Chapter Text
Notes are like quicksand to Izuku. Once his pen is gripped between his fingers, scrawling across paper, he just can't stop.
The notes fill out with details of class, new quirk ideas, quirk theories, his classmates' quirks, his teachers' quirks, quirk enhancing gear ideas, and anything and everything quirk or hero related.
Which is probably why he didn't notice Ochako and Mina in his dorm room that one faithful day, on his bed, just hanging out. At least until one of their phones ended up blasting a video at full volume.
"AHH-holy frick!" Izuku had gasped, clutching his chest and turning around hard enough that the chair almost snapped in half.
"Sorry! We didn't want to interrupt you!" Ochako had quickly apologized, waving her hands.
Mina turned the volume on her phone down. "My bad, boo."
"Uh, hi?" Izuku tried.
"Heyyy."
"Hello!"
"So....um.....did you need something?" He asks, twisting his hands together.
"YES. Why don't you ever watch the videos I send you?" Ochako asked immediately with her hands on her hips.
And that's how he ended up with a tiktok account. Which is also how he ended up roped into their shenanigans, trends, challenges, and weird dances.
So it's no surprise when he, Ochako, and Shouto are sprawled out on Tsu's dorm room floor and somebody brings up another semi-viral challenge, nearly two weeks later.
"Hug your family members and record their reaction challenge? I don't really have any family members aside from my mom, though? And we live in the dorms?" Izuku questions, tilting his head.
Ochako just bats her big brown eyes at him. "Well yeah, but you and Bakugo grew up together right? You can just hug him while recording his reaction! Easy day!"
Right.......because hugging Kacchan, of all people, is soooo easy.
"I'll pass." Izuku winces.
"What! Come on! Even Shouto did it!"
Shouto nods in confirmation. "I hugged my sister, brother, and mom. I hugged my dad too, but it was only to steal his wallet."
"Shouto!" Izuku gasps.
"It was for a good cause." Shouto simply nods.
"He used one of Endeaver's credit cards to buy the dorm sushi." Tsu adds from her bed.
"You-" Izuku begins, half wailing. "I ate that sushi. I am a criminal."
"A cute one." Ochako adds. "Anyhoo, it's really fun! We can just make it a classmate or friend thing! I'll hug Eijirou first, then you can hug Bakugo!"
".....Eijriou?" Tsu ribbets with a mischievous smile at the use of the red head's first name.
Ochako waves her off dismissively. "Not important."
"When I hugged my mom, she patted my head. My sister cried. My brother tried running away, but I RKO'd him on the couch." Shouto says with a monotoned voice muffled through a cheek full of popcorn.
"My siblings always hug me, so it wasn't as funny." Tsu shrugs, panting her toe nails yellow.
"Ochako." Izuku starts, squinting at the brunette suspiciously. "Do you just want me to hug Kacchan just so you can hug Kirishima?"
A bright blush dusts her cheeks as Ochako stutters out an excuse. "N-No.....I could hug Ei-uh-Kirishima anytime. It'll be fun! Please! Pleeeaasseeeee! PLEASE." She smiles, clapping her hands together pleadingly.
"I'm gonna get a howitzer blast to the face." Izuku scoffs, plopping back against Shouto's legs.
Shouto jumps forward, knocking Izuku off his legs with an oof. "I have an idea. It can be Dekusquad verses Bakusquad. I'll hug Kaminari, you hug Bakugo, Tsu can hug Sero, Ochako can hug Kirishima, and we can get Iida to hug Ashido. We will get a video of all of their reactions at once."
"Okay, but why?" Izuku asks, still laid on the floor at Shouto's feet.
"Because it'll be FUN." Ochako half wails.
"A harmless prank, of sorts." Tsu shrugs.
Heh. Harmless for everyone but himself, sure.
"I would also like to see everyone's reactions." Shouto answers, looking into the popcorn bowl like it holds the eighth wonder of the world.
The door swings open gently. Iida steps over the threshold with a tray of mugs.
"I am back with refreshments!"
"Tenya, would you hug Ashido?" Shouto asks immediately. Iida's face morphs into one of surprised concern.
"Yes, of course. Is she in need of consoling or comfort?" He asks, already about to bolt out the door once the tray is sat on the table in the center of Tsu's room.
"No, not right now. Just in general, without reason, would you hug her?" Izuku adds to ease Iida's stiffer than usual posture.
"W-Well if she was welcome to that sort of spontaneous affection, then yes."
"That settles it!" Ochako claps her hands.
"Wha-no! That does not settle it!" Izuku quickly sqwaks.
"Okay, I have an offer." Ochako says, looking suddenly very professional in her pink grapefruit printed pajamas.
Izuku's right brow raises. "I'm listening."
"Half an hours worth of quirk experimentation."
"You can't bribe me like that!" He defends himself and his dignity.
"One half hour worth of quirk experimentation AND-" She starts with a firm gaze. "We can watch an All-Might movie when it's my turn to pick on this weekend's movie night."
"Quirk experimentation, including questions and a full walk through of your hero suit and gear, and....... you get me Gunhead's autograph?" He counters, knowing her third internship will be this summer.
"Done." Ochako says holding out her hand, which Izuku eagerly takes.
"Pleasure doing business with you."
"I request to be filled in on what I missed in my absence?" Iida asks with mild concern.
"Okay, so here's the plan-"
One entirely too short of a day later, and Izuku finds himself sneaking into the kitchen right behind Ochako, Tsu, and Shouto. Iida walks behind him, confident and tall. Izuku wills away the nerves with the power of the All-Might theme song in his head.
Katsuki stands at the stove top, mixing and sautéing something that makes Izuku's mouth water. Eijirou leans against the kitchen counter across from him. Sero stands in the corner, slightly sweaty from a recent workout. Mina and Kaminari are arguing over something gossip magazine related next to eachother at the island countertop.
"Okay. You ready, Toru?" Ochako asks.
"Yep! Already recording!"
Oh, God. Okay. This is happening. Just don't get killed. Easy enough, right?
Right?
"Hi, guys!" Ochako starts out. Easy, casual, and without hidden motives.
"Hey!" Eijirou waves. Katsuki doesn't even look over his shoulder, and for some reason that eases the tiniest bit of Izuku's worries.
This is like a sneak attack. A fun little game of one way tag.
Yeah, that's it.
Ochako goes first, as planned. She just waltzes right up to the red head and holds her arms out with an innocent smile.
"Say less." Eijirou only chuckles, holding his arms out too. Ochako gets squished against his chest and in his arms like a bug in a fly trap.
"Excuse us." Iida says, followed by Shouto.
To Kaminari's credit, he doesn't short circuit anything other than the battery powered fidget toy in his hands. Mina goes shock still for all of half a second, before wrapping her arms around Tenya too.
"Awwww, you're so sweet!" She coos, getting a blush from Iida.
"I hope this isn't a bother?" He asks through a wheeze as the air is squeezed from his lungs.
"Absolutely not! You can hug me anytime, handsome!"
"Am I dreaming? I think I'm dreaming. Are we having a proper bro moment?" Denki asks, finally getting his arms awkwardly around Shouto's tall frame.
"We are not brothers in blood, but I consider you a brother of friendship." Shouto simply says, still hugging him.
"I can feel the bromance! It's alive!" Kaminari wails.
"The fuck is wrong with you idiots? You get hit with an extra annoyingly clingy quirk or some shit?" Katsuki barks with a scowl, finally turning around.
"No! We just wanted hugs!" Ochako pouts, still smooshed and being swayed against Eijirou's chest.
"Give me all the hugs. I am the hug bank, deposit all your hugs here for safe keeping." Eijirou answers through a muffled cheek pushed into brown hair. Ochako giggles as she hugs him tighter.
"Speaking of, may I?" Tsuyu asks, gesturing to Sero politely.
"Me? Really?" He answers, pointing a thumb at his chest. "I mean, I just got done working out? Probably don't smell the greatest, ya know?"
Tsu just shrugs, taking a wide step forward and getting her arms around his chest. Sero freezes up with his arms still in the air awkwardly. He lowers them gently and encompasses her slim frame in return.
Shouto pets Denki's back like he was consoling a child.
"I beg, I grovel at your feet for mercy. Pat my head just once?" Denki asks, still awestruck.
Shouto obliges, patting his head many times.
"I can die a happy man now. My soul is free."
"Please don't die." Shouto says a bit too seriously.
"Keep giving me head pats and I won't."
"I can't do this forever, but I can do it sometimes?" Shouto quickly offers.
"PLEASE AND THANK YOU." Denki wails again.
"Is this too long of a hug for you, Ashido?" Iida asks worriedly, beginning to pull away.
Mina just yanks him closer. "Not in this era, or even this lifetime. Hug me as long as you want to!"
"I'm afraid we would be here for quite a while then." Iida admits with a blush, pushing his glasses up his nose before dropping his arm back over her shoulders.
"I'm gonna hurl." Katsuki grimaces, turning sideways to grab his water bottle from the counter.
Ochako sends Izuku a knowing look, nodding her head in his and the blonde's direction.
Okay, here goes nothing.
He wishes the world a hearty farewell and plans to leave his figure collection to Kacchan. All his pictures are to be split amongst friends and his mom, his favorite shirts will go to Shouto and Ochako, his books to Iida, his only living plant to Tsu. Maybe he can get an All-Might themed headstone? That'd be cool.
Katsuki has his right arm up with the water bottle tilted back, leaving most of his side open and unprotected. Without thinking too much more on it, Izuku takes the opening while it's there.
Running forward and nearly tripping on his own feet, Izuku gets his arms halfway around the blonde's torso. He collides into him, almost hitting the boiling pot on the stove in the process. For one entire second, he smells and feels Katsuki against him. The sensation brings red warmth to bloom from his ears down to his neck.
He expected a fire blast to the face, a punch to the gut, a roundhouse kick to the kidneys maybe.
Not for Katsuki to choke up a wet lung.
Izuku let's go immediately, looking up at him with their one and a half inch height difference. Katsuki coughs and spits a mouth full of water into the sink. The bottle gets slammed against the counter.
"Kacchan? Oh my gosh, are you okay?"
"Bro? You good?" Eijirou asks, reaching over to pound a flat hand against the blonde's back.
Katsuki brushes him off. He leans back and takes another gulp of water to clear his throat.
Izuku takes a retreating step back once those burning vermillion eyes finally meet his.
"Okay, thanks bye!" Izuku shouts, immediately turning to bolt out of the kitchen with a trail of green lightning following him. He hears the others laugh and fall over themselves to follow.
By the time they make it to the saftey of Iida's dorm, they are all red faced and gigging. Izuku tries to hide the small amused smile that tugs at his lips, but it really was........fun.
Catching Kacchan off guard like that, it was something else. A bit of a rush, almost. He was warm, firm, and alive in his arms for all of one second. It nearly costed him his life, but it was worth it! He had hugged Kacchan, and lived to tell the tale!
"We are so doing that again!" Ochako cheers, hands raised in victory. Shouto and Tsu nod alongside her fervently. Iida wipes at his glasses carefully with a slight excited tremble to his fingers.
Well, Izuku is alive for now.....at least.
Slowly, one by one, they return to their dorm rooms for the rest of the evening.
Izuku gets enough time to change into actual pajamas and put away most of his notebooks and homework, before his dorm door gets a sharp rapid knock. Quiet, almost. As if whoever was knocking didn't want to bring any attention from the neighboring dorm rooms.
Izuku expected it to be Shouto with another conspiracy theory, or Ochako with a plate of mochi that she calls her 'girl dinner.' Out of all twenty of his classmates, the last person he expected was Katsuki.
But that's who stands in his doorway.
It was a nice life. Izuku figures it was pretty smart of the blonde to wait until later in the evening to commit an act of violence (AKA murder) to avoid anyone immediately interfering with his due restitution.
"Here."
A warm ceramic bowl gets thrusted into Izuku's chest. He scrambles to catch it. Eyeing the cling wrap cover still clouded with steam.
"Made too much. Eat it or put it away for later. If you waste it, I'll kill you."
Oh, poison. Smart.
"Um, thank you?" Izuku says a bit more nervously than intended.
Katsuki just nods at him once before turning sharp on his heel and sauntering back down the hallway.
The door shuts with a quiet click. Izuku sets the bowl on his desk to properly appraise it.
The kitchen bowls, cling wrap covering, still warm, smelling subtle hints of peppers and fish sauce. Okay, maybe possibly, by the grace of the higher entities, not poison?
Izuku pulls back the wrap, finding peppered pork sesame stir-fry laid over rice. He ate dinner, like a good little feral gremlin child, but for some reason, his stomach growls. To be fair, his version of dinner two hours ago was a protein shake mixed into his hot cocoa, popcorn, and peanut butter dipped pretzels. What Shouto had insisted was their 'boy dinner.'
So, Izuku eats it. If he's gonna die, might as well be by Kacchan's amazing cooking and not a third party villian.
And if he tears up a little at the spiced flavor and warm gesture, then that's okay too. Emotions are fine. He has a lot of them. Kinda hard to keep them all in check, but Izuku manages.
He hugged Kacchan today, didn't get killed for it, and got a home cooked meal made by Kacchan himself.
Pardon his French, but Izuku would admit that he had a damn good day.
Somehow, they convinced Momo to join their next suicide mission. Well, it's a suicide mission for Izuku, specifically. Hug Kacchan twice in the same week without consequences? Insanity.
Does he want to hug him though? Yes, of course. Who wouldn't want to hug the Adonis of a man, Katsuki Bakugo? Does it make his anxiety skyrocket to a new high score? Also yes.
But Izuku is no coward, and Shouto did promise him a no limits quirk questionnaire that even involves his family tree! How can he say no to that? The possibilities with that new information are endless! Not to mention, it would...... kinda..... be nice to maybe..... hug Kacchan again? Just for a second. One measely second of warm nitroglycerin scented bliss.
He has had a crush on the guy since they were in diapers, cut him some slack. Beggers can't be choosers.
This time the plan has changed. They've decided to try catching flies with honey.
Well.....they're cupcakes, but same thing.
The smell is definitely inticing. Tsu even got the cupcake recipe from Sato! And with Iida's strict measurements and Ochako's surprisingly good baking skills, the batter turned out great. They're plain vanilla, but the frostings are all different.
Each of them have a handful of cupcakes to top with whatever they pick. Four dozen of the treats sit out on the countertop, cooling, to ensure there are plenty for all of their class.
They aren't free for the taking though, there is a fee!
Tsu whips up a frothy chocolate mixture, using marshmallow fluff as a base for her and Iida. Ochako's are peanut butter filled, but topped with Tsu's chocolate concotion and little piped hearts. Shouto and Momo have already perfected a strawberry frosting with fresh slices of the fruit and sugar crystals to sprinkle over the tops. Iida works on dishes and hands out ingredients and clean utensils as requested. Toru is their designated spoon licker, as she is also in charge of filming their chaos.
Izuku takes a while to decide what to do with his.....
He could just stick with something simple, like vanilla buttercream, but eventually an idea sparks to life with a certain fiery blonde's taste preferences in mind.
Cinnamon, ginger, sugar, a pinch of nutmeg and clove, then mixed into a smooth glaze. And done, gingersnap cupcakes!
With their frostings done and the cupcakes cooling down, it's only a matter of time before they catch their first-
"So what's the occasion?" Sero asks, slinking into the kitchen and leaning against the counter.
Ha, gottem.
You get one member of the infamous Bakusquad, you're bound to get the rest.
"The occasion was that we wanted cupcakes." Tsu answers, carrying an empty icing bowl over to the sink.
"Why did you make enough for all Japan then?" Hanta chuckles, leaning over to eye the ones Tsu had just sprinkled with confetti candy pieces.
"They're for everyone!" Ochako cheerfully beams. "We used plain vanilla cake, but the toppings are all different!"
"Oh shit, lemme text the group chat." Sero already has his phone in his hand.
Bingo.
"Which one would you like?" Tsu asks, rounding the counter and gesturing to the different flavors. "I must warn you, there is a fee."
Hanta's brows raise. "Oh? I don't have my wallet on me, but I can-"
"I apologize valued customer, but we can only accept hugs as payment at this time." Momo half giggles across the countertop.
"Oh?" Sero's head tilts, then looks down at Tsu with her arms opened and waiting. "OH!"
A flurry of giggles erupts around them as Tsu gets wrapped in long arms and picked up off the floor in a tight hug. Hanta plops her back down with a wide smile.
"Was that enough?"
"Perfect." Tsu nods, then picks up a sprinkled cupcake and hands it to Hanta with a blushing smile.
"I HEARD THERE WERE CUPCAKES." Denki yells, sliding into the kitchen with only one sandal on and a laughing red head behind him.
"We didn't miss anyone's birthday did we?" Eijirou asks immediately.
"Nope! We just wanted to bake cupcakes for everyone!" Izuku answers, piling his gingersnap ones onto a round plate.
"Ochako made peanut butter chocolate ones." Shouto adds helpfully.
"Those are my favorite!" Eijirou beams.
Izuku is 99.9% positive that Ochako already knew that.
"You must pay for them! I will not allow a dine and dash in this society!" Iida says over his shoulder while rinsing out mixing bowls.
"Shit! I didn't think to grab my wallet!" Denki turns on his heels to hightail it back up the stairs, but Hanta grabs his shirt collar and yanks him back.
"This establishment can only take hug bucks, my guys."
It takes a whole two seconds for the two confused himbos to catch on. Their faces light up with red cheeks and smiles.
"HELL YEAH." Denki slides further into the kitchen, almost knocking Shouto off his chair with the force of his hug. Shouto pats his head and reaches over to pluck a strawberry cupcake off the cooling rack. He waits for Denki to pull away and peels the liner off himself before handing it over. Denki makes grabby hands for the treat while still pressed against his side.
Eijirou already has a blushing brunette held with a vice grip against his chest. Ochako doesn't mind the lack of air, as she squeezes him back with almost as much strength. Once released with a blinding smile she holds up the square plate of peanut butter heart topped cupcakes. Eijirou picks one as he "oohs" and "ahhs" over the cute design.
"Am I late?!" Mina jogs into the kitchen with Kyoka being dragged behind her.
"We live together, for Christ's sakes! How could we be late?" Kyoka balks, but still follows her into the kitchen space and eyes the colorful baked goods.
"I dunno, man." Hanta says with frosting at the corners of his mouth and a half eaten cake in his hand. "I might just pay a few more dozen hugs and claim the rest for myself."
"You would have the worst stomach ache imaginable." Izuku reasons.
"But it would be so worth it." Eijirou agrees, cheeks full of peanut buttery goodness. Ochako giggles as she smears a napkin over his messy mouth.
"Hugs?" Mina asks.
Iida dries his hands and gestures to the counter half covered with little cakes. "One hug per cupcake, my lady!"
Mina releases Kyoka's hand and bounces full bodied into Iida's unsuspecting arms. He recovers quickly and spins her around before dropping her in front of an empty stool by the counter.
"Payment received! Please, help yourself!"
Mina squeals again, choosing a strawberry one and getting frosting on her nose immediately. The pink of the topping almost blending into her skin.
"God these are SO good." Denki finishes his cake and hugs Shouto for another. Shouto peels the wrapper off again before handing it over.
Kyoka's nose wrinkles up as she walks further into the kitchen towards Momo.
"I know you're not a big fan of frosting, so I saved you these." Momo holds up a little saucer of two unfrosted cakes without wrappers and a small fork.
Kyoka's cheeks turn as pink as the strawberry frosting. She gently hugs Momo, pulls away, and hugs again. Momo bites back a giggle and smooths Kyoka's ruffled hair once the little plate is handed over.
Izuku freezes up on instinct when a fiery blonde walks towards them from the common room.
"You had better not leave a mess or so help me GOD, I will mop the floors with your heads." Katsuki barks, stomping into the kitchen and past the mass of hugging bodies to the fridge.
"BRO! You have got to try these!"
Katsuki sneers at the red head. "I hate sweets."
"They're not all sweet! Deku made these spicy ones!" Ochako reasons excitedly, pointing to the glazed ones.
"They're not spicy! They're-uh.....gingersnap." Izuku defends his creation bashfully.
Izuku meets the blonde's curious eyes for all of two seconds before grabbing the plate and quietly stepping around the counter towards the fridge. Katsuki simply glares at the offending treats with his arms crossed over his chest.
"You don't have to try them, if you don't want to. The peanut butter ones 'chako made are really good too. The strawberry ones have fruit slices."
Katsuki still glares at the plate. "Why gingersnap?"
"Um....well you don't like sweets, especially cake in general, but um...my mom always m-made us gingersnap cookies when we were kids, and you liked those a lot. S-So.....I just thought-"
"So you made these for me then?" Katsuki asks quietly, eyeing the plate with less malice than before.
"W-With you in mind....yeah."
Izuku silently thanks his friends for drawing the attention away from them by pushing more cupcakes and hugs onto the others. Ochako hugs Eijirou back with the excuse of giving him his change, as he apparently over-payed.
"Alright then."
Izuku's head snaps up in shock. "Y-You'll try one?"
Katsuki shrugs, reaching for the plate. Momo turns her head with a teasing glare.
"Don't give out free samples just because you think he's cute, Midoriya. Don't forget to collect payment." She winks. Kyoka stiffles a giggle with her fork between her teeth.
"Hah?!" Katsuki glares at her.
"Yeah man! One hug per cupcake!" Denki says, still unmoving from Shouto's warmer side and a half eaten cupcake in his hand.
Welp, it was worth a shot, Izuku figures. Worse case scenario, Kacchan storms off in a flurry of curses and swears that rivals a seasoned sailor. Best case scenario, Kacchan scoffs about not paying for crap food and still takes a cupcake.
"Who's idea was that?" Katsuki grunts.
"All of ours!" Ochako answers, handing another napkin to the red head that practically clings to her arm.
"Speaking of, one more my handsome man!" Mina bangs her palm on the counter and swivels in her stool to face Iida. Two thick arms squeeze around her shoulders. Iida blushes something fierce, but doesn't let go until Mina starts patting his bicep mumbling that she can't breathe against his chest.
"You're in on this?" Katsuki's eyes narrow threateningly.
"Um....yes, but you don't have to!" Izuku answers, pushing the plate towards him. "I just want you try one. Just a bite at least!"
The plate gets taken from his hands. Izuku watches half confused as it gets held up over his head.
Okay, that's fair. A plate full of baked treats are about to be dumped onto his head and Izuku accepts his fate with his eyes closed.
"You gonna make me stand here like an idiot or what?"
Izuku peaks one eye open and so many emotions burn up his throat. Katsuki's arms are open and waiting. One hand holding the plate above Izuku's head and the other waving him forward impatiently.
With a jump, Izuku rushes into him. Worried that the blonde might take the ultra rarest of opportunities back. The scent of cedar and pine from Katsuki's antiperspirant spray, recently done laundry, and nitroglycerin floods his senses. Izuku gets his arms around the broad sturdy torso and hugs. He starts to pull away after only a second, not wanting to be too selfish and overstay his welcome, but a heavy warm hand lands between his shoulders and pats once.
He hugged Kacchan, and got hugged back!
This is going in one of his journals. One of the best days of his life. Maybe even the best day ever. Even over the day he got a quirk, his UA entry results, or recieved his hero license.
The best day ever, because Kacchan-Katsuki Bakugo-hugged him back!
Izuku pulls away once the hand falls from his back. Katsuki's own ears burn pink, but Izuku chalks it up to the warmth of the kitchen and the oven that's been running on three hundred and fifty degrees for almost two hours while they baked.
The plate gets sat on the counter beside them, and Katsuki scowls mirthlessly at the treats as he picks one with the least icing. Izuku tries not to analyze the way smooth fingers pull down the wrapper. He looks away for his own health when the small cake gets lifted to the blonde's lips. He holds his breath for the cough of disgust, but it never comes.
"Mm'fuck."
Izuku's head spins to the side as Katsuki takes another bite.
"Do you like them?"
Katsuki tilts his head back, peels off the rest of the wrapper, and shoves the rest of the cake in his mouth. Izuku giggles at the sight, getting a squinted glare in return.
"Did you get the recipe from auntie? It's like the cookies, just in fuckin' cake form." Katsuki asks, dusting his fingers off with a napkin he snags from the counter.
Izuku shakes his head. "I just remembered my mom's cookie recipe, and sort of winged it."
"You've had that damned recipe this whole time?" Katsuki almost growls at him.
Another huffed laugh leaves his lips. "Well, yeah? I used to help her make them! They're just shortbread cookies, coated in melted butter, then dunked into a spice mix and dusted with sugar?"
"Fucking hell." Katsuki rubs his forehead in annoyance. "How many of these did you make?"
"Oh, just six? Nobody else likes gingersnap, and I added extra clove so I don't think anyone else but you would like them. I didn't want to be wasteful." Izuku shrugs, shuffling his feet.
At the blonde's silence, Izuku peers up at him again. Katsuki sighs, holding out one arm.
"These are mine. You get five seconds. Not a second more."
Izuku bounces on the balls of his feet then barrels into the blonde's chest again, knocking them backwards by a foot. Katsuki grunts, then huffs before patting his back again.
"One one-thousand, two one-thousand, three one-thousand..." Izuku starts counting out loud with his cheek pressed to a very comfortable shoulder. Katsuki snorts above him. Izuku huffs a quiet laugh back. "-four one-thousand, four and a half one-thousand-"
"Oi!" A mean finger jabs into his ribs, twisting with the intent to tickle.
Izuku yelps, pulling away with an abandoned laugh and holding his side. "Sorry, sorry. Enjoy your cupcakes!"
"Thanks, nerd." Katsuki rolls his eyes, but it feels playful almost. The plate gets snatched up and Izuku watches as the blonde stalks out of the room with even redder ears.
With a giddy smile and a chest full of hope, Izuku finishes clean up and fights off the teasing remarks and meddling taunts of his friends.
He's decided as an undisputable fact, that today was the bestest day EVER.
Round three has Izuku more nervous than ever.
A solo run.
A one man mission.
If he thought the other sneaky hug tactics were death wishes, then this one is a death wish tacked onto a one way ticket to the afterlife. Number one way to get blasted to the sun. He should write a blog titled: 'How to speed run death via your childhood best friend.'
"Don't run away as soon as you do it either! It'll look too suspicious." Ochako pats his shoulders encouragingly.
"Just be casual." Tsu adds.
Shouto nods. "It would be easier to play it off as a form of thank you."
"Excellent idea. Request his help with the English assignment, then thank him for his assistance with a hug." Iida nods fervently as well.
"We all know you need help in English, so it's not suspicious at all!" Ochako agrees, pushing him down the hall.
Which is how Izuku ends up at Katsuki's dorm room, hand raised to knock on the door with his English workbook on hand.
It's no lie his English grades aren't anywhere near the best of the class. It's also no lie that Kacchan is one of the best at the subject.
Izuku is about to burst out of his own body with how much anxiety is rattling his bones like flesh coated maracas.
This isn't even a part of their video trend thing! It's just his friends being aggressively pushy about him mending his friendship with his somewhat estranged childhood friend. He does have good friends. The best, really. Shouto and Ochako know about his stupid crush and how it never ever went away, no matter how much Izuku might've tried willing it to when he was younger.
Why does he have to have such amazingly supportive friends? Why?!?!
Just knock one time, then run and tell everyone else that Kacchan wasn't in his room or was busy.
He wasn't even bribed into this one, it was pure peer pressure! Sure he was warned by his mom when he started high school about the chances of being peer preasured into drugs, skipping class, or taking part in alcohol related activities- but no one prepared him for this!
Izuku pulls his hand back into a fist, and takes one more breath to try and steady his shaking hand. It doesn't work, sadly.
The door opens before his knuckles touch the fake wood. Bright red eyes bore into the skin with murderous intent, then soften ever-so-slightly, that it was almost unnoticeable.
Though the blonde's brows aren't as scrunched together at the center of his scowl, there is still a glare on his face.
"You gonna tell me why you're just hovering outside my door or not?"
Izuku swallows the anxious lump in his throat.
"I uh-there was a study group earlier, and Iida tried helping me, but I'm kind of a lost cause -in a lot of different ways really- but I was gonna ask for your uhh...." His gaze drops slightly, noticing the obvious work out gear bag and the blonde's gym clothes. "You're clearly busy, so nevermind! I can probably ask Momo for-"
A hand snatches his flailing wrist, stilling the notebook in his hands. Katsuki glances down, pursing his lips.
"You need help with English?" He asks gruffly.
Izuku nods, tilting his chin down. "The weekend assignment is difficult. Ah, not for you though probably! You're really good at English! You're good at all the subjects though, so it isn't surprising."
Katsuki just squints at him again. A little more calculated than before. "You needin' help with the whole chapter or just a few questions?"
"Um, the last two questions. About the differences between paraphrasing and summerizing?" Izuku answers, immediately flipping open his workbook to the marked page.
"Alright."
Izuku looks up again. Katsuki steps aside, holding his door open and jerking his head to the side.
Oh, Jesus. Okay. Here we go.
He shuffles in, careful not to bump into the stocky blonde as they share the doorway for all of half a second.
"Sit." Katsuki points to the bed. Izuku promptly plops himself on the edge and holds his notebook with both hands.
Katsuki drops his work out bag by the door, pulls out his desk chair, and sits in it backwards to lean his forearms on the backrest. He holds out a hand, making a grabby gesture. Izuku hands over the notebook.
The pages get flipped to this week's assignment, and Katsuki reads the question outloud followed by Izuku's written attempt of an answer.
"You're thinking about it too hard." He says, scratching his chin. "Read the text, then write what the important parts are that you remember without reference. Summarizing is giving a brief explanation of what the text says. Paraphrasing is just condensing it. Don't full on quote the piece. Use easier to understand synonyms too."
Izuku tilts his head. "Can you give me an example?"
"Uhh." Katsuki sighs through his nose, waving a hand as he thinks. "Instead of abducted, use taken. Instead of benevolent, use kind. Eliminate, erase. Make sense?"
"Oh!" Izuku reaches to take his workbook back, and Katsuki let's him. "Can I borrow a pencil?"
Katsuki spins in his chair to snag one from the stationary cup on his desk, tossing it into his lap. Izuku erases his answer, and quickly reads over the sample text again. Then, without looking, he writes the stand out points in a simpler form. Once finished, Izuku holds the book out again with a smile.
Katsuki snatches it back, flips it over, and squints at the page as he reads. Eventually he nods, handing it back over. Izuku will take that as it is, a wordless acceptance and passing grade of Kacchan standards.
"Thank you!"
Katsuki shrugs. "Anything else?"
Izuku shakes his head. "That was it! Sorry again, for bothering you."
"You didn't bother me. It's whatever. I'm kicking you out now though. I'm late getting to the gym."
"Oh, right!" Izuku jumps to his feet, making his way to the door with the blonde behind him. The gym bag gets lifted over a strong shoulder again.
Izuku steps out into the hall as Katsuki shuts the door behind them. With one hand snug around the bag strap and one hand on the door handle, an opening is made.
With as much confidence as possible, Izuku closes the three feet between them and gets one arm around the blonde's waist and his cheek pressed to a firm shoulder.
"Thanks again, Kacchan."
He pulls away just as fast, turns, and walks briskly (not runs) down the hall towards the elevator.
Don't look back. Don't turn around to get his reaction for your own saftey. Just keep walking. What does Dory say? Just keep swimming? Yeah-but bipedal style.
Just keep walking~ Just keep walking~ Just keep walking~ walking~ walking~ walking~
To Izuku's absolute surprise, no swear words, threats, or explosions follow after him. He shouldn't really be surprised. Not anymore, at least. He has now scored four hugs on three seperate occasions without consequences.
Especially since this time he hugged Kacchen when it was just the two of them, mostly alone because the hallway is still a common area but it was empty, so.......
That means something right? though what that particular something is, is still up in the air.
"Mission success." Izuku says, sliding back into Ochako's dorm room.
Cheers and applause surround him from his very supportive, stubborn, and wonderfully pushy friends.
**(Author's note: italicized sentences are in sign language. Bold italicized are angrily, snappy, or sarcastically signed words.)**
Aizawa has decided to pair the teams up with an obvious disadvantage to help them learn how to handle an out numbered fight.
So that means it's a two versus six match with randomly selected pairings. If anyone is slotted back to back, they still have to participate to keep up with the unexpected battle sequences of a real life villian attack. Either avoid getting captured, or do the capturing. The two person team wins if they both evade getting caught or incapacitate four out of six of their opponents. The team of six wins if they catch one of their opponents or get less than four of their teammates captured. If both teams manage to succeed in either task, it's a tie. if none of the victory requirements are met, it's an even loss.
"Next team of six is Jirou, Tokoyami, Momo, Aoyama, Ashido, and Iida." Aizawa announces, watching the randomized board ping.
Mina wails against Ochako's arm, having already gotten her butt kicked twice since the training started. Ochako pats her cheek sympatheticly.
"Darkness, it calls my name to return to the front lines." Tokoyami says, clutching his fist dramatically.
"I apologize, but it is still mid-afternoon. There are no clouds in the sky either, so the sun is out. Are you having vision difficulties, Tokoyami?" Shouto asks with heavy concern.
"Sho, that's not what he meant." Izuku sighs. "Remember how Kaminari taught you about emo-goth terms and speech patterns? This is one of those times."
Shouto nods after a blank moment of thought. "I see."
Aoyama sighs at his side, shaking his head. "I will be your light, Toko-chan. Do not frett, for I shall sparkle enough for the both of us."
"Do not shine too brightly, for my hoarding instincts of shimmer and shiny objects will crave to steal your brightness and claim it as my own." Tokoyami says, turning his back to walk away solemnly.
"Did......was that-" Ochako turns towards Mina.
"Oh my gawds, was he flirting?" Mina gawks.
"It is not unusual. Toko-chan is drawn to the way I sparkle." Aoyama woefully places a hand over his eyes. "I long to brighten his darkness, and he longs to dim my light."
"I'm gonna throw up." Katsuki grimances, lifting his lip in a snarl of disgust.
"The two person team will be-" Aizawa starts, watching the name board spin. "Bakugo and Midoriya."
Izuku's eyebrows shoot into his hairline. This isn't the first time they've been paired together, and definitely won't be the last. The surprise is from how Katsuki seems to smile at the pairing announcement.
"We're dead." Mina states like it's a fact.
"I will miss you." Ochako nods with the same belief.
"Our strategy plan must be of utmost quality this round!" Iida chops his hand towards the group as they begin heading towards the ground gates.
"Nerd! No time to waste!" Katsuki yells, already stomping meters ahead.
Izuku gets encouraging thumbs up from his friends on the side line, and a cheerful impromptu YMCA style dance from Eijirou as the red head shouts reassurances about how manly both he and Katsuki are. Izuku waves back with an enthusiastic smile.
Aizawa counts down over an intercom just as they get into position. With one look, an unspoken agreement is made to swap to sign language with Jirou on the opposing team.
"Plan?" Izuku asks first.
Katsuki shrugs from across him against a crumpled wall. "We could easily outrun them for the whole ten minute timer."
Izuku rolls his eyes. "Yes, but you and I both know that's not what you want to do."
"You know me so well, stalker." The quip comes with a feral grin and lazily moving hands. Izuku has learned when the blonde's teasing is heatless over the last couple of years. They've come a long long way in growth, from middle school to now second year students.
"I suggest an in air distraction from one of us, and an on ground attack from the other. You would be better in air with your blasts, and I can get at least four of them snagged with blackwhip. If you want extra flair, you could take down the other two with an aerial attack."
"If they see me in the sky, they'll know you're coming at them on ground." Katsuki signs, squinting at him with furrowed brows.
"I.........have a new attack move...if you are interested?" Izuku signs back timidly.
Katsuki's eyes widen, pointing at his own chest to silently ask, 'for me?'
Izuku nods. "It isn't super powerful in terms of strength, but it's one that shows your ability to control your blasts in an almost terrifyingly accurate way."
At Katsuki's silence and stern gaze, Izuku continues explaining with quick moving hands.
"I called it Supernova Storm, but it's your move so name it whatever you'd like! It consists of getting in air like you would with a Howitzer blast, spinning vertically with a one handed blast, and setting off your new one handed AP shot auto canon blasts. It would cover the sky in a roughly fifty feet radius with pinpointed blasts. It would look almost like a supernova blast, just spread out more evenly and without the ground damage since the blasts would detonate in air."
Izuku finishes his ramble, wiping his palms on his hero suit pants nervously. His hands stutter again. "T-That's it....."
"Supernova Storm." Katsuki repeats the sign with widened eyes. Izuku nods.
"I thought the name was fitting. The blasts wouldn't really do much, in terms of a ground attack, but it serves as a really good distraction move and would work really well to stun giant villains or against quirks that summon mass amounts of things if you were to use the attack move to create distance or take out multiple villians at once. The damage wouldn't be significant, but the distance-"
Katsuki holds up a hand, silencing his rambles at once. "Let's fucking do it."
"Really!" Izuku waves excitedly.
"Can you control blackwhip well enough to get four people down at the same time?"
Izuku nods. "The more of it I use at one time, the thinner it gets and the less control I have." He starts, steadying his gaze. "But I know you'll have my back if anything goes wrong."
For a moment, a long quiet second of just breaths and gentle wind, Izuku swears a light flickers behind vermillion eyes. Something warm and soft. Like a realization is made of something Katsuki hadn't known or was hesitant to accept.
Izuku's hands itch to sign out a shaky apology, but those gloved hands of firepower move first.
"And you'll have mine."
The air in Izuku's lungs grows hot as his eyes almost begin to pour waterfalls of tears. His throat starts the all too familiar ache of a good emotional cry, but he stamps it down and signs back with one hand and a stone hard stubborn gaze.
"Always."
The gentlest look Izuku has ever seen the blonde make stares back at him. It's so soft, Izuku is pretty sure he could compare it reasonably to a cotton fluffed pillow, or the fur of a freshly groomed kitten, maybe even a hand stitched quilt of silky threads.
"Stop staring at me, fucker." Katsuki snaps.
And it's gone.
Izuku shakes his head, turning to peer over the side of the wall they've shielded themselves behind. No signs of anything or anyone, but Izuku figures it's only a matter time. With their strength, their opponents would likely choose a full out ambush.
"Stick to the shadows, move west towards the-"
A river of acid breaks down the wall next to them. Izuku jumps back as the signature engine sound of a recipro boost echos against the surrounding buildings.
Katsuki pushes back, ducking down an alley while Izuku takes to the streets to face the head on attack. Dodging, swerving, and jumping out of the way. he covers his ears as one of Jirou's ear shattering attacks bounces off the buildings towards him. His head begins to throb as dark shadow emerges, smacking him clean against the pavement. One good kick frees him just before one of Mina's acid attacks lands at his feet. Iida runs towards him, just when the sky lights up above their heads.
In one swift blur of light, Izuku has Mina, Jirou, Iida, and Tokoyami pinned in various places along the street. All four wrapped neck to toe in inky black tendrils.
Game, set, match.
The timer goes off as Katsuki screams in triumph filled with profanities and trash talk.
Aizawa's announces the winners, then drones out a warning for Katsuki's potty mouth with the promised consequence of a detention if he doesn't keep the trash talking to a minimum.
Izuku releases his captured classmates, who start their walk of shame out of the training grounds. Izuku turns towards where he thinks Katsuki had landed up the street, planning to wait for him to catch up so they could walk out together.
"Deku!"
Izuku whips his head to the left.
"Did you fuckin' see that! Those losers didn't know what hit them!" Katsuki yells, jogging between debris scattered along the pavement.
"I didn't get to see it, but I know it definitely looked cool!" Izuku yells back with his hands cupped around his mouth.
"We kicked their asses!"
"Not literally, though. I didn't get a single decent hit in. It was all strategy!"
"It was your plan, and it fucking worked!" Katsuki yells again, slowing down with the closing distance.
"It wouldn't have without you!" Izuku shouts back with a fond smile.
Time slows down enough that Izuku's heartbeat rages in his ears. Remember how his feet sometimes move outside of his control? How he ends up running without realizing it? This is one of those times.
Who can blame him when Katsuki grins at him with his arms stretched out to the sides and his chest puffed up in pride.
Izuku runs towards him, suppressing the urge to use a tiny percentage of one for all to get to him faster. He jumps, shamelessly doing his best imitation of a touch starved koala. Legs, arms, and all.
Katsuki grunts from the impact, stepping back to steady himself. Arms wrap around Izuku's middle. Maybe on instinct, but Izuku is gonna pretend it's because his Kacchan wants to hug him back.
"I wanted to see it, but I would've missed the opening you gave me." Izuku says with his arms still wrapped around the blonde's shoulders.
"I'll do it again when we spar next. I need to practice the speed or I'll end up in the stratosphere or some shit." Katsuki says, voice muffled by Izuku's shoulder.
"Please! I really want to see it! I'm glad it worked, I was worried my calculations might've been off."
Katsuki shakes his head, bending slightly and releasing his hold around Izuku's waist. "Damn near perfect, you stupid nerd."
"Why can't you just say thank you like a normal person, Kacchan." Izuku huffs back with a roll of his eyes. He drops to the ground and dusts himself off again with a blush burning his cheeks.
"Being normal is for schmucks like you." The blonde huffs back. Izuku pretends not to notice the red hue that spreads from Katsuki's cheeks to his neck.
Izuku turns his back to him, walking towards the exit with a smile on his face. "Now I'm a schmuck? What's next?"
"Wouldn't you like to know, dork. Just wait till you hear my terms of endearment. They're horrible." Katsuki's boots crunch the gravel behind him as they walk.
Izuku laughs again, still a few feet ahead. "Since when do you ever use terms outside of the degrading category?"
"See, that's the thing. My terms of endearment are derogatory."
Izuku can hear the smirk in the blonde's voice. "So all of the times you've called me a dweeb or a dork, has just been you giving me pet names?"
"Absolutely not." Katsuki gruffs back. "That's just me being honest."
"Kacchan!" Izuku bawks, head tilted back in more laughter.
"Yeah, yeah. Keep laughing at me and I'll kick your ass."
"I'm not laughing at you! You're funny!"
"I know, I'm a comedian. Comedy is my back up career plan." Katsuki says, sounding very sarcastic. Which just makes Izuku have to stop walking and clutch at his sides in a fit of giggles.
"Quit your shit! We're gonna be late getting back."
"Then stop making me laugh!" Izuku wheezes.
"You think this is me being funny? Then you better buckle the fuck up cause shits about to get goddamn hilarious."
Izuku gasps. "Kacchan, I can't breathe!"
"Good. Die so I can steal your All Might silver aged good fortune figurine." Katsuki shoves him forward by the shoulder. "And so I can burn your bed sheets and shit wardrobe as an offering to the fanboy Gods."
Izuku nearly trips over himself, gasping and giggling like a tickled toddler.
"Ka-Kacchan, please." He begs, desperately trying to gather his composure. "S-Stop!"
"I hold so much power over you right now. I'm the next Ms.Joke. I gotta rebrand myself." Katsuki huffs, a smile in his voice. "My ultimate moves will consist of dad jokes and that's-what-she-said bullshit I stole from the Pikachu."
Izuku succeeds in tripping over himself, his forehead gets pressed to the ground as he sucks in air between fits of unabashed giggles.
"Don't piss yourself, pound cake." Katsuki laughs himself, reaching down to yank Izuku up and drag him to the gates.
"P-POUND CAKE?" Izuku screeches.
Katsuki only cackles.