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They were in the middle of Present Mic’s lesson when Izuku heard it again. It’s been so long since the last one.
“Oi Izuku,” Katsuki turned around slightly, his voice low, “got any spare pen? Mine’s running out of ink.”
Izuku looked up, trying to calm his fast beating heart, “Of- of course Kacchan,” he rummaged through his All Might theme pencil case and found one, “here you go.”
Katsuki took it and nodded his thanks, blissfully unaware of Izuku’s sudden internal crisis.
Here’s the thing. After the event his friends dubbed as ‘Deku’s retrieval arc’, Katsuki declared- insisted- that he would call Izuku by his first name. While Izuku was secretly happy about it, he knew it would be difficult to break the habit. Katsuki hadn’t called him by his first name since they were four! It was more than ten years ago! So Izuku told him as much, that Katsuki didn’t need to force himself to do such a thing. As long as they stay friends, Izuku didn’t really care about how Katsuki addressed him (he didn’t say the ‘stay friends’ part of course, but it was implied). Katsuki took it as a challenge and got mad instead. Izuku just sighed.
And struggling he was. Every single time. Izuku’s name was De-Izuku for quite a while, sometimes it was Deku-Izu-Argh. At one point, Izuku just flat out requested to be called Deku, in which Katsuki reluctantly grumbled an annoyed, “Fine!”
From that point onward, which was about a year ago, Izuku was Deku again. While he was more than happy to end Katsuki’s misery, Izuku couldn’t help but mourn a little. The few times Katsuki managed to call him by his actual name always brought this warm feeling inside Izuku’s chest. It was nostalgic, in a way. It reminded him of the good old times, when they were both children. Playing in the park with their other friends, no quirk involved because none of them had it yet. His name was Izuku then, said by Katsuki, and the rest of their friends.
That was why it surprised him when Katsuki called him Izuku again. He thought they were over this name thing already. Not that he was complaining. He just didn’t think it could get worse.
It being Izuku’s crush toward Katsuki. The truth was, after the war, their relationship kind of shifted. Maybe it was the result of being in constant fear that they could die literally anytime, and somehow managed to secure a victory and came out alive. Katsuki was the first one to hug him after he took down Shigaraki, his head buried in Izuku’s curls, mumbled a soft, “We fucking did it,” before screaming the same words for the world to hear, all eighteen of their friends scrambling around to form this one giant group hug, yelling and crying and laughing over their win against the evil.
The funeral for the fallen heroes came soon after, and with it, came a harsh realization of how short life could be, especially in this field. They got lucky this time, but there was no telling if they could make it alive in the next thing they would face. They have to make every second count. To live life as best as they could.
Katsuki happened to stand beside him during the funeral, their fingers intertwined loosely. Izuku didn’t think much of the act, taking it as a small comfort thing they both obviously needed.
But it didn’t stop there. School resumed as usual after the war. With lessons and training and exams. And Izuku couldn’t help but notice that Katsuki seemed to gravitate toward him. Is that the right term? Every time there was a vacant spot beside Izuku, whether he was standing up or sitting down, the next thing he knew Katsuki was there, taking it. When they sparred together and Katsuki offered his hand for Izuku to take (after he successfully beat him), Katsuki continued to hold it all the way to the locker room, only releasing it when it was absolutely necessary. When Katsuki was making snacks or drinks, he would make just the right amount for two people and share them with Izuku. And that one time they went home for winter break, sitting side by side on the train, Katsuki didn’t hesitate to put Izuku’s head on his shoulder when he noticed him yawn.
It was strange. A good kind of strange, if the abnormal beating of his heart was any indication, but still. It confused Izuku. All of his friends noticed this as well, but didn’t dare say anything. Izuku, of course, shared the same sentiment.
And now this. Katsuki is calling him Izuku again. He wondered if Katsuki knew how this affected Izuku. He put his hands on his cheeks, willing the blush he was surely sporting to please go down.
Two days later, Izuku overheard a conversation between Katsuki, Kaminari, and Sero in the common room.
“I already said I can’t today, didn’t you fucking hear me?” Katsuki said, with his usual angry tone.
“Bakugou please, if I fail the math test tomorrow, Ectoplasm threatens me with a supplementary class which consists of solving equations while fighting him,” Kaminari cried, “I can’t even solve them the normal way, can you imagine? Just thinking about it makes me want to vomit already.”
“Try asking Izuku then, his kind ass would help you, no question asked,” It was said in such a nonchalant sort of way, you think that was how Katsuki addressed Izuku his whole life.
Silence, then Kaminari’s jaw dropped. Luckily Sero was there to close it for him.
When Katsuki turned around and made his way to the elevator, he spotted Izuku. Izuku gave him a small nervous smile. It was a bit of an awkward situation. Katsuki didn’t say anything and just continued walking. When he was near, he reached out and ruffled Izuku’s curls, muttering a soft, “Night,” leaving Izuku behind, who was now super red in the face.
Izuku tried to compose himself then cleared his throat, looking nervously at the two guys who saw the whole exchange. All three of them tried desperately to act natural, before Izuku finally asked, “Uh so.. you guys need help?”
So.. Katsuki said his real name too, when he was not around, Izuku thought while he was waiting for Kaminari and Sero to solve problem number four. And there it was, the warmth. Making its way to Izuku’s heart. This wasn’t just him imagining things, right? Because when he realized his feelings for Katsuki some time ago, his imagination had been running wild. Not in that kind of sense, but more of the thought that Katsuki liked him too. His nearness, his touch, and now his ‘Izuku’. Izuku started to take them as a sign that this crush might not be hopeless after all.
“Midoriya, I have a question,” Kaminari asked, bringing Izuku back to the present.
“What is it?” Izuku looked down at his book, thinking that it had something to do with the problem they were currently working on.
“Are you.. and Bakugou-”
Sero closed Kaminari’s jaw again, for the second time tonight.
Izuku blushed, was he that obvious? Only him, or both him and Katsuki? Maybe he really should confess after all. It wasn’t just Kaminari, he needed answers too.
Sometimes Izuku would wake up in the middle of the night, sweaty and panting because of a nightmare. If that happened, he would go to the common room, make tea, turn on the TV and just.. stare at it. It was distracting enough to calm him, that it turned into a habit.
Tonight was such a night, but tonight he got company. When he made his way to the sofa, someone was already there.
That someone was Katsuki.
Izuku went back to the kitchen to make another cup of tea, before he realized that Katsuki might have his own drink already. Oh well..
He brought two cups and set them on the table and proceeded to sit beside Katsuki. No cup in sight, so he made the right decision, a small victory.
“Couldn’t sleep?” He asked Katsuki, his tone soft.
Katsuki took the cup gratefully and sipped the warm liquid. He looked more content after that sip, somehow. “Fucking nightmare, and you?”
“Same.”
“It’s been months and it still fucked me up,” Katsuki said, sounding very annoyed.
Izuku looked at Katsuki then, beautiful even when the light was slight. He hadn’t confessed yet, so they were still stuck in this will-they-won’t-they situation. Maybe tonight was his chance?
“I hope it will pass soon.” Izuku commented solemnly.
It was silent for a while, before they both spoke at the same time.
“Ka-”
“Deku- Izuku-”
Izuku chuckled, “I told you that you don’t have to force yourself to do it, didn’t I?”
“And I told you no one is forcing me shit-”
“But even though I said that, I really like it when you do.”
Katsuki’s eyes widened, he looked speechless.
Izuku spoke again, his tone nothing but fond, “I like it- love it, when you say my name.” He paused, “It reminded me of the time when we were still..”
Friends.
Izuku didn’t say the word but he knew that Katsuki heard it just the same.
“So thank you Kacchan, I appreciate it- the effort- and, and.. I appreciate you. Thank you for being my friend again.”
It was a vulnerable moment. It was a fragile moment. So of course Izuku started sniffling. He felt embarrassed all of a sudden. A thumb swiped his tears, then came a forehead’s touching.
“That’s what I’m gonna say from now on then.”
“Huh.”
“Izuku.”
“Oh,” Izuku couldn’t look Katsuki in the eyes, too busy calming down his thunderous heart.
“Izuku, Izuku.” Katsuki called him teasingly, gently.
The next thing Izuku knew, their lips were suddenly just millimeters apart. And then,
“Midoriya,” Todoroki was calling him.
Izuku and Katsuki broke apart, with Katsuki letting out an exasperated sigh.
“Oh, you’re here too, Bakugou,” Todoroki walked toward them before realizing his mistake, too late, “Am I interrupting something?”
Katsuki looked at Izuku and said, “Talk to you in the morning,” before standing up and going to his room.
“I’m sorry?” Todoroki apologized, a little unsure.
“Fuck off.” Katsuki yelled.
Todoroki sighed and looked at Izuku mournfully, “I am interrupting something, aren’t I?”
Izuku just chuckled and urged his friend to sit down beside him, “The moment will come again,” he shrugged, “uh.. hopefully.”
The moment did come again the next morning, with Katsuki knocking on Izuku’s door and locking it as soon as he was let in. He swooped Izuku in a kiss, feeling his smile on his lips. It felt natural somehow, to kiss Izuku like this. Katsuki didn’t know he could care about another person this much, but he was glad it was Izuku.
Katsuki had been planning on confessing for some time now, but he kept getting cold feet, it was fucking embarrassing. He thought their kiss just now pretty much confirmed everything though. But maybe..
Maybe he'd confirm it, verbally, when they go on their first date, which he was about to ask now,
“Wanna go hiking this weekend?”
“Is this a date?” Izuku asked him playfully. Goddamn he was beautiful.
“Yes,” He paused, before giving Izuku an evil grin, now knowing full well that his next word was Izuku's weakness, “Izuku.”
Izuku, as expected, blushed furiously. Katsuki laughed at him while taking his hand, intending to never let go, ever.
Izuku pouted, “Can I change my mind about this name calling thing?”
Katsuki smiled, fondly, genuinely, and without restraint, “No.”