#chwhwn

Last year I wrote "Can he woo him with niceties", a Christmas-themed fluffy fic with 1 chapter per day in December - and it went through the roof (at least on my scale). Yesterday, as I was minding my own business in the vegetable section, I was struck with an idea for part two: The simplest way would be: let Katsuki write 24 notes. AHEM, no. He would never write even one. Never ever. So what about dares? Sneaky little dares? That's more like him!

I thought about them 4 or 5 years deep into an established relationship, sharing an apartment, working together yadayda.

The work title is "Can he dare him to... say yes?" And of course I already have an ending planned (and a plottwist ghaha) and tons of time left until December to come up with various dares by myself…. BUT!

It was quite late already and Izuku was struggling with unknown amounts of cloth, wrapped in layers, and time was running out in the narrow space of the bathroom.

"Ready?" Kacchan's voice sounded muffled through the raffia of the bathroom door and still, Izuku flinched. He was nervous. On a scale of 1-10, an honest 100. Never before had he had such high quality material on his body as he did at this moment. On top of that, he smelled exactly like Kacchan. His sleeves, his collar, everything. 

"In a minute!" he squeaked back, trying to tie the knot the way Masaru had shown him yesterday - when impatience in person pushed open the bathroom door and Izuku's head shot up - and his breath caught in his throat. 

"What's taking so long - what?" hissed Katsuki and stopped in the doorway when he saw Izuku's expression. Izuku blinked, momentarily awestruck. He knew Kacchan in his hero costume. In a suit. In sports clothes or swimming trunks. But the sight of his body in that sleek, handsome look left him speechless. He recognized the same handwriting in the design of the fabric, the thin orange-red seams, the silver accents and the detailed embroidery. Only the cranes had given way to delicate explosions and aesthetic fire patterns. They did something to Katsuki's eyes that made a warm wave of affection slosh around in Izuku's stomach. Two small black hairclips were stuck into the blond strands behind his ears.

"What's wrong? Is there shit on my face?"

Only when he raised his head, did he see Izuku shaking his head, also dressed in velvet and silk, with a belt that was completely twisted.

"Incompetent as always, huh?" 

He stepped into the bathroom, inevitably in Izuku's comfort zone, and reached around him to twist the belt properly.

"Kacchan," Izuku breathed against his shoulder, bending back enough to face him again and whispering under his breath, "You're gorgeous."

Time froze, as did Katsuki's hands on Izuku's hips. 

The bathroom was small and Izuku's eyes unintentionally wandered to the mirror next to them. 

His cheeks immediately flushed when he got the split-second image that the hands on his belt and his bent posture could also stand for something else entirely. It looked as if Kacchan was only centimeters away from kissing him.

But as if he had heard his thoughts, Kacchan only pulled hard on the belt once, inadvertently bringing Izuku a step closer to him, before he expertly rewound the knot and stepped back. 

Unseen steam shot out of Izuku's green curls as Katsuki also brought the rest of the kimono into place. 

"I-"

"Is it true that you didn't want to go to the shrine this year?"

Katsuki furrowed his brow, distracted from his original thought, and backed away slightly.

"Hm," he muttered and Izuku also took a step back until he bumped into the sink, "Why?"

"Since I drew the first horoscope, it always came true within one year."

Izuku raised his eyebrows, baffled by the thought that Kacchan actually believed in things like horoscopes or New Year's oracles. 

"Really?"

He didn't know much about such things. Neither he nor his mother had ever drawn oracles. If he was honest, he had too much respect for them, or maybe he was afraid of drawing something bad. So he had kept his hands off from the beginning. He and his mother had been content to say their prayers, leave a small donation, and then stroll through the crowds after dropping off their elderly companion on a park bench with a hot drink. 

"Yes."

Kacchan held the door open for him and they walked down the dark hallway side by side.

"But not the last one?" he questioned, slipping on his shoes. 

On the lamp-lit porch, Katsuki hesitated for a moment and pulled a crumpled piece of paper from a deep pocket of his kimono, holding it up to the light with a pout.

"No," he said quietly, "and I didn't want to get a new one while I still had this one."

The note was folded several times making it impossible to read what it said, so Izuku asked, "What does it say?"

Instead of answering, Katsuki tapped the note on the tip of his nose and put it away.

"None of your business."

But Izuku, gripped by curiosity, couldn't help but ask further: "But – but we're going? Has something changed? Has it finally come true?"

The wind came up and made a small wind chime sound in the neighbors' garden. The air already smelled of candles and the sweet smells of the New Year. 

A car horn broke the peaceful atmosphere and Izuku spun around with one hand raised in a small wave and jumped down the next three steps at once. It seemed as if Mitsuki's patience had run out. Katsuki caught up with him immediately, footsteps crunching in the snow as he replied cryptically, "Feels like it, yeah."

They made it to the car, and even though Izuku was still full of questions, Kacchan was immediately wrapped up in a fiery conversation with his mother, so Izuku began to wonder about the oracle. And the small piece of paper he had in his breast pocket. The last piece of the calendar, the 24th. It weighed what felt like 170 kilos and was placed right above his heart.

Today was New Year's Eve. 

At midnight, the 24th would burn if Kacchan wouldn't do something. And that was in just over two hours.

The way was long even by car. There were countless people on the streets and they were forced to park the car a little further down the mountain and take the steep path to the shrine on the hill with everyone else. No problem for Izuku nor Katsuki, but strangely enough, about halfway up, a problem for his parents' stamina. 

"We'll go up ahead," their son announced harshly before grabbing Izuku's elbow and leading him further to the side, onto the uneven part of the road where they could make faster progress. He was obviously in a hurry, so no one objected. Izuku turned for a last wave and noticed Mitsuki's impish smile. 

She wasn't out of breath at all.

Arriving at the top of the shrine, time flew by as quickly as dozens of beaming faces and Izuku almost bit his tongue to keep from asking for the two remaining notes when he realized that the new year would start in less than an hour. 

They had been at the altar, had knelt down to pray and Izuku had picked up an oracle that he would not open until the old year was finally over. Which was precisely the reason why he was getting more and more antsy.

But then: "Deku".

Suddenly, he was pulled away from the street, up two small wooden stairs to an empty place with several small lanterns, and Katsuki took off his thin gloves and blew warm air into his fingers. Then he pulled something out of his pocket and lifted it into the warm light. It was even smaller than the folded oracle note, but Izuku only realized what was going on when he heard the words "an ear" being read aloud. Kacchan did it. He used the first of the two remaining notes. To the sound of the shrine chimes. Over the murmur of prayers. NOW. BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR.

"God. …fuck. Fuck." Izuku was still struggling with where to put himself or his hands or his thoughts in general as he watched Kacchan who was obviously struggling with himself. 

"I'm 10 seconds away from chickening out," he finally admitted, his lips pressed together.

"You would never do that," Izuku replied immediately, terribly nervous at the thought that Kacchan would actually open the last notes. He had expected it. But somehow, he did not. 

"No. No, not really. But I .... fuck." And then he chuckled weakly and pushed a hand deep into his hair. 

"Okay. I interpret that," Katsuki waved the note in front of Izuku's nose until his eyes crossed briefly, "to mean that I can tell you something that stays between us. Right?" 

Izuku's heart melted into a heart-shaped puddle when he saw the vulnerability in Kacchan's eyes. His eyebrows had knitted together, the tiny wrinkle of worry between them that he saw less often these days than All-Might in his filled shape.

He felt like he'd been dumped on a beach seconds before a tsunami was about to crash in and tear him apart.  His ears tingled. He could feel the thin line between them more clearly than ever, for they were seconds away from crossing it or breaking apart.

"Yes," he nodded, unable to take his eyes off Katsuki for even a blink, "but I - "

"How much longer do I have?"

"What?"

"Until midnight, Izuku. Until New Year."

"Oh - no idea?" he replied hastily, "30 seconds?"

"Okay, listen carefully. I'm only going to say this once," Katsuki raised his head to the sky, pursed his lips and crumpled the note into a fist before he whispered to the clouds, "I have a serious thing for... that boy."

Izuku watched as Kacchan swallowed hard, his eyes still on the sky, "A cute one, with ... ugh. Green hair. Freckles. Shitty style... the loser who made me a calander this year, and fuck if that wasn't the bravest shit ever."

Izuku stared at him, mouth agape, as if Katsuki was the most precious creature in the universe. Snow blew into his mouth. He didn't notice.

Somewhere in the distance, the last, loudest chimes of the year began, and Katsuki almost let the second note slip from his fingers as he tried to smooth it out: "So, um, yeah. Advice, Deku. How do I ask him out?"

"Ugh," Izuku trembled as goose bumps spread all over his body as he too pulled out the last piece of paper and held it out to Katsuki, "You should check out 24."

He could feel his heart beating in his throat when Kacchan just stood there for a long time without moving. But eventually, he took the paper and carefully unfolded it.

Izuku sent his last prayer of the year while Katsuki took a deep breath.

"Please ignore it if you feel uncomfortable," Katsuki read, "But I'd like to give you a -" he unrolled the paper even more and continued reading, his voice suddenly cracking and hoarse, "A ... a kiss, if you want one."

People passed around them. The final gong sounded and the crowd began to cheer, while Izuku's entire focus was on the boy in front of him. Again, he did not move. But suddenly, he bit his lower lip so forcefully that Izuku dropped one of his own gloves in shock. Surely, nobody who was happy looked like that?

"Kacchan, oh my God, you don't have to...!"

The first rocket of the new year exploded with colorful sparks above their heads. 

"Now."

More explosions crackled through the night sky and Izuku breathed out a soft "What?" in disbelief.

Had he heard wrong? No. 

"I want one. Now."

"For the new year?"

"Exactly." Katsuki waved the note excessively, "and I want you to give it to me. Now."

"I never thought we'd get this far," Izuku choked out, tongue heavy and eyes moist with disbelief and hope, "I wanted to woo you with sweetness, but this - I never thought I'd make it - I...?"

They looked at each other. 

"You have. If you don't chicken out now. Just like all the other moments before."

"What moments?"

More and more sparklers lit up the snow on the other side of the street and Izuku cast a glance over until Katsuki continued to speak. 

"Use your brain, Deku. As soon as I made the slightest move, your signals were so... so damn irritating. Suddenly no answers, running away, lying..."

Well, Izuku had heard enough. Enough of confusing signals and implications. This would be a straightforward matter. Determined, he stepped forward and reached for Kacchan's collar to drag him down a bit. Katsuki immediately followed the demanding yank and their lips met after the tiniest second of hesitation, just as a particularly violent explosion showered them with golden sparks. The tingle of the century shook his whole body, from the top of his head to the cold toes in his red sneakers.

It was perfect. There was nothing more romantic than kissing in the colorful glow of dying sparks.  It took his breath away.

Izuku, totally high, totally overwhelmed, backed away a little when he felt an arm trying to wrap itself around his middle. This was way too close to his dreams. Kacchan would never kiss him, would he? Not on Christmas and especially not on New Year's Eve! There was a tradition that people kissed at midnight, "more," Kacchan's growl interrupted his thoughts. His lips tingled as warm breath slid over them, and Kacchan's cold nose slid along his, and he kissed the corner of his mouth lightly, "one more."

His lips were easily captured, their mouths like freshly activated magnets, and his eyes fell shut in surrender. 

"T-take as much as you need," he said between kisses that went that perfect little bit deeper each time.

"I'll take what you want to give."

"Everything then."

Kacchan grinned against his mouth, "Sounds like it all worked out pretty well after all," and slipped his old oracle note into Izuku's fingers as he interlocked their hands and pushed him out of the crowd, into the lantern-lit darkness of the night beside the shrine.

"Won't you get a new one?" breathed Izuku, his other hand deep in the black velvet of Kacchan's kimono collar.

"Nah, got everything I ever wanted."

Kacchan: Deku deku deku *image attached* You still think you can tell me things about myself that I don't know Deku: That's a fact I guess everyone you ask could tell you something about yourself that you don't know yet Or don't want to realize Or want to hear Which is why you don't ask anyone Which brings us back to the beginning Anyway It doesn't have to be about you Kacchan: It's always about me. You write books (plural!!)about me Deku: I write books about everyone Kacchan: and yet, there are more than 2 about me Deku: how do you know that Kacchan: I've been in your room Deku: Less than 20min ⊙︿⊙ Kacchan: Didn't even need 2 to figure that out … Do you have a book about yourself? Deku: More than 2... I've about one book for every 2 quirks Kacchan: Or 2 books for one Quirk ghehe Deku: oh my god Kacchan, yes, you're so so SO special :D Why did you ask Kacchan: I want to see your notes about yourself. Deku: Seriously? There are much more interesting ones, though? Kacchan: My note, my will Your room or mine? Deku: mine...?

And although Izuku had thought a lot in the few minutes that had passed before Katsuki knocked, he had never expected how smoothly the other would step over the threshold into his nerdy safe space. He found his usual place by the bed, just like the last time, and waited, almost without looking annoyed, until Izuku wordlessly handed him what he wanted to read. The notebook. This, and then… a lot more. Minutes passed unnoticed, then hours, and finally, with a half-hearted glance at his alarm clock, he realized that they had already been sitting there longer than it would have been possible on any other day, like the movie night. Countless notebooks around them, open and filled to the brim with sticky notes. Izuku didn't even notice when Katsuki grabbed the notebooks about himself and his explosions from the shelf. They talked and talked and laughed and talked some more and then they compared their achievements, added the notebook about Shouto to their comparison scale and suddenly it was way past midnight - and Izuku couldn't believe it when he briefly checked the time with the first pangs of real tiredness. "Wow," he breathed, eyes glued to the clock, "if we had watched a movie last Wednesday, we would have finished much earlier than today." "Yeah, it escalated a bit." "Things always escalate with you. It comes with friendship." Kacchan takes a breath, looks at him, then nods.

"Wh-what's that?" Izuku had stayed in the background all day, perfectly content to exist on the sidelines in the warmth and buzz of the Bakugou family. Now, however, Katsuki had found him in the kitchen and a matchbox was held out to him. "I knew something was wrong with you since that damn day," Katsuki replied cryptically and let the box fall into his hands. It wasn't wrapped or decorated, so Izuku opened it curiously and discovered the note with The Hug glued inside. He remembered the day and asked quietly, "Because I didn't answer you?" "Yup." "Sorry," he said, still looking at the written word in his hand, "It was the day I told Mom that we were all going to celebrate together while Shouto and Ochako had just left. It was a bit much." He heard a snort in front of him, "You lied to your mother." "She would NEVER have left me behind otherwise." Arms crossed in front of his chest, Katsuki slumped against the fridge and tilted his head, "America, huh?" he asked, "And you let that pass you by?" "I guess so," Izuku sighed, expecting to feel regret and leaned against the counter right next to the fridge. But the feeling didn't come. Instead, he took a deep breath, the smell of Kacchan's home and spiced tea heavy in his throat, and a small smile spread across his face.

He felt more at home here than at any Christmas before. Being part of a wild household that couldn't exist in the same room for more than an hour was so much more enjoyable than doing the same thing every year. He was … happy here. They were standing next to each other by now, and he was able to continue speaking softly, eyes on their feet, both in socks and slippers, "I didn't think. Mom always gave everything to me… and when I moved into the dorm, she was so lonely. And then her new partner came. She had been alone for months before that, so I thought I could do it too. For her." And for Kacchan. Because he couldn't have fulfilled the 24 from another continent, even if he wanted to. But in the end, he was the one who benefited the most from the whole situation. Katsuki raised his eyebrows with a nod and then clicked his tongue. "That all sounds great, Deku. But I'm tired of waiting." "What?" When a hand suddenly made an effort to reach for the matchbox, the penny finally dropped for Izuku and he whirled around: "Oh - wait!" And then he wrapped his arms around Kacchan's middle, buried his nose deep in Kacchan's dark green Christmas sweater and pawned his heart to the devil so he wouldn't cry like a baby for ONCE and ruin the expensive sweater under his cheek. "But you still can't open the 24," he murmured against the warm fabric, sighing as he rubbed his cheek against Kacchan's shoulder, feeling all the tension in his body suddenly dissipate. This was his safe place, arms around him in a gentle embrace that would otherwise melt stone, a beating heart against his face. The place he had always wanted to conquer, even though he had never been there before. "I know." Kacchan's voice was close and low, right next to his ear, and he realized that they were still in the embrace. Izuku tightened his grip as much as he could and then put the cards on the table. "There are two open notes. And I know which ones, so if…" "Give me until New Year's Eve."

His heart did a tiny somersault. Theoretically, Kacchan had just had the chance to end everything platonically. But here they were. For almost a minute, they held each other tightly, as if Izuku wasn't the only one who longed for this kind of touch and Katsuki had just asked for more time. "Huh. Sure. I mean, I guess there will be an opportunity until then, right?" Because that was the rule, no matter how long he asked for time. He wouldn't be allowed to open the last note until all the others had been fulfilled. "Yeah. Maybe." Katsuki lowered his arms and took half a step back. The light from the kitchen shone on his cheeks and between the blond strands of hair, Izuku discovered red ears. But before Izuku could write a mental love letter about the reflections in the red of his eyes, Kacchan pulled the very last sealed note out of his pants pocket (did he always carry them all with him!?) and slipped it into the small, gift-shaped pocket on Izuku's Christmas sweater. "Take care of it until I can open it, okay?" Izuku put his hand over the small pocket. "If it's not opened by midnight on New Year's Eve, it will be destroyed." "'Kay. Now give me my present." "You what?" said Izuku astonished, "I - I don't have a - " "I thought so," Katsuki snorted, "I had saved the damn Joker for that." "You saved it on purpose? Do you have a plan for all those notes?" "Of course?" "I thought you - you said you didn't need them - Kacchan. The first note, - that was -" "December 11th, yes."

"The trains suck tomorrow. Mom wants me to come today. Besides, it's supposed to snow like hell," Katsuki announced over his cup of coffee, already checking the train schedule on his cell phone. He scratched his chin and frowned, and in the next moment, the sight of a yawning, bed-haired Katsuki was burned into Izuku's memory forever. They sat at the breakfast table, just the two of them on the first day of vacation, and Izuku buttered his last wobbly slice of toast when he casually replied, "I only have a weekend ticket." "Then buy one for today." Izuku blinked at him, "Why?" "To go home?!" Katsuki replied with a look as if Izuku was stupid. Today? With Kacchan? To a completely empty apartment? Unintentionally, he looked at the small Christmas tree in the corner of the room. "I can't go," he said without further ado and then stopped for a moment, "I still have to… buy presents. I'll go… tomorrow. At noon. There'll be a train, don't worry, Kacchan." The toast crumbled under the force of the knife tip and Katsuki raised an eyebrow skeptically. "Uh-huh." He could feel Kacchan's undivided attention on him as he reached for the peanut butter between them. His neck tingled. His mouth suddenly tasted like paper. He was getting warm. "When will you be back?" he finally burst with tension, "Before or after the New Year?" Katsuki immediately reflected the question back to him, "What about you?" "I don't know yet…" "Are you going to the shrine? On New Year's?" "Uh. Um," He usually did. With his mother and their old neighbor, who was too frail to walk up the steps alone. He liked the tradition, but there were certainly more pleasant alternatives than starting his New Year as a crutch for an old woman he barely knew. The only question was which? "Maybe. I don't know yet." With a loud thump, Katsuki slammed his cup down on the table. If it hadn't been empty, the table would be caffeinated now "Why are you acting so weird?" "What do you mean?" "I can't put my finger on it," he mused, obviously annoyed, looking disparagingly at Izuku across the table, "but it annoys the hell out of me."

"Sorry Kacchan," he said honestly, meaning it with every fiber of his being. "Whatever," he mumbled, twirling the empty cup between his fingers and Izuku watched as the image on it changed in the light of the kitchen. Izuku hated lying. And it was even worse to lie to Kacchan while they sat together at the breakfast table, enjoying the most humble but fulfilling simplicity. But since the second Kacchan had told him that he was leaving today, his head had been caught in a too fast roundabout. So much was still open. If Kacchan was leaving today, there were still so many unused notes that it seemed almost impossible to open 24. However, the change in his plan also meant that they were no longer guaranteed to be in the same neighbourhood for Christmas. Sure, he could go home tomorrow and sit on the couch and do everything he usually did with his mom and wait to see if Kacchan got in touch by Christmas. But what if he didn't? He honestly didn't know what would be worse. Getting the rejection while he was sitting at home in an undecorated apartment, or while he was sitting here and at least had the space to distract himself from the disappointment by exercising? "What the fuck is wrong with you?"

His mind was overloaded, that was what was wrong. He desperately tried to bring order to the pitiful remains of his plan.

"What - what, what did you get today?" "You wanna know, huh?" but from the way Kacchan rose from his chair, Izuku knew that he wouldn't get an answer. With both hands on the backrest and an odd look that Izuku couldn't interpret, Kacchan stood behind the chair, "I'll tell you when we go to the shrine …together. Just you and me." On New Year's Day. A week after Christmas. Was he home on New Year's Day? Would he be home at all? Would his mother be home? "…oh…okay," he nodded vaguely. He would make sure that…he…and Kacchan…WHAT? Were going to the shrine together?! Just as he took a breath to express how surprised he was by this offer (hello, him and Kacchan, New Year's tradition, romantic!!), Kacchan beat him to it. "Why the hell aren't you excited?" he snapped at him, grabbing the cup and catching Izuku's perplexed look. They both started talking at the same time. "K-kacchan, I -" "We've never been -" Katsuki was the first to look away, a blush of confusion and disappointment on his face. "I'll be there!“ Izuku said, confused and overwhelmed, “I'm looking forward to it, honestly!" "Just forget it."

Kacchan stomped out of the kitchen and Izuku looked at his toast, in his mind swirling thoughts of the shrine. Of the moment when the bells rang and prayers were said and new horoscopes were drawn. His own from last year was still in the desk drawer at home. It had predicted a great change for him - and he had received it. The idea of going to the shrine with Kacchan was so strange and yet so wonderful that he didn't want to let it fail. He pulled out his phone.

Deku: I know there was no promise in the calendar. But I'll make one anyway: I'll be there for New Year's. I'll pick you up and you pick a shrine. Okay? Kacchan: … fucking fine

The holidays were a whirlwind of Kacchan's snarky relatives with lots of opinion, way too much food, and mulled wine in the backyard.

It was nothing like the quiet atmosphere he used to share with his mother in the days between Christmas and New Year's. They usually did puzzles, watched TV reruns, or went for walks in the snow. At no time did he feel the urgent need to leave the room to catch his breath.

But with Kacchan, from the moment he set foot in the kitchen as the new odd guy, it was a state of exception. Kacchan fit into the picture like one of a dozen noodles in a pot, but he stood out like the only spinach-flavored fusilli, if you knew what those looked like. Izuku didn't really know why, but it seemed like everyone in this house wanted to meet him. He could tell the difference between Masaru's side of the family and Mitsuki's side of the family by the sheer ferocity with which his hand was shaken. Regardless of the eyes.

At the of the first day, he felt like an over-announced surprise guest who was nothing but a disappointment in the end. (Even if everyone kept telling him how sweet he was). And the uncle, the 'useless' uncle who slept in the guest room, was not useless at all in his opinion. Sure, he didn't design designer clothes or coach the upper class on the latest superfoods or diets… he was 'just' the boss of a giant fast food chain...?!

On the second day of Christmas, when the atmosphere was a little quieter because it was mostly Masaru's relatives sitting around the campfire, Izuku thought for the first time how it would be to actually be here together. How it would make him feel. To be a fully accepted part of the family. To sit around the fire and roast marshmallows as Kacchan's partner every year. Not to burst with emotion when Kacchan brought him a second pillow from inside, seeing that he was cold despite being so close to the fire. He was ready to go all out if the slightest chance presented itself.

Today was Thursday, the second day that the house was empty because everyone was back at work. The uncle had left as well… but the futon (which didn't smell like death, by the way, but rather like antique lavender oil) was still lying next to Kacchan's bed. They could have put it away, but it made sense to sit on it in the evening and watch all the All-Might interviews Kacchan's parents had recorded over the years. And whether it seemed possible or not, there had been two so far that Izuku hadn't known.

At the moment, Izuku was sitting in the kitchen reading the newspaper when he heard Kacchan stomping down the stairs. He had a training appointment with Eijirou in a little over an hour, as exemplary as he was.

Kacchan: wtf Why? Deku: hahah what is it Kacchan: *image attached* I don't know what I find weirder. Eating somewhere else with you or eating something you claim to have cooked Deku: I have my rice thingy!! And I can cut potatoes and fry meat too ᕦ⊙෴⊙ᕤ Kacchan: Equating frying meat with cutting potatoes is a red flag in itself Deku: Why? Kacchan: 'Why' he asks What do you want to cook? Curry? Deku: What do you want to eat? Kacchan: Curry. Deku: Ah. Ok. Curry then i guess haha Today? Kacchan: Today is Friday Deku: Shit, it's movie night. Well, then… Tomorrow? Evening? I think some of the others are home for the weekend. Or are we going to cook for everyone? Kacchan: No You and me on Saturday. I'll buy the meat. Deku: Then I'll buy the potato. Kacchan: And the rest Carrots Celery Onions Paprika chili pepper Curry cubes And not just one potato, you total culinary catastrophe!!!!!!! Deku: hm hm Watch out, bold question: Shall we go shopping together? Not the meat, Your Highness, but the rest? Kacchan: Would probably be for best …did you actually get everything you needed yesterday? There were only Doritos in the picture. Deku: Yes! And I wanted to ask something... What did you delete? Kacchan: If it was any of your business, it would still be there Deku: ಥ_ಥ

"We could have just cooked together, you know," Izuku pointed out, standing in the doorway with his arms full of bags of chips, pretzel sticks and crackers. Kacchan stood in front of him, scanned the selection and then picked out the Doritos, not caring if anything else fell out of his arms. But that didn't happen. "I know," he replied slowly, tucking the bag under his arm and licking his gums thoughtfully, "but it felt like shit knowing you all hang out together every fucking Friday. While I'm alone in my room." Izuku's eyes widened and he fought off a serious wave of pity. "That's actually the time you go to sleep…" he started to explain, but it sounded a bit pale on his tongue, "But we should have asked more often. I'm sorry." "Not your fault." … He closed his mouth and blinked at the boy in front of him, stunned. He was right, it wasn't his fault. But Izuku had the feeling that less than a month ago, he was to blame for EVERYTHING that went wrong in Kacchan's life. "The idiots accepted it too," he finally said, curling the corners of the chip bag and the second wave of pity hit Izuku harder than the first. "I'll ask you next time, Kacchan. Even if we just go to the mall after school." "You and your nerd gang?" Izuku nodded, thinking that the prospect of eating frozen yogurt at the mall with him and Shouto and Iida Tsuyu and Ochako wasn't something Kacchan would want to be a part of at all. "Yeah. We usually go when a new place opens. Last time it was churros. Before that, frozen yogurt. But it's just me and-" "Cool." "C-cool?" "Yeah," he growled into his face, then finally took a step back, leaving enough room for Izuku to step out of the space between Kacchan's solid body and the door, "Better than meeting at the arcade every other weekend and spending a bunch of money on stuffy air and empty hands." "Oh," Izuku breathed, blinking sideways, "that sounds really… not very smart." Kacchan reached behind him to close the door before Izuku could try to do that with a sleeve or an elbow. His internal mountain of astonishment and admiration grew with each of these actions. Kacchan carried the chips Izuku had bought for him in his arms and had picked him up from his room on the way to the common room. Besides, he assumed that their little conversation had led to the idea that Izuku would ask Kacchan… if he wanted to accompany them (HIM AND HIS FRIENDS, not particularly cool or badass!!) into the city. Right? He cleared his throat and started walking, "Just to make sure…" "Do you know the Nikoman booth? At the end of the main street by the library?" "Ugh. Yeah." "Dad told me they're going to add grilled meat and spareribs to the menu in the new year." ... if Izuku's arms weren't full, he would have squealed into his hands like a toddler at Christmas. That was the sweetest 'I want to be part of it' Izuku had ever heard. As it was, he could only bite his lips and watch Kacchan with raised eyebrows and eyes full of devotion as he grumpily finished his thought: "That would be something similar, wouldn't it? It's not a new place, but the menu-"

"Absolutely!" he interrupted him and Kacchan looked up as they reached the landing side by side.

His ears were red. A corner of his chip bag was suspiciously black. "This is definitely worth a visit," he repeated, and to relieve Kacchan of some of his tension, he awkwardly raised his overloaded arms: "My elbows still hurt from the day I fell down the stairs."

Red eyes flitted over his fingers and the many bags, "not to mention my back..."

Their eyes met.

"Could you maybe help me?"

Izuku saw that Katsuki took a deep breath. In a way that showed how agitated he actually was. But the moment passed quickly and he lifted enough of Izuku's burden that he could see the stairs at his feet and slowly began to walk down to the common room.

Kacchan followed at a minimal distance, but quickly caught up with him as Izuku threw him a fond, affectionate grin.