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The late afternoon sun casts a golden glow over the young man lying in bed beside him. In the golden hour, Eijirou's red hair is alight, burning crimson strands splayed messily over their shared pillow. Katsuki can spot small tangles and knots from where he'd buried his hands in that fiery mane, grasping and tugging at it to anchor himself amidst rolling waves of ecstasy.
He feels the urge now to reach out and comb his fingers through it, but he'd loathe to wake Eijirou. He contents himself with continuing to watch.
His tiny little eyebrows are relaxed, not a hint of a furrow, but tracing them with his eyes Katsuki recalls the way they'd looked, scrunched in pleasure. He longs to press his thumb between them now, smooth out the memory of that furrow, given his hands had been too occupied to do so at the time.
Still, he restrains himself. Continues to watch.
The strong line of his nose is highlighted by the golden rays falling over his lax body, smooth but for the slight bump on the bridge from a memorable spar back in first year where Katsuki had broken it.
He wants to trace over that bump now with a gentle, calloused fingertip. Let his finger trail from the tip down to soft lips, parted slightly in sleep.
The lips in question are full, bitten red by both his own sharp teeth and Katsuki's, swollen from the long, open-mouthed kisses they'd shared in the past few hours. Katsuki shuffles closer in bed, the thin sheet sliding across his still sweat-damp skin, but he stops himself from planting another kiss on those inviting lips.
He tears his eyes away, trailing down from Eijirou's face to his neck and shoulders. The sheets have slipped down, under his chest now, giving Katsuki an eyeful of warm, brown skin glowing golden in the light of the setting sun. Marks, love bites and bruises, litter the expanse of naked skin, from Eijirou's jaw to his pecs, and down under the covers where Katsuki cannot see but can remember leaving them. He shivers, sweat cooling now, but the warmth in his chest does not abate.
Perhaps the small, involuntary movement was enough to rouse him, or perhaps the sun shining through Eijirou's balcony door was hitting his eyes at too harsh an angle, or perhaps the redhead had simply finished dozing. Regardless of the reason, Katsuki watches long, dark lashes flutter as his best friend— or, more than that now, his partner— wakes.
Carmen eyes meet his own, shining with something light and happy even before the giddy smile steals across Eijirou's lips.
The thick, well-muscled arm that had previously been thrown haphazardly over Katsuki's waist tightens, Eijirou simultaneously scooting closer and pulling the blonde into him.
Their chests meet, legs tangling automatically, as though they've had years of practice in intimate positions like this. Katsuki's heart pounds in his chest at the newness of it all, at the thrill of finally being so close to the object of his affections, and yet the movement feels so natural. Like they were made to do it.
Their hips meet, sending a spark up Katsuki's spine, before Eijirou draws his back slightly. Even the hint of contact was enough to feel the other man's— boy's— manboy's— budding interest, and enough to stir Katsuki's own (though he'd already been halfway there just from admiring the other), but he's tired enough from their previous activities to appreciate Eijirou's restraint.
Instead, the redhead leans forward to nuzzle the tips of their noses together, humming when the ticklish feeling makes Katsuki snort.
"I love you," he murmurs, breath ghosting across Katsuki's own kiss-swollen lips. It's not the first time he's told Katsuki as much, not even the tenth.
But the first time had been only a matter of hours ago, spoken desperately in a rushed whisper, like a secret he'd only half-meant to say aloud, under the looming pressure of graduation threatening to pull them cities apart. On the path to chasing their dreams, at the cost of no longer standing by each other's side.
The first time, the tenth time, or the hundredth, further off in their future, Katsuki doesn't think he'll ever get sick of hearing those three words. He presses closer still, lips brushing Eijirou's.
"I love you."
It's not the first time he's said it, not even the tenth. But given the way Eijirou's eyelids flutter, lips stretching into a smile even as he tilts his head to kiss Katsuki, it's clear the redhead won't get sick of hearing those words anytime soon, either.
They kiss just like that for a while, languid and slow, more to feel the other's touch, and bask in each other's warmth, than to build into anything more. When they part, Eijirou smiles at him with all his teeth, grin as blinding as it is sharp.
The sun has fully set now, casting shadows over the room, though it's still far too early to go to sleep for the night. They'll have to get up for dinner, soon.
Still, Katsuki's in no rush to leave Eijirou's warm embrace. Pressing his face into his collarbone, the blonde breathes in his heady, musky scent, before closing his eyes and settling.
He feels Eijirou relax, too, dozing off once more. No doubt his own hunger will force him up eventually. Katsuki can imagine it now, his sheepish smile at the loud growl of his stomach between them. His lips twitch, filled to bursting with fondness for the boy cuddling him. Any lethargy he'd been feeling fades under the heat of his adoration.
He knows, logically, that their confessions this afternoon will change little in their fast-approaching futures. They will still move cities apart from each other, Eijirou side-kicking under Fat Gum in Osaka while Katsuki goes to Tokyo to work under Jeanist. They will still both be incomprehensibly busy, establishing themselves as pros, with barely a spare moment to sleep, let alone build their relationship together.
But lying here now, graduation still weeks away, listening to his partner's soft snores, Katsuki is dead certain that he will never let Eijirou go. This is it, for him. He's confident in it, as sure about keeping the redhead in his life as he is about becoming number one.
Instead of dozing off alongside Eijirou, Katsuki plans. Once they untangle from each other and get up for dinner, he has a few calls to make.
In the end, the reveal is even more perfect than he could have ever imagined.
It had been easy to bully his costume designers into making the changes he'd requested. A few halfhearted protests about his image, his already-established colour-scheme making him easier to identify, sure, but Katsuki had shut them down easily. A minor colour change would hardly be enough to render the Dynamight unrecognisable.
The name had taken longer to process, if only because Jeanist was an uptight, eccentric fuck with endless complaints about the length and 'maturity' of his hero name, whatever that means. But Katsuki was adamant, and he'd eventually bulldozed over his mentor to submit the change, officially.
By the time his new sets of uniforms are ready, his new hero title finally reviewed and approved, graduation is a mere day away.
It's their last hero training class, ever. Katsuki plans to go out with a bang.
He slinks into the changing room behind everyone else and takes his sweet time changing into his hero suit. Convincing Eijirou to leave ahead of him takes some effort, especially since he's still naked but for his underwear and compression sleeves. Katsuki rolls his eyes at the way his boyfriend's stare lingers on his pecs for several long moments before he gives up and turns to leave.
Alone at last, Katsuki pulls out his uniform. Grinning, he runs his fingers over the newly-coloured lines of the shirt's X-pattern, lifting the bulky belt up to admire the matching hues. He dons his new uniform for the first time, taking a moment to look down at his own body and admire himself.
There's still an orange tone to the updated colour scheme, not quite as vivid as Eijirou's own costume. But it is undeniably darker, a definitive shade of red.
It feels right.
The grin stays fixed on his face, just this side of manic, the whole way to the training grounds.
Arriving, still unnoticed at the back of the cluster of classmates, it's immediately clear that their final class is a little less about hero training and a little more about celebrating their time at UA. The obstacle course stretching out across Ground Beta looks extensive and complicated, designed to test their strength, speed, endurance and flexibility. But it also just looks fun. Standing before them, next to Aizawa and All Might, is Present Mic. It's quickly explained to them that they'll enter the course five at a time, fighting through obstacles and robotic enemies to reach the finish line, with the Voice Hero's live commentary following them as they go. The winner from each group will then compete in a final, to determine an overall champion.
Katsuki is immediately and vividly reminded of their first year sports festival, and the race they competed in during round one. Glaring down at Izuku and Shoto's backs, the blonde prepares to redeem himself this time.
He's not the only one to notice the similarities, the class breaking into loud chatter, half-excited by the throwback, half-debating Aizawa's un-originality in lesson plans. In the commotion, Eijirou twists around, eyes searching the sea of classmates until they meet Katsuki's.
He grins at the blonde, stepping towards him and opening his mouth, before his gaze drops downwards and he freezes in place. Katsuki revels in the way those deep, ruby eyes widen, jaw dropping into a soft 'o' as Eijirou takes in the changes. It's an intensely satisfying reaction, and he smirks back at the redhead. His boyfriend looks wonder-struck, almost dazed, gaping in awe at the sharp red lines crossing Katsuki's torso. It's an excellent look on him.
Before his awed partner can say anything, All Might's booming voice interrupts them, announcing the first group of participants. Katsuki's called up, as well as Shouto, Yaoyorozu, Koda, and Shoji. Shouldering his way to the front of the class, he basks in the whispers that bubble up around him.
"Kacchan," Denki starts, lurching forward to grab his arm and inspect his costume, "Am I tripping, or are you coming for Ei's brand right now?"
Katsuki just scoffs, shaking the lanky blonde off of him. He stalks forward, following Aizawa's path to the start line and ignoring the probing questions his friends continue to throw at his back. Still, he straightens his broad shoulders, preening under the weight of his classmate's stares.
They don't get it, yet, but with Mic's commentating and the holographic screens with live captioning displayed in the viewing room, they will soon. Or, Eijirou will get it, soon, if he hasn't figured it out already. The others are irrelevant.
Lining up beside his competition, Katsuki hunches over, knees bent and palms angled back. The starting buzzer sounds, and he launches himself forward, explosions propelling him into an early lead.
Over the loudspeakers that dot Ground Beta's cityscape, Present Mic's boisterous voice rings out, "…WOW, an expectedly EXPLOSIVE start, from the recently coined 'Bombshell Hero': Great Explosion Murder God Dynamight!"
He can hear the crackling sounds that accompany Shoto's ice right behind him, gaining quickly, and whirring engines that suggest Yaomomo's created herself some inexplicably complicated and ridiculous piece of equipment.
It's all fades to background noise when he catches a glimpse of himself on a billboard screen in his peripheral vision. Superimposed over live footage of his snarling face, is his new hero title. The second kanji in 'bombshell', borrowed from a certain redhead's hero name, stands out to him, bold and obvious, though logically he knows it's the same size as the other characters.
The red-orange lines of his hero suit seem to glow onscreen. Katsuki knows this is the same footage that Eijirou's looking at right now, tucked away in the viewing room. Fuck, he should've asked Izuku to take a photo of the redhead's face.
Refocusing his attention on the obstacle course looming ahead of him, he blasts ahead, eager to win the race already and get back to his boyfriend, to take in his reaction.
Singularly motivated, he leaves his competition in the dust.
Hours later, gathered around their usual dinner table in the cafeteria, Denki still won't shut up about it.
"Wait wait wait, let me just get the story straight," he starts, again, leaning forward into Katsuki's space despite the ash blonde's stubborn silence.
"Nothing straight about this story, heh," Hanta quips, nudging a still-blushing Eijirou with a bulky elbow, because he thinks he's hilarious. Mina smacks him.
Ignoring his pained yelp, Denki continues, "You got together. Like, two weeks ago. And didn't tell any of us, by the way, thanks for that—"
Eijirou cuts in, sheepish, "Man, I already apologised, okay? We wanted to keep things quiet for a while—"
"Well, clearly not THAT quiet! Considering our prideful Kacchan here went ahead and, the very night you two started dating, completely changed up his hero image to revolve around you! What the fuck!"
Eijirou's face is even redder, now, almost matching the shade it'd been when Katsuki'd swaggered back into the waiting room after his first race, smug as all hell.
Mina sighs, dreamily. "It's pretty romantic, dont'cha think? Who new our Dynamight had it in him, huh?"
Eijirou nods in agreement, small and unthinking, until he catches Katsuki's eyes on him and forces himself still. Seriously, his blush is getting so bad that Katsuki can scarcely tell where his boyfriend's skin ends and hair starts. And Katsuki's face is starting to hurt from smiling so much— he's too viciously pleased to bother reacting to Mina's backhanded teasing.
Still, Denki's not done. He grumbles, standing in his seat and waving his hands in the air like they're all missing something only he's picked up on. "Romantic? Maybe," he dismisses, before pointing down at Katsuki balefully. "Impulsive? Reckless? Not-thought-through-at-all? DEFINITELY! You changed your entire colour scheme, dude, you put part of his hero name in your own title, you're basically a walking-talking-Red-Riot-homage! And you decided all this within, what, hours of confessing to each other? Minutes?!"
He looks genuinely distressed, the non-reaction from the rest of his friends only spurring him on. Hanta raises an eyebrow at him, dubious.
"I don't know, Denki, you kinda just sound jealous."
Flustered spluttering ensues. "It's just so out of character! Are none of you concerned about this? What of the ramifications?"
'The ramifications', Mina mouths, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively. Dark eyes alight with mirth, she blows a raspberry at him.
Eijirou, as always, comes to his defence. In all the years that Katsuki's known him, he can't remember a time where he couldn't trust the sturdy, kind boy to have his back.
"It's not a complete image change," he justifies, leaning into Katsuki's space and nudging his foot with his own. Katsuki loops their ankles together at the first tentative touch. "The lines on his costume are more of a reddish orange, really, than a solid red! And there's nothing unusual about the moniker, 'bombshell', even if the spelling is a bit… a bit uncommon…"
He trails off, distracted by the way Katsuki's foot trails slowly up the inside of his calf, pushing up his pant leg as it goes.
Smacking his lips around a mouthful of rice, Hanta remarks, "Gross."
Mina slaps him, again.
Ignoring the whining coming from their corner of the table, Katsuki finally takes it upon himself to grant Denki his attention. Setting down his chopsticks, he leans fully into Eijirou's side, melding their bodies together.
"Listen up, fuckhead, 'cause I'm only gonna explain this to you once. Yeah, it's a sudden change, it's suprising, yadda-yadda whatever-the-fuck." Denki opens his mouth to argue, but Katsuki presses on, talking over him. "It wasn't reckless, or a short-sighted decision. Who fucking cares if we only started dating a few weeks ago. Ei's been by my best friend, been by my side, for the past three years straight, and it's the best goddamn thing that could have ever happened to me. I'd have to be the dumbest fuck alive to let him go now, when everything's about to get even harder.
"I didn't change all this shit about my image 'cause of some half-assed honeymoon-phase feelings bullshit, got it? I did it 'cause Ei changed my fuckin' life, for the better, and I want him to be my partner for the rest of it, too. I did it to honour him. To show the world what he means to me."
Silence. His friends stare at him, gobsmacked. Breathing heavily from the exertion of his impassioned rambling, Katsuki turns to look at his boyfriend, his partner, and finds Eijirou already staring back at him, eyes big and watery. Jolting forward, Eijirou throws his arms around him, burying his face in his shoulder and squeezing the life out of him. Katsuki wheezes, but relaxes into the tight hold, clutching back at him as much as his trapped arms can reach.
Across from them, Hanta lets out a low whistle. "Damn, Blasty, that almost sounded like a marriage proposal." Katsuki's palms crackle, cheeks immediately flushing as his words start to catch up to him.
Mina squeals, drawing the attention of several surrounding tables. "What the hell, Blasty! That was so sweet, I could swoon!"
And swoon she does, exaggeratedly, falling over Denki and Hanta's laps. The jostling seems to shock Denki out of a stunned stupor. Raising a shaky thumbs up in their direction, he admits defeat. "Just, don't- don't fuck it up, okay?"
Eijirou pulls back, then, reaching up to cradle Katsuki's burning-hot cheeks in two big, warm hands. He smiles at Katsuki, soft and private, like all their friends and half the cafeteria aren't watching them. He'll miss this, the warmth and comfort of Eijirou's touch, when they move out tomorrow and head out into the real world. But looking into his partner's eyes, sparkling with emotion and creasing cutely in the corners from the strength of his smile, Katsuki knows, without a doubt, that they'll last. That they'll find their way back together again, no matter how long it takes or what life throws their way.
Humming gently, Eijirou leans in to nuzzle their noses together. He opens his mouth, voice low as though they're sharing a secret, and whispers in response, "He won't."
To Katsuki's blushing, red ears, it sounds a lot like, I love you.