Chapter Text
Weeks blended so easily into months, Izuku almost couldn’t believe it. Time spent with Katsuki was like an endless daydream he hoped he would never wake up from.
For his part, Katsuki bloomed once his friends were back in his life. There was no other word for it. Every time he came to Izuku to tell him (though it still felt like he was asking permission) about them hanging out, he felt more like a rose slowly opening on a brisk winter’s morning. Izuku could see where the frost still clung to him, but it couldn’t hide his colour forever.
Little by little, Izuku warmed to the idea of going out in public with Katsuki, too. At first they just went places casually, like stopping in at a frozen yoghurt shop together, or going to the movies with the group. Even with millions upon millions of followers, the paparazzi weren’t too concerned with social media influencers, at least compared to what Izuku had expected. Katsuki usually just flipped them off and went about his day. Said it was ‘part of his brand’. Any columns written about the photos were usually short and meaningless, even when Izuku was in the pic. The only real concern was one reporter in particular who seemed to have made the connection between the bulky, faceless man in Katsuki’s gym selfies all those months ago and the behemoth that now occasionally accompanied him places.
Slowly, more of the magazines noticed too and started speculating about them. Katsuki was unphased. Izuku tried to follow his lead, but he couldn’t deny his anxiety at the thought of being watched by so many people all the time.
“Don’t even worry about it, Deku,” Katsuki scoffed. “You’re squeaky clean, the most they’ll comment on is if you gain or lose weight, or question why you’re with a fuck-up like me.”
Izuku quietly thought to himself that that was exactly the sort of thing he was worried about, but he didn’t know how to bring it up without sounding petulant. He’d known what he was signing up for. As with every challenge, he knew it would get easier as time went on if he could just push past the initial discomfort.
Sure enough, with nothing but rumours and innocent group outing photos, the articles didn’t escalate. Izuku was relieved. Katsuki, on the other hand, seemed frustrated. He began pointing out other influencers whose partners stayed out of the spotlight more and more, and talking about how much more cost-effective it would be if Izuku moved in with him. Whenever Izuku tried to diffuse the situation, Katsuki would wilt, though the discussions always ended there too.
They were cuddling on Katsuki’s giant L-shaped leather couch when Izuku asked him directly about it. He hadn’t said anything specific but he’d gotten progressively clingier the longer the articles came out without Izuku being his official boyfriend.
“Aren’t you glad we can just be in peace now that those magazines have quieted down?” Izuku asked. “We don’t have to give in to other people’s expectations, we can just announce it in our own time.”
Katsuki shrugged.
“If we were official they’d shut up too, you know,” the blonde said. “But you don’t want that.”
Izuku shifted uncomfortably. In truth, they were at a point where they might make a public declaration, but things felt a little too rushed still to him.
“I do want it,” he began. “It’s just…”
Katsuki watched him expectantly. Izuku realised after he’d spoken that, actually, he had no idea why he was so against being publicly and officially known as Katsuki’s boyfriend. If he looked at it objectively, there was no reason. They’d been having a great time for nearly five months now. After the initial excitement, they’d slipped into easy domesticity as though they’d known each other all their lives. The sex was mind-blowing. Their banter and conversations were amazing. After a little convincing, even Katsuki’s friends had blessed the union with their approval.
“Soon,” he said at length.
Katsuki shot him an incredulous look. Izuku tried to look reassuring, but his mind was still half on his own inexplicable reluctance. After a moment, Katsuki grunted to indicate he was dropping the topic and turned back to his phone. Izuku pushed aside his frustration at Katsuki’s impatience and focused on himself. There was no reason not to go public with Katsuki. Izuku would be the biggest liar on the planet if he pretended he hadn’t already imagined a future with the blonde, one that stretched out before them until their hair was gray and their backs were bowed. In his heart, Izuku was no commitment-phobe, quite the opposite. And if he hadn’t had a relationship of any sort since he was Katsuki’s age, well… that didn’t mean anything, right?
...right?
Suddenly it all made sense.
Not only had he not had a relationship in that long, but the last relationship he’d been in was… that relationship. The awful one. The one that had made him feel like dirt and brought him close to ending it all on more than one occasion; the one he was honestly still shocked at having gotten away from after only two years and change.
The one that had made him feel forced to change his number, move to the other side of town and get so muscular only the extremely cocky or the extremely drunk dared to pick a fight with late at night, no matter how deserted the alley.
Even thinking about the man who had stolen his innocence and some of his early twenties sent a shudder down his spine. He clutched at Katsuki instinctively, trying to ward away the irrational dread. The blonde gave an annoyed grunt but didn’t move away.
It had been so long.
Izuku had thought he was past all of this. He hadn’t even thought of… him … in years. And yet here, now, the spectre of a man so vile he barely deserved to be called a person was standing in the way of something Izuku craved more than anything. Happiness. Love. The opportunity to do it right and do right by someone he cared about.
But then, maybe that was the real problem, he mused as his heartbeat increased unpleasantly. His ex was long gone, but some small part of Izuku was terrified — no, convinced that he was still around. Not physically, but… inside Izuku. Some part of him tainted and twisted and corrupted beyond redemption. And not only that, but dormant, unknown to him no matter how hard he searched, just waiting for the right victim to unleash itself on. The thought of treating Katsuki the same way he’d been treated sent cold nausea churning in Izuku’s stomach.
No, no — he- he would never —
Izuku was carefully untangling himself from Katsuki and rising from the couch before he knew it.
“Just gonna get some air,” he muttered as Katsuki looked up at him with anxiety on his face.
“Okay, but—”
“I’ll just be a few minutes.”
The cool air on the balcony helped Izuku calm his racing thoughts, but in their wake was only a hollow, aching dread. He was crying and leaning over the railing without realising it, resting on his forearms as he tried to hide how his shoulders heaved in case Katsuki caught a glimpse of him from inside. There was no way the younger man would understand. He only knew Izuku as the indomitable but gentle giant who had swooped in when he was low and showed him another way to live. He’d seen Izuku cry once or twice, mainly over sappy rom coms that Katsuki swore were boring but still watched with rapt interest every time Izuku suggested one.
But this… this was different. This wasn't hearrtstrings, this was unfiltered misery. This was every dark moment streaming out of him like endless bile, gross to see and potentially infectios. Izuku wasn’t ready for Katsuki to see him like this. He didn’t want to shatter the illusion in case it broke the blonde’s sense of safety and security too. And, if he was honest with himself, he so badly wanted to maintain the carefree vibe that had so far dominated their relationship.
But it couldn’t last forever. Sooner or later, they would have to go deeper together, or… his heart hurt at the thought of the alternative. If they broke up, who knew what might happen? It had taken Izuku almost five years to open up again. At his core, he knew he didn't want to be alone. And Katsuki was doing better but there was no guarantee he wouldn’t turn to Monoma out of loneliness or desperation. It would only take one weak, human moment for the other boy to get his hooks in again. Izuku couldn’t stand the thought of anyone hurting his Katsuki like that.
His Katsuki.
For some reason, the certainty of that one thought made Izuku settle. Katsuki was his, same as he was Katsuki’s. If nothing else the past few months had shown him that. He didn’t want to leave. He wanted the future he imagined for them. Katsuki wanted it too, if his insistence on being official and urging for Izuku to move in was anything to go by.
And if it turned out that he was tainted… that he was capable of being so awful, and of doing the same things as others before him had done… there were people around to catch him. That was key, he decided. Kirishima and Kaminari and the rest knew the signs. They wouldn’t let their friend be treated poorly again, and Izuku would keep a close eye on himself as well.
A part of him insisted that the fact that he was worried about that at all meant that he would never, but he couldn’t trust it completely. Katsuki deserved the world. Izuku wouldn’t let himself settle for giving him anything less.
“Hey.”
Izuku wiped his tears and turned.
“Dinner’s ready.”
Izuku smiled and nodded, pushing off the railing and walking over to where Katsuki stood in the open door.
“Thank you,” he said.
“Are you okay?”
The blonde looked nervous, and Izuku couldn’t blame him. He had behaved weirdly. Pulling Katsuki into an embrace, he nodded, gently kissing the smaller man’s soft golden hair.
“I think so,” he told him. “Just…”
He faltered. He tried always to be honest with Katsuki, but his fear resurfaced briefly, enough to stall his words. Katsuki squeezed him tight then leaned back. The quiet, earnest look on his face made Izuku melt.
“You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to,” Katsuki said. “But I’m here if you want to talk.”
Hearing his own words echoed back to him made Izuku’s heart swell and he could feel tears gathering in his eyes again. The words tumbled from his mouth before he could help it.
“I love you so much,” he said. “I will tell you, I promise. Just… not right now. It’s nothing that affects you,” Izuku vowed to make sure of that, “just a random memory that popped into my head and made me all emotional.”
Katsuki was staring up at him, mouth slightly open, and Izuku suddenly realised what he’d said. It wasn’t how he’d hoped to say it for the first time, but neither was it something he wanted to take back now that it was said.
“You love me?” Katsuki whispered. He sounded so incredulous, Izuku couldn’t help but smile. He pressed a warm kiss into his lover’s mouth.
“I do,” he assured him. “So much.”
Now it was Katsuki’s turn to have tears mist his eyes. He pressed his face quickly into Izuku’s shoulder, his breaths shaky.
“I… I love you too.”
Izuku squeezed him tight as Katsuki squeezed him back, and for several minutes they just held each other like that, no more words necessary to convey everything they felt.
It was the next step in their relationship, Izuku realised. The thing he’d been dreading even as he tried to pretend he wasn’t. And itr had just —happened. Just like that. Rather than fill him with fear, it was invigorating. He’d never been so happy as when he was with Katsuki. Denying that, even passively, wasn’t brave or noble. Walling himself off just in case things went bad was doing a disservice to them both.
Going forward, he resolved not to let his fears get in the way of them again. He wanted this. If it meant he had to leave his fears behind him and embrace the relationship fully, that wasn’t even really a sacrifice. Katsuki had already done it. He could do it too. Katsuki deserved a partner who was as present and invested in the relationship as he was.
And, Izuku realised, he deserved to be that too.
“C’mon,” Katsuki said at length. “Food’ll get cold.”
Izuku nodded and let him go, though their fingers intertwined as they walked and stayed that way as they ate. Katsuki kept shooting him happy, disbelieving glances, as though he couldn’t believe how lucky he was but was definitely not opposed to it. Izuku knew what he would see each time their eyes met. Finally, a partner that wasn’t afraid to love him, wholly and completely.
-------
“I so don’t want all these fucking extras in my house,” Katsuki grumped for the millionth time.
Across from him, Kirishima chuckled and Denki smirked. Mina, Jirou and Hanta were playing pool with Izuku a few feet away, not paying attention, but Izuku was.
“It’s your birthday party though, Kats,” Kirishima replied. “You invited them all.”
“Tch. Whatever. It’s more like an industry event, anyways.” Katsuki rolled his eyes. “I just want to get pizza and watch shitty films with you guys. Deku tried to bake me a cake, too, and he swears it tastes better than it looks.”
Izuku couldn’t help but smile at that. He was many things, but good at baking was not one of them. That was the main reason Katsuki did most of their cooking.
Kirishima had the grace to roll his eyes at the playful put-down, but Denki cackled out loud.
“Oi, Midoriya,” he called. “Come tell your boyfriend to stop being such a killjoy at his own birthday.”
Izuku looked over and tilted his head to one side, deliberately playing dumb, then gave a wide grin and two thumbs up. Denki flushed pink and chuckled at the parody of himself.
“God, you two are made for each other,” he said, shaking his head.
“He’s not my boyfriend,” Katsuki grumbled. “Don’t worry, I’ll make sure to put on my people-face when they get here. You just worry about the light show, don’t short circuit my goddamn house. Again.”
Izuku turned back to the pool table with a faint smile as Katsuki continued his half-hearted bitching, though internally the older man was nervous. Katsuki was right. It wasn’t so much a party as an event, and there would be lots of people there Izuku only knew by reputation. Plus, Katsuki’s manager had been in charge of the guest list, and Izuku wasn’t entirely sure she’d listened when he’d asked her not to invite Monoma. From a networking point of view, that was a dumb move, given the influence of the crowds Monoma moved in, but emotionally it was definitely the right choice. He prayed, not for the first time, that even if Monoma had been invited that he would have the good grace not to show up. Something told him that wasn’t really Monoma’s style, though.
Either way, there was nothing he could do about it. If the other boy turned up then all he could do was protect Katsuki as best he could. At least here, in public, it would likely only need to be emotionally. Monoma was most likely not dumb enough to start a fight in front of witnesses. Hopefully.
Doing his best to be reassured by that, Izuku turned his attention back on the pool table. Jirou was surprisingly competitive and he was finding it more of a challenge than he’d anticipated keeping his dignity as she sunk ball after ball in front of him.
A few hours later and he was chuckling in disbelief at how easily she and Hanta had trounced him and Mina. He and the other two were okay players, but the only way Jirou could have more easily wiped the table with them would be if they were actual sponges.
“Nice work,” Izuku grinned. “You’ll have to teach me that sometime, it looked like actual magic to me.”
Jirou snorted and grinned, accepting the handshake Izuku offered her before shrugging.
“What can I say,” she replied. “It’s a gift.”
Izuku laughed, then glanced over to where Katsuki and Kirishima sat. They were talking in low tones but, as though telepathically, Katsuki’s head swivelled and met Izuku’s gaze as soon as it settled on him. He got up from the couch and hurried over. Concerned, Izuku gathered him in his arms, relieved when Katsuki kissed him.
“Everything okay?” the older man asked.
Katsuki opened his mouth to reply, but the doorbell trilled and cut him off. The blonde scowled, but for a moment Izuku could see pure, unadulterated fear in his eyes. He gave Katsuki a squeeze before he went to open the door, resolving to keep an extra close eye on him that night.
After the first guests arrived it was like a floodgate opened. The four arrivals seemed to suddenly multiply into forty, and distinct groups formed in Katsuki’s giant living area. It was a good thing the ceilings were triple height and the wide glass doors to the balcony were open or the noise would have been claustrophobic.
The genkan on the far side was empty, but the rest of the room felt full to bursting from the intense energy all the partygoers were giving off.
By the L-shaped couch, some of the older influencers had accumulated — Midnight, a sex educator from YouBoot; DIY-Cement, another established handyman and crafts channel; the critique and commentary duo DryErase and Mike-the-Mic. There were a few others Izuku sort of recognised by sight but those four he knew, given that he’d grown up watching them. He knew better than to approach them though. Knowing him, he’d start stuttering and blushing and maybe even cry — not the impression he was hoping to make at his lover’s party, even if they weren’t official yet.
Further towards the balcony but still inside, a few of the newer, edgier influencers were spread out on beanbags. Dabi, Shiggy, Toga, Twice and Magne chatted mostly amongst themselves and glared with open hostility at any of the less famous guests that tried to join them. Izuku scoffed, irritated, but knew there was nothing he could do about it. At least they were self-contained enough not to ruin the vibe of the entire party.
In the middle, Momo (model and beauty guru), Invisigirl (SFX makeup guru), and an athletic pair Izuku knew were called Ururaka and Iida from the guest list but couldn’t remember their online handles were dancing with more people he vaguely knew by sight.
A couple of photographers circled discreetly, snapping shots. A pop-up bar in the far corner was tended by a couple of bartenders, and several servers kept finger food rotating through the room. It was extravagant. It was impressive. It was the furthest thing from what Izuku thought of when he thought ‘birthday party’. But the publicist had insisted. After the long-drawn drama of the breakup, apparently Katsuki needed to solidify himself again or something.
Izuku resolved to order the greasiest pizza and find the shttiest film after Katsuki had slept. If he had to endure anything this intense, the least Izuku could do was give him what he actually wanted when it was over. Thankfully, there were Katsuki’s actual friends present too, clustered on the balcony but close enough that they could pop in and out if Katsuki caught their eye.
For his part, Katsuki was the perfect host, moving seamlessly from group to group, making everyone feel seen and included. He had a drink in his hand at all times since he was now twety and thus of legal drinking age but he didn’t want the inevitable ‘do a shot!’ from every person present. Izuku watched him work with quiet pride. Katsuki was fairly introverted, despite outward appearances, but he had perfected his social camouflaging so well that it was only obvious if Izuku paid close attention to him. The subtle shifts in body language and tone were expertly executed. Not for the first time, Izuku marvelled at how deceptively exhausting Katsuki's job was.
Izuku stayed with Kirishima or Denki most of the night, reluctant to go in and risk making a fool of himself or get embroiled in some one-sided debate. A lot of the smaller influencers were already showing him exactly how exhausting that was. He had no interest in getting famous, though, so he was glad to avoid it.
So far Monoma and his core group hadn’t made an appearance. A small part of Izuku hoped he would stay away, but based on various updates to his social media that Denki and Mina were tracking, it seemed likely he'd turn up. Izuku made sure to stay sober and keep alert in anticipation.
The next arrival wasn’t Monoma, though, but Shouto. Izuku gave a delighted grin and went to greet him, trailed by Denki, who was trying to intercept one of the servers bearing mini hot dogs complete with tiny buns and immaculate mustard and ketchup.
“What are you doing here?”
Shouto shrugged. He always looked immaculate, but tonight he’d somehow surpassed himself. He was wearing smoky black eyeliner and an elaborate earring with a metal feather, a safety pin and a tiny chain dangling from it. The result was probably quite attractive but Izuku just found it eerie, though he couldn’t put his finger on why — at least, not until Dabi loomed beside Izuku. Then Izuku couldn’t stifle his guffaw quick enough.
Dabi, on the other hand, did not look amused. His own black-lined eyes narrowed and he was completely still so long his earring stopped jiggling.
“You think you’re funny, little brother?” he asked at length.
Shouto met his gaze with the faintest flicker of amusement.
“Yes.”
Izuku felt himself going red, equal parts confused, amused and nervous. The relationship between Touya and Shouto was complicated. He thought they’d been doing better lately but he had no idea how to behave. By his side, Denki finally succeeded in snagging a handful of hot dogs. He cast a curious glance at the brothers and their stand-off.
“So which one of you is supposed to be in costume, then?” he asked, apparently oblivious. “Or do you both just dress the same?”
Dabi’s face cracked into a slow grin as Shouto chuckled. He let his piercing blue eyes settle properly on Denki, roving in a slow line down his body before travelling back up to his face.
“The real question is,” he drawled. “Who wore it better?”
“I dunno.” Denki pretended to consider, thoughtfully chewing his hot dog. “I think I’d have to see them separately to decide.”
“Well, you can see my clothes anywhere you like, if that’s all it takes.”
Izuku blinked, startled, as he realised that not only was Dabi flirting with Denki, but Denki was flirting back. He hadn’t realised either of them was into dudes.
“God, fucking end me right now,” Shouto interjected.
“If you’re insisting on being here, Shou, you can hold the gas canisters,” Dabi said. “We’re gonna see if we can get blue flames on the balcony.”
“That sounds tedious.” Shouto turned to Izuku. “Let’s go get a drink.”
Izuku cast one last confused look at Denki as Shouto led him away by the elbow. From the sounds of it, he was trying to convince Dabi to let him light the canisters with electricity instead of a lighter. He couldn’t hear Dabi’s response, but he definitely seemed receptive.
He and Shouto had barely reached the pop-up bar when the front door slammed open. Izuku jumped, turning his head instinctively to see the source of it despite the sinking feeling in his gut. Sure enough, the person he’d dreaded seeing was standing in the genkan.
Monoma had arrived.
Izuku searched the room for Katsuki, but the blonde was already making his way forward. Most of the party hadn’t noticed. The few who had, though, quieted and turned to watch. The smug smirk that stretched over Monoma’s face boded ill, the expression finding its counterpart in the tensing of Katsuki’s shoulders and the slight twitch at the corner of his mouth.
“Katsuki.” Izuku hated the way his lover’s name sounded on the other man’s lips. “You’re looking… good.”
The sneer in the other boy’s voice was thick, making Izuku shudder. But there was no denying the underlying hint of interest. Instinctively, Izuku moved closer, both in order to hear and from some innate need to stand by his partner.
“Thanks.”
Izuku had never heard such a tense note in Katsuki’s voice, not even in his darkest, most insecure moments.
“Have you met my boyfriend? Shindo—” To his credit, the dark-haired man he indicated had the grace to look uncomfortable as he stepped forward. “He’s amazing.”
Without context, the conversation might have just been friendly, if a bit stilted. With context, it was cruel. But the obnoxious tone Monoma somehow infused into every syllable was soul-crushing to witness. Even if he hadn’t already hated the smug guy by default, Izuku would have been enraged.
“Cool,” Katsuki grunted.
By now, most of the party were watching, drawn in by the tension. By the looks of it Katsuki had frozen.
“Yeah, he is.”
“Hi, nice t—” Shindo tried valiantly to inject some normalcy into the conversation, but Monoma interrupted, clearly intent on his own goal.
“So what about you?” he asked. “Don’t tell me you couldn’t even get some eye candy to hang off your arm for your own party. Wow.”
Something in Izuku snapped at that. Not only was Monoma insufferable after barely a minute, Izuku suddenly realised why Katsuki had been so eager to make them official, at least in part. His body was moving before he had time to think.
“Sorry, babe, I didn’t realise anyone would get here so late,” he heard himself saying.
Katsuki turned shocked red eyes on him. Izuku leaned in and pressed a chaste kiss on his lips, lingering slightly longer than absolutely necessary, and wrapped an arm around Katsuki’s waist. Katsuki clung to him. Izuku turned on Monoma and raised his eyebrows, a polite smile on his lips.
“And you are...?” he asked.
Monoma froze, his eyes widening. He opened his mouth to respond but all that came out was a soft rasp. Recovering quickly, he forced a smirk over his face, though his eyes narrowed as he took in the pair before him. By his side, Shindo shifted awkwardly, then averted his eyes and began edging away. Izuku couldn’t help but feel sorry for him.
“Not very up-to-date then, are you? I’m Monoma Neito.” He flicked his fringe off his face. “But maybe you’d know me as Thief? My face was on a billboard downtown a month ago. I just released my own fragrance.”
Izuku scrunched his face and pretended to think, then shook his head.
“Nope. Doesn’t ring a bell.”
At that the smirk dropped completely from the other man’s face, to be replaced by a cruel glint in his eye.
“I find it hard to believe Katsuki never mentioned me,” he insisted. “Given that we spent the better part of last year together. Although, maybe he hasn’t bothered. Can't waste time updated every revolving door partner on who they're supposed to measure up to.”
“Why rush perfection?” Izuku shot back. “It’s not like I’m going anywhere, and neither is he.”
“I wouldn’t be so sure about that.” Monoma gave a haughty little laugh. “You might be flavour of the month, but Katsuki and I go way back. We have a connection.” He paused, disdain evident in every line of his face. “Still. Probably for the best that you and I meet. At least now you know how far short you fall of the competition.”
Izuku snorted openly and held Katsuki a little tighter. He let his gaze travel over Monoma with the most bored expression he could muster, then looked him dead in the eye.
“What competition?”
Katsuki gave a shocked little inhale, and the room around them was so silent Izuku could swear he could hear his heart beating. Monoma’s face flashed briefly with rage. He opened his mouth to retort, but something flashed impossibly bright outside and there was a loud woosh. Only a few people in the room gasped, and someone gave a giddy little scream, but it was enough to break the moment. Izuku thought he could sense relief as the tension drained from around them. It figured; it was incredibly awkward to witness a nasty domestic, even if he knew a lot of them had expected it and would gossip about it for days.
“Holy shit, that was awesome!” came Denki’s unmistakable whoop from outside.
Within moments, the entire party was moving, clustering around the balcony doors as another jet of fire flared into the night sky. Monoma tried to draw the attention back to himself with a dramatic sigh and clearing of his throat but it was no use.
Before he could step closer and spew any more poison, Izuku gripped Katsuki by the waist and elbow and practically lifted him away. The smaller man clutched his shirt with a white-knuckle grip until Izuku deposited him in the smaller TV room adjoining the living area, away from the guests and flames.
“H-holy shit…”
“Katsuki, just breathe,” Izuku tried. “I know it feels weird but it’s completely normal to—”
“You were amazing! I-I thought you were going to punch him, but… still…”
“Less backlash this way, right?” Izuku tried a smile, though his heart was rabbiting a million miles an hour in his chest. Katsuki gave a soft snort, then nodded.
“Yeah, I… yeah, no, that’s right.” He gulped and Izuku realised he was holding back tears, his hands shaking even as he tried to put up a brave front.
Another flash of blue flared outside the window and the guests gave a couple of cheers and a smattering of applause, muffled through the tick walls.
Izuku pulled Katsuki in and held him. He was shaking too, the adrenaline from the confrontation dropping and leaving him feeling hollow and fragile. They sank onto an armchair together as the balcony lit up over and over again, each time a little brighter.
Much to Izuku’s surprise, Katsuki didn’t cry. The tears that had welled so hard and fast vanished within a few minutes of them settling in. Regardless, he still carded his fingers through Katsuki’s soft blonde hair and pressed firm kisses wherever he could reach, as much for his own sake as for his lover’s.
Izuku would have been happy to stay there like that all night. Katsuki felt warm and comfortable on his lap, curled like a cat and burrowing his head into Izuku’s neck.
But it was not to be.
Midway through the fire-show, the door burst open. Izuku readied himself to get up and deal with the intrusion until Kirishima’s relieved ‘oh’ cut him off. The redhead rushed into the room, followed by Mina, and Izuku welcomed them into his arms as well as they clustered around Katsuki to give him hugs.
“Sorry, bro, we were outside trying to convince Denks not to burn your house down, we only just saw the dipshit was here, and then we couldn’t find you.”
“‘S’okay,” Katsuki muttered, a little bit squashed. “Deku sorted him out.”
Kirishima shot him a grateful glance, and Izuku smiled back, trying not to let Mina slide off the chair currently holding four when it was really only designed for one.
“We should get Denki and the creepy goth dude to set him on fire,” Mina suggested, a little more seriously than Izuku expected. “They have like twenty canisters, and Dabi rigs Compress’ magician tricks, I bet he could make it look like an accident.”
Katsuki chuckled darkly.
“If Denks sees him, he’ll probably do it just for fun,” he replied.
Izuku kept silent on the matter, but privately thought it might not be such a bad idea.
A bigger round of applause sounded from outside and Katsuki reluctantly wriggled out of his friends’ embrace.
“I’m okay,” he told them. “We’ll be out in a sec.”
After another tight squeeze, Kirishima and Mina left.
“Take your time, bro,” Kirishima told him. “It’s your party, you do what you want, yeah?”
Katsuki nodded and gave a small smile, then turned to Izuku once they’d left.
“Thank you,” he said. “For saving me out there. I don’t know what happened. I had all this shit in my head I wanted to say to him if he came, but then he was there, and I just…”
“I get it,” Izuku told him. “After everything he did to you, I’m impressed you even managed to speak. I’m not sure I could have in your place.”
Katsuki gave him a small smile.
“Thanks,” he said. “But seriously, I don’t know what I would have done without you here tonight.”
Izuku shrugged and interlaced their fingers, bringing Katsuki’s hand up to his lips then pressing it into his cheek.
“You don’t have to thank me,” he replied. “That’s what boyfriends are for, right?”
The look of incredulous delight on Katsuki’s face nearly brought Izuku to tears. He grinned back, unable to contain his joy at how happy the boy in his arms was, and Katsuki grinned as well.
“Yeah?” His voice cracked slightly. “Yeah, I… I guess they are.”
Then Katsuki leaned in, tentative but determined, and kissed Izuku long and deep. It was so rare for the younger man to initiate affection like that. Izuku loved how quickly he responded now with only the slightest encouragement, moving to straddle his boyfriend and bringing his hands up to Izuku’s face. Their tongues slid against each other in a slow, lazy roll, so much different to their first frantic kisses but just as enjoyable. Izuku slipped his hands under Katsuki’s shirt and kneaded at his hips and back, pulling him in closer until Katsuki broke the kiss, breathless.
“Fuck the party,” he mutter. “D’you wanna just—”
For the second time that night, the door burst open, this time accompanied by frantic scrambling and what sounded distinctly like moans.
“What the f—”
Denki looked even more dishevelled than he sounded, his hair in an unnatural sweep over his face, burn marks on the edges of his shirt and jeans. Soot caked one side of his face like he’d been smacked by a chimney sweep and the rest of his face was red and sweaty. Gripping him tight against him by the arse, Dabi was in a similar condition. Neither even seemed to notice the room was already occupied, if the frantic kissing and touching was anything to go by.
Without a word, Katsuki rose off the armchair and took Izuku by the hand. They edged around the pair as they continued making out, Denki vaguely noticing them right as they reached the door.
“Mmph— Kats, sorry.” Denki tried and failed to both talk and continue kissing at the same time, Dabi’s tongue curling around his and his teeth nipping his lower lip. “I— we just—”
Katsuki slowly closed the door before he could finish his thought. In the living area, the party had mostly come back inside, though it seemed a few people had left and the atmosphere was altogether quieter and cozier.
Katsuki took a breath and looked around, but Monoma was nowhere to be seen. By the looks of it, he had left at some point after he had whisked Katsuki away, possibly in a hurry. He hadn’t even bothered to collect his boyfriend before he went. Shindo was sitting and chatting to Hanta and Jirou, but he got up as though to leave when he saw Katsuki and Izuku. Katsuki held up his hand for him to stay.
“Sorry you got dragged into that before,” the blonde said.
Izuku couldn’t help the proud smile that stretched his face. Katsuki really was a great guy. Shindo blinked in surprise, then gave a nervous smile.
“I’m sorry he tried to humiliate you, too,” Shindo said. “I knew he was a bit of a dick, but I had no idea he could be that bad.”
“Hm. Yeah.” Katsuki frowned. “How long have you been dating him?”
“Only a couple of weeks.” Shindo shrugged. “I never really saw myself with someone like him, but… I dunno. It just moved so fast.”
Katsuki nodded slowly, then glanced at Izuku before going back to Shindo.
“Feel free to stay, the party’s probably gonna wind down but we’ll get pizza and watch a movie later,” Katsuki offered.
Shindo still looked a little awkward, but he smiled and nodded before sitting back down with Hanta and Jirou. Katsuki turned to Izuku.
“Let’s hope the rest of these extras don’t outstay their welcome,” he muttered. “That movie can’t come quick enough.”
It seemed most of the guests were as ready to go as Katsuki hoped, though, since over the next hour they said their goodbyes, got a few last-minute photos and left. All that remained were Izuku, Katsuki and his friends, Shouto, Shindo, and, unsurprisingly, Dabi. He and Denki had resurfaced about an hour after they'd stumbled into the side room, looking a bit dishevelled but clean and damp, both smiling and gravitating around each other.
Izuku marvelled at their apparent connection. They were as different as night and day, but somehow they looked right together as they flopped onto the couch and cuddled under a blanket while Izuku sorted out pizza orders, Katsuki and Kirishima dragged furniture around to make a giant bed and the others combed through FlixFix to find a movie. Denki was dozing on Dabi’s chest by the time the rest of them were settled. Izuku found the look of affection on his face as he ran his fingers lightly through the blonde’s hair slightly disturbing compared to his usual manic glare. He'd known Touya even longer than he'd known Shouto, and he'd never seen him look so soft. It was like seeing your teacher at the grocery store.
“Disgusting, isn’t it,” Shouto stage-whispered. “Wish they’d get a room.”
“I’m sure they will,” Izuku chuckled. “Just hopefully not one here.”
Shouto scoffed and snuggled down under his own blanket, glaring at his brother. Dabi just gave him a soft smile and pulled Denki closer.
Leaving Shouto to his brotherly disgust, Izuku gathered Katsuki into his arms and led him to the converted couch. They’d settled on a mindless comedy and everyone was arranging themselves on the giant space, wrapped in blankets and positioning pizza boxes. Katsuki melted into Izuku’s chest as soon as they were seated.
“Okay birthday overall, then?” Izuku asked. Katsuki smiled and gave a sleepy nod.
“Better than okay,” he decided. “One blip isn’t enough to ruin the night. Especially not since something big and awesome happened.”
Izuku smiled too as Katsuki pulled out his phone.
“Oi, everyone say cheese or whatever,” he said. The rest of the group turned and made an effort for the photo, though it was obvious they were all exhausted. Izuku leaned in and pressed his lips against Katsuki’s face until he’d taken it. Even in the low light, he could see Katsuki blushing as he typed out the caption. He showed it to Izuku before he posted it.
‘Best birthday, best friends, best boyfriend.’
Izuku grinned and gave Katsuki a squeeze.
“Perfect.”