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“Kacchan! Hurry up or we won’t be able to finish before everyone gets here!” Izuku whined from the entrance way. Sweat was beginning to flatten his curls to his forehead beneath the heavy grey touque and pool at the base of his back under the surface of his thick green parka. Warm woolen mittens covered his hands and he could tell a flush was beginning to fall across his cheeks from the warmth. “Kaaaaachaaaaan!”
“I’m coming, I’m coming, stop whining already! I was gone all of five minutes babe. Why the hell are you so codependent?” Katsuki teased the shorter man as he slipped a simple black touque over his pale spiked hair.
“Hmph. I’m not codependent, you just take forever to get ready.” Izuku pouted, trying to cross his arms across his chest and failing miserably because of the parka’s thickness.
“Well I’m ready now, lead the way.”
Izuku stopped pouting instantly, hands dropping to fall at his sides. Bouncing on the balls of his feet, he beamed up at his fiance before grabbing his bare wrist with both of his gloved hands and pulled him towards the door.
As Izuku tugged him along the sidewalk and across the street to the nearest park, he couldn’t help but fight the smile that was creeping across his face at the smaller man’s antics. How he could be so excited about building a snowman - in the middle of a cold snap - Katsuki did not know, nor did he try to comprehend it. Instead he followed along, arm pulled gently as he watched his fiancé with fondness.
The park was like a dream. Every inch covered in a fresh layer of powder soft snow, evergreen trees lined the pond in the distance. A small playground, the one they once played at in their youth, stood stoically still and untouched by the hands of children. The sky was clear of color, giving the view the appearance of an incomplete canvas. There was a quiet that hung in the crisp morning air that was temporarily interrupted by the sound of snow being crunched beneath their boots.
“Here!” Izuku stopped, a gloved hand still grasping Katsuki’s wrist. “This spot is perfect Kacchan. Let’s build it here!”
The blond shook his head, a light laugh escaping his lips as he gazed into forest green orbs. Katsuki shrugged his shoulders as he agreed to the smaller man’s demand, gesturing to the same spot with his free hand. “Okay. How do we start?”
Izuku’s jaw dropped in disbelief, “So you’ve really never…”
“Made a snowman? No.”
“Wow. I thought you’d been joking before.” Green eyes looked at the blond sadly, tears beginning to build at the corner of his eyes.
Katsuki couldn’t help but laugh. “It’s nothing so sad as to spill tears over. Stop crying Izu, your eyelashes will freeze together.”
Izuku stilled, rubbing away his unshed tears with the soft wool of his mittens. “Building a snowman is a childhood staple, Kacchan. I just don’t understand how you’ve never made one before.”
Black clad shoulders came up to meet Katsuki’s ears in a shrug, eyebrows raised as he pressed his lips together in a look of equal bafflement. “Are you going to help me remedy the situation or stand there asking me about my childhood?”
A toothy, almost manic grin spread across Izuku’s face as he bent over to pick up a pile of snow. “Grab some snow and make the tightest snowball you ca…” He paused, looking at the taller man in confusion.
“What?” Katsuki asked.
“Kacchan, where are your mittens?”
“Heh?! I don’t need any mittens, my hands are natural heaters.” Katsuki glared at Izuku disappointedly. Six years together and Izuku was only noticing his lack of gloves now?
Izuku’s mouth fell open in a small ‘o’ shape. A look of concern flitting across his features for a millisecond before continuing with his instructions. “Uh, right…so grab some snow and make a snowball. Then keep adding snow to it until the ball gets large enough to roll.”
Red eyes tracked Izuku’s actions, mimicking the movements until the small damp orb in his hands grew large enough to place on the ground and roll. It had been challenging to get the small orb started, as the nitroglycerin in his sweat kept melting it faster than he could pack it together. Only when he had started taking larger handfuls and working at a quicker pace did the blond find success.
“Good! Make sure you push it in every direction or you’ll end up with the wrong shape.” Izuku watched carefully, taking note of how quickly Kacchan’s first piece seemed to be growing in comparison to his own snowman’s base. The partially melted snow picked up the fresh laid powder with ease.
“When do I stop?” Katsuki inquired.
“How big do you want to make your snowman?” Izuku responded.
“How big is it supposed to be?”
The smaller man shrugged his shoulders, “As big as you want it to be, I guess. You just have to be able to lift the other two pieces.”
Katsuki scoffed. “That sounds like a challenge! I bet I can make a bigger snowman than you can, Izu.”
“You just finished asking me for instructions on HOW to make a snowman and now you’re challenging me to a snowman building contest?” Izuku giggled, hiding his smile inside the neck of his parka, the warmth of his breath captured in the cold of the morning air. “I’m winning this Kacchan!”
“Like hell you will shrimp! I’m making the biggest, most bad ass snowman you’ve ever seen.” A maniacal smirk flashing across Katsuki’s face as he set to work rolling his base until it was nearly waist high. A feat that was no laughing matter as the explosion hero’s height stood at an astounding 6’6”.
The two men lost themselves in their work, each minding themselves as they finished their bases, mid pieces and heads. Before long, they reached the assembly stage and Izuku paused to watch as Katsuki bent down to lift his snowman’s midsection, placing it on his base. Even partially built, the snowman was massive, nearly standing at the same height as the hero.
Izuku turned to his own base and, activating his quirk, lifted the midsection until it sat atop the larger of the two frozen spheres. Soon after he placed the head, jumping to reach the top of the snowman. When he turned to look at Katsuki, he could tell the blond was having difficulty placing the head - not because of weight, but because of the sheer height of the monstrosity.
“Kacchan? Do you need help?”
“No!” Katsuki growled. “This is a contest! I can’t win if you help me!”
Izuku rolled his eyes before turning away and focusing on his own snowman. Not the largest of the two, but larger than the average. When everything was set in place, he slipped a glove from his hand, reached into the pocket of his parka and pulled out several small pieces of coal. Slowly, Izuku pushed two pieces onto the head for eyes, then several followed in a small crescent to form a smile. Wandering towards the line of evergreen, Izuku set out to look for the perfect set of barren limbs to use as arms.
Determined to win, Katsuki lost sight of the world around him, focusing intently on each piece of the snowman. When he finally managed to get the head on top of the other two spheres - having built a fourth as a stepping stool - Katsuki turned to rub his victory in his fiancé's face. “Hah! What did I tell ya Izu! The biggest, most bad ass sno…” The blond froze, taking note of the emptiness around him. Where Izuku had once stood was now a lone snowman with a carefree smile.
“Izuku?!” He called, scanning the park for the green clad man. “Izuku, where are you?!” Katsuki called again, a layer of fear settling in his stomach. The sound of crunching snow arose from behind him and Katsuki turned quickly, right arm raised to strike at the oncoming individual.
“Kacchan? Was that you calling? I just we - -” Izuku dropped the barren branches from his grasp and let his reflexes guide him as he caught the larger man’s punch in the palm of his hand, feet sliding backwards in the snow. “What the hell Katsuki!”
The red eyed man blinked down at his shorter counterpart, eyes widening in realization. “Don’t ‘What the hell Katsuki’ me! You’re the one that disappeared. How was I supposed to know you weren’t a villain?”
Izuku desperately fought the urge to roll his eyes and failed miserably in his efforts. “I just went to find some arms.”
“Arms?”
“Yes. Arms. For the snowmen.” Izuku bent over, picking up the abandoned limbs, flapping the branches at his sides for emphasis. Giggles escaped his lips as he stood upright and shook one of the branches in Katsuki’s face. “Ooooo I’m an evil tree villain. I’m gonna give you splinters.”
“Tch. Shut up. I was worried, okay?” The taller man chided as he tucked his hands into his coat pockets and nestled his chin into the orange scarf around his neck.
A small smile tugged at Izuku’s lips as he looked at his fiancé affectionately. “I know. I’m sorry.” He apologized. Standing on his tiptoes, Izuku placed a small chaste kiss on Katsuki’s cheek - causing the blond to dig his chin deeper into his scarf.
“Are you almost done decorating your snowman?” Izuku inquired.
Furrowed eyebrows glanced at Izuku in confusion. “Decorating? We have to decorate the damn things?”
“It’s not a snowman if you don’t decorate it.”
“Fiiine, I’ll decorate it. Where’d you get the coal?”
“I brought it with me.” Izuku beamed, proud of himself for being prepared.
“Well? Are you gonna share?” Katsuki asked.
“Nope! I only brought enough for one. Besides,” Izuku said playfully, “It’s a competition, I can’t help you.”
Katsuki glared at him dejectedly, and Izuku knew he’d made a mistake not grabbing more pieces of coal. “You can still use rocks and stuff from the park. The coal wouldn’t be big enough for your…snowman anyway Kacchan.” Forest green orbs trailing up the snow giant beside him.
“Tch. Whatever.” The blond replied tersely as he turned away to search for stones, hands blasting holes into the ground with small explosions.
Izuku shook his head from side to side before returning to his own snowman. With little effort he placed a branch on either side of the middle section creating arms and stepped back to acknowledge his work. “Just need one more thing…” He mumbled under his breath.
Another cluster of small explosions sounded from behind him as Katsuki continued to collect stones from beneath the snow. After several minutes he’d collected enough and returned to his makeshift stepping stool to place the stones on the snowman’s face. When he stepped away, his face was glowing with pride at his creation. “Izuku! Look at this!”
Turning towards Katsuki, Izuku took note of the blonds excitement, his eyes awash with pride and wonder at the seven foot monstrosity before them. “Hmmm. I think it’s missing something.” Izuku said.
Katsuki tilted his head, studying the snowman. “You're right, but what?” He pondered, crossing his arms and thinking carefully.
“Maybe…a nose?” Izuku asked, pulling a long carrot from his pocket and waving it in his gloved hand. Katsuki beamed at his fiancé, reaching for the carrot. “Ah ah ah. I think I need payment for this finely crafted carrot nose.” He teased, wiggling his eyebrows.
“Oh?” Katsuki replied, a smirk pulling at the corner of his mouth, eyebrow raised in question. “What kind of payment could you possibly want?”
Izuku stopped for a moment, pretending to think about what he wanted from the other man, intentionally taking too long and making Katsuki wait for his reply.
Having waited long enough, Katsuki grabbed Izuku by the sides of his puffy parka and pulled him in close. “Hmmm.” Katsuki hummed. “What about…”He trailed off, catching Izuku’s lips in a gentle kiss. The smaller man giggled in response before pulling away.
“I don’t know Kacchan. This is my only carrot. I might need a bigger payment.” Izuku teased, before returning the kiss.
“I’m all ears babe.” Katsuki whispered.
“Mmm. One more kiss aaand…” Izuku paused.
“Aaand?” Katsuki mimicked.
“Aaand a signature cup of Kacchan’s homemade cocoa.”
Katsuki smirked, pulling the little nerd in closer before pressing their lips together again. The cold air of the winter day creating, a tingling sensation against the warmth of the other's mouth.
“Consider it done.” He said, glancing down to meet evergreen eyes. “Full payment will be made upon return home.”
Izuku grinned, holding up the carrot for Katsuki to take. “One carrot, as promised.”
Taking the carrot, Katsuki walked over to stand on his makeshift step and placed it squarely in the centre of his masterpiece's face. “Finished.”
“And the winner is…Katsuki Bakugo!” Izuku called out, mitted hands cupped around his mouth to hoot and holler in congratulations. The blond shook his head as he strode back to stand behind his fiancé, wrapping his arms around the other man’s waist.
Throwing his head back to rest against Katsuki’s shoulder, green eyes meet red and Izuku grinned. Bending slightly, Katsuki placed another kiss on the shorter man’s temple before squeezing him tightly and stuffing his cold nose between the warmth of Izuku’s neck and parka collar.
Izuku squealed at the unwelcome intrusion of cold and tried to pull away in a fit of giggles and discomfort. Katsuki squeezed tighter, pulling him in and burying his face further into the welcome warmth. “We should probably go in and get ready for the others. I have to get the rest of supper prepped and turn on the turkey too.” He mumbled into the warmth.
“And cocoa.” Izuku reminded him, surrendering in his escape efforts. He could feel the taller man smirk against his skin.
“And cocoa.” Katsuki replied, releasing Izuku from his grasp. Taking a mitted hand in his bare one and pulling Izuku towards home.
Once they arrived home, they stripped themselves of their damp winter clothing and headed to the kitchen to finish preparing dinner. When all was said and done - as promised - Katsuki made Izuku a warm cup of white chocolate cocoa with a generous helping of whipped cream and a peppermint candy cane.
Placing it on the end table beside the couch, Katsuki slid into the space between Izuku and the armrest. Wrapping an arm around the smaller man, Katsuki pulled him in close and placed a gentle kiss to the crown of his head, before passing him the cocoa. “Merry Christmas, Izuku.”
The smaller man smiled, before closing his book and accepting the cup of cocoa. Leaning into the warmth of his fiancé, Izuku sighed in contentment. “Merry Christmas, Katsuki.”