Chapter Text
Lord Explosion Murder -> Icy Hot
Lord Explosion Murder: Hey, I’ve thought about it a lot and I think I’m in love with you…
It had been 14 hours, 37 minutes, and 23 seconds since he’d sent the text - not that he was counting… but Katsuki wasn’t a patient man. Fourteen fucking hours and no reply? What the fuck was Icy-Hot playing at? He knew he shouldn’t have declared his (undying) love to the Candy Cane asshole through text but… well, he did it and that’s that. No going back. The text was sent. The text was read. The text was left on read for fourteen hours, thirty-nine minutes and 25, 26, 27 seconds…
Katsuki didn’t know what he expected, but he expected an answer. A dumb one like “thanks” or, what he had been hoping for, “me too”. What he didn’t expect was silence. Icy Hot had read the message a minute or so after Katsuki sent it – he was sure of that for two reasons.
First, he’d stared at his phone intently until the little words under the message changed from sent to read. He held his breath for a long minute before the words changed. Letting out that inhale, he waited and watched as the little bubble popped up indicating Icy Hot was writing back. It popped back down and stayed down.
And second, because of the sudden spike of heat coming from the room below his just a few moments after that. While the peppermint bastard had great control of his power on a general basis, sometimes, especially when accompanied by a slight pink dusting on his cheeks, he lost control. His fireside would explode for a few moments as the idiot tried to get his face under control.
It had happened twice before - Katsuki only being witness to one of them.
It was the end of their first year. Some wanna-be extra had approached Icy Hot with a bundle of flowers, ugly red and white things that looked like they had been stuffed in a bag for hours before seeing the light again. Katsuki watched from across the hall, an unamused look on his face and his heart rapidly beating in his chest, as the girl proclaimed her undying love for him. When she shoved the flowers into Icy Hot’s chest, he grabbed onto them with his fireside and - well, no more flowers.
Even from a distance, Katsuki could see the fire erupt from his arm and travel towards the flowers. Katsuki laughed so loud that Icy Hot in all his blushing glory turned and made eye contact with him. Katsuki maintained eye contact as much as he could while laughing, holding his belly as he leaned down in laughter.
He heard Icy Hot apologize, saying he was terribly sorry if friendship was misinterpreted as something else. By the time Katsuki was done laughing, wiping his eyes, he heard the footsteps of someone approaching. He didn’t even have to look up to see Icy Hot, still blushing, coming towards him.
The hall was empty enough that only a handful of people had seen the fire happen, but damn was Katsuki going to tell EVERYONE else tomorrow.
“That’s not funny,” the Candy Cane bastard said softly. “I think I hurt her feelings.”
“Nah,” Katsuki had replied. “She knew she was gonna get rejected the moment she brought you flowers the colour of your hair.”
“I like cherry blossoms,” Icy Hot replied suddenly, his blush intensifying as he met Katsuki eye-to-eye. “Not roses.”
“She shoulda done her research then,” Katsuki said, unsure what was happening between them now but not wanting to look away and interrupt it. He gulped, watching Icy Hot’s eyes trace his throat as he did. What was that?! His voice unsteady, he asked: “Cherry blossoms, huh?”
“Cherry Blossoms,” Icy Hot confirmed with a slight nod, his eyes saying something that Katsuki wished he could read. “I’ve also taken a recent fascination with alliums.”
With that, the bastard took one final look at Katsuki, nodded his head once, and walked away.
Katsuki wouldn’t say that he whipped out his phone and googled alliums in ten seconds flat - but that’s exactly what he did. They were… not pretty flowers. Barely flowers at all, as they came from the onion family. But something about the way the flowers stood, the explosion look of them, made Katsuki gulp. He scrolled down and read what the flowers symbolized: unity, patience, humility. Next, cherry blossoms. Now those he recognized. He scrolled down again and read: fleeting nature of life, time of renewal, love.
What the hell did that mean? Icy Hot didn’t do things without a purpose, he seemed to always be ten steps ahead on most things, so why tell Katsuki about his favorite flowers if he hadn’t meant something? Right? He gulped as tried - and failed - to stop explosions from happening from the hand that was not gripping his phone tight enough to almost bend it.
Icy Hot turned around at the sound of Katsuki’s explosion, a smirk on his dumb stupid face, before going on his merry way and disappearing around a corner.
So, yeah, Icy Hot also liked alliums. Also known as “firework” flowers or exploding flowers. And not, as the wanna-be extra thought, flowers resembling his hair color.
Good to know. For, um, future reference.
--
Perhaps that’s the moment Katsuki realized how he felt about Icy Hot, but he couldn’t clearly pinpoint it. He was sure of one thing: the pretty blush on his cheeks was something he wanted to see again and again.
Sometimes all it took was a comment about Icy Hot’s quirk or a smirk from Katsuki to make it appear. It became an addiction. But what he really wanted, what Katsuki really wanted, was for Icy Hot to lose control of his fireside.
Today, he had achieved that with just a text.
Almost 15 hours ago.
Katsuki found himself fidgeting in his bed as he stared at his phone waiting for a reply. He knew that Icy Hot would take a while to reply, anyone would if they read the words “I think you’re my soul mate” from someone who acted the way Katsuki acted.
He knew that the way he’d been avoiding the other boy, glaring at him, and all the things he had been doing up to now hadn’t clued in Icy Hot about his … fuck, his feelings for him. If someone did that to Katsuki, he sure as hell wouldn’t take it as a declaration of love.
But it was the only way Katsuki knew how to act, how to show feelings, how to feel. It’s not like he grew up in a loving household. Hell, even Aunt Inko couldn’t wrangle Mitsuki Bakugo so how could he?
And, due to the nature of their quirk, he needed to be that person. He had to be active, keep his blood pumping, and continuously wipe his sweaty palms on his pants. It was the one downside to his stupid awesome quirk; he had to keep his heart rate up.
And if that involved screaming and punching and generally being an ass to anyone who tried to get close… well, Katsuki didn’t know any other way.
Sometimes, though, he wondered how much of that was actually true. Would his heart stop if he didn’t bounce his leg up and down during quiet times? Would he die if he, for once, didn’t overreact when asked a question? He wasn’t going to risk it, not after so many years of being told to “speak up, brat!” and “don’t be a bitch” whenever he doubted himself.
Yeah, he had a stupid awesome powerful quirk, but did it really matter if he was alone because of it? Sure, most Heroes never got married and had kids, but it didn’t stop Katsuki from dreaming of a world where he could be happy with someone at his side. Someone … that had started to resemble a certain red and white hair boy in his class. Someone who could take him on head-to-head in every way from academics to literal hand-to-hand combat. Someone who could finally put Katsuki in his place, a place he’d long been thinking about, where he could finally stop being angry and just live.
But his message remained on read.
A`Katsuki eventually fell asleep, clutching the phone to his chest, and wishing Icy Hot would text faster.
--
It wasn’t even his idea to send a text, thats the worst thing about this whole situation.
He had, originally, wanted to get the half-and-half bastard alone and ask him out for coffee or something. Obviously, he would make sure that the idiot knew it was a date and not just a friendly outing. But, given how things went the last time he’d tried to ask him out, Katsuki had asked others for advice. He could be a team player when he wanted to be, see, Aizawa?
So, he’d gone to the one person who he could get no bullshit from: Shinsou.
“I don’t know man, text him or something,” the purple headed boy had said taking a sip of his orange juice the morning Katsuki had approached him in the common room. Katsuki groaned loudly, annoyed with everything in this goddamn world. Shinsou laughed. “What did you expect me to say? I can’t solve all your problems, ya know?”
“How’d you - you know - with Sparky?”
“Oh, I didn’t. That was all Denki,” Shinsou said with a languid smile. He put his cup down and looked to the side, remembering. “He came up to me and said, ‘hey dude, I really like you, do you like like me?’ and like a dumbass I said no. But I eventually came to my senses and searched him out and bam. Now, here I am getting asked love advice from you. Weird how shit happens, huh?”
“I don’t like you,” Katsuki commented as he pushed himself off his seat and away from the table. “I truly can’t stand you!”
“I love you too, Bakugo!” Shinsou yelled from behind, his deep voice reaching Katsuki even as he sped walk his way out of the room. He could still hear Shinsou’s laughter when he turned the corner and bumped into Icy Hot who was staring at his phone as he walked.
“Oh,” he said as he looked up from his phone. “Hello.”
Katsuki panicked and said: “Shut the fuck up, Icy Hot!”
“Okay,” the idiot replied, stepping to the side to let Katsuki pass. “Oh, have you seen Shinsou?”
“Fucker’s over there,” Katsuki said, not moving. “What do you want him for?”
“He’s got my math notes.”
“Can he even read your writing?”
“I have perfectly fine handwriting,” Icy Hot defended.
“Pfft!”
“We can’t all be perfect like you,” Icy Hot muttered, a slight blush crawling across his face. He looked up, meeting Katsuki’s eyes briefly before looking away and towards the way that Katsuki was coming from. “He’s that way?”
Katsuki nods, not sure what he’s meant to say at this point. He’s perfect? Katsuki? Perfect? WHAT? Icy Hot walks away, not knowing the internal dilemma that he left Katsuki with. Though this conversation was enough to remind him exactly why he couldn’t just tell Icy Hot he was … he was - well, in love with him. They would end up talking in circles or, worse, fighting. Katsuki would do anything to avoid that, his heart wouldn’t be able to take it if their first love confession turned into a fight.
--
It was with Ponytail, Katsuki was informed after final exams their first year, that Icy Hot had lost control the second time. From what Katsuki could piece together at the time, from various sources and a mix of reliable and dramatic recounting, it happened on a Saturday afternoon.
Icy Hot had been minding his own business talking to Deku when Ponytail approached them. Deku excused himself soon after, Pink Cheeks calling him away the moment Ponytail had greeted them with that gentle, poised voice of hers.
Obviously, all the girls were in on it, having been the ones to persuade Ponytail to own up to her feelings and just tell Icy Hot already!
Once Deku was out of the way, that's where accounts differ. Ponytail is tight lipped over what was said during the conversation and Icy Hot played oblivious whenever it was mentioned so the testimony of Raccoon Eyes, Earphones, Pink Cheeks, Deku and, by some weird coincidence Dunce Face, were combined into one narrative.
Katsuki wasn't invested in the story or anything, but he did happen to be there when Raccoon Eyes and Dunce Face came back to the dorms, eyes wide with shock.
"May I speak frankly, Todoroki?" Ponytail had said.
"Of course," the idiot replied with a soft smile as he put his things into his backpack. "Always."
"I think I have feelings for you," she said quickly, hands cradled by her chest and half turned away. "I have a crush on you, to put it simply."
"A crush?" Icy Hot asked, face blank and eyes wide. He straightened up, looking at Ponytail straight on as he said, "I'm sorry, I don't quite know what to say."
"Do you feel, um, that is to say, do you possibly feel the same way?"
"I - I'm sorry," Icy Hot shook his head, hands gripping his book bag strap, "I don't think I do."
That's when he lost control. The strap he was holding was suddenly on fire, burning on one side and freezing on the other from the ice he was producing. While impressive use of his power, using both his sides at once, it was a second later that the problem occurred. The smoke reached the sprinkler system and, as a result, turned it on spraying everyone in the room.
Alarms blaring and water pouring down on everyone in the room, Icy Hot added, "I would still like to be friends."
By the end of the hour, Class 1A was once again the talk of campus. Icy Hot earned himself a punishment of extra quirk training lessons with Aizawa every morning for 5 weeks, and Ponytail, along with the rest of the clowns watching, got off with housecleaning chores for standing there instead of helping.
When Katsuki heard about it later in the day, he wasn't sure if he should be laughing or sighing in relief. So, Icy Hot didn't have the hots for Ponytail. That just made the playing field more tilted in Katsuki's favor. Not that he needed the help, of course. If Katsuki wanted, he could go up to Icy Hot, declare his feelings, and bam walk away without a care in the world.
In theory.
In the end, Ponytail offered to make Icy Hot a new heat and water-resistant book bag, but he refused, opting instead to spend Endeavor's money. Which prompted the whole class to go on a shopping spree, totally forgetting the last time they'd gone out together they’d had a run-in with Shigaraki. Katsuki hadn't forgotten, however, and neither had he forgotten the promise he made to Deku’s mother. So, after a late-night phone call for Aunt Inko where he promised to look after Deku, he decided to tag along. To protect the nerd. Not because Icy Hot texted him:
Icy Hot: are you coming with us tomorrow?
Icy Hot: I am excited
Icy Hot: (((o(*ﾟ▽ﾟ*)o)))
Katsuki could picture the Candy Cane bastard sitting on his bed, bunny slippers on, totally emotionless as he typed out those messages. Katsuki would bet real money that the bastard hadn’t even quirked a smile when the whole class decided to invite themselves to his shopping trip. A shopping trip that was meant to take a few hours, at most, not his whole day.
Lord Explosion Murder: What about your mom?
Icy Hot: I spoke with her; she is okay if I skip this week
Icy Hot: （（●´∧｀●））
Katsuki wanted to ask if that was okay with him, but that would venture too much into caring so instead he opted for something … else.
Lord Explosion Murder: buy her something or some shit
Lord Explosion Murder: what does she like?
It was past his bedtime by the time Katsuki finally said goodbye to Icy Hot that night with a promise to see him in the morning. There was a flutter in Katsuki’s chest, one that said you could have this every night if you manned up as he closed his eyes and slept peacefully.
In the end, Icy Hot asked Katsuki his opinion on which bag he should buy. They went to several stores to find just the right bag and the right pins to put on said bag. And then they right jacket that matched the bag. And yarn for Icy Hot’s mom to crochet with.
In the end, Icy Hot smiled more in those three hours at the mall than the last few weeks combined. All directed towards Katsuki. And, he will admit, walking around the mall with Half-and-Half was not bad. Sure, they got strange looks from all of their friends, but it didn’t matter because Icy Hot stayed by Katsuki’s side from the moment he came down for breakfast to the moment they returned to the dorms. They even sat together on the ride to and from the mall, a ride courtesy of an energetic Present Mic and a tired Aizawa.
Not a word was spoken but… many things were said within that silence.
In the end, Katsuki didn't blame Ponytail for shooting her shot. After all, it led Katsuki to spend time with Icy Hot.
And who wouldn't want that?
--
Weeks after his realization that yeah, he totally had the hots for Icy Hot, Katsuki had woken up so early that even a 5-mile run still left him with two hours before everyone was up and around. He had a lot of energy, so he decided to be nice for once and make everyone an America style breakfast. Cooking usually helped to clear his mind, it was peaceful.
Most of the time.
He wandered down Heights Alliance early on a Monday morning expecting to be alone in the kitchen. It was three in the morning, an ungodly hour for most, so he didn’t expect the kitchen lights to be on when he first stepped out of the elevators.
Cautiously, he walked to the kitchen hand at his side ready to blast an intruder if need be. Rationally, he knew there was no way someone could get through Cementoss’ traps, Ectoplasms’ doubles, the principal’s cameras and bots, and Power Loader’s security fields. But… this was UA.
He rounded the corner and let out a breath. Just a certain Candy Cane asshole leaning against the kitchen island with a mug between his hands. With his eyes closed, Icy Hot took a content sip, a smile spreading over his features. Katsuki wanted to jab something into his eyes at how absolutely cute the other boy looked. Even in fuzzy bunny slippers, a shirt big enough for three, and loose pants, he looked… happy like Katsuki had never seen before.
“Oi,” Katsuki said softly, approaching the kitchen. “Why are you up?”
“Nightmares,” Icy Hot replied over the rim of the mug, eyes remained closed. “Hot chocky helps.”
“Hot chocky? What’re ya twelve?”
“Twelve wasn’t a good age to be,” Icy Hot said, his mouth twisting. His eyes opened, slowly, sleepily peering over the mug at Katsuki. “I like sixteen better.”
“What - um - what did ya, you know,” Katsuki motioned with his hands, going to stand opposite of Icy Hot.
“Mmmm, my brother,” the other boy replied softly. He put the mug down from his face, adding, “his screams, mostly…”
“Natsuo?”
“Touya,” Icy Hot said, looking past Katsuki’s shoulder. “Or, I guess, he goes by Dabi now.”
“I thought - wasn’t he -“
“I still remember him. I remember his red hair turning white, the way he would burn me whenever we played, how he - how he tried to kill me. I remember him … burning my arms trying to pull me away from Endeavor. I’ve been remembering a lot more lately,” Icy Hot sighed. “Therapy helps to remember the good and the bad.”
“I - I didn’t know you were in therapy,” Katsuki said softly, his voice cracking. He looked at Icy Hot and tried to remember what he was like before everything. He couldn’t. He cleared his throat, “I have nightmares too.”
“I know,” Icy Hot said with a sad smile, his eyes fleeting to the floor with guilt. “I can hear you screaming sometimes.”
“I - I’ve never heard you.”
“Ah, you see, Endeavor didn’t like screaming. Voluntary or not, no loud noises allowed.”
“That’s fucked up.”
“Yup,” Icy Hot said enunciating the ‘p’. He raised the mug of hot chocolate and said, “I remember Touya used to bring me hot chocolate when-“ he gulped, pausing a moment, “- he called it hot chocky because he added a special ingredient. I still can’t figure out what it is.”
Katsuki hummed.
“Why are you up? Nightmares?”
“No, just got a lot of things on my mind,” Katsuki said with a shrug.
Icy Hot downed the last of his hot chocky, putting the mug on the counter next to him, and sighed contently. He looked at Katsuki, his eyes saying something that Katsuki couldn’t read, as he pushed himself off the counter. He’s close, so close. Fuck it, what if I just lean over and -
“I should get out of your way,” Icy Hot whispered, meeting Katsuki’s eyes for a moment before looking away.
“No, um, I think I’m going to head back up to bed,” Katsuki replied. “I just needed a breather.”
“Ah, I understand.”
And somehow, Katsuki knew that he did. He understood Katsuki on a level that no one had ever wanted or attempted to do so.
Together they walked to the elevators, Katsuki letting Icy Hot lead the way silently. He pushed the button, the elevator doors opening immediately, and the two stepped inside. Katsuki felt… oddly comfortable in Icy Hot’s presence. He felt like he belonged, not an intruder or a fake, he felt wanted not tolerated. He wanted more of that. He turned his head to the side and opened his mouth to say something when the elevator dinged the arrival of his floor. He closed his mouth, licking his lips as he took a step and then another out of the elevator.
“Bakugo?”
He turned. “Yeah, Icy Hot?”
“Maybe, next time, I can make you some hot chocky?”
Katsuki gulped. “Next time, yeah.”
Icy Hot nodded, his eyes intense in a way Katsuki had only seen in battle. They were saying something, something that Katsuki could not yet read. He desperately wanted to know what Icy Hot was trying to tell him, what those eyes wanted him to know. He took a half step forward and -
“Good night, Bakugo,” Icy Hot said as the doors began to close.
“Night-“ the doors closed - “Shouto.”
He was very much gone for Icy Hot.
--
Even from the first few days at UA, Katsuki knew Icy Hot would play a big role in his life. He never thought it would be as a friend (and maybe more?). But as a rival. A rival that could defeat him before he could even begin an explosion - the control Icy Hot had over his quirk was amazing from the start - and that scared Katsuki.
But the first time he knew he was totally, utterly fucked for Icy Hot was during provisional training with Shiketsu.
Hell, from the very moment they met eyes on the field at the provisional licensing exam, both angry with themselves but relieved to have a second chance, Katsuki knew it would change their relationship. He didn’t exactly know how or why, but he felt it in his bones: this was a turning point for them both.
Katsuki had to admit that, for someone who looked and acted as aloof as Icy Hot, he was… cool to hang around with. But he didn’t truly discover just how much he’d wormed his way into Katsuki’s life until the provisional licensing training classes.
They would take the train together every other weekend, Aizawa taking them when he could, to whatever training facility or space the HPSC had rented for that lesson. At first, Katsuki would choose to sit alone, picking a seat and plopping his book bag and costume on the seat next to him. Icy Hot had no choice but to sit elsewhere.
One day, the only seats available were together. And yes, Katsuki could’ve been a dick and sat down like he usually did. But he didn’t. He took a seat, tucking his stuff under his legs, and looked out the window. He felt someone sit down next to him tentatively and turned. Their eyes met. Icy Hot smiled, unsure, as he adjusted his things in his lap. Katsuki huffed, turning his head back to the window. He could feel his ear tinge red but refused to follow that thread of thought and instead opting to take out his phone and read.
It began to be a thing. Even when the whole compartment was empty, Icy Hot sat next to him. It soon evolved to sitting together everywhere they went. Icy Hot became stuck to Katsuki - everywhere he would turn, there was the Candy Cane Asshole. And Katsuki, well, he didn’t mind it as much as time went on.
By the time the raid on the Shie Hassaikai happened, they’d developed a sort of friendship. So, when Present Mic and All Might drove them to the facility to train, they sat together. Sure, the whole bus that they’d rented was empty except for them and the two pro heroes, but it felt wrong to sit apart.
“Who is that mega hottie, Yoarashi?” was what set him on edge that day. That and Baldy who insisted on pushing himself on Icy Hot even though Icy Hot was totally oblivious and uninterested. Or at least Katsuki thought (read: hoped) he was uninterested.
“Man, I like my noodles pippin’ hot!” Baldy exclaimed as he and Icy Hot walked by together later on.
“What is his problem?” Katsuki wondered out loud, watching them walk by with a scowl.
“Inasa? Oh, he’s just totes in love with your boyfriend,” the girl from earlier said, coming up from behind Katsuki. “It’s, like, so obvious but, like, ya know, boys are idiots.”
“What?” Katsuki growled. “HE’S NOT MY BOYFRIEND?”
“Coulda fooled me, honey,” she said with a wink, walking away. Over her shoulder she said, “I’m rooting for you!”
Somehow, that became a thing too. Every time Baldy opened his mouth, Katsuki would bite down a growl. Even when they figured out how to win the little brat’s hearts, he couldn’t help but throw a “Hey! Baldy!” every time a new brat wanted to ride their creation. Baldy seemed to take it in stride, always shooting back with “I’m not bald, see?”
By the time the training exercise was over, Katsuki was exhausted. He’d watched as Baldy continuously moved to stand next to Icy Hot, always directing questions or comments to the Idiot who looked as cold and aloof as ever. There was no way, no way in hell that Icy Hot liked Baldy back, right?
Later, as they met up outside the facility and the awkwardness with Endeavor, Icy Hot turned to Katsuki and said, “Todoroki?”
“Hah?”
“Earlier, you called me by my family name,” he replied with a soft smile. He softly smiled a lot or maybe Katsuki just noticed it more now that they were so close all the time.
“What about it?”
“I like Icy Hot better,” he said, tilting his head to the side. “Or, you know, Shouto.”
“I’m not calling you by your name, Icy Hot.”
“It’s my hero name too,” he pointed out. “Might as well start using it now.”
“Nice try, GlamoRoki,” Katsuki said with a snort.
“I still don’t think it’s that funny,” Icy Hot smiled as they took their seats inside the bus. “Maybe she can do you, next time.”
“Nah, GlamoRoki has a better ring to it.”
And later in their first year, working together with Endeavor once they received their licenses, they managed to integrate Deku into their dynamic. But Deku never quite fit in, he couldn’t communicate with Icy Hot or Katsuki without verbal cues. Alone, Lord Explosion Murder and Shouto worked well together without even saying a word to each other. Just a look from Icy Hot and Katsuki knew what he needed to do.
Endeavor once commented on it, saying that he’d never seen two students work so well together. He seemed both proud and concerned. Icy Hot just turned to Katsuki and quirked his lips before turning back to his father and saying, “well, we are friends.”
For once, Katsuki kept his mouth shut.
“I’m glad you have not one but two people looking out for you, Shouto,” Endeavor replied, hands on his hips. “But that doesn’t mean you can slack off! Let’s run through scenarios and sharpen your wits!”
Now, he would sit in class and sneak glances at Icy Hot, he would wondered what had happened to them since their internships. Months had passed and they seemed to be circling each other.
Now, fully cognizant of his crush, Katsuki wondered how their lives would have been different if he’d confessed to Icy Hot early. Maybe while they trained at Endeavor’s or when they fought to save Natsuo from the League. Or even on that bus or train they shared to training. Their knees touching, Katsuki reaching over for Icy Hot’s hand, Icy Hot just knowing what Katsuki felt, no words just -
“Kacchan? Are you okay?” Deku whispered from behind him. “You’ve been staring at Todoroki for a while now.”
“Stay out of my business, nerd!” Katsuki said loudly, bringing him attention from everyone in the class. Icy Hot looked up from his notebook, making eye contact. A smile spread on his face; he was amused. Flustered, Katsuki yelled at no one in particular, “Take a picture, it’ll last longer!”
“Alright, kiddos!” Ms. Midnight said from the front of the class. “Perhaps someone can answer me this question since we seem to be done taking notes…”
--
Sometimes, Icy Hot would catch Katsuki looking at him, practically ripping his clothes off with his mind, and smile shyly like he’s the one who got caught staring. Katsuki didn’t understand how the damn idiot didn’t get it!
Except he did.
You see, Icy Hot wasn’t a dumb ass in all aspects of his life, just in the ones that mattered. Like, he could ace a paper about thermodynamics but then turn around and ask, ‘what is IDK?’ with a straight face. He could be discussing political structures in ancient times and then burn a cup of noodles in the microwave later. He could be working on complicated quadratic equations one moment, and the next blurt out “what if Hawks ate chicken? Would he be eating his relatives?”
So, an idiot but not. But mostly an idiot. And Katsuki, deep in his heart of hearts, wouldn’t change that for the world.
--
Katsuki had almost murdered Mina when she guessed how infatuated with Icy Hot he had become by promptly let out an explosion.
He'd been at lunch when he felt eyes on him. When he looked over, Mina’s eyes shined brightly as she pointed at him, lips pursed, and brow furrowed. He figured she had caught him staring at Icy Hot and acted on instinct.
Or, as others might put it, he panicked and blew up his lunch tray.
He had been angry enough to tell her to shut the fuck up but all that came out of his mouth was a gargled mess of expletives as his hands exploded between them, blowing up not only his tray but also Mina's.
Later, as they served detention for once again causing "chaos" as Aizawa put it, Mina locked her eyes on the target.
Unfortunately for Katsuki, he was the target.
Kaminari was also in detention, probably for doing something stupid, Katsuki didn’t care enough to ask. The moment Mina slid out of her desk to occupy the seat next to Katsuki, Kaminari turned around with a smile and did the same. Now he had two idiots cornering him - one clueless but energetic, the other with a knowing glint in her eye and mischief written all over her face.
“So…” she began. “How long have you had the hots for Todoroki?”
“WHAT?!” Katsuki and Kaminari yelled at the same time.
“Keep it down!” Aizawa yelled from his spot on the floor where he was taking a nap. “No yelling or else.”
Katsuki turned back to his homework, hoping that Aizawa’s warning was enough to deter them from further speaking to him.
He didn’t have that kind of luck, however.
“Bakubro and Todobro?” Kaminari said with a shake of his head. Mina merely raised her eyebrows and nodded. Kaminari narrowed his eyes, scratching his head in thought, and gasped as something finally sparked in that empty head of his. “I can see it, oh my god!”
So, instead of blowing them up, he closed his eyes and tried to breathe in and out calmly. He didn’t need another detention on his record. He had to be peaceful in the face of adversity. Meaning he couldn’t blow either one of his … friends… to hell, even if he really, really wanted to. He puffed his cheeks, grinding teeth together, and nodded once.
Katsuki’s ears hurt for an hour afterwards from the screams of excitement.
Aizawa gave them detention for a week.
—
It wasn’t fun, being the butt of everyone’s jokes. Katsuki understood now why maybe, just maybe, he should cool it with the harsh jokes. Or maybe he was just being a baby. At this point, he couldn’t tell. What he could tell was that Mina and Kaminari - both now mentally called by their proper names due to the fact that they are trying, in their own way, to help - were idiots.
They hounded him for days, during detention and out of detention, within Aizawa’s earshot and behind Aizawa’s sleeping form, until finally Katsuki burst out.
“FINE. I’M IN LOVE WITH TODOROKI, OKAY?! LET IT GO!”
Even Aizawa woke up from his slumber to peer an eye at Katsuki. The room had been quiet, not a word said between the four occupants, when Katsuki had turned around and declared his love. He had felt eyes - judging eyes - on his back, the same ones he had felt for days, and couldn’t take it anymore. Good thing they were the only ones in the room or else more people might have found out about his embarrassing and misplaced crush.
Katsuki set his jaw and turned back to his book. Fuck it all if this was going to distract him from quadratic equations.
“Oh, kid,” he heard Aizawa sigh as the human caterpillar got up from his niche and stood up. Sleeping gear discarded, Aizawa made his way to the front of the class, sitting on the table at the front. “Is this why you exploded - well, anything and everything near you?”
Katsuki nodded.
“Is this why you keep staring at Todoroki?”
Katsuki’s head snapped up to meet Aizawa’s face. He looked… pained and distressed. Like he didn’t want to be in this situation but here he was, nonetheless.
“Ya,” Mini said behind Katsuki. “He can’t -“
“You two are dismissed,” Aizawa interrupted. “Pack up your things and head out. I will email you a suitable punishment later in the day.”
“But -“
“Did I stutter?”
“No, Mr. Aizawa, sir!” Kaminari and Mina answered, gathering their things.
Katsuki’s eyes remained on Aizawa, confused and slightly alarmed at the situation happening before him. Oh, no, not this, not the birds and the bees talk from -
“Relax,” Aizawa said getting off the desk. He approached the seat in front of Katsuki, turned the chair around, and sat down, his arms on the backrest. “I’m not here to judge.”
“Pfft, yeah right,” Katsuki mumbled. Aizawa watched him with eyes that could incapacitate someone, eyes that were directed towards him intently. “What.”
“You tell me.”
“Nothing, there’s nothing to say.”
“Okay, then,” Aizawa said with a sigh. He leaned back, hands holding on to the chair as he rocked backwards, cracking his back. “You know… I’m married?”
Katsuki did not. Most heroes did not marry, it was part of the job. He’d always believed he couldn’t be a hero and be married, be a hero and be happy, be a hero and live. He looked at Aizawa with wide questioning eyes. “W-what?”
“To Present Mic, actually,” Aizawa said casually.
“WHAT?”
“Yeah.” Aizawa reached into his capture, weapon, his scarf, and held out a necklace with a ring hanging off it. “Seven years next October.”
“I - why are you telling me this?” Katsuki croaked, his throat tightening. “I don’t care!”
“I know you don’t,” Aizawa said with a shrug. “But maybe it’ll put things into perspective.” He got up, hiding the necklace once more, and added, “it took us a long time to find each other. Don’t let time and embarrassment take away precious moments you could be having. That is all.” Katsuki didn’t move, still watching Aizawa. “Detention over. Get out.”
So, a very confused Katsuki gathered his things in a haze and got out.
--
It wasn’t as if Katsuki hadn’t tried to tell Icy Hot, that clueless idiot, how he felt about him. In fact, he tried several times and all of them… well, ended in disasters.
First, upon realizing his feelings shortly after the kids fiasco at provisional training, he had asked Icy Hot out for coffee. He had literally said “do you wanna go get coffee with me?” without a single stutter. Sure, he’d been looking at the ground, fists clenched, but that was because if he looked at Icy Hot’s eyes when he rejected him, Katsuki wasn’t sure what he woulda done. He’d even dressed up - well, cleaned up a bit and worn his favourite t-shirt, the one with the skull on it - in the hopes that he wouldn’t be rejected.
But Icy Hot hadn’t rejected him. A win for Katsuki!
Except…
“Hey, Kacchaaaan!” Dunce Face said as he barreled into Katsuki, wrapping an arm around his shoulders, and hanging off him like a leech. “I’m bored, whatcha doing?”
“We were going to go out for coffee,” the idiot whom Katsuki had a crush on replied. “Would you like to join us?”
“Is that why you’re all dressed up?” Dunce Face asked, pulling away slightly to take a good look at Katsuki’s outfit. “Gonna go pick up some ladies?”
“Get off me!” Katsuki growled as he pushed the other boy off him.
“I thought we were going to get coffee and study?” Icy Hot asked, turning his full attention to Katsuki. “Should I dress up as well or is this attire alright?”
Katsuki closed his eyes for a second, his hand coming up to pinch the bridge of his nose.
“Yeah, Bakugo! We dressin’ up or what?”
So, that’s how the whole Bakusquad plus Icy Hot ended up at a coffee shop a few minutes away from UA. Katsuki tried to get Icy Hot to himself, he really did, but it was a hard thing to do when sharing a four-person booth with six people. Even though they did share glances of exasperation a few times. He didn’t really get to talk to Icy Hot!
They ended up being kicked out for being too loud and disruptive. Effectively ending the so-called coffee date that Katsuki had planned.
Next, he tried telling him at the gym but that ended in disaster too. This time, it was his own doing that led to this going from a good idea to a horrible, ‘oh my god, why did I do this’ idea.
It was a Sunday, their one day off to squeeze in everything they didn't get to do during the week due to training or studies. And Bakugo, well, he wanted to spend it with Icy Hot. Call him an idiot but he'd submitted a request to Aizawa for use of the gym for additional training. He'd come up with this whole plan on how to rile up Icy Hot until the other boy would demand they fight. But, as it turned out, all he had to do was ask him.
"Oi! Fight me!"
Icy Hot looked up from his manga from where he was curled up on a couch a few feet away from a yelling Katsuki. He didn't hesitate for a moment, he just said, "let me get changed," and got up.
Katsuki waited for the Half-and-Half bastard to go upstairs, change, and come back down so they could walk to the gym gamma together. Once there, they went through some warm-ups and stretches before facing each other, ready to do some damage.
"No quirk usage allowed!" Aizawa reminded them from a few feet away where he, and a group of people, were practicing yoga peacefully. "And keep to your side."
"Hmph," Katsuki grunted with a nod without looking away from Icy Hot. "You ready?"
"Ready."
Fast forward to ten minutes later, maybe fifteen minutes, when Aizawa's rushing over to Katsuki who somehow managed to twist his ankle in a very awkward angle. In the middle of battle. Embarrassing to say the least. Katsuki tried to continue fighting through the pain but eventually, even Icy Hot noticed and they had to stop. Katsuki sat down on the floor, cradling his foot, and rubbing at it to soothe the pain. It just made it worse.
"This means nothing," he hissed at Icy Hot. "This is a damn time out, not a win for you!"
"Anytime, Bakugo," Icy Hot smirked, sitting on the floor next to Katsuki. "How bad does it hurt?"
"I've had worse," Katsuki said, holding back tears.
"I can carry you to the infirmary," Icy Hot volunteered, head tilted to the side. His hair, sweaty and plastered to his forehead, parted, which allowed for his eyes to really shine. Katsuki was captivated and so spellbound that he missed two things.
One, the Class Rep was speed walking his way to them, his arms chopping the air as he hurried over. And two, Aizawa's need to fuck with him knew no bounds as he walked over, slowly trailing behind Class Rep, with a smirk on his face and a glint in his eyes.
"Bakugo!" Glasses yelled as he approached, breaking whatever enchantment Icy Hot's eyes had over Katsuki. "Do you require assistance?"
"No!" Katsuki yelled. "Go away! I'm not a useless child! I can handle walking to the old lady on my own!"
"But you just said -"
"Shut it, Icy Hot," Katsuki hissed. He motioned with his hand for Icy Hot to get up. When nothing happened, he added words to the motion. "Get the fuck up and help me!"
"You just said -"
"I know what I said!"
A loud and tired sigh interrupted Icy Hot's reply.
"I told you not to overdo it."
"I didn't overdo shit!" Katsuki argued.
Icy Hot got up, offering his hands to Katsuki. Not being an idiot and missing a chance to touch Icy Hot, he reached out and took his hands, pulling himself up. He hissed as he put some weight on his ankle, gripping hard onto Icy Hot's hands as he steadied himself upright. Icy Hot didn't seem to mind, helping him up and letting him lean against him for support.
It was perfect. Now, they could walk to the infirmary together and have a heartfelt moment and then Katsuki could -
"Allow me!" the Class Rep proclaimed as he leaned down, grabbing Katsuki like a damsel in distress in his arms, and declaring, "I shall get you to Recovery Girl, ASAP! Don't you worry!"
“Don’t you fucking tou -" before Katsuki could finish, Class Rep activated his quirk, and they were off. So, yeah, that didn’t go how he’d planned it.
Next, he tried to be nice to Icy Hot by making his favorite food, cold soba, any chance he got. It started out with Katsuki making bigger portions of his own food and leaving just enough that Icy Hot would eventually get some. But that turned into making enough for everyone and that was absolutely exhausting so that had to stop. Then, Katsuki overheard Icy Hot say that he would eat cold soba all day every day until his death. That gave him an idea. So, he began by making extra noodles and loudly exclaiming he needed a cooking challenge while Icy Hot was in the kitchen with him.
“Make cold soba,” Icy Hot suggested right on cue, his eyes fleeting between the wheat noodles and Katsuki. “I would love to try different variations of it.”
Katsuki didn’t need to hear anything else.
Every evening after working out but before dinner, Katsuki would head to the kitchen where he knew that Icy Hot and Deku studied and put on a show.
Sometimes - scratch that - most of the time, he felt eyes on him as he moved about the kitchen kneading dough to make fresh noodles, cooking a spicy broth for his own noodles and prepping a sauce for Icy Hot’s. Sometimes, he would hear Deku giggle from behind him, watching them in the reflection of the window as Deku elbowed a staring Icy Hot in the ribs to get his attention.
It was glorious. He’d done it! He’d captured Icy Hot’s attention!
A few weeks later, however, he heard Icy Hot say he needed to change his diet.
“I’ve been eating a lot of cold soba,” he was telling Kaminari of all people. “Uraraka says I should expand my horizons and she might be right.”
So, that too, was a bust as Icy Hot soon stopped eating the cold soba that Katsuki would make for him. Kaminari, as a human garbage can, ate them instead. Katuski kept making food, not just cold soba, for his friends but he wouldn’t put the same effort he did for the cold soba.
And finally, he’d written him a note. A strongly worded letter letting him know just exactly how much he felt about him. Katsuki even avoided using foul language! He’d spent all day on it, had Raccoon Eyes review it and “fix” it before sealing it in an envelope and doing something dopey like spraying his cologne on it. According to Kaminari, the scent would stay with Icy Hot all day and he would be thinking about it – and as a result, think about Katsuki all day. It sounded perfect.
He left out of Heights Alliance early morning before anyone else, waking up even earlier than usual out of nerves and anticipation, and sneaked to campus. He placed the envelope with the words “Shouto” on the front, on Icy Hot’s desk, and smiled. Yes, this would work. It had to work!
Spoiler: it didn’t.
Here’s the thing: Katsuki wasn’t the only one in love with Icy Hot. Though he was the closest to winning his heart, in Katsuki’s honest opinion. Girls from 1B and other classes, even grades, would swoon upon seeing the red and white bastard down the hall. Some even got the guts to tell him to his face or, the option most took, write him a love letter. Katsuki would see those sometimes on his desk and scoff. Amateurs.
And now, here he was, leaning back on his desk in his usual “I don’t give a fuck” position, waiting for the class to populate and for Icy Hot to see his letter. He felt so generic, doing what others had done and failed at. But this was different, he hoped.
Icy Hot, you see, was good at one thing as far as Katsuki could discern: recognizing handwriting. He once heard Icy Hot say he had taken graphology classes during his time before UA. Classes that helped him tell apart and ‘read’ peoples handwriting. He once told Ashido that she was an artistic soul due to her rounded letters. Ashido proudly told everyone in her sights about her ‘artistic soul’ for about a week before finding something else to talk about.
Therefore, having seen Katsuki’s handwriting many times, Icy Hot should be able that Katsuki wrote it.
Wrong.
Icy Hot walked in, a few minutes before class started, alongside Deku, and stopped at his desk.
“Oh, a note,” he said as he picked it up. He sniffed it, his eyes narrowing and his brows furrowing, and then shrugged, putting it into his backpack without another thought.
“Aren’t you gonna read it?” Deku asked.
“I get these all the time. They almost always say the same thing,” Icy Hot replied. “Though this one does smell familiar though…”
Katsuki had been especially mad about this last incident as he had literally poured his heart and soul into the letter. He had written drafts with different words, different pens, different kinds of paper until he was satisfied with his work. And goddamn Icy Hot just - just fucking sniffed it and put in his bag like the note was from one of those damn extras.
It hurt. And that hurt translated to a much angrier than usual Katsuki for a few days afterwards.
So, yeah, Katsuki had tried multiple times to tell the damn idiot how he felt. It had been Shinsou, the newest addition to the squad, who had put the idea in his head that it would be a good idea, that there was no way Icy Hot could ignore something as direct as that. Though he did laugh as he said that so maybe Shinsou didn’t deserve the credit and instead deserved an explosion to the face for it failing.
--
It started off, like a lot of things in his life did, with a nightmare.
Katsuki wasn’t a stranger to nightmares. In fact, it was odd when he didn’t have one. Having survived a sludge monster suffocating him, being caged during the Sports Festival, being kidnapped by the League of Villains, surviving his first year at UA in general; it would be weird if he wasn’t traumatized.
Katsuki could handle a few nightmares here and there if it meant he was still alive. Or, at least, that’s the attitude that he, after months of unwanted therapy and after school sessions with Hound Dog and Aizawa, decided to adopt.
He’d always had a routine: in bed by 8 pm, out of bed by 5 am. They used to be soft deadlines, ones that he adheres when there was a big test the next day or something important. But after their first few weeks at UA, and upon their moving into the dorms, he’d adopted those times as hard deadlines. He had to, a routine helped him navigate the world and gave him control over something in his life.
He only broke them occasionally. Like last night when he’d stayed up for a while talking to that Candy Cane asshole. Or the night before, when he stayed up helping that asshole finish an assignment last minute. (If Katsuki was honest with himself, and he usually was, he would admit that the only time he ever broke his own rules was when Icy Hot was involved.)
It was nearly 5 in the morning when Katsuki awoke in a panic. His hands raised; he activated his quirk for a split second as he blinked away the nightmare that plagued him. The light igniting from his hands and the subsequent POP! coming from his hands, pushed away any remnants of sleep he had. He lowered his hands, wiping them on the blanket, and closed his eyes.
The League is gone, he repeated to himself, they can’t hurt you.
Then why did he feel hands on his neck, cold fingers, and hot fingertips? Why did he feel like Dabi was hiding somewhere in the shadows of his room, waiting for him to fall asleep? Why did his room feel suffocating? Was there anywhere where he was safe?
After a few moments, with a clenched jaw, he swung his legs over the bed, standing on shaky legs. He looked around, hand reaching for the lamp at his bedside and turning it on, as he scoured his minimalist room for signs of an intruder.
There are none.
Everything is where he left it last night.
He reached for his phone, looking at the time: 4:30 am. Close enough, he thought, putting on his shoes. If he tried to sleep now, he would be late for his 5:15 am run. So, instead, he changed into his running gear and headed down to the common room.
Still on high alert from his nightmare, he looked around the hall cautiously as he made his way to the elevators. The ding of the arriving elevator startled him and, as the doors opened up, he was reminded of another one of his nightmares: being chained and trapped while waiting to be called the winner at the Sports Festival.
He’d been muzzled, chained up, and weighed down for twenty minutes while Midnight and All Might did their little schtick and announced the winners. He’d never felt so much rage and panic in his life. Now, adding that trauma to the sludge villain swallowing him up in goo, he was wary (read: scared) of enclosed spaces. Hound Dog had assured him that he could train himself out of the fear by taking elevators everywhere he went. Aizawa hadn’t looked too happy with that suggestion and put forth his own: deep breathing and mindful thoughts to calm himself down.
So, as he entered the elevator, he took Aizawa’s suggestion and breathed in and out. Slowly. Letting his lungs fill with air fully, holding it for a pause, and releasing the breath until his lungs were empty. He did this all the way down to the main floor.
The moment the elevator dinged, he snapped open his eyes and ran out of the elevator, breathing heavily. Doesn’t get any easier, he thought as he tried to gain control over his breathing, who the fuck designed this building and decided stairs were a waste of time? Fucking -
“Bakugo,” a voice behind him said. Katsuki whirled around, eyes meeting Icy Hot’s who is carrying two mugs. “I was just going to bring you some. Here.”
Icy Hot handed him a mug, Katsuki stared at it, his brain not registering anything. His whole body was in a tunnel, his vision narrowing and eardrums vibrating. He didn’t know what he’s meant to do so he stood there, staring at Icy Hot.
“Bakugo?” a voice rang out, echoing inside Katsuki’s head. A gentle voice, closer than before, at his side, whispered gently, “I understand. Come, sit with me.”
He followed the voice, his legs moving on their own. He felt a touch, an arm gently pressed against his. The warmth of it enticed him forward, until there was something at his knees. And then he sits down, and a mug is handed to him again. He followed the hand that held the mug, sees Icy Hot - sees, concern and something else.
“Can you tell me where we are?” Icy Hot mouth moved but there was a delay in the sound. Katsuki gulped, nodding his head in answer. “Good, Katsuki, good. Can you tell me five things in this room?”
Slowly but surely, he did. The words a chemistry book, a mug, a television, a blanket leave his mouth slowly as his eyes go from one item to the next. Finally, as he became more aware and alert, Katsuki said, “a mug of hot chocky.”
“Great,” Icy Hot replied with a small smile. “You doin’ alright?”
“I- yeah,” Katsuki replied roughly. He cleared his throat, shaking his head to clear out the cobwebs that still invaded his mind. “I’m, um, sorry or whatever.”
“You have nothing to apologize for,” Icy Hot told him firmly. He pointed to the mug. “I was going to bring you hot chocolate. I, um, heard you scream, and I thought I could make you feel better at least a little bit.”
“This is -“ Katsuki looked down at the mug in his hand and the hand that still held his own. “Thanks.”
Icy Hot’s hand was warm and soft, his thumb making calming circles against Katsuki’s hand. He didn’t want it to stop but eventually, seconds later perhaps, Icy Hot retracted his hand. Katsuki felt cold in many ways. His body turned towards the warmth involuntarily, a blush coming to his cheeks when he realized what he’d done.
“I’m hot,” Icy Hot said suddenly. He blushed, realizing what he’d said. “I mean, I run hot. I-“
“You do,” Katsuki whispered. “You are.”
Something passes between them. Katsuki has never felt so comfortable and so uncomfortable at the same time. He wants to reach out, to pull Icy Hot forward, to crash their lips together, to finally, fucking finally show the other boy how much he cares about him. But he also wants to pull away, to move his body away from the heat, and lie in bed for hours. He wants to be alone but … not alone at the same time. He wants –
“Bakugo,” Icy Hot whispered, his voice close enough to give Katsuki goosebumps. “I – that is – I’ve –“
“Bakugo, you down here, bro?!” a voice, Kirishima’s, rang out. Katsuki pulled away, hot chocky sloshing out of the cup and spilling. He stood up, just barely avoiding getting any on his pants, when Kirishima walked into the common room. “Oh, there you are! Hey, Todoroki! What’re ya doing up this early?”
“I- I couldn’t sleep,” Icy Hot said looking up at Katsuki from the couch.
“Oh, bummer,” Kirishima frowned. He turned to Katsuki with a wide smile and asked, “you ready, bro?”
“I, um, I think I’m going to skip this morning,” Katsuki said clutching the mug to his chest.
“You doing okay? You look kinda-“
“I’m fine!” Katsuki snapped without any anger behind it. He sounded tired even to his own ears. “I’ll see you in class.”
He nodded towards Icy Hot as he left, taking the mug with him, and avoiding all shouts for him as he pushed the button to the goddamn elevator that made this mess in the first place. The elevator startled him, as did the hand that landed on his shoulder a second later, stopping him from entering.
“I can drop you off,” Icy Hot said from behind him. “I’ll be practice for me.”
“What?” Katsuki asked but nevertheless followed as Icy Hot smiled and walked away. They stepped outside, pushing past the big front doors, and to the outside of Heights Alliance. “Wha-“
Icy Hot stretched out his hand, activating his ice quirk.
“I watched Frozen a few weeks ago with Midoriya,” Icy Hot explained as the stairs began to take form. “Wanted to do this ever since.”
A staircase. Made of ice. If Katsuki was in his right state of mind, he might have snorted and called Icy Hot an ice princess or Elsa. But Katsuki was tired and rattled, so he watched as Icy Hot made a staircase from the front of Heights Alliance to the fifth floor lobby.
“We would have to go to the courtyard to get to your balcony,” Icy Hot said as he finished making his staircase. “But this works, I hope.”
Katsuki nodded. “I-“
“Don’t spill your hot chocky,” Icy Hot interrupted. “The steps are slippery.”
If anyone, anyone, would have told Katsuki that he would end up going up stairs made of ice at five in the morning after a nightmare AND a panic attack, he woulda blasted them to Hell. Yet, here he was, taking careful steps behind Icy Hot - behind Todoroki - while holding hot chocolate that the other boy had made for him.
At the fifth-floor lobby, Todoroki opened the window and slipped in. Katsuki followed, wondering how the window was so easy to break into but put the thought to the side when Todoroki held out a hand to help him. He took it - why the fuck not, at this point - and let out a sigh as soon as his feet hit the floor.
Todoroki leaned over the window, presumably melting the ice, for a few moments before he, too, was back on solid ground.
“Thank you,” Todoroki said with a wide smile.
“I-“
“I should - I should probably get upstairs,” Todoroki mumbled, looking like he would rather do anything in world except leave. Katsuki watched him, his eyes never leaving the others, and waited. Your move, he tried to say with his eyes, please make a move. Todoroki looked away, rubbing the back of his neck shyly. “Good night, Bakugo.”
He brushed past Katsuki, stopping for a moment when their shoulders met, and then walking down the hall to the elevators. Katsuki followed him with his eyes, watched him get on, watched Todoroki give him a small wave as the doors closed, before he let out a shaky breath.
“What… the… fuck…” he whispered.
--
Inasa Yoarashi. Thats who made up Katsuki’s mind to send the text.
Reluctantly, Katsuki was put into a group chat with Glamour Girl and Baldy on their last day of provisional training. All Might had called it “networking”, but Katsuki called it “stupid”. But at least he managed to talk them out of inviting Flesh Molding Guy into the chat. This meant they all had each other’s number… which meant Baldy not only had Katsuki’s number but also Icy Hot’s. Not that was a problem, except for… the part where… Baldy texted Icy Hot exactly three minutes after they parted ways. And continued to do so the whole trip home that day.
They were sitting together on the bus going back to campus, as usual, with Katsuki on Icy Hot’s fire side. Coincidentally, the side where he pocketed his phone which kept fucking vibrating.
“I swear to god,” Katsuki murder whispered after the tenth text vibrated against his leg. “If Baldy doesn’t shut up, I will explode your phone.”
“Oh,” Icy Hot said, pulling out his phone and sending a text. Katsuki tried not to look, really, he did, but he was sure he was Icy Hot type his name. When he re-pocketed his phone, Icy Hot turned to Katsuki with a thin smile. “That should be the end of it.”
“I-“ Katsuki blinked. “What did you do?”
“I told Yoarashi that you were getting annoyed so we should stop texting, and to have a good day,” Icy Hot said without an inflection in his voice.
“You - you told him WHAT?!”
“Bakugo, my dude! Chill out,” Present Mic said, his voice slightly louder than Katsuki’s had been. “I’m the only one allowed to bust people’s eardrums. Got it?”
“BUT-“
“Bakugo,” All Might warned with a stern look.
“Whatever,” Katsuki growled.
It didn’t end there. Baldy would text Icy Hot a lot. And Icy Hot would always - goddamn always - tell Katsuki about it. Baldy this and Baldy said that. Baldy wants to train, and Baldy wants to jog and Baldy, Baldy, Fucking Baldy everything! It was irritating. So very irritating that Katsuki eventually snapped.
“Is he in love with you or something?!” Katsuki yelled while they walked to the dorms. Icy Hot had tagged along with Kaminari and Katsuki to “study” and now they were on their way back. They did do some studying - in between Icy Hot getting texts from him, frequently enough that Katsuki broke two pencils and might have smacked Kaminari a little too hard at one point. He would have to apologize later.
Now, as they walked and Icy Hot’s phone vibrated behind him, he turned and demanded, “So?! Is he in love with you or some shit?!”
“I - I do not believe so,” Icy Hot answered, unsure. His phone vibrated in his hand, he looked down at it and back at Katsuki. “Should I ask him?”
“Do what you want! I don’t fucking care!”
“But … you asked,” Icy Hot said confused as Katsuki turned around and walked away. Kaminari was stuck between them, knowing the truth and being unable to say anything due to friendship or whatever.
Katsuki stopped a few feet away, turning and cocking his head to the side at them both. “I will not be late to dinner because you two idiots are walking at a snail’s pace! Speed it up!”
Maybe Katsuki wasn’t so clear about his wants and needs but … it was all Icy Hot’s fault anyway.
--