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“Come on Kacchan, is that all you’ve got?” Deku grins at him, leaping out of the way of his blast with practiced ease.
“Fuck you nerd, don’t underestimate me!” He grunts, already readying his next attack.
They’ve come a long way since their fist-fighting days at UA, but both their competitive streaks still run a mile wide. So this is their solution. Every once in a while, whenever crazy hero schedules permit, they spar.
He goes back in with a blast behind him, forcing Deku to stay within range as they trade blows, vicious but controlled. They’ve switched to a mostly quirkless battle now. Afterall, there’s only so much they can do in an indoor gym without blowing it up (it’s happened before… it does not make a pretty news report) So, hand-to-hand combat works too.
“So,” another kick, just as he expected. Katsuki dodges with ease. “I haven’t seen you in months Kacchan, what’ve you been up to?” It’s been six months since they last sparred. Four, since they even talked. And Katsuki has known Deku long enough to know the sneaky little shit didn’t just call him out for some training.
“Been busy nerd.” He manages, right before he has duck out of the way of Deku’s right hook. That one hurts real bad, he knows from experience.
“Really.” Kastuki doesn’t know how the asshole manages to sound so disbelieving whilst swiping Katsuki’s legs out from underneath him. He lands on the floor with a thud and Deku’s on top of him, pinning him to the mat with his knees.
“Four months. You couldn’t text?”
“Fuck off, I was on a case, you know doing my job, the fuck were you so free for?”
Deku laughs it off, still pining him in place as Katsuki struggles to free himself from the man’s grip. He moves his palms a little and prepares an attack.
“Oh you know, the usual, I saved people, did my job and then I also managed to keep up with my friends. Crazy isn’t it?”
“Not surprising you and the nerd squad talk every minute. Do you send each other inspirational quotes every day? Eat pray love shit?”
“Shut up, we do not.” Deku scoffed, but the subtle shade of red his cheeks are turning says otherwise.
“Did you call me out here to interrogate me or to spar asshole?” Katsuki asks instead.
“Bit of both really.” Of course.
“So—” But just as Deku begins his impromptu interrogation, Katsuki takes it has his opening and sends off a small spark. Bright and blinding in a way that forces Deku to look away and gives him that small edge once more. He pushes Deku off of him in the midst of it all, slowly coming to a stand once more.
They both stop to catch their breath briefly, a mere few moments between them.
And then. Deku locks eyes with him and simply asks, “Kacchan, why are you avoiding me?”, eyes shining with genuine hurt. That motherfucker.
The thing is, he hadn’t meant to start avoiding Deku. But about four months ago, some time after their last spar, Katsuki had come to a rather earth-shattering realization. He’s still not sure what had spurred it exactly. He and Deku had been fighting a villain together, nothing special. And then, just as Deku had used his big blast as a distraction to capture the villain. Just as he’d turned to Katsuki with a bright grin and a thumbs up, as he always did, the idiot. Katsuki had found himself smiling along. He’d given up the chance to capture the villain for Deku without a second thought, taking a role as a distraction instead. He hadn’t even considered his rank, or his chance at a win. He’d just liked working with him. Liked fighting alongside him. Liked spending their breaks together and sharing lunches so Deku would stop eating shitty cup ramen like it was real meal. Liked bickering about their strategies. Liked their spars. Liked him.
That realization, well, it had hit like a ton of bricks. And it had taken him the next two months to fully come to terms with it. And then the next two he spent arguing with himself over whether or not he should act on his feelings. So he’d gone out of his way to be busy, in the hopes the space would help him find the right words. He’d never quite figured it out, in the end. He’d agreed to the spar more on a whim than anything else, (and with the knowledge that if he took any more time being “busy” his friends, Deku included, would soon be breaking down his door in intervention). His landlord already hated him, he didn’t think a broken apartment would help matters.
Which brings him back to now. As he stares down Deku, trying to think of some explanation to his actions. But this spar has just confirmed in every bone in his body that what he feels for Deku is very real. Because Katsuki realises he’s missed this. He’s missed him, these last few months. It’s just that, there’s a very real (and frankly, his best) friendship on the line here. He doesn’t want to risk losing it. Certainly not for his own selfish desires. What they have now is good. He can make his peace with it. Eventually.
So he scrambles instead, for a plausible lie.
“I- Fuck off Deku, I haven’t been avoiding you okay” It does not go well.
Deku rushes towards him once more, body sparking green with his quirk. Katsuki barely manages to dodge to the right. But he’s not so lucky the second time. Deku sends a rather vicious kick at his back that sends him flying across the room.
“Right, you’ve been busy” the fucker pants out. Katsuki’s beginning to think this whole thing was a big mistake. He still makes his way over to Deku.
They meet in the center of the room, back in their seamless routine of hitting, dodging and missing. Katsuki’s really not sure who’s going to win this one. Or what conversation they’ll have to have afterwards (because they will have to talk. About their feelings. Fuck Deku and his nerd squad, why couldn’t they just bury their emotions like normal people) But right now, he’s lost in the fight, barely stopping to think as he works on years of instincts alone.
And then, he sees it. His opening.
This time, Katsuki takes a leaf out of Deku’s book, hooks his foot behind the fucker’s ankle and pulls, hard. Deku lands on the floor with a loud thud and Katsuki’s on top of him, pinning the hero to the floor. Leaving him no room to attack. They stare at each other for a moment, breaths coming out heavy and uneven. Until the result of their little match really sinks in. Katsuki finds himself grinning at the outcome. They’ve been pro-heroes for years now, he’s won countless battles, but still, no victory feels quite as exhilarating as winning against Deku in their spars.
And maybe it’s the adrenaline, the rush from winning. Maybe it’s just him letting go of his inhibitions for this one small moment.
But before his brain can quite catch up, he leans down and presses his lips softly against Deku’s. And to his utmost surprise, Deku kisses him back, furiously and quickly. Deku is warm, so so warm that the feeling of kissing him is encapsulating him with every breath. But then, as the realization of what he’s actually doing strikes him, he pulls back as if electrocuted. It’s agonizing, he wants nothing more than to continue, to feel those soft lips on his once more. But he can’t. He slowly pulls to a stand but Deku’s just staring at him with those wide green eyes, his cheeks tinged a soft pink. And he wants, god he wants. But he can’t. There’s too much at risk here.
Deku climbs to his feet soon after, a little wobbly, still wide-eyed and staring. His eyes won’t leave Katsuki’s. They await an explanation.
“I-I’m sorry, shit, I shouldn’t have done that.” He starts. He hopes he can at least salvage their friendship from this. Katsuki takes a quick look at Deku’s face and realises that that too, may not be an option anymore. Because he recognises that expression. It’s the same one countless villains see when they take it too far, when they hurt an innocent. Deku’s fucking furious and the only villain here is him.
“You’re sorry?!” Deku says through gritted teeth.
Katsuki’s anger has always been explosive, quick to start and quick to end, but almost constantly there. Deku however, is almost his exact opposite, the nerd is just filled to the brim with patience. But on those rare occasions that he does lose his temper, well, even Katsuki can admit it’s terrifying. And a little hot. But mostly, terrifying. His normally bright green eyes have darkened a few shades and his jaw is clenched in frustration. His body taught, as if he’s mere seconds away from unleashing the green lightning of his powers. What he hates more is how incredibly turned on he is by all of it. He shouldn’t be thinking it, should be focused on dissuading this situation before Deku punches a Katsuki-shaped hole through the training room wall. But god would it really be so terrible? If he looks like that– Katsuki slaps a hand to his cheek to stop that particular train of thought right in its tracks. It earns him a strange look from Deku before its replaced once again with his anger.
Katsuki decides to try and step in and save the situation again, “Look, Deku, I know that wasn’t cool of me alright? It won’t happen again.” But that statement only seems to make things worse as Deku looks doubly furious now. Green lighting begins to flicker around his clenched fists. Katsuki’s beyond baffled. What had he said wrong this time?
“YOU- I- UG- UN” Deku chokes out. It’s a little strange to see someone like him, who’s always full of words and mumbling a million miles per hour, struggling to put together a sentence in his rage. But Katsuki knows that Deku’s brain must just be going too fast for his mouth to keep up. It’s a habit he’s picked up on, over the years. He keeps quiet and gives the man a little time to get his thoughts together, even if he still can’t understand what about his apology enraged him so much. He’d been genuinely sincere. Katsuki has made it a point to never apologise unless he truly believes it, he’s never been one to lie. And Deku almost always accepts apologies, he’s forgiven Katsuki for a lot worse. Whether he deserved it or not is an entirely different question.
He distinctly remembers the first time he’d apologized to Deku, in their second year of UA. He’d finally begun to get his head out of his ass and realised how terribly he’d treated his once childhood friend. It’d been a terse thing, pathetic in hindsight, but Deku had accepted it nonetheless. With a sunny smile and a promise that while all was not forgiven or forgotten, he was willing to work things out. In the past, he would’ve been infuriated by the nerd’s attitude. But in that moment, he’d recognised it for what it was. Deku had had the spirit of a hero long before he’d ever had the quirk to match. And Katsuki’s own insecurities were all that had kept him from his once best friend. With that in mind, he’d put forth his hand for him to shake, well aware of what it symbolized between the two of them. And Deku had accepted. His scarred hands had gripped Katsuki’s own firmly, with resolve, and a promise, for a better future. One they would start together, on equal footing.
And they’d certainly done so. There was a reason the Wonder Duo was so well recognised, always the first team called to crisis. There was a reason Pro-Heroes were now required to work in teams, taking example from Class 1-A’s graduates. They’d really stuck together, all of them. And even Katsuki could begrudgingly admit he was glad for it (though the proudly proclaimed ‘Bakusquad’ would never hear it from him).
With the Symbol of Peace and Symbol of Victory leading the way, Japan had truly changed for the better. That was until, well, until he’d gone and fallen in love with his idiot of a partner and messed everything up.
And now, Deku is slowly advancing towards him, still looking like he wants to punch him with One For All at a hundred percent.
“YOU ABSOLUTE PIECE OF SHIT! You’re sorry?! You’re never gonna do it again?”
Okay, now he really is starting to get irritated, he can feel the familiar anger begin to simmer at Deku’s words. Yeah, he made a mistake, clearly. He’s owned up to it, but he’s not just going to stand here and become Deku’s personal punching bag.
“I know I fucked up Deku! But I don’t know what else to do. I’ll leave you alone after this okay? You won’t have to see me again if it made you that uncomfortable.”
“I-YOU- Are you a complete idiot?”
“OKAY what the fuck Deku? What are you so mad about?!”
“YOU, YOU ABSOLUTE MORON!” Deku takes a deep breath, trying to calm down enough to continue. “I’ve wanted you to do that for what, three years now? And now you’re sorry?”
“I-I WHAT?” Katsuki shouts. He can’t quite believe what he’s hearing. Deku had wanted Katsuki to kiss him? For three years?!
“God you really are unbelievable you know that? Man, and people tell me I’m oblivious. Guess all the hinting really didn’t work, should’ve—”
“Stop. Deku what—what are you saying right now” Katsuki cuts off Deku’s mumbling sharply. His minds still short circuiting at everything he’s been presented right now.
Deku seems to pull himself out of his thoughts for a moment, stopping to look up at Katsuki. He holds Katsuki’s gaze firmly before replying. “I-I like you, have for a while. So you better figure out what it is you’re sorry for real fast Kacchan”. The nerd smiles crookedly at this. Katsuki, well, he can’t seem to do anything other than stand shock still. I like you, have for a while. His words won’t stop playing themselves over and over again in his head.
Deku likes him.
Deku likes him.
He’d never really considered the possibility.
A giggle snaps him out of his shock. Deku, that fucker, he’s just been standing there in front of him laughing. All bright smiles and crinkled eyes while Katsuki’s been having his own little mental crisis in the corner. And yet, Katsuki can’t even find it in himself to be annoyed, it’s cute as fuck.
So instead, he cups Deku’s face gently, hyper aware of the way a blush rises up his cheeks, and leans in. Just as Deku meets him halfway.
Kissing Deku, this time with full intent, well, he’s not sure how to describe the way it feels other than good. Great. Good. Because one syllable words are all he can manage in the moment. Katsuki’s lost, lost in the feel of Deku’s soft lips on his own, on the hands that curl around the nape of his neck and most importantly on the man before him, who he’s learned to love. And learned to respect. Who has, over these years become his most important person. And he’s so, so grateful for it. For his Deku.
They do pull back eventually. Slowly, reluctantly.
And Katsuki digs up the last of his courage to say,
“I like you too nerd. A lot. I might’ve just figured it out a couple months ago. And then immediately gone into fucking isolation instead of doing anything about it. But I really like you.”
Okay, it’s not the most romantic thing he could’ve managed. But the way Deku turns bright red and hugs him tight afterwards, burrowing his head in Katsuki’s neck, he’s pretty sure he did okay.
He wraps his arms around Deku’s waist and rests his chin on his head.
“You really are an idiot Kacchan. Is that why you were avoiding me?” Deku asks. He doesn’t even have to see his face to imagine the shit-eating grin he must have on.
Katsuki huffs but responds with a “Yeah.”
“You couldn’t just, use your words? Like a big bad adult?”
“Oi!”
“Sorry, sorry. I know, confessing’s pretty scary. I can’t really talk can I? It’s not like I said anything either. This is cute of you Kacchan.” Deku mumbles into his chest. He can’t quite help the surge of affection that rushes through him, annoyed though he might be.
“Just… shut up.” He grumbles fondly.
“Will do!”
A bubble of uncharacteristic silence descends upon them for a few seconds. He breaks it with a simple, “So, we good nerd?”
He knows there’s something vulnerable in his voice there, but he can’t find it in himself to care. There’s a little part of him that’s still scared he’s lost something here.
Deku’s laughter rumbles into his chest before he pulls back a little and answers, “Yeah, we’re good.” Smiling so brightly, Katsuki feels his worries wash away. He’s here. And they’re good.
That’s all he needs to know for now. The rest, they can figure out in time.