked, clearly amused. I could feel the heat rising in my face. Crap! I was blushing, wasn’t I?

I couldn’t help but scratch the back of my head and mumble quietly, “No, it’s not like that. I’m just meeting up with my friend later.”

“Ohhh! I just thought that because of the way you were grinning at your phone,” he teased, but this time I managed to pull myself together, turned my phone around and said: “My All Might background is just the best, that’s all!”

Togata burst out laughing and agreed with me.

Nice save, Izuku!

 

There was nothing noteworthy on our afternoon patrol anymore, which was why I now found myself in the locker room with Togata - debating whether I should really wear the clothes Kacchan had thrown at my head this morning.

But he did tell me to wear them, I reminded myself as I reluctantly pulled on the black sweatpants. They fit well. The cuffs hugged my ankles, leaving them exposed, and there was a wide green stripe running up each leg. I gave a crooked smile as I noticed it. Where the hell had Mitsuki gotten these clothes from? Once again, they matched my hair perfectly. Did stores even sell stuff like that?

“Creepy,” I murmured under my breath as I pulled the shirt over my head and slipped into my shoes. I caught myself looking around for a mirror. Found one - and was honestly a little shocked.

It was a super simple, sporty outfit. The pants were just slightly form-fitting, while the shirt was loose and airy - just like I always wore. And, of course, green. What else?

The corner of my mouth twitched as I mentally thanked Aunt Mitsuki. I had zero sense of fashion, but I did think I looked good in this. And Togata confirmed it a second later: “Wow! I’ve never seen you in regular clothes before. You look totally different like that!”

“Bad different?” I asked, startled, glancing down at myself in slight panic.

Togata laughed. “No, no! Not what I meant! It suits you!”

“Oh, um… thanks,” I replied, a bit embarrassed - but deep down, it gave my self-esteem a solid little boost. Just like yesterday with Mitsuki and her coworkers. And Kacchan’s stunned look back at the train station. I just hoped I wouldn’t let all these compliments go to my head. Wouldn’t want to turn into a Bakugou or anything…

That thought made me giggle involuntarily. Togata gave me a curious look, but I just waved it off.

“Just remembered something.”

“Ah, got it!” he said with a grin, then suddenly clapped his arm over my shoulders and laughed.

“I’m glad you’re here with me at the agency. I really like your kind, Midoriya!”

I swallowed and blinked at him. Kacchan had said the exact same thing to me once - but I could feel the difference in those words.  With Togata, it was friendly. Light. With Kacchan… it had felt like so much more. More intense. More intimate.

“I’m glad to be working with you too,” I said simply, stepping forward to shrug his arm off. I couldn’t help but notice again how built he was. His body definitely resembled All Might’s more than mine did.

That thought made my stomach twist a little. A quiet reminder that Togata had originally been the one meant to inherit One for All. Not me. But All Might had seen something in me - and I didn’t plan to disappoint him.

I slung my backpack over my shoulder, and we both said our goodbyes to Bubble Girl and Sir Nighteye before leaving the agency.

But now I was starting to get nervous. Was Kacchan already waiting right outside? Or was he hiding somewhere nearby so Togata wouldn’t see him? Did he even know who Togata was?

I didn’t have to wonder for long. Or rather, Togata answered that for me. He was just about to say goodbye when he looked past me and said, “Hey Midoriya, isn’t that Bakugou from your class?”

I turned around in surprise and spotted him leaning casually against a wall across the street. One leg bent, one hand in his pocket. Phone in the other. Totally normal Kacchan stance. Nothing unusual. Except for his clothes - which completely shut down my brain.

He wore black baggy pants that looked like his hero costume. Bright orange suspenders hung loosely over his knees, echoing his costume’s design. Over the thick black belt, he wore nothing but a tight black tank top. Holy shit! Even from here, I could see the definition in his abs. Was he trying to kill me?

“Midoriya?” I heard Togata’s distant voice. Only then did I realize I must have been seriously staring.

I nervously licked my lips and reluctantly turned my head toward the upperclassman.

“Yeah?”

Togata just laughed. “Did Eraser give you guys extra bonding time after your house arrest, or are you planning to sneak off and fight somewhere?”

I gave a crooked smile. “No, nothing like that. Kacchan and I just wanted to go into town for a bit. Uh, we need something for a… project.”

Togata nodded, and I thought that was the end of it - but of course it wasn’t. With a big grin, he raised his arm and yelled across the street: “Hey Bakugou!”

God, I wanted to bury my face in my hands. But that would’ve looked super suspicious, so I just scratched at my temple and hunched my shoulders a bit. Which, in hindsight, was the right call.

Kacchan looked absolutely pissed and was practically shooting daggers at Togata. Twice. Then he raised his middle finger - very clearly - and Togata burst out laughing. A few people turned to stare.

I was just mortified. God, nothing embarrassed Togata, huh?

Then again, when you’d been accidentally naked in front of half the school thanks to your Quirk, maybe you just didn’t care anymore.

I quickly shook my head. Not the time to think about Togata’s shamelessness, Izuku! Focus on not triggering a live explosion in the next thirty seconds.

Before that could happen, I gave Togata a quick shoulder pat and said goodbye in a rush: “See you back at school, yeah? Later!”

Of course I checked the crosswalk signal before sprinting across to Kacchan.

I practically sighed with relief when I got to the other side and saw that Togata had already disappeared toward the train station.

“What the hell did that fucking comic-face want from me?” Kacchan growled at me in greeting. I looked at him directly for the first time and swallowed hard. I couldn’t keep my eyes on his face. They dropped to his chest on their own. What the hell?! Who even wore stuff that tight in public? Couldn’t he throw on a jacket or something? This was worse than a miniskirt or crop tops on girls!

A throat-clear snapped me out of it. It was hard, but I forced myself to meet his eyes again. Yup. That smug grin said it all. He’d definitely noticed me ogling.

“If you’re done staring, can we go now? Before that…wannabe hero comes back.”

I smiled slightly. Kacchan was clearly trying to tone it down a little. Or maybe he just couldn’t think of a nastier nickname on the fly. No… more likely, he had one in mind and just didn’t want to shout it in public.

“So… where are we going, Kacchan? And why did you come get me? And why…” I started asking, only to realize more questions were piling up. But Kacchan pushed off the wall, turned toward the shopping street, and grumbled at me. I fell silent. Just followed him. He clearly had a plan.

 

We walked side by side in silence for a little while. I caught myself glancing at his profile again and again. Damn, he really was handsomee.

And not just to me. I noticed the glances from the girls we passed by. Heard them whispering. Giggling. Squealing.

“My folks aren’t coming back until tomorrow,” Kacchan suddenly said out of nowhere. I raised an eyebrow, confused - but something in my head instantly clicked. Was he trying to tell me what I thought he was trying to tell me?

Still, I played dumb. “So?”

I watched in amusement as his jaw clenched and he started grinding his teeth.

“You know exactly what I mean, Nerd.”

“Nope. Not a clue,” I grinned - and finally got a look in return. And that look made me squeal inside like a middle school girl. His cheeks were tinged pink, and his eyes darted back and forth nervously. Was he really that embarrassed about saying this?

“When did you get this suicidal?” he muttered, turning into a small shopping street with me. It was pretty crowded.

“Ever since I met you.”

I didn’t miss the little tch. Couldn’t help laughing softly before I finally took pity on him and said quietly, “So… should we stop by your place again before heading back to school?”

I instinctively walked into a shop that sold all kinds of merch. I liked coming here to check for new All Might items. I knew very well that my collection was still far from complete.

“We’re going back to UA tomorrow morning,” Kacchan said casually while scanning the shelves next to me.

That made me pause. Tomorrow morning? Did that mean we’d be spending the whole evening - and the night - alone in the Bakugou household?

My mouth opened and closed a few times. I had no idea how to respond. I had assumed we’d maybe squeeze in a little time together before curfew. But this… this opened up a lot of possibilities for how we could spend the evening. Together. Intimately together.

Pull yourself together, Izuku! I scolded myself. But I knew full well I probably looked just as nervous and giddy on the outside as I felt on the inside.

“Are we even allowed to?” I asked, eyes unfocused on the figures in front of me. My heart was pounding way too fast, too loud. I couldn’t concentrate at all.

“I told that damn Sleeping Bag,” Kacchan replied.

“And he just… said yes?” I asked, bewildered - and instantly regretted it. Kacchan’s devilish grin told me everything I needed to know. I definitely did not want to hear what words he’d used with Mr. Aizawa - especially not standing here between All Might keychains and tiny Endeavor figurines.

So I quickly raised my hands, waving them in front of him in a panic. “I don’t even wanna know!”

Kacchan laughed and said with total ease, “Aizawa didn’t wanna know afterward either.”

I groaned. God! Did this guy ever think about the fact that this was our teacher we saw every day? Okay - maybe he did. He probably just didn’t care. But then again… why had he been so embarrassed earlier?

While inspecting a little chibi All Might keychain, I searched for the reason. And I think I found it pretty fast.

Kacchan must’ve called his parents to check if we had the house to ourselves tonight. He’d also contacted Aizawa to make sure we were allowed to stay out. He’d packed me casual clothes this morning and even told me at lunch he’d come pick me up. Damn! Had he spontaneously planned a whole date?

Was this… a date? Or just a setup for alone time? Then again… isn’t that basically what a date was?

I swallowed and took a few deep breaths. Felt that familiar burn behind my eyes again. God, was I always this close to crying?

“Kacchan…” I whispered and turned to him - only to meet those fiery red eyes again. He shook his head slightly, then leaned down and murmured, “No sappy crap now, yeah? Just enjoy this. You won’t be thinking clearly later anyway.”

His voice dropped into a dark, low rasp at the end. I felt that tingle run straight down my spine. Did he know what he was doing to me? How badly he was messing with my emotions?

“…Okay,” I whispered, then flinched as he suddenly snatched the chibi keychain from my hand and walked over to the counter. I smiled after him - utterly overwhelmed - and wondered, for the hundredth time…How did I get so lucky? And…did I really deserve this?

 

If someone had told me a year ago that I’d be strolling through a shopping street with Katsuki Bakugou, browsing shops together, I probably would’ve called them crazy. Honestly, I wasn’t even sure myself if this was real or just some weird fantasy I’d made up in my head.

It felt surreal, walking through bookstores and merch shops with him. Hell, we even went into a clothing store - and Kacchan actually bought something!

Dinner afterward - obviously not at some fast-food joint - was refreshing and seriously delicious. I got to tell him all about my patrol, the incident with the thief, and working with the police afterward.

And instead of cutting me off or getting annoyed with how excitedly I rambled on, he gave me his full attention. Even grinned every now and then. And I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want to kiss him right then and there. But I held back. Just brushed his foot under the table, gently. He nudged back.

And honestly, that tiny, quiet gesture was more than enough for me.

 

“Wanna head home now?” I asked at some point as we left the shopping street and walked down a quieter road side by side.

“Getting impatient?” Kacchan shot back right away.

I just smiled sheepishly and mumbled in the opposite direction, “Well… just don’t want it to get too late again.”

I heard him snort in amusement, and then his hand touched the back of my head, pushing it down slightly.

“Alright then,” he said simply - and walked ahead.

 

Notes:

That's it!
And yep, Kacchan really pulled a date out of thin air like it was nothing. So? What did you think? 🧡

You can probably already guess that the next chapter is gonna get a little smutty… 😅 So get ready for that - and what comes after… oh, I’m really curious to hear what you think.

Wishing you a lovely weekend!
See you again on Tuesday (in the evening! Sry).
Big hugs! 💚🧡

Chapter 57: Fight on equal terms

Notes:

Hey everyone!

I’m back… with a chapter that’s quite something, I’d say.
And honestly? I think it speaks for itself.
So buckle up, hold on to your hearts – and enjoy the ride! 😳🔥💚🧡

Chapter 57 – Fight on equal terms

 

“K…Ka…ah…acchan!” I panted between the countless, wild kisses. We had only just stepped through the Bakugous’ front door, kicked off our shoes, and dropped our bags. But right after that, Kacchan had grabbed me so fast I couldn’t even react. Had pushed me toward the couch and thrown me onto it. Followed me instantly and had been pinning me down on the soft cushions ever since.

I was hot. Definitely low on oxygen. And at the same time, I was loving that hunger for touch he was pouring into me. I let out a soft moan when one of his hands ran over the obvious bulge in my pants. Fuck! Was he really planning to start right here? In the living room?

While my brain was slightly freaking out, my body responded like in a battle. Moved right into his touch. Caught his greedy lips. Danced with his tongue. Gripped his hair tightly to pull him closer. Goddammit! I really hadn’t expected to miss this kind of intense making out so much after just a short while. But I did. Every part of me was screaming for it. Only a tiny part of my mind was nagging at me to move this somewhere else. A tiny, annoying part.

“Turn your brain off,” Kacchan growled, his teeth scraping along my neck. Had he seriously noticed I was a little distracted?

I let out a content sigh but still tugged at his hair to pull him away from my neck and look him in the eyes.

“Should we go upstairs?”

That amused, knowing grin he gave me made me roll my eyes. At the same time, all I could think when I saw it was: Sexy!

“Still can’t handle making out in places where other people live their boring everyday lives, huh, little Nerd?”

Always with the teasing. I knew he loved it. And honestly? By now I’d come to enjoy it too. It always pushed me to bite back and shove my embarrassment into some far-off corner.

“Maybe?” I started, grinning as I ran my fingers over his chest, letting them deliberately slide over the outline of his nipple. “Maybe I just want to go upstairs because up there we have everything we need to really… make out.”

I saw his Adam’s apple move. Grinned, knowing that - for once - he was the one struggling to swallow. Looked into those fiery eyes that seemed to be glowing even more now.

Then the weight on me disappeared. I watched him stand up and silently walk toward the stairs. And the only thing he said while climbing the first few steps was: “If you’re begging to be fucked so badly, you better follow me.”

The tiny noise I made in response earned a low, rough chuckle from his throat. That bastard!

 

Of course I had followed him. But instead of tumbling onto the bed with me right away, he had headed into the bathroom, and I had followed him there. Now I was watching him undress in front of me without the slightest trace of shyness. He started with his pants. Was I imagining things, or did he let them slide down his legs a little slower on purpose?

Next, he went to pull off that insanely tight black shirt over his head - but he couldn’t. Why? Because I had pressed myself against his back and stopped his hands. My fingers moved over the thin fabric that left absolutely nothing to the imagination.

God, how could a single piece of clothing have such an effect? It made no sense to me. Even less sense made the fact that I slapped his hands away from the hem and slowly let my fingers travel upward over the fabric, tracing every single muscle beneath. I placed a kiss between his shoulder blades while my hands memorized every line of his upper body.

It wasn’t like I hadn’t seen him like this before, but something inside me wanted to take it in even more deeply. Like I needed to be able to recognize him in the middle of the night with just a single touch.

I drew a soft moan from him when I reached his chest and provocatively pressed against the hardened peaks. Let my fingers circle around them and gave a firm squeeze. Watched goosebumps creep down his arms and felt the twitch of his back muscles. Grinned. Tilted my head up and bit gently into the spot between his shoulder and neck.

“Fuck!” he groaned, leaning back into me and breathing louder than before. Practically panting by the time my lips wandered up the side of his neck until I finally reached his ear. But before I could go any further, Kacchan turned around in my arms and shoved me against the cold tiles next to the shower.

“So bold, huh?” he growled at me, pushing his knee between my legs while his hand slipped under my shirt. He copied me right away and pinched my nipple, making me gasp. I closed my eyes for a moment, letting the tingling spread through my body.

Let out a soft moan when his teeth suddenly scraped against my neck. Braced myself against the wall with both hands. I needed something to hold on to. It annoyed me. I just wanted to keep touching him. Feel him.

When had we even reached the point where all this teasing felt so natural? When had the touches and movements become so easy? When had it gotten to the point where I could just let go and my brain switched off without a fight?

I didn’t know. Didn’t know why those kinds of sounds were escaping my throat without making me want to sink into the ground from embarrassment. Goddammit! When had he gotten his tongue on my nipples?

“Kaaachaan,” slipped breathlessly from my lips as he yanked my shirt over my head. I opened my eyes and stared into red, hungry rubies. Saw an expression that left me speechless. Fuck!

“Unlike you, I’d rather see you naked, I-zu-ku,” he growled, then sealed my mouth with his and pressed himself tightly against me.

The heat of his body and the cold of the wall made me shiver. I felt that now all-too-familiar twitch in my lower belly. Felt the pressure of his leg between mine. Let out a soft moan when he moved it just a little.

 

Little by little, our clothes fell to the floor until we were completely naked, pressed up against each other. Still kissing. Still teasing the other with our hands. Bold fingers pinched, tugged, twisted. Teeth scraped over skin, always careful not to leave marks. Lips hot and slightly swollen. Eyes half-lidded, veiled, yet missing nothing.

Still, as if we had silently agreed on it beforehand, we both avoided the most obvious part of the body. And honestly? That tension it created was just… breathtaking. Arousing. Hot as hell.

Damn! I never would’ve thought I’d use the word hot so naturally in my own thoughts. But it was just like that. Kacchan had always triggered something in me. Brought something out of me that no one else could see. Back then it had been burning rage, unfiltered cursing. Now it was pure lust. Uncontrollable desire. Something I never even thought existed inside me. I mean, all I ever really wanted was to be a hero—not some hormone-driven, desperate teenager.

A hand running up my thigh brought me back. Made me push against him automatically. Made our arousals rub against each other. A wave of relief shot through my body. God, that touch had been so overdue. It took the edge off—just a little.

“Touch me,” slipped from my mouth before I could stop it. I felt like I was in some kind of fever dream. My face was burning, and at the same time I shivered every time my back touched a cold spot on the wall.

“Why should I? Why don’t you touch me instead?” came the counter, as his hand returned to my hip and moved away from my center.

Made me growl in frustration. Fuck! He’d been so close already.

I heard his hoarse laugh, so I grabbed him by the hairline and pulled him back a little. Looked into a more-than-amused face. God, that satisfied expression. Was he not even the slightest bit impatient? He was driving me crazy - and at the same time I wondered if I could get him to lose his cool.

I swallowed when a certain image flashed through my mind. Took a breath inside, then gave him the most sultry look I could manage. Slipped one hand between our bodies. Pushed his chest back slightly, breaking the contact between us, just to let my hand wander toward that magic boundary.

I didn’t take my eyes off him. Saw how his eyes widened for a second. Saw him lick his lips. Saw him hold his breath.

“This is where the action is, Kacchan,” I whispered to him, caught his gaze again, and mustered my courage. Then I let my index finger run along the full length of him - slowly, deliberately - before giving a playful tap near the tip. Caught the little bounce out of the corner of my eye. Tried to keep eye contact.

It was a bit embarrassing, sure - but I saw his eyebrow lift with a doubtful twitch, his nostrils flare briefly. He really looked a little thrown off.

“What? Did you think I’d just give in and take care of you now?”

That cheeky expression took everything I had not to burst from nerves. But it was so worth it. Definitely. Because… it was actually kind of fun. I was starting to understand why Kacchan enjoyed messing with me like that.

The tips of Kacchan’s ears turned red, and it seemed to take him a moment to collect himself. Then he clicked his tongue in that typical way and started to grin.

“Where the hell is that coming from, Nerd?”

I grinned back and just shrugged. Pressed my palms against the wall, slid them under my butt to keep myself from reaching for him again. Instead, I just enjoyed the rising tension between us. Fuck! It felt like you could cut the air with a knife. I barely dared to breathe. Waited for his response. A physical one.

It came. But not the way I expected.

Kacchan leaned in again - just with his upper body. Let his lips brush lightly over mine, then over my cheek, before finally reaching my ear. I whimpered softly as each word he spoke came with that barely-there touch of his mouth: “You’ve got no idea how fucking hot you are right now. Damn! Do you even realize how much that turns me on?”

I sucked in a sharp breath, frozen in place. Kacchan didn’t move back - instead, he brought up his other hand and grabbed the other side of my hair. Pulled my head just slightly to the side, commanding, so his lips had better access to my ear. I squeaked when his tongue traced the shape of it.

That familiar rough laugh came again - right before his voice dropped into something low and dangerous: “I’m stepping into the shower now. If you finally decide to touch me, you’ll follow. If not - stay right here and enjoy the show.”

Whaaaat?

My mind went completely blank. Only my heart kept pounding like it was about to give out any second. God, it was racing so hard it felt like it couldn’t take much more. I could feel the heat. Just stared at him in disbelief as he turned around and gave me a perfect view of his back as he walked away.

“K-Kaa… Kaacchaa… chan! Y-you can’t just—” I started stammering when he turned on the water.

He just glanced over his shoulder with a grin and said,
“Oh yes, I can. I just decided I’m done holding back. And you’re done too. From now on. Because that side of you? I wanna see it way more often. That’s what a real fight between equals feels like.”

And with that, he stepped into the shower, letting the water rain down over him. My view grew foggier by the second as the steam clouded the glass. But what little I could still make out - broad shoulders, a narrow waist, that annoyingly perfect ass - and the way his right arm moved forward—

I swallowed hard. That motion. That rhythm. Was he really doing what I thought he was?

I stood there, frozen in place. Tried to process Kacchan’s words. What did he want from me? Did he want me to let go of all my shame? To speak like he did? Could I really do that?

Honestly… I wasn’t sure. But - I wanted him. I wanted to touch him. I wanted to be touched. Damn it, I wanted to feel him. On me. Against me. Inside me.

Hesitantly, my body started to move. I opened the glass door and stepped in behind him. Closed it again and pressed myself against his back. He didn’t stop. I could feel his arm brush against mine over and over again. That bastard! Was he trying to drive me completely insane?

With more courage than before, I grabbed his right arm, let my fingers glide down along his forearm, and gently nudged his hand away.

Now it was me who had his cock in my hand. I tightened my grip slightly - just enough - and let my thumb trail over the tip. Heard a quiet moan.

He threw his head back, casting me a sideways glance that practically radiated smug satisfaction.

“And? What now, Izuku? What do you want?” he asked me. Was he expecting a blunt answer? Was I supposed to give him one?

I buried my face in his shoulder, avoided his gaze. Instantly, I felt his firm grip on my wrist, stopping my movements.

“Speak, Nerd!”

I pressed my lips together and squeezed my eyes shut so tightly that I almost felt dizzy. My brain was racing, trying to figure out what to say. Should I just do it?

“I… I want to feel you,” I mumbled, without looking up.

I heard Kacchan sigh. Felt him turn around in my arms. Felt his hand on my chin - gentle, but firm enough to guide me. I opened my eyes and looked straight into his.

“You don’t have to be ashamed of any word in front of me. And after you dropped to your knees for me yesterday - and before that too - I know there’s a filthy little beast inside you that’s just as bad as mine,” he said calmly, paused for a beat, then whispered: “Mine’s already awake. What about yours?”

Short-circuit. Yeah, that was probably the best way to describe what just happened inside my head. I couldn’t fully process his words. But somewhere deep down, my body knew exactly what Kacchan wanted from me.

What should I do now? What was the right answer? The right reaction?

“Stop overthinking, Deku,” he said softly, not breaking eye contact. Deku? Not Izuku?

His earlier words echoed in my head: ‘Because that side of you? I wanna see it way more often. That’s what a real fight between equals feels like.’ Fight. Equals. Was he… expecting me to fight back in my own way? To meet him head-on - not just in battle, but…

Instinctively - and that seemed to be the key for my mind - I let go of him. He raised an eyebrow. I just swallowed once. Closed my eyes. Turned off my brain. Acted on instinct. Showed him I wasn’t about to play submissive.

Time for a counterattack.

‘Brace yourself, Katsuki Bakugou!’

A wicked little smile crept onto my lips. I felt Kacchan tense up the moment he saw it. I opened my eyes and brought my middle and index fingers to my mouth. Sucked on them. Let them get wet.

Kacchan’s Adam’s apple bobbed nervously. His hands twitched. His pupils looked blown wide. Shocked? Maybe. Either way, it fired me up. And even though a small part of me was dying of embarrassment inside, it didn’t stop me.

Confidently, I moved my fingers behind me - making sure not to break eye contact with Kacchan for even a second. Grinned in triumph as I simply pushed a finger inside me.

I winced a little. Yeah… maybe that had been a bit too fast. And not quite wet enough.
But judging by the way Kacchan froze on the spot, completely stunned - Yup. His brain had definitely just short-circuited. Oh hell yes. That felt like victory. That felt fucking awesome.

“What’s the matter? Aren’t you going to help me, Katsuki?” I added another layer to the tease.

Pulled my finger back out. Ignored the sting from the lack of slickness. Reached for the shower shelf instead and grabbed the lube. Hm. Was this part of his regular shower routine now?

I knew it probably wasn’t smart - going for a second finger right away.
There was that tearing pain again. Sharp. But at the same time, a wave of heat spread through my whole body. God, why the hell was this turning me on so much? Was it because I was doing it in front of Kacchan? Because he wasn’t looking away for even a second?

I bit down on my lower lip as I tried to push in deeper. Let out a sharp cry when Kacchan suddenly grabbed my wrist and yanked my fingers out in one swift motion.

I wanted to snap at him. Glared at him, furious. Even more furious when he shoved me roughly against the wall. But the curses I was about to throw at him got stuck in my throat.

Holy shit. What was that look?

Kacchan’s eyes burned bright red. Stared at me with the kind of fire that screamed for battle.
His grin bared his sharp canines, and for a second - He looked downright dangerous.

“This is mine. So hands off,” he growled into my ear, his voice low and dark.

I gasped when I felt his fingers replace mine. One slipped in - deeper, curling just so.

“Fuck!” The word flew out of me as stars exploded behind my eyes. How the hell could he hit that spot so perfectly?

I trembled all over. Couldn’t tell if my body was burning or freezing. Couldn’t tell if it was tingling or aching. The only thing I did know was that I wanted this. Right here. Right now. With him. With Kacchan.

I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him close. Kissed him hard, arching my back to press into his hand. Moaned when he added a second finger.

“If it’s yours,” I whispered, breathless, “then stop wasting time and take it already.”

I bit down lightly on his lower lip. And in that moment, I understood what he meant. What he had said earlier. I realized something had been sleeping inside me all this time. And fuck - whatever it was, I let it take over.

 

This time was different from the sex we’d had before. Rougher. More intense. Unrestrained. Primal.

That quiet, intimate atmosphere we’d shared yesterday was gone. Today - it was pure, raw lust. And damn. It was the most intense thing I’d ever felt. It consumed me - body and mind. I could feel him, deep inside. Heard the slap of our bodies meeting, the rhythm of it pounding in my ears. Heard the sounds escaping from both of us. Felt the heat, the pull, the twitching, the tingling. My head was spinning. And at the same time - I loved that empty, breathless haze it left behind.

Fuck. If he kept going like this… would I even be able to think straight afterwards? Would I still be able to walk?

Our moans grew louder. My legs were shaking. I desperately tried to find some grip against the slippery tiles. I was grateful for Kacchan’s tight grip on my hips - even if it hurt a little. Fuck. I was done. So done.

Kacchans thrusts slowed, but hit deeper. I heard a growl, low and rough, followed by a louder moan. I reached down, barely able to focus, and the second my hand touched my cock - I came. Hard. Heat spilled over my fingers, and in the same breath, I felt Kacchan let go too. The world blurred. Everything vanished in a white-hot haze. My vision went black for a moment. Apparently his did too, because both of us stumbled, crashed into the wall, panting like we couldn’t breathe. We slid down almost in sync. Let ourselves sink to the floor - and stayed there. For a long while.

 

What the hell had that just been?

I didn’t know. My brain wasn’t working anymore. It was flooded with sensation - so overwhelming, it couldn’t possibly get more intense. I was so done, I just let myself fall to the side. My head felt impossibly heavy. I couldn’t keep myself upright anymore.

At the same time, I felt the dull ache deep in my lower body. Fuck. Had we seriously gone that hard?

“Everything okay, Izuku?” I heard Kacchan’s voice - tired, spent.

All that left my throat was a weak “Hm.” It sounded rough and dry. I cleared my throat and just let the water rain down on me.

And then - Silence.

Other than the water, there was no sound. I didn’t dare look Kacchan in the eyes. Slowly, I was starting to come back to my senses - though my body was still too heavy to move. What the hell had we just done? How had we even talked to each other during that? Shit. That hadn’t exactly been age-appropriate, had it? I wanted to disappear into the floor when I thought about what I’d done in front of Kacchan with my own fingers - oh God. No. I couldn’t even finish that thought. What the hell had short-circuited in my brain to make me go through with that? Then again… I hadn’t even really hesitated. Was that a good thing or a bad thing?

I sighed. Wanted to pull at my hair when I noticed movement beside me. I turned my head slightly and saw Kacchan getting up. He didn’t look at me, but he held out his hand and said, “We should probably get out of the shower.”

I felt my cheeks heat up as I hesitated to take the offered hand. Everything about this was so awkward. But with my head lowered, I blindly reached for his hand anyway. Braced myself against the wall, too, and tried to stand on legs that felt shakier than jelly. My whole lower back hurt. I couldn’t even straighten up fully. What the hell had we been thinking?

“Thanks,” I mumbled in his direction as I let go of his hand. Peeking at him through my wet bangs, I noticed the tips of his ears were red. He muttered a quiet, “No problem.”

Wait - was he embarrassed, too? Internally, my eyes popped out of my head. So this silence hadn’t been just me?

“Ka—” I started, but he cut me off, turning away to lather himself up. “You okay? Or… need help?”

I stared at him, stunned, barely keeping my jaw from hitting the floor. Holy crap - his whole neck was red. What was going on here?

“No, I’m fine,” I muttered, reaching out a hand to touch his shoulder - but stopped when he stepped directly under the stream of water and rinsed the soap off his body. I watched, mesmerized, as the foam slid down his back, across his ass, down his legs, and finally to the floor. I couldn’t think. Couldn’t move.

It was his voice that snapped me out of the trance. “I’m heading out.” And just like that, he stepped out of the shower - without so much as a glance in my direction. I stayed frozen, letting the water run over me, watching him dry off, brush his teeth, and eventually leave the bathroom.

What was going on with him? What...

 

My thoughts had tried to spin in circles. They wanted to process and sort every impression, every moment. Understand. Analyze. But honestly - I couldn’t even remember what I’d been thinking back in the bathroom. I was now standing in Kacchan’s room, pulling a pair of boxers from his drawer before making my way to the bed. Kacchan was lying with his back turned to me, facing the wall. That was unusual. He usually slept facing the door, with me by the wall. So… should I lie down in front of him now? Or crawl over him?

“Kacchan?” I asked uncertainly, getting only a “Hm?” in return.

“Should I take the wall side…?”

“Just lie down,” he muttered. Why did his voice sound so… flat? Cold, even? Or was I imagining it?

I did as I was told, lifted the blanket, and sluggishly slid in beside him. Suppressed the hissing noise that wanted to escape me because of the pain - but I couldn’t quite hide the sharp inhale. My feet brushed against his calves. I flinched and left a small gap between us, trying to make myself as small as possible. I lay there stiffly, not knowing how to handle the situation.

Usually, after sex, we ended up laughing like idiots. Or Kacchan would say something outrageously shameless. Even after the first time in the kitchen, the mood had been different - thoughtful, maybe, but not as heavy as this.

“Sorry,” came a quiet voice near my ear. For a second, I wasn’t sure I hadn’t imagined it. I didn’t turn around. Stayed back-to-back with him and whispered back, “For what?”

“You’re in pain.”

“Hm… a little. Maybe.”

“Maybe? Nerd, don’t lie,” he growled. I felt a slight tremble from his side of the bed.

I sighed inwardly. I still didn’t know how to feel. I just wanted this unease to go away.

“Kacchan?”

“Hm?”

“It hurts, yeah… but… it was really…” I trailed off. I couldn’t bring myself to say hot. Beautiful didn’t fit either. And all the other words that came to mind felt way too much. So all I managed was a wobbly, “Good.”

Again, that silence settled over the room. Uncomfortable. Heavy.

Kacchan didn’t say anything. And when several minutes passed without a reply, I asked - just a little bolder than before, “Would you mind cuddling up to me?”

A smile crept across my lips when he turned toward me without hesitation. Relief washed over me as an arm wrapped around my waist and pulled me closer. I felt his nose press into the back of my neck, followed by the weight of his entire head resting against me. Why was it so warm?

He let out a low hum, and it sounded almost relieved. Still, I had no idea what was going on with him. I mean - he was the one who’d said he wouldn’t hold anything back anymore.

“Kacchan?” I started again. Another hum. Okay, he was listening.

“What’s going on?”

“Nothing,” came the way-too-fast reply. I felt him practically bury himself between my shoulder blades. That only confused me more. That was something I did - not the tall, proud, and annoyingly confident Katsuki Bakugou.

“Then why are you like this?”

“Like what?”

“Like this!” I blurted out. I didn’t even know how to describe it.

When he didn’t respond, I tried the other route. “Weren’t you the one who said earlier that you’d stop holding back and just say whatever’s on your mind?”

A low growl - and then his teeth sank into the flesh of my shoulder. I yelped. More from surprise than from pain.

“Stupid nerd,” he muttered, and I felt his lips press against the same spot - a silent apology.

“So?” I asked again, trying to turn around in his arms, but he resisted.

“I… goddammit, I didn’t mean to be so… so rough… I…”

“Kacchan…”

“No! I mean, it… ah, fuck… that just now…” he tried again but trailed off, mumbling something unintelligible into my neck.

Another pause. And I wasn’t about to let it sit there.

“Was it not good? Did I do something wrong?” I asked when he still didn’t say anything. I could feel him struggling with himself. I only ever saw him like that when it came to talking about emotions. But when it came to sex, he’d never been short on words before. So what was this now?

“No, dammit! Fuck! Why would you think something that stupid?”

I pulled in my lips, chewing on them a little before I muttered, “Well… you were acting so weird afterwards. And what we did… god, I feel like I acted like some cheap porn cliché.”

I squeezed my eyes shut at my own words. Like that would somehow make it less real. My cheeks were burning so badly, I wanted to disappear into my pillow. But then - I heard Kacchan laugh. Loudly. Genuinely.

I slammed my elbow backward in protest, knocking the air out of him for a second. He shoved me onto my back and hovered over me, his face right above mine.

“Nerd! Do you know why I couldn’t even look at you just now?” he asked, leaning in. He pressed himself against me and blinked in shock as his hips bumped into my thigh. Wait - Why the hell was he hard?

“God, when you sucked on your fingers like that… I completely lost it. Fuck. I mean - shit, is there something wrong with me for getting that turned on by that?”

I needed a moment to process his words. Was he… embarrassed? Did he seriously think I’d judge him for being… turned on?

“You’re hard,” I blurted out, emotionless. It just… came out. A fact my brain needed to say before it could deal with anything else.

“Yes! Because I can’t get that fucking image out of my head! How the hell did you even come up with something like that?”

I looked away. God. This was the worst conversation ever. I was dying inside. Bit by bit.

“Kacchan! I can’t—” I wailed, covering my face with both hands. I didn’t want to talk about this anymore. At least now I knew why he’d been acting so weird earlier. Couldn’t we just leave it at that? Did we really have to discuss it? Analyze it like some sort of team debrief? Was that something couples actually did? Talk about sex that openly afterwards?

“Tch. You’re the one who pushed me to be open! So you better be too!”

“Yeah, but not about stuff like this!”

“Of course about stuff like this! What else would we talk about? And what’s the point in fucking you if I have no idea afterwards whether it was good or bad? Fuck! You could barely stand up in the shower!”

I growled and glared at him. My face must’ve looked like a fire alarm. Or, knowing him, like a damn strawberry.

“WHAT?” he growled back, grabbing my wrists and pinning them next to my head. He wasn’t letting me dodge this.

Argh! He was driving me insane! He knew I couldn’t say things as easily as he could. Just like he couldn’t talk openly about emotions. Tch. But if that’s how he wanted to play it, then...

I didn’t know if what I was about to say was a good idea. My brain couldn’t keep up. I couldn’t stop myself. So I threw it back at him. “If I’m supposed to talk openly about sex and all that, then you better be ready to hear stuff you don’t want to hear. Things you can’t deal with.”

“Tch, and what the hell would I not be able to deal with?” he shot back, all cocky and smug. He was provoking me. Really provoking me. That asshole! Had he seriously forgotten his own weak spot?

‘Don’t go there, Izuku!’ screamed every part of me. But I couldn’t hold back anymore. I’d been biting it back for days. I hadn’t wanted to pressure him, afraid I’d break something. But really - after this weekend, what could possibly break?

“For example… I don’t know… emotional stuff. Like… like…” I started stammering. Turned out, it was harder than I thought.

“Yeees?”

“L-like… that I love you… and… all that crap.”

Oh God. I’d actually said it. Out loud. And judging by his deadpan reaction, Kacchan realized it too.

“Yeah. You just did.”

Well. No turning back now. I tried to calm down enough to give him a steady answer. Tried to look him in the eye.

“Yeah. I know.”

“Did you mean to say that?”

“Kind of… yeah.”

Silence. Kacchan looked away and let go of my wrists. He moved to lie down next to me again, but I grabbed his forearm. “You don’t have to say anything back,” I told him - and mentally slapped myself right in the face. And the only answer he gave me was:

“Okay.”

 

 

Notes:

Uhm… yeah… sooo… that’s it?

I’m honestly too scared to ask what you thought or how you feel about that ending…
So I’ll quietly sneak away now and catch you again on Saturday ^^’

Sending hugs 💚🧡

Chapter 58: be honest

Notes:

Hey everyone!
Yeah… I’m a day late. I’m really sorry about that! 😔 I probably should’ve mentioned on Tuesday that I wouldn’t have much time on Saturday.
But now it’s here – even if this chapter is a bit shorter than the previous ones. 😅

Also, about the Bakugou POV someone asked for: I’ve thought about it quite a few times throughout the story, but honestly? I don’t think I could do it justice. I’d be too afraid of messing him up.
And let’s be real… isn’t that part of the appeal here? That we don’t really know what’s going on inside that stubborn little blonde head of his? 😏

And I’m sorry if the cliffhanger gave you a bit of a scare…
But you all know this is meant to be a comfort fic, right? 💕
So don’t worry and enjoy the read! 🧡💚

Chapter 58 – be honest

 

 

I had no idea where to look. The lump in my throat kept growing while Kacchan’s “Okay” echoed through my head. Okay? Seriously? That was it? He was just brushing me off like that? I mean, I had kind of given him that option... but still, a small part of me had hoped for something more. But now? Yeah, what now?

I let go of his arm and turned my head to the side, trying to signal that he could get off of me. He was still halfway on top of me, after all. But surprisingly, he didn’t move. Instead, I felt his whole body trembling. I was just about to turn my head when suddenly his fist slammed into the pillow next to me. I flinched as his angry voice rang out loud and raw.

“Arghh FUCK!”

I saw his fist shaking beside me. Watched as his fingernails dug painfully into his own palm. Instinctively, I reached out to touch his hand, trying to open his fist, ease the pressure. But all I managed was a light touch between our hands - nothing more.

“Why?” came his whisper above me. I turned my head and looked straight into Kacchan’s face. He looked like he was fighting some inner battle. It reminded me of that moment back at Ground Beta. What had I done to him?

“Why, Izuku?” he repeated, his voice desperate.

My lips started to tremble. I could feel the heat rising to my eyes. His tortured expression was killing me inside. And yet... it was his word that should’ve thrown me into despair. Why was it the other way around now?

“Kacchan,” I said softly, pouring as much love as I could into the word. I wanted to calm him. I raised my hand and cupped his cheek. Felt him lean into the touch. Watched him close his eyes. Then his hand came up to hold mine in place - only to kiss my palm, again and again, brushing his lips softly against it.

“Why did you have to say that now?” he mumbled against my hand. If I hadn’t been so emotional, it might’ve even tickled.

“You… you provoked me,” I answered. I knew that might make him mad - but all I got in return was a disbelieving, breathless laugh. No yelling. No growling. No resistance.

He stayed quiet. And so did I. Waiting. Hoping he’d say something. React somehow. Because I had no idea what would happen next. Was he going to punch me? Turn away? Kiss me? Say it back? Ignore it?

So many possibilities. All of them open because of that expression on his face - one I just couldn’t read. In that moment, he was more unreadable to me than he had ever been in our entire lives.

That’s why it caught me completely off guard when his sharp red eyes locked onto mine like he wanted to see straight through me. I could only swallow hard.

A heavy, defeated sigh left his lips before he let his head drop against my forehead. I flinched slightly at the bump and was just about to complain when his lips brushed mine - briefly. So brief I wasn’t even sure it happened. Just a whisper of a kiss. Less than a second.

Then his head dropped beside mine. I was stunned as he burrowed into the crook of my neck. That was usually my move, not his.

Everything went still for a moment. I listened to his breathing, and I thought he listened to mine. Felt something inside me settle a little. That crushing weight from his earlier “Okay” eased up just a bit.

I jumped a little when suddenly his voice tickled my ear: “Did you mean what you said? Or did you just say it to challenge me?”

I couldn’t help but let out a small, disbelieving laugh of my own. I raised my hand and gently ran it through his hair, letting it rest there.

“Even though we’re really different, there’s one thing we have in common, Kacchan,” I began, pausing briefly before continuing softly, “We only say what we really mean.”

Kacchan let out a low hum. I felt his lips against my neck and then the weight of his body as he collapsed on top of me. He slid off to the side slightly and wrapped an arm around me. Was he the one cuddling up to me now? Like he was trying to crawl into me? I gave him what he seemed to need - support. My hand rested on his back. I was just about to start stroking it soothingly when he sighed heavily.

“Seriously, Nerd! I would’ve really thought you'd say something like that during a cheesy-ass moment like the fucking fireworks yesterday. But now? Like this? Just out of nowhere?”

To my ears, it sounded like he was scolding me. Like he found the whole thing kind of absurd. And, well... in hindsight, I kind of did too. I’d let myself be guided by a sudden impulse just to escape an awkward, intimate conversation - and ended up creating something way heavier instead.

So I took a moment to find the right words. “I wanted to say it yesterday, during the fireworks. But you... you looked like you didn’t want to hear it. Like you were silently asking me not to say it just then. And honestly... there were a few moments this week when I almost said it. But I held back, because I knew it’s…hard for you. After last weekend, I never thought I’d want to say it so badly. I mean... what’s between us, it’s...”

I trailed off, struggling to find the words. Swallowed hard after just a few sentences. Kacchan hadn’t moved in my arms. He hadn’t made a sound. Just seemed to be listening. Or maybe he didn’t know what to say either. Was I pushing things too far here? What if I was just putting even more pressure on him?

I took a breath. Let my own words echo in my head before I gathered the courage to go on. If he wanted openness, he was going to get it - completely unfiltered.

“I know this thing between us hasn’t been going on long. But maybe... you were always there. You still are. And maybe that’s why it’s easier for me to understand it now. I mean... I don’t think I’ve ever felt like this for anyone else. And I can’t imagine I ever could. You bring out the best and the worst in me. And I wouldn’t know... I don’t think I could live without you. When the League kidnapped you, I... I think something already changed inside me back then. I... God, thinking back on it, I said some pretty embarrassing stuff... but, what I meant to—”

“I know... even inside the marble, I could hear you,” Kacchan interrupted. Heat instantly rushed to my face. I smiled. Yeah... I’d been pretty loud about demanding they give him back. Like he belonged to me. Like he was mine. Why was that thought hitting me so hard right now? Was I only now realizing just how long these feelings had been there? The ones I’d written off as admiration because I didn’t know what they really were?

“You’re an idiot,” was all I managed to say. I had to resist the urge to cover my face with my hands. Instead, I tried to collect myself and muttered, “Ugh, Kacchan... now I’ve lost my train of thought.”

“You’d already lost it before. You were about to start mumbling again,” he said with a smirk, finally lifting his head to give me one of his signature cheeky grins.

“No, I wasn’t!” I pouted, puffing out my cheeks in protest. I saw his grin grow just a bit wider before his hand slipped into my hair, holding me still.

And then he kissed me. Pressed his lips against mine, pushing me gently back into the pillow. But it wasn’t a rough kiss. I couldn’t even describe what it did to me. It just filled my chest with warmth and made my whole stomach tingle.

“Izuku?” he whispered against my lips as he slowly pulled away, making my heart skip a beat. God, I was falling harder and harder for that rough voice every single time.

His intense red eyes locked onto mine. He didn’t smile - looked serious, in fact - but it didn’t scare me.

“You know I can’t say it yet. As much as it pisses me off to admit that. But… you do know that, right?”

I took a deep breath, trying to keep my trembling lips in check. My genes were clearly working overtime again, pushing me right to the edge of tears. Damn it! Would I ever be able to stop reacting like this?

“And until then…” he continued, leaning down to kiss my lips once. Then again. And a third time. He brushed my hair behind my right ear. Kissed my cheek. Kissed the shell of my ear.

“…you’ll be okay with what I can give you, yeah? Izuku?” he finished, and it just completely messed with my head. Wasn’t that basically a confession? His own way of saying he loved me - without actually saying the words?

While my mind was reeling, my head nodded all on its own. I pressed my eyelids shut and tried to steady my breath.

“Your own damn fault, crybaby,” I finally heard that teasing tone back in his voice. I let out an undignified grunt, trying to choke back the pathetic snort-laugh that wanted out. The few tears in my eyes dried up before they even reached my cheeks. I was just… happy. So damn happy to look into Kacchan’s face.

No crisis had followed my confession.

No fight.

No yelling.

Just honest words. Probably the most honest we’d exchanged in years. How had we ever gotten things so wrong before? It was beyond me. But now - right now - everything felt okay. At least to me.

“You’re so damn emotional, Nerd,” Kacchan muttered with no hint of anger. He clearly wanted to close the topic.

I chuckled softly, pulled him in by the neck until our noses touched.

“You knew that already, and you’ll just have to live with it, Kacchan.”

“That’s what you think.”

So cheeky. Everything suddenly felt lighter. I could feel us drifting back toward Kacchan’s comfort zone. And that was okay - because that mischievous, confident grin of his made me feel whole. It was a look he only ever gave me. Just me. And wasn’t that worth more than any spoken word?

“No, I know it,” I teased back, unable to keep the grin off my own face. It mirrored his.

“Tch. You better watch it or I might get sick of your nerdy ass someday,” he muttered weakly. We both knew he didn’t mean it.

“After what just happened in the shower, I highly doubt that,” I shot back, trying to sound confident - but feeling the heat creep into my cheeks. Shit! I hadn’t meant to steer the conversation back in that direction. And Kacchan’s smug grin told me exactly what I’d just done.

“Touché,” he smirked, and I suddenly felt his hand slide under my ass. Something that usually felt nice - but the short, stinging jolt that came with the gentle pressure reminded me that area was definitely off-limits for today. Maybe even tomorrow. Damn it! How long would it take for it to stop hurting?

Kacchan’s expression changed instantly. He looked both guilty and somehow irritated. I felt his hand pull away, and the next moment he was climbing off me, sitting beside me and leaning against the wall. He glanced at me briefly, then scoffed with a raised eyebrow. “Tch, barely hurts, huh?”

I gave him a lopsided smile and slowly rolled onto my stomach. Slipped my arms under the pillow and rested my head there, facing him.

“Well, maybe it hurt a little more than I let on earlier,” I mumbled in his direction. But when I saw a flicker in his eyes, I quickly added, “And I’d still do it again with you, just like that.”

God! Had I really just said that?

My head felt like it might explode. Burying my face in the pillow did nothing - it only made me feel even hotter. So I turned away from him, squeezing my eyes shut like that would somehow protect me from the rising embarrassment.

“So, you’re not just into pain during battle?”

There it was - the next provocation.

I squeaked and needed a moment to collect myself.

“I only told you I have a high pain tolerance. And that just now in the shower wasn’t really… pain. At least not the kind I usually know. It was more like… um… stimulating?” I tried to explain, doing my best not to sound too explicit. Yeah, Kacchan was probably right. That edge of pain had made everything way more intense. Was I into that? I mean, I’d never really had to think about stuff like this before. So was it even embarrassing to discover something like that?

“Might be hard to repeat that kind of thing back in the dorms,” Kacchan replied, a bit thoughtfully.

“Doesn’t have to be in the shower,” I said without thinking - without even considering how that might sound. Or be interpreted.

And just like that, Kacchan’s left eyebrow shot up. His look was skeptical. And amused. That mischievous grin spread across his face, completing the look. Making it perfect. Damn! I was hit again with just how ridiculously attractive this blond jerk was. So unfair!

I saw his mouth open, but before he could say anything, I cut in. Something had occurred to me. I turned to him and asked straight up, “Why is it always the shower, anyway?”

Kacchan froze. Looked at me with surprise, then suddenly turned away. Stared into a random corner of the room. I could see a hint of color rising in his cheeks. Ha!

“Are you going to answer me?” I pressed, grinning when I heard a low growl.

“Just… happened that way,” he muttered.

Now it was my turn to raise an eyebrow. I had a feeling I’d hit the right question.

“Do you maybe prefer it in the shower?”

“Like you’re into pain?” he shot back, dodging again.

“Okay, fine - I admit maybe I do like it when you’re a bit… rough with me. Which isn’t exactly easy to say... but you said we should be honest. And for the record, I also liked when you – wait - no. Your turn first. So… why the shower?”

I managed to stop myself just in time. Didn’t want to lay it all out there just yet. But I was kind of surprised how easy it had become to speak up. Did I feel safer now, after everything we’d just gone through?

Kacchan eyed me sharply. Still didn’t answer. Instead, he zeroed in: “What did you also like?”

I puffed my cheeks and lifted my head from the pillow. I probably looked like a pouting toddler glaring at him, but there was no way I’d let this slide.

“Your turn, Mr. No-Filter!”

He let out a snort, then groaned and tilted his head back with an annoyed sigh. It was quiet for a moment before he flopped down beside me again, lying on his back. His eyes studied me - thoughtful, focused.

But it didn’t even take a minute before they suddenly flashed with something resolute.

“So, Nerd. Since apparently I’m the one to blame for everything going on here,” Kacchan began, and something in his tone already made me wary - but I didn’t say anything yet -“let’s do it like this: we each say what we’ve noticed during sex. And all the other stuff we’ve done. Straightforward. No filters. And since neither of us had any experience before, there’s no reason to be embarrassed, got it?”

“So… we’re doing a…a…sex…analysis now?” I asked in disbelief, more than a little embarrassed. It wasn’t like I didn’t want to know what he liked or didn’t like - I was very interested, actually - but thinking about something and saying it out loud were two completely different things.

“Yeah. Only we’re not writing it all down in one of your dumb little notebooks,” he replied with an exaggerated eye-roll.

“My notebooks aren’t dumb.”

“You can prove that to me later. So, do we have a deal?”

“Only if you don’t tease me the entire time!” I insisted. Though, really, I had no idea why I thought he wouldn’t. There was no way Kacchan would pass up that opportunity.

His mouth curved into a wicked grin, revealing one of his sharp canines. The mere thought of being able to tease me over every single thing probably thrilled him more than anything else. His expression left absolutely no room for misinterpretation.

“Deal,” he finally agreed.

“Okay, but then you have to start!”

“Why?”

“Because I already admitted that I’m kinda… oh God…” I squeaked, burying my face into the pillow. My voice was muffled, and my ears were burning when I finished the sentence. “...okay with it being rough.”

I heard a very amused and obviously smug “Aha” next to me. I growled in protest - and a second later, I felt a hand on my back. Was that… his version of an apology?

“Fine! Then let me tell you, I also really liked pounding into y—”

“Kacchan!” I cut him off with a warning glare. He rolled his eyes in irritation and grumbled, “Apparently, I’m not into soft, romantic shit. And I like the shower ‘cause I don’t have to focus on my quirk there.”

Wait. What?

I stared at him, surprised. Pushed myself up onto my forearms to look at him better. That movement - and the way I looked at him - was apparently enough to send a blush creeping up his cheeks.

“I’m not explaining that out loud, okay?” he grumbled and averted his gaze. “You know I haven’t had problems controlling my quirk since I was six.”

And I did understand. I’d noticed it the first time I’d ended up with my head in his lap. And I’d done the same thing in the kitchen. One for All had kicked in from sheer emotional overload - from a level of arousal I had never experienced before.

Kacchan’s explosions were triggered by the nitroglycerin in his sweat. And apparently, he also secreted it during sex. So should I count myself lucky that I didn’t already have a handprint seared into my hips? Because he was so incredibly in control? So absurdly talented? And so freaking strong?

And why did that thought alone make my body shudder?

‘Damn it, Izuku! You’re completely messed up with your Kacchan obsession!’ hissed my inner voice. I quickly shook my head and flopped back onto the pillow.

“Okay, uh… then it’s my turn again,” I mumbled, taking a deep breath before I said, “I like… giving you a… blowjob. And when you… grab my hair and… push me… down.”

“Back to the whole ‘being rough’ thing,” Kacchan noted dryly, but didn’t comment any further. Just like we’d agreed. And thank God for that, because I was ready to sink into the ground. Seriously! Was this how people talked in relationships? Was this normal?

Kacchan cleared his throat and added, “I think it’s insanely hot when you’re on your knees in front of me.”

“So do I. Like… last Saturday…”

We both fell silent for a second, but I decided to push through. Even though I still felt like I was burning alive, it was getting easier to let the words out.

“I prefer looking at you during sex. And when you whisper into my ear in that deep, gravelly voice.”

A quick glance at Kacchan revealed a smug grin and a very satisfied expression.

“I’ve never been this horny in my life. Damn, I could fuck you 24/7 right now.”

“Wow, really? I hadn’t noticed…” I replied, dripping with sarcasm. Rolled my eyes. Not that I meant it in an annoyed way - honestly, the whole thing was kind of funny.

“I think your biceps are really… attractive. And, uh… your calves.”

“That’s oddly specific, Izuku,” Kacchan grinned at me. And damn it, there it was again - that teasing, tempting tone that always pulled me right out of my comfort zone. I was just about to fire back when he turned onto his side and said, “Your thick thighs turn me on so fucking hard. And your ass too.”

My open mouth slowly closed again. I just stared at him, speechless. How the hell could he say that with such a straight face? Without even the tiniest hint of embarrassment?

“I hate you,” I blurted out, turning my head away. I heard him laugh, felt an arm snake around me. His lips touched my shoulder blade.

“C’mon! I held back for a long time just now,” he said in an amused tone, pressing his lips to my skin again.

“You’re so….so…. unbelievable,” I muttered, trying to wriggle out of his grip. But his lips wandered to my ear, and I shuddered as goosebumps spread down my arms. And then I heard it - his deep, low voice. Though it didn’t sound nearly as confident as usual.

“I’ve been wondering what it would feel like if…”

He stopped. I heard him swallow hard and tried to turn my head toward him, but he pressed his forehead against mine. A silent plea not to look. So I obeyed. Waited.

What could be so hard for him to say that he couldn’t just blurt it out? I knew he didn’t want to try tasting cum like I had, so it couldn’t be that. What else could he even…

“I…want you to fuck me.”

The words cut through my thoughts - and all the air left my lungs. I froze completely.

Wait. What?!

 

 

 

Notes:

That’s it!
And… yeah… another cliffhanger? ^^’ Sorry about that, but that spot was just too perfect to cut things off 😅

So, what did you think of their… open conversation? Too much? Too awkward? Or just right?
I have to admit, I had so much fun writing this chapter 😄
I really believe open communication is one of the most important things in a relationship! But maybe you see it differently – I’m super curious to hear your thoughts!

As for the next chapter: I’ll try my best to upload it on Thursday, but it might be Friday instead. 😬 Still three more weeks of work stress left, and then… summer break! ☀️ That means finally more time for you guys 💕
Until then: sending hugs your way! 🤗

Chapter 59: Here we go again (It's Monday)

Notes:

Hey everyone!
And yes, I’m a little early this time. Why? …Well, I think I might’ve given you some false hopes with that cliffhanger in the last chapter 😅 Just to get it out of the way: there won’t be any smut in the next few chapters. Definitely not!
They’re just starting to talk more openly about what’s been on their minds and what they’ve noticed lately ^^ So please don’t be too disappointed!
But hey - this chapter kicks off a rather... interesting start to the week 😉 See for yourselves! 🧡💚

Chapter 59 – Here we go again (it’s Monday)

 

My whole body froze. My brain, too. I couldn’t process what I’d just heard. Tried to, but all I was left with was the echo of his words bouncing around in my head. What the hell did he just say? Did he really say what I think he said?

I completely forgot to breathe. Gasped in some of that very necessary oxygen through my slightly open mouth. Filled my lungs. And apparently, my bloodstream sent that oxygen straight to my brain. The part that had been desperately waiting for it.

“Izuku…” I heard Kacchan’s voice. Quiet. Uncertain. What had happened to his usual confidence?

“Uh… what?” I mumbled, still unable to turn toward him. He was still blocking me in. I could feel the warmth of his head resting behind my ear now. His breathing was way too uneven for someone supposedly at rest.

He growled. Let himself sink heavier onto me, like he was trying to squish the air right out of my lungs.

'Damn it! Pull yourself together, Izuku Midoriya!' I scolded myself while my brain finally started catching up with what Kacchan had said. He really wanted me to… to… switch roles with him? But why? Was he unhappy? Didn’t he like it the way it was? But… hadn’t he just said earlier that he’d love nothing more than to keep ‘working’ my ass all day? Then why…

“Say something, for fuck’s sake! Argh!!! Shit! I should’ve just kept my damn mouth sh—” he started cursing, clearly frustrated. I cut him off right away, stammering, “No! No! That was -  I’m just - surprised! I mean - I was prepared for, like, anything but… why?”

Goddammit! Why couldn’t I string a proper sentence together? I’d done just fine earlier. Why was this so different? Just because he said that?

I sighed and rubbed my face against the pillow before mumbling, “Can I look at you?”

His body tensed on top of me, but then I heard a hissed, “Whatever,” and felt the mattress dip beside me as he got off.

Slowly, I turned my head. I stayed on my stomach - it was still the most comfortable position. After all, certain areas still ached. But this way, I also got a breathtaking view of Kacchan’s side profile.

He was lying on his back, staring up at the ceiling, one hand draped across his eyes, clearly avoiding any eye contact with me. I’d expected his face to be red, but he looked completely normal. So... he hadn’t been embarrassed at all?

“What?” he snapped without even glancing at me, somehow sensing my stare.

I gave a crooked smile, cleared my throat and said, “Sorry! I’m just... processing. You know, I—”

“Yeah, I know your nerdy little bird brain takes forever to catch up,” he cut me off, throwing in a jab to dodge the awkwardness - typical Kacchan. I didn’t let it get to me. I knew this topic made him uncomfortable. But he’d brought it up, and we couldn’t just skip past it. This wasn’t something small. Or was I the only one making a big deal out of it?

“So... why do you suddenly want…to…switch?” I asked, trying to phrase it as vaguely as possible. I couldn’t bring myself to repeat his exact wording from earlier, no matter how often I told myself to get over it.

I flinched when Kacchan’s eyes met mine. He’d turned his head toward me, his hand now resting in his hair, pulling it slightly back. I suddenly felt self-conscious under his gaze and ducked my head into the pillow, peeking up at him from below.

Silence settled between us. It was tense - but not in a bad way. I couldn’t really describe it. I didn’t feel uncomfortable. Was it more curiosity that hung in the air? The thoughtful look on his face?

Minutes passed. I didn’t hold his gaze the whole time - it was just too much. My eyes wandered, scanning every inch of him and memorizing every detail of his body. I let myself get lost in it. Until his deep voice finally broke the silence.

“I guess I just wanna know what it feels like. I mean, you like it, and afterward you’re always so dazed that - fuck! You just completely melt, and that made me curious, okay? We never officially decided who’d take which role from the start. It’s not like we wrote it down or anything.”

By the end, his voice was growing sharper, caught somewhere between frustration, uncertainty, and something like... insecurity? Emotions he didn’t show easily. Or at all. At least not to anyone else.

Only to me.

The thought alone sent a flutter through my stomach. Still, I tried to stay focused. My face was heating up fast, and I barely managed not to squeak at the blunt way he put it. But deep down... yeah. It kind of turned me on. A little. Or maybe a lot.

I took a deep breath, buried my face almost entirely in the pillow, and mumbled, “Well, it always kind of felt natural to me. I mean, I’m smaller, younger, and... you’re just so dominant and proud. At least in how you carry yourself.”

Kacchan snorted, clearly amused. I puffed up my cheeks in response. Was he mocking me now?

I lifted my head to call him out when I caught the sly grin on his face and that mischievous glint in his eyes.

“So little Deku always saw himself as the bottom, huh?”

I groaned. “Shut up! And you’re the one who said you wanted to try it.”

Kacchan looked back up at the ceiling and muttered, “You’ve shoved your dick against my ass a couple times. It felt kinda... interesting. So I wanna give it a shot. If you’re not up for it, we don’t have to. And if it sucks, nothing has to change. Besides... didn’t you say you wanted to surpass me in everything?”

I let out a squeaky sound and pushed myself up onto my forearms, probably red as a tomato. God, why was he like this? And why did I even love him? Argh! That guy!

“Th-that’s… that’s totally different!” I stammered in protest. I had no idea what else to say. I could’ve cursed, but that just wasn’t my thing. Or did he want me to outdo him in swearing now too?

His laughter didn’t help. I growled in mock offense as he turned onto his side beside me. His arm came up, and his heavy left hand landed on my head, pushing me down - towards him.

I let it happen. Let him roll me onto my side too, his chest pressing warmly against my back. A content sigh escaped my lips as his body heat wrapped around me. God, it felt amazing every single time.

“So… should we try it sometime?” he murmured in my ear, kissing the skin just behind it. My body shivered as goosebumps spread from that spot down my neck and along my arms. Yeah - I loved that too.

“Yes, but… not in the dorm.”

“So next time you’re gonna ask your mom if we can have the apartment to ourselves?”

My whole body tensed. I let out a helpless squeak and instinctively smacked the arm he had draped around my stomach. He laughed - a deep, raspy sound that made my insides melt. It was so sexy. And if I wasn’t still sore from before, God, I’d be ready for a second round. At least a second.

“Relax, Nerd! It doesn’t have to be anytime soon. Just… something for the future. Until then, I’ll keep myself entertained with your ass and…”

He didn’t finish his sentence - instead, his hand slowly slid downward from my belly button until it bumped into my half-hardened cock. Shit. I was completely under his spell. And honestly? I deserved to get a little pampered today, didn’t I?

 

At some point, our quiet, tender cuddling had slipped into light sleep. We’d only exchanged a few more words before dozing off, still talking about what we liked and what we didn’t so much. It had felt kind of exciting. And playful. Almost like we were touching each other in those sensitive places for the very first time.

So yeah, morning came way too quickly. And way too early. Sure, we were used to waking up early, but the idea of having to get all the way back to the UA campus was just… not it. The bed was way too cozy. Too warm. And the body next to me way too tempting. But Kacchan didn’t tolerate any dawdling in the morning. Tch, should I maybe tell him that his discipline wasn’t that different from Ilda`s? …Would I survive that comment?

“Izuku! Get your ass out of bed or I’ll drag you out myself.”

“You could also just get up first,” I mumbled, pulling the blanket a bit higher. I heard him snort next to me.

“Tch. No way I’m rolling over you, you filthy little—”

I smacked his upper arm when his voice dropped into a teasing purr and flung off the covers. God, had I really said I loved him last night and not that I hated him?

Grumbling, I sat up and walked across his room, completely naked, heading straight for the bathroom. My subconscious noted that this wasn’t something you were supposed to do in someone else’s house, but seriously - did this place even count as “someone else’s” anymore? I had a whole section of the closet here, and soon-to-be in-laws who fully accepted me.

 

I was grinning like an idiot while brushing my teeth. So wide and goofy that Kacchan jabbed me in the ribs. And shot me a properly annoyed look. But I caught it - how his eyes rolled in that amused way at the expression on my face. And I had the feeling he actually liked it. Thoroughly. Just like I did. I’d grown to love this little morning routine. It almost felt like we lived together. Like we’d been doing this forever.

“Why’d you pack such a big bag anyway, Kacchan?” I asked as we both left the bathroom and returned to his room. He mumbled something unintelligible. I prodded, then caught the red tips of his ears. He rubbed the back of his neck a bit too obviously before grumbling a little louder, “The old hag put some good stuff in the closet for u…uh, for you. I just... grabbed a few. Especially some proper boxers. Seriously, those All Might ones are a total turn-off.”

Even if his last words made me want to crawl into a hole and die of embarrassment, I knew he only said them to cover his own. So I just smiled and walked over to the closet, daring to ask, “So... got a pair of boxers you actually like on me now?”

Right away, I got a plain black one tossed in my face. Definitely snug-fitting. I usually only wore this kind under my hero costume. He also growled some insult at me that made me grin. God, since when was he this easy to fluster? Was it because of yesterday? Our talk? My confession? Or his own revelation?

I shrugged, brushed the thought aside, and pulled on the shorts. Gave myself a once-over in the mirror - and yeah, I looked good. Kacchan thought so too, judging by the way he was watching me through the mirror. Oh yes, he definitely liked what he saw.

“So how are we doing this at school?” I asked while slipping into my uniform. I felt unusually confident today. Had we been hit by some kind of quirk that swapped our personalities?

I ditched that thought right away when I heard Kacchan’s regular no-nonsense tone again: “Throw your stuff from your backpack into my bag. I’ll take it to the dorm. You head straight to class. That way we won’t arrive together. Though I doubt it matters, seeing as neither of us came back yesterday.”

I nodded. Yeah. He had a point.

 

 

“So… see you later?” I asked a little hesitantly as we stepped onto school grounds. I tried not to look too disappointed. Our last kiss had been back at the Bakugou house. Knowing the next one wouldn’t happen until bedtime tonight made my love-struck heart ache a little.

“Don’t look at me like that,” Kacchan grumbled, sounding slightly annoyed. He tilted his head and explained right away, “You’ve got that face like you want me to kiss you right here and now.”

I lowered my head, peeked up at him, and bit my lip before mumbling, “Hm, and what if I do?”

Kacchan sighed and gave me a light smack to the back of the head.

“Stupid Nerd,” he muttered, turning away and raising a hand in farewell. I sighed and smiled a little. After all, I’d seen the twitch in his mouth. I knew he’d wanted it too. Had I already thought today about how much I loved this guy? If not, then definitely now. Shit! I really had to make sure I didn’t start skipping across the courtyard like some giddy, squealing schoolgirl. No way was I letting myself be that embarrassing.

I sighed again and finally stepped into the school building. I didn’t need to look where I was going - I knew the path by heart. I’d been at U.A. for a whole trimester now. Still, it felt a little weird walking to class alone, since we’d all been going together ever since moving into the dorms. Often even as a whole class.

Not everyone did that. But Class 1-A was something special. To all of us. And to the other classes too - just not in a good way. We were the ones who “brought all the chaos.” As if we’d chosen to mess with the League of Villains just to hog the spotlight. That thought made my stomach twist in frustration. Honestly, I’d have gladly passed on all of it. But if I had… would things have still turned out the way they are now?

A wave of loud voices snapped me out of my thoughts. I smiled slightly - I already knew the noise was coming from our classroom. I could even pick out the loudest voices. Kaminari was definitely in the lead. I was a little surprised I hadn’t heard Ilda yet, trying to calm everyone down. Or had he finally accepted the chaotic energy of our class?

‘No way in hell,’ shot through my head, and I had to fight hard not to laugh out loud right there in the hallway. The image in my head was just too good. Combined with the amazing weekend I’d had with Kacchan, it was honestly too much happiness at once.

Did I even deserve all this?

Still smiling, I opened the door and entered the classroom. “Good morning!” I called brightly. And got it back tenfold. I smiled and headed for my seat.

“Morning, Deku! There you are again!” Uraraka greeted me with enthusiasm. Ilda, Asui, and Todoroki came over too. But I also noticed out of the corner of my eye that a few more heads seemed to perk up. Not exactly obvious, but people were definitely listening in. Why, though?

“Yeah! After the internship, it feels kinda weird being back at school,” I replied with a friendly tone.

“Right? It was all so exciting. We wanted to tell you all about it, but you never came back. Over the weekend, I mean,” Uraraka added, and I couldn’t help but look up in surprise. Was it really that big of a deal that I hadn’t been at the dorms? Did she take it personally? But… why?

“Uh, well… It was just easier to go to Sir Nighteye’s from my place on Sunday. And, you know, my mom wants to see me too,” I explained, though I couldn’t miss the very skeptical look Asui gave me. Crap, I’d totally forgotten about her. Ilda and Todoroki, meanwhile, seemed normal as ever. Uraraka’s smile, though, looked a little forced.

“Hey, um, Deku…,” she started, shifting on her feet like she was about to bring up something uncomfortable. And slowly, it dawned on me. I found myself glancing at Shoto. Had he told them that Kacchan and I…

“Um, Todoroki said he saw you on Saturday. You and Bakugou… he said you went to the movies together. Is that true?”

Oh god, that’s right! Todoroki had said something. I’d already managed to forget about that. But okay - we hadn’t actually been at the cinema. We’d had the most amazing date at the summer festival instead. Just thinking about it gave me butterflies. But I couldn’t start daydreaming now. I needed to focus. I mean, what was even so bad about watching a movie with Kacchan? Although…

“Yeah, we just happened to want to see the same movie. And, well… we’re getting along better now. And going to the cinema alone is kinda weird,” I explained. I smiled and tried to look as innocent and calm as possible.

Uraraka nodded, smiling back - and I was just about to breathe a sigh of relief when Ashido practically jumped on her back and blurted out, “Whoa! Midoriya! You actually went to the movies with Bakubabe? That’s so unfair!”

And bam - before I could even blink, Kaminari and Sero were suddenly there too. What the hell? Why was a whole crowd forming around me? And why was this such an interesting topic?

“For real! Kacchan’s so mean! He’s turned down all of our invites,” Kaminari whined, arms crossed with mock offense. A sharp jolt ran through the back of my neck and up to my arm, making my muscles twitch. Damn it! It really did bug me hearing Kaminari say “Kacchan.” That was my name for him!

“Last time we asked him, he nearly blasted our heads off. Dude was pissed,” Sero chimed in.

Ashido leaned sideways past Uraraka, her face coming way too close to mine. Uncomfortably close.

“So how’d you do it, huh? How’d you convince our little gremlin to go along with it?”

I shrugged helplessly. “Uh, well, we just…”

Nothing. Absolutely nothing came to mind that didn’t sound suspicious as hell, even to my own ears. But seriously - like anyone would think that…

My salvation came in the form of a loud bang as the classroom door was shoved open. I let out a quiet sigh of relief when I spotted that familiar ashy blond head through the gap.

“Oi, you Extras! The hell are you all doing crowding around my seat?! Get lost!” he barked in that oh-so-familiar tone. But instead of dispersing, they only shifted enough for him to reach his desk. The crowd around me stayed put.

“Bakubabe! My dearest little blast grenade! How was your weekend?” Ashido greeted him brightly, finally turning her attention away from me - but still way too close.

“Shut it, Racoon Eyes! Not your damn business. But you can explain why you’re all breathing down the nerd’s neck!” he snapped instead. His face was a mix of suspicion and aggression - and it worked. My classmates finally backed off a little, giving me some space to breathe. Only Todoroki moved to stand beside Kacchan at his desk. Huh? Had something shifted between those two during the special course?

“Midoriya was just telling us about your little movie night,” I heard Ashido’s voice right next to my ear. She sounded casual, but there was something subtly challenging about her tone. And for the first time, it really hit me - Ashido definitely had a mischievous side. Maybe that’s why Kacchan had let her into his friend group.

My eyes darted over to him, unsure. I tried to signal as discreetly as possible - That’s not what I said. And those fiery red eyes of his… they seemed to get it. At least, I hoped they did.

Kacchan’s expression shifted slightly. Now he just looked annoyed. He tossed his bag onto the desk, plopped into his seat, and braced his shin against the desk leg to start casually tipping his chair back.

“Tch. What’s there to talk about? We sat in the same theater and watched the same damn thing,” he said, sounding so indifferent that it made my stomach twist for a second. But this was how it had to be - right?

“Yeah, but you never come with us…” Ashdio started to complain, but Kacchan cut her off before she could build up steam: “Yeah, ‘cause your mom doesn’t flip her shit over a damn house arrest!”

“Oh,” Ashido replied - and a few others echoed the sound. Not me, though. I was too busy giving Kacchan a silent round of applause for the perfect excuse. Had he thought that up in advance? Or just made it up on the spot?

“Ohhh, your mom…” someone mumbled behind me - I couldn’t quite place the voice. Still, I turned around with a sheepish smile and explained, “Yeah, our moms didn’t want another embarrassment like last time. They said if we couldn’t get along and Mr. Aizawa had to call again, villains would be the least of our problems.”

“Whoa!” Kirishima exclaimed from behind me. Had he been with Kaminari and Sero this whole time?

Before anyone could ask more questions or make another comment, the door flew open again. I could’ve hugged whoever it was. The tension in my shoulders immediately eased as Present Mic entered the classroom - loud and energetic as ever.

Honestly? I had never been this happy to start English class.

 

 

Notes:

That’s it!
Yup, we’re officially back at school…
Do you remember how I’ve mentioned a few times that I’m really bad at keeping things short and never like skipping over moments? ^^'
Well… Monday is one of those days. Let’s just say… be glad this one day stretches all the way to Chapter 63 ^^' Sorry! But I have a feeling you might enjoy the upcoming chapters 😄

So, what did you think of this one? Were you disappointed things didn’t escalate right away? Was the conversation between the two okay? And what do you think about the class right now?

I’m really looking forward to your thoughts!!! Honestly, I feel like I’m living off them at the moment
See you again on Monday! Sending hugs! 🤗🧡💚

Chapter 60: Suspicious

Notes:

Hey everyone!

Here I am again – with a lovely new chapter in tow... well, whether it's actually lovely for our two boys, you’ll see for yourselves in a moment 😉

Thank you so, so much for all your amazing comments. You guys are seriously the sweetest, and I’m honestly overwhelmed by how much you’re enjoying this story! 💚🧡 Thank you from the bottom of my heart! I’ll keep doing my best to give you all a bit of comfort right here =D
Enjoy! 💚🧡

Chapter 60 – Suspicious

 

I had to slightly correct myself. As happy as I’d been when class started, I now hated it just as much. Not because the material was too difficult. No. But damn, I had completely forgotten that we had two blocks of Present Mic today. Four whole periods of sitting. For fuck’s sake! My tailbone, my hips, and even my back were killing me. And don’t even get me started on my ass.

I sighed. Tried to do it discreetly. And not for the first time. How was I supposed to focus on writing an essay like this? Why the hell would Present Mic assign an essay on a Monday of all days? Did he have so much free time the rest of the week that he needed to kill it with grading?

Frustrated, my fingers tightened around my pen until it suddenly gave a suspicious crack. Seriously? Did I just break my damn pen?

‘Damn it, and the day had started out so nice,’ I whined internally, sighing again as I rummaged through my pencil case for a new pen. That’s when I felt a gaze on me. I looked up and met a pair of ruby eyes peeking over a shoulder - Kacchan’s.

He eyed me skeptically, one eyebrow raised. And yeah, of course he’d noticed. There was no way he hadn’t noticed that our little “shower escapade” was still very fresh in my body’s memory today. My slightly wrecked body. But hey, I still didn’t regret a thing. Hell no! I’d do it all again. I’d kind of told him that yesterday anyway. During our talk. Our very open, slightly embarrassing, but also incredibly freeing talk. And honestly? That was the best thing we could’ve done! Every insecurity, every stupid thought my brain had cooked up before that - it was all gone. Everything felt clear now. And somehow easier.

I gave him a small, smiling nod, which prompted Kacchan to turn back around. Not without letting out a low, irritated sound, of course.

Smiling, I looked at his broad back in front of me. Could anyone even imagine that this loud, abrasive guy was such a caring and loving boyfriend?

I held back my dumb, lovesick grin. No, no one had to know. Because this little secret - it was mine. Just mine.

 

 

I was beyond relieved when the bell finally rang for lunch break. I had tried to stand up during the short break between the two blocks - but had given up immediately. There was no way I could’ve done it without making some kind of sound.

But now, that wasn’t a problem anymore. Everyone groaned and stretched as they pushed themselves up from their chairs. They all looked physically and mentally drained. Well, we had spent four full periods working through various texts and writing an essay. What had Present Mic even been doing that whole time?

Probably watching some dumb videos on his tablet, I thought, though I couldn’t really picture that hyperactive teacher watching anything in silence. He was just too loud for that. Must be a blonde thing. I mean, Kaminari was loud too. And well, Kacchan kind of was - at least when he was yelling at and insulting everyone.

My body protested as I heaved myself up. I shrugged it off with a smile, stretched my arms up, and shifted side to side before rubbing my lower back for a moment.

That’s when I noticed Kacchan watching me like a hawk again.

“Don’t say anything,” I whispered to him, glancing aside, slightly embarrassed. No idea why, but it just was embarrassing. Not like it was my fault. Well… okay, maybe a little bit my fault. But—

Oh come on, Izuku. You can’t even deny that you want to do it all over again, my inner voice purred, promptly flooding my brain with some very explicit images. Yep. That’s exactly what made it so embarrassing.

Uraraka’s voice pulled me - thankfully - out of my no-longer-innocent thoughts: “Hey Deku! Wanna come to Lunch Rush with us?”

I turned to her with a smile and saw her standing with Asui and Ilda.

“Gladly! I’m starving after all that,” I laughed and started walking, doing my best to ignore the slight ache. It would pass soon enough once I got moving.

As I walked past Kacchan, I gave him a quick sideways glance as he stood up. God, I would’ve loved to brush my hand against his or just turn toward him. But that wasn’t an option. Even if, by now, everyone should’ve figured out that we interacted more often now - and not just in fights. After all, we had put on a show for them. Made it seem like we were slowly but surely becoming friends again. Or at least getting along better.

 

 

“Present Mic really wanted to torture us today, huh? How are we supposed to survive the afternoon classes?” Uraraka whined, plopping down across from me next to Asui. I was sitting on the other side of the table with Ilda and Todoroki.

“It was a very demanding and intellectually stimulating assignment. Also, having a high level of concentration is essential for hero work. Therefore, it was an excellent exercise to train that skill,” Ilda explained the purpose of the task.

I just smiled awkwardly and added, “That’s true. The reports were interesting, but I’d still prefer training over theory classes. Mr. Aizawa will probably have us working silently this afternoon.”

“I thought it was kinda creepy how quiet the room was. Not sure if everyone was working or just dozing off,” Uraraka giggled, and all of us joined in - except Todoroki, of course.

I was just starting to enjoy this relaxed lunchtime mood when Asui suddenly asked out of nowhere, “So what did you and Bakugou watch at the movies, Midoriya-chan?”

Why? Why that question? And why from Asui, of all people? Dear god, what had I done to deserve this?

Frozen, I stared down at my plate and tried to stay calm. Tried to keep my breathing steady. Of course I hadn’t thought about the whole run-in with Todoroki again after our date. And of course I hadn’t checked the movie listings again. I’d only skimmed the website briefly while looking for a good date idea. What had even been playing?

“Um, I don’t know if Kacchan wants me to say,” I tried to deflect, scratching the back of my head nervously.

Naturally, I could see the question marks forming in my friends’ eyes. And honestly, I wouldn’t have been any less curious in their place. I cleared my throat and added, “Kacchan doesn’t really like it when anything personal about him gets shared. That includes his taste in movies.”

“You do realize that only makes us more curious, Deku? Was it something embarrassing? Maybe... something romantic?” Uraraka teased in a mock-shocked tone, watching me closely.

I felt my face heat up. Seriously? Was she being serious right now? I wanted to sink into the floor. God, could this Monday please be over already?

“N-no… no, of course not! N-not something like that!” I stammered, waving my hands around nervously and wondering how much more humiliating this could get. And I still couldn’t remember exactly what had been on that movie list. Why hadn’t I paid more attention?

Because there was nothing really interesting playing, and you gave up on the idea, my annoying little inner voice chimed in again. It had been way too chatty today. Was there a way to shut it off?

“What was it then?”

“Well, it was something more… boring. At least for most people. A… um… kind of documentary,” I mumbled, vaguely remembering something like that being promoted on the site. Was it about a hero’s life story? Or—

“So the Yokohama incident from twenty years ago?” Todoroki said, who hadn’t spoken a single word during lunch until now. Ah, right. Thank you, Todoroki. That old mafia case where the heroes tried to take illegal drugs off the streets and ended up uncovering human trafficking for Quirk experimentation. How had I forgotten?

“Uh… yeah, that’s definitely heavy stuff,” Uraraka said carefully. I caught the polite smile on her face. Not that I could blame her. She probably thought I’d gone to see some action flick. Honestly, that would’ve been more my thing. But what could I say? I hadn’t kept up with movie releases since coming to UA. Then again, I’d never really been that interested to begin with - except for the All Might films, of course.

“Yeah… um, it really was interesting. We briefly touched on the topic in Hero History during the first trimester, but never explored it in detail. So… I was curious.”

“And Bakugou too?”

I bit the inside of my cheek, smiled like I always did, and said, “It was about hero work, after all.”

Nods around the table. Finally, the topic seemed to be done. Uraraka switched to talking about her internship, and I sighed inwardly in relief. Finally, a subject I could freely talk about without watching every word I said. I shoved aside the warning voice in my head reminding me that Kacchan might’ve told his squad something else. But I couldn’t just pull out my phone to text him now.

 

 

“It’s time! We need to get back to class,” Ilda announced as he stood up with his tray. I watched him make his rounds to all the other tables of our class, informing everyone one by one. I smirked slightly. Yeah, Ilda was really dutiful - and a little peculiar. But there was something comical about it. In a good way, of course.

My eyes followed Ilda unconsciously until he reached the ‘Bakusquad’ table. That table had been unusually quiet during lunch. Probably because some of them were still despairing over English class. Not Kacchan, though. Kacchan had finished a full hour early. Of course I’d noticed. But well, he was one of the top students in our class. Though I wasn’t far behind - just one rank lower. Still, in English, he definitely had the upper hand.

“Aw, Ilda! Can’t you just excuse us? We’re done for,” I heard Kaminari whine. He was lying face-down on the table, looking like he didn’t have a single ounce of energy left.

“Kaminari! The break was long enough, you—”

“Shut it, Glasses! We’ll be there on time,” Kacchan cut in sharply. He looked seriously annoyed. Way more than earlier. What the hell had happened at that table to put him in such a mood?

“Bakugou! I forbi—”

“Yeah, yeah, save it,” he grumbled, standing up and grabbing his tray. He didn’t even spare the outraged Ilda a glance before walking off.

I followed him. Along with Todoroki, Uraraka, and Asui.

His friends suddenly jumped up too. I could hear them calling after him and apologizing to Ilda: “It’s our fault he’s like this. Sorry, Class Rep.”

Hm. What had they done? What had they said to provoke him? Something about the movie outing that didn’t actually happen?

“Whoa! What did you guys do?” Uraraka turned to Ashido. I thanked her silently. I wouldn’t have been able to ask with Asui walking beside me. No idea why, but my suspicion that she might have figured something out kept growing. No - scratch that - I was about 80% sure she’d picked up on something. Why else would she have brought the movie thing up again?

“Oh, we were trying to figure out what movie we’d have to suggest to get him to actually go out with us. And then we complained that none of us have ever been allowed into his room. And, well, we maybe got a tiny bit upset about the fact that things seem to be totally fine when it comes to you, Midoriya.”

If this were a bad movie, I’d have choked on my drink or tripped just now. Thank god it wasn’t. Still, my heart skipped a beat. From fear? Panic? I wasn’t sure. My face didn’t feel warm either. Was I pale? I felt slightly nauseous after Ashido’s words.

I gave her a crooked smile as I put my tray away. We kept walking out of the cafeteria at a steady pace. Kacchan was only a few steps ahead of us, but I was pretty sure he was out of earshot.

“Midoriya! Say something, will you?” Ashido pressed, looking at me with those big, expectant eyes. So much for ignoring everything until we reached the classroom.

Nervously, I stared at Kacchan’s back for a moment, then turned my head slightly - not completely - hoping my voice would carry forward just enough: “I think you’re imagining things, Ashido. I mean, if everything was fine, we wouldn’t have ended up under house arrest in the first place. So…”

“Yeah, but things have been different between you two since then.”

I suppressed the urge to bite my lip or lower my head. Instead, I gave her an uneasy smile and asked a question I probably should’ve kept to myself: “What exactly do you mean?”

“Well, first of all, you were allowed in his room!”

“Yeah, we had a ton of stuff to get done.”

“And then you suddenly fight in perfect sync. And he explained something to you during class the other day. Oh! And you two went to the movies together. And the weekend before that, his dad take yo—”

I could feel my pulse racing. With every new comment, my nerves and unease grew. But the sudden growl of a voice and the heat at my back made the rising panic dissolve instantly.

“What kind of messed-up bullshit are you spouting, Racoon Eyes?”

I allowed myself a quick breath of relief while Ashido puffed out her cheeks in protest, hands planted on her hips. So this wasn’t over yet. But a sideways glance and Kacchan’s elbow nudging my upper arm told me he had stepped up beside me. Hands in his pockets, a seriously pissed-off look on his face. God - was this going to end well? We were standing right in the middle of the hallway, and people were already giving us weird looks.

“That’s not bullshit, Bakubabe! Just admit you prefer Midoriya over us. Or at least that something changed between you two since house arrest. It’s just really unfair how you treat us.”

God, I thought my heart was about to leap out of my chest.

“What am I doing that makes you think I’m treating you dumbasses unfairly in any way? And what does the nerd have to do with it?” he asked. Calmly. Too calmly. That low tone in his voice didn’t bode well.

“Well…” she started, then trailed off, catching her breath a few times before continuing, “Well, for example, we still haven’t been allowed in your room.”

“Because I don’t want any of you Extras in there! I’ve said that before - maybe your leaky brain just forgot,” he spat back. Still too calm. Was I really the only one who recognized that this tone meant Code Red?

“Then let me say it again: Is Midoriya not an extra to you anymore? What are you now - BFFs or something?”

He growled. His whole upper body tensed, jaw clenching so hard I could practically hear his teeth grinding.

Instinctively, I grabbed Kacchan’s forearm, holding onto him and said, “Can we please talk about this in the classroom or tonight in the dorm? Everyone’s watching.”

Ilda agreed, urging us to show some discipline. Also, that we shouldn’t block a potential evacuation route.

I tugged on Kacchan’s arm to get us moving, not wanting to stand here in the hallway any longer. I just wanted to leave. Escape. Get to class. I needed a break from all this drama today. But as I pulled on his arm, Kaminari muttered skeptically, “If I tried pulling on him like that, I’d get blasted into the ceiling.”

Now I growled slightly. I couldn’t hide it anymore, couldn’t suppress it. This whole situation was draining the last bit of patience out of me. I was just so done.

"Don't worry! I've been blown up by him more times than you can imagine. You don't die that easily from it," I snapped, spun around on my heel, and pulled Kacchan with me. He didn’t resist. But something had changed in his eyes. Regret? Hurt? Damn. What the hell had I just said?

I kept walking. Swallowed hard. Searching for the right words. God, that had sounded awful, hadn’t it? Like I’d constantly been on the receiving end of his Quirk. But it really hadn’t happened that often - not when you considered the whole time we’d known each other.

“I didn’t mean it like that. I… You didn’t… I… it’s all fine, okay? I’m just… pissed,” I mumbled apologetically to him.

His gaze lowered slightly. I could hear our friends protesting behind us, but only faintly.

“Let’s talk about it tonight… Izuku,” he whispered so quietly that only I could hear it.

My eyes widened and I looked straight up at him. Had he really called me by my name? Right here? In the middle of the school hallway?

I swallowed, blinking suspiciously often as I felt a tight knot forming in my throat. I didn’t want this anymore. Not any of it. Should we just skip class? Just disappear? Get away from everyone? What had we done to deserve classmates this annoyingly persistent? This nosy? This... irritating?

“I just want some peace,” I muttered as my hand slipped from Kacchan’s forearm, too exhausted to keep holding on. But before it dropped completely to my side, I felt the soft brush of Kacchan’s pinky finger along mine. Right here. In the hallway.

That tiny touch was all I needed. Enough to send a warm feeling blooming through my stomach. To loosen the knot in my throat just a little. Damn. I wanted to throw my arms around him right here and now. I wanted to crawl inside him and tell him that I loved him. That this was all just too much.

“Same, nerd,” he whispered just as the voices behind us grew louder.

“Hey, wait up!”

Ugh! Could this self-proclaimed Bakusquad not give it a rest?

Just as I was about to spin around and completely lose my temper, I heard another voice. One that was way too cheerful and way too loud. A voice that made my heart drop to my stomach. Because that voice knew we had spent another day together over the weekend.

“Hey there, my favorite hero buddy! And today you’re back in your good old school uniform!” Togata’s loud and chipper voice echoed down the hallway. Hm, maybe there was something to the idea that blond always meant loud.

Internally, I sighed, forced a mostly normal smile onto my face, and greeted him politely: “Hi Togata! What are you doing on this floor?”

A very valid question - one I’d really like an answer to. The third-years were on a completely different level. The fact that I was bumping into him right here, right now, could not be coincidence. No, I was sure of it: some kind of misfortune quirk had hit me on my way to school. There was no other way to explain how everything was going wrong today.

“Oh, I had to drop something off with Mr. Aizawa. Sir Nighteye gave it to me yesterday. I wanted to tell you, but then you ran off with Bakugou,” he explained cheerfully. Then he turned to Kacchan and added, “Hi Bakugou! Will I get a nicer greeting today than I did yesterday?”

Of course I immediately heard the murmured “Yesterday?” from behind me. I just ignored it, looking instead to Kacchan. He had shoved his hands into his pockets, stood at a slight angle to Togata - and that was all it took to feel the rejection radiating off of him.

He huffed in annoyance, pressed his shoulder against mine, and without saying a word, urged me to keep walking. Past Togata.

I just gave Togata an apologetic smile and quickly said, “We’ve got to see Mr. Aizawa too. See you at the internship.”

He just laughed loudly and waved to the people behind us. I didn’t look back. Just matched Kacchan’s pace and kept walking. I could feel how pissed off he was now. Even more than before. Maybe this whole thing felt just as overwhelming to him as it did to me.

“Kacchan?” I whispered uncertainly.

He just growled and grumbled, “I can’t stand that guy.”

A soft laugh escaped me, and I was about to say something back when an arm suddenly draped over my shoulders.

Startled, I flinched and stumbled a bit, turning to see Kaminari’s overly curious face.

“So you did hang out again on Sunday, too?”

Only now did I realize that everyone had caught up to us. I didn’t even have to look over my shoulder to know they were all staring, waiting for an explanation.

“And? I don’t see how that’s any of your damn business, dumbass,” Kacchan said darkly, without a hint of emotion. And that – that - was what set off all the alarm bells in my head again. Why wasn’t he yelling? Where were the insults? Where was the loud cursing?

Had he given up? Was he already at the point - just like me - where he simply didn’t have the energy to fight off all these questions anymore?

I sighed, gently pushed Kaminari’s arm off my shoulder, turned slightly as I walked, and said, “We had an assignment from Mr. Aizawa to finish that we didn’t get done on Friday. So we met up and went to the city library. Happy now?”

My voice sounded so tired and annoyed that all I got in return was silent nodding. Their faces still looked skeptical and curious, but – miraculously - they let it drop. Had they finally understood that we deserved some privacy?

 

 

We all sat down in silence while Mr. Aizawa was already standing at his desk. He seemed to be organizing some notes.

Suddenly, I saw Ashido’s arm shoot up into the air. A bad feeling crept into my stomach as I glanced at our homeroom teacher, who looked just as confused - and slightly annoyed.

“Yes, Ashido? What’s so important that it can’t wait another three minutes?”

She completely ignored his tone and the very clear suggestion that she should leave him alone for now. Instead, she cleared her throat and asked point-blank, “Did you give Bakugou and Midoriya any assignments to turn in today?”

Speechless. Stunned. Completely unable to react.

That pretty much summed up my state at that moment.

And if we go back to the question of whether they respected our privacy…

The answer was clearly no.

 

 

 

 

Notes:

That’s it!

So… what do you think is coming next? How do you think our dear Eraser will react? And how did you like our beloved Class 1A… or rather, the squads of our two favorites? 😏

I’m super curious to hear your thoughts on this one – and what you think might be in store for the next chapters. Just a reminder: we’ve still got 2 and a half chapters of Monday ahead of us =DDDD

We’ll catch up again on Saturday – I’ve got absolutely no time on Friday, sorry about that! 😢
Also… I’m running low on pre-written chapters and somehow need to make it through until my summer break starts xD’

Sending hugs to all of you! 💚🧡

Chapter 61: Admirable Teachers

Notes:

Hey everyone!
It’s finally here – a new chapter!
And you’ve absolutely earned it with all your amazing comments. Seriously – you’re incredible! Your feedback keeps getting longer and more detailed, which makes me so happy 💕 I’ve probably read through your messages two or three times already!

Now enjoy the chapter! After all… I want to ease your worries...
...or maybe not? 😏 🧡💚

Chapter 61 – Admirable Teachers

 

“Did you give Bakugou and Midoriya any assignments they’re supposed to turn in to you today?”

 

Ashido’s voice echoed through my head. I couldn’t control my expression - my jaw dropped slightly, and my eyes widened. Did she really just ask that? Why? Why would she do that? Didn’t she believe us? Sure, it had been an excuse, but why press further? And more importantly - what would Mr. Aizawa do now?

The thoughts shot through my mind in a fraction of a second. Out of the corner of my eye - since I had turned toward Ashido - I noticed Kacchan’s shoulders twitching. He hadn’t turned to face the class. His head was still resting in his hand, clearly trying to appear bored and uninterested.

Only when Mr. Aizawa’s voice rang out did I manage to pull myself out of my thoughts.

“I don’t understand your question.”

Ashido looked confused. So did I, probably. My eyes darted between the two of them.

“Huh? I mean… I asked if you gave Baku—”

“No, that’s not what I meant,” he cut her off, his posture calm yet somehow threatening.

He stepped out from behind his desk, shoved his hands into his pockets, and leaned against it casually.

A full minute of silence passed. Ashido’s mouth opened, but she seemed unsure what to say or ask. I wouldn’t have known either if I were in her shoes. What was Aizawa getting at?

“Is there more to that?” he asked, and of course, he cast us a brief sidelong glance, which I deliberately ignored. That would’ve made it even more suspicious, right?

“Well, um… I’m not sure I understand. We just wanted to…”

“Who does ‘we’ refer to?” he interrupted again. Not harsh. Not angry. Just bored and emotionless. Although, if one had to guess, the emotion behind it might have been skepticism.

“Well, uh… us, I guess,” Ashido said, confused, gesturing vaguely around her desk. She was probably trying to signal that her friends were involved - along with Uraraka and Asui. Ilda sat too far away, and he had definitely tried to defuse the hallway situation earlier.

Mr. Aizawa let his gaze wander across the class. I saw how every single one of them started to shrink into their seats. Were they afraid?

“Alright,” he said simply, turning away from us and heading back behind the desk. He picked up the chalk for the board, then turned to Ashido again. “Why do you - do you all - want that information from me?”

I couldn’t explain it exactly, but the air felt so thick in the room, it was suddenly hard to breathe. I probably wasn’t the only one feeling that.

“Well, I… we… we just wanted to know if Bakugou and Midoriya were telling the truth,” she said. It sounded so unsure, it could’ve been a question.

“What reason would they have to lie to you?”

Silence. Embarrassed, clueless silence. At least from my classmates. I knew very well why I would lie to them. Why I had already lied to them.

I watched as Mr. Aizawa sighed, pinched the bridge of his nose, then turned to the board and wrote just two words:

Distrust. Overconfidence.

I tilted my head slightly. In front of me, Kacchan scoffed. Did he already know where Aizawa was going with this?

But Aizawa let the words hang there for a moment. Then he stepped away from the board and moved to his usual corner - the one where he often took his naps. The one where Kacchan and I… had made out. Holy shit! I had completely forgotten about that. But now it came back full force, almost enough to make me forget the tension hanging over the room.

“Why did I write those two words?”

Yaomomo raised her hand, and after a quick nod from Aizawa, she replied, “Ashido’s question came from distrusting something Bakugou and Midoriya said. And from a kind of overconfidence – maybe because she assumed you’d just answer her without questioning it.”

Mr. Aizawa tilted his head side to side, as if weighing whether or not to accept the answer. But instead of commenting on it, he turned back to the class: “Any other ideas?”

I was racking my brain. What else could he want to hear? Yaomomo’s answer sounded so plausible, I couldn’t imagine anything else.

I was all the more surprised when Kacchan’s arm suddenly lifted in front of me. And I wasn’t the only one.

“Bakugou?”

“Distrust and Overconfidence are two factors that increase the risk of failure during a hero mission,” he said, sounding so bored you’d think the answer was painfully obvious.

I raised an eyebrow and considered his words. And yes, they did make sense. But how had he jumped straight to the topic of hero missions...?

“Correct.”

Mr. Aizawa stepped back to his desk, bracing himself on both sides with his hands - an unusually direct posture for him - and said:

“In a real mission, these traits can decide between life and death. And I’m not just talking about your own lives. It’s about your teammates and about civilians. Overconfidence - the delusion that you can’t lose because you have a strong Quirk, or because your opponent seems weak – leads to mistakes. Underestimating a villain is basically suicide.”

He paused sharply, then continued:

“Distrust toward your teammates will make you hesitate in risky situations. If you don’t trust each other, how can you fight together? If you’re suspicious of each other, how can you put your lives in one another’s hands? How do you expect to save someone if you don’t follow your teammate’s plan because you think they’re only looking out for themselves? Or maybe using you as bait?”

Silence. Again. Nothing but silence.

Ashamed, uncertain faces staring down at their desks instead of at our teacher. Slumped shoulders. Humility.

I, on the other hand, looked up at Mr. Aizawa. Impressed, admiring, and grateful. Never in my life would I have thought of turning a question from a student into such a brilliant, impactful start to a lesson. Fascinating - and incredibly smart - how he’d managed to protect us at the same time. Our relationship, which had definitely started to look a bit suspicious by now.

“Now let me ask you again, Ashido. Why did you want that information from me?”

His voice, still so calm, now felt razor-sharp. He hadn’t changed his tone or posture - but his earlier words had changed everything.

I looked at Ashido. She was nervously fiddling with her fingers, scratching the edge of her desk with a fingernail, before she finally said quietly, “I don’t want it anymore.”

“Why not?”

“Because… I believe them.”

“Are you sure you do?”

Whoa! Even I felt like the collar of my shirt was tightening. I imagined myself in Ashido’s shoes. Dear god - I would’ve died three times by now. Would be scared to even think a wrong word.

“Hmm… not really. But… I didn’t want to seem distrustful. I was really just… curious,” she said, now looking up.

“There’s no such thing as just curious.”

I saw Ashido bite her lip. Saw Kirishima twitch behind her. Was he about to defend her?

At least his faltering “Mr. Aizawa…” was completely ignored.

Mr. Aizawa continued, “The line between curiosity and distrust is very thin. And if you think I’m being too harsh or strict - Ashido’s question is an example of how things can break. You’re a class. Yes, maybe you haven’t known each other that long, but you’ve already been through more villain attacks than most students will face in their entire school career. If it’s already starting to break down within this class… where do you think it’ll end? What kind of heroes do you expect to become?”

His words were like tiny daggers, hitting each of us one after the other. Making it painfully clear how much we still had to learn.

 

For the rest of the lesson, Mr. Aizawa stuck with a lecture-style approach. He focused on those two words - distrust and overconfidence. Added more traits that could hinder a hero in the field. Arrogance, recklessness, and self-sacrifice were just a few more. He turned their answers into a structured mind map, which I copied down with quiet admiration.

I honestly wondered whether he had planned something like this in advance, or if he’d just come up with it on the spot. I felt a warm sense of pride rising in me - proud to call him my homeroom teacher.

Yes, he was a hero. Maybe not as famous as others, but in my eyes, he had the right mindset for this job. A healthy, grounded, and objective view of what it meant to be a pro hero. And for someone so young, he radiated a level of insight and wisdom that was nothing short of remarkable.

 

“We’ll pick up from here tomorrow,” he said, dismissing us from class. We packed our bags and got ready to head to the training hall. After all, we were supposed to keep refining and developing our techniques. But just as the first student was about to leave the room, his voice rang out once more.

“Midoriya. Bakugou. Don’t forget to come to my office after class.”

I sighed inwardly. Outwardly, I just nodded. Kacchan did too. It surprised me that he didn’t let out a single grumble. Maybe he remembered that we supposedly had a ‘task’ to hand in to Mr. Aizawa for evaluation.

But what did he really want to discuss with us? Would it turn into something just as exhausting as today’s lesson?

 

We all trudged to the locker rooms in silence. The lesson seemed to weigh heavily on everyone. Had pulled each of us into our own thoughts. No laughter. No joking around. Just serious, pensive, at times even troubled expressions. Very unusual for our class.

No one spoke to us anymore either. Of course, I could feel Ashido’s eyes on us - especially because Kacchan was simply walking beside me. We hadn’t returned to our usual little groups. No, we moved as a cluster, a single mass toward the locker rooms. Kacchan and I right in the middle. Side by side. Shoulder to shoulder. But not hand in hand. No, that wasn’t something we were allowed.

 

All Might greeted us with a smile that radiated energy. But it only lifted the mood of our class a little.

"Hello, Class 1A! You don’t seem too motivated today?" he asked right away, apparently having noticed that something had happened. But since nobody answered him, he followed up: "Young Iida?"

Of course, Ilda immediately cleared his throat and explained, "We had a very intense, mentally demanding lesson with Mr. Aizawa about personality traits that can hinder a hero’s work."

I saw All Might nod, but suddenly his smile looked a little strained. Resigned. Could he imagine what Mr. Aizawa had put us through?

"Alright, then warm up first, and like last week, you’ll continue to train and improve your Quirks and techniques. You can work in teams or on your own."

We nodded, and I briefly considered my options. Should I work on improving my Shoot Style alone? Should I find a training partner? But aside from Kacchan, I couldn’t think of anyone I’d want to burden with my current 8% of One for All.

I looked around. Kacchan next to me hadn’t moved yet, but I saw Kirishima hesitantly walking up to him.

"Hey Kats! So… want to train together…?" he started, but trailed off when I let out a startled sound.

Kacchan had just grabbed my upper arm and yanked me away from his friend.

"Forget it, Shitty Hair! Just don’t get on my nerves with your crap today," he replied grumpily, then looked at me when I stumbled a bit.

"Forgot how to walk, Nerd?"

"No, but Kacchan… could you…", I started, but instead of loosening his grip on my arm, it got even tighter. I heard the crackle in his other hand. He wouldn’t, would he?

Instinctively, I activated One for All. Just in time, because Kacchan set off one of his explosions. Automatically, I launched myself away with a burst of my Quirk. As if it were the most natural movement in the world. A move we performed together all the time. But we didn’t. No. It was the first time - and yet it felt completely natural.

I looked over my shoulder, but I could barely see our classmates anymore. And I couldn’t keep focusing on that, because I had to concentrate on landing and jumping again.

"We’re heading to the far back left corner," Kacchan informed me, grinned at me challengingly, and shoved me away. I lost my balance briefly but caught myself on one of the jagged peaks of the rocky training terrain and jumped after him. Alright, if he wanted a race, he was getting one.

I bounced around like a rubber ball between the tall rock pillars, while Kacchan flew overhead, propelled by his explosions. Damn! How I wished I could just fly as effortlessly. But I couldn’t complain. I had inherited All Might’s power. And he had flown through the air too. Well, he could also use 100%. I couldn’t. Not yet.

"Then I’ll just have to try even harder," I muttered to myself, analyzing the possible paths ahead before dropping down unexpectedly - to Kacchan’s surprise - and vanishing from his line of sight.

 

We were both grinning and panting by the time we reached our agreed destination - almost at the same time. I even let out a little laugh. Even though I’d technically lost that race, it had been fun. And I’d managed to shut my brain off for a little while.

"Didn’t think you’d show up here that close behind me," Kacchan admitted, stepping closer and giving me a light punch to the stomach. I just smiled happily at that, looked up slightly and thanked him. Then I turned away, because I’d almost given in to the urge to kiss him. Sure, no one was back here, but after the day we’d had, maybe we really should be a little more careful.

"So, Kacchan, what’s your plan? I mean, you dragged me back here," I began, not quite sure how to phrase it.

"I just wanted a break from those extras. And you needed one too. Who knows what kind of dumbass ideas they’ll come up with next. Plus…" he said, but didn’t finish. Why not? Well, probably because his impulse control was worse than mine. Because he was the one who leaned in and pressed a brief kiss to my lips. The one who backed me against the rocky wall and rested against me.

I could feel it - feel how his tense muscles slowly relaxed. How he let his head drop onto my shoulder.

"Can’t we just kill all those extras?" he asked. He sounded kind of drained.

I laughed, dared to lift my hand and ruffle the back of his hair.

"You know we can’t do that, Kacchan."

He growled and pushed off of me.

"Then at least let me wreck you."

I swallowed as I felt that damned warmth spread across my cheeks. Had he worded that on purpose? Was I supposed to fire back?

His knowing grin gave me courage, so I answered as calmly as I could: "You already did yesterday. Not like I need reminding - every move I make still aches. So how about you show me that you can fight with your hands, not just your hips."

Kacchan’s eyes widened and his mouth dropped slightly open. For a second, it was like he froze in place. Just for a second. But it was enough to throw him off. And damn, it felt like a win. Even if saying it had pushed me right up way past of my comfort zone – it was so worth it.

"Sassy nerd," he snorted, a provocative smirk spreading across his face as he dropped into a fighting stance.

And me? I let out a short laugh and squared up.

 

Intense. Yeah, there was no better word to describe the last half hour. Heated. Provocative. Demanding.

Strike after strike, followed by explosion after explosion. Attack. Block. Counterattack.
It felt good. Really good to finally switch my brain off. To just follow my instincts. To throw punches with Kacchan, even if not seriously - though definitely with a certain level of force.

We stood panting across from each other. Slightly hunched over, both of us braced for the next relentless clash. But just as I activated One For All and was about to leap forward, a familiar voice made the sparks around me fizzle out.

"Truly impressive, your fight."

I turned my head and saw All Might stepping out from behind one of the many boulders - at least one that hadn’t yet suffered under the force of our training.

"Hello, All Might," I smiled, walking over to him. Kacchan joined me, and we gratefully accepted the water bottles our teacher had apparently brought for us.

"How long have you been standing there?" I asked.

All Might smiled kindly and replied, "Not very long. But what I did see was excellent. Though maybe a bit too intense for a training session."

Of course I picked up on the warning tone, but I just scratched the back of my head sheepishly and said, "We might’ve needed to blow off a little steam."

Kacchan snorted beside me, wiped sweat from his forehead, then leaned his back against the wall. He took big gulps from his bottle before dropping down to the ground to catch his breath.

I followed, sitting down next to him and letting my head fall back against the cool rock. It felt nice. I hadn’t even realized how warm I was.

All Might stood in front of us, looking like he wanted to ask something - but hesitated.

Before the tension could stretch any further, Kacchan grumbled, "Oh for fuck’s sake, ask your damn question already!”

I shot him a warning look and nudged his arm with my elbow. He just grumbled, "What?"

"Your tone…" I said simply, earning a dramatic eye roll and a sarcastic, "Oh, sorry - should I ask it with a smile and flowers next time?"

I gave him a crooked smile and shook my head in resignation. Well… it was Kacchan. There was no changing that. And maybe… maybe I didn’t really want to.

A quiet sigh escaped me, and I had to hold myself back from just resting my head on his shoulder. Apparently, Kacchan felt something similar, because he nudged me back, making me laugh softly. He really couldn’t deny that he needed these little touches too – or maybe he just didn’t want to go without them anymore.

All Might cleared his throat, pulling us out of our little bubble. Shit. We really needed to watch ourselves around others, huh? Were we acting too familiar? Too intimate? Or did it still come off as just friendly? Had I made some weird expression? Something…lovestruck?

"Could you explain to me why Eraser held such a heavy-handed lesson today? Not that I want to criticize his teaching - but usually, he only does those kinds of lessons with the older students," he said, adding, "Young Iida was kind enough to summarize the content for me, but he seemed uncomfortable when I asked what prompted it."

I sighed and looked over at Kacchan, who was also turned toward me. How were we supposed to explain this? And the bigger question: Should we tell All Might our secret?
After all, he had told us his entire story. He trusted us. So… shouldn’t we return that trust?

"Do whatever the hell you want, nerd," Kacchan suddenly muttered at me. I flinched slightly and whispered, "Did I say that out loud?"

Kacchan gave me a crooked grin, lifted his hand, and lightly tapped the side of my head.
"No. But I know how your brain works by now. And if you’re wondering what I think - it's fine. Really, Izuku."

I sucked in a sharp breath and stared at him in surprise. Then I glanced over at All Might, who looked a little confused. Of course he was. Probably no one at UA had ever heard Kacchan say my name out loud before. And now he just did it - like it was no big deal. To give me permission to share the truth with him. With our teacher. Our mentor. Our childhood idol. Our hero

I bit down on my lower lip. Felt the familiar sting rise behind my eyes. I was overwhelmed - by how much he’d changed toward me. By how open he was being, even in front of someone else.

"I…"

"Don’t you dare…" he warned, which made me let out a quiet laugh.

I took a second to collect myself, exhaled deeply, then turned to All Might and said, "Ashido asked Mr. Aizawa if he’d given us an assignment we were supposed to hand in today."

One of All Might’s eyebrows rose in confusion as he tilted his head. He probably didn’t understand why that sort of question would lead to an entire class period like the one we’d had.

"Well, uh… to explain that properly, I’d have to go into a bit more detail," I mumbled, a little uncertain.

All Might nodded and glanced at his watch.

"How about the two of you come by my office later for a cup of tea? Then you can explain everything properly, okay?"

I nodded. But Kacchan chimed in with, "We’ve got to go see bondage-freak after class."

I groaned and elbowed him again, but he ignored me. Apparently not in the mood to discuss another nickname for our homeroom teacher.

All Might just smiled at us, amused, and said in his usual warm voice, "No problem. Just come by afterward. I’ve got some other things to take care of."

We nodded and got up, following All Might through the training hall toward the exit, since class was almost over.

But just before we reached the hallway, he turned back to us.

"You can come to me with anything, okay? I’ll support you as best I can - whatever’s in my power."

I froze mid-step and looked up at him. Speechless. Moved. Because his words stirred something in me - something like deep gratitude and the feeling of truly being seen.

How the hell had I gotten so lucky? To have teachers like this? Teachers who were born to be real heroes.

 

 

 

Notes:

That’s it!
So… what did you think of Mr. Aizawa’s reaction? Was it too much? Too exhausting? 😅
I hope my teacher mode didn’t come through too strongly here xD I’ve had lots of debates with my students myself – not about the same topics, of course, but these are always the best kind of lessons. The kind that grow from a question that seems small at first! And they’re definitely the ones that stick in your mind.

I’m super excited to hear your thoughts! And just a little heads-up:
The next chapter will be XXXL – the longest one of the story so far! 😳 That’s why it won’t be up until next Saturday.
Also… it’s the last fully finished chapter at the moment ^^'
But I’m pretty sure I’ll get Chapter 63 done this week too, so I hope I can keep giving you one chapter per week until the end ;)

Sending hugs! 🧡💚

Chapter 62

Notes:

Hey everyone! 🧡💚
The week is finally over!!! ⏳ Your wait is over – and so is mine!
Seriously, I miss reading your comments so much and I’m grateful for every single word you leave me! 🥹💬
A huge thank-you to those of you who drop something for me every time – really, thank you so, so much! 💖🙏
And as promised, today you’re getting an XXL chapter
I’m really happy you’re enjoying my version of Aizawa – and I hope you’ll still like him after this chapter
Enjoy! 🧡💚

Chapter 62 – Why not, actually?

 

I had déjà vu.

Yes, this scene playing out in the room right now - I had seen it multiple times over the past few weeks. Kacchan and I sitting on the couch in Aizawa’s office, while our teacher looked at us with his arms crossed and one leg over the other, saying absolutely nothing.

I sighed inwardly.

We hadn’t done anything wrong. And yet here we were again. The three of us.

Maybe we should thank him first - for turning Mina’s question into a whole unit and getting us out of that tight spot. But somehow, not a single sound came out of my throat.

Why?

Because I had no idea what would happen next. And the silent battle that was once again beginning between Kacchan and Mr. Aizawa did absolutely nothing to help - except make me even more nervous.

I fidgeted with my fingers in my lap, then took a deep breath and had just opened my mouth to express our thanks when Mr. Aizawa spoke up: “How did that question come about?”

His eyebrow was raised. The only visible reaction on his face.

I glanced at Kacchan. But he had leaned back and crossed his arms. He looked annoyed and didn’t seem willing to answer our teacher. Hm, maybe because the question could only be answered by sharing private details?

I thought for a moment, then sighed and explained, “Some of our friends were a bit confused that we did something together.”

Mr. Aizawa kept looking at us. He didn’t comment on what I said. Didn’t nod. No, he just waited. Something I appreciated in class - but not in this situation.

I pressed my lips together and pulled them grimly to one side, then the other, just about to open my mouth when Kacchan burst out.

“Those damn extras seriously have no life of their own! They piss me off so much. What do they care if the nerd spends the weekend with me.”

‘Kacchaaaaan,’ I screamed internally, wanting to sink into the floor. After all, he had revealed that we were together the whole time. Although… didn’t Mr. Aizawa already know? Kacchan had gotten permission to be away from the dorm Sunday night with me, right? Shit! I had totally forgotten about that.

My sense of shame was killing me. My head felt like it was about to explode. The heat in my cheeks was so uncomfortable.

Still fighting with myself, I dared to look up. I saw Mr. Aizawa, who had placed his fingers on the bridge of his nose and was apparently trying not to look too annoyed with us.

“If it bothers you so much, Bakugou, then why did you tell them?”

“Heh? As if I told those fucking little shi…Argh, knock it off, Nerd!” he started, then snapped at me instead. Why? Simple: I had just jabbed my elbow into his ribs again.

God, when would this guy finally learn to keep it together in front of teachers?

My look must’ve been enough, because his growl practically vibrated in my eardrums, but I definitely wasn’t going to apologize for it.

A heavy, resigned sigh pulled our gazes back to Mr. Aizawa. He let his hand run down his face, stopping at his chin.

I just gave a pained little smile and mumbled, “Sorry!”

All he said in return was a curt, “Whole story.”

I wanted to cry. Honestly. Why? Why did he even care? What was he trying to achieve with this? Did he have some sort of goal in mind for this conversation - like he did in class?

Well, I trusted that Mr. Aizawa had a plan. And I hoped Kacchan would interrupt me if I said something he didn’t want me to.

“Well, it came out through a few… unplanned coincidences, so… um… I met up with Kacchan at the train station on Saturday after the special course, and Todoroki was still there. So we told him we were going to the movies. Uh, yeah, and he must’ve told someone in class, and then they asked us about it. And we said our parents want to see us getting along… and stuff… only… earlier we ran into Togata and, well… he saw Kacchan pick me up after internship on Sunday and… I told him we still had to do some assignments for you and um… just now he asked about those in the hallway and then… yeah and that’s why… well… you know…”

By the end, my explanation had turned into an awkward mumble. I’d kept my eyes on my lap the entire time. I just couldn’t look up at him. Even though I hadn’t said anything that embarrassing. At least he didn’t know what we’d really done Saturday and Sunday. And I sure as hell wouldn’t tell him. I’d probably only give my mom an edited version of that weekend too. Had she already heard from Mitsuki that we had… ‘borrowed’ the house for the weekend? Maybe I should call her later today. Or tomorrow.

Another sigh. Again from our teacher. Did he find all of this exhausting? Was this even something a teacher should be involved in - or was this more something for a school counselor? Did UA even have something like that?

I felt Kacchan shift next to me, saw him lean forward and ask, clearly annoyed, “Are you gonna say something now or lecture us about being more careful? Or do you want a thank-you for saving our asses? Because otherwise I have better things to do with my ti—”

“Kacchan!” I burst out, scandalized, placing my hand on his forearm.

Of course, his fiery red eyes locked on me immediately. I saw the tension in his face, felt the slight trembling in his arm under my palm. Why was he so close to losing it again?

Without thinking, I let my fingers stroke across his forearm. Tracing little calming circles. And it seemed to work. His expression softened a bit. Still, he pulled his arm away, lightly tapped my hand with his, then leaned back again and resumed his defensive posture.

I smiled softly at that, straightened up and looked at our teacher’s surprised expression.

Damn! I had completely forgotten about him again.

Of course I felt the traitorous heat rise to my cheeks, dropped my gaze and stared back at my lap. God, I really had to get it together. This Kacchan-bubble I was living in right now - it was seriously dangerous.

“You seem too familiar with each other.”

My head snapped up in confusion. Kacchan’s eyes were also back on Mr. Aizawa, just as confused - and skeptical.

“Excuse me?” I asked, kind of dumbly, not understanding what he meant.

“Anyone with eyes can tell that something’s going on between you. You’re acting differently - subconsciously even - than you used to. And that’s confusing your classmates,” Mr. Aizawa’s overly calm and bored voice echoed through the room.

And his words made me tilt my head thoughtfully. I still didn’t know what he was getting at. Were we supposed to say something?

“Don’t care if they’re confused. They should just leave us alone,” Kacchan muttered, clearly annoyed, arms crossed again. He looked a bit like a sulky kid to me. Kinda cute, actually.

“They’ll leave you alone if you go back to your usual behavior.”

“But that’s impossible, Mr. Aizawa. I mean… we’re trying, but…” I began, then trailed off again. How was I supposed to explain it? How could I put it into words without it getting super awkward in here?

“If that’s not an option, then you’ll have to choose another one.”

I heard Kacchan groan beside me. Saw him run a hand over his face before leaning forward, resting his elbows on his knees and saying, “You were the one who said the class wasn’t allowed to know.”

“I never said anything about coming out.”

“What other option could there even be?” I threw in, seeing Kacchan’s shoulders starting to tremble again.

“Give them a reason. One that’s plausible enough to stop them from being confused about you.”

‘Wow!’ I thought, completely deadpan.  

Seriously. What was this? Why couldn’t he just say something clearly for once - something that would actually help us? Why couldn’t he just drop the teacher mode for a moment? Why did he always force us to come to our own conclusions? The last thing I needed on an exhausting Monday like this was solving a problem under the guidance of a teacher.

“Are you kidding us?” Kacchan suddenly snapped and jumped up, looking so furious at Mr. Aizawa that I fully expected him to activate his Quirk any second to stop things from escalating.

“No, Bakugou. I’m actually sitting here with you because I want to help. Even if that doesn’t make sense to you right now.”

“How could it? Quit this didactic-method bullshit already and just tell us what the damn option is supposed to be!”

I looked over at Kacchan, a bit overwhelmed. Yeah, he was trying to stay in control. He’d hissed those words through clenched teeth instead of shouting them at Mr. Aizawa. Still, his choice of words… could’ve been better.

Unconsciously, I had reached out and grabbed his hand. Tugged on it to pull him back down onto the couch, but he resisted. Until I briefly activated One For All and yanked him down next to me.

Of course, he glared at me angrily, already opening his mouth to snap, but I ignored it.
Instead, I turned to our teacher, who still looked entirely calm and relaxed, and asked, “What exactly is the option you have in mind?”

I noticed the growled “Deku” beside me, but I decided to ignore him. What I didn’t do, however, was let go of his hand.

I hissed softly in pain as he squeezed mine a bit too hard, pressing my knuckles together. Ouch! What an ass.

And just when I was about to glance over at him again, I caught Mr. Aizawa’s mouth twitch slightly - way too uncharacteristically - as he suddenly rested his hand against his chin.

“Did you just laugh at us?” burst out of my mouth before my brain could stop it. Nope. I couldn’t hold it back. I was just too startled and surprised. Maybe even a little shocked.

Of course, that unreadable expression returned to his face immediately. And naturally, he denied my question with a calm and quiet “No.”

I was still a bit speechless, couldn’t help but let out a small laugh. What was this weird scene? It felt so unreal and yet strangely real at the same time. Like something that would happen among family or friends.

Out of habit, I had leaned against Kacchan again, who promptly nudged me away. He quickly let go of my hand and crossed his arms. I grinned when I saw the slightly red tips of his ears.

“Since both you and I would like to finish up eventually, we should return to your actual problem,” Mr. Aizawa finally brought us back to the matter at hand.

I gave a crooked smile and said, “Then could you maybe give us a bit more help in finding a solution?”

Mr. Aizawa seemed to consider it briefly before answering very deliberately: “It has to be something so plausible and familiar that everyone in class already knows it - just not from the two of you.”

I tilted my head slightly, and Mr. Aizawa continued: “How would you describe the relationships between other students - or your own relationships with them?”

“Friendly,” I blurted out immediately.

And then it clicked.

I glanced sideways at Kacchan before continuing, “You want us to… hide our relationship… behind a friendship?”

Mr. Aizawa nodded, while Kacchan snorted.

“As if anyone’s gonna buy us suddenly acting like ‘best friends.’”

“Bakugou. The reason no one’s even considered the idea that you might be more than just friends… is because it’s unthinkable to them.”

“Absurd’s more like it…,” Kacchan muttered.

A few weeks ago, that kind of comment might’ve hurt or thrown me off. Like - calling the whole thing absurd. But first of all, it was kind of absurd. And second, I felt so secure in what we had now that all I could do was chuckle at it.

Silence settled between the three of us. I couldn’t even say whether it was a good or bad silence - because honestly, I was wondering how we were even supposed to put that option into practice. Kacchan had a point. Suddenly pretending to be super close friends would be weird. Besides, I wasn’t even sure how far I’d be allowed to interact with him. Would we only hang out alone? Would I join his group? Could he even tolerate being around Ilda, Todoroki, Asui, and Uraraka?

“Why even?” slipped out of my mouth all of a sudden.

A question that had just popped into my head. A question I had only meant to think - silently. But for some reason I couldn’t explain, I’d said it out loud.

“What do you mean?” Kacchan asked immediately.

I looked at him briefly, then turned to Mr. Aizawa and asked the question again - this time properly.

“Why do we even have to keep it a secret in the first place? Do you think there’s someone in class who wouldn’t accept it?”

“No, I don’t think so,” Mr. Aizawa answered. His tone was serious, not annoyed.

“Then why?”

His sigh echoed through the room before he leaned forward, looked at us intensely, and said, “To protect you.”

The question marks were probably written all over our faces. That’s why he didn’t wait for a reply and continued speaking: “Whether it’s a life partner or a family member. In a hero’s job, these close people can become targets for villains. You wouldn’t just be vulnerable because some might lack tolerance. You’d be vulnerable and blackmailable because you would expose yourselves for the other - or most likely, sacrifice yourselves.”

‘I would’ve sacrificed myself for him even before,’ shot through my head, though I didn’t say it out loud. But Kacchan’s snort and the look he gave me told me he knew exactly what I was thinking. And in my little, safe, lovesick world, I believed that he’d do the same for me. At least now. Whether he would’ve done it before Ground Beta - I wasn’t entirely sure.

I let Mr. Aizawa’s words sink in. Thought the whole issue through and, yes, saw a reason - but not a hindrance. No, quite the opposite.

“But Kacchan is strong. Stronger than anyone I know. He’s the first person I think of when I hear the word ‘victory.’ That’s why I believe that if we make ourselves vulnerable to protect each other, we’re actually protecting the ones we love - our families, our friends.”

“That’s naive. And stupid. You’re not thinking—”

“The nerd’s right. They already kidnapped me once. That’s not happening again. And if they want to get to him, they’ll have to go through me first. It’s easier to protect each other than all the damn extras we live with.”

I gave a faint smile at his words. At the same time, warmth bloomed in my chest. It felt so good that even the annoyed groan in front of us didn’t unsettle me.

“You really think you could take on the League of Villains? Or any other villains? Weren’t you paying attention in class earlier? Overconfidence and—”

“We’re not saying we could defeat everyone. It’s just… um… if there’s only one target to protect, it’s easier than an entire class. If we know what the enemy is after, then we can prepare better countermeasures.”

I knew our teacher didn’t want to accept that logic. And I also knew what he was really getting at. If All for One got his hands on Kacchan again and said, One for All or his death…I would give him One for All. No matter what came after. As long as he stayed alive.

“Midoriya…,” Mr. Aizawa started to say, but this time Kacchan cut him off.

“If the nerd is my closest friend and my rival at the same time, then he’s already target number one. It doesn’t matter if he’s my best friend or my boyfriend. So this whole fake show is complete bullshit.”

“Love always outweighs friendship.”

“So what?”

“If a villain gives you the choice, Bakugou: Midoriya or every single student at UA - what would you choose?”

Kacchan clenched his jaw and exhaled hard. His fists began to tremble again.

“Wouldn’t you, in that moment, value his life” - Mr. Aizawa pointed directly at me - “more than the lives of 400 others? Could you make that decision? One life versus 400? Because those are the kinds of choices you may one day be forced to make. A villain is calculating. And twisted. He exploits your lack of objectivity in those moments.”

He paused. But only briefly - Though he could’ve taken longer, since neither of us was capable of saying a single word.

“But if the villain doesn’t know that you’re in a much deeper relationship, he won’t even put you in that situation. Do you understand what I’m trying to tell you now?”

I felt sick. With just one single example, Mr. Aizawa had dismantled our naïve argument. With one example, he had laid bare the reality. A reality that now sat so heavy in my stomach, I felt like it was crushing my chest.

And all that followed was silence. A heavy, suffocating silence.

 

Mr. Aizawa gave us time to process his words. I heard him exhale deeply - a sound that made me swallow even harder. I felt a burning heat rise in my eyes. Damn. Why was this hitting me so hard? Was it because my rosy idea that we could protect each other had just popped like an insignificant soap bubble? Because my vision had been so utopian that I’d made a fool of myself? That we had made fools of ourselves in front of our teacher?

“Again: I’m not trying to hurt you or make fun of you. You just have to understand what kind of responsibility comes with a relationship.”

I couldn’t do more than nod. The lump in my throat was growing by the second. I just felt ashamed now - even though I’d thought our words before were beautiful. Even though they had made me happy.

“Has something like that ever happened before?” Kacchan’s voice came from beside me. I felt his warm hand brush against mine and let his fingers slip between mine. Had he noticed I was struggling to keep it together?

“Countless times. Just not as extreme as the example I gave. But otherwise, I wouldn’t have been able to make you realize it. You… are strong. You’re smart. You… are gifted. And after the fight with Togata, I also think the two of you could make a great hero duo. But you still have a lot to learn. And this now - this is part of it. I just want to raise your awareness. I can’t cover this topic in class, so you should come to me.”

“Mr. Aizawa,” I said softly, almost breaking. That got his attention. “Thank you for sharing your experience with us.”

I looked up and saw a nearly gentle, fatherly expression - and that was the last straw. I felt the first tear roll down my cheek.

“Crybaby,” I heard Kacchan mutter. I let him wrap his arm around my shoulders and pull me against him. I needed the support. I wasn’t ashamed that he gave it to me in front of our teacher.

I still tried to pull myself together. Only a few tears slipped out - no waterfalls, like usual. I heard Kacchan hum softly, felt his nose in my hair. It calmed me down instantly.

“Think about what I said. I have to get to my next appointment. You can stay here. Just close the door when you leave,” our teacher’s voice came from somewhere far away. Then soft footsteps and a closing door. And we were alone.

Immediately, Kacchan pulled me into his arms and held me tight. I felt him press a kiss to the top of my head.

“Sorry,” I whispered, burying myself into the crook of his neck and trying to steady my breathing.

“Pff, 'bout time you started crying.”, he said with a half-hearted attempt at encouragement. It made me let out a quiet snort. Somehow, he had managed to make me feel just a little bit better - to dull that heavy feeling in my chest.

“Should we cancel All Might?” he asked.

I thought for a moment, wiped my wet face, then shook my head. “No. I’d really like to hear his view on this. He was way more present in the media and has probably dealt with stuff like this before. Um… but if you don’t want to…”

Kacchan gave me a headbutt. Cut me off and gave me a mischievous grin so impossible to resist, I couldn’t help but laugh - and steal a kiss. Just a small one.

 

 

When All Might’s office door came into view, I wasn’t so sure anymore if we should really go through with this. Was it really right to show up here right after that kind of conversation - and do exactly the thing Mr. Aizawa had just warned us about?

“Don’t overthink it. I bet he already suspects something since earlier,” Kacchan muttered to me, brushing his knuckles lightly across the back of my hand. I was really glad to have him by my side. At the same time, I admired him for how calm he seemed about all this - or at least how well he hid how much it was getting to him. I, on the other hand, was completely falling apart.

Kacchan knocked and opened the door without waiting for a reply. A habit he should really break at some point - especially considering he hated it when others did it to him. If Kirishima or Kaminari just barged into his room like that, they’d probably never live to tell the tale.

“Young Bakugou! Young Midoriya! I’m glad to see you. Please, have a seat. I’m just making some tea,” All Might called out from farther inside. He only glanced at us briefly before turning back to his little tea station. It gave me a moment to breathe. I wiped at my face again and looked questioningly at Kacchan.

He just snorted dismissively. Okay, that probably meant I still looked like I’d had a bit of a breakdown earlier. Whatever. All Might had seen me in so many moments already - this wasn’t anything worth a speech anymore.

We sat down on the couch. Once again, each in our corner. Out of sheer habit? Honestly, I’d secretly hoped Kacchan would sit a little closer to me. But fine, this was okay too. Anything more would’ve been too awkward right now anyway.

All Might came over with a small tray and placed it on the table. He set down a teacup of jasmine tea in front of each of us. By now, I knew he wasn’t a fan of green tea either. He liked floral and fruity flavors - something we definitely had in common.

“You both… look shaken,” he said slowly, carefully. It was the first time I looked up. Until then, I’d avoided eye contact - had stared at my lap or the teacup. Now I could see the slightly concerned look on his face.

I cleared my throat and forced a smile, though I knew it must’ve looked pretty pitiful, and explained, “The talk with Mr. Aizawa was a bit… intense.”

Kacchan snorted next to me. He crossed his arms and legs in his usual posture, though this time he glanced sideways at me instead of picking a random spot in the room to stare at.

“I don’t know what the talk was about, but I’m sure Eraser had a reason for handling it the way he did.”

I gave a crooked smile and peeked over at Kacchan again. He didn’t say anything. Didn’t even react to what All Might had said. And honestly, I didn’t really know what to say either.

So we just sat there in silence in front of our idol on the couch, unsure how to begin. Or even whether we should begin. How were you supposed to start something like this anyway? We’d only tried it once before - with my mom. And that had definitely gone sideways.

“Boys, would you like to explain what you started to say earlier? Or is there something else you’d like my help with?”

His voice was so calm and understanding. So much more empathetic than Mr. Aizawa’s. And yet, I still couldn’t get a word out.

All Might seemed to notice. He cleared his throat and coughed lightly into his fist before saying, “You don’t have to tell me anything if it—”

I cut him off. Because I didn’t want to hear the rest of that sentence. No. He had told me everything, and now I was sitting here, afraid to do the same in return? After he’d given me a Quirk? After he’d trusted me?

“No, All Might… it’s just… hard, because… um…” I started, searching for words, before I just went with what was at the front of my mind. “Have you ever had someone close to you that you had to hide from everyone else - just so they wouldn’t become a target for villains?”

Not only did All Might’s surprised look hit me - no, Kacchan’s red eyes practically drilled into me too. But I ignored it. Instead, I stared nervously at my lap again, fidgeting with my fingers. I heard another clearing of the throat before All Might’s deep voice spoke: “As you know, I’ve had very few people - both in the past and even now - who knew about One For All. I deliberately kept that circle small. First, to protect the secret. And second, to keep fewer people in danger. However, those were all people who were already in the public eye. I never allowed private, close persons into my life because of the burden that came with All for One.”

I pressed my lips together and sucked them between my teeth, so I could chew on them a little. It often helped me think - and right now, it did too. All Might’s words… did that mean he hadn’t let anyone get close to him all these years? Had he avoided something like… love his whole life? Did he regret that now, in his older age? That he had restricted himself like that?

“Would you explain to me why you asked that, Young Midoriya?”

I tilted my head back and forth slightly, weighing what I should or shouldn’t say. How I should respond. But what I absolutely did not expect in that moment was Kacchan’s brutally direct way of saying things.

“’Cause the sleep-deprived guy wants us to keep our relationship secret.”

What the hell… ????????

I froze and just stared at Kacchan. I couldn’t even open my mouth. I couldn’t make a single sound of shock. I couldn’t even form a coherent thought. No. I just sat there, staring at him.

And apparently for so long that he barked at me: “Get a grip already, Nerd! Didn’t feel like dancing around it forever here too. You were gonna say it anyway. So pull yourself together.”

My mouth finally dropped open. And at that moment, my brain decided to start working again.

Fuck! He had just outed us. Just like that. Without warning! Just like that!

I squeaked. My head felt like it was about to explode. I buried my face in my hands.

“Kachaaaan…,” I whined, way too high-pitched. I didn’t dare look up for a second - only peeked between my fingers at All Might.

He, too, had a slight blush on his cheeks and looked a little embarrassed. But he kept smiling, even if a bit crookedly, and said: “I must admit, after that scene earlier, I sort of suspected something like this. You two seemed much more familiar with each other than what I usually observe between students. It was already a bit unique between you before - but that moment earlier was… different.”

“Oh,” I blurted out, surprised, as I rubbed the back of my neck awkwardly. Hadn’t Mr. Aizawa said something similar earlier?

“I’m happy for you. I may have meant it differently back at Ground Beta, but if—”

I squeaked again. God, why was everything always so embarrassing?

“Izuku!” Kacchan scolded me for once.

I whined, sighed, and took a deep breath. Alright - guess it was time to just get it over with.

“All Might?” I said timidly, getting his attention before I continued with a shy smile, “Thank you.”

All Might gave me a warm smile in return before he asked, “Would you like to tell me now how all of today’s events came to be?”

I nodded, took a moment to gather myself, and then told him the whole story.

 

Of course, I’d left out the details that didn’t matter to him. He didn’t need to know what Kacchan and I had done while we were together. No, I’d only explained why today’s lesson with Mr. Aizawa had happened and what followed.

All Might had listened patiently. To my surprise, so had Kacchan. He’d calmly drunk his tea the whole time - or at least, he seemed calm. But I liked to believe that he’d listened to every word I said with attention and maybe even with a hint of nervousness. Not just to jump in if needed, but because maybe… just maybe, he enjoyed listening to me again. At least that’s what my hopelessly smitten self liked to think. And I wasn’t going to argue with it.

“That really is a difficult situation you seem to be in,” All Might said thoughtfully once I’d finished. He turned his teacup in his hands and seemed deep in thought.

“Yeah. It is. We just don’t really know what to do. Our class… they…” I began, when Kacchan finally spoke up again. “They’re all just nosy, annoying idiots.”

I rolled my eyes and gave him a sideways look. Naturally, he caught my slightly annoyed expression - and immediately smacked me on the back of the head.

“Don’t act like you’re not thinking the same! We’ve only got this problem because of those dumbasses.”

“Yes, Kacchan, but still… you don’t need to insult them.” All I got was a frustrated “Tch” before he turned away from me again.

“I can’t really offer much more help, Young Midoriya, but I think you should try to trust your homeroom teacher,” All Might said.

“Tch, I’m not letting that guy tell me what to do,” Kacchan scoffed, clearly pissed. What the hell was up with him now?

“Young Bakugou. I understand your frustration. It’s certainly upsetting, but with Eraser, you’ve got someone at your side who really wants to help you. He understands your situation better than anyone else. After all, he’s been in a simi—”

All Might suddenly cut off and started laughing nervously, scratching the back of his head. And what did we do? We just stared at him with wide eyes, trying to finish the sentence in our own heads. Had he seriously been about to say that Mr. Aizawa was in a similar situation? Had he really meant to say that?

“All Might…” I began, but he quickly waved his arms in front of him and said, “I—um—meant that as a teacher and hero, he’s accompanied and advised many people over the years… you know… Shota is - despite his somewhat stubborn nature - empathetic toward people he cares about. Yes. That’s it. And you two… you’re among them. People he cares about. Even if he seems strict.”

The nervous energy radiating from our former Number One Hero was way too obvious. He had definitely said something he shouldn’t have and was now trying to cover it up. Only, his attempt was just as bad as mine usually were when I tried to talk my way out of things. Kind of funny how similar we were in those moments.

“So the bondage guy has been in a secret relationship for years, and only a few people know about it,” Kacchan suddenly said, grinning wickedly. What the hell was going through his head now? Was he seriously planning to use that knowledge somehow?

“Young Bakugou! That… I mean… that’s not what I said. And it’s not true. I… um…”

“Don’t talk crap! You totally slipped up. God, how can you be just as bad at keeping secrets as the nerd here?”

“Kacchan!”

“What? You basically told me about One For All right after our first fight!”

“Yeah, well… I mean, yes… but that was only because… I didn’t want you to think I’d been lying to you all those years… or something…” I muttered toward the end. It was kind of embarrassing to admit. Especially with All Might sitting right there.

“Stupid nerd,” I heard him mutter with an amused snort. I looked up and saw that sly grin again - the one that always made my heart beat faster. Should I tell him one day that he looked ridiculously attractive when he did that? Would it throw him off a little? Would he maybe even blush again?

All Might let out a chuckle as well, drawing our attention back to him.

“It’s really wonderful to see you like this. After Ground Beta, I thought you had finally become true rivals who accepted each other. But this… this exceeds my expectations. I’m sure now that together, you’ll truly be able to win to save others - and save others by winning.”

We both nodded, and I felt a warm rush of pride and gratitude flood through me. Yes, I was proud that All Might saw us this way.

“But don’t try to change the subject, old man!” Kacchan suddenly snapped again, that mischievous, almost diabolical glint back in his eyes. Yeah. The idea of knowing something private about Mr. Aizawa clearly brought him immense joy. And “immense” might even be an understatement.

“Young Bakugou! Please! If Eraser finds out, I won’t be among the living much longer!”

“Not my problem! And besides… you’re not that close, are you? So why you of all people know such a huge secret? Not that I can even picture Sleeping Bag feeling something like lo—”

“As if anyone would believe you’re capable of that…” I muttered more to myself, accidentally cutting him off. And as soon as I realized what I’d just said, I slapped my hand over my mouth and looked at Kacchan in shock.

He looked like he was about to explode with rage. Fuck! My mouth - why did it always say these things out loud instead of keeping them in my head?

“Oi, nerd! You’re so dead the second we get out of here!”

I whimpered and shrank into myself, shooting All Might a helpless please-save-me look. And what did the former Number One Hero do?

He laughed. With a warmth and honesty that was downright contagious. I laughed too - freely and without worry - as I tried to escape Kacchan’s (half-hearted and not all that serious) revenge.

And in that moment, one thought ran through my head: I was really, really surrounded by good people. So good, in fact, that I could overcome any problem with them by my side. So I should enjoy every moment - and stop worrying so much. Because everything was going to be okay. After all - I didn’t just have support. We had support. Honest, heartfelt support.

 

 

Notes:

That’s it!
So? What did you think of All Might and Aizawa? 👀
And how did our two boys do this time? What do you think might be coming next? 😏

Honestly, I didn’t get around to writing much this week, so Chapter 63 isn’t finished yet 🙈
But I’ll do my best to have it ready by next Saturday!
I’ve got summer break now, so hopefully plenty of time to work on it! ☀️📖

And...The story won’t go on too much longer – I’m thinking around Chapter 70, maybe 75 max.
But....Let’s see how deep I get lost in the details again, haha 😅

Wishing you a beautiful and sunny weekend!
Sending hugs! 🧡💚

Chapter 63: This Is Normal Now

Notes:

Hey everyone!
Ah, it’s finally Saturday – and I actually managed to write a full chapter for you this week =D
Vacation time is truly a blessing 🍀 And thanks to all your wonderful words, my motivation was sky-high – you really pushed me to finish this chapter! And after more than 20 comments, of course I didn’t want to let you down 💚🧡 You guys are simply the best!

Oh, and since it’s my birthday today 🎉 I hope I’m not just giving you a little gift with this update… maybe I’ll get a few sweet words back from you too? ;)))
(Not begging, nope, absolutely not xDDDD)

Enjoy!

Chapter 63 – This Is Normal Now

 

 

It had taken a little while before I could finally release All Might. Both of us had been pretty surprised that Kacchan just wouldn’t let up until he’d gotten more information.

“So what was that just now?” I asked as we left the school building and headed toward the dorms.

All I got from him was a bored “Hm?” and I knew he was just too lazy to explain. Well, at least that’s what I thought.

“That thing earlier. Why do you want to know so badly?”

“That motherfucker knows about us too. And if we know about him, we’ve got something we can use against him.”

I looked at him skeptically, ran my hand along my forearm, and then asked him, “You’re not seriously thinking about blackmailing our homeroom teacher, are you?”

My indignant tone couldn’t have gone unnoticed. I suddenly felt his hand brush across the small of my back, making me turn to face him. Let me see that more-than-smug grin on his lips. God, this guy was impossible.

“Blackmail is such an ugly word, Izuku.”

“It’s exactly the right word for what you’re trying to do.”

Kacchan snorted beside me, stuffed his hands into his pockets, amused, and walked on. He tilted his head up slightly toward the evening sun before speaking again: “Don’t be such a stick-up-your-ass nerd all the time.”

Now it was my turn to look at him disdainfully, even as my brain - God, where did this stuff keep coming from - tried to send a pretty suggestive comeback to my tongue. But I held it back. No way. I couldn’t say that. Not ever. Because I’d have to bury myself in a hole right after. Twice.

At least I would. My worse half apparently wouldn’t, because he clearly saw something in my face. Yeah, definitely. He suddenly stopped, stood next to me, and leaned over slightly.

“What, were you just thinking you'd rather have something else up your ass?”

“Kaaaachaaaan!” I squeaked in protest, feeling that ugly hot flush crawl up my cheeks before I smacked his arm. It only made him grin more. God, this guy was impossible. And yeah, I’d thought that before. And it wouldn’t be the last time either. He was just too...

I cut off my train of thought and glanced at Kacchan, who kept walking next to me without a care and actually started explaining. Which, honestly, I hadn’t expected.

“I can’t stand that guy always lecturing us. And that he keeps reminding us that he’s got control over our future as heroes. He pisses me off. I don’t care if he means well or not. He needs to stay out of our business. And if we can shut him up this way - so what.”

“Hm,” was all I said. I could understand why Kacchan was so determined to find some leverage. But it just felt wrong - or at least not the right way to go about things. Wouldn’t it make more sense to just go along with his suggestion for now?

“I don’t want a counter-strategy, Kacchan. I just want some peace,” I admitted quietly when my thoughts had run their course. I stopped and tugged on the hem of his school blazer. He stopped too, turned toward me slowly, and looked at me calmly.

We stood there in silence. I stared at the ground, still feeling his gaze on me. But Kacchan seemed to be thinking too. At some point, I heard a snort. I looked up quickly, but I couldn’t quite read his expression. Did he think this was ridiculous?

“This is all so absurd. I just wanna be able to do what I want with you. Without everyone questioning it.” he muttered, scoffing again and shaking his head. I felt his knuckles gently bump against my stomach. He’d done that over the weekend too. I guess that was his substitute for more intimate contact. At least it was for me.

I swallowed and looked up at him, my thoughts drifting to just one thing: how much I loved him. This loud, harsh guy who now stood in front of me so quiet and sweet. I loved this side of him he kept showing me more and more. Was it happening subconsciously? This kindnesse? This gentleness?

I must’ve been staring at him way too dreamily. At least that’s what Kacchan’s sudden hand on my face seemed to suggest - he wiped it all the way across, then quickly turned my head away from him.

“Wipe that disgusting sappy look off your face!” he grumbled into his nonexistent beard.

I just laughed and mumbled, “Love you too, Kacchan!”

His snort was answer enough. That, and the way he stomped a few steps ahead. Oh yeah, he was definitely a little embarrassed now. Even if you couldn’t tell from the outside, his body language was clear. At least to me it was.

I decided not to tease him any further. No, that was his job. Mine was to trail after him, catch up, and bask in his presence. Yep, that was it. Way more than back then. Because what we had now was different. And so much more wonderful and better. So wonderful, in fact, that I honestly didn’t think there could be anything better than this.

‘God, you are so disgustingly in love,’ spat the voice in my head. I felt the embarrassment crawl up my spine, triggered by my own thoughts. Geez, what if that ever slipped out loud someday? Should I just start digging a hole for myself now?

I quickly shook the thoughts out of my head. My brain was clearly out of service today. No, I was done. With everything. Time to call it a day.

I glanced around and spotted Kacchan several meters ahead. He had just kept walking. Hadn’t turned around or anything - guess he wanted his peace just as much.

I took a deep breath, shook myself out once, then caught up to him. Tried to circle back to what seemed to be his preferred topic. Just to force a bit more conversation. Even though by now, I actually liked the quiet moments between us too.

“So who do you think Mr. Aizawa is dating?”

Kacchan’s look first turned skeptical, then thoughtful. He buried his hands deeper in his pockets, looked straight ahead again and started talking: “If it’s such a heavily guarded secret and All Might still knows, then it must be someone here at school. That dumb relationship rule pretty much confirms it too. So it’s either another teacher or someone working here at U.A.”

I nodded and was about to say something, but Kacchan just kept talking. On his own. Which honestly surprised me more than a little.

“We don’t know all the teachers at this school, but I think the bondage-yoga guy only fits with another pro. Of the ones we know, there’s only Midnight as a female teacher. But she’s definitely not his type. Can’t imagine it at all. There’s that weird black hole lady, but… nah. And if he’s telling us to hide behind friendship, he’s probably doing the same. And the only friendship, well - if you can call it that - we know of… wait, wasn’t that weird perfume chick in his year? But that would be a…”

My surprise turned into pure shock, because Kacchan was doing something he usually left to me. I just stopped walking and stared after him, eyes wide. My jaw dropped in disbelief before I managed to gasp out, “Kacchan! You’re muttering!”

He froze three meters in front of me, then slowly turned his head over his shoulder. For a second he looked startled - then his eyes went dark and murderous in a way that made me wonder if I should dive for cover. His threatening “Heh?” was all the confirmation I needed. And it was so absurd, I couldn’t help but start laughing. Laughing in disbelief, before I repeated, “You were mumbling, Kacchan!”

“Don’t talk shit! Or do you wanna die right here and now?!”

Somewhere deep down I knew I’d just signed my own death sentence, but I couldn’t stop. I laughed so hard I was clutching my stomach. Which really didn’t help his patience.

“You really wanna die, huh?!” he growled at me - and of course I noticed the tiny pops of explosions - but I wasn’t scared. Nope. I wiped away my tears of laughter, looked up a bit and saw his flushed, furious face. And yeah, this was probably not the smartest move: but I burst into laughter all over again.

“I’M GONNA FREAKING KILL YOU!” he yelled and lunged at me. I only just managed to activate One for All and dodge his swing.

“I’m just stating facts! You—”

“NO! I didn’t!” he snapped, cutting me off as an AP Shot whizzed right past my ear. I flinched a little and choked on my laughter. The smell of slightly singed hair hit my nose. Oops. Maybe I had gone a bit too far.

But still, I grinned. This time more like earlier during training. I clicked my tongue and provoked him just a bit more - just because it was fun to challenge him: “You don’t have to be embarrassed, Kacchan! It’s actually kinda… cute that y- Ahh!”

I broke off on my own when I had to dodge a pretty large explosion. Kacchan burst through the smoke right after and tried to land a punch, but I just managed to block it.

“Kacchan!” I yelled, outraged, catching the furious look on his face. Oh no, what had I gotten myself into? Should I just apologize now? Take it back? Or go along with this little “dance”? After our two chats earlier, I could actually handle it pretty well. The training had cleared my head. But what if someone saw us like this? What if Mr. Aizawa saw us? Wouldn’t he throw us out of school on the spot?

My brief swirl of thoughts was interrupted by Kacchan’s next punch. I jumped back, started to sprint and put a bit of distance between us.

“We’re gonna get expelled if Mr. Aizawa sees this!” I called out to him, but Kacchan just shrugged. And his expression was the same as before. Said something like, “So what?”

I hid behind a tree to catch my breath. My body had already been at its limit after training. Maybe I shouldn’t have provoked him - maybe I’d overestimated how much stamina I really had left.

“It’s simple, Nerd! All you have to do is take back the false claim you just made. Then I won’t have to fry your cute little curls,” he said, like he was talking about the weather, cracking his neck to the left and then to the right.

If his presence wasn’t so threatening right now, I probably would’ve grinned like an idiot at the “cute little curls” line and started swooning. But I couldn’t afford that. I activated One for All in my legs, just in case I had to leap away fast.

Well, I sort of triggered that exact emergency myself by recklessly replying, “I didn’t say anything false. Fact is, you just murm—”

A volley of AP Shots cut me off mid-sentence. Had me doing a proper little “dance” to avoid them. Damn it. Why was this guy so good at aiming? And since when could he fire off whole salvos without even breaking a sweat?

From that point on, words were off the table. I had to focus not only on dodging, but also on finding the quickest route back to our dorms. Before this escalated completely.

 

The most discreet route led through the woods. And it was also the safest - Kacchan couldn’t just use his explosions recklessly here. A forest fire definitely wouldn’t work in our favor. No, that’d just be another point on our ever-growing “problem child” list.

But that wasn’t the only reason I picked this path. It also made me feel safer. Gave me plenty of chances to take cover or bounce off trunks and branches.

“Don’t run away like a little fucking pussy, Deku!” he shouted after me, but he still couldn’t close the gap between us. If anything, he was falling slightly behind. That confirmed my strategic decision to leave the path and sprint through the forest.

“Calm down, Kacchan! You’re totally overreacting!” I yelled back while zigzagging through the trees. I heard a frustrated snort - and then suddenly he was gone.

I rushed toward the forest’s edge, nerves on edge, glancing around. Where did he go? Had he given up?

‘No way!’ shot through my mind. I perked up my ears when my eyes couldn’t find him. Kacchan wasn’t exactly the sneaky type. No, he was too loud for that. And too explosive. So where the hell had he gone? He couldn’t have just vani—

A loud bang and a growing shadow beneath me gave me the answer. The nearly soundless “Fuck” that slipped from my lips was all I managed before Kacchan came crashing down on me. Shit! Damn! Why the hell were my feet glued to the ground all of a sudden?

Right before he reached me, my arms shot up on instinct, trying to catch the fists flying at me - but I couldn’t hold against that force and toppled backward.

We both groaned as we rolled across the ground. Kacchan tried to use the momentum to pin me down, and I couldn’t stop him. I couldn’t activate One for All - at least not without hurting both of us seriously. No, I just didn’t have the focus or strength left. I couldn’t push back anymore and simply gave in to my fate.

 

 

The next déjà vu hit me as I lay on the ground, gasping for breath. Pinned down by Kacchan’s legs and arms. He’d already slammed me to the ground like this once before. A few weeks ago. On Ground Beta. Only this time, it wasn’t his hand on my face - it was him yanking my hairline back.

His breathing was just as heavy as mine, but the fury in his face had shifted a bit. That triumphant grin was starting to take over. That smug, self-assured, devastatingly handsome grin I could never get enough of. No, I loved that victorious look on his face. Had always loved it, if I was being honest. Only back then in a different way. In an admiring way. Now in a…

The sudden sound of windows being thrown open interrupted me. I glanced sideways in confusion and only now noticed the wall of our dorm. And now… the faces of our classmates. Our classmates who were staring at us - confused, shocked, and questioning. At the two of us. Lying on top of each other.

Oh god! What kind of position were we even in right now?! I mean, sure, no one would think much of it, but my teenage brain was currently flooding me with very inappropriate images. God, this was just too much again!

Loud voices reached my ears. I couldn’t tell who was saying what. Too many people were speaking at once, too agitated.

“What’s going on?” “Oh no, not again.” “Bakugou! Let go of Midoriya.” “Are they fighting?” “Why?” “What happened?”

Kacchan, still on top of me, seemed to snap out of the tunnel vision of our little clash. He looked up with a frown. Looked into the confused yet curious faces of our class - and growled in irritation.

“Shut up, Extras! We’ve got something to settle, so piss off!” he snapped at them, not even waiting for a reply before turning back to me. He tightened his grip and pressed his knee painfully into my thigh.

“Ow, Kacchan!” I yelped, trying to lift my head slightly, but the pull on my hair made it impossible.

“You’re not going anywhere until you take back what you just said.”

Now I was the one growling, trying once more to push him off. In vain. His grip and weight made it impossible. And honestly - even if I wanted to, I couldn’t move anymore. The last few days were finally catching up with me.

“Well?”

“Yes, I’m sorry! Okay?! Can you please just get off m—” I snapped at him in frustration. But clearly, my tone wasn’t what Kacchan wanted to hear.

I yelped again as his knee dug even harder into my thigh. He was now basically sitting on top of me. Damn it! Couldn’t he finally let me go? This was beyond embarrassing, lying here like this in front of everyone.

Cursing quietly under my breath, I vaguely registered our friends' protesting and concerned voices in the background. I couldn’t focus on them. I could only focus on Kacchan’s fiery eyes boring into me.

I sighed. The only way out of this was to give in and take my words back. Even if I knew what I’d heard - and it had definitely been muttering. Mutters that sounded suspiciously like mine. Was I rubbing off on him?

A faint smirk tugged at my lips, earning me a raised eyebrow from Kacchan. Oops. Probably not the time to get distracted.

One deep breath later, I said calmly, “Fine, I take it back, okay? I must’ve just imagined it earlier… and… I’ll never, ever claim something like that again. Sorry if it sounded like I was accusing you.”

I gave myself a little mental applause for swallowing the defiance that wanted to creep into my voice. Now was not the time for false pride. The smarter one backs down, after all. And besides, now I had something I could tease him about later.

“Thought so,” Kacchan muttered, finally letting me go and standing up.

I watched him, completely wiped out, as he brushed the dust and dirt off his uniform while I just sprawled out and took a deep breath. God, my whole body was one big ball of pain. Not just from last night - no, the entire day and the training were weighing on me. And now this too. Should I just stay here and sleep on the floor?

The slightly trembling ground made me tilt my head to the side. I saw a panicked group consisting of Kaminari, Kirishima, Hanta, and Ilda running toward us. I also spotted Uraraka and Yaomomo behind them. I couldn’t help but smile a little. Were they coming to rescue me?

“What do you Extras want?” Kacchan barked at them the second he noticed them.

They all froze on the spot, taking in the scene in front of them.

Kirishima scratched his temple and said somewhat uncertainly, “Uh… we were… trying to stop you?”

Kacchan’s disdainful “Tch” hit my ears just before he grumbled, “There’s nothing to stop. Right, Nerd?”

“Right, Kacchan!” I called back a bit strained, took a breath, and said to my friends with a crooked grin, “Everything’s fine!”

“How can this possibly be fine? Why were you two fighting again?” Uraraka asked, hands on her hips, clearly upset. Was she mad? Why?

“As if that was a fight…” Kacchan muttered, visibly annoyed, not even bothering to look at her.

Then I heard Ilda clear his throat, and I braced myself for a lecture. But Kacchan cut him off before he even got past “If Mr. Aizawa saw this—” with a growled, “God, just shut your mouth, Glasses! Nothing happened!”

“Can you at least explain what this was about?”

“Nope. Because it’s none of your business. Just like everything else,” Kacchan shot them down. Then he turned back to me and asked, “You planning to grow roots down there?”

My tired “Yes” immediately made one of his eyebrows shoot up. I gave him an apologetic smile and said, “I just need another minute.”

My friends’ concerned questions buzzed in my ears. They asked if I was hurt. If I needed to see Recovery Girl. If everything was really okay.

As much as I appreciated their care, I was starting to understand where Kacchan’s constant annoyance came from. Right now, I honestly wished they would all just go back to the dorm.

But just as I was about to say something, I heard Kacchan sigh heavily. He ran a hand through his hair, shook his head in frustration, and then held both hands out to me.

“Come on, Nerd. So the extras can see you’re still in one piece.”

I smiled slightly. Tried not to smile too softly, but the fact that he wanted to help me up… yeah, it touched me. Because normally, he didn’t just offer a hand like that. And even if things were different between us now, his pride still often got in the way - especially when others were around.

So I didn’t hesitate. I lifted my heavy arms toward him and curled my fingers into his. Let him pull me to my feet before dusting off my clothes. Thank God we didn’t only have one school uniform.

“What were you all doing in the common room, anyway?” I quickly asked, since I already heard someone inhale like they were about to speak. And honestly? I wasn’t in the mood for another exhausting conversation. I’d had enough of those today.

“Uhhh…” Kaminari replied dumbly. He was clearly overwhelmed by the sudden topic change. But Hanta reacted quicker and explained, “We were just setting the food on the table.”

“Oh cool, what’s for dinner?” I asked, already starting to move. I heard Kacchan’s quiet, amused snort next to me as I walked away. He was probably internally laughing at the confused expressions on the people around him.

“Burgers and fries!” Kaminari now called out with his usual energy. It made me laugh. And made Kacchan wrinkle his nose in disgust. Yeah, I knew fast food wasn’t exactly high on his list. But apparently, it had been his “squad” that cooked today. So maybe he’d be a little more open-minded. At least, I hoped so.

 

 

“What happened?” Ashido shouted at me the moment I stepped into the dorm. But Jiro karate-chopped her on the head and muttered, “Let them in first. And keep setting the table.”

I gave Jiro a grateful nod and smile. Of all the girls, I probably liked her the most. She had seemed shy at first, but she was just calm and extremely chill - a person who liked getting lost in music. She didn’t enjoy drama and often reined in overexcited people like Kaminari and Ashido for everyone’s sake. Her little sarcastic, dry, and annoyed remarks often made me smile because they came across so perfectly deadpan. Yeah, she was refreshingly different, and I really appreciated that.

“Hey guys! Come help me out here! I’m not doing all of this on my own,” Ashido commanded her clique as they entered. Kirishima, Kaminari, and Hanta responded immediately and headed toward the kitchen.

Kacchan, who no longer had kitchen duty, froze in place as he watched them. Hm. Why did it feel like a vein was pulsing on his temple? And why did he look like he was about to explode?

“Kacchan?” I asked softly. I heard him take a few deep breaths before he muttered, “I’m going upstairs before I kill someone,” and disappeared toward the elevators.

I stared after him, puzzled. And I wasn’t the only one. It was like question marks were floating above everyone’s heads. What had he seen that made him so worked up he had to leave?

I let my gaze sweep across the room - and then it hit me like a brick. Holy shit! What had happened to the kitchen?

I stared in shock at the battlefield in front of me. I wasn’t sure if the kitchen could be saved or if we just had to tear it down and rebuild. God! The countertops were no longer recognizable. Pans, plates, cutting boards, knives, and bowls were scattered everywhere. Food scraps, grease splatters, and who knows what else were smeared across every surface. The floor was shiny and looked super slippery. And that was just what I could see from the distance.

And I thought I was already a kitchen disaster, flashed through my head as I held back a pained smile. Instead, I sat down at the table, where most people had already taken a seat.

Curiously, I eyed the platters in front of me. They’d gone for a burger buffet style, so everyone could add whatever they wanted. Not a bad idea. I wondered who had planned that.

“Enjoy, everyone! We worked really hard on this!” Ashido grinned around the table, waving everyone to dig in.

A few crooked smiles flicked toward the kitchen and then back to the proudly satisfied self-declared ‘Bakusquad,’ who apparently had chosen to ignore the total chaos they’d left behind. And I had to admit, I was slowly getting used to the name. But I still found it odd how much they contrasted with Kacchan. Someone so obsessed with structure and cleanliness had to be suffering dealing with such a mess squad.

“Cooking Team! The kitchen has to be properly cleaned afterward. Anything you broke or can’t use anymore needs to be written down. And—” Ilda started one of his lectures, but Hanta cut him off: “Don’t worry, class rep! We’ve got it. It looks worse than it is.”

“It looks bad enough that Bakugou bolted immediately,” Jiro muttered beside him as she bit into one of her fries.

Most people nodded, while I, lost in thought, accidentally blurted out, “Nah, he just didn’t want to add a bloodbath to the battlefield.”

All sound instantly stopped. I felt every gaze on me. Surprised looks. But amused ones, too. Damn, since when was I blurting out dry comments like that?

I quickly gave a shy smile around the table and ran a hand awkwardly through my hair. Got a few laughs and warm looks in return. Apparently, it wasn’t a big deal if I let something like that slip now and then. Maybe I really was getting a little braver. Or had I already changed? Thanks to U.A., the internship… and being with Kacchan?

“What even happened out there just now?” Kirishima suddenly asked.

Surprised, I looked at him, thought for a second, put the burger back on my plate I’d just been about to bite into, and wiped my fingers on a napkin. Gave myself that short moment before answering, “We just had a little discussion.”

“Discussion… uh-huh…” Uraraka muttered next to me, sounding like she was rolling her eyes - at least that’s how it came across.

“Really. It wasn’t anything serious. It was… totally… normal,” I added quickly. I didn’t know how else to explain it. Because that’s just what it was: normal!

“So is it normal now that you two keep fighting all the time, or is it normal that you hang out together on weekends?” Ashido asked. Who else, right?

I let out a loud sigh and leaned back in my chair, clearly showing that I, too, was tired of having to explain myself. Of having to explain us. But maybe it was time to let Mr. Aizawa’s suggestion slowly take root. And even though Kacchan wasn’t present, I knew he would’ve left the talking to me anyway. And I also knew that he trusted me. Trusted me to find the right words to finally bring some peace.

“Mina, after what Mr. Aizawa said today, we weren’t supposed to…,” Hagakure mumbled beside her, but I simply raised my hand slightly and murmured a quiet, “It’s okay,” to the group.

Of course I saw the curious glances from the others. Even the ones trying to hide it. But I couldn’t blame them. We were a bunch of typical teenagers living under one roof who hadn’t known each other that long. Of course people were curious. Especially when classmates started acting differently.

“To answer Ashido’s question - I can only say this much: both are normal. From now on, this is normal.”

The question marks that appeared over everyone’s faces almost made me laugh. I held it in and just smiled to myself instead.

“I’m not really sure how to explain this to you… but… I’ll try,” I began calmly and cleared my throat. Took a moment to collect my thoughts before continuing.
“You all know Kacchan and I have known each other for a long time. And… well… you all know what it’s like - you change as you grow up… and… you probably have friends you used to be really close with but then drifted apart from… or maybe just lost contact. With Kacchan and me… you only know us from how we were when we came to U.A. I’ll admit, it wasn’t great. And I’d be lying if I said everything’s perfect now, but… what you got to know… was just one phase of us. A… uh, how do I put it…like a chapter.”

I paused for a moment and looked a little uncertainly around the room. Everyone seemed to be giving me their full attention. And it looked like they were really thinking about what I was saying.

Since no one looked like they wanted to interrupt, I just kept going. “We’ve had a lot of… different chapters together. In kindergarten, we were one way. In elementary school, another. Then things changed again in middle school… and in between, it was sometimes easy, sometimes difficult. I don’t know if I’m getting across what I mean, but… you only knew this one…”, I swallowed hard, then dared to finally say the word that had been lingering on my tongue, “…relationship between us. That tense, unusual one… and… it’s still there, but the house arrest gave us time to… reflect, I guess? And… even if this seems strange to you at first - what’s coming now, this other… kind of bond, it’s also normal. Because we used to be friends, and we used to act like that sometimes too… we’re just learning how to do that again now. And… well… since we’ve known each other for so long, it might just seem a bit… weirdly sudden and overly familiar to you. Yeah… so… I… I hope you understand what I mean.”

After finishing, I took a few deep breaths. That really hadn’t been easy. I’d tried to speak calmly and clearly. Not to mumble or stutter. Hopefully, I’d managed.

“That… was really well said, Midoriya. And I want to apologize on behalf of everyone if we’ve made things harder for you,” Yaomomo replied gently.

I wondered why it was her of all people who spoke. She’d stayed out of it until now. But maybe she saw it as her duty as class vice president - to smooth things over and bring peace.

“Whoa! That… was pretty deep, right guys?” Ashido added, wide-eyed, making a few people laugh. And I could feel the weight on my shoulders slowly start to lift.

Yeah. Maybe this really would bring a bit of normalcy. And we’d finally get what we wanted: peace and time for ourselves.

 

 

Notes:

That’s it!
Phew, that was a bit of work - but believe me, I had so much fun writing this chapter. I really missed pushing this story forward!
So, what did you think?

By the way, I held back with the whole Aizawa thing. This story has one main couple, and I’d like to keep it that way. Everything else - I’ll leave to your imagination ;) I just don’t want to scare anyone off with subtle hints, you know?

Soo... what do you think is coming next? Finally a bit of peace? Or full-on chaos again?
Maybe I can even work in one or two of your wishes ;) After all, I’ll be writing chapter by chapter again from now on.

I really hope I’ll manage to finish the next chapter this week, too! My plan is to gift you another update next Saturday 🎁

Wishing you a wonderful weekend =D
And don’t forget: I absolutely worship your comments and cherish every single word 💚🧡
Sending hugs your way!

Chapter 64: Breathing Space

Notes:

OH MY GOD GUYS! Are you crazy??????
Um… first of all: thank you SO much for all the lovely birthday wishes! I didn’t manage to reply to every single one of you because - freaking 40 comments?!?!
I’m speechless. Completely speechless. And probably the happiest person in the world right now.
It feels like a simple “thank you” isn’t even enough… but still: THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!! 💚🧡

And since you gave me such wonderful gifts, I made one for you too: I wrote this chapter during the week (and not just this one… hehe 😉).
Enjoy reading!

Chapter 64 – Breathing Space

 

Disoriented and exhausted, I blindly reached for the nerve-racking alarm tone coming from my phone. Was it morning already? It sure felt like I’d been woken up right in the middle of the night.

I didn’t know. I just finally found my phone and tapped around on it until it went silent. God, I hadn’t felt this wrecked in ages. Couldn’t even open my eyes. They felt like they were glued shut.

I let out a low grunt as my body sluggishly rolled onto its back. The backs of my hands tried to rub away the sticky sleep-sand from my closed eyelids so I could finally see where I was.

‘With Kacchan, of course,’ was the only logical thought that came to mind. But something felt off. Only, my sleepy brain refused to give me back any memory of last night.

Grumbling, I let my arm slide across the blanket, only to immediately reach the edge of the bed. Huh? Since when was Kacchan’s bed this small? And why did it smell so different here?

With effort, I finally managed to open my eyes. Everything looked blurry, so I wiped them again. Let my palms glide over my face, massaging it briefly to finally wake up, before I noticed a sunny yellow wall.

Okay, so I was in my own room. But… why?

Groaning, I pressed the back of my head into the pillow and took a few deep breaths before my memories slowly began to resurface.

After dinner last night, I’d gone to my room. Gotten a message from Kacchan saying he was going to sleep, but that he’d left the door unlocked for me. Then I got ready, showered, changed, and lay down on my bed for a bit. Because it was still a bit too early and uncertain to sneak upstairs.

“Crap! Did I really fall asleep?” I muttered quietly into the empty room. I wasn’t exactly shocked at how easily I must’ve drifted off. But could I really blame myself? I’d barely been able to stand yesterday. The internship, the excitement about the date, the date itself, and then that second spontaneous one with that very intense evening. It had all been so unusually draining. And then all the drama yesterday on top of that. Of course I had to fall asleep from exhaustion at some point, right? Kacchan would totally understand that… right?

Sighing, I looked at the clock. It was just after six a.m. Now it was way too late to sneak upstairs. So did that mean we’d stay out of contact until tonight? No hugs? No kisses?

I groaned loudly. Flopped back onto my stomach and buried my face in the pillow. No! I didn’t want that. That was just plain stupid.

“So stupid!” I mumbled in a sulky tone, just as I finally noticed the symbol on my display. I had a message. Didn’t surprise me that it was from Kacchan when I pulled down the screen. But what had he written? A ‘Good morning’? A ‘Where are you’? Or maybe something… else. I hesitated. What if I’d seriously pissed him off?

‘Don’t be ridiculous! Not over something like this!’ my inner voice snapped, and I imagined it rolling its eyes. Yeah, no way he’d be mad about that. He probably only noticed this morning too.

Trying to be confident, I finally tapped on the message and was surprised by how long it was.

What, am I already too boring for you that you don’t even wanna crawl into my bed anymore?

I sighed heavily and let my face fall straight into the pillow. Screamed quietly and in frustration as I tried to think of a reply. Should I apologize? Explain? Fire back? What was the right move? And why did I even feel guilty just because I hadn’t gone to his room for one night?

Nervously, my front teeth dug into my bottom lip. I chewed on it for a moment before deciding to just call him. Way faster than thinking about what to text for another thirty minutes. But what was I even going to say?

“What, Nerd?”

I held my breath when I heard his grumpy voice. Was he really that pissed about it?

“Good morning, Kacchan,” I said softly and uncertainly, because honestly, nothing else would come out.

But all I got from Kacchan was a “Mhm”. Nothing else. Just the sound of his breathing and some light footsteps. Wait - was he not in his room anymore?

“Is there more coming or what?” he grumbled into my ear. I heard a distant ding after that. So he was probably out in the hallway near the elevator.

“Um… I… I’m sorry that… I fell asleep while waiting yesterday… by accident. I didn’t mean to…” I started stammering, but got cut off by an “Aha.”

“Are you mad at me?”

A snort, then a “Hm, not really.” Which confused me even more. Why did he sound like that if he wasn’t mad at me?

“Are you… heading downstairs?”

“Hm.”

“Are you gonna stop by my room?” I asked hopefully, even though I knew it was way too risky.

“No… I’m going for a run.”

“Then… um, maybe if someone talks to you down there. I… said something during dinner yesterday to the others, like… about us. And…” I tried to explain. I couldn’t know if someone might bring it up to him. But his annoyed and sharp “Not now, Nerd!” cut me off again.

“But…”

“Not before my first coffee… Izuku,” he grumbled, and my name at the end was barely more than a breath.

God, he wasn’t even in his room - and he called me by my name. Again.

Internally, I squeaked. That heavy feeling in my stomach finally started to lift. Instead, I felt a warm rush of comfort and contentment bubble up inside me.

“Okay, I’ll just get re—” I began, but all I heard next was the dial tone. Wow. Did he seriously just hang up on me?

‘God, I totally forgot about this version of morning-Kacchan,’ I thought, smiling a little as I finally sat up on my soft mattress. Time to get ready. Kacchan’s morning run would probably be shorter, since it was already so late. And I’d really love to at least have breakfast together with him.

“Wonder if we could sit next to each other…” I mumbled to myself as I headed to the bathroom to get ready for the school day.

 

 

“YOU DISGUSTING IDIOTS!”

I almost tore my bedroom door off its hinges when I heard Kacchan’s furious voice echoing through the dorm. I stared down the hallway in shock, eyes wide - but of course I couldn’t see anything yet.

I had taken my sweet time in the bathroom. Got caught up reading a Hero News article and now had to hurry if I still wanted to catch Kacchan at breakfast. But apparently, that was no longer the issue.

Quickly, I made my way down the hall, practically taking the stairs two at a time as his voice kept getting louder and more aggressive. And the words I picked up were anything but kind.

“God, I haven’t heard him curse like that in forever,” I muttered to myself as I reached the common room in a near jog.

A group had gathered near the kitchen.

“HOW CAN YOU CALL THIS CLEAN? EVEN A PIGSTY WOULD BE CLEANER THAN THIS! ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTING! HOW CAN YOU FUCKTARDS BE THIS GROSS?” Kacchan was yelling - at the floor?

I stepped next to Uraraka and Shoji, who gave me a small nod. I returned it briefly, then looked past the crowd to see what was happening.

There they were. The entire Bakusquad, kneeling on the floor, heads bowed in shame like they were silently begging for forgiveness. Ashido and Kaminari were even sniffling pathetically.

My eyes flicked to Kacchan, whose face was red with fury. Sparks flared between his clenched fingers. Oh crap. He was really pissed.

“Bakubro, we—” Kirishima tried, but was immediately drowned out by the next outburst.

“You trying to tell me you didn’t notice everything was sticky? Even Ponytail looked grossed out when she touched the kettle! What did you even clean yesterday? Your brains of any functioning thought?”

I sighed and turned in surprise when I felt someone tap my shoulder. Jiro, Uraraka, and Ojiro were looking at me with hopeful, pleading expressions. I raised an eyebrow as Jiro leaned in to whisper, “Can you maybe do something before this turns into a murder scene?”

Exhaling slowly, I took a few steps back and called from across the room, “Kacchan!”

His furious eyes swept over the group and locked onto me. The vein on his temple didn’t seem to ease up - but at least he paused. He was still seething, though, and honestly, I couldn’t blame him. As much as he’d never admit it, the kitchen was kind of like his second room. I’d realized that during our house arrest. It helped him calm down when things got too much. But now, seeing it like this… yeah, I got why it set him off.

‘And probably because he hasn’t had his first coffee yet,’ I thought, sneaking a glance at the still unused coffee machine. Okay, time to put that to use.

“Wanna go to the cafeteria with me? I saw they set up a new hot drink vending machine out front. Bet they’ve got some good coffee options,” I said as calmly and gently as possible. The tension in the room was thick.

Even Kacchan’s growl didn’t throw me off. After a few more seconds of eye contact, he seemed to begin dialing it back himself.

“Yeah, fine,” he grumbled.

“Okay, I just need to grab my bag real quick. Wanna come wi—”

But he was already storming off, shoving his way between his friends and hitting them with his legs as he went.

I gave a crooked smile as I caught the grateful looks from the others. Kaminari even gave me a small bow of thanks. I didn’t have time to react, though, because Kacchan bumped past me too. But his shoulder bump wasn’t as rough this time.

Rolling my eyes, I followed him. Behind my back, I flashed a peace sign with my right hand - just to let the others know everything was okay and that hopefully, we wouldn’t have anyone trailing behind us.

 

“I hate them all,” Kacchan grumbled and dropped onto my bed without hesitation.

I gave him a lopsided smile. “You know you don’t really mean that.”

My voice was calm and conciliatory. I wasn’t trying to annoy him - just hoping his blood pressure would settle back into a normal range.

His grumpy snort just made me grin. I didn’t comment on it, though, and was already heading toward my desk when he grabbed my wrist.

“Come here, Nerd,” Kacchan murmured, tugging me toward him - slowly but insistently - until I stood between his legs. I glanced down at him, feeling my heartbeat pick up as he pressed his head against my abs.

“Kacchan…” I said shakily, holding my breath as his hands slid up the backs of my thighs. Unashamedly, they traveled higher - over my butt, all the way to the base of my spine. His head tilted upward - and suddenly he pressed on my lower back with so much force that I toppled forward.

I heard Kacchan chuckle in amusement as he adjusted me onto his lap. I felt his hands glide up my back toward my shoulder blades. He began massaging them right away, making me let out a pleased little hum.

“We’re going in a minute, Nerd. But I need this right now,” Kacchan whispered.
How did he always know when I was about to protest?

I just nodded and gave in. Why? Because I needed this just as much as he did. His physical closeness. His scent in my nose. His strong arms wrapped around me. And his lips on mine.

With a sigh, I leaned into the kiss. Thanks to my slightly higher position, he let me take the lead. Let me guide him by the hair at the back of his head.

Heavenly. Just heavenly. It had been way too long since I felt this warm, tingling sensation that spread through me with every one of our kisses. Sometimes it was softer. Sometimes more intense. Today? Way more.

I let out a squeak when Kacchan suddenly threw himself back, dragging me down with him. I hissed as my head lightly bumped against the wall.

“You need a bigger bed, Izuku,” he grinned cheekily, his eyes a shade darker now - burning with the same longing I felt.

But we didn’t have time. We had to get back downstairs and out again. It would be more than suspicious if we stayed up here together for too long. Even though right now, I couldn’t imagine anything better than making up for the closeness we’d missed last night. Innocently, of course.

“Turn your brain off,” Kacchan grumbled as he hoisted us onto the bed properly. Then he slipped out from under me and gently rolled me over. I shook my head in amusement but let it happen. Five more minutes - no one would notice, right?

“We don’t have much time,” I mumbled, blushing as Kacchan gave me a puzzled look… followed by a very dirty one.

“Oi, little Deku. What is it you want me to do quickly? Got a wish?” he teased, and I felt his hand slide between our bodies, heading south.

But just before he reached the place he was aiming for, I grabbed his wrist and muttered, thoroughly embarrassed, “Not that! God, Kacchan! Why do you always think like that?”

“Because you were thinking it too,” he whispered, leaning down to press his lips to mine again.

I sighed into the kiss and wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling him as close as I could. He didn’t resist. He seemed completely focused on the rhythm of our lips. And then… he sighed too - contentedly this time.

 

 

I was this close to throwing our plan out the window and just spending the rest of the time until class with him. Right here. In bed.

And Kacchan seemed to have the same idea when he suddenly said, “Let’s do something stupid and get grounded again.”

“Wait, what?” I asked, shocked, pushing him off my chest.

But that mischievous, all-too-tempting grin told me he wasn’t completely serious.

“Let’s get grounded again and spend the whole day in bed,” he repeated. He braced his arms on either side of my head and slid his hips just a little against mine. A surprised gasp escaped my lips.

“Kac… no,” I managed to say, trying to gather every last bit of self-control in my body not to react to him again so… obviously. Especially not when he had that smug, triumphant grin on his face. No way, Mr. Bakugou. Not like this!

“Come on, admit it’s a good idea.”

“It’s a dumb idea.”

“Sure, keep lying to yourself… little Deku,” he shot back with a chuckle, wiggling his eyebrows. And of course, he had to keep teasing me - readjusting himself on my lap, supposedly just to get more comfortable. Argh, this jerk! Seriously! He was impossible. And that “little Deku” again. He was totally trying to push my buttons, right?

“I hate you,” I snapped, trying to shove him off me. With little success. God, it was basically impossible to use any strength in this position - especially when someone just as strong was sitting on top of you.

“I know, Nerd.”

But then, to my surprise, he suddenly stood up and straightened his clothes.

“Well, as fun as this is, I still need my damn coffee,” he said casually, heading over to my desk, tossing my pencil case and notebook into my backpack, and slinging it over one shoulder. I barely had time to react before he was already out on my balcony.

“If I were you, I’d get moving,” he grinned cheekily before jumping off the balcony without a second’s hesitation.

“Whoa, Kacchan! Not so fast!” I called after him, finally managing to get up and practically sprint to the door.

He glanced up at me with that familiar look of challenge before turning toward the school building.

‘God, life with him is never boring,’ I thought, adjusting my uniform and feeling a grin tug at my lips. Without thinking too hard about it, I activated One For All and jumped after him.

 

We walked to the cafeteria in silence. We only passed a few students along the way. None that we knew. Whether they knew us was hard to say - our class was kind of well-known among the student body. Our appearance at the Sports Festival and the run-ins with the League of Villains had definitely left an impression. And then there was our little “field trip” to Ground Beta. Yeah, I did feel a little watched whenever we walked across campus.

“Are you gonna give me my backpack back now, Kacchan?” I asked once we’d arrived at the vending machine in question. I hadn’t said anything until now because… honestly, I found it kind of cute that he was carrying my bag. It was such an unusual sight - him with my bright yellow backpack. Unusual and… kind of attractive.

“Hm.”

He just grunted, letting the strap slide off his shoulder and setting the bag on the floor as he studied the selection.

I glanced around instead and was relieved to see that no one was nearby. That gave me the courage to step a little closer to him, just enough that our shoulders and arms touched. I brushed my knuckles gently against his.

“What’s this? Still turned on from earlier?” he teased immediately while pulling his phone out of his pocket with his right hand.

“N-no… I… I just… I’d like to hold your hand,” I mumbled, flustered, turning my gaze down toward the floor.

I heard him snort in amusement, followed by the sound of him doing something with the vending machine. I didn’t look up. Not even when my heart skipped a beat.

Why?

Because Kacchan had taken my hand - and was now stroking the back of it with his thumb. The soft motion gave me goosebumps and filled me with a warm glow. Was I really this far gone for him?

“Cheesy nerd,” I heard him whisper with a smirk - just before the vending machine clanked twice.

Curious now, I finally looked up at him and watched as he awkwardly pulled two cans from the dispenser.

“Here, my little sugar freak,” he teased, holding the warm can of cocoa against my cheek.

I accepted it gratefully and gave his hand one last gentle squeeze before letting go of our brief hand-holding moment.

“Wanna sit over there?” I asked, pointing to a bench in the shade of a large tree.

“In a sec.”

I tilted my head in confusion as Kacchan tapped his phone against the machine again and grabbed a second drink for himself.

I giggled quietly.

“What? Was the morning so bad you need a double dose of caffeine?” I asked, poking his side with my finger.

He raised one eyebrow and gave me a slightly annoyed look. “If I even think about those damn idiots… God, not even ten cans could save this day.”

My expression softened, and after a quick glance around, I stepped closer to him - tilting my head to look up at him from below.

“So I can’t even save the day?”

“Hm, depends.”

“Depends on what?” I asked, waiting for his answer.

But I didn’t get one. Instead, his hand suddenly touched my chin. I held my breath as his index finger gently traced along my lower lip, tugging it down just slightly.

What the hell was he doing? And why was my heart suddenly trying to beat its way out of my chest?

I swallowed as he tilted my chin upward, forcing me to hold his gaze. And the way he looked at me - like he was about to devour me right then and there - God, it turned my knees into absolute jelly.

And he must’ve seen it - my reaction - because that familiar glint of mischief sparked in his eyes.

“Oh, how I’d love to pick up where we left off in your room… right here,” he murmured darkly, knowing full well how much that tone got to me.

But just as quickly as the tension had built, he broke it - pulling his hand away and heading toward the bench. As if nothing had happened. As if he hadn’t just tried to melt my brain.

He was already sitting down when I finally remembered how to move. I still stood exactly where he’d left me - face hot, ears ringing. Then it hit me all at once. I let out a startled squeak, dropped into a crouch, and covered my face with both hands. What the hell was that just now? Why… what… God, that…!

He must’ve found my speechlessness hilarious. I heard him laugh - not cheerfully. No, it had a bit of a dirty edge to it. And it sounded like victory. His victory, obviously.

I groaned, took a moment to collect myself, and then followed after him.

 

“So, what kind of great story did you serve the extras yesterday?” he asked after a short silence - just when I’d finally collected myself and he’d managed to raise his caffeine level to something resembling reasonable. Well, reasonable for him. I’d probably be halfway to a heart attack if I downed two of those giant espressos.

But I kept that to myself. By now I knew that without coffee in the morning, Kacchan was not a functioning human being. Even if I doubted it was healthy at our age. Then again, maybe he needed it because of his quirk.

I calmly repeated what I’d told the others. Tilted my face toward the sky and let the soft summer morning sun warm my skin. It was deeply relaxing. And it helped me forget what had just happened. And the thing with my room. And the fact that I already seemed to miss his touch after just one day without it.

“Well done, Nerd,” Kacchan praised me at the end of my story, flashing a rare smile before ruffling my hair at the back of my head in a subtle gesture. A pleasant shiver ran down my spine. God, how I’d love for him to really run his hands through my hair right now. But unfortunately, we had class. It was getting late.

My growling stomach made it very clear that, amidst all the drama, we’d completely forgotten breakfast.

Kacchan snorted and shook his head next to me. Without saying a word, he got up and walked back to the vending machines beside the cafeteria.

Only now did I notice that more and more students had started to gather around the building. Had anyone seen us?

I quickly shook my head. Everything we’d done while sitting on the bench had looked completely normal and inconspicuous. The scene at the vending machine might’ve been a bit more suspicious, but Kacchan had surely checked the area. And I had too. Before he… yeah.

“Oi, Nerd! Move your damn ass already!” Kacchan snapped, breaking into my thoughts. I only now realized he’d already started heading for the school building. His words practically launched me out of my seat and into a run after him.

He was definitely walking slower than usual, so I caught up with him quickly. Once I was beside him, he handed me two bags. One had a fruit sandwich. The other a Katsu Sando.

My eyes lit up as I recognized both, and I had to swallow all the saliva suddenly flooding my mouth. Yummy! These were my absolute favorites. Sweet and fruity with strawberries - und schnitzel always worked. Basically a katsudon to go.

“Kacchan…” I started, but as I turned to him, beaming, his hand shoved my face away again.

“Ugh, I told you to stop making that sappy shitty face!” he grumbled in disgust and put a few more steps of distance between us. He unwrapped his protein bar and kept walking.

I chuckled quietly to myself and let it slide, staying two steps behind him. I couldn’t keep up with his pace anyway - not while I was busy eating those two delicious things. Plus, this way I could admire him in peace. I had the feeling he was embarrassed about buying me the snacks. At least his reaction made that pretty clear.

 

Surprisingly, no one in the classroom bothered us. Maybe it was because we got there just in time before the bell rang. Aside from a few hesitant, curious glances, no one said anything, which was… a little weird, but Kacchan seemed quite pleased with the situation.

Still, I couldn’t help but give everyone a small, nodding smile and a thumbs-up. I saw the Bakusquad visibly exhale in relief. Hm. Maybe I shouldn’t let them feel too safe. After all, I had no idea what would happen once we got back to the dorms. But that wasn’t my problem right now.

For now, I just wanted to enjoy that they all seemed to have accepted the situation. At least that’s what I chose to believe - for the sake of my own peace of mind.

 

 

Notes:

That’s it!
Sooo, what did you think? Happy with my performance? 😄
By the way - I was so motivated by your comments that I’ve already finished next Saturday’s chapter!!!
And the one after that is already in progress! 💚🧡

I’ll say it again: comments are my biggest motivation.
So, what do you think is going to happen next? Any ideas or theories? I’m curious!
See you next Saturday – sending hugs to all of you 💚🧡

PS: Since our sweet nerd is celebrating his birthday on Tuesday, I’ve written a short and sugary story from Kacchan’s POV.
I’d be really happy if you keep an eye out for it on Tuesday! 🥰

Chapter 65: The Calm Before the Storm?

Notes:

🎉 Surprise!
Yessss, I’m one day early… but only because I had to share this cozy lil’ chapter with you! ☕
Also: you’ve all spoiled me with so many sweet and amazing comments lately, I honestly don’t even know what I did to deserve you all 💚🧡
You are – and yes, I will say it again – simply the best 💕

So please enjoy today’s read! Even if it might just be… the calm before the storm....hehe

Chapter 65 – The Calm Before the Storm?

 

“How did you manage to calm Bakugou down?” Uraraka asked curiously while we were sitting at Lunch Rush’s and eating again. I had gotten myself an extra-large portion, because as tasty as the stuff from the vending machine had been, it hadn’t really filled me up.

“Didn’t.” I answered without thinking much about it, while I shoveled a heap of rice into my mouth. Heaven, it was just rice, but somehow this alone was already satisfying my hunger. Seriously, my stomach had been growling nonstop at the end of the morning classes. So loud that the people around me had heard it. I’d been endlessly embarrassed. And Kacchan had heard it too – his disbelieving snort still echoed in my ears.

“Huh?” Uraraka followed up, confused, nudging me with her elbow. I froze for a moment. Was that accidental or intentional? I couldn’t tell anymore with any of her actions since Kacchan had planted that stupid idea in my head – that maybe she liked me more than I wanted to admit.

I turned my head toward her – trying not to let my inner turmoil show – and caught a glimpse of the others’ faces. But they didn’t seem curious at all, though with Asui, I still wasn’t so sure. Had my explanation yesterday been enough for her? Was she satisfied with it? Or had I imagined all along that she’d noticed something?

“Well, Kacchan will probably explode again once he’s back at the dorm. I mean, just look over there,” I said, pointing toward the Bakusquad’s table.

Of course they followed my finger and saw the same thing I did – the mood at that table was… nonexistent. A funeral gathering would probably have been more pleasant. Seriously, I could feel that tension all the way over here. And I’d never seen Ashido and Kaminari so silent and hunched over during lunch.

“Wow… I really wouldn’t want to sit there right now.”

“You know, during house arrest I learned that you shouldn’t talk to Kacchan until he’s had his coffee. Everything before that falls under ‘death wish’.” I grinned awkwardly and ran a nervous hand through my hair out of habit.

“You didn’t know that before?” Asui asked, and inwardly I sighed. But I managed to keep calm and explained, “Nah, I didn’t spend much time with him before. And when we came down in the mornings, he was either already there or already gone. Plus… I mean… who really knows the morning habits of their classmates if you don’t live under the same roof?”

There were nods of agreement, and then Ilda changed the topic, starting to reflect on our afternoon lessons. I silently thanked him and joined his train of thought. Honestly, I was also glad that we didn’t have a training unit today but just regular classes. As much as I loved pushing myself, everything still hurt. I desperately needed a bit of recovery before I could fight again.

 

 

The rest of the school day went by calmly. I’d even exchanged a few casual words with Kacchan before class started. I hadn’t felt particularly observed, and none of the conversations around us had fallen silent either. And that alone touched me a little – because I felt like the class was genuinely trying to accept this new “normal.”

And just like I’d predicted at lunch, the next kitchen debate flared up at the dorm.

“You’ll clean until the kitchen’s back to a state where people don’t get gag reflexes walking in. Got it?” Kacchan ordered with his arms crossed in front of his chest.

Sero was taller than him and Kirishima almost the same height, but somehow it didn’t matter. Kacchan just had this terrifying aura about him.

“But…” Ashido started, only to be cut off immediately: “No buts, Alien! Get the cleaning supplies from the storage room and get to it. Here’s a list with everything you need.” He handed a handwritten note to Kirishima, then sat himself down on a stool in front of the kitchen entrance, apparently to supervise every move.

Like a prison guard, I thought, amused, but I didn’t say anything. Instead, I listened to Kaminari, who was whispering as he and Kirishima passed by.

“Dude… was he that bored during class that he actually wrote out a dumb cleaning list?”

“Complain louder and you’ll trigger the next outburst. Let’s just do it properly. Kats isn’t wrong,” Kirishima replied. And I was impressed. Though I secretly knew Kirishima was naturally more reserved and reasonable. He always acted loud and hyper like Kaminari, but I always felt there was something more sensitive about him. I couldn’t quite explain it. Just a feeling.

 

 

While Kacchan was giving his squad hell and explaining how to clean properly, I sat with a few others from class at the long dining table doing homework.

We weren’t exactly working with full focus or structure, though. The kitchen scenario was just way too entertaining. Still, we made decent progress, and I even managed to take notes for Kacchan on the side without anyone noticing.

“Hmm, should we maybe remind Bakugou that his cleaning slaves will have to cook again soon?” I heard Jiro ask, her voice sounding suspiciously innocent. But the irony was unmistakable.

“You’re so mean, Jiro,” Uraraka chimed in right away. Jiro just smiled mischievously, while Fumikage mumbled, “This woman wants to watch the world burn.”

“You really think the worst of me, don’t you?” she laughed quietly, then glanced back toward the kitchen. I had the feeling she was deciding whether to say her next thought out loud.

“Midoriya? What do you think? What would happen if we said that now?”

Surprised, I looked up at Ojiro across from me, tilting my head slightly to show my confusion. The unspoken Why are you asking me? was all over my face.

“Well, you know Bakugou better than anyone.”

“Um, yeah… I guess…” I started uncertainly, racking my brain for what to say. So I just improvised: “But… it’s not like… I’ve turned into the… Kacchan whisperer or anything. I mean… you do remember that we had… our issues… with communication… right?”

“Yeah, but this morning went well, didn’t it?”

“That surprised even me,” I laughed, which got a few chuckles from the others too.
But we didn’t get to keep talking, because suddenly Todoroki entered the common area. And as if Jiro had sent a silent wish to the heavens, Todoroki asked, as expressionless as ever, “Is dinner coming early today?”

Instant, absolute silence followed. No one at our table even dared breathe, while those in the kitchen froze like statues.

Only Kacchan seemed to be vibrating. At least his fists were trembling again. Crap! Should I say something? Or just stay quiet and watch?

But Ashido was brave enough to speak: “Um no, Todoroki! We’re still cleaning up and then… uh… then… we’ll start cooking again? Very… very properly, I promise?”

Her words sounded so pitiful and uncertain, her eyes darting to Kacchan. I felt a little bad for her. But I trusted that Kacchan wouldn’t keep going off on his friends – yeah, he still denied it, but that’s what they were. Friends. No matter what he said. He was reasonable. Sometimes. More often with me. Less often with the others. So… sometimes in general? Right?

“What are you planning to make?” came his calm, composed voice, surprising everyone else but making me smirk slightly. It confirmed that I could read him well. That he had changed. Grown.

“Spaghetti… Bolognese?” Kaminari answered, sounding just as unsure as Ashido before.
I was surprised by the dish. Burgers yesterday and now spaghetti. They seemed to be going for a bit of a Western theme. Would something Spanish be next because of Sero? What did people eat in Spain anyway?

“I’ll help cook. Show me your recipe.”

Surprised noises filled the room. Not just from the Bakusquad but from our table too. I heard someone even whisper, “Did not see that coming.”

I just nodded silently, even though normally I wouldn’t. But I’d kind of expected it. Because if there’s one thing Kacchan is good at, it’s teaching someone something. In his harsh and rough way, sure, but he had taught me everything weeks ago. Even if he’d always looked totally annoyed while doing it.

 

 

When we finally all sat down at the table, I could only guess how many bumps Kirishima and the others might have on their heads by now. Kacchan’s cooking lesson had been very interesting to watch. Well, at least from an outsider’s perspective. I really did feel a bit sorry for the four of them. But Kacchan was just being Kacchan, barking orders and insults in equal measure while they prepared the pretty simple dish. And the kitchen looked like nothing had ever been cooked in it. The only sign of food prep were the three huge pots – two filled with spaghetti, the other with sauce.

One by one, our plates were served before we all wished each other a good meal.

“Wow, this is delicious,” I heard Hagakure say happily across the room. A few others agreed, which prompted Kaminari to proudly announce, “Well, we are the best.”

“Don’t get cocky, dumbass. You’d burn water with that level of talent,” Kacchan grumbled, unintentionally cracking a joke. He snorted as we started laughing and rolled his eyes in annoyance.

“Thank you, Bakubabe, for all your help. Really. You’re such a sweetheart,” Ashido said in an overly sweet voice, which earned her a dry “Sucking up won’t help you.”

“Don’t push your luck again,” Jiro muttered under her breath to her. And I knew why she said that. During our own kitchen duty, Ashido and Kaminari had pushed him too far a few times. Once he’d even walked out on dinner. Another time, he hadn’t even sat down at the table.

“Do you have any more unconventional meals planned for the week?” Yaomomo asked, shifting the topic.

Hanta answered calmly, “Tomorrow it’s paella. My grandmother’s recipe.”

“And Thursday we’re making Korean BBQ,” Ashido added.

“And Friday’s pizza day!” Kaminari finished the line, all enthusiastic.

“Wow, you really put some thought into this.”

“Yeah, after all the standard stuff, we wanted to try something different. You know us – boring isn’t really our thing,” Mina grinned broadly, wiggling her eyebrows, which got more laughs from the table.

I chuckled too and enjoyed the relaxed mood. It was nice how everything felt so casual. So normal. God, how often had I thought about that word over the past two days. And how much had it weighed on me. But what Kacchan and I had… that was normal too, wasn’t it?

 

 

“It was nice of you to help them today,” I mumbled quietly, resting comfortably on his bare chest.

Nothing else had happened downstairs after dinner – most people had gone back to their rooms. And me? I’d been bold and walked straight up to Kacchan’s room with him. No one had followed him upstairs, so I’d seized the chance. I celebrated myself a little on the inside. Because now we finally had some real time together. Time we’d missed yesterday.

“They wouldn’t have survived another kitchen disaster. That’s why I did it,” he grumbled, his finger drawing light circles on my back. It made me purr with contentment. God, I could honestly lie like this with him all day.

“Sure, sure…” I mumbled with a smile. I knew he hadn’t just done it for his own sake. But I didn’t want to tease him. I just wanted to enjoy his warm body and gentle touches.

“What were you all talking about at the table earlier?”

“When?”

“When I was chasing the chaos crew around the kitchen.”

“Hmm…” I thought for a moment, then chuckled and said, “They think I’ve become the Kacchan whisperer.”

“What?”

I grinned, pushed myself up a bit and rolled halfway onto my stomach, partly on top of his chest, letting my fingers trace lightly over his skin.

“Well, they think I get you now – and that I can rescue them from your angry outbursts.”

“Don’t talk crap. As if!” he grumbled, and I felt his hand slide down my side, pressing against my hip, nudging me more on top of him. His leg moved beneath me. Was he trying to get me to lie fully on him?

I grinned, indulged his silent wish, and sat down on him – deliberately settling on his hips – then tried to sound innocent: “Of course I denied it. I mean… it’s not like we’re that close, right?”

I had no idea where that courage came from – to straddle him like he’d done this morning, to shift my weight provocatively. And I had no idea why I let my finger trail from his chest down toward the waistband of his boxers. It just felt… right.

“Izuku…” he said, suddenly a little nervous. I glanced up at his face and saw he clearly had something else on his mind now than classmate gossip.

“Yes, Kacchan?” I asked calmly, maybe even a little teasing, as my fingertip slid just under the waistband. First left, then all the way right. I could feel something stirring beneath me. And damn, why was that already turning me on?

“This position’s got something,” he said, his voice rough and low, grabbing my hips to push me down a bit. I gasped in surprise and fell forward, catching myself on my elbows so our foreheads didn’t bump.

“Well, Izuku… in the mood for some… fun?” he asked with a grin, lifting his head just enough to kiss me.

I sighed into it, his tongue gliding over my lips again and again. I joined his rhythm and lost myself in it. Enjoyed every second. Every minute. Yes, this was exactly what I’d longed for yesterday – and today too.

“Since when are you so subtle?” I asked once we pulled apart, both of us breathing a little heavier. I could feel how much we were both enjoying this.

“Because that way you don’t freak out,” he said knowingly, running a hand provocatively over my backside. Then again to the front, brushing against my now very obvious bulge and pushing it lightly against his. I gasped, biting my lower lip. We were still in the dorm, and it wasn’t exactly late yet. What if someone heard us?

“Someone’s extra sensitive today,” Kacchan teased, his hand now slowly kneading. I clenched my teeth and exhaled sharply. Damn it! Why was he always so confident with this stuff?

“Kacchan… don’t… please,” I managed to whisper breathlessly. Why was I already close? Maybe because the tension had been building all day?

“Why?”

“Because… because…” I tried, but couldn’t find an answer. His moving hand made it impossible to think straight.

I heard him chuckle darkly. Felt his other hand at my neck, pulling me closer, lips brushing my ear – sending shivers all over my body. And leaving a damp spot in my shorts.

“It’d be hot if you rode me right now,” he whispered shamelessly, licking along my ear. I moaned – loud and surprised. I couldn’t stop it.

What the hell…

I let my heated face sink into his shoulder. Felt the awful warmth in my cheeks. Couldn’t shake the embarrassment. What had he just said? He wanted… what?

“What, Nerd?”

“You’re impossible,” I mumbled, voice way too high. But at least he paused. His hand that had been between our bodies now rested on my lower back. Then slowly moved up, wrapping me into a full embrace.

“Not curious what it’d feel like? You on top of me like that?”

I whimpered and bit his shoulder lightly. Heard him hiss under his breath before growling,

“Cut it out!”

“I hate you,” I said, pushing myself up a bit and giving him a pouty look. He smirked – that smug grin again. Why did he always enjoy this so much?

“Oh, you don’t. And you like the idea, don’t you?”

I grumbled, glanced away, and muttered, “Yeah… I guess I do.”

“But?”

“Not today,” I whispered, feeling that familiar sense of shame creep in. Why was this still so embarrassing? We’d been so open with each other on Sunday. This shouldn’t be a big deal now.

“Why not?” Kacchan asked, slipping his hand back down, beneath my boxers, heading somewhere he really shouldn’t today.

I quickly sat up and slid down onto his thighs – out of reach.

“I…” I began, staring at the ceiling. Took a deep breath and whispered, “It’s still… sore… from Sunday.”

A pause. I didn’t dare look at him. Not until I heard him snort with laughter.

Offended, I hit him in the chest. “Hey!”

I puffed out my cheeks, watching him burst out laughing – over me.

“It’s your fault!” I grumbled, trying to climb off him, only for him to pull me back on top and flip us over.

“Izuku…”

“No, you’re mean… I don’t wanna talk about it,” I said, turning my head away from him. He kissed my cheek, and I knew he was grinning.

“Izuku…” he started again, and I just snorted, which made him laugh again.

“Sweet nerd,” he whispered, making me flush even more. God, I probably looked like a tomato. Or in his eyes, more like a strawberry.

“Why are you so embarrassed? You could’ve just—”

“No… because…”

“—it’s still tempting? You’re thinking about ignoring it?” he teased, earning another slap – this time to his arm.

I grumbled, peeked up at him, and his look had turned soft – so soft I couldn’t keep pretending to be mad. Not really. Not with him. Not when he had me wrapped around his finger like this. Not when I loved him this much. Even if it meant letting him tease me again and again.

“So how about… at least with your hand?” he asked, kissing my ear again. It made me sigh. That flustered feeling faded, replaced by pleasant shivers.

His mouth moved to my neck, tracing along to my shoulder. Pure heaven. And it reminded me – I had been braver before. I had overcome this kind of embarrassment. And I wanted to show that courage again. Because I wanted us both to feel good. I wanted him to feel good.

So I took a deep breath, steadied myself, and whispered softly, “I could also… use my mouth…”

Kacchan looked at me, clearly surprised – then gave me a gentle grin.

“Okay.”

 

The night fell early and quietly. After our little moment of intimacy – intense and yet deeply satisfying – we drifted into a well-deserved sleep. It might have been a bit early for my usual rhythm, but my body was still aching for rest.

And so, I felt well-rested and relaxed the next morning. The energy I’d missed yesterday was back. I looked forward to our morning training.

“Someone’s full of energy,” Kacchan had said with a grin while we got ready in the bathroom. I’d just hummed through my toothbrush and grinned to myself. Which, of course, earned me another eye roll. And yeah, I realized again how much I loved these little moments. And how much I’d come to love this morning routine we now shared.

 

 

Normalcy. Routine. Habit.

That’s what Wednesday was, in a nutshell. Nothing exciting happened. We did what we’d always done at U.A. – training and studying. Our classes pushed us, and we spent lunch in our usual groups at our usual tables.

The highlight of the day was definitely the paella the Bakusquad made. It was an explosion of flavor. Sero explained that he’d used a special spice blend from his grandma. And even

Kacchan let a little, unintentional compliment slip. Totally by accident, of course. But it had a huge effect. His squad looked ready to cry with joy and wanted to hug him. Naturally, he did everything to stop that from happening. Yeah, his explosions were good at keeping people at a distance.

Still, they fought for physical contact. And lost. But they did keep us entertained in the common room. And one thing’s for sure – they absolutely lived up to their reputation as a chaos crew.

 

 

“Ahh, let’s keep it like this,” I sighed happily as I dropped down on Kacchan’s bed that evening. He was still sitting at his desk, finishing the last of his homework. He hadn’t had time earlier – had to keep an eye on ‘his’ kitchen.

It was kind of cute, honestly, how much he worried about it deep down. Not that he’d ever admit it. But I knew. And unlike him, I didn’t tease him about it.

“You know you just jinxed it, right?” he said flatly, not even glancing at me.

I smirked. “Since when are you superstitious, Mr. Bakugou?”

That did earn me a look. I grinned triumphantly. Yeah, whenever I didn’t say Kacchan, I had his full attention. And I used that, absolutely. I hated being ignored during our time together. Really – he could do his homework when I wasn’t here. Theoretically, he’d even finish it before class. Because he was just that good. The best.

His judgmental look turned into a resigned one. Grinning broadly, I held out my arms to him as he stood up from his chair.

“You’re getting real clingy, Nerd.”

“Only because I like you so much.”

I ignored the eye-roll and the mumbled “Yeah, yeah.” The kiss I got afterward was more than worth keeping quiet for once.

 

 

Notes:

Aaand that’s it for now!
It’s a little shorter than usual, but I really hope you still enjoyed it. I had so much fun writing this one — it just flowed like magic! 💚

Sooo… what do you think?
Will something happen next? Or do we let them soak in this sweet little moment just a bit longer?

You’ll find out… next Friday or Saturday 😉
The next chapter is already done — yup, you’ve been motivating me so much that I just wanna keep writing and flood you with chapters! 😁

Big hugs to all of you 💚🧡

Chapter 66: House arrest...again?

Notes:

Hello everyone! 🌸
Ah, it’s Friday! I can finally share the next chapter with you =D
It’s actually been sitting finished for a while now… but hey, I like to keep a little buffer ^^ Hihi, and I really like this chapter because it kicks off the next, and probably final, big arc!
Thank you so much for all your lovely comments—especially to those who write to me regularly. I love you guys 💚🧡💚🧡💚🧡
Enjoy reading!

Chapter 66 – House arrest…again?

 

Kacchan had been right. Yeah, it seemed like my words last night had somehow jinxed us. And that “something” decided to show up right in the middle of class - in the form of a sudden broadcast from Principal Nezu.

"Hello, dear students of U.A. High School. I have an important announcement today, and it applies to every single one of you. And by every, I truly mean every single one of you!"
His voice was unusually strict. Why unusual? Normally, he always had that little mischievous glint in his eyes, often making a joke even about his own appearance. But his expression now was serious. And that seriousness made my stomach turn. Because if even U.A.’s principal looked tense, it could only mean bad news, right?

"Due to an ongoing investigation, a new threat has emerged - one that concerns the city, but especially you students. I’m not allowed to share details, only this: we must tighten security measures. After all, protecting you is our highest priority. Therefore, effective immediately, the following rules apply."

He paused briefly, a list popped up on the screen, and he continued: "First: all internships are suspended with immediate effect - no exceptions. Second: no one is allowed to leave campus. An absolute lockdown is in effect. Third: after classes end, all students are to return directly to their dormitories. Moving around campus outside of class hours is forbidden."

We stared at the screen, completely stunned, not sure what had just hit us. What had happened to make security so strict?

"And one last rule - this one concerns only Class 1-A, taught by Mr. Aizawa," Nezu went on, and my stomach really sank. A rule just for us? Why?

"Class 1-A is hereby placed under house arrest until further notice. Present Mic will escort you immediately to your dorm, which you are not to leave until this restriction is lifted. Further explanations will come from your homeroom teacher. And, Eraser? I need to see you in my office immediately."

And with that, the broadcast ended.

We sat frozen, staring at the now-black screen. Even Present Mic looked confused - and tense. For about twenty seconds, the room was silent… and then a loud, drawn-out, multi-voiced, "Whaaaaaat?!" echoed through the air.

The uproar was instantly cut off by Mic’s amplified voice: "Yo, YO, GUYS! QUIET DOWN!" he called, waving his arms for emphasis. We actually obeyed, all of us staring at him in confusion. He cleared his throat and tried to sound calm: "I know just as much as you do. So please, grab your things and head straight to your dorm. I’m sure Sho—uh, Mr. Aizawa will explain as soon as he can."

I swallowed but mechanically grabbed my yellow backpack from my lap and packed all the things I had under the desk into it. I felt a little numb because my head was trying to understand what could have happened. Had the League of Villains done something? Had someone tried to break into campus? Or had something bad happened to someone during their internship? What could it be…?

"Hey, nerd," Kacchan pulled me out of my inner spiral of thoughts. It took me a moment to realize it and look up. I saw his red eyes, which didn’t seem uncertain but a little concerned. Was he worried? About me? Because of All For One?

"Yeah?" I asked quietly and immediately got a few notebooks placed on my desk. "I didn’t bring a bag. Pack my stuff," he explained in his usual commanding manner. It made me smile crookedly. I nodded and took everything he handed me. It had happened more often that he came to school with only one book under his arm. Most of his things he always left in his desk, simply because he often finished most of his homework at the end of a lesson. After all, he often finished much faster and worked ahead. And by now, he had gotten so comfortable because he just looked into my books whenever we had to study in the dorms. Five minutes of learning were enough for him to still almost always achieve full marks.

"All right, is everyone ready?" I heard Mic ask. So I stood up and walked behind Kacchan toward the door. I still heard the murmuring around me, but I didn’t join in. No, I was too busy in my head for that.

 

 

Present Mic had simply pushed us into the dorm and said: "I’m counting on you to stay here until Eraser comes, okay?" Everyone had nodded to him, but before he fully closed the door, he stuck his head through it once more: "That goes for you too, right? Midoriya? Bakugou?" And of course, that was followed by laughter while I tried not to sink completely into the floor. But secretly I thanked Mic for it, because the mood had been very tense during the entire walk back.

"You two really have a reputation now, huh?" Kaminari said, laughing, as he slung an arm around my shoulders, making me shrink down even more. Kacchan, on the other hand, stomped off into the kitchen with an annoyed snort to get his coffee machine going again. Apparently, the coffee effect from this morning had already worn off.

"I’ll make us all some tea," Yaomomo announced calmly, trying to break the tense mood that had crept back in. Yes, everyone was standing around in the common room, not really knowing what to do or what to say.

"I’ll help you," Jiro immediately offered, and Sato also moved to get cookies for everyone. After all, he had made them in advance for the next few days of training and internships. But now he didn’t need that much sugar just for himself.

"And we should all sit down and wait for Mr. Aizawa," Ilda added, which finally got everyone moving again. The sofas were taken first. Some sat or leaned on the armrests, while others pulled chairs into position.

I also looked for a place on the sofa and sat down next to Todoroki, who gave me a small nod. I returned the gesture with a smile, but my inner, pubescent self sighed heavily because I really would have preferred to stand with Kacchan in the kitchen. But what reason would I have had? Hm, did I even need a reason? After all, everyone had left us alone the past two days. We hadn’t gotten any comments, no sharp remarks, no questions.

‘Maybe I’m just overthinking,’ I thought as I knotted my hands in my lap and gently kneaded my right hand. It still hurt from time to time, unfortunately. Plus, the light massage helped me distract myself from the mood in the room. Because even though we were all sitting together now, it still felt like everyone was just waiting for an explanation, waiting to finally know why we were in this situation.

"Do you think the League of Villains is active again?" Uraraka asked uncertainly into the round after a long silence, the only sound until then being light clattering from the kitchen.

Now there were only awkward faces looking at the floor and muttering thoughtfully. And I was no different. Uraraka’s question made my stomach feel queasy. Not because I feared for my Quirk, the one All For One had his eyes on. No, it reminded me that they had already taken Kacchan from me once. How he had just disappeared into Kurogiri’s portal. How he had told me not to follow. What if it happened again?

No matter how hard I tried to focus, I couldn’t tell how I would react under these new conditions. Would I recklessly charge at them without thinking? Use One For All at 100% and maybe hurt or even destroy myself in the process? Or could I hold back and act rationally? All questions that were new because of the conversation with Mr. Aizawa. Questions that scared me a little because I couldn’t judge myself. And the other way around? If I ended up in their hands? Yes, the other way around I had no idea how Kacchan would react. Would he…

"Well, if we’re the only ones under house arrest, we have to assume so, right? After all, we’ve already faced them directly several times," Jiro answered, coming in with a tray of cups from the kitchen.

"But what happened to make the security measures so strict all at once?" Hanta asked, and I saw Kirishima flinch slightly and hesitate before speaking quietly: "There’s a very big case right now at Fat Gum’s agency. But it’s something about Yakuza and a substance that’s going around. Still, nobody mentioned the League of Villains there."

"Hm, we have a similar case at Ryukyu, ribbit. But we only got a few bits of information," Asui added.

"Could there be a connection?" Uraraka voiced aloud what all of us had already been thinking.

I thought briefly. Sir Nighteye’s agency was also on a big, highly secret case, but I didn’t know anything about it yet. Well, I had only been there for two days anyway. Just two days, and only for a few hours each day. Oh man. The weekend shifts had been so much fun. Why did something like this have to happen right when I was finally allowed to do hero work? So unfair…

"Why are you even wasting your time thinking about that crap now?" Kacchan suddenly grumbled from the kitchen. I turned my gaze toward him and saw him leaning against the counter, looking bored. One hand in his pocket while the other held his mug to his mouth. I saw him sip lightly. I stifled a smile because I noticed something I hoped nobody else noticed: his shoulders lowered just slightly. A sign he was relaxing a bit. Or maybe just less annoyed with the situation overall.

"Whoa, bro! How can you even say that? That’s like—"

"No, it’s bullshit. Like speculation’s gonna help. Just wait for that sleeping pill of a homeroom teacher. Tch, wasting energy on stuff like that…" Kacchan grumbled. And yeah, he wasn’t entirely wrong.

But some people didn’t seem to like it, most of all Uraraka. She huffed in frustration and puffed her cheeks out, and I sensed trouble.

"And what else are we supposed to think about then?" she asked, sounding slightly annoyed.

My gaze went back to Kacchan, who peeked over his mug with a bored expression. I watched him slowly set it down on the counter and slip his other hand into his pocket as well. He tilted his head to the side and spoke with an eye roll: "Like who’s gonna cook lunch, for example? Or do you think they’ll send Lunch Rush over just for you extras?"

‘Kachaaaan,’ I thought, resigned, unable to stop myself from shaking my head lightly. Couldn’t he ever just say things normally? Without provoking someone in one way or another?

"It’s always the one who asks, right?" Ashido suddenly cut in with a broad grin, giving Kacchan a challenging look and an exaggerated wink.

"You lookin’ for trouble, Racoon Eyes?" he growled back, but she was completely unimpressed, blinking her eyes at him in an overly cute way. Did she really think she could win him over with that? I mean, yeah, maybe with most of the others, but Kacchan?

"Would you really let your beloved friends starve?"

"Take a look at yourself. You’re not gonna starve anytime soon."

"WHOA!" "BAKUGOU!" "DUUUUDE!" "You can’t say that to a girl!" several outraged shouts echoed around me at once. I just put my hand to my forehead. Why did he have to say stuff like that? Didn’t he know girls were sensitive to things like that? But then again, Kacchan had never made a difference based on gender. He had seen Uraraka as just another opponent during their fight and attacked her with the same conviction as anyone else. Oh man, why couldn’t he just hold back? Why did he always have to draw everyone’s ire?

I racked my brain for something to say to ease the charged mood. But I didn’t have to, because there was Todoroki, who, out of nowhere, completely neutral and monotone, remarked: "Isn’t Bakugou right? I learned in middle school that a person can survive up to four weeks without food. Without water, however, you can only survive three days."

Silence.

Absolute silence.

In my mind, I heard distant crickets chirping as a tumbleweed rolled across some imaginary deserted street in my head. What the hell? Todoroki! Why? Whyyyyy?

While my inner self collapsed in disbelief, outwardly I showed the same expression as everyone else: none at all. Really, nobody, nobody could even react. We all just sat there, completely speechless, staring at Todoroki.

Jiro was the first to regain her voice, but I had already heard a disbelieving snort from Kacchan. "Wow, Todoroki," was her utterly blank, dry response to his words. And it was clear from his face that Todoroki was confused by our reactions.

"Did I say something wrong?" he asked, as Uraraka patted his shoulder resignedly and said: "I’ll explain that to you later."

Light laughter echoed through the common room. Thanks to Todoroki, Kacchan’s comment was almost forgotten. But Kaminari pointed out: "Hm, don’t we have to cook since it’s our week?"

"Hm, yeah. We planned Korean BBQ for today. That could…" Ashido began, but Kacchan, who had the fridge open, cut her off: "The stuff’s enough for now and probably for tonight too. So you better start chopping. That way you’ll have less time to talk crap."

Several mouths opened to scold Kacchan, but I was faster. Reflexively and unintentionally. I couldn’t stop it. That admonishing "Kacchan!" that had slipped out in front of our teachers in the past few days just came out automatically.

And yeah, it wasn’t just my classmates who seemed surprised; Kacchan’s face also showed brief astonishment and confusion. But only for a moment, because his slightly angry, annoyed "Tsk" came out between clenched teeth immediately after.

"You got a problem, Nerd?" he growled at me, and I just pouted a little, grumbling. I barely managed to stop myself from puffing my cheeks out.

Since I didn’t answer and everyone was just watching us curiously, Kacchan snorted again, grabbed his coffee mug, and went to the patio door leading to the dorm courtyard. But just before he left the room, he looked over his shoulder and said: "Let’s talk outside for a bit, Deku."

Sighing, I watched him go. I saw him sit down with his back to us on the bench outside. I patted my thighs lightly before standing up.

"Is that really okay, Deku?" Uraraka asked right away, concerned. But I just smiled at her calmly and said: "Yeah, sure!"

Skeptical looks were thrown my way, but I ignored them and followed Kacchan outside. I was glad for the option he had given me. Even though I knew we could only sit next to each other with some distance between us. But that was enough for me. At least for now.

 

 

When I stepped into the courtyard, the fresh, warm summer air wrapped around me like a gentle embrace. It flooded my body with a pleasant feeling and pushed away all the worries and uncertainty from the common room. And there was something else outside that had felt unpleasant inside: natural, soothing silence.

"Rooted to the spot? Or do you want to do photosynthesis instead of sitting next to me?" Kacchan grumbled from the bench without even looking at me. I smiled because there was a slightly amused undertone in his voice. How had he pictured me in his head just now?

I only chuckled, walked around the bench from the other side, and dropped onto it at a bit of a distance from him. I let out a content sigh as my body sank into the thickly padded garden cushions. I couldn’t help it; I propped my feet up on the wooden table in front of me and folded my hands over my stomach. Oh yes. I could stay like this for a while.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Kacchan shake his head slightly. I also saw the corners of his mouth curl up just a little as he swirled his coffee mug in his hand.

"Does the little sun worshipper want to multiply his freckles?"

"Yeah," I simply replied, tilting my head back and turning my face toward the sun. I closed my eyes and enjoyed the warm feeling of the sunlight on my face.

Kacchan snorted and stayed silent after that. So did I. I just enjoyed sitting here with him in peace, simply basking in his presence. Yes, whether it was in bed, on a bench, or on the training field: I just liked being near him.

We sat like that for a while. Eventually, I heard Kacchan set his mug down on the table. I turned my head and slowly opened my eyes, needing a moment to fight against the brightness that still somehow strained them despite being closed before.
"You didn’t exactly show your best side in there," I murmured, hearing a contemptuous snort.

"Seriously, nerd. I’ve never shown myself any other way."

"You have with me."

"Yeah, and you know there’s a reason for that."

"What reason?" I probed, wanting to coax a few sweet words out of him. But we were talking about Kacchan here. And Kacchan was Kacchan. And well, what could I say: I just loved him the way he was. Even if that meant he would put me in an early grave. Out of sheer embarrassment.

"Because your ass is just too tempting."

I grimaced and couldn’t stop a small, breathless squeak from escaping. I sniffled in resignation and closed my eyes again.

"And yeah, I know I’m impossible," he said just as I opened my mouth to speak. I blinked at him in disbelief and confusion. What the… how did he know what I was about to say?

"How…?"

"There were only two options, Izuku. Either an ‘I hate you’ or a ‘You’re impossible,’" he explained, grinning smugly with his forearms resting on his thighs as he leaned forward a bit.

I puffed my cheeks and kneaded my fingers, pouting.

"Idiot," I muttered.

Kacchan looked straight ahead at the opposite glass front of the dorm. I could see his smug grin in the reflection as he said: "You’ll have to come up with something new eventually."

Hm, did I really need to? Because if I was honest with myself, I liked the fact that he sometimes knew how I would react or what I would say. I found it incredibly attentive of him. And it gave me the confirmation that he remembered our conversations and even our teasing. So, it was proof that he really liked me, right?

"You know, Kacchan," I began, getting his full attention, so I turned to him with a wide, happy smile and continued, "I actually think it’s really sweet of you to know stuff like that."

Wonderful. Just wonderful.

Yes, that was the thought in my head when I saw Kacchan momentarily lose his composure. How he froze for a second and turned away, caught off guard. God, how I wished I could have taken a photo of that. The tips of his ears were practically glowing.

"Are you blushing, Kacchan? Did I make you—"

"Shut up, Nerd," he growled, still not looking at me. I couldn’t help but laugh. Maybe a bit too loudly. Because Kacchan immediately punched me in the side of my thigh, making me suck in a sharp breath.

"Don’t laugh so damn loud. Or do you want all the extras to press up against the window and listen in?" he muttered quietly, finally looking back at me.

Oh! Right. That was a thing. I bit my lower lip and turned my head slightly back. But to my relief, no one seemed to be pressed against the window. Still, my eyes did meet a few glances. Uraraka’s, Asui’s, Kirishima’s, and Jiro’s. I caught them all during my quick check. I tried not to show that I felt caught and turned away again.

"So, who’s the nosiest?"

"I don’t know. But… is it bad that we’re sitting out here like this?" I asked, looking up at the sky again. Yeah, I’d better focus on soaking up the warmth of the sunlight instead of losing myself in my Kacchan bubble.

Kacchan grumbled, leaned back as well, and copied me: feet on the table, head slightly tilted back. I peeked and saw him closing his eyes and then did the same.

A short silence settled between us again, and I almost feared I might fall asleep. Yes, it was cozy. It was warm. And Kacchan was next to me. I couldn’t have felt better or safer.
And as we relaxed, a thought crossed my mind: Would it get harder to keep this secret with everyone home all the time? Our first house arrest together had been more of a blessing than a punishment. At least after a few days. But how would it be now?

"Kacchan?"

"Mhm?"

"You think we can handle it?" I asked, slightly uncertain, hearing a somewhat confused and questioning sound from him. So I continued: "I mean, keeping it a secret. Now that everyone’s…"

"MIDORIYA! BAKUBABE! Mr. Aizawa’s here!" Ashido’s loud voice suddenly rang out, making me flinch in surprise. Kacchan just groaned in annoyance and raised his hand, silently signaling that we had heard her.

He stood up heavily, stretched once, and then walked toward the door in his usual manner. Not without turning to me again first: "Don’t worry your pretty little head about it."

And with that, he went inside and left me quietly squeaking behind him.

 

 

When I entered the common room again, everyone was already gathered around Mr. Aizawa. I felt a bit uncomfortable that they had apparently been waiting just for me, so I quickly stood next to Kacchan, who was leaning against the dining table.

"Good, now that we are finally all here…" Mr. Aizawa began but paused noticeably to look at us with a warning expression.

I sighed inwardly because I could practically see the word "problem children" floating above his head.

However, he didn’t address us directly any further and continued in a calm and serious tone: "You all heard Principal Nezu’s announcement. You are under house arrest. That means: no one leaves the dormitory – until further notice. No jogging around the building, no training, no secret trips to other dorms. No exceptions."

"Will we receive a specific daily schedule from you then?" Ilda asked, briefly adjusting his glasses. And of course, he was armed with pen and paper. When had he even grabbed those?

"Yes, food supply and lesson content will be ensured. We will let you choose whether you want to prepare your own meals or have them delivered. During class time, you will be given homeschooling assignments. As for how this works, you can ask your experienced house arrest classmates. After all, they’ve already tested this out for you."

Oof. Another little jab from him. When would that end?

"Otherwise, as before, you are required to keep the dorm clean. I expect you to organize a plan for that yourselves. Your parents will be informed about these measures during the day."

He paused briefly, and I had the feeling he sensed what we all wanted to hear from him, even if no one dared to ask the question. But it hung over us like a sword of Damocles. The uncertainty. The fear. The feeling of not knowing.

It only took a moment before I heard Mr. Aizawa sigh heavily. He seemed to hesitate briefly, tilting his head slightly back and forth before starting to speak: "I’m not allowed to give you detailed information about the circumstances. Officially, everyone gets the same statement: there is a drug, hidden in some kind of cartridge shell, circulating that causes temporary Quirk loss. The unofficial information for you: the League of Villains is involved with this organization. And as long as we don’t have any further details, the risk for us is incalculable. And because you’ve had multiple encounters with the League of Villains, you are the only class placed under strict house arrest."

Silence. No one said anything. No one nodded. But everyone looked thoughtful and, in part, worried.

We all had to process those words first. We had to understand them first. And their implications. At least that’s how it was for me. Because: a drug that could make someone lose their Quirk? Sure, he said temporarily. But didn’t that also mean that the research wasn’t finished yet and that the goal might eventually be to erase a Quirk from a person permanently?

I swallowed hard. My head started running at full speed. I knew that there had been suspicious substances in history more than once. They were mostly about mutations and modifications of Quirks. But erasure was something that had happened far less often. Actually, had there ever been an official case of it?

‘Well, maybe things like that were just never made public,’ it shot through my head when suddenly I got an elbow to the ribs.

I drew in a sharp breath and looked at Kacchan, who muttered to me: "You were mumbling."

Surprised, I looked up and into the overwhelmed faces of my friends. Oh, had I really drifted off like that?

"Midoriya’s thoughts, at least the ones I could make out, are exactly the kind of considerations that investigators and hero agencies are working on right now. The reach of such a drug can’t be assessed. That’s why all students are staying on the U.A. campus. Because this is work for the pros."

We all nodded in understanding. No one really knew what to say next.

"Good, that means I’ve finished my task. Ilda, send me your decision about the food supply later. Assignments for tomorrow’s school day will be sent to you by email. If the house arrest lasts beyond the weekend, that will, of course, also apply to Monday morning."

With those last words, he had already turned on his heel and headed for the dorm door. He left the dorm without even giving us another glance.

And us?

We just stood there, looking at each other a bit helplessly. Yeah. So now it was apparently time for us to start house arrest planning.

 

 

Notes:

That’s it! ✨
So, how did you like it? Did you see this coming? And what do you think this means for our sweet duo now? Oh, I’m so excited to hear what you think will happen next ^^
The chapter for next week is, of course, already finished =D So there’s plenty more coming!
Have a wonderful weekend, everyone.
Sending hugs your way! 💚🧡

Chapter 67: Organizational Chaos

Notes:

Hello everyone!
Here I am again because… drumroll… it’s FRIDAY!!! Wuhu! 🥳
And thank you so much for all the numerous and really funny comments! They were just amazing. I was grinning so much and even squeaking at times that my husband gave me the most annoyed side-eye ever xD
But I think I need to point out a few things because they came up quite often, and I’m a bit afraid you might get disappointed later if you expect something completely different from the rest of the story:

1. I will stay in Izuku’s PoV until the very end!

2. I changed things up a bit from the anime/manga by postponing Overhaul. The story will end before we get to Overhaul and Eri.

3. Relationship reveal? – I never said it would happen ^^’ So let yourself be surprised, but please don’t get too hung up on it.

4. And last point: The story will end when a certain sentence appears in a chapter. ;)

So, have fun today with our chaotic Class 1A! 🎉💚🧡

Chapter 67 – Organizational Chaos

 

 

Even before Mr. Aizawa had arrived, the Bakusquad had followed Kacchan’s “request” and - with a bit more support - prepared lunch. I was genuinely surprised that they had managed to chop and arrange everything in such a short time. Or had I just lost my sense of time out in the courtyard? Well, it wouldn’t have been the first time I’d gotten lost in my little Kacchan bubble.

I spotted several tabletop grills on the dining table. Momo must have created them with her Quirk - something I knew she normally didn’t use for things like this - because we only had two in the kitchen. I knew that thanks to our kitchen duty, where Kacchan had accidentally revealed one of his habits: his inner compulsion to have everything in exactly the right place. Thanks to him, I had quickly learned where everything went - and memorized the entire kitchen inventory. Which was… a lot. Way too much, honestly. But hey, we lived under one roof with eighteen other people.

Of course, the prepared platters didn’t meet Kacchan’s standards - and he made sure everyone knew it. Criticizing, grumbling, and even fixing a few things himself. God, had he always been such a perfectionist?

The others just rolled their eyes, and the Bakusquad countered with cheeky comments. I liked that they didn’t back down from Kacchan. They never had. And I had to admit, I found it kind of strange. At the same time, I felt a little sorry for him. After all, until now he’d never really had anyone who pushed back against him. Well, except Aunt Mitsuki, of course.

 

 

We were now all sitting together at the table. The grills were loaded with meat and vegetables. Rice and salad were placed next to different dips as additional side dishes. And this kind of interactive meal brought back the carefree atmosphere that defined our class. This shared grilling and stealing the first ready pieces brought entertainment and set the conversations at the table in motion.

“That BBQ was such an awesome idea from you guys,” Hagakure gushed, and you could only imagine her grinning from ear to ear.

“Yeah, sooo tasty,” Uraraka agreed with cheeks quite full, looking a little bit like a hamster. In a cute way, actually.

‘If Kacchan heard that, I’d probably be dead on the spot,’ shot through my head immediately. I erased the word “cute” in my mind again because I shouldn’t be thinking stuff like that about others, right? Well, it wasn’t a crime to think something like that about someone, but Kacchan had made it pretty clear he didn’t exactly like Uraraka being too close to me.

I shook my head slightly. My inner thoughts felt a bit absurd, especially because deep down, I was kind of happy that Kacchan seemed a little jealous. Something I wouldn’t have expected from him. But then again, I also wouldn’t have expected him to be interested in me. Not that kind of interest, at least…

I mentally shook my head again and tried to focus back on the table conversations. I immediately heard more praise for the food, which visibly puffed up the Bakusquad’s chests with pride. Oh yeah, their egos had definitely recovered after the kitchen disaster two days ago. Let’s see how long it would take until Kacchan gave them another reality check. Probably the moment someone made a comment that was too cocky.

But, to my surprise – and not really a surprise – it didn’t come to that, because Ilda was Ilda and redirected the conversation back to what Mr. Aizawa had indirectly assigned us.

“Alright, Class 1A, let’s move on to planning,” he ordered, earning some resigned eye rolls and theatrical sighs. But still, everyone stopped their chatter and was willing to focus on the new agenda.

“What do we start with?” Shouji asked, and Ilda immediately explained that food supply was top priority. After all, we hadn’t gotten any assignments yet, so in his view, the workload wasn’t even predictable yet.

“We already have a cooking team for this and next week. Should we just keep dinners the way they are and cook them ourselves?” Uraraka suggested, only for Ojiro to immediately counter, “But we basically already made dinner for lunch. That means we’d be cooking twice!”

“Well, yeah, but…” Uraraka started a bit unsurely, when suddenly everyone wanted to say something:

“Ugh, that would be a lot of work.”

“Then I’d like to push my kitchen duty back.”

“How are we supposed to cook that much?”

“Man, that’s gonna be exhausting.”

“I vote for cafeteria food.”

“Breakfast stays the same?”

“What about lunch and dinner then?”

“Do we need multiple teams?”

“Why complicate things when we can just have it delivered?”

My head spun. Voices from every direction hit my ears, many of them at the same time. It had always been chaotic when we tried to plan something together. The movie night and picking the film had already proven that. But this… this seemed like an endless discussion. Oh god, would we even be done by tonight?

Ilda tried to intervene, wanting to get the conversation back on track. But everyone seemed to have something to complain about or suggest. How were we supposed to…

“For god’s sake, shut the fuck up already and quit screaming like a bunch of morons!” Kacchan suddenly barked, angry and annoyed. And with that, he achieved something previously unthinkable: silence.

For a moment, everyone froze. But, of course, his chaos crew found their voices first and immediately called him out: “Yo, bro! Come on! Can’t you for once say it nicely?”

“Seriously! This concerns all of us!” Sero added right after.

Kacchan grunted, visibly more than annoyed, as he retorted, “Before everyone puts in their two cents, you should all switch your brains on. God, my head can’t handle so much stupidity at once.”

Naturally, several mouths opened to protest, but Ashido raised her hand, signaling the class to quiet down. She stood from her chair, put her hands on her hips, and sassily asked, “And what would be your brilliant solution, Mr. Know-It-All? C’mon, enlighten us with your wisdom.”

I sharply sucked in a breath and held it. I wasn’t the only one. Oh, why was Ashido so… so confident? I mean, I admired her courage, but at the same time, it was pretty suicidal to go head-to-head with Kacchan like that.

Kacchan also rose slightly, leaning over Kirishima toward Ashido. Poor guy, he looked like he wanted to vanish, his arms already slightly raised in case he had to break them up.

“Just because your dumbass brain can’t even click together enough to come up with something useful, I’m supposed to fix it for you?”

Oh, Kacchan…

“Yeah, apparently I’m too… what was it you said… too dumb for that.”

“Then die dumb,” he shot back smugly.

Mentally, I slapped my hand to my forehead. Why couldn’t he just not be so provocative? Why couldn’t he treat them as nicely as he treated me?

‘As if you’d want anyone else to see that sweet side of him,’ my little inner voice chimed in, only to get instantly shoved aside. No, no time for inner debates like that. I had to be ready to step in if things escalated. I would’ve already done it if it didn’t feel so unnatural. And I’d probably make things worse for both of us. So, I stayed the silent observer.

I watched Ashido puff out her cheeks, clearly about to fire back. Or maybe throw an insult. Hard to tell from her body language.

But surprisingly, it wasn’t Ashido’s voice I heard, but Jiro’s. Jiro, who I really liked for her personality. Jiro, who had a way of saying wonderfully dry things. In this case: Jiro, who casually muttered something so provoking under her breath that everyone still heard it: “He probably doesn’t even have a solution.”

Instantly, I saw Kacchan’s furious gaze shift to Jiro. I laughed a bit inside that two girls, of all people, were going head-to-head with him, while the rest of us guys just sat there watching.

“What was that, emo chick?” he barked. Aggressive and loud. But Jiro just waved him off, calmly muttering, “Only that you’re stalling because you don’t have an answer yourself and don’t want to look bad in front of us.”

“You think I’m gonna bite at that cheap bait?”

Jiro just shrugged, all innocent-like, sipping her barley tea without even looking at him. Something that, I think, really ticked him off.

“What’s your solution then, Kats?” Kirishima asked quietly from beside him, immediately backed up by Kaminari and Sero. Oh, he really had picked the best people in class for backup… not!

‘That’s actually kind of funny,’ I thought to myself as I leaned back in my chair, feeling more relaxed now. Kacchan didn’t look like he was about to explode anymore - tense, sure, but under control. I decided to follow everyone else’s lead: lean back and see where this was going.

Only Ilda still felt the need to de-escalate. “Everyone, please calm down and act with more respect. I suggest we write down all proposals and concerns first and then discuss them.”

“Then we’ll still be sitting here tomorrow,” Kacchan grumbled but sat back down with his arms crossed.

“Fine then, Bakugou. I’m asking you for a proposal that’ll get us to a solution quickly,” Ilda said, calm but firm. And while I could practically feel Kacchan itching to argue more, he just exhaled sharply and muttered in an annoyed, cryptic tone, “Two meals.”

Naturally, that left everyone confused - me included. What was he talking about? What…

“For god’s sake, it still doesn’t click for you extras?” he growled, rolling his eyes and explaining impatiently, “If we’re stuck inside all day, breakfast and dinner are enough!”

Everyone stared at him, surprised. Somewhere next to me, I even heard a small “Oh!” slip out. And honestly, I agreed with it. I hadn’t thought of that either, but thinking back to our last house arrest… yeah, that was exactly what we’d done. Most days we’d just eaten leftovers for lunch, or Kacchan would make me something small if I asked - like pudding. Oh god, the pudding! That memory alone made my cheeks burn. Aizawa had caught us back then, flirting in the kitchen. Making out.
‘Huh… without pudding, we wouldn’t have gotten into all that trouble with Aizawa,’ I thought, forcing myself back to reality before I spiraled off-topic again.

“Uh, isn’t that a bit… too little? I mean, we’re all still… growing and stuff…” Kirishima asked uncertainly. Kaminari mumbled under his breath, “God, I’m already starving before Lunch Rush as it is.”

I could practically see the vein on Kacchan’s temple start to throb. That was my cue to step in. In my own way, of course.

“No, it’s totally fine. We did the same thing last time we had house arrest. There’s no training, no moving around much, and if I got hungry between meals, I just grabbed some leftovers from the day before or from breakfast,” I said with a reassuring smile, noticing the more skeptical faces starting to relax.

“But the school breakfast isn’t really that filling,” Ashido chimed in, and Sero added with a mischievous grin, “True. It’d have to be your breakfast then.”

“Over my dead body!” Kacchan immediately shot back, while I actually paused for a second to consider it. I mean… it would give us a chance to spend mornings in the kitchen together, just the two of us, before the others woke up. The downside? Less time to stay in bed in the morning.

“Oh come on, Bakubabe!”

“Yeah, Kats! Your breakfast was amazing!” Kirishima threw in, and a few others chimed in with agreement.

I searched Kacchan’s eyes, but he was still glaring at me like this was personal. Why was he so against it? Couldn’t he see the upside?

“No! I’ve cooked enough for you gluttons already.”

They all kept pushing, and when they realized he wasn’t budging, they turned to me instead.

“Midoriya! Come on, what do you say?”

I smiled nervously, hesitated a moment, then said with fake uncertainty, “Well… Kacchan’s been doing all the work so far, so it’s not really my call… but… for you guys… or for all of us… I guess… I’d do it again. I mean… I’m up early anyway.”

Even as I stammered through my words, I could feel Kacchan’s sharp stare on me. His eyes narrowed slightly, and I knew I’d just thrown him under the bus a little. But I was curious. Curious to see if I could sway him. If he’d give in - just for me.

“You hear that, Bakugou?”

“Come on, give it a shot!”

“Someone else can help out… at least with breakfast.”

More and more voices joined in, and I saw Kacchan’s forehead furrow even more before he crossed his arms even tighter.

But when our eyes met again, I thought I saw him wavering. Maybe he just needed to weigh the pros and cons for himself.

I smiled and nodded at him, and he rolled his eyes in defeat. Yeah, I’d definitely gotten to him.

He confirmed it right away: “Tch. Fine. But if the kitchen’s not spotless at night, you’re all on your own for food.”

Cheers erupted around the room, and Kacchan actually had trouble fending off the arms reaching in to hug him from both sides. Laughter spread through the room.

And me? I celebrated quietly inside, trying not to show just how happy this turn of events made me.

“Alright then, Bakugou and Midoriya take breakfast duty. Ashido, Kirishima, Kaminari, and Sero will handle cooking until tomorrow. Starting Monday, Uraraka, Todoroki, Asui, and I will take over. What about this weekend?” Ilda summarized for us and immediately posed the next question.

But before another endless debate could break out, Kacchan actually cut in on his own: “Flatheads cook till Saturday, you start Sunday. End of story. So, next!”

Sure, there were a few grumbles, but no one really objected. Honestly, it was the quickest and best decision yet. I had to admit, I was impressed by how quickly and efficiently Kacchan could think when he wanted to.

“Alright, then I’d say everyone who’s not cooking gets assigned to cleaning duty,” Ilda started, before Yaomomo added, “Everyone takes care of their own floor. Decide among yourselves who’s handling the bathrooms and who’s vacuuming. We can all keep the common areas clean together.”

Everyone nodded, and it felt like we’d wrapped things up pretty quickly. Only… what now? Should I stick around with the others? Go back to my room? Or try to sneak up to Kacchan’s? But what if someone came knocking?

I had to fight the urge to gnaw on my fingernails. It always helped me think… and kept me from mumbling out loud.

“Alright, onto the last point: schoolwork.”

A chorus of groans echoed through the room - but it didn’t last long, because all eyes immediately shifted back and forth between Kacchan and me. He rolled his eyes in annoyance while I just wanted to shrink into my seat. When I glanced at him, he only jerked his head toward me in that typical, wordless way of his. Great… so I was handling this one, huh?

“Um… there’s actually not much to explain. I don’t think - well, since this is a forced lockdown and not… a punishment… um, the assignments probably won’t be as heavy as ours were. But… we still split up the subjects and shared notes afterward. So… it would make sense… to work in groups, at least after spending one or two hours trying on your own… then we can exchange notes and help each other. That really worked well for us.”
I scratched at my hair nervously the whole time I spoke, worried I sounded weird… or like something else might slip through. Because, yes, we had done our assignments, and we had shared notes… but, well, we’d also done other things. Things no one here needed to know about. Things I wouldn’t mind doing again this lockdown. Only… how?

“Okay, so after breakfast tomorrow we all head to our rooms first and work alone, and then meet back here at a set time?” Uraraka clarified, looking at me expectantly.

“Yeah… that’s the idea. Uh, we can rearrange the tables into group setups so… well, so it’s not too chaotic. Or some groups could go to someone’s room, but—”

“Oh, then we’re all meeting in Kacchan’s room!” Kaminari jumped in with a mischievous grin, making Sero and Ashido laugh and high-five.

I immediately looked over at Kacchan, who was sitting far too calmly for someone whose privacy was being joked about again. Even Bakusquad noticed the shift, their earlier excitement dying fast.

And that calm, fake-friendly expression of his… it sent chills down my spine. Probably not just mine.

“Sure. Come on over. The door’s unlocked. You can just walk in tomorrow without knocking.”

The class stared at him, uneasy, as he stood up and walked out of sight without another word.

 

 

The room stayed silent. I watched Kaminari shiver once before he nervously asked, “You think he’s gonna put booby traps at the door?”

“If not that, then something else that’ll probably kill us,” Sero muttered, rubbing his arms like he was cold. The others exchanged skeptical looks before Ashido - why couldn’t she just let it go - suddenly turned toward me.

“Midoriya! Tell us! Can we enter Bakubabe’s room without dying?”

I just shrugged and answered, “No idea. But judging by how he just sounded, I’d say better not.”

“How did you get into his room?”

Internally, I rolled my eyes. Really? This discussion again? What was so special about me being in his room? Why were they all so obsessed with getting in there too?

“He’s always the one who ordered me to come to his room.”

“Oh. I see…”

I sighed softly, then gave them an appeasing look and added, “I’m sure he’ll call you up there at some point, too. And honestly? His room is totally normal. You’re not missing anything.”

For once, I was sure I hadn’t said anything wrong with that. And I also knew Kacchan couldn’t care less about what anyone thought of his room. He just wanted his own retreat. A place where nobody came in to annoy him. His own little kingdom. You could even call it his safe space.

“Then why make such a big secret out of it?” Ashido pouted, puffing her cheeks and crossing her arms under her chest.

I only shrugged again, wanting to give her some answer, and she left it at that. Instead, she turned back to her group and announced, “Guys! We still need to come up with a really fancy dish for Saturday!”

And just like that, Kacchan’s room was off their minds again, and the chaos crew did what they did best: loud, overexcited brainstorming.

 

 

“What are we even gonna do this weekend if we’re locked in here?” Uraraka asked, tapping a finger against her chin. Oh, that was actually a good question. Normally, I would have spent the weekend with my internship and Kacchan, which would have kept me more than busy. Yeah, even twenty-four hours in a day wouldn’t have been enough. But now? I couldn’t just spend the whole day in bed with Kacchan. I couldn’t even stay in his room during the day in general. So, what were we supposed to do?

“We could at least set a movie night for Saturday,” Yaomomo suggested as she sipped her tea calmly. I watched a few people next to her fire up the grills again - apparently, it was time for round two.

“We could even make it a full-on movie marathon,” Hagakure laughed happily, when suddenly Mineta’s voice - he’d been suspiciously quiet all day - piped up: “We could also play spin the bottle or truth or dare.”

A shiver ran down my spine as I caught his sly grin. Yeah, you could read his dirty thoughts right off his face, and I really didn’t want to imagine the kind of scenarios already running through his head. No, really, I didn’t. And as much as I sometimes liked him, he was way too grossly adolescent for me. As a hero, maybe he should rethink that attitude.

The girls around me all grimaced in mild disgust, except for Ashido, who responded in a relatively normal - though clearly annoyed - tone: “Forget it! Nobody here wants to kiss anyone. Plus, Mr. Aizawa would kill us if we did something like that.”

“Yeah, that would fall under inappropriate behavior. I’d have to check again, but I’m pretty sure it’s against school- or at least dorm-rules,” Yaomomo added matter-of-factly, which earned a round of approving nods from the girls.

I stayed in the background, deliberately not reacting. Sure, I knew it counted as inappropriate behavior. But I also knew the rules were open to interpretation. Yeah, you could definitely find a loophole there. But hell if I was gonna point that out.

A vibration in my pocket pulled me out of the conversation. I fished my phone out as subtly as possible and glanced at the screen. Of course, it was Kacchan’s name.

I glanced left and right. Todoroki wasn’t paying me any attention, but I wasn’t so sure about Uraraka - she might peek at my phone. Normally that wouldn’t be an issue, since I usually only read hero news or messaged my mom. But this? This could get… complicated.

Still, curiosity won, and I quickly excused myself to the bathroom. Couldn’t think of anywhere else fast enough.

Come up!

Seriously? What was he thinking?

How? Everyone’s here.

Be creative! We need to plan breakfast!

Yeah, sure. Because me , the worst cook in this dorm, is suddenly helping you with breakfast planning.

Correction. Dunce Face is the worst. You’re just pathetic.

I snorted despite myself. God, it was always like a mini sparring match when we texted. Just… silent. And slower, because Kacchan typed like he hated his own phone.

You know what I mean…

I’ve got a hard-on.

I slapped my hand over my mouth to stop a squeak from escaping, resisting the urge to just throw my phone at the bathroom door. Oh my god! Was he seriously writing stuff like that?!

Just come up. If anyone notices later, I’ll say I ordered you up. Now move your ass, Nerd!

Oh yeah, real subtle. You trying to speedrun detention or what? >.<

Hell yeah!

I sighed and ran a hand through my hair, elbows braced on my knees as I buried my face in my hands. That inner conflict flared up again - one part of me wanted nothing more than to go to him, but the fear of being caught was still there. So what was I supposed to do?

Stop stalling. Or are you just gonna leave your poor boyfriend hanging?

My eyebrow shot up. Since when did he beg like that? And why did my brain immediately come up with such a stupid, dirty, embarrassing response? What the hell was puberty doing to me?

Gnawing on my fingernail, I winced and typed back:

 

I thought there wasn’t anything hanging right now…

 

Two full minutes passed. I saw he’d read it instantly, but no reply came. I grinned, maybe a little too smugly. Did I just—

My phone buzzed again. I looked – and almost dropped it.

Come up and check for yourself.

Arghh! That bastard! He had to be at least a little embarrassed, right? I mean, I wanted to crawl into a hole after my text. So why did he—?!

Frustration and embarrassment exploded in my chest all at once. Mentally, I was punching a wall at full power. Outwardly, I was just trying to cool my flaming face.

 

Your funeral, Kacchan.

Quit chickening out, Nerd. Clock’s ticking.

I stuffed my phone back into my pocket, sighed in defeat, and stood up. Fine, he wanted it this way - so this was how it’d be. My heart thudded like crazy as I left the bathroom, silently praying I wouldn’t run into anyone on my way upstairs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Notes:

That’s it!
How did you like it? I find it super exhausting when there are so many people in one room, but at the same time, I also love writing it. Crazy, right?
Can you guess what will happen in the next chapter? Hehe… look forward to it… as long as you get to read it next Friday ^^’ It’s not finished yet, but I’m working on it.
I wish you a wonderful weekend and can’t wait to read all your lovely words ;)
Feel hugged 💚🧡

Chapter 68: More Risk, More Fun

Notes:

Hey everyone!
I’m so sorry – I’m late as fuck!!!!!! 😭🙏
Please don’t be mad at me! I’ve got this huge party happening at my place tomorrow, and I’ve been so caught up in the preparations that I just couldn’t manage to finish things earlier. But hey – better late than never, right? 😅
Thank you so much for all your sweet comments, your wild guesses, and your squealing reactions! I saw your wish for more Kacchan x Izuku time – and I listened. So this chapter? It’s all about them. 💚🔥
Enjoy! 💕✨

Chapter 68 – More Risk, More Fun

 

 

My heart was pounding all the way up in my throat as I closed the door behind me with a quick click. I kept my hand on the handle and tried to breathe. God! This was so wrong. This could only go downhill. Damn it! If anyone found out about this, then...

“This... this is absolutely insane,” I burst out, my voice nothing more than a nervous, breathless whisper.

I heard a snort right away and looked up. Kacchan was sitting on his bed, leaning against the headboard, his legs stretched out and crossed over each other.

He grinned, clearly amused by my entrance. “Said the guy who still came to see me.”

I swallowed hard and stared at my foot, awkwardly scraping it across the floor.

“Well, yeah, kind of.”

“Are you gonna stand by the door all night, or are you coming over?”

Hesitantly, I started moving, stopping right in front of his bed - only for him to grab my wrist and try to pull me toward him. But I resisted and said quietly, “Everyone’s in the dorm. And they’re all awake.”

“Yeah, and that means they’re making noise and paying even less attention to anything else.”

“But...”

Kacchan snorted again, amused - almost like a laugh. Then he shot me a look with one raised eyebrow and an expression that was practically seductively smug. “You’re acting like we’re about to do something inappropriate.”

My embarrassment must’ve been written all over my face, because Kacchan burst into full-on laughter and pulled me onto the bed and onto his lap. I buried my face into his shoulder and let out a quiet whine, then mumbled, “You’re the one who brought up the boner.”

“Yeah, and that’s just a totally normal physical phenomenon that happens multiple times a day and goes away on its own. No idea why you had to turn it into something else. Seriously... is sex all you ever think about now?”

I squeaked and started lightly punching his abs - abs that instantly tensed up on reflex. God, I hated him. I hated him so much. Damn it! Why? Why had I ever gone along with this? Why him, of all people?

“Where’s the ‘I hate you’?”

Growling, I lifted my head from his shoulder and looked at him - part angry, part pouty. Yeah, it was childish, but I couldn’t help it. I pressed my lips together and tried to form the biggest frown that had ever existed.

But Kacchan clearly wasn’t taking any of it seriously. And with that cheeky grin and his hand on my cheek, he didn’t exactly help. Nope - my expression softened right away. I leaned into his touch, loving the warmth and familiarity of his palm on my face.

“You’re such a jerk,” I muttered, leaning into his hand while still keeping my eyes locked on his. I wanted to close them and just melt into the moment like a cat soaking up sun, but I needed to keep at least some fight in me.

“Hmm, I wouldn’t say that,” he murmured, leaning in to kiss me. But I turned my head just in time, and he only managed to catch my cheek.

“You don’t deserve it,” I said under my breath. “Not until you admit you meant that text the way I took it.”

“What difference does it make?”

“Well... I guess I just... wouldn’t feel like... such a total idiot?”

“Do I make you feel like one?” he asked right away, raising his brows in surprise.

“Well, a little. Kinda...”

Kacchan kissed my cheek again, cutting me off, and replied, “You’re honestly adorable when you’re all flustered and pouty. Makes it really hard not to mess with you a little. Especially when...”

He didn’t finish the sentence. Instead, I felt his other hand slide down to my butt - and squeeze. It sent a jolt straight through my body. Shit! My body was such a traitor. Seriously! How could I react like that when my brain was still trying to be mad?

Kacchan let out a breathy laugh. I could feel it against my cheek - his nose brushed over it before trailing toward my ear. I gasped as he gently bit my earlobe.

“Kacchaaaan...,” I started, my voice shaky, but he shut me up with a simple, “Shh.”

And I let him. I waited - breath held - wondering what he’d do next. And knowing, deep down, that I was completely at his mercy. He could do whatever he wanted with me.

 

Kacchan didn’t disappoint. No, once his other hand had found its way to my butt, he began to slowly and steadily massage his way upward. Sometimes with more pressure, sometimes with less. Sometimes in circles, sometimes kneading. Of course his hands had slipped under my shirt - did I even need to mention that?

We didn’t say a single word. The only sounds in the room were my continuous humming and sighing, which I simply couldn’t hold back. No chance. His touch - God! I was melting like wax in his hands.

I was soaking up every second of that massage. Felt how my whole body grew heavier, slower, warmer. I leaned against him completely, muscles limp with relaxation. My head rested on his shoulder, and I breathed into the crook of his neck - something that made him shiver slightly. I could sense the little twitches in his muscles underneath me, subtle but there. It made me smile, all soft and dopey.

But he didn’t let it throw him off. He kept massaging me with that calmness and ease I’d come to know and love over the past weeks.

A content little moan slipped out - louder than I intended - when he pressed down hard between my shoulder blades. Shivers ran down my entire spine. God, I could let him keep doing this forever. Seriously. I’d allow it. Just this once, of course.

“Izuku?” he whispered into my ear after what felt like hours of massaging.

“Mm?”

“I really wanna fuck you right now.”

…
…

Bam.

Thank you, Mister Bakugou! Every single cell in my body was now wide awake.

I grabbed his shoulders, pulling away from his hypnotic warmth, and stared at him in horror. “We can’t!”

The corners of his mouth twitched as he saw my face. He tilted his head back slightly, giving me that smug look with a waggle of his eyebrows.

“Why not?”

“Well… the others…”

“We just have to be quiet.”

“But… that… no… I…” I stammered helplessly. My brain had short-circuited after that blunt, shameless statement.

“What’s the problem? I’ll just gag y—”

“No! That’s not it! I mean… not… only!” I rushed to say, feeling heat not just rising to my face but flaming down my neck. My fingers fidgeted nervously with Kacchan’s shirt, trying to find some outlet for this mortifying tension.

He said nothing, just raised an eyebrow. I let out a whiny little sigh. How the hell was I supposed to explain this? I mean, yeah, I wanted to. I really did. But we didn’t have a shower in here.

“We could… use hands?”

“And why can’t I fuck your ass?”

Oh. My. God. What the hell was wrong with him?! Couldn’t he just - ugh, damn it! He really had meant it on Sunday when he said he wouldn’t hold back anymore, huh?

I grumbled, unwilling to voice the actual reason. So I mumbled, “Because we’re in the dorms.”

He rolled his eyes and kept staring at me, unimpressed. Then he said my name - long, resigned, and with a slight warning tone. “Izukuuu…”

Okay. Clearly, he wasn’t going to drop it. So I had no choice but to tell the truth. But first, I needed to dig a hole straight to the Earth’s core and crawl into it. Minimum.

I was about to open my mouth when his hand suddenly slid under the back of my boxers. I felt his finger trail downward - reflexively grabbed his wrist and stopped him, eyes wide with panic.

“What?”

“I… no, you… y-you can’t t-touch there!” I stammered, trying my hardest to hold his hand in place. Of course he was stronger. Damn it! Why had I wrecked mine with One for All?

“What the fuck is your problem, Nerd?” he growled, frustration making his wrists tremble.

“I… I… I’m scared.”

“Of what?”

I whimpered and shut my eyes. Felt him pull his hand back - thank God - but then he used the other one to lift my chin, trying to make me look at him. I couldn’t. I squeezed my eyes shut as tightly as I could.

“Why do you look like a strawberry again? What’s so damn embarrassing this time?” he asked, sounding a bit annoyed. Frustrated. And from where I was sitting, I could feel why.

I tried to pull myself together. Swallowed twice – loudly - then cracked open one eye just a sliver. Met his gaze - impatient red eyes that somehow still waited for me. And it hit me: the old Kacchan would’ve exploded by now. But this one… this one was holding back. For me. Maybe also for what he wanted, sure - but still.

“I…” I began, pressing my head into his hand. He let go of my chin, letting me rest my forehead on his shoulder again. That calmed me down a bit. It meant a lot, actually. He understood I couldn’t look at him right now.

“Open and honest, Izuku,” he whispered in my ear, his breath tickling me. It helped, a little. I needed a second longer.

My breathing slowed, heart rate too. It was just… so humiliating to say it. But that little voice in my head was already grumbling how stupid I was being - how I was overthinking again. As always.

“I mean… we weren’t planning to be here now and…” I tried again, pressing my forehead harder into his shoulder. His arms rested gently around me. Not grabbing. Not squeezing. Just holding me. Giving me time. God, I’d usually cry from something this sweet. But I had to focus.

“I’m just scared it’s… not clean. Down there. And I can’t shower now… not here… not upstairs… and downstairs would be weird right now… so… we can’t, Kacchan.”

I heard him sigh. Then a snort of disbelief.

“Are you seriously worried I’ll get shit on my dick if we fuck right now? Is that what this is about?”

Mortified, I stared at him. Let out a small, dying squeak and probably looked like the saddest human being alive.

“Kachaaaaaaaan…” I whined, unable to say anything else.

“You know you always make mountains out of molehills, right?” he added, now giving me a lopsided, amused smile that somehow softened the embarrassment just a bit.

“What…?” I started, but he cut in:

“Yeah, okay, it wouldn’t be great, but seriously - just use the sink here and you’re good.”

My expression went from horrified to speechless. I opened my mouth. Closed it. Opened it again. Like a fish. No words came out. That went on for what felt like a full minute before I managed to stammer: “T-t-that’s not… that d-doesn’t w-work! Kacchan! You… you…”

“Yes?”

I threw my head back, shaking it in disbelief, then muttered, half-whining, “It’s not that simple. I… you haven’t done this before, but… like… a showerhead is way better to rinse things properly. If there’s… you know. Okay? Ugh, I wanna die. Please.”

“Are you saying there’s still a lot up there?” Kacchan asked bluntly, sending a fresh wave of heat rushing to my face. I had no idea how to respond. Everyone knew that spot wasn’t the cleanest place in general. It all depended - on food, timing, everything. But did I really want to have that conversation? With my boyfriend?

“Kacchan… please…”

I heard him sigh again. Then felt him gently guide me off his lap and off the bed. I stared down at him, confused - but he didn’t look mad. So why was he making me get up? Was I supposed to leave now? Just because we weren’t gonna have sex?

“Just go try it in the bathroom here. If it doesn’t work, it doesn’t work. I mean… you’re right. I haven’t really looked into this stuff. But if it bothers you this much, and it doesn’t work out - I’ll drop it, okay? I just wanted to make the most of the time and… fuck, we haven’t had sex all week!”

I stared at him, overwhelmed. Took a moment to process everything - his words, his expression. He was blushing. He’d run a hand through his hair, too - a classic nervous-Kacchan move.

‘God! I want to kiss him! Right now!’ my brain screamed. I couldn’t help it - I burst out laughing. Giggled. And finally smiled warmly as I said, “Okay. I’ll try.”

 

 

Wearing nothing but a towel, I stepped out of the bathroom. I’d probably stood in front of the door for a full minute, breathing in and out deeply, trying to collect myself. This whole situation was just… weird. And embarrassing. Wasn’t sex supposed to be associated with different emotions? But somehow…

“Didn’t think you’d come out almost naked,” Kacchan yanked me out of my spiraling thoughts before I could sink any deeper into my exaggerated shame.

I looked up with an awkward smile. One hand clutching the towel, the other nervously raking through my hair.

“Yeah uh, I mean… would’ve been pointless to put clothes back on just to take them off again in a minute,” I muttered, not moving an inch toward him. But I could instantly see how his expression changed. Oh yeah - he looked very turned on. Holy Shit!

“Come here, Nerd,” he rasped, and I thought he was going to reach his arms out - but instead, he just pulled his shirt off in one smooth motion. Let it fall to the floor without taking his eyes off me.

And I couldn’t help but grin a little. His move made me feel bolder. Yeah, he was showing me how much he wanted me. Desired me. And that naughty little version of myself - yeah, I’d come to terms with the fact that apparently it existed - wanted to take charge immediately. I could already see it in my head: me, strutting over all sultry, straddling his lap, taking full control. But no. I couldn’t pull that off. Maybe someday. Far in the future. And definitely not in this dorm.

“Quit overthinking, Nerd. You said yourself we don’t have much time,” he reminded me, and now he seemed way more impatient.

Apologetically, I walked toward him - was about to lie down next to him when he immediately guided me into his lap after throwing the blanket aside. And holy shit. Why was he completely naked from the waist down?! Had he seriously just assumed we were going to do it no matter what? Had he left the shirt on just to lull me into a false sense of security?

“Kacchaaaan…” I whispered nervously, feeling him press against my ass. Made me shiver. Just imagining how this probably looked right now, how quickly he could just slip—

God! Since when am I this perverted?! I screamed inside, a swarm of bright-red Izukus throwing their hands over their faces. Yeah, that’s probably the best way to describe the mess in my brain. In the middle of it all: one tiny devil, gleefully narrating every possible scenario in graphic detail.

“What? You said yourself that clothes would be pointless,” he said, quoting my own words right back at me. And yeah, that’s another thing I hated - he’d done that before, and I knew it wouldn’t be the last time.

Grumbling, I glanced sideways at him, pressed my lips together in frustration, but still had to admit, “Yeah… true.”

“But?”

“Well, I mean… do you wanna just… like, start now?”

Kacchan raised a skeptical eyebrow - and kept driving me up the wall. “What do you want instead? Should I light a few candles to set the mood?”

Outraged, I smacked him right on his bare chest. The slap made a loud smack, and I blinked when I saw a faint imprint of two of my fingers. Wait - did I hit him that hard?

“What? Getting violent now?” he teased, that smug grin of his still plastered across his face. But I had seen him flinch a little from the smack. Just a tiny bit. Tch. Actor.

“Yeah, so what?! If you keep being like this, I will hit you! Multiple times! Until that stupid grin disappears!” I snapped, about to go on when his hand suddenly shot up and grabbed the back of my neck - tight. Pulled me downward.

I gulped. His crimson eyes locked on mine, piercing and dominant. There was something else in them, too - something that made my stomach twist and heat rush down my spine.

“You better watch it, Izuku,” he growled, voice deep and low. “Might end up liking it and do it on purpose. You’re into it when I’m roug—”

Before he could finish, I gave him a headbutt. He hissed, and I was burning with embarrassment - unsure how much redder my face could even get.

“Oi!” he hissed, but before he could curse, I growled right back: “Don’t push your luck, Katsuki Bakugou! I’ll be out of here faster than you can think!”

We stared at each other, tense. No words. Just that stubborn look we both wore like armor. The air between us crackled - like something was about to blow up. Like Kacchan was seconds from setting off his Quirk. But instead, the corner of his mouth curled up, revealing a sharp canine. He raised a single brow - provocative as hell - and asked, “So, what’s it gonna be, Nerd? You gonna run? You gonna hit me again? Or are you finally gonna kiss me?”

I growled. I was this close to choosing violence. God, this guy. This asshole. This—

“I hate you! With every fiber of my being!” I growled low and dark.

He just grinned wider, flashing that second fang, and in a rough, raspy voice that hit me right in the gut, he whispered – all smug and low and lethal – just as our lips finally crashed together: “Oh, you fucking do.”

 

 

At first, the kisses were aggressive. Hard. The pressure I was putting on him from above, Kacchan tried to push back against. I could feel how his core muscles were working. How tense his neck was. Yeah - this was a fight. Just not one with our fists.

But slowly, our movements began to soften. To flow. We found our rhythm, like we had so many times before. The tension shifted. It wasn't just raw heat anymore - it turned into something smoother, something fluid and intense at the same time. All the sparks and trembles were still there, but now they came wrapped in this warm, enveloping sensation that made my whole body melt. Made me feel light as air.

At some point, I ended up under Kacchan. Felt how his kisses trailed down from my lips - over my jaw, across my neck, and finally reached my collarbone. I gasped, breathless, when he latched onto the skin there. And I let him. Let him leave his mark - because it felt good. Right, even.

“Izuku…” he murmured, almost delirious, when he reached my stomach. I could only reply with a soft “Mmh?” - completely swept up by his touch.

“Can I?” Kacchan asked quietly, and the sudden emotion in that moment caught me off guard. I just smiled, eyes still closed, and nodded faintly. Didn’t look at him. Let my mind form the pictures just from the sounds around me.

I heard the drawer of his nightstand open. The crinkle of plastic. The soft click of a tube. I parted my legs instinctively and let Kacchan settle between them.

“You have no idea how sexy you look right now,” his voice rumbled, low and rough. I wanted to feel embarrassed. To say something, anything. But I couldn’t - because in the next second, his fingers slid in - sudden, but smooth.

A deep hum escaped me as my eyes rolled back. God. Had it ever felt this good from the very first touch? Or was it the mood? The buildup we were still carrying?

“Someone’s been getting ready,” Kacchan teased, amusement coloring his tone. I opened my eyes just in time to see him hovering above me as he pulled his fingers back - only to push in again with two this time.

“Kaa—” I started, but bit down on my lip quickly and forced the air out through my nose.

“Yeah?” he asked, his gaze wicked and intense - a dangerous mix of curiosity and amusement.

“Just do it,” I blurted out, shifting my hips and pressing down into his hand. A pleased shiver ran through me, deep and powerful. Yes. That’s what I wanted. And Kacchan understood.

He pulled back, and when I heard the wrapper crinkle again, I looked over and watched him roll on the condom. The faint scent of latex hit my nose - made me wrinkle it a bit. I hadn’t liked it last time either. But there was no way around it.

“Remember - quiet, I-zu-ku,” he warned, pressing his tip against me. I felt the tension build, the brief sting… and then he slid in - relatively easily, actually.

We both groaned, muffled. Took a moment to catch our breath. Then he let me set the pace. I rocked my hips gently, letting him sink in deeper with each motion. Until I could feel his hips press flush against mine.

“Fffuck,” he growled, breathless, clearly struggling to stay in control. I reached out to stroke his arm, then grabbed the back of his neck and pulled him down. Locked eyes with him, silently giving my okay. Sealed it with a kiss - just before throwing my head back in a gasp. Kacchan had pulled back and thrust in again, deep and hard.

God - I loved this. The feeling. The movement. All of it. The emotions it released in me were impossible to put into words.

I let myself get lost in it. Breathing heavy and uneven. Trying hard not to make a sound with every thrust - but whenever I was close to failing, Kacchan sealed our lips together. I gripped his hair and moaned into his mouth. He seemed to love that - because low, deep sounds slipped from him too, his rhythm faltering ever so slightly. Made me chuckle, soft and dirty. Immediately earned me a bite on the neck. It grounded me - and at the same time, sent me spiraling even higher.

And just as I felt the pressure building inside me, Kacchan pulled out.

Dazed, feverish, I looked at him in confusion. That confusion only deepened when everything around me spun - and then I realized I had spun. I was on top now.

“Wha…?” I managed to get out, but my brain was too scrambled to form a real question.

“Couldn’t do it on Monday,” Kacchan said, voice rough. “But today… I wanna try it like this.” He rocked his hips up slightly - just enough to rub against my butt.

I sat there, frozen and speechless. Completely overwhelmed by the change.

“I… that… Kacchan…” I stammered, still not able to wrap my head around it. We had been so close. Why stop now?

But instead of answering, he grabbed my thighs and gently lifted me. My body moved on instinct, lifting with his touch. I braced myself against his chest, turned my head slightly as his arm moved again.

“What’s wrong? You scared?” he asked, just as I felt his tip again, resting right where he wanted to be. Heat bloomed inside me. And with it - stubborn defiance.

Taking a deep breath to steady myself, I reached back, slapped his hand away, and wrapped my fingers around his cock. The lube and condom felt a bit odd against my skin, but I tried to ignore it.

I straightened my knees, sat up a little taller, and positioned him at my entrance, locking eyes with Kacchan.

“If this sucks, we’re stopping. No finishing,” I warned him with an almost devilish grin. I saw how he stared at me, how his Adam’s apple bobbed slightly. Oh yeah, I had him right where I wanted him. And I liked it. Liked how he let me take the lead.

Carefully, I began to sink down, feeling him push in just a little. The angle was different. The stretch in my lower belly, too. I hissed softly but kept going. And damn! Why did this feel so different?

Kacchan groaned beneath me, muffled and low. His eyes were shut tight, and he was clearly trying to stay calm. I couldn’t help but grin - just a little, just wicked enough. So it was intense for him, too.

Without hesitating much longer, I sank all the way down, moaning a little too loud. But – god - this felt way deeper than before. How was that even possible?

“Fuck! That’s… that’s a hundred times crazier,” Kacchan growled through gritted teeth, clearly struggling not to move. I rocked my hips gently, watched him throw his head back with a low, guttural sound. Just seeing him like this nearly pushed me over the edge. And with this new position?

“Move more, Izuku!” he demanded, grabbing my hips. I felt him lift me slightly - only to thrust his own hips up right after. Fuck! Where was he inside me right now? It felt like he was pressing into something deep—

“Wait! I… I need a sec. That… feels weird,” I stopped him, still trying to get used to the strange but intense sensation.

“Weird bad?”

“Hm… no… weird good… just new,” I muttered, bracing my hands on his chest as I pushed myself up again and dropped back down into his lap. We both exhaled loudly.

“Alright, then… ride me, I-zu-ku!”

I bit my lip, gave him a flustered look, and mumbled, “Please don’t say that. That’s really embarrassing.”

Kacchan let out a low, amused laugh - more like a dark rumble - before thrusting up into me again, just enough to make me shiver.

“Then go.”

 

 

It took me a few tries before I started moving with more confidence. The motions were unfamiliar. The sensation too. But it was also so much more intense. Maybe it was the tension from kneeling like this?

With a quiet sigh, I let him slide out of me a bit quicker and back in again. At first in short movements, then longer ones. I started varying the rhythm and pace - and quickly noticed how it was driving Kacchan absolutely insane. He could barely hold back whenever I lowered myself onto him torturously slow. And just from seeing him like that, my own cock twitched with need.

“I’m not gonna last,” he growled through gritted teeth, then I felt his hand between us - wrapping around my painfully hard length and stroking me. I shut my eyes and let out a pleased hum. Let him take over for a bit while I paused my own movements. I was already so close - so close - when suddenly I heard a loud thud and footsteps.

I froze. Kacchan did too. We both stared at the door, then at each other. Eyes wide. Alert. Our pulses were out of control. We both tried to breathe as quietly as possible. But the tension in the air made it impossible to calm down.

“Wha…?” I barely managed to whisper, but Kacchan just shook his head, pressing a finger to his lips. I got it. Clamped my mouth shut while my whole body buzzed with nerves. With that sharp, unmistakable feeling of almost getting caught.

I held my breath, heart pounding so hard it could’ve burst out of my chest. Panic crept up my spine.

“Three… two… one…!” someone shouted down the hall. I recognized the voice by the last word. Kaminari. Laughing.

Shit?! Were they planning to come in here?!

Panicking, I tried to jump off Kacchan, but he gripped my hips and thrust back into me - deep. I bit down so hard on the inside of my cheek, I tasted blood. My eyes watered. What the Fuck!

A loud thud followed, but it didn’t sound like a door opening. No, it was dull - and a few groaning voices came right after.

“Ahh! Shit... Hey BAKUBRO!” someone yelled, pounding on the door. “You said it was unlocked!”

I stared at Kacchan, shocked and confused. His slightly hazy eyes rolled, annoyed. Had he locked the door while I was in the bathroom? I definitely hadn’t.

But now what? What the hell were we supposed to do now?! And why couldn’t they just wait five damn minutes?

Frustrated, I let out a shaky breath. Kacchan, trying to stay composed, shouted sharply toward the door: “Piss off!”

More protests. A drawn-out “Come oooon,” and a whiny, “Just let us in already!”

By now I’d figured out it was the whole damn Bakusquad out there. Fuck! Just one damn wooden door between us. Between his friends - and the two of us, tangled up on that bed, literally still inside each other. Who the hell had the brilliant idea to have sex while eighteen other people were in the same building?!

“Hold on,” Kacchan whispered into my ear. Then he arched his back and slid us to the side. I barely held back a moan. What the fuck?! How was he still hard?!

I could still hear the voices outside, but now I noticed him reaching for something in his nightstand. A… remote?

I tilted my head, confused. He just smirked.

“Cover your ears for a sec, Nerd,” he murmured - and hit the play button.

Loud rock music blasted from hidden speakers.

I flinched even though he warned me. How had I never noticed those damn speakers before?

The music drowned everything out. And that wicked, dirty grin on Kacchan’s face? It made something twist inside me - because I already knew he wasn’t done.

I raised a questioning brow, but didn’t get a chance to react- he lifted me off, pulled out, and dropped me back onto the mattress in one motion.

He leaned in close, biting at my earlobe. I probably wouldn’t have understood anything he said, even if he had spoken - thanks to the blaring music. And the voices in the hall? Gone. Or covered up.

But how were we supposed to know if they’d left or were still right there? Did he care? Was he seriously just going to keep going? What if they—

Panic surged through me. I tried to push him back. Tried to sit up. But Kacchan read me like an open book. Grabbed my hips and slotted himself between my legs before I could move.

I stared at him, stunned. I wanted to yell at him - but could only brace against his chest. What was wrong with him?! And… why the hell was this making him more turned on?

…And was it doing the same to me?

I tried to catch his gaze. Saw his grin. Dirty. Devilish. That damn canine glinted again. Oh shit. That look. That fire in his eyes. I hated and adored him all at once. I couldn’t even swear. Couldn’t stop him.

My eyelids fluttered. My eyes rolled back as he slammed into me again.

The moan broke free from my lips - and not just one. Kacchan wasn’t stopping. He pounded into me, fast and hard. My arousal, which had nearly vanished in the panic, came rushing back full force. I felt the pulse, the heat, the tight pressure in my gut.

I’d punch him later. Definitely. But for now, the cautious, insecure version of me? He was gone. Replaced by the wild, reckless version that only came out when we did this.

The music throbbed around us and I moved with him - gripping his shoulders, clawing into him as he repeated Sunday’s pace. Brutal. Raw. And I loved every second. Every thrust. Every lack of control.

I gave in completely - feeling myself get closer, fast.

“Kacchaan,” I gasped, even though he probably couldn’t hear it.

The heat rolled through me - shivers, sparks, white noise. My whole body tensed as I came - spilling hot across my stomach, completely overtaken by the orgasm.

I couldn’t think. Couldn’t focus. Couldn’t feel anything but the aftershocks wrecking my body. Damn. What was that? Why was it so much more intense this time? The waves crashing through me didn’t seem to stop.

The sudden silence when the music cut off jolted me from my spiral. I turned my feverish gaze to the side - and saw Kacchan lying next to me. He looked just as wrecked as I felt. Skin flushed. Hair sticking to his face. Chest heaving. And most importantly - he looked just as overwhelmed as me.

 

 

We stayed like that for several more minutes. Just lying there. Listening to each other breathe. Not saying a word. I only snapped out of it when Kacchan started fumbling with the condom and casually tossed it to the floor beside us.

“Kacchan…”

“Don’t care… none of it matters,” he mumbled, sounding strangely drained. And me? I turned onto my side, nuzzled my face into his upper arm. I wanted the contact. Needed it. Because with all the sweat and naked skin, the cold was starting to creep in.

“Kacchan?” I asked again after another moment of silence.

His sleepy “Hm?” gave me permission to go on.

“Why was that so intense just now?”

“Ask me later,” he muttered, yanking the blanket out from under himself and pulling it over us. I instinctively held up part of it with my arm - since I was still a bit… messy.

“I’ll go to the bathroom for a sec,” I whispered, but didn’t get a reply. Had he seriously fallen asleep already?

Smiling, I sat up and swung my legs over the edge of the bed. Looked back over my shoulder and grinned when I heard his soft snoring.

“Cute,” I whispered fondly, running my fingers once through his damp hair - then slipped into the bathroom with a blissful smile on my lips.

 

 

 

Notes:

That’s it!
So… what did you think? 😳 I know you guys usually don’t leave that many comments on smutty chapters (I really tried to keep it subtle this time!) –
So I threw in a good ol’ secondhand embarrassment moment beforehand hehe… Hope it wasn’t too much 😅
And of course, a bit of suspense had to sneak in too – but other than that, this one really belonged just to those two 💚🔥

That will change a little in the next chapter. Speaking of which… uhm… I haven’t written a single word yet ^^'
Sooo… it might... maybe... not be ready by next week… Consider this your tiny early warning – and at the same time my humble little apology 😬
I’ll do my best for you, promise! And hey – you know it: comments are the best motivation (yes yes, I know… that was very low of me xD)
Big hugs and see you next time! 💚🧡

Chapter 69: Blushing, Bickering, Loving

Notes:

Hey everyone! ✨
Um, yeah, I’m a little late. I know 😅
But I’m honestly just really happy I get to present you with a new chapter this weekend at all - because up until yesterday evening, I had barely written 300 words 😵‍💫
So I ended up writing this whole thing in record time 🏃‍♀️💨 And wow, I had so much fun with it…
It also turned out completely different than what I had originally planned 😄
But see for yourselves! Have fun reading! 💚🧡

P.S.: Big thanks to all of you! I’ve never had this many hits on a chapter - or on the whole story within a single week!
And nearly 60 kudos?! <3
I’m genuinely touched… and your comments were, as always, on point. Love it! 💚🧡💚🧡

 Chapter 69 – Blushing, Bickering, Loving

 

 

When I stepped out of the bathroom again, I immediately heard Kacchan’s soft snoring. I stifled a laugh and just stared dreamily at that ash-blond mop of hair.

Yeah, the sex had been more than good. And honestly, I would’ve loved to just lie down and fall asleep, too. But not here. It was honestly kind of surprising that no one seemed to have missed me yet. At least my phone didn’t show any new messages.

I slowly walked over to the bed and sat down on the edge. I could still feel our earlier activities deep in my butt, but it wasn’t nearly as bad as Monday morning. Then again, the real soreness had only hit after sleeping. Hm, thinking about it now, it had probably been more like muscle soreness than actual pain. I couldn’t really tell the difference anymore - thanks to All Might’s training, I had to admit - I’d definitely gotten a bit desensitized when it came to pain.

“Kacchan?” I asked softly, brushing my fingers over his shoulder blade. I gently started massaging it, but all I got in return was a grunt.

“Kacchan,” I tried again, a little louder this time. I smirked when the grunt turned into a growl. But it was no use. I didn’t want to just sneak out of the room. We still hadn’t figured out the breakfast thing.

“Kac—”

“Shut up, Nerd!”

“But—”

“Die!”

I pulled my hand back from his shoulder. In the past, those words would’ve scared me. At the start of our relationship, they would’ve made me insecure and hurt. But now? Now, they just made me laugh quietly into my fist. Seriously, how was anyone supposed to take him seriously when he snapped like that in his sleep?

Grinning, I leaned in close so I could whisper right into his ear, “Huuuh. That’s not exactly what you wanna hear from your boyfriend after sex.”

Kacchan just grumbled again, but didn’t move. Was he really that tired?

I sat up, glanced at him one more time, and then let out a dramatic groan as I pushed myself off the bed. I stretched my arms out wide and sighed into the room, “Guess I’ll have to leave with my poor, broken body - without even a goodbye kiss. So heartless.”

I peeked over my shoulder to check his reaction - and yep, there it was. That grumpy expression. He really seemed torn between ignoring me and reacting.

With another loud sigh, purely for show, I slowly took one step away from the bed. But just as I was about to take the next, I felt Kacchan’s firm grip close around my wrist.

“You’re such a damn pain in the ass,” I heard him grumble - and then all I managed to get out was a surprised, “Woah!” as he yanked me across the bed with one strong pull, flipping me right over him.

Heart racing, eyes wide, I tried to figure out how I’d landed. My upper body was lying beside him at a right angle, while the backs of my knees were still draped over his hips. It was honestly a miracle I hadn’t smacked my head against the wall.

“Kacchan!” I yelped in protest and tried to push myself up and climb back over him - only for his forearm to shove my legs fully onto the bed. Then he leaned over me, looming in a way that felt dangerously intense.

“Your own fault for not letting me sleep, Deku,” he murmured low and threatening - and then sealed my lips with his own, without another word.

I gasped, then melted into the slow kiss, sighing when I felt his tongue brush against mine. I immediately wrapped my arms around his neck to pull him closer. Oh yeah. That feeling - that warm, fizzy heat that started in my gut and spread like inner goosebumps through my whole body. I loved it. I just loved it. And more than anything - I loved him.

But I couldn’t enjoy it for long, not when his hand started trailing obviously toward my crotch. I let out a muffled noise and pushed my hips down into the mattress, trying to get away from the touch. But of course, Kacchan took that as a challenge and pressed his body against me even harder. If his lower half hadn’t been stuck under the blanket I was lying on, I was pretty sure he would’ve locked his legs around me already.

“I want another round,” he breathed into the kiss, his voice ridiculously hoarse, as his hand slid past my crotch and lower between my thighs. I clamped them shut on instinct and pushed him back slightly so I could look him in the eye - those beautiful, now slightly frustrated, crimson rubies.

“I can’t go another round, Kacchan! I—” I began, but he cut me off with a sharp, “Why not?”

Raising one eyebrow, I stared at him, both baffled and a little annoyed. I needed a moment to gather my thoughts - but in the end, I didn’t think too hard. I just blurted out whatever came to mind first.

“I have to get downstairs! And besides… it’s just not happening again, okay? I don’t think it’ll be happening for the next… 24 hours.”

The hand that had just been between my thighs now traced along my inner thigh and slid toward my ass. He grazed the edge of my crack, then whispered, “C’mon, Izuku. Just one more round. Like any of those damn Extras would notice up here anyway.”

Frustrated - and more than a little embarrassed - I threw my head back and let out a weak little whine. Then I squeezed my eyes shut and blurted way too loudly, “But my butt can’t handle another round. Kacchan… if we ever… oh god… if we ever switch… then - then you’ll understand, okay?”

God help me. Could someone just end me now? I never wanted to have these kinds of conversations again! Why? Why did he always force me into these situations? Was this normal for a relationship? Did people actually talk like this? Or was it just because Kacchan was Kacchan?

“Hmpf,” was the only sound I got out of him before he pulled away from me and let himself drop onto his back with a huff. I glanced at him sideways and saw how he crossed his arms behind his head and, without sparing me a glance, muttered toward the ceiling, “In the stories, it’s all completely different.”

I paused, startled. What had he just said? Had those words been meant for me, or had he just mumbled them into his nonexistent beard?

“Wha… What… Kacchan? What do you mean by… stories?”

“Nothing!” came his way too quick reply. I pushed myself up slightly and was even more surprised when he avoided my gaze. Picking up his earlier “pain in my ass” comment, I poked him a few times in the side. He just growled and muttered a half-mumbled “Forget I said anything” in return.

And there it was again: the red-tipped ears. That beautiful reaction he always showed when something made him uncomfortable. That beautiful reaction that made me fall for him even more. Because it was so unlike his usual self. And so damn cute. Ridiculously cute.

“Now I’m really curious.”

“Then die curious.”

“Hm… but… maybe if you explain it, we could…,” I began in a teasing, provocative tone, letting my hand wander slowly down his side, continuing as I reached his hip bone, “discuss your wish again.”

I could practically see his ears perk up. Oh yeah, I definitely had him. Even if that rather sultry line had pushed me far out of my comfort zone. But my curiosity had won over my shame. And my little inner self was cheering me on.

My gaze returned to Kacchan, who still didn’t seem willing to explain what he had said. And yet, he seemed interested in my offer. Was it that embarrassing for him? Was I maybe about to hear something I could hold over him later?

“Come on, Kacchan! What could you possibly have to reveal that’s so embarrassing? I mean… I just tried to explain something embarrassing to you earlier too… with… the washing and stuff, okay? So… now it’s your turn. Like on Sunday. You remember, right?” I whined and nudged him gently. I scooted right up next to him and rested my chin on his upper arm while trying to look up at him all sweet and pleading. I even pouted a little to perfect the expression. It was kind of embarrassing, really, because I felt like I sounded like a four-year-old. But I was genuinely curious. And I wanted those ears to stay red a little longer.

“Kacchaaaaaan,” I whined again when he tried to shove me away. But I stuck to him and just beamed at him with the sweetest grin I could muster.

“Annoying little shit,” he grumbled and turned his head away.

‘Don’t give up, Izuku! You’ve almost got him!’ I cheered myself on and turned up the pressure a notch.

“And yet you’re still thinking I’m cute,” I shot back with a cheeky grin. I puckered my lips and pressed a featherlight kiss to his upper arm.

“Only in your dreams, Nerd,” he scoffed with a roll of his eyes. Which only spurred me on to keep this little exchange going. And hopefully win.

“Hm, didn’t you say you don’t lie?” I asked in a tone so calm and naive, I couldn’t not notice the way his muscles tensed beneath me. Ha! I almost had him. Well, either that, or he’d blast me out the window in a second.

“Don’t push it, Deku!”

“Why? Because you won’t wanna push it in anymore then?” The words just shot out of my mouth. I saw Kacchan’s eyes widen in shock - only then, yes, only then did my brain finally register what I had just shamelessly blurted out.

Mortified, I squeaked and instantly jumped back to my side of the bed, burying my head in the pillow. Ah, crap. That really had been a bit too much. Holy shit! Where was a hole in the ground when you needed one? I just wanted to disappear. Right now. Immediately.

A snort of laughter made me peek to the side. I felt a tug on the blanket beneath me, and like a puppet, I let myself be turned as Kacchan pulled it out from under me - only to toss it over me the next second.

“Well, Nerd! Looks like I get the point after all.”

I puffed out my cheeks and looked up at him. I could still feel the warmth in my face, but I pouted and replied, “Tch, as if this was some kind of contest.”

“Hm, funny, considering how hard you just tried,” Kacchan grinned. He seemed to feel back in control now, back in his dominant role. And that mischievous grin of his? Unfairly attractive. Ridiculously hot.

I just grumbled and thought about how to strike back. But instead of going head-on, I decided to go sneaky. I summoned the most innocent, sweetest Izuku I could and let my big eyes drift down to the side while nervously tapping my index fingers together. And when I noticed I had his full attention, I spoke in a near-childlike voice: “But you still haven’t told me what you meant. So… I guess it wasn’t enough for you, huh?”

Wow!

Internally, I handed myself an Oscar. That had been so on point. And Kacchan confirmed it: red-tipped ears and a stunned look. Absolutely delicious.

A defeated groan a moment later sealed my victory. My chest swelled with confidence and pride because I had managed to bring him to his knees. Him. Katsuki Bakugou. The guy who always had the last word. Who could talk circles around anyone and leave them speechless. Katsuki Bakugou, who never gave up until he’d won.

My grin must’ve been enormous because Kacchan pushed his hand into my face and turned me away from him. I just laughed and kissed his palm in return.

“You’re such a goofball,” he sighed, then fluffed the blanket over us, sending a cool breeze down my spine and leaving me covered in goosebumps.

But I couldn’t stay still. I pushed myself up on my elbows and leaned in curiously. “So, what did you mean?”

Kacchan sighed again. Was I really that exhausting, or was it just his usual exasperation rising up? I didn’t know. But I stopped thinking about it when he finally opened his mouth: “I read stuff. Like you. For research.”

“Stories,” I reminded him of the exact word.

“Yeah, so? What more do you wanna hear?”

I opened my mouth in disbelief. Was he serious? Was that supposed to be it?

“Well, well… what kind of stories! I mean, ‘stories’ implies that you read actual books with plots or something. I mean, if we go by definition. And that would mean you took some kind of romance as reference. Which means… you used them as reference for our… stuff. So what did it say? What was it about, and how—”

“Stop!” Kacchan cut me off and suddenly slapped a hand over my mouth as I opened it again.

“God, Nerd! Stop getting so worked up, okay?”

As best I could, I mumbled, “But I wanna know,” against his palm. Whether he actually understood me, I had no idea. All I heard was another worn-out sigh.

I nodded cautiously, and he slowly - though clearly on alert for another outburst - pulled his hand away. I held myself back and gave him an innocent gesture to show I wouldn’t do anything else.

“You’re seriously exhausting.”

“Thanks,” I grinned at him, which made him snort with laughter.

He gave my shoulder a soft punch. Then I saw him roll onto his side, so I instinctively flopped onto my back again. Like my body had learned to read Kacchan’s movements and was perfectly in sync. Somehow, my body knew he’d lean over me. Knew he’d brace himself on either side of my head. And I let him pin me down and stare at me with that wild, predatory look that turned my knees to jelly.

Only… I hadn’t expected his next words.

“Oi, Nerd! I’m starting to get why you always say it,” he murmured, his head so close to mine that our noses were almost touching. I swallowed hard as the tension between us spiked, making me catch my breath. I only managed to stammer, “Say what?”

I watched as his lips curled into a wicked grin. Watched his gaze flick from my eyes to my lips and back again. God, this guy would be the death of me. Just from being so insanely, unfairly sexy.

And then… came the words I usually said. Words that hit me like a bolt of heat and cold at once.

“I hate you,” he said softly and hoarsely - right before closing the final gap between us and pulling me into a kiss that left me utterly defenseless.

 

 

At some point - no clue whether it had been a minute or an hour - Kacchan finally let up a little and rested his forehead against mine. I could hear and feel his long, steady breaths. Tried to calm my own breathing to match.

God, since when had he gotten so good at kissing? Seriously, I’d totally forgotten my own name.

While my brain was still trying to process what he might be feeling, I vaguely noticed Kacchan struggling with himself. I felt the faintest brush of his lips on my cheek, then near my ear, before he let his head fall beside mine.

“Kacchan?” I asked softly, placing a hand on his back. He snorted dismissively, then wriggled out of my arms to roll onto his back. I let him, watching his profile curiously.

It took a few seconds before he spoke, voice quiet: “You know… when I saw a few weeks ago that you were looking up stuff about sex all seriously and… nerdy as hell, I didn’t want to fall behind…”

I listened, tense and excited. It sounded like the words had just kind of slipped out - and now he felt like he had to explain himself. Maybe that little comment from earlier had caught him off guard more than I thought. But his next words came out so perfectly Kacchan that I immediately pushed aside the little pang of guilt - after all, I had been bugging him to open up.

“So I watched some porn… but honestly? It was way too much and just… wrong. Kinda gross, actually. The faces, the moaning… totally killed the vibe. So then I remembered how Racoon Eyes always distracts herself with those story things when she’s supposed to be studying.”

A low “hm” rumbled from me during his brief pause. I felt like I had to say something. Kacchan didn’t talk this much about himself very often. I also found myself wondering where he was going with this. Tried to recall things Uraraka sometimes shared about the girls in class. And that’s when it clicked: “Ashido reads manga.”

Kacchan let out a disbelieving snort. “Yeah, if only it were just that.”

I raised a confused eyebrow, silently asking for clarification.

“She reads not just manga, but also the Korean kind - full-color stuff, too. And let me tell you, she doesn’t exactly stick to the teen-rated ones. And seriously? I never would've guessed people were that horny and drew that kinda crap in so much detail.”

“What do you mea—” I began, but he cut me off right away.

“Sex scenes.”

My jaw dropped as my brain slowly started piecing it all together. Was Kacchan seriously admitting that he’d read manga - or rather manhwa - with those kinds of scenes?

Something inside me shattered. I knew Kacchan had always been into hero comics and manga. I also knew he read a lot in his free time - how else was he so freakishly well-informed about everything? But the fact that he’d actually read that kind of stuff - for me, for us?

And yes, I knew exactly what we were talking about. I didn’t live under a rock. There were whole sections in certain stores dedicated to those kinds of smut stories - yes, I knew the term, but only because I’d once looked it up out of curiosity. And I also knew that many of them featured same-sex couples. I’d just never had the guts to get anywhere near that section, let alone open a book. I’d also never felt all that drawn to it. Honestly, I was kind of impressed by the people who went in there without shame.

“What’s the matter, Nerd? Cat got your tongue?” Kacchan asked with amusement, brushing my bangs back from my forehead. He held them there with his big hand, grounding me.

I nodded, opened my mouth, then closed it again. Yup. He’d totally caught me off guard.

Kacchan let out a quiet, rough laugh and shot me one of his cocky, devilish grins. That stupid fang of his flashed just a little.

“Wanna hear the juicy details of what I read - for research purposes only, of course?”

My brain and heart couldn’t decide what the hell to do, so my answer came out as a weird mix of nodding and shaking my head. Must’ve looked absolutely ridiculous. Kacchan, of course, was thoroughly entertained.

“Oh, I really want to blow your mind with it.”

I shook my head so hard it made my brain rattle, while the awful heat spreading through me wasn’t just on my face anymore. No, my whole body felt like it was on fire. And this time, it was definitely not because I was turned on.

Satisfied with my reaction, Kacchan flopped back onto his back, looking smug as hell, and huffed, “Huh. Guess it wasn’t that embarrassing to admit something that weeby.”

I let out a long, pitiful squeak and honestly wondered if steam was coming out of my ears. Kacchan had really, seriously read that kind of stuff! And now he was acting like he wanted to talk about the weather or something.

“Kacchaa... I...,” I began to stammer, just about ready to hide under the covers, when his voice cut through the air again. That damn voice that was going to be the death of me.

“In those stories, they fuck like five times in a row, no breaks. It came up so often I thought there had to be some truth to it. But guess not. Or maybe you’re just a damn pussy.”

Whether he meant to or not, his words snapped me out of my speechless daze.

“Kacchan!” I cried out, scandalized, and punched him in the side.

“What?”

“You’re impossible!”

“You’re repeating yourself,” he said flatly before rolling back over toward me and murmuring darkly, “Anyway, Izuku... I’d like to test a few more things. You in?”

He was not being serious. He couldn’t be.

“What the hell is wrong with you?!” I blurted out, which just made him burst out laughing. And me? I kept swatting at his arm and whining, pushing him away as he tried to pull me into a hug.

“God! You’re the worst. I don’t wanna be with you anymore. Seriously.” I crossed my arms over my chest like a sulking kid, putting a small wall between us.

“Oh, you so still wanna be with me.”

“Nuh-uh. Totally changed my mind just now.”

“What, I’m not good enough anymore? Too much of a weeb? Makes me unattractive?” he asked, and I could hear in his tone that he didn’t mean a single word of it seriously.

“No! Of course not. It’s just... weird that you read something like this. I think.”

Kacchan gave me a thoughtful look before muttering, “Yeah, some of that stuff really is weird. But I gotta admit, a few of those stories weren’t half bad... well, except for the ridiculous sex scenes. Like, I read one where the couple was all innocent for, like, two years, and the moment they finally ended up in bed, they just fucked every chance they got. Like, nonstop. For days. With the cringiest dirty talk. And the guy—”

I smacked my hand over his mouth, heart pounding in my chest. Dear god, how could he talk about this so casually?!

I squeaked, barely above a whisper, “Kacchan, please...”

“What? Too much for your innocent little soul?” he teased.

And I let him. Hoping that playing along would somehow steer us away from this ridiculous topic. Though... was it really that ridiculous? Was I just overthinking it? Should I maybe - purely for research purposes, of course - check out one of those things myself? But where would you even do that? Was it safe? Did you have to pay? And did I really want to see how people...

“Please. I can’t. You’re killing me.”

“But I want to talk you through it. Analyze it with you. You know, like how you were so casual when you said you wanted to blow me that one time.”

Another tiny scream escaped me as I rolled onto my stomach and turned my face away. Yep, the wall was definitely the better option right now.

“Izuku...” Kacchan purred behind me, and I instinctively stretched out my arm to keep him away.

“I really can’t.”

“Hm, then what can we do, I-zu-ku?” he asked, sounding so sweet and innocent... but that tone. That dangerous little drop in his voice told me exactly where this was going. And I had already stayed in this room way too long.

I sighed in defeat, buried my face in the pillow for a second to breathe, then slowly turned back to face him. Caught sight of that smug grin spreading across his face.

‘One day... one day I’m gonna wipe that grin off his stupid face,’ I thought, before finally giving him what he’d been fishing for all this time:

“We could... maybe do it again. But only with our hands, okay?”

His arm immediately slipped around my waist, pulling me over so my back was flush against his chest. I shivered as his breath hit my ear.

“There, see? That wasn’t so hard,” he murmured - right before going back to driving me completely insane.

And me? I just let him. Let myself sink into his arms and enjoy every second. A few more minutes with him... no one was gonna question that. At least that was what I told myself.

 

 

 

Notes:

That’s it!
Thanks so much if you made it all the way to the end
And yes… I know I’m incapable of keeping things short 🙈
But this scene totally took on a life of its own, and I just adore these two so much, I had to write out this teasing banter between them 💚🧡

So... how did you like it?
Am I dragging out the story too much? 😅 (I mean… I get it if you feel that way - I really do keep delaying the ending more and more xD''''' Which only gives me more work, oops.)

Sooo, I think I’ll try to stick to Sunday uploads for now!
I have exactly 0.0 time to write during the week… this real life thing is the worst 😩

Sending hugs! 🤗
And if you feel like it (please feel like it!!!), I’d absolutely love to hear your thoughts in the comments 💕
See you - hopefully - next week!

Chapter 70: The End of Me

Notes:

Hello everyone! ✨

Yes, I’m late, BUT it’s still Sunday (well…for another half hour in my time zone ^^’)
Sorry about that, but I hadn’t written a single word until this morning, and I don’t always get the time and quiet I need to sit down and write.

So I really hope this chapter won’t disappoint you. Even though it’s kind of a last-minute production, I actually kind of like it myself xDDD’

Have fun reading! 💚🧡

Chapter 70 – The End of Me

 

A vibration pulled me out of my light doze, one I had absolutely no intention of waking from. My subconscious had been shouting at me for what felt like forever to get up and finally leave this room. But it was just way too comfortable. After all, Kacchan was lying next to me, radiating so much warmth that every attempt to push the blanket aside instantly left me shivering.

Bzzz. Bzzz. Bzzz.

I sighed and reached out blindly until my hand closed around the vibrating smartphone. Without thinking, I picked up, rolled onto my back, and rested my free forearm across my eyes.

“Yeah?” I tried not to sound too drowsy. After all, it had to be only late afternoon.

Silence on the other end. So I added a questioning, “Hello?” But when the caller’s voice finally came through, I shot upright in bed.

“Uuuhhh…Mi-Mi-Midobro?”

Panicking, I pulled the phone from my ear and stared wide awake at the screen. But the name flashing there made me die at least one death inside.

Shitty Hair

Oh no!

Oh no no no no no…

Damn! Without even realizing, I had answered Kacchan’s phone. How was I supposed to…

“Um, I actually wanted to talk to Kats. A-Are you…uhm…with…him?” came Kirishima’s hesitant, stammering voice. I could totally understand his confusion. Who on earth would expect anyone but Katsuki Bakugo to answer his phone? And then especially me.

My breath hitched. A chill ran through me even as I broke out in a sweat. I scrambled for an excuse that might make sense. I felt frozen, but luckily my body reacted instinctively and I started nudging Kacchan’s shoulder.

“Uh…we…Kacchan’s in the bathroom right now and I…we were just planning…uhm, breakfast, you know? Yeah…and somehow…I didn’t even notice that…Kacchan has the same ringtone as me…yeah…and…that’s why…I accidentally picked up. Sorry,” I stammered, throwing together some excuse while glancing down and catching Kacchan’s grumbling yet somehow sharp look.

Good! Even though he’d been woken so suddenly, he seemed to grasp the situation right away. At least there was no growl or string of curses aimed at me for waking him so roughly.

“Oh, I see. Yeah…uhm…that happens, right? Uhm…should I…like maybe call again later…or something?” Kirishima stammered back, and I answered just as nervously: “N-no, no. Kacchan…he…should be back from the bathroom any second. Yeah…I think so.”

God, this conversation felt so wrong. So awkward. Painfully awkward. Should I maybe just hang up and say Kacchan would call back later? But wouldn’t it be weird if he only got back to him ten minutes later or so. Ah…what—

“Oi, Shitty Nerd! What the hell are you doing with my phone?” Kacchan suddenly yelled hoarsely beside me. I jolted hard. His loud voice came so unexpectedly that I lost my train of thought. Maybe that was for the better.

Overwhelmed, I looked at him, stammered his name, before he finally snatched the device from my hand and, with a harsh: “Who’s pissing me off now?” picked up.

 

I couldn’t follow the conversation. All I could tell was that Kacchan seemed anything but thrilled. At least the stream of dismissive remarks made that pretty clear. But I couldn’t focus on listening anyway, nor did I really want to. No, my heart was still pounding four times faster than it should. Damn! We just couldn’t afford a mistake like this. No way!

My eyes flicked to the clock. To my shock I realized I had already been in his room for almost three hours. I felt the dried traces of our earlier activity on my stomach as I sat up a little more comfortably and shifted around. My nose wrinkled automatically, and I scratched at it briefly.

‘I need to shower. And get dressed. And we really should air out this room,’ shot through my head. The warm, stale air only made it harder to breathe properly and calm down.

“Yeah, yeah…get lost,” I heard Kacchan say, and I looked up in surprise as he tossed his phone back into the corner of the bed, clearly annoyed.

“Kacchan?” I asked carefully, seeing him glance at me over his shoulder. He was still lying on his stomach and didn’t seem interested in changing position.

“Hm?”

“I’m sorry,” I said quietly, turning my gaze away from him. After all, I had made a mistake, and my guilty conscience was slowly growing heavier. How had I not noticed I was holding the wrong phone? Was it because everything in this room already felt so natural to me? Because I didn’t have to worry about touching Kacchan’s things anymore? Because I…

“Oi, nerd!”

“Huh?”

“What are you apologizing for?” he asked, sounding less annoyed this time. More like irritated.

So I nervously twisted my hands together and mumbled, “Well, because I just picked up your phone. And, you know, that…shouldn’t have happened.”

“Bullshit!”

“But…now Kirishima knows I’m here. And…”

“Who cares! As if that idiot would think anything of it. Except that he’s scared for his self-declared best friend spot,” Kacchan scoffed, rolling his eyes. His words made me smile faintly. Was he actually trying to cheer me up?

‘Cute!’ flashed through my head, and I couldn’t stop my hand from brushing lightly through his hair.

Kacchan only grumbled, then muttered, “Stop overthinking everything. Really. Even if, as long as the caterpillar doesn’t find out, we’re fine.”

“Yeah, you’re probably right.”

“I’m always right.”

“Yes, you are, Kacchan!” I laughed, bent down, and kissed his temple. I couldn’t reach anywhere else. He fixed that quickly by propping himself up, shoving me back down with one arm, and leaning over me.

“Besides…even if we did get caught, do you seriously think they’d kick us out of school for it?”

I thought about it. Pressed my lips together and shifted them left and right in thought. My eyes wandered upward. Yeah, Kacchan kind of had a point. Could they really expel us for that?

“Good, then we agree.”

“But…hey! I didn’t even say anything yet,” I protested immediately, only to see that knowing, smug grin spread across his face.

“Your expression said plenty, Nerd,” he snorted, giving me a quick kiss on the lips before pushing himself up and getting out of bed. I saw the disgusted look on his face as he, like I had earlier, scratched at his stomach.

“Fuck! I need a shower first,” he muttered more to himself as he walked over to his closet. He pulled out his usual outfit: baggy black sweatpants and his skull shirt.

“Where are you going now?”

“I’m taking a shower. And then I have to deal with the brain-dead idiots who call themselves my friends. And you…you’re probably heading to your Losersquad.”

I opened my mouth in outrage, ready to protest again, but Kacchan cut me off before I even got the chance: “Defending yourself or protesting won’t help. Save your energy and get up already.”
With a sigh, I shook my head in defeat, slid out of bed, and looked unmotivated at my school uniform lying on the floor. I grumbled, “Don’t feel like it.”

“Hm?”

I gave Kacchan a crooked smile and said, “The sleep wasn’t great. I feel wiped out.”

“Hm, you don’t think that was more because of the sex?”

“Kacchaaaan.”

“And because of the…”

“Kacchan!” I squeaked, cutting him off, as shame came crashing back into me full force.

Defeated, he raised his hands, grinned, and suddenly tossed me a pair of sports shorts and a green T-shirt.

Confused, I unfolded the clothes and looked them over. The shirt looked a lot like the one from Sunday, but with the extra detail of a small chest pocket. The shorts were plain black with an orange stripe down the side. I smiled faintly - those colors definitely suited Kacchan more than me.

“Don’t look at me like that. They fit you. After all, they’re yours. From your spot in here.”

“My spot?” I asked, already feeling the sting in my eyes. Did I really have a place in his closet? Just like at his home?

“Yeah, your spot. That—oh, for fuck’s sake! Don’t look like you’re about to cry again. Seriously, how can you be so damn emotional?”

I only laughed, wiped away the two little tears in the corners of my eyes, then stood up and got dressed.

 

 

Without complications I made it back to my room. I was almost surprised myself, but I accepted it. After all, we had to get lucky somehow.

Kacchan hadn’t said anything else and I couldn’t think of anything more to ask either. But now I did. What about breakfast?

“Shit, totally forgot,” I muttered to myself and smacked my palm against my forehead. That had been our excuse after all, and now I didn’t even know if Kacchan had already come up with a plan. Or if he’d maybe even passed it along already.

I sighed heavily and flopped face-down onto my bed. I felt way too exhausted to go shower. I could still feel our activity lingering on my back, so I sighed again and buried my face in the pillow.

I really should wash up. And maybe I should actually check in on my friends. But honestly…honestly, I’d rather just be back in bed with Kacchan. With Kacchan in bed. Not even to have sex. No, I just wanted to lie next to him endlessly, forever. To feel his warmth. To lose myself in his arms. His scent…

“God, you’re so ridiculously embarrassing, Izuku Midoriya,”,” I squeaked softly and miserably into my pillow. Why was I turning into some hopelessly lovesick idiot? Heaven, this couldn’t be normal! Could it?

And yet, even though I thought I was weird and embarrassing, it was exactly what I wanted. And I couldn’t just switch it off. It was already hard enough to hide it and hold it back. Didn’t I think just a week ago that it would definitely get easier over time?

Pff…yeah, I was way off on that. Because somehow it felt like it was getting harder every single day. Was it because I told Kacchan I loved him? Or was it because he kept giving me these heartfelt moments? Because his actions kept blindsiding me, and I fell for him more every time?

I didn’t know. Only that it drained me emotionally. Not being with him, but the holding back. The overthinking of every moment, every word, every touch. Yeah, my head was tearing me apart.

Maybe I should actually take Kacchan’s words seriously. Maybe I really shouldn’t waste my energy on pointless overthinking. Yeah, I needed to be more confident about us. More sure. Braver.

Not easy when you’ve spent years being the opposite of all those things.

Groaning in frustration, I pressed my face into the pillow, then slowly pushed it under my chin and pulled out my phone.

I needed to distract myself. I needed to focus on something else. That way I could forget about Kacchan for at least five minutes. Or at least push him out of my head. Thoughts that were dripping with nothing but lovesickness. Cheesy, sugar-sweet, rosy lovesickness.

Bored, I scrolled through Hero News. Normally it was something I devoured with excitement, always with a notebook at my side. But right now I couldn’t get myself to care. Couldn’t focus on Mount Lady’s victory against a villain gang. No, it didn’t distract me at all. Damn it! This was driving me crazy!

I huffed, ran my hands through my hair, and was seconds away from chucking my phone into the nearest corner. I just wanted to wallow in self-pity and longing. Self-pity that I felt so awful without Kacchan’s presence. And longing, because I missed it with every fiber of my being.

I was truly a hopeless case. A lovesick fool. A puppy whining desperately for its master to come back.

‘Man, don’t exaggerate!’ my voice of reason tried to scold me. Made me snort. Yeah, this was definitely driving me insane. With all these different voices in my head, how could it not?

I groaned in despair. I really needed to distract myself. Badly. Right now. On the spot. I thought and debated for a while before, out of pure desperation, opening Kacchan’s chat window. I tilted my head back and forth, wondering if what I was about to do was even remotely a good idea.

Probably not. And I’d probably hate myself later or at least regret it. But before I could stop myself, my fingers had already typed and sent the message.

 

Where did you…do that certain research?

 

Of course there was no answer. So I stayed lying there, disappointed and lethargic, slowly drifting back into a light doze. Because the other voice in my head kept whispering to me. That with sleep, time would pass so much faster until I could see Kacchan again.

Well, that settled it. I definitely needed to check myself into a psych ward and get tested. Seriously. I mean, was it even possible for one single person to influence and change me this much? To take me over to the point I had no control of myself? To change me so much that even my hobby, my passion, couldn’t distract me right now?

The vibration of my phone yanked me out of my daze. Too worked up, I fumbled and couldn’t unlock it on the first try. Kind of pathetic, but nothing I could do about it.

Surprised, I looked into the chat. Saw only a link Kacchan had sent under my message. I hesitated a moment - then clicked it.

The page began to load and suddenly I was staring at a beautifully drawn cover. A cover of two young-looking men. With a camera and lots of color. I tilted my head in question, then froze as I scrolled down and saw 133 chapters.

“Did he read all of those?” I whispered in shock and scrolled back to chapter 1 and the prologue. I hesitated, biting my lower lip. Of course I had already read the tags.

Manhwa, Webtoon, Yao(BL), College Life, Smut, Full Color…

And yeah, I understood what that meant. But the ‘Smut’ part scared me off. Actually freaked me out. But…was it really that upfront and explicit? And how explicit was explicit?

Besides, the cover looked so inviting. Colorful. Innocent. Just plain beautiful. Maybe it didn’t even really show up, or maybe Kacchan had exaggerated to scare me off. Wouldn’t be the first time he teased me with something.
I hesitated another moment, my thumb still hovering over the word ‘Prologue.’

“I’ll just take a peek. Just a little,” I murmured nervously to myself, surprised to see the story starting out pretty normal and actually kind of…embarrassingly sweet. It even made me giggle softly into my pillow. And kick my feet in the air in excitement. But near the end of chapter two, I squeaked, tossed my phone away, and screamed quietly into the pillow.

Ahh…what…why? That didn’t even fit the sweet start of the story. Why did that suddenly happen?

Hesitantly, I picked my phone back up, peeking at the display through one half-open eye. And even though my head was about to explode from shame, I still somehow dared to keep reading. After all, Kacchan had read it too.

“He’d laugh his ass off if I had to tell him later that I couldn’t get through this,” I murmured to myself, trying to justify it in my head. And to motivate myself. Yeah, I wanted to be on his level. In every way. And if that included this, then so be it.

 

 

“Deku?”

My whole body jerked as I literally threw my phone out of my hand. I heard it hit the floor while my heart tried to recover from the shock.

Oh my God! Where was I? What…how?

“Deku? Are you there? I came to get you for dinner,” the voice at my door called again. This time I recognized it. Yes, it was Uraraka.

I scrambled up, straightened my clothes, and stumbled through my room. My eyes went automatically to my All Might clock, and I realized it really was dinner time already. What the hell? Had I really lost track of time reading? Had this story pulled me in so much that I’d forgotten everything else? And why did someone have to show up now? I was just about to finally get the tragic backstory explained. The missing piece I’d been waiting for all these chapters.

I yanked the door open and looked straight into Uraraka’s face. She looked a little surprised and even stepped back a bit. Oops. Maybe next time I should answer first or at least open the door more slowly.

“Hey, Uraraka! I…sorry, I didn’t hear you right away.”

“What were you up to?” she asked curiously, seeming to try and catch a glimpse past me into my room.

“Oh, nothing. I was just…reading a book. And it was so exciting I must’ve lost track of time.”

She smiled at me warmly, a little amused, before saying, “I see. Well, we were wondering where you’d gone. Everyone’s already downstairs.”

“Oh, wait, I’ll come right away. Just need to grab my phone and shoes,” I replied quickly, dashed back into my room, and picked my phone up off the floor. While my back was still turned to her, I closed my browser app. Oh yeah. No one is ever allowed to see this. Ever. And Kacchan was definitely going to hear a few words from me later. Seriously. That story was dripping with smut, and I’d been so close to quitting it so many times. But the relationship between the two main characters and the way they acted around each other was so beautiful and sweet. I just couldn’t stop. And the art kept getting better and better. Honestly, I could not imagine Kacchan of all people reading this story. But maybe it was because part of it dealt with fashion and reminded him somehow of his parents’ job. Well, who knew…

“What kind of book were you reading? Something about heroes?” Uraraka pulled me out of my thoughts as we headed for the stairs.

I nodded and started talking about a book I’d read in the past. A hero story that had been truly gripping and exciting. One that had gotten far too little recognition from the public.

That way I managed to keep up small talk until we reached the common room. But the closer we got, the louder the voices became. And they were really loud. Louder than they usually were already.

“What’s going on in there?” I broke off my book chatter and looked at Uraraka instead.

“Oh, while they were preparing dinner, Kaminari and Kirishima played some pranks on Bakugou. And that even though he was helping them. Well, you know how he gets, right?” she explained with a crooked smile, scratching at her temple.

Her words didn’t exactly make me feel calmer. No, if anything I stepped into the scene in front of me even more uncertainly. I saw Kacchan tugging on Kaminari’s and Kirishima’s ears with chopsticks.

“Oh, Midoriya, there you are,” Todoroki greeted me, and I sat down next to him. He and the others at the table were all watching the wild antics in the kitchen. And even though no one really knew what was going on, it was pure entertainment.

 

 

In the end, it didn’t really get resolved. It just ended with Kacchan sitting down between Jiro and Shouji so he wasn’t directly involved with his Bakusquad anymore. Yeah, apparently they’d already kept him busy enough. And the pulsing vein at his temple seemed to fade only very slowly.

So the conversations during dinner stayed light, funny, and chaotic. Just like they always were in our dorm. Would the mood eventually flip with this special situation? I mean, twenty teenagers under house arrest was already a challenge. How long would it take before the first ones suffered cabin fever? Or hung out the windows, crying for freedom?

“Could I have your attention for a moment!” Ilda’s strict voice pulled me out of my thoughts.

Surprisingly, most conversations went quiet at once, and everyone looked at our class rep. A few rolled their eyes in annoyance, but no one really held his conscientiousness against him. No, most just smiled about it and often tried to coax him into a more relaxed mode. So far only very few had succeeded.

“Anyway, Mr. Aizawa sent me an email earlier. I’ll forward it to your school accounts later. In addition, he’ll bring materials tomorrow morning for us to work on. Included will also be an assignment that I’ll collect from you in the afternoon for Mr. Aizawa.”

“Boo…” Kaminari and Ashido groaned in unison. It was quiet and annoyed, and not aimed at Ilda directly, but more at the idea of having to do work that apparently would be graded.

“Ashido, Kaminari. I ask for some attitude. Our sudden house arrest is not to be mistaken for vacation. We must all remain diligent and—”

“Yeah, yeah, Ilda! We get it. It’s just…couldn’t they cut us a break for once?” Ashido complained right away, getting immediate backup from Kaminari: “Yeah, seriously. We’re stuck here while everyone else gets to run around campus.”

And just as Tenya was about to respond, the all-too-familiar voice rang out: “You idiots should be down on your knees with gratitude for every bit of training you get. With holes that big in your brains, there’s no fixing you any other way.”

I slapped my forehead internally and sighed in resignation. Why did he have to provoke them with such a dismissive remark again? Hadn’t there already been enough quarreling in the kitchen earlier?

“Tch, at least we’re not boring enough to need naps,” Ashido shot back instantly. And yeah, there were definitely sparks flying between their looks. And that was not because Kaminari was in the room.

“Better boring than brain-dead.”

“Just because you’re the oldest doesn’t mean you get to act like some grandpa. Seriously, who doesn’t let their friends into their room and goes to bed at eight sharp every night?”

Kacchan raised an eyebrow, looking extremely arrogant as he asked, “Are you trying to blame me now just to distract from your own academic incompetence?”

“Woah! Bakubro! That…seriously, that’s too far,” Kirishima cut in now, stepping up on Ashido’s behalf.

I understood his reaction. I would’ve done the same for my friend if she were attacked like that. But the others at the table seemed almost hungry for exactly this kind of argument.

“Why? You’re not gonna tell me you don’t think some people here are way too lax about their studies. You’d agree with me on that, wouldn’t you, Glasses?”

I saw Ilda catch his breath a little. He seemed to think it over, adjusted his glasses, and cleared his throat. Only then did he answer: “I must admit, the study habits of some could indeed improve. But Bakugou, you could express that more politely. Your choice of words is highly inappropriate.”

Kacchan’s lips pressed into a thin line, and I also noticed his fingers tapping on his upper arm. He really seemed to be struggling to keep himself from blowing up.

And that was the moment I couldn’t hold back anymore. Both Ilda and Kacchan were right. But my heart wanted to take Kacchan’s side. Just like Kirishima had stepped in for Ashido, I wanted to step in for him.

I was even surprised myself when suddenly my own voice echoed in my ears: “We can definitely improve our study habits together over the next few days. After all, thanks to Kacchan’s help I’ve already gotten better. And besides, bad grades shouldn’t be the reason later why we can’t become heroes.”

Open-mouthed stares met me. Had I maybe, just a little, overdone it? Was my little speech too lofty? Too untypical?

“That was well said, Midoriya,” Yaomomo praised me with a warm smile. I also got nods of approval from many others. And even though the Bakusquad seemed to show some understanding, Kaminari of course had to whine again: “I mean, I agree, but Kacchan could try talking to us a little nicer for once!”

Kacchan’s growl rumbled instantly, and that was exactly the moment I probably crossed a line again.

“But Kacchan only does it because he’s worried you might not—”

“DEKUUUU!” Kacchan roared across the table, slamming his fists down. Everyone around him flinched, while the rest either ducked their heads or braced for battle.

But alongside his very threatening tone came, unfortunately, a few quiet, delighted “Awww” from his friends. Something that only made him boil even more.

I jumped up automatically, raising my arms in apology and hurriedly said, “Kacchan… I-I… I’m sorry… maybe we could…do you want to talk it over first? I mean…you know…no fighting and all…I…”

I backed away several steps as he came around the table closer and closer. I saw his face burning red with fury. But I didn’t think it was only anger. That fact, however, only made it worse.

Because: I had embarrassed him. In front of the entire class.

Fuck! That was definitely the end of me.

 

 

Notes:

That’s it!
So, what did you think? Should I maybe tone down the secondhand embarrassment a little, or was it okay in this chapter? 😅

And most importantly…will we even see Izuku alive at the end of the next chapter? xDD’ Maybe that’ll just be the end of the story right there? Who knows, who knows

Feel free to leave me a few words and let me know whether we should wrap the story up here…or if you have another idea for how Izuku could make it up to Kacchan (and get out of this alive)?
I’m curious to hear your thoughts!

Hopefully see you next Sunday ✨
Sending hugs 💚🧡💚🧡

P.S.: Has anyone figured out which manhwa I was describing?

Chapter 71: Back to the House Arrest Routine?

Notes:

Hello everyone!
And a huge SORRY for making you wait this long. And also, I’m really, really sorry that some of you actually got worried about me. But like I already mentioned before: I can’t always promise to finish, translate, and upload a full chapter every single week. My schedule is sooo packed. Sorry!

But today I made sure to clear some time just to finally get this chapter done. And voilà! Here it is! I really hope you’ll enjoy it =D Have fun! 💚🧡

Chapter 71 – Back to the House Arrest Routine?

 

Shit!

Why did I say that? And how the hell was I supposed to get out of this mess? And why did Kacchan look like he was about to set off his Quirk and beat the crap out of me any second now?

“K-Kacchan…I…we’re not allowed to f-fight, you know that, right?” I stammered, moving backward from the table as he had already come around it, his palms turned back. Was he really about to charge me at full speed? Here? In the dorm?

“Sleeping Bag isn’t here. And you—” his voice dropped dangerously low, the growl alone sending an unpleasant shiver down my spine, “—you clearly need a reminder of where the limits are.”

I bit my lip and swallowed hard, about to say something when Ashido cut in: “Oh, Bakubabe! That wasn’t even bad. It’s super sweet how much you worry about us. Guess you really do love us, huh?”

Seriously? Ashidooo…why?

I wailed inside and hoped he’d just go for her throat instead.

“Shut it! I’ll deal with you next,” he barked, and without another warning, he lunged at me.

I reacted instinctively the second I heard the small explosions, crossing my forearms in front of my face - just in time to block his first punch.

Loud “Woah!”s and “Stop!”s and “Hey!”s filled my ears. Most of the class had jumped up to intervene, but they froze when I suddenly swung my leg, aiming for Kacchan’s side. He blocked it, shoved me back, and dropped into his fighting stance.

“You’re overreacting again! What I said wasn’t wrong, Kacchan!” I spat back, every fiber of my body buzzing with fighting spirit.

“Oh, so fucking wrong!”

“Argh! Don’t be so stubborn.”

He scoffed, glaring at me furiously. But at the same time, I noticed that brief hesitation on his face. Still, I knew he couldn’t back down now. His pride just wouldn’t allow it.

Meanwhile, I felt the tension in the room. Every one of our classmates was watching us, worried and a little awed. No curious looks. No cheering. No more provocation. Just a bit of concern. Did they think we’d bring down the entire dorm if they tried to step in?
But Kacchan’s next words pulled me out of that thought.

“I’ll hit you two more times. Defend, dodge, or take it - I don’t care. After that, I don’t want to hear another thing from anyone.” His voice was calm and dark. Cold and emotionless. No insults. No swearing.

I swallowed, bent my knees slightly, and raised my fists.

“Fine. But don’t complain if I hit back,” I clicked my tongue challengingly, the corner of my mouth twitching upward.

“Tch.” Kacchan scoffed, rolled his right shoulder, and without any delay, launched forward.

From his stance, I could tell the first strike was coming from above right, so I blocked it cleanly. And because I’d countered that punch plenty of times before, I knew how to retaliate. Quicker than Kacchan probably expected, I swung my right arm upward from below. It looked like I was going for an uppercut - but I was really aiming at his lower left ribs.

But I wasn’t the only one who’d gotten used to his movements over the past weeks. During our training, figuring out how to use my Foot Style better in close combat, we’d practiced all kinds of combos together. So of course, Kacchan saw it coming. He grabbed my right wrist easily and held it tight. That caught me off guard, but unlike usual, we couldn’t just spring apart and charge again. The space here was way too tight for that.

I tried to yank my arm free, but his grip was iron. It even hurt a little. Damn it, why did it have to be my right wrist?

“What’s wrong? Big mouth not so tough now?” he mocked, looking down on me. I snarled back and swung my left leg, trying to catch him on the other side.

But he knocked it away and at the same time cocked his right arm back. In that exact moment, he let go of my right wrist. Too bad I’d been pulling hard to free it right then.

I felt my balance slip. My arms flailed helplessly. It happened too fast, and I couldn’t catch myself.

Shit!

I squeezed my eyes shut, bracing for the impact.

Only, it never came. At least, not the way I expected.

No, all I felt was a sharp pain in my left arm. And my forehead bumping into something that felt…familiar.

“What the fuck! Were you about to knock yourself out?” Kacchan’s voice sounded half startled, followed by a grumbled, “Clumsy idiot.”

Startled, I looked up - only to see Kacchan’s face just above mine. I gave him a crooked, embarrassed smile. He hadn’t struck me. He hadn’t taken advantage of the opening to win. No, he’d caught me instead. Saved me from falling. In front of everyone.
In front of…oh.

I swallowed hard and glanced sideways - straight into the shocked, confused faces of my classmates. Their expressions were full of question marks, frozen stiff. They probably had no idea why I wasn’t flat on the floor. Why Kacchan had grabbed me. Why he’d pulled me…fuck…why he’d pulled me against himself.

Oh crap! God, please! Not here. Not like this. Not in this position. In front of everyone.

What the hell were we supposed to do now? We were so close. Way too close. Fuck! My face was practically buried in his chest.

‘Distance! Distance, Izuku!’ my inner voice screamed at me, finally pushing me to act.
Slowly, my arms came up, and I pressed my hands against him to push myself back.

Quietly, awkwardly, I mumbled, “S-sorry, Kacchan. Uh…I…lost my balance…and…thanks.”

“Tch, and you call yourself a hero,” he grumbled, glaring at me. He looked annoyed, calm - and maybe even a little embarrassed. At least, his eyes weren’t meeting mine. They were angled slightly down.

I opened my mouth to respond, but before a word could come out, I felt a light smack to the back of my head. Instinctively I reached up, mumbling a quiet, “Ow.”

Confused, I looked at Kacchan. It struck me that no other voice had cut in yet. Was everyone really that mesmerized by what had just happened between us? Or was this moment stretching out way longer in my head than it actually was?

“Why?”

“Tch. I told you - two hits. Stupid Nerd.” Kacchan growled, casting a dark look Ashido’s way, then stomped past everyone toward the elevator.

 

“Uuuh… what was that just now?” I heard Kaminari’s voice echo through the room. I finally turned my gaze to my classmates. Some were still staring after Kacchan in confusion, while others threw me suspicious looks. I ruffled the back of my hair where Kacchan had smacked me - well, more of a tap than a real hit.

“Uh, no idea. I think… well, uh, it would’ve been pretty bad if I’d actually gotten hurt, right? I mean, Mr. Aizawa’s already fed up with us and… yeah, that’s probably why.” I stammered out an excuse, thankful that at least my brain was still working while my heart was still racing like crazy. God, the way we’d been standing just now - I’d almost wrapped my arms around him out of pure habit.

“Aha,” Ashido said flatly before Kirishima’s voice followed, sounding a bit uncertain: “Did you actually mean that, Midobro? You know, that he only talks down to us like that ‘cause he… well, actually cares about us.”

I gave a crooked smile.

Oh man, I’d really blurted that out, hadn’t I? Though it was kind of obvious if you thought about it. Kacchan yelled at those three all the time, smacked books onto their heads, and still kept trying to help them with schoolwork. And he stayed close to them. Why else would he?

“Yeah, I mean, he wouldn’t spend so much time with you otherwise, right?”

“So him catching you just now was more about worrying over you than about avoiding trouble, ribbit?” Asui’s voice suddenly cut in. I turned to her maybe a bit too abruptly.

Somehow I managed to keep up my awkward, sheepish smile, even though I felt cold all over and a tightness around my throat.

Why? Why now?

She’d kept quiet this whole time. Why bring that up now?

I tried to calm myself down while scrambling for an answer. I couldn’t find one, and I could practically see myself looking like a complete idiot in her eyes.

My rescue came unexpectedly. Unexpected because Jiro spoke in a pretty indifferent tone: “Shouldn’t we start clearing the table? I’ve got guitar lessons soon.”

“Oh, right, you’ve got your online music school, huh?” Hagakure chimed in right away and joined Jiro at the table to start clearing up. The rest began to move too. After all, Jiro wasn’t the only one with extra obligations. Ilda, Yaomomo, and Aoyama were also forced by their parents to study business subjects. Ojiro and Kirishima did extra workouts in the evenings, and Tokoyami and Asui slipped away early like Kacchan, without ever giving a reason.

And me? After cleaning up, I retreated to my room as well, under the excuse of “working out.” Though for once, that really was just an excuse - after a day like this, all I wanted was some time alone.

 

 

The next morning started out pretty uneventfully, yet somehow unusual. Because the first thing I saw was my big All Might poster on my wall.

Yeah, I’d slept in my own room. Alone.

Not because Kacchan wouldn’t have let me into his. No, not at all. We’d texted a little before bed and decided to work on the assignments we’d gotten by email separately, so we’d have more time for each other in the morning. And because we’d already had our fun yesterday. Had fun together. Had intensely fun together. And yeah, I felt that “intensely” even more getting out of bed this morning than I had last night.

Groaning, I dragged myself out of bed and tried to get ready quickly. After all, I didn’t want to be late. Not late for our breakfast duty. And definitely not late for spending as much time with Kacchan as possible before any potential interruptions showed up.

 

“Morning, Kacchan!” I chirped brightly as I practically hopped into the kitchen. I couldn’t help it. Even though my body felt heavy, I just couldn’t hold back after not seeing him since dinner. And the butterflies in my stomach gave me more than enough momentum.

“Morning,” Kacchan grumbled, turning his head over his shoulder and immediately rolling his eyes at how wound up I was as I came rushing toward him. And yet, I still caught that faint, mischievous smile tugging at his face.

I also heard a muttered, “Goofball,” as I reached him.

“Your goofball,” I grinned and hugged him from behind, just like that. After all, nobody else was in the common room yet.

Kacchan immediately turned in my arms, giving me a disgusted look as he half-heartedly tried to push me away.

“God, you’re disgustingly cheesy this morning. What’s wrong with you?”

I pulled a pout on purpose, lowered my head, and peeked up at him with a sniff.

“Didn’t you miss me last night?”

“Nope.”

“Whaaat…?”

“Finally had enough room in bed. And no one shoving their ice-cold feet under the blanket.” He immediately listed the perks, which made me puff out my cheeks.

“You’re so mean.”

“Yeah, and that’s exactly how you want me.”

“You mean that’s exactly how I like you, right?” I corrected quickly, my smile shooting back up so wide it made my cheeks hurt.

“Bleh, you’re seriously gross this morning.” Kacchan wrinkled his nose again - only to finally press a good-morning kiss against my lips a moment later. It made me sigh instantly and lean even heavier against him.

But when I leaned in, hungry for a second kiss, he pushed me off again.

“Enough with the lovey-dovey crap! Let’s make breakfast. The sooner we finish, the sooner I can get out of here.” He grumbled and took a sip from his coffee before walking off to open the fridge. And if I hadn’t been so fascinated by the sight of him right then, I probably would’ve puffed my cheeks again in mock offense. But he looked so damn cool standing there with his coffee cup, scanning the fridge’s contents.

So I let it slide and instead asked, “What’s the plan? And how can I help without screwing it up?”

Of course, he shot me one of his judging looks, which only made me grin again. I leaned back against the counter behind me and waited expectantly.

“Tch,” was all I heard before he sighed and set his cup aside. I watched as he started shifting things around in the fridge.

“Cook rice,” he said offhandedly, pulling out one container after another. Then I watched him drag utensils from the cupboards, getting everything in place for work.

So fascinating. Honestly. I could watch him for hours. But a quiet growl told me I should probably get to my own task. A task any halfway capable kindergarten kid could handle.

“We’re using up the leftovers from those idiots. Classic stuff - fish, miso soup, rice, vegetables. No fancy crap or unnecessary extras. Got it?

I nodded as I filled the rice cooker, but still glanced over my shoulder and asked, “No egg dish to go with it?”

“That’s coming too. But not for breakfast,” he gave me a cryptic answer that only left me more confused.

“Are we making anything else?”

“Yeah.”

Wow. Did I really have to drag every word out of him?

“Kacchan,” I grumbled after finally getting the rice cooker going. I turned to him and crossed my arms in front of my chest - something I almost never did. But apparently, that was enough to get his full attention. Ha, so I just had to do something untypical if I ever wanted him to stop ignoring me in the future?

“What now, Nerd?”

“When I ask if we’re making anything else, do you really think ‘yes’ counts as a satisfying answer?”

Of course, his eyebrow shot up immediately. At the same time, he set his knife aside, leaned an arm on the counter, and turned toward me. That sly, devious grin spreading across his face made me dread what was coming.

“Don’t know. Usually doesn’t take much to satisfy you.”

Arghhh! That asshole!

God. He was not serious with that. Why? Whyyy?

Heat rushed to my cheeks. I wanted to crouch down, hide my face, and whine in peace. But no - there was no way I’d give him that kind of satisfaction. Not now. Not so easily.
So I took a deep breath, lifted an eyebrow of my own, and snapped back in an unusually bold, mocking tone: “People who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones, Mister Bakugou.”

And finally, I got exactly what I wanted. Real interaction. Because after he had greeted me so half-heartedly and pushed me away earlier, I’d been a little disappointed. Honestly, I’d only agreed to the breakfast shift because I knew it meant more time alone with him in the morning. At least a little. We’d agreed yesterday that breakfast wouldn’t be until 8:30, and right now it was just past seven. That gave us at least half an hour. Time I had every intention of using.

And so it happened - Kacchan came stalking toward me with a threatening air. I couldn’t keep a straight face though. His slow approach kept tugging my mouth into a twitching smile. My whole body practically vibrated with excited anticipation.

“You’re pretty damn bold. Dangerously bold, Izuku,” he said, cornering me against the counter and looming just slightly over me.

“Didn’t you mean arrogant just now?” I shot back, holding his gaze. Could he see the mischief in my eyes?

“I was trying to be nice. Giving you a chance,” he said lower, closer, his face hanging dangerously above mine. But his voice - God, it dripped with such a teasing, sultry edge I had to swallow hard. My body betrayed me with a shiver. Shit. Was this actually turning me on?

A little shakier, I asked, “What kind of chance?”

“The chance to show you can be a good Nerd,” he whispered right in my ear, and my knees went weak. Oh shit. He had me. But no - no, I didn’t want it to end like this. So I gathered what courage I had and shot back, “And what if I don’t want to be that?”

Kacchan grinned devilishly. Damn, I thought he was about to devour me. He seemed to be waiting for just this moment. His arms planted firmly on the counter on either side of me, pressing me into the corner, closing the last sliver of distance between our faces.

My heart pounded against my ribs. I held my breath as his dark voice rumbled an expectant, “Then…” against my lips. And just as they brushed for a fleeting millisecond, a tired, exasperated voice groaned behind us: “I really need to ask for a raise.”

Our heads snapped apart instantly, and Kacchan took a step back before we both turned in horror toward the voice.

Oh my fucking God!

This couldn’t be happening! No! Not again! Not again in the kitchen! And especially not…after that conversation just now.

I squeaked loudly and dropped into a crouch, throwing my hands over my face.

‘No, please not. No. No. No,’ I cried inside, hiding in the corner as if that could undo the fact that Mr. Aizawa - once again - was standing in the common room.

“Izuku!”

Helplessly, and probably beet red, I peeked up at Kacchan, who stood just as embarrassed in front of me. But I only shook my head and looked down again.

Shit! I couldn’t take this anymore. And I knew the moment had come: I was going to die of embarrassment here and now. Definitely. There was no other way.

“Stop making a fool of yourself and get up already!” Kacchan snapped at me, and the next moment I felt his hand on my elbow, trying to pull me up.

“No! It’s…Kacchan…he saw us again,” I whined miserably at him.

“Crouching down there won’t make him disappear either.”

I just shrugged my shoulders and leaned toward the floor, making it nearly impossible for Kacchan to just pull me up.

“If you’d follow my instructions and advice, Midoriya, this wouldn’t keep happening to you,” came the admonishing voice through the room - followed by the added, irritated: “Or to me.”

I gave Kacchan a pleading look, but his merciless stare eventually forced me back onto my feet. Blushing, I peeked over the counter before straightening fully and greeting Mr. Aizawa with a nervous, “Good morning.”

He just looked at me resignedly, shook his head, and leaned against the dining table before he began to speak: “Haven’t I warned you more than once to be careful?”

“Yes,” I muttered faintly, while Kacchan only scoffed in annoyance.

“And regarding the topic of intimacy in the common room, I also had something to say to you.”

“Mr. Aizawaaa,” I whined in agony, already on the verge of ducking back behind the counter, but a kick to my shin kept me standing upright.

Oh for heaven’s sake! He couldn’t be serious with that choice of words!

“You make it sound like you caught us fuc—” Kacchan started, annoyed and indignant, but I slapped my hand over his mouth as fast as I could.

“Kacchaaaaan!” I squeaked in panic, only to see him roll his eyes. But surprisingly, he didn’t swat my arm away - instead, he shoved his hands into his pockets. Was that his way of signaling he’d hold himself back?

Hesitantly, I lowered my hand from his face, and with one last glance at me, he turned away and went back to chopping vegetables.

A little lost, I watched him, until a throat being cleared forced me to turn back to Mr. Aizawa.

“Uh…well…so…,” I stammered, earning nothing but a resigned sigh from my teacher before he took over again: “It’s too early in the day to deal with this. I’m only here to hand out the assignments for your partner work.”

I nodded in understanding, still feeling beyond uncomfortable in this situation, but there was no changing it now. It had happened. For the second time. Not even our parents had caught us kissing twice. My mom hadn’t seen us at all yet. So why did it have to be Mr. Aizawa?

‘He’s freakishly good at sneaking up,’ shot through my head right then. And yeah, that had to be the explanation. We always heard everyone else coming right away. So it had to be one of those skills he’d picked up from his underground work. Or maybe it had always just been his nature? I mean, as a teacher and trainer, he could radiate a terrifying aura, while at other times he showed so little presence you forgot he was even in the room.

“Do we have to explain anything about it to the extras?” Kacchan cut in, after apparently noticing that my thoughts had gone off track again.

“No. Two students per case. And for you problem children, I picked out an extra one.”

“Why?”

“Because you already solved the other one. And besides, I figured it would be smarter to give you something more demanding, so you don’t get any stupid ideas. Like, for example, ‘making out’ in a common room.”

…

…

Hero News: Izuku Midoriya - 16 years old, hero trainee of Class 1A at U.A. High - incinerated himself in a fit of ultimate secondhand embarrassment.

Yes, exactly like that - or something along those lines - was what tomorrow’s paper would say. Would people laugh about it? As for me, I was certain I’d either combust or evaporate at any moment. One of the two. I couldn’t even tell if my heart was racing or had just stopped altogether. No, the only thing echoing in my head was the word “making out.” Had Mr. Aizawa seriously used a word like that? Had he really said it so bluntly and dryly, the way I usually only heard from Kacchan? Was he doing it on purpose to torture us? Or was it some carefully calculated pedagogical strategy?

And the thought “It couldn’t possibly get worse,” which tried to sneak into my head next, I cut off right away. Why? Because I knew Kacchan wouldn’t just leave it at that. Because I knew something was coming that would finish me off for good. Or get us both expelled from U.A.

And yeah, he didn’t disappoint. No, you could even say he exceeded my ‘expectations.’

“If that already counts as ‘making out’ to you, then I almost feel sorry for your past partners.”

Wow.

Wow!

Yeah, that was about all my brain could manage, while I just stared at him blankly. I wasn’t capable of reacting.

Mr. Aizawa, however, was. He might not have been as utterly speechless as I was, but he wasn’t as calm and indifferent as usual either.

“You should seriously reconsider what is and isn’t appropriate for a student to say to his teacher, Bakugou,” came the dangerously quiet reply from our teacher. So dangerously quiet that Kacchan actually lowered his head and ground his teeth hard. I also saw his hand trembling with inner rage on the knife, saw how aggressively he hacked the florets off the rest of the broccoli.

 

A silence spread through the room. A silence broken only by the thud of the knife on the cutting board. Kacchan didn’t seem to have an answer, and I myself had no idea what else to say.

Mr. Aizawa kept watching us with hawk-like eyes. At least, that’s what it felt like every time I glanced at him nervously.

Meanwhile, Kacchan had silently set a bowl and two trays of eggs in front of me, which I now began cracking open hesitantly. I felt him tense up beside me when half a shell dropped into the bowl. But he didn’t say a word. He focused on his work and stayed silent toward Mr. Aizawa.

I soon heard him sigh. Saw him run a hand through his hair before speaking in a calm but weary tone: “The assignments must be finished by 4 p.m. Ilda will collect them from each group. I’ll pick them up again at 4:30.”

I nodded timidly, forcing myself to look my teacher in the eye. It was damn hard. And only for a brief moment - because right before he left the dorm, his final jab hit us: “The precise time is for my own peace of mind. Hopefully, that will prevent this situation from repeating itself.”

And with that, the door shut.

 

 

“ARGH! I HATE HIM! THAT BASTARD needs to quit acting like he owns the place and butting in,” Kacchan finally exploded a few moments later as he tossed and stirred the vegetables in the wok with rough movements.

I didn’t know what to say. I didn’t want to scold him for the insult, because I understood his anger. My own frustration was still in check - but only because I was still drowning in embarrassment. Were we being too careless in the dorm? Should we finally start taking Mr. Aizawa’s words seriously?

With a sigh, I cracked the next egg. Only for the shell to slip from my hand again.

“ARGH, DEKU! Can you for once fucking concentrate?” he barked at me - so loud and furious that I flinched and instinctively ducked. It had been a long time since I’d felt small beside him, but right now those old feelings crept back. Only for a moment, though.

He must have noticed right away, because my sideways, slightly intimidated glance gave away his guilty conscience. Yeah, it was plain to see: that guilty look in his eyes, followed immediately by the frustration with himself.

“Izuku, I—” he started, but I pulled myself together, gave him a soft, reassuring smile, shook my head and said, “It’s fine, Kacchan! I don’t really know how to process all this either.”

Kacchan immediately shoved the pan aside, turned toward me, slid his arm behind my head, and pulled me close. I felt his lips against my temple, heard him inhale deeply, then felt his nose brushing lightly through my hair.

“Sorry.”

“It’s fine,” I whispered back, letting the pleasant tingling in my body wrap around me and calm me down.

We stood like that for what must’ve been a whole minute, until Kacchan whispered softly into my ear, “You know what’s weird?”

I leaned a little more of my weight against his chest and savored the warmth of his hand on my head. It grounded me. Made me feel warm, happy, content.

“Hm?” I hummed curiously, sighing louder when he kissed my temple again.

“I really wanna be here at like four-thirty in the afternoon, making out with you until you can’t breathe.”

I laughed quietly and murmured, “That’d be so childish, Kacchan.”

He chuckled too, though compared to my light laugh, his was darker, huskier. It gave me goosebumps all over my arms.

“I know.”

He pressed one last kiss to my temple before pulling away again. His eyes flicked to me, then to my bowl of cracked eggs, before he explained calmly, “Besides breakfast, we’re also making bento boxes. Those idiots started so much stuff yesterday, we’d have to toss it all by tonight otherwise.”

I stared at him in surprise as he mumbled the words toward the cutting board instead of directly at me. I knew it had taken effort for him to say his plan out loud - because of course he knew I knew this wasn’t just about leftovers. No, the others had been nervous yesterday at lunch that two meals wouldn’t be enough. And now Kacchan was secretly preparing a way-too-big snack to cover the third meal that technically wasn’t supposed to exist.

“You realize you’re actually really sweet, right?” I blurted out before I could stop myself. His reaction was priceless. There they were again - my beloved red ear-tips.

“Shut up, Nerd!”

I couldn’t help but giggle as I dodged the wooden spoon. Yeah, this was exactly how I’d imagined it. And if you ignored the whole Aizawa thing, this breakfast shift was everything I wanted - and way better than our first one.

 

 

 

Notes:

That’s it!

So, how did you like it? Was there enough fluff, secondhand embarrassment, and humor in there for you? Or was something missing in this chapter?
And yep, Aizawa had to make an appearance again. I kinda missed him. <3 But other than that, I think the boys had themselves a pretty nice morning.

Is there anyone you’re missing a lot right now? I know some of you have been saying you really miss Shoto, but at this point in the anime, the three of them aren’t quite “the three” yet, if you know what I mean. That really comes more with the whole Endeavor internship arc!

Alright then, I’d say that’s all from me for now. I promise I won’t drop the story or disappear for ages. But please forgive me - it might take me two weeks to get a chapter done at the moment. In October I’ve got some vacation time, so I’ll try to get a bit ahead then ^^’

Wishing you all a wonderful Sunday, and hopefully see you very soon.
Sending hugs! 💚🧡

Chapter 72: Why?

Notes:

Hello everyone! ✨

Yayayaya, it’s still Sunday! At least here it’s 10:30 p.m.! So I made it just in time… even though I’m already half asleep xD 😴
But I didn’t want to leave you hanging or make you worry!

So once again, I ended up adding way too many details instead of getting straight to the point ^^’
But see for yourselves! Have fun reading! 💚🧡

Chapter 72 – Why?

 

 

I didn’t know how we had managed it, but somehow we had nineteen stuffed bentoboxes ready before most of the class had even shown up. Why only nineteen? Kacchan had filled a slightly bigger box for us, because we would eat it upstairs in our room anyway.

Hm…in our room…

I let it melt on my tongue. This “our room.” Yes, it really sounded nice. And completely normal.

Crazy how quickly you got used to basically living together. My room really only felt like a side room now, one I used to fetch my things. Otherwise, I spent most of my time with Kacchan. By now even when people were around in the dorm. And not only at night. Would that soon backfire on us?

“Finish the rice bowls, Nerd!” Kacchan ordered, giving me a light jab in the back with his elbow as he passed by. Seemed to have noticed that I had drifted off into my thoughts again. And I wasn’t even sure whether I must have looked more like a lovestruck idiot or a giggling girl. God, wasn’t this fluffy, cotton-candy-pink phase supposed to be over by now?

“Can I help you?” asked Yaomomo, who had just stepped into the cooking area with her teacup. She had been one of the first downstairs along with Ilda, Jiro and Shoji. Of course, I had already made the tea, which she had accepted right away with a smile and thanks.

“No, thank you, Yaomomo! We’re good.” I answered her kindly and handed her the teapot. She nodded in understanding, poured herself some and went back to the others in the living area.

And so, I filled a bowl of rice for everyone, brought it to the table, repeated the same with the miso soup, before I got the plates with fish and vegetables one after another from Kacchan.

While setting the table the others came in little by little, sitting down with glowing eyes and growling stomachs. I was really happy about the praise they gave us, even though I had probably contributed the least to the early feast.

 

“Wow, this looks so delicious,” Ashido almost drooled as she grabbed her chopsticks.

“And it tastes awesome too!” Kaminari smacked with full cheeks, already shoving the next bite in although he hadn’t even swallowed the last one.

“And you really lose your appetite when you watch you eat,” came the dry side jab and a slightly disgusted look from Jiro. Made most of them chuckle.

Kaminari pouted. But with his mouth way too full, a couple grains of rice fell out. Which made the chuckling grow into loud laughter.

“Dude! Don’t wolf it down like that,” Sero scolded, looking a bit grossed out too.

“For real! That’s disgusting,” Kirishima tried to sound serious as he agreed, waving his chopsticks in front of Kaminari’s face, but he couldn’t suppress his grin. Yeah, the chaos squad seemed to find it more funny than gross, even if they tried to pretend otherwise.

Kaminari being Kaminari, he just ignored the comments, wasn’t fazed at all, and instead turned to Kacchan: “I want more!”

Kacchan only wrinkled his nose and looked at him scornfully and more than disgusted, before turning wordlessly back to his food and simply pretending Kaminari was air.

I smiled a bit crookedly when Kaminari turned to me, whining, and asked: “Then can you make me a second one, Midobro?”

“Uh, I don’t know if there’s anything left. But if not, we made a bentobox for everyone’s lunch just in case. You can eat that then,” I explained calmly, and right away saw enchanted but also surprised faces.

“Wow, you guys made all that this morning? When did you even start?” asked Uraraka beside me with wide surprised eyes. I just nodded and pointed at Kacchan.

“Uh, like always, I guess. And besides, I only did a few helping tasks. Kacchan planned and did everything. Like always.”

“Thanks, Bakugou!” came from several voices at once, which pissed him off even more than Kaminari’s “please” had before. At least the clicking of his tongue suggested so. Still, he had looked at me briefly before turning back to his food. But just as he neatly and elegantly cut off a piece of fish with his chopsticks – yeah, you could tell he somehow came from a good home – a voice rang out. A voice that was even starting to get on my nerves.

“Our Blasty is pretty cute. Makes us breakfast and even a lunch box. Like a mom who makes food for her ki…” Ashido started and grinned challengingly in Kacchan’s direction, but before she could finish, his chair scraped over the floor.

We all looked at him instantly, a bit tense, and watched him go into the kitchen. Almost soundless. And he looked extremely calm. And calm always meant something worse was about to happen than a simple explosion.

“What is he doing?” Uraraka whispered next to me, but it didn’t sound like she had meant it for me. She had probably just spoken her thought out loud. Had to be, because I had thought the exact same thing.

But when he opened the fridge, took out a pink bentobox and turned ninety degrees, something clicked in my head.

Damn. He wouldn’t actually…

I jumped up quickly and called hastily: “Kacchan, don’t!”

His gaze locked right on me. Narrowed eyes, tense shoulders, his mouth a straight line. But then it twisted into a crazy and arrogant grin. He looked like a villain about to launch his final attack, certain he would win.

And before anyone could react or question it, he tapped his foot on the floor and let the bentobox slip from his hands.

There was a faint crackle and it sounded like something had hit metal.

For a brief moment everyone seemed to need to process the sound in their heads. Just a brief moment, and then suddenly everyone got what he had just done. Some stared at him speechless with open mouths. Ashido, on the other hand, was close to tears and somehow looked paler.

“Bro! You didn’t just do that, did you?” Kirishima was the first to find words again. But Kacchan didn’t answer, just sat back down calmly, looking somehow satisfied, and kept eating. As if nothing had happened. As if no one was staring at him. As if it were the most normal thing in the world to toss a lunch box whole into the trash.

I sighed, let myself fall back onto my chair and ran a hand over my face. Shook my head inwardly and then picked up my chopsticks again to keep eating. Just keep going and not get involved. Yeah, that was probably the best solution right now.

“Why?”

Someone had asked the decisive question. I didn’t know who. Tried to make myself as inconspicuous as possible. I didn’t want to anger him again after yesterday by saying something wrong. And honestly: Ashido had already pushed the limit so many times that Kacchan had had no choice but to react. Maybe he could have done it less radically, but his motto had always been: learn through pain! And in this case it was more mental than physical.

Kacchan didn’t answer the question, didn’t even seem to feel addressed. Ashido on the other hand wailed and said: “You can’t do this to me!”

“Your own fault,” he grumbled, got up and brought his dishes to the sink. For him the whole thing seemed finished. And somehow no one else dared to complain about the action either. Maybe they all remembered Ashido’s little sharp comments over the past few days?

“You can have some of mine later,” I heard Kirishima whisper to her, and Sero and Hagakure also offered her part of their boxes.

“You guys are all so sweet! Totally unlike this grumpy old…”

“STOP!” I suddenly cut her off. Warning, slightly threatening and completely subconscious. Damn! Had I really just done that?

Silence!

Or better said: dead silence!

That was the first reaction – or rather non-reaction – from everyone. The looks they gave me, completely speechless, made my heart pound up into my throat. And the worst was: I could totally understand those confused looks. And most of all I understood Kacchan’s shocked eyes. The red, surprised, wide rubies staring at me full of incomprehension. Red rubies that suddenly grew a bit softer and turned away, only to then show me slightly red ear tips.

Why? Why was he blushing? Was he embarrassed? Ashamed? Angry? Or… touched?

“Deku?” Uraraka asked a bit uncertainly next to me. I looked at her briefly and then into all the other puzzled faces. And still into Ashido’s speechless one. Saw how her mouth tried to form words, but none came out.

And before I could control my mouth, the words just spilled out of me: “Ashido, you really have to learn when enough is enough. For days now you’ve only been making Kacchan lose his temper. And as much as you seem to like him and tease him because of that… at some point the limit is reached. So just let it go already! Even if you guys maybe think it’s funny, it’s just annoying!”

What the hell…

What was I doing? Why was I saying this? Why was I scolding her like that? Why was I so serious? Why was I defending Kacchan and showing a side no one knew?

“Mid…” some wanted to start beside me, but to everyone’s surprise – and honestly, this morning was turning into a string of surprises – Yaomomo spoke up: “I have to agree with Midoriya here. We were all only able to enjoy breakfast because Bakugou put so much effort into it. And instead of just leaving it at a thank you, there were more and more provocations. It was the same during their last kitchen duty. And this time they even did it voluntarily for us.”

“Exactly! Such behavior is inappropriate. Especially for future heroes. So control your words and show more gratitude and respect for your classmate’s effort!” Ilda joined in too. And thanks to both of them – I loved our class reps so much right then – the attention shifted a little away from me. But at the same time it showed that my words hadn’t been exaggerated or wrong.

My gaze went back to Ashido, who had pulled up her shoulders and lowered her head. She murmured a “Sorry” into her lap. And then, just for a short moment – but long enough for me to notice – I felt her thoughtful gaze on me. But maybe I had just imagined it.

 

Breakfast continued without further comments about the scene. But the mood wasn’t as cheerful as before. And Kacchan? He stayed in the kitchen and seemed to have a lot of cleaning up to do. Even though during serving breakfast there had already been hardly any mess.

“How about the tasks after breakfast? Is there already a schedule for that?” Todoroki asked at some point, breaking the silence that had spread at the table.

Of course Ilda cleared his throat and immediately adjusted his glasses. A gesture that made me chuckle a bit. And not just me. No, Uraraka and Asui also giggled lightly next to me. And that alone loosened the mood a bit. Simply because it was such a typical Ilda thing that by now it had a certain comedy for all of us.

“So, as long as each of you read the e-mail last night, we all got a work plan for the different school subjects. From the scope it doesn’t equal a full lesson, as far as I have been able to evaluate. Mr. Aizawa will give us another task during the morning, which will have to be done in pairs and handed in later.”

‘Oh,’ shot through my head and I gave myself an inner facepalm. After this awkward encounter this morning I had pushed any thought of our teacher aside. Just didn’t want to remember that embarrassing moment. That moment that hadn’t happened for the first time.

I cleared my throat quietly and then spoke a bit uncertain and embarrassed: “Oh, Mr. Aizawa was already… uh, here. This morning. Pretty early. And the files… uh… we… uh…”

I broke off and looked around searching. What had we done with them? I couldn’t even remember what they had looked like. Damn! Why did I only see the scene with our little kiss and Mr. Aizawa before my inner eye.

So I quickly turned to the one person who had to know: “Uh, Kacchan?”

“What, nerd?”

“Where did we put the tasks from Mr. Aizawa?”

I heard Kacchan sigh annoyed and saw him roll his eyes, before his finger pointed to the stack of papers and a file lying on the windowsill in the kitchen.

“Oh right… uh… so, Mr. Aizawa told us earlier that the work has to be handed in to Ilda by 4 pm.”

“No further explanations about the tasks?” Ilda asked, and I only shook my head and added: “No, just that Kacchan and I are supposed to work on the file because we already know your task from the house arrest. At least the type, I think.”

“Woah, really? Then you can help us!” Kaminari blurted out right away, but I smiled at him nicely before shaking my head and saying: “I think that would just get us into trouble again.”

Some grumbled, others nodded in understanding. Maybe I shouldn’t have mentioned it, but otherwise wouldn’t it be even more suspicious that we were the only ones with a completely different task?

“Alright, then let’s finish breakfast now and split into pairs. Mr. Aizawa’s task has top priority. All other work can be done afterwards.”

Unanimous nodding and no further complaints or comments. Let me breathe a little easier. Yeah, for me it had already been enough action. I definitely just wanted to sneak away with Kacchan and hide. Because somehow, I couldn’t shake the feeling that Ashido maybe resented my words a bit.

 

 

“God! I’ll kill them all. One after another!” Kacchan grumbled as we got upstairs. I saw him throw the file onto the floor and flop onto the pillow with a growl.

Smirking, I stood in the room, shook my head in amusement and went over to him. Sat down on the edge of the bed and stroked his back.

“You’re not allowed to kill them.”

“Tch, I just can’t get caught.”

“Don’t be silly, Kacchan!” I giggled and watched how Kacchan rolled onto his stomach and gave me a rather scornful look.

“Tch.” He clicked his tongue again before his hand grabbed my upper arm and gave it a slight tug. Demanding me to get into bed with him.

And of course, I obeyed. I didn’t want anything else anyway. So, I slipped off my slippers, crawled over him and lay down on my bed side by the wall. My face stayed turned toward him while I pushed one arm under the pillow to get comfortable. Because I had decided to demand a little motivation for our work.

“What, nerd?”

I smirked, hardly surprised that Kacchan had apparently noticed right away that I wanted something. Well, usually I just threw myself straight into his arms and used him as a cuddle pillow. Something he had accepted from the very start without complaining. For whatever reason.

“Mr. Aizawa gave us…”

“Oi! That name is forbidden in this room.”

“But…”

“No buts!”

“That’s really childish.”

“No, just easier on the nerves.”

I grinned, moved a bit closer and glanced up at him while my fingers drew small circles on his chest.

“You know what else is easier on the nerves?”

Kacchan’s eyebrow went up instantly while he watched my doing skeptically. But I didn’t let it bother me, lifted my head a little and bit my lower lip with a mischievous grin.

And I didn’t need to do anything more. Didn’t need to hint anything more. Kacchan’s now knowing grin and his lips, that touched mine a moment later, said more than any words could.

I sighed with pleasure, slowly slid my arm over his waist to his back. He did the same, pulled me close and kissed me calm and gentle. There was no overdone passion in it. No pressure. Just those beautiful, gentle touches that tingled so much I moved my toes uncontrollably just to endure it.

“Why are you fidgeting so much?” Kacchan broke the kiss and looked at me in confusion.

“Nothing… it just… tickles.” I mumbled a bit embarrassed, using the moment at the same time to catch some proper breath again.

Kacchan just shook his head, kissed my forehead and asked: “Then work first?”

I grumbled, since I really didn’t like the suggestion, but spoke the first idea that came to my mind: “Five minutes!”

“Hm?”

“Five more minutes and then we’ll work properly on Mr. Ai—OW!” I started, but then yelped and slapped Kacchan’s hand away from my butt. That bastard! He had just squeezed way too hard. And I was still sore back there from yesterday anyway.

“I warned you!”

Now it was me who clicked my tongue and tried to push away from him. But he didn’t let go, grabbed his phone with his free hand, typed something and held the display in front of my face not even half a minute later. I saw a timer set to five minutes.

“Like this?”

I smiled and nodded. Immediately forgot his action from before and was just about to snuggle back up to him when he asked: “In those five minutes I can do whatever I want?”

Oh, dangerous! Very dangerous!

My alarm bells shrilled in my head while my pubescent inner voice whispered things into my ear I definitely did not want to imagine right now.

I quickly shook my head, looked straight at Kacchan and raised my index finger threateningly before I answered him: “Only cuddling and kissing. And only up to the waistband. That’s the limit.”

“Killjoy!”

“I just want to recharge my Kacchan battery for five minutes!” I explained, and right away his hand was on my face, turning it away from him.

“Bleh, so disgustingly romantic,” he said with a sneer, which made me laugh, before he started the timer.

 

 

Of course, Kacchan had still tried to tease me. And I had gone along with the game and stopped him again and again. Felt like a little duel. Just different. And it had been so much fun.

So, I was really a bit disappointed when the shrill sound of the phone told us that the time was up.

“We can set another five minutes,” Kacchan suggested, who had surely noticed my disappointed face. Or maybe he just didn’t want to end it himself yet.

But I shook my head, pulled away from his warm body and sat up. After all, it only got harder to pull away from that tempting warmth.

“Let’s start instead. I don’t have a good feeling about this,” I murmured as I crawled out of bed and finally picked up the file from the floor.

“Why? You think he made it extra hard so we don’t have time for more five-minute timers?”

I laughed, sat down next to him on the bed edge and said: “I think he wants to keep us from things like yesterday.”

“Your ass is already doing that by itself!”

“HEY!” I complained and slapped him on the upper arm, whereupon he only wiggled his eyebrows briefly and finally took the file from my hand.

Without another comment, but with a definitely amused look on his face, he opened the file. And the paper chaos inside overwhelmed us both.

“The fuck is this?!” was the first thing Kacchan spat out as half of it almost slipped right out of the file. I quickly grabbed and saved a small stack of the sheets and notes. So many different formats came out at us. Envelopes, reports, photos and little torn-off margin notes.

Seriously! What the hell was all this?

“Does it say… anywhere what kind of case this is?” I asked, overwhelmed, and looked at Kacchan, who closed the file and only tried to open the cover. But even there it was pure chaos.

“Is he trying to mess with us completely?”

“Kacchan… calm down…”

“No, calm down what? This is worse than my old man’s study!”

As shocked as I was about the task ahead of us, I still had to smirk. Yeah, I still had his father’s workplace clearly in mind. And compared to Mitsuki’s perfectly organized counterpart. And as much as the two resembled each other, I could only think that Kacchan also hated it when something sank into chaos. You could already see it in the kitchen.

Well, for me it was relatively whatever. At least this paper chaos. I knew it all too well from myself. And the good thing was: I knew how to handle it.

“I think the bed will be too small for this,” I just remarked as I sat down on the floor and tried to find a system in my small stack. Then I first sorted it by the different types. Photos, official reports, letters, notes.

Of course I felt Kacchan’s gaze on me. Knew he didn’t take his eyes off me. And I believed he understood what I was doing. Because just a minute later he sat down opposite me with a bit of distance, laid the file open in the middle and started sorting too.

We did this for probably three minutes without saying anything, before a sheet suddenly caught my eye.

“Kacchan!”

“What?” he asked annoyed. Apparently his patience from sorting was already about to snap.

“This is the case with the drug Trigger from six years ago. The one where instant villains appeared after taking it. They always had black tongues and…”

“Damn, Izuku! Slower! And clearer!”

“Well, we weren’t allowed to go out after school for a while back in elementary, because so many giant monster villains kept showing up. At that time there were also tons of vigilantes around, who unofficially helped the heroes,” I explained further, and inside I was close to freaking out. That had been one of the first cases I had really noticed back then.

“You mean the one when that weird American guy was in Japan and tried to act like All Might?”

“Yes exactly, Captain Celebrity!”

“But that wasn’t just one mission. That went on for months. Why would he give us something so complex?”

My excitement about the exclusive material in front of me evaporated in an instant. Kacchan’s question was justified. The case had been huge and in the news for a long time. And I still remembered that Mom had been scared back then to even leave our neighborhood. Because it had mostly hit people whose quirks had been rather weak.

“Izuku?”

“Wait… I’m… thinking.”

“Uh-huh,” came only dryly from Kacchan.

I didn’t let it bother me and thought feverishly. What did Mr. Aizawa want to achieve with this? What did he want us to analyze in this case? There was no assignment for it. Should we ask him? But how?

I ran both hands through my hair and pressed my head slightly toward my own lap. This position somehow helped me think. Let me shield myself a bit. Unlike when analyzing quirks. Then I just spoke out loud and I knew I usually put my hand on my chin doing that.

‘You’re pretty weird,’ my cheeky inner voice mumbled to me, I waved it away mentally and tried to focus.

He had given us a case from long ago. A case where a drug changed quirk users. There had never been any exact public reports about which organization had been behind it. And besides…

Wait!

That… that… wasn’t that the exact opposite of what was happening right now? The reason we were in house arrest?

“You think we’re supposed to work on it because it’s in some way similar to the current case?”

Kacchan, who of course couldn’t have heard my thoughts before, looked at me quite confused. His irritated look and furrowed brow signaled to me that he needed a bit more explanation.

“Well, that case back then was about a drug that mutated quirks. And the drug now cancels quirks. So, do you think…”

“Pff, why would he want our opinion about that? We’re just problem children. Forget already, nerd?” Kacchan said dismissively.

Yeah, he was right.

“Well maybe… just maybe… it’s only a guess, so… um…”

“Spit it out!”

I smiled a bit strained and said: “Maybe we’ll find something here that was overlooked back then.”

“Nerd! He didn’t give us this case because there’s something no one ever found. He already knows the answer! We’re just supposed to figure it out!” Kacchan grumbled annoyed. He seemed really pissed about getting an assignment that didn’t make any sense.

“Yeah, no idea. Then… let’s first go through everything and read it.”

“We won’t be finished even by tomorrow.”

“And then he’d have what he wanted: we don’t have time to mess around with each other.” I grinned, tried to lighten the mood. But instead I just got a pillow in my face, which Kacchan had fished off the bed beside him.

“Just shut up and start already!” he growled and began sorting the sheets.

 

 

Two hours! Two whole hours!

We had been sitting over the material for that long and had barely gone through a third of it. And everything was so messy and complicated and just didn’t make any sense. And we still didn’t know what we were even supposed to write about. We had already gotten into each other’s hair more than once in the last 120 minutes because of it.

“This is total crap! Burn this shit! Fuck this!” Kacchan grumbled and threw some papers into the middle. Then he snarled, stood up and angrily flopped down beside me on the bed.

Yeah, half an hour ago I had gotten up with some maps and victim statements and lain down on the bed. I just couldn’t sit on the hard floor any longer.

I didn’t answer him and made the next mark on the map. Even though the most important events were already marked there, I still found one or two points I added. Well, at least I hoped it would make more sense what we were trying to understand here.

“Find anything, nerd?” Kacchan asked me, looking up for the first time, and I noticed he was lying on his stomach next to me. Why did I suddenly feel like I had déjà vu?

I sighed, pointed to the marked spot and quickly explained what I had read out of it.

“That doesn’t make us any smarter either,” Kacchan muttered. God, he was having way more than just his five minutes right now. Yeah, he had been grumbling the whole time. We couldn’t work like this. And I had to admit my concentration was slipping too. But I wouldn’t admit that.

Sighing heavily, I rolled onto my back and held the report over my face to keep reading. But then I felt Kacchan’s hand on my forearm. Let him push it down a little, distracting me from the work.

“So where’s the mistake in all this?”

Thoughtfully I looked at him, opened my mouth to answer, but suddenly a memory shot before my inner eye that made me fall silent. I saw Kacchan’s eyebrow rise as I closed my mouth again.

Fuck!

Why was my heart suddenly pounding twice as fast? And why… why did all this remind me of something? Something very important.

“Kacchan?”

“Hm?”

“If I start mumbling now, will you shut my mouth again?” It suddenly slipped out of me. I clapped my hand over my mouth in shock and now I knew where the déjà vu feeling came from. This was exactly the same position. The same position as when everything had started. Between us. With us.

And Kacchan seemed to understand my words too. Grinned mischievously and whispered quietly to me: “Try it.”

More than embarrassed I started stuttering, couldn’t get a single word out, and before I could pull myself together, I felt Kacchan’s lips on mine.

Just his lips.

One touch. No movement. And only very brief.

Perplexed, I looked at him as his face moved away from mine a fraction. God, why did my cheeks suddenly feel so hot?

“Finally quiet…” he whispered with a grin, brushed a few locks behind my ear and waited. Waited for what left my mouth not even a second later: “Do it again!”

He laughed. Honest, rough and damn sexy, before he pressed his lips on mine again. A bit longer this time. But again he didn’t move them. Didn’t respond when I tried. Instead he pulled away again and stayed with his face hovering above mine.

Holy shit!

I thought I was falling in love with him all over again. How could he look so calm? Had it been the same back then?

I tried to remember. I was pretty sure I hadn’t been embarrassed in that moment. No, I hadn’t understood it back then and had just wanted another kiss.

‘God, how could I have been so straightforward back then?’ I asked myself inwardly, squeaking, squirming a little under him. And him? He just watched me and waited for his next chance to distract himself from all the school stuff.

But suddenly something else went through my head. Something I still didn’t have an answer for. Namely: How had it actually come about back then? What had made him shut me up like that?

I could vaguely remember asking him that question once already. But he had only said it had just come over him and he had thought a lot after Ground Beta. But the whole thing had been so vague that it hadn’t really made sense to me. At least not looking back from now. So maybe I should…

“Kacchan?”

“Yeah?” he asked, amused, and was already leaning toward my face again, when I quietly and a bit uncertainly asked the question that haunted my mind: “Why did you shut me up like that back then?”

 

 

Notes:

That’s it!
Ah, I really hadn’t planned this cliff… at least not at the beginning. But after I wasted so much time with the class and all, I just couldn’t answer the question now too… the chapter would’ve turned out way too long!
So, please don’t be mad, and I hope you still enjoyed it up to this point =D
I definitely put a lot of effort into it again, hoping to get lots of sweet, lovely comments from you.

But please do tell me if all this stuff is boring you… since some things do repeat themselves in a small way. But I just can’t leave out the fluff. I love it exactly the way it is between those two right now!

What did you like the most? And what do you think Kacchan’s answer will be? hehe
I hope I can give you the answer next Sunday… I’ll do my best!!!!
Big hugs 💚🧡

Chapter 73: Upside Down

Notes:

Hey everyone! 🧡💚
I’m finally back! Sorry I had to put you off last week, things have been absolute hell at work lately. 😵‍💫 But hey – only two more weeks until the next break! Hopefully I can get a little ahead then. (And yes, that only happens because I just can’t keep it short xD)
Thank you so, so much for all your sweet words – you guys are absolute cinema! I love it so much and honestly, I’d kiss every one of you if I could. But well… let’s leave the kissing to our WonderDuo, right? 😏💚💥🧡
Enjoy the new chapter!

Chapter 73 – Upside Down

 

“Kacchan?”

“Yeah?” he asked, amused, already leaning back in toward my face when I quietly, a little unsure, asked the question that had been circling in my head. “Why did you shut me up like that back then?”

 

 

Kacchan froze instantly, staring at me in confusion. He looked almost paralyzed. And overwhelmed. Maybe I shouldn’t have asked?

“Ka-cchan?” I tried again, even more uncertain now. I was about to lift my hand to his cheek when his body suddenly moved. He grabbed my wrist and pressed it back onto the bed, his eyelid twitching briefly before he finally answered: “Why are you asking that now?”

I gave him an awkward little smile and mumbled, “Well, back then… you never really gave me a… proper… um, answer. I mean… a few weeks ago. You just said that… well… it just happ—”

“I know what I said,” he cut me off sharply, letting go of me and dropping onto his back beside me. He folded his arms behind his head, closed his eyes, and let out a low grunt.

And me? I had no idea what to do. So I slowly rolled onto my side, hoping to admire his profile. Or at least I wanted to. But my stomach felt far too tight for that. I just chewed nervously on my bottom lip until I dared to tug lightly at his shirt, hoping to pull his attention back to me.

But Kacchan didn’t turn. Didn’t even flinch. That lack of reaction only made me curl up further. I wanted to ball myself up and hide under the blanket. Damn, why did I even…

“Why do you want to know so badly?” His calm words startled me. I peeked up at him and met his sideways glance. He looked more thoughtful than angry. That eased me a little - but the nerves and the uncertainty stayed.

“Because I just… well, I was just thinking back to how all of this even started. I mean… it’s not like I regret it or anything - no! I… you know, I can’t even imagine things any other way anymore, and I… I don’t even want it any other way than it is now… I mean… between us and… um… what I actually…”

“Izuku!”

“Oh… whoops… um, sorry. I just… you’re not mad at me or anything, right? For asking, I mean… right?”

Kacchan snorted, shaking his head. He pulled his arm out from beneath himself and slid it under my head instead - only to tug me closer. I happily accepted the invitation, snuggling into his side. I rested my head on his shoulder and let out a content sigh.

I relished the way he traced soft strokes down my back. Barely there, featherlight, while a silence settled between us. One that wasn’t nearly as uncomfortable as you’d expect. Because even with the question still hanging in the air, I just savored this brief pause after the massive challenge we hadn’t even begun to solve.

 

My eyelids grew heavier and heavier. Kacchan’s warmth and the gentle strokes down my back made my body relax more and more. Was that his plan to dodge the conversation? If it was, it was working perfectly.

I yawned, smacked my lips a little as my eyes slowly fell shut. I could already feel myself drifting off when Kacchan’s deep voice tried to pull me back. Only, I had no idea what he’d said. I’d only noticed the vibration in his chest - proof enough that he must have spoken.

Of course I wanted to pay attention to his words. I wanted to say something back. But the drowsiness was so heavy I couldn’t move an inch. My body just wouldn’t respond.

Only when his hand left my back and suddenly pressed me down into the mattress did I claw my way out of that half-asleep haze. Even more so when I suddenly felt his lips against mine. Careful, featherlight, almost shy - his mouth brushed against my lower lip. More like a nudge than a real kiss.

I hummed contentedly, forcing my eyes half-open with effort. Staring straight into that ruby red I’d been hopelessly drawn to ever since I was a kid.

His head pulled back slightly before he muttered, “No time for sleeping, Nerd.”

Another sleepy hum escaped me before I murmured, “If you give me an answer, I’ll stay awake.”

Kacchan rolled his eyes, snorted in amusement, kissed me quickly, and said, “Then good night.”

I pulled a sulky face and mumbled, “Seriously?”

“Dead serious.”

“Why?”

“Because I don’t want to tell you.”

“Why?”

“Because!”

“That’s not even an answer, Kacchan,” I shot back, now sounding more awake, the heaviness slipping away as my senses sharpened again. I could finally see just how stubborn he looked. And at the same time…

“Are you embarrassed about it?”

The dismissive “Tch” was all he gave me, but the faint color creeping across his face didn’t escape me.

Bullseye!

‘Oh, I’m definitely about to see those cute red ears again,’ I cheered inwardly, unable to stop a grin from spreading. Trying to coax him further, I teased, “It doesn’t have to be, Kacchan! You can tell me anything. I’d actually like it if you were a bit more roman—”

“Fuck you, Deku!” he snapped, glaring at me with some irritation. And yet, I’d gotten what I wanted: the faint flush tinting his ears. They stood out so sharply against that ashy blond hair. And god, I loved them. More and more each time.

I chuckled, fisted his shirt so he couldn’t just flop back onto the bed again. Honestly, I liked it when he loomed over me like this. It did something to me.

“Why so mean all of a sudden, Mister Bakugou?”

“Quit trying to provoke me.”

The mischievous grin creeping across my face was impossible to hide. I loosened my grip, letting one finger trace deliberately down his chest.

“I’d never dare,” I replied in a mock-innocent tone - soaked in irony. Something that definitely got under Kacchan’s skin.

And he made me pay for my boldness right away. He growled before suddenly dropping his head and sinking his teeth into my shoulder.

“OWOWOWOW, KACCHAN!!! Stop!” I yelped, squirming beneath him, hammering my fist against his shoulder blade. Damn it! Was he out of his mind?!

“Bratty nerds need to be punished,” he said, unfazed, flashing me his most superior, dangerously smug grin.

“B-but not like thaaat! That really hurts!” I whined, pulling my collar aside to see the bright red mark. Argh! That bastard!

“Quit whining.”

“You nearly tore a chunk out of me!”

“You’re exaggerating.”

“NO!” I growled back, eyebrows furrowed as I held the throbbing spot. I added, “And now everyone’s gonna see this.”

Kacchan’s eyebrow arched. “Heh? Who are you planning to flash? We’re under house arrest.”

“We’ve got communal showers, Mr. Know-It-All,” I snapped back, the heat in my voice rising. And not just from the pain, either.

Now Kacchan growled, his voice low and threatening. “You’re about to get a second one.”

On instinct, I fired up one percent of One for All, glaring at him defiantly. “Go ahead. Try me.”

“Tch. Can’t take me on otherwise, Shitty Nerd?”

“I can - but this way’s more effective. And if you’re not gonna tell me willingly, then I’ll just beat it out of you.”

Kacchan scoffed, though his grip, once tight, loosened just enough. Enough for me to power down my quirk again.

“I just don’t want to, okay? I’m not in the mood to spit out some sappy, cringy bullshit.”

“So kissing me was just some cringy bullshit then?” I shot back, my tone sharper than I intended, laced with something hurt. Which Kacchan picked up on instantly.

“That’s not what I said!”

“Yes you did! Just now! And for someone who swore he wouldn’t hold back anymore, you’re being pretty damn cagey.”

“Izuku!”

“No, don’t ‘Izuku’ me! I have to explain myself every single time, stammering and tripping over my own words until I’m about ready to combust, while you get to pick and choose what you share and what you don’t.” I jabbed at him harder, adding, “Don’t you see the double standard you’re pulling here?”

Kacchan avoided my eyes, his shoulders tensing and relaxing over and over. He seemed to tremble inside, struggling with himself. Was it really that hard for him?

I sighed, brushing lightly over his forearm. “You don’t have to be embarrassed in front of me, okay? And… wouldn’t you have wanted to know the reason too, if it had been the other way around?”

“As if you’d have the balls,” he shot back instantly, like a reflex. It made me roll my eyes and sigh again.

‘Okay, new strategy,’ I thought with resignation before saying out loud, “You’re probably right about that.”

Of course that earned me a surprised look from him. Understandable, considering I’d been pushing back this whole time - even threatening to beat it out of him. But as the saying went, the smarter one gives in. And if we kept this up, it would probably escalate so badly that Mr. Aizawa would drag us both straight to the UA gates himself.

Kacchan’s grumble snapped me out of my thoughts. I looked at him questioningly, but he only ground out through clenched teeth, “Look away.”

“Huh?”

“Don’t look at me while I say it!”

“Seriously?”

“Do you want the whole story or not?”

I nodded hesitantly before turning to the side, facing into his room instead.

“Like this?”

Instead of an answer, I felt his body press against mine. His forehead came to rest between my shoulder blades and one arm wrapped around me. A small smile tugged at my lips - it was kind of cute that he couldn’t say this while looking me in the eye.

Silence lingered for a moment. I heard Kacchan’s breathing - louder than usual. Was he nervous? Worked up?

“After Ground Beta… I told you that you must’ve kicked me in the head so hard that I suddenly wanted to be closer to you than either of us liked, right?” he started, checking if I remembered.

Of course I did. I could remember practically every word of our conversations these past weeks. They’d turned my life completely upside down—in the best way.

“Yeah, and you said you were really curious now. And… that your body had just moved on its own back then… when you ‘shut me up,’” I repeated quietly, recalling his words almost word for word. I could practically hear his voice echoing in my head. At the same time, tension coiled tighter in me. God, why was I suddenly nervous too?

I caught a nearly inaudible “Damn Nerd,” before Kacchan’s voice grew clearer again: “That night after Ground Beta was kinda the trigger, but… since the kidnapping… since then I’d been thinking about you. And about how I treated you. And why I might’ve been that way.”

I kept my mouth shut. I didn’t want to interrupt him - just nodded faintly. That was how it always went with his rare little confessions. Was I about to get the last one tonight? The one with those three small but powerful words?

“All Might’s reaction… and yours… I already knew back then you’d inherited his power. Well, more like I suspected it. And I hated the thought that I’d been right all along - that you really had always been ahead of me. And… I was furious. More than usual. That’s why Ground Beta happened. But at the end… I don’t know. You messed up my head.”

I pressed my lips together. His words came out scattered, not as measured as usual - even if his voice stayed calm.

“How messed up?” I asked softly, laying my hand on his. Nothing more. No stroking, no squeeze. Just so he’d know I was there. Listening.

“I dreamed about you that night.”

Unconsciously, I tilted my head back a little, puzzled. I couldn’t quite read the tone in his voice. It sounded strange. And at the same time, I felt a flush creep up - Kacchan dreaming about me? That sounded way too sweet for him.

“And? What happened?” I asked hesitantly, not sure I wanted to know. Because somehow…

“I don’t really remember.”

“Then why are you—?”

“I just had you in front of me when I woke up. Those damn, stupid green eyes of yours, that ridiculous broccoli head… and…”

“And?”

“My boxers were wet. And I don’t mean piss,” he said flatly, in a tone I usually only heard from Todoroki.

“Oh.”

OH! I screamed internally a second later. Was he seriously telling me he’d had a wet dream about me? Him? About me???

I swallowed hard and loud, instinctively wanting to turn toward him, but his forehead pressed sharply into my back, pinning me in place with a hiss of pain.

“Kac—”

“Fuck! How the hell did I end up having my first wet dream about a clumsy nerd like you? That… argh! That pissed me off so much.”

I almost blurted a flat “Thanks!” but held it back. Was his face burning red now, the way mine usually did?

“Seriously! That was such fucked-up bullshit! Banished to house arrest and then having a dream like that. And… then being stuck doing assignments with you. I… honestly, I’d never even thought about stuff like sex before. Sure, I jerked off now and then, but… that was it. I couldn’t have cared less when Dunce Face or Soy Sauce sat drooling over some boobs on social media.”

“Kacchan!” I squeaked, mortified, instantly clapping my hands over my face and groaning into them. God! Did he always have to say things so bluntly?

“What? That’s just how it is! And… fuck! I… you passed out in my room that time.”

“Yeah, only because you insisted I sleep there,” I reminded him, wondering where he was going with this.

A short pause followed. It threw me off. Was Kacchan done talking, or was there more? Was that really the trigger? Just one confusing wet dream that he’d somehow… acted on?

I waited. Felt how tense Kacchan was behind me, how he was trying to steady his breathing. I could actually feel his heartbeat pounding against my back. How much had it cost him to say even this much?

Of course his confession had embarrassed me a little, but it wasn’t nearly bad enough to justify all the drama he’d made of it. So what was it, then? Was there still more? Should I say something? Turn around? React somehow?

A thousand questions raced through my mind as I tried to process what he’d said. But Kacchan’s deep breath and his low rumble brought me back. And then his next words hit me like a bomb.

“When you passed out on my bed… shit! I… ah, fuck, I kissed you then. Okay?”

…

…

Excuse me… WHAT???

My eyes flew open, my heart racing. What had he just said? Was he serious? Dead serious? Had he really…?

I couldn’t stop myself from twisting in his arms, grabbing his shoulders and pushing him back a little. He looked startled, almost embarrassed.

“Say that again!”

“Nerd!”

“No, seriously. For real. You… that day, when it all started - that wasn’t our first… kiss?”

“I wouldn’t exactly call that a—”

“What did you do? Why? How? And… was it more than once?”

“Calm down, Izuku,” he growled, avoiding my eyes as he pried my hand off his shoulder and flopped onto his back. But his head stayed turned toward me.

“When you were lying there like that… I… the whole thing wouldn’t leave my head, and… I just needed to make sure it didn’t mean anything, okay? That it was just a stupid, meaningless dream… and the chance was just… right there.”

“You actually came onto me in my sleep,” I whispered in disbelief, mostly to myself. But Kacchan snarled back, “It was one damn time! Okay? Once! And… hell if I know. I was shocked too! I mean… you - this nerdy nerd who always trailed after me, who I treated like garbage - you’re the first one I ever… wanted to do that with. Do you have any idea what kind of chaos you’ve thrown me into?”

I couldn’t help but chuckle. His fist landed on my shoulder right after, but I only smiled. And even though it was a little mean - after all, he’d just opened up to me - I teased, “And here you always said you wanted to blow my head off.”

“Fuck you!”

I laughed, clinging to his chest, grinning up at him mischievously. “I’ll leave that to you.”

“Oi!” he barked, but I only buried my face against him again, hiding from his eyes as I took a deep breath.

What he’d said had shocked me, but I was so damn happy he had. And I finally understood his actions. Even if I still wondered how I could’ve slept so deeply that I’d missed something that important.

“Hm, but if you shut me up after that, then you must’ve realized it wasn’t just some meaningless dream, right?” I pressed. I knew I was poking him, but I couldn’t help it. My inner, squealing self, which had just been launched back to cloud nine, wanted to savor this. Wanted to see Kacchan flustered. After all, chances like this didn’t come every day.

“Shut your damn mouth!” Kacchan growled right back. Which only made my grin widen until my cheeks hurt. Widen until the next words just slipped out of me unchecked:

“I love you, Kacchan!”

Of course I felt him stiffen. And yeah, I would’ve loved to hear him say it back. But his grumbled, “Bleh! Shitty cheesy nerd!” still made me happy.

I basked in the quiet moment that followed, cuddling up to him without hesitation and enjoying how he let me. How he didn’t push me away just because this “confession” had cost him so much. The way he sometimes did.

“Thanks,” I mumbled after a pause, feeling his hand settle on my head, fingers threading through my wild curls.

“Hm… question answered now?”

“Yup!” I purred, leaning harder into his hand. God, he could do that for hours.

But Kacchan couldn’t hold out forever. He cut the head rub short.

“Good. Then let’s get back to work.”

I giggled softly at the abrupt end, recognizing it as another escape attempt. Oh, it must still be killing him inside. Which I understood - and yet didn’t. But I let it be. Hugged him one more time, stole a kiss despite the disgusted look he shot me, and then went back with him to the case that Mr. Aizawa apparently intended to break us with.

 

 

“God, I have no idea what Mr. A—” A growl reminded me the name was still off-limits. “—what he even wants from us. Kacchan! We’ve already been stuck on this case for almost four hours. And we’ve only got two left before we have to hand something over to Ilda!”

“You don’t have to tell me, Nerd!” he grumbled, catching my gaze. A gaze that looked different. Why? Simple - because I was upside down.

And no, I wasn’t doing a handstand because the case had driven me insane. That would’ve been funny, sure, but I’d just flopped onto the bed on my back and let my head dangle off the edge. I’d hoped a new angle might spark a solution.

Kacchan, meanwhile, was propped against the bedframe, one knee bent and the other leg stretched out. His forearm rested lazily across his knee while his head leaned slightly against the mattress edge. A sight I found ridiculously sexy. Honestly, you could’ve snapped a picture of him right there and plastered it in a magazine.

We’d been at it again for almost two hours after our talk. Sure, we’d uncovered a lot, and I was still thrilled - and honestly amazed - at how many details of the old case we’d been given. Pure madness, a level of access we probably wouldn’t ever get again!

We’d spent those two hours discussing everything, and the confession Kacchan had made had drifted to the background. Exactly as he’d probably wanted.

And yet it wasn’t stiff or awkward between us. No, if anything it reassured me that he really did want something with me - that it wasn’t just a whim. Or a game. I’d known that deep down already, but sometimes the doubt still pricked at me: why me? Me, the nerd, boring compared to his explosive personality. And his looks. Knowing he’d been interested in me from the start made me happy. It lifted me. Motivated me to keep working. Only… that motivation was running dry.

I groaned weakly, dragging my hands down my face until my skin stretched into some ridiculous grimace.

I had to look ridiculous, because Kacchan’s stifled, amused laugh reached my ears.

“What?”

“That just looked like total crap.”

Immediately I puffed out my cheeks and crossed my arms, which only made Kacchan’s sly grin widen.

“Cute nerd,” he muttered, leaning toward me a little. Heat flared in my face at once. Yeah, the word “cute” still wrecked me every time. Made my heart pound against my ribs so hard it almost hurt.

My eyes flicked sideways to his lips. And right then, the scene from my favorite superhero movie - well, favorite after all All Might’s movies - flashed in my head. The infamous one, where the hero dangled upside down and got kissed by his true love. She’d only pulled his mask down to his lips. That scene gave me goosebumps even now. And right here, it was close enough to touch. All I had to do was…

“Kacchan?”

“Hm?”

“Kiss me.”

Maybe the demand came too much out of nowhere. His eyebrow shot up skeptically. His condescending stare hit me hard. And yeah, my boldness suddenly felt embarrassing.

“What went through your bird-brain that makes you think I should kiss you right now?”

Caught, I gave a crooked smile and looked away, staring at the wall across from me, still upside down. I focused on nothing, pressing my fingertips together and fidgeting.

“Oi!” Kacchan barked again, making me even more nervous, until I stammered, “W-well… you know… in that one movie… with the hero… swinging between buildings on his threads… and…”

I didn’t get any further, because suddenly I felt his hand on my head. His fingers tilted me toward him - and I was startled by how close he already was.

“Nerd, if you get any mushier, like some lovesick girl, I’ll be gone faster than you can blink,” he muttered - before kissing me. Me, hanging upside down.

And damn, why did this electric tingling shoot through every fiber of my body? Why did my heart skip a beat? And why was he kissing me if he made it sound like it was beneath him?

At the same time, I realized kissing like this wasn’t exactly easy. We couldn’t find a rhythm, and Kacchan pulled back.

Blushing slightly, I looked at him, grinning from ear to ear. “Again?” I asked softly.

I saw him shake his head, amused and resigned, before his lips caught mine again. Well, more like my lower lip.

I chuckled lightly, doing my best to follow his movements. But mostly I was fighting the urge to swallow at the same time. Who knew kissing could be this hard?

“Ugh, Nerd! You’ve got spit running down your mouth corner,” Kacchan suddenly broke away, wiping his lips.

I squeaked in embarrassment and copied him, mumbling an apology. “Upside down is harder than it looks.”

“Tch. Just proves movies exaggerate everything.”

I gave a crooked smile and mumbled, “It was still nice. Thanks.”

Kacchan rolled his eyes, tilting his head as he looked at me. “You still want another one, don’t you?”

I grinned and nodded eagerly, closing my eyes to confirm it. Of course I heard his scoff, then the rustle of fabric as he leaned closer again.

I smirked faintly, already feeling the warmth radiating from his face, when a sudden crash forced us apart.

And thank God we moved quickly enough, because the very next second the door burst open with a loud bang.

I flinched at the noise and at the booming “HEYYYHOOOOOO!” that echoed through the room.

But because of the kiss earlier, my shoulders had already slipped off the bed’s edge. I was lying so precariously that I completely lost my balance.

Before I even registered what was happening at the door, a shaky, panicked “Uuaaahhh!” escaped me as my body slid too fast from the edge to even throw up my hands and break my fall.

Only, the fall never came.

Because while my reflexes had failed me, Kacchan’s hadn’t. I felt his forearm against my shoulders, his hands locking onto me by the joints.

“What the Fuck, Deku!” he spat, straining to hold me. And I could tell why - it must’ve taken everything in his upper body to keep me from crashing to the floor, while he himself hung halfway in front of the bed.

Damn, it really was fascinating how strong he was.

Wrong time to swoon, Izuku! my inner voice scolded, making me finally react. I clawed at the blanket above me and pulled myself up while Kacchan shoved from below.

“Uuuhm… surprise?” came an uncertain, awkward voice from the doorway. Only now did I give the intruders my full attention, once I’d sprawled safely on my stomach across the bed and caught my breath.

“What the hell is wrong with you Extras? And what the fuck are you doing in here?” Kacchan snapped at once, furious.

But instead of answering him, I heard Kirishimas’s slightly worried voice: “You good, Midobro?”

Only then did I really take in the scene. And it didn’t shock me much to find the entire Bakusquad standing in the doorway. They’d probably planned to barge in triumphantly and finally snoop around Kacchan’s room. Only, they’d definitely chosen the worst possible moment.

Just as I was about to give them a thumbs-up to show I was fine, a draft from the hallway swept through the room. A strong one. One that made me want to cry inside and boil over outside.

The neatly arranged papers of the case file - the ones we’d spent hours spreading across the floor like one massive case collage - lifted into the air. Dozens of them. All that work, just whisked away.

A quiet “Oops” came from the doorway while my brain simply shut down. I just stared at the pages as they floated, scattered, and landed in a tangled mess all over the floor.

And in that moment, I swear even Kacchan gave me an uncertain, slightly fearful look. Because he knew exactly what had just been blown apart.

Before any of the intruders could get a word out, a deep, dark growl rumbled from somewhere inside me: “Out.”

“Uh… please, Mid—?”

“OUT!” My voice thundered through the room. They all flinched at once. I could imagine they’d never seen me looking this grim. But I couldn’t control myself. Couldn’t mask my anger. Not after we’d sat here four hours, piecing all this together.

“S-sorry?” a voice whimpered. Whose? No idea. Didn’t matter. My mind was already locked on analyzing which puzzle pieces had shifted, what needed fixing so our “map” would look the way it had before.

I barely registered Kacchan’s voice, calm as hell: “Emigrating might be your best option for you right now.”

And they must have finally realized how bad it was. Because just as fast as they’d barged in, they were gone again.

 

 

An unsettling silence hung in the room. For once, it was Kacchan who seemed tense, waiting for me to speak. But I didn’t. Instead, I just rolled over so my head was back on the pillow.

Then I let my face drop into it like a wet sack and screamed my frustration into the fabric. Of course, I kept it muffled so the whole dorm wouldn’t hear - only Kacchan caught the little outburst. And I honestly wondered if he’d flinched. I would’ve in his place. But well, that was one way we were different.

“Izuku?” I heard his calm voice, felt his hand settle warmly on my back. But I only shook my head into the pillow and stayed put.

Minutes passed in absolute quiet before the rustle of paper made me stir.

“What are you doing?” I grumbled, lifting my gaze to watch Kacchan sorting the scattered pages back into place.

And damn - I’d forgotten he had just as sharp a memory as me. Maybe sharper. I sometimes suspected he had something like a photographic memory. It would explain why he always picked things up instantly and could recall details even years later. Just a theory, though. Whether I’d ever ask him outright… I wasn’t sure.

“That’s pointless, Kacchan,” I muttered when he didn’t answer. The fact that he didn’t even turn toward me only made my frustration rise again.

“Kacchan!” I tried again, sharper this time. But he still ignored me.

With a groan, I pushed myself up, swung my legs off the bed, and dropped to my knees on the floor.

“Kac—”

“I know, Nerd! But even if those dumb idiots just screwed everything up, we still have to hand something in. And I’m not about to stand in front of that boring old sleep-pill and say we didn’t find any mistakes.” His voice was calm, his eyes still not on me. He looked worn out, too.

“Think they’ll come back?” I murmured, pulling my knees up and wrapping my arms around them, resting my head tiredly as I stared out the window.

“Pfft, I doubt they’ll ever barge in here again. And definitely not into your room.”

“Hmm, why not?”

“Because they pretty much shit themselves at your little thunderclap earlier.”

There was no irritation in his tone anymore. No - he was smirking. Almost proud.

It made me look at him again. Finally, he met my eyes - with a cocky, self-satisfied grin that painted my cheeks red all over again. Why did that look always make me so nervous?

“Nerd?”

“Yeah?” I asked timidly, gaze darting back down.

“That was hot.”

Whump!

Wait - what…?

Every function in my body ground to a halt. I could only stare at him, dumbfounded.
What… did he just say?

Kacchan snorted, slid closer, and growled in my ear, “I swear I’d get hard if you did that to m—”

“KACCHAAAAAANNN!” I squeaked, shoving at him. God, why was he like this?! Where had that even come from?!

“I hate you,” I squeaked again, steam practically puffing out over my head.

And Kacchan?

He just laughed, ruffled my hair, and said, “Good. Now we can get back to work.”

 

 

 

Notes:

And that’s it! 🎉
Phew, I really struggled to find a proper ending point here. I actually wanted to include Aizawa’s resolution of the assignment in this chapter too, but then I probably wouldn’t have finished today at all. So I thought this would work as an ending as well – hopefully it made you smile. 😅

But here’s my big question: what did you think of the explanation for how it all began between them? I’ve been racking my brain about that for a long time, since I didn’t know back then how I’d ever explain it. And then at some point this idea just hit me – and I was happy with it. But what do you guys think?

And also… hehe, I had to slip in the Spider-Man kiss. That image, that scene has been stuck in my head for the past two weeks. I just love it! And I hope you do too.

Alright, enough rambling for now. I’ll try to make it by next Sunday – if not, I’ll drop you a little note at the top of the chapter again. (There’s really no other way to do it on AO3, is there?)

Sending hugs to all of you! 🤗💚🧡

Chapter 74: Controlled Burn

Notes:

Hi everyone! 💚🧡

God, that was a real photo finish! It’s exactly 8 p.m. over here - Sunday night. So yeah, still technically on time! Sorry you had to wait all day, but I literally wrote this entire chapter today.
Thank you so much for all your comments and kudos! 💕
And yeah, I know, we really need to make some progress soon. We will! I just wanted to wrap up this day properly before we move on - and let’s be real, I probably won’t be done before chapter 80 anyway 😅
Oh, and just a heads-up: I haven’t read MHA Vigilantes (the manga), so please forgive me if I let my imagination run a little wild here.
Anyway - have fun reading!

Chapter 74 – Controlled Burn

 

 

Tiredly, I rubbed my eyes. Another hour had passed, and we still hadn’t figured out what was wrong with the case - or what could’ve been done better. After a short but intense, almost aggressive argument, we’d decided to stop talking to each other for a while. For the sake of our mental health. Or, to be more honest, to avoid our first real relationship fight.

“I’m so done with this crap!” Kacchan suddenly exploded, making me flinch a little. I shot him a startled and slightly annoyed look when he threw a few sheets onto our already chaotic pile.

“Kacchan!”

“No, seriously! We’ve got one fucking hour left to come up with this shitty answer, but for fuck’s sake - there’s not a single damn mistake anywhere!”

I forced a strained smile while mentally counting his curse words. Oh man, he was seriously pissed. And I knew that what pissed him off the most was not making progress. He always managed to solve everything. Giving up just wasn’t in his nature.

Honestly, it frustrated me too. No matter how hard I tried to find a solution, nothing worked. Every possible thought ended in a dead end. Every new detail only made us take another step backward. So what had Mr. Aizawa been thinking? Why give us such a complex case? We’d never had one this long before. It had always been...

Oh.

Oooooh! Could that be it?

I held my breath as I could practically feel the gears in my head kicking into overdrive. Images, texts, and conversations with Mr. Aizawa flooded my mind. A torrent that wouldn’t stop. A puzzle with thousands of tiny pieces - and slowly, bit by bit, they started falling into place.

“Oi, Nerd! What—”

I just raised my hand, while the other went to my chin as I started nibbling on my thumbnail. My gaze stayed fixed on a single page. The page with the answer. The one we’d been searching for all this time. Yeah, that had to be it. It was logical. Simple, even. And somehow... not. And I already knew Kacchan wasn’t going to like it.

“Kacchan!” I burst out after what felt like minutes, looking up at him. That’s when I finally noticed his position - sitting cross-legged in front of me, his elbow propped on his knee, his head resting in his hand, watching me with one raised eyebrow.

“So, which of your brain cells just decided to high-five each other?” he asked, his tone mocking, but there was curiosity in his eyes. Maybe even a spark of hope. Or maybe I was just imagining that.

“There’s no mistake!”

“Huh?”

“I mean… yeah, there’s no mistake in this file!” I repeated, suddenly less sure of myself.

Kacchan growled, that familiar frown appearing between his eyes. Then his low, rumbling voice filled the room. “You’re telling me we’re just gonna hand in a sheet that says, ‘Everything’s fine! Great job! Here’s your gold star!’?”

I scratched my temple and gave a weak smile. “Uh, yeah… kinda, but not exactly—”

“Are you fucking with me right now?”

“No, Kacchan, just think about it—”

“I’ve been thinking this whole damn time, you shi—” he started again, but that was when my patience finally snapped.

“ARGH! JUST LET ME FINISH FOR ONCE, KATSUKI!”

Silence.

Only Kacchan’s slightly open mouth and his wide-eyed, shocked expression stared back at me. Oops. Maybe I’d gone a little overboard.

“Sorry, I… I didn’t mean to yell,” I mumbled, my shoulders slumping as I only dared to glance up at him. He closed his eyes, pinched the bridge of his nose, then dragged his hand down his face and exhaled deeply.

“Explain it to me, Nerd. Please.” His voice was quieter now, a hand half-covering his face as he looked down. But not for long - he lifted his head again to meet my eyes.

“Uh-um… I-I…” I stammered, thrown off by the intensity in his gaze. God, why did it have to be so… so—

‘Go on, Izuku. Say it. Submissive. That’s the word you’re looking for, isn’t it?’ hissed the mean little voice in my head. I shook it off quickly and nearly smacked myself for it. But no - his shy look wasn’t sexy. It was cute. Just cute.

“So… what I meant was - uh, I realized that every case we’ve had so far was about on-site mistakes. Things that could be fixed before the heroes acted. But this one - it’s different. The heroes arrived after everything was already over, thanks to the vigilante. How could they have done anything better if they came in after the fact and only reviewed what happened? We can’t find any errors or improvements because this one’s about what happened afterward. And that part actually went well - at least as far as we can tell.”

I had to take a deep breath. I’d started talking faster and faster without realizing it. I didn’t want to end up rambling, even though Kacchan always managed to follow along anyway. Which – honestly - still made my heart skip a beat.

“So what I’m getting at is… the police and heroes involved collected tons of evidence. They interviewed everyone they could. Maybe they could’ve paid more attention to the vigilante, but that’s beside the point. There was one moment - before everything - that was key to luring out the main mastermind. A pivotal move. That’s what Mr. Ai—uh, our teacher was getting at.”

Kacchan’s brow furrowed. His eyes narrowed as he tried to follow my logic. Then his gaze dropped to the papers - and that’s when it clicked. I pointed to the exact page.

“The fake data leak?”

“Yes, exactly! That’s—”

“But that wasn’t a mistake! That was the only strategy that made sense,” he cut in sharply, confusion flashing in his eyes.

I bit my lip, inhaled once, and said softly, “That’s the point, Kacchan. They gave him that information. Hidden. He thought he’d discovered something he could use against them, and—”

“NO.”

Kacchan’s shout made me flinch. I froze, unsure what to say. His fist trembled slightly - from anger? Or frustration?

“No! Hell no! If that’s the damn answer, he can shove it right up his ass! Are you kidding me right now?”

Yeah. I’d known he wouldn’t like it. But still - why this strong of a reaction?

“Kacchan, I know, but… if you think back to what he said this morning, doesn’t it make sense?”

“I don’t care if it makes sense. I’m not buying it!”

“Kacchaan,” I sighed, half-pleading, half-scolding. But he didn’t let me continue.

“Nerd! You seriously think he made us spend hours on this crap just to teach us some moral lesson? Just to prove he’s right and we’re wrong again?”

“Don’t take it so personally.”

“I’m not.”

“Yes, you are. You’re being stubborn. And you can’t seriously mean to tank your grade just to rebel. That’s childish.”

He just clicked his tongue and got up, storming off to the bathroom. The door slammed hard enough to make the picture frame on his dresser wobble.

I sighed and threw my head back, groaning in frustration before collapsing on the floor and staring up at the ceiling.

Yeah, it was frustrating. If we’d known from the start that he was trying to make a point, I might’ve gotten there faster. But who could’ve known?

Rubbing my face, I sighed again. Kacchan would never write down that answer. It went against his pride.

So, I took pity on us both. Dragged myself to his desk and grabbed an empty notepad from his perfectly organized shelf.

“What’s that supposed to be?” came his low, grumbling voice behind me.

I turned my head slightly, catching just a glimpse of him over my shoulder - apparently, he’d come out of the bathroom without me noticing.

“I’m just writing it down,” I said calmly, reaching for a pen.

“Use my laptop.”

“But we have to hand it in downstairs.”

“So? We’ll print it out.”

That made me turn my chair around with a small, teasing grin. “Oh? So the rich, spoiled boy’s got his own printer?”

I laughed when his hand smacked the back of my head. He just scoffed and flopped onto the bed.

“I’m not writing that crap,” he muttered, rolling onto his side with his back toward me. Fine then. That settled it.

Smiling faintly, I got to work - writing down what I thought Mr. Aizawa wanted to hear. That villains always tried to use information against heroes. Just like in this case. They’d learned about a supposed data leak within the police. The core operation team - the four main members - had decided to feed false results to a partnered unit during a meeting. They’d leaked details that would’ve sent two heroes straight to their deaths. And that exact detail had reached the villain - who ended up walking right into their trap instead.

A complete success. No mistake at all. But maybe that was the whole point of the exercise - to make us think deeper. To remind us that every personal detail a villain learns will be exploited to the fullest. If anyone ever found out about our relationship, they’d use it against us. Just like Mr. Aizawa had warned.

I sighed and ran a hand through my hair. It was crazy - and somehow kind of comforting - to think that he’d put so much thought into us. That he really wanted to guide and protect us. He was definitely more than just a teacher.

 

 

Damn it!

That was the only thing running through my head as I practically jumped down the stairs, skipping every other step. It was already half past four. Shit! I’d spent way more time on our report than I’d planned. Okay, maybe I’d gotten a little too caught up in the details - but that was just who I was. My muttering habit translated perfectly into my writing, apparently. Completely unintentional, of course.

Either way, I was now rushing straight toward the common room, while I was sure Kacchan had taken the elevator instead. He still hated the idea of handing in an answer like this. He’d come over a few times while I was writing, glanced over my notes, and every single time his only reaction had been a click of his tongue or a frustrated groan.

I really had to hold myself back from using One For All to speed up. Missing Mr. Aizawa was not an option. He had to still be here. Please.

As I turned the corner, I spotted our teacher and Ilda - and exhaled in pure relief.

“Mr. Aizawa!” I called out breathlessly, coming to a stop right in front of him. Normally, a sprint like that wouldn’t have been a problem, but the mix of panic and adrenaline had sent my pulse skyrocketing.

“You’re late,” he said flatly, already starting to turn away. But I darted around him and held out our - well, mostly my - report.

His expression was skeptical and annoyed. He didn’t even reach out to take it.

“I don’t like repeating myself.”

“Please, sir. We’ve been working on this nonstop since breakfast. You know how many pages that file had - how much we had to go through.”

“Nonstop, huh?” he said dryly, one eyebrow rising. Did he not believe me?

I bit my lip, ready to insist that we really had been at it all day. But before I could open my mouth, a low, grouchy voice came from behind him - sharp enough to cut through the air.

“Yeah, nonstop. Congratulations, then - you got what you wanted.”

I couldn’t help a crooked little smile as Mr. Aizawa rolled his eyes and turned around.

“I don’t like your tone, Bakugou.”

“Thanks. Right back at you. What a load of bullsh—”

“Kacchaaaan,” I groaned, dragging out his name and pressing a hand to my forehead. Oh man, could he not do this in front of everyone? We weren’t exactly alone in the common room.

“Bakugou! I also insist you show our teacher some respect. He deserves—”

“Yeah, yeah, spare me the lecture, Glasses,” Kacchan cut him off, rolling his eyes as he shoved the file at Mr. Aizawa.

Mr. Aizawa took it without a word, then turned to me, grabbed the pages from my hand too, and walked out of the dorm, shaking his head.

I blinked after him, surprised. I’d expected him to scold Kacchan at least a little. But it was Friday, after all. Maybe he just didn’t have the energy to deal with us anymore. Still, it was a relief that he hadn’t lectured us for once - and that he’d even accepted our work at all. I had Kacchan - and his dramatic entrance - to thank for that, probably.

“Midoriya, you were quite late. And KaAshidori mentioned your assignment was exceptionally extensive. At least—” Ilda’s voice cut into my thoughts.

I turned toward him with a tired smile. “I can explain it all over a cup of tea, if you want.”
He nodded—and behind him, Yaomomo was already moving toward the kitchen with a calm, “I’ll take care of it.”

She really is such a sweetheart, I thought, glancing toward Kacchan. But he only cracked his neck and muttered, “Finally, some peace.”

I had to stifle a laugh. Had he chosen those words on purpose? Was he reminding me of our earlier conversation - and that very deliberate first kiss?

‘Damn it. How did I even manage to forget that he’d already… no, no, not now. I’ll think about that later’, I told myself, watching his silhouette disappear down the hallway.

So I sat down with Ilda, Todoroki, Yaomomo, and Jiro on the couch and started telling them about the fascinating Trigger case. I left out a few details, of course - especially the “lesson” we were supposed to take from it.

 

Our lively discussion was abruptly cut short when the Bakusquad burst into the common area at full volume.

“Yay, I’m sooo in the mood for a huge pizza,” Kaminari hollered, rubbing his stomach - though not for long. The second he saw us on the couch, he froze.

I watched the others follow his gaze, all of them going nervy the moment they spotted me. It took me a second to read their expressions - then it clicked.

Damn. I’d totally forgotten. I must’ve thrown them out so angrily that it sent actual chills down their backs.

“Hey… uh… Midobro! Everything… good?” Kaminari asked, rubbing his neck and staring off at a random corner.

Wow. I hadn’t expected I’d actually scared them. That wasn’t me, so the words just spilled out: “Yeah, all good. And sorry if I, um, snapped at you earlier. I didn’t mean to freak you out, it’s just - we’d been at it for hours, finally had everything laid out, and then you kind of… well… messed it up. My nerves were shot. Sorry again.”

As I explained, I scratched the back of my head with a sheepish, jittery smile - classic me. It had the desired effect: faces brightened all around.

“Phew! Thank god. Seriously, Mido sweetie - you scared me half to death. Worse than Bakubabe, I swear,” Ashido giggled once she’d exhaled, setting the others off too, while the folks on the couch gave me confused looks.

So I quickly explained the situation - while the kitchen crew, of course, jumped in with their version, which only made things funnier. And messier.

“Uh, guys,” Sero cut in, holding a sheet of paper and looking skeptical.

“What’s up?”

“Uh, so, we were gonna make the pizzas now, but it says once the dough’s done, it has to rest in a warm place for at least an hour. And after portioning, another half hour. Which means we can’t even start topping them until, like, seven-thirty.”

The Bakusquad collectively blanked, and Kaminari asked the question that made Jiro smack her palm to her forehead: “What do they mean by ‘let it rest’? Are we supposed to, like… carry it around?”

Wow.

Okay, so I wasn’t that hopeless in the kitchen - not compared to Kaminari. I did at least know how yeast and resting times worked. Probably because Mom baked a lot. And Kacchan had used yeast during house arrest when he made anman, too.

“Dear god, let brains rain from the sky,” Jiro muttered beside me, resigned and irritated, which made me snort as fresh panic broke out in the kitchen.

“We can’t be eating after Bakubro’s bedtime. He’ll cook us alive,” Kirishima said, horrified.

“More like kill us slowly,” Sero joked - earning an elbow to the ribs.

“Dude, did you use your quirk?” Sero wheezed, but Kirishima just shook his head, grinning. “My hair isn’t the only sharp thing I’ve got.”

They cracked up again, and I wondered if they maybe should, you know, start the dough, since it apparently needed time. Speaking of which - hadn’t Kacchan checked the time around noon and muttered, “Let’s see if those idiots remember”? Right - and when I asked what he meant, he just waved it off as unimportant. Had he already seen this coming?

“We could ask Bakubabe for help,” Ashido piped up, only to get three deeply dubious looks. Kaminari added, “Right, because Kacchan would totally come running for you… not.”

“Hey!” she protested, hands on hips. And me? I bit my tongue. I hated it when Kaminari used Kacchan, too. Damn it, why did that always bug me? Even before we were a thing. Was I… that possessive?

“Just the truth, darling,” Sero grinned, nudging her aside as he set a big bowl on the counter. “Let’s just start. We can shave the time a little.”

And that’s when the fiasco began. And I do mean fiasco.

 

 

An hour and a half later, the kitchen still looked more or less fine - but more than ten students were now staring blankly into the big bowl, where the dough should have been twice its size by now.

Only… it wasn’t.

“We didn’t do anything wrong, right?” Kaminari asked, a little desperate, while Sero checked the recipe again.

“No, I mean… not that I can tell.”

“Maybe it’s too cold in here.”

“Should I warm the bowl up a little?” Todoroki offered, but Sero quickly shook his head.

“It’s supposed to rest somewhere warm, not turn to ash.”

“I’ve trained my fire quirk enough to control it well,” Todoroki explained - and still ended up with the bowl in his hands.

“Just warm it slightly,” Sero warned again.

There was a reason for that warning. Unfortunately, it didn’t help. Because the moment Todoroki set the bowl back on the counter, a faint sizzling sound could be heard.

“Oh shit! Todoroki! Lift the bowl! FAST!” Ashido squeaked in panic, and Todoroki reacted fast - but not fast enough. A perfect, black, circular mark had already burned into the countertop.

“Excusez-moi, but that wasn’t… intentional, was it?” Aoyama asked beside me, eyeing the charred circle skeptically.

The silence that followed was almost comical. Yeah - seeing ten students frozen, staring at one single spot, probably looked hilarious to anyone passing by.

And I think we were all thinking the same thing: Fuck.

While we were still stuck in our collective paralysis, footsteps echoed behind us. The only relief was that they didn’t sound like Kacchan’s.

“Why does it smell like something’s burning in here?” came Mineta’s voice. We all turned in slow motion and pointed, trembling, toward the counter.

Mineta jumped up on one of the stools before bursting into laughter. “Dude! You guys are so screwed! Bakugou’s gonna kill you all!”

Before he could finish laughing, Sero had already wrapped him up in tape and tossed him onto the couch. Normally, that would’ve lightened the mood - but not today. The Damocles sword hanging over the Bakusquad’s heads was far too real.

“He’s not wrong though… right?” Ashido asked weakly, now slumped over the counter, staring at the scorched mark from her new, despairing angle.

“Yaomomo, can’t you make a new—”

“I could, yes,” she interrupted calmly, “but it would need to be properly installed. And none of us have that kind of technical skill.”

Another faint spark of hope - gone.

“I knew it. Heating that damn bowl was a stupid idea from the start,” Sero muttered, taking the cooled bowl from Todoroki and setting it on the stove. But when he tried to lift the dough, he cursed out loud.

“Fuck! It’s fused to the bowl!”

“We’re so screwed, aren’t we?” Kaminari groaned, slumping onto a stool. He wasn’t the only one. Ashido was still sprawled on the counter, Kirishima had started praying to the heavens, and the rest of us just stood there awkwardly - no clue how to cheer them up.

I forced my brain to start working again, one last time today - for the sake of peace in the dorms. And, well, because I wanted a calm Kacchan in bed later. One who was soft, cuddly, and sweet. The version of him only I got to see. And love.

So we had to act fast - before he came down for dinner.

Though… honestly, I doubted he would. We hadn’t even finished our bentos earlier, and he’d been in a foul mood. Maybe that was our saving grace. Maybe we still had time to fix this.

Or, well… maybe not fix, but…

The thought struck me suddenly, and I couldn’t help but smile. Once again, I’d found the solution. Maybe today wasn’t such a disaster after all.

“What are you guys planning to cook tomorrow?” I asked, breaking the heavy silence.

All heads turned toward me, Ashido pouting. “Just tonkatsu with cabbage and stuff. Kinda boring. We couldn’t think of anything fancier.”

“Then make that tonight and try the pizza again tomorrow,” I suggested calmly. It took a second for it to sink in, but then everyone’s faces lit up.

“You’re a genius! Oh my god, I could kiss you!” Ashido squealed and threw her arms around my neck.

And me? I turned red as a tomato - okay, more like a strawberry, thanks to Kacchan - and froze completely. I must’ve looked so ridiculous that everyone around us started giggling.

I joined in, smiling shyly. “I wouldn’t go that far,” I mumbled.

“No, Midobro, seriously - you just saved our lives!”

“Oi, why’s Deku saving your asses?”

Kirishima, who’d just been about to shake my hands in gratitude, froze mid-motion. So did everyone else.

And me? I just cursed myself for being wrong about him not showing up.

I quickly freed myself from Ashido’s grip and turned around - straight into Kacchan’s skeptical, very pissed-off stare. Shit. I’d completely forgotten he once admitted he could be jealous, and that it pissed him off to be jealous.

Why did he always have the worst timing?

“Ah, Kacchan! You’re… here,” I said with a crooked smile, unsure whether to step toward him or take a step back. But the way his nose wrinkled and his eyes swept across the room told me he knew. He knew something had happened that shouldn’t have.

And just as he was about to storm forward, Kaminari and Kirishima jumped into action, darting in front of him like their lives depended on it.

“Kats! Hey, you, uh… how’s it going, man?”

“Yeah, uh, feeling better after your big assignment?”

Kacchan’s eyes narrowed before his hands shot out, grabbing both by the hair and yanking them aside. They didn’t even have time to react - not that I would’ve, either. He was too fast. But that was Kacchan for you.

They yelped, dropping to their knees, trying to pry his hands off.

“If you don’t wanna end up bald, I’d keep your hands to yourselves,” he growled. Both froze instantly, then slowly lowered their arms as if any sudden move might make him explode.

“What the hell did you idiots do? Talk!” his voice thundered through the room.
Awkward silence.

Only Todoroki remained unimpressed. “I burned the countertop after warming the bowl of dough,” he said flatly.

“‘C’mon,’ came a chorus of groans — only topped by Kacchan’s long, furious ‘HEEEHHH?!’”

“I sai-” Todoroki began again, but Kacchan was already in his face. “I heard what you did, dumbass!”

“Then why did you look confused?”

I sighed, stepped between them, gently tugged Todoroki back a little, and whispered, “It’s fine, Todoroki. Thanks for clearing that up.”

He shrugged and nodded, staying quiet.

Good. That left the bigger problem.

“Kacchan, how abou—”

“No.”

“I—”

“Shut it, nerd. Don’t wanna hear it,” he snapped, pinning me with that glare of his. So I turned to the others, muttered a quick “Sorry,” and stepped aside. Yeah, giving him space was probably the smartest move.

I watched, guilt tugging at me, as he stomped over to the counter. He saw the damage - and any second now, he’d blow up.

Any second.

Yup. Definitely any second—

Except… he didn’t.

No yelling. No explosion. Nothing.

We all stared at him, confused and ready to run for cover. But the storm we expected never came.

Instead, Kacchan just scoffed, shoved his hands in his pockets, and walked out.

And somehow, that terrified everyone even more.

“Dude. He didn’t snap. Again. He’s totally gonna kill us in our sleep,” Sero whispered.

Kaminari nodded, trembling, clutching the counter like it could save him. “What if he’s breeding some kind of Extras-eating plants in his room to feed us to?”

“You have way too much imagination, Kaminari,” Jiro sighed, rolling her eyes. And before more wild theories could spread, a loud throat-clearing cut through the chaos - Ilda, of course.

“You should follow Midoriya’s suggestion and cook the tonkatsu. And remember - just because we’re under house arrest doesn’t mean we can ignore the curfew. Sleep is essential for our growth,” he lectured sternly, immediately restoring order.

For once, the kitchen fell into silence as they resumed their work - quietly, and maybe a little fearfully.

And while they might not have been wrong to be afraid, I knew deep down that Kacchan had only walked away because he didn’t want to explode. Because he was too tired to.

‘Or because he plans to burn off that energy on you later,’ the little voice in my head teased.

I swatted the thought away and sighed. Something was seriously wrong with my brain. Maybe Kacchan really had blown me up one too many times.

The idea made me chuckle as I shook my head at myself and sat back down with my friends. And as we talked, I could feel the whole day finally settling in my mind - slowly, peacefully.

 

 

 

Notes:

And that’s it! 🎉
Phew, we made it through another chapter… without actually moving the plot forward. xD I should get a medal for that, right? For deliberately dragging the story out for you guys - kidding, it’s totally my own fault. xD'

And yep, no real Bakudeku lovey-dovey action this time! Hope that was okay too. The kitchen chaos just had to make a comeback - and I already have a tiny idea for Kacchan’s revenge… hehe 🔥

So stay tuned! I really hope I’ll manage to post next Sunday, but if not - I’ll have two weeks of vacation after that, so you’ll definitely get new chapters then!
Can’t wait to read your comments (my favorite kind of food 😉).
Sending hugs! 🧡💚

Chapter 75: Actions Have Consequences

Notes:

Hey everyone!
I’m back – and yes, I know, I’m a few days late. But I just finished writing and translating this chapter, and I didn’t want to make you wait until Sunday. Your comments are just too amazing 🧡 too sweet 💚 and, honestly, way too many to ignore (please keep it that way, hehe).

However, I noticed a few things and wanted to clear something up real quick

Ever since Kacchan expressed his wish for me to write a switching smut scene, I’ve seen a lot of requests for it 😅 But please keep in mind - I included that moment on purpose, to show how far their relationship has come. It’s about Kacchan being able to open up to Izuku and wanting to experience everything with him 🧡
He also said someday — and not in the dorms
Which brings me to the most important point: Not in the dorms!
And yes, until the end of the story they’ll probably stay on U.A. grounds ^^’
If I ever change the storyline later, I might include that smut chapter - but as it stands right now, I don’t really have any more smut planned
Sorry if that disappoints anyone, but I’d rather tell you now than have you waiting for it in frustration every chapter

Other than that, everything’s business as usual. Out of the four key moments I wanted to include in this chapter, I managed exactly one XD’
I’m so sorry for stretching the story like chewing gum, but I honestly can’t help it - I love it this way - and I know some of you do, too 🧡💚

Alright, enough rambling. Enjoy! 🧡💚

Chapter 75 – Actions Have Consequences

 

 

When I sneaked into Kacchan’s room that night, he was already asleep. Not that it surprised me, considering how long dinner had dragged on. I wasn’t even sure the kitchen would be spotless by tomorrow morning – last time I saw it, it still looked like a battlefield. Turns out Tonkatsu wasn’t as easy as it looked when Kacchan made his Katsudon. There was more breadcrumb coating on the floor and countertop than actually sticking to the cutlets.

I silently prayed they’d manage to clean it up. Otherwise, things could turn… well, highly explosive. Literally.

As quietly as possible, I crawled over him and slipped under the blanket. Left one leg outside - Kacchan lived up to his reputation as a walking heater. I loved his Quirk, sure, but the constant temperature difference between us was wild. Like cuddling with someone who had a permanent fever. Though, with my always-cold feet and aching hands, it wasn’t exactly a bad thing either.

Smiling faintly, I brushed my fingers over his face. The moonlight traced his features clearly, showing just how sharp they’d become over the past year. He looked older. More mature. And… more attractive.

My gaze wandered to his lips on its own. What would it feel like to kiss someone in their sleep? Should I try it? After all, he’d admitted today that he’d already done that to me once.

But if I wake him up, I’m dead, flashed through my head, and I suppressed the urge. After the pizza fiasco, I really shouldn’t risk making him mad again.

“Tomorrow’s another day,” I whispered softly to myself, smiled a little, then turned onto my stomach, facing away from him. And drifted off with the thought that tomorrow, maybe, we’d have more time for each other.

 

 

Seriously!

Why did I always fall asleep imagining the perfect morning, just to wake up disappointed? Why did I keep tempting fate like that every single time?

I sighed, staring sleepily at the empty side of the bed. Then grumbled and pressed my face into the pillow with an annoyed groan.

God, why? Why couldn’t this morning start out as cozy as all the others before? And how the hell had Kacchan managed to sneak out without me noticing?

“Argh! This sucks,” I mumbled into my pillow, turning my head and puffing out my cheeks in protest. Stupid Kacchan. Dumb, stupid Kacchan.

But no matter how much I cursed him or sulked, if I didn’t get up, I’d never find out what was going on. Still, it was frustrating. Our last kiss had been ages ago. Our last hug too. Even our last real conversation felt distant.

God, Izuku, stop whining like a little girl, my inner voice scolded, clearly done with my mopey self-pity. So, with a reluctant groan, I dragged myself out of bed and shuffled grumpily to the bathroom.

That’s when I spotted the sticky note on the sink. Or maybe it had been on the mirror before?

Curious and suddenly a bit excited, I picked it up. Closed my eyes with a silly grin spreading across my face. Maybe Kacchan had left me a little love note?

I actually squeaked at the thought - then finally dared to read it. Only to instantly regret it.

Making breakfast. Enter before I'm done and I'll blast you into next week.

Wow.

Really?

I huffed and looked into the mirror.

“Yup! That’s exactly what you expected, Izuku… not!” I muttered at my reflection. It just stared back at me blankly, looking as done with me as I felt. I couldn’t help but laugh at myself and shake my head.

Ha! As if I’d seriously expected anything else from my love-bomb of a boyfriend. Unrealistic. Or simply…

“Stupid. Just stupid, Izuku,” I said out loud, giving my own sarcasm a voice before shaking my head again and getting ready in a hurry. No time to start a full-on argument with my reflection. I needed to get to the kitchen.

Because one thing was clear: no matter how many times Kacchan warned me, I’d never listened before - and I wasn’t about to start now.

 

 

Still - before I ran headfirst into certain death - I peeked carefully around the corner when I was almost there. Just to be safe. Yep, not that I was scared or anything. Maybe just a tiny bit nervous.

The whole staircase had smelled amazing on my way down. What on earth had he been cooking to be up this early? It was only seven o’clock. We’d agreed to have breakfast at half past eight.

Silently, I spotted Kacchan in his favorite place, moving through the kitchen with that same practiced, effortless rhythm. He looked pretty relaxed too. That’s when I noticed the earbuds - no wonder he hadn’t noticed me yet. Normally, he was so alert it was nearly impossible to sneak up on him. Well, except for Aizawa-sensei. But that was his whole thing - erasing his presence for hero work.

I took a deep breath before stepping up to the counter. Naturally, Kacchan gave me a quick glance, then turned away to keep working on the back counter.

I tilted my head in confusion. Had I done something wrong? Was he mad at me for something? If so, I had no clue what. After all, it had been his friends who’d caused the mess last night. And, well, Todoroki too - but that burn mark hadn’t been intentional.

“Good morning, Kacchan!” I called out, loud enough for him to hear - but I had a feeling he’d turned on his noise canceling. Yeah, that was the only way to explain how completely he ignored my greeting.

I pouted.

Tch, fine, if that’s how he wants to play it, I thought stubbornly, walked around the counter, and hugged him from behind.

“Oi, oi, oi! Nerd, what the hell?” he yelled, trying to pry my arms off his waist. But I laced my fingers together and squeezed tighter. When he couldn’t shake me off, he groaned in frustration and finally yanked the earbuds out of his ears.

“Argh, Izuku! Now le—”

“Good morning, Kacchan!” I cut him off before he could finish, pressing my chin against his shoulder blade. He hissed. Yeah, that’s right. Ignore me once, and face the consequences.

He glanced over his shoulder with a glare, but I met his stare with equal stubbornness until he finally let out a long sigh. He clicked his tongue - probably rolled his eyes, too. Still, when I tilted my head a little, I could’ve sworn I saw a faint smirk. Or maybe I just wanted to imagine it.

My observation ended when he brushed lightly over my hand before carefully sliding his fingers between mine. I loosened my grip and smiled dreamily as he turned in my arms and immediately took my hands again.

“Morning,” he muttered, giving me a quick kiss on the forehead. My heart squealed, even if I only smiled outwardly and leaned up to press a quick kiss to his cheek in return.

“Clingy Nerd,” he grinned, shaking his head as he gently pushed me away. I let him - after all, I’d already gotten a tiny bit of affection. That would do. For now. Besides, we were in the kitchen, and I was pretty sure this room had a negative effect on our secret relationship. Especially on the secret part.

“So why’d you get up so early? And what did I do to get threatened first thing in the morning?” I asked while glancing around, curious what he was making.

“Nothing! I… dunno. I was still pissed about the Extras and—”

“And?” I jumped in quickly, guessing he didn’t want to finish the sentence.

He moved past me with a low grumble, stirring something in the pot. I had to listen closely to catch his next words. “And I didn’t wanna take it out on you.”

The drawn-out, teasing “Ooooh” slipped out of me before I could stop it - and a second later I gasped when he punched me in the stomach. Ah, typical. Always straight to violence.

“Don’t push your luck, Deku!” he growled, but I couldn’t take it seriously. I nodded obediently anyway, leaning my arms on the counter. “So why are you here this early?”

A fair question, since even though he’d been up for a while, he was still at the beginning of his prep work. I could tell by now. Yeah, he was clearly making miso soup first - that was always his starting point for a proper breakfast. So, what had he been doing before that? And why were all those large bowls washed and stacked by the sink?

“I’m making breakfast.”

“And?”

“That’s it,” he said quickly - and somehow I got the feeling I was making him nervous. With my questions, of course. Not because of anything else.

I smiled faintly, took the one step closer that separated us, and looked up at him expectantly. “What are you up to, Kacchan?”

“Quit getting on my nerves,” he grumbled, pushing me aside and turning back to his simmering soup.

I crossed my arms and leaned against the counter, practically drilling a hole in his back with my stare. He ignored it and instead said, “Make yourself useful and fill the rice cooker.”

I huffed and said, a little childishly, “Nope. Don’t feel like it.”

“Then get out.”

“Nope.”

“Deku!” he hissed through gritted teeth. Oof, he was definitely tense - but somehow, this was actually kind of fun.

“You’re being pretty suspicious for someone who’s usually impossible to read.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. You’re seeing things, Nerd.”

“Hmm, nope. I see you hiding something. And I bet if I keep going, I’ll see those cute little red ears of yours any second now. You know what I’m talking about, right?”

His sharp turn and the way he closed the distance between us in an instant confirmed my victory.

“You shit—”

“I love you too, Kacchan,” I played my final card. I said it so dryly and out of nowhere that I actually saw the color rush to his face. God, that was hilarious!

“Fuck you!” he barked, spinning back around and furiously chopping up the vegetables. Well - butchering them was more accurate.

I chuckled quietly to myself. Oh, that made up for the crappy morning. Totally worth it. And damn, I wanted to take a picture. Instead, I stored the image in my imaginary Kacchan collection. No need to push my luck.

Still grinning to myself, I went over to the fridge. After that little word battle, I needed something cold. But just as I reached for the handle, Kacchan’s hand slammed against the door, holding it shut.

“Why do you want out of this?”

I stared at him in confusion, glancing from the fridge door back to him. Was this the big secret?

“I don’t remember the fridge being yours alone. I just wanted some water.”

Kacchan’s nostrils flared slightly. Why the hell was he so tense? What was making him this uncomfortable? Had he prepared something? Maybe for the class?

I tilted my head, lifted my hands in mock surrender, and took a few steps back. I really had to stop myself from laughing when his eyebrow twitched dangerously. Hm, so I hadn’t completely cleared his suspicion yet.

“If you don’t want me to, I won’t touch the fridge. Promise, Kacchan.” I held up my hands, though I had to resist the urge to cross my fingers behind my back. I really didn’t want to make him mad - not when I was planning to drag him onto the bed later to cuddle and make out.

Oh God, since when do I just think stuff like that so casually? flashed through my mind, but I couldn’t even scold myself for it. By now, it had become completely normal. Just not so normal that it ever got boring. Never. That warm, tingly feeling was still so nice every single time - I wouldn’t want to miss it for the world.

“Here,” Kacchan muttered quietly, handing me a bottle of water. I took it gratefully, gulped down a big sip, and asked, “So, rice?”

Kacchan nodded, and I started doing what he expected - helping with breakfast prep.

 

 

Our classmates drifted in surprisingly late that day. Even Ilda and Yaomomo only showed up with the flow. They were usually the first ones downstairs. But it was Saturday, after all. Maybe they were all enjoying a weekend with no assignments for once - just chilling and relaxing. We all needed it. After all, school and internships kept us so busy. And we were still first-years.

We were greeted with sleepy smiles before everyone took their seats. Most of them were in their sports clothes; others had turned up in comfortable everyday outfits. I’d even thought about wearing the new pants Kacchan had given me, but decided against it and grabbed my usual outfit from the closet. Not that I wanted anyone asking me if I’d gotten new clothes. No thanks - I really didn’t want any more attention.

The Bakusquad had, unusually, settled down at the table as quiet as mice and incredibly low-key. You could clearly see their nervousness. Yeah, they kept glancing at Kacchan, and whenever they focused on me, I just gave a clueless shrug.

As I’d been told, I placed a small bowl of white rice at each place, but I was confused when Kacchan said he’d handle the rest himself.

“But—”

“Just sit down, Nerd!” he ordered firmly. The tone alone made my stomach churn. Now I was the one nervously glancing toward the Bakusquad. And they seemed to pick up on my tension immediately: Kaminari ducked his head instinctively, while the others just looked at each other helplessly.

I sat down quietly in my spot and was served first, next to Ilda. I glanced at Kacchan again, but he didn’t spare me a look.

“What’s wrong, Deku?” Uraraka whispered, while the others beside us practically started drooling.

“I just have a bad feeling,” I murmured back, and couldn’t help watching Kacchan’s every move.

So far, though, everything seemed normal. He was simply bringing everyone a plate of fish and vegetables and a bowl of miso soup. Well - almost everyone. When he sat down with his portion next to Kirishima, there were still five students without food.

Five.

The five kitchen-destroyers: Ashido, Kaminari, Sero, Kirishima, and Todoroki.

Please, Kacchan! You can’t be serious! I thought. I could understand his grudge against his friends, but why punish Todoroki too? Just over the scorch mark? As if he did it on purpose—

“Uh, did you miscalculate, Bakugou?” Todoroki asked innocently and calmly, and I immediately choked on my own spit and had to turn away from the table because of a coughing fit.

“Deku!” Uraraka gasped, lightly tapping my back. I wanted to tell her not to - after all, Kacchan was—

“No, I didn’t,” Kacchan cut in suddenly, ignoring my coughing fit and instead staring at Todoroki with a blade-sharp look.

“Then why didn’t everyone—”

Kacchan’s shoulders tensed, and you could see everyone trying to explain themselves. I patted Todoroki, still wheezing, on the shoulder and croaked, “I—I’ll explain later, okay?”

Todoroki just nodded, picked up his chopsticks, folded his hands, and wished everyone a good meal.

We did the same, though I could see that at the first bite everyone looked guilty. But no one could keep their expressions under control. God! What had Kacchan put in the food? Why did it taste so different today? So unbelievably tasty?

“Damn, this is awesome,” Uraraka mumbled beside me, and Asui quietly agreed. Yes, the sparkle in everyone’s eyes said it all. And Kacchan noticed. At least, his nasty, almost diabolical grin suggested as much.

I sighed softly and let my shoulders fall in resignation. So that had been his plan from the start. And this kind of revenge really hurt them - by now no one could hide that Kacchan had put extra effort into the meal. God, even I had to admit that I nearly outdid his Katsudon.

Todoroki seemed pretty unfazed by it all. Well, he liked cold soba for breakfast, so plain rice probably wasn’t a problem for him. But I could practically hear Kaminari drooling, and Ashido was quietly chewing on her rice while staring at Hagakure’s plate next to her. Hagakure seemed to notice - her shoulders moved a little, and then you could just hear her whispering, “Do you want some of my—?”

A flat, thunderous hand slammed on the table and made everyone jump. We all looked up at Kacchan in shock. He had only slightly tilted his head to look at everyone, but his expression was so dark it sent chills down my spine. At the same time every fiber in my body tensed, ready to step in if things escalated. Or to defend myself.

“Everyone eats what they’re given. Nothing else. One step out of line and I’ll blast this table to pieces. Got it, Extras?”

His tone was so razor-sharp that everyone just nodded nervously and continued eating with lowered heads. Yes, nobody dared speak up.

“It’s fine. The rice is actually really good. How did you—?” Kirishima tried to lighten the mood, but Kacchan cut him off immediately.

“The nerd made the rice.”

Kirishima nodded uncertainly. Maybe he was piecing it together in his head - that Kacchan had probably intended not to give them any food at all.

Shouldn’t that be my cue to step in? I wondered silently, glancing toward Kacchan. For a brief second, our eyes met - that intense red gaze of his - but I couldn’t read it. I didn’t even know what I wanted to see in it.

 

 

Breakfast went on tense and quiet after that. I could feel everyone around me exhale a little once Kacchan got up, carried his dishes to the kitchen, and started unloading the dishwasher.

“Wow, I don’t think I’ve ever breathed this little at this table,” Kaminari whispered, eyeing Kyoka’s plate, where a small piece of fish was still left. I could tell exactly what he was planning. I wanted to warn him – loudly - that it was a dumb idea. But he was so fast, snatching the piece with his chopsticks, that Jiro didn’t even have time to protest. At least, not before Kacchan’s AP Shot zipped right between them.

“Woah!” Kaminari yelped, while Sero next to him blurted, “Holy shit!”

Ilda immediately cleared his throat, pointing to the scorch mark on the wall as he turned to Kacchan. “Bakugou! No Quirk use in the dorms. Especially not against your classmates.”

Kacchan just glared, clicked his tongue, and muttered, “Accident.”

I smirked crookedly - Uraraka and Asui did too. Yeah, everyone knew it hadn’t been an accident. And his tone made it painfully clear that Ilda’s warning couldn’t have mattered less to him.

“Alright, let’s all remember never to piss off Bakugou, okay?” Uraraka said quietly, trying to ease the tension in our little group. She hadn’t said it loud enough for Kacchan to hear, thankfully. Asui nodded, then added, “We’re on kitchen duty tomorrow, ribbit. Remember your words, Uraraka-chan.”

I scratched the back of my head with a grin, smiled at both of them and said, “Don’t worry, you’ve got this.”

Then I stood up and started gathering bowls and plates. I didn’t want Kacchan getting annoyed that I wasn’t helping. But just as I picked up the first stack to bring to the kitchen, Kirishima and Sero stepped beside me.

“We’ll take it.”

“I don’t think that’s a good ide—”

“We wanna apologize,” they blurted out in unison.

I nodded, thought for a moment, and just as they turned to go, I whispered, “Just say sorry, put the dishes on the counter, and leave. Don’t wait for a reaction.”

Both of them looked back at me, grinned, and whispered back, “Thanks, Midobro!”

I sat down again between Uraraka and Todoroki, quietly watching the two of them head for the kitchen.

“That’s sweet of you, wanting to help them, Midoriya-chan,” Asui said softly. I nodded. “I just hope it works. It’s always hard to tell what’s best to do with Kacchan in moments like this.”

“It’s crazy we never realized how well you understand him,” Uraraka added, sounding genuinely surprised.

I smiled awkwardly and mumbled, “Well, you couldn’t have noticed before - it wasn’t like that back then. But slowly… things are starting to work again. Like they used to.”

Of course, I immediately caught Asui’s thoughtful glance. It made me uncomfortable - but just as I was about to smile at her, she smiled back, calm and forgiving, before turning to the kitchen.

Shit. What was that look? What was she trying to tell me? What was she thinking after what I’d said?

Ah, I hated this. The constant hiding, the paranoia that someone might notice. The awful habit of reading into every look, even when it was unrealistic. It was exhausting.

I shook the thoughts off internally. This wasn’t the time or place to spiral into that again. No way. If I started mumbling to myself now, it’d be game over.

So, I focused back on the kitchen, watching how Sero and Kirishima did exactly what I’d told them. I also saw how much it confused Kacchan - and of course, how his eyes immediately searched for mine.

I exhaled deeply, stood up, and grabbed another stack of dishes. “Guess it’s time for me to go collect my headbutt,” I said half-jokingly to my friends.

They looked a bit worried, but I just gave them a reassuring smile and walked over carefully with the dishes. And yeah, I was nervous. I knew by now how much he hated it when I gave anyone advice - especially when he felt his anger was justified.

If this were his house and his kitchen, maybe I could understand… but well. It’ll be fine, I thought, placing the plates beside the now-empty dishwasher and forcing a weak smile in Kacchan’s direction. His brows furrowed instantly - and, of course, there came a hit. Not a headbutt, though. He punched me in the side without a word, making me suck in a sharp breath.

“I deserved that?” I asked cautiously.

“Damn right, Nerd.”

“Sorry.”

“No, you’re not. And I know you still think it was the right thing to do.”

I tried not to grin guiltily. I would’ve loved to nudge him or lean against him a bit - just as a small apology - but that wasn’t possible here. And Kacchan knew it too.

“Hopeless,” he muttered, turning on the faucet to wash the bigger dishes by hand. I watched him, unsure whether to grab a towel or fetch the rest of the dishes.

But there was still one question sitting on my tongue - and I just couldn’t help myself. I was sure his grumpy mood was more an act than genuine.

“Are you really still mad at them?”

He didn’t answer, of course. Just gave me an irritated side-eye and a dismissive snort. And before I could ask anything else, he pointed firmly at the dishwasher. Right. Conversation over.

 

 

After half an hour, the kitchen was spotless again - as if it had never even been used. One thing you had to hand to Kacchan: he did everything a hundred percent. Cooking or cleaning. School or training. It was always impressive how he pushed everything to perfection. Honestly, enviable.

“Deku! Wanna do something together?” I heard Uraraka call from the living room.
Before, that question would’ve gotten an instant “Yes!” from me. But now, I hesitated, already thinking about how to turn her down and sneak into Kacchan’s room instead. The urge for some time alone with him - especially after he’d blocked out both last night and this morning with his grumpiness - was strong. Way too strong. God, how long had it been since I’d actually kissed him properly?

Kacchan seemed to notice my hesitation. At least, he stepped beside me, deliberately hitting my foot. I had to hold myself back not to wince.

Then he answered for me. Of course, in his usual not-so-nice tone.

“We still gotta finish yesterday’s assignment. So don’t bother us, Round Face.”

I turned to him in surprise, one eyebrow slightly raised, but he just grumbled, “Did your bird brain already forget how that damn Sleeping Bag made us waste the whole day?”

“Oh!” I blurted out, pulling out my phone - I knew exactly where he was going with this, so I played along - and opened my emails.

“Wow, that’s still a lot. Maybe we could finish it tomorrow inst—”

“No! I want one fucking quiet day tomorrow, got it?”

I just nodded, turned to my friends, and gave them an apologetic shrug. Of course, they didn’t give up that easily.

“We already finished it. You can use our notes, Deku,” Uraraka offered immediately. Damn it. I could practically feel Kacchan’s annoyance building up right beside me.

“Thanks Uraraka, but I should probably do it on my own. We’ll be fine,” I said with a smile - and of course, Ilda instantly approved. He loved that kind of attitude toward learning, and he had zero patience for anyone who copied results instead of working hard themselves.

“So you’re going back to Bakugou’s room, ribbit?” Asui asked, and that uneasy feeling came rushing back. My fingers fidgeted behind my back, and I could tell the others were now paying attention too. What was I supposed to say? Would it sound weird if I just said yes? Should we do the assignment separately instead?

But damn it - I just wanted to curl up next to him. To kiss him. To—

“Tch. As if I’d leave the kitchen unsupervised. Those damn gluttons would raid the fridge the second I turn my back,” Kacchan grumbled loudly enough for everyone to hear.

Protesting “Hey!”s came from the couch. And I had to fight the urge to turn toward him in surprise - and confusion.

Had he noticed my hesitation? Or that strange tone in Asui’s voice? Were the same alarm bells ringing in his head as in mine?

Whatever it was, his excuse was flawless. Practically perfect.

Only downside? It meant I wasn’t getting a kiss anytime soon.

 

 

 

 

Notes:

That’s it!
Yeah, so actually… my plan was to get all the way to Sunday morning and end the chapter with a beautiful cliffhanger - but, well… let’s just say we’ll save that for Chapter 76 😅

How did you like it? 💚 I loved writing Izuku’s frustrated morning moment and that little flirty kitchen banter between the two of them 🧡
And of course, a tiny bit of well-deserved revenge for the Bakusquad had to be included =D

I really hope you had fun reading this one! 🥰
Though, just a heads-up - the next chapter probably won’t be ready by Sunday. Maybe Wednesday instead
You’ll see! (Sorry if it takes me a bit longer sometimes, but writing chapters of this length does take a while)

Until then, I can’t wait to read all your (countless =DDD) comments!
Sending hugs your way 🧡💚

Chapter 76: The Cursed Kitchen

Notes:

Hey everyone! 💚🧡

Ha, I almost made it within a week - just one day late. But I finally continued my side story, so this one had to wait a little.
What’s coming up in this chapter was actually planned for the next day, but since I wanted to make some progress here, I just tweaked it a little instead. ^^
See for yourselves - and have fun reading!! 💚🧡

Chapter 76 – The Cursed Kitchen

 

“This is ridiculous, Kacchan!” I protested, instantly drawing everyone’s attention in the room again. I didn’t care at that moment. I was frustrated. Really frustrated. That stubborn, self-righteous idiot. Argh! I just wanted to punch him - hard.

“Just get our damn school stuff!” Kacchan said, clearly annoyed, turning away from me as he grabbed two glasses from the cupboard.

“Why can’t we just take a few minu—”

“Can’t you, for once, just do what you’re told without turning it into a whole discussion?”

I pressed my lips together and forced myself not to reply. Stormed past him - not without bumping into him on purpose. The confused and worried looks from the others didn’t bother me.

Damn it! Why couldn’t he just come with me? Why did he have to be so stubborn, standing guard in his precious kitchen instead of coming along? Fuck! All I wanted was a proper kiss and a real hug. A teasing smile and his lips at my ear. Was that really too much to ask for?

I wanted to slam my door shut or break something, anything. Instead, I followed his order and grabbed our stuff - first from my room, then from his. Seriously! We were trying not to draw attention, yet first he made a scene downstairs, and then he sent me to fetch his things alone from his room.

“We could’ve just studied upstairs then,” I muttered under my breath, slamming the schoolbooks onto the dining table when I came back and sitting down in a foul mood.
Of course, I noticed Kacchan raising an eyebrow at me, but I ignored it, looking around instead. Everyone had already disappeared into their rooms. Huh, maybe they were scared of the tension in here.

“Nerd,” Kacchan started, but I only growled and mumbled, “I’m doing Hero History. You do English.”

“Izuk—” I heard him speak my name a bit softer this time, probably wanting to sit down next to me. But before he could even finish saying it, I dragged my chair loudly across the floor and sat down opposite him.

“Oi, what’s with you?” he complained right away, and for the first time, I looked him straight in the face again. His annoyed expression shifted into something a little uneasy.

‘Well, finally realizing you messed this whole thing up?’ I thought bitterly, grabbed my book, and went back to where I had stopped on Thursday evening. And just thinking about that made me even angrier. God, we’d sacrificed our Thursday night so that we’d have enough time together on Friday - and now Friday had gone to shit, and Saturday wasn’t looking any better either.

I let out a frustrated sound, ignored the person sitting across from me, and worked grumpily on the remaining tasks.

 

After half an hour of ominous, tense silence, Kacchan suddenly stood up with a sigh. It caught me off guard, since he had barely moved until now. I’d glanced at him a few times to check if he was even working, but he’d stayed focused the whole time and completely ignored me. Was he mad at me too because I’d been so - fuck, I hated to use that word, but it fit - so bitchy?

While my mind kept spinning, I watched his movements. I peeked at him from under my bangs, trying not to look too obviously curious - after all, I was the one who had created this awkward atmosphere. Unfortunately.

‘Maybe I did overreact,’ reason finally admitted, a thought that had been nagging me deep down. I just hadn’t wanted to face it. But apparently, my longing had really made me a bit snappy. Or maybe overly sensitive? Dramatic?

“I thought you wanted to work,” Kacchan snorted, amused, in my direction. I only then noticed him glancing over his shoulder - right at me. Embarrassed, I pressed my lips together and lowered my head again. Damn it! Why did he have to turn around now? Was he trying to get my attention on purpose?

My ears twitched when I heard the refrigerator door open. I could’ve sworn I heard glass touch porcelain. Still, I tried to hold back my curiosity and focused hard on my notes instead. But even as my eyes scanned the lines, I couldn’t process a single word. My mind was already elsewhere. On Kacchan. And the mystery of the fridge. The urge to find out what he was hiding from me was just too strong. Why couldn’t he just start his morning like everyone else?

With a sigh, I put my pen down and rubbed my face. I was just about to peek through my fingers - yeah, I know, very mature - when I felt Kacchan behind me.

“For my feisty little strawberry,” he murmured darkly in my ear before setting a plate in front of me. I looked at it, breathless. Moved. Speechless.

What the hell?!

A lump formed in my throat, and I felt that telltale sting in my eyes. Kacchan pressed a light kiss to my ear, his hands resting on my upper arms, sliding gently down to my elbows.

“Kac…” I started, but my voice broke off immediately. I was too overwhelmed by what he’d made.

In front of me sat a plate full of treats - so beautifully arranged that I wasn’t even sure if I was supposed to eat it. But it had to be. On the plate was a dessert glass filled with vanilla pudding, surrounded by slices of fruit and little dollops of whipped cream. Chocolate sauce decorated the edges, and along the rim he’d written the word “Sugar Nerd”. Small leaves - mint, maybe? - completed the piece of art.

“So, do I get my cute boyfriend back now?” Kacchan asked softly, brushing another kiss against my ear before slowly stepping away from my chair. Not far, though, because my hand instinctively grabbed his wrist.

“Kacchan!” I called, my voice a little too high. Only then did I realize how hard I was blinking to stop the water gathering in my eyes.

“Crybaby,” he teased with a smirk, pulling the chair beside me and sitting down next to me.

“Why…?” I began again, then stopped. I watched him rest his elbow on the table, his chin on his hand. He looked so attractive like that. God, I wanted to kiss him. Right now.

“Doesn’t matter,” he muttered, raising his hand to brush a curl out of my face. The simple gesture made my face burn. What the hell was happening? Why was he suddenly being so sweet?

“Kacc… uh… tha…”

His teasing expression turned into a victorious grin.

“Funny how that can blow your mind, too.”

And with that, he just stood up and went back to his seat, leaving me completely dumbfounded.

I didn’t even know what to do. I stared at the plate, then back at Kacchan. Opened my mouth, then closed it again.

“Just eat, Izuku. Or are you gonna tell me you don’t like it?” he prodded, sounding slightly smug. That finally got me to speak. “No, it’s… thank you, Kacchan. I just - almost don’t wanna eat it. It’s… it’s so…beaut…can I take a picture?”

He blinked at me, one eyebrow shooting up. God! Did I really just ask that? How embarrassing. I wanted to sink into the floor right there. But could you really blame me? I mean, we barely had any photos of us, or of the things we’d done together. I just had to capture this sweet moment.

“Do whatever you want,” I heard Kacchan grumble - distant and quiet, because I was so focused on the plate I barely noticed anything else. I glanced up briefly and saw him looking away, clearly uncomfortable now.

Cute, was the only word that crossed my mind. I let out a small amused sound, pulled my phone from my pocket, and snapped a picture of the little masterpiece in front of me. I beamed at the photo like it was the rarest All Might merch in the world. Apparently, a bit too much, because Kacchan threw an eraser at my forehead.

“God! Don’t get any more embarrassing, Nerd!” he groaned, shaking his head in disbelief.

That made me laugh softly. Because honestly, Kacchan was kind of sweet. He wasn’t great with words, but he made up for it with small things like this.

I just smiled happily, grabbed the spoon, and enjoyed what Kacchan had made for me. For me alone.

 

It didn’t take long before I’d practically inhaled the entire plate. I’d meant to take my time, to savor it slowly, but after the first few bites it was all over for me. How could something so simple taste that good?

“Did you even breathe in between?” Kacchan teased when I finally put my spoon down. I just grinned at him and shook my head, which earned me a long, amused snort. I was about to reply when he grabbed my plate and stood up.

“Hey, Kacchan! I can do that myself,” I said quickly, jumping up and following him the few steps to the kitchen to snatch the plate from his hands.

“Why?”

“Well, I…” I started, then hesitated. But what was running through my head was way too embarrassing to say out loud. No way. I’d rather sink straight into the floor.

So, I just sighed and handed the plate back to him. Looked slightly past him because I couldn’t bring myself to meet his eyes. What was wrong with me right now? Was it still because of his little surprise earlier?

“Stupid nerd,” I heard him mutter before he set the plate down behind him and placed his hand on my hip.

My heart suddenly sped up in my chest, a tingling rush spreading through my body. Why was this making me so nervous? It wasn’t like we hadn’t touched each other way more intimately before - but somehow, just one hand on my hip was enough to mess me up completely.

I shook my head a little, trying to clear it, and looked up to say something - but those sharp, red eyes shut me up instantly. Fuck.

Instinctively, I raised my hand and grabbed his neck, pulling his face closer to mine.

“Oh, does the good little nerd wanna ignore our oh-so-wise teacher’s warn—”

I didn’t let him finish. I’d waited long enough. So, I just shut him up the only way I knew how - with a kiss. Hallelujah. Finally. After what felt like forever, I got what I’d wanted so badly. I forgot every bit of reason and didn’t even stop when Kacchan pushed lightly against me. No - this was my oxygen right now. And yeah, maybe I was being a bit dramatic, but honestly, I didn’t care in that moment.

At some point, Kacchan pushed me back a little more firmly, keeping just enough distance so we could both gasp for air.

“Were you trying to kill me?” he asked breathlessly, and I did what he usually did - grinned mischievously, tilted my head to the side, and said, “Maybe.”

That playful, teasing tone of mine seemed to make him forget where we were. Because in one swift move, he grabbed me by the hips, lifted me up, and set me down on the counter, pressing himself between my legs. I swallowed hard when I met his intense gaze - a look I knew all too well by now. One he usually gave me in very different situations. The kind where we were both naked, tangled in sheets. A look filled with hunger and impatience.

“Kacchan… we’re in the kitchen!” I squeaked, half-panicked, but he didn’t give me a chance to look around or think. Instead, he gave me that devilish grin, leaned in slightly, and growled in that damn dark voice of his, “Your fault, nerd.”

I let out a soft moan when his lips caught mine. Matched his movements, fought back against them. God, how could kissing feel this good? Why did it always hit so hard here - in the kitchen, of all places?

Every warning Mr. Aizawa had ever given us completely vanished from my mind. I let my heart and body take over, surrendering to Kacchan’s lips and tongue. My arms wrapped around his neck like a drowning man clinging to life, my fingers tangling in his hair. God, if he kept this up, we’d have a whole different problem in about two minutes - especially with his hands still resting so provocatively on my ass.

“Kacchan!” I squeaked in panic when he started to squeeze. My hands shot back, grabbing his wrists, trying to pull them away - but he fought back, of course.

“What? You’re the one who started this,” he insisted, pressing against my hold, forcing me to actually use effort to keep him in check.

“Yeah, but only because you just walked off this morning! And…”

“And?”

“And… maybe I was a little frustrated?” I mumbled, voice uncertain, feeling him finally ease his grip. I let go of his wrists, exhaling in relief.

“Didn’t notice, princess.”

“What did you just call me?”

“Princess.”

“You—!”

“Come on. What mean word are you gonna throw at me this time, I-zu-ku?”

Argh! I hated him. God, why did he always have to push my buttons? Why that smug tone, that damned grin? Fuck! And why did I want to punch him in the face and kiss him at the same time?

It was ridiculous how much power he had over me - how easily he could drive me insane with every word, every move. It was thrilling and exhausting all at once. But there was nothing I could do about it. Not with him.

“You’re exhausting,” I sighed in defeat, leaning my forehead against his, closing my eyes to just feel the warmth radiating from him.

“Oh, I can exhaust you in other ways too,” he murmured, voice thick with meaning. I puffed up my cheeks and muttered, “You could’ve done that this morning. Now it’s too late.”

“Why?”

“Because it’d be too suspicious. We can’t just disappear into my room in the middle of the day without a reason.”

“We still have homework.”

“Oh, now that’s more important than protecting the kitchen?”

Kacchan snorted in amusement, pressing his forehead a little harder against mine, forcing me to tilt my head up - just enough for his lips to brush softly against mine.

“Nothing left to protect now.”

I smiled dreamily, lifted my hand to his cheek, and turned his head slightly just to press a small kiss to his skin.

“That was really sweet of you. Thank you,” I whispered, giving him another quick peck before leaning back a little.

“Guess it’s my turn to get something sweet in return,” he said playfully - and still managed to look unfairly sexy while saying it, which made me chuckle.

“You’re impossible.”

“You say that a lot.”

I grinned, ran my fingers through his hair, sliding a little closer to the edge of the counter, leaning my head back slightly.

“Yeah, and I still kinda like you anyway.”

“You’re an idiot.”

“Seems like it,” I breathed out with a small laugh - just as I heard a wooden clack.

My whole body froze, my head snapping to the side. I could feel Kacchan’s fingers dig into my sides - not painfully, but in shock. Everything went numb. Even more so when I saw why.

“Jiro,” I breathed, watching her awkwardly turn back toward us. It looked like she’d been trying to sneak away - and had hit the corner of the wall instead.

‘Guess Kacchan’s not the only one throwing me off my game,’ I thought bitterly, sighing in defeat. Dammit. This couldn’t be happening. Not again. And especially not again in this cursed kitchen.

A small, awkward cough snapped me out of my thoughts. Jiro raised a hand, her voice unsteady. “Uh, hey… so, I’m just gonna go. I didn’t see or hear anything, okay?”

I covered my face with both hands, letting out a small squeak as I slid off the counter, ready to just crawl behind the kitchen island and disappear. God, this was mortifying.
But before I could hide, Kacchan pinched my ear and yanked me back up.

“Ow ow ow, Kacchan!” I whined, grabbing his hand with both of mine to pry it off.

“Tch. Don’t pull the same crap you did with Aizawa,” he snapped - and before I could glare at him properly, we both heard a short laugh.

Of course, we turned to the person still in the room - Jiro, who was covering her mouth, clearly trying not to burst out laughing.

Kacchan’s “Oi” made her look up, and she said, in a dry, disbelieving tone, “Wow. You guys really let Mr. Aizawa catch you like that?”

“Shut up,” Kacchan barked immediately, while I just stared at the floor, cheeks burning so hot I thought my head might explode.

“Jiro…” I started, voice small and unsure, but she cut me off. “I’ll just go tell everyone it’s safe to come downstairs again.”

She turned on her heel and was about to leave when I called after her, “Jiro, wait - just a second, you—”

She smiled faintly over her shoulder. “Don’t worry. Like I said, I didn’t see a thing.”

“But—”

“Nerd, just let her go. Don’t make it even more damn awkward,” Kacchan muttered, finally catching my eye. He stood there with his arms crossed, leaning against the counter, staring deliberately out the window. And yeah - those red-tipped ears totally gave him away. He was embarrassed too.

So I just nodded, turned back to Jiro, who gave us one last look, shook her head slightly, and vanished as quickly as she’d appeared.

 

We watched her go - probably for another minute or two - both frozen in disbelief. I couldn’t wrap my head around it. God, this really happened again. This kitchen was definitely cursed.

“What… what do we do now?” I finally blurted out, turning to Kacchan, who was still staring thoughtfully out the window.

It took him a moment to react. Then he turned toward me and said, “Nothing.”

“Nothing?!”

He shrugged, exhaling loudly in that resigned way of his before explaining, “She won’t say anything. And she’s not as annoying as Alien - she’s not gonna start bombarding us with questions. Out of everyone who could’ve walked in, she was the least bad option.”

“You mean we should be grateful it was her who caught us?”

“Yeah.”

“But… Kacchan! We’re just gonna sweep this under the rug and pretend it didn’t happen?”

Kacchan let out an irritated growl. “Yeah.”

“That’s— that’s not okay!” I snapped, completely unable to understand how he could just brush this off. When Mr. Aizawa had caught us back then, he’d been an emotional wreck - practically poured his whole heart out to me. And now? He was just fine with it? No guilt, no panic?

“Why not?”

“Because… because I—”

“You seriously wanna go out of your way to have an awkward talk with Earphone when she’s already made it clear she’s cool with it?”

I bit down hard on my lip, eyes falling to the floor. My fists trembled as the chaos in my head built up until it hurt. I could feel the sting of tears behind my eyes - not from sadness, but pure frustration.

I heard Kacchan sigh, and when he tried to wrap an arm around me, to pull me close, I pushed him away.

“We should take what Mr. Aizawa said seriously,” I muttered, stepping away from him. I gathered up my school stuff and quietly left the kitchen for my room. What I really needed right now was time - time to get my thoughts straight.

 

Against all expectations, Kacchan had just let me go. Completely. No storming into my room. No call. No text. Did he know I needed to sort this out in my head first?

With a heavy sigh, I sank my face into the pillow. The more I replayed the scene in my mind, the more embarrassing it became. God, when exactly had Jiro walked in on us - or, well, not-conversation? How much had she actually seen of our painfully obvious, emotional, and slightly suggestive back and forth? Had she caught the kisses already? The part where I’d practically pounced on Kacchan?

“God, I can never look her in the eye again,” I mumbled into my pillow, rolling onto my back and clutching it to my chest. Buried my chin deep into the soft fabric.

Never again. Yeah, I swore that to myself. Never again would I get even a millimeter too close to Kacchan in that cursed kitchen. Actually - no, not anywhere in the dorms. Except our rooms, of course. That had to be the rule from now on, before anyone else found out.

Strangely, I wasn’t panicking. Just… kind of embarrassed. Embarrassed that we’d been that obviously caught. But the thought that Jiro knew didn’t really make me anxious. Maybe because I liked her. The way she was. If it had been Uraraka, it would’ve been way more awkward - especially since Kacchan still firmly believed she liked me. If it had been Ashido, the whole U.A. would probably know by tomorrow. If it had been Hagakure, I’d be worried she’d start secretly watching us. And Yaomomo or Asui? I’d probably feel the same calm weirdness I did now with Jiro. Funny how I could so easily judge my classmates, guessing how each one would react - almost like I had little stereotypes for all of them.

“But none of them would really hurt us… right?” I asked quietly into the room, staring up at the ceiling. What was supposed to happen now? Did I want to talk to Jiro? Did she want to talk? Or did she really just want to forget it ever happened?

If I were in her place, I’d at least be a little curious. I mean, if I’d walked in on two of my classmates like that in the kitchen, I’d definitely want to know how long it had been going on - or if anyone else already knew.

My sigh echoed softly through the room. I released the pillow and ran a hand through my hair, untangling a few curls. What should I do now? What was the right move? Should I talk to Kacchan again - calmly, in our room?

A knock on the door pulled me from my thoughts. Out of habit, I almost yelled, “Go away, Kacchan!” but I stopped myself and trudged to the door instead.

The last person I expected to see standing there was Uraraka.

“Hey, Deku!” she greeted me with her usual cheerful smile, which I tried - and mostly failed - to return. I managed a small smile back before she launched right in: “We’re drawing lots for the movies tonight. Wanna come?”

I nodded automatically. A distraction was exactly what I needed. So, I closed the door behind me and followed her downstairs. What I hadn’t thought about, though, was running into Jiro again.

The moment her dark hair came into view, I froze, swallowed hard, and tried desperately not to blush all over again.

Her gaze met mine briefly - just for a second - and she gave me a small, hesitant smile before turning away. Okay. She was acting totally normal. Like nothing ever happened. I wish I could do that. But hey - I’d kept it together around Kacchan for weeks now. How hard could it be with Jiro?

I glanced around the room and quickly realized Kacchan wasn’t there. Of course. He probably had zero interest in this kind of thing. Movie nights were too loud, too chaotic, and way too long for him anyway.

“Well, looks like we’re almost all here,” Ashido clapped her hands and glanced around before looking to Kirishima. He got the cue and said, “Kats told us to leave him the hell alone - and, uh, there were a few extra words in there, but I’ll skip those, yeah?”

The class chuckled, and I couldn’t help smiling too. I could hear Kacchan’s voice saying that.

“He’s such a grumpy old man,” Ashido sighed. “Bad enough I had to eat all my snacks upstairs ‘cause he didn’t give us breakfast!” Kaminari nodded eagerly beside her, and Sero added, “And you could tell he put extra effort into that breakfast - just to make it hurt even more. So cruel.”

“Well, it’s not like you didn’t deserve it,” Jiro said suddenly, surprising everyone - me most of all.

I froze. Would she have said that if she hadn’t walked in on us earlier? Damn it. I had to talk to her. Definitely. Otherwise, I’d start overthinking everything - worse than usual. Just like with Asui… though that was more paranoia that she might’ve figured us out without ever catching us in the act. Hopefully not. Because if Jiro hadn’t accidentally hit the wall earlier, we never would’ve even noticed her. She would’ve slipped away - unseen.

God, what if that had already happened with someone else?

Panic started creeping up my spine, but I forced it down again. No, no, not now. This was not the time.

“Anyway! Let’s just pick the movies already, okay? We said two, right?”

Most of them nodded, and Yaomomo took charge as usual. “Here’s the plan: you prepare the pizza dough first. Then we’ll watch one movie before we start topping and baking. After that, we’ll be allowed to eat during the second one.”

“Nice! And can we grab a bunch of blankets and pillows from our rooms to make it super cozy down here?” Hagakure suggested enthusiastically - of course backed up by Ashido, who looked ready to start decorating already.

So it didn’t take long for everyone to agree: the common room would turn into a “cozy area” for the rest of the day.

I loved the idea. Really. But… it had a bitter aftertaste. Because one thing was certain - Kacchan wouldn’t be part of it. Which meant I wouldn’t see him again until it was time to sleep.

 

After a bit more discussion, the plan was set. The Bakusquad would start preparing the dough now - just in case the first batch didn’t turn out right, they’d have time for another. Then, at three o’clock, the first movie - one of Kaminari’s action comedies - would kick things off. After that, we’d make the pizzas, and finally, my favorite All Might movie would play.

“Why such an old one, Deku?” Uraraka had asked, but I’d only grinned and said, “Because it’s my favorite.”

Of course, everyone just laughed.

The real surprise came when the Bakusquad opened the fridge. Even though Kacchan had claimed there was nothing important left inside, there was. That sneaky softie!

“Awww, Bakubabe already made the dough for us! Guess he wasn’t that mad after all, huh?” Ashido grinned widely as she showed off three large bowls filled with perfectly risen dough. A note was stuck to one of them - with detailed instructions on what to do next.

“See? Bakubro loves us. He just doesn’t say it out loud,” Kaminari laughed, throwing himself dramatically against Kirishima and Sero, who puffed their chests with pride. Most of the others just shook their heads, but deep down, everyone was relieved - dinner was secured. Thanks to Kacchan.

“Well then, if everything’s prepared, there’s still time to rest,” Yaomomo said calmly, while Ashido and Hagakure immediately suggested decorating the living room.

Jiro, however, waved her hand dismissively. “I’ve got stuff to do,” she said.

I glanced at her and watched as she walked off, looking a little tense. Could I just follow her? How was I even supposed to start that conversation? And would anyone notice if I went to her room?

“Midoriya?” I heard someone call. I looked up in surprise and saw Jiro’s friendly face.
I raised an eyebrow, tilting my head a little, and she went on, “Hey, you’re really good at organizing notes, and my music stuff’s a total mess. Would you mind helping me out?”
My face lit up, even though a flicker of nervousness hit me inside. But… she was giving me a chance, right?

So I smiled and said, “Sure! I’ll take a look.”

 

 

Notes:

That’s it! 💚🧡

Yep, they finally got caught by someone from their class! =D
You’ve been waiting for it, and I’d planned it for a while - yes, in the kitchen, and yes, with Kyoka (a lot of you probably guessed it already). I was actually saving it as a cliffhanger for the Sunday breakfast scene, but honestly, I think it fits perfectly here too. This way, we still get a soft little cliff for Izuku and Kyoka’s upcoming talk, don’t you think?

So, what did you think?
Did I make Kacchan too sweet this time with his little dessert plate? 🍮
Let me know!

I hope I can bring you another new chapter next week - no promises though! ^^’
Sending hugs to all of you 💚🧡

Chapter 77: Liberating

Notes:

Hey everyone! 💚🧡
I’m back — with a chapter that was so much fun to write (and that I actually almost finished last Sunday… but then, well, work happened 😅).

Thank you all so, so much for your kind words and for almost 2,000 kudos! You guys are absolutely insane!!! I feel so lucky to get so many comments from you — seriously, I could burst from happiness 💚🧡

So, here’s a hopefully nice and easy-to-enjoy chapter =D Like I said, I really had fun writing this one (and it definitely came to me more easily this time).
Enjoy! 💚🧡

Chapter 77 – Liberating

 

 

It felt weird following Jiro all the way to her room. We hadn’t said a single word to each other on the way there. I’d been clutching my phone in my pocket the whole time, wondering if I should text Kacchan to tell him I was with Jiro - that we were going to talk. Would he come storming down here in anger? Or would he just let me handle it, because he trusted me?

I tilted my head slightly from side to side, lost in thought. But I nearly bumped into Jiro when she suddenly stopped at her door, which snapped me right back to attention.

“Uh, where do you want to sit?” she asked a bit uncertainly. She looked kind of shy now - and honestly, so was I.

I glanced around. Even back when Jiro had shown us her room, it had already looked cozy and welcoming. With all the instruments and posters, it had this sort of clubroom vibe.

“The floor looks pretty comfy,” I said with a small smile and stepped further into the room, settling down by the low table between her bed and her desk.

Jiro sat down across from me, leaning against her bed frame and pulling her legs up a little, absentmindedly fiddling with one of her earphone jacks.

Shit. How were we even supposed to start this?

My hands started to sweat as my mind ran in circles, trying to figure out what exactly I wanted to talk to her about. Up to this point, all I’d known was that I needed to talk to her. But what should I say? What was safe to say?

A million questions shot through my head, growing more ridiculous the longer I sat there. I focused hard on not mumbling them under my breath - no way I was adding that kind of embarrassment to the list.

Before I could gather a single coherent thought, Jiro’s voice suddenly cut through the silence.

“So… you and Bakugou, huh?”

I glanced sideways at her, noticing how she was staring at a spot on the floor. Still, I was secretly grateful she’d started the conversation for me.

“Uh, yeah… kinda… yeah. And I’m sorry, about earlier, downstairs… I mean…”

Scratching my head, I dared to look up a bit more - and met her awkward but amused gaze.

“It’s fine, Midoriya! I was just… surprised. I mean, you and Bakugou, that’s…”

“Sounds kind of absurd. I know,” I finished for her, since she clearly wasn’t sure how to phrase it. But she quickly waved her hands.

“No, no, no, that’s not what I meant! I just didn’t think Bakugou could, you know… look at someone like that.”

“What do you mean?”

A faint blush crept across Jiro’s face as she muttered, “Well, just… nicely, I guess, and… yeah.”

She trailed off, turning her head slightly, one foot brushing over the other. And the way she looked made it obvious what she meant. Damn it. Thinking back on it, it must have looked like we were seconds away from jumping each other. At least, that’s exactly what Kacchan’s expression had said.

I groaned, burying my face in my hands and letting my head fall forward. The pitiful, embarrassed sound that escaped me only made it worse - Jiro let out a small, amused snort.

A short silence followed. So awkward it was almost funny. Eventually, I found myself laughing too. Jiro turned her head toward me, eyebrows raised in confusion. I waved my hand.

“Sorry, it’s just… everything’s so weird right now. And tense. I really am sorry for putting you in such an awkward spot. But after you saw us down there, I just… really wanted to talk to you. Only, well… I didn’t exactly come up with a plan for what I was gonna say.”

My rambling seemed to ease the tension, because Jiro’s expression softened and she patted the spot next to her. I nodded, stood up, and sat down beside her. She tilted her head back, letting it rest against the edge of her bed, and took a deep breath.

“I honestly have to admit, I’m not really sure what I’m supposed to say or even ask. It’s not really any of my business anyway - you know, that thing between you two. I just wanted to tell you again that I’m totally fine with it. And of course, I’ll keep it to myself. I mean, you do want to keep it private, right?”

While my annoying inner voice practically screamed, “Yeah, kind of - but you two suck at it,” I nodded on the outside. She wasn’t wrong, though. Up until now, we’d only told two people on purpose. Everyone else had caught us in - unfortunately - very telling situations.

“Thank you,” I added after a short pause, followed by a quiet, “That means a lot.”

Jiro’s soft smile turned into a grin as she playfully punched my shoulder. “As if I wouldn’t be fine with it. I mean, getting to see Bakugou all lovestruck? It’s hilarious. Hm, think I could use that against him?”

A laugh slipped out of me, and I grinned back while letting my head fall back against her bed.

“Could be that you wouldn’t survive that.”

“So, you wouldn’t save me?”

“I can’t work miracles.”

“Oh, I think you can. I mean, from what I saw… He’s totally whipped for you, isn’t he?”

Ah, that was mean. Heat instantly rose to my cheeks, and I shut my eyes, doing my best not to make an embarrassed sound. Jiro was really different. Ashido would’ve already fired off a thousand questions, Uraraka would’ve been too shy to be this casual, and Yaomomo and Asui… they probably wouldn’t have even had a conversation like this at all. No - they would’ve just said it’s okay and left it at that.

“So, Midoriya, can I ask you something?”

I nodded and hummed a quiet “Hm” in agreement, though my stomach tightened a little. What was she going to ask? And could I even answer everything honestly?

My nerves settled a bit when Jiro asked probably the tamest question she could have: “How long?”

I exhaled and let my shoulders relax a little, staring up at the ceiling. “Since our fight at Ground Beta. So, during the last house arrest. And, uh… right at the start of it.”

“Wow. So, you’ve been hiding this for a whole month?”

I nodded, glancing sideways at her. Despite the surprise in her voice, she followed my gaze upward and stared at the ceiling, too. Was she feeling awkward right now? Or just embarrassed?

I thought about it. Yeah, I was nervous and a little on edge - maybe even worried she’d ask something too personal. But honestly? It was kind of nice. Up until now, we’d only ever talked to adults about our relationship - and that hadn’t really been “talking.” It had been more like lectures or straight-up humiliation. Having a conversation with someone my own age actually felt… good.

“Does anyone else in class know besides me?”

“No. No one.”

“Then I’m honored to be the first,” she said with a little smirk. After a pause, her expression shifted, a bit more curious now. “But hey… did Bakugou really mean what he said earlier?”

“What do you mean?” I asked, completely thrown off. I couldn’t quite follow her train of thought.

“You know - that thing about Mr. Aizawa?”

I froze instantly, then let out a squeaky noise as I hid my face between my knees.

For a moment, there was silence - until Jiro’s cautious “Midoriya?” reached my ears.

I turned my head toward her a little, probably red as a tomato, and whispered, “Yeah.”

It took her about five seconds to slap a hand over her mouth before bursting out laughing. I just pouted, looking away grumpily as I muttered, “It wasn’t our fault. The kitchen’s cursed.”

Her eyebrow shot up, eyes sparkling with amusement. Was it really that funny that she had literal tears in her eyes?

I sighed inwardly and took a deep breath. I guess I still owed her an explanation.

“Well, uh… Mr. Aizawa kind of… caught us during the first house arrest… in a similar way you just did?” I said nervously, my voice shooting way too high at the end. It sounded more like a question than a statement - but I couldn’t help it. Just thinking about that day was mortifying. Especially remembering how Kacchan had said something so blatantly suggestive… I still wanted to sink into the floor every time it crossed my mind.

“So, he actually saw you guys making out?”

God. I was about to cry - from shame, obviously. Why had I just been thinking this whole thing felt nice? Damn it. I wanted to take everything back, but Jiro’s amused expression left me no choice but to nod and mumble, “Twice.”

“What?”

“He caught us twice. In the kitchen,” I muttered - and somehow, I achieved the impossible: Jiro was speechless. Her mouth hung slightly open, her eyes fixed directly on me. I couldn’t help but laugh quietly at how absurd it all was. “Didn’t expect that, huh?”

I could almost see her brain slowly starting back up. Then, with perfect dryness, she said, “Guess the kitchen’s kind of your thing.”

“Jiro!” I blurted, scandalized, but she only gave me a sidelong, mischievous glance. I sighed and let my head drop back down onto my knees.

“What? I mean - Three times? Damn, that’s kinda impressive.”

My lips twisted into a pout, and I muttered under my breath, “Honestly, I’m surprised it was only three times.”

Oops. I hadn’t meant to say that out loud. My mouth had once again worked faster than my brain - and, as expected, silence followed. I couldn’t tell if it was awkward or comfortable. Jiro was known for her dry humor, though, so surely she could handle that, right?

“Wow, I didn’t think you had that in you.”

“Hm?”

“I mean, being so direct - and apparently not as innocent as your face makes you look,” she teased. I could feel my cheeks heating up again. That was so unfair. Was she teasing me on purpose?

“You can be just as bad as Kacchan!” I groaned, rubbing my face before letting my head fall back against the bed frame with a frustrated sound.

“Was that a compliment or an insult?” she asked.

“Both.”

She seemed satisfied with that, smiling warmly before saying, “You know, I never thought we’d ever be sitting here talking about you being in a relationship with the most explosive guy in school. But honestly?” She paused, then added with a soft grin, “I think it’s kinda nice. I really like you as person, Midoriya.”

The embarrassment must have been written all over my face, because her smile turned even more playful. I rubbed the back of my neck, looking away for a second before turning back toward her, trying to sound as genuine as I felt.

“Thanks. I’m glad it was you who caught us. I… like your… kind, I guess.”

The last words came out with a touch of uncertainty - mostly because I’d used phrasing that reminded me of something Kacchan had once said to me. His first half-confession, really. In his room. On his bed. Right after his mom had nearly driven us insane.

Jiro bumped my shoulder lightly, looking away with a shy smile of her own. Her cheeks had a faint rosy tint now, too.

After a moment, she cleared her throat and sat up straight again, clearly having regained her composure before shooting me a cheeky look.

“So, am I getting an explanation for why Mr. Aizawa seems to be covering for you guys all the time? I mean, catching you twice - and no punishment?”

I blinked at her in surprise. That was not the question I’d expected.

It took me a few seconds to think before I finally said, “Well, we had a few really exhausting talks with him. And, well, he can’t really punish us for it anyway, since relationships aren’t technically forbidden at U.A.”

“For real?”

I shook my head, but didn’t elaborate. If she was that curious, she could look it up herself. I was not getting dragged into a discussion about ‘romantic interactions’ right now.

“So why hide it then?”

I glanced at her, then at the clock. Did I really want to get into this now? Still, if she understood that part, she’d get why keeping it secret mattered so much to us.

‘If it mattered that much, you wouldn’t keep making out in the kitchen,’ my annoying inner voice chimed in - I shoved that thought aside and sighed.

“That’s… kind of a long story.”

She grinned mischievously. “We’ve got plenty of time before the first movie.”

I couldn’t help but chuckle, nodding before starting to tell her about our talk with Mr. Aizawa.

 

 

“Wow. I really didn’t think Mr. Aizawa took it that seriously,” she said when I finished telling her everything, letting out a heavy sigh.

I scratched the back of my head with a crooked smile and nodded. Yeah, it was honestly amazing how much thought he’d put into all of this. Saying it out loud again made me realize just how much he’d done for us. I really owed him a proper thank-you - sometime soon. In peace. Preferably without Kacchan around.

“Yeah, I’m grateful too, but… it was pretty embarrassing. And Kacchan was always pissed off during those talks.”

“Oh, I can’t even imagine that,” she replied with playful sarcasm, grinning almost wickedly. I stifled a laugh and just pictured Kacchan’s scowling face in Mr. Aizawa’s office - and that image alone was enough. Speaking of which… what was he even doing right now?

“Can I ask you something else?”

“Sure.”

“Is there anyone else who knows about you two?”

“Yeah. My mom and Kacchan’s parents.”

She blinked in surprise, then followed up immediately. “You actually told your parents? Like, right away? How did they react?”

Just remembering it made my face twist into a pained grimace. At least I didn’t feel that horrible heat rising to my cheeks this time.

“Well, my mom was kind of shocked at first. She really hadn’t seen it coming. I mean, uh… we hadn’t seen it coming either, really. I mean, who has time for, you know… that kind of thing? But, uh… after Aunt Mitsuki talked to her - and I may have kind of… lost my temper before that - yeah, she was happy for us in the end. And, well, as for Kacchan’s parents…”

I paused, rubbing awkwardly behind my ear, unsure how to explain without dying of embarrassment.

“You call his parents Aunt and Uncle?” she asked, probably noticing my discomfort. I silently thanked her for buying me a few seconds to breathe.

“Yeah, but Aunt Mitsuki doesn’t want me to anymore, because… well… I’m basically her… oh God… her son-in-law now. And she’s been rubbing that in my face ever since she caught-”

“Stop!”

I flinched, looking at her in confusion as she held a hand up in disbelief. “You’re telling me… Katsuki’s parents caught you, too?”

“Uh… guilty?” I mumbled, which made her immediately shoot back, “What’s wrong with you two? And where? Don’t tell me - the kitchen again?”

Instantly, I bit my lower lip, wincing as I lowered my head and muttered as quietly as I could, “In Kacchan’s bed?”

And just like that, I’d done it again - left her completely speechless. Her face turned bright red this time. Ah, I really should’ve just said that our parents were fine with it. Why? Why did I always overshare?

Before I even realized how that had sounded, Jiro stammered, wide-eyed, “Wait, you two didn’t actually… you know… do it… at that moment…?”

It took me a solid five seconds to understand what she meant - five seconds in which I must’ve looked like a complete idiot. Then my brain caught up, and I gasped, mortified beyond belief.

Frantically, I waved my arms, shaking my head so hard it almost hurt. “No, no, no! Not like that! Oh god, no! Definitely not!”

My racing heart and nerves forced me to stop and catch my breath before I continued, my voice tumbling over itself: “It’s just - his parents came home early that Sunday morning, and we were asleep! Just asleep! And Aunt Mitsuki… she kind of barged in and, uh, woke us up. So, no, not what you’re thinking, oh god - no, really not!”

My face must’ve been the color of a tomato. No, something even redder. I was pretty sure I was about to spontaneously combust. Why had I phrased it like that in the first place? Why?

I saw her shoulders relax as she rested her chin on her knees, fiddling with one of her earphone jacks. Then she muttered softly, “Oh. I see. I thought… well, never mind. You guys haven’t even been together that long - it’d be kinda early for that. Sorry.”

My brain screamed, Izuku! Just nod. Don’t say a word. Don’t make it worse.

Only, my embarrassment level was so sky-high that the sound that came out of me was… indescribable. I turned away from her immediately. Damn it! Couldn’t I, just once, have a poker face like Mr. Aizawa? Just once?!

“Wow,” she said flatly, and I lowered my head even further. I wanted to curl up and disappear. God, this was so mortifying. What must she think of me now?

Her dry “Seriously?” didn’t help. Still, I forced a pained smile and muttered another weak, “Guilty?” before sneaking a glance at her.

She turned away again, shifting into a cross-legged position and propping her chin on her hand. I couldn’t help but study her uncertainly. Her posture and expression reminded me a little of Kaminari. Or maybe Sero. Definitely one of the two.

After a few seconds, she shook her head and mumbled mostly to herself, “Boys really are different, huh.”

I gave a crooked little smile. “Maybe not all. Ilda said the other day that we should wait until we’re eighteen and all that.”

“That’s why you reacted so weird back then! I was wondering why you, of all people - not Kaminari or Sero - looked so shocked.”

Her realization hit her like a light bulb moment, while I just tried to breathe evenly and keep calm. Though honestly, it made me wonder if anyone else had noticed or still thought about that moment.

“Yeah, but back then we hadn’t eve- …never mind, let’s just drop it. Unlike Kacchan, I can’t talk about that stuff so bluntly.”

She nodded quickly and muttered, “Yeah, that’d probably be way too much information for me anyway.”

I let out a breathless laugh and finally took a deep gulp of air. God, all that tension had literally taken it out of me. At least right then, my phone started buzzing in my pocket - perfect timing.

I grabbed it fast, immediately spotting Kacchan’s name lighting up my screen. I glanced sideways at Jiro, who looked curious but politely avoided staring at my phone.

“It’s just Kacchan,” I said, trying to sound casual.

“Aw, missing you already?” she teased.

I shot her a sharp look, but couldn’t help feeling like we’d somehow grown closer over the last hour. Yeah… I’d call this friendship now. That’s what it felt like, anyway.

‘Like I’d ever talk about my relationship with a stranger,’ my mind whispered as I opened the message.

 

Where are you?

 

Yep, that was so Kacchan. And since it sounded kind of impatient, I quickly texted back:

 

With Jiro :)

 

The moment I hit send, I wasn’t sure if that had been a good idea.

“Uh, I think we’re about to get company,” I said uncertainly. She raised an eyebrow at me.

“What, is the loud guy jealous or something?”

I pressed my lips together to hide a grin - unsuccessfully. “Seriously?”

“Uh.” I scratched my neck and shrugged. “Maybe not jealous of you, exactly. But maybe… of others in the class? I mean, uh… it’s possible he’s on his way here right now - just in case he thinks I might say something embarrassing.”

Jiro’s lips curled into a devilish little “Oh.” Her eyes gleamed mischievously, and before she even opened her mouth, I already knew what she was about to ask.

“Wanna tell me something embarrassing, then?”

But I was ready for that one.

“Nope. I’m too attached to my life for that.”

“Party pooper.”

“No, I’m not. The real party pooper’s on his way up.”

We looked at each other - and burst out laughing at the same time. And before we could even calm down, the door burst open.

 

Kacchan stood in the doorway, eyes narrowed, brows drawn together in a furious scowl as he glared at us. I couldn’t help it - I burst out laughing again, while Jiro tried and failed to pull herself together. But his expression was just too much. The only thing missing was steam coming out of his nose like some raging bull from a comic.

“Hey, Bakugou,” Jiro greeted him casually as he shut the door behind him and reluctantly took two steps into the room.

He scoffed, his gaze sweeping across the space - and of course, stopping on us, sitting side by side on the floor.

“What were you two doing?” he demanded right away. He really did look kind of pissed, so I forced myself to stay calm and gave him a careful smile. But before I could even open my mouth, Jiro cut in: “Nothing! Midoriya was just helping me with my notes.”

“Don’t bullshit me.”

“It’s true, though. Right, Midoriya?” she said smoothly, glancing at me - and I had no idea whether she was covering for me or deliberately trying to poke the bear.

I swallowed hard, sneaking a quick, nervous look at Kacchan before nodding. “Yeah, I was just—”

“Bullshit.”

I flinched at the sharp interruption, pressing my lips together anxiously.

“Like I wouldn’t notice when you’re lying, Nerd,” he snapped, and I couldn’t help looking at him with my biggest, most guilty puppy eyes. It had worked in the kitchen before - maybe it could work again. Might as well make it a tactical weapon at this point.

“Aww, that was kinda cute,” Jiro cut in sweetly. “The big, scary Katsuki Bakugou sounding like pure sugar.”

My head whipped toward her, my mouth falling open, but no sound came out. What the hell?! Was she trying to die here and now?

Kacchan growled, teeth grinding audibly. I didn’t need to look to know his hands were probably balled into fists. Honestly, I just wanted to disappear on the spot.

“Don’t push your luck, emo chick!”

Jiro raised her hands in mock surrender, her grin turning even more wicked. “Oh, come on. You had to see that one coming.”

I looked helplessly between them. Kacchan rolled his eyes, clearly done with the entire situation. What was even happening here - and how was it going to end?

“So, the nerd sang, huh?”

“Like the sweetest little nightingale,” Jiro replied instantly.

I stared at her in disbelief, then turned to Kacchan - who dragged a hand down his face before, of all things, sitting down next to me on the floor.

“What the hell’s wrong with you? Didn’t I tell you earlier not to bug people with your embarrassing crap?”

I puffed my cheeks out, crossing my arms and glaring at him before exhaling sharply. “First off, I didn’t bug Jiro. Second, I couldn’t just not talk about it. And third, it wasn’t embarrassing or crap - it was nice! It felt good, actually. I mean, we haven’t really talked about this with anyone else before.”

Kacchan snorted, a low grumble rumbling out of him. “God, you always gotta talk, huh, dumbass?”

“At least I can talk, unlike you.”

“Haaa?!” Kacchan barked, raising his right arm like he was about to launch an attack - but before he could, a small shockwave burst through the air between us.

I yelped as Kacchan hissed beside me, both of us turning to stare at Jiro, who simply said, deadpan, “No couples’ fight in my room.”

And right then, one thought crossed my mind: What would kill me faster — a meteor impact or falling straight into the Earth’s core?

“You’ve got a death wish,” Kacchan muttered darkly.

Jiro just shrugged, flashing me a half-apologetic smile. “Hey, I might not officially be part of the self-proclaimed Bakusquad, but when it comes to teasing, I do feel a bit of solidarity.”

I snorted a laugh, which earned me a light punch on the arm from Kacchan - more reflex than anger, really. For him, this was practically saint-like self-control.

“By the way, Jiro’s fine with it. You know, us,” I added quickly, trying to ease the tension. Kacchan gave me a look so dry and exasperated I could practically hear the sarcastic thought: Oh really, Nerd? No kidding.

He didn’t bother voicing it, though - just sighed tiredly. “You done with your little girls’ talk now?”

“Kacchan! That was no gi… you’re impossible!”

“Yeah, yeah. You tell me that at least once a day,” he shot back, lips curling into a cocky, teasing grin.

I only grumbled, glanced at the clock, and said, “We should go down soon. The first movie starts at three.”

That didn’t seem to please him at all. He stared right at me, unimpressed. “You seriously wanna watch that dumbass movie downstairs?”

I puffed my cheeks out again, glaring stubbornly - but before I could answer, Jiro just had to throw in one last jab.

“Why, got other plans, lover boy?”

Kacchan’s middle finger shot up instantly. He gave her a single, sharp look and a scoffed before turning back to me. “We’ve still got about an hour. So?”

I fidgeted with my hands, suddenly self-conscious. Was this really something he didn’t mind Jiro overhearing? Or did he just not care?

Still, he had a point. And as nice and freeing as this talk had been, I did kind of want to be alone with him for a bit. We hadn’t really had that much time together these past twenty-four hours.

“I can come up for a bit,” I whispered, barely audible. Immediately, I felt his hand grab my arm, pulling me up with him.

“Then move it.”

He gave Jiro a short nod, while I offered her a sheepish look. She just smiled knowingly and waved. But when she added a playful wink as we stepped out the door, I instantly turned scarlet.

Oh god. Did she think we were gonna… do something?

“Please no,” I muttered under my breath, groaning softly.

Kacchan, of course, just shook his head. He probably had a pretty good guess at what was going on in my head. Or maybe he just chalked it up to my usual nerd behavior. Who knew.

Notes:

That’s it! 💚🧡

I hope you had just as much fun reading this as I had writing it!
So — what did you think of the conversation? Did I manage to capture Kyoka well? I’m super curious to hear your thoughts, so feel free to drop a comment ;)

Also… how insane is the final MHA season, seriously?! Absolute cinema! And our Kacchan is just God-tier! I’m so hyped, you have no idea!!! 😭🔥 I swear, if I could, I’d be writing you even more little bonus bits right now — the ideas are definitely there =D

So, hopefully see you next weekend! (You know me — no promises at the moment 😅)
And hey, it’s officially time to let the Christmas season begin 🎄💚🧡 (I still have a little Christmas one-shot waiting for you!)

Sending hugs 💚🧡

Chapter 78: He’s Going to Be the Death of Me

Notes:

Hello everyone!

I swear, I barely dare peek around the corner after making you wait four whole weeks without a single update. I’m so, so sorry. Real life kept me ridiculously busy, and on top of that I managed to mess up my neck and shoulder. So I’ve been typing almost everything one-handed (I’m left-handed, and that arm is basically useless right now… my husband even had to grade my students’ tests for me ^^’).

And thank you so much for all your sweet comments! I never wanted to worry any of you. You were all so kind, and it honestly hurt my heart… I promise I’ll reply more again, but I’ve been living with constant pain for almost three weeks now and - yeah… I’m barely a functioning human at the moment. 🧡💚

But! I finally managed to finish this chapter. And since my therapy starts next week and I’m hopefully not restricted for much longer, I promise I’ll do better again (even with the stress of the pre-Christmas season lurking around!).

Anyway - here’s something hopefully enjoyable for you to read… hehe.
Have fun! 🧡💚

Chapter 78 – He’s Going to Be the Death of Me

 

With a startled sound I was shoved backwards onto my bed. Hard and rough. A gasp escaped me as the air was punched out of my lungs in an instant. What was happening right now? Why were we here? We had just left Jiro’s room. What…

I didn’t get the time to understand the situation, because my brain completely shut down the moment Kacchan climbed onto me with eyes glowing red and leaned down. I held my breath as his hungry stare practically devoured me.

“What…,” I tried to ask, but Kacchan’s hand slammed into the pillow beside my head. Made me flinch. Silenced me.

His grin looked devilish. Seductive. And so intense that every hair on my body stood on end. As if he had suddenly sent electricity through me.

I opened my mouth, but he only growled low, letting me know without a doubt that I was done talking. And he showed me – in his way. Impressive. Explosive.

His lips hit me like a blow. Hard and merciless. Eager. Hungry. Passionate and absolutely breath-stealing.

I didn’t understand anything anymore. And I didn’t want to understand. God. Seriously! Whatever had pushed him to do this - it shouldn’t stop.

A quiet moan slipped out when his teeth found my lower lip. Biting down just hard enough not to draw blood. Just enough to send every fiber of my body into overdrive.
Instinctively, I threw my arms up, locked them behind his neck and kept him close. At the same time my body pushed up against his. Wanting to chase away every bit of space between us.

I heard him hum against my lips. Felt the vibration coming from his throat. I had never felt it so deep before. It went straight through me. God! That sound alone made me shiver so hard I was scared it would make me lose control too early.

Kacchan’s hand slid down my side, pressing my hips firmly back into the mattress, while his other hand - previously resting beside my head - grabbed my hair and yanked my head to the side. Only to claim the newly exposed skin at my neck immediately with his hot lips. Kissing it. Licking it. Nipping at it.

It drove me completely insane. I gave up on trying to understand him now. There was a “later” for that. This right here was the only thing that mattered. And I embraced it. This doAshidont, raw feeling he pushed onto me. Like a force of nature rolling over me. The kind you wanted to be crushed by.

“Aaah~,” slipped out of me when Kacchan’s hand suddenly found its way into my pants. I was silenced again instantly by his lips.

“Quiet,” he panted breathlessly against my skin. Only then did I notice how uneven his breathing was. How hot his face felt.

I couldn’t help but close my eyes. Gave myself to him. Fully. Gave in when he started to massage me. When he freed not only my arousal but his own, and started working us together. Felt him pulsing against me. Felt the firm grip of his hand.

God!

I could only feel now. The tingling. The shaking. The twitching at every tiny “too much” sensation. I felt overstimulated, and at the same time I wanted more. My hands clawed into the sheets as the heat spread further and further. I bit down hard on my lip and still moaned quietly when I finally tipped over the edge. Felt the hot liquid hit my chest and shirt. Heard Kacchan’s low, dark moan as he followed right after me.

 

My chest rose and fell quickly and unevenly. I draped my arm over my eyes as I tried to understand what had just happened. Tried to get my senses back.

What the hell… how had that just happened? Why had Kacchan gone after me like that?

I pushed my forearm up a little so I could peek out from under it. I caught sight of a breathless Kacchan still hovering over me, also trying to steady himself. One of his hands was still holding both of us, while the other was braced beside my body.

“Kacchan?”, I asked quietly, cleared my throat because my voice scratched and almost failed. I saw his head lift slightly as he looked at me with half-lidded eyes and a flushed face.

Damn. Just that look alone was enough to almost start this whole thing all over again. Since when was he this insanely hot?

I swallowed, opened my mouth and closed it again. I saw him grin. A second later, I heard a quiet, rough laugh.

“Got your head blown off?”

Inside, I rolled my eyes. How many times had he asked me that over the past weeks? And how many times had I been able to answer it with a yes?

Every damn time, shot straight through my mind. I let out a small chuckle, tilted my head back a bit and ran a hand through my slightly sweaty hairline. Exhaled slowly.

Kacchan straightened up a little on my thighs. I felt his grip around my middle loosen. I peeked at him and caught his slightly disgusted expression as he inspected his own hand.

The sight was so ridiculous - and honestly cute, though I definitely shouldn't say that - that laughter threatened to burst out of me. But it died instantly when Kacchan, without blinking, suddenly wiped his hand on my shirt. Really wiped it. As if he were drying it on a towel.

“Hey!”, I protested immediately when he smeared it not only on my shirt but also across my torso.

“What? Do you know how much that stuff sticks?”, he complained, wrinkled his nose again, then grinned provocatively while smearing the last bits on my hip.

“Yeah, but don’t wipe it on me!”, I snapped, slapped his hand away and lifted my head to inspect the mess. And yeah, it didn’t feel great. I could already feel the traces drying and pulling uncomfortably on my skin.

“What? You never complain normally. Or - did you want it somewhere else instead?”

My mouth opened and closed again. A moment ago, I had only been annoyed - now I was completely frozen as the familiar heat crept into my cheeks.

Argh! I hated him! Yeah, that couldn’t be love. It had to be pure hatred. God, this jerk! Why did he always have to tease me like that?

While I was still fighting internally - whether to be embarrassed or curse him - my eyes briefly met his. I swallowed hard when I saw his narrowed eyes and raised eyebrow. He looked thoughtful and somehow devilish. Like something was coming that would kill me.
And yeah, he didn’t disappoint.

“Tell me, Nerd… if I held it up to your face, would you lick it off my fingers?”

…

…

Complete silence. My mind and body shut down while the question echoed in my ears.

Excuse me… what?

In my head, the words tried to form a sentence. They failed on the first attempt. Failed on the second. Only ages later did his question actually sink in. And it took another moment until my vision refocused and I looked at Kacchan’s hand first, then back at his face. His face, watching me closely and clearly waiting for an answer.

“Repeat that,” I said flatly instead of answering him.

He rolled his eyes briefly, then gave me that lazy grin again and asked, “Would you have licked that stuff off my fingers if I’d asked you?”

The second time didn’t throw me off as badly. Still, my voice sounded strange and distant as I answered without thinking: “Asked… or ordered?”

“Does that matter?”

“Yes.”

Kacchan tilted his head slightly, hummed in thought for a moment, then said, “Ordered.”

Meanwhile, I seriously wondered why I had even asked him that. What was I trying to get out of it? Did I need it so I could process the situation realistically? Did I even want to picture it? Did I want to know if something inside me - something that had shown itself a few times already - was really there? A nerd with a taste for things that were… borderline dirty?

I swallowed as I pictured the scene he wanted me to imagine. His seductive stare as he held his hand to my lips. His knowing grin. A tongue teasing into view.

Heat rushed into my face. A jolt ran through my body. Straight to the exact place it shouldn’t be right now.

Fuck.

“The thought turns you on, doesn’t it?”

I squeaked, squirmed under him, somehow managed to roll onto my stomach just so I could shove my face into the pillow and let out a short, tortured scream.

Please! Someone! Anyone! Save me!

While I tried to suffocate myself, I felt Kacchan’s chest press against my back. Felt his weight grow heavier until his breath tickled my ear.

“So, Izuku? Am I right?”

I grumbled, jerked my shoulder to push him off. But he only laughed low, pressed a kiss to my neck and pushed again: “Do I get an answer, I-zu-ku?”

Furious, I huffed into the pillow, then turned my head to the side. Shot him a slightly hostile glare over my shoulder. I had to be bright red. My head felt like it was evaporating. Still, I spat back: “God, yes! Happy now?”

Kacchan grinned and finally got off me. He looked completely satisfied. And as if he hadn’t teased me enough already, he slapped my butt once and left with a “Dirty little shit,” disappearing into the bathroom.

 

"You need to head downstairs soon," Kacchan’s voice came as he returned.

In the meantime - however many minutes had passed - I had just kept lying there, stewing, trying to get my embarrassment under control. Or at least accept that I apparently had a few preferences I hadn’t known about before.

Yeah. Acceptance was probably the best thing I should learn. Toward myself. Because only then - and only then - would Kacchan stop throwing me so completely off balance. Speaking of…

"Kacchan?"

"Hm?"

"Question."

He gave me a confused look, and my mouth opened before I could stop it: "Before you asked me that… explicit… question - did the scene from before run through your head too?"

I couldn’t say it with absolute certainty, but for a split second, Kacchan did look caught off guard. Just barely. Because faster than anyone could notice, his shoulders squared again and that snotty "Heh?" appeared - paired with the classic Say-that-again-and-you’re-dead expression.

"If you ask me something like that, you already imagined it yourself. So? Did it turn you on—the little movie in your head?"

I had no idea where the courage came from, but I wanted to strike back. Metaphorically, of course. But I wanted it.

And apparently, I’d hit exactly the right nerve, because my oh-so-mighty boyfriend suddenly looked a little less confident. He scrunched up his mouth, crossed his arms over his chest and grumbled, almost sulking: "What kinda crap are you asking me, Nerd?"

I couldn’t help but laugh softly. Looked at him with a mischievous glint, bit my lower lip and replied as innocently as possible: "Why? It was just a normal, logical question based on our previous conversation, right?"

His brows drew together as he slowly stepped toward me. Like a lion, he leaned over me, planted his hands on the bed next to my upper arms, and came so close I would’ve only had to purse my lips to kiss him.

"Guess ‘little shit’ was pretty accurate earlier," he growled - but I kept grinning, lifted my hand and pushed my index finger between our lips, tapping his in open provocation.

"People in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones, Mr. Bakugou."

Okay, maybe that was pushing it a bit too far.

I squeaked when Kacchan suddenly pounced on me. Laughed even harder when he bit my shoulder - just lightly.

"You’re getting way too bold."

"And you’re getting way too easy to read," I shot back with a grin - only to suck in a sharp breath when he jabbed me in the side. And no, I absolutely couldn’t let that slide.

We wrestled around on the bed for a bit. I was giggling and cackling like an idiot while Kacchan’s expression slowly softened too, until he eventually ended our playful scuffle with light kisses.
And I loved it. Loved this easy mood. Loved how it made me feel - just stupidly, overwhelmingly happy.

 

 

"Hey Midobro! Right on the minute!" KaAshidori greeted me with a laugh, throwing an arm around my shoulders and steering me toward the couch setup. Though it looked more like a cozy sea of pillows and blankets. Really tempted you to stay there for several hours.

"Wow! You really put effort into this. It looks great," I smiled politely, sitting down next to Todoroki and Ilda on the couch, while many others dropped straight onto the soft pillows on the floor.

The small tables had been replaced by this "floor bed," and all kinds of snacks were placed in the little gaps.

"I could totally get used to this," Uraraka sighed in relaxation, stretching next to Asui on the floor.

"Mr. Aizawa surely wouldn't tolerate this for long," Yaomomo added as she made herself comfortable in one of the single armchairs. Of course with her favorite cup of tea in hand. She just looked a bit unusual to me, since she was wearing her hair down for once. She didn’t do that often, but apparently even she was getting carried away by the mood.

"Alright, since we’re all here, we can start," Kaminari grinned at the group, but Kirishima threw in, "Kats is missing."

I clearly noticed a few eye-rolls, but only Hanta replied, "You really thought he'd show up here?"

Kirishima gave a crooked smile and scratched his temple, then surprisingly looked over at me and silently asked for an answer.

"That's too much noise for him," I said briefly, noticing a few surprised looks. Hm, did they still think I had Kacchan completely figured out? Had they already forgotten our first trimester?

I drifted into my thoughts as the movie started. Thought about Kacchan, who was probably now lying in my bed upstairs, reading something I didn’t want to know more about. Or he was asleep. Either one. I was surprised he had stayed in my room at all. But he had been right - it would’ve been too risky to switch places again. And he would come down for dinner anyway. Or rather, he had indirectly ordered me to message him the moment his chaos squad dared to step into the kitchen on their own.

 

The movie was entertaining. It barely had a plot and everything was predictable, but it was fun to watch it with everyone. The reactions, the collective “Ooh!”s, and the shared laughter at the funniest scenes made it an experience. A real “we”-feeling. Yes, for the short amount of time we had known each other, we were growing closer day by day. And it filled me with joy and pride to call myself part of this class.

But shortly before the credits rolled, I fished my phone out of my pocket. Of course I hadn’t forgotten Kacchan in all this. How could I have? Even during the movie, I kept imagining how he would’ve reacted to certain scenes.

 

Movie’s over

 

Short and simple. Yes, I didn’t want to write more. I was someone who rarely pulled out his phone when he was around others. In my opinion, that’s how it should be. And since I didn’t want to draw attention, those few words had to be enough.

But Kacchan reacted quickly. Well - more like after two minutes.

 

Wow, so few words? Not into me anymore, Nerd?

 

I rolled my eyes with a grin. ‘Idiot,’ I thought, giggling internally like a little girl as I playfully texted back.

 

Maybe…

 

I flinched when something brushed against me. I pressed my phone against my chest in shock and looked up. Saw Jiro walking past me, throwing me a warning look over her shoulder.

Oops. Had I been too obvious?

Unsure, I looked around the room, but some were still letting the movie sink in, while others were already getting up.

So I stretched as if exhausted, yawned once, and got up slowly.

“Alright, time to make the best pizzas in the world,” I heard Kaminari call behind me. I turned around and saw the Bakusquad heading toward the kitchen.

But just as they set one foot inside, a very annoyed voice echoed through the room.

“One more burn mark - and I’ll blast you into the next century.”

But, as always, Kacchan’s words didn’t impress them. No, instead everyone had to “greet” him first:

“Wow! It’s like you sensed we were going to the kitchen.” —Hanta
“Yo, dude! Perfect timing!” —Kaminari
“Ohhh, our sweet Bakubabe is here. The one who loves us sooo much he prepped the dough for us.” —Ashido

I sighed. They really had a talent for provoking Kacchan indirectly. Though Ashido’s word choice was more on the direct route. Who else would call the great Katsuki Bakugou “sweet” without getting sent into the next universe?

“I just want something edible tonight. If I leave it to you clowns, it’s doomed,” he grumbled, growling at Ashido as he inspected “his kingdom.”

Only now did he notice the covered countertop. I saw him realize something was underneath.

“We did everything the way you wrote it down. Really sweet of—” Ashido started again, only to get a flour-dusted towel thrown straight into her face.

“Say ‘sweet’ one more time, Racoon Eyes, and you’ll be blending your pizza later.”

Ashido just smiled at him with fake innocence as she wiped the flour off her face and hair. I sighed inwardly. She clearly hadn’t learned her lesson from this morning. Or she had already forgotten. Simply incorrigible!

 

 

Making the pizza was, of course, anything but calm and relaxed. No, Kacchan was in his element. Complaining. Insulting. Ordering people around. Chasing everyone through the kitchen. A spectacle that was always entertaining to watch. At least for those who weren’t in the kitchen with him.

I wondered if we had looked like this during our first house arrest. Probably not, because even though he had spoken a little harsher to me back then, he had been pretty balanced while cooking with me. Probably thanks to the ‘Midoriya peace aura’. Yes, that had to be it.

After most of the pizzas were done baking, Kacchan cut them and had the others place them on the large table.

“So, should we watch the second movie while we eat?”

“Oh yes!”

“I must voice my disapproval. Eating on one’s lap while watching a movie is highly improper—”

“Oh come on, don’t be such a killjoy, Ilda! We’re not little kids anymore,” Kaminari interrupted immediately and - for once - got agreement from almost everyone. And it even earned a few quiet laughs.

I, meanwhile, turned to Kacchan and raised a questioning eyebrow. Saw him meet my gaze and shake his head slightly. It made me a little sad, so I threw him a disappointed look. A long one. So long that he sighed and gave me a resigned, tiny nod.

I had to hold back a huge grin. I was happy he was staying downstairs and maybe even watching the whole movie with me. Well, not “maybe”. He would watch it. After all, it was his favorite All Might movie, too.

While everyone filled their plates, Kacchan wordlessly gestured toward the empty couch. And I understood. So I went there without food and sat down in the middle, and the spot next to me was immediately taken.

“I can’t believe I let you talk me into this,” Kacchan muttered very quietly, pushing a pretty full plate onto my lap before grabbing a slice of pizza with an annoyed expression.

I smiled blissfully, took a slice as well, and bit into it. I even dared to lean my shoulder against his. Only for a moment. Because just as our arms brushed, I heard Kirishima’s excited voice behind me.

“Oh, Kats! You’re watching with us? Awesome!”

He grinned from ear to ear, then sat down on the floor in front of us. Followed by Kaminari and Hanta, who flopped down right beside him. Todoroki sat down next to me again. I felt a little bad that Ilda had to look for another spot, but he had stayed at the table anyway, eating as properly as he probably did at home.

Kacchan, meanwhile, lifted his foot and pressed it against Kaminari’s head before growling, “Try annoying me, and you’re getting a full 4D movie experience.”

I saw the three turn around, ready to protest - when the lights suddenly went off.

Startled, and now only illuminated by the glow of the TV, we looked around and spotted Jiro at the light switch.

Just setting the mood. After all, we’re about to watch the one and only All Might movie,” she said, shooting the room a playful wink.

Of course, it earned me a bit of teasing and laughter, and my cheeks felt slightly warm. But I knew no one meant it seriously.

Besides, over time I had noticed that everyone had at least a little All Might passion. It would’ve been weird if not. He had been the number one hero for years and had achieved so much in his career. We had all grown up with him. Naturally, he had shaped us in one way or another.

“Had to prove your fanboy status with this movie again, huh?” Kacchan whispered to me as the intro played.

I gave a crooked smile, glanced at him, and mumbled, “As if I didn’t already do that with my room.”

Kacchan snorted, amused, glanced back at me briefly and whispered, “Your own fault for joining in on that whole room thing back then.”

“It’s not really embarrassing. Well… maybe not as embarrassing anymore.”

Another snort. Almost like a small laugh. And then he leaned his head a little closer, close enough that I could feel his breath at my ear.

“Cute nerd.”

My mouth fell open as I tried not to squeak. I bit down on my lip instantly and clenched my jaw. He couldn’t just say things like that with the whole class in the room. Even if it was only a whisper. Was he - did he want to get caught?

Horrified and burning red, I turned to him, saw his slightly mischievous expression - before it instantly turned into bored indifference again. He leaned to the other side, resting his head on his hand. But not without shooting me one last knowing look.
The look that said he knew he had embarrassed me. For the thousandth time today.

I wasn’t going to survive this movie. That was the only thought in my head afterward. If he whispered a few more things like that, I’d light up the room like a neon sign.

‘But that’s what makes this all so exciting,’ my annoying inner voice chimed in.
I inhaled slowly and had to admit she was right. Sitting next to each other in a dark room with a bunch of people… it really was like a movie date. Just one you couldn’t get caught on.

And as the movie slowly picked up and everyone stared at the screen, I decided - encouraged by that stupid little voice - to play with fire a bit.

I pulled up my left leg, setting my foot down to sit more comfortably. At least that’s what it looked like to everyone else. In truth, I only wanted to block the view a little. The view between us.

And after scanning the room one more time, I let my hand slowly wander toward Kacchan until my pinky brushed his.

Immediately, I felt him tense up next to me, his gaze drifting - fake bored - to our hands. But his slightly raised eyebrow asked me a silent, very clear “What the hell are you doing, Nerd?”

I dared to smile a little and slowly slid my fingers under his. I didn’t dare place my whole hand beneath his. No, I turned my hand and started playing with his fingers. Noticed for the first time how long and graceful they were. Mine, on the other hand, were thicker and a little shorter. And his skin – soft and just a little sweaty.

Kacchan grumbled, looked away again, but returned the contact. “Fought” with his fingers against mine. Brushed lightly over them every now and then. Made me shiver. Made the fluttering in my stomach return.

Holy shit.

Why were these tiny touches suddenly so intense? Why was my heart trying to beat its way out of my throat? Was it because we could get caught?

Loud cheering made me jump. I tried to pull my hand away, but Kacchan caught one of my fingers between two of his. Trapped it.

I barely noticed All Might’s first Smash against a villain group. Oh, that scene was so good. Usually. But I couldn’t focus at all. Instead, I turned a little toward Kacchan - only for Todoroki to move beside me. I flinched again, making him apologize instantly.

“No problem! I was just… distracted by the movie,” I smiled awkwardly, still trying to free my hand. But Kacchan suddenly intertwined all our fingers and pinned my hand to his thigh.

I tried to keep my breathing normal as Todoroki started a small conversation with me. Tried to focus on him. But I kept glancing down at our hands… and then at Kacchan.
He wasn’t looking at me at all, but he was clearly enjoying this way too much.

That little demon.

But honestly, how could I blame him? I was the one who started this.

 

The rest of the movie turned into pure nerve-wracking suspense.

I was relieved when Todoroki finally turned away from me again - and even more relieved that no one else seemed to glance in our direction. Especially not when Kacchan leaned over to me again at one point and, with that annoyingly calm tone, whispered:
“How many do you think would notice if I kissed you right here and now?”

God, I’d been so grateful he’d chosen the final battle to say that. Everyone was glued to the screen, basically fighting along themselves, and no one dared look away for even a second. Which meant no one saw me jab him in the side - or the you’re impossible look I threw at him, paired with a silent “I hate you.”

His answer couldn’t have been more typical. Barely audible, with that unbearable smug grin, he murmured, “We’ll see that later - in my bed.”

 

Notes:

That’s it!

Argh, I honestly haven’t spent this long on a chapter in ages… but normally I type with all ten fingers ^^’
I hope it didn’t hurt the quality… because honestly, I love this chapter, and I hope I gave you enough Kacchan x Deku moments… hehe 🧡💚

Do you think the title fits? =D

And by the way (I couldn’t write, but I could think a lot while lying down and silently crying into the void), I came up with so many new ideas!!!!! So, so many. And a ton of motivation thanks to the epic final season!!! God, they really went all out, didn’t they? I’ve already cried so many times watching the episodes… just incredible!

Also, there’ll be a little Christmas OS from me this week! I wrote it last year… but I only started posting my stories here after Christmas, so I’m excited to finally share it. I’d love if you stopped by (if you happen to see it pop up).

Wishing you a wonderful week!
Feel hugged 🧡💚

Chapter 79: What’s Allowed - And What Isn’t?

Notes:

Hello everyone!

And a happy 3rd Advent to everyone who celebrates Christmas ^^
Sooo, I managed it again – and this time it only took two weeks. Thank you so much for all your kind words. My arm still isn’t completely okay, but by now I’ve found a few very funny and very awkward positions I can write in xD'

I’m really curious to hear what you think about the new chapter. We may not be moving forward much time-wise again, but I honestly enjoyed writing this one a lot 🧡💚

Have fun!

 

 

 

 

Chapter 79 – What’s Allowed - And What Isn’t?

 

Tiredly, I slapped my alarm clock off and scrunched the pillow in my arms before settling my head back down on it. I enjoyed the soft feeling against my cheek while my arm brushed over the empty side of the bed next to me. Something that made me sigh a little heavier.

Kacchan had already left half an hour ago, but he had ordered me to rest a little longer. Thinking back to what happened made me smile like an idiot. God, who would’ve thought that tiny kisses on the forehead or a gentle stroke along my cheek could feel so good? And how careful he had been with me….

Damn, I was so, so gone for that guy. More with every day.

I grinned and let out a small squeak into the pillow before pushing myself up onto my forearms - only to let out a quiet groan. I exhaled, exhausted, and simply fell back into the mattress.

‘That damn show-off!’, shot through my head as my arm massaged my lower back. He’d been surprisingly awake after movie night. And he hadn’t taken back his words. No - he really had driven me out of my mind for so long - positively, of course - until I’d ended up moaning the opposite of “I hate you” right into him.

God! Just thinking about it made me blush. Why had he been so unrestrained anyway? We were in the dorms!

“If no one in the rooms next door noticed anything, then these walls are really well insulated,” I murmured to myself as I finally forced myself to get ready. After all, I needed to be out of the room before everyone else woke up. And it was already seven o’clock.

 

 

On my way downstairs, I didn’t run into anyone, but surprisingly, I heard voices coming from the common room. Were some people already awake?

The thought alone made something inside me sag. I loved those shared moments in the kitchen in the morning. Alone with Kacchan. Well - maybe we both just liked the kitchen in general. So much of the beginning had happened there. Funny moments, sweet ones, passionate ones, embarrassing ones, but also quiet and aggressive ones. We already connected so many memories to that place. That was why breakfast duty had grown so dear to me. Because in the mornings, we could simply do something together in peace. Just as a couple - and not only as pretend good friends again.

I sighed once more, then straightened my shoulders before stepping into the room. I immediately realized that only two people were present. Two people who gave me at least a bit of hope that the morning wasn’t completely ruined.

“Good morning, Midoriya,” Jiro greeted me right away. She was sitting at the kitchen counter, bent over a loose collection of papers. She didn’t look up. Had she already heard me from a distance?

My gaze shifted to Kacchan, who also lifted his head briefly, nodded once, and then went back to his food. Somehow typical - yet I still couldn’t quite tell what kind of mood he was in.

“Good morning,” I replied for now, then stood there a little uncertain. Should I sit down next to her? Should I go to Kacchan? And if I went to Kacchan - could I allow myself to brush my fingers over his hand? Hug him? Or even kiss him?

Resigned, I let my shoulders sink forward again while my mind tried to find the ideal solution.

Of course, my mother - and society in general - had drilled it into me that you don’t show excessive affection in public. Those kinds of intimacies were meant for your own four walls. Sure, things had loosened up a bit over the years, since even prudish Japan was slowly catching up with modern times, but still - you didn’t want to make anyone uncomfortable. And wouldn’t it also be kind of embarrassing if we just kissed here like that? Right in front of Jiro? Wouldn’t that be shameless?

But before I could think any further, Kacchan’s grumbling voice cut in. “Planning to grow roots there, Nerd?”

“Uh, no… I—I—uh…” I broke off, nervously fidgeting with my shirt before slipping past Jiro and positioning myself stiffly next to Kacchan. I felt completely overwhelmed - and honestly, a little lost.

Kacchan’s gaze found me immediately. His eyebrow shot up, and just as he opened his mouth, I blurted out quickly, “It’s nothing! Uh - what do you have planned for today?”

Of course, he didn’t buy it. I felt his strong grip on my upper arm as he pulled me to the other side of the kitchen, positioning me at the sink. He pressed a dish towel into my hands while calmly turning on the tap.

“Talk,” he muttered quietly, handing me a washed whisk - and right after that, a spatula.

Overwhelmed, I started drying the dishes, nervously glancing over my shoulder every now and then. I saw Jiro bent over her notes. She seemed to be listening to music in one ear and hadn’t looked over at us yet - but her earphone was plugged into the kitchen counter. Was she listening in through it? Or why was she using her quirk like that?

“Does the music chick make you nervous?” Kacchan murmured suddenly, turning my head slightly back toward him - so close that I nearly bumped his nose.

Holy - why was he so close?

Startled, I jumped back a step, unable to suppress a small sound.

He immediately rolled his eyes in annoyance, and I could kind of understand it. But did he really not care at all? Or did the new situation just not bother him? Had he never enjoyed our quiet mornings the way I did? Or was he so satisfied after last night that he simply didn’t feel the need to hug me?

‘God, stop asking yourself such stupid things,’ my inner voice scolded me right away. Somehow, it sounded just as irritated as Kacchan usually did. And honestly - it was probably exactly what he would say if he could hear my thoughts.

“Everything okay with you two?” Jiro asked suddenly, and while I looked down in embarrassment, Kacchan answered the way he always did. Blunt. Straight to the point.

“No, because this shitty Nerd is a pussy.”

“Kacchan!”

“It’s true.”

I looked at him, offended, bit down on my lower lip, and turned away. It took me a moment before my uncertain voice carried through the room. “I… I just don’t know how… I mean… uh… does that really not bother you?”

Kacchan let out a heavy sigh and went back to the sink, muttering something about a “hopeless case,” while Jiro said right away, “I’m kind of lost here.”

I gave her a slightly awkward smile as I moved back toward the sink and dried the measuring cup. And while my hand carefully ran the towel over every little part, I explained quietly, “Normally it’s just… the two of us here. And… now it’s not.”

A snort. Then a giggle.

Confused, I looked up - straight at Jiro, who had a hand over her mouth. Automatically, I tilted my head and frowned. At the same time, I felt a flat hand briefly hit my upper arm, giving me more than just a light shove. It threw me off balance for a second.

“Idiot,” Kacchan muttered again, and I wondered how many times he was planning to insult me today. Not that he meant it - or that I really took it seriously - but still. Was it okay for him to say things like that in front of Jiro? What if she got the wrong idea about us?

“Sorry, Midoriya,” Jiro said, clearing her throat and resting her head on her hand as she spoke calmly. “I didn’t mean to ruin your lovely morning routine. But after our conversation yesterday, I thought it might be… well, a good idea if someone stopped you from ending up in a certain situation for the fourth time.”

Oh god. The way she emphasized “lovely morning routine.” Heaven. I wanted the floor to swallow me whole. Had I really thought Jiro was the most bearable one of them until now? How—

“Ow!”

I cut off my own thoughts, hissed, and grabbed my forehead. I glared at Kacchan, who had just flicked me there without warning.

“What was that for?”

“Punishment,” he replied irritably and went back to the other side of the kitchen, where Jiro was sitting.

I stomped after him, puffed out my cheeks stubbornly, and asked, “For what, exactly?”

“Because you told that woman everything way too dramatically.”

“I did not.”

“You did!”

“No!”

“Oh yes. Why else would she think she needs to play babysitter here, huh?”

“Uh…”

“Exactly - because you made her think I pin you to the counter here every morning and fuc—”

I quickly clapped a hand over his mouth and stared at him in panic. Heat flooded my cheeks. My ears. My neck. Shame prickled everywhere, making me feel like I was about to evaporate.

“KACCHAN!” I exclaimed, yanking my hand away from his mouth and meeting his furious, frustrated stare.

“Wow… you two are really intense about everything that happens between you, huh?” Jiro’s dry comment reached my ears.

I let out a small whine, and just as I instinctively tried to crouch down and hide, Kacchan grabbed me firmly and kept me upright.

“Don’t even think about it, Deku!”

I looked at him pleadingly, heard him sigh heavily, and saw from the corner of my eye how his arm lifted - only to stop just before my hair and drop back down. Instead, he shoved me a little out of the kitchen.

“Just sit down. I don’t need you here today,” he grumbled and turned his back on me completely.

Of course, I shot him a sulky look and definitely pouted. But I didn’t argue. I sat down, unhappy and still slightly embarrassed, next to our “babysitter.”

“What harmony. Really. One could think you’ve been married for several years already,” Jiro said, amused.

“Shut up,” Kacchan snapped immediately, while I just whimpered and dropped my head onto the counter, half crying. Yeah - best to just stay like that. I already felt so overstimulated that I definitely needed a break. And I hadn’t even been downstairs for half an hour yet.

 

 

A silence settled between us. I found it a little uncomfortable. I couldn’t really tell how the other two felt, especially since my face was still resting on the counter. I stayed hidden like that while my mind tried to calmly process everything that had been said. But I kept getting stuck at the same point. At Jiro’s words. At “the-old-married-couple”-thing. Was that really true? And was it something positive or negative?

When I thought about it, it wasn’t the first time the idea had crossed my mind that our relationship felt much longer than just a month. Was it because we hadn’t needed to get to know each other? Because all we had done was add this new part to our shared life story?

I turned my head thoughtfully to the side and watched Jiro sink into her paper chaos, adding notes in all kinds of places. God, just watching it made my inner neat freak suffer horribly. I knew that kind of chaos too - but mine felt more organized. At least to me. I had a system. She apparently didn’t.

As I slowly let my attention drift away from her, a sweet smell reached my nose. A scent I knew very well.

My head snapped up like lightning, and what I saw in the pan made me beam from ear to ear.

“Pancakes!” I blurted out without thinking.

I noticed Jiro flinch beside me, while the corners of Kacchan’s lips twitched into a faint smile before he shook his head in amusement.

“Took you long enough,” he grumbled, flipping the fluffy, golden-brown disc in front of him.

“Yeah… but… there was fish there earlier,” I tried to explain, while my mouth started watering uncontrollably. Was Kacchan making a sweet breakfast for me? Like he had a few weeks ago?

Kacchan clicked his tongue as he skillfully slid the finished pancake out of the pan and dropped the next scoop of batter in. “As if I’d eat that kind of unhealthy crap.”

I smiled crookedly, then rested my face in my left palm and muttered, “Yeah, yeah… but you still ate the crêpe that Saturday.”

“I took one bite - against my will,” he scoffed, turning away to grab something from the fridge. At the same time, he pulled a plate out of the cupboard next to it.

“Crêpe?” Jiro asked.

Oh. I had completely forgotten about her since the smell had hit my nose. Embarrassed, I scratched the back of my head and explained, “We went to the summer festival last Saturday, and Kacchan bought me a crêpe.”

“Oooh, so you went on a date?” she teased, and her tone promised nothing good. I immediately noticed Kacchan grinding his teeth.

I, on the other hand, tried to ignore the warm feeling that threatened to rise for what felt like the hundredth time today. I nodded shyly and added, “Yeah, and it was really nice. I hadn’t been to a summer festival in a long time.”

“Me neither. Ah, I would’ve loved to see that with my own eyes - how the big, proud Katsuki Bakugou lines up at a cute little crêpe stand to get his boyfriend a—”

“Push it any further and you’ll end up in this pan,” Kacchan growled, waving the spatula threateningly in her direction.

She only grinned slyly, looked at him with exaggerated innocence, then turned back to me, completely ignoring him.

And because my mouth was faster than my brain, I said casually, “We have a photo of it.”

“IZUKU!”

He roared in my direction. I instinctively ducked, pulling my head down, then carefully looked up again. And what I saw made me smile softly instead of trembling in fear. There they were again - my beloved red-tipped ears.

Oh my god. I wanted to kiss him so badly right now. And maybe apologize for very obviously and intentionally embarrassing him in front of someone else. But the sight was so adorable that I had to pull myself together not to start drooling.

“Dare to show her that… photo, and you can forget that—”

He stopped. Apparently, he couldn’t come up with a proper threat. Or at least not one he could say out loud here.

I looked at him apologetically, put on what I hoped was my most innocent smile, and quickly pulled out my phone to unlock it. But before I could even open our chat - damn it, I hadn’t saved the photo to my gallery yet - I heard small explosions and had to dodge in the next moment using a bit of One For All.

“Whoa! Guys!” I heard Jiro say in shock, while I focused on not crashing into anything or breaking something as I stumbled backward.

“What the fuck! You little—” Kacchan growled at me, and I let him catch me. We toppled over the backrest of the couch, onto it, and then down onto the floor.

I groaned and hissed in pain, only then remembering that my body was still recovering from last night.

Kacchan was half on top of me, half beside me, his arm stretched out, trying to knock my phone out of my hand. He missed by just a few centimeters, and I heard him growl angrily.

“Kacchan!” I protested, hissing again as I tried to shift and ease the pressure on my body, one hand moving to support my lower back. Kacchan quickly climbed off me, casting me a brief, guilty look. Had he realized why I was reacting so unusually sensitive?

With a sigh, he stood up and helped me to my feet. He scanned me from head to toe, briefly touched my side, and grimaced.

“It’s fine,” I murmured, taking his hand away because I was afraid he might pull me closer. Or that I’d just fall into his arms. Which I really wanted to do right now. Wanted to feel his warmth for a moment. And have his scent around me. Just briefly.

Kacchan looked at me with narrowed eyes, about to say something, when he suddenly wrinkled his nose. I could see it take exactly a millisecond before his eyes widened in alarm and he spun around, sprinting back to the kitchen.

“Argh, FUCK!” he shouted, pulling the slightly overdone pancake out of the pan. He threw at least five more curses after it while dumping the burnt lump of batter into the trash.

“That’s all your fault,” he snapped in my direction, quickly rinsing the pan before placing it back on the stove.

I looked a little dejected, nodded apologetically once, and shuffled back over to Jiro at the kitchen counter.

“I’m sorry, Kacchan.”

An irritated scoff was his only response. And a look that made it very clear I should definitely leave him alone. Jiro, meanwhile, looked surprised, confused, and then shook her head as she glanced back and forth between us, running a hand over her face.

“Wow… so except for the kissing and all, everything between you is basically the same as always, huh?”

I ran a hand through my curls, tried a hesitant smile, and said, “Yeah, well… some things don’t change that quickly.”

She returned my smile, propped her head up with both hands, and said a little sulkily, “Too bad! I really would’ve liked to see that photo.”

And as if we had planned it, we both glanced over at Kacchan at the same time. He noticed immediately. His teeth ground together at once.

“Just do whatever the fuck you want. I don’t care!”

I smiled softly, while Jiro looked almost victorious, grinning widely. I hesitated for just a moment longer before pulling up the photo from our chat. And when I saw it, I couldn’t help but stare at it for a moment, completely smitten. It had turned out so beautiful. I would’ve loved to print it out and put it on my desk. Or use it as my background. But that would’ve been far too risky. Unfortunately.

When Jiro shifted restlessly on her stool beside me, I reluctantly tore myself away from the sight, placed my phone on the kitchen island, and slid it a little closer to her.

What happened next was honestly hilarious: Jiro’s jaw literally dropped, and her eyes went wide as saucers.

I couldn’t help but let out a small giggle and cover my mouth with my hand. Was the photo really that shocking?

It took her a good minute to find her voice again - something I found highly amusing. Kacchan, on the other hand, seemed tense. At least that was the impression I got from the corner of my eye.

“Holy shit. What… man, you two look so different there.”

“Bad different?” I asked teasingly, but she immediately punched my upper arm, briefly covered her mouth, and muttered, “Fuck! You could put that straight on the cover of some magazine. What the fuck. You look so… wow. Damn it, Bakugou! You can really look like that?”

Kacchan shot her a skeptical, frowning look, and I didn’t quite understand what she meant either. Was she really that surprised by that smug—

Oh shit.

I got it.

Yeah. I got it now.

I - who had recently been able to witness many of Kacchan’s expressions up close - still needed a moment to fully understand why Jiro couldn’t form a proper sentence.

That look he’s giving the camera is damn sexy, I answered her speechlessness in my head. Yeah, that expression sent the butterflies in my stomach into complete chaos.

“What?” Kacchan snapped eventually, clearly annoyed at having to endure both of us silently staring at the photo. Me, probably with a very lovestruck expression. And Jiro, still shocked. And maybe—

I studied her face more closely and noticed the faint rosy tint on her cheeks. And just then, she seemed to pull herself together, though her voice was still filled with amazement.

“Damn. With that look, you could steal a thousand hearts. In a second.”

“Huh? Did you just fall for me or what?” he said irritably, continuing to make one pancake after another. He clearly needed the distraction to keep himself in check.

Jiro looked mildly disgusted, waved a hand, and said, “No! Don’t worry! I know you. One photo like that doesn’t magically fix everything.”

Kacchan only rolled his eyes, while I thought that I would’ve probably been called a “cheeky nerd” for that comment.

Amused, I took my phone back, glanced at the display one last time, still dreamy, before slipping it back into my pocket.

And before the situation could escalate yet again in any way, I decided to change the subject.

“So… what are all these notes?”

“Oh, those are my music notes. Some self-written stuff. Different notations. Just everything that goes through my head. Yeah, it’s a bit chaotic. But honestly, I don’t really know anymore how to bring some order into it.”

“Can I help you?”

She nodded - and I breathed a sigh of relief, because my inner neat freak thanked her for letting us finally start sorting that chaos together.

 

 

We were so absorbed in our work that we didn’t even notice Yaomomo entering the common room. Which meant Jiro’s self-appointed task had quietly failed. We shared a brief, amused smile, then covered it up with a calm, casual, “Good morning.”

Yaomomo looked at us in surprise, returned the greeting, and then said, “I expected Midoriya and Bakugou to be here, but what brings you here so early, Jiro?”

“Midoriya already started helping me with my notes yesterday, and we agreed to continue this morning,” she explained casually. I tried not to show my surprise. Had she really already prepared an excuse for this situation? For us? Just so there wouldn’t be any more confusion within the class?

“I do appreciate this kind of diligence in the morning,” Yaomomo laughed as she stepped closer and took a look at our work. I felt a little embarrassed when Jiro openly praised how great my structure was and how carefully I had gone about it.

And because it made me so uncomfortable, I excused myself and fled to the other side of the room, over to Kacchan, to help set the table.

 

Of course, the class was absolutely thrilled about today’s breakfast. They stuffed one pancake after another into themselves and sighed happily with every bite. Over and over again - until Kacchan eventually snapped and retreated into the kitchen, unable to endure the constant moaning and smacking any longer.

I smiled to myself and finished my own pancake just as contentedly. I held back a little, since I’d already eaten one or two in the kitchen. And it certainly wouldn’t be my last.

‘You did burn enough calories last night,’ my inner voice teased, making me shake my head to myself. Thank goodness no one could hear it. Not even Kacchan.

 

 

 

 

Notes:

That’s it!

So - how did you like this new little trio dynamic? I honestly like it a lot. It feels very different from the dynamic with Aizawa or Mitsuki. Those two definitely had their own charm, but with Kyoka it feels different in a really nice way =D

That said, I did spend an entire chapter (and yes, it’s a bit shorter) on just one morning without actually wrapping up the weekend ^^'
But well - then that’ll happen in the next chapter ^^' (and most of you did say you don’t mind if I stretch the story out a bit anyway ^^)

I really hope I can treat you to another chapter before Christmas. My Christmas OS that I wanted to upload… yeah, that didn’t quite work out either. I originally wrote it back in 2023 and, well… I’m reworking it on the side now ^^' (I just can’t let you read it like that.)

I wish you all a wonderful rest of your Sunday and a lovely week! And I’m really looking forward to lots and lots of sweet comments (feel free to make it a few more =D you all write unbelievably wonderful ones 🧡💚)
Feel hugged!

PS: I honestly find it amazing and impressive how some of you discover this story and then binge your way through this entire monster of a fic! Thank you so much to everyone who dared to start it and then told me how much you like it 🧡 I’m blown away every single time… and honestly a bit speechless 🧡 Thank you, thank you, thank you!

PPS: Yesterday, the final MHA episode aired! It was sooo beautiful. The entire season was just amazing! I cried so much… you can’t even imagine! And I already know that MHA will always hold a piece of my heart. (And that I’ll definitely write a few more little stories… hehe.)