#💥 ⬦ ゜◝ I HAVE GIVEN ENOUGH TO THEM | I WILL NOT GIVE THEM THIS. ╱ bond: starshinc (izuku).

[ofdetonation]

@starshinc​​  inquired :      [ AID ]      ╱      even  more  injury  memes. [ AID ] :      for receiver to find sender covered in blood and delirious.

𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗥𝗘  𝗔𝗥𝗘  𝗙𝗘𝗪  𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗡𝗚𝗦  𝗧𝗛𝗔𝗧  𝗦𝗛𝗔𝗞𝗘  𝗞𝗔𝗧𝗦𝗨𝗞𝗜 .      even over time,   his nightmares decreased in frequency,   altering their severity      ⸺      he scarcely dreams of his time as ground zero anymore,   of the times he would look at his hands covered in blood not of his own,   bits of ash and smoke clinging to once well-maintained costume.     his dreams of other concerns,   fears,   they were becoming less and less common too.     it guarantees a more restful sleep on more frequent occasions      ╱      the years may not have always been kind,   but he  always  had that.     he would always have the past that was left in the past,   a haunting that cannot continue if he knows how to handle it.

tonight,   though,   he finds himself  restless.     crimson eyes stare up at the ceiling as the quiet snoring of his cats take up the space izuku would usually be in,   hands twitching,   mind running through every ill-ending scenario he can think of.

izuku is quirkless.     that isn’t the core issue,   of course      ╱      it was late,   an odd hour in the morning,   and there was no contact from the other about it.     katsuki reasons with himself in his head ;     maybe he worked so hard he passed out at the support lab,   dozing off with noodle on standby.     maybe he forgot to message.     (  that doesn’t sit right.     katsuki can’t recall a point where izuku just  forgot  to leave him a text      ⸺      it happened to be one of the things they got into the habit of doing,   and it often kept katsuki’s mind at ease.  )     but izuku’s quirklessness plays into the grander issues he starts to think about ;     what ifs disturb katsuki further and further,   driving him further away from rest,   the circles under his eyes prominent as kuma lifts herself from her bed to check on him.

he can’t stay here.     he  has  to know what the hell was going on,   even if it meant being up at 1:37 in the morning      ⸺      he’ll kill izuku later if it’s a false alarm.

the cool evening air eats at katsuki’s patience as he makes it out the door,   hoodie slipped over his shirt as he presses his hands together,   warms them.     there was no snow yet ;     there was a slight trickle of rain,   however,   the blond scowling when he sees it the moment he’s out of the apartment complex      ╱      he doesn’t turn back.     (  it would be a waste of time to go back for a stupid umbrella.     he could tolerate the damn rain if it meant figuring out where the  hell  izuku was,   undeterred by its miserable cold touch.  )     he glances around briefly to then start making his way on their usual path to and from the agency.

the rain starts to soak his hoodie,   flatten his hair ;     his boots give him the benefit of avoiding being soaked from puddles as he paces further along,   eyeing his surroundings and listening for anything.     any  little detail that might clue him in to where izuku was,   or if noodle was nearby,   so he might take him to the other      ⸺      the rain obscures his vision and the lights from the nearby streets don’t help any.     the darkness only makes it harder for the bakugou to distinguish colour.     even if he was lucky,   green won’t stand out in this weather.

❝    izuku ?    ❞     he calls out his name into the darkness,   waiting for a response to be echoed back,   a bark to help him locate them.     nothing.     ❝    noodle ?     where th’hell ...    ❞

a shiver shoots down the blond’s spine as the rain intensifies,   grumbling at the way it seeps into his bones ;     his hands come back together and he attempts a few sparks to warm them up,   to combat the incoming cold,   but it doesn’t bring much relief.     among his attempts to keep warm is a concerned crimson gaze shooting down every alley he walks past,   occasionally making a detour that he knows they  sometimes  take in case there was media about      ╱      even when he loops back to his original point,   there seems to be no sign of izuku.

the concern builds,   grips at his lungs and steals his breath as he keeps persisting forward with his search.     this wasn’t good weather to be caught up in.     beyond that,   if noodle was close by,   then he should’ve heard  something,   gone for help.     unless ...     the weather was extremely cold      ⸺      it wouldn’t be so farfetched that noodle might’ve needed to prioritise between finding help and providing it.     (  he can’t imagine that poor dog was handling the weather too well.     even with a long coat,   being caught in this ...  )     katsuki grips his phone and tries giving izuku a call instead,   pressing it to his ear.     nothing.     he tries again to listen out for the other’s ringtone.     when he doesn’t hear anything,   his brows furrow,   snarl apparent as he keeps pressing forward.

finally,   finally,   he finds something.     (  not that it was any good ;     the sight of it sends katsuki’s panic through the roof,   eyes wide as he lifts it up,   examines it.  )     it wasn’t much to work with,   a part of izuku’s hoodie he’d worn today,   but it meant he couldn’t be far off now.

❝    izuku !    ❞     a pause.     ❝    noodle !     c’mere !    ❞

through the rainfall,   katsuki manages to catch wind of a bark      ╱      he sprints in the direction,   listening out for the continued barking,   skidding to a halt in front of an alleyway where the barking was clear.     the sight ⸺

izuku is  covered  in blood.     noodle is resting on his chest,   likely trying to prevent hypothermia from setting in with the way the weather’s been,   even looking relieved to see the other standing in the alley entryway.     izuku barely looks in focus and katsuki can’t determine if it was because of an injury,   loss of blood,   ending up with hypothermia anyway,   or ⸺     all of the above,   if he was unlucky.     and ⸺     dammit,   his hoodie is soaked,   it wouldn’t help anything if he tried taking it off to help warm him up ... !

❝    fuck,    ❞     katsuki dashes over,   kneeling down in the soaked ground with his hands immediately ushering noodle off for now      ╱      he  needs  to find the wounds.     he needs to apply pressure,   if they’re as bad as they seem to be,   hand pushing the other’s fringe out of his face.     he looks ...     horrible.     ❝    izuku,   it’s me.     katsuki.     stay with me.    ❞

when he finds one of the wounds,   katsuki ends up slipping off his hoodie to use the fabric to his advantage,   pressing it against the open injury and watching it mingle with the rainwater that already immersed itself within the cotton.     (  how long had he been like this ?     can he even walk,   let alone stand ?     and  noodle,   he ⸺  )     the blond hears noodle barking at him,   looking at the dog and seeing him settling between them,   looking at katsuki.     it was likely because he’s putting himself at the mercy of the cold.     he remains undeterred.

that didn’t mean the rain was enjoyable.     fuck,   it was freezing,   even as he keeps the pressure up with one hand while the other fumbles for his phone.     he’s glad the damn thing had waterproof casing and water resistance.     he just needed to call emergency ...

katsuki knows that he  has  to stay as calm as possible,   as to not freak izuku out through the delirium and bleeding.     he knows he has to relay everything to the emergency services as calmly as he can so they understand what he’s saying,   what aid they need to provide when they make it on-scene ;     but his hands are shaking.     even though he puts a stoic wall up in front of izuku,   perhaps noodle would recognise it better at this stage      ╱      there is a sense of terror instilling within him.     fear,   distress.

❝    i’ve got someone with a serious injury.     he’s bleeding,   delirious,   ‘n not respondin’ very well to stimuli.    ❞     katsuki presses the phone between his ear and shoulder.     with his newly freed hand,   he reaches to make sure izuku doesn’t move      ⸺      hand pressing on the centre of his chest as he stares at him,   stern.     don’t try it.     ❝    we’re in an alleyway just a bit away from the bakugou agency.     he’s got a therapy dog,   ‘n i can get him to alert when yer nearby.     his name’s izuku midoriya,   blood type o,   and he ⸺    ❞

impatient,   frustrated.     katsuki snarls through the phone.

❝    y’don’t need my stupid  fuckin’  details.     now hurry th’fuck up and get someone on scene before he bleeds out ‘n i got a good goddamn reason t’kill each ‘n every one of you.    ❞

he hears them hesitate before assuring him help was on the way.     it doesn’t bring any sense of relief that he  thought  it would.

they tell him to keep talking to izuku,   to try and keep him as engaged as possible while the paramedics work on arriving within the next five minutes.     he doesn’t feel ready to move his hand off izuku’s chest lest he attempts to move.

❝    dammit,   why can’t y’stay outta trouble for longer than one fuckin’ second,   huh ?!     why’s it that yer the most trouble-centred person i’ve  ever  fuckin’ met,   ‘n y’don’t even have a quirk to fuckin’ cause trouble  with,   you ⸺    ❞     bastard.     you fucking  bastard.     the tremor in his hands becomes more clear,   now ;     were it not for the rain,   maybe the other would be able to tell the difference between the freshwater droplets washing down his face and the salty tears that mingle among them,   borne of frustration.     ❝    ...     you piss me th’fuck off,   y’know that ?    ❞

there are,   indeed,   few  things that shake katsuki.     his past no longer haunts him in the same way it used to,   and he isn’t tormented every night      ╱      these are things he is grateful for,   things he could move beyond.

but this ?     this shakes katsuki to his very core ;     a living nightmare playing on loop,   the sight of izuku covered in his own blood and unaware of the world around him,   barely able to understand his life was in danger.     if he fought back,   then he lost.     he lost and the villain that hurt him had to have been  sure  he would die      ⸺      unbeknownst to katsuki’s intuition,   the nagging concern that something wasn’t quite right.

no.     he  can’t  let this shake him.     not tonight.

[ofdetonation]

@starshinc​​​  inquired :      Izuku’s eyes slowly fluttered open, light filtering through the tent into his eyes, the sound of the zip being closed pulling him closer to awareness. Morning already…? He has to think to himself, stretching experimentally. Ramen looked up from his place on his lap, Izuku blinking sleepily. A check to his right; and - ah, it was Katsuki leaving. They’d had to share a tent last minute, but that was fine. It had been a lot warmer.

Taking a deep breath, Izuku crawled out of his sleeping bag, shivering and pulling on a couple more layers. Once done, he quietly pulled his shoes on and exited the tent, Ramen deciding to remain inside. Eyes adjusting, he looked around, and - oh.

Katsuki was sitting where the sun hit him, and Izuku knew, in that moment, he had it bad. Hair lighting up in the light, and Katsuki had the most peaceful expression on his face, watching the view. And to Izuku, it was the most beautiful thing he’d ever had the pleasure of seeing.

Trying not to ruin the peace, Izuku crept over, sitting down next to the other as he got comfortable, the sun hitting his face. Hesitatingly, he moved closer… resting his head on Katsuki’s shoulder. The view was amazing, but Katsuki was much more beautiful, in Izuku’s opinion. He closed his eyes, focusing on the noises and gentle breeze, and the warmth of the sun.

He has it BAD.      ╱      prompted  soft.

𝗖𝗔𝗠𝗣𝗜𝗡𝗚,   𝗖𝗟𝗜𝗠𝗕𝗜𝗡𝗚,   𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗦𝗘  𝗪𝗘𝗥𝗘  𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗡𝗚𝗦  𝗧𝗛𝗔𝗧  𝗞𝗘𝗣𝗧  𝗞𝗔𝗧𝗦𝗨𝗞𝗜'𝗦  𝗠𝗜𝗡𝗗  𝗔𝗧  𝗘𝗔𝗦𝗘 .      they were activities shown to him at a young age to encourage him into expelling excess energy,   and now they follow the blond into his late teen years,   becoming tools to keep himself active and engaged and relaxed.     well,   on his own,   maybe      ╱      when others invite him,   the experience shifts towards the worse.     what would be a relaxing weekend away from class chaos becomes a test of katsuki’s patience as he tries coordinating one,   two,   three ⸺     sometimes more people than it’s worth.     he becomes the one keeping a handle on gear and food ;     often he’s left wondering  how  he’s friends with such disorganised people.

this time is unique.     this time came with the insistence that katsuki brought along izuku for the experience,   the group practically  begging  him to extend the invitation out for their camping trip away while the going was good.     (  they kept saying it had to be him to ask,   because of course it had to be him ;     he was the only one close enough to the green-haired boy in the support course.     why did they even  want  him tagging along,   anyway ?  )     he only did it to make them shut up,   in the end ...

well,   that isn’t completely true,   either.

their circumstances kept increasing in complexity as time continued      ⸺      their beginnings in u.a. were about the same as when they were in middle school,   right up until the moment katsuki was kidnapped,   never brought home.     their relationship shifted  again  when it was izuku who brought him back.     that actually pissed him off,   at first ;     of course it couldn’t have been a pro hero,   a sidekick,   or even a damned intern or hero course student.     it had to be izuku.     him with all the determination and stubbornness he could muster,   knowing full well he had  nothing  to fight back with,   no quirk      ╱      and that didn’t sit well with katsuki for longer than he wanted to admit.

it continued to snowball when izuku kept visiting him during his recovery,   signing away and learning to read katsuki’s body language,   recognising the difference in his hostility between the remnants of ground zero and the boy he’d always known.     katsuki spent those long months recovering,   refreshing his jsl,   having a dog get attached to him,   and trying to understand why the hell izuku  persisted.     his memories never went away,   after all.     katsuki remembers the moment he burned the freckled boy so badly it left scars,   mangled his hand to the point it’d never be the same again      ⸺      in his head,   izuku should’ve hated him,   if he didn’t already.     in his head,   all of the time izuku spent in the hospital with him,   even making the effort to celebrate the blond’s 17th ...     none of it made sense.

katsuki learned pretty fast that  nothing  about izuku would make sense.     even as he got out of the hospital,   played catch-up in practicals,   visiting the support lab frequently to offer upgrade ideas for his gear,   he concluded that izuku was ...     a mystery.     his motivations and intentions were unreadable.     katsuki was so sure that it would only drive a wedge into their newly-forming bond in believing that,   only to find out that it had done the opposite.

even though he told the group that it was because he wanted them to shut the fuck up and stop pestering him,   katsuki found himself wanting izuku to join them.     at first,   he wasn’t sure why the hell he’d think that way      ╱      but when he spent  more  time thinking about it,   it was because of some unresolved feelings buried well beneath the surface.     ones that only one or two people knew,   because they saw it before he did.     even though he couldn’t make any sense of izuku,   there was security in making sense of those feelings,   the same ones he keeps pushing down and shoving aside      ⸺      the same ones that end up driving him into making split-second decisions like demanding izuku to join them.

katsuki found himself eternally grateful that they had their own sleeping bags.     even if  someone  just happened to forget a tent,   they at least had a bit of distance between them while there were others nearby      ⸺      and besides,   the group learned early on not to disturb the young bakugou while he was resting in the mountains.     it would quickly ruin the camping trip if he was in a sour mood on the way back.

the break of dawn beckons cold,   muted rays of sunlight peeking through the tent and luring the blond awake with bleary crimson gaze.     there’s no sound of the others,   only the gentle rustle of trees and calls of birds      ╱      the excitement of exploring unknown territory often drove them off in the early hours of morn,   giving katsuki some moments to himself,   the peace he’d been seeking from the beginning.     he checks the time on his phone and stretches out for a moment.     he  could  stay here and ignore the fact he was sharing his space with another person and his therapy dog,   but he doesn’t intend to waste the chance for the peace he so desperately needs ;     and with the sun rising to bless its subjects with warmth,   katsuki found himself crawling out of the tent and shutting it behind him.

he wanders to the part of the clearing where the mountain overlooks into the ocean.     the sun’s beams dance over his face as it rises in the east      ⸺      and as he sits to bask in the warmth,   as the rays hit his hair just right,   certain strands of ash blond almost shine like  gold  instead,   glimmering under the morning light.     the breeze brushes past him with its cool touch and the leaves respond in kind.     birds fly and call and settle,   the beat of wings distinguishable when they fly close,   seeking out their morning food.     his mind calms.     for now,   there is nothing beyond himself and the serenity of this mountain.

perhaps it was these moments he missed the most,   where he could just ...     be.     he wasn’t ground zero,   or dynamight,   or even  bakugou  on top of this mountain,   away from civilisation and the public      ╱      he was just  katsuki,   a young boy who’d been through too much.

katsuki becomes more aware of izuku’s presence the moment he sits next to him,   wanting to steal some of the sunlight for himself.     his gaze doesn’t break away from the view.     it’s only when he feels the weight of izuku on his shoulder that he tenses,   thinks,   relaxes again,   waiting a few moments before he could finally look to the boy next to him      ⸺      and he wasn’t sure  what  he was expecting,   but it wasn’t ...

izuku’s hair is a much deeper,   richer green in direct sun.     it looks as curly and unkempt as ever,   forgiving the part where they’d both just woken up and forgone trying to tame something as unruly as hair in the mornings      ⸺      but he never really paid attention to  that  before,   the way his hair shows itself to be much greener in sunlight.     crimson gaze then glances down to the freckles on his cheeks      ╱      they are much more intense in the sun,   as well,   almost aglow,   like he could trace constellations across his face with ease and they lined themselves up to allow for that.     the sun had just ...     revealed aspects of izuku that the blond never noticed before.     (  or maybe it was because they were closer than  ever  now,   his mind so at peace that he doesn’t feel the urge to shove him away ?  )

he could only imagine what izuku’s eyes would look like with the dawn reaching them,   enhancing them under its gaze.     maybe they’d have that shine in them like they always did.     or maybe they would look like a different shade altogether      ╱      green ever still,   but forest green or emerald ?     would they have that hopeful look katsuki grew accustomed to from their time spent together,   every time he made progress,   or would it be something the young bakugou had  never  seen before ?     would ⸺

crimson snaps back to look at the view.     those feelings ;     they stir and constrict around his heart,   flip his stomach,   rob him of the air in his lungs.     (  why was he thinking about it so much ?     why the hell does he  want  to ?     and worst of all,   what about all of this was making him so sick ?  )     katsuki takes a deep breath,   hoping izuku hadn’t noticed the sudden shift in his behaviour again      ⸺      would it matter at this point ?      ⸺      and tries to piece it together in his muddled,   peaceful mind.

these stupid things happen each time katsuki notices something new about the green-haired boy,   pulling him from his usual demeanour to something ...     unfamiliar.     it almost feels damning to look at izuku,   sometimes.     there’s a part of his brain that keeps likening the feeling to being sick,   but ⸺     well,   another part of him says that’s not it.     it’s not the same.     sick is when he looks at someone like mineta,   hears him talk the way he does,   irking the young bakugou into nearly taking action if it weren’t for the girls first.     no,   this is nothing like that,   nothing  like what he’s dealing with now ;     this was ...     a different kind.     something he’d been chasing,   but unaware that it’s been clinging to him this entire time      ╱      he just never placed a name to it,   beyond deku ...     beyond izuku.

he spares a glance to izuku again and feels a lump in his throat.     it’s stupid.     katsuki doesn’t even think he should be allowed to feel this way      ╱      not after the absolute  hell  he’s put izuku through,   bullying him to silence,   nearly damning his support career before it started,   leaving scars that will never go away.     but ...

it was  love,   wasn’t it ?

somewhere along the way,   it had become love,   and he’s only letting himself see it now ;     only allowing himself to come to terms with it as they sit under the dawn’s light,   izuku resting against his shoulder,   seizing the opportunity while the peace keeps katsuki tranquil.     this whole time,   he didn’t know  what  name to apply to it      ⸺      and isn’t it ironic it’s the one thing he never even thought of ?

hah,   that’s some cruel fucking joke,   katsuki thinks.     letting myself fall in love with the one i hurt most.     as if i’d  ever  have a goddamn chance.

but he allows himself to be  selfish  with this,   the sun having risen to its full extent now,   its glow warming the both of them as they remain in their spots.     (  the group would eventually return and he would shuffle away like he always does,   dismissive,   but the revelation will cling to him like tar ;     the damning feeling that he may  never  resolve it.  )

[ofdetonation]

@starshinc​​  inquired :      [ FOLLOW ]      ╱      even  more  injury  memes. [ FOLLOW ] :      for sender to find receiver at the end of a trail of blood.

𝗛𝗘  𝗛𝗔𝗗  𝗔  𝗣𝗨𝗥𝗣𝗢𝗦𝗘  𝗔𝗠𝗢𝗡𝗚𝗦𝗧  𝗔𝗟𝗟  𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗦 .      there was a  purpose  to the fight he’d been in,   the wandering through empty halls,   the stumbling and coughing up of blood as he kept trying to persevere.     there was a purpose to it all      ╱      but his mind,   muddled with fog and fatigue and uncertainty,   he doesn’t really remember ...     what it was.

katsuki remembers how he got here.     the injury he’d sustained was a slow-killing one,   bleeding just enough as he paces through the halls,   the red iron dripping onto the floor and smearing onto the walls when he leans into them.     there is a reason for him traversing these halls      ⸺      ah,   what was it again ?     (  there’s a brief memory of him telling everyone he’d run the mission solo,   call for backup if things start going wrong.     did he do that ?     he doesn’t remember.     maybe he did and he  forgot.  )     there’s a vague flicker of a memory from the hero commission asking for something valuable in this place ...

data.     did he have it yet ?     he reaches into his pocket and pulls out the hard drive meant for whatever they were looking for,   obscured vision blurrily staring at it to determine if such a digital thing was on it now.     he doesn’t think so      ╱      the hard drive looks quite pristine compared to the darkened tint of his gloves,   new smudges of blood decorating it.     he  must’ve  been on his way then,   right ?

crimson gaze falls down the dark hallway and winces,   staggering forward with each step he attempts.     he  swears  it wasn’t that far      ⸺      frustration starts to build among the fatigue at the way his legs refuse to move the way he wants them to.     he coughs again and takes another step forward,   brows furrowing.     this time,   he feels his legs collapse out from under him,   the blond bracing his fall with one hand and spitting out the surge of blood that enters his mouth.     (  no.     no no no,   i still need to keep moving ... !  )

god,   he was so tired.     even as he starts trying to crawl forward,   the surge of pain wracks his body and his arms begin to shake from its intensity,   his breathing becoming more unsteady the more he tries ;     the blood starts to drip more from his grave wound.     he had half a mind not to cauterise when it happened.     he remembers the depth,   the fact it probably struck something he couldn’t cauterise on the surface,   making it a  dangerous  gamble for internal bleeding if he had done so.     the pain was near unbearable,   though,   with how it almost chokes his lungs and fills his throat with bile      ╱      if he could just stop for a moment,   just to shut his eyes and rest to keep going ...

katsuki pulls himself into a new corridor and rests his back up against the wall,   taking in a deep breath and wincing when it makes everything hurt again.     his good eye glances to the hard drive he’s been clinging to      ⸺      once he has his second wind,   he can keep going.     once he can breathe,   he’ll  persevere.

footsteps.     his vision becomes less focused by the second and his wound continues to remind him of every breath he takes,   but he can hear footsteps ;     they become faster the closer they approach.     were they following his blood trail ?     (  katsuki can barely think to lift his hand to ward off whoever it might be ;     pops of explosions dance across it,   instinctually,   but they are nothing more than a little fireworks show in the palm of his hand.     there isn’t  any  power or bite to them.     he doesn’t have the strength.     if it’s a villain ...  )

he doesn’t have to speculate.

katsuki’s gaze falls on green hair and freckled cheeks,   and a breath of relief releases from his tense body      ╱      things don’t hurt so much now that he has the reassurance that izuku was there.     someone he could trust.     someone he could believe in.     he tries to move from his spot,   to get up for the other to show he was okay,   but he ends up slumping further down the wall and  gasping  for air when another wave of pain hits him.

❝    izuku ...     the mission ⸺    ❞     he coughs,   more red spilling from his lips,   his gaze struggling to keep its focus.     he can  barely  lift the hard drive he’s been holding to the other.     ❝    we gotta ...    ❞

he’s a lot worse than he realised.     the pain is fading,   but he feels clammy,   almost cold,   even while he wears his winter costume.     dots of white invade his vision and the dimmest lights seem so bright      ╱      izuku’s voice is even muffled.     he wasn’t going deaf yet,   though,   so that makes no sense in his head      ⸺      and beyond that,   it sounded ...     panicked.     why ?     he was going to be fine.     he was  always  fine.

he grits his teeth,   tries to lift himself up ;     izuku keeps him down and the stare he gives is  questioning,   even through the heavy fog of his mind.     (  he keeps trying to say something to him,   but he can’t hear it      ⸺      the frustration starts to write itself in his features,   lips curling to a slight snarl.     what was he saying ?  )

❝    ‘zuku ...     ‘zuku,   use yer signin’,   i can’t ...    ❞

the signing doesn’t help much.     his vision is too clouded,   too obstructed,   and all he can do is stare blankly at the other’s attempts to communicate between ...     whatever else he was doing.     god,   why was it so hard ?     why was he struggling so much to understand izuku at such a critical moment ?     he just wants to talk to him,   to be able to communicate with him,   to know what he says ⸺     anything ... !

his strength is fading fast,   fatigue starting to seep into his bones.     maybe ...     maybe he could rest now that izuku was there.     just for a bit.     just  so he can get back up.

crimson looks at green and sees the  panic,   sees the attempted signing in front of him,   his mouth moving as well with nothing registering      ╱      katsuki wants so desperately to know what he was trying to say.     (  the sound of izuku’s voice has been a blessing since their third year at u.a. together      ⸺      katsuki is  lucky,   he knows,   that he gets to hear izuku talk to him every day.     he thought that so much talking would piss him off ...     and yet,   he finds himself missing it.     even now,   when the talk is only muffled sounds,   desperate tone falling flat among his confusion ;     it isn’t the same,   but it was still ...     him.  )

his eyes shut.     just for a bit,   he reiterates,   though his brain shouts at him,   incoherent as he relaxes into izuku ...

[ofdetonation]

@starshinc​  inquired :      He leans in, staring at Katsuki with a playful look in his eyes. There’s a pause, and… “boop!”      ╱      unprompted.

𝗮𝘁  𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁,   𝗵𝗲  𝘁��𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁  𝗶𝘇𝘂𝗸𝘂  𝘄𝗮𝘀  𝘂𝗽  𝘁𝗼  𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴.      that stupidly cute playful look meant he was up to no good,  in katsuki’s head.     and with the pause,  he almost confirmed his suspicions to be true,  and then ⸺

…     his nose ends up scrunching up not long  after  the boop izuku dishes out,  stare intense and incredulous.     all this for a boop ?     seriously ?

izuku,  you have about five seconds before katsuki does a hard reset and goes for your ribs.     playfulness,  unfortunately,  registers as a competition for the young blond instead,  and not only that but you just presented him with a  challenge.     and contact sport,  i guess.     give it your all,  midoriya !

[ofdetonation]

@starshinc​  inquired :      <3      ╱      unprompted.

❝    tch.    ❞     despite dismissive attitude  and  a roll of his eyes,  katsuki’s gaze does soften a fraction.     only a fraction.     but hey,  that would be enough,  right ?

[ofdetonation]

@starshinc​​  inquired :      Izuku usually makes it a point not to call Katsuki while he’s on away missions, especially overseas. He’s usually content with the fleeting calls they get in the evening. However - Katsuki’s phone will light up with Izuku’s ID, and there’s a sob down the line the second it’s been picked up. “K-Kacchan-“ he wailed. “I’m sorry..! I d-dreamt about, uh, your chest i-injury, and I woke up and you’re not here and-“ breathing is rapid, evidently still half trapped within the dream.      ╱      unprompted.

𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗦  𝗪𝗔𝗦  𝗛𝗜𝗦  𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗥𝗗  𝗠𝗜𝗦𝗦𝗜𝗢𝗡  𝗔𝗪𝗔𝗬  𝗙𝗥𝗢𝗠  𝗛𝗢𝗠𝗘 .      he’d made a point of staying in japan for some time after his death and resuscitation,   left marred from the event with his  largest  scar to date      ╱      but the world needed his help and he couldn’t ignore their calls forever,   even though there was hardly an adjustment period.     so,   katsuki began to re-explore overseas missions.

the first time was a resounding success.     both izuku and himself had their concerns about the distance,   but it had worked out well for them,   so long as they kept in touch frequently and katsuki remembered to pick his times.     it was only a couple of days in a neighbouring country,   anyway.     because the timezones weren’t so different,   katsuki was able to spend more of his time off the mission talking to the other,   chatting about whatever came to mind      ⸺      they spent  most  of that time using facetime,   too.     katsuki is pretty certain he even fell asleep mid-call once or twice.     but it must’ve helped      ╱      izuku didn’t look so affected after he got back home,   if just a little more like a lost puppy.

the second time was a  little  rocky,   but the two of them got through it.     katsuki was sent off further from japan this time and for longer,   close to two weeks      ╱      it made the timezones awkward at best,   but the blond made an active effort to try and align his texts with japan’s times.     that way,   even if he was busy doing his own thing,   izuku had something to let him know he was okay.     it seemed to help.

this third time had more issues.

the hero commission warned katsuki he was looking at a mission that could take a month and a half to complete,   but the blond  refused  to turn it down.     he did his best to warn izuku of the mission      ⸺      he was being sent to the states,   after all      ⸺      but he knew the both of them had their reservations.     it was one thing to go on missions that weren’t too far from japan.     but to go on the opposite side of the ocean so soon after japan nearly lost their top hero,   the scar still new on his chest ?

maybe there was just nothing that could prepare them for it.     katsuki did his best to keep up texts and calls between the periods where he was working,   but nothing was lasting when he was so busy  and  in high demand      ╱      and maybe it was furthermore reckless of him to think that either had moved on from his death and resuscitation.

katsuki’s phone buzzes at some point in the afternoon while he was on patrol with one of america’s heroes.     with the sun reaching its highest peak,   the blond furrows his brows when he sees that it’s  izuku  calling him      ⸺      wasn’t it some odd time at night for him back in japan ?     (  the first concern is that he stayed up to talk.     but that couldn’t be right,   katsuki managed a call first thing in the morning,   making sure it was a reasonable time of night for izuku to be awake.     so if it’s not  that,   then ...  )     katsuki is quick to walk off,   dismissing his current hero partner before answering.

there’s a slight flinch when he realises what it’s about.     while his memory fades between the point where he died and the point he woke up in the hospital,   there were flickers of memories in between      ╱      there was footage to accompany it.     izuku yelling until his voice went raw,   the blond motionless on the ground until he could be sufficiently revived,   the bits of memory reminding him of how he dipped in and out of consciousness as his body  fought  to circulate what blood remained in him ...

❝    izuku,   i’m fine.    ❞     when he was home,   katsuki would just tug izuku to rest his head over his chest to feel his heartbeat,   to hear it as it works ;     he can’t do the same thing when he’s so far away from japan.     he  did  try to think of a solution to this problem.     there was plenty of time spent trying to determine how he might best help if izuku woke up haunted by the past,   still so fresh in his mind      ⸺      all of his usual solutions rely on him  being  there.     all he has at the moment are his words.     ❝    i don’t gotta be there t’be okay.     y’can hear me speakin’ to you right now,   can’t ya ?     i’m just in d.c. instead of bein’ home in japan.    ❞

it sounds dismissal.     this  is why he couldn’t find a solution ;     katsuki knows he speaks bluntly and forgets to consider the impact of his words.

❝    ...     tell me if there’s something i can do.    ❞     katsuki states rather than asks,   makes a  demand  of it instead of making it a question      ╱      he wasn’t asking for izuku to think on it.     he was asking for him to find something he could do,   right now,   despite the distance.     ❝    i got some time on my hands.    ❞

or,   more,   he was making the time.

[ofdetonation]

@starshinc​​  inquired :      [ WARM ]      ╱      soft  action  prompts. [ WARM ] :      sender finds the receiver has fallen asleep somewhere and places a blanket or jacket over them.

𝗣𝗟𝗔𝗬𝗜𝗡𝗚  𝗖𝗔𝗧𝗖𝗛  𝗨𝗣  𝗛𝗔𝗦𝗡'𝗧  𝗕𝗘𝗘𝗡  𝗘𝗔𝗦𝗬 .      spending the entire afternoon having to run through old practical lessons when everyone else could go had taken a massive toll on the blond      ╱      he was barely on his feet when he made it back to the dorms.     some of his friends make a few comments at the sorry state of him but he only grunts in response,   earning a few looks as he situates himself on the dorm’s couch.     he earned some rest.     it wasn’t like everyone else in the class had to play catch up like  he  did,   none of them being away from u.a. for as long as he was,   so who the fuck were  they  to judge what he did ?

he is acutely aware that today,   izuku is  meant  come over from the support dorms to spend some time with the hero course      ⸺      or,   more specifically,   katsuki himself.     it was an arrangement they agreed upon since they spent a lot of time together while katsuki was being rehabilitated.     katsuki hardly knew anyone else thanks to when he was taken ;     but izuku was the focal point of familiarity,   and with their teachers encouraging it,   the two had fallen into a sort of routine.

but routine was ...     not always consistent.

usually it was something on izuku’s end if anything came up,   and the two of them would just postpone the whole day for a better time      ╱      but  this  time,   the young bakugou had his ass kicked in catch-up practicals with aizawa and all might watching.     keeping himself awake long enough for izuku to show was becoming an impossible task.

despite cooling weather,   katsuki stubbornly crosses his arms and curls up in the corner of the couch,   eyes eventually shutting and shoulders relaxing.     he doesn’t even  notice  that the time of day has shifted towards night when he peeks through lazy gaze.     the incoming rain was making everything cooler in the dorm,   but the blond can’t seem to find the energy to move to his room instead,   curling tighter into the corner with a huff.

the next time he cracks his eyes open is when he feels a weight on him.     it wasn’t particularly heavy,   but covers him completely ;     he only then recognises the time of day      ⸺      or rather,   it was night      ⸺      and sighs to himself.     (  then he definitely dozed off on the couch before he could stop it.     how long was he there for now ?  )     his perception of time continues to skew as he sinks into the warmth of the blanket,   brows furrowing for a moment as his mind tries to process what was happening      ╱      what was going on ?     he didn’t  ask  for a blanket.     did someone just decide to  give  him one ?     he was so sure that the class knew it was a goddamn death wish to even go near him when he was this tired.     so ⸺

crimson gaze blearily looks through heavy eyelids to determine the culprit,   catching a glimpse of green curls.     ah.     the bravest,   and stupidest,   person he knows.     of course it was  izuku  that decides to brave giving katsuki a blanket while he’s resting.     (  hell,   he wouldn’t even be here if they didn’t have their routine      ╱      not that it’d stop him.     he had a talent for being in the wrong place at the wrong time.  )     katsuki briefly considers a protest ;     but the fatigue settles further into his muscles and bones and he only manages a grumble instead.

izuku would just have to wait when he wakes up next.     katsuki decides he has  no  intention of moving from his spot,   eventually dozing right back off ...

(  admittedly,   the extra warmth is welcome.     he just won’t tell izuku that.  )

[ofdetonation]

@starshinc​​  inquired :      [ REST ]      ╱      soft  action  prompts. [ REST ] :      sender places their head in receiver’s lap.

𝗧𝗢𝗗𝗔𝗬  𝗪𝗔𝗦  𝗔  𝗟𝗢𝗡𝗚  𝗗𝗔𝗬  𝗙𝗢𝗥  𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗠  𝗕𝗢𝗧𝗛 .      katsuki doesn’t show it in the same way izuku does,   but the long hours he spent on patrol today had worn him down to the bone      ╱      people being careless,   others misunderstanding,   neglecting  to understand what it was that katsuki was trying to tell them to do.     some things just weren’t simple.     if he could just have more room to breathe      ⸺      only for a second,   away from people who blatantly ignore his words      ⸺      maybe the day would’ve been easier.

katsuki rests on the couch with his head tilted back and gaze fixed on the ceiling,   waiting for the pain in his shoulders to subside.     he feels a small weight on one side of him and when he glances,   he sees that it’s takeo asking for some affection.     he gives the russian blue a few pets.     before long,   however,   he notices a much heavier weight on his other side,   and eyes immediately catch green curls      ╱      he knows  exactly  who it is.

shifting back a little,   katsuki watches izuku sprawl out on the remaining space of the couch while using the blond’s lap as a pillow,   as moriko      ⸺      his other cat,   the absolute  traitor      ⸺      takes up residence on the other’s chest.     (  he watches the two dogs decide to settle at their feet instead.     they had no room left on the couch,   after all,   but both noodle and kuma did like to have their cuddles,   even indirect.  )     what a predicament.     sure,   katsuki could move izuku so he could go and make dinner when it was time.     he  could  ditch his boyfriend and the animals to their solitude on the couch.     but then bears the question :     did katsuki really  want  to ?

a hand moves to run through the green curls,   humming.

❝    y’go ‘n steal my cat,   steal my lap,   all the space on the couch ...     what’s next on yer agenda,   huh,   y’little thief ?    ❞   he teases,   hovering over izuku with a grin and playful glint in his eyes.     ❝    don’t tell me yer gonna go stealin’ my  heart  or some dumb cheesy shit like that.    ❞

(  besides,   he went and gave it to the nerd some time ago now.     a little hard to steal something when it’s  given  to you.  )

[ofdetonation]

@starshinc​  inquired :      Takes the opportunity to press little kisses all over Katsuki’s face.      ╱      unprompted.

𝗢𝗡𝗘  𝗪𝗢𝗨𝗟𝗗  𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗡𝗞  𝗞𝗔𝗧𝗦𝗨𝗞𝗜  𝗪𝗔𝗦  𝗨𝗦𝗘𝗗  𝗧𝗢  𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗦 .      it would be  safer  to say he was used to being the one to give      ⸺      ever the tactile one,   the lesser love language spoken commonly away from prying eyes,   overriding his usual expression of acts of service so that izuku actually understands what he feels.     actions over words,   after all      ╱      the blond just made a point to not expect the same from the other.     who could do that ?     everyone’s love language translates differently.

but sometimes ⸺     well,   sometimes  katsuki is surprised.

he’s barely home from his long patrol shift,   only managing his boots off by the door of their apartment,   when izuku attacks him with an onslaught of little kisses to his face.     ah,   it was one of  those  days,   was it ?     (  this was a rare bout of boldness      ╱      katsuki would have the uncanny talent of being the first to it,   beating out izuku every time,   like his own personal challenge.     but on occasion ...  )     his day reflects his mood,   and today happened to be a pretty damn good one      ⸺      so the kisses are readily accepted as izuku persists,   a grumble only leaving his form when he can’t seem to get any in himself.

❝    oi,   stop hoggin’ all the fuckin’ affection.     i just got home.    ❞     it comes across a bit mean but the real intention is to tease,   hand reaching to gently nudge izuku away.     ❝    ‘sides,   i need a damned shower.     what,   didja go missin’ me  that  much that y’had to get me as soon as i got through the door ?     yer needy as hell.    ❞

he’s never had an issue with  that  before ;     or rather,   every time he did,   it was only so he could poke fun at izuku,   grinning every time he wins a pout,   or a glare,   or even both from the other      ╱      sometimes,   he even gets a sassy comeback.

well,   in the end,   it’s not like izuku picked anyone else.

❝    look.     gimme a few,   will ya ?    ❞     he leans down a fraction to steal a quick kiss from izuku before he can protest,   gaze stern      ⸺      though his eyes give away the fondness hidden behind them.     ❝    then y’can keep bein’ needy.     but i’ll  damn  well  get some of the affection back,   since y’came for me as soon as i was through th’damn door.    ❞

[ofdetonation]

@starshinc​  inquired :      [ VENGEANCE ]      ╱      even  more  injury  memes. [ VENGEANCE ] :      for receiver to witness sender being hurt which causes them to go into a murderous rage.

𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗡𝗚𝗦  𝗪𝗘𝗥𝗘  𝗕𝗔𝗗  𝗘𝗡𝗢𝗨𝗚𝗛 .      the agency was in shambles,   a planned attack that nobody anticipated,   most of the sidekicks he had on patrol in other areas and requiring time to make it back to the scene      ╱      dynamight happened to be the closest.     dynamight  was the one who could make it back to the agency the fastest      ⸺      but that wasn’t good enough when lives were in danger.     when izuku was in danger.

they were both on the job today,   with katsuki on patrol while izuku stayed in the support lab to work on orders.     everything  was fine in the morning.     they briefly greeted each other before katsuki fully suited up for patrol,   before izuku had to duck into his lab and get to work before he fell behind      ⸺      it was their routine.     nothing different.     nothing out of place.

there was no evidence that something was up until the alarms set off and the villains flooded the complex,   the agency understaffed at the right time.     (  katsuki’s mind races incessantly ;     without many sidekicks,   not everyone had the means to defend themselves,   their quirks unsuitable      ╱      or,   in izuku’s case,   no quirk at all.     support gear could only go so far if these villains had formidable quirks to work with.     if there was more time for anyone to prepare,   maybe  they would be fine,   maybe they could hold their own.     maybe even izuku could.     but with no time at all,   with unknowns,   izuku might ⸺  )

the blond storms the front of his agency,   taking down the first two villains within  seconds  of entering the complex.     crimson gaze falls on the scared,   but hopeful,   regulars of his agency,   but he can’t linger for too long.     there are a few other villains that try to slow him down.     he reads them too fast,   knocks them down in the same breath,   demanding that anyone on scene could deal with them.     his feet take him towards izuku’s support lab.

the villains had him cornered.     he’d been fighting,   noodle had been defending,   but they were separated and izuku was on his own      ⸺      katsuki wasn’t fast enough to stop them from hurting the other,   watching him fall from his injury,   eyes  wide.

no,   he wasn’t dead.     he wasn’t  dying.     if he were,   maybe the boiling fury that surges within katsuki would be much worse ;     maybe it would be the force of a natural disaster,   or perhaps something more dangerous,   if that was enough to kill izuku.     but he goes down at the hands of the villains,   and something ⸺     clicks.     an unspoken part of katsuki that he’d kept repressed for years now      ╱      a spark held to the most volatile parts of his reformed personality,   the parts they could never fully diminish.

he remembers  exactly  what he does.

katsuki stands above the villains with a raging wildfire in his eyes,   the taste of iron making its way onto his tongue and making him spit it out with frustration.     furious crimson glares at every villain that was in the room ;     it was a miracle  none  of them died.     the blond,   despite his rage,   managed to hold back enough to avoid killing any of them      ╱      but all of them were near death,   needing urgent treatment for the numerous burns that scatter their bodies.

he’d unleashed a side of him he thought was gone.     the part of  ground  zero  called,   spurred by the sight of the one person he cares about most injured,   and he answered,   tearing through each villain with only the slightest care that they might live or die.     his hands shake,   red seeping into the orange fabric on his palms,   smoke rising from the flurry of explosions he’d unleashed prior.     blood drips from his face and taints his ash blond hair.     if he had  any  injuries,   the adrenaline makes it so that he doesn’t feel them,   only recognising the rise and fall of his chest and the taste of iron that keeps sneaking its way onto his tongue.     (  not his blood.     none of it was.  )

he wasn’t sure how he had the strength to face izuku after his onslaught.     but his heart was aching,   pressing against his ribcage as he kneels beside the other,   quickly checking to see the extent of the injury      ⸺      that ache was reminding him of the brief moment where he thought he felt the impending fear of death ...     but  not  for himself.

the impending fear of izuku’s death.     the thought that i might lose him.

he must look  horrifying,   the way his hero costume is tainted with blood,   but his gaze carries concern and his hands shake from the panic.     (  stupid,   stupid,   why did he let himself get cornered ?     why didn’t he call for help ?  )     the fury dies down to make way for katsuki’s frustration,   his worry      ╱      and even as he appears right now,   the blond looks more like the hero he’s meant to be,   even as he checks over izuku and slowly lifts him up when he deems it safe to do so.

❝    let’s get you outta here.    ❞     (  and me too.     if i look at them any longer,   i’ll remember what i did,   and it’ll make me sick.  )     ❝    there’ll be paramedics outside.     they can check ‘n make sure yer fine.    ❞

[ofdetonation]

@starshinc​  inquired :      Izuku is gonna sneak up behind Katsuki, place hands over his eyes, and give a quick kiss to his forehead. His giggles give him away.      ╱      unprompted.

𝗞𝗔𝗧𝗦𝗨𝗞𝗜  𝗜𝗦𝗡'𝗧  𝗘𝗔𝗦𝗬  𝗧𝗢  𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗥𝗧𝗟𝗘 .      or,   not usually ;     the best explanation for this is that the blond can  typically  tell when someone is approaching,   accustomed to the slightest of noises,   honed by his training and months of being on edge.     that didn’t make him immune to being startled      ⸺      rather,   it just made it harder to achieve.

but who better to know when to strike than izuku midoriya ?

katsuki finds himself engrossed in his phone,   scrolling through videos using his one hand with an earphone in on the couch.     he doesn’t notice izuku sneaking up behind him.     when cold hands clamp over his eyes,   though,   the blond jumps in his spot and damn near  throws  his phone      ╱      there’s a few pops from his free hand instinctually as he goes to wrestle his way out of the hold.     ah,   but the laughter ⸺

he should’ve expected izuku.     with the explosions dissipating and shoulders relaxing at the realisation,   the blond tilts his head back and feels his fringe fall out of the way,   huffing at the kiss to his forehead      ⸺      he places his phone aside and gently pries off one of izuku’s hands to look up at him.    (  were laughter more contagious,   there would be some spilling from katsuki      ╱      but the  smile  is contagious enough,   a small one gracing usually stoic features,   amusement ever clear in his gaze.  )

❝    you think you’re  so  fuckin’ hilarious,   don’tcha ?    ❞     if izuku isn’t prepared,   he’s going to find himself being grabbed by the arm and tugged over the top of the couch,   the smile turning into more of a playful      ⸺      and menacing      ⸺      grin.     ❝    you’re a fuckin’ pain in the ass.    ❞

(  to be fair,   he  chooses  to live with it.  )

[ofdetonation]

@starshinc​  inquired :      Izuku storms into Katsuki’s office, dressed appropriately in workout gear. He’s carrying a longer version of his pole weapon, pressing the device and letting the new version pop open. It’s longer range. Sturdy. Helps covers areas that he can’t without a quirk. Stalking right up to Katsuki’s desk, he slams the weapon on the desk. “Teach me. How to fight.” It’s clearly not a request. “I want to learn how to defend myself, in case something ever happens. I’ve been designing this thing for months. I can knock people out with it.” But he doesn’t have the technique. Yet. “I’ve cleared my afternoon. And yours, by the way. Please.” Those eyes are shining with determination again. He’s not taking no for an answer.      ╱      loud  yelling.

𝗞𝗔𝗧𝗦𝗨𝗞𝗜'𝗦  𝗢𝗥𝗜𝗚𝗜𝗡𝗔𝗟  𝗔𝗙𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗡𝗢𝗢𝗡  𝗪𝗔𝗦  𝗣𝗥𝗘𝗧𝗧𝗬  𝗣𝗔𝗖𝗞𝗘𝗗 .      there were plans to have him meet up with new recruits,   even take a couple out on patrol,   after he’d gotten through the paperwork necessary to clear them      ⸺      it isn’t everyday that the pro hero dynamight would take a few fledgling heroes under his wing,   after all.     his pr team liked to make an effort to see it happen.     some of them believe it’s a good idea to brush aside all the intense accusations of his past      ╱      katsuki,   in comparison,   just wanted to do his job.

in a way,   izuku storming into his office is a sort of silver lining.

crimson gaze looks between the freckled other and the weapon he slams on his desk,   brows furrowing for a moment,   listening to what he says.     teach me how to fight.     (  katsuki knows damn well izuku’s capabilities even without a quirk      ╱      but to fight ?     that demands more than just good footwork,   great battle sense.     there’s a talent to understanding how your target uses their quirk against you and knowing  how  to combat it with your own      ⸺      even as a means of self defence,   someone without a quirk is more likely to get hurt,   at a higher risk of being injured beyond what a pro might experience.     but ...  )     katsuki leans forward a fraction to inspect izuku’s new weapon.

there’s a risk to everything being so heavily associated with pro heroes.     katsuki  knows  he needs to remember that,   and needs to remember that he can’t possibly protect izuku from every situation.     if he isn’t there,   and nobody else is ⸺     the shine in izuku’s eyes feeds into katsuki’s decision.     (  even if he tries to turn izuku away,   he will find someone else more willing      ╱      he should know katsuki doesn’t trust others as far as he can throw them.  )

❝    and y’cleared my afternoon ?     gotta ask you how y’get it past my teams.    ❞

he stands nonetheless,   eyes staring intently at the weapon.     everything izuku creates is well-designed and fleshed out      ⸺      he worked on  all  of katsuki’s gear,   made them accommodating to his quirk,   gave him the ability to be the hero japan needs.     if izuku can combine the use of his own support gear with enough talent to defend himself,   then ...     crimson gaze raises to meet emerald,   matching his determination.

who else would have the guts to throw around someone quirkless in the training room,   anyway ?

❝    y’wanna learn how t’fight ?     i ain’t makin’ it easy.    ❞     (  izuku should know what he’s getting himself into.  )     ❝    i’m the one trainin’ you.     y’gotta learn how to hold your own against people with quirks ‘cause most people got one,   which means i’m gonna start usin’  mine,   ‘n learn how to use your weapon without puttin’ yourself at risk.     if y’can’t keep up,   none of the training’s gonna matter.    ❞     he leans forward.     ❝    y’wanna defend yourself,   then y’deal with the consequences of trainin’ with me.     still up for it ?    ❞

he has a feeling he  knows  the answer.

[ofdetonation]

@starshinc​​  inquired :      “Kacchan.” Izuku is going to push a wrapped box up towards Katsuki before he can even start to protest. He’d spent a very long time working out what would be best to get the blond. Eventually, he opted for some spices and a new, professional cookware set. He figured it’s sort of a gift for him, too - Katsuki’s cooking is to die for. “Merry Christmas, Kacchan.” He smiled wide. “It’s not much, but I really hope you like it.” He’s pressed a kiss to his cheek, then lips.      ╱      unprompted  christmas  ask.

𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗜𝗥  𝗬𝗘𝗔𝗥  𝗛𝗔𝗦  𝗕𝗘𝗘𝗡  𝗧𝗨𝗠𝗨𝗟𝗧𝗨𝗢𝗨𝗦  𝗔𝗧  𝗕𝗘𝗦𝗧 .      there were times that katsuki’s work had tested him too much,   pushed on the remnants of the conditioning they couldn’t get rid of years ago and making his frustration  worse,   almost boiling over to something worse if he left it unchecked      ╱      those days,   he would return home in the mood he left work with,   unable to shake the feelings even as he ran through his routine.     those days,   he would carry it even as he took care of the animals,   rigid and seething      ⸺      never sure if that feeling was directed at the root of his problems,   or at  himself,   for letting his path take this turn.

it wasn’t exactly the best year for his agency,   either.     katsuki had been fighting left,   right and centre to make sure his agency wasn’t suffering from whatever shortcomings he might’ve had,   but it still took a blow.     he takes it as  his  responsibility.     even if nothing was necessarily at his fault,   he holds it accountable to himself      ╱      he knows it drives his teams insane,   sometimes,   how stubborn he is.

the only person that seems to cope with it all is the same one he goes home to.

katsuki barely makes it through the door,   coming back from his last-minute shift the agency called him in for,   before he hears the familiar voice.     a small hum leaves his body      ⸺      izuku is lucky,   not having to worry about sudden shifts on one of the few days of the year he should be left alone and at peace ...     katsuki doesn’t have time to question or protest what he does next,   nor  give pets to the two cats surrounding his feet,   as the gift finds its way pushed into his hands.

it’s now that he thinks :     he doesn’t understand it the longer they’re together.     not only had this year put a strain on things      ⸺      at least,   on katsuki’s end      ⸺      but the blond had been trying to figure out something since he made it back to u.a.,   since first waking up and seeing that dumb face with the cute freckles and messy green curls on the other side of the hospital room.     by all means,   izuku should  hate  him.     he should be angry with him,   pissed off even      ╱      after all,   katsuki damn near sabotaged his career before it began,   even if izuku keeps arguing that it wasn’t  him.     and yet izuku continues to be the one welcoming him through the door,   smiles and adoration,   always prepared to handle him when things aren’t great.     it just ⸺     doesn’t make  sense.

his hands grip the present from izuku,   crimson briefly looking at brilliant emerald green,   before he tears apart the wrapping and opens the box.     his tiny grin betrays him      ╱      new cookware  and  some fresh spices ?     the blond looks back up to izuku with a sort of knowing ;     aware that not only is this for katsuki’s benefit,   but for his own.

(  but the gift is practical,   and the bakugou likes practicality      ⸺      he can use this cookware over and over again,   spread out the use of these spices so they’re not all gone in a short time.     there is clear thought in the gift.  )

katsuki supposes ...     even if it doesn’t make sense,   even if he thinks izuku is some sort of masochist for sticking around him through his worst,   he could at  least  make sense of the feeling that settles in his chest.     he can make sense of the way his heartbeat picks up when izuku does something intolerably cute,   making the blond frustratingly distracted when he’s working on dinner      ╱      and he knows that tiny surge of ⸺     something,   that rises when izuku kisses him,   gives him the affection he doesn’t know what to do with.

he  knows  it’s love.     katsuki knows he loves izuku with all his faults      ⸺      even if it surprises him that izuku can do the same.

❝    yer a little shit,   y’know that ?     i ain’t yer damn househusband.    ❞     katsuki jokes,   but he still reaches into that mess of green curls and tugs him over for another kiss,   huffing when he moves back.     ❝    ‘s a fuck ton better than what  some  people try t’give me on christmas.    i like ‘em.    ❞

at some point,   katsuki intends to ask izuku what the  hell  it is that keeps him around,   what persuades him to stay with the blond after seeing him at his darkest points and watching him emerge through them      ╱      one day,   once he gets his answer,   katsuki hopes that he’ll finally understand what runs through izuku’s brain,   why he dares stay.

for now ?     he’ll shove that down :     he knows they’re just lingering feelings that he’s since done his best to resolve a  long  time ago.

❝    i’ll give ‘em a try tonight.    ❞     katsuki glances at his gift once more.     he  could’ve  bought his own set,   really      ⸺      but he prefers knowing that izuku went through the effort of choosing them out for him.     ❝    any requests ?     feelin’ a bit lenient in what we’re havin’,   ‘n i might not even try testin’ yer spice tolerance.    ❞

(  he’ll just have to outdo izuku next year.  )

[ofdetonation]

@starshinc​  inquired :      The peace of Izuku’s afternoon was absolutely shattered as Katsuki stormed into the Support Lab, his headphones quietly being removed (the video game music can faintly be heard playing through the speakers) and hands raising to sign in confusion. However, the second a swear word left Katsuki’s lips… Izuku smirked, raising one hand to point at the innocent jar of yen on one corner of the desk.      ╱      unprompted.

𝗦𝗢𝗠𝗘  𝗗𝗔𝗬𝗦  𝗢𝗡  𝗣𝗔𝗧𝗥𝗢𝗟  𝗔𝗥𝗘  𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗦𝗘  𝗧𝗛𝗔𝗡  𝗢𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗥𝗦 .      people test his patience every time they do something so inexplicably dumb  and  life-risking,   and since it’s his job to stop them from doing that,   he does      ╱      but he swears they’re the same people who don’t know a thank you even if it hit them in the face.     not to mention villains have completely forgotten how to give him a challenge !     they skulk and run too readily when they see pro hero dynamight approach      ⸺      even if he’s number one,   where the  hell  was their dignity ?     did they leave it behind in their hideouts or something ?

stupid damn patrol and stupid damn people.     he’s fine doing what he was always meant to be doing,   even when some civilians whisper about him on the streets,   but  some  days ...

marching into the support lab that is adjacent to his agency,   the blond sees izuku signing in confusion      ⸺      and with frustration still clear,   even behind his mask,   katsuki finds a spot nearby the other and starts to snap about the day.

❝    i ain’t ever seen people so dumb and oblivious ‘til i had t’drag some random civilians outta danger from a couple’a villains.     how th’hell could they  NOT  see the other villain approachin’ ‘em from behind t’try ‘n kill ‘em,   huh ?    ❞     he’s slipping off his gauntlets as he talks,   crimson glaring at his equipment      ╱      they were a little battered from the fight,   but nothing izuku couldn’t fix.     ❝    i cannot fuckin’ believe the absolute fuckin’ dumbassery some people have.     they were  RIGHT ⸺    ❞

when he raises his gaze to izuku,   he sees the other smirking and pointing.     he follows it with his gaze to the swear jar that was installed recently      ╱      it sits innocently on izuku’s desk,   taunting the blond with the yen he’s  already  invested in it since it began,   filling the jar approximately halfway within a week.     he’s getting sick of this already.

he grabs out a bunch of coins and places them on the desk.     he invests two of them into the jar for the two most grievous offences before continuing his train of thought,   pushing his mask up off his face.

❝    they were  RIGHT  there ‘n these morons were just gonna stand there ‘n act like they weren’t in the middle of a battlefield.     spare me the fuckin’ idiocy ‘n go home if yer gonna do something like that,    ❞     another coin clinks against the others as he speaks,   ❝    ‘cause i might save ‘em,   but they’re wastin’ my  goddamn  time ‘n makin’ it harder for me t’kick the villain’s ass to high fuckin’ hell before they cause more damage.    ❞     another two distinct clinks of metal against metal.     katsuki pauses.��    ❝    i  really  fuckin’ hate people.    ❞

the blond relents and places the final coin in the swear jar.     he has no idea how much he’s put in that damn thing by now      ⸺      probably enough for a nice lunch.

❝    well that’s my day,    ❞     katsuki grumbles,   grabbing the last of the coins that didn’t make it into the jar and stashing them back into his pocket.     he’s a little glad he actually carries enough loose change for this      ╱      he’d rather pay up than not swear.     ❝    what ?     stop lookin’ at me like that,   y’nerd.     i ain’t givin’ up swearin’,   no matter how much i have t’put in that  stupid  jar.    ❞