Archive of Our Own

Izuku clambered in over the balcony railing, cursing when he almost tipped over one of the plants. He apologized adamantly to her, promising to give her some extra water in the morning, before he opened the slider and slipped inside.

"Where've you been?"

Izuku tensed, then sighed. He knew Katsuki would be waiting up for him, but had naively hoped otherwise. It was late.

"There... May or may not have been a bank robbery on the way home..." He mumbled, kicking off his red hero boots, and bending down to scoop them up in one hand. It's was... Most of the truth. The gang case they were on was driving him crazy, and it was after office hours before he looked up again from his work. And then he really did stumble across an attempted robbery on his way.

He crossed the room to where Katsuki was eyeing him judgementally, his head tipped backwards over the back of the couch to look at him.

"You- mmf."

Izuku kissed him, then leaned back to let him continue.

"You were supposed to go in to the office today, babe. Only the office."

Izuku sighed, and shrugged as he set down his bag next to Katsuki on the couch, and dumped his shoes on the floor.

"Bad day for those robbers, huh?" He tried to joke, but it didn't land well. Katsuki was still eyeing him with an unreadable expression. He got up suddenly, rounding the couch, so he could snatch Izuku by the waist and pull him close.

"What's wrong?" He demanded simply, words gruff but hands gentle.

Izuku pursed his lips, and searched Katsuki's eyes, then finally let himself slump forwards enough to press his forehead into Katsuki's collarbone. He huffed a little breath.

"Noth-"

"Don't even," Katsuki barked. "Tell. Me."

Izuku bit his lip, then finally let himself melt all they way into Kacchan, feeling himself warm up as Katsuki steadied him; strong, secure, and safe.

"Dunno. Just... Feeling off today. Woke up feeling weird, I guess," he finally admitted.

Katsuki grunted, then reached up to run a hand through his hair, scratching painted fingernails over his scalp lightly. Izuku's eyes fluttered.

Katsuki walked him backwards, until his butt hit the table, and Izuku sat up on it easily. Katsuki slid between his legs, and lifted one hand from his waist to cup his cheek.

He didn't smile, but the soft look in his eyes was enough to make Izuku feel like putty in his hands.

"Kiss me?"

"Mm, those are some mighty high demands, there," Katsuki mumbled lowly, but he pressed closer and kissed Izuku anyway. Izuku sighed happily, locking his thighs around Katsuki's butt, and sliding his hands up the back of Katsuki's loose tee.

Katsuki kissed him as roughly as ever, and the force of it felt simultaneously grounding, and also had his head spinning wildly off it's axis. Katsuki tasted like his cinnamon tooth paste and- and like a cigarette.

"You- mm," Izuku tried to say between kisses, "told me you'd stop smoking, you dick, oh-" his train of thought immediately went out the window as Katsuki tipped his head back by his grip in Izuku's hair and kissed all the way down his throat, sucking lightly until he got to Izuku's collarbones, where he started to suck and bite down harder.

Katsuki smirked at him, like he had won something, and Izuku's mind was far too fuzzy to try to pick up whatever argument they were supposed to be having.

Then suddenly Katsuki pulled back and smacked his hip. Which like, didn't actually hurt but, ow.

"You haven't eaten all day, have you?"

"How did you...?"

"I didn't, but you just told me. Nice going, idiot," Katsuki said, raising an unimpressed eyebrow. Izuku pursed his lips at him.

"'Kay, Imma heat up my left overs from earlier, you're going to eat all of it, then I'm gonna eat you out right over this table, sound good?"

Izuku spluttered, but managed to nod, for lack of better response.

**

Katsuki turned on his oldies hit list as he went around the kitchen, warming up whatever he had made earlier, and even making him fresh rice. As the rice cooked, he slid between Izuku's legs where he had perched on the counter to watch his Kacchan.

"You're missing them, aren't you?" Katsuki accused, all be it lightly.

Izuku groaned softly, "I always miss our past selves. They have such a special place in my heart."

"Sap," Katsuki scoffed, but slid closer when Izuku made grabby hands for him, and let Izuku cling to him.

Izuku rolled his eyes, since Katsuki couldn't see him. "Yeah, yeah. I know they're fine though. They've got each other, right?" Izuku's voice cracked incriminatingly on the last syllable.

Katsuki pulled back to look at him, his expression contemplative.

"Yeah, so stop your worrin', alright?" Katsuki's words were gruff, but the way he cupped Izuku's jaw and kissed him tenderly was all sweetness.

Izuku hummed softly into his mouth.

**

True to his word, as soon as Katsuki watched Izuku take his last bite of curry, he ripped the bowl out of his hands, shoved it in the sink to deal with later, then dragged Izuku to the edge of the table to grapple with his costumes zippers.

Izuku giggled, feeling himself flush, "K-kacchan, oh, I haven't showered..."

"Shut up n lemme see ya," Kacchan gruffed, pulling open his costume. Izuku let himself lean back, then let his head plunk back on the table, revelling in the feeling of Katsuki's hands skimming all over his bare chest, up and down his abs and back up to flick his nipple piercings.

Izuku sighed happily, which Katsuki took advantage of, leaning over him and sliding his tongue into Izuku's mouth. Izuku sucked on his tongue eagerly, arching into Katsuki's warm hands.

Katsuki worked him up slowly but thoroughly, his hands absolutely everywhere once they both managed to get the costume kicked off between mind numbing kisses. They got his underwear shimmied off eventually as well, and then Katsuki kissed wetly and hotly down the line of his body, until he was kneeling between Izuku's spread thighs.

Izuku couldn't meet his intense gaze for long, feeling like he'd come on the spot if Katsuki kept looking at him like that.

Like he'd devour him.

But it wasn't far off from the truth, Izuku found minutes later as Katsuki ate him out with an unmatched vigor. He was quick and thorough one minute, then would slow down to lave lazily over his hole the next, content to kiss and suck over his rim and listen to Izuku whine and pant.

He didn't get worked up like this very often anymore, but Katsuki had a way with rimming him that made Izuku lose his mind every damn time. Much faster than he'd like to admit, Izuku swatted at Katsuki's spikey head and groaned, "Kacchan, K-kacchan you gotta stop, I'm gonna..."

Katsuki pulled up to smirk at him, "go ahead, sweetheart. I know you can go again."

Izuku huffed and let his shoulders and head clunk back on the table top.

"But- a-ah," he moaned, as Katsuki leaned back in to slurp obscenely over his rim. "I wanted you to fuck me..." He complained.

Katsuki eyed him, his gaze heavy and intense.

"Who said I wasn't going to?" He demanded, then pushed a finger in cautiously alongside his tongue, mindful of the lack of lube.

A gasp ripped out of Izuku, and he came suddenly from the rough friction of Katsuki's bare finger.

Katsuki pulled back with a satisfied grin.

"Shut up," Izuku said, pointing, once he could get his eyes to open.

Katsuki feigned innocence horribly, "but I don't say anything?"

"Ugh."

Katsuki grinned wolfishly, then turned around and swiped a bottle of lube off the counter, hidden, rather terribly, behind the flour and sugar jars.

"You snake, you planned this, didn't you?" Izuku accused.

Katsuki raised an eyebrow, looking smug, but otherwise stayed frustratingly quiet.

But Izuku had exactly zero problems when Katsuki manhandled him onto his stomach, stretched up lewdly on his toes to be bent over the table, his hands sliding into the familiar indents on the opposite lip of the table.

He sighed happily when Katsuki pushed his hard cock all the way in, then moaned when Katsuki nipped at his ear and bit lightly at his jawline.

Katsuki started a surprisingly, but mind numbingly slow pace, deep and rough, like a punch to the gut on each thrust.

"Fuck, you take me so well darling. You happy now?"

Izuku bit down on a wail, but cried out yes, yes, fuck Kacchan!

Katsuki bit down on the back of Izuku's neck, then cranked his head up by the hair to swallow Izuku's resounding moans. He stayed shallow but rough for long, drawn out minutes, eating up Izuku's moans and breathing rough and heavy into his ear when he wasn't.

He finally, finally started a faster pace, which delighted Izuku. Katsuki's hands tightened around his waist as he changed angle, sliding in and out quick and rough, just to slow back down when Izuku just started to feel like he could come again.

"Fuck! Fuck, Kacchan, please!"

"Mm, yes beg for me, baby," Katsuki purred into his neck.

Izuku wiggled impatiently on his cock, trying to get him to speed back up, but Katsuki used his old trick of kicking his feet apart and driving his hips up to force Izuku's own hips to slam into the table, trapping him.

"Ah ah, words, baby." Katsuki growled, then used one hand to push the back of his neck down, forcing his shoulders flush against the table, then used the other hand to twist Izuku's right arm up against his back, pinning him.

And really, if Izuku wanted to, he could break out of it easily, and have Katsuki across the room on his back in half a second flat. But he didn't. He melted.

"Kacchan, Kacchan please," he babbled, his voice shaking. Katsuki sped back up, laying sloppy kisses over the back of his neck. His thrusts were fast, but measured and aimed carefully away from Izuku's prostate.

"C'mon, come for me, sweetheart," Katsuki growled.

Izuku almost sobbed in desperation, "I cant!" He gasped in a wet breath, "p-please."

Katsuki tutted in his ear, "mm, but I think you can." But he sped up anyway, just barely grazing Izuku's prostate on each thrust.

It was driving Izuku insane.

But finally Katsuki changed his angle, and yanked Izuku's hips backwards toward his, dragging Izuku's cock over the surface of the table. Then he drove himself in so hard Izuku saw stars.

Izuku let his forehead slam into the table, content to get his brains fucked out. Thankfully, Katsuki didn't fucking slow down again, he kept the insane pace until Izuku seized up and came moaning Katsuki's name.

Katsuki immediately flipped him onto his back, cradling Izuku's legs in his arms, and fucked back into him.

Izuku let his head fall back again as he wailed.

Katsuki sweet talked him all the way through it, his voice rough and strained, but Izuku couldn't make out the words. He was all to happy to be used though, and miraculously, his cock started to harden again as Katsuki kept up the brutal pace. Or... it had never gotten entirely soft in the first place.

Katsuki had him folded like a pretzel on the table, his knees to his ears and his wrists pinned above his head by Katsuki's firm grip.

"C'mon baby, come for me again, one more time, sweetheart, I know you can," Katsuki purred into his ear, one of his big hands sliding down Izuku's sweat-slick body to wrap around his aching, oversensitive cock.

Izuku thrashed, rattling the table, but Katsuki pressed in around him more to contain it. Katsuki continued to egg him on, his pace still absolutely brutal, and Izuku felt his eyes roll up as he came again.

Katsuki fucked him through it, then slowed to a stop, biting off a low moan, the tightening of Izuku's body driving him over the edge. Katsuki let his legs go carefully, and leaned over him to press kisses to his face.

"Did so well for me, fuck," he said, hoarse.

Izuku hummed, clenching on Katsuki's softening cock. Katsuki hissed, but dutifully stayed inside him, pressing kisses to his skin until Izuku nudged him to let him know he was ready for him to pull out.

Fuzzy minded and satiated, Izuku didn't notice the lack of Katsuki's presence until he heard his voice from further away.

"Izuku."

"Hngh?"

"Izuku, look at me."

"Ugh," Izuku grunted, but swayed shakily on his arms, propping himself up to squint around. He looked around in confusion until he spotted Katsuki on the floor.

Kneeling, on the floor.

Kneeling... On one knee.

Izuku's eyes widened by a fraction, his breath stuttering to a stop.

"K-kacchan?"

"Izuku," Katsuki replied evenly, bare chested and beautiful, flushed red. He pulled a little Ziploc bag of the counter behind him, then shook something out of it into his palm.

Something... Small and round...

"O-oh, oh fuck," Izuku gasped, sitting up a little more, his hand raising to cover his mouth. "You can't be serious. You- You fucking asshole."

Katsuki gave him a small, genuine smile, something so rare but so, so beautiful.

"Marry me, shithead."

"Gah. Fuck. Fine."

**

Katsuki showed up fifteen minutes late to brunch with their friends the next morning with blood dripping down his face.

"Not mine." He grunted, to the shocked waitress, and to the table filled with an odd conglomeration of old class 1-a students (and Shinsou), some in civilian clothes, some in costume either just getting off a shift or leaving to one after brunch.

Izuku squeaked when he saw him, and frantically pulled out a chair for him, whipping off his costume's gloves so he could dip a napkin in a glass of water. Katsuki sat next to him, and made faces as Izuku wiped at the blood and fretted.

"Jeez, 'm fine baby, villain dripped all over me as I was cuffin' him. S' fine," he said lowly and gruffly, his version of comforting.

Izuku didn't even notice the eyes on him until Katsuki grunted, "what're you starin' at, pink cheeks?"

Izuku followed his gaze, to where Ochaco was staring hard at Izuku. Or rather... His hand...

"T-that's, that's-" she stammered. The rest of the table followed her gaze, their attention still toward the two of them from Katsuki's sudden entrance. Her eyes were wide, her mouth opening and closing, as she raised a shaking hand to point.

The table suddenly exploded into noise.

"Woah, congrats you two!"

"Fucking FINALLY!"

"I'm so happy for-"

"YOU BETTER MAKE ME THE FUCKING FLOWER GIRL!"

"Kaminari, you're an adult man..."

**

"You wouldn't believe how he did it," Izuku said, later that night, as he dried dishes and set them on the rack, his phone propped between his ear and shoulder.

Katsuki was showering, his rock playlist filtering lowly from the bedroom.

"How?" Ochaco asked, her voice fuzzy, like she was walking, maybe jogging.

"Guess!"

"Mmm..." Ochaco hummed, breathing steadily over the line. "Right after a villain fight?"

"Mm. Worse."

"Ummm... You were brushing your teeth? Doing paperwork?"

Izuku hummed a negative to each guess.

"Taking a shit?"

"Ochaco! No!"

Ochaco laughed wildly, then said, "I dunno! Tell me!"

"He made me dinner after a kind of rough day, then fucked me over the dining room table and made me come three times, then fucking got on one knee while I was still coming down."

Izuku had to hold the phone away from his ear as Ochaco cackled over the line.

"That sounds like a very... Katsuki proposal. Also, good to know I can never eat at that table ever again."

"Mm. Yeah. But it's not an engagement ring." He said, setting down the last plate, then turned around to lean up against the counter, fiddling with the ring now looped on a chain around his neck. He graciously didn't tell Ochaco that the table was far from untainted... Along with... Almost every other piece of furniture they owned...

"Well. Sort of. It's more of a promise ring. We really don't have the time to plan an entire wedding right now. We're still on that gang case, you know. It's been kicking our asses."

Ochaco sighed. "I guess that makes sense. I just wished you could get married sooner. You've been waiting for like, ever."

Izuku's eyes softened. "I know. But it matters to him that we have enough time to do everything properly. I admire that."

"Hmm... True. But... I'll be best woman, right?"

"Of course?!" Izuku yelped. "The fuck? Who do you think you are?!"

He smiled warmly as Ochaco laughed giddily in response.

**

They were 36 when it happened.

They had finally, finally tracked down the main branch of the gang they'd been hunting for years. Every small branch they'd shut down always led to two or more others, but finally they had found the last one. It was huge, underground. A maze, meant to throw off outsiders.

He and Izuku split up, and came at it from two of the different known entrances. There was supposedly a large hideout somewhere in the middle.

Izuku got to it first. But that fucking self sacrificing idiot turned himself in, in return for the kids and women they'd most recently kidnapped for human trafficking.

Katsuki got there late.

Fucking late.

His redesigned gauntlets were smashed by some villain with a plant quirk, so he was fighting unsupported through the dizzying maze of tunnels, but he really started to tear up his arms when one of the assholes showed him a live video of Izuku.

He strapped to a quirk-reducing chair, several fingernails and teeth missing, black and blue with blood everywhere.

He was missing a foot. A foot.

Katsuki saw red.

The fucker stopped laughing once Katsuki snapped his neck, but no matter how much he threatened the other villains he encountered, no one would tell him where Izuku was.

The ringing in his ears wouldn't stop.

He went room to room, hallway to hallway, frantic. He wasn't careful with the other gang members he encountered, and he'd deal with the repercussions later if he ended up killing some of them.

If he was too late...

No.

He had to keep going.

He glanced down at his mangled, bloody and bruised arms, panting and spluttering through the blood running down his face and into his mouth, and told himself he could deal with his arms later. He was too high on adrenaline right now to feel the pain anyway.

Eventually he finally, finally found the right room. It was filled with villains.

Izuku's head was lulled forward onto his chest where he sat strapped to the chair, his eyes closed, blood splattered over his face, and dripping from his lips. It only took another glance at the bloodied stump of Izuku's leg to get him to charge in, roaring.

The first ones that threw themselves at him were easy to take down, but for every villain he triumphed over, another three were there to take their place. He didn't know how much time passed, how much damage he was doing to himself or the others using his quirk unobstructed, but it didn't matter to him.

Finally, he stood panting in a room full of collapsed, burned and bloodied bodies. He released Izuku with a hit to the control panel using his knee.

Katsuki stumbled forward and kicked at the base of the chair, almost crying out in relief when Izuku jolted. He would reach up to take the gag out of Izuku's mouth, but...

Izuku finally opened his eyes at the second kick, and Katsuki bit back a groan of relief. Izuku spit out the gag.

"K-kacchan! What are you... Y-you! Your ar-"

"We don't have much time. Get your arm around me," Katsuki said, the panic simmering low in his gut, only contained by years and years and years of field training. He could panic later. Right now, he had to get them out. He had to.

Izuku nodded, and once Katsuki got close enough to bend over him, Izuku slung a muscle dense arm over his shoulders, and started to wobble forward onto one foot. Katsuki leaned back with him, wishing he could just scoop Izuku up and run, but he didn't think he could move his arms even if he tried.

Izuku noticed him wince when his arm brushed Katsuki's, but Katsuki grunted, "I'm fine. Less go."

It was a slow wobble out of the room, into a back hallway Katsuki prayed led out of there. He might still be able to use the grenade kick from his feet, but Izuku was down a foot and a lot of blood, and Katsuki wasn't sure how much he'd be able to fight.

They tensed when they heard footfalls from around the bend in the hallway, both pausing and taking a defensive stance out of instinct, but six feet of muscle topped with wild red hair rounded the bend and skidded to a halt.

Kirishima.

"Oh thank FUCK, you guys! You scared us! We gotta go, one of those fuckers called back up, we don't have much time-"

"Yeah yeah, got it shitty hair, get his other arm-"

Katsuki gasped as Izuku shifted, his weight brushing against Katsuki's arm as Kirishima slung Izuku's other arm over his shoulders.

"Oh fuck, you two..." Kirishima mumbled, his red eyes flickering over their various injuries.

"Let's go." Katsuki snapped, patience and just about everything else worn thin.

Kirishima nodded, and they started at a slightly faster pace, practically just dragging Izuku between them. Izuku could barely keep his eyes open, and he was breathing ragged and heavy. He looked pale.

The rest of it was a little bit of a blur for Katsuki, the hallway out cleared of villains by Kirishima's trip in, thank fuck.

When they stumbled outside, it was to a roar of several different noises all at once. Helicopters, sirens, people shouting over each other.

Then, the entrance to the underground tunnel exploded.

**

Katsuki woke much later, and he didn't have to see to know he was in a hospital. He could tell by the smell alone. He opened his eyes slowly, blinking in the bright light, feeling groggy. His head felt like it was underwater, the sound distorted to the point of being almost non-existent.

Then the memories from the last time he was awake filtered in and he bolted upright, gasping. A frantic glance around showed him Izuku was safe and sound, if a little less than whole, sitting in the chair next to Katsuki's bed. He sat up, blinking away weariness, and gave him a tired smile. Then he said something, his lips moving, but Katsuki made out no sound.

Ah. Fuck.

He shook his head, and tried to point agitatedly to his ears, only to realize he couldn't move his arms. Izuku gave him a solemn nod, then signed okay?

Katsuki huffed, but took a moment to access. Both of his arms were in casts. He couldn't even twitch his finger tips. He felt fine otherwise, other than the jarring silence from the world around him, which should be filled with beeps and bloops from the medical machines and Izuku.

He shrugged, and nodded.

He scanned Izuku, and felt rage boil in him when he saw the empty space where Izuku's foot should be. And... Most of his calf...

Izuku followed his gaze, then looked back up with his practiced hero smile.

It's okay. My fault. Too much... He signed, then paused, the slightest glimmer of frustration passing over his face, and fingerspelled q-u-i-r-k.

Katsuki ground his teeth together and nodded at Izuku's hands, at the bandaged fingers.

Izuku pursed his lips. They wanted information on the boss we took into custody. I refused.

Katsuki felt the rage boil again, and had to look away and breathe before he could look back.

Izuku gave him a soft smile, but his hurt showed in his eyes. They're gone- and then said something out loud, and Katsuki didn't have to have his hearing to recognize 'Kacchan.'

He didn't have time to answer, because the door opened and Todoroki walked in. Not shitty-candy-cane Todoroki, but the Colonel Sanders lookin-ass one.

Natsuo gave them a faint smile, then started speaking. Katsuki could only catch a few words from his lips, so he turned to Izuku and waited for him to translate.

Izuku nodded to Natsuo then turned to Katsuki.

M-e-i is here with hearing aids.

Katsuki grunted.

He looked down at his own arms, then back up in question. Natsuo barely contained his grimace and reached up to rub the back of his neck. So, not good, then. Figures.

Mei burst into the room then, talking up a storm, by the look of how fast her mouth was moving. Izuku straightened up, and nodded along to what she was saying. Natsuo awkwardly shuffled to the side to let her in, his eyes lingering on Katsuki, mouth half open like he hadn't been done speaking.

Izuku turned to look at Katsuki, and started to sign something about the hearing aids, so Katsuki grunted and scooted closer to the edge of the bed, and leaned his left ear toward Mei.

She smiled and wasted no time getting right up in his space so she could none too gently yank the old piercing-aid out, and shove a new one in its place. Katsuki grunted in pain, but just turned his head to let her do the other one.

"-hear us, Bakugou?"

"Nn, unfortunately." He grunted.

Mei ignored him, and clapped her grease stained hands together. "Fantastic! Well, Natsuo already briefed me on the state of your arms-"

"Mei wait-!" Natsuo tried to protest, holding out a hand, but Mei steamrolled right over him.

It was fine. Katsuki already knew.

"I think with my new nanotech surgery machine, we can extract the shards of bone out of the nerves, and you'll only be left with carpel tunnel, which should be fixable with my new babies-"

"No."

"And then- wait. No?" Mei finally stopped, and behind her, Natsuo facepalmed himself harshly. Izuku was biting his lips, his eyes trained on Katsuki.

"No," he repeated, firm. He ground his teeth together, "there's no need."For once, Mei was shocked into silence.

"B-but, Bakugou, if you try to use your quirk once your arms heal..." Natsuo trailed off, gulping, like he was afraid Katsuki would explode at him. Katsuki closed his eyes and sighed briefly, before he opened them and looked right at Natsuo and Mei.

"No. I'm going to retire."

Izuku gasped, and when he looked back to him, Izuku had a hand over his mouth.

"I think you should too, Izuku. You... You matter far more to me than my career." Izuku's eyes went even wider, and he trembled slightly where he sat.

"Nothing matters more to me than yo- than... Than us." Izuku's eyes watered, and he reached out with his other hand to carefully wrap his fingers around Katsuki's bicep.

He heard someone sniffle in the background, but he didn't stop, "I'd rather us be alive, and be together, than to loose you. Or to leave you alone in this world without me."

Izuku really started to cry then, almost falling off the edge of his seat like he couldn't bear to be any less close to Katsuki. Katsuki could relate.

"I've been thinking of it for a while. But. I almost lost you. I thought... I thought I had lost you. I am not losing you, do you understand?"

He vaguely heard the sounds of Mei and Natsuo leaving, but it didn't matter because Izuku was hobbling to his foot and tossing himself across Katsuki.

**

Katsuki didn't cry until after his parents came and left later in the evening.

Izuku stayed in the hospital bed with him the whole day, despite the half-formed complaints from the staff (Natsuo shut them down with the trademark Todoroki Stern Look™).

When he broke, Izuku held him cradled in his arms as he shook with silent sobs, his face pressed into Izuku's shirt. He pet a hand through his overlong hair, pressing kisses to his scalp, and said nothing, knowing from somewhat limited experience that Katsuki didn't want it acknowledged when he cried.

Once Katsuki had wiped his damp face on Izuku's shirt (...ew) he glanced up at Izuku. Izuku couldn't help himself, he reached out and cradled Katsuki's face in his hand, and pet his bandaged thumb under one of Katsuki's bloodshot eyes.

To his suprise... Katsuki didn't fight him. He didn't pull away. He leaned into Izuku's touch, like he needed it. It took all of what Izuku had to not burst into tears on the spot.

"W-we'll take that hero reconnaissance job, yeah? Still help out where we can, just not on the front lines? I know you won't be able to just sit at home for the next however many years like a little house husband, even though I think you'd be good at it-"

Katsuki snorted wetly, and leaned forward to butt his head into Izuku's face to make him stop talking. Izuku spluttered, spitting out hair as Katsuki laughed at him.

"Fuck yeah. They're not getting rid of me that easily."

Izuku bit his lip, willing himself not to cry.

**

Izuku adapted to the prosthetic surprisingly quickly, once he figured out using his levitate quirk helped his balance.

Izuku knew Katsuki was trying to pretend he wasn't, but he watched Izuku practicing with a careful eye, poised and ready to swoop in at a moments notice if Izuku so much as stumbled.

His arms were mostly healed, at least, they looked that way from the outside. But Izuku knew by his pinched expressions when he moved certain ways that the pain was no where near gone. There was a great chance it never would be.

"What did the hero committee say?" Izuku asked, taking careful steps alongside the island in the kitchen, one hand hovering over the surface of the counter should he need it to catch himself.

Katsuki grunted from where he sat at the table, arms crossed over his chest.

"They're setting it up for Friday."

Izuku hummed.

He wasn't sure about how he felt. He knew for a long time coming they would retire eventually, heros couldn't last forever. And Katsuki was right, he'd rather them be together and alive then fight until death and risk loosing one another.

Some selfish part of him was relived.

Another part of him hated himself for that.

Katsuki shifted in his seat, his foot begining to tap on the floor. He almost never fidgeted.

"What is it?" Izuku asked cautiously.

Katsuki eyed him, as he turned around at one end of the counter, and started walking back the other way, careful on his prosthetic foot.

"You don't have to-" Katsuki started, then cut himself off, "-don't just fucking agree to retire because I am, alright?"

Izuku paused.

Katsuki leapt to his feet as soon as Izuku pushed off the counter toward Katsuki, who rushed toward him like he was a toddler on ice skates.

"H-hey, stop that, I'm fine," Izuku reassured, a little wobbly on the foot, but no where near falling. "And I'm not agreeing to just because you are, you know. I've been thinking about it for a while now, too."

He just didn't think it would come so soon, maybe.

And sure, part of him was sad. But they would have each other, and they would still be working on villain cases, even if it wasn't from the front lines.

Katsuki frowned at him, like he didn't believe him, his arms reaching out to steady Izuku's. Naturally, Izuku gravitated toward him, leaned into him. When had he ever not?

Katsuki ground his teeth, avoiding Izuku's gaze. "I just... Don't wanna be the reason you're not a hero too, anymore. Y'know."

Izuku's heart dropped.

He desperately reeled in the myriad of emotions trying to bubble up all at once, raising a hand to cup his cheek to coax Katsuki into looking at him.

"You're the reason I became a hero in the first place. And I knew what I was getting in to. The foot was my fault. But I've been tired for a while. I want us to rest."

Katsuki chewed on his lip, his eyes gaining the slightest, almost unnoticeable sheen to them.

He cupped a hand over the hand Izuku had pressed to his face, and kissed his palm. "Alright."

**

Katsuki smoothed his aching hands over the front of his suit, feeling the bump in one of the pockets. He resisted a smile at the feeling, and turned away from the mirror.

He found Izuku in the bathroom, fidgeting with the strand of hair that always stuck up cutely in the back.

Katsuki slid in behind him, one hand circling around Izuku's waist to squeeze at his side.

"Lookin' good, darlin'. You ready?" He asked, after pressing a kiss to the back of his neck.

Izuku shivered pleasurably, then smiled at him in the mirror, humming in answer. Katsuki ushered them out of the apartment, and down the elevator to the parking garage.

He drove one handed, as he normally did, so Izuku could hold his right. Izuku gently massaged his fingers, and Katsuki let him, unwilling to admit that it did next to nothing to help with the pain.

**

When they stepped out onto the stage, Izuku left a hand clasped on Katsuki's shoulder to help balance himself. The crowd gasped when they saw Izuku's new prosthetic. Izuku gave them his best hero smile, ever the saint with fans and concerned citizens.

Izuku stepped in front of the microphone, and for as much as he complained about being awkward in interviews and with the press, Izuku loved their fans, and the stage fright melted away in times like these. Katsuki always loved to see it happen.

"Hello everyone, thank you so much for being here on such late notice," he said, chuckling softly. Katsuki could only look at him, even as he addressed the crowd.

"Dynamight and I have an announcement to make. We um. Well." He glanced briefly at Katsuki, searching for support. Katsuki gave him a firm nod. "We're going to be retiring." He said, with a finality.

The crowd, an odd mix of other heros, reporters, people on the hero committee, billionaires that funded heros, and civilians, erupted into noise.

Katsuki raised his other arm for silence, and the sound diminished to a low hum. They probably knew better, with him around, who was notorious for popping his quirk menacingly if too many reporters swarmed them or tried to talk over either of them.

Izuku laughed nervously. "I know, I know. We don't really want to go either but um." He made a slightly pinched face. "We're getting old. We've been on our toes for years. And it's time for us to move on." He looked down briefly, and cleared his throat.

"Besides, there's a fantastic new wave of heros to replace us!" He gushed, gesturing with one hand, "Some of which we helped train! They're the best of the best and... And you're in good hands," he said, nodding firmly, even as his voice wavered slightly. Katsuki squeezed his waist in encouragement, scowling out at the crowd.

"And we aren't done yet! We're taking a job in reconnaissance! We'll still be taking down villains left and right, you'll see. We aren't done fighting!" he finished, with a wave and cheery smile Katsuki knew wasn't forced. The crowd swelled with noise in response, some protest, some cheering.

Izuku glanced at Katsuki, then gestured to the mic. Katsuki stepped forward.

"Yeah, you better believe we'll still be around, so look out for us. Villains, you aren't getting off easy any time soon, ya hear?" He said, pointing menacingly.

Then he cleared his throat, and ran his tongue over the back of his teeth, feeling his eyes soften as he looked out over the crowd.

He glanced down, then back up. He could feel Izuku's eyes on him, questioning. Katsuki usually only ever said a sentence or two, if that. But Katsuki had something important to do today.

"When I was a kid I wanted to be number one." He drug his eyes off the crowd and fixed Izuku with his intense gaze instead. "It was all that ever mattered to me. I wanted to be at the top, to be the best. To prove myself."

Izuku stared back at him, searching his eyes.

"But I've found something far more precious to me. Something I'd lay down my life protecting."

Izuku started to smile, his eyes filling with tears. Katsuki leaned forward just as Izuku did to kiss him. It was short and sweet, but the crowd roared with approval, cameras snapping in the crowd.

Then, for the second time, after nearly five and a half years, Katsuki got down onto one knee.

Izuku's jaw dropped, and he stumbled only slightly from the sudden lack of support.

"K-kacchan?!" He hissed, too far away for the mic to pick up.

Katsuki smiled, the screaming roar of the crowd unheard to him.

"Izuku," he started, grabbing Izuku's left hand to hold between his own. "We've been together through everything. As kids, as students, as heros. Will you go on one last journey in life with me? Will you marry me?"

And then he winked, on the side not facing the crowd, to say 'for real, this time.'

Izuku, already a mess, covered his mouth with his other hand, tears streaming from his eyes. He nodded frantically, and Katsuki grinned.

He barrelled into Izuku as he stood, lifting him off his feet and into a spin. Izuku giggled wildly, unheard to the crowd.

Katsuki kissed him once he set him down, one hand cradling his jaw and the other on his back. Izuku held him close by his lapels, crying into the kiss.

Katsuki pulled back to pull the ring out of his pocket, and slid it onto Izuku's ring finger. Then, making sure to angle towards the crowd, Katsuki lifted Izuku's hand to his mouth and kissed the ring.

Izuku gave him the wobbiliest, most watery grin, and Katsuki stepped in to kiss him again, unable to help himself.

**

"Can't believe you fucking did it to me again," Izuku complained, waving the hand with the ring.

Katsuki snickered.

After finally extracting themselves from the press conference (Aizawa appeared out of the crowd and ushered them through a maze of hallways into the parking garage, the utter saint), they had driven home, ordered some greasy food, changed into comfortable clothes, and sat on the sofa to relax for a while.

"You shoulda seen your face," Katsuki said, looking far too proud of himself. Izuku raised an eyebrow at him. "I fuckin' hope those reporters got good pictures, I want you to see it yourself."

"Dick."

"You love me."

"I do," Izuku said softly, nuzzling his face into Katsuki's warm shoulder.

"You're supposed to save those words for the wedding."

Izuku giggled, feeling giddiness bubble through his chest, then tilted his head up and gasped, "oh God, we're going to have an actual wedding. With like, decorations and flowers and all our friends... Oh fuck, I have to tell my mom-!" He started to sit up, but Katsuki growled and pulled him back down.

"C'mere," he grunted, and hauled Izuku into his lap.

Izuku giggled, and curled into him easily. Katsuki rubbed a steady hand up and down his spine, the feeling of it sending tingles through his shoulder blades. He hummed, closing his eyes, content to listen to Kacchan's steady breathing, the whir of the fan, and the noise of the gentle rain outside.

The lights in the penthouse were dimmed, the choice ones casting colorful pools of light across the angles of the furniture and rugs. The air smelled clean and warm, cozy from the candle they lit earlier.

"Let's move out to the suburbs."

Izuku opened his eyes, and glanced up at him, blinking the sleepiness away.

"Yeah?" He said.

"Mm," Katsuki agreed. "Get a big house. With a garden, you've always wanted a fuckin' garden, you and your plants," he said, feigning annoyance. Izuku giggled, burrowing himself into Katsuki's throat.

"And a pool?" He asked, hopeful.

Katsuki hummed.

"Ooh, and a full sized gym!" Izuku said excitedly. Katsuki's his eyes softened as he watched him.

"Fuck, sure. We could get a guest house separate from the main house, y'know. So they don't hear anything they don't wanna," he said, wiggling his eyebrows. Izuku giggled and whacked his shoulder, with no real force behind it.

"Mm, you really want a big house like that? Isn't the penthouse already big for two people?" Izuku wondered.

Katsuki tipped his head back so he could get a better look at Izuku. "We're rich as hell, let's do whatever we want. And we don't have to be so close to the city now. M' fuckin' tired of all the damn sirens and shit, even this high up. Well just commute to the new job."

Izuku felt his heart grow warm. He couldn't help but feel excited about the prospect. A house with Kacchan. His soon-to-be husband.

"Yeah," he said tearfully, nodding. "Let's fucking do it."

Katsuki met his gaze with his own intense one, his expression once again unreadable. Then he smiled slightly, and suddenly shifted Izuku off his lap and stood, grabbing Izuku's arm to haul him to his feet.

"Kacchan, w-what-?!"

Katsuki smiled at him, one of those rare, beautiful ones, and led him to the more open space between the couch and the dinning room table.

He pulled Izuku in, who stumbled to keep up on the new foot. Katsuki clasped Izuku's right hand in his left, and slid his other hand over Izuku's hip.

Oh.

"C'mon, it'll be good practice for your balance," he said, a sly gleam behind his eyes.

"There's no music!"

"So?"

Izuku shook his head in slight disbelief, laughing. But he didn't fight it, he pressed closer to Katsuki and rested his head on Katsuki's shoulder. Katsuki lead them in slow, lazy circles around the room, and Izuku tried not to think about how they would be doing this at their wedding.

He smiled to himself, feeling lucky. He had a good life. He had a good partner.

Izuku looked up at Katsuki, and was slightly startled to see Katsuki already looking down at him. His face was so... Soft. And relaxed. It made Izuku's heart flip around wildly in his chest. He glanced away in attempt to hide his blush like a damn little kid.

"Hey," Katsuki said. Izuku looked back up. "I love you."

Izuku gasped through his nose, and bit his lip. He let out a nervous little laugh, then said, "I love you too!" Katsuki was often more the type to show his love, through actions and touch. It was rare he said it out loud, but it made it all the more special. Izuku laughed again nervously, and tried to joke, "where's all this sappiness coming from all of a sudden, huh?"

To his surprise, Katsuki didn't tell him to shut up or roll his eyes. He glanced away, seemingly thinking about it seriously. Izuku watched with slightly parted lips and widened eyes, his heart starting to pick up pace.

"When I was twenty," Katsuki said finally, low and smooth. "I thought I had the type of love that was possessiveness, and not much else. I didn't think I could be the romantic type of partner." He swallowed, the bob of his throat attractive and distracting. He looked down at Izuku, his eyes full of warmth and love.

"But I've realized, that doesn't it make me weak. It took me a long time to learn that's it's okay. That I feel it all, for you. I want it all, with you. The possession is still there, sure. But the sappiness is, too."

Izuku almost tripped, stunned. Katsuki pulled him closer, tilting his head with a knowing smile, murmuring, "careful."

Izuku scoffed tearfully, thumping his hand against Katsuki's sturdy chest and said adamantly, "s'your fault."

"Mmm, my fault?" Katsuki teased, leaning close like he knew it would fluster Izuku.

And maybe Izuku didn't know everything there was to know about Katsuki like he thought he had. Maybe Katsuki wasn't done growing. Maybe he wasn't either. They did have the rest of their lives together, after all. They had plenty of time to learn each and every in and out of each other. And how wonderful that sounded, to learn Katsuki's very soul. To maybe, just maybe, grow old with him.

"Dammit, what's with me? It's like I'm falling for you all over again," Izuku whined, using his hand to rub at his face.

Katsuki hummed, pulling the hand away so he could kiss him, "sap."

"Me?! You're the sap."

"Mm. Yeah."

Let's search the sky for a while

You and I

Collide like two stars, for a while

You and I

**

Epilougue

It took a while to find a house within a reasonable distance from their new workplace that checked off everything on their list. It gave them time to settle into the reconnaissance job, get all of their things packed up in the penthouse, and get started on plans for the wedding ceremony.

The reality of it was jarring some days, but Izuku never questioned himself. Never questioned them.

Almost three months later, they found the perfect three story house in a nice, tree lined neighbourhood, far, but not too far from the high rises and sirens. It had the pool, and the space for gardens, in both the front and back. There wasn't a guest house, but there was room for one, and it would be easy to put in.

If they knocked down a wall between two rooms on the first floor, it would make the perfect space for a gym.

The house was beautiful, big and grand but not overly gaudy. When they toured it, Izuku had already been planning in his head all the color schemes for each room, which furniture would fit where, what they would have to buy to fill the all space. One of the things that excited him the most was that there was a beautiful attic that would be the perfect library.

They bought the house in October and started to move mid way through the month, their friends all too excited to help them.

Izuku arrived at the house at almost noon, to the sound of excited chatter, bangs and thuds that sounded oddly similar to construction work, and loud rock music spilling out of the open front door. As he walked up the path to the front steps, Shouto and Ochaco spilled out of the door, chatting between themselves, headed toward the moving truck for another load of boxes of furniture.

"Izuku!" Ochaco called when she spotted him, waving her arms, then ran to hug him. He giggled and hugged her back excitedly. She looked adorable with a bandana tying back her hair, dressed in overalls that were big enough to stretch over the slight baby bump.

Izuku nodded at her belly, "they aren't overworking you, are they?" He demanded.

She laughed and waved a hand, "no no, Izuku, I'm fine!"

She left, and as Izuku turned toward Shouto to greet him and chat, Ochaco passed back by them back on her way into the house, an entire four seater couch lifted over her shoulder, only slightly supported by her quirk.

They both watched her in amazed silence, and then Shouto broke it by saying, "please God never let me get on her bad side."

Izuku giggled, leaning forward to slap at Shouto's arm.

"How's it going in there, anyway? Sorry I'm late, I was just finishing up some paperwork."

Shouto hummed, "your beloved is loosing his God damned mind."

Right on cue, Kacchan-trademark shouting filtered out of an upstairs window. Izuku sighed, smiling. He put out his hand, and Shouto smacked it, like 'alright you're in.'

He stepped into the house, and immeadtely ducked as something came flying over his head. "Oh hey Izuku!" Kirishima called happily, and set down the folded up bed frame he'd been hauling. "Sorry about that!"

"It's okay!" Izuku said, and sucked in a big breath in preparation for the bone-shattering hug he knew was coming. Kirshima lifted him off his toes with the force of it, and Izuku wheezed and patted his back. "Good to see you, thanks for coming to help!" He chirped, once he was released.

Kirirshima batted him off, "oh please, I'm happy to be here."

He walked off, the bed frame back on his shoulder, whistling as he jogged up the stairs. Someone upstairs yelped, and Izuku knew he wasn't the only one who'd nearly been beheaded.

He laughed to himself, and ventured toward the kitchen, but stopped in the entryway.

It was the source of the construction noises, apparently, because the dishwasher was pulled out from the wall, the back panel popped off, two people kneeling on the other side of it.

"I'm telling you, it's this one!"

"Kaminari, with all due respect, this has nothing to do with the electrical wires, I am sure of it! The cause of this mystery is attributed to the inner mechanisms-"

"Yadda yadda, parts and pieces. Lemme zap it, I'll get it working again!"

"Don't-!" there was the sound of a hand smacking another, "-it was the cause of your own blunders that got us into this predicament in the first place!" Iida insisted.

"You don't know what you're doing either!" Kaminari whined. "Don't lecture me!"

Izuku laughed softly and shook his head, retreating from the kitchen as the two idiots behind the dish washer debated bothering Mei on a Sunday for the sake of the retiree's kitchen.

He changed course in the hallway, and headed upstairs.

He followed the sound of distant angry-Kacchan noises, and discovered his fiancee in the biggest bedroom, whacking Sero over the head with a spatula (what?).

"Um, hi?" He said.

Sero gasped, using the distraction to crawl over to Izuku on the floor, so he could cling to Izuku's legs.

"Deku, oh my God, Deku, I love you so much, you're so amazing and powerful and the best person ever-"

"Quit fuckin' sucking up to him and go FIX IT dumbass!"

Sero yelped, dodging the thrown spatula and scrambling to his feet and out the door. Katsuki seethed, "fuckin' pests, all of them."

Izuku smiled, picking up the spatula to set it on a nearby end table. "They're excited, give them a break."

"He fuckin' took a part out of the dishwasher to fuck with those dumbasses downstairs!"

Izuku raised an eyebrow, but didn't respond further, instead crossing the room to slide into Kacchan's arms. Immediately, he lost about 75% of the tension he'd been holding, but he kept up the front anyway. That is, until Izuku leaned up on his tip toes to kiss him.

"The house looks beautiful so far, love. You've all gotten so much done today, I'm impressed."

Katsuki let out a long sigh, finally relaxing fully into Izuku's arms, and pulling him closer while he was at it. "Fuckin' save me, our friends are fucking shit up just as much as they're 'helping.'"

"'Our?!' Our friends? Did you just-!"

Katsuki slapped a hand over his mouth and hissed angrily, "shut it, you."

Izuku pulled the hand away easily, giggling.

"Hey Baku- oh hey Deku!" Mina came waltzing into the room, holding a box. "Where did you want this?" She asked, hefting the box.

Katsuki sighed, reluctantly releasing Izuku from his grip. "Third room on the left, raccoon eyes."

"I'll take it!" Izuku offered. He pressed a quick kiss to Katsuki's stubbly cheek, then crossed the room to lift the box out of Mina's arms. He winked at her as he left, and she gave him a grateful look for doing damage control. (Or rather, Kacchan-control).

Izuku found the room and dropped the box off (files of hero analysis for their office), then turned back, headed toward the room Katsuki was in, but stopped at a cracked door on the other side of the hallway, curiosity peeked.

They hadn't had a plan for this room yet, so he was suprised to see it filled with a few boxes and-

Oh. Oh God. Oh no way.

"K-kacchan?! Kacchan-!" He yelped, "Why the hell is there a baby cradle in here?!"