Archive of Our Own ^beta

“Is that a picture of his— oh my God.” 

Blushing hard enough to burn off his freckles, Izuku backed out of the message thread before he rushed to block the Tinder conversation. It was the third one of the week he’d had to remove from his dating pool, and the new routine was more than enough to dampen his mood. With a soft sigh flowing from his lips, he flopped back on his bed, letting his phone rest against his chest. The darkened ceiling above him didn’t help the storm of anxiety and hopelessness from brewing in his ribs when the vibration of another message rattled his shirt. 

“Why do I even have this app?” He mumbled into the silence, already knowing the answer. 

Being twenty-five and recently finding his footing in his career, the webcomic designer had been faced with the unpleasant truth about his life; Izuku Midoryia, despite his charming personality and optimistic outlook on life, had never been on a date. In high school, he hadn’t minded, preferring to befriend the girls that tried to become storybook sweethearts with him. Ochaco, one of his closest friends, had followed him into college with her own thoughts on his aversion to romantic connections. They made a group with Ida and Todoroki, and the new freedom of college helped him explore the truth of his identity. With supportive friends and a few years of healthy contemplation, his graduation came with his admittance of only having interest in men. 

The awakening had made the idea of dating more daunting, so he avoided it for years. Finally, Ochaco came up with a ‘full proof’ plan to get him on the romantic map. 

“We’ll get you on some dating apps!” Ochaco grinned at her brilliant idea, not letting Izuku’s furrowed brows over his frown stop her. “Social media is the new way to connect with people, and if you don’t like someone, you can just delete them. Totally casual with no strings if you don’t feel the chemistry. It’s an easy way to get your toes in the water!”

He was proud that he held out against her persistence for a full week before giving in. After a lonely night with a soggy bowl of cereal and a terrible rom-con chased him into Ochaco’s comfort, he caved. She made the creation of his dating profile a group effort, which had him second guessing why he was friends with any of them. Ida constructed a powerpoint presentation about the dangers of online dating, while Todoroki spewed out embarrassing facts about Izuku to add to his profile. Shinsou, a work friend, had snickered through taking his ‘thirst trap’ pictures, and he almost drowned himself in the shower when seeing the final results. 

But Ochaco had been tickled pink from their hard work, publishing his dating profile with a bright grin. “Dating can be fun if it’s with the right person!”

Two months later, he doubted the sentiment.

“Maybe I’m just hopeless.” He ran his tongue over the back of his teeth while staring at his screen, slowly clicking through the graveyard that was his message list. 

If they didn’t lose interest after one of Izuku’s rambles (he tried to control it, but his love for All Might comics and their social analysis on society took over his rational thoughts), it was their desire for a ‘quickie’ that made him end the conversation. He was used to people deeming him strange, never being the most popular kid in any of his schools. Though he found people that respected his personality and interests in college, he never planned to win any popularity awards. Round cheeks with freckles and unruly hair tended to make him look younger than his peers. Though he gained some muscle after adding a healthy work-out routine into his college schedule, the height never followed. So getting called ‘weird’ or ‘talkative’ before being unmatched didn’t bother him.

He would have deleted the app from his phone weeks ago if not for the 90-day membership his friends had bought to ‘help him find his Prince Charming’. Or, that was Ochaco and Ida’s innocent reason; he had a feeling Shinsou just liked laughing over the creepy messages he got during their lunch breaks. He still didn’t know if Todoroki even knew what he pitched in for. But it was his father’s money, so that made it ‘worth it’ to the quiet man. His friends believed in the endeavor, wanting to see him happy with a guy worthy of his love.

Plus, there was technically one other reason the flame icon still lingered on his homescreen.

“Oh.” Smiling, he clicked on the notification of the new message from a familiar name. “He’s out of work early.” 

Katsuki (though Izuku had coined ‘Kacchan’ after a few days of talking) Bakugo was an outlier in the sea of broken connections. Only a few months older, it was still a mystery that a guy with his accomplishments and appearance even needed a dating app to help him find someone to talk to. Katsuki was a chef, who focused on his fitness, his dog (Izuku almost melted when seeing ‘Dynamight’ on the tag of the pitbull in the second photo), and comic books. Spending too many hours looking over Katsuki’s pictures, he caught sight of the small All Might figurine on the nightstand of his room, which had left his heart racing with excitement. Was a guy as pretty as Katsuki also a low-key nerd? Though Katsuki didn’t go into as many details about the shared interest as Izuku would have liked during their weeks of chatting, he also didn’t stop him from going off about his thoughts on the characters and recent chapter drops. Katsuki didn’t end the conversation each time he avoided meeting up, no matter how obvious he made it that he wanted to. 

Katsuki (8:44pm): So if you don’t work this Saturday, let’s get dinner. What’s the problem?

“Three weeks is a long time for Tinder…” He muttered to himself, knowing the twinge of anxiety in his stomach was never going to dissipate. 

No matter how long he waited, there would always be a fear of not being something Katsuki would like once meeting him in person. Another quick peek at the first picture from the profile still made his heart skip. Unaware of the person taking the photo, Katsuki’s eyes were on his own phone while leaning over a milkshake, alluring lips mid sip of the drink cradled in a firm hand. The rolled sleeve of his button up framed the strength of the forearm, though pictures later in the profile showed that Katsuki’s entire body was firm and toned. Despite the masculine energy exuded in the stills, there were hints of softness along the hard edges of sharp eyebrows and powerful red eyes. He was sexy in his strength, but… Izuku thought he was really pretty, too. And maybe the connection he had with the man in the photographs would feel stronger in person than through their texts.

Trying to turn his obvious attraction into confidence, he stared at Katsuki’s smooth cheeks and cute nose before he clicked back to the conversation.

Izuku (9:06pm): Okay, sure! 

The days between the agreement and the date felt like a blink to Izuku. A shaky breath left his lungs when he looked down at his phone, hoping to see a message from his date. Though he had never been to Eraserhead before, Ochaco and Todoroki both gave the restaurant high praise. It was on the expensive side for a lounge, but the reviews about the fun atmosphere, friendly workers, and five-star food made the price worth it. It was nice that Katsuki had suggested a high-end place by the ocean, though it was a bit of a drive from his studio. He wasn’t a big drinker, but knowing the hike back home, it would cut down his desire to try some of the specialized cocktails promoted on the website. 

Ochaco’s promise that Katsuki’s interest (based on location) was the same as Izuku’s clashed with his own anxiety when seeing it was ten minutes past their date time. Taking the moment to look over his attire, he chewed his lip when wondering if his outfit was too plain. His red sneakers were old, but trusty, complimenting his black jeans and the white undershirt hidden by his green button-up. He was never someone to focus on designer clothes, but looking at how amazing some of the groups sauntering into Eraserhead looked, he almost raced back to his car to change. 

“Izuku?” But the call of his name made the thought disappear, quick to look up in excitement.

“Kacc—” 

He cut himself off when he blinked, mouth pausing in his confusion. The man who approached him waved, but not with a familiar face. Where blond spikes and a red gaze sat in the photos, brown took over both slots. Shorter, and with less body than any photoshop could mask, his approaching ‘date’ had nothing in common with who he’d been led to believe he was speaking to. The new person wasn’t ugly, just different than expected. His stomach twisted with an uncomfortable feeling when he forced a smile onto his lips. Throughout their weeks of conversation, Izuku had never been the one to question the truth behind the screen. ‘Katsuki’ (was that even his name?) had asked two separate times for him to send pictures of himself, which he’d done without thought. His freshman psychology class floated the word ‘projection’ through his mind, making him wonder if the man’s own lie had made him suspicious of Izuku’s profile.

“Oh, hello. Uh…” Unsure how to catch his brain up with his eyes, he tugged at the hair on his nape. “Are you Kacchan?”

“Technically, yeah. Though that’s not my actual name.” The reply didn’t soothe any of his discomfort. Bothered by the beat of silence, his hand slipped into his pocket to clutch his phone. Each of his friends had asked for the address of his date, and promised they would come save him if he needed a way out. The slow realization that he had been catfished made his thoughts tangle in anger and embarrassment. 

“What is it, then?” He asked, still trying to be polite despite the situation he was dropped into. 

“Toby.” Somehow, it seemed fitting for the man now running his hand through his longer hair. Izuku was almost glad that he didn’t have to connect ‘Kacchan’ to the person crossing his arms in front of him. “I just used that profile because it’s obvious that guys like you would never give people like me a chance at a date.” 

“What?” Blinking, he frowned, then shook his head. “I don’t know what you mean.” 

“It’s not that big of a deal.” A sheepish shrug and knowing look struck something in his chest, Toby’s grin almost fake. “Everyone knows you’d never have agreed to a date with me if I had talked to you as Toby. You’re probably planning to leave right now, right? I knew you’d be like that.” 

“Oh, well…” Guilt made his hand rush out of his pocket, waving away the dejected posture from Toby. He tried to force Katsuki’s image from his head, hoping to salvage the unexpected turn of his first date. “No, it’s okay! We could— I mean, you were who I was texting. I guess we could try to see if we’re still compatible?”

“If you really want to…”

“I do!” Izuku nodded hard enough to bob the tufts of his hair, stepping toward the entrance of the lounge. The slight nausea of the reveal still squirmed in his stomach, but he hoped it was due to his hunger over a lingering emotional backlash of the situation. “I heard this place is really nice, so it’ll be fun.” 

“Okay, sure.” Toby’s slumped posture switched in a heartbeat, and he jumped at the confident hand pressed to his lower back. 

The change almost made him trip while Toby led him into the lounge, though he tried to see the change in a positive light. Maybe his self-conscious behavior before really had been because he thought Izuku was attractive? He’d felt the same when looking at Katsuki’s picture, doubting someone that gorgeous would waste any time on him. And though he’d been sadly right, he didn’t have to keep the cycle going. Even if he didn’t see Toby in a romantic light, the date could have a different goal. Giving Toby confidence in himself might make him stop using fake pictures, and just let his natural interests and talents shine through.

Distracted by his own thoughts, he didn’t realize where Toby had led them until his hip bumped the bar stool. “Whoops.”

“You’re a little klutzy,” Toby said, arching an eyebrow before slipping onto the seat next to him. 

The smooth polish of the black bar was pretty in the low light, but the choice of their seating caught him off guard. A quick glance behind him proved there were tables open, where most would go for a night of getting to know each other. A bar felt… more casual, like friends or hook-ups that didn’t need deep connection. His image of a romantic candlelit dinner and long hours of warm conversation dissolved, though he kept quiet while climbing onto his own stool. 

“This place is really amazing,” he said, enjoying the low music and modern style of the lounge. 

Toby hummed, turning away from Izuku to wave toward the bartender. “Not the worst place I’ve been, for sure.”

“I don’t imagine you have a lot of time to go out with your job.” When Toby only shrugged, he tried to flip through their similar interests to help ease the start of a conversation. “Actually, I’m surprised you were able to get a Saturday night off so easily. Your restaurant is probably falling apart without their main chef keeping the kitchen in line. I mean, you most likely have a couple people under you that are working to learn your recipes, cause even you would have to take days off. Actually, I never even asked how long you’ve been in the culinary field—”

“You do the rambling thing in person, too.” Toby’s comment made Izuku straighten in his seat, unsure if it was meant as a simple observation or an insult. 

Before he could process either conclusion, the red-haired bartender popped in front of them, matching eyes and a bright smile lighting up the mood. “Hi there! Welcome to Eraserhead. I’m Eijiro Kirishima, but I answer to either. I’ll be your bartender for the night. Any food or drinks you want, I’m your man.” 

“Hello,” he answered politely, quick to pull out his ID once Kirishima asked for it.

After checking his and Toby’s license, Kirishima returned them with a grin. “Do you need some time with our menu, or do you have something in mind to start the night?” 

“We’re good.” Toby didn’t look at Izuku when he spoke. “Two Long Island iced teas.” 

“Oh, I—” He tried to keep his smile friendly when both men looked at him, nervous fingers curling in his lap. He wasn’t sure if ordering for a date was normal, but he knew enough about alcohol from Shinsou and Ochaco that a Long Island would be too much for his sensitive pallet. 

“Something else catch your eye?” Kirishima tilted his head, sliding the menu closer to him. “We’ve got lots of different selections, or you could just tell me what you’re looking for and I could make one on the fly. I always love a challenge, and I can make any liquor my speciality.” 

Unsure how to explain he didn’t want any alcohol, he winced and shook his head. “No, it’s fine. I don’t wanna be a bother. I’ll just take… the tea.” 

“If you change your mind, just let me know. Otherwise, I’ll be back with your drinks!” With a friendly wave, Kirishima slipped away, Izuku glancing back at Toby with a hesitant laugh. 

“I didn’t think you’d be a big drinker. Most people focused on fitness don’t really drink a lot.” 

“It’s not like I spend a lot of time working out. I’m not even sure where my gym card is anymore.”

The dismissal of a shared interest dragged his shoulders down, fighting the urge to chew on his lip. “Oh, really? Is it cause you prefer your hikes during the summer? Actually, I was looking for some new places to go, since I’ve done my regular trails a hundred times. Where do you like to climb?” 

“Random places when my friends drag me around.” Toby leaned closer, resting a firm hand on Izuku’s thigh while he smirked. “Who would have thought a little comic book writer would care so much about leg day?”

“Huh?” Before his mind caught up, his leg twitched away from the unknown touch, covering his surprise with a weak laugh. “Oh, of course! Actually, All Might is one of the reasons I got into working out. He always talked about believing in yourself and it sort of inspired me. Like, you know how during the first two volumes, he—” 

“I already told you that the profile wasn’t mine.” The words bounced around in his head, Toby’s smile almost feeling condescending at his oversight. “Whenever you’d go off on that weird stuff, I’d just Google some random character and let you talk about them. All the info on my profile was already there before I bought the account from my… friend.”

“So… none of it was you?” 

“Nope, I don’t even own a mutt. That’s the Katsuki dude’s pet, I guess.” 

At Toby’s confirmation, Izuku felt his breath stutter, the second blow of the night harder than the first. While he’d found Katsuki attractive, it was the little snippets of his life, and the fake interests Toby used to keep him interested, that he really enjoyed. He’d felt safe getting to show his nerdy side to someone who he thought understood him. Toby hadn’t cared about his analysis on the different arcs of the comic or his love of the character development. When he had sent pictures of the hiking trails or the terrible mess he tried to call dinner, had rose-colored glasses made him oversee the lack of interest in any of the topics Izuku thought they shared?

Toby didn’t seem to notice the internal conflict when his phone went off, hopping off the stool without a second thought. “I have to grab this.” 

“Sure, take your time,” he said, forcing a light tone through his embarrassed flush. 

Toby wandered to the side of the lounge, though kept the bar within eyesight during his conversation. Despite the distance, he felt trapped in his seat, knowing any move toward the exit or the bathroom would be intercepted by his date. The sensation rose goosebumps along his skin, Izuku glancing to his lap to try and steady his shaky breath. Everything he’d tried to cling to after discovering Toby’s catfishing plan slipped through his fingers. The person he’d fallen for, from the picture to the quirky profile, was a guy who didn’t know he existed. 

The gentle clink of glass on the bartop made him glance up, Kirishima’s gentle smile easing an inch of his anxiety. “I swore there were two of you here a minute ago. Maybe I need some glasses.” 

“Nope, he’s… still here.” His thumb went over his shoulder, aimed in the vicinity of where Toby had gone. “Just taking a call or something.” 

“Oh, hope everything’s alright. Gotta be something serious to leave his cute date alone.” He smiled at the kind words, though he wondered if the look wasn’t convincing enough when Kirishima dropped his own grin. “Hey, all jokes aside, are you okay?”

“Why wouldn’t I be?” 

Not wanting to lie, he avoided the question, reaching out to grab the glass in front of him for a distraction. His fingers hesitated once hitting the condensation. With his nerves already shot from the terrible start of the date, he wasn’t sure he wanted to add alcohol to the mix. The stress from the day made him avoid eating, and his energy drink from his post-workout was long gone by now. The empty stomach would make any alcohol hit him harder than normal, which was already a concern. Toby didn’t feel like someone he could trust sober, and if he was tipsy…

“Oh, shoot.” Kirishima’s sudden interruption of his mental processing made him look up again, seeing the sheepish smile while he laughed and rubbed the back of his head. “Sorry, dude. I just realized I gave you a virgin Long Island. Must have mixed you with another order. My bad! Did you want me to make you another one?”

“So mine… doesn’t have alcohol in it?” He asked, eyes wide when Kirishima shook his head.

“Not a drop.” The knowing look in Kirishima’s eyes when he bent down proved there was more under the cheerful demeanor of the bartender. “Your date’s got the right liquor, though, so he won’t know the difference. Just in case you’re worried about that.” 

Unable to stop his lower lip from trembling, Izuku nodded and clutched the drink between both of his palms. Just as promised, when he took a sip of the tea, none of the bitter liquors crossed his tongue. “Thank you so much.”

“Don’t worry about it; my job is to take care of my customers. All of them, even the one stuck in something he doesn’t seem comfortable with.” Crossing his arms when leaning on the bar, Kirishima tilted his head. “Is this a first date, Mr…?”

“Midoriya. Izuku Midoriya,” he filled in, nodding after. “And sorta. It was supposed to be a date, but… I…”

“Something’s not right?” Kirishima asked, Izuku hating how quickly his tears rose at the soft tone. “Hey, it’s okay if the chemistry isn’t there. I’m pretty good at reading people from my job, and you haven’t looked comfortable this whole time. Was it a blind date or a relative’s suggestion?”

“Those might have been better.” He tried to hold back his embarrassment when Kirishima furrowed his brows together. Giving a final glance at Toby to make sure he was still occupied, Izuku caved. “Gosh, this is so embarrassing. I mean, I bet you see lots of Tinder dates and stuff, but I’ve never done this and— I thought we really clicked when we talked online. Or maybe I just thought we had a lot in common. Here, he’s a different guy, and not just his personality! Kirishima, I don’t… I don’t want you to think I’m shallow, because I tried to look past the picture thing, I really did, but maybe I am—”

“Wait, picture? Like, said he was someone he wasn’t? Because if he did, you have every right to feel upset about being lied to.” He pressed his shoulders closer to his ears, hoping his shame didn’t turn them red. “Izuku, did he catfish you?” 

“I…” Unable to get the words out, he pulled his phone from his pocket, unlocking it to the profile picture he’d mooned over for weeks. After a slow breath to calm his racing heart, Izuku slid it across the bar, dropping his head to hide his eyes. “This is Kacchan, t-the guy I thought I was talking to.”

“Okay, lemme see this stud muffin— oh.” Kirishima’s laugh after the surprised pause cemented what Izuku already knew.

“I know. It was so stupid to think a guy like Kacchan would wanna date me, but we had so much in common! Like All Might and nutrition. He said he loves hiking with Dynamight, who is adorable. Oh, sorry, that's his dog.”

“Is it?” Kirishima asked, grinning too wide while listening to his flustered explanation.

“Yes, he’s a pitbull. Maybe. Toby never told me the breed, which makes sense now, but I think Dynamight’s at least a mix of one— and Kacchan loves cooking! And, okay, I can’t cook, but I love eating? So I thought maybe learning to cook from him would be a cute date or something. And the picture of what he made on his profile looked amazing, so I… this is so pathetic of me.”

Kirishima’s hand reached out to pat his shoulder while he shook his head. “Nah, nothing wrong with finding your perfect match. You’re a good-looking dude, and I bet ‘Kacchan’ would kill for a night with you.”

“That’s worse,” he replied, too far down in his shame to hide the truth. “I don’t do one-night stands. That’s why I waited a couple weeks for this date. I was kinda hoping it’d be the start of a relationship.”

“You’re a settle-down-for-life kind of guy?”

“Probably too much for a twenty-five year old.”

“That’s even better.” Kirishima’s answer confused Izuku, but he wasn’t given time to think it over. “Can you stand this Toby guy long enough to get some food? If so, I’ll help make your night way better.” 

For a moment, he hesitated, unsure what the bartender had planned. Maybe he was going to tell his co-workers about the pathetic man sitting at his bar so the rest could get a good laugh at his misery. Except Kirishima had been nothing but kind all night, and didn’t seem the type to use Izuku as his emotional punching bag. Plus, the drink keeping his hand cold had been an olive branch Izuku hadn’t know he needed. What would another half-hour do to his already bruised pride?

“Okay.” 

“Great! Oh, and when I come back, order the Katsudon.” Hearing his favorite food piqued his interest, but Kirishima only gave him a thumbs up at his interested noise. “Trust me.”

“Is Izuku talking your ear off?” Toby’s return almost knocked him off his seat in surprise, though Kirishima covered his shock with a wave of his hand. 

“Not at all. Just checking if he likes his drink before we got some food orders in for the two of you.” 

Toby’s interest in the half-missing beverage chilling his hand made a sense of danger run down his spine, disliking the attention focused on the topic. “He seems to be enjoying it. Might have to keep them coming for us.”

“I’m fine for now,” Izuku replied, swirling the glass before glancing at Kirishima. “But thanks for the offer.”

“No worries, anything for my customers.” Catching the double meaning, Izuku gave a smile while Kirishima clapped his hands together. “Alright, food time. What will you two be ordering?”

“Eh, I don’t think we really need any.” Toby dropped to his seat, taking a large swig of his iced tea. “Drinks should be fine.” 

“Actually,” he butted in, unwilling to give up on the helping hand Kirishima offered. “Dinner sounds really good. I haven’t eaten all day.” 

“We could just get some food at my hotel room.” The new information caused his stomach to clench, and the corner of his gaze caught Kirishima’s rare grimace. “I’ve got the place for the weekend, so we could hang out later.” 

“But I’ve heard their Katsudon is amazing. It’s all I’ve been thinking about since you mentioned this place.” 

“The best part is, our chef sometimes comes out to plate it for customers.” Kirishima tapped the bar, like the information was special. “You know, to make sure everything stays crispy. It's his favorite meal to cook.”

“That sounds amazing.” Toby only frowned at his excitement, making him panic. Desperate to set Kirishima’s plan into motion, Izuku let the words roll off his tongue. “I’d do anything for a guy that buys me a good Katsudon!” 

The rush of heat scalded over his freckles, but the implication seemed enough to get Toby to nod through his smirk. “Fine, guess I can splurge for you. Two bowls of Katsudon, and another round of drinks.” 

“Sure, I’ll need your card to open a tab. Oh, and your ID again, just to make sure it matches the name on what we’re swiping. Once I have that, I’ll put your order in.” Kirishima took both from Toby’s hand with a glee that seemed off from his earlier kindness, but Izuku didn’t mention it when he moved toward the register. A subtle wink from Kirishima before he slipped back into the kitchen made him mouth out his thanks before he turned back to Toby, wondering how he’d buy time for whatever was being planned.

He started with something he hoped was a neutral topic. “Was everything okay? With the call, I mean.” 

“Oh, that? Nothing too big, just my boss needing my help with something. I don’t get how someone can be a manager of a hardware store if they don’t know the first thing about paint.” 

“Oh, that has to be stressful.” His mind lingered on another lie that Toby had told him, though he didn’t point it out to keep the mood easy-going. “Sorry that he relies on you so much.” 

“I really should have his job.” Another swig of his drink paused the conversation, Toby’s previous claim of self-consciousness nowhere to be seen. “If he wasn’t the owner’s son, I bet I’d have the position. Like last week…” 

And to Izuku’s relief, Toby took time explaining the incompetence of his co-workers, boss, and the entire company that he worked for. Despite disliking how negative the rant was, he stayed quiet, letting the minutes tick by to fill in much needed time for the food. It was easy to see that Toby wasn’t happy with many aspects of himself, and though Izuku felt sorry for the man, something about the constant pessimism didn’t sit right with him. He always had the belief that change only came when a person worked for it; Toby seemed to believe it should be handed to him on a silver platter and an apology for taking so long. 

When the long winded complaint finally petered off, Izuku tried to reframe the other’s thought process. “Maybe you could find another place to work? Since this one doesn’t seem to make you happy.” 

“They let me take off the time I want, and I get free stuff. Guess that’s better than nothing.” 

Izuku leaned further away when Toby encroached on his space at the bar, using his drink at a buffer between their faces. “Oh, t-that’s cool. Wanna tell me more about it?”

“I was actually thinking of having Kirishima wrap up our food so we can take it to go. The hotel’s just a couple streets away, and has a great view of the beach.”

“Then it won’t be crispy,” Izuku replied, sneaking the straw into his mouth to try and avoid the brown eyes focusing on them. 

His attempt to keep the barrier was lost when a hand grabbed his wrist, returning the drink to the bartop. The movement made Izuku lean his back against the edge of the hard surface, uncomfortable with how Toby had started to box him in. His eyes glanced to his left, searching for Kirishima or a way out of the situation. The hope of an easy escape was doused when seeing the bartender turned away from them, talking with a group on the other side of the bar. When his mind shot to his phone, a slight shift of his thigh made him realize it was no longer in his pocket. A quick memory reminded him that he’d let Kirishima look at the device, and had never retrieved it. With both of his lifelines out of the picture, his mind fizzled in panic. 

It only increased when Toby’s free hand grabbed his chin, coaxing his face to look up at his side smirk. “I’m really happy you came on this date with me. You’re pretty cute.” 

“Oh, thanks. I g-get that sometimes with the cheeks and freckles…” He said, praying his rambling would kick in to ease the strange tension he didn’t want growing. 

“Anyone ever told you they want to bite them?” 

Before Toby could follow through with his offer, Izuku pushed his hands to the other’s chest, staying firm to keep a safe distance between them. “I’m not really sure that’s something we should be talking about on a first date. This is a lot, and we haven’t really gotten to know each other yet—” 

“We’ve been talking for weeks.” 

“Not us ,” he replied, hating the bite of guilt in his chest when Toby frowned. 

“So, what? If I’d been the guy in the photo, you would be okay kissing me? That’s kind of shallow, Izuku.” 

“I might have liked you if you tried to get to know me as who you were. But you lied to me, and you’re not… not respecting me.” Thinking back to what Kirishima said in their short conversation, he didn’t back down. “Me being uncomfortable with this is normal, given what you did. And if you don’t accept that, maybe we should… end this.” 

“People aren’t allowed to make mistakes with you?” Toby’s question got under his skin with ease, like he practiced his slippery words before. “If that’s not true, then let’s try things my way. We know we could be good for each other.”

“I don’t know you,” he said, though lost some of the tension in his arms keeping them apart.

“Which is who’s fault if you end this date?” Toby asked, Izuku falling quiet at the sudden flip of the conversation. “Come on, don’t let something so silly stop you from finally getting someone to date you. Don’t you want that?” 

He did, deep down, want to be good enough for someone, to be someone’s first choice. He’d told ‘Kacchan’ that during a vulnerable night, and hearing it used as a weapon in Toby’s mouth felt like a slap to the face. Still, it didn’t mean the truth was any less powerful. For a moment, his resistance faltered, insecurity lowering his eyes to the ground. 

“Oi!” 

A sudden slamming against the bar made him jerk out of Toby’s hold, quick to turn toward the noise. The food in front of him almost stole his attention, if not for the familiar face that hovered over it. Golden hair looked dimmer in the low light of the lounge, softening some of the sharp edges of the jaw he’d memorized for weeks. Red stared not at him, but the man to his side, almost bright enough to burn like fire from his rage. Broad shoulders were hidden under a chef’s coat, but the power in his body was unmistakable. There, like a dream (or maybe a nightmare), was Katsuki Bakugo in the flesh. 

The rough voice that fell from his sneered lips while staring Toby down almost stopped Izuku’s heart. “Hey there, fucker. Look familiar?” 

“Holy shit.” Pale as a ghost, Toby jumped away from him, hands up like he’d been caught with Katsuki’s wife. “Hey, man, I didn’t know—”

“Oh, save your pointless excuses. I ain’t got time to pretend to care about your creepy sob story. But I do have a fucking problem with this.” Izuku let out a squeak when his phone appeared in Katsuki’s hand, wishing the floor would swallow him whole. How much did this man know about his high-key infatuation with him? “I already reported this weird ass shit, because I don’t like gross men pretending to be me. And guess what, ya little freak? According to the police, I ain’t the only one. You’ve been playing this game with a couple people, getting them to sleep with you. Then you steal their credit cards before sneaking out of whatever hotel you buy with the previous person’s information.”

“What?” Stunned, he jerked his head toward Toby, mouth going dry when seeing pure fear fill Toby’s face. 

“You can’t prove that,” Toby said, though the tremble in his voice gave away more than he probably wanted.

“Luckily, I don’t fucking have to. Shitty Hair has your name from the credit card and ID you gave him for your tab, and the police are on their way. They’re gonna cross reference it with the other people’s report, and they’ll figure it all out. I just want you to stay the fuck away from my profile. You can have fun with all that other shit on your own. I hope they lock you up for a long time, you piece of trash.”

Toby barely let him finish before he shot off the stool, Izuku turning his head to catch a glimpse of him racing out of the exit. Once sure he was gone, he let out a breath, though he wasn’t sure if it was relief or embarrassment. His first date had turned out to be nothing more than a scam to try and rob him. Toby had thought he was the perfect mark, desperate and easy to turn for sex and his money. To make it worse, the guy he ‘fell’ for now knew he was overwhelmingly smitten with him. He couldn’t even call his friends to try and get a pick-me-up, because his phone was still in Katsuki’s possession. There was no way he could even look at him, nevermind ask for the device back. Exposed in the worst way possible, Izuku fought back his second round of tears for the night. 

He tried to hide the sniffle by lowering his head, but the sliding of a bowl of Kaduson  under his face stopped him. “Hey, nerd.”

“Huh?” Looking up, he blinked back the water lining his eyes to try and clear his sight. 

Katsuki’s scowl didn’t mar his pretty features. “Nobody should be crying over my food unless it’s in joy, so stop the tears and eat. You told ‘Kacchan’— which, what the fuck kind of name is that? — that it’s your favorite, right?”

“You read our conversation?!” He squeaked out, holding back a grimace when Katsuki nodded and rolled his eyes. 

“I just saw some shit while I was taking screenshots for the police. It ain’t like I was trying to snoop.” 

Mortified at the possibility of him seeing some of the fawning he’d done over Katsuki’s pictures, Izuku finally swiped his phone back into his possession while squirming closer to the edge of his seat. “Well, this has been… something, but I should just go find a hole to crawl into, so—”

“Izuku!” Kirishima popped up next to Katsuki, his arm finding the other’s broad shoulders while he smiled. “Hey, how are you holding up? Can’t believe that guy was using my best friend’s pictures to con people. The police are gonna want to talk to you when they get here, but we’ll bring you out back so it’s not in front of everyone.”

“Oh, right.” Knowing he couldn’t leave the terrible situation, he dropped his hands into his lap, wincing. “Thanks again for helping me out.” 

“Not a problem. Also, is this scary guy making you upset?” Not even blinking at Katsuki’s glare, Kirishima grabbed his cheek and tugged. “Need me to beat him up for you?” 

“I didn’t do shit!” Huffing, Katsuki shrugged off the friendly touch, crossing his arms over his chest. “And like you could, asshole. I’ve never lost a boxing match with you. I’d wipe the floor with your ugly ass.”

“Mina doesn’t think it’s ugly.”

“Raccoon eyes needs glasses.” 

“Aw, Bakubro! Don’t roast me in front of Izuku, that’s not manly at all.” He watched the silly interaction quietly, though Kirishima’s little whine finally made him laugh. He tried to cover the loud noise with his hand, but both men’s heads snapped over to him, Kirishima’s grin a little brighter than Katsuki’s surprised blink. “Hey, that's the first time I’ve heard you laugh all night. Glad to see you finally enjoying yourself.”

“Yeah,” he admitted, shrugging through his smile. “Guess I should have realized my first date was a bust way sooner.” 

“First online date?” Katsuki arched a disbelieving brow, and Izuku pressed his fingers together while he pushed out a sheepish laugh.

“No, uh… first date… ever.”

“Seriously?” Kirishima looked surprised, though his attention was focused on the scoff that pulled Katsuki’s mouth into a frown.

“Bullshit. There’s no way someone with a cute face and a body like yours is still a virgin. Unless you're waiting until marriage.”

He wasn’t sure his face could get any more flushed, shaking his head rapidly while Kirishima laughed at his embarrassment. “No! Nothing like that. I just didn’t realize I only like guys until a few years ago. I promise, this was my first! Oh, well… I don’t think this counts as a date anymore.” 

Morose again, Izuku tried to avoid seeing the pity in either man’s gaze by turning back to his food, poking the yummy looking katsudon with his fork. The smell made his stomach gurgle, reminding him how little he’d eaten all day. He wanted to drown his sorrows in the delicious meal, but his throat hurt from holding back his self-shaming tears.

“Jesus fuck.” He flinched at Katsuki’s reply, wondering if he could have made a worse impression. 

But then movement above him made him curious enough to glance up, stunned when seeing Katsuki climbing over the bar. “Ka-Kacchan?!” 

“Aizawa’s gonna freak,” Kirishima said, though seemed amused while watching the man cross the clean surface to plop into the empty seat beside him. 

“Then he can fire my ass and cook himself. Which we know that hobo won’t do, cause my food is the reason half the people come here.” Katsuki swiped the clean set of utensils Toby hadn’t had a chance to use, stabbing the fork into the middle of the crispy pork. “We all know it ain’t Flat Face’s burnt ass fish bringing people in. Dynamight could make better food, and he’s a fucking dog.” 

“Um…” Izuku swallowed when Katsuki glared his way, mouth needing two tries to get his question out. “What are you…?”

“I’m not letting that fucker use my face to ruin your first date. And I’m not okay with my own food going to waste. So eat your katsudon and tell me shit about yourself while I take my break.”

“That’s Bakubro’s way of inviting you to dinner with him,” Kirishima said, too pleased when Katsuki balled up a napkin and threw it at him.

“Shut up and get me a water, you waste of space.” 

Kirishima raised his hands in a plea of peace before he waltzed away, catching Izuku’s eye and giving him an encouraging smile. Once the bartender was gone, he glanced back at Katsuki, who looked too focused eating to interrupt. With no other options left, he turned to the food, mumbling his quiet thanks before cutting into the first bite. He didn’t need more than a few chews to melt into the taste, eyes widening. Every herb and spice blended perfectly against his tongue, and he couldn’t stop the pleasant noise from spilling out of his mouth. 

“Wow.” He covered his lips when Katsuki glanced toward him, hoping his muffled voice still showed his appreciation. “This is amazing.” 

“Of course it is.” Smirking, Katsuki wore his pride like a badge of honor and snagged another mouthful of his meal. “I’m the fucking best.” 

“Yeah.” He didn’t fight the cocky statement, somehow knowing it wasn’t just hot air. His confidence felt earned, and Izuku wanted to know what the man had been through to earn his stripes. Instead of embarrassing himself again, he focused on enjoying the meal that had become the highlight of his night.

The hour that followed felt like a rollercoaster. The warmth of the broth and perfectly cooked meat kept him calm when the police arrived, though he couldn’t disperse his discomfort while re-telling his catfish scam. Katsuki, to his credit, stayed with him during the endeavor, poking his side or tugging his ear when he tried to downplay some of Toby’s manipulation. Kirishima popped in for his part, providing the ID and credit card still in his possession. Izuku didn’t want to press charges, since the only thing Toby had hurt had been his pride. Still, he provided his information to the cops, and agreed to cooperate with any future judicial proceedings that could come from the investigation. 

To his surprise, once the police left, Katsuki dragged him back to his barstool to do his own ‘research’. He tried to hide his face in his hands when Katsuki pulled up the profile (and conversation) connected to his name. Not happy with some of the lies Toby told to cover his lack of knowledge of his real life, Katsuki took the time to iron out the true details. Kirishima and Kaminari (a bartender who had been on break when Izuku first came in) swept by with water and edits to Katsuki’s stories, always smirking when earning another angry outburst from the chef. 

Through their contributions, Izuku learned that Katsuki hadn’t even made his profile. Kaminari, Hanta (the ‘flat face’ who covered Katsuki’s break), and Mina (a waitress that cooed over his ‘cherub cheeks’) had made the Tinder account without Katsuki’s knowledge. Once aware of why he kept getting emails, he thought erasing his email would get rid of the account. Izuku put the pieces of information together, realizing the open email made it easier for a hacker to steal the account and sell it without anyone knowing. Everyone but Katsuki laughed about the strange tumbling of events, Izuku’s previous discomfort and shame washed away by their welcoming personalities. 

And if he was being honest, Katsuki in person was even better than his profile. The tidbits that he’d wanted to know in their text messages were rougher coming from a dirty mouth, more swears and insults than any conversation on the dating site. But the personality that burst from the words enthralled Izuku, who tried to blame his flushed cheeks and glassy eyes on the perfect katsudon now cleaned from his bowl. 

Katsuki didn’t try to impress him with his words, because the accomplishments and crazy situations he got him and his friends out of were amazing on their own. Izuku only got tongue tied when Katsuki would flip the conversation, challenging him to find stories of his own life that could ‘compete’ with his. Though he doubted he came close, he couldn’t deny the red gaze watching him, spilling out stories that Ochaco and Todoroki always said were his ‘shining moments’ in life. 

“Hey, Romeo.” Hanta poked his head from the kitchen doorway, unafraid of the death glare Katsuki sent his way. “Hate to break up true love, but we’re getting busy with the late night rush.” 

“Of course I’ve got to bail you out.” Grunting, Katsuki pushed from the stool, grabbing their long forgotten dishes from the bar. “Alright, nerd, I’m heading back to work.” 

“Oh, right.” He tried to hide his disappointment with a smile, closing his eyes. “Thanks for spending your break with me. Oh, and helping with the police! Honestly, I’ve never talked to an officer, and this whole thing was sorta overwhelming. You really didn’t have to spend your break cleaning up my mess of a date, but it was really appreciated—”

“Yeah yeah, save it for after my shift.” A flick against his forehead made Izuku flinch, forcing his eyes open to catch Katsuki’s smirk. “Hang out here until we close in two hours. I want to make sure that creep isn’t lingering around somewhere, waiting for you.” 

“You don’t mind?” He asked, yelping when a set of soft arms wrapped around his neck from behind.

“Course we want you here, Zuku!” Mina’s giggle matched her sweet personality, pressing her cheek against his while looking up at Katsuki. “Please hang out with us. I haven’t seen Bakubabe talk this much in years. He must really like you.” 

“Can it, Pinky, and get the drinks out to table six.” With a final sneer, Katsuki stormed into the kitchen, Izuku blushing while Mina and Kaminari snickered. 

For the two hours he lingered at Eraserhead, he got the pleasure of learning more about Katsuki and his friends. Kaminari was a ball of energy, quick to knock things over with his excitement to share another tidbit about his friend. Mina held the same sneaky innocence as Ochaco, trying to dig into Izuku’s ‘preferences’ without scaring him away. He wasn’t sure his face could handle how often he blushed with Mina’s teases about him being ‘perfect’ for their resident grump. Kirishima appeared to be the most level-headed of the crew, always giving him a kind smile or a friendly pat on the shoulder to help distract him from the questions Mina and Kaminari shot his way. 

But all three didn’t hold the same kiddie gloves for Katsuki, who seemed to deviate from his normal behavior.

“Out here again, Kacchan ?” Kaminari’s emphasis on the nickname earned him a whack on the back of his head from the man carrying a tray of food from the kitchen.

“Shut up. Since Jirou’s out sick, I’m stuck helping Raccoon Eyes do her fucking job right for once.” 

Mina didn’t miss a beat when she swept by, eyes twinkling with mischief while she glanced at Izuku. “Weird, he’s never been kind enough to help me before. Wonder what melted his icy heart.”

“You’re all annoying.” Katsuki made quick work of dropping the food on the table of women near the bar, not catching any of their enamored stares when speaking over his shoulder. “I’m telling the caterpillar to fire every one of you tomorrow.” 

Izuku laughed at the empty threat, knowing from the small time spent with the group how close they were. Mina stuck her tongue out at him before she rushed to Kirishima’s side for the next set of drinks. He leaned his head on his hand perched up on the bar, watching how easily she settled into the taller man’s aura. Their chemistry was palpable to anyone who watched, love like a spotlight over their bright smiles. It was a kind of connection Izuku always dreamed of having, not realizing he was sabotaging himself by looking at the wrong gender for most of his life. 

“Stop staring, nerd.” The fingers trailing up his spine should have made him jump, but he only shivered into the welcomed touch. Katsuki didn’t linger, the touch a passing reminder than he was there before disappearing into the kitchen again. It hadn’t been the first time, a flick on his ear or fingers tugging his cheek each time Katsuki brushed by his spot at the bar. Izuku bit back his smile before crossing his arms onto the bar, laying his head against them. 

“Mina’s right.” Kirishima’s return to his side of the bar made him turn his head, but not lift it from its comfortable position. The other man didn’t mind, pouring a mix of liquids without a hint of hesitation in his movements. “Bakugo doesn’t like coming out to the front often, only when Aizawa needs him for something. Says that the ‘extras’ gawk at him too much.” 

“You think he’s that worried Toby’s gonna come back and bother me?” he asked, Kirishima shaking his head. 

“Nah, he knows I’d take care of that. I think he just… likes being around you. Hence all the touching stuff. He’s not big on physical contact, but he seems pretty comfortable sharing it with you.” 

While Kaminari and Mina’s teasing was easy to dismiss as trying to get under Katsuki’s skin, hearing Kirishima’s genuine thoughts on his best friend left him a little breathless. “Oh, that’s…”

“If you aren't comfortable, I can ask him to stop.” Just the thought of Kirishima’s offer made Izuku’s heart clench in dread, though he didn’t have a chance to protest. “But I have this sneaky suspicion you like it, too.” 

“Yeah,” he admitted to the edge of his sleeve, squishing his pink cheek into his forearm. “Guess it feels like he’s looking out for me. Like I’m safe with him around.” 

He didn’t bring up how he’d caught Katsuki watching him after a few of the touches, as if checking to make sure he wasn’t crossing a line. For all his bluster and uncaring presentation, Katsuki’s true nature was easy for Izuku to discover with a few quiet interactions. 

“He’s a good guy, even if he doesn’t like other people knowing that.” With a heart of gold, Kirishima patted his head like an owner with his relaxed cat. “And even though it wasn’t cool how you ended up meeting us, I’m glad you’re here now.” 

The soft moment between them lingered just long enough for Kaminari to crash it, a large glass of a bright yellow liquid spilling an inch from Izuku’s arm. “Alright, I think I’ve made the best drink ever! I call it ‘Charge Bolt’. Normally it’d have some malibu rum and mezcal, but I made it non-alcoholic so you could test it out. C’mon, give it a taste and crown me the best bartender of Eraserhead.” 

“Woah, wait a minute. He hasn’t even tried my signature drink.” Kirishima elbowed Kaminari to the side, starting to collect different mixers from the back wall. “He’s gonna pick ‘Red Riot’ and prove once again, I am the king of the bar.” 

“Oh boy, here they go.” Mina placed her serving platter onto the bartop, leaning her hip against Izuku’s side while dropping her chin to his shoulder. “These two will take a while; they can get pretty competitive. How about we play twenty questions between orders while we wait for their egos to deflate?” 

“Mina’s trash-talking us!”

“Babe, not cool.” 

Izuku smiled at the chaos around him, sipping the new drink to hide his joy. Even though he knew Katsuki and his friends were being kind to him to make up for his terrible date, he wasn’t going to ask them to stop. If this was all he got out of his first date, he couldn’t say he minded. They were a really fun group, which helped the sting of Toby wash away. Maybe Katsuki wouldn’t push himself to keep in touch with him after the crazy night was over. He’d understand; the messages and admiration of ‘Kacchan’ were probably too weird to ignore. But he thought the others would, and that was more than he could have hoped for. 

 When the late hours of the lounge finally ended, the customers dwindled until Izuku was the sole non-employee left. 

“Oh!” Seeing Kirishima counting the money from the register made him perk up in his seat, fumbling with his pocket to pull out his wallet. “Wait, I never paid for Toby and I’s bill—”

“Nah, no worries. It’s already been taken care of.” 

“How?” He blinked, then widened his eyes. “You didn’t charge Toby’s card, right? I mean, I know he’s not a nice person, but if he fought that with his credit company—”

“I don’t even have his card anymore, remember? We turned it over to the police.” Kirishima paused his counting before he gave a low chuckle. “Also, his name wasn’t Toby; he was using that to hide his tracks if you tried to find him after the scam. The name on the card was Cletus, which is the start of a villain arc if I’ve ever heard one.”

Trying to wrap his head about the new information, Izuku bit his lower lip in thought. “Okay, so if he didn’t pay for it, then who…?”

“Your actual date for the night, obviously.” 

Kirishima looked too proud over his response, leaving Izuku stunned at the reveal. Though he knew Katsuki had vowed to salvage the pathetic excuse of a date night, he was going above and beyond expectation. Just eating dinner with him and not making fun of him over getting into the mess was more than enough. Why was Katsuki wasting his own money on a charity case that he’d been forced to deal with? Being a good person didn’t mean putting himself at a disadvantage just to help a stranger out. 

Like thinking of the man had the power to summon him, the kitchen door was kicked open, Izuku looking over to catch Katsuki’s scowl. It only took a second before seeing why; Hanta and Kaminari were right behind him, grins too wide to be anything but mischievous. 

“Man, what do I gotta do to get one of your five star meals for free? I’m pretty shameless,” Hanta said, fanning his face with the same exaggeration as his fluttering eyelashes. 

Despite Katsuki’s growl and glare, Kaminari didn’t miss a beat in following his friend’s prodding. “Oh, Sero, don’t you know? Kacchan only has the hots for cuties with green eyes and freckles.” 

“I will fucking kill you both. And don’t call me that.” Katsuki’s threat lost some of its sharp edge when his gaze found Izuku, the sneer turning into something that almost looked like a pout. Like somehow, the heckling and use of the nickname from his peers was Izuku’s fault. 

Okay, maybe part of it was. “Sorry, Kacchan.” 

“Whatever.” Scoffing, Katsuki didn’t use any of the biting retorts that he had with his friends, and the little difference made his heart flutter with unreasonable butterflies. 

“Alright, cash is all set.” Pushing the register closed, Kirishima tucked the receipt into the folder he stored under the bar. “Everything’s good for the books, boss.” 

“Hobo’s the boss, not me.” Katsuki glanced around the lounge before nodding in approval. “Place looks alright, I guess.” 

“Sweet!” Kaminari pumped his fist into the air, sending fingerguns Izuku’s way. “So, what do you think? Gonna come back to Eraserhead on a night you can actually try our drinks?”

“Of course. Some of my friends like this place, so maybe we can come by for my birthday in a few weeks.” He smiled at the cheers from the group, then bowed his head at the employees. “Thank you so much for all of your help. Really, I don’t know how I would have gotten through my terrible date without all of your support.” 

“Aw, it was no problem at all.” Mina grinned, her eyes flickering to Katsuki despite speaking to him. “But the actual date was nice enough for a second one, right?”

Unsure how to answer without embarrassing himself, Izuku laughed and changed the direction of the conversation. “Well, I should probably get going. I don’t want to take up any more of your time.” 

“You’re not a bother at all,” Kirishima replied, too kind for his own good. “But I get it’s kind of late. How about you give us your information? Most of us have next Friday off, so maybe we could do something outside of work.”

“Really? Tha-That sounds great.” 

After the quick exchange of information with the group, Hanta snickered and pushed Katsuki forward, jumping back to keep out of hitting range. “Bakugo can walk you out to your car. He’ll make sure nobody steals you away in the middle of the night.” 

“He doesn’t have to!” Izuku said, holding his hands up to try and politely decline the offer. 

Katsuki rolled his eyes in reply, letting their shoulders bump when he walked toward the exit of the lounge. “Shut up, Soy Face. I was gonna do it anyway. Let’s go, nerd.” 

“R-Right. Goodnight, everyone!” 

The chorus of goodbyes chased Izuku after Katsuki, only remembering to take a breath once the cooler air of the night caressed his flushed cheeks. Though still warm from the late June temperature, it was a sharp contrast from the lounge, making him tuck his hands into his pockets while walking into the parking lot. Finding his car wasn’t hard, as it was the only one left outside of the employee parking section. He glanced up at Katsuki as they walked in silence, knowing he’d have to be the one to start a new conversation. 

Channeling any wisps of courage left in his battered ego, he spoke. “I think I’m going need a whole day to recover from everything that happened tonight.” 

“I’m used to weird things at this place,” Katsuki replied, linking his hands on the back of his head while they walked. “I bet I’ll have an even weirder story by next month. Alcohol makes people fucking annoying.”

“Are you not a big drinker?”

“That shit messes with my work-outs, so I rarely do it.” Finally, red eyes glanced his way. “That a problem?”  

 “No! I, uh, I’m not a fan of alcohol, either.” When he earned an arched eyebrow, Izuku caved. “I’m a bit of a lightweight, and some of my friends say I can get a little reckless when I’m drunk.” 

“Now I wanna see it.” 

“You really don’t!” 

“You telling me what I want, nerd?” 

He shook his head when they stopped by his car, hands covering his cheeks to hide his shame. “I’ve already been a handful as it is.” 

“Hah?” Scowling, Katsuki reached out and tugged a messy curl covering his forehead. “How many times do the extras gotta tell you that tonight wasn’t your fault?”

“Still…” Sighing, he glanced to the night sky, ignoring how the movement made Katsuki’s knuckles brush the hand still covering his freckles. “When I get home, I’m deleting the app.” 

“Took you long enough. Those shitty sites are nothing but trouble.”

“Yeah, you’re probably right.” 

“When am I not?”

Smiling at Katsuki’s confidence, Izuku laughed at the ridiculousness of the night. “I think I prefer meeting people naturally. You know, let fate decide when I should find the right person. It’s slower, but I wanna fall for them on my own. Not over something so impersonal as a social media site. I just prefer… something with natural chemistry.” 

“What does that even mean?” 

“I don’t know. Maybe in a grocery store or at a friend’s wedding? Except I don’t cook, and none of my friends are getting married anytime soon, so maybe not either of those…” 

“How about catching a creep using your picture to catfish a cute guy?”

“I mean that could—” Izuku broke off his own muttering, quick to jerk his head down to look at Katsuki with wide eyes. 

Katsuki had taken an interest in glancing at the empty parking lot, the dim light of the streetlight barely catching the hint of pink along his face. “If something like that happened, would you think fate or whatever was telling you to go for it?” 

“Kacchan,” he started, swallowing through his own excitement he refused to take advantage of. “I don’t expect you to think of what happened tonight as a real date. You didn’t ask me; Toby used both of us for his plan. It wasn’t your choice to… to date me.” 

“Nobody makes me do things I don’t want to do!” The snap in Katsuki’s voice made Izuku flinch, but there was no fear when watching his irritation melt into something more vulnerable. “Fine, whatever. So this one doesn’t count to you.”

“Wait a second, that’s not what I—”

“Then tell me what a real date would be so I can fucking take you, idiot!” 

Oh. The whole picture of the night smacked into his chest, leaving him breathless. Somewhere in the back of his mind, Ochaco’s complaints of him being oblivious to others interest rang like an annoying alarm. Katsuki wasn’t pitying him. For some strange reason, the extremely hot man that had filled his wildest dreams for the past three weeks was interested in him, as well. But for the life of him, he couldn’t understand why—

“What do you mean, why ?” Katsuki’s blunt question paused his mumbling, which made him realize he had been talking outloud. He squeaked out his surprise, but Katsuki didn’t give him time to scramble for a response. “You sat there with rice on your face and tried to argue why that terrible All Might Christmas movie was actually worth watching sober. You apologized to Dunce Face for him forgetting to put a coaster under your drink, and offered to clean the bar for him. When Shitty Hair complained about his quad plateau, you offered to send him four work-out plans focused on thigh routines. And I’m not even gonna waste time talking about your looks, cause I know you’ll just be dumb and deny it.”

“Uh, th-thank you?” He said, more of a question over a response. 

From Katsuki’s short huff of annoyance, he wasn’t done. “My point is, when you’re yapping about why people would wanna date you, the real fucking questin is who wouldn’t want to claim your dorky ass for themselves?”    

“So—” Izuku swallowed through his hope, fingers tangling in front of him while he rocked on his heels. “You’d wanna maybe… see me again?” 

“More than see you, nerd.” Then Katsuki stepped closer, and his breath twisted in the back of his throat. His anticipation only fluttered for a moment before Katsuki paused, unable to stop the confused noise from seeping out when Katsuki didn’t lean close to complete what Izuku assumed would be a kiss. 

“Kacchan?” He asked, biting his lip when he caught a wince under an annoyed grunt. 

“Shit, is it okay if I… you probably want, like, an actual date first. Cause it's your first and you’re a romantic little nerd. So I won’t push anything on you until then. We could... Fuck, maybe a movie or a hike with Dynamight this weekend? Wait, the extras planned something. Fuck them. Okay, tell me when you’re free so I can date the shit out of you.”

The gentleness in his grumbling was the last thing Izuku needed to accept the unreasonable truth; this guy, with his little frown, grumpy nature, and low-key desire to save a stranger’s night for no other reason than to be a good person, was the real guy he’d swiped right on. This had been the man his friends had tried to display on his profile, the person Toby had never been able to replicate in his half-baked conversations. Izuku admired how Katsuki wanted to do things ‘right’ for him, with a planned date they both would enjoy. 

But maybe Kirishima had put alcohol in his Long Island, because he was feeling too reckless to let their moment slip through his fingers. Grabbing Katsuki’s collar with both hands, Izuku yanked him down, eyes squeezed shut when pressing their mouths together. He wasn’t sure how many people Katsuki had kissed, though he doubted he was inexperienced. Still, he put his enthusiasm into softening his mouth, letting his arms slide up to wrap around the sturdy neck above him. A moan parted his lips when he was pushed backward, spine bumping into the door of his car. Sturdy arms boxed around him when Katsuki gave back the affection twice as hot, tongue sharpened by catty words and insults sliding into Izuku’s piliant mouth. His fingers dug into toned shoulder blades hidden under the chef jacket, wishing he could feel the hot skin against his. 

A rough palm cupped under his thigh, urging his foot off the pavement to wrap an eager leg around Katsuki’s waist. The motion sent shivers spiraling through his body, squirming in the firm grip to try and get closer to slender hips. His mind whirled with dimensions and questions about the body against him, unsure how Katsuki managed such broad set of shoulders while keeping his torso so slim —

“Want me to share work-out plans?” The murmured question against his bruised mouth made Izuku suck in a breath, lungs thankful for the break of their needy kiss. 

“Huh?” He asked, willing to agree to whatever Katsuki wanted to taste him again.

But the huff of warm air over his flushed skin was cocky enough to make his lashes flutter open to watch Katsuki reply. “You’re mumbling about my body ratios mid-kiss. Makes it kind of hard to keep kissing you.” 

“Oh.” Repeating the observation made the words click in his head. He groaned before trying to cover his face with a hand. “That’s not sexy at all.” 

“I mean, knowing you’re obsessed with me is kinda hot. But from the texts, I already knew that.” Katsuki caught his wrist before he could suffocate himself, dragging the hand to settle in warm blond strands before leaning in again. “Can’t wait to see what you think about my ‘proportions’ without clothes, nerd.”

“Ka-Kacchan…” He wanted to protest more, but the thought was appealing, toes curling in his shoes when a sharp canine nipped at his bottom lip. 

Before he could lean up and steal another kiss, Katsuki pulled away. “Maybe after a few more dates; I ain’t an easy lay.”  

“He’s actually kinda a prude with that stuff!” 

Kaminari’s shout made Izuku squeak and jump, nearly toppling over from only balancing on one leg. Katsuki swore and rebalanced their weight, using the car to keep him steady before jerking his head up to glare back at the lounge. Peeking around Katsuki’s stiff frame, Izuku saw the other employees on the front steps, obviously watching for longer than he noticed. Which meant they probably saw Katsuki pressing him up against his car, the two making out like high school kids minutes before curfew. 

“Get some, hot grump!” Hanta said, giving a pair of thumbs up like a proud father. Mina giggled into Kirishima’s bicep around her shoulders while the bartender tried to give a sheepish smile and shrug. Not sure how many awkward situations his heart could handle in one night, Izuku didn’t fight the hand that cupped the back of his head, leading his scorched face into the warm chest in front of him. 

Familiar lips murmured the next threat against his hairline. “Let me go kill them, then we can exchange numbers.”

“Don’t be too mean,” he said, hands tugging at the edge of the chef’s jacket. “They’re my friends now, too, and I think they mean well.” 

“Fine, just a few broken bones.” 

After an aggressive kiss to his forehead, Katsuki pushed away, gentle in his dropping of Izuku’s leg before he jogged across the parking lot. Hanta and Kaminari both bolted when Katsuki picked up speed, chasing them with loud death threats echoing in the night air. Both men exchanged kissing noises and shrieks of fear while being hunted, Izuku laughing behind his hand while leaning against his car. Amused at the ridiculous scene, he almost missed the buzz in his pocket, only dragging his gaze away from the chase when turning on his screen. He’d missed a lot of messages in his group chat with his friends, though one from Ochaco hours ago stood out.

Ochaco (12:16am): How was your date with Kacchan?! You can’t keep up waiting!

He went to answer but stopped, glancing up to find the man in question. With one foot pinning Hanta face first on the pavement, and an arm choking Kaminari while giving him a noogie, Katsuki was nothing like he expected his first date to go. But the sight only made him smile wide enough to make his cheeks hurt, quick to type out an answer to the group chat.

“Izuku!” Kirishima’s call of his name caught his ear. “Come save my bros from your guard dog before he bites them.” 

“What did you say, Shitty hair?! You want some, too? And don’t think I can’t see you laughing, Pinky. You two are next!” 

“Kacchan, wait!” 

Izuku shoved his phone into his pocket while rushing over to save his new friends, smiling at the honesty of his text.

Izuku (2:33am): It’s a long story. But… you were right. Dating isn’t so bad, if it’s with Kacchan.